The latest news stories across the state of Oregon from the digital home of the Oregon coastal cities, OregonBeachMagazine.com
Wednesday, January 8, 2025
Oregon Beach Weather


Small Craft Advisory – National Weather Service
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM PST THIS EVENING... * WHAT...Seas 8 to 11 ft at 15 seconds expected. North winds 5 to 15 kt, becoming 10 to 20 kt north of Cape Blanco and 15 to 25 kt south of Cape Blanco during Wednesday evening. * WHERE...All of the area, except swell dominated seas will not quite reach thresholds for steepness in the inner waters north of Cape Arago, or near shore near Ophir and south of Brookings. * WHEN...From 10 PM this evening to 10 PM PST Wednesday. * 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



Area North of Cape Falcon Opens January 15 to Commercial Dungeness Crab Fishing
Commercial Dungeness crab fishing opens Jan. 15 from Cape Falcon, OR to Klipsan Beach, WA. A fourth round of preseason testing in Long Beach, WA shows crab meat fill meets optimal commercial harvest criteria.
Targeted to open Dec. 1, Oregon’s ocean commercial Dungeness crab season can be delayed or partially opened so consumers get a high-quality product and crabs are not wasted.
This year’s commercial Dungeness crab fishery opened Dec. 16 from Cape Falcon to the California border. The season was delayed in this area due to preseason testing that showed crabs were too low in meat yield in four areas and domoic acid was elevated in crab viscera (guts) in two areas on the south coast. Check ODFW’s website for more on Oregon’s commercial Dungeness crab fishery.
Coos County Sheriff’s Office – ·
High Visibility Enforcement Update
As we shared in our December 8, 2024, post, our dedicated patrol Deputies began working tirelessly to keep Coos County roads safe during the recent High Visibility Enforcement (HVE) event.

Each HVE-designated Deputy worked a 4-hour overtime shift, focusing exclusively on this initiative. During these shifts, our Deputies conducted numerous traffic stops, averaging at least one DUII arrest per shift.
Their efforts resulted in:
• 149 traffic stops
• 14 DUII arrests in total
• 1 DUII arrest per shift on average
Let us all start 2025 on a positive note by prioritizing safety on our roads. While the HVE event has officially ended, your Coos County Deputies remain committed to ensuring the safety of you and your families. Always remember: wear your seatbelt and Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over!
Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office – After 37 years of service, Retired Sheriff Landers completed his last day with our office and had his final radio call Monday afternoon.

Throughout his career, Retired Sheriff Landers held many positions including Records Clerk, Corrections Deputy, Patrol Deputy, Patrol Sergeant, Administrative Lieutenant, and became Sheriff in 2016. These assignments gave him experience with community policing, allowed him to work closely with community members, and required creative thinking to find solutions for new challenges law enforcement faces each day.
Although his eyes were not originally set on becoming Sheriff, his contributions, leadership, and integrity made him an obvious candidate.It is impossible to highlight all his accomplishments over almost 4 decades of service, and Retired Sheriff Landers will tell you that his accomplishments couldn’t be done alone.
Landers shares and attributes his success to his incredible and supporting wife, Jen. He is also quick to give credit to, and prioritize, his team. “It’s not about myself, it’s about our team. You always want to leave an organization better than when you found it and hope the next person does the same.”Thank you, Retired Sheriff Landers for 37 years of service, leadership, and positive impacts to our communities.
Cannon Beach Gallery – Dreamscape Exhibition
The Cannon Beach Gallery is kicking off the new year with our “Dreamscape” exhibition, which opened on January 3 and runs through February 2, 2025. This one-of-a-kind show will delve into dreamlike imagery and the power of imagination, featuring a diverse collection of works by local and regional artists.

About the exhibition: Artist Lloyd Lindley’s work transports viewers into a timeless, dystopian realm alongside urban surrealist artist Gregory Hergert whose paintings capture the hidden energy of city life turning everyday moments into dreamlike scenes. Artist David Cohen will feature black-and-white images with layers of symbolism embedded into the work. Glass artist Kate Saunders creates kiln-formed glass images, using a photoresist technique working her own photographs onto glass. Ceramicist Janet Maher’s whimsical ceramics inspired by myth and storytelling, evoke a time when ravens spoke with elk and mermaids swam alongside seals. John Kirk’s photographic creations weave dreamlike narratives through layered images, Gwen Kirk’s folk art paintings seamlessly blend reality and imagination and Patti Brendibach, brings her unique characters to life with felt sculpture.
An opening reception will be held on January 10, 2025, from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Visitors will have the chance to meet the artists, enjoy refreshments, and experience the surreal, imaginative worlds created in the Dreamscapes exhibition. Whether you’re an art enthusiast or new to the scene, Dreamscapes promises a visual experience.
Exhibition Hours: Wednesday through Sunday, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
For more information, please contact the Cannon Beach Gallery at 503-436-0744 or email info@cannonbeacharts.org. We are located in mid-town Cannon Beach at 1064 S Hemlock St, Cannon Beach, OR 97110. FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/cannonbeacharts
Clatsop Community College – Get College Ready
· If you are looking at going to college in the fall, now is the time to start the process. Interested students and their families are invited to Get College Ready on Wednesday, Jan. 15th at 5:30 p.m. The event will include scholarship presentations, FAFSA/ORSAA assistance and a college & community resource fair.

This event is free and open to the public, providing vital support for students planning for college, particularly those needing help with financial aid applications, scholarship opportunities, and interested in speaking with college and university admissions representatives.
In addition to Clatsop Community College, admissions representatives of several universities along with community resource organizations will be present to answer questions. For more information, please contact Amy Magnussen, Pre-College TRIO Director at amagnussen@clatsopcc.edu
Body of Missing Oregon King Tides Photographer Found
The body of a North Bend man who has been missing since December 15 was found Sunday morning, officials said.

Joseph Neill vanished after going to take pictures of the king tides, which surged that weekend along the Oregon coast. North Bend police, the Coos County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Coast Guard and a host of volunteers searched for him in the days and weeks afterward. His car was found near Jordan Point, across the bay from North Bend.
On 01/05/2025, around 9:25 AM, North Coos Dispatch received a call from the Clausen Oysters farm off North Bay Road of a possible deceased person found in Haynes Inlet during the ebb current (outgoing tide).
The deceased person was reportedly found to be on the southern beach area of Haynes Inlet, east of the bridge of Hwy-101 which is near the intersection of North Bay Rd, in North Bend.
Coos County Sheriff’s Office Deputies quickly responded, meeting with the reporting party and discovered the safest access to the scene would require a boat. With the help of the Clausen Oysters staff, they provided the Deputies with transportation to the scene utilizing one of their boats. Upon completion of the body recovery, the Chief Deputy Medical Examiner was requested to respond.
After further investigation, the decedent was identified as Joseph C. Neill.Mr. Neill had been missing since December 15th, 2024, when his personal items had been located on the railroad bridge which spans the Coos Bay at Jordan Point, approximately 1.5 miles west of where Mr. Neill was located.
North Bend Police Department was updated on the findings and Mr. Neill’s family has been notified.CCSO would like to thank the staff of Clausen Oysters for their assistance. The staff at Coos County Sheriff’s Office extends our deepest sympathies to the family and loved ones of Mr. Neill during this difficult time.
St. Helens High Choir Teacher Accused of Sexual Abuse Back in Custody
St. Helens High School choir teacher Eric Stearns is back in custody facing a new indictment with additional sex abuse charges after six additional alleged victims were identified, according to a Columbia County prosecutor. Stearns, 46, turned himself in Saturday afternoon to the Columbia County Jail after police showed up to his home earlier in the day when he wasn’t home.
The new 18-count indictment, filed in court Friday afternoon, alleges sexual abuse of 12 different people, starting
as far back as January 2015 and in some cases continuing through early this school year. He was placed on leave from his job in mid-November. He’s accused of touching students’ lips, necks, buttocks and chests, according to the indictment.
The 18-count indictment now charges Stearns with 13 counts of second-degree abuse, four counts of third-degree sexual abuse and one count of first-degree sexual abuse.
Landslide, Flooding Lead To Closures At Sunset Bay, Shore Acres & Cape Arago
Cape Arago and Shore Acres state parks are closed to vehicle traffic after a landslide undercut a portion of Cape Arago Highway just south of the Sunset Bay State Park on Friday, Jan. 3.

The storm also led to flooding at Sunset Bay State Park where the campground was evacuated around 8 a.m. The campground will remain closed possibly into next week. There were 19 campsites with reservations at the time of the evacuation.
The Sunset Bay day-use area is currently open but could close if flooding continues. Restroom buildings are closed, but portable toilets are currently available in the day-use area.
OPRD does not have an estimate on how long it will take to repair and reopen the Cape Arago Highway, but it could be closed for an extended period. Park staff will assess the damage after the storm subsides this weekend. The road slide is located between Sunset Bay and Shore Acres state parks.
Check the park webpages for any updates on closures or call the park office at 541-888-3778.
Thirty inmates have been released early from the Coos County Jail after budget constraints forced a reduction in capacity.
The jail’s bed count was cut from 98 to 49 after voters rejected Measure 6-217, which would have funded staff and operations through a tax levy. Released inmates faced charges ranging from misdemeanors to felony property crimes and parole violations. Officials say future releases are likely, prioritizing the detention of inmates with the most severe charges.
Gleneden Beach Community Club Events
Look what’s coming up soon at the Club…Bingo night, a Lunar New Year potluck (sign up at glenedenbeach.org) and education night with the Oregon Coast Therapy dogs. More events to come as space on the board allows, so keep watch!

Join Us for the Yachats Lions Club All-You-Can-Eat Crab Feed!
Bring your appetite and friends for a feast like no other! Our annual Crab Feed is back, offering a delicious meal and a wonderful community gathering. Saturday, January 25, 2025

Seating Times:12:30 PM @ Yachats Lions Hall
4:00 PM @ Yachats Lions Hall
4:00 PM @ Yachats Commons (Groups of 6+ only) Locations:
Yachats Lions Hall (344 W 4th St, Yachats, OR 97498)
Yachats Commons (4:00 PM seating for groups) What to Expect:
All-You-Can-Eat Dungeness Crab: Fresh and delicious, straight from local waters.
Tasty Sides: Baked beans, coleslaw, fresh bread, and soda included!
Great Atmosphere: A fun and lively event for crab lovers of all ages. Tickets: $45 per person. Seating is limited (100 at each Lions Hall seating; 140 at Yachats Commons), so reserve your spot early!
Reserve Your Spot: Visit yachatslionsclub.org/shop.
Sandbagging Stations in Lincoln County
Lincoln County residents have access to three self-serve, public sandbagging stations located in Yachats, Newport, and Lincoln City.

If you plan on using the self-serve sandbagging station, remember to bring a shovel. Hours: Mid-October through mid-April. You can access sand any time of day or night. Community members may gather up to 10 sandbags per household, per season. Full news releases, flyers, and social posts in English and Spanish are attached.
Oregon Coast National Wildlife Refuge Looking For Suspect in Sandstone Cliff Vandalism
Officials with the Oregon Coast National Wildlife Refuge are asking for the community’s help identifying the person or persons responsible for vandalizing a rock face recently.

According to the refuge, the names ‘Luke’ and ‘Niko’ were carved deep into a sandstone headland, which is located on public land. The refuge says the rock that was vandalized is on a section of beach between the cities of Gold Beach and Brookings.
Vandalism on public lands is illegal, and penalties include fines and jail time. Anyone with information or
knows who is responsible, is asked to contact the Oregon Coast National Wildlife Refuge by emailing oregoncoast@fws.gov.
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

Emergency Volunteer Corps of Nehalem Bay

Emergency Volunteer Corps of Nehalem Bay
Do you need a GoBag or GoBag supplies? Purchase supplies on the website and pick up items at the Pop-Up Shop. Pick up January 11, from 1:00-1:30 PM at the Manzanita Police Station — https://evcnb.org/events-and-training/gobag-popup-01112025

Final Wildfire Hazard Maps Now Available

SALEM, Ore.—The statewide maps of wildfire hazard zones and the wildland-urban interface are complete and final versions are now available on the Oregon Explorer website. Notifications are being mailed to impacted property owners and should be expected to arrive over the next several days.
The wildfire hazard map’s purposes are to:
- Educate Oregon residents and property owners about the level of hazard where they live.
- Assist in prioritizing fire adaptation and mitigation resources for the most vulnerable locations.
- Identify where defensible space standards and home hardening codes will apply.
The statewide wildfire hazard map designates all of Oregon’s 1.9 million property tax lots into one of three wildfire hazard zones: low, moderate or high. It also identifies whether a tax lot is within boundaries of the wildland-urban interface. Properties that are in both a high hazard zone and within the wildland-urban interface will be prioritized for future wildfire risk mitigation resources and actions.
To help protect these communities, future defensible space and home-hardening building codes may apply to properties with both designations. All properties with both designations are receiving a certified mail packet informing them of the designations, outlining their appeal rights and explaining the appeal process, and explaining what the designation might mean for them and their property.
“It’s a hefty packet of information that property owners will receive by certified mail,” said Tim Holschbach, Wildfire Hazard Map Lay Representative. “However, we want to ensure Oregonians get all the relevant information they need on their wildfire hazard exposure.”
Anyone that does not receive a packet but is still interested in learning about the wildfire hazard where they live can visit the Oregon Explorer website. A Property Owner’s Report is available for every Oregon tax lot and includes information about hazards and resources.
The road to completed maps has been a long one. After the initial wildfire map was released and rescinded in summer of 2022, ODF and OSU spent more than two years receiving and analyzing feedback to improve the product available today, including a recent public comment period.
Draft versions of the statewide wildfire hazard and wildland-urban interface maps were available to the public for review and comment from July 18 to August 18. ODF received nearly 2,000 comments from the public during the 30-day comment period.
After reviewing the comments on the draft maps, ODF identified one key theme that had not been previously addressed in prior adjustments to the map: neighbor-to-neighbor variation in hazard zones. In response, researchers took a closer look at those variations and their causes. OSU evaluated scientific methods to reduce neighbor-to-neighbor variations in hazard zone designations that were still in accordance with legislative rules directing development of the map.
This final adjustment is in addition to other revisions that have been made to the map over the last two years in response to feedback from elected officials, county governments and the public. Other updates to the map since 2022 include:
- Adjustments for hay and pasturelands.
- Adjustments for northwest Oregon forest fuels.
- Adjustments for certain irrigated agricultural fields.
- Corrections for verified anomalies identified by county planners.
“It’s important that the map is as objective and understandable as possible,” said Kyle Williams, Deputy Director of Fire Operations at ODF. “It took additional time to ensure community protection measures like home hardening and defensible space are prioritized in communities of highest wildfire hazard. It’s been time well spent, and we’re pleased with the diligence ODF staff and OSU researchers put into addressing input from all sources.”
In addition to feedback that resulted in changes to the map, there were two main themes of public input that will not be addressed by map adjustments: insurance and existing defensible space and fire hardening improvements.
Oregon Senate Bill 82 prohibits insurers in Oregon from using this map, or any statewide map, for making decisions on whether to extend coverage or determine rates. Oregon’s Division of Financial Regulation has investigated concerns and confirmed that even prior to passage of Senate Bill 82, no insurance company in Oregon has or will use these maps for insurance purposes. Additionally, some property owners shared a belief that their hazard rating should be lower due to implementation of defensible space strategies. By law, the map’s hazard assessments are based on weather, climate, topography and vegetation on a broader environmental scale than just an individual property. If a property owner has implemented appropriate defensible space already, there is likely nothing that a designation of high hazard and being within the wildland-urban interface will require of them when future code requirements are adopted. — Find more information on ODF’s wildfire hazard web page.
Oregonians’ health care could face more change than most states under the new federal administration, and Dr. Sejal Hathi, director of the state health authority, said officials are preparing to respond quickly as things happen
Oregon health care officials continue to brace themselves for policy and funding changes as incoming president Donald Trump gets ready to take office Jan. 20.
And though nothing has been proposed formally, the Oregon Health Authority has already started to prepare for a slew of potential changes, according to its director, Dr. Sejal Hathi.
“We conducted a tabletop exercise even before the election to identify the range of potential risks that a change in federal administration could pose,” she told The Lund Report recently.
The agency oversees free care to 1.4 million low-income Oregonians under the Oregon Health Plan, while also providing administration and support for care received by many other people in the state.
Of all state agencies, it’s likely facing the most immediate cuts and changes during Trump’s second term.
Not only that, but the state’s health care system could face more changes than in most states because of several Oregon-specific programs.
Hathi said the agency needs to be ready for anything, but “the reality is we don’t yet know what the next administration is going to bring.”
State officials and others tend to mull different responses to a new administration, she said, ranging between aggressive public “resistance” versus quietly safeguarding the work agencies are doing: “keep your head down. Don’t make noise.”
So far, Gov. Tina Kotek’s public statements suggest she’s charting a course in between. She’s said she’ll fight to preserve “Oregon values” against any partisan “attacks.”
Hathi stressed that it’s Kotek who will determine how Oregon responds to changes over the coming year.
Officials are readying for a range of possibilities — Within the health authority, Hathi’s office has set up an “incident management” structure similar to how agencies respond to severe weather or natural disasters. It will closely track proposed policies and executive orders, “and look at what we can do administratively as well as what might be required legislatively to counter any potential fallout for our programs” in terms of services and funding cuts, Hathi said.
Several areas where the new administration could make cuts or changes that disrupt the status quo in health care have drawn plenty of attention already:
- Though Trump waffled on abortion rights and eventually suggested the federal government should stay out of it, people continue to prepare for the worst.
- Trump’s campaign-trail attacks on youth transgender care could spawn federal efforts to eliminate or reduce coverage.
- Regarding immigration, the Trump campaign spoke of mass deportations and would likely also take steps affecting the six states, such as Oregon, that have extended coverage to people regardless of documentation.
Because of the unique nature of some of its programs, Oregon officials have to mull things on deeper level.
More than 1M Oregonians could face cuts, changes — The Oregon Health Plan draws the bulk of its funding from the federal Medicaid program, where there are cuts and changes being discussed.
So Oregon officials are watching for several possibilities that could affect the one in three Oregonians covered by the program:
- Federal bureaucrats could reconsider their support of Oregon-specific programs that fund housing for some people, and transition benefits for people who are being released from state prisons. As Hathi puts it, that could come in the form of “stringent evaluations” or budget “riders,” meaning restrictions on how federal money is spent.
- Possible misuse of data shared with the federal government on communicable diseases and care programs.
- Some Republicans in Washington, D.C. have urged more frequent Medicaid eligibility checks, potentially as frequent as every six months. That would threaten Oregon’s system of two-year eligibility intended to keep people from losing coverage because they missed a letter or made an error in their paperwork.
Oregon program could shield some while costing others — There’s also the question of what happens if, as expected, Republicans let enhanced health insurance subsidies expire. Established by Biden to respond to the pandemic, the subsidies have brought down health insurance premiums for individuals and families that buy their own coverage but are not on Medicare.
If the subsidies go away, analysts say people making too much for Medicaid but less than four times the poverty level will pay much more for insurance. And in Oregon, some people will pay even more than others in the country due to a new state program — while others will see their premiums go away entirely.
In Oregon the lower range of those incomes would be protected due to the state’s new “Bridge” plan, which offers coverage similar to the Oregon Health Plan and is intended to prevent as many as 20,000 people from losing coverage. It will provide free care to those who are not on the Oregon Health Plan but make less than two times the federal poverty level, or $51,640 for a family of three in 2024,
But because of how the new program intersects with the vagaries of federal law, Oregonians who make between two and four times federal poverty level — $103,280 for a family of three in 2024 — stand to see bigger increases than in other states over the next three years thanks to the new state program. One insurer’s analysis found that 20,000 Oregonians would see yearly increases of $900 or more. That would be on top of average premium hikes of 27%-67% or more due to the loss of federal subsidies.
Public health, communication a focus — The nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the vaccine skeptic who dropped his presidential candidacy after making a deal with Trump, has sparked concern for public health officials in many states — who are already dealing with a drop in vaccination rates many attribute to Trump’s first term. Meanwhile, diseases like whooping cough are on the rise.
Hathi said state officials are preparing for “misinformation and disinformation” and are looking to reactivate “trusted messenger networks” that the state used during the pandemic, using contracts with community-based organizations to disseminate information about “common sense, evidence-based public health interventions.”
And given all the potential changes, Hathi said the state is exploring other outreach, too: “We’re already starting to get questions from OHP members and others about whether or not their coverage may be curtailed or impacted,” she said. (This story was originally published by The Lund Report, an independent nonprofit health news organization based in Oregon.)
Why Egg Prices Are So High and Shortage in Oregon and Washington

For more than two years, farmers have fought a war with a fatal strain of hen flu that keeps disrupting U.S. egg supplies. At one factor, the lack sent the fee of a dozen regular eggs soaring to nearly $5. costs retreated quite, however, they continue to be volatile.
The modern-day consumer price index, or CPI, indicates that the price of eggs is up 37.5% from what it was a year ago. That’s an assessment of the trajectory of meal prices, which rose simply 2.4% within the past 12 months.
BLS facts tracking egg charges is going again as back to 1980, while big, Grade A eggs price $0.88 a dozen, not adjusted for inflation. Earlier than February 2022, the average value of a dozen had in large part stayed beneath $2 for the reason that March 2016. Then, the charge of eggs extra than doubled from the beginning of 2022 till hitting its height of $four.82 in line with a dozen in January 2023.
Significant rate increases or the outright unavailability of eggs “should genuinely have an impact on protein consumption, particularly for families and individuals,” stated Simon, a registered dietitian nutritionist who reveals humans throughout all socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds rely on eggs as a clean supply of protein.
A huge egg contains about 6 grams of protein in step with serving and might serve as a key supply of vitamins which includes diet D and choline. Given their refrigerated shelf existence of three to 5 weeks, Simon encourages people to shop for eggs while they’re available. (SOURCE)
More schools, community organizations sought for Summer Food Service Program
Grant funds of up to $20K are available to startup or expand summer meal programs serving children and teens
The Oregon Department of Education is seeking more schools, community organizations and tribes to participate in the Summer Food Service Program this summer to help ensure that children and teens receive the nutritious meals they need during the summer months. As an incentive, state grant funds are available up to $20,000 per sponsor to startup or expand summer meal programs.
Summer Food Service Program works to ensure children 18 and younger, who benefit from meal programs during the school year, continue to have that same access to nutritious meals when schools are closed, or students are unable to attend school in person.
“During the summer months, when school is not in session, children often lose vital access to school nutrition programs. Summer meal sites ensure that children continue to receive the nutrition they need to learn and grow,” ODE Summer Food Service Program Outreach Coordinator Cathy Brock said. “Expanding access to the program is an important step to close the hunger gap in all areas of the state. ODE’s Child Nutrition Program is reaching out to ensure that children continue to receive meals throughout the summer.”
Sponsoring organizations must enter into an agreement with ODE to operate the USDA Summer Food Service Program and are then reimbursed for serving healthy meals and snacks to children at approved sites. Sponsors may be approved to oversee and/or operate multiple sites.
Sites are places in the community where children receive meals in a safe and supervised environment. Sites may be located in a variety of settings, including schools, parks, community centers, health clinics, hospitals, libraries, migrant centers, apartment complexes and faith-based locations.
Apply — ODE has state grant funds available up to $20,000 to startup or expand summer meal programs. Eligible grant activities include the purchase of food service equipment, supplies for enrichment activities, and staff time to support and operate summer meal programs.
For questions about grant funds and more information about how your organization can become a Summer Food Service Program sponsor, please contact ODE’s Community Nutrition Team by email at ode.communitynutrition@ode.oregon.gov. The deadline to submit an eligibility assessment to become a Summer Food Service Sponsor is March 1, 2025.
Providence Nurse strike is set to start Friday morning if the contract impasse doesn’t end.

Providence Health will cap the number of patients at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center and perhaps Providence Medford Hospital, ahead of Friday’s planned strike by doctors, nurses, and other healthcare providers. The hospital will defer or reschedule procedures that require hospitalist support. Nearly five-thousand members of the Oregon Nurses Association plan to strike all eight hospitals and six clinics starting 6 o’clock Friday morning. Providence says it’ll cause longer delays in the emergency department and more instances where ambulances are diverted to other hospitals.
Oregon is just days away from what could be the largest health care workers strike in state history. For the first time, it would include nearly 5,000 health care workers in the Providence Health care system, including doctors, and has the potential to affect thousands of people who need medical care.
“It’s high stakes,” said Keith Cunningham-Parmeter, a Lewis & Clark Law School professor who specializes in labor issues. “Anything could happen, but typically, workers with leverage will exercise that leverage, and the pressure’s going to keep boiling until somebody gives.”
Cunningham-Parmeter said the fact that doctors are now part of a union and willing to strike to improve working conditions and patient care is a really big change.
“They used to be that sort of identity of noble caregiver, and I think more and more doctors are seeing themselves as just another cog in a bloated health care system — and these doctors have said ‘enough,’” he explained.
“The term ‘burnout’ was first used in the 1970s, so we’ve known about this for about 50 years or so,” added Carolyn Zook, a Lewis & Clark Law School health studies instructor. “I think we’re really at a pinch point where physicians and nurses and other health care providers are saying, ‘You have to listen to us.’ They have the patients’ best interest in mind.”
But a strike this size would have a huge impact — at least in the short term — on people expecting medical care in the Providence system. On Monday, Providence warned the Oregon Health Authority that it will create a “significant risk” for health care in Oregon because bringing in replacement doctors is hard to do.
This comes after insurance company Aetna and Providence failed to reach a new contract agreement before the Jan. 1 deadline.
Carolyn Zook, who has a lot of experience in the state’s health care world, agreed that the risk is high.
“Yeah, it’s really going to have an impact on the patients and patient care,” she said, but added that there are steps patients can do now to prepare for a strike to come, such as to start thinking about checking your insurance now before there’s a true emergency — maybe checking if there are urgent care facilities nearby that are covered by your insurance.
The largest impact will be on the Providence St. Vincent Medical Center campus, Providence said Monday, also announcing that the hospital system will start capping the number of patients admitted to Providence St. Vincent. There will also be an impact communitywide on obstetric services at St. Vincent and Providence Women’s Clinics.
Zook said if you have appointments or procedures set with Providence, call in and ask questions. If it is not urgent, you may reset for later, or maybe your insurance will let you go elsewhere, depending on your situation.
But Zook said one thing Oregonians can all do is be informed and try to stay healthy, following “standard public health practices, like washing our hands, staying home if we’re not feeling well, if we’re able to.”
Of course, there is still time to settle before a strike, and Cunningham-Parmeter, who has seen a lot of negotiations, thinks it’s more likely that they will.
“I think that it might reach the 11th hour, but there’s just too much at stake both for the doctors and the hospitals,” Cunningham-Parmeter said.
If the Providence strike takes place, it would be the second strike of its magnitude to occur within a year after June’s strike, which involved more than 3,000 nurses at six Providence hospitals in Oregon. This time, affected locations include:
- Providence Portland Medical Center
- Providence Seaside Hospital
- Providence St. Vincent Medical Center
- Providence Women’s Clinic
- Providence Milwaukie Hospital
- Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center
- Providence Medford Medical Center
- Providence Newberg Medical Center
- Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital
The Providence strike and Aetna rift comes after Salem Health became out-of-network for Regence members, as of Jan. 1, 2025, when both sides were unable to agree on a new contract for 2025. (SOURCE)
Oregon Health Authority Issues Warning After 2 Children Die From Flu
The Oregon Health Authority released concerning stats on this flu season, including multiple deaths and hundreds of hospitalizations. Officials are now urging people to protect themselves.
The new report reveals that two children died in Portland from the flu in December, and hundreds of others were hospitalized.
Nearly 500 people in three counties – Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington – were hospitalized for the flu this season, which is over three times more than hospitalizations last year.
“We’ve seen our pertussis vaccination rates slip over the past few years. It hasn’t been huge, but it’s definitely down. As you probably know, we would like 100% of people to be vaccinated,” said Dr. Paul Cieslak, medical director for communicable diseases and immunizations at OHA’s Public Health Division. The data shows that fewer and fewer people are getting flu shots. The exact number is down 4% from last year and it has been steadily dropping since 2022.
BLM Approves Updated Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument Plan
Medford, Ore.—The Bureau of Land Management today issued its approved resource management plan and Record of Decision for the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, which will guide management of the monument’s 113,500 acres in southwestern Oregon to protect its biodiversity and important historic resources while providing for public access and recreational opportunities.
Cascade Siskiyou National Monument was established by Presidential Proclamation 7318 in 2000 and expanded through Presidential Proclamation 9564 in 2017. The area provides habitat for an array of rare plant and animal species across its three ecoregions (Cascade, Klamath, and Siskyou), including ancient sugar and ponderosa pine, rock buckwheat, tall bugbane, the threatened northern spotted owl, endangered gray wolves, Lost River sucker, and more. Native American occupancy of the area dates back thousands of years and the monument is home to exceptional natural features, including Pilot Rock.
The BLM is responsible for managing the monument’s natural resources and the integrity of its diverse ecosystems, as well as preserving its cultural and historical legacy for the benefit of all Americans. Currently operating under three separate plans, the BLM’s new consolidated plan will ensure more consistent management of the entire monument.
The plan, which incorporates public input received through a 90-day public comment period and multiple public meetings, uses the best available science to protect the monument’s objects of scientific and historic interest. The BLM received nearly 4,000 comments during the comment period on the draft plan.
You can find the BLM’s Record of Decision, approved resource management plan, and other related planning documents at the BLM National NEPA Register.
-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.
Changes make it easier to claim tax benefits when saving for your first home
Salem, OR— Aspiring homeowners looking to take their first steps into the real estate market now have greater access to a key tool that can help make their dreams of home ownership more affordable.
Legislative changes to the state’s First-Time Home Buyer Savings Account program last year make it easier than ever to reap tax benefits while saving for a home. First-time home buyers can now open accounts at any financial institution, and friends or family will be able to open an account to help someone else.
Individual First-Time Home Buyer Savings Account holders will be able to subtract up to $6,125 of their 2025 deposits and earnings from their Oregon income when they file their tax year 2025 return in 2026. Joint filers will be able to subtract up to $12,245. To qualify, the account holder or beneficiary can’t have owned or purchased a residence in the three years prior to the date of their planned purchase.
Account holders qualify for a cumulative tax subtraction of as much as $50,000 over a decade, and deposited funds can be used for costs such as down payments, insurance, commissions and other closing costs.
Account holders can designate an account and a beneficiary, if applicable, using Form OR-HOME, which can be found in the agency Forms and Publications Library.
To get tax forms, check the status of your refund, or make tax payments, visit www.oregon.gov/dor or email questions.dor@oregon.gov. You also can call 800-356-4222 toll-free from an Oregon prefix (English or Spanish) or 503-378-4988 in Salem and outside Oregon. For TTY (hearing- or speech-impaired), we accept all relay calls.
Braga Fresh Issues Voluntary and Precautionary Advisory Due to Possible Health Risk – 12-ounce bags if Market Broccoli Florets
Braga Fresh is voluntarily issuing a precautionary advisory of a single production lot of washed and ready-to-eat 12oz Marketside Broccoli Florets with best if used by date Dec 10, 2024.
This product is past its best if used by date and is no longer in stores, but consumers may have frozen the item for later use. Consumers who have this product in their freezers should not consume and discard the product.
This advisory is being initiated due to possibility of contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The potential for contamination was discovered during random sampling by Texas Health & Human Services from a Texas store location where one of multiple samples yielded a positive test result.
To date, no illnesses have been reported in connection with this product.
Listeria monocytogenes is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria monocytogenes infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.
The specific product involved are 12oz bags of Marketside Broccoli Florets sold at Walmart stores identified by having a UPC code 6 81131 32884 5 on back of bag, with Best if Used by Date Dec 10, 2024, and Lot Code: BFFG327A6 on front of bag. All potentially affected products are past their expiration date and no longer for sale. This voluntary advisory does not apply to any other Marketside or Braga Fresh produced products.
Consumers who have this product in their possession should not consume and discard the product. The only products involved in this advisory can be identified with the following details:
Marketside Broccoli Florets 12oz Bag
Store: | Walmart |
---|---|
Distributed to select stores in: | AK, AR, AZ, CA, CO, ID, IL, IN, KY, LA, MI, MT, NV, OH, OK, OR, TX, UT, WA, WY |
Product UPC Code: | 6 81131 32884 5 |
Lot Code: | BFFG327A6 |
Best If Used by Date: | Dec 10, 2024 |
Pack Size & Packaging: | 12-ounce, bag |
Consumers: with additional questions may contact 877-456-7445: Monday to Friday, 8 am to 4 pm PST or email WeCare@bragafresh.com.
You’ll need a Real ID to fly domestically, starting in May of 2025, that’s unless you have a passport or enhanced driver’s license issued by several states.

The deadline is May 7, 2025, but you probably don’t want to wait until the last minute to get your Real ID. You can apply for your Real ID driver’s license or ID card through your local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
Real IDs are marked with a star on the top of the card. Real IDs will also be needed to access certain federal facilities. Congress mandated the real IDs in 2005 on the recommendation of the 9/11 Commission.
Media contest invites Oregon high school students to promote young worker safety; entries due Feb. 21, 2025

Salem – High school students across Oregon are encouraged to put their video or graphic design skills on display by competing for cash prizes as part of a larger cause: increasing awareness about workplace safety and health for young workers.
The 2025 media contest, organized by the Oregon Young Employee Safety (O[yes]) Coalition, calls on participants to create an ad – through a compelling graphic design or video – that grabs their peers’ attention and convinces them to take the Young Employee Safety Awareness online training.
Participants get to choose the key message, theme, or tagline they believe will go furthest in capturing their audience and moving it to act. The target audience? Teen workers or teens who are preparing to work for the first time. The contest is now open for submissions. To compete, participants may submit either a graphic design or a video that is no more than 90 seconds in length.
Participants are expected to choose their key message, theme, or tagline in a wise and positive manner, including constructive and effective messages and language.
The top three entries in each of the two media categories will take home cash prizes ranging from $300 to $500. In each category, the first-place winner’s school, club, or organization will receive a matching award. Moreover, O[yes] will use the best of the submissions as ads in its ongoing efforts to improve on-the-job safety and health protections for teens.
While they carry out their projects, participants must ensure the health and safety of their team. No one should be endangered while creating their video or graphic design project.
The deadline for submissions is 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, 2025.
Participants are encouraged to submit entries online. Submissions may also be mailed on a USB thumb drive or delivered in person.
For more information about the entry form and rules, contest expectations, and resources – including previous contest winners – visit the O[yes] online contest page.
The contest sponsors are local Oregon chapters of the American Society of Safety Professionals, Construction Safety Summit, Central Oregon Safety & Health Association, Hoffman Construction Company, Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), Oregon OSHA, SafeBuild Alliance, SAIF Corporation, and the Oregon Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) Alliance.
### About Oregon OSHA: Oregon OSHA enforces the state’s workplace safety and health rules and works to improve workplace safety and health for all Oregon workers. The division is part of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, Oregon’s largest consumer protection and business regulatory agency. Visit osha.oregon.gov and dcbs.oregon.gov.
About the Oregon Young Employee Safety Coalition (O[yes]): (O[yes]) is a nonprofit dedicated to preventing young worker injuries and fatalities. O[yes] members include safety and health professionals, educators, employers, labor and trade associations, and regulators. Visit youngemployeesafety.org.
https://www.oregon.gov/osp/missing/pages/missingpersons.aspx
Oregon’s Missing Persons
Many times you’ll see postings without case numbers or police contact. There is rarely a nefarious reason why (the nefarious ones are pretty obvious). Usually the loved one tried to call to report their missing person and they are either refused or told to wait a day or two by people who are unaware of SB 351 and the laws that they are bound to when answering the phone. Many people don’t bother calling LE if their loved one is homeless or in transition because they believe LE won’t care. The biggest myth is the 24 hour rule.
In Oregon we don’t have those rules and an officer or person answering the phone is not allowed to decide. The law decides. We have Senate Bill 351 and it states that the police CANNOT refuse a request for any reason and they must begin working on it within 12 hours. The person making the report does not have to be related to missing person either.
Here is SB 351 written by families of the missing here in Oregon in conjunction with Oregon law enforcement officers. This should be common knowledge, please make it this way. https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/…/SB351/Introduced



Contact us: Info@OregonBeachMagazine.com