Oregon Beach News, Monday 3/4 – Oregon Senators Announce $27 Million To Support Pacific Salmon Recovery & Other Local and Statewide News…

ODF sends Strike Team to Assist in Texas Wildfires

SALEM, Ore. – Today the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) deployed a strike team to Amarillo, Texas to assist in their wildfire suppression efforts. The strike team is equipped with five engines and a strike team leader, with a total of 16 firefighters traveling down to the state.  

The firefighters are going to Texas under mutual assistance agreements, making it easier to share resources. When wildfire activity is low in Oregon, firefighters can be spared to help in other places experiencing high levels of wildfire response. 

“We’re ready and willing to help whenever we receive the call from one of our partner states,” said Chris Cline, ODF’s Interim Fire Protection Division Chief.  “It’s the right thing to respond when someone is in a time of need, and we are honored to have the opportunity to serve.”

So how does Oregon send resources to help other states? This is all done through mutual assistance agreements creating a cache of reciprocal resources and a larger more comprehensive fire management system. In this system, Oregon does not only send out resources, but also receives and has received helpful resources when local capacity becomes overwhelmed.

 “The relationships built through our assistance in other states not only benefits them, but also Oregonians as we reach out for help when our fire season hits its peak.” Cline explained. In the 2023 fire season, Oregon received 173 out-of-state firefighters. 

Sending our firefighters on these out-of-state deployments helps them build relationships outside of our organization, learn new suppression tactics and gives them the opportunity to fight fire in a different landscape. These off-season deployments keep their skills sharp so they can come back to Oregon with new knowledge that can be applied to our future fire seasons. 

More than 200 firefighters attend Winter Fire School training in Salem

More than 200 career and volunteer firefighters from nearly 100 fire agencies throughout Oregon attended the 19th annual Winter Fire School at the Oregon Public Safety Academy in Salem on Feb. 24 and Feb. 25, 2024. 

The two-day event was hosted by the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) and included nine classes offered by the National Fire Academy, DPSST, and the City of Dallas Fire & EMS Department. Attendees included firefighters from city and tribal fire departments, fire districts, and wildland firefighters.

Classroom training sessions covered a wide range of topics including leadership, incident command, health and safety programs, tactical decision making, fire prevention education, and community risk reduction. The event also included hands-on training sessions on vehicle extrication, flammable gas and liquid emergencies, extinguishing vehicle fires, forceable entry, firefighter safety and survival, pumper operator simulations, and heavy vehicle operation.

Winter Fire School is offered free of charge and is held over the weekend to accommodate the schedules of volunteers who comprise most of the Oregon fire service.

“DPSST is proud to put on the annual Winter Fire School, which is the Fire Program’s biggest event of the year,” said Kayla Ballrot, DPSST’s interim Fire Program Manager. “Oregon’s firefighters will apply the knowledge gained from this weekend’s event, from hands-on classes to leadership training, to make their communities safer places to live. We received great student and instructor feedback and are already looking forward to next year.”

### About DPSST
The mission of the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) is to pursue excellence in training and accountability for public safety professionals. DPSST certifies and licenses police, corrections, and parole and probation officers, as well as regulatory specialists, emergency telecommunicators and medical dispatchers, criminal justice instructors, private security providers, private investigators, fire service professionals and polygraph examiners in the State of Oregon.  DPSST works with public and private safety agencies around the state to provide basic, leadership and specialized training at the 237-acre Oregon Public Safety Academy in Salem and regionally throughout the state. 

USDA Issues Secretarial Natural Disaster Designation for Impacted Oregon Counties

Farmers in eligible counties have until October to apply for emergency loansSalem, OR—Today, Governor Tina Kotek announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has determined that losses during the 2023 crop year due to multiple weather events in nine counties across the state warrant a Secretarial natural disaster designation.

This determination was made in response to a September 2023 request from Governor Kotek that outlined the impacts of the weather events, such as the Oregon cherry harvest. The available harvest data showed a 35% loss due to poor fruit set.

“Oregon farmers faced serious economic losses during last year’s crop season,” Governor Kotek said. “Our agriculture community is invaluable to Oregon, feeding families across the state. This designation is critical to ensure that farmers are able to receive support from the federal government in recuperating those losses.”

Under the first designation, defined as excessive rain that occurred starting on July 7, 2023, Hood River County is listed as a primary county. Clackamas, Multnomah and Wasco counties have been designated as contingent counties.

Under the second designation, defined as drought, excessive heat, and high winds that occurred from July 5-15, 2023, Wasco County is listed as a primary county. Clackamas, Gilliam, Hood River, Jefferson, Marion, Sherman and Wheeler counties have been designated as continent counties. Farmers may be able to apply for loans if they produce crops in any of the primary or contingent counties included in the designation.

A Secretarial disaster designation makes farm operators in primary counties and those counties contiguous to such primary counties eligible to be considered for certain assistance from the Farm Service Agency (FSA), provided eligibility requirements are met. This assistance includes FSA emergency loans.

The USDA issued this Secretarial disaster declaration on February 23, 2024. Farmers in eligible counties have eight months from the date of a Secretarial disaster declaration to apply for emergency loans. FSA considers each emergency loan application on its own merits, taking into account the extent of production losses on the farm and the security and repayment ability of the operator. Local FSA offices can provide affected farmers with further information.

Oregon Department of Human Services’ Office of Resilience and Emergency Management is announcing the opening of the Resilience Hubs and Networks grant

Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) Office of Resilience and Emergency Management (OREM) is announcing the opening of the Resilience Hubs and Networks grant. This funding is intended to support communities and individuals as they work to prepare for disasters and emergencies. 

“I’m excited that OREM, through the Oregon Legislature, can offer this funding. I know that communities across the state work every day to prepare for emergencies. This funding is intended to support and enhance that work,” said Ed Flick, OREM director. 

A resilience hub is a location where people come together daily to share resources, support one another and find resources during emergencies. A resilience network is an association of facilities, organizations, resource providers or service providers outside of a physical resilience hub facility that collectively serve the purposes of a resilience hub.

Anyone who supports a resilience hub or network can apply for this grant funding. Communities who are traditionally underserved and/or are disproportionately impacted by emergencies are encouraged to apply. Applicants are encouraged to provide the exact address of their hub or network. Socioeconomic and demographic information about the community surrounding that address will be used to score applications. A total of $10,000,000 is available. 

The application closes April 30, 2024.

OREM will host two information sessions to answer questions about the grant and the application process. These sessions are open to the public and all prospective grant applicants. These sessions will take place on:

• February 29, 2024 11:00 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.
• March 12, 2024 9:30 – 11:00 A.M.

More information about these information sessions and a link to the application can be found at https://www.oregon.gov/odhs/emergency-management/Pages/resilience-grants.aspx

 Questions about this grant opportunity can be sent to emgrants@odhs.oregon.gov“>oremgrants@odhs.oregon.gov.

The Oregon Employment Department’s website will go online again at 8 a.m. on Monday, March 4.

OED says this is in preparation for the new system for unemployment benefits, which includes claims and questions for Paid Leave Oregon.

The new system, Frances Online, is scheduled to go live on March 4. People will not be able to file, restart, check, or make changes to claim information until next Monday. Customer service, along with making payments or ID verification will also be unavailable. https://www.oregon.gov/employ/pages/default.aspx

Oregon lawmakers could have up to $1.7 billion may be available for housing, addiction

Oregon lawmakers will have hundreds of millions of dollars to spend over the next year after another positive economic forecast released recently.

Lawmakers were eagerly anticipating the forecast, which came three days into the 35-day legislative session, as they fine-tune plans to spur housing production, boost homeless shelters and expand addiction treatment.

The forecast projects an ending balance of $1.66 billion in June 2025 based on current figures, or $1.34 billion assuming a transfer to the state’s rainy day fund. Sen. Elizabeth Steiner, the Portland Democrat who co-chairs the budget-writing Joint Ways and Means Committee, told the Capital Chronicle via text Wednesday that she was still parsing the numbers to determine just how much lawmakers can afford to spend in the current legislative session.

There are plenty of demands for that money. Gov. Tina Kotek is seeking $500 million to spur housing production and help the state meet her goal of building 36,000 homes annually, nearly double the number it’s built in recent years. Her plan will have its first public hearing on Thursday. She also wants another $100 million for homelessness, including $65 million to keep existing shelters operating and $35 million for rent assistance.

“It’s harder than ever for Oregonians to afford to live here, which is why we must take bold action on affordable housing,” Kotek said in a statement following the revenue forecast. “I look forward to working with legislators this session to make progress for Oregonians.”

Steiner said Monday lawmakers need to come up with a minimum of $78 million for a low-income child care program that instituted a waitlist last fall, while advocates say the true cost may be as high as $221 million.

Lawmakers working on expanding addiction treatment services haven’t yet shared how much they hope to spend, but growing those services will easily reach tens of millions of dollars, if not more. Just one aspect of the multifaceted plan, expanding transitional housing for people in recovery, carries a tentative price tag of $30 million.

Legislative leaders responded to the forecast with bipartisan cries for using the available money to spur housing and address addiction, though Republicans raised alarms about stagnant population growth. Oregon’s finances are stable now, but the state’s economy relies on new workers moving to Oregon as older workers retire.

“Republicans and Democrats are united in our commitment to increase housing supply and homelessness supports, helping families and individuals struggling with addiction and investing in Oregon’s future,” House Speaker Dan Rayfield, D-Corvallis, said in a statement. “This stable forecast coupled with a decade of good budgeting gives us the certainty and resources we need to invest in the priorities Oregonians care about most.” (SOURCE)

EPD Investigating Suspect Pursuit Ending in Fatal Vehicle-Train Crash

At approximately 7:50 a.m., Sunday, March 3, an Oregon State Trooper stopped to contact the driver of a potentially disabled/illegally parked vehicle near the north end of the Eugene Airport on Greenhill Road. During the contact, the trooper discovered the driver had been out of compliance with sex offender registration since 2019.

When other troopers arrived to arrest the suspect, he didn’t comply, but fled in his vehicle. The OSP troopers lost sight of the suspect’s vehicle. The suspect was going eastbound and attempted to cross the railroad tracks at E. Meadow View Road, just west of Prairie Road, but collided with an oncoming, northbound Amtrack train.

The suspect is deceased, and Lane County Medical Examiner has responded. Eugene Police Major Collision Investigation team has also responded to the scene to investigate the crash. There were no injuries to the train’s passengers or crew. The train has been delayed due to the crash response and investigation. Case 24- 03200

Santa Rosa Man Rescued by SAR After Following GPS to Avoid Travel Delays

AZALEA, Ore. – On March 2, 2024, shortly after midnight, Douglas County 9-1-1 received a text-to-911 from an individual stating he had gotten stuck in snow after following his GPS and was in need of assistance.

Deputies learned 34-year-old Juan Carlos Torres-Esquivel of Santa Rosa, California had purchased a 1996 Ford F150 in Corvallis and was enroute to his residence in Santa Rosa when he encountered weather related delays on I-5. Google maps recommended a detour which he selected that instructed him to take exit 88, drive east on Upper Cow Creek for approximately 13 miles, and turn south onto Snow Creek Rd.

Torres-Esquivel made it approximately 5 miles up Snow Creek Road before sliding the passenger side of the vehicle into a deep ditch and getting the vehicle stuck in approximately 24″ of snow. He was unprepared for the conditions and was unsuccessful in attempting to dig the vehicle out without a shovel.

Douglas County Search and Rescue was activated and responded to assist. SAR responded and was unable to make it to his location with the Snowcat due to a U-Haul truck being abandoned approximately 2 or 3 miles up Snow Creek Rd in the middle of the roadway. Members of the 4×4 team were able to maneuver around the U-Haul after airing down their tires and retrieved Torres-Esquivel.

Deputies provided Torres-Esquivel a courtesy ride to Seven Feathers.

The Sheriff’s Office would like to remind drivers of the dangers of blindly following GPS devices.

“GPS devices are often set to direct drivers through the fastest route to their destination. Oftentimes, this means direction through non-maintained road systems, including forest roads,” Lt. Brad O’Dell said. “Blindly following GPS navigation can potentially lead to dangerous situations and have serious consequences. Although travel delays can be disruptive, it is best to remain on routes that are maintained.”

The Medford Police Department is updating its criminal investigation of allegations of drug diversion at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center

The update follows a civil lawsuit filed this week by Idiart Law Group against the hospital and a former nurse. The lawsuit includes claims of personal injury and wrongful death of then 65-year-old Horace Wilson of Jacksonville in February 2022. It lists Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center (Asante) and its former nurse Dani Marie Schofield as co-defendants, claiming fentanyl intended for Wilson’s treatment was diverted from him and replaced with tap water, causing infection that led to his death.

s investigations examine cases of in-hospital infections at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center for possible criminal and civil recourse, one investigation by the state has been completed, with Asante’s help.

Oregon’s Occupational Safety and Health Division (OSHA) said it investigated Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center (ARRMC) water-based illness last spring. It also said its investigation started with concern from Asante staff.

OSHA Complaint No. 209463526 documentation shared with NewsWatch 12 via an open records request shows the initial “Hazard Description” for Asante as reported by staff to involve, “Recent bacterial contamination to ICU/IMCU (intensive care unit/intermediate care unit) department tap water. Unknown if other department’s water has been tested.  An online water testing kit showed that the water is ‘highly likely that harmful bacteria are present’. Multiple staff in the department have reported new GI (gastro-intestinal/digestive) issues. Reports were made to the direct manager.”

Oregon State Parks recruiting about 250 seasonal park rangers and assistants for 2024

 

SALEM, Oregon— Oregon State Parks is not just a beautiful place to visit – it’s also a spectacular place to work.

Oregon Parks and Recreation Department is recruiting 250 seasonal park rangers and assistants for positions across the state that range anywhere from four to nine months. The peak season is from April to September, but some of the positions start as early as March and run as late as December.

Seasonal staff help visitors access world-class experiences and ensure clean and safe park areas for everyone to enjoy. Duties include janitorial work, landscape maintenance, visitor education and visitor services.

Salaries start at $17.34 per hour for seasonal assistants and $20.06 for seasonal rangers. Both positions include comprehensive medical, vision and dental plans for employees and qualified family members. The positions also include paid sick leave, vacation, personal leave and 11 paid holidays per year. Student workers, ages 16 and older, start at $17.32 or more per hour depending on experience (no benefits).

OPRD promotes from within and several of our top leaders started as seasonal employees.

“We love what we do at Oregon Parks and Recreation Department,” said Director Lisa Sumption. “We get to preserve and share some of Oregon’s most treasured landscapes and resources. Whether you’re here for a season or your entire career, you’re part of that OPRD family.”

For more information about current openings, visit stateparks.oregon.gov. If you have any questions or need additional assistance in accessibility or alternative formats, please email Oregon Parks and Recreation Department Recruiting D.Recruiting@oprd.oregon.gov“>OPRD.Recruiting@oprd.oregon.gov.

Oregon Parks and Recreation Department is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, committed to diversity and pay equity.

FBI-Portland Offers Sextortion Prevention Tips

FBI-Portland is ramping up efforts to prevent child sextortion, after seeing  a massive increase in sextortion in recent years. “From out to Prineville, to Bend, to Medford to Eugene and here in Portland, to the coast. It is happening everywhere,” Supervisory Special Agent Travis Ostrem told parents during a Wednesday webinar.

The crime involving explicit images of children boils down to blackmail and there are two forms: Financial and Traditional. “Financial sextortion, where the predators are looking for monetary gain from the children, to stop them from sending images. We’ve also sextortion, which is the typical child exploitation of sexual images, where they’re asking for additional images.”

He urges parents to start talking with kids early about the dangers of sending any photos online. Predators target victims as young as 11. He also suggested parents monitor the apps children are using, set parental controls and know who kids are talking to online, “Technology is growing faster than we can control it. But you all can get ahead of it. Look out for your children.”

A similar webinar was offered last week to school administrators. “We’re trying to be proactive because we don’t want any more of these cases. If we can eliminate it, just like getting drugs out of the schools from our kids, eliminate sextortion,” said Ostrem. “Sextortion is on a massive rise. We’re seeing it throughout, not just the country but in Oregon too. In every portion of the state, if there is some type of wifi or cellular connection to the internet, children can be sextorted.” He notes Oregon cases have increased by 20%, and at least 20 resulted in the victim taking their own life. “One suicide is too many. One child being sextorted is too many. The damage that can do to mental health is horrible. What we see normally is one predator will target up to a hundred victims.”

FBI-Portland hosted a chat on X – formerly Twitter – Thursday at noon to answer more questions about protecting kids from sextortion. (SOURCE)

Oregon Blue Book Cover Photo Contest Underway

The front cover of the 2023-2024 Oregon Blue Book showcases a hillside covered in beautiful balsam root and lupine flowers at Rowena Crest, captured by Oregon photographer Micah Lundsted of Eugene. The book’s back cover shows an image of three rockfish made at the Oregon Coast Aquarium by Dale George of Grants Pass.

Which images will cover the 2025-2026 Oregon Blue Book? The Oregon Blue Book cover photo contest kicks off today, giving amateur photographers the chance to submit their photos to answer that question. Photo contest winners will be selected in October 2024 by Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade.

“Choosing the cover photos for the Oregon Blue Book is an honor,” said Secretary Griffin-Valade. “The images are a chance to see our beautiful state through the lens of the many talented amateur photographers who live in Oregon.”

The contest is open to Oregon residents of any age who earn less than half their income from photography. Images must be Oregon related and should be submitted in the portrait, rather than landscape, orientation. Two images will be selected for the cover: one for the front and one for the back. Visit the Oregon Blue Book Photo Contest guidelines for more information: https://sos.oregon.gov/blue-book/Pages/about-conte…

Images can be submitted through the Oregon Blue Book website portal or via U.S. mail. The deadline to submit photos for consideration is October 27, 2024. Contact the Oregon Blue Book Managing Editor at Oregon.Bluebook@sos.oregon.gov with questions or for additional information.

DETAILS

What: 2025-2026 Oregon Blue Book Cover Photo Contest
Who: Amateur photographers who live in Oregon
When: February 7, 2024-October 27, 2024
Where: Submit online or through U.S. Mail
Why: Photo on the cover of the 2025-2026 Oregon Blue Book

ODFW Announces Stamp Art Competitions

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is making a call to area artists to compete in one, or all three, of ODFW’s 2025 stamp art competitions.

The winning artist in each contest receives a $2,000 award and their winning artwork is used to produce collector’s stamps and other promotional items, sales of which benefit Oregon’s fish, wildlife, and their habitats.

For more information on contest rules and to order stamps and art prints, visit: https://www.dfw.state.or.us/stamp_contest/index.asp.

Entries will be accepted beginning Aug. 30 through Sept. 27 by 5 p.m., at the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife headquarters, 4034 Fairview Industrial Dr., SE, Salem, OR 97302.

Entries can be mailed or hand delivered. If you hand-deliver your entry, call ahead to make arrangements at 503-947-6314.

Here’s a look at the three categories:

Habitat Conservation Stamp

Art entries must feature a “Strategy Species” identified in the Oregon Conservation Strategy in its appropriate habitat. Not all species in the strategy are eligible, so use the qualifying list of species.

See contest rules and entry form for more information and a list of eligible species at

https://www.dfw.state.or.us/conservationstrategy/habitat_conservation_stamp.asp.

Waterfowl Stamp Contest

Art entries must feature one of the following species in its natural habitat setting: Ring-necked Duck, White-winged Scoter, or Barrow’s Goldeneye.

See contest rules and entry form for more information at

https://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/hunting/waterfowl/contest/index.asp.

Upland Game Bird Stamp Contest

Art entries must feature California Quail in its natural habitat setting.

See contest rules and entry form for more information at https://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/hunting/upland_bird/contest/index.asp

Artists should not the highlighted new for 2025 information in the contest rules and the final page for packaging tips.

A panel will judge artwork based on artistic composition, anatomical accuracy of the species and general appeal.

Collector’s stamps, art prints and other promotional materials are produced from first-place artwork. Proceeds from product sales are used for habitat improvement, research surveys and conservation projects.

Interested artists are encouraged to visit ODFW’s stamp art competition website for more information on the contests and to view entries from previous years. https://www.dfw.state.or.us/stamp_contest/index.asp