Families can check requirements at ebt.oregon.gov or by contacting the Summer EBT Call Center at 833-673-7328. The Call Center is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., PDT. Apply online in English and Spanish or with a paper application in multiple languages at sebt.oregon.gov.

Former U.S. Senator Bob Packwood passed away at the age of 93 on Saturday in Rancho Mirage, California, in the Palm Springs area.

With a congressional career spanning over 26 years, he held the position of chair of the Senate Finance Committee from 1985 to 1987. As a moderate Republican, Packwood was known for advocating abortion rights, gun control measures, and environmental protection.

However, his tenure ended in controversy when he resigned in 1995 amid allegations of sexual misconduct involving former female staffers, a scandal that gained significant attention following a Washington Post report. Ultimately, around 20 women came forward with claims against him. After Packwood’s resignation, he was succeeded by current Democratic Senator Ron Wyden.

The Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office has released a statement concerning an investigation into a marijuana exposure incident at Dunsmuir Elementary School.

On June 2, school officials reported that a teacher had left cookies in a common area of a classroom during a morning break on June 1. Later that day, both the teacher and several students experienced illness and were subsequently taken to the hospital for assessment.

Testing at the hospital revealed that the teacher and some students had positive results for THC, the compound responsible for the psychoactive effects of cannabis. Preliminary analysis by the sheriff’s office confirmed that some of the cookies found in the classroom contained THC. The investigation continues.

NYE BEACH HEALTH WARNING

Oregon Health Authority (OHA) is issuing a public health advisory today for unsafe levels of fecal bacteria in ocean waters at Nye Beach in Lincoln County. People should avoid direct contact with the water in this area until the advisory is lifted.

Unsafe levels of fecal bacteria can cause diarrhea, stomach cramps, skin rashes, upper respiratory infections and other illnesses. Children, elderly and those with a compromised immune system should use extra caution as they are more vulnerable to illness from waterborne bacteria.

Visitors should avoid wading in nearby creeks, pools of water on the beach, or in discolored water, and stay clear of water runoff flowing into the ocean. Levels of fecal bacteria tend to be higher in these types of water sources.

Unsafe levels of fecal bacteria in ocean waters can come from both shore and inland sources including:

• Stormwater runoff
• Sewer overflows
• Failing septic systems
• Animal waste from livestock, pets and wildlife

Even if there is no advisory in effect, avoid swimming in the ocean within 48 hours after a rainstorm.

Ocean waters will be re-tested after an advisory is issued. Once bacteria levels are at a safe level, OHA will notify the public that the advisory is lifted.

While this advisory is in effect at Nye Beach, state officials continue to encourage other recreational activities (flying kites, picnicking, playing on the beach, walking, etc.) on this beach because they pose no health risk even during an advisory.

Portland’s Progress Against Gun Violence Shows We Must Stay the Course

PORTLAND, Ore.— For years, gun violence cast a terrifying shadow over Portland.  Headlines chronicled rising homicides, neighborhoods endured repeated shootings, and residents questioned whether the city could regain a sense of safety.

Today, Portland is moving in a more hopeful direction. Yet, the recent decline in homicides and shootings should not be mistaken for a solved problem. Instead, it offers an important lesson: achieving a sustained reduction in gun violence requires persistence, accountability for gun offenders, and long-term community investment.

Recent data shows encouraging progress. Shootings resulting in homicides have fallen dramatically, from 30 year-to-date in 2022 to 6 in 2026. Shootings that did not result in a homicide have also declined significantly, from 453 year-to-date in 2022 to 171 in 2026. These reductions rank among the largest seen in major U.S. cities over the past several years. Still, Portland has not yet returned to the lower levels of gun violence experienced in 2018 and 2019. Additionally, shootings are up over the past month as the city enters the summer months, when gun violence has historically increased.

This issue is about the sanctity of life. As every victim and victim’s family will tell you, these numbers represent far more than statistics—they are mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces, and beloved friends and members of our community. Last month, a member of my family, innocently at a Portland park with a small child, was shot multiple times by a violent repeat gun offender—a personal and painful reminder that there is much more work to do.

Every prevented shooting is a family spared unimaginable grief. Every life saved strengthens a neighborhood and restores confidence that meaningful public safety improvements are possible. Portlanders have a right to be safe, and our policymakers have a duty to ensure they are.

This progress did not happen by accident. Credit belongs to the brave men and women of the Portland Police Bureau and its Focused Intervention Team (FIT). I recently witnessed FIT’s work firsthand as its officers responded to an active gang conflict and worked to remove illegal firearms from Portland streets. Credit also belongs to the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office, which has adopted a more assertive strategy for investigating and prosecuting gun violence. Equally important are the expanded efforts combining law enforcement with community-based intervention programs aimed at preventing violence before it occurs. My office also plays a critical role, working with local, state, and federal partners to target the most violent repeat gun offenders in the county.

Maintaining this momentum will require continued investment and commitment to prioritize public safety funding. In a recent federal RICO trial against Hoover gang leaders, a gang member testified that the mere presence of police officers deters shootings. We need more police officers. We need more prosecutors. And, we need effective community-based intervention programs.

Policymakers must ensure that the police bureau, the district attorney’s office, and prevention initiatives have the resources necessary to do their jobs effectively and hold offenders accountable. Asking these institutions to do more with fewer police officers, prosecutors, and resources risks repeating mistakes of the recent past that contributed to rising homicides and shootings and left Portland neighborhoods and families to bear the consequences.

Communities are safest when accountability and prevention work together. Portlanders deserve effective policing, vigorous prosecution of violent offenders, and strong services. They deserve immediate protection and long-term solutions.

Portland is at a critical juncture. The city’s story of gun violence can be a story of recovery, but only if our policymakers stay the course. Portland City Council and Multnomah County Commissioners are currently formulating budgets that will determine whether this progress continues or stalls. The police bureau, the district attorney’s office, and community intervention programs all require sustained investment. Defund any one of them and the gains reverse.

Policymakers must ensure these institutions have the staffing and resources necessary to do their jobs — not for the sake of better statistics, but for the Portlanders behind them.

The next several weeks are a test. Summer historically drives up gun violence, and the outcome of local budget negotiations could spell the difference between a good summer, and one that brings increased violence and loss of life in Portland neighborhoods.

Portlanders, please urge your council members and commissioners to appropriately fund Portland’s recovery.

Oregon Health Authority is reminding Oregon’s 3,700 tobacco retailers that a new state law expanding the definition of tobacco products that is now in effect. People must be 21 to purchase tobacco products and inhalant delivery systems in Oregon and nationwide.

Senate Bill 1571, signed into law in March, expands the state’s definition of tobacco products to include oral nicotine pouches, lozenges, gum and other nicotine products, regardless of whether they are naturally or synthetically made. Nicotine pouches are the fastest-growing product on the U.S. tobacco market.

In 2024, oral nicotine pouches became the second most commonly used tobacco product among U.S. middle and high school students. A national study showed that 80% of youth who ever used a tobacco product started with a flavored product.

As wildfire season ramps up across the Pacific Northwest, the Bureau of Land Management is reminding visitors to use extra caution while enjoying public lands.

Statewide fire restrictions remain in place on all BLM-managed lands in Oregon and Washington. Fireworks, exploding targets, tracer ammunition, sky lanterns, and other fire-starting devices remain prohibited. Officials are also urging motorists to avoid parking vehicles on dry grass, as hot exhaust systems and catalytic converters can quickly ignite vegetation.

Drivers towing trailers should make sure safety chains are secured to prevent sparks from dragging on roadways. Anyone planning outdoor activities should check local restrictions before heading out, as rules can vary by location. More information is available at blm.gov.

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