Oregon Beach News, Friday 9/20 — Lincoln County Hands Across the Bridge Event on Saturday in Waldport, Mill Beach Health Advisory Issued & 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

Friday, September 20, 2024

Oregon Beach Weather

Small Craft Advisory Issued: 2:20 AM Sep. 20, 2024 – National Weather Service
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM PDT SATURDAY... * WHAT...North winds 15 to 25 kt with gusts up to 30 kt and seas 6 to 9 ft. * WHERE...All areas. * WHEN...Until 11 PM PDT Saturday. * 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

Indian Summer? Heatwaves like this are common even as late as October. Heatwave next week will peak on Tuesday. Possible high temperatures…Portland: 86°Salem: 87°Eugene: 86°Roseburg: 92°Medford: 93°

Seasonal Climate Forecast September – November 2024

https://www.oregon.gov/oda/programs/naturalresources/documents/weather/dlongrange.pdf

Wildfires continue to produce smoke in the Pacific Northwest. Breathe a little easier by keeping up to date on air quality conditions and concerns at Fire.AirNow.gov.

We’re not out of the woods yet – Please take precautions to avoid sparking a human-caused fire, be familiar with evacuation levels, and have a go-kit ready in case you need to leave your home.”

Lincoln County Hands Across the Bridge Event on Saturday in Waldport

This month marks the 35th anniversary of National Recovery Month. Each year, Lincoln County comes together for a month-long awareness and celebration for those in recovery from mental health and substance use challenges. In recognition of National Recovery and Wellbriety Month, everyone is invited to join at the annual “Hands Across the Bridge” event in Waldport at 11:30 a.m. this Saturday, Sept. 21.

Recovery and Wellbriety Month promotes the benefits of treatment for substance use and mental health challenges, celebrates people in recovery, praises the contributions of treatment providers, and promotes the message that recovery in all its forms is possible. Recovery and Wellbriety Month spreads the positive message that behavioral health is essential to overall health, that prevention works, treatment is effective, and people can and do recover.

No matter where you are, no matter who you are, no one is alone in recovery, officials said. The recovery journey isn’t just for the person with the substance use or mental health issue — it includes everyone who cares about them.

Lincoln County Hands Across the Bridge is a free event that begins with a gathering at 11:30 a.m. at the parking lot of the Alsea Bay Bridge Interpretive Center, 320 NW Highway 101, Waldport. The bridge crossing will begin with the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians drummers at noon. Following the crossing, there will be a free barbecue lunch, speakers, and family friendly activities at 12:30 p.m. at the Waldport Community Center, 65 NW Hemlock St.

Community members can find link to the online event on the Lincoln County Public Health Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/events/868441181343475/?acontext=%7B%22event_action_history%22%3A[]%7D

Florence Charter School May Be Able To Open After Months of Controversy

A charter school in Florence is getting closer to opening the Siuslaw School District and the Siuslaw Valley Charter School signed a contract Thursday, giving the green light for the Whitmore Charter Academy to move forward after controversy. The contract now goes to the Department of Education for final approval.

The controversy stemmed from a former affiliation between the academy and Hillsdale College, a conservative, Christian-based institution. Parents initially expressed concern over the religious leanings of the school and the separation of church and state.

The charter school eventually disassociated itself as a member school of Hillsdale and received approval from the Siuslaw School Board last week.

The board will now be moving into hiring a head of schools and locating a building. The school will open with K-4 grades and add a year until the school is K-8th Grade.

Mill Beach Health Advisory Issued Sept. 19

High bacteria levels prompt OHA recommendation to avoid water contact

—Oregon Health Authority (OHA) is issuing a public health advisory today for unsafe levels of fecal bacteria in ocean waters at Mill Beach in Curry County. People should avoid direct contact with the water in this area until the advisory is lifted.

Unsafe levels of fecal bacteria can cause diarrhea, stomach cramps, skin rashes, upper respiratory infections, and other illnesses. Children, elderly and those with a compromised immune system should use extra caution as they are more vulnerable to illness from waterborne bacteria.

Visitors should avoid wading in nearby creeks, pools of water on the beach, or in discolored water, and stay clear of water runoff flowing into the ocean. Levels of fecal bacteria tend to be higher in these types of water sources.

Unsafe levels of fecal bacteria in ocean waters can come from both shore and inland sources including:

• Stormwater runoff.
• Sewer overflows.
• Failing septic systems.
• Animal waste from livestock, pets and wildlife.

Even if there is no advisory in effect, avoid swimming in the ocean within 48 hours after a rainstorm.

Ocean waters will be re-tested after an advisory is issued. Once bacteria levels are at a safe level, OHA will notify the public that the advisory is lifted.

While this advisory is in effect at Mill Beach, state officials continue to encourage other recreational activities (flying kites, picnicking, playing on the beach, walking, etc.) on this beach because they pose no health risk even during an advisory.

For the most recent information on advisories, visit the Oregon Beach Monitoring Program website at https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ph/healthyenvironments/recreation/beachwaterquality/pages/index.aspx or call 971-673-0482, or 877-290-6767 (toll-free).

It was a motor vehicle accident that happened almost a week ago, but information was just released Tuesday night by the Oregon State Police. 

The wreck on Friday on Highway 101 south of Florence held up traffic for 3 hours as police, fire and ambulance assisted the injured parties.  The OSP report says 26 year old Robin Miles Bihm of Coos Bay was traveling southbound on Highway 101 about 6 miles north of Gardiner when the Ford 150 failed to negotiate a left hand curve.  The vehicle ran off the road and the driver overcorrected sending it into the North bound lane where it struck head on a Toyota Tundra operated by Alan Kent Mcilhenny of Tonasket Washington.

Mcilhenny 72 and his wife Barbara Jean Mcilhenny along with James Otis Wells suffered serious injuries.  A 4^th passenger in the Tundra Margaret Ann Wells 76 of Tonasket was declared deceased at the hospital.  The crash is still under investigation, but impairment is being considered as a possible cause of the crash.

Two Lincoln County schools are on pace to get significant funds to fortify them as community safety and shelter hubs in case of severe wildfires, earthquakes, tsunamis and ice storms.

A state decision, now under review, is expected soon regarding the Lincoln County School District’s application to buy and install permanent, full-building generators and advanced emergency communications equipment at Newport Middle School and Taft High School in Lincoln City.

Barring some unexpected hitch, the district’s request for $1.2 million in funds from the state’s Planning, Infrastructure, & Economic Revitalization program should win approval since it has already been recommended by a Lincoln County vetting committee.

“As long as it meets state requirements, it will be funded,” Susan Graves, the district’s safety coordinator told YachatsNews. “Right now, we’re just going through all the steps needed to get there.”

The state program was started in 2020 in the wake of Labor Day wildfires that year that caused severe damages and displacement in Lincoln and six other Oregon counties – Douglas, Jackson, Klamath, Lane, Linn and Marion.

The total of more than $42 million now in the process of allocation is federal money being managed by the Oregon Housing and Community Services agency.

Assuming the school district’s proposal is approved, the process of buying and installing the targeted power and communications equipment is expected to take about one year, Graves said.

“As soon as we get the final go-ahead, we’ll get started immediately,” she said. “We know how important it is for our schools and our community to have this really high-quality equipment.”

Newport Middle School and Taft High School already have large storage containers on site containing tents and other supplies should an emergency happen during school hours and the district needs to shelter students outside of the school buildings. They would be sent up on adjacent athletic fields, Graves said.

The generator project’s underlying purpose is to “shelter and provide mass care services to large numbers of the community in safe and healthy environments,” according to the district’s 52-page application.

It added, “Even though the schools are in Lincoln City and Newport, this expanded capacity will serve any area of Lincoln County in need of shelter due to a wide variety of hazards that threaten our area. For example, during the 2020 wildfires, the north part of the county (Lincoln City, Otis, Rose Lodge, etc.) had to be evacuated all the way down to Newport for shelter.”

Rep. David Gomberg, D-Otis, said he continues to support the effort to fortify the two schools with both the generators and the fuel to power them and the satellite communications systems that can restore contact with the outside world that might be lost in event of natural disasters.

“If we have something like a major earthquake, where are people going to go?” he said. “Having our schools equipped in this way will make them natural collection points for our residents.”

On a somewhat parallel track, Gomberg said he is pursuing legislation that would increase supplies of fuel and water at local hospitals from the current three-day supply to two weeks.

“My only frustration with the current grant program is that it’s taking so long to get actual projects up and running,” Gomberg said. “If we’re really interested in recovery and resilience, we need to pick up the pace a little bit.” (SOURCE)

Southern Oregon Tribes Sue Feds Over Offshore Wind Energy Plans

Leaders of the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians said they will drop their lawsuit if the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management delays its October auction for developers

Officials from the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians are suing the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management over its decision to greenlight two areas off the Oregon Coast for potential floating wind energy projects.

The southern Oregon tribe – which passed a resolution against floating offshore wind energy in those areas last November – filed its suit Friday in U.S. District Court in Eugene against the ocean energy bureau, accusing it of violating two federal laws meant to protect the environment and culturally significant areas. 

“The decision to file this legal action was not taken lightly,” Brad Kneaper, chair of the tribal council, said in a news release. “We would much rather work collaboratively with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to determine where the best places are to develop wind energy, minimizing the impacts to the coast and our people.”

The suit comes two weeks after federal officials announced they would hold an auction for companies interested in surveying and proposing floating offshore wind energy farms in two lease areas. One area, a 61,000-acre site, is located 30 miles off the coast of Coos Bay, while the other, spanning nearly 134,000 acres, is located 20 miles off the coast of Brookings. If fully developed, wind farms on the two sites could generate more than 3.1 gigawatts of renewable energy, enough to power 1 million homes, federal officials said. 

Tribal officials say the two proposed offshore areas are in the tribes’ ancestral territory and that the areas are home to fish and other marine species and have views of significant cultural, historic and economic significance to the tribe. 

Kneaper said in the release that the tribe is willing to withdraw the lawsuit if the October lease sale is delayed and the bureau commits to assessing the cumulative and future impacts of wind energy development not just along the Oregon Coast, but also across all development areas being auctioned off along the West Coast. 

“BOEM does not discuss pending litigation through the media,” John Romero, a spokesperson for the ocean energy bureau, said in an email. 

The lawsuit

In the suit, the tribe, represented by attorney Rick Eichstaedt of the Spokane-based law firm Rey-Bear McLaughlin, accused the ocean energy bureau of violating the federal National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA, as well as the National Historic Preservation Act, which requires federal agencies to protect culturally significant sites. 

The tribe claims the agency failed in an environmental assessment to consider not just the current impacts of surveying and potentially developing the areas for wind energy, but also future impacts as well as the cumulative effect of wind power generation along the entire West Coast, not just off the coast of Oregon. 

The bureau has auctioned five areas off the California coast for floating wind energy projects. In July, it released an environmental assessment of the two Oregon lease areas, and said there would be no significant impact to people or the environment as companies survey, study and plan proposals. 

Any projects proposed by developers would need to go through another environmental impact analysis, and the public and interested parties would also be able to comment before it could be approved and built.

Kneaper said the July assessment ignored the cumulative and future impacts of wind development, and failed to identify alternative areas that did not have the same cultural and historic importance for the tribe and marine species.

“The tribe has consistently urged that BOEM delay moving forward with wind energy development until a better understanding is made of the impacts to fish, wildlife, the marine environment and cultural resources important to the tribe,” he said. “No one, including BOEM, has an understanding of how wind development will impact the fragile marine environment.”

Kneaper accused the bureau of being driven by politics and ignoring concerns among coastal residents. In November, Coos County residents will vote on a ballot initiative to oppose offshore wind development, and a coalition of independent fishing boat operators, seafood companies and industry groups have also asked Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek to intervene to stop floating offshore wind development from moving forward. 

Wider picture

Under Oregon’s climate change policies, the state needs to curb its greenhouse gas emissions by mid-century. The Climate Protection Program, which is currently being redone by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, has set a target of reducing emissions from fossil fuels in Oregon by 50% by 2035 and by 90% by 2050. 

Wind energy will be needed to help achieve those goals, officials say, and offshore wind is slated to be part of the solution. The Oregon Department of Energy’s latest energy report said the state needs about 20,000 megawatts of energy to come from offshore wind by 2050 to meet that target. 

The Biden administration also has wind energy plans. It is planning for up to a dozen offshore wind energy auctions through 2028, with the hope of developing a total of 30 gigawatts of wind energy – enough to power more than 10 million homes – on the East and West coasts to be deployed by 2030. The Oregon sites would account for about 10% of that, according to the bureau. (SOURCE)

PREVIOUS NEWS:

Oregon’s U.S. senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley are denouncing the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) for the rushed process to get two zones off the coast leased on Oct. 15 for wind energy projects.

Below are statements from the senators.

 By rushing this leasing process, BOEM’s actions undermine state-led efforts to build the necessary consensus among coastal communities, fishermen, conservation groups, and Tribes. As I have said before, BOEM should not accept bids off the coast of Oregon until the state can facilitate a robust process with significant stakeholder engagement. This is the spirit of the Oregon Way, and the state must be able to evaluate whether offshore wind best serves our coast and communities. – Sen. Jeff Merkley (D)Oregonians living and working on the Coast expect far better from federal agencies than to get steamrolled from 3,000 miles away on decisions directly affecting their livelihoods. I will pull out all the stops to make sure that Oregonians’ legitimate concerns about this hasty decision and the run-up to it receive complete and acceptable responses before any project goes forward. The move to clean energy is essential in the face of the climate crisis, but abrupt and deeply flawed edicts like this do nothing to advance that move, and in fact hurt it. – Sen. Ron Wyden (D)

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BOEM has faced scrutiny for the lack of dialogue between the government organization and local partners. 

Brookings Mayor Isaac Hodges told NewsWatch 12 that at a previous meeting for the offshore wind energy projects, “not one” community member had a positive thing to say about the project or BOEM’s process so far. 

“I believe it’s the truth — we’re dealing with a government agency that truly doesn’t care about the community that they’re directly impacting,” said Hodges.

BOEM said in a news release on Aug. 13 that they were working with community partners.

In February, the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians said BOEM is failing its obligations to Tribal Nations and other community members by not answering questions and concerns processed during BOEM’s multiple submission periods. 

In this year’s legislative session, House Bill 4080 — titled “Offshore Wind Labor Standards & Roadmap” — was passed. Rep. Pam Marsh and Sen. Jeff Golden were sponsors on the bill. 

HB 4080 outlined Oregon’s goals to reach the goal of creating three gigawatts of green energy while still staying true to the state’s sustainability, community and environmental goals. 

Governor Kotek’s statement:  The Department of the Interior’s announcement is a significant step in the process of evaluating offshore wind in Oregon. Governor Kotek believes that climate change requires bold action to meet our state’s clean energy goals, so Oregonians are prepared for and resilient to the impacts we’re already seeing across the landscape. Offshore wind development is unprecedented in Oregon, and Governor Kotek believes that any federal agency decision to award a lease should be made in cooperation with Oregon’s federally recognized sovereign Tribal nations, local and impacted communities, and in close consultation with feedback from the state of Oregon – including ensuring alignment with the work of the state roadmap. -Gov. Tina Kotek (D)

The US Department of the Interior Sets Date for Floating Wind Energy Lease Auction

The US Department of the Interior (DOI) has released the scheduled date for the first-ever offshore wind energy lease auction off southern Oregon.

The two areas have the potential to provide up to 3.1 GW of generation capacity and, if fully developed, could power approximately one million homes with clean energy, according to DOI. Areas in the federal waters off Oregon are deemed most suitable for floating wind technology.

The two Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) in Oregon, the Coos Bay WEA and the Brookings WEA, will be auctioned on 15 October 2024 by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM).

The Coos Bay (Lease Area P-OCS 0566) Wind Energy Area offshore Oregon is located approximately 32 miles (approximately 55 kilometres) from shore and covers 61,203 acres (approx. 248 square kilometres).

The bigger Brookings (Lease Area P-OCS 0567) Wind Energy Area spans 133,792 acres (approx. 541 square kilometres) and is located approximately 18 miles (approx. 29 kilometres) from shore. (READ MORE)

Florence Forward Event

The Florence Area Chamber of Commerce is announcing an event for Florence entrepreneurs and business owner from the ages of 20-45.  The newly formed entity Florence Forward is working to build a vision and plan for the future of the Florence community through a young professionals organization. 

The event will be at Three Rivers Casino Resort on October 1^st.  the event costs $10 per person and information and  tickets. MORE INFO: https://florencechamber.com/event/florence-forward-developing-the-future!/327/

Strategic Collaboration with U.S. Coast Guard Saves Douglas County Over $600k

The Douglas County Board of Commissioners Chris Boice, Tim Freeman, and Tom Kress along with Salmon Harbor Marina Harbormaster Jim Zimmer, are pleased to announce an upcoming dredging project in the East Basin of Salmon Harbor. Mobilization for the project is expected to begin this week, with dredging activities scheduled to start the week of September 23^rd and continue through the first week of October. To facilitate these operations, the East Basin boat launch will be closed to the public during this period. Boaters are advised to use the West Basin launch located at the end of Ork Rock Road.

Dredging is an essential aspect of harbor maintenance. It is the process of excavating sediment deposits, trash, and other debris from the harbor floor and disposing of them elsewhere.  Dredging is routinely performed in ports around the world to maintain harbor depth and improve shipping channels of existing ports for local, charter and larger shipping vessels. Removal of excess sediment provides critical maintenance to prevent vessels from running aground when they dock.  Other benefits of dredging include flood prevention, restoration of onshore land, and the removal of contaminants from the sea floor.

The dredging will be conducted by The Dutra Group, leveraging their existing contract with the U.S. Coast Guard. This collaboration allows Douglas County to achieve significant cost savings. While the Coast Guard is investing $947,000 to remove 7,000 cubic yards of material, Douglas County is contributing $150,000 to remove an additional 4,000 cubic yards. Had the project been undertaken independently by the County, the estimated cost would have exceeded $765,000, with mobilization alone amounting to $645,000.

Zimmer stated, “This dredging project is primarily a U.S. Coast Guard project, and Douglas County is strategically piggybacking on their efforts. By aligning our project with the Coast Guard’s schedule, we are not only ensuring timely and efficient maintenance in the arbor but also achieving significant cost savings. This collaboration allows us to address critical maintenance needs at Salmon Harbor while maximizing our resources and minimizing expenses. It’s a win-win for both the Coast Guard and Douglas County, and ultimately, for the boating community we serve.”

The dredging operations will begin in the East Basin near the U.S. Coast Guard Station and Dock-A and involve several large-scale pieces of equipment, including:

• DB Morty – A derrick barge with a crane and a 12-cubic-yard bucket (Liebherr 895) for dredging. Dimensions: 188′ x 60′ x 12′.
• Scow “KS-10” – A dump scow with a capacity of 3,000 cubic yards. Dimensions: 254′ x 45′ x 13′.
• Assist Boat Becky T – A 50′ x 19′ x 7′ assist tug.
• Survey 4 – A 25′ x 9′ survey boat for monitoring and quality control (North-wind COI certified).
• Pacific Gemini – A tow tug measuring 73′ x 24′.

The project start and stop dates are weather-dependent, and the operations schedule will be determined by the tides, which may require nighttime work. Given the size of the equipment and the project’s location, maneuverability in the East Basin will be limited. For safety reasons, we encourage all boaters to avoid the area. Night operations may involve bright lights and noise. The start and end dates are approximate and may change depending on weather and tidal conditions.

Salmon Harbor Marina, “the best kept secret on the Oregon Coast,” is one of the largest recreational facilities along the Oregon Coast. Salmon Harbor has immediate access to the Umpqua River, the Umpqua River Lighthouse and Coastal History Museum, the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, the Pacific Ocean, and miles of public white-sand beaches.  The full-service marina offers 375 moorage slips with power and water, two launch ramps, a full-service fuel dock and 124 self-contained first-come, first-served camping sites with restroom and shower facilities.  They also operate the nationally renowned Winchester Bay RV Resort with 138 large full-hook up sites with newly upgraded WiFi service.  

ODOT Has No Plans To Replace Florence Drawbridge Grate

Oregon Department of Transportation officials have responded to a Florence resident by saying the department will not be replacing the synthetic material that was once used to quiet the Siuslaw River Bridge. Locals know the grated center drawbridge section of the bridge emits a loud whir noise when vehicle tires pass over it. In an effort to quiet the noise, ODOT installed a synthetic material over the grate from 2008 to 2021. ODOT said it removed the material, due to failure.

At an ODOT Board of Directors meeting Aug. 1, Sarah Rodgers said she lives on Glenada Lane near the bridge and the noise has ruined her quiet life and her property value. 

In a letter to Rodgers after the meeting, ODOT Bridge Supervisor Rick Johnson said he understands her frustration but there are no plans to make changes to the bridge. 

“We looked at many options as the surface of the bridge deteriorated, and sound was something we considered,” Johnson replied. “Unfortunately, we could not find a surface cover that would last. The previous surface, which was a protective coating that resembled asphalt, required frequent maintenance and only lasted about 15 years before needing complete replacement. We’ve gone back to a grid surface because of the cost of replacement and maintenance. The grid surface placed in 1950 lasted until the early 2000s, over 50 years.” Johnson said ODOT will continue to monitor the sound coming from the bridge, along with other concerns. 

History — ODOT officials said the 88-year-old bridge’s deteriorating system was replaced by the steel grid in 1976. 

“In 2008, the steel grid system was failing and was replaced with a then-new system using fiberglass reinforced plastic. This system was quiet, tough, and light, making it seem like a logical replacement at the time. However, by 2021, the surface was failing and needed to be replaced earlier than we had planned,” an official ODOT response stated. “In 2021, a $500,000 project replaced the fiberglass reinforced plastic deck with a steel grid system. The engineered deck system made for a smoother ride over the lift span.  Other drawbridges along the coast also removed their fiberglass reinforced plastic decks around the same time, with all similar drawbridges receiving a steel grid system.”

Rodgers said she feels the decision disregards impacts on citizens and has repeated assertions that the removal of the quieter material was for cost saving, not failing surface replacement. 

Unofficial sound readings taken from the two points near the bridge which are most accessed by the public showed readings between 55 and 62 db. A semi truck pulling a flatbed trailer registered 72 db with his engine brake engaged.  More information about db levels and effects on hearing can be found at https://www.asha.org/public/hearing/loud-noise-dangers/ — (SOURCE)

Fatal head-on collision on Highway 101

One person is dead and four others suffered major injuries after a two-vehicle crash on Highway 101 outside of Gardiner last week.

According to Oregon State Police, 26-year-old Robin Miles Bihm of Coos Bay was traveling south in a Ford F150. After failing to negotiate a curve, the truck traveled onto the shoulder then overcorrected crossing into oncoming traffic and crashed head-on into a Toyota Tundra.

The Tundra was driven by 72-year-old Alan Kent Mcilhenny of Tonasket, Washington and was carrying three passengers.

Bihm, Mcilhenny and two of the passengers suffered serious injuries and were taken to a nearby hospital. The third passenger of the Tundra, 76-year-old Margaret Ann Wells of Tonasket, Washington died at the hospital.

OSP says the highway was impacted for about three hours. The cause of the crash is being investigated, but police say impairment is being considered a primary cause.

New Copeland Lumber Store in Lincoln City Almost Complete

A multi-million-dollar project adjacent to the former multiplex movie theater on the east side of Highway 101 in Lincoln City is almost complete.

Copeland Lumber Lincoln City Manager Jeff Izatt is hopeful the new store and warehouse will open in mid-October. Construction began in January of this year. “There has been months and months of planning and permitting review and all of that jazz prior to that,” he said.

The project includes an approximately 6,200-square-foot retail store, around 13,000 square feet of warehouse space, and a storage yard of about an acre and half. Copeland currently has operations in Waldport, Newport, and Florence, and with another competitor leaving Lincoln City, Izatt said the opportunity to establish the store and warehouse at the east city location was a significant opportunity.

Copeland currently has operations in Waldport, Newport, and Florence, and with another competitor leaving Lincoln City, Izatt said the opportunity to establish the store and warehouse at the east city location was a significant opportunity.

Armed Suspect Arrested in Astoria

Police have arrested a suspect in Astoria after previously warning the public Wednesday morning that he is believed to be armed, dangerous and on the loose.

A spokesperson for the Astoria Police Department confirmed that 37-year-old Shane Dunn was “taken into custody” after receiving a tip from a citizen.

Around 5:30 a.m., police said they flagged a stolen vehicle near Florence Avenue and Rivington Street. Officers said they attempted to stop and arrest the suspected driver, Dunn, but he took off.

Officers engaged in “a short foot pursuit” of the suspect leading up to the arrest, the Astoria police spokesperson said. During the escape attempt, authorities said Dunn almost hit an officer and his car became stuck in the grass, he then ran off.

Police’s search for Dunn lasted hours as they called on the public’s help to bring him in. Astoria police said the car Dunn had been driving had been stolen from Cowlitz County in Washington and had been involved in a chase with Longview police officers on Tuesday along with being associated with a burglary in Clatsop County. Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact police.

Lane County Parks partners with Oregon Coast Visitors Association to bring mobility mats to Heceta Beach

Lane County Parks rolled out its latest effort to make popular park locations more accessible by adding mobility mats at Heceta Beach County Park. 

“This project is a great example of making a park more welcoming and available to everyone in our community,” said Lane County Parks Manager Brett Henry. “It’s also an example of working together to make improvements that might not be possible alone. We’re really excited to be adding mobility mats to one of our popular coastal parks.”

Mobility mats are portable, non-slip pathways that make it easier for people using wheelchairs, strollers, or with limited mobility, to access sandy areas. They create a stable surface so that more people can enjoy the beach. 

The new mobility mats at Heceta Beach create a 6-foot-wide pathway that reaches 120 feet from the parking area and along the sandy path to the beach and ending just beyond the regular high tide line. 

The mobility mats were purchased using grant funds provided by the Oregon Coast Visitors Association, and Travel Lane County helped make the connection between the agencies. Lane County Parks installed the mats and plans to add more to expand their reach using levy funds.

Heceta Beach County Park is also the site of a David’s Chair location in partnership with Lane County Parks and Driftwood Shores. David’s Chair provides FREE access to all-terrain track chairs that can help people who otherwise would not be able to enjoy the beach spend time on the sand. Learn more about David and the organization at www.davidschair.org.

Florence Festival of Books

The Florence Festival of Books will be at the Florence Events Center on September 28^th. it will feature Keynote speaker Dr. Scott Donaldson who has penned the book, Urological Surgery and Lite Haulin.  Stories of everyday people.  Donaldson has been compiling stories told by his patients for over 25 years and has been retelling them in book and audio form for more that a decade.  There is a basic $2 admission and a $5 cost for admission to speakers and exhibits.  A $10 all access pass includes speakers, exhibits, workshops and the keynote address. The event begins at 9:30 with Dr. Donaldson.

Rhododendron Festival Theme Sought

The Florence Area Chamber of commerce has announced that they will be looking for the theme of the 2025 Rhododendron Festival. 

Each year ideas are collected from the public with one person chosen for their creativity. 

The theme’s winner will receive a $100 prize for their submission.  Deadline for submissions is September 23^rd.

After the theme is chosen the chamber will then look to the public for a design of the 119^th annual rhododendron Festival Logo.  A form is available on the Florence Chamber website http://florencechamber.com

Southwestern Oregon Community College is offering free GED and Adult Basic Education classes fall term 2024

Coos Bay, OR – Southwestern Oregon Community College is offering free GED® and Adult Basic Education classes fall term 2024. These classes prepare individuals to take the GED® exam and update skills to enroll in college or career training programs. Students enrolled in these classes can build a pipeline to enter college, training programs, and jobs in high-demand career areas.

We will have three options for GED® and Adult Basic Education classes next term:

1. MorningGED®Class – Monday through Thursday from 9am-11am
2. AfternoonGED®Class – Monday through Thursday from 12pm-2pm
3. EveningGED®Class – Tuesday through Thursday from 5pm-8pm

All classes will be live and in person on the Coos Campus. The afternoon class will also be live and in person on the Curry Campus.

For students who cannot make it to either campus, classes are offered via Zoom during all three sessions. Fall term starts September 16th and ends November 27th.

To register for orientation and classes, go to https://swoccapce.org/ and click GET STARTED. For questions, please email Adult & Pre-College Education at apce@socc.edu or call 541-888-1593.

New Exhibits at Columbia River Maritime Museum

ntsayka ili/i ukuk – This is our Place

Scheduled to open September 2024

A collaboration with the Chinook Indian Nation to share Chinook maritime traditions and culture as lived today ​through the photography of Amiran White.

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Cedar and Sea Exhibit: The Maritime Culture of the Indigenous People of the Pacific Northwest Coast

Scheduled to open October 2024

Pacific Northwest Coastal Indigenous People used their deep knowledge of their environment to harvest its natural wealth, developing sophisticated technologies that enabled them to create and maintain some of North America’s most complex and rich cultures.

Cedar and Sea features voices of contemporary Indigenous artisans presenting their work as part of their living traditions, demonstrating resilience as they blend old and new tools, technologies and knowledge to prosper in the face of continuing threats to traditional lifeways.

The exhibit will showcase tools and implements fashioned from stone, bone, shell, wood, and other natural materials, representing thousands of years of innovation by coast Indigenous People from Yakutat, Alaska to southern Oregon, as well as present-day materials and practices used by the living descendants today.

Columbia River Maritime Museum
1792 Marine Drive, Astoria, Oregon 97103
503.325.2323

Press Release: Make Waves — Registration for the 2024 Beach & Riverside Cleanup is Now Open

Portland, Ore., August 29, 2024 – SOLVE invites volunteers to make a global impact this September by joining the annual Beach & Riverside Cleanup. From September 20 through September 28, families, community members, student groups, and nature enthusiasts from all stages of life will gather across Oregon and Southwest Washington for a 10-day event series with a variety of projects to choose from. Registration is now open for this vital community effort to protect and restore our coastlines, rivers, and public lands.

Connecting Local Actions to Global Movements – September 21 is International Coastal Cleanup Day, uniting millions of volunteers worldwide to protect our coasts and waterways from harmful trash and debris. This global movement amplifies the impact of local efforts, uniting communities for cleaner environments. The Beach & Riverside Cleanup wraps up on September 28 with National Public Lands Day, the nation’s largest single-day volunteer event, focusing on trail maintenance, habitat restoration, and native tree planting.

Join the Effort – “After a season of heavy use, our rivers and beaches need care,” says Kris Carico, SOLVE’s Chief Executive Officer. “This event is a cherished tradition and a powerful force for change. We encourage everyone to get involved and make a lasting impact on our environment.”

SOLVE will host over 50 project sites across Oregon and SW Washington, from the Oregon Coast to the Willamette Valley and beyond. Last year, more than 1,500 volunteers removed 20,000 pounds of trash. Since 1986, the event has cleared over 2.5 million pounds of litter from Oregon’s natural areas. Volunteer registration is open for posted events and SOLVE is still seeking additional projects. Interested event leaders should register their events as soon as possible to fully maximize SOLVE’s support, resources, and everything needed to host a successful event. 

New Supply Hubs for Event Leaders – This year, SOLVE is making it easier for event leaders by launching five supply hubs at South Beach, Fort Stevens, Cape Lookout, Cape Blanco, and Sunset Bay. These hubs are equipped with reusable supplies like litter grabbers, vests, and buckets sponsored by Knife River. This partnership with Oregon Parks and Recreation strengthens SOLVE’s mission to provide even more volunteers with reusable supplies and host cleanup events with sustainability in mind.

Be Part of the Change – Join thousands of volunteers to protect our waterways, restore natural areas this September, and contribute to a cleaner, healthier Oregon. As the event dates approach, more details on project sites and opportunities will be released. For more information and to register, visit https://www.solveoregon.org/beach-riverside.

2024 Sponsors – SOLVE’s Beach & Riverside Cleanup 2024 is proudly supported by Chevron, Clean Water Services, Daimler Truck North America, Fred Meyer, Harper Houf Peterson Righellis Inc., Here is Oregon, Keen Footwear, Knife River, KOIN, Metro, NEEF, Oregon Parks and Recreation, and Owens Corning.

About SOLVE – SOLVE brings communities together to take care of our environment and enhance our waterways. Since 1969, the organization has grown from a small, grassroots group to a national model for volunteer action. Today, SOLVE mobilizes and trains tens of thousands of volunteers of all ages across Oregon and Southwest Washington to clean and restore our neighborhoods and natural areas and to build a legacy of stewardship for our state. Visit solveoregon.org for more information. 

OCTOBERFISH FESTIVAL IN CHARLESTON

Enjoy food, spirits, art and lots of music at the Annual Octoberfish Festival on Saturday, October 5 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. located at 63466 Boat Basin Road in Charleston. This FREE festival that supports the Charleston Food bank. There’s games and activities for the kids, great music for everyone, yoga and movement workshops, local art and a tuna cookout. 7 Devils Brewing Company will be serving their craft beer. Don’t miss the fun and bring your lawn chair.

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

OHA 2024 Oregon Beach Monitoring Season

Agency shares list of monitored beaches for May-September

—The Oregon Beach Monitoring Program (OBMP) is kicking off the 2024 beach monitoring season by announcing the list of coastal recreation areas it will be keeping an eye on for bacteria during summer and early fall.

The 24 beaches on the list that the OBMP, based at the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) Public Health Division, is publishing includes some of the most frequently visited beaches in Oregon. It also includes beaches where the program has found bacteria present, or beaches for which local partners and the public have requested monitoring due to potential pollution concerns.

The following are Oregon beaches being monitored during 2024, including beach name, and the city and county in which they are located:

• Seaside Beach – Seaside, Clatsop County
• Cannon Beach – Cannon Beach, Clatsop County
• Tolovana Beach State Park– Cannon Beach, Clatsop County
• Short Sand Beach (Oswald West State Park) – Arch Cape, Tillamook County
• Manzanita Beach – Manzanita, Tillamook County
• Rockaway Beach – Rockaway, Tillamook County
• Twin Rocks Beach – Twin Rocks, Tillamook County
• Oceanside Beach – Oceanside, Tillamook County
• Cape Kiwanda Beach – Pacific City, Tillamook County
• Neskowin Beach – Neskowin, Tillamook County
• D River Beach – Lincoln City, Lincoln County
• Siletz Bay Beach – Lincoln City, Lincoln County
• Beverly Beach – Newport, Lincoln County
• Agate Beach – Newport, Lincoln County
• Nye Beach – Newport, Lincoln County
• Ona Beach (Brian Booth-Beaver Creek State Park) – Seal Rock, Lincoln County
• Seal Rock Beach – Seal Rock, Lincoln County
• Heceta Beach – Florence, Lane County
• Bastendorff Beach – Coos Bay, Coos County
• Sunset Bay State Park Beach – Coos Bay, Coos County
• Hubbard Creek Beach – Port Orford, Curry County
• Harris Beach State Park – Brookings, Curry County
• Mill Beach – Brookings, Curry County
• Crissey Fields State Recreation Site – Brookings, Curry County

Beach monitoring season runs from mid-May to mid-September. Beach advisories are only issued for beaches that are actively being monitored within this sampling window. Other beaches will be investigated for inclusion in the next beach monitoring season.

OBMP works with Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to identify beaches that need monitoring based on several established criteria. These criteria include: pollution hazards present; previous beach monitoring data that identify water quality concerns; type and amount of beach use; and public input.

As part of an adaptive sampling plan, beaches and sampling locations are routinely re-evaluated to ensure available resources best protect public health. A copy of DEQ’s beach evaluation is available upon request.

For more information and current beach monitoring conditions please visit: www.healthoregon.org/beach, or contact OBMP at each.Health@odhsoha.oregon.gov“>Beach.Health@odhsoha.oregon.gov or 971-673-0400.

Emergency Volunteer Corps of Nehalem Bay

ODF Incident Management Teams’ Commitment to Oregon

– This week marked the 12^th deployment for the Oregon Department of Forestry’s incident management teams (IMT)—11 during fire season and one following the ice storm earlier this year. 

An IMT is a group of specially trained and qualified personnel who together provide the type of highly adaptable and coordinated infrastructure necessary to manage elements associated with all types of emergencies. ODF’s three Type 1 IMTs are qualified to handle the most complex incidents and deploy all throughout Oregon, nationally and internationally to provide help when it is desperately needed.

The 1955 fire season revealed a gap in Oregon’s wildfire response capacity—a trained, qualified team of people able to come in and handle major fires when the incident management needs exceeded the capabilities of local resources. In 1956, ODF’s first incident management team deployed to do just that. Since then, ODF’s three IMTs have been deployed in state nearly 200 times. About a quarter of those deployments have been in just the past decade, corresponding with the increase in wildfire complexity and intensity we’ve been experiencing in Oregon. 

While the majority of team deployments have been wildfire incidents, ODF’s IMTs are all-hazards qualified and have responded to a variety of other emergencies.  In recent years, the agency has supported Curry County’s response to a cyber security incident and Lane County’s response to the ice storm this past February. Early in the pandemic, our team members were tasked with helping establish the incident command structure necessary to sustain the state’s response to COVID-19. 

“The professionalism, expertise and adaptability of our IMTs mean that we can answer the call to help our fellow Oregonians and their communities through more than just wildfires,” said ODF’s Protection Division Chief Chris Cline.

In fact, this week’s deployment is also for something other than wildfire response. This fire season was particularly intense for eastern Oregon, and the work doesn’t stop when the fire is contained. Once the flames are out, actions begin to repair damages caused by suppression efforts. ODF Team 3 was called in to provide the complex logistical and overhead support needed to assess more than 500 miles of fire line for suppression repair needs and get that work started.

Being part of an IMT requires significant commitment, especially during fire season. Standard deployments are 14 days in a stressful, austere environment. Staff typically work 16-hour days and then head to catch some sleep in a tent, in a field, or in a parking lot. 

“ODF’s incident management teams are comprised of individuals committed to serving something bigger than themselves,” said Blake Ellis, ODF’s Fire Operations Manager. 

But the bigger sacrifice is the year after year of missed birthdays, anniversaries, summer vacations and other quality time with family and friends.

“The hardest part isn’t the long hours and days, but rather being away from my loved ones and at times missing important moments,” said Jennifer Erdmann, ODF IMT 1 Planning Section Chief. “But we know that when we sign up to be a part of a team, in a way we’re signing our families up for it as well.”  — https://www.oregon.gov/osfm/fire-service-partners/pages/incident-management-teams.aspx

Feds grant more than $9 million to Oregon for wildfire prevention

As wildfires continue to threaten homes, rangeland and communities in Oregon, the federal government has announced millions in new funding to prevent the blazes that have blackened a record amount of acreage.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Tuesday it has approved $100 million to reduce the threat of wildfires in 14 states, including Oregon. The money will be used for restoring forest health, prescribed burns and other wildfire prevention strategies in 18 national forests that border homes and communities. The USDA, which oversees the Forest Service, allocated $9.4 million to forests in eastern and southern Oregon and $345,000 for a project in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area in Washington, which is also expected to benefit Oregonians.

Preventing wildfires requires a collective effort from everyone—help mitigate the risk of human-caused wildfires and protect our forests and communities.

Monitor Fires in Oregon – Updated Daily

Large Fires in Oregon Past 2 Weeks 9/20/24 9:00am per INCIWEB

Incident	Type	State	Incident Size	UpdatedSort ascending
Willamette Complex Fires – South – ORWIF	Wildfire	Oregon	23365 Acres	11 minutes 41 seconds ago
Devils Knob Fire – ORUPF	Wildfire	Oregon	4149 Acres	21 minutes 53 seconds ago
Rail Ridge – OROCF	Wildfire	Oregon	162345 Acres	35 minutes 17 seconds ago
Buck Creek Fire – ORFWF	Wildfire	Oregon	5660 Acres	1 hour 34 minutes ago
Fossil Complex – OR95S	Wildfire	Oregon	24446 Acres	2 hours 19 minutes ago
Red Fire – ORDEF	Wildfire	Oregon	1769 Acres	2 hours 27 minutes ago
Diamond Complex – ORUPF	Wildfire	Oregon	11141 Acres	2 hours 32 minutes ago
Homestead Complex – ORUPF	Wildfire	Oregon	9744 Acres	2 hours 40 minutes ago
North Willamette Complex – ORWIF	Wildfire	Oregon	6659 Acres	11 hours 51 minutes ago
Whisky Creek Fire – ORMHF	Wildfire	Oregon	3145 Acres	13 hours 10 minutes ago
Wiley Flat – OROCF	Wildfire	Oregon	30186 Acres	13 hours 11 minutes ago
Flat Top and Firestone Fires – ORDEF	Wildfire	Oregon	Acres	23 hours 25 minutes ago
Bachelor Complex Fires – ORDEF	Wildfire	Oregon	10958 Acres	23 hours 25 minutes ago
Lane 1 Fire – OR77S	Wildfire	Oregon	25951 Acres	23 hours 58 minutes ago
Middle Fork Fire – ORCLP	Wildfire	Oregon	5286 Acres	1 day ago
Sandstone Fire – ORMHF	Wildfire	Oregon	702 Acres	2 days 16 hours ago
Milepost 98 – ORUPF	Wildfire	Oregon	250 Acres	3 days 22 hours ago
Crazy Creek – OROCF	Burned Area Emergency Response	Oregon	86968 Acres	4 days ago
Shoe Fly Fire – OR95S	Wildfire	Oregon	26817 Acres	4 days 11 hours ago
Microwave Tower Fire – OR95S	Wildfire	Oregon	1313 Acres	1 week 1 day ago
Copperfield Fire – OR98S	Wildfire	Oregon	3822 Acres	1 week 1 day ago
Two Cabin – OR95S	Wildfire	Oregon	251 Acres	1 week 6 days ago

https://app.watchduty.org/

Please Help Prevent Wildfires!

In these dry conditions, a single spark can cause a lot of damage. Learn how you can prevent wildfires by visiting the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s wildfire prevention page. 

U.S. Forest Service Hiring in Oregon

The U.S. Forest Service is looking to shore up its wildland firefighting force in the Pacific Northwest.  Recruitment events will take place across Oregon next month, with stops in Bend, Sandy and La Grande on September 12th, in an effort to hire a couple hundred permanent seasonal positions.

“That’s our goal, is to hire up to 200, maybe even a little more if we can, into these what we call entry level, perm-fire-hire positions, which are typically your six to nine-month timeframe employment within the agency,” said Jason Heinz who works in regional workforce development for the Forest Service.  He added those jobs are spread around Oregon, Washington and Alaska, and in most cases fill a currently vacant position.  Heinz says several factors make it more difficult to recruit wildland crews.

“We are increasing the number of individuals that work for the agency, our fire seasons are getting longer, burnout is a real thing. And so, we’re trying to work on adding more capacity to our crews so that we can have a better work-life balance.”  — Applications can be submitted now through September 24th. Visit USAJobs.gov to apply.

Oregon Farm Bureau — Thanks to the generous support of our agricultural community, we are now receiving both monetary and feed donations through our Wildfire Relief Fund. If you are a farmer or rancher affected by the wildfires, please take a moment to complete our short application for relief. https://www.oregonfb.org/

PEAK Fall Migration: September 19 – October 19 and the timing is perfect because there are RED ALERTS for the next three nights, with more than 16 million birds projected to be passing through Oregon skies! Many buildings in Portland have pledged to go #LightsOut tonight and we are hoping you will join them. Why go #LightsOut? As migrating birds pass over brightly lit cities, light pollution (skyglow) drowns out the stars, confusing them and luring them into urban areas.

 Once trapped in the windowed maze of the city, birds either hit buildings directly or circle them until they collapse from exhaustion. Lights Out programs help to prevent birds from being attracted to urban areas. In Chicago, one Lights Out building showed a 80% decrease in strike rates after joining the movement! Turning off unnecessary overnight lighting also helps us save energy (and ), reduces our carbon footprint, and protects our view of the stars. Visit bit.ly/BAO_LightsOut for more information about #LightsOut and what you can do.

Three Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Roles in Fatal Fentanyl Overdose of Southern Oregon Teenager

MEDFORD, Ore.—Three Oregon men were sentenced to federal prison Thursday for distributing fentanyl that caused the overdose death of a Medford teenager.

Hunter Fenstermaker, 23, a Medford resident, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison and six years’ supervised release; Napoleon Gomez, 22, also of Medford, was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison and six years’ supervised release; and Conner Lee Francis, 27, of Portland, Oregon, was sentenced to 73 months in federal prison and four years’ supervised release. All three were also ordered to pay restitution to the victim’s family. 

According to court documents, on September 7, 2021, officers from the Medford Police Department responded to a report of an overdose death of a local 17-year-old high school student. Investigators soon learned the teenager had taken a counterfeit Percocet pill containing fentanyl, and, within days, identified Fenstermaker, Gomez and Francis as the teen’s first-, second- and third-level drug suppliers.

On February 3, 2022, a federal grand jury in Medford returned a five-count indictment charging Fenstermaker and Gomez with distributing fentanyl, and Francis with possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

On April 9 and June 17, 2024, respectively, Fenstermaker and Gomez pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl to a person under twenty-one. On June 24, 2024, Francis pleaded guilty to possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute.

On May 14, 2024, a fourth individual—John Rocha, 31, of Medford—was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison for his role in the Medford teen’s overdose death. Rocha was the teen’s fourth-level drug supplier.

This case was investigated by the FBI, the Medford Police Department, and the Medford Area Drug and Gang Enforcement Team (MADGE). It was prosecuted by Marco A. Boccato, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

MADGE is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force that identifies, disrupts, and dismantles local, multi-state, and international drug trafficking organizations using an intelligence-driven, multi-agency prosecutor-supported approach. MADGE is supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) and is composed of members from the Medford Police Department, the Jackson County Sheriff and District Attorney’s Offices, the Jackson County Community Corrections, FBI, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). 

The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives. – U.S. Attorney’s Office – District of Oregon 

Oregon’s Nonfarm Payroll Employment Rises by 1,500 Jobs in August

In August, Oregon’s seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment gained 1,500 jobs, following a revised increase of 6,800 jobs in July. August’s gains were largest in private educational services (+2,000 jobs) and health care and social assistance (+1,200). Declines in August were largest in leisure and hospitality (-1,700 jobs) and government (-800).

Health care and social assistance expanded rapidly, adding 1,200 jobs in August and 16,100 jobs over the past 12 months. Social assistance grew by 8,100 jobs, or 11.0%, in 12 months. Meanwhile, the health-care component industries each added more than 2,000 jobs since August 2023: nursing and residential care facilities (+3,400 jobs, or 6.3%); ambulatory health care services (+3,300 jobs, or 3.3%); and hospitals (+2,300 jobs, or 3.9%).

Government cut 800 jobs over the month in August, but added 6,000 jobs, or 1.9%, since August 2023. In the past 12 months each of its three components grew: local government (+3,700 jobs, or 1.6%), state government (+1,400 jobs, or 3.0%), and federal government (+900 jobs, or 3.1%).

Despite gains over the past year in health care and government, several industries cut jobs. Three major industries declined by at least 3,000 jobs since August 2023: retail trade (-6,800 jobs, or -3.3%); professional and business services (-4,200 jobs, or -1.6%); and leisure and hospitality (-3,000 jobs, or -1.4%). And manufacturing, construction, information, and financial activities each declined by about 1%.

Oregon’s unemployment rate was 4.0% in August and 4.1% in July and has been in a tight range between 4.0% and 4.2% since October 2023. The U.S. unemployment rate was little changed at 4.2% in August from 4.3% in July.

OSP asking for the public’s help to locate wanted man —  Oregon State Police 

Suspect wanted for sex crimes in Oregon and Alabama

WASCO COUNTY, Ore. 9 Sept. 2024 – Oregon State Police and the Mobile (Alabama) Police Department are seeking the public’s help to locate Adam Renk (39) who is wanted in both states for sex crimes against child victims. 

On June 21, 2024, OSP detectives responded to a sexual abuse disclosure made by a minor. The minor disclosed Renk as the perpetrator. Renk has since been indicted on multiple crimes against a child victim under the age of 12. He is charged with Unlawful Sexual Penetration in the First Degree, Sodomy in the First Degree, and Sexual Abuse in the First Degree.

As part of their investigation, OSP detectives learned Renk had been charged in another case involving a minor victim in Mobile, Alabama. The Alabama charges include Child Sexual Abuse and Torture involving an 11-year-old victim. The victims in the two states are not related. Alabama law enforcement agencies and the U.S. Marshals Service are attempting to locate Renk who posted bond in Alabama and was released from pre-trial custody. 

Renk was last seen leaving Alabama on August 7, 2024. He has ties to Oregon and Wasco County. He is believed to be traveling in a converted Ford Ambulance that is now painted two-toned white over gray. Renk is a white male, 6 ft. 1 in. tall, 175 pounds, with blue eyes and brown hair. 

Anyone with information about Renk’s whereabouts or information about possible additional victims is asked to contact the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office at 541-506-2580 or OSP Detective Cassie Bantz through dispatch at 800-442-0776 or by dialing OSP (677) on a mobile phone. 

Oregon election officials say data entry error added 306 noncitizens to voter rolls, two voted

State election officials and Gov. Tina Kotek stressed that the error was caught and won’t affect the 2024 election

The Oregon agency that issues driver’s licenses erroneously registered more than 300 non-citizens to vote, though state officials say only two people actually cast ballots. 

State Elections Director Molly Woon told the Capital Chronicle that she received a call late Thursday afternoon from the administrator of the Driver and Motor Vehicle Services division of the Oregon Department of Transportation, telling her that DMV staff caught a data entry error that led to the division wrongly classifying some noncitizens as citizens. State election officials spent Friday reviewing that information and working with county clerks to ensure those people won’t receive ballots unless and until they prove they’re eligible to vote. 

The error is not large enough to impact the outcome of the state’s elections – more than 3 million people are registered to vote in Oregon, and the 306 cases identified by state officials are 0.01% of the state’s voters. 

Ben Morris, chief of staff to Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade, said the DMV is continuing to investigate whether there are any more issues, and there is time to rectify any additional mistakes. Ballots won’t be mailed to voters for another month. 

“We can say that this error will not impact the 2024 election, and I want to emphasize that point as much as possible. This error will not impact the 2024 election,” he said. 

The error, first reported by Willamette Week, resulted from DMV staff erroneously marking noncitizens who obtained driver’s licenses as citizens, such as by miscategorizing foreign birth certificates as U.S. birth certificates and foreign passports as U.S. passports.

Since January 2016, Oregon has automatically registered citizens to vote when they obtain or renew driver’s licenses, permits or nonoperating IDs. A 2019 state law, meanwhile, eliminated a requirement that applicants prove they’re citizens or legal residents when obtaining a driver’s license. 

People applying for driver’s licenses need to bring proof of their identity – like a birth certificate, passport, naturalization documents or visa – as well as proof of an Oregon address, such as a utility bill or rental agreement. Only applicants who provide documents that prove citizenship, like a U.S. birth certificate, U.S. passport or certificate of naturalization, are supposed to be registered to vote. 

DMV administrator Amy Joyce said in a statement that the DMV discovered the error while “proactively analyzing” its system ahead of the 2024 election. The erroneous registrations it identified were based on foreign passports being entered as U.S. passports. The department is continuing to go through registrations tied to birth certificates, and that may take another two weeks, she said.

The DMV added a new prompt on its data entry screen to ensure front desk staff accurately enter citizenship information and has begun daily auditing of all transactions to verify materials are accurate before sending them to the Elections Division, Joyce added.

Woon said the secretary of state’s office is continuing to look into the two people who were not citizens when they were automatically registered to vote and will forward the issue to the start Department of Justice if it appears they violated the law. 

“I want to emphasize that these folks were registered by no fault of their own,” she said. “I think that will certainly be taken into consideration. The first order of business, however, will be to see if the citizenship status of these people has changed. Because these records date from 2021 to today, it’s possible that their status has changed, and perhaps they are citizens, and that’s why they have a voter record. We’ll need to do a little bit more digging to sort that out first.” 

Gov. Tina Kotek said in a statement that she has been fully briefed on the situation and will continue to closely monitor it. She noted that it would affect 0.01% of the state’s registered voters and will not impact the 2024 election in any way. 

“Oregon’s electoral system is one of the most secure, effective and accessible in the nation,” Kotek said. “The error in data entry which may have affected the voter eligibility of some Oregonian’s voter registration was discovered because the Oregon DMV and the secretary of state were doing their due diligence ahead of the 2024 election.”

Griffin-Valade said safeguarding the integrity of elections is her top priority, while praising automatic voter registration. 

“When my office was made aware of this error, we moved quickly to update the voter rolls,” she said. “I am also personally calling on the DMV to take immediate action to improve its processes to ensure this doesn’t happen again. Automatic voter registration has been hugely beneficial for thousands of eligible Oregon voters to ensure access to our democracy. I’m confident the DMV is rectifying this error and improving their process, so it doesn’t happen again.”  (READ MORE)

To register to vote, visit here:

135 arts organizations receive FY2025 Small Operating Grants from the Oregon Arts Commission

Salem, Oregon – Small grants that make a big difference for ensuring access to arts programming, especially in rural areas, have been awarded to 135 arts organizations by the Oregon Arts Commission. Each organization will receive $2,355. 

Small Operating Grants support arts organizations throughout the state with annual budgets of less than $150,000. Eligibility is limited to organizations that provide ongoing, sustained artistic and outreach programming and have current IRS 501(c)(3) federal tax-exempt status. 

“Although the Drexel H. Foundation and our community is rural and small compared to other parts of Oregon, our impact is huge,” said Sandijean Fuson, president of the Drexel H. Foundation in Vale. “This grant helps us keep an unbroken existence of programs that we’ve had for over 25 years, reminding our community they are important.” 

“The Small Operating Grant has always been instrumental to the Astoria Arts and Movement Center’s ability to provide programming and serve our community,” said Jessamyn Grace West, executive director of the Astoria Arts and Movement Center. “Oregon Arts Commission consistently manages to reach the far corners of the state and support organizations that have limited operating budgets, volunteer staff and minimal access to funding. I feel the work that small organizations do in their communities is just as vital, especially in rural areas, which is why we are so grateful for this ongoing support.” 

“This grant program was developed to increase the Arts Commission’s support of Oregon’s small but mighty arts providers,” said Arts Commission Chair Subashini Ganesan-Forbes. “These organizations frequently represent the only arts presenter for remote and under-resourced regions of the state.”

For more information about the Small Operating Grant Program, contact Tiffany Harker at 971-719-6169 or tiffany.harker@biz.oregon.gov. —- FY2025 Small Operating Grants by region: https://www.oregon.gov/biz/aboutus/artscommission/news/Pages/135_arts_organizations_receive_FY2025_Small_Operating_Grants.aspx

The Oregon Arts Commission provides leadership, funding and arts programs through its grants, special initiatives and services. Nine commissioners, appointed by the Governor, determine arts needs and establish policies for public support of the arts. The Arts Commission became part of Business Oregon (formerly Oregon Economic and Community Development Department) in 1993, in recognition of the expanding role the arts play in the broader social, economic and educational arenas of Oregon communities. In 2003, the Oregon legislature moved the operations of the Oregon Cultural Trust to the Arts Commission, streamlining operations and making use of the Commission’s expertise in grantmaking, arts and cultural information and community cultural development. 

The Arts Commission is supported with general funds appropriated by the Oregon Legislature and with federal funds from the National Endowment for the Arts as well as funds from the Oregon Cultural Trust. More information about the Oregon Arts Commission is available online at artscommission.oregon.gov.

Oregon to Receive $43 Million Federal Funding for Roads Damaged By Winter Storms and Floods

Oregon will receive nearly $43 million from the federal government to repair roads damaged by recent natural disasters, the state’s two U.S. senators announced Monday.

The influx of federal funding comes as the state struggles to fill transportation funding gaps. The Oregon Department of Transportation estimated it will face a deficit of more than $350 million in the 2025-27 budget if lawmakers don’t pass a substantial funding package in the upcoming legislative session.

The new federal money, part of more than $800 million allocated nationwide, will reimburse state and federal agencies for repairing damage caused by winter storms, atmospheric rivers and thunderstorms since 2019. Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, both Democrats, said they’ll continue working to bring back money when natural disasters strike. 

“Oregonians in every corner of the state have faced dangerous storms in recent years, which have taken a heavy toll on the infrastructure they need to move safely,” Merkley said. “State and federal agencies went to work to repair and rebuild the roads and other important infrastructure that powers our communities, and these investments will help cover the cost of their essential efforts. I will keep working to ensure Oregon has the tools needed to recover and become more resilient in the face of future storms while we take on the climate chaos that is intensifying these disasters.”

Oregon’s award was one of the largest in the country, behind California, Puerto Rico, Florida, Vermont and Tennessee. California’s $183 million will go toward addressing damage caused by fires, flooding, tropical storms and earthquakes. Florida and Puerto Rico each received $110 million for damage caused by hurricanes, while Vermont received $55 million and Tennessee $46 million for severe storms and landslides. 

“From northeast Oregon to southwest Oregon and many points in between, natural disasters have slammed communities throughout our state,” Wyden said. “This federal aid will help Oregon cities and counties cover the expenses they incurred recovering from severe storms, floods and more.”

About half of the new federal money, more than $21.3 million, was for damage from severe winter storms in December 2022. Heavy rain caused landslides, including one that threatened to block Interstate 84 near Ontario and one that wiped out a portion of U.S. Highway 101 for several days in January 2023. 

Another $11.4 million was for Oregon Department of Transportation repairs to signs and roads damaged by a storm this January that blanketed much of the state in ice and led to flooding and landslides in southern Oregon. 

ODOT will also receive three smaller grants: almost $738,000 for responding to June 2023 thunderstorms in Harney and Malheur counties that closed U.S. 20 for five days, $631,000 for washouts west of the Cascades caused by atmospheric rivers in December 2023 and $80,000 for storms in May and June 2022 that damaged Interstate 84, U.S. 26 and Oregon 204 in central and eastern Oregon. 

The U.S. Forest Service will receive about $5.8 million as reimbursement for roads and culverts damaged by a six-day atmospheric river in and around the Umatilla National Forest in February 2020 and almost $641,000 for its response to a December 2022 atmospheric river in southwest Oregon. It’s also getting $600,000 for repairing forest service roads and culverts damaged by late winter storms in southern Oregon in 2019. 

About $1.4 million is for the Bureau of Land Management’s work restoring roads and culverts damaged in southwest Oregon in December 2023, when warm temperatures and heavy rain paired with melted snow to wash out roads and down trees. (SOURCE)

Kroger & Albertsons Make Final Pitch Before a Judge Decides Whether to Block Merger

The federal government urged a U.S. District Court judge on Tuesday to temporarily prevent a proposed merger between Kroger and Albertsons, saying in closing arguments the combination would “almost certainly” benefit shareholders and not everyday shoppers.

Lawyers for the Federal Trade Commission and for the supermarket chains gave their closing arguments at the end of a three-week hearing on the commission’s request for a preliminary injunction to block the $24.6 billion deal.

Kroger and Albertsons argued their merger would preserve consumer choice by allowing them to better compete against growing rivals like Walmart, Costco and Amazon.

“If we don’t do something, the corner grocery store is in real danger,” Kroger attorney Matt Wolf said.

U.S. District Judge Adrienne Nelson must now decide whether to grant the injunction while the FTC’s anti-trust complaint goes goes before an in-house administrative law judge. Nelson said she would work “expeditiously” on her decision, but she didn’t say when she would rule.

Kroger and Albertsons proposed what would be the largest supermarket merger in U.S. history in 2022. The FTC alleged the merger would eliminate competition and lead to higher food prices for already struggling customers.

Six local chapters of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, which together represent 100,000 Kroger and Albertsons workers in 12 states, said in a joint statement Tuesday that the companies can’t be trusted. Shares in both Kroger and Albertsons fell 2% in trading Tuesday. (SOURCE)

Ashland and Central Point PD Investigate Child Exploitation Cases

On Tuesday September 17, 2024 a Jackson County Grand Jury convened to consider additional charges against Craig Johnson. Information presented by investigators and the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office resulted in Johnson being indicted on the following charges:14 Counts of Using Child in Display of Sexually Explicit Conduct6 Counts of Attempted Using Child in Display of Sexually Explicit Conduct 2 Counts of Encouraging Child Sex Abuse in the 1st Degree1 Count of Invasion of Personal Privacy in the 1st Degree

Johnson remains in custody at the Jackson County Jail. The number of known victims in the Ashland area remains at six at this time.

This investigation in on going and additional updates will be proved as the investigation allows.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Detective Lacie Six at APD 541-552-2125Ashland and Central Point PD Investigate Child Exploitation Cases

On 7/19/24 the Central Point Police Department received a report of potential sexual exploitation of a 5 year old child. Members of the Central Point Police Department Criminal Investigations Division took over the investigation. This complaint led to the arrest of Craig Albert Johnson, 68 years old, of Ashland. Johnson was lodged at the Jackson County Jail on 7/30/24 on the charges of Invasion of Personal Privacy in the First Degree, Encouraging Child Sex Abuse in the First Degree and Using a Child in Display of Sexually Explicit Conduct. Johnson remains in custody as of this release.

During the course of the investigation, it was discovered that Johnson was employed at the Children’s World Montessori School in Ashland and that additional instances of child exploitation had occurred at the school in Ashland. This discovery brought detectives from the Ashland Police Department into the investigation. Several victims have been identified and detectives are actively working on identifying additional potential victims. So far, all children found to have been victimized by Johnson are female. The Children’s World Montessori School is cooperating with this investigation.

The Ashland Police Department and Central Point Police Department understand the impact this has to our community and are actively working to investigate this matter. As the investigation proceeds additional criminal charges will be added as appropriate. In addition to APD and CPPD this case is receiving assistance from the Southern Oregon High Tech Crimes Task Force, the Jackson County Sexual Assault Response Team and the Jackson County District Attorney’s office. Anyone with information relating to this investigation is asked to please reach out to Detective Lacie Six with the Ashland Police Department.

Two deputy directors at Oregon police certification agency are fired; third employee resigns 

Officials decline to discuss the firings at the agency which recently largely cleared a training backlog that was hurting police offices statewide

Two deputy directors at the Oregon agency that trains and certifies police officers were fired last month and a third employee quit, public records obtained by the Capital Chronicle show. 

The Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training fired Brian Henson and Staci Yutzie, both deputy directors, on Aug. 30, agency records show. A defensive tactics coordinator, Richard Daniel, resigned on Aug. 15. Henson worked at the agency more than 20 years as did Daniel, Sam Tenney, the agency’s spokesperson said. Yutzie spent more than 11 years there. 

“Due to the sensitivity of personnel matters, we are unable to comment or provide additional information,” Sam Tenney, a spokesperson for the agency, said in an email to the Capital Chronicle.

With a 237-acre campus in Salem, the agency plays a major role in law enforcement in Oregon. It trains new hires for about 200 agencies across the state so they can perform patrol and other work. And it has certified more than 41,000 public safety and security professionals in Oregon, including 911 dispatchers, private investigators and firefighters.

The agency has the equivalent of nearly 185 full-time budgeted staff, but its total headcount is 448 because many employees are part-time instructors. 

In July, the Oregonian/Oregonlive.com reported the three officials were placed on administrative leave in May and under a personnel investigation, though the agency did not disclose the reason for that. In a LinkedIn post two weeks ago, Yutzie confirmed she had left the agency but did not disclose the circumstances.

“After 11 years of breaking the mold at DPSST and in police training in general, I am off to new adventures,” Yutzie wrote. 

Yutzie declined to elaborate in a private message to the Capital Chronicle, but said: “I wholeheartedly stand behind the work I did for public safety and the citizens of Oregon.” She added that she was a “dedicated and decorated public servant who has successfully addressed some of Oregon’s most pressing police training challenges.”

“We built a contemporary training program that has empirically demonstrated its effectiveness and established us as national and international leaders in police training. The mission of DPSST will always hold a place in my heart, and I am confident that the training team will continue to serve Oregon well,” she said. 

A deputy director for 13 months, Yutzie also worked at the agency as a class training coordinator, program development coordinator in charge of public safety training academy programming and training division director.

Yutzie said in her message to the Capital Chronicle that under her leadership her team had eliminated a training backlog that had developed over the last five years due to high turnover at police agencies. 

New police officers are required to attend the 16-week basic police training course at the agency’s academy within 90 days of their hiring. The backlog made it difficult for police departments across Oregon to hire and train their officers in a timely manner.

In June, Castle and Kotek announced the state had eliminated the backlog. With additional legislative funding, the agency added three 60-student classes and three additional 40-student classes through a partnership with Oregon State Police.

On Wednesday, Tenney said the backlog is still eliminated, with the agency enrolling new officers within 90 days, as required by state law.  (READ MORE)

Local Mt. Bachelor, Oregon Buyer Group Launches New Website

Mount Bachelor Community Inc.—the local group seeking to purchase Mount Bachelor after the resort was put up for sale by its current owners POWDR Corporation—has launched a website.

The site is divided into three main groups, each detailing aspects of Mount Bachelor Community Inc .

The ‘Contribute’ tab provides several channels for those interested in getting involved with the project, whether that’s volunteering or donating (“We’ll soon be launching a GoFundMe campaign to support our effort to purchase Mount Bachelor as a community,” the site reads). One field allows web visitors to share their personal Mount Bachelor story.

Another tab details investment opportunities with Mount Bachelor Community Inc. and covers two investor types: accredited investors and community contributions.

The final tab provides further details about Mount Bachelor Community Inc.’s mission, which, according to the website, is “to own and manage Mt. Bachelor with a focus on environmental care, supporting mountain enthusiasts, and reinvesting profits to boost the local economy.” Mount Bachelor Community Inc. aims to achieve B Corp status, a designation offered by B Lab, a non-profit that recognizes companies for their commitment to various social and environmental criteria. Notable outdoor industry B Corps include Patagonia and Taos Ski Valley.

The push for community ownership, helmed by Chris Porter and Dan Cochrane, is holding a kickoff event on October 12th. More details about the event are forthcoming.

“It’s been an overwhelming amount of support from people who want to donate their time, donate their money, invest, just pledge their support, or be involved,” Porter told POWDER last week, describing the community response to he and Cochrane’s effort. “So many people have reached out to us.”

Further information about the status of the Mt. Bachelor sale isn’t known. POWDR Corp. noted that they’ve received interest in the resort, but hasn’t named any specific parties. The sale doesn’t have a timeline and will “take as long as it takes,” according to Stacey Hutchinson, POWDR Corp.’s vice president of communications and government affairs.

POWDR Corp.’s latest planned sale—Killington, Vermont—will result in local passholder ownership, but that exchange may not have any bearing on what the company intends to do with Mt. Bachelor. In the meantime, Porter and Cochrane are committed to returning Mt. Bachelor to local skiers and snowboarders.

“We’ve really caught lightning in a bottle here,” said Porter.

To check out the website and learn more about the project, click here. — (SOURCE)

Summer EBT application deadline extended to Sept. 30, 2024
(Salem) – The application deadline for the new Summer EBT program has been extended to midnight Sept. 30, 2024. The program offers $120 per child to help cover grocery costs when school food programs are not as easy to access. Eligible families should act now.

Thousands of families may be unaware that they qualify for this essential benefit. The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) and the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) urge families to check their eligibility and apply before the extended deadline. Remember, once benefits are received, they must be used within 122 days.

Most eligible children received their benefits automatically on June 28, 2024, if their households:

1. Participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
2. Participate in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
3. Are Oregon Health Plan (Medicaid) members in households with incomes under 185 percent of the Federal Poverty Level

Children in foster care also automatically received Summer EBT.

However, families who did not receive benefits automatically, particularly those with children enrolled in a school during the 2023-2024 school year who were eligible for the National School Lunch or Breakfast Programs, should still apply to determine their eligibility.

Families are encouraged to visit sebt.oregon.gov or contact the Summer EBT Call Center to verify their eligibility and apply. ODHS Director Fariborz Pakseresht said, “We are grateful to our federal partners for making this extension. The extra time is so important for us to reach families who may be eligible because we know access to nutritious food is critical.”

“Staying engaged in school and active in life requires proper nutrition,” said ODE Director Dr. Charlene Williams. “We know that there are many more families out there who have children who may be eligible for the $120 Summer EBT benefit and this important extension boosts our opportunity to reach them.”

Since June 28, 2024, more than 336,198 eligible school-aged children have been issued $40.3 million in Summer EBT food benefits. More than 60 percent of families receiving benefits in the initial issuance were able to immediately use benefits on existing Oregon EBT cards; the rest received new cards in July.

Act now and don’t let this opportunity pass by. Make sure your family receives the assistance it deserves by applying for Summer EBT before midnight Sept. 30, 2024.

To learn more:

1. Call 833-ORE-SEBT (833-673-7328). The call center is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Time.
2. Visit sebt.oregon.gov.

Contact us: Info@OregonBeachMagazine.com