On June 14, 2019, Beaverton Police officers arrested 32-year-old Candido Felix Jr., a resident of Gresham, and 26-year-old Ann Pena, a resident of Forest Grove, after locating them in a stolen vehicle.
BPD officers, performing self-initiated activity, noticed Mr. Felix driving a black 2014 Toyota Camry near SW Lombard/SW Canyon. The vehicle had been stolen from Portland on June 6th. Officers stopped the vehicle and took both occupants into custody near SW Canyon/Hwy 217.
A search of the vehicle located black tar heroin and burglary tools. Mr. Felix was charged with Unlawful Possession of a Stolen Vehicle and Unlawful Use of a Stolen Vehicle. Ms. Pena was charged with Unlawful Use of a Stolen Vehicle, Possession of Heroin (felony), and a misdemeanor warrant out of Multnomah County for Possession of Heroin.
Mr. Felix and Ms. Pena were taken to Washington County jail. As we continue to keep Beaverton a safe city, BPD asks community members to report all suspicious activity by calling non-emergency dispatch at 503-629-0111.
##BPD##

On 6/12/2019, at 12:49 pm, Albany Police Department was advised of a dead body floating in the Willamette River near Takena landing.

After the retrieval and the securing of the body, Benton County Sheriff’s Office was established as the investigating agency.

On 6/13/2019, Detectives with the Benton County Sheriff’s Office attended an autopsy at the State of Oregon Medical Examiner’s Office.

Preliminary results of the autopsy indicate that the body was a white male, undetermined age, and had been in the Willamette River for two to three months, making a visual identification difficult. The male had been wearing a “Batman” T-shirt and an Oregon State University shirt. An indistinguishable tattoo was visible on the lower right area of the abdomen.

Initial examination of the body does not indicate obvious signs of trauma and the death does not appear to have been caused by observable homicidal violence. Toxicology results are pending but the results are not expected for several weeks or longer.

Benton County Sheriff’s Office is investigating missing person’s reports but have no immediate leads as to the identity of the male.

Anyone with information is asked to Contact Lt. Chris Duffitt of the Benton County Sheriff’s Office at 541.766.6858.

PERSON: Ryan M. Webb (44 year of age - home town, Camas, WA)

VEHICLE: Gold colored 2008 Dodge Nitro, Washington Lincense 862YIE

Mr. Webb left his Camas home in early May, 2019 to possibly go camping in the Mt. Hood National Forest area, in Clackamas County.  He was reported to have been in the area around welches, Oregon and Rhododendron, Oregon on May 14th, 2019.

Mr. Webb has not returned home and he has not contacted any family members or friends regarding his whereabouts.  The family, and his friends, are very concerned for his welfare as this would be unlike him to be gone for so long without contacting someone.

Mr. Webb is driving his 2008 Dodge Nitro sport utility vehicle, gold in color.  Photos of a similar vehicle (but not Mr. Webb's) is attached.  The vehicle license plate is Washington 826YIE.

The Camas Police Department is seeking the public's assistance in locating Mr. Webb's vehicle, which will hopefully lead to locating Mr. Webb.  If anyone has seen him or his vehicle, or has any information that will be helpful in locating him, please call 911 right away so that information can be directed to investigators.  Camas Police are also asking those who frequent the Mt. Hood National Forest area be alert for any vehicles that match this description.

Camas Police are looking for Ryan M. Webb who hasn't been seen by his friends or family since May 7th. 

Webb is a 44 year-old white male/5’04”/250 lbs with brown hair and hazel eyes.  He has tattoo on right bicep of a skull wearing a cowboy hat and a tattoo on left bicep of razor wire.

Webb was last heard from on May 7th, when he posted to Facebook a picture of his vehicle a 2008 Dodge Nitro (WA 862YIE) and said he was going on a road trip. Webb’s family stated his cell phone and bank activity have been inactive since May 14th. 

It is unknown what Webb may be wearing or what direction or destination he was travelling to.

If you have any information as to Webb’s whereabouts, please call 911 or contact Camas Police Department Detective David Garcia, referencing Case #19-573.

Camas and Washougal Fireworks Rules and Regulations Have Changed

Fire Marshal Asking Citizens to Practice Safety and Know the Fireworks Regulations

CAMAS-WASHOUGAL, WA – Consumer fireworks may only be discharged on July 4th in Camas and Washougal this holiday season. Additionally, an ordinance passed by the Washougal City council in November of 2017 changed the types of fireworks allowed within their city limits to only those that fall under the definition of "safe and sane".

Safe and sane fireworks are those that are neither projectile nor explosive. Any fireworks that fly, explode or travel more than one foot into the air (such as mortars and roman candles) or more than 6 feet on the ground do not fit the definition of safe and sane and are therefore illegal for sales or use within the city limits of Washougal.

Local agencies will be on patrol to enforce these new fireworks regulations. Fire Marshal Ron Schumacher cautions that “using illegal fireworks or discharging fireworks outside of legally permitted dates and times may result in a fine and the possible confiscation of your fireworks."  The penalties start at $250 for the first offense, $500 fine for a second offense, $750 fine for a third offense, and $1,000.00 for each subsequent offense within a three-year period.

Fireworks stands in both Camas and Washougal will be open July 2nd through July 4th from 9am – 11pm, and in Camas they will also be open on July 5th from 9am – 9pm.

Camas residents can find a complete list of legal consumer fireworks at:

 http://www.wsp.wa.gov/fireworks/. 

Washougal residents can find a complete list of safe and sane on the city web site at:

https://www.cityofwashougal.us/fire/page/4th-july-fireworks-limitations-safety-tips

The Fourth of July is a time for fun, but citizens must practice safety and know the regulations.

With the dry conditions the Fire Marshal encourages everyone to please handle fireworks responsibly and be courteous to neighbors. “Safety should be the top priority”, said Schumacher.  “We want everyone in our cities to have a happy and safe celebration”.

For more information, contact:

The Camas-Washougal Fire Marshal’s Office

360-834-6191 / fmo@cityofcamas.us

Ron Schumacher, Fire Marshal /

Randy Miller and Kevin Bergstrom, Deputy Fire Marshals

UPDATE (Thursday, June 13, 2019) -- SUBJECTS LOCATED

At 7:54 a.m. today (Thursday, June 13, 2019), law enforcement authorities in Las Vegas, Nevada located Kylee Dixon and took her into protective custody in accordance with a judge’s order. 

Working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Sheriff's Office investigators acting on tips notified the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.  The LVMPD and other Nevada law enforcement officials responded to the Long Horn Casino and Hotel, where they successfully located Kylee and Christina Gale Dixon. Kylee was placed in protective custody without incident.

Currently Kylee is with Child Protective Services of Nevada, which is working with the Oregon Department of Human Services to determine when Kylee will return to Oregon. 

When the Sheriff's Office investigation of Christina Dixon is complete, findings will be forwarded to the Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office for consideration of charges. 

Any questions regarding Kylee’s custodial case should be referred to the Oregon Department of Human Services PIO at communications.dhs@state.or.us

[END UPDATE]

EARLIER (Wednesday, June 12, 2019)

The Wilsonville Police Department continues to develop information and process tips in this case.  

Authorities now believe Kylee and her mother may be associated with an orange 2016 Jeep Wrangler with Oregon license plates 116JNG.

They may be on the Oregon Coast, near the Newport/Otter Rock area. 

We continue to seek tips in this case. Anyone with information on Kylee Dixon's whereabouts is urged to contact our Tip Line -- by phone at 503-723-4949 or by using the online form at https://web3.clackamas.us/contact/tip.jsp . Please reference CCSO Case # 18-956167. 

Earlier

Please reference CCSO Case # 18-956167

The Wilsonville Police Department is asking for the public's help as it searches for Kylee J Dixon, 13, of Wilsonville.

Kylee is believed to be with her mother, Christina Gale Dixon, 35, of Wilsonville. The mother is believed to be driving a white 2012 Smart car with Blue trim. The vehicle has Oregon license plate 308FRH. 

Christina Dixon has ignored a court order that requires her to bring Kylee to the Department of Human Services. Kylee takes medication and is in need of medical care. Christina Dixon is believed to have absconded with Kylee.

They are believed to be in the Oregon or Washington area. If you see the listed vehicle, Kylee or Christina Dixon, please call or text 911 immediately. 

A bulletin featuring a photo of Christina and Kylee Dixon is attached.

TIPS SOUGHT

Anyone with information on Kylee Dixon's whereabouts is urged to contact the Sheriff's Office Tip Line -- by phone at 503-723-4949 or by using the online form at https://web3.clackamas.us/contact/tip.jsp . Please reference CCSO Case # 18-956167. 

If you see Kylee, call 911 immediately.

Three Clackamas County cities -- Estacada, Happy Valley and Wilsonville -- contract with the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office to provide municipal police services.

[END]

Clackamas County Sheriff's Office Captain Jeff Smith recently completed one of the toughest challenges available to local law enforcement officers: the FBI National Academy.

Capt. Smith and two other Oregon law enforcement officers graduated a 10-week training session at the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia on June 7, 2019.

There is a highly competitive process local law enforcement officers must go through to be selected for this honor. That process includes a nomination by a supervisor; interviews with the candidate and co-workers to determine leadership skills and abilities; a background check; a determination of physical fitness; and the support of former National Academy graduates within the candidate's organization. 

"The exceptional leaders selected to attend the National Academy have a great opportunity to share their experiences with peers and learn best practices from across the country and the world," said Renn Cannon, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon. "Only a few law enforcement officers from Oregon attend each year, and we are proud to sponsor Capt. Smith and our other local partners in the National Academy."

Capt. Smith began his law enforcement career in 1995 with the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office as a deputy in the patrol division. The sheriff promoted him to patrol sergeant in 2004 and to detective sergeant in 2008. He obtained the rank of patrol lieutenant in 2012. In 2014, he served as the chief of police in Wilsonville as part of the contractual agreement between the city and the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office. Capt. Smith is currently a division commander at the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office. 

Capt. Smith earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Oregon and as well as his Executive Certificate from the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST).

"Congratulations to Captain Smith," said Sheriff Craig Roberts. "This incredible opportunity with the FBI allowed him to meet and study with leaders and experts from across the United States. It's a serious commitment. Thanks also to his family for supporting him during this intensive 10-week course."

During the 10 weeks of training, local executive-level law enforcement officers spend most of their time in the classroom. Capt. Smith's National Academy classes included: Advanced Psychology of Communication, Fitness in Law Enforcement, Psychology of Leadership, Emotional Intelligence, Managing the Law Enforcement Image, and a seminar in Contemporary Issues in Law Enforcement. The program allows participants the opportunity to earn college credits through the University of Virginia for some of those studies. 

Each year, the FBI sponsors four sessions of the National Academy. Each session includes about 220 local law enforcement officers from throughout the United States and around the world. While in the academy, the officers and deputies live in a dorm-like setting. The FBI does not charge U.S. students for tuition, books, equipment, meals, lodging or travel to and from their home. 

[END]

Higher than normal temperatures.

Lower than average rainfall.

It's a dangerous combination that's leading the Clark County Fire Marshal's office to initiate a burn ban--nearly a month earlier than normal.

Starting at 8 a.m. Monday, June 17th, all debris burning in Clark County is banned until further notice. 

Burn bans are not unique, but usually they start in mid-July and run until early October. This year, however, the forecast calls for drier than usual conditions. Recreational burning is still allowed--with a series of requirements. Debris, or "Slash" burning is always illegal in the city of Vancouver, and now will be in the rest of Clark County until there is enough rain and lower temperatures to insure safety against wildfires. Joining Clark is Skamania, Cowlitz, and Lewis counties is initiating burn bans. Pacific and Wahkiakum counties will be implementing bans on 6/21. Lands managed by the Department of Natural Resources are raising their wildfire danger level to "moderate". 

Fire District 6 Firefighters this morning met the challenge of getting water to a rural house fire on NW 21st Avenue.

The blaze was reported shortly after two this morning at 15508 NW 21st Avenue, North of the Salmon Creek area. When we got there flames were shooting seven feet out of several windows on the west side of the home. The residents were not inside the building when firefighters arrived. 

Despite giving CPR, one dog died due to smoke inhalation from the fire. One firefighter was injured.

The residence is in a rural neighborhood, and the nearest hydrant was 1,600 feet away--that's more than half a mile. 

Besides using all Fire Engines from Clark County Fire District 6, we were also assisted with a water tanker from Clark County Fire and Rescue and a Ladder Truck from Vancouver Fire. 

Fire crews had to briefly exit the home as water sources were nearly extinguished. But the hydrant source was secured quickly and crews went back in to knock down the fire. It took roughly 40 minutes to extinguish the blaze.

Red Cross was called in to assist the four-person family but it's not known at this time if lodging was provided or the family had another place to stay. The Clark County Fire Marshal is investigating and will have any information related to the cause of the fire and the estimate of damage.

On June 16th, 2019, at 11:17pm, Corvallis Police Department Officers were dispatched to the 400 block of SW 1st Street in Corvallis for a report of a female holding a male at knife point.  Officers arrived and found the female suspect, identified as Patricia Compton (39) of Corvallis, holding a knife to the throat of the male victim.  Compton dropped the knife when ordered by officers, and was taken into custody without incident.  The male, who is known to Compton, was not injured. 

Officers learned the incident started over an argument about a bag of empty beverage cans.  The argument escalated into Compton pulling out a folding knife and using it to threaten the victim, and attempting to stab him with the blade.  Compton was transported to the Benton County Jail where she was booked on charges of Attempted Assault I, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, and Menacing with a bail amount of $187,500.

https://www.co.benton.or.us/sheriff/inmate_detail?inmate=1700004601

On June 15th, 2019, at 3:18am, Corvallis Police Department Officers, along with Corvallis Fire, were dispatched to the area of the Corvallis BMX track at 115 SE Chapman PL for a report of a large fire.  Responders arrived and found the fire burning adjacent to two illegal campsites. Corvallis Fire Department was able to extinguish the flames.  Officers determined that there had been two fires set, one of which was extinguished by a male who had been sleeping in a tent a few feet from one of the fires.  He had several items of personal property damaged in that fire, and was able to provide a suspect name.  The other fire was near a second campsite which was unoccupied at the time.  No persons were injured as a result of the fire.

Officers located a female suspect hiding in the grass nearby, identified as Kassandra Schumacher (25) of Corvallis.  The investigation determined the fires were intentionally set.  She was taken into custody without incident at transported to the Benton County Jail where she was lodged on charges of Arson I and Criminal Mischief II, with a bail amount of $112,500.  Schumacher was previously arrested on June 11th for charges of Reckless Burning, Possession of Methamphetamine, and Interfering with a Peace Officer after starting a small brush fire near the Mary’s River in the 2500 block of SW Philomath Blvd.

https://www.co.benton.or.us/sheriff/inmate_detail?inmate=1700004591

On 06/13/19 at approximately 8:11am, officers responded to an address in Northwest Corvallis for a report of a burglary in progress. The homeowner, who was not at the residence at the time, reported seeing a subject inside his residence via a cloud based security camera system. The suspect left the residence prior to police arrival. Officers searched the surrounding area with the assistance of a K9 unit from the Benton County Sheriff’s Office. The suspect was not located. Utilizing the video captured by the homeowner’s security cameras, officers were able to identify the suspect as Lucas Brent Foster (37) of Albany.

During the incident, Jefferson Elementary School was placed on a brief “Lock Out” as the burglarized residence was adjacent to school property. The “Lock Out” lasted approximately 10 minutes.

On 06/14/19 at approximately 10:31am , a Corvallis Police Detective was conducting surveillance of Foster’s reported residence when he saw Foster in a vehicle passing through the area. The detective followed the vehicle until it pulled into a driveway in the area of Orleans Rd SW in Linn County. Foster was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Benton County Jail.

Foster remains in custody on charges of Burglary 1, Theft 2, and Attempted Theft 1, with a bail amount of $87,500.

Jail Booking:

https://www.co.benton.or.us/sheriff/inmate_detail?inmate=1700004586

On June 13th, 2019, at 3:47pm, Corvallis Police Department Officers were dispatched to the 3600 block of NW Samaritan Dr for a report of a fight involving a knife occurring near a city bus stop.  Both males were separated but still on scene when officers arrived.  The investigation determined that the suspect, 36-year-old Jesse Mason, of Corvallis, attempted to physically assault the victim, stole his backpack, and was armed with a serrated plastic object at the time.  The victim, who is not previously known to Mason, was not injured by the weapon.  Mason was arrested and transported to the Benton County Jail where he has been lodged on charges of Robbery I, Menacing, Attempted Assault II, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Attempted Assault IV, Harassment, and Disorderly Conduct II, with a bail amount of $312,500.

https://www.co.benton.or.us/sheriff/inmate_detail?inmate=1700004581

At 2241 hours of June 12, 2019 Cowlitz 911 received a report from a subject who said a known subject in the 400 block of Maranatha Rd, Kelso was threatening to kill him. 

Cowlitz County deputies responded to the scene to investigate.  The caller told deputies was visiting this subject and that he had fled the residence after the subject threatened him with a firearm.  The suspect had reportedly fired a round inside the residence. Additional witnesses also reported the subject was armed with a rifle and had fired another shot while outside his residence.

Deputies made numerous attempts to communicate with the suspect but received no response from the residence.  The Lower Columbia SWAT Team was activated and responded to the scene.  As SWAT members secured the perimeter, the suspect exited the home and surrendered peacefully.  Deputies obtained a search warrant for the home and located firearms evidence consistent with the witnesses' statements.

The suspect was identified as Sammy Lee Munsey, age 56, of Kelso.  Munsey was booked into Cowlitz County Jail for Assault 1st Degree.

At 0107 hours of June 13, 2019 Cowlitz 911 received a report of a vehicle prowl in progress in the 2100 block of Holcomb Loop Rd, Kelso.  The caller advised dispatch that her husband had fired a shot while confronting the suspect.  Officers from Castle Rock, Kelso, and Longview Police, as well as the Washington State Patrol, responded to assist with the initial call.

CCSO Detectives responded to the scene and confirmed that the resident had shot the vehicle prowl suspect, causing birdshot pellet wounds to the subject's leg.  The wounded subject was transported to St John Medical Center for medical treatment  and was then booked into Cowlitz County Jail on an unrelated warrant.  This is an active investigation; the names of the subjects involved in this incident will not be released at this time.

At approximately 11:30 Wednesday morning, Dallas Fire & EMS responded to a single vehicle crash involving a log truck on Hwy 22W between Baskett Slough Refuge and the HWY 99 interchange. The log truck was headed east on HWY 22W, when it rolled over, causing the load of logs to spill out. Firefighters extricated the driver, who was then transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Dallas Fire & EMS was assisted by SW Polk Fire District, Polk County Sheriff’s Office and Oregon State Police. The cause of the accident is under investigation. Expect a lengthy delay for this section of HWY 22W, in both directions, until the crash can be cleared.

Clackamas County Sheriff's Office Captain Jeff Smith recently completed one of the toughest challenges available to local law enforcement officers: the FBI National Academy.

Capt. Smith and two other Oregon law enforcement officers graduated a 10-week training session at the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia on June 7, 2019.

There is a highly competitive process local law enforcement officers must go through to be selected for this honor. That process includes a nomination by a supervisor; interviews with the candidate and co-workers to determine leadership skills and abilities; a background check; a determination of physical fitness; and the support of former National Academy graduates within the candidate's organization.

"The exceptional leaders selected to attend the National Academy have a great opportunity to share their experiences with peers and learn best practices from across the country and the world," said Renn Cannon, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon. "Only a few law enforcement officers from Oregon attend each year, and we are proud to sponsor Capt. Smith and our other local partners in the National Academy."

Capt. Smith began his law enforcement career in 1995 with the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office as a deputy in the patrol division. The sheriff promoted him to patrol sergeant in 2004 and to detective sergeant in 2008. He obtained the rank of patrol lieutenant in 2012. In 2014, he served as the chief of police in Wilsonville as part of the contractual agreement between the city and the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office. Capt. Smith is currently a division commander at the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office.

Capt. Smith earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Oregon and as well as his Executive Certificate from the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST).

"Congratulations to Captain Smith," said Sheriff Craig Roberts. "This incredible opportunity with the FBI allowed him to meet and study with leaders and experts from across the United States. It's a serious commitment. Thanks also to his family for supporting him during this intensive 10-week course."

During the 10 weeks of training, local executive-level law enforcement officers spend most of their time in the classroom. Capt. Smith's National Academy classes included: Advanced Psychology of Communication, Fitness in Law Enforcement, Psychology of Leadership, Emotional Intelligence, Managing the Law Enforcement Image, and a seminar in Contemporary Issues in Law Enforcement. The program allows participants the opportunity to earn college credits through the University of Virginia for some of those studies.

Each year, the FBI sponsors four sessions of the National Academy. Each session includes about 220 local law enforcement officers from throughout the United States and around the world. While in the academy, the officers and deputies live in a dorm-like setting. The FBI does not charge U.S. students for tuition, books, equipment, meals, lodging or travel to and from their home.

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

Everyone can use a little extra cash now and then... roof repair, leaky refrigerator or maybe a kid who picks the most expensive college option possible. They all add up, and if you are lucky, all at the same time. 

Never fear though – if you are particularly unlucky you will find yourself in the sights of someone who wants to offer you a special government grant. You deserve it, after all. You work hard and pay taxes... you SHOULD get that grant from some official-sounding grant-giving agency, right? 

Our friends at the Federal Trade Commission have a special warning for you, though: free money is almost never free. The scam artist may contact you directly, or you may see these grant offers online or in publications. Once you are talking, the fraudster will work to convince you that you do, indeed, qualify. He will ask for a checking account number to deposit your new-found funds or perhaps to collect some small processing fee. He may even suggest that there is a money-back guarantee if you aren’t satisfied. 

Here’s how to protect yourself: 

• Never give your bank account information to strangers unless you are convinced the agency is legitimate. 

• Don’t pay a fee for what someone tells you is a free grant. 

• Check out the agency in question by doing research before giving out any info or money. www.grants.gov is a great place to start – it is a centralized portal to find and apply for federal grants. 

If you have been victimized by this online scam or any other cyber fraud, be sure to report it to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at?www.ic3.gov ?or call your local FBI office. 

###

Gresham, Ore.— Tonight at approximately 6:47 p.m., officers responded to a vehicle versus pedestrian accident near 3900 W Powell Blvd. They were immediately informed that the driver fled the scene in a gold colored Toyota Camry.

A pedestrian walking in a crosswalk at W Powell Blvd. and SW Duniway Ave., was struck by a vehicle leaving the Walmart parking lot and the driver did not remain at the scene. The pedestrian was transported to a local area hospital. Police are interested in talking with anyone who witnessed the accident and are asking for the public’s help identifying the driver. The car is described as an older model, 2002 -2006, gold Toyota Camry, with four doors.

Anyone who has information about this incident is asked to call police non-emergency at 503.823.3333 or the Gresham Police tip line at 503.618.2719.

Gresham, Ore.— Yesterday at approximately 3:30 p.m., police responded to a collision involving a motorcycle on NE Burnside Rd. and Oregon Trail Center. The motorcycle was travelling westbound on NE Burnside Rd. when it collided with a vehicle that had been travelling eastbound and was turning into Oregon Trail Center. The motorcyclist was deceased at the scene. The driver of the vehicle is cooperating with investigators.

The motorcycle rider is identified as 19-year-old Henry Sweeney of Gresham. The driver of the vehicle is 81-year-old Mary Bean of Fairview.

Police are still investigating the collision. No arrests or citations have been issued at this time. If you know anything about the collision you are asked to call the Gresham Police Tip Line at 503.618.2719.

Gresham, Ore. – On Friday June 7 and Sunday June 9, we received two reports of men attempting to lure two separate 11-year-old girls into their vehicles. We take these incidents very seriously. After spending hours investigating what occurred and reviewing video surveillance in the area, detectives have determined that the reports are not credible and there is no threat to the public.

While child luring by a stranger is rare, it is still important that parents take the time to talk to their kids about stranger danger.

On 06-14-19 at approximately 9:16 in the morning a male entered the Bank of the West in Lincoln City wearing what appeared to be a black balaclava, gray sweatpants, a black zip up style hoodie and gray and black hiking type shoes. The male pointed a firearm at two employees and was able to take an unknown amount of cash from the bank.

The male is described as being around 5’5” to 5’7” and weighing around 140-170 pounds with blue eyes.

If you have any information or if you saw a male matching this description in that area, please contact Det. Johnson at 541.994.3636.

The Lincoln City Police Department, in partnership with the Lincoln County School District, will be conducting Active Shooter Response training on Monday, June 24 and Tuesday, June 25, 2019, in and around Taft Elementary School, located at 4040 SE High School Drive in Lincoln City. This training will focus on emergency response to an active shooter incident and is being coordinated by the Lincoln City Police Department. The training will involve a simulation of the police department’s response plan and procedures and will help assure a coordinated, timely and effective response in event of a major incident at the school or elsewhere in the community.

Citizens should be aware that there will be law enforcement and emergency vehicles present during the exercise and in order to avoid any confusion, the public is being notified ahead of time that this is only training and not an actual emergency. Taft Elementary will be closed to students and the general public. No students will be participating in the training. Access to the building for select school employees will be limited to those portions of the school not being used during the training. During the training, the south end of the school will be closed off to all non-participants or approved personnel for the duration of the training.

The Lincoln City Police Department would like to thank the Lincoln County School District for allowing us to use their facility and property for this very important training. The school district’s assistance and cooperation allows the Lincoln City Police Department to better train and prepare their officers for response to a critical incident such as this.

Submitted By:

Sergeant Jeffrey Winn

On June 15, 2019 at about 0251 hours Lincoln County Sheriff’s deputies, the Toledo Fire Department, and Pacific West Ambulance responded to a report of an injury traffic crash at about MP 1.5 on 1000 Line Road, Toledo.  1000 Line Road is a gravel mountainous roadway leading from the Toledo area into the forested coastal range.  Initial responders located the caller who was also a passenger from the vehicle, Brendon Thomas age 22 of Toledo, on the roadway.  They located the vehicle, a white Ford F350 Bearing OR plate 241 JQR, resting on it’s roof approximately 300 feet down a steep hillside.  Deputies were able to climb through debris and down the hillside to the vehicle where they located, Nikolas Yost, age 25 of Toledo, partially ejected from the vehicle and deceased.

Deputies checked the area for the subject reported to be the driver and located him in the brush along the roadway a short distance from where the vehicle left the roadway. He was challenged by deputies and Lincoln County K-9 and was immediately detained without incident.  Robert Bauman, age 30 of Toledo, exhibited signs of impairment and was taken into custody. 

Both Bauman and Thomas were transported to Newport Pacific Communities Hospital where they received treatment for injuries.  Thomas suffered serious injury, but was later released and Bauman was medically cleared and then transported to the Lincoln County Jail.

The Major Crash Team (MACT) was activated and MACT members from the Lincoln County DA’s Office, Newport Police Department, Toledo Police Department, and additional members of the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office responded including the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office Drone Unit.  Initial investigation determined the vehicle was being operated unsafely by Bauman eastbound when he failed to negotiate a curve and the vehicle tumbled down the hillside.  It was also determined that neither Yost nor Thomas were willing passengers.

The Rope High Angle Rescue Team responded to assist with the recovery and multiple tow vehicles were required to recover the vehicle due to the terrain. 

Bauman was charged with two counts of Kidnapping in the Second Degree, DUII, Reckless Driving, two counts of Reckless Endangering, Felony Failure to Perform the Duties of Injured Persons, Felony Assault in the Third Degree, and Manslaughter in the First Degree with a total bail amount of $560,000.00.

MACT will be utilizing Lincoln County collision Reconstructionists to continuing the investigation.

###

Repsectfully Submitted:

Mark Meister, Administrative Patrol Sergeant

Lincoln County Sheriff's Office

225 W. Olive St.

Newport, Oregon 97365

Phone: 541-265-0684

Fax: 541-265-4917

mmeister@co.lincoln.or.us

Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office – Emergency Management Division has scheduled an annual county-wide test of their emergency notification systems for June 24, 2019 between 11:30 am and 1:00 pm and has recently released new Lincoln Alerts sign-up user guides.

County Emergency Management will test all components of the Lincoln Alerts emergency notification system in preparation for the seasonal wildfire conditions.  A specific focus of the systems test will be on the Lincoln Alerts mobile app (powered by Everbridge) and the functionality of receiving information back from those who received the message.

Community members can participate in the county-wide test in the following ways:

• Pre – test date:
  • Opt-in and create a Lincoln Alerts profile for each member of your household if you have not already done so.
  • Update your current opt-in profiles to make sure your contact information and addresses are up to date.
  • Download the mobile app and log-in (must have a Lincoln Alerts account first).
• During the test:
  • Confirm the Lincoln Alerts test message on any of the devices in your profile or your residential or business landline phones.
  • Confirm the mobile app message and send back a photo through the mobile app to County Emergency Management confirming the ability to communicate to public safety officials during emergency events.
  • Monitor local media partner sites (radio, digital) during the test timeframe to confirm you received a notification through an alternative source.
• Post test:
  • Complete the County Emergency Management on-line participant survey to provide feedback on the test.

County Emergency Management has several redundancies in place to push out emergency notification messages to those who may be in harm’s way due to emerging or imminent disaster situations. The county wide test allows County Emergency Management to test all features together just as it would be in a real disaster response situation. Those features include:

• Emergency Alert System (EAS) – message over local public radio systems
• Media release to local media partners
• Lincoln Alerts to opt-in profiles
• Lincoln Alerts to residential and business landline numbers
• Lincoln Alerts message specifically for mobile app users
• Lincoln Alerts message to community information Keyword subscribers
• Posting of emergency notification banner on county website (test message)

County Emergency Manager, Jenny Demaris, remarked

“Having the ability to test all of our emergency notification features and receive feedback from those we communicate to is incredibly important to County Emergency Management. It provides us a way to evaluate our systems, improve upon our processes and ensure we are ready when our communities need us.”

As part of the test, County Emergency Management is sponsoring a contest for users of the Everbridge mobile app. App users who respond with a photo from one of the categories below will be entered to win a NOAA Weather Alert Radio sponsored by the National Weather Service. Six individuals will be randomly selected as winners.  Winning photos will be shared on the Lincoln County Emergency Management Facebook page (@lcemergencymanagement).

• Mobile Phone App Photo Categories
  • Disaster Go Bags
  • Disaster home/work caches
  • Your NOAA Radio
  • Any tsunami evacuation signage, maps, etc.
  • Pets
  • Family
  • Co-workers
  • Summer activity

Lincoln Alerts New User Guides Released

Lincoln County Emergency Management recently updated their Lincoln Alerts sign-up website page to include 3 easy to follow user guides. The guides are intended to outline the steps needed to sign-up for Lincoln Alerts, download the mobile app and sign-up for the community keyword text messages. The user guides can be found at the Lincoln Alerts page at www.co.lincoln.or.us/alerts.

###

Respectfully submitted,

Virginia "Jenny" Demaris
Emergency Manager
Lincoln County Sheriff's Office
Emergency Management
225 W. Olive St.
Newport, Oregon 97365
is@co.lincoln.or.us" target="_blank">vdemaris@co.lincoln.or.us
(541) 265-4199 Office

MOVE OVER. IT'S THE LAW.

Every day, law enforcement officers and emergency workers put their lives on the line to save ours. Even a routine traffic stop has become risky business. The following information comes from the Oregon Department of Transportation: www.oregon.gov/ODOT.

In the last 10 years, more than 700 officers have been killed in traffic incidents. In many of those cases, the officers were pulled over on the side of the road when inattentive drivers crashed into them at high speeds. That’s why there’s a strict law in Oregon designed to protect the people we depend on to protect us.

The Move Over Law (ORS 811.147) states that if you are approaching any type of emergency vehicle, tow truck or roadside assistance vehicle which is stopped on the roadside with emergency lights activated, you must:

• MOVE OVER into another available lane.
• If you can’t safely change lanes, SLOW DOWN to a speed that is at least 5 mph below the posted or designated speed of the roadway.
• In all cases, the driver must try to provide as much room as possible for the emergency vehicle, tow truck or roadside assistance vehicle.

The Move Over Law is in place to help protect law enforcement officers, emergency workers, tow operators and those who routinely provide assistance to motorists along the highways. This group of dedicated professionals face a deadly threat on a daily basis: speeding and inattentive drivers. But the law also exists to protect you. The flashing lights are your cue to move over and slow down.

If you are approaching the scene of a crash, carefully watch for emergency workers directing traffic and follow all of their instructions. 

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

Since 1933, ham radio operators across North America have established temporary ham radio stations in public locations during Field Day to showcase the science and skill of Amateur Radio. 

Members of the Lincoln County Amateur Radio Club will be participating in the national Amateur Radio Field Day exercise, June 22-23, 2019 at the Port of Toledo Waterfront Park next to the Toledo Post Office.  The Club Members will be on site from 11:00 am Saturday to 11:00 am Sunday; this event is open to the public and all are encouraged to attend.

For over 100 years, Amateur Radio - sometimes called ham radio- has allowed people from all walks of life to experiment with electronics and communications techniques, as well as provide a free public service to their communities during a disaster, all without needing a cell phone or the Internet.   Field Day demonstrates ham radio's ability to work reliably under any conditions from almost any location and create an independent communications network. 

Why Field Day is a showcase for how Amateur Radio works reliably under any conditions from almost any location to create an independent communications network. “Ham radio functions completely independent of the Internet or cell phone infrastructure, can interface with tablets or smartphones, and can be set up almost anywhere in minutes. That’s the beauty of Amateur Radio during a communications outage,” says David Isgur, N1RSN, communications manager for ARRL The national association for Amateur Radio®, (www.arrl.org), which represents Amateur (or “ham”) Radio operators across the country.

“In today’s electronic do-it-yourself (DIY) environment, ham radio remains one of the best ways for people to learn about electronics, physics, meteorology, and numerous other scientific disciplines, and is a huge asset to any community during disasters or emergencies if the standard communication infrastructure goes down,” Isgur adds.

Anyone may become a licensed Amateur Radio operator. There are more than 725,000 licensed hams in the United States, as young as 9 and as old as 100. And with clubs such as the Lincoln County Amateur Club, it’s easy for anybody to get involved right here in Lincoln County.

Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office also sponsors the Auxiliary Communications Service Volunteer Group, 70+ Amateur Radio Operators specifically supporting local government emergency response, information brochure attached.

For more information:

• Field Day - visit Lincoln County Amateur Radio Club's web site at www.n7oy.org/  or visit www.arrl.org/what-is-ham-radio.
  • Contact Michelle Pelkey, KA7OQQ at c@gmail.com">n7oy.lcarc@gmail.com.

• Lincoln County Auxiliary Communications Service Volunteer Group - http://www.co.lincoln.or.us/emergencymanagement/page/auxiliary-communications-service or call (541) 265-4199

###

Respectfully submitted,

Virginia “Jenny” Demaris

Emergency Manager

Lincoln County Sheriff's Office
Emergency Management

225 W Olive Street, Suite 103

Newport, Oregon 97365
is@co.lincoln.or.us">vdemaris@co.lincoln.or.us

(541) 265-4199 Office

Linn County Sheriff Jim Yon reports Wednesday, June 12, at 11:45 a.m., the Linn County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a missing person.  The mother of Jordan Thein, 19, called to report that her son had not been heard from since Tuesday morning and did not show up to work in Millersburg on Wednesday.  She was concerned that Jordan may have driven off the road on his way home.  Jordan lived on Upper Calapooia Drive. 

Deputies checked the roadways and initially did not see any signs of a vehicle driving off the road.  Deputies used cell phone location coordinates to narrow down where his phone was last located.  The vehicle, a 1989 Toyota pick-up, was located not far from his residence on Upper Calapooia Drive, crashed into some trees.  Jordan had been ejected from the vehicle and was deceased when found.

Jordan Thein’s body was removed by Sweet Home Funeral Home.  The crash is still under investigation. There were no other occupants and it is unknown what caused Jordan’s vehicle to veer off the roadway.  If you have any information on this fatal crash, please contact Deputy Caleb Riley at 541-967-3950.

The scenery at the intersection of Phipps Ave NE and Glendale Ave NE looks different today as a result of a partnership between community members and Marion County. This project started when a group of concerned community members came to the Sheriff's Office and the Board of Commissioners asking for help as this pathway had become a magnet for criminal activity and frequent law enforcement calls for service. For years this area had an unofficial pathway which led between Phipps Ave NE and the back parking lot of Courthouse Club Fitness on Devonshire Ct NE in East Salem. The pathway, a county owned easement, was never intended to be used as a way for people to come and go from the neighborhood.

After listening to the community's concerns, Marion County got to work. Representatives from the Sheriff’s Office, Public Works, and the Board of Commissioners Office came together with community stakeholders to look at ways to bring relief to the neighborhood. As possible solutions were being explored, Sheriff Jason Myers coordinated with Salem-Keizer School District Superintendent Christy Perry to have buses rerouted so children in the neighborhood would not need to use the walkway to get to and from school. Public Works Director Brian Nicholas and his team led efforts to explore vacating the county easement that was ultimately approved by the commissioners.

Following a public hearing in March, the Board of Commissioners decided to vacate the easement, granting ownership to the two adjoining property owners. Additionally, the Board of Commissioners authorized the use of Good Neighbor Funds to put up new fencing to help close off the area. The Good Neighbor Fund was established to provide funding for small projects affecting safety and livability in neighborhoods.

As this project was wrapping up over the last few weeks, neighbors in the area saw Sheriff's Office work crews clearing overgrown vegetation and putting in new fences. The work crews, staffed with inmates from the Sheriff's Office Transition Center, provide a valuable opportunity for offenders to perform community service while learning skills which may help them be more successful when seeking out employment after incarceration.

Marion County would like to thank our community members for coming forward with their concerns and collaborating with us to help make a difference in their neighborhood. This project would not have been possible without the partnership between Marion County and our community stakeholders.

Correction  The license plate in the original release contained an incorrect character, the correct license plate is 365JLN.

On June 16th, deputies were contacted by family members who reported their elderly father, Axel Johnson, as missing from his Salem area apartment.  Mr. Johnson was last seen at his apartment on June 4th by the apartment manager.  Mr. Johnson told the apartment manager he was leaving to move in with his daughter.

Family members told deputies Mr. Johnson does not stay in regular contact with them, though it is highly unusual for him to be gone from his home for extended periods of time.  Mr. Johnson does not appear to have taken any belongings with him when leaving the apartment.  

Axel Johnson, 74, is a white male, 5’3, 155lbs, blonde hair with gray streaks, and blue eyes.  He usually wears glasses and is typically clean shaven.  He left the apartment in his 1997 Ford Ranger, Oregon license plate 365JLN.  Mr. Johnson’s vehicle is green in color and has an extended cab.

Deputies are asking anyone who has seen Mr. Johnson or has information about his current location to contact Deputy Jason Remmy at 503-798-5718 or call the Sheriff’s Office non-emergency number at 503-588-5032.

This afternoon deputies responded to a serious motor vehicle crash which resulted in two fatalities.  When emergency services arrived they located a head on collision involving a silver Lexus R350 and a black Ford Explorer Sport Trac.  The drivers of both vehicles were pronounced as deceased at the scene.

Deputies have identified the driver of the Lexus as Jessica Griego, 34, of Oregon City.  Griego’s 4 year-old son was a passenger in the vehicle at the time of the crash.  The child was transported to a Portland area hospital and is reported to be in good condition.

The driver of the Ford Explorer has been identified as Martin Johnson, 65, of Willamina.

Deputies interviewed witnesses at the scene who stated the silver Lexus R350 was traveling westbound on McKay Rd NE near Case Rd NE when it went into the oncoming lane of travel, striking the black Ford Explorer Sport Trac head on.  At this time it is unclear if speed or alcohol were factors leading up to the crash.

The preliminary investigation at the scene has been completed and McKay Rd NE has been reopened to traffic.  The Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Marion County Medical Examiner’s Office, Aurora Fire District, Woodburn Ambulance, and Marion County Public Works.

Today at 1:09 pm witnesses reported a serious motor vehicle crash on McKay Rd NE near Case Rd NE, in northern Marion County.   When emergency crews arrived they determined this crash involved two vehicles.  The drivers of both involved vehicles were pronounced as deceased at the scene.  One survivor was taken to a Portland area hospital.   

Deputies are on scene investigating, there is no information as to the cause of the crash at this time.  No additional information about the people involved in the crash will be released until after next of kin have been notified.

McKay Road NE will be closed between Case Rd NE and French Prairie Rd NE for the next several hours during the investigation.  The Sheriff’s Office is being assisted by the Marion County Medical Examiner’s Office, Aurora Fire District, Woodburn Ambulance, and Marion County Public Works.

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

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

NAME: Evan Samuel Gilmore
SID#: 16209945
DOB: 4/3/1993
CURRENT AGE: 26
RACE: B             SEX: M
HEIGHT: 5’8”      WEIGHT: 210 LBS
HAIR: BRO         EYES: BRO

RESIDENCE: 2775 Quinaby Rd. NE, Salem, OR 97303

Evan S. Gilmore is on Post Prison Supervision for the crimes of: Assault IV (x2), Rape I Attempt, and Sodomy I Attempt

This person was granted Post Prison Supervision on: 7/20/2018
Supervision expiration date is: 3/19/2025
Special restrictions include:

[X] No contact with minors (male/female)
[X] Sex Offender Treatment
[X] Submit to Polygraph

Other: Gilmore’s victim pool includes known adult females. Gilmore has been in compliance and has not received any sanctions for violations of his conditions since his release from Department of Corrections. Gilmore is presently employed.

Community Corrections Deputy: Monica Sandoval
Phone: 503.588.6813
E-Mail:Msandoval@co.marion.or.us

This morning at approximately 5:15 am, Marion County Fire District responded to a house fire in the 4300 block of Munkers St SE, Salem.  When fire crews arrived on scene, they found the home to be fully involved.  An adult male was rescued from inside of the structure and transported to an area hospital by paramedics. 

The male has been identified as Timothy Allen, a 45 year-old Salem man.  Mr. Allen died as a result of his injuries earlier this morning while undergoing treatment.

Investigators from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Marion County Fire District #1, and the Oregon State Police are currently on scene investigating.  It is still early in the investigation, the cause of the fire has not yet been determined. 

During the response to the fire, Marion County Fire District #1 was assisted by the Salem Fire Department, Turner Fire District, Keizer Fire Department, Aumsville Fire Department, and Faulk Ambulance. 

Deputies are asking anyone who may have information about the fire to contact Deputy Chris Kennedy at 503-930-9464.

TO: All Media
Friday, June 14, 2019
For Immediate Release

Yard Debris burning is closing early on June 17, 2019 -Update/Correction

Yard debris burning, also known as ‘open burning’ will be closing early in the City of Newport, and Newport Rural Fire Protection District. We will re-open burn season around the first of October, when the fall rains return. This burn closure goes into effect Monday, June 17, 2019.

The reason for this early closure is due to unusually dry conditions and lower than normal precipitation. Along with that, Oregon Department of Forestry, Toledo Office has informed us fuel moisture levels in the County are at remarkably low levels. This closure coincides with ODF beginning fire season and regulated use for Western Oregon District.

Inside city limits a permit is not required for recreational fires. However outside city limits, in the Rural Fire Protection District, a permit, or waiver, is required by ODF. A recreational fire is an outside fire, not bigger than 3 feet by 3 feet, used for pleasure, religious, ceremonial, cooking, warmth or similar purposes. Anyone with questions regarding burn permits and back yard burning may call the Fire Department at 541-265-9461.

NFD would like to point out some safety tips for recreational fires. Always have a water supply available and extinguish your fire before you leave. Keep recreational fires at least 15 feet away from any structure or combustible materials. Please be respectful of your neighbors and be mindful of where the smoke is traveling.

Newport Fire Department
541-265-9461

Yard debris burning, also known as ‘open burning’ will be closing early in the City of Newport, and Newport Rural Fire Protection District. We will re-open burn season around the first of October, when the fall rains return. This burn closure goes into effect Monday, June 17, 2019.

The reason for this early closure is due to unusually dry conditions and lower than normal precipitation. Along with that, Oregon Department of Forestry, Toledo Office has informed us fuel moisture levels in the County are at remarkably low levels. This closure coincides with ODF beginning fire season and regulated use for the Western Oregon District on the same day.
Recreational fires are still allowed and do not require a permit. A recreational fire is an outside fire, not bigger than 3 feet by 3 feet, used for pleasure, religious, ceremonial, cooking, warmth or similar purposes. Anyone with questions regarding burn permits and back yard burning may call the Fire Department at 541-265-9461.

NFD would like to point out some safety tips for recreational fires. Always have a water supply available and extinguish your fire before you leave. Keep recreational fires at least 15 feet away from any structure or combustible materials. Please be respectful of your neighbors and be mindful of where the smoke is traveling.

Newport Fire Department
541-265-9461

On June 6, 2019, the Street Crimes Response Team (SCRT) arrested Jason McNeely after many months of compiling evidence, regarding his involvement with buying and selling illegal narcotics.  The SCRT spotted McNeely driving and coordinated with the Newport Police K9 Team and conducted a traffic stop on McNeely’s vehicle.  Officer’s on scene quickly noticed a restricted weapon that McNeely wasn’t allowed to have in his possession. McNeely was detained at this point. 

Officer Randall had his canine partner, Nero, search the vehicle and Nero gave several alerts indicating the presence of narcotic odor emitting from the vehicle.  A subsequent search revealed the finding of Methamphetamine and drug packaging materials as well as a large amount of U.S. currency. Also located during the search was a loaded 9mm pistol and additional ammunition. 

The SCRT took the information obtained from McNeely’s arrest and continued an investigation. Jose Guadalupe Gonzalez of Newport, OR, became a person of interest. The SCRT Investigators submitted for and were granted a search warrant based on the information gathered.  On June 8th, 2018 at about 11:00pm, a search warrant was served on Gonzalez’s residence.  During the search, a large quantity of Methamphetamine, digital scales, packaging material and U.S. currency were located. Two minor children were also in the home.  Gonzalez denied any drugs were in the home.              

In all, the SCRT seized two pounds of methamphetamine and several thousand dollars in U.S. currency.  Also seized was a 9mm handgun and ammunition. The success of these arrests were the result of a multi-month investigation into county wide methamphetamine trafficking by McNeely and Gonzalez.   

McNeely was lodged at the Lincoln County Jail for, Delivery / Possession / Manufacturing of Methamphetamine, Felon in Possession of a Firearm and a Restricted Weapon. His bail was set at $500,000.00.

Gonzalez was lodged at the Lincoln County Jail for, Delivery / Possession / Manufacturing of Methamphetamine. His bail was set at $750,000.00. An investigation continues into Child Neglect as well.

The Street Crimes Response Unit (SCRT) is a newly developed team designed to augment the Patrol Division.  This team specializes in the handling of community impact crimes, such as narcotics investigations, and does so by investigating these crimes thoroughly.

The SCRT is made up of members of the Newport Police and the Lincoln City Police Departments and often obtains assistance from the Toledo Police Department and Lincoln County Sheriffs Office. Newport Police drug detection K9 Nero also assisted with this investigation.

 The Newport Police Department encourages citizens to report any suspicious activity they witness, as it may assist law enforcement. The Newport Police Tip Line is available at 541-574-5455, or Text-a-Tip at 541-270-1856 or tipline@newportpolice.net.

Information Released By: Lieutenant Brent Gainer, 541-574-3348

MEDIA ADVISORY 

What: The Oregon City Police Department will be hosting a project kickoff for our new Robert Libke Public Safety Building and open house at Mt. Pleasant Elementary.  We will start with the kickoff in back of the school, on the edge of the playground.  In attendance will be mayors and commissioners who touched different aspects of this project.  We will also have a number of people from the community, including the neighborhood association, volunteers who helped ensure the bond vote happened, current and former school staff, Wendy and Ziva Libke with friends/family, and city staff.

After the kickoff there will be an open house inside Mt. Pleasant Elementary.  FFA Architecture and Interiors along with P&C Construction will have story boards and be available in the gym to answer any questions about the project.

Members of the community will have an opportunity to share memories from Mt. Pleasant and city staff will be collecting this information for historical record. 

When: Thursday, June 20, 2019, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm.  Duration:  Kickoff will be approximately 30 minutes.  Open house to immediately follow kickoff.

Where: Mt. Pleasant Elementary, 1232 Linn Ave., Oregon City, OR 97045.  Kickoff will take place in the back of the school on the edge of the playground.

Who: Speakers and distinguished guests include: Chief Jim Band, Wendy and Ziva Libke, Mayor Dan Holladay, Commissioner Rocky Smith, Commissioner Denyse McGriff, Commissioner Frank O’Donnell, Commissioner Rachel Lyles Smith, former mayors and commissioners, FFA Architecture and Interiors, P&C Construction, and many others.

Visuals: Kickoff/groundbreaking with Mayor, City Commissioners, and Wendy and Ziva Libke

FFA and P&C story boards in the gym during open house

Contact: Capt. Shaun Davis, sdavis@orcity.org, 503-793-6738                    

For release on: June 13, 2019

On Saturday, June 15, 2019, at approximately 3:47 AM, Klamath County 911 received a call of a man found in the middle of South 6th Street at the intersection with Gary Street.

Klamath County Fire District 1 responded to assist the man, who was later identified as Henry Rittenhouse, age 36, of Klamath Falls; however, he was pronounced deceased at the scene.

On scene investigation determined that Mr. Rittenhouse had been struck by a vehicle that left the scene.  The suspect vehicle is gray in color; however, there are no additional descriptors of the vehicle that struck Mr. Rittenhouse at this time.  

The Oregon State Police was assisted at the scene by the Klamath Falls Police Department, the Klamath County Sheriff's Office, Klamath County Fire District 1, and ODOT.

Any one with information on this incident, or with information on the suspect vehicle, is asked to call Oregon State Police Dispatch at OSP or  541-883-5711.

On Wednesday, June 12, 2019 at approximately 4:48 A.M. Oregon State Police and emergency personnel  responded to a report of a two vehicle collision on Highway 42 near mile post 8. 

Preliminary investigation revealed that a Honda Pilot, operated by Jonathan Moore (29) of North Bend, was westbound when for unknown reasons crossed into the eastbound lane and collided with a Chevrolet Tahoe, operated by Kaci Baker (25) of North Bend.  The Chevrolet Tahoe caught fire after the collision.

Moore sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased.

Baker was extricated by a witness and transported by ambulance to Bay Area Hospital for injuries.

OSP was assisted by the Coos County Sheriff's Office, Coquille Police Department, Coquille Fire Department, Myrtle Point Fire Department, Millington Fire Department, and ODOT.

On Saturday, June 15 2019, at approximately 10:52 pm the Polk County Marine Patrol was called out on a report of someone yelling for help on the Willamette River just west of River Mile 85, upstream from Salem. Rescued on an island in the river between Minto Brown and Salem-Dallas HW milepost 23 was 50 year old Mr. Brandon D. Weber.

Good Samaritan's Mr. Casey Campbell and Ms. Christina Kazlas called 911 after hearing someone yelling for help. Currently looking for work in the Salem area, Mr. Campbell and Ms. Kazlas have been living in a camp along the river for about a month. The voice was initially easy to hear but faded as time went on. By the time Polk County Deputies Chris Knudson and Mark Robertson arrived at the camp, the calls for assistance could barely be heard above traffic traveling along HW 22.

Not usually on the water at night, the marine unit was called on to assist. Reserve Deputy Thomas Dalke launched from the Salem Yacht and Boat Club accompanied by Deputy Knudson. While checking the area they located a deflated float tube on the island. Searching on foot, they located Mr. Weber laying in the grass at approximately 2:00 am. Mr. Weber was unable to walk due to an injury and was carried a short distance to the boat after which it returned to the launch. A medic unit was staged nearby where Mr. Weber was evaluated and subsequently transported to Salem Hospital for treatment.

When asked, Mr Weber reported being transient and living in the area along the river. After an argument around 4:00 pm he decided to float the river for a distance when his tube lost air and he had to swim to the Island. An injury to his leg exacerbated by his situation left him unable to swim further to get back to the north shore of the river. With the temperature in the 50's when found, Mr. Weber complained of cold but had not yet become hypothermic according to EMS personnel on scene.

The Polk County Marine Patrol is a seasonal program that recently started up operations for the 2019 summer months, made possible with funding from the Oregon State Marine Board. It is staffed by reserve deputies who are part of the Polk County Sheriff's Reserve unit.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office would like to express our appreciation to Mr. Campbell and Ms. Kazlas for their willingness to help someone in need and reach out to authorities. Without their assistance, the outcome of Mr. Weber's ordeal could have been tragic.

Salem, Ore. — On June 11, 2019, at approximately 2:45 p.m. a pedestrian was fatally struck while crossing Center ST NEat 12th ST NE. The pedestrian, Marshall Leslie age 27 of Wilsonville, was in the crosswalk when he was struck by an eastbound Cadillac SUV that ran the red light at 12th ST NE. Leslie was pronounced deceased at the scene.

The driver of the Cadillac, Willie Dempsey age 35 of Salem, remained on scene and was eventually transported to Salem Health for an evaluation.

The initial investigation indicates Dempsey may have been experiencing a medical issue at the time of the collision.

This is an ongoing investigation, and as such no citations or arrests have been made.

###

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

Video Link - https://vimeo.com/tvfr/review/342140656/89068ffacc

At 1:07 p.m. today, firefighters were dispatched to a reported brush fire in the 21400 block of Southwest 115th Avenue in Washington County between Tualatin and Sherwood.  Firefighters from Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue arrived within seven minutes from being dispatched to find smoke coming from a heavily wooded area east of the reported address. 

Crews immediately worked to access to the area. Due to the terrain and location, additional firefighters from TVF&R and Lake Oswego Fire Department were dispatched to the scene to access the fire from multiple locations. The initial fire was burning approximately three acres in thick brush, blackberries, and trees. While fire crews began to attack the fire from several sides, an employee from a nearby business was able to use a bulldozer to help to create a fire break around the fire.  Firefighters worked for two hours to control the fire and spent hours extinguishing hot spots.   

Due to the location of the fire, which included an area without fire hydrants, firefighters had to shuttle water to the scene to supply smaller four-wheel-drive vehicles that were used to access difficult areas.

The e fire was adjacent to a residential neighborhood. During firefighting operations, the neighborhood was patrolled to ensure that embers were not spreading to homes.  Additionally, TVF&R personnel used an unmanned aerial system (commonly referred to as a drone) to monitor fire conditions so that the incident commander could strategically position firefighting crews. 

A TVF&R fire investigator remains on scene and will work to determine where and how this fire started. Washington County Sheriff’s Office is assisting with the investigation.

In addition to support from WCSO and LOFD, the City of Tualatin’s Police and Public Works departments worked at the scene.

What steps has TVF&R taken to prepare for wildfire season?

• Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue has long recognized this growing threat and has taken deliberate steps over the past two decades to prepare.
• The District has invested in specialized wildland vehicles and equipment.
• Firefighters participate in annual hands-on training to ensure their readiness.

###

On Sunday, June 16, 2019, at 3:22 a.m., Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the report of a shooting at NW Rock Creek Drive and NW Landing Drive in the community of Rock Creek. 

When deputies arrived, they learned that a 2007 BMW 3-series sedan had been struck by at least two gunshots. The shots penetrated the BMW’s rear window and trunk. Fortunately, no one inside the vehicle was injured. 

The investigation revealed that right before the shooting, the suspect complained about how the BMW had been parked at a nearby business. Officers from the Hillsboro Police Department assisted deputies at the scene. 

Detectives from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office Violent Crimes Unit will continue to investigate.

Investigators would like to speak to anyone with information about this shooting. Please call the Washington County Sheriff’s Office at 503-846-2700.

Shortly after 7:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 13, 2019, Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to reports of a crash between a motorcycle and a truck. The crash took place on NW Cornelius Pass Road just north of NW West Union Road in unincorporated Washington County, near Hillsboro.

Jeremy Womelsdorff, 41, of Estacada was driving southbound on NW Cornelius Pass Road when he crashed head-on with a dump truck pulling a large trailer loaded with tree stumps. Mr. Womelsdorff was seriously injured in the crash and was transported to an area trauma hospital by the Life Flight Network. At last report, Mr. Womelsdorff was listed in critical condition.

The driver of the truck, Eugene Zurbrugg, was not injured in the crash. Investigators say it appears the motorcycle entered the lane of the truck, causing the crash. The truck driver was able to swerve off the road to avoid other oncoming cars, which caused the trailer to detach and flip over.

There is no indication that either driver was under the influence of intoxicants.

The road was closed for several hours. The sheriff’s office would like to thank the Hillsboro Police Department officers who initially responded so quickly to this crash as well as Hillsboro Fire & Rescue, Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue and Metro West Ambulance.

On Monday, June 10, 2019, Jasper underwent surgery to remove the bullet from his rear left thigh. The bullet lodged in Jasper’s neck will not be removed at this time due to its location and risk of removing it.  Jasper is still recovering, and his condition continues to improve each day. 

A private community member contacted the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and is offering a $2,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and prosecution of the individual(s) responsible for shooting Jasper.

Additionally, the Oregon Humane Society is offering a $500 reward for information that leads to the arrest and prosecution of the individual(s) responsible for shooting Jasper.

If you have information on the individual(s) who shot Jasper, please call the Washington County Sheriff’s Office at 503-846-2700. 

(Original Release Below) 

Unknown Suspect(s) Intentionally Shot Horse Grazing in a Pasture

June 4, 2019

On the evening of Sunday, June 3, 2019, Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to 32657 SW Reidweg Road in unincorporated Washington County, south of Cornelius to investigate a report of a horse who had been shot. When deputies arrived, they located Jasper, a 9-year-old horse, and confirmed he had been shot twice.

Deputies were able to determine Jasper had been shot once in the face, near the right side of his jaw, and once in his left thigh. Jasper was out in a pasture when he was shot.

Jasper is currently in the care of a local veterinarian and will undergo surgery to attempt to remove the bullets. Jasper is expected to survive.

Several bullet casings were found on the roadside, near the pasture where Jasper was grazing.

Based on the evidence at the scene, deputies believe the individual(s) who shot Jasper did so intentionally.

If you have information on the individual(s) who shot Jasper, please call the Washington County Sheriff’s Office at 503-846-2700. 

June 16, 2019 To All Media

From:  

Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office

Salem Police Department

Yamhill County District Attorney

Re:  Update on Karissa Fretwell and William (“Billy”) Fretwell, II, disappearance

Ongoing and exhaustive efforts by detectives from the Salem Police Department and detectives from the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office, yesterday led searchers to a remote Yamhill County area, approximately 10 miles west of the City of Yamhill.  The area was searched by members of the Yamhill County Search and Rescue, Washington County Search and Rescue, McMinnville Fire Department, detectives from the Salem Police Department and the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office, members of the Yamhill City Police, the Oregon State Police, NORSAR (North Oregon Search and Rescue), and Mountain Wave Search and Rescue.  They searched the heavily wooded and very remote area, for about two hours before locating two bodies.

The bodies were recovered with the assistance of the Oregon State Crime Lab and were sent to the Oregon State Medical Examiner for autopsy.  Today, the bodies recovered were positively identified as Karissa and Billy Fretwell.  Karissa’s cause of death was determined to be from a single gunshot to the head.  Manner of death has been determined to be homicide.  The cause and manner of the death of Billy, is yet to be determined, pending additional testing.

The investigation is continuing and anyone with information about this case is asked to contact the Salem Police Departmentor by leaving information on the Salem Police Department tip line at 503-588-6050.

Questions should be directed to the Yamhill County District Attorney’s Office at 503-434-7539.

Accredited Center of Excellence (ACE) by International Academies of Emergency Dispatch (IAED) 

(Portland, OR) — AMR’s Portland Communications Center received an unprecedented achievement this year with its sixth consecutive award as an Accredited Center of Excellence (ACE) from the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch (IAED). AMR’s first accreditation was in 2004.  There are just thirty-seven centers internationally who have received six consecutive awards.

Accredited Centers share a common goal of improving public care and maximizing the efficiency of 911 systems. The International Academies of Emergency Dispatch, through its College of Fellows, has established a high standard of excellence for emergency dispatch, providing tools to achieve this high standard at both the dispatcher level through Certification, and at the communication center level through the Accreditation Program.  Locally, AMR’s Communications center is currently the only one that holds ACE accreditation in Oregon.  “Most people don’t realize that outside of the primary 911 centers, there are secondary Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) directly involved in the delivery of emergency services,” says Chad Neely, AMR Portland’s Communications Manager.  See https://www.emergencydispatch.org

The IAED is a nonprofit standard-setting organization promoting safe and effective emergency dispatch services worldwide. Comprised of three allied Academies for medical, fire, and police dispatching, the IAED supports first responder-related research, unified protocol application, legislation for emergency call center regulation, and strengthening the emergency dispatch community through education, certification, and accreditation. 

AMR’s Communication Center staff includes dispatchers, call takers, trainers, supervisors, and a director. On any given day, there are ten to twelve people on the floor.  AMR also has a team of six dispatchers certified with the Academy as EMD-Q (Emergency Medical Dispatch-Quality Improvement Specialist) They conduct call audits, provide quality assurance feedback to the team, and maintain their own special accreditation.  AMR’s Portland Communications Center handles more than 251,000 calls for 911 emergencies and non-emergency medical transportation each year for Clark and Cowlitz counties in SW Washington, Multnomah, Clackamas, Washington, and Josephine County in Oregon.  This spring brought a remodel to AMR’s dispatch center.  They added four workstations, a dedicated dispatch-training lab, additional office space, and a quiet room where dispatchers can take a well-earned break.

Nationally, Priority Dispatch's EMD (Emergency Medical Dispatch) Certification Course has been the standard for EMD training. The course meets or exceeds all national criteria set by U.S. Department of Transportation, National Association of EMS Physicians, and others.  All of AMR’s Communications Center employees complete up to 18 months of on the job training, which includes the EMD certification course, and additional training.  AMR’s customized training process meets all credentials needed for employment. https://learn.org/articles/Emergency_Medical_Dispatching_5_Steps_to_Becoming_an_Emergency_Medical_Dispatcher.html

“Congratulations on your center’s recent ACE achievement!,” writes Josh McFadden, Communication Manager, International Academies of Emergency Dispatch….One of my responsibilities is to promote emergency dispatching and the positive things dispatchers do for the communities they serve. I believe it’s important for people to know that if they need to call 911, they’ll contact an accredited center and speak with a certified, highly trained professional to address their needs.” 

                                                                                              ###

American Medical Response, Inc., America’s leading provider of medical transportation, provides services in 40 states and the District of Columbia. More than 28,000 AMR paramedics, EMTs, RNs and other professionals work together to transport more than 4.8 million patients nationwide each year in critical, emergency and non-emergency situations. AMR also provides fire services through Rural Metro Fire Department, www.ruralmetrofire.com, and managed transportation services through Access2Care, www.access2care.net. AMR is a subsidiary of Global Medical Response, www.GlobalMedicalResponse.com. For more information about AMR, visit www.amr.net and follow American Medical Response on Facebook @AMR_Social on Twitter and Instagram. Locally, AMR provides ambulance services in Multnomah, Clackamas and Clark and Cowlitz Counties. AMR and its predecessor companies have served Portland area communities since 1913.

$345,000 in scholarships awarded to 119 students

Earlier this year the Salem Health Foundation, Salem Health West Valley Foundation, and the Salem Health Projects Committee accepted scholarship applications for those pursuing a career in the health care industry. 121 scholarship applications were submitted for the upcoming 2019–20 academic year.

The foundations and committee awarded scholarships to 119 people. This totals more than $345,000 — double the amount awarded in the 2018–19 academic year. The average award this year was $2,800; an $800 increase compared to last year. These increases were made to better align with escalating education expenses.

"This scholarship has done far more than just lift a financial burden,” said scholarship recipient Cody J. “It has given me hope and strengthened my determination to complete nursing school and give to others what you have so graciously given to me.”

Most of these students are pursuing degrees that will place them in direct contact with patients, such as a physician, nursing, and pharmacy degrees. Others are pursuing business degrees related to the health care industry. 

The committee considered applicants from Marion and Polk counties. These applicants ranged from high school graduates to those seeking graduate-level degrees.

• First year students: 27 applicants totaling $75,500
• Associate degree: 33 applicants totaling $148,000
• Bachelor’s degree: 28 applicants totaling $85,500
• Graduate students: 31 applicants totaling $36,750

The scholarship program began in 1968. Since then, it has awarded over $3 million to community members as well as Salem Health employees and volunteers.

About Salem Health Foundation and West Valley Foundation: Both Foundations are committed to raising, managing and distributing funds to help the hospital achieve its mission of improving the health and well-being of the people and community it serves. Donations to Salem Health Foundation and West Valley Foundation support top-quality medical care in Marion and Polk counties. To make a donation or learn more, visit salemhealth.org/foundation

Media Contact:                                                                                   June 13, 2019
Pacific Power media line                                            FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
800-570-5838

Media Statement Regarding 2019 Wildfire Season

Pacific Power issues the following statement from Scott Bolton, Senior Vice President, External Affairs and Customer Solutions:

As wildfires become more frequent and intense throughout the West, protecting the communities we serve from this increasing threat, while providing safe, reliable power, is our highest priority. We are building on our work over past years to strengthen our system and implement additional safety measures to reduce wildfire risks.

As part of this effort, we are working with area emergency services agencies, the Oregon Department of Forestry, and community leaders across Oregon to expand and enhance existing emergency response plans and work in coordination with our communities. This includes some new actions we’re planning for this fire season.

• We are enhancing vegetation inspections and vegetation clearance around our power lines or poles, increasing facilities inspections, making investments to improve equipment resiliency and fire-proofing, installing local weather stations, and training and equipping our field crews for wildfire suppression.
   

• For areas at a higher risk of fast-spreading wildfires, we are establishing a new fire prevention measure called a Public Safety Power Shutoff. A Public Safety Power Shutoff is a new measure designed to help keep people and communities in high-risk areas safe, by proactively shutting off power during extreme and dangerous weather conditions that can result in catastrophic wildfires. This measure would only be taken as a last resort to help ensure customer and community safety.

• Pacific Power is working with local governments and emergency services agencies to update them on the conditions when this protocol would be used and seek their input on coordination should we need to deploy a Public Safety Power Shutoff.
   
• Pacific Power is also launching a public wildfire education and outreach campaign starting June 24 to share wildfire safety and prevention tips and to inform customers of the company’s Public Safety Power Shutoff measure. This will include public information workshops for communities in high-risk areas.

Customers can take steps now to prepare for emergencies by keeping vegetation around their homes trimmed and low and updating their emergency plans and supplies. Customers should also contact us to ensure their contact information is up-to-date, so we can keep provide updates about increased fire risk alerts, potential power outages and updates on power restoration.

For more information, customers may contact Pacific Power at 1-888-221-7070 or visit pacificpower.net/wildfiresafety.

###

The Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting was awarded by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) to Tualatin Valley Water District for its comprehensive financial report (CAFR).

The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by Tualatin Valley Water District. “The Tualatin Valley Water District staff routinely provide excellent service resulting in earning the GFOA honor year after year, while each CAFR requires the care and diligence worthy of the honor,” added Board of Commissioner’s President Bernice Bagnall. Tualatin Valley Water District has earned the award each year since 1990, 29 consecutive times.

The CAFR has been judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program, which includes demonstrating a constructive “spirit of full disclosure” to clearly communicate its financial story to customers, Board of Commissioners and staff. 

TVWD provides high quality drinking water and excellent customer service to more than 215,000 people in Washington County, Oregon. The service area covers more than 42 square miles and includes portions of the cities of Hillsboro, Beaverton and Tigard. More information about TVWD can be found at www.tvwd.org

The summer heat wave has just begun to make its way across the States signaling the end of school and the beginning of summer vacation. While the sun is perfect for a day at the beach, hot days can also have a sinister side - especially when it involves a child who has been left unattended or gotten trapped inside a vehicle. .

Tragically in the United States, every 10 days a child dies as a result of vehicular heatstroke. Since 1998, there have been 806 deaths, with 11 already this year.   

The terrible truth? These deaths were 100% preventable.

Education is the first step in prevention, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is leading the charge.

On June 20, NHTSA will be tweeting from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET about the dangers of heatstroke, and offering prevention tips. We invite you to share this information with you readers, viewers, and listeners.

Please join NHTSA in spreading the message. Let’s stop this troubling trend, stop the heartbreak, and stop children from dying in hot cars.

#HeatstrokeKills #CheckForBaby

==============================

Useful Links

https://www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety/child-safety#view-heatstroke-campaign

https://www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov/get-materials/child-safety/heatstroke-prevention

https://www.nsc.org/home-safety/tools-resources/seasonal-safety/summer/heat

The Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) is once again pleased to work with our national and international fire service partners to help support this week-long event through which fire agencies around the nation focus on a specific fire service safety issue.

The Safety Stand Down takes place June 16-22, 2019. This event highlights critical safety, health, and survival issues for the fire and emergency services. All fire departments and personnel are asked to take the week of June 16-22 to focus their attention on safety and health education and training. A week is provided to ensure all duty shifts can participate.

This year’s theme is REDUCE YOUR EXPOSURE: IT’S EVERYONE’S RESPONSIBILITY.

Cancer is one of the most serious threats facing firefighters, but there are specific actions that can be taken take to lessen the risks to firefighters and their co-workers. DPSST hosted a two-day seminar for fire service leaders last month at the Oregon Public Safety Academy during which national fire service clinicians and researchers shared their work.

A national webpage has been created for local fire departments to implement Safety Stand Down in their organization.

For more information please go to www.SafetyStandDown.org.

## 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 Sheriff Jason Myers of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office 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.

An Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) adult in custody, Ajon Webster, died the morning of June 16, 2019. Webster was incarcerated at Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution. As with all in-custody deaths, the Oregon State Police have been notified, and the Medical Examiner will determine cause of death.

Ajon Webster entered DOC custody on October 8, 2018, out of Multnomah County with an earliest release date of August 14, 2036. Webster was 29 years old. Next of kin has been notified. No other details are available at this time.

DOC takes all in-custody deaths seriously. The agency is responsible for the care and custody of 14,700 individuals who are incarcerated in 14 institutions across the state. While crime information is public record, DOC elects to disclose only upon request out of respect for any family or victims.

EOCI is a multi-custody prison located in Pendleton that houses over 1,700 individuals. The institution is known for its Oregon Corrections Enterprises industries, including a garment factory that produces Prison Blues©, whose products are sold in and outside the United States. Other industries are its embroidery and laundry facilities. EOCI provides a range of correctional programs and services including education, drug and alcohol treatment, mental health treatment, religious services, and inmate work crews. The buildings that make up EOCI were constructed in 1912 and 1913 and were originally used as a state mental hospital. After two years of renovation, EOCI received its first adults in custody in June 1985.

####

An Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) adult in custody, Lloyd Roberts, died the morning of June 12, 2019. Roberts was incarcerated at Two Rivers Correctional Institution (TRCI) in Umatilla and passed away at the infirmary. As with all in-custody deaths, the Oregon State Police have been notified. 

Roberts entered DOC custody on October 9, 2018, from Wasco County with an earliest release date of October 26, 2024. Roberts was 72 years old. Next of kin has been notified.  

DOC takes all in-custody deaths seriously. The agency is responsible for the care and custody of 14,700 individuals who are incarcerated in 14 institutions across the state. While crime information is public record, DOC elects to disclose only upon request out of respect for any family or victims.

TRCI is a multi-custody prison in Umatilla that houses approximately 1,800 adults in custody. TRCI participates in prison industries with Oregon Corrections Enterprises including institution and industrial laundry, mattress manufacturing, and sewing. Other institution work programs include repair and cleaning of irrigation ditches, maintenance of local baseball fields, and work with local cities and the Hermiston School District. The facility provides a range of correctional programs and services including education, religious services, and behavioral health services. TRCI opened in 2000.

####

SALEM, Ore. — Oregon’s Smoke Management Advisory Committee will meet June 25, 2019 in Salem. On the agenda are reports from the Department of Environmental Quality and the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Fire Protection Division; a summary of the 2019 spring burning season, a summary of smoke intrusions and incidents, and a report on federal burning. In addition, the committee will discuss fuel treatment effectiveness and 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 Santiam Room in Building D on the campus of the Oregon Department of Forestry, 2600 State Street in Salem. It will last from 9 a.m. to 2 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. – An Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) state forests advisory group will meet on Friday, June 21 in Newport.

The State Forests Advisory Committee will meet from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Friday, June 21, in the conference room at the Holiday Inn Express Inn and Suites, 135 SE 32nd St., Newport 97365.  Topics on the agenda include an overview of the Annual Operation Plan (AOP) comments and responses, as well as updates on the Northwest State Forest Management Plan revision and Western Oregon State Forests Habitat Conservation Plan processes, legislative developments, Workforce Futuring (internal State Forests Division restructuring), and fire season predictions. The public will have the opportunity to provide comment.

The meeting agenda is posted at http://www.oregon.gov/ODF/Board/Pages/SFAC.aspx. The meeting location 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 prior to the meeting. Questions about accessibility or special accommodations for the meeting can be directed to the Oregon Department of Forestry at 503-945-7427.

SFAC’s role

The State Forests Advisory Committee (SFAC) includes citizens and representatives of timber, environmental and recreation groups. SFAC provides a forum to discuss issues, opportunities and concerns, and offer advice and guidance to ODF on the implementation of the Northwest Oregon State Forests Management Plan. The plan provides guidance for managing 616,000 acres within the Tillamook, Clatsop and Santiam State Forests, and several scattered state-owned forest tracts in Benton, Polk, Lincoln and Lane counties through a balanced approach to generate revenue while prioritizing environmental and social benefits.

June 14, 2019

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

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

When: June 21, 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/3895887851300669185 and listen-only conference line at 888-204-5984, access code 1277166.

Agenda: Welcome and introductions; OHA recommendations for 2020 measure set; public testimony 9:25-9:40; review previous minutes and general updates; Dental Quality Alliance sealant measure decisions; review background information, including policy context, measure assessments, stakeholder survey, committee survey, committee measure set criteria; 2020 measure set selection (final set to be approved in July); 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.us">peter.m.edlund@dhsoha.state.or.us, at least 48 hours before the meeting.

http://bit.ly/2Xg6now

June 14, 2019

Tri-County Regional Behavioral Health Collaborative Medical Community Collaboration Workgroup meets June 17 in Portland

What: The fifth meeting of the Tri-County Regional Behavioral Health Collaborative Medical Community Collaboration Workgroup.

Agenda: Discuss narrowing workgroup scope and product; plan for community engagement, including who will be engaged, what questions will be asked and how the engagement will take place; identify breakout subgroups including medical, peers and policy review.

When: June 17, 1-3 p.m.

Where: Portland State Office Building, Room 1D, 800 NE Oregon Street, Portland.

The Tri-County Regional Behavioral Health Collaborative brings together multiple sectors across the Portland metro area to collectively address and prevent behavioral health challenges with a focus on peer delivered services and substance use disorder activities that can make an impact in 12 to 24 months.

For more information, see the RBHC website at https://www.oregon.gov/OHA/HSD/BHP/Pages/Regional-Collaboratives.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 Summer Boslaugh at 503-753-9688, 711 TTY or .h.boslaugh@dhsoha.state.or.us">summer.h.boslaugh@dhsoha.state.or.us at least 48 hours before the meeting.

http://bit.ly/2Xcb9mT

June 12, 2019

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

Health Plan Quality Metrics Committee meets June 13

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

Agenda: Welcome, updates; public comment 1:45-1:55; review of Oregon Health Policy Board presentation; review work plan for year ahead and agenda setting; adjourn.

When: June 13, 1-3:30 p.m.

Where: Clackamas Community College Wilsonville Training Center, Room 210, 29353 SW Town Center, Loop E., Wilsonville. The public also may join remotely through a webinar and listen-only conference line at 877-336-1828, access code 9657836.

For more information, please visit the committee's website.

# # #

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, 503-931-8873, 711 TTY, or .m.edlund@dhsoha.state.or.us">peter.m.edlund@dhsoha.state.or.us at least 48 hours before the meeting.

June 12, 2019

Media contact: Saerom England, 971-239-6483, om.y.england@dhsoha.state.or.us">saerom.y.england@dhsoha.state.or.us

Tri-County Regional Behavioral Health Collaborative Core Leadership Team meets June 13 in Portland

What: A public meeting of the Tri-County Regional Behavioral Health Collaborative Core Leadership Team.

Agenda: Clarify the roles of the team and workgroups; prepare to fulfill the roles; explore opportunities to affect system-level challenges regarding substance use disorder and peer-delivered services.

When: June 13, 10 a.m. to noon.

Where: Portland State Office Building, Room 177, 800 NE Oregon Street, Portland.

The Tri-County Regional Behavioral Health Collaborative brings together multiple sectors across the Portland metro area to collectively address and prevent behavioral health challenges, with a focus on peer-delivered services and substance use disorder activities that can make an impact in 12 to 24 months.

For more information, visit the RBHC website.

# # #

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 Summer Boslaugh, 503-753-9688, 711 TTY, or .h.boslaugh@dhsoha.state.or.us">summer.h.boslaugh@dhsoha.state.or.us at least 48 hours before the meeting.

June 11, 2019

Media contact: Jonathan Modie, 971-246-9139, phd.communications@dhsoha.state.or.us

Precautionary seasonal recreational use health advisory in effect for Lake Billy Chinook

PORTLAND, Ore.—The Oregon Health Authority has issued a precautionary seasonal recreational use health advisory for Lake Billy Chinook due to cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms that routinely develop in the lake.

Lake Billy Chinook is located about 12 miles west of Madras, in Jefferson County. The advisory will remain in effect through Nov. 1, 2019.

Tests done at Lake Billy Chinook since 2015 show that blooms in the lake consistently produce cyanotoxins over OHA’s recreational use health guideline values for people and pets. In the past, OHA would issue and lift advisories on the lake as data were made available. Testing is costly, making it difficult for local water body managers to regularly test the lake during times when blooms occur. This makes it challenging to determine when cyanotoxins are being produced, and if an advisory is needed.

As a result, OHA and local partners determined that a 2019 seasonal advisory for the lake is appropriate. At this time, the OHA Public Health Division is reminding the public of the steps to take to reduce exposure to cyanobacterial blooms and the cyanotoxins that may be present throughout the season. OHA staff will evaluate the effectiveness of this advisory at the end of the 2019 season.

Enjoy non-water-related activities at Lake Billy Chinook

Non-water-related activities such as camping, hiking, biking, picnicking and bird-watching can be enjoyed with very little possibility of exposure to cyanotoxins. Certain water-related activities can be safe. These include canoeing, fishing and boating, if boating speeds are kept low to avoid kicking up spray that could be inhaled.

Activities to avoid in areas affected by cyanobacteria blooms

Avoid swimming, water-skiing, wake-boarding, tubing, and other high-speed water activities in areas of the lake affected by a cyanobacterial bloom. Watch children and pets to be sure they are not swallowing water or coming in contact with cyanobacterial blooms washed up on the shore or dried on rocks. Do not use lake water for drinking as camping-style filters and boiling do not remove the toxins.

What to look for

Cyanobacterial blooms are not unique to Lake Billy Chinook. Oregon health officials advise recreational visitors to always be alert to signs of cyanobacterial blooms in all Oregon waters because only a fraction of the many lakes and waterways in Oregon are tested by state, federal and local agencies.

Certain water body conditions can help people identify when a bloom may be present. People and their pets should avoid areas where the water is foamy, scummy, thick like paint, pea-green, blue-green or brownish red in color, a thick mat is present, or when bright green cells can be seen suspended in the water column, making the water a brighter shade of green. In areas where blooms are found, people should avoid swallowing water while swimming or inhaling water droplets made during high-speed water activities, such as water-skiing or power-boating. A good rule of thumb when encountering something in the water that doesn’t look familiar: “When in doubt, stay out.”

Symptoms

Exposure to cyanotoxins can be serious and result in a range of symptoms, from those similar to food poisoning such as stomach cramping, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, to more serious symptoms like numbness, tingling, dizziness and shortness of breath that may require medical attention. Although toxins are not absorbed through the skin, people who have skin sensitivities may experience a puffy, red rash at the affected area. Children are most vulnerable to exposure and illness due to their size and level of activity. If you or someone in your family develops any of these symptoms after your visit to an Oregon lake or waterway, contact OHA at 971-673-0440 for health information or to report the illness.

Pets are at risk, too

Over the past several years OHA has received many reports of dog illnesses and even deaths due to exposure to bloom-affected water. It’s important to know that dogs are susceptible to cyanotoxins at extremely low levels. Exposure to these toxins can also occur when dogs lick cyanobacteria off rocks and off their fur, eat the scum, or drink affected water. Symptoms of exposure are drooling, twitching, inability to stand or walk, convulsions and paralysis. Symptoms develop within the first hour or two after exposure and can be deadly. If a pet develops any symptoms, it should be seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible. OHA also takes pet illness reports; call 971-673-0440 for more information.

Other concerns

Drinking water directly from areas of Lake Billy Chinook affected by a cyanobacterial bloom is especially dangerous when toxins are present. Toxins cannot be removed by boiling, filtering or treating water with camping-style filters. Contact campground management or the local health department with questions about water available at nearby campgrounds or day use areas.

People who are not on a well or a public water system and draw in-home water directly from an affected area are advised to use an alternative water source because not all private treatment systems are proven effective in removing cyanotoxins.

Fish caught from areas where cyanobacterial blooms are present should have fat, skin and organs removed before cooking or freezing, as toxins are more likely to collect in these tissues. Fillets should also be rinsed with clean water.

OHA maintains an updated list of all health advisories on its website that is also available by phone. OHA will update information for Lake Billy Chinook when new data are available. To learn what water bodies are being sampled for the season and whether an advisory has been issued or lifted, visit the Cyanobacteria Blooms website: http://www.healthoregon.org/hab and select “current cyanobacteria advisories,” or call the Oregon Public Health Division toll-free information line at 877-290-6767.

# # #

https://bit.ly/2X6847W

June 11, 2019

Media contact: Delia Hernández, 503-422-7174, phd.communications@dhsoha.state.or.us

Simple tips to stay safe during extreme heat conditions

Stay hydrated, limit sun exposure as forecast calls for upper 90s

Temperatures are expected to climb into at least the mid-90s this week in some parts of Oregon. Health officials are recommending people prevent heat-related illnesses that can lead to heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

"People may not realize that heat-related illnesses can be deadly," said Tom Jeanne, MD, deputy state health officer at the OHA Public Health Division. "Extreme heat conditions pose a higher risk for children, people 65 and older, and those with chronic health conditions as well as athletes and outdoor workers." Also at higher risk are people with low incomes. Often, they can’t afford air conditioning for their homes or they live outdoors where they are more exposed.

The Oregon Public Health Division offers the following tips for staying safe and healthy during extreme heat conditions:

1. Stay cool.
   • Stay in air-conditioned places, if possible. Avoid relying on a fan as your main cooling device, particularly when the temperature is 90 or above.
   • Limit exposure to the sun from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., when UV rays are strongest. Try to schedule activities in the morning and evening.
   • Use cool compresses, misting, and cool showers and baths.
   • Never leave infants or children in a parked car. Nor should pets be left in parked cars — they can suffer heat-related illness, too.
   • Even during the summer, the power can go out. Have a plan to stay cool when the power goes out.
2. Stay hydrated.
   • Regardless of your level of activity, drink plenty of fluids, even if you are not thirsty and especially when working outside.
   • Avoid alcohol or liquids containing large amounts of sugar.
   • Make sure your family, friends and neighbors drink enough water.
3. Stay informed.
   • Keep up to date on the temperature and heat index when planning activities to find ways to stay cool and hydrated. The heat index measures how hot it feels outside when factoring in humidity with the actual air temperature.
   • Learn how to prevent, recognize, and treat heat-related illnesses. Know the warning signs of heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat cramps, sunburn and heat rash, and how to treat and prevent them.
   • Be aware of any scheduled power outages your utility company plans. If you do not have air conditioning or you live outdoors, visit air-conditioned places or a cooling shelter if your community has one.
4. Stay safe.
   • Check on friends, family and neighbors who may have a higher risk of heat-related illness at least twice a day.
   • Always supervise children when they are in or near water, including bathtubs.
   • Wear personal flotation devices when out on boats, near open bodies of water or participating in water sports.
   • Use sunscreen with at least SPF 15 when going outside.

People with a chronic medical condition such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer or kidney disease, may be less likely to sense and respond to changes in temperature. Some medications can worsen the impact of extreme heat. People in this category should learn the effects of their medications and pay extra attention to drinking enough water, accessing air conditioning and knowing how to keep cool.

Those who work outdoors or exercise in extreme heat are more likely to become dehydrated and get heat-related illness. They should try to stay as cool and hydrated as possible.

For more information, visit:

• Preventing heat-related illnesses (OHA).
• Extreme Heat (CDC).
• Warning signs and symptoms of heat-related illness (CDC).

# # #

https://youtu.be/5J7j-Rs62pQ

https://bit.ly/2WDvO3P

June 14, 2019 – Salem, Ore. – The sun is a little brighter for two Eugene-area women when both won $100,000 prizes playing Scratch-its this past weekend.

Anya Moedl, of Eugene, won $100,000 after playing a $10 Emerald 10s Scratch-it at the 7-Eleven along River Road in Eugene.

“I buy Scratch-its every so often, but usually they are $2 or $3 tickets,” she said. “I splurged and bought a $10 one, and I wasn’t expecting to win that much!”

Moedl said she played the ticket at home and found out Friday and had to wait over the weekend for the Lottery offices to open Monday.

“I was pretty excited all weekend,” she said. “I barely slept all weekend long, I kept thinking about what to do with the money.”

Moedl said she was going to use the money to save for an education fund for her son and daughter. She also said she may look at some property but was going to be careful with the prize.

There is still one $100,000 jackpot-winning Scratch-it available for the Emerald 10s Scratch-it game.

The same weekend, Eugene-area player Elena Delgadillo, also won $100,000 playing a Scratch-it.

“Scratch-its are my hobby and I never thought I would win this much!” Delgadillo said. “I just had a feeling I would win, and I did!”

Delgadillo purchased her ticket, a $10 $100,000 Jackpot Scratch-it, from the Oakridge Market after she got off work. Her winning ticket was the the last jackpot-winning ticket for that game.

“Miracles happen,” she said, fighting back tears. “I have four kids and two are in college, this is really going to help with their education.”

During the 2018 fiscal year, the Oregon Lottery awarded more than $2.6 billion in prizes and $725 million to state and local programs.

During the 2015-17 biennium, more than $50.8 million in Oregon Lottery proceeds were directed to economic development, parks, education and watershed enhancement in Lane County, where both women live and purchased their Scratch-its. 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 nearly $12 billion for economic development, public education, state parks, veterans services and watershed enhancements. For more information on the Oregon Lottery visit www.oregonlottery.org

COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. – The State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation (SACHP) will meet June 20 and 21 at the Cottage Grove Armory building for a tour and to consider nominations to the National Register of Historic Places. Both the meeting and the tour are open to the public.

Thursday, June 20: SACHP will depart at 1 p.m. from the Cottage Grove Armory, 628 E. Washington Ave., Cottage Grove for a tour of historic resources within Cottage Grove. The tour is expected to conclude by 5 p.m.

Friday, June 21: SACHP will meet at 9 a.m. at the Cottage Grove Armory to consider nominations to the National Register of Historic Places.

Friday’s meeting agenda: a presentation by the State Historic Preservation Office’s (SHPO) grants and outreach program coordinator, and hearings of one delisting request, two boundary revisions, and two proposed nominations. Hearings will begin at 10:30 a.m. For specific hearing times, refer to the online agenda: www.oregon.gov/oprd/HCD/NATREG/Pages/nrhp_sachphome.aspx

The committee will review a delisting request for the Jefferson Substation in Portland. The committee will review two boundary revisions: one for the Oregon State Hospital Historic District, Salem and another for the Portland Police Block, Portland. The committee will review two proposed nominations: the Beauchamp Building, Stayton and the Fried-Durkenheimer House, Portland.

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

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

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

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

SALEM, Ore. – The Local Government Grant Program Advisory Committee will meet June 18-20 at the Comfort Suites Hotel, 630 Hawthorne SE, Salem. The meeting is open to the public.

On the agenda: Local Government Grant Program (LGGP) applicants will present their proposed projects to the committee for review. The committee will evaluate and score all applications and create a priority ranking list of projects to be funded. The priority ranking list will be forwarded to the Oregon State Parks and Recreation Commission for final review and approval.

Meeting times for each day:

• June 18: 11:20 a.m. – 4:20 p.m.
• June 19: 8:40 a.m. – 4:20 p.m.
• June 20: 8:40 a.m. – 12:20 p.m.

For specific presentation times, refer to the full meeting agenda online.

The LGGP Advisory Committee consists of 10 volunteer members who represent various constituents across the state. Eligible LGGP applicants include cities, metros, counties, park and recreation districts, and port districts.

The LGGP provides grant assistance for public park and outdoor recreation areas and facilities. The program was established in 1998 under the Parks and Natural Resources Fund. The program is funded by a portion of Oregon Lottery dollars and administered by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD).

For more information about the LGGP, visit oprdgrants.org.

Individuals who need special accommodations to attend should contact Mark Cowan, OPRD grant program coordinator at 503-986-0591or k.cowan@oregon.gov">mark.cowan@oregon.gov at least three days in advance.

Contact:   Jennifer Patterson, State Librarian
503-378-4367

June 17, 2019

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Talking Book and Braille Library open house on June 27 celebrates 50 years at State Library

Salem, Ore. – The Talking Book and Braille Library will have an open house on June 27 from 2-4 p.m., to celebrate 50 years at the State Library of Oregon in Salem. The library was relocated from Portland to Salem in July of 1969.

More than 100 library patrons and staff members will be at the event to discuss their experiences and talk about the many ways Oregonians benefit from the services and resources the Talking Book and Braille Library offers.

A short program is scheduled for 2:30 p.m., when State Librarian Jennifer Patterson and Talking Books Program Manager Susan Westin plan to speak. Talking Book and Braille Advisory Council Chair, Mary Lee Turner, will share her experience as a library patron for 66 years.

The names of three individuals who each donated $10,000 or more to the library’s endowment fund will be added to the donor board. Scheduled activities also include a presentation on the library’s history and tours will be available.

The open house will be in room 102/103 (first floor) of the State Library, 250 Winter St. NE, Salem, OR 97301.

The Talking Book and Braille Library is available free of charge to any Oregonian who is print-disabled, which includes visual, physical, and reading impairments. The collection is ever-growing and currently has more than 80,000 titles in audio, 19,000 titles in Braille, 95 audio and Braille magazines, and over 150 descriptive videos. 

To learn more about Talking Books, visit www.ORtalkingbooks.org.

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Salem, Ore. – The Talking Book and Braille Library is celebrating 50 years at the State Library of Oregon in Salem. The library was relocated from the Library Association of Portland to the State Library’s Church Street Annex in July of 1969.

The 1969 Oregon Legislature appropriated $80,000 for the library to begin providing Talking Book and Braille Services to Oregonians who are blind and print-disabled in partnership with the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped at the Library of Congress.

The Talking Book and Braille Library began operation with seven staff members. Circulation at the time was averaging 11,000 items per month to 1,700 users, including record discs, two-track cassette tapes, Braille, and large print books. Today Talking Books circulates on average 31,000 items per month to 5,200 users, but still has a staff of seven.

The types of materials available through Talking Books has changed as technology has advanced. The first four-track cassette book (“Roots” by Alex Haley) was recorded in 1977. Digital players and books first became available for patrons in 2009. All patrons can get a free audio book player to play specially formatted audio books.

The web-based Braille and Audio Reading Download system (BARD) from the National Library Service (NLS) was introduced in April 2009. BARD gave registered users unlimited and immediate access to the entire NLS digital audio and electronic Braille collection. The BARD app for iOS devices was added in 2013 and for Android in 2015.

The Talking Book and Braille Library is available free of charge to any Oregonian who is print-disabled, which includes visual, physical, and reading impairments. The collection is ever-growing and currently has more than 80,000 titles in audio, 19,000 titles in Braille, 95 audio and Braille magazines, and over 150 descriptive videos. 

To learn more, visit www.ORtalkingbooks.org. The public can access the collections anytime online or in-person from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 4 p.m.

Vancouver, Wash. – The Clark County Recycled Arts Festival is back this month for a 14th year, offering free fun for the whole family in Esther Short Park. The popular two-day event showcases artwork made of recycled materials, and aims to educate and excite Clark County residents about waste reduction, reuse and recycling.

The festival, presented by McCord’s Vancouver Toyota, is 9 am to 5 pm Saturday, June 29 and 9 am to 4 pm Sunday, June 30. Attendees who show their reusable mugs or water bottles at the information tent will be entered in a special drawing.

More than 130 artists will sell items, such as metal and glass garden art, sculptures, mosaics, jewelry, clothing, furniture, birdfeeders and wall art. Items are made of at least 75 percent recycled material and are sure to inspire everyone to see things they may consider as trash in a new way.

The family-friendly festival also will include:

• Music on the stage, beginning at 9:30 am Saturday and Sunday.
• Kids’ Activity Booth, hosted by Scrap PDX, with recycled materials to create art and masks for the Procession of the Species.
• Sculpture garden displaying large pieces of recycled art.
• Robot demonstrations by high school robotics teams.
• Tossed and Found display, showcasing items gleaned from the landfill that could be reused or repurposed.
• A deconstructed shipping container turned into a home.
• Free face painting 9 am to noon Saturday and Sunday.
• Planet Clark’s earthquake simulator.
• Food carts offering a variety of food, including frozen treats, coffee and sandwiches.

Additional festival features

The Falconer will bring live birds of prey to educate the public about wildlife conservation. Human habits, from toxic chemicals used in gardening to throwing litter on highways, directly affect the wellbeing and survival of these animals. The Falconer’s feathered friends and team of experts will be in the northeast section of the park on Saturday and Sunday.

The Procession of the Species is returning for a third year. The parade celebrates the natural world through art, with participants dressed in costumes and masks representing animals, plants and elements.

The parade begins at 11 am Sunday, June 30. Registration opens at 10:30 am. The free parade is open to people of any age. The cast of costumed characters will be led by The Beat Goes On, an all-adult marching band, and joined by dancers as they wind through Esther Short Park. The parade ends with a costume contest on the festival’s main stage.

Clark County Public Health and the Recycled Arts Festival have hosted free costume workshops throughout the month to help participants get ready for the parade. Those interested in joining the parade can make a costume or mask at one of the remaining workshops or bring their own on parade day. Here are the remaining workshops:

• 10 am to noon Thursday, June 27 at Salmon Creek Regional Park/Klineline Pond, Pondview Picnic Shelter, 1112 NE 117th St.
• 9 am to 5 pm Saturday, June 29 and 9-10:30 am Sunday, June 30, at Recycled Arts Festival Kids’ Activity Booth, Esther Short Park, 605 Esther St.

Register for the June 27 workshop on the Procession of the Species website. No registration required for workshops at the Recycled Arts Festival Kids’ Activity Booth.

Free parking will again be available in the Clark County Public Service Center parking garage, 1300 Franklin St. A shuttle bus will run regularly between the gazebo in the plaza at northeast 13th and Franklin streets and the south side of Esther Short Park (across the street from Vancouver City Hall). People who purchase heavy items that cannot be carried to a vehicle can be left at a secure loading area at the northeast corner of the park and picked up later.

For more information, visit the Recycled Arts Festival website.

Vancouver, Wash. – Clark County Public Works invites residents to attend an open house to discuss proposed improvements on Northeast 99th Street between Northeast 94th Avenue and Northeast 117th Avenue/State Route 503.

The open house will be from 4:30 to 7 pm Wednesday, June 26, in the commons area of building 200 at Prairie High School, 11311 NE 119th St.

Clark County scheduled the open house early in the process, so stakeholders can meet with county staff to ask questions and offer comments. Maps of the proposed plan will be available.

The proposed changes are intended to improve cross circulation in the area. They include:

• Roundabouts at the intersections of Northeast 94th Avenue/Northeast 99th Street and Northeast 107th Avenue/Northeast 99th Street
• Sidewalks, bike lanes and/or mixed use paths on both sides of Northeast 99th Street
• A travel lane in each direction
• Center turn lane in specific locations
• New street lighting at roundabouts

Funding for the estimated $17 million construction cost will come from a variety of sources including federal and state grants, traffic impact fees, the county road fund and Real Estate Excise Tax.

Vancouver, Wash. – Clark County Superior Court has appointed Stefanie Ellis as Superior Court Commissioner. She fills a position vacated when Judge Jennifer Snider was appointed as Superior Court Judge.

Ellis is a local attorney who has practiced law since 2007. She has served as assistant city attorney for the city of Vancouver, judge pro tem for Clark County District Court and most recently as owner/partner for Priest and Ellis, PLLC. Her experience also includes serving as adjunct professor in Clark College’s paralegal program.

Ellis earned a law degree from Gonzaga University School of Law in Spokane and a bachelor’s degree from Boise State University. She is active in the local legal community serving as president of the Family Law Section of the Clark County Bar Association and currently is the treasurer for the Association.

Clark County's Superior Court has ten elected judges, three full-time judicially appointed court commissioners and one part-time commissioner. The Superior Court is the court of general jurisdiction. It is the trial court for all felonies and civil suits pursuant to RCW 2.08.010. Superior Court also has jurisdiction in adoption, probate, competency, divorce and juvenile cases. In addition it hears appeals from District Court decisions. Clark County’s Superior Court Commissioners preside over domestic relations, juvenile and mental health cases.

Ellis’ first day as commissioner will be Monday, July 8.

Vancouver, Wash. – Effective Monday, June 17, all land clearing and residential burning in Clark County will be restricted due to increased fire danger.

Clark County Fire Marshal Jon Dunaway is canceling all burning permits issued in Clark County for this year. Permits can be reissued or extended when the ban is lifted. The burning restrictions do not apply to federally managed lands.

Clark County typically bans outdoor burning from July 15 through Sept. 30 each year. However, a ban can begin sooner or end later depending on conditions.

“Clark and the surrounding counties have been in regular communication with the Washington state Department of Natural Resources, DNR, and the U.S. Forest Service over the past several weeks regarding the weather patterns and wildfire fuel conditions. Due to the low moisture content in the wildfire fuels coupled with the extended forecast calling for normal to above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation, we are in agreement that the ban should be implemented earlier this year,” said Dunaway.

At the same time, the Pacific Cascade Region of DNR will be changing the wildfire danger rating to ‘moderate’ in Clark, Cowlitz, and Skamania counties, which prohibits all debris burning on DNR protected lands. Permits that have been issued are suspended until the fire danger subsides in the fall. In effect, all debris burning is prohibited on DNR protected lands and fire district protected lands in these three counties until further notice.

Protect your home
Creating a defensible space around homes is important to prevent a grass or brush fire from reaching your home. Dunaway recommends these actions in both rural and urban areas:

• Remove fuel:
  • Within 3-5 feet of foundations, outbuildings, garages and sheds
  • Within 10 feet of your house
  • Under decks and porches
  • From gutters, eaves, porches and decks
• Cut your lawn if it is brown. Dispose of debris and cuttings.
• Prune trees so lowest branches are 6-10 feet above the ground.
• Landscape with native and flame-resistant plants.
• Find more tips at www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/By-topic/Wildfire/Preparing-homes-for-wildfire

Campfires
Recreational campfires are still allowed if built in improved fire pits in designated campgrounds, such as commercial campgrounds and local, county and state parks. On private land, recreational fires are permitted when built according to the following regulations:

• Recreational fires must be in metal-, stone- or masonry-lined fire pits in improved campgrounds or purchased from home and garden stores.
• Size may not exceed 3 feet in diameter by 2 feet in height.
• Fires must be at least 25 feet from a structure or other combustible material and have at least 20 feet of clearance from overhead fuels such as tree limbs, patio covers or carports.
• Fires must be attended at all times by a responsible person at least 16 years old with the ability and tools to extinguish the fire. Tools include a shovel and either five gallons of water or a water hose connected and working.
• Portable outdoor fireplaces, also known as patio fireplaces, should not be operated within 15 feet of a structure or combustible material. They must always be used according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Completely extinguish recreational fires by covering them with water or moist soil and stirring with a shovel until all parts are cool to the touch.

Self-contained camp stoves are a safe and easy alternative to camp fires for cooking.

For more information, please contact the Fire Marshal’s Office at 564.397.2186 or visit the county’s website at www.clark.wa.gov/development/fire/burning.html.

Vancouver, Wash. – The Correction Facility Advisory Commission, CFAC, a volunteer advisory commission tasked with evaluating options to replace the county jail, this week discussed potential costs of the facility and how to move forward with a recommendation to the county council.

Commission members representing the cities expressed concern regarding the preliminary capital and ongoing operational cost estimates for the new facility. Several commission members said more research was needed on this issue and indicated they would like to be a part of that process.

The commission will move forward with a recommendation to the county council that emphasizes the agreement between members on what the new jail should look like for the community. Commission members said the recommendation should also highlight the potential costs and financial components of the project for the county council to consider.

“As we wrap up our process, we want to provide a recommendation that will give as much assistance as possible to the county council,” said Craig Pridemore, commission chair. “It’s important the councilors have the details needed to make decisions.”

CFAC has 24 members representing law and justice, community services, social services, business, neighborhoods, cities and labor. The commission held its first meeting in April 2018 and is on schedule to turn over its findings to the county council later this summer.

For more information, go to www.clark.wa.gov/councilors/correction-facility-advisory-commission.

Vancouver, Wash. – Clark County Public Health has posted caution signs at Vancouver Lake due to the possible bloom of cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae.

Public Health staff identified today suspected blue-green algae blooms at the Vancouver Lake swim beach, the Burnt Bridge Creek inlet and the flushing channel near the swim beach. Public Health is currently awaiting sample results from these locations to determine if toxins are in the water. Results should be available by early next week.

Public Health is advising people to avoid direct contact with lake water in areas of floating blue-green-colored scum. Blue-green algae produce toxins that can be harmful to people and deadly for small pets that drink the water.

Health officials are recommending:

• No swimming or water skiing in areas of scum.
• No drinking lake water.
• No water contact for animals in areas of scum.
• Avoid areas of scum when boating.
• Clean fish well and discard organs.

Caution signs have been posted at the lake. Public Health will continue to monitor the lake throughout the summer, and signs will be updated as conditions change. Additional information and current advisories are posted on the Public Health public beach website.

Vancouver Lake Regional Park remains open. Water in park restrooms and shelters is not affected by lake water and remains safe to drink.

Vancouver, Wash. – The Clark County Council is accepting applications from local organizations for grants that encourage historic preservation and programs, including preservation of historic documents.

The Historical Promotion Grants program is designed to increase awareness and education to better preserve, exhibit, and/or interpret local history and historic preservation.

Applicants must be either a non-profit organization or public entity within the boundaries of Clark County that promotes our local history. Applicants also must either operate or own a museum or similar historical institution or perform educative, interpretive, or similar activities.

Applications, grant guidelines, and other information are available online at www.clark.wa.gov/community-planning/historical-promotion-grants-program or by emailing icpreservation@clark.wa.gov">historicpreservation@clark.wa.gov.

The deadline for submitting completed applications is 5 pm, Friday, Sept. 13, 2019.

The Historic Preservation Commission will review applications in the fall and submit recommendations to the county council in November. Grants will be awarded in December and grant funds will be available in January 2020.

VANCOUVER, Wash. – Get ready to go out of this world with your local library this summer. Children, teens and adults can have fun and earn rewards with the Summer Reading program at Fort Vancouver Regional Libraries branches, bookmobiles and via the web at www.fvrl.org. This year’s theme – “A Universe of Stories” – once again encourages participants of all age levels to make reading a habit through fun prizes for reading or attending library events throughout the district.

Readers of all ages log each day that they read or attend a library program. Youth (ages 0-18) earn a prize and an entry in the district-wide grand prize drawing for their age groups for every 15, 30 and 45 days logged. Adults earn a grand prize entry for every 15, 30 and 45 days logged. One reader in each age group (Early Learners, Kids, Teens, and Adults) will win their choice of grand prizes:

• OMSI Family Membership
• Barnes and Noble Shopping Spree ($100 Gift Card)
• Movie Marathon ($100 Gift Card to the movie theater of your choice)
• Wonderworks Children’s Museum Family Membership
• Sternwheeler Cruise ($125 Gift Card)

This year, Summer Reading starts on Saturday, June 15 and runs through August 15. Beginning June 15, sign-ups and reading logs will be available online through www.fvrl.org/summer-reading. Participants can sign up at FVRLibraries branches or remotely on the website. There are no fees for participating in the library district’s activities, events, or reading program rewards.

Summer Programs and Activities to Engage Kids and Families

In addition to encouraging reading this summer, FVRLibraries is again offering a variety of programs to engage kids and keep them (and the whole family) active. Programs at local libraries include reptiles and creature exhibits, hands-on STEM activities, storytelling, magic and comedy, and music and dance performances.

Special for this year’s theme of “A Universe of Stories” is the Mars Rover Challenge, an all-ages program. The program asks participants to build a craft that can survive on Mars by completing a series of NASA challenges including building a robotic arm and creating a roving science lab.

For a list of summer reading programs and activities at FVRLibraries branches near you, visit www.fvrl.org/summer-reading

This year’s Summer Reading program is made possible with generous support from these sponsors: Ametsa Media, The Blind Onion, Camas-Washougal Community Chest, Cooper Chiropractic, Johnson Controls, Friends of FVRLibraries, FVRL Foundation, Image 360, Kumon Vancouver-North, Oaks Park, Molina Healthcare, Printing Expressly For You, Simply Thyme Catering and Vancouver Family Magazine.

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About Fort Vancouver Regional Library District

Established in 1950, Fort Vancouver Regional Library District (FVRL) provides a vast range of information and cultural services to more than 464,000 Southwest and South Central Washington citizens in Clark, Skamania and Klickitat Counties, and the city of Woodland and Yale Valley Library District in Cowlitz County. FVRL provides a collection of more than 750,000 items, online library services at www.fvrl.org, two bookmobiles, telephone information services, 24/7 online help, outreach programs, and 15 public library locations: Community Libraries in Battle Ground, Cascade Park, Goldendale, La Center, North Bonneville, Ridgefield, Stevenson, Three Creeks, Vancouver, Washougal, White Salmon Valley and Woodland; The Mall Library Connection at Vancouver Mall; and Library Express facilities at Yacolt and Yale.

Today, the Marion County Board of Commissioners selected Commander Joe Kast of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office to fill the vacancy for Sheriff. Two applicants were interviewed in a special board session this morning that included Commander Kast and Lt. Josh Brooks with the Oregon State Police.

Commissioner Kevin Cameron, board chair, said, “We were fortunate to have two strong candidates to choose from. Both are well-qualified and extremely talented individuals.” He continued, “Commander Kast has the background and experience with all aspects of the Sheriff’s Office from enforcement to the jail and community corrections that made him standout. He has demonstrated his commitment to community engagement and received broad support from local residents.”

Commander Kast will be officially appointed as sheriff at the commissioners June 26, 2019, regular board session. A swearing in ceremony will held Monday, July 1, 2019, in the Senator Hearing Room at Courthouse Square located at 555 Court St. NE, in Salem. The public is welcome to attend.

Sheriff Jason Myers announced his retirement effective June 30, 2019. When a vacancy occurs in a county elected office, the Marion County Board of Commissioners appoints a replacement who will hold office until a new sheriff is chosen in the next general election.

For more information, contact the Board of Commissioners Office at (503) 588-5212 or email s@co.marion.or.us">commissioners@co.marion.or.us.

Battle Ground, WA -   Tourism creates opportunity and a positive economic impact in the local community.  The City of Battle Ground is offering tourism grants for calendar year 2020 and is seeking grant applications for the marketing or operations of special events, programs, and activities designed to attract tourists to Battle Ground. Grant funding is available by state law that requires the city's lodging tax revenue be used for events and activities that promote tourism in the city. 

Tourism Grant applications, avaialable at www.cityofbg.org/tourism-grant, are due by Friday, August 30 at 5:00 pm. Applicants must submit a completed application summarizing the activity or event, how it supports tourism, and a proposed budget indicating how lodging tax dollars will be used. 

The estimated amount of funding for the 2020 budget year is $40,000. The Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) will review proposals and forward recommended awards to the Battle Ground City Council. Final determination of awards is anticipated in November of this year. Grant awards are distributed on a reimbursement basis. 

Previous projects funded by lodging tax dollars include wayfinding signs, marketing materials, and special events designed to attract visitors to Battle Ground. 

Questions regarding tourism grants may be directed to Accounting Supervisor Meagan Lowery at 360-342-5026 or by email at y@cityofbg.org">meagan.lowery@cityofbg.org. 

Battle Ground City Manager Erin Erdman has named Acting Public Works Director/City Engineer Mark Herceg as the city’s Public Works Director.   

Mr. Herceg has 18 years of civil engineering and public works experience.  He is a graduate of Marquette University, having earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering.  He has also earned the distinction of Professional Engineer.   He has served the City of Battle Ground for 16 years, beginning in January of 2003 as an Associate Civil Engineer, promoted to Assistant City Engineer in 2008 and named City Engineer in 2014.   After the Public Works Director position was vacated earlier this year, he was tasked with serving as the Acting Director.  

“Mark has an excellent record of accomplishments in the city of Battle Ground,” said City Manager Erin Erdman, “He is an effective leader focused on continual improvements to department processes.”

The city’s Public Works Department is comprised of two divisions - Engineering and Public Works Operations.  The two divisions work collaboratively to plan, build and maintain the publicly owned infrastructure of streets, water, sewer, stormwater, and parks.    

Fireworks regulations adopted by the Battle Ground City Council in May of 2018, take effect this year.  The new regulations reduce the number of days fireworks are allowed to be sold and discharged in Battle Ground city limits.

The discharge of fireworks is now restricted to two days only: July 3 from 9:00 am to 11:00 pm and July 4 from 9:00 am to midnight. The sale of fireworks is restricted to July 1 through July 4 from 9:00 am to 11:00 pm each day. 

City Council adopted the new regulations last year after months of discussion and input from the public.  While the new rules were adopted a year ago, state law is such that any new regulation affecting the sale and discharge of fireworks may not take effect until one year after adoption. 

Also adopted by the council last year is a provision giving the Fire Marshal emergency authority to suspend or ban the discharge of fireworks should there be a threat to public safety.

Residents can safely celebrate with fireworks by being prepared and using safety precautions. Being respectful of neighbors and surroundings keeps the celebration enjoyable for everyone. Visit www.cityofbg.org/fireworks for tips on how to celebrate with fireworks safely and responsibly. The use of fireworks in city parks and on school district property is prohibited. 

Regulations regarding the use of fireworks vary in individual municipalities within Clark County.  Information about when and where fireworks can be used is available at https://www.clark.wa.gov/community-development/fireworks.

To report the illegal use of fireworks (outside the allowable days or the use of illegal fireworks), residents should call 3-1-1.  It is important that 9-1-1 only be used in an actual emergency such as a fire or injury.  

For those who prefer to leave fireworks to the professionals, there are free public events:

• Vancouver’s Fireworks Spectacular at Fort Vancouver is on its 56th year.  For more information, visit https://www.thehistorictrust.org/calendar/vancouvers-fireworks-spectacular/.
• New to Clark County this year, and closer to Battle Ground, is the Clark County 4th at the Fairgrounds event.  This inaugural 4th of July community celebration at the Clark County Fairgrounds includes a Kids Fun Zone, a Battle of the Bands, and a professional fireworks display synchronized to music.  Visit https://www.clarkcountyfourth.com/ for more information. 

Battle Ground, WA - The end of the school year is near and that means Battle Ground's Summer Playground program is just around the corner. The free program, designed for children aged 4 - 12, brings fun summer activities to Battle Ground parks each Wednesday and Thursday of the 8-week summer break.  

Weekly sessions begin Wednesday, June 26.  Each week features a different themed activity and provides children the opportunity to play games and create arts and crafts projects. No need to register, just come outside and play! 

Sessions are held: 

• Wednesdays: 10:00 am-12:00 noon at Kiwanis Park (422 SW 2nd Ave) and from 2:00-4:00 pm at the Community Center at Fairgrounds Park (912 East Main Street)

• Thursdays: 10:00 am-12:00 noon at Florence Robison Park (1900 NW 9th St) and from 2:00-4:00 pm at the Community Center at Fairgrounds Park (912 East Main Street)

The full Summer Playground schedule listing weekly themed activities and locations is available online at www.cityofbg.org/SummerPlayground.

The Summer Playground program is made possible by grant funding from Riverview Community Bank and a partnership with the Clark County Parks Foundation.  For more information, contact Battle Ground Parks & Recreation at 360-342-5380. 

(Lake Oswego, Ore.)

The City of Lake Oswego advises the traveling public that utility and streetscape improvements on Boones Ferry Road between Madrona Street and Lanewood Street will start from Thursday, June 20. Boones Ferry Road, between Madrona Street and Lanewood Street, will be completely rebuilt while still being open to traffic. Construction of the new roadway will create significant traffic changes with lane reductions over the next two and a half years.

To accommodate the improvements, approximately 130 trees will be removed between Madrona Street and Douglas Way. This will result in intermittent lane closures and flagged traffic during daytime work hours (Monday-Friday 7 a.m. - 7 p.m., Saturdays 8 a.m. - 6p.m.).

Starting the week of June 24, crews will work at night (10 p.m. - 6 a.m.)  to shift traffic lanes and install temporary striping between Madrona Street and Bryant Road. Instead of four lanes, there will be three: one lane in each direction plus a center turn lane. That will give crews room to maneuver and still keep the road open, though at times there will be flaggers and brief delays. This first work zone is expected to take about nine months to complete.  

These temporary traffic changes will be in place during all hours and all days to allow crews to safely and efficiently conduct the project and still keep the road open.

The traveling public is advised to expect significant delays while this work is underway. We ask the public to travel cautiously, observe all lane closures, traffic changes, directions by reader boards and flaggers.

For more information, visit www.boonesferryproject.org, email info@boonesferryproject.org or call 503-697-6573.

Salem, Ore. -- Test results from samples taken this morning are in and they show that the water leaving the water treatment facility and entering Salem’s drinking water system is clean and safe to drink. We’ve posted a link to the data below.

Test data for entry point to drinking water system: https://www.cityofsalem.net/CityDocuments/aldersgate-elisa-test-data-through-2019-06-16.pdf

The North Santiam River is a dynamic, ever-changing natural system. Small amounts of cyanotoxins (at levels below OHA health advisories) have been again detected in the raw North Santiam river water at the entry point into the Geren Island Water Treatment Plant. Test data shows that the water treatment systems are working effectively and the water leaving the water treatment facility is clean and safe to drink.

Test results for raw river water going into water treatment facility: https://www.cityofsalem.net/CityDocuments/intake-elisa-test-data-through-2019-06-16.pdf

Stay up-to-date on the latest water quality test results and learn more about how we are keeping your drinking water safe:https://www.cityofsalem.net/drinking-water

Salem’s water is clean and safe to drink.

Salem, Ore.— Test results from samples taken this morning are in and they show that the water leaving the treatment facility and entering Salem’s drinking water system is clean and safe to drink. We’ve posted a link to the data below. Cyanotoxins in the North Santiam River have dropped below detectable levels at the intake to the water treatment facility as well. 

Test results: https://www.cityofsalem.net/CityDocuments/aldersgate-elisa-test-data-through-2019-06-15.pdf

Stay up-to-date on the latest water quality test results and learn more about how we are keeping your drinking water safe: https://www.cityofsalem.net/drinking-water

Salem, Ore. -- Earlier this afternoon, some social media sites were falsely stating the City of Salem has drinking water test results it is not releasing that shows cyanotoxins in the drinking water and that the water is unsafe.  This is false.

For the most up-to-date water quality information, go to https://www.cityofsalem.net/drinking-water

Small amounts of cyanotoxins (at levels below OHA health advisories) have been detected at the entry point into the Geren Island Water Treatment Plant. The treatment systems are working and the water leaving the water treatment facility is clean and safe to drink.  

We’re testing seven days a week and will continue to post results as quickly as possible (within 24-hours) on our webpage. For more about treatment in place to protect drinking water go to: https://www.cityofsalem.net/drinking-water.

Salem, Ore. — On June 17, 2019, the Salem City Council will hold a work session to consider options for new revenues to support City of Salem services. Without additional revenue, the City will have to reduce services available to our community.

Why are we looking at revenue options now?

The City’s financial health is at risk. How much we have left after we pay the bills for the year in the City’s General Fund, the working capital or rainy day fund, is one way to measure the City’s financial health. We will not be able to continue doing all we do. Spending more now accelerates the need to cut services or add revenue in the next year.

We must move quickly to align our services with available funding within the next two years, by FY 2022. Without changes to the services we provide our community or to our revenue sources, the City’s General Fund working capital will be gone by June 30, 2022 and we will not have enough resources to fund these services.

Being more efficient helps but, is not enough. We continue to fine-tune and improve services to our community and reduced costs, moving some resources to new needs along the way. To be good stewards of the resources entrusted to us, we’ve been using technology in new ways and changing the ways we provide services, using more energy efficient products, charging for services that make sense, and engaging volunteers and foundations to support community services.

How much revenue do we need?

1. Fill the gap: $8.2 million by 2020. Additional revenue would provide missing funding for existing services and the City could continue to provide existing services. At this amount, there would be no noticeable change in services and the City would be less likely to eliminate or reduce services available to our community in next year’s (FY 21) budget.
2. Keep pace: $16.2 million by 2022. Fund more services to catch up and meet demand in our community. With added revenue, the City could add, over the next few years, fire fighters, police officers, Library hours and maintain more parks.

How can the revenue target be achieved?

Together, the options can help fund existing City services, be fairly shared among Salem residents and businesses, and provide the most flexibility in raising revenue. These options would provide more funding to meet more of our community needs for public safety, parks and the library, and planning and development services to our neighborhoods. Revenues generated by these options would be dedicated to support General Fund services.

What are the options?

1. Operating Fee. A City operating fee is a separate fee to support City services. In Oregon, 50 cities use an operating fee to help pay for city services. The operating fee could be based on the type of building (a single family house could pay a different rate from an apartment building, for example) or be the same for everyone (a flat rate). The operating fee would not be based on the value of the property.
   
   When: by January 2020, if enacted by Council. A flat rate for each customer type, the fee could be implemented within six months. With added complexity to the fee amount or application to customer class, the fee could be implemented within a year. It may be possible to sunset the fee in future years, if other revenue sources are available.
   
   How: collected through City of Salem utility bill
   
   New Revenue: $8.2 million in 2020 at $10/month on residential units and $30/month for public, commercial and institutional accounts
   
   Who Else: In Oregon, 50 other cities use an operating fee to raise revenue for municipal services.
    
2. Employee-Paid Payroll Tax. Based on a percent of total wages paid, an employee-paid payroll tax could be paid by all employees in Salem’s private and public sectors. All residents – day-time and full-time – benefit from the services provided by the City. Full-time residents share in some of the cost to provide services with property taxes. Day-time residents enjoy the same benefits. Salem is home to more than 60,100 daytime residents who commute to Salem for work. By including those in the public sector, the cost of providing service would be shared by those who commute to Salem for work. As our economy grows and more jobs are available in Salem, revenue from this source will grow to cover some of the cost of growth in services.
   
   When: by July 2021, if enacted by Council or referred to voters in August (for November 2019 special election or May 2020 general election). If not referred to voters, the funding source could be available as early as spring 2021.
   
   How: collected by Department of Revenue
   
   New Revenue: $8 million in 2022 at 0.3% on income for all employed within the City limits
   
   Who Else: In Oregon, Lane Transit District (LTD), the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TRIMET), and the State of Oregon use payroll taxes to help cover costs of services.  LTD and TRIMET use the employer paid payroll tax method, while the State of Oregon uses a payroll deduction from employee wages. The City of Eugene is looking at both an employee-paid and an employer-paid payroll tax.

How did we get here?

• We are spending more than we are taking in. This year (July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019), expenses are estimated to be $5.4 million more than the revenues we take into the General Fund to support Police, Fire and emergency medical services, the Library, operating Salem’s parks, and supporting Salem’s neighborhoods.
• We have stepped in where our community has asked the City to fill gaps. In the 2017 Strategic Plan, residents looked to the City to do more to provide affordable housing and serve the homeless in our community. Traditionally, this valuable work has been outside the City’s core service areas. This continuing commitment, in addition to ongoing services, outpaces our available funding.
• We’ve restored services. We made big changes in 2009 to align services with the drop in revenues from the recession, and made further changes again in 2013. We closed two fire stations, reduced library hours, reduced recreation services and support to neighborhoods. Since that time, we’ve re-opened the two fire stations and have continued to make improvements to services the community expects and values.
• Costs of services are increasing. Expenses for our services, which rely on our people, have increased as Salem remains a competitive employer in a robust job market and as the cost of public sector retirement escalates.
• Making what we do better and more efficient. We are always looking at operations across the organization for opportunities to do things more efficiently and continue to provide high quality services the community has come to expect.  In the past five years, we’ve improved services and reduced costs, shifting some resources to new needs by using technology in new ways, using more energy efficient products, changing the ways we provide services, and engaging volunteers and foundations to support community services. While important, these changes are not enough to bring costs in line with available revenues.
• Revenues are not keeping pace. Revenues from taxes are disconnected from the growth in our community. As more people move here, and as more property development occurs to support our growing population, the City continues to provide public safety, parks and library, transportation, planning and development services to our neighborhoods.  The two primary drivers for more City services, population and development growth, do not generate enough revenue to support the growing needs. This situation we are in has taken time to develop and is rooted in property tax ballot measures of the early 1990s.
• Other sources of funding are limited to specific services or projects. For example, a portion of State-collected gas taxes helps to pay for streets and bridges. Water fees paid by residents, businesses and other local customers help to pay for new drinking water treatment, equipment, and pipes to get the water to your home and business. And, funds from recent voter-approved bonds for a new police station and upgrades to the Salem Public Library are dedicated only to those projects.

Who recommended these revenue options?

A 14-member Sustainable Services Revenue Task Force was tasked with identifying revenue options to sustain services that provide for a safe, welcoming and livable community, with a strong and diverse economy, a commitment to natural environment stewardship, and safe, reliable and efficient infrastructure. After looking at details of 13 options, the Task Force recommended two options for General Fund revenues and one option for transportation projects. The General Fund revenue options were recommended as methods to fund about $6 to $8 million in City services, share cost of service among Salem residents and businesses, and provide the most flexibility in raising revenue. The group included representatives from:

• Salem City Council and Budget Committee
• Salem 350
• Straub Environmental Learning Center
• Salem Fire Foundation
• Salem Police Foundation
• Marion and Polk Counties Homebuilders Association
• SEDCOR
• Salem Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
• Oregon Marshallese Community Organization

Vancouver, Wash. – On Friday, Governor Jay Inslee announced the city of Vancouver’s Housing Strategy as a winner of the 2019 Smart Communities Award. The city’s Affordable Housing Fund was the recipient in the “Smart Choices Award” category which recognizes excellence in implementation of a comprehensive plan that promotes smart growth planning and projects that contribute to thriving communities, a prosperous economy, and sustainable infrastructure in Washington.

“I am thrilled that the city has been recognized for its work dedicated to meeting our community’s housing needs across a broad economic spectrum, including the needs of Vancouver’s most vulnerable low-income residents,” said Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle. “The Housing Strategy has employed innovative incentives and zoning changes to foster housing development and played a strategic role in addressing our affordable housing and homeless crisis through direct funding and renter protections.”

The Vancouver Housing Strategy strives to keep Vancouver a vibrant, livable place for all current and future residents by creating and preserving affordable and market-rate housing. It also implements zoning initiatives to increase density and expand the range of available housing types, and leverages partnerships with the Vancouver Housing Authority, nonprofit housing providers and private developers to meet housing needs.

Among the City’s several initiatives, the Affordable Housing Fund is considered a particularly innovative solution that could serve as a model for other communities. The fund was created when Vancouver voters approved Proposition 1 in the November 2016 general election, providing funding for the purpose of buying, building and preserving low-income rental housing and preventing homelessness through rental assistance and other housing services.

For more information on the Governor’s Smart Communities Awards, including the state of Washington’s Growth Management Act, visit www.commerce.wa.gov/growth. To learn more about the City of Vancouver’s Affordable Housing Fund, visit www.cityofvancouver.us/affordablehousing.

Vancouver, Wash. – Vancouver Parks and Recreation is gearing up to celebrate the dog days of summer with Barks in the Parks, a series of pop-up, off-leash dog parks hosted in three neighborhood parks throughout Vancouver. While Barks in the Parks locations are temporary, the City is using the opportunity to measure community interest in building permanent dog parks in the future.

“Barks in the Parks will offer a new way for neighbors to enjoy Vancouver parks,” said Parks and Recreation Director Julie Hannon. “While people are having fun and exercising their dogs in a safe environment, they are also getting to know their neighbors and creating lasting connections. We see this as an opportunity to build a stronger community.”

Dates, locations and hours:

• July 1–19 at Endeavour Neighborhood Park; 2701 N.E. Four Seasons Lane
• July 22–Aug. 10 at Bagley Community Park; 4607 Plomondon St.
• Aug. 12–27 at David Douglas Park; 1016 N. Garrison Road
• Hours: All locations will be open Monday-Friday from 4­­­­­­ to 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Barks in the Parks staff, comprised of City employees and volunteers, will be on site at all locations to address facility issues, answer questions and collect community feedback.

Learn more about Barks in the Parks at www.cityofvancouver.us/dogparks.

###

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 90 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.

A City of Vancouver project to resurface Northeast 162nd/164th Avenue, between Northeast 18th Street and Southeast Mill Plain Boulevard, is expected to get underway the week of June 17. Work will be done each night, from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., Monday nights through Saturday mornings, to reduce travel impacts. Project completion is anticipated in mid-July.

Lakeside Industries, contractors for the City on this project, will be grinding off existing pavement, paving with hot asphalt and replacing pavement markings. The work will be done as part of a rolling operation over consecutive nights, from north to south, within the segments shown below: 

- Northeast 18th Street to approximately Northeast 7th Street

- Northeast 7th Street to Southeast 1st Street

- Southeast 1st Street to Southeast Mill Plain Boulevard

Please note: Resurfacing of the intersection at Southeast 1st Street will occur later as part of coming improvements there, currently projected for 2020.

The Northeast 162nd/164th Avenue corridor will remain open throughout the project, though travel will be reduced to one lane in each direction during construction hours. Please watch message boards and be alert to reduced travel lanes, lane changes, and flaggers and equipment in the roadway. Vehicles will be able to drive on the street after grinding, prior to paving, but drivers should be prepared for possible rough surfaces. Motorcycles should use caution.

Pavement work is weather dependent, and schedules are subject to change. For more information, visit the Pavement Management webpage. To view tentative schedules and a link to a map showing where work is occurring, visit www.cityofvancouver.us/PMschedule.

This Northeast 162nd/164th Avenue resurfacing project is part of the City's 2019 Pavement Management Program, with 50 percent of the funding provided by a grant through the Washington State Department of Transportation and the National Highway System (NHS). The remaining funding for this project is from the City’s Street Funding Strategy, adopted by the City Council in 2015 to provide a strong and sustainable foundation for improving the community’s street system and reversing a trend of deteriorating pavement conditions.

There are about 1,900 lane miles of paved streets in Vancouver. Each year, streets are evaluated to determine the most cost-effective methods to extend pavement life and provide better driving conditions. When streets begin to fail, they fail quickly and the cost to repair them increases dramatically. Keeping good streets in good condition provides the most effective and efficient use of available resources.

In 2018, the successful leveraging of Street Funding Strategy resources allowed the City to obtain more than $8.4 million in new transportation improvement grants, while expanding the Pavement Management Program to nearly half of the City’s neighborhoods. This year’s Pavement Management Program will again benefit nearly half of the City’s neighborhoods, putting more than $11 million into improving pavement conditions throughout the community. Revenues from Transportation Benefit District vehicle license renewals account for about half of the total Street Funding Strategy resources. View the 2018 annual Street Funding Strategy report here.

With summer temperatures arriving early, the City of Portland Bureau of Environmental Services reminds the public of Environmental Services’ weekly Willamette River water quality testing program.  

Since the completion of the Big Pipe Project in 2011, seven years of Environmental Services’ summer sampling consistently shows bacteria levels well within state guidelines, meaning the river water is safe for direct contact through swimming and other recreation. 

Each week from late May through September, Environmental Services tests for E. coli bacteria and water temperature at five popular public recreation spots. Tests reflect E. coli from all sources – people, pets, and wildlife. Sampling is conducted on Wednesdays and results posted by Friday morning– in time for weekend activity. The public is invited to “Check the Rec” to view test results. 

Media availability - next water quality test: Wednesday 1 p.m. at Portland Boathouse Dock. Additional visuals on Flickr

So far this year, E. coli counts at all sites were under 40, well below the count of 406 that is the health standard for swimming set by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality.

By contrast, a sewage overflow would show E. coli counts of 5,000 or higher.

So far in 2019, there have been zero sewage overflows to the Willamette.

“The Big Pipe is making a big difference. As sewage overflows have dramatically declined, recreation has impressively increased. A clean river benefits us all - people and wildlife,” said Environmental Services Director Mike Jordan. “People can help keep our river clean by picking up litter, and especially pet waste, which is a preventable source of bacteria.”

Last year, 98 percent of test results showed low bacteria levels well within state health guidelines. 

Two results showed slightly elevated levels of E. coli. Additional sampling taken the same day showed low levels, indicating the higher readings were from a temporary source of pets, wildlife, or illicit human discharge.

Swim and Play Safely

A general rule of river safety: While the river is regularly free of sewage overflows and harmful levels of bacteria, there still can pockets of exposure from people, pets (please pick up after your dog) or wildlife. Be aware of your surroundings, and when playing in the river, avoid swallowing river water.

While bacteria levels are the biggest health concern for swimming and other direct recreation, the public also is advised to be alert for trash or any discoloration. Later in summer after long dry spells, a blue-green sheen can indicate toxic blue-green algae. Those instances are rare as well. The state issues algae advisories. Environmental Services issues advisories of sewage releases.  

Environmental Services and Portland Fire & Rescue offer these additional river tips:

• Know the water and know your abilities to stay safe and enjoy the river.
• Many factors affect safety on the river, including temperature, currents, and debris.
• The river is cold. Cold water is good for migrating salmon and other fish, but water below 70 degrees can be uncomfortable and unsafe for people. 
• Check the Rec for water temperatures as well as bacteria at www.portlandoregon.gov/bes/ChecktheRec. 

The Bureau of Environmental Services provides city residents with programs to protect water quality and public health, including wastewater collection and treatment, sewer construction and maintenance, stormwater management, and stream and watershed restoration. For news updates, follow @BESPortland on Twitter and visit www.portlandoregon.gov/bes/news.

Fire Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty announced today that she has chosen Division Chief Sara Boone as the next Fire Chief for Portland Fire & Rescue. Chief Boone has been with Portland Fire & Rescue for 24 years, rising through the ranks from entry-level firefighter. Chief Boone has spent the majority of her career in emergency operations before transitioning into assignments as the Bureau’s Safety Chief, Logistics Deputy Chief, and currently, the Division Chief of Medical Services and Training.

“Chief Boone impressed our interview panels with her commitment to community, her technical knowledge, her passion for the fire service, and her leadership style,” says Commissioner Hardesty. “Chief Boone is well-respected throughout the bureau and we have a great collaborative relationship. I know that she has the vision and experience to lead the bureau as it takes on new challenges. I am confident that she will make sure our city is safe and cared for under her watch.”  

In 1995, Chief Boone became the first African-American female firefighter to enter the ranks of Portland Fire & Rescue since its inception in 1883 and will become the first African-American Fire Chief for the City of Portland.

Chief Boone was raised in Northeast Portland and still calls the City of Portland her home. She attended Lincoln High School and excelled as an athlete, earning all-state and all-American honors in track and field. She earned an athletic scholarship to Boise State University, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in secondary education. While completing her student teaching at Marshall High School, she had a chance encounter with a Fire Inspector who encouraged her to test for Portland Fire & Rescue’s first firefighter apprenticeship program.

“I am deeply honored to be the next Fire Chief of Portland Fire & Rescue, a bureau I hold in high esteem because of the men and women who serve with honor, integrity, and sacrifice.” says Chief Boone. “My mission has always been caring for the city where I was raised. I am committed to ensuring that our responsiveness and our professionalism live up to the highest ideals of service, integrity, and equity.”

When Commissioner Hardesty first took office, she planned to execute a national search for the fire bureau’s next chief. After receiving feedback from the members of the bureau and meeting department personnel, she decided to start with an internal search. “It was clear that there were many talented leaders within Portland Fire & Rescue already and I wanted to put my focus there,” she says. Commissioner Hardesty believes interim directors should not be in the running for permanent positions as it affects the candidate pool and the process. Deputy Chief Ryan Gillespie was selected as the interim chief with the understanding that he would not apply for the permanent position. “Chief Gillespie did an excellent job as interim chief. He managed the bureau during a time of extreme transition with grace and professionalism. I thank him for his leadership,” says Commissioner Hardesty.

Chiefs Boone and Gillespie will work together on a transition plan. A swearing in ceremony for Chief Boone is planned for the beginning of August.

MEDIA AVAILABILITY:

Commissioner Hardesty and Chief Boone will be available for interviews between 1-2 pm today (Thursday, June 13) at Commissioner Hardesty’s office in City Hall. Please contact destymedia@portlandoregon.gov">hardestymedia@portlandoregon.gov to set up an interview slot.

Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty kicks off the first of four community events planned throughout Portland on June 29th in North Portland. Following the successful “People’s Budget Forum” held in April, “Community Conversations with Commissioner Hardesty” is a solutions-oriented event series that aims to bring Portland residents together around concerns specific to their neighborhood and community.

“Portlanders know best what is happening in their communities and how to improve their neighborhood. When Portlanders have something to believe in and organize around, they come together in full force. I think our biggest mistake is we don’t ask them often enough," says Hardesty.

Each of the four “Community Conversations” events will be held in different parts of the city. The June 29th event will be held at the Charles Jordan Community Center in North Portland. Upon arriving, attendees will indicate the issue most important to them. The top 3 issues will be discussed amongst attendees in facilitated conversations.

The ideas created out of the event will be used to inform the Commissioner’s priorities and policies moving forward.

The second event in the series will take place on Tuesday, August 13th at Orchards of 82nd, APANO (Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon)’s new office and community space.

Event Details

North Portland Community Conversation with Commissioner Hardesty 

Date: Saturday, June 29th, 2019 

Time: Doors 9:30am, Event 10am – 12pm 

Location: Charles Jordan Community Center 9009 N Foss Ave, Portland, OR 97217 

Accessibility: ADA accessible. ASL & Spanish Interpretation provided. Light food and refreshments provided.  

Questions & accommodation requests can be directed to matt.mcnally@portlandoregon.gov 

RSVP are Required: http://bit.ly/HardestyNPDX 

Members of the media interested in attending the event please RSVP with Lokyee Au, Lokyee.au@portlandoregon.gov

June 17, 2019

Michael Laney, 73, sentenced to 81 months in prison for sexually abusing child

Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill announced that 73-year-old Michael Laney was sentenced to 81 months in prison sentence for sexually abusing a female child.

As stated in court documents, Laney was a former vice president for the Walt Disney Company. 

Additionally, Laney will have to register as a sex offender and pay a $4,000 fine.

On May 7, 2019, Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge Benjamin Souede found Laney guilty of four counts of sexual abuse in the first degree. Sentencing was held Friday June 14, 2019.

During the six-day trial, the state presented evidence showing that in March 2017, a minor female child disclosed she had been sexually abused by the defendant. The disclosure was initially reported to law enforcement in Washington State where the victim resided at the time of her disclosure.

"Michael Laney sexually abused this child on multiple occasions and caused long lasting trauma. In this case, there was obviously harm done. There is an undeniable fact that when you sexually abuse a child, it steals that child’s innocence, which they will never get back," said Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney Chuck Mickley, who prosecuted this case. “We believe this is an appropriate sentence that takes into account the harm caused by Michael Laney.”

The Portland Police Bureau’s Child Abuse Team was notified and assumed responsibility of the investigation after it was determined that the abuse had occurred within the City of Portland, starting in approximately 2009 when the victim was about seven years of age. The Court found sufficient evidence to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Laney was guilty of repeated sexual abuse involving this particular victim.

While conducting their investigation into the first reported disclosure of rape and sexual abuse by the defendant, PPB detectives learned of other allegations of sexual abuse involving Laney. An individual who made one such disclosure told law enforcement that Laney sexually abused her while she was a minor in approximately 2007 when she lived in Portland. The Court found there was not sufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Laney was guilty of this allegation involving the second female and thus rendered an acquittal.

This case was litigated by Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney Chuck Mickley who is assigned to the Multnomah County Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Team, which includes representatives from local law enforcement, public schools, hospitals, courts, health departments, the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS), and the Oregon Department of Employment Child Care Division.

The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Team is responsible for reviewing and coordinating 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.

#MCDA#

Contact: Brent Weisberg, Communications Director 

Phone: 503.988.6567

Email: rent.Weisberg@mcda.us">Brent.Weisberg@mcda.us

June 13, 2019

Dontae Remarcus Farmer pleads guilty to killing a man in 2001, released from custody pursuant to plea agreement 

Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill announced that pursuant to a carefully negotiated settlement, which was approved by the Court, 36-year-old Dontae Remarcus Farmer, who killed Robert Jesus Monterroso almost 19 years ago, was released from custody.

On June 12, 2019, Farmer pleaded guilty to one count of manslaughter in the first degree with a firearm, the lesser included offense of murder with a firearm. By pleading guilty, Farmer admits he caused the death of another person in 2001 recklessly and under circumstances manifesting an extreme indifference to the value of human life with a firearm.

Farmer received an 18 year prison sentence. Under Oregon law, credit for time served is non-negotiable and is given to all defendants when sentenced. Portland Police arrested Farmer on February 17, 2001 in connection to this case. As a result, Farmer was released from custody on June 12, 2019. 

"I want to credit the attorneys for both sides – from the DA's Office and for Mr. Farmer – for reaching what I think is an eminently reasonable resolution to the case,” said Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge Eric J. Bergstrom, who presided over the hearing. "This is consistent with how a similarly situated case would be dealt with today. … “[Mr. Farmer] could have become an angry young man railing against the system but he did the opposite. He has given his life over to a future of helping others.”

This investigation started on January 24, 2001 when the Portland Police Bureau responded to the 700 block of Northeast Dekum Street on reports of a man down. Officers arrived and located Mr. Monterroso on the ground with a single gunshot wound to the chest. Mr. Monterroso died on scene. 

On February 27, 2001, a grand jury charged Farmer with one count of murder with a firearm.

A jury later found Farmer guilty of murder with a firearm. 

After a lengthy appeal process, in 2018, the Oregon Supreme Court granted Farmer’s request for post-conviction relief following a detailed legal analysis of the trial and previous Oregon Court of Appeals rulings. The case was remanded to Multnomah County Circuit Court for a new trial.

"This case has a long history in the criminal justice system,” said Multnomah County Senior Deputy District Attorney Jenna Plank, who co-prosecuted this case along with Senior Deputy District Attorney Glen Banfield. "Mr. Farmer has done a lot over the last 18 years. When Senior Deputy District Attorney Banfield contacted the Oregon Department of Corrections, they described Mr. Farmer’s behavior over the past decade as that of the perfect inmate and exemplary conduct."

SDDA Plank told the court that Farmer has spent much of his time in custody preparing his life to do community outreach to those impacted by gang violence. 

"I just want [the family of Mr. Monterroso] to know that words can never take away that anger or that hurt that they feel but I acknowledge it, and that my life moving forward is to try and save at least one individual so that another family doesn't have to go through the pain that they went through,” Farmer said during sentencing. 

#MCDA#

Contact: Brent Weisberg, Communications Director 
Phone: 503.988.6567 
Email: Brent.Weisberg@mcda.us

June 12, 2019

Russell Morris, 55, receives 100 month prison sentence for sexually abusing two girls

Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill announced that 55-year-old Russell Morris received a 100 month prison sentence for sexually abusing two children in 2010 and 2018. 

During Morris’ sentencing, the victims’ family described his abuse as “horrific,” and said he has inflicted a lifetime of pain for the girls and their family. 

“When these allegations were made, Russell Morris turned himself into police and immediately expressed his remorse and his willingness to accept responsibility for his crimes. He said all along that he wouldn’t make the victims testify and this plea agreement protects them from having to relive this abuse. It also holds him accountable for taking away the innocence of these two girls who are incredibly brave for coming forward and sharing their story,” said Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney Amanda Nadell, who prosecuted this case. 

This investigation started in October 2018 when Gresham Police responded to a residence to investigate suspected child sexual abuse. 

When law enforcement arrived, they spoke with a female victim who told law enforcement that Morris had sexually abused her on numerous occasions. 

During the investigation, law enforcement identified a second victim of child sexual abuse. Both girls are related to one another. 

By pleading guilty, Morris admits that he unlawfully and knowingly subjected both victims, who were under the age of 14, to sexual contact by touching intimate parts of their body. 

As part of his plea agreement with the state, Morris will have to register for life as a sex offender. 

The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office recognizes the work of the Multnomah County Child Abuse Team and the law enforcement agencies assigned to that unit for their dedicated efforts investigating this and all other cases of child abuse and neglect. 

This case was litigated by Deputy District Attorney Amanda Nadell who is assigned to the Multnomah County Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Team, which includes representatives from local law enforcement, public schools, hospitals, courts, health departments, the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS), and the Oregon Department of Employment Child Care Division. 

The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Team is responsible for reviewing and coordinating 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.

#MCDA#

Contact: Brent Weisberg, Communications Director 
Phone: 503.988.6567 
Email: Brent.Weisberg@mcda.us
 

June 12, 2019

Indictment accuses woman of driving through covered walkway on Burnside Bridge, narrowly hitting pedestrian and PPB officer

Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill announced the filing of a 24-count indictment against 25-year-old Elizabeth Cheyenne Hefner for allegedly stealing a vehicle, fleeing police and nearly hitting pedestrians and other vehicles.

The indictment charges Hefner with two counts of coercion, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon, two counts of menacing, eight counts of recklessly endangering another person, four counts of reckless driving, two counts of fleeing or attempting to elude police and one count each of failure to perform the duties of a driver, being a felon in possession of a firearm, driving under the influence of intoxicants, and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

This investigation started when Portland Police received information about a stolen vehicle on May 26, 2019, according to court documents. 

On May 31, 2019, a Portland Police officer saw the reported stolen vehicle near the intersection of Southwest 12th Avenue and Southwest Clay Street. The officer attempted to stop the vehicle but the driver, later identified as Hefner, accelerated at a high rate of speed and narrowly missed multiple cars as she weaved through traffic, according to court documents. 

It is alleged that approximately 10 minutes later, another Portland Police officer saw the stolen vehicle near the intersection of West Burnside Street and Southwest 5th Avenue. The driver of the stolen vehicle, according to police, ran two stop lights and almost lost control as she swerved around other vehicles. 

A third Portland Police officer was inside the covered pedestrian walkway that is temporarily set up along the Burnside Bridge for construction, according to court documents. The officer was going to deploy spike strips in the event that the stolen vehicle crossed the river, according to court documents. While the officer was preparing the spike strips, he heard a loud crash, looked up and saw the stolen vehicle approaching him at a high rate of speed. The vehicle was scraping the sides of the construction walkway because it barely fit inside the space reserved for pedestrians, according to court documents. 

The officer saw a pedestrian in between him and the approaching vehicle. The officer, according to court documents, drew his gun and ordered the vehicle to stop, which came within 25 feet of the pedestrian. The pedestrian was ordered to jump over the barrier and to get onto Burnside Street.

When the officer attempted to take Hefner into custody, she put the vehicle into reverse and slammed into a metal support post, according to court documents. From there, it is alleged that Hefner started driving forward. In an attempt to avoid being hit by the vehicle, the officer inside the covered walkway jumped over the barrier onto Burnside Street. 

According to a probable cause affidavit, the vehicle crashed at the intersection of Southeast 9th Avenue and East Burnside Street. 

When law enforcement searched the vehicle, they located a firearm and ammunition, according to court documents. 

It is alleged that at the time of this incident Hefner was a felon from a conviction in 2017 after she rammed a Portland Police patrol car near Powell’s Books in the Pearl District. 

An indictment is only an accusation of a crime. Hefner is innocent unless and until proven guilty.

#MCDA#

Contact: Brent Weisberg, Communications Director 
Phone: 503.988.6567 
Email: Brent.Weisberg@mcda.us

June 11, 2019

Registered nurse accused of placing hidden camera in employee-only bathroom 

Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill announced that 40-year-old Wade Eugene Little, a registered nurse, was charged with placing a hidden camera inside a workplace bathroom at the Providence ElderPlace Laurelhurst facility. 

Little is charged with two counts of invasion of personal privacy in the second degree and three counts of attempted invasion of personal privacy in the second degree. 

Little was arraigned June 11, 2019. 

This investigation started on February 21, 2019 when a female nurse working at the Providence ElderPlace Laurelhurst facility used the employee-only bathroom, according to court documents. While in the bathroom the female nurse noticed a box of latex gloves sitting on top of the toilet. 

The female nurse picked up the box because she believed it was out of place, according to court documents. When she moved the box she noticed that it was “warm.” At that point, the female nurse discovered a smartphone, which was in active record mode, inside the box. There was also a small hole punched out in the corner of the box where the camera lens could look through, according to court documents. 

When contacted by law enforcement, Little admitted that he placed his smartphone inside the box and placed it inside the bathroom in an effort to record its users, according to court documents. 

Law enforcement later learned that prior to their arrival to start an investigation, Little was given his phone back and that during that time he deleted some files, according to the probable cause affidavit. 

A digital forensic examination was conducted on the phone in an effort to discover any potential evidence. Law enforcement discovered five female nurses, while using the restroom, had been recorded in some capacity by Little’s smartphone, according to court documents. 

It is alleged in court documents that between February 20 and February 21, 2019, Little unlawfully, knowingly, and without consent, recorded an intimate part of two separate women while they had a reasonable expectation of personal privacy. 

It is further alleged that Little also attempted to record an intimate part of three separate women while they had a reasonable expectation of personal privacy.

At this time, there is no evidence to suggest that any of Little’s patients were recorded. 

Providence Health & Services has been fully cooperative with this investigation. The victims in this case are requesting privacy and do not want media contact. 

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

#MCDA#

Contact: Brent Weisberg, Communications Director 
Phone: 503.988.6567 
Email: Brent.Weisberg@mcda.us
 

PORTLAND, Ore.—A federal grand jury in Portland returned a six-count indictment today charging Lebanon, Oregon business owner Robert A. Lund, 62, with evading $1.7 million in income taxes, failing to file individual income tax returns, obstructing or impeding the IRS and theft of government funds as part of a multi-year scheme to defraud the U.S.

According to the indictment, in June 2002, after an IRS audit and a lengthy period of litigation, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed a U.S. Tax Court finding that Lund owed more than $444,000 in underreported tax liabilities. After the ruling, the IRS Collection Division continued its efforts to collect the taxes Lund owed. In response, Lund sent the IRS frivolous correspondence, threatened to the sue the IRS Revenue Officers, attempted to quash various summonses and subpoenas, filed false bankruptcy petitions, transferred real property to nominees and used nominees to open financial accounts and conceal his income.

From December 2000 to November 2013, Lund incorporated or controlled over 160 nominee business entities and used them to conceal his assets and income from the IRS. He operated four businesses—a computer consulting company, a bookstore, a nutrition store and a scuba diving company—from a building in downtown Albany, Oregon. Additionally, he operated a trailer park in Sweet Home, Oregon from which he rented trailer units to individuals receiving government rental assistance.

Lund will be arraigned on July 10, 2019 in Portland.

This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and the Oregon Department of Human Services and is being prosecuted by Seth D. Uram and Clemon D. Ashley, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

# # #

PORTLAND, Ore.—Harold Blackwolf Jr., 35, of Warm Springs, Oregon, was sentenced today to 71 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release for involuntary manslaughter and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon.

According to court documents, on September 28, 2017, Blackwolf was at a friend’s house on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation. While under the influence of alcohol, Blackwolf left his friend’s house and entered his Dodge Durango, a sport utility vehicle. Blackwolf drove away at a high rate of speed with his headlights off. As he was departing, he struck two adult men who were in the road, killing both. Blackwolf, a convicted felon, was arrested on April 20, 2018 and found to be in possession of a Taurus .38 special revolver.

A restitution hearing before U.S. District Court Judge Anna J. Brown will be held at a later date.

On February 27, 2019, Blackwolf pleaded guilty to two counts of involuntary manslaughter and one count of felon in possession of a firearm.

This case was investigated by the FBI and the Warm Springs Tribal Police Department. It was prosecuted by Paul Maloney, Benjamin Tolkoff and Craig Gabriel, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

On March 3, 1994, the FBI initiated “Operation Safe Trails” with the Navajo Department of Law Enforcement in Flagstaff, Arizona. The operation, which would later evolve into the Safe Trails Task Force (STTF) Program, unites FBI and other federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies in a collaborative effort to combat the growth of crime in Indian Country. STTFs allow participating agencies to combine limited resources and increase investigative coordination in Indian Country to target violent crime, drugs, gangs, and gaming violations.

# # #

More than 800 high school students head into summer smarter about how they will manage their money. That's because they attended a Financial Reality Fair this academic year, sponsored by Washington credit unions and the Northwest Credit Union Foundation.   Attached please find a news release 

More than 1,300 high school students are headed into summer smarter about how they manage their money. They attended a Financial Reality Fair sponsored by local credit unions and the Northwest Credit Union Foundation. Attached please find a news release and a photo cleared for your use.

OREGON CITY –Clackamas Community College is once again offering its Contemporary Voices Summer Music Camp. The camp is open to all high school and above singers (mature and enthusiastic junior high students welcome) who want to immerse themselves in a five-day musical journey that fosters growth and inspiration.

The camp runs daily July 15 through July 19, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with optional recording/songwriting sessions 6-9 p.m. The camp is directed by Dr. Kathleen Hollingsworth, CCC’s director of vocal music. There will be daily classes in:

• Vocal technique
• Songwriting
• Recording
• Choir rehearsals
• Circle singing
• A cappella
• Functional theory

Campers will learn new choral, vocal jazz and gospel works; collaboratively compose new music in a circle singing group; have an opportunity to sing solos in the songwriting class and also in choir rehearsals; learn and understand music theory; hear guest musicians play and talk about music; and make new friends.

The campus will be held in the Niemeyer Center on the CCC Oregon City Campus, 19600 Molalla Ave. Cost is $150, plus an additional $50 for optional evening recording session.

For more information, contact Hollingsworth at 503-594-6299 or th@clackamas.edu">kathleen.hollingsworth@clackamas.edu. To register, visit http://bit.ly/CCCsummercamp. For more information about the college’s Music Performance Technology program, visit www.clackamas.edu/music-performance-and-technology. 

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OREGON CITY – Clackamas Community College celebrated its 50th year of athletics at its Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on June 8. The college has a long history of athlete success both in and outside of the classroom. The Hall of Fame recognizes student athletes and the staff and faculty who help them succeed.

The 2019 inductees included:

Kathie Woods – head volleyball coach/full-time faculty, 1983-2017

Woods amassed an 836-522 record as a coach and a 61.6% winning percentage. She also holds the record for most wins by a Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC) volleyball coach, behind only five other two-year volleyball coaches in history of junior college athletics. Woods has dedicated more than 36 years and counting of service to Clackamas Community College as a coach, mentor and full-time faculty member.

Paul Fiskum – head softball coach/full-time faculty, community recreation director, 1977-2013

Fiskum has won eight NWAC softball titles, including two three-peat championships. He has appeared in 12 softball championship title games, placed fourth or better in NWAC softball championship tournaments 17 out of 19 years and won two NWAC championships as an assistant men’s basketball coach (1987 and 2010). Fiskum has dedicated more than 42 years and counting of service to Clackamas Community College as an athlete, coach, full-time faculty, part-time faculty and community recreation director.

Brian Freeman – men’s basketball, 2004-2007

As a student, Freeman was a two-year starter for the men’s basketball team and was named Southern Region and NWAC Tournament MVP as a sophomore. Freeman set NWAC championship tournament records for highest free throw percentage (90%, making 72/80 free throws) and largest win margin (42 points) his freshman season. He had a nine-year professional basketball career in Poland, Holland, Austria and France and is now a professional sports writer.

Rick Baggett – pole vault coach/assistant track and field coach, 1992-2008

Baggett has coached for more than 36 years at the high school, collegiate and Olympic levels, including coaching 17 NWAC champions in pole vault. He has led six individuals to National Collegiate Athletic Association and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics national champions and coached 80 state champions at the high school level in Oregon and Washington. He is currently the owner of the Willamette Striders Track Club, based in Oregon City, where he trains pole vaulters and track and field athletes of all ages.

Kriss Demos – softball, 1995-1997

Demos was a two-time NWAC champion (1996 and 1997), NWAC All-Tournament team selection (1996) and helped the team to 31+ win seasons both years. She was named NWAC tournament MVP in 1997 and earned First-Team All-Southern Region honors as a freshman and sophomore. She went on to play for Western Oregon University. Demos is the founder and executive director of Made to Thrive, an organization based in Hermiston, Ore., whose mission is to stop the cycle of child abuse, neglect and poverty.

1995-1997 softball teams – Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges three-peat champions

The women on the 1996-97 softball teams were NWAC three-peat champions and the second softball team to three-peat in NWAC history. They were also the second CCC athletics team to three-peat in NWAC championships with a combined record of 101 wins and 21 losses. The teams produced 16 First-Team All-Conference selections, four Second-Team All-Conference selections and two conference MVPs.

Clackamas Community College is proud to offer 11 sports teams: men’s and women’s’ basketball, baseball, softball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s track and field, women’s soccer, volleyball and wrestling. For more information about CCC athletics, visit www.clackamas.edu/athletics.

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OREGON CITY – Learn more about different Latino cultures, Clackamas Community College offerings and community resources while enjoying food, dancing and singing at Festival Latino on June 22 at CCC, 19600 Molalla Ave., Oregon City.

The festival runs noon to 4 p.m. and includes a DJ, student speakers, Zumba, traditional indigenous Latino singing and traditional Mexican dance performances. There will also be face painting, door prizes, campus tours and low-cost Mexican food. Additional resources will be on site, including Clackamas Social Services Workforce, Clackamas County Children’s Commission Head Start and Early Head Start, Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center, Clackamas County libraries, Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization, Job Corps, Oregon Youth Authority and the Unidos Club.

Community College representatives will have information on English as a Second Language (ESL), General Education Development (GED) and Adult Basic Education courses. Community partners will have information on small-business development, immigrant and refugee support, family services and more.

“This festival is a wonderful opportunity to introduce Latino families to the college and the many resources we provide,” Skills Development Department Chair Camilo Sanchez said. “It is also an opportunity for the Latino community to connect with other community resources.”

The event is free and open to the community. For more information, contact Sanchez at camilos@clackamas.edu or 503-594-3029.

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OREGON CITY – Clackamas Community College is now offering a fun and convenient way to broaden your knowledge around natural resource topics and earn continuing education units (CEUs) at the Environmental Learning Center. The college offers a variety of short courses designed to give professionals hands-on experience while learning from experts in the field.

Short course topics include areas related to stormwater management, wetland/river restoration and ecology, and more. The Environmental Learning Center classrooms provide an excellent learning environment in the middle of a recently restored wetland.

Upcoming workshops include:

Herbaceous wetland plant identification

July 25-26, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Cost: $360

This intermediate level workshop is designed to improve the ability of field staff to identify common species of herbaceous wetland plants through the use of botanical keys. Plant terminology necessary for proper use of identification keys will be covered. The emphasis is on field identification, although classroom instruction will also take place. The field identification portion of the class takes place in at least two community types.

Stream health - survey methodology

Aug. 6, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. and Aug. 7, 8 a.m.-noon

Cost: $280

This workshop provides information and hands-on experience related to current practices in the assessment of small- to medium-sized stream health. Advantages and disadvantages for a variety of methods will be explored to facilitate choosing the best approach in a given situation.

Aquatic macroinvertebrates in habitat assessment

Aug. 20-21, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Cost: $360

This hands-on course for natural resources staff provides an overview of aquatic macroinvertebrate sampling in the Willamette Valley and guidelines for using the resulting data for assessment of habitat condition and responses to restoration. Participants will learn to identify different families of aquatic invertebrates, which are commonly encountered in water bodies; to know which species are characteristic of running versus still waters; about the basics of designing and implementing aquatic invertebrate-based biomonitoring methodologies, including multiple sampling techniques; and, about the variety of data analysis options and how to choose one based on the research goals.

Fundamentals of erosion and sediment control

Nov. 19, 8 a.m.-12:15 p.m.

Cost: $100

This workshop provides participants with an understanding of the processes involved in erosion and sedimentation and their potential impacts as related to construction projects. Best management practices and tools for erosion/sediment control, plan development, special provisions to specification editing, permit compliance and an introduction to navigating the Oregon standards specifications will be covered.

To get more information about professional development workshops, to join the Environmental Learning Center email list, or to discuss training needs, contact Renee Harber at rharber@clackamas.edu or 503-594-3015. Clackamas Community College students qualify for discounted course rates.

The Clackamas Community College Environmental Learning Center is located at 19600 Molalla Ave., Oregon City. For more information, visit www.clackamas.edu/ELC.

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PORTLAND, Ore. – Two Portland Community College administrators serving in interim roles have been made permanent in their current positions.

Eric Blumenthal has been appointed as the college’s Vice President of Finance and Administration, and Tricia Brand has been tapped as PCC’s Chief Diversity Officer. Both appointments are effective July 1.

“Eric and Tricia have proven to be exemplary, collaborative leaders for the institution, and I am delighted to announce their full, permanent appointments,” said PCC President Mark Mitsui.

“Since joining PCC, Eric and Tricia have each demonstrated deep knowledge and commitment to the unique needs and concerns of their respective constituents and to the environmental factors that affect the college. They are strategic and creative, and offer a fresh approach and energy to their roles. PCC is fortunate to have their leadership in-house,” Mitsui said.

Blumenthal joined PCC in 2016 as the Associate Vice President of Finance and Administration. In this capacity he has provided strategic leadership and direction of all college-wide financial and administrative services related to payroll, procurement, budget, risk/insurance services, bursar operations, treasury, accounting services and financial systems development. He also serves as a peer evaluator for the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, the regional accrediting agency of higher education institutions in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington, as well as British Columbia, Canada.

He stepped into the interim vice president role in October 2018, succeeding Jim Langstraat who left PCC in September to join Pacific University. Since then, Blumenthal has been instrumental in the issuance of $172 million in PCC pension obligation bonds to address PERS obligations, working with both bond underwriters and rating agencies -- a move that was able to significantly lower the college’s PERS unfunded actuarial liability. Additionally, he has increased visibility and communication efforts about the college’s budget throughout the legislative session, hosting forums and town halls, meeting with a variety of stakeholder and student groups, and regularly presenting budget work to PCC’s elected Board of Directors.

Prior to coming to PCC, Blumenthal served as the Vice President of Finance and Administration at the University of Western States from 2011 to 2016, and before that, as the Director of Business Affairs at Portland State University beginning in 2007.

A native of the East Coast, Blumenthal earned his master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts Lowell, and a bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Cum Laude, from Boston College.

Brand began her tenure at the college in 2014, as the Associate Dean of Students at PCC’s Southeast Campus. In this capacity she supported the Dean of Students in establishing the campus’ first-ever Resource Centers, providing direction to multiple service lines within its Student Services division -- academic advising, the orientation center, testing and placement, and career exploration. At the Southeast Campus, Brand was a key collaborator in such college-wide efforts as Oregon Promise, advising redesign, student retention, degree completion, student conduct (rights and responsibilities), Title IX compliance, and student recruitment. She also served as a campus Title IX investigator, offering guidance and resources to students, faculty and staff.

In 2018, Brand was tapped to serve as the interim Dean of Students at the campus, and in January 2019, she was brought on to serve as the interim Chief Diversity Officer for the college, filling the gap left by the departure of Kim Baker-Flowers who joined Cal State University, East Bay (Hayward, Calif.).

In the past six months, Brand has sponsored and organized multiple college-wide social justice workshops, attended by more than 200 employees. She has assisted the president’s office with organization of PCC Faculty and Staff of Color caucuses and the president’s Communities of Color Council. In April, Brand represented the college on a panel regarding equity in the workforce, hosted by the Portland Business Journal as part of its “How Oregon Works” series. She also co-presented an invitation-only, pre-conference panel with Mitsui at the American Association of Community Colleges annual meeting. Additionally, she played an instrumental role in convening, organizing and leading PCC’s presence as part of the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education that took place in Portland last month.

Prior to arriving to PCC, Brand served in a variety of Student Affairs positions at Lewis & Clark College beginning in 2009, including as interim Dean of Students. Before this, she was with the University of Arizona from 2006 to 2009, most recently as its Associate Director of Undergraduate Initiatives.

Brand holds a master’s degree in Educational Psychology from Rutgers University and two bachelor degrees, in Psychology and Educational Foundations, from Washington University in St. Louis.

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 more than 71,000 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/

MONMOUTH, Ore. – The Western Oregon University Board of Trustees on Wednesday approved a deficit budget for 2019-2020, which reflects a previously approved 2.33% increase in resident undergraduate tuition. The budget passed even as the Oregon Legislature has yet to release its Public University Support Fund.

WOU was one of the first state universities to finalize its new tuition rate in advance of the budget decision, and it was by far the smallest increase. The university was able to keep its rate increase low by redesigning its tuition framework, continuing its budget- conscious operations and being prepared to tap reserves.

“We know that deficit budgeting is not sustainable, but the university’s mission is to provide affordable degree pathways, and we met the challenge to keep tuition within reach for our students” said WOU President Rex Fuller. “Additional funding from the Legislature is deeply appreciated, but it won’t cover everything, so we’re ensuring that gap is filled.”

WOU joined with the other six public universities in seeking a $120 million increase in the PUSF in order to match the current service level for those universities. Recent indications show the Legislature is expected to approve $100-$120 million above the Governor’s Recommended Budget, which released last fall.

In other action Wednesday, the board:

• Heard an update from Faculty and Staff senates with introductions of their new leaders
• Got details about a pending seven-year campaign by the WOU Foundation
• Met the new Associated Students of Western Oregon University president.
• Heard an update on the creation of a doctorate of physical therapy program at WOU as well as the university’s progress toward becoming a Hispanic-serving institution
• Approved a new graduate certificate in Reflective Practice—Interpreting Studies
• Heard an update on programs and growth for the WOU:Salem location
• Trustee Jaime Arredondo was elected as the new board vice chair, effective July 1.

For more information about the board meeting, visit wou.edu/board

About Western Oregon University

Western Oregon University, founded in 1856 and located in Monmouth, is the state’s oldest public university. Serving approximately 5,100 students, WOU is a mid-sized, NCAA Division II institution with nearly 75 percent of the student population being from Oregon. A significant portion of attendees are members of under-represented groups, veterans or non-traditional students. WOU is Oregon’s campus of choice for those seeking a transformative education in a supportive, student-centered learning community where classes are taught by faculty. Together we succeed.

# # #

Media invitation to event happening tomorrow, Thursday (June 13)

MONMOUTH, Ore. – Rosa Lee Timm, a Western Oregon University alumna and actress, will perform her one-woman presentation The Rosa Lee Show on campus June 13, two days before she will give the Commencement address at the university’s graduation ceremony.

The Rosa Lee Show is an original American Sign Language performance featuring video, music, poetry and comedy that has been delighting and entertaining audiences across the nation for nearly 15 years. Timm, who is deaf and was born into a deaf family, is also well-known for her mesmerizing ASL music videos, which have hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube, as well as her role in ASL Film’s 2011 feature Versa Effect.

“Through art, you can create something and leave it for people to ponder and think about,” Timm has said about her career. 

Timm graduated from WOU in 2003 with a master’s in Rehabilitation Counseling. The alumna will deliver the Commencement Address on June 15 during the university’s graduation ceremony. Her speech will be translated from ASL to spoken English for the audience.

“Rosa Lee's show will continue to solidify WOU as a place with a strong ASL presence and one of the leading schools in ASL programs,” said organizer Rian Gayle of Disability Services. “It also shows WOU's commitment to providing diverse events and cherishing every community on campus. It’s just a bonus that she is an alumna and her mom also taught at WOU, so it feels like a homecoming to have her come back to campus.”

The Rosa Lee Show will be at 4 p.m. June 13 in Rice Auditorium. It is open to the public and free to attend.

About Western Oregon University

Western Oregon University, founded in 1856 and located in Monmouth, is the state’s oldest public university. Serving approximately 5,000 students, WOU is a mid-sized, NCAA Division II institution with nearly 80 percent of the student population being from Oregon. A significant portion of attendees are members of under-represented groups, veterans or non-traditional students. WOU is Oregon’s campus of choice for those seeking a transformative education in a supportive, student-centered learning community where classes are taught by faculty. Together we succeed.

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The Multnomah Education Service District Board of Directors will meet in Regular Session at 6:00 p.m. on June 18, 2019, in the Board Room at 11611 NE Ainsworth Circle, Portland, OR 97220. The Board will consider a supplemental budget.

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

For more information contact

Melinda Fitz-Henry, Food Service Director

503-792-3803 ext. 5050

SUMMER FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM

Public Release –Open Site ages 1 - 18

The Gervais School District is participating in the Summer Food Service Program.  Acceptance and participation requirements for the program and all activities are the same for all regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age or disability, and there will be no discrimination in the course of the meal service.  The program will run Monday through Friday from June 24-August 16th.  Meals will be provided at the following address and time:

Daily Summer Meal Times and Locations

All sites are closed July 4th and 5th

Gervais Elementary School Cafeteria–150 Douglas Ave., Gervais Oregon 97026

Lunch: 11:30.am. to 12:30 pm.)

9195 Portland Rd, Brooks (Green Oaks Mobile Ranch)

                Lunch: 12:00 p.m.-12:30 p.m.

Black Walnut Park, 343 Hemlock, Gervais Oregon 97026

                Lunch: 12:00 p.m.-12:30 p.m.

Sacred Heart School, 515 7th St. Gervais, Or 97026

                Lunch 12:30pm -1:00pm

Gervais School District is an equal opportunity provider and employer

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the State of Oregon prohibit discrimination in all USDA programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age or disability.

Any person who believes that he or she has been discriminated against in any USDA related activity should write immediately to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD).  USDA and the State of Oregon are equal opportunity providers and employers.

Congratulations to the Battle Ground and Prairie high school drama programs, which were among the 17 schools to receive awards at the annual 5th Avenue Theatre Awards in Seattle! The event honors excellence in high school musicals and is one of—if not the most—anticipated nights of the year for high school theater programs across the state of Washington.

Prairie High School’s Mallorie Mendoza received the award for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role for her portrayal of Danielle in “Bring It On: The Musical.”

Battle Ground High School was one of just four schools in Washington to take home multiple awards. Senior Maddie Breaux received the award for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role for her performance as Jo March in “Little Women,” and the BGHS Drama Club was also recognized with the Outstanding Stage Crew award for the same production. By winning the award for actress in a leading role, Breaux has the opportunity to travel to the National High School Musical Theater Awards (the Jimmy Awards) in New York City on June 24.

“Words cannot adequately express how immensely proud I am of our incredible drama program,” said Stephan “Cash” Henry, BGHS’ drama teacher. “These awards are the state championships for high school theater in the State of Washington, and these kids are continuing to make the Battle Ground community proud.”

The awards were presented at The 5th Avenue Theatre, where more than 2,000 teenagers, many in costumes representing their schools' musical theater productions, cheered for their peers as they performed musical excerpts and accepted awards honoring top student achievements in musical theater. The acclaimed event, in its 17th year and directed this year by Kat Ramsburg, handed out awards across 21 categories ranging from Outstanding Overall Musical Production to Outstanding Lobby Display.

Evergreen Public Schools announces the sponsorship of the Summer Food Service Program for children. Meals are available at no charge to children 18 years of age and younger.

Meals will be served at the following location(s):

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877?8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD? 3027) found online at: http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632?9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250?9410; fax: (202) 690?7442; or email: ogram.intake@usda.gov">program.intake@usda.gov.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Tuesday, June 11, 2019-Woodland, WA-Woodland Public Schools once again offers free meals for children 18 years of age and younger at Woodland Middle School throughout the summer thanks to the district’s sponsorship of the Simplified Summer Food Program for Children.

From June 17 to August 16, Monday through Friday, children 18 years and younger can receive breakfast 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. every day free-of-charge at the Woodland Middle School Commons located at 755 Park Street, Woodland, Washington 98674.

Please note that the program will be closed on July 4 and July 5.

Parents and adults can also eat at these times with breakfast prices at $2.50 each and lunch prices at $3.50 each.

For more information, please contact Stacy Brown, Business Manager for Woodland Public Schools, at (360) 841-2715 or email rownst@woodlandschools.org">brownst@woodlandschools.org.

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June 12, 2019                                                                       Photo Opportunities available!       
Media contact: Patti Atkins, APR
503-961-2535. patti@prpatti.com

Rose City Rowing Club offers Learn to Row Classes for 7th and 8th graders
 

Portland, Oregon – In recent years, rowing in the Pacific Northwest has expanded on a grand scale. The Rose City Rowing Club will teach teens (7th through 8th grade) how to row in a six-week series of class.

“We do this program every year to expose teens to rowing,” said Nick Haley, head coach for Rose City Rowing Club. “It’s the first time many of them have engaged in the sport. We do this to recruit more students to rowing. It’s a great team sport with many college scholarship opportunities.”

For more information or to enroll, please visit: http://www.rosecityrowing.org/programs/summer.php

What:            Learn to Row classes -- for students enrolled in grade 7 or 8
(Fall 2019) with no previous experience. Also grade 7 with experience.

Where:            Portland Boathouse
                                    1515 SE Water Ave. (North of OMSI), Portland

When:           10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays, from June 18 through July 25, 2019

Cost:               $120 for the session

About Rose City Rowing Club
Rose City offers several rowing programs that serve various youth populations in the Portland area. With a centralized location in downtown Portland and easy access to public transportation, rowing is more accessible to more of Portland's youth than ever before.

Rowing is an extremely teamwork-oriented sport that requires consistent dedication from each team member. The kids learn how to set goals and work every day toward achieving them. They can grow into strong, fit, well-balanced athletes, with minimal risk of injury. We offer classes for middle and high school students and are progressive in our creation and operation of alternative programs and events.

The athletes learn positive life lessons about teambuilding and cooperation. Rowing is a life sport and participants can use what they learn both on and off the water for the rest of their lives. In fact, many former junior rowers have returned to Portland and are now teaching and coaching the next generation of student athletes.

Rowing is an alternative sport for many kids who have not found their niche in traditional sports in school. Rose City helps augment the sports options available to kids in high school, providing an outlet for people who otherwise might not have participated in high school athletics. In addition, rowers are exposed to significant college recruiting opportunities.

For more information on Rose City Rowing Club, please visit www.rosecityrowing.org.

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June 10, 2019                                                                       Photo Opportunities available!       
Media contact: Patti Atkins, APR
503-961-2535. patti@prpatti.com

Rose City Rowing Club offers summer rowing programs
 

Portland, Oregon – In recent years, rowing in the Pacific Northwest has expanded on a grand scale. The Rose City Rowing Club will work with teens (7th through collegiate athlete) in a summer program for rowing at three levels.

“This is a great opportunity to spend time on the river,” said Nick Haley, head coach for Rose City Rowing Club. “This is great way to learn or build skills in rowing. It’s a great team sport with many college scholarship opportunities.”

For more information or to enroll, please visit: http://www.rosecityrowing.org/programs/summer.php

Rowers who row in the Experienced or Intermediate classes, or those who have completed at least three weeks of Beginning Rowing classes are eligible to attend the Green Lake Summer Extravaganza in Seattle on Aug. 4. The overnight trip to Seattle is a fun regatta experience for rowers of all levels.

About Rose City Rowing Club
Rose City offers several rowing programs that serve various youth populations in the Portland area. With a centralized location in downtown Portland and easy access to public transportation, rowing is more accessible to more of Portland's youth than ever before.

Rowing is an extremely teamwork-oriented sport that requires consistent dedication from each team member. The kids learn how to set goals and work every day toward achieving them. They can grow into strong, fit, well-balanced athletes, with minimal risk of injury. We offer classes for middle and high school students and are progressive in our creation and operation of alternative programs and events.

The athletes learn positive life lessons about teambuilding and cooperation. Rowing is a life sport and participants can use what they learn both on and off the water for the rest of their lives. In fact, many former junior rowers have returned to Portland and are now teaching and coaching the next generation of student athletes.

Rowing is an alternative sport for many kids who have not found their niche in traditional sports in school. Rose City helps augment the sports options available to kids in high school, providing an outlet for people who otherwise might not have participated in high school athletics. In addition, rowers are exposed to significant college recruiting opportunities.

For more information on Rose City Rowing Club, please visit www.rosecityrowing.org.

# # #

June 12, 2019                                                                       Photo Opportunities available!       
Media contact: Patti Atkins, APR
503-961-2535. patti@prpatti.com

Rose City Rowing Club offers ROW Portland Day Camp
Financial Assistance Available

Portland, Oregon – In recent years, rowing in the Pacific Northwest has expanded on a grand scale. The Rose City Rowing Club will teach teens (7th through 9th grade) how to row in a two-week day camp.

“We do this program every year to expose teens to rowing,” said Nick Haley, head coach for Rose City Rowing Club. “It’s the first time many of them have engaged in the sport. We do this to recruit more students to rowing. It’s a great sport with many scholarship opportunities.”

Financial assistance for this session is available to any athlete in grades 7-9, who is eligible for free and/or reduced-priced lunches in Portland Public Schools (or any other school district). This camp was created to expand access to rowing to those who many not otherwise be able to row – due to barriers of cost, swimming ability or transportation. The camp includes lunch and transportation from neighborhood schools to the boathouse and is an introduction to the sport for beginners entering 7th – 9th grade with no rowing experience. Space is limited to 20 participants. For more information or to register, please visit: http://www.rosecityrowing.org/programs/summer.php

This day camp is sponsored by the Windermere Foundation.

What:             ROW Portland day camp for 7th - 9th graders

Where:            Portland Boathouse
                       1515 SE Water Ave. (North of OMSI), Portland

When:           10 a.m. to 2 p.m., daily, from Monday, July 15 through Friday, July 26, 2019

About Rose City Rowing Club
Rose City offers several rowing programs that serve various youth populations in the Portland area. With a centralized location in downtown Portland and easy access to public transportation, rowing is more accessible to more of Portland's youth than ever before.

Rowing is an extremely teamwork-oriented sport that requires consistent dedication from each team member. The kids learn how to set goals and work every day toward achieving them. They can grow into strong, fit, well-balanced athletes, with minimal risk of injury. We offer classes for middle and high school students and are progressive in our creation and operation of alternative programs and events.

The athletes learn positive life lessons about teambuilding and cooperation. Rowing is a life sport and participants are able to use what they learn both on and off the water for the rest of their lives. In fact, many former junior rowers have returned to Portland and are now teaching and coaching the next generation of student-athletes.

Rowing is an alternative sport for many kids who have not found their niche in traditional sports in school. Rose City helps augment the sports options available to kids in high school, providing an outlet for people who otherwise might not have participated in high school athletics. In addition, rowers are exposed to significant college recruiting opportunities.

For more information on Rose City Rowing Club, please visit www.rosecityrowing.org.

Habitat organizations across the country are mobilizing to influence policy and system changes at the federal, state and local levels

[VANCOUVER, WA] (June 12, 2019) — Nearly 19 million households across the United States are spending at least half of their income on a place to live, often forgoing basic necessities such as food and health care to make ends meet. In Clark County, 50% of very low-income families pay more than 50% of their income on housing. The stability that housing should bring continues to remain out of reach for many people.

On Wednesday, Evergreen Habitat for Humanity joined Habitat organizations across the country to launch a new national advocacy campaign aimed at improving home affordability for 10 million people in the U.S. over the next five years.

Marking significant growth in Habitat’s commitment to ensuring that everyone has a safe and decent place to call home, the Cost of Home campaign seeks to identify and improve policies and systems through coordinated advocacy efforts at the local, state and federal levels.

Cost of Home focuses on improving housing affordability across the housing continuum in four specific policy areas: increasing supply and preservation of affordable homes, equitably increasing access to credit, optimizing land use for affordable homes, and ensuring access to and development of communities of opportunity.

“We see families in our community every day who struggle to make ends meet due to housing costs,” says Josh Townsley, Executive Director at Evergreen Habitat for Humanity. “We know that our families deserve better. Our community deserves better. That’s why we’re excited to launch the Cost of Home campaign that will influence policies and systems focused on housing supply and preservation, land use, access to credit, and communities of opportunities.”

More details about Habitat’s Cost of Home policy platform and campaign activation are available at ehfh.org/2019/06/cost-of-home/. For more information or to speak to Evergreen Habitat for Humanity about the campaign, please contact Heather Cochrun at volunteer@ehfh.org or 360-737-1759.

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For Immediate Release
Tuesday, June 11, 2019

Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington to Bestow Highest Honor for 24 Gold Award Girl Scouts on Saturday, June 15, 2019

PORTLAND, Ore. – Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington (GSOSW) will recognize 24 recipients of the Girl Scout Gold Award in a special ceremony on Saturday, June 15, 2019, in Salem, Oregon in celebration of 103 years of the organization’s highest award.

“I am always so impressed by the incredible projects our Gold Award Girl Scouts take on, and the complexity of the problems they tackle,” says Karen Hill, Chief Executive Officer for Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington. “From STEM projects addressing pollinators or salmon education, to issues of income inequality and poverty in our community, the girls show empathy and a drive to make the world a better place. We’re incredibly proud of them, and can’t wait to see how they apply their leadership skills to our shared future.”

Who: Twenty four (24) Gold Award Girl Scouts, as well as Silver and Bronze Award Girl Scouts, their family and friends, plus staff, volunteers and media

What: Celebration of Girl Scouts changing the world and achieving Girl Scouts’ highest honors with a keynote address from Girl Scout alumna and Gold Award Girl Scout, Rachel James, Threat Intelligence Officer for Cambia Health

When: June 15, 2019, at 1 p.m.

Where:  Willamette Heritage Center, 1313 Mill St SE, Salem, Oregon 97301

Interested Media:  Interested media please R.S.V.P. by email to: communications@girlscoutsosw.org

On-site interviews: GSOSW’s Chief Executive Officer, Karen Hill, Director of Communications, Sarah Shipe, and Program Director, Sarah Brown, as well as Gold | Silver | Bronze Award Girl Scouts, will be available on-site during the day of the event for media interviews

The Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest honor a Girl Scout can earn, acknowledges each recipient’s dedication to empowering and bettering herself while working to make the world a better place. “After this project, I now see myself as a better leader,” says Karoline Herkamp, 2019 Gold Award Girl Scout. “I have completed my biggest leadership project ever, and I have dealt with more individual moving parts than I have in any other project.” Just 6% of Girl Scouts earn this prestigious award annually—it has been the pinnacle of the Girl Scout experience since 1916.

Gold Award Girl Scouts apply leadership, passion, work ethic and creativity toward innovative solutions to society’s most pressing challenges. Each Gold Award Girl Scout contributes a minimum of 80 hours to the community—often significantly more—through her project, carrying out a plan that has sustainable and measurable, ongoing impact.

“I have always seen the Gold Award as not just recognizing outstanding Girl Scouts, but recognizing those who embody the very best values that Girl Scouts hope to see in the world,” says Rachel James, the 2019 Keynote Speaker for the GSOSW Gold Award Ceremony. “The bold and courageous of heart believe that they can make a difference, but it also takes dedication and passion to make it a reality. This honor is about the rarest among us who dare to change the world.” Rachel James is a cybersecurity engineer at Cambia Health. Rachel also volunteers as a member of the STEM Leadership council with Girl Scouts and mentors many young women interested in the technology field.

The 2019 Gold Award Girl Scouts from Oregon and Southwest Washington are:

Ivory A.—Portland, Oregon

Gold Award Project: Cap and Gown Pictures

Ivory worked with a professional photographer who guided three volunteer photographers as they took cap-and-gown photos for 11 classmates who needed them. In addition to submitting the photos to the Reynolds High School graduation slide show, she was able to give each new graduate copies of their photos so that they could always remember this important time in their lives.

Birgitta C.—Portland, Oregon

Gold Award Project: Summer Program for Second Home

Birgitta created a summer program for an organization that arranges housing for homeless high school students. Every week she organized outings such as hikes, art exhibits and college visits to provide the students with a chance to try out new activities and explore future opportunities. She provided the organization with all of the information needed to operate the summer program again.

Meher C.—Portland, Oregon

Gold Award Project: Music and Memory

Meher organized musicians and vocalists from her high school to perform over ten concerts for residents at a memory care facility. In addition to engaging with the seniors, she wanted to inspire her performers to consider music therapy as an outlet for their talents. Meher also organized a club at her school that will continue performing at senior centers.

Sofia D.—Beaverton, Oregon

Gold Award Project: Shelves of Hope

Sofia created libraries in several Portland-area homeless shelters. She wants everyone to have the opportunity to enjoy books despite not having a permanent home. Sofia and her team worked with various shelters to assess their needs, organized book drives, and designed and installed shelving for the libraries at each shelter. The shelters now have a permanent space to display and share books with their community members.

Lauren D.—Tigard, Oregon

Gold Award Project: WISE Program Planter Box and Gardening Skills Project

Lauren renovated and designed a garden for her high school’s special education program. She also taught the program’s students gardening skills and, with her volunteers, assisted them in planting the garden. She left a lesson plan with the program’s staff so that each year the students can plant and maintain the garden.

Katee E.—Portland, Oregon

Gold Award Project: Gresham Youth Summit

Katee organized a Youth Summit focused around mental health and sexual harassment in schools. Katee and her team brought in students from all nine local Gresham high schools. She also invited local decision makers and lawmakers to attend and participate. These student advocates are hoping to break the stigma surrounding mental health and sexual harassment in schools.

Jasmin F.—Portland, Oregon

Gold Award Project: Being Prepared for Portland Snow

Jasmin tackled the issue of winter safety and driving in the snow. Jasmin and her team worked with the local sheriff's office and interviewed experienced snow drivers to put together important safety tips. She created a website and distributed fliers around nearby neighborhoods to better inform the community about driving in winter weather.

Shefali G.—Portland, Oregon

Gold Award Project: STEM for All

Shefali created “maker kits” and project instructions for introducing STEM to fifth graders who might not otherwise have access. She recruited a team to help maintain the kits, mentor the students and teach concepts such as programming. She also created a website and uploaded the lesson plans and supply lists so that others can replicate the program.

Whitney G.—Sherwood, Oregon

Gold Award Project: Code Red

Feminine hygiene products are not only one of the most requested items at shelters and food pantries, but also the least donated. By founding Code Red, Whitney collected period products for local low-income women and raised awareness of the struggle many women face when it comes to affording the items they need. To make her project sustainable, Whitney left donation bins at food pantries so that the pantries would continue to receive donations after her project was over.

Mae G.—Portland, Oregon

Gold Award Project: SOS: Save Our Sharks

Mae founded an environmental education group and a club at her school called Save Our Sharks (SOS). She educated people about the importance of sharks in our food chain. In addition to founding SOS, she organized a beach cleanup, taught elementary school students about environmental activism, and even wrote a children’s book about this much-maligned species.

Rachel G.—Sherwood, Oregon

Gold Award Project: Dirksen Nature Park Ivy Pull

After noticing that many teenagers lacked interest in nature, Rachel worked with a science teacher at Fowler Middle School in Tigard, Oregon, to organize an ivy pull at Dirksen Nature Park. She created a curriculum guidebook with information on why English ivy is a problem, how to host a successful ivy pull, and a list of other nearby nature parks. A teacher plans to use Rachel’s guidebook to educate future students.

Jessica H.—Troutdale, Oregon

Gold Award Project: My Father’s House Crockpot Recipes

Jessica organized a small team to create, test and format a cookbook for a crockpot cooking class program at a homeless shelter for families. This cookbook provides recipes that are easily accessible, easily understood and easy to complete. She donated the format for the cookbook and several printed, bound copies for future use by the shelter.

Karoline H.—Salem, Oregon

Gold Award Project: Cloth Salmon Educational Tools

Karoline updated school curriculum about salmon for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. As part of the curriculum, she designed and—with the help of her team—sewed 25 anatomically accurate cloth salmon that the department will use when it presents its Salmon Trout Enhancement Program in classrooms.

Regan H.—Creswell, Oregon

Gold Award Project: Festival of Trees

Regan Humble created the Creswell Festival of Trees to bring awareness to the Creswell Library and support its expansion. Regan recruited community volunteers to decorate the trees and publicized the event, which took place the first week of December 2017. Using the “How-to Booklet” she created, a local group continued the tradition with a successful Second Annual Festival of Trees.

Rosalie J.—Clackamas, Oregon

Gold Award Project: A Bridge Across Two Worlds

Rosalie created a sustainable volunteer network for an elementary school serving hearing impaired students with cochlear implants. She identified volunteer opportunities and created a presentation to educate potential volunteers about the school, the hearing impaired community, and cochlear implants. Three Girl Scout troops and three Key Clubs plan to continue volunteering at the school.  

Sydney L.—Tigard, Oregon

Gold Award Project: Care Kits for Developing Nations

Sydney decided to take action and help families in developing nations whose health was impacted by a lack of hygiene products by holding a personal care kit drive. With the donations she received, Sydney and her volunteers assembled kits to distribute to families in need around the world. She worked with Medical Teams International to distribute the kits, and has provided the drive information and volunteer opportunity information to many eager volunteers hoping to continue the project.

Tovah M.—Fairview, Oregon

Gold Award Project: Bloom

Tovah hosted an event called Bloom, designed to engage, elevate and empower girls ages 8-16. With the support of several local professionals, Tovah taught girls about hair, skin, nutrition, exercise, personal safety, calming techniques and dressing confidently. To keep her project sustainable, Tovah passed a planning guide for Bloom to the Wallace Medical Concern, who are considering running it annually.

Quinn M-F.—Portland, Oregon

Gold Award Project: Operation Tooth Fairy

Quinn and her volunteers collected dental care supplies and made over 1,200 tooth care kits that were distributed to low-income families. Each kit also contained a bilingual informational pamphlet, and the project’s website is available in seven languages. After being trained by Quinn, a younger Girl Scout troop has agreed to continue making these kits.

Kimberly M.—Gresham, Oregon

Gold Award Project: Protect the Pollinators

To educate the public about the importance of pollinators in the food chain, Kimberly hosted a Protect the Pollinators event where attendees planted flower seeds, crafted bee hotels, made pollinator buttons, and received information about pollinators and how to protect them. Kimberly also designed a Protect the Pollinators instruction manual which she passed onto the Gresham High School National Honor Society.

Kayl P.—Vancouver, Washington

Gold Award Project: Project Plant

Kayl recognized that the heavy foot traffic along the trail of Burnt Bridge Creek was causing creek bank erosion and decided something had to be done. Working with Vancouver’s Greenways Team, Kayl planned and executed a tree planting day during which volunteers planted hundreds of trees to naturally shore up the creek bed as well as provide trail users with shade. Kathryn also created a booklet to help other Girl Scout troops and other groups host their own planting day in the future.

Carmen R.—Beaverton, Oregon

Gold Award Project: Seaside Youth Activity Book

Carmen designed and produced activity booklets and patches to educate children about the flora and fauna of the Seaside area, the problem of marine debris on the beach, and suggested actions to combat the problem. She has provided the Seaside Visitor Center with detailed instructions on how to reorder both the booklets and patches.

Caylie R.—Albany, Oregon

Gold Award Project: It Starts with Us

Caylie addressed the issue of sexual abuse and neglect. She created a video describing what constitutes each, and how to identify if you or someone you know is the victim. She posted the video and provided a copy to Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) to help in training its advocates.

Sara S.—Portland, Oregon

Gold Award Project: The Sato Cranes

To help honor a new elementary school’s namesake—the Sato Family—Sara created a lesson plan about racism and how it harms a community. As part of the lesson, she taught the students how to make paper cranes—400 of which formed a chandelier that now hangs permanently in the school’s library. The chandelier will be the focus of the school’s continuing education about racism and discrimination.

Sammie W.—Portland, Oregon

Gold Award Project: School Supplies for those Impacted by Hurricane Harvey

Sammie organized the collection of school supplies for two second grade classrooms at a school in Port Arthur, Texas, that had been ravaged by Hurricane Harvey. She worked with a team to make and place donation bins to collect supplies, boxed and shipped the supplies, and partnered with a Girl Scout troop in Port Arthur to unpack the supplies in the classrooms. She also wrote “10 Steps to a Successful Supply Drive,” which she posted online for those interested in collecting disaster relief supplies in the future.

About Girl Scouts’ Highest Honors

To learn more about Girl Scouts’ highest honors—including the Bronze and Silver Awards—please visit: http://www.girlscoutsosw.org/en/about-girl-scouts/our-program/girl-awards/highest-awards.html.

About Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington

In partnership with more than 8,000 adult members, Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington prepares 14,500 girls in grades K-12 for a lifetime of leadership, adventure and success. GSOSW’s programs in civic engagement, financial literacy, the outdoors and STEM serve girls in 37 counties in Oregon, and Clark, Klickitat and Skamania counties in Southwest Washington. The Girl Scout mission is to build girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place. For more information, please visit girlscoutsosw.org.

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Portland, Ore. (June 18, 2019) – The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) is hosting the Animation Film Festival, which showcases a selection of intelligent, entertaining and provocative programming from some of the world’s most creative artists. A celebration of animation from independent shorts to feature films, the festival runs from June 20 to 23 at OMSI’s Empirical Theater.  

Among the highlights of the festival are a selection of Portland-area premieres, including: 
•    This Magnificent Cake, an internationally acclaimed film set in colonial Africa that has been dubbed "one of the most innovative and groundbreaking films" of the year. 
•    The New York International Children's Film Festival (NYICFF) Kid Flicks Tour featuring two anthologies, one designed for youth ages three to seven and the second curated for families with youth ages eight and up.
•    SIGGRAPH's 2018 Computer Animation Festival showcasing a selection of innovative animated short films and visual effects reels submitted by digital film creators from around the globe. The SIGGRAPH Festival will include an introductory presentation by Larry Bafia, SIGGRAPH Computer Animation Festival Producer.

Rounding out the festival lineup are nine additional films – among them, Masaaki Yuasa's 2004 cult classic Mind Game, the emotionally powerful Liyana, and the latest LAIKA production Missing Link –  that underscore the diversity of animation as an artistic medium and its unique ability to educate, entertain and inspire audiences.

Festival Schedule

Thursday, June 20
5 p.m.: My Life as a Zucchini   
6:15 p.m.: Modest Heroes
7:15 p.m.: Mirai
9 p.m.: Mind Game       

Friday, June 21
5:15 p.m.: This Magnificent Cake
6:30 p.m.: SIGGRAPH 2018 Computer Animation Festival with guests Jamaal Bradley, Senior Animator at Valve Software and Larry Bafia, SIGGRAPH Computer Animation Festival Producer
9:45 p.m.: Perfect Blue

Saturday, June 22
12 p.m.: NYICFF Kid Flicks Tour 
1 p.m.: Modest Heroes             
2 p.m.: The Big Bad Fox & Other Tales
3:30 p.m.: NYICFF Family Flicks Tour          
5 p.m.: Liyana 
6:30 p.m.: This Magnificent Cake
7:30 p.m.: Mirai  
9:30 p.m.: Mind Game

Sunday, June 23
12 p.m.: NYICFF Kid Flicks Tour 
1p.m.: NYICFF Family Flicks Tour          
2:30 p.m.: Song of the Sea             
4:15 p.m.: Missing Link    
6 p.m.: Liyana
7:30 p.m.: Perfect Blue 
   
Festival Passes & Tickets
Plan on attending multiple shows or events? Buy a Festival pass and save! Pass holders receive access to all festival screenings and special events on a space available basis. Passes are not transferable. Festival passes are priced at: $19 Adult, $16 Senior (63+) and Youth (3-13). OMSI members receive $3 off.

Tickets are available for individual shows at: $7 Adult, $6 Senior (63+) and Youth (3-13). OMSI members receive $1 off. Passes and tickets may be purchased online at omsi.edu, at the OMSI front desk, or by phone at 503-797-4000.

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 nearly every county in Oregon. OMSI is located at 1945 SE Water Avenue, Portland, OR 97214. For general information, call 503.797.4000 or visit omsi.edu.

The Clean Energy Jobs bill now moves toward votes in House and Senate

SALEM --- The 21-member Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday approved legislation in the State Capitol Building that, according to experts, will add 50,000 new jobs by 2050, and invest hundreds of millions of dollars to fight costly climate disruption in communities that need it the most.

Thousands of Oregonians, hundreds of businesses and dozens of statewide organizations have waited long enough, and Oregon Environmental Council applauds lawmakers for bringing HB 2020 to a vote in the House and Senate floors.

HB 2020 places a declining cap and price on greenhouse gases from the largest emitters in Oregon, and reinvest the proceeds into the state’s clean energy economy to create good-paying jobs and make our air cleaner. More than 55,000 clean energy jobs already exist and the clean energy sector is growing faster than other polluting industries, according to an analysis by E2. Further, HB 2020 will catalyze the state’s GDP by 2.5 percent by 2050, according to economist David Roland-Holst.

“We are thrilled to see the progress of the Clean Energy Jobs bill,” said Morgan Gratz-Weiser, Oregon Environmental Council Legislative Director. “This bill gives Oregon significant capacity to prepare our families and businesses for climate disruption while doing our global part to cut harmful carbon emissions.”

Wednesday’s vote comes after a second round of amendments were adopted Tuesday by members of the Natural Resources subcommittee. The amendments include minor changes to forestry offsets, an expedited process for the Oregon Supreme Court review of natural gas proceeds, and the inclusion of aerospace companies as an Emissions Intensive Trade Exposed Industry.

Further Reading and Media:

• A list and open letter by the near-60 organizations in coalition to support HB 2020, which includes environmental justice, business, labor, agriculture and many more interests. Video included

• A history of carbon pricing in Oregon

• OEC and partner visual media: Former California Gov. Arnold Swarzeneiger’s support for HB 2020 (California Governor at the time cap-and-trade passed), Former Vice President Al Gore endorsement, Agriculture Voices in Medford and Noti, Oregon, lawmaker voices from Lobby Day 2019, Youth Voices during Earth Day 2019

• OEC’s Clean Energy Jobs page

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PORTLAND, Ore. – Trade is a major economic driver for Oregon and continues to grow in value, as highlighted in a new report released today and featured at the Portland Business Alliance’s Forum Breakfast on Wednesday, June 19 at the Sentinel Hotel.

The report, produced by the Alliance, Pacific Northwest International Trade Association (PNITA) and the Value of Jobs coalition, with research conducted by ECONorthwest, tracks the latest data and explores the impact of international trade across the greater Portland region and the state of Oregon.

“We are proud to lead this coalition in critically analyzing the value of jobs in trade for Oregon,” said Andrew Hoan, president and CEO of the Portland Business Alliance. “This report provides regionally specific facts, and helps drive important policy decisions that support jobs and keep Oregon competitive.”  

“As trade talks heat up, it’s important to understand the impact federal policies may have on Oregon and why we need to preserve market access for our region,” said Maria Isabel Ellis, executive director of PNITA and director of federal affairs for the Portland Business Alliance. 

“International trade in Oregon is what drives innovation and is closely tied with the history of commerce in our region,” said John Tapogna, president of ECONorthwest. “Oregonians who work in jobs connected to trade are three times more productive and earn, on average, significantly more.”

Oregon’s state of trade report at a glance:
•    505,700 jobs connected to trade in Oregon (1 in 5).
•    Trade with Canada and Mexico supported 154,000 Oregon jobs in 2017.
•    $58,730, average wage, weighted, 11% above state average.
•    $28 billion produced and exported goods and services in 2017.
•    12% gross domestic product (GDP) depends on exports in Oregon.
•    88% exporters in Oregon are small and medium businesses.

The full report, including detailed data, can be found at ValueofJobs.com/TradeinOR. 

Members of the press are invited: Wednesday, June 19 @ 7:30 a.m. at the Sentinel Hotel for our Forum Breakfast where experts on trade in Oregon will discuss the report’s findings. 
RSVP: news@portlandalliance.com

This report is made possible through generous support from Bank of America. 

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Pacific Northwest International Trade Association (PNITA) is an affiliate organization of the Portland Business Alliance, greater Portland’s Chamber of Commerce. PNITA is dedicated to supporting the global competitiveness of our region through education and advocacy on issues affecting Pacific Northwest industries reliant on international commerce. Learn more at: PortlandAlliance.com/PNITA.

Portland Business Alliance strives to promote and foster an environment that attracts, supports and retains private-sector jobs, spurs economic vitality and enables quality educational opportunities. Learn more at PortlandAlliance.com.

Value of Jobs Coalition members include Greater Portland, Inc., Port of Portland, Oregon Business Council and Oregon Business & Industry. Learn more at: ValueofJobs.com.

MEDIA ADVISORY & PHOTO OP:
THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 10:15 a.m. (unveiling at 10:30 sharp!)

Mayor Wheeler and Downtown Portland Clean & Safe unveil 100 new high-capacity garbage cans
City announces seven-day pickup schedule for garbage collection

Portland, Ore. – On Thursday, June 13 (10:15 a.m.) Mayor Wheeler and his team, as well as members of the from the Clean & Safe program will unveil one of the 100 new garbage cans being installed in downtown Portland this month.

WHEN:          10:15 a.m., Thursday, June 13
WHERE:        NW 3rd & Davis (In front of Portland Chinatown Museum, 127 NW 3rd Ave, Portland, OR 97209)
WHO:            Mayor Ted Wheeler & representatives from Downtown Portland Clean & Safe
WHAT:           Unveil one of 100 new 35-gallon garbage cans for downtown Portland

In addition to new garbage cans, this moment also celebrates the official implementation of the city’s new seven-day-a-week garbage pickup for downtown Portland.

This is the second installation of a total of 200 new garbage cans into downtown Portland in the last nine months. The investment in these new cans is made possible thanks to the unique public-private partnership between Downtown Portland Clean & Safe and the City of Portland, working together to maintain our streets and sidewalks for all who enjoy visiting downtown Portland.

The total investment to date: 200 new garbage cans, amounting to an investment of $300,000 by Downtown Portland Clean & Safe board of directors, and a $15,000 Community Livability Grant from Prosper Portland.

THIS MONTH: 100 installed = 25 in Old Town + 75 throughout downtown Portland.
OCTOBER 2018: 100 installed throughout downtown Portland

The newest garbage cans feature two new graphic designs that celebrate the historic connections to the neighborhood. The final designs were selected by members of the Old Town Community Association. The lively images bring fun and energy to the city’s streetscape and are designed by local artist Dan Stiles.

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Downtown Portland Clean & Safe District: The Downtown Portland Clean & Safe District was established in 1988 to support additional cleaning and security in a 213 block-area of Portland’s Central City. In addition to these important services, the district supports market research, retail recruitment and retention for Downtown Portland. The district is managed by the Portland Business Alliance under the direction of the district’s board of directors. Learn more at cleanandsafepdx.com.

PORTLAND, OR – June 13, 2019 – Today, REACH announced the hiring of Alma Flores as the new Director of Housing Development. Alma is a seasoned leader with deep experience in housing, community, and economic development policy and programs within a city planning and government context.  She brings a collaborative, inclusive, and equitable approach to her work.

“We are thrilled to name Alma to this vital role at REACH,” says CEO Dan Valliere. “Alma is a creative leader and we are excited she will be working to help REACH grow and evolve our impact in the community.”

Prior to joining REACH, Alma served as the Community and Economic Development Director for the City of Milwaukie and played leadership roles with the City of Beaverton, Portland, and in Framingham, Massachusetts. Her passion for affordable housing and equitable community and economic development has long been central to her work. She has developed and implemented multiple economic development strategies and recently, she led the creation of Milwaukie’s current housing affordability plan; which involved an impressive amount of community input and collaboration. 

Alma holds a Master’s in City Planning in Housing, Community, and Economic Development from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Bachelor’s degree from UCLA in Sociology/Chicano/a Studies. Alma currently serves on the Board of the Network for Oregon Affordable Housing (NOAH) and previously served on the boards of Hacienda CDC, Catholic Charities, and PSU’s Institute for Metropolitan Studies.

Alma will lead a team of three housing development project managers focused on building affordable apartment communities throughout the Portland Metro area and SW Washington metro. REACH currently has the largest development pipeline in its history, with six buildings (over 600 apartments) in various stages of development. Under Alma’s leadership, REACH will to continue to expand its pipeline to meet the community’s need for more affordable apartments.   

“It has been a long-time dream of mine to work for a premier affordable housing non-profit in the region and to be an integral part in anti-displacement and gentrification mitigations efforts,” says Ms. Flores.  “With the new housing bond and the growing need to meet the housing needs for all walks of life, it is the right time for me to have made this shift and I thank REACH for trusting in me at the helm.”

About REACH CDC

Since 1982, REACH has built innovative and affordable housing for low-income families and individuals in the Portland metropolitan region. REACH develops and manages affordable housing and provides supportive services to residents, as well as free home repairs to senior homeowners. Today, REACH’s portfolio includes over 2,300 apartments including single family homes, small apartment buildings, and mixed-use developments located across Multnomah, Washington and Clark counties. REACH has won numerous state and national awards for its creative approach to building healthy communities and its innovative housing projects. More information at http://reachcdc.org.

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Summary: Wildfire season is coming. Here’s how to prepare your business.

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Wildfires are getting bigger, lasting longer, and happening more often in Oregon and across the western United States. In addition to the immediate harm from the fire itself, hazardous smoke travels well beyond the fire lines, putting people and businesses at risk.

“Smoke has become a more significant workplace risk as wildfires are larger and more frequent,” said Kim Henry, industrial hygienist at SAIF. “We want to make sure we reduce the risk of complications for Oregon’s workforce.”

Henry offers five ways to make sure your workplace is better prepared:

• Include wildfire smoke events in your emergency response plans.
• Monitor fire and smoke risk in your area. One resource is DEQ’s Air Quality Index.
• Keep indoor air as clean as possible. Check filters on HVAC units and change when needed. Recirculate air instead of bringing in outdoor air, and keep windows and doors closed.
• Consider supplying filtering facepiece respirators, such as N-95 or N-100, for voluntary short-term use. (Provide information from OSHA before use.)
• Plan how to get employees to safer locations, or when to release them before situations worsen.

Remember, people who work outdoors, have respiratory conditions or cardiovascular disease, smoke, or are pregnant have a higher risk of health impacts. 

Find more tips for preparing your business—before, during, and after wildfire season.

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.