See Road Camera Views around the Klamath Basin:

Lake of the Woods
Doak Mtn.
Hiway 97 at Chemult
Hiway 140 at  Bly
Hiway 97 at GreenSprings Dr.
Hiway 97 at LaPine

Around the State of Oregon

Portland Woman Charged with Assaulting Federal Law Enforcement Officer Near Local ICE Office 

A Portland woman made her first appearance in federal court today after allegedly assaulting a federal officer near a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in South Portland.

Lucy Caroline Shepherd, 28, has been charged by criminal complaint with the felony offense of assaulting a federal officer.

According to court documents, on October 31, 2025, federal officers deployed outside the gates of the ICE facility to clear the vehicle entrance for vehicles to exit the facility. Shepherd struck an officer’s arm and was arrested by officers.

Since June 13, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office has charged 38 defendants with federal crimes for offenses committed near ICE facilities, including assaulting federal officers, failure to comply, and depredation of government property.

Shepherd made her first appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. She was released on conditions pending further court proceedings. Felony assault of a federal officer is punishable by up to eight years in federal prison. A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

 

Oregon Gov. Kotek approved $5 million to Oregon food banks late last week ahead of the SNAP cutoff that happened on Saturday, November 1st.

Food banks across Oregon have warned that they do not have enough resources to absorb the impact of this ongoing government shutdown.

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek on Wednesday declared a state of emergency over hunger and directed $5 million to food banks across the state, seeking to avert the impending November loss of food stamp benefits for hundreds of thousands of Oregonians under the federal government’s ongoing shutdown. 

Kotek’s emergency declaration gives authority to the Oregon Department of Emergency Management to coordinate with local governments, nonprofit organizations and private companies to “respond and mitigate the impacts of this emergency.” It calls for “essential protective measures” from the Oregon Department of Human Services to address food insecurity, while directing the agency to provide financial assistance to those facing hunger due to the loss of SNAP benefits.

The order lasts until the end of the year, unless the federal government distributes benefits or Kotek changes its terms herself. 

“It’s unacceptable that families are being used as leverage in a political standoff in Washington, D.C.,” Kotek said in a statement. 

About one in six Oregonians, the majority of whom are children, disabled or seniors, rely on SNAP for food assistance.

Kotek’s declaration comes one day after the federal government shutdown hit its four-week mark with Democrats voting no unless they get $1.3 trillion returned to the budget, most of it seen as waste by Republicans in Congress who simply offered a clean CR bill.  Sen. Chuck Shumer and Democrats are still refusing to back off their demands to restore subsidies for states under the Affordable Care Act, meant to be only temporary during Covid, that were rolled back under the GOP’s tax and spending law.

Gov. Kotek drew upon $5 million from federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funds to support the state’s network of food banks. That money is unspent from previous years and “can support short term crisis benefits without creating new ongoing requirements, which is ideal for this emergency,” the governor’s office said. 

 

Oregon CCB Investigators Visit Over 400 Jobsites In Search for Unlicensed Contractors 

Salem – The Oregon Construction Contractors Board is investigating 68 potential violations after investigators visited 429 job sites looking for unlicensed contractors. This effort, which took place between October 13-24, was a part of a joint effort taking place over many states, coordinated by NASCLA (National Association of State Contractor Licensing Agencies). State licensing agencies associated with NASCLA all conducted their own efforts during this time.

During the event, CCB Field Investigators from around the state acted independently and in teams to discover unlicensed contractor activity. Efforts like this occur multiple times a year in different regions to show strong presence in the field and act as a deterrent for illegal construction activities, like working without a CCB license.

The findings:

• 25 percent of the proposed violations were in connection with advertising, bidding, or working without a contractor’s license.
• The majority of remaining proposed violations included:
  • Lead-based paint violations
  • Working with employees on the jobsite while in exempt status. In some of these cases, the contractor may not have the required workers’ compensation policy.
• Other violations span a range including no workers’ compensation insurance and no Assumed Business Name associated with the license (ABN).

A typical first-offense penalty for working without a license is $1,000 with subsequent violations resulting in fines of up to $5,000.

“During sweeps, we focus on a designated region and the entire team combs cities looking for anyone breaking construction law. Unlicensed contractors can undercut the bidding process, which could have negative repercussions for homeowners and licensed contractors,” said CCB Enforcement Manager Vena Swanson. “Unlicensed contractors are notorious for using methods that don’t meet industry standard, using sub-par building materials, and leaving homeowners at risk to pay workers compensation claims that occur on their property. Coordinated sweeps deter this illegal activity, while giving us the opportunity to find it and cite it.”

Who Needs a CCB License?

Anyone who repairs or remodels, as well as those who build new homes or businesses, must be licensed with the CCB. Contractors working on homes built before 1978 need special licensing and training to handle lead-based paint.

CCB encourages all homeowners to check their contractor’s license before starting a home improvement project. Licensed contractors have a bond and insurance that offer some financial protections to the public. Also, homeowners may be able to get help from the CCB to resolve construction-related disputes if they use properly licensed contractors.

Consumers can check a contractor’s CCB license online at http://search.ccb.state.or.us/search/

Contractors and consumers can report unlicensed contractors and other illegal activity or verify licenses on the CCB’s website. Or, call 503-378-4621 to verify a license.

Learn more about how to have a successful project at www.oregon.gov/ccb.

 

The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS), Child Welfare Division, asks the public to help find Payton White, age 16, a child in foster care who went missing from Happy Valley on Oct. 31. She is believed to be in danger.

ODHS asks the public for help in the effort to find Payton and to contact 911 or local law enforcement if they believe they see her.

Payton is known to be on 82nd St. in Portland and Clackamas. Payton has made statements about traveling to California.

Name: Payton White
Pronouns: She/her
Date of birth: Dec. 26, 2008
Height: 5-feet
Weight: 120 pounds
Hair: Black
Eye color: Brown
Other identifying information: Payton has a tattoo of a crown on her left forearm, it is about 2 inches in size.
Clackamas Sheriff’s Case #25-0022-949
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children #2066715

Sometimes when a child is missing they may be in significant danger and ODHS may need to locate them to assess and support their safety. As ODHS works to do everything it can to find these missing children and assess their safety, media alerts will be issued in some circumstances when it is determined necessary. Sometimes, in these situations, a child may go missing repeatedly, resulting in more than one media alert for the same child.

Report child abuse to the Oregon Child Abuse Hotline by calling 1-855-503-SAFE (7233).  This toll-free number allows you to report abuse of any child or adult to the Oregon Department of Human Services, 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year.

 

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Seaside, Oregon, woman pleaded guilty today to stealing more than $567,000 in pandemic unemployment benefits from the Oregon Employment Department (OED).

Tamara Fulmer, 47, pleaded guilty today to one count of Theft of Government Benefits.

According to court documents, between May 2020 and October 2021, Fulmer used the personal information of 27 individuals to fraudulently apply for pandemic unemployment insurance benefits (UI benefits).

Based on Fulmer’s misrepresentations, OED paid out $567,930 in UI benefits. Fulmer deposited at least 236 UI checks totaling $68,773 into her own personal account and cashed many of the UI checks at a gas station in Seaside without the applicant’s knowledge or permission.

OED paid Fulmer an additional $13,353 after she submitted her own fraudulent UI application where she falsely claimed she had not applied for or received disability despite receiving disability payments since 2004.

On February 19, 2025, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a one-count indictment charging Fulmer with Theft of Government Property.

Fulmer faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. She will be sentenced on February 18, 2026, before a U.S. District Court Judge. As part of the plea agreement, Fulmer has agreed to forfeit the proceeds from her criminal activity and pay $581,283 in restitution as recommended by the government.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, and the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Meredith D.M. Bateman, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form

 

Left-leaning Oregon Senator Ron Wyden is collaborating with fellow Senators to request information regarding contributions made to finance President Trump’s 300-million-dollar White House ballroom construction initiative.  It’s a constant effort by Democrats to go after President Trump.

Among the already known donors are Amazon, Meta, and Apple. Last month, YouTube resolved a lawsuit with the Trump Administration by contributing a payment of $22 million dollars to the ballroom project.

The Senators are seeking clarification on whether these donations are intended to secure favors in exchange for their backing. The companies had already stated that the ballroom is needed to host many events including foreign leaders and felt happy to contribute and be a part of history of The White House.

 

A man from Eugene has received a prison sentence for the online exploitation of children.

According to court documents, 32-year-old Vincent Elder utilized platforms such as Snapchat to connect with minors in Oregon, New York, and Florida.

He provided them with money, food, or vaping products in return for nude photographs of the children. Elder entered a guilty plea and was sentenced to 24 years in federal prison last month. Additionally, he has been mandated to serve a lifetime of supervised release following his prison term and to pay $10,000 in restitution to each of his three victims.

 

A fatality has been reported in Oregon due to an escalating listeria outbreak linked to pre-cooked pasta meals available at grocery stores across the nation.

This outbreak dates back to August 2024, although the California supplier Nate’s Fine Foods recently issued a recall of nearly 245,000 pounds of pasta products, as noted in a September notice from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration.

At least 27 cases of illness have been documented across 18 states as a consequence of the outbreak, according to a Thursday update from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — six of which have resulted in fatalities.

Among the two most recent deaths reported, one occurred in Oregon. Further fatalities have been recorded in Hawaii, Illinois, Michigan, Texas, and Utah. Additionally, one illness involving a pregnant individual led to fetal loss, as reported by the CDC.

 

Customers of Northwest Natural are experiencing an increase in their bills.

The price increase took effect on Friday. Northwest Natural sought a seven percent rise, but the Oregon Public Utility Commission sanctioned a five percent increase.

The lower figure is attributed to a decrease in natural gas prices and other yearly adjustments. For the average customer, the natural gas bill will rise by approximately four dollars each month.

 

Pressure is mounting on Governor Tina Kotek to endorse the transportation funding bill that was approved during a special legislative session.

For weeks, Kotek has refused to sign the bill and has ignored it.  Two Democratic state senators, Janeen Sollman and Jeff Golden, are imploring the Governor to sign the bill, expressing concern that any delay could undermine public trust.

The Governor has a period of 30 business days following the session to sign the bill. Republicans are eager to present it to voters but are unable to begin gathering the 78,000 signatures required until the Governor provides her signature.

Should they successfully collect the signatures, it would prevent the bill from being enacted until the General Election in November 2026.

 

Christine Drazan is once again announcing she will campaign to run for Governor of Oregon.

The former leader of the House Republicans declared her candidacy once again, as she is determined to save the demogratically controlled state of Oregon, which is gets a failing grade in most any area that counts, such as local economies, jobs, eduation, health care costs and crime and public safetly. Drazan stated “This race will be about you.”

Drazan ranks among the most prominent Republican figures in Oregon. She previously contested the gubernatorial election in 2022, narrowly losing to Democratic nominee Gov. Tina Kotek by less than 4%.

Gov. Kotek’s term will be up in November of 2026 where she must be re-elected to stay in power.  The state’s most pressing problems continue to include persistent crises in housing and homelessness, widespread public safety concerns involving crime and drug addiction, and signs of a weakening state economy. Job growth is near an all-time low in the state.

Recently, she was appointed to occupy a vacant seat in the Oregon Senate. Her announcement may pave the way for a rematch with Kotek, who is anticipated to seek reelection but has not yet disclosed her intentions. Drazan’s aspirations for higher office were well-known among political insiders in Salem. According to three Republican sources, she convened a meeting regarding this matter with trusted lobbyists last week.

 

 

Oregon Employment Department Announces Intent to Award Contract for Workforce Modernization Project

Marine Board Urges “Check Email” for Motorboat Registration Renewal Notices

The Oregon State Marine Board will be emailing motorboat registration renewal notices to boaters who have email addresses on file whose registration expires on December 31, 2025. Each renewal notice is unique to the owner and their boat. Owners are encouraged to take advantage of the online renewal option, and the email has detailed instructions for using the Boat Oregon Store. For boaters who do not have an email address on file with the agency, renewal notices will be sent via US Mail and should arrive by mid-November.

The fastest way to get on the water is to renew online through the Marine Board’s Boat Oregon Store, which provides a printable temporary permit to go boating right away. Owners can renew multiple boats or purchase Waterway Access Permits in one transaction for a $1.50 portal provider fee. The registration decals are mailed within 2-5 days from online sales and within 7-10 business days from the date of receipt by US mail with payment and the remittance coupon. Owners can then expect an additional 2-4 weeks for their decals to arrive by US Mail. The timelines may vary since printing and mailing are handled outside the agency.

Any watercraft with a motor or sailboats 12 feet or longer are required to be titled and registered with the Marine Board. Early bird online sales begin on November 1. Motorboat registration feesare $8 plus $5.95 per foot and are issued on a 2-year calendar basis for 2026. Renewing in the fall or early winter months is recommended to avoid long delays during the peak summer season.

Nonmotorized boaters of kayaks, canoes, rafts, drift, stand up paddleboards, and their inflatable versions can also purchase waterway access permits through the Boat Oregon Store. A 7-day permit costs $6, an annual permit is $20, and a two-year permit is $35. Annual and two-year permits are also valid for one or two calendar years. Paddlers are encouraged to purchase permits early in the year to get the most use out of them and to explore the bounty of waterways in the state. Because permits can be saved or printed immediately, they make great “stocking stuffers” for the holidays, especially if you plan on gifting someone a boat. Permits are transferable to other paddlecraft, and children under 14 are exempt.  

Visit the Boat Oregon Store help pagewith videos and written instructions on how to navigate the store to renew your motorboat registrations or purchase Waterway Access Permits. 

 

The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department is seeking public input on the draft of the 2026 Oregon Recreation Trails Plan, which outlines recommendations to improve trails over the next 10 years.

The statewide plan highlights trends and issues to create priorities for grant funding and other recommendations for actions. The plan covers all motorized and non-motorized trails on public lands and waterways in Oregon, not just within Oregon State Parks. This includes hiking, biking and equestrian trails, motorized ATV trails, snowmobile trails and water trails.

Public feedback on the plan will be open from Oct. 30 to Nov. 28. Oregon Parks and Recreation notes that input on the plan also provides guidance to federal, state and local agencies as well as private sector partners.

Information used for the drafted plan comes from multiple sources, including statewide surveys conducted in October 2024 and April 2025, follow-up focus groups in May and the Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan.

 

The United States Postal Service has announced its official mailing deadlines for the 2025 holiday season, assisting customers in planning ahead to ensure timely delivery of their cards and packages.

For those sending items within the contiguous 48 states, the following send-by dates are recommended:

December 20 for Priority Mail Express, the quickest domestic shipping option offered by USPS. USPS advises customers to ship early, use trackable services, and consider acquiring insurance for valuable items.

Ready to Advertise? Let us get the word out for your business!  We offer more local advertising opportunities than any one in the Klamath Basin. 

Call BasinLife.com at 541-363-7503. Or email us today at INFO@BasinLife.com with your name, business, and what you’re looking for.  We’ll customize a plan fit for your budget.

You can receive Daily Radio Mentions across our 6 stations, Articles, direct link Banner Ads, floating Banner Ads on hundreds of article pages daily, Social Media Posts and also available are Email Blasts to thousands of local residents.

We can also keep you updated with the latest smart digital marketing strategies for 2025 for your business. BasinLife.com is still the best value in the Klamath Basin for advertising, now in our 9th year promoting businesses in Southern Oregon.

For information or prices on plans, simply call us today at 541-363-7503 or email us at Info@BasinLife.com. Let us keep your business top-of -mind!