Oregon Beach News, Wednesday 3/5 – Update: Search for Missing Siletz Child Ongoing, Two Arrests in Coos County Involving Guns & Other Local and Statewide News…

The latest news stories across the state of Oregon from the digital home of the Oregon coastal cities, OregonBeachMagazine.com

Wednesday, March 5, 2025

Oregon Beach Weather

Small Craft Advisory Issued: 8:16 AM Mar. 5, 2025 – National Weather Service

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 10 PM PST THURSDAY...

* WHAT...North winds 15 to 25 kt with gusts up to 30 kt and steep seas 9 to 12 ft expected.
* WHERE...Beyond 5 nm from shore.
* WHEN...From 4 PM this afternoon to 10 PM PST Thursday.
* IMPACTS...Gusty winds and/or steep seas could capsize or damage smaller vessels.
* View the hazard area in detail at https://go.usa.gov/x6hks

Search for Missing Siletz Child Ongoing

Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office – Oregon

Here’s link provided by Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office: TALKING POINTS FROM COMMUNITY AND MEDIA UPDATE 3/4/25, 6:00PM – Siletz Oregon:  https://www.flashalert.net/images/news/2025-03/5490/179447/03.04.25_-6pm_Update-_Talking_Points_from_Community_and_Media_Briefing.pdf

At this time, Dane is still missing. Investigators are following up on numerous leads, including investigating various leads provided by our community. We have multiple Search and Rescue Teams and Sheriff’s Posse, along with community volunteers, searching the area. Marine Teams and divers are searching the river. The Lincoln County Major Crime Team and the FBI are also assisting with investigative leads.

At this time, Dane’s disappearance does not meet the criteria to use the Amber Alert system. Our team will continue to share updates and information via FlashAlert and social media. There is no evidence at this time to suggest criminal actions are involved in this incident.

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, including the enforcement division, Search and Rescue (SAR), and Mounted Posse, is being assisted by Oregon State Police, Lincoln City Police Department (PD), Newport PD, FBI, Siletz Valley Fire, Lane Co SO, Clackamas Co SO, Polk Co SO, Corvallis Mountain Rescue Unit, Mary’s Peak SAR, and Region 3 K9.

So far, 382 acres have been searched and 283 miles have been covered. The following resources have been deployed in the initial 24 hours of Dane’s disappearance:-

• 88 Certified Searcher and Rescue Members
• 4 Watercraft
• 4 Divers
• 4 Drones
• 6 Human Trailing K9s
• 40 Investigators
• 138 Community Volunteers
• Family resources are being provided by the FBI’s Victim Services Division.

How Can the Community Help: Although our teams will continue to work through the evening, community members are not encouraged to continue their search until daylight tomorrow.- Those that are interested in joining search efforts can go to the staging area and check in with the camp host at Elks Toketee Illahee campground at 20590 Siletz Hwy, Siletz, Oregon 97380.- Continue to report information that is relevant to Dane’s disappearance or may bring him home to the tip line: 541-265-0669 — Once again, we thank our community for their compassion and assistance. Our team and the community are working tirelessly to bring Dane home.

Lakeside Arrest

On 03/03/2025, around 7:19 PM, North Coos Dispatch received multiple 911 calls reporting shots fired in Lakeside, Oregon. While Deputies were in route, dispatch provided additional information that a disturbance was reported to have taken place, and the suspect had allegedly shot one round at another person.

Deputy Z. Smith and Deputy C. Sattler arrived on scene and met with the victim. The victim was interviewed and suspect was said to be a neighbor, identified as David Smith III (57). During the dispute, David allegedly fired a round near the victim’s head. Shortly after processing the scene, a spent 9mm bullet casing was located in the area of the altercation.

Upon further investigation and after speaking with David, the deputies were able to locate a 9mm handgun, believed to be the involved firearm. Deputies discovered the ammunition within David’s handgun was consistent with the recovered bullet casing. Upon further investigating, they were able to successfully recover a spent bullet projectile in the ground near the area of the altercation.

Deputies were assisted by an Oregon State Police Trooper, a Douglas County Sheriff’s Deputy and CCSO Deputy B. Freerksen. Subsequently, David was placed under arrest on the requested charges of Attempted Assault II, Disorderly Conduct II, Menacing, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Reckless Endangering. David was transported to the Coos County Jail, where he was booked and lodged. “Police action is not indicative of guilt. All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.”

Menacing Arrest

On 03/03/2025, around 3:53 PM, North Coos Dispatch informed Sgt. Boswell of several 9-1-1 calls reporting a male walking along Libby Lane and pointing a firearm at people, in Coos Bay. Within minutes, Sgt. Boswell arrived in the area and contacted a male that matched the description provided by the callers, soon after identified as Jacob A. Herrman (44).

During the course of the contact, Sgt. Boswell discovered the male was in fact armed and identified the firearm as a BB Gun. Victims were interviewed and believing the firearm to be real, caused them to be in fear for their life. Upon further investigation, Jacob was subsequently arrested and transported to Coos County Jail for two counts of Menacing. Jacob was also placed on a detainer by his Parole Officer due to the incident. “Police action is not indicative of guilt. All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law”

Newport: Public Works will repair a water leak on SW 9th St. on Thursday, March 6. The road will be closed to vehicular traffic only between SW Hurbert St. and SW Lee St.

Please use caution when transiting in and around work zones. Thank you!

The Florence Area Chamber of Commerce has announced that longtime community figure Wayne Sharpe will serve as Grand Marshal for the 118th annual Florence Rhododendron Festival Parade on May 18.

Sharpe’s extensive involvement includes hosting Coast Radio’s morning show, covering Siuslaw Vikings sports, and engaging with civic groups like Rotary and the city’s budget committee. A former pastor and Marine Corps veteran, he’s also co-founded the Oregon Coast Military History Museum and helped revive the Florence Veterans Day Parade.

Sharpe says he’s honored by the recognition, calling Florence a special place that’s grown tremendously since he arrived in 1992. This year’s Rhododendron Festival, themed “Rhodies on the River,” runs May 15-18, featuring parades, a carnival, classic cars, and a rhododendron showcase.

Corvallis Man Arrested on Lincoln County Police Department Warrant for Online Child Sex Crimes

On February 27th, 2025, 37-year-old Landry Johnson, of Corvallis, Oregon, was arrested by the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office on a Lincoln County Warrant charging Johnson with the crimes of Luring a Minor and Online Sexual Corruption of a Child in the Second Degree.

This warrant stemmed from Johnson engaging with three different profiles operated by Lincoln City Police Department Officers purporting to be children. Johnson sent graphic sexual images of himself to these purported children, led them in graphic sexual conversations, and made plans to meet at least one of them.

We want to thank both the Benton County Sheriff’s Office and the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in this investigation. The Lincoln City Police Department continues our work to protect our kids from predators who target children for sexual exploitation.

Company Petitions to Revive Jordan Cove LNG Project Through Southern Oregon

On February 24, 2025, OA Partners LLC – a LNG transportation startup based in Arizona – filed a petition with the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals to retroactively revive the Jordan Cove LNG Terminal project in Coos County, Oregon.

The project was canceled in 2021 after failing to secure the necessary environmental permits and years of opposition from local residents.

The petition cites President Trump’s Executive Order to unleash American energy and expedite permitting for LNG export projects, and asks the court to waive Oregon’s state permitting requirements under the Clean Water Act.

If built, the Jordan Cove terminal would have been able to export up to 7.8 million metric tons of LNG every year; natural gas would have been supplied to the facility by a new 229-mile-long pipeline. (SOURCE)

SWIFTY and Yachats Lions Club Partner for Bird Nesting Boxes
Oregon Lions Sight & Hearing Foundation 

SWIFTY (Swallows in Flight to Yachats) in conjunction with students from Newport High School and 4-H of Waldport, and with support from the Yachats Lions Club, we have put together two programs to build and install bird nesting boxes.

The project with the 4-H group is to build 16 Tree Swallow nesting boxes to replace existing, failing, boxes at the Tami Wagner Wildlife Area (Oregon Dept of Fish and Wildlife) along the Yachats River, which is the only state-owned elk refuge on the Oregon Coast. Under SWIFTY’s direction, cedar swallow boxes were assembled by 4-H kids at the Yachats Lions Club Hall in Yachats on February 17th.

The installation at the Tami Wildlife area is provisionally scheduled for March 1st. In addition there is an educational component to the project where the kids will be doing posters on different facets of the life and ecology of tree swallows. The topics are: Migration, Nesting and Nest Boxes, Feathers and Flight, Threats, Feeding, Breeding and Behavior. The Yachats Lions Club paid for the cost of the construction materials.

SWIFTY has also arranged with Newport High School special education teacher Violet Brown and assistant Matt Bouvier to have students in the E.C.E.L. program construct 14 nesting boxes for Purple Martins, our largest North American swallows. The boxes are constructed from cedar lumber according to a design that is in widespread use in British Columbia. The boxes will replace dilapidated boxes on pilings in the Siletz River near Kernville. The box installation will be carried out by boat at a high tide during March, in time for the return of the birds from their migration to Brazil. The Yachats Lions Club paid for the cost of all the construction materials.

SWIFTY is a group of local wildlife enthusiasts who in 2020 started building birdhouses for swallows. Our motivation is to bring attention to the need to help cavity nesters such as swallows, wood ducks and chickadees, who have experienced declining forest habitat for nesting. In addition, many of these cavity nesting birds are migratory and have seen declining numbers due to the warming of the planet particularly in the Western US where lack of water, forest fires, and pollution impacts their survival across long distances. SWIFTY works with public and non-profit conservation and land management groups. We currently have several hundred boxes installed in Lincoln County, monitoring over 200 yearly.

The mission of the Lions Clubs is to empower Lions Clubs, volunteers and partners to improve health and wellbeing, strengthen communities, and support those in need through humanitarian service and grants that impact lives globally and encourage peace and international understanding.

4’H is the largest youth empowerment program in the US. It is delivered by Cooperative Extension–a community of more than 100 public universities across the nation that provides experiences where young people learn by doing. For more than 100 years, 4??’H has welcomed young people of all beliefs and backgrounds, giving kids a voice to express who they are and how they make their lives and communities better.

The City of Newport Parks and Recreation

 · Hope your March is off to a good start! Check out all the fun stuff we have coming up this month https://newportoregon.gov/…/documents/Marnewsletter.pdf

Clatsop Community College

 · The CCC Upward Bound program is seeking a catering service for their summer academy that gives high school students a start to achieving their college goals. Catering would be from June 16- July 25 (Mon-Thurs) and serving breakfast and lunch. They are looking for healthy, balanced meals with vegetarian options.

Please submit your interest in catering by April 7, 2025. Follow the link for more details: https://drive.google.com/…/1nE3p7GLlRT… Contact Amy Magnussen at amagnussen@clatsopcc.edu or 503-325-2898 for questions or further details.

Efforts to Bring Back Sea Otters to the Oregon Coast are Underway

The Elakha Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Oregon, founded by tribal leaders, conservationists, and nonprofit advocates united by a powerful vision. We imagine an Oregon coast where future generations thrive alongside a restored sea otter population and a resilient marine ecosystem.

After being absent for more than a century, an effort to repopulate the Oregon Coast with sea otters is in the works.

Oregon non-profit The Elakha Alliance was founded in 2018 by Tribal leaders and conservationists to restore the sea otter population on the coast. The Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians, Defenders of Wildlife, Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Suislaw Indians, as well as the Yurok Tribe, Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation, Oregon Coast Aquarium and Oregon Zoo are also participating in the effort.

After being hunted in the 19th century as part of the maritime fur trade, sea otters have been absent from the coast for over 100 years. Elakha Alliance Executive Director Jane Bacchieri says many people are surprised to find out this fact. Since sea otters would likely be a protected species, Bacchieri says hunting would no longer be a concern.

She also says re-introducing sea otters would help reduce sea urchin over-population, since sea urchins are one of the primary food sources for sea otters. As a result, this would produce healthier kelp forests.

For reintroduction to be successful, Bacchieri stresses that there must be enough prey and habitat resources available. Additionally, the non-profit would examine the socio-economic implications of reintroducing the species. Bacchieri says a realistic time frame for this to occur would be gradually over about 10 years.

Since sea otters don’t migrate, she says there’s a very good chance they could be a thriving, self-sustaining population if re-introduced successfully. MORE INFO: https://www.elakhaalliance.org/

The Columbia River Maritime Museum is looking for its newest crew member!

MUSEUM EDUCATOR — Full Time, Salary Position reporting to Director of Education

Full job description and employment application are available on our website – https://www.crmm.org/join-our-crew.html

Coos Bay Police Department –  WE’RE HIRING 9-1-1 DISPATCHERS

$4684 – $5972/Month DOQ — We offer:•A dynamic team environment •Alternative schedule benefiting work/life balance •Up to 5 weeks paid time off per year after the first year •The opportunity to serve your community

Our team members have come from a variety of work fields- no experience necessary! For additional information from the North Coos 9-1-1 Recruitment Team or to schedule a ride-along please email: join911@coosbayor.govhttps://www.coosbayor.gov/…/Compon…/JobPosts/Job/126/107

Gleneden Beach Community Club Events

Look what’s coming up soon at the Club… (sign up at glenedenbeach.org)

Mark your calendars for May 17th and head to the Florence Events Center in Florence, Oregon, for a morning of fitness, fun, and community spirit!

This year, road construction is complete, so you can enjoy the beautiful new running trail. What: 46th Annual Rhody Run 2025 (5K / 10K)
When: May 17th, 2025
Time: In-person registration: 8:00 AM
Race start time: 9:00 AM
Where: Florence Events Center, Florence, Oregon

This year, we’re offering both a 5K Run/Walk and a 10K, with the same exciting energy and community spirit Florence is known for. Whether you run, walk, skip, or hop, enjoy the scenic streets of our beautiful coastal town and the vibrant Rhododendron blooms.

The Rhody Run is more than just a race—it’s a chance to come together as a community and support a great cause. Proceeds benefit Florence Habitat for Humanity, helping to make a real difference in our town.

Registration is now open! Gather your friends, family, and fellow runners or walkers, and sign up today. Don’t miss out on this beloved Florence Rhododendron Festival tradition. Let’s make memories and celebrate our resilient spirit together!

The Oregon Coast Aquarium New Tufted Puffin Oregon License Plates on Sale

One of Oregon’s most adorably iconic seabirds is coming to the front and back of a car near you. The Oregon Coast Aquarium has opened voucher sales for its new tufted puffin license plates.

The design, featuring a tufted puffin floating in the ocean and gazing down at some fish below, was created by the
aquarium’s graphic design and marketing coordinator, Cam Mullins.

Starring a tufted puffin—one of Oregon’s iconic seabirds–funds from the new license plate will benefit both the Aquarium’s animals and their wild counterparts. You can purchase a voucher now and exchange it at the DMV once the physical plates are available. We need to sell 3,000 vouchers to reach the production stage—meaning the sooner 3,000 vouchers are sold, the sooner production begins, and the sooner you’ll have your puffin plates in-hand. Read the full story at aquarium.org/puffin-plate-debut: photo by OCAq’s Jeremy Burke

Tufted puffins are native to Oregon and nest on the rocky coast. The aquarium has a Seabird Aviary that sustains a flock of these sea birds and the profits from the license plates will go to benefit these puffins and their wild counterparts.

The voucher is available for purchase on the aquarium’s website. The cost covers the $40 surcharge fee and the money left over after the deduction of the DMV’s fees will go to support the Oregon Coast Aquarium’s
rehabilitation and conservation efforts. The aquarium is building a new marine wildlife rehabilitation center with
hopes of doubling the number of animal patients it can offer care to. FOLLOW on FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/OregonCoastAquarium

Emergency Volunteer Corps of Nehalem Bay

Follow on Facebook: Emergency Volunteer Corps of Nehalem Bay

Wyden Town Hall for Oregonians on March 4th

Senator Wyden: “Rather than attend the State of the Union, I’m choosing to hear from residents in the best state of the union.”

U.S. Senator Ron Wyden held a live on-line town hall Tuesday night, March 4 with People’s Town Hall to offer all Oregonians the opportunity to ask questions, share their ideas and offer their views during the State of the Union speech.

“In this unprecedented time in American history, my top priority is making sure Oregonians from every corner of our state can keep weighing in directly with me,” said Wyden, who’s held 1,105 open-to-all town halls throughout Oregon in fulfillment of his promise to hold at least one town hall each year in each of the state’s 36 counties.“Rather than attend the State of the Union, I’m choosing to hear from residents in the best state of the union. That’s been my priority at more than 1,100 town meetings. And there’s no reason to make different choices this Tuesday.” —- You can see the Town Hall at: https://www.facebook.com/PeoplesTH/videos/1275970573506804/

The Trump administration intends to put 10 federal buildings up for sale in Oregon, according to the U.S. General Services Administration. They’re among hundreds of federal properties across the country “designated for disposal.”

The potential sales come as the Department of Government Efficiency, an office created by President Donald Trump with billionaire Elon Musk, has vowed to slash spending across the federal government. Thousands of federal workers have been fired in the process.

The U.S. General Services Administration has identified more than 400 buildings across the country that it says are “non-core assets” that could be sold.

“Federally-owned assets in GSA’s portfolio that are not core to government operations primarily consist of office space,” the GSA said in a statement. “GSA currently owns and maintains over 440 non-core assets comprising almost 80 million rentable square feet across the nation and representing over $8.3 billion in recapitalization needs. Decades of funding deficiencies have resulted in many of these buildings becoming functionally obsolete and unsuitable for use by our federal workforce.”

The list includes three buildings in Portland, including the Bonneville Power Administration building on Northeast 11th Avenue. Bonneville Power is a self-funded federal agency that manages the majority of the Pacific Northwest’s power grid. It was recently targeted for layoffs, which were partially reversed.

The buildings slated for sale in Oregon are:

• David J Wheeler Federal Building, Baker City
• Eugene Federal Building, Eugene
• James A. Redden U.S. Courthouse, Medford
• USGS Building, Medford
• USGS Warehouse, Medford
• 911 Federal Building, Portland
• BPA Building, Portland
• Edith Green-Wendell Wyatt Federal Building, Portland
• Troutdale Metal Shed, Troutdale
• Troutdale Warehouse, Troutdale

In Southwest Washington, the Vancouver Federal Building is also marked for possible sale, according to the GSA records.

The Trump administration move to sell federal properties did not get a supportive reception from Oregon’s senior member of Congress, Sen. Ron Wyden.

“Given Donald Trump’s checkered legacy in the private sector of multiple bankruptcies and real estate deals gone awry, forgive me if I’m more than a little skeptical when that dubious record gets applied to the public sector,” Wyden said in a statement emailed to OPB. Wyden was preparing for a virtual town hall set to take place at the same time as Trump’s address to Congress Tuesday evening.

“I’m nowhere near convinced this fire sale of federal assets throughout Oregon is in the best interest of U.S. taxpayers who paid for these facilities or for all Oregonians who depend on them for a reliable power grid, a functional court system, constituent services and more,” Wyden continued.

DOGE has also said it plans to cancel 12 leases involving Oregon properties, with annual lease amounts totaling more than $1.5 million annually.

DOGE intends to cancel leases affecting Food and Drug Administration offices in three Oregon cities — Portland, Salem and Medford — as well as a U.S. Forest Service office in Klamath Falls, and the Federal Railroad Administration in Bend.

Activists call for Oregon to dump $135M in Tesla stocks from pension fund

Tesla shareholders have endured a bumpier ride than drivers on Portland’s notorious unpaved gravel roads lately, given the stock’s dropping value.

Just ask the Public Employees Retirement System — better known as PERS, or the state pension fund.The PERS fund contains $135.3 million in Tesla stocks, which equates to a small but not yet infinitesimal 0.7% of the total fund. Tesla stock, meanwhile, has plummeted from a high of $480 a share in December to just under $300 as of Friday.

That 1% holding (rounding up) has angered local activists, who note that Tesla’s CEO, the billionaire Elon Musk, has seemingly become President Donald Trump’s most influential adviser, and is currently engaged in a purge of the federal workforce on Trump’s behalf.

“We want to liquidate the position now!” a user with the name O.K. Computermeyer said on Bluesky, a social media app that sprang up after Musk purchased Twitter and changed its name.

The post received 1,500 likes as of Friday, and comes as activists have launched weekly rallies outside a Tesla dealership in Portland’s South Waterfront. Authorities are still investigating a shooting that damaged several electric cars at a Salem Tesla dealership on Feb. 20.

This isn’t the first time politically motivated divestment campaigns have been directed at Oregon’s public retirement fund; prior campaigns have focused on coal and fossil fuels.

Treasury officials, for their part, say the fund’s investment strategy is “largely passive,” and bound by state law to maximize returns.

“(The fund) is a large, globally diversified portfolio with exposure to virtually every publicly traded company,” state treasury spokesperson Eric Engelson said in a statement Friday. “Our statutory obligation is to act in the best financial interest of our beneficiaries.” (SOURCE)

 Join Us for the 2025 Women in Public Safety Event hosted by Portland Police Bureau. 

Explore exciting career opportunities in law enforcement! Whether you’re a recent graduate, considering a career change, or simply curious about public safety, this event is for everyone—people of all ages are welcome!

 Date: Saturday March 8, 2025  Time: 10 AM – 2 PM  Location: PPB Training Facility, 14912 NE Airport Way, Portland, Oregon 97230

Meet representatives from over 20 metro agencies and discover the diverse paths available in public safety. Bring your friends, family, and anyone interested in learning more about a fulfilling career serving the community!

 Join us for an inspiring day filled with information, networking, and empowerment. We can’t wait to see you there!

A bill that would raise billions in federal dollars for Oregon’s Medicaid program and allocate a substantial portion back to hospitals passed in the Oregon House of Representatives last week.

It now advances to the Senate. It passed 40-15, with six Republicans voting to approve the bill along with the Democratic majority.

Fifteen Republicans, including Minority Leader Christine Drazan, voted against it. The bill, HB 2010, extends a pair of taxes through 2032. The taxes are a 2% assessment on health insurance plans and managed care organizations and a 6% assessment on hospitals’ net revenue.

The taxes provide about a quarter of the total funding for the Oregon Health Plan, the state’s Medicaid program that pays for health care for people living near the poverty line. That’s due to a federal match the state can take advantage of in funding Medicaid, roughly $3 for every state dollar invested in the program.

Every state uses some form of provider tax to finance Medicaid, except Alaska. Without legislative action both will sunset in the next two years, leaving a giant hole in the state’s budget. If that happens, Oregon lawmakers would need to reallocate about $1.13 billion in general fund revenue to continue funding the Medicaid program at its current level in the 2025-2027 biennium, according to the state’s nonpartisan legislative fiscal office.

In that scenario, hospitals would also lose hundreds of millions in extra payments they receive for caring for Medicaid patients, which are linked to the tax and its federal match.

The program is designed so that, collectively, hospitals recoup the full amount they pay into the tax. The tax on health insurance plans is, more or less, what most people think of as a tax. It applies to employer-sponsored insurance coverage, and is passed on to Oregonians and businesses in the form of higher premiums. Some of the money raised from the tax on insurance is invested in a program that helps health insurers pay unusually expensive claims. The rest goes to funding Medicaid.

New Exhibition Photographically Documents the Effects of Climate Change on Oregon’s Landscape

A Changing Landscape is on view now at the Oregon Historical Society through November 23, 2025.

— See how climate change has altered Oregon’s geography in A Changing Landscape, on view at the Oregon Historical Society in downtown Portland now through November 23, 2025. This dramatic installation uses modern and historical photographs to visually compare 100 years of environmental change across some of Oregon’s most recognized mountains, lakes, and glaciers.

In the summer of 1920, the U.S. Forest Service launched a three-month expedition to lay the groundwork for a scenic road between Crater Lake and the Columbia River Highway. Led by recreational planner Frederick Cleator, the “Skyline Party” traversed north along the high country of the Cascade Range, with Cleator taking 700 photographs documenting the terrain and scenery.

While the scenic highway never came to be, a recreational trail known as the Oregon Skyline Trail opened to travelers in the summer of 1921. Highlighting the beauty of the Cascades, the Oregon Skyline Trail includes dramatic peaks, glacial lakes, and alpine meadows, connecting Oregonians and tourists to the natural wonders of the state.

One hundred years later, geologist Jim O’Connor followed Cleator’s footsteps and recreated 75 of his Skyline Trail photographs — many taken on the same day and at the same time as the original photographs. A Changing Landscape features a selection of Cleator and O’Connor’s photographs, showing this picturesque stretch of geography, and the ways climate change has altered the mountains, lakes, and terrain throughout the past century.

As explained by O’Connor: I’ve been motivated by the century of change revealed in these matched pairs, and the photographs tell these stories much more vividly than words. Plus, I revel in the challenge of finding the exact places that previous photographers like Cleator have set up their cameras, in some instances probably places that have known few footsteps since his. In this quest, I have been revisiting the central Oregon Cascades for the last 30 years with family, friends, and colleagues, photographing and rephotographing scenes first recorded in the early 1900s, at first to document changes in the glaciers in the Three Sisters area, but also becoming increasingly intrigued by other landscape changes — vegetation, lakes and streams as well as human uses of the high country. But it’s more than just two-dimensional images; the project is enriched by stories behind the photos, especially the interactions among the landscape and people, which I try to bring out with the accompanying descriptions. 

O’Connor’s documentation of Oregon’s glaciers is profiled in the Winter 2013 issue of the Oregon Historical Quarterly in the article, “‘Our Vanishing Glaciers’: One Hundred Years of Glacier Retreat in the Three Sisters Area, Oregon Cascade Range.” In the essay, O’Connor asserts that “glaciers exist by the grace of climate,” and through a close examination of the history of the region’s glaciers, he provides an intriguing glimpse into the history of geological surveys and glacial studies in the Pacific Northwest, including their connection to significant scientific advances of the nineteenth century.

For those unable to visit in person, the exhibition is accessible as both an audio tour and transcript (with built in translations) through OHS’s free digital guide available through Bloomberg Connects.

To learn more about Oregon’s changing climate, The Oregon Encyclopedia has curated a digital exhibit on Climate Change in Oregon that features entries by regional experts who have spent their careers researching and sharing their work on the effects of a warming planet.

The Oregon Historical Society’s museum is open daily in downtown Portland, from 10am to 5pm Monday through Saturday and 12pm to 5pm on Sunday. Admission is free every day for youth 17 and under, OHS members, and residents of Multnomah County. Learn more and plan your visit at ohs.org/visit.

About the Oregon Historical Society – For more than 125 years, the Oregon Historical Society has served as the state’s collective memory, preserving a vast collection of objects, photographs, maps, manuscript materials, books, films, and oral histories. Our research library, museum, digital platforms, educational programming, and historical journal make Oregon’s history open and accessible to all. We exist because history is powerful, and because a history as deep and complex as Oregon’s cannot be contained within a single story or point of view.

OR158, the wolf that has been involved in at least a dozen killings of calves, has been “lethally removed” by federal officers.

The gray wolf, which is listed on the endangered list, was removed following eight confirmed depredations and four probable depredations. The most recent calf killings were in the Valley Falls area of Lake County while others were reported in Crook, Wallowa, and Harney counties in Oregon and Modoc County in California.

In a statement, the Oregon Fish and Wildlife and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said, “federal officials lethally removed an endangered gray wolf, OR158, following multiple unsuccessful attempts at non-lethal deterrence and increasing concerns about public safety, and was taken as a last resort. The removal of an endangered gray wolf aligns with federal regulations which provides for removing animals listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act that constitute a demonstrable but non-immediate threat to human safety.”

In justifying the death, officials said the action was taken following “extensive unsuccessful attempts at non-lethal deterrence — including range riders, spotlighting, pasture monitoring, fox lights, air cannons, non-lethal projectiles, carcass removal and drones with thermal optics — and increasing concerns about public safety.”

More details are available at the deterrence plan for OR158 to learn more about how ODFW and the other agencies had been working with producers to utilize non-lethal methods. Last week, Lake County Commissioners declared a public safety and livestock emergency in the wake of livestock depredations by OR158. Commissioner Barry Shullanberger said it was highly unusual for making such a declaration.

Oregon Launches Official Website to Commemorate America’s 250th Anniversary

The America 250 Oregon Commission is excited to announce the launch of Oregon’s official U.S. Semiquincentennial website, oregon250.org. In this digital space, the public can browse a community events calendar, explore online exhibitions, and access resources for getting involved in this nationwide commemoration. The site also includes links to all nine of Oregon’s federally recognized tribes.

The America 250 Oregon Commission was created by Senate Bill 1531, signed into law on March 27, 2024, by Governor Tina Kotek. Chaired by the Oregon Historical Society’s executive director, Kerry Tymchuk, the 27-member commission has been tasked to coordinate and provide guidance for Oregon’s official observance of the United States Semiquincentennial. To date, the commission has met three times and has developed its mission and guideposts.

The mission of the America 250 Oregon Commission is “to coordinate, provide guidance, and ensure that Oregon’s official observance of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States is inclusive and shares the histories of Oregon’s diverse populations, including the histories of the Indigenous peoples who have resided here since time immemorial.”

The commission’s official guideposts are:

• To inspire Oregonians to participate in the work of forming a more perfect union.
• To highlight the importance of civics and history education in building a better future.
• To highlight the work of Oregon’s many history and heritage organizations.
• To encourage a robust, thorough, and honest examination of our collective history.
• To celebrate the unique traditions, arts, and cultures of communities throughout Oregon.
• To honor the service and sacrifice made by Oregon’s veterans.
• To celebrate the power of place through Oregon’s remarkable landscapes and scenic beauty.

“As we commemorate our nation’s history at a time when Americans seem deeply divided, I believe that by celebrating our successes and honestly reckoning with our setbacks, we can improve and deepen public understanding of our history, increase public appreciation of service to our state and country, and inspire Oregonians to participate in and shape the ongoing American experiment,” said Kerry Tymchuk, chair of the America 250 Oregon Commission.

While guidelines for community event submissions are currently in development, the America 250 Oregon Commission encourages the public to explore two online exhibitions created in honor of the U.S. Semiquincentennial.

Oregon’s beauty and spirit are as diverse as its landscape and its people, and to celebrate the state’s bounty, the commission contracted with photographer Peter Marbach on two digital photographic exhibitions that showcase the essence of Oregon and its vibrant communities. The Power of Place highlights Oregon’s awe-inspiring landscapes, from its rugged coastline to its tranquil valleys and majestic peaks, many of which have remained unchanged for centuries. The Pursuit of Happiness shifts the focus to the people and communities of Oregon and the way we gather to celebrate the diverse cultures that define our state. Both exhibitions are being made into physical traveling exhibitions, which will soon be available to organizations and heritage sites statewide.

If you or your organization is interested in getting involved with the America 250 Oregon commemoration, please contact egon.250@ohs.org“>oregon.250@ohs.org or sign up for the official America 250 Oregon email list.

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About the America 250 Oregon Commission –  The mission of the America 250 Oregon Commission is to coordinate, provide guidance, and ensure that Oregon’s official observance of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States is inclusive and shares the histories of Oregon’s diverse populations, including the histories of the Indigenous peoples who have resided here since time immemorial. Learn more at oregon250.org.

Oregon Lottery Spotlights Problem Gambling Awareness Month

Oregon Lottery is focused on increasing awareness of problem gambling and safer play in March — also known as National Problem Gambling Awareness Month (PGAM). By participating in this annual, grassroots campaign, Oregon Lottery collaborates both locally and nationally to promote prevention, treatment, and recovery services.

This year’s theme, “Seeking Understanding,” focuses on increasing awareness of problem gambling as a serious but often misunderstood mental health condition. By fostering a deeper understanding of the issue, the goal is to encourage empathy, reduce barriers to treatment, and provide support to those affected by gambling-related harm.

“Problem Gambling Awareness Month is a critical time to highlight the realities of gambling addiction and break down the stigma that often prevents individuals from seeking help. In Oregon, it provides an opportunity to recognize the impact of gambling-related harm and ensure that those affected receive the support and resources they need,” said Glenn Yamagata, executive director Oregon Council on Problem Gambling (OCPG). “This year’s theme, ‘Seeking Understanding,’ aligns with OCPG’s mission to foster awareness, compassion, and meaningful access to care.”

Oregonians can access online tools and connect with free, professional counseling year-round by going to the Oregon Problem Gambling Resource (OPGR) website. In 2024, Oregon Lottery worked with the Oregon Health Authority to enhance the OPGR website with additional resources designed to reduce stigma and reach more people at more points on their help seeking journey. This included a link for free access to EVIVE — a first of its kind digital health app, offering solutions for quitting, moderating, or simply playing safer.

“This year’s PGAM theme really resonates for us,” said Stacy Shaw, who leads Oregon Lottery’s Safer Play Program and is an OCPG board member. “We know that stigma is one of the biggest barriers to treatment, and we’re working to normalize both safer play and help seeking in our marketing outreach.”

Since 1992, one percent of Oregon Lottery profits have funded problem gambling treatment and prevention efforts throughout Oregon. Since that time, over $148 million in Lottery funds has supported those services.

About the Oregon Council on Problem Gambling – The Oregon Council on Problem Gambling is the state affiliate to the National Council on Problem Gambling. Its purpose is to promote the health of Oregonians by supporting efforts to minimize gambling related harm. Board members include individuals from the gaming industry, the treatment and prevention field, the recovery community and state and county administrators.

About Oregon Lottery – Since the Oregon Lottery began selling tickets on April 25, 1985, it has earned more than $16.5 billion for economic development, public education, outdoor school, state parks, veteran services, and watershed enhancements. For more information on the Oregon Lottery or to read the Responsible Gaming Impacts Report, visit www.oregonlottery.org.

March Is “Home Improvement Month” at Oregon Construction Contractors Board

The Construction Contractors Board (CCB), the state agency that licenses contractors in Oregon, follows a mission to protect consumers from unlicensed contractor activity. This is a time of year when homeowners and consumers plan home improvement projects. To support consumers at this time, CCB is making this month “Home Improvement Month”.

For home improvement month, CCB has created a webpage where consumers can find helpful information to support them during their home improvement project. On this page, CCB addresses topics like why checking the license is important, signs of an unlicensed contractor scam, and how to report unlicensed contractors. Consumers can see the webpage at:  https://www.oregon.gov/ccb/Pages/Home-Improvement-Month.aspx

During the month of March, CCB will also offer three free webinars to the public on different topics.

Door-to-Door Sales Webinar: What to Do When the Home Improvement Comes to You – March 4, 2025, 11:00 — During this talk about door-to-door sales, the CCB presenter will explore the question: when is it a scam and when is it legit? Speakers will discuss how to protect yourself from scams and hire the right contractor for you.

Fire Hardening Webinar – March 18, 2025, 11:00 — In this webinar, Building Codes Division will present about how to harden your home against fires. A speaker from the Oregon State Fire Marshal will present on creating defensible space. At the end, CCB will present on how to hire a contractor to do the work.

Choosing a Real Estate Agent, their Duties to You, and What to Do If Things Go Wrong Webinar – March 27, 2025, 11:00 — This presentation will feature a speaker from Oregon’s Real Estate Agency (REA), providing tips for choosing an agent and what to do when things go wrong. At the end, CCB will present on working with contractors to repair a home during the buying and selling process.

Anyone who would like to attend can register on CCB’s Home Improvement Month webpage.

“Empowering consumers through education is a core mission of the CCB,” said Chris Huntington, CCB Administrator. “CCB’s Home Improvement Month line-up of educational webinars and resources are designed to help consumers go into a construction project with the knowledge they need to help them protect their most valuable investment.”

### About the CCB – The CCB is the state agency licensing over 42,000 contractor businesses. Anyone who is paid to repair, improve or build a home must be licensed. Learn more about how to have a successful project at www.oregon.gov/ccb.

Oregon has thousands of federal jobs across the state, and state economists are shedding light on what areas will be hit the hardest amid federal layoffs. In the first quarter of 2024, Oregon had a total of 28,750 federal jobs and the sector made up 1.5% of the state’s employment.

While it remain unclear how many job and which agencies would see cuts due to the Trump administration’s efforts to scale back government spending, impacts of job revenue loss may be felt more heavily in rural areas according to a report from Oregon State Employment Economist.

The report notes that across Oregon, federal jobs pay 36% more than the average wages, but the gap is even more pronounced in rural areas.  It is unclear which agencies would be impacted, the memo excludes the US Postal Service, the Military and Federal Law Enforcement. It directs agencies or components that provide direct services to citizens (such as Social Security, Medicare, and veterans’ health care) to delay implementation of staff cuts until the plans are approved.

Though the Oregon Employment Department does not have a count of how many federal workers have applied for unemployment benefits so far, they’re tracking and preparing.

In Oregon, there are more than 29,000 people in the state who work for the federal government — including 7,000 in the U.S. Postal Service; 6,400 in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; and 3,400 in the U.S. Forest Service. Department leaders say they are ready to help, no matter how Oregonians lose their jobs.  The earliest the department thinks it will see those numbers will be in late March.

The Oregon Employment Department will also be looking for other workers affected by funding cuts in groups that rely on federal dollars, like researchers at universities and other organizations. But specifically for federal workers, there is a page on the Oregon Employment Department website meant to help them go through the process if they lose their jobs.

ODF proposes revised state forest implementation plans, opens 30-day comment period

SALEM, Ore.–The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) opens a 30-day comment period on proposed Implementation Plan revisions for the Astoria, Forest Grove, Tillamook, North Cascade, West Oregon, and Western Lane (including the Veneta and Southwest units) state forest districts. Implementation plans describe forest management activities such as timber harvest targets, road construction and maintenance, reforestation and young stand management, recreation, aquatic habitat restoration and protection strategies for species of concern.

The comment period begins Feb. 20 and ends March 21 at 5 p.m. The implementation plans are available on ODF’s website. Comments can be submitted online by using this form,  emailing ODF.SFComments@oregon.gov, or mailing comments to ODF Public Affairs, 2600 State St., Salem, OR 97310.

State forests by law must provide social, economic, and environmental benefits to Oregonians, and are managed under long-range forest management plans, mid-range implementation plans, and annual operations plans.

At the direction of the Board of Forestry, ODF is continuing the development of a draft Western Oregon State Forests Habitat Conservation Plan and Forest Management Plan for Western Oregon State Forests. The draft Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) is currently going through the National Environmental Policy Act process.  Finalization of this process and issuance of Incidental Take Permits is expected to occur within fiscal year 2026. Revising the current implementation plans allows the agency to continue operations during this time of transition and further align with the draft HCP while focusing resources on developing a new forest management plan and accompanying implementation plans required to implement the draft HCP.

The revisions to the current Implementation Plans include new information on the district land base and forest resources, updated Species of Concern strategies and associated Forest Land Management Classification map, clarified timber harvest target descriptions, and changes to the mapped landscape design of the desired future condition. These changes align with Division policy, current Forest Management Plans and draft HCP objectives. In order to cover the HCP approval timeline, the new Forest Management Plan and new Implementation Plan development timelines, the revised Implementation Plans have been extended through June 30, 2027.

Registration Is Now Open For The Bob Ross-inspired Happy Little (Virtual) 5K Run for the Trees

Oregon Parks Forever  —    Inspired by American painter and PBS television personality Bob Ross’ love of the outdoors, Oregon Parks Forever is sponsoring a virtual 5K race to help plant trees in Oregon’s parks & forests.  Registration is now open for the 2025 Run for the Trees at www.orparksforever.org.

Participants can run, walk, hike, skate, paddle or roll to complete their 5K anywhere outdoors anytime between April 19 and 27 (covering Earth Day and Arbor Day).   Participants are encouraged to register by April 1 to ensure that your swag arrives before the event week.  If you register after April 1, you may not receive your swag before race week. Registration will close on April 15.

For $36 per person, each participant will receive a keepsake Happy Little T-shirt, a commemorative bib number and a finisher’s medal. All Oregon race proceeds support tree planting and forest protection efforts in Oregon parks.  Ten trees will be planted in Oregon for each registration.

Gather your friends, family and/or colleagues and create your own walk or run. Make it fun!

Initially, the “Happy Little Trees” program began with a partnership between the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Bob Ross Inc., with hundreds of volunteers helping to plant “happy little trees” at locations hard-hit by invasive pests and tree diseases. The partnership quickly expanded to include the Run for the Trees / Happy Little (Virtual) 5K.

As the Happy Little 5K gained popularity, more states have joined the effort. Now in its fifth year, the Happy Little 5K has expanded its reach to include ten other states. Together, Michigan, Oregon, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Maryland and Virginia will “lock arms” as they help raise awareness and funding for stewardship efforts in each state’s parks.

“We are thrilled to partner with Bob Ross, Inc. and these other ten states on the Happy Little 5K concept as a way to honor the late Bob Ross and create a legacy event to plant trees,” said Seth Miller, Executive Director of Oregon Parks Forever.”

Oregon Parks Forever joined this event as an expansion of our efforts to fund the replanting of trees killed by wildfires, heat domes and invasive insects.  Over the past three years, Oregon Parks Forever has been able to fund the replanting of more than 800,000 trees across Oregon.

“The official Bob Ross 5K is probably our most favorite initiative,” says Joan Kowalski, president of Bob Ross Company. “It’s the perfect blend of everything Bob held dear; nature, taking care of the environment, and happy trees too of course. He would have been so pleased to see how it’s getting so popular around the world.” —  Learn more about the program at  http://www.orparksforever.org

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