Klamath Basin News, Friday, October 27 – Halloween Events in the Basin; State Senate Republicans Will Get Their Case Heard with Oregon Supreme Court

The latest and most comprehensive coverage of local News, Sports, Business, and Community News stories in the Klamath Basin, Southern Oregon and around the state of Oregon from Wynne Broadcasting’s KFLS News/Talk 1450AM / 102.5FM, The Herald and News, and BasinLife.com, and powered by Mick Insurance, your Local Health and Medicare agents. Call 541-882-6476.

Friday, October 27, 2023

Klamath Basin Weather

Today’s Headlines

Trickerstreet is back at the YMCA youth development center from Wynne Broadcasting and it’s 6 locally owned radio stations again tomorrow on Saturday from 4-7pm, in the old Fairview School building on Donald Street, off Oregon Avenue, from 4-7pm.

It’s part of a full day of activities for kids and adults all day Saturday.  This includes:

Scarecrow Row, 10 a.m.- 1 p.m., Main St. in Downtown

Pumpkin Express Train Rides, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Train Mountain Railroad, Chiloquin

The Big Drop Fall Bash, 3-5 p.m., Klamath Community College parking lot

Halloween Spooktacular, 3-9 p.m., Veterans Park, Tulelake, California

Trunk or Treat, 4-7 p.m., Keller-Williams parking lot, 2261 S. 6th St.

Halloween Family Swim (entry fee), 6-8 p.m., Ella Redkey Pool

Sky Lakes Scary Tales Haunted House (canned food item), 6-10 p.m., 2300 Clairmont Drive

Monster Mac’s Lunatic Asylum Haunted House (tickets for purchase), 7 p.m., 601 Main St.

10th Annual Rocky Horror Picture Show movie, 7 p.m., Ross Ragland Theater

Trunk or Treat, 7-9 p.m., Tower Shopping Center, 1775 Washburn Way

However, if you were wanting to tour the Baldwin hotel for the next several nights, you’ll have to wait…. All Flashlight Tours of the Baldwin Museum are sold out.

(Wynne Broadcasting, HeraldandNews)

A group of Senate Republicans who want to run for re-election despite running afoul of a voter-approved law meant to curb legislative walkouts will get their day in the Oregon Supreme Court.

The court on Tuesday agreed to bypass the state appeals court and hear a challenge from five Republican senators to Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade’s ruling that they can’t run for re-election. Ten senators, including Dennis Linthicum of Klamath County, who participated in a six-week walkout are barred from serving another term in the Legislature under last year’s Measure 113, a constitutional amendment to block lawmakers who miss more than nine days of work from returning to the Capitol.

But the affected senators, including Senate Minority Leader Tim Knopp, R-Bend, say the new law wasn’t clearly written, and that it applies not to the next term but the one after that. For Knopp, who’s up for election in 2024, that interpretation would mean he could serve from 2025-2029 but be barred from reelection in 2028.

The Supreme Court’s announcement means the senators, and other politicians in their districts, should know whether they can run well ahead of the March 12 deadline to file to run for office. Knopp and five other Republicans involved in the walkout — Brian Boquist of Dallas, Lynn Findley of Vale, Bill Hansell of Athena, Dennis Linthicum of Klamath Falls and Art Robinson of Cave Junction — represent districts with elections in 2024.

Hansell decided before the walkout that he wouldn’t run again. Linthicum and Robinson have contingency plans in place — Linthicum’s wife and Robinson’s son filed to run in their place. Democrats have high hopes of flipping Knopp’s Bend-based district regardless of whether he’s able to run, as demographic changes and redistricting give Democrats an advantage.  (HeraldandNews.com)

Crunch time!

KCSD students crunch locally harvested carrots for Farm to School Month

“Do you know how a carrot grows?” farmer Katie Swanson asked Shasta Elementary School second-graders Thursday (Oct. 26) during Klamath County School District’s sixth-annual Crunch at Once event. The students had just crunched their farm-fresh carrots and had questions for the farmer who grew them.

Holding up her carrot, Swanson motioned to the carrot root explaining that it grew in the ground.

“Can we eat the green part?” a student asked.

And the questions kept coming. Swanson, owner of Sweet Union Farm near Klamath Falls, visited Shasta during the lunch hour, passing out carrots and talking to students about farming – and carrots. She was accompanied by her farm assistant Nick Diewald.

“I don’t think I realized until I was here how I don’t get to see people eating the vegetables I spent so much time growing,” she said. “It is really cool to see a kid eating my carrot and hear them say, ‘This is delicious!’ ”

The Shasta students were among more than 3,865 students from 12 KCSD schools who counted down together and crunched into carrots grown by Swanson. She grew, harvested, and delivered 4,750 carrots to the county’s elementary schools and a high school for the event, which celebrates National Farm to School Month.

In past years, students have crunched Oregon-grown apples and Klamath-grown spinach. This is the third year a local farmer supplied the district with thousands of fresh carrots for the annual event.

Gillian Sisson, Klamath County School District’s Farm to School education facilitator, spent October teaching students about carrots, teaching classroom lessons and providing lesson plans to teachers.

“A majority of students are seeing a whole carrot with the stem for the first time during Crunch at Once,” Sisson said. “Being that the carrots are delivered directly from the farm, they are delicious and in their natural form. It’s great to see Farm to School education and procurement come full circle.”

Schools participating in the Crunch at Once included Bonanza Elementary, Chiloquin Elementary, Ferguson Elementary, Gearhart Elementary, Gilchrist, Henley Elementary, Lost River, Malin Elementary, Merrill Elementary, Peterson Elementary, Shasta Elementary and Stearns Elementary. Keno and Brixner students offered the farm-fresh carrots on their salad bars.

Throughout the year, the district’s Food Services Team supports Farm to School through its procurement and promotion of local foods, pursuit of grant funding opportunities, and support of agriculture education. Follow the link for more on our Farm to School program: https://www.kcsd.k12.or.us/district/farm-to-school.cfm

Bonanza residents say they are “fed up” with rampant crime in their rural community.

During a listening session held by Klamath County’s elected officials, the people of Bonanza had a chance to air their grievances of unresolved crime in the area.

Monday evening, Commissioners Derrick DeGroot and Kelley Minty and Sheriff Chris Kaber visited Bonanza to hear residents’ perspectives and concerns — primarily, a lack of law enforcement in the community.

County officials were joined at the table by Bonanza city council as well as Mayor Betty Tyree.

Bonanza residents shared stories of experiencing and witnessing numerous robberies and thefts, including multiple acts of extensive vandalism at a local church for which no arrests have yet been made.

Multiple people said their 9-1-1 calls often did not receive a response from local law enforcement.

Frustrations were expressed toward both the sheriff’s office and county officials.

DeGroot said the county decided earlier this year to hold at least two joint meetings with each municipality in the county each year, during which unincorporated area residents are encouraged to also attend.

Concerns over the county’s recent discussions with Klamath Falls city council on the topic of policing of the urban growth boundary by city police contracted and paid by the county were also mentioned by Bonanza’s residents.

Of the allotted 36 officers, Kaber said six are sergeants. Many of the remaining 30 officers, Kaber said, are specialty positions, including student resource officers and marine and forest corporals.  (more at HeraldandNews.com)

Earlier this month, the Klamath County Economic Development Association (KCEDA) received the prestigious “2023 Outstanding Collaborative Partnership Award” on behalf of the Klamath Revitalization Fund (KRF).

This award was presented by the Oregon Economic Development Association (OEDA), providing state-wide recognition to the local organization for their role in forming creative partnerships, which have supported remarkable results in economic development. OEDA selected the award based on KCEDA’s role in helping create and manage the KRF with People’s Bank and a group of local investors.

The KRF is an Evergreen fund that was created in 2021, providing capital to local contractors to help develop homes in the face of a regional housing shortage. The program functions by funding contractors for construction loans in partnership with Peoples’ Bank for the construction of attainable homes within Klamath County.

With community collaborations at the forefront, and the ability to continually fund home builds, many across the state are seeing the KRF as a sustainable model which can be replicated to address community housing needs statewide. KCEDA’s desire for developing the KRF program was inspired by the need to accelerate housing starts within Klamath County in order to keep up with increasing demand in the regional economy, supplement or city’s housing stock and to encourage and promote training and development of the trades sector workforce within our community.  (KCEDA press release)

The American Legion Department of Oregon is on its way to Klamath Falls for a committee meeting this weekend according to a news release from the department.

“A top priority of the American Legion is to bring an end to veteran suicide,” the release said.

The estimated daily rate of suicide by veterans is between 17 and 22 according to the release.

“The American Legion has elevated ‘Be the One’ to be its top priority, empowering veterans, service members, their family members and civillians to act appropriately when a veteran may be at risk.

As part of the “Be the One” national initiative, the committee will host a walk for veteran suicide awareness Saturday morning to which the public is invited.

“Be the One” is the national initiative undertaken by the Legion to help destigmatize asking for mental health help,” the release said. “The walk slated for Klamath Falls is undertaken to help increase awareness and visibility of the initiative with local citizens.”

The Legion asks those who are interested in participating in the walk to arrive a Klamath Falls Post 8, 228 N. Eighth St., at 8:45 a.m. Saturday.

For more information on “Be the One,” visit betheone.org.     (more at HeraldandNews.com)

It’s about time when it won’t be possible to drive around Crater Lake National Park’s Rim Drive or hike most of the park’s trails.

Winter always comes early at Crater Lake. After a good dose of snow Tuesday night into yesterday, next few days, Rim Drive is scheduled to be closed beginning Wednesday, Nov. 1, until next year. Because of the park’s typically heavy snowfall — in an average year the snow total is 42 feet — the road won’t likely reopen until late spring or early summer next year.

As usual, segments will first be cleared from Rim Village to Discovery Point and, as the snow is cleared, the North Entrance, Cleetwood Cove and other sections of Rim Drive. Most years the entire 33-mile loop road doesn’t open until late June or mid-July, and on some exceptionally snowy years, early August.

But there’s an additional obstacle. Once the snow is cleared in 2024, driving around the Rim road won’t be possible because construction crews will be back working on the second phase of East Rim Drive rehabilitation, a project that’s expected to take five years and cost upwards of $56 million.

Crater Lake has a surprising number and variety of trails. Many are accessed by East Rim Drive, which is most easily reached by taking the well-signed turnoff near park headquarters in Munson Valley. 

As always, visit the park website at www.nps.gov/crla to check on current conditions.   (more at HeraldandNews.com)

On Saturday the 28^th, the Downtown Association will be putting on the Scarecrow Road special event in downtown Klamath Falls. Main Street between 4th Street and 11th Street will be closed from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

9th Street between Main Street and Klamath Avenue will be closed from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in conjunction with the Farmers’ Market. Contact Crystal Besaw with the Downtown Association at (541) 539-6212 with questions.  (city of KF)

The Ross Ragland Theater will screen three movies this week that celebrate Halloween. Showtimes for each film is 7 p.m.

On Thursday, “Hocus Pocus” (1993) starring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy, and Omri Katz will be shown. The movie is the story about the Sanderson sisters who had practiced witchcraft 300 years ago, and were punished for their crime. On Halloween, Max Dennison lit the candle that is said to bring the Sanderson sisters back to life. Max, his friend Allison, and his younger sister Dani must save all the kids in Salem from the witch sisters who will steal the lives of children. Rated PG for scary situations and some language. Tickets are $5.

Then, on Friday, “Dale and Tucker vs. Evil,” (2010) starring Tyler Labine and Alan Tudyk will run. The movie is the story about two lovable hillbillies who are headed to their ‘fixer-upper’ vacation cabin to drink some beer, do some fishin’ and have a good time. But when they run into a group of preppy college kids who assume that Dale and Tucker are murderers, the duo’s vacation takes a bloody and hilarious turn for the worse. Rated R for bloody horror violence, language and brief nudity. Tickets are $5

Finally to round out the Halloween movie-fest, on Saturday, the 10th Annual costume contest and “Rocky Horror Picture Show,” (1975) a Basin tradition, will be shown. Starring Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick and music sensation Meatloaf, the film is the story of a newly-engaged couple who have a breakdown in an isolated area and must seek shelter at the bizarre residence of Dr. Frank-n-Furter. This movie night and accompanying costume contest has become an anticipated fall favorite in the Basin. The Ross Ragland encourages goers to gather their friends and don their costumes for a night of fun. Rated R for language and nudity. Tickets are $10, with $5 Prop bags available by cash purchase only (limited supplies).

Tickets for the shows can be purchased starting two hours before showtimes, and at the Ragland Box Office Monday-Friday noon to 5 p.m., by calling (541) 884-LIVE, or by visiting their website at https://app.arts-people.com/index.php?ticketing=rragt. (heraldandnews/rrt)

PJ drive for Klamath County Foster Kids

The Klamath Quota club are collecting new PJ’s for foster kids.  You can drop off new pajamas at Oregon Department of Human Services, Caldwell Banker real estate office on So 6th, the Elks club and the following churches .

First Presbyterian church

Shasta Way Christian Church

Hope Lutheran Church

New Horizons Church

Foothills Christian Fellowship

55 and Alive group at Klamath Christian Center

Thank you very much from The Klamath Quota Club and BasinLife.com

Friends of the children of the Klamath Basin will launch its Annual Potato Sale fundraiser Saturday, November 4, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., in the parking lot of Klamath Falls Subaru on Washburn Way.

Beginning November 6, potatoes will be available for delivery in Klamath Falls.

The potatoes are premium russets donated by CAL-ORE Produce. They will be sold in 20-pound boxes for $25, with all proceeds directly supporting youth mentoring in the Klamath Basin.

New this year is online ordering through https://ddock.co/199bdd. Buyers can also call 541-273-2022.

Friends of the Children – Klamath Basin is a chapter of a nationwide organization dedicated to breaking the cycle of generational poverty through salaried, professional mentoring. We select youth facing the greatest obstacles and commit to working with those children for 12+ years. Learn more at friendsklamath.org.  (submitted press release)

Don’t forget your breast cancer screening

Early detection saves lives! This October, during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we urge people to get screened for breast cancer.

For individuals who are uninsured or underinsured, breast cancer screening in Oregon is free through the Oregon ScreenWise Program.

To enroll in ScreenWise, a patient must meet all of these requirements:

• Age 50 or older and needing breast or cervical cancer screening or diagnostic services; or age 21-49 and needing only breast or cervical cancer diagnostic services;
• Living or intending to live in Oregon;
• Household income at or below 250% of Federal Poverty Level;
• Uninsured or underinsured.

To learn more about ScreenWise and how to enroll, visit OHA’s website, or call (877) 255-7070.

Oregon has its fair share of spooky stories to delve into for the Halloween season.  Constructed in 1905, the Baldwin Hotel Museum is the oldest public building in Klamath Falls and remains haunted by the story — if not the spirit — of former proprietor and local photographer Maud Baldwin.

Todd Kepple of the Klamath County Museum likes to begin the Baldwin Hotel Museum’s popular evening flashlight tours from outside, near the street.

In September and October, the museum offers special guided tours of the historic hotel.

Kepple says touring via flashlight offers a different sensory experience than just viewing the museum in the daytime, allowing visitors a chance to focus on each object: 

Most nights, a glowing light appears from Maud’s former fourth-story room. From the road below, that single light may look eerie — but as Kepple explains, there is a rational explanation. “We always leave a light on in Maud’s studio. It’s just our way of paying our respects.”

The guest register includes names like John Muir, Zane Grey and four presidents: James Garfield, William Taft, Woodrow Wilson and Theodore Roosevelt, the last of whom visited several times on his way to Crater Lake.

For more information on flashlight tours at the Baldwin, contact the Klamath County Museum  (heraldandnews.com)

Around the state of Oregon

On Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, at approximately 7:30 a.m., an Oregon State Police patrol sergeant stopped a motorist for a traffic violation on Hwy 138E, facing westbound near milepost 10, in Douglas County.  

During the traffic stop, an eastbound motorist crossed multiple lanes of travel and crashed head-on into the stopped vehicle. The operator of the stopped vehicle was critically injured. The patrol sergeant miraculously only suffered minor injuries and the suspect suffered minor injuries.  All of the involved were transported for medical evaluation and treatment.

Limited information is available for release at this time due to the ongoing criminal investigation.  The Oregon State Police is conducting an investigation into the potential impairment of the suspect impaired driver. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the crash.

(OSP press release)

Police discovered 4,400 pounds of marijuana after a police officer pulled over a 43-year-old driver from Hollywood, CA for ignoring a stop sign and almost crashing into a semi truck on State Route 97. 

According to a Facebook post from the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office, the driver — Luis Fernando Gutierres Rojas — apologized for the near-accident and then opened the truck to reveal the marijuana, which he bought from illegal sites in the Shasta Vista area.

“None of the cannabis had the proper labeling as required by the California Department of Cannabis Control (DCC), which allows dispensaries to verify that the product is legally and safely produced, and permitted for commercial sale,” the post said. “Through further conversation it was revealed that this cannabis was headed to a licensed Los Angeles area dispensary, for which Rojas worked.

Also discovered in the vehicle was a backpack with approximately $16,000 in cash, and a notebook documenting previous cannabis purchases.”

Rojas was cited for violating the California Health and Safety Code, the post said.

“This discovery is emblematic of a trend we are seeing in Siskiyou County, where licensed dispensaries are buying illegally grown marijuana from the Mount Shasta Vista and Butte Valley areas,” the post said. “Marijuana grown in these locations is often treated with unregulated, and highly toxic pesticides that are banned in California. When marijuana is grown illegally, like we predominately see in the Siskiyou County, cultivators may not adhere to the same health and safety regulations that legal growers are subject to, and as a result their products can be highly toxic.”  (Siskiyou county sheriff’s office)

SALEM, Ore. – Working with the Marion County Sherriff’s Office on two different search and rescue (SAR) incidents, an Oregon Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk Helicopter helped save two stranded individuals on October 26, 2023, near Mt. Jefferson in the Jeff Park Wilderness area located in Marion County, Oregon. 

The Marion County Sheriff’s Office received a notification from the father of a missing male Australian mountain biker, routed through the consulate in Sydney, Australia, and stated that his son had texted him from Oregon and was stranded without cold weather gear. The mountain biker was stuck in a four to five-foot snowdrift along a trail near Hawk Mountain, Oregon. He was able to shelter in place overnight inside an existing hiking trail structure. 

In a separate incident, a female hiker on the Pacific Coast Trail was caught in whiteout conditions for two days. She initially activated her In-Reach GPS device on Tuesday, Oct. 24, but ground crews were unable to reach her location due to the snowdrifts and fallen trees.

The State SAR and Oregon Army National Guard Aviation combined the two orders and airlifted both individuals on the same mission, as the two locations were only separated in distance by 11.5 miles – within the Jeff Park Wilderness area. The UH-60 crew flew them to the Detroit Lake Ranger Station where they received medical attention before being flown to Salem. 

“The weather conditions delayed the operation because of the heavy snow and whiteout conditions,” said Scott Lucas, State SAR Coordinator, with the Oregon Department of Emergency Management. “Because the two locations were near each other, the helicopter was able to pick them both up on the same mission and take them to the ranger station together.” 

Renewal data shows more than 8 out of 10 Oregonians keeping medical benefits; Oregon in top four states protecting medical benefits

SALEM, Ore. – More than halfway into the unwinding of federal pandemic benefits, renewal data shows that more than 8 out of 10 Oregonians are keeping their Oregon Health Plan (OHP) or other Medicaid benefits.

So far, around 1 in 6 people’s benefits are ending or reducing. Updated renewal categories now allow Oregon to compare benefit closure and reduction rates across states. So far, Oregon has the fourth-lowest closure and reduction rates in the nation.

OHP renewals after the pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government allowed states to keep people on Medicaid and did not require annual eligibility renewals. This ended when the public health emergency ended, and Oregon is currently making sure everyone on OHP is still eligible.

Everyone who has OHP or other Medicaid-funded services and supports will receive a renewal notice by mid-2024. The notice will explain whether the member needs to provide additional information or take action to keep their coverage.

Oregon can process many renewals automatically. Some members need to provide additional information so that we can determine if they are still eligible. Additional information requested from members may include documents such as paystubs or a renewal packet they are asked to review, sign and return.

OHP renewals so far

As of Oct. 19, 2023, 807,765 people have completed the renewal process. This represents 55.6 percent of all OHP and Medicaid members, taking Oregon more than halfway through the unwinding process.

• 668,265 people (82.5%) were renewed and kept their benefits.
• 111,998 people (13.8%) were found ineligible. Closures began at the end of June.
• 25,714 people (3.2%) had a reduction in their benefits. Most of these members lost full OHP, but were able to continue our Medicare Savings Programs that help pay their Medicare costs.

October OHP renewal requests

In October, renewal letters were sent to an additional 137,032 people.

• 65.4 percent were renewed without any action needed.
• 19.4 percent were asked to provide some information to renew. The most common requests are for income-related proof, like paystubs, or forms of identification, like a government identification or birth certificate.
• 11.9 percent were asked to fill out a renewal form.
• 3.4 percent had previously reported that they no longer met income limits or other requirements, so received a notice that their benefits will be ending in 60 days.

Data dashboard update

Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) has recategorized some renewals in the Medical Redeterminations Dashboard. People who were automatically renewed but still need to submit some information were previously categorized as completed renewals with continuing benefits. These renewals now appear as initiated renewals awaiting member response. With this change, renewal data can now focus on completed renewals.

This allows for state-by-state comparison; Oregon’s 17% closure and reduction rate is currently the fourth lowest in the nation .

State responds to renewal system issues

This month, Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and ODHS responded to three issues with the renewal process:

• Extending coverage for members who received incorrect approval notices: Around 11,700 members who did not respond to renewal requests received incorrect approval notices instead of closure notices. ODHS/OHA extended their coverage extended through the end of the year. These members received a new notice and call explaining that they can provide the missing information by the end of the year to prevent closure.
• Correcting or preventing incorrect terminations: Medical benefits for 2,268 people incorrectly ended at the end of September. 1,226 people incorrectly received notices explaining that their benefits would end at the end of October. ODHS/OHA will restore these people’s benefits or prevent them from closing. All affected members will receive new notices in November. In 2024, they will get another notice letting them know whose benefits are renewed without needing a response, and who in their household still needs to respond to a renewal to keep benefits.
• Restoring Oregon Supplemental Income Program—Medical (OSIP-M) benefits: OSIP-M is a program that provides OHP coverage to Oregonians who are legally blind, have a disability, and/or are 65 or older–and have limited income and financial resources. ODHS paused closures and restored coverage to 20,000 people found over the income or financial resource limits for OSIP-M. ODHS is updating OSIP-M notices with more information about members’ options, such as spending down excess financial resources. This way, they can make an informed decision and have additional time to report changes and keep their benefits if still eligible. In 2024, these members will get another renewal notice, after which benefits may end if still over the income or resource limits.

What to do if OHP is ending:

• First, review the case summary in your letter to make sure the information used to make the decision was correct. If that information has changed, notify the state. You can call the ONE Customer Service Center at 800-699-9075 (toll-free, all relay calls accepted) or find other options to connect at benefits.oregon.gov. If the information on file for you is correct and you disagree with the decision, you can request a hearing. Learn more about hearings here
• Explore options through an employer. If you, your spouse, or a parent are working, you may be eligible for health coverage through that employer. Talk to your manager or Human Resources department to see if you qualify. You will have a special enrollment period to enroll mid-year due to loss of OHP benefits.
• If you have or are eligible for Medicare: For help understanding Medicare options, go to OregonHealthCare.gov/GetHelp to find an insurance agent or a counselor at the Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance Program (SHIBA), or call SHIBA at 800-722-4134. SHIBA counselors and insurance can help you choose the right Medicare options if you’re losing OHP coverage.

If you need to sign up for Medicare for the first time, contact the Social Security Administration (SSA) at 800-772-1213 to enroll by phone or find a local office. You can also enroll in Medicare online at ssa.gov/medicare/sign-up

• Nearly 80 percent of Oregonians qualify for financial help through the Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace. Visit OregonHealthCare.gov/WindowShop to answer a few quick questions and find out how much you can save and how much coverage may cost you. You can also call the Marketplace Transition Help Center at 833-699-6850 (toll-free, all relay calls accepted).
• Need free local help figuring any of this out? Visit OregonHealthCare.gov/GetHelp to find professional help near you.

Find help for renewing your benefits

1. Learn more about how to renew your Oregon Health Plan medical coverage.
2. Call the ONE Customer Service Center: 800-699-9075 (all relay calls are accepted, and help is available in multiple languages).
3. Stop by or call a local office. People can find their local office at:  https://www.oregon.gov/odhs/Pages/office-finder.aspx
4. Visit a community partner for free, in-person help. To find one near you visit OregonHealthCare.gov/GetHelp(English) or orhim.info/ayuda(Spanish).

ODHS and OHA encourage members to protect their benefits

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

Members can visit KeepCovered.Oregon.gov to learn:

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

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

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

PORTLAND, Ore.—The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon announced today that Oregon Tool, Inc., a Portland-based manufacturer of professional-grade cutting tools, which at all relevant times was known as Blount, Inc., has entered into a non-prosecution agreement and paid $1.7 million for accepting payments for products sold to two distributors transmitted through an unlicensed money transmitting business linked by the FBI to a trade-based money laundering scheme in Nigeria.

In December 2019, the FBI began investigating a criminal organization based in Nigeria that operated several online fraud schemes, including romance scams, targeting elderly women in the United States. Over the course of this investigation, the FBI identified a Nigeria-based black market currency exchange network that offered U.S. dollar deposits into U.S.-based bank accounts in exchange for Nigerian currency provided in Nigeria. The U.S. dollars transmitted by the network were the proceeds of financial fraud schemes perpetrated against at least two dozen victims in the United States.

Between 2012 and 2020, Blount’s two Nigerian distributors used the unlicensed money transmitting business to convert Nigerian naira to U.S. dollars which were used to pay for Blount products. In March 2012, the U.S. Secret Service notified Blount’s then-general counsel that the agency was preparing to seize one of the Nigerian distributor’s bank accounts, because it was allegedly being funded primarily by fraud and the proceeds were being used to pay Blount.

From November 2016 to December 2017, Blount credited more than $974,000 in deposits to the distributor. Those deposits originated from sources including individuals, many of whom the FBI later assessed were women in the United States over the age of 60 who had been the victim of romance fraud schemes; various business LLCs; and other anonymous cash depositors with no logical business relationship or established history with the distributor or Blount. Two of the deposits were made by an individual who believed the money would purchase artwork for someone they had met on a dating website. Another payment was made by a person residing in Beaverton, Oregon at the request of someone on a dating website.

Between April 2017 and February 2018, unbeknownst to Blount, a second Nigerian distributor received more than $652,000 to its U.S.-based bank account that the FBI linked to fraud. The distributor used these funds, which it received from multiple individuals in their late 60s, to pay Blount. As with the fraud victims associated with the first Nigerian distributor, the individuals who made these payments had no logical business relationship with Blount and several later reported being the victim of romance scams or other online fraud schemes.

In January 2022, the FBI notified Oregon Tool of its investigations involving the company and provided details of the fraudulent deposits made by its Nigerian distributors. Prior to this notification, Oregon Tool had, in November 2021, terminated its relationship with one of the two distributors. After the FBI’s notification, the company promptly terminated its association with the second.

Oregon Tool cooperated fully with the government’s investigation of this matter and, under new ownership, has implemented policies to prevent its future association with unlicensed money transmitting businesses. Among other remedial measures, the company has adopted a global anti-money laundering policy restricting third-party payments and an enhanced training program for relevant personnel. None of the senior executives implicated in the improper activity by Blount Inc. are currently employed by Oregon Tool.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI intend to file a civil forfeiture complaint against the $1.7 million paid by Oregon Tool and will seek to distribute those funds to victims of this fraud scheme.

This case was investigated by the FBI. The terms of this non-prosecution agreement were negotiated by the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon. The related financial forfeitures are being handled by the Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.

A 50-year-old Eagle Point man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for distributing child pornography on social networking site Tumblr. 

According to a news release from the Oregon district of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the man — Thomas Ray Taylor — has to serve 120 months in federal prison with five years’ supervised release. He also has to pay $27,000 in restitution to his victims.

“In November 2018, officers from the Eagle Point Police Department received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that an individual residing in Eagle Point, who was later identified as Taylor, was suspected of uploading images and videos depicting child sexual abuse to Tumblr,” the release said. “On March 13, 2019, investigators met Taylor at his place of employment and seized his cell phone. Taylor admitted to viewing child pornography and told police about several digital devices he possessed. Later the same day, police executed a search warrant on Taylor’s residence and seized multiple devices. A forensic examination of the devices later confirmed that Taylor possessed more than 1,000 illicit images and videos, some of which he had shared online.”

Oregon’s Congressional delegation voted along party lines for House Speaker in the U.S. Congress this week. Louisiana Representative Mike Johnson won the vote and is the new Speaker of the House of Representatives in Washington D.C.

Republican Representative Cliff Bentz says Johnson is an effective leader and strong advocate for the state of Louisiana and the Republican conference. Republican Lori Chavez-DeRemer says she’s hopeful Johnson will work with all sides of the conference to advance commonsense legislation. Democrat Andrea Salinas called Johnson a “MAGA extremist who voted to overturn the 2020 election” saying she has deep concerns about his ability to govern responsibly.

(Oregon news)

The Oregon Health Authority won’t allow PeaceHealth to close all of its facilities in Eugene.

PeaceHealth wanted to close Sacred Heart Hospital sending all patients to Riverbend Hospital in Springfield. Governor Tina Kotek directed OHA to work with PeaceHealth to keep some services in Eugene to avoid a complete closure of the University District Hospital. Emergency medical resources will move to Riverbend starting December 1st, but behavioral health and acute rehabilitation beds will remain in Eugene under a modified license.

(Oregon news)

Oregonians may get to vote on whether to continue self-service gas.

The Legislature approved ending the decades-old ban this year allowing gas stations to have self-serve at half the pumps and attendants at the other pumps, for the same price. The United Food and Commercial Workers union says allowing self-serve gas has put people out of work and made gas stations more dangerous. They filed an initiative petition and need to collect 117-thousand signatures by July to put the issue to voters in November.  (Oregon news)

The off-duty California pilot accused of trying to shut down the engines of a Horizon Air flight now faces federal charges. During his initial appearance in Multnomah County Court, Joseph Emerson’s attorney spoke on his behalf, entering not guilty pleas on all counts. 

Emerson faces more than 80 counts of Attempted Murder, among other state charges, in connection with the Sunday evening incident on a plane bound for San Francisco. It was diverted to Portland after Emerson allegedly tried to pull the engine fire extinguishers. The pilots subdued him and he was restrained in the rear of the plane, where he reportedly tried to open the emergency exit before the aircraft landed.

According to court documents, he later admitted to using psychedelic mushrooms, although the timeline is unclear. Investigators reported Emerson told them he suffered from depression, and it was his “first time” taking psilocybin.

The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office says he’s been on suicide watch since shortly after booking early Monday. He is being held without bail.

Federal prosecutors filed documents Tuesday also charging Emerson with Interfering With a Flight Crew. His appearance in federal court has not been announced.

The Horizon Air Embraer 175 was carrying 80 passengers, some of them lap children, and four crew members. The plane left Everett, Washington, at 5:23 p.m. local time and landed in Portland an hour later.  (HeraldandNews.com)

Oregon’s attorney general, Ellen Rosenblum, has joined 33 states in suing Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, for designing its social media platforms to create addiction in children and teens. 

“(The complaint) asserts that Meta knowingly designed and deployed harmful features on Instagram and its other social media platforms that purposefully addict children and teens. All the while, Meta falsely assured the public that these features are safe and suitable for young users,” the release said. “The attorneys general assert that Meta’s business practices violate state consumer protection laws and the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).”

In the complaint, these parties also accuse Meta of collecting data from underage users — including those under 13 — without parental consent.

“While much of the complaint relies on confidential material that is not yet available to the public, publicly available sources including those previously released by former Meta employees, detail that Meta profited by purposely making its platforms addictive to children and teens,” the release said. “Its platform algorithms push users into descending “rabbit holes” in an effort to maximize engagement. Features like infinite scroll and near-constant alerts were created with the express goal of hooking young users. These manipulative tactics continually lure children and teens back onto the platform.”

Rosenblum said Meta knew about the addictive qualities of its platforms, yet hid this information and did not take steps to make their platforms safer.  (Oregon AG’s office)

Samson Garner, a Multnomah County man, was charged Friday on allegations that he was planning a mass shooting in Deschutes County, specifically targeting rock climbers.

Authorities would not say where they believed the shootings would take place, but Smith Rock State Park Manager Matt Davey said“There was a possible threat targeted toward the Smith Rock Craggin Classic.”

The classic, which took place this past weekend, is an annual three-day rock-climbing festival at Smith Rock State Park hosted by the Colorado-based American Alpine Club.

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office arrested Garner, 39, on Thursday night after being alerted by the Portland Police Bureau that Garner had told two acquaintances he planned to shoot people who were rock climbing in Deschutes County, said District Attorney Steve Gunnels.

Garner was found with three handguns and an AR-15 rifle when sheriff’s deputies arrested him outside his Subaru near Tumalo, Gunnels said. (Oregon news)

Scammers Targeting Public Benefits At New Paid Leave Oregon Program

Some Oregonians have reported getting a letter saying they’ve been approved for paid leave benefits that they never applied for, a warning sign of identity theft.

Oregon’s Paid Leave program has sent out more than $28 million in benefits so far — but scammers are among those trying to cash in on the state’s new program.

Public benefits have long been a target of fraudsters who attempt to illegally gain access to personal data in order to file fraudulent applications for things like unemployment insurance or food benefits. Officials with Paid Leave Oregon said it is experiencing the same type of attempted fraud, and are asking Oregonians who receive a letter regarding benefits they didn’t actually apply for to report it on the program’s website.

The program started paying out benefits last month and has approved more than 15,000 applications so far. Eligible Oregon employees can take up to 12 weeks of paid leave for family, medical or “safe leave” — the program’s term for people seeking financial support to escape domestic or sexual violence. Workers taking paid time off for pregnancy may be eligible for up to 14 weeks of leave.

Workers seeking benefits must send in certain documentation that corresponds to the type of leave they’re taking, such as a birth certificate for a new child. Once an application is submitted, the employment department reviews all the documents and verifies the identity of the applicant. It also notifies the employer.

But some Oregonians have reported getting a letter saying they’ve been approved for paid leave benefits that they never applied for. That’s a warning sign a person’s identity has been compromised. A spokesperson for the program said Oregonians should keep an eye on their mailboxes and report any letters regarding benefits they didn’t apply for.

OPB has heard from at least one employer who reported feeling suspicious after receiving a letter from Paid Leave Oregon regarding an employee who was not planning to be away from work.

Employment department officials declined to provide a count of potentially fraudulent applications they’ve received. But they believe they are catching the fraud attempts in the screening process, before money goes out.

The Oregon Department of Justice suggests checking personal credit reports frequently for any anomalies, and urges suspected victims of identity theft to report it to local authorities and the Federal Trade Commission. (SOURCE)

Hard to believe but Oregon high school students won’t have to prove basic mastery of reading, writing or math to graduate from high school until at least 2029, the state Board of Education decided unanimously on Thursday, extending the pause on the controversial graduation requirement that began in 2020.

The vote went against the desires of dozens of Oregonians who submitted public comments insisting the standards should be reinstated, including former Republican gubernatorial candidate Christine Drazan. Backlash against the lowered standard had already delayed the vote, originally slated to take place in September.

Opponents argued that pausing the requirement devalues an Oregon diploma. Giving students with low academic skills extra instruction in writing and math, which most high schools did in response to the graduation rules, helped them, they have argued.

But leaders at the Oregon Department of Education and members of the state school board said requiring all students to pass one of several standardized tests or create an in-depth assignment their teacher judged as meeting state standards was a harmful hurdle for historically marginalized students, a misuse of state tests and did not translate to meaningful improvements in students’ post high school success. (Oregon news)

Oregon high school sports are again short on referees for the winter season.

According to the Oregon School Activities Association, there is an urgent need for officials in basketball and wrestling. OSAA and the Oregon Athletic Officials Association are actively recruiting. Visit NewOfficials.org for more information.  (Oregon news)

Federal regulators have approved the expansion of a natural gas pipeline in the Pacific Northwest over the protest of environmental groups and top officials in West Coast states.

The route through Oregon starts at the border, stays on the west side of the Cascades near Medford, then heads into central Oregon near Bend.  It continues eastbound towards Pendleton and into the Tri-Cities area of Washington.

The project, known as GTN Xpress, aims to expand the capacity of the Gas Transmission Northwest pipeline, which runs through Idaho, Washington and Oregon, by about 150 million cubic feet (4.2 million cubic meters) of natural gas per day. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission gave it the green light in a vote on Thursday.

The pipeline belongs to TC Energy of Calgary, Canada — the same company behind the now-abandoned Keystone XL crude oil pipeline.

TC Energy plans to modify three compressor stations along the pipeline — in Kootenai County, Idaho; Walla Walla County, Washington; and Sherman County, Oregon. Compressor stations help maintain the pressure and flow of gas over long distances in a pipeline.

The company says the project is necessary to meet consumer demand.

The 1,377-mile (2,216-kilomter) pipeline runs from the Canadian border through a corner of Idaho and into Washington state and Oregon, connecting with a pipeline going into California.

Officials from Washington, Oregon and California called on federal regulators to reject the project, saying it would undermine their states’ efforts to reduce emissions to combat the effects of climate change. (kdrv 12)

U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D) of Oregon is speaking out against the federal government’s decision to expand a natural gas pipeline in the Northwest.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved the GTN Xpress pipeline to increase its capacity. It means upgrading compressor stations in Idaho, Washington, and Oregon. Merkley says the expansion will be like adding 644-thousand gas powered cars to the road every year. Washington Governor Jay Inslee also opposed the move, saying the decision to allow more natural gas to be burned reduces the impacts of climate change reduction efforts. Inslee says the fight is not over.  (Oregon news)

Oregon wildlife officials are urging residents to be Bear-Aware. This is the season when bears fatten up before hibernating for the winter.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is reminding people living in bear country to make sure they aren’t leaving out food that will attract bears. Garbage cans should be put out just before they’re picked up; chicken feed, pet food and other livestock feed should be secured; remove bird feeders; pickup downed fruit; and store barbecues inside. If you see a bear, give it plenty of space, don’t run, don’t make eye contact, and if you are attacked fight back with rocks, sticks and your hands. (Oregon news)

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