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, February 25, 2024

Klamath Basin Weather

Today
Sunny, with a high near 46. West southwest wind 5 to 7 mph. Overnight, mostly clearn with a low near 22.

 

 

 

Pet of the Week from Klamath Animal Shelter

 

Around the State of Oregon

Providence Hospital Nurses Strike Over-Contract Ratified

In a major victory for the nearly 5,000 ONA-represented frontline nurses at Providence, all eight registered nurse (RN) bargaining units voted overwhelmingly to ratify their contracts and end the strike.

The historic agreements come after 46 days on the strike line and more than a year of bargaining, and will set a new standard for wages, staffing, and patient safety at one of Oregon’s largest healthcare systems.

“These contracts represent a major victory for frontline caregivers, but more importantly it’s a victory for Providence patients and the communities we serve,” said Virginia Smith an RN from Providence Willamette Falls and leader of the ONA bargaining unit. “As RNs, we believe that these contracts will lead to greater recruitment and retention of frontline nurses as wages become more aligned with other health systems, and we have staffing language that will allow us to spend more time with the patients that need the most care.”

Key Highlights of the Contracts Include:

• Major Wage Increases: Nurses will receive substantial wage increases ranging from 20% to 42% over the life of the contract, with an immediate 16% to 22% raise upon ratification. 
• Smarter Staffing for Safer Care: Patient acuity will now be factored into staffing plans, helping to improve nurse workloads and the quality of patient care. 
• Retroactive Pay and Bonuses: For nurses at bargaining units with contracts that expired before December 2024, retroactive pay will cover 75% of all hours worked in 2024 (including education, meetings, PTO, and vacation used for low census). Nurses at Providence Portland Medical Center and Providence Seaside will receive a $2,500 bonus. 
• Unified Contracts for Stronger Solidarity: An overwhelming majority of contracts (10 bargaining units) now align with expiration or wage reopener dates within three months of each other; strengthening ONA’s collective voice.  
• Stronger Health Benefits Advocacy: A new Statewide Health Benefits Workgroup will be established to evaluate current plans and explore the creation of a statewide health benefits trust, ensuring comprehensive coverage for nurses. 
• Guaranteed Break & Meal Pay: Nurses will now automatically receive penalty pay–equal to one hour of wages–for every missed break or meal, with payment included in the next paycheck. 

These hard-won contracts reflect the dedication and determination of ONA nurses who stood strong on the strike line in their fight for fair treatment, safe working conditions, and better healthcare for all Oregonians.

Nurses will return to work starting on the night shift of Wednesday, February 26.

 

Following directives from President Trump, thousands of U.S. Forest Service employees have received termination letters in the mail last week, in some cases ending decades-long careers.

The firings are part of a wave of federal cost-cutting measures, which have caused uncertainty for many.  Here in Southern Oregon the Siskiyou Mountain Club lost more than $400k of federal funds which had previously been assigned for trail maintenance work in the Marble Mountain Wilderness and along portions of the Pacific Crest Trail One former Forest Service employee who spent the last six years working in the Rogue River – Siskiyou National Forest said the termination came as a shock. 

The lack of maintenance also raises concerns for fire danger in the coming years.

 

Medford Police used vehicle identification technology to respond to shots fired on Saturday, Feb. 22, leading to two arrests.

In a Facebook post on Monday, MPD said officers responded to reports of gunfire at around 11:58 p.m. on the 800 block of Archer Dr. Police found bullet impacts on the home, but no one was injured.

MPD said police used in-car video and automatic license plate reading technology in its patrol vehicles to identify the suspect vehicle as a Chevrolet Impala. This information was then put into the Flock camera technology system, alerting officers when a flagged vehicle is caught by one of more than 20 cameras throughout the city. 

On Sunday, Feb. 23 at about 2:30 p.m., Flock technology found the flagged Chevrolet Impala near N Foothills Rd. and Hillcrest Rd. in Medford. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office then found the car near N Foothills Rd. and Delta Waters Rd.

Police arrested the driver of the Impala, 24-year-old Cameron J. Tinsen of Medford, without incident. Police also stopped another car believed to be traveling with the Impala. The passenger of the second car was a 17-year-old male who attempted to walk away but was apprehended and found to have been carrying a rifle and handgun.

Tinsen was lodged in the Jackson County Jail, and the 17-year-old male was lodged at the Juvenile Detention Center. Both are facing charges of unlawful use of a weapon, reckless endangering and first-degree attempted assault.

 

A Bend couple and their daughter have been placed in custody after hiding out at a hotel in Coos County, after being indicted on a sweep of child abuse charges, including attempted murder.

A nationwide warrant for their arrest had been issued, law enforcement thanks the public with their assistance in locating the trio, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office said. After a lengthy investigation, a grand jury in Deschutes County indicted the family on a combined total of 28 charges, relating to alleged abuse of a minor relative. 

Sarah Session, 33, has been charged with 19 of those counts, which includes attempted murder, assault and criminal mistreatment. The alleged crimes took place between June 2023 and February 2024, when the child was under the age of 10. The 33-year-old was professionally responsible for the child who has specialized education and training required for care, which the court documents said Session disregarded.

On multiple occasions, Session allegedly knowingly caused harm to the child through physical injury by hitting them on the head or leg, and in some cases, involving a curtain rod and window stopper. In one instance, Session is accused of compelling the child to eat their own vomit in fear of physical harm, according to the court documents.  Other charges relate to Session’s allegedly withholding medication, treatment and food. In many instances, the court documents call Session’s actions “deliberately cruel.”

 

A judge on Monday ordered fired St. Helens High School choir teacher Eric Stearns to remain in jail pending trial, finding he poses a danger of “sexual victimization to the public.”

The ruling came after an hourlong detention hearing for Stearns, arraigned on an amended indictment that now alleges he abused a total of 16 people from 2015 through this school year. They include current students, former students, a teacher from the St. Helens School District and a fellow church member. 

Circuit Judge Brandon Thompson said he considered that the allegations span decades while Stearns held a position of authority and involved more than a dozen people, ranging in age from 15 to adults in their 20s. Thompson was assigned to the case after Columbia County Circuit Judge Nickolas Brajcich recused himself to avoid any appearance of bias following concerns raised by Stearns’ defense lawyer, who argued Brajcich was dishonest during a closed-door conference in his chambers.

 

A multistate outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections has been linked to Lyons ReadyCare and Sysco Imperial Frozen Supplemental Shakes, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The outbreak has resulted in 38 reported illnesses across 21 states, with 37 hospitalizations and 11 deaths. At least one case has been reported in Washington. The FDA was first notified of the outbreak on Nov. 25, 2024. The investigation revealed that many of the affected individuals resided in long-term care facilities prior to falling ill. The FDA’s traceback investigation identified that these facilities had received shipments of the implicated frozen shakes.

The CDC reported that the outbreak includes cases dating back to 2018, with 20 cases occurring in 2024 and 2025. Of the 38 people for whom information is available, 34 were either living in long-term care facilities or hospitalized before becoming sick. The FDA has confirmed that certain Lyons ReadyCare and Sysco Imperial Frozen Supplemental Shakes are being voluntarily recalled.

The agency is collaborating with the recalling firms to address the situation. The affected products have a Best By date of 2/21/25 to 2/21/26.

 

Those that own property in Oregon may still file their intent to appeal designations made by recently released wildfire hazard maps.

Appeal forms must be received by March 10 to reserve a place in line for future appeal hearings. A full case does not need to be developed to file the appeal form. Updated maps were issued January 7 and notifications were mailed to owners of properties designated as high hazard and within the wildland-urban interface. The updated maps and mailing initiated a 60-day period to file the intent to appeal.

Governor Kotek last week announced that Forestry officials are to hold on referring any appeals to the Office of Administrative Hearings until after the legislative session. This will allow the Legislature to deliberate potential changes to wildfire hazard map policy. However, if there is no change in law this session, ODF will resume the appeals process after the session concludes at the end of June.

Those that wish to appeal must file their form by March 10 to preserve an ability to appeal the designations.  If your property is in a trust or LLC, you must be represented by an attorney during a hearing with the Office ofAdministrative Hearings, but you do not need to consult an attorney prior to filing your appeal form with the Oregon Department of Forestry.

The statewide wildfire hazard and wildland-urban interface maps are available on Oregon State University’s Wildfire Risk Explorer website.

 

Cases of avian influenza continue to rise across the nation with the United States Department of Agriculture reporting over 21 million birds have been impacted in the last 30 days.

In December, Wildlife Images of Grants Pass increased safety protocols to protect its birds. The rehabilitation and education center gave some updates, saying everything that touches a bird has to be disinfected. They also continue to disinfect their feet before going into an area.

Executive director, Dave Siddon gave advice on what to do if you see a dead bird in the wild. “If people see a group of dead birds or whatever out in the wild, it may be effected by avian influenza. Don’t go start picking them up, use gloves, plastic bags — whatever it is — to isolate the birds.”   Be sure to call the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and they can process and test these birds for avian influenza,” said Siddon. That number is 1-866-968-2600.

 

SALEM — As the state transitions from winter to spring, now is a good time to talk to your insurance company or agent about flood insurance coverage. Recent heavy rains and the anticipated snow melt are reminders that parts of Oregon are flood-prone, and the Oregon Division of Financial Regulation urges homeowners and businesses to consider protecting their properties with comprehensive flood insurance. It is worth noting that most homeowners, renters, and business policies do not cover flood damage.

Flood insurance provides peace of mind to property owners that they are protected from the financial devastation that often accompanies natural disasters. Floods can cause extensive damage to homes and businesses, including structural damage, loss of personal property, and even displacement from the home. With flood insurance, property owners can focus on recovering and rebuilding without the added stress of financial burden.

You can buy flood insurance through some private insurers as well as the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which is managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Flood insurance policies can be tailored to meet the specific needs of each customer, providing options for building coverage, contents coverage, and replacement cost coverage. When purchased, a typical flood insurance policy has a 30-day waiting period, so it should be purchased before flooding concerns.

“Typical homeowners insurance doesn’t cover damages from floods, and many people may not know that their home isn’t covered in the event of a flood,” said Andrew Stolfi, Oregon’s insurance commissioner and director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services. “In Oregon, flood insurance is a separate policy that provides coverage for damages caused by flooding, and it is important for homeowners and businesses to evaluate whether to have this coverage to protect their investments.”

DFR encourages property owners to consider flood insurance as a crucial part of their disaster preparedness plan and to talk to their insurance company or agent.

“Don’t wait until it’s too late to protect your property from flooding, or any kind of disaster,” Stolfi said. “With a flood insurance policy, you can have peace of mind knowing you are prepared.”

For more information on flood insurance and other natural disaster preparedness, check out DFR’s website.

 

The director of the Oregon Department of Transportation says his agency is willing to sit down with lawmakers and go through its budget, as lawmakers discuss a request from Gov. Tina Kotek to give the agency an additional $1.75 billion to focus on road maintenance and operation.

Kris Strickler said ODOT’s budget issues largely stem from declining gas tax revenues – as people switch to electric vehicles or more fuel-efficient cars – and inflation. The legislature’s Joint Transportation Committee will put together a funding package for ODOT.

Democratic legislative leaders on the committee said nothing is off the table — including hiking gas taxes, increasing vehicle registration fees, or coming up with new taxes and fees altogether. Rep. Shelly Boshart Davis and Sen. Bruce Starr, both Republicans, are co-vice chairs on the committee. They are pushing their colleagues to prioritize a line-by-line budget review of ODOT to see if there are places to trim or reduce ODOT’s responsibilities to allow the agency to focus on road maintenance and operations before debating tax increases. Strickler said his agency would do that for lawmakers and has “nothing to hide.”

 

Oregon lawmakers are considering a bill to reduce microplastics in the state’s waterways.

The proposed bill would mandate that new washing machines sold in the state be equipped with microfiber filtration systems starting in 2030. Researchers at Portland State University and Oregon State University published a study in January that found microplastics in the edible tissue of several Pacific Northwest fish and seafood species, including the iconic Chinook salmon.

Researchers also found microplastics in black rockfish, lingcod, Pacific herring, Pacific lamprey, and pink shrimp.  Under this bill, new washing machines must include a built-in or in-line microfiber filtration system.

The system must have a mesh size of 100 micrometers or less and function across all washing cycles. Machines must have a label instructing users to regularly check the filter and dispose of captured lint with household solid waste.

In 2021, Environment Oregon, a research and policy center, found traces of microplastic in 100 percent of Oregon waterways tested. The bill would apply to new washing machines sold after January 1st, 2030. Sen. Patterson said the delay would give other state legislatures across the country more time to develop policies similar to this.

 

Salem, OR–The Oregon Department of Revenue has begun distributing refunds for the 2024 tax year. 

Each year the department employs a refund hold period as part of the agency’s fraud prevention efforts. The hold period has been completed and most taxpayers can expect to receive their refunds within two weeks of the date their return is filed. Some returns, however, require additional review and can take up to 20 weeks before a refund is issued.

Taxpayers can check the status of their refund by using the department’s Where’s My Refund? tool. The Department of Revenue recommends that taxpayers wait one week after they have electronically filed their return to use the Where’s My Refund tool.

The Where’s My Refund? tool has been updated for 2025, providing more information about the status of their return to taxpayers who are signed into their Revenue Online account. Taxpayers who don’t already have a Revenue Online account can create one by following the Revenue Online link on the department’s website. Taxpayers who don’t have a Revenue Online account can still use the Where’s My Refund? tool but won’t be able to see the updated features.

A video outlining the refund process and timelines is also available to help taxpayers understand the process.

The department also offered a list of do’s and don’ts for filing to help with efficient processing and avoid unnecessary delays.

Do file electronically and request direct deposit. On average, taxpayers who e-file their returns and request their refund via direct deposit receive their refund two weeks sooner than those who file paper returns and request paper refund checks.

Don’t send a duplicate paper return. Taxpayers should file just once unless they need to make a change to their return. Sending a duplicate return will slow processing and delay your refund.

Do make sure you have all tax records before filing. Having all necessary records is essential to filing a complete and accurate tax return and avoiding errors.

Don’t get in a hurry and fail to report all your income. If income reported on a return doesn’t match the income reported by employers, the return, and any corresponding refund, will be delayed. If taxpayers receive more or corrected tax records after filing a return, they should file an amended return to report any changes.

Do make sure you have a Revenue Online account. Before beginning the filing process, taxpayers should make sure their information is current in Revenue Online, the state’s internet tax portal. Those who don’t have a Revenue Online account can sign up on the agency’s website.To get tax forms, check the status of their refund, or make payments, visit our website or email questions.dor@dor.oregon.gov.

You can also call 800-356-4222 toll-free from an Oregon prefix (English or Spanish) or 503-378-4988 in Salem and outside Oregon. For TTY (hearing or speech impaired), we accept all relay calls.

 

The Oregon Health Authority is launching a six-month pilot program to get people addicted to opioids medication treatment sooner.

Emergency responders in Marion and Multnomah counties will be trained to administer the drugs that help people stop using opioids. They’ll give them the medication in the field, before they’re taken to an emergency department. The Oregon Pubic Health Institute and the Bridge Center will receive 300-thousand dollars to conduct the pilot program.

 

YREKA, Calif., Feb. 24, 2025 — The Klamath National Forest welcomes public input to develop a grant applications for State of California off-highway vehicle, also known as OHV, recreation funds.

The Klamath National Forest is developing California State Parks Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division Grant Program preliminary grant applications this cycle to support trail maintenance, law enforcement patrols, and other work in support of OHV trails there.

Public comments may be submitted for consideration by the following methods:

• Online by reviewing the forest’s preliminary grant application beginning March 4 at olga.ohv.parks.ca.gov/egrams_ohmvr with a deadline for public comments on May 6.
• Mail to Klamath National Forest, 1711 S. Main Street, Yreka, CA 96097, Attention: Law Enforcement OHV Grant by May 5.
• Email to sm.fs.klamathinfo@usda.gov with subject line “Law Enforcement OHV Grant.” Comments must be received by May 5.

Forest staff will use the public comments received for consideration as they develop the final grant application for submission in June. 

More information may be requested through Mitchell Shelton or Catherine Schott with the Forest Service Law Enforcement Program at 530-841-4579. 

For more information on the Klamath National Forest, visit www.fs.usda.gov/klamath.    

 

The Oregon Senate overwhelmingly passed an amendment to the state’s right to repair law, including wheelchairs and “complex rehabilitation technology.”

The bill would require manufacturers to provide the information, parts or tools required to repair wheelchairs and mobility aids to repair providers and wheelchair owners. Many who advocate for this bill say it will lower prices for repairs and decrease lengthy wait times that wheelchair users currently face. 

The bill was chiefly sponsored by Senator Janeen Sollman, Representative Pam Marsh, Senator Gelser Blouin, Senator David Brock Smith and Senator Aaron Woods. Amending the “Right to Repair” bill that previously applied to consumer electronics such as cellphones, to include these mobility aids.  OSCI currently hosts wheelchair maintenance and repair workshops throughout the state, working to repair minor problems and bridge the gap between real world repair needs and what insurance provides. They educate those who attend on the skills to fix the problems with their chairs. 

The supporters of the bill say the “light at the end of the tunnel” for the bill is dramatically decreasing wait times, increasing availability and accessibility to parts needed for meaningful repairs and decreased costs for repairs.

While the bill did pass the state senate with outstanding support, it now heads to the house and if passed will head to the governor’s desk to be signed into law.

 

Transgender Care Toolkit  Offered by Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield

“Oregon will not stand by while the federal government attempts to erase the rights and dignity of transgender individuals.” That’s the message from Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield as he announced the launch of a new gender-affirming care toolkit Thursday.

The new resource is meant to help transgender individuals and their families navigate challenges and uncertainties created by President Donald Trump’s recent executive orders.  The toolkit provides information about gender-affirming healthcare options, resources for legal concerns and discrimination protections, as well as guidance on what transgender individuals can do when facing obstacles while receiving care.

Rayfield says he is committed to giving transgender Oregonians the support and resources they need to thrive. The free toolkit is available on the Oregon Department of Justice website.

 

Environmentalists Suing on behalf of Chinook Salmon

The Center for Biological Diversity and allies sued the National Marine Fisheries Service this week for delaying Endangered Species Act protection decisions for spring-run Chinook salmon in Oregon, Washington and Northern California.

The Center, known as Native Fish Society and Umpqua Watersheds petitioned the Service in August 2022 to protect Oregon Coast Chinook salmon under the Endangered Species Act. In July 2023 the Center and Pacific Rivers petitioned to add Washington coast spring-run Chinook salmon to the list. The Service was required to decide whether to protect the fish within one year after the petitions were filed.

The Service found that federal protections “may be warranted” for the three salmon populations in 2023 but has made no further decisions.  Chinook salmon, also known as “king salmon,” are the largest of all Pacific salmon. Once abundant throughout the river basins of the Pacific Northwest, Chinook salmon populations have declined to a fraction of their historical size.

Spring-run fish are a variant of Chinook salmon, who return to rivers much earlier than the more abundant fall-run salmon. They return in the spring from the ocean to coastal freshwater rivers, staying for months in deep pools until they spawn in the fall. Spring-run Chinook have unique habitat requirements for migration, spawning and juvenile rearing. Their suitable spawning habitat is in mainstem rivers and tributaries, and these early returning fish have a special need for streams high in watersheds that stay cool enough during the summer so they can survive.

Currently, both spring-run and fall-run Chinook salmon are managed by the Service and state wildlife agencies as if they were the same population. But recent scientific studies show that spring-run fish are genetically distinct from the more abundant fall-run Chinook. The evolution of early-returning fish occurred in both salmon and steelhead trout millions of years ago. This difference in spawning-run timing is highly unlikely to occur again if these distinct populations are lost.

 

Egg prices have many families scrambling nationwide to find reasonable egg prices.  Rent The Chicken comes to the rescue.

One company is thinking outside the box with their Rent The Chicken company. The company offers several different packages in both the Vancouver and Portland area that give families, chickens, and everything they need to care for them, so they can produce the eggs themselves. They also work with one local affiliate partner in the Portland/Vancouver area.

According to the company’s website, the standard package provides families with 8-14 eggs per week.  According to Homestead Jenn, the company will provide everything you need to raise the chickens, including organic and non-GMO feed that will last the entire rental period.

Rentals are for up to six months. But if you chicken out, workers will come pick up the chickens and take them back to the farm. According to Homestead Jenn, with the price of eggs and the Avian bird flu, many people are flocking to Rent The Chicken to raise their own. 

In addition to the standard package, Rent The Chicken also offers a Standard Upgrade package for $675 and a Deluxe rental package that includes four chickens for $775.

 

 

 

Oregon Dept of Forestry Planting 2.3 Mil. Seedlings

Tillamook State Forest, Ore.–More than 6,100 acres of harvested timber areas in Oregon’s state forests are getting nearly 2.3 million seedlings planted this year.  Planting is underway or soon to be started in the Tillamook, Clatsop, and Santiam, while planting on the Sun Pass and Gilchrist State Forests will start in May.

“Depending on weather, soil conditions, and planting crew availability each state forest typically gets their planting done in six-to-eight weeks,” said John Walter, Oregon Department of Forestry’s (ODF) State Forests Silviculturist.

A long planning timeframe

Although the planting window is short, the planning and coordination to get those trees in the ground by ODF’s experts is much longer.

“We are looking at our seedling needs about two to three years out,” said Walter.  “We come up with the number of seedlings needed and then contract with several nurseries to get them grown at the time we need them.”

It sounds simple enough; however, the way the timber sale contracts are set up makes coming up with an accurate number tricky.  

“Winning bidders have two to three years to harvest that sale,” said Walter.  “That means we may need to replant in that area after year one, two, or three.  So how do we come up with the number of seedlings each year?  We get with each ODF district folks and make a best guess based on past performance of the winning bidder, operator availability, and market conditions.”

One time rule changes challenging

Another issue in 2023, especially for ODF’s Tillamook District, was the implementation of the Private Forest Accord and the resulting changes to the Forest Practices Act (FPA).   Some of the small forestland owners who infrequently harvest decided they wanted to harvest under the old rules. This created an increase in the demand for the limited number of timber operators in the district.

“Nearly all the operators were working on private forestland in 2023,” said Nick Stumpf, Unit Manager for ODF’s Tillamook District.  “In a normal year we would have 10-12 harvest operations, but that year we had one.”

Private timber operators are the ones who run the harvest equipment and are typically contracted by the winning bidders of a state forest timber sale. 

“For state forests our contracts already met or exceeded the requirements of the FPA changes in many areas so there was no rush to harvest on state sales,” said Stumpf.  “The operators were focused on getting timber out of private lands before the rule changes. This one-time shift changed the prediction of how many seedlings we would need to plant in our district.”

Costs increase, revenue sharing static

Not only are they taking an educated guess at the number of seedlings needed, but they are also having to project the costs of the seedling itself but the labor and contract costs to plant them.

“Those combined costs used to be fairly consistent,” said Walter.  “However, over the past five years or so those combine costs have climbed from around 50 cents a tree to more than $1 a tree.”

These cost increases are hard for ODF to manage since revenue from state forest timber sales is split, with the host counties getting approximately two-thirds while one-third is kept by ODF to manage the forests.  However, ODF pays for all costs associated with managing state forestlands, including timber sales, post-harvest replanting, trail and campground maintenance and improvements, and improving wildlife habitat. So, when costs increase, like doubling planting costs, it takes funding away from other important work on state forestlands, as ODF must absorb those increases without being able to access more of the sales revenue.

Unique greatest permanent value management

Another cost and planning challenge when replanting is state forests are managed for a concept called greatest permanent value (GPV).  GPV means that the approximately 745,000 acres of forestlands ODF manages across the state needs to provide for economic, environmental, and social benefits to Oregonians. 

Zach Rabe, Tillamook District Operations Coordinator, explained that, although Doug-fir is typically the most valuable species in western Oregon, state forestlands are planted with a mixture of species after harvest to support GPV goals. 

 “We plant about 70 percent Doug-fir and 30 percent other species,” said Rabe. “Our goal is to promote diverse and thus resilient forests to provide environmental benefits.  We mimic what was likely the natural conifer mix of the forests to provide those environmental benefits like wildlife habitat.  This mix also improves social benefits like clean water and seeing more than one species when you are on a state forest trail or road.”

The mix of tree types means ordering seedlings from nurseries is more complex than a one species order.

“We have to consolidate all the needs for each district and then come up with a list of the species and numbers of seedlings we need,” said Walter.  “So again, we are trying to predict our seedling needs nearly three years out, so it is a best guess; however, we want to make sure we have enough seedlings, so we typically have leftover trees.”

Extra seedlings shared

Last year ODF had a lot of seedlings leftover after planting all ODF lands.

“We sold 580,000 seedlings to private and industrial landowners.  We donated 20,000 to non-profits, mostly watershed groups, and gave about 60,000 seedlings to tribal governments,” said Walter.  “We don’t want to come up short because that impacts future activities; however, we do not want these seedlings to go to waste so we try to make sure they all get used.”

Organizations that buy or receive free seedlings still must pay for the planting costs.

“We are still doing final calculations on how many trees we will plant this year, but like last year we will offer up the extras we do not use,” said Walter.

For more information on Oregon’s State Forests see Oregon State Forests. 

 

The Jackson County Expo has announced the 2025 summer concert lineup to take the stage during the Jackson County Fair this July.

According to the Expo, musical acts including Outlaw Mariachi, Jo Dee Messina, and a Taylor Swift tribute will take the stage in Central Point this summer. The Jackson County Fair runs from July 15 through July 20.

Fair tickets start at $12 and include lawn seats at the Bi-Mart Amphitheater. Meanwhile, concert ticket prices start at $25 and go on sale to the public on Tuesday. Fair admission is included with the purchase of a reserved seat.

For more information or to purchase a ticket, visit the Jackson County Expo’s website.

 

Britt Music & Arts Festival is excited to announce the first installment of concerts for the 2025 summer season.

The first of three official season announcements, this extensive group of shows features a wide array of musical artists, including first-time-to-Britt indie alt-rock band Rainbow Kitten Surprise, singer-songwriter Regina Spektor,  country artists Brothers Osborne, and folk/indie it-band Waxahatchee.

Britt will also be welcoming back legendary artists like Chicago, Earth, Wind & Fire, Gregory Alan Isakov, Buena Vista Orchestra, The California Honeydrops, Andy Grammer and many more.

The Australian Pink Floyd Show will also be returning to the Britt main stage in 2025 to deliver an unforgettable tribute to Pink Floyd, combining mind-blowing visuals and stunning soundscapes for a mesmerizing live performance.

President & CEO Abby McKee commented, “It’s always thrilling to share the news of the upcoming season with our community, and this year’s season feels especially exciting. We have an incredible mix of genres coming through town! With superstar legacy acts, longtime fan favorites, and extraordinary newcomers, I think our patrons have some amazing shows to choose from, and I suspect we’ll be seeing folks out on the hill several times this summer! And don’t forget, two more announcements are still to come.”

With this announcement, there will be a Member pre-sale before tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, February 28. 

 

You’ll need a Real ID to fly domestically, starting in May of this year, 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.

 

New Edition of the Oregon Blue Book Highlights John Day Fossil Beds and the Great Comet of 2024

Every odd-numbered year since 1911, the Oregon Secretary of State’s office has published the Oregon Blue Book, our state’s official almanac and fact book. Each edition of the book features beautiful, new cover images of Oregon captured by the winners of the Oregon Blue Book Cover Photo Contest.

The 2025-2026 Oregon Blue Book front cover features a stunning capture from the Painted Cove in the Painted Hills Unit of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, near Mitchell. Photographer Matt Straite of Keizer made the image which he titled, “The Many Sides of Oregon.” The back cover includes an amazing astrophotography shot titled “Comet/C2023 A” by Nathan Rohde of Shady Cove.

“The Oregon Blue Book is an invitation to learn more about Oregon, engage with your neighbors, our government and our state’s history. It helps us understand what it means to be an Oregonian. The artists who’ve created these cover images captured some of that spirit, and I’m thrilled they’re a part of my first Oregon Blue Book as Secretary of State,” said Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read.

“So many people look right past the desert areas of the state, but there is so much beauty there,” said Straite. “I have always been drawn to images that show the work of mankind in nature, particularly when that work has been added to help others see the nature, like the work of the Civilian Conservation Corp. The way this trail bends at the end is such a strong draw to want to explore more.” Straite also said that he shot this image from the boardwalk, which is there to take people through the sensitive clay hills without harming them.

Nathan Rohde’s image of Comet/C2023 A3, also known as the “Great Comet of 2024” was made near his home. He said he’s always been fascinated by astrophotography and loved trying to capture the Milky Way and the Aurora, but after seeing posts online of other peoples’ images of the comet, he thought he could capture it too: “Living in Southern Oregon affords access to some relatively dark areas. On a tall clearing not far from Lost Creek Lake, I got set up about an hour before sunset and began scanning the sky with my lens fully extended. About 45 minutes after sunset, conditions were perfect and the pictures started coming through!” Rohde said the rolling hills in the foreground were an excellent way to provide scale and accentuate the sky.

The 2025-2026 Oregon Blue Book is available for presale purchase now at bluebook.oregon.gov/shop. These limited-edition books are $30 for the hardcover and $18 for the paperback, plus shipping and handling. A downloadable copy of the full cover for use by the media can be found in Oregon Blue Book Assets and Information here.

 

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