Sheriffs Statement:                                                                                        

I am awaiting a briefing on the incident of one or more of my employees having been involved in the firing of their weapon(s) in an incident Sunday morning with a motorist wanted for an alleged assault with a firearm. I am conflicted with the lack of information immediately available to me, and my inability to comment more specifically to the community about this matter accordingly. I am also reluctant to comment on what initial information is before me, as any inaccuracy will lead some to believe that I have falsified or intentionally mischaracterized information.

I support the reason for and purpose of having an independent team conduct the investigation, though that means I must likely wait weeks for an initial briefing by that team, and at least several months before their investigation is completed and reviewed by the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.

What I can say is that I am concerned that a family has tragically lost a loved one in a police-involved shooting. I am concerned that it appears that the wanted person did not peacefully comply with the deputy trying to pull him over, or to detain him thereafter. Unfortunately, we (Law Enforcement) often do not get to control when or where an officer involved shooting may occur.  We are trained to be aware of the backdrop, crossfire, and surroundings, however in a split-second life and death decision deputies must weigh the risk to themselves and others and the totality of circumstances when applying force. I am concerned about the nature of the shooting, and what, if anything, we can learn from this incident. I am concerned about those that experienced property damage in this incident, and we have aggressively sought to facilitate arrangements for damages to be fixed or compensated – doing so through the County’s proscribed process.

I am concerned about the well-being of the deputies involved in this incident, and the impact of the event to the immediate residents of the area and the larger community. 

There are and will be numerous questions about what happened, how and why. I expect to learn answers to those questions, between the independent investigation as well as the internal review that my agency will undertake. I know these answers will not come soon enough for me, or others, but that I must trust in the process – and withhold judgement until all the facts have been carefully considered.

I ask for the same patience and understanding of the community accordingly.

Clark County Sheriff, Chuck Atkins

Voters passed a bond measure in 2018 with one of the most requested use of the funds being the construction of a northside medic response station. This station request stemmed from the potential delays of apparatus response when trains are running or stopping through town. 

After acquiring a 50-year lease from the City of Canby, ordering a pre-fabricated building, and clearing land Canby Fire has officially received the permit to begin construction. A groundbreaking ceremony will be held today, October 20, at 1530 hours. 

Vancouver, Wash. – The Clark County Council is accepting applications to fill a vacancy on the volunteer Planning Commission. 

The opening is for a four-year term that begins Jan. 1, 2022, and goes through Dec. 31, 2025. 

The Planning Commission is a seven-member group that makes recommendations to the council on land-use planning, zoning and development in areas outside cities and about issues such as growth management, roads, public facilities, development regulations and applicable county ordinances.

To apply, please submit a letter of interest and résumé to Michelle Pfenning, Clark County Council, PO Box 5000, Vancouver, WA 98666-5000. Applications also can be emailed to michelle.pfenning@clark.wa.gov. 

Application deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 19, 2021.

Are Oregonians more or less concerned about community health, the economy, and personal finances compared to previous months?

COMMUNITY PLANNING, COVID-19, ECONOMY AND JOBS, HEALTHCARE, POLITICS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS 

From September 14th through 22nd, 2021, the Oregon Values and Beliefs Center conducted a statewide survey of Oregonians’ values and beliefs. The questions were intended to gather preliminary data to inform more in-depth research in the months ahead.

This online survey consisted of 1,124 Oregon residents ages 18+ and took approximately 15 minutes to complete. This survey’s margin of error, for the full sample, ranges from ±1.8% to ±2.9% depending on how the response category percentages split for any given question. Due to rounding, numbers may not add up to 100%.

Respondents were contacted by using professionally maintained online panels. In gathering responses, a variety of quality control measures were employed, including questionnaire pre-testing, validation, and real-time monitoring of responses. To ensure a representative sample, demographic quotas were set, and data weighted by are of the state, gender, age, and education.

This survey uses aggregated data to analyze the opinions of BIPOC residents in comparison to the opinions of residents who identify as white and not another race. BIPOC residents are not a monolith; the grouping represents a wide diversity of races and ethnicities. The findings included in this memo should not be construed such that all people of color are believed to share the same opinions. Disaggregated race data will be provided when sample size permits reliability.

Findings will include a citation of the relevant question, which can be referenced in the annotated questionnaire and tabs, available on our blog at oregonvbc.org/blog, or sent directly upon request.

Right Direction or Wrong Track?

Oregonians’ opinions on the direction of our state have returned to the more pessimistic lows of last winter. About half of Oregonians say things in the state are headed off on the wrong track (49%). Nearly as many say things are headed in the right direction (45%), and the rest aren’t sure (Q1).

• These results are almost identical to December 2020 (52% wrong track)¹ and February 2021 (49% wrong track)², and show increased pessimism from May 2021 (42% wrong track, 49% right direction)³.
• The youngest and oldest Oregon adults are the most optimistic. Among people under 30, half say things are headed in the right direction (50%). Among people 75 and older, 60% say things are headed in the right direction.

Coronavirus Concerns

When thinking about coronavirus, concerns about community health remain high, whereas concerns about personal health have fallen slightly since last summer (Q2-4).

More than three-quarters of Oregonians say they are somewhat or very concerned about the health of their communities regarding coronavirus, a figure essentially unchanged since July 2020 (77% to 78%)⁴ (Q4). 

• Levels of concern are similar across the state, irrespective of region (75% to 78%).

Meanwhile, 60% of Oregonians say they are concerned about their own health when it comes to coronavirus, a figure just slightly lower than in July 2020 (63%)⁴(Q2).

• Concern is higher among vulnerable, older age groups than among young people: 68% of people 75 and older say they are concerned, compared to 51% of people under 30.

Concerns about the economy vis-à-vis coronavirus remain. All in all, Oregonians are more concerned about Covid-19’s impact on the economy than their individual health—but concern doesn’t mean the economy is in bad shape (Q5).

• More than eight in ten Oregonians say they are somewhat or very concerned about the economy in the wake of coronavirus (84%), a figure that has slipped only slightly since July 2020 (87%)⁴.
   
• People of all social ideologies share concerns about the economy (81% to 93%). This marks a difference from health concerns, about which liberals are significantly more concerned.

Oregon’s Economy

Oregonians are evenly split as to whether the state’s economy is good or poor. While 45% say it is good or very good, 44% say it is poor or very poor (Q6).

• Overall positivity about the state’s economy has increased 15 percentage points since the beginning of the pandemic. In April 2021⁵ and June of 2020⁶, 30% of Oregonians said the economy was good or very good.
   
• Men are much more likely than women to report good economic conditions (53% to 37%).
   
• Perceptions of economic conditions may be colored by one’s own financial standing or career path. People with household incomes of $100,000 or more were the most likely of any group to rate Oregon’s conditions as good or very good (69%), compared to people with lower incomes (33-47%).
   
• Similarly, college graduates have a more positive outlook, and two-thirds say the state’s economy is good or very good (65%), compared to less than half of people with less education (33-40%).

Personal Financial Situation

While ratings of the state’s economy have grown more positive, many Oregonians remain worried about their own finances. More than half now say they are somewhat or very worried about their personal financial situation (53%) (Q9).

• While overall sentiment has remained roughly the same over the past year, the figure representing those very worried about their finances has creeped up, from 16% in June 20206, to 19% in October 2020⁷, to 21% today.
   
• Women are nearly twice as likely to express deep worry than men (27% to 15%).
   
• When it comes to those who described themselves as very worried about their finances, there is no notable difference between households with children and without (20%, 21%).
   
• Millennials and Gen Xers say they’ve been hit hard. About one-third of Oregonians ages 30-54 say they are very worried about their financial situation (30-34%).

People outside the Portland tri-county region are more likely to say they are struggling financially (Q9).

• Fewer than half of residents in the tri-county region say they are somewhat or very worried about their financial situation (47%). Meanwhile, in the Willamette Valley, that figure stands at 61%. In other reaches of the state, it sits at 57%.

• Tri-county residents are also the most likely to say they aren’t worried at all about their financial situation (21%), almost double the rate for people in the valley or elsewhere in the state (12-13%).

Opening Oregon’s Economy

Few Oregonians believe the economy is “fully restarted” since the pandemic began (13%) (Q7).

• Those who believe this are more likely to be under 30, have college degrees, and have high incomes (18-19%).

About one in five Oregonians feel an urgency to “open everything up and restart the economy” (Q8).

• Back in June 2020⁶, when many businesses were still closed and fewer people were sick in the ICU with Covid-19, more than one-fifth of Oregonians said they felt strongly it was time to open back up (21%). Yet, even then, more than half felt it was not safe yet (55%).
   
• Now, many businesses have re-opened with restrictions, and the proportion of Oregonians eager to open back up has remained mostly stable (19%). Still, 56% say it is better to stay safe and wait.
   
• Men are more likely than women to say that things should open back up, by a margin of ten points (42% to 32%).

• Renters—who might approximate essential workers—are among the least eager to open back up (despite few differences by age). Just 28% say it is time to fully re-open, compared to 43% of homeowners.

Demographic Trends

Identifying What Unites Us and Understanding What Divides Us

Reported below are statistically significant subgroup differences between BIPOC and white Oregonians, and urban and rural Oregonians.  Many of these differences are not major and are presented to inform public education and communications initiatives.

BIPOC and white residents are equally likely to say things in Oregon are headed in the right direction (45%) (Q1).

• By area, ruralites are much more wary. More than half (57%) say things are off on the wrong track. Meanwhile, about half of urbanites say things are headed in the right direction (49%).

Rural and urban residents are about equally likely to express concern about the health of their communities when it comes to coronavirus, with urban residents ever so slightly more concerned (74% to 79%) (Q4).

• There is similarly almost no difference between rural and urban residents when it comes to concern about the economy in the wake of Covid-19 (85% to 83%) (Q5).

White residents are somewhat more concerned about the economy than BIPOC residents (86% to 74%). This figure could reflect partisan differences.

Rural areas of the state have been hit especially hard by painful impacts from the pandemic, drought, and wildfires. More than half of rural Oregonians rate economic conditions as poor or very poor (57%) (Q6).  

• For urban and suburban areas, that figure floats between 38% and 41%.

BIPOC Oregonians are more likely to express worry over their personal financial situation (Q9).

• Two-thirds of BIPOC residents say they are somewhat or very worried about their personal financial situation (66%), compared to about half of white residents (52%).
• BIPOC and white residents rate economic conditions nearly identically (Q6).

Half of ruralites say it is time to open everything back up and restart the state’s economy (49%). They are joined by fewer than one in three urbanites (29%) (Q8).
 

This research was completed as a community service by the Oregon Values and Beliefs Center, an independent and non-partisan organization. OVBC is an Oregon charitable nonprofit corporation. 

For more information, please see the OVBC September 2021 Survey Annotated Questionnaire and Crosstabs, visit Oregonvbc.org, or contact us.
 

For information about the panel, please visit About the Panel - Oregon Values and Beliefs Center (oregonvbc.org)

[1] Survey conducted December 4-8, 2020; OVBC; n=615

[2] Survey conducted February 11-17, 2021; OVBC; n=600

[3] Survey conducted May 4-10, 2021; OVBC; n=918

[4] Survey conducted July 14-22, 2020; DHM Research; n=603

[5] Survey conducted April 1-6, 2021; OVBC; n=600

[6] Survey conducted May 29-June7, 2020; DHM Research; n=900

[7] Survey conducted October 1-6, 2020; OVBC; n=600

Update: Aaliya Jackson has been located in Tacoma WA by the Tacoma Police Department and is safe. 

The Vancouver Police is looking for 14 year old Aaliyah Jackson, who was last seen near her residence on 10/18/2021 around 1630 hours. Aaliyah was last seen wearing a black T-Shirt, gray sweatpants and a black zip up sweater. Her hair is shaved on the sides and is pink and black in color. Contact the Vancouver Police if you have seen Aaliyah.

The Oregon State Police is releasing information related to employee compliance with Executive Order 21-29.  These employees are covered under a mix of policies, LOA’s and procedures and the Oregon State Police is committed to treating members fairly and consistently. 

Total number of OSP Employees In-Scope of EO 21-29

1267

Fully Vaccinated

78% of OSP’s In-Scope employees

Submitted Exceptions – “Approved” as of 10/18/21 @ 11:59pm

15% of OSP’s In-Scope employees

• 96% of those are Religious Exceptions
• 4% of those are Medical Exceptions

Submitted Exceptions – “Pending Review” Status by Complex Leave Team as of 10/18/21 @ 11:59pm

7% of OSP’s In-Scope employees

• 65% of those are Religious Exceptions
• 35% of those are Medical Exceptions

Protected Leave Status (Examples: Military/OFLA/FMLA/etc.)

.01% of OSP’s In-Scope employees

• Prior to returning to work, these members will work with OSP’s Complex Leave Team to ensure they are also in compliance with EO 21-29.

Number of OSP Employees Placed on Administrative Leave on 10/19/21 – for Non-Compliance with EO 21-29

DAS reported today 778 OSP members are associated to the Oregon State Police Officer’s Association (OSPOA).  As of 10/19/21, OSPOA and the State of Oregon have not entered into an agreement regarding EO 21-29.

11 OSP employees are categorized as OSPOA membership and on Administrative Leave. 

• Those 11 OSP members are valued employees and are working through the process with our agency to determine next steps.  The primary goal from the onset of EO 21-29 was to protect people, and this includes our valued members.  Each of these members have taken steps to comply with the EO and we will be working directly with them and their OSPOA leadership to remedy the situation.
• 10 are sworn OSP members and 1 is a professional staff member

Number  of OSP Employees Non-OSPOA membership Utilizing the Grace Period as outlined in LOA/DAS Policy as of 10/19/21 – “In the Vaccination Process”

10 – Ten OSP members are exercising the option to either remote work (if appropriate and available), utilize personal leave banks or leave without pay status as they transition through the “In the Vaccination Process” period.

Number of OSP Employees that Resigned in Response to EO 21-29  

 4-Two professional staff and two sworn members cited EO21-29 at the time their resignations were submitted. 

“Fully Vaccinated”: Means having received both doses of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine or one dose of a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine and at least 14 days have passed since the individual’s final dose of COVID-19 vaccine.  This process must have occurred on or before October 18, 2021, as outlined in EO 21-29. 

 “Pending Review Status”: Means an OSP employee has submitted in writing a request for either a Medical or a Religious Exception.  The OSP Complex Leave team has not reviewed or processed these requests as of 10/19/21.  Those employees categorized as “Pending Review Status” are in compliance with EO 21-29 while in the “Pending Review Status”.

HILLSBORO, Ore.- October is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Awareness Month. This month and beyond, please join the Washington County DA’s Office and Child Abuse Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) to encourage safe infant sleep and to raise awareness about SIDS. 

Nationally, approximately 3,400 babies die suddenly and unexpectedly each year. The causes of these sleeping deaths include accidental suffocation or strangulation, sudden infant death syndrome, and unknown causes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, these deaths impact children of all races and ethnicities, but are disproportionately present in several demographic groups.

In Oregon, about 40 babies die in their sleep every year. Oregon has the highest rate of unexplained infant deaths on the West Coast, approximately 22% higher than Washington and 72% higher than California.

Many of these deaths can be prevented by ensuring a safe sleeping environment for babies. Experts recommend putting babies to sleep on their back, removing loose bedding and blankets and using a firm sleeping surface.

To help reduce infant deaths, the Washington County District Attorney’s Office and Child Abuse MDT have partnered with the national Cribs for Kids Program to provide free Cribette Kits to eligible families residing in Washington County. In addition to providing a free portable crib, infant sleep sack and educational materials, MDT community partners will provide safe sleep education for eligible families.

“In my role as both a dad and the DA, I am excited about this new program to provide families with safe sleep cribs, clothing and education,” said Washington County District Attorney Kevin Barton. “Our goal is to stop every preventable child death and this takes our community a huge step in that direction.”

For more information on this program and to apply for a Cribette Kit, please visit the Washington County DA’s Office website. 

Additional Resources:

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website
2. Oregon Health Authority website
3. Photos courtesy Cribs for Kids.

SEATTLE - The Drug Enforcement Administration will host its 21^st National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, October 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This event offers free and anonymous disposal of unneeded medications at more than 4,000 local drop-off locations nationwide.

This Saturday, is another opportunity for the Pacific Northwest to dispose of unwanted, unused and expired medication at one of the 146 collection sites throughout the region.  Currently there are 18 collection sites in Alaska, 29 collection sites in Idaho, 26 collection sites in Oregon and 73 collection sites in Washington. Last April, residents of the Pacific Northwest turned in 36,259 pounds.

According to a report published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), a majority of people who misused a prescription medication obtained the medicine from a family member or friend. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that last year, more than 93,000 people died of drug overdoses in the United States, marking the largest number of drug-related deaths ever recorded in a year. Opioid-related deaths accounted for 75 percent of all overdose deaths in 2020.

For more than a decade, DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day has helped Americans easily rid their homes of unneeded medications—those that are old, unwanted, or no longer needed—that too often become a gateway to addiction. Working in close partnership with local law enforcement, Take Back Day has removed more than 7,000 tons of medication from circulation since its inception. These efforts are directly in line with DEA’s priority to combat the rise of overdoses plaguing the United States.

“The United States is in the midst of an opioid epidemic—drug overdoses are up thirty percent over the last year alone and taking more than 250 lives every day,” stated DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “The majority of opioid addictions in America start with prescription pills found in medicine cabinets at home. What’s worse, criminal drug networks are exploiting the opioid crisis by making and falsely marketing deadly, fake pills as legitimate prescriptions, which are now flooding U.S. communities. One thing is clear: prevention starts at home. I urge Americans to do their part to prevent prescription pill misuse: simply take your unneeded medications to a local collection site. It’s simple, free, anonymous, and it can save a life.”

“The DEA Drug Take Back is more important than ever and is a great opportunity for citizens of the Pacific Northwest to dispose of their unused, unwanted, or expired prescription medications,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino. “Properly disposing of these medications will prevent them from falling into the hands of our children. Please help keep our citizens and communities safe by taking the time to responsibly dispose of your unwanted prescription pills during National Drug Take Back Day.”

DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is more important than ever before. Last month, DEA issued a Public Safety Alert and launched the One Pill Can Killpublic awareness campaign to warn Americans of a surge in deadly, fake prescription pills driven by drug traffickers seeking to exploit the U.S. opioid epidemic and prescription pill misuse. Criminal drug networks are shipping chemicals from China to Mexico where they are converted to dangerous substances like fentanyl and methamphetamine and then pressed into pills. The end result—deadly, fake prescription pills—are what these criminal drug networks make and market to prey on Americans for profit. These fake, deadly pills are widely available and deadlier than ever. Fake pills are designed to appear nearly identical to legitimate prescriptions such as Oxycontin®, Percocet®, Vicodin®, Adderall®, Xanax® and other medicines.Criminal drug networks are selling these pills through social media, e-commerce, the dark web and existing distribution networks.

Along with the alert came a warning that the only safe medications are ones prescribed by a trusted medical professional and dispensed by a licensed pharmacist. Any pills that do not meet this standard are unsafe and potentially deadly. DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day reflects DEA’s commitment to Americans’ safety and health, encouraging the public to remove unneeded medications from their homes as a measure of preventing medication misuse and opioid addiction from ever starting.

On Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021, DEA and its partners will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms of prescription drugs. Liquids (including intravenous solutions), syringes and other sharps, and illicit drugs will not be accepted. DEA will also continue to accept vaping devices and cartridges provided lithium batteries are removed.

A location finder and partner toolbox are available at www.DEATakeBack.com for easy reference to nearby collection sites. Beyond DEA’s Take Back Day, there are also opportunities to regularly and safely dispose of unneeded medications at more than 13,000 pharmacies, hospitals, police departments, and businesses working to help clean out medicine cabinets throughout the year.

Vancouver, Wash. –On October 18, 2021, at approximately 2:06 p.m., Vancouver Police responded to a report of a robbery at the Columbia Credit Union located at 3003 NE 62ND Avenue. A male entered the credit union, presented a note to the teller, which indicated he would shoot the teller if she did not comply, and fled with an undisclosed amount of money. Officers canvassed the area, were able to quickly gather suspect information, probable cause, and the route the suspect took, to include an apartment complex and unit the suspect was later located at. Officers were able to get the suspect to exit the apartment without incident. A black Sig Sauer P365 look-alike pellet/air gun and other evidence was located inside the apartment. 

Derek A. Troxler was booked into the Clark County Jail for Robbery I, Felony Harassment and Theft III.

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DALLAS (OR) – Mauricio Barba Duran, 37, of Silverton, has been sentenced to serve 25 years in prison after a Polk County jury unanimously found him guilty of rape in the first degree and sodomy in the first degree at the end of a four day trial this week. At sentencing, the District Attorney’s Office had argued for consecutive sentences, but Judge Monte Campbell elected to sentence Duran to concurrent time and imposed a lifetime term of post-prison supervision.

During the trial, the state presented evidence that the victim had been between 6-11 years old at the time of the abuse and had been living in the Sheridan area with her family. The case was prosecuted under Oregon’s Jessica’s Law which requires a 25-year sentence to be imposed against anyone convicted of committing a first degree sex offense against a child under the age of 12.

“I am pleased we were able to hold this defendant accountable for his actions and get a measure of justice for this young victim,” said Polk County Deputy District Attorney Erin Brady, who handled the case for the District Attorney’s Office. The case was investigated by Det. Jeff Williams of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. 

October 19, 2021

Contact: OHA External Relations, covid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us">orcovid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us

Oregon reports 1,366 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 41 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — There are 41 new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 4,226, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 1,366 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 353,368.

COVID-19 hospitalizations

The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 across Oregon is 562, which is one more than yesterday. There are 130 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, which is 10 fewer than yesterday.

There are 56 available adult ICU beds out of 706 total (8% availability) and 292 available adult non-ICU beds out of 4,127 (7% availability).

The total number of patients in hospital beds may fluctuate between report times. The numbers do not reflect admissions per day, nor the length of hospital stay. Staffing limitations are not captured in this data and may further limit bed capacity.

Note: Please do not visit an emergency department for COVID-19 testing, unless you require emergency care for your symptoms.

Emergency departments in Oregon are under significant strain responding to the current surge in COVID-19. You can find a test here.  

If you have a medical condition that doesn’t require emergency care, contact your provider. An urgent care center may also help you get the care you need and will save emergency departments from added strain.

More information about hospital capacity can be found here.

Vaccinations in Oregon

Today, OHA reported 8,804 new doses of COVID-19 vaccinations added to the state immunization registry on Oct. 18.

Of that total, 4,438 were administered on Oct. 18. There were 793 initial doses, 732 second doses and 2,799 third and booster doses. The remaining 4,366 were administered on previous days but were entered into the vaccine registry on Oct. 18.

The seven-day running average is now 9,511 doses per day.

Oregon has now administered 3,184,813 doses of Pfizer Comirnaty, 1,931,989 doses of Moderna and 223,288 doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines.

As of today, 2,788,567 people have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 2,574,554 people have completed a COVID-19 vaccine series.

These data are preliminary and subject to change.

Updated vaccination data are provided on Oregon’s COVID-19 data dashboards and have been updated today.

Cases and deaths

The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (7), Benton (44), Clackamas (87), Clatsop (13), Columbia (14), Coos (29), Crook (42), Curry (8), Deschutes (73), Douglas (44), Gilliam (3), Grant (15), Harney (17), Hood River (3), Jackson (56), Jefferson (14), Josephine (14), Klamath (81), Lake (14), Lane (124), Lincoln (22), Linn (60), Malheur (26), Marion (116), Morrow (4), Multnomah (123), Polk (51), Sherman (2), Tillamook (7), Umatilla (72), Union (3), Wallowa (3), Wasco (22), Washington (107), Wheeler (9),and Yamhill (37).

Note: More information about the cases and deaths will be provided in an updated news release.

Oregon updates non-viable vaccine disclosure^1,2,3

OHA’s non-viable vaccine table has been moved to the Tableau dashboard. You can find the link to the weekly tab here. OHA reports updates on vaccines not being used each Tuesday in our daily media release.

¹Updated: 10/19/21 

²Data source: ALERT Immunization Information System (IIS)

³Data is preliminary and subject to change.

Learn more about COVID-19 vaccinations  

To learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine situation in Oregon, visit our web page (English or Spanish), which has a breakdown of distribution and other information.

# # #

WHO:               David Gerstenfeld, Acting Director, Oregon Employment Department and Gail Krumenauer, State Employment Economist

WHEN:             Wednesday, 1 p.m. PST, Oct. 20, 2021.

WHAT:           The Oregon Employment Department is hosting a video-conference media briefing to share updates on economic and workforce-related trends, employment services, unemployment claims processing, claimant resources and more.

WHERE:          Via Zoom video conference: Members of the media must RSVP by emailing OED_Communications@employ.oregon.gov by 12 p.m. PST on Wed., Oct. 20. Video conference information will be provided to all reporters who RSVP. RSVPs must indicate if the reporter wants to ask a question of the presenters.

OTHER:           The Oregon Employment Department is updating a claims processing progress data dashboard weekly. Visit this link for weekday updates. After the briefing concludes, a recording of the video conference will be emailed to reporters who RSVP’d.

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Equal Opportunity program — auxiliary aids and services available upon request to individuals with disabilities. Contact: (503) 953-2366. For people who are deaf or hard of hearing, call 711 Telecommunications Relay Services. 
 

Visitors to PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center will find a beautiful new statue watching over our patients and caregivers as they enter the hospital’s Firstenburg Tower.

On Monday Oct. 18 PeaceHealth Southwest hosted a ceremonial unveiling of a 10-foot tall, 350-pound statue of a dove – PeaceHealth’s organizational symbol.

In remarks prior to the unveiling, PeaceHealth chaplain Susan Lanford told the crowd “The dove represents many things, including hope, peace, acceptance and grace. But most of all, love. Because of that, when the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace needed to choose a symbol to represent our ministry, they chose the dove.”

PeaceHealth Southwest Foundation Board Director Emeritus Connie Kearney provided the spark of inspiration for the statue, along with the planning, funding, and energy needed to bring the statue to PeaceHealth Southwest. “The statue was designed and built by a company in Wisconsin and brought by flatbed truck westward via I-90,” said Connie Kearney. “With all that’s gone on the last two years with COVID and the stress and the pressure - doing this in honor of our caregivers really made us feel good about it, to bring something happy and cheerful into our community. We’re happy to be a part of it.”

PeaceHealth Southwest Chief Executive Sean Gregory singled out both Connie and Lee Kearney to thank them for this wonderful donation. “This is just one chapter of a very long book that is their legacy of helping us to advance our healing mission. It is a hard time to work in healthcare, but it is moments like today that make that hard time awesome to be a part of. I feel very grateful to be a part of what we’re doing here.”

The Kearney’s have a long history of philanthropic support of important programs in our community, including the PeaceHealth Southwest Kearney Breast Center.

To watch or download a video presentation of the unveiling visit: https://peacehealth.widen.net/s/qzkmvxkwxv/dovestatue

About PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center:
PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center is a 450-bed facility located at 400 NE Mother Joseph Place in Vancouver, WA., providing comprehensive specialty care for patients in southwest Washington. Visit us online at peacehealth.org.

On Sunday, October 17, 2021, at approximately 3:03 PM, Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a two-vehicle crash on Highway 26 near milepost 48.

Preliminary investigation revealed an eastbound GMC Sierra, operated by Brian Masters (39) of Beaverton, crossed into the westbound lane and collided head-on with a Kia Soul, operated by Lisa Lawson (68) of Seaside. 

Lawson sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased. The passenger in the Kia Soul, Jay Lawson (73) of Seaside, was transported to an area hospital with injuries. Brian Masters and passenger Leila Masters (36) of Beaverton, were transported to an area hospital. 

Hwy 26 was closed for approximately 4 hours. 

OSP was assisted by Washington County Sheriff's Office,  Hillsboro Police Department, Banks Fire Department and ODOT. 

VANCOUVER, WA (October 19, 2021) – Community prevention coalitions and law enforcement agencies in Southwest Washington are collaborating to host drive‐thru drug take‐back events at seven different locations in Clark, Skamania and Klickitat counties on Saturday, October 23, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

Community members are encouraged to bring their unused and expired prescriptions and over‐the‐counter medications for safe, free disposal to any one of the following event sites: 

Clark County:

•PeaceHealth Southwest Urgent Care ‐ 33rd & Main (south back lot), Vancouver 
•Kaiser Permanente Orchards ‐ 7101 NE 137^th Ave., Vancouver 
•Battle Ground Police Department ‐ 507 SW 1st St., Battle Ground 
•Washougal Silver Star Search & Rescue ‐ 1220 A St., Washougal 
•Cowlitz Indian Tribal Public Safety Dept. ‐ 31501 NW 31st Ave., Ridgefield 

Skamania County:

•Skamania County Sheriff ‐ 200 Vancouver Ave., Stevenson 

Klickitat County:

•Goldendale United Methodist Church ‐ 109 E. Broadway (church parking lot), Goldendale 

Please note that the Peacehealth Southwest Urgent Care site is the only location accepting sharps and syringes (noncommercial sources only). Additionally, all event sites except the Cowlitz Indian Tribal Public Safety Department will collect vape pens and e‐cigarettes without batteries for disposal. 

All prescription and over‐the‐counter medications including pills, liquids and inhalers will be accepted at any of the drive‐thru disposal events. Medications not in original containers will also be accepted. Community‐based medicine take‐back events and year-round disposal sites are the only safe way to dispose of medication. Medicine should never be flushed or thrown in the trash, it pollutes the environment and waterways. 

All sites will follow appropriate COVID‐19 safety guidelines, with participants utilizing the in‐vehicle drive‐thru process to ensure safety.

Kelley Groen‐Sieckmann, Community Prevention Specialist with the Prevent Coalition and ESD 112 said that take back events are meant to promote safe medication disposal to reduce opioid and prescription misuse and prevent medication from ending up in our landfills and waterways. 

“Statistics show that 75 percent of opioid misuse starts with people using medication that wasn’t prescribed for them – usually taken from a friend or family member,” explains Groen‐Sieckmann. “However, simple steps like properly disposing of medications, can help prevent misuse and overall decrease the spread of the opioid problem we are seeing in our region and across the country,” she added. 

Medicine take‐back events in Southwest Washington are funded in partnership by Washington State Health Care Authority. For more info about the event, visit bit.ly/DTBE102321. If you’re unable to make it to the October 23^rd event, you can find a year-round medicine disposal site or order envelopes to dispose of medicine by mail at www.Med-Project.org. 

ABOUT PREVENT COALITION:

Supported by the fiscal agent ESD 112, Prevent Coalition is a community coalition formed in 2003 to increase collaboration, awareness, and reduce youth substance use in Southwest Washington. Prevent also implements initiatives for rural communities across Washington state. As a community mobilizer, we’re creating a culture promoting healthy choices; advocating for policies and regulations that protect, empower and nurture youth; and facilitating positive opportunities for youth to be involved and thrive. For more info, visit www.preventcoalition.org. 

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Board on Public Safety Standards & Training

 And Policy Committee

Open Vacancy – Recruitments

The Board on Public Safety Standards & Training (BPSST) and Policy Committees have open vacancies looking to be filled. The vacancies are as follows:

BPSST:

• Non-Management Law Enforcement
• Non-Management Parole & Probation
• Public Member – Member of a marginalized or historically underrepresented community
• Public Member – Recommended to the Governor by the President of the Senate
• Public Member – Recommended to the Governor by the Speaker of the House of Representatives

Telecommunications Policy Committee:

• Recommended by and representing the Oregon Fire Chiefs Association
• Recommended by and representing Oregon Association of Chiefs of Police

Police Policy Committee:

• Public Member – Member of a marginalized or historically underrepresented community
• Non-Management Law Enforcement

Corrections Policy Committee:

• Public Member – representing the public who has never been employed or utilized as a corrections officer

Private Security/Investigator Policy Committee:

• Hospitality Representative
• Manufacturing Representative

Private Investigator Sub-Committee:

• Representative of the Private Investigator Community

To inquire about a vacancy, please visit Department of Public Safety Standards & Training : Board on Public Safety Standards & Training and Policy Committees : Boards and Committees : State of Oregon.

If interested in applying for a Committee position, please complete and submit the Policy Committee Interest Form found under the ‘Board and Committee Resources’ section of the website listed above.

If interested in applying for a BPSST position, please complete the online application at View Job Posting Details - Workday (myworkday.com). (Please note that an account may need to be created if not already in Workday)

Thank you,

DPSST Board & Committee Staff

On Monday, October 18, 2021 at approximately 12:43 PM, Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a two-vehicle crash on Highway 42 near milepost 6. 

Preliminary investigation revealed an eastbound Dodge Ram, operated by Daniel Taylor (37) of North Bend, crossed into the westbound lanes and struck a Peterbilt CMV towing a loaded chip trailer, operated by Calvin Mitchell (52) of Coos Bay. 

Taylor sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased. Mitchell received minor injuries. 

Hwy 42 was closed approximately 6 hours. 

OSP was assisted by Coos County Sheriff’s Department, Coquille Police Department, Coquille Fire Department, Greenacres Fire Department, Coquille Ambulance, Southern Oregon Public Safety Chaplains and ODOT. 

The following information is in response to a media request for information regarding a recent death investigation by the Clark County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Date of death: 10/17/2021

Location: Vancouver, WA

Decedent Name: Karuo, Kfin       

Decedent Age:  26 Yrs               

Resident of:  Vancouver, WA

The opinions listed on the death certificate are as follows:

Cause of death: Gunshot Wound of the Torso

Manner of death: Homicide

How injury occurred: Decedent shot by other person(s).

Reports and records of autopsies or postmortems shall be confidential as per RCW 68.50.105. No additional information is available for release from the Medical Examiner’s Office. Refer all other inquiries to the Vancouver Police Department.

Nikki J. Costa

Operations Manager

Vancouver, Wash. – The Clark County Councilors is seeking applicants to fill one of three Clark County-recommended positions on the seven-member Fort Vancouver Regional Library District board of trustees.

The at-large position is designated for a Clark County resident living outside the Vancouver and Camas city limits. The term is for seven years and begins January 2022.

The board meets every third Monday. The meeting location varies among library locations. A schedule of public meetings is online at http://www.fvrl.org/about-us/trustees. Meetings currently are being held in a virtual format.

Library trustees are responsible for policies regarding the district's 15 locations, two bookmobiles, online services at www.fvrl.org and centralized headquarters. The service area includes approximately 464,000 people and covers more than 4,200 square miles in southwest and south-central Washington. It includes all of Clark County except the city of Camas, all of Skamania and Klickitat counties and the city of Woodland in Cowlitz County. Camas is served by the independent Camas Public Library.

The district operates community libraries in Battle Ground, Goldendale, La Center, North Bonneville,
Ridgefield, Stevenson, Washougal, White Salmon Valley and Woodland, as well as four outlets in the 
Vancouver urban area including downtown, Cascade Park, Three Creeks and the Vancouver Mall. The 
district also has two self-service locations in Yacolt and Yale Valley (Ariel), providing services to Yale Valley Library District patrons through an operational agreement.

People interested in serving should send a letter and résumé to Michelle Pfenning, County Manager's Office, P.O. Box 5000, Vancouver 98666-5000, an email to michelle.pfenning@clark.wa.gov or a fax to 360.397.6058. 

Application deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 19.

Applicants should discuss their understanding of: current challenges for public libraries; perspectives concerning public library services, facilities and materials such as print and electronic books and magazines, CDs, DVDs and digital resources; and the district’s funding as a junior taxing district.

UPDATE   10/19/21 - 10:70am

Sheryl Thornton has been located and is no longer considered missing.

-

LCSO Case #21-5898 – Missing Person The Lane County Sheriff’s Office is looking to contact 38 year old Sheryl Thornton. Thornton was last observed at approximately 1:00am on the morning of October 16th at her home in the area of Hwy. 99 and E. Enid Rd. in Eugene. Thornton has no known vehicles associated with her and she is possibly barefoot. Thornton is described as a white female adult standing approximately 5’03” and weighing about 140lbs. She has brown hair and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing gray Mickey Mouse yoga pants and a white t-shirt. Anyone with information regarding Thornton’s whereabouts are asked to contact the Lane County Sheriff’s Office at 541-682-4150 Opt. 1.

Battle Ground City Manager Erin Erdman has submitted the 2022 recommended budget to the city council. The $55 million budget is balanced and includes the city’s general operating fund as well as utilities and capital funds.  

The city council will review and discuss the proposed budget at upcoming meetings and hold a series of public hearings before adopting a final budget in December. 

Planning for the 2022 budget began in January of this year when Ms. Erdman and department heads, responsible for the delivery of city services, performed a 5-year comprehensive needs assessment.  The team used a conservative approach to forecasting revenues and expenditures.   

“Our strategic planning process ensures we are allocating resources carefully, with a focus on efficient operations and long-term sustainability,” said Ms. Erdman, “A single-year’s budget can impact future years’ service levels – it’s our job to make sure those impacts are positive.”

City Council goals and priorities determine where available resources are allocated within the budget. The council has adopted goals and priorities based on community input and values.  

The recommended operating budget for 2022 maintains increased funding for street preservation projects, public safety, and beautification. 

The proposed capital budget, with funding from $8.9 million in grant dollars, includes several transportation projects to improve safety and the flow of traffic.  Projects include improvements to the intersection at West 15^th Avenue and Main; at NW 12^th Avenue and 1^st Street, the construction of additional turn lanes at the SR 502/503 intersection; and the addition of a pedestrian pathway along SR 503 between Main Street and Onsdorff Boulevard. 

Three budget-related public hearings, scheduled for November 1, November 15, and December 6, give community members an opportunity to address the city council on the proposed budget.  

To access the city manager’s recommended budget, a calendar of city council meetings, and more information related to the budget process visit the city’s online Guide to the 2022 Budget Process at www.cityofbg.org/2022Budget.

CORRECTIONS POLICY COMMITTEE

MEETING SCHEDULED

Notice of Regular Meeting

The Corrections Policy Committee of the Board on Public Safety Standards and Training will hold a regular meeting on November 9, 2021, at 10:00 a.m in the Governor Victor G. Atiyeh Boardroom at the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training located at 4190 Aumsville Hwy SE, Salem, Oregon. For further information, please contact Shelby Alexander at (503) 378-2191.

The Corrections Policy Committee meeting will be live streamed on the DPSST Facebook page @ https://www.facebook.com/DPSSTOregon

1. Introductions

2. Approve August 10, 2021 Meeting Minutes

3. Approval for Changes to the Basic Corrections Curriculum

    Presented by Staci Yutzie

4. Administrative Closures Consent Agenda (The following items to be ratified by one vote)

    Presented by Melissa Lang 

          a) Shawna Bronson; DPSST No. 34519; DOC/ Coffee Creek Correctional Facility

    Basic, Intermediate and Advanced Corrections Certifications 

          b) Cody Cant; DPSST No. 56429; DOC/ Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution

    Basic Corrections Certification

          c) Leslie Cone; DPSST No. 47828; DOC/ Snake River Correctional Institution

    Basic and Intermediate Corrections Certifications

          d) Jose Escobedo Jr.; DPSST No. 59780; DOC/ Two Rivers Correctional Institution

    Basic Corrections Certification

          e) Justin Goff; DPSST No. 52185; DOC/ Snake River Correctional Institution

    Basic and Intermediate Corrections Certifications

          f) Matthew Klimek; DPSST No. 52875; DOC/ Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution

    Basic and Intermediate Corrections Certifications

          g) Matthew Paton; DPSST No. 44975; Marion County Sheriff’s Office

    Basic, Intermediate and Advanced Corrections Certifications

5. Brian Haynes, DPSST No. 32994

    Presented by Melissa Lang

6. Kinsey Kaylor, DPSST No. 55001; Lane County Sheriff’s Office

    Presented by Melissa Lang

7. Ryan Perez, DPSST No. 54021

    Presented by Melissa Lang

8. Morse Scott, DPSST No. 25847

    Presented by Melissa Lang

9. Review of Arbitration/Certification Workgroup Recommendation

    Presented by Jennifer Howald

    Informational update, there is no vote required.

10. Proposed Rule Changes for OARs 259-008-0060, 259-008-0065 and 259-008-0078 – Defining CPR Certification and Changes to Law Enforcement Officer Maintenance Standards

    Presented by Jennifer Howald

11. Proposed Rule Changes for OAR 259-008-0015 – Background Investigations and New Requirements per HB 2936

     Presented by Jennifer Howald

12. Committee Membership

13. Department Update

14. Director’s Update

15. Next Corrections Policy Committee Meeting: February 8, 2022 @ 10:00 a.m.

Administrative Announcement

This is a public meeting, subject to the public meeting law and it will be recorded. Deliberation of issues will only be conducted by Corrections Policy Committee members unless permitted by the Chair. Individuals who engage in disruptive behavior that impedes official business will be asked to stop being disruptive or leave the meeting. Additional measures may be taken to have disruptive individuals removed if their continued presence poses a safety risk to the other persons in the room or makes it impossible to continue the meeting.

SALEM, Ore. – Oct. 19, 2021 – Oregonians have learned the importance of preparedness due to numerous recent hazards – including wildfire, drought, floods, ice storms and more. Though earthquakes are less common, they are top of mind in the Northwest due to the Cascadia subduction zone, a fault located off the Pacific Coast with the potential to deliver a 9.0+ magnitude earthquake and resulting tsunami. Governor Kate Brown has proclaimed Thursday, Oct. 21, as Great Oregon ShakeOut Day to encourage Oregonians to learn and practice safe methods to use during an earthquake.

A global earthquake drill taking place at 10:21 a.m. this Thursday, the Great ShakeOut urges people to take the following simple but critical safety steps during an earthquake: “Drop, Cover and Hold On:”

• Drop onto hands and knees.
• Cover head and neck and crawl to a sturdy desk or table if one is nearby.
• Hold On until the shaking stops.  

“The state of Oregon takes seriously its responsibility to help ensure the safety of its residents and visitors,” said Oregon Office of Emergency Management Director Andrew Phelps. “Understanding what to do in the first few moments after a disaster can mean the difference between being a survivor and a victim. As we work to build a culture of preparedness in Oregon, it is up to each of us – and all of us – to take action to reduce our risk.  Participating in the Great Oregon ShakeOut is a proactive step anyone can, and should, take.”

More than 500,000 Oregonians – including schools, individuals, families and businesses – have committed to take part in this year’s ShakeOut drill, pledging to drop, cover and hold on wherever they are and whatever they’re doing. 

“Knowing what to do before, during and after an earthquake can save your life,” said OEM Geologic Hazards Coordinator Althea Rizzo. “The event also serves as a reminder to review and update emergency preparedness plans and supplies.” 

OEM’s 2 Weeks Ready program recommends citizens be informed and knowledgeable about the hazards where they live; make an emergency plan for themselves and their loved ones; and build an emergency kit with at least two weeks’ worth of food, water and other necessities. 

The 2 Weeks Ready program offers several resources to help people prepare, including a free publication informing what actions to take in the event of an earthquake or tsunami. To learn more about earthquakes in Oregon and how to prepare, Living on Shaky Ground is available for download at OEM’s website, and hard copies may be obtained at county and Tribal emergency management offices.

Learn more about the Great Oregon ShakeOut and register as a participant at Shakeout.org/Oregon; the public can also view a webinar on the event hosted by OEM on YouTube in English and in Spanish.

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You can get this document in other languages, large print, braille, or a format you prefer. For assistance, call 971-719-1183 or email language@oem.or.us. We accept all relay calls, or you can dial 711.

Portland, OR — The Oregon Historical Society (OHS) is excited to announce the reopening of its research library following nearly two years of renovation.  Thanks to support from individuals and foundations through the FORWARD! campaign, this critical renovation will allow library staff to better serve researchers who visit OHS in person as well as more efficiently connect the thousands of individuals that contact OHS each year to the priceless collections in the library's care.  

OHS's research library preserves the largest collection of Oregon-related archival and published materials, documenting the people, places, and events that have shaped the history of Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. These materials include books, manuscripts, oral histories and sound recordings, films and moving images, and photographs, some of which are accessible online through OHS Digital Collections and through the library's digital history projects. Changes in library best practices and new technologies make this renovation a long overdue enhancement to the research library. 

"The research library is truly the heart of everything we do at the Oregon Historical Society," said OHS Executive Director Kerry Tymchuk. "Without these priceless collections, and the individuals who have preserved and stewarded them for over 120 years, OHS's exhibitions, scholarship, and educational programs would not be possible."

For over 50 years, the research library has occupied the fourth floor of the Oregon Historical Society's building located on SW Park Avenue in downtown Portland — and throughout that time, has been left relatively untouched. Researchers will notice many new improvements on their next visit, including:
 

• A refreshed reading room that highlights the library’s striking mid-century architecture and also serves as a flexible space for hosting workshops and programs;
• A tech hub that allows several researchers at a time to explore OHS’s library collections in a variety of historical and contemporary media — from VHS to digital files;
• A collaborative learning lab that serves as a creative, flexible space where small groups of students, educators, researchers, community members, and archives professionals can share knowledge, explore the library’s vast resources, and make new discoveries that expand collective knowledge about Oregon’s complex history;
• A reconfigured reference desk that gives staff a better vantage point to both serve researchers and safeguard the precious materials in OHS's care;
• A map and architecture viewing station that creates a central access point to digitized and original materials from the library's enormous collection of documents that have charted Oregon from past to present;
• Twenty-first-century behind-the-scenes workspaces that give OHS staff the space and technology they need to preserve and make collections available for the next 120 years; and
• The new Pietro Belluschi Resource Center, which provides a focal point to highlight the library’s architectural collections and a well-equipped meeting space for instruction.

After overseeing this renovation, which included an extensive and meticulous move of the collections (which is documented on OHS's Dear Oregon blog), Library Director Shawna Gandy is eager to welcome visitors back downtown for in person research appointments. 

"After what has been a historic and unpredictable year and a half, I am grateful that we have completed this renovation and are ready to once again open our doors to researchers," said Gandy. "The reason our staff is so passionate about preserving and making our collections accessible is because of the countless students, scholars, writers, filmmakers, historians, and others who use these materials in their work. It is thanks to their interpretation of the primary documents in our care, through school projects, documentaries, books and articles, and a variety of other illuminating projects, that we continue to grow and evolve our understanding of the past."

While admission to OHS’s research library is always free, advance reservations are currently required to allow for physical distancing of researchers due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic; researchers can contact reference@ohs.org">libreference@ohs.org or leave a voicemail at 503.306.5240 to book their visit. OHS is currently unable to accommodate walk-in visitors and is limiting appointments to 25% capacity in the reading room. Press tours are available; please contact achel.randles@ohs.org">rachel.randles@ohs.org to schedule a tour.
 

About the Oregon Historical Society

For more than a century, the Oregon Historical Society has served as the state’s collective memory, preserving a vast collection of artifacts, photographs, maps, manuscript materials, books, films, and oral histories. Our research library, museum, digital platforms, educational programming, and historical journal make Oregon’s history open and accessible to all. We exist because history is powerful, and because a history as deep and rich as Oregon’s cannot be contained within a single story or point of view. 

Oregon’s unemployment rate dropped to 4.7% in September from 5.0%, as revised, in August. In September, 102,000 Oregonians were unemployed. This is a remarkable improvement from the worst labor force impacts of the COVID recession when 270,000 Oregonians were jobless in April 2020. However, there is still ground to make up to approach the average of 82,000 Oregonians unemployed during 2017 through 2019, during the tight labor market of the prior economic expansion. The U.S. unemployment rate dropped to 4.8% in September from 5.2% in August.

In Oregon, nonfarm payroll employment declined by 200 in September, following a revised gain of 8,900 jobs in August. Monthly gains averaged 10,200 during January through August. Job reductions in September were largest in government (-3,800 jobs) and construction (-1,400). These losses were balanced by substantial gains in professional and business services (+2,500 jobs); leisure and hospitality (+2,200); and transportation, warehousing, and utilities (+1,000 jobs).

The private sector added 3,600 jobs in September, continuing the steady private-sector expansion that averaged 4,600 jobs added per month over the past six months.

Government job losses in September were concentrated in local government where some K-12 schools added fewer employees than is typical at the start of the school year. Other local government employers are still well below their staffing levels seen two years ago, prior to the recession. 

Leisure and hospitality added 2,200 jobs in September, following a gain of 1,200 in August. Despite these gains, leisure and hospitality still accounts for the bulk of Oregon’s jobs not recovered since early 2020, with 42,100 jobs left to recover to reach the prior peak month of February 2020. The industry has regained 62% of jobs lost early in the pandemic.

Professional and technical services has grown at a rapid rate throughout 2021, and is now well above its pre-recession peak. This industry added 11,800 jobs since the low point in April 2020. Most of the jobs in the broader industry are found in firms providing services in the areas of legal, architectural, engineering, computer systems design, management consulting, research, and veterinary. 

Next Press Releases

The Oregon Employment Department plans to release the September county and metropolitan area unemployment rates on Tuesday, Oct. 26, and the next statewide unemployment rate and employment survey data for October on Tuesday, Nov. 16.

The Oregon Employment Department and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) work cooperatively to develop and publish monthly Oregon payroll employment and labor force data. The estimates of monthly job gains and losses are based on a survey of businesses. The estimates of unemployment are based on a survey of households and other sources. 

The Oregon Employment Department publishes payroll employment estimates that are revised quarterly by using employment counts from employer unemployment insurance tax records. All department publications use this Official Oregon Series data unless noted otherwise. This month’s release incorporates the January, February and March 2021 tax records data. The department continues to make the original nonfarm payroll employment series available; these data are produced by the BLS.

The PDF version of the news release can be found at QualityInfo.org/press-release. To obtain the data in other formats such as in Excel, visit QualityInfo.org, then within the top banner, select Economic Data, then choose LAUS or CES. To request the press release as a Word document, contact the person shown at the top of this press release

To file a claim for unemployment benefits or get more information about unemployment programs, visit unemployment.oregon.gov.

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Equal Opportunity program — auxiliary aids and services available upon request to individuals with disabilities. Contact: (503) 947-1794. For people who are deaf or hard of hearing, call 711 Telecommunications Relay Services.

PeaceHealth St. John welcomes Breanna Bork, MBA, CFRE to the role of Executive Director of the PeaceHealth St John Foundation. In her new role, Bork will support the Foundation's board in executing the Foundation’s mission “Changing the lives of people in need through people who care.”

“I'm looking forward to joining this incredible philanthropic team as they support our frontline caregivers during this crucial time,” said Bork. “I've gotten to know some of the people in our new community and have been inspired by their passion and commitment to making it a wonderful place to live, work, and play. I'm excited to join them in this incredible work.”

Bork most recently served as President of Adventist Health’s Central Valley Health Foundation. She also has experience in higher education, serving as Associate  Director for Development at Walla Walla University. Bork earned a Masters in Business Administration from Benedictine University, and has earned CFRE certification as a fundraising executive committed to meeting the highest standards for education, professional practice and ethics in fundraising.

As Executive Director, Bork will work to supervise the development and integration of gifts to the PeaceHealth St. John Foundation. In the past year the Foundation has offered support for multiple worthwhile programs and services including raising funds for the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, PeaceHealth Heroes Fund, Paramedicine, Meals on Wheels, and Food Farmacy. The Foundation also raised over $1.2 million to fund state-of-the-art technology for coronary interventional procedures for a second catheterization (cath) lab, including diagnostic procedures, stent placements, pericardiocentesis, pacemaker placements, and placements of chest and G-tubes and chest ports.

To donate to the PeaceHealth St. John Foundation:
Interested in leaving a legacy to help PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center Foundation carry on our mission? A bequest or estate plan will allow for us to recognize and celebrate your gift by being a part of our PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center Foundation’s Columbia Circle while accommodating your own personal, financial and charitable giving goals. Learn more at www.peacehealth.planmygift.org or schedule a one-on-one meeting to discuss your options and objectives by contacting Katherine Frew, Director of Planned Giving, at 360-729-1000 or by email to ew5@peacehealth.org">kfrew5@peacehealth.org.

On October 17, 2021, at approximately 2:22 a.m., Clark County Sheriff’s deputies initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle associated with a person they had probable cause to arrest for Assault 1 with a handgun.  The suspect failed to comply with a traffic stop and a pursuit ensued.  CCSO deputies conducted a successful Pursuit Intervention Technique (PIT) in the area of NE 122nd Avenue/ NE 49th Street, and the suspect’s vehicle was immobilized. The suspect was armed with a handgun and pointed the gun at the deputies, who then fired at the suspect. The suspect, still armed with a handgun, fled on foot and was located a short distance from his vehicle deceased. When law enforcement located the deceased suspect, he still had the gun in his hand with his finger on the trigger (see attached photos of suspect gun recovered at the scene).

This is preliminary information based on initial reports of the incident and the early stages of the investigation. 

Two deputies from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) were involved in this incident. Both deputies were placed on critical incident leave, per standard protocol.

The officer involved shooting investigation is being conducted by the SW Washington Independent Investigative Response Team (SWIIR), made up of detectives from the Vancouver Police Department (lead agency), the Battleground Police Department, and the Camas Police Department. Per the Washington state requirements for an Independent Investigative Team (IIT), two non-law enforcement community members are also participating in this investigation.

Additional information will be released as it becomes available. Updates will be sent out a minimum of once per week via a media release. 

The Clark County Medical Examiner’s Office will release the name of the deceased.

Once the SWIIR Team investigation is complete, the case will be forwarded to the Clark County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for review.

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The project is the latest in a series of efforts to aid migratory salmon and steelhead in Central Oregon 

Portland, Ore. (October 19, 2021) – Portland General Electric (PGE) and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, co-owners of the Pelton Round Butte hydroelectric project on the Deschutes River, today announced a $1 million grant to the Deschutes Land Trust for habitat restoration aiding migratory salmon in the Crooked River. The grant was awarded through a special round of funding from the Pelton Round Butte Fund, through which PGE and the Tribes have contributed more than $27 million to 57 habitat and water quality projects in the Deschutes Basin over the last 15 years.

The Land Trust plans to use this funding to complete the first phase of a major restoration at Ochoco Preserve, the organization’s 185-acre wetland and wildlife preserve outside of Prineville, Oregon. The project includes floodplain restoration, development of side-channel and wetland habitat, and construction of an acclimation pond for juvenile fish.

“Supporting projects in the Crooked River is one of the best ways we can improve conditions for both juvenile and adult fish,” says Megan Hill, PGE natural resources manager and director of the Pelton Round Butte salmon reintroduction program. Since 2010, PGE and the Tribes have been advancing an ambitious, long-term effort to restore sustainable populations of salmon and steelhead to the Deschutes Basin, including the Crooked and Metolius Rivers. “We’re finding that more returning adult fish are choosing to travel up the Crooked River compared to the other tributaries upstream of Lake Billy Chinook, so it’s critical for these fish to have high-quality habitat when they arrive.”

The first phase of restoration at Ochoco Preserve, beginning in Spring 2022, will focus on McKay Creek – a tributary to the Crooked. Construction crews will realign the creek to its historic floodplain and add more side channels, wetlands and natural structures to improve habitat for fish and wildlife. The Land Trust will also build an acclimation pond that will eventually be used to hold juvenile spring Chinook and summer steelhead instream prior to release, a practice that helps fish imprint on the river’s unique scent and improves their chances of successfully returning as adults. Finally, part of the restoration process will also include identifying locations for future trails and educational sites so the Land Trust can share the preserve with the community.

"The Land Trust is so grateful for this funding from the Pelton Round Butte Fund,” said Rika Ayotte, executive director of the Deschutes Land Trust. “It helps continue our long-term partnership with PGE and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs to conserve and restore habitat for salmon and steelhead throughout Central Oregon.”

In addition to supporting habitat restoration in the Crooked River, PGE and the Tribes also recently provided funding to the new fish ladder at Opal Springs Dam and to the Crooked River Water Quality Partnership – a group developing a strategic action plan addressing water quality in the Crooked River Basin. Together, these investments are helping create accessible and hospitable fish habitat in this high-impact river system.

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About Portland General Electric Company

Portland General Electric (NYSE: POR) is a fully integrated energy company based in Portland, Oregon, with operations across the state. The company serves approximately 900,000 customers with a service area population of 2 million Oregonians in 51 cities. PGE has 16 generation plants in five Oregon counties, and maintains and operates 14 public parks and recreation areas. For over 130 years, PGE has delivered safe, affordable and reliable energy to Oregonians. Together with its customers, PGE has the No. 1 voluntary renewable energy program in the U.S. PGE and its 3,000 employees are working with customers to build a clean energy future. In 2020, PGE, employees, retirees and the PGE Foundation donated $5.6 million and volunteered 18,200 hours with more than 400 nonprofits across Oregon. For more information visit portlandgeneral.com/news.

About the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs

The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Oregon, is based in Central Oregon with a membership of over 5,000 Tribal Members from the Warm Springs, Wasco, and Paiute tribes. Learn more at warmsprings-nsn.gov. 

About Deschutes Land Trust

The Deschutes Land Trust envisions a future of strong and healthy natural and human communities—where we work together to conserve and care for the lands that make Central Oregon an incredible place to live, work, and grow. As Central Oregon’s locally-based, nationally-accredited land trust, the Deschutes Land Trust has conserved and continues to care for more than 17,523 acres since 1995. For more information on the Deschutes Land Trust, contact us at (541) 330-0017 or visit www.deschuteslandtrust.org.

On Saturday, November 6th, between 10:00AM and 3:00PM the Portland Hollywood Lions Club will be holding its semi-annual food drive to benefit the Community for Positive Aging/Hollywood Senior Center. This food drive will take place at the Hollywood Grocery Outlet at 4420 NE Hancock St., Portland, OR 97213. The Lions will collect sealed nonperishable food items, including pet food (see attached flyer) and will also welcome donations of used eyeglasses and hearing aids. Any cash donations will directly support the Hollywood Senior Center.

The high cost of food, gas, utilities, medical care and rent continue to plague people in Portland. 1 in 5 residents of Oregon suffer food insecurity. Hunger affects children and families, and especially seniors who can be more isolated than other community members. The Hollywood Senior Center is a not for profit committed to enriching the lives of adults 55 and older by creating opportunities for social connection, health and wellness, independence and life-long learning. The Community for Positive Aging/Hollywood Senior Center is committed to providing services, education, information and recreation for seniors, families and caregivers in Multnomah County and particularly in their Hollywood neighborhood.

Often, seniors keep pets for emotional support and to stave off loneliness. These furry friends suffer from the same food insecurity as their senior friends, so sealed, new pet food will also be welcomed by the Hollywood Lions.

The Hollywood Lions Club, celebrating its 93rd anniversary this year, is committed to service in its community and beyond, including a long relationship with the Hollywood Senior Center, with Lions on the HSC Board of Directors and more. The Hollywood Lions know that “where there’s a need, there’s a Lion”.

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October is #CybersecurityAwareness Month. During this time, the FBI reminds everyone to #BeCyberAware! In honor of this recognition, today's Tech Tuesday report will focus on a new scam that is cropping up at restaurants, at stores, and in ads across the country.

Welcome to the Oregon FBI’s Tech Tuesday segment. Today: Building a digital defense against QR code scams.

Let’s start with basics. “QR” stands for “quick response.” The QR code is a square image that you can scan with your phone – usually by just pointing your camera at it. The image itself is filled with data that can do lots of helpful things, such as send you to a particular website or payment portal.

QR codes have become much more common in these COVID times. They allow restaurants to use virtual menus and vendors to accept cashless payments easily. You may find codes physically pasted about or virtually embedded into ads, emails, or online. They are easy to create and, unfortunately, easy to hack.

The FBI is starting to get reports of people who are falling victim to QR code scams, including some who are losing money. One area of particular concern – frauds involving cryptocurrency. Crypto transactions are often made through QR codes associated with crypto accounts… making these transactions easy marks.

If you happen to scan a scammer’s bad code, you could end up giving him access to your device. He can access your contacts, download malware, or send you to a fake payment portal. Once there, you can inadvertently give him access to your banking and credit card accounts. If you make a payment through a bad QR code, it’s difficult if not impossible to get those funds back. Here’s how to protect yourself:

• Do not scan a randomly found QR code.
• Be suspicious if, after scanning a QR code, the site asks for password or login info.
• Do not scan QR codes received in emails unless you know they are legitimate. Call the sender to confirm.
• Some scammers are physically pasting bogus codes over legitimate ones. If it looks as though a code has been tampered with at your local bar or restaurant, don’t use it. Same thing with legitimate ads you pick up or get in the mail.

Finally, consider using antivirus software that offers QR readers with added security that can check the safety of a code before you open the link.

If you are the victim of any other online fraud, you should report the incident to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov or call your FBI local office.  

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A reported kitchen fire which spread through a home on Thursday night provided significant challenges for Lebanon firefighters called to battle the blaze. The fire at 37635 Rock Hill Drive was first reported by a resident on Central Avenue at 9:07 p.m. when they noticed the fully involved structure from their home. Fire officials believe that the fire had already been burning for a significant amount of time at the time of the call due to the heavy involvement throughout the two-story structure. 

LFD crews were on scene in less than 6 minutes from the time of call and reported a heavily involved structure. A resident was attempting to extinguish the fire with buckets of water from an above ground swimming pool when firefighters arrived, and crews quickly directed on-scene paramedics to the man for a medical evaluation. The male suffered mild smoke inhalation and was observed on scene until being released without need for transport to a hospital. The home and contents, initially valued at $325,000, were a complete loss. Twenty-one personnel on eleven fire apparatus responded, and the Tangent Fire District provided one water tender with two personnel for mutual aid. 

The structure was located outside of the city’s hydrant system which created the need for firefighters to establish a rural water supply using water tenders and portable water tanks. Two water tenders from Lebanon and one from the Tangent Fire District set up a water shuttle, dumping their water into the portable tanks set up on Rock Hill Drive and then driving approximately one mile to the nearest hydrant to fill up and return to the scene. This evolution ensured a constant water supply for firefighters working on scene who were flowing up to 300 gallons of water per minute onto the fire. The typical fire engine water tank holds roughly 750 gallons of water, which can be expended in less than two and a half minutes when flowing two hand lines. 

As firefighters worked the blaze, they encountered a heavy accumulation of personal belongings inside the home which made entry into the home nearly impossible in the heavy fire conditions. An initial report from the occupant indicated that there may have been up to seven people in the house at the time of the fire. Firefighters used a technique called VES (Vent-Enter-Search) to enter interior rooms from the exterior windows of uninvolved rooms and quickly search for victims before retreating out of the window and continuing to the next room. Crews were able to safely search two bedrooms before fire conditions forced them to switch to a defensive operational mode. No victims were found, and the report of people in the structure turned out to be unfounded. 

During the fire the entire second floor collapsed onto the first floor of the home, further hampering firefighter’s efforts to extinguish the fire and search for victims. One fire engine remained on scene overnight in the event of a flare up and crews returned early Friday morning to meet with the property owner and discuss the next steps. After evaluating the lack of stability of the structure, the Lebanon Fire Marshal determined that it would be unsafe for fire investigators to enter the building to perform a fire investigation. The property owner was consulted, and the decision was made to bring an excavator to the scene and use it to tear the house down so that firefighters could completely extinguish the fire, still smoldering within the home’s footprint. Firefighters finally cleared the scene around 8:00 a.m. on Friday morning, nearly eleven hours after the initial call. There were no injuries to firefighters at the incident. 

Vancouver, Wash. – The Housing Options Study and Action Plan project’s eighth meeting is scheduled for 3 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 26 via Zoom. The meeting is open to the public and will be recorded.

The Project Advisory Group’s (PAG) purpose is to identify housing challenges within the unincorporated Vancouver urban growth area and opportunities to encourage development of housing that is affordable to a variety of household incomes through the removal of regulatory barriers and/or implementation of other strategies.

For information on how to join and participate in the meeting, please visit https://clark.wa.gov/community-planning/housing-project-advisory-group.

The group will develop their draft recommendations for the Housing Action Plan. Once drafted, the recommendations will be made available to the public for review and feedback, along with opportunities to attend community engagement events that will be scheduled later this fall and early winter.

The Clark County Council and County Manager have appointed a volunteer PAG to provide input throughout the Housing Options Study and Action Plan project. The group represents a broad spectrum of interests including those most vulnerable to rising housing costs and displacement, people working in the housing industry, and parties responsible for housing-related regulations.

The group will utilize a consensus-based approach to creatively and collaboratively problem-solve issues regarding barriers in providing additional housing types in the unincorporated Vancouver Urban Growth Area. The group also will develop recommendations that will become part of the Housing Options Study and Action Plan. The recommendations will be reviewed and considered by the public, the Clark County Planning Commission and County Council.

Learn more about the project at www.clark.wa.gov/housingoptions.

An Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) adult in custody, George Daniel Farr, died the evening of October 18, 2021. Farr was incarcerated at Snake River Correctional Institution (SRCI) in Ontario and passed away while on hospice care. As with all in-custody deaths, the Oregon State Police have been notified. 

Farr entered DOC custody on February 4, 2011, from Washington County with an earliest release date of January 21, 2027. Farr was 74 years old. Next of kin has been notified.

DOC takes all in-custody deaths seriously. The agency is responsible for the care and custody of approximately 12,000 individuals who are incarcerated in 13 institutions across the state. While crime information is public record, DOC elects to disclose only upon request out of respect for any family or victims.

SRCI is a multi-custody prison in Ontario that houses approximately 3,000 adults in custody. SRCI has multiple special housing units including disciplinary segregation, intensive management, infirmary (with hospice) with 24-hour nursing care, and an administrative segregation unit. SRCI participates in prison industries with Oregon Corrections Enterprises including a contact center, laundry, and sign shop. SRCI specializes in incentive housing, specialized housing, individuals with mental health/medical vulnerabilities, education and trades programs, cognitive and parenting programs, and institution work programs. SRCI opened in 1991 and is the largest correctional institution in the state.

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The Lebanon Fire District is conducting training at the old Moose Lodge, located at 4070 S Santiam Highway. Rapid Intervention Crew training, or “RIC” will be conducted today, October 19 and tomorrow, October 20. Crews were also onsite yesterday afternoon.

Artificial smoke will be present around the building during these times to simulate an active fire scenario. Unless flames are visible, there is no need to call 9-1-1 for the presence of smoke at this location. We appreciate the community’s concern and dedication to reporting emergencies.

Kelso, WA- Just after 6:30pm tonight, Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue (C2FR) responded to a reported gas line rupture in the 800 block of Ayers St 

Reporting parties state they were cleaning out a plugged sewer line with a powered sewer snake when they heard the line rupture. They immediately called Cascade Natural Gas, turned the gas meter off and evacuated the house. 

Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue crews arrived in the area within 5 minutes of dispatch and verified the gas leak. After further investigation by Cascade Natural Gas the rupture had a very high likelihood that it was leaking into the sewer system. C2FR dispatched their HazMat Unit while Cascade Natural Gas crews and on-scene C2FR personnel identified an immediate evacuation plan for the area. Cowlitz PUD was contacted and they turned off the local power to reduce the potential for the leaking gas to ignite.  

Cascade Natural Gas accessed and shut down their main gas line, 1 block away, with an excavator before capping the service at the residence. C2FR maintained continuous gas/air monitoring, scene control and fire suppression stand-by until the line was capped.

C2FR responded with 2 fire engines, a HazMat unit, 1- ambulance, 3-HazMat Technicians and 1- Chief Officer. Kelso Police Department,  Kelso Public Works also responded to the incident and provided support. 

Neighboring agencies covered several medical and fire incidents in Kelso until off- duty C2FR crews arrived from home to backfill crews on the incident.

All C2FR units cleared the scene and power was restored to the area just prior to 9:30pm 

LT. Dan W. Cothren, Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue 

For Release: October 18, 2021

My dear community,

I’m sure we are all saddened to hear of the loss of another member in our community at the hands of police, specifically the Clark County Sherriff’s Department. There are very few details NAACP leadership knows at this time.

What we do know is there are several questions we need answers to, and many of these questions could be answered if there was bodycam footage available, but instead we are stuck here wondering, and hoping an accurate report of what happened is shared.

We hope an independent, open, and transparent investigation required by the new legislation, is conducted promptly to answer questions and relieve the anxiety these shootings cause in the community. 

This is crucial because true accountability depends on it.

In solidarity, 

Jasmine Tolbert 

President 

NAACP Vancouver Branch 1139

October 18, 2021

Contact: Philip Schmidt, 503-383-6079, philip.schmidt@dhsoha.state.or.us (media inquiries)

Brian Toups, 503-385-6542, rian.m.toups@dhsoha.state.or.us">brian.m.toups@dhsoha.state.or.us (meeting information or accommodation)

All Payer All Claims Technical Advisory Group to meet October 20

What: The regular public meeting of the Oregon Health Authority’s All Payer All Claims Technical Advisory Group.

When: October 20, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Where: By webinar and conference line only. The public may join remotely through a webinar and conference line:

• Join the webinar at

https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1608651776?pwd=YWFZUVJidVQxVG9mWm84SytCbzBxdz09

• Conference line: 669-254-5252, Meeting ID: 160 865 1776, Password: 124713.

Agenda: Attendance for those attending by phone only; Meeting opening; APAC-Comagine discussing single file submission; General updates: PAF update, Updates from HSRI, and APAC data use; Future activities; Public Comment; adjourn

For more information, please visit the committee's website at https://www.oregon.gov/oha/HPA/ANALYTICS/Pages/All-Payer-All-Claims-TAG.aspx.  

# # #

Everyone has a right to know about and use Oregon Health Authority (OHA) programs and services. OHA provides free help. Some examples of the free help OHA can provide are:

• Sign language and spoken language interpreters.
• Written materials in other languages.
• Large print.
• Audio and other formats.

If you need help or have questions, please contact Brian Toups at, 503-385-6542, 711 TTY, rian.m.toups@dhsoha.state.or.us">brian.m.toups@dhsoha.state.or.us at least 48 hours before the meeting

SALEM, Ore. – The Southwest Oregon Regional Forest Practices Committee will meet virtually Thursday, Oct. 21 from 9 a.m. to noon. To join the virtual meeting, please use the Zoom video conference information found on the agenda. To provide public comment at this virtual meeting, please contact Susan Muniz at 503-945-7502. 

Topics to be covered include:

• Private Forests Division update
• Operator of the Year selection
• ODFW MOA update
• Implementation study update
• SB 1602 – E-notification overview

The meeting is open to the public to attend online via Zoom. Public comments will be accepted near the start of the meeting after approval of the minutes. Requests for an interpreter for the hearing impaired or other accommodations for persons with disabilities should be made at least 72 hours before the meeting by contacting Susan Muniz at 503-945-7502.

Regional Forest Practices Committees are panels of citizens – mandated under Oregon law – that advise the Oregon Board of Forestry on current forestry issues and forest management approaches. Three Regional Forest Practices Committees, serving the Eastern, Northwest and Southwest regions of the state, were created by the 1971 Oregon Forest Practices Act. Under Oregon law, a majority of the committees’ members must be private forest landowners and logging or forest operations companies.

Oregon’s forests are among the state’s most valued resources, providing a balanced mix of environmental, economic and social benefits. View more information on the RFPC webpage.

Monday, October 18, 2021-Woodland, WA-Woodland Public Schools’ Dual Language Program offers the opportunity for students starting in kindergarten to learn and use both English and Spanish during every school day. Now in its fourth year at Columbia Elementary School, the Dual Language Program offers bilingual learning for students from grades K-3.

The program can enroll up to 44 students at each grade level with the goal to maintain a 50/50 enrollment between native English speakers and native Spanish speakers. “Keeping the program balanced is key as the students help teach one another their own native language,” said David Starkey, Columbia Elementary School’s Principal. “By maintaining an even enrollment of native speakers, we effectively create a teaching-learning environment where students help each other and thereby internalize the lessons as studies show teaching someone else will make for more effective learning for both the student teaching and the student learning.” 

Teachers watch first-hand as students teaching one another improves their own learning. “Students own their learning because they’re part of the process of teaching it,” said Maria Rodriguez, first grade teacher in the program. “By using their knowledge to teach other students, they become more engaged and part of the learning process.”

Jill Thoeny, the program’s kindergarten teacher, agreed with Rodriguez. “Additionally, the act of teaching each other elevates the students’ grasp of their own native language, too,” she said. “The act of teaching brings agency to their learning because they’re driving their own learning.”

Scheduling and finding bilingual teachers present the biggest challenges to running a dual language program in a traditional elementary school. “We have to create schedules for dual language in addition to our monolingual students to ensure all of our teaching staff receives as much planning time as possible,” explained Starkey. “Also, with other districts throughout the state offering dual language programs, the competition for bilingual teachers can be intense.”

The administration realized finding bilingual teachers might present a challenge when the school first launched the program which resulted in a unique solution – students spend half of each school day learning in Spanish and the other half learning in English. “By dividing the day in half, we can have one fluent Spanish teacher work with an English-speaking teacher so both teachers can have twice as many students,” said Starkey. “Where a teacher would typically have 22 students all day long, two teachers working together can accommodate the entire 44 student grade by teaching all of them half of each day.”

To further incorporate the lessons of dual language into the school’s culture, all materials are printed in both English and Spanish schoolwide. “We love having the program at the school and are in the process of making Spanish part of the school’s culture in a variety of ways including reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance in both English and Spanish each morning,” said Starkey. “The program brings cultural awareness to everything we do throughout the school, and we’re constantly finding new ways to add even more elements of Hispanic heritage to every student’s school day.”

Thoeny enjoys watching the entire school’s pride grow in the Dual Language Program. “I’m watching our entire school transform into a multilingual, multicultural environment,” she said. “With the students modeling the program throughout the school, our whole school is proud of having a bilingual program on campus.”

Additionally, parents and families have reported how impactful the Dual Language Program has been outside of school. “Parents are watching their students become multicultural citizens of the world,” said Thoeny. “The idea of incorporating elements of the many different cultures we have in the United States to become a multicultural citizen is a key part of our program’s mission.”

Both native-speaking English and Spanish families report the benefits of the program. For native Spanish-speakers, having their students formally learn the language and culture has been a huge boon. “In traditional monolingual school, students who grow up in a Spanish-speaking culture lose some of their heritage since they don’t have to learn and use Spanish in school,” explained Rodriguez. “Our native Spanish-speaking families are excited their students are reading, writing, and using Spanish each and every day.”

Even though the program is already in its fourth year, teachers, staff, and students recognize the unique opportunity dual language learning presents. “I feel honored and privileged to be able to be a part of this program since the beginning,” said Rodriguez. “As a native Spanish-speaker myself, having the opportunity to use the language with almost everyone has been truly special.”

The program’s popularity continues to increase each year and the district plans to continue the program into the middle school in the coming years. In fact, Woodland Public Schools recently received a $100,000 two-year grant to enhance the Dual Language Program at Columbia Elementary permitting the staff to buy additional classroom materials and curriculum; provide additional training and professional development; and to broaden the program into Woodland Middle School when the time comes. “The biggest question we get is from families who are curious what the program’s going to look like at the middle school,” said Starkey. “ We’re excited to receive this grant because it helps us do just that - plan for the program’s expansion when our elementary DLP students move on in their academic careers.”

For More Information:
Families interested in enrolling their students in the program don’t need to be bilingual themselves and students do not need to have any prior knowledge of their non-native language. Additionally, there are no screening criteria for students to enroll – all students are eligible. Applicants are accepted in the order of their application date and the district has a designated lottery-system should the number of applicants exceed the number of available classroom spots. 

Although there is no additional cost to enroll, parents and guardians must remember that the true benefits from a dual language program involve a long-term commitment and should plan for their student to continue enrollment in the program for the grades following kindergarten, too. To learn more, visit the Dual Language Program website at www.woodlandschools.org/DLP 

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SW Washington League of United Latin American Citizens mourns the loss of another young man after the tragic shooting over the weekend.  No matter the reason and no matter the cause, the family has lost a child and the world has lost the contribution from this child.
We will once again begin to heal; hold our families close to us and pray to whatever higher power we each individually pray to.
Our leadership extends a hand of love and compassion to this family and the community at large - we are here for you as you have always been here for us.
The time will come for resolution and responsibility for the loss of life, but for today our hearts are heavy and our love deepens for our community.

AMBOY, WASHINGTON – North Clark Historical Museum will be closed on October 23^rd as many of the Board members will be at the Booster Day/Open House at Mt. Valley Grange #79.  The lack of volunteers also contributes to the closing of the museum for this one day only!

Schedule for the Museum for the rest of this year:

October 23^rd               Closed

November 13^th            Open

November 27^th            Open

December 11^th            Open

December 25^th            Closed             Christmas Day

November is Native American Heritage Month. Please plan a visit to North Clark County and view the interesting Native American Exhibits!

On November 27^th, members and volunteers will be decorating the Museum, inside and outside, for Christmas.  The public is welcome to help. 

Open hours are Noon to 4:00 pm. The Museum is located at 21416 NE 399^th St., Amboy, WA.  The museum is wheelchair accessible and has air conditioning.  Admission is free.  Donations are welcome. 

For more information, please contact 360-247-5800 and leave a message or email museumnch88@gmail.com

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The North Clark Historical Museum was founded in 1988 and is a 501(C)3 non-profit organization governed by a Board of Directors. The doors were opened in June of 2000. Mission Statement:   To preserve North Clark County’s natural and cultural history through collections and exhibits, and to sponsor educational programs and research opportunities for the enrichment of the public. 

 

Oregon City – Oct. 18, 2021: The Clackamas County Board of Commissioners approved three contracts totaling approximately $1.7 million to local non-profits in a continuing effort to provide permanent supportive housing to vulnerable individuals in the county currently experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness.

Non-profits will assist homeless and formerly homeless folks who are seniors and people with disabilities currently living in hotel or motel shelters or receiving term limited housing assistance.  Contracted providers will help these folks to successfully transition into permanent housing with ongoing supportive services. 

Supportive services includes assistance that ensures long-term housing stability for highly vulnerable households. This includes assistance accessing behavioral and physical health care services; connecting to education and employment assistance; and landlord communication and dispute resolution. 

Here are the non-profits and contract amounts:

• Clackamas Women’s Services contract value of $298,549 serving approximately 12 households with housing placement and 25 households with ongoing supportive services.
• Greater New Hope Family Services contract value of $566,100 serving approximately 20 households with housing placement and 45 households with ongoing supportive services.
• Northwest Family Services contract value of $900,156 serving approximately 40 households with housing placement, 10 households with short-term rent assistance, and 65 households with ongoing supportive services.

These contracts are funded through the Supportive Housing Services Program. 

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October 18, 2021

Contact: OHA External Relations, covid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us">orcovid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us

Oregon reports 3,276 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 24 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — There are 24 new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 4,185, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 3,276 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 352,026.

COVID-19 hospitalizations

The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 across Oregon is 561, which is 11 more than yesterday. There are 140 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, which is two fewer than yesterday.

There are 59 available adult ICU beds out of 698 total (8% availability) and 305 available adult non-ICU beds out of 4,099 (7% availability).

The total number of patients in hospital beds may fluctuate between report times. The numbers do not reflect admissions per day, nor the length of hospital stay. Staffing limitations are not captured in this data and may further limit bed capacity.

Note: Please do not visit an emergency department for COVID-19 testing, unless you require emergency care for your symptoms.

Emergency departments in Oregon are under significant strain responding to the current surge in COVID-19. You can find a test here.  

If you have a medical condition that doesn’t require emergency care, contact your provider. An urgent care center may also help you get the care you need and will save emergency departments from added strain.  

More information about hospital capacity can be found here.

Vaccinations in Oregon

Today, OHA reported that 4,376 new doses of COVID-19 vaccinations were added to the state immunization registry on Oct. 17. Of this total, 1,371 were administered on Oct. 17: 265 were initial doses; 230 were second doses and 863 were third doses and booster doses. The remaining 3,005 were administered on previous days but were entered into the vaccine registry on Oct. 17.

The seven-day running average is now 9,677 doses per day.

Oregon has now administered 3,177,686 doses of Pfizer Comirnaty, 1,930,703 doses of Moderna and 222,984 doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines.

As of today, 2,786,683 people have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 2,572,424 people have completed a COVID-19 vaccine series.

These data are preliminary and subject to change.

Updated vaccination data are provided on Oregon’s COVID-19 data dashboards and have been updated today.

Cases and deaths

The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (12), Benton (87), Clackamas (256), Clatsop (12), Columbia (44), Coos (31), Crook (29), Curry (6), Deschutes (311), Douglas (124), Grant (4), Harney (18), Hood River (18), Jackson (149), Jefferson (49), Josephine (61), Klamath (55), Lake (7), Lane (340), Lincoln (28), Linn (240), Malheur (12), Marion (296), Morrow (14), Multnomah (515), Polk (45), Tillamook (16), Umatilla (47), Union (31), Wallowa (3), Wasco (11), Washington (334), Wheeler (4) and Yamhill (67).

Oregon reports 1,726 confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases on Oct. 15, 883 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases on Oct. 16 and 667 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases on Oct. 17.

Oregon’s 4,162nd COVID-19 related death is a 60-year-old man from Jackson County who tested positive on Sept. 23 and died on October 14 at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,163rd COVID-19 related death is a 65-year-old man from Harney County who tested positive on Oct. 11 and died on Oct. 11 at his residence. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,164th COVID-19 related death is a 68-year-old woman from Douglas County who tested positive on Sept. 9 and died on Oct. 7 at Mercy Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,165th COVID-19 related death is a 90-year-old man from Deschutes who tested positive on Sept. 27 and died on Oct. 9 at St. Charles Bend Hospital. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,166th COVID-19 related death is a 74-year-old woman from Curry County who tested positive on Sept. 14 and died on Oct. 2 at Oregon Health & Science University Hospital. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,167th COVID-19 related death is an 88-year-old man from Crook County who tested positive on Oct. 1 and died on Oct. 10 at his residence. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,168th COVID-19 related death is a 60-year-old woman from Coos County who tested positive on Oct. 5 and died on Oct. 14 at Bay Area Hospital. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,169th COVID-19 related death is a 61-year-old man from Coos County who tested positive on Sept. 27 and died on Oct. 15 at Bay Area Hospital. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,170th COVID-19 related death is a 57-year-old man from Jackson County who tested positive on Oct. 13 and died on Oct. 13 at Providence Medford Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,171st COVID-19 related death is a 68-year-old man from Jackson County who tested positive on Oct. 11 and died on Oct. 13 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,172nd COVID-19 related death is a 68-year-old man from Jackson County who tested positive on Oct. 11 and died on Oct. 14 at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,173rd COVID-19 related death is a 69-year-old woman from Marion County who tested positive on Oct. 12 and died on Oct. 15 at Legacy Meridian Park Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,174th COVID-19 related death is an 89-year-old man from Lane County who tested positive on Oct. 4 and died on Oct. 14 at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,175th COVID-19 related death is a 69-year-old man from Klamath County who tested positive on Oct. 13 and died on Oct. 15 at Sky Lakes Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,176th COVID-19 related death is an 84-year-old woman from Jefferson County who tested positive on Oct. 3 and died on Oct. 13 at St. Charles Bend Hospital. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,177th COVID-19 related death is a 92-year-old woman from Union County who tested positive on Oct. 13 and died on Oct. 15 at Grande Ronde Hospital. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,178th COVID-19 related death is a 64-year-old woman from Tillamook County who tested positive on Sept. 1 and died on Oct. 8 at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,179th COVID-19 related death is a 44-year-old woman from Multnomah County who tested positive on Sept. 27 and died on Oct. 8 at Adventist Health Portland. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,180th COVID-19 related death is a 78-year-old man from Multnomah County who tested positive on Sept. 22 and died on Oct. 8 at Portland VA Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,181st COVID-19 related death is a 73-year-old woman from Multnomah County who tested positive on Sept. 20 and died on Oct. 9 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,182nd COVID-19 related death is a 76-year-old man from Washington County who tested positive on Sept. 24 and died on Oct. 4 at Oregon Health & Science University Hospital. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,183rd COVID-19 related death is a 54-year-old man from Washington County who tested positive on Aug. 20 and died on Sept. 7 at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,184th COVID-19 related death is an 89-year-old woman from Washington County who tested positive on Aug. 19 and died on Oct. 7 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,185th COVID-19 related death is a 79-year-old man from Yamhill County who tested positive on Oct. 4 and died on Oct. 14 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Learn more about COVID-19 vaccinations  

To learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine situation in Oregon, visit our webpage (English or Spanish), which has a breakdown of distribution and other information.

Linn County Undersheriff Michelle Duncan reports on October 16, at 5:51 p.m., Linn County Dispatch received a 911 call from a male who became stuck while climbing cliffs at Wolf Rock. Johnathan Takle, 23, of Hillsboro, was performing a technical climb up Wolf Rock when he became stuck after his gear fell to the ground. Takle used his remaining gear to anchor himself to the rock and called for help. 

Linn County Sheriff’s Office, Corvallis Mountain Rescue, Lebanon Fire Department, Sweet Home Fire Department and Benton County Sheriff’s Office responded to the rescue. They worked throughout the night to rescue Takle and bring him down safely to the trailhead almost 20 hours later. Takle did not sustain any injuries during the rescue but was carried to the trailhead because of his exhausted state. 

Wolf Rock is among the Cascade mountain range and is recognized as Oregon’s largest monolith, rising nearly 1,000 feet above the surrounding area. The monoliths popularity has increased for technical climbers and Linn County Sheriff’s Office has seen this reflected in calls related to the location. 

October 18, 2021

Contact: Jonathan Modie, 971-246-9139, PHD.Communications@state.or.us

Nurse Staffing Advisory Board, Civil Monetary Penalties Committee meets virtually Nov. 1

What: The Nurse Staffing Advisory Board’s Civil Monetary Penalties Committee is holding its fourth meeting.

Agenda: Review the meeting agenda and summary from Oct. 1 meeting; review financial and workload impacts of nurse staffing regulatory activities – triennial surveys, complaint investigations, and revisit surveys, CMPs; prioritize nurse staffing regulatory activities; summarize action items, next steps.

The agenda will be available on www.healthoregon.org/nursestaffing.

When: Nov. 1, 1:30-3:30 p.m.

Where: Register for this meeting to receive meeting login information: https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJItdeysqT8oHn7q8v-RWcIYN3qDPHk-jGM.

Background: The Nurse Staffing Advisory Board advises Oregon Health Authority on the administration of Oregon’s nurse staffing laws; identifies trends, opportunities and concerns related to nurse staffing; makes recommendations to the Oregon Health Authority based on those trends, opportunities and concerns; and reviews the enforcement powers and processes under Oregon’s nurse staffing laws.

Program contact: Kimberly Voelker, ox.nursestaffing@state.or.us">Mailbox.nursestaffing@state.or.us

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Everyone has a right to know about and use the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) programs and services. OHA provides free help. Some examples of the free help OHA can provide are:

• Sign language and spoken language interpreters
• Written material in other languages
• Braille
• Large print
• Audio and other formats

If you need help or have questions, please contact Kimberly Voelker, MPH at 971-803-0914, 711 TTY or erly.n.voelker@dhsoha.state.or.us">kimberly.n.voelker@dhsoha.state.or.us at least 48 hours before the meeting.

Vancouver, Washington – Vancouver Ballet Folklórico will host “Luminaria Día de Muertos,” a free Day of the Dead event, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 30, at Esther Short Park (605 Esther St.). The event is supported by Artstra, the Clark County Arts Commission and the City of Vancouver.

Día de Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is an ancestral celebration that remembers and honors those who have departed. The holiday originated in Mexico and is observed by people of Mexican heritage in many regions around the world. 

People of all ages and backgrounds are invited to attend Luminaria Día de Muertos and learn more about this traditional festival. Attendees will experience a Procession of the Ofrendas (offerings) and Burial of Sadness, beautiful luminarias (small paper lanterns), traditional Mexican dancing by Vancouver Ballet Folklórico, a visit from La Catrina, and an altar to the beloved deceased. 

This year, Día de Muertos also offers the community space for healing after two difficult years of the COVID-19 pandemic, when many people experienced significant loss.

Luminaria Día de Muertos is open to all ages. The event is outdoors and will continue as scheduled, rain or shine. Face coverings are encouraged. 

Learn more about Luminaria Día de Muertos at www.cityofvancouver.us/Luminaria. 

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The City of Salem invites the public to review and comment on a draft of the Salem Climate Action Plan. The plan is the result of a year-long process involving many stakeholders across the community. Its recommendations tackle climate change locally by proposing major changes in how we travel, design neighborhoods, and use energy, among other approaches to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, prepare the community for impacts, and ensure a transition to an equitable and climate-smart future. The plan is a roadmap to guide City and community action, including efforts to meet the City’s goal of reducing community-wide GHG emissions by 50% by 2035 (from the baseline year of 2016) and to be carbon neutral by 2050.

The public comment period is open for 18 days beginning on October 18, 2021, at 8 a.m., and closing on November 5, 2021, at 5 p.m. Comments will be accepted online at SalemClimateActionPlan.com/review-draft-cap, by email at SalemCAP@cityofsalem.net, and by mail to Salem Climate Action Plan Comments, 555 Liberty St SE, Suite 325, Salem,  Oregon, 97301-3515.

The draft Climate Action Plan can be found on the project’s website at the following address: SalemClimateActionPlan.com/review-draft-cap.

To measure the impact of local GHG reduction efforts, the plan forecasts future emissions with and without local action. The City and the project consultant, Verdis Group, are currently revising the GHG forecasts to ensure consistency with evolving state regulations and rulemaking, including DEQ’s new Climate Protection Program that seeks to limit emissions from natural gas. Revisions to the GHG forecasts will be included in the revised plan that goes to City Council on December 6. 

To ensure you are notified of project updates, please register with the project at SalemClimateActionPlan.com.

BASIC TELECOMMUNICATIONS FIELD TRAINING

MANUAL WORKGROUP MEETING SCHEDULED

For Immediate Release                                        

October 18, 2021

Contact: Sara Stewart 503-378-2424

sara.stewart@state.or.us

Notice of Special Meeting

The Basic Telecommunications Field Training Manual Workgroup, a subgroup of the Telecommunications Curriculum Committee, will hold a regular meeting on November 2, 2021 from 03:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.  The meeting will be held virtually via Zoom.  For a link, please contact Sara Stewart at the email address listed above.  A request for an interpreter for the deaf or hearing impaired or for other accommodations for persons with disabilities should be made before the meeting by calling the contact listed above. 

Agenda Items:

1. Check in

2. FTM & Guidebook Draft Review

            A. Appendices Feedback

3. Trainer/Coach Review Planning

4. Learning Levels

5. Next Steps

Administrative Announcement

This is a public meeting, subject to the public meeting law and it will be recorded. Deliberation of issues will only be conducted by Workgroup members unless permitted by the Chair. Individuals who engage in disruptive behavior that impedes official business will be asked to stop being disruptive or leave the meeting. Additional measures may be taken to have disruptive individuals removed if their continued presence poses a safety risk to the other persons in the room or makes it impossible to continue the meeting.

SALEM, Ore. — The Oregon Board of Forestry will hold a virtual special meeting starting at 9 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 29. The meeting will be livestreamed on the department’s YouTube channel.

The agenda includes hearing from the public on what aspects of the skills, attributes, and qualifications are key for the next state forester. The board will deliberate on the final candidates for the state forester position and will vote to determine who will be appointed Oregon’s next state forester.

There will be an opportunity for the public to provide live testimony. Sign up to provide live testimony is required. Registration is available online and closes Monday, Oct. 25 at 11:59 p.m. Written public testimony will also be accepted. Written comments can be submitted before or up to two weeks after the meeting day to oardofforestry@oregon.gov">boardofforestry@oregon.gov.

Accommodations for people with disabilities, and special materials, services, or assistance can be arranged by calling ODF’s Public Affairs Office at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting at 503-945-7200 or by email at estryinformation@oregon.gov">forestryinformation@oregon.gov.

The Oregon Board of Forestry consists of seven citizens nominated by the Governor and confirmed by the Oregon Senate. Responsibilities include appointing the State Forester, setting management direction for state-owned forests, adopting rules governing timber harvest and other practices on private forestland, and promoting sustainable management of Oregon’s 30-million-acre forestland base. Read more information about the board.

Vancouver, Wash. – Due to an administrative error, the Clark County Elections Office sent an incorrect ballot to 2,120 voters residing in precincts 625 and 930.

The voters affected will receive the correct ballot and a letter of explanation. 

For any of the affected voters who return an incorrect ballot, that ballot will be held until the end of the election to give the voters time to return the correct ballot.

The election office has added procedures to reduce the likelihood of this happening again and apologize for the confusion and inconvenience this mistake caused.

Voters who have concerns or question about this, or other election-related issues, should contact the Elections Office by calling 564-397-2345 or via email to elections@clark.wa.gov.

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OREGON CITY – Clackamas Community College is pleased to announce a new alliance with Arizona State University to provide students a seamless transfer experience with the MyPath2ASU program. MyPath2ASU allows students to take the steps needed at the start of their college experience to successfully plan their transfer from CCC to ASU, ensuring a smooth transition process and student success.

MyPath2ASU is a set of customized tools available to transfer students from accredited, U.S. regional institutions, like CCC. These tools ensure a seamless transfer experience to ASU after earning credits or an associate degree from CCC, shortening the time to degree completion.

“If you're thinking about starting your four-year education at CCC, you're making a smart choice,” CCC Office of Education Partnerships Director Jaime Clarke said. “You can save thousands of dollars on your education while taking classes that transfer to ASU.”

Through this partnership, students using MyPath2ASU will find their transfer experience simplified. They will have access to personalized benefits to help them navigate the transfer experience, to include:

• End-to-end learner navigation through course-by-course guided pathways
• Ensure course applicability by assisting students with taking courses that apply to their associate and ASU bachelor’s degree
• Guaranteed general admission to ASU and admission into MyPath2ASU major choice if all requirements are satisfied (Some majors have additional or higher admission requirements)
• More than 400 course-by-course guided pathways into immersion and online ASU degree programs
• Self-service, degree progress tracking through My Transfer Guide to minimize loss of credit
• Connected experience through personalized ASU communications to prepare academically and build a connection to ASU

ASU and CCC will work collaboratively to promote educational degree pathways containing ground and online course offerings. These pathways will ensure their courses are applicable toward their degree in their chosen major and minimize credit loss.

For more information, visit www.clackamas.edu/transfer. 

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Event to be held virtually on October 21, 2021 at 6:30pm PDT

PORTLAND, Ore.—Community members and law enforcement officials from throughout the tri-county area will convene this week for the sixth-annual Building Bridges of Understanding in Our Community event on October 21, 2021 at 6:30pm PDT.

This two-hour virtual event is open to the public and hosted by the Muslim Educational Trust (MET) in Tigard, Oregon. To register, please visit https://conta.cc/3jwOKem.

This year’s theme is “What is Public Safety? Joining together to build bridges, share perspectives, and create solutions.” Criminal justice and community leaders will share perspectives in two moderated panel discussions: “What is public safety and what does it mean to you?” and “A year after George Floyd’s murder: Where are we now?” Each panel discussion will include a question-and-answer period.

Participating organizations include: MET, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon, the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO), Washington County District Attorney’s Office, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office, City of Portland’s Office of Violence Prevention, Multnomah County Department of Community Justice, Portland Police Bureau, Department of Safety Standards and Training, Oregon Department of Justice, Lake Oswego Police Department, and Beaverton Police Department.

For six consecutive years, leaders from public safety and civil society organizations have come together to build and strengthen trust in one another and to cultivate trust with the communities they serve. The annual event has been held at MET since its inception in the fall of 2016.

To view a video of last year’s event, please visit https://youtu.be/ae3Zj6TNDIY.

The Building Bridges event series is sponsored by the Washington County District Attorney’s Office, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Washington County Administration, Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office, City of Lake Oswego, Lake Oswego Respond to Racism, Concerned Citizens of West Linn, Latino Network, Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, IRCO, Muslim Community Center of Portland, Tigard Police Department, Portland Office of Civic Life, Portland Bureau of Transportation, Portland Police Bureau, New Portland Foundation, Portland’s New Portland Policy Commission, Salman Alfarisi Islamic Center of Corvallis, Multnomah County Sheriff’s and District Attorney’s Offices, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.

For media inquiries or to book interviews with steering committee members, please contact Stephen Mayer of the Washington County District Attorney’s Office by emailing stephen_mayer@co.washington.or.us or calling (971) 708-8219.

Media outlets are also welcome to contact the following steering committee members directly:

• Wajdi Said; Muslim Educational Trust; wajdi@metpdx.org
• J.W. Matt Hennessee; Vancouver Avenue Baptist Church; church1@aol.com">vafbchurch1@aol.com
• Jack Hanna; New Portlanders Foundation; jackahanna@gmail.com 
• Linda Castillo; Commissioner for Hispanic Affairs and DEI Manager at IRCO; lindaC@irco.org
• Erin Hubert; Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office; in.hubert@mcso.us">erin.hubert@mcso.us
• Kevin Barton; Washington County DA; stephen_mayer@co.washington.or.us

# # #

 SALEM, Ore. – The State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation (SACHP) will meet October 21 and 22 via conference call to consider nominations to the National Register of Historic Places. This meeting is open to the public. 

The SACHP meeting will begin at 9:00 a.m. both days to consider nominations to the National Register. The weblink for the call is posted on our website at https://www.oregon.gov/oprd/OH/Pages/Commissions.aspx#SACHP

Thursday’s meeting agenda: hearings of one proposed multiple property document and five proposed nominations. 

Friday’s meeting agenda: hearings of two proposed multiple property documents and four proposed nominations. 

For specific hearing times, refer to the online agenda: www.oregonheritage.org (click on “Commissions & Committees” at top of page and look under “State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation”). 

The committee will review three proposed multiple property documents: The Architecture of Donald J. Stewart in Washington and Oregon, 1933-1967 MPD, Oregon and Washington; Historic Residential Resources of Redmond, Oregon MPD, Redmond; Oregon New Deal Resources from the PWA and WPA, 1933-1943 MPD, Statewide. 

The committee will review nine proposed nominations: Mt. Olivet Baptist Church, Portland; Dean’s Beauty Salon and Barber Shop, Portland; Golden West Hotel, Portland; Burford-Stanley House, Monmouth; South Park Blocks, Portland; Norman and Frances Swanson House, Redmond; Dallas Cinema, Dallas; Rex Theater, Vale; State Library of Oregon, Salem. 

This effort aligns with the Oregon Historic Preservation Plan goal to increase the thematic diversity of Oregon properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It also supports the goals to include more voices and increase access to Oregon heritage that are part of the Oregon Heritage Plan.

Nominations recommended by the SACHP go to the National Park Service, which maintains the Register under the authority of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. 

The SACHP is a nine-member governor-appointed citizen commission with credentials in many historic preservation-related fields. 

The conference call is accessible to people with disabilities. Special accommodations for the meeting may be made with at least three days of advance notice by calling (503) 986-0690. 

More information about the National Register of Historic Places process is online at www.oregonheritage.org (click on “National Register” at left of page). 

# # # 

Community invited to tour schools following completion of school bond renovation

The community is invited to attend open houses being held to celebrate the completed renovations of Sam Barlow and Gresham High Schools. Details are below. Both schools were substantially renovated with funding from the 2016 school bond.

The events will feature self-guided tours of the buildings, student performances, and a ribbon cutting ceremony.

Sam Barlow High School Dedication/Open House

Date: Saturday, October 30  Time: 11 am to 1 pm

Location: SBHS-5105 SE 302^nd Avenue, Gresham, OR 97080

Gresham High School Dedication/Open House

Date: Saturday, November 6  Time: 11 am to 1 pm

Location: GHS-1200 North Main Avenue, Gresham, OR 97030

                 (Enter building at main entrance on Division Street)

The events will begin at the front of each school with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The ceremony will be followed by time for attendees to participate in self-guided tours and watch student performances. Attendees will be required to wear masks and practice social distancing.

View the Detailed Agendas for Both Events

About the renovation project at Sam Barlow High School

The school bond funded significant improvements that enhance teaching and activity spaces and safety and security, while increasing the number of classrooms. A new two-story classroom wing features modern science labs. The wing includes a science courtyard which provides daylight to classrooms and an outdoor learning space. The performing arts wing is substantially renovated to increase room size, improve finishes, and provide modern teaching space for band and choir and a black box classroom. Auditorium and stage improvements include new seating and acoustics to provide a completely modernized theater. Safety and security improvements include a secure main vestibule, door sensors on all exterior doors, and an up-to-date camera system. Site improvements include improving safety by separating student/parent cars from bus traffic. The track and field were replaced and a 1,500-seat covered stadium built to create a vibrant sports complex.

About the renovation project at Gresham High School

The school bond funded the creation of a Learning Tower featuring 53 new classrooms including 8 science classrooms, a new band room, choir room, and black box theatre. The construction at Gresham High School created over 200,000 square feet of new space. The renovation included a brand new gymnasium with a new weight room and new womens’ locker rooms. The school also features a brand-new, 550-seat auditorium with a glass front lobby that showcases the building on the corner of Main and Division Streets.The renovations also include improvements for modern safety and security, including a new vestibule front entry to the building and internally locking doors throughout the building.  

In addition to the substantial improvements to the building, the construction crew took deliberate effort to incorporate historic elements from the original building throughout the facility. The school’s original wrought iron gates were refurbished and reused on the Main Street doors as well as displayed in the new commons area. In addition, historic seating from the original auditorium is sprinkled throughout the building. Construction crews also relocated the sages, bas relief sports murals, the muses, and the rosettes from the original Art Deco building, putting them on prominent display throughout central courtyards and near the entrances of the new building.   

Learn more about the many other projects funded by the 2016 school bond at:

www.gresham-barlowbond.org

Many thanks to the Gresham community for their support of the 2016 school bond!

Salem, OR,  (Oct. 18, 2021) - On Fri., Oct. 22 at noon on Zoom, the Salem City Club hosts Lessons Learned: Combatting COVID in the Mid-Willamette Valley

The Salem City Club is embarking on a series of programs dealing with the pandemic. Their first program will ask the President of Salem Health and two local health experts from the Marion and Polk County Health Departments what they have learned about this impactful event and how we need to be preparing for future epidemics.

Panelists include President and Chief Executive Officer of Salem Health, Cheryl Nester Wolfe; Public Health Division Director at the Marion County Health Department, Katrina Rothenberger; and Polk County’s Public Health Administrator, Jacqui Umstead.

To register for the webinar, go to https://salemcityclub.com/, click the tab that says “Events,” click “Register,” and once registered, a spot will be reserved for the event. Registrants will be sent a link for the Zoom Webinar. Meetings are free for members and $5 for nonmembers.

Salem, OR,  (Oct. 18, 2021) - On Fri., Oct. 24 at noon on Zoom, the Salem City Club hosts Lessons Learned: Combatting COVID in the Mid-Willamette Valley

The Salem City Club is embarking on a series of programs dealing with the pandemic. Their first program will ask the President of Salem Health and two local health experts from the Marion and Polk County Health Departments what they have learned about this impactful event and how we need to be preparing for future epidemics.

Panelists include President and Chief Executive Officer of Salem Health, Cheryl Nester Wolfe; Public Health Division Director at the Marion County Health Department, Katrina Rothenberger; and Polk County’s Public Health Administrator, Jacqui Umstead.

To register for the webinar, go to https://salemcityclub.com/, click the tab that says “Events,” click “Register,” and once registered, a spot will be reserved for the event. Registrants will be sent a link for the Zoom Webinar. Meetings are free for members and $5 for nonmembers.

Vancouver, WA – Clark County Historical Museum’s 2021 Speaker Series continues on Thursday, Nov. 4, with “Custer’s Other Brother-in-Law: The Calhouns of the Vancouver Barracks” presented by Jeff Davis. Doors open at 5 p.m. and the event begins at 7 p.m.

At the Battle of the Little Bighorn (Battle of Greasy Grass), Lieutenant Colonel Custer was accompanied by his brother-in-laws, Miles Moylan and James Calhoun, along with his brothers, Tom and Boston Custer, and a nephew, Harry Autie Reed. All but Myles fell alongside him. One remaining brother-in-law, Lieutenant Frederic Calhoun, was assigned to the 14th Infantry during the Sioux War and was elsewhere during the battle. In this presentation, author and historian Jeff Davis will discuss the career and life of Lt. Calhoun after the Sioux Wars, including a look at his wife, Emma, and the role she played as an officer’s wife at the Vancouver Barracks.

"In military history, it is too easy to dismiss the importance and contribution of Army wives to the betterment of their husband's careers, or the success of a military campaign,” says Davis. “And who picks up the pieces if the soldier dies or is injured? In the case of the extended Custer family after the Battle of the Little Big Horn, I want to discuss the tremendous accomplishments of Emma Reed Calhoun."

Jeff Davis is a credentialed military historian, archaeologist, and author. Davis has a BS in Anthropology and MA in Archaeology and Prehistory. He has worked as an archaeologist in Clark County as well as the Cascade Mountains. He spent 32 years in the Army and Army Reserves, and deployed to both Bosnia, Afghanistan and Southwest Asia. His last assignment was as a military historian at the Vancouver Barracks and Fort Lewis, WA. Davis is one of the founding members of the Vancouver Barracks Military Association. He has worked as a volunteer with the Clark County History Museum as well as The Historic Trust of Clark County. He has written, edited, or contributed to several books on military history and pop culture including “Custer’s Other Brother-in-Law, The Orders Books of Lieutenant Frederic S. Calhoun” available at Clark County Historical Museum.

The CCHM Speaker Series is sponsored by the Clark County Historic Preservation Commission and Versa Events (formerly Wager Audio). General admission is $5; seniors and students are $4; children under 18 are $3; and the evening is free for CCHM members, veterans, and active-duty military personnel.

Attendees are encouraged to arrive early, as it is seating is limited to 25 participants. For the safety of staff, visitors, and our families, CCHM does require proof of vaccination for admission to all CCHM events.

For more information, contact the museum at 360-993-5679 or outreach@cchmuseum.org.

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The Oregon Office of Emergency Management has posted the Oregon Wildfire Recovery Update for Oct. 18, 2021, to the Oregon Wildfire Resources page. View today's Wildfire Recovery update here. The next update will be released on Nov. 17, 2021.

Photo Captions:

The Oregon Office of Emergency Management's Wildfire Recovery logo: Oregon Rising Stronger Together. (Office of Emergency Management)

The McKenzie Community Celebration in Vida, Ore., unveiled a permanent commemorative art piece designed and created by Oregon conceptual artist Margaret Godfrey. (McKenzie River Locals Helping Locals)

The McKenzie Community Celebration in Vida, Ore., included a first responder appreciation ceremony celebrating the Upper McKenzie Fire Department. (McKenzie River Locals Helping Locals)

FEMA has activated a federal program offering 2020 wildfire survivors the opportunity to purchase their currently occupied trailer. (FEMA)

The Ridgefield High School Theatre department is pleased to announce the triumphant return of live, in-person performances when they present D.W. Gregory’s gripping drama Radium Girls beginning Oct. 28.

In 1926, radium was a miracle cure, Madame Curie an international celebrity, and luminous watches the latest rage–until the girls who painted them began to fall ill with a mysterious disease. 

Inspired by a true story, Radium Girls traces the efforts of Grace Fryer, a dial painter, as she fights for her day in court. Her chief adversary is her former employer, Arthur Roeder, an idealistic man who cannot bring himself to believe that the same element that shrinks tumors could have anything to do with the terrifying rash of illnesses among his employees. As the case goes on, however, Grace finds herself battling not only with the U.S. Radium Corporation, but also with her own family and friends, who fear that her campaign for justice will backfire.

“We are so thrilled to be producing live theatre again after the last year and a half,” said Kaitlyn Etter, Ridgefield High School’s Theatre Arts Director. “I am proud of the resilience and creativity our students demonstrated during the hiatus, but there is nothing that can replicate the thrill and excitement of pulling off a successful stage production in front of a live audience. We can’t wait to share Radium Girls with the Ridgefield community.” 

All performances begin at 7 p.m. The full list of performances is:

• Thursday, October 28
• Friday, October 29
• Saturday,October 30
• Thursday, November 4
• Friday, November 5
• Saturday, November 6

Tickets can be purchased online in advance, or in person on the day of the show. Tickets cost $12 for adults, $10 for students, and $7 with a valid ASB card. A limited number of VIP tickets are also available for $20 each. To purchase tickets online, please visit https://wa-ridgefield-lite.intouchreceipting.com/rhstheatre. 

The October Willamette Intake Facilities (WIF) Board Meeting will be held on Monday, October 25, 2021, at 6:00pm.

Location: This meeting will be held virtually, if you wish to attend remotely, please contact annette.rehms@tvwd.org or call 971-222-5957 for dial-in information by 4:00pm on October 25, 2021. If you wish to address the WIF Board, please request the Public Comment Form and return it 48 hours prior to the day of the meeting.  

The Board meeting agenda packet and additional information regarding the Willamette Intake Facilities are available on the WIF Commission website:  

https://www.tvwd.org/district/page/willamette-intake-facilities-commission

On Saturday, October 16, 2021 at approximately 6:49 PM, Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a three-vehicle crash on Hwy 99E at Oak Grove Boulevard. 

Preliminary investigation revealed a northbound Chevy Trailblazer, operated by Angelina Sloan (43) of Portland, rear-ended a Toyota Yaris, operated by Terry Tomaszewski (59) of Milwaukie, that was stopped at a red light. The collision caused both vehicles to slide into the intersection where the Chevy Trailblazer also collided with a westbound Saturn SUV, operated by a 17-year-old female of Milwaukie, that was proceeding through the intersection on a green light. 

A passenger in the Toyota Yaris, Mary Ring (70) of Portland, sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased. Sloan, Tomaszewski and the 17-old driver were all taken to area hospitals for injuries. 

OSP was assisted by Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, Clackamas County Fire Department and ODOT. 

West Linn, OR--Sunday, October 17, 2021

The City of West Linn has received water quality testing results from water samples taken following the water main break near Trillium Drive and Old River Drive that occurred on Friday. As of Sunday morning the boil water advisory has been lifted for the Robinwood Water Pressure Zone and water quality tests have confirmed the water is safe for consumption. Please note that most West Linn residents were not affected by the original water quality advisory and are not affected by this notice.  

West Linn residents in the Robinwood Water Pressure Zone were notified on Friday October 15, 2021 of a potential problem with their drinking water and were advised to boil drinking water until further notice. We are pleased to report that the problem has been corrected and that it is no longer necessary to boil water or take steps to disinfect your water. The original cause of the the issue was a water main break caused by a large vehicle hitting and damaging a fire hydrant near Trillum Drive and Old River Drive.

We apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for your patience. Water is safe to drink and may be used as normal. 

More information and map of originally affected area available at the incident website here:  https://bit.ly/3AJuUSB

On 10/17/21 at approximately 0222 hours, CCSO deputies initiated a traffic stop with a vehicle associated with an individual they had probable cause to arrest for Assault 1 with a handgun.  The suspect failed to comply with a traffic stop and a pursuit ensued.  CCSO deputies conducted a successful PIT maneuver in the area of NE 122^nd Avenue/ NE 49^th Street and the vehicle was immobilized.

The suspect exited the vehicle, armed with a handgun and failed to comply with deputies.  A subsequent officer involved shooting occurred.  The suspect was located a short distance away deceased in possession of a handgun.

The Southwest Washington Regional Independent Investigation Team is conducting the investigation and future press releases.

Involved deputies were placed on critical incident leave per standard protocol.

No further information.

On 10/17/21 at approximately 0222 hours, CCSO deputies initiated a traffic stop with a vehicle associated with an individual they had probable cause to arrest for Assault 1 with a handgun.  The suspect failed to comply with a traffic stop and a pursuit ensued.  CCSO deputies conducted a successful PIT maneuver in the area of NE 122^nd Avenue/ NE 49^th Street and the vehicle was immobilized.

The suspect exited the vehicle, armed with a handgun and failed to comply with deputies.  A subsequent officer involved shooting occurred.  The suspect was located a short distance away deceased in possession of a handgun.

The Southwest Washington Regional Independent Investigation Team is conducting the investigation and future press releases.

Involved deputies were placed on critical incident leave per standard protocol.

No further information.

UPDATE

The victim has been identified as 40-year-old Laureano Joronimo-Matias of Woodburn. Next of kin have been notified. 

ORIGINAL

Friday, October 15, 2021 – Woodburn, OR - On Thursday, October 14, at approximately 7:20 p.m., a pedestrian was struck and killed by an Amtrak train at the Cleveland St./N. Front St. railroad crossing in Woodburn. 

Witnesses indicated the victim went around the downed crossing arms, attempted to cross in front of an oncoming Amtrak train, and was struck near the intersection. The victim, not yet identified, is described as a 25 to 50-year-old Hispanic male adult of average build, with short black hair and facial hair, wearing a dark coat and blue jeans. 

Woodburn Police are asking anyone with information on the victim and/or case to contact the Department at 503-982-2345 and reference case 21-11685.

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Boys & Girls Clubs of Portland Metropolitan Area will host a vaccination clinic this Sunday (October 17) from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Regence Club in North Portland (4430 N. Trenton Street).  BGCP, along with Urban League of Portland, Hacienda, Latino Network, Immigrant & Refugee Community Organization, and El Programa Hispano Catòlico, have formed a community-wide coalition to increase vaccine distribution to BIPOC communities in the Metro area.  No insurance is required. Walk-ups welcome. Free family-sized food boxes provided. 

Vancouver Police Department's investigators are requesting public's assistance in locating Stanley Lunde, a sixty eight year old male.

Stanley was last seen at his residence on Thursday October 14th, located at 4700 block of E. Evergreen Blvd in Vancouver, WA.  Stanley does not own or have access to a vehicle and does not carry a cell phone.

At the time of this investigation Stanley was suffering from a medical condition, symptoms of which include memory loss, disorientation, and difficulty with reasoning.  

Stanley is possibly wearing an oversized brown jacket and his shoes may be mismatched.  The rest of his clothing is unknown at this time.  Stanley is a Caucasian male, approximately (6) feet tall and weighing (200) pounds.  Stanley usually has a friendly demeanor and likes to socialize with people around him.  

Stanley is known for taking long walks in the Vancouver area and he also likes to use C-TRAN buses for transportation.

Photograph of Stanley is included in the news release.

Citizens with information of Stanley's possible whereabouts are asked to call the Vancouver Police Department's dispatch center.  

Vancouver Police Department's investigators are requesting public's assistance in locating Stanley Lunde, a sixty eight year old male.

Stanley was last seen at his residence on Thursday October 14th, located at 4700 block of E. Evergreen Blvd in Vancouver, WA.  Stanley does not own or have access to a vehicle and does not carry a cell phone.

At the time of this investigation Stanley was suffering from a medical condition, symptoms of which include memory loss, disorientation, and difficulty with reasoning.  

Stanley is possibly wearing an oversized brown jacket and his shoes may be mismatched.  The rest of his clothing is unknown at this time.  Stanley is a Caucasian male, approximately (6) feet tall and weighing (200) pounds.  Stanley usually has a friendly demeanor and likes to socialize with people around him.  

Stanley is known for taking long walks in the Vancouver area and he also likes to use C-TRAN buses for transportation.

Photograph of Stanley is included in the news release.

Citizens with information of Stanley's possible whereabouts are asked to call the Vancouver Police Department's dispatch center.  

PORTLAND, Ore. – More than 100 Airmen from the Oregon Air National Guard’s 142nd Wing have departed from the Portland Air National Guard Base en route to Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, to conduct joint training with the U.S. Air Force’s new F-15EX Eagle II.

The Oregon Airmen traveling to Nellis A.F.B. are also bringing along up to seven Oregon F-15C model Eagles, and will spend the next two weeks supporting test and evaluation missions for the F-15EX while gaining operator and maintainer exposure to the new aircraft.

“This two week event provides a window into the future of 142nd Wing flying operations by introducing our Airmen to the F-15EX Eagle II,” said Colonel Aaron Mathena, 142nd Operations Group commander. “Their direct support of this flying test and evaluation brings that reality closer than ever, while taking advantage of unique training opportunities needed for today.”

The 142nd Wing, based in Portland, Oregon, is set to become the first operational flying unit in the Air Force to operate the F-15EX, which are slated to arrive in 2024.

-30-

About the 142nd Wing:

The Portland Air National Guard Base employs around 1,500 Airmen who provide an economic impact of nearly $500 million to the region. The 142nd Wing defends our homeland with F-15 Eagle fighter jets, guarding the Pacific Northwest skies from Northern California to the Canadian border, as part of Air Combat Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). Their mission is to provide unequaled, mission-ready units to sustain combat aerospace superiority and peacetime tasking any time, any place in service to our nation, state and community.

Photo Caption:

An F-15EX Eagle II from the 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron, 53rd Wing, takes flight for the first time out of Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., April 26, 2021, prior to departure for Northern Edge 2021. The F-15EX brings next-generation combat technology to a highly successful fighter airframe that is capable of projecting power across multiple domains for the Joint Force. (U.S Air Force photo by 1st Lt Savanah Bray) 

Salem, Ore - On October 15, 2021 at approximately 7:50 p.m. Salem Police and Fire personnel were dispatched to the intersection of Salem Pkwy and Cherry AVE NE on vehicle versus bicycle crash. When officers arrived they determined a semi-truck and trailer driven by Montaque Annear, age 55 of Dallas, had struck a bicycle, killing the male adult rider. 

The Salem Police Traffic Team responded to conduct the investigation. They have initially determined that Annear was traveling southwest on Salem Pkwy on a green light when the bicyclist proceeded northbound through the intersection at Cherry AVE and was struck. Annear stopped, remained on on-scene and cooperated with the investigation. Additionally, a Level I truck inspection was completed on the semi and trailer, and no violations were found. 

No arrests were made and no citations were issued. The bicyclist has been identified but his identity will not be released until his next of kin have been notified. 

This is the sixth fatal pedestrian or cyclist crash in Salem this year. 

###

On October 15, 2021 at approximately 2025 hours Clark County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the 9400 block of NE 100^th Way on the report of a “Disturbance with a Weapon”.  A 911 caller reported he had been shot in the leg by an unknown male, possibly driving a red Jeep.

Responding units located the male victim inside his residence with one gunshot wound to the leg. Deputies located the victim’s car in the driveway with multiple bullet holes to the driver’s side, roof, and rear-end. Several shell casings were collected from the roadway in front of, and near, the victim’s residence. 

The victim stated he believe he had been followed home by an unknown male, who shot him one time as he was exiting his vehicle in the driveway. 

Witnesses in the neighborhood reported a vehicle fleeing the neighborhood just after the shooting. The witnesses described the vehicle as being a red or orange SUV or hatchback.

The case is under further investigation by the Clark County Sheriff’s Office Tactical Detective Unit. No further information will be released at this time.

West Linn, OR – October 15, 2021

BOIL WATER NOTICE:  A damaged water main has caused disruption to the City water system in the Robinwood Pressure Zone ONLY. City crews have repaired the damage, but out of caution and due to possible loss of pressure a BOIL WATER NOTICE HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE ROBINWOOD PRESSURE ZONE ONLY.

PLEASE NOTE: Most homes in West Linn are NOT affected by this boil notice. Residents in the Robinwood Pressure Zone on the attached map are advised to boil water until water quality samples return from the lab (expected on Sunday) - we will update the City webpage page and City social media when samples have returned. Please see the attached boil water notice and City website at https://bit.ly/3AJuUSB for further details. Check the attached map to see if your water is affected. 

Please be advised that the Bulletin does not include all calls for service to which officers respond.  Many calls do not require that a report be written; such as:

•Traffic Stops

•Advising/Referring a Person to the Proper Agency to handle their request

•Restoring the Peace

•Premise Checks

•Welfare Checks

•Flagged Down by Citizen

October 15, 2021

Contact: OHA External Relations, covid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us">orcovid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us

Oregon reports 1,218 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 20 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — There are 20 new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 4,161, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 1,218 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 348,766.

Newest COVID-19 modeling report projects decrease in daily cases and hospitalizations

Today, OHA released its latest COVID-19 forecast showing a continued decline in daily cases and hospitalizations through mid-October.

According to the report, the effective reproduction rate — the expected number of secondary cases that a single case generates — was estimated at 0.91 on Sept. 29, which is lower than last week’s projection.

At that level of transmission, the report estimates 300 cases per 100,000 people, or an average of 895 daily cases for the two-week period between Oct. 20 and Nov. 2. and 54 hospitalizations per day by Nov. 2.

The report also estimated the potential impact from the projected spread of the disease based on the average level of transmission from Sept. 23 through 29, which closely tracks the reported data during that week.

At that rate of transmission, new daily cases and hospitalizations are expected to decline more steeply, with an estimated average of 245 cases per 100,000 people, projecting an average of 740 new cases and 43 hospitalizations through Nov. 2.

The report also indicated that hospitals across the state are seeing declines in COVID-19 hospitalizations and declining COVID-19 intensive care admissions.

Vaccinations remain the most effective shield against COVID-19. Oregonians should wear masks when in indoor public spaces and when outdoors among crowds.

OHA enhances its monoclonal antibody therapy (mAb) webpage

COVID-19 cases can result in serious illness, hospitalizations and deaths. Monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapies can help prevent severe illness, save lives and reduce the burden on our hospitals and health systems. 

This therapy is available through shots or IV infusion, making it easier for providers to give and patients to get. The therapies can be used as treatment for confirmed positive patients and as prevention after a COVID-19 exposure.

This page has been further enhanced to update the weekly federal allocation table and provider requests as well as the providers that have been allocated mAb product weekly, since allocation decisions were transferred to the state.

Both will now be updated weekly.

Due to limitations in supply, OHA is working to equitably distribute the federal allocation.

COVID-19 hospitalizations

The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 across Oregon is 563, which is 12 fewer than yesterday. There are 136 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, which is 10 fewer than yesterday.

There are 55 available adult ICU beds out of 684 total (8% availability) and 304 available adult non-ICU beds out of 4,082 (7% availability).

The total number of patients in hospital beds may fluctuate between report times. The numbers do not reflect admissions per day, nor the length of hospital stay. Staffing limitations are not captured in this data and may further limit bed capacity.

Note: Please do not visit an emergency department for COVID-19 testing, unless you require emergency care for your symptoms.

Emergency departments in Oregon are under significant strain responding to the current surge in COVID-19. You can find a test here.  

If you have a medical condition that doesn’t require emergency care, contact your provider. An urgent care center may also help you get the care you need and will save emergency departments from added strain.  

More information about hospital capacity can be found here.

Vaccinations in Oregon

Today, OHA reported that 14,138 new doses of COVID-19 vaccinations were added to the state immunization registry on Oct. 14. Of this total, 5,841 were administered on Oct. 14: 1,086 were initial doses; 1,049 were second doses and 3,666 were third doses and booster doses. The remaining 8,297 were administered on previous days but were entered into the vaccine registry on Oct. 14.

The seven-day running average is now 10,193 doses per day.

Oregon has now administered 3,156,158 doses of Pfizer Comirnaty, 1,927,927 doses of Moderna and 222,453 doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines.

As of today, 2,781,985 people have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 2,566,802 people have completed a COVID-19 vaccine series.

These data are preliminary and subject to change.

Updated vaccination data are provided on Oregon’s COVID-19 data dashboards and have been updated today.

Cases and deaths

The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (6), Benton (18), Clackamas (65), Clatsop (6), Columbia (17), Coos (29), Crook (45), Curry (2), Deschutes (88), Douglas (44), Grant (1), Harney (3), Hood River (5), Jackson (56), Jefferson (17), Josephine (23), Klamath (80), Lake (7), Lane (87), Lincoln (16), Linn (93), Malheur (32), Marion (125), Morrow (8), Multnomah (148), Polk (16), Sherman (1), Tillamook (5), Umatilla (28), Union (14), Wallowa (2), Wasco (17), Washington (88) and Yamhill (26).

Oregon’s 4,142nd COVID-19 related death is a 64-year-old man from Lane County who tested positive on Oct. 2 and died on Oct. 13 at McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,143rd COVID-19 related death is a 79-year-old man from Lane County who tested positive on Sept. 23 and died on Oct. 11 at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,144th COVID-19 related death is a 58-year-old man from Lane County who tested positive on Sept. 23 and died on Sept. 20 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,145th COVID-19 related death is an 87-year-old woman from Deschutes County who tested positive on Sept. 29 and died on Oct. 4 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,146th COVID-19 related death is a 60-year-old woman from Clatsop County who tested positive on Oct. 6 and died on Oct. 8. Location of death and presence of underlying conditions are being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,147th COVID-19 related death is an 85-year-old woman from Clackamas County who tested positive on Oct. 13 and died on Oct. 14 at her residence. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,148th COVID-19 related death is a 46-year-old woman from Marion County who tested positive on Oct. 6 and died on Oct. 6 at her residence. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,149th COVID-19 related death is a 79-year-old woman from Marion County who tested positive on Sept. 16 and died on Oct. 3 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,150th COVID-19 related death is a 50-year-old woman from Linn County who tested positive on Sept. 18 and died on Sept. 25 at Oregon Health & Science University Hospital. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,151st COVID-19 related death is a 69-year-old woman from Lincoln County who tested positive on Sept. 13 and died on Oct. 6 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,152nd COVID-19 related death is a 91-year-old man from Lincoln County who tested positive on July 26 and died on Sept. 14 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,153rd COVID-19 related death is a 65-year-old man from Yamhill County who tested positive on Oct. 3 and died on Oct. 13 at Providence Newberg Medical Center. He had no underlying conditions

Oregon’s 4,154th COVID-19 related death is a 78-year-old man from Washington County who tested positive on Sept. 9 and died on Sept. 20 at OHSU Hillsboro Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,155th COVID-19 related death is a 66-year-old woman from Umatilla County who tested positive on Oct. 4 and died on Oct. 7 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,156th COVID-19 related death is a 71-year-old woman from Umatilla County who tested positive on Sept. 22 and died on Sept. 25 at Providence Portland Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,157th COVID-19 related death is a 61-year-old woman from Umatilla County who tested positive on July 26 and died on Sept. 23 at her residence. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,158th COVID-19 related death is a 76-year-old man from Tillamook County who tested positive on Sept. 19 and died on Oct. 3 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,159th COVID-19 related death is a 47-year-old man from Multnomah County who tested positive on Oct. 4 and died on Oct. 13 at Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,160th COVID-19 related death is a 67-year-old woman from Multnomah County who tested positive on Sept. 28 and died on Oct. 14 at Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,161st  COVID-19 related death is a 47-year-old man from Multnomah County who tested positive on Aug. 8 and died on Aug. 8 at Providence Portland Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Learn more about COVID-19 vaccinations  

To learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine situation in Oregon, visit our webpage (English or Spanish), which has a breakdown of distribution and other information.

Chemeketa Press and Open Oregon Educational Resources partner to promote textbook affordability at Chemeketa Community College

Salem, Ore., October 14, 2021 — Chemeketa Press, the academic publishing arm of Chemeketa Community College, is partnering with Open Oregon Educational Resources during the 2021-2023 biennium to assist faculty in producing openly licensed, targeted pathway materials with an equity lens for three disciplines: Criminal Justice, Human Development/Family Studies, and Sociology. These materials will be available to students for free online, or print at a low cost. Chemeketa Press's contract with Open Oregon is for $266,945.

Open Oregon Educational Resources is a Higher Education Coordinating Commission-funded statewide organization promoting textbook affordability for community college and university students. This project is made possible by the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education from the United States Department of Education and the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund.

Beginning summer 2022, Chemeketa Press will lead faculty authors through the Textbook Development Workshop, a rigorous six-month course designed to equip faculty with the necessary tools to efficiently and professionally develop course materials. This workshop will be held annually. 

"Working with Open Oregon Educational Resources allows Chemeketa Press to connect with faculty around the state and share best practices for making textbooks and course materials with an equity focus,” said Abbey Gaterud, Director of Chemeketa Press. “Sharing this knowledge helps faculty authors write more efficiently and cohesively, which makes better course materials for diverse student populations. The high-quality content will make adopting these textbooks easier and more widespread, saving students money and helping them engage with these subjects. We want the hard work of the faculty in the textbook development workshop to reach and engage as many students as possible in Oregon and become a model for OER development nationwide."

For more information, please contact Abbey Gaterud at bey.gaterud@chemeketa.edu">abbey.gaterud@chemeketa.edu or call 503-399-6156.

####

For more than 50 years, Chemeketa Community College has committed itself to transforming lives and our community through exceptional learning experiences in the Mid-Willamette Valley. As the second multi-campus district in Oregon, Chemeketa serves 30,000 students annually at its Salem and Yamhill Valley campuses, as well as Brooks, Eola, Winema, Dallas, Woodburn and Chemeketa Center for Business and Industry (CCBI).

Chemeketa Community College is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and educational institution.

WEST LINN, OR – October 15, 2021 –Three finalists for the West Linn Chief of Police position have been selected following an extensive community input, screening, and preliminary interview process. The finalists include Port of Portland Police Captain Cory Chase, Acting West Linn Police Chief Peter Mahuna, and Leadership Program Coordinator for the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training Terry Moss.

Chase oversees law enforcement at Portland International Airport, General Aviation, and surrounding Port properties in his current role as Captain for the Port of Portland Police Department. Chase worked for the Port Police Department as a Patrol Operations Lieutenant and Special Operations Lieutenant since 2012 before being promoted to Captain in 2017. Prior to working for the Port, Chase was a Patrol Officer for the Prineville Police Department, and held a number of positions of increasing responsibility for the Redmond Police Department, including Police Officer and Field Training Officer, Detective, Patrol Sergeant, Detective Sergeant, and Patrol Lieutenant. Chase highlights accomplishments such as improvements to department culture, reforming training/evaluation/use-of-force programs, and leading an evolving diversity, equity, and inclusion program to create transparency and community partnership. He has a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership degree from Columbia Southern University. 

Mahuna has been Acting Chief of the West Linn Police Department (WLPD) since April of 2020 and Captain for West Linn since 2018. Mahuna has been serving the Portland Metropolitan area for 29 years, most recently as Captain of the Drugs and Vice Division for the Portland Police Bureau (PPB). He also rose through the ranks at PPB through positions in Operations, Investigations, and Services Departments, including supervisory roles. Mahuna highlights transformative cultural changes he made in the Sex Crimes and Personnel Divisions while at PPB, current collaborative relationships with police oversight and community groups, and leading the WLPD through a challenging period of history, including local and national racial injustice, COVID-19, a historic ice storm, and wildfires. Mahuna has a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from Pacific University, holds an Executive Certificate from the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training, and is a graduate of the Police Executive Research Forum Senior Management Institute for Police. 

Moss currently serves as the Leadership Program Coordinator for the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST), developing curriculum and providing police training on a wide range of topics for the past three years. Moss has 30 years of police experience, beginning as a Reserve Officer for the City of Molalla, before becoming a full-time Officer for 27 years for the City of St. Helens. He promoted through every rank in the organization and spent the last five years as the St. Helen’s Chief of Police. As the Chief of Police, he led the agency through the accreditation process and helped to develop a countywide Crisis Intervention Team. In 2018 he received the Max Patterson award from the Oregon Association of Chiefs of Police for presenting programs of outstanding benefit to young people of all ages in the community. Moss holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Portland State University and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy.

Finalists will take part in a comprehensive in-person Assessment Center Exercise on October 28 with representatives of a number of community groups, including the West Linn Police Accountability and Oversight Task Force, Building Bridges, West Linn Alliance for Inclusive Community, West Linn Community for Police Reform, and each neighborhood association. This exercise will be publicly broadcast for the community and is designed to measure critical job competencies identified by the community. 

Two additional evaluations for October 29 have been developed in partnership with Emergency Services Consulting International, our expert in public safety recruitment. These are not community-based evaluations and will not be publicly broadcast, they will be performed by the City Manager; City leadership; Derrick Peterson, Multnomah County Sheriff’s Captain and President of the local chapter of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE); Luke Strait, Milwaukie Police Chief and Don Johnson, Lake Oswego Fire Chief and former Chief of Police.

Data provided from all the evaluations, along with valuable input from community and other stakeholder groups will be combined and used in the decision making process. The City Manager expects to make a final decision in November after careful review and analysis of all provided information. 

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Marion County Sheriff’s Office is releasing the following information pursuant to ORS163A.215, which authorizes Community Corrections to inform the public when the release of information will enhance public safety and protection.

The individual who appears on this notification has been convicted of a sex offense that requires registration with the Sheriff’s Office. Additionally, this person’s criminal history places them in a classification level which reflects the potential to re-offend. This notification is not intended to increase fear; rather, it is our belief that an informed public is a safer public.

NAME: Kintz, Everett Wade 

SID#: 20178434 

DOB: 05/04/1992 

CURRENT AGE: 29 

RACE: W                    SEX: M 

HEIGHT: 6' 00''           WEIGHT: 150lbs 

HAIR: BRO                 EYES: BLUE

RESIDENCE: 650 LOCUST ST NE, SALEM, OR 97301

Everett Wade Kintz is on Post-Prison Supervision for the crimes of: Custodial Interference I and Unlawful Use of a Weapon

Kintz was granted supervision on: 09/17/2021

Supervision expiration date is: 09/16/2023

Special restrictions include:      [X] No weapons

               [X] No contact with minors 

               [X] No drugs or alcohol 

Other: Mr. Kintz’s victim pool includes teenage females known to him. 

October 15, 2021

Media contacts: Jonathan Modie, 971-246-9139, PHD.Communications@dhsoha.state.or.us

State issues proposed decision on 60-bed Wilsonville psychiatric hospital

PORTLAND, Ore. — Oregon Health Authority’s (OHA) Certificate of Need program has issued a proposed decision to approve NEWCO Oregon Inc.’s certificate of need application for a 60-bed, free-standing psychiatric hospital to be located in Wilsonville.

The proposed decision on NEWCO’s application follows the Certificate of Need Program’s Aug. 26 draft recommendation to approve NEWCO’s application, and a Sept. 20 informal hearing to take testimony from the company and affected parties.

The proposed decision, like the draft recommendation, remains contingent upon NEWCO meeting certain conditions, including that the company must dedicate 45% of its bed capacity to serve persons committed under ORS 426.130, or a person in custody pursuant to ORS 426.232, 426.233, or in diversion pursuant to 426.237.

The benchmark will be evaluated on a quarterly basis, and the company may, at its discretion, dedicate beds within the 45% requirement to Medicaid recipients if there are not enough individuals who are committed, in custody or in diversion to fill them. This flexibility in the 45% requirement was not in the Aug. 26 draft recommendation.

The proposed decision also adds more clarity on a condition related to meeting and maintaining requirements as a Class 1 hospital, including that “hospital design, operations and staffing ensure its ability to serve the full range of psychiatric needs of individuals within the proposed service area.” It also requests more specificity in a requirement that the company notify OHA’s Behavioral Health Program within 12 hours if it is refusing care of patients who are committed, in custody or in diversion, or are Medicaid recipients; submitted information must now include patient-identifying information, the patient’s payor source, the patient’s presenting condition, and the reason for refusal of service.

Finally, the proposed decision includes additional data on the percent of patients boarded in hospital emergency departments who eventually are transferred to an inpatient unit.

NEWCO and affected parties have 60 days from the date of the proposed decision to request a contested case hearing. If a contested case hearing is not requested within 60 days – or by Dec. 10 – the proposed decision becomes the final order. If a contested case hearing is requested, the timeline extends until the hearing process is completed.

The Certificate of Need program, administered through the Health Care Regulation and Quality Improvement Section at OHA Public Health Division, is a standardized, regulatory program instituted in 1971. It arose out of the Oregon Legislature's desire to achieve reasonable access to quality health care at a reasonable cost. ORS 442 charges the program with reviewing proposals for new hospitals and nursing facilities to ensure health services are adequately distributed in the state without unnecessary duplication of services or excessive cost to patients.

For more information on the Certificate of Need program, visit www.healthoregon.org/cn.

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On Thursday, October 14, 2021 at approximately 7:55 AM, Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a single vehicle crash on Highway 26 near milepost 152. 

Preliminary investigation revealed an eastbound Toyota Prius, operated by Janet Nevels (73) of Garden Valley, Idaho, drifted off the roadway, lost control and struck a concrete bridge structure. 

Nevels sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased.

Hwy 26 was closed from approximately 1 hour. 

OSP was assisted by Grant County Sheriff’s Department, John Day Police Department, Blue Mountain EMT’s, Mt. Vernon Fire Department and ODOT.

  TIP OF THE WEEK

Date:         October 15, 2021                 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:     Sheriff Curtis L. Landers

                  (541) 265-0652

                  lcsheriff@co.lincoln.or.us

EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI PREPAREDNESS

October is Tsunami Preparedness Month and the perfect opportunity to talk about earthquake and tsunami readiness.

Prepare for the Next Earthquake or Tsunami
Government agencies and other emergency organizations cannot protect you from the next earthquake or tsunami. Even under the best of circumstances, medical aid or public safety officials may not be able to reach you for hours, days, or even weeks. It is our responsibility as individuals, neighborhoods and communities to reduce risks, to prepare for the critical period immediately after the earthquake, and to make sure that planning for earthquakes and tsunamis has the high priority it deserves. By becoming informed, we can take actions to protect ourselves, reduce losses, and recover quickly.

Earthquake Preparation – Cascadia Subduction Zone or On-Shore Earthquakes

• Anchor and secure appliances, furniture, glass objects, and art to wall studs and/or other furniture items.
• Know how to turn off water, gas and electricity and have the non-sparking tools to do so.
• Keep a bag next to your bed with shoes, extra glasses, gloves, poncho, flashlight or headlamp so you are ready to evacuate once the shaking stops.
• Have a 3-5 day kit in your car in case you need to use it as a place of shelter until the aftershocks subside.
• Participate and register for https://www.shakeout.org/oregon/ on October 21, 2021 at 10:21am – the world’s largest earthquake drill. Review these resources for businesses, organizations, and community members.

Earthquake Response – If you feel an earthquake

• Drop, cover, and hold on until after the shaking stops, then evacuate outside to survey damages to the building.
• If indoors, get under a sturdy table, hold on and be prepared to move with the table.
• If in bed, stay in the bed and protect your head with a pillow.
• If outdoors, find a clear spot away from buildings and trees and stay until the shaking stops.
• If in a vehicle, pull over to a clear location until shaking stops.
• Be ready for aftershocks that could last for days after the main shock.

Tsunami Preparedness and Response

A tsunami is a series of sea waves, usually caused by a displacement of ocean floor by an undersea earthquake. As tsunamis enter shallow water near land, they increase in height and can cause great loss of life and property damage. 

• When at the coast, know the distant and local tsunami evacuation routes. Look for educational signs at beach entry areas and tsunami assembly area points.
• A Distant Tsunami will take 4 or more hours to come on shore and you will feel no earthquake. The tsunami will generally be smaller than that from a local earthquake. Typically, there is time for an official warning from our Lincoln County Lincoln Alerts and the National Warning Center to evacuate to safety.
• A Local Tsunami can come on shore within 15-20 minutes after the earthquake and before there is time for an official warning from the national warning system. Ground shaking may be the only warning you have, so evacuate quickly to high ground out of the local tsunami zone.
• Do not return until emergency officials have advised that it is safe to return.

Resources
 

Great Oregon ShakeOut:

• Registration & General Information
• Recommended Earthquake Safety Actions
• Earthquake Guide for People with Disabilities

Lincoln County Emergency Management 

• Hazards: Earthquakes
• Hazards: Tsunamis
• Main page
  Ready.gov
• Earthquakes
• Tsunamis

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

• Preparing for an earthquake
• Tsunamis

Red Cross

• Earthquake Safety

For more information and tips, visit our website at www.lincolncountysheriff.net and Like us on Facebook at Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office – Oregon.

Salem, Ore. — Salem residents are invited to join in the process of adjusting City Council ward boundaries this fall to assure the population of each ward is about equal. The City analyzes the wards right after the U.S. Census every 10 years through a process called “reapportionment.” 

Subscribe to reapportionment updates.

The goal of redrawing the boundaries is to get all eight wards as close as possible to 21,942, one-eighth of Salem’s 2020 Censure population of 175,535. Current ward populations vary from this goal by as little as 1.6% to as much as 13.1%.

Mid-Willamette Council of Governments has analyzed the Census data and prepared three alternative ward boundary maps for the process known as Ward Reapportionment. We plan to have the options on the web by early November and ask the community to comment on the boundary options. You will have the chance to comment when the alternatives are presented to the City Council November 8. City Council will also provide input at that meeting. We'll also have a couple of virtual open houses following the November 8 meeting, where you'll be able to ask questions and share comments. 

We expect the City Council will hold a public hearing and select a final alternative for approval in late November. 

Learn more about the process.

The Battle Ground Police Department is actively investigating the break-in and theft of mail from seven cluster-style community mailboxes along SW 6^th and SW 5^th Streets & SW 17^th Avenue that occurred sometime between the hours of 10 pm on October 13 to 7:30 am on October 14.   

Residents of the area are asked to review any security video they may have that might identify a suspect,  a suspect vehicle, or license plate.  If you have video or any information that might assist the investigation, please contact a Battle Ground police officer by calling 3-1-1.   

Mailbox break-ins are on the rise throughout Clark County and Battle Ground has not escaped the trend. Nearly 70 community members were victimized with this recent criminal act.  Here are specific things that you can do to protect yourself against mail theft: 

• Check your mailbox daily, especially before turning in for the evening.
• Ask friends and family not to send cash or gift cards in the mail, and that they notify you if they are sending a package so you can watch for it.
• Opt-out of unsolicited “preapproved” credit offers mailed to you.  Visit https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-stop-junk-mail for more information 
• Register for USPS Informed Delivery to preview your mail and manage packages scheduled to arrive. Sign up here: https://informeddelivery.usps.com/box/pages/intro/start.action 

Battle Ground Police Officers continue to patrol neighborhoods 24/7.  Working in partnership with the community is integral to our mission; awareness and information sharing are the most powerful tools in preventing crime.   We ask that you take proactive measures, remain aware, and share information with us:

• Get to know your neighbors. Doing so makes it easier to recognize unfamiliar people or vehicles. 
• Keep your front porch lights and other exterior lighting on at night.  Criminals prefer the shelter of darkness.
• Keep bushes and trees trimmed away from for mailboxes and sidewalks.  It will give you a better line of sight and will deter criminal activity.

Most importantly, if you see something suspicious, gather as much information as you can, and report it.  Each and every call provides your police officers with information they need to investigate and prevent crime in our community. 

Call 9-1-1 anytime there is an emergency or about criminal activity in progress.

Call 3-1-1 to report non-emergency information.  You may become aware of criminal activity or information after the fact.  Please report it – your police officers need and want to know. 

Thank you. 

Fall in the Pacific Northwest means the leaves are rapidly changing, transforming the landscape into an awe-inspiring, multi-colored display. Inside the hallways of South Ridge Elementary School, you’ll find another tree that is inspiring to behold, though in a different way. This one is a “Kindness Tree” made out of construction paper that keeps growing by the day.

The Kindness Tree first took root as a bare tree trunk, appearing suddenly one day in early October on a whiteboard at the Ridgefield School District elementary school. The whiteboard where the tree lives is in a prime location in a central hallway, with hundreds of students and teachers passing it multiple times each day.

The idea for the project started with the school’s fourth grade classes discussing how they could demonstrate kindness to others. The students had many examples to share: a friend who talked to them when they were sad; a classmate who helped pick up dropped papers in the hallway; or a parent who helped them solve a difficult problem.

Until recently, the display area where the tree lives remained largely unused until the fourth grade teachers at South Ridge decided to use the space as a colorful, visual reminder of how often students see or experience an act of kindness in their everyday lives.

“The Kindness Tree is a way for students to learn what kindness is, what it can look like, and what it can do,” said fourth grade teacher Jackie Bergeron. “It’s a tangible way for them to recognize kindness each and every day.”

Students are encouraged to record and recognize acts of kindness by writing them down on paper leaves. They then place the leaves in a box in the hallway to be added to the branches of the tree. Bergeron’s daughter, Olivia, a student at Sunset Ridge Intermediate School, helps by putting the new leaves on the tree each day after school.

Before long, the tree’s once-bare branches sprouted dozens of brightly colored paper leaves, each inscribed by a student who had either seen or performed a recent act of kindness at South Ridge. Now, the tree isn’t just recording acts of kindness, but it’s also  inspiring new ones. And it’s timely, too: October is National Bullying Prevention Month, and the messages of kindness and positivity reinforce the school’s ongoing efforts to create a safe and welcoming environment for all students.

The fourth-grade teachers hope to fill the tree with leaves by the end of October.

“It was a small effort on our part,” Bergeron said, “but I think it will have a lasting impact. Kindness becomes something the kids can see and touch and hold. And we can always use more kindness.”

Oct. 14, 2021

This news release is an updated version to include case and death information.

Contact: OHA External Relations, covid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us">orcovid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us

Oregon reports 1,237 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 24 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — There are 24 new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 4,141, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 1,237 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 347,616.

OHA releases new COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough report

OHA’s most recent update on COVID-19 breakthrough cases, released today, found that 72.8% of the 9,141 reported COVID-19 cases between Oct. 3 through Oct. 9, occurred in people who were unvaccinated.

There were 2,490 breakthrough cases, accounting for 27.2% of all cases.

The average age of the breakthrough cases during that period was 47. Sixty-five breakthrough cases involved residents of care facilities, senior living communities or other congregate care settings. There were 122 breakthrough cases in people ages 12 to 17.

To date, there have been 30,687 COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough cases in Oregon. The average age of all cases is 48. Breakthrough cases have been reported in all 36 counties.

Cases of COVID-19 are far more common in unvaccinated people. The report shows that the rate of COVID-19 in unvaccinated people is currently approximately 3.5 times higher than in vaccinated people.

To date, 4.4% of all vaccine breakthrough cases have been hospitalized and 1% have died. The average age of vaccinated people who died was 81.

Vaccination remains the most effective tool to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

The number of vaccine breakthrough cases identified in Oregon remains very small when compared to the more than 2.75 million Oregonians who have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

The latest breakthrough report can be found here.

This week OHA added three new features to the breakthrough report. Data is now available by vaccine manufacturer, including the number of breakthrough cases and their severity. This report also shows the number of Oregonians who received each vaccine, as well as the number of breakthrough cases per 100,000 vaccinated people.

In addition, OHA has expanded demographic data to include race and ethnicity for breakthrough cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.

Finally, OHA added a new map showing cumulative breakthrough cases for each county. In general, breakthrough case counts correspond with population size, vaccination rates, and overall case counts.

Pediatric weekly dashboard update

Today, OHA published its latest dashboard report of pediatric COVID-19 case data in Oregon.

This dashboard replaces the previous report and is published weekly on Thursdays with the most recent full week’s data.

New dashboard displays case and vaccination information by age group 

Today, OHA published a new weekly dashboard, titled Oregon’s COVID-19 Case and Vaccination Stories. The agency developed this dashboard to highlight COVID-19 case trends as vaccination rates increase.

The dashboard displays COVID-19 case and hospitalization rates, COVID-19 related deaths and the percentage of Oregonians who received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine over time.

Specifically, OHA compared the fall 2020 and spring 2021 surges at their peaks for those under 65 years old and those 65 and older. Data indicate the peak case rate per 100,000 for people ages 65 and older was 66% lower during the spring 2021 surge than during the fall 2020 surge. Among people under 65, a group where broad vaccination efforts took place later, the peak case rate was 38% lower during the spring 2021 surge than the fall 2020 surge.

The dashboard presents similar comparisons of hospitalizations and deaths by age group during the fall 2020 and spring 2021 surges. It is important to note that this is a population-level analysis, not an assessment of individual risk. Observing a trend, such as low hospitalization rates in a specific age group, does not mean all individuals in that group will avoid hospitalization or death after contracting COVID-19.

Because the summer 2021 surge is ongoing, a full analysis of its impacts is not yet possible. This analysis will be updated as more data become available.

For additional insights, please visit the Oregon’s COVID-19 Case and Vaccination Stories dashboard, where you can use an “Explore the Data” feature to create your own charts for COVID-19 cases, severe cases and the percentage of Oregonians vaccinated over time.

COVID-19 hospitalizations

The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 across Oregon is 575, which is 20 fewer than yesterday. There are 146 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, which is one more than yesterday.

There are 56 available adult ICU beds out of 685 total (8% availability) and 289 available adult non-ICU beds out of 4,094 (7% availability). 

The total number of patients in hospital beds may fluctuate between report times. The numbers do not reflect admissions per day, nor the length of hospital stay. Staffing limitations are not captured in this data and may further limit bed capacity.

Note: Please do not visit an emergency department for COVID-19 testing, unless you require emergency care for your symptoms.

Emergency departments in Oregon are under significant strain responding to the current surge in COVID-19. You can find a test here.  

If you have a medical condition that doesn’t require emergency care, contact your provider. An urgent care center may also help you get the care you need and will save emergency departments from added strain.  

More information about hospital capacity can be found here.

Vaccinations in Oregon

Today, OHA reported that 12,696 new doses of COVID-19 vaccinations were added to the state immunization registry on Oct. 13. Of that total, 1,071 were initial doses; 1,206 were second doses and 3,624 were third doses and booster doses. The remaining 6,760 were administered on previous days but were entered into the vaccine registry on Oct. 13.

The seven-day running average is now 10,301 doses per day.

Oregon has now administered 3,144,034 doses of Pfizer Comirnaty, 1,926,449 doses of Moderna and 221,987 doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines.

As of today, 2,779,073 people have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 2,563,481 people have completed a COVID-19 vaccine series.

These data are preliminary and subject to change.

Updated vaccination data are provided on Oregon’s COVID-19 data dashboards and have been updated today.

Medical and public health experts determine when to recommend a booster

This week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will consider whether to recommend that individuals who were vaccinated with Johnson & Johnson and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines should get booster doses.  

The decision to recommend a booster for people who received these vaccines depends on how significant the decrease in immunity is for each vaccine. Like the Pfizer vaccine, the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) may decide that only certain groups of people need a booster. Immunity may be waning more quickly in some people than others. This could mean that the people who are losing immunity should be given a booster to boost their immunity.   

VRBPAC members will hear presentations of data from the companies that manufacture these vaccines. They will also consider the FDA’s own analysis of the data. They will look at data that show whether there are significant decreases in immunity in people who have received the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine and the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine individually, and whether a booster dose significantly boosts their immunity; then, decisions will be made separately for each vaccine.  

Once the VRBPAC decides, the committee will make a recommendation to the FDA. If the FDA decides to recommend boosters, the decision will be considered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The ACIP is an independent panel of medical and public health experts. Before recommending, ACIP reviews all available clinical trial information, including descriptions of: 

• Who is most at risk for COVID-19, in particular for more severe disease
• Who received the vaccine (age, race, ethnicity, underlying medical conditions)
• How different groups responded to the vaccine
• What side effects people had

Later this month, the VRBPAC will also consider whether the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine should be granted Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for children who are five through 11 years of age. The same process will be used to determine whether this vaccine should be recommended for children.  

You can read more about this in Oregon Vaccine News.

Cases and COVID-19 deaths

The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (11), Benton (26), Clackamas (87), Clatsop (7), Columbia (8), Coos (27), Crook (37), Curry (3), Deschutes (136), Douglas (39), Grant (10), Harney (13), Hood River (10), Jackson (56), Jefferson (21), Josephine (16), Klamath (48), Lake (6), Lane (93), Lincoln (11), Linn (22), Malheur (33), Marion (98), Morrow (4), Multnomah (132), Polk (37), Tillamook (6), Umatilla (75), Union (11), Wallowa (7), Wasco (25), Washington (88), Wheeler (5) and Yamhill (29).

Oregon’s 4,118th COVID-19 related death is an 80-year-old woman from Klamath County who tested positive on Sept. 22 and died on Sept. 27 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,119th COVID-19 related death is a 70-year-old woman from Josephine County who tested positive on Sept. 27 and died on Oct. 13 at Asante Three River Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,120th COVID-19 related death is a 77-year-old man from Josephine County who tested positive on Sept. 4 and died on Sept. 29 at Asante Three River Medical Center. He had no underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,121st COVID-19 related death is a 61-year-old man from Jackson County who tested positive on Sept. 24 and died on Oct. 8 at Providence Medford Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,122nd COVID-19 related death is a 36-year-old woman from Curry County who tested positive on Sept. 16 and died on Sept. 27 at Asante Three River Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4123rd COVID-19 related death is a 94-year-old woman from Crook County who tested positive on Oct. 3 and died on Oct. 12 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,124th COVID-19 related death is a 73-year-old man from Clackamas County who tested positive on Sept. 14 and died on Sept. 24 at Providence Portland Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,125th COVID-19 related death is a 74-year-old man from Klamath County who tested positive on Sept. 18 and died on Sept. 28 at St. Charles Bend Hospital. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,126th COVID-19 related death is a 66-year-old man from Multnomah County who tested positive on Aug. 22 and died on Sept. 24 at Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,127th COVID-19 related death is a 69-year-old man from Marion County who tested positive on Oct. 9 and died on Oct. 13 at Salem Hospital. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,128th COVID-19 related death is a 52-year-old man from Marion County who tested positive on Oct. 8 and died on Oct. 11 at Salem Hospital. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,129th COVID-19 related death is a 57-year-old woman from Lincoln County who first became symptomatic on July 24 and died on Aug. 17; location of death is being confirmed. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,130th COVID-19 related death is a 67-year-old woman from Lincoln County who tested positive on June 18 and died on June 18 at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,131st COVID-19 related death is a 68-year-old man from Lane County who tested positive on Oct. 5 and died on Oct. 12 at Mckenzie-Willamette Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,132nd COVID-19 related death is an 84-year-old man from Lane County who tested positive on Sept. 24 and died at Mckenzie-Willamette Medical Center. The date of death is being confirmed. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,133rd COVID-19 related death is a 61-year-old man from Umatilla County who tested positive on Sept. 24 and died on Oct. 7 at Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,134th COVID-19 related death is an 82-year-old man from Multnomah County who tested positive on Sept. 29 and died on Oct. 4 at Providence Portland Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,135th COVID-19 related death is an 81-year-old woman from Multnomah County who tested positive on Sept. 16 and died on Sept. 22 at Adventist Health Portland. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,136th COVID-19 related death is a 76-year-old woman from Multnomah County who tested positive on Sept. 13 and died on Sept. 29 at Adventist Health Portland. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,137th COVID-19 related death is a 97-year-old man from Multnomah County who tested positive on Sept. 9 and died on Sept. 11 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,138th COVID-19 related death is a 66-year-old man from Multnomah County who tested positive on Sept. 6 and died on Oct. 3 at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,139th COVID-19 related death is a 72-year-old woman from Wasco County who tested positive on Aug. 25 and died on Oct. 4 at St. Charles Bend Hospital. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,140th COVID-19 related death is a 90-year-old man from Union County who tested positive on Sept. 17 and died on Sept. 23 at his residence. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,141st COVID-19 related death is a 74-year-old woman from Union County who tested positive on Aug. 24 and died on Aug. 31 at Grande Ronde Hospital. She had underlying conditions.

Learn more about COVID-19 vaccinations  

To learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine situation in Oregon, visit our webpage (English or Spanish), which has a breakdown of distribution and other information.

Vancouver, WA – Vancouver Urban Forestry wants to help residents make a sustainable difference that can last for generations. From 10 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Oct. 23, national Make a Difference Day, Vancouver Urban Forestry will be giving away free yard trees as part of a first-come, first-served yard tree giveaway.

Advanced registration is required, with a limit of one tree per eligible household. Several varieties of trees will be available, for as long as supplies last. To register or to determine eligibility to participate in this opportunity, please visit www.cityofvancouver.us/urbanforestry.

Each fall, Vancouver Urban Forestry, a branch of Public Works, distributes free yard trees to encourage the community to help grow our urban forest by planting trees on their private properties within the city. Registered recipients choose their trees in advance and receive instructions on where to pick them up and how to properly plant and care for them.

To maintain physical distancing and meet state and local health guidelines to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, this year’s Yard Tree Giveaway will be a drive-through event from 10 a.m. to noon in the Luepke Center parking lot at 1009 E. McLoughlin Blvd. In addition to the free tree for each eligible, pre-registered participant, Vancouver residents will also be able to pick up a free sign to support traffic calming in their neighborhoods and a leaf coupon that allows for free disposal of leaves at designated drop-off sites.

Urban Forestry staff are available to provide yard tree delivery and planting for residents with limited physical mobility. Email Urban Forestry at banforestry@cityofvancouver.us">urbanforestry@cityofvancouver.us for details.

Trees provide natural canopies and shade neighborhoods, promote clean air and water, and enhance the quality of life for all. Based on a 2011 tree canopy study, private property in Vancouver has the most potential to grow our community's urban forest. Vancouver's total tree canopy is only 18.6%, which means the community is missing out on the many environmental, economic, health and social benefits that a healthy tree canopy provides. Planting trees on private property will help meet Vancouver’s goal of 28% tree canopy by 2030.

For questions and to sign up, please visit the Urban Forestry webpage or call 360-487-8327.

October 15, 2021

Contact: Jonathan Modie, 971-246-9139, PHD.Communications@state.or.us

Public Health Advisory Board meets Oct. 21

What: The Public Health Advisory Board will hold a meeting.

Agenda: Approve September meeting minutes; public health survey modernization discussion.

When: Thursday, Oct. 21, 2-5 p.m. The meeting is open to the public. A public comment period will be held at the end of the meeting.

Where: Zoom conference call: (669) 254-5252, participant code 1609889971#.

Background: The Public Health Advisory Board provides guidance for Oregon’s governmental public health system and oversees the implementation of public health modernization and the State Health Improvement Plan.

# # #

Everyone has a right to know about and use Oregon Health Authority (OHA) programs and services. OHA provides free help. Some examples of the free help OHA can provide are:

• Sign language and spoken language interpreters.
• Written materials in other languages.
• Braille.
• Large print.
• Audio and other formats.

If you need help or have questions, please contact Cara Biddlecom: at 971-673-2284, 711 TTY, or a.m.biddlecom@state.or.us">cara.m.biddlecom@state.or.us, at least 48 hours before the meeting.

The Multnomah Education Service District Board of Directors will meet in Regular Session at 6:00 p.m. on October 19, 2021.  
In response to the current health emergency this meeting will be held virtually via Zoom.

​​​​​​​https://multnomahesd-org.zoom.us/j/82942112018?pwd=SHhTM1lxbHRiSW13TmNKOWw3c0dZUT09

Meeting ID: 829 4211 2018
Passcode: 829171

SALEM, Ore.—The Oregon Department of Forestry will host a virtual information session from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday October 25 for anyone who wants to learn more about forest restoration and mitigation grant programs funded by Senate Bill 762. 

The virtual event will include a presentation about development of the grant programs, review of key timelines, and time for questions and answers. Members of the public who want to provide more detailed input for consideration will have until 5 p.m. on Monday, November 1 to submit written comments to estoration@oregon.gov">odf.restoration@oregon.gov.  

The session will cover two sections of Senate Bill 762:

• implementation of a $20 million grant program focused on landscape-scale forest restoration and fuels reduction work to reduce wildfire risk; and
• implementation of a $5 million grant program for small forestland owners to reduce fuels and mitigate fire risk.

Discussion during the virtual session will be summarized and provided to advisory groups, along with any written comments received by the deadline, for consideration as they help staff finalize program implementation details.

The webinar can be accessed at https://odf.zoom.us/j/93013327128. It will also be recorded for later viewing and posted on the department’s YouTube channel. The public will have an opportunity to submit questions live during the webinar. 

Senate Bill 762 is comprehensive legislation passed with bipartisan support that will provide more than $220 million to help Oregon modernize and improve wildfire preparedness through three key strategies: creating fire-adapted communities, developing safe and effective response, and increasing the resiliency of Oregon's landscapes. The bill is the product of years of hard work by the Governor's Wildfire Council, the Legislature, and state agencies.

Additional information about Senate Bill 762 is available on ODF’s website.

Undersheriff Michelle Duncan reports that Detectives have learned new information regarding the unidentified human remains recovered in April of 2020.  These remains were found near Gordon Road, east of Sweet Home. Linn County Detectives, working in conjunction with the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office, have utilized a private forensic DNA service called Parabon Nanolabs to help determine more about what the unidentified female may have looked like. According to analysis completed by Parabon, the remains likely belong to a white adult female with light brown/blonde hair (natural hair color), fair skin, green or hazel eyes, and zero or few freckles. An updated composite sketch of the unidentified deceased woman has been developed based on this new information, and additional DNA analysis is ongoing in attempt to identify her.

The female was found wearing a purple, Apana brand, full-zip athletic jacket (Size XS), a green BKE Core brand camisole with spaghetti straps, a Victoria’s Secret heather gray front-zip sports bra, a black fabric bandanna, Wrangler’s brand blue denim jeans with crystal decorations on the pockets (Size 5/6 x 32) and black Steve Madden brand dress boots (Size 9.5)

Linn County Detectives have received over one hundred tips regarding this investigation, but thus far the identity of the female, as well as her cause and manner of death, are still undetermined. If you have information regarding the unidentified female, please contact Detective Colin Pyle at 541-967-3950.  

ORIGINAL PRESS RELEASE:

Linn County Undersheriff Paul Timm reports that his Detectives and the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office have continued to investigate the human remains found near Gordon Road on April 3, 2020.  Detectives and the Medical Examiner’s Office have tentatively identified the remains as belonging to a white female between the ages of 30 and 50-years-old at the time of her death. Additionally, the female is believed to have short, wavy brown hair.

On October 14, 2021 at about 12:55 AM, Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to the report of a single vehicle crash on Highway 199 at mile post 15. 

Preliminary investigation revealed that a southbound Toyota Tundra crossed the northbound lane of travel and exited the roadway at a high rate of speed. The Toyota went up an embankment and rolled at least once before coming to rest on its top. The Toyota ignited and burned completely. 

The unidentified driver suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased. 

Highway 199 was closed for approximately 3 hours.

OSP was assisted by the Josephine County Sheriff's Office, Rural Metro Fire, Oregon Department of Forestry and ODOT. 

On 10-15-21 at approximately 9:10 am multiple VPD patrol units were dispatched to an “Assault with a Weapon” radio call in vicinity of the Evergreen Park, 2400 Rossiter Lane.  

Investigation revealed that there was an altercation between several adult individuals at the park.  During the argument, a male suspect produced a handgun.  The suspect struck an adult male victim with the handgun and shot at a female victim.  Both victims were involved in some sort of argument with the suspect.  

The female victim was transported to an area hospital; she is expected to survive the gunshot wound.  

The suspect fled the area in a vehicle, described as a white possible SUV by witnesses.  

As of the time of this writing, the investigation is ongoing and no further information is available.  The incident appeared to be isolated in nature and there is no apparent threats or danger factors to other citizens living or passing through the area.  

Vancouver, Wash. – Clark County Public Health has lifted its blue-green algae advisory at Vancouver Lake. The bloom of cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, at the lake dissipated and results from water samples collected this week showed toxin levels are no longer elevated. 

The advisory signs posted at the lake are being removed. However, educational signs about blue-green algae will remain year-round at Vancouver Lake and other waterbodies known to have harmful algal blooms. Public Health encourages people recreating in the lake to continue to watch for floating blue-green-colored scum and avoid direct contact with water in those areas. 

The warning advisories at Lacamas and Round lakes in Camas remain in place. Blue-green algae continue to be present at both lakes. People should avoid direct contact with water in areas with floating blue-green-colored scum and keep pets out of the water.

Public Health will continue to monitor Lacamas and Round lakes and update the advisories as conditions change. Information about current advisories is available on the Public Health public beach website.

(Salem) – Open enrollment begins today for Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription drug plans. 

Open enrollment for the 2022 Medicare plan year is from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7, 2021.

Medicare plans and coverage for prescription drugs change each year, so it is important for Oregonians who are enrolled in Medicare to evaluate their plan options and make changes during open enrollment.

The Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance (SHIBA) program with the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) is available to help Oregonians understand their Medicare options and benefits, provide enrollment guidance and answer any questions related to Medicare benefits. 

"Medicare is a critical benefit for older adults and people with disabilities and navigating the options available can be confusing,” said Jane-Ellen Weidanz, ODHS Long Term Services and Supports Administrator. “When it comes to open enrollment, do not wait until the last minute. Take time to review your options and make choices as soon as you can. SHIBA is here to help Oregonians make the right choice for them.”

SHIBA provides trained counselors to educate and advocate for Oregonians with Medicare. Local SHIBA counselors and SHIBA’s 2022 Oregon Guide to Medicare Insurance Plans can be found by visiting SHIBA.Oregon.gov. 

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Ballots for the Nov. 2 general election are in the mail and should arrive by Oct. 21. For Battle Ground Public Schools, the ballot includes a four-year replacement levy and three school board races.

The replacement levy is not a new tax. It would replace a four-year levy set to expire at the end of 2021. Levy funding accounts for around 14 percent of the district’s budget, or $28 million in 2020-21. If approved, the replacement levy would collect the following amounts:

2022: $26,750,000
2023: $28,200,000
2024: $29,650,000
2025: $31,100,000

The rate per $1,000 of assessed property valuation to collect those amounts is projected to be $1.99 in all four years, a reduction from the current rate of $2.32 per $1,000. The anticipated local school tax on a home with an assessed value of $450,000 would be reduced by $123 in 2022, and cost less all four years of the replacement levy when compared to 2021. Battle Ground Public Schools already has the lowest school tax rate of any district in Clark County.

In Battle Ground, the levy supports student programs including arts, athletics and after-school activities. It also provides for technology, building maintenance, elective and advanced placement classes, social-emotional learning and support, special education services, as well as teachers, support and administrative staff. More information about how the levy helps to support student learning in Battle Ground Public Schools is available on the district website.

If the levy fails, the district would have to cut $28 million in student programs and services next school year that could result in larger class sizes, longer bus routes, the loss of music, art, theater and other electives, outdated textbooks, limited technology, fewer support staff for recess, school offices, custodial and maintenance and more, fewer class choices, fewer activities and sports, among other things.

Also on the Nov. 2 ballot are three school board races. The candidates for director of District 1 are incumbent Mary Snitily and Chloe Seppala. Ted Champine is running for director of District 3 against a candidate who previously withdrew from the race. Jackie Maddux is running to retain her spot as director of District 5. Her opponent also announced in September that she was pulling out of the race. Candidate statements are available in the Clark County voter’s pamphlet.

Ballots can be returned by mail (no postage required) and must be postmarked by election day, Nov. 2. They can also be returned to one of the many dropbox locations around the district until 8 p.m. on election night (a list of dropbox locations is included with your ballot or on the County Auditor’s website). 

If you are over 18, or will turn 18 on or before election day, you may register to vote online until Oct. 25, or in person at the Clark County Elections office until 8 p.m. on election day.

The Recreational Trails Program (RTP) Advisory Committee will meet October 26-28 via online meeting to evaluate grant applications from around the state for projects to develop, improve or expand trails and their facilities. Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) administers this federally funded grant program. 

The meeting is open to the public but there will not be time for public comments during the meeting. The committee will evaluate 28 applications over the three days. 

View the agenda for a list of project proposals and link to the online meeting at oregon.gov/oprd/GRA/Documents/RTP-Grant-Meeting-October-2021.pdf.  

The RTP Advisory Committee will submit recommendations to the Oregon State Parks Commission for review and approval at their November meeting. OPRD will then forward approved project proposals to the Federal Highway Administration for final approval. 

The RTP Advisory Committee consists of 10 volunteer members who represent various user groups and land managers. Eligible RTP applicants include state agencies, federal land management agencies, tribal governments, non-profit organizations, cities, counties and park and recreation districts.

RTP is an assistance program of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration. The program provides funds to states to develop and maintain recreational trails and trail-related facilities for both nonmotorized and motorized trail uses, including hiking, bicycling, in-line skating, equestrian use, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, off-road motorcycling, all-terrain vehicle riding and four-wheel driving or using other off-road motorized vehicles.

For more information, contact Jodi Bellefeuille, Program Coordinator, at 503-856-6316 or ellefeuille@oregon.gov">Jodi.bellefeuille@oregon.gov, or visit the RTP webpage on the OPRD website. 

During Cybersecurity Awareness Month, observed each October, the FBI and its partner agencies remind you to do your part and #BeCyberSmart all year long.

As the premier cyber investigative agency, the FBI works to keep you safe online, but there are many simple steps you can take to help protect yourself and your family. If you do become a victim, contact us at the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (www.ic3.gov) to report online crime.

This week's focus is on cryptocurrency - what it is, how to use it and how to stay safe.

Q & A - Cryptocurrencies

Q: What is cryptocurrency? 

A: Cryptocurrency is a type of digital currency that you can use to buy goods or services, or invest. You use regular currency – such as the U.S. dollar – to buy these cryptocurrencies, some of which are called tokens, and then you can spend with vendors that accept them. There are thousands of different kinds of cryptocurrencies traded publicly. They are not yet fully regulated and are unsecured unlike the money in your traditional bank account. 

Q: What is the “blockchain” ? 

A: Blockchain is a digital ledger that tracks cryptocurrency transactions. Cryptocurrency transactions are processed in blocks, which are then added to the chain, hence the term blockchain. That ledger is maintained across many different computers around the world, which means the ledger is decentralized. This is one of the ways the blockchain works to keep the transactions secure.

Q: What is a digital wallet and key?

A: A “digital wallet” is the app or device where you can store your cryptocurrency. There is a “public key” – basically the address you can give to someone to send you a payment. The “private key” is a very long string of letters and numbers.  It acts as your password because you need it to access a wallet and remove currency.

Q: Is cryptocurrency legal?

A: Currently, cryptocurrency itself is perfectly legal to buy and use in the U.S. In fact, many mainstream companies are now accepting cryptocurrency for goods and services. What we are seeing, though, is an increase in bad actors who are using old style scams to steal this new-style virtual asset.  

Q: What kinds of scams are connected to cryptocurrency?

A: Any kind of traditional scam can take on a cryptocurrency twist. For instance, an extortionist contacts you to threaten you with the release of compromising photos. He demands that you send cryptocurrency. Same old scam, new way to pay. 

We also see cryptocurrency frequently used in romance scams. For instance, the victim is persuaded by the suspect to take cash from their bank account and put it into a cryptocurrency ATM kiosk. Once cryptocurrency is purchased from the cash it is sent to the suspect. It is a fast and easy way to send cryptocurrency across international borders.

From the investment side we often see victims promised fast and high returns on their investments. If an opportunity sounds too good to be true, it very likely is too good to be true. If someone is promising you fast returns on your investment, it is most often a scam.

Q: If I want to invest or use cryptocurrencies, how can I do so safely?

A: First, recognize that a cryptocurrency investment is like any other investment – it can go up or down. Buyer beware!

When it comes to fraudsters, though, there are some specific steps you can take: 

• Do your research. Look for reputable sources to explain how to buy it, how to trade it, and how to use it.
• Don’t respond to unsolicited offers or click on links you may receive through email, texts, or social media; and
• Never share your private key or seed phrase with anyone. That private key or seed phrase is all that is standing between you and someone trying to take your money.

Cryptocurrencies experienced an enormous growth over the last five years.  A lot of that growth has plateaued, but it appears the general public is trying to recreate that price boom so individuals can get rich with enormous and fast returns on investment.   

Q: What should I do if I become a cryptocurrency scam victim?
A: If you are the victim of a cryptocurrency or other type of cyber scam, make sure you report it to the FBI right away through our Internet Crime Complaint Center. Go to www.ic3.gov to submit that information.

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Note to media: a video version of this Q & A is available for your use. It will be sent separately.

On October 14, 2021, about 4pm Jeremiah Mathews was taken into custody in Vancouver by the SW Washington Regional SWAT Team.  The suspect was booked into the Cowlitz County Jail on charges of murder 1^st degree.  We are still withholding the victims name in this case as we are still trying to locate next of kin.  Further details are not available at this time.

The Kelso Police Department wants to extend a thankyou to all the SW Washington agencies that helped in this case to include the SW Washington Regional SWAT Team, Washington State Department of Corrections, Washington State Crime Scene Team, the Washington State Criminal Investigative Team and the Longview Police Department.

What: Creating excitement ahead of Halloween, Downtown Portland Clean & Safe has partnered with local Artist Mike Bennett to hide 100 of his custom-made pumpkin cutouts in retail spaces and businesses in the Downtown and Old Town core. A scavenger hunt will be hosted online, on Friday, October 15^th from noon – 4 PM.  Followers need to solve the clues to locate a pumpkin.  The first person to find a pumpkin gets to keep it!  

When: TOMORROW! Friday, October 15^th, 2021 Noon – 4 PM (or until all pumpkins are located).   

Where: All of the 100 cut-out pumpkins are located in Downtown & Old Town Portland. To find clues, follow Mike Bennett’s social media platforms Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.    

Who: Downtown Portland Clean & Safe, the Downtown Retail Council, and Mike Bennett are hosting this event. With over 70 local retailers in the Downtown and Old Town core.  

Why: The community is invited to play a super fun Halloween scavenger hunt and explore the city. If they are lucky and fast, they just might walk away with a pumpkin cut-out by local artist Mike Bennett. And since they are Downtown already, we are going to encourage them to check out the local shops and restaurants.  

Artist Mike Bennett will be Downtown and available to interview.   

Downtown Marketing Initiative  

The Downtown Marketing Initiative is a program of the Portland Business Alliance, Greater Portland’s Chamber of Commerce, that promotes downtown Portland to the greater Portland metro region. Marketing programs include holiday promotional efforts, robust social media messaging, events and programming, seasonal cooperative retail and restaurant promotions, and public relations campaigns to promote downtown businesses. Downtown businesses may participate in the program at no charge. Visit: DowntownPortland.org for more information.  

Downtown Portland Clean & Safe   

The Downtown Portland Clean & Safe District provides essential services to the people, places, and businesses within a core 213-block area of our unique city. Operating since 1988, this local nonprofit is one of the oldest, largest, and most successful enhanced service districts in the nation. Visit Downtownportland.org for more information.  

Oct. 14, 2021

Contact: OHA External Relations, covid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us">orcovid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us

Oregon reports 1,237 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 24 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — There are 24 new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 4,141, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 1,237 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 347,616.

OHA releases new COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough report

OHA’s most recent update on COVID-19 breakthrough cases, released today, found that 72.8% of the 9,141 reported COVID-19 cases between Oct. 3 through Oct. 9, occurred in people who were unvaccinated.

There were 2,490 breakthrough cases, accounting for 27.2% of all cases.

The average age of the breakthrough cases during that period was 47. Sixty-five breakthrough cases involved residents of care facilities, senior living communities or other congregate care settings. There were 122 breakthrough cases in people ages 12 to 17.

To date, there have been 30,687 COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough cases in Oregon. The average age of all cases is 48. Breakthrough cases have been reported in all 36 counties.

Cases of COVID-19 are far more common in unvaccinated people. The report shows that the rate of COVID-19 in unvaccinated people is currently approximately 3.5 times higher than in vaccinated people.

To date, 4.4% of all vaccine breakthrough cases have been hospitalized and 1% have died. The average age of vaccinated people who died was 81.

Vaccination remains the most effective tool to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

The number of vaccine breakthrough cases identified in Oregon remains very small when compared to the more than 2.75 million Oregonians who have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

The latest breakthrough report can be found here.

This week OHA added three new features to the breakthrough report. Data is now available by vaccine manufacturer, including the number of breakthrough cases and their severity. This report also shows the number of Oregonians who received each vaccine, as well as the number of breakthrough cases per 100,000 vaccinated people.

In addition, OHA has expanded demographic data to include race and ethnicity for breakthrough cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.

Finally, OHA added a new map showing cumulative breakthrough cases for each county. In general, breakthrough case counts correspond with population size, vaccination rates, and overall case counts.

Pediatric weekly dashboard update

Today, OHA published its latest dashboard report of pediatric COVID-19 case data in Oregon.

This dashboard replaces the previous report and is published weekly on Thursdays with the most recent full week’s data.

New dashboard displays case and vaccination information by age group 

Today, OHA published a new weekly dashboard, titled Oregon’s COVID-19 Case and Vaccination Stories. The agency developed this dashboard to highlight COVID-19 case trends as vaccination rates increase.

The dashboard displays COVID-19 case and hospitalization rates, COVID-19 related deaths and the percentage of Oregonians who received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine over time.

Specifically, OHA compared the fall 2020 and spring 2021 surges at their peaks for those under 65 years old and those 65 and older. Data indicate the peak case rate per 100,000 for people ages 65 and older was 66% lower during the spring 2021 surge than during the fall 2020 surge. Among people under 65, a group where broad vaccination efforts took place later, the peak case rate was 38% lower during the spring 2021 surge than the fall 2020 surge.

The dashboard presents similar comparisons of hospitalizations and deaths by age group during the fall 2020 and spring 2021 surges. It is important to note that this is a population-level analysis, not an assessment of individual risk. Observing a trend, such as low hospitalization rates in a specific age group, does not mean all individuals in that group will avoid hospitalization or death after contracting COVID-19.

Because the summer 2021 surge is ongoing, a full analysis of its impacts is not yet possible. This analysis will be updated as more data become available.

For additional insights, please visit the Oregon’s COVID-19 Case and Vaccination Stories dashboard, where you can use an “Explore the Data” feature to create your own charts for COVID-19 cases, severe cases and the percentage of Oregonians vaccinated over time.

COVID-19 hospitalizations

The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 across Oregon is 575, which is 20 fewer than yesterday. There are 146 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, which is one more than yesterday.

There are 56 available adult ICU beds out of 685 total (8% availability) and 289 available adult non-ICU beds out of 4,094 (7% availability). 

The total number of patients in hospital beds may fluctuate between report times. The numbers do not reflect admissions per day, nor the length of hospital stay. Staffing limitations are not captured in this data and may further limit bed capacity.

Note: Please do not visit an emergency department for COVID-19 testing, unless you require emergency care for your symptoms.

Emergency departments in Oregon are under significant strain responding to the current surge in COVID-19. You can find a test here.  

If you have a medical condition that doesn’t require emergency care, contact your provider. An urgent care center may also help you get the care you need and will save emergency departments from added strain.  

More information about hospital capacity can be found here.

Vaccinations in Oregon

Today, OHA reported that 12,696 new doses of COVID-19 vaccinations were added to the state immunization registry on Oct. 13. Of that total, 1,071 were initial doses; 1,206 were second doses and 3,624 were third doses and booster doses. The remaining 6,760 were administered on previous days but were entered into the vaccine registry on Oct. 13.

The seven-day running average is now 10,301 doses per day.

Oregon has now administered 3,144,034 doses of Pfizer Comirnaty, 1,926,449 doses of Moderna and 221,987 doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines.

As of today, 2,779,073 people have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 2,563,481 people have completed a COVID-19 vaccine series.

These data are preliminary and subject to change.

Updated vaccination data are provided on Oregon’s COVID-19 data dashboards and have been updated today.

Medical and public health experts determine when to recommend a booster

This week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will consider whether to recommend that individuals who were vaccinated with Johnson & Johnson and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines should get booster doses.  

The decision to recommend a booster for people who received these vaccines depends on how significant the decrease in immunity is for each vaccine. Like the Pfizer vaccine, the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) may decide that only certain groups of people need a booster. Immunity may be waning more quickly in some people than others. This could mean that the people who are losing immunity should be given a booster to boost their immunity.   

VRBPAC members will hear presentations of data from the companies that manufacture these vaccines. They will also consider the FDA’s own analysis of the data. They will look at data that show whether there are significant decreases in immunity in people who have received the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine and the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine individually, and whether a booster dose significantly boosts their immunity; then, decisions will be made separately for each vaccine.  

Once the VRBPAC decides, the committee will make a recommendation to the FDA. If the FDA decides to recommend boosters, the decision will be considered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The ACIP is an independent panel of medical and public health experts. Before recommending, ACIP reviews all available clinical trial information, including descriptions of: 

• Who is most at risk for COVID-19, in particular for more severe disease
• Who received the vaccine (age, race, ethnicity, underlying medical conditions)
• How different groups responded to the vaccine
• What side effects people had

Later this month, the VRBPAC will also consider whether the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine should be granted Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for children who are five through 11 years of age. The same process will be used to determine whether this vaccine should be recommended for children.  

You can read more about this in Oregon Vaccine News.

Cases and COVID-19 deaths

The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (11), Benton (26), Clackamas (87), Clatsop (7), Columbia (8), Coos (27), Crook (37), Curry (3), Deschutes (136), Douglas (39), Grant (10), Harney (13), Hood River (10), Jackson (56), Jefferson (21), Josephine (16), Klamath (48), Lake (6), Lane (93), Lincoln (11), Linn (22), Malheur (33), Marion (98), Morrow (4), Multnomah (132), Polk (37), Tillamook (6), Umatilla (75), Union (11), Wallowa (7), Wasco (25), Washington (88), Wheeler (5) and Yamhill (29).

Note: More information about deaths and cases will be included in a follow-up news release

Learn more about COVID-19 vaccinations  

To learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine situation in Oregon, visit our webpage (English or Spanish), which has a breakdown of distribution and other information.

FBI agents have returned Leland Patrick Harper, age 60, to Portland to face multiple sex abuse charges in Multnomah County Circuit Court. The agents flew to Portugal over the weekend and returned with Harper late on Wednesday, October 13th.

This case, investigated by a Portland Police Detective on the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force, is being prosecuted at the state level. A Multnomah County grand jury indicted Harper in January 2021 on the following charges:

     Using a child in a display of sexually explicit conduct - 16 counts
     Sex abuse (first degree) - 23 counts
     Unlawful sexual penetration (first degree) - 3 counts
     Sodomy (first degree) - 2 counts
     Luring a minor - 14 counts
     Encouraging child sex abuse (first degree) - 1 count

The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided invaluable assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Harper to the United States. With DOJ's assistance, the FBI's Legal Attaché Office in Madrid coordinated with FBI Portland, the Department of State's U.S. Embassy in Lisbon, the Portuguese Policia Juidiciaria, and the Portuguese Polícia de Segurança Pública to facilitate Harper's extradition. Portuguese officials arrested Harper on a provisional arrest warrant on August 25, 2021. Following extradition proceedings, the local authorities released Harper to the FBI this week for transport back to Portland.

Harper was arraigned in Multnomah County Circuit Court on Thursday, October 14, 2021. He remains in jail on bail set at more than $11 million.

An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

For further details on this case, please contact the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office.

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Note to media: U.S. Department of Justice regulations do not generally permit the FBI to release mug shots.

The October Tualatin Valley Water District (TVWD) Board meeting will be held Wednesday, October 20, 2021, at 6:00 p.m. 

This meeting is only available via phone or the web. If you would like to attend, please use the contact information found below by 4:30 p.m. on October 20.

The Board meeting agenda and packet and additional information regarding TVWD are available here.

About TVWD 

TVWD serves about 217,700 customers in parts of Washington County, Oregon. Our service area covers more than 41 square miles including portions of Beaverton, Hillsboro, Tigard and unincorporated Washington County.

TVWD is the managing agency for the Willamette Water Supply System (WWSS), an additional water supply for the region which is being constructed in partnership with the City of Hillsboro and the City of Beaverton. The WWSS includes intake facilities, over 30 miles of pipes, a water treatment plant and two storage reservoirs. The system will deliver fresh, high-quality, treated water from the Willamette River to 400,000 Washington County residents and businesses, and is being built to the highest seismic safety standard to recover quickly after a major earthquake. The investments in the system will provide reliable, quality drinking water for generations to come.

October 14, 2021

Contact: Jonathan Modie, 971-246-9139, PHD.Communications@dhsoha.state.or.us

Tobacco Retail Licensure Rules Advisory Committee meets Oct. 27

What: The Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention Section of the Public Health Division will convene a Rules Advisory Committee.

Agenda: The Rules Advisory Committee will discuss developing administrative rules related to the administration and enforcement of Senate Bill 587, which establishes a tobacco retail license program throughout Oregon.

When: Wednesday, Oct. 27, 9 a.m. to noon.

Where:  By Zoom meeting. Please register in advance at https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJIsf--vqjgrHmxnyxT7nuvH8n4tS_xt79Y

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Background: The Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention Section will convene a Tobacco Retail Licensure RAC and submit rules following the Oregon Administrative Procedures Act. Membership of the RAC represents a diverse mix of community members from businesses affected by changes in the law, health professionals, community-based organizations, and government agencies.

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Everyone has a right to know about and use Oregon Health Authority (OHA) programs and services.  OHA provides free help.  Some examples of the free help OHA can provide are:

• Sign language and spoken language interpreters
• Written materials in other languages
• Braille
• Large print
• Audio and other formats

Contact: Tara Weston, Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention Section at tara.e.weston@dhsoha.state.or.us for more information or to be placed on a list of interested parties to receive notifications about meetings, public hearings, and public comment periods.

--(Portland, Ore. – Oct. 14, 2021) – Skanska, a leading construction firm, has promoted Debbie Hutchins to Vice President of Business Development. In her expanded role, Hutchins oversees new and sustains existing business opportunities in the commercial construction and contracting sectors for Skanska’s operations in Oregon and Southwest Washington. In addition to focusing on identifying projects and bid opportunities, she develops and maintains relationships in the community and industry. Hutchins is also a member of Skanska’s national Business Development Leadership Council.

--Hutchins joined Skanska as Director of Business Development in 2017 and was promoted to Senior Director in 2019. 

--“Debbie has excelled at leveraging relationships and developing strategic approaches to grow our business here in the Pacific Northwest,” said Tim Johnson, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Skanska’s operations in Oregon and Southwest Washington. “She has increased Skanska’s connections with our industry partners and engaged us more deeply with the community at large through her service on non-profit boards.”                                                            

--Hutchins’ community engagement includes board leadership with Portland Backpack, the Parker Bounds Johnson Foundation and Converge 45. She is also a member of Greater Portland Inc.’s Real Estate Advisory Group.

--Prior to joining Skanska, she worked at Portland State University, serving as Director of Development where she led the efforts to raise capital for the Viking Pavilion sports arena and the Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science. 

--Skanska is the leading construction manager at Portland International Airport and is currently building the new Flexential data center in Hillsboro, the Patricia Reser Center for the Arts in Beaverton and ongoing, sustaining health care work at Kaiser Permanente and Oregon Health & Science University. Recently, Skanska completed construction at the Beaverton Public Safety Center, Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital in Lincoln City, Marshall Elementary and McLoughlin Middle Schools in Vancouver as well as metro area schools Milwaukie High and Sherwood High, Oregon’s largest school by land mass. 

This statement is by a mother of one of the six survivors of the July 17, 2021, shooting that resulted in the death of Makayla Harris. Today, the FBI offered a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible in this mass shooting. (See previous press release at https://flashalert.net/id/FBIOregon/149288).

July 17, 2021, has forever changed me and my life and the lives of my daughter and her friends, and their families will never be the same. This is the day that took my daughter’s innocence away. Her life was violated when she was only doing what many young people do – hang out with friends. Out of the four young ladies that were hanging out that night together, three were shot and one of them lost their life. 

What my daughter and her friends had to go through that day I would never wish on my worst enemy. This was the day that her and her friends had to endure pain that, as a mother, I’ll `never be able to take away or mend the physical wounds that they will forever have.

This is the day that Makayla’s life was taken. I’ll never understand the intentions this individual or individuals had or why my baby girl and her friends had to be affected by such senseless actions, but one thing I do know is that it was not fair. They did not deserve any of this, and Makayla did not deserve to lose her life like this behind some stupidness.

As a mother, my heart bleeds for her family, and I don’t think a day will ever go by that I don’t ask “why?”  My family is forever scared, and my daughter has to live the rest of her life with these wounds.

As I try to make sense of it all, my head is at a loss, and my heart is heavy. I don’t think I’ll ever understand. Although finding who caused all this hurt won’t change the outcome. It will not bring Makayla back or remove the scars from these young ladies. 

Someone needs to be held accountable. Makayla will never be seen again on this earth because her life was taken too soon, and the other young women will never be the same because of that. Everyone has a conscience, and my prayer is that someone’s conscience will bring them to speak up for Makayla and the friends she was with that night whose lives have been forever affected by the events of this day.

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On Wednesday, October 13, 2021, at approximately 11:00 A.M., Albany Police detectives developed information on the location of a subject wanted in connection with the shooting of Joshua Johnston-Partain that occurred on Sunday, October 10, 2021, at Timber Linn Park in Albany. 

Detectives from the Albany Police Department, Benton County Sheriff’s Office, Corvallis Police, Oregon State Police, Linn Interagency Narcotics Enforcement team (LINE), and Lincoln City Police responded to Lincoln City to attempt to locate the subject. 

The subject was spotted as a passenger in a blue Pontiac G6 near the Lincoln City Outlet shopping facility.  Detectives followed the vehicle northeast on Highway 18 and then east on Highway 22 toward Salem.  Albany Police Detectives coordinated with other law enforcement agencies to intercept and conduct a high-risk traffic stop with the vehicle.

However, the vehicle stopped on its own, in the parking lot of the “Stop n’ Save Market” on Main Street in Rickreall, where Oregon State Police, Benton County Sheriff, LINE detectives and Salem Police contacted and detained the occupants in the vehicle without incident. 

Elijah Matthew Crump was arrested and transported to the Albany Police Department.  Crump was later lodged in the Linn County Jail on the following charges:

• Murder in the Second Degree
• Assault in the First Degree
• Unlawful Use of Weapon
• Menacing
• Criminal Conspiracy

Albany Police detectives are continuing the investigation and no further information will be released at this time.  Albany Police are asking anyone with information regarding this incident to contact Albany Police Detective Unit at 541-917-7686.

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On October 12, Ridgefield School District officials recognized the October 2021 Employee and Students of the Month at the regular Board of Directors meeting. Congratulations to all of this month’s honorees! 

Employee of the Month

Ted Beyer, Strength and Conditioning Coach at Ridgefield High School
Ted Beyer, Ridgefield High School’s strength and conditioning coach, is Ridgefield School District’s October 2021 Employee of the Month! Ted is among the most knowledgeable strength and conditioning teachers in the state. He has certifications beyond what is required by the state and is adept at transferring his knowledge to his students. Ted was instrumental in revamping the weightroom and oversaw the installation of all new equipment three years ago. Ted’s deep knowledge in his content area allows him to create strength programs for students based on their individual needs. Ted took the lead in his department when schools went to remote learning. He researched ways to teach health and fitness classes remotely, and found a teaching tool that allowed teachers to monitor student progress. Ted also works well with the athletic department and our student athletes to create individualized programs to best maximize student performance. Ted is among many exceptional staff members at Ridgefield High School and is certainly worthy of representing the best of the best as the district’s Employee of the Month! 

Students of the Month

Abraham Ramos, Early Learning Center
Preschooler Abraham Ramos is the Early Learning Center’s October Student of the Month. Abraham is always willing to help his teachers and friends, uses excellent listening skills, and is a great friend to everyone. Abraham is always willing to step in and do what is needed and leads by his quiet example. He is the first to be a role model, often giving his classmates a friendly reminder as a support. When we asked his classmates what makes Abraham a good friend, they shared, "Because he invites me to share Play-Doh, letters, tricycles, or anything. He always shares. He's my friend." Abraham is always happy to be at school and readily jumps into the next activity with enthusiasm and curiosity. We are so proud of you, Abraham! You're our Early Learning Center Hash Brown of the month! 

Reese Rondeau, 3rd grader at South Ridge Elementary School
Third grader Reese Rondeau is South Ridge Elementary School’s October Student of the Month. Reese has transitioned back to in-person school wonderfully after learning remotely last year. He is kind to his classmates, encourages others, and helps push in chairs and do other jobs without being asked. When things are hard, Reese takes a break and tries again because he knows that's how his brain will learn. He demonstrates resiliency every day in class and is a great role model for other students because he shows everyone that he can do hard things.

Fiona McCoy, 2nd grader at Union Ridge Elementary School
Second grader Fiona McCoy is Union Ridge Elementary School’s October Student of the Month. Fiona is consistently enthusiastic about coming to school. She is a good friend and is a leader for other students thanks to her love of learning. Fiona isn’t afraid to take academic risks; she is a hard worker and consistently tries her best. She attended Ridgefield’s Summer learning Academy and brought her enthusiasm and positive attitude to her learning. Her enthusiasm is contagious to everyone around her. 

Beverley Flynn, 6th grader at Sunset Ridge Intermediate School 
Sixth grader Beverley Flynn is Sunset Ridge Intermediate School’s October Student of the Month. Beverley is a perfect example of a dedicated, responsible, respectful, and hardworking student. She is a member of the student leadership team at SRIS and involved in the planning and running of monthly assemblies. In this role, Beverley actively supports unity and civic responsibility. This is a great fit for Beverley, as she is a caring individual that works hard to make those around her feel important. She is also a curious learner in the classroom, asking great questions, wondering about possibilities, and working collaboratively with her classmates. Beverley has a kind heart and is consistent in her character, always striving for excellence. She is an outstanding role model for all of Sunset Ridge Intermediate. 

Savannah Chanda, 8th grader at View Ridge Middle School
Eighth grader Savannah Chanda is View Ridge Middle School’s October Student of the Month. Savannah demonstrates hard work every day. She comes to class ready to learn and with a positive attitude. She asks great clarifying questions that benefit the entire class, serving as an example to other students. Savannah is an energetic, self-driven learner that genuinely cares about understanding new concepts and building her skills. She is always challenging herself to be her best. She contributes thoughtfully to class discussions, respecting the opinions of others and adding insight. Savannah is a very respectful, kind, and mature student. She says hello with a smile every day, and it is a joy to have Savannah at VRMS. 

Anna Vande Krol, senior at Ridgefield High School
Senior Anna Vande Krol is Ridgefield High School’s October Student of the Month. For the first time in its history, RHS has over 1,000 students. This means that the student of the month represents just one-tenth of one percent of the total student body. Anna's talents, hard work, kind ways, and positive attitude all contribute to her selection as this month’s honoree. She is always striving to help other students and is a great leader. Anna has been involved in music and theater at RHS and has competed at the national level in the International Thespian Society. She is willing to work hard and has a very bright future. In addition to her performing arts talents, she is a great student with a 3.9 GPA. She hopes to study musical theater in college, and her dream is to attend the University of Michigan.

Sobia Siddiqua, 6th grader at Wisdom Ridge Academy
Being at a brand new school this year, sixth grader Sobia Siddiqua is Wisdom Ridge Academy’s first ever Student of the Month! Sobia has embraced her online learning experience by effectively engaging with her curriculum, teachers, and peers. She has not only been self-motivated to complete her work, but has also consistently and enthusiastically participated in engagement and enrichment activities within her online learning platforms. Sobia was a unanimous recommendation by the WRA staff to be honored as the October Student of the Month.  

Please reference CCSO Case #s 20-019516, 20-019421, 20-019691, 20-019603, and 20-019277

On Oct. 12, 2021, 35-year-old Sandy Faye Lenox was sentenced to 90 months in prison for her role in multiple residential burglaries occurring within the south county evacuation zone during last year's Clackamas County wildfires.

In the afternoon on Sept. 11, 2020, Clackamas County Sheriff's Office deputies were conducting enhanced patrols of impacted areas and evacuated zones during the Clackamas County wildfires, watching for potential burglaries and other criminal activity. Around 2:12 p.m. they were dispatched to a report of two suspicious individuals possibly walking onto a property on Ringo Road, near Mulino. 

Deputies arrived and contacted several subjects. Two of them were James Dean Shotwell, 34, and Sandy Faye Lenox, then 34, no fixed address.

After an investigation, deputies determined that Shotwell and Lenox had stolen two gas-powered generators, a box of hand-tools including a cordless drill, two leaf blowers, and at least one gas can from a neighboring property. 

Shotwell and Lenox were each arrested and transported to Clackamas County Jail on charges of Theft I and Burglary II. 

This arrest soon led to the recovery of other stolen items, the development of separate cases, and additional criminal charges for Lenox:

• During the Sept. 11 call, a stolen John Deere Gator side-by-side utility vehicle was also located in a nearby wooded area. James Shotwell had the key to this stolen utility vehicle in his pocket. The John Deere had been stolen out of Molalla. This led to the recovery of more stolen property, including a Polaris Ranger side-by-side utility vehicle.
   
• Additional investigations of crimes involving Sandy Lenox followed. A search of Lenox's red 2001 Volkswagen Golf on Sept. 16, 2020 led to the recovery of a trove of additional stolen items -- including jewelry, precious metals and gems, clothing, tools, a laptop, antique and collectible coins, purses and handbags, a high-end sewing machine, a toaster oven, and other items. Photos of the search and recovered stolen items are attached. These items were linked to several other local burglary cases, and returned to their owners. (Associated CCSO case numbers include 20-019516, 20-019421, 20-019691, 20-019603, and 20-019277.) 

Many of the victims in these burglary cases had evacuated their homes during the wildfires.

On Nov. 20, 2020, James Dean Shotwell pled guilty to second-degree Burglary and first-degree Theft in the First Degree regarding his involvement in the burglary investigation; Shotwell was sentenced to 18 months in prison at that time.  

On Sept. 21, 2021, Sandy Faye Lenox (booking photo attached) pled guilty to the following: 

• Two counts of first-degree Burglary
• Four counts of second-degree Burglary 
• Four counts of first-degree Theft 
• One count of second-degree Attempted Burglary 

On Oct. 12, 2021, Lenox was sentenced to 90 months in prison.

Our September 2020 news release on the enhanced wildfire patrols: "Tales from the #ClackamasWildfire patrols: hundreds of calls met by dozens of deputies; recent arrests detailed"

[END]

Oct. 13, 2021

This news release is an updated version to include case and death information.

Contact: OHA External Relations, covid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us">orcovid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us

Oregon reports 1,278 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 33 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — There are 33 new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 4,117 the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 1,278 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 346,480.

COVID-19 hospitalizations

The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 across Oregon is 595, which is 10 more than yesterday. There are 145 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, which is 4 fewer than yesterday.

There are 61 available adult ICU beds out of 680 total (9% availability) and 306 available adult non-ICU beds out of 4,138 (7% availability). 

The total number of patients in hospital beds may fluctuate between report times. The numbers do not reflect admissions per day, nor the length of hospital stay. Staffing limitations are not captured in this data and may further limit bed capacity.

Note: Please do not visit an emergency department for COVID-19 testing, unless you require emergency care for your symptoms.

Emergency departments in Oregon are under significant strain responding to the current surge in COVID-19. You can find a test here.  

If you have a medical condition that doesn’t require emergency care, contact your provider. An urgent care center may also help you get the care you need and will save emergency departments from added strain.  

More information about hospital capacity can be found here.

Vaccinations in Oregon

Today, OHA reported that 13,673 new doses of COVID-19 vaccinations were added to the state immunization registry on Oct. 12. Of that total, 1,110 were initial doses; 1,150 were second doses and 4,104 were third doses and booster doses. The remaining 7,272 were administered on previous days but were entered into the vaccine registry on Oct. 12.

The seven-day running average is now 10,229 doses per day.

Oregon has now administered 3,133,104 doses of Pfizer Comirnaty, 1,925,240 doses of Moderna and 221,555 doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines.

As of today, 2,776,547 people have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 2,560,340 people have completed a COVID-19 vaccine series.

These data are preliminary and subject to change.

Updated vaccination data are provided on Oregon’s COVID-19 data dashboards and have been updated today.

These data are preliminary and subject to change.

Updated vaccination data are provided on Oregon’s COVID-19 data dashboards and have been updated today.

Cases and COVID-19 deaths

The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (7), Benton (25), Clackamas (106), Clatsop (3), Columbia (8), Coos (27), Crook (31), Curry (6), Deschutes (105), Douglas (50), Harney (5), Hood River (9), Jackson (66), Jefferson (20), Josephine (19), Klamath (33), Lake (8), Lane (130), Lincoln (20), Linn (73), Malheur (30), Marion (139), Morrow (3), Multnomah (113), Polk (30), Tillamook (3), Umatilla (58), Union (9), Wallowa (4), Wasco (15), Washington (101) and Yamhill (22).

Oregon’s 4,085th COVID-19 related death is a 73-year-old man from Douglas County who tested positive on Sept. 1 and died on Oct. 3 at Asante Three Rivers Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,086th COVID-19 related death is a 62-year-old woman from Curry County who tested positive on Aug. 23 and died on Sept. 7 at Oregon Health & Science University Hospital. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,087th COVID-19 related death is a 62-year-old man from Douglas County who tested positive on Aug. 16 and died on Sept. 23 at Oregon Health & Science University Hospital. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,088th COVID-19 related death is a 60-year-old woman from Clatsop County who tested positive on Oct. 6 and died on Oct. 6 at Adventist Health Portland. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,089th COVID-19 related death is a 62-year-old woman from Clackamas County who tested positive on Oct. 4 and died on Oct. 11 at Providence Milwaukie Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,090th COVID-19 related death is a 62-year-old woman from Clackamas County who tested positive on Sept. 7 and died on Sept. 25 at Providence Portland Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,091st COVID-19 related death is a 79-year-old man from Clackamas County who tested positive on Sept. 8 and died on Sept. 15 at Adventist Health Portland. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,092nd COVID-19 related death is a 76-year-old man from Clackamas County who tested positive on Aug. 28 and died on Sept. 17 at Legacy Meridian Park Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,093rd COVID-19 related death is a 60-year-old woman from Douglas County who tested positive on Aug. 29 and died on Oct. 6 at Mercy Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,094th COVID-19 related death is a 69-year-old man from Klamath County who tested positive on Oct. 5 and died on Oct. 11 at Sky Lakes Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,095th COVID-19 related death is a 66-year-old woman from Klamath County who tested positive on Sept. 28 and died on Oct. 12 at Sky Lakes Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,096th COVID-19 related death is a 95-year-old woman from Josephine County who tested positive on Oct. 5 and died on Oct. 11 at Providence Medford Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,097th COVID-19 related death is an 89-year-old woman from Josephine County who tested positive on Sept. 10 and died on Sept. 24 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,098th COVID-19 related death is a 57-year-old man from Jackson County who tested positive on Aug. 16 and died on Sept. 20 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,099th COVID-19 related death is an 86-year-old woman from Jackson County who tested positive on Aug. 11 and died on Sept. 17 at her residence. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,100th COVID-19 related death is an 88-year-old man from Hood River County who tested positive on Sept. 16 and died on Oct. 3 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,101st COVID-19 related death is a 95-year-old man from Crook County who tested positive on Oct. 3 and died on Oct. 11 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,102nd COVID-19 related death is a 57-year-old woman from Linn County who tested positive on Sept. 27 and died on Oct. 4 at her residence. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,103rd COVID-19 related death is a 67-year-old man from Linn County who tested positive on Sept. 27 and died on Oct. 11 at Samaritan Albany General Hospital. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,104th COVID-19 related death is a 50-year-old man from Linn County who tested positive on Sept. 9 and died on Oct. 2 at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at Riverbend. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,105th COVID-19 related death is a 75-year-old man from Linn County who tested positive on Aug. 10 and died on Sept. 30 at Providence Portland Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,106th COVID-19 related death is a 58-year-old man from Lincoln County who tested positive on Sept. 18 and died on Sept. 30 at Providence Portland Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,107th COVID-19 related death is an 80-year-old woman from Lane County who tested positive on Oct. 1 and died on Oct. 11 at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at Riverbend. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,108th COVID-19 related death is an 89-year-old woman from Lane County who tested positive on Sept. 7 and died on Sept. 23 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,109th COVID-19 related death is an 86-year-old woman from Lake County who tested positive on Sept. 16 and died on Sept. 30 at Lake District Hospital. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,110th COVID-19 related death is a 55-year-old woman from Yamhill County who tested positive on Sept. 15 and died on Sept. 28 at Willamette Valley Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,111th COVID-19 related death is a 52-year-old woman from Washington County who tested positive on Sept. 26 and died on Oct. 8 at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,112th COVID-19 related death is a 79-year-old man from Washington County who tested positive on Sept. 14 and died on Sept. 24 at OHSU Hillsboro Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,113th COVID-19 related death is a 79-year-old woman from Umatilla County who tested positive on Sept. 16 and died on Oct. 3 at Good Shepherd Hospital. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,114th COVID-19 related death is a 62-year-old man from Tillamook County who tested positive on Aug. 23 and died on Sept. 24 at Providence Portland Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,115th COVID-19 related death is a 65-year-old man from Multnomah County who tested positive on Sept. 12 and died on Oct. 2 at Providence Portland Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,116th COVID-19 related death is an 88-year-old woman from Multnomah County who tested positive on Jan. 8 and died on Feb. 2 at her residence. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,117th COVID-19 related death is an 83-year-old woman from Marion County who tested positive on Aug. 25 and died on Sept. 22 at Salem Hospital. She had underlying conditions.

Learn more about COVID-19 vaccinations  

To learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine situation in Oregon, visit our webpage (English or Spanish), which has a breakdown of distribution and other information.

On October 5, Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue deployed 60 new LIFEPAK 15 cardiac monitors replacing our current fleet of cardiac monitor-defibrillators that were reaching the end of their useful service life. Cardiac monitor-defibrillators are an essential tool used by our firefighter paramedics and single-role paramedics to evaluate, treat, and manage cardiac emergencies in the field. 

In 2019, TVF&R’s Emergency Medical Services Division was notified by manufacturer of the prior cardiac monitor-defibrillator device that their device would no longer be supported after 2021 for maintenance and repair. At that time, these devices had been in-service since 2006. 

TVF&R along with 15 other fire and EMS agencies formed a multiagency monitor workgroup to evaluate cardiac monitor-defibrillator replacement options. The EMS and Training divisions of these agencies dedicated countless hours researching replacement options, hosting multiple vendor presentations, and conducting end-user evaluations. 

Eventually, the selection committee pared the field down to three manufacturers, allowing crews to interact more closely with each monitor-defibrillator as they would in actual clinical settings while treating patients in the field. Crews provided feedback on nine features including ergonomics, user interface, and overall functionality. The EMS Division staff also assessed the manufacturers for data storage, retrieval and transmission, warranty options and customer support. 

Cardiac monitor-defibrillators are used to evaluate and treat nearly every patient encountered by TVF&R’s firefighter paramedics and single-role paramedics. Along with cardiac monitoring, these tools also have the capability to evaluate advanced 12-lead electrocardiograms (ECGs) that can be transmitted to the Emergency Department, monitor patient’s vital signs, and deliver lifesaving electrical shocks for patients who have suffered cardiac arrest. 

TVF&R’s Medical Director Dr. Mohamud Daya states, “The LIFEPAK 15 is a robust and clinically proven monitor-defibrillator that brings several new features and functionality that will help TVFR’s line personnel provide the best care possible in the field.”

The cardiac monitor-defibrillator replacement was funded from TVF&R’s EMS equipment budget and was included in the FY2021 budget process.

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OREGON CITY – Clackamas Community College is holding an informal meet and greet for its new Les de Asis Makerspace on Oct. 15, 4-6 p.m.

Located in the Holden Industrial Technology Center on the Oregon City campus, the makerspace is a workshop where creative people from all walks of life can have access to the tools they need to create prototypes, models and masterpieces.

After proper training, participants will have the ability to use equipment ranging from basic woodworking machinery and 3-D printing to CNC milling, plasma and laser cutters. The lab includes woodworking and construction, traditional metalworking and sheet metal, a welding and cutting station, digital manufacturing, and electronics and sewing.

The CCC makerspace is the first of its kind in Clackamas County, possessing the capacity to expand into specialized sections of the college’s advanced manufacturing center, which provides skill-based training in industrial technology.

The public is invited to come by for an informal introduction to the Les de Asis Makerspace. This is a meet and greet for anyone who is interested is teaching, volunteering or participating in the rollout of maker workshops and classes that are happening over the next several months. Learn about the wide variety of traditional and digital tools that are available for woodworking, metalworking, CNC machining, 3-D printing and more. 

Register to attend at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/makerspace-open-house-for-volunteers-teachers-and-participants-tickets-188681911677. Prior to coming to campus, participants must complete the college’s Daily Self-Health Check, which can be found at www.clackamas.edu/return-to-campus. Masks and social distancing are required.

For more information about the makerspace, visit www.clackamas.edu/makerspace. Questions? Contact Mike Mattson at 503-594-3322 or mattsonm@clackamas.edu. Clackamas Community College is located at 19600 Molalla Ave., Oregon City.

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Vancouver, Wash. – Clark County has implemented and currently operates eviction prevention rent assistance programs, to assist people who are low-income impacted by the pandemic. These programs have provided an unprecedented $27.4M in financial assistance to 3,630 households, paying for 28,807 months of rent and utilities since August 2020. Approximately $750,000 in financial assistance for rent and utilities is going out to about 100 additional households each week.

Referrals for 800 additional households to receive rent assistance including arrears will open on Monday, Oct. 18, at 9 a.m. Links and instructions to apply are below. Please note: the links will not be live until 9 a.m. on Oct. 18.

All applicants will receive a submission confirmation email. Tenants must be deemed eligible in order for assistance to be provided.

• Landlord applicants: https://airtable.com/shrrKOIM977VYH0IH
• Tenant applicants: https://airtable.com/shrjao15aZyYIqPFb
• Spanish speaking tenant applicants: https://airtable.com/shrRFAEYvqZ7hKIed 

Applicants without access to internet may call, 360-695-9677 to refer by phone.

Applicants without phone or internet access may access applications through Share at the Fromhold Center located at 2306 NE Andresen Road, across from WinCo. 

Clark County continues to work with rental assistance providers to have the capacity to open additional rent assistance spots. Additional spots are scheduled to open on the following dates:

• Wednesday, Nov. 3, beginning at 12 noon
• Wednesday, Nov. 17, beginning at 12 noon

Additional information, including the number of available waitlist spots and types will be made available via news release, website and social media posting, and through the Council For The Homeless website closer to the opening dates. 

It is important that landlords and tenants understand there are additional significant COVID-19 related rental assistance resources, including arrears, for low-income households coming which will be made available to the community as capacity becomes available; and that based on federal and state funding requirements, any payments on behalf of tenants can only be made if the tenant remains in the unit when the payment is made.

Legal resource for tenants

Tenants seeking information about their rights should contact the Clark County Volunteer Lawyers Program: 360-334-4007 or NW Justice Project’s CLEAR program at nwjustice.org/get-legal-help or 888-201-1014 between 9:15 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. Youth under 24 may contact the Legal Counsel for Youth and Children, 206-494-0323 ext. 715.

ASISTENCIA DE ALQUILER RELACIONADA CON COVID-19

Vancouver, Wash. - El condado de Clark ha implementado y actualmente opera programas de asistencia con el alquiler, para ayudar a las personas de bajos ingresos afectados por la pandemia. Estos programas han proporcionado $ 27,4 millones en asistencia financiera a 3,630 hogares, pagando 28,807 meses de alquiler y servicios públicos desde Agosto de 2020. Aproximadamente  

$750,000 en asistencia financiera para alquiler y utilidades se destinan a alrededor de 100 hogares adicionales cada semana.

Aplicaciones para 800 hogares adicionales para recibir asistencia para el alquiler, incluidos los atrasos, se abrirán el lunes 18 de Octubre a las 9 a.m. Los enlaces electrónicos y las instrucciones para solicitar asistencia se encuentran a continuación. Tenga en cuenta: los enlaces no estarán disponibles hasta las 9 a.m. del 18 de Octubre.

Todos los solicitantes recibirán un correo electrónico de confirmación de envío. Inquilinos deben ser elegibles para poder recibir asistencia.

• Solicitantes de arrendadores: https://airtable.com/shrrKOIM977VYH0IH
• Solicitantes inquilinos: https://airtable.com/shrjao15aZyYIqPFb
• Solicitantes inquilinos de habla hispana: https://airtable.com/shrRFAEYvqZ7hKIed
• Solicitantes sin acceso a Internet pueden llamar al 360-695-9677 para referirse por teléfono.

Solicitantes sin teléfono o acceso a Internet pueden acceder a las aplicaciones a través de Share en el Fromhold Center ubicado en 2306 NE Andresen Road, frente a WinCo.

El condado de Clark continúa trabajando con los proveedores de asistencia para el alquiler para tener la capacidad de abrir aplicaciones adicionales de asistencia para el alquiler. Se ha programado la apertura de aplicaciones adicionales en las siguientes fechas:

• Miércoles 3 de Noviembre, a partir de las 12 del mediodía
• Miércoles 17 de Noviembre, a partir de las 12 del mediodía

La información adicional, incluida la cantidad de lugares y tipos de listas de espera disponibles, estará disponible a través de comunicados de prensa, publicaciones en sitios web y redes sociales, y a través del sitio web del Council For The Homeless cuando se acerquen las fechas de apertura.

Es importante que los arrendadores e inquilinos comprendan que existen importantes recursos adicionales de asistencia para el alquiler relacionados con COVID-19, incluidos los atrasos, para los hogares de bajos ingresos que se pondrán a disposición de la comunidad a medida que haya capacidad disponible; y que de acuerdo con los requisitos de financiamiento federales y estatales, cualquier pago en nombre de los inquilinos solo se puede realizar si el inquilino permanece en la unidad cuando se realiza el pago.

Recurso legal para inquilinos

Los inquilinos que busquen información sobre sus derechos deben comunicarse con el Programa de Abogados Voluntarios del Condado de Clark: 360-334-4007 o el programa CLEAR de NW Justice Project en nwjustice.org/get-legal-help o 888-201-1014 entre las 9:15 am y las 12: 15 p. M. Los jóvenes menores de 24 años pueden comunicarse con el Asesor Legal para Jóvenes y Niños, 206-494-0323 ext. 715.

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VANCOUVER, Wash. – Washington State University Vancouver has received a $10,000 grant from The Kroger Co. Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation in partnership with Fred Meyer. The grant supports the work of the Food System Justice Action Research Project at WSU Vancouver.

The Food System Justice Action Research Project is an initiative of WSU Vancouver’s Collective for Social and Environmental Justice. The project studies and helps create community-led action plans to address the region’s heightened food insecurity in the wake of the pandemic, centering health and wellness outcomes and empowerment for BIPOC and other minoritized communities. Says Roben White, a Lakota/Cheyenne activist, researcher and member of the WSU Vancouver Native Community Advisory Board, "as we realize the acceleration of climate collapse, we need to understand the strategic importance of food systems and their relationships to transportation, economic and environmental justice. CSEJ is making a great effort with the Food System Justice Action Research Project to do just that.”

“We are deeply committed to helping drive positive change in our communities,” said Jeffery Temple, director of corporate affairs at Fred Meyer Stores, Inc. “We focus our community efforts on our Zero Hunger | Zero Waste social impact plan, our commitment to end hunger in the places we call home and eliminate waste across our company by 2025. We are excited to assist WSU Vancouver in this work.”

The long-term goal of FSJAR is to establish a transdisciplinary food system program at WSU Vancouver that will integrate research, experiential learning, career training, job creation and community service to address persistent food insecurity and promote food system resilience in the region.

Other funding for the initiative has been provided by The BNSF Foundation, The Community Foundation for Southwest Washington, Albertsons Companies Foundation and WSU Vancouver’s Council on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. 

About WSU Vancouver

As one of six campuses of the WSU system, WSU Vancouver offers big-school resources in a small-school environment. The university provides affordable, high-quality baccalaureate- and graduate-level education to benefit the people and communities it serves. As the only four-year research university in Southwest Washington, WSU Vancouver helps drive economic growth through relationships with local businesses and industries, schools and nonprofit organizations. 

# # #

On July 17, 2021, what’s believed to be a gang-involved shooting downtown resulted in the death of 18-year-old Makayla Harris. Six others were hurt. Today, the FBI is offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for Makayla's death.

Below is a statement by Makayla's mother, Felicia Martinez:

"Makayla Harris was senselessly taken away from me and her family on July 17, 2021. I send love and comfort to all the victims and their families who were also affected by this tragic night.

Makayla was beautiful, happy and recently graduated from high school. To the Community, my family and I are asking for continued privacy as we are grieving the loss of our beautiful Makayla. I am also asking anyone with information to come forward and speak with the detectives to help solve this senseless tragedy. 

I know someone out there knows who did this, please do the right thing and help hold the person or persons accountable for their actions. We deserve closure and Makayla who had her innocent life taken deserves justice.

I will not stop seeking justice for my baby girl Makayla Maree Harris. To the coward that took my baby from me, you will pay for what you did because I will not lay down, and I will never stop fighting for my baby girl. Thank you, Felicia.”

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the murder of Makayla Maree Harris. This is in addition to the previously offered reward of up to $2,500 from Crime Stoppers of Oregon.

At approximately 2:00 a.m., on July 17, 2021, Portland Police officers responded to reports of a mass shooting in the 300 block of SW Third Avenue between Harvey Milk and Washington streets in Portland. When they arrived, they found seven people wounded by gunfire. Ms. Harris, 18 years old, died after being transported to the hospital. It is believed that Makayla was an unintended target in a gang-related shooting. 

The shooters fired from a car in the street before it sped away. It is also believed that many potential witnesses ran off after the shooting and may not have provided information to investigators. 

“Innocent people pay a heavy price when violent criminal gangs battle on our streets. Those clashes – facilitated by the constant buying, selling, trading, and stealing of weapons – have helped to drive the homicide rate in Portland to record highs,” said Kieran L. Ramsey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon. “Despite this, law enforcement often finds that those who have information about these cases are reluctant to come forward. Whether it is distrust of law enforcement or fear of retaliation, the result is the same - the killings continue. We need help to stop this cycle of violence, and we ask anyone with information to find the will to come forward.”

If anyone has information, witnessed any part of what happened, or has video of anything that happened prior to, during, or after the shooting, they are asked to contact PPB by emailing crimetips@portlandoregon.gov or contacting the FBI at 1 (800) CALL-FBI or at tips.fbi.gov.

The FBI “Seeking Information” and reward poster for the Makayla Harris case can be downloaded from here: https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/seeking-info/makayla-maree-harris

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Salem, Ore — Join the Oregon Department of Forestry at a virtual public presentation and information session at 1 p.m. Wednesday, October 27, to learn more about plans for recovery and restoration in the vicinity of the Shellburg Falls Recreation Area in the Santiam State Forest due to impacts from the 2020 Labor Day fires.

ODF is proposing a plan to restore safe public access, protect sensitive environmental areas, remove dangerous trees along forest roads, and conduct a limited timber harvest as part of Phase 2 of ODF’s North Cascade Annual Operations Plan.

This meeting will be hosted via the Zoom platform, and a post-meeting recording will be posted to the ODF YouTube page.

Meeting link: https://odf.zoom.us/j/96225705653

Call-in information: 

• Dial 669-900-6833
• Meeting ID: 962 2570 5653

In addition to this public presentation, a public comment period will be held in early November.

Components of this project include:

• Robust protections for scenic areas and along waterways
• Ongoing repair and improvements to trails and recreational infrastructure
• Selective removal of dangerous trees alongside roadways and recreation areas
• A 14-acre post-fire timber harvest and replanting outside the viewshed of Shellburg Falls
• Underplanting in some no-harvest areas that are not showing significant signs of natural re-generation after the fires
• Identifying opportunities for education and interpretation in post-fire environments
• Post-fire environmental monitoring

More information: An ODF staff presentation to the State Forests Advisory Committee was given on September 16^th and can be viewed on YouTube.

Chemeketa Community College has been awarded part of an $18.2 million grant for a career advancement project serving students with disabilities.

Salem, Ore., October 13, 2021 — Chemeketa Community College was part of a consortium led by Oregon Vocational Rehabilitation (VR), in partnership with workforce development organizations, and all seventeen Oregon community colleges that were awarded $18.2 million to plan, develop, and implement the Inclusive Career Advancement Program (ICAP) project, serving students with disabilities.

ICAP will leverage Oregon’s current statewide network of career pathway services to advance educational and economic equity for people with disabilities, with intentional outreach and inclusion of marginalized communities. ICAP will braid the support and services of VR, Self-Sufficiency Programs, Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act workforce partners, Oregon Commission for the Blind (OCB), and key efforts at community colleges across the state.

Adam Mennig, Director of Academic Development at Chemeketa Community College, said, “Chemeketa will use our $824,503 award over five years to hire a navigator position to support students accessing education and training through ICAP while expanding Occupational Skills Training programs, and leveraging our Career Pathways, Pathways to Opportunity, and SNAP Training & Employment Program (STEP) initiatives. We look forward to building and expanding our community and campus partnerships.”

As part of the grant, Cornell University will evaluate the project’s implementation and performance to determine the efficacy of ICAP practices and strategies. These findings will be shared nationally to expand access and opportunities for people with disabilities to enter and be supported in their career goals. For more information, email Adam Mennig at adam.mennig@chemeketa.edu.

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For more than 50 years, Chemeketa Community College has committed itself to transforming lives and our community through exceptional learning experiences in the Mid-Willamette Valley. As the second multi-campus district in Oregon, Chemeketa serves 30,000 students annually at its Salem and Yamhill Valley campuses, as well as Brooks, Eola, Winema, Dallas, Woodburn and Chemeketa Center for Business and Industry (CCBI).

Chemeketa Community College is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and educational institution.

On October 9th, 2021 at about 6:50 pm, Lincoln County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to the report of a vehicle crash on the USFS 500 road East of the City of Siletz. It was reported at that time that the crashed vehicle was on fire, and that the single occupant was still in the vehicle. The USFS 500 is a gravel forest management roadway open to public access.

Upon arrival deputies observed a Toyota Tacoma resting on its side in the gravel roadway, the vehicle was engulfed in flames at that time.

Responding units from the Siletz Fire District subsequently extinguished the fire.

The driver, and only occupant of the vehicle at the time of the crash, 42 year old Siletz resident Chad Edward Goodell was pronounced dead at the scene.

Evidence at the scene indicated that Mr Goodell was travelling at a high rate of speed when he lost control of the vehicle on the gravel roadway. 

Next of kin notifications completed. 

SALEM, Ore. — The Oregon Board of Forestry will hold a virtual special meeting starting at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 20. The meeting will be livestreamed on the department’s YouTube channel.

The agenda includes adoption of the proposed wildland-urban interface definition and a question-and-answer session with the final candidates for Oregon’s next state forester. The candidates will answer several questions submitted by the public. Written comments about what you would like to see in the next state forester generally or about the final candidates specifically can be submitted to oardofForestry@oregon.gov">BoardofForestry@oregon.gov until Oct. 25.

Starting at 5 p.m., the board will meet in executive session for the purpose of considering the employment of a chief executive officer, pursuant to ORS 192.660(2)(h). The executive session will also be conducted virtually. Members of the news media who want to attend this portion of the meeting can email Public Affairs Director Joy Krawczyk at awczyk@oregon.gov">joy.p.krawczyk@oregon.gov for information.

Accommodations for people with disabilities, and special materials, services, or assistance can be arranged by calling ODF’s Public Affairs Office at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting at 503-945-7200 or by email at estryinformation@oregon.gov">forestryinformation@oregon.gov.

The Oregon Board of Forestry consists of seven citizens nominated by the Governor and confirmed by the Oregon Senate. Responsibilities include appointing the State Forester, setting management direction for state-owned forests, adopting rules governing timber harvest and other practices on private forestland, and promoting sustainable management of Oregon’s 30-million-acre forestland base. Read more information about the board.

Televised fundraiser spotlights outreach initiatives, programs, and services for the homeless  

PORTLAND, OR -- October 14, 2021 – Today, Central City Concern (CCC) announced the premiere of its first televised fundraiser, Compassion in Action, to air on Thursday, October 28, 2021, at 7:00 p.m. The half-hour presentation will air on KGW8 NBC and concurrently livestream on YouTube, Facebook and KGW.com.  

Hosted by KGW Anchor Brenda Braxton and television personality Dale Johannes, the program will celebrate Central City Concern’s (CCC) mission-critical work and raise the funds needed to keep providing quality health care, affordable housing, and employment opportunities to the public; especially those in underserved and marginalized communities. It will feature special guest appearances by Dave Dahl (formerly of Dave’s Killer Bread) and a special musical performance by America’s Got Talent finalist and Pink Martini guest singer and songwriter Jimmie Herrod. 

The program’s Presenting Sponsor is U S Bank. Platinum Sponsors include The Larry and Pam Naito Family Charitable Fund, Providence Health Plan, and Walsh Construction Co. Producing Sponsors include CareOregon, Coin Meter, Kaiser Permanente, PNC Bank and Rain, The Growth Agency. Premier Sponsors include AutoDesk, Becker Capital Management, Brown & Brown Northwest, The Goldsmith Blocks LLC, Legacy Health, McEwen Gisvold LLP, Miller Nash LLP, The Standard and Washman Car Washes. Patron Sponsors include KPFF Consulting Engineers, SERA Architects, United Fire and USI Insurance. Pillar Sponsors include Guardian Real Estate Services LLC, Melvin Mark, Travel Portland and Umpqua Bank. Our Media Partner is KGW8. This televised event is produced by MOMENTOUS. 

Located in Portland, Oregon, Central City Concern (CCC) provides a comprehensive continuum of affordable housing options integrated with direct social services including health care, recovery, and employment. Founded in 1979, CCC serves more than 13,000 individuals annually. Up to 12,000 people across Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington counties are affected by homelessness each year. 

In 2020, CCC helped 13,324 people experiencing or at risk for homelessness with affordable and supportive housing, integrated health services, addiction recovery and employment assistance. CCC serves single adults and families in the Portland metro region who are impacted by homelessness, poverty, and substance use disorder. 

“For over 40 years, Central City Concern has helped thousands of people to find homes, to regain health and recovery and to build economic stability and resilience. We provide primary care, addictions care, and mental health that’s really person-centered,” says CEO Rachel Solotaroff. “We provide supportive employment, walking alongside people to help them get meaningful wage jobs. And we work with people to find housing that is safe, supportive and affordable.” 

During the show, viewers will be encouraged to donate by texting the keyword CIA to 501-55 from their phone or by visiting https://centralcityconcern.org/compassion-in-action-21/ 

“The result of CCC’s integrative approach is deeply transformative,” says Solotaroff. “For the individual but also for the whole community. The stories you’ll hear at this year’s event are of compassion, hope and transformation.” 

For more information regarding available sponsorships or to learn how CCC is helping people find home, regain health, and move toward long-term stability and success, visit https://centralcityconcern.org/ or call (503) 294-1681. 

Sponsors as of 10.11.21