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.

Friday, March 21, 2025

Klamath Basin Weather

Missoula Children’s Theatre Brings Alice in Wonderland to the Ragland Theater

The Missoula Children’s Theatre is a non-profit organization based in Missoula, Montana. 

Students will audition on Monday for the performance on Saturday. Following auditions, all students will begin rehearsals each day for the performance. Camp time will be spent rehearsing as well as learning acting fundamentals, participating in drama activities, and more. They will rehearse on stage. MCT will provide costumes, props, and staging. In one week, a full production will be produced. A jam-packed week, full of fun and learning! Be sure to check out the available workshops to help add to your learning!

Learn about all the different programs of the Missoula Children’s Theater happening now at the Ragland Theater.  https://ragland.org/

Box Office / 541.884.LIVE (5483)
Phone / 541.884.0651     
office@ragland.org

 

KLAMATH ANIMAL SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK FOR ADOPTION

This week’s pet is a dog named ” Stella “

Stella is a female, retriever mix, around 6 1/2 years old. She is a black with white markings and weighs around 50 pounds.

 

Stella was taken in by relatives of her owner but their son was allergic. They said that she is house trained, lived with children as young as 2 years, has been around other dogs, but has never lived with cats.

 

Stella walks on leash, knows how to sit, and when she’s happy she wags her whole body not just her tail.

 

If you are interested in adopting Stella , The Klamath Animal Shelter is located at 4240 Washburn Way, Monday through Friday from 12:00 – 4:00, 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

Spring break at Portland International Airport has begun.

Eight-hundred-20-thousand travelers are expected to move through the airport through Sunday, April 6th.

Travel is expected to be slightly higher than last year. Monday March 31st and Friday, April 4th are expected to be the busiest days. Security lines could be long, so they’re advising travelers to arrive two hours before their flight.

Parking is also anticipated to be full. You can check parking lot levels at FlyPDX.com.

A wanted suspect died by apparent suicide Wednesday afternoon in on Table Rock Road in rural Central Point.

 Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) deputies and US Marshals were in the area actively searching for a suspect with 15 nationwide extraditable warrants for child sex abuse. 

The suspect was involved in a domestic altercation on Orr Drive in rural Central Point March 16 where he menaced a woman with a firearm. JCSO deputies developed probable cause for his arrest for domestic violence-menacing, unlawful use of a firearm, and the sex abuse warrants.  Law enforcement learned of his whereabouts, attempted to detain the suspect and he eluded capture in a vehicle at approximately 2:10 PM.

JCSO deputies and US Marshals conducted a high-risk traffic stop near the intersection of Orr Drive and Table Rock Road. After a brief standoff, the suspect died by apparent suicide by firearm at 2:15 PM.  The suspect was wanted out of California on 15 child sex abuse charges. The felony warrants were for 10 counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14, and five counts of oral copulation with a child under 14. Further information will come from OSP.

A new bill introduced by Rep. Christine Drazan (R-Canby) seeks to offer financial relief to Oregon’s senior homeowners by providing a property tax exemption.

House Bill 3755 creates a five percent property tax exemption for homeowners who meet certain qualifications, with the exemption increasing annually. The bill targets seniors who are at least 65 years old, have lived in their homes for at least 10 years, and have a household income of no more than $150,000 per year.

Under the proposed legislation, the exemption would increase by five percent each year, ultimately allowing seniors to be exempt from property taxes once they reach an older age.  Drazen shared in a news release, seniors now outnumber children in Oregon for the first time since 2023, making up 19.6 percent of the state’s population. The rising costs of healthcare, utilities, and property taxes are among the fastest-growing expenses for older Oregonians. In 2022, Oregon’s healthcare costs surged by 49 percent, while Medicare expenses increased by 57.5 percent. 

Homeowners must apply for this exemption annually, providing necessary documentation to prove eligibility. The exemption applies to property tax years starting July 1, 2026, and may be canceled if the homeowner dies, sells the property, or no longer resides there.

Gas prices in Oregon declined slightly ahead of spring break.

Triple-A reports Oregon’s average fell a penny to 3.72 a gallon. The national average remained the same at 3.08 a gallon.

Concerns about the economy and tariffs helped off-set increases normally caused by refinery maintenance and more expensive summer blends of fuel. Oregon’s average is 35 cents a gallon lower than this time last year.

The Oregon Department of Revenue has added features to the “Where’s My Refund” tool.

Users can learn more about the status of their refund, they can see when additional information is needed, and the website is easier to navigate. To use the tool, taxpayers need to create a login at Revenue Online.

https://revenueonline.dor.oregon.gov/tap/_/

With spring break and summer travel season here, Oregon Health Authority (OHA) encourages people to make sure they are protected against measles.

Getting the MMR vaccine — for measles, mumps and rubella — is the most effective prevention tool against the highly contagious virus. 

Twelve U.S. states, including California, Texas and New Mexico, have reported cases of measles since Jan 1st.

While Oregon has no cases so far in 2025, last year the state recorded 31 confirmed cases — its highest measles count in more than 30 years — during an outbreak among unvaccinated people, including two children younger than 5. 

Measles typically starts with a fever, cough, runny nose and red eyes. A rash usually follows, beginning on the face and spreading to the rest of the body. Symptoms begin seven to 10 days after exposure to a person with measles. Common complications of measles include ear infection, lung infection and diarrhea. Swelling of the brain is a rare but much more serious complication. 

About 20% of people who contract measles are hospitalized. In developed countries in recent years, one or two of every 1,000 measles cases have been fatal.  

Measles spreads through the air after a person with measles coughs, sneezes, or even breathes. People who are infected can be unknowingly contagious for four days before a rash appears and up to four days afterward.  That means someone with measles can be unaware they are infected and can easily spread the virus before noticing any symptoms. 

During the 2024 outbreak in Oregon, OHA worked with local public health officials to share information about specific locations where known measles cases had spent time so that members of the public were aware they may have been exposed to the highly contagious virus. 

Oregon ranks ninth in the nation for energy efficiency, according to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.

It’s the 15th time Oregon has landed in the top 10, since the state scorecard began in 2006. California came in first and Washington is sixth. Oregon’s rating is based on building efficiency standards, the state’s commitment to zero-emission vehicles and other policies approved by the legislature and managed by Oregon’s Department of Energy.

A report released Thursday by a coalition of U.S. bird conservation groups shows bird populations are declining across the United States.

This comes on the heels of an NBC5 News report about the number of butterflies in the United States declining over the past 20 years.

Southern Oregon is no exception, according to the 2025 State of the Birds, the report reveals that over 50% of western forest birds are experiencing declines, a trend that is impacting southern Oregon’s diverse ecosystems. Grassland and arid land species have lost more than 40% of their total populations since 1970.

The Pacific Northwest has lost a significant portion of its historic oak woodlands and prairie, with only 10% remaining. This loss is largely due to the suppression of low-severity fires, an ecological process that was historically maintained by Indigenous peoples. 

Oregon faces declining populations of several bird species, including the Lewis’s Woodpecker and Rufous Hummingbird, both designated as ‘Tipping Point’ species indicating significant population losses. However, the report also offers a message of hope. It notes that proactive conservation efforts and strategic investments can help recover bird populations. Initiatives like the Pacific Northwest Oak Alliance are working to protect and restore oak woodlands and prairies. The report does not detail the impact of bird flu.

Scammers are using the Oregon Humane Society’s name to steal from people.

They target owners of lost pets and claim to be from the Oregon Humane Society. They even spoof their phone number. If you get one of these calls, hangup and call the Oregon Humane Society directly. Don’t make payments to the scammers using Zelle or Venmo. OHS uses online payments through ezyVet and PayJunction.

Several Republican members of the Oregon House signed a letter to President Trump asking him to order voter identification and citizenship verification.

The request follows a mutiple clerical errors with Oregon’s Motor-Voter registration system that allowed at least 12-hundred people to be incorrectly registered to vote in the recent general election. Nine of those people voted.  Who knows how many others have voted in other elections and primaries over the past 10 tens years.

The DMV has made changes to correct the problem and the Secretary of State’s Office is slowly reviewing voter registrations from the DMV.

Pacific Power is making it easy to make a difference in Oregon communities by helping struggling neighbors stay warm. For every dollar you donate, Pacific Power will match your donation to the Oregon Energy Fund with $2 more Pacific Power customers who receive their bills by mail will find they include an Oregon Energy Fund contribution envelope in March.

Customers who pay their bills electronically can send a check or enroll in the fixed donation program by calling Pacific Power at 1-888-221-7070 or visiting PacificPower.net/Donate. This program allows customers to donate any dollar amount, starting at $1 per month, which is then incorporated into their monthly bill.

Fixed donations will also be matched 2-for-1 by Pacific Power. Donations may be tax-deductible and are forwarded directly to the Oregon Energy Fund, which verifies eligibility and allocates funds to those in need. All funds donated are used to assist families within the same county in which the donor resides.

EUGENE, Ore.— The former owner and former chief financial officer of Zadeh Kicks LLC, a now-defunct Oregon corporation that sold limited edition and collectible sneakers online, pleaded guilty Thursday, for perpetrating a fraud scheme that cost customers more than $65 million in unfulfilled orders and defrauded financial institutions out of more than $15 million.

Michael Malekzadeh, 42, a Eugene resident, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and conspiring to commit bank fraud. Bethany Mockerman, 42, also of Eugene, has pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit bank fraud.

According to court documents, Malekzadeh started his business in 2013 by purchasing limited edition and collectible sneakers to resell online. Beginning as early as January 2020, Zadeh Kicks began offering preorders of sneakers before their public release dates, allowing Malekzadeh to collect money upfront before fulfilling orders. Malekzadeh advertised, sold, and collected payments from customers for preorders knowing he could not satisfy all orders placed. By April 2022, Malekzadeh owed customers more than $65 million in undelivered sneakers.

In her role as chief financial officer at Zadeh Kicks, Mockerman conspired with Malekzadeh to provide false and altered financial information to numerous financial institutions—including providing altered bank statements—on more than 15 bank loan applications. Together, Mockerman and Malekzadeh received more than $15 million in loans from these applications.

During the investigation, agents seized millions of dollars in cash and luxury goods that Malekzadeh acquired with the proceeds of his fraud, including luxury watches, jewelry and hundreds of handbags. Additionally, almost $7.5 million was seized from the sale of Malekzadeh’s residence in Eugene, his watches, and luxury cars manufactured by Bentley, Ferrari, Lamborghini and Porsche.

On July 29, 2022, Malekzadeh was charged by criminal information with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and money laundering, and Mockerman was charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud.

Malekzadeh faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release for wire fraud, and a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine and five years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Mockerman faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine and five years of supervised release. Malekzadeh will be sentenced on August 12, 2025, and Mockerman will be sentenced on August 26, 2025, before a U.S. District Judge.

As part of their plea agreements, Malekzadeh and Mockerman have agreed to pay restitution in full to their victims and if needed forfeit any criminally-derived proceeds and property used to facilitate their crimes identified by the government prior to sentencing.

This case was investigated by the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Oregon Intellectual Property Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Gavin W. Bruce, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. Forfeiture proceedings are being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie C. de Villiers, also of the District of Oregon.

Every year, the Oregon Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony honors the state’s law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty.

This year’s ceremony will be held Tuesday, May 6th at 1 p.m. at the Oregon Public Safety Academy in Salem.

The annual event commemorates the more than 190 fallen officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the state of Oregon since the 1860s. This includes law enforcement, corrections, and parole and probation officers from city, county, state, tribal and federal law enforcement agencies.

The Department of Public Safety Standards and Training is proud to host the ceremony in partnership with the Oregon Law Enforcement Memorial Fund, Oregon Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.), Oregon Fallen Badge Foundation, and various statewide law enforcement associations.

Filing a tax return could net thousands in tax credits for low-income families

Salem, OR—Oregon’s newest refundable personal income tax credit put more than $39 million into the pockets of low-income families in its first year in 2024.

The Oregon Kids Credit, created by the Legislature in 2023, is a refundable credit for low-income people with young dependent children. For those with a modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) of $25,750 or less, the full credit is $1,000 per child for up to five dependent children under the age of six at the end of the tax year—a maximum benefit of $5,000. A partial credit is available for individuals and families with an MAGI up to $30,750.

So far in 2025, more than 22,000 taxpayers have claimed $25 million in benefits from the Oregon Kids Credit.

When combined with the federal Earned Income Tax Credit and the Oregon Earned Income Credit, it could help boost the tax refund for the lowest income families by a total of $13,770.

The EITC is for people with an adjusted gross income of up to $66,818 in 2024. Families may be eligible for a maximum refundable credit of $7,830 on their federal tax return, and a maximum Oregon EIC of $940 on their state tax return.

All three credits are fully refundable, meaning the portion of the credit that is larger than what a taxpayer owes can be refunded. Taxpayers may even be able to claim the credits and receive a tax refund if they don’t normally file a tax return.

To claim the credits, taxpayers must file a return. To assist taxpayers, Oregon offers several free filing options, including free fillable forms and the new Direct File Oregon. Taxpayers who need help filing their taxes can also find free assistance options on the agency website.

Families who are eligible for the Oregon Kids Credit are also likely eligible for the refundable Working Family Household and Dependent Care Credit (WFHDC), which helps low- to moderate-income families pay for the care of their dependents while they’re working, looking for work, or attending school.

For more information about the federal EITC, the Oregon EIC, the Oregon Kids Credit and other similar credits, go to the Tax benefits for families page.

Taxpayers filing their own 2024 income tax returns can get free assistance using the new combination of IRS Direct File and Direct File Oregon when Oregon Department of Revenue volunteers visit libraries across the state this tax season.

Spring Whale Watch Week returns to the Oregon Coast for Spring Break 2025

OREGON COAST, Oregon— Oregon State Parks will host Spring Whale Watch Week along the Oregon Coast Saturday, March 22 through Sunday, March 30.

Trained Oregon State Park volunteers and rangers will be stationed at 14 sites along the Oregon Coast to help visitors spot whales and their calves and answer questions from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily March 22-30. The sites are some of the best places to watch for whales on the Oregon Coast.  Cape Foulweather will not be included this year because it is closed due to construction.

“Spring is a great time for whale watching because the gray whales are usually closer to shore on their return trip, typically around a mile or so out, and they might have calves in tow,” said Park Ranger Peter McBride.

An estimated 19,260 gray whales are expected to swim past Oregon’s shores from late winter through June as part of their annual migration back to Alaska.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced an end to an Unusual Mortality Event impacting gray whales in 2023. Since then, the estimated population has increased by roughly 30% from 14,530 in 2023 to 19,260 last year, according to NOAA. The numbers are on the rise overall, but the calf count is still low as the population continues to rebound.

Whale Watch Week provides an opportunity to see not only the gray whales but other coastal wildlife including birds and other marine mammals with help from trained volunteers and rangers.

A map of volunteer-staffed sites is available online on the official event webpage: https://oregonstateparks.org/index.cfm?do=thingstodo.dsp_whaleWatching

The Whale Watching Center in Depoe Bay will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 22-30. Visitors to the center can enjoy interactive whale exhibits and take in the panoramic ocean views. Binoculars are provided. Rangers from Oregon State Parks will also be on hand to answer questions about the whales.

All Whale Watch Week visitors are encouraged to dress for the weather, to bring binoculars and to follow beach safety guidelines such as remaining out of fenced areas, knowing the tide schedule and keeping an eye on the surf at all times. Go to https://visittheoregoncoast.com/beach-safety/ for a list of safety tips.

For more information about coast parks and campgrounds, visit stateparks.oregon.gov.

Visitors are encouraged to share their photos and videos from Spring Whale Watch on social media using #OregonStateParks and #ORWhaleWatch.

Oregon and nine other states recently achieved a collective goal of shifting new car buyers toward electric rather than gas-powered vehicles in an effort to reduce pollution and combat climate change.

The states have collectively registered 3.3 million new electric vehicles in the last 12 years, fulfilling a 2013 agreement to do so by 2025, according to a report shared Monday by the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management, a Boston-based nonprofit association of state air pollution control agencies. 

Transportation was and remains the largest source of planet warming greenhouse gases in Oregon and the nation. When then-Gov. John Kitzhaber signed onto the 2013 agreement, just 300 electric vehicles were registered in Oregon.

Today, more than 100,000 electric vehicles have been registered in the state, according to the Oregon Department of Energy. That’s about 5% of all new cars registered in the state in the last decade.

The Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division (Oregon OSHA) acted within its authority when it adopted rules strengthening safety and health requirements for agricultural labor housing (ALH), the Oregon Department of Justice (DOJ) has confirmed in written legal advice.

The legal advice clears away any potential doubt about the division’s authority to enforce its amended ALH rule, parts of which are scheduled to take effect March 31, 2025. At issue was a view expressed by the Office of the Legislative Counsel that Oregon OSHA exceeded its authority in amending its ALH rule. Legislative Counsel’s opinion narrowly focused on a statute dealing with registration, failing to account for Oregon OSHA’s separate, broad authority to regulate all places of employment – including housing provided as a condition of employment – under the Oregon Safe Employment Act (OSEA).

The DOJ written legal advice begins by confirming written legal advice from 1989 in which DOJ discussed Oregon OSHA’s broad authority under the OSEA to regulate farmers, farm labor contractors, and others who provide living quarters or shelter for employees. DOJ then addresses the view that Oregon OSHA exceeded its authority when issuing its recent ALH rule by failing to exempt certain categories of housing, stating that the “farmworker camp registration statutes in ORS 658.705 to 658.850 do not alter or limit the director’s authority to regulate agriculture labor housing under the OSEA.” The written legal advice concludes by clearly stating that Oregon OSHA “has broad authority to adopt rules related to agricultural labor housing, including for single, isolated dwelling[s] occupied solely by members of the same family, or by five or fewer unrelated individuals.”

“We are pleased with DOJ’s conclusion that we continue to act within our legal authority regarding the development and enforcement of the ALH rule, which has been in place for decades, and that we can move past any uncertainty about the amendments that Oregon OSHA adopted,” said Andrew Stolfi, director of the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services, which includes Oregon OSHA as a division. “We remain fully committed to helping employers implement the changes in the rule. We have already published easy-to-use fact sheets and pocket-size cards about the changes, with more helpful resources on the way.”

Under the Oregon Safe Employment Act (Chapter 654 of Oregon’s laws), Oregon OSHA has broad authority to set “reasonable, mandatory occupational safety and health standards for all employments and places of employment.” Meanwhile, Chapter 658 of the state’s laws gives Oregon OSHA authority to set housing registration requirements and requires operators of agricultural labor housing to comply with any other rules under the Oregon Safe Employment Act.

Oregon OSHA enacted its ALH rule amendments under the authority granted to it by the state Legislature in Chapters 654 and 658. The division did so Jan. 8, 2025, following a rulemaking process that included stakeholder engagement and rule development, rule proposal and public notification, and public hearings and written comments. The changes include more rigorous requirements for kitchens and bathing and toilet facilities, and enhanced safety requirements for facility grounds and water testing. The changes advance labor housing standards, aligning with federal requirements and reflecting best practices.

Since the Oregon Legislature voted to ban single-use plastic grocery bags and limit plastic straws in 2019, most Oregonians have grown used to bringing their own bags to the store and asking for straws.

Now, lawmakers looking to stop plastic from piling up on the state’s beaches are turning their attention to other plastic utensils, condiment packaging and hotel-issued toiletries.

The Oregon Senate voted 22-8 on Tuesday to pass Senate Bill 551, which would expand the state’s plastic bag ban to cover takeout bags provided by restaurants and the thicker plastic bags some stores have offered since the original ban took effect in 2020.  The bill would also require customers to explicitly ask for plastic utensils, single-serving plastic packaging for condiments like ketchup, coffee creamer, jelly and soy sauce and plastic-packaged hospitality size shampoos, soaps and lotions, like they already must ask for straws.

Sen. Janeen Sollman, the Hillsboro Democrat behind the bill, said it will be good for the environment and for businesses that will save money by buying fewer plastic goods.  The proposal won support from all Democrats and four Republicans. Three of those Republicans — Sens. David Brock Smith of Port Orford, Dick Anderson of Lincoln City and Suzanne Weber of Tillamook — represent coastal districts, and Brock Smith said his experience on Oregon’s beaches contributed to his vote for the bill.

Sen. Todd Nash, R-Enterprise, lives far from the ocean but said he voted for the bill because of the timber industry. Other Republicans were less convinced. Sen. Kim Thatcher, a Keizer Republican who voted against the bill, said her dogs would look forward to it because they’d have easier access to saucy Chinese takeout that leaks out of folding boxes and can now be contained by a plastic bag.

And Sen. Noah Robinson, R-Cave Junction, said he opposes littering but loves plastic. Stores, restaurants and hotels should have the freedom to choose the products they think are best for their customers, he said.

Oregon State Representative Pam Marsh introduced a bill Tuesday that would create a fund to help those who lose their property to utility-caused fires. 

HB3917 would allow utilities companies to create a fund of $800 million that would pay property damage claims arising from wildfires caused by their equipment.  The fund will be managed by the Public Utilities Commission.

Another bill introduced by Marsh addressing utility companies’ roles in fire is HB3666, which requires utility companies to apply for a wildfire safety certification, meeting a requirement that she said isn’t currently set. If they meet the standard, the PUC will award them a wildfire safety certificate.

HB3917 doesn’t stop the ability to pursue civil action against a utility commission, but it does entail a caveat, that if you gain funds from a claim with the fund, you will not be able to pursue action against the utility provider.

Oregon Parks and Rec Dept is asking beachgoers to remember this is Western Snowy Plover nesting season.

Sensitive nesting areas are identified on maps for the southern and northern Oregon coast. Signs are also posted on trailheads, where visitors might be asked to stay on the wet sand and keep dogs out of the area.

Snowy Plover nesting season runs through September 15th, to help reverse the decline of the threatened species.

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.

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.

Mt. Ashland is extending its 2024/2025 ski season with two bonus weekends in April, now remaining open April 19-20 and April 26-27.

Originally scheduled to close April 13, the Ski Area is enjoying a record-breaking season with 296 inches of snow and continued strong snow coverage, thanks to recent storms that added 30 inches in just four days.

During the bonus weekends, the Comer, Windsor, and Ariel chairlifts will run from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM at a discounted rate. The Sonnet and Lithia chairlifts, along with the First Act Learning Carpet, will close April 13, and Group Lessons will end that weekend, though Private Lessons will remain available. 

Spring events will also be announced soon, and guests can stay updated on Mt. Ashland’s website and social media for the latest news. With two bonus weekends added, Mt. Ashland is set for one of its longest seasons in 30 years.

Britt Music and Arts Festival has announced the next slate of ten Britt shows for the 2025 summer season.

Britt is honored to host legendary country artist Wynonna Judd, pop sensation Natasha Bedingfield, world renowned blues and rock duo Taj Mahal & Steve Earle; not to mention other notable Britt first timers like Dirtwire with Special Guests Free Creatures and a much-anticipated performance from Tash Sultana. 

2025 will be a groundbreaking year at Britt, as it marks the first ever mariachi band performance at the venue. This milestone introduces a vibrant new cultural dimension, offering audiences an unforgettable fusion of traditional Latin music and the festival’s robust artistic legacy.

Tickets for several Britt shows are already on sale, including The California Honeydrops, DISPATCH, Brothers Osborne, The Buena Vista Orchestra, Mat Kearney and many others. Britt Festival Orchestra concerts are also available to the general public, including the two-night run of Jurassic Park In Concert with the orchestra playing the score live-to-picture.

All tickets are available at brittfest.org. Fans are urged to visit the website directly to ensure that their tickets are valid and the best possible price.

Tickets and more information can be found at brittfest.org, or from the Box Office at 541-773-6077 or in person at 216 W. Main St., Medford, Oregon. With this announcement, there will be a Member pre-sale before tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, March 28.

A pair of country stars is coming to one of Oregon’s biggest summer events, The Happy Canyon Kick-Off Concert, which is the opening to the Pendleton Round-Up.  The weeklong festival in northeast Oregon that’s anchored by one of the biggest and most popular rodeos in the country.

This year, the concert will be headlined by country singers Tracy Lawrence and Rodney Atkins, who will perform at the Happy Canyon Arena on Saturday, Sept. 6.

Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. March 14 at pendletonroundup.com.  Lawrence, who had more than a dozen chart-topping singles in the 1990s and 2000s, is coming off his “Ain’t My Last Rodeo Tour” and hosts a radio show, “Honky Tonkin’ with Tracy Lawrence.” Atkins, who has also had several No. 1 singles, has been trickling out new songs in recent months, his first new solo work since 2019.

The rodeo portion of the Pendleton Round-Up will take place Sept. 10-13 this year. Tickets are on sale now.

BEND, OR — Spring break kicks off this Saturday, March 22 at the High Desert Museum with special programs, new exhibitions and summer hours, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm.

The popular indoor flight demonstration Sky Hunters returns to the E. L. Wiegand Pavilion in the Donald M. Kerr Birds of Prey Center. Visitors experience powerful predators close up as raptors fly just overhead, showcasing the birds’ agility and grace while learning about their lives in the wild. The program is daily from Saturday, March 22 – Saturday, March 29 at 11:00 am and 1:30 pm and is first come, first served. Tickets are $7 and available at Admissions on the day of. Museum members receive a 20% discount. Sky Hunters is possible with support from Fly Redmond.

Visitors will also be able to enjoy daily talks about High Desert flora and fauna, free with admission. These include the Nature Walk at 10:30 am, Otter Encounter at 12:30 pm and Mammal Encounter at 3:00 pm.

On Saturday, March 22 and from March 25-29, the High Desert Ranch and Sawmill will be open from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm with interactive talks about life in the High Desert. Experience history and jump in to lend a hand or ask about the many buildings and objects.

Spring break visitors will also be able to experience the Museum’s temporary exhibitions. The new, original exhibition Patterns at Play: Fractals in Nature in the Brooks Gallery features interactive play and soft music to immerse visitors into the repeating patterns of nature. Fractals start with one simple shape, such as a triangle. When that triangle is repeated over and over, either smaller or larger, the result is a more complicated pattern that can scale.

Visitors can create their own patterns and watch as fractals dance on the walls, and two lighted tables will delight littles and their caregivers alike with hands-on shape-building. Bean bags encourage relaxation while fractal patterns dance across a wall-sized video screen. Learn more at highdesertmuseum.org/fractals.

Another exhibition open now is Frank S. Matsura: Portraits from the Borderland.

Featuring 20-plus enlarged photographs of Indigenous families from the 1900s, the exhibition shares the story of Frank S. Matsura, a Japanese-born photographer who immigrated to Okanogan County in Washington state in the early 1900s. He set up a studio in the area and began photographing the local Indigenous communities, providing history a nuanced and detailed view of life during a time of transition.

The exhibit includes period artifacts and objects from the Museum’s own collection as well as from the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture in Spokane, Wash. Video documentaries explain the history and the photography, while also highlighting young leaders of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. Generous support for the exhibition is provided by Art Bridges. It was organized by the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture and was curated by Michael Holloman and Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture Associate Curator of Special Projects Anne-Claire Mitchell. Learn more at highdesertmuseum.org/matsura.
 

Other temporary exhibitions include Neighbors: Wildlife Paintings by Hilary Baker. The exhibit, located in the Desertarium Gallery, features more than a dozen of Baker’s artworks. Baker, who grew up in Los Angeles during the latter years of Hollywood’s Golden Age, spent most of her childhood exploring the hills and canyons near her home. She searched for animal bones and other evidence of wildlife amid the pavement and backdrop of Los Angeles. The exhibition explores the complex relationship between manmade spaces and native wildlife in a crisp, graphic painting style. The exhibition closes on Sunday, April 6. Learn more at highdesertmuseum.org/hilary-baker.

Blood, Sweat & Flannel, an original exhibition, explores what flannel through the ages. From a rugged lumberjack of the 1800s to a classic grunge band of the 1990s, this unique experience invites visitors to dig deeper into the stories behind the fabric. Today, flannel is produced from various materials, including wool, cotton and even synthetic fibers. exhibition features imagery, tactile elements and even an audio interactive element that bring to life the experiences of those who wore flannel during each era. Learn more at highdesertmuseum.org/flannel.

And Forest at Night reveals the sights and sounds of the forest when the moon is high and the stars are out. An immersive and interactive exhibition, Forest at Night takes visitors on a virtual tour, featuring insects, reptiles, amphibians and mammals. In addition to showcasing the wonders of the night, the exhibit also delves into the pressing issue of light pollution and how artificial light disrupts the nighttime ecosystem. Visitors may gaze up at twinkling stars and learn about the constellations that guide migrating birds on their way through the High Desert. Learn more at highdesertmuseum.org/forest-at-night.

More information on visiting the High Desert Museum is available at highdesertmuseum.org/visit-bend-oregon.

ABOUT THE MUSEUM:

THE HIGH DESERT MUSEUM opened in Bend, Oregon in 1982. It brings together wildlife, cultures, art, history and the natural world to convey the wonder of North America’s High Desert.

For the 12th year, the world can watch chickens hatch via the Oregon State University Extension Service livestream.

The extension office in Astoria has a camera aimed at the incubator to see the chicks hatch and then it moves with them to their brooding pen until they’re old enough to leave. They’ve expected to start hatching around March 19th.

The chicks go home with 4-H kids who care for them and then show them at county and state fairs.

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.

Thanks for reading the the news on BasinLife.com from Wynne Broadcasting.

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