Albany Fire Department responded to a structure fire at Timber Linn Memorial Park at 4:28 a.m. today, Sunday, January 12, 2020. Crews found an American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) shed and City of Albany Parks and Recreation storage structure on fire.  The fires were extinguished by 4:52 a.m. with no injuries to firefighters. 

The shed belonging to AYSO is a total loss.   The shed and contents are valued at approximately $7,000.  The organization has insurance but is unsure what will be covered.   A garage and shipping container that contained City athletic field and park maintenance equipment were damaged.  City officials secured the structures and estimate damages could be over $10,000.  

Albany Fire investigators are examining evidence found at the scene.  Anyone who was in the area of Price Road or Blue Ox Drive S.E. between midnight and 4 a.m. and saw individuals or vehicles near the Timber Linn parking lot should contact Fire Marshal Lora Ratcliff at 541-917-7700. 

Albany Police Detectives continue to investigate the disappearance of 37-year old Tiffany Marie Lazon.  The last reported contact with Tiffany was around December 27th at the 16th Avenue address.  Since that time family, friends and law enforcement have not had any contact with Tiffany.  Albany Police Detectives have not received any verifiable information on the whereabouts of Tiffany.

Detectives with the Albany Police Department met with Tiffany’s family to express concern over the lack of information about Tiffany’s whereabouts.  The family reiterated their concern that Tiffany would not have left Albany without valued possessions like her car, pet cat, or phone. 

On Wednesday, January 14th, 2020, Albany Police arrested Craig Lazon for Animal Neglect in the 2nd degree and Animal Abandonment, Albany Police Case # 20-321.  The animal neglect involved Tiffany Lazon’s pet cat.  Tiffany’s cat was released to Tiffany’s daughter on January 16th.

Albany Police personnel were assigned to maintain security where Tiffany Lazon had been living, at the 2628 SE 16th Avenue, until a search warrant was obtained.  On Wednesday, January 15th, a search warrant was executed at the 16th Avenue address, with the assistance of the Oregon State Police Crime Lab. 

At this time the investigation is being handled as a missing person case and death investigation.  Detectives are continuing with a rigorous investigation as leads develop.

Craig Lazon is a person of interest in this investigation and was the last and closest person with Tiffany prior to her disappearance. 

The Albany Police Department would like the public’s help by providing any relevant information regarding Tiffany Lazon’s recent or current whereabouts. 

Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact the Albany Police Detective Unit at 541-917-7686.

#  #  #

On January 8, 2020, at 7:22 p.m., Albany Police were contacted to check on the welfare of 37-year old Tiffany Marie Lazon.  A family member contacted Albany Police reporting they had not heard from Tiffany since  December 25, 2019.  Officers attempted to contact Tiffany at her residence in the 2600 block of SE 16th Avenue, Albany, and were unable to locate her.    

On January 9, 2020, at 01:26 a.m., Albany Police contacted Craig Lazon, Tiffany’s estranged husband, in Albany.  Craig Lazon did not know the current whereabouts of Tiffany Lazon and indicated Tiffany was moving to Washington.

On January 9, 2020, Albany Police entered Tiffany Lazon in the Law Enforcement Data System (“LEDS”) as a missing person.  Tiffany Lazon is reportedly 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighing 115 lbs.  She has blonde hair, blue eyes, and wears glasses.

The investigation is continuing, and no further information is available.  Anyone who’s seen Tiffany Lazon or has information on her whereabouts is asked to contact Albany Police Detectives at 541-917-7680.  

UPDATE -- CLARIFICATION/CORRECTION: Newman in fact told detectives she found suspect Jackie Stevens' company -- Accurate Bookkeeping Solutions -- via a referral from another nursery, after posting a bookkeeper job listing on Craigslist. This has also been amended below.

Please reference CCSO Case #19-000850 

In January 2019, Jaycee Newman Inc. co-owner Deborah Newman contacted the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office with allegations that Jackie Lynn Stevens -- 51, of Damascus -- had embezzled hundreds of thousands of dollars from Newman's business.

Jaycee Newman Inc. is a specimen tree nursery brokerage based in Boring, Oregon.

Newman told detectives she found suspect Jackie Stevens' company -- Accurate Bookkeeping Solutions -- via a referral from another nursery, after posting a bookkeeper job listing on Craigslist. Newman asked around and found other people she knew who had used Stevens' services, and ultimately hired Stevens to conduct bookkeeping for Jaycee Newman Inc.

Sheriff’s Office detectives began an in-depth investigation taking several months. 

It was discovered the thefts by Jackie Stevens took place over the period of 2015-19, totaling over $500,000. Jackie Stevens had been writing company checks to herself without permission, forging the owner’s signature. Stevens then covered up the transactions using her bookkeeper's access to the company’s financial records.

Investigators have probable cause to believe that between January 2015 and January 2019, while employed with Jaycee Newman, Inc. as the company's bookkeeper, Jackie Stevens forged hundreds of business checks totaling over $500,000.

After collecting sufficient evidence, investigators presented the case to the Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office. Charges were filed against Jackie Lynn Stevens and warrants issued for her arrest on Dec. 19, 2019.

On Jan. 9, 2020, Jackie Stevens turned herself in at the Clackamas County Jail. A booking photo is attached. Stevens was booked on 63 counts, for the following charges:

• 45 counts of Aggravated Theft I
• 5 counts of Computer Crime
• 5 counts of Forgery I
• 7 counts of Identity Theft 
• 1 count of Theft I

With the assistance of Key Bank, to date Jaycee Newman Inc. has been able to recover $27,862.31 of the stolen money.

[END]

Corbett Fire responds to early morning restaurant fire

Corbett Fire District 14 responded to a fire this morning at Shirley's Tippy Canoe Restaurant, 28242 E Historic Columbia River Highway in Troutdale.  The call came in at 5:03 AM by a passerby.  Multnomah County Sheriffs Deputies were first on scene and reported heavy fire from the 2nd floor windows of the unoccupied building.

Corbett Fire dispatched three engines, two 3000 gallon water tenders and a chief officer, Gresham Fire and Rescue assisted with an engine, a 104' ladder truck and a battalion chief, Clackamas County Fire District 1 assisted with a 3000 gallon water tender.  There were no firefighter injuries.

A nearby 200 gallon per minute fire hydrant was supplemented by a water shuttle with the 3000 gallon water tenders.  Gresham's Truck 71 was able to apply water from its aerial ladder making fire control much quicker.

Unfortunately, with such an advanced fire on arrival, the structure and its contents are a total loss.  A loss estimate is not yet available.

Gresham Fire and Rescue investigators are leading the investigation.  The fire's cause has not been determined at this time.  

Press Contact:  Fire Chief Dave Flood at 503-803-5244

Welcome to the Oregon FBI’s Tech Tuesday segment. This week: building a digital defense against tech support scams.  

Last week we talked about how to avoid getting scammed by people offering refunds on your digital device repair. This week we are looking at other frauds where criminals impersonate tech support agents to cash in on your computer troubles.  

Recently our friends at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a warning regarding a scam where fraudsters are tricking people into believing that they have a serious problem with their computer. They convince the victim that his computer has a virus or malware, or that bad guys have hacked his computer. Then, using high-pressure tactics, they persuade the victim to pay for tech support services that he doesn’t need in order to fix a problem that does not exist. Frequently, these scammers will ask for payment in the form of a gift card or a prepaid card or via a money transfer app.  

Two popular ways the scammer targets victims: through phone calls or pop-up warnings. In the first scenario, the criminal calls you, pretending to be from a well-known company. He tells you that there is some problem with your computer that needs fixing right away. He will ask for remote access, pretend to run a diagnostic test, and ask you to pay for fake problems. 

In the second scenario, you see a pop-up warning on your computer telling you that there is a security issue with your device. It may include logos from big, trusted tech companies. It will tell you to call a specific number to get help.  

So what should you do to protect yourself and your device? 

• If you ever get a call that you are not expecting from someone you don’t know who says that you have a problem with your computer, hang up. It’s a scam.  

• If you get a pop-up message on your screen saying that you have a security issue and need to call a specific number for help, ignore it.  

• Remember that the legitimate tech companies won’t contact you unsolicited to ask for access to your computer. They also won’t ask for account passwords.  

• Make sure all anti-virus and malware software is up-to-date on your computer. Set your system to update automatically, and, when in doubt, run a scan yourself to see if you are infected with viruses or malware.  

• If you have what you think is a problem, try shutting down and restarting first. Sometimes that resolves the problem.  

• If you do need computer support, go to a company that you know and trust. You should make the initial contact, preferably in person or by phone, using a publicly contact information.  

As always, if you have been a victim of this online scam or any other type of cyber fraud, report it to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov or call your local FBI office.  

At 8:47pm on Monday January 13th, Forest Grove Firefighters were dispatched to a reported barn fire in the 42000 block of SW Vandehey Road in rural Washington County. It was reported flames were seen and animals were still inside, a full structure fire response was dispatched based on this information. Minutes later, crews arrived on scene to find an approximately 2,000 square foot barn with heavy amounts of smoke showing. During initial scene evaluation it was found that a resident of the property was in the barn trying to extinguish the fire with a garden hose. Due to the potential for a rescue situation as well as fire fight, the scene was upgraded to a 2nd Alarm, bringing in additional crews. Crews immediately found the resident and safely evacuated them from the building, crews were then able to start extinguishing the flames after determining no further residents were at risk. It took firefighters approximately 25 minutes to extinguish most of the flames.

Crews remained on scene for over two hours extinguishing hot spots, this was made difficult due to large amount of items stored inside the building. For safety reasons, firefighters cut open the exterior walls and removed the items and debris. Once it was deemed safe, they removed items from the interior. The resident that was inside the structure was evaluated on scene by Paramedics and found to not need further treatment at a hospital. All goats and horses that were in the barn were not harmed. The cause of the fire is under investigation at this time.

Forest Grove Fire & Rescue wants to remind everyone, not to enter a structure that is on fire, especially to try and extinguish it. Smoke and heat conditions can quickly overcome anyone without proper gear like firefighters wear. Attempting to save property is not worth risking a life.

FGF&R was assisted on scene by Gaston Fire District, Cornelius Fire Department, Banks Fire Department, Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue, Carlton Fire District and Yamhill Fire District.

Scene Information:
Engines - 7
Water Tenders - 5
Chiefs - 3
Supports - 3

Total Personnel - 35

# # #

UPDATE-

Mr. Zelenko has been located safe at an area hospital.  

The Gladstone Police aer seeking the publics help in in locating a missing person. Andrey B Zelenko has been missing since 12/26/2019. His phone is off and it is out of character for him to be out of contact for this long.  Zelenko suffers from depression from the loss of his wife. He no longer has a fixed address but his van was located at the Happy Valley Office Depot on 1/5/20. It is possible he is still in the Happy Valley area and is known to camp in the woods in rural Clackamas County. He is not a danger to the public and foul play is not suspected at this time. Anyone with information on Mr. Zelenko’s whereabouts is asked to call the Gladstone Police Department.

The man arrested for today's shooting was Austin Schnell, 19, of Albany. Officers lodged him in the Washington County Jail for unlawful use of weapon, first-degree criminal mischief, unlawful possession of firearm, attempting to elude police, reckless driving, fourth-degree assault, and four counts of recklessly endangering.

Welches, Oregon:

Hoodland Fire District is recommending people visiting the Mt. Hood area to be prepared for winter emergencies.  Over this past weekend, the mountain has received several feet of snow with more to come.  Whether you plan on traveling through the Mt. Hood area or stay home and enjoy the snow, the Hoodland Fire District has developed a list of recommended preventive measures to stay safe.  Prevention tips for cold related weather injuries and fires include for the home, the vehicle and more importantly yourself, and do not forget your pets.  Though the list was developed for residents and tourists to the Mt. Hood area, the information applicable to anywhere you live.

Conditions remain treacherous on the roadways in and around Mount Hood area, travelers should use caution or, if possible, delay travel until conditions improve.  Motorist should allow additional travel time and use caution by following all traffic signs, carry and use traction devices when required.  Drive to arrive, alive!

An investigation into an early morning structure fire in Lebanon has determined that the fire was intentionally set. Firefighters were dispatched to a duplex under construction at 1375 S. Second Street in Lebanon at 6:06 a.m. and first arriving crews reported smoked showing from two garage bay doors. As the incident commander performed a 360-degree walkaround of the structure he encountered a civilian male exiting a rear door who appeared to be injured. An ambulance was called to the scene to evaluate the man who had suffered smoke inhalation and blunt force trauma when he fell into an open crawl space access hole while attempting to extinguish the fire. The man, who first discovered the fire and lives in a neighboring home, was transported to Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Firefighters extinguished the fire and removed smoldering debris from the structure. The Lebanon Fire Marshal and Deputy Fire Marshal arrived at the scene and began an investigation into the cause and origin of the fire. Evidence examined at the scene revealed that a fire was built within the unfinished structure and spread to the nearby structural lumber and shower insert. Damage was limited to the shower insert, some wiring, and some wall studs and subflooring material. There was no electricity to the structure at the time of the fire.

Lebanon Fire Marshal Jason Bolen cautioned the public on the dangers of entering a structure believed to be on fire. “Fire can spread very rapidly, and a person can be overcome by smoke in a matter of seconds.” he said. “The best thing that a citizen can do is to call 911 immediately and stay out of the structure. If you escape the structure, do not go back inside and keep others from entering.”

If anyone has information about this fire, they are encouraged to contact the Lebanon Fire District at 541-451-1901. “At this point in time we don’t have enough information to determine if there was criminal intent or if this was a warming fire which got out of control.” said Bolen when asked about the status of the investigation. The Fire District is working in conjunction with the Lebanon Police Department on the investigation.

For HD Video of this and other LFD incidents, please subscribe to the Lebanon Fire District YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjTxDBuPbD3DPAybCkCgEvg

For HD photos of this and other LFD incidents, please follow the Lebanon Fire District Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/LebanonFireDistrict/?ref=bookmarks

For updates on large scale incidents within the Lebanon Fire District, follow us on Twitter: @LebanonFD

Firefighters with the Lebanon Fire District responded to an early morning structure fire. The alarm came in around 6:00 am. The first arriving Battalion Chief found a duplex that was under construction and had a large volume of smoke coming from the garage doors. The fire was quickly contained and did not spread to any other strucures. There was one person transprted to a local hospital for treatment. No firefighters were injured during the incident. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Elk and Deer Winter Migration

The Central Oregon Coast is experiencing its seasonal cold weather. Although the weather slows down our daily commute, we are not nearly as affected as wildlife, specifically elk and deer.

Natural food sources are lean in the upper elevations in the coast range during the winter as snow falls, covering the ground. This time of year, with snow accumulation in the coast range and freezing temperatures periodically down to sea level, elk and deer may move to even lower elevations to find adequate food.

These additional movements often mean that the animals are crossing major roads both day and night which creates hazards to motorists. The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office would like motorists and spectators to be mindful of the animal movements. If you see one deer cross in front of you, chances are there is another one behind. 

Please take into account that the animals are often stressed due to additional migration in search of food. When spectating please keep a minimum distance of 100 yards from wildlife. If the animals begin to move from your presence, don’t follow them. Oregon Revised Statute 498.006 does protect the chasing or harassing of wildlife.

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

UPDATE:  Yesterday, investigators located the van, depicted in the surveillance footage previously released, in Linn County Oregon.  Investigators also located the white male seen in surveillance and interviewed him.  He is considered a witness to Danielle Bisnell’s disappearance. 

Danielle Bisnell is still missing.  This investigation is active and ongoing. No further information will be released at this time.

Anyone with information into Danielle Bisnell’s disappearance is urged to contact Redding Police Investigations at 530-225-4200 or Shasta County Secret Witness at 530-243-2319. There is a $2,500 reward offered for any information leading to Danielle Bisnell’s whereabouts.

Linn County Sheriff Jim Yon reports his detectives are assisting Redding Police Department in the disappearance of a woman from California.  Danielle Renee Bisnell, (27 years old of Redding) was reported missing by family and friends on December 31st, 2019.  She has been known to frequent Northern California, Oregon, and Nevada. 

It is believed Danielle was traveling through Linn County on her way back to Redding on December 10th, 2019, when she stopped communicating with her family and friends.  Redding Police Department has shared surveillance footage of Danielle travelling with an unknown male in a mini-van.  Included is also a recent photo of Danielle. 

Anyone with information in this case, including the identity of the male and/or vehicle can contact Sergeant Danny Smetak of Redding Police Department at 530-225-4218.  If you have information and would like to remain anonymous you can also contact the Shasta County Secret Witness program at 530-243-2319.  There is a $2500 reward offered for any information leading to Danielle’s whereabouts.

Sheriff Jim Yon reports the Line Team served two separate drug related search warrants yesterday around 5:30 a.m. in the community of Crabtree. 

The Linn County Regional SWAT served one search warrant at the address of 37565 Hungry Hill Drive where they detained twenty individuals.  There is a main residence, and numerous travel trailers and motorhomes where people were residing at this location.  Detectives seized methamphetamine, heroin, paraphernalia and firearms.  One of the firearms seized was confirmed to be stolen from Marion County.

After detectives from multiple agencies searched the property, eight females and eleven males were arrested on drug related crimes and were taken to the Linn County Jail.  The property owner, Steven John Maneatis, 62-years-old, was charged with Delivery of Methamphetamine, Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine, and Felon in Possession of a Restricted Weapon.  He was additionally cited by the Linn County Building and Planning Department for multiple building code violations.

Heather Nicole Matney, 25-years-old, was charged with Delivery of Methamphetamine, Frequenting a Place Where Controlled Substances Are Used and outstanding warrants.  

Heather June Fries, 45-years-old, was charged with Delivery of Methamphetamine, Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine (felony), Unlawful Possession of Heroin (felony) and Frequenting a Place Where Controlled Substances Are Used.

Robert Dean Jennings, 31-years-old was charged with Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine (felony) and Frequenting a Place Where Controlled Substances Are Used.  Several others were charged with outstanding warrants and drug crimes.

LINE Detectives were assisted by the Marion County SWAT team in serving the second search warrant at the address of 37597 Crabtree Drive.  Detectives seized methamphetamine, paraphernalia and four firearms from the property.  Detectives arrested one female and four males on drug related crimes. 

James Walter Martin, 54-years-old, was charged with Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine (felony).

Hilda Marie Kelley, 59-years-old, had a medical emergency during the search and was transported by medics to the hospital.  Charges including Delivery of Methamphetamine are pending on Kelley.

Others from both properties were charged with various other crimes, including Frequenting a Place Where Controlled Substances Are Used.  Several had outstanding warrants for their arrest unrelated to this case.

LINE detectives will continue the investigation.  

The Newberg-Dundee Police Department participated in enhanced traffic patrols during the month of December.  The effort was funded through grants from the Oregon Department of Transportation and Oregon Impact.  The enforcement was focused to address distracted driving, speeding, and particularly driving under the influence of intoxicants over the holiday season.  The effort resulted in 10 contacts for operating while using a mobile communication device, 115 contacts for speeding, and 8 arrests for DUII. 

Similar enhanced traffic patrols will be conducted periodically throughout the year.

Media Note: TV and Phone Interviews, Photos Available for Local News Coverage

Salem, OR – The Oregon State Fire Fighters Council Executive Board, on behalf of the 3500 Professional Firefighters in Oregon, voted earlier this week to endorse Dacia Grayber for Oregon House District 35.

Dacia has over a decade of fire service experience and currently serves as a firefighter/paramedic with Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue.  She serves as the Chair of the Equity and Inclusion Committee for the Tualatin Valley Firefighters Union – IAFF Local 1660.

House District 35 will be an open seat after Representative Margaret Doherty announced her retirement earlier this year.  “Representative Doherty has been a champion for firefighters and workers in Oregon.  We thank her for her service said Karl Koenig, President of the Oregon State Fire Fighters Council.  Dacia has a long career in the fire service, and she understands the pivotal role fire fighters play in protecting the citizens of Oregon.”

On Tuesday January 14th, Oregon Labor Commissioner Val Hoyle will introduce Dacia Grayber to Oregon State Fire Fighters Council members attending an annual Education Event in Salem Oregon this week.  Dacia will then address the conference about her candidacy.  This event is located at the Salem Convention Center, 200 Commercial Street SE, Salem, OR 97301.

Oregon State Firefighters Council:

The Oregon State Firefighters Council represents over 3500 Professional Firefighters throughout Oregon, this includes all of the Professional Firefighters in the Portland Metro Area.

###

The adult male and father of the two children is being identified as Jeremy Stiles (47) from Portland.

The officer that entered the ocean is from the Manzanita Police Department and is requesting no media interviews at this time.

On Saturday, January 11, 2020, at approximately 12:38 P.M., Emergency Services responded to the Falcon Cove area, near the county line of Clatsop County and Tillamook County, for three people that had been swept into the ocean.

Preliminary investigation revealed a adult male was holding two children, a 7 year old female and a 4 year old male, on the shore and they were all swept into the ocean by a wave.

A police officer arrived to find an adult male struggling to get out of the ocean and a juvenile female further out in the ocean.  The officer went into the ocean and was able to get the juvenile female and bring her to shore.  She was transported by Medix Ambulance to Providence Seaside Hospital (PSH).  The adult male was also taken by ambulance to PSH. 

The 4 year old male has not yet been located.  The United States Coast Guard sent helicopters to aid in the search but the search had to be suspended at sunset. 

The juvenile female was pronounced deceased at PSH. 

Cannon Beach Fire Department, Cannon Beach Police Department and Manzanita Police Department all assisted on scene. 

Name of the adult male will be released on January 12, 2020.

On Friday, January 10, 2020 at approximately 6:24 P.M. Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a single vehicle crash on Hwy 207 near mile post 19B.

Preliminary investigation revealed that a Freightliner truck pulling a loaded trailer, operated by Phillip Sharkey (56) of Hermiston, was northbound when it struck the guardrail, traveled off the road, and down an embankment.

Sharkey sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased.

OSP was assisted by Boardman Fire, Echo Fire, Umatilla County Fire District #1, Morrow County Sheriff's Department and ODOT

A busy night and early morning of intentionally set arson fires began just before midnight on Wednesday, January 15th:

• At 11:30 pm, Engine 12 was requested by Portland Police Bureau officers to respond to a fire call where they found a smoking object inside a business at NE 102nd and Sandy Blvd. Firefighters found no active fire but did assist with removing smoke from the structure. Fire investigators were called to the scene and determined that a burglary and arson fire had occurred. This location is across the parking lot from a previous burglary and arson fire that occurred on January 9, 2020. No one was injured in either fires.
• Construction crews had set up two storage containers and two portable toilets for a residential construction project at N Maryland Ave. and N Holman St. Investigators believe someone set the two toilets on fire, but they have no determination on motive or potential suspects. Both toilets, the two storage containers and its contents were heavily damaged. The fire was reported to Bureau of Emergency Communication (BOEC) 911 dispatchers at approximately 1:30 am. PF&R fire investigators are calling this fire arson.
• At 2:35 am, firefighters responded to a house fire at NE 140th and Oregon Ct. where they found a small fire in the basement of a home. The fire was put out quickly and no one was injured. Fire damage to the home was minimal; smoke and water damage assessments have not been determined at this time.  Fire investigators examined evidence at the scene, took witness testimony from all of the occupants of the home and concluded that the cause of this fire was suspicious (not arson).
• The fourth in the string of incidents happened at 3:45 am when downtown Portland firefighters were dispatched to a “high-rise fire” at the US Bank Tower on SW 5th and Oak St. Firefighters found one stairwell was filled with smoke and eventually located and extinguished some combustible material on the sixth floor. Fire Investigators are not releasing information regarding what material was on fire, but they have determined that it was intentionally set and are calling this fire arson.  

Fires in high-rise buildings are especially hazardous for occupants and firefighters due to the difficulty traveling in (firefighters) or out (occupants), the limited number of stairwells, the number of potential occupants inside, and the potential size of fire spread to name just a few.

FIRE INVESTIGATORS WOULD LIKE ANYONE WITH INFORMATION REGARDING ANY OF THE ABOVE FIRES TO CALL 503-823-INFO (4636). IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THESE TYPES OF FIRES ARE STOPPED BEFORE ANY OF OUR FELLOW PORTLAND RESIDENTS ARE HARMED. 

See Attached Bulletin

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

On January 2, 2020 there was a string of thefts from vehicles in the Sandy area. The Sandy Police Department was assisted in the investigation in the coming days by the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, Gresham Police Department, Multnomah County Sheriff's Office and Portland Police Bureau. At the conclusion of the investigation police identified three male suspects, two of which were juveniles.

On January 13, 2020 a 17-year-old male was interviewed and released. Charges have been forwarded to the Clackamas County Juvenile Department.

On January 15, 2020 two of the males were interviewed and taken into custody.

One of the males is a 16-year-old who was transported to the Donald E. Long Juvenile Detention Center after being interviewed. Both juveniles are facing charges of Theft in the First Degree, Unlawful Entry into a Motor Vehicle and Robbery in the Third Degree.

The adult male, Mr. Elijah Jakob Keller Chambers, 20 of Gresham, was arrested and transported to the Clackamas County Jail. Mr. Keller Chambers was booked on two counts of Theft in the First Degree and 11 counts of Unlawful Entry into a Motor Vehicle. His bail was set at $47,500.  

During the thefts two handguns were stolen. Both handguns have been recovered by police. The Sandy Police Department would like to remind people not to leave valuables in their vehicles.

Vancouver, Wash. –On January 15, 2020 at approximately 4:00 p.m., Vancouver Police responded to the 3200 block of NW Division Avenue for a restraining order violation. Officers made verbal contact with a male inside the residence, who was in violation of the restraining order, and who refused to exit the residence.  The male refused repeated commands to exit and at approximately 5:20 p.m. officers saw flames in the residence and it appeared the suspect had started a fire. At approximately 6:00 p.m. the male exited the residence, was taken into custody by police and was transported to an area hospital for injuries related to the fire. The fire was then fully extinguished.

Several neighbors were temporarily evacuated, due to the fire, but have since returned to their homes. No adjacent structures were damaged.

Upon release from the hospital, the suspect will be booked into jail for multiple charges including Violation of a Restraining Order, Burglary and Arson.

Nothing further is releasable at this time.

###

Update 

On 01/13/2020 at 0207 hours Hailee Rusell and Estela Russel returned home.  Thank you for your assistance.  

Update 

The Vancouver Police Department is looking for assistance from the community in locating 2 missing juvenile sisters, 11 and 12 years of age.  Hailee Russel (12) and Estela Russel (11) were last seen at 2501 NE 138th Avenue in Vancouver, Washington at 2330 hours on 01/12/2020.  Hailee is described as being 5'01", 170 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.  She was last seen wearing a turquoise hooded sweatshirt, black leggings and boots.  Estela is described as being 4’03”, 78 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.  She was last seen wearing a hooded sweatshirt, black leggings and unknown shoes.

Any information on Hailee or Estela’s whereabouts should contact the Vancouver Police Department with information.

On Thursday, January 9, 2020, at approximately 11:20 a.m., an inmate in the Washington County Jail assaulted a jail deputy. The assault happened while jail deputies were attempting to move 35-year-old Justin Nathaniel Lugo, of Hillsboro, from an intake holding cell to the jail’s maximum security unit.

The inmate advanced on one of our deputies, striking him on the right side of the face. The deputy defended himself, while another deputy successfully deployed a Taser. Additional deputies responded and were able to restrain the inmate.

The injured deputy was treated and released at a local hospital for his injuries. No additional staff members were hurt.

Mr. Lugo now faces a charge of assault of a public safety officer.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office operates the only jail in the county and averages nearly 18,000 bookings per year.

On Tuesday, January 14, 2020, just before 7:00 a.m., Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a report of a crash involving a vehicle and a pedestrian on SW Tualatin Valley Highway and NW 341st Ave. A woman driving a 2005 gray Mazda minivan was headed westbound on the highway when the vehicle hit a woman causing very serious injuries.

Deputies serving the City of Cornelius and the Cornelius Fire Department responded and performed live-saving measures on the 51-year-old woman from Hillsboro, but she died later at the hospital. She has been identified as Leslie Schmadeke.

The conditions at the time of the crash were dark and foggy, so poor visibility was likely a factor in this crash. There are no streetlights on this stretch of highway. The victim was also dressed in dark clothing.

The driver of the Mazda remained on scene and cooperated with deputies during the crash investigation. No crime is suspected of being committed at this time.

The Sheriff’s Office would like to remind people that it’s very dangerous to cross dark highways while wearing dark clothing. Please consider wearing bright, reflective clothing or carrying a flashing light when out walking along busy roads in the dark.

If anyone who was in this area at approximately 7:00 a.m. this morning who witnessed this crash, please call the Washington County Sheriff’s Office at 503-846-2700.

The Washington County Crash Analysis Reconstruction Team (CART) is assisting in this investigation. CART is a multi-agency team of specially trained law enforcement officers from the Sheriff's Office and the Beaverton, Hillsboro, Tigard, and Tualatin Police Departments. The Washington County District Attorney's Office has also assigned Deputy District Attorneys to the team.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office arrested a total of 63 people during the Christmas and New Year’s holiday period of December 13, 2019 to January 2, 2020. The enhanced patrols are done in partnership with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), and Oregon State Sheriff's Association (OSSA).

Our commitment to DUII enforcement continues through the month of January as well as winter weather conditions increase the safety risk of driving under the influence.

If you’re planning to drink or get high while enjoying tonight’s college football playoff national championship, please be responsible and find a safe ride home.

(Original Media Release Below)

Deputies Conducting Enhanced Impaired Driving Patrols Over the Holidays

November 26, 2019

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office will be conducting high visibility enforcement patrols looking for impaired drivers this holiday season, beginning with the Thanksgiving holiday week, continuing through December and New Year’s Day 2020. The enhanced patrols are being done in partnership with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), and Oregon State Sheriff's Association (OSSA).

According to NHTSA, 10,874 people were killed in 2017 in motor vehicle traffic crashes in which a driver had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) over the legal limit of .08. During the month of December 2017, 885 people lost their lives in traffic crashes involving a drunk driver. Like drunk driving, drug-impaired driving is impaired driving, which means it is dangerous and illegal in all 50 states.

On average, driving under the influence arrest costs $10,000 in attorney fees, fines, court costs, lost time at work, higher insurance rates, car towing and repairs, and more.

There are many other ways to ensure a safe ride home besides relying on a friend. The options include using public transportation, calling a taxi, or using a rideshare app such as Uber or Lyft. In addition, NHTSA’s SaferRide Mobile App, available in the app store, is another resource to help those who have been drinking find a sober ride home—by identifying their location and helping to call a taxi or a friend to pick them up.

This holiday season, deputies are asking the public to do their part in keeping our roadways safe by always planning a sober ride home before the festivities begin.

Some of the most dangerous days of the year on our nation’s roadways are between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. Last year, 1,068 people were killed in drunk driving crashes, which is 29 percent of total traffic fatalities during this time (statistics from MADD website). The West Linn Police Department will continue to work enhanced DUII patrols in the month of January, 2020. These enhanced DUII patrols are funded by a grant from the Oregon Department of Transportation through Oregon Impact. In addition, the West Linn Police Department is also focusing on Distracted Driving. A Distracted Driver crash occurs every 2.5 hours in Oregon. Here is one example why Distracted Driving is so dangerous: The average time a driver’s eyes are off the road is 5 seconds. When driving 55 miles per hour, 5 seconds is enough time to drive the length of a football field!

Here are some sobering drunk driving statistics:

On average, two in three people will be involved in a drunk driving crash in their lifetime (from NHTSA, 2014).

About a quarter of car crashes with teens involve an underage drinking driver (from NHTSA, 2015).

In 2017, 10,874 people died in drunk driving crashes – one every 48 minutes – and more than 300,000 were injured in drunk driving crashes (NHTSA 2017).

The City of West Linn is regularly named one of the safest cities of its size (around 25,000) in the nation. The West Linn Police Department is proud of this ranking, and we believe our enhanced DUII and Distracted Driving patrols have contributed to keeping the citizens in and around the city safe.

Hope to see you on Monday! The full media alert is below and I also wanted to share a few final details:

- There is a driveway on site where there will be room for 3 news trucks to park. Otherwise there is on-street parking. 

- When you arrive please come directly to the tent, there will be someone at the entry to point you in the right direction. You will also be able to go into Argyle Gardens to film the volunteer project, I'll have a waiver from the construction company for you to sign (this is a formality due to the fact that it is still technically a construction site.)

- If you plan to send someone over earlier than 9am, please let me know so I can be sure we're ready for them. 

Thanks!
Debbie

MLK DAY PRESS EVENT
Mayor Ted Wheeler and Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury will join Kaiser Permanente to Announce New Portland Metro Area Housing Initiative

The Tualatin Valley Water District (TVWD) recently received the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) Distinguished Budget Presentation Award. The prestigious national honor was earned for TVWD’s outstanding presentation of the 2019-2021 biennial budget.

The award reflects TVWD’s commitment to meeting the highest standards of governmental budgeting, and the desire to make the budget understandable to all customers. The award is based on how well the budget document serves as:

• A policy document
• A financial plan
• An operations guide
• A communications device

The budget provides detailed information about TVWD’s investments in the water system, the budgeting process, and provides a multi-year financial outlook.

“This award is a testament to the hard work of our entire budget team, which was led by our recently retired budget officer Tod Burton,” said Paul Matthews, TVWD’s Chief Financial Officer. “The team works hard to produce a straightforward budget that our customers can understand.”

The 2019-21 budget includes:

• Budget Message – a summary of the budget process and district initiatives,
• Multi-Year Financial outlook – a summary of the projected economic conditions, expenditures and rate adjustments,
• Biennial budget, and
• Capital Improvement Plan.

To view TVWD’s 2019-2021 budget, please visit: www.tvwd.org/budget.

The Government Finance Officers Association is a nonprofit professional association serving 17,400 government finance professionals throughout North America. The GFOA’s Distinguished Budget Presentation Awards Program is the only national governmental budgeting awards programming, with 1,600 entities earning recognition.

The January Willamette Intake Facilities Commission Board meeting will be held Monday, January 27, 2020, at 6:00 PM.

Location: Tualatin Valley Water District (Board Room), 1850 SW 170th Avenue, Beaverton, OR 97003

The Board meeting agenda packet and additional information regarding the Willamette Intake Facilities Commission are available on the WIF Commission website:   https://www.tvwd.org/district/page/willamette-intake-facilities-commission

Road conditions remain treacherous on the highways around Mount Hood Sunday and travelers should use caution or, if possible, delay travel until conditions improve. The problems seen Saturday continue Sunday, with heavy snowfall, spinouts, high winds bringing down trees and blowing snow severely reducing visibility. Before dawn Sunday, a tree fell and knocked down a sign bridge spanning US 26 near OR 35. The fallen structure blocked all lanes of US 26 until ODOT crews hauled it off the road. Travelers between Bend and Portland Sunday should consider avoiding US 26 and use I-84 through the Columbia River Gorge. Travelers on Mount Hood should allow additional travel time and use caution.

Heavy snow, high winds, poor visibilty and numerous spinouts are creating exetremely hazardous driving conditions Saturday on Mount Hood. ODOT has periodically closed sections of Oregon 35 and other road closures may be necessary as crews keep up with heavy snowfall. Blowing snow has reduced visibility and caused spinouts and delays. Travelers should avoid Mount Hood if at all possible until Monday and improved conditions.  

UNION CREEK -  High winds pushed crews out of the High Cascades closure area this afternoon.

Due to the hazard to public and crew safety, the Oregon 62 closure is back to Prospect from Union Creek. These winds have halted progress for the day due to hazard trees. Crews will re-evaluate in the morning. But with another foot of snow in the forecast tonight and tomorrow, clean-up work will be evaluated day by day.

Current High Cascade closures:

• Highway 138 closed from Toketee to U.S. 97
• Oregon 62/230 closed at Prospect

GLIDE - Oregon 138E closure, 30 miles east of Glide: Due to slides and fallen trees, the closure has moved west to MP 47 at Dry Creek.
Crews are evaluating the corridor this morning. As conditions permit, their plan is to shorten the closures and re-establish the connection between Diamond Lake and U.S. 97. and on Oregon 62 from Prospect to Union Creek.

There have been several reported near misses in the area from falling trees, including an 18 inch tree that fell on a loggers pick-up yesterday near Union Creek. No injuries have been reported 

UNION CREEK - Oregon 230 is closed due to hazardous trees leaning over the highway, creating hazardous conditions. This closure is from Oregon 138 near Diamond Lake to the Oregon 230/62 intersection near Union Creek. Drivers should use alternate routes and be prepared for winter driving conditions.
There's no estimated time for reopening.

Attached photos were taken late this afternoon by ODOT crews

UNION CREEK - Oregon 230 is closed due to hazardous trees leaning over the highway, creating hazardous conditions. This closure is from Oregon 138 near Diamond Lake to the Oregon 230/62 intersection near Union Creek. Drivers should use alternate routes and be prepared for winter driving conditions.
There's no estimated time for reopening.

Attached photos were taken late this afternoon by ODOT crews

For Immediate Release

January 14, 2020

Contact:                      bings@portvanusa.com">Heather Stebbings, Director of Communications

360.823.5296 direct

360.518.8590 cell

Port of Vancouver USA establishes new community fund program

VANCOUVER, Wash. – The Port of Vancouver USA has established a new community fund program to support projects and programs that align with the port’s mission of trade promotion, tourism generation, economic development and workforce development.

The port has budgeted $5,000 for the inaugural year of the program.  Through a competitive application process, the port will award funds to one or more projects that meet program goals and are located within port district boundaries.

“Over the years, the port has received requests from school groups and others to help with educational and development programs, but we have never had a mechanism to provide assistance,” said Ryan Hart, Chief External Affairs Officer.  “We hope this new program will allow some very deserving projects in our community to move forward and we’re excited to see what kind of applications we receive.” 

The program overview and application are currently available on the port’s website and submittals are due by February 7, 2020.  The port plans to announce award recipients no later than February 28, 2020.  Successful applications have one year from the date of the award to spend the funds.  At the end of the 2020/2021 program year, staff will assess the program and its effectiveness and may request additional program funding for future years. 

– POV –

The Port of Vancouver USA is one of the major ports on the Pacific Coast, and its competitive strengths include available land, versatile cargo handling capabilities, vast transportation networks, a skilled labor force and an exceptional level of service to its customers and community. For more information, please visit us at www.portvanusa.com.

CLACKAMAS, Ore. -  Task Force Jungleer consisting of approximately 400 soldiers from the 41st Brigade Headquarters and Headquarters Company, with elements of 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry Battalion, 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) were honored in a ceremony Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020 at the Oregon Convention Center, as they prepared to deploy to Kosovo.

The 41st IBCT Commander Col. Eric Riley invites supporters and the media to recognize and honor the Soldiers of Task Force Jungleer and their families in preparation for their deployment to Kosovo.

“The 41st is honored to represent the state of Oregon in this NATO’s Kosovo Force mission, contributing to a secure environment and ensuring public safety and order to the people of Kosovo,” Said 41st IBCT Commander Col. Eric Riley.

Speakers at the mobilization ceremony included Oregon Governor Kate Brown and Oregon National Guard Maj. Gen. Michael E. Stencel, The Adjutant General, Oregon. Task Force Jungleer is the last of the 41st units to mobilize. The total deployment is the second-largest deployment of the brigade since WWII, following the 2009 Iraq deployment commanded by then Col. Daniel Hokanson, now a Lieutenant General and Director of Army National Guard, who spoke at the event as well. 

The 41st IBCT is an organization made up of 3,000 Soldiers consisting of five Oregon battalions and two out of state battalions from New Mexico and Washington. The Brigade has already deployed four separate task forces around the globe starting in September of 2019, with a total numbering approximately 2,300 Soldiers, with 1,400 hailing from Oregon.

The 41st Brigade has a rich history protecting its community and country, tracing their lineage back to the 41st Division of WWI and WWII. Soldiers of the brigade are dedicated to accomplishing the assigned missions with the same courage and competence it has always had. 

For media inquiries, please contact Major Chris Clyne, 41st IBCT Public Affairs Officer 503-278-9834

Captions:

20200111-Z-FS713-001

From left to right: Oregon Governor Kate Brown; Maj. Gen. Michael Stencel, The Adjutant General, Oregon; Lt. Gen. Daniel Hokanson, Director of the Army National Guard; and Brig. Gen. William J. Prendergast, Land Component Commander, Oregon Army National Guard, pause for a photo during a mobilization ceremony for Task Force Jungleer of the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Oregon Army National Guard at the Oregon Convention Center, Jan. 11, in Portland, Ore. The brigade is deploying to Kosovo in support of peacekeeping operations. (Oregon National Guard Photo by Sgt. Cory Grogan)

20200111-Z-FS713-002

Soldiers of the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Oregon Army National Guard, stand at attention as friends, family, and other attendees join them during a mobilization ceremony at the Oregon Convention Center, Jan. 11, in Portland, Ore. The brigade is deploying to Kosovo in support of peacekeeping operations. (Oregon National Guard Photo by Sgt. Cory Grogan)

20200111-Z-FS713-003

41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Brigade Command Sgt. Maj. Bradley Huppunen, takes a moment with his daughter prior to a mobilization ceremony for Task Force Jungleer at Oregon Convention Center, Jan. 11, in Portland, Ore. The Oregon National Guard brigade is deploying to Kosovo in support of peacekeeping operations. (Oregon National Guard Photo by Sgt. Cory Grogan)

20200111-Z-FS713-004

Maj. Gen. Michael Stencel, The Adjutant General, Oregon, addresses friends and family members of Task Force Jungleer of the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Oregon Army National Guard during a mobilization ceremony at Oregon Convention Center, Jan. 11, in Portland, Ore. The brigade is deploying to Kosovo in support of peacekeeping operations. (Oregon National Guard Photo by Sgt. Cory Grogan)

20200111-Z-FS713-005

Oregon Governor Kate Brown presents an Oregon State flag to 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team Brigade Commander Col. Eric Riley after a mobilization ceremony for Task Force Jungleer of the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Oregon Army National Guard at Oregon Convention Center, Jan. 11, in Portland, Ore. The brigade is deploying to Kosovo in support of peacekeeping operations. (Oregon National Guard Photo by Sgt. Cory Grogan)

20200111-Z-FS713-006

Members of the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Oregon Army National Guard stand at Parade Rest during a mobilization ceremony for Task Force Jungleer of at Oregon Convention Center, Jan. 11, in Portland, Ore. The brigade is deploying to Kosovo in support of peacekeeping operations. (Oregon National Guard Photo by Sgt. Cory Grogan)

20200111-Z-FS713-008

Oregon Governor Kate Brown shakes hands with a 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team Soldier after a mobilization ceremony for Task Force Jungleer at Oregon Convention Center, Jan. 11, in Portland, Ore. The brigade is deploying to Kosovo in support of peacekeeping operations. (Oregon National Guard Photo by Sgt. Cory Grogan)

Portland, Ore. – Today the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released the Decision Record for the reclassification of public domain lands as part in one of the final steps of the implementation of the Western Oregon Tribal Fairness Act.

The Act, signed into law by President Trump on January 8, 2018, directed the BLM to transfer 14,708 acres of public lands to be held in trust for the benefit of the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians, and 17,812 acres to be held in trust for the benefit of the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians. Of these conveyed lands, 31,132 acres were lands managed under the Oregon and California Lands (O&C lands) Act of 1937.

In addition to transferring these lands into trust for the Tribes, the Act also required the BLM to identify and convert public domain lands to replace the conveyed O&C lands. Reclassifying these lands as O&C lands will allow 18 western Oregon counties to share in a portion of receipts from timber sales on these lands.

The selected alternative in the Decision Record ensures that BLM will meet the requirements of the law by converting lands of approximately equal acreage and condition. This will ensure that these converted lands have the potential to provide approximately equal timber receipt payments to O&C counties as the conveyed O&C lands would have.

The selected alternative will also reclassify plots to best match the condition of the conveyed O&C lands that were transferred to the tribes. This means that the selected alternative will also match the estimated average annual payments to O&C counties from timber sales on reclassified lands that the O&C counties would have received from timber sales on the conveyed tribal lands.

The reclassification of public domain lands to O&C lands does not change the management of the land, which is governed by the 2016 Northwestern and Coastal Oregon Resource Management Plan and the Southwestern Oregon Resource Management Plan. Additional information about the effort is available online at: https://www.blm.gov/oregon-washington/serving-america/western-oregon-tribal-fairness-act

-BLM-

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The agency’s mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. Diverse activities authorized on these lands generated $96 billion in sales of goods and services throughout the American economy in fiscal year 2017. These activities supported more than 468,000 jobs.

Public scoping meetings scheduled on proposals covering nearly 18,000 permits, leases on 155 million acres

WASHINGTON – The Bureau of Land Management has published a Notice of Intent in the Federal Register to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement to consider proposed revisions to the agency’s grazing regulations. The BLM currently manages livestock grazing on 155 million of the 245 million acres of public land and administers nearly 18,000 grazing permits and leases.

“Administration of sustainable livestock grazing on public lands is a key part of the Bureau of Land Management’s multiple-use mission. We continue to seek ways to improve and streamline the grazing permit process to achieve greater efficiencies and service to permittees,” said Acting Assistant Secretary of Land and Minerals Management Casey B. Hammond. “This rulemaking effort is designed to strengthen and improve our administration of grazing permits across the West, and we welcome public and stakeholder ideas and perspectives.”

The proposed revisions will update, modernize and streamline the grazing regulations and provide greater flexibility for land and resource management. Through this rulemaking, the BLM seeks to improve existing land-use planning and grazing permitting procedures, while simultaneously promoting public lands conservation. The BLM hopes to improve its stewardship of the nation’s rangeland resources by strengthening controls to prevent unauthorized grazing, enhancing environmental protections across various non-grazing land-use programs, and improving public input opportunities.

The BLM is currently managing 11 demonstration projects in six states as part of our outcome-based grazing authorizations initiative. These demonstration projects provide BLM, working in partnership with ranchers and other partners, with opportunities to improve our guidance and best management practices to use when issuing grazing permits. Lessons learned from developing cooperative monitoring plans and land health evaluations under this initiative may also be incorporated into this regulatory process.

By publishing this Notice of Intent, the BLM is informing the public about the proposed revisions and how interested parties can comment. Public scoping meetings will be held in in February to further inform the public about this project. These meetings include:

• Miles City, Montana: February 6, at the Sleep Inn and Suites, 1006 S. Haynes Ave., from 4:30-7:30 p.m.;
• Las Cruces, New Mexico: February 11 at the Las Palmas Grill, 201 East University Ave., from 4:30-7:30 p.m.;
• Elko, Nevada: February 18 at the Elko Convention Center, 700 Moren Way, from 4:30-7:30 p.m.; and
• Casper, Wyoming: February 20, at the Casper Events Center, 1 Events Dr., from 4:30-7:30 p.m.

Comments on the proposed regulation revisions may be submitted in writing until Feb. 28, 2020. Meeting information, announcements, instructions on how to provide comments, and pertinent documents can be found at the BLM website at https://go.usa.gov/xyMqb.

For more information, contact Seth Flanigan, BLM Project Manager, at 208-384-3450 or sflanigan@blm.gov.

-BLM-

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The agency’s mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. Diverse activities authorized on these lands generated $96 billion in sales of goods and services throughout the American economy in fiscal year 2017. These activities supported more than 468,000 jobs. 

WASHINGTON – To encourage visitation and appreciation for America’s public lands, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced that it will waive recreation-related visitor’s fees during five 2020 Fee-Free Days. On these five days, recreation-related fees for all visitors to agency-managed public lands across the nation will be waived.

“One of the greatest assets we have in this country is our public lands,” says Deputy Director of Policy and Programs for the BLM, William Perry Pendley, exercising the authority of the BLM Director. “With our fee-free days, we hope that Americans will get outside to enjoy these national treasures – the 245 million acres of public lands across our nation, most of which are in the West and Alaska.”   

The Fee-Free Days for 2020 are: January 20 (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day), February 17 (President’s Day),   June 13 (National Get Outdoors Day), September 26 (National Public Lands Day), and November 11 (Veterans Day).

BLM-managed public lands offer a wide array of recreational opportunities, including hiking, hunting, fishing, camping, mountain biking, horseback riding, boating, whitewater rafting, off-highway vehicle driving, rock climbing, and more. Americans make approximately 67 million visits annually to BLM-managed lands, supporting approximately 48,000 jobs nationwide and contributing almost $7 billion to the U.S. economy.

On fee-free days, site-specific standard amenity and day-use fees at BLM recreation sites and areas will be waived for the specified dates. Other fees, such as overnight camping, cabin rentals, group day use, and use of special areas, will remain in effect.

For more information on recreation opportunities on BLM-managed public lands, visit https://www.blm.gov/programs/recreation or www.recreation.gov

Citizen-based councils play critical role in developing solutions to public land management issues

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) today announced that it is seeking public nominations for three citizens’ advisory councils affiliated with specific sites on the BLM’s National Conservation Lands. These citizen-based councils assist in the development of recommendations that address public land management issues.

The three Councils, which are formally chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) and the Federal Policy and Land Management Act (FLPMA), provide advice and recommendations to the BLM on the development and implementation of management plans in accordance with the statutes under which the sites were established.

The three Advisory Councils include the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Advisory Committee located in Utah, the San Juan Islands National Monument Advisory Committee located in Washington, and the Steens Mountain Advisory Council located in Oregon.

“The Steens Mountain Advisory Committee and the San Juan Islands National Monument Advisory Committee are important forums for the community conversation that is a key component of public land management,” said BLM Acting State Director Jose L. Linares. “By ensuring that representation reflects a variety of perspectives, members provide a valuable service to the Bureau by delving into matters and proposing solutions on a wide variety of land and resource issues.”

The Councils have successfully demonstrated that consensus-driven recommendations often lead to sustainable outcomes that benefit long-term public land planning and management of National Conservation Land sites.  This inclusive approach is proven successful and often enjoys a high level of public support. These Councils consist of 10 to 15 members that represent unique site-specific interests as defined in the Federal Register Notice Supplementary Information. 

Individuals may nominate themselves or others to serve on a Council. Nominees, who must be residents of the state where the Council has jurisdiction, will be reviewed based on their training, education, and knowledge of the specific geographic area. Nominees should also demonstrate a commitment to consensus building and collaborative decision-making. Nominations and completed applications should be sent to the appropriate BLM office. All nominations from represented interests or organizations must include a completed application, letters of reference, and any other information that speaks to the nominee’s qualifications.

As published in a notice in Friday’s Federal Register, the BLM will consider nominations for 45 days (until February 24, 2020).  Requests for more information, nominations and completed applications for RACs should be sent to the appropriate BLM personnel listed below:

San Juan Islands National Monument Advisory Committee:

Jeff Clark, BLM Spokane District Office, 1103 North Fancher Road, Spokane, WA 99212, 509-536-1297.

Steens Mountain Advisory Council

Tara Thissell, BLM Burns District Office, 28910 Highway 20 West, Hines, OR  97738, 541-573-4519.

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The agency’s mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. Diverse activities authorized on these lands generated $96 billion in sales of goods and services throughout the American economy in fiscal year 2017. These activities supported more than 468,000 jobs.

Bureau seeks broad spectrum of nominees to help improve public land management nationwide

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) today announced that it is seeking public nominations for positions on 27 Resource Advisory Committees (RACs) nationwide. These citizen-based committees assist in the development of recommendations that address public land management issues.

The BLM maintains 37 such advisory committees formally chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) and the Federal Policy and Land Management Act (FLPMA) across the West. Of those committees, 31 are RACs and the remainder are site or subject-specific Advisory Councils. Each RAC consists of 10 to 15 members from diverse interests in local communities, and they assist in the development of recommendations that address public land management issues.

“Resource Advisory Committees provide the BLM with vital feedback on current issues, concerns and proposals, and enable us to engage local communities and stakeholders to improve our management of public lands,” said BLM Acting State Director Jose L. Linares. “Our goal is to ensure that the membership of every RAC encompasses a wide variety of perspectives and backgrounds to guide our work as effectively as possible.”

The BLM maintains chartered advisory committees as a means of gaining expert advice, ideas, and diverse opinions on issues including land use planning, fire management, off-highway vehicle use, recreation, oil and gas exploration, noxious weed management, grazing issues, and wild horse and burro herd management issues. The committees support the Bureau's commitment to building a shared conservation stewardship legacy in the communities it serves.   

Individuals may nominate themselves or others to serve on a RAC. Nominees, who must be residents of the state or states where the RAC has jurisdiction, will be reviewed based on their training, education, and knowledge of the RAC’s geographic area. Nominees should also demonstrate a commitment to consensus building and collaborative decision-making. Letters of reference must accompany all nominations from any represented interests or organizations, a completed RAC application, and any other information that speaks to the nominee’s qualifications.

Each of the 27 RACs has different positions open in the following categories:

• Category One – Representatives of organizations associated with energy/mineral development; federal grazing permit holders; the timber industry; transportation or rights-of-way; off-highway vehicles users; and commercial and developed outdoor recreation.
• Category Two – Representatives of archeological and historic organizations; dispersed recreation users; wild horse and burros organizations; and nationally or regionally-recognized environmental organizations. 
• Category Three – Representatives of state, county, or local elected office; Indian tribes located within or adjacent to the area for which the RAC is organized; academicians employed in natural resource management or natural sciences; employees of a state agency responsible for management of natural resources; and the public at large.

As published in a notice in Friday’s Federal Register, the BLM will consider nominations for 45 days (until February 24, 2020).  Requests for more information, nominations and completed applications for RACs should be sent to the appropriate BLM personnel listed below:

Coastal Oregon RAC:

Megan Harper, BLM Coos Bay District Office, 1300 Airport Lane, North Bend, OR 97459, 541-751-4353.

Eastern Washington RAC:

Jeff Clark, BLM Spokane District Office, 1103 North Fancher Road, Spokane, WA 99212, 509-536-1297.

John Day-Snake RAC:

Larisa Bogardus, BLM Vale District Office, 3100 H Street, Baker City, OR 97814, 541-523-1407.

Northwest Oregon RAC:

Jennifer Velez, BLM Northwest Oregon District Office, 1717 Fabry Road SE, Salem, OR 97306, 541-222-9241.

Southeast Oregon RAC:

Lisa McNee, BLM Lakeview District Office, 1301 South G Street, Lakeview, OR 97630, 541-947-6811.

Southwest Oregon RAC

Christina Beslin, BLM Medford District Office, 3040 Biddle Road, Medford, OR 97504, 541-618-2371.

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The agency’s mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. Diverse activities authorized on these lands generated $96 billion in sales of goods and services throughout the American economy in fiscal year 2017. These activities supported more than 468,000 jobs.

For Immediate Release                                        

January 16, 2020

Contact:       Mona Riesterer
                    503-378-2431

Notice of Regular Meeting

The Correction Policy Committee will hold a regular meeting at 1:30 p.m. on February 11, 2020.  The meeting will be held in the Victor G. Atiyeh Boardroom. The meeting location is accessible to persons with disabilities. 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. 

Meeting will be live streamed to DPSST Facebook Page

https://www.facebook.com/DPSSTOregon/

Agenda Items:

1.  Introductions

2.  Approval of November 11, 2019 Meeting Minutes

3.  Administrative Closures: Corrections and Parole & Probation

Presented by Kristen Hibberds

4.  Matson, Christopher DPSST #60104: Application for Training & Subsequent Certification – Department of Corrections (TRCI)

Presented by Kristen Hibberds

5.  Randleas, Lucas DPSST #60182: Application for Training & Subsequent Certification – Grant County Sheriff’s Office

Presented by Kristen Hibberds

6.  Rich, Jackson DPSST #60438: Application for Training & Subsequent Certification – Josephine County Sheriff’s Office

Presented by Kristen Hibberds

7.  Thomason, Timathy DPSST #54396: Basic Corrections Certifications – Department of Corrections (TRCI)

Presented by Kristen Hibberds

8.  Ruiz, Juan DPSST #60370: Application for Training & Subsequent Certification – Department of Corrections (OSP)

Presented by Kristen Hibberds

9.  Ingram, Trent DPSST #60342: Application for Training & Subsequent Certification – Department of Corrections (EOCI)

Presented by Kristen Hibberds

10. Vines, Christopher DPSST #60273: Application for Training & Subsequent Certification – Department of Corrections (SRCI)

Presented by Kristen Hibberds

11. Lindsey, Devon DPSST #56903: Basic Corrections Certification – Douglas County Sheriff’s Office

Presented by Kristen Hibberds

12. Proposed Rule Changes for OAR 259-008-0005, 259-008-0020, 259-008-0025 and 259-008-0085: Establishing a Firearms Training Requirement for Armed Parole and Probation Officers

Presented by Jennifer Howald

13. Five-Year Review of the Adoption of OAR 259-008-0078 – Informational Only

Presented by Jennifer Howald

14. Department Update

15. Next Regularly Scheduled Meeting – May 12, 2020 at 1:30 p.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.

## Background Information on the DPSST ##

The Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) operates the Oregon Public Safety Academy which spans more than 235 acres in Salem. The Academy is nationally recognized for its innovative training programs and active stakeholder involvement. Eriks Gabliks serves as the Director, and Patricia Patrick-Joling, public member, serves as the Chair of the Board. The department implements minimum standards established by the Board for the training and certification of more than 40,000 city, tribal, county and state law enforcement officers, corrections officers, parole and probation officers, fire service personnel, telecommunicators, emergency medical dispatchers and private security providers.

DPSST provides training to more than 25,000 students each year throughout Oregon and at the Oregon Public Safety Academy in Salem: certifies qualified officers at various levels from basic through executive; certifies qualified instructors; and reviews and accredits training programs throughout the state based on standards established by the Board.

For Immediate Release                                        

January 16, 2020

Contact:        Mona Riesterer  
                     503-378-2431

Notice of Regular Meeting

The Telecommunication Policy Committee will hold a regular meeting at February 5, 2020 @ 9:00 a.m.  The meeting will be held in the Governor Victor G. Atiyeh Boardroom.  The meeting location is accessible to persons with disabilities. 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. 

 Meeting will be live streamed to DPSST Facebook Page

https://www.facebook.com/DPSSTOregon/

Agenda Items:

1.  Introductions

2.  Minutes of November 6, 2019 Meeting
Approve Minutes of November 6, 2019 Meeting

3.  Administrative Closures – Emergency Medical Dispatcher

Presented by Kristen Hibberds

4.  Elliott, Heidi DPSST #59214: Application for Training and Subsequent Certifications – American Medical Response

Presented by Kristen Hibberds

5.  Coyne, Kinsey DPSST #55676: Basic Telecommunicator and Basic Emergency Medical Dispatcher Certifications – Washington County Consolidated Communications

Presented by Kristen Hibberds

6.  Downing, Michael DPSST #49155: Basic Telecommunicator and Emergency Medical Dispatcher Certifications – Baker County Sheriff’s Office

Presented by Kristen Hibberds

7.  Haltom, Angela DPSST #53236: Basic Telecommunicator and Emergency Medical Dispatcher Certifications – Harney County Sheriff’s Office

Presented by Kristen Hibberds

8.  Parker, Andrea DPSST #38668: Basic Telecommunicator and Emergency Medical Dispatcher Certifications – Prineville Police Department

Presented by Kristen Hibberds

9.  Proposed Rule Changes for 259-008-0064: Adding First Aid and CPR Certification Requirements to DPSST Telecommunicator and EMD Maintenance

Presented by Jennifer Howald

10. Proposed Rule Changes for 259-008-0064: Recommended Housekeeping Amendments for Telecommunicator and EMD Maintenance

Presented by Jennifer Howald

11. Five-Year Review of the Adoption of OAR 259-008-0078 – Informational Update

Presented by Jennifer Howald

12. Staff Update

13. Next Telecommunications Policy Committee Meeting May 6, 2020
Wednesday, May 6, 2020 at 9:00 a.m.

## Background Information on the DPSST ##

The Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) operates the Oregon Public Safety Academy which spans more than 235 acres in Salem. The Academy is nationally recognized for its innovative training programs and active stakeholder involvement. Eriks Gabliks serves as the Director, and Patricia Patrick-Joling, public member, serves as the Chair of the Board. The department implements minimum standards established by the Board for the training and certification of more than 40,000 city, tribal, county and state law enforcement officers, corrections officers, parole and probation officers, fire service personnel, telecommunicators, emergency medical dispatchers and private security providers.

DPSST provides training to more than 25,000 students each year throughout Oregon and at the Oregon Public Safety Academy in Salem: certifies qualified officers at various levels from basic through executive; certifies qualified instructors; and reviews and accredits training programs throughout the state based on standards established by the Board.

Salem, Oregon – Ashland artist Betty LaDuke will exhibit “Bountiful Harvest: Celebrating Oregon’s Farm Workers” in the Governor’s Office of the Capitol Building in Salem from Feb. 3 to April 2.

LaDuke’s brightly colored and richly patterned paintings on shaped wood panels celebrate Oregon’s agricultural bounty and the individuals who labor to grow and harvest it. To create these works, the artist spends many hours in the fields sketching and connecting with migrant workers on Southern Oregon farms, vineyards and orchards. Later, in the studio, LaDuke transforms her sketches into energetic imagery that dignifies the migrant farm workers and their important labor.

Throughout LaDuke’s long artistic career she has created artwork inspired by the experiences of women, agrarian workers and tradespeople, and by folk art traditions, in places around the world. Writes curator Bonnie Laing-Malcolmson: “Her work asks the viewer to value and celebrate the beauty of other cultures, while recognizing humanity’s enduring hardships.” In “Bountiful Harvest,” the artist turns our attention to the lives of people closer to home—to the Latinx farmworkers who harvest Southern Oregon’s fertile lands. The works in the exhibition also can be found in the artist’s publication, “Bountiful Harvest: From Land to Table,” published in 2016 by White Cloud Press.

Born in the Bronx, New York, to Russian and Polish immigrant parents, LaDuke’s artistic training began at age 9 while attending the Workers Children’s Camp (Wo-Chi-Ca), under the tutelage of art program directors and African American artists Charles White and Elizabeth Catlett. By her teen years she was sketching stylized portraits of street vendors in New York City. Scholarships in the early 1950s brought LaDuke to the University of Denver, the Cleveland Institute of Art and the Instituto Allende in San Miguel, Mexico. Her time in Mexico, where she met Mexican modernists Rufino Tamayo, Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros, and was first introduced to indigenous cultures, was a formative period. Back in the United States, LaDuke began to teach while continuing her studio practice, and in 1963 completed her master’s degree in printmaking at California State University (Los Angeles). In 1964 LaDuke moved to Oregon, accepting a position in the art department at Southern Oregon University (SOU) where she taught for 32 years.

Throughout LaDuke’s career, she has published films, articles and books, lectured and presented across the United States and internationally, and published her artwork on book and journal covers, while continuously developing and extensively exhibiting new work around socially-engaged multicultural themes. LaDuke has received numerous awards and special recognition for her artwork, scholarship, philanthropy and dedication to justice, peace and social change. These include the Oregon Governor’s Arts Award in 1993 and the 2019 Oregon Arts Medallion presented by the Oregon Center for the Arts at SOU. Regionally, her artwork can be found in public collections such as the Portland Art Museum, the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art (Eugene), Oregon State University (Corvallis), the Hallie Ford Museum of Art (Salem), Schneider Art Museum (Ashland) and SOU, and permanent displays including one at the Rogue Valley International Airport (Medford). A retrospective exhibition featuring the breadth of LaDuke’s artistic work was first mounted at the Schneider Museum of Art in 2013, and has also traveled to the Brauer Art Museum, Valparaiso University (Valparaiso, Indiana), the Coos Art Museum (Coos Bay) and elsewhere. LaDuke’s current work centers around issues related to borders, immigration and social justice, both in her “Bountiful Harvest” series and in the circulating exhibition portfolio “Social Justice Revisited: Remembering, Reliving, Resisting.”

The Art in the Governor’s Office Program honors selected artists in Oregon with exhibitions in the reception area of the Governor’s Office in the State Capitol. Artists are nominated by a statewide committee of arts professionals who consider artists representing the breadth and diversity of artistic practice across Oregon, and are then selected by the Arts Commission with the participation of the Governor’s Office. Only professional, living Oregon artists are considered and an exhibit in the Governor’s office is regarded as a “once in a lifetime” honor. Artists whose work has previously been shown in the Governor’s office include Henk Pander, Michele Russo, Manuel Izquierdo, James Lavadour, Margot Thompson, Gordon Gilkey and Yuji Hiratsuka.

The Oregon Arts Commission provides leadership, funding and arts programs through its grants, special initiatives and services. Nine commissioners, appointed by the Governor, determine arts needs and establish policies for public support of the arts. The Arts Commission became part of Business Oregon (formerly Oregon Economic and Community Development Department) in 1993, in recognition of the expanding role the arts play in the broader social, economic and educational arenas of Oregon communities. In 2003, the Oregon legislature moved the operations of the Oregon Cultural Trust to the Arts Commission, streamlining operations and making use of the Commission’s expertise in grantmaking, arts and cultural information and community cultural development. 

The Arts Commission is supported with general funds appropriated by the Oregon legislature and with federal funds from the National Endowment for the Arts as well as funds from the Oregon Cultural Trust. More information about the Oregon Arts Commission is available online at: www.oregonartscommission.org.

(SALEM, Oregon) – The Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) will host its

quarterly stakeholder meeting on January 22, 2020 in Salem. Join us in person or

online.

DHS Director Fariborz Pakseresht, along with the agency’s Executive Leadership

Team, will present brief agency and program division updates followed by a

question-and-answer period.

Updates will be provided on each of the agency’s program divisions: Aging and

People with Disabilities, Child Welfare, the Office of Developmental Disabilities,

Self-Sufficiency Programs, Vocational Rehabilitation, and Central and Shared

Services (Business Operations).

Date: Wed., January 22, 2020

Time: 2 to 3:30 p.m.

Participate:

· In-Person: Barbara Roberts Human Services Building, Room 137 B-D, 500

Summer Street NE, Salem

· Online: Join from any PC or mobile device browser using this link:

https://joinnoam.broadcast.skype.com/dhsoha.state.or.us/8516c6dcdf024d3d9e4a36110476f5d9

Follow along on Twitter by using #ORDHSforum.

Learn more about the services DHS offers: www.oregon.gov/dhs

(Salem) –Lori Graham has been appointed as the interim administrator for the Oregon Building Codes Division by the Department of Consumer and Business Services, of which building codes is a part. Building Codes Division Director, Mark Long, announced his resignation recently to pursue a new career opportunity.

“Lori is a strong team builder with 20 years’ experience in building code issues,” said Lou Savage, acting director of DCBS.

Graham began her career in the building code industry in 1993 working with accessibility and plumbing codes at the Washington State Building Code Council.  In that role, she worked with the United States Department of Justice to establish the first building code in the nation to be certified as equivalent to Title III of the Americans with Disability Act Accessibility Guidelines.

In 1998, Graham joined the Portland Bureau of Development Services focusing on building codes and land use policy and was the liaison to the legislature for building code issues. She was with the Portland Bureau of Development Services for 10 years before joining the Oregon Building Codes Division to manage the ePermitting program. She later became the policy manager for the Policy and Codes Program. Graham was with building codes for 5 years before accepting her current position as Operations Division Manager with the Workers’ Compensation Division in 2013.

“I’m honored to work with the highly-skilled team at the Building Codes Division to facilitate a successful transition,” said Graham.

Graham will serve as the interim administrator until the permanent administrator has been hired. She will not seek the position.

###

About BCD: The Building Codes Division adopts statewide construction standards, which ensure a uniform and predictable regulatory environment in Oregon. For more information, visit www.oregon.gov/bcd.

About DCBS: The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services is Oregon’s largest business regulatory and consumer protection agency. For more information, go to www.dcbs.oregon.gov. Follow DCBS on Twitter: twitter.com/OregonDCBS. Receive consumer help and information on insurance, mortgages, investments, workplace safety, and more.

UPDATE

An adult in custody (AIC) who walked away earlier today from a Mill Creek Correctional Facility work crew is now back in custody.

Law enforcement officials arrested Timofey Erofeeff today at approximately 2:30 p.m. in Salem.

A Mill Creek Correctional Facility (MCCF) adult in custody (AIC) walked away from a work crew this afternoon. The crew was working near Salem’s Pringle Park. The Oregon State Police and the Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) are investigating.

Staff discovered AIC Timofey Erofeeff missing from a work crew near Pringle Park, last seen heading towards Bellevue and Church Street at approximately 12:15 p.m. Erofeeff is a 29-year-old Caucasian male, 5 feet 10 inches tall, 185 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. Erofeeff was last seen wearing blue denim jeans and a navy-blue sweatshirt.

Erofeeff entered DOC custody on June 25, 2018, on two counts of burglary in the first degree out of Clackamas County, one count attempted burglary in the first degree, and one count eluding police out of Clatsop County. His earliest release date is January 2, 2021.

Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts is asked to call the Oregon State Police at 1-800-452-7888.

MCCF is an unfenced, minimum-security prison in Salem that houses approximately 290 adults in custody who are within four years of release. The facility concentrates on work opportunities, most of which are in the form of work crews contracting with state agencies, local organizations, and private industries within a 60-mile radius of Salem. MCCF opened in 1929 as the Farm Annex of the Oregon State Penitentiary, housing 50 individuals. The Farm Annex provided all of the milk, eggs, meat, fruit, and vegetables for the Oregon State Penitentiary and the State Hospital. The main building (as well as many of the out buildings that made up the farm) still stands today and, at 81 years old, it makes for the second oldest prison in the state.   

###

SALEM, Ore. — Oregon’s Smoke Management Advisory Committee will meet Jan. 30, 2020 in Salem. On the agenda are:

• reports from the Department of Environmental Quality and ODF’s Protection Division
• a summary of prescribed burning in 2019
• a summary of smoke intrusions and incidents
• a budget and fund balance update
• an update on data systems
• an update on the smoke management plan implementation, including community response plans.

In addition, the committee will discuss key performance measures.

The public is invited to attend and there will be a period for public comment in the morning. The meeting is in the Tillamook Room in Building C on the campus of the Oregon Department of Forestry, 2600 State Street in Salem. It will last from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The meeting space is accessible to persons with disabilities. Requests for an interpreter for the hearing impaired or other accommodations for persons with disabilities should be made at least 48 hours before the meeting by contacting Shauna Morris at 503-945-7529.

Created by the Legislature in 1989, the five-member committee assists and advises the Oregon Department of Forestry in carrying out its Smoke Management Program. Members are appointed by the State Forester to serve a two-year term, which is renewable.

                                                                                    # # #

Salem, Ore. -- A committee advising Oregon Department of Forestry staff on forest operations, projects and activities is currently seeking applications to fill a vacancy.

Formed in 2001, the State Forests Advisory Committee provides input on the implementation of the Northwest Oregon State Forest Management Plan. The committee represents a diverse range of forestry interests and serves as a forum to discuss agency opportunities for achieving forest management goals in these areas.

The committee specifically covers issues related to ODF district Annual Operations Plans, best practices for balancing a range of forest benefits, strategies for improving public outreach and participation, and other technical forest management topics.

ODF is seeking applicants to fill a non-affiliated position on the advisory board. The new member will serve a three-year term beginning in March 2020.

“This is an opportunity for Oregonians to take a seat at the table of today’s forestry conversation and provide insight and perspectives on how we are implementing the forest management plan. We look forward to hosting a diverse and experienced committee in the coming months,” said Andy White, Northwest Oregon Area Director for the Oregon Department of Forestry.

SFAC members attend three meetings per year and a summer field tour, and agendas are usually scheduled from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.   

To apply, complete a questionnaire by Feb. 7, 2020 and submit to April Davis at the Oregon Department of Forestry by email to il.r.davis@oregon.gov">april.r.davis@oregon.gov or mail to 801 Gales Creek Road, Forest Grove, OR 97116.

For specific questions about the committee, please contact Andy White at 503-359-7496 or ew.t.white@oregon.gov">andrew.t.white@oregon.gov. Additional SFAC background information can be found here (http://www.oregon.gov/ODF/Board/Pages/SFAC.aspx).

SALEM, Ore. – Three Oregon loggers representing eastern, southwest and northwest Oregon have been chosen as 2019 Operators of the Year. The eastern Oregon winner, was chosen, in part, for work he did in Hood River County.

The Oregon Board of Forestry will honor the recipients at its March 4 meeting in Salem. The awardees are:

• Eastern Oregon – Steve Jackson of Steve Jackson Logging based in Ridgefield, Wash.
• Southwest Oregon – Pacific Forest Contractors, Inc., of Eagle Creek
• Northwest Oregon – Jim Gahlsdorf of Gahlsdorf Logging Inc., in Rickreall

The Board gives the Operator of the Year Awards to recognize those who, while harvesting timber or doing other forestry work, protect natural resources at a level that goes above and beyond requirements of the Oregon Forest Practices Act. That law requires people to manage forests responsibly and protect streams and water quality, protect and enhance habitat, and reduce landslide risks. The law also requires landowners to replant forests after harvesting. The awards honor operators who consistently meet or exceed Forest Practices Act regulations. Videos about each of the three Operators of the Year and the Merit Award winner C + C Logging can be viewed on the ODF website at  https://www.oregon.gov/odf/Working/Pages/default.aspx

Private Forests Division Chief Kyle Abraham said, “These operators have shown an outstanding ability to harvest the wood products Oregon and the nation need while protecting natural resources. We’re pleased to honor the care and diligence they exercise to protect soil and water during harvest operations, often in challenging circumstances.”

Steve Jackson earned the Eastern Oregon Operator of the Year award for a careful harvest along a scenic roadway in Hood River County leading to popular hiking trails. Jackson protected multiple pockets of young trees, jump starting natural regeneration on the steep slopes.  He was able to fell trees near an upper fork of the Hood River without harming trees in the protective buffer. And at the request of the U.S. Forest Service he also removed hazardous, non-merchantable trees along the roadside to improve public safety. The award also recognizes Jackson for decades of consistently applying best management practices to safeguard forest resources, even under challenging circumstances.

Pacific Forest Contractors of Eagle Creek was recognized as Operator of the Year for Southwest Oregon. They successfully harvested a unit severely damaged by a late winter snowstorm in 2019. Heavy snow bent many of the trees in a hazardous, helter-skelter pattern. There was only a narrow window

of time to harvest before summer fire restrictions would have curtailed logging. Crews also did an outstanding job of protecting trees bordering a salmon-bearing stream, lifting logs up and sending them via rigging across the stream over the tops of retained trees.

Jim Gahlsdorf, owner of Gahlsdorf Logging Inc., based in Polk County earned the Northwest Oregon Operator of the Year award for minimizing soil disturbance by using an elaborate rigging system that lifted logs off the ground and over a high ridge to the yarder landing. The operation was in a steep, remote part of the Coast Range during fire season, which prompted the owner to take extra firefighting precautions.

The Northwest Oregon Regional Forest Practices Committee also issued a Merit Award to C and C Logging for the firm’s safety consciousness and innovative use of technology, including using a drone to carry line into areas of fallen timber.

Regional Forest Practices committees select the operators of the year and merit award recipients from among nominees sent in by landowners, ODF staff and others.

In addition to the honors at the March Board meeting, special recognition is also provided at the Associated Oregon Loggers training and education event in January and the Oregon Logging Conference in February.

Oregon enacted the Forest Practices Act in 1971 as a national model for forest management laws. The law focuses on ensuring responsible forest operations and protecting natural resources in forestland. The Act has been updated many times based on new scientific information and values to create a balanced approach to natural resource management.

                                                                                     # # #

SALEM, Ore. – Three Oregon loggers representing southwest, northwest and eastern Oregon have been chosen as 2019 Operators of the Year. The Oregon Board of Forestry will honor the recipients at its March 4 meeting in Salem. The awardees are:

• Southwest Oregon – Pacific Forest Contractors, Inc., of Eagle Creek
• Eastern Oregon – Steve Jackson of Steve Jackson Logging based in Ridgefield, Wash.
• Northwest Oregon – Jim Gahlsdorf of Gahlsdorf Logging Inc., in Rickreall

The Board gives the Operator of the Year Awards to recognize those who, while harvesting timber or doing other forestry work, protect natural resources at a level that goes above and beyond requirements of the Oregon Forest Practices Act. That law requires people to manage forests responsibly and protect streams and water quality, protect and enhance habitat, and reduce landslide risks. The law also requires landowners to replant forests after harvesting. The awards honor operators who consistently meet or exceed Forest Practices Act regulations. Videos about each of the three Operators of the Year and the Merit Award winner C + C Logging can be viewed on the ODF website at  https://www.oregon.gov/odf/Working/Pages/default.aspx

Private Forests Division Chief Kyle Abraham said, “These operators have shown an outstanding ability to harvest the wood products Oregon and the nation need while protecting natural resources. We’re pleased to honor the care and diligence they exercise to protect soil and water during harvest operations, often in challenging circumstances.”

Pacific Forest Contractors of Eagle Creek was recognized as Operator of the Year for Southwest Oregon. They successfully harvested a unit severely damaged by a late winter snowstorm in 2019. Heavy snow bent many of the trees in a hazardous, helter-skelter pattern. There was only a narrow window

of time to harvest before summer fire restrictions would have curtailed logging. Crews also did an outstanding job of protecting trees bordering a salmon-bearing stream, lifting logs up and sending them via rigging across the stream over the tops of retained trees.

Steve Jackson earned the Eastern Oregon Operator of the Year award for a careful harvest along a scenic roadway in Hood River County leading to popular hiking trails. Jackson protected multiple pockets of young trees, jump starting natural regeneration on the steep slopes.  He was able to fell trees near an upper fork of the Hood River without harming trees in the protective buffer. And at the request of the U.S. Forest Service he also removed hazardous, non-merchantable trees along the roadside to improve public safety. The award also recognizes Jackson for decades of consistently applying best management practices to safeguard forest resources, even under challenging circumstances.

Jim Gahlsdorf, owner of Gahlsdorf Logging Inc., based in Polk County earned the Northwest Oregon Operator of the Year award for minimizing soil disturbance by using an elaborate rigging system that lifted logs off the ground and over a high ridge to the yarder landing. The operation was in a steep, remote part of the Coast Range during fire season, which prompted the owner to take extra firefighting precautions.

The Northwest Oregon Regional Forest Practices Committee also issued a Merit Award to C and C Logging for the firm’s safety consciousness and innovative use of technology, including using a drone to carry line into areas of fallen timber.

Regional Forest Practices committees select the operators of the year and merit award recipients from among nominees sent in by landowners, ODF staff and others.

In addition to the honors at the March Board meeting, special recognition is also provided at the Associated Oregon Loggers training and education event in January and the Oregon Logging Conference in February.

Oregon enacted the Forest Practices Act in 1971 as a national model for forest management laws. The law focuses on ensuring responsible forest operations and protecting natural resources in forestland. The Act has been updated many times based on new scientific information and values to create a balanced approach to natural resource management.

                                                                                                      # # #

Lyons, Ore. — The Santiam Horse Camp campground in the Santiam State Forest will be transitioning to an online reservation system through Reserve America, the same reservation system used by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department as well as ODF’s Northrup Creek Horse Camp in the Clatsop State Forest.

All 10 horse sites and two tent sites can be reserved online up to 24 hours in advance. If a site is not reserved, it will be available on a nightly basis for first come, first serve campers.

Moving forward, those wishing to make reservations will be able to do so up to nine months in advance. Also, the new reservation system provides certainty to horse campers that they have a reserved campsite prior to trailering a horse to the campgrounds. A small online reservation fee will apply.

The public can reserve campsites online now for May 21 through Sept. 30, 2020. To reserve your spot, visit https://www.reserveamerica.com/explore/santiam-horse-camp/OR/411802/overview.

For more information, please contact the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Santiam office at 503-859-2151.

About State Forests Recreation: Our mission is to create lasting and diverse outdoor recreational experiences, inspiring visitors to enjoy, respect, and connect with Oregon’s state forests. To learn more about recreational opportunities in state forests, visit https://www.oregon.gov/ODF/Recreation/Pages/default.aspx.

The Oregon Department of Revenue will begin processing state tax returns on January 27, the same day the IRS will begin processing federal returns. Taxpayers can submit their returns earlier, but processing won’t start until the tax season officially begins.

Once processing begins, returns will be processed in the order received. However, the Oregon Department of Revenue won’t be issuing personal income tax refunds until after February 15. This refund hold is part of the state’s tax fraud prevention activities and will allow confirmation that the amounts claimed on returns matches what employers report on forms W-2 and 1099. The IRS is also holding federal tax refunds until after February 15, but only for those taxpayers claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit or the Additional Child Tax Credit.

Federal changes from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act directly impact Oregon’s personal income tax, including changes to calculating withholding allowances for tax year 2019. This may mean that more taxpayers have a tax to pay or may have more tax to pay than usual. The department encourages taxpayers to use its online withholding calculator to check their state withholding, so they can make any necessary changes to 2020 withholding. Also, because of these federal tax changes, Oregon now has its own W-4 called Form OR-W-4. Taxpayers can request the new form from their employer or download it at www.oregon.gov/dor, fill it out and return it to their employer.

It’s important to note that beginning January 1, 2020, any changes to your state withholding must be made using Form OR-W-4 because Oregon withholding is calculated using allowances, unlike the federal form.

Here are a few other things for taxpayers to keep in mind this tax season:

• E-filing is the fastest way to get your tax refund. On average, taxpayers who e-file their returns and request their refund via direct deposit receive their refund sooner than those who file paper returns and request paper refund checks.
• There are many free or low-cost preparation options available for both federal and Oregon tax returns.
  • Some software companies offer free software use and e-filing for eligible taxpayers. Be sure to access the software through the department's website, or the company may not allow you to take advantage of the free offer.
  • AARP and CASH Oregon provide free and low-cost tax preparation services throughout local communities.
  • All Oregon taxpayers preparing their own return can file electronically at no cost using Oregon’s free fillable forms.

For more information, visit www.oregon.gov/dor and click on “Free tax preparation services” under “More Topics” on the department’s homepage.

• Taxpayers can order copies of past returns, letters, or other correspondence—from 2015 to current—through their Revenue Online account. They can also order and pay for these, or older documents, over the phone at 800-356-4222.
• Anyone who needs a personal income tax return booklet can download and print it from the department’s website at www.oregon.gov/dor/forms. They can also order a copy online, by calling 503-378-4988 or 800-356-4222, or by mailing their request—along with their name, phone number, and mailing address to:

Forms

Oregon Department of Revenue

PO Box 14999

Salem, OR 97309-0990

• Some eligible Oregonians may not be claiming the federal Earned Income Tax Credit. For more information about the credit and eligibility, visit the IRS website at www.irs.gov. Those who qualify for the EITC are also eligible to claim Oregon’s Earned Income Credit, which is 8 percent of their federal credit amount, or 11 percent if they have a qualifying dependent under 3 years old.

Employers must file their income tax withholding returns and reports and remit the income tax withheld from their employees’ paychecks by January 31. The department uses these returns and reports to validate the information on employees’ tax returns. Submitting returns and reports by the deadline helps ensure any personal income tax refunds owed to their employees won’t be delayed.

Employer returns and reports due by January 31 include:

• Quarterly Employer Tax Report (Form OQ) for the fourth quarter of 2019.
• Statewide transit tax return (Form OR-STT-1 and STT-2), also for fourth quarter.
• Employee Detail Report (Form 132).
• W-2s and 1099s for each employee or worker, electronically submitted through iWire.
• Annual withholding reconciliation report (Form OR-WR).

For information about an employer’s filing or payment responsibilities, please visit the department’s website at www.oregon.gov/dor, call 503-945-8091, or email payroll.help.dor@oregon.gov.

You can visit www.oregon.gov/dor to get forms, check the status of your refund, or make payments. Call 503-378-4988 or 800-356-4222 (toll-free) or email questions.dor@oregon.gov for additional assistance. For TTY for hearing- or speech-impaired, call 800-886-7204.

—30—

January 16, 2019

Media contact: Allyson Hagen, 503-449-6457, allyson.hagen@dhsoha.state.or.us

Oregon Health Authority awarded up to $16 million to improve child health

Funds targeted to Marion, Polk, Crook, Deschutes, Jefferson counties

Statement from Dana Hargunani, MD, OHA chief medical officer

Oregon will receive millions in new federal funding to develop better ways to reduce health risks for children and prevent unnecessary hospital visits and foster care placements.

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) has been awarded up to $16 million over seven years from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Integrated Care for Kids (InCK) Model to improve health for children and youth covered by Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) in five Oregon counties.

OHA will partner with the Oregon Pediatric Improvement Partnership (OPIP) at Oregon Health & Science University and local communities to better integrate services across behavioral health, physical health, and other family supports to meet the triple aim of better health, better care, and lower costs. OHA is one of eight awardees selected from across the country.

"This is an exciting opportunity to bring extra resources to this region, connecting community partners, health care providers and families to wrap resources around our kids," said Dana Hargunani, MD, OHA's chief medical officer. "We will be able to take what we learn from this work to help improve children’s health across the state."

The model will focus on supporting children and youth ages 0 to 21 who are covered by Medicaid and CHIP in Marion, Polk, Crook, Deschutes and Jefferson counties. The ultimate goal of the model is to provide effective child- and family-centered care in order to reduce hospital stays and out-of-home placements for children and youth such as foster care and residential behavioral health.

Research shows that many of the factors that determine health outcomes are related to social determinants of health and health equity. This funding aims to help health care providers align with other public programs such as child welfare, education, housing, nutrition, and maternal and child health to expand access to care for children and youth.

The funding includes up to $3 million for the first two years for planning and partnership development and up to $2 million for each of the five implementation years, with some funding contingent on performance.

The model will also help advance Governor Brown’s policy priorities for the Oregon Health Plan by: addressing social determinants of health and health equity, improving family behavioral health support, developing value-based payments for children’s health care, and reducing costs.

The award announcement can be found on the CMS website.

# # #

Disclaimer: The contents provided are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of HHS or any of its agencies.

The project described above was supported by Funding Opportunity Number CMS2B2-20-001 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

January 14, 2020

Media contact: Allyson Hagen, 503-449-6457, allyson.hagen@dhsoha.state.or.us

Program Contact: Daphne Peck, 503-373-1985, c.info@dhsoha.state.or.us">herc.info@dhsoha.state.or.us (meeting information or accommodation)

HERC Evidence-based Guidelines Subcommittee meets February 6

What: A public meeting of the Health Evidence Review Commission’s Evidence-based Guidelines Subcommittee.

When: February 6, 2-5 p.m.

Where: Clackamas Community College Wilsonville Training Center, Rooms 111-112, 29353 SW Town Center Loop E, Wilsonville. The public also may attend by webinar and via a listen-only conference line at 888-204-5984, participant code 801373.

Agenda: The subcommittee will review public comments on the draft coverage guidance on planned out-of-hospital birth, as well as a new evidence-based report, Multicomponent Interventions to Improve Screening for Breast, Cervical or Colorectal Cancer.

For more information about the meeting, visit the committee’s website. The meeting agenda and materials will be available one week before the meeting.

# # #

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 Daphne Peck at 503-373-1985, 711 TTY or c.info@dhsoha.state.or.us" target="_blank">erc.info@dhsoha.state.or.us at least 48 hours before the event. Written comments are also welcome at c.info@dhsoha.state.or.us">herc.info@dhsoha.state.or.us.

January 13, 2020

Media contact: Delia Hernández, 503-422-7179, phd.communications@dhsoha.state.or.us

Oregon Cannabis Commission's Patient and Social Equity Subcommittee meets January 23

What: A public meeting of the Patient and Social Equity Subcommittee of the Oregon Cannabis Commission.

Agenda: Opening introductions and statements; outline of goals and timeline; open discussion of scope and timeframe for initial subcommittee work, division of work and duties; open discussion of Patient Care Program.

When: Thursday, Jan. 23, 1-3 p.m.

Where: Portland State Office Building, Conference Room 1B, 800 NE Oregon St., Portland. Conference call line: 877-848-7030, access code 753428.

Background: The Oregon Cannabis Commission was established in the 2017 legislative session through HB 2198. The commission consists of the state health officer or designee and an eight member-panel appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the senate. The commission is tasked with determining a possible framework for future governance of the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program, steps to address research on cannabis in areas of public health policy and public safety policy, agronomic and horticultural best practices, and medical and pharmacopoeia best practices. The commission also advises the Oregon Health Authority and the Oregon Liquor Control Commission regarding statutes governing medical and retail cannabis. Visit www.healthoregon.org/cannabiscommission for more information.

# # #

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 Shannon McFadden at 971-673-3181, 711 TTY or shannon.m.mcfadden@dhsoha.state.or.us at least 48 hours before the meeting.

January 13, 2020

Media contact: Allyson Hagen, 503-449-6457, allyson.hagen@dhsoha.state.or.us

Program Contact: Pete Edlund, 503-931-8873, .m.edlund@dhsoha.state.or.us">peter.m.edlund@dhsoha.state.or.us (meeting information or accommodation)

CCO Metrics and Scoring Committee meets January 17

What: The regular public meeting of the Oregon Health Authority’s CCO Metrics and Scoring Committee.

When: January 17, 9 a.m. to noon.

Where: Five Oak Building Suite 775, Transformation Training Room, 421 SW Oak St., Portland. The public also may join remotely through a webinar at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/rt/6785343942173754125 and listen-only conference line at 888-204-5984, access code 1277166.

Agenda: Welcome, consent agenda, and general updates; public testimony (9:10-9:20); OHPB health equity definition – presentation and discussion; the incentive program and transformation; 2021 measure proposal: health equity – meaningful access to culturally responsive health care services; 2021 measure proposal: obesity prevention through multi-sector interventions; adjourn.

For more information, please visit the committee's website at https://www.oregon.gov/oha/HPA/ANALYTICS/Pages/Metrics-Scoring-Committee.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
• Braille
• Large print
• Audio and other formats

If you need help or have questions, please contact Pete Edlund at 503-931-8873, 711 TTY, .m.edlund@dhsoha.state.or.u">peter.m.edlund@dhsoha.state.or.u, at least 48 hours before the meeting.

January 15, 2020 - Salem, Ore. – Laundry day got very exciting for a Portland man who accidentally washed his wallet, with an Oregon’s Game Megabucks ticket worth $8.4 million inside.

“I washed my wallet and then realized I had Lottery tickets in there,” said Scott Moe, who won the prize. “A couple of the tickets were destroyed, but not the jackpot ticket.”

Moe was piecing together his laundered lottery tickets right before bed, and after utilizing the Lottery’s ticket-scanning app for the first time and realizing he had won the $8.4 million jackpot, it was midnight. Moe said that luckily the ticket worth $8.4 million was the last one he bought and protected by other tickets in his wallet.

“I didn’t sleep until later the next day,” he said. “My mind was racing!”

Moe brought the ticket to the Oregon Lottery Friday, Jan. 10 to verify it was the winning ticket. Then he took advantage of leaving the ticket at the Lottery, while he determined the best way to claim his prize. Players can leave their validated tickets at the Oregon Lottery office for up to 60 days, while they decide how to take their prize, either in a one-time lump sum or 30 annual payments. When Moe came back Monday, he said he contacted a financial advisor and was working on a plan.

Moe took the bulk-sum option, which splits the prize in half to $4.2 million, and after taxes, Moe took home $2.85 million.

Moe purchased the ticket from the Buy2 on SW Oleson Road in Portland. Officials with the company said this was the first time one of their stores had sold a jackpot ticket, and they were very excited for Moe and to be a supporter of the Oregon Lottery.

“We are very happy to be able to help support such great state programs the Lottery helps to fund,” said Emily Valentine, marketing manager for Buy2.

For selling the winning ticket Buy2 will receive a 1-percent selling bonus of $84,000.

During the 2018 fiscal year, more than $90.1 million in Oregon Lottery proceeds were directed to economic development, parks, education, Outdoor School, Veterans services and watershed enhancement in Multnomah County, where Moe lives and purchased the ticket. Since 1985, Oregon Lottery players have won more than $38 billion in prizes.

The Oregon Lottery reminds players to always sign the back of their Lottery tickets, regardless of the game. In the event of winning a jackpot, they should consult with a trusted financial planner or similar professional to develop a plan for their winnings. Prize winners of more than $50,000 are advised to contact the Lottery office and schedule an appointment to claim their prize.

Since the Oregon Lottery began selling tickets on April 25, 1985, it has earned more than $12 billion for economic development, public education, Outdoor School, state parks, Veterans services and watershed enhancements. For more information on the Oregon Lottery visit www.oregonlottery.org

(NOTE: THIS A CORRECTED VERSION OF THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR PRESS RELEASE. PLEASE DELETE EARLIER VERSION AND USE THIS VERSION.)

Time is running out to nominate teachers for the 2021 Oregon Teacher of the Year, as those nominations close Friday, Jan. 31.

Each year, exceptional teachers are honored in up to 19 regions across the state, with Oregon’s Teacher of the Year selected from among those regional finalists.

The Teacher of the Year program was created to recognize exemplary public-school educators — Oregon teachers who inspire students and make a positive impact in the communities in which they live. The award celebrates knowledge, dedication, innovation and leadership.

Thanks to the Oregon Department of Education’s partnership with the Oregon Lottery, the Oregon Teacher of the Year receives a gift award of $5,000 as well as a special fund to cover all travel costs for the year.

In addition, a matching gift of $5,000 goes to the Teacher of the Year’s school. The winner also receives gifts and recognition from the Council of Chief State School Officers, founder of the National Teacher of the Year Program. Finalists and their school both receive a $2,000 cash award, and regional winners each receive $500 as a part of the Oregon Department of Education’s partnership with the Oregon Lottery.

Know a great teacher? Fill out the nomination form at oregonteacheroftheyear.org to share what makes them exceptional!

You will also find more information about the Oregon Teacher of the Year program and learn about 2020 Teacher of the Year Mercedes Munoz from Portland’s Franklin High School at that site.

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Time is running out to nominate teachers for the 2021 Oregon Teacher of the Year, as those nominations close Friday, Jan. 31.

Each year, exceptional teachers are honored in up to 19 regions across the state, with Oregon’s Teacher of the Year selected from among those regional finalists.

The Teacher of the Year program was created to recognize exemplary public-school educators — Oregon teachers who inspire students and make a positive impact in the communities in which they live. The award celebrates knowledge, dedication, innovation and leadership.

Thanks to the Oregon Department of Education’s partnership with the Oregon Lottery, the Oregon Teacher of the Year receives a gift award of $5,000 as well as a special fund to cover all travel costs for the year.

In addition, a matching gift of $5,000 goes to the Teacher of the Year’s school. The winner also receives gifts and recognition from the Council of Chief State School Officers, founder of the National Teacher of the Year Program. Finalists receive a $2,000 cash award, and regional winners each receive $500 as a part of the Oregon Department of Education’s partnership with the Oregon Lottery.

Know a great teacher? Fill out the nomination form at oregonlotteryteacheroftheyear.org to share what makes them exceptional!

You will also find more information about the Oregon Teacher of the Year program and learn about 2020 Teacher of the Year Mercedes Munoz from Portland’s Franklin High School at that site.

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The Oregon State Marine Board will conduct its quarterly Board meeting on January 22, 2020, at the Marine Board office, 435 Commercial St. N.E., in Salem, beginning at 8:30 a.m.

The Board will consider and discuss the following agenda items in addition to informational topics:

• Director’s report;
• Board member onboarding guide;
• Legislative concept update;
• Oregon Board of Maritime Pilots presentation;
• Corrective action plan for the Port of Toledo;
• Abandoned Derelict Vessel Program and federal Grant;
• Consideration of rulemaking for OAR 250-020-0021, boat operations on certain waters in Lane County, amends language to allow the use of electric motors on Gold Lake;
• Consider petition to amend OAR 250-020-0091 to allow the use of electric motors at slow-no wake speed on North and South Twin Lakes in Deschutes County;
• Consideration of rulemaking for OAR 250-018-0010, 250-021-0030, 250-021-0035, operation of personal watercraft by youth, to amend definitions and operating rules that allow youth competitions and training;
• Consideration of rulemaking for OSR 250-001-0020, fees for public records, amends rule to remove public record fees from administrative rules and leave only in policy;
• Consideration for Rulemaking, OAR 250-010-0154, personal flotation devices, initiate rulemaking to comply with new federal U.S. Coast Guard-approved labeling system;
• Consideration of rulemaking for OAR 250-016-0025, CPR certification for Guides, amends rule to remove the requirement of written change notifications for First Aid/CPR certification expiration dates;
• Consideration of rulemaking, OAR 250-010-0155, fire extinguishers, amends rule to reflect changes in U.S. Coast Guard standards;
• Update on the rule advisory committee for the Lower Willamette River;
• Towed Watersports Education Course;
• Update on the rule advisory committee for the Newberg Pool.

Public comments will be accepted on agenda items where the comment period has not closed. The agency staff report will be posted on Tuesday, January 14.

The meetings will be live-streamed via the Marine Board’s YouTube Channel.

To view the agenda and staff report, visit https://www.oregon.gov/osmb/info/Pages/Board-and-Public-Meetings.aspx.

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The Marine Board is directly funded by boaters in the form of registration, title, and permit fees, as well as through marine fuel taxes. No lottery, general fund tax dollars or local facility parking fees support the agency or its programs. Boater-paid fees support the boating public through boating safety services (on-the-water law enforcement, training, and equipment), boating safety education, grants for the construction and maintenance of boating access facilities, and environmental protection programs. For more information about the Marine Board and its programs, visit www.boatoregon.com.

Oregon Parks and Recreation Department Director Lisa Sumption has appointed a new member to the Oregon Commission on Historic Cemeteries.

Valerie Vines Magee, from Rockaway Beach, has experience with parks, public commissions, historic cemeteries, and a historical society. She has used commission resources in the past, including a grant for the Nehalem American Legion Cemetery. According to Vines Magee “The commission has greatly assisted my efforts in bringing resources to the cemetery and major improvements have been made. This beautiful site, that is still operational, now has site signage, an information board, and a cedar, split rail boundary fence.  I hope to assist others, as well as bring additional knowledge and support to our site in Nehalem, with my appointment to the commission.”

“I am thrilled to welcome Val to the commission,” stated Kuri Gill, coordinator for the state historic cemeteries program. “Her local, award winning work, is a great model to share through the commission.”

The seven-member Oregon Commission on Historic Cemeteries supports OPRD historic cemetery preservation efforts by offering training, educational resources, coordination and grants. Its other members are Charlotte Lehan of Wilsonville, Bev Power of Medford, Milo Reed of Portland, Sarah Silbernagel of Pendleton, and Scott Stuemke of Bend.

For more information about the commission and the historic cemeteries program visit www.oregonheritage.org or contact Historic Cemeteries Program Coordinator, Kuri Gill at i.Gill@oregon.gov">Kuri.Gill@oregon.gov or (503) 986-0685.

The Governor’s Task Force on the Outdoors will hold their final meeting 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Jan. 23 at the Willamette Heritage Center, 1313 Mill St. SE, Salem. The meeting is open to the public and will include designated time for public comment.

On the agenda: reviewing work to date; refining final recommended actions and criteria related to outdoor recreation funding; and clarifying next steps for the final report and implementation.

View the detailed agenda online.

The meeting is the final in a series of six that have been held throughout Oregon since May 2019. The meetings were convened by the Office of Outdoor Recreation.

Gov. Brown established the task force early in 2019 with a one-year directive to explore long-term strategies for elevating outdoor recreation in Oregon. The task force’s final report will be publicly released this spring and presented to the governor, state legislature and the Oregon State Parks and Recreation Commission.

Overall strategies developed by the group aim to support access to and participation in outdoor recreation, as well as supporting local and state economies. The group has identified potential actions for these specific strategies: 

• Center efforts on diversity, equity and inclusion.
• Strengthen collaboration and organizational effectiveness.
• Accelerate investments in the outdoor recreation sector.
• Catalyze innovative policies and legislation.
• Empower local and statewide action.

View a draft of the task force’s strategies and actions report online.

Task force members were drawn from public and private sectors, and were appointed by the Oregon State Parks and Recreation Commission. View the full membership list online: oregon.gov/orec/Pages/Governors-Task-Force.aspx

Individuals who require special accommodations to attend the meeting should contact Carrie Lovellette, OPRD executive assistant, at least three days in advance: 503-986-0733 or rie.Lovellette@oregon.gov">Carrie.Lovellette@oregon.gov 

Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) has formed a Rule Advisory Committee to review the agency’s proposed changes to Oregon Administrative Rules governing Oregon’s administration of the federal National Register of Historic Places program.

The Committee begins a series of four meetings later this month to review the proposed changes. All meetings are open to the public and will start at 9 a.m. in the Card room of the Willamette Heritage Center, 1313 Mill Street SE, Salem.

Meeting schedule:

• January 28
• February 10
• February 25
• March 10

Meeting agendas will include discussions about: counting property owners and objections; how Tribal governments, state agencies and local jurisdictions participate in the nomination process; administrative functions like staff duties, public notices and hearing procedures; and determining circumstances that would exempt nominations from public disclosure, e.g., protecting culturally-sensitive information.

Ian Johnson, associate deputy state historic preservation officer, says recent contentious National Register nominations spurred OPRD into reviewing Oregon’s rules for the National Register program.

“We identified discrepancies between state and federal rules, so we’re moving to fix those issues and refine the state rules to work better for Oregonians,” said Johnson. 

Committee members were appointed by OPRD and drawn from Tribal, state, county and local governments, preservation and natural resource organizations, and citizens with an interest in the National Register program. 

OPRD will consider the committee’s recommendations and present the proposed rule changes to the Oregon State Parks and Recreation Commission. If the Commission approves the proposal, OPRD will begin the public rulemaking process later this year.

More information about rulemaking is available on the OPRD website: oregon.gov/oprd/RULES/Pages/Rulemaking%20Notices.aspx

The National Register of Historic Places was established as part of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and is maintained by the National Parks Service. 

Individuals who require special accommodations to attend the meetings should contact Tracy Collis, OPRD executive suppot specialist, at least three days in advance of a meeting by calling (503) 986-0690.

Vancouver, Wash. Clark County recognizes that older adults are valuable contributors to the vitality of this community. To encourage and support older adults for their contributions to their communities, the Clark County Commission on Aging has established a program to recognize older adults by means of an annual award presented at the State of the County event.

The award is open to any county resident 65 years or older who has enhanced the community through their life’s work, engagement of others, volunteerism or selfless acts of service to the community. Service in any field of endeavor will be considered (e.g., education, radio, television, business, healthcare, art, music, journalism, faith-based, athletics, politics, volunteer service). A couple may receive the award jointly when both have been involved in service and various community endeavors.

All nominations must be received no later than 5 pm, Thursday, Feb. 13, 2020. Award criteria and nomination forms can be found on the Commission on Aging’s webpage at www.clark.wa.gov/aging.

The Commission on Aging, supported by the Clark County Council, is a nine-member volunteer group that implements the Aging Readiness Plan and provides leadership addressing needs of aging community members.

For more about the commission, visit www.clark.wa.gov/aging.

Vancouver, Wash. – Changes to property taxes impacting Clark County residents took effect beginning Jan. 1, 2020. Clark County residents will see continued changes in education property taxes, implementation of higher income levels for the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Exemption and Deferral programs and graduated Real Estate Excise Tax (REET).

The Clark County Assessor and Treasurer will host a Property Tax Town Hall at 6 pm Tuesday, Jan. 28, at the Battle Ground Community Center, in the Lewis River Reception Hall to explain these changes and answer questions. The Community Center is located at 912 E. Main St.

Prior to the town hall, the Assessor’s Office will hold an outreach event for seniors and people with disabilities at the Battle Ground Community Center from 2:30-5:30 pm. This event is designed to answer questions residents may have about the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Exemption and Deferral Programs.

The Clark County Assessor’s Office administers the exemption and deferral programs which are designed to provide tax relief to qualifying homeowners. It is estimated an additional 16,000 people may qualify based on data received by the 2017 U.S. Census Bureau-American Community Survey.

The Washington State Legislature approved changes to the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Exemption and Deferral Programs when it passed Senate Bill 5160 last session.

Starting with 2020 taxes, the qualifying program requirements are:

• Be at least 61 years old or deemed permanently disabled by the Social Security Administration or have an 80 percent service-connected disability rating by the Veterans Administration.
• Have an annual household income (taxable and non-taxable) of $50,348 or less for the exemption and $58,094 for the deferral.
• Own the home as a primary residence for nine months or more in a calendar year.

“With the new income levels now in effect, we want to try to reach as many seniors and people with disabilities as possible,” said Assessor Peter Van Nortwick. “We have fought for years to align income levels to the median incomes, and it is exciting to be able to deliver.”

Clark County Treasurer Alishia Topper is partnering with the Assessor’s Office to ensure notice of the new requirements reach as many qualifying people as possible.

“Collaboration and partnership between elected offices is the best way to have a positive impact on the people we serve. I’m committed to speak to as many seniors and veterans with disabilities as possible to ensure they have an opportunity to apply,” said Treasurer Topper.

The Assessor encourages anyone interested in learning more about the exemption or deferral programs to contact his office by:

• Visiting the second-floor Joint Lobby in the Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin St.
• Calling 564.397.2391
• Emailing: eduction@clark.wa.gov">taxreduction@clark.wa.gov
• Visiting the website: www.clark.wa.gov/assessor

To learn more about Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5160 as passed by the legislature visit:  http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2019-20/Pdf/Bills/Senate%20Passed%20Legislature/5160-S.PL.pdf

Vancouver, Wash. – There’s still time to respond to Clark County Community Services’ survey regarding the needs of low-income families. The survey, which can be completed online or on paper, will take approximately 15 minutes. It is strictly confidential.

The survey began in November and is available through Friday, Jan. 31.

An online version is available at www.surveymonkey.com/r/2020CNANeedsSurvey in English, Spanish, Russian and Vietnamese.

Paper copies in English, Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese and Chuukese are available from human services providers such as agencies that offer housing, food, clothing, health services and employment assistance.

If you are unable to obtain a paper copy from a service provider, please contact Rebecca Royce at 546.397.7863 or ebecca.royce@clark.wa.gov">rebecca.royce@clark.wa.gov.

Community Services is required to conduct a needs survey every three years. The results are used to help prioritize which programs and services will be funded in our community with Community Service Block Grant awards.

Salem, Ore. — Salem City Council plans to declare a housing emergency at a Council meeting  Tuesday, January 21, 2020, to increase temporary shelter options for those experiencing homelessness in Salem.

Declaration of an emergency will allow the Council to temporarily suspend certain land use provisions to:

• Utilize Pringle Hall as an overnight shelter for up to 37 people
• Increase capacity of the United Way’s Safe Sleep Shelter for women
• Allow car camping on private property with the owner’s permission

On Monday, January 13, Councilors unanimously approved advancing these options with the potential for emergency implementation. The City has repeatedly called for a community-wide response in addressing the diverse challenges of homelessness and helping our unsheltered neighbors. Ideally, the City Council would like to see private property owners fill the shelter gap and allow Pringle Hall to remain an active community event venue.

Pringle Hall Shelter

City staff looked without success at a wide range of building options for additional shelter beds. City-owned Pringle Hall is the most viable near-term choice available. The building in Pringle Park on Church Street SE, has the capacity to shelter up to 37 people. It also has restrooms and kitchen facilities.

This strategy could be implemented quickly without all the barriers experienced with private facilities.

Under zoning laws, a temporary shelter at Pringle Hall is not allowed. To use it as a shelter, the City would need to approve an emergency declaration waiving the zoning requirements and designating the specific site.

United Way Safe Sleep Shelter

The Safe Sleep Shelter is a low-barrier shelter for women, located at 1910 Front Street. It is currently approved for up to 10 women and has capacity for up to 19. United Way is working through the land use process to obtain conditional use approval for the full 19 shelter beds. An emergency declaration could take effect upon approval, more quickly advancing authorization for the full 19-woman capacity.

Car Camping

Councilors also directed staff to present information on a provision to allow car camping on private property with property owner permission on a trial basis. If deemed successful, the provision could be considered for longer term.

Car camping would also require an emergency provision to waive certain land use requirements.

Background

Since Salem’s camping restrictions on public property went into effect in mid-December, some people without shelter have remained on downtown streets. Per Salem City Code (SRC 95), people are allowed to sit or lie on city streets, but not to erect shelters like tents.

In response to public concerns regarding conditions experienced by our unsheltered neighbors, the Council intended to expand warming center capacity in the city to nightly use from January until March, regardless of temperature. ARCHES oversees the warming shelter network. On December 9, 2019, the Council authorized up to $213,000 to support the plan. However, the shelters determined that they do not have the capacity to operate when temperatures are above 32 degrees. Efforts have continued to find a suitable space for temporary shelter.

Salem residents and visitors have reported difficulty passing on public rights of way, sometimes threatening behavior, and unsanitary conditions that include solid waste and garbage accumulation in public areas as a result of the unsheltered groups. Downtown businesses have stated that the conditions around their properties adversely affect their customers. The City has intervened with periodic cleanings when public health and safety conditions have deteriorated.

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The Second Annual Report for the City of Tualatin’s transportation bond is now available online at TualatinMovingForward.com. Copies are also available in City offices and at various City locations.

In 2018, Tualatin voters approved a $20 million bond program that will pay for more than 30 projects that improve congestion and neighborhood traffic safety. Mayor Frank Bubenik reports to voters: “The $20 million you approved is hard at work making roadways safer, less congested, and creating connections to schools and parks around town.”

The feature story in the report covers a major project at the Tualatin-Sherwood Road and I-5 junction – Tualatin’s busiest intersection. There, computer modeling using the latest technology pointed to an unanticipated solution. Simply restriping the existing lanes and adjusting the signage would yield significant time savings: nearly 5 minutes per day for the typical commuter. Commuters, commerce and local connections will all benefit. While the design is effective at managing traffic, it will also take less time to construct, saving up to $1 million.

The long-awaited Garden Corner Curves project is also getting underway, with construction starting on upgrading SW 105th Avenue/Blake Street and 108th Avenue between Avery Street and Willow Street.

The Second Annual Report also charts progress on almost 20 bond-funded projects. Five projects are already built, and seven more are underway. “Over the next two years, Tualatin residents will see projects completed on streets in the downtown and almost every neighborhood”, says Tualatin’s Public Works Director Jeff Fuchs, P.E.

To learn more, go to TualatinMovingForward.com.

The City of Tualatin is partnering with local employers to install transportation projects that improve worker safety on streets near employment centers. “We love to partner with interested local businesses – and we can often help with the cost,” says Public Works Director, Jeff Fuchs, P.E.

Leveraging funds from the $20 million transportation bond program approved by Tualatin voters in 2018, the City is working to make traffic safety and congestion improvements citywide. More than 30 projects are planned, and five are already built.

An upcoming project will enhance the mid-block pedestrian crossing installed in 2017 at Portland General Electric’s facility on Mohawk Drive near Martinazzi. Before, with the PGE campus situated on both sides of Mohawk, up to 400 workers per day crossed the street without a marked crossing. Many had expressed concern about the unsafe crossing.

Initial crossing improvements were designed by City staff with PGE paying for installation. Now, rapid flashing beacons will be added to further improve pedestrian safety for PGE employees at an estimated cost of $40,000. “These new rapid flashing beacons have been very effective wherever we have installed them at pedestrian crossings and in school zones,” says Fuchs, who also served as project manager for the initial crossing installation on Mohawk.

The safer crossing has been embraced by PGE employees, and was featured in the company’s Safety Line publication. Sarah Sims, manager of PGE’s Customer Service Center says “I fully appreciate the partnership. The City was willing to understand our concerns and make this work.”

A similar mid-block crossing with rapid flashing beacons was constructed in 2018 at the Lam Research campus on Leveton Road, where 3,000 employees are headquartered.

Tualatin businesses interested in traffic safety projects should contact Jeff Fuchs, P.E. at jfuchs@tualatin.gov or go to TualatinMovingForward.com.  Sarah Sims of PGE advises other Tualatin employers: “Don’t be afraid to make the call.”

Vancouver, Wash. – The City of Vancouver will close Beach Drive between Shorewood Drive and Wintler Community Park (6400 Beach Dr.) to allow BNSF Railway Company to perform track repairs starting Wednesday, Jan. 22. The road is scheduled to re-open the morning of Saturday, Jan. 25.

Wintler Community Park will not be accessible by automobile during the road closure. Visitors may still access the park on foot or by bicycle using the Columbia River Renaissance Trail.

Questions about the track maintenance project can be directed to City of Vancouver Operations Superintendent, Bill Bjerke at jerke@cityofvancouver.us">Bill.Bjerke@cityofvancouver.us or 360-487-8245; or to Cristina Acosta of RoadSafe Traffic Systems at mcacosta@roadsafetraffic.com or 971-413-4106.

For information about Wintler Community Park or the Columbia River Renaissance Trail, contact Melody Burton at urton@cityofvancouver.us">melody.burton@cityofvancouver.us or 360-487-8306.

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About Vancouver Parks and Recreation

Vancouver Parks and Recreation builds upon the City’s strong legacy of parks, natural areas and recreation dating back to the dedication of Esther Short Park in 1853. Each month, the Parks and Recreation Department provides hundreds of recreation opportunities for youth, adults, seniors and persons with disabilities at its two community centers. Parks and Recreation operates 1,600 acres of parkland at 113 sites, including 91 parks, 20 miles of trails and many natural areas for the City of Vancouver. The Parks and Recreation Department cultivates community in the City and beyond through on-going special events and volunteer programs that celebrate the City’s natural spaces.

Vancouver, Wash. – People parking on-street in the downtown and Uptown Village areas of Vancouver, will soon be able to pay to park using Passport’s Parking Kitty app.

Passport originally developed Parking Kitty for the City of Portland, Oregon, where it is still in use. The app allows users to pay for parking with their smart phones using a debit or credit card. Users can monitor their parking sessions remotely, and the app even “meows” to notify parkers when their sessions are about to expire.

“We were aware of Parking Kitty’s success in Portland and we wanted to bring that same convenience to parkers in Vancouver,” said Steve Kaspan, parking manager for the City of Vancouver. “The ability to pay, receive reminders and add additional parking time, all with your phone, are conveniences we think will be quite useful to our residents and visitors.”

The City of Vancouver will roll out the app incrementally starting in January. After the roll out is complete, all hourly paid on-street parking spaces will be available on the app. To use the app, drivers just need to look for Parking Kitty signs or stickers on their closest parking meter or pay station featuring the block’s zone number. Parking Kitty will replace the Parkmobile app that has previously been available on a few blocks in downtown Vancouver.

Parkers will be charged a 10-cent fee per parking session to use Parking Kitty in Vancouver, which will help pay for the app. Parkers will also still be able to pay to park using existing parking pay stations and meters at the regular price.

“Vancouver was looking for a way to make paying for parking more convenient and Parking Kitty does just that,” said Sam Warnecke, sales executive at Passport, which manages the app. “We are thrilled to see this local favorite begin to expand to other areas of the Pacific Northwest region.”

Users can download the free Parking Kitty app from the App Store, Google Play or manage it online at parkingkitty.com.

For more information about the Parking Kitty app in Vancouver, visit www.cityofvancouver.us/parkingkitty.

###

About Passport

Passport is transforming mobility management for cities, empowering them to create more livable and equitable communities. Passport’s mobility platform enables clients to digitally coordinate all modes of transportation and implement real-time, data-centric management of their curbside and streetspace through its enterprise software. Trusted by nearly 1,000 cities, universities and agencies, including Chicago, Toronto, London, Los Angeles, and Miami, Passport is one of the fastest growing companies on the Inc. 500 and Deloitte Technology Fast 500 lists. Passport is backed by Bain Capital Ventures, Grotech Ventures, MK Capital, and Relevance Capital. For more information, visit passportinc.com.

Vancouver, Wash. – Vancouver City Council on Monday approved a $3.65 million contract with Rotschy Inc., of Vancouver, for construction of the East Mill Plain Boulevard/104th Avenue improvement project. The project is designed to enhance safety and reduce congestion and delays on the Mill Plain corridor, with improved access at the Mill Plain and Interstate 205 interchange. Construction is expected to begin this year.

The section of Mill Plain at I-205 is one of the heaviest traveled streets in Vancouver. Currently, traffic flow is impacted by two signalized intersections – Southeast 104th and 105th avenues - less than 200 feet apart, lack of queuing space for the southbound I-205 ramp, and high volumes of vehicles heading east on Mill Plain. At the same time, the eastbound left-turn lane to the northbound I-205 ramp lacks the queuing space needed to reduce conflicts of left-turning vehicles blocking eastbound vehicles.

The improvement project will eliminate the traffic signal at 105th Avenue and reroute traffic through the Mill Plain Boulevard/104th intersection. The project will also bring much needed resurfacing to East Mill Plain Boulevard from 104th Avenue to Chkalov Drive, enhance pedestrian access, improve stormwater management, and add/upgrade street lights within the Mill Plain / I-205 interchange.

The estimated $10.1 million project is funded through grants and local matching dollars, and when completed will utilize $4.2 million federal grant dollars, including a $2 million in federal Surface Transportation grant provided through the Southwest Washington Regional Transportation Council (RTC).

More information about the project is available at www.cityofvancouver.us/millplain-104.

Since 2017, the Portland Water Bureau has detected low levels of Cryptosporidium from routine monitoring. Monitoring results were received from the Bull Run Watershed intake for Cryptosporidium, a potentially disease-causing microorganism. In the 50-liters sampled daily, between Sunday, Jan. 12 and Wednesday, Jan. 15, one Cryptosporidium oocyst was detected in the sample collected on Jan. 12. Cryptosporidium was not detected in the samples collected on Jan. 13, Jan. 14 or Jan. 15. Prior to these detections, Cryptosporidium was last detected from the Bull Run Watershed intake on Jan. 6, 2020.

The Bull Run watershed is Portland’s primary source of drinking water. The Portland Water Bureau does not currently treat for Cryptosporidium, but is required to do so under drinking water regulations. Portland is working to install filtration by September 2027 under a compliance schedule with Oregon Health Authority. In the meantime, Portland Water Bureau is implementing interim measures such as watershed protection and additional monitoring to protect public health. Consultation with public health officials has concluded that at this time, customers do not need to take any additional precautions.

Exposure to Cryptosporidium can cause cryptosporidiosis, a serious illness. Symptoms can include diarrhea, vomiting, fever and stomach pain. People with healthy immune systems recover without medical treatment. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people with severely weakened immune systems are at risk for more serious disease. Symptoms may be more severe and could lead to serious or life-threatening illness. Examples of people with weakened immune systems include those with AIDS; those with inherited diseases that affect the immune system; and cancer and transplant patients who are taking certain immunosuppressive drugs.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated that a small percentage of the population could experience gastro-intestinal illness from Cryptosporidium and advises that customers who are immunocompromised and receive their drinking water from the Bull Run Watershed consult with their healthcare professional about the safety of drinking the tap water. The Portland Water Bureau and Burlington, City of Gresham, City of Sandy, City of Tualatin, Green Valley, GNR, Hideaway Hills, Lake Grove, Lorna Domestic Water, Lusted, Palatine Hill, Pleasant Home, Raleigh, Rockwood, Skyview Acres, Tualatin Valley, Two Rivers, Valley View and West Slope Water Districts receive all or part of their drinking water supply from the Bull Run. To learn if your drinking water comes from Bull Run, please contact your local drinking water provider.

The public and the media are encouraged to view all sampling results posted to the City’s website at portlandoregon.gov/water/cryptoresults. The bureau will notify the media and public immediately should further test results indicate a risk to public health and precautions are necessary.

Customers with questions regarding water quality can call the Water Quality Line at 503-823-7525.

The Portland Water Bureau is repaoring an aging water main (pipe) underneath the bridge deck on SE Holgate Blvd. and the 1-205 freeway. To access the water main, crews will narrow the eastbound lane through the summer of 2020.

• Vehicle Lanes: East and westbound lanes on Holgate will remain open, but the eastbound lane will be narrowed.
• Park & Ride and MAX: Access to the Holgate Park & Ride and MAX Stop will remain open.
• I-205 Multiuse path: The path, including the crossing at Holgate will remain open.
• Bus: The TriMet bus stop on the south side of Holgate at the Holgate MAX Station (Stop ID 13218) will be temporarily relocated 200 feet to the west.
• Bike: The eastbound bike path on Holgate will be closed. Bicycles should detour onto the sidewalk.
• Sidewalk: Sidewalks will remain open.

No homes or businesses will be out of service while the main is repaired.

The traveling public is reminded to stay alert and use caution as traffic may suddenly slow or stop. To avoid traffic delays, motorists are encouraged to use alternate routes around the work site.

For more information about this project, visit portlandoregon.gov/water/holgate205.

January 17, 2020

Austin Keever-Nyberg receives a 36 month prison sentence for attempting to run down three young males with his vehicle

Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill announced that 22-year-old Austin Keever-Nyberg changed his plea and received a 36 month prison sentence for chasing down three young males with his truck while driving at a high rate of speed and striking at least two members of the group.

“The video in this case certainly speaks for itself. It is jarring to see someone speeding down a sidewalk in a large truck intentionally trying to drive over people as they run away,” said Multnomah County Senior Deputy District Attorney Brian Davidson, who prosecuted this case. “It was unusual that none of the young males who were the intended targets came forward to speak with us or law enforcement. Still, we have an obligation to our community to ensure there is accountability, especially when the criminal conduct could have resulted in serious physical injury or even death.” 

After changing his plea, the court convicted Keever-Nyberg of one count of attempted assault in the first degree. The court sentenced him to 36 months in prison followed by 36 months of post-prison supervision. 

This investigation started on January 10, 2019 when a community member released home surveillance video to members of the media.

During the investigation, law enforcement reviewed the video and obtained the truck’s license plate information, which revealed Keever-Nyberg to be associated with the vehicle.

The video shows three young males running into Wilkes Park. As they did, Keever-Nyberg pursued them and drove his vehicle at a high rate of speed over the curb, striking at least two of the males.

On January 18, 2019, law enforcement located a vehicle at a car dealership in the 19000 block of Southeast McLoughlin Boulevard. The truck located matched the description of the vehicle depicted in the home surveillance video.

The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office located and detained Keever-Nyberg on January 23, 2019 at the Happy Valley Municipal Court. Portland Police responded and placed Keever-Nyberg under arrest for the attempted assault near Wilkes Park.

When questioned by detectives, Keever-Nyberg claimed that the group he attempted to run down had robbed him just moments prior during a drug deal.

At no point during this investigation did any of the three males come forward to identify themselves to law enforcement. The extent of any physical injuries any one of the three males may have suffered remains unknown.

By changing his plea, Keever-Nyberg admitted that he unlawfully and intentionally attempted to cause serious physical injury to another person using a dangerous weapon.

Under Oregon law, “dangerous weapon” means any weapon, device, instrument, material or substance that under the circumstances in which it is used, attempted to be used or threatened to be used, is readily capable of causing death or serious physical injury.

The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office recognizes Portland Police Officer Corey Cronkhite, Officer Daniel Romanowski, Officer James Defrain, and Detective Jeff Sharp for their dedicated efforts investigating this case.

#MCDA#

Contact: Brent Weisberg, Communications Director 
Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office
Phone: 503.988.6567 | Email: Brent.Weisberg@mcda.us

January 17, 2020

Joshua Michael Lund receives prison, probation sentence for cutting a man in downtown Portland with a knife

Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill announced that 39-year-old Joshua Michael Lund received a sentence that included prison time and formal probation after he used a knife during a fight and ended up cutting a man in his chest.

The court sentenced Lund to 36 months in prison followed by 24 months of post-prison supervision. Lund will also be on 60 months of formal probation.

This investigation started on September 8, 2019 at approximately 2:30 a.m. when an officer with the Portland Police Bureau came upon an in-progress fight near the area of Northwest 3rd Avenue and Northwest Davis Street.

During the investigation, law enforcement learned Lund and three of his friends got into an argument with another group of people. The argument turned physical. Once police separated everyone they contacted the victim who reported that he had only been punched in the face.

One of the officers then noticed that the victim had blood on his shirt. Officers checked the victim’s chest and noticed that he had a small wound, approximately one inch in length. He did require two stiches to treat the injury.

“This is a very appropriate resolution when you look at this case in its entirety,” said Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney Kevin Demer, who prosecuted this case. “Here, Mr. Lund immediately took responsibility for his actions by choosing to quickly resolve the case, and he was remorseful for the injury he caused. We ultimately determined Mr. Lund was trying to punch the victim in the face, which he did, but during that punch he was holding a knife, which subsequently cut the victim in the chest.”

Officers on scene searched the area and recovered a black folding knife with a silver blade in the 200 block of Northwest 3rd Avenue, which is only feet from where the fight occurred.

On December 13, 2019, Lund appeared in Multnomah County Circuit Court and changed his plea. Upon doing so, the court convicted him of one count of attempted assault in the second degree and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

While investigating the altercation in downtown, law enforcement executed a court-authorized warrant at Lund’s residence and recovered a .40 caliber handgun and ammunition. Under Oregon law, Lund was not allowed to be in possession of any firearms because of a prior felony conviction. 

This case was litigated by the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office Neighborhood and Strategic Prosecution Unit, which reviews cases that stem from neighborhood-specific concerns. The unit is primarily responsible for interfacing with the community over specific issues, and handles all types of cases across the criminal justice spectrum to include misdemeanors and homicides.

The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office recognizes Portland Police Bureau’s Entertainment Detail, the PPB Central Precinct Neighborhood Response Team and the officers assigned to PPB Central Precinct patrol who responded and investigated this case.

#MCDA#

Contact: Brent Weisberg, Communications Director 
Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office
Phone: 503.988.6567 | Email: Brent.Weisberg@mcda.us

January 17, 2020

Akeen Oliver indicted for the attempted murder of another person near Holladay Park

Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill announced that a grand jury returned a four-count indictment against 26-year-old Akeen Oliver for the June 16, 2019 attempted murder of another person near Holladay Park.

The indictment charges Oliver with one count of attempted murder in the second degree with a firearm, one count of attempted assault in the first degree with a firearm, one count of unlawful use of a weapon with a firearm enhancement and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm with a firearm enhancement.

Court documents allege that Oliver – a convicted felon - unlawfully and intentionally used a .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun and intentionally attempted to cause serious physical injury and the death of another person.

This investigation started on June 16, 2019 at approximately 5:30 p.m. when Portland Police received information about shots being fired near Holladay Park. As police responded, they learned the shooter fled the area. The Portland Police Bureau’s Gun Violence Reduction Team responded and located multiple pieces of gunfire evidence.

On October 7, 2019, law enforcement located and arrested Oliver in the 12200 block of Northeast Glisan Street in Portland, Oregon. He was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on a parole violation detainer.

In the months following this incident, officers and detectives from the Portland Police Bureau, Gresham Police Department and Vancouver Police Department have continued to investigate this shooting.

The grand jury returned its charging decision on January 16, 2020.

Like in all criminal and civil matters, electronic copies of court documents, which are not subject to a protective order, are available to the public through the Oregon eCourt Information (OECI) system.

No additional information can be released by the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office at this time pursuant to the Oregon Rules of Professional Conduct.

A charging document is only an accusation of a crime. Oliver is innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office works closely with the City of Portland’s Office of Youth Violence Prevention and attends the bi-weekly Community Peace Collaborative meeting, which is a coalition of law enforcement, service providers and community members who are focused on encouraging people to take a stand against gun violence.

In August 2017, the Portland Area Crime Gun Initiative was formed in partnership the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Portland Police Bureau, Gresham Police Department, Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office, Oregon State Police, Oregon State Crime Lab, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the ATF.

The Portland Area Crime Gun Initiative works with its partners to prevent violent crime by identifying perpetrators, linking criminal activities, and identifying sources of crime guns for immediate disruption, investigation, and prosecution.

For more information on the Portland Area Crime Gun Initiative, please click here.

#MCDA#

Contact: Brent Weisberg, Communications Director 
Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office
Phone: 503.988.6567 | Email: Brent.Weisberg@mcda.us

January 16, 2020

Jordan Douglas Powell-Mathewson receives a 60 month prison sentence for committing a random, unprovoked assault

Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill announced that 29-year-old Jordan Douglas Powell-Mathewson changed his plea and received a 60 month prison sentence for a random and unprovoked assault on a person working in the Lloyd District.

“This was an exceptionally violent and senseless attack on a person who was simply standing outside on his work break,” said Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney Nicole Hermann, who prosecuted this case. “It was only by sheer luck that the victim’s shirt and uniform prevented him from suffering more serious and life-threatening stab wounds.”

After changing his plea, the court convicted Powell-Mathewson of one count of assault in the second degree for causing physical injuries using a deadly or dangerous weapon.

At the hospital, doctors treated the victim for multiple injuries, but he did not require surgery. 

This investigation started on August 30, 2019 when police responded to a fast food restaurant in the 700 block of Northeast Weidler Street in Portland, Oregon after receiving information about an assault. When police arrived, they contacted the victim and learned he was outside on his scheduled work break smoking a cigarette. During his break, a person, later identified as Powell-Mathewson, approached and started stabbing the victim in the stomach, chest and arm using a knife.

“Mr. Powell-Mathewson positioned himself in a manner that essentially left the victim with no immediate way to escape,” DDA Hermann said.

When police arrived at the crime scene, they found Powell-Mathewson inside a vehicle and immediately saw that he had blood on his clothing. Officers also observed a knife in the vehicle, which was determined to be the weapon used in this assault.

The victim provided the District Attorney’s Office with an impact statement, which DDA Hermann read at the time of sentencing.

The impact statement said, in part, “At that moment, my life changed forever. Prior to this event, I was getting my life back on track from previous traumatic events. … This stabbing event that Mr. Powell-Mathewson initiated upended my entire life. … This has been one of the worst things to ever happen to me.”

Upon his release, Powell-Mathewson will be on 36 months of post-prison supervision. The restitution amount owed to the victim will be determined and finalized within 90 days.

The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office recognizes Portland Police Officer Lucas Brostean, Officer Daniel DiMatteo, Officer Christopher McDonald, Officer Wayne Alderman, Officer Daniel Trummer, and Detective Jeff Sharp for their dedicated efforts responding to this incident and investigating this case.

The District Attorney’s Office also recognizes the members of its Victim Assistance Program who provided the victim advocacy and support through this case.

#MCDA#

Contact: Brent Weisberg, Communications Director 
Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office
Phone: 503.988.6567 | Email: Brent.Weisberg@mcda.us

January 15, 2020

Shane Dorn, Sr. receives prison sentence for setting U-Haul truck on fire, pushing former intimate partner down a set of stairs

Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill announced that 34-year-old Shane Dorn, Sr. pleaded guilty and received a 48 month prison sentence after he admitted to stealing multiple vehicles, including U-Haul trucks, and then setting fire to some of the passenger compartments. Dorn also admitted that in a separate incident he pushed a pregnant woman down a flight of stairs.

The court convicted Dorn of two counts of unauthorized use of a vehicle, one count of arson in the second degree, one count of aggravated theft in the first degree, one count of burglary in the second degree and one count of felony assault in the fourth degree constituting domestic violence.

“An unfortunate and all-too-common side effect of domestic violence is the lasting impact an offender’s conduct has on the victim even when the abuse has ended. This case was particularly concerning because the victim was pregnant when Mr. Dorn assaulted her,” said Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney Devin Franklin, who prosecuted the domestic violence case. “While the state is happy to report she and her infant son are healthy and doing well, the emotional and physical side effects of domestic violence will take time to overcome. This resolution is an important step for the victim and her family as they work toward recovery.”

“I haven’t seen a crime spree of this intensity in recent memory,” said Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney Eric Collins, who prosecuted the arson and property crimes case. “Mr. Dorn would steal the keys to these U-Haul trucks, take them for a short period of time and then set fire to the passenger compartment using some sort of an accelerant in an attempt to burn away any evidence.”

During this investigation, law enforcement determined Dorn stole seven vehicles over the course of three weeks.

By changing his plea, Dorn admitted that on May 24, 2019: he stole a vehicle belonging to U-Haul; that on May 29, 2019: he intentionally set fire to a separate stolen vehicle, which had a value of more than $10,000; that on May 30, 2019: he stole another U-Haul truck; and that on June 5, 2019: he unlawfully entered a business in the 3700 block of West Powell Loop in Gresham, Oregon.

Dorn also admitted to pushing his former intimate partner down a flight of stairs on March 27, 2019 at a residence in Gresham. At the time she was assaulted, the victim was 27 weeks pregnant with Dorn’s child. The victim went to the hospital, where staff treated her for an injury to her wrist.

The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office recognizes Gresham Police Detective Brandon Crate, Portland Police Detective and Arson Investigator Meredith Hopper, PPB Officer Jeffrey Shearer and PPB Officer Mark Johnson for their dedicated efforts investigating these two cases.

The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Domestic Violence Unit is committed to ending family abuse. The unit engages in evidence-based prosecution of domestic violence. It emphasizes the importance of victim advocacy services for all victims and their children. Even when a prosecutor decides to proceed with a case without a victim’s participation, every effort is made to offer the victim advocacy services from available resources.

A photo of one of the U-Haul trucks from this case is being included with this press release.

Resources:

• Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office: Victim Assistance Program: 503-988-3222
• Call to Safety: 1-888-235-5333
• The Gateway Center for Domestic Violence Services: 503-988-6400

#MCDA#

January 14, 2020

Tusitala Toese convicted of assault, barred from attending mass demonstrations while on probation

Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill announced that 23-year-old Tusitala Toese pleaded guilty and received a probation sentence, which includes a specific court order that while on probation, he not participate in any mass demonstration, march or protest within Multnomah County after he assaulted a man in northeast Portland in summer 2018.                    

During the pendency of this case, the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office communicated frequently with the victim to keep him updated. The victim was fully informed about all pretrial negotiations. Prior to the change of plea hearing and sentencing, the victim communicated to our office his full support of the pretrial agreement. During his impact statement to the court, the victim said he preferred Toese avoid any jail time. 

Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge Kathleen M. Dailey accepted Toese’s change of plea and convicted him of one count of assault in the fourth degree.

“In this case, Mr. Toese’s actions were directly related to an ongoing conflict with members of an opposing political group in Multnomah County. The victim is a member of that opposing group and regularly attended mass demonstrations,” said Multnomah County Senior Deputy District Attorney Nathan Vasquez, who prosecuted this case. “The court imposed condition that bars Mr. Toese from attending mass demonstrations in our county is appropriate given all of the facts of this case. As part of his probation, Mr. Toese must obey all laws. Failing to do so could result in additional sanction.”

This investigation started on July 12, 2018 when the victim reported to police that on June 8, 2018 he was assaulted at the intersection of Northeast 12th Avenue and Northeast Broadway Street in Portland, Oregon.

The victim told police that as he crossed south on Northeast 12th Avenue, he saw a truck stopped at the red light. The vehicle was headed west on Northeast Broadway Street.

The victim told police that the passengers shouted politically-based comments toward him. The victim told police that he recognized 24-year-old Donovon Flippo and Toese as passengers in the vehicle.

During the investigation, police learned that the victim yelled back. Upon doing so, Flippo and Toese exited the vehicle. There was a brief verbal altercation, which resulted in the victim being physically assaulted.

The victim received multiple stitches to his lip as a result of the injuries. He was also treated for a concussion.

By pleading guilty, Toese is admitting that he unlawfully and recklessly caused physical injury to the victim. If he violates his probation, Toese could be sentenced up to a year in custody.

Flippo previously pleaded guilty to the charge of assault in the fourth degree for the same incident. Additional details about that conviction can be obtained by clicking here.

This case was investigated by the Portland Police Bureau’s Assault Detail. The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office recognizes PPB Officer Jason Straub and Detective Michael Greenlee for their dedicated efforts working this investigation.

This case was litigated by the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office Neighborhood and Strategic Prosecution Unit, which reviews cases that stem from neighborhood-specific concerns. The unit is primarily responsible for interfacing with the community over specific issues, and handles all types of cases across the criminal justice spectrum to include misdemeanors and homicides.

#MCDA#

January 13, 2020

Jury convicts Mario Hernandez-Marquez, 50, of raping, sexually abusing a child over a several year period

Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill announced that a 12-person jury convicted 50-year-old Mario Hernandez-Marquez of rape, sexual abuse and other sex crimes following an investigation by the Multnomah County Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Team.

Sentencing in this case will be March 3, 2020 with Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge Thomas M. Ryan.

This investigation started in 2017 when the victim told a mandatory reporter that a person she knew, later identified as Hernandez-Marquez, had raped and sexually abused her. Law enforcement determined the sexual abuse occurred over several years in Multnomah County when the victim’s mother was out of the home, at work or running errands.

The jury unanimously convicted Hernandez-Marquez of four counts of rape in the first degree and eight counts of sexual abuse in the first degree. The jury also returned a lawful guilty verdict of one count of sodomy in the first degree.

During trial, the state proved Hernandez-Marquez unlawfully and knowingly engaged in sexual intercourse with the victim when she was under the age of 12, and that he unlawfully and knowingly subjected her to sexual contact when she was under the age of 14 by touching a sexual intimate part of her body on multiple occasions between 2011 and 2013.

The victim testified at trial that Hernandez-Marquez sexually abused her over seven years of her childhood, starting when she was likely seven or eight years old.  She told the jury that she is deathly afraid of Hernandez-Marquez, and that the emotional trauma as a result of this abuse continues to have a profound impact on her life.

During this investigation, law enforcement learned the abuse started when the victim resided in Gresham, Oregon with her family and continued once they moved to a new residence in Fairview.

“The victim told investigators that she reported the abuse to protect other children from Mr. Hernandez-Marquez,” said Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney Amber Kinney, who prosecuted this case. “When the victim's mother learned about the abuse, she was overcome by fear, worry, sadness, and guilt.”

Like in all criminal and civil matters, electronic copies of court documents, which are not subject to a protective order, are available to the public through the Oregon eCourt Information (OECI) system.

No additional information can be released by the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office at this time pursuant to the Oregon Rules of Professional Conduct.

It was through the coordination, communication and collaboration of the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Team that this case was investigated and prosecuted.

The Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Team includes representatives from local law enforcement, public schools, hospitals, courts, health departments, the Oregon Department of Human Services, and the Oregon Department of Employment Child Care Division.

The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Team is responsible for reviewing and managing child abuse and neglect cases in Multnomah County. The team also handles all child homicides, felony child physical abuse cases, felony child abandonment cases, custodial interference cases, and felony sex crimes where the victim is currently under the age of 18 and where the perpetrator is determined not to be a stranger to the child.

CARES Northwest, Multnomah County’s child abuse assessment center, is a community-based medical program for the assessment, treatment and prevention of child abuse. The organization is one of the largest child abuse assessment centers in the nation and serves more than 5,000 children annually.

#MCDA#

Contact: Brent Weisberg, Communications Director 
Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office
Phone: 503.988.6567 | Email: Brent.Weisberg@mcda.us

January 13, 2020

White Collar Crimes investigation results in 10 count indictment against a 46 year old man

Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill announced the filing of a 10-count indictment against 46-year-old Martin Ammerman who is accused of embezzling more than $50,000 from an international foods company, which is headquartered in Portland, Oregon.

This case is being litigated by the Multnomah County District Attorney’s White Collar Crimes Unit.

According to court documents, Ammerman did unlawfully and knowingly commit the crime of theft over a several month period in 2018 by stealing money. The amount stolen, as alleged in the indictment, is more than $50,000.

Ammerman worked for the victim company during the time period when the alleged thefts occurred.

Furthermore, the indictment alleges Ammerman committed the crime of aggravated identity theft in that he unlawfully, and with intent to deceive and defraud, obtained, possessed, transferred, created, uttered or converted the personal identification of another individual. It is alleged this occurred on numerous occasions, and that each instance was part of a common scheme to steal thousands of dollars, as alleged in the indictment. 

This case is being investigated by the Portland Police Bureau’s White Collar Crimes Unit.

Like in all criminal and civil matters, electronic copies of court documents, which are not subject to a protective order, are available to the public through the Oregon eCourt Information (OECI) system.

No additional information can be released by the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office at this time pursuant to the Oregon Rules of Professional Conduct.

A charging document is only an accusation of a crime. Ammerman is innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office reminds the public that check fraud can occur in multiple ways. Checks sent by mail, including those in birthday and holiday cards, are susceptible to theft. Once a person has a check in their unlawful possession, it could be tampered with.

Checks include a wealth of personal information such as a person’s name, address and full bank account information. That information could be used by a person for nefarious purposes such as draining the account’s funds and/or opening new credit accounts.

The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office and the Portland Police Bureau's White Collar Crimes Unit continue to advocate that all organizations take preventative measures to limit their exposure to potential embezzlement. Furthermore, any organization that suspects the intentional misuse or misappropriation of funds or property by an employee should report those suspicions to law enforcement immediately.

Additionally, the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office reminds the community that it is important that businesses and non-profit organizations have redundancies in place to ensure proper accounting for cash, checks and credit/debit card transactions. All businesses should undergo routine financial audits that are conducted by a person or organization separate from the primary accountant. If employees are expected to handle cash, including making nightly deposits, businesses should ensure that there is always more than one employee present during cash counts and drop offs.

#MCDA#

Contact: Brent Weisberg, Communications Director 
Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office
Phone: 503.988.6567 | Email: Brent.Weisberg@mcda.us

January 13, 2020

Camar Livingstone pleads guilty to intimidation in the second degree

Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill announced that 20-year-old Camar Livingstone changed his plea and was convicted of a single count of intimidation in the second degree following a bias crime that occurred at Lloyd Center in Northeast Portland.

This investigation started on May 6, 2019 when the victim, a loss prevention officer, saw Livingstone place a large amount of clothing into his backpack. Livingstone removed the clothing after being called out by the security guard. However, with no warning, Livingstone charged the victim and started to berate the victim inside the store.

While doing so, Livingstone directed sexually explicit and homophobic hate speech toward the victim as he followed Livingstone through the store. At one point, Livingstone took the unpaid clothing that he had gathered and threw it toward the victim.

A second loss prevention officer arrived and attempted to get Livingstone away from the victim. During the altercation, Livingstone pulled out a machete and started waiving it around. He approached both loss prevention officers and taunted them.

By changing his plea, Livingstone admits that because of his perception of the victim’s sexual orientation he subjected him to offensive physical contact.

“This change of plea is designed to specifically give Mr. Livingstone an opportunity to engage in community service and to seek and receive treatment so that he never finds himself in a similar situation,” said Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney BJ Park, who prosecuted this case. “The victim fully supports this pretrial resolution, and we’re fortunate that he wasn’t physically hurt during this very alarming incident.” 

The court could impose an additional sanction of up to 179 days in jail if Livingstone violates any part of his probation.

This case was investigated by the Portland Police Bureau. The District Attorney’s Office recognizes their dedicated efforts investigating this matter.

The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office was an active participant of the Oregon Attorney General’s Hate Crimes Task Force and helped draft the language that was in Senate Bill 577. The law, which went into effect on July 15, 2019, renamed the crime of “intimidation” to “bias crime,” added gender identity to the list of protected categories and removed the requirement that two or more people commit the crime in order to make it a felony in certain circumstances.

This case was issued before Oregon’s new bias crime law went into effect. As a result, the crime Livingstone was convicted of should be referred to as “intimidation in the second degree.”

All potential bias crime cases, whether they are a felony or misdemeanor, are reviewed by the Violent Crimes Unit within the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office. If a misdemeanor crime is issued, the felony-level attorney will retain the case.

If you are the victim of a bias crime assault or you are witnessing one, immediately call 9-1-1. If you are the victim of a bias crime and the suspect is no longer present or if you have information about a bias crime committed in the past, call the non-emergency line at 503-823-3333.

#MCDA#

Contact: Brent Weisberg, Communications Director 
Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office
Phone: 503.988.6567 | Email: Brent.Weisberg@mcda.us

January 13, 2020

Two men involved in May 1, 2019 riot convicted, receive probation sentences

Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill announced that 38-year-old Christopher Ponte and 24-year-old Matthew Cooper were convicted of participating in a riot on May 1, 2019 in Northeast Portland’s Kerns neighborhood.

Both individuals changed their pleas and were convicted of one count of riot, a Class C felony.

The state requested a 10 day jail sentence for both Cooper and Ponte because the conduct they were involved in “fanned the violence, tension and the volatility of this situation, thereby escalating and keeping the riot going,” said Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney Sean Hughey who prosecuted this case along with Deputy District Attorney Brad Kalbaugh.

According to court documents, on the evening of May 1, 2019, Portland Police received information about a large disturbance occurring outside a business called “Cider Riot.” The disturbance came hours after several demonstrations and marches unfolded throughout the city. Those involved in some of the demonstrations included individuals with opposing political views.

When police responded to “Cider Riot” they observed approximately 15 individuals arguing with about 50 other individuals, according to court documents. Law enforcement knew, based on their training and experience, that the two groups had opposing views and had a history of being violent with each other. 

During the riot, a woman was knocked unconscious by a person wielding a metal baton. Law enforcement later arrested 45-year-old Ian Kramer in connection with the attack.

During the investigation, detectives assigned to the Portland Police Bureau identified 36-year-old Joseph Gibson, 45-year-old Russell Schultz, 29-year-old Mackenzie Lewis, Kramer, Cooper and Ponte as individuals actively participating and engaging in violent and tumultuous conduct, according to court documents. 

The conviction means that Cooper and Ponte are no longer disputing that on May 1, 2019 they – along with five or more others – engaged in tumultuous and violent conduct and thereby intentionally or recklessly created a grave risk of causing public alarm.

The charging documents filed against Gibson, Schultz, Lewis and Kramer are only accusations. They all remain innocent unless and until proven guilty.

This case is being investigated by the Portland Police Bureau.

Like in all criminal and civil matters, electronic copies of court documents, which are not subject to a protective order, are available to the public through the Oregon eCourt Information (OECI) system.

No additional information can be released by the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office at this time pursuant to the Oregon Rules of Professional Conduct.

#MCDA#

Contact: Brent Weisberg, Communications Director 
Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office
Phone: 503.988.6567 | Email: Brent.Weisberg@mcda.us

EUGENE, Ore.—Brandon Michael Vanderploeg, 39, of Winchester Bay, Oregon, was sentenced today to 18 months in federal prison and two years’ supervised release for assaulting his then-girlfriend aboard a fishing vessel in August 2018.

According to court documents, on August 16, 2018, members of the U.S. Coast Guard were dispatched to a situation at sea involving the report of a woman who had been assaulted by her boyfriend onboard a commercial fishing vessel. A coast guard helicopter located the vessel 17 nautical miles off the Oregon Coast. Two members of the coast guard boarded the vessel and made contact with Vanderploeg and the victim.

The victim reported that Vanderploeg had assaulted her on several occasions since leaving Winchester Bay. She specifically reported that Vanderploeg held her down, punched her repeated in the face, head-butted her in the nose, and slammed her head down on a tool box. The assault resulting in a three-inch laceration to her right cheek, a depressed nasal fracture, multiple contusions to her knees and arms, and a cervical strain.

During the investigation, the coast guard crew who boarded and conducted a sweep of the vessel, immediately noted a strong smell of alcohol coming from Mr. Venderploeg, who admitted to drinking. Mr. Vanderploeg tested positive for alcohol, registering a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .183. An individual operating a commercial vessel is considered intoxicated at a BAC of .04 or more.

On September 30, 2019, Vanderploeg pleaded guilty to assault within the maritime jurisdiction of the U.S. and operating a commercial vessel under the influence of alcohol.

As part of his plea agreement, Vanderploeg agreed to pay restitution in full to his victim as ordered by the court. A restitution hearing will be held at a later date.  

This case was investigated by the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) and prosecuted by Gavin W. Bruce, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

# # #

EUGENE, Ore.—David George Hopkins, 61, San Diego, California, was sentenced today to 200 months in federal prison and a life term of supervised release for traveling with the intent to engage in sex with a minor and other related charges.

Hopkins was previously convicted at trial in February 2019 on one count each of attempting to use a minor to produce a visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct, attempting to coerce or entice a minor, traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct and transferring of obscene material to a minor.

According to court documents and information shared at trial, on June 9, 2017, Hopkins traveled from San Diego to Portland, Oregon believing he would be able to have sex with a 13-year-old girl named Paula along with her mother, Norma, and her mother’s friend, Ana, with whom he had been chatting online. Unbeknownst to Hopkins, he had been chatting with an FBI Special Agent acting as both Norma and Paula, and with a person using the alias Ana.

Hopkins and Ana began chatting online in 2012, and during one of the conversations, Hopkins raised the topic of having sex with a minor female in Peru and sent Ana a photo of what was purportedly him receiving oral sex from a minor.

In February 2017, Hopkins again contacted Ana and they began communicating using Skype and Facebook. In their first few conversations after reconnecting, Hopkins disclosed more details about his sexual relations with a minor in Peru. He also claimed to have had similar illicit contact with a minor in Panama. Hopkins later wrote, “did it bother u i [sic] had sex with young girls?” Hopkins did not present his conduct as a fantasy and Ana did not believe it was.

Concerned by the information shared with her, Ana reported Hopkins to the Eugene Police Department who referred the matter to the FBI. In March 2017, Ana met with an FBI Special Agent and agreed to cooperate with an investigation of Hopkins.

Ana continued chatting with Hopkins and their conversations grew increasingly more detailed and graphic as Hopkins shared information about his claimed past sexual experiences with minors and his desire to continue such behavior. In one conversation, Ana mentioned her fictitious Peruvian friend Norma. Hopkins asked if they could all have sex together. Ana also mentioned that Norma had a daughter named Paula. Hopkins also expressed an interest in having sex with Paula.

Ana told Hopkins that Norma had agreed to let him have sex with Paula. Shortly thereafter, Hopkins began communicating directly with Norma, the FBI Special Agent. The conversation quickly turned sexual and they discussed Hopkins flying to Oregon. In subsequent conversations, Hopkins began asking Norma about having sex with Paula, and, later, began communicating online directly with Paula. Hopkins chatted with Paula about having sex with her, describing in detail what he wanted to do. Hopkins sent Paula a picture of his genitals, and asked her to send him a picture of hers.

In June 2017, Hopkins flew from San Diego to Portland with intent to engage in sexual conduct with Paula. He was met and arrested by the FBI at Portland International Airport upon his arrival. His luggage was searched and Hopkins had brought with him stockings and underwear for Paula. Hopkins’ claims of abusing children have not been corroborated. He was indicted by a federal grand jury in Eugene on June 20, 2018.

This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Eugene Police Department. It was prosecuted by Amy Potter and Jeff Sweet, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at (503) 224-4181 or submit a tip online at https://tips.fbi.gov.

# # #

PORTLAND, Ore.—John Philip Stirling, 65, a Canadian citizen, pleaded guilty in federal court today to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine under the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act (MDLEA).

According to court documents, on April 9, 2019, while on a routine patrol, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Alert detected a sailing vessel traveling north 225 nautical miles from Newport, Oregon. The vessel, named Mandalay, had a home port of Seattle, Washington and visible U.S. registration numbers. When Coast Guard personnel attempted to communicate with Stirling, he went below deck and would only respond via VHF radio. Once Coast Guard personnel determined the Mandalay was a vessel within the jurisdiction of the U.S., they boarded and found Stirling to be the vessel’s sole occupant.

Stirling stated he did not have vessel documentation and refused to produce identification. Upon further questioning, Sterling’s speech began to deteriorate and he displayed signs of a possible drug overdose. Coast Guard personnel administered medical aid to Stirling and evacuated him by helicopter to Astoria, Oregon. He was later transported by ambulance to Adventist Health Portland for additional treatment.

Coast Guard personnel conducted a search of the Mandalay and discovered 28 seven-gallon jugs containing liquid methamphetamine. 

Under the MDLEA, Stirling faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, a $10 million fine and five years of supervised release. Pursuant to the plea agreement, the government will recommend Stirling be sentenced to 87 months in prison. He will be sentenced on April 20, 2020 before U.S. District Court Judge Michael W. Mosman.

As part of the plea agreement, Stirling has agreed to forfeit the Mandalay.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

# # #

HILLSBORO, Ore.- On January 15, 2020, Judge Eric Butterfield found Aronson Bellegarde guilty of two counts of third-degree assault, two counts of failure to perform the duties of a driver to injured persons, driving under the influence of intoxicants, reckless driving, two counts of recklessly endangering another person, second-degree criminal mischief and second-degree disorderly conduct in a bench trial. Deputy District Attorney Matt Wise prosecuted the case against Mr. Bellegarde.

On March 16, 2019, Mr. Bellegarde smoked a large amount of highly concentrated marijuana oil and got behind the wheel of his vehicle. He drove to the intersection of SW Hall Boulevard and SW Scholls Ferry Road in Beaverton, Oregon. He then abandoned his car in the middle of the street, jumped onto the hood of another vehicle and ran into a nearby grocery store.

The defendant then walked out of the grocery store, got back into his vehicle and started driving again. He nearly caused two head-on collisions as he drove through the Washington Square Mall area before he careened down a grass embankment leading to Highway 217. He then crashed into two vehicles driving northbound on the highway. An infant and young child were passengers in one of those vehicles. Fortunately, they were not hurt.

Following those collisions, the defendant stripped naked, rolled under various vehicles on Highway 217, jumped over the center median and took off running through the southbound lanes. Beaverton Police arrived and attempted to arrest Mr. Bellegarde. He again took off running but was arrested a short time later.

The defendant admitted to smoking a marijuana vape pen prior to the ordeal. A warrant was executed for his blood and urine. Those results showed high concentrations of THC in his system.

The Washington County District Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the work of Beaverton and Tigard police officers in apprehending the suspect quickly so that no other drivers would be put at risk.

A sentencing hearing will be held on January 28, 2020 at 1:00 p.m.

HILLSBORO, Ore.- On January 13, 2020, a Washington County jury found Sebastian Sylvester Meighan guilty of two counts of first-degree rape, second-degree rape and four counts of first-degree sex abuse. Deputy District Attorney Marie Atwood prosecuted Mr. Meighan in Judge Janelle Wipper’s courtroom.

Investigators learned the sexual abuse began when the victim was a young child and that it continued for at least eight years. The abuse was wide-ranging in nature. It escalated in severity as the victim aged. The defendant used threats to intimidate the victim in the hope she would not report the abuse.

In February of 2019, the abuse came to light. The victim took part in a class at school in which students discussed sexual abuse. During the same time period, the victim learned the defendant was going to become a father to a baby girl. She grew worried the infant would be subject to similar abuse and made the courageous decision to report it.

The victim alerted a school counselor, who notified the Oregon Department of Human Services. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office launched an investigation, ultimately leading to the arrest of Mr. Meighan.

The Washington County District Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the incredible bravery of the victim in reporting the abuse. This office also thanks Detective Chuck Anderson of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, CARES Northwest and the Oregon Department of Human Services for their work on this case.

A sentencing hearing is set for February 5, 2020 at 8:30 a.m.

PORTLAND, Ore., January 17, 2020—In response to the deadly wildfires that have ravaged Australia, OnPoint Community Credit Union announced today it will donate $10,000 to support the people, wildlife and environment relief efforts, which will be split between the Australian Red Cross and WWF Australia. OnPoint is encouraging its members and the community to join them in donating to the cause.  

“At OnPoint, our purpose is to help build strong communities and when a disaster of this magnitude occurs, we want to do our part to help,” said Rob Stuart, President and Chief Executive Officer, OnPoint Community Credit Union. “We are proud to donate on behalf of our members as Australia works to rebuild and recover.”

Australian officials report recent rainfall is helping with containment; therefore, this donation will offer support for the relief and ongoing recovery efforts for the people, animals and communities that have been impacted. The Australian Red Cross will utilize OnPoint’s donation to provide affected people with emergency assistance and recovery programs. WWF Australia will direct OnPoint’s donation toward its $30 million Australian Wildlife and Nature Recovery Fund supporting wildlife response, habitat restoration for people and wildlife, and long-term conservation strategies.  

As the largest credit union headquartered in Oregon, community support is of vital importance to OnPoint. In 2019 alone, it donated more than $1,052,836 to local nonprofits and allocated 12,080 paid volunteer hours to its employees for the causes they support. While OnPoint primarily directs its donations to the counties it serves, it has a demonstrated history of donating to worldwide disaster relief efforts, including the California Wildfires in 2018, Hurricane Harvey in 2017, Oso Mudslide in 2014, Philippines Typhoon in 2013, Hurricane Sandy in 2012, and the Haiti earthquake in 2010.

About Australian Red Cross

Relief in times of crisis, care when it's needed most, and commitment when others turn away. Red Cross is there for people in need, no matter who they are, no matter where they live. Its purpose is to reduce suffering across Australia and internationally through mobilizing the power of humanity.

With millions of volunteers worldwide and thousands of members, volunteers, and supporters across Australia, they can reach people and places like nobody else. For more information, click here: https://www.redcross.org.au/ 

About WWF Australia

WWF Australia is part of the WWF International Network, the world’s leading, independent conservation organization. Founded in 1961, it is active in over 100 countries and has close to five million supporters internationally.

In Australia and throughout the oceanic region, WWF Australia works with governments, businesses, and communities so that people and nature can thrive within their fair share of the planet’s natural resources.

WWF-Australia is a not-for-profit organization with nearly 70% of its annual income donated by our dedicated supporters. For more information, click here: http://www.wwf.org.au 

ABOUT ONPOINT COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION

OnPoint Community Credit Union is the largest credit union in Oregon, serving more than 390,000 members and with assets of $6.1 billion. Founded in 1932, OnPoint Community Credit Union's membership is available to anyone who lives or works in one of 13 Oregon counties (Benton, Clackamas, Columbia, Crook, Deschutes, Jefferson, Lane, Linn, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Washington and Yamhill) and two Washington counties (Skamania and Clark) and their immediate family members. More information is available at www.onpointcu.com or 503-228-7077 or 800-527-3932.

###

GRESHAM, Ore. – The Mt. Hood Community College (MHCC) District Board of Education voted to phase out seven instructional programs at their January 15, 2020 meeting.

The seven programs that will be phased out are:

• Automotive Maintenance and Light Repair (The college will continue to provide its automotive degree programs including FORD ASSET, Chrysler CAP, Subaru U and IMPORT programs.)
• Broadcasting
• Business Technology
• Cosmetology
• Environmental Health and Safety
• Practical Nursing (The college will continue to provide its RN and CNA programs.)
• Wilderness Leadership and Experiential Education

“Phasing out programs is never an easy decision to make, but we as a board know that it is necessary for the college to continue to review its operations and respond adeptly to the challenges that directly affect our ability to address the educational needs of our students,” said Diane McKeel, Chairwoman of the MHCC District Board of Education.

The college will continue to work with current students within the impacted programs and provide them assistance toward achieving their academic goals. In a statement to the board, MHCC’s Associated Student Government (ASG) also recommended phasing out the programs in order to protect the general student body from another round of tuition increases.

“While it is unfortunate to cut programs, if we were to keep these there would be a dramatic increase in tuition. With rising costs of living, another tuition increase would put even more of the financial burden on all of the students who attend Mt. Hood Community College. The Associated Student Government supports keeping our college as accessible and open as possible and substantial tuition increases would create a barrier to student success,” part of the ASG statement read.

The phasing out of these programs stems from MHCC’s Academic Revitalization process, which was a review of 61 disciplines and programs across the college that began last year following a directive from the board. A team of full-time and part-time faculty, classified staff and instructional deans developed the process and four categories in which disciplines could be placed, which were Maintain, Grow, Modify and Phase Out. The remaining programs that were not placed in the “Phase Out” category were placed in “Modify,” meaning they will be improved in order to increase course fill rates, retention and cost effectiveness for the college moving forward. No programs were classified as “Maintain” or “Grow”.

Along with the academic program revitalizations process, all MHCC non-instructional programs and services are undergoing a similar process to identify areas of improvement and budget adjustments as well. The college also maintains its commitment to fulfilling the workforce needs of local employers by supporting and improving its remaining academic programs.

The college is facing a $2.8-million deficit and while the phasing out of the programs will eventually assist in dealing with funding challenges, no savings will be seen until the programs have ended.

“Our community looks to us to keep education affordable, relevant and accessible. That means we have to make these tough decisions now and develop a funding model that withstands the ebbs and flows of enrollment and employment, economic booms and economic recessions so we can continue to serve our students as their needs change,” said MHCC President Dr. Lisa Skari.

GRESHAM, Ore. – Planetarium Director Pat Hanrahan will present “Radio Astronomy Discoveries and Their Immense Instruments” at the Mt. Hood Community College (MHCC) Planetarium on Feb. 4 and 7. Showtimes on both days are at 6 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.

Today, radio astronomy uses large equipment that is detecting extremely faint signals from space, yet these instruments are making discoveries that are rewriting our understanding of many areas of astronomy.

Radio astronomy is a relatively recent field that may have begun with primitive equipment (some even used Model-T tires) but soon developed into an integral part of astronomy research. One of the first discoveries was a strong radio source coming from the center of our galaxy. Other work in early 1960s found evidence that strongly supported the Big Bang theory. Current work is revolutionizing our understanding of how new stars are formed and even recently produced our first image of a black hole. The shows in February will also cover Orion still ruling over the current sky along with his neighbors.

Admission is only $5 for adults. MHCC students (with valid school ID) and children 17 and under are $2. All shows are presented under a realistic representation of the night sky, featuring the latest galactic, stellar and planetary images.

The shows for the remaining 2020 MHCC Planetarium schedule are as follows:

All shows for the remainder of the school year are scheduled for the first Tuesday of each month and the following Friday.

For more information about the planetarium, visit mhcc.edu/planetarium. This website also has information for reserving private planetarium showings for groups such as school classes, clubs and other groups. Groups may request special subjects that they wish to have covered.

It should be noted that the Sky Theater is wheelchair accessible.

SOUTHWEST PORTLAND, Ore. – This Portland Community College alum really loves repairing a “mean” pinball machine.
 
Luke Christensen, 32, graduated from PCC’s Electronic Engineering Technology Program last June and one day hopes to own a pinball machine factory. The Southwest Portland resident began noodling on the idea after hearing a personal gaming hero speak at a 2016 Portland expo about the inner workings of pinball machines. This prompted Christensen to explore the older gaming art form.
 
“Like many people of my generation, I grew up playing video games,” said Christensen, who wasn’t exposed to vintage pinball machines as a youth in rural Iowa. “But pinball machines are very intriguing.”
 
His interest in making them led him to PCC in 2017. Christensen already had a bachelor’s degree in Theater Arts, but when he was laid off from Portland Public Schools, he enrolled in PCC’s EET program, which gave him options to re-career into an in-demand field. Christensen used scholarships and guidance from Worksystems’ Reboot Northwest, the Workforce Investment Act, and the PCC Foundation to succeed in his classes.
 
His 3.8 grade-point average earned him a spot on the President’s List, and a National Science Foundation Award. Christensen, who mentored fellow students in the STEM Club at Sylvania’s MakerLab, was named a member of the 2019 All-Oregon Academic Team. This was followed by a national 2019 New Century Workforce Pathway Scholarship, with Christensen ranking as the highest scoring scholar from the state.
 
After graduation last summer, he quickly found work at an electronics manufacturer, Cascade Systems Technology, in Hillsboro. As the lead of its test department, Christensen is learning the ins and outs of manufacturing.
 
In his spare time, Christensen fuels his pinball passion by refurbishing old models. He looks for pinball machines built in the 1970s and 1980s, then uses the skills he learned at PCC to troubleshoot their vintage wiring and components, which he finds fun. He likens the process to a mechanic fixing a car, since both require regular maintenance and fine-tuning.
 
“It’s like a sculpted piece of art that lights up,” said Christensen, who enjoys discovering the different narratives the machines present as part of their game-play engineering.
 
“It’s a really interesting all-American art form. My plan is to keep restoring games, add features to them, and then sell them, until I am ready to build my own from scratch,” he said. “I see a lot of opportunities to introduce more, and younger, people to pinball. I think it will be a beautiful thing when it catches on with the next generation.”

About Portland Community College: Portland Community College is the largest post-secondary institution in Oregon and provides training, degree and certificate completion, and lifelong learning to nearly 70,000 full- and part-time students in Multnomah, Washington, Yamhill, Clackamas, and Columbia counties. PCC has four comprehensive campuses, eight education centers or areas served, and approximately 200 community locations in the Portland metropolitan area. The PCC district encompasses a 1,500-square-mile area in northwest Oregon and offers two-year degrees, one-year certificate programs, short-term training, alternative education, pre-college courses and life-long learning.

Visit PCC news on the web at http://news.pcc.edu/
 

NORTH PORTLAND, Ore. – The Cascade Festival of African Films (CFAF) is celebrating its milestone 30th anniversary this year as the longest-running African film festival in the United States.
 
This is a free, five-week festival that runs from Jan. 31 through Feb. 29 and showcases 30 feature films, documentaries, and short films from more than 20 nations. Films are shown Wednesdays through Saturdays each week at either the Moriarty Auditorium at the college’s Cascade Campus (705 N. Killingsworth St.) or The Hollywood Theatre (4122 S.E. Sandy Blvd.).
 
For complete calendar of film screenings and director appearances, visit www.africanfilmfestival.org.

The festival arose from humble beginnings when four PCC faculty members came together over a shared love of Africa and African cinema. In 1991, the first CFAF drew approximately 400 film lovers. Today, sustained by a small staff and an army of dedicated volunteers, it attracts more than 5,000 attendees every year.
 
“We are a city hungry for perspectives and experiences that broaden our understanding of the wider world and bring into focus our place in it,” said PCC President Mark Mitsui. “This is what places CFAF among the very best that Portland has to offer. That the Festival has endured for three decades is a testament to the diversity and vitality of African cinema, and to the hearts and minds of a city committed to honoring the ties that bind all of us together.” 

The 30th edition of the film festival kicks off with an opening night gala on Friday, Jan. 31 at the historic Hollywood Theatre with live music and back-to-back screenings of the acclaimed film “Burial of Kojo” (Ghana). The film’s director, who is popular Brooklyn, N.Y.-based Ghanaian hip-hop artist and filmmaker Blitz Bazawule, will be in attendance to discuss his work. Screenings are 6:30 and 9:30 p.m.

Since its inception, the Cascade Festival of African Films has evolved to encompass more than just films from Africa. Attendees can enjoy “Saturday Socials,” which are held between the afternoon and evening screenings on Saturdays, and features food, local vendors, live music, and more.
 
This year, the festival is partnering with Boom Arts to bring a live theatrical production of “How to Have Fun in a Civil War.” This autobiographical performance by Ifrah Mansour explores Somalia’s civil war through poetry, puppetry, videos, and interviews, confronting a violent history with humor. The performances are 1 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 8 and 5 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 9 at the Moriarty Auditorium.

The festival concludes at the Hollywood Theatre with its closing night feature “Life is Fare,” which is an Eritrean/American co-production directed by Sephora Woldu. The film, showing at 7 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 29, dives into both the struggles and joys of being part of an immigrant community in the United States. Woldu will be in attendance at the screening. 

“From re-mastered classic films to visionary young directors, our 30th anniversary festival will celebrate the historic scope not only of the festival, but of African cinema itself,” said Festival Director Tracy Francis.
 
Highlights:

Family Fest Matinee – The annual family-friendly matinee showcases short films from Egypt, Eritrea and South Africa, as well as includes activities and performances for kids.
 
Women Filmmakers Week – From Feb. 27-29, this week highlights female directors and their uplifting films from Algeria, Eritrea, Libya, and Ethiopia.

Martin Scorsese Partnership – On Wednesday evenings, CFAF is partnering with The Film Foundation and Martin Scorsese’s World Cinema Project for a special series showcasing fully re-mastered classic films from seminal African filmmakers. 

 
Thursday Night Documentary Series – The series addresses issues surrounding human rights and social justice in Mali, Libya, Gabon, and South Africa.

Underrepresented Films – Part of an effort to show rare and new films, the festival is featuring “Talking About Trees” from Sudan. The film depicts four elderly Sudanese filmmakers on their quest to revive cinema in their community. Another offering is the Libyan documentary “Freedom Fields,” which follows a women’s soccer team for five years through revolutions and conflicts.

About Portland Community College: Portland Community College is the largest post-secondary institution in Oregon and provides training, degree and certificate completion, and lifelong learning to nearly 70,000 full- and part-time students in Multnomah, Washington, Yamhill, Clackamas, and Columbia counties. PCC has four comprehensive campuses, eight education centers or areas served, and approximately 200 community locations in the Portland metropolitan area. The PCC district encompasses a 1,500-square-mile area in northwest Oregon and offers two-year degrees, one-year certificate programs, short-term training, alternative education, pre-college courses and life-long learning.

Visit PCC news on the web at http://news.pcc.edu/

VANCOUVER, Wash. – Help Washington State University Vancouver students suit up for the workforce by donating new or clean, gently used professional attire including: dress shirts, pants, skirts, suits, accessories, belts, dress shoes and ties. A collection bin will be available on campus Jan. 21 – 31 in the lobby of the Student Services Center. Free visitor parking is nearby.

Students will have an opportunity to select an outfit Feb. 5 and 6 at the Career Clothing Closet giveaway. They will wear their new business attire to the spring Career and Internship Fair Feb. 11 – 12 and for interviews.

Questions may be directed to Career Counselor Tina Harney at 360-546-9503 or stina.harney@wsu.edu">chrstina.harney@wsu.edu

About WSU Vancouver

WSU Vancouver is located at 14204 N.E. Salmon Creek Ave. in Vancouver, east of the 134th Street exit from either I-5 or I-205, or via C-TRAN bus service. Find a campus map at vancouver.wsu.edu/map.

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. 

# # #

Hello and happy Thursday from Pacific University.

Things have been fairly quiet through the holidays, but here are links to a feature about a student and an alum:

Music scholarship opens doors for Pacific student Leiana Petlewski ’21.

Pacific alumnus Jeff Wilmes shoots for PBS series TasteMakers

And here are some of the coming university events:

MFA Readings at Seaside: Kwame Dawes, Cate Kennedy
Jan.16, 7:30 p.m. | Seaside, Ore.

Women's Basketball vs. Whitman College
Jan. 17, 6-8 p.m. | Stoller Center

MFA Readings at Seaside: Molly Gloss, Shelley Washburn
Jan.17, 7:30 p.m. | Seaside, Ore.

Men's Basketball vs. Whitman College
Jan. 17, 8-10 p.m. | Stoller Center

Women's Basketball vs. Whitworth University
Jan. 18, 4-6 p.m. | Stoller Center

Men's Basketball vs. Whitworth University 
Jan. 18, 6-8 p.m. | Stoller Center

Men's Wrestling - Boxer Open
Jan. 19, All Day | Stoller Center 123

Martin Luther King Jr. Day (University Holiday)
Jan. 20, All Day | All campuses

And you can always take a look at the complete university calendar.

— pacificu.edu —

Pacific University is a diverse learning community, where students thrive in a personal academic environment. Students study in a unique combination of undergraduate, graduate and professional programs in the liberal arts and sciences, business, education, health professions and optometry. Located in Oregon, Pacific serves a diverse population of more than 3,900 students, with campuses in Forest Grove, Hillsboro, Eugene and Woodburn, as well as healthcare clinics throughout the Portland area. Pacific is ranked the No. 1 private research university in the Pacific Northwest and is also committed to civic engagement, sustainability and interprofessional education as part of its core teaching philosophy.

The Centennial School District Governing Board will meet in a special session on Friday, January 17, 2020 at the district office board room at 5:00 p.m. 

The agenda and accompanying documents are available for viewing by pasting the following address into your browser: https://v3.boardbook.org/Public/PublicMeetingMaterials.aspx?ak=1001533&mk=50363115

For more information please contact CSD Executive Assistant to Superintendent/Board Secretary, Pamela Jordan at da@csd28j.org">pamela_jorda@csd28j.org.

School wins $15,000 in technology and classroom supplies; advances to the next stage in the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest

Selected from thousands of entries nationwide, Clear Creek Middle School in Gresham, Oregon has been named an Oregon State Winner in the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest for its proposed plan to address emergency vehicle safety and response time. This is the third time in four years CCMS teacher Tom Erickson and his class have been a state winner. As a result, Samsung has contributed a total of $85,000 in instructional technology to Clear Creek Middle School.

The Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest encourages teachers and students to solve real-world issues in their community using classroom skills in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

Clear Creek Middle School is among the nation’s 100 State Winners (at least one school from all 50 states) and will receive $15,000 in technology for its achievement. In addition, the school will also receive a Samsung video kit for students to create and submit a three-minute video that showcases their project development and how it addresses the issue. The video will be used for the chance to advance to the next phase of the contest and win additional prizes and educational opportunities.

“Samsung is extremely proud of the evolution of the Solve for Tomorrow platform over the past 10 years: fueling students’ passion and curiosity to tackle issues that affect their communities in unexpected and creative ways,” said Ann Woo, Senior Director of Corporate Citizenship at Samsung Electronics America. “Reading the innovative proposals students and teachers have put forth this year exemplifies what we know to be true for every student – that young minds have just as much to teach as they do to learn. Our guiding citizenship vision is ‘Enabling People,’ and we are thrilled to celebrate another year of empowering future innovators to achieve their full potential through STEM learning.”

About the school’s project

Local Issue: Seventh and eighth rade students in Mr. Tom Erickson’s class at Clear Creek Middle School are attempting to make it more safe for emergency vehicles to navigate intersections. At the same time, they are hoping to decrease the response time of these vehicles to their calls.

Proposed Project: Clear Creek Middle School students are proposing a system in which passenger vehicles will be notified as an emergency vehicle approaches an intersection. This will be accomplished by tapping into the Opticom system that police and fire departments use to control traffic signals. When the system is activated, the vehicles will be notified to stop short of the intersection to reduce obstacles.

Future contest phases: All 100 State Winners will work on their projects and submit their three-minute video in hopes of advancing in the contest’s remaining phases:

• 20 National Finalist schools will be selected to travel to the final event in the spring where they will present their project to a panel of judges. For achieving National Finalist status, schools will be awarded in total $50,000 in technology and classroom materials.
• Five grand prize National Winner schools will receive in total $100,000 in technology and classroom materials, and participate in a trip to Washington, D.C. to present their projects to members of Congress.
• Public voting will also determine one Community Choice winner from the pool of National Finalists, who will be eligible to win an additional $10,000 in Samsung technology.

Prize is based on an estimated retail value.

Interview Opportunities: Mr. Erickson and his students are available for interviews about the local issue they’re working to address and the importance of hands-on STEM learning.

Media Contact: For questions about the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest, please reach out to SamsungSFT@allisonpr.com. For questions about the school’s project, please reach out to Gresham-Barlow School District Communications Director Athena Vadnais at: vadnais@gresham.k12.or.us

The Multnomah Education Service District Board of Directors will meet in Regular Session at 6:00 p.m. on January 21, 2020, in the Board Room at 11611 NE Ainsworth Circle, Portland, OR 97220.

The Multnomah Education Service District Board Equity and Inclusion Committee will meet on Thursday, January 16 at 1:00 p.m. at the main headquarters, 11611 NE Ainsworth Circle, Portland, Oregon  97220.

Rainier SD two-hour delay, January 15, 2020. School will begin at 10:00 a.m. All Buses on Snow Routes

Rainier SD two-hour delay, Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Patricia Harmon’s third grade students at Maple Grove Primary School take their roles as scientists very seriously. Donning protective goggles, a group of students is seated around a picnic table testing water samples, carefully recording the data they collect along the way. Nearby, another group of four students is huddled over a small plastic tub filled with water and a few aquatic plants, using pipettes and plastic spoons to check for tiny critters. Suddenly there’s a breakthrough, as an excited voice exclaims “Ms. Harmon, I found a stonefly!”

These young scientists are just some of the more than 3,000 Clark County students who make up the Student Watershed Monitoring Network (SWMN). Supported by Clark County’s Clean Water Division and the City of Vancouver’s Water Resources Education Center, the project trains teachers and students in grades kindergarten through high school to monitor water quality and habitat in a local stream, lake, river or wetlands.

“These students are learning standardized procedures used to collect and interpret data,” said Rainy Rau, water educator from the Water Resources Education Center. “The work they’re doing for this project aligns with level one science from the State of Washington’s Next Generation Science Standards. If problems with a body of water are discovered during the course of student data collection, qualified professionals are alerted for follow-up response to the issues. So the students have a real impact.”

To collect their data, the Maple Grove students only need to walk a few hundred feet from their classroom to a pond just northeast of their campus where they’re greeted by Maria Tunno, a part-time watershed educator assisting the City of Vancouver and Clark County with the SWMN, and Chad Schwatka, the stormwater program coordinator with the City of Battle Ground.

Tunno and Schwatka are there to help introduce the class to the local watershed and train them to take in-the-field water measurements. The tests include sampling the stream flow, water temperature, pH, phosphates, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity levels. Turbidity is a measure of the degree to which the water loses its transparency due to the presence of suspended particulates. The more total suspended solids in the water, the murkier it seems and the higher the turbidity.

Building on these skills, the students learn to collect and evaluate species of macroinvertebrates present in the waterway. Macroinvertebrates are organisms that lack a spine, but are large enough to be seen by the naked eye. Because different types of macroinvertebrates tolerate different stream conditions and levels of pollution, their presence or absence is used to indicate clean or polluted water. 

For example, most larvae of caddisflies, mayflies, and stoneflies cannot survive in polluted water, so streams with these bugs are assumed to have good water quality. However, the absence of these organisms in a body of water does not necessarily indicate that the water quality is poor. Other natural factors, such as temperature and flow, also come into play.

“It has been a pleasure working with Maple Grove and River HomeLink students on this project for the last five years, and we hope that through multiple years of sampling, students can begin to think about how their everyday activities influence the quality of surface waters within their environments,” Schwatka said. “It’s a joy to see students in the outdoors while they’re learning, and we are pleased that we have the opportunity to expose kids to their local watersheds. The program is also great for the City of Battle Ground, as it helps fulfill state requirements. But more importantly, it provides opportunities for us to directly educate and connect with the community we serve.”

In the past, students from Battle Ground Public Schools have collected water quality data from Woodin Creek and its tributary waters. Woodin Creek is one of the larger creeks that run through the City of Battle Ground, joining downstream with Salmon Creek just outside of city limits.

“It’s very rewarding watching young students discover things that excite them in a scientific setting,” Tunno said. “Getting outside provides an opportunity for kids to connect with nature and realize that they can have an impact on protecting and preserving the world around them. It can be quite empowering for kids to experience observational learning like this.”

Students and classes that obtain water quality data throughout the school year are invited to present their overall conclusions to other students and professionals from southwest Washington at a conference called Watershed Congress. Hosted in May of each year by the Vancouver Water Resources Education Center and Clark County Public Works, Watershed Congress has proven to be a great way to keep students engaged while exposing them to real-world communications and presentation experience.

“This is such exciting work for these young scientists,” said teacher Patricia Harmon. “My class is always eager to get outside to work on this project, and it’s amazing seeing them so engaged with the subject matter.”

If you have a soon-to-be or current high school student who may be interested in a hands-on, science-based program, then you're encouraged to come to the Center for Agriculture, Science and Environmental Education (CASEE) program's Science Night on Thursday, Jan. 23 at 6 p.m. at CASEE Building B, 11104 NE 149th St. in Brush Prairie.

Prospective students and their families are invited to enjoy some free pizza, ask questions and get additional information about the half-day program, tour the campus, and meet the program teachers and staff.

CASEE is a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) program for high school students that integrates biological, environmental and agricultural sciences with math and English language arts. It is offered through the Battle Ground Public Schools Career and Technical Education program. Students in the program attend classes on the CASEE campus, an 80-acre learning laboratory where scientific concepts are explored and reinforced through experiential learning in the classroom, in the lab, and outdoors. Bus transportation is provided to CASEE from both Prairie and Battle Ground High Schools. Applications for new students are due March 27. 

If you plan to attend, please RSVP for the event at www.battlegroundps.org/casee. If you have any questions about the CASEE program or Science Night, please call (360) 885-5361 or email info.casee@battlegroundps.org. 

Calling all businesses! Would you like to connect with soon-to-be graduates and local community members and help educate them about career opportunities in southwest Washington?

If so, then look no further than Battle Ground Public Schools’ 2020 Industry Fair. The event, sponsored by BGPS, NEXT, Partners in Careers, and WorkSource of SW Washington, will be held on Feb. 20 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Battle Ground High School, 300 W. Main St., in Battle Ground.

Battle Ground Public Schools is accepting reservations from employers located in and around Clark County for tables at the event, where employer representatives can meet with students and community members about career opportunities. All industries are encouraged to participate, including healthcare, manufacturing, technology, construction, finance, hospitality, retail, apprenticeships, transportation, and more.

We hope you’ll join us for this worthwhile and educational evening at Battle Ground High School. Please sign up for an event table by Feb. 17 online at https://bit.ly/2nypRoq, and contact career guidance specialist Kevin Doyle at (360) 885-6598 or doyle.kevin@battlegroundps.org with questions.

Friday, January 17, 2020 – Ridgefield, WA – Ask a fourth grader about what they have been studying, and you might not expect to hear, “The pika!”  What is a pika?  These students will be glad you asked.  They know more than most people about these cute animals.  And they were excited to learn more about pikas from Amanda Greenvoss with Cascades Pika Watch.  Greenvoss came to speak to students at Union Ridge Elementary about her work with pikas—and how the students could help.

Pikas are small mammals “about the size of a baked potato,” Greenvoss told the students.  At first glance, they resemble a mouse, but they are actually related to rabbits.  Greenvoss showed the students a picture of a pika’s face in profile.  “Cover their ears, and their face looks more like a rabbit.  They just have shorter ears.” 

Pikas usually live in cold, rocky, mountainous terrain, but surprisingly, there is a large group of pikas that inhabit the Columbia Gorge.  “These pikas are weird,” Greenvoss said.  There’s no real explanation for where this group of pikas came from, why they chose to live so much closer to sea level, or even how they survive when their bodies are adapted for a very different environment.  But not only are they surviving in the Columbia Gorge, they are thriving.  They even survived the destruction of a large part of their habitat in the Eagle Creek fire of 2017, hiding deep in their underground burrows. 

Because this group of pikas is such an anomaly, it makes for great research.  Greenvoss explained that the Cascades Pika Watch has many “citizen scientist” volunteers who help locate and map pika populations in Oregon.  They can watch and listen for pikas as they hike trails, and they also monitor a group of sites in and around the Columbia River Gorge.  With so many more eyes watching for pikas, biologists get better data to study them.  Greenvoss explained that there are many families that have joined the Cascades Pika Watch; with just one training, they can turn their family hikes into a way to help scientific research.

Many of the students hoped their families would join in the volunteer group.  They have spent many hours researching pikas and are big fans of the cute animals.  The walls of the hallways near their classroom are decorated with poster after poster about pikas, with drawings and detailed information about the pika’s preferred environment, characteristics, and behavior, as well as how they have been impacted by climate change.

Teacher Kim Stenbak started the pika research project at Union Ridge Elementary.  Inspired by a teaching outline by ESD 112 (Educational Service District 112), an agency that serves schools throughout the region, she realized this was a great way to get students involved in learning, not just about the pika, but also about the environment and how humans have affected their survival.  She hopes that in the future, these students will be active in educating others about the pika and helping preserve their environment. 

Interested in joining the Cascades Pika Watch citizen scientists to watch and listen for pikas?  Sign up at oregonzoo.org/pikawatch .

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Tuesday, January 14, 2020 -- Ridgefield, Washington – On January 14, Ridgefield School District officials recognized the January Employee and Students of the Month at the regular Board of Directors meeting.  

Employee of the Month

A familiar sight at South Ridge Elementary School is seeing Lee Ann Young helping a student prepare for the rigors of class work and providing guidance in facing life’s challenges.  Lee Ann has worked tirelessly for decades to offer the highest quality education a student, parent, or school district could ask for.

During her last year educating, Lee Ann remains the ever-present sentry.  She arrives early in the morning and stays far past her contract hours to organize for her students the information that drives her teaching.  She is always gathering information, tailoring it to meet the needs of her students.  In the classroom, Lee Ann creates a metered environment, providing her students with fair, predictable rewards to keep them focused on their own success.  As a respected colleague to other teachers, she offers constant support and ideas.  It is just who she is.  The community of Ridgefield is fortunate to have such an exemplary educator serving its students.  Ridgefield School District is proud to select Lee Ann Young as January’s Employee of the Month.

Students of the Month

Lincoln Stevens is January’s Student of the Month at the Early Learning Center.  Lincoln has a great work ethic in the classroom.  He always tries his best and participates in class.  He’s a great leader!  Lincoln also has a kind and respectful attitude and is always willing to help others.  He includes everyone in his play, often seeking out peers who may have challenges in initiating play.  The Early Learning Center is so very proud of Lincoln.  He’s a wonderful example of our Hashbrown pride!

Emma Sekidde, a fourth grader, is January’s Student of the Month at South Ridge Elementary School.  Emma is an amazing young lady.  She comes every day with the drive to do her best.  Emma is a wonderful friend and cares deeply about her classmates.  She is quick to volunteer and do what is right, no matter what!  Emma is an excellent example to younger Roadrunners about what it means to be Respectful, Responsible, and Resilient.  At the beginning of the school year, during our first assembly, she organized a group of fourth graders to hand out tokens to students who were demonstrating respectful and responsible assembly behavior.  South Ridge Elementary is very thankful to have Emma as part of the Roadrunner family!

Jaxxsun Schmidt, a third grader, was selected at Union Ridge Elementary due to significant growth this year, not only in his overall academic skills but also for his participation level and connection in class.  His support team in school celebrates the adversity that he has overcome as a student and in life.  We are so proud of his recent accomplishments in class.  Jaxxsun has a contagious smile, a positive spirit and extra hugs to share.  He is a good friend to others and a shining example of what Union Ridge believes of their students—that ALL students can learn and succeed.  Jaxxsun Schmidt is a champion of inspiration.  We congratulate him for this recognition.

Alexandra (Ally) Nebeker, a sixth grader, was selected at Sunset Ridge Intermediate School.  Ally is so deserving of the Student of the Month award.  She works hard every single day in school and pushes herself to do her best and to be her best at all times.  She always offers help to other students or asks what other work she can do to further her knowledge and skills, demonstrating how self-motivated she is.  Ally is cheerful and friendly to all staff and to her peers.  She is always following classroom and school expectations, completing all of her work and participating in discussions and work with her classmates.  She does these things on her own without any needed direction.  Ally is a name you can leave for a substitute teacher if they ever need help in the classroom.  She is the epitome of the 3R’s at Sunset Ridge.  She is respectful, responsible and resilient.  Always.  Every day.  For these reasons and so many more, Sunset Ridge Intermediate is proud to select Alexandra Nebeker as January’s Student of the Month.

Kaylee Kirkelie, an eighth grader, was chosen at View Ridge Middle School.  Kaylee is a wonderful student who always gives great effort and does her best work.  She comes to class each day ready to learn.  She is persistent, asks great questions, and takes charge of her own learning.  She is a helpful, supportive classmate and always contributes positively to our learning environment.  Kaylee is friendly and easy to work with, helps others and always has a smile ready!  She cares about her learning and grades and will ask questions when needed.  We love having her in class!

The Ridgefield High School Student of the Month for January 2020 is freshman Emily Trost.  In her less-than-four months’ time at RHS, Emily has been nominated by four different teachers in three different months.  She has made an immediate and substantial impact on the staff and students at RHS, standing out among the many exceptional students we have.  Says one of her teachers, “Emily is a very responsible student and brings out the best in her classmates.”  Another teacher describes her as “an absolute pleasure to have in class and a natural born leader.”  Emily brings her best to class every day, is welcoming to others, is respectful and thoughtful and shows “wisdom and maturity beyond her years.”  In addition to earning straight A’s, Emily is involved in theater and French Club and has completed her bronze award in Girl Scouts.  Her interests include theater, math and numbers.  Emily hopes to pursue a career in accounting or in the travel industry after graduation.

Special thanks to the local office of James Schmeling at Allstate Insurance Company, the Ridgefield Public Schools Foundation and the Ridgefield Boosters for sponsoring the district’s recognition program this school year.

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Lebanon community school will be on snow routes today 1/17/20.

Lebanon Community School will be on AM snow routes

Lebanon buses will be running on snow routes today Tuesday 01/14/2020

Monday, January 13, 2020-Woodland, WA-Woodland Public Schools’ existing three-year levy expires at the end of 2020. In order to maintain existing high-quality school services and educational programs, the district will need a replacement levy to fund continued current operations.

Many community members hear the term “levy,” but may not fully understand what it means, why school districts need them, and what they fund. This article seeks to answer many of the questions you may have about what levies are and how they support quality schools.

What are levies?

Educational Programs and Operations Levies (also called “EP&O Levies”) bridge the gap between what school districts receive from state and federal funding and what it actually costs to operate high-quality schools.

Woodland Public Schools’ current three-year levy expires in 2020 and provides nearly 12% of the funds needed to operate the Woodland Public Schools.

What do levies pay for?

Levies help pay for everything students need for effective, high-quality learning to take place.

Here are a few examples of how Woodland Public Schools uses levy funds:

• Career and Technical Education programs;
• Additional teachers to ensure lower class sizes;
• Instructional assistants and other support staff including counselors and paraeducators;
• Custodial and Maintenance staff to preserve and maintain school facilities;
• Classroom supplies, curriculum, and textbooks;
• Technology equipment for students and teachers to enhance learning in the modern era;
• Specialized educational programs to provide support for all students to meet high educational standards;
• Transportation services to get students to and from school each day;
• Extracurricular student activities including athletics, drama, music, and clubs;
• Professional development and training for teachers;
•  … and much more!

Why do school districts need local levies?

Washington school districts receive funding from the state and the federal governments. However, this funding does not pay for everything in a school district’s budget. In Woodland, local levy dollars bridge the nearly 12% gap between funding received and the actual costs of operating the community’s schools so the district can provide a quality educational experience for our community’s students.

In June 2018, Washington State’s Supreme Court ruled the state was failing to meet the constitutional requirement to fully fund education. Over the subsequent years, the state increased school funding, however, the state funding still falls short of what is required for Woodland to continue offering its current high-quality educational program.

What are the details of Woodland Public Schools’ replacement EP&O levy?

As responsible stewards of community funds, the District’s Board of Directors elected to keep the levy tax rate of the current levy expiring in 2020 for the Replacement Educational Programs and Operations Levy starting in 2021. 

The district forecasts the tax rate in 2020 at $2.37 per thousand dollars of assessed property valuation for collection 2021, the same as the current rate assessed in 2019. 

If approved, the replacement three-year EP&O levy on the ballot in February 2020 would raise $5,400,000 in funding in 2021; $5,750,000 in 2022; and $6,100,000 in 2023. 

Woodland Public Schools succeed thanks to the Woodland community.

Ballots will arrive in voters’ mailboxes at the end of January with Election Day, Tuesday, February 11, being the last day for voters to mail in or drop off ballots.

“Woodland Public Schools’ reputation for providing an excellent education for our students while maintaining strict fiscal responsibility comes from the outstanding and ongoing support for education consistently demonstrated by the Woodland community,” said Superintendent Michael Green. “Our community recognizes the high-quality education taking place in their schools, and we express our overwhelming gratitude for their partnership in educating our community’s children with high-performing, safe, and efficient schools.”

Community members interested in learning more about the Replacement Educational Programs and Operations Levy can visit the district’s website at www.woodlandschools.org/levy-2020.

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Notice of Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors

Tuesday January 21st, 2020 @ 6:30 PM

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Valley Catholic Middle School to Host Regional STEM Conference

Beaverton, Ore., - Valley Catholic Middle School, in partnership with Cognia, will be hosting a regional STEM conference for educators, parents, and community members and others interested in the future of STEM education. The “Think Future: STEM Institute” regional STEM conference takes place on Friday, January 31, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Valley Catholic Middle School, 4420 SW St. Mary’s Drive in Beaverton. 

The conference will include presenters and attendees from the Pacific Northwest region, which includes Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Colorado. Cognia, the conference partner, formerly known as AdvancED, provides schools with accreditation and certification, assessments, and professional consulting. In December 2018, Valley Catholic Middle School became the first school in the Pacific Northwest to earn STEM certification from Cognia.

Jennifer Gfroerer, Valley Catholic Middle School principal and doctoral candidate in neuroeducation at University of Portland said, “Those attending the conference will learn how neuroscience is helping educators understand ways to reach each individual student through STEM education, including methods to integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion into their educational practices.” 

Registration for the Think Future: STEM Institute is available on this link

About Valley Catholic

With outstanding faculty and a rich tradition of excellence in academics, arts, and athletics, Valley Catholic provides a faith-based education and unique learning experiences – in and out of the classroom – for students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. Valley Catholic is also home to a respected regional music school with year-round programming for children and adults.

Valley Catholic promotes a strong academic tradition of critical thinking, intellectual curiosity, and active social responsibility, preparing young men and women to be lifelong learners and leaders.

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SW Washington nonprofit builds scholarships in viticulture and culinary arts with the birthday celebration of Scotland’s national poet Robert Burns

January 18th fundraiser includes welcome Robby Burns cocktail, Celtic music from award-winning Scottish fiddler, Rachel Shaman, dinner, lively auction of rare liquor, wine and more.

Who:  Wine and Food Society of Clark County, (WFSCC).

What: Wine and Food Society of Clark County fundraiser auction and dinner. An annual celebration of the life and poetry of Robert Burns, with a traditional Robert Burns Dinner (Burns was born Jan. 25, 1759.) This celebration of Scottish culture includes a welcome cocktail, full dinner including beer and wine and a Scotch toast. No host bar available. This event will follow Scottish tradition by featuring a bagpiper, drams of whiskey, and a traditional Scottish meal including – of course – haggis. Your entertainment will include a Silent Auction, Live Auction, and a nod to the Scots. Proceeds raised will go to scholarship funds to support local students in the pursuit of knowledge within the wine and culinary professions.

Where:  Warehouse 23, 100 Columbia St #102, Vancouver, Washington 98660.

When & How:  5 p.m., Saturday, January 18th, individual tickets are $100; tables of 8, $800. Seating is limited, advance purchases recommended: www.wfscc.org.

“In keeping with a long tradition, we are doing a Robert Burns birthday scholarship fundraiser. I am proud to honor my Scottish heritage through this event.  On this night everyone is Scottish, says Russell Brent, Mill Creek Pub. 

For tickets and more information: www.wfscc.org.

About the Wine and Food Society of Clark County

WFSCC was started in 2006 to gather together people who shared a common joy in discovering great wines paired with culinary foods while raising much-needed funds for the advancement of the food and wine education and research in SW Washington.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit the Wine and Food Society of Clark County is committed to raising funds and supporting an on-going scholarship and grant foundation.

Clackamas – AARP Oregon praised Oregon’s entire House delegation vote today for bipartisan legislation to combat age discrimination – the “Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act” (POWADA).  The House of Representatives vote approving the bill is the most important action yet in the long drive toward passage.

 

“Thank you Representatives Blumenauer, Bonamici, DeFazio, Schrader and Walden in sending a clear message that age discrimination must be treated as seriously as other forms of workplace discrimination,” said  Ruby Haughton-Pitts, AARP Oregon State Director.

 

“Today’s vote is especially heartening for older workers, who make vital contributions to society and to their work places, and whose numbers are growing.  The law must be strengthened because age discrimination is widespread, yet too often it goes unreported and unaddressed.  AARP urges the Senate to take up and pass these important protections,” she said.

 

Closer to home, AARP Oregon and other advocates are working to create an Age Discrimination Task Force in the hopes of passing legislation in 2021 to strengthen the state’s age discrimination laws. “It’s time to fight back and say that in our state, we don’t tolerate sexism, racism or ageism. All forms of discrimination must be rooted out of our society,” said Haughton-Pitts.

POWADA was first introduced, with AARP backing, after an adverse 2009 Supreme Court decision (Gross v. FBL Financial Services, Inc.) that made it much more difficult for older workers to prove claims of illegal bias based on age.  The legislation would restore longstanding protections under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), which covers workers aged 40 and over.

 

In the Senate, the bipartisan companion legislation (S.485) is sponsored by Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Bob Casey (D-PA).

 

The House action comes as older workers play an increasingly important role in the workforce. Estimates are that by 2024, 41 million people ages 55 and older will be in the labor force, nearly an eight percent increase from the current number.  In addition, next year the oldest millennials will start turning 40 and  they will be covered by the ADEA.

 

The percentage of those 65 and older in the workforce has been increasing incrementally for more than three decades, with more than one in five in that cohort currently working or seeking work.

 

At the same time, the 2018 AARP “Value of Experience” study showed that age discrimination remains alive and well. The survey found that 61 percent of older workers said they had either faced or observed age bias.

 

The 61 percent figure is consistent with past surveys on the question and parallels an Oregon survey which found that 62 percent of workers 40 and older had seen or experienced age discrimination in the workplace.

 

Red Cross Lifesaving Award for Professional Responders presented to local teen for using her training skills to save a life

Portland, OR, Jan. 14, 2020 — Wilson High School senior, Rivkah Zigman didn’t hesitate to call on her American Red Cross training in First Aid/CPR/AED to save the life of a 60-year-old woman while volunteering last summer in Tel Aviv, Israel. For this heroic and lifesaving action, Zigman will receive the Red Cross Lifesaving Award for Professional Responders in a ceremony tonight at the Cascades Region Board Meeting.

The Lifesaving Award for Professional Responders is the highest award given by the Red Cross to individuals or group of individuals who save or sustain a life using skills learned in a Red Cross Training Services course.

Media is invited to attend this presentation at 5 p.m. tonight at the Red Cross Cascades Region headquarters at 3131 N. Vancouver Ave. Portland, OR 97227. Please arrive by 4:45 p.m.

“We’re extremely proud to present a Lifesaving Award for Professional Responders to Rivkah," Dale Kunce, CEO of the Red Cross Cascades Region said. “Her actions exemplify our mission to help people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies.”

In July of 2019, Zigman traveled to Tel Aviv, Israel to volunteer with United Hatzalah, a volunteer-based emergency medical services organization in Israel. While on duty with United Hatzalah responders, they were dispatched to a 60-year-old female unresponsive patient. Zigman applied the automated external defibrillator (AED) and participated in the CPR efforts for nearly 30 minutes. Working with the EMT teams, they were able to get a pulse and transported the woman to the hospital, where she ultimately survived.  

Zigman completed the Adult and Child First Aid / CPR / AED training course with the Red Cross Cascades Region at Wilson High School on December 15, 2017.

Red Cross training gives people the knowledge and skills to act in an emergency and save a life. A variety of online, blended (online and in-person skills session) and classroom courses are available at redcross.org/takeaclass.

If you or someone you know has used skills and knowledge learned in an American Red Cross Training Services course to help save or sustain the life of another individual, visit LifesavingAwards.org to nominate, recognize, or be inspired.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCrossCasc.

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WLWV and PPS districts are on a 2 hr inclement weather late start. All Camp Fire morning programs are canceled for today.

Community Foundation Opens Local Scholarship Applications
Organization’s scholarship funds provided nearly $750,000 in awards in 2019

Vancouver, Wash., Jan. 15, 2020— The Community Foundation for Southwest Washington opened applications for its 2020 scholarship program recently. The Community Foundation manages 68 scholarship funds that have been established by donors, organizations and businesses. They support students at various levels of education and within specific fields of study, such as the arts or engineering. Deadlines for applications vary by scholarship, with a majority closing on March 31, 2020.  Students interested in learning more and applying can visit www.cfsww.org/how-we-grant/scholarships.

Community Foundation scholarships have become an increasingly important source of financial aid for students and families. In 2019, its scholarship program awarded a record $749,644 on behalf of its many fundholders. This upward trend reflects national data trends. In its annual “How America Pays for College” study, Sallie Mae reported that 66 percent of families used a scholarship in 2019. Tracking this data over time also shows that the average amount of tuition covered by scholarships has risen nearly 45 percent during the last ten years, from $5,692 to $8,177.

In 2019, the Community Foundation’s average scholarship award was $2,630, which is on par with other community-based scholarships across the nation. These awards were distributed to a diverse group of 247 students, which included high school seniors, undergraduates, graduates and other students, such as those attending technical and K-12 private schools. Nearly 70 of the students are attending college at southwest Washington institutions (Clark College, Lower Columbia College and WSU Vancouver).

About the Community Foundation for Southwest Washington

Established in 1984, the Community Foundation helps southwest Washingtonians build a more vibrant community by inspiring investments in local philanthropy. The Foundation holds more than 325 distinct funds, which are actively invested to generate growth and income for granting purposes. Governed by an esteemed volunteer Board of Directors, the Community Foundation offers benefits and services to donors, nonprofits and the community at large. Learn more at www.cfsww.org.

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Foundation invested more than $66 million in nonprofits serving the Pacific Northwest in 2019, including $7.4 million in Portland

Vancouver, WA – Today, the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust announced a record year of giving with the publication of the foundation’s Fall 2019 Grants Report. As highlighted in the report:

• The Murdock Trust invested $66.3 million in capacity building grants to nonprofits serving Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington throughout 2019.
• This includes $7.4 million in grants to Portland-area nonprofits and more than $20 million to nonprofits serving Oregon.
• In addition, the Murdock Trust set a new record for giving in a single quarter, awarding 93 grants totaling $18.7 million at the foundation’s Fall 2019 Grants Meeting.

“We are grateful to have the opportunity to partner with these organization that serve the diverse needs of communities across the Pacific Northwest in innovative ways,” said Steve Moore, executive director, M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust. “As we prepare to mark our 45th year of service to Pacific Northwest communities, we are excited to continue to identify programs and projects that help ensure every individual and family in our region has the opportunity to flourish and thrive.”

The Murdock Trust was founded in 1975 by the estate of Melvin J. “Jack” Murdock. The Murdock Trust awards grants four times annually to nonprofits serving Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Vancouver B.C. and Washington in the areas of Arts and Culture, Scientific Research, Health, Education and Human Services.

2019 was a banner year for the Murdock Trust in several areas. In addition to setting a new record for grants invested in the local community, the foundation also crossed the milestone of awarding $1 billion in cumulative grants since opening its doors.

“These are exciting moments for the Murdock Trust and our history. But, for our staff, it is a testament to the incredible spirit of service and generosity that is thriving in the Pacific Northwest,” added Moore. “We are able to celebrate these milestones only because there is a flourishing ecosystem of tens of thousands of individuals and nonprofit organizations inspiring one another and collaborating on innovative solutions to help uplift and support every individual and family in our community.”

In addition to grantmaking, the Murdock Trust also supports nonprofit organizations through a series of educational enrichment programs and by gathering diverse voices and community leaders for convenings on a variety of subjects throughout the year. To learn more, visit murdocktrust.org.

About M. J. Murdock Charitable Trust

The Murdock Trust, created by the will of the late Melvin J. “Jack” Murdock, provides grants to organizations in five states of the Pacific Northwest—Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington—that seek to strengthen the region’s educational, spiritual and cultural base in creative and sustainable ways. Since its inception in 1975, the Trust has awarded more than 6,800 grants totaling more than $1 billion. For more information, find the Murdock Trust on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube and on our website.

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PORTLAND, Ore. – In honor of the pioneering civil rights legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) is hosting its first "Science and Service" event. 

OMSI and its corporate and community partners will assemble science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) kits that will benefit students at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School and Beaverton School District. All kits will include LEGOs, Play-doh, a STEAM activity sheet, OMSI passes, and more.

Legislation signed in 1983 marked the start of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as a federal holiday. Nearly 20 years later, in 1994, Congress designated this day as a national day of service to celebrate the civil rights leader’s life and legacy. 

Each year, on the third Monday in January, the MLK Day of Service is observed as a "day on, not a day off." 2020 marks the 25th anniversary of this day of service, which is intended to empower individuals, strengthen communities, bridge barriers, create solutions to social problems, and move us closer to Dr. King's vision of a "Beloved Community."

About OMSI
Founded in 1944, the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) is one of the nation’s leading science museums, a world-class tourist attraction, and an award-winning educational resource for the kid in each of us. OMSI operates the largest museum-based outdoor science education program in the country and provides traveling and community outreach programs that bring science learning opportunities to schools and community organizations in every county in Oregon and throughout the region. OMSI is located at 1945 SE Water Avenue, Portland, OR 97214. For general information, call 503.797.4000 or visit omsi.edu. 

Journalists:

I am attaching a PDF copy of the Cost of Compliance report. I apologize for sending the release earlier today with a non-working link.

Thanks,

Dave 

COST OF COMPLIANCE: STATE REGULATIONS INCREASE HEALTH CARE COSTS

Lake Oswego, Ore. – January 13, 2020 – There are more than 2,100 Oregon rules governing hospital operations, and some of these compliance requirements siphon off dollars that could go to patient care.

These rules create a significant financial burden for Oregon’s 62 community hospitals, who collectively spent $126 million in 2017 on the labor required to comply with state regulations.

Those are two of the findings from a new study on the cost of compliance for acute care inpatient hospitals in the state. The study was commissioned by the Oregon Association of Hospitals & Health Systems (OAHHS) and conducted in partnership with the Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) program at Pacific University. The group studied data from 2017. The title of the report is “Cost Burden: Evaluating the Financial Impact of Oregon State Regulatory Compliance on Oregon Hospitals and Health Systems.” Read a copy of the report here.

The study comes as the state looks at the total cost of health care within a statewide growth target. Hospital leaders say policy makers need to remember that regulations add significant costs. “As the state looks at the total cost of health care, we hope legislators consider the financial burden on providers from compliance with these regulations,” said Becky Hultberg, President and CEO of OAHHS.

The lead author of the study agreed. “Money spent ineffectively on compliance could be going to patient care,” said Laura Dimmler, director of the School of Healthcare Administration & Leadership at Pacific University.

In addition to being mindful about the cost burden of new regulations, the report includes the following recommendations:

• Avoid regulatory redundancy by ensuring that new regulations do not conflict with or duplicate existing federal rules
• Streamline implementation by writing laws and regulations clearly, making them simple, efficient, and cost-effective
• Set achievable goals for new laws that are not overly burdensome, especially for smaller hospitals

Dimmler said legislators need to ask questions about the intent of the regulation, including finding out the overall cost and whether it will improve patient outcomes. According to a report by the American Hospital Association, staff salaries account for 85% of total compliance costs.

The report cited the example of Oregon’s nurse staffing law. According to the report, many survey respondents said the law prioritizes record-keeping over patient care.

The survey project came after the 2017 Oregon Legislature, in which 114 health care related bills were introduced. Of those, 45 passed and became effective laws in 2017 or 2018.

The American Hospital Association undertook a similar study which painted a similar regulatory picture.

The title of the AHA report is “Regulatory Overload” and cites a study showing that 25% of hospital spending, roughly $200 billion, goes to administrative costs. The report says hospitals and health systems spend $69 billion every year on compliance, and that the average hospital devotes 59 FTEs to meet those requirements. Click here to read that report.

According to the AHA report, hospitals spend $1200 on compliance every time a patient is admitted.

The report recommends more collaboration with hospital representatives, including staff, to design bills and laws that put patient care first and don’t add unnecessary costs.

“At a time when health care affordability is top of mind for everyone, we need to streamline the regulatory environment to create rules that prioritize and enable high quality care for everyone,” said Hultberg. “These reports point out the need for efficiencies in our laws and regulations so that resources go to taking care of patients, not needless record keeping.”

Contact:

Dave Northfield

Director of Communications

(503) 479-6032 (o), (503) 329-1989 (c)

thfield@oahhs.org">dnorthfield@oahhs.org

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About OAHHS: Founded in 1934, OAHHS is a statewide, nonprofit trade association that works closely with local and national government leaders, business and citizen coalitions, and other professional health care organizations to enhance and promote community health and to continue improving Oregon’s innovative health care delivery system.

Salem, Ore., January 17, 2020 – The first-annual Oregon Housing Economic Summit (“Summit”), presented by the Oregon Home Builders Association, the Oregon Bankers Association and the Oregon Association of REALTORS® was held yesterday in Salem. The event drew over 400 participants representing the homebuilding, banking and real estate industries, as well as public officials and other stakeholders.
 
Senior Economist and Director of Housing and Commercial Research at the National Association of REALTORS® Gay Cororaton, CBE, and Dr. Michael Wilkerson, partner and director of analytics with ECONorthwest, addressed economic and housing affordability issues. Policies impacting housing supply at the local level were tackled during a panel discussion with City of Tigard’s Community Development Director Kenny Asher and Sightline Institute’s Senior Researcher Michael Andersen.
 
For an on the ground perspective, industry representatives discussed trends and barriers to housing development, financing, and homeownership. Panelists included Susan Brown, senior vice president and construction production manager at Umpqua Bank, Chad Harvey, principal broker at Harvey Realty Group, and Justin Wood, vice president of Fish Construction NW.
 
Oregon Speaker of the House Tina Kotek (N/NE Portland) and two members of the House Interim Committee On Human Services and Housing, Chair Alissa Keny-Guyer (NE/SE Portland) and Vice-Chair Ron Noble (McMinnville) concluded the program with a discussion about recent housing-related legislation and their views about addressing Oregon’s housing affordability and availability challenges. The representatives fielded audience comments and questions from various industry perspectives.
 
The Summit succeeded in bringing together key stakeholders for a collaborative and productive dialogue about the challenges and potential solutions to housing affordability and availability in Oregon. The three industry groups plan to hold next year’s Oregon Housing Economic Summit in Salem on January 14, 2021. More information will be available at https://oregonhousingeconomicsummit.com.

Up in Smoke: Emerging data shows combined woodstoves, chimneys emit particulate pollution at levels similar to a wildfire

12.8 million pounds of particulate pollution released

Portland -- Breathing smoke from burning wood in chimneys and woodstoves can harm a person’s health, and several cities and counties stand ready with grant dollars to help people switch to better forms of primary heating. New data shows the annual particulate levels from these heating sources rival that of a wildfire.

“As Oregon faces a week of very cold weather, Oregon Environmental Council hopes everyone in the state stays safe and warm,” said Environmental Health Director Jamie Pang. “We know many of our residents rely on the affordability of woodstoves and chimneys as primary or secondary sources of heat, but we found the comparison to wildfire smoke important to share for homeowners who can afford better sources of heating.”

The data comes from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, which shows that 12.8 million pounds of dangerous particulate matter, known as PM 2.5, can leave Oregon woodstoves and chimneys each year. That’s more than half the amount of pollution from the 2017 Sonoma County wildfires, which burned 110,700 acres and emitted an estimated 20 million pounds of PM 2.5.

“As we close 2019 and look toward meeting our health and climate goals for the near-term and future decades, Oregonians can make changes in their homes and support policies to protect our air quality and environment,” Pang said. “One big opportunity is to phase out the use of woodstoves and fireplaces and commit to cleaner ways of heating, and creating ambience, as a way to improve Oregon’s air quality and save our climate.”

Federal tax credits and local grants in some Oregon communities are available to help individual households make this important change.

Woodsmoke Is Toxic 

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, just one hour of burning 10 pounds of wood generates 4,300 times more carcinogenic PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) than 30 cigarettes.

Wood burning in Oregon is both a major source of “black carbon” which is contributing to climate change, and particle pollution (in particular PM 2.5), which is a pollutant so small, it can enter a person’s bloodstream. Other pollutants emitted by burning wood include: nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, dioxins and toxic gases such as formaldehyde, benzene, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, acetaldehyde, and acrolein. Inhaling woodsmoke can lead to eye irritation, respiratory illnesses, bronchitis, and asthma, among other things. Specifically, burning wood is the dirtiest form of energy production compared to other heating devices.

Let’s visualize: Emerging data from Oregon DEQ estimates that 12,791,821 pounds of PM 2.5 is released throughout the state from wood burning. This data will be submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Emissions Inventory. Click on the interactive map for more information.

Oregon DEQ Funding Has Increased to Help Individual Households Phase Out Woodstoves 

OEC encourages people to decrease the amount of wood burned in a home, if it is not a primary source of heating, and to switch to a cleaner heating system if possible.

The Oregon DEQ recently received more funding from the state Legislature, which provides $500,000 to help individual households in:

• Klamath County – “Woodstove smoke reduction through efficient energy systems”

• Town of Lakeview – “Town of Lakeview Woodsmoke Reduction Program” 

• Harney County (Burns & Hines) – “Woodsmoke Reduction Project”

• City of Pendleton – “Woodsmoke Reduction Project” 

• City of Prineville – “Prineville Woodsmoke Reduction Grant”

Each local jurisdiction has more information on its grant program.

Also, Congress recently extended the $300 tax credit for replacing an older wood stove with one that is that is EPA-certified to be 75% efficient, until December 31, 2020. OEC encourages Oregonians to take advantage of grant funding and tax credits.

Visit OEConline.org for tips on how to minimize the harm from burning wood.

Pledge to Burn Cleaner, and to Abide by Oregon’s Burn Ordinances 

At least 11 Oregon counties and municipalities currently restrict wood burning during certain months and when air quality is bad – with exemptions for families who use wood stoves as their sole source of heat and for low-income households. They include:

1. Multnomah County (October 1-March 1). The County also posts live-updates on each day’s burn status, and you can sign up for text alerts for bad air-quality days.

2. Lane County Regional Air Protection Agency (October 1 through May 31)  

3. Hillsboro/unincorporated Washington County (November 1 to March 1)

4. Klamath Falls (October 15-March 15)

5. Town of Lakeview (October 15-March 31)

6. Eugene, Springfield, and Oakridge (October 1-May 31)

7. City of Prineville (January 1-December 31) open-burn restriction program 

8. City of Burns voluntary restriction program 

9. City of Pendleton (October 1-Sept 30) open-burn restriction program

10. Grants Pass/Josephine County year-round burn advisory and restriction

11. La Grande (October 1-March 31)

12.  

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About Oregon Environmental Council: We bring Oregonians together to protect our water, air and land with healthy solutions that work for today and for future generations. Founded in 1968 by concerned Oregonians from across the state, we are a membership-based, nonpartisan nonprofit. Follow us! @oeconline | OEConline.org

What: SAIF will be presenting a free, half-day seminar on agriculture safety and health on Wednesday, January 29 in English and on Thursday, January 30 in Spanish.

Who should attend: The seminars are designed primarily for people working in agriculture, but are open to anyone interested in ag safety and health—they don't have to be insured by SAIF. Registration is required.

When: Wednesday, January 29 and Thursday, January 30, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Lunch is included.

Where: Oregon State Fair Expo Center, Cascade Hall, 2330 17th Street NE, Salem.

More information: Below and at www.saif.com/agseminars. SAIF safety management consultants are available for interviews on the seminars and ag safety. Photos from last year’s seminars are available by request.

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FREE FARM SAFETY SEMINARS HELD IN 17 CITIES ACROSS OREGON

Summary: SAIF’s annual ag seminars will be held in 17 cities across the state and online in English and Spanish.

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Farm work is a whole lot safer than it used to be. But as far as SAIF is concerned, even one injury or illness is too many.

That’s why SAIF is offering 29 free ag safety seminars in 17 cities across Oregon. The first was held in La Grande on October 28, and they’ll continue through March 2020. Nine of the seminars will be presented entirely in Spanish. Last year, more than 2,180 workers and employers attended SAIF’s seminars.

“We purposely hold these in the off-season to encourage attendance,” said Courtney Merriott, senior safety management consultant at SAIF and presenter at this year’s seminars. “Our goal is to provide the latest safety content for the industry, so that every ag worker goes home safe and healthy each night.”

This year’s seminars will focus on four topics: respiratory personal protective equipment, working at elevation, safety leadership for anyone, and incident analysis—a structured process for identifying what happened and reducing recurrence of injuries moving forward.

In March, SAIF will also offer webinars online in English and, new this year, Spanish.

The seminars are designed primarily for people working in agriculture but are open to anyone interested in ag safety and health—they don’t have to be insured by SAIF.

In-person seminars will be held in Bandon, Central Point, Clackamas, Corvallis, Eugene, Hermiston, Hillsboro, Hood River, Klamath Falls, La Grande, Madras, Milton-Freewater, Ontario, Salem, The Dalles, Wilsonville, and Woodburn.

Spanish seminars will be held in Central Point, Eugene, Hermiston, Hillsboro, Hood River, Salem, The Dalles, Wilsonville, and Woodburn.

All will run from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and lunch will be provided.

Employers with small ag businesses who attend the seminar, or watch the webinars, will meet OSHA’s instructional requirement—one of four requirements that exempt small agricultural operations from random OSHA inspections.

Three hours of technical and one hour of business continuing education credits will be offered if approved by the Landscape Contractors Board. Producer continuing education credit hours for licensed insurance agents have been requested and are pending approval by the Department of Consumer and Business Services.

More information—including registration details—can be found at www.saif.com/agseminars.

About SAIF

SAIF is Oregon's not-for-profit workers' compensation insurance company. Since 1914, we've been taking care of injured workers, helping people get back to work, and striving to make Oregon the safest and healthiest place to work. For more information, visit the About SAIF page on saif.com.

What: SAIF will be presenting a free, half-day seminar on agriculture safety and health on Tuesday, January 28.

Who should attend: The seminars are designed primarily for people working in agriculture, but are open to anyone interested in ag safety and health—they don't have to be insured by SAIF. Registration is required.

When: Tuesday, January 28, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Lunch is included.

Where: Monarch Hotel & Conference Center, 12566 SE 93rd Avenue, Clackamas

More information: Below and at www.saif.com/agseminars. SAIF safety management consultants are available for interviews on the seminars and ag safety. Photos from last year’s seminars are available by request.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

FREE FARM SAFETY SEMINARS HELD IN 17 CITIES ACROSS OREGON

Summary: SAIF’s annual ag seminars will be held in 17 cities across the state and online in English and Spanish.

__________________________________

Farm work is a whole lot safer than it used to be. But as far as SAIF is concerned, even one injury or illness is too many.

That’s why SAIF is offering 29 free ag safety seminars in 17 cities across Oregon. The first was held in La Grande on October 28, and they’ll continue through March 2020. Nine of the seminars will be presented entirely in Spanish. Last year, more than 2,180 workers and employers attended SAIF’s seminars.

“We purposely hold these in the off-season to encourage attendance,” said Courtney Merriott, senior safety management consultant at SAIF and presenter at this year’s seminars. “Our goal is to provide the latest safety content for the industry, so that every ag worker goes home safe and healthy each night.”

This year’s seminars will focus on four topics: respiratory personal protective equipment, working at elevation, safety leadership for anyone, and incident analysis—a structured process for identifying what happened and reducing recurrence of injuries moving forward.

In March, SAIF will also offer webinars online in English and, new this year, Spanish.

The seminars are designed primarily for people working in agriculture but are open to anyone interested in ag safety and health—they don’t have to be insured by SAIF.

In-person seminars will be held in Bandon, Central Point, Clackamas, Corvallis, Eugene, Hermiston, Hillsboro, Hood River, Klamath Falls, La Grande, Madras, Milton-Freewater, Ontario, Salem, The Dalles, Wilsonville, and Woodburn.

Spanish seminars will be held in Central Point, Eugene, Hermiston, Hillsboro, Hood River, Salem, The Dalles, Wilsonville, and Woodburn.

All will run from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and lunch will be provided.

Employers with small ag businesses who attend the seminar, or watch the webinars, will meet OSHA’s instructional requirement—one of four requirements that exempt small agricultural operations from random OSHA inspections.

Three hours of technical and one hour of business continuing education credits will be offered if approved by the Landscape Contractors Board. Producer continuing education credit hours for licensed insurance agents have been requested and are pending approval by the Department of Consumer and Business Services.

More information—including registration details—can be found at www.saif.com/agseminars.

About SAIF

SAIF is Oregon's not-for-profit workers' compensation insurance company. Since 1914, we've been taking care of injured workers, helping people get back to work, and striving to make Oregon the safest and healthiest place to work. For more information, visit the About SAIF page on saif.com.