Oregon Beach News, Wednesday 1/10 – Yaquina Bay Closure, Weather Alerts & Other Local and Statewide News…

Get Ready For More Snow and Freezing Temperatures

The Pacific Northwest is expected to see freezing temperatures and maybe even lowland snow this week as part of the polar vortex blasts southward from the Arctic.

Watches, Warnings or Advisories for Oregon https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/or.php?x=1

A winter storm is arriving this week and many mountain passes are expecting substantial snow. The Oregon Department of Transportation said it will be fully staffed in preparation for the weather.

With nearly 4 feet of snow expected in the Cascades between now and Saturday and temperatures possibly 10 to 18 degrees below average, travel could be tricky. TRACK WEATHER HERE and HERE

Another tip for drivers is to make sure phones are charged before leaving. Drivers can also check the ODOT website,  TripCheck , which has the most current road conditions and closures for Oregon.

Governor Kotek Marks One Year in Office, Announces Next Steps on Homelessness, Signs Two Executive Orders

Preliminary data shows state exceeded all three goals of initial homelessness state of emergency issued last JanuarySalem, OR—Governor Tina Kotek today marked one year in office by reflecting on her first year and signing two new executive orders aimed at continuing to advance efforts to tackle the state’s homelessness crisis. The orders come after preliminary data shows that the state exceeded all three goals set out in the homelessness state of emergency she issued last year.

“One year ago, I told Oregonians that the homelessness emergency order was only the first step and that it would take collaboration to act at the scale and urgency this humanitarian crisis demands,” Governor Kotek said. “Now, we are continuing the fight to bring housing stability to more Oregonians. I want to thank legislators, local governments, shelter providers, and housing providers for stepping up last year and delivering results to address our homelessness crisis. We’ve seen that together we can make an impact, and we will continue to push this work forward until every Oregonian has a safe and stable place to call home.”

Preliminary data from Oregon Housing and Community Services shows that in the past year since Governor Kotek declared a homelessness state of emergency, the state has worked with local partners to create 1,032 low-barrier shelter beds, exceeding the original goal by 432 beds; rehouse 1,293 households experiencing unsheltered homelessness, exceeding the original goal by 93 households; and prevent 8,886 households from experiencing homelessness, exceeding the original goal by 136 households.

The original goals in the emergency order were to create 600 shelter beds, rehouse 1,200 households in emergency areas, and prevent 8,750 households from becoming homeless statewide. Final data for the first year’s outcomes will be available in late February.

Today, Governor Kotek signed EO 24-02 to maintain the added capacity to the state’s shelter system, rehouse people experiencing homelessness, and prevent homelessness. Measurable outcomes for the new order will be developed in collaboration with local communities based on need and capacity and will be announced by the end of February.

Governor Kotek also signed EO 24-03 to refresh the state’s Interagency Council on Homelessness and direct them to develop plans for the Governor’s consideration in response to the analysis done through EO 23-03, an order also signed last January that directed state agencies to prioritize reducing both sheltered and unsheltered homelessness in all areas of the state using their existing statutory authorities. The Council will meet on January 16 to discuss next steps.

The new executive orders came as Governor Kotek observed the one-year anniversary of her swearing-in on January 9, 2023. A video stream of her remarks and the signings can be found here.

Below is a list of highlights from Governor Kotek’s first year in office. A more detailed list is available here on the Governor’s website.

Housing and Homelessness – Homelessness State of Emergency: Declared a homelessness state of emergency on her first full day in office (EO 23-02) and worked with the Legislature to secure $155 million early in the legislative session to fund an emergency package to prevent homelessness, expand shelter capacity, and rehouse people experiencing homelessness. She then successfully worked with the Legislature to continue the work with a $316 million investment in homeless services funding for the 2023-25 biennium.

Affordable Housing Production: Advocated for and worked with the Legislature to secure $650 million to preserve and build more affordable housing statewide.

Housing Production Advisory Council: Convened the Housing Production Advisory Council under EO 23-04 tasked with proposing an action plan to address Oregon’s current housing shortage and keep pace with projected population growth. Their early work informed the Governor’s priority bill for the 2024 session, and the Council’s final recommendations will be released at the end of January.

Behavioral Health – Access to Behavioral Health Services: Advocated for and worked with the Legislature to get $200 million to add capacity for detox and substance use disorder residential treatment facilities, provide incentives to stabilize and support the behavioral health workforce, and increase community services for individuals who are likely to end up in the Oregon State Hospital.

Life-Saving Opioid Overdose Reversal Medication: Championed and signed Senate Bill 1043, which requires hospitals, sobering facilities, and detox facilities to provide two doses of opioid overdose reversal medication and necessary medical supplies to administer medication to specified patients upon discharge or release. Also signed House Bill 2395, which expands access to emergency short-acting opioid overdose reversal medications and requires additional reporting and information sharing of opioid overdoses.

Substance Use Disorder Treatment Beds in Portland: Through a joint effort with the state and local government, Central City Concern was able to finalize a contract to purchase a building in Portland’s central city to provide treatment and temporary housing for people experiencing substance use disorders. The contract was finalized in less than two weeks and will add over 70 treatment beds later this year.

$25 Million CCO Partnership for Youth Behavioral Health Services: The partnership was formed in response to record, unanticipated profits among Coordinated Care Organizations (CCOs) accrued during the COVID-19 pandemic. When CCOs provided the Governor with a financial accounting of recent community reinvestments, the Governor requested CCOs to work together collectively to reinvest an additional $25 million in youth behavioral health services. In response, CCOs collaborated on funding projects that would support statewide access using one-time resources.

Education and Early Childhood – Support for Reading and Writing: Worked with the Legislature to secure increased funding for early literacy and improve how we teach kids how to read and write – ensuring educators, parents, caregivers, sovereign tribal nations, and communities have what they need to support our students by passing and signing House Bill 3198. All 197 school districts across the state have applied for grant funding from the bill to improve how Oregon schools teach kids to read and write.

Educator Preparation for Teaching Students Reading and Writing: Established the Early Literacy Educator Preparation Council in May in order to develop recommendations to raise the bar on elementary educator preparation for reading and writing instruction.

Public Safety – Law Enforcement Training: Directed the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST), with new funding from the Legislature, to expand the capacity to train new officers to meet workforce challenges across the state.

Fentanyl Enforcement: Directed Oregon State Police to deploy enhanced fentanyl enforcement strategies.

Livability: Used $1 million from the Governor’s Strategic Reserve Fund to support an expansion of the Clean Start program that employs individuals who recently experienced homelessness to clean up trash in Portland, combined with $1.5 million from Multnomah County.

Economic Development – Oregon CHIPS Act: Signed Senate Bill 4 to bring new state investment to semiconductor research and manufacturing to make Oregon competitive for federal resources from the federal CHIPS and Science Act. Business Oregon led an expedited process to start issuing contracts this month.

Portland Central City Task Force: Convened a task force of community leaders to deliver 10 concrete near-term solutions to Portland’s most pressing challenges and a vision for its economic future, presenting the recommendations at the annual Oregon Business Summit.

Paid Leave Oregon: Launched the new program that has, in its first four months, provided benefits to tens of thousands of Oregonians, allowing them to take paid time off from work to care for themselves or loved ones dealing with serious health conditions, to bond with a new child, or to address the impacts of domestic violence, sexual assault, harassment, and stalking.

Climate and Environment – Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced that the Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Association’s PNWH2 Hub was selected as one of the Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs following a competitive nationwide process. The Hub is eligible to receive up to $1 billion in federal funding over four DOE-defined development phases spanning nine years.

Climate Resiliency: Signed a comprehensive package in House Bill 3409 to help Oregon invest in clean energy, energy efficiency, clean transportation, and other strategies to reduce climate pollution.

Reproductive Health – Access to Reproductive Health Care: Signed House Bill 2002 into law, protecting access to reproductive health care and providing state funding to support the work of community organizations and clinical partners to ensure that people in more parts of the state have access to the reproductive health care they need.

Mifepristone Supply: Governor Kotek partnered with Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) to secure a three-year supply of Mifepristone in preparation of the U.S. Supreme Court decision that could limit access to medication abortion.

Reproductive Health Equity Act Enforcement: The Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS) conducted and published a comprehensive review of insurer compliance with Oregon’s Reproductive Health Equity Act (RHEA) and found that Oregon insurers had failed to fully comply with the law in several areas, including imposing cost sharing for services covered by RHEA. DCBS implemented corrective action plans as well as ongoing data reporting and compliance monitoring for each insurer to ensure Oregonians receive the health benefits they are entitled to under the law.

One Oregon Listening Tour – Listening to Lead: Kept promise to visit all 36 counties, building strong, working partnerships across Oregon and listening to Oregonians in their home communities to hear their hopes, challenges, and how the state can be a partner on key priorities and issues unique to each county.

The National Transportation Safety Board announced the missing part of the Alaska Airlines aircraft that blew off mid-flight has been found in a backyard in Portland.

Federal investigators had been searching for the door plug since it blew off an Alaska Airlines aircraft after taking off from Portland on Friday, leading to the nationwide grounding of certain Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft and a slew of flight cancellations.

A Portland school teacher named Bob reached out to the agency after he found the missing Boeing 737 MAX 9 fuselage door plug in his yard, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said at a news conference.

The agency had asked for the public’s help finding the part and had plans of possibly using a helicopter or drones to continue the search Sunday. Homendy had explained locating the missing part would provide key clues as to why it separated from the airplane.

Federal investigators earlier had released their first image from inside the aircraft that was left with a refrigerator-sized hole mid-flight, and it shows a headrest torn from a nearby seat and oxygen masks still hanging from the plane’s ceiling.

No passengers during the Friday flight were seated directly next to the section of the plane that blew off, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said Saturday.

“It’s fortunate that nobody died and there were not more serious injuries,” Homendy told CNN after touring the aircraft. Investigators were preparing to interview the flight crew, she said.

The refrigerator-sized hole that suddenly opened up on the aircraft carrying 177people from Portland, Oregon, to Ontario, California, Friday sent panic throughout the planeas the cabin depressurized, oxygen masks descended and passengers screamed and texted their goodbyes. The plane landed safely with no serious injuries reported, authorities said.

The ordeal resulted in the Federal Aviation Administration’s decision to temporarily ground certain Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft until they are carefully inspected. Boeing has faced a string of setbacks in recent years, most notably a 2019 grounding in dozens of countries following two tragic crashes.

Alaska Airlines said Saturday night that emergency inspections of its fleet of Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes “will take more time,” warning flight disruptions will likely continue.

The number of Alaska Airlines cancellations has added up since the ordeal. The airline said Saturday afternoon that 160 flights — affecting roughly 23,000 travelers — had been canceled. In a Sunday update, the airline said 170 flights that day had been canceled and another 60 had been axed for Monday.

“Cancellations will continue through the first half of the week, and we encourage guests with travel plans to continue to check their email and alaskaair.com for updates,” the airline said.

United Airlines also saw triple-digit cancellations with 270 flights axed this weekend, according to the airline. United said it also suspended services on all its Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft and was “working with the FAA to clarify the inspection process and the requirements for returning all MAX 9 aircraft to service.” United said it has 79 of the aircraft in its fleet.

In the meantime, investigators are beginning to dig into the Alaska plane’s maintenance records, among other components, as they look into the mishap.

On Tuesday, Boeing is scheduled to hold an all-employee meeting at its 737 Max factory in Renton, Washington, “focused on safety” and the company’s response to the accident, Boeing President and CEO David Calhoun said in a company-wide email.

“It is critical for us to work transparently with our customers and regulators to understand and address the causes of the event and to ensure they don’t happen again,” Calhoun said in the email. (SOURCE)

Investigations Into Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center Patient Deaths Continue

The investigation could take several weeks or months. MPD will release information as it becomes available.

Hospital Nurse at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford Accused of Replacing Fentanyl with Tap Water Leading to at least 10 Patient Deaths and “Dozens of Patients” Had Been Harmed

The Federal Bureau of Investigation says it is involved with an investigation at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford. The FBI said it’s aware of allegations there under investigation by local police.

This after some sources say as many as ten people have died. Multiple hospital sources, who declined to be identified, confirmed dozens of patients injured by medication diversion — the act of replacing a medication with
another substance. It is believed the fentanyl scheduled to be administered to the patients was then removed from the premises illegally.

Sources allege that a hospital nurse was removing fentanyl from IV bags and replacing it with tap water. The FBI said today it is supporting local police with their work.

Asante issued a statement during the weekend that, “We were distressed to learn of this issue. We reported it to law enforcement and are working closely with them.”

Multiple sources also say that water supplies in the Intensive Care Unit and Coronary Care Unit — which are in an older part of the hospital — are unsafe for use on patients, even for face washing. The hospital made numerous public statements during 2023 pertaining to infections and water quality issues.

OHA state agency is part of an investigation now at a Medford hospital, where local and federal law enforcement agencies are investigating allegations of nursing behavior that could have been deadly.

Oregon Health Authority (OHA) says today it’s “aware of reports of incidents at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford involving a nurse alleged to have tampered with pharmaceutical fentanyl used to treat severe pain and introduced tap water in patients’ intravenous lines. OHA also is investigating reports that the incidents led to health care-associated infections that severely injured, and may have caused the deaths of, several patients.”

OHA has a Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) Program that, “conducts HAI surveillance in Oregon health care facilities,” working with partners including health care facilities to respond to and contain potential HAI outbreaks.

• A nurse at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center in Oregon is accused of replacing fentanyl with tap water, leading to the deaths of approximately ten patients.

• The tap water injections allegedly caused Pseudomonas infections, which can result in severe conditions like sepsis and pneumonia.

• The act of substituting medications, known as “drug diversion,” is a problem in the medical field, with fentanyl being one of the most commonly diverted drugs.

• No charges have been filed yet, but police are actively investigating the incident.

• The hospital has reported the issue to law enforcement, but details such as the exact number of affected patients have not been officially confirmed.

A nurse at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford allegedly swapped medication with tap water, resulting in the death of approximately ten patients, NBC5 reported.

Sources say the nurse used tap water to cover up the hospital’s misuse of medication.  Unnamed hospital sources said “dozens of patients” had been harmed by the replacement of their meds with another substance.

Citing several anonymous sources, NBC5 reported that at least ten patients at the Medford hospital were allegedly injected with tap water in an attempt to cover up a nurse’s misuse of fentanyl, a pain medication. 

According to NBC5, sources within the hospital said that the tap water, which is not sterile, led to Pseudomonas infections.

The Medical Center’s intensive care unit reported that up to nine or ten people caught infections and later died. The tap water that was used in the injections was reportedly not sterile and led to multiple infections of pseudomonas, which can be very dangerous to those with weak immune systems. 

“It could cause sepsis, pneumonia, it could infect all the organs, so it could be a very severe infection,” said Dr. Robin Miller. The Asante Rogue Medical Center released a statement saying, “We were distressed to learn of this issue. We reported it to law enforcement and are working closely with them.”

As of press time, no one was arrested or charged, and Medford Police provided no more details. They only confirmed there’s an open investigation at the medical center. 

Oregon Seeing Spikes In Influenza And COVID-19

Oregon was lagging a bit behind most of the country, but now it’s experiencing a spike in flu and COVID cases.

From Dec. 16 through Dec. 23, flu cases nearly doubled in Oregon. COVID-19 test positivity jumped by more than 50% from Dec. 16 through Dec. 30. And from last week to this week, adults in acute care hospital beds due to COVID jumped by 30%, according to the Oregon Health Authority.

RSV season has been underway since early November, but cases have stayed relatively flat at around 11% positivity. Meanwhile, the past year saw a big drop in vaccinations in the state. Less than 14% of Oregonians got the latest COVID vaccine.

Dr. Paul Cieslak, medical director for communicable diseases and immunizations at the Oregon Health Authority’s Public Health Division, said people may have gotten tired of hearing and thinking about respiratory viruses, but the viruses are not going away.

“They’re still very much with us and they’re putting people in the hospital every day here in Oregon,” Cieslak said.

COVID-19 cases are rising statewide, he added. As far as the flu, the biggest spikes right now are in southwestern Oregon. But that, too, has made its way to every part of the state.

Cieslak noted that nearly everyone qualifies for flu and COVID vaccines. He added that there are RSV medications for children, and RSV vaccines available for people who are over 60 years old or are pregnant.

And he said good respiratory hygiene — like staying home if you’re sick, covering your mouth when you cough and washing your hands often — can also help stop the spread of respiratory viruses. (SOURCE)

Traffic stop leads to seizure of 100 lbs. of crystal meth in Douglas County

DOUGLAS COUNTY- An Oregon State Police (OSP) traffic stop in Douglas County led to the seizure of 100 pounds of methamphetamine.   

On Jan. 4, 2024, at approximately 12:15 p.m., an OSP K-9 team stopped a vehicle on Interstate 5 northbound in Douglas County for a traffic violation. A K-9 was deployed to sniff the outside of the vehicle and alerted to the presence of illegal drugs.  

A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed a total of 100 pounds of crystal meth located in two large bags in the vehicle’s trunk.  

The stop resulted in the arrest of two suspects including the vehicle operator Edgar Rene Revolorio (28) of San Bernadino, CA, and passenger Surely Nalley Molina Escalante (35) also of San Bernadino, CA.  

The investigation is ongoing and no additional information is available for release at this time.  

Crime Stoppers Featured Case #24-01 – Mt. Angel Homicide

On Monday morning, January 1, 2024, shortly before 6:00 a.m., law enforcement personnel from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office along with the Mt. Angel Police and Silverton Police Departments were dispatched to Pershing Street near Marquam Street in Mt. Angel after a 911 caller reported a man had been shot. Deputies arrived on scene and located one victim with serious injuries. The suspect in the shooting fled prior to deputies arriving. Attempts to provide emergency medical assistance to the man were not successful, he was pronounced deceased at the scene.

The suspect in the shooting has been identified as Agustin Barocio (42) from Mt. Angel. Agustin Barocio is described as 5’2” and approximately 160 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. His Oregon DMV photo is attached. Investigators are asking anyone who may have information about the incident to submit tips to Crime Stoppers of Oregon.

Crime Stoppers of Oregon offers cash rewards of up to $2,500 for information reported to Crime Stoppers of Oregon that leads to an arrest in any unsolved felony crime, but tipsters must remain anonymous. Secure and anonymous tips can be left at www.crimestoppersoforegon.com, or you can visit the app store and download P3 tips for smartphones or tablets.

Anonymous tips can also be sent to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office by texting the words TIPMCSO and your tip to 847411.

Information learned from social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter or YouTube should be shared as these tips may lead to the identification of a suspect or suspects. Links can be shared anonymously through Crime Stoppers.

Oregon delegates to the Republican National Convention this summer must pledge to back the winner of the state’s presidential primary, a top state party official confirmed.

Tracy Honl, Oregon’s Republican national committeewoman, clarified the party’s rules for the 31 delegates who will cast the state’s votes for the GOP presidential nominee at the July convention in Milwaukee, Wis. A national reporter sparked confusion among some Oregon political analysts last week by asserting the state party would select delegates at a May 25 convention independent of the May 21 primary.

The Oregon Republican Party’s bylaws call for a convention where precinct committeepersons — the elected local party officials who vote on party business, including nominating replacements for candidates or elected officials who don’t finish their terms — will select their delegates and alternates.

While the bylaws don’t require delegates to support the winner of the primary, a separate set of rules adopted by the state party’s central committee do. Those rules lay out qualifications for delegates, including that they submit a written pledge to support the presidential candidate who wins the state’s primary election.

Oregon’s delegates would be free to vote for other candidates if the national convention doesn’t choose a nominee after two rounds of ballots.

Oregon’s secretary of state, LaVonne Griffin-Valade, told critics pushing to get Trump off the ballot that she didn’t have the authority to bar any candidate in a presidential race. That case is now on appeal before the Oregon Supreme Court, which has asked for legal briefs by Jan. 9. Trump has appealed the Colorado case to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Keno Player Wins $1 Million Against Long Odds .

Salem, Ore. – John Exley doesn’t play Keno often but bought a ticket at the Oregon City Safeway on December 23 to try his luck. The 60-year-old from North Bonneville, Wash. wagered on a 10-spot game, meaning he’d need to match all ten numbers drawn between 1-80 to win. He added the Special Keno game play option for no additional cost. To his surprise, he hit all ten for the $1 million win. 

Claiming a 10-spot win is rare, with Oregon’s last known $1 million Keno winner dating back to February 16, 2000. The odds for this type of win are also higher at about one in 8 million. Last year, Oregon saw 8.5 million winning Keno tickets, averaging $8.71 per claim. 

“Not many people choose to play the 10-spot, with the 4 and 8-spot being our most popular way to play Keno,” said Tina Erickson, Oregon Lottery’s product manager. “One reason this type of win is so exciting, is because players must select the ‘Special Keno’ option to win a prize this size, and there aren’t many who do.” 

Keno games are drawn every four minutes and feature an 8-spot rolling jackpot bonus that is based on sales and continues to grow until the 8-spot game is won. In 2023, Keno players claimed $74 million total prizes in Oregon. 

The Oregon Lottery recommends that you always sign the back of your winning ticket to ensure you can claim your prize. In the event of winning a jackpot, players should consult with a trusted financial planner or similar professional to develop a plan for their winnings. Players have a year to claim their prize. 

Since the Oregon Lottery began selling tickets on April 25, 1985, it has earned nearly $15.5 billion for economic development, public education, outdoor school, state parks, veteran services, and watershed enhancements. For more information on the Oregon Lottery visit www.oregonlottery.org. 

Red Cross: Emergency blood shortage may delay medical procedures (Photo)
American Red Cross – Cascades Region 

Donors urged to give now as nation faces lowest number of blood donors in decades

Donors have the chance to help save lives, win trip to Super Bowl LVIII

Portland, OR (Jan. 8, 2024) — The American Red Cross is experiencing an emergency blood shortage as the nation faces the lowest number of people giving blood in 20 years. The Red Cross blood supply has fallen to critically low levels across the country, and blood and platelet donors are urged to make a donation appointment to help alleviate the shortage and help ensure lifesaving medical procedures are not put on hold.

Over the last 20 years, the number of people donating blood to the Red Cross has fallen by about 40%. When fewer people donate blood, even small disruptions to blood donations – such as the nearly 7,000-unit shortfall in blood donations the Red Cross experienced between Christmas and New Year’s Day alone – can have a huge impact on the availability of blood products and dramatic consequences for those in need of emergency blood transfusion. Blood products are currently going to hospitals faster than blood donations are coming in, and in recent weeks, the Red Cross has had to limit distributions of type O blood products – among the most transfused blood types – to hospitals.

“Small changes in blood donor turnout can have a huge impact on the availability of blood products and dramatic consequences for those in need of an emergency blood transfusion,” said Dr. Eric Gehrie, executive physician director for the Red Cross. “More challenges may lie ahead as the potential for severe winter weather and seasonal illness may compound the dire blood supply situation. Donors of all types – especially those with type O blood and those giving platelets – are urged to give now.”

Don’t wait – to make an appointment, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

The Red Cross and the National Football League (NFL) are partnering this January, during National Blood Donor Month, to urge individuals to give blood or platelets and help tackle the emergency blood shortage. Those who come to give blood, platelets or plasma in January will automatically be entered for a chance to win a trip for two to Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas. For details, visit RedCrossBlood.org/Super Bowl.

Who donations help 

Sandy Thornton, of Dallas, Oregon, knows firsthand how important a readily available blood and platelet supply is. Sandy battled a rare form of cancer called Myelodysplastic Syndrome and Myleo Fibrosis. She received numerous blood and platelet transfusions until eventually needing a stem cell transplant.

“There are people who cannot get a stem cell transplant, which means they face a lifetime of platelet or blood transfusions.  That’s their life.  Blood is a lifesaver no matter how you look at it.  It’s not just about when disasters happen, it’s when people get sick,” shares Sandy.   

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood and is the primary blood supplier to 65 hospitals throughout Washington and Oregon; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media.

Bureau of Land Management fee-free day recognizes the Birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The new year is upon us! Welcome 2024 with a fee-free visit to your public lands. The Bureau of Land Management is waiving recreation standard amenity and day-use fees on Jan. 15, in honor of the Birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day takes place on the third Monday in January and recognizes Dr. King’s service and leadership in the civil rights movement. 

“For Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and every day, we are committed to make public lands access more equitable for all,” said Barry Bushue, BLM Oregon-Washington State Director.

Within Oregon and Washington, most access to recreate on BLM OR/WA public lands is free. The BLM’s standard amenity day-use fees will be waived at the following locations: 

• Alsea Falls Recreation Site
• Hyatt Lake Recreation Area
• Gerber Recreation Area
• Sandy Ridge Trail System
• Shotgun Creek Recreation Site
• Spring Recreation Site
• Wildwood Recreation Site
• Yakima River Canyon
• Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area

The standard amenity fee waiver does not apply to any expanded amenity fees for overnight camping, group day-use, cabin rentals, or individual Special Recreation Permit fees along permitted rivers. Please contact your local BLM office with questions about a recreation site you are interested in visiting.

Winter weather recreation requires more preparation to stay safe. Check with your local BLM office to learn about current conditions and road closures.  Remember to always pack the 10 essentials: navigation tools (map, GPS, personal locator beacon), headlamp, sun protection (sunglasses and sunscreen for snow glare), first aid kit, knife/gear repair kit, fire essentials (fire starter, matches, lighter), shelter (i.e., an emergency survival blanket), extra food, extra water (beyond the minimum expectation), and extra clothes (layers).

This is the first of five fee-free days to encourage recreation opportunities on public lands. Other 2024 fee-free days are June 19 (Juneteenth National Independence Day), July 16 (the BLM’s birthday), September 28 (National Public Lands Day), and November 11 (Veterans Day).

For more information about the BLM’s recreation opportunities, visit https://www.blm.gov/visit. Remember to always Recreate Responsibly and leave your public lands cleaner than you found them by practicing Leave No Trace.

-BLM- 

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.