The Beaverton Police Department is participating in a yearlong National Traffic Safety Campaign again in 2019. The focus of this campaign is taking impaired drivers off our streets, keeping Beaverton a safe city to travel and live.

Officers were out on targeted patrols for impaired drivers during the month of November and made 36 DUII arrests. During the month of December, officers will continue their efforts to take impaired drivers off the streets of our no refusal city. This High Visibility Enforcement (HVE) detail was paid for by grant funds from Oregon Impact and ODOT. Out of the 36 arrests, 4 people refused to take a breath test and a warrant for a blood draw was granted. Out of the people who were arrested for an alcohol related DUII and provided a breath sample, the average blood alcohol content (BAC) in their blood was .15%.

The highest BAC was .26% and the lowest BAC was .00%. 14 People had a BAC of .15% or higher. Of those 14 drivers, 1 had a BAC of .24% or higher.

Drunk driving, impaired driving or buzzed driving all have the potential to claim lives. The men and women of the Beaverton Police Department ask you to please use a designated driver or find another sober ride home.

UPDATE: For media outlets asking, this year's "Shop with a Cop" will be held from 7 a.m. to 12 noon on Saturday, Dec. 7.

Also: corrected the 2018 video link below.

VIDEO from previous "Shop With A Cop" events:

• 2018: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOYdTU20FI4
• 2017: https://youtu.be/k65tNflUnqA
• 2016: https://www.dropbox.com/s/nk7gv14r5a3nj8y/ShopWithACop2016.MOV?dl=0
• 2015: https://www.facebook.com/385638251522068/videos/916691008416787/
• 2014: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgTik1a7MOs
• 2013: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otYpLNkB20g
• 2012: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rf9Xg59ozy8
• 2011: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tO27OWeZ3CQ
• 2010: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrBXJt8z3uA

The Clackamas County Peace Officers' Benevolent Foundation co-hosts its 13th-annual "Shop with a Cop" charitable event tomorrow (Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019) at the Happy Valley Wal-Mart (10000 SE 82nd Ave. Happy Valley, OR. 97086).

During "Shop with a Cop," local law-enforcement officers locate children whose low-income families have had some enforcement contact with police, present those children with $100 gift cards, and then shop with them at the Wal-Mart.

Wal-Mart wraps all the gifts for the kids, supplying gift-wrap, ribbon and tags. It's an opportunity for police and kids to get to know one another; any concerns the kids may have had about police are often changed for the better.

Last year, over 100 kids were able to shop with a cop at the Happy Valley Wal-Mart. They were paired with personnel from the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon State Police, Clackamas County Parole & Probation, the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Posse, and the Molalla, Oregon City, Gladstone, West Linn, Milwaukie, Sandy, Estacada, and Lake Oswego Police Departments. Over 80 volunteers who helped with administration, gift-wrapping, cart-shuttling and much more.

Kids are selected by school counselors or school resource officers. This year the CCPOBF raised enough money that an expected 150 kids will be able to Shop with a Cop. The young participants will come from the Sandy, Estacada, Milwaukie, Lake Oswego, West Linn, Wilsonville, Oregon City, Gladstone, Molalla, Colton and the North Clackamas School Districts.

On Saturday children will once again receive $100 Wal-Mart gift certificates and be "assigned" their very own law-enforcement officers to accompany them during their shopping sprees. 

In previous years, almost all the kids shopped for their family members first, then themselves.

To learn more about "Shop with a Cop," or to donate to the event, visit https://ccpobf.org/programs/shop-with-a-cop.html

Photos from previous 'Shop With A Cop' events are attached to this release, and video from previous years are linked above.

ABOUT 'SHOP WITH A COP'

"Shop with a Cop" helps bridge relationships between children and the police. These children are specifically chosen because their families may have experienced prior law-enforcement activity with police -- creating a significant impact on the child. Witnessing the arrest of a loved one can cause many youngsters to harbor strong negative feelings towards law-enforcement. "Shop with a Cop" presents an opportunity to identify with those children and pair them together with a law-enforcement officer in a positive situation -- shopping for Christmas presents.

Once again, Wal-Mart has graciously donated funds to the event -- in addition to providing Wal-Mart staff and all necessary wrapping paper. Santa will also be there for a photo op.

Along with Wal-Mart's generosity, the event would not be possible without the Clackamas County Benevolent Foundation's support -- provided by the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office, Canby Police Department, Molalla Police Department, West Linn Police Department, Lake Oswego Police Department and public generosity. All had a major hand in contributing financially and physically to this event.

DONATIONS WELCOME

All members of the community are more than welcome to participate in this event by donating -- each $100 donation allows another child to participate in "Shop with a Cop." Info on CCPOBF donations is available by emailing F@CCPOBF.org">CCPOBF@CCPOBF.org or visiting https://ccpobf.org/about/make-a-donation.html

ABOUT THE CCPOBF

The Clackamas County Peace Officers Benevolent Foundation is a non-profit charitable organization that assists police officers and their families in Clackamas County when an officer is injured or killed. The Foundation also works closely with programs dedicated to helping at-risk children. To learn more about the CCPOBF, visit https://ccpobf.org/

[END]

On 12/08/2019 at about 0254 hours a Deputy was northbound on Interstate 5 exiting at the Battle Ground off ramp.  The Deputy observed a vehicle driving south on the northbound exit ramp attempting to enter the freeway going the wrong way.  The Deputy activated his emergency lights and moved his patrol car to the middle of the off ramp in an attempt to stop the wrong way driver.  The driver failed to stop and collided head-on with the deputy.  The driver was processed for DUI and did not sustain injuries.  The deputy was transported to a local hospital for treatment and was released.  Washington State Patrol is investigating.  No further details to be released at this time.  Picture is attached.

On 12/5/19 at approximately 1306 hours, the Clark County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a single engine aircraft incident at Grove Airfield located at 632 NE 262nd Avenue located in Clark County, WA.  The aircraft collided with a fence during landing and came to rest in an open field. The four occupants of the aircraft were uninjured. The incident is being investigated by the FAA and NTSB. There is no further information at this time.

Attatched is the timeline related to the Tiffiany Hill homicide investigation.  This timeline relates to incidences which occured in local jurisdictions.  

Clark County Major Crimes continues the investigation.

No further information at this time.

Welcome to the Oregon FBI’s Tech Tuesday segment. Today: Building a digital defense in your Internet of Things.

Last week we talked about smart TV’s – and how that built-in internet connection can allow manufacturers, streaming services, and even hackers an open door into your home.

This week, we are looking at the larger Internet of Things (IoT). Basically, this means everything else in your home that connects to the world wide web. If you look at the holiday wish lists that your kids, spouse, and parents conveniently dropped on you last week at Thanksgiving – most everything on there probably makes the cut.

Digital assistants, smart watches, fitness trackers, home security devices, thermostats, refrigerators, and even light bulbs are all on the list. Add to that all of the fun stuff: remote-controlled robots; games and gaming systems; interactive dolls; and talking stuffed animals … well, the list seems endless.

What these all have in common is that send and receive data. But do you know how that data is collected? And where it is going?

Another concern is that hackers can use that innocent device to do a virtual drive-by of your digital life. Unsecured devices can allow hackers a path into your router – giving the bad guy access to everything else on your home network that you thought was secure. Private pictures and passwords safely stored on your computer? Don’t be so sure.

Here’s what you can do to build that digital defense:

• Change the device’s factory settings from the default password. A simple internet search should tell you how – and if you can’t find the info, consider moving on to another product.
• Passwords should be as long as possible and unique for IoT devices.
• Many connected devices are supported by mobile apps on your phone. These apps could be running in the background and using default permissions that you never realized you approved. Know what kind of personal info those apps are collecting, and say “no” to privilege requests that don’t make sense.
• Secure your network. Your fridge and your laptop should not be on the same network. Keep your most private, sensitive data on a separate system from your other IoT devices.
• Make sure all of your devices are updated regularly. If automatic updates are available for software, hardware, and operating systems – turn them on.

As always, if you have been victimized by a 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. 

On November 30, 2019, Stephen John Albrich, DOB 1/7/68 was arrested at Legacy Emanuel Hospital on the charge of Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle.  Albrich was taken into custody on unrelated charges by Portland Police who notified Gladstone Police.  The original car theft complaint occurred on November 22, 2019 and the vehicle had been recovered prior to the arrest.  The case has been referred to the Clackamas County District Attorney for prosecution.   

Yesterday at 7:45 p.m., officers responded to a crash on Southeast 10th Avenue south of Southeast Cedar Street. A man on an adult-sized tricycle tried to cross the street mid-block and rode into the path of a northbound car. The car struck him. He was taken to the hospital by ambulance, where he died a few hours later.

The woman driving the car remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators. Preliminary investigation by patrol officers determined speed was not a factor, and the woman was not impaired by intoxicants.

Further investigation will be conducted by the Washington County Crash Analysis Reconstruction Team. No further information released at this time.

              HOLIDAY SHOPPING SAFETY

Your Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office offers the following shopping safety tips as the holiday season is fast approaching.  We have also included some tips for those who shop online: 

• Be alert and aware.  Be attentive to your surroundings at all times.
• Don’t carry more cash or valuables than is necessary.  Be discreet so that you don’t attract attention.
• Take extra precautions with your wallet or purse.  Carry your purse with the opening flap next to your body and with the strap hung over your shoulder.
• Allow for darkness.  It gets dark early this time of year, so be sure to factor this into shopping plans.
• Instruct children on holiday safety measures.  Know where your children are at all times.  Before going shopping, decide where to meet if you and your children should become separated.
• Always lock your car doors and remember where you park.
• Be sure to place valuables out of sight (i.e. packages, purses, mobile phones, CDs, etc.).  Place them in the trunk or take them with you.  This includes portable GPS units.
• Never hide spare keys in or on your car.  These hiding places are easily discovered.  If you need spare keys, keep them in your wallet or purse.
• Be alert to suspicious persons or circumstances.  Avoid parking where you see someone sitting in their vehicle for no apparent reason.
• Trust your instincts.  If you feel uncomfortable or unsafe in a situation, report it to security immediately.
• When walking in any parking lot, grocery store, airport, shopping center, etc., walk confidently with your head up, make eye contact, and have your keys ready.
• Do not drive across parking stalls.  Use appropriate marked driving lanes and obey all traffic signs.
• Drive defensively and courteously.
• Report all suspicious activity.
• And remember, parking lots will be more crowded and checkout lanes will be busier, so please be patient and have a safe shopping experience.

If you shop online, here are some ways to avoid becoming a victim of Porch Pirates – those who steal unattended packages from peoples property. They are heavily active this time of year.

• Schedule deliveries to arrive when you will be at home or have them delivered to your office.
• Have a trusted neighbor or friend pick up your packages if you won’t be home.
• Install a security camera on your property.
• Have packages delivered to a shipping store or an Amazon locker. If you hold a post office box, use USPS for shipping and take advantage of their package lockers to receive your items. Some post offices even allow boxholders to use it’s street address, with the customer’s box number as the “unit” number for deliveries from other carriers.

Have a safe and Happy Holiday !

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

Please see the volunteer position announcements at https://www.co.lincoln.or.us/emergencymanagement/page/lcso-volunteer-recruitment-announcement

The Emergency Management Division of Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office is recruiting three volunteer positions to assist local volunteer organizations with administrative support coordination.

Open Volunteer Support Liaison Positions:

• Lincoln County Citizen Corp Coordinating Council (LC5)
  • Provides support to the CERT Chapters of Lincoln County - Community Emergency Response Teams
• Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office Auxiliary Communications Services (ACS)
  • Provides support to the amateur radio operators team (no radio experience needed)
• Lincoln County Public Health Medical Reserve Corp (MRC)
  • Provides support to new volunteer group supporting community medical response (no medical experience needed)

The new volunteer positions require the same level of administrative support skills and experience and will be recognized as Volunteer Support Liaisons to their respective volunteer organizations.

The County Emergency Manager will coordinate the application, selection process and the supervision of the selected volunteers. Each position is expected to volunteer approximately 4-10 hours per month and would need to serve a term of at least one continual year with encouragement to renew annually.

The selected individuals should enjoy working in a group environment and must be comfortable with general clerical, administrative duties. The position announcements and application instructions are available on the County Emergency Management website at:

Application Process:

• Review the position recruitment announcement at https://www.co.lincoln.or.us/emergencymanagement/page/lcso-volunteer-recruitment-announcement then
• Forward an email of interest to County Emergency Manager by December 20th; if no interested applications are received the position will remain open until filled.
• Interview with Volunteer Coordinator then submit digital application for background check process.

For More Information - Contact:
Virginia Demaris
Lincoln County Emergency Management
Courthouse, Room 103
225 W. Olive Street
Newport, OR 97365
Phone: 541-265-4199 (work)
Email: vdemaris@co.lincoln.or.us

Linn County Sheriff Jim Yon reports on December 5th at 3:46 p.m., his deputies responded to a report of a robbery that had just occurred at the Santiam Sports Center located on NW 9th St. in Mill City.

The store clerk reported a male entered the business and gave him a note demanding money.  The male suspect displayed a knife and ordered the clerk to the ground after receiving an undisclosed amount of money.  The suspect then left on a bicycle.

Within minutes a citizen called reporting a male throwing items into bushes not far from the store.

The first deputy arrived at 3:57 p.m. and confronted the male suspect.  The suspect fled and was chased by the deputy.   After a short distance, two citizens intervened and detained the suspect. 

The suspect was identified as Timothy Lee Bassett, 38 years old from Mill City.  Deputies were able to recover most of the stolen money.  Bassett sustained minor injuries and was taken to Albany General Hospital to be treated, before being lodged at the Linn County Jail. Bassett was charged with Robbery I. 

Members of the Stayton Police Department and Marion County Sheriff’s Office also responded to assist.

On the early morning of December 4th at 2:33 AM Longview Fire was dispatched to a reported house fire located at 2698 Maplewood Dr. Dispatchers advised responding fire units the property owners had placed the 911 call and were re-entering the home to retrieve keys so they could move their vehicles and motorhome to allow firefighters to better access the scene.

Longview Fire arrived on scene 8 minutes after dispatch; Maplewood Drive is accessed off Columbia Heights Rd. Firefighters were greeted by the property owners advising that everybody was out and they had a fire in the kitchen ceiling. Firefighters quickly accessed the attic space and found a fire that had been smoldering for quite some time. Firefighters extinguished the fire and overhauled the immediate area. The fire had smoldered long enough to burn through the bottom cords of the ceiling joists.

The property owners told firefighters they were asleep when they heard a crashing sound so they got up to investigate, finding the newly installed ceiling fan had crashed to the floor and they could see fire in the attic. All three occupants escaped, including one who is confined to a wheelchair.

The fire was declared under control within 20 minutes, however firefighters remained on scene for over an hour to fully overhaul the fire area. The fire investigator determined the fire started at the electrical box where the ceiling fan had been installed. The family was displaced from the fire and was able to seek refuge and short term housing in their motorhome.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) the time period from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. accounts for 51 percent of civilian fire fatalities in residential buildings. At the time of their deaths, 37 percent of fire victims in residential buildings were trying to escape; escape factors include unfamiliarity with exits, excessive travel distance to the nearest clear exit, choice of an inappropriate exit route, and re-entering the building after a safe exit. Longview Fire Department reminds everyone that if a fire breaks out in your home, get out and stay out, and don’t re-enter until after the fire department advises it’s safe to re-enter.

On 12/7/2019, at about 7:00 p.m., deputies with the Marion County Sheriff's Office responded to assist the Gervais Police Department on a report of a domestic disturbance in the 100 block of 7th Street in Gervais. The Victim, 35-year old- Stephanie Jones of Gervais reported she was punched by her brother, 41-year old- Jacob Zellner of Gervais.

When deputies arrived they were able to determine that Zellner was alone inside the house and had barricaded himself inside. After several failed attempts to make contact with Zellner, Gervais Police requested Marion County SWAT due to the developing situation.

Marion County SWAT arrived with Hostage Negotiators to attempt de-escalating the situation. After an almost four hour standoff, deputies made entry into the home, less lethal munitions were deployed and a K9 was used in the apprehension of the suspect. He was transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries. No Deputies were injured during the standoff.

Zellner is currently receiving treatment at an area hospital for his injuries. Upon release from the hospital, Zellner will be taken to the Marion County Jail for the charges of Menacing, Assault IV-Felony and Aggravated Harassment.

Deputies were assisted on scene by the Gervais Police Department, Marion County SWAT, Marion County Tactical Negotiation Team, and the Woodburn Fire Department.

This is an ongoing investigation and no other information is available for release at this time.

Correction, the name of the 3rd victim is Diego Lucas Felipe.

On November 29th, 2019, the Marion County Sheriff's Office responde to a motor vehicle crash at the intersection of Sunnyview Road NE and Cordon Road NE which resulted in 3 fatalities.  The names of two of the deceased passengers were previously released.  The third passenger has been identified as Lucas Felipe Diego, an 18 year-old male.

The investigation into the crash is on going, no additional details are available at this time.

On November 29th, 2019, deputies responded to a fatal motor vehicle collision involving 2 vehicles at the intersection of Sunnyview Road NE and Cordon Road NE.  Tragically, 3 people were pronounced as deceased at the scene.  One of the involved vehicles, a Chevrolet passenger van, was transporting a group of Christmas tree workers who are from Guatemala.  Between the two vehicles, there were a total of 14 occupants ranging in ages from 14 years-old to 64 years-old. 

Andres Alonzo-Canil, a 41 year-old man, and Miguel Alonzo-Lucas, a 39 year-old man, have been identified as two of the passengers from the van who died in the collision.  Deputies are still working to confirm the identity of the third deceased passenger from the van.  Three other passengers from the van are still in area hospitals, one of which remains in critical condition.

The drivers involved in the collision have been cooperative with investigators.  Pablo Gaspar-Ezequiel, 35, has been identified as the driver of the Chevrolet passenger van.  The driver of the F-350 has been identified as Cory Kudna, 18.

Investigators from the Marion County CRASH Team are continuing to investigate the events leading up to the collision.  Once the investigation is complete, it will be forwarded to and reviewed by the Marion County District Attorney’s Office.

The Sheriff’s Office was assisted during this incident by several agencies, including the Salem Police Department, Keizer Police Department, Marion County Fire District #1, Marion County Public Works, Marion County District Attorney’s Office, Falck Ambulance, Woodburn Fire District, and Crisis Chaplaincy Services.

    At approximately 7:23 pm on November 29th, 2019, deputies were dispatched to the report of a serious injury motor vehicle collision on Cordon Road NE near Sunnyview RD NE.  When emergency services arrived at the crash, they found a collision involving a Ford F-350 and a Chevy passenger van.

A total of 13 patients were discovered in the van.  Of the 13 patients, 3 were pronounced as deceased at the scene, 2 are in critical condition. There was one occupant in the Ford F-350 who was transported to the hospital for injuries. 

              Investigators from the Marion County CRASH team responded to the scene and conducted a preliminary investigation into the crash.  The initial investigation indicates the driver of the F-350 was traveling westbound on Sunnyview Road NE prior to the crash.  The Chevrolet passenger van was traveling eastbound and made a left hand turn in front of the F-350, which resulted in the collision.  Additional investigation will be conducted over the coming days.  Both drivers involved in the collision are cooperating with investigators.

              This is an ongoing investigation, no additional information regarding the events leading up to the crash are available for release at this time.  The identities of the deceased passengers will be released after next of kin have been notified.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

At approximately 7:23 pm on November 29th, 2019, deputies were dispatched to the report of a head on collision on Cordon Road NE near Sunnyview RD NE. The crash involved a Ford F-350 and a Chevy passenger van.

Three fatalities were reported as a result of the crash. At least three other occupants were transported to area hospitals for their injuries. The cause of the accident is still under investigation and identities are not being released pending notification of the next of kin.

At this time Cordon Rd will be blocked at Sunnyview Rd and Swegle Rd. with the help of Marion County Public works until investigations are completed. At this time crews are hoping to have all roads opened by approximately 1 am.

Marion County Deputies were assisted by Salem Police Department, Marion County Fire Department, Marion County Public Works and the Marion County District Attorney’s Office

Case # 19-009647                                       REPORTED RAPE/ASSAULT

Date: 12/6/2019

On 12/3/2019 at about 10:00 am, the Milwaukie Police were made aware of a post on social media which alleged a sexual assault had occurred in Milwaukie the night before, around 10:00 pm.  Based on the second-hand details provided on social media, officers and detectives canvassed a small area in the Ardenwald neighborhood and were able to identify and locate the person the post referred to.  Although the information on social media indicated the victim had gone to the hospital, police learned that had not happened.  The matter had not been reported to police until we located the victim.  She reluctantly provided a statement to investigators and then went for a medical evaluation.

Detectives are actively investigating the allegations and take complaints of this nature very seriously.  Nothing is more important to us than the actual safety, and the perception of safety within our community.  We have increased general patrols in the area, as a   precautionary measure.  The investigation is on-going and confidential.  Based on all available information, we do not believe residents should be concerned for their safety. 

We will continue to investigate the matter diligently and respectfully and we appreciate the trust and support of the community.  If anyone believes they have information directly related to this investigation they can contact Detective Crystal Hill or Detective Kathryn Meier (503 786-7574). 

CORRECTION: The name of the passenger is 40-year old Ernest Matthew Birney, not Marquese Walker.
____________________________________________________________________________________

Original release:

On December 7th, at approximately 9:17 a.m., a Multnomah County Sheriff’s deputy performed a traffic stop on a silver Kia Spectra near the intersection of NE 181st Avenue & Pacific St. The driver of the Kia, however, did not stop and a momentary pursuit developed. The pursuit was quickly terminated for safety reasons.

The driver, identified as 30-year old Shane Michael Freda, traveled northbound on NE 181st Avenue toward I-84. Before turning east onto the freeway, Freda dropped off his passenger, 40-year old Ernest Matthew Birney.

Freda continued eastbound on I-84, exiting at NE 238th Avenue. Deputies temporarily lost sight of Freda, who was traveling at a high rate of speed. A short time later, deputies spotted Freda parked in a lot near NE 201st Avenue & Sandy Blvd. Deputies tried to block Freda from exiting the lot. Freda rammed two patrol cars, causing damage to both vehicles. Deputies followed Freda on I-84 eastbound, but again terminated the pursuit for safety reasons.

MCSO deputies alerted Oregon State Police troopers, who used spike strips to disable Freda’s vehicle near milepost 49, just east of Cascade Locks. Troopers found Freda hiding in the woods, not far from the freeway, and took him into custody.

Deputies returned to the lot where Freda was parked and recovered an assault rifle and three loaded magazines.

Freda was taken to a hospital for medical evaluation, and then will be booked in the Multnomah County Jail on charges of felon in possession of a firearm, felony elude, reckless driving, possession of methamphetamine and criminal mischief. Walker will be booked on a warrant.

No deputies were hurt in this morning’s pursuit. The investigation is ongoing and no further details are available at this time. Mugshots will be available once the men are booked.

After careful consideration and time, and hearing from the current communications team and command staff, the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office has selected a media professional to lead the Communications Unit. The agency is pleased to announce our new communications director Chris Liedle.

Liedle comes to us from KATU, where he worked as a reporter for more than four years. Prior to that, he was employed as a multimedia journalist in Eugene. In all, he brings about eight years of media experience, which will prove valuable in this new role.

We want to thank Sgt. Brandon White for leading the unit for a year and a half. Sgt. White is staying on with the agency and is sliding to another role.

News media, the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office is discontinuing the PIO pager. All media inquiries must be placed to the PIO email, pio@mcso.us. This is to ensure a timelier response. The Communications Unit office number remains the same, (503) 988-2300.

On December 5, 2019 at about 3:25 a.m., Multnomah County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a home on South Troutdale Road in Troutdale on a report of a domestic disturbance.  When deputies arrived, they found a woman in the home with several injuries. The woman was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Because of the nature of the incident, MCSO detectives responded to the scene.

The suspect left the home before deputies arrived. Patrol deputies searched the area for the man. At about 11:33 a.m., deputies located the suspect and took him into custody not far from the home.

The suspect is identified as Jonathan Baldridge, 48, of Troutdale. Baldridge was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on the following charges, rape in the first degree, attempted unlawful penetration, strangulation, domestic violence, and felony assault four constituting domestic violence.

The investigation is ongoing and no further details can be released at this time.

The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) is excited to be part of this year’s Holiday Shop with a Cop. MCSO is partnering with Gresham Optimist Club, Salvation Army and Target for this event, marking more than 8 years of giving. This allows MCSO deputies to spend the morning with kids from east Multnomah County.

Salvation Army identified children through their community outreach and after school programs to join our law enforcement deputies for an unforgettable morning of holiday cheer, gift buying and shopping for warm clothes. This program wouldn’t be possible without the support of Gresham Optimist Club and Target who have generously sponsored the event to help these children to get the gifts they want and warm clothes they need.

Deputies from MCSO’s Law Enforcement Division will be at the Fairview Target (21500 NE Halsey St) on Saturday December 7th at 10:00 a.m.  

##

UPDATE 3:30 pm: David has been located safe and is being reunited with family.  Thanks!

The Oregon City Police are looking for the public’s assistance locating 29-year-old David Rich.  David was last seen near 5th St. and Main St. in Oregon City at 1:30 pm.  David is Down Syndrome and may not know where he is going.  David is 5’6” tall and 200 lbs.  He is wearing a black jacket, black pants, with red/black Air Jordan hat.  Call Clackamas County Dispatch, 503-655-8211 if you see David.  503-655-8211 with info.

This morning, just after 11:00 am, our school resource officer at the Oregon City High School, 19761 S. Beavercreek Rd, learned from a tip that a 16-year-old student had a handgun in his waistband.  Our school resource officers and patrol officers were able to identify who the student was and learned that the student was in class.  We acted quickly and swiftly to locate the student and detained him without any incident.  The student was found to be in possession of several weapons including a handgun and ammunition.  We are currently investigating why the student brought the weapons to school.  We do not have any other information leading us to believe there are any other threats to students or staff safety.

The student was arrested for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Disorderly Conduct II, and Threat of Harm.

We would like to thank those who came forward and provided us with this critical information.  We can’t emphasize how important it is that if you see something to say something because school safety is our number one priority.  We will continue to investigate this incident and are working closely with school staff. 

For more information on school safety, please visit: http://ocsd62.org/safety

On Friday, December 6, 2019 at approximately 10:03 P.M. Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to the report of a vehicle crash on Hwy 395 at the intersection of E Punkin Center Rd.  

The preliminary investigation revealed that a gold, 2009 Toyota Camry, operated by Michelle Dawn Fry (45) of Umatilla,  was traveling northbound on Hwy 395 and failed to stop at a red light and collided with a black 2006 KIA Spectra, operated by Elidio Salas De La Paz (77) of Hermiston, which was traveling southbound on Hwy 395 making a left hand turn onto E Punkin Center Rd. 

Salas De La Paz and his wife/passenger Alicia Salas (75) were both transported by ambulance to Good Shepherd Medical Center, Hermiston.  Alicia Salas was pronounced deceased at the hospital.

Fry was lodged at the Umatilla County Jail on the charges of Manslaughter, DUII, Assault, and reckless driving.

OSP was assisted by ODOT, Umatilla County Fire District #1, Umatilla County Sheriff's Office and Hermiston Police Department.

The Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division is asking for the public's help in locating the person(s) responsible for the unlawful killing and waste of a 4X5 bull elk and a cow elk in Tillamook County.

On Wednesday, December 4, 2019, Tillamook OSP Fish and Wildlife Troopers were dispatched to a report of a deceased bull elk. The deceased bull elk was located approximately 3 miles up Kansas Creek Road in an area known as Hembre Ridge.  

The bull elk was killed using a rifle and left to waste with no meat removed.  Further investigation led to the discovery of a deceased cow elk nearby.  Neither elk was salvageable and it appeared both elk had been shot within the past few days.

OSP is asking anyone who was in the area or anyone who may have information on the person(s) responsible to call the TIP line at 1-800-452-7888, or OSP (677) and refer information to Trooper Charles Reeder.  Information can also be sent by email to TIP@state.or.us.

Report Wildlife and Habitat Law Violators 

The TIP program offers preference point rewards for information leading to an arrest or issuance of a citation for the unlawful take/possession or waste of big game mammals.

Preference Point Rewards:

5 Points-Bighorn Sheep

5 Points-Rocky Mountain Goat

5 Points-Moose

5 Points-Wolf

4 Points-Elk

4 Points-Deer

4 Points-Antelope

4 Points-Bear

4 Points-Cougar

Or the Oregon Hunters Association TIP reward fund also offers cash rewards for information leading to an arrest or issuance of a citation for the unlawful take/possession or waste of Bighorn Sheep, Rocky Mountain Goat, Moose, Elk, Deer, Antelope, Bear, Cougar, Wolf, Upland Birds, Waterfowl, Furbearers, Game Fish and Shellfish.  Cash rewards can also be awarded for turning in people who destroy habitat, illegally obtain licenses/tags and for the unlawful lending/borrowing of big game tags.

CASH REWARDS:

$1,000 Bighorn Sheep, Rocky Mountain Goat and Moose 
$500 Elk, Deer and Antelope 
$300 Bear, Cougar and Wolf 
$300 Habitat Destruction

$200 Illegally Obtaining License/Tag(s)

$200 Unlawful Lend/Borrow Big Game Tags(s) 
$100 Upland Birds and Waterfowl 
$100 Furbearers 

$100 Game Fish and Shellfish 

How to Report a Wildlife and/or Habitat Law Violation or Suspicious Activity: 

TIP Hotline: 1-800-452-7888 or OSP(677)

TIP E-Mail: TIP@state.or.us (Monitored M-F 8:00AM - 5:00PM)

On Wednesday, December 4, 2019 at approximately 8:40 P.M. Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a two vehicle crash on Hwy 730 near milepost 202.

Preliminary investigation revealed that a 1999 Ford F-150 PU was westbound on Hwy 730 when for unknown reasons crossed into the eastbound lane and collided with a 2011 Volvo Semi Truck with flatbed trailer loaded with metal products, operated by Steven Unruh (64) from Nampa. ID.

The operator of the Ford F-150 sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased. Name will be released after next of kin has been notified.

Unruh was transported to Good Shepherd Medical Center in Hermiston.

Hwy 730 was closed for approximately 4 hours.

OSP was assisted by Umatilla Fire District #1 and ODOT

UPDATE

Salem Police investigators have identified the pedestrian involved in the fatal crash on December 4th as 72 yr old Salem resident Rodric Kenyon Drolshagen.  Drolshagen was walking his dog across front street, at State Street, and was in a marked crosswalk,  when he was struck by a vehicle and later pronounced deceased at the scene.  His dog was not injured and is currently in the process of being reunited with family members. 

The investigation is continuing and no citations or arrests have been made. 

###

On 12/4/19, shortly before 11am, Salem Police responded to a report of a vehicle crash involving a pedestrian at the intersection of Front St and State Street.  Witnesses reported the pedestrian was struck as he was attempting to cross the northbound lanes of Front street, heading from the Riverfront park area.   The involved vehicle, a black Ford Explorer, was exiting the Riverfront Carousel parking lot, located at State street and Front street, and was turning left to proceed northbound onto Front street, when the pedestrian was hit.  Witnesses provided first aid to the pedestrian prior to emergency responders arriving.  The pedestrian was prounced deceased at the scene.

The involved driver remained on scene and is cooperating with the investigation.  Investigators are working to identify and contact the next of kin for the pedestrian.  The cause of the crash is still under investigation.  There have been no citations or arrests made.

Northbound Front street from Commercial street to Chemeketa street will remain closed for the next few hours while the investigation continues.  State street from Commercial street to Front street will also remain closed during this time.  Southbound Front street remains open.  

### 

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

Update: Marten Wells has been located. The Sandy Police appreciate the tips we received from the community regarding this case.

Original release below:

On 11-30-19, the Sandy Police Department received a report of a missing and possibly endangered Sandy resident. Marten Wells, age 68, was reported as missing by his family, and they reported that they had not heard from him since 11-13-19. He is suffering from a mental health issue, and may be in crisis from that issue. Investigators are requesting that anyone with any knowledge of Mr. Wells' whereabouts or have seen him since 11-13-19, please call 503-668-5566, the SPD Tip Line at  503-489-2195, or their local police and callers may remain anonymous. 

When: December 5 at 9a.m. (concludes no later than 10a.m.)

Where: Station 67, 13810 SW Farmington Road, Beaverton, OR 97005

B-roll of trailer being set up: https://gcs-vimeo.akamaized.net/exp=1575502539~acl=%2A%2F1575266407.mp4%2A~hmac=87b61f564b57a59010b38a17fd15a8efe29b0231c8ec172ff7da1017422954f2/vimeo-prod-skyfire-std-us/01/438/15/377190206/1575266407.mp4

Over the past five years, TVF&R’s team entrusted with training firefighters has been working on a mobile training trailer that can be taken to fire stations. Part of the trailer is designed to resemble a fire engine. Firefighters are able to practice forcing a door, using an extension ladder and deploying fire hose quickly. These are essential skills needed at the scene of fires. Reporters will be able to put on firefighting gear and practice these skills. 

Firefighters worked with trailer designers on features that allow them to immediately stop training or flowing water from fire hoses so they can respond within seconds of an emergency call. They also worked to ensure the trailer was built to withstand a lot of wear and tear. (Firefighters are known to test the limits of most tools.)

Since TVF&R’s 27 fire stations are located throughout 11 cities in four counties over 390 square miles, it’s not always convenient to go to a training center. It’s also essential that fire crews are ready to respond quickly when an emergency happens nearby.

For more than two decades, TVF&R residents have been surveyed about their opinion and priorities for their fire and emergency medical services provider. Without fail, they always list “fast and effective response” as the top priority. This training trailer helps ensure that firefighters can regularly hone their skills while maintaining response readiness.

Vancouver, Wash. – On Saturday, December 7, 2019, the Vancouver Police Officer’s Guild (VPOG) and Nautilus, Inc. will be hosting a holiday shopping event for kids in need. This will be the fourth year combining the Nautilus, Inc. Holiday Helper event with the VPOG Shop With A Cop. This combined event will allow over 100 local kids the opportunity to shop with more than 200 combined Vancouver Police officers and Nautilus, Inc. staff volunteering their time in the early morning hours. Each child will leave with wrapped gifts of their choosing to take home for Christmas.     

            Date:               Saturday, December 7, 2019

            Time:                5:30 a.m. - 7:30 a.m.

            Location:          Target (16200 NE Mill Plain Blvd.)

This will be the 27th anniversary of Shop With A Cop and the 16th year for Nautilus Holiday Helpers.  

Each year the Vancouver Police Officers Guild and Nautilus, Inc. work with multiple community social service agencies serving families in need to identify and select the children to participate in these shopping events (all children have already been pre-selected by the social service agencies and this event is not open to the general public).

Members of the media are invited and encouraged to attend and will have access to the store at 5:30a.m., with kids arriving at approximately 5:45a.m. The shopping event will conclude at 7:30a.m.

###

The Vancouver Police Department is seeking applicants for Entry and Lateral Police Officers. If you are interested in a career with us, visit http://www.cityofvancouver.us/police/page/careers.

Isabel Espinoza was located early this morning and is back with her family. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the public for their help.

Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies are asking for the public’s help in finding 69-year-old Isabel Espinoza. Ms. Espinoza was last seen today, December 4, 2019, around 2 p.m. near SW 198th Ave. and SW Alexander Street in the community of Aloha. She has Alzheimer's and may have trouble getting home.

Ms. Espinoza was last seen wearing a black shirt, blue jeans, a black stocking cap, and a black scarf. She is five feet tall and weighs approximately 150 pounds. If you know the whereabouts of Ms. Espinoza or have seen her today, please call 503-629-0111.

On Tuesday December 4, 2019, at 9:31 a.m., a Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded to a call near the 8500 block of SW Oleson Rd. regarding a male who was making gun gestures at passing vehicles. When the deputy arrived, he was confronted by 34-year-old Daniel Bean of Portland. Mr. Bean pointed a rifle at the deputy then retreated into his home.

Deputies were later able to determine the rifle Mr. Bean pointed at the deputy was a BB gun.

Several deputies went to the location to assist, including members of the inter-agency Washington County Tactical Negotiation Team (TNT), Robot Team, and Crisis Negotiation Unit (CNU).  Deputies attempted to communicate with Mr. Bean who appeared to be having a mental health crisis. 

After more than two hours, Mr. Bean was taken into custody without injury to himself or deputies. Mr. Bean was lodged in his Washington County Jail on charges:

• Menacing
• Disorderly conduct in the second degree

While at the Washington County Jail, Mr. Bean’s mental health will be evaluated and he will be offered mental health resources.

In July and October 2019, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office conducted two child predator stings where investigators posed as children online.  As part of those stings, deputies arrested 15 men.  During those missions, investigators were chatting with dozens of people and several of those conversations continued over the following months.

During the July sting, a man who was chatting online with the undercover deputy agreed to meet a child for sex and drove from Washington state to Oregon that day.  Detectives with the Violent Crimes Unit worked to identify him as 38-year-old Michael Allan Anderson from Castle Rock, Washington.  A Washington County grand jury indicted Mr. Anderson on November 26 for luring a minor, online sexual corruption of a child in the first degree and attempted rape in the third degree.  Clatsop County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested Mr. Anderson on December 4.

During the October sting, another man was chatting with an undercover police officer and agreed to meet a child for sex.  Detectives continued to chat with him over the next month and identified him as 31-year-old Justin DePriest from Vancouver, Washington.  On December 3, Mr. DePriest drove from Washington to Oregon believing he was going to meet the child and was instead contacted by detectives and arrested.  He was charged with luring a minor and online sexual corruption of a child in the first degree.

The Sheriff’s Office does regular child predator stings, both as full-scale undercover operations and day-to-day online chatting.  Detectives recognize child predators use social media applications and video gaming chat platforms to find underage victims and are committed to identifying child predators before they locate real-world victims.

The original media releases are below.

---

Nine Men Arrested in Undercover Child Predator Sting

October 18, 2019

On Thursday, October 17, 2019, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office conducted a child predator sting where investigators posed on a variety of social media platforms and dating web sites as 15-year-old boys and girls.  The men contacted undercover deputies online and were arrested after arriving at a location where they believed they would be meeting a child in person for sex.

During this sting, multiple people immediately ended their conversations once they learned the person they were talking with was identifying as a child.

The Sheriff’s Office regularly conducts undercover operations targeting child predators.  Parents are encouraged to help their children be safe online and to be aware of the websites and mobile applications their kids are using.  The Sheriff’s Office also provides online safety education for parents and community organizations.

All of the following men were arrested for the felony crimes of luring a minor and online sexual corruption of a child in the first degree:

• Joseph Kenneth Raney, 30, of Portland
• Brandon Daily Perkins, 36, of McMinnville
• Brent Wayne Pruitt, 41, of Portland
• Maverick William Pfel, 39, of Beaverton
• Christopher Michael Mckane, 40, of Beaverton
• Jonathan Arthur Hauck, 48, of Newberg.  Mr. Hauck also had an outstanding Probation Violation warrant.
• Tou Moua, 37, of Happy Valley.
• Wayne Michael Redman, 29, of Portland
• Gaspar Gaona-Aguilar, 48, of Beaverton. Mr. Gaona-Aguilar was also arrested for criminal driving while suspended and a probation violation related to his registered sex offender status.

Six Men Arrested in Undercover Child Predator Sting

July 12, 2019

On July 11, 2019, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office conducted a child predator sting where investigators posed on a variety of social media platforms and dating web sites as 15-year-old boys and girls.  The men contacted undercover deputies online and were arrested after arriving at a location where they believed they would be meeting a child in person for sex.

During this sting, multiple people immediately ended their conversations once they learned the person they were talking with was identifying as a child.

The Sheriff’s Office regularly conducts undercover operations targeting child predators.  Parents are encouraged to help their children be safe online and to be aware of the sites and applications their kids are using.  The Sheriff’s Office also provides online safety education for parents and community organizations.

All of the following men were arrested for the felony crimes of luring a minor and online sexual corruption of a child in the first degree:

• Mario Bautista-Perez, 26, of Beaverton
• Alfonso Cuevas-Alvarez, 40, of Oregon City
• Larry Liu, 22, of Bethany
• Shawn O’Brien, 30, of Portland
• Pavel Protopopov, 25, of Washington State
• Daniel Yim, 37, of Bethany

On December 4th, the Oregon State Sheriff’s Association held its annual awards banquet at the Riverhouse Conference Center in Bend, Oregon.  This banquet takes place to recognize individuals throughout the state for outstanding achievements within the past year.  The Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office had three representatives who were privileged to receive awards.

Derek Trombla, who retired in 2019 after 32 years in Law Enforcement, received the Meritorious Service Award for his commitment to his community and his work with students as a patrol and school resource deputy.

Volunteer Darrell Flood received the 2019 Enforcement Volunteer of the Year award in recognition of significant contributions to the Office and larger public good as a member of the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office Volunteer Response Unit.

The highlight of the evening was Sheriff Tim Svenson receiving Sheriff of the Year for 2019.  The award, which signifies exemplary service above and beyond, recognizes Sheriff Svenson’s participation and contributions toward OSSA’s objectives and efforts in 2019.  Sheriff Svenson, who is only the fourth Yamhill County Sheriff to receive this award since its inception in 1971, was presented his award with the following passage:

Sheriff Svenson recognizes the vital role OSSA plays in the State of Oregon and has stepped up to serve in several areas.  Along with serving as the OSSA Executive Board Secretary, Sheriff Svenson is an active member of several regional, state, and national groups related to public safety, including DPSST’s Telecommunications Policy Committee, Juvenile Issues Policy Workgroup, Opioid Task Force, and the Oregon APCO/NENA Plain Language Workgroup.  In addition, he serves on the Jail Command Council and as OJS lead inspector liaison.  Sheriff Svenson is also involved in OSSA’s Awards Committee, LE Responsible Technology Workgroup, and Budget Committee.  Sheriff Svenson is always volunteering to assist wherever he can for the OSSA. Sheriff Svenson also directly assisted on the weeklong OSSA Command College, providing exceptional leadership and guidance to our current and future leaders.

Sheriff Svenson is, at the Federal and as OSSA’s direct representative, a member of the Medicaid Task Force on addressing inmate health care and recidivism.  He is instrumental on the committee to reduce recidivism through continuity of healthcare services for pretrial inmates.  Sheriff Svenson is working on the 2020 State Health Improvement Plan as an active committee member on the access to equitable preventive health care priority area.  Sheriff Svenson’s work in this area is instrumental in changing how we address inmate wellbeing and prevent recidivism.

PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center will host a community Christmas tree lighting celebration on Wednesday Dec. 11, 2019 starting at 5 p.m. The special celebration will feature musical performances, Christmas readings and carols, a blessing from Sr. Anne Hayes, plus cookies and hot cocoa, and is open to the public. The event will be hosted by PeaceHealth St. John Chief Administrative Officer Cherelle Montanye.

Schedule of events:
5-6:30 pm: Cookies, hot cocoa, coffee and music in the PeaceHealth St. John main lobby
5:30 pm: Performance by Calvary Community Church Choir, directed by Kristin McCormick
6 pm: Welcome by Cherelle Montanye – PeaceHealth St. John Chief Administrative Officer
Reading of “The Christmas Story” from the book of Luke
6:15 pm: Guests will move outside to the PeaceHealth St. John Delaware St. courtyard to enjoy the lighting of the tree
6:30 pm: Blessing offered by Sr. Anne Hayes of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace, followed by caroling. This community event is open to all who wish to attend!

When: Wednesday Dec. 11th 2019 beginning at 5 p.m.
Where: PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center; 1615 Delaware St. in Longview, WA
About PeaceHealth St. John: Longview-based PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center and Medical Group provides comprehensive specialty care for more than 190,000 patients per year in Cowlitz County, WA. As one of community’s largest employers with more than 1,500 caregivers and 260 active medical staff members, PeaceHealth St. John offers dozens of medical specialty services and programs including emergency, trauma, heart, behavioral health, bone and joint, cancer, birthing and women’s services. peacehealth.org/st-john-medical-center

Salem Health will host a grand opening of its brand-new medical clinic in Woodburn on Dec. 13, 2019. The new 31,000-square-foot facility, located west of Interstate 5, will begin seeing patients on Jan. 2, 2020. The clinic makes full-spectrum, culturally competent health care more convenient for thousands of Mid-Willamette Valley residents.

About the new clinic

The new Woodburn facility is Salem Health’s largest medical clinic. The clinic will offer family medicine, urgent care, lab, imaging (ultrasound, x-ray and mammography) and specialty care services — including physical therapy, OB/GYN and maternal-fetal medicine.

Patients can begin scheduling appointments on Dec. 11, 2019, via MyChart and by calling 503-902-3900 or 844-902-3900. Online scheduling is also available for same-day urgent care appointments in English and Spanish via our website: salemhealth.org/woodburn.

“Woodburn is a diverse community poised for significant growth over the next decade,” said Lee Espey, the clinic’s site administrator. “In diverse communities, language and access are often barriers to quality health care. We are addressing that by requiring all clinic staff to be bilingual and by bringing more services to Woodburn and the surrounding areas under one roof.”

The design of the clinic allows for self-rooming — a unique feature that lets patients check themselves in and immediately go into a private exam room. This greatly reduces the time patients spend waiting to see a medical provider.

“Nobody likes waiting in the waiting room, and then again in the exam room,” Espey said. “Moving swiftly to the exam room helps put people at ease. Anything we can do to facilitate a positive experience for patients — that sets the stage for their all-important discussion with the physician. It’s a win for everyone.”

Salem Health Medical Clinic – Woodburn’s primary and specialty hours are Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Urgent Care hours will be Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Grand opening ceremony

Woodburn Chamber’s Greeters, hosted by Love Santa, will meet from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. at the clinic directly before the grand opening. The grand opening will then include a ribbon cutting ceremony, tours of the facility and coffee provided by Starbucks®.

Those attending the grand opening will hear from Salem Health President and CEO Cheryl Wolfe, Woodburn Mayor Eric Swenson, and Oregon Rep. Teresa Alonso León. The public is welcome.

About Salem Health

Salem Health offers exceptional care to people in and around Oregon’s Mid-Willamette Valley. It comprises hospitals in Salem and Dallas, a medical group of primary and specialty care providers, plus other affiliated services. Visit us at www.salemhealth.org; “Like” us on www.facebook.com/salemhealth; follow us on Twitter: @salemhealth; and view us at www.youtube.com/salemhealth. 

Media contact: Salem Health 24-hour media relations line — 971-718-3157

The replacement of  a variable message board on northbound Interstate 5 at Lake Creek Road (milepost 214) in the mid Willamette Valley will cause evening delays during December 9-10. To safely remove the old board and install the new one, there will need to be evening lane closures.  

The work is scheduled from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. each evening on December 9 and 10.  One lane will remain open during the work.  In addition, there will be evening rolling traffic slowdowns starting at the Randy Pape Beltline (OR 569) in Eugene. Travelers should expect delays.

Travelers are encouraged to visit TripCheck.com for the very latest on traffic conditions. 

For Immediate Release
December 5, 2019

Contact:                     bings@portvanusa.com">Heather Stebbings, Director of Communications
                                   360.823.5296 direct
                                   360.518.8590 cell

Christmas Ships viewing at Terminal 1 set for Dec. 19

Port of Vancouver event an annual tradition

VANCOUVER, Wash. – Join the Port of Vancouver USA on Dec. 19 for the fifth annual Christmas Ships viewing event at Terminal 1!

This free event begins at 6 p.m. in the Warehouse ’23 event space at 100 Columbia Street, Vancouver. It features live music, food and drink, family friendly fun and the Christmas Ships, estimated to arrive between 7:30 and 8 p.m.

Activities at this year’s event include:

• Holiday classics by the Vancouver Community Concert Band
• Alpacas dressed as reindeer to pet and feed
• Face painting, balloon creations, and magic with Adam the Great
• Free children’s books from the Fort Vancouver Regional Library Foundation and port tenants NuStar Energy L.P., Food Express Inc. and Vanport Trucking
• Warm beverages and cookies
• Warehouse ’23 gourmet macaroni and cheese for purchase
• Cash bar for those 21 and over
• Free glow necklaces for children while supplies last

The port’s waterfront project team will also be on hand to share the latest plans to redevelop historic Terminal 1, including designs for the overall development, proposed public marketplace and northern blocks.

The Port of Vancouver has held a free Christmas Ships viewing event at Terminal 1 since 2015. The event continues to grow each year and is becoming a holiday tradition as one of the few free, indoor viewing events along the Columbia River.  Parking at the waterfront is limited so using ride-share services is encouraged.  Attendees can also park downtown and catch two RYD vehicles that will be picking up and dropping off  at the Hilton Hotel pullout.  The RYD vehicles will operate from 5-9 p.m. for free.

For information about port projects, events and more, visit www.portvanusa.com.

– POV –

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

For Immediate Release

December 4, 2019

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

                                            360.823.5296 direct

                                            360.518.8590 cell

Port of Vancouver USA Commissioner Jerry Oliver named Honorary Lifetime Member of Washington Public Ports Association

VANCOUVER, Wash. – The Washington Public Ports Association (WPPA) has recognized Port of Vancouver USA Commissioner Jerry Oliver as an Honorary Lifetime Member.

Commissioner Oliver received the award on November 22 at the WPPA Annual Convention in Tacoma, Wash. He was selected for performing extraordinary service in the port industry, including leadership on port, transportation and maritime issues in Washington State.

“Jerry Oliver’s impact on the Washington Public Ports Association has been monumental,” said Don Meyer, WPPA President. “He has served as a past president of the association, as a commissioner at the Port of Vancouver since 2007 and has been an absolute stalwart member. For his contributions and leadership within the association, and within the Vancouver community, we were pleased to present Mr. Oliver with an Honorary Lifetime Membership.”

During his tenure with the port, Commissioner Oliver has helped usher in a period of tremendous growth and success. He played a key role in the West Vancouver Freight Access (WVFA) project, a $250 million infrastructure initiative to expand the port’s rail system from 16 miles of track to nearly 50 miles.  Additional capital investments under his leadership include the 108-acre Centennial Industrial Park, Terminal 1 waterfront development project and expansion of the port’s marine and industrial operations.  

Each of these efforts have attracted or retained employers and supported jobs in multiple sectors, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and hospitality. With Commissioner Oliver’s leadership, the port’s annual economic impact in the region has grown from $1.6 billion to $3.8 billion, and jobs at the port and its facilities have increased to nearly 4,000. 

Commissioner Oliver announced earlier this year that he would not seek a third term on the Board of Commissioners. His current term expires December 31, 2019.

– POV –

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

Boise, Idaho – The United States is sending 21 wildland fire personnel from the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Forest Service to assist with ongoing wildfire suppression efforts in Australia. Australia is experiencing early and significant fire activity, particularly in the states of New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria. Extended drought combined with hot and dry weather conditions have elevated wildfire risk, and fire activity is expected to continue for the next several months.

“This exchange demonstrates the value of our arrangement for mutual wildland fire support with Australia.  It’s a valuable tool for both countries as we face increasingly complex and challenging fires,” said Department of the Interior’s Office of Wildland Fire Director Jeff Rupert. “The interagency team of professionals will share expertise from managing wildland fire under a variety of locations and conditions in the U.S., many of which are similar to what they’ll encounter in Australia.”

Based on the current situation in Australia, the Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council is requesting 21 qualified U.S. fire personnel to assist with wildfire and aviation management. The BLM is sending six personnel, including two interagency resource representatives on behalf of the National Interagency Fire Center located in Boise, Idaho. The NPS is sending two people, the BIA is sending one person, the FWS is sending one person, and the USFS is sending 11 personnel. The employees, coming from Alaska, Nevada, Montana, Colorado, Arizona, Idaho, Utah, California, Oregon, Hawaii, and Virginia, will be departing for Australia from the San Francisco International Airport on Thursday, December 5. 

Fires that started to burn in August have continued uninterrupted with large areas of both New South Wales and Queensland burned, multiple property losses, and, sadly, fatalities. Fire conditions continue to challenge in New South Wales and Queensland, while new fires are causing concern further south in Victoria. Fire conditions in Australia are extreme due to an extended drought, hot temperatures, and relative humidity in the single digits. 

“We’re sending a contingent from several federal agencies that reflects decades of fire management experience,” said U.S. Forest Service Fire Director Shawna Legarza. “We face many of the same firefighting challenges in each country. We’ve utilized their expertise in the past and welcome the opportunity to reciprocate.”

The last fire assistance between the two countries was in August of 2018 when 138 Australian and New Zealand wildfire management personnel were sent to the U.S. for almost 30 days to assist with wildfire suppression efforts in Northern California and the Northwest. The Australian and New Zealand personnel filled critical needs during the peak of the western fire season for mid-level fireline management, heavy equipment, helicopter operations, and structure protection. 

 The National Multi-Agency Coordinating Group is working with the National Interagency Coordination Center to mobilize resources and distribute the request across interagency partners. The last time the U.S sent firefighters to Australia was in 2010.  

###

The National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), located in Boise, Idaho, is the nation's support center for wildland firefighting. Eight different agencies and organizations are part of NIFC including, the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, National Weather Service, U.S. Fire Administration, and the National Association of State Foresters.

For Immediate Release                                        

December 5, 2019

Contact:       Mona Riesterer
                    (503) 378-2431

Notice of Teleconference Meeting

The Executive Committee of the Board on Public Safety Standards and Training will hold a teleconference meeting at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 10, 2019

A request for an interpreter for the hearing impaired or for other accommodations for persons with disabilities should be made at least 48 hours before the meeting by calling the contact listed above. 

The teleconference information is: 

Dial in: (877) 873-8017 Access Code: 8191185

For further information, please contact Mona Riesterer at (503) 373-2431 or at iesterer@state.or.us">MonaRiesterer@state.or.us 

Chair’s Report and Administrative Announcement

“This is a public meeting subject to the public meeting law which will be tape recorded.”

1.  Minutes of February 28, 2018

2.  Executive Session

The Executive Committee will hold an executive session to consider exempt public records. The executive session is  being held pursuant to ORS 162.660(2)(f).

3.  Beers, Tyler DPSST #58455; Department of Corrections

4.  Saulo, Caleb DPSST #59701 – Appeal of Academy Dismissal; Warm Springs Police Department.

5.  Next Meeting – TBD – as needed.

Requires a vote by the Committee

Salem, Oregon – Mark Renard, the executive vice president of Johnstone Financial Advisors in Lake Oswego, has been appointed to the Oregon Cultural Trust Board of Directors by Gov. Kate Brown. The appointment was confirmed by the Oregon Senate on Nov. 19. He fills a position vacated by Carole Morse, who completed a second four-year term at the end of October.

Renard’s responsibilities at Johnstone Financial Advisors include managing the advisory department and trading. In addition, he serves as the personal financial advisor to individuals and families throughout the United States, assisting them in the areas of financial planning and insurance, investments, retirement plans and estate and tax planning. 

For several years Renard has applied his financial acumen to advocating on behalf of the Cultural Trust, authoring opinion pieces and founding AccessArt, a co-op marketing and art exhibition program. AccessArt connects business, the community and artists at quarterly events hosted at Johnstone’s historic building in downtown Lake Oswego. The events raise money for the Cultural Trust both through sales of art and a direct appeal to existing arts, culture and heritage donors to become Cultural Trust donors.

“Mark has been a great champion of the Cultural Trust for years,” said Charles Sams III, chair of the Cultural Trust Board. “We are extremely fortunate that he has agreed to make his passion for our work official by joining the Board of Directors. His expertise and energy will be great assets in growing our base of support for the cultural tax credit.”

“It’s a great honor for me to join this talented team of arts, heritage and cultural leaders from around the state,” said Renard. “I’m looking forward to increasing capacity for cultural activities in the great state of Oregon.”

Renard previously served as president of the Ice Age Floods Institute, where he worked closely with the Pacific Northwest Congressional Delegation to pass the Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail Act.

In addition to a bachelor’s in marine engineering from the California Maritime Academy, Renard is accredited as an asset management specialist by the College of Financial Planning and earned an executive certificate in financial planning from the University of Portland. He also holds a certificate in investment management and theory practice from the Yale School of Management.

Renard also is an Iron Man, having completed one of the most difficult long-distance triathlon races organized by the World Triathlon Corporation. He has a daughter attending Portland State University and a son attending University of Puget Sound. He enjoys studying, surfing, hiking, swimming, running and yoga.

Renard begins his four-year term immediately.

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Created in 2001 by the Oregon Legislature, the Oregon Cultural Trust is a testimony to how much Oregonians value culture. No other state provides a 100 percent tax credit to inspire cultural giving. As uniquely Oregonian as public beaches and the bottle bill, the Oregon Cultural Trust was established 18 years ago by the Oregon Legislature as an ongoing funding engine for arts and culture across the state. Oregonians fund the Cultural Trust. We, in turn, fund the artists, potters, rappers, acrobats and dreamers who make Oregon, Oregon. In 2017 Oregonians gave $4.9 million to the Cultural Trust, our all-time record. Sixty percent of that went straight back to the field. The remaining 40 percent helped grow our permanent fund. Our three grant programs fund our five Statewide Partners, 45 County and Tribal Coalitions and qualified cultural nonprofits through competitive Cultural Development Grants.

(Salem, Ore.) – At least 19,000 Oregonians could lose government food assistance under a new federal rule finalized Thursday, December 5.

The rule will restrict states' ability to allow certain adults to receive benefits for more than three months in a three-year period if they aren't working or training at least 20 hours a week.

The change in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) was approved despite more than 140,000 negative public comments. It is expected to affect 700,000 SNAP recipients nationally once it takes effect in April.

Oregon, like most states, has used waivers to extend benefits for longer than three months to a group of SNAP recipients known as "able-bodied adults without dependents" (ABAWD) if they live in areas with high unemployment and limited job opportunities. This group includes individuals ages 18 through 49 who don't have disabilities, don't have children or other dependents and are considered able to work.

In January 2020, Oregon has approved waivers for 31 counties for ABAWD work requirements, which will now expire on March 31, 2020. Federal changes to eligibility requirements for waivers will limit the areas in Oregon that meet the requirements starting April 1, 2020. As a result, this means only six counties may be eligible to receive the waiver.

“SNAP plays a critical role in addressing hunger and food insecurity,” said Fariborz Pakseresht, Department of Human Services director. “SNAP benefits assist Oregonians during difficult times to help make ends meet, in particular those working low-wage or who are between jobs. For those already facing difficult circumstances, this rule exacerbates those circumstances. It also will result in an increased burden on food banks and other community resources to fill the void.”

Areas requesting federal waivers must have unemployment rates at least 20 percent higher than the national rate but not less than 6 percent. The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates unemployment rates for people without a high school diploma or GED are often more than double average unemployment rates. Other groups that face additional obstacles when seeking steady employment include agricultural workers, veterans, former foster youth, formerly incarcerated people and rural residents with limited transportation.

In addition to administrating SNAP benefits, the Department of Human Services provides workforce development and training opportunities so Oregonians can secure a living-wage job. More information on those programs can be found here https://www.oregon.gov/DHS/ASSISTANCE/FOOD-BENEFITS/pages/index.aspx.

(Salem) – Time is running out for people who want health insurance in 2020 but do not get coverage through their job or the Oregon Health Plan. Sunday, Dec. 15, is the last day to enroll in a health plan through the Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace, our state’s pathway to subsidized coverage.

About 100,000 uninsured Oregonians may be eligible for help paying for their health insurance, but signups in Oregon are lagging so far this year. To get coverage or re-enroll in a plan, follow these five tips:

Tip No. 1: Get a quick estimate of your subsidy and bottom-line cost of coverage. Go to OregonHealthCare.gov/windowshop to see the size of the subsidy you may qualify for, and what your plan may cost once that financial assistance is factored in. People whose incomes are just above the limit for the Oregon Health Plan can find plans costing them as little as $1 per month, when they meet all eligibility requirements.

Tip No. 2: Get free, local help enrolling. Licensed insurance agents and certified community partners are ready to help you complete the application for subsidies, and sort through plan options. Choose an agent or partner in the directory at OregonHealthCare.gov/gethelp, or call the Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace at 1-855-268-3767 (toll-free).

Tip No. 3: Get to know the new benefits in some plans. Consumers have reported that large deductibles on the lowest-priced plans sometimes keep them from getting care. In response, the state redesigned some plans to allow more services before the plan’s deductible is met. For the first time, plans with the words "standard bronze" in their name all cover primary care office visits for a flat $45 co-pay, even when the plan's $7,900 deductible has not been met. This plan type is among the options with a net cost of $1 per month for single people making about $19,000 a year and meeting a few other qualifications.

Tip No. 4: Hear from people who have gotten subsidies through the Marketplace. Health plan specifics matter, but so does the human impact of having coverage you can afford. If you need a two-minute break from insurance details, listen online to other Oregonians describe their experience with subsidized coverage at http://bit.ly/subsidy-testimonials.
 
Tip No. 5: Don’t miss the deadline. The deadline to enroll is Sunday, Dec. 15. If you miss it, you may go a year without health insurance. Avoid the risk and get started at OregonHealthCare.gov.

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The Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace, a part of state government, helps people get health insurance when they do not have job-based coverage, and do not qualify for the Oregon Health Plan or another program. The Marketplace is the state-level partner to HealthCare.gov, and a division of the Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS). For more information, go to OregonHealthCare.gov.

An Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) adult in custody, Donald Douglas Hull, died the morning of December 4, 2019. Hull was incarcerated at Oregon State Penitentiary and passed away in the infirmary while on hospice. As with all in-custody deaths, the Oregon State Police have been notified.

Hull entered DOC custody on January 24, 1977, from Baker County and was serving a life sentence. Hull was 79 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.

OSP is Oregon's only maximum-security prison, located in Salem, and houses over 2,000 individuals. OSP is surrounded by a 25-foot-high wall with 10 towers. The facility has multiple special housing units including death row, disciplinary segregation, behavioral health, intermediate care housing, and an infirmary (with hospice) with 24-hour nursing care. OSP participates in prison industries with Oregon Corrections Enterprises including the furniture factory, laundry, metal shop, and contact center. It provides a range of correctional programs and services including education, work-based education, inmate work crews, and pre-release services. OSP was established in 1866 and, until 1959, was Oregon's only prison.

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SALEM, Ore. — The Forest Trust Land Advisory Committee will meet Wednesday, Dec. 11 at 9:30 a.m. at the Oregon Department of Forestry headquarters in Salem. Items on the committee’s agenda include:

• Review and input on the draft revised Western Oregon State Forest Management Plan
• Board of Forestry Topic: Draft 2020-21 State Forests Division Work Plan

The meeting agenda and materials are posted on the department’s website at http://www.oregon.gov/ODF/Board/Pages/FTLAC.aspx.

The meeting will be held in the Tillamook Room, Building C, 2600 State St., Salem. This meeting is open to the public. Questions about accessibility or special accommodations can be directed to the Oregon Department of Forestry at least 48 hours prior to the meeting at 503-945-7200.

The Forest Trust Land Advisory Committee is comprised of seven county commissioners representing 15 Oregon counties where state forestlands are located. The FTLAC is a statutorily established committee that advises the Board of Forestry on matters related to forestland managed by ODF.

SALEM, Ore. – A new video produced by the Oregon Department of Forestry aims to help family forest landowners learn what to do to reforest their property after a wildfire. The 7-minute video draws on the experience of ODF Stewardship Forester Jana Peterson and private Forestry Consultant Lane Parry in helping Baker County forest landowners after the Cornet-Windy Ridge Fire of 2015. The video can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CT0qoYmBdK0&t=139s

That fire was one of 7,436 that have burned on lands protected by ODF over the past seven years. Since 2013, wildfires have burned almost 34,000 acres of non-industrial, privately owned forestland in Oregon protected by ODF.

“A wildfire can be devastating to landowners both emotionally and economically,” according to Family Forestland Coordinator Ryan Gordon with ODF. “When trees burn, beloved forest scenery around a home can turn to charred snags. Typically, those burned trees also represent a loss of income a landowner was depending on for retirement or to send kids or grandkids to college.”

Gordon said the video explains how local ODF stewardship foresters can help landowners find the resources and answers about what to do after a wildfire.

“It usually starts with helping landowners develop a restoration plan to achieve their goals,” said Gordon.

He said salvage logging should be carefully planned so it not only meets landowner objectives and helps restore water quality, and fish and wildlife habitat but also fulfills legal requirements. For example Oregon Forest Practices Act requires notification, reforestation, tree retention, and stream and wetland protection on all salvage operations.

If timber is salvaged after a wildfire, landowners normally have to replant within two years, said Gordon. “However, reforestation is not required on lands with unproductive soils,” said Gordon. “These are defined as those not capable of growing at least 20 cubic feet of wood per acre each year.”

Gordon said that if a large wildfire makes seedlings scarce, ODF may be able to extend the replanting deadline for impacted landowners or approve modified stocking levels. “Always check with your local ODF stewardship forester to see if and how rules are being modified or if natural regeneration may be allowed to meet reforestation requirements.

Gordon gives these other simple tips to forest landowners looking to recover after a wildfire.

• Assess damage. Smaller fires, burning only brush and small trees, may not require restoration. More intense fires that consume larger trees and underbrush, and damage soil may require restoring soil, grass, and trees.
• Create a restoration plan. Determine short-term and long-term goals for restoring your property and make plans to achieve them. A local ODF stewardship forester can provide information about:

• Salvage harvesting and clean-up
• Timber production
• Grazing land
• Stream health
• Soil productivity
• Fish and wildlife habitat

• Look into assistance grants. Find out if your planned timber salvage is eligible for financial assistance before starting work. Financial assistance is limited and not all salvage operations are eligible. The process is often time consuming, so don’t delay.
• Act quickly on your plan. Action right after a fire can help you better achieve your goals. For example, quickly establishing grasses and trees will help prevent unwanted weeds and brush.

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It’s National Tax Security Awareness Week and the Oregon Department of Revenue and the IRS are reminding taxpayers to be on the lookout for money scams and identity theft.

Phishing scams

As the holiday season approaches, taxpayers need to watch out for phishing scams in the deluge of holiday email messages coming from retailers and others. According to the IRS, more than 90 percent of all data thefts begin with an email phishing scam.

Here’s what you need to know to protect yourself from phishing scams:

• First, the most common way thieves steal identities is simply by asking for it. Their favorite tactic is a phishing email. Phishing emails “bait” users into opening them. They pose as a trusted company such as a bank, a favorite retailer, or even a tax professional.
• Second, learn to recognize and avoid these phishing emails. The scams tell an urgent story—like there’s a problem with your account or your order. The message then instructs the receiver to open an embedded link or download an attachment.
• Third, don’t take the bait. The email link may send users to a familiar website to log in, but the username and password goes to the thieves. Or, the scam suggests users open an attachment, which secretly downloads malicious software. Either method works for identity thieves.

These scam emails can show up in personal inboxes or even a work inbox, endangering the entire organization. Mobile phone users are especially prone to responding more than those working on a laptop or desktop computer. If at home, just delete the email. If at work, follow your organization’s guidance on handling the email.

Identity theft

With millions of people logging in to websites and online accounts this holiday season, Revenue and the IRS remind taxpayers that common mistakes can increase their risk of having sensitive financial and tax data stolen by identity thieves.

Using strong passwords and keeping them secure are critical steps to preventing thieves from stealing identities, money, or other information to file a fraudulent tax return.

In recent years, cybersecurity experts’ recommendations on what constitutes a strong password have changed. They now suggest people use word phrases that are easy to remember rather than random letters, characters, and numbers that can’t be easily recalled.

For example, experts previously suggested something like “PXro#)30” but now suggest a longer phrase, such as “SomethingYouCanRemember@30.” By using a phrase, users don’t have to write down their password and expose it to additional risk. Also, people may be more willing to use strong, longer passwords if it’s a phrase, rather than random characters that are harder to remember.

Protecting access to digital devices is so critical that some now feature fingerprint or facial recognition technology, but passwords remain common for many people.

Given the sensitivity of many of these online accounts, people should consider these password tips to protect devices or online accounts:

• Use a minimum of eight characters; longer is better.
• Use a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols in password phrases, i.e., UsePasswordPhrase@30.
• Avoid personal information or common passwords; use phrases instead.
• Change default or temporary passwords that come with accounts or devices.
• Don’t reuse or update passwords. For example, changing Bgood!17 to Bgood!18 is not good enough; use unique usernames and passwords for accounts and devices.
• Don’t use email addresses as usernames if that is an option.
• Store any password list in a secure location, such as a safe or locked file cabinet.
• Don’t disclose passwords to anyone for any reason.
• When available, a password manager program can help track passwords for numerous accounts.

Whenever it’s an option for a password-protected account, users also should opt for a multi-factor authentication process. Many email providers, financial institutions, and social media sites now offer customers two-factor authentication protections.

Two-factor authentication helps by adding an extra layer of protection. Often this means the user must enter their credentials (username and password) plus another step, such as entering a security code sent via text to a mobile phone. Another example is confirming “yes” to a text to the phone that users are accessing the account on.

The idea behind multi-factor authentication is that a thief may be able to steal usernames and passwords, but it’s highly unlikely they also would have access to the mobile phone to receive a security code or confirmation to complete the log-in process.

For more information on protecting yourself or what to do if you’re a victim of identity theft, visit:

• www.irs.gov
• www.consumer.ftc.gov
• www.identitytheft.gov

Visit www.oregon.gov/dor to get tax forms, check the status of your refund, or make tax payments. For other information or questions, call 800-356-4222 toll-free from an Oregon prefix (English or Spanish), 503-378-4988 in Salem and outside Oregon, or email questions.dor@oregon.gov. For TTY (hearing or speech impaired), call 800-886-7204.

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Salem, OR— Registration for Oregon’s new Corporate Activity Tax (CAT) is now open through the Departmentof Revenue’s Revenue Online system found at www.oregon.gov/dor.

The new law requires businesses with Oregon commercial activity in excess of $750,000 to register for the Corporate Activity Tax. Once they reach that threshold businesses must register within 30 days. Some businesses could reach the threshold early in January, while others might not top that mark until much later in the year.

Department officials said, however, that numerous participants in the agency’s 12-meeting statewide stakeholder input tour in September and October indicated a desire to register as soon as possible.

“Business taxpayers and tax preparers have told us they are eager to take the first step of compliance and register for the CAT,” said Nia Ray, director of the Oregon Department of Revenue. “We believe opening registration early will help with a smooth implementation.”

To register, individuals doing business in Oregon will need their name, and their social security number or individual taxpayer identification number. Businesses will need their legal name and federal employer identification number.

Businesses and individuals will need:

• Their mailing address;
• The date they exceeded or expect to exceed $750,000 in Oregon commercial activity;
• A valid email address or current Revenue Online login, and;
• Their Business Activity Code (Refer to the current list of North American Industry Classification System codes found with their federal income tax return instructions.)

The Oregon Legislature created the Corporate Activity Tax in House Bills 3427 and 2164 during the 2019 session.

The CAT is imposed on businesses for the privilege of doing business in Oregon. It applies to all business entities including those located inside and outside of Oregon. The CAT is not an income tax or a transactional tax, such as a retail sales tax. It is measured on a business’s commercial activity—the total amount a business realizes from transactions and activity in Oregon.

Businesses with taxable commercial activity in excess of $1 million must pay the Corporate Activity Tax. The tax is $250 plus 0.57 percent of gross receipts greater than $1 million after subtractions.

More information about the Corporate Activity Tax is available on the Department of Revenue’s website. It includes a list of frequently asked questions and a form to sign-up for email updates on the CAT. Stakeholders can direct questions or comments about the CAT via email to cat.help.dor@oregon.gov or call 503-945-8005.

Visit www.oregon.gov/dor to get tax forms, check the status of your refund, or make tax payments; call 800-356-4222 toll-free from an Oregon prefix (English or Spanish); 503-378-4988 in Salem and outside Oregon; or email questions.dor@oregon.gov. For TTY (hearing or speech impaired), call 800-886-7204.

SALEM, Ore. – The State Land Board will hear an update on ongoing exploration of a potential Elliott State Research Forest during its Dec. 10 meeting in Salem.

The Board in December 2018 directed the Department of State Lands (DSL) to work collaboratively with Oregon State University (OSU) to develop a plan for transforming the Elliott into a research forest. During next week’s meeting, DSL and OSU will provide updates on the research forest exploratory process and ask the Land Board to provide guidance on next steps.

The Board will also consider adopting permanent use restrictions for the state-owned banks and islands of the Willamette River within the city of Eugene and in the Swan Island area of Portland, and sale of a portion of the Stevens Road property in Bend.

The meeting will be held:
Tuesday, Dec. 10
10 a.m.
Department of State Lands
Land Board Room
775 Summer St. NE, Salem

Meeting agenda and materials are availlable on the DSL website. To live stream the meeting, go to the State Lands YouTube channel.

This meeting will be held in a facility that is accessible for persons with disabilities.  If you need assistance to participate in the meeting due to a disability, please notify Arin Smith at 503-986-5224 or in.n.smith@state.or.us">arin.n.smith@state.or.us at least two working days prior to the meeting.

Visitors are not permitted to bring backpacks, bags, or large purses into the Department of State Lands building prior to, during, or following Land Board meetings. Purses, medical bags, and diaper bags are permitted, but may be subject to inspection by the Oregon State Police.

About the State Land Board and the Department of State Lands: The State Land Board consists of Governor Kate Brown, Secretary of State Bev Clarno and State Treasurer Tobias Read. The Department of State Lands administers diverse natural and fiscal resources. Many of the resources generate revenue for the Common School Fund, such as state-owned rangelands and timberlands, waterway leases, estates for which no will or heirs exist, and unclaimed property. Twice a year, the agency distributes fund investment earnings to support K-12 public schools. The agency also administers Oregon’s Removal-Fill Law, which requires people removing or filling certain amounts of material in waters of the state to obtain a permit.

Dec. 6, 2019

OHA Approves AllCare, Cascade Health Alliance and Umpqua Health Alliance for Full Five-Year Coordinated Care Contracts

The Oregon Health Authority is announcing that three CCOs which had received one-year contracts have met the necessary requirements to earn full five-year contracts to serve Oregon Health Plan members for 2020-2024: AllCare CCO, Cascade Health Alliance, and Umpqua Health Alliance. Services for the new CCO contracts begin January 1, 2020. These contracts have been referred to as "CCO 2.0."

In July OHA announced its intent to award 15 organizations with contracts to serve as coordinated care organizations for OHP, four of which were for one year. These four applicants did not show enough evidence in their applications to be awarded full five-year contracts. Instead they initially received a one-year contract. OHA required the four CCOs to show evidence they had policies, procedures and plans in place to meet the goals of CCO 2.0 OHA provided technical support to help the plans.

Yamhill Community Care (YCC), the remaining CCO with a one-year contract, continues to make good progress toward resolving its remediation plan. OHA and YCC are working together to resolve the few remaining items in their remediation plan this month.

Contract awardees had to demonstrate they can meet the goals of CCO 2.0 to improve care coordination, transform service delivery, engage local communities, improve clinical care, have effective and efficient business processes, and demonstrate financial stability.

"I appreciate the steps AllCare, Cascade Health Alliance and Umpqua Health Alliance have taken to show they are ready to meet the higher bar we’ve set in CCO 2.0," OHA Director Patrick Allen said. "We recognize that CCOs play a vital in their communities. We look forward to partnering with these three CCOs over the next five years to improve the lives of OHP members and make health care more affordable in the communities these CCOs serve."

About coordinated care organizations: Oregon first established CCOs in 2012 to transform health care delivery in the state. CCOs bring together physical, behavioral, and oral health providers to coordinate care for people on the Oregon Health Plan. They improve health and reduce costs by providing more coordinated, flexible and innovative services. CCOs are rewarded for achieving specific health outcomes and quality measures.

December 5, 2019

Northwest Regional Newborn Bloodspot Screening Advisory Board Workgroup meets December 12

What: A public meeting of the Northwest Regional Newborn Bloodspot Screening (NWRNBS) Advisory Board Workgroup.

Agenda: Welcome, chair and vice-chair roles and responsibilities, feedback mechanism for board members, wrap-up and next steps.

When: Thursday, Dec. 12, 3-5 p.m.

Where: Oregon State Public Health Laboratory, Suite 100, 7202 NE Evergreen Parkway, Hillsboro. Please check in at the front desk and bring a photo ID. Also available remotely by telephone at 888-337-0215, access code 2001129#.

Background: The Northwest Regional Newborn Bloodspot Screening (NWRNBS) Program screens newborns for endocrine, hemoglobin, cystic fibrosis, immunodeficiency and metabolic disorders that may not be clinically evident in the first few days or weeks of life. Detecting these conditions early allows the infant to be referred for diagnosis and appropriate treatment to prevent death or disability. For more information, visit the program's webpage at http://www.healthoregon.org/nbs.

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

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

If you need help or have questions, please contact Christianne Biggs at 503-693-4172, 711 TTY or istianne.BIGGS@dhsoha.state.or.us">christianne.biggs@dhsoha.state.or.us at least 48 hours before the meeting.

Media contact: Delia Hernández, 503-422-7179, PHD.Communications@state.or.us

December 4, 2019

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

Advance Directive Adoption Committee Meets December 16

What: The Advance Directive Adoption Committee will hold a meeting.

Agenda: Finalize the first draft of the Advance Directive Form. Discuss Introduction/FAQs to accompany form.

When: Monday, December 16, 2019 from 8:30am-11:30 am. The meeting is open to the public. A public comment period will be held at the end of the meeting.

Where: Portland State Office Building, 800 NE Oregon St., Conference Room 177, Portland, OR 97232.

The Advance Directive Adoption Committee provides guidance to the Oregon Health Authority on necessary revisions to Oregon’s Advance Directive form.

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

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

If you need help or have questions, please contact Kati Moseley at 971-673-2284, 711 TTY or ina.moseley@dhsoha.state.or.us">katarina.moseley@dhsoha.state.or.us at least 48 hours before the meeting.

December 3, 2019

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

Oregon tribal health center gets national recognition for preventing HPV cancers

OHA Immunization Program Manager Aaron Dunn discusses recognition

Warm Springs Health and Wellness Center has been named the HPV Vaccine Is Cancer Prevention Champion for outstanding efforts to protect adolescents from cancers caused by HPV in Oregon.

Tribal and Indian Health Service (IHS) clinic staff serving members of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs thoroughly examine each patient vaccination record before their appointment and recommend the HPV vaccine. The clinic also partners with the on-site dental clinic to vaccinate patients as they come in for routine dental care.

“Warm Springs Health and Wellness is a leader among clinics in Oregon with an HPV vaccine completion rate of more than 73 percent among adolescents,” said Aaron Dunn, manager of the Immunization Program at the Oregon Health Authority Public Health Division. The health center was nominated for this award by the Immunization Program.

This award program recognizes clinicians, clinics, practices, groups, and health systems that are going above and beyond to foster HPV vaccination in their community. This year the award program is honoring champions from 25 states.

HPV vaccine is important because it protects against cancers caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Every year in the United States, nearly 35,000 women and men are estimated to be diagnosed with a cancer caused by HPV infection. HPV vaccination could prevent more than 90 percent of these cancers from ever developing. Both boys and girls should get two doses of the HPV vaccine series when they are 11 or 12 years old. The HPV vaccine series can be started as early as age 9.

To read Warm Springs Health and Wellness Center’s profile on the CDC’s website, and to learn more about HPV Vaccine Is Cancer Prevention Champion Award program, please visit https://www.cdc.gov/hpv/champions/winner-spotlights.html.

The message is simple – don’t give Oregon Lottery tickets to minors during the holidays, or anytime, for that matter.

Traditionally, each holiday season sees a big spike in Lottery ticket sales as people buy tickets as stocking stuffers, gift tags and easy-to-give gifts. Reminders of how old you must be to play Oregon Lottery games are clearly posted at all Oregon Lottery retail locations. The holiday gift-giving season provides an opportune time for the Lottery to share the message that if the gift is a Lottery ticket, be sure the gift’s recipient is at least 18-years-old.

“In previous years, the Lottery has created a separate version of their holiday campaign with the responsible giving message,” said Stacy Shaw, Oregon Lottery Senior Marketing Product Manager and board member of the Oregon Council on Problem Gambling. “This year, that message has been integrated into all our advertising, because it’s simply part of how we promote our games – we believe that responsible gaming is for all customers, all the time.”

This marks the 12th year that the National Council on Problem Gambling and the International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High-Risk Behaviors at Canada’s McGill University have partnered with lotteries around the world, including the Oregon Lottery, to promote giving lottery tickets responsibly.

Oregon Lottery proceeds provide funding for free, confidential and effective problem gambling treatment programs statewide. Since 1992, nearly $100 million in Lottery dollars has been directed to fund problem gambling treatment in Oregon.

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The Oregon State Marine Board seeks written public comment on two proposed rulemaking notices.

The first notice seeks to gather public comment on removing per-page public record request fees and instead, refer to the Department of Administrative Services policy. The second notice seeks to gather public comment on a rule that would allow for independent operation of personal watercraft by youth age 12-15 when competing in or training for a Marine Board-sanctioned competition/event. 

Written public comments will be accepted until 5 p.m. on Friday, January 6, 2020, and can be submitted via email to .rulemaking@oregon.gov">osmb.rulemaking@oregon.gov or by U.S. Mail to Jennifer Cooper, Administrative Rules Coordinator, Oregon State Marine Board, 435 Commercial Street NE, Suite 400, Salem, OR 97301.  Comments via telephone will not be accepted.

To view the proposed rule language visit https://www.oregon.gov/osmb/info/Documents/Rulemaking/PublicRecordsNoticePubCom.pdf

https://www.oregon.gov/osmb/info/Documents/Rulemaking/YouthPWCNoticePubCom.PDF.

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CANNON BEACH, Ore. – Ecola State Park will be closed Dec. 10-12 while crews work along the park’s entrance road to remove hazard trees. The park is expected to reopen the morning of Dec. 13.

Park rangers have identified several hazard trees—dead, diseased or unstable trees that pose a safety risk to people or structures—on Ecola State Park Road. Hazard tree removal is a routine practice during the winter at most state parks.

Oregon Parks and Recreation Department has hired Tillamook-based Whitehead Reforestation to complete the project. Estimated cost is $7,000.

Learn more about hazard trees on the U.S. Forest Service website.

Visitors to the north coast next week are encouraged to explore other nearby state parks: Oswald West State Park, Arcadia Beach State Recreation Site and Hug Point State Recreation Site.

Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) is accepting public comments on a proposed change to Oregon Administrative Rule language describing how the agency bundles free camping days under their Special Access Pass program. The program is offered to foster and adoptive foster families, and veterans with a service-connected disability. It provides up to 14 days of free overnight camping to passholders at any Oregon State Park.

Under the proposed rule change, the free camping days would move from up to 14 days within a rolling 30-day period to up to 14 days within a calendar month. The change is intended to make it easier for passholders to track their available days and plan their camping trips.

OPRD will accept public comments on the proposed change through 5 p.m. Jan. 6, 2020. Comments can be made online, in writing or via email:

• Online: oregon.gov/oprd/RULES/Pages/Rulemaking%20Notices.aspx
• In writing: Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, attn. Katie Gauthier, 725 Summer St NE, Suite C, Salem OR 97301
• Email: OPRD.publiccomment@oregon.gov

After reviewing public comments, OPRD staff will present a final recommended rule for consideration to the Oregon State Parks and Recreation Commission at its February 2020 business meeting.

The full text of the proposed change is available online: oregon.gov/oprd/RULES/Pages/Rulemaking%20Notices.aspx

Learn more about the pass program for veterans with a service-connected disability online. 

Learn more about the pass program for foster and adoptive foster families online.

Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) invites Oregonians outdoors on New Year’s Day for the annual First Day Hikes event. Visitors can choose from 37 hikes in 31 parks across the state. All hikes will be guided by a park ranger or volunteer who will share stories about the park’s history, geology, wildlife and plants. 

All hikes are free and day-use parking fees will be waived at all participating parks Jan. 1 only.

Hikers can register for specific hikes online at the Oregon State Parks Store: bit.ly/ParkStoreEvents. While online registration isn’t required for participation, visitors are encouraged to register. It helps park staff plan the hike and provides them with participant contact information should hike details change.

OPRD advises visitors to plan for inclement weather, dress in layers, wear sturdy shoes, bring water and remember to carry binoculars for viewing wildlife.

OPRD has sponsored First Day Hikes annually since 2012, part of a larger national event organized by America’s State Parks.

Participating parks and meeting areas are below. Full details for each hike are also on bit.ly/ParkStoreEvents.

PORTLAND

• L.L. Stub Stewart State Park: 10 a.m., meet at Clayhill horse staging area.
• Milo McIver State Park: 10 a.m., meet at the Maple Ridge Trailhead in the Lower Boat Launch parking lot.
• Tryon Creek State Park: 9 a.m., meet at the nature center.

COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE

• Deschutes River State Recreation Area: 9 a.m., meet at Oregon Trail kiosk.
• Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail: 1 p.m., meet at the Mark O. Hatfield East trailhead in the Mossier Twin Tunnels parking lot.

WILLAMETTE VALLEY/CASCADES

• Champoeg State Heritage Area: 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., meet at the visitor center.
• Dexter State Recreation Site: 9 a.m., meet at the Dexter Disc Golf course.
• Elijah Bristow State Park: noon, meet at the equestrian parking area for horse riding (bring your own horse.)
• Silver Falls State Park: 9 a.m., 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2 p.m., meet at South Falls Lodge porch.
• Willamette Mission State Park: 10 a.m., meet at the Wheatland Ferry.

COAST

• Bullards Beach State Park: 1 p.m., meet at the meeting hall.
• Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint: noon, meet in the Cape Meares parking lot.
• Crissey Field State Recreation Site: 11 a.m., meet at the welcome center.
• Fort Stevens State Park: 10 a.m., meet in the Battery Russell parking lot.
• Humbug Mountain State Park: 10 a.m., meet at the Humbug Mountain trailhead.
• Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park: 10 a.m., meet in the group camp parking lot.
• Oswald West State Park: 8 a.m., meet at the Cape Falcon trailhead.
• Seal Rock State Recreation Site: 9:30 a.m., meet in the Seal Rock parking lot.
• Umpqua Lighthouse State Park: 1 p.m., meet at Lake Marie Day-use area.
• William M. Tugman State Park: 10 a.m., meet at the Eel Lake boat ramp.

SOUTHERN OREGON

• Collier Memorial State Park: 9 a.m., meet at the Logging Museum.
• Golden State Heritage Site: 1 p.m., meet in the Historic Church.
• Illinois River Forks State Park: 11 a.m., meet at the West Fork trailhead.
• Joseph H. Stewart State Recreation Area: 9 a.m., meet at the group camp.
• TouVelle State Park: 11 a.m., meet at the day-use area.
• Valley of the Rogue State Park: 1 p.m., meet at the amphitheater. 1 p.m., meet at Del Rio Vineyards (bring your own bike.) 1 p.m., meet at Rogue River Bridge in the city of Rogue River (bring your own bike.)

EASTERN/CENTRAL OREGON

• Cottonwood Canyon State Park: 10 a.m., meet at the experience center.
• Emigrant Springs State Heritage Area: 11 a.m., meet at the interpretive kiosk (bring your own snowshoes).
• LaPine State Park: 11 a.m., meet at the meeting hall in the south loop.
• Smith Rock State Park: 10 a.m., meet at the welcome center.
• Wallowa Lake State Park: 10 a.m., meet in the Group Camp A parking lot.

More information about participating parks, including maps and directions, is on oregonstateparks.org.

SILVERTON, Ore. – The 42nd annual Christmas Festival at Silver Falls State Park will be held 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Dec. 14-15 at park’s South Falls day-use area and Silver Falls Conference Center. The family-friendly event is free.

“We’re lucky to have the volunteer and community support to continue this event year after year,” said Matt Palmquist, interpretive park ranger. “It’s one of our favorite events and it’s always a blast to celebrate the holiday season with our visitors.”  

Planned event activities include wreath making, kid-friendly crafts, bird house building, guided walks through the park, refreshments and live music.

A free shuttle service will be available to ferry visitors between the day-use area and conference center 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. both days. Visitors can purchase food at the South Falls Café or conference center.

Silver Falls State Park charges a $5 day-use parking fee. More information about the park, including maps, is on oregonstateparks.org.

SALEM, Ore. – Today the Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC) reviewed Pacific Power’s filing to reduce the monthly meter reading fee for customers who have opted out of using smart meter technology at a public meeting in Salem and made a decision to reduce meter reading fees for all opt-out customers.

Pacific Power’s filing recommended moving all opt-out customers to a $10 monthly meter reading fee, a decrease of $26 a month for most opt-out customers. Pacific Power’s request would have discontinued the triannual meter reading program, under which opt-out customers had been offered a lower monthly fee ($9 a month) for having their meters read manually three times a year and paying estimated monthly bills. Customers with smart meter technology do not pay a monthly meter reading fee.

Today, Commissioners decided the following:

• To approve Pacific Power’s request to reduce the meter reading fee from $36 to $10 each month for smart meter opt-out customers on a monthly meter reading program, effective December 4, 2019.
• To decline Pacific Power’s request to eliminate the triannual meter reading option for opt-out customers and direct Pacific Power to reduce the cost of that option from $9 to $3 per month, effective December 4, 2019.
• To direct Pacific Power to submit a more developed proposal to the PUC to consider transitioning opt-out customers away from the triannual meter reading option.

“We value the public comments we continue to receive on this topic and the engagement of the Citizens’ Utility Board of Oregon, which give us the customer perspective on these important decisions,” said Megan Decker, PUC Chair. “Today’s decisions will benefit Pacific Power customers who have opted not to use smart meter technology, but recognize that a considered transition may be possible in the future.”

In November 2018, the PUC requested alternatives to Pacific Power’s recommended $36 monthly meter reading fee for all smart meter opt-out customers. A pilot program was approved by Commissioners in March 2019 that decreased the number of meter reads to three annually for smart meter opt-out customers, reducing the monthly meter reading fee from $36 to $9.

If customers have questions about their monthly fees, please contact Pacific Power at 888-221-7070.

Vancouver, Wash. – Clark County is seeking applicants to fill three open positions on the nine-member Clark Communities Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee.

Two positions have four-year terms and one is for a one-year term for a youth age 11-20.

Residents living anywhere in Clark County can apply. People with experience and expertise in advocating for biking, walking, transit, active transportation, mobility issues, public speaking or serving on boards and commissions are encouraged to apply.

Meetings typically are 6-8 pm on the fourth Tuesday of each month at the Public Service Center room 679, 1300 Franklin St.  Committee meetings and other community-involved activities may require an additional four to six hours per month.

The committee serves as an advisory group to the county council on matters relating to bicycle and pedestrian planning and funding as well as implementation of the county’s bicycle and pedestrian master plan. The group reviews future road construction and private development projects to ensure safety for people who travel on foot or by bicycle.

Applicants should submit a letter of interest to Tina Redline, County Manager’s Office, P.O. Box 5000, Vancouver, WA 98666-5000. Applicants also may send information by fax to 360.397.6058 or email to edline@clark.wa.gov">tina.redline@clark.wa.gov.

Application deadline is 5 pm Friday, Dec, 27, 2019.

Vancouver, Wash. – The Central Transfer and Recycling Center will be closed Wednesday, Dec. 11 for scheduled maintenance. Residents who want to drop off garbage or recyclables on Wednesday will need to use the facilities in west Vancouver or Washougal.

The Central Transfer and Recycling Center, 11034 NE 117th Ave., will be closed all day Wednesday as crews replace the facility’s scale house. The center will reopen Thursday morning and operate regular business hours, 6 am to 6 pm.

The closure will not impact curbside pickup of garbage or recyclables. Those with Wednesday garbage and recycling services should still set their carts out for pickup.

The West Vancouver Materials Recovery Center, 6601 NW Old Lower River Road, is open 6 am to 6 pm Wednesday. The Washougal Transfer Station, 4020 S. Grant St., is open 7 am to 5 pm Wednesday.

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

Date of death: Found 07/01/2019

Location: Vancouver, WA.

Decedent Name: Vigeland, Leif E.         

Decedent Age: 36 Yrs                

Resident of:  Vancouver, WA

The opinions listed on the death certificate are as follows:

Cause of death: Drowning

Manner of death: Undetermined

Injury Description: Decedent drown in river

Place of injury: Columbia River near Tidewater Cove

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

Nikki J. Costa

Operations Manager

Vancouver, Wash. – The Clark County Council is seeking applicants for a volunteer position on the Solid Waste Advisory Commission.

The position represents agriculture in Clark County. Applicants should currently be involved in or have a background in one of the following areas:

• Farming and food processing
• Extension office, conservation district or other agricultural agency work
• Compost and agricultural debris facilities
• Other agricultural fields in Clark County

The three-year term will begin Jan. 1 and end Dec. 31, 2022.

Commission members act as representatives of their regions or stakeholder groups and advise the county council on solid waste issues, such as recycling, garbage collection, landfills, transfer stations and waste-reduction programs. Members also, at times, participate in solid waste-related projects and engage in the policy process.

The commission meets at 6 pm on the first Thursday of February, May, August and November. Meetings are at the Center for Community Health, 1601 E Fourth Plain Blvd.

Applicants should send a résumé and letter of interest to Tina Redline, County Manager’s Office, PO Box 5000, Vancouver 98666-5000.

Applications also can be sent by email to edline@clark.wa.gov">Tina.Redline@clark.wa.gov or fax to 360.397.6058.

The letter of interest should include:

• How you represent the Clark County agriculture community.
• Your personal or professional experience related to solid waste.
• Your vision for the future of solid waste management in Clark County.

Application deadline is 5 pm Friday, Dec. 20.

Visit the Solid Waste Advisory Commission website for more information.

Vancouver, Wash. – Clark County is accepting applications to fill a vacancy on the local civil service commission for the Sheriff’s Office created under state law RCW 41.14.

The five-member commission is required to oversee certain employment and personnel matters. The primary focus is to ensure that pre-employment testing and hiring is fair, valid and non-discriminatory. The commission also presides over appeal hearings.

Civil service commissioners are appointed by the County Council. The vacant seat is an at-large position open to residents throughout Clark County. The term begins immediately and continues for the balance of a six-year term until Nov. 1, 2021.

The civil service commission meets monthly, or more often as needed, for two to four hours. Members typically meet during regular business hours.

Candidates must be U.S. citizens and registered to vote in Clark County. They must have lived in the county for at least two years and show an ability to balance interests of job applicants, current employees and the Sheriff to ensure effective law enforcement services. Education and experience in personnel administration, a legal environment and/or law enforcement are highly valued.

Applicants should submit a letter of interest and a current résumé to the Civil Service Commission, Clark County Human Resources, P.O. Box 5000, Vancouver, WA 98666-5000. The county also will accept applications by fax at (564) 397-2457 or by email to rington-smith@clark.wa.gov">leslie.harrington-smith@clark.wa.gov.

The Commission will review applications, call for interviews and make recommendations to the council.  

Deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 20, 2019.

VANCOUVER, Wash. – Fort Vancouver Regional Libraries invites the public to help celebrate the 10th anniversary of Cascade Park Community Library on Saturday, December 14 from 2 to 4 pm at the library, 600 NE 136th Avenue, Vancouver, WA 98684.

Supported by the Friends of Cascade Park Community Library, the 10th anniversary celebration will also be an opportunity for the public to meet the library’s newest Branch Manager, Mary Abler, and help celebrate a generous $12,000 grant to help update the children’s area from The Organization Dedicated to Athletics and Youth (T.O.D.A.Y.) Foundation. Light refreshments will be provided.

Opening almost exactly 10 years ago to the day – December 15, 2009 – Cascade Park Community Library provides East Vancouver’s growing community with numerous materials, resources and programs. Last year (2018) the branch circulated almost one million materials and offered over one thousand programs to patrons. The library cost approximately $10.2 million to build, funded by a 2006 bond measure that also provided funding to build Vancouver Community Library in 2011. The building was designed by Opsis Architecture of Portland and Johnston Architects of Seattle. Union Corner Construction of Vancouver was the general contractor.

Downtown Oregon City will host its annual Holiday Tree Lighting in Liberty Plaza on Saturday, December 7th. Day-long festivities begin at 10 a.m. in the Plaza with caroling, live music, a gift-wrapping station and more! Liberty Plaza is located at 815 Main Street, Oregon City, OR 97045.

Downtown Oregon City Association (DOCA) is happy to partner with Downtown businesses to create a hometown holiday celebration that brings together community and helps raise funds for local non-profits.

Oregon City’s annual Tree Lighting event brings approximately 1,500 folks to the city’s historic downtown. The lighting ceremony kicks off at 4:30 pm in Liberty Plaza with a holiday sing-along led by the Oregon City High School Choir and visit from Santa. After the Tree Lighting, Santa visits a local business and is available for photo opportunities. Major Sponsor Guild Mortgage, and Supporting Sponsor Citizen Bank and Planet Fitness help to make the Tree Lighting possible this year.

DOCA is coordinating a ‘downtown unwrapped’ holiday bingo card for the day. Participating businesses will be listed on the card and can sign off for their individual locations. Participants who complete the card can enter in a drawing for raffle prizes! Full details and a listing of happenings will be posted online on the DOCA website.

                Salem, Ore. – Enjoy holiday festivities in Downtown Salem – unique attractions, as well as diverse shopping and restaurants. The downtown district offers 3,500 free short and long-term customer parking spaces. More than 1,000 free customer spaces are available in well-lit, dry, and conveniently located parkades near Downtown shopping and attractions. 

During the holidays, Downtown offers visitors:

• 3-hour time limits for free on-street parking from 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. Monday - Saturday
• Unlimited free customer parking in Chemeketa, Marion, and Liberty Parkades
• 30-minute on-street parking spaces for quick visits or drop-offs

More information about parking in Downtown Salem is available online.

Daily parking permits are available for part-time and seasonal employees for $3.00 through the City of Salem Permit Application Center at City Hall, 555 Liberty St. SE, Room 320. For permit questions, please call 503-589-2075.

For additional questions about Downtown parking, call 503-588-6178. Si necesita ayuda para comprender esta información, por favor llame 503-588-6178.

# # #

Vancouver, Wash. -  A development agreement between the City and HP will be the subject of a Vancouver City Council workshop on Dec. 9 and a public hearing on Dec. 16 during the regularly scheduled City Council meeting. Public testimony will be accepted at the Dec. 16 meeting but not at the Dec. 9 workshop. Meeting locations and broadcast information can be found below.

If approved by City Council, the development agreement will allow HP to move forward with the purchase of 68 acres of property and the initial development of two buildings with 330,000 square feet of office space in an area known as Section 30 in east Vancouver.

Section 30 is the name of the City’s subarea plan for approximately 553 acres of land located between NE 1st Street and NE 18th Street, west of 192nd Avenue. The subarea plan, adopted by the City in 2009, designated much of Section 30 for significant employment uses. It was also identified in the Columbia River Economic Development Council’s 2016 Land for Jobs Study as being an important source for employment land and as a high priority area for public infrastructure investments in the City’s Stronger Vancouver initiative.

Phase 1 of the development will consist of two office buildings, with subsequent phases anticipated to bring up to 1.5 million square feet of space in multiple buildings for office, research & development, industrial services, and manufacturing and production over the next 15 years.

“We are fortunate that HP, which has had a significant presence in Vancouver for almost 40 years, wants to stay and grow right here in our community,” said Vancouver Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle.

“As companies look to best position themselves for the future, they have many different locations and cities to choose from. The significance of HP’s decision to construct the first major development project in Section 30 cannot be overstated,” said Chad Eiken, Director of Community & Economic Development. “We look forward to continuing to support HP in their efforts.”

Significant public and private infrastructure will be required in Section 30 to allow for more development and job creation in the future, including a commitment from the City to invest in the extension of NE 184th Avenue north from SE 1st Street and construction of a new sewer pump station in addition to other public utilities and infrastructure.

“We are thrilled that HP continues to strengthen its investment in the region and will help accelerate infrastructure developments on a critical parcel of employment land," said Jennifer Baker, president of the Columbia River Economic Development Council. “This is yet another example of how Clark County is a compelling choice for companies that value access to a talented workforce paired with an unparalleled quality of life.”

City Council  Workshop and Meeting information:

City Council workshop 

Date: Dec. 9

Time: 5 p.m.

Location: Firstenburg Community Center, community room, 700 NE 136th Ave, Vancouver, WA

Broadcast information:  Broadcast live on Facebook (www.Facebook/ClarkVancouverTV) on Dec. 9. Available on-demand as of Dec. 10 on www.cvtv.org.

City Council meeting and public hearing

Date: Dec. 16

Time: 6:30 p.m.

Location: Vancouver City Hall, Council Chambers, 415. W. 6th St.

Broadcast information:  Broadcast live on CVTV, Comcast channel 23/323, and www.cvtv.org.  Available on-demand as of Dec. 17 on www.cvtv.org.

Customers do not need to take any additional precautions at this time.

Since 2017, the Portland Water Bureau has detected low levels of Cryptosporidium from routine monitoring. Monitoring results were received from the Bull Run Watershed intake for Cryptosporidium, a potentially disease-causing microorganism. In the 50-liters sampled daily, between Sunday, Dec. 1 and Wednesday, Dec. 4, one Cryptosporidium oocyst was detected in each of the samples collected on Dec. 1 and Dec. 4. Cryptosporidium was not detected in the samples collected on Dec. 2 or Dec. 3. Prior to these detections, Cryptosporidium was last detected from the Bull Run Watershed intake on Nov. 19, 2019.

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

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

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

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

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

December 6, 2019

Jack Dean Whiteaker receives 16 year prison sentence for causing the death of Cayla Wilson

Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill announced that 62-year-old Jack Dean Whiteaker received a 16 year prison sentence for recklessly causing the death of Cayla Wilson while manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, Ms. Wilson’s mother, Denise, said: “My beautiful, sweet and funny girl had her whole life in front of her. She wanted to be successful in life for herself and her child. Cayla was a beautiful soul, so kind and caring and hardworking. She was someone special. She had a heart of gold. … She was loved by so many people.”

Ms. Wilson’s father, Bill, told the court: “We’re trying to figure out how to live again. [Cayla] kept us alive. She always kept the whole family motivated.”

This investigation started at 2:46 p.m. on April 15, 2010 when officers with the Gresham Police Department responded to reports of an injury crash along Southeast Jenne Road near Southeast Jenne Lane. Investigators with the East Multnomah County Vehicular Crash Team determined Whiteaker was traveling southbound into a curve on Southeast Jenne Road at an excessive rate of speed.

Whiteaker lost control of his vehicle, went into a sideways slide, regained traction and drove over the top of Ms. Wilson’s 1990 Buick sedan.

Ms. Wilson, who was 19 years old at the time of the crash, was lawfully traveling northbound in her lane. Ms. Wilson was driving home from a job interview when Whiteaker’s vehicle tore open and crushed the driver’s side of Ms. Wilson’s vehicle. She sustained critical injuries.

Whiteaker was prosecuted and convicted for what was then the assault of Ms. Wilson. The verdict was returned in 2012.

Ms. Wilson died on March 30, 2018 at the age of 27 as a result of the injuries she sustained. At the time of the crash, she was pregnant.

Doctors delivered her baby by emergency caesarean section five weeks later.

Her daughter is now nine years old. 

The court convicted Whiteaker on October 31, 2019 of one count of manslaughter in the first degree after he changed his plea.

Upon release, Whiteaker will be on three years of post-prison supervision. His driving privileges will be revoked for life.

“Mr. Whiteaker took away a very valuable member of our community,” Multnomah County Senior Deputy District Attorney David Hannon said during today’s sentencing hearing. “His actions are another reminder of the death and destruction that drugs and alcohol can take from our community.”

The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office recognizes the Gresham Police Department, the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, members of the East Multnomah County Vehicular Crash Team including retired Gresham Police Officers Jeffrey Durbin and David Snider for their dedicated efforts investigating this case.

The District Attorney’s Office also recognizes retired Chief Deputy District Attorney Chuck Sparks who prosecuted Whiteaker in 2010 and retired Lead Victim Advocate Kimberly Phillips-Clark and current Victim Advocate Malia Bruni for the advocacy and support they provided Ms. Wilson’s family throughout the criminal justice process. 

This case was prosecuted by Multnomah County Senior Deputy District Attorney David Hannon and Deputy District Attorney Adrienne Anderson.

With the permission of the Wilson family, the District Attorney’s Office is providing media with two photos of Ms. Wilson.

December 4, 2019

Sexual Assault Kit Backlog Elimination Project results in 12th Multnomah County indictment

Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill announced that as part of the ongoing Sexual Assault Kit Backlog Elimination Project, a grand jury has indicted Frank Domont Hall Jr., 40, for allegedly raping a 30 year old female in 2013.

This is the 12th case to be indicted under the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Sexual Assault Kit Backlog Elimination Project.

The victim in this case does not want media contact. The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office is requesting media respect her privacy.

On December 3, 2019, a Multnomah County grand jury returned a single count indictment against Hall Jr. and charged him with one count of rape in the first degree.

It is alleged in the indictment that on or about February 24, 2013, Hall Jr. unlawfully and knowingly, by forcible compulsion, engaged in sexual intercourse with the victim.

The alleged incident occurred in a multi-unit dwelling in downtown Portland, Oregon.

On November 27, 2019, members of the Portland Police Bureau located Hall Jr. near the intersection of Northeast Clackamas Street and Northeast Grand Avenue and arrested him.

This case is being investigated by the Portland Police Bureau as part of its Sexual Assault Kit Initiative Workgroup.

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

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

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

Sexual Assault Kit Backlog Elimination Project

In 2015, Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill, along with the Portland Police Bureau, Gresham Police Department, Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office and the Oregon State Police Forensic Laboratory collaboratively initiated a project to process thousands of untested Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence (SAFE) kits in Multnomah, Marion and Lane counties.

District Attorney Underhill and others quickly identified funding from the New York County District Attorney’s Office (DANY) and worked collectively with the Portland Police Bureau’s Sex Crimes Unit after the City of Portland received a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance’s (BJA) Sexual Assault Kit Initiative Grant Program.

DANY awarded the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office a total of $1,995,453 in September 2015. Using those funds, a coordinated effort involving local law enforcement and the Oregon State Police was launched to send SAFE kits, dated 2014 or older from Multnomah, Lane and Marion counties, to a private lab in Utah for testing.

Under the DANY grant, nearly 3,000 sexual assault kits from around the state were tested.

In 2018, Oregon became one of the first five states in the country to clear its backlog of Sexual Assault Forensic Examination (SAFE) kits.

In Oregon, Senate Bill 1571, known as "Melissa's Law," was the Oregon Legislature's response to ensuring all sexual assault kits, except for anonymous kits, are sent to the Oregon State Crime Laboratory for timely testing.

The Portland Police Bureau’s Sexual Assault Kit Initiative Workgroup, which was created in 2015, is comprised of victim-centered and trauma-informed members of the Portland Police Bureau and the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office.

Results from the kits continue to be investigated and survivors of sexual assaults are being notified. The Portland Police Bureau’s Sex Crimes Unit encourages those who have had a SAFE kit collected prior to 2015 to contact the oseproject@portlandoregon.gov">roseproject@portlandoregon.gov or 503-823-0125.

Current Multnomah County SAFE kit criminal cases (as of October 10, 2019)

• State of Oregon vs Jihad Eldeen Moore - 18CR13996 – Convicted Oct. 31, 2018
• State of Oregon vs Chanh Van Tran - 18CR25167 - Convicted in November 2018
• State of Oregon vs Curtis Clint Williams - 17CR37474 - Convicted in June 2018
• State of Oregon vs Steven Guy Tubbs - 17CR08640 - Convicted in August 2018
• State of Oregon vs Jose Oscar Rosales - 17CR29317 - Convicted in February 2018
• State of Oregon vs Ricky Alexander Harrison - 18CR59141 - Pending arraignment
• State of Oregon vs Richard Timothy Ward – 19CR25495 - Pending arraignment
• State of Oregon vs Jesse Ryan Moser – 19CR53575 – Pending trial
• State of Oregon vs Donnie Michael Willis Jr. – 19CR55777 – Pending trial
• State of Oregon vs Leslie L. Thornton – 11-11-34868 – Pending trial
• State of Oregon vs State of Oregon vs Timothy Nathaniel Hogue - 11-11-34868 – Pending trial
• State of Oregon vs Frank Domont Hall Jr. – 19CR77675 – Pending trial

#MCDA#

Contact: Brent Weisberg, Communications Director

Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office

Phone: 503.988.6567 | Email: rent.Weisberg@mcda.us">Brent.Weisberg@mcda.us

December 4, 2019

David Remone Jones charged with murdering James Gerald Richardson

Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill announced that a grand jury has indicted 29-year-old David Remone Jones for murdering 39-year-old James Gerald Richardson.

The indictment, filed on July 9, 2019, charges Jones with one count of murder with a firearm, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon with a firearm and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

It is alleged in the indictment that on April 24, 2019, Jones – a convicted felon – unlawfully and intentionally caused the death of Mr. Richardson by using a firearm.

According to information previously released by the Portland Police Bureau, this investigation started on April 24, 2019 when police responded to the 8400 block of Southeast Foster Road after receiving information about a shooting.

When police arrived, they located Mr. Richardson with what appeared to be a gunshot injury. He was transported to the hospital, but later died.

The Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office determined Mr. Richardson’s death to be the result of a gunshot wound and determined it to be a homicide.

On December 3, 2019, members of the U.S. Marshals Service Pacific Northwest Fugitive Apprehension Task Force transported Jones to Oregon from Texas. Upon his arrival, Multnomah County Circuit Court scheduled an arraignment for December 4, 2019 at 9:45 a.m. in the Justice Center, Courtroom #3.

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

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

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

#MCDA#

Contact: Brent Weisberg, Communications Director

Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office

Phone: 503.988.6567 | Email: rent.Weisberg@mcda.us">Brent.Weisberg@mcda.us

December 3, 2019

Clayton Lamont Howard receives 40 day jail sentence for abusing a corpse

Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill announced that 56-year-old Clayton Lamont Howard received a 40 day jail sentence and was put on two years of formal probation after a jury unanimously convicted him of abusing the corpse of a woman who died of an accidental drug overdose.

On November 26, 2019, the jury found Mr. Howard guilty of two counts of abuse of a corpse in the second degree, a Class C felony.

The jury found that by concealing the body of 59-year-old Nita Mangum with clothing, plastic totes, a mattress and then having sex on that mattress with a different woman, Mr. Howard intentionally treated her corpse in a manner not generally recognized by the community and convicted him of two counts of abuse of a corpse in the second degree.

The court ordered that Mr. Howard not receive any sentencing credits, including credits for time already served, which means he will serve the jail sentence day-for-day.

The court also imposed a $400 fine and 200 hours of community service and ordered Mr. Howard to undergo a drug and alcohol evaluation and complete any treatment that may be recommended. If at any point, Mr. Howard is found in violation of his probation, he could receive an additional jail sentence.

During its sentencing recommendation, the state asked the court to reduce the Class C felony convictions to Class A misdemeanor convictions, which could have made Mr. Howard eligible for a sentence of nearly two years in jail.

“The state believes the community is at risk when Mr. Howard is out of custody,” said Multnomah County Senior Deputy District Attorney Traci Anderson, who prosecuted this case. “We could not have, with any good conscience, asked for a sentence that would have provided anything less than complete community safety. Based on his previous convictions, Mr. Howard has demonstrated he is not amenable to treatment and that he does not do well while being supervised on either parole or probation.”

This investigation started on March 22, 2019 when family members of Ms. Magnum called 9-1-1 to report her missing.

"He has hurt several different people..." a family member of Ms. Mangum said by phone during today’s sentencing hearing. “He could have called the police, but he didn't. I need him to know that he's hurt a lot of our family." 

The Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office determined Ms. Mangum died on Thursday March 21, 2019 because of an accidental drug overdose.

During the investigation, which was led by Portland Police Bureau Homicide Detective Todd Gradwahl, law enforcement learned Mr. Howard - in violation of his parole – was living with Ms. Magnum.

About a week before her death, Ms. Magnum allowed a woman to move into her apartment.

The new roommate testified that Mr. Howard immediately provided her with alcohol and methamphetamine, which exacerbated her substance abuse disorders.   

Very late at night on Wednesday March 20, 2019, the roommate went to sleep in the living room. When she woke up several hours later on March 21, 2019, she asked Mr. Howard about Ms. Mangum’s whereabouts.

Mr. Howard claimed that Ms. Mangum had gone to the coast with a man named “Elvis” and that she would be returning in a couple of days, according to trial testimony.

“That was a lie,” said SDDA Anderson. “After Ms. Mangum died, Mr. Howard buried her. He abandoned her and went on to use drugs and to repeatedly have sex with the other woman on the very mattress that hid Ms. Magnum.”

During the investigation, law enforcement learned that after her death, Mr. Howard took Ms. Mangum’s bank cards and went to various locations to get drug money. 

Ms. Magnum’s family members went to her apartment on March 22, 2019 to check on her. When they arrived, they found Mr. Howard and the other woman inside the apartment. The family members observed Ms. Magnum’s purse and cane. They became increasingly worried about her welfare and called 9-1-1.

When police arrived, Mr. Howard continued to deny knowing Ms. Magnum’s location and denied being in possession of any of her belongings. However, during trial, two of the first responding officers testified that Ms. Mangum’s family called her cellphone, which rang in the presence of police and was found in Mr. Howard’s pocket.

Police also found Mr. Howard in possession of Ms. Magnum’s gold rings at the time of his arrest.

During trial, Mr. Howard testified that he did not call 9-1-1 after finding Ms. Mangum’s body because his parole officer had previously ordered him not to have contact with Ms. Mangum and that he feared he would be arrested if law enforcement found him inside her apartment.

During that same testimony, Mr. Howard confirmed he has prior felony convictions for rape in the first degree, robbery in the first degree and burglary in the first degree.

Furthermore, he testified that upon finding Ms. Mangum deceased, he attempted to render first aid and that the reason he covered her body was to fulfill a “dying declaration,” despite his earlier admission to police that he hid her body to avoid going to jail.

The jury acquitted Mr. Howard of one count of identity theft.

It was the state’s theory that Mr. Howard committed the crime of identity theft by using Ms. Mangum’s bank cards, without permission, hours after her death to either attempt to withdraw money from her accounts or to check the account balances on at least 15 separate occasions.

Prior to closing arguments, the court granted a judgment of acquittal on Count 4 of the indictment, which charged Mr. Howard with one count of attempted theft in the second degree for allegedly having plans to pawn Ms. Mangum’s jewelry after her death.

On November 21, 2019, Judge Thomas M. Ryan found Mr. Howard in contempt of court for using obscene language towards a witness upon the conclusion of her testimony. The court’s order is documented in the Oregon eCourt Information (OECI) system under case number 19CN05370.

The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office recognizes PPB Homicide Detective Todd Gradwahl and the other members of the Portland Police Bureau for their dedicated efforts investigating this case. Furthermore, the District Attorney’s Office recognizes Victim Advocate Emily Hyde for the support and advocacy she provide to Ms. Magnum’s family and the witnesses in this case.

#MCDA#

Contact: Brent Weisberg, Communications Director

Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office

Phone: 503.988.6567 | Email: rent.Weisberg@mcda.us">Brent.Weisberg@mcda.us

December 3, 2019

Alexander Tomas Harrison receives 90 month prison sentence for shooting his roommate in the neck

Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill announced that 26-year-old Alexander Tomas Harrison received a 90 month prison sentence for shooting his roommate in his neck during a fight inside their shared apartment.

The jury returned its verdict in this case on November 15, 2019 upon the conclusion of a four day trial.

The jury found Harrison guilty of one count of assault in the first degree with a firearm and one count of unlawful use of a weapon with a firearm.

During trial, the state presented evidence to show that on April 4, 2019, Harrison and his roommate went out to $1 margarita night at a local restaurant. After drinking at the bar, the two stopped purchased a bottle of rum. After consuming about ¾ of the bottle of rum at the apartment, the two men got into an altercation.

At approximately 10 p.m. on April 4, 2019, Portland Police received information about a shooting. Harrison placed the first 9-1-1 call and reported shooting his roommate. The second 9-1-1 call came in from the victim.

When police got on scene, Harrison flagged them down and confirmed to officers that he was the shooter.

A neighbor testified that shortly after she heard what sounded like a gun being fired, someone knocked on her door for help. It was the victim, covered in blood.

At the hospital, doctors determined the bullet had entered the victim’s chin, went through his neck and caused a cervical spine fracture. The bullet remains in the victim’s neck and will not be removed because of the risks associated with surgery.

The jury rejected Harrison’s self-defense claim made at trial.

According to Harrison’s account to police, his roommate was “raging” – throwing things around the apartment, breaking things and had pushed him into a wall.

Police searched the apartment and found it relatively clean and orderly. During the search, police found a fully loaded Ruger Security Six .357 Magnum revolver under a couch cushion.

While police were on scene investigating they learned about a social media post the victim made shortly after the shooting wherein he described being shot by Harrison. The video was shown to the jury.

Oregon’s self-defense laws are, in part, defined under ORS 161.209 and ORS 161.219.

This case was prosecuted by Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney Todd Jackson.

The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office recognizes the Portland Police Bureau’s Gun Violence Reduction Team and PPB GVRT Detective Todd Teats for investigating this case and District Attorney Victim Advocate Tabitha Smith for the support and resources she provided the victim and his family throughout this case.

#MCDA#

Contact: Brent Weisberg, Communications Director

Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office

Phone: 503.988.6567 | Email: rent.Weisberg@mcda.us">Brent.Weisberg@mcda.us

More than $3.35 million will support crime-fighting efforts in the District of Oregon

WASHINGTON—The Department of Justice today announced that it has awarded more than $376 million in grant funding to enhance state, local and tribal law enforcement operations and reinforce public safety efforts in jurisdictions across the United States. $3,350,381 will support public safety activities in the District of Oregon. The awards were made by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs.

“Crime and violence hold families, friends and neighborhoods hostage, and they rip communities apart,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “These programs help restore the health and safety of crime-ravaged communities by supporting prevention activities, aiding in the apprehension and prosecution of perpetrators, facilitating appropriate sentencing and adjudication, and providing communities and their residents the means for recovery and healing.”

“Protecting public safety and the fair administration of justice requires steadfast partnership among local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement agencies. I’m thankful for the culture of collaboration and teamwork that have come to define Oregon’s law enforcement community,” said Billy J. Williams, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “My sincere hope is that these awards will support and further the tremendous work being done by law enforcement agencies across the state. As an Oregonian, I’m proud of your efforts.”

The awards announced today support an array of crime-fighting initiatives, including the quarter-billion dollar Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grants Program, which funds public safety efforts in 929 state, local and tribal jurisdictions. Funding also supports sex offender registration and notification, law enforcement-based victim services, the testing of sexual assault kits, and programs designed to address youth with sexual behavioral problems. Other awards will focus on wrongful convictions, intellectual property enforcement, innovative prosecution strategies and the safety and effectiveness of corrections systems.

The following awards were made to organizations in the District of Oregon:

Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant Program

Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking (SMART) Support for Adam Walsh Act Implementation Grant Program

Purpose Area 1: Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act Implementation in States, the District of Columbia, principal U.S. Territories, and Federally Recognized Indiana Tribes

Information about the programs and awards announced today is available here. For more information about OJP awards, visit the OJP Awards Data webpage.

The Office of Justice Programs, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training and technical assistance, and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.

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HILLSBORO, Ore.- While the Washington County District Attorney’s Office respects the appellate court process, it respectfully disagrees with the conclusion reached in today’s opinion.  This office agrees with Trial Judge Donald Letourneau’s original ruling that Eloy Vasquez-Santiago’s confession was given freely and voluntarily.  Furthermore, this office is hopeful that the Oregon Supreme Court will review this case and provide further guidance in this area of the law.

HILLSBORO, Ore.- The following is a statement from District Attorney Kevin Barton regarding the impact of Senate Bill 1013 on the State v Jeremiah Johnston case and future Washington County cases:

I am hopeful that the resolution of this case brings some amount of closure to the family of Sara Zghoul. 

Jeremiah Johnston committed a horrific and brutal murder of a young Washington County mother and his continued refusal to provide her family with the location of the rest of her body speaks to his level of depravity and his lack of remorse.

While the knowledge that her killer will never be free may provide some finality for Sara’s family, the ongoing flaws in Oregon’s new murder laws provide no such finality for the families of other crime victims or our community as a whole. 

The decision to weaken Oregon’s murder laws by replacing them with poorly drafted substitutes that apply retroactively directly hampers our ability to prosecute murders.  While the rushed passage and enactment of SB 1013 was an end-run around the express will of Oregon’s voters and extraordinarily disappointing, the refusal to convene a special legislative session to fix the known problems created by SB 1013 is entirely inexcusable.  Crime victims, their families and our communities deserve a system that prioritizes the safety of Oregonians over the goals of special interest groups.

Looking forward, I am hopeful the legislature will not rush future changes to our criminal laws without full consideration and will work with prosecutors to fix the problems in SB 1013.

HILLSBORO, Ore.- On December 4, 2019, Jeremiah Ward Johnston pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, second-degree kidnapping, first-degree abuse of a corpse and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder of a witness. He was sentenced to life with a minimum of 65 years in prison by Washington County Judge Ricardo Menchaca. Senior Deputy District Attorney John Gerhard and Deputy District Attorney Chris Lewman prosecuted Mr. Johnston. Mr. Johnston will be more than 100 years old before he becomes eligible for parole consideration.

On January 19, 2018, Mr. Johnston picked up Sara Zghoul from a hotel located in Beaverton, Oregon. Mr. Johnston then took the victim to his parent’s house in an unincorporated area of Washington County, Oregon near Cooper Mountain.

Mr. Johnston was upset with the victim due to what he perceived as an unpaid drug debt. Mr. Johnston then attempted to use Ms. Zghoul to lure another drug dealer to the home with the intent to rob that drug dealer. He bound the victim with duct tape, but eventually released her from the restraints. Ms. Zghoul attempted to flee the home, but Mr. Johnston caught her at the top of a staircase and pushed her down a flight of stairs. Ms. Zghoul struck her head on a wall at the bottom of the stairs, likely resulting in a head injury. Mr. Johnston decided at that moment that he would kill Ms. Zghoul.

Mr. Johnston murdered Ms. Zghoul and dismembered her body.

The defendant then contacted his friend who owned a fishing boat and told him about the murder. That acquaintance then reported to police what he had learned from Mr. Johnston, and police quickly located Mr. Johnston’s vehicle. Mr. Johnston fled from police and unsuccessfully attempted suicide before he was arrested.

While in custody at the Washington County Jail, Mr. Johnston befriended an inmate and told him graphic details about murdering and dismembering Ms. Zghoul. He then offered the inmate $50,000 to kill the friend who made the first report to police. Investigators uncovered the plot before it could be enacted.

The Washington County District Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the Washington County Major Crimes Team, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, and Detective Brad Verboort for their work on this case.

A restitution hearing is scheduled for February 3, 2020.

Mr. Johnston will be transferred to the Oregon Department of Corrections to begin serving his sentence.

PORTLAND, Ore., December 4, 2019 — OnPoint Community Credit Union will host a community celebration marking the opening of its Vancouver Waterfront branch on Saturday, December 7, 2019.

OnPoint’s event comes just over one year after thousands of people attended the grand opening for the Vancouver Waterfront development. Since then, the area has seen continued growth, adding wineries and restaurants. The new branch will broaden the scope of services available to those working and living in the area. 

Grand Opening Event Details:

WHAT: Community celebration and open house for OnPoint Community Credit Union’s new waterfront branch featuring giveaways, a food truck, new member enrollment and a check presentation to local nonprofit Innovative Services.

WHO: OnPoint leaders and employees, the public, OnPoint members, neighboring businesses and individuals, and local supporters, as well as Gramor Development leadership who is leading the waterfront revitalization effort.

WHEN: Saturday, December 7, 2019, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. 

WHERE: 611 W. Columbia Way Vancouver, WA 98660

OnPoint will make a $2,500 to Innovative Services, which serves children and adults with disabilities, as well as low-income children and families. OnPoint chose Innovative Services for the donation because of the quality of its programs and its mission to build self-reliant children and adults.  Services include:

• Employment opportunities and job training for individuals with developmental disabilities
• Janitorial services that serve as a community rehabilitation program for people with disabilities or other disadvantages
• Pediatric therapy and early intervention for special needs children
• Early learning and childcare programs, including free preschool for eligible children

OnPoint’s donation will support Innovative Service’s growing pediatric speech therapy program, which serves 80 children per month.

Media Availability: OnPoint’s check presentation will take place at 10:15 a.m. and interview opportunities are available from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. with the individuals listed below.  Please call Shannon Berg at 503-347-8822 if you plan to attend.

• OnPoint’s SW Washington Area Manager, Amy Reeves
• OnPoint’s Branch Operations Supervisor, April Weissert
• Gramor Development President, Barry Cain
• Innovative Services representatives

ABOUT ONPOINT COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION

OnPoint Community Credit Union is the largest credit union in Oregon, serving more than 385,000 members and with assets of $6.1 billion. Founded in 1932, OnPoint Community Credit Union's membership is available to anyone who lives or works in one of 13 Oregon counties (Benton, Clackamas, Columbia, Crook, Deschutes, Jefferson, Lane, Linn, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Washington and Yamhill) and two Washington counties (Skamania and Clark) and their immediate family members. More information is available at www.onpointcu.com or 503-228-7077 or 800-527-3932.

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PORTLAND, Ore., December 3, 2019—Continuing its annual holiday tradition, OnPoint Community Credit Union employees directed donations of over $73,000 to JOIN, Meals on Wheels People, and Neighborhood House. To broaden its impact across the region, OnPoint also allocated $5,000 to be distributed among additional nonprofit organizations, including Looking Glass Community Services in Eugene, Yamhill Community Action Partnership in McMinnville, and Bethlehem Inn and St. Vincent de Paul of Redmond in Central Oregon.

“Volunteering, donating and serving our community is part of what drives our employees at OnPoint. This is why we wanted to help them make an even bigger impact this holiday season,” said Rob Stuart, President and Chief Executive Officer, OnPoint Community Credit Union. “Thanks to our dedicated nonprofit partners, our employees’ gifts will stretch further to help our most vulnerable neighbors have a more comfortable holiday season.” 

For three consecutive years, OnPoint has made donations on behalf of each of its employees to select organizations that make a difference in the community. This year, employees directed $100 to three different organizations—with many opting to split their donation—resulting in gifts of $32,520 to Meals on Wheels People, $20,437 to JOIN, and $20,370 to Neighborhood House.   

Through the delivery of 5,000 nutritious meals each weekday, Meals on Wheels People alleviates hunger and social isolation, and allows seniors to live independently. “OnPoint’s generosity will provide an entire day of meals to the 5,000 seniors we serve,” said Julie Piper Finley, Director of Marketing & Communications at Meals on Wheels People. “We are honored OnPoint employees chose us as recipients of this tremendous gift. On behalf of those we serve, we thank them for their continued support of our community.”

JOIN partners with individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness to identify a path to housing that opens the doors to stability, opportunity and community. “JOIN's mission is to transition people out of homelessness into permanent housing,” said Sophie Jaggi, Development Director at JOIN. “We transition 25-30 people per week into permanent housing and support others through our Day Center. As the weather gets colder and the holidays draw near, OnPoint’s continued generosity will help us as we make sure more people have a place to call home.”  

For nearly 115 years, Neighborhood House has provided emergency food services, early childhood and school-age education, housing support, senior services, and more. “Neighborhood House is so grateful to OnPoint for this gift. This is truly an example of extraordinary community partnership and generosity,” said Mari Yerger, Neighborhood House’s Deputy Director. 

The conclusion of OnPoint’s annual employee giving campaign signals the start of its social giving campaign where its Facebook, Twitter and Instagram followers will be able to select six organizations to receive donations from OnPoint. OnPoint followers are encouraged to follow/like and share the non-profit to which they’d want OnPoint to donate. Participants can vote through OnPoint’s social media channels by tagging OnPoint and using the #OnPointGiving hashtag, or by commenting on a promotional post. The social giving campaign kicks off today, December 3, which is Giving Tuesday and will run until December 13. 

ABOUT ONPOINT COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION

OnPoint Community Credit Union is the largest credit union in Oregon, serving more than 385,000 members and with assets of $6.1 billion. Founded in 1932, OnPoint Community Credit Union’s membership is available to anyone who lives or works in one of 13 Oregon counties (Benton, Clackamas, Columbia, Crook, Deschutes, Jefferson, Lane, Linn, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Washington and Yamhill) and two Washington counties (Skamania and Clark) and their immediate family members. More information is available at: 503-228-7077 or 800-527-3932.

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PORTLAND, Ore., December 3, 2019—Continuing its annual holiday tradition, OnPoint Community Credit Union employees directed donations of over $73,000 to JOIN, Meals on Wheels People, and Neighborhood House. To broaden its impact across the region, OnPoint also allocated $5,000 to be distributed among additional nonprofit organizations, including Looking Glass Community Services in Eugene, Yamhill Community Action Partnership in McMinnville, and Bethlehem Inn and St. Vincent de Paul of Redmond in Central Oregon.

“Volunteering, donating and serving our community is part of what drives our employees at OnPoint. This is why we wanted to help them make an even bigger impact this holiday season,” said Rob Stuart, President and Chief Executive Officer, OnPoint Community Credit Union. “Thanks to our dedicated nonprofit partners, our employees’ gifts will stretch further to help our most vulnerable neighbors have a more comfortable holiday season.” 

For three consecutive years, OnPoint has made donations on behalf of each of its employees to select organizations that make a difference in the community. This year, employees directed $100 to three different organizations—with many opting to split their donation—resulting in gifts of $32,520 to Meals on Wheels People, $20,437 to JOIN, and $20,370 to Neighborhood House.   

Through the delivery of 5,000 nutritious meals each weekday, Meals on Wheels People alleviates hunger and social isolation, and allows seniors to live independently. “OnPoint’s generosity will provide an entire day of meals to the 5,000 seniors we serve,” said Julie Piper Finley, Director of Marketing & Communications at Meals on Wheels People. “We are honored OnPoint employees chose us as recipients of this tremendous gift. On behalf of those we serve, we thank them for their continued support of our community.”

JOIN partners with individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness to identify a path to housing that opens the doors to stability, opportunity and community. “JOIN's mission is to transition people out of homelessness into permanent housing,” said Sophie Jaggi, Development Director at JOIN. “We transition 25-30 people per week into permanent housing and support others through our Day Center. As the weather gets colder and the holidays draw near, OnPoint’s continued generosity will help us as we make sure more people have a place to call home.”  

For nearly 115 years, Neighborhood House has provided emergency food services, early childhood and school-age education, housing support, senior services, and more. “Neighborhood House is so grateful to OnPoint for this gift. This is truly an example of extraordinary community partnership and generosity,” said Mari Yerger, Neighborhood House’s Deputy Director. 

The conclusion of OnPoint’s annual employee giving campaign signals the start of its social giving campaign where its Facebook, Twitter and Instagram followers will be able to select six organizations to receive donations from OnPoint. OnPoint followers are encouraged to follow/like and share the non-profit to which they’d want OnPoint to donate. Participants can vote through OnPoint’s social media channels by tagging OnPoint and using the #OnPointGiving hashtag, or by commenting on a promotional post. The social giving campaign kicks off today, December 3, which is Giving Tuesday and will run until December 13. 

ABOUT ONPOINT COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION

OnPoint Community Credit Union is the largest credit union in Oregon, serving more than 385,000 members and with assets of $6.1 billion. Founded in 1932, OnPoint Community Credit Union’s membership is available to anyone who lives or works in one of 13 Oregon counties (Benton, Clackamas, Columbia, Crook, Deschutes, Jefferson, Lane, Linn, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Washington and Yamhill) and two Washington counties (Skamania and Clark) and their immediate family members. More information is available at: 503-228-7077 or 800-527-3932.

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OREGON CITY – The field of machining continues to grow, and qualified employees are in high demand for these well-paying jobs. Clackamas Community College offers a number of degrees and certificates in industrial technology, including computer numerical control (CNC) machine operator training. Starting wages for CNC machine operators are $16-$20 an hour.

Students who successfully complete the college’s 11-week CNC machine operator training will be considered for hire as a machinist/CNC operator with some of the best companies in the metro area. Candidates will be connected with employment training, paid internships, career coaching, job preparation support and other resources through TechHire Clackamas.

To learn more, attend an upcoming information session: Thursday, Dec. 12, 4-5 p.m., or Tuesday, Dec. 17, 3-4 p.m. Both sessions are free and will be held at the college’s Industrial Technology Center, 19600 Molalla Ave., Oregon City. Attendees will be introduced the CNC operator program and learn about opportunities through TechHire Clackamas, which can provide financial assistance and support services to those who are ages 17-29 and qualify for assistance.

TechHire is a U.S. Department of Labor grant to help young adults age 17-29 acquire education and training to qualify for high-demand jobs in advanced manufacturing and technology.

For more information about TechHire, visit www.clackamas.edu/techhire. For questions, contact Tom Brown at 503-594-5956 or e@clackamas.edu">techhire@clackamas.edu.

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OREGON CITY – It may be cold and wet outside, but nature is full of activity and wonder. Clackamas Community College’s Environmental Learning Center (ELC) is offering children’s nature camps during winter break. Camps will include hands-on activities, crafts and active games to engage children in exploring how plants, animals and people get through winter. Each day of the camp will focus on a different aspect of winter survival.

The Environmental Learning Center is a great place for children, families and adults to explore the outdoors and learn about watersheds through hands-on environmental education. The 5-acre site includes walking trails, an outdoor amphitheater and interpretative signage. The site serves as an important stormwater facility for the college campus and provides critical wetland habitat for resident and migratory birds, such as great blue herons, flickers and mallards.

Upcoming winter break camps

Monday, Dec. 30: Winter Food – After investigating what wildlife neighbors are eating, campers will enjoy a campfire treat.

Thursday, Jan. 2: Winter Shelters – Campers will explore the wetland and forest for animal homes and make their own shelters.

Friday, Jan. 3: Winter Fun – Winter is a wonderful time for storytelling, crafts and games.

Each camp session runs 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The cost is $64/day for first and second graders and $69/day for third through fifth graders. Sign up for one day, or all three! Before/after care is available for each camp (cost not included in the price of camp). Limited scholarships are available.

ELC pop-up sale

To support its nature camps and programs, the Environmental Learning Center is holding a pop-up sale Dec. 10, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. There will be Nature Spy T-shirts, collector cards and nature spy explorer kits for sale.

The Environmental Learning Center is located at 19600 Molalla Ave., Oregon City.

To register for camp or more information visit www.clackamas.edu/elc/kids or email r@clackamas.edu">alena.schnarr@clackamas.edu. To learn more about the Environmental Learning Center, visit www.clackamas.edu/ELC.

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SCAPPOOSE, Ore. – This week, Portland Community College received the green light to take possession of property in Columbia County on which it will build a workforce training center. The parcel of land – just over 17 acres – is located north of Wagner Court and east of West Lane Road, in Scappoose.

The land acquisition is the culmination of a lengthy process.  “We’re thrilled to share that PCC now has land in Scappoose, and even happier that construction will soon begin,” said Sylvia Kelley, PCC’s executive vice president.

“Many thanks to our constituents in Columbia County, who have patiently waited as the college worked diligently to make this project a reality.”

The property offers easy access to students and the community because of its adjacency to Highway 30. Also appealing is its proximity to OMIC R&D, the Research & Development partner in the Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center initiative. The regional OMIC project seeks to combine applied research and development and workforce training, serving the region’s advanced manufacturers and creating economic mobility for area residents to access living wage careers in the metals manufacturing industry.  

PCC’s training center will initially focus on advanced manufacturing, offering such programs as Machining, Computer Numerically Controlled Operation, Welding and Mechatronics, all of which complement OMIC’s R&D work. Programming will be based on an apprenticeship model, a career pathway that combines on-the-job training with classroom instruction in order to develop the industry-aligned skills necessary for a rewarding career with an employer that trains and hires them.  PCC is also committed to providing additional Career Technical Education and other courses as needed by the community. 

“PCC’s partnership in Scappoose was something we’ve supported wholeheartedly from the very beginning,” said Scappoose Mayor Scott Burge.

“There have been bumps and bruises along the way, trying to figure it out and how to do it, but all day long, the city of Scappoose has been there with PCC. It's very important for the city. It's very important for economic development. And, it's very important for the whole OMIC process that's happening out there.

“Having sticks in the ground for a community college is huge for our community. So, we're all onboard and looking very forward to the groundbreaking on that site,” he said.

PCC will begin construction soon, with an anticipated facility opening date of spring 2021. Meanwhile, plans are underway for a celebratory groundbreaking, open to the community, to take place in late winter or early spring 2020.

“I’ve got a construction and project management team ready to go on the build, and they couldn’t be more excited to start work,” said Linda Degman, director of PCC’s Planning and Capital Construction office.

“Our 2020 groundbreaking truly will be a celebration about the facility to be built, and the asset it will be for the community,” said Degman.

PCC has had a long-time presence in Columbia County, offering both credit and non-credit courses throughout the region. Welding classes continue to be taught in the evenings at St. Helens High School as they have for the past six years. Beginning this fall, Scappoose High School offered machining coursework to their students to meet curriculum needs using PCC’s OMIC equipment located at the high school. Meanwhile, OMIC machining apprentices began taking classes in the evenings at Scappoose High School. However, the desire for a permanent PCC presence and facility has been long standing.

“PCC is incredibly grateful to our community partners in Columbia County, who have granted access to the college over the years to use their facilities for classes,” said Kelley.

“Their generosity hasn’t mitigated our desire for a permanent facility in the region, however. As such, we are delighted about the phase we’re now in.

“Advanced manufacturing has a bright future in our state, with the OMIC project being transformational for Columbia County and northwest Oregon. PCC’s training center will provide students with both the classroom and on-the-job learning they need to fill high-demand, living wage jobs available,” said Kelley.

Added Scappoose City Manager Michael Sykes, “While volunteering at the city’s September Sauerkraut Festival, attended by 8,000 community members, the number one question I was asked was about when PCC would be coming to town. And this was quickly followed by comments that they hoped PCC was still headed our way.

“Scappoose has the largest vacant industrial area in the region, and all of it is pretty much shovel-ready. PCC will complement the workforce opportunities here and is really going to be a game changer for our community,” he said.

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

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

VANCOUVER, Wash. — "A Radio Christmas Carol," a live radio drama led by John Barber, faculty member in the Creative Media and Digital Culture program at Washington State University Vancouver, returns to the Kiggins Theatre in downtown Vancouver for one performance Dec. 18. Doors open at 6 p.m., with the performance at 7 p.m.

This marks the seventh year for Re-Imagined Radio’s performance of the popular holiday classic, which features local voice actors and sound artists. The radio drama is based on Charles Dickens’ novella A Christmas Carol, first published on Dec. 19, 1843, and never out of print since.

Barber emphasized the eternal timeliness of the novel’s message. "The message is that humanity far outweighs riches,” Barber said. “This message is very important as we contemplate the changes and uncertainties ahead of us as a culture, a community, a country."

Tickets are available for $10 in advance online at kigginstheatre.com, or for $12 at the door the night of the performance. Concessions, beer and wine will be available for purchase before and during the performance.

Re-Imagined Radio is a partnership between Barber, Kiggins Theatre, KXRW Radio, Metropolitan Performing Arts, and the Creative Media & Digital Culture Program at WSU Vancouver.

About the collaborators

The Kiggins Theatre has been a landmark in downtown Vancouver since 1936. It is owned and operated by WSU alumnus Dan Wyatt, Jr. Metropolitan Performing Arts is a nonprofit organization providing performing theater arts education and community theater for Southwest Washington. KXRW-FM Radio is an independent, volunteer-based, Vancouver radio station dedicated to delivering quality programming and community building in Southwest Washington and beyond.

About WSU Vancouver

As one of six campuses of the Washington State University system, WSU Vancouver offers big-school resources in a small-school environment. The university provides affordable, high-quality baccalaureate- and graduate-level education to benefit the people and communities it serves. As the only four-year research university in Southwest Washington, WSU Vancouver helps drive economic growth through relationships with local businesses and industries, schools and nonprofit organizations. 

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Three Country Music Association songwriters will visit Parklane Elementary School, 10 a.m. on Monday, December 9, 2019 to talk with a group of fourth grade students during their music class.

The songwriters, Lee Thomas Miller, Marcus Hummon and Kenny Foster, will be in Portland for Sunday evening’s CMA Songwriters Series performance at the Aladdin Theater (release on event attached.) $1 of each ticket sold for the event benefits the CMA Foundation, which in turn is supporting Centennial School District’s music program by providing drumming sets, Orff instruments, flutes, clarinets, trumpets, violins, music teacher professional development and other school resources.

Parklane Elementary School is located at 15811 S.E. Main, Portland, Oregon 97233

Media is welcome to attend the visit, but must check in at tthe Parklane Elementary School Office.

The Multnomah Education Service District Board Finance Committee will meet on Thursday, December 12, 2019 at 1:00 p.m. at the main headquarters, 11611 NE Ainsworth Circle, Portland, Oregon  97220.

The Multnomah Education Service District Board Visibility Committee will meet on Friday, September 13th 12:00 p.m. at the main headquarters, 11611 NE Ainsworth Circle, Portland, Oregon  97220.

The Multnomah Education Service District Board Equity and Inclusion Committee will meet on Tuesday, December 10 at 3:00 p.m. at the main headquarters, 11611 NE Ainsworth Circle, Portland, Oregon  97220

The Parkrose Board of Education of School District No. 3, Multnomah County, Oregon, will convene in an Executive and Regular Board Business Meeting on Monday, December 9, 2019 in the Boardroom at the Parkrose District Office located at 10636 NE Prescott St., Portland, Oregon at the hour of 6:30 pm. The Board will hear presentations from the Class of 69, the Associated Student Body and hear Leadership Students' opinions on the Student Success Act. They will receive reports on Student Success Act engagement and Equity Team data analysis. Along with reports on Affirmative Action New Hires, 19-20 Restraint & Seclusion Report and the Parkrose Argay Development Project. The Board will take action on consent agenda items and a local option levy survey. They will report/discuss items of Board Business including: student success act engagement, regional equity work, OSBA board of directors, color caucus, and give their legislative updates. Twice during each Regular Board Business meeting time is set aside to hear Citizen Comments, see policy attached to the agenda for further details. The agenda is posted on the Parkrose School District Website at https://v3.boardbook.org/Public/PublicAgenda.aspx?ak=1000205&mk=50351045.  

Canby High School Football will play in the 5A division of OSAA football for the next two seasons, beginning in 2020. OSAA invited Canby High School Football to play in the 5A division after the team’s winning record was under 22% for the past two years.

While Canby High School is certainly excited and energized by the improved performance of the football team during the 2019-20 season, the district decided that this opportunity will allow the program to continue to grow. Participation has declined over the past few years; yet the new energy the program has is now generating increased interest and community support. The program expects the move to 5A will continue that momentum.

The reclassification to 5A will only affect football. OSAA will release a schedule of opponents in February. It is possible Canby High School will play 6A teams during non-conference games. There may be additional travel involved and OSAA is taking this into consideration.

The Canby High School Football community, athletic department, and district consulted with coaches, players, and the community to reach this decision. The overall feedback supported the move to 5A for the next two years. The main concerns involved travel and college recruitment. Some of the most highly-recruited players in Oregon play below the 6A level. An OSAA associate director helped answer questions about these concerns during the public meeting.

CHS Head Football Coach Jimmy Joyce has been working to rebuild the program, not only at CHS, but also within the community. Coach Joyce supports this move and thinks it will benefit the players and the community.

The move to 5A will remain in effect for the next two seasons. Then, OSAA will revisit the team’s classification.

Each year, high schools in the Battle Ground Public Schools district host multiple blood donation drives in partnership with the American Red Cross. This week, the ASB club at Summit View High School welcomed a Red Cross Bloodmobile to campus. Students in the high school's ASB club helped coordinate and advertise their donation event weeks in advance, and the day of the donation drive, served as volunteers to greet donors and help with the check-in process and assist in the “canteen” where donors sit for a few minutes to have a snack and recover after their donation is complete. 

Prairie High School is hosting its second donation drive of the year on Friday, Dec. 13, with another scheduled for the spring semester. Battle Ground High School will also host a trio of blood donation drives this school year on Dec. 19, Feb. 20, and March 20. These drives are not only an opportunity for students and staff members to give back and help save lives, but also provide learning opportunities for students who are interested in pursuing careers in the healthcare field after graduation.

Career and Technical Education (CTE) instructor Melissa Levine teaches health science, advanced health science, and family health courses at Prairie High School and is the advisor for the school’s Health Occupation Students of America, or HOSA club. Levine and her students have been hard at work for the past several weeks preparing for the school’s second blood donation drive of the school year.

Levine uses examples from blood donation drives to teach her students about many aspects of working in the medical field. For example, Levine’s students learn how donated blood is broken down into three separate products—red blood cells, platelets, and plasma—and how each of those products can be used to save three lives for each pint of blood donated.

“One of the main goals of CTE programs is to get students career ready,” Levine said. “Hosting and organizing blood donation drives provides a wonderful opportunity for students to learn and gain relevant experience in their future career fields, all while developing crucial social and leadership skills. It’s a great way for students to build their resumes and prepare for that next step after high school.”

Through creating posters and recording video public service announcements advertising the blood drives, Levine’s students gain marketing and public relations skills. For the past several weeks, HOSA students have set up a table in the commons during lunchtime to encourage their classmates to sign up to donate. Levine says this face-to-face interaction teaches listening skills that are vital for medical professionals to master in order to pick up on patient fears that can be quite subtle.

“By listening and hearing what a patient’s concerns are, you can get around potential barriers to effective treatment,” Levine said. “Being empathetic with patients and their concerns is key, and it all starts with learning to be a good listener.”

Despite the fact that students in CTE health classes are benefiting from developing career skills, Levine constantly reminds her students that it’s not about what they can get, but what they can give. And the need for blood donations has been steadily increasing in recent years.

“Historically, Baby Boomers have been the most giving generation when it comes to blood donation,” said David Hunt, account manager for the Red Cross’ Pacific Northwest Blood Services program. “As boomers age and experience increased health problems, they become less and less eligible to donate while simultaneously needing more donated blood themselves. So, we’re relying on the younger generations to try and cover this gap.”

In an effort to increase the number of donations from younger populations, the Red Cross has created a scholarship program to benefit high school students whose schools host donation drives. Scholarships are provided in $250 increments, with the final amount based on the total number of pints of blood that are collected from each school during a given school year.

For example, if Battle Ground High School collects 70 pints of blood at each of its three annual blood donation drives, those 210 pints of blood would earn about $2,500 in scholarship funds for BGHS. Schools have flexibility in choosing how to apply these funds. The money can be used by HOSA clubs to cover the costs of traveling to and participating in regional competitions, or the funds can be used as college scholarships for students who are pursuing a career in healthcare.

“Our goal is for student volunteers to benefit from multiple learning experiences at these donation drives,” Hunt said. “We want to provide a sense of community and encourage giving back. Through their outreach efforts, students learn scheduling and marketing skills, as well as how to represent themselves and sell a worthy cause to their peers. Learning to interact with people with different personalities will benefit them in their professional lives, no matter what field they enter after high school.”

“I’ve learned so much thanks to Mrs. Levine and through working to organize Prairie’s blood drive,” said PHS junior Victoria Martin del Campo. “I’ve been exposed to so many great opportunities just this year alone. Best of all are the connections I’ve made with other students who share my interest in working in the healthcare field and helping others.”

Tuesday, December 3, 2019 – Ridgefield, Washington – In Tylor Hankins’ eighth grade STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) class, students are troubleshooting their dragsters.  “It’s still going in circles.”  “I think it’s too heavy in the front.”  “This part keeps the wheel from moving.”  The big race is only a few days away, but there are lots of problems left to solve. 

Hankins’ class worked in teams to design and build their own dragsters.  The challenge:  to be the fastest car to make it 20 feet down the hallway.  Bonus points if the team could get it to stop within one foot of the finish line.  The students built driverless cars using VEX robotics parts from dozens of bins:  metal brackets and bars, sprockets and gears, wheels, motors, and more.  Working in the programming language RobotC, they programmed the driverless cars to run the short course. 

Because all the cars were unique designs, they all had different results—some intended, and some not intended.  Hankins moved from group to group, helping them pinpoint the issues and find the best solution.  As they tried different solutions—changing the programming, shortening the frame, reconfiguring the gears and wheels—they went back out to the hallway for test runs.  One went a short distance before crashing into the wall.  Another didn’t go at all.  And it was back to the drawing board.

“This project has a lot of problem solving, a lot of variables, and a lot of failure,” Hankins said.  “But when there are problems, they can figure it out.  This is the first real robot that they’ve built.  So it’s a learning process.”  Their next projects will be making BattleBots (robots that compete with each other) and a factory work cell (a mini-factory that can manufacture blocks with specific features).  The dragster project gives students the mechanical and programming skills they’ll need for future builds. 

The diversity of dragster design means the students will have an interesting race day, with four wheeled cars vs. six wheeled cars, long dragsters vs. compact ones.  “It’s a fun project,” Hankins said.  He watched as another group’s dragster sped down the hallway and cruised just over a foot past the finish line. 

The students checked the distance.  “Is it a foot?  It’s more than a foot.”  They look disappointed.

Hankins smiled.  “You’re close, guys, really close.  You’ve almost got it.”  The students picked up the racer and headed back into the Fabrication Lab, excitedly discussing ways to solve the problem, ready to try again. 

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Vancouver Public Schools welcomes Tracie Barrows, Kathy Decker and Kyle Sproul to the board of directors. The three board candidates were elected in the Nov. 5 general election and will be sworn in officially at the Dec. 10 school board meeting. The meeting will take place at 5 p.m. at the Bates Center for Educational Leadership, 2921 Falk Rd.

Tracie Barrows is a school psychologist at Columbia Valley and Crestline elementary schools in Evergreen Public Schools. She has been a school psychologist for 12 years and has lived in Vancouver since 2009. Barrows earned a master’s degree from Argosy University in Hawaii. Her husband, Doug, is a fourth-grade math and science teacher at Endeavour Elementary in Evergreen Public Schools.

“I am honored to have been elected by our community to serve on the board,” said Barrows. “My goals are to ensure that our students’ diverse needs are represented and considered in our decision-making, as well as to bring an understanding of students’ emotional and mental health to the board as we work together for the future of our district.”

Kathy Decker, a former VPS teacher, has lived in Vancouver for the past 23 years. She began teaching after earning her Bachelor of Arts in elementary education from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, and has taught in three states and Japan. She and her husband, Mark, have three children; two are VPS graduates and one is currently at Columbia River High School.

“Each school community has different gifts and struggles,” said Decker. “By engaging with staff, parents and teachers, I hope to provide opportunities for schools to develop their unique paths toward success."

Kyle Sproul, a Washington native, moved to Vancouver in 2006. Sproul has a Master of Business Administration degree from Indiana University. Her 19-year career includes working as a marketing strategist for two Fortune 500 companies. Currently, she is a part-time marketing director for a small business. She and her husband, David, have three children; two are VPS students and one is a future VPS student.

“I am honored to serve the Vancouver Public Schools community,” said Sproul. “This work is essential; school employees are charged not simply with educating our students, but also preparing them for their futures in a very dynamic and changing world.”

Salem City Club, a biweekly forum open to members and non-members, will meet Dec. 13 at the Willamette Heritage Center to discuss the thriving theater community in Salem.

Four Salem theater veterans will present on the topic. The moderator is Ed Schoaps, a co-host of the Theater Talk radio program on KMUZ. Presenter Jay Gipson-King, the director of the theater program at Chemeketa Community College, will share his insights and experiences, having directed more than twelve productions in educational and community theater. Another presenter, Lisa Joyce, has worked at the Pentacle Theatre for more than 30 years. The final presenter is Vincenzo Meduri, the vice president of the Salem Theatre Network and founder of Enlightened Theatrics.

The program will begin Friday, Dec. 13, at 12 p.m. at the Willamette Heritage Center at 1313 Mill Street St. SE. Registration fees are $10 for non-members. Lunch for members and non-members is $17 or $16 if payment is made with check or cash. Register online at SalemCityClub.com.

(Springfield, Ore.) Dec. 5, 2019— The PacificSource Foundation for Health Improvement recently committed $262,000 in grant funding to support nine nonprofit organizations based in Oregon, Montana, Washington, and Idaho.

“Working in partnership to improve community health is a shared mission of PacificSource and our Foundation, and we are pleased to announce this latest round of funding to these deserving nonprofits,” said Marian Blankenship, executive director of PacificSource’s Foundation for Health Improvement.

The funding will span from one to two years for the following nonprofits:

Oregon:

• Compass House Inc. - One-year grant of $10,000 in support of their Wellness Program, a holistic non-clinical program aimed at improving the quality of life and combating early mortality rates in adults living with mental illness.

• SPOON – One-year grant of $25,000 in support of the Nourishing Oregon’s Foster Children project, which provides trauma-informed training and resources for foster parents and child welfare workers so that they can support the complex nutritional and feeding needs of the foster children in their care.

• HIV Alliance – Two-year grant of $50,000 in support of a comprehensive opioid response in Lane, Douglas, Marion, and Josephine counties. This work will focus on at-risk populations including LGBTQ+ identified people, people with disabilities, people experiencing poverty, and rural populations with less access to support services.

• Daisy CHAIN –Two-year grant of $50,000 to support the expansion and training of a team that is serving a growing number of culturally specific families throughout their programs, including the home visiting program, nursing nook, prenatal services and more.

Montana:

• Missoula Aging Services – One-year grant of $25,000 in support of their Care Transitions Program, an innovative healthcare model that works with local hospitals and clinics to prevent high utilization by older adults through evidence-based interventions that ensure a successful transition from hospitals to home.

• Ronan School District – One year grant of $5000 to support a Native Plant Garden, which aims to build food sovereignty, positive relationships, and improved communication between a highly diverse student and parent population and the educators.

Idaho:

• Family Advocates – Two-year grant of $60,000 to support their Family Strengthening Programs, which aims to prevent child abuse and neglect while mitigating the impacts of adverse childhood experiences.

• Interlink Volunteer Caregivers – One-year grant of $7749 to help provide transportation to and from medical appointments for individuals facing transportation as a barrier to receiving vital healthcare.

Washington:

• Free Clinic of Southwest Washington – One-year grant of $30,000 in support of Community Health Workers as care extenders for diabetic patients. This CHW position will help to foster trust between patients and the medical providers as they learn about and manage their diabetes.

In addition to these new grants, the PacificSource Foundation made multi-year installments for Adelante Mujeres, Children’s Home Society, and all of the clinics participating in the Healthcare Access Partner’s Program (HcAP).

About PacificSource Foundation for Health Improvement 

Founded in 1992, the PacficSource Foundation for Health Improvement is an expression of our commitment to our communities. Its mission is to improve community health through the touchstones of better health, better care, and lower healthcare costs. The Foundation’s grants and partnerships focus on improving access to healthcare for vulnerable populations and promoting health excellence via innovative care and community health and wellness programs. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/2yK92qF

About PacificSource Health Plans 

PacificSource Health Plans is an independent, regional, not-for-profit community health plan serving the Northwest. Founded in 1933, PacificSource is based in Springfield with local offices throughout Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana. The PacificSource family of companies employs 1,100 people, serves more than 320,000 individuals, and has 3,900 employer clients throughout the Northwest. For more information visit PacificSource.com.

(Hood River, Oregon) Dec. 4, 2019—PacificSource Community Solutions, the Medicaid division of PacificSource, has contracted with LogistiCare to provide non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) brokerage services to its Coordinated Care Organization (CCO) members based in Hood River County and Wasco County beginning Jan. 1, 2020. LogistiCare is the nation’s largest NEMT broker.

“LogistiCare’s decades of experience in the industry positions them as the best resource to coordinate non-emergency medical transportation for our CCO members in Hood River and Wasco counties,” said Ken Provencher, president and CEO of PacificSource Community Solutions. “I look forward to a relationship that benefits our members for years to come.” 

“We are thrilled to expand our service agreement with PacificSource and fulfill the transportation needs of Oregonians in Hood River and Wasco counties,” said LogistiCare CEO Carter Pate. “We are committed to providing the exceptional level of service our members have come to expect.”

LogistiCare’s tech-enabled solutions offer enhanced functionality, stronger network performance and higher overall system efficiency. LogistiCare consistently maintains a 99 percent complaint-free service rate while annually managing over 65 million trips in 49 states and the District of Columbia. 

(Please note, individuals enrolled in Medicaid who receive fee-for-service/open card Medicaid through the Oregon Health Authority will continue to use GOBHI for their NEMT services in this service area.)

About PacificSource Health Plans:

PacificSource Community Solutions is a Coordinated Care Organization and part of the PacificSource family of companies. PacificSource Health Plans is an independent, not-for-profit community health plan serving the Northwest. Founded in 1933, PacificSource has local offices in Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Washington. The PacificSource family of companies employs more than 1100 people, serves more than 320,000 individuals, and has 3,900 employer clients throughout the Northwest. For more information visit PacificSource.com.

About LogistiCare l Circulation

LogistiCare, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Providence Service Corporation (Nasdaq: PRSC), is the nation's largest manager of non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) programs for state government agencies and managed care organizations. The Company's services include NEMT ride management, call center management, transportation provider network development and credentialing, and vendor administration. The Company is focused on providing access to convenient, cost-effective, safe and reliable transportation. Together with subsidiary Circulation, LogistiCare delivers tech-enabled solutions that provide enhanced functionality, stronger network performance, streamlined workflow processes, and higher overall system efficiency. LogistiCare consistently maintains a 99 percent complaint-free service rate while annually managing over 65 million trips and more than 24 million eligible riders in 49 states and the District of Columbia.  For more information about LogistiCare and Circulation visit, https://www.logisticare.com/and www.circulation.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Portland, Oregon - December 2, 2019

A favorite presenter, longtime Rethinking Psychiatry supporter, and founder of Puget Sound Hearing Voices, John Herold will present “I’m Crazy Because They Say So.” He will discuss how gaslighting is sometimes used in the mental health field to undermine people with mental health diagnoses, and how people can take their power back. Herold will share how his own experiences led him to become an advocate for change in the mental health system. His talk will be followed by an interactive discussion.

“Gaslighting” is a commonly used term for dismissing a person’s perception of reality. It is a strategy used by people in power to keep vulnerable people questioning themselves and disempowered. While many people today do not know of the play or 1944 film, Gaslight, Rethinking Psychiatry hosted a screening of this classic film last month in preparation for John’s talk. It is not necessary to have seen the film, however, to come to the live presentation on December 4th.

We welcome members of the community to this important talk. Rethinking Psychiatry is a grassroots, volunteer-run community organization that advocates for healing and choices within and beyond our mental health system.

This Rethinking Psychiatry event will be on Wednesday, December 4th, from 7-9 p.m., at 232 SE 80th Avenue in Portland (Montavilla United Methodist Church). The event is free (though donations are welcome and appreciated). The venue is ADA accessible and we will provide refreshments, including plenty of vegan and gluten-free options.

To find out more, visit www.rethinkingpsychiatry.org. If you have questions about the event or about Rethinking Psychiatry, or if you need any assistance or accommodations for the event, please e-mail us at ethinkingpsychiatry@gmail.com">rethinkingpsychiatry@gmail.com.

Gov. Kate Brown will kick off the Age-Friendly Summit at the Asian Health & Services Center, 9035 SE Foster Road Portland, at 9:30 a.m. Monday in front of 400 advocates, activists and policymakers.                                                             

Gov. Brown will be followed by Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, who was the first mayor in Oregon to declare Portland “Age-Friendly” as part of a network of cities across the world preparing for an aging population.

The AARP Network of the Age-Friendly States and Communities is the United States affiliate of the World Health Organization Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities, to prepare for rapidly aging populations and the parallel trend of urbanization. To date, seven Oregon cities have joined the network.

“The average 10-year old today has a 50% chance of living to 100,” said AARP Oregon State Director Ruby Haughton-Pitts. “Our communities and state need to take the long view and build communities where people of all ages can enjoy life.”

Experts from around the state will convene to learn about Age-Friendly “domains” including but not limited to transportation, housing, economic security, civic engagement, and healthcare. International Age-Friendly expert Gil Penalosa and founder of the Canadian nonprofit “8 80” will provide a keynote address. His work demonstrates that what cities do to help an 8-year old or 80-year old will be “great for all people.”

Oregon's 65-and-older population is growing faster than the nation as a whole. Oregon is a retirement destination, but the majority of the growth comes not from migration, but Oregonians aging in their home state.

“We know that the large majority of older adults want to stay in their communities as they age,” said Bandana Shrestha, Community Engagement Director for AARP and conference organizer. “However, they may need new transportation options, housing changes and ways to maintain community connections.”

Oregon has been at the forefront of Age-Friendly Cities since Dr. Margaret Neal and Dr. Alan De La Torre from Portland State University’s Institute on Aging began a collaboration with the WHO in 2006. They will also be presenters at the summit.

“Portland and Oregon have a great history meeting the challenge of an aging society,” said Haughton-Pitts, “but we need to forge a new future that will enable older adults to continue being contributing and valued members of our communities.”

Conference materials can be found here including the full program agenda.

AARP Oregon is a nonprofit organization with 510,000 members across the state.

The Toxic Kids Free Act is one of four state initiatives with cosmetic safety improvements

Congressional representatives from New Jersey and Illinois proposed two bills this year to help consumers identify toxic chemicals in cosmetics, and a Congressional memo for a hearing on Wednesday in Washington, D.C. cited Oregon’s Toxic Free Kids Act as one of four “long-standing” examples of state action.

The Toxic Free Kids Act, adopted by the state Legislature in 2015, directs the Oregon Health Authority to:

• Create and manage a science-based list of “High Priority Chemicals of Concern for Children’s Health,” identical to Washington state’s list of 66 chemicals;
• Require large manufacturers that sell children’s products (toys, car seats, clothing, jewelry and cosmetics) in Oregon to provide notice to the Oregon Health Authority  when their children’s products contain these chemicals; and
• Require manufacturers to remove or substitute chemicals on the list, within six years, if the chemical is present in a product made for children under the age of three, a children’s cosmetic, or a mouthable children’s product.

Oregon Environmental Council in 2018 published “Chemicals of Concerns In Children's Products,” --an interactive report (more below) of data, released for the first time by the state for Oregonians to review. Our review showed that more than 4,000 reports to the Oregon Health Authority mention toys, clothes, crafts, bedding, baby gear sold in Oregon in 2017 contain more than 50 different chemical ingredients that are scientifically linked to health impacts in kids.

“Cosmetic products literally touch millions of Oregonians and consumers have a right to know what ingredients they place on their skin or that of their children,” said Oregon Environmental Council Environmental Health Program Director Jamie Pang, who recently began her tenure. “The Toxic Free Kids Act, with strong implementation, can serve as a great example for Capitol Hill discussions for better federal policy and oversight.”

As the cosmetics and personal care product industry continues to expand and people gain access to new and different products in the market, consumer awareness about the safety of these products has also grown. For example, the global organic personal care market, only one segment of the overall cosmetics market, reached $13.3 billion in 2018, according to the Congressional memo.

According to the federal Health committee’s memo, the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1938 that addresses cosmetics safety “prohibits the introduction of adulterated or misbranded cosmetics into interstate commerce; but it does not require that cosmetic products and ingredients, other than color additives, have FDA approval prior to market entry. Further, there is currently no process by which FDA actively reviews cosmetic ingredients for safety. In fact, participation in many of FDA’s current regulatory mechanisms for cosmetics, such as registration and recall, is completely voluntary for manufacturers.”

Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Rep.  Jan Schakowsy (D-IL) have proposed bills to improve FDA oversight. According to summaries in the memo:

Rep. Pallone’s proposal, the Cosmetic Safety Enhancement Act of 2019  “would require manufacturers to notify FDA of adverse events associated with their cosmetic products within 15 days of learning of such events. Manufacturers would be required to substantiate the safety of their cosmetic products. In addition, the draft bill would empower FDA to conduct safety reviews of cosmetic ingredients and mandate recalls of products associated with serious adverse health events. It also requires manufacturers to provide more transparency about their products on their labels.”

Rep. Schakowsky’s Safe Cosmetics and Personal Care Products Act “would require manufacturers of personal care products sold in the United States to register with FDA. The bill would also require manufacturers to disclose the ingredients in their products on the label, including the ingredients in any fragrances. It would provide FDA with mandatory recall authority for cosmetics and personal care products and require public notice of such recalls. Further, the bill would ban toxic ingredients.”

Oregon, Washington, California and Maine all have regulations on personal care products. Oregon’s landmark legislation to protect children received no recognition from this state’s Congressional representatives at the hearing. 

Rep. Greg Walden, who represents residents in Oregon’s 2nd ranging from Bend to Medford to LeGrande, and Rep. Kurt Schrader, who speaks for 5th-District folks and businesses around Salem, Tillamook and Newport, sit on the committee and expressed concerns for businesses, overregulation and a potential nationwide patchwork of state laws addressing the same issue. 

More reading:

Chemicals of Concern In Children’s Products
History of TFKA
Toxic Free Kids Act: Personal Care Products
Toxic Free Kids Act: PBT Chemicals
Toxic Free Kids Act: Carcinogens

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About Oregon Environmental Council: We bring Oregonians together to protect our water, air and land with healthy solutions that work for today and for future generations. Founded in 1968 by concerned Oregonians from across the state, we are a membership-based, nonpartisan nonprofit. Follow us! @oeconline | OEConline.org

Holiday Cheer Press Photos: http://bit.ly/holidaycheerpress 

Santaland Press Photos: http://bit.ly/ohs_santaland 

Portland, OR – Come support a local holiday tradition at the Oregon Historical Society’s 52nd annual Holiday Cheer, a festive book sale & literary celebration on Sunday, December 8! Meet 80 Oregon authors and make a dent in your holiday shopping by picking up the perfect personalized gift.

Holiday Cheer begins at noon at the Oregon Historical Society (1200 SW Park Avenue, Portland) and authors will be signing until 4pm. Admission is free to both the book sale and to visit museum exhibits.

For over half a century, the Oregon Historical Society has celebrated our state’s rich literary talents at this kick-off to the holiday season. This year, some of the Pacific Northwest’s most noted authors will be in the museum selling everything from children’s books to guidebooks to mysteries to histories! All featured authors have published a book in 2019, though many will also have past titles available.

Notable local authors in attendance include:

• Children’s authors Eric Kimmel, Elizabeth Rusch, and Dawn Babb Prochovnic
• Former Oregon representative Les AuCoin
• It’s Different Every Day Calendar creators Brooke Barker and Boaz Frankel
• New York Times best-selling novelist Kristina McMorris
• Oregon’s official tour guide, Gerry Frank
• And, the Guinness World Record holder for “oldest performing drag queen,” the one and only Darcelle XV (Walter Cole)

December 8 also marks the final day of the exhibit Many Shades of Being Darcelle: 52 years of Fashion, 1967–2019. This exhibit features a selection of Darcelle’s more than 1,500 extravagant costumes, many made by Walter Cole himself.

At Holiday Cheer, you will find a book for everyone on your shopping list, with guides for exploring Oregon’s outdoors, to locally based thrillers and mysteries, to adorable works for kiddos that highlight Portland’s love of biking. View a full list of participating authors at ohs.org/holidaycheer.

To add to the holiday cheer, The Dickens Carolers will be strolling through the museum performing lively holiday songs from 1pm–2pm. Santa Claus will also be landing his sleigh at OHS for free photos in the popular Meier & Frank Santaland exhibit, featuring a display of items including Rudolph, Santa’s throne, and a model of the iconic monorail. 

Sip on a cup of hot cocoa and come chat with some of Oregon’s best and brightest writers! Admission to Holiday Cheer is free, and all museum exhibits will be open from Noon to 5pm, including Fighting for the Right to Fight: African American Experiences during World War II.  

About the Oregon Historical Society

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

It may be a beloved classic movie, but “It’s a Wonderful Life” also shows what can go wrong over the holidays. Look closely, and you′ll see it contains potential hazards to its characters’ safety and well-being. It's no wonder George Bailey needs a guardian angel. 

Follow these five tips to make sure your holidays are happy and safe. 

1. Parties, presents, and expectations of perfection can take its toll. 

As George Bailey discovers, holidays can be stressful. Remember to take care of your mental and emotional health—and get help when you need it. Learn more at saif.com/relax. 

2. Choose the right ladder for the job. Never use a chair. 

Peter Bailey could have a nasty fall if he slips off that chair. If you’re decorating a tree or putting up holiday lights, stay safe by using a ladder. Keep cords out of the way so you don’t trip over them, and make sure your tree is well-watered and doesn’t become a fire hazard. Learn more at saif.com/ladders. 

3. Injuries happen when you're distracted. 

George and Mary don’t notice the dance floor open to a swimming pool, showing how easy it is to fall for distracted walking, driving ... or dancing. Learn more at saif.com/falls. 

4. Slow down for snow and ice.  

Winter weather transforms everyday scenes into a beautiful snow globe. But George finds out the hard way that snowy roads can create hazardous driving conditions. Learn more at saif.com/drivesafely. 

5. No one wants the gift of germs. 

Little Zuzu Bailey has a fever, so George wisely tucks her up in bed to recover. If you’re sick, stay home. Learn more at saif.com/flu. 

Learn more from the Bailey family at saif.com/news.

About SAIF

SAIF is Oregon's not-for-profit workers' compensation insurance company. For more than 100 years, we've been taking care of injured workers, helping people get back to work, and striving to make Oregon the safest and healthiest place to work. For more information, visit the About SAIF page on saif.com. 

While the December holidays can be a time of celebration and fun with friends and family, they can also be especially challenging for adults and kids grieving the death of someone close to them. No matter when the person died, grief can feel especially intense this month. The Dougy Center developed these tips to help when the pressures of holidays or special days throughout the year can be overwhelming.

Dougy’s December Tips

1. Talk with friends and family ahead of time and set expectations, limits, and hopes for the holiday season. It’s okay to say no!
    
2. Create a personal tradition. Holiday traditions don’t have to be big affairs. Choose something meaningful just for you. Many families at The Dougy Center choose to light a candle each morning or night.
    
3. Make it about someone else. Look for an organization or cause that inspires you to donate or volunteer. Need help deciding? Think about causes important to the person you’re grieving.
    
4. Find your last minute friends and family. Who gives you total permission to cancel plans at the very last moment?
    
5. Ask the kids. If you have grieving children in your life, ask them what’s important to them about this time of year. What memories do they have? Not everyone has positive memories, so let them know you’re game for hearing the hard ones too.
    
6. Social Media + Grief + Holidays = It’s Complicated. Lots of people have a love/hate relationship with social media. Unexpected memory posts, the seemingly perfect lives of others, and feeling pressure to post something. It’s not easy. Some take a break. Others plan out a post. Pick what’s right for you. P.S. It’s okay to change your mind.
    
7. When it comes to traditions, should you keep everything the same, change it up, or go for a mix of the two? There’s no right or wrong way to do the holidays.
    
8. Does feeling included help? If so, consider asking supportive friends and family to randomly invite you along. Let them know no errand is too small or boring!
    
9. Remember it’s okay to still have fun. If you have grieving children in your world, reassure them that laughing, playing, and having a good time doesn’t mean they love or miss the person any less.
    
10. What’s on your gift list? Write a list of gifts you received from the person you’re grieving. These can be actual items, characteristics, life lessons, or anything else that’s meaningful to you. Invite kids to do this too!

For additional tips and resources for grieving children, teens, and adults, visit dougy.org or email help@dougy.org.

About The Dougy Center (dougy.org)
The Dougy Center provides support in a safe place where children, teens, young adults and their families grieving a death can share their experiences. Through the Pathways Program, The Dougy Center provides a safe place for children and teens when a family member is living with an advanced serious illness. The Dougy Center serves 2,225 children and adults each year through support groups in Portland, Hillsboro and Canby, and provides training world-wide to schools, organizations and individuals seeking to assist children in grief. The Dougy Center’s services are completely free for families, and they rely on the generous support of individuals, businesses and foundations.