Oregon Beach News, Wednesday 9/17 – Man Drowns After Falling Into Thor’s Well Near Yachats, Public Safety Alert: Clatsop County and Surrounding Areas, Construction Alert: US Hwy 101 and New Youngs Bay Bridge & Other Local and Statewide News…

The latest news stories across the state of Oregon from the digital home of the Oregon coastal cities, OregonBeachMagazine.com

Wednesday, September 17, 2025

Oregon Beach Weather

Small Craft Advisory Issued: 4:14 AM Sep. 17, 2025 – National Weather Service

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT FROM 5 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 11 AM PDT FRIDAY...

* WHAT...North winds 15 to 25 kt with gusts up to 30 kt and steep seas 5 to 8 ft.

* WHERE...All areas.

* WHEN...From 5 PM this afternoon to 11 AM PDT Friday.

* 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

Man Drowns After Falling Into Thor’s Well Near Yachats

At 3:36 PM Monday, Yachats Rural Fire Protection District, Central Oregon Coast Fire and Rescue, Seal Rock Fire, and the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to Thor’s Well for a person who had fallen into the water and appeared to be drowning. Responding units requested response from the United States Coast Guard, Oregon State Police, and the Lincoln County Technical Rescue Team.

The first arriving units were met with conflicting reports from bystanders about whether or not the subject was still in the water, though units were quickly able to determine that the subject was in the water in Thor’s Well. Due to wave conditions, and the nature of the well, personnel on the ground were unable to perform any recovery efforts.

A United States Coast Guard helicopter from North Bend arrived at approximately 4:10 PM. After two unsuccessful attempts, the USCG rescue swimmer was able to recover the deceased subject. Units began leaving the scene at 5:09 PM.The events leading up to the subject falling into the water are unclear, but one bystander reported believing that the subject had been getting too close to the edge of the well. Yachats Rural Fire Protection District offers condolences to the family of the deceased.

Public Safety Alert – Clatsop County and Surrounding Areas

On Tuesday, September 16, 2025, at 10:21 a.m., Oregon State Parks notified the Oregon State Police of a suspicious backpack in a public bathroom at Sunset Beach State Recreation Site in Clatsop County.

Oregon State Police located the backpack and requested explosives experts respond and investigate the incident. Bomb technicians from the Oregon State Police and Salem Police Department responded to the scene and rendered the device safe. No injuries were associated with this incident.

State Parks and Oregon State Police checked multiple locations throughout the day and did not locate any additional suspicious devices. While this is believed to be an isolated incident, the public should remain vigilant and report any suspicious objects to local law enforcement by calling 911 and remaining at a safe distance from the object.

Oregon State Police is asking any person with information related to the incident to contact investigators at *OSP (*677) or 1 (800) 442-0776 and reference case number SP25406805.

The criminal investigation is ongoing, and no further information is available for release at this time.

Oregon State Police were assisted by the Clatsop County Sheriff’s Office, Salem Police Department, Oregon Parks Department, Warrenton Fire Department, and Astoria Fire Department.

Safeway Grant Helps Local Food Program

The Food Backpack for Kids program, serving students in Florence and Mapleton, has received a $5,000 grant from the Safeway Foundation. The program provides weekend food supplies to more than 130 at-risk children in the Siuslaw and Mapleton school districts. Founded in 2012 after a young student was seen searching a dumpster for food, the program has grown to ensure that children facing food insecurity have reliable nourishment throughout the school year. Organizers say the Safeway Foundation’s gift will help sustain these efforts and expressed their gratitude for the foundation’s continued support of local students in need.

Overnight Delays As Crews Work On Astoria’s New Youngs Bay Bridge This Week

The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) crews will close the bridge overnight Wednesday Sept. 17 and Thursday Sept. 18 from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.

The reason for the closure is for maintenance crews are repairing the New Youngs Bay Bridge. This includes replacing four timber support beams – called caps – under the bridge, and one timber foundation support post called a pile. This work is necessary to keep the bridge in good condition for the many residents and visitors who use it.

• To get around this closure, you can detour using US-101B.
• Signs will be in place to guide you to the detour.
• Please expect construction noise and delays during these closures.
• For changes or updates, visit TripCheck.com for updated information.

Samaritan Will Keep Birth Center in Lincoln City Open For Now

Construction Alert – US Hwy 101

Be Prepared for Hwy 101 Closure Between Bandon and Port Orford

U.S. 101 Bearhead Mountain Culvert Replacement – Region 3: Southwestern Oregon (Bandon, Port Orford, Coos)

Heads up, coastal travelers and local residents!Starting Monday, construction will begin on U.S. Highway 101, as announced by the Oregon Department of Transportation. Expect delays, congestion and lane closures as crews work to improve safety and road conditions along this vital corridor.

Please plan ahead, allow extra travel time, and be mindful of construction crews in the area. Important Closure Notice: There will be a FULL CLOSURE of Hwy 101 starting at 9:00 PM on Friday, September 19th, with the highway expected to reopen late Sunday night, September 21st. The highway will be completely shut down during this time, please plan travel accordingly!

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From Sept. 8-19, watch for single-lane closures through the work zone as the contractor begins work. Flaggers will provide traffic control 24/7. Delays will be less than 20 minutes. Watch for loose rock in the roadway.

U.S. 101 is scheduled to close at 9 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 19. The highway is expected to reopen late Sunday night, Sept. 21. There are no local road connections around the work zone. During the closure, traffic traveling between Crescent City and Coos Bay can detour along U.S. 199, Interstate 5 and Oregon 42.

​​​​​​​​​​​This project will replace a damaged culvert under U.S. 101 south of Bandon that failed during a December 2024 storm. To help reduce costs and overall traffic impacts, construction will require the full closure of the highway for one weekend in September 2025.​

Crews will dig more than 20 feet to replace the failing pipe, with the location’s steep slope, wetlands, and stream making a bypass impractical. The full closure is expected to save over $1 million and cut months off the project. Single-lane closures will occur before and after the weekend shutdown.

In most situations, ODOT attempts to keep highways open to all traffic at all times; however, a single-lane bypass would need to be constructed either through a hillside or over wetlands, relocating the stream while adding more cost to the project and disrupting highway traffic for about six months.

According to ODOT, the rapid replacement approach is beneficial because shrinking the total construction window from six months to six weeks will reduce overall traffic impacts of the project. Also, eliminating the need for a temporary bypass and shortening the construction timeline could save more than $1 million from the total cost of the project.

The culvert, under U.S. 101 at Bearhead Mountain Lane, failed as a result of a high-water event in December 2024. The storm washed away the ground under the highway’s southbound travel lane and required emergency repairs. The culvert is still at risk of failure, which could compromise the roadway above.

Prior to full closure, travelers can expect delays as only one lane of traffic will be open for a few weeks prior to and a few weeks after the major closure weekend as ODOT will begin construction preparation and roadway rebuilding.

The total construction window for this project will likely extend about 4-6 weeks, with about 2-3 weeks of single-lane closures before and after the weekend full closure of the highway.

Other events that may also cause delays in nearby Coos Bay that week include the Bay Area Fun Festival, the Prefontaine Memorial Run, and Cruz the Coos car show.

Construction will require the full closure of U.S. 101 for one weekend, starting at 9 p.m. on Friday night, Sept. 19. The highway is expected to reopen late Sunday night, Sept. 21. During this weekend, the highway will be closed to all traffic, including vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians.

No local detour: There are no local road connections around the work zone, nor any alternate facilities for bicycles or pedestrians. The only available detour on a maintained public road is a lengthy drive along U.S. 199 (Redwood Highway), Interstate 5 and Oregon 42 (Coos Bay-Roseburg Highway).
Other options: Those who are unable to use the I-5 detour are advised to adjust their travel plans and schedules. 
When highway reopens: After the weekend closure, the highway will likely remain limited to a single lane for another 2-3 weeks as the contractor finishes rebuilding the roadway. All work is expected to be completed by mid-October.​

For more information, visit the project website (https://www.oregon.gov/…/pages/project-details.aspx…) or contact ODOT Public Information Office Dan Latham at 541-817-5200 or Dan.Latham@odot.oregon.gov. To check road conditions prior to travel: https://www.tripcheck.com

OPB article -Samaritan Health Services considered closing the birth centers at its hospitals in Lebanon and Lincoln City earlier this year.

The move drew pushback from nurses, community members and lawmakers. The health system recently announced it would keep the centers open for at least another year — but not without some changes.

Lesley Ogden is the CEO of both Samaritan’s North Lincoln Hospital in Lincoln City and Pacific Communities Hospital in Newport. She joins us to talk about what it takes to keep maternity services running amid rising health care costs, decreasing revenue and staffing challenges. https://www.opb.org/article/2025/09/15/think-out-loud-samaritan-birth-centers-lebanon-lincoln-city/

Florence Farmers Market Seeking Board Members

The Florence Farmers Market is looking for new members to serve on its Board of Directors and committees. Organizers say it’s just two to four hours a month, with board members meeting monthly and helping with areas like vendors, outreach, finances, or volunteers. No experience is required, only a passion for local food and community. The nonprofit market operates weekly on the Port of Siuslaw Boardwalk, providing fresh food and local products to Florence and surrounding areas. More information is available at florencefarmersmarket.org

Lincoln City Man Sentenced to 12.5 years Prison for Repeated Sexual Abuse of 20-Year-Old Female Employee

On September 5, 2025, Lincoln County Circuit Court Judge Amanda Benjamin sentenced Joshua Rebic (51-year-old) to 12.5 years in prison for repeated work-place sexual abuse of a 20-year-old employee Rebic was directly supervising in 2021 and 2022.

Judge Benjamin sentenced Rebic to a total of 150 months at the Department of Corrections for 15 counts of Sexual Abuse in the Third Degree, 4 counts of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, 1 count of physical Harassment, and 1 count of sexual Harassment.

On June 6, 2025, after a two-day trial, Rebic was found guilty by a 12-person Lincoln County jury of 21 counts from 12 separate incidents between December 2021 and September 2022. This work-place sexual abuse was disclosed to the Lincoln City Police Department (LCPD) after Rebic left his supervisory position for a new job in September 2022.

In March 2023, Rebic was indicted by the Lincoln County Grand Jury and arraigned on a 23-count indictment. At the time of Rebic’s arraignment, he was participating in a domestic violence deferred sentencing program for two counts of domestic menacing for conduct that occurred in July 2022 towards two members of his immediate family.

Rebic was initially denied release, which was ultimately upheld after a contested hearing by Judge Benjamin in April 2023. However, in May 2023, this decision was reversed and bail security was set at $100,000. Rebic subsequently posted bail and was released from custody with a GPS monitoring device. In August 2023, Rebic cut off his GPS monitoring device and fled the state. Judge Benjamin subsequently issued a warrant for Rebic’s arrest.

This case remained in warrant status until Rebic was located by Lincoln County District Attorney’s detectives in July 2024. Through several different investigative tools, DA detectives were able to track Rebic’s movements to Melrose, MN and then back to Salem, OR. With the assistance of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, DA detectives arrested Rebic on the outstanding warrant and he was transported back to Lincoln County in August 2024.

At sentencing, DA Jenna Wallace recommended the Court impose consecutive sentences on the four most serious counts given the frequency of the conduct, the severity of the charges, the impact on the victim, Rebic’s supervisory power over the victim, and his attempt to avoid responsibility by absconding prior to trial. However, after careful consideration, Judge Benjamin ultimately imposed consecutive sentences on two of the four counts for a total of 150 months (12.5 years). Judge Benjamin indicated that this sentence in no way diminished the obvious harm the victim went through but was appropriate based upon the totality of the sentencing factors.

This case was prosecuted by District Attorney Jenna Wallace and investigated by Sergeant Erik Anderson, LCPD. The District Attorney’s Office would like to thank Lincoln City Police Department and Sergeant Anderson for their commitment to investigating crimes of this nature to ensure accountability and community safety. This case was also investigated by DA Detective Martin Bennett. DA Detective Bennett was instrumental in locating and arresting Rebic after Rebic absconded. With DA detectives actively seeking Rebic’s whereabouts, this case may very well still be in warrant status.

When a defendant fails to appear for court, the criminal case is paused until the defendant is located. In practice, this means a case can sit in warrant status for months or years until the defendant is located. This can be especially frustrating and impactful for crime victims awaiting justice. It is largely the responsibility of DA detectives to locate absconded individuals and coordinate their arrest throughout the United States. Unfortunately, the DA detective position has been vacant and unfilled since Detective Bennett’s retirement in January 2025. This is the first time in 20 years that the Lincoln County District Attorney’s Office has been unable to provide detective services to crime victims. This vacancy has prevented the District Attorney’s Office from being able to perform basic functions such as locating absconded individuals, conducting follow-up criminal investigations, transporting victims or witnesses to court hearings or trial, and assisting the Cold Case Homicide Unit (currently focusing their efforts on solving the Kelly Disney homicide).

The impact of the detective vacancy has had a substantial impact on the District Attorney’s ability to swiftly prosecute crime in Lincoln County. It has also added additional burdens on our local law enforcement agencies, who have been forced to use their own resources to assist in follow-up investigations and locating/transporting victims and witnesses to assist prosecution. Most recently, Lincoln City Police Department devoted three detectives and one command staff to the District Attorney’s Office to assist in transporting five separate witnesses for trial – a task that ordinarily would have been done by the DA detective. 

The District Attorney’s Office has repeatedly made requests to fill the detective position, along with other vacant positions, through an application process, however, Lincoln County Human Resources and Commissioner Claire Hall, as acting County Administrator, made the unilateral decision to freeze hiring of the detective position and two deputy district attorney positions in May 2025 for an undetermined amount of time. Although the District Attorney’s Office has repeatedly made requests for a public safety exception to these positions, like exceptions given to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, County Administration, Health and Human Services, Transit, and Public Works, those requests have been denied by Human Resources and Commissioner Hall, as Human Resources liaison and acting County Administrator. 

Currently, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department is holding a hiring event on October 11, 2025, to fill, at minimum, seven positions within their department. The District Attorney’s Office is thrilled to see the County using resources to fill vacant positions in the Sheriff’s Office. However, unless and until the County is willing to use resources to fill vacant positions in the District Attorney’s Office, this is an exercise in futility. Increasing employees in the Sheriff’s Office, while simultaneously preventing the hiring of employees in the District Attorney’s Office (including three prosecutor positions) is counter intuitive.

When a crime is committed, law enforcement agencies, like the Sheriff’s Office, initiate the criminal investigation. However, those investigations are then forwarded to the District Attorney’s Office for formal prosecution in circuit court. Without the District Attorney’s Office, individuals would be arrested on crimes with no later criminal case or consequences. Continued staffing shortages in the District Attorney’s Office will have a direct impact on the amount and type of criminal cases being prosecuted in Lincoln County. The criminal justice system is only successful when all parts are sufficiently staffed and work together. Adding more employees to the Sheriff’s Office, while freezing or cutting positions within the District Attorney’s Office, will delay justice and adversely impact community safety.  

The District Attorney’s Office needs to fill vacant positions immediately to provide our community with essential law enforcement services at the prosecution level. The Lincoln County District Attorney is asking citizens to contact the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners and express the importance of filling all previously budgeted for positions, including three deputy district attorney positions, as well as the DA detective position. The District Attorney’s Office also urges citizens to request Commissioner Chair, Claire Hall, add an agenda item to the next Board of Commissioner meeting to discuss current County hiring freezes to allow community input and ensure all public safety positions are prioritized.

The driver accused in a fatal crash that killed an Oregon community college softball player and head coach has been sentenced to more than 20 years in prison.

Dowdy was driving his pickup April 18th when he crossed the center line and crashed into a bus carrying 10 members of the softball team on their way home from a game in Coos Bay.

The judge imposed the sentence against Johnathan James Dowdy, 33, as several members of the Umpqua Community College softball team, the entire soccer team and the school’s president and athletic director looked on.

Coach Jami Strinz, 46, who was driving the Chevrolet Express bus, and freshman Kiley Jones, 19, who played first base, died. The other eight passengers on the bus suffered moderate to serious injuries, and Dowdy also was hurt.

Dowdy pleaded guilty to multiple offenses including two counts of second-degree manslaughter, assault-related charges, driving under the influence of intoxicants and criminal driving while suspended or revoked.

On Thursday, Judge Andrew E. Combs sentenced Dowdy to 20 1/2 years with three years of post-prison supervision, according to court records. The sentence included 6 1/4 years for each manslaughter charge.

His driver’s license also was revoked for life, and he was fined $2,000.

Jones’ mother and stepfather, Nichole and Scott Mahoney, of Nampa, Idaho, said they feel Dowdy’s sentence was too lenient given his past offenses. According to online Oregon court records, his history includes drunken driving and numerous violations for driving while suspended or revoked and driving uninsured.

“Although I forgive him because I don’t want to live in bitterness and anger, I don’t excuse his bad behavior and his bad choice,” Nichole Mahoney said.

Governor Kotek signed an executive order aiming to help the state prepare for earthquakes.

The executive order comes as a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake is looming in the Pacific Northwest.

Monday, Governor Tina Kotek signed Executive Order 25-22 to help make sure the government can respond when Oregonians need help most. The executive order directs the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) to develop a plan to ensure new state buildings over 10,000 square feet meet the highest seismic safety standards and establishes.

Oregon faces significant earthquake risk in the next fifty years. When an earthquake hits, state facilities serve as essential staging areas and workspaces for emergency response and recovery efforts. Furthermore, state employees must be able to safely evacuate buildings and continue providing essential services to help communities recover.

“When a devastating earthquake hits Oregon, we need to be able to show up for Oregonians,” Governor Kotek said. “State employees are the backbone of emergency response, and they need safe places as they help families and communities recover. We cannot waver from this responsibility.”

“Oregon is setting an example for how to start building resiliency to large earthquakes,” Dr. Chris Goldfinger, Professor Emeritus at the College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences at Oregon State University, said. “An M8-9 earthquake in our future is inevitable, and seismically sound state buildings will be crucial. This is the kind of proactive action Oregon needs.”

“In the aftermath of a major earthquake, every minute counts. Safe, resilient facilities are not just buildings—they’re lifelines,” Priscilla Fuentes, Chief Executive Officer of the Red Cross Cascade Region, said. “They allow emergency responders to mobilize quickly, shelter those in need, and coordinate relief efforts that save lives.”

The executive order prioritizes improvements to buildings identified in state continuity of operations plans, office buildings over 50,000 square feet, structures supporting first responders, institutional housing, and strategic regional locations. DAS will develop standards and implementation plans under the existing Statewide Facilities Planning Process.

“Preparing our state for an earthquake is a long game,” Governor Kotek said. “Protecting Oregonians when disaster strikes is too important to delay. We must start now and stay committed to this work for decades to come.”

The Florence Area Chamber of Commerce helped spark an effort to address one of the community’s biggest challenges: childcare.

Working with local leaders and partners, the plan for the Elm Park Early Learning Center is now moving forward. The new center is expected to open in August 2026, adding 76 slots — a 50 percent increase for Florence. Half will serve families in poverty through Head Start, and the other half will be available to working families who don’t qualify.

Supporters note that without childcare, parents can’t work, and businesses can’t grow. Lane County has lost more than 700 healthcare workers since last year, and Florence continues to feel the impact across many industries. Eighty-seven percent of the project’s funding has been secured. The final piece is a $250,000 grant from the Ford Family Foundation that requires broad community support. Local donations will be matched by Our Coastal Village, Inc., doubling their impact.

Yachats Lions September Events

Oregon Lions Sight & Hearing Foundation – Yachats, OR – The Yachats Lions are pleased to share information with the community about their September Events! Please visit https://yachatslionsclub.org/ for details on these events. 

2025 Speaker Series: Judy Fleagle (9/14) and Peg Herring (9/28) Both are authors and they will be talking about their books Oregon’s Historic Coastal Bridges and Born of Fire and Rain. Both of local interest to those who live on the Central Oregon Coast. 

Share Fair (9/15) at the Presbyterian Church The Yachats Lions will hand out Reading Glasses, offer assistance applying for free Eyeglasses and Hearing Aids, distribute gift certificates to the Thrift Store and provide information about Lions and their club. 

September Lunch Bunch (9/18)The Yachats Ladies Club will once again be cooking for our community and are featuring a main course of Kaula Pork Sliders. 

Inaugural Swap Meet (9/21) which will focus on Women’s clothing. 

Proceeds from Yachats Lions Club’s annual fundraisers and their Yachats Lions Thrift Store makes giving back to their local community possible. They support Lions community service projects, which include scholarships to graduating seniors, food pantries, school programs, Yachats Youth & Family Services, South Lincoln Resources, Yachats Fire Department, and eyeglasses & exams for children & adults. With the motto “WE SERVE,” Yachats Lions Club is celebrating 75 years of service to Yachats and South Lincoln County.

Together, the Lions Clubs of Oregon, the statewide nonprofit OLSHF, and partners offer access to people for critical sight-saving surgeries and treatments, secure new eyeglasses, help people who can’t afford eyeglasses and hearing aids, and manage the largest vision screening program in the US. 

To learn more about the Yachats Lions Club and their work in the local community, please visit yachatslionsclub.org. They also have a new Donate button that allows those that support Lions to provide cash donations with multiple options, as well as the ability to use PayPal or a Credit Card. The Return of Yachats Lions Cash Donations • Yachats Lions Club

Florence 2025 Elements of Art Studio Tour

Florence is preparing to welcome visitors and residents alike to one of its most anticipated cultural events of the year: the 2025 Elements of Art Studio Tour. Scheduled throughout September, the event offers the public a chance to explore the city’s creative core by visiting the studios of local artists, experiencing demonstrations, and connecting directly with makers.

The celebration begins on Thursday, September 4, with a gallery reception at the Florence Events Center from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. This opening night gathering serves as the official kickoff, featuring a preview of work by participating artists.

Visitors can collect their tour passports, mingle with the creative community, and gain a sense of the diversity of talent that will be on display throughout the month.

The tour is designed as an interactive journey, providing participants with exclusive access to working studios across the Florence area. Attendees will be able to see firsthand where artists work, learn about their creative processes, and purchase pieces without commissions or gallery fees. The open-door format creates an opportunity for casual art lovers and serious collectors alike to discover something new.

Following the reception, the tour unfolds over two weekends, September 6–7 and September 20–21, from noon to 4:00 p.m. each day. Unlike traditional guided tours, this one is self-paced, allowing participants to choose which studios to visit, how much time to spend in each, and how deeply to engage with the artists. The format encourages exploration, letting visitors wander at their own speed and discover unexpected highlights along the way.

Participation requires a passport, which serves both as an entry ticket and a keepsake. Two levels are available: a standard version that includes an artist tour book and entry into prize drawings, and a collector’s edition that provides additional gifts alongside the standard benefits. Throughout the tour, participants collect artist signatures at each stop, a feature that doubles as both a souvenir and an entry system for original artwork prize drawings.

The experience concludes on Thursday, September 25, with an awards celebration at the Florence Events Center Galleries from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. The closing event is free and open to the public, highlighting the achievements of the participating artists and announcing winners in multiple categories. It also serves as the moment when passport holders learn if they have won one of the original pieces of art donated for the prize drawings.

The Elements of Art Studio Tour is more than just an art walk. Organizers emphasize that it is a community collaboration designed to strengthen ties between artists and the public while shining a spotlight on Florence’s evolving cultural identity. Sponsored by BeauxArts Fine Art Materials and Dragon Art Studio, the tour was established to celebrate the city’s growing creative energy while providing a direct platform for artists to share their work.

For Florence, the tour underscores how art enriches the local economy and deepens cultural connections. It offers visitors an intimate look at the creative process, invites the community to support its artists, and reaffirms the role of art as both a personal expression and a shared public experience.

The Oregon State Parks and Recreation Commission will convene Sept. 16-17 in Astoria, Oregon.  

On Sept. 16, commissioners will tour Fort Stevens in the morning and conduct a work session 1 to 3 p.m. about the Reimagine State Parks strategic initiative and a rate review.  

On Sept. 17, commissioners will convene an executive session at 8:30 a.m. at the Astoria Elks Lodge #180, 453 11^th St. in Astoria to discuss real estate and legal issues. Executive sessions are closed to the public. A business meeting will begin at 9:45 a.m. and will be open to the public. 

Anyone may attend or listen to the business meeting. To watch the business meeting, go to the livestream on the OPRD Director’s Office YouTube channel.  

The business meeting also includes time for informal public comments related to any items not on the agenda. Registration is required to speak at the meeting if attending online, and is available online at https://bit.ly/registersep2025commission 

The deadline for registering to speak at the meeting virtually is 5 p.m., Sept. 12. No advance registration is required to speak in person at the meeting. Time per speaker is limited to three minutes. Please submit written public comments by 5 p.m. Sept. 12 to OPRC.publiccomment@oprd.oregon.gov 

The full agenda and supporting documents are posted on this webpage and will be posted on the commission web page.  

Notable requests:  

• Request to adopt recommended grants for 2025 Local Government Grant Program (LGGP): 
• Large Grants totaling $15,707,853 
• Small Grants totaling $1,101,673 
• Planning Grants totaling $450,000 
• Request to adopt ATV sound and equipment rules after rulemaking responsibility was transferred from Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD).  
• Request to adopt Public Contract and Procurement Rules to outline OPRD’s public contracting and procurement requirements. Senate Bill 838 exempts OPRD from the Public Contracting Code except for surplus property and information technology related procurement.  
• Request to adopt rules about Special Assessment for Historic Property in response to House Bill 3190, which reauthorizes the program as a 10-year benefit for commercial, income-producing historic properties. 

Anyone needing special accommodations to attend the meeting should contact Denise Warburton, commission assistant, at least three days in advance: denise.warburton@oprd.oregon.gov or 503-779-9729.  

Wildlife Center of the North Coast · We need your help! 

It’s been a busy summer here at the Wildlife Center of the North Coast, and our rehab clinic has gone through lots of supplies caring for patients!!

->> To help us restock and stay prepared for the next wave of wildlife in need, we’ve updated our Amazon Wishlist with the items we need most. https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/LU97SQA0VPZA

Every donation—big or small—goes directly to helping orphaned, injured, and sick wildlife get a second chance at life. Check out our wishlist here: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/LU97SQA0VPZA Thank you for being part of our wildlife rescue family! 

ODF Looking for Firefighters – The Siuslaw National Forest is recruiting for fire positions to support wildfire preparedness and response in 2026.

Jobs include fire engine operators, forestry technicians, and prevention specialists. Applications are open now through September 23rd on USAJobs.gov. The Forest Service says these roles are critical in protecting communities during wildfire season and are open to U.S. citizens 18 and older. More information about positions and the Siuslaw National Forest can be found online at fs.usda.gov/r06/siuslaw.

Bay Area Fun Festival Parade 2025!!!!!!

The Coos Bay Downtown Association would like to remind everyone about the Bay Area Fun Festival Parade which will be held on Saturday, September 20th.

Applications for the Fun Festival Parade are now available. The parade application fee is $15 per entry. The Coos Bay Downtown Association promotion committee has selected for this year’s parade “SUNSETS AND SANDY SHORES” as it’s parade theme.

Parade participants are encouraged to decorate their entries in keeping with the theme. Best decorated entries will be eligible for prizes. Interested parade participants can fill out an application available on the Coos Bay Downtown Association website www.coosbaydowntown.com The parade is on Saturday, September 20th and will start at 1:00pm from 4th and Golden and travel through Downtown Coos Bay. Check in starts at 10:00am and is located at the corner of 2nd and Golden. Entries must be checked in and in place by noon for judging.

For additional information, please call Harv at 541-404-7271. The Coos Bay Downtown Association promotes Coos Bay as an attractive place to live, work, and visit by continually enhancing the quality life of the downtown area.To learn more about this event visit www.coosbaydowntown.com and follow us on Facebook.

Astronomy Festival brings star parties, photography, hikes & more Sept. 25-27

COOS BAY, Oregon— The Sunset Bay Astronomy Festival returns to Sunset Bay and Shore Acres state parks near Coos Bay for a three-day event Sept. 25-27.

Activities include guided hikes, interpretive programs including JR Ranger programs, a night-sky photography workshop on Sept. 25 and a star party each night.

“Places like Sunset Bay and Shore Acres offer visitors a chance to see the natural world not only during the day but also at night. They’re special because they show us what the sky looked like everywhere before light pollution. Seeing the night sky in its full brilliance is powerful and, for many, even emotional,” said Park Manager Lee Ricci.

The astronomy festival gives visitors a chance to see and learn more about the night sky.

NOTE: Outdoor events are weather dependent.

Thursday Activities:

• 10 a.m.: Our Star, The Sun JR Ranger Program at Sunset Bay Interpretive Center
• 6 to 7:30 p.m.: Night Sky Photography Workshop. Sign up required. Email Kenneth.Page@oprd.oregon.gov to sign up.
• 7:30 p.m.: Navigating by The Stars program at Shore Acres Gardens
• 8 p.m.: Star Party with telescopes at Shore Acres
• Webpage with complete Thursday schedule

(Parking Permit is $10 per vehicle and required to park in the Shore Acres day-use parking lot.)

Friday Activities:

• 10 a.m.: Constellation Station Junior Ranger Program at Sunset Bay Interpretive Center
• 12-2 p.m.: Solar Viewing with special telescope at Shore Acres Observation Building
• 6-7 p.m.: Jellyfish: The Alien Next Door guided hike (meet at Shore Acres Observation Building for 1-mile hike)
• 7:30: How to Talk to Aliens Even if You’re Shy evening program at Shore Acres Garden
• 8 p.m.: Star Party with telescopes at Shore Acres
• Webpage with complete Friday schedule

(Parking Permit is $10 per vehicle and required to park in the Shore Acres day-use parking lot.)

Saturday Activities:

• 10 a.m.: Guided hike (Meet at Interpretive Center at Sunset Bay Campground for 1-mile hike)
• 12-2 p.m.: Solar Viewing with special telescope at Shore Acres Observation Building
• 7:30 p.m.: Imagining Other Worlds Night Program at Shore Acres
• 8 p.m.: Star Party with telescopes at Shore Acres
• Webpage with complete Saturday schedule

(Parking Permit is $10 per vehicle and required to park in the Shore Acres day-use parking lot.)

NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH and ANNUAL READINESS FAIR ANNOUNCEMENT
Lincoln Co. Sheriff’s Office 

Newport — September is National Preparedness Month. This year’s theme is “Preparedness Starts at Home”. This is a great time to make or update your emergency plans, work with family members and neighbors to help your household be more prepared and think about ways to protect your family and property during a disaster.

In promotion of National Preparedness Month, Lincoln County Emergency Management and the City of Newport will host the annual Lincoln County Readiness Fair. The event is free and open to the public – no registration required.

Saturday, September 27, 2025

11:00 am – 2:00 pm

Newport Recreation Center

225 SE Avery St, Newport, OR 97365

Vendors and Exhibitors

Local public safety and preparedness vendors will host preparedness booths and be available to answer questions. They will provide example readiness kits, wildfire safety, nutritional items, and more to help inspire your preparedness efforts. Some activities include:

• Bring your NOAA Weather Radio and learn how to operate it.
• Sample preparedness products to decide which to include in your own go bag.
• Learn about bucket toilet systems and how to manage water purification after disaster.
• Ask Community Emergency Response Team members about their role in an emergency and how to prepare
• Talk with a geologist about local earthquake, landslide and other hazards.
• Learn what the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians are doing to build food resilience.

Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad‘s Coastal Excursion train is running between Garibaldi and Rockaway Beach through September 28!

Take a step back in time by climbing aboard our signature historic train excursion along the scenic Tillamook Bay and coastal estuaries. On board narration treats passengers to an immersive step back in time, complete with beautiful views and educational information all while traveling at a leisurely pace to your destination. In Rockaway, passengers are able to get off to explore the restaurants, shops and of course the beach. Perfect for the whole family! Get your Coastal Excursion tickets here: https://oregoncoastscenic.org/tra…/oregon-coast-excursion/

Fall with SOLVE Launches: Registration Now Open for the 2025 Beach & Riverside Cleanup

As the air turns crisp and the season shifts, SOLVE invites community members across Oregon and Southwest Washington to Fall into Action with SOLVE. At the heart of the season is the Beach & Riverside Cleanup, September 20–28, one of the largest volunteer events of the year. Registration is now open.

“Fall with SOLVE is about restoring and protecting the places we’ve spent the summer exploring,” said Kris Carico, CEO of SOLVE. “It’s about coming together to care for the places that matter most, from keeping school routes safe to preparing green spaces for the months ahead. It’s important to take action before rains wash litter into our waterways, and our local actions have lasting and far-reaching impacts. The Beach & Riverside Cleanup is the centerpiece of this season, connecting local efforts to global movements that protect our rivers, beaches, and public lands.”

Connecting Local Action to Global Movements
The 2025 Beach & Riverside Cleanup, in partnership with OnPoint Community Credit Union, spans ten days of statewide volunteer opportunities, from the Oregon Coast to urban neighborhoods in Oregon and SW Washington, and is tied to three days of global significance:

• International Coastal Cleanup Day (September 20): Uniting millions of volunteers worldwide to protect waterways from harmful trash and debris.
• World Rivers Day (September 21): Celebrating rivers and emphasizing the need to protect them.
• National Public Lands Day (September 28): The nation’s largest single-day volunteer event focused on trail maintenance, habitat restoration, and native tree planting.

For nearly four decades, the Beach & Riverside Cleanup has brought communities together to protect beaches, rivers, parks, and public lands. Over 60 projects are already open for registration, with opportunities for families, neighbors, community groups, and businesses to take part. From source to sea, volunteers will remove litter, restore natural areas, and create a visible difference across the region.

2025 Sponsors

SOLVE’s Beach & Riverside Cleanup 2025, in partnership with OnPoint Community Credit Union, is proudly supported by Chevron, Clean Water Services, Harper Houf Peterson Righellis Inc., Knife River, KOIN, Malibu Rum, Metro, National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF), Oregon Parks and Recreation, Tillamook, and Wells Fargo.

What You’ll See This Fall

With cooler weather and the energy of back-to-school season, SOLVE volunteers will:

• Clean up litter from neighborhoods, trails, parks, and waterways
• Restore habitats by removing invasive ivy and weeds
• Prepare green spaces for winter with mulch and maintenance
• Join forces with schools and community groups to inspire youth action 

Key Fall Events:

While the Beach & Riverside Cleanup is the centerpiece, Fall with SOLVE also offers a variety of ways for communities to get involved:

• Pick It Up!: Large-scale community cleanups in Milwaukie (September 6), Bend (September 20), and Vancouver (October 10) bring together residents, businesses, and volunteers to give city centers a fresh start this fall.
• Waterway Cleanup Series Wrap-Up (October 15): The summer-long effort in partnership with Clackamas Water Environment Services concludes with a cleanup at High Rocks Park, Gladstone.
• Monthly Detrash Portland Events: Ongoing cleanups in Portland’s business districts, focused on revitalizing key gathering areas.
• Neighborhood & School Route Cleanups: Supporting cleaner, safer pathways for students and families as the school year begins.
• Restoration Projects: Removing invasive species, mulching, and preparing natural areas for the winter months.

Get Involved
SOLVE invites individuals, families, schools, and businesses to take part in Fall with SOLVE by signing up for a project, hosting a cleanup, or supporting restoration efforts. Whether joining solo or with friends, family, or coworkers, every action helps protect waterways, restore habitats, and strengthen communities.

Looking ahead, there are even more ways to celebrate the season with purpose, from Giving Tuesday contributions to corporate volunteer projects and sponsorship opportunities. Support during this time helps sustain SOLVE’s year-round work and expand its impact across Oregon and Southwest Washington.

For more information and to sign up, visit solveoregon.org/seasons.

About SOLVE 

SOLVE brings communities together to take care of our environment and enhance our waterways. Since 1969, the organization has grown from a small, grassroots initiative to a national model of volunteer action. Today, SOLVE mobilizes and trains thousands of volunteers of all ages across Oregon, and SW Washington, to clean and restore our neighborhoods and natural areas, while empowering a community of environmental stewards for our state. Visit solveoregon.org for more information. 

Friends of Haystack Rock  · We have puffins!

Check out our website, Friendsofhaystackrock.org to see them live! We have our webcam zoomed in on a couple active burrows. Your best chance to see them is in the morning between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m.

Volunteers are being sought to help prepare and serve lunch three times a week at the Florence Senior and Activity Center.  

They serve lunch Monday, Wednesday, and Friday each week. Both programs, the in-house dining known as Cafe 60, and Meals on Wheels, are very important in helping promote socialization and nutrition for older adults in Lane County.  Volunteer drivers for Meals on Wheels use their own vehicles, but they can be reimbursed for their mileage.  The Lane Council of Governments operates the Senior and Disabled Services in Lane County.  Alisa Andrion encourages potential volunteers to give her a call at L-COG, 541-682-1366.

Coos Bay Police Department –  WE’RE HIRING 9-1-1 DISPATCHERS

$4684 – $5972/Month DOQ — We offer:•A dynamic team environment •Alternative schedule benefiting work/life balance •Up to 5 weeks paid time off per year after the first year •The opportunity to serve your community

Our team members have come from a variety of work fields- no experience necessary! For additional information from the North Coos 9-1-1 Recruitment Team or to schedule a ride-along please email: join911@coosbayor.govhttps://www.coosbayor.gov/…/Compon…/JobPosts/Job/126/107

Gleneden Beach Community Club Events

Look what’s coming up soon at the Club… (sign up at glenedenbeach.org)

Emergency Volunteer Corps of Nehalem Bay

Follow on Facebook: Emergency Volunteer Corps of Nehalem Bay

OHA 2025 Oregon Beach Monitoring Season

Agency lists monitored beaches for May-September

—The Oregon Beach Monitoring Program (OBMP) is kicking off the 2025 season by announcing the coastal recreation areas it will be keeping an eye on for bacteria during summer and early fall.

The OBMP, based at the Oregon Health Authority Public Health Division, monitors some of the most frequently visited beaches in the state.

The list includes beaches where the program has found bacteria present, or beaches for which local partners and the public have requested monitoring due to potential pollution.

• To see a video about Oregon’s beach monitoring effort, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82GVixgeGsM

The following beaches are being monitored this season, including name, and the city and county in which they are located:

• Seaside Beach – Seaside, Clatsop County
• Cannon Beach – Cannon Beach, Clatsop County
• Tolovana Beach State Park– Cannon Beach, Clatsop County
• Short Sand Beach (Oswald West State Park) – Arch Cape, Tillamook County
• Manzanita Beach – Manzanita, Tillamook County
• Rockaway Beach – Rockaway, Tillamook County
• Twin Rocks Beach – Twin Rocks, Tillamook County
• Oceanside Beach – Oceanside, Tillamook County
• Cape Kiwanda Beach – Pacific City, Tillamook County
• Neskowin Beach – Neskowin, Tillamook County
• D River Beach – Lincoln City, Lincoln County
• Siletz Bay Beach – Lincoln City, Lincoln County
• Beverly Beach – Newport, Lincoln County
• Agate Beach – Newport, Lincoln County
• Nye Beach – Newport, Lincoln City
• Ona Beach (Brian Booth-Beaver Creek State Park) – Seal Rock, Lincoln City
• Seal Rock Beach – Seal Rock, Lincoln County
• Heceta Beach – Florence, Lane County
• Bastendorff Beach – Coos Bay, Coos County
• Sunset Bay State Park Beach – Coos Bay, Coos County
• Hubbard Creek Beach – Port Orford, Curry County
• Harris Beach State Park – Brookings, Curry County
• Mill Beach – Brookings, Curry County
• Crissey Fields State Recreation Site – Brookings, Curry County

The OBMP season runs from mid-May to mid-September.  Advisories are issued for beaches that are actively being monitored within this sampling window. Other beaches will be investigated for inclusion in upcoming seasons.

The OBMP works with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to determine beaches that need monitoring based on several criteria. These criteria include pollution hazards present; previous monitoring data that identify water quality concerns; type and amount of beach use; and public input.

As part of an adaptive sampling plan, beaches and sampling locations are routinely re-evaluated to ensure available resources best protect public health. A copy of DEQ’s beach evaluation is available upon request.

For more information and current beach monitoring conditions please visit: www.healthoregon.org/beach — https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ph/healthyenvironments/recreation/beachwaterquality/pages/status.aspx

Oregon Food Bank

Hunger in Oregon is rising — and federal and state cuts to food assistance are making it worse. In 2024, visits to food programs grew 31%, yet resources to meet this need are shrinking.

Programs like SNAP, which help 1 in 8 Oregonians put food on the table, are facing deep cuts — leaving more families, children, veterans, and elders to make impossible choices between food, safety, and shelter.

We need policies that protect access to food for all our neighbors. Because no one should have to choose between staying safe and going hungry.

Food is available for those who need it and by entering your zip code at OregonFoodFinder.or -You can see each local program’s contact information, hours of operation and what kind of distribution it is.

We partner with 1,200+ free food markets, pantries and meal sites all across Oregon and Southwest Washington — and welcome anyone and everyone who needs food. OregonFoodFinder.org

Oregon’s Nonfarm Payroll Employment Adds 6,900 Jobs in August

In August, Oregon’s seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment rose by 6,900 jobs, following a revised gain of 100 jobs in July. August’s gains were largest in health care and social assistance (+2,500 jobs); leisure and hospitality (+1,500); government (+1,100); and other services (+1,000). Losses were largest in wholesale trade (-1,100 jobs).

Health care and social assistance continued its rapid expansion of the past several years, adding 11,600 jobs, or 3.8%, during the past 12 months. Nursing and residential care facilities added 400 jobs in August and 3,900 jobs, or 6.8%, since August 2024. Hospitals, which added no jobs in August, grew the second fastest of health care’s component industries in the past 12 months (+2,900 jobs, or 4.6%). Social assistance (+2,400 jobs, or 3.0%) and ambulatory health care services (+2,300 jobs, or 2.2%) had slower growth over the year.

Leisure and hospitality grew 2.0% in the past 12 months, gaining 4,100 jobs, following little change the prior two years. Since last August, most of its published component industries added between 2% and 4%. Amusement, gambling, and recreation grew the fastest, adding 1,500 jobs, or 6.7%. In contrast, full-service restaurants cut 1,200 jobs, or 1.8%.

Wholesale trade declined rapidly in the past 12 months (-4,300 jobs, or -5.5%). All three wholesale component industries shrank substantially in that time: merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods (-1,500 jobs, or -4.9%); merchant wholesalers, durable goods (-1,000 jobs, or -2.5%); and wholesale trade agents and brokers (-900 jobs, or -13.0%).

Oregon’s unemployment rate was 5.0% in August and 4.9%, as revised, in July, after rising gradually over the past year from 4.2% in August 2024. Oregon’s 5.0% unemployment rate was 1.4 percentage points higher than the recent low of 3.6% during spring 2023. The U.S. unemployment rate was 4.2% in July and 4.3% in August.

Oregon Homelessness and Eviction Support Programs Face Layoffs as State Funding Drops

Staff fear the cuts will make it harder to help people as the state’s housing crisis persists.

Homeless services providers and tenant advocacy groups in Oregon are slashing jobs and programs. Leaders are blaming the cuts on reduced funds through the Legislature’s recently passed housing budget.

The cuts so far span from Portland to Salem to Monmouth to Eugene, and even more are bracing for layoffs. As evictions and homelessness rise in Oregon, staff say they will be able to serve fewer people, potentially increasing the strain on the state’s social services network.

“We’re seeing the most vulnerable folks getting squeezed on both ends,” said Tim Morris, executive director of the Springfield Eugene Tenant Association, which reduced its full-time staff from six to two. It can now support about 2,200 households annually compared to the 4,000 it helped last year, he said.

The cuts come just months after the Oregon Legislature passed its housing budget. While the spending plan surpasses $2.6 billion, it reduced funding for the state Housing and Community Services Department by roughly $1 billion over the next two years.

“The cost of everything, including housing, food, everything is rising, while also prevention dollars, like rent assistance and other preventative services are being reduced dramatically,” Morris said. “We are approaching a future in which tenants are just alone and won’t have folks in their corner able to help support them and defend them.”

Democrats blame the state’s mounting financial problems on the Trump administration, which has moved to dramatically downsize federal spending across the country, with steep cuts to social services programs.

For their part, Republicans have blamed Democratic leadership for passing housing policies with vast amounts of money that Oregonians can’t afford. At the same time, evictions and homelessness increased and the number of housing permits issued last year dropped to the lowest level in more than a decade. (SOURCE)

Oregon missed out on $48 million in rural school, community funds since act expired, report finds

Congress has failed for more than a year to reauthorize the 20-year-old Secure Rural Schools bill costing western states millions, Center for American Progress finds

Oregon has lost out on more than $48.6 million in federal money for rural roads, public services and schools since 2023 as Congress failed in the last year to renew a federal act that has sent billions to western states in the last 20 years.

Most recently, Congressional Republicans failed to reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act in the tax and spending cut megabill they passed in July. The money is meant to compensate counties with large swaths of federal land within their borders for the costs of providing critical services to people and industries using those lands for activities that generate revenue for the federal government — such as animal grazing and timber production.

Oregon, where more than half of the state consists of federal land, has experienced the biggest loss of any state since the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act expired at the end of 2023, according to a new report from the D.C.-based Center for American Progress, a liberal public policy and think tank.

During the 2023-24 fiscal year, Oregon counties and schools got more than $55 million through the act. But in the most recent fiscal year, Oregon has received roughly $8.4 million, an 85% decrease. Overall, states have lost out on more than $207 million in the two years since the act expired, the Center for American Progress found.

Oregon’s senior Democratic U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden co-authored the original Secure Rural Schools Act in 2000 and has tried since November 2024 to reauthorize it with bipartisan Senate support. He said Republicans’ inaction in the U.S. House of Representatives is “gutting rural Oregon counties.”

“I’ve worked on a bipartisan basis to get this vital legislation passed twice in the Senate, and this new report shows just how deeply the House Republican inaction is hurting communities in our state,” he said.

The Senate passed reauthorization bill in November 2024 on a bipartisan vote, but House Republicans’ failure to reach an agreement about how to fund it before the congressional term ended meant the measure died without a vote in December. The Senate passed a bill again in June on a voice vote.

The act’s Republican champion, Sen. Mike Crapo of Idaho, “is still working behind the scenes to get this legislation moved in the House after the Senate’s now-twice unanimous passage of the reauthorization language. It remains a priority for him,” Crapo spokesperson Melanie Lawhorn said in an email.

Mark Haggerty, a senior fellow and researcher at the Center for American Progress who worked on the analysis, said for years the Secure Rural Schools Act had bipartisan support among western lawmakers. Their biggest battles were getting east-coast lawmakers, whose states don’t see much funding from the program, to agree to pass it. But that’s not the case anymore.

“I think the problem right now is that we’re taking an issue that has not been partisan in the past, that has had strong bipartisan support, but tough national support,” Haggerty said.  “We’re taking that and we’re turning it into a partisan issue, and I think that’s really dangerous for counties and schools.”

In the West, the Secure Rural Schools money has largely helped keep county and school budgets whole following reduced logging and a reduction in timber revenue from federal forests in the 1990s to save imperiled species. The payments have equaled the average amount counties received from timber harvests from the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management in the top three timber-producing years of the 1980s.

Oregon counties have received $4 billion in funding from the bill in the last 24 years. It’s declined by more than half in recent years due to reshifting of funds across eligible states and because it was meant to be transitional.

“You do have to reauthorize and fund it on a recurring basis, which means you always have to find an offset. You always need to find something else you’re not going to pay for if you are going to pay for this,” Haggerty said. “And you know, frankly, Congress, the people who are not in Oregon or Idaho or Montana — this comes up every two or three years — and they’re like: ‘Wait, why are we doing this? Why are we paying for that? Do we really need to be doing this?’”

Impact to Oregon schools

The Klamath County School District in southern Oregon has received the most funding from the act among the state’s school districts — between $800,000 and $1 million each year. Superintendent Glen Szymoniak said the money is crucial for small districts like his.

“Oregon’s the most affected state, and I think we’re the school district in Oregon that is most affected in the state,” he said. “That money is very valuable to us to be able to address whatever problems of the day there are, because without strings being tied to it, we can be innovative in addressing the most important issues facing the district.”

Szymoniak said new affordable housing developments in Klamath Falls have shifted the number of students at some of the district’s elementary schools. A few schools have lost students, but two of the elementary schools are now dealing with 200 more students this year than in previous years.

“We could be investing in building additional classrooms,” he said.

Oregon schools have received more than $368 million from the act since 2004, with an average of $9.7 million each year, according to Oregon Department of Education data. Oregon traditionally counted the Secure Rural Schools payments as local revenues for the sake of the statewide school funding equalization formula, so 165 of the state’s 197 school districts ended up seeing some money from the act. That included the two biggest districts, Portland Public Schools and the Salem-Keizer School District, despite the pair having little to no federal forest land within their boundaries.

This changed in 2023, when Oregon made updates to the distribution model and stopped counting Secure Rural Schools funding as local revenue. The Oregon Department of Education in 2024 agreed to provide retroactive payments to  districts like Klamath County School District that should have received more direct funding from the Secure Rural Schools Act since 2018.

The agency has until Oct. 1 to make up for millions of dollars in underpayments to 82 school districts, including Klamath County School District, which is owed more than $2.5 million.

Despite these issues with funding distribution, districts in Eugene, Douglas County and Roseburg, Springfield and Albany were among the top recipients of funding in the last two decades. And districts near the Klamath National Forest, such as Klamath County School District, have ultimately received greater payments than most other districts in the last two decades. (SOURCE)

PLEASE Help Prevent Human-Caused Wildfires

9/16 – 9 pm – #OregonFires 25#evacuations#fires 4 FIRES in EVALUATION MODE:25 Oregon Wildfires – many are silent fires between 1 to 3 acres. These silent fires can quickly turn into dangerous fires. Please stay alert and ready.FOLEY RIDGE FIRE #lanecounty7 miles East of McKenzie Bridge 437 ACRES 0% containment LEVEL 2 EVAC Be SetKELSEY PEAK FIRE #josephinecounty#currycounty 1035 ACRES – 85% containment. DOWNGRADED to LEVEL 2 (Be set), and Level 1 ( Be set) – ROAD CLOSURES posted below  PINNACLE FIRE  2108 ACRES –#currycounty 3% containment LEVEL 3 GO NOW EVAC Rogue River Trail under emergency closure.BACKBONE FIRE – 1830 ACRES #currycounty 4% containment LEVEL 3 GO NOW EVAC – Rogue River Trail under emergency closure Silent Fires and Evacuations can change very quickly, so please stay alert  and safe.

https://geo.maps.arcgis.com/…/a6c8f8e58ad642f4813732233…—————————————————CLINK FOR FIRES 

https://experience.arcgis.com/…/6329d5e4e13748b9b9f7f3…/ —————————————————-CLINK FOR FIRES  National Interagency Fire Center

https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/—————————————————

Preventing wildfires requires a collective effort from everyone—help mitigate the risk of human-caused wildfires and protect our forests and communities.

9/16 – In total this fire season, over 320,000 acres have burned. That’s compared to nearly 2-million acres that burned in the 2024 season.

ODOT Closes 21 Miles of Hwy 242 Due to Foley Ridge Fire

The Foley Ridge Fire that broke out 10 days ago on the Willamette National Forest east of McKenzie Bridge has burned nearly 450 acres and prompted the closure Tuesday of a 21-mile stretch of state Highway 242, at fire officials’ request.

The Oregon Department of Transportation said the highway was closed Tuesday morning between mileposts 55 (the Highway 126 intersection) and 76 due to the lightning-sparked fire. ODOT urged travelers to use alternate routes and avoid the area. There is no estimated time for reopening. Check Trip Check for updates.

Due to the Kelsey Peak Fire and the Moon Complex, the Bureau of Land Management Grants Pass Field Office, along with the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, has implemented an emergency closure affecting a section of the Rogue River Trail.

The public is strongly advised to refrain from using the entire trail. Entry into closed areas is strictly prohibited for the public, and all activities—including hiking, hunting, and dispersed camping—are not allowed. The Rogue River Trail is closed from Horseshoe Bend to Flora Dell.

For further details, please refer to the map available on the BLM website: https://www.blm.gov/programs/public-safety-and-fire/fire-and-aviation/regional-info/oregon-washington/fire-restrictions

The Kelsey Peak and Moon Complex fires are currently active in steep and challenging terrain. This closure is necessary to safeguard the public and minimize disruptions to firefighting efforts. Fire managers will evaluate the closure and its implications in accordance with effective risk management practices as conditions permit. Weather and fuel conditions continue to be conducive to the spread of fire. The BLM Medford District is currently experiencing extreme fire danger.

Monitor Fires in Oregon – Updated Daily

Please Help Prevent Wildfires!

Learn how you can prevent wildfires by visiting the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s wildfire prevention page.

 Support Wildfire Relief by Recycling

There are 2 ways to donate:

 Online with funds from your Green Bag account: https://bottledrop.com/…/obrc-emergency-fund-online…/

 In-person by bringing your redeemable beverage containers to any full-service BottleDrop Redemption Center

All funds raised (and matched) will be split between the following nonprofits providing wildfire relief in Oregon: Oregon Chapter of the WFF , Red Cross Cascades Region, and United Way of the Columbia Gorge.Learn more: BottleDrop.com/Wildfire

After Nearly 50 Years, Identity of Unidentified Remains Confirmed 

Forensic Approximation of Marion McWhorter

LINN COUNTY, Ore. (Sept. 16, 2025) – On July 24, 1976, skeletal remains of a young woman were found in the area of Wolf Creek near Swamp Mountain in Linn County. For 49 years, her identity was not known. Today, thanks to advances in forensic genetic genealogy, she has a name. In June of this year, the remains were positively identified as Marion Vinetta Nagle McWhorter. McWhorter had last been seen at a Tigard shopping mall in 1974. She was just 21 years old at the time and was never heard from again.

In 1976, a moss hunter initially found a skull with several teeth and notified local law enforcement immediately. The Linn County Sheriff’s Office accompanied the moss hunter back to the site and recovered additional skeletal remains. Along with the remains, investigators located a clog-style shoe, a fraying fringed leather coat, a leather belt with Native American-style beadwork, two metal rings, and a pair of degraded Levi’s jeans, which were retained as evidence.

The skeletal remains were transferred to the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office, where they were examined by a pathologist and odontologist. The findings of the examination were undetermined due to the limited number of elements recovered. The dental examination noted several restorations.

In 2010, the Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History completed an anthropology report. A biological profile provided a probable estimation of a white female under 35 years of age at the time of her death. However, she remained unidentified.

Later that year, a bone sample was submitted to the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification, and a NamUs profile was created. From 2011 through 2025, the case received consistent attention from the State Medical Examiner’s Office. DNA results were uploaded to the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS); however, no genetic associations were discovered.

The NamUs system was regularly checked for new cases that might match the decedent. While the DNA results confirmed the remains were female, no ancestry or phenotype could be determined due to the limitations of the STR DNA (short segments of DNA) profile.

In 2011, a forensic artist with the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office assisted in creating a potential forensic rendering of the decedent’s face based on cranial features. A clay model featuring several different hairstyles and colors was created to help establish a recognizable image.

By 2020, the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office had been awarded a National Institute of Justice (NIJ) grant to perform advanced DNA techniques on unsolved unidentified skeletal remains cases. This case was recognized as one that could potentially be resolved through DNA phenotyping and investigative genetic genealogy, provided by OSP’s vendor lab, Parabon NanoLabs. An additional bone sample was submitted for DNA extraction, and in November 2020, a SNP DNA (a unique genetic marker) profile was successfully produced and analyzed.

A Parabon NanoLabs DNA Snapshot Report, which utilizes genetic material to determine eye color, hair color, skin tone, and ancestry, was completed. The report predicted the individual was of European and Indigenous North American descent, with unfreckled fair skin, brown eyes, and brown hair. A rendering of her facial characteristics was created and used as her NamUs profile picture. A subsequent genetic genealogy report was completed in 2023, but did not produce any promising leads.

A breakthrough in the case occurred in April 2025, when someone spontaneously uploaded their genetic profile to the Family Tree DNA database, providing genealogists with a much closer look into the unidentified woman’s family tree. Forensic scientists followed genetic and other leads and ultimately determined that McWhorter was likely the unidentified young woman.

Genealogists found that McWhorter had one surviving family member, a younger sister living in the Seattle area. A detective with the Linn County Sheriff’s Office contacted the sister, who provided an oral swab for DNA comparison and shared the story of her long-lost older sister.

Genetic evidence confirmed that the decedent was Marion Vinetta Nagle McWhorter, born on January 7, 1953, and who had been unaccounted for since 1974. Based on the totality of the evidence, Oregon Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Sean Hurst positively identified the remains and confirmed the findings with McWhorter’s remaining family.

The Linn County Sheriff’s Office is aware of the case and is working to determine, if possible, the circumstances of Marion McWhorter’s death.

Discovering Marion McWhorter’s identity was a remarkable collaboration among detectives, medical examiner staff, and forensic genetic genealogists at Parabon NanoLabs.

State Forensic Anthropologist Hailey Collord-Stalder said, “This case was cold for 49 years. That means that family members lived and died without ever knowing what happened to their missing loved one.” She continued, “Forensic genetic genealogy allowed us not only to assist Oregon law enforcement and medicolegal personnel in identifying a woman who likely did not go missing voluntarily, but it also helped provide her family with answers and help relieve the uncertainty of what happened to Marion McWhorter.”

About the Oregon State Police

Oregon State Police (OSP) is a multi-disciplined organization that protects Oregon’s people, wildlife, and natural resources. OSP enforces traffic laws on the state’s roadways, investigates and solves crime, conducts postmortem examinations and forensic analysis, and provides background checks and law enforcement data. The agency regulates gaming and enforces fish, wildlife, and natural resource laws. OSP is comprised of more than 1,400 staff members – including troopers, investigators, and professional staff – who provide a full range of policing and public safety services to Oregon and other law enforcement agencies throughout Oregon.

The primary pipeline supplying gasoline to Oregon was out of service for approximately 10 days, resulting in a significant increase in pump prices throughout the state, before it reportedly resumed operations on Friday.

Analysts who monitor fuel prices closely anticipate that gas prices will remain elevated at least until the following week — and possibly for an extended period — even as fuel begins to flow through the pipeline once more. The Olympic Pipeline, which is partially owned and operated by the oil and gas corporation BP, transports fuel from refineries located in Washington state to the Portland region. According to experts in the fuel industry, this pipeline was not scheduled for a routine maintenance outage this month. However, on September 2, users began to report disruptions in service. A spokesperson for BP informed OPB that the company does not provide comments regarding its operations.

The regulatory agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation that oversees pipelines did not respond to a request for information on Friday. In the meantime, gasoline prices in Oregon surged more than in any other state this week. According to the nonprofit American Automobile Association, commonly referred to as AAA, prices increased by an average of 16 cents per gallon in Oregon.

The Oregon Attorney General’s Office has issued a warning regarding a new scam that is aimed at attorneys and their clients. In one instance, the scammer posed as a legitimate attorney to persuade a client to invest funds.

In another case, the scammer was aware that the victim was expecting a substantial settlement and impersonated both the victim and the attorney to fraudulently obtain 700 thousand dollars. Although a hold was placed on the wire transfer, it remains unclear how much, if any, of the funds were recovered. The Attorney General’s office emphasizes the necessity of exercising extreme caution with any monetary transfers.

Register Now for 2025 Oregon Women Veterans Conference- Saturday, September 27, 2025, at the Riverhouse Lodge in Bend,

Registration is now open for the 2025 Oregon Women Veterans Conference, the state’s largest gathering dedicated to honoring and supporting women who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. The biennial event, hosted by the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs, will bring together women veterans from across Oregon for a weekend of connection, resources and recognition.

The event is free and open to all women veterans, but registration is required. The 2025 Oregon Women Veterans Conference is being held on Saturday, September 27, 2025, at the Riverhouse Lodge in Bend, which was the planned location of the 2020 event that was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This year’s theme, ‘Stronger Together: Community and Connection,’ reflects the heart of what this conference is all about,” said Dr. Nakeia Council Daniels, director of the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs. “Women veterans have long served with distinction, strength and resilience — often in the face of tremendous challenges and barriers.

“This conference is an opportunity to honor our service, share our stories, and ensure every woman who has worn the uniform feels seen, valued and supported. We are stronger when we stand together, and united, we will continue to drive the ODVA mission forward.”

The Oregon Women Veterans Conference began nearly 30 years ago as a grassroots effort by a small group of women veterans seeking connection, support, and resources. Since the first event in 1998, the conference has grown into a unique statewide gathering that brings together women veterans from across Oregon to access benefits, build meaningful connections, and amplify their voices.

The 2025 conference will continue that legacy with inspiring keynote speakers, engaging workshops, fantastic networking opportunities and assistance for women veterans connecting to the full range of benefits and resources they have earned. It is a supportive space where women who have served can connect, grow, and thrive beyond their military service.

This year’s keynote speaker is Erin McMahon, director of the Oregon Department of Emergency Management and a retired U.S. Army brigadier general, attorney and combat veteran. During her 24-year career in the U.S. Army, McMahon served as the principal deputy general counsel for the National Guard Bureau, advising senior leaders through a wide variety of domestic disaster responses and serving as the first female Army National Guard general officer in the Office of the General Counsel.

Registration is free and may be completed online at www.eventbrite.com/e/odva-women-veterans-conference-tickets-1407725487829. Community sponsors and donors are the primary sources of funding for this event and help ensure all women veterans can attend the conference free of charge.

Registration for the Women Veterans Conference covers the event only; attendees are expected to make their own lodging and travel arrangements. More information about the Women Veterans Conference, including local lodging, donations and sponsorship opportunities, can be found online at wvc.oregondva.com.

Established in 1945, the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs is dedicated to serving Oregon’s diverse veteran community that spans five eras of service members. ODVA administers programs and provides special advocacy and assistance in accessing earned veteran benefits across the state. Learn about veteran benefits and services, or locate a local county or tribal veteran service office online at oregon.gov/odva.

Authorities report that three individuals have died and a fourth has been hospitalized due to a suspected drug overdose at an RV park in the Roseburg area.

As per the Douglas Interagency Narcotics Team (DINT), law enforcement responded to a call on Sunday regarding several unresponsive persons at the Shady Point RV Park, situated in the 2700 block of Highway 99 South.

Upon entering the RV, officers discovered three deceased individuals. A fourth person, a woman in medical distress, was taken to Mercy Medical Center in Roseburg for medical attention.

The deceased individuals have been identified as: Paul James Mohlsick, aged 46 Kimberly Noel McCabe, aged 55 Bryan Charles Jarvis, aged 41 All three were residents of Roseburg. The surviving woman has been identified as Shawna Renee Walker, aged 55, also from Roseburg.

Investigators believe that the group had recently returned from an undisclosed location north of Douglas County, potentially out of state, where they are suspected of purchasing fentanyl and methamphetamine. Authorities suspect that the overdoses resulted from the use of one or both substances within the RV.

Log Truck Trailer Overturns, Crushing Three Vehicles and Injuring Two

JCSO case #25-4926 WHITE CITY, OR – The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) responded to a major traffic crash involving an overturned log truck trailer that spilled its load of timber, crushing three vehicles and injuring two drivers. The incident occurred on Avenue G near the intersection of Highway 62 at approximately 10:15 a.m., on Monday, September 15.

The initial report came in at 10:04 a.m. when a concerned motorist called 911 to report a log truck driving erratically on Highway 62, with its trailer wobbling severely. Shortly thereafter, multiple 911 calls reported the trailer flipping at the intersection, just west of Highway 62, dumping heavy logs onto the roadway. A JCSO Deputy arrived first on scene and discovered three vehicles crushed by the logs – a Ford F-150, a Hyundai Elantra, and a Nissan cargo van.

The driver of the Ford F-150 suffered life-threatening injuries and the driver of the Hyundai Elantra was also injured. Both were taken to medical facilities for care. The driver of the Nissan cargo van did not require medical transport.

The investigation is being led by the Serious Traffic Accident Reconstruction (STAR) Team, an inter-agency unit that includes personnel from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Medford Police Department, Ashland Police Department, and the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office. The Oregon State Police is also assisting with the investigation.

The operator of the log truck and the trucking company are cooperating with the ongoing investigation. No further information will be released at this time. Anyone with additional information on this incident is asked to contact the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and reference JCSO case #25-4926.

In a recent announcement from the office of Senate Majority Leader Kayse Jama, it was stated that due to Senator Chris Gorsek’s recovery from complications arising from a scheduled medical procedure, the Senate votes on HB 3991 and HB 3992 will be postponed until September 17.

Gorsek has played a significant role in transportation policymaking. In a statement issued by Governor Tina Kotek, Senator Gorsek was wished a swift recovery, and the Senate’s decision received support.

House Republican Leader Christine Drazan expressed her opposition to the recent approval of a $4.3 billion tax package by the Oregon House today. Drazan highlighted that 94% of Oregonians voiced their opposition to the package during public testimony. She condemned the choice to double payroll taxes on Labor Day while simultaneously raising the costs of gas and DMV services.

The Klamath Basin Oktoberfest is set to return on Saturday, Sept. 20th.

This event, organized by the Klamath County Economic Development Association (KCEDA), will occur on Saturday, September 20th from 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM at the Bill Collier Ice Arena located in the Running Y Resort in Klamath Falls.

The community is encouraged to attend and partake in craft beers, traditional German cuisine, live entertainment, and enjoyable activities for the entire family.

Tickets for individuals aged 21 and over are priced at $25 if purchased in advance and $30 at the entrance. General admission for non-drinkers is $10, applicable both in advance and at the door. Children aged 12 and under can enter free of charge!

Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) commends a substantial investment aimed at assisting more low-income households in managing their utility expenses. In June, legislators approved House Bill 3792, which increased funding for the Oregon Energy Assistance Program (OEAP) from $20 million to $40 million.

Governor Tina Kotek enacted the bill, along with additional energy affordability legislation, into law yesterday. ”  OEAP offers energy assistance to eligible customers of Portland General Electric and Pacific Power, determined by household size and annual income.

Since its inception in 1999, OEAP has aided over 85,000 customers, with 92% of participants successfully avoiding energy shutoffs. In light of the federal administration’s announcement regarding possible reductions and the elimination of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), Oregon lawmakers took action to protect residents from this uncertainty by broadening the state-funded OEAP.

LIHEAP, which delivers grants and energy efficiency services to millions across the nation, has become a crucial support system for families.

Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs

No veteran should be without a place to call home, and the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs is committed to ending veteran homelessness in our state.

The new ODVA Houseless Veterans Program collaborates with federal, state, county, and Tribal agencies, veteran services offices, and community homeless service providers to meet the urgent and unique needs of Oregon’s diverse veteran communities challenged with housing stability.

In addition to advocating for Oregon veterans experiencing or at risk for houselessness, the program provides direct service to veterans and their families seeking federal and state veterans’ benefits, including access to local VA health care, documentation of service, as well as other available state benefits, and local homeless services organizations and low-income assistance programs.

If you or a veteran you know is dealing with homelessness, contact the ODVA Houseless Veterans Coordinator today at houselessvets@odva.oregon.gov or visit https://ow.ly/V4EH50VnL93 to learn more.

Staying Informed During a Communications Outage: Best Practices for the Public

Disasters can damage critical infrastructure, leading to temporary outages in cell service, internet, and power. When communication systems go down, it’s vital to be prepared with alternate ways to get emergency information and stay connected. Here’s how you can prepare and respond:

  Have a Battery-Powered or Hand-Crank Emergency Weather Radio

• Why it matters: Emergency radios can receive Emergency Alert System (EAS) broadcasts via AM/FM or NOAA Weather Radio frequencies—even when cell towers and the internet are down.
• Note: Emergency radios do not receive Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) like cell phones do. Tip: Pre-tune your radio to your local emergency broadcast station (e.g., OPB in Oregon or NOAA frequencies).

Turn On WEA Alerts on Your Phone

• Make sure Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) are enabled in your phone’s settings. These alerts include evacuation orders, severe weather warnings, and other urgent notifications.
• WEA messages are sent through cell towers—if cell service is out, WEA alerts will not be delivered. This is why having backup methods like a radio is essential.

Charge Everything in Advance and Have Backup Power

• Charge phones, power banks, laptops, and rechargeable flashlights before fire weather conditions worsen.
• Consider solar-powered chargers or car chargers as backups.
• If you are sheltering in place, a generator (solar or gas powered) is helpful.

Know Your Evacuation Routes in Advance

• Save printed or downloaded evacuation maps in case you can’t access GPS or navigation apps.
• Most mapping services (like Google Maps or Apple Maps) offer the ability to “Make maps available offline.” Download your area in advance so you can navigate even if cell towers or internet access are down.
• When in doubt, call 511 or visit the TripCheck.com website if you have cell service.
• Don’t wait for a notification—if you feel unsafe, evacuate early.

Print or Write Down Critical Contacts and Info

• Phone numbers of family, neighbors, and local emergency contacts.
• Address of evacuation shelters, veterinary services (for pets/livestock), and medical facilities.
• Your own emergency plan, including meeting locations.
• Have copies of vital documents in your go-bag and take video of your property (inside and out) for insurance claims later.

If Calling 9-1-1 Over Wi-Fi or Satellite, Check Your Location Settings

If you call 9-1-1 using Wi-Fi calling or a satellite-connected phone (like an iPhone or Android), your location might not be automatically visible to dispatch. Instead, it may rely on the emergency address saved in your phone’s settings.

• Update this emergency address when you travel or relocate—especially in evacuation zones or rural areas.
• Most importantly, always tell the dispatcher exactly where you are—include your address, landmarks, road names, or mile markers to help first responders reach you quickly.

Sign Up for Alerts Before There’s an Outage

• Register for OR-Alert and your county’s local alert system.
• Follow your local emergency management officials’ and bookmark resources like: wildfire.oregon.gov.

 Prepare for Alert Delays or Gaps

• Know the three levels of evacuation:
  • Level 1 – Be Ready
  • Level 2 – Be Set
  • Level 3 – GO NOW
• If you hear a siren, see a neighbor evacuating, or witness fire behavior increasing—take action even if you haven’t received an alert.

 Be Your Own Info Network

• Check on neighbors, especially seniors or those with disabilities.
• Post printed signs with updates for those passing by.

In rural areas, community bulletin boards or fire stations may serve as local information points.

Support and Restoration in Progress
To help maintain emergency communications during this incident, OEM deployed eight Starlink terminals under the guidance of ESF 2 and the Statewide Interoperability Coordinator (SWIC). A Communications Technician (Jeff Perkins) was also deployed to assess connectivity needs on the ground. These Starlink terminals have been providing service to the Lake County Emergency Operations Center (EOC), Oregon State Police (OSP), Warner Creek Correctional Facility, and will soon support the town of Lakeview, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and the Lakeview Ranger Station. OEM’s Regional Coordinator (Stacey) is also on-site supporting the Lake County EOC. Coordination has been strong across local, state, and private sector partners. *** Update: As of 7/10/25 at 1:47 PM, fiber service has been restored.

Reconnect When Service Returns

• Once communications are restored, check official websites:
  • Oregon.gov/oem
  • Your county emergency management page
  • TripCheck.com for road conditions
• Share verified info—not rumors—on social media or community pages.

 Prepare for Delays in Restoration

• Communication may come back in phases. Damage to fiber lines or cell towers can take time to repair.
• Continue using backup methods and stay alert for updates via radio or in-person notices.

 Final Tip:

In an emergency, CALL 9-1-1 to report life-threatening danger, not for general information. Use local non-emergency numbers or go to physical information points if needed. You can find more tips for preparing in OEM’s Be2Weeks Ready toolkit.

Contact us: Info@OregonBeachMagazine.com