Oregon Beach News, Wednesday 1/31 – Man Arrested For Setting Astoria Home On Fire & Other Local and Statewide News…

New Study Shows Over Half Of Oregon Renters Are Cost-Burdened

Oregon is among the top dozen states in the U.S. with the highest percentage of cost-burdened renters, according to a new Harvard University Study highlighted in a KION 6 News article by Michaela Bourgeois on Jan. 29.

The study considers renters cost-burdened when paying more than 30% on rent and utilities. In the U.S., a third of renters are cost-burdened, and in Oregon around 50-57% are cost-burdened, along with California, New York, Florida, Texas, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Connecticut, Louisiana, and Hawaii.

The study found a record-high 22.4 million renter households were cost-burdened in the U.S. and 12.1 million of those paid over half of their income for housing. The study also found the income bracket from $30k to $74,999/year had their cost-burden increase the most from 2019; both income brackets higher (2.2%) and lower (1.5%) also had their cost-burden increase from 2019. Overall, there was an increase of 3.2% from 2019, increasing cost-burdened renters to 50%.

The 56-page Harvard University study, “America’s Rental Housing 2024”, also includes Oregon as one of the states with the highest amount of rising homeless people. From 2015 until 2023, homelessness in Oregon has had an increase of 1,001-50,000 people, along with Washington, California, Colorado, Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Ohio and South Carolina.

With some good news, the study found the construction of multifamily units is the highest since the late 80s. The number of units under construction is around one million in the U.S. The study explains,

Robust new supply and stabilizing demand have brought rent growth to a near standstill.

They go on to show that rents declined in 32 percent of markets in mid-2023 – not one market reported a decrease in mid-2022 by comparison.

The article shares how this new data correlates with the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis, which found that

…54% of renters in the state do not have enough income left over from rent to cover basic living expenses.

Also, officials found that 40% of Portland renters are in this category. (SOURCE)

Hunger On The Rise In Oregon After Downward Trend Before The Pandemic

A quarter of a century ago, Oregon had one of the highest rates of food insecurity and hunger in the country. By 2019, the situation had greatly improved, and rates in the state dipped below the U.S. average.

Then the pandemic hit, and rates rose again. The latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that about 11% of Oregon households are food insecure, struggle to have enough to eat and often have to choose between paying rent, prescription or groceries. That means that 186,000 households, or 463,000 people, in Oregon have a problem securing enough food.

“We were making great progress in reducing food insecurity until the pandemic hit and progress reversed somewhat and is likely continuing this sort of unhealthy upward trend,” Mark Edwards, a professor at Oregon State University who studies food insecurity, said at a news conference last week.

The 2023 data is still being compiled, but he said the situation appears to be getting worse.

“I am hearing from our colleagues who provide emergency food that there remains extremely high and growing demand for emergency food assistance throughout the state,” Edwards said during the news conference.

With hunger growing, food advocates and a group of lawmakers on the Oregon Hunger Task Force called last week for the Legislature to enact in the upcoming session a number of measures to address hunger and the plight of low-income residents. The task force, which was created by the Legislature, is especially keen to get lawmakers to approve bills that would help students financially and help stem hunger among children.

From “Food Insecurity in Oregon During the COVID Public Health Emergency,” December 2023, by Mark Edwards and Julian McElhaney

That focus partly reflects the latest hunger data published by Edwards and a colleague last month. Their report shows that people of color, especially Native people and Hispanics, struggle more with hunger than white people, and that Asian Americans have the lowest rates of all. Among households, single mothers have the highest rates of food insecurity.

Renters also face hunger at a higher rate of hunger than those who own their homes, with about 20% of renters struggling with food insecurity compared with 5% of homeowners. And those without a high school diploma suffer much more from food insecurity compared with those with a bachelor’s degree or even a high school diploma.

From “Food Insecurity in Oregon During the COVID Public Health Emergency,” December 2023, by Mark Edwards and Julian McElhaney

There has been a huge improvement in the share of single mothers facing food insecurity in the past decade, and fewer renters scramble for enough food these days. But one category has failed to budge much: the urban-rural divide. About 20% of rural Oregonians have struggled to feed their families in recent years, about double the percentage of residents in urban areas. That surprised the researchers.

“The reasons for this divergence remain unclear, and the magnitude of this change in rural but not urban Oregon is surprising,” the report said. “If indeed these data accurately capture a disproportionate impact of the pandemic on rural Oregonians, this observation aligns with qualitative reports of the distinct challenges faced by rural social services during COVID, where volunteer, often older, staff at emergency food pantries were home-bound, or where schools struggled to deliver free/reduced price meals to children who would normally receive them in school may have lagged behind.”

Members of the task force, which was created by the Legislature and includes lawmakers from both parties, advocates and officials, hope the Legislature will approve $12.7 million to launch a free meal program in the summer for children in poor families.

They also want the Legislature to expand school meals for all. Officials at a news conference said the state has enough money to allow hundreds more schools to serve free meals regardless of the student’s ability to pay starting next fall. But the rules need to change to align with federal requirements.

And they’re asking lawmakers to approve  $6 million through  House Bill 4162, a student emergency needs package. Nick Keough, legislative director for the Oregon Student Association, said students are struggling to pay for textbooks, housing, transportation, health care and their living expenses.

“Financial aid programs and scholarships designed for low-income students fail to cover the bulk of their needs and do not reach the costs associated with attendance, such as food, housing, textbooks, transportation, etc.,” Keough said. “We are seeing a pretty dire situation, especially coming out of the pandemic.”

Other requests – from Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon, the Children’s Institute and the Oregon Food Bank – include a $600,000 allocation for providers participating in the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program and $10 million for the Oregon Food Bank.

The Legislature regularly allocates money to the food bank, which serves 21 regional food banks that work with more than 1,400 free food markets, pantries, meal sites and delivery programs. And the federal government supports the Child and Adult Care Food Program by paying participating child care centers, day care homes and adult day care centers to provide nourishing meals. Regional nonprofits participate by conducting three site visits a year, but that’s become untenable for many, especially in rural areas, according to officials from Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon. They said a one-time infusion of cash would stabilize the program.

That program and more just need a bit more help to keep going, said Angelita Morillo, policy advocate for Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon.

“There are a lot of great structures that already exist in Oregon to address hunger-related issues,” she said. “A lot of them just don’t have the appropriate funding.” (SOURCE)

AARP grant ‘unique’ opportunity to fund community projects in Oregon

A program that funds ideas for improving communities is now open to applications. The AARP Community Challenge grant program is accepting applications until March 6th for projects that can be enacted quickly to make cities more livable for people of all ages.

Stacy Larsen, communications director for AARP Oregon, said the program has a track record for supporting communities of all sizes.

“They deliver really unique support to rural communities. Since the beginning of the program in 2017, 46% of the grants distributed in Oregon have been to rural communities,” Larsen said.

Since its start in 2017, the program has invested $16.4 million in more than 1,300 projects nationwide, including 28 in Oregon. The program is open to local nonprofits and governments. A webinar for interested applicants will be held on the AARP website on January 31st at 11 a.m.

Applicants can apply in three different grant areas. Those include capacity-building microgrants, demonstration grants and flagships grants, which allow for the most creativity and flexibility. Larsen has some tips for those applying.

“The applicants who can demonstrate that they are addressing a clear need, that brings positive change to make their communities more livable for residents of all ages, and that they’re addressing disparities for people of color or other historically marginalized groups will find themselves rising to the top,” she explained.

Selected projects must be completed by December 15th. (SOURCE)

Latest Data Show Overdoses Continue To Skyrocket In Oregon

As lawmakers prepare to tackle the state’s addiction crisis, new data from the Oregon Health Authority shows how dire the addiction crisis has become.

In 2019, 280 people died of a drug overdose in Oregon. Fatalities rose every year after, more than tripling by 2022, when 956 died. And last year, even more people died, according to preliminary data. Each month the number has been higher than the previous year, reaching 628 in June. The state is still compiling data for 2023, but if the trends continue, the total would reach 1,250 needless deaths from an overdose.

The number of patients seeking help in emergency departments and urgent care centers also rose last year to more than 300. The overdose trend is expected to continue this year.

“Oregon’s overdose fatality rate is expected (to) sharply rise over the coming year due to the saturation of fentanyl in Oregon’s illicit drug supply,” Jonathan Modie, a public health spokesman, said in an email.

Oregon is flooded with fentanyl in the form of fake blue pills that are designed to resemble oxycodone 30-milligram pills, or M30s. They’re cheap, often costing a dollar each, and they’re often mixed with other drugs to make them more potent, according to the Drug Enforcement Agency. There’s no way of knowing how much is in each pill, but 2 milligrams – enough to fit on the tip of a pencil – can kill. Many pills tested by the DEA contain much more than that, up to 5 milligrams, more than twice the lethal dose.

“Fentanyl is far more potent and fast acting than other opioids, which significantly increases a person’s risk of a fatal overdose,” Modie said.

Last year, the Legislature passed a law designed to make naloxone or Narcan, a nasal spray, more available. It allows law enforcement officials, firefighters and emergency providers to distribute and administer the drug and allows school administrators, teachers or other school employees to treat students without their parents’ permission.

In the event of an overdose, call 911. For more information about naloxone, click here.

Narcan is available over the counter in Oregon, and pharmacists can prescribe naloxone, enabling people to seek reimbursement from their insurance company.

Health authority officials said naloxone is more available today than two years ago, but they don’t know how widespread it is nor how many people’s lives have been saved. Save Lives Oregon partners reported more than 7,500 opioid reversals since 2020. 

People can carry naloxone with them in Oregon and administer the drug to someone experiencing an overdose. Typical signs include unconsciousness, slow or no breaths or snoring or gurgling sounds. People’s lips and the inside of their mouths also can turn blue or gray, and they may be unable to talk.  (SOURCE)

Federal Charges Filed After International Parcel Leads to the Seizure of 16 Different Drugs and 42 Firearms from a Gresham Residence

PORTLAND, Ore.—A local man is facing federal charges today after authorities intercepted an international parcel he had ordered containing MDMA and quantities of at least 16 different drugs and 42 firearms were found in and seized from his Gresham, Oregon home.

Riley James Hinds, 38, has been charged by criminal complaint with possessing with intent to distribute a controlled substance and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

According to court documents, on January 9, 2024, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at Los Angeles International Airport seized an inbound package from the Netherlands containing approximately 2.5 pounds of MDMA. The package, addressed to “James Settler,” an alias used by Hinds to open a mailing box at a UPS Store in Gresham, was handed over to special agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Portland for further investigation.

On January 26, 2024, investigators arrested Hinds and executed a federal search warrant on his residence. Investigators located and seized quantities of at least 16 different narcotics in Hinds’ residence including MDMA, Adderall, counterfeit Oxycodone, cocaine, ketamine, marijuana, psilocybin, ayahuasca, LSD, opium, morphine, DMT, mescaline, peyote, GHB, 5-MeO-DMT, and a mixture of unidentified pills. They also located and seized various drug processing tools and packaging materials, 42 firearms, four firearm suppressors, two unfinished ghost guns, and six sets of body armor.

Hinds made his first appearance in federal court Monday before a U.S. Magistrate Judge and was ordered detained pending further court proceedings.

This case was investigated by HSI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the Portland Police Bureau Narcotics and Organized Crime Unit (PPB-NOC), and the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Interdiction Task Force (HIT) with assistance from CBP. It is being prosecuted by Scott M. Kerin, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Governor Kotek Reestablishes Task Force on Oregon Tribal Cultural Items

Governor Tina Kotek announced today that she is reestablishing the Task Force on Oregon Tribal Cultural Items.

The task force was first created in 2017 to obtain information relating to cultural items currently held in storage or on display at Oregon state agencies, state universities, colleges, and public schools. In 2019, Oregon was the first in the nation to report its survey findings of tribal cultural items, but the task force’s work has been paused since 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Tribes should have access to information about cultural items held in storage or on display at state agencies, state universities, colleges, and public schools,” Governor Kotek said. “It is time to renew this important work and continue to strengthen our essential government-to-government relationships with the nine sovereign tribal nations.”

The task force will consider a process for soliciting information from state public institutions and agencies about items they may have in storage or on display associated with Oregon Tribes. It will also develop next steps for determining the provenance, the appropriate custodian, and the appropriate storage or display of such items.

The task force will submit an annual report to the Governor beginning in 2025.

The Governor’s Tribal Affairs Director, in partnership with the Legislative Commission on Indian Services, will convene the Task Force. The Members of the Task Force will be appointed at a later date, but will include:

• The Governor’s Tribal Affairs Office Director or other designee;
• Any additional member of the Governor’s staff as directed by the Governor;
• A representative of the State Historic Preservation Office, appointed by the Governor upon recommendation of the Director of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department;
• A state agency director, appointed by the Governor;
• A representative of the Legislative Commission on Indian Services, as appointed by the Commission;
• A representative from each of the nine federally recognized Tribes of Oregon, as appointed by each Tribe’s respective Tribal Chairs, Councils, or Boards;
• One or more representatives of one or more public universities or colleges, appointed by the Governor;
• One or more representatives of primary or secondary Oregon public schools, appointed by the Governor.
• Additional members, as invited by the Governor.

The reestablished task force has been created through the signing of Executive Order 24-06, which replaces Executive Order 17-12.

Mailing Error in Sending Tax Form 1099-G

On January 26, 2024, the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) announced that a mailing error occurred while sending the tax form 1099-G to those who received benefits from the Unemployment Insurance program in 2023. This error impacted 32,960 out of 122,245 mailings, meaning some individuals may have not received a tax form 1099-G at all, and others may have received an additional form not belonging to them.

A machine error caused a subset of those tax forms to go into envelopes already containing a tax form 1099-G. DAS was first notified of this error during the ongoing printing and mailing process for tax form 1099-G and called for an immediate halt, which prevented the majority of these forms from being impacted. For More Information: https://unemployment.oregon.gov/1099g-mailing-error#:~:text=This%20error%20impacted%2032%2C960%20out,a%20tax%20form%201099%2DG.

Oregon Truckers Group Suing the State for Overtaxing

The Oregon Trucking Association and three trucking companies are suing the State of Oregon.  They claim trucks are paying disproportionately more highway taxes in the state.

Tuesday, the Oregon Trucking Association (OTA), Combined Transport, A&M Transport and Sherman Bros. Trucking filed a lawsuit against the state of Oregon. They claim the, “The lawsuit follows many years of trucks paying far more than their fair share of highway taxes” which they call an “unconstitutional overpayment.” (READ MORE)

Small Dairy Farmers Sue Oregon Government Over New Regulations

A group of four dairy farmers is suing the Oregon Department of Agriculture over a new policy that they say will threaten their small businesses.

Starting April 1, some small dairies will need to register as Confined Animal Feeding Operations, or they could face fines. That process includes creating a plan for wastewater management.

In a memo last year, the ODA said some raw milk producers were ignoring the registration requirement. The agency said this has created environmental concerns, and other dairies had complained about unfair competition.

Now, some farmers are pushing back. On Jan. 24, they filed a complaint in federal court, arguing that the requirements don’t reflect how small businesses operate. And they accused the state of protecting the corporate milk industry. The lawsuit was first reported by the Statesman Journal.

“These farms are not in competition,” Bobbi Taylor, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, told KLCC. “They sell a different product. Their customers seek them out, because they’re a small farm, they sell raw milk, their operation is sustainable, and their customers prefer to buy small.”

In an email, the ODA declined to comment or provide further information about its policies. (READ MORE)

Yes, Oregon passed a law requiring all eggs to be cage-free.

The law was passed several years ago, but didn’t take effect until Jan. 1 of this year in order to give farms and grocery stores time to update the supply chain.

 Recent social media posts have resurfaced news about a 2019 law requiring that all eggs sold in Oregon be “cage-free,” set to take effect in 2024, and at least one Reddit user reported seeing staff removing egg cartons from a grocery store shelf shortly after New Years Day, apparently to comply with the new law.

Yes, a new Oregon law requires all eggs produced and sold in the state to be cage-free, meaning they come from hens that are not kept in specific types of small cages called “battery cages” or “colony cages” that are commonly used in the industry. The law was passed in 2019 and took effect Jan. 1 of this year. READ MORE: https://www.kgw.com/article/news/verify/yes-oregon-law-requires-eggs-cage-free/283-3e113301-9bd3-42be-999c-51e992f50e5c

Red Cross: Emergency blood shortage may delay medical procedures — American Red Cross – Cascades Region 

Winter storms across Oregon and Washington forced more than 70 blood drives to be canceled, according to the Red Cross Cascades Region. The Red Cross stated in a press release that this “resulted in the loss of nearly 2,100 liters of blood.” In addition to these cancellations, road closures and icy conditions have made it difficult to transfer supplies to collection sites.

The Red Cross is also seeing an emergency blood shortage. January is usually a slow month for donations but with the emergency shortage and the winter weather, hospitals are in desperate need for donations.
The Red Cross is urging the public to donate blood if they can.
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

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.