SEATTLE – As the United States prepares to host millions of international visitors for the FIFA World Cup 2026™, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is committed to ensuring the safety of fans, teams, and communities during this historic, global sporting event. 

DEA is focused on keeping visitors and communities safe on and off the field, as the U.S. continues to confront the deadly synthetic opioid crisis. Significant progress has been made in the fight against fentanyl; however, fentanyl is still involved in approximately 200 deaths every day and remains the leading cause of death for Americans aged ages 18-to-44 years old. 

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid often mixed with other illicit substances, such as methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin, or pressed into counterfeit pills made to look like legitimate medications like oxycodone, hydrocodone, Adderall, and Xanax. When mixed or pressed into pills, fentanyl is nearly impossible to detect – you cannot see, smell, or taste it. Just 2 milligrams of fentanyl – small enough to fit on the tip of a pencil – can be deadly, and many people don’t know they’ve ingested it until it is too late. 

The illicit drug supply is becoming increasingly more unpredictable and lethal, as indicated in a Public Safety Advisory issued by DEA last month. Fentanyl is now being combined with a dangerous array of synthetic substances including xylazine, nitazenes, cychlorphine, and medetomidine, which are often undetectable and not approved for human consumption.     

Counterfeit pills may appear legitimate, but when purchased online or from an unlicensed source they are likely to contain fentanyl. The only safe medications are those obtained from a pharmacy and used as directed under the supervision of a licensed medical professional. 

Your safety is our goal.  Throughout FIFA World Cup 2026 ™ host cities, fans will see DEA’s One Pill Can Kill Campaign, which aims to draw awareness about the dangerous, deadly, and deceptive illicit drug supply. The campaign encourages people to stay vigilant, only take medications from trusted and licensed pharmacists, and understand the risks associated with illicit drugs.

Public Safety Guidance for Fans and Visitors:

• Never take a pill that wasn’t prescribed to you and dispensed by a licensed pharmacy.
• Assume all illicit drugs may contain fentanyl or other deadly additives.
• Carry naloxone and be trained in how to use it but understand it may not fully reverse all substances present.
• Call 911 immediately in any suspected drug poisoning or overdose. Time is critical.
• Stay informed and spread awareness. This threat is evolving rapidly.

DEA has a robust prevention and awareness program aimed at educating communities about the risks associated with illicit substances. The One Pill Can Kill Campaign and Fentanyl Free America initiative were created to protect both visitors and communities from the dangers of fentanyl. Public awareness and prevention are critical to saving lives – one pill, one time can kill. 

The DEA Seattle Field Division is spreading fentanyl awareness through a new billboard campaign- Your Safety is OUR GOAL (photo attached), a Public Service Announcement ( https://youtu.be/xLAGLUVa-hU?si=gn6PZqwMVo-mi6RU) , as well as a new truck seized from a drug trafficker that is now wrapped with DEA's Fentanyl Free America to take to FIFA World Cup 2026 ™ events (photo attached).

DEA’s free outreach and awareness resources are available at FIFA 2026 | DEA.gov.  As we welcome the world to the U.S., your safety remains our number one goal.

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ROSEBURG, Ore. - The Oregon Department of Justice (DOJ) announced last week that a Roseburg man has been sentenced to 14 years and 8 months in prison after pleading no contest to five counts of Encouraging Child Sexual Abuse in the First Degree. The case was investigated by the Oregon DOJ Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force and the Southern Oregon Child Exploitation Team (SOCET). The case centered on one of the largest collections of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) ever uncovered in Oregon – more than 740,000 files that the defendant had made available to anyone on a public file-sharing network.

“This is 740,000 instances of a child being exploited and that exploitation being spread,” said Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield. “This man didn’t just possess this material; he made it available to anyone who wanted it. This sentence reflects the severity of those choices, and I commend the dedicated investigators at SOCET and our ICAC Task Force who did the painstaking work to bring this case to justice.”

David Arthur Kelly, 56, of Roseburg, entered his plea this week before Douglas County Circuit Court Judge Kathleen Johnson. Kelly told the judge he had “made a mistake.” Judge Johnson pointed to the sheer volume of files and told Kelly that what he did “was not a mistake, it was a series of repeated decisions to exploit children.”

Between June 2023 and August 2024, investigators with SOCET made nineteen separate connections to Kelly’s computer and downloaded numerous CSAM files through a publicly accessible peer-to-peer file sharing network. The Oregon DOJ ICAC Task Force took over the investigation in October 2024, identified Kelly as the suspect, and executed search warrants at his Roseburg home. What investigators found on his laptop told the full story – a one-terabyte hard drive packed with more than 740,000 CSAM files, every one of them set to share freely over the internet.

The case was prosecuted by Sr. AAG Elijah Michalowski of the DOJ Criminal Justice Division, appointed as Special Prosecutor by Douglas County DA Richard Wesenberg. Kelly was indicted by a Douglas County Grand Jury on November 6, 2025, on ten counts of Encouraging Child Sexual Abuse in the First Degree. Under the terms of a stipulated sentence, he will serve 176 months – just under 15 years – in state prison.

RELEAESE DATE: June 10^th, 2026

INCIDENT: Drunk Driver Crashes Quad ATV

INCIDENT DATE: June 4^th, 2026, 7:41pm

CASE NUMBER: 26-15414

REPORTING DEPUTY: Corporal Jonathan Hart

SUSPECT: Timothy Cornia, 43 years old

CHARGES: Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants

                    Reckless Driving

                    Reckless Endangering x 2

                    Assault III x 2

DETAILS: On June 4th, 2026 at 7:41pm, deputies from the Josephine County Sheriff's Office responded to a traffic crash in the 1000 block of Caves Camp Road in Williams.

Upon arrival, deputies determined that the driver of the quad ATV, Timothy Cornia, left the roadway, struck a tree and came to rest in the blackberry bushes.  Cornia had two juveniles riding on the quad with him and none of them were wearing helmets. All three riders sustained physical injuries and were transported by ambulance to a nearby hospital.

Cornia was reported to be intoxicated by hospital staff and the incident has been forwarded to the DA’s Office for prosecution on the above charges.

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office emphasizes the dangers of impaired driving and urges all motorists to make responsible choices to ensure the safety of our community and to wear helmets when using all-terrain vehicles.

PORTLAND, Ore. (10 June 2026) –Oregon State Police detectives are seeking information and potential additional victims following a recent arrest.  

On Wednesday, May 27, 2026, Oregon State Police arrested Glenn William Norris (56) of Junction City. Norris was charged with online sexual corruption of a child in the first degree and luring a minor. Norris was identified as part of an Internet Crimes Against Children investigation.

Norris was lodged at the Clackamas County Jail and later indicted on the listed charges.

Investigators believe Norris may have additional victims.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Oregon State Police dispatch at 1-800-442-0776 or OSP (677) from a mobile phone. Please reference case number SP26165006.

This is an ongoing investigation, and no additional information is available for release at this time.

The release of this booking photo is for law enforcement purposes and is in accordance with Oregon House Bill 3273 for the identification of criminal activity.

# # #

About the Oregon State Police

Oregon State Police (OSP) is a multi-disciplined organization that is charged with protecting the people, wildlife, and natural resources in Oregon. 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.

DESCHUTES COUNTY, Ore. (8 June 2026) – On Friday, June 5, 2026, at 12:44 p.m., Oregon State Police responded to a two-vehicle fatal crash on Highway 97 near milepost 113 in Deschutes County.

The preliminary investigation indicated a gray Nissan Titan, operated by Thomas Dwayne Dooms (64) of Redmond, was traveling northbound on Hwy. 97 when it attempted a left turn into the Peter Skene Ogden Rest Area and failed to yield to southbound traffic. The Nissan was struck by southbound black Honda Passport, operated by Isaias Ishar Abianeda (21) of Madras.

A passenger in the Nissan, Mary Lou Dooms (82) of Redmond, was transported to an area hospital with serious injuries. She later died at the hospital.

The operator of the Nissan (Thomas D. Dooms) was transported to an area hospital with serious injuries.

Honda passengers, Kristen Farrester (20) of Culver and Christian Luke Pyle (25) of Bend, were transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The operator of the Honda (Abianeda) was reportedly not injured.

The highway was impacted for approximately three hours during the on-scene investigation.

OSP was assisted by the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Redmond Fire & Rescue, Air Link Ambulance, and the Oregon Department of Transportation.
 

# # #

About the Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) 
The Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) is a specialized unit responsible for investigating fatal and critical injury collisions on Oregon’s highways. The team provides expertise in documenting, investigating, and analyzing complex motor vehicle crashes and crime scenes. They receive specialized training in using advanced measuring techniques and small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) for on-scene investigations. The CRU team includes ACTAR-accredited collision reconstructionists and technical collision investigators deployed across the state.

LAKE COUNTY, Ore. (Date) – On Thursday, June 4, 2026, at 9:15 a.m., Oregon State Police responded to a single-vehicle fatal crash on Highway 140 near milepost 6 in Lake County.

The preliminary investigation indicated a multi-colored KTM motorcycle, operated by John Lester Hunter (69) of Donnelly (ID), was traveling eastbound on Highway 140 when it left the roadway for an unknown reason and struck a tree.

The operator (Hunter) was declared deceased at the scene.

The highway was not impacted during the on-scene investigation.

OSP was assisted by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and the Oregon Department of Transportation.  

# # #

About the Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) 
The Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) is a specialized unit responsible for investigating fatal and critical injury collisions on Oregon’s highways. The team provides expertise in documenting, investigating, and analyzing complex motor vehicle crashes and crime scenes. They receive specialized training in using advanced measuring techniques and small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) for on-scene investigations. The CRU team includes ACTAR-accredited collision reconstructionists and technical collision investigators deployed across the state.

CLATSOP COUNTY, Ore. (8 June 2026) – On Friday, June 5, 2026, at 10:32 a.m., Oregon State Police responded to a single-vehicle fatal crash on Highway 26 near milepost 7.5 in Clatsop County.

The preliminary investigation indicated a white Nissan Kicks, operated by Brittany Ann Estella Lute (30) of Long Beach (WA), was traveling eastbound on Hwy. 26 near Hamlet when it crossed into the westbound lane and struck a utility pole on the westbound shoulder.

The operator of the Nissan (Lute) was declared deceased at the scene. Lute is not believed to have been wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.

The highway was impacted for approximately 1.5 hours during the on-scene investigation.

Impairment is believed to be a contributing factor in the crash.

OSP was assisted by the Cannon Beach Fire Department, the Clatsop County Sheriff’s Office, Medix Ambulance, and the Oregon Department of Transportation.

# # #

About the Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) 
The Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) is a specialized unit responsible for investigating fatal and critical injury collisions on Oregon’s highways. The team provides expertise in documenting, investigating, and analyzing complex motor vehicle crashes and crime scenes. They receive specialized training in using advanced measuring techniques and small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) for on-scene investigations. The CRU team includes ACTAR-accredited collision reconstructionists and technical collision investigators deployed across the state.

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. (5 June 2026) – On Friday, June 5, 2026, at approximately 9:33 a.m., the Klamath Falls Police Department responded to a domestic disturbance in the 900 block of East Main Street in Klamath Falls following a 911 call requesting a welfare check at the residence.

Officers made contact with an armed adult male at the residence. During an altercation with the individual, responding officers deployed deadly force. The suspect was struck by gunfire and declared deceased at the scene.

A minor child was injured during the incident and transported to a hospital. The child is currently under medical care and is in stable condition.  

There were no other reported injuries.

In accordance with standard protocols, the Klamath County Major Crimes Team was activated to investigate the incident. The Major Crimes Team is comprised of the Oregon State Police, Klamath County Sheriff’s Office, Klamath Falls Police Department, Klamath County Parole and Probation, and the Klamath County District Attorney’s Office. The Oregon State Police is assigned as the lead investigating agency.

As per standard protocol, the involved officers will be placed on paid leave during the investigation.

No additional information is available for release at this time. Future updates will be provided by the Klamath County District Attorney’s Office.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Oregon State Police at 541-664-4600 and reference case number SP26183104.

# # #

About the Oregon State Police

Oregon State Police (OSP) is a multi-disciplined organization that is charged with protecting the people, wildlife, and natural resources in Oregon. 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.

HARNEY COUNTY, Ore. (5 June 2026) – The Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division is seeking information regarding an investigation into a deer that was shot with an arrow in Harney County.  

On the morning of May 21, 2026, OSP Fish and Wildlife was notified that a deer shot by an arrow was found alive within the city of Burns. Responding agencies included OSP, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Burns Police Department. The deer was tranquilized and an arrow removed from the animal’s head. The deer was subsequently euthanized for humane reasons. It is believed the deer was shot somewhere in or near the city limits of Burns, though the exact time of the incident is unknown.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Turn In Poachers hotline at 1-800-452-7888 or call OSP (677) from a mobile phone. Please reference case number SP26163743. Tips may remain anonymous.

Report Wildlife and Habitat Law Violators

The Turn In Poachers (TIP) program is a collaboration between the Oregon State Police, Oregon Hunters Association, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Oregon Wildlife Coalition, Oregon Outfitter and Guides Association, and the Oregon State Marine Board.

The TIP program offers preference point rewards for information leading to an arrest or issuance of a citation for the unlawful take/possession or waste of big game mammals.  

Preference Point Rewards

5 Points: Bighorn Sheep

5 Points: Rocky Mountain Goat

5 Points: Moose

5 Points: Wolf

4 Points: Elk

4 Points: Deer

4 Points: Pronghorn Antelope

4 Points: Bear

4 Points: Cougar

The TIP program also offers cash rewards for information leading to an arrest or issuance of a citation for the unlawful take/possession or waste of the following fish and wildlife species. Cash rewards can also be awarded for habitat destruction, illegally obtaining hunting or angling license or tag, lending or borrowing big game tags, spotlighting, or snagging.

Cash Rewards

Oregon Hunters Association (OHA) cash rewards:

$2,000 Bighorn Sheep, Mountain Goat, or Moose

$1,000 Elk, Deer, or Antelope

$600 Bear, Cougar, or Wolf
$400 Game Fish & Shellfish
$400 Snagging/Attempt to Snag

$300 Habitat destruction

$200 Illegally obtaining Oregon hunting or angling license or tags

$200 Unlawful lending/borrowing big game tag(s)

$200 Game Birds or Furbearers

$200 Spotlighting

Rewards for Game Fish & Shellfish and Snagging/Attempting to Snag are sponsored, in part, by Northwest Steelheaders Association and Coastal Conservation Association.

Oregon Wildlife Coalition (OWC) Cash Rewards:

$500 Hawk, Falcon, Eagle, Owl, Osprey

$500 Cougar, Bobcat, Beaver (public lands only), Black bears, Bighorn Sheep, Marten, Fisher, Sierra Nevada Red Fox

$1,000 Species listed as “threatened" or “endangered" under state or federal Endangered Species Act (excludes fish)
$10,000 for Wolves east of Highway 395 and $11,500 for Wolves east of Highway 395 and north of Highway 20

Oregon Outfitters & Guides Association (OOGA) Cash Rewards:

$200 Acting as an Outfitter Guide for the Illegal Killing of Wildlife, Illegally Obtaining Oregon Hunting or Angling Licenses or Tags, or Illegally Offering to Act as an Outfitter Guide as defined in ORS 704.010 and 704.020.

How to Report a Wildlife and/or Habitat Law Violation or Suspicious Activity:

TIP Hotline: 1-800-452-7888 or OSP (677)

TIP email: TIP@osp.oregon.gov (monitored Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.)

For more information visit the Oregon State Police Turn-in-Poachers (TIP) web page.

# # #

About the Oregon State Police

Oregon State Police (OSP) is a multi-disciplined organization that is charged with protecting the people, wildlife, and natural resources in Oregon. 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.

SALEM, Ore. (3 June 2026) – Paws up for OSP’s newest K-9 recruit. The one-year-old red Labrador Retriever is currently training to join K-9 Scout and K-9 Drake to help protect Oregon’s natural resources as part of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation K-9 program. While we’ll always call him “Good Dog,” he’s ready for a new, official name.

OSP is inviting Oregon youth ages 9-17 to help name the new dog. Because the K-9 and its trooper partner are assigned to the Fish and Wildlife Division, suggested names should be wildlife, fish, or outdoors-related.

Contest Rules:

• Entries may be submitted now through June 14, 2026
• Entries must be submitted using the OSP online entry form
• The contest is open to Oregon youth ages 9-17
• One entry per youth
• Suggested names must be wildlife, fish, or outdoors-related
• Finalists will be selected from the submitted entries for statewide voting
• The youth with the winning entry will get a chance to meet the K-9 and receive other recognition items from OSP

Think you’ve got the perfect name? Send in your suggestion and help welcome OSP’s newest K-9 trooper to the team.

OSP’s conservation K-9 program began in 2018 with K-9 Buck, who recently retired from active service. Fish and Wildlife K-9s receive specialized training in wildlife detection, human tracking, and area searches to support investigations into the illegal take of birds, wildlife, and fish around the state. Dogs are trained to detect deer, elk, bear, turkey, waterfowl, salmon, and sturgeon, as well as firearms, shell casings, and other items containing gunpowder residue. Conservation K-9 teams have been instrumental during investigations into poaching, missing persons, and other criminal activity.

The new conservation K-9 team will be stationed at OSP’s La Grande patrol office, joining teams currently based in Bend and Springfield.

The Conservation K-9 program is a collaboration between the Oregon State Police and the Oregon Wildlife Foundation. The Oregon Wildlife Foundation maintains the Wildlife Conservation K-9 Fund to help cover expenses associated with the canine members of the Conservation K-9 teams. Donations to the fund support the costs of veterinary care, training equipment, and other essential supplies.

# # #

About the Oregon State Police

Oregon State Police (OSP) is a multi-disciplined organization that is charged with protecting the people, wildlife, and natural resources in Oregon. 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 City of Roseburg Fire Department, Central Douglas Fire & Rescue, and Cow Creek Tribal Fire Management will be actively engaging in wildland fire training exercises on Reservoir Hill on June 15, 17, and 19, 2026.  During the training exercises, live burning will occur throughout the day.  Training will begin at 9 a.m. and end at 4 p.m. each day. Firefighters may remain at the training location for an extended period after training has concluded for site cleanup. 

The training exercises will occur on property owned by the City of Roseburg, the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, and private landowners.  The live burn training will occur on three separate portions of the hillside to allow for training on each of the days.  In preparation for the training exercises, firefighters will be conducting small, controlled burns on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, to create a safety barrier for the nearby residential properties and the City of Roseburg assets before the larger burns begin on June 15, 2026.

The training objectives will include refresher training on wildland firefighting tactics in conjunction with local fire agencies, continued training on command and control procedures for multi-unit incident response, and eliminating fuels in an effort to minimize the threat of an uncontrolled burn in the area. 

The City of Roseburg would like to thank Central Douglas Fire & Rescue and Cow Creek Tribal Fire Management for their assistance, support, and participation in the upcoming wildland fire training. This collaborative effort highlights the importance of interagency interoperability and provides critical benefits to all agencies involved by enhancing coordinated response capabilities and overall preparedness. The City of Roseburg Fire Department would also like to thank the City of Roseburg Police Department for providing additional assistance related to the training.

As always, safety will be the number one priority for personnel participating in the training.  For everyone’s safety, we kindly ask photographers and the public to stay clear of the designated training burn site.  Drone operators are reminded that flying drones over the prescribed burn site is prohibited for both safety reasons and potential interference with firefighting operations.  Your cooperation helps ensure a secure environment for all fire personnel involved.

Media wishing to interview a Public Information Officer regarding this training exercise are encouraged to contact Staff Assistant Amy Rice at 541.492.6727 or ice@cityofroseburg.org">arice@roseburgor.gov to coordinate an allotted time with a Public Information Officer at the training site.

The Roseburg Fire Department will be conducting a live fire training exercise at 233 NE Fulton Street on Sunday, June 7, 2026, beginning at approximately 8:00 a.m. and continuing until 12 p.m.  The live fire training exercise will be a joint agency training in conjunction with Central Douglas County Fire & Rescue. 

This training opportunity provides the ability to not only training together, but to also improve the effectiveness of interoperability between multiple agencies.  This important hands-on training will allow our firefighters the opportunity to gain real-world experience in a controlled setting. The training will include multiple scenarios and evolutions focused on fire behavior and development with extinguishment.

Neighboring residents and/or property owners should be aware of the following:

• Smoke and Flames - Throughout the training, visible smoke and flames will be seen coming from the structure. Please do not be alarmed.  This is a supervised and controlled training exercise conducted by certified fire instructors.
• Noise - Expect some increase in noise levels due to fire apparatus, equipment, and instructor communications.
• Air Quality - Those with respiratory sensitivities, pets, or health concerns may wish to keep windows closed during the training period.
• Safety Perimeter - For the safety of everyone, please do not enter the training area or approach the scene during the exercise.

Firefighters may remain at the training location for an extended period after training has concluded for site cleanup.  As always, safety will be the number one priority for personnel participating in the training.  The City of Roseburg Fire Department would like to thank the property owners for providing firefighters this valuable opportunity to train in a live fire training scenario and for their continued support of the department’s training program. 

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we work to enhance the safety and preparedness of our firefighters and community. These live fire training exercises are an essential part of our ongoing training program to ensure we can respond effectively to real emergencies.  If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Administrative Battalion Chief Chris Galligan at (541) 492-6770 or via email at roseburgfire@roseburgor.gov

For the latest information regarding the City of Roseburg Fire Department, please visit our website at https://roseburgor.gov/departments/fire or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/roseburgfire.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  
Media hotline: 503-813-6018

Oregon organizations receive e-mobility grants

Grant funding will help expand access to electric transportation

Portland, ORE. (June 9, 2026) — More than a dozen Oregon organizations have been awarded electric mobility grants, helping connect communities to the benefits of going electric.

This round of grants supports a variety of projects across Pacific Power’s service area, including the purchase of e-bikes, electric vehicles and charging stations. The funding comes from revenue generated by the Oregon Clean Fuels Program, administered by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality.

“We’re proud to support organizations in Oregon that are finding creative ways to make electric transportation more accessible,” said Shawn Grant, director of customer solutions at Pacific Power. “These grants will help bring everyday benefits to communities by increasing mobility, lowering transportation costs or expanding charging access.”

The following organizations received an e-mobility grant:

• Anson’s Bike Buddies will manage an e-bike lending library in the Hood River area to allow customers to experience e-bikes before making a purchase. E-bike vouchers will also be available for up to 29 individuals. 
• Around the Bend Farms will purchase one electric truck and install two AC Level 2 chargers. This project will support the farm’s agricultural work and fresh produce distribution efforts that address food insecurity for marginalized communities across Central Oregon and the Confederate Tribes of Warm Springs.
• Central Oregon Avalanche Center will purchase two fully electric snowmobiles for forecasters. 
• Central Oregon Community College will procure one electric van for campus mail delivery services.
• The City of Bonanza will purchase one electric vehicle for municipal use, a fully electric utility vehicle for public works purposes and a Level 2 charger to support the two vehicles.
• Crooked River Watershed Council will purchase one electric passenger truck and one electric UTV. These vehicles will introduce and promote the adoption of electrified vehicles in the agricultural sector. 
• Friends of the Children – Central Oregon serves youth facing poverty, foster care, and other traumatic circumstances with access to mental health services, both non-clinical and clinical, across Deschutes, Jefferson and Crook Counties. Funding provided through this program will help offset the costs of purchasing two electric passenger vehicles to help fulfill their mission. 
• Friends of the Children – Klamath Basin will use funds to help purchase two electric passenger vehicles and purchase and install a Level 2 charger to help serve children and families in the Klamath Falls and Chiloquin areas. 
• Furnish Hope will use grant funds to purchase one electric vehicle and one electric transit van to help serve their mission of providing furniture to underserved households in Central Oregon who may otherwise lack the means to furnish their homes.
• The High Desert Museum will purchase four fully electric UTVs to provide a quieter, faster and more efficient mode of transportation for their staff. 
• Lloyd Eco District will administer an e-bike program to 20 low-income residents of an affordable multifamily housing development site.  
• Mountain View Community Development will purchase one electric light duty truck to deliver food and supplies and offer rides to appointments and other services for unhoused clients in Central Oregon. 
• North Unit Irrigation District located in Madras will purchase two electric light duty trucks and two Level 2 chargers for operations staff and district manager usage. 
• Rooted Homes will purchase and install 18 Level 2 chargers to support resident electric vehicle use and promote sustainable transportation. This project is part of the organization’s broader clean energy and affordability model, integrating homeownership with reduced transportation costs in Central Oregon.

Grant applications will open again later this year. For more information, go to our website.

###

About Pacific Power

Pacific Power provides safe and reliable electric service to more than 800,000 customers in Oregon, Washington and California. The company supplies customers with electricity from a diverse portfolio of generating plants including hydroelectric, natural gas, coal, wind, geothermal and solar resources. Pacific Power is part of PacifiCorp, one of the lowest-cost electricity producers in the United States, with over two million customers in six western states. For more information, visit PacificPower.net.

June 10, 2026
 

MEDIA ADVISORY
Oregon Fallen Fire Fighters Memorial Ceremony to be held Tuesday, June 16

WHAT:
The Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) and the Oregon Fire Service Honor Guard will host the annual Oregon Fallen Fire Fighters Memorial Ceremony to honor fire service members who have given their lives in the line of duty.

WHEN:
Tuesday, June 16, 1:00 p.m.
Media arrival recommended by 12:45 p.m.

WHERE:
Oregon Public Safety Academy
4190 Aumsville Highway SE
Salem, OR 97317

WHY:
This meaningful annual ceremony brings together families, fire service members, and elected officials to honor the Oregon firefighters who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the state.

The ceremony will honor the 185 men and women whose names adorn the Oregon Fire Fighters Memorial, including three fallen fire service members whose names were recently added during a private engraving ceremony:

• Paul J. (Jim) Bieker Jr., Captain (retired), Portland Fire & Rescue
• Michael Merlino, Battalion Chief, Sutherlin Fire Department
• Brian Robert Wolgamott, Fire Planner, United States Fish and Wildlife Service

MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES:

• Visuals of ceremonial elements and honor guard activities, including ribbon and bell ceremonies and flag presentation
• Remarks from dignitaries, keynote speaker (Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue Deputy Chief Patrick Fale), and speeches honoring the three fallen firefighters recently added to the memorial
• B-roll of the memorial, engraved names, and flags lining the driveway entrance to the academy
• DPSST will issue a full post-event press release and handout photos via FlashAlert by 5:30 p.m. 

RSVP/CONTACT:
Sam Tenney, Communications Coordinator
Department of Public Safety Standards and Training
503-931-4069
sam.tenney@dpsst.oregon.gov

APPLICANT REVIEW COMMITTEE

MEETING SCHEDULED

The Applicant Review Committee of the Board on Public Safety Standards and Training will hold a regular meeting at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, at the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training located at 4190 Aumsville Hwy SE, Salem, Oregon. For further information, please contact Juan Lopez (503) 551-3167.

To view the Applicant Review Committee's live-stream and other recorded videos, please visit DPSST’s official YouTube page at https://www.youtube.com/@DPSST.

Agenda Items:

1. Introductions

2. Approve February 25, 2026, Meeting Minutes

3. Austin Casarez-Thompson, DPSST No. 67532; Medford Police Department

    Presented by Victor Sanchez

4. Inquiry Closure Memos – Information Only

    Presented by Victor Sanchez

5. Next Applicant Review Committee Meeting – July 22, 2026, at 11:00 a.m.

Administrative Announcement

This is a public meeting, subject to the public meeting law and it will be recorded. Deliberation of issues will only be conducted by Applicant Review Committee members unless permitted by the Chair. Individuals who engage in disruptive behavior that impedes official business will be asked to stop being disruptive or leave the meeting. Additional measures may be taken to have disruptive individuals removed if their continued presence poses a safety risk to the other persons in the room or makes it impossible to continue the meeting.

2026 Board on Public Safety Standards & Training

 and Policy Committee

Open Vacancy – Recruitments

The Board on Public Safety Standards & Training (BPSST) and established Policy Committees have open vacancies looking to be filled. The current vacancies are as follows:

BPSST: All Board applications must be submitted through Workday.com and are reviewed on a rolling basis

• One member who is a representative of the collective bargaining unit that represents the largest number of individual workers in the DOC
• Public Member

Policy Committees: All Policy Committee applications must be submitted by June 18, 2026.

Corrections Policy Committee:

• One non-management corrections officer employed by the DOC
• One public member who has never been employed or utilized as a corrections officer

Police Policy Committee:

• One non-management law enforcement officer
• One public member who has never been employed or utilized as a police officer

Private Security/Investigator Policy Committee:

• One person representing the retail industry
• One person representing the public who has never been employed or utilized as a private security provider or investigator
• One person representing the manufacturing industry
• One person representing the hospitality industry

Private Investigator Subcommittee:

• Two currently licensed private investigators

Telecommunications Policy Committee:

• One person representing Emergency Medical Services & Trauma 
• One person representing the Oregon State Sheriffs' Association

To inquire about a vacancy, please visit Department of Public Safety Standards & Training : Board on Public Safety Standards & Training and Policy Committees : Boards and Committees : State of Oregon.

If interested in applying for a Policy Committee position, please complete and submit the Policy Committee Interest Form found under the ‘Board and Committee Resources’ section of the website listed above.

If interested in applying for a BPSST position, please complete the online application at Workday Board and Commission Opportunities. (Please note that an account may need to be created if not already in Workday)

For further information regarding the Board on Public Safety Standards and Training or its respective Policy Committees, please contact Juan Lopez at (503) 551-3167 or juan.lopez-hernandez@dpsst.oregon.gov.

Thank you,

DPSST Board & Committees Staff

Portland, Ore. — Leadership from the U.S. Navy, the Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM), the Governor’s Office, the Oregon Department of Human Services Office of Resilience and Emergency Management (OREM), and the Port of Portland attended the 2026 Defense Support to Civil Authorities (DSCA) Senior Leadership Seminar yesterday, June 4, held at Portland International Airport (PDX). 

The seminar brought together senior leaders and planners from local, state, federal, tribal, and military agencies to strengthen coordination and preparedness for a Cascadia Subduction Zone event—one of the Pacific Northwest’s most significant natural disaster risks.

Hosted by the  Port of Portland with virtual participation available, the half‑day program featured senior‑level discussions, scenario‑based planning, and insights into federal and military support capabilities during catastrophic incidents. An optional afternoon networking session further supported collaboration across jurisdictions.

“Preparedness is at the core of our airport operations, including a new PDX that was built to withstand the Big One,” said Port of Portland Chief Aviation Officer Dan Pippenger. “Workshops like this boost our resilience through strengthened collaboration and communication. This is essential for the region’s preparedness partners to respond quickly as a team, save lives, and keep people and critical supplies flowing when disaster strikes.”

Participants engaged in focused conversations on current response plans, interagency coordination challenges, and opportunities to enhance alignment across emergency management systems. The seminar reinforced the critical role that DSCA support plays in large‑scale disaster response and emphasized the importance of integrated planning before a crisis occurs.

“Preparing for a Cascadia event requires strong partnerships and a shared understanding of how we will work together in the most challenging conditions,” said Erin McMahon, Director of the Oregon Department of Emergency Management. “This seminar brought together the leadership necessary to ensure we are coordinated, informed and ready to respond.”

Leaders from the Navy, ODHS OREM, and the Port of Portland echoed the importance of cross‑agency collaboration, emphasizing that unified planning is essential to protecting communities and accelerating recovery following a major seismic event.

ODHS OREM director Ed Flick added that “sea-based response is the standard in the IndoPacific region. As a pacific state, the sea services will play a key role in response to a CSZ earthquake and tsunami response in Oregon.”

The DSCA Senior Leadership Seminar series, launched in 2010, continues to provide a vital platform for enhancing regional readiness in high‑risk areas such as the Pacific Northwest. Insights from this year’s session will inform ongoing planning efforts and strengthen the partnerships that support Oregon’s resilience.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

• Oregon Department of Emergency Management, 503-934-3310 | licinfo@oem.oregon.gov">oem_publicinfo@oem.oregon.gov
• ODHS Office of Resilience and Emergency Management ODHS-Media@odhs.oregon.gov
• Port of Portland, media@portofportland.com
• State, Federal and Local Leaders Have Concluded a Senior Leadership Seminar on Cascadia Preparedness

Salem – Oregon health insurers have submitted proposed 2027 rates for individual and small group plans, launching a monthslong review process that includes public input and meetings.

Health insurance choices for Oregonians remains strong despite broader market changes. Kaiser, Moda, Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon, and BridgeSpan will offer plans in the individual market for 2027. Three insurers will offer plans statewide (Moda, Bridgespan, and Regence), and Kaiser is offering insurance in 11 counties, giving four options to choose from in various areas around the state. Providence and PacificSource will leave the individual market at the end of the year and did not submit individual rate filings for consideration.

In the individual market, four companies submitted rate-change requests ranging from an average increase of 11.7 percent (BridgeSpan) to 25 percent (Moda), for a weighted average increase of 17.5 percent. That is higher than last year’s average increase of 9.7 percent.

In the small group market, six companies submitted rate-change requests ranging from an average increase of 9.5 percent (Kaiser) to 28.9 percent (UnitedHealthcare), for a weighted average increase of 17 percent. That is higher than last year’s average increase of 11.5 percent.

The Oregon Reinsurance Program continues to help stabilize the market and lower the rate increases. This year the reinsurance program lowered rates by an average of 9.7 percent minimizing price increases felt by consumers. Reinsurance lowered rates for the ninth-straight year. Oregon has resubmitted a renewal request to the federal government to maintain this program. The Oregon Legislature adopted Gov. Kotek’s 2025-27 funding plan, which continued revenue streams that keep the reinsurance program stable.

Refer to the attached chart for the full list of rate-change requests. The requested rates are for plans that comply with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for small businesses and individuals who buy their own coverage rather than getting it through an employer.

Oregon’s individual and small group markets are under pressure from several directions with respect to the 2027 rate filings. In the individual market, the expiration of the enhanced federal ACA subsidies has priced some Oregonians out of coverage entirely, shrinking the individual market from roughly 161,000 enrollees in 2025 to about 140,000 in 2026. The small group market has gone from about 142,000 to 134,000 enrollees over the same period. This adds uncertainty and risk to insurance companies as they price 2027 benefit year products. Across both markets, filings reflected generalized federal policy uncertainties, tariff effects to pharmaceutical drugs and durable medical equipment, and general inflation – all of which have raised the costs of coverage and caused markets to diminish. DFR will independently analyze and confirm the information submitted by insurance companies related to cost drivers before approving final rates.

“Oregon consumers are facing challenging times with expiring premium tax credits, rising health insurance rates across the country, and two carriers leaving the Oregon market,” said TK Keen, Oregon’s insurance commissioner. “With the losses of Providence and PacificSource in the individual market, there are fewer options, but there are still three options in every Oregon county to choose from, and the Oregon Reinsurance Program continues to stabilize the market and keep rates lower than they would be by almost 10 percent next year.”

A virtual public meeting about the 2027 requested health insurance rates will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, July 13. A July 31 virtual public meeting is also scheduled, if necessary; however, public comment is encouraged by the July 13 meeting because the second meeting may be canceled. At the meetings, each insurance company will provide a brief presentation about its rate increase requests, answer questions from DFR employees, and hear public comment from Oregonians. Public comment will be accepted now through July 13. A web address to watch the public meetings will be posted at oregonhealthrates.org at a later date.

“We look forward to a thorough and transparent process putting these rate requests through a rigorous public review, and we encourage the public to join the virtual public meeting and provide feedback on their health insurance plans,” Keen said. “This public process not only helps keep insurance companies accountable, but it gives Oregonians the opportunity be part of the process.”

Over the next several months, DFR will analyze the requested rates to ensure they adequately cover, without excessively exceeding, the amount necessary for the insurers’ to pay for plan participants’ healthcare costs. DFR must review and approve rates before they are charged to policyholders.

Final decisions for the 2027 year are anticipated in September.

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About DCBS: The Department of Consumer and Business Services is Oregon’s largest business regulatory and consumer protection agency. For more information, go to www.dcbs.oregon.gov.

About Oregon DFR: The Division of Financial Regulation is part of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, Oregon’s largest business regulatory and consumer protection agency. Visit www.dcbs.oregon.gov and dfr.oregon.gov.

Partnership planted and protected more than 74,000 seedlings across 424 acres affected by the 2024 Crazy Creek Fire

PRINEVILLE, Ore. - The Oregon Department of Forestry’s (ODF) Federal Forest Restoration Program and the Ochoco National Forest have completed a first-of-its-kind reforestation project within the Crazy Creek Fire burn area, planting and protecting more than 74,000 ponderosa pine seedlings across 424 acres of federal forestland.

The Crazy Creek planting project is the first reforestation effort on federal forestland in Oregon to be completed through a state-written and state-administered planting contract under the Good Neighbor Authority (GNA). The Good Neighbor Authority was authorized under the 2014 Farm Bill and allows the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to enter into partnership agreements with state agencies to accomplish forest, watershed, and rangeland restoration projects on federal lands. This project demonstrates how state and federal partners can use the GNA to expand restoration capacity and accelerate recovery following severe wildfire.

“This project is a strong example of what the Good Neighbor Authority was designed to accomplish,” said Kyle Sullivan-Astor, ODF’s Federal Forest Restoration Program Lead. “By combining the expertise and resources of the Forest Service and ODF, we were able to complete additional reforestation work that would not otherwise have occurred on this timeline. Each seedling represents an investment in the long-term resilience of Central Oregon’s forests.”

The Ochoco National Forest experienced an exceptionally damaging fire season in 2024. The Crazy Creek, Rail Ridge, and Wiley Flat fires burned hundreds of thousands of acres across the forest, creating an urgent need for reforestation and post-fire restoration.

In spring 2025, the Ochoco National Forest approached ODF’s Federal Forest Restoration Program team in Prineville about expanding the state’s role in post-fire recovery. ODF and the Forest Service subsequently entered into an agreement for ODF to plant 424 acres within the Crazy Creek burn area during the 2026 planting season.

The Forest Service purchased the seedlings and protective materials and stored them at the Ochoco Ranger Station. ODF’s Prineville-based crew completed field reconnaissance and unit layout. ODF personnel also wrote, awarded, administered, inspected, and completed the state planting contract. The contract included eight planting units. Crews planted ponderosa pine seedlings and installed rigid Vexar netting to reduce browsing damage from elk and deer.

The ODF effort built upon a much larger Forest Service planting contract completed across the Crazy Creek, Rail Ridge, and Wiley Flat fire areas. That project, the largest planting contract in the Ochoco National Forest’s history, reforested approximately 3,000 acres with more than 500,000 seedlings. ODF personnel supported the federal contract by leading one of the Forest Service planting crews and assisting with contract implementation and inspections to ensure quality standards were met. After supporting the Forest Service contract, ODF administered its own Crazy Creek planting contract, expanding the total area reforested during the planting season by an additional 424 acres.

Created by the Oregon Legislature in 2013, ODF’s Federal Forest Restoration Program works with federal agencies, Tribes, counties, forest collaboratives, contractors, and other partners to increase the pace, scale, and quality of restoration on Oregon’s federal forestlands. The program uses tools such as the Good Neighbor Authority to complete work that is additive to what federal agencies can accomplish with existing resources.

Across Oregon, GNA projects support a broad range of restoration activities, including forest health treatments, hazardous fuels reduction, timber sale preparation and administration, road improvements, watershed restoration, and tree planting. The Crazy Creek project highlights the growing role these partnerships can play in supporting timely, landscape-scale recovery after wildfire.

Project at a Glance

• Location: Crazy Creek Fire burn area, Ochoco National Forest
• Acres reforested through ODF contract: 424 acres
• Planting units: 8
• Seedlings planted and protected: More than 74,000
• Seedling species: Ponderosa pine
• Protection method: Rigid Vexar netting to reduce browsing by elk and deer
• Additional Forest Service planting effort supported by ODF: Approximately 3,000 acres and more than 500,000 seedlings across the Crazy Creek, Rail Ridge, and Wiley Flat fire areas

About the Federal Forest Restoration Program

The Oregon Department of Forestry’s Federal Forest Restoration Program partners with federal agencies and other stakeholders to accelerate forest restoration on federal lands in Oregon. The program is guided by state law and prioritizes projects that reduce wildfire risk, improve forest resilience, enhance wildlife habitat and watershed health, support local economies, and increase the pace and scale of restoration.

For more see ODF’s Federal Forest Restoration webpage.

What: The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) invites media to learn about and tour the agency’s new Multi-Mission Aircraft.  

Background: The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) is strengthening its statewide wildfire and emergency response capabilities with the addition of a new Multi-Mission Aircraft (MMA).

The new aircraft is a Twin Otter airframe that replaces the agency’s long-serving Partenavia P.68 Observer aircraft which is retiring after more than 40 years of service. The new aircraft is equipped with Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled wide-area mapping, high-definition thermal imaging, mission management software with 3D map visualization, and night operations capability, the aircraft will allow ODF to identify and communicate emerging incidents more quickly, track fire behavior with greater precision, and maintain situational awareness during both daytime and nighttime operations.

This $13.23 million investment, including $12 million in legislatively approved bonds (2023) and $1.23 million from additional funding sources, builds on ODF’s long-standing aviation program that has enhanced wildfire detection and response for decades.

Details: Media will have the opportunity to go inside the new aircraft, see the new equipment, learn about enhanced capabilities and how it will serve Oregon, and interview members of the ODF Aviation team who helped to bring this new aircraft to ODF. Representatives from vendors supplying advanced equipment will also be available.

When: Thursday, June 11, 2026

Location: Salem Air Center, 3300 25th St SE, Salem, OR 97302

Time: 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

               -Introductions and remarks from the ODF Aviation team will begin at 10:45 a.m.

Please RSVP by emailing Jessica Neujahr, jessica.neujahr@odf.oregon.gov by June 10

ASTORIA, Ore.—The new outdoor learning pavilion at the Oregon Department of Forestry’s (ODF) Astoria District Office was completed on May 27. The 16-by-24-foot timber structure is now open for community use as part of the adjacent demonstration forest managed by ODF.

“The original purpose of the pavilion was to support Clatsop County Sixth Grade Forestry Days when we started planning for it in 2018,” said Dan Goody, Astoria District Forester. “It fulfills that purpose, but sixth grade forestry days is just the last week in September so it will be available for other educational and community events the rest of the year.”

Renewed momentum for the project came in early 2025 when the local chapter of Oregon Women in Timber (OWIT) approached ODF with interest in reviving the project after earlier fund-raising efforts had stalled. Their goal was to commemorate the 65th anniversary of Clatsop County Forestry Day, established in 1960, serving every sixth-grade student in the county through an annual forestry field tour. That day is now a two-day event that has been hosted by ODF for the last several years.

Each year during Clatsop County Sixth Grade Forestry Days, more than 400 students receive hands-on experience and get a firsthand look at possible career opportunities in natural resources as they rotate through 10 outdoor stations. Those stations are either out in the open or have temporary tents. The new pavilion will be the first permeant structure for the event.

Working with ODF, OWIT led a very successful fundraising campaign that propelled the project forward. Significant support was provided by: Oregon Forest Resources Institute, Weyerhaeuser Giving Fund, Nuveen Natural Capital, Pacific Power Foundation, Hampton Lumber, Society of American Foresters (SAF), and Clatsop County Safety Council.  Additional in-kind donations of labor and materials were provided by: Warrenton Fiber Company (rock), Bill Hughes Excavation (site work), Mark Baldwin Construction (construction), and Tillamook-Clatsop Chapter of SAF (clearing and brushing).

“We are grateful to the many organizations, partners, and community members whose time, donations, and collaboration made this project possible,” said Goody.  “We plan to have ribbon-cutting ceremonies at the next 6th Grade Forestry Days September 23 and 24 to celebrate the completion of the project.”

Those interested in visiting the demonstration forest can visit any day from dawn to dusk. To reserve the outdoor learning pavilion, contact the ODF’s Astoria District Office at (503) 325-5451. The trailhead and parking area are located at 92219 Highway 202 near Astoria.

The demonstration forest originated from an idea conceived in the early 1990s by former Assistant District Forester Bill Lecture. After Clatsop Community College discontinued operation of its neighboring dairy farm, a portion of unused pasture on adjacent ODF land became available. Seeing an opportunity, Bill envisioned an outdoor classroom dedicated to forestry education. He convened local citizens and educators with a shared interest in forestry to help shape what would become the demonstration forest—a space intended for learning, exploration, and community engagement.

Today anyone can take a self-guided tour of the seven-acre parcel. There is more than a mile of hiking trails with interpretive signs that explain how active management of timber stands benefit state forests. It also helps visitors learn about basic forestry practices.

 For more, see the demonstration forest guide. See the ODF state forest recreational trails and guides page for other recreational opportunities in Clatsop and other state forests.

Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) is partnering with community centers and organizations in Klamath and Lake Counties to co-host two fun, informational resource fairs that are tailored for older adults. The two free events are open to everyone. They will feature speakers, activities, giveaways, information and resource booths, as well as lunch.

Along with the ODHS Office of Aging and People with Disabilities (APD), including the APD Adult Protective Services Unit, the events are being hosted by the Klamath & Lake Counties Council on Aging, the Klamath Basin Senior Citizens’ Center, The Center (formerly Lake County Senior Center) and other community partner agencies. Information provided will include tips on how to avoid the latest scams in recognition of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on June 15th.

Here is more information on how to attend:

Klamath Falls Elder Abuse Awareness Event and Resource Fair

• When: 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Monday, June 15, 2026
• Where: Klamath Basin Senior Citizens’ Center, 2045 Arthur St., Klamath Falls, Oregon, 97603

Lakeview Elder Abuse Awareness Event and Resource Fair

• When: 11 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 17, 2026
• Where: The Center (Formerly Lake County Senior Center), 11 N. G St., Lakeview, Oregon 97630

Other details and accessibility: Lunch will be served at both events. For general questions as well as questions about accessibility, or to request an accommodation, contact Josh Woodson at (541) 273-3044 or send an email to Joshua.N.Woodson@odhs.oregon.gov.

June 5, 2026

Salem, OR) – Oregon Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (Summer EBT) will be issued to families who are automatically eligible beginning today, June 5, 2026. 
 

Summer EBT is a food benefits program that helps address hunger in Oregon when children are on summer break and don’t have easy access to healthy meals at school.  

Families should check their EBT card balance at www.ebtedge.com to confirm receipt. Summer EBT provides $120 for each eligible child to buy food. 

This is the third year of Oregon’s Summer EBT program, which is administered by the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) and Oregon Department of Education (ODE). The program expects to serve about 360,000 children this year.   

Families who didn’t automatically get Summer EBT on June 5, 2026, should check program requirements before applying. Families can check requirements at sebt.oregon.gov or by contacting the Summer EBT Call Center at 833-673-7328. The Call Center is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., PDT. Apply online in English and Spanish or with a paper application in multiple languages at sebt.oregon.gov.   

“Access to nutritious food is essential to children’s health, well-being, and learning,” Oregon Department of Education Director Dr. Charlene Williams said. “Summer EBT provides important support to families during the summer months, and we encourage eligible families to take advantage of this resource.” 

Summer EBT is an evidence-based program proven to reduce child hunger and support healthier diets. With this help, families will be able to spend more than $43 million in their local grocery stores, farmers markets and other places.  

“We know summer can be especially hard for families who are already struggling to keep food on the table,” said ODHS Director Liesl Wendt. “When school is out, many children lose access to regular school meals, and no child should have to worry about being hungry. Summer EBT helps families buy healthy food and gives kids the nutrition they need to grow, learn, and enjoy their summer. Our goal is to make sure every eligible child in Oregon can access this support.” 

Who is eligible for Summer EBT food benefits? 

Families can find details about Summer EBT at sebt.oregon.gov.  

Families will get benefits automatically on their Oregon EBT card if they have children between the ages of 6-18 and have received one of the following at any time during the 2025-26 school year: 

• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food benefits 

• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) cash assistance 

• Medicaid, if household income is below 185 percent of the federal poverty level 

• Foster care services 

Families also may automatically receive benefits if they have children who: 

• Were determined by their school to have a status as migrant, houseless or runaway. 

• Took part in the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations. 

• Attended a Head Start program that was part of the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program. 

Families may need to apply if: 

• Their household meets income requirements for free or reduced-price school meals. 

• Their child attends a school that was part of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or School Breakfast Program (SBP). 

Important Summer EBT dates: 

• June 5, 2026 – The online application opens and applications begin processing. 

• Sept. 1, 2026 – Application deadline. 

• Sept. 25, 2026 – The Summer EBT call center closes. 

Children cannot receive 2026 Summer EBT benefits in multiple states. The program invites families to apply if they have children living in Oregon during the 2025-26 school year. Summer EBT benefits are not considered in a public charge test and are available to children regardless of immigration status.   

Additional resources:  

• Families can double their money by up to $20 per day at participating Oregon Farmers Markers, Community Supported Agriculture farms (CSAs) and grocery stores using Double Up Food Bucks  

• Information about Food resources in Oregon 

• Find summer meal sites  

June 9, 2026

Media contact: Jonathan Modie, PHD.Communications@oha.oregon.gov

OHA to revisit new pool rule requiring adults accompany kids under 14

Agency to convene additional public process and ‘recommend’ rather than ‘require’ age limit this season

PORTLAND, Ore.—Oregon Health Authority is revisiting a new pool rule requiring children younger than 14 to be accompanied by adults at general-use public swimming pools during open swim periods.

OHA will adopt a temporary rule to require public pools post a sign with the message that OHA recommends children under 14 be accompanied by an adult. The agency will convene a public process this fall to hear input from parents, caregivers, public pool operators, lifeguards, regulators and other interested parties to inform a decision about making that rule permanent or adopting a different rule.

“After hearing from parents and caregivers of older elementary and early middle school-age children, the Food, Pool and Lodging Health and Safety Program is proposing additional discussion with the community and regulated partners to gather more input, ensure equitable access to public pools and continue to keep kids safe,” said Gabriela Goldfarb, manager of OHA’s Environmental Public Health Section.

OHA will be notifying all pool operators and local health inspectors that the agency is initiating a temporary rule adoption to amend the signage language.

The update to the state’s Aquatic Facility Rules, which were processed through a Rule Advisory Committee (RAC), were formally adopted April 1, 2025. The current language states that “Children under the age of 14 years must have direct supervision by a person aged 18 years or older.” The upcoming temporary rule will require a sign stating, “OHA recommends children under the age of 14 years have direct supervision by a person aged 18 years or older.”

For the rule adopted in 2025, OHA and the RAC selected an age limit to align with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC), which serves as the primary national framework for aquatic safety. This limit was based on national data from CDC, which has consistently shown deaths in swimming pools are high through age 13, then drop starting at 14. That same CDC data show drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for children ages 5-14.

Additionally, even though the RAC agreed unanimously with the proposal to require those 13 and younger be accompanied by an adult at public pools, the extensive rulemaking process included a broad range of more technical issues, such as pool equipment and chemistry.

“Given the technical nature of most of the rules, OHA typically gets participation from pool facility operators and builders, and not the community members using the pool,” Goldfarb noted. “Going forward, when CDC updates its model codes, we’ll work to identify proposed changes that need community conversations to find the right path for Oregon.”

Those interested in participating in a workgroup for this issue in the fall can email pool.safety@oha.oregon.gov to be considered. Diverse representation for the discussion is welcomed. 

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June 9, 2026

Media contacts: Jonathan Modie PHD.Communications@oha.oregon.gov

Nye Beach health advisory issued June 9

High bacteria levels prompt OHA recommendation to avoid water contact

PORTLAND, Ore.—Oregon Health Authority (OHA) is issuing a public health advisory today for unsafe levels of fecal bacteria in ocean waters at Nye Beach in Lincoln County. People should avoid direct contact with the water in this area until the advisory is lifted.

Unsafe levels of fecal bacteria can cause diarrhea, stomach cramps, skin rashes, upper respiratory infections and other illnesses. Children, elderly and those with a compromised immune system should use extra caution as they are more vulnerable to illness from waterborne bacteria.

Visitors should avoid wading in nearby creeks, pools of water on the beach, or in discolored water, and stay clear of water runoff flowing into the ocean. Levels of fecal bacteria tend to be higher in these types of water sources.

Unsafe levels of fecal bacteria in ocean waters can come from both shore and inland sources including:

• Stormwater runoff
• Sewer overflows
• Failing septic systems
• Animal waste from livestock, pets and wildlife

Even if there is no advisory in effect, avoid swimming in the ocean within 48 hours after a rainstorm.

Ocean waters will be re-tested after an advisory is issued. Once bacteria levels are at a safe level, OHA will notify the public that the advisory is lifted.

While this advisory is in effect at Nye Beach, state officials continue to encourage other recreational activities (flying kites, picnicking, playing on the beach, walking, etc.) on this beach because they pose no health risk even during an advisory.

For the most recent information on advisories, visit the Oregon Beach Monitoring Program website at http://www.healthoregon.org/beach or call 971-673-0482, or 877-290-6767 (toll-free).

June 8, 2026

Media contact: Erica Heartquist, PHD.Communications@oha.oregon.gov

OHA updates guidance for youth outdoor activities during wildfire smoke, air pollution events

Changes reflect increasing evidence of smoke’s harm to children

PORTLAND, Ore.—Oregon Health Authority is publishing updated guidance to help families and youth-serving organizations, such as schools and athletic leagues, make decisions about participation in outdoor activities during wildfire smoke and other air pollution events.

The update to the Oregon Air Quality Guide for Children and Youth reflects the increasing scientific evidence that smoke can harm the health of children at lower levels of exposure than previously thought. All children and youth 18 and younger are considered a population sensitive to smoke. Particles in the air measuring less than 2.5 microns, known as PM2.5, can penetrate deep into the lungs and travel through the bloodstream, causing damage throughout the body.

“We fully recognize the importance of outdoor time and exercise for the physical and mental health of children and youth,” said Gabriela Goldfarb, manager of the Environmental Public Health Section at OHA’s Public Health Division. “We offer this guide to support adults making decisions that balance those needs with the reality that children are more likely to be affected by health threats from smoke, because their airways are still developing and because they breathe more air per pound of body weight than adults.”

The guide relies on the familiar air quality index (AQI). PM2.5 is one of the key pollutants tracked by the AQI. AQI categories range from “Good” through “Hazardous” using colors and numbers to communicate risk. The main changes from OHA’s previous guide are:

• At Moderate AQI (yellow, AQI 51-100), the updated guide encourages caution for youth with health conditions during short and medium duration activities, and all youth during activities lasting four or more hours. The prior guide stated, “It’s a good day to be active outside” for short duration activities.
• At Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (orange, AQI 101-150), OHA recommends limiting activity intensity for all youth at any activity duration and considering canceling or moving the event if intensity and length of the activity can’t be changed. The previous guide focused on the most sensitive youth with underlying health conditions.

• Unhealthy, Very Unhealthy, or Hazardous (red, purple and maroon, any AQI above 150) now has the same guidance at any activity duration: Cancel outdoor activities or move to an area with safer air quality for all children and youth. Previously, that level of health protection was reserved for Very unhealthy or Hazardous at any activity duration.

• OHA removed “Infants” from the title of the guide. The guide still applies to everyone under 18, but most of the guide is designed for kids who are over 2 years of age.
• Medium length activity duration changed to one to four hours, instead of one to two hours.
• The guide emphasizes that exposure can occur during transit, such as walking to school or riding on buses with open windows and advises decision makers to consider total exposure over a day when estimating duration of exposure, if possible.

See the guide for additional changes.

For organizations that wish to make the guide available online, OHA recommends linking directly to Oregon Air Quality Guide for Children and Youth (https://sharedsystems.dhsoha.state.or.us/DHSForms/Served//le8815H.pdf) rather than attaching a pdf version. Using this evergreen link ensures access to the most current version of the guide.

The guide and other resources about wildfires and health are available at healthoregon.org/wildfires. The guide is also available in Spanish (Guía de actividades sobre la calidad del aire en Oregon para niños y jóvenes or  https://sharedsystems.dhsoha.state.or.us/DHSForms/Served/ls8815h.pdf).

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CORRECTION: Some resources have been discontinued and have been removed from this version of the release.

June 5, 2026

Media contact: Erica Heartquist, PHD.Communications@oha.oregon.gov

As summer begins, OHA connects LGBTQIA2S+ youth, families with support across Oregon

Resources help young people stay connected, supported and safe when school-based services are less accessible

PORTLAND, Ore. — As students across Oregon head into summer break and many school-based support systems pause, Oregon Health Authority (OHA) is encouraging LGBTQIA2S+ youth and their families to stay connected to resources that promote mental health, belonging, safety and well-being.

"Every young person deserves to feel safe, supported and valued for who they are," said Dean Sidelinger, M.D., M.S.Ed., health officer and state epidemiologist at OHA. "For many LGBTQIA2S+ youth, school provides important connections to trusted adults, peers and affirming services."

Just in time for Pride Month, the statewide and local resources are designed to help lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, two-spirit, questioning and other LGBTQIA2S+ young people thrive year-round.

"We want young people and their families to know that support doesn't end when the school year does,” Sidelinger added. “Resources and caring communities remain available across Oregon."

Since 2022, OHA has helped celebrate gender and sexual orientation diversity by highlighting resources available to LGBTQIA2S+ youth during summer.

Communities, families and trusted adults play a critical role in supporting their LGBTQIA2S+ children's well-being. When families promote self-esteem, overall health and strong, affirming relationships, they protect LGBTQIA2S+ young people against potential suicidal behavior, depression and substance use.

Here are some of the local, state and national resources available:

• The Oregon Youth Resource Map is designed to help young people ages 16-25 and their allies connect to youth-serving resources, organizations and leadership opportunities. The map centers youth needs and voices, and includes services for health and mental health care, housing, education and more.
• TransActive Gender Project at Lewis & Clark Graduate School works to empower transgender and gender-expansive children, youth and their families to live healthy lives free of discrimination through a range of services and expertise.
• PFLAG (formerly Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) offers quick tips to parents and caregivers for supporting their LGBTQIA2S+ children during the coming-out process. PFLAG also has eight chapters in Oregon, including in Eastern, Southern and Central Oregon and the Portland metro area.
• The Family Acceptance Project works to increase family and community support for LGBTQIA2S+ youth, decrease health and mental health risks, and promote well-being. An Oregon page also is available.
• The Trevor Project promotes suicide prevention and crisis intervention for LGBTQ+ young people. Education materials are available on its
• New Avenues for Youth's Sexual & Gender Minority Youth Resource Center in downtown Portland provides culturally specific support for LGBTQIA2S+ youth. Its Youth Opportunity Center is open 24/7 for youth ages 9-17 in crisis or who need a safe place to stay. Drop-in hours are Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for youth ages 9-24. Call 971-754-4350.
• The Next Door provides youth outreach in schools, life skills training and mentoring programs such as Gorge Youth Mentoring. It supports a youth advisory council, gender-affirming locker rooms and, in partnership with Columbia Gorge Pride Alliance, promotes 30 Days of Gay events as part of Pride Month in June.
• Eastern Oregon Center for Independent Living (EOCIL) provides safe spaces, community building and empowerment for two-spirit and LGBTQIA+ populations, including people with and without disabilities, and allies in 13 Eastern Oregon counties. As one of the largest and oldest two-spirit and LGBTQIA+ service providers and employers in Eastern Oregon, EOCIL proudly serves the two-spirit and LGBTQIA+ communities of Baker, Gilliam, Grant, Harney, Hood River, Malheur, Morrow, Sherman, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa, Wasco and Wheeler counties.
• The Living Room provides support to GLBTQQ (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning) youth in Clackamas County through drop-in activities, events, school support and community education. It believes all youth deserve a safe place to be themselves, be supported, and be comfortable and accepted in their own skin.
• Transponder is a transgender-founded and led nonprofit based in Eugene, providing support, resources, and education for the transgender and gender-diverse community and their allies. Its mission is to foster healthy communities through wellness programs, support meetings, socials, and special events; trans-inclusive resources; and training and consultation services to improve the lives and outcomes of LGBTQIA2S people, emphasizing trans and gender-diverse Oregonians.
• Rainbow Youth creates safe and welcoming spaces for LGBTQIA+ youth and their friends to find connection, support, and friendship. It promotes sexuality and gender acceptance (SAGA) through weekly gatherings, social activities and individual support.
• Sankofa Collective (formerly PFLAG Portland Black Chapter) is a home for Portland’s Black LGBTQ community. Its mission is to bring together communities so that people living at the intersections of these important identities are free to be their full selves.
• The Marie Equi Center works to enrich the health of the trans, queer, intersex and gender-diverse communities through trauma-informed care, culturally affirming services and social justice advocacy.
• Rogue Trans is a grassroots nonprofit led by and for transgender people that is committed to fostering community and support for transgender, non-binary and gender-diverse individuals. It is committed to building affirming spaces, fostering community connection, and connecting individuals with vital resources and support to empower trans lives and promote acceptance.
• Oregon LGBTQ Support, from Oregon LGBTQ Youth & Family Resources, lists resources that focus on providing services and support to reduce mental health risks and promote well-being for LGBTQ young people.

OHA works with other state agencies, counties, Tribal nations, communities and advocacy groups across the state to ensure youth in Oregon have access to support and services, including offering links and contact information to help lines and other resources:

• The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7, is for people in any type of behavioral health crisis, such as mental health-related distress, thoughts of suicide or self-harm, or substance use crisis. People can get help by calling 988, texting 988 or chatting online at 988lifeline.org or the Spanish option here.

  • 988 Oregon is a state specific program that is available in English and Spanish.

• Oregon Alliance to Prevent Suicide is dedicated to preventing youth and young adults in Oregon from dying by suicide.
• The YouthLine offers peer-to-peer help, support and crisis intervention for youth ages 10-24. Phone, text, and chat support are available where trained youth respond from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Pacific Time, every day of the year (Adults are available by phone at all other times).  
  • Call: 877-968-8491
  • Text: teen2teen to 839863
  • Chat: theyouthline.org 

# # #

Salem – The State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation (SACHP) will meet on June 25 and 26, 2026, at Tryon Creek State Natural Area to consider proposed nominations to the National Register of Historic Places. The meeting is open to the public and will be offered in a hybrid format, with virtual participation available via Zoom.

The meeting agenda includes guided tours, presentations, and hearings for five proposed nominations and one proposed amendment to an existing nomination. Tours will take place on Thursday, June 25, and will feature Portland Union Station (800 NW 6th Avenue, Portland) at 1:00 p.m. and Elk Rock Garden (11800 SW Military Lane, Portland) at 2:45 p.m. Tours are available only to in‑person attendees. The business meeting will be held the following day, Friday, June 26, at the Education Pavilion at Tryon Creek State Natural Area (11321 S Terwilliger Blvd, Portland). Both in‑person and virtual attendance options are available for the business meeting; instructions for registering to join virtually are posted on the SACHP webpage.

The business meeting will include a training on Traditional Cultural Places (TCPs) led by SACHP member and former Coquille Tribal Historic Preservation Officer (THPO) Kassandra Rippee. Following the training, the committee will vote on the 2026 Preserving Oregon and Diamonds in the Rough grant recipients, presented by Oregon Heritage Grants & Outreach Coordinator Kuri Gill. Beginning at 12:45 p.m., the committee will review a proposed amendment to the Portland Union Station nomination, as well as five new nominations: Elk Rock Garden, the former estate of Peter and Laurie Kerr along the Willamette River south of Portland; the former city halls in Canby and Milwaukie, both constructed in the late 1930s using Public Works Administration (PWA) funding; Bolton School, a midcentury elementary school in West Linn; and the Pass Creek Covered Bridge, a timber truss covered bridge in Drain. Copies of the proposed nominations, the full meeting agenda, and instructions for submitting public comment are all available on the committee webpage.

The SACHP is a nine-member governor-appointed citizen commission with credentials in many historic preservation-related fields, including archaeology, architectural history, historic architecture, anthropology, history, and museum management. Nominations recommended by the SACHP are forwarded to the National Park Service, which maintains the National Register of Historic Places under the authority of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. This effort aligns with the Oregon Historic Preservation Plan goal to increase the number and thematic diversity of Oregon properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It also supports the goals to include more voices and increase access to Oregon heritage that are part of the. Oregon Heritage Plan.

The meeting is accessible to people with disabilities. Special accommodations may be made with at least 48 hours of advance notice by calling (503) 986-0690.

More information about the SACHP and the National Register of Historic Places process is available online at www.oregonheritage.org and from SACHP coordinator Caitlyn Abrahms at 503-201-0454 or rahms@oprd.oregon.gov">caitlyn.abrahms@oprd.oregon.gov.

###

The Oregon Heritage Commission has awarded $75,000 in grants to 13 museums throughout the state as part of the Oregon Museum Grant program. The grants will help fund a variety of projects including collection preservation, interpretation, and heritage tourism. Award amounts ranged from $3,000 - $8,000.
 

Funded projects:

• Columbia Gorge Discovery Center will partner with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to co-host Eagle Watch 2027 in Wasco County.
• Strengthen emergency preparedness and collections care through collections assessments and emergency supply kits at the Coos Art Museum and Coos History Museum in Coos Bay.
• Develop interactive multimedia centered on the history of Native peoples in the Southern Oregon at the Crater Rock Museum in Jackson County.
• Update the inventory, storage and display of the collection at the Elgin Museum.
• The Gresham Historical Society will research, curate, and produce an exhibit on the rich and diverse agricultural history of East Multnomah County.
• The Josephy Center for Arts and Culture will present Nez Perce history, culture, and living traditions through a combination of public talks and K-12 classroom resources.
• Collect, transcribe, and analyze interviews to explore the history of Oregon’s Central America solidarity movement of the 1980s.
• Digitize the newspaper collection of Sheridan Museum of History with University of Oregon Digital Newspaper program.
• Install storage shelving at the Southern Oregon Historical Society in Medford.
• Rehouse and catalog film and glass negatives at the Springfield Museum.
• Improve the housing of the collection at the Talent Museum.
• Provide ramps and decking/rails at Pottsville Historical Park and Museum.
• Rehouse collections at the Yamhill County Historical Museum.

The museum grant program is offered annually by the Oregon Heritage Commission, part of the Oregon Heritage program at Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD). The grant program began in 1965 when only 24 organizations were eligible for the program. The grant is funded OPRD lottery dollars.
 

The Oregon Heritage Commission works to secure, sustain and enhance Oregon’s heritage. The Commission sponsors heritage initiatives that educate the public about the value of heritage and celebrate the state’s diversity.
 

The Oregon Heritage Commission consists of nine members appointed by the governor and nine agency advisors. Members are chosen from state agencies and statewide organizations, and represent a diverse geographical and heritage background.
 

To learn more about the Oregon Museum Grant or the Oregon Heritage Commission, visit www.oregonheritage.org or contact Kuri Gill at i.gill@oprd.oregon.gov">Kuri.gill@oprd.oregon.gov or 503-986-0685.

Oregon Commission on Historic Cemeteries (OCHC) has awarded $62,500 in grants to 14 historic cemetery projects throughout the state through the Historic Cemeteries Grant program. The funds will help support preservation efforts, tree care and survey. Individual award amounts ranged from $603 - $8,000.
 

Funded projects:

• Fence installation at the Blue Mountain Cemetery in Baker County.
• Marker repair at Eastwood IOOF Cemetery in Medford, Fairview Cemetery, Riverside Cemetery, and Sandridge Cemetery in Linn County, and St. Boniface Cemetery and Twin Oaks Cemetery in Marion County.
• Tree work at Bridal Veil Cemetery in Multnomah County, Burch Pioneer Cemetery in Polk County, and Missouri Flat Cemetery in Jackson County.
• Complete Ground Penetrating Radar work at Camp Polk Cemetery in Deschutes County.
• Complete survey at the Allegany Historic Cemetery in Coos County.
• Install security lighting at Mount Union Cemetery in Benton County.
• Complete gravel road repair at Powers Cemetery in Coos County.

Historic cemeteries are documented by OCHC and must include the burial of at least one person who died 75 years before the current date.
 

The historic cemetery grant program is offered annually by the OCHC, part of the Oregon Heritage Program at Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD). The grant program is supported by lottery and other funds.
 

OCHC maintains a list of all pioneer and historic cemeteries in the state. The seven-member appointed commission helps people and organizations document, preserve and promote designated historic cemeteries statewide.
 

For more information about the grant program or the OCHC, visit www.oregonheritage.org or contact Kuri Gill at i.gill@oprd.oregon.gov">Kuri.gill@oprd.oregon.gov or 503-986-0685.

The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) is seeking public comment and will hold a hearing on proposed updates to the Land and Water Conservation Fund grant rules.

The federally funded grant program, administered by OPRD, provides financial assistance to local governments, federally recognized tribes, and state agencies for the acquisition and development of outdoor recreation areas.

Under the proposed update, OPRD will institute a biennial grant funding schedule: at least one year of each biennium will feature a competitive grant round open to eligible applicants, while the alternate year all available funds will be dedicated solely to OPRD for eligible state park projects.

By alternating the funding focus each year, OPRD will be able to maintain a robust and efficient grant program while also supporting critical state park initiatives. The revised approach is informed by program administration experience over multiple grant cycles and a need for greater flexibility in managing funding allocations. It also enhances OPRD’s ability to plan and implement projects that best serve public outdoor recreation interests.

How to submit comments

Public comments on the proposed rule changes will be accepted until July 9, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. You can submit written comments on the rulemaking web page, by email to lic.comment@oprd.oregon.gov">public.comment@oprd.oregon.gov or by mail to:

Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
Attn: Katie Gauthier
725 Summer St. NE, Suite C
Salem, OR 97301

A virtual public hearing will be held on July 6, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. to allow members of the public to provide testimony. Join the hearing via Zoom.

What’s next

Once the public comment period closes, OPRD staff will review all comments, revise the draft rules as appropriate, and present a final proposal to the Oregon State Parks and Recreation Commission for consideration.

For more information, visit the Land and Water Conservation Fund rulemaking web page.

PORTLAND, Ore.— A Jacksonville, Oregon, man pleaded guilty today to tax evasion, not paying employment taxes, bank fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft, announced U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon.

Joel Matthew Caswell, 31, pleaded guilty to a Superseding Information charging three counts of tax evasion, three counts of willful failure to pay over employment taxes, one count of bank fraud, one count of wire fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft.

According to documents and statements made in court, Caswell has ownership and managing interests in multiple logging and construction businesses that collectively employed approximately 40 employees. He was the trustee and a beneficiary of the Caswell Family Trust. From 2018 through 2022, Caswell withheld but failed to pay over trust fund taxes for multiple businesses. In 2019, these unpaid payroll taxes resulted in the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) assessing the Trust Fund Recovery Penalty. To evade the IRS’s ability to collect what was owed, Caswell directed customers to write checks to other companies or him personally, moved business funds, and lied

to IRS collection officers.

Separately, between 2022 and 2024, Caswell executed multiple fraud schemes in Oregon that involved submitting fabricated financial records to a bank, a private lender, and the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) to secure loans. Additionally, Caswell used the name, Social Security number, and date of birth of Adult Victim 1 to obtain a residential mortgage.

As part of the plea agreement, Caswell has agreed to pay $1,198,799.83 in restitution to the IRS.

He faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine, and five years of supervised release. He will be sentenced on October 9, 2026, before a U.S. district court judge.

This case is the result of an investigation by IRS Criminal Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Land Management.  

Assistant U.S. Attorney John C. Brassell of the District of Oregon and Trial Attorney J. Parker Gochenour of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section are prosecuting the case.

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

 # # #

PORTLAND, Ore.— For years, gun violence cast a terrifying shadow over Portland. Headlines chronicled rising homicides, neighborhoods endured repeated shootings, and residents questioned whether the city could regain a sense of safety.

Today, Portland is moving in a more hopeful direction. Yet, the recent decline in homicides and shootings should not be mistaken for a solved problem. Instead, it offers an important lesson: achieving a sustained reduction in gun violence requires persistence, accountability for gun offenders, and long-term community investment.

Recent data shows encouraging progress. Shootings resulting in homicides have fallen dramatically, from 30 year-to-date in 2022 to 9 in 2026. Shootings that did not result in a homicide have also declined significantly, from 453 year-to-date in 2022 to 171 in 2026. These reductions rank among the largest seen in major U.S. cities over the past several years. Still, Portland has not yet returned to the lower levels of gun violence experienced in 2018 and 2019. Additionally, shootings are up over the past month as the city enters the summer months, when gun violence has historically increased.

This issue is about the sanctity of life. As every victim and victim’s family will tell you, these numbers represent far more than statistics—they are mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces, and beloved friends and members of our community. Last month, a member of my family, innocently at a Portland park with a small child, was shot multiple times by a violent repeat gun offender—a personal and painful reminder that there is much more work to do.

Every prevented shooting is a family spared unimaginable grief. Every life saved strengthens a neighborhood and restores confidence that meaningful public safety improvements are possible. Portlanders have a right to be safe, and our policymakers have a duty to ensure they are.

This progress did not happen by accident. Credit belongs to the brave men and women of the Portland Police Bureau and its Focused Intervention Team (FIT). I recently witnessed FIT's work firsthand as its officers responded to an active gang conflict and worked to remove illegal firearms from Portland streets. Credit also belongs to the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office, which has adopted a more assertive strategy for investigating and prosecuting gun violence. Equally important are the expanded efforts combining law enforcement with community-based intervention programs aimed at preventing violence before it occurs. My office also plays a critical role, working with local, state, and federal partners to target the most violent repeat gun offenders in the county.

Maintaining this momentum will require continued investment and commitment to prioritize public safety funding. In a recent federal RICO trial against Hoover gang leaders, a gang member testified that the mere presence of police officers deters shootings. We need more police officers. We need more prosecutors. And, we need effective community-based intervention programs.

Policymakers must ensure that the police bureau, the district attorney’s office, and prevention initiatives have the resources necessary to do their jobs effectively and hold offenders accountable. Asking these institutions to do more with fewer police officers, prosecutors, and resources risks repeating mistakes of the recent past that contributed to rising homicides and shootings and left Portland neighborhoods and families to bear the consequences.

Communities are safest when accountability and prevention work together. Portlanders deserve effective policing, vigorous prosecution of violent offenders, and strong services. They deserve immediate protection and long-term solutions.

Portland is at a critical juncture. The city's story of gun violence can be a story of recovery, but only if our policymakers stay the course. Portland City Council and Multnomah County Commissioners are currently formulating budgets that will determine whether this progress continues or stalls. The police bureau, the district attorney's office, and community intervention programs all require sustained investment. Defund any one of them and the gains reverse.

Policymakers must ensure these institutions have the staffing and resources necessary to do their jobs — not for the sake of better statistics, but for the Portlanders behind them.

The next several weeks are a test. Summer historically drives up gun violence, and the outcome of local budget negotiations could spell the difference between a good summer, and one that brings increased violence and loss of life in Portland neighborhoods.

Portlanders, please urge your council members and commissioners to appropriately fund Portland’s recovery.

Statement from Scott E. Bradford, United States Attorney for the District of Oregon.

# # #

EUGENE, Ore.—A Coos County, Oregon, man was sentenced to federal prison Wednesday for distributing thousands of images and videos of the sexual exploitation of minors, announced U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon.

Ryan Scott Groce, 41, was sentenced to 98 months in federal prison and 5 years of supervised release. Restitution will be determined at a later date.

“Today's sentence sends a clear message: those who exploit children will face significant consequences,” said U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford. “Protecting children and pursuing justice for victims remain among the highest priorities of this office, and we will continue to use every available resource to combat child exploitation and abuse.”

“The volume of files distributed by Mr. Groce is staggering,” said HSI Seattle acting Special Agent in Charge April Miller. “The number of victims—many of whom remain unidentified—is deeply troubling. HSI remains committed to leading the global fight against child exploitation and will continue to investigate crimes targeting our most vulnerable population – our children.”

According to court documents, from November 15, 2023, through November 11, 2024, Groce distributed at least 15,000 files of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online. Investigators searched Groce’s cell phone and found file-sharing software actively downloading and uploading CSAM. Groce’s cell phone also contained over 1000 videos of CSAM.

On Aug. 21, 2025, Groce was charged by information with one count of distribution of child pornography. On Sept. 12, 2025, Groce pleaded guilty.

Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Sweet prosecuted the case.

Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children is encouraged to contact HSI at (866) 347-2423 or submit a tip online at report.cybertip.org.

Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. It is important to remember child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document the victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, re-victimize and re-traumatize the child victims each time their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org.

This case was brought in collaboration with Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

# # #

EUGENE, Ore.—A Junction City, Oregon, man was sentenced to federal prison Wednesday for possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), announced U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon.

Trevor Alan Slocum-Lammers, 31, was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release.

According to court documents, in August 2023 a cloud storage account associated with Slocum-Lammers uploaded CSAM. On July 30, 2024, investigators executed a search warrant and interviewed Slocum-Lammers, who admitted to possessing CSAM.

On Sept. 19, 2024, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned an indictment charging Slocum-Lammers with possession of child pornography. On Oct. 9, 2025, Slocum-Lammers pleaded guilty.

The FBI investigated this case in collaboration with the Lane County Sheriff’s Office and with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and Oregon State Police. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. McLaren.

Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. It is important to remember child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document the victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, re-victimize and re-traumatize the child victims each time their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org.

This case was brought in collaboration with Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

# # #

EUGENE, Ore.—A Eugene, Oregon, man was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison Wednesday for enticing a minor and the father of another minor to send sexually explicit images, announced U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon.

Gino J. Hinojos-Castle, 34, was sentenced to 144 months in federal prison and 5 years supervised release. He was ordered to pay restitution to the victims depicted in child sexual abuse material (CSAM) that agents learned he had exchanged with others online.

“The exploitation of children is among the most reprehensible crimes we prosecute,” said U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford. “Today’s 12-year sentence reflects the seriousness of the defendant’s conduct and the lasting harm these offenses inflict on victims. Our office, together with our law enforcement partners, remains committed to identifying, investigating, and prosecuting those who exploit children, and to ensuring that offenders are held fully accountable under federal law.”

According to court documents, on August 12, 2024, and October 14, 2024, Hinojos-Castle used the social media platform Kik to chat with a minor and a father of another minor where he requested sexually explicit images of the minors. From June 2024 through July 2025, Hinojos-Castle sent CSAM to users on Kik and also sent several messages describing past instances in which he said he had sexually abused minors in a Eugene park.

On July 24, 2025, pursuant to a search warrant, agents seized Hinojos-Castle’s cellphone upon his arrival at the Eugene airport from an out of state trip. Agents found CSAM-related chat applications and CSAM, which he had traveled with from the state of Wyoming.

On September 18, 2025, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned a six-count indictment charging Castle with attempted enticement of a minor, attempting to use a minor to produce a visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct and transportation, distribution, and receipt of child pornography.

On January 28, 2026, Hinojos-Castle pleaded guilty to attempted enticement of a minor.

The FBI investigated the case. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. McLaren.

Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. It is important to remember child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document the victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, re-victimize and re-traumatize the child victims each time their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org.

This case was brought in collaboration with Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims.

For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

The Oregon State Fire Marshal will present the Silver Sparky Award to a Mercy Flights volunteer.

When:
Wednesday, June 10, 3:00 p.m.

Where:
Medford Fire Station 14
2208 Table Rock Rd., Medford

This year’s Silver Sparky recipient is being recognized for decades of dedicated leadership with the Mercy Flights Explorer Post 131 in Jackson County. Through sustained mentorship and a strong commitment to youth development, the awardee built one of Oregon’s most impactful emergency services career pathways. Many of the young people they guided have gone on to serve their communities as firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, nurses, law enforcement officers, and physicians.

Since 1977, the Silver Sparky Award has been one of the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s highest honors, recognizing a civilian or civilian agency for outstanding achievement in fire prevention or public safety education.

Portland, OR — The Oregon Historical Society (OHS) is excited to announce three programs to recognize scholars and researchers working with its scholarly journal, the Oregon Historical Quarterly (OHQ). From a research fellowship to honoraria for writers and reviewers to an author prize, this financial support is offered at a time when higher-education, federal government, and other supports for humanities scholars have decreased.   

2026 Joel Palmer Award Winners

Each year, OHQ presents the Joel Palmer Award to the author of the best article published in the journal during the previous year. Omar C. “Slug” Palmer and William J. Lang established this award in honor of their ancestor Joel Palmer, an Oregon pioneer and political leader during the mid-nineteenth century. Family members continue to support the fund, providing increased recognition to authors. 

OHQ’s editorial advisory board votes on the first-place article, which includes a $500 prize, as well as recognizes two articles for honorable mention. The recipients were announced at OHS’s May 20 Annual Meeting of the Membership, and the articles as well as all previous Palmer Award–winning articles are available to read for free on ohs.org.

The Quarterly’s editorial board recognized Lauren Yanase’s Spring 2025 article, “‘Not fit for human habitation”: Portland’s Wartime Japanese American Detention Camp,” as the winner for 2026. In the article, Yanase examines in detail the Portland Assembly Center’s debilitating physical environment and the experience of detainees who endured and labored there in 1942 before being relocated again to long-term incarceration camps for the duration of World War II. Utilizing the excellent but limited research on Oregon’s pre–World War II Japanese populations, Yanase sheds new light on the Portland Assembly Center’s history and legacy, placing it within the frameworks developed to study other sites of Japanese incarceration.

As OHQ editorial board member Laura Shepard notes, “Yanase highlighted a history that is too often overlooked…. [and] gave a rich and detailed account of what life was like at the temporary detention facilities and nicely underscored the importance of remembering and sharing this history.” 

Two articles were recognized as honorable mentions: Diane L. Teeman’s Fall 2025 article, “A Room With a View: Concluding Remarks from the Oregon Historical Society’s 2022 Great Basin Symposium,” and Jennifer L. Holland’s Winter 2025 article, “A Gay Rural Awakening: A History of Small-Town Queer Politics.”

Teeman’s “A Room With a View” includes edited selections from her PhD dissertation and concluding remarks from the Oregon Historical Society’s “Human Experience in the Oregon Great Basin” symposium held on November 5–6, 2022, in Bend, Oregon. Teeman introduces autoethnography and discusses the benefits of archaeologists involving Indigenous community members throughout the life of a research project.

In “A Gay Rural Awakening” Holland explores the lives of lesbian, gay, and transgender people who have lived in and strived to improve their small towns. She traces rural queer politics through the lives of three Oregonians during the 1970s through the 1990s. In their work, each of these activists drew from long-held traditions of community-directed activism to face the rightward-shifting politics in their rural homes.

OHQ thanks the authors for bringing their works to the journal and congratulates them on this recognition of their scholarship.

New Pilot Program Offers Honoraria to Authors and Reviewers

Like all scholarly history journals, OHQ relies on historians, researchers, and subject-matter experts to author articles, peer-review manuscripts, and write book reviews. As many authors face personal and institutional financial constraints, OHQ’s editorial team has decided to pilot a modest honorarium program to encourage submissions and participation in the publication process. Thanks to a private donation, this pilot honorarium program will launch in June 2026; more information is available on OHQ’s “Submit an Article” page.

2027 Donald J. Sterling, Jr., Fellowship Applications Now Open

The Donald J. Sterling, Jr., Fellowships in Pacific Northwest History encourage original, scholarly, and interpretive research in the Oregon Historical Society’s library in Portland. The two fellowships offered each year include a Senior Fellowship ($2,500), which is open to all applicants, and a Graduate Research Fellowship ($2,000), which is restricted to candidates for advanced degrees. These fellowships are made possible through an endowment from the family of Donald J. Sterling, Jr.

Applicants are not required to be professional historians but must have experience in historical research and writing. Preference will be given to scholars who have suitable research topics, who have the potential of making a significant contribution to historical scholarship on Oregon and the Pacific Northwest, and who demonstrate the ability to write an article-length manuscript for OHQ. Learn more on OHS’s “Research Fellowships” webpage.

About the Oregon Historical Society

For more than 125 years, the Oregon Historical Society has served as the state’s collective memory, preserving a vast collection of objects, photographs, maps, manuscript materials, books, films, and oral histories. Our research library, museum, digital platforms, educational programming, and historical journal make Oregon’s history open and accessible to all. We exist because history is powerful, and because a history as deep and complex as Oregon’s cannot be contained within a single story or point of view.

About the Oregon Historical Quarterly

The journal of record for Oregon history, the Oregon Historical Quarterly publishes well-researched, well-written history about Oregon and the Pacific Northwest for both scholars and general readers. OHQ amplifies knowledge and perspectives that traditional scholarship has often silenced and sparks relevant conversations about history. It is one of the largest state historical society journals in the United States and is a recognized and respected source for the history of the Pacific Northwest. A subscription to OHQ is also a benefit of Oregon Historical Society membership, and single-issue copies can be purchased in the OHS Museum Store.

Healthcare techs and licensed professional nurses (LPNs) at Asante Rogue Regional have been waiting nearly 3 years for Asante executives to honor their union vote 

(MEDFORD, Ore.) - In a long-awaited ruling, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ordered Asante executives to recognize and bargain a contract with healthcare workers at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center on June 3. The order is the latest in a nearly 3-year-long legal battle as Asante repeatedly and illegally refused to recognize technical workers’ overwhelming vote to be in a union. The NLRB ruled Asante must now recognize the union and begin bargaining a fair contract. The decision also orders Asante executives to provide basic information to workers including employee lists, wage data and benefit information.

The more than 250 healthcare technical workers at Rogue Regional overwhelmingly voted to join the Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) on June 9, 2023 citing a need for safe staffing, affordable healthcare, fair pay and benefits, and a voice in local healthcare decisions.   

Following the successful union vote, Asante executives spent years attempting to stall and subvert workers’ will with a series of failed legal challenges. Today’s announcement is the final decision from the National Labor Relations Board, the independent federal agency which oversees union elections, protects workers’ rights and decide unfair labor practices.

“This is a monumental victory for local patients, healthcare professionals and everyone in the Rogue Valley. Asante executives are cashing outrageous paychecks while cutting local care and ignoring the healthcare workers who make our hospital run,” said Fred Katz, RN, the ONA registered nurse (RN) bargaining unit chair at Asante Rogue Regional. “Techs and LPNs take tremendous pride in their work and our community. They chose to unionize more than 3 years ago so they could hold Asante executives and board members accountable to Southern Oregonians and ensure the hospital invests in local patient care, staffing and safety improvements. Today’s order is a critical step to keep Asante’s executives and board honest and ensure they live by the same laws as everyone else. Asante executives must stop stalling and sit down at the bargaining table with techs to protect patients, retain caregivers and put our community and its healthcare first.”

The NLRB found Asante committed multiple unfair labor practices by refusing to recognize and bargain with the union and by failing to provide basic information as required under federal law.   

Calling Asante’s behavior an “unlawful failure” the NLRB has ordered Asante to remedy its violations by: 

• Ceasing and desisting its unlawful activities 
• Beginning bargaining with the caregivers’ union upon request 
• Providing workers and their union the majority of requested information 
• Publicly posting a notice it has violated federal law 

Read the full decision on the NLRB's website.

The healthcare technical workers bargaining unit at Rogue Regional includes more than 250 radiologic technologists, licensed practical nurses (LPNs), respiratory therapists, physical therapy assistants, occupational therapy assistants and surgical technicians. Technical workers are the unseen experts behind nearly every diagnosis and treatment. Techs take patients' X-rays, MRIs, and ultrasounds; help people recover through physical and occupational therapy; provide life-saving respiratory care; assist during surgeries; and support patients and families through some of the most difficult moments of their lives. While often behind the scenes, their work is essential to the health and safety of our community. 

ONA also represents a separate bargaining unit of more than 1,200 frontline registered nurses (RNs) at Rogue Regional. 

Asante is a multimillion-dollar healthcare system that is the largest healthcare provider in 9 counties across Southern Oregon and Northern California. Asante executives have been increasingly under fire for closing maternity and inpatient services at Ashland’s only hospital; racking up more than $1 million in state fines for violating Oregon’s safe staffing law; outsourcing local doctors and healthcare workers; and leading repeated mass layoffs affecting hundreds of caregivers and their families throughout Southern Oregon. Asante executives are also facing additional unfair labor practice charges (ULPs), including allegations that Asante unlawfully interfered with workers’ rights to organize, threatened workers about the consequences of voting for a union, disciplined an employee for speaking about patient safety with local journalists, and prevented union representatives from visiting the hospital. 

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