The latest news stories across the state of Oregon from the digital home of the Oregon coastal cities, OregonBeachMagazine.com
Friday, April 1, 2022
Oregon Beach Weather
Beach Hazards Statement in effect from April 3, 05:00 AM PDT until April 3, 09:00 PM PDT
Today– Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 54. Light and variable wind becoming northwest 6 to 11 mph in the afternoon.
Saturday– Mostly sunny, with a high near 56. Light and variable wind becoming north northwest 6 to 11 mph in the afternoon.
Sunday– A 50 percent chance of rain, mainly after noon. Snow level 2600 feet rising to 4300 feet in the afternoon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 54. South southwest wind 5 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.
Monday– Rain before noon, then showers likely after noon. High near 54. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 90%
Tuesday– A chance of showers, mainly before noon. Snow level 2500 feet. Partly sunny, with a high near 53.
Man Loses His Truck To The Waves After Helping Get Friend’s Truck Unstuck
A truck got stuck in the sand around 1 a.m. Thursday morning at Horsfall Beach, Coos Bay resident Tyler Wilson said. That’s when a friend of his sprung into action using his own truck to attempt to pull him free. His truck is now underwater.
“He came out here to try and pull somebody out, another one of my good buddies. He was pretty stuck in the sand and then Logan got really stuck. And so the tide was just coming in, coming in, and eventually just took Logan’s truck,” Wilson said. “The other buddy’s truck got out.”
Wilson said the water flipped the 1998 Chevy truck upside down. The wheels have since been stolen from the vehicle. And it still remains to be seen how this truck will be towed out.
Astoria Police Department Search For New Police Chief
Astoria’s Police Chief, Geoff Spalding, will move into a part-time role in April as the city continues the search for his replacement.
Spalding announced his retirement in December after serving as the city’s top cop since 2017. His last day as police chief before working part-time is April 19th. Deputy Chief Eric Halverson will serve as the police department’s interim leader until a new chief is hired.
City Manager Brett Estes said Spalding will support the police department on a part-time basis, focusing on issues such as homelessness and community livability.
The city completed a recruitment process earlier this year for a new police chief but did not select a candidate. Estes said three people were interviewed for the position, one of which pulled out during the process. He said none of the candidates were the right fit for Astoria.
The city reopened the job posting and will take applications through the end of next week. If someone is selected in the second round, Estes said it could take a couple of months before they begin work.
“I think Astoria is a smaller community that has a lot of issues that larger communities face,” Estes said. “So we’re looking for someone who is able to be a good leader for the department, to be able to bring new ideas to the department.”
He said the city is also looking for someone who can work through various issues, including emergency dispatch and homelessness — two of the biggest challenges the police department has faced.
Volunteerism Can Give you a Boost While Benefiting Oregon Communities
April is National Volunteer Month: Three Easy Ways to Lend a Hand This Spring
Volunteerism can serve as a great way to reconnect with the community, with April and the beginning of spring as good a time as any to lend a hand to a local organization.
The past few years have taken a toll on everyone, leaving some with a feeling of isolation and a sense of cabin fever. Volunteering can help break the spell, says Caitlin Back, director of corporate responsibility at Umpqua Bank.
“With so much going on in the world that seems out of our control, giving back to our local communities even in the smallest of ways can be tremendously empowering and make a real difference,” Back says.
Organizations need volunteers, and after two years of the pandemic, volunteers might need them. The benefits can be substantial for individuals and communities. Volunteers make new friends and contacts, and pitching in can help one’s social and relationship skills. Volunteering also has been shown to benefit mental and physical health. And the skills developed, such as communication, problem solving and task management, can help people in their careers.
“Volunteering not only meets community needs, but it also creates connection to others and with communities in ways that were harder to maintain and enjoy the past couple of years,” Back says. “Studies show that those who volunteer enjoy reduced stress and live longer, healthier lives.”
While it can sometimes be hard to know where to begin, Back recommends three simple ways you can get started giving back to your community on your own time, either in person or remotely:
Cards of Joy. Gather supplies including 4”x 6” cards & envelopes, markers, stickers; then decorate your card with an upbeat message, poem, or picture (avoid political statements, religious verses, and glitter). Southern Oregon residents can deliver cards of joy to organizations that support housing for adults, such as Food & Friends, a Meals on Wheels program, and Friendly Kitchen.
Kits for Transitional Housing. Use a laundry basket to collect household items such as cooking utensils, dishes, silverware, cups, bath towels, cleaning supplies, hygiene items, non-perishable food, a blanket, and toilet paper; then add a welcome note and deliver to a local nonprofit providing transitional housing. Local Organizations to reach out to include Rogue Retreat and Roseburg Rescue Mission.
Earth Day (April 23). Gather supplies such as trash bags and gloves; inquire about or identify a location that needs to be cleaned up; then pick up litter in trash bag and place it in a designated collection area, separating garbage from recyclables as possible. Your city or municipality may have initiatives to get involved. And Solve, an organization focused on litter cleanup, tree planting and invasive removal projects, has registration for multiple events across the state during April.
Use social networking platforms to recruit your friends and family to help. Facebook, Meetup, and Nextdoor offer excellent ways to reach out to others.
Remember, every little bit helps.
“Volunteer efforts, big or small, can make all the difference in building stronger communities,” Back says. “It’s a challenging time for many, and an especially important time to undertake collective efforts that contribute to shared purpose and meaning.”
Learn more and access volunteering resources at www.umpquabank.com/volunteer.
Oregon reports 320 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 5 new deaths
PORTLAND, Ore. — There are five new COVID-19-related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 7,144, Oregon Health Authority (OHA) reported at 12:01 a.m. today.
OHA reported 320 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 704,152.
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Benton (15), Clackamas (32), Clatsop (2), Columbia (1), Coos (5), Crook (1), Deschutes (17), Douglas (2), Grant (2), Harney (1), Hood River (1), Jackson (16), Josephine (7), Klamath (2), Lake (1), Lane (38), Linn (9), Marion (17), Multnomah (88), Polk (8), Sherman (1), Umatilla (3), Wasco (1), Washington (44) and Yamhill (6).
State response to hospital surge winds down
Today is the final day of operation for the Healthcare Surge Unified Command team that was mobilized in August 2021 to support Oregon’s coordinated response to the Delta and Omicron surges affecting hospitals and health systems. The team included staff from OHA and the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS).
The phased demobilization of the team began in February, after data showed dramatic decreases in the number of hospitalizations following the highest number of hospitalizations in January during the Omicron surge. Though the period of active operations ends today, some team members will continue to serve through the end of June. Starting April 1, operations will transition from an active emergency response phase to one focused on building resiliency throughout the state’s health care system.
Oregon Health Authority (OHA) says the state has plenty of COVID-19 vaccine to meet increased demand after federal agencies this week authorized second booster vaccination doses for people older than 50 and certain immunocompromised individuals.
Yesterday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized a second booster dose of either Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines for older people and certain immunocompromised individuals. FDA says its action will make a second booster dose of these vaccines available to other populations at higher risk for severe disease, hospitalization and death as “Emerging evidence suggests that a second booster dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine improves protection against severe COVID-19 and is not associated with new safety concerns.”
OHA is facilitating distribution of mRNA vaccines to providers following federal and Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup (WSSSRW) approval of the COVID-19 vaccine second booster shot yesterday. OHA today updated and distributed its standing immunization protocols for vaccine providers after FDA, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and WSSSRW approved and recommended allowing older and immunocompromised persons to get another booster.
State Forester invites Oregonians to celebrate Arbor Month during all of April
SALEM, Ore. – Oregon’s new State Forester Calvin Mukumoto thinks a single day or single week is not long enough time to recognize all the great things trees do for people.
So he’s asking Oregonians to join him in celebrating all of April as Oregon Arbor Month.
For the second year in a row Gov. Kate Brown has officially extended by proclamation the period Oregon devotes to recognizing its billions of trees from the first week in April to the entire month.
“Optimal tree-planting weather in eastern Oregon and at higher elevations may not be until the latter half of April, whereas tree planting generally concludes west of the Cascades by mid-April,” said Mukumoto. “Now communities on both sides of the state can schedule their tree events under the same umbrella of Arbor Month.”
Mukumoto points out that last summer’s record-shattering heat wave in Oregon reminded everyone of the vital role the state’s urban and rural forests play in buffering people from climate change impacts. “Trees cool their surroundings through shade and by releasing water vapor into the air, potentially saving lives and reducing energy use during extreme heat events,” said Mukumoto.
More Oregonians than ever during the pandemic have come to appreciate the trees near where they live. Many people worked from home, homeschooled their children or limited their travel to local parks and nearby forests. “We’ve relied more heavily than ever on these tree-filled spaces as places of respite, joy, spiritual renewal, exercise, and social interaction,” said Mukumoto. “In addition to their importance to our state’s economy, trees are known to have a positive impact on mental health and community resilience.”
Trees are not evenly distributed in cities and towns, with higher-income areas tending to have more trees and parkland. Historic and ongoing inequities have kept lower-income people, people of color, and other vulnerable or marginalized groups from sharing equally in the many benefits provided by trees. “By planting and caring for trees in underserved areas, we can help address this injustice and spread the benefits communitywide,” said Mukumoto.
In addition to joining tree plantings, Mukumoto suggests people find other fun, tree-related activities to enjoy during April. “Whether by yourself or with family and friends, read a book about trees. My favorite is one I use to identify Pacific Northwest trees. You can visit a park or arboretum and observe closely the leaves, flowers and bark, the aromas and textures. Just being around trees and slowing down to appreciate them can be good for you,” he said.
“It can also be fun to take a camera or sketchpad when viewing trees and photograph or draw what you see. Or write a poem about a special tree or grove of trees. If you do any of those things, please drop me a note or photo at our ODF Instagram or Facebook page,” said Mukumoto. “I’d love to see what Oregonians do to celebrate trees this month.” Oregon Dept. of Forestry
March 31 Oregon Employment Department Media Statement
Economic Update
On Tuesday, March 29, the Employment Department released February jobs numbers and unemployment rates for Oregon’s counties and metropolitan areas. February unemployment rates declined in 35 counties and stayed steady in Wheeler County. Klamath County had Oregon’s highest unemployment rate, at 5.5%, in February. The lowest rates were in Benton and Wheeler counties at 3% each.
The Portland metropolitan statistical area added 6,100 jobs in February. The Portland metro area has regained 82% of the jobs lost in the pandemic recession, compared to 86% for Oregon overall. The Bend metro area added 200 jobs over the month and has more jobs now than before the recession. The Albany metro area has regained essentially all of its recession job losses.
Several rural counties have also fully recovered their recession job losses, and they now have more nonfarm payroll jobs than before the pandemic.
These counties include Baker, Crook, Gilliam, Harney, Morrow, Wallowa, and Wheeler counties.
More employment numbers are available on the current employment estimates page of QualityInfo.org, or in the latest regional news releases.
U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh praises the Oregon Trade Adjustment Assistance for Workers Program
U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh attended a review of Oregon’s Trade Act Program on Thursday, March 24. Secretary Walsh met with Acting Employment Department Director David Gerstenfeld and Shelly Forsberg, Oregon Trade Act Program manager, and other program staff.
“This was a wonderful opportunity to showcase our renowned Trade Act Program,” said Gerstenfeld. “Oregon’s program is recognized throughout the U.S. as one of the best programs in the country for its service delivery.”
Forsberg explained how the Trade Adjustment Assistance Act (TAA) program helps people who have lost jobs due to foreign competition, such as plants that closed after companies moved operations overseas. The program provides these workers with opportunities to obtain the skills, credentials, resources, and support necessary to obtain suitable employment.
Forsberg described innovative pilot programs that align with Secretary Walsh’s vision for the Department of Labor, such as providing equitable technology access to underserved populations.
Trade Act employee Tim Eannarino shared his own success story of how the program impacted him personally. Eannarino was working for the Portland Greenbrier manufacturing facility as a training manager when he was laid off in 2019. Through the Trade Act Program, he earned a professional certification in talent management, which gave him the updated skills he needed for the Employment Department to hire him as a training specialist in 2020.
“The Trade Act program offered an amazing opportunity to update my education, including learning online presentation skills that were very helpful during COVID,” said Eannarino. “I’m excited to be a part of the Trade Act team and give back to my community by helping people who are in the same position I was.”
Federal funding for the Trade Adjustment Assistance Act (TAA) is due to sunset by June 30, 2022. As the federal government decides whether to reauthorize funding, Secretary Walsh is visiting Oregon and other states to learn more about best practices and the role trade act programs play throughout the country.
Secretary Walsh recognized the program’s fine work. “You should wear the badge of Number 1 in the nation with honor; you deserve it and should be proud.”
Speaking on the importance of reauthorization, Secretary Walsh said “TAA has already been operating in a reversion status, which has meant that TAA is serving an estimated 48,000 fewer workers nationwide. If TAA is not reauthorized this summer, the program will be terminated, and all new services will halt to a stop. TAA is a vital service to workers across the country, and I truly believe no one wants to see the TAA Program expire, especially at this critical moment for our country and our workers.”
Learn more about Oregon’s Trade Act Program online.
The Oregon Employment Department (OED) is an equal opportunity agency. Everyone has a right to use OED programs and services. OED provides free help. Some examples are sign language and spoken language interpreters, written materials in other languages, braille, large print, audio and other formats. If you need help, please call 971-673-6400. TTY users call 711. You can also ask for help at OED_Communications@employ.oregon.gov
Oregon Transportation Commission Approves How Funds To Be Spent
The Oregon Transportation Commission has approved how it should spend $412 million in federal flexible funds to help people and goods move around safely and with less damage to the environment. In its vote Wednesday, the commission added a new pilot project to help people without cars get around — particularly in low-income and minority households — but also restored $50 million to complete two big highway projects.
Both projects were authorized but not fully funded by the 2017 Legislature in its state package. They are the Bend North corridor, which involves multiple improvements on U.S. Highway 97 and U.S. Highway 20, and the Interstate 5 interchange at Donald/Aurora, just south of Wilsonville and the Willamette River.
Oregon will get at least $1.2 billion for transportation over six years from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which President Joe Biden signed on Nov. 15. The law earmarks most of the other $800 million for specific purposes, such as bridge repairs and electric vehicle infrastructure. Another $200 million goes directly to transit agencies such as TriMet.
The law also directs federal money to broadband expansion, water and sewer lines, electrical grid upgrades and other programs outside the Oregon Department of Transportation.
ODOT Clearing Out Salem Homeless Camps After Fatal Crash
(Salem, OR) — The Oregon Department of Transportation has started clearing several homeless camps in Salem, including one where four people were killed in a crash last Sunday.
On March 17th, ODOT posted eviction notices at 16 properties. Campers were given ten day’s notice to leave.
ODOT will store personal items for 30 days. Oregon State Police troopers and community advocates for the homeless were on scene during the cleanups.
Oregon State Police Trooper Kills Himself While on Duty
The entire Oregon State Police family is grief-stricken by the loss of Sergeant Marcus McDowell. On Tuesday, March 29, 2022, Sergeant Marcus McDowell, who works out of our La Grande Patrol Office, was found deceased in his patrol car. Our hearts go out to his family, friends, and co-workers as they cope with this tragic incident.
Sergeant McDowell was a seventeen-year veteran of this agency. He was respected by all and especially those he has worked so closely with throughout the years. Marcus spent his career at OSP as a member of the Patrol Division, Fish and Wildlife Division, and as a K-9 handler working in the John Day and La Grande areas.
The Wallowa County Sheriff’s Office is leading the investigation into his death. The State Medical Examiner’s Office has determined the manner of death to be suicide. He was on duty at the time of his death.
Oregon State Police Superintendent Davie activated our Critical Incident Response Team to provide peer support to our members that have been impacted by this tragedy. The Oregon State Police thanks the members of the public and other public safety partners for their support during this difficult time.
Law Enforcement Officers have some of the same struggles as the rest of us and need help too. Mental Health is just as important as physical health in Law Enforcement. It has only been since 2018 that The Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act✎ EditSignof 2017 (LEMHWA) was signed into law recognizing that law enforcement agencies need and deserve support in their ongoing efforts to protect the mental health and well-being of their employees.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, speak up, ask for help, reach out to professionals. There are many resources available to everyone. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States- 1-800-273-8255. Crisis Text Line is a texting service for emotional crisis support. Text HELLO to 741741. It is free, available 24/7, and confidential.
Over The Last Decade, Oregon Has Reported The Sixth-Highest Number Of Domestic Extremist Incidents In The Nation
A report from the Oregon Secretary of State says more can be done to reduce the risk of domestic terrorism. It says Oregon is one of 16 states that doesn’t have legislation defining or criminalizing domestic terrorism.
The Oregon Homeland Security Council needs to establish a statewide strategy for countering violent extremism. And, the report calls for better law enforcement training to identify potential threats.
Over the last decade, Oregon has reported the sixth-highest number of domestic extremist incidents in the nation.
Their report pointed to Oregon’s “history of violent extremism” – ranging from the 1984 contamination of a salad bar in The Dalles by the followers of the spiritual leader Rajneesh, which sickened more than 700 people, to the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Harney County in 2016. Oregon saw a “spike” in these incidents in 2020, including the breach of the state Capitol and the shooting of a protestor by another protestor in Portland.
Klamath County Sheriff’s Office Asks for Public’s Help in Search For Trucker Suspect
The first real clue to come in on all the missing person cases in the area. Help Klamath Falls Oregon Sheriff Office ID this trucker. He was the last to see this woman alive and could be the key to not only solving this woman’s disappearance but a number of the hundred other women missing in PNW. IF you have any information, please call (541) 883-5130
https://www.facebook.com/pg/Have-You-Seen-Me-Southern-Oregons-Missing-People-161249961222839/posts/