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. Call them at 541-882-6476.
Tuesday, January 14, 2024
Klamath Basin Weather
Today
Sunny, with a high near 42 degrees. Overnight, mostly clear, with a low around 22 degrees.
See Road Camera Views around the Klamath Basin:
Lake of the Woods
Doak Mtn.
Hiway 97 at Chemult
Hiway 140 at Bly
Hiway 97 at GreenSprings Dr.
Hiway 97 at LaPine
Today’s Klamath Falls Headlines
ODOT: Central Ore.: The Lakeview DMV office at 855 South F St. in Lakeview is closed today due to staffing.
Betty Tyree, who served as the mayor for the town of Bonanza for more than 42 years, passed away at her Bonanza home on New Year’s Eve.
Tyree also spent nearly 46-1/2 years delivering the Herald and News as an independent contractor to subscribers between Klamath Falls and Bonanza.
In a post on the Bonanza Facebook page, town officials wrote, “It is with a heavy heart that we inform you that our beloved Mayor Betty Tyree passed away in her home on New Year’s Eve. Mayor Betty faithfully served the town of Bonanza for over 42 years. While she was adamant that there be no formal funeral or obituary, the town plans may develop to honor her in some other way. There will be updates posted here as to what that may look like.”
City Manager Cheri Stewart said the council is considering ways of honoring Tyree, possibly by naming a building after her, starting a student scholarship fund or another way. As Stewart says of Tyree, “Her legacy are the relationships she built and the respect they had for her. She definitely was one of a kind.”
Tyree was appointed as the Bonanza mayor in 1979, but left for a few years to help her brother when he was dealing with lung cancer. She was Bonanza’s longest serving mayor and possibly Oregon’s longest serving mayor. For many, especially in Bonanza, Tyree’s passing marks the end of an era.
Oregon Tech honors program executive director Christopher Syrnyk, Ph.D., has been elected vice president of the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC), an association that supports and enhances a community of educational institutions, professionals, and students who participate in collegiate honors education around the world.
Syrnyk, who has been on the NCHC Board of Directors since 2023, will begin a one-year term as vice president in 2025. After this, he will move through roles each year as president-elect, president, and immediate past president. Each role comes with specific responsibilities to help guide the future of honors education.
Oregon Tech’s honors program, a specialized academic program for high-achieving students in all academic majors, provides an interdisciplinary education designed to prepare future leaders and professionals for successful careers and meaningful lives.
The honors program provides Oregon Tech students with a complementary academic curriculum and a collection of extracurricular learning experiences that promote a more well-rounded future career professional, a socially responsible person, and a connected and well-educated student.
In addition to leading the Oregon Tech honors program, Syrnyk is executive director of Oregon Tech’s Office of National Scholarships and a professor of rhetoric and writing in the communication department.
Syrnyk has been at Oregon Tech since 2012. He earned a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts from the University of Oregon, a master of arts from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and a doctor of philosophy in English, specialization in composition and rhetoric, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
A Klamath Falls man is in a California jail after police found him carrying meth, a loaded gun, and a dagger in Redding on Friday night.
According to the Redding Police Department, just after 11 p.m., an officer contacted 29-year-old Tory Smith who was loitering in the roadway near the intersection of S. Market and Grange streets.
At that time, Smith told the officer he had a gun, just before a revolver he had in his waistband fell out onto the road. The officer immediately arrested Smith and additionally found methamphetamine and a concealed dagger. Police say the revolver Smith had was a Taurus Judge and was loaded with 410-gauge shotgun shells. Smith is currently in the Shasta County jail on charges related to carrying a loaded concealed gun, possession of meth, and a concealed dagger among others.
Klamath Falls-area high school students learned the tools of the trade Thursday during the Klamath Basin Home Builders Association’s “Build My Future” event.
An annual event held at the Klamath County Fairgrounds, “Build My Future” is an opportunity for students from across the basin to unite with industry professionals to explore and garner hands-on experience in the construction trades by building serviceable and livable dwellings just as they would in the workforce.
Starting in the year 2021 with the building of a single tiny home, each year the “Build My Future” event has grown whereas last year the students, assisted by more than 30 local contractors and community partners that donate their time and materials, constructed two 170-square-foot tiny homes — that come complete with full electrical and plumbing systems — in 48 hours.
This year’s “Build My Future” event takes that concept and had students build one 170-square-foot tiny home and two eight-foot by eight-foot emergency shelter sheds in less than 24 hours.
With students ranging from freshmen to seniors with various levels of experience and skill, David Larson of Larson Home Builders LLC said the event is all about helping to familiarize students with tools.
Mazama students, who have had ample exposure constructing the eight-by-eight emergency sheds as they have already built four others this year in the Career Technical Education class, helped the contractors by instructing younger students. While not every student participant said they could see themselves going into the trades, most agreed that “Build My Future” gave them something to learn.
The tiny home built by the students will be raffled off during the Klamath County Home and Outdoor Expo taking place the weekend of March 7, with the proceeds going toward future educational KBHBA programs while the two emergency sheds will be used to house individuals impacted by Southern Oregon wildfires.
More pharmaceutical options for those insured by TRICARE comes to Klamath Falls as Sky Lakes Medical Center renews its contract with the provider.
Restoring TRICARE coverage was not just about prescriptions; it was about reducing barriers to pharmaceutical care for those who serve our nation. Sky Lakes says they are proud to once again provide the healthcare services our military families and veterans deserve.
TRICARE is a federal health insurance program that provides comprehensive medical coverage administered by the Department of Defense and is part of the Military Health System for active duty military service members, National Guard and Reserve members, retirees and their families.
In October 2022, when Sky Lakes was unexpectedly dropped from the TRICARE network, the medical center was filling more than 5,000 prescriptions for TRICARE patients. A national issue, many pharmacies were excluded from TRICARE coverage after their Pharmacy Services Administrative Organizations (PSAO) declined to sign agreements due to unprofitable terms.
Walmart left the network in December 2021 and Fred Meyer followed in January 2023 leaving local military families only two physical options, Rite Aid and Albertsons.
They could also access Express Scripts, a mail order delivery service. Despite this setback, Sky Lakes remained steadfast in its commitment to military families and initiated negotiations directly with federal contracting representatives to restore access. For Sky Lakes, this meant collaborating with Kingsley Field leadership and congressional members to establish a direct agreement with TRICARE that met the needs of both parties while prioritizing patient care.
Successful in their negotiations, after two years of effort, Sky Lakes was accepted back into the TRICARE network and has been filling prescriptions for TRICARE beneficiaries since Jan. 1, 2025.
A Klamath Tribes fire crew is assisting in Southern California with a devastating wildfire that has killed at least 10 people and consumed an estimated 35,000 acres.
A news release from the Klamath Tribes said a Type 3 fire engine crew left on Wednesday to help fight the Eaton Fire, one of many fires burning in the region of Pasadena.
Klamath Tribes’ Wildland Fire Program Manager Tim Sexton noted in the release that Oregon received “a lot of help” during the last devastating fire season.
The Tribes have 14 fire-qualified personnel to lend a hand in Southern California. Both crews at the fires are equipped for 14 days of firefighting.
The Oregon State Fire Marshal has mobilized an additional total of:
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21 strike teams , 75 fire engines, 30 water tenders and 370 firefighters.
At least 180,000 people have been evacuated, with 200,000 more under evacuation warnings in the So Cal area.
Ongoing efforts to revegetate areas along the Klamath River in the former John C. Boyle dam’s “footprint” were among items discussed during a Monday night meeting of the Native Plant Society’s Klamath Basin Chapter.
Robert Roninger, a fish biologist with the Bureau of Land Management’s Klamath Falls Field Office, presented two publicly available videos about the dam removal and multi-year plans to restore about 2,500 acres of land that had been created as reservoirs by the Iron Gate, Copco 1, Copco 2, and Boyle dams.
In a power point presentation, Roninger focused on restoring about 275 acres that had resulted from the John C. Boyle Dam Project Area and the faster than expected return of fall Chinook and Coho salmon to the Klamath River in Oregon.
Roninger said the BLM’s Klamath Falls Field Office has focused on plan development, oversight and monitoring of the Boyle Project Area and worked closely with the Klamath River Renewal Corporation (KRRC), McMillen, Kiewit, Resource Environmental Solutions (RES), AECOM and Camas Environmental Professionals, as well as with Tribes, and federal and state agencies. He noted planning efforts began several years ago. One of the contractors, Kiewit, completed their part of the Boyle Project area work late last year while RES is currently working on restoration efforts.
Roninger said BLM specialists will continue to assist in monitoring restoration efforts and fish/wildlife populations, and aid RES, various agencies and Tribes with other tasks for the following several years.
It’s been nearly three years since Oregon legislators passed a bill requiring employers to eventually pay overtime to farmworkers who work past 40 hours a week.
When it passed, advocates said the change was long overdue, while farm groups argued it would hurt their business. Starting this year, including in Klamath County, employers will have to pay overtime to workers who work more than 48 hours a week.
And now some farm owners say they’re having to make tough decisions. Oregon’s $5 billion agriculture industry employs more than 90,000 farmworkers, many of whom are Mexican immigrants or Latino.
Unlike most hourly wage jobs, farmworkers have historically been excluded from receiving overtime pay through the federal Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. In 2022, farmworker advocates and some state legislators sought to change that and passed House Bill 4002 to the dismay of farm lobbying groups who decried the bill as out of touch with Oregon’s farming industry.
The change went into effect a year later, requiring employers pay farmworkers time-and-a-half for hours worked beyond 55 hours. As of the start of 2025, that threshold fell to 48 hours, and in 2027 it will be 40 hours.
While 55 hours was manageable, Mieke DeJong, the general manager at Windy Ridge Dairy in Klamath County, said paying time-and-a-half overtime at 48 hours a week will be harder to pencil in.
Oregon farmworkers on average make roughly $34,120 a year, or about $16.40 an hour, according to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The Klamath County Economic Development Association (KCEDA) Holding their annual Economic Summiton January 22nd.
The special event takes place at the Ross Ragland Theater, from 8:30-12:00PM. Admission to the event costs $10, giving attendees access to the full program, in addition to coffee and other refreshments.
The theme of this year’s event is “Building Resilience: Unlocking New Growth Pathways”, where presentations will focus on strategies, innovations, and partnerships aimed at fostering new opportunities for sustainable growth within Klamath County.
This year’s Economic Summit consists of several presentations from various experts from throughout the state and region, as well offers attendees a chance to participate in a Q&A session with a panel of community stakeholders representing different industries and interests within Klamath County.
Presenters will be discussing important topics related to local agriculture, energy, artificial intelligence, finance, workforce, and more throughout the day. Additionally, Business Oregon Regional Economist, Page 1 of 2 Damon Runberg will be participating in the program, providing attendees information on Klamath County’s economic and employment forecasts for the upcoming year.
The Economic Summit for 2025 is sponsored by: Pacific Crest Federal Credit Union, Amazon, Pacific Power, RES (Resource Environmental Solutions), Avista Utilities, MSPCO (Molatore, Scroggin, Peterson & Co.), Business Oregon, Great Basin Insurance, and The Ross Ragland Theater.
The Klamath County Clerk’s Office Requests Applicants for the Border Relocation Board
Any persons interested in being on the Border Relocation Board must apply by Wednesday, January 15,
2025. All applicants must answer all questions on the application or provide an explanation as to why the
questions were not answered.
To appl, use the link below
https://www.klamathcounty.org/FormCenter/Board-of-Commissioners-7/Special-District-BoardPosition-Applicat-60
Select Other (type committee name in box below)
In the box type: Border Relocation Board
Please contact the Klamath County Clerk’s Office with any questions
(541)883-5134 or email at elections@klamathcounty.org.
Klamath Falls Gospel Mission invites you to a luncheon and tour of the house that Klamath Built. Join us on Thursday, January 16 from 10AM – 2PM, with lunch from 11:30 – 12:30.
Tour the facility, talk with the staff, learn about our programs, talk with residents, ask questions and enjoy a nutritious, delicious, Mission cooked meal.
Klamath Falls Gospel Mission is reliant on support from our community – come and see what Klamath Falls Gospel Mission is accomplishing!
Party with the girls as the Linkville Players present Karen Schaeffer’s lightning-quick farce “Girls’ Weekend”.
Having met in a book club, Dot invites her friends to her northwoods cabin to catch up, consume copious amounts of wine, laugh at their lives and chat about their book club’s latest selection.
A lover of comedies with ample experience, veteran director Laura Allen returns to the Linkville Playhouse to lead the players in what she describes as a hilarious tale of human relations. The Girls’ Weekend opens this Friday at 7:30 p.m. The play will run each Friday and Saturday through Jan. 25 with one Sunday matinee on Jan. 19 at 2 p.m.
The Linkville Playhouse is located in downtown Klamath Falls at 201 Main Street. Tickets are available in advance at Poppy on Main at 522 Main St. or at the theater box office the night of a performance. Tickets range in price based on seat selection from $14 to $20. Veterans and active duty service members as well as seniors and all students are discounted $1 on the admission price.
Pet for Adoption at Klamath Animal Shelter
This week’s pet is a dog named “Dax”. Dax is a male Doberman mix about 4 months old. He is black and tan, and weighs around 35 pounds.
Dax’s owner didn’t have enough time to spend with him which was causing issues with his neighbors. They said that Dax has started on his house training, has been around children as young as 9 years old and other dogs. He has never been around cats.
Daz is a young active and playful dog that has lots of growing to do and needs a family with the time to continue his training and socialization.
If you are interested in adopting Dax, the shelter is located at 4240 Washburn Way. We’re open Monday through Friday from 12:00 – 4:00PM. Walk throughs are available, pet meet and greets are by appointment, you can reach the shelter at 541-884-PETS (541-884-7387)
View all adoptable pets anytime online at http://www.klamathanimalshelter.org
Around the State of Oregon
You can start filing income taxes on January 27th. Both the IRS and Oregon Department of Revenue will start accepting tax returns.
The IRS estimates 640-thousand Oregonians will be able to use IRS Direct File and Direct File Oregon free tax software. Use the IRS Eligibility Checker on its website to see whether you qualify for the free software. Refunds aren’t issued until after February 15th for fraud protection. The IRS website has information free tax help.
The U.S. Department of the Interior today issued a Record of Decision (ROD) approving the Coquille Indian Tribe’s request to transfer land into trust in Medford, OR, as part of its broader reservation restoration effort.
The approval marks the end of over a decade of delays, enabling the tribe to move forward with economic development and plans for a new gaming facility in Medford. Brenda Meade, Chair of the Coquille Indian Tribe, celebrated the decision, reflecting on the long and difficult process.
She criticized the years-long delay, noting that the Tribe had faced a prolonged environmental review for a two-acre parcel, driven in part by competition from nearby casino operators.
Meade highlighted the personal toll the delay had taken, with two tribal chiefs, several council members, and many elders passing away without seeing the realization of their vision for the Tribe’s future.
The Coquille Tribe’s land transfer request was submitted more than a decade ago, as part of the tribe’s efforts to restore its reservation in the region designated by the Coquille Restoration Act of 1989. This act created a five-county reservation restoration area, including Jackson County, home to Medford, where many Coquille citizens live.
The transfer of land into trust will help promote economic development, generate revenue for the Tribe, and provide much-needed services for the local community through the Coquille Tribal Potlatch Fund.
The project has received support from local leaders, including Medford City Councilor Kevin Stine, who praised the project’s potential to create jobs and economic growth in the region. As the project moves ahead, the Coquille Tribe is hopeful that this approval will set a precedent for other tribes, such as the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians and KOI Nation, who are still awaiting similar decisions from the Department of the Interior.
Rogue Valley Medford International Airport is hoping a new year brings a new flight to the Rogue Valley.
The airport is still looking to add a possible connection to Dallas-Fort Worth in the near future. That’s on the heels of $6 million in federal funds that MFR is using to extend its taxiways and reduce congestion. .MFR is in talks with American Airlines about the possible expansion to Texas.
Airport director Amber Judd says although nothing is guaranteed, MFR is encouraged by the airlines interest so far. MFR is already expanding this new year. It’s adding two more direct flights between Medford and Portland daily in both directions. Those added flights will begin in May.
The largest nurses strike and the first doctor’s strike in Oregon history continues against Providence Health across the state.
Nearly five-thousand healthcare workers are on the picket line. Providence Health says more than 600 union members crossed the picket lines to work. Providence says it’s ready to resume negotiations and they want to start with Providence Medford and Providence Newberg.
The Oregon Nurses Association says that shows the pressure the strike is having on Providence Health.
It’s been a back-and-forth time, but the Sattitla National Monument, also known as the Medicine Lake Highlands, has received designation as a national monument.
Sattitla, an area that includes the Medicine Lake Highlands, is near Tulelake and the Lava Beds National Monument. The designation was originally planned to be announced Tuesday by President Joe Biden during a visit to Southern California’s Coachella Valley. That trip was cancelled because a series of raging forest fires that has caused the evacuation of thousands of people, destroyed countless homes and buildings, and resulted in several deaths. Biden used the Antiques Act, which allows presidents to proclaim national monuments of federal lands, to create the Sarttitla and Chuckwalla National Monuments. He will now formally make the announcement during ceremonies from the White House in the next few days.
Chuckwalla National Monument is in Southern California’s Colorado Desert near Joshua Tree National Park. The expected designation includes about 224,000 acres for Sáttítla and 644,000 acres for Chuckwalla. “Sáttítla” translates to “obsidian place” in the Ajumawi language, referring to the wealth of obsidian deposits in the area, which were formed by ancient lava flows.
The dormant Medicine Lake Volcano sits in the middle of the monument and stretches over an area 10 times larger than Mount St. Helens in Washington. Its remote location promises visitors some of the nation’s darkest skies and, according to the Forest Service, is “where distant galaxies and stars are visible.” The establishment of the two national monument sites will restrict mining, solar energy and industrial-scale geothermal development on the affected areas.
Oregon’s State Forester has suddenly resigned. Cal Mukamoto stepped down amid controversy over payments to contractors who worked during the state’s historic 2024 wildfire season.
Governor Tina Kotek called lawmakers into special session last month to approve an additional 218-million-dollars to pay bills to local fire departments, fire districts and private firefighting companies that are waiting for federal payments. Republican State House and Senate leaders praised the move, saying new leadership is needed at Oregon’s Department of Forestry.
As the wildfires in Southern California continue to spread, the Oregon State Fire Marshal has mobilized six additional strike teams of water tenders to help fight them.
They include 30 water tenders and 70 firefighters from Clackamas, Columbia, Coos, Curry, Douglas, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Multnomah, and Umatilla counties.
“We understand the gravity of the disaster taking place in California and are using the power of the Oregon Fire Mutual Aid System to give our neighbors additional tools to combat these wildfires and protect people and homes,” Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said when announcing the new assistance on Saturday, Jan. 11. “Please rest assured our system is designed to ensure adequate coverage for our communities at home while at the same time providing support to those impacted by a disaster.”
The new teams will join the 15 strike teams that arrived in California on Thursday, Jan. 9, and began work Friday morning. The latest teams will leave Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning, take part in a routine safety check to ensure the safety of our first responders, and will receive their assignments from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL Fire).
According to the announcement, a water tender is a standard response tool to fight wildfires and is a specialized truck designed to carry and deliver large amounts of water. Some of the water tenders mobilizing to California are Oregon’s new tactical tenders that were delivered to local fire agencies through the OSFM Engine Program in 2024.
So far, the Oregon State Fire Marshal has mobilized a total of:
- 21 trike teams
- 75 fire engines
- 30 water tenders
- 370 firefighters
The Southern California area is expecting dangerous fire conditions into next week.
Red Cross workers in Oregon and Southwest Washington departed from the Portland International Airport (PDX) Thursday to help victims of the California wildfires.
Several large wildfires burning in the Los Angeles area have already destroyed more than 10,000 homes and businesses as of today. At least 180,000 people have been evacuated, with 200,000 more under evacuation warnings in Los Angeles County, and at least 16 people have died.
Firefighters started to slow the spread of the fires but new powerful winds are again expected all this week in Southern California.
Red Cross teams staffed seven shelters with more than 1,000 people inside in need of food, information, and health and emotional support, according to Red Cross Cascades. The nonprofit said it will coordinate with officials to ensure that wildfire victims have the help they need for as long as they need.
The Red Cross has a downloadable emergency app with information on how to prepare, respond to and recover from wildfires. In addition, the American Red Cross has activated the Northwest Response Fund to help impacted residents.
Thousands of nurses across the state are striking against Providence and what is being considered Oregon’s largest health care strike to date.
The Oregon Nurses Association says 5,000 health care workers are on strike – including nurses at Providence Medford Medical Center.
Physicians at Providence Medford and the Providence clinics in Medford are not included in the strike.
This comes after ONA and Providence have been at odds over a new contract, following the old deal at the Medford facility expiring on March 24.
In the most recent development, the two groups bargained for five days until Dec. 20. After a “cool-down” period that ended on Dec. 26, ONA announced the strike on Dec. 30.
The strike includes health care workers in Medford, Portland, Seaside, St. Vincent, Providence Women’s Clinic, Milwaukie, Willamette Falls, Newberg and Hood River. Providence says they will be fully staffed and health care services will not be interrupted during the strike. Stay tuned.
Almost 90 non-profits in the region and several organizations that serve multiple counties are getting more than $750,000 from the Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation (CCUIF).
CCUIF has awarded over $25 million across Douglas, Jackson, Josephine, Klamath, Coos, Lane, and Deschutes counties since it was established in 1997.
Carma Monorich of the Tribe says “The work of non-profit organizations is tireless and highly important to our communities. The Asante Foundation, Hearts with a Mission, the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Rogue Valley, Rogue Valley Farm to School, and Rogue Retreat, to name a few, are each getting $10,000.
CASA of Jackson County is getting $12,000 to train new mentors for kids in foster care. Additionally, Medford’s Compass House is getting $7,500 to help support staff who work directly with mentally ill individuals.
A 52-year-old woman who hid nearly 140 strips of the drug Suboxone in her bra on visits to the federal prison in Sheridan was sentenced Friday to two and a half years in prison.
Robynn Regina Cunningham was arrested last January following an investigation that began when prison staff received anonymous handwritten notes that alleged a prisoner was distributing drugs in custody.
Investigators found that Divine S. Irvis had listed a phone number on his contact list under the label “lover” and it came back to Cunningham, according to an FBI agent’s affidavit. She was Irvis’ primary visitor at Sheridan, investigators found.
The anonymous notes about Irvis described him as bringing in drugs through visits and hiding bags of methamphetamine in a rubber glove, in socks or tied under his testicles, according to the affidavit.
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek has extended Oregon’s state of emergency for homelessness, which was first put into effect on Jan. 10, 2023.
She says, quote,”We must stay the course on what we see working. If we keep at this pace, 1 in every 3 people who were experiencing homelessness in 2023 will be rehoused. Since declaring the homelessness emergency response two years ago, we exceeded the targets we set through a statewide homelessness infrastructure we never had before. But the urgency remains as homelessness continues to increase and we need to see this strategy through.”
The state of emergency is now going to continue until the end of June 2025, the release said.
The Oregon Department of Transportation is proudly supporting January’s Human Trafficking Prevention Month, a presidentially designated observance designed to educate the public about human trafficking and the role they can play in preventing and responding to the crime.
Human trafficking is a form of modern slavery that involves the use of force, fraud, or pressure to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act. Victims can be any age, race, gender or nationality.
More than 27 million people annually fall victim to human trafficking worldwide, and according to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, 132 cases involving 248 victims were identified in Oregon in 2023.
As part of the monthly observance, Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance holds a Human Trafficking Awareness Initiative Jan. 13-17. During that week, our trained motor carrier enforcement officers and safety inspectors from our Commerce and Compliance Division will be working with law enforcement to hand out human trafficking awareness materials in English and Spanish to truck drivers and motor carriers at weigh stations across the state.
We are sharing awareness information on TripCheck, variable message signs around the state, radio spots, billboard ads and social media posts throughout the month. We have also lit up the Woodburn Bridge in shades of blue to shine a light on human trafficking.
If you suspect human trafficking, do not confront a suspected trafficker or alert a victim to any suspicions.
If it is an emergency, call 9-1-1 or the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888. The hotline is operated 24 hours a day by a nongovernmental organization. You may also text HELP or INFO to 233733 (BEFREE).
We are pleased to partner with Department of Homeland Security, Oregon Trucking Association, TAT (formerly Truckers Against Trafficking), Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, Bowman Trucking and law enforcement to raise awareness about human trafficking and provide people with resources to educate and work toward stopping this dreadful crime.
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) is inviting the public to get involved in the update of Oregon’s State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP), a crucial blueprint for conservation efforts across the state.
The first community engagement session took place yesterday via Microsoft Teams, launching a six-month process to revise and enhance the Oregon Conservation Strategy. The SWAP is a key component of Oregon’s efforts to protect biodiversity and natural ecosystems.
Developed as part of a national initiative coordinated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, each state has its own Wildlife Action Plan designed to address the conservation of fish, wildlife, and their habitats. The Oregon SWAP focuses on proactively protecting species and habitats that are in decline to prevent future federal or state listings. Oregon is facing a biodiversity crisis that affects the health of its ecosystems, economy and communities.
It is vital for all of us to take action by supporting conservation efforts, restoring natural habitats, and protecting our fish and wildlife. By working together to update the SWAP, we can protect Oregon’s rich biodiversity and ensure a sustainable future for generations to come.
The SWAP provides an overview of key conservation challenges in Oregon, highlighting species of greatest conservation need (SGCN), priority habitats, and strategies to address ongoing issues. As part of the national effort, each state must update its Wildlife Action Plan every 10 years, and ODFW aims to finalize Oregon’s updated SWAP by Oct. 1, 2025.
You’ll need a Real ID to fly domestically, starting in May of 2025, that’s unless you have a passport or enhanced driver’s license issued by several states.
The deadline is May 7, 2025, but you probably don’t want to wait until the last minute to get your Real ID. You can apply for your Real ID driver’s license or ID card through your local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
Real IDs are marked with a star on the top of the card. Real IDs will also be needed to access certain federal facilities. Congress mandated the real IDs in 2005 on the recommendation of the 9/11 Commission.
The Oregon Humane Society is back to pre-pandemic levels of adoptions.
In 2024, there were 11-thousand-910 adoptions which is the highest number since 2019. The last adoptions of 2024 happened on New Year’s Eve. A ten-year-old brown tabby cat was adopted from the Humane Society’s Salem Campus and a three-month-old pitbull puppy was the last adoption of the year at the Portland campus.
A vast Oregon ranch bigger than Bend, Oregon and owned for a century by the prominent Steiwer family of cattlemen, bankers and politicians in remote Wheeler County is for sale.
The asking price for the Steiwer Ranch, now called the Stanley Ranch, that spans more than 37 square miles is $34,950,000.
This is only the second time in more than 120 years that one of the most diverse ranches in the Western United States has been available, said listing agent Ryland Moore of Live Water Properties.
The property, which can support up to 600 mother cows a year, also includes potential income using a 3,800-acre cattle grazing lease on federally owned Bureau of Land Management land along the John Day River and about 250 acres of irrigation with water rights dating back to the 1880s .
The ranch, a two-hour drive from downtown Bend, has a main house with 2,800 square feet of living space plus an 800-square-foot bunkhouse and a scattering of spike camp cabins. Entertaining highlights are a 3,600-square-foot saloon, theater and an oxygenated pond next to a gazebo that allows for fishing, swimming or relaxing by the fire pit.
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