Oregon Beach News, Wednesday 11/1 – Seaside Pumpkin Drop, Gray Whales Visit Cove & Other Local and Statewide News…

Portland Teachers Go On Strike

Public schools in Portland, Oregon, will be closed Wednesday as teachers go on strike with no agreement reached between their union and the school district on a new contract.

“It’s official: We are on strike to ensure the district meets our demands so that every Portland student can attend a great public school,” the Portland Association of Teachers said in a Facebook post Tuesday.

Portland Public Schools – one of the largest school districts in the Pacific Northwest – has more than 49,000 students across its 81 schools, according to the district’s website. The union represents more than 4,000 certified educators in the district, according to its Facebook page.

The teachers in Portland are headed to the picket lines after months of negotiations with the district for a new three-year contract.

The top issues include compensation, student discipline, class size and the use of school resources to provide housing for students experiencing homelessness, according to Portland Public Schools.

Among the points of contentionis the union’s request for a 23% cost-of-living increase over the next three years, according to the district, which is countering with a cumulative 10.9% cost-of-living increase over the same period.

“Educators deserve salaries and benefits that mean they can afford to live in the neighborhoods where they and their students live,” the union said on its website.

A representative said the union received a proposal Tuesday that did not meet its expectations.

“We were told to expect a proposal from the district this afternoon and we had fairly low expectations for this,” the representative said in a video statement posted on Facebook. “And unfortunately, the district’s proposal didn’t even live up to our low expectations.”

The district has not responded on the strike, but posted that it will update families on Wednesday evening on whether schools will reopen or remain closed Thursday.

New Bodycam Footage Released Shows Police Standoff with Accused Oregon Kidnapper

Newly released footage from the Nevada Highway Patrol shows the arrest of Negasi Zuberi, who is accused of holding a woman captive in a cinderblock cell. https://www.kgw.com/video/news/crime/bodycam-footage-police-standoff-oregon-kidnapper-negasi-zuberi-seattle/283-4a974460-bd6d-4911-a2b9-a0dab0846f4f

The trial for a Klamath Falls man accused of kidnapping a woman and locking her inside a makeshift cell will start in December.

Negasi Zuberi’s original trial date was set for 10/17/2023 , but it has since been delayed because his attorney asked for a continuance, Zuberi faces charges of felony kidnapping and transporting a woman with sexual intent from Seattle to his home in Klamath Falls. The new trial date is set for December 12 at 9am

Bat from Butte Falls wins nationwide Bat Beauty Contest

 Your local Oregon bats won the annual Bureau of Land Management Bat Beauty Contest for the second year in a row!

William ShakespEAR, a Townsend’s big-eared bat from Butte Falls, took home the crown on the afternoon of October 31, 2023. During the final round, she beat out Gizmo, an Allen’s Big-Eared Bat.

William was photographed by Emma Busk, BLM wildlife technician, while Gizmo was photographed by Dillon Metcalfe from Bat Conservation International.

Each October, the BLM hosts a beauty contest to find the most stunning bat photographed on BLM public lands across the county. The event begins on October 24 and ends on Halloween. It also coincides with International Bat Week to raise awareness about bat conservation and their essential role in the natural world.

Last year, the BLM named Barbara, a canyon bat from Lake County, the 2022 Bat Beauty Contest Winner. Barbara was photographed by Kate Yates, BLM wildlife biologist.

Busk photographed William last year while monitoring a Townsend’s big-eared maternity colony.

“William is actually a female!” said Emma. “Townsend’s big-eared bats form maternity colonies in the spring before they have their pups. Unlike other bats in Oregon, Townsend’s big-eared bats have very specialized habitat requirements. They need open space where they can roost in caves. Not disturbing bats when they’re hibernating is really important and will help keep Townsend’s big-eared bats healthy and thriving.”

Townsend’s big-eared bats can be found throughout Oregon and Washington and are very vulnerable to human disturbance. Their numbers are declining, causing the species to be named an Oregon Conservation Strategy Species.

In an effort to help, BLM wildlife biologists perform regular checks on Oregon caves to keep an eye on bat populations and monitor for symptoms of white-nose syndrome, which can kill hibernating bats.

“It’s important that we fact check what we think we know about bats,” said Busk. “There are a lot of myths around bats, but they’re amazing wildlife and they contribute so much to our ecosystem.”

Bats play an essential role in Oregon. All bats in the Pacific Northwest are insectivorous, meaning they rid our world of pests like mosquitos, beetles, and moths. Just one bat can eat up to 1,200 mosquitoes in an hour!

Want to do your part? As we head into winter, avoid exploring mines and caves where bats may be hibernating.

“In your own backyard, you can have a bat house!” said Emma. “It’s a shelter that helps protect bats during the winter. You can also make your garden more bat friendly by planting native flowers to attract insects and turning off any unnecessary lights. Light pollution is not great for bats.”

Want to get involved next year? Follow the Bureau of Land Management Oregon/Washington on Facebook (@BLMOregonAndWashington) or Instagram (@BLMOregonWashington). 

-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.

Ashland Halloween!

The long tradition where all of downtown Ashland is filled with thousands of Halloween revelers.

Officials behind a new $1 billion hydrogen hub in the Northwest are now wading into discussions to shape the project.

Leaders from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations and representatives from the Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Association, a consortium of private and public entities behind the region’s hydrogen hub, held their first public meeting over Zoom on Monday night. They shared details about potential job and community benefits, discussed potential hydrogen production facility locations and talked about potential partners and companies that might use the hydrogen power.

The meeting came about two weeks after the Biden administration announced it was awarding $7 billion to seven hydrogen hubs across the country, with each receiving $1 billion. The move is part of a nationwide effort to begin producing massive amounts of hydrogen energy to decarbonize hard-to-electrify sectors and cut the country’s climate-warming greenhouse gas emissions. The administration has set a goal of net zero emissions by 2050.

The Northwest hub , which includes Oregon, Montana and Washington, is slated to be home to eight “nodes,” where hydrogen is produced, each with “downstream projects” where the hydrogen will be transferred for use nearby or across the region. One facility will be in St. Regis, Montana near the Idaho border, three are slated for Oregon and four for Washington.

In Oregon, one node is likely to be near Portland, one near Boardman and one near Baker City. Jaclyn Perez with the Washington State Department of Commerce said Oregon’s nodes will involve partnerships with the companies NovoHydrogen, Mitsubishi Power, Williams and Portland General Electric, or PGE. The regional hub could spur anywhere from 10,000 to 70,000 jobs, according to officials at the meeting.

The Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Hub could be home to eight hydrogen production facilities supporting the growth of green fertilizer, fuel and energy storage industries. (Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Association)

The Northwest hub will produce hydrogen entirely from water and electricity, using a process called electrolysis. If the electricity is powered by wind or solar energy, the hydrogen is essentially “green hydrogen” or emissions free.

What is ‘green hydrogen?’ – Green hydrogen starts with water, which is made up of hydrogen and oxygen. Using a device called an electrolyzer, an electric current is passed through the water, causing a reaction that splits the hydrogen and oxygen from one another. The hydrogen is captured and stored. The production process requires a lot of electricity. But as long as that electricity comes from a renewable source, such as wind or solar power, the hydrogen is “green” and carbon neutral. Hydrogen emits no carbon dioxide or greenhouse gases, just water.

But questions remain about where the large quantities of water and renewable electricity to fuel the hydrogen production would come from. Officials from the Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Association and from the Washington commerce department would not provide details about whether the bulk of water or electricity will come from the Columbia River, its tributaries or the rivers’ dams.

Negotiations over Northwest hydrogen production projects began in earnest this week, Perez said, and should be complete in early 2024.

Each facility and the related downstream projects that are approved by hub leaders and the U.S. Department of Energy will have to demonstrate environmental, social and economic benefits for people living around them, officials said at Monday’s meeting.

“We’re dedicated to ensuring the benefits of these hubs flow directly to impacted communities,” said Suzy Baker, head of engagement for the hubs at the federal energy department. “This represents a stark break from the legacy of underinvestment and environmental pollution of past energy infrastructure buildouts.”

To reach the 2050 goal, the U.S. will need to produce at least 10 million metric tons of clean hydrogen, according to the federal energy agency. The seven hydrogen hubs could eventually produce about one-third of that, and reduce emissions of carbon dioxide by about 25 million metric tons each year, equivalent to taking about 5.5 million gas-fueled cars off of roads each year.

The Northwest hub alone is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1.65 million metric tons per year, the equivalent of taking more than 366,000 gas-fueled cars off roads each year.

According to the federal energy agency, the Northwest hub could produce more than 8,000 temporary construction jobs and more than 300 permanent ones.

Kate McAteer, vice chancellor of academic and student affairs at Washington State University, said Monday she is hopeful the hub will sustain up to 70,000 regional jobs. The university partnered with Washington and Oregon leaders and the Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Association to go after federal funding for the Northwest hub.

“Our plan is to build a coalition of educational programs and target everything from pre-apprenticeship to apprenticeship to colleges, universities – two-year and four-year programs – to really develop and sustain what we would call an enduring hydrogen workforce,” McAteer said.

Regional hub leaders have identified 200 groups they will possibly work with on their plans along with 28 unions and five regional tribal nations, according to Baker from the federal energy agency. The federal government’s $7 billion investment in the hubs over the next few years could bring in up to $50 billion in investments to local communities, she said.

Cleaner energy — The primary end uses for green, Northwest hydrogen are likely to be large-scale energy storage facilities, fertilizer production, fuel for heavy duty trucks and gas refineries. The largest demand for hydrogen currently in the U.S. is for refining fossil fuels, treating metals and producing ammonia for fertilizers.

Other potential uses of green Northwest hydrogen could include providing fuel for future hydrogen planes, ships and buses, according to the federal energy department.

Hydrogen power lasts twice as long as gasoline, takes up half as much space and is lighter than a lithium battery. Hydrogen fuel cells don’t require time-consuming charges and can withstand cold weather that can eat up electric battery power.

Baker said the Northwest hub will add to a growing partnership among the U.S., Mexico and Canada to develop a North American hydrogen supply chain and a West Coast Truck Charging and Fueling Corridor along 1,400 miles of Interstate 5. This would improve air quality for people living along the major transit corridors, Baker said. Heavy trucks powered by gas are key sources of nitrous oxide emissions, which are unhealthy to breathe over long periods.

Critics have raised questions about whether the Northwest hub will produce hydrogen energy that’s blended with natural gas and allowed to flow to homes for cooking and heating, which would prop up the natural gas industry. Natural gas is 80% methane, a potent greenhouse gas that many environmentalists say should be phased out.

Chris Green, assistant director of Washington’s Office of Economic Development and Competitiveness, said homes are not likely to use the energy.

“From a policy standpoint, for Washington state, I speak on behalf of our governor and our state, we don’t see hydrogen as a home heating source as the most adequate or appropriate use,” he said.

Green said the hub is focused on emissions reductions not profits. “The point of this for us is not just to produce as much as you can possibly produce so you can make money off of it,” he said. “I think a more deliberate approach is to make the correct amount of hydrogen that is needed for decarbonization.” (SOURCE)

Southern Oregon Dam Operators Now Face Water Pollution Fines on Top of Millions for Fish Kills

The operators of Winchester Dam in Oregon face more than $134,000 in fines for water violations on top of $27.6 million for killing lamprey

The operators of a southern Oregon dam and the company that repaired it face additional fines for violating state permits and polluting the North Umpqua River near Roseburg.

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality fined the Winchester Water Control District and the foundation repair company TerraFirma on Thursday more than $134,000 for violating a key state water permit and water quality laws while repairs were underway on the Winchester Dam in August and September. 

The agency said the water district and company allowed concrete to spill into the river, placed unpermitted mats made of heavy truck tires in the river, potentially polluting it, and failed to provide safe passage for migrating fish. 

The North Umpqua is home to endangered and threatened salmon and home to lamprey significant to the nearby Cow Creek Band of the Umpqua Tribe of Indians. The Winchester Dam is also upriver from a key drinking water source for the city of Roseburg and the Umpqua Basin Water Association. 

The latest fines come on top of a near-record fine from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife for $27.6 million for causing the preventable deaths of more than half a million juvenile lamprey. The department alleged the company and the water district poorly executed a fish salvage plan when they drew down a reservoir, ultimately leaving the lamprey exposed and dying for days.

Ryan Beckley is owner and president of TerraFirma and president of the Winchester Water Control District. He is named in the penalties from the environmental and wildlife agencies, and told the Capital Chronicle via email that he plans to appeal the fines. 

The latest fines from state environmental officials were split into two separate penalties. One, for $106,778, is for at least 10 violations of a state water permit. These include failure to control erosion and sediment, failure to maintain fish passage, exceeding the permitted amount of time to work in the water, spilling concrete into the river and failure to report that spillage.

The other fine, for $27,600,000 is for allowing uncured concrete – concrete not left to set for 24 hours or more – into the river and for using heavy-duty tire mats to make a temporary access road and platform in the river, potentially leaching chemicals and microplastics into the water. Despite environmental officials demanding the mats be removed, water district employees and contractors continued to use them for weeks. DEQ characterized this conduct as “flagrant” and “unlawful.”

The bulk of the latest violations are Class I, the state’s worst violation classification, but rated “moderate” for the magnitude of impact. 

Winchester dam — The Winchester Dam was built in 1890 and is made of wood and cement. A former hydropower dam owned by PacifiCorp, it was given for free to more than 100 residents in the late 1960s to enjoy the 1.7-mile-long reservoir as a private lake. Residents are members of the water district, which is responsible for maintenance.

But repairs in recent years have gone awry, including an emergency fish salvage in 2013 and fines in 2018 when concrete got into the water during repairs. 

The latest problems have ignited a renewed sense of urgency among environmental groups that have long wanted the dam removed. Doing so would reconnect 160 miles of North Umpqua River and allow unimpeded movement for native migratory fish. (SOURCE)

ODHS and OHA encourage members to protect their OHP benefits

The large number of OHP renewals, along with renewals of long-term services and supports, may cause greater wait times, delays, and possible interruptions to people’s OHP benefits. OHP members are encouraged to respond as quickly as possible after they receive a request for information to avoid any possible delays. The fastest way members can provide an update is by going to benefits.oregon.gov and logging into their ONE online account. 

Members can visit KeepCovered.Oregon.gov to learn:

• What to do to protect their medical benefits
• Where to get help renewing their benefits
• How to provide updates when it’s time to renew
• How to explore health coverage options through a job, Medicare or the Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace if they no longer qualify for OHP

Community partners and providers can find resources to support members through the unwinding process at KeepCoveredPartners.Oregon.gov.

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) are committed to transparency and will continue to send monthly information about medical coverage among Oregonians as the agencies continue to track the programs.

Emergency visits for winter hazards tracked with new OHA dashboard

Interactive graphs offer data on carbon monoxide exposures, falls on slippery surfaces, and asthma-like and cold weather-related illnesses

In June, Oregon Health Authority (OHA) launched data dashboards to help people track common summer-related hazards such as heat-related illnesses and wildfire smoke exposure. Now, winter-related hazards, such as frostbite, wood stove-induced asthma and ice-triggered falls, have their own interactive dashboards.

Yesterday, OHA’s Acute and Communicable Disease Prevention section published the Oregon ESSENCE Winter Hazard Report dashboard. It provides data on daily reports to Oregon emergency departments and urgent care center visits for four injury and illness categories:

• Asthma-like illness due to poor air quality, smoke from wood stoves and air inversions.
• Cold weather-related illnesses, such as hypothermia and frostbite.
• Carbon monoxide exposure from portable gas-powered generators used indoors, and defective furnaces.
• Falls due to slippery surfaces, such as icy or snowy sidewalks and driveways.

“ESSENCE data help OHA and its local public health and community partners understand the health effects of winter hazards, including extreme weather and other emergencies,” said Tom Jeanne, M.D., M.P.H., deputy state health officer and epidemiologist at OHA. “These data show us what causes people to seek emergency medical care during the winter, which then drives our messaging and resources.”

The data come from reports to the Oregon ESSENCE database. ESSENCE – Electronic Surveillance System for the Early Notification of Community-Based Epidemics – allows public health officials and hospitals to monitor, in real time, what is happening in emergency departments and urgent care centers across the state before, during and after a public health emergency.

Users of the winter hazards dashboards can hover their cursor over a section of the interactive graphs in each category to view the number of emergency department or urgent care clinic visits by date in a given year. Users can also select data sets by year, going back to the winter of 2018-2019. The dashboard page under each tab also contains a description of the injury or illness, the groups most at risk, and how it can be treated or prevented.

The dashboard will be updated weekly through the winter.

Oregon Drivers Reminded to Watch for Migrating Wildlife

Oregon wildlife and transportation officials are reminding drivers that it’s migration season for elk and deer. That leads to increased reports of vehicle collisions in October and November because the animals are more likely to cross the roads.

Fewer daylight hours and rainy weather, reducing driver visibility, don’t help.

The Oregon Department of Transportation says its crews collect about 6,000 deer carcasses each year after deer are struck and killed by vehicles. That doesn’t include the ones who are able to walk away from the scene and die or that die on city, county and private roads.

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife says research with GPS-collars shows mule deer will follow their migratory route no matter how many roads or other obstacles get put in the way.

Here are some tips from ODOT and ODFW to avoid wildlife collisions:

• Animal crossings signs are placed in known crossing hotspots. Be on the lookout when you see one.
• Be alert in areas with dense vegetation along the road or while going around curves. Wildlife near the road may be hard to see.
• If you see one animal, stay alert because others are likely nearby.
• If you see an animal on or near the road, slow down and stay in your lane. Many serious crashes are the result of drivers losing control when they swerve.
• Always wear your seat belt. Even a minor collision could result in serious injuries.
• This is also the time of year when the most road killed deer and elk are salvaged for meat. If you hit a deer or elk (or see one that is struck) don’t forget, you must fill out a free permit and turn the head in within five days so ODFW can test for Chronic Wasting Disease. More info can be found here.

The state has added wildlife undercrossings in an effort to give animals as safe way get across highways. One was built last year under Highway 97 at Vandevert Road near Sunriver.

Employment Related Day Care program opens waitlist for most families applying after November 3 – Eligible families are encouraged to apply now

The Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) reminds families that the Employment Related Day Care (ERDC) program will open a waitlist next week. The ERDC program helps families pay for child care through state and federal funds. The ERDC waitlist, announced last month, will open after an unprecedented increase in demand and limited available funding. Families should apply by November 3, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. if they think they may be eligible.

 “We want to be sure families have had ample opportunity to apply for ERDC before the program opens a waitlist. We also want families to know there are other affordable child care programs they may qualify for,” said Alyssa Chatterjee, Director of DELC. “The good news is that the increase in ERDC enrollment means the recent changes to the program allow it to work better for families. We will continue working with the Legislature to identify more funding to support the program.”

 Here is what families need to know:

• Families currently receiving ERDC will continue to receive benefits as usual after November 3, 2023.
• Families earning up to 200% of the federal poverty level (e.g., up to $5,000 per month for a family of four) may be eligible for ERDC and are encouraged to apply right away.
• Families can apply in the following ways:
  • Go to Benefits.Oregon.gov
  • Visit or call their local office
  • Dial 1-800-699-9075
• Families can text the word “children” to 898211 or call 211 if they need help finding their local office or figuring out how to apply to ERDC.
• Some families outlined in Oregon rule can skip the waitlist:
  • Families recently or currently receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Temporary Assistance for Domestic Violence Survivors (TA-DVS) 
  • Families referred by the Child Welfare division of the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS)
  • Families reapplying for ERDC within two months of benefits ending.
• After November 3, 2023, families applying for ERDC that do not meet an exemption above will be placed on a waitlist. DELC will regularly follow up with families on the waitlist to provide updates.
• The waitlist is likely to be in place for at least 18 months, depending on the level of investment and the rate at which families leave the program.
• Families who need support paying for child care after November 3, 2023 are encouraged to reach out to 211 or their local Early Learning Hub to learn more about programs such as Preschool Promise and Oregon Prenatal to Kindergarten.

Once more funding becomes available and enrollment drops to a sustainable level, families will be selected from the waitlist based on the date they were added. The first to apply will be the first selected for eligibility screening and potential enrollment. Once a family is selected from the waitlist, they will receive a notice inviting them to apply for ERDC within 45 days. — Go to Oregon.gov/DELC/ERDC to learn more.

Salem Man Shoots Woman, Kills Self

Salem, Ore. — At approximately 10:40 a.m. Tuesday, Salem Police officers responded to the 1300 block of Vista AV SE on the call of a man driving his truck into a residence, then shooting a woman inside the home. The suspect fled the scene. The woman was transported to Salem Health with critical injuries.

Officers learned of a possible threat to the victim’s children who attend Morningside Elementary School near the residence. Out of an abundance of caution, security measures at the school were implemented, including putting the school on lockdown status and deploying officers to the campus to ensure the safety of students and staff.

A description of the suspect and vehicle was dispatched to area law enforcement agencies. At approximately 11:15 a.m., the suspect was located traveling eastbound on Highway 22E by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office who were able to get the vehicle stopped just outside the city limits of Detroit. 

Deputies approached the vehicle and learned the suspect was deceased from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Both scenes, in Salem and on Highway 22E, are under active investigation, and no further details, including information about the victim or the decedent, are being released at this time.

Highway 22E outside the city of Detroit remains closed in both directions. Please follow Oregon State Police media channels for updates on the closure.

Audit Reveals Lack of Response to Domestic Violence in Oregon

An audit released Tuesday by the Oregon Secretary of State’s office reveals a lack of response to domestic violence and suggests lawmakers develop a better approach and release barriers to funding services.

According to the audit , domestic violence — which the state defines as interpersonal, family, and intimate partner violence that can include physical, mental, and emotional abuse — is “widespread” in Oregon.

The audit comes as more than one-third of adults in Oregon will experience domestic violence in their lifetimes, according to the Oregon Secretary of State’s office.

The audit also cites data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , which shows from 2009-2019, Oregon’s 393 fatal domestic violence incidents resulted in 532 deaths.

The audit found there are several barriers that can impact whether a domestic violence victim or survivor receives support. For example, the audit says victims may not seek help as they may face stigma, isolation, transportation, or childcare barriers. The audit also states that a lack of housing is a “principal reason” victims and survivors feel they cannot leave.

Additionally, the report found barriers within state agencies that provide services for victims and survivors of domestic violence. According to the audit, resource providers may not have the capacity to serve victims and say agencies face issues with retaining staff — citing low pay and burn-out among employees.

Next, the audit reported that “available domestic violence services do not meet existing needs.” According to the Secretary of State’s office, little financial help goes directly to domestic violence victims. Officials also note that grant funding requirements can be a barrier to addressing community needs.

Oregon also lacks central leadership when it comes to addressing domestic violence, the audit says. While providers and state agencies collaborate, officials said the state could do more to create a centralized approach and could provide data-gathering for domestic violence prevention and intervention-related action.

In a statement, Audits Director Kip Memmott says Oregon can do more to address domestic violence as the audit points out that “domestic violence in Oregon is widespread and damaging.”

The audit reports that in 2019, 15 out of Oregon’s 36 counties had at least one fatal domestic violence incident.

“Domestic violence is pervasive, immensely harmful, and often fatal,” Memmott said. “This is an area where state government can do more to help. As auditors, we are uniquely positioned to provide state leaders with information and offer potential solutions on critical issues of public health and safety.”

The audit says services for domestic violence victims and survivors should be widespread — including emergency housing, help navigating the legal system, childcare, and mental health care.

The audit offers several solutions aimed at policymakers — saying Oregon needs an “overarching strategy” to successfully address domestic violence.

“Currently, many state agencies have roles to play. Unfortunately, there is no single state agency or entity responsible for coordinating a comprehensive statewide response or measuring the overall impact of ongoing efforts,” the audit said.

The audit recommends policymakers develop a statewide strategy to centralize resources and collect data on regional police reports, hospital injury and fatality data, civil protection orders, and agency outputs.

The audit also suggests lawmakers make flexible state funds permanent budget items rather than addressing needs through one-time funding.

“I am horrified at the numbers in this report showing how pervasive and dangerous domestic violence is, both nationwide and in Oregon. October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a time to recognize and reflect on what we can do to address this violence, and the auditors have done just that with this report,” Secretary of State Lavonne Griffin-Valade said in a statement.

She continued “I would like to express my gratitude to the Oregon Audits Division staff for their work, and I encourage state leaders to read the report and consider the actions suggested.”

The Oregon Department of Human Services offers a list of resources for shelters and legal support from the Oregon Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence website.

Additionally, the Oregon Department of Justice has resources for shelters and other crisis centers.

The National Sexual Assault Hotline is also available at 1-800-656-HOPE. (SOURCE)

OSP Fish and Wildlife Division reminds hunters to have the appropriate tags on hand when hunting

Oregon Hunting Licensing and Tag Requirements
OSP Fish and Wildlife Division reminds hunters to have the appropriate tags on hand when hunting

 – Oregon big game hunting seasons are well underway and the Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division is reminding hunters how to keep their hunt legal. In Oregon, hunters must have a valid big game tag in their possession for the species and area they are hunting. Both paper and electronic tags are recognized. 

Over the past few months, troopers have encountered numerous hunters without big game tags in their possession. In many situations, the hunters utilizing the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) electronic licensing app had failed to redeem their tag voucher. The most common issues are hunters with a Sports Pac who forget to redeem the appropriate tag voucher or hunters who had successfully drawn a controlled hunt and then failed to purchase the electronic big game tag for that hunt or species. 

With Oregon’s general and controlled rifle elk seasons coming up in November, OSP is reminding hunters to double-check the electronic licensing app for the correct tags for their planned hunts. Within the app, valid big game tags will be displayed within each hunter’s recreation portfolio. 

For those opting to use paper licenses and big game tags, be sure the tag is legible and in their possession when hunting. Successful hunters must immediately validate the tag per the instructions on the paper tag, or within the ELS application. The MyODFW app is available for download for both iOS and Android phones and allows hunters to validate their tag even when outside of cellphone reception areas. 

ODFW license requirements include: 

• Valid hunting license.
  • Hunting licenses are valid beginning January 1, or from the time of purchase if after January 1, through December 31 of the document year.
• No one may possess more than one valid annual hunting license.
• To hunt big game, an individual must have in their possession a big game tag, either electronic or paper, valid for the dates, area, and species being hunted.
• Any documents in possession, either electronic or paper, must be accessible immediately upon request by ODFW staff or law enforcement.

For additional information about big game hunting and hunting and angling regulations, visit the ODFW website or OSP’s Fish and Wildlife website.

Oregon Parks and Recreation To Discuss Drone Rules And Maps

The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) will livestream a virtual meeting Nov. 8 at 6 p.m. to present draft drone take-off and landing classification criteria to be used in future park drone use maps. The agency will then invite the public to share their views on the criteria from Oct. 23 through 5 p.m. on Dec. 29.

The meeting will be livestreamed on YouTube for the public here.

Attendees who want to ask questions during the Q&A portion of the meeting must register beforehand here.

Although the formal rulemaking process for drone take-off and landing began in 2021, the agency temporarily stopped in April 2022 to form a work group and explore the matter in more detail.

The work group included various partners including conservation groups, drone users, state and federal agencies and met from June 2022 through the summer of 2023.

OPRD’s region resource and Geographic Information Services (GIS) staff, alongside park managers reviewed the draft criteria and applied them to three sample areas, one from each region of state parks.

Feedback will be reviewed by agency staff and the work group as part of a final report to the OPRD Director Lisa Sumption, who will then decide whether to direct staff to resume public administrative rulemaking or do more work on the proposals.

Individuals who require special accommodations to view the meetings should contact Jo Niehaus at least three days in advance of the meeting at 503-580-9210 or jo.niehaus@oprd.oregon.gov .

Endangered in the High Desert Exhibition Opening — 50 Years After the Signing of the Endangered Species Act Learn about Endangered, Threatened and Delisted Species in the Region while Exploring the Past, Present and Future of the ESA

BEND, OR — What do a 100-pound chinook salmon, ten-inch-tall pygmy rabbit and vibrant San Rafael cactus all have in common? 

Under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) — a half-century-old law that aims to protect vulnerable species from extinction — all three of these species are currently classified as endangered in some regions of the High Desert. Defined by the ESA, an endangered species is one that is “in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range.” 

Opening on November 11, the High Desert Museum’s Endangered in the High Desert exhibition will call attention to species in the region that are either facing or recovering from the threat of extinction. This intriguing and informative exhibition is a component of the Museum’s yearlong exploration of the Endangered Species Act, 50 years after it passed unanimously in the Senate and by a vote of 355-4 in the House of Representatives. President Richard Nixon signed it into law. 

“Fifty years later, the Endangered Species Act continues to be an influential law that has generated a significant amount of dialogue in its time,” says Executive Director Dana Whitelaw, Ph.D. “We look forward to exploring this significant legislation and its many complexities in the High Desert region.” 

Visitors will first encounter a floor-to-ceiling map introducing many of the exhibition’s ambassador species — 24 of the 29 featured species that represent the many listed, de-listed and at-risk but not yet listed species in the High Desert — and their locations in the region. A playful mural of the High Desert landscape details each of the ambassador species. This massive mural splits into four distinct sections, first differentiating between endangered, threatened and delisted species at the state and federal levels. The fourth section asks guests to consider the future of several species in the area, including the monarch butterfly, western bumble bee and Pacific lamprey. 

With vibrant colors and engaging photography, this exhibition is meant to ignite conversations about these plants and animals – including lesser-known species like the whitebark pine and the Oregon spotted frog – while also calling attention to the ecological connectivity within the greater ecosystem. 

“Species depend on access to healthy habitat to survive” says Donald M. Kerr Curator of Natural History Hayley Brazier, Ph.D. “In designing the exhibit, we wanted to depict plants and animals in the context of landscapes and waterscapes. The exhibit’s images and murals convey that endangered species conversation does not happen in a vacuum; the broader ecosystems matter.”

After Museum visitors experience the brand-new Endangered in the High Desert exhibition, they can encounter a handful of the ambassador species in-person. Just a short walk from the exhibition, a bald eagle — a delisted species — lives in the Museum’s care. Six threatened and delisted species currently live in the Museum’s care: the bull trout, Foskett speckled dace, steelhead trout, peregrine falcon, bald eagle and desert tortoise. Small signs placed throughout the Museum will distinguish between these species and others living on Museum grounds.

Endangered in the High Desert is part of a yearlong series of exhibitions and public programs at the Museum to explore and reflect on the ESA’s impact in the High Desert and beyond. This includes the current exhibition Wolves: Photography by Ronan Donovan, open through February 11, 2024, as well as Andy Warhol’s Endangered Species: From the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and his Family Foundation, which opens Saturday, December 9.

Endangered in the High Desert will be on display through July 7, 2024. This exhibition is made possible by the Visit Central Oregon Future Fund and the James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation, with support from DoubleTree Hilton and Waypoint Hotel. Learn more at highdesertmuseum.org/endangered-high-desert.

ABOUT THE HIGH DESERT MUSEUM — The High Desert Museum opened in Bend, Oregon in 1982. It brings together wildlife, cultures, art, history and the natural world to convey the wonder of North America’s High Desert region. The Museum is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, is a Smithsonian Affiliate, was the 2019 recipient of the Western Museums Association’s Charles Redd Award for Exhibition Excellence and was a 2021 recipient of the National Medal for Museum and Library Service. To learn more, visit highdesertmuseum.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.