The latest news stories across the state of Oregon from the digital home of the Oregon coastal cities, OregonBeachMagazine.com
Friday, June 30, 2023
Oregon Beach Weather
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY ISSUED: 8:57 AM JUN. 30, 2023 – NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM PDT SUNDAY... * WHAT...North winds 20 to 30 kt with gusts up to 40 kt and steep seas 7 to 10 ft at 7 seconds expected. * WHERE...All areas. * WHEN...From 11 AM Friday to 11 PM PDT Sunday. * 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
Fatal Crash – HWY 101 – Douglas County
On Wednesday, June 28, 2023, at approximately 12:10 P.M., the Oregon State Police responded to a two-vehicle crash on Hwy-101, near milepost 208, in Douglass County.
The preliminary investigation indicated a southbound silver GMC Sonoma, operated by Raymond Louis Eby Jr. (35) of Molalla, crossed into the on-coming northbound lane for unknown reasons. The GMC Sonoma collided (offset) head-on with a northbound white Toyota Rav4, operated by Shawna Michelle Coolidge (51) of Florence. As a result of the collision, the GMC Sonoma rolled over and came to an uncontrolled rest on its roof blocking the northbound lane. The GMC Sonoma received heavy front-end damage. The Toyota Rav4 left the roadway after the collision and came to an uncontrolled rest down a small embankment adjacent to the northbound lanes. The Toyota Rav4 received heavy front-end damage.
The driver of the GMC Sonoma (Eby Jr.) and driver of the Toyota Rav4 (Coolidge) were declared deceased at the scene.
A three year old child in the Toyota Rav4 was transported to Lower Umpqua Hospital via Lower Umpqua Ambulance with non-life threatening injuries and later transferred to Sacred Heart Riverbend in Springfield.
The roadway was impacted for approximately 1 hour during the on-scene investigation.
ODOT, Mast Brother’s Towing, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Reedsport Police Department, Gardiner Fire Department, Lower Umpqua Ambulance, Douglas County Medical Examiner’s Office, and a OSP HWR / Southern Oregon Public Safety Chaplain assisted in the investigation.
Marine Board Approves 10 Boating Facility Grants, Other Items
The Oregon State Marine Board met on June 28, in Newport and approved 10 boating facility grant applications for the 2023-2025 biennium. The Board also approved updates for Boating Safety Education Programs, OAR 250-018-0010 to 250-018-110.
The Board approved $1.5 million in motorized Boating Facility Grant funds and $561,482 in nonmotorized boating Waterway Access Grant funds for the following boating facility grant applications. The total boating investment by all parties is more than $5.8 million:
- Adventures Without Limits: For on-water programs, training, equipment, marketing, and outreach. Board approved $95,000 in Waterway Access Grant funds, combined with $230,080 in applicant match for a project total of $325,080.
- Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership: Big Canoe Paddle Access Project to include paddle safety training, education video production, and trip planning. The Board approved $39,632.80 in Waterway Access Grant funds, combined with $23,033.20 in applicant match for a project total of $62,666.00.
- City of Umatilla -submitted two applications: Permitting and environmental assessments for future marina improvements and Nugent Park facility improvements. The Board approved the Umatilla Marina application for $97,764.00 in Boating Facility Grant funds, $20,000 in Waterway Access Grant funds, $6,000 federal Boating Infrastructure Grant and $6,000 Clean Vessel Act Grant funds combined with $448,507.00 of applicant match for a project total of $578,271.00.
The Board also approved funding for Nugent Park to replace the boat ramp, add boarding docks, expand boat trailer and single-car parking, improve staging areas and add lighting contingent upon permitting and replacement of the fishing dock. Staff recommended $415,828.20 in Boating Facility Grant funds, and $50,000 in Waterway Access Grant funds, combined with $1,307,661.60 in applicant match, for a project total of $1,773,489.80.
- Port of Columbia County -submitted two applications: Scappoose Bay Marina Upland Project to create a new staging area in the upper parking lot with an air fill station, increased ADA parking, widening sidewalks, landscaping, paving, grading and restriping existing parking area. The Board approved $107,912.00 in Boating Facility Grant funds, and $300,000 in Waterway Access Grant funds, combined with $407,912.00 in applicant match for a project cost of $815,825.00.
The Board also approved dredging 77,000 cubic yards within an area of Scappoose Bay to improve launching and retrieving and increase depths for boaters. $485,000 in Boating Facility Grant funds, combined with $1,455,000.00 for a project total of $1,940,000.00.
- Tualatin Riverkeepers: Equitable Access Project for on-water boating experiences and expanded community engagement. The Board approved $41,850 of Waterway Access Grant funds, combined with $38,500.00 in applicant match for a project total of $80,350.
- City of Coquille: Sturdivant Park Boat Ramp and Piling Replacement, with a 30-year expected useful life to this facility. The Board approved $480,600.00 in Boating Facility Grant funds, combined with $121,501.00 of applicant match for a project total of $530,101.00.
- City of Sutherlin: Ford’s Pond development into a small boat (electric motor only) and nonmotorized boating facility. This project would be completed in multiple phases. The first phase includes permitting. The Board approved $10,000.00 in Waterway Access Grant funds and $10,000.00 in applicant match for the permitting costs.
- US Forest Service, Siuslaw National Forest: Sutton Boat Ramp Replacement and Boarding Docks. The Board approved $449.496.43 in Boating Facility Grant funds combined with $149,832.14 in applicant match for a project total of $599,328.57.
On another agenda item, the Board approved modernizing language for a suite of rules encapsulating Mandatory Boating Safety Education Programs. Some of the proposed changes include removing the exemption to possess a mandatory boating safety education card for competitive event participants, improving accountability for boat rental businesses and renters to complete a watercraft safety checklist, and streamlining the boater education card appearance by removing dynamic characteristics of the cardholder deemed unnecessary for compliance, along with other rule updates. The agency will solicit public feedback on the proposed rules in July and August.
Materials are available with extensive detail on boating facility grant applications, agency updates, and rationale for updating rule language.
A busy weekend is ahead with many celebrations and visitors coming to the Oregon coast.
Remember to save 911 for emergencies (which includes immediate danger to life, limb, or property) and report non-emergencies to dispatch or other appropriate agencies. Our Lincoln County Oregon Emergency Management team has a great handout that lists when and who to call. Check it out and save these numbers in your phone: www.co.lincoln.or.us/DocumentCenter/View/1955/911—When-to-Call-911-and-Local-Public-Safety-Non-Emergency-Numbers-PDF?bidId=
Yachats Lions Club Hosts 4th of July Pancake Breakfast!
YACHATS, OR, July 4th – The Yachats Lions Club will host their “KTP Day” 4th of July Pancake Breakfast on July 4th from 7:30am – 11:00am at Yachats Lions Hall at 344 4th Street, Yachats OR 97498. There’s a $10 suggested donation to welcome folks for an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast!
This “Keep the Promise Day” event is part of a series of KTP Day events throughout Oregon. The goal is to celebrate the Lions’ connection to Helen Keller and their promise to address preventable blindness and hearing loss, in partnership with their Oregon Lions Sight & Hearing Foundation (OLSHF).
All proceeds from Yachats Lions Club’s annual fundraisers and their Yachats Lions Thrift Store makes giving back to their local community possible. They support Lions community service projects, which include scholarships to graduating seniors, food pantries, school programs, Yachats Youth & Family Services, South Lincoln Resources, Yachats Fire Department, and eyeglasses & exams for children & adults. With the motto “WE SERVE,” Yachats Lions Club is celebrating 73 years of service to Yachats and South Lincoln County.
Together, the Lions Clubs of Oregon, the statewide nonprofit OLSHF, and partners offer access to people for critical sight-saving surgeries and treatments, secure new eyeglasses, help people who can’t afford eyeglasses and hearing aids, and manage the largest vision screening program in the US.
To learn more about the Yachats Lions Club and their work in the local community, you can visit yachatslionsclub.org.
Kotek names retired Portland-area auditor as new secretary of state after scandal forced Fagan out
The mission of LaVonne Griffin-Valade, who retired nine years ago, is to restore confidence in the office until voters pick the next secretary in November 2024
Gov. Tina Kotek tapped LaVonne Griffin-Valade, a longtime government auditor in the Portland area, to become Oregon’s next secretary of state, an appointment that marks the end of a tumultuous chapter for the office following the resignation of Secretary of State Shemia Fagan in early May amid a moonlighting scandal.
Kotek’s appointment, announced Wednesday, will be effective on Friday when Griffin-Valade is sworn into office. She will serve the remainder of the term, leaving voters to pick the next secretary of state in the November 2024 election. The office, with 231 staff members, oversees elections, audits of state agencies and business filings for Oregonians.
Deputy Secretary Cheryl Myers has run the agency since Fagan resigned. The secretary of state is the next in line to lead the state if the governor dies or resigns. Griffin-Valade, who’s 69, retired in 2014 to become a full-time writer after working as an auditor for more than 16 years. She was hired as a senior management auditor at the Multnomah County Auditor’s Office in 1998 and later became the elected Multnomah County auditor. In 2009, Griffin-Valade was elected Portland city auditor, serving one term before her retirement.
Kotek said in a statement and subsequent news conference that Griffin-Valade has the professional background and ethics to steer clear of politics and regain the trust of Oregonians in the office.
Kotek called her “a leader with a steady hand,” adding that she was “precisely what this role demands at this moment after the scandal in that office.” She said she expects Griffin-Valade to scrutinize what the office is doing, how it conducts business and make any needed changes.
“She will look at everything they’re doing,” Kotek said. “I will leave it to her discretion if she needs to make any (changes).”
In the release, Griffin-Valade said she has the experience to bring back accountability and transparency to the office.
“It’s never been more important to have a leader who will focus on rebuilding the public’s trust in the Secretary of State’s Office, and that is exactly what I will aim to do every day,” she said in a statement.
As Portland auditor, Griffin-Valade oversaw divisions requiring a high level of independence and ethical judgment from managers and staff, the release said. She also worked on government auditing nationwide and in Canada as a member of an international committee.
The work she began in Multnomah County still continues. Among her endeavors, she started a hotline to report fraud, waste and abuse in the county, Multnomah County Auditor Jennifer McGuirk said in an interview with the Capital Chronicle. That hotline is still in operation.
“I’m just excited that someone who has experience leading an audit division and an elections division already is going to be in this position, and I think it will really support and improve morale among the staff there,” McGuirk said. “She just really is someone who has tons of integrity and knows how to run a really complicated office. This is a really smart appointment to help rebuild people’s trust in the Secretary of State’s Office.”
McGuirk didn’t work with Griffin-Valade but she played a role in ballot measures that affect Multnomah County government. McGuirk requested – and received – Griffin-Valade’s input and endorsement for a voter ballot measure that strengthened the office’s role and created a county ombudsperson in the auditor’s office to investigate complaints about county actions.
“Trying to maintain the independence of an audit function is a pretty typical hurdle that auditors are up against in government,” McGuirk said.
After Griffin-Valade left government, she earned a master’s in fine arts in writing. Besides essays, she’s published a four-part series of gritty crime novels set in eastern Oregon featuring Sgt. Maggie Blackthorne of Oregon State Police as the protagonist. Griffin-Valade lives in northeast Portland, has been married 41 years and has four children and as many grandchildren.
The Oregon Public Employees Retirement System pays her a pension of $31,098 a year, according to data compiled by The Oregonian/OregonLive. As secretary of state, she’ll earn $77,000, a sum that is set in statute.
Griffin-Valade’s appointment follows the sudden downfall of a rising political star. Fagan resigned May 2, just one day after she apologized for “poor judgment” in accepting a $10,000-a-month consulting job for a cannabis chain seeking to expand. The Secretary of State’s Office was conducting an industry-related audit at the time. Fagan said she needed the side job to make ends meet. A former state legislator, she won the role in the 2020 election.
On Feb. 20, Fagan began working with Veriede Holding LLC, an affiliate of La Mota, which grows, manufactures and sells cannabis products, while her office was auditing the state’s regulation of the cannabis industry. Fagan was researching other states’ cannabis regulations.
In early February, shortly before she started working for Veriede, Fagan recused herself from the audit, which was largely finished by that time. But Fagan had communicated with La Mota’s owners about the scope of the audit, raising questions about a potential conflict of interest.
In May, Sens. Brian Boquist, I-Dallas, and Art Robinson, R-Cave Junction, sent a letter to the U.S. Attorney’s office requesting an investigation after reading a Willamette Week article about the owners of La Mota who gave thousands in dollars in campaign funds to prominent politicians, including Kotek and Senate President Rob Wagner, and Fagan, all Democrats.
Since Fagan’s resignation, several investigations have started.
Federal prosecutors have subpoenaed the Secretary of State’s Office, the Department of Administrative Services, the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission, the Oregon Government Ethics Commission and the Department of Revenue for records related to Fagan and La Mota’s owners Aaron Mitchell and Rosa Cazares.
Separately, the state Justice Department is investigating the audit, and the state ethics commission is investigating Fagan after receiving complaints.
Oregon has had five secretaries of state in the past decade and none has had a second term. Kate Brown became governor, Dennis Richardson died in office and Fagan resigned. Two appointees, Jeanne Atkins and Bev Clarno, did not run for full terms. (SOURCE)
New Website for Oregon Department of Human Services Increases Access and Usability
Need to know
- Oregon Department of Human Services launched a new website to better support people in Oregon. The new website address is https://oregon.gov/odhs.
- Most old links will automatically redirect to new pages
(Salem) – This morning, visitors to the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) website will see a fresh look. The redesigned website is more accessible, mobile-friendly, has more Spanish-language content and new language access features.
The vision of ODHS is that everyone in our communities can access the services they need. Our website, with over 10 million hits per year, is a key way ODHS delivers information about those services.
People using the site can now easily navigate to the services they need. Increased readability and less text will also help people find what they need more quickly. A new office finder will help people find which local office is closest to them and will provide directions via Google maps. Going forward, we will continue to make improvements to the website based on user feedback.
“This website advances our ability to connect with people in Oregon, including the nearly 1.5 million we serve each year,” said ODHS Director Fariborz Pakseresht. “We want to make it as easy as possible for people to get what they need. ODHS is dedicated to making accessibility a priority and we’ll continue to refine our site based on user needs and feedback.”
Even though our website address is changing, most links to our old website will automatically direct people to the correct location in the new site. People can visit this page for tips on using our new website, to share feedback or to report any issues or broken links.
The process of this website redesign has taken nearly two years of planning. ODHS is grateful for the many members of the public, partners and staff who have offered invaluable feedback and input.
Note: This update does not affect the ONE Eligibility system applicant portal people use to apply for and manage medical, food, cash and child care benefits.
Woman-Suffrage-History Marker to be Unveiled at Oregon State Capitol State Park
Portland, OR — June 29, 2023 —The history of woman suffrage in Oregon takes its rightful place of honor at the Oregon State Capitol State Park in Salem! Join OHS, the Oregon Women’s History Consortium (OWHC), and the Oregon State Capitol Foundation on Thursday, July 6, 2023, from 11am to 12pm for a public event to mark the unveiling of a new, woman-suffrage-history marker on the east end of the Capitol grounds. Featured guests will include Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum and Gwen Carr of the Oregon Black Pioneers.
The marker was created as part of the 2020 woman suffrage centennial and the work of OWHC with the National Votes for Women Trail. Sponsored by the National Collaborative for Women’s History Sites, the National Votes for Women Trail seeks to recognize and celebrate the enormous diversity of people and groups active in the struggle for woman suffrage. The Trail consists of two parts: a database with a digital map and a program of historical markers for about 250 woman suffrage sites across the country.
Funded by the William G. Pomeroy Foundation and the federal Women’s Suffrage Centennial Commission, markers have been created and donated to each state and territory in the United States. Each marker is unique, and the content on the Capitol marker notes the state’s suffrage history and Oregon’s ratification of the 19th Amendment. The unveiling date recognizes a historical moment in Oregon: on July 6, 1905, Susan B. Anthony unveiled a statue of Sacagawea (Agaideka (Lemi) Shoshone) at the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition in Portland.
In 2020, the Oregon Historical Society commemorated the centennial of woman suffrage through an original exhibition, Nevertheless, They Persisted: Women’s Voting Rights and the 19th Amendment. This exhibition shared the many ways Oregon history connects to the national history of woman suffrage and to the complex history of democracy in the United States. Portions of this exhibition are available to view online, and related curriculum is also available for educators.
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 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 rich as Oregon’s cannot be contained within a single story or point of view.
Rare Helicopter Boat Delivery at Crater Lake National Park
- Crater Lake Hospitality, a subsidiary of Aramark Destinations, plans to resume its popular boat tours this summer with three new 41-foot aluminum alloy boats. Due to the steep terrain to access the lake, the boats were delivered by helicopter on Monday, June 26. The new boats were created in partnership with Oregon based marine designer, Katanacraft, and each boat was created specifically with safety, the local environment, and the visitor experience in mind.
- The new boats were built with an open design offering 360-degree views of the lake. These boats use less fuel, provide additional seating, and produce less motor sound compared to the prior boat models. The tour boats are also designed for optimal efficiency to reduce environmental impacts including shore preservation for the lake, which reflects Crater Lake Hospitality’s goal to provide boat tours that are safe, eco-friendly and boast excellent views of the lake. In addition, Crater Lake Hospitality partnered with the local Klamath Tribes to name each boat using the native language.
- “We are thrilled to have these new beautiful, eco-friendly and functional boats for scenic boat tours at Crater Lake National Park,” said Bruce W. Fears, President & CEO of Aramark Destinations. “Crater Lake is a gem in Oregon, and we are pleased to be able to enhance the visitor experience with these new boats that were created in partnership with the National Park Service and Katanacraft.”
- Each new boat will allow park visitors to connect with the solitude and beauty of the lake while learning interesting Crater Lake National Park history and geology from a park ranger. Crater Lake Hospitality will offer numerous tours and a boat shuttle service to Wizard Island that are scheduled to resume this summer with the new boats. Boat tours have been a popular activity at Crater Lake National Park for more than 100 years.
About Crater Lake Hospitality – Crater Lake Hospitality, a subsidiary of Aramark Destinations, is an authorized concessioner of Crater Lake National Park operating lodging, camping, retail, boat tours and food and beverage services. Visit www.travelcraterlake.com for more information or to make a reservation.
About Crater Lake National Park – Crater Lake National Park, the country’s sixth national park, is perched high among Oregon’s Cascade Mountains. The park is the result of the eruption of the 12,000-foot-volcano Mount Mazama more than 7,000 years ago. Today, Crater Lake is nearly 2,000 feet deep, making it the deepest lake in the United States.
Oregon’s New Minimum Wage Rates Start July 1st
Starting July 1, the minimum wage in Oregon will go up 70 cents an hour.
The minimum wage won’t be the same dollar amount across the state, however, as Oregon’s minimum wage system is different than other states.
Oregon has three levels of minimum wage: the standard rate, a lower rate for rural areas and a higher rate for the more expensive Portland metro area.
Currently, the minimum rates across the state break down like this:
- $12.50 an hour in rural Oregon
- $13.50 an hour, considered the “standard rate” for more populated areas
- $14.75 an hour for the Portland metro area
Starting in July, everyone goes up 70 cents an hour, bringing the new minimum wage rates to:
- $13.20 an hour in rural Oregon
- $14.20 an hour, considered the “standard rate” for more populated areas
- $15.45 an hour for the Portland metro area
State data shows only one-in-20 Oregonians make minimum wage. A recent study by National Low Income Housing Coalition shows Oregon renters must make $29.72 an hour to afford a two-bedroom apartment. The figure is about seven dollars less than the average hourly rate of Oregon renters.
KGW went to the Sellwood-Moreland Neighborhood to see how a raise would play, and found two baristas at Blue Kangaroo Coffee Roasters who make minimum wage plus tips.
“It is hard. I would say you need a couple roommates for sure or support from family or friends,” said barista Caden McFarland. “I definitely think working minimum wage, you cannot go out and get a place for yourself at all.”
“Seventy cents could make a difference in a day, yeah so over time it’ll be nice, definitely,” said barista Isabella Blair.
Sitting in front of the coffee roastery was one couple who appreciates the need for a raise, based on inflation.
“But do businesses have a problem then because can they afford employees when they start raising the minimum wage? So it’s tough on both sides,” said Sandra.
The challenges businesses are still facing with costs and trying to hire is real, that’s why fast food places and others advertise wages dollars above the minimum wage.
Oregon State Fire Marshal asks Oregonians to Keep Firework use Legal and Safe
“Keep it legal, keep it safe” is the message from the Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM). The 2023 fireworks retail sales season begins June 23 and runs through July 6 in Oregon. The OSFM would like everyone to know which fireworks are legal to use, where fireworks can be used, and how to use them safely.
“We ask Oregonians to be responsible if they plan to use fireworks as part of their celebrations,” OSFM Assistant Chief Deputy Mark Johnston said. “Every year, we see fires and injuries because of improper use of fireworks or illegal fireworks. Our message is simple: keep it legal and keep it safe.”
To reduce the risk of starting a fire, some local governments in Oregon have firework sales or use restrictions in place. Check your local regulations and follow them where you live or where you may be traveling to celebrate the Fourth of July.
Consumer-legal fireworks can only be purchased from permitted fireworks retailers and stands. State regulations limit where those fireworks may be used. People who plan to visit public lands and parks are asked to leave all fireworks at home. The possession and use of fireworks are prohibited in national parks and forests, on Bureau of Land Management lands, on U.S. Fish and Wildlife properties, on state beaches, in state parks, and in state campgrounds. Fireworks are also prohibited on many private lands protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry.
For those who purchase legal fireworks, fire officials encourage everyone to practice the four Bs of safe fireworks use:
- Be prepared before lighting fireworks: keep water available by using a garden hose or bucket.
- Be safe when lighting fireworks: keep children and pets away from fireworks. Never use fireworks near or on dry grass or vegetation.
- Be responsible after lighting fireworks: never relight a dud. Please wait 15 to 20 minutes, then soak it in a bucket of water before disposal.
- Be aware: Use only legal fireworks in legal places.
Oregon law prohibits the possession, use, or sale of any firework that flies into the air, explodes, or travels more than 12 feet horizontally on the ground without a permit issued by the OSFM. Fireworks commonly called bottle rockets, Roman candles, and firecrackers are illegal in Oregon without a permit. Officials may seize illegal fireworks and charge offenders with a class B misdemeanor which could result in a fine of up to $2,500. Those who misuse fireworks or allow fireworks to cause damage are liable and may be required to pay fire suppression costs or other damages. Parents are also liable for fireworks damage caused by their children.
The OSFM has published resources on its website regarding the sale and legal use of consumer fireworks, retail sale permits, and state rules for firework use and enforcement activities. Safety messaging and activities for kids can also be found on the OSFM’s fireworks page.
83-year-old Clarence Edward Pitts walked away from his home in Bandon on Tuesday, January 31 at around 1:00 p.m. Pitts is described as:
- 6′ 00″
- 150 lbs
- Gray hair
- Brown eyes
- Last seen wearing an orange beanie, plaid jacket, tan pants and white shoes
- May have a walking cane
- Has dementia and PTSD
Pitts may be in a vehicle that was also found to be missing from the home:
- 1999 Toyota Van
- White
- Oregon license plate: WYN 788
If you see Clarence or have any information pertaining to where he may be, please call the Coos County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center at 541-396-2106 or the Bandon Police Department at 541-347-3189.
Contact us: Info@OregonBeachMagazine.com