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Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Klamath Basin Weather

 

 

 

 

Around the State of Oregon

A Lake Oswego teen was rescued after a snowmobile accident near Elk Lake Saturday, west of Mount Bachelor.

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office says the 14-year-old girl was seriously injured after she went off-trail and collided with a tree. Search and Rescue responded with medical teams. Air Link was also dispatched, but was unable to land due to the terrain. S

AR used a snow ambulance to transport her more than a mile and a half to the helicopter landing zone, and she was flown to the hospital in Bend for treatment. Her current condition is unknown.

 

Oregon’s unemployment rate was 4.4% in January and 4.3%, as revised, in December, after rising gradually over the past year from 4.1% in January 2024.

Oregon’s 4.4% unemployment rate was the highest since September 2021, when the rate was also 4.4%. The U.S. unemployment rate was 4.1% in December 2024 and 4.0% in January 2025.

In January, Oregon’s seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment rose by 2,400 jobs.

January’s gains were largest in professional and business services (+1,400 jobs); leisure and hospitality (+1,200); retail trade (+900); and private educational services (+900). Declines were largest in manufacturing (-2,200) and health care and social assistance (-1,300).

Oregon’s private sector added 12,700 jobs, or 0.8%, between January 2024 and January 2025. Job gains during 2024 were less than previously indicated, as annual data revisions resulted in an average reduction of 15,600 jobs per month during the second half of 2024.

 

As of March 11th, Paid Leave Oregon has delivered more than $1 billion in benefits to Oregon workers, marking a significant milestone in supporting people and families across the state.

To date, over 150,000 people have received Paid Leave benefits. Paid Leave Oregon continues to be a national model for state-administered paid leave programs, ensuring equitable access to benefits for workers. The program is funded through contributions from employers and employees, ensuring a sustainable and robust support system for Oregonians who take paid leave.  Every dollar goes to someone facing a serious health condition, caring for a family member, bonding with a new child, or dealing with the impacts of domestic violence, stalking, harassment, or sexual assault.

Since its launch in January 2023, Paid Leave has paid benefits to more than 150,000 Oregonians. Of the approved applications, 45% have been for medical leave, 28% for bonding with a new child, 14% to care for a family member with a serious health condition, 12% for leave due to pregnancy, and 1% for safe leave. 

Paid Leave Oregon continues to expand its outreach and services to ensure more workers and businesses understand and use the program when they need it. For more information, visit paidleave.oregon.gov.  

 

The Upper Illinois River Watershed Post-Fire Restoration Project is nearing its completion. Crews helped with the replanting and remediating of trees and shrubs devastated by the Slater Fire.

The 74 acre project started in April 2023. The Illinois Valley Soil and Water Conservation District (IVSWCD), Illinois Valley Fire Resiliency Oversight Group (IVFROG) and the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) all helped in the effort. 

John Bellville, District Manager for IVSWCD, explained that the project aimed to address the environmental impact of the fire. The early stages of the project were filled with uncertainty when it came to securing trees for replanting. However, the project received a two-year extension, allowing for the successful sourcing of trees from Scholls Valley Native Nursery in Forest Grove. 

One of the key components of the project is the replanting of native trees and shrubs on lands severely burned by the fire. This work helps combat erosion, invasive species like tanoak and madrone and the risk of future wildfires. The IVSWCD and IVFROG have also been engaging the local community through a series of educational events.

These include a riparian planting along Page Creek and several native plant giveaways at locations in Cave Junction. Crews working on the project, including those from Grayback Forestry and Pacific Ridgeline Forestry, have faced challenging terrain, navigating steep slopes and dense brush. Many of these same crews helped save the Illinois Valley from the Slater Fire. Their efforts are seen as a full-circle moment for the fire resiliency initiative, as they work to restore the land they helped protect.

The project will hold a celebratory event on April 5 at the newly remodeled Cave Junction Library, where the community can gather to acknowledge the progress made and look ahead to future restoration efforts.

 

U.S. Senator Ron Wyden said late last week he has joined Senate colleagues to introduce bipartisan legislation that would ensure truckers are compensated fairly for the hours that they are on the clock, including overtime.

The legislation was introduced in the Senate by U.S. Senators Alex Padilla, D-Calif., and Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., and introduced in the House by U.S. Representatives Mark Takano, D-Calif., and Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J. In addition to Wyden, the legislation is cosponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. The Guaranteeing Overtime for Truckers Act is supported by Teamsters and the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association. 

 

Beaverton Police have arrested a man who’s accused of exposing himself to children on a school bus.

The incident happened February 10th and investigators want to hear if there have been other victims. The children took photos of the man’s car and license plate. After the bus arrived, the suspect circled the lot as the kids got off the bus. Officers arrested Michael Enns, Jr. on a charge of exposing himself to children.

 

Sex assault survivors and advocates are blasting Oregon’s solution to address a backlog of thousands of unclassified sex offenders in the state, as the agency defended it as a data-driven approach to get a handle on a years-long problem. And where’s the legislature and Gov. Tina Kotek on this issue, say concerned Oregon residents and advocates.

There are currently about 12,500 sex offenders living, working, or going to school in Oregon who have not undergone a risk assessment by the Oregon Board of Parole or local corrections agencies – meaning the state has no idea how likely those people are to commit new sex crimes.

The agency is currently under a legislative deadline to clear that backlog by Dec. 1, 2026. However, its leaders want the legislature to remove the deadline and reduce the number of people it needs to do risk assessments on. 

Under the proposal, the Board of Parole would only need to do risk assessments on offenders who are younger than 35 years old next January and people with two or more sex crimes convictions. It would continue to do the assessments on people getting out of prison or moving into Oregon.

Last year, lawmakers failed to approve a request to give the parole board an additional $6 million – in part to address the backlog.

 

Daffodils are blooming, summer camps are already sold out … and spring, which officially begins on Thursday, March 20, is on the horizon.

But Oregonians who were hoping for an early season warm-up will probably be disappointed this year.

According to the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center, the first days of spring will likely be colder than normal and also wetter than normal for the north half of the state. The entire state is leaning below normal temperatures for the days right before spring and the first few days of the season, according the outlook.

The search for 2-year-old Dane Paulsen, who went missing on March 1 in Lincoln County, is still ongoing. The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, alongside multiple agencies, continues to follow up on tips and conduct daily searches.

Efforts have focused on the Siletz River, where boats with specialized equipment are running methodical searches. On March 7, 2025, a boat covered approximately 14 miles of the river. Additionally, underwater sonar and remotely operated vehicles with cameras are being used to search submerged areas.

Local community members are also aiding in the search with personal watercraft.  The sheriff’s office has emphasized that there is currently no evidence of criminal activity surrounding Dane’s disappearance. They are asking the public to report any relevant information to the tip line at 541-265-0669. Investigators request as many specifics as possible, including exact locations, times, and any clear photos or videos.

 

FATAL CRASH ON HIGHWAY 140

On Friday, March 7, 2025, at 6:04 a.m., the Oregon State Police responded to a single-vehicle crash involving a pedestrian in Jackson County.  

The preliminary investigation indicated that a white Nissan Frontier pickup truck, operated by Jerid William Gunter (47) of Medford, was traveling eastbound on Hwy 140 near Blackwell Road when it struck a pedestrian. The crash occurred in a non-lit area of the roadway. 

The pedestrian, Naomi Hope Gomez (39) of Glendale, was declared deceased at the scene.

The highway was impacted for about two hours for the on-scene investigation.  OSP was assisted by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.

 

Steven William Hartman, 29, has been sentenced to 90 months in prison for physically assaulting a 1-month-old child under his care.

Hartman, a resident of Independence, was sentenced by Polk County Circuit Judge Rafael A. Caso after pleading guilty to assault in the first degree involving a child under six years of age, the Polk County District Attorney’s Office said in a press release.

Judge Caso sentenced Hartman according to Oregon’s Measure 11 minimum mandatory sentencing laws. As a result, Hartman will not be eligible for any form of early release or sentence reduction. Upon his release, he will be required to serve a three-year term of post-prison supervision.  The case was investigated by the Independence Police Department and prosecuted by Polk County Deputy District Attorney Shannon Clausen.

 

A Salem, Oregon man was arraigned in federal court on Friday, for possessing Molotov cocktails while attempting to destroy property at a Salem Tesla car dealership.

Adam Matthew Lansky, 41, has been charged by criminal complaint with illegally possessing an unregistered destructive device.

According to court documents, on January 20, 2025, officers from the Salem Police Department responded to a report of an individual throwing Molotov cocktails at a local Tesla car dealership.

Officers arrived at the dealership after a report of damage from what appeared to be bullets fired into a building and vehicle. Investigators soon linked Lansky to both incidents. Surveillance footage obtained from the car dealership appeared to show Lansky throwing Molotov cocktails that struck a dealership building and several vehicles, causing fires.

Surveillance video from a patrol car captured a vehicle parked near the dealership while Lansky is alleged to have discharged multiple firearm rounds into a building and at least one vehicle. Investigators learned the vehicle was registered to Lansky and observed it at his residence.

Lansky was arrested Tuesday without incident in Salem and made his first appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. He was ordered detained pending further court proceedings.

The case is being investigated by the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Salem Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Parakram Singh, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

 

Oregon’s Unemployment Rate Rises to 4.4% in January

Oregon’s unemployment rate was 4.4% in January and 4.3%, as revised, in December, after rising gradually over the past year from 4.1% in January 2024.

Oregon’s 4.4% unemployment rate was the highest since September 2021, when the rate was also 4.4%. The U.S. unemployment rate was 4.1% in December 2024 and 4.0% in January 2025.

In January, Oregon’s seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment rose by 2,400 jobs, following a revised decline of 2,000 jobs in December. January’s gains were largest in professional and business services (+1,400 jobs); leisure and hospitality (+1,200); retail trade (+900); and private educational services (+900). Declines were largest in manufacturing (-2,200) and health care and social assistance (-1,300).

Oregon’s private sector added 12,700 jobs, or 0.8%, between January 2024 and January 2025. Job gains during 2024 were less than previously indicated, as annual data revisions resulted in an average reduction of 15,600 jobs per month during the second half of 2024.

During the past three years, health care and social assistance was by far the fastest growing sector of Oregon’s economy, adding 15,100 jobs, or 5.2%, in the 12 months through January. However, a large strike at a major health care provider contributed to the one-month drop of 1,300 jobs in this industry during January.

Industries that grew moderately during the most recent 12 months included other services (+2,100 jobs, or 3.2%); private educational services (+1,100 jobs, or 3.0%); professional and business services (+2,900 jobs, or 1.1%); and construction (+900 jobs, or 0.8%).

Manufacturing continued its decline of the past two years, cutting 6,900 jobs (-3.7%) in the 12 months through January, while retail trade shed 2,300 jobs (-1.1%) during that time.

 

Oregon State Parks will hire more than 200 seasonal Rangers and Ranger Assistants for positions across the state for the 2025 season.

Hiring starts as soon as this month and runs through about June with new positions listed on a rolling basis on the website. The positions last anywhere from four to nine months. Most seasonal staff work April through September, but some start as early as this month or work as late as December. Seasonal staff help visitors access world-class experiences and ensure clean and safe park areas for everyone to enjoy.

Duties include janitorial work, landscape maintenance, visitor education and visitor services. Salaries start at $19.78 per hour for seasonal assistants and $23.21 for seasonal rangers. Both positions include comprehensive medical, vision and dental plans for employees and qualified family members. The positions also include paid sick leave, vacation, personal leave and 11 paid holidays per year.

Student workers, ages 16 and older, start at $19.77 or more per hour depending on experience. Several of Oregon State Parks’ top leaders started their careers as seasonal employees including all three Region Directors. Seasonal staff gain valuable skills working with experienced Rangers at parks around the state.

The first wave of openings include positions along the coast from Washburne to Cape Lookout; the Willamette Valley including Silver Falls and Detroit Lake; the Columbia River Gorge and Eastern Oregon including Wallowa Lake and Lake Owyhee. For more information about current openings, visit stateparks.oregon.gov.

If you have any questions or need additional assistance in accessibility or alternative formats, please email Oregon Parks and Recreation Department Recruiting OPRD.Recruiting@oprd.oregon.gov. Oregon Parks and Recreation Department is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, committed to diversity and pay equity.

 

Station Wagon Pulled from River May Belong to Oregon Family Missing for Nearly 70 Years

Authorities pulled a station wagon from the Columbia River Friday that’s believed to have belonged to an Oregon family of five who disappeared nearly 70 years ago while they were out searching for Christmas greenery.

Deputy Pete Hughes of the Hood River County Sheriff’s Office said the salvage crew working near the Cascade Locks Marine Park believes the chassis and motor they pulled from the Columbia River around 3:45 p.m. did, in fact, belong to the Portland family. Officials won’t be able to confirm that it’s the car, which fell apart as they were recovering it, until they check the VIN number stamped on the engine.

The search for the Martin family was a national news story at the time and led some to speculate about the possibility of foul play, with a $1,000 reward offered for information about their whereabouts.

The Martins took their daughters Barbara, 14, Virginia, 13, and Sue, 11, on a ride to the mountains on Dec. 7, 1958, to collect Christmas greenery, according to AP stories from the time. They never returned.

Officials narrowed their search for the family after learning that Ken Martin had used a credit card to buy gas at a station near Cascade Locks, a small Columbia River community about 40 miles east of Portland.

“Police have speculated that Martin’s red and white station wagon might have plunged into an isolated canyon or river,” the AP reported. “The credit card purchase was the only thing to pin-point the family’s movements.” (READ MORE)

 

Oregon’s Unemployment Rate

Adding a 4% tax to the sale of new car tires in Oregon could generate up to $20 million a year for public transit, reducing tire pollution and building wildlife crossings, according to lawmakers proposing the new tax.

But ahead of its first public hearing, hundreds of Oregonians have submitted testimony in opposition, claiming they will disproportionately bear the burden of the tax.  The tax proposed in House Bill 3362 would apply to new car tires for passenger vehicles and light-duty trucks, such as an Amazon delivery van. It would add about $6 to the cost of each new tire bought by the average Oregonian, according to state Rep. Ken Helm, D-Beaverton, who is sponsoring the bill, along with Chris Gorsek, D-Troutdale.

In exchange, the state transportation department would get reliable funding for projects that it otherwise has had to fight to fund with money from the state’s general fund.  

The tire tax would be in addition to a state gas tax Oregonians pay every time they fill their tanks – about 40 cents a gallon – that goes to the Oregon Department of Transportation for road maintenance, bridges and other statewide transportation costs. That money is restricted and not often able to cover projects such rail and wildlife crossings.

Helm said the proposed tire tax is a low tax that will be felt equally among most Oregonians. More than 1,200 pieces of written testimony have already been submitted ahead of the first public hearing on the tax Tuesday. About 90% of those express opposition to the bill.  Among those who submitted written testimony was state Rep. Bobby Levy, R-Echo, who said the tax would unfairly penalize rural Oregonians and industries in her district in eastern Oregon. 

 

President Donald Trump wants to increase logging in national forests and on public lands, including by bypassing endangered species protections.

To do that, the federal government would have to activate a seldom-used committee nicknamed the “God Squad” because it can approve federal projects even if it leads to extinction of a species otherwise protected by the Endangered Species Act. But environmentalists say there are strict procedural requirements — and no provision under law to proactively use the committee to bypass protections. 

The president just signed actions to increase domestic lumber production in national forests and other public lands, directing federal agencies to look for ways to bypass protections for endangered species. 

Officially called the Endangered Species Committee, it was established in 1978 as a way to exempt projects from Endangered Species Act protections if a cost-benefit analysis concluded it was the only way to achieve net economic benefits in the national or regional interest.

In the case of logging, the analysis also should determine if the benefits of cutting trees outweigh the economic value of watershed and other protections provided by standing timber, said Patrick Parenteau, an emeritus professor at the Vermont Law and Graduate School who helped write criteria for the God Squad.

 

A bill to make Oregon one of a small number of states that have banned the sale of flavored tobacco drew passionate support but also very personal objections during a public hearing this week.

Proponents of the bill told a legislative committee that flavored tobacco “smells like candy” and addicts children as young as elementary school age while setting them on a path toward early death.

But opponents argued flavored tobacco, which often is ingested through vaping or packets that are sucked on, offers adults a less harmful alternative to smoking traditional cigarettes and the problem resides with stores that violate the law by selling it to Oregonians under age 21.

Chief among the bill’s opponents is Sen. David Brock Smith, a Port Orford Republican, who told the Senate Committee On Early Childhood and Behavioral Health that vaping flavored tobacco allowed him to kick a 30-year habit of smoking that was passed on to him from his dad.

Richard Burke, executive director of the 21+ Tobacco and Vapor Retail Association of Oregon, said banning flavored tobacco takes away “bodily autonomy” for adults and even the National Health Service in the United Kingdom has started a “Swap to Stop” program where it gives smokers vaping products in exchange for their traditional cigarettes. Burke also said a prohibition could create an underground trade.

Senate Bill 702 supporters who testified Tuesday were people of all ages, including parents, teens and doctors. They said not only do the fruity and sweet flavors hook youth under 21, the flavored tobacco impacts their ability to focus at school and be productive later in life.

Youth have little trouble getting around Oregon’s age restrictions on sales by getting the products from adults or buying the products at stores that are lackadaisical about enforcement, proponents of the bill said.

 

OREGON DIVISION OF FINANCIAL REGULATION CREATES COMMERCIAL INSURANCE GUIDES FOR BUSINESSES AND NONPROFITS

Salem – The Oregon Division of Financial Regulation (DFR) recently released a series of new consumer guides focused on commercial property and casualty insurance. The five new guides can be found on DFR’s website:

• Guides to commercial property and casualty insurance
• Shelters – Guide to commercial property and casualty insurance
• Nonprofits – Guide to commercial property and casualty insurance
• Child care providers – Guide to commercial property and casualty insurance
• Restaurants – Guide to commercial property and casualty insurance

These guides explain key features of commercial insurance policies, how to plan for and purchase coverage, and what to do if you are having difficulty finding insurance for your business. It also includes useful descriptions of different types of coverage and what factors insurers use to determine what premium you pay. Individual guides are also available that define special considerations for shelters, nonprofits, child care facilities, and restaurants. These provide tips for overcoming distinct challenges encountered with these types of organizations and businesses. 

“By taking proactive measures, business owners and nonprofits can better manage their risks and ensure they have the necessary protection in place,” said Andrew Stolfi, Oregon’s insurance commissioner and director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services. “We are hopeful these guides can help people navigate the intricacies of insurance and better understand terminology, technicalities, and how to get coverage if a commercial entity is struggling to obtain coverage in traditional markets.”

DFR has a variety of other publications to help consumers with auto insurance, health and life insurance, disaster resources, student loans, managing your finances, and more on its website.

If you have questions about your insurance, contact your insurance company or agent, or you can contact one of DFR’s consumer advocates at 1-888-877-4894 (toll-free) or at dfr.insurancehelp@dcbs.oregon.gov.

 

The long-delayed deadline for REAL ID is now just three months away. There’s a chance that full enforcement may get gradually rolled out, but May 7, 2025, is the changeover deadline.

Starting then, state-level ID cards, such as driver’s licenses, won’t be accepted for federal purposes, namely getting through airport security, unless it’s REAL ID-compliant. If you plan to catch a domestic flight on or after May 7, you will be required to use a REAL ID. A little gold or black star in the upper right-hand corner is one of the easiest ways to know you’re holding a REAL ID.

In Oregon, it’s a black star. A REAL ID is an identification card that serves all of the same purposes of a standard drivers’ license or state-issued identification card. A federally-mandated switch to REAL ID for federal purposes, such as flying domestically, was originally signed into law by Congress in 2005.

The purpose is to establish “minimum security standards for license issuance and production,” according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security website. The law, established four years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, came in response to federal calls for higher security standards in the U.S. Originally, the law mandated the switch to REAL ID by 2008, but it has been pushed back for various reasons due to logistical hurdles and later the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

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