The agreement enables Oregon Connections to expand their work of connecting STEM Hubs and K-12 schools across the state with professionals from every industry - locally and globally

Portland, OR - May 7, 2021 - Oregon Connections, the online platform powered by Nepris that has been used for the past five years to bridge the gap between local education and industry, has extended their partnership with Nepris to continue to virtually connect Oregon students with employers and industry experts, both locally and across the globe, for another three years.

Just in time for Oregon’s STEM Week happening May 8-16, Oregon Connections has renewed an agreement with Nepris’ national platform to give educators across Oregon access to  professionals from every industry. Used by regional STEM Hubs across the state, Oregon Connections has seen a tripling of teacher and district use over the last year, and more than four times the number of industry sessions offered. During STEM Week alone, Oregon Connections is host to 32 sessions hosted by Oregon industry professionals. This Oregon Connections platform is sponsored in part by Portland General Electric (PGE), Pacific Power, First Tech Federal Credit Union, and The Lemelson Foundation.

Live sessions with professionals on real-world applications of whatever content they are learning helped make virtual learning fun, engaging, and thought-provoking during the pandemic. This is a trend that may be here to stay. 

“Inspiration and access to career pathways is no longer an accident of zip code,” said Melissa Dubois, Executive Director of the South Metro-Salem STEM Partnership hosted by Oregon Tech in Wilsonville.  “Oregon Connections has allowed us to broaden the horizons of kids from Multnomah to Malheur counties.”

The STEM Hubs are able to collaborate in the design of and participation in events that are 100% virtual, like Oregon Engineers Week and Oregon STEM Week, scaling the reach and impact of both the education system and Oregon employers. These events are geared toward Oregon students and presented by Oregon employers, but open to classrooms across the country.

“Kids can’t be what they can’t see.  Oregon Connections has been pivotal in helping us bridge that inspiration gap for kids who just don’t know what’s out there after graduation,” said Dubois. “Oregon Connections became a critical connection to inspiration and relevance during distance learning. We are so excited to build on that in the coming years.”  

Oregon Connections operates on the Nepris virtual learning platform, used by over 125,000 educators across the country, bringing real-world relevance and career exposure to students through live, virtual connections with industry experts. Many of these virtual sessions are about STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), but there are also authors, artists, designers, actors, athletes, entertainers, and more available. 

The professionals talk about their jobs and bring relevance and application to students’ everyday learning. The live sessions let students ask questions to gain insights from working professionals, take site tours of otherwise inaccessible workspaces, participate in mock interviews, and even present their own projects for feedback. Most importantly, these connections enable students to envision themselves in a variety of careers, regardless of their location or economic status.

“Our work with Oregon Connections began 5 years ago, and we’re thrilled with the growth of that partnership over that time,” explains Sabari Raja, Nepris co-founder and CEO. “This renewed agreement is a testament to not only the efficacy of this model, but also to Oregon’s foresight and dedication to always improving education. By introducing students to the many career paths available early and often, Oregon students of today have a stronger foundation on which to build their own future”.

Through this agreement, Oregon Connections educators will be able to leverage the full power of the platform for live connections - to request virtual industry guests and participate in Industry Chats - interactive talks with guest speakers which take place virtually throughout the day. They will also have unlimited access to the Video Library of 10,000+ archived videos of past sessions. These educational sessions include everything from high-level career introductions and resume reviews, to virtual tours of workplaces, and real-world science and tech activities for students. 

Oregon STEM Hubs, school districts, employers, and organizations interested in learning more about Oregon Connections can reach out to Penny Jahraus (support@oregonconnections.org) for additional details and next steps. 

About Oregon Connections
Oregon Connections is the next generation, web-based tool that makes it easy for industry professionals to connect with K-20 educators. Professionals can share their skills and expertise to bring real-world, authentic learning opportunities to all our students helping to create the next generation of innovators. Through virtual sessions, professionals can help students and teachers connect their classroom to the world of work. Together we can make a difference. Oregon Connections is a project of the STEM Oregon regional STEM hub network in collaboration with regional Career Technical Education partners, and has been a growing presence in Oregon since 2016.

About Nepris
Austin-based Nepris provides a cloud-based platform connecting industry professionals with K-16 classrooms so that students see the relevance of what they are learning in school. Students are exposed to diverse role models and career paths in STEM, the Arts, retail, manufacturing, and countless other careers. Nepris makes it easy for teachers to leverage industry connections while offering a scalable platform for companies and regional intermediaries to easily and effectively engage the current workforce with the future workforce, virtually. Nearly a half-million students have participated in a Nepris virtual session or have viewed one of the 10,000 hours of videos in its library. See Nepris in action at Nepris.com. @NeprisApp

On Friday, May 7, 2021 at approximately 8:15 A.M., Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a two vehicle collision on Hwy 223 near Fir Villa Rd.

Preliminary investigation revealed a Ford F-350 pickup, operated by Landon Pegg (32) of Dallas, was eastbound when a Honda Civic, operated by Bonnie Muhly (80) of Dallas, pulled out of a parking lot in the path of the Ford.

Muhly sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased. 

Pegg was not injured and cooperated in the investigation.

OSP was assisted by the Polk County Sheriff's Office, Dallas Fire Department, and ODOT.  

SALEM, Ore. – The September 2020 wildfires damaged many public and private water systems across Oregon. The Potable Water Resources Task Force, part of Oregon’s state-led wildfire recovery efforts, has launched a survey to learn how the 2020 wildfires have impacted private drinking water wells and systems that divert surface water from streams or reservoirs. This information will be used to help the state better support impacted Oregonians while also helping to inform statewide recovery efforts.

“Offering assistance to individuals impacted by the September wildfires to properly restore private water supply systems will help to provide clean drinking water and protect them from potential public health and safety hazards,” said Bryn Hudson, water policy analyst for the Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD).

If you rely on a private well or surface water system for your drinking water, please take five minutes to complete the survey. Your answers will help us understand and assess damages caused by or related to the 2020 wildfires. Access the survey online at https://wildfire.oregon.gov/Pages/Drinking-Water-Supply.aspx.

Domestic Water Well and Surface Water Resources

OWRD has developed resources for maintaining private wells after wildfire as well as post-wildfire water right considerations. Visit the Department’s wildfire recovery web page for more information regarding post-fire water rights, well maintenance and potential funding assistance. If a water system requiring a water right needs to be rebuilt, coordination with OWRD in advance is recommended.

Free private well testing for well users in wildfire-impacted communities

Well users whose properties were affected by wildfires can receive a voucher for free well water testing. Learn more and apply for a voucher by visiting healthoregon.org/wells. Well users will find guidance about how to first assess damage, then take actions to protect their wells, and finally test their well water to confirm it is safe to drink.

The Oregon Health Authority will continue to provide testing vouchers to well owners through May 15, 2021. Well owners can select from a list of approved environmental laboratories in Oregon that will honor the vouchers for testing services. The tests will look for presence of bacteria, nitrates, arsenic, lead and chemicals that are hazardous byproducts of fire.

For general information and resources for drinking water supply recovery, visit Oregon’s Wildfire Response webpage. For information, questions, or concerns contact the Potable Water Resources Task Force at e.info@state.or.us">fire.info@state.or.us.

# # #

You can get this document in other languages, large print, braille, or a format you prefer. For assistance, call 971-719-1183 or email language@oem.or.us. We accept all relay calls, or you can dial 711.

May 7, 2021

Contact: OHA External Relations, covid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us" target="_blank">orcovid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us

Oregon reports 844 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 8 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — There are eight new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 2,522, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 844 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 189,986.

Dr. Sidelinger highlights COVID-19 trends  

Today, Dr. Dean Sidelinger, State Health Officer and State Epidemiologist, recorded a brief video segment updating the COVID-19 situation in Oregon. Confronted with new and highly transmissible variants, he is calling on all eligible Oregonians to get vaccinated. You can watch the full recording here.

Vaccinations in Oregon

Today, OHA reported that 54,747 new doses of COVID-19 vaccinations were added to the state immunization registry. Of this total, 31,750 doses were administered on May 6 and 22,987 were administered on previous days but were entered into the vaccine registry on May 6.

The seven-day running average is now 32,741 doses per day.

Oregon has now administered a total of 1,744,936 first and second doses of Pfizer, 1,363,623 first and second doses of Moderna and 103,960 single doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines. As of today, 1,385,116 people have completed a COVID-19 vaccine series. There are 1,927,021 who have had at least one dose.

Cumulative daily totals can take several days to finalize because providers have 72 hours to report doses administered and technical challenges have caused many providers to lag in their reporting. OHA has been providing technical support to vaccination sites to improve the timeliness of their data entry into the state’s ALERT Immunization Information System (IIS).

To date, 2,082,015 doses of Pfizer, 1,706,980 doses of Moderna and 246,100 doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines have been delivered to sites across Oregon.

These data are preliminary and subject to change.

OHA's dashboards provide regularly updated vaccination data, and Oregon’s dashboard has been updated today.

COVID-19 hospitalizations

The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 across Oregon is 324, which is four fewer than yesterday. There are 90 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, which is unchanged from yesterday.

The total number of COVID-19 positive patient bed-days in the most recent seven days is 2,354, which is a 5.5% increase from the previous seven days. The peak daily number of beds occupied by COVID-19 positive patients in the most recent seven days is 351.

The total number of patients in hospital beds may fluctuate between report times. The numbers do not reflect admissions per day, nor the length of hospital stay. Staffing limitations are not captured in this data and may further limit bed capacity.

More information about hospital capacity can be found here.

Cases and deaths

The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (2), Benton (16), Clackamas (104), Clatsop (3), Columbia (10), Coos (4), Crook (12), Deschutes (87), Douglas (11), Gilliam (1), Grant (5), Harney (3), Hood River (4), Jackson (36), Jefferson (12), Josephine (7), KIamath (42), Lake (1), Lane (71), Lincoln (2), Linn (44), Malheur (1), Marion (80), Morrow (1), Multnomah (146), Polk (12), Tillamook (1), Umatilla (10), Union (4), Wasco (2), Washington (94), Wheeler (2) and Yamhill (14).

Oregon’s 2,515th death is a 74-year-old man from Coos County who tested positive on April 11 and died on May 6. Location of death is unknown. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 2,516th death is an 89-year-old man from Grant County who tested positive on April 12 and died on May 5 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 2,517th death is a 60-year-old man from Jackson County who tested positive on April 10 and died on May 5 at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 2,518th death is a 57-year-old man from Marion County who tested positive on April 18 and died on May 2 at Oregon Health & Science University Hospital. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 2,519th death is an 84-year-old woman from Multnomah County who tested positive on April 19 and died on April 26 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 2,520th death is an 87-year-old man from Multnomah County who tested positive on April 19 and died on April 21 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 2,521st death is a 100-year-old woman from Multnomah County who tested positive on April 30 and died on May 6 at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 2,522nd death is a 57-year-old man from Jefferson County who tested positive on April 9 and died on May 6 at St. Charles Madras Hospital. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Learn more about COVID-19 vaccinations? 

To learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine situation in Oregon, visit our webpage (English?or?Spanish), which has a breakdown of distribution and other information.

Umpqua’s human digital banking approach met customers’ need for personal, accessible banking during period of financial disruption

PORTLAND, Ore., (May 7, 2021)—Umpqua Bank, a subsidiary of Umpqua Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ: UMPQ), has been named the top bank in the Northwest region for customer satisfaction in the J.D. Power 2021 U.S. Retail Banking Satisfaction StudySM. The bank was among 13 U.S. financial institutions to earn a top regional ranking in the study, which highlights banks’ efforts to support customers during the pandemic.

According to Umpqua CEO Cort O’Haver, Umpqua’s human digital banking strategy uniquely prepared the bank to help customers stay personally connected to their money and their banker, particularly at the height of the pandemic’s economic and financial disruption.

“Our number one ambition at Umpqua is to be there for our customers in good times and bad. So being ranked as the top bank in our region in customer satisfaction means a lot, particularly after the extraordinary disruption of the past year,” said O’Haver. “This recognition is above all a credit to our retail associates who’ve gone the extra mile for customers. It also reflects the value of our human digital approach, which is focused on providing customers access to smart, personalized service from a financial partner they know and trust.”

In 2018, the bank launched Umpqua Go-ToTM, the industry’s first human digital banking platform, which leverages technology to empower and scale deeper customer relationships. Go-To enables every customer – at no cost and regardless of account size – the ability to choose their own personal banker devoted to their financial needs. Through a secure chat platform, customers can connect with their personal banker in real time to resolve issues, ask questions directly, and get financial counsel. Go-To enrollment and use spiked more than 30 percent following the onset of the pandemic when customers needed urgent financial support.

Earning J.D. Power’s top ranking is the latest accolade Umpqua has received and reflects the value of its human digital strategy. In 2019, Umpqua earned a Celent Model Bank of the Year Award for customer engagement. The bank was also named the Best Community Bank, USA 2020 by Capital Finance International for its support of more than 17,000 businesses during the first round of the federal Paycheck Protection Program.

About Umpqua Bank
Umpqua Bank, headquartered in Roseburg, Ore., is a subsidiary of Umpqua Holdings Corporation, and has locations across Idaho, Washington, Oregon, California and Nevada. Umpqua Bank has been recognized for its innovative customer experience and banking strategy by national publications including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, BusinessWeek, Fast Company and CNBC. The company has been recognized for eight years in a row on FORTUNE magazine's list of the country's "100 Best Companies to Work For," and was recently named by The Portland Business Journal the Most Admired Financial Services Company in Oregon for the sixteenth consecutive year. In addition to its retail banking presence, Umpqua Bank also owns Financial Pacific Leasing, Inc., a nationally recognized commercial finance company that provides equipment leases to businesses.

ABOUT J.D. POWER
J.D. Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. A pioneer in the use of big data, artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithmic modeling capabilities to understand consumer behavior, J.D. Power has been delivering incisive industry intelligence on customer interactions with brands and products for more than 50 years. The world's leading businesses across major industries rely on J.D. Power to guide their customer-facing strategies.

J.D. Power is headquartered in Troy, Mich., and has offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. To learn more about the company’s business offerings, visit JDPower.com/business. The J.D. Power auto shopping tool can be found at JDPower.com.

PRINEVILLE, Oregon — Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) and the Oregon Chapter of the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) are pleased to announce Prineville Reservoir State Park is a certified International Dark Sky Park, making it the newest addition to the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) Dark Sky Places Program. Prineville Reservoir is the first Oregon park and the second place in Oregon to be honored with the designation.

The certification recognizes the exceptional quality of the park’s night skies as well as the park’s efforts to install responsible lighting and educate the public about light pollution. Prineville Reservoir joins only 174 locations worldwide that have followed a rigorous application process for dark sky certification.  

“We are proud to help protect the night skies above Prineville Reservoir from light pollution and share Oregon’s incredible dark sky with visitors who may not be able to see the Milky Way from home,” said OPRD Director Lisa Sumption. “This designation is the result of the hard work of the staff at Prineville Reservoir and builds on their longtime dedication to astronomy education.”

“This designation makes Prineville Reservoir a premier destination for stargazing, driving overnight visitation and drawing tourism dollars to the region while enhancing quality of life for residents,” said Bob Hackett, Associate Director of Travel Southern Oregon.

Prineville Reservoir State Park was selected for its expansive dark skies that connect the growing central Oregon city of Bend and population centers west of the Cascade Mountains to the vast starry skies that envelope southeastern Oregon. As part of the application process, park staff replaced harsh outdoor lights with softer yellow and red lighting that reduces skyglow.

“The park offers a genuine night-sky experience for those coming from light polluted cities,” said Bill Kowalik, chair of the Oregon Chapter of the International Dark-Sky Association. “Formal recognition of this International Dark Sky Park, located in rapidly growing central Oregon, will help to educate the public and decision makers about light pollution and the value of the night sky to people and to our greater wild ecosystem.”

The International Dark-Sky Association aims to preserve and protect the nighttime environment and our heritage of dark skies through environmentally responsible outdoor lighting. The International Dark Sky Places Program was founded in 2001 as a non-regulatory and voluntary program to encourage communities, parks and protected areas around the world to preserve and protect dark sites through responsible lighting polices and public education.

Editors: Photos are available in this gallery.

Salem, Ore. -- The Oregon Department of Forestry is inviting public comment on planned projects, timber sales and other management activities in state-owned forests for fiscal year 2022. These plans lay out the on-the-ground activities expected to take place in the coming fiscal year, such as timber harvests, reforestation, and trail improvements.

Starting Friday, May 7 through Monday, June 21, Oregonians can weigh in on the draft annual operations plans for state forests in the Astoria, Forest Grove, Klamath-Lake, Tillamook, West Oregon, and Western Lane Districts, which includes the Tillamook, Clatsop, Sun Pass and Gilchrist state forests. Draft plans are available at: https://www.oregon.gov/ODF/Working/Pages/StateForests.aspx. 

 ODF is offering several convenient avenues for those who want to provide input on the draft plans:

• An online survey can be found at https://forms.gle/TEqVxgGJ7HkutRSb9
• Online comments are also received through ODF’s comments page: https://www.oregon.gov/odf/recreation/pages/comment.aspx
• Comments can be emailed to odf.sfcomments@oregon.gov
• Comments can also be mailed to ODF Public Affairs, 2600 State St., Salem, OR 97310.

By law, state forests must provide economic, environmental, and social benefits to Oregonians. These lands are managed to create healthy, productive forests that provide high-quality habitat, clean water, revenues for rural communities, and recreation opportunities. Overall management policies and goals are established in long-range forest management and implementation plans. Annual operations plans describe activities to achieve the policies and goals laid out in those longer-range plans. Activities that affect fish and wildlife habitat are reviewed by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, while operations that may affect threatened and endangered fish and wildlife habitat are shared with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Common activities included in an Annual Operations Plan include:

• Timber harvest operations
• Recreation improvement and maintenance projects
• Forest road construction, maintenance, and improvements
• Reforestation/replanting and young stand management activities
• Habitat improvement for native species
• Invasive species management

The most useful input speaks to these specific activities and whether they are consistent with longer-range plans, offers suggestions to improve efficiency or effectiveness, corrects errors, provides additional information, and is solution-oriented, understanding that state forests are working forests and by law must provide a variety of economic, environmental, and social benefits.

A public comment process on planned projects, timber sales, and other management activities on the North Cascades District for fiscal year 2022, including extensive restoration efforts on the Santiam State Forest, will be conducted separately.

May 6, 2021

Contact: OHA External Relations, covid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us" target="_blank">orcovid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us

Oregon reports 763 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 5 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — There are five new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 2,514, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 763 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 189,162.

OHA releases latest monthly update on breakthrough cases

Oregon Health Authority has identified 611 COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough cases through May 3, including eight deaths. The number of vaccine breakthrough cases identified in Oregon remains very small when compared to the more than 1.3 million people who have completed their vaccine series against COVID-19.

Vaccine breakthrough cases are defined as instances in which an individual received a positive COVID-19 test result at least 14 days after the completion of any COVID-19 vaccine series.

OHA is not reporting the regions in which the deaths took place. Of the 611 reported vaccine breakthrough cases, 14% (n=89) were observed in individuals who reside in long term care facilities or other congregate care settings.

OHA is now providing updates on breakthrough cases the first Thursday of each month. The current report for May 2021 can be found here.

No media briefing Friday; Dr. Sidelinger to provide video overview  

There will not be a weekly news conference tomorrow but there will be a news conference next week. A short video will be provided via a link in tomorrow’s daily news release to our media colleagues.

Dr. Dean Sidelinger will give an overview of current COVID-19 cases and recent trends in Oregon.

Oregon counties have new indoor capacity limits for indoor recreation and indoor entertainment

Under the direction of Governor Brown, indoor capacity limits in moderate- and high-risk levels are now updated for indoor recreation and fitness and indoor entertainment for Oregon counties. As of Wednesday, May 5, indoor entertainment establishments and indoor recreation and fitness establishments in all Oregon counties may allow the following:

• Moderate risk: Maximum 20% occupancy or 100 people total, whichever is larger
• High risk: Maximum 10% occupancy or 50 people total, whichever is larger

Lower and extreme risk capacity limits for these sectors remain the same.

To view the updated capacity limits, please refer to the Sector Risk Level Guidance Chart.

Vaccinations in Oregon

Today, OHA reported that 36,259 new doses of COVID-19 vaccinations were added to the state immunization registry. Of this total, 23,539 doses were administered on May 5 and 12,720 were administered on previous days but were entered into the vaccine registry on May 5.

The 7-day running average is now 30,909 doses per day.

Oregon has now administered a total of 1,706,865 first and second doses of Pfizer, 1,349,096 first and second doses of Moderna and 101,923 single doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines. As of today, 1,353,250 people have completed a COVID-19 vaccine series. There are 1,902,244 who have had at least one dose.

Cumulative daily totals can take several days to finalize because providers have 72 hours to report doses administered and technical challenges have caused many providers to lag in their reporting. OHA has been providing technical support to vaccination sites to improve the timeliness of their data entry into the state’s ALERT Immunization Information System (IIS).

To date, 2,062,125 doses of Pfizer, 1,692,720 doses of Moderna and 242,800 doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines have been delivered to sites across Oregon.

These data are preliminary and subject to change.

OHA's dashboards provide regularly updated vaccination data, and Oregon’s dashboard has been updated today.

COVID-19 hospitalizations

The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 across Oregon is 328, which is two fewer than yesterday. There are 90 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, which is seven more than yesterday.

The total number of COVID-19 positive patient bed-days in the most recent seven days is 2,364, which is an 8.7% increase from the previous seven days. The peak daily number of beds occupied by COVID-19 positive patients in the most recent seven days is 351.

The total number of patients in hospital beds may fluctuate between report times. The numbers do not reflect admissions per day, nor the length of hospital stay. Staffing limitations are not captured in this data and may further limit bed capacity.

More information about hospital capacity can be found here.

Cases and deaths

The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (12), Benton (14), Clackamas (38), Clatsop (3), Columbia (9), Coos (3), Crook (14), Curry (4), Deschutes (95), Douglas (13), Grant (3), Harney (1), Hood River (2), Jackson (38), Jefferson (4), Josephine (9), KIamath (31), Lake (1), Lane (70), Lincoln (2), Linn (42), Malheur (5), Marion (72), Morrow (1), Multnomah (115), Polk (20), Tillamook (1), Umatilla (9), Union (1), Wallowa (2), Wasco (2), Washington (107) and Yamhill (20).

Oregon’s 2,510th death is a 69-year-old woman from Josephine County who tested positive on April 4 and died on April 30 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 2,511th death is a 91-year-old woman from Jackson County who tested positive on April 28 and died on May 4 at Providence Medford Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 2,512th death is a 50-year-old man from Klamath County who tested positive on April 20 and died on May 4 at Sky Lakes Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 2,513rd death is a 63-year-old man from Linn County who tested positive on April 15 and died on May 3 at Salem Hospital. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 2,514th death is a 68-year-old man from Marion County who tested positive on April 20 and died on May 4 at Salem Hospital. He had underlying conditions.

Reaching people where they are?

Some of our neighbors may find it challenging to get to a COVID-19 vaccine clinic.?Folks who live in?remote areas. People who can’t get time off work. Individuals who are houseless.?To reach people where they are, local public health workers are getting creative.??

Neva Anderson is an emergency manager and recently led an effort to get truck drivers vaccinated?in?Linn County?where she works.?Commercial?truck drivers?often work long hours and can travel hundreds of miles a day. To make?COVID-19 vaccinations for truck drivers as easy as possible, Anderson’s team visited two truck stops in Linn County,?Loves?in Albany and?Pioneer Villa Truck Plaza?in Halsey,?where they vaccinated 68 drivers on April 9.?Picture of clinic atttached. 

Anderson is also partnering with?Gates Community Church of Christ?in Gates?to make sure folks in that community have convenient access to the COVID-19 vaccine. Anderson said, “Wildfires?devasted the area last year and the church opened its doors to help?coordinate supplies for?people?who lost their homes?and needed the basics to get by, like food and shelter.?Now we are collaborating with them again?so we can provide outreach clinics to folks in the canyon.” That includes vaccinating people at local food banks as they pick up their groceries.??To make?COVID-19 vaccinations for truck drivers as easy as possible, Anderson’s team visited two truck stops in Linn County

Volunteers from the?Linn County Medical Reserve Corp,?Linn County?staff and?Albany Fire Department?emergency personnel are helping with these?vaccination efforts.?

All over the state people are finding creative ways to make the COVID-19 vaccine available. Here are some upcoming clinics:?

Heart of Hospice is holding a drop-in COVID-19 vaccination clinic at The Dalles Senior Center,1112 W 9th Street in The Dalles. The clinic is today, Thursday, May 6 from?5:30 to 6:30 p.m. The Janssen/Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be used. The event is open to anyone and no insurance is required.

Golden Dawn Clinic offers an ongoing COVID-19 vaccination clinic in Portland at 8035 SE Holgate Blvd. They are open Mon-Sat from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Call 503-788-9378 to schedule an appointment.

Learn more about COVID-19 vaccinations? 

To learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine situation in Oregon, visit our webpage (English?or?Spanish), which has a breakdown of distribution and other information.

May 6, 2021  

Remake Learning Days Across America (RLDAA) returns this spring in 17+ regions, launching more than 700+ innovative learning events to engage caregivers, parents and kids around the country.

Oregon's network of regional STEM Hubs will host more than 100 event during this learning festival between May 8 and 16, 2021. These events are designed for parents and caregivers to learn alongside their kids and offer relevant and engaging educational experiences for youth of all ages (pre-K through high school). The majority of events are free and are offered virtually, in-person or in hybrid models. 

Oregon’s festival of events will capture the themes of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math and more and include in-person and virtual events such as:

• KATU Innovation Challenge - Student Finalist Pitches (Virtual) 

https://remakelearningdays.org/event/katu-innovation-challenge-student-finalist-pitches/

• Oregon Connection Industry Chat - Visit a Wildlife Safari! (Virtual) 

https://remakelearningdays.org/event/virtual-visit-to…life-safari-copy/ 

• Glendale Community Library - STEAM Week at the Library! (In-Person)

 https://remakelearningdays.org/event/steam-week-at-th…re-stem-thinking/ ‎

Find a complete list of events and registration information here 

• Public Events - https://remakelearningdays.org/oregon/

• Public and Private Events - https://stemoregon.org/stemweek2021/

Oregon’s regional STEM Hubs create equitable access to real-world STEM experiences for learners across Oregon, igniting students’ passion for STEM.  Oregon’s STEM Hub network was honored as a Learning Forerunner in education by Finland’s HundrED.org in 202.

Remake Learning Days Across America is led by Remake Learning (RL), a network that ignites engaging, relevant, and equitable learning practices in support of young people navigating rapid social and technological change. National partners of RLDAA include PBS Kids, Digital Promise, Common Sense Media, Learning Heroes and Noggin. RLDAA is generously supported by The Grable Foundation, The Hewlett Foundation, Schmidt Futures, Carnegie Corporation of New York and the Ford Foundation. Visit remakelearning.org for more information or follow RL on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. For more information specifically on Remake Learning Days Across America, visit remakelearningdays.org or follow RLDAA on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and the hashtag #RemakeDays. 

The deadline to file state and federal personal income tax returns—May 17—is approaching, and the Oregon Department of Revenue estimates it will receive more than half a million more returns between now and then.

At least 1.5 million Oregonians have already filed their state personal income tax returns. The department is expecting about 2.2 million returns this year.

While most returns are processed without issue, there are a number of reasons returns may get flagged for additional review, including miscalculations on the return, misapplied payments, or missing documentation. Some of these can be corrected automatically, but others may require a request for more information or validation of the information by a staff member.

If your return ends up in manual review status, the best thing taxpayers can do is respond to any requests from the department as quickly as possible. Generally, taxpayers will receive letters requesting additional or missing documentation or asking them to take an identity verification quiz.

Do you owe taxes?

Those who owe taxes must make their payments by the same due date as their return, May 17. Some taxpayers are granted filing extensions, which means their returns aren’t due until October 15. However, an extension to file is not an extension to pay. Interest on taxes due starts accumulating the day after the return is due.

To make a payment:

Online: Make or schedule electronic payments from your bank account or by credit or debit card through Revenue Online at www.oregon.gov/dor.

In person: The department’s field offices can no longer accept cash, but they do still accept payments by check, money order, or credit or debit card by appointment. Cash payments are only accepted at the department’s main office in Salem. Appointments can be scheduled using the department’s self-service tool on the Contact Us page of Revenue’s website.

By mail: If you’re mailing your payment separate from your return, be sure to include a payment voucher so it can be appropriately credited. Visit www.oregon.gov/dor/forms for a blank personal income tax payment voucher (OR-40-V). The department’s website also has a list of mailing addresses for personal income tax payments. To avoid penalty and interest, your payment must be postmarked by May 17.

If you can’t pay your taxes, please contact the department as soon as possible. Based on your financial situation, you may be eligible for a payment plan.

Do you still need to file your return?

File electronically. E-filing is the fastest way to get your tax refund. Taxpayers who e-file their returns and request their refund via direct deposit receive their refund sooner than those who file paper returns and request paper refund checks.

Free e-filing. All Oregon taxpayers preparing their own returns can file electronically at no cost using Oregon’s free fillable forms. There are many other free or low-cost preparation options available for both federal and Oregon tax returns. Some software companies offer free software use and e-filing for eligible taxpayers. Visit the Department of Revenue website to take advantage of the software and free offers and get more information about free tax preparation services.

Earned Income Tax Credit. You may be missing out on a bigger refund if you’re not claiming the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Eligibility information is available at www.irs.gov/eitc. Taxpayers who are eligible for the EITC can also claim Oregon’s Earned Income Credit (EIC).

Unemployment exclusion. Unemployment benefits are generally treated as income for tax purposes. The American Rescue Plan enacted on March 11, 2021 allows individuals with modified Adjusted Gross Income of less than $150,000 to exclude up to $10,200 in unemployment benefits at the federal level, which Oregon follows. For taxpayers who already filed before the law was enacted, Oregon is adjusting these returns for the exclusion. If you are one of these taxpayers and have not received a refund or a notice of adjustment by the end of May, please contact the department.

The Department of Revenue continues to expand features available through Revenue Online. Individuals can view letters sent to them by the department, initiate appeals, make payments, and submit questions. Visit Revenue Online to learn more.

To get tax forms, check the status of your refund, or make payments, visit www.oregon.gov/dor or email questions.dor@oregon.gov. You can also call 800-356-4222 toll-free from an Oregon prefix (English or Spanish) or 503-378-4988 in Salem and outside Oregon. For TTY (hearing or speech impaired), we accept all relay calls.

- 30 -

METHODOLOGY

From April 1-6, 2021, the Oregon Values and Beliefs Center conducted a statewide survey of Oregonians’ values and beliefs, including how they feel about current economic conditions statewide and in their community. The online survey consisted of 600 Oregon residents ages 18+ and took approximately 15 minutes to complete. This survey’s margin of error, for the full sample, ranges from ±2.4% to ±4.0%. The question numbers in this document correspond with the survey questionnaire (Q1-Q4).

KEY FINDINGS

• Three in ten rate economic conditions in Oregon as excellent (3%) or good (27%). Seven in ten says conditions are only fair (46%) or poor (22%). This is an improvement from a September 2020 DHM Panel survey, when only two in ten rated conditions as excellent (2%) or good (19%). Oregonians making more than $100K per year are more likely to think conditions are excellent or good than those making less (42% vs. 28%) (Q1).
   
• Oregonians are more likely to think economic conditions in the state are getting worse (34%) than better (22%), while a plurality (39%) feel conditions are staying about the same. However, this is an improvement from September 2020, when only 9% said conditions were getting better (a 13-point jump) and 46% said conditions were getting worse (Q2).
   
• Oregonians’ ratings of the economic conditions in their community are nearly identical to their ratings of conditions statewide, with three in ten saying excellent (3%) or good (29%), and roughly seven in ten saying they are only fair (44%) or poor (21%). Again, perceptions of local economic conditions improve with higher incomes, with those making more than $100K per year almost twice as likely to say conditions are excellent or good than those making less than $50K (45% vs. 27%) (Q3).
   
• Similar to their view of the trajectory of economic conditions statewide, Oregonians are more likely to think conditions in their community are getting worse (29%) than better (19%), and a plurality (47%) say things are staying about the same. The belief that conditions are getting better increases with higher income and education levels (Q4).

DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS

“Identifying what unites us and understanding what divides us.”

• Oregonians of color and whites rate economic conditions as excellent/good in Oregon and in their communities at roughly equal levels (Oregon: 30% vs. 32%; communities: 32% vs. 35%). However, when it comes to the trajectory of those economic conditions, Oregonians of color are more likely than whites to say conditions are getting worse (Oregon: 33% vs. 39%; communities: 28% vs. 35%)(Q1-Q4).
   
• For all these economic ratings, urban Oregonians provide higher positive scores than their rural counterparts. Urbanites are twice as likely to rate economic conditions in Oregon as excellent/good (36% vs. 18%) and are twice as likely to say conditions in Oregon are getting better (31% vs. 16%). Also, urbanites are three times more likely to say conditions in their community are getting better than rural residents (27% vs. 9%) (Q1-Q4).   

For additional information, please see attached annotated questionnaire and crosstabs, blog post here, and/or contact the Oregon Values and Beliefs Center.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A federal grand jury in Portland has returned an indictment charging a Beaverton, Oregon, woman with arson after she allegedly set fire to the Portland Police Association building during a riot on April 13, 2021.

Alma Raven-Guido, 19, has been charged with one count of arson.

According to the indictment, Raven-Guido maliciously damaged the Portland Police Association building on North Lombard Street in Portland with fire.

Raven-Guido was arrested without incident by the FBI on May 5, 2021, and made her initial appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. She was arraigned, pleaded not guilty, and ordered released pending further court proceedings.

Arson is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years.

Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the Portland Police Bureau with assistance from the FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Craig Gabriel and Jaclyn Jenkins are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

# # #

EUGENE, Ore.— A Chinese national residing in Los Angeles pleaded guilty today for his role in a scheme to purchase hundreds of endangered and vulnerable turtles in the U.S. and smuggle them via U.S. mail and commercial airline flights to China.

Yuan Xie, 30, pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiring to smuggle goods from the U.S.

According to court documents, beginning in at least May 2017 and continuing until October 2018, Xie conspired with another Chinese national, Xiao Dong Qin, 35, of Shanghai, China, to purchase more than 769 live turtles from reptile dealers in Alabama, California, Florida, Kentucky, Michigan, New Jersey, Nevada, North Carolina, and South Carolina. All of the turtles purchased and smuggled by Xie are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

A two-year investigation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) revealed that in an 18-month period, Xie facilitated the purchase and transportation of approximately 134 Florida box turtles, 178 eastern box turtles, 127 North American wood turtles, 220 spotted turtles, 77 diamondback terrapins, 25 three-toed box turtles, seven yellow-blotched map turtles, and one Blanding’s turtle from his former residence in Eugene, Oregon. USFWS investigators determined the cost of the turtles involved in this investigation exceeded $150,000 and estimated the market value was more than double that amount in the Chinese pet trade.

In November 2018, Xie was arrested by USFWS agents at his residence in Los Angeles.

Xie faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced on August 12, 2021 before U.S. District Court Judge Michael J. McShane.

As part of the plea agreement, Xie has agreed to pay $2,233 in restitution to a rehabilitation facility near Chicago and The Turtle Conservancy near Los Angeles for costs associated with the care of turtles intercepted by law enforcement.

Qin was sentenced on February 27, 2020 to two years’ probation and paid nearly $8,000 in restitution.

This case was investigated by USFWS with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. It is being prosecuted by Pamela Paaso, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

# # #

Pacific Power announces new grants to support Washington communities this spring

Grants were awarded to safety and wellness initiatives aimed at strengthening the region as the COVID-19 pandemic continues

YAKIMA, Wash. (May 6, 2021) — Even as COVID-19 vaccines roll out across the country, many communities are still facing challenges from the pandemic and the organizations that support them are still seeing unprecedented demand.

In spite of the odds, local programs that address critical issues such as food insecurity, homelessness, domestic violence, child abuse, elder issues, mental health and community safety have continued to find creative new ways to deliver help quickly and safely, even while facing additional budget constraints.

As part of the company’s commitment to supporting its communities, PacifiCorp Foundation, a nonprofit arm of Pacific Power, is donating more than $525,000 across the six states it serves. The funding goes to support a total of 209 safety and wellness grants as part of the most recent round of quarterly grants provided by the foundation each year. The next grant cycle is now open through June 15; organizations may apply online.

“We celebrate these heroic organizations that have continued to reinvent and reimagine ways they can help our communities’ most vulnerable,” said Toni Petty, Pacific Power regional business manager for Yakima. “Although we see brighter days ahead, Pacific Power remains deeply committed to supporting the work of these organizations, helping to fortify our communities, so they are strong and resilient.”

The following grants were given to Washington organizations providing critical safety and wellness programs:

• Heartlinks Hospice & Palliative Care to support pediatric palliative care patients who are facing life-threatening illnesses, which is especially important as the pandemic has increase social isolation. 
• Camp Prime Time for “camperships” that allow children with special needs or serious illnesses safely escape COVID isolation and attend camp with other children dealing with similar issues.
• Yakima Neighborhood Health Services for purchase of a barrier-free exam chair and table to accommodate the needs of wheelchair-bound and other disabled veterans visiting the Veterans Clinic at Chuck Austin Place, which is scheduled to open in the summer of 2021.
• Children’s Home Society of Washington to provide car seats and bike helmets through the SafeKids Walla Walla Valley Riding Safe Program for low-income, high-risk children.
• National Alliance on Mental Illness of Washington to provide mental health outreach programs to middle, high school and college students in Walla Walla and Yakima counties.
• Providence St. Mary Foundation to fund the Good Samaritan program that provides direct assistance to Providence patients in Walla Walla, Umatilla and Columbia counties who need help with expenses critical to recovery such as transportation to appointments, medical equipment, food or prescriptions.
• Trilogy Recovery Community to ensure they can continue to provide recovery support for mental health and substance abuse, particularly to vulnerable youth and Latino community members.
• Walla Walla County Department of Community Health for supplies and educational information for preventative and restorative dental care for Medicaid-eligible children from birth to age six.
• Garfield County Fire District for the purchase of a stair chair so they can safely and efficiently move medical patients down stairs, through narrow hallways or around obstacles.

“Yakima Neighborhood Health Services is thrilled to receive support from the Pacific Power Foundation,” said Rhonda Huff, CEO for Yakima Neighborhood Health Services. “We are purchasing a barrier-free exam table for our clinic at the new Veteran’s Center in partnership with the Yakima Housing Authority, which will open this summer. This special table will remove barriers for patients who need safe access to care. We could not be more appreciative!”

###

About the Pacific Power Foundation:

The Pacific Power Foundation is part of the PacifiCorp Foundation, one of the largest utility-endowed foundations in the United States. The foundation was created in 1988 by PacifiCorp, an electric utility serving 2 million customers in six western states as Pacific Power (Oregon, Washington and California) and Rocky Mountain Power (Utah, Wyoming and Idaho). The foundation’s mission, through charitable investments, is to support the growth and vitality of the communities served by Pacific Power and Rocky Mountain Power. For more information, visit www.pacificpower.net/foundation.

On May 5, 2021, OSP and emergency personnel responded to a report of a motorcycle crash on SR 206 near MP 6 in Sherman County.  Investigation showed the motorcycle operator, identified as James Nordrum (51) out of Minnesota, was northbound when he failed to negotiate a curve and went off a small embankment.  Lifesaving efforts were attempted by bystanders and emergency personnel.  The operator was pronounced deceased at the scene.

OSP was assisted by Sherman County Sheriff’s Office,   North Sherman Fire & Rescue, Moro Fire & Rescue, Sherman County ambulance and  Life Flight.

State Interoperability Executive Council

The State Interoperability Executive Council (SIEC) will meet Tuesday, May 11, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. The meeting will take place via teleconference. The meeting is open to the public and comments will be taken from those attending via audioconference.

The agenda and handouts are posted on the council’s website. Instructions for those who wish to attend over the phone are outlined in the meeting agenda.

What:      State Interoperability Executive Council 

When:    Tuesday, May 11, 2021, 1:30pm – 3:30pm

Where:  Via Teleconference

                  Microsoft Teams Link

Audio Call In: 503-446-4951

Pin: 661 692 803#

Who:       Members of the State Interoperability Executive Council 

The SIEC was created under the State Chief Information Officer to be the statewide interoperability governing body and to serve as the primary steering group for the Oregon Statewide Interoperability Communications Plan (SCIP). The SIEC’s mission is to develop and maintain the SCIP, develop recommendations and guidelines for policy, identify technology and standards, and coordinate intergovernmental resources to facilitate statewide public safety communications interoperability.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION OF DISABILITIES – Reasonable accommodations, such as assistive hearing devices, sign language interpreters and materials in large print or audiotape, will be provided as needed. In order to ensure availability, please contact Calloway Erickson at the Office of the State Chief Information Office at telephone 503-378-3175, or email calloway.erickson@oregon.gov at least 72 hours prior to the meeting with your request.

May 5, 2021

BEND, Ore. — The Oregon Hunters Association (OHA) is offering $10,000 for information that leads to an arrest or citation in the case of three elk that were poached west of Bend on or about Oct. 28, 2020.

In early April, OHA Bend, Redmond, Capitol, Josephine, and Mid-Columbia chapters, along with several private donors, pooled resources to increase the reward amount to $6500.  Additional private donations and an infusion of $1,000 from the OHA State Board last week raised the total to $10,000. Several thousand dollars of the reward was donated to OHA by non-hunters who are equally enraged.

OSP Fish and Wildlife Troopers located the cow elk carcass on Oct. 30 after a hunter scouting the Dry Canyon area east of Sisters reported it to the Turn In Poachers (TIP) Line. Troopers then discovered a large bull elk carcass nearby.  The bull elk’s head had been removed as a trophy. Although bull elk were in season at the time, it is a crime to leave carcasses to waste.

Two days later, on Nov. 1, a hunter reported the carcass of a one-year-old male spike elk about 40 yards from where the cow had been found. Based on decomposition, all three animals were shot at or near the same time, and certainly the same day according to OSP F&W Senior Trooper Creed Cummings, who processed the scene.

OHA Vice President Steve Hagan, who oversees the TIP rewards program for the organization, describes the case as upsetting.

“This case has generated outrage in Central Oregon,” he said. “This happened a while back, but we haven’t forgotten about it. Hopefully, this increased reward will help generate leads towards a resolution to this case."

Oregon’s Stop Poaching campaign coordinator Yvonne Shaw agrees. “This is a blatant waste of Oregonians’ natural resources,” she said, “Not only have these animals been removed from legal hunting in season, but they have also been removed from chance encounters with hikers, photographers, and others who appreciate the opportunity to experience wildlife. Poachers take from all of us.”

All three elk were most likely shot on the opening day of the East Central Cascade elk season which ran Oct. 28 through Nov. 1, 2020. Instead of the cash reward, a caller to the TIP Line could opt for six hunter preference points if their report leads to a citation. OSP Troopers would like anyone in the area who heard shots at night or noticed anything unusual on the opening day of the season to call the TIP Line at 1-800-452-7888 or by cell OSP (677) or by email TIP@osp.oregon.gov.

Stop Poaching Campaign
The Stop Poaching Campaign educates the public on how to recognize and report poaching. This campaign is a collaboration among hunters, conservationists, landowners, and recreationists. Our goal is to increase reporting of wildlife crimes through the TIP Line, increase detection by increasing the number of OSP Fish and Wildlife Troopers and increase prosecution. The Oregon Hunters Association manages TIP Line reward funds. This campaign helps to protect and enhance Oregon’s fish and wildlife and their habitat for the enjoyment of present and future generations. Contact campaign coordinator Yvonne Shaw for more information. Yvonne.l.Shaw@odfw.oregon.gov.

Portland, Ore. – May 6, 2021 – Oregon Community Foundation (OCF) today announced Central City Concern (CCC) has been selected to receive a Project Turnkey grant of $7 million for the acquisition and conversion of a 70-room motel located in outer East Portland, Oregon. Project-Turnkey-East Portland will be known as the “CCC Recovery Hotel”. The CCC Recovery Hotel will serve as transitional housing for people who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness and in early stages of recovery regarding substance use and addiction.

"CCC is thrilled to provide this safe, early-stage supportive transitional housing," says Melissa Bishop, CCC's Associate Director of Recovery Housing Programs. “The CCC Recovery Hotel will offer a safe, encouraging environment where residents can begin work on their recovery journeys. We're also especially honored to be serving our Native American community members through our partnership with the Native American Rehabilitation Association."

Referrals for the CCC Recovery Hotel will come from CCC’s substance use and addiction recovery programs, including from CCC’s culturally specific service providers–Puentes and Imani, which serve the Latinx and African American communities. In addition, the Native American Rehabilitation Association (NARA) will provide referrals for up to 15 of the rooms, offering expanded culturally specific recovery housing for Native American community members. This new, transitional housing will provide a compassionate and stable place to those who have struggled with substance use and addiction. 

“NARA is honored and so excited to have this opportunity to serve and to further develop our long-standing partnership with Central City Concern,” says Jackie Mercer, CEO, NARA. “We are very grateful to be able to offer housing and recovery supports to help Native Americans, who as a community, experience extremely high rates of homelessness.”

Key benefits of the Project Turnkey-East Portland, operated by CCC and to be known as the “CCC Recovery Hotel”, include:

• Safe accommodation for up to 70 individuals.
• Provision of essentials such as showers, laundry, hygiene items, etc.
• Supportive services including behavioral health, recovery services, employment, and navigation to permanent housing.
• An inclusive, culturally competent atmosphere that helps vulnerable community members stabilize to be able to get on the road to recovery regarding substance use and addiction.

Located at 5019 NE 102nd Avenue, in outer East Portland, Oregon, Central City Concern anticipates the CCC Recovery Hotel to open in September 2021.

“Shelter is never the end goal—it’s just a step on the path to stability and housing. The power of the Project Turnkey model is that it offers both shelter and housing in one single investment,” Megan Loeb, OCF Program Officer, Housing, said. “By acquiring motels/hotels as shelter now during the pandemic, Oregon communities can boost their housing stock by converting these properties to permanent housing in the long-term. We continue to see the benefits of this cost-effective model to support Oregon’s housing crisis.” 

Oregon Community Foundation offers support for Oregon’s housing needs along a continuum–from shelter to supportive housing to affordable housing to equitable home ownership–through a variety of tools, including research, grants, advocacy, and low-interest loans. OCF’s administration of Project Turnkey is one example of the innovative, collaborative approaches underway to help more Oregonians find stable, affordable housing.

For a complete list of Project Turnkey grant awardees, please visit Project Turnkey online.

About Project Turnkey

The Oregon Legislature allocated a total of $65 million for Project Turnkey for the purpose of acquiring motels/hotels for use as non-congregate shelter for people experiencing homelessness or at-risk of homelessness. Two discrete funds were provided by the state: one totaling $30 million to be awarded in counties and tribal communities impacted by the 2020 wildfires; and one totaling $35 million for the remaining 28 counties in the state. Oregon Community Foundation is administering both funds through an application and selection process, with guidance from an Advisory Committee of state, local, and community stakeholders. For more information, please visit Project Turnkey online.

About Central City Concern

Central City Concern offers many types of affordable and transitional housing, combined with programs to help people overcome barriers to permanent housing. Each year, CCC serves more than 13,000 people experiencing or at risk of homelessness with affordable and supportive housing, person-centered health care, addiction recovery and employment assistance. To learn more about CCC, please visit: centralcityconcern.org.

About Native American Rehabilitation Association of the Northwest, Inc.

NARA provides education, physical and mental health services and substance abuse treatment that is culturally appropriate to American Indians, Alaska Natives and anyone in need. To learn more about NARA, please visit: naranorthwest.org.

About Oregon Community Foundation

Oregon Community Foundation puts donated money to work in Oregon – more than $100 million in grants and scholarships annually. Since 1973, OCF grantmaking, research, advocacy and community-advised solutions have helped individuals, families, businesses, and organizations create charitable funds to improve lives for all Oregonians. Impactful giving–time, talent, and resources from many generous Oregonians–creates measurable change. For more information about OCF, please visit: oregoncf.org.

###

The Oregon Office of Emergency Management has posted the Oregon Wildfire Recovery Update for May 05, 2021, to the Oregon Wildfire Resources page. See today's Wildfire Recovery update here.

Photo Captions:

Detroit, Ore. - April 21, 2021 - The Oregon Debris Management Task Force uses heavy equipment to clear a property in Detroit, Oregon, from ash and debris left in the wake of the 2020 Beachie Creek wildfire. (Photo courtesy of Oregon Department of Transportation)
File: Debris Management cleanup at Beachie Creek Fire site

Oregon Office of Emergency Management Wildfire Recovery Logo: Oregon Rising - Stronger Together.
File: OEM RISING LOGO JPG

Wildfire smoke fills the air as the Keep Oregon Green sign reminds people that we can prevent wildfires. (Photo courtesy of Keep Oregon Green Association)
File: Wildfire Awareness Month

A screenshot of the DEQ Air Quality map from their blog to check updates on the air quality in your area. (Image courtesy of Oregon DEQ)                                                                                                                                                                                   File: Oregon DEQ map 

NEWPORT, Oregon – The Driftwood Beach State Recreation Site parking area will close as early as June 1 for the first phase of an Oregon State University (OSU) wave energy project. The beach in front of the park and a restroom will remain open to visitors. OSU is holding virtual town halls Monday, May 10 to explain the project.

During the closure, the Driftwood Beach parking lot will be open only to vehicle traffic associated with the project. Visitor parking and beach access are available at multiple nearby state parks including Seal Rock State Recreation Site, Governor Patterson Memorial State Recreation Site and Brian Booth State Park, which are all less than five miles from Driftwood Beach. Although the Driftwood Beach parking area will be closed, an on-site restroom will be available outside the construction area.

The closure is for initial work to connect OSU’s PacWave South wave energy test site to onshore components of the project. The work will include horizontal directional drilling deep beneath the park and ocean shore. Later subsea cable installation work will primarily be between 1 and 7 miles offshore.

The virtual town halls are set for:

Town Hall Meeting #1 on May 10, 2021 at 1 p.m.: https://oregonstate.zoom.us/j/93265505728

Town Hall Meeting #2 on May 10, 2021 at 6 p.m.: https://oregonstate.zoom.us/j/94557740261

More information about the town halls and how to attend are available at http://pacwaveenergy.org/, under the Construction Update section. The town halls will include construction updates and public question-and-answer sessions.

###

May 5, 2021

Contact: OHA External Relations, covid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us" target="_blank">orcovid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us

Weekly COVID-19 cases, deaths, hospitalizations decline

The Oregon Health Authority’s COVID-19 Weekly Report, released today, shows decreases in daily cases, hospitalizations and deaths from the previous week.

OHA reported 5,557 new daily cases of COVID-19 during the week of Monday, April 26 through Sunday, May 2. That represents a 3% decrease from the previous week.

New COVID-19 related hospitalizations fell to 272, down from 333 last week.

Reported COVID-19 related deaths fell to 16, down from 26 last week.

There were 110,134 tests for COVID-19 for the week of April 25 through May 1 — an 18% decrease from last week. The percentage of positive tests rose from 6.0% to 6.8%.

People 70 years of age and older have accounted for 39% of COVID-19 related hospitalizations and 76% of COVID-19 related deaths.

Today’s COVID-19 Weekly Outbreak Report shows 42 active COVID-19 outbreaks in senior living communities and congregate living settings, with three or more confirmed cases and one or more COVID-19 related deaths.

SALEM, Ore. – In observance of Wildfire Awareness Month and in response to an earlier than normal Red Flag Warning issued by the National Weather Service in April, the Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC) is reminding Oregonians to get ready for the 2021 wildfire season and potential power outages.

“If the Labor Day Fires in 2020 taught us anything, it’s to be ready for future wildfire events, regardless of where you live in Oregon” said Letha Tawney, PUC Commissioner. “The PUC and other state agencies are providing information early to help Oregonians avoid being caught by surprise by wildfires that may require evacuations, utilities to implement public safety power shut-offs, or cause wide-spread power outages.”

Prepare for Wildfires Before They Happen

• Register to receive alerts from official sources. Download the FEMA app and receive real-time alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five locations nationwide. Also, sign up for emergency notifications with your local city and/or county, as well as outage alerts from your electric utility service provider.
• Develop an emergency plan and make sure everyone in your household knows and understands what to do in the event of an evacuation.
• Create a circle of safety around your home, which is a fuel-free defensible space that can help reduce fire danger. Visit Keep Oregon Green for more information.

Prepare for a Potential Power Outage

Wildfires can cause power outages, or electric utilities may elect to implement a public safety power shutoff (PSPS). This is a safety measure designed to help protect people and communities in high fire-risk areas by proactively shutting off electricity during extreme and dangerous weather conditions that might result in wildfires. If a PSPS becomes necessary for electric utilities to implement, the service providers will contact their customers directly. Below are links to access the outage and PSPS information online for the investor-owned utilities regulated by the PUC:

• Portland General Electric
• Pacific Power
• Idaho Power

Oregonians are encouraged to do the following to prepare for a potential power outage before the 2021 wildfire season:

• Be two weeks ready – Gather food, medical supplies, batteries, pet supplies, among other things, needed by family members during an outage or evacuation for up to two weeks. Learn more about what supplies to consider.
• For individuals with a medical condition that requires power, please contact your service provider in advance of an outage to register a Medical Certificate. This certification provides added benefits and helps the utility ensure they meet your needs in the event of an outage. Also, consider a backup generator or alternative location for power needs.
• Keep cell phones fully charged in anticipation of an outage. Consider a car-charger for cell phones and other electronic devices.
• Make sure your utility service provider has current contact information for notifications by updating your account online.

During a Power Outage

• Contact your electric utility service provider to inform them of an outage. Below is the contact information for the investor-owned utilities regulated by the PUC. If uncertain which utility serves your area, visit https://www.oregon.gov/energy/energy-oregon/pages/find-your-utility.aspx.
  • Portland General Electric – 800-544-1795
  • Pacific Power – 877-508-5088
  • Idaho Power – 800-488-6151
• Avoid downed power lines at all costs.
• Stay clear of utility crews working to restore service in your community.
• Use flashlights or battery operated lanterns for emergency lighting. Do not use candles or other potential fire hazards.
• Turn off lights and unplug electric appliances except for the refrigerator and freezer to help avoid a surge to the system when service is restored. After turning off all the lights, turn one light on to know when power has been restored.
• Use generators safely – Do not run the generator inside the home or garage or anywhere near a window or vent, as these spaces can capture deadly levels of carbon monoxide. Learn more about proper use of a generator to avoid hazardous conditions.
• Check on elderly neighbors or individuals with special needs who might need additional assistance.

Natural Gas Tips

• If required to evacuate, no need to shut off natural gas.
• If natural gas appliances do not operate properly once electricity is restored, call your natural gas service provider.
• If natural gas service is shut off, do not turn on yourself. Call your natural gas service provider to restore service.
• If you smell natural gas, evacuate immediately and call 911.

For additional information on fire prevention and preparedness, visit: www.oregon.gov/puc/safety/Pages/Power-Outage-Prep.aspx.

# # #

The Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC) regulates customer rates and services of the state’s investor-owned electric, natural gas and telephone utilities, as well as select water companies. The PUC mission is to ensure Oregon utility customers have access to safe, reliable, and high quality utility services at just and reasonable rates, which is accomplished through thorough analysis and independent decision-making conducted in an open and fair process.

May 5, 2021

Contact: OHA External Relations, covid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us" target="_blank">orcovid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us

Oregon reports 808 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 1 new death

PORTLAND, Ore. — There is one new COVID-19 related death in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 2,509, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 808 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 188,417.

Vaccinations in Oregon

Today, OHA reported that 30,994 new doses of COVID-19 vaccinations were added to the state immunization registry. Of this total, 21,621 doses were administered on May 4 and 9,373 were administered on previous days but were entered into the vaccine registry on May 4.

The 7-day running average is now 31,644 doses per day.

Oregon has now administered a total of 1,687,447 first and second doses of Pfizer, 1,334,561 first and second doses of Moderna and 99,793 single doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines. As of today, 1,331,526 people have completed a COVID-19 vaccine series. There are 1,885,466 who have had at least one dose.

Cumulative daily totals can take several days to finalize because providers have 72 hours to report doses administered and technical challenges have caused many providers to lag in their reporting. OHA has been providing technical support to vaccination sites to improve the timeliness of their data entry into the state’s ALERT Immunization Information System (IIS).

To date, 2,062,125 doses of Pfizer, 1,680,800 doses of Moderna and 241,900 doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines have been delivered to sites across Oregon.

These data are preliminary and subject to change.

OHA's dashboards provide regularly updated vaccination data, and Oregon’s dashboard has been updated today.

COVID-19 hospitalizations

The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 across Oregon is 330, which is 15 fewer than yesterday. There are 83 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, which is four more than yesterday.

The total number of COVID-19 positive patient bed-days in the most recent seven days is 2,371, which is a 12.1% increase from the previous seven days. The peak daily number of beds occupied by COVID-19 positive patients in the most recent seven days is 351.

The total number of patients in hospital beds may fluctuate between report times. The numbers do not reflect admissions per day, nor the length of hospital stay. Staffing limitations are not captured in this data and may further limit bed capacity.

More information about hospital capacity can be found here.

Cases and deaths

The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (4), Benton (17), Clackamas (119), Clatsop (2), Columbia (6), Crook (16), Curry (1), Deschutes (81), Douglas (12), Grant (2), Hood River (5), Jackson (40), Jefferson (3), Josephine (18), KIamath (37), Lake (3), Lane (43), Lincoln (1), Linn (36), Malheur (7), Marion (59), Morrow (2), Multnomah (164), Polk (15), Tillamook (2), Umatilla (8), Union (1), Wallowa (2), Wasco (1), Washington (84) and Yamhill (17).

Oregon’s 2,509th COVID-19 death is a 41-year-old man from Lane County who tested positive on Nov. 18, 2020 and died on Jan. 1, 2021 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Learn more about COVID-19 vaccinations? 

To learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine situation in Oregon, visit our webpage (English?or?Spanish), which has a breakdown of distribution and other information.

For Immediate Release                                        

May 3, 2021

Contact:     Sara Stewart
                  503-378-2424

                  sara.stewart@state.or.us

Notice of Special Meeting

The EMD Workgroup, a subgroup of the Telecommunications Curriculum Committee, will hold a regular meeting on May 18, 2021 from 07:00 a.m. - 09:00 a.m.  The meeting will be held virtually via Zoom for public and workgroup members who choose this option over onsite, in-person attendance.  For a link, please contact Sara Stewart at the email address listed above.  A request for an interpreter for the deaf or hearing impaired or for other accommodations for persons with disabilities should be made before the meeting by calling the contact listed above. 

Agenda Items:

1. Check-In
2. EMD Card Review & Comparison

•   Recommendations
•   Corrections

      3. Next Steps

Administrative Announcement

This is a public meeting, subject to the public meeting law and it will be recorded. Deliberation of issues will only be conducted by Curriculum Committee Workgroup members unless permitted by the Chair. Individuals who engage in disruptive behavior that impedes official business will be asked to stop being disruptive or leave the meeting. Additional measures may be taken to have disruptive individuals removed if their continued presence poses a safety risk to the other persons in the room or makes it impossible to continue the meeting.

METHODOLOGY

From April 1-6, 2021, the Oregon Values and Beliefs Center conducted a statewide survey of Oregonians’ values and beliefs, including how they feel about issues related to social class and economic disparities.  The online survey consisted of 600 Oregon residents ages 18+ and took approximately 15 minutes to complete. This survey’s margin of error, for the full sample, ranges from ±2.4% to ±4.0%. The question numbers in this document correspond with the survey questionnaire (Q22-Q25).

KEY FINDINGS

• A strong majority of Oregonians (68%) feel there are fellow Oregonians who have experienced economic disparities based on race and ethnicity (37% agree strongly, 31% agree somewhat).  A quarter (25%) disagree.  Strong majorities in nearly every demographic subgroup agree (Q22).
   
• Oregonians who feel there are economic disparities believe the disparities have worsened during the pandemic (66%).  Only 6% believe they have improved and 25% feel they have stayed the same.  This finding also extends across all demographic subgroups (Q23).
   
• A plurality of Oregonians (48%) feel we have learned things from the pandemic that will help us through economic hard times in the future, 30% feel we haven’t, and 22% are unsure   Higher educated Oregonians and higher income households were the most positive (Q24).

• When asked what lessons they learned from the pandemic to help them get through economic hard times in the future, Oregonians mention a variety of things including better financial planning and budgeting, living simpler lives, living more healthy lives, continuing to wear masks and to socially distance, and to value family and friends more.  Here are some representative quotes (Q25).
   
• “Hopefully, we have learned to value family and friends more than before. To be thankful for good health; to do a better job of practicing basic hygiene; to value and defend our freedom and independence.” (Female, age 65+, Washington County, white)
   
• “Keep a financial cushion, don't live on the bleeding edge of your income.” (Male, age 45-64, Washington County, white)
   
• “Resources to feed your family, working with your community to find resources to pay for bills, low-income programs, saving extra funds for emergencies, living closer to or with family to reduce cost.” (Male,18-29, Multnomah County, Asian or Pacific Islander)
   
• “In the case of my family, to optimize resources to meet current basic needs.”  (Male, age 30-44, Deschutes County, Hispanic or Latinx)
   
• “I think we learned the importance of saving, helping one another, and realizing that we are all inter-connected. I think we learned how to do more with less.” (Female, age 30-44, Washington County, Black or African American
   
• “How to be more resilient and take care of ourselves and families. How to make do.” (Female, age 65+, Lane County, w)

DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS

“Identifying what unites us and understanding what divides us.”

• Eighty percent of Oregonians of color (80%) agree that Oregonians have experienced economic disparities based on race and ethnicity compared to whites.  About the same percentage of both groups agree that the disparities grew worse during the pandemic.  They also felt similarly (48%-47%) that Oregonians have learned things from the pandemic that will help them through economic hard times in the future (Q22-Q24).
   
• For all these questions, rural Oregonians were less affirmative than urban residents.  They were less likely to agree that there are disparities, that they got worse during the pandemic, and that we’ve learned lessons that will help us through economic hard times in the future (Q22-Q24).  

For additional information, please see attached annotated questionnaire and crosstabs, blog post here, and/or contact the Oregon Values and Beliefs Center.

PORTLAND, Ore.—On May 4, 2021, President Joseph R. Biden Jr. proclaimed today, May 5, 2021, as Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day.

The proclamation reaffirmed the nation’s commitment to solving all missing and murdered Indigenous persons cases and addressing the underlying causes of these crimes, including sexual violence, human trafficking, domestic violence, violent crime, systemic racism, economic disparities, and substance use and addition.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon joins its Tribal, federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in taking this opportunity to highlight the importance of supporting Tribal crime victims and synthesizing investigative leads and information across government and law enforcement agencies.

“The first step in seeking justice for missing and murdered Tribal victims is acknowledging the historical indifference to and neglect of these tragic cases. A lack of data and jurisdictional gaps have caused many solvable cases to go unsolved” said Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug. “Today’s commemoration reminds us of the hard work still to be done. We must not stop until we give every missing and murdered Tribal victim a voice and bring some degree of peace and comfort to their families.”

In June 2020, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced the hiring of its first Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) program coordinator. In February 2021, the office released its first annual MMIP program report, summarizing what is known about missing and murdered Indigenous people in Oregon and outlining the office’s plans and goals for the year ahead. The report was the first of its kind produced by a U.S. Attorney’s Office. Recently, the office began working with the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs to develop a Tribal Community Response Plan as part of a Department of Justice pilot project.

MMIP is an important and sensitive issue to Tribal communities. Addressing MMIP in Indian Country is particularly challenging due to jurisdictional issues, lack of coordination and inadequate resources. However, for the first time in U.S. history, a national federal strategy—formalized by legislation, executive order, and departmental directive—is in place to address MMIP issues.

If you or someone you know have information about missing or murdered Indigenous people in Oregon, please contact the FBI Portland Field Office by calling (503) 224-4181 or by visiting tips.fbi.gov.

If you have questions about the U.S. Attorney’s Office MMIP program, please contact MMIP program coordinator Cedar Wilkie Gillette by emailing .Wilkie.Gillette@usdoj.gov">Cedar.Wilkie.Gillette@usdoj.gov or by calling (503) 727-1000.

# # #

Oregon's vaccine waste disclosure table has been added.

May 4, 2021

Contact: OHA External Relations, covid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us" target="_blank">orcovid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us

Updated: Oregon reports 748 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 6 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — There are six new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 2,508, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 748 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 187,611.

Vaccinations in Oregon

Today, OHA reported that 28,336 new doses of COVID-19 vaccinations were added to the state immunization registry. Of this total, 19,574 doses were administered on May 3 and 8,762 were administered on previous days but were entered into the vaccine registry on May 3.

The seven-day running average is now 32,503 doses per day.

Oregon has now administered a total of 1,668,141 first and second doses of Pfizer, 1,324,331 first and second doses of Moderna and 98,485 single doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines. As of today, 1,314,226 people have completed a COVID-19 vaccine series. There are 1,870,643 who have had at least one dose.

Cumulative daily totals can take several days to finalize because providers have 72 hours to report doses administered and technical challenges have caused many providers to lag in their reporting. OHA has been providing technical support to vaccination sites to improve the timeliness of their data entry into the state’s ALERT Immunization Information System (IIS).

To date, 2,024,685 doses of Pfizer, 1,667,200 doses of Moderna and 240,100 doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines have been delivered to sites across Oregon.

These data are preliminary and subject to change.

OHA's dashboards provide regularly updated vaccination data, and Oregon’s dashboard has been updated today.

COVID-19 hospitalizations

The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 across Oregon is 345, which is six fewer than yesterday. There are 79 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, which is one fewer than yesterday.

The total number of COVID-19 positive patient bed-days in the most recent seven days is 2,371, which is a 14.9% increase from the previous seven days. The peak daily number of beds occupied by COVID-19 positive patients in the most recent seven days is 351.

The total number of patients in hospital beds may fluctuate between report times. The numbers do not reflect admissions per day, nor the length of hospital stay. Staffing limitations are not captured in this data and may further limit bed capacity.

More information about hospital capacity can be found here.

Cases and deaths

The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (3), Benton (20), Clackamas (69), Clatsop (2), Columbia (3), Coos (5), Crook (11), Curry (1), Deschutes (58), Douglas (7), Grant (3), Harney (1), Jackson (36), Jefferson (3), Josephine (16), KIamath (52), Lake (2), Lane (50), Lincoln (2), Linn (30), Malheur (13), Marion (45), Morrow (2), Multnomah (115), Polk (15), Tillamook (4), Umatilla (16), Union (2), Wasco (2), Washington (148) and Yamhill (12).

Oregon’s 2,503rd COVID-19 death is a 61-year-old man from Jefferson County who tested positive on April 6 and died on April 17 at St. Charles Bend Hospital. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 2,504th COVID-19 death is a 66-year-old man from Clackamas County who tested positive on April 27 and died on April 27 at his residence. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 2,505th COVID-19 death is a 66-year-old man from Klamath County who tested positive on April 18 and died on April 21 at Sky Lakes Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 2,506th COVID-19 death is a 62-year-old man from Marion County who tested positive on April 19 and died on April 22 at his residence. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 2,507th COVID-19 death is a 93-year-old man from Multnomah County who tested positive on April 19 and died on April 26 at Oregon Health & Science University Hospital. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 2,508th COVID-19 death is a 47-year-old man from Multnomah County who tested positive on April 17 and died on May 1 at Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Note: Updated information is known about Oregon’s 2,493rd COVID-19 death, which was a 49-year-old man from Josephine County. He had underlying conditions, but was previously reported to have no underlying conditions.

Oregon updates vaccine waste disclosure1,2,3

1Updated: 05/04/21 

2Data source: ALERT Immunization Information System (IIS) 

3Data is preliminary and subject to change.

Learn more about COVID-19 vaccinations? 

To learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine situation in Oregon, visit our webpage (English?or?Spanish), which has a breakdown of distribution and other information.

(Salem) – Oregon OSHA has adopted a rule to maintain risk-reducing safety measures for workers across the state against the coronavirus. Although the rule includes several changes based on the public comments received since the rule was proposed in late January, the basic requirements are largely consistent with those that have been in place since Oregon OSHA adopted a temporary workplace rule in November of last year.

The rule – which will be repealed when it is no longer needed to address the COVID-19 pandemic in the workplace – takes effect today, at the end of a public process that included both stakeholder involvement and more than two months of public comment. As with the temporary rule it replaces, the rule includes such health protection measures as physical distancing; use of face coverings; employee notification and training; formal exposure risk assessment and infection control planning; and optimization and maintenance of existing ventilation systems.

One of the most significant areas of public comment concerned the lack of a specific sunset date or other trigger to automatically repeal the rule. As a result, the final rule includes considerably more detail about the process and criteria that will be used to make the decision o repeal the rule. Oregon OSHA determined that the ongoing pandemic required that the rule be extended to ensure workers receive basic protections from the workplace health hazard presented by COVID-19.

The rule went through the normal process, unlike the greatly abbreviated process allowed for a temporary rule, because Oregon state law does not allow a rule using that temporary process to be in place more than 180 days.

“We reviewed all of the comments – including the many comments that opposed the rule – and we gave particular consideration to those comments that explained their reasoning or provided concrete information," said Michael Wood, administrator of Oregon OSHA. “Although we chose to move forward with the rule, the final product includes a number of changes based on that record.”

“At the same time, we are keeping in place key protections for workers as part of Oregon’s larger and ongoing project to defeat COVID-19,” Wood said. “To allow the workplace COVID-19 protections to simply go away would have left workers far less protected. And it would have left employers who want to know what is expected of them with a good deal less clarity than the rule provides.”

Because Oregon OSHA determined it is not possible to assign a specific time for a decision to repeal the rule, Oregon OSHA has committed to consulting with the Oregon OSHA Partnership Committee, the two Infectious Disease Rulemaking Advisory Committees, the Oregon Health Authority, and other stakeholders to help determine when the rule can be repealed. The first of these discussions will take place no later than July 2021, and will continue every two months until the rule has been repealed. The indicators factoring into the decision will include infection rates (including the rate of spread of COVID-19 variants), positivity rates, and vaccination rates, as well as hospitalizations and fatalities.

While the final rule broadly reflects the temporary rule, it also includes some significant changes. Those include:

• Reducing the number of industry-specific appendices by six and limiting such requirements specifically to those involving worker protection (which reduced the length of the appendices, and, therefore, of the entire rule, by more than 50 pages)
• Dramatically reducing the K-12 schools appendix and removing all references to cohorts and square footage limitations, as well as physical distancing between students.
• Requiring employers to consider alternatives to transporting multiple people in a single vehicle and providing other guidance about reducing risk while sharing vehicles. The rule does not, however, require using multiple vehicles to transport multiple employees.
• Requiring employers with more than 10 employees – and that have existing ventilation systems – to state in writing that, to the best of their knowledge, they are running their systems in line with requirements. The final rule does not require the purchase or installation of new ventilation systems.
• Reducing required sanitation measures to reflect the most up-to-date Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance.
• Requiring employers to provide written notification to employees of their rights to return to work when employees must quarantine.
• Requiring health care employers to provide respirators to employees working with known or suspected COVID-19-positive patients, unless such respirators are unavailable.

The final rule also makes clear that the risk assessment, infection control plan, and infection control training completed under the temporary rule do not need to be repeated as a result of the adoption of the final rule.

The division offers resources to help employers and workers understand and apply the requirements. Those resources include consultation services that provide no-cost assistance with safety and health programs and technical staff, who help employers understand requirements.

Meanwhile, the division has also adopted COVID-19 workplace requirements for workers who rely on housing provided by employers, including as part of farming operations. Those requirements were adopted April 30, and will work in tandem with the comprehensive COVID-19 rule by providing specific guidance for situations involving such housing.  

Learn more about the division’s workplace guidance and resources related to COVID-19: https://osha.oregon.gov/Pages/re/covid-19.aspx

###

Oregon OSHA, a division of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, enforces the state's workplace safety and health rules and works to improve workplace safety and health for all Oregon workers. For more information, go to osha.oregon.gov.

The Department of Consumer and Business Services is Oregon's largest business regulatory and consumer protection agency. For more information, go to www.oregon.gov/dcbs/.  

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland man pleaded guilty today for his role in a fraud scheme whereby he and a co-conspirator would steal mail from residential mailboxes and use stolen personal identification information to defraud local banks.

Demontae Sanders, 48, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit bank fraud and mail theft.

According to court documents, beginning on an unknown date and continuing until at least July 7, 2020, Sanders and an accomplice, Latanya Jenkins, 50, also of Portland, conspired with one another to steal mail from residential mailboxes throughout the Portland Metropolitan Area. Sanders and Jenkins stole checks, credit cards, and other personal identity information that they used to impersonate victims and open accounts at several local credit unions and banks. Sanders and Jenkins used the accounts to defraud these financial institutions.

To further their scheme, Sanders and Jenkins communicated with one another by text and used the internet at Jenkins’ residence to open several bank accounts using stolen information. Sanders and Jenkins collected hundreds of stolen financial documents including bank statements, checks, tax returns, U.S. Passports, and other government-issued identification documents. The pair also stole and cashed an Economic Impact Payment check issued by the U.S. Treasury.

On September 24, 2020, a federal grand jury in Portland returned an 18-count indictment charging Sanders and Jenkins with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and mail theft.

Sanders faces a maximum sentence of 35 years in prison; a $1.25 million fine or twice his criminally derived gains, whichever is larger; and five years of supervised release. He will be sentenced on July 20, 2021 before U.S. District Court Judge Anna J. Brown.

As part of the plea agreement, Sanders has agreed to pay restitution in full to his victims as identified by the government and ordered by the court.

Jenkins is on pre-trial release pending a three-day jury trial scheduled to begin on June 8, 2021.

Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.

Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service jointly investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth D. Uram is prosecuting the case.

# # #

On March 24, 2021, investigators from the Josephine County Major Crime Team, which consists of the Oregon State Police, Grants Pass Department of Public Safety, Josephine County District Attorney’s Office, and the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office began a homicide investigation of Paul Folk and Daniel Hill. On May 3, 2021, at approximately 9:00 a.m., Michael Moehring was arrested in Linn County on a warrant related to the double homicide investigation. Law enforcement officers from the Eugene Police Department, The US Marshall’s Office, and the Oregon State Police SWAT contacted Moehring in a rest area and he was taken into custody without incident. The investigators from the Oregon State Police, Grants Pass Police Department, and the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office are appreciative of the great work everyone involved did to ensure the safe arrest of Moehring.

On Thursday, April 1, 2021, at approximately 2:30 P.M., members of the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office arrested Harley Boitz (26) during a traffic stop on Laurel Rd. in Cave Junction. 

Boitz is being held in the Josephine County Jail on the charges of Murder, Arson, Abuse of a Corpse, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, and Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle.

On March 24, 2021, at approximately 12:50 P.M., law enforcement responded to a call regarding a vehicle on fire in Selma about 6 miles up McMullen Creek Road on forest management property.

Detectives responded to the scene and located two deceased persons in the burned vehicle. The incident is being treated as a homicide and is actively being investigated.

On March 29, 2021, investigators were able to identify the two persons in the vehicle as Daniel T. Hill (24) from Josephine County and Paul M. Folk (26) from Josephine County. Folk was previously reported as a missing person to the Grants Pass Department of Public Safety.

The Oregon State Police is leading the investigation and is being assisted by the Grants Pass Department of Public Safety, the Josephine County District Attorney, and the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office.

WHO:              David Gerstenfeld, Acting Director, Oregon Employment Department

WHEN:            Wednesday, May 5, 2021 at 1 p.m. PT

WHAT:            Oregon Employment Department Acting Director David Gerstenfeld will hold a video conference media briefing to share updates on economic and workforce-related trends, employment services, unemployment claims processing, claimant resources and more on May 5 at 1 p.m. PT.

WHERE:         Via Zoom video conference: Members of the media must RSVP for call information by emailing OED_Communications@oregon.gov by 12 p.m. PT on May 5. Video conference information will be provided to all reporters who RSVP.

OTHER:          The Oregon Employment Department is updating a claims processing progress data dashboard daily. Visit this link for weekday updates. A recording of the video conference will be emailed to reporters attending the briefing after the briefing concludes.

###

Equal Opportunity program — auxiliary aids and services available upon request to individuals with disabilities. Contact: (503) 947-1794. For people who are deaf or hard of hearing, call 711 Telecommunications Relay Services

The Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division is asking for the public’s assistance with identifying the person(s) responsible for the unlawful taking of a buck deer in the White River Unit.

On Saturday, May 1, 2021, a citizen reported finding a fresh deer carcass near Bonney Crossing just off US Forest Service road 2710 within the Mt. Hood National Forest near the town of Wamic. 

Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Troopers responded and found a freshly killed deer.

The large mature buck had been shot and left to waste.  Based on the condition of the carcass Troopers believe that the buck was killed on or about April 30 or May 1, 2021.

Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to contact OSP Senior Trooper Brent Ocheskey through the Turn in Poachers (TIP) hotline at 1-800-452-7888 or OSP (mobile).

Report Wildlife and Habitat Law Violators

TIP program offers preference point rewards for information leading to an arrest or issuance of a citation for the unlawful take/possession or waste of big game mammals.

Preference Point Rewards:

5 Points-Mountain Sheep

5 Points-Mountain Goat

5 Points-Moose

5 Points-Wolf

4 Points-Elk

4 Points-Deer

4 Points-Antelope

4 Points-Bear

4 Points-Cougar

The Oregon Hunters Association TIP reward fund also offers cash rewards for information leading to an arrest or issuance of a citation for the unlawful take/possession or waste of Bighorn Sheep, Rocky Mountain Goat, Moose, Elk, Deer, Antelope, Bear, Cougar, Wolf, Game Birds, and Furbearers. Cash rewards can also be awarded for the unlawful take of Game Fish and Shellfish and Habitat Destruction.

CASH REWARDS:

$1,000 Mountain (Bighorn) Sheep, Rocky Mountain Goat, and Moose 

$500 Elk, Deer, and Antelope 

$300 Bear, Cougar, and Wolf 

$300 Habitat Destruction 

$100 Game Birds

$100 Furbearers

$100 Game Fish and Shellfish

How to Report a Wildlife and/or Habitat Law Violation or Suspicious Activity:

 TIP Hotline: 1-800-452-7888 or OSP (677)

TIP E-Mail: TIP@state.or.us (Monitored M-F 8A-5P)

Media Contacts:

Maureen Kenney, Public Relations Manager, Oregon Community Foundation

mkenney@oregoncf.org

Maria Caballero Rubio, Executive Director, Centro Cultural de Washington County

ubio@centrocultural.org">mcrubio@centrocultural.org

Forest Grove, Ore. – May 4, 2021 – Oregon Community Foundation (OCF) today announced Centro Cultural de Washington County (Centro) has been selected to receive a Project Turnkey grant of $2.2 million for the acquisition and conversion of a 20-room motel in Forest Grove, Oregon. The property will serve as a COVID-respite shelter for displaced, low-income Latino/a/x families, seasonal and migrant workers and others needing safe shelter. Centro provides programs, services and referrals that are culturally relevant to meet the specific needs of the underserved Latino/a/x population of Washington County.

“The pandemic – and the disproportionate impact it has had on the Latino/a/x community – has challenged Centro like no other time in our organization’s history,” says, Maria Caballero Rubio, Executive Director, Centro. “This grant helps us to rise to the challenge and continue to advance our mission. We take pride in assisting and serving our community members to become sheltered, receive culturally competent services, stabilize and, ultimately, achieve the wellbeing and prosperity that they each deserve.”

Key benefits of Project Turnkey-Forest Grove (operated by Centro) include:

• Safe accommodation for up to 20 individuals.
• Provision of meals, clothing, and essentials such as showers, laundry, hygiene items, etc.
• An inclusive, trauma informed and culturally-specific model that helps unhoused and at-risk community members move from crisis to stability.

The property is located at 4433 Pacific Avenue in Forest Grove, Oregon, and is already being used as an active shelter for people experiencing chronic homelessness, with plans to open the remaining rooms to the most vulnerable community members through the pandemic. Longer term, Centro Cultural de Washington County will renovate the property to provide culturally specific transitional housing, with a grand re-opening planned for January, 2022.

“Centro is on the front lines serving some of the most disproportionately impacted community members in western Washington County,” said Megan Loeb, OCF Program Officer, Housing. “The Project Turnkey Advisory Committee enthusiastically supported funding for Centro Cultural because of their expertise in serving the Latino/a/x community with culturally-specific programming. The broad community support for this project is inspiring.”

Oregon Community Foundation offers support for Oregon’s housing needs along a continuum—from shelter to supportive housing to affordable housing to equitable home ownership—through a variety of tools, including research, grants, advocacy, and low-interest loans. OCF’s administration of Project Turnkey is one example of the innovative, collaborative approaches underway to help more Oregonians find stable, affordable housing.

For a complete list of Project Trunkey grant awardees, please visit Project Turnkey online.

About Project Turnkey

The Oregon Legislature allocated a total of $65 million for Project Turnkey for the purpose of acquiring motels/hotels for use as non-congregate shelter for people experiencing homelessness or at-risk of homelessness. Two discrete funds were provided by the state: one totaling $30 million to be awarded in counties and tribal communities impacted by the 2020 wildfires; and one totaling $35 million for the remaining 28 counties in the state. Oregon Community Foundation is administering both funds through an application and selection process, with guidance from an Advisory Committee of state, local, and community stakeholders. For more information, please visit Project Turnkey online.

About Centro Cultural de Washington County

For nearly 50 years, Centro Cultural de Washington County (Centro) has served low-income Latino/a/x families with programs to create self-sufficiency and economic mobility. Centro serves more than 9,000 people annually. For more information, please visit: centrocultural.org.

About Oregon Community Foundation

Oregon Community Foundation (OCF) puts donated money to work in Oregon – more than $100 million in grants and scholarships annually. Since 1973, OCF grantmaking, research, advocacy and community-advised solutions have helped individuals, families, businesses, and organizations create charitable funds to improve lives for all Oregonians. Impactful giving–time, talent, and resources from many generous Oregonians–creates measurable change. For more information about OCF, please visit: oregoncf.org.

###

WHAT

May is Wildfire Awareness Month, and the Oregon Office of Emergency Management (OEM) is scheduled to host a wildfire preparedness and prevention panel webinar event in partnership with Keep Oregon Green, Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal, Oregon Department of Forestry, Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, and the Oregon State University Forestry & Natural Resources Extension Fire Program.

WHEN

12 p.m. Thursday, May 6. The webinar is scheduled for 40-minutes with time allowed for Q&A.

WHERE

Register here: https://bit.ly/3dH4bOk   

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with information about joining the event. Pre-registration is required to attend.

OEM will also live stream the webinar on the agency Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/OMDOEM/.

WHO

• Carrie Berger, Forestry & Natural Resources Extension Fire Program Coordinator, Oregon State University
• Doug Grafe, Chief Fire Protection, Oregon Department of Forestry
• Claire McGrew, Assistant Chief Deputy, Oregon State Fire Marshal
• Kristin Babbs, President, Keep Oregon Green Association
• Traci Naile, Operations & Preparedness Manager, Oregon Office of Emergency Management
• Nathan Garibay, Deschutes County Emergency Manager

WHY

As Oregon continues to recover from the devastating 2020 wildfires, we are already seeing higher-than-usual fire activity in Oregon. This year’s Wildfire Awareness Month campaign will remind the public how important it is to prevent and prepare for wildfires. At 12 p.m. on May 6, OEM and partners will be hosting a webinar and Facebook Live panel event focusing on wildfire recovery and this year’s fire season, with an emphasis on creating defensible space, debris burning, campfire safety, as well as emergency preparedness and evacuation.

---

You can get this document in other languages, large print, braille, or a format you prefer. For assistance, call 971-719-1183 or email language@oem.or.us. We accept all relay calls, or you can dial 711.

Welcome to the Oregon FBI’s Tech Tuesday segment. Today: Building a digital defense against robocall scams.

If you have a phone, chances are you have received one or two or a hundred of those annoying automated robocalls. Sometimes they come in daily. The digital voice on the other end wants to talk to you about your expiring car warranty or a bill you allegedly haven’t paid. In many cases, the fraudster will “spoof” the incoming call number so it appears as though it is someone local calling you.

Today, we want to share some tips with you from our partners at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on how to protect yourself.

• Don't answer calls from unknown number. If you answer such a call, hang up immediately.
• If you answer the phone and the caller - or a recording - asks you to hit a button to stop getting the calls, you should just hang up. Scammers often use this trick to identify potential targets.
• Do not respond to any questions, especially those that can be answered with "Yes." The scammer is likely recording you and can use that verbal “yes” later to pretend you agreed to something you did not.
• Never give out personal information such as account numbers, Social Security numbers, mother's maiden name, passwords, or other identifying information in response to unexpected calls or if you are at all suspicious.
• If you get an inquiry from someone who says they represent a company or a government agency, hang up and call the phone number on your account statement or on the company's or government agency's website to verify the authenticity of the request. You will usually get a written statement in the mail before you get a phone call from a legitimate source, particularly if the caller is asking for a payment.
• If you have a voice mail account with your phone service, be sure to set a password for it. Some voicemail services are preset to allow access if you call in from your own phone number. A hacker could spoof your home phone number and gain access to your voice mail if you do not set a password.
• Talk to your phone company about call blocking tools they may have and check into apps that you can download to your mobile device to block unwanted calls.
• To block telemarketing calls, register your number on the Do Not Call List (https://www.donotcall.gov) Legitimate telemarketers consult the list to avoid calling both landline and wireless phone numbers on the list.

If you believe are a victim of an online scam, you should report the incident to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov or call your FBI local office.  

###

SALEM, Ore. – Trees injured by the Labor Day wildfires last year may face a new threat in the form of tree-killing beetles, which emerged in April looking for new homes.

ODF Forest Entomologist Christine Buhl warns that fire-injured trees can attract bark beetles, which lay their eggs under the bark. When the larvae hatch, they begin feeding on the tree, destroying the tissues needed to send water from the roots to the needles and return nutrients.

The two main culprits, both of which are native to Oregon, are:

• Douglas-fir beetle, which attacks and kills large-diameter Douglas-fir
• Ips beetles, some of which are lethal to small-diameter pines, including ponderosa, lodgepole, sugar and western white pine, as well as introduced pines

“These two beetles do not attack trees that are already dead but they will readily go after living trees that have been weakened by drought, storms or by being scorched or partly charred in a wildfire.”

If enough fire-injured or drought-weakened trees are available, populations of either beetle can in a year or two build up enough numbers that they can overwhelm the defenses of a healthier tree.

“Not every fire-injured stand may experience an uptick in infestation, and not every infestation will spread to healthy trees,” Buhl points out. “But the likelihood is greater when otherwise healthy trees are already struggling due to prior stress, such as drought. This is especially true on poor sites with thin or compacted soils, sun-soaked south-facing slopes, or former farmlands converted to woodlots.”

Forest landowners concerned about beetles should look for brown frass – sawdust-like piles dug out of trees by the insects. Ips, however, tend to damage smaller diameter portions of pines (tops, branches), which can make it hard to recognize an infestation until treetops begin to die. By the time trees are dying, beetles may have moved on to other trees nearby so check those, advises Buhl. Infested trees will usually die within a year or less.

Landowners can remove beetle-infested trees early to reduce the risk of a larger outbreak, taking care in pine stands to burn or chip pine that’s 3 to 8 inches in diameter. “From April through September Ips beetles can infest pine slash. So if you can’t burn or chip slash it is best to wait till just after fire season in late October or November to limb up pine trees or conduct operations that create pine slash,” Buhl recommends.

She said landowners who want to forestall an outbreak of Douglas-fir beetle next spring might want to review their situation with a specialist (ODF stewardship forester, ODF entomologist, OSU forestry extension) to determine the health of their stand and infestation levels.

Based on the review, it might be recommended that they consider buying the beetle pheromone repellant MCH. If applied in March, MCH discourages this beetle from gathering and attacking trees en masse when they emerge in April from their winter homes.

For more information about insects that affect forest trees visit https://www.oregon.gov/odf/forestbenefits/pages/foresthealth.aspx

                                                                                          # # #

PORTLAND, Ore.—An Albuquerque, New Mexico man was sentenced to federal prison today after spending years abusing, terrorizing, and threatening to kill his ex-wife, former mother-in-law, and young daughters.

Oscar Adrian Marquez, 46, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release.

“Oscar Marquez is a serial abuser and perpetrator of domestic violence. Over a period of many years, he physically and emotionally tormented his spouses, daughters, and their extended families. I applaud the Portland Police Bureau’s quick and heroic efforts to arrest Marquez before he could inflict further and potentially deadly harm on his family,” said Scott Asphaug, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

“I’m grateful that this violent abuser is being held accountable for his actions,” said Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell. “My thanks go to the Portland officers who acted so quickly and professionally, and to the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their hard work investigating and bringing this case to successful prosecution.”

“The stalking and violent threats were purely about control for Mr. Marquez, just as the abuse had been. His ex-wife and children suffered for years, and despite every effort to escape, they lived with the fear that he would find them. I am hopeful that today's lengthy sentence will, hopefully, allow them the peace to move forward with their lives,” said Kieran L. Ramsey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon.

According to court documents, Marquez’s history of abusing women spans more than 20 years, including the physical and emotional abuse of his first wife and their young daughter. This abuse continued into his daughter’s adolescent and young-adult years when Marquez would lock her in her bedroom for hours and beat her with a belt. As an adult, his daughter went to great lengths to hide from her father and, in 2018, secured a 40-year protective order against him.

Marquez remarried in 2001 and has two teenage daughters with his second wife. Marquez continued his abuse with his new family. In 2007, Marquez was convicted on two domestic violence charges after punching his second wife in the face while she was holding their then-three-year-old daughter. The final straw for his second wife came in August 2013, when Marquez physically assaulted her and trapped her and her daughters in separate bedrooms. In their divorce proceedings, Marquez’s second wife was given sole custody of their children and Marquez’s limited visitation rights were later revoked.

In the summer of 2014, Marquez kidnapped his two youngest daughters and fled to Mexico, resulting in an international amber alert. Marquez and the children were found several days later at a U.S.-Mexico border crossing. He was arrested and later convicted for the kidnapping. A new protective order was issued in October 2014, barring Marquez’s contact with his second wife and youngest daughters. Marquez repeatedly violated this new order. Thereafter, from January 2014 through July 2019, Marquez engaged in an increasingly aggressive course of conduct to intimidate and harass his second wife and her family.

In 2017, Marquez’s second wife changed her name and moved to Portland with her teenage daughters after learning of Marquez’s intent to murder her and her family. She provided a picture of Marquez to her daughters’ new school and advised them of the threat he posed to their family. In July 2018, Marquez posted a note on his mother-in-law’s fence in New Mexico threatening that he was on his way to find her daughter. In July 2019, Marquez obtained his second wife’s new name and Portland address via an online people-finding service.

On July 29, 2019, Marquez’s second wife observed him driving slowly past her Portland home in a vehicle with New Mexico license plates. She barricaded her teenage daughters into a room, contacted the Portland Police Bureau, and prepared for a confrontation with Marquez. While a Portland police officer was writing a report at their home, Marquez again drove past the residence. Several Portland police officers quickly conducted a traffic stop and arrested Marquez. Inside his vehicle, they located a replica Glock handgun, a face mask, gloves, several digital devices, and more than $2,000 in cash.

On January 14, 2020, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a five-count indictment charging Marquez with cyberstalking, stalking, and interstate violation of a protection order. In November 2020, Marquez was convicted at trial on all charges.

During his trial, prosecutors learned that Marquez attempted to intimidate a government witness while in custody and lied under oath during his trial testimony. Prosecutors sought and obtained sentencing enhancements for this conduct.

During sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge Michel W. Mosman ordered Marquez to pay $10,818 in restitution to his victims.

Acting U.S. Attorney Asphaug made this announcement with Chief Lovell and Special Agent in Charge Ramsey.

This case was jointly investigated by the Portland Police Bureau and the FBI. It was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.

All forms of stalking, including cyberstalking, are serious crimes prohibited by the federal Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). In 2013, an amendment to VAWA made it illegal to use any computer or electronic communication service to conduct activity placing a person in reasonable fear of death or serious bodily injury, or that causes substantial emotional distress.

Anyone with information about real or perceived threats of violence should call the FBI at (503) 224-4181 or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.

For immediate threats to life and safety, please call 9-1-1.

# # #

MEDFORD, Ore.—A Klamath Falls, Oregon man pleaded guilty today after cashing more than $458,000 worth of social security checks issued in the name of his deceased aunt.

George Doumar, 74, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government funds.

According to court documents, in February 2020, the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) Office of Anti-Fraud Programs identified a 114-year-old supercentenarian who appeared to be the second-oldest living person in the U.S. receiving Social Security retirement benefits. The last known update to the recipient’s SSA benefit record was in July 1989, when the recipient’s address was updated to Frontier Parcel & Fax Service on S. 6th Street in Klamath Falls.

In March 2020, an investigator with SSA-OIG interviewed two of the benefit recipient’s nieces. Both nieces claimed that their aunt died in the 1960s or 1970s and recalled attending her funeral in Brooklyn, New York, where she had reportedly lived her entire life. According to one niece, their aunt did not have any children and was not married. She recalled that Doumar was named the sole beneficiary of her aunt’s insurance payout.

Investigators soon discovered that Doumar himself was an active Social Security beneficiary and received his checks at the same address on S. 6th Street in Klamath Falls. According to SSA records, Doumar purchased the property on S. 6th Street seven days prior to the address on his aunt’s benefit record being changed to the same address.

On June 16, 2020, SSA-OIG investigators obtained a copy of the aunt’s death certificate from the New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, confirming that she had died on March 7, 1971 in Brooklyn. Investigators determined that Doumar had added his aunt to he and his wife’s shared checking account in 1989. His aunt’s Social Security checks were often bundled in deposits with other checks made payable to Doumar.

Investigators obtained bank surveillance footage from February 2020 that showed a man, who appeared to match Doumar’s physical description, depositing one of his aunt’s retirement checks. On July 14, 2020, investigators from SSA-OIG and USPIS interviewed Doumar at his Klamath Falls residence. When asked about his aunt, Doumar sighed, slumped his head, and stated, “that’s a long story…what happened was, well she’s passed and yes, I’ve been collecting her Social Security.”

On August 11, 2020, Doumar was charged by criminal complaint with theft of government funds and mail theft.

Doumar faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced on August 3, 2021 before U.S. District Court Judge Michael J. McShane.

As part of the plea agreement, Doumar has agreed to pay $458,992 restitution to the SSA and $1,200 to the IRS.

Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.

The SSA-OIG and USPIS jointly investigated this case. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Sowray.

# # #

Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) is accepting public comments on proposed changes to state rules for a federal grant program that funds outdoor recreation projects.

Comments will be accepted through 5 p.m. June 3 for proposed changes to the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) that provides grants to local jurisdictions for acquiring or developing outdoor recreation facilities.

The proposed changes include updating definitions, aligning state rules with federal requirements, raising the minimum federal share on a project and updating application requirements. A full copy of the proposed amendments is available on the Proposed OPRD Rules web page.

A virtual public hearing will be held at 6  p.m. May 26 for anyone who would like to provide comment or learn more about the proposed rule change.  Registration is required to participate at https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_AC6nH4pESUm3cheBtG84XQ.

Comments may also be submitted any time through 5 p.m. June 3 via:

• Online: oregon.gov/oprd/PRP/Pages/PRP-rulemaking.aspx
• Mail: Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, attn.: Katie Gauthier, 725 Summer St NE, Suite C, Salem OR 97301
• Email: D.publiccomment@oregon.gov">OPRD.publiccomment@oregon.gov

After reviewing public comments, agency staff will present a final amended rule for consideration by the Oregon State Parks and Recreation Commission at its June 2021 business meeting.

OPRD administers the federally funded grant program, which was last updated in 1997. The LWCF typically awards about $1.5 million to qualified projects every other year. More information is on the LWCF web page.

Individuals who require special accommodations to view the meeting should contact Katie Gauthier at least three days in advance of the meeting at 503-510-9678 or katie.gauthier@oregon.gov.

May 3, 2020

Contact: Jonathan Modie, 971-246-9139, PHD.Communications@state.or.us

Public Health Advisory Board meets May 20

What: The Public Health Advisory Board will hold a meeting, including a hearing on the Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant.

Agenda: Approve April meeting minutes; discuss Public Health Advisory Board subcommittees; review FY22 Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant proposed activities; discuss public health survey modernization.

In addition, a public hearing will be held at 2:50 p.m., prior to the general public comment period, to receive testimony or comments from the public on the proposed Preventive Health and Health Services work plan for October 2021 through September 2022. A fact sheet outlining proposed work plan elements will be included in the posted meeting materials. 

When: Thursday, May 20, from 2-4 p.m. The meeting is open to the public. A public comment period and a hearing on the Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant will be held at 2:50 p.m.

Where: Zoom Meeting: (669) 254-5252; meeting ID: 160 988 9971

Background: Oregon’s Public Health Advisory Board provides guidance for Oregon’s governmental public health system and oversees the implementation of public health modernization and Oregon’s State Health Improvement Plan.

# # #

Everyone has a right to know about and use Oregon Health Authority (OHA) programs and services. OHA provides free help. Some examples of the free help OHA can provide are:

• Sign language and spoken language interpreters.
• Written materials in other languages.
• Braille.
• Large print.
• Audio and other formats.

If you need help or have questions, please contact Cara Biddlecom: at 971-673-2284, 711 TTY, or a.m.biddlecom@state.or.us">cara.m.biddlecom@state.or.us, at least 48 hours before the meeting.

The City of Richland has a vacancy for one (1) Utility Advisory Committee member. Term for Position No. 7 will expire on September 30, 2022. This is a great opportunity to learn how your city operates and to help shape its future.

UAC members serve as an advisory body to the City Council relative to policy and planning for the managing, financing, and operation of the utilities owned and operated by the City of Richland. Upon authorization, the UAC conducts surveys, analyses, studies, and reports relating to City-owned utilities. The UAC also advises Council on all matters relating to utility system expansion, extension, additions, and betterment; the incurring of indebtedness for or by City-owned utilities and the issuance of utility bonds; rates and charges for utility services; and policies related to utilities not owned by the City.

For further details on these positions or to apply, visit www.ci.richland.wa.us/bccvacancies and scroll through the Current Vacancies page or call the City Clerk’s Office. Application packets will be accepted now through May 17, 2021.

For more information, please contact Jennifer Rogers, City Clerk, 942-7389, or visit www.ci.richland.wa.us/bccvacancies. 

Update: The county of residence for Oregon's one COVID-19 death is Douglas County.

May 3, 2021

Contact: OHA External Relations, covid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us" target="_blank">orcovid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us

Updated: Oregon reports 540 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 1 new death

PORTLAND, Ore. — There is one new COVID-19 related death in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 2,502, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 540 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 186,877.

Vaccinations in Oregon

Today, OHA reported that 17,897 new doses of COVID-19 vaccinations were added to the state immunization registry. Of this total, 15,437 doses were administered on May 2 and 2,460 were administered on previous days but were entered into the vaccine registry on May 2.

The 7-day running average is now 33,153 doses per day.

Oregon has now administered a total of 1,647,730 first and second doses of Pfizer, 1,317,295 first and second doses of Moderna and 97,625 single doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines. As of today, 1,295,638 people have completed a COVID-19 vaccine series. There are 1,860,194 who have had at least one dose.

Cumulative daily totals can take several days to finalize because providers have 72 hours to report doses administered and technical challenges have caused many providers to lag in their reporting. OHA has been providing technical support to vaccination sites to improve the timeliness of their data entry into the state’s ALERT Immunization Information System (IIS).

To date, 1,939,275 doses of Pfizer,1,584,800 doses of Moderna and 229,500 doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines have been delivered to sites across Oregon.

These data are preliminary and subject to change.

OHA's dashboards provide regularly updated vaccination data, and Oregon’s dashboard has been updated today.

New features released on vaccination dashboards

The statewide and county graphs featured on the COVID-19 Vaccinations Trends dashboard now display the seven-day running averages of administered doses of COVID-19 vaccines. This improves information sharing for administered doses over time and may be helpful for showing trends for less populated counties.

The COVID-19 Vaccination Metrics dashboard now includes a toggle switch that lets users choose between two different population denominators: the total Oregon population and the population in Oregon eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. The total Oregon population includes all people in Oregon, while the eligible population only includes people age 16 and older. As of today, 42.9% of the total Oregon population has been vaccinated with at least one dose of any COVID-19 vaccine, compared with 52.4% of people 16 years of age and older in Oregon.

COVID-19 hospitalizations

The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 across Oregon is 351, which is six more than yesterday. There are 80 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, which is four more than yesterday.

The total number of COVID-19 positive patient bed-days in the most recent seven days is 2,354, which is an 18% increase from the previous seven days. The peak daily number of beds occupied by COVID-19 positive patients in the most recent seven days is 351.

The total number of patients in hospital beds may fluctuate between report times. The numbers do not reflect admissions per day, nor the length of hospital stay. Staffing limitations are not captured in this data and may further limit bed capacity.

More information about hospital capacity can be found here.

Cases and deaths

The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (1), Benton (12), Clackamas (91), Clatsop (3), Columbia (5), Coos (1), Crook (3), Deschutes (49), Douglas (10), Harney (2), Hood River (1), Jackson (16), Jefferson (1), Josephine (3), Lane (56), Lincoln (4), Linn (42), Marion (74), Multnomah (137), Polk (12), Sherman (1), Tillamook (2), Wallowa (1), Washington (1) and Yamhill (12).

Oregon’s 2,502nd COVID-19 death is a 70-year-old woman from Douglas County who tested positive on April 2 and died on May 1 at Mercy Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.

Learn more about COVID-19 vaccinations? 

To learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine situation in Oregon, visit our webpage (English?or?Spanish), which has a breakdown of distribution and other information.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Fort Lauderdale, Florida man was sentenced to federal prison today for his role in a bank fraud and identity theft scheme targeting female victims in the Portland Metropolitan Area.

Damian Fletcher, 27, was sentenced to three years in federal prison and three years’ supervised release.

According to court documents, Fletcher is a member of the Felony Lane Gang, an interstate criminal organization based in Florida that travels to locations throughout the U.S. to commit vehicle break-in and fraud sprees. The organization targets female victims who leave their purses, wallets, and valuables in parked cars. After victims exit their vehicles—often to drop off children, run errands, or visit a gym—Felony Lane Gang members break into the vehicle to steal targeted items. After the theft, conspirators quickly deploy associates to conduct fraudulent bank or merchant transactions using stolen identification, checks, and credit or debit cards.

In the fall of 2019, Fletcher and five co-conspirators traveled to Portland to target local victims. Once Fletcher and his partners stole items from a vehicle, they checked to see if one of several female co-conspirators resembled the victim. If one of their female co-conspirators could impersonate the victim, they would attempt to cash fraudulent checks written in the impersonated victim’s name. The conspirators would cash checks at various local banks, using the outer-most lane of each bank’s drive-up teller window to avoid detection.

Investigators identified 32 vehicle thefts and 22 instances of bank fraud committed during Fletcher’s most recent known Oregon crime spree. In total, this spree resulted in a financial loss of more than $98,000. Fletcher was arrested on March 9, 2020 in Florida.

On June 6, 2020, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a 14-count superseding indictment charging Fletcher and five co-defendants with conspiring to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft.

On January 7, 2021, Fletcher pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.

During sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge Michael W. Mosman ordered Fletcher to pay $98,733 in restitution.

Co-defendants Delvin Mills, 29, of Lauderdale Lakes, Florida; Megan Spurlock, 27, a Washington State resident; and Linda Marie Lupo, 52, of Deerfield, Florida; have all pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.

Co-defendants Justin Curry, 28 of Fort Lauderdale, and Treveon Donte Jordan, 23, of Lauderdale Lakes, are on pre-trial release pending a four-day jury trial scheduled to being on June 15, 2021.

Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the West Linn Police Department, Tualatin Police Department, and Clark County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Seth D. Uram and Quinn P. Harrington, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

# # #

The Field Training Workgroup will hold a meeting on May 6, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. in the Victor G.
Atiyeh Boardroom at the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training located at 4190
Aumsville Hwy SE, Salem, Oregon. For further information, please contact Linsay Hale at (503)
378-2427.
 

Call-In Information
Phone: 888-273-3658
Access Code: 4711910

Workgroup Members:
Brian Pixley, OSSA (CPC)
Alex Gardener, OSP (PPC)
James Ristoff, Non-Management Corr. (CPC)
Zach Kenney, PPB (PPC)
April Benedetti, APCO (TPC)
Cody Smith, Non-Management Corr. (CPC)
Jay Burke, Multnomah County Comm. Corr.
Oneness Fish, DOC
Paul Rosenow, OLCC
Bill Elliott, Tribal Police
Scott Hyde, OACCD
Ray Rau, OACP

1. Introductions
2. Initial Review and Identification of Workgroup Topics and Discussion Points
    Presented by Linsay Hale
3. Next Workgroup Meeting: TBD

The Office of State Fire Marshal wants to remind Oregonians that YOU are the greatest resource in protecting homes and neighborhoods.  With some simple steps, you can protect your home and community from wildfire. Now is the time to prepare your home and your property for the 2021 fire season.

Remember to keep your defensible space defined, keep grass and weeds cut low and always be prepared to respond to wildfire. With this in mind, the Office of State Fire Marshal urges you to take a look around your property in the "home ignition zone," where glowing embers can ignite spot fires and vulnerable areas like decks, patios, and fences that can spread flames to your home. The most significant risk of structures catching fire during a wildland fire event is from the advancing ember shower that can reach your property long before an actual flame front. 

Good defensible space can not only prevent ember ignition of your home, but it can also prevent the flames from reaching your home at all. We can reduce the vegetation within 30 feet of home and eliminate flammable plants from touching our home.

"Wildfire safety starts with all of us and our property. Now is the time to take action to prepare our homes, families, and communities for wildfires by starting on our property before there is smoke on the horizon," says Mariana Ruiz-Temple, State Fire Marshal.

To address the risk of wildfire, the Office of State Fire Marshal recommends the following steps that people can take right now to help protect themselves against the upcoming fire season:

• Clear roofs and gutters of dead leaves, debris, and pine needles that could catch embers
• Ensure your roof is in good repair
• Move any flammable material away from exterior walls, i.e., mulch, flammable plants, leaves and needles, firewood piles
• Remove anything stored underneath decks or porches
• Give your home a non-combustible area where a fire in the landscape can't reach your home, strive for a 5-foot perimeter
• Keep lawns and native grasses mowed to a height of four inches.
• Remove ladder fuels (vegetation under trees) so a surface fire cannot reach the crowns.  Prune trees up to six to ten feet from the ground; shorter trees do not exceed 1/3 of the overall tree height.

With firefighting resources doing their best to tackle large wildfires, communities that focus on neighborhood-wide Firewise ideals can not only increase an individual home's survival but the whole neighborhood's.

"A neighborhood-wide approach can increase the chances of homes surviving a wildfire. By taking a neighborhood approach to defensible space and community preparedness, you are also protecting our firefighters," Ruiz-Temple explains. "Ultimately, individuals taking the right steps on their property before fire season make firefighters safer and more effective," she adds.

Creating whole neighborhoods that are holistically preparing for wildfire is a large piece of Fire Adapted Communities. A fire-adapted community acknowledges and takes responsibility for its wildfire risk by taking actions to address resident safety, homes, neighborhoods, businesses and infrastructure, forests, parks, and open spaces all Oregonians enjoy.

For more defensible space tips, visit: https://www.oregon.gov/osp/programs/sfm/Pages/Wildland-Urban-Interface.aspx

During May, a new wildfire prevention topic will be introduced each week to help homeowners and recreationists learn how to prevent their outdoor activities from sparking the next wildfire. For more wildfire preparedness and prevention information, visit the websites for Keep Oregon Green at https://keeporegongreen.org/, the Oregon Department of Forestry's restrictions map https://www.oregon.gov/odf/fire/Pages/fireprevention.aspx, OSU's new Fire Program at https://extension.oregonstate.edu/fire-program and OSU's Oregon Wildfire Risk Explorer tool: https://oregonexplorer.info/topics/wildfire-risk?ptopic=62

####

For Immediate Release:

The State of Oregon will honor and remember 189 fallen law enforcement officers, and the families they left behind, during a memorial ceremony on Tuesday, May 4, 2021 at 1 PM.  The event will take place outdoors, at the state memorial which is located at the Oregon Public Safety Academy in Salem.  This year a small number of invited guests will attend, as the ceremony is closed to the public in order to adhere to safety restrictions in place due to the current pandemic.  Governor Kate Brown will attend the ceremony as a guest and as a speaker.

The names of two fallen Oregon law enforcement officers have been approved for addition to the state memorial during this year's ceremony by the Board on Public Safety Standards and Training; Constable Hansford “Harry” Greenfield, End of Watch February 25, 1942, Silverton Police Department and Marshal Zachariah H. Stroud, End of Watch September 11, 1912, Harney City (Now part of city of Burns and Harney County). Both of these Officers are being added under the historic recognition program which allows fallen officers from previous years to be honored on the memorial after careful review and approval. 

The Oregon Fallen Law Enforcement Officers' Memorial Ceremony is a significant event that the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) is proud to host each year in partnership with the Oregon Law Enforcement Memorial Fund, Oregon Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.), Oregon Fallen Badge Foundation, and Oregon's various statewide law enforcement associations.

The memorial honors 189 fallen Oregon law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty since the 1860s. This includes officers from city, county, state, tribal and federal law enforcement agencies who have served as law enforcement officers, corrections officers, and parole and probation officers.

The Oregon memorial is held the week ahead of National Police Week events in Washington, D.C. so that family members and co-workers can attend both memorial ceremonies.  More than 21,000 officers who have died in the line of duty are honored on the national memorial

Background on the names being added to the Oregon Fallen Law Enforcement Officer Memorial in 2021:

Harney City Marshal Zachariah H. Stroud had encountered four individuals carelessly firing weapons in front of the post office.  He cautioned the group to stop or else they would be arrested.  The group resisted resulting in a fusillade of gunfire, injuries to several of those involved, and the death of Harney City Marshal Stroud.  Stroud was 44 years of age at the time of his death, unmarried, and left behind his mother and father.  Three of the four individuals involved in the incident were found guilty of manslaughter.

On Wednesday, February 25, 1942, The Capital Journal of Salem, Oregon reported that a Silverton Police constable had died.  Constable Hansford "Harry" Greenfield died as a result of a heart attack on February 24, 1942 while engaged in helping Night Officer Vic Grossnickle investigate a break-in at a local tavern.  While discussing the case with his fellow officer, he complained of feeling ill and collapsed in a nearby lavatory.

# # #

The Oregon Law Enforcement Memorial Fund raised funds to build the state memorial more than 20 years ago and hosts the annual ceremony.  For more information on the Oregon Law Enforcement Memorial Fund and the statewide license plate that is available to honor fallen law enforcement officers and firefighters please visit: https://www.oregon.gov/dpsst/BD/MFB/Pages/Oregon-Law-Enforcement-Memorial-Trust-Fund.aspx
 

For more information on the Oregon Fallen Law Enforcement Officer Memorial please visit:

https://www.oregon.gov/dpsst/Memorials/LawEnforcement/Pages/default.aspx

For more information about National Police Week, please visit www.LawMemorial.org/policeweek.

(Salem) – Governor Kate Brown has proclaimed May 2021 to be Foster Care Month in Oregon.

The theme this year is “Foster Care can Strengthen the Whole Family.”

Foster Care Month is a time to recognize how foster care supports and strengthens families, to honor the experiences of the children and young people in foster care, and to show gratitude for the contribution that resource families make to the well-being and safety of children and families throughout Oregon.

The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS), Child Welfare Division, believes that foster care should always be the last possible and temporary option for a child and family when there is a child safety concern. The trauma inflicted on a family by separating them during foster care needs to be carefully considered. If foster care is necessary, reunification should be the primary goal.

In Oregon, there are 5,975 children in foster care and thousands of resource families who step up to support them and their families.

Resource families, formerly called foster families or foster parents in Oregon, are affirming and supportive to both the child and their family. Resource families ensure cultural and community connections for children and young adults. They work hard to partner with families to offset the tremendous grief and loss children and young adults experiencing foster care may have. They are partners in achieving the best possible outcomes for families while providing for the safety, health and well-being of the children and young people they’re committed to caring for in their home. Resource families in Oregon support family preservation and reunification whenever possible and are also available to provide a permanent and supportive home when needed.

“This month we recognize the lived experiences of the children and families touched by the foster care system,” said Child Welfare Director Rebecca Jones Gaston. “We know that it is traumatic for a child to enter foster care and to a parent when their child enters foster care. Foster care is intended to be a temporary intervention and not a replacement or punishment for parents. We are incredibly grateful for and appreciate the resource families that have stepped up throughout Oregon to care for and support the children, young people and families who are in crisis.”

To learn more about becoming a resource parent, contact Every Child at EveryChildOregon.org. The Division partners with Every Child to recruit resource families and support children and families impacted by foster care.

“We are committed to supporting the children and young people in foster care with resource families who support connections to their family, culture and community,” said Director Jones Gaston. “That is why we are asking Oregonians statewide to consider stepping up to become a resource family to care for and support the children, young people and families in their community.”

For those looking for other ways to support the children and families in their communities, Every Child’s MyNeighbOR program is another way to help meet the essential needs of children, families, and young adults impacted by foster care. Learn how to provide support at EveryChildOregon.org.

To learn more about foster care in Oregon visit the Department website.

About the ODHS Child Welfare Division

The Oregon Department of Human Services, Child Welfare Division is committed to transforming itself to better support the individual needs of families and to best serve Oregon’s children and young people. Learn more about the Child Welfare Division Vision for Transformation.

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.

###

On Monday, May 3, 2021, at approximately 2:53 A.M., Oregon State Troopers and emergency personnel responded to the report of a pedestrian lying in the median of Interstate 5 near Medford in Jackson County.

Preliminary investigation revealed that a pedestrian was in the middle of the roadway for unknown reasons and was struck by a passing semi-truck. The driver of the semi-truck was on scene and cooperative with the investigation. The pedestrian was pronounced deceased on scene by emergency personnel. His name will be released when appropriate. 

Interstate 5 was reduced to one lane for crash reconstruction. OSP was assisted on scene by Medford Fire, Mercy Flights, Jackson County Sheriff's Office, and ODOT.

May 2, 2021

Contact: OHA External Relations, covid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us" target="_blank">orcovid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us

Oregon reports 756 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 3 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — There are three new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 2,501, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 756 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 186,344.

More than 2,500 deaths in Oregon is a tragic milestone in the pandemic. Oregon Health Authority extends condolences to all of those who have lost a family member, friend, colleague or community member to COVID-19.

Vaccinations in Oregon

Today, OHA reported that 22,443 new doses of COVID-19 vaccinations were added to the state immunization registry. Of this total, 19,147 doses were administered on May 1 and 3,296 were administered on previous days but were entered into the vaccine registry on May 1.

The seven-day running average is now 33,710 doses per day.

Oregon has now administered a total of 1,632,561 first and second doses of Pfizer, 1,315,255 first and second doses of Moderna and 96,938 single doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines.

Cumulative daily totals can take several days to finalize because providers have 72 hours to report doses administered and technical challenges have caused many providers to lag in their reporting. OHA has been providing technical support to vaccination sites to improve the timeliness of their data entry into the state’s ALERT Immunization Information System (IIS).

To date, 1,940,445 doses of Pfizer, 1,575,700 doses of Moderna and 228,800 doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines have been delivered to sites across Oregon.

These data are preliminary and subject to change.

OHA's dashboards provide regularly updated vaccination data, and Oregon’s dashboard has been updated today.

COVID-19 hospitalizations

The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 across Oregon is 345, which is 14 more than yesterday. There are 76 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, which is five more than yesterday.

The total number of COVID-19 positive patient bed-days in the most recent seven days is 2,322, which is a 21.3% increase from the previous seven days. The peak daily number of beds occupied by COVID-19 positive patients in the most recent seven days is 345.

The total number of patients in hospital beds may fluctuate between report times. The numbers do not reflect admissions per day, nor the length of hospital stay. Staffing limitations are not captured in this data and may further limit bed capacity.

More information about hospital capacity can be found here.

Cases and deaths

The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Benton (16), Clackamas (93), Columbia (4), Crook (8), Deschutes (67), Douglas (11), Grant (1), Hood River (6), Jackson (13), Jefferson (4), Josephine (10), Klamath (35), Lane (56), Lincoln (3), Linn (24), Malheur (1), Marion (81), Morrow (1), Multnomah (217), Polk (12), Tillamook (2), Union (1), Wasco (2), Washington (74) and Yamhill (14).

Oregon’s 2,499th death is a 74-year-old man from Marion County who tested positive on April 17 and died on April 29 at Salem Hospital. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 2,500th death is a 72-year-old man from Multnomah County who tested positive on April 23 and died on April 30. Location of death and presence of underlying conditions are being confirmed.  

Oregon’s 2,501st death is an 84-year-old man from Marion County who tested positive on April 19 and died on April 29 at Salem Hospital. He had underlying conditions.

1This includes cases confirmed by diagnostic testing and presumptive cases. Presumptive cases are those without a positive diagnostic test who present COVID-19-like symptoms and had close contact with a confirmed case. County of residence for cases may change as new information becomes available. If changes occur, we will update our counts accordingly.

2For additional details on individuals who have died from COVID-19 in Oregon, please refer to our press releases

ELRs received 05/01/2021

Cumulative ELRs

Learn more about COVID-19 vaccinations? 

To learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine situation in Oregon, visit our webpage (English?or?Spanish), which has a breakdown of distribution and other information.

On Saturday, May 1, 2021 at approximately 3:30 P.M., Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a single vehicle crash on Interstate 5 northbound near milepost 160.

Preliminary investigation revealed a Dodge Pickup, operated by Matthew Wignall (60) unknown home address, left the roadway, traveled through the brush, and down an embankment.

Wignall sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased.

A Pitbull was injured and taken to Bailey’s Vet Clinic for treatment.

OSP was assisted by North Douglas Fire, and ODOT.