Oregon Beach News, Friday 3/15 – Spring Whale Watch Week Returns to Oregon Coast for Spring Break & Other Local and Statewide News…

Kicker claims top $1.6 billion with a month to go before tax deadline

Salem, OR—Oregon taxpayers have already claimed nearly $1.6 billion of the record $5.61 billion surplus revenue kicker tax credit being returned to taxpayers in 2024, the Oregon Department of Revenue announced.

The department also reported that it has received more than 950,000 tax returns thus far this year. Another 1.2 million returns are expected to be filed in 2024 and more than $4 billion in kicker surplus remains to be claimed. The tax filing deadline is April 15.

“More than 1 million taxpayers still need to file and we are urging Oregonians not to wait until the last minute,” said Megan Denison, administrator of the agency’s Personal Tax and Compliance Division. “We also urge anyone who is owed a kicker to file and claim it.”

The kicker—the largest in state history—is being returned to taxpayers through a credit on their 2023 state personal income tax returns filed in 2024. The credit is based on tax liability for the 2022 tax year. Taxpayers who have not yet filed a 2022 tax return, should file now so they can claim their kicker credit when they file their 2023 tax return.

Who is eligible?
Taxpayers are eligible to claim the kicker if they filed a 2022 tax return and Oregon state income tax due before credits. Even taxpayers who don’t have a filing obligation for 2023, still must file a 2023 tax return to claim their credit. The kicker is based on Oregon income tax paid in 2022, not federal income tax paid.

Who is not eligible?
Taxpayers who have not filed a 2022 Oregon income tax return or did not have income tax due for 2022 are not eligible to receive a kicker. The same is true for filers who didn’t complete the filing process last year because they failed to respond to letters from the department seeking more information.

How is the kicker calculated?
To calculate the amount of their credit, taxpayers can multiply their 2022 tax liability before any credits—line 22 on the 2022 Form OR-40—by 44.28 percent. This percentage is determined and certified by Oregon Office of Economic Analysis. Taxpayers who claimed a credit for tax paid to another state would need to subtract the credit amount from their liability before calculating the credit.

Taxpayers whose 2022 Oregon income tax owed was adjusted by the department when they filed last year, should use the adjusted amount of tax when calculating their kicker.

Taxpayers should not guess at their kicker amount. They can determine the amount of their kicker using the What’s My Kicker? Tool available on Revenue Online. To use the tool, taxpayers will need to enter their name, Social Security Number, and filing status for 2022 and 2023.

What form should taxpayers use?
Residency status determines what form taxpayers should use. More information is available on the What form do I use page of the agency’s website.

The 2023 Oregon personal income tax return instructions include detailed information on how to claim the credit on Form OR-40 for full-year Oregon residents, Form OR-40-P for part-year residents, and Form OR-40-N for nonresidents. Composite and fiduciary-income tax return filers are also eligible.

Taxpayers should keep in mind that the state may use all or part of their kicker to pay any state debt they owe, such as tax due for other years, child support, court fines, or school loans.

Taxpayers can donate their kicker with a checkbox on their tax return to the Oregon State School Fund for K-12 public education, but they must donate the entire amount. The donation is permanent and cannot be taken back.

Taxpayers also have the option of donating part or all of their refund to any or all of the 29 charities approved by the Charitable Checkoff Commission. Taxpayers use Form OR-DONATE to designate any amount or all of their refund to donate to charity.

Free tax preparation services are available for both federal and Oregon tax returns. Some software companies offer free software use and e-filing for eligible taxpayers. Visit the Department of Revenue website to take advantage of the software and free offers and get more information about free tax preparation services .

For more information, go to the Oregon surplus “kicker” credit page of the Department of Revenue website.

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.

Grants Pass Homeless Case Will Be Heard By Supreme Court April 22nd

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a case out of Grants Pass regarding criminalizing sleeping in public spaces next month. The ruling ordered the City of Grants Pass to cease enforcing its ban on homeless people sleeping on public property. Now the Supreme Court will hear the case on April 22nd.

Grants Pass, like many cities, is also dealing with a housing shortage. Over the past two decades, as more people moved in, housing costs went up, forcing a growing number of people onto the streets. Grants Pass, like other cities, is dealing with a housing shortage. Over the past two decades, as more people moved in, housing costs went up, forcing a growing number of people onto the streets.

The Supreme Court agreed to take up City of Grants Pass, Oregon v. Johnson in January and is set to hold oral arguments. The case is being led by the local government of Grants Pass, which was barred by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals from enforcing its broad anti-camping ordinance when homeless people have no other place to go.

Martin v. Boise and Grants Pass v. Johnson have prevented cities from punishing people for sleeping in public spaces when they have nowhere else to go. The Ninth US Circuit Court of Appeals denied a re-hearing of the case last year. This comes after the court ruled against the City of Grants Pass in 2022.

The Grants Pass case came to the Supreme Court after the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the city’s homeless residents. The appeals court ruled 2-1 that the city, which is about 250 miles south of Portland, can’t “enforce its anti-camping ordinances against homeless persons for the mere act of sleeping outside with rudimentary protection from the elements, or for sleeping in their car at night, when there is no other place in the city for them to go.” The decision applies only in situations in which homeless people “are engaging in conduct necessary to protect themselves from the elements when there is no shelter space available,” the court added.

The City of Grants Pass hopes the supreme court will issue a ruling in the summer of 2024. The City of San Diego has joined Grants Pass in the lawsuit.

Ed Johnson, the lead counsel for the respondents in the case, said it hinges on whether cities should be able to prioritize criminalization over solutions. Johnson said, “criminalization of our neighbors that have been forced to live outside, is not a solution. It’s very expensive, it wastes limited resources.”

Johnson said every court that has heard the case has ruled against Grants Pass so far. “Grants Pass wants to make it illegal on every inch of property, 24 hours a day,” Johnson said. “The problem is if that’s allowed, many cities will simply try to run all of the homeless people out of their community, and they have to go somewhere, so they’re going to go somewhere else, and they’re still going to have to live outside because of the affordable housing shortage.”

Johnson said that people are being punished for “simply existing” and that if more cities enact strict anti-camping ordinances like Grants Pass’, it could make the homelessness crisis worse.  “If we go down this line of spending money on criminalization and banishing people from their hometowns, we’re going to wake up in a year or two years or five years and we’re going to have twice as many of our neighbors living outside,” he said. 

Klamath Falls Man Requests To Represent Himself Against Federal Criminal Kidnapping Charges

A Klamath Falls man facing federal kidnapping charges said he wants to represent himself in his criminal trial.  He also requested to be referred to as “Sukima Zuberi” in court.

30-year-old Negasi Zuberi had a late afternoon arraignment when federal prosecutors requested maximum sentences on all eight criminal counts against Zuberi. He has another hearing April 1, 2024, before Zuberi decides to represent himself in court fully.

Zuberi has two counts of kidnapping, one count of transportation for criminal sexual activity, two counts of felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, two counts of a felon in possession of ammunition and one count of attempted escape from custody.

Zuberi received a new federal court indictment last month, charging him with kidnapping a second victim and with weapons charges from a prior conviction of assault with a deadly weapon.

Zuberi’s original kidnapping charge filed last summer accuses him of taking a woman from Seattle, WA to his Klamath Falls home and holding her captive in an in-home cinder-block cell that she escaped.

He’s accused of trying to escape from Jackson County Jail last August while held there for federal court. A review of jail records show Zuberi is at Jackson County Jail today, held since his return there Feb. 15, 2024.

Zuberi’s original two charges included kidnapping and transportation for criminal sexual activity. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for Oregon (USAO) filed the charges, saying Zuberi kidnapped a woman by pretending he was a law enforcement officer.

USAO said a federal grand jury initially indicted Zuberi, also known as Sakima, Justin Hyche, and Justin Kouassi, for kidnapping the woman using handcuffs, and forced her into his vehicle to take her approximately 450 miles to his Klamath Falls home, “stopping along the way to sexually assault her and cover her face with a sweatshirt.”

Interstate kidnapping is punishable by up to life in federal prison and transporting an individual across state lines with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity is punishable by up to 10 years in federal prison.

USAO reminds that an indictment is an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

It said Zuberi has lived in 10 different states during the last 10 years including Oregon, California, Washington, Colorado, Utah, Florida, New York, New Jersey, Alabama and Nevada, and federal law enforcement has reason to believe he may have victimized additional women.

It insists, “If you or someone you know have information about possible crimes committed by Zuberi, please visit fbi.gov/sakimavictims or call 1-800-Call-FBI.”   (SOURCE)

Oregon’s Final Presidential Primary List Released by Secretary Griffin-Valade

Oregon Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade released the final list of candidates to appear on the 2024 Democratic and Republican Presidential Primary today for Oregon’s primary election on May 21st.

Democratic Candidates:
Joseph Biden
Marianne Williamson

Republican Candidates:
Donald Trump

ORS 249.078 (1)(a) states that a Secretary of State may place the name of a candidate on a major party Presidential primary ballot if the Secretary, in their “sole discretion, has determined that the candidate’s candidacy is generally advocated or is recognized in national news media.” Candidates may also access the ballot by nominating petition as provided in ORS 249.078 (1)(b).

Oregon law allows major parties to decide whether to hold “open” or “closed” primaries. In this year’s May Primary, both the Democratic and Republican parties will hold “closed” primaries — meaning that a voter must be registered with that party by April 30th to participate in its primary election. Oregonians can register to vote or change their party registration at OregonVotes.gov.

“Oregonians are voters,” said Secretary Griffin-Valade. “In 2022 we had the highest voter turnout in the county. We have been trailblazers in creating modern and secure elections through our vote-by-mail system, which we’ve operated for more than 20 years without a single instance of widespread voter fraud. We are taking every precaution to ensure the 2024 elections will be no different.”

OHCS to launch first phase of the Homeowner Assistance and Reconstruction Program on March 25th

Call center and local partners will be available to help 2020 Labor Day Disaster survivors with application process 

SALEM, Ore. — Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) is going to launch the intake phase of the Homeowner Assistance and Reconstruction Program (HARP) for survivors of the 2020 Labor Day wildfires and straight-line winds on March 25. Phase 1 of HARP will help low- and moderate-income homeowners who still need assistance to repair, rebuild, or replace their homes.  

Beginning on March 25, applicants can fill out an Eligibility Questionnaire on the re.oregon.gov website where eligibility requirements are listed. OHCS will notify applicants who are eligible to apply for the first phase of HARP. Those who may not be eligible during this first phase may qualify in later phases if there are still funds available.  

“We are excited to announce this first step in the process to get survivors the help they need to fix existing homes or get new ones,” said Alex Campbell, chief external affairs officer of the Disaster Recovery and Resilience Division at OHCS. “We have been working with local partners to make resources available that we hope will make the application process easier for survivors.” 

OHCS opened a call center, which is ready to take questions. Applicants can call or text 1-877-510-6800 or 541-250-0938. They can also email t@oregon.org“>housingsupport@oregon.org. Additionally, OHCS is partnering with community-based organizations to provide in-person support. A full list of these partners is on the re.oregon.gov website. 

Survivors can help make the process as smooth as possible by making sure they have the correct documents on hand when they are invited to apply. No documents are needed to complete the Eligibility Questionnaire.  

HARP applicants need the following: 

• Personal identification such as a photo ID or driver’s license (U.S. citizenship is not required.)   
• Proof applicant is the homeowner, and the damaged home was their primary residence   
• Records of damages from the 2020 Labor Day Disasters  
• Proof of the applicant’s current income  
• Receipts of recovery expenses for repair, replacement, or construction  
• Property tax and mortgage information, if applicable  
• Record of any disaster assistance payments, loans, or insurance benefits received  
• Power of attorney, if applicable  

HARP is part of ReOregon, which is funded by a $422 million Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). To stay up to date on ReOregon programs in various stages of development, survivors can sign up for email updates and visit re.oregon.gov. 

About Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS)  – OHCS is Oregon’s housing finance agency. The state agency provides financial and program support to create and preserve opportunities for quality, affordable housing for Oregonians of low and moderate income. OHCS administers programs that provide housing stabilization. OHCS delivers these programs primarily through grants, contracts, and loan agreements with local partners and community-based providers. For more information, please visit: oregon.gov/ohcs.  

Cherry blossoms illuminated at State Capitol State Park March 16-April 6

Salem, OR—Oregon Parks and Recreation Department will host “Yozakura,” night viewing of the Akebono cherry blossoms, March 16 through April 6 in the North Mall at State Capitol State Park.

Parks staff will illuminate the cherry blossoms with Japanese lanterns and lights nightly 6-9 p.m. Visitors may bring blankets, camping chairs or an evening picnic to enjoy under the canopy of the illuminated trees.
The lanterns and lights create a striking and beautiful scene inside the park at night.

The Focal Point Photography Club of Dallas will be in the park March 23 at 7 p.m. to help photographers capture the perfect shot of the illuminated blossoms. SamaZama, a koto and cello duo, will perform in the park March 30 at 7 p.m. The duo will also perform March 16 as part of the Cherry Blossom Day, https://oregoncapitol.com/event/cherry-blossom-day… , sponsored by the Oregon State Capitol Foundation and the City of Salem.

The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department will livestream the cherry blossoms on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@OregonParks beginning March 16 during the day and evening through April 6.

Park staff ask that tree limbs and blossoms are left as is so everyone can view them throughout the bloom. Alcohol is not allowed in State Capitol State Park (without permits) and the park closes at 10 p.m.

For more information on events at the Capitol, call Visitor Services at 503-986-1388 or visit the events page, https://oregoncapitol.com/events/ .

Nationwide Cyberattack Keeping Some Oregon Healthcare Workers From Being Paid

A national cyberattack targeting the healthcare industry is impacting medical staff in Oregon. For almost a month, providers haven’t been able to collect insurance payments through a third-party, Change Healthcare. 

The company pays out claims to doctors’ offices and other service providers. Those claims make up a large portion of payments for many providers.

“Some businesses have to shut down temporarily in order to sort of save their business, basically,” said Athena Phillips, the founder of Integrative Trauma Treatment Center.

Change Healthcare works with some of the biggest healthcare companies in the Portland metro area, such as Providence and Kaiser Permanente, a medical worker said. 

Since many clinics or treatment centers are not receiving insurance payments, some medical workers may not be getting paid. Workers at other centers told KGW that they are relying on savings in order to pay staff until the problem is fixed.

“It’s really scary,” Phillips said. “We basically cannot even submit our claims.” Since Feb. 21, Phillips, like many medical workers around the country, haven’t received payments from Change Healthcare. Instead, she’s been forced to pay her staff through company savings.

“This is not something I could have foreseen,” Phillips said. “And I suspect there’s going to be ripple effects that we can’t anticipate.”

Others are facing similar issues.

“About 60% of our clients that we see every week are Medicaid funded,” Megan Geary, the CEO of Cascade Counseling and Consulting, said.

Between 60% to 75% of patient payments are affected by the cyberattack. Geary is also turning to company savings to pay staff.

“We’ve also had to apply for a business line of credit so that we can make payroll,” Geary said.

Along with Providence and Kaiser Permanente, Change Healthcare provides service for Care Oregon and the Oregon Health Plan, Geary said.

“Those are some big names,” she added.

Pharmacies are also dealing with repercussions of the cyberattack. KGW spoke with a pharmacist who didn’t want to go on camera, but said they were temporarily unable to search for prescription insurance claims. The pharmacy also was unable to utilize copay cards, which drug manufacturers use to provide discounts on medication. Those problems have since been resolved.

In a press release, UnitedHealth Group, which owns Change Healthcare, said it is working to mitigate impact to consumers and care providers. They expect to re-establish connection to its insurance claims network by Monday. 

Still, some aren’t convinced the problem will be fixed quickly. “I’m not holding my breath,” Geary said. “It’s not proper for one company to have that much power,” Phillips added. (SOURCE)

A 2.5 Million-Acre Area of South East Oregon has Been Named the Largest Dark Sky Sanctuary in the World.

The region, which on Monday was officially named the Oregon Outback International Dark Sky Sanctuary, comprises the southeastern half of Lake County, including Hart Mountain, Lake Abert and Summer Lake. Future plans include expanding the sanctuary to 11.4 million acres across Harney and Malheur counties. 

The designation was given by DarkSky International, an organization dedicated to protecting the nighttime environment and preserving dark skies through environmentally responsible outdoor lighting. The project is the work of the Oregon Dark Sky Network, an ad-hoc group of state, local and federal officials, private individuals, business owners and tourism agencies.

Travel Southern Oregon, which is a member of the network, celebrated the designation in a news release Monday.

“This four-year collaboration brings together so many of the elements we try to achieve in regenerative tourism,” Bob Hackett, executive director of Travel Southern Oregon, said. “It not only elevates the destination experience for visitors to Lake County and opens up opportunities for local businesses, but it also helps agencies and residents steward their lands in ways that celebrate a legacy of starry night skies for generations to come.”

Oregon already has two destinations with official DarkSky International designations: Prineville Reservoir State Park, which in 2021 became a Dark Sky Park, and Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory, which was named a Dark Sky Place in 2020. 

The Oregon Outback International Dark Sky Sanctuary is now the largest of 19 Dark Sky Sanctuaries, which are spread out across five continents. At 2.5 million acres, the Oregon sanctuary is larger than Minnesota’s 1 million-acre Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, which was designated as a Dark Sky Sanctuary in 2020.

The expansion of the Oregon Outback International Dark Sky Sanctuary seems inevitable, with only a few local approvals and lighting changes needed to make it happen, DarkSky International said. Most land in the region is either privately property or public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management. The largest city in the area is Lakeview, home to fewer than 2,500 people.

Stargazers know southern and southeast Oregon as home to some of the best places to watch meteor showers and other astronomical events. Dark, clear skies are ideal for anyone hoping to peer into the cosmos, whether with a telescope or the naked eye.

Amber Harrison, program manager for DarkSky International, said in a news release Monday that the organization is already looking forward to the second phase of the Oregon Outback project, the big expansion, which would be the first landscape-scale sanctuary of its kind. (SOURCE)

OFSM launches incentive program for defensible space projects

SALEM, Ore. – To help those living in communities more likely to be impacted by a wildfire, the Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) is launching an incentive program to help Oregonians pay for defensible space projects. Defensible space is one of the most effective ways to better protect a home during a wildfire. The OSFM understands that money may be a barrier for some to do these projects.

As part of the program, those who meet eligibility requirements will receive a $250 one-time payment. Homeowners, renters, and property owners must live in select areas of the state and request and receive a free defensible space assessment.

The free assessments are given by a local fire service agency member or an OSFM representative. An expert will walk the participants’ property with them and provide valuable one-on-one time to discuss how to build and increase their fire resiliency. 

After the assessment, those who qualify will receive the payment in the mail for their participation. This incentive is designed to encourage people to implement the recommendations received during their assessment.

For a list of eligible communities, please read the program guidelines here. These communities were chosen based on their vulnerability to wildfire to get money to those who need it the most.

The OSFM’s defensible space program is a crucial step toward building more resilient communities in the face of increasing wildfire risks. By empowering Oregonians to take proactive measures, we will reduce the impact of wildfires on lives, property, and the environment.

For more details about the OSFM’s defensible space program, visit their website.

Oregon to Honor Fallen Law Enforcement Officers May 7th, 2024

Every year, the Oregon Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony honors the state’s law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty. This year’s ceremony will be held Tuesday, May 7 at 1 p.m. at the Oregon Public Safety Academy in Salem.

The annual event commemorates the more than 190 fallen officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the state of Oregon since the 1860s. This includes law enforcement, corrections, and parole and probation officers from city, county, state, tribal and federal law enforcement agencies.

The Department of Public Safety Standards and Training is proud to host the ceremony in partnership with the Oregon Law Enforcement Memorial Fund, Oregon Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.), Oregon Fallen Badge Foundation, and various statewide law enforcement associations.