SEATTLE - The Drug Enforcement Administration will host its 21^st National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, October 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This event offers free and anonymous disposal of unneeded medications at more than 4,000 local drop-off locations nationwide.

This Saturday, is another opportunity for the Pacific Northwest to dispose of unwanted, unused and expired medication at one of the 146 collection sites throughout the region.  Currently there are 18 collection sites in Alaska, 29 collection sites in Idaho, 26 collection sites in Oregon and 73 collection sites in Washington. Last April, residents of the Pacific Northwest turned in 36,259 pounds.

According to a report published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), a majority of people who misused a prescription medication obtained the medicine from a family member or friend. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that last year, more than 93,000 people died of drug overdoses in the United States, marking the largest number of drug-related deaths ever recorded in a year. Opioid-related deaths accounted for 75 percent of all overdose deaths in 2020.

For more than a decade, DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day has helped Americans easily rid their homes of unneeded medications—those that are old, unwanted, or no longer needed—that too often become a gateway to addiction. Working in close partnership with local law enforcement, Take Back Day has removed more than 7,000 tons of medication from circulation since its inception. These efforts are directly in line with DEA’s priority to combat the rise of overdoses plaguing the United States.

“The United States is in the midst of an opioid epidemic—drug overdoses are up thirty percent over the last year alone and taking more than 250 lives every day,” stated DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “The majority of opioid addictions in America start with prescription pills found in medicine cabinets at home. What’s worse, criminal drug networks are exploiting the opioid crisis by making and falsely marketing deadly, fake pills as legitimate prescriptions, which are now flooding U.S. communities. One thing is clear: prevention starts at home. I urge Americans to do their part to prevent prescription pill misuse: simply take your unneeded medications to a local collection site. It’s simple, free, anonymous, and it can save a life.”

“The DEA Drug Take Back is more important than ever and is a great opportunity for citizens of the Pacific Northwest to dispose of their unused, unwanted, or expired prescription medications,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino. “Properly disposing of these medications will prevent them from falling into the hands of our children. Please help keep our citizens and communities safe by taking the time to responsibly dispose of your unwanted prescription pills during National Drug Take Back Day.”

DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is more important than ever before. Last month, DEA issued a Public Safety Alert and launched the One Pill Can Killpublic awareness campaign to warn Americans of a surge in deadly, fake prescription pills driven by drug traffickers seeking to exploit the U.S. opioid epidemic and prescription pill misuse. Criminal drug networks are shipping chemicals from China to Mexico where they are converted to dangerous substances like fentanyl and methamphetamine and then pressed into pills. The end result—deadly, fake prescription pills—are what these criminal drug networks make and market to prey on Americans for profit. These fake, deadly pills are widely available and deadlier than ever. Fake pills are designed to appear nearly identical to legitimate prescriptions such as Oxycontin®, Percocet®, Vicodin®, Adderall®, Xanax® and other medicines.Criminal drug networks are selling these pills through social media, e-commerce, the dark web and existing distribution networks.

Along with the alert came a warning that the only safe medications are ones prescribed by a trusted medical professional and dispensed by a licensed pharmacist. Any pills that do not meet this standard are unsafe and potentially deadly. DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day reflects DEA’s commitment to Americans’ safety and health, encouraging the public to remove unneeded medications from their homes as a measure of preventing medication misuse and opioid addiction from ever starting.

On Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021, DEA and its partners will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms of prescription drugs. Liquids (including intravenous solutions), syringes and other sharps, and illicit drugs will not be accepted. DEA will also continue to accept vaping devices and cartridges provided lithium batteries are removed.

A location finder and partner toolbox are available at www.DEATakeBack.com for easy reference to nearby collection sites. Beyond DEA’s Take Back Day, there are also opportunities to regularly and safely dispose of unneeded medications at more than 13,000 pharmacies, hospitals, police departments, and businesses working to help clean out medicine cabinets throughout the year.

On Wednesday, October 20, 2021, Albany Police Detectives located 18-year-old Abel Sanchez-Anaya, in Lane County. Information was developed that Sanchez-Anaya was with Elijah Crump during the shooting death of Joshua Johnston-Partain. 

Albany Police Detectives developed information leading to the location of Sanchez-Anaya, in the area of Halsey, Oregon.  Detectives arrested him without incident and he was lodged in the Linn county jail on the following charges:

• Murder in the Second Degree

Summary of the case: On October 10, 2021, Joshua Johnston-Partain was fatally shot multiple times with a firearm in the parking lot at Timber Linn Park.

Albany Police Detectives are continuing to follow up with additional leads, search warrants, and interviews. At this time, two involved suspects have been arrested.  

The investigation is still ongoing and no further information will be released.  Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to call Albany Police Detectives at 541-917-7686.

Please see attached.

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ore. - The Douglas County Sheriff's Office has been notified by Lumen Technologies & Reliance Connect of a fiber line cut near Cottage Grove that is impacting telephone service and disrupting the ability of those affected to dial 9-1-1 from their landline telephones. The outage began roughly around 10:30 pm on Saturday, October 23, 2021.

Residents in the communities of Drain, Yoncalla, Elkton and Scottsburg are experiencing the effects of the telephone service outage. Residents who have cellular telephone service may be able to dial 9-1-1 from their cellular telephone to summon emergency services. The Drain, Yoncalla, Elkton and Scottsburg fire stations have also been staffed with personnel. 

At this time, the telephone providers are unable to provide an estimated time of repair. 

RIDDLE, Ore. - A Riddle man is in custody after he attempted to elude police and was tracked down by K9 Zoro.

On Friday, October 22, 2021, shortly after 10:30 pm, a Douglas County Sheriff's Deputy attempted to stop a 2003 Hyundai Tiburon in the 1100 block of Glenbrook Loop Road in Riddle for traffic violations. The driver failed to stop and attempted to get away from the deputy.

The driver of the vehicle continued to the 4000-block of Glenbrook Loop before making a U-turn. The male driver continued to the 3500-block of Glenbrook Loop when he stopped the vehicle and fled on foot. A female passenger then took control of the vehicle and continued to attempt to elude law enforcement. The female, later identified as 34-year-old Sierra Marie Thompson of Riddle, was eventually stopped by a Myrtle Creek Officer and taken into custody.

K9 Zoro began tracking the male suspect from where he had ran from the vehicle. Zoro led deputies to the back of a property near a fence line, where the suspect, 36-year-old Travis John Byrd of Riddle was located hiding in the brush. Byrd surrendered to deputies after being located by K9 Zoro without further incident.  

Both Byrd and Thompson were transported to the Douglas County Jail where they were lodged on the following charges:

Byrd: Attempt to Elude - Vehicle, Attempt to Elude - Foot, Obstruction of Justice, Interfering with Police Officer, Felon in Possession of a Restricted Weapon, Violation Amount of Possession of Methamphetamine, Warrant Arrest.

Thompson: Attempt to Elude - Vehicle, Obstruction of Justice, Interfering with Police, Felon in Possession of a Restricted Weapon, Violation Amount of Possession of Methamphetamine.

K9 Zoro, a 3 year-old German Shepherd, has been with the Douglas County Sheriff's Office since September 2019. He was purchased by an anonymous donor in the community and gifted to the agency. The Sheriff's Office K9 program, consisting of three K9 teams, is supported financially by private donations and the Friends of Umpqua Valley Police K9 Programs, a non-profit organization whose mission is to support local police K9 teams. Bailey's Veterinary Clinic provides medical care for the Sheriff's Office K9 program while Coastal Farm and Home Supply provides food. 

Sutherlin/Oakland: 911 Outage

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office has been made aware of a telephone line issue affecting residents ability to call 911 from their landline telephones. This problem is affecting residents of the Sutherlin and Oakland areas and is expected to last until sometime tomorrow.

911 lines in the affected areas have been switched to temporarily ring into the Sutherlin Police Department, which is staffed with a 911 dispatcher only until 1:00 a.m.  After 1:00 a.m., the only way to reach 911 will be from a mobile phone.

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The FBI has received several reports through its Internet Complaint Center (www.ic3.gov) of a new threat that businesses and agencies across the state of Oregon are receiving. The language in every case appears to be very similar.

The threat message says that the bad actor has planted bombs in the organization and that if anyone contacts police, the bombs will be detonated remotely. There is a demand for a payment of $5,000 - $20,000 to be made through an email or cryptocurrency address.  

The messages also include death threats to the recipients and their families.  

So far, the threats are targeting internet service providers, education institutions, and health care providers.    

If you receive such a threat, the FBI recommends that you do NOT pay the ransom and that you notify us at www.ic3.gov.  

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During Cybersecurity Awareness Month, observed each October, the FBI and its partner agencies remind you to do your part and #BeCyberSmart all year long.

As the premier cyber investigative agency, the FBI works to keep you safe online, but there are many simple steps you can take to help protect yourself and your family. If you do become a victim, contact us at the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (www.ic3.gov) to report online crime.

This week's focus is on ransomware - what it is and how to stay safe. A video version of this release is available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rN10oCBe_ZA

The speaker is Supervisory Special Agent Gabriel Gundersen. SSA Gundersen supervises the Oregon Cyber Task Force.

What is ransomware?

Ransomware is a form of malicious software that targets your data. If ransomware infects your device or network, the ransomware actors behind that attack have the ability to lock you out of the data stored on your device or network. They will demand you pay a ransom – usually by cryptocurrency. They claim they will give you the “key” to recover your data if you pay, but there are no guarantees.

Who is most at risk for ransomware attacks?

There are three basic groups who can suffer ransomware attacks:

• Businesses – both big and small
• Individuals; and
• Public agencies and public service providers

What’s the risk to individuals?

When these kinds of attacks first started, ransomware actors often targeted regular people at home. The majority of attacks now go after larger targets, but individuals still need to take precautions. The loss of wedding photos or videos of your newborn are irreplaceable. 

What’s the risk to businesses?

Any business can be vulnerable, but we are particularly concerned about small and medium-sized companies. They often don’t have the expertise or, they think, the funds to invest in the robust security they need. If you are a business owner, please take the time to learn about some simple steps you can take to protect your business. Otherwise, one bad ransomware attack can cause you to shut your doors for good.

What’s the risk to public agencies and service providers?

We are seeing attack after attack targeting hospitals, health care providers, government agencies, and schools. Not only do these organizations risk a loss of money, they also hold sensitive information that the attackers can pull out and re-sell on the dark web. Beyond that, there are real world consequences of a hospital that is unable to care for patients.

How do ransomware attacks usually start?

Ransomware actors will often send ransomware through email phishing campaigns. Once anyone on your network clicks on an infected file or link, the fraudsters can have access to all of your devices and data. They encrypt the system, effectively locking you out. 

How much can a ransomware attack cost?

The ransom demands may range from a few hundred dollars for an individual to millions of dollars for a big company, hospital, or utility. But the ransom is only the start. Organizations risk loss of productivity, legal fees, and the need to purchase credit-monitoring services for employees and customers. 

Even if you manage to get your system back up online, it is likely that the attacker left other malware hidden on your system—requiring a remediation team to completely wipe the computers and restore everything from clean, off-line backups.

What are some basic steps to take to avoid a ransomware attack?

To avoid a ransomware attack, you should:

• Educate yourself and your employees as to how to identify and manage phishing lures.
• Back up your data often and keep back-ups segregated and offline from normal operations.
• Make sure that all devices on your network are using the most current versions of operating systems and applications; and
• Keep your anti-malware software up-to-date.

What should I do if I think my device or network is infected with ransomware?

• If you get a pop-up or other message that says you are infected, disconnect the device from the Internet and your network immediately to try to prevent the spread.

• Then, call the FBI right away. If we are called in early enough, we can sometimes assist with remediation.

Should I pay to unlock my system? 

The FBI recommends that victims do NOT pay a hacker’s ransom demand. The payment only encourages more criminal activity, and, even if you do pay, there is no guarantee that the hacker will unlock your data, hasn’t already downloaded your data for re-sale, or won’t return for another round of ransom.

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Note to media: The previous Oregon FBI Cybersecurity Awareness Month videos are available for download from YouTube as well.

Week 1: Cybersecurity Basics (FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Eliza Odom) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WU63yNub3I

Week 2: The ABC's of Cryptocurrency (FBI Forensic Accountant Brandon) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkZe5vRAHF8

October is #CybersecurityAwareness Month. During this time, the FBI reminds everyone to #BeCyberAware! In honor of this recognition, today's Tech Tuesday report will focus on a new scam that is cropping up at restaurants, at stores, and in ads across the country.

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

Let’s start with basics. “QR” stands for “quick response.” The QR code is a square image that you can scan with your phone – usually by just pointing your camera at it. The image itself is filled with data that can do lots of helpful things, such as send you to a particular website or payment portal.

QR codes have become much more common in these COVID times. They allow restaurants to use virtual menus and vendors to accept cashless payments easily. You may find codes physically pasted about or virtually embedded into ads, emails, or online. They are easy to create and, unfortunately, easy to hack.

The FBI is starting to get reports of people who are falling victim to QR code scams, including some who are losing money. One area of particular concern – frauds involving cryptocurrency. Crypto transactions are often made through QR codes associated with crypto accounts… making these transactions easy marks.

If you happen to scan a scammer’s bad code, you could end up giving him access to your device. He can access your contacts, download malware, or send you to a fake payment portal. Once there, you can inadvertently give him access to your banking and credit card accounts. If you make a payment through a bad QR code, it’s difficult if not impossible to get those funds back. Here’s how to protect yourself:

• Do not scan a randomly found QR code.
• Be suspicious if, after scanning a QR code, the site asks for password or login info.
• Do not scan QR codes received in emails unless you know they are legitimate. Call the sender to confirm.
• Some scammers are physically pasting bogus codes over legitimate ones. If it looks as though a code has been tampered with at your local bar or restaurant, don’t use it. Same thing with legitimate ads you pick up or get in the mail.

Finally, consider using antivirus software that offers QR readers with added security that can check the safety of a code before you open the link.

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

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JCSO Case #21-5610

EAGLE POINT, Ore. - The suspects from Thursday night’s home invasion robbery and assault at a marijuana grow and processing site have been charged and booked in the Jackson County Jail.

The suspects, Vay San Duong, 51, and Kien Vihn Vong, 49, both from Sacramento, Calif. have been charged with four counts of first-degree robbery, four counts of second-degree robbery, first-degree burglary, unlawful use of a weapon, four counts of second-degree assault, and first-degree theft.

The remaining suspect, believed to be an Asian male, is still at large. The suspect fled from a vehicle outside of Eagle Point on HWY 140 near mile marker 13 and is believed to be on foot. If you have information on the suspect’s whereabouts, do not approach, call 911 immediately. 

The marijuana grow and processing site has been confirmed as containing illegal marijuana.

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GRANTS PASS, Ore. - An ongoing Grants Pass Police Department (GPPD) investigation involving commercial sexual solicitation at a local massage parlor resulted in several arrests during a Thursday multi-jurisdictional law enforcement operation.  The operation was a cooperative effort between GPPD Detectives, the Southern Oregon Child Exploitation Team (SOCET) and the Rogue Area Drug Enforcement team (RADE).  Human trafficking concerns were further developed during this ongoing criminal investigation at the Silk Road Massage parlor located on the 1500 block of NE Seventh Street in Grants Pass.

Arrested during the raid was Wei Zhang, 58 of Grants Pass, charged with promoting prostitution. Kul Assavaphoom, 41 also of Grants pass was cited and released for prostitution. During the raid a customer, Yhang Zhao, 52 was found with a US Marshal warrant out of Virginia and was lodged in the Josephine County Jail. The business was owned by Min Zhang, 48 of Grants Pass.

We greatly value our community partnerships and would like to thank the Women’s Crisis Support Team in Grants Pass who assisted with victim advocacy.

SOCET is a joint inter-agency task force that started in June of 2020 to combat child exploitation and human trafficking. The task force consists of investigators from Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO), Medford Police Department (MPD), GPPD, Oregon State Police (OSP), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and prosecutors from our local, state and federal law enforcement partners in Jackson and Josephine County.

Home Invasion Armed Robbery, Assault Suspect On the Run Outside Eagle Point, Two Suspects in Custody 
 

EAGLE POINT, Ore. – A home invasion robbery suspect is on the loose, believed to be armed and dangerous. Victims described the fleeing suspect as an Asian male, and he is potentially armed with a handgun. The suspect fled from a vehicle outside of Eagle Point on HWY 140 near mile marker 13 and is believed to be on foot. If you have information on the suspect’s whereabouts, do not approach, call 911 immediately. 

Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) deputies, Oregon State Police (OSP) troopers, and Eagle Point Police Department (EPPD) officers responded to a home-invasion armed robbery and assault in progress at a marijuana grow near Eagle Point Thursday evening. Around 9:30 p.m. ECSO dispatch received a report of a break-in and assault at a warehouse on Lake Creek Loop, off HWY 140 near Eagle Point. Upon JCSO’s arrival, one suspect was detained, and two fled. One of the fleeing suspects was located and arrested attempting to hitchhike on HWY 140 a few hours later. The other suspect is still loose and is considered armed and dangerous.

Investigations are ongoing with deputies working several leads to identify and track the outstanding suspect. Detectives from Major Assault Death Investigative Unit (MADIU) and the Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team (IMET) are assisting investigations.

JCSO Case #21-5574

RUCH, Ore. - Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) is investigating a domestic violence homicide that occurred early Wednesday morning on the 3300 block of Little Applegate Rd. near Ruch. The suspect, David Allen Karnes, 54, of Ruch, is at a local hospital with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, pending charges from the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office.

ECSO dispatch received a call at 12:21 a.m. for a gunshot victim. JCSO deputies and Oregon State Police (OSP) troopers responded to find the suspect barricaded inside the residence. JCSO’s Crisis Negotiators Team (CNT) and SWAT were called in to assist. The suspect did not respond to verbal commands and refused to exit the residence. At 2:49 a.m. a single gunshot was heard as the SWAT Team entered the residence to find the suspect suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound and the victim deceased from apparent gunshot wounds. Lifesaving measures were performed on the suspect and a Mercy Flight ambulance took him to a local hospital where he is listed in serious condition.

The victim, Constance Maria Murphy, 54, of Ruch, was married to the suspect. Investigations are ongoing with JCSO detectives being assisted by OSP Forensics crime lab. Further information will come from the DA’s Office.

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JCSO Case #21-5574

RUCH, Ore. - Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) is investigating a homicide that occurred early Wednesday morning on the 3300 block of Little Applegate Rd. in Buncom, Ore. The suspect is in custody. Investigations are ongoing. More information to follow. 

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LCSO CASE #21-5946

On 10/19/2021 The Lane County Sheriff’s Office along with several local fire agencies responded to an address in the 81000blk of Hwy. 99 south of Creswell regarding a structure fire.  While on scene authorities observed evidence indicating the location to be involved in a large-scale criminal marijuana manufacturing and trafficking operation.  

Deputies applied for and were able to obtain a search warrant to seize evidence related to this operation.  Deputies executed the search warrant on the morning of 10/20/21 and seized a very high volume of marijuana.  Over 2,000 marijuana plants were seized in addition to over 200lbs of processed, ready-to-sell marijuana. The local street market value of the marijuana seized is estimated at over two million dollars.  This value if sold outside the State of Oregon could easily be tripled.  Evidence was also obtained that this was an unlicensed, non-medical marijuana operation. 

This investigation is on-going and formal charges have not yet been filed.  

The Lane County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Oregon State Police Northwest Region Marijuana Team for their assistance with this investigation.

Do you have unwanted or expired medications at your home? The Lane County Sheriff’s Office is partnering with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to help you safely dispose of prescription drugs while educating the community about the potential for abuse of medications.

This is a no-questions-asked prescription drug drop off in effort to prevent the unsafe disposal of prescription medications, and to prevent medications from being stolen or abused.

According to the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 20.5 million people misused prescription pain relievers, stimulants, tranquilizers or sedatives in 2019. Most of those misused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet.

“Properly disposing of medicines when we’re no longer using them is a simple, effective action each of us can take to help fight drug addiction and prevent accidental poisoning,” said Dr. Garret Zallen, pediatric surgeon at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend.

Help us in the fight against prescription drug addiction and check your medicine cabinet for prescription drugs that are expired or that you no longer use.

Bring your unwanted, outdated, or expired prescription and over-the-counter medications to the following location for safe disposal:

Where: Roll Park Lot (corner of 7th and Pearl in Eugene)

When: Saturday, October 23rd, 2021 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Acceptable items: Prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, vitamins, drug samples, pet medications, ointments, lotions, and liquid medicines in glass or leak proof containers.

We are unable to accept: Needles, thermometers, bloody or infectious waste, medications from businesses, hydrogen peroxide, aerosol cans, inhalers, and diabetic meters.

If you are unable to attend the Drug Take Back Event and you have medications you would like to dispose of, the Lane County Sheriff’s Office has a Drug Drop Box located in our Central Reception lobby in the Lane County Courthouse that is available to accept medications (no appointment necessary) Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, excluding legal holidays.

UPDATE   10/19/21 - 10:70am

Sheryl Thornton has been located and is no longer considered missing.

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LCSO Case #21-5898 – Missing Person The Lane County Sheriff’s Office is looking to contact 38 year old Sheryl Thornton. Thornton was last observed at approximately 1:00am on the morning of October 16th at her home in the area of Hwy. 99 and E. Enid Rd. in Eugene. Thornton has no known vehicles associated with her and she is possibly barefoot. Thornton is described as a white female adult standing approximately 5’03” and weighing about 140lbs. She has brown hair and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing gray Mickey Mouse yoga pants and a white t-shirt. Anyone with information regarding Thornton’s whereabouts are asked to contact the Lane County Sheriff’s Office at 541-682-4150 Opt. 1.

The Lebanon Fire District is pleased to announce the selection of Emerick Construction as a Construction Manager/General Contractor (CM/GC) for the new Station 31 project. They join the project alongside Rice Fergus Miller, the architectural firm hired late last year.

“While any of the top applicants would have done a great job,” says Fire Chief Joseph Rodondi, “Emerick Construction had the breadth of relevant and timely fire construction experience that fit our needs.” 

Differing from the standard Design-Bid-Build process, the CM/GC method allows for more opportunities for success and cost-savings. By having Emerick join as CM/GC during the design phase, they can collaborate with Rice Fergus Miller on the development of the design to provide additional value and risk reduction. The CM/GC will also submit a guaranteed maximum price which will provide an extra layer of fiscal responsibility. 

A significant benefit of the CM/GC process is close interaction and collaboration between all project team members. Such collaboration has already kicked off, as representatives from Emerick, Rice Fergus Miller, and the Lebanon Fire District met on Monday to discuss the new Station 31 project. 

“I am pleased that Lebanon Fire District had the foresight and patience to change procurement methods for this project,” says Gunnar Gladics, Principal Architect with Rice Fergus Miller. “With all the uncertainty and risk that has occurred in the last year, this process will help mitigate commodity fluctuations and supply chain issues.”

“We understand the amount of work and dedication it takes from the community to get to this point in the process, and are proud to be part of this project team,” says Jordan Fell, Special Projects Director with Emerick Construction. “We look forward to building a facility that will serve the Fire District and the citizens of Lebanon for years to come.”

By postponing some of the construction processes, LFD has successfully avoided the extreme increase in building supplies. The biggest hurdles the project will face now are large lead times, which are currently being felt across the globe. Demolition is projected to begin in Spring of 2022, with the target completion date of Summer of 2023 remaining the same. 

A reported kitchen fire which spread through a home on Thursday night provided significant challenges for Lebanon firefighters called to battle the blaze. The fire at 37635 Rock Hill Drive was first reported by a resident on Central Avenue at 9:07 p.m. when they noticed the fully involved structure from their home. Fire officials believe that the fire had already been burning for a significant amount of time at the time of the call due to the heavy involvement throughout the two-story structure. 

LFD crews were on scene in less than 6 minutes from the time of call and reported a heavily involved structure. A resident was attempting to extinguish the fire with buckets of water from an above ground swimming pool when firefighters arrived, and crews quickly directed on-scene paramedics to the man for a medical evaluation. The male suffered mild smoke inhalation and was observed on scene until being released without need for transport to a hospital. The home and contents, initially valued at $325,000, were a complete loss. Twenty-one personnel on eleven fire apparatus responded, and the Tangent Fire District provided one water tender with two personnel for mutual aid. 

The structure was located outside of the city’s hydrant system which created the need for firefighters to establish a rural water supply using water tenders and portable water tanks. Two water tenders from Lebanon and one from the Tangent Fire District set up a water shuttle, dumping their water into the portable tanks set up on Rock Hill Drive and then driving approximately one mile to the nearest hydrant to fill up and return to the scene. This evolution ensured a constant water supply for firefighters working on scene who were flowing up to 300 gallons of water per minute onto the fire. The typical fire engine water tank holds roughly 750 gallons of water, which can be expended in less than two and a half minutes when flowing two hand lines. 

As firefighters worked the blaze, they encountered a heavy accumulation of personal belongings inside the home which made entry into the home nearly impossible in the heavy fire conditions. An initial report from the occupant indicated that there may have been up to seven people in the house at the time of the fire. Firefighters used a technique called VES (Vent-Enter-Search) to enter interior rooms from the exterior windows of uninvolved rooms and quickly search for victims before retreating out of the window and continuing to the next room. Crews were able to safely search two bedrooms before fire conditions forced them to switch to a defensive operational mode. No victims were found, and the report of people in the structure turned out to be unfounded. 

During the fire the entire second floor collapsed onto the first floor of the home, further hampering firefighter’s efforts to extinguish the fire and search for victims. One fire engine remained on scene overnight in the event of a flare up and crews returned early Friday morning to meet with the property owner and discuss the next steps. After evaluating the lack of stability of the structure, the Lebanon Fire Marshal determined that it would be unsafe for fire investigators to enter the building to perform a fire investigation. The property owner was consulted, and the decision was made to bring an excavator to the scene and use it to tear the house down so that firefighters could completely extinguish the fire, still smoldering within the home’s footprint. Firefighters finally cleared the scene around 8:00 a.m. on Friday morning, nearly eleven hours after the initial call. There were no injuries to firefighters at the incident. 

The Lebanon Fire District is conducting training at the old Moose Lodge, located at 4070 S Santiam Highway. Rapid Intervention Crew training, or “RIC” will be conducted today, October 19 and tomorrow, October 20. Crews were also onsite yesterday afternoon.

Artificial smoke will be present around the building during these times to simulate an active fire scenario. Unless flames are visible, there is no need to call 9-1-1 for the presence of smoke at this location. We appreciate the community’s concern and dedication to reporting emergencies.

                                TIP OF THE WEEK

Date:        October 21, 2021                 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:    Sheriff Curtis Landers

                541-265-0654

                s@co.lincoln.or.us">lcsheriff@co.lincoln.or.us

                                                        DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS

National Domestic Violence Awareness is an annual designation observed in October. For many, home is a place of love, warmth, and comfort. It’s somewhere that you know you will be surrounded by care and support. But for millions of others home is anything, but a sanctuary. 

Both women and men can be victims of some form of violence by an intimate partner or ex-partner.  

People who are in an abusive relationship will stay with their partner for a number of reasons:

• Low self-esteem, and they are made to feel they will never be able to find another person to be with.
• The cycle of abuse, that follows physical and mental abuse, makes them believe their partner really is sorry and does love them.
• It’s dangerous to leave. Situations sometimes become worse if a plan isn’t made and proper action hasn’t been taken before leaving. 
• They feel personally responsible for their partner, or their own behavior. They are made to feel like everything that goes wrong is their fault.
• They share a life. Marriages, children, homes, pets, and finances are a big reason victims of abuse feel they can’t leave.

HOW TO OBSERVE

Sometimes, people don’t know if they are really in an abusive relationship because they’re used to their partner telling them it’s all in their head or making them feel like all the problems are their own fault. Here are just a few ways to know if you’re in an abusive relationship that you need to get out of.

1. Your partner has assaulted you in any way in the past.
2. Your partner is possessive. They check up on you constantly wondering where you are
3. Your partner is jealous. (A small amount of jealousy isn’t abnormal) pay attention to consistent accusations of you being unfaithful or isolating you from family or friends. 
4. Your partner puts you down in any way. 
5. Your partner threatens you or your family.
6. Your partner physically and sexually abuses you.  (Even if it doesn’t happen all the time)

If you are concerned about someone you know, feel free to call the local non-emergency dispatch line and they can get you in touch with the proper authorities or assist you on what to do. Non-Emergency Dispatch Number- 541-265-0777

And as always, if you are in an emergency situation or know of someone in an emergency situation, please don’t hesitate to call 911

For the full article – go to: nationaldaycalendar.com/national-domestic-violence-awareness-month-october/

For more information and tips, visit our web site at www.lincolncountysheriff.net and “like” us on Facebook at Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office – Oregon.

Linn County Undersheriff Michelle Duncan reports on October 16, at 5:51 p.m., Linn County Dispatch received a 911 call from a male who became stuck while climbing cliffs at Wolf Rock. Johnathan Takle, 23, of Hillsboro, was performing a technical climb up Wolf Rock when he became stuck after his gear fell to the ground. Takle used his remaining gear to anchor himself to the rock and called for help. 

Linn County Sheriff’s Office, Corvallis Mountain Rescue, Lebanon Fire Department, Sweet Home Fire Department and Benton County Sheriff’s Office responded to the rescue. They worked throughout the night to rescue Takle and bring him down safely to the trailhead almost 20 hours later. Takle did not sustain any injuries during the rescue but was carried to the trailhead because of his exhausted state. 

Wolf Rock is among the Cascade mountain range and is recognized as Oregon’s largest monolith, rising nearly 1,000 feet above the surrounding area. The monoliths popularity has increased for technical climbers and Linn County Sheriff’s Office has seen this reflected in calls related to the location. 

Deputies are asking for community tips after four female adults in custody (AIC) left the Marion County Transition Center without authorization on Tuesday, October 19^th, 2021.

The Marion County Sheriff’s Office Transition Center prepares AICs for re-entry into the community prior to release from custody. Staffed around the clock, the Transition Center provides an intermediate sanction between Jail and Probation. Unlike the Jail, the Transition Center provides minimum-security supervision. Residents are expected to work, either at their own jobs or by performing community services. The mission of the Transition Center is to provide just and humane care for AICs at the center by providing a positive and rehabilitative environment. To accomplish this mission, staff utilizes Core Correctional Practices (CCP) to assist AICs by holding them accountable and teaching them basic pro-social skills to assist in their successful transition back into the community. 

At approximately 2:00 p.m. on October 19th, Hannah Crawford (21), exited the facility after walking out an unlocked door. Crawford was in custody for a probation violation. She was scheduled to be released from custody on November 6th, 2021.

Later in the day, shortly before 6:00 p.m., three females left through a dorm window, which is kept unlocked. 

• Amanda Schultz (30) was in custody serving a sanction for a parole violation, her release date had not yet been determined.
• Shyndia Alexander (21) was in custody serving a sanction for a parole violation, her release date had not yet been determined.
• Mariah Hall (25) was serving a sentence for domestic violence offenses and was scheduled for release on November 2nd, 2021.

Deputies are asking anyone who has information about these women’s location to call the Marion County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency dispatch at 503-588-5032.

Marion County Sheriff’s Office is releasing the following information pursuant to ORS163A.215, which authorizes Community Corrections to inform the public when the release of information will enhance public safety and protection.

The individual who appears on this notification has been convicted of a sex offense that requires registration with the Sheriff’s Office. Additionally, this person’s criminal history places them in a classification level which reflects the potential to re-offend. This notification is not intended to increase fear; rather, it is our belief that an informed public is a safer public.

NAME:  Ceja-Hernandez, Adan Miguel 

SID#: 13948848           

DOB: 08/11/1982  

CURRENT AGE: 39  

RACE: H                    SEX: M 

HEIGHT: 5’11”           WEIGHT: 200lbs   

HAIR: BLK                 EYES: BRO

RESIDENCE: 777 Commercial St NE, Salem, OR 97301 

Adan Miguel Ceja-Hernandez is on Post-Prison Supervision for the crimes of: RAPE I, RAPE I, RAPE II, ESCAPE II

This person was granted supervision on: 09/20/2021

Supervision expiration date is: 02/19/2027

Special restrictions include:    [X] Sex offender treatment 

             [X] No contact with minors (male/female)

             [X] No alcohol 

             [X] Submit to polygraph

Other: Ceja-Hernandez’s victim pool includes females with an age range of 13-18

The Oregon State Police is releasing information related to employee compliance with Executive Order 21-29.  These employees are covered under a mix of policies, LOA’s and procedures and the Oregon State Police is committed to treating members fairly and consistently. 

Total number of OSP Employees In-Scope of EO 21-29

1267

Fully Vaccinated

78% of OSP’s In-Scope employees

Submitted Exceptions – “Approved” as of 10/18/21 @ 11:59pm

15% of OSP’s In-Scope employees

• 96% of those are Religious Exceptions
• 4% of those are Medical Exceptions

Submitted Exceptions – “Pending Review” Status by Complex Leave Team as of 10/18/21 @ 11:59pm

7% of OSP’s In-Scope employees

• 65% of those are Religious Exceptions
• 35% of those are Medical Exceptions

Protected Leave Status (Examples: Military/OFLA/FMLA/etc.)

.01% of OSP’s In-Scope employees

• Prior to returning to work, these members will work with OSP’s Complex Leave Team to ensure they are also in compliance with EO 21-29.

Number of OSP Employees Placed on Administrative Leave on 10/19/21 – for Non-Compliance with EO 21-29

DAS reported today 778 OSP members are associated to the Oregon State Police Officer’s Association (OSPOA).  As of 10/19/21, OSPOA and the State of Oregon have not entered into an agreement regarding EO 21-29.

11 OSP employees are categorized as OSPOA membership and on Administrative Leave. 

• Those 11 OSP members are valued employees and are working through the process with our agency to determine next steps.  The primary goal from the onset of EO 21-29 was to protect people, and this includes our valued members.  Each of these members have taken steps to comply with the EO and we will be working directly with them and their OSPOA leadership to remedy the situation.
• 10 are sworn OSP members and 1 is a professional staff member

Number  of OSP Employees Non-OSPOA membership Utilizing the Grace Period as outlined in LOA/DAS Policy as of 10/19/21 – “In the Vaccination Process”

10 – Ten OSP members are exercising the option to either remote work (if appropriate and available), utilize personal leave banks or leave without pay status as they transition through the “In the Vaccination Process” period.

Number of OSP Employees that Resigned in Response to EO 21-29  

 4-Two professional staff and two sworn members cited EO21-29 at the time their resignations were submitted. 

“Fully Vaccinated”: Means having received both doses of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine or one dose of a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine and at least 14 days have passed since the individual’s final dose of COVID-19 vaccine.  This process must have occurred on or before October 18, 2021, as outlined in EO 21-29. 

 “Pending Review Status”: Means an OSP employee has submitted in writing a request for either a Medical or a Religious Exception.  The OSP Complex Leave team has not reviewed or processed these requests as of 10/19/21.  Those employees categorized as “Pending Review Status” are in compliance with EO 21-29 while in the “Pending Review Status”.

On Sunday, October 17, 2021, at approximately 3:03 PM, Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a two-vehicle crash on Highway 26 near milepost 48.

Preliminary investigation revealed an eastbound GMC Sierra, operated by Brian Masters (39) of Beaverton, crossed into the westbound lane and collided head-on with a Kia Soul, operated by Lisa Lawson (68) of Seaside. 

Lawson sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased. The passenger in the Kia Soul, Jay Lawson (73) of Seaside, was transported to an area hospital with injuries. Brian Masters and passenger Leila Masters (36) of Beaverton, were transported to an area hospital. 

Hwy 26 was closed for approximately 4 hours. 

OSP was assisted by Washington County Sheriff's Office,  Hillsboro Police Department, Banks Fire Department and ODOT. 

On Monday, October 18, 2021 at approximately 12:43 PM, Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a two-vehicle crash on Highway 42 near milepost 6. 

Preliminary investigation revealed an eastbound Dodge Ram, operated by Daniel Taylor (37) of North Bend, crossed into the westbound lanes and struck a Peterbilt CMV towing a loaded chip trailer, operated by Calvin Mitchell (52) of Coos Bay. 

Taylor sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased. Mitchell received minor injuries. 

Hwy 42 was closed approximately 6 hours. 

OSP was assisted by Coos County Sheriff’s Department, Coquille Police Department, Coquille Fire Department, Greenacres Fire Department, Coquille Ambulance, Southern Oregon Public Safety Chaplains and ODOT. 

As of 7:00 p.m. today, October 22, 2021, the Roseburg Fire Department will be reopening Station 2 after the recent temporary closure.  The department is continuing to make every effort to limit closures and to reopen the station as quickly as possible if a closure is necessary.

If you have an emergency, please call 911.  For non-emergency business, please contact the fire department at 541-492-6770 or via email at roseburgfire@cityofroseburg.org

Roseburg Fire Department is temporarily closing Station 2, located at 2177 W. Harvard Avenue, due to staffing issues and will reopen it once staffing needs are met.  The department is continuing to make every effort to limit closures and to reopen the station as quickly as possible if a closure is necessary.

If you have an emergency, please call 911.  For non-emergency business, please contact the fire department at 541-492-6770 or via email at roseburgfire@cityofroseburg.org

Sweet Home Fire was able to purchase 5 new AEDs with the assistance of grant funds from the Siletz Tribal Charitable Contribution Fund.  The automated external defibrillators will be placed on fire apparatus at all 4 of the Sweet Home Fire District stations including Cascadia, Crawfordsville, and Foster, as well as the main fire station. They will replace the 4 units that became obsolete due to their age. These life-saving devices will be deployed on quick response units that may arrive on scene before an ambulance in certain circumstances.  They will be operated by firefighters trained in their use, in conjunction with the administration of CPR, until more advanced care arrives.  This will give victims of cardiac arrest the best chance of survival.

The Siletz Tribal Charitable Contribution Fund has been a big supporter of the fire district and our community for many years, providing grant funds for emergency response and training equipment.  We are grateful to the tribe for their continued support.

Thanks to a generous matching grant from the Special District's Association of Oregon, rural addresses in the Sweet Home Fire District will be easier for responders to locate.  The program awarded funds to the fire district in the spring, allowing the district to hire two student interns over the summer months.  These interns worked to improve the visibility of existing address markers and to install or replace non-existent or missing  markers.  These address posts and markers have historically been provided by the fire district at no cost to the landowners.  They allow first responders to locate addresses from the roadway during an emergency.  With increasing demands for services, the fire district has struggled to ensure that the maintenance of the rural addressing program was up-to-date.  The grant allowed us to get caught up, and to create a database for the program which will assist us in ensuring that the program runs more smoothly going forward.  

Condon, Ore. -- The Bureau of Land Management, Central Oregon Field Office, invites public comment through Nov. 24, on recreation and travel management planning for the Thirtymile planning area. The planning area is located about ten miles southwest of Condon, Ore., on the east side of the John Day River. 

This 30-day public scoping period provides an open process to get input from the public, government agencies, tribal governments, and other interested stakeholders on the issues and environmental impacts to be addressed during the planning process. Public input will help the BLM develop a range of alternatives to provide access to outdoor recreation opportunities while protecting the natural and cultural resources in the planning area. 

As part of the 30-day public scoping period, the BLM will host a virtual public meeting via Zoom Nov. 4th, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. During this meeting, the BLM will provide a brief presentation regarding natural resources and uses in the area and an overview of the travel and recreation management planning process. There will an opportunity for the public to ask questions about the project or scoping materials. 

People interested in participating in the virtual public meeting must register through Zoom at https://tinyurl.com/hd9fpy4p. After registering, participants will receive a confirmation email with instructions, a link to join the meeting and phone number for those unable to join online. 

During the 30-day public scoping period, comments may be submitted electronically to the project ePlanning website; via email to BLM_OR_PR_Thirtymile@blm.gov; or in writing by mail to: BLM Prineville District, Attn: Thirtymile Project, 3050 NE Third Street, Prineville, OR 97754. For specific questions, contact Chris Ryan, Planning and Environmental Coordinator at BLM_OR_PR_Thirtymile@blm.gov or (541) 416-6743; or contact the BLM office at (541) 416-6700. 

More information about the planning effort, including scoping material, actions that will be considered, and maps of travel routes and proposed recreation improvements, can be found on the project’s ePlanning website at https://go.usa.gov/xsbsG.

−BLM–

This year, we invite everyone to reimagine your public lands as we celebrate 75 years of the BLM’s stewardship and service to the American people. The BLM manages approximately 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The agency’s mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.

EUGENE, Ore.—A federal grand jury in Eugene returned an indictment today charging an Oregon restauranteur with tax evasion and hiding cash from his businesses.

Meeraali Shaik, a Corvallis, Oregon resident and the owner of Evergreen Indian Cuisine, has been charged with one count of tax evasion.

According to court documents, Shaik owned and operated Evergreen Indian Cuisine locations in Eugene and Corvallis. From before 2013 and continuing until 2017, Shaik is alleged to have willfully attempted to evade the assessment of personal income taxes by, among other illegal acts, providing his tax preparer with incomplete bank and income records and false information regarding the cash receipts of his restaurants. Shaik used a portion of the underreported cash receipts to pay mortgage payments on properties in Eugene, Corvallis, and Chandler, Arizona and made wire transfers to a bank account in India.

Shaik will make his initial appearance in federal court before a U.S. Magistrate Judge on November 2, 2021. During his first appearance, Shaik will be arraigned, and a jury trial date will be set.

If convicted, Shaik faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison, three years’ supervised release, and a $100,000 fine.

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

This case was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation with assistance from the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gavin W. Bruce is prosecuting the case.

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

# # #

Event to be held virtually on October 21, 2021 at 6:30pm PDT

PORTLAND, Ore.—Community members and law enforcement officials from throughout the tri-county area will convene this week for the sixth-annual Building Bridges of Understanding in Our Community event on October 21, 2021 at 6:30pm PDT.

This two-hour virtual event is open to the public and hosted by the Muslim Educational Trust (MET) in Tigard, Oregon. To register, please visit https://conta.cc/3jwOKem.

This year’s theme is “What is Public Safety? Joining together to build bridges, share perspectives, and create solutions.” Criminal justice and community leaders will share perspectives in two moderated panel discussions: “What is public safety and what does it mean to you?” and “A year after George Floyd’s murder: Where are we now?” Each panel discussion will include a question-and-answer period.

Participating organizations include: MET, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon, the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO), Washington County District Attorney’s Office, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office, City of Portland’s Office of Violence Prevention, Multnomah County Department of Community Justice, Portland Police Bureau, Department of Safety Standards and Training, Oregon Department of Justice, Lake Oswego Police Department, and Beaverton Police Department.

For six consecutive years, leaders from public safety and civil society organizations have come together to build and strengthen trust in one another and to cultivate trust with the communities they serve. The annual event has been held at MET since its inception in the fall of 2016.

To view a video of last year’s event, please visit https://youtu.be/ae3Zj6TNDIY.

The Building Bridges event series is sponsored by the Washington County District Attorney’s Office, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Washington County Administration, Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office, City of Lake Oswego, Lake Oswego Respond to Racism, Concerned Citizens of West Linn, Latino Network, Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, IRCO, Muslim Community Center of Portland, Tigard Police Department, Portland Office of Civic Life, Portland Bureau of Transportation, Portland Police Bureau, New Portland Foundation, Portland’s New Portland Policy Commission, Salman Alfarisi Islamic Center of Corvallis, Multnomah County Sheriff’s and District Attorney’s Offices, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.

For media inquiries or to book interviews with steering committee members, please contact Stephen Mayer of the Washington County District Attorney’s Office by emailing stephen_mayer@co.washington.or.us or calling (971) 708-8219.

Media outlets are also welcome to contact the following steering committee members directly:

• Wajdi Said; Muslim Educational Trust; wajdi@metpdx.org
• J.W. Matt Hennessee; Vancouver Avenue Baptist Church; church1@aol.com">vafbchurch1@aol.com
• Jack Hanna; New Portlanders Foundation; jackahanna@gmail.com 
• Linda Castillo; Commissioner for Hispanic Affairs and DEI Manager at IRCO; lindaC@irco.org
• Erin Hubert; Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office; in.hubert@mcso.us">erin.hubert@mcso.us
• Kevin Barton; Washington County DA; stephen_mayer@co.washington.or.us

# # #

BACKGROUND WORKGROUP

MEETING SCHEDULED

Notice of Regular Meeting

The DPSST Background Workgroup will meet on October 25, 2021, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 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 Marsha Morin at 503-378-2155.

DPSST’s campus is closed to the public at this time, members of the public can view this meeting via the DPSST Facebook page.

Streamed Live on Facebook @
https://www.facebook.com/DPSSTOregon

1. Introductions

2. Personal History Questionnaire (continued)

3. Uniform Background Checklist (continued)

4. Identify Additional Discussion Topics for Workgroup

5. Requirement to Share Background Information

6. DPSST Fingerprinting Requirement

7. Next Workgroup Meeting: TBD

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 Background 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.

Board on Public Safety Standards & Training

 And Policy Committee

Open Vacancy – Recruitments

The Board on Public Safety Standards & Training (BPSST) and Policy Committees have open vacancies looking to be filled. The vacancies are as follows:

BPSST:

• Non-Management Law Enforcement
• Non-Management Parole & Probation
• Public Member – Member of a marginalized or historically underrepresented community
• Public Member – Recommended to the Governor by the President of the Senate
• Public Member – Recommended to the Governor by the Speaker of the House of Representatives

Telecommunications Policy Committee:

• Recommended by and representing the Oregon Fire Chiefs Association
• Recommended by and representing Oregon Association of Chiefs of Police

Police Policy Committee:

• Public Member – Member of a marginalized or historically underrepresented community
• Non-Management Law Enforcement

Corrections Policy Committee:

• Public Member – representing the public who has never been employed or utilized as a corrections officer

Private Security/Investigator Policy Committee:

• Hospitality Representative
• Manufacturing Representative

Private Investigator Sub-Committee:

• Representative of the Private Investigator Community

To inquire about a vacancy, please visit Department of Public Safety Standards & Training : Board on Public Safety Standards & Training and Policy Committees : Boards and Committees : State of Oregon.

If interested in applying for a Committee position, please complete and submit the Policy Committee Interest Form found under the ‘Board and Committee Resources’ section of the website listed above.

If interested in applying for a BPSST position, please complete the online application at View Job Posting Details - Workday (myworkday.com). (Please note that an account may need to be created if not already in Workday)

Thank you,

DPSST Board & Committee Staff

CORRECTIONS POLICY COMMITTEE

MEETING SCHEDULED

Notice of Regular Meeting

The Corrections Policy Committee of the Board on Public Safety Standards and Training will hold a regular meeting on November 9, 2021, at 10:00 a.m in the Governor 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 Shelby Alexander at (503) 378-2191.

The Corrections Policy Committee meeting will be live streamed on the DPSST Facebook page @ https://www.facebook.com/DPSSTOregon

1. Introductions

2. Approve August 10, 2021 Meeting Minutes

3. Approval for Changes to the Basic Corrections Curriculum

    Presented by Staci Yutzie

4. Administrative Closures Consent Agenda (The following items to be ratified by one vote)

    Presented by Melissa Lang 

          a) Shawna Bronson; DPSST No. 34519; DOC/ Coffee Creek Correctional Facility

    Basic, Intermediate and Advanced Corrections Certifications 

          b) Cody Cant; DPSST No. 56429; DOC/ Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution

    Basic Corrections Certification

          c) Leslie Cone; DPSST No. 47828; DOC/ Snake River Correctional Institution

    Basic and Intermediate Corrections Certifications

          d) Jose Escobedo Jr.; DPSST No. 59780; DOC/ Two Rivers Correctional Institution

    Basic Corrections Certification

          e) Justin Goff; DPSST No. 52185; DOC/ Snake River Correctional Institution

    Basic and Intermediate Corrections Certifications

          f) Matthew Klimek; DPSST No. 52875; DOC/ Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution

    Basic and Intermediate Corrections Certifications

          g) Matthew Paton; DPSST No. 44975; Marion County Sheriff’s Office

    Basic, Intermediate and Advanced Corrections Certifications

5. Brian Haynes, DPSST No. 32994

    Presented by Melissa Lang

6. Kinsey Kaylor, DPSST No. 55001; Lane County Sheriff’s Office

    Presented by Melissa Lang

7. Ryan Perez, DPSST No. 54021

    Presented by Melissa Lang

8. Morse Scott, DPSST No. 25847

    Presented by Melissa Lang

9. Review of Arbitration/Certification Workgroup Recommendation

    Presented by Jennifer Howald

    Informational update, there is no vote required.

10. Proposed Rule Changes for OARs 259-008-0060, 259-008-0065 and 259-008-0078 – Defining CPR Certification and Changes to Law Enforcement Officer Maintenance Standards

    Presented by Jennifer Howald

11. Proposed Rule Changes for OAR 259-008-0015 – Background Investigations and New Requirements per HB 2936

     Presented by Jennifer Howald

12. Committee Membership

13. Department Update

14. Director’s Update

15. Next Corrections Policy Committee Meeting: February 8, 2022 @ 10:00 a.m.

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 Corrections Policy Committee 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.

BASIC TELECOMMUNICATIONS FIELD TRAINING

MANUAL WORKGROUP MEETING SCHEDULED

For Immediate Release                                        

October 18, 2021

Contact: Sara Stewart 503-378-2424

sara.stewart@state.or.us

Notice of Special Meeting

The Basic Telecommunications Field Training Manual Workgroup, a subgroup of the Telecommunications Curriculum Committee, will hold a regular meeting on November 2, 2021 from 03:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.  The meeting will be held virtually via Zoom.  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. FTM & Guidebook Draft Review

            A. Appendices Feedback

3. Trainer/Coach Review Planning

4. Learning Levels

5. 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 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.

Need to know

• Child care copays through the Employment Related Day Care program have decreased to an average of $16 per month for working families.
• Approximately 8,200 working families receive child care assistance through the Employment Related Day Care program.
• Working families can apply for child care assistance and other government supports at One.Oregon.Gov

(Salem) – Finding affordable, quality child care has long been a struggle for families, and the pandemic has only made this situation worse. Working families who participate in the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS), Employment Related Day Care Program (ERDC) will see their child care costs significantly decrease, making child care more accessible across the state.  

ERDC helps eligible working families pay for child care, including registration and enrollment fees. ERDC is a subsidy program, which means some families, depending on their income, may be required to pay a copay. 

These changes will support working families by: 

• Decreasing the average family copay to $16 per month.
• Reducing the family copay to $0 for families who make 100% or less of the federal poverty level (an annual income of $21,960 for a family of three).
• Limiting family copays to no more than $130 a month.

“For many families the cost of child care can be a barrier to entering and staying connected to the workforce,” said Dan Haun, director of the ODHS Self-Sufficiency Programs. “This copay decrease will support working families across Oregon as they continue to deal with the many challenges facing families in today’s world.”

These changes are effective for families renewing or applying for the ERDC program on or after Oct. 1, 2021. 

From March 2020 through September 2021, the federal government temporarily permitted ODHS to offer $0 copay child care assistance to families participating in the ERDC program during the COVID-19 pandemic. These temporary COVID-19 changes expired on Sept. 30, 2021. 

Prior to the temporary COVID-19 copay changes, the average family copay was approximately $250. The lowest possible monthly family copay was $27. 

In addition to copay reductions, the Early Learning Division (ELD) has been using federal relief funds to provide grants directly to child care providers to stabilize our existing child care supply and help providers stay in business.

“We know that access to quality, affordable child care that meets families’ needs continues to be out of reach for many families across the state,” said Alyssa Chatterjee, Early Learning System Director of the Early Learning Division.  “Reducing the copays for eligible families will not only allow more families to find care, but also provide additional stability for our child care providers who accept subsidies.”

Working families who earn 185% of the federal poverty level, or $40,626 annually for a family of three, may be eligible to enroll in the ODHS Employment Related Day Care program. 

Oregonians can apply online for Employment Related Day Care Assistance and other government supports online at One.Oregon.Gov or by phone at 1-800-699-9075 or TTY 711.

The copay reduction is made possible by additional funding provided by the federal government through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act; the 2021 Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act; the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021; and the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Child Care Development Fund. 

Resources to help meet basic needs

• Find a food pantry: foodfinder.oregonfoodbank.org
• Dial 2-1-1, or text your zip code to 898-211 for help finding local resources and supports, including child care in your community.
• Visit www.211info.org for help finding local resources and supports, including child care in your community.
• Oregon Department of Human Services Resources 

The Oregon Department of Human Services, Self-Sufficiency Programs operates the Employment Related Day Care program. The Employment Related Day Care program helps working families pay for child care, including registration and enrollment fees. It also works with partners statewide, including the Early Learning Division, to help families find quality child care.

###

(Salem) – The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) will host the Statewide Symposium on Youth Experiencing Homelessness Programming conference on Oct. 29, 2021 from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

To register online for this free conference visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/virtual-statewide-symposium-on-youth-experiencing-homelessness-programing-tickets-165948972845.

This virtual event seeks to renew community involvement surrounding youth experiencing homelessness in Oregon through a half-day of training, information sharing, and action planning to launch the next phase of supports and services.

The Statewide Symposium on Youth Experiencing Homelessness Programming is intended for all organizations and individuals interested in or involved with planning for housing instability, homeless systems and youth services.

The full agenda can be viewed online here. Topics of discussion will include:

• The State of Youth Homelessness: What does the data say and why is data important
• Oregon’s Response to Youth Homelessness: What are we doing here and where are we going
• Introduction to Direct Cash Transfers 
• Statewide Homeless Youth Needs Assessment and System Modeling – Report Out and Understanding what we learned
• Voices of Oregon Youth

Visit https://www.oregon.gov/dhs/CHILDREN/Homeless-Youth/Pages/Training.aspx for more information. 

###

Oct. 21, 2021

Salem – Oregon Gov. Kate Brown has proclaimed Oct. 18-22 as Community Bank Week. The week honors local banks and their employees for their economic and civic contributions in communities across the state.

Oregon community banks provide more than 5,300 family wage jobs through more than 350 branch and loan offices, $3.7 billion in home purchase and refinance loans, and safeguards $30 billion in deposits. They also make 80 percent of all agriculture-related loans.

Oregon’s community banks, most of which are chartered by the Department of Consumer and Business Services, play an essential role in promoting the economic health and prosperity of the state. In some communities, they are the sole provider of banking products and services and sometimes the largest employer.

“Our state banks continue to support small businesses and agriculture in Oregon, as well as provide banking services and create jobs,” said Andrew Stolfi, DCBS director. “State banks also are committed to Oregonians through their 64,000 volunteer hours each year and the millions of dollars they have pledged to support people affected by COVID-19, the wildfires, and racial inequality.”

State-chartered banks throughout Oregon are celebrating Community Bank Week in their local neighborhoods. To learn more about Oregon’s state chartered banks, go to https://www.oregonbankers.com/local.html.

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The Division of Financial Regulation is part of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, Oregon’s largest business regulatory and consumer protection agency. Visit dfr.oregon.gov and dcbs.oregon.gov.

An Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) adult in custody, George Daniel Farr, died the evening of October 18, 2021. Farr was incarcerated at Snake River Correctional Institution (SRCI) in Ontario and passed away while on hospice care. As with all in-custody deaths, the Oregon State Police have been notified. 

Farr entered DOC custody on February 4, 2011, from Washington County with an earliest release date of January 21, 2027. Farr was 74 years old. Next of kin has been notified.

DOC takes all in-custody deaths seriously. The agency is responsible for the care and custody of approximately 12,000 individuals who are incarcerated in 13 institutions across the state. While crime information is public record, DOC elects to disclose only upon request out of respect for any family or victims.

SRCI is a multi-custody prison in Ontario that houses approximately 3,000 adults in custody. SRCI has multiple special housing units including disciplinary segregation, intensive management, infirmary (with hospice) with 24-hour nursing care, and an administrative segregation unit. SRCI participates in prison industries with Oregon Corrections Enterprises including a contact center, laundry, and sign shop. SRCI specializes in incentive housing, specialized housing, individuals with mental health/medical vulnerabilities, education and trades programs, cognitive and parenting programs, and institution work programs. SRCI opened in 1991 and is the largest correctional institution in the state.

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SALEM, Ore. - Fire season has now ended on all 16 million acres of Oregon forestland protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry. The last three districts - Klamath-Lake, Northeast Oregon and the Walker Range Forest Patrol Association - ended their fire seasons Friday morning, Oct. 22 at 12:01 a.m.

The 2021 wildfire seasons in ODF's districts and forest protective associations lasted an average of 131 days, tying it with 2018 for fifth longest average fire season since 2000. The longest fire season average was 147 days back in 2002. The shortest was 99 days in 2019.

Individual districts had shorter or longer fire seasons depending on local fire conditions.

The longest wildfire season this year was ODF's Southwest Oregon District, which was the first district to declare fire season back on May 12. That district, which protects Jackson and Josephine counties, was in fire season for 161 days - their third longest since 2000.

Almost as long were the fire seasons in ODF's Klamath-Lake District and Walker Range Forest Patrol Association. Their fire seasons started on May 15 and lasted a total of 160 days. That makes 2021 the third longest fire season for both since 2000.

The shortest fire season this year was the North Cascade District, which protects Clackamas, east Multnomah, eastern Marion and northern Linn counties. It's season lasted 98 days from June 25 to Oct. 1, about 12 days shorter than last year.

Statewide more than 800,000 acres burned in wildfires this year - fewer than in 2020 but above the 10-year average. A single fire, the 413,717-acre Bootleg Fire, accounted for about half the acres wildfires have burned so far this year. That fire was the third largest Oregon has experienced since 1900.

While wetter conditions, cooler temperatures and shorter days have reduced fire danger, ODF reminds Oregonians that wildfires can and do occur at any time of the year. Exercise caution when engaging in any activity involving burning outdoors, whether from a campfire or burning a debris pile. Check with your local fire jurisdiction as well before burning outdoors, as there may be restrictions in various places to protect air quality.

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SALEM, Ore. – An Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) state forests advisory group will meet Friday, October 29 via Zoom to hear updates on the Santiam State Forest post-fire restoration strategy, accomplishments in fiscal year 2021, and the Fern Ridge forest management project on the Santiam.

The State Forests Advisory Committee will meet at noon via the Zoom virtual meeting platform at https://odf.zoom.us/j/98894551521. The meeting agenda is posted at http://www.oregon.gov/ODF/Board/Pages/SFAC.aspx. 

A public comment opportunity will be provided at the beginning of the meeting. Requests for an interpreter for the hearing impaired or other accommodations for persons with disabilities should be made at least 48 hours prior to the meeting. Questions about accessibility or special accommodations for the meeting can be directed to the Oregon Department of Forestry at 503-945-7427.

SFAC’s role

The State Forests Advisory Committee (SFAC) includes citizens and representatives of timber, environmental and recreation groups. SFAC provides a forum to discuss issues, opportunities and concerns, and offer advice and guidance to ODF on the implementation of the Northwest Oregon State Forests Management Plan. The plan provides guidance for managing 616,000 acres within the Tillamook, Clatsop and Santiam State Forests, and several scattered state-owned forest tracts in Benton, Polk, Lincoln and Lane counties through a balanced approach to generate revenue while prioritizing environmental and social benefits.

SALEM, Ore. — The Oregon Board of Forestry will hold a virtual meeting starting at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 3. The meeting will be livestreamed on the department’s YouTube channel.

The board’s business agenda includes:

• Urban and Community Forestry Assistance Program and Oregon Community Trees

• Annual forest practices monitoring update
• Forest health status update
• State forests metrics
• Forest Trust Land Advisory Committee testimony
• State Forest Management Plan and Habitat Conservation Plan update
• Department of Forestry Climate Change and Carbon Plan

View the agenda and board meeting details.

Live testimony will be available for item #1 and #9, and decision item #8 – Department of Forestry Climate Change and Carbon Plan. Sign-up is required and instructions to provide live testimony are available online. Sign-up closes Friday, Oct. 29 at 5 p.m. Written public testimony will also be accepted. Written comments can be submitted before or up to Nov. 17 to oardofforestry@oregon.gov">boardofforestry@oregon.gov, with the appropriate agenda item included with the submission.

Accommodations for people with disabilities, and special materials, services, or assistance can be arranged by calling ODF’s Public Affairs Office at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting at 503-945-7200 or by email at estryinformation@oregon.gov">forestryinformation@oregon.gov.

The Oregon Board of Forestry consists of seven citizens nominated by the Governor and confirmed by the Oregon Senate. Responsibilities include appointing the State Forester, setting management direction for state-owned forests, adopting rules governing timber harvest and other practices on private forestland, and promoting sustainable management of Oregon’s 30-million-acre forestland base. Read more information about the board.

SALEM, Ore. — The Oregon Board of Forestry will hold a virtual special meeting starting at 9 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 29. The meeting will be livestreamed on the department’s YouTube channel.

The amended agenda includes hearing from the public on what aspects of the skills, attributes, and qualifications are key for the next state forester and an executive session. The board will deliberate on the final candidates for the state forester position and will vote to determine who will be appointed Oregon’s next state forester.

There will be an opportunity for the public to provide live testimony. Sign up to provide live testimony is required. Registration is available online and closes Monday, Oct. 25 at 11:59 p.m. Written public testimony submitted by Oct. 25 to oardofforestry@oregon.gov">boardofforestry@oregon.gov will also be accepted.

The board will meet in executive session starting at 9:50 a.m. for the purpose of considering the employment of a chief executive officer, pursuant to ORS 192.660(2)(a).

The executive session will also be conducted virtually. Members of the news media who want to attend this portion of the meeting can email Public Affairs Director Joy Krawczyk at awczyk@oregon.gov">joy.p.krawczyk@oregon.gov for information.

Accommodations for people with disabilities, and special materials, services, or assistance can be arranged by calling ODF’s Public Affairs Office at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting at 503-945-7200 or by email at estryinformation@oregon.gov">forestryinformation@oregon.gov.

The Oregon Board of Forestry consists of seven citizens nominated by the Governor and confirmed by the Oregon Senate. Responsibilities include appointing the State Forester, setting management direction for state-owned forests, adopting rules governing timber harvest and other practices on private forestland, and promoting sustainable management of Oregon’s 30-million-acre forestland base. Read more information about the board.

SALEM, Ore. – The Northwest Oregon Regional Forest Practices Committee will meet virtually Thursday, Oct. 28 from 9 a.m. to noon. To join the virtual meeting, please use the Zoom video conference information found on the agenda. To provide public comment at this virtual meeting, please contact Susan Muniz at 503-945-7502. 

Topics to be covered include:

• Private Forests Division update
• Operator of the Year selection
• ODFW MOA update
• Implementation study update
• SB 1602 – E-Notification demonstration

The meeting is open to the public to attend online via Zoom. Public comments will be accepted near the start of the meeting after approval of the minutes. Requests for an interpreter for the hearing impaired or other accommodations for persons with disabilities should be made at least 72 hours before the meeting by contacting Susan Muniz at 503-945-7502.

Regional Forest Practices Committees are panels of citizens – mandated under Oregon law – that advise the Oregon Board of Forestry on current forestry issues and forest management approaches. Three Regional Forest Practices Committees, serving the Eastern, Northwest and Southwest regions of the state, were created by the 1971 Oregon Forest Practices Act. Under Oregon law, a majority of the committees’ members must be private forest landowners and logging or forest operations companies.

Oregon’s forests are among the state’s most valued resources, providing a balanced mix of environmental, economic and social benefits. View more information on the RFPC webpage

Keep Oregon Green® is collaborating with Union Wine Company and six of Oregon’s top wineries to introduce a limited production Oregon Pinot Noir cuvee with 100% of sales going toward wildfire relief and prevention.

Since 1941, the non-profit Keep Oregon Green Association has promoted healthy landscapes and safe communities by educating the public of our shared responsibility to prevent human-caused wildfires in the state. Over 70% of Oregon’s wildfire ignitions are attributed to people’s daily activities. This collaborative wine project is an opportunity to increase awareness among wine lovers of the need to prevent the next wildfire while supporting a worthy cause.

80% of the proceeds of this wine will go to the Oregon Community Foundation’s Community Rebuilding Fund, helping Oregonians whose communities have been leveled by wildfires. The remaining 20% will go to Keep Oregon Green® to help them with their mission of preventing human caused wildfires in Oregon through education and engagement.

“The 2020 wildfire season affected Oregon’s wine country, proving it’s not immune to a severe wildfire threat,” said Kristin Babbs, president of the Keep Oregon Green Association. “We are proud to introduce this 100% Oregon-grown Pinot Noir, where all ingredients and services were donated, and where 100% of the proceeds go toward relief, recovery, and wildfire prevention efforts.”

About the wine: The Oregon Pinot Noir is a blend of Oregon Pinot Noir grapes from Stoller Wine Group, Furioso Vineyards, Willamette Valley Vineyards, Ponzi Vineyards, A to Z Wineworks and Bjornson Vineyards, and packaged by Union Wine Company.

“At Stoller, we have a deep appreciation for our land and desire to support our community,” said Melissa Burr, vice president of winemaking for the Stoller Wine Group. “We were thrilled to participate and collaborate on this project.”  

“2020 was a tough year for all of us here in Oregon, but it brought into light how amazing and supportive our wine community really is,” said Darin Dougherty, Marketing Director at Union Wine Company. “We can always find ways to learn, grow and be more aware of the impact we have on our ever-changing environment. We’re so excited to support Keep Oregon Green’s mission to drive awareness around human caused wildfires.”

Whether at home, on the job, or out having fun, Keep Oregon Green reminds Oregonians that it’s important to be able to predict the outcome of common outdoor activities that could possibly spark a wildfire. Babbs said that as the state’s population continues to grow, urban boundaries expand, and wildfires increase in frequency, intensity and cost, Keep Oregon Green’s message is more important than ever. “The power and responsibility of wildfire rests squarely in our hands.”

The wine is now available at select New Seasons Market and Market of Choice stores, the participating wineries’ tasting rooms, or online through Union Wine Company’s website at unionwinecompany.com.

To learn more about wildfire prevention, go to www.keeporegongreen.org.
 

SALEM, Ore. – The Southwest Oregon Regional Forest Practices Committee will meet virtually Thursday, Oct. 21 from 9 a.m. to noon. To join the virtual meeting, please use the Zoom video conference information found on the agenda. To provide public comment at this virtual meeting, please contact Susan Muniz at 503-945-7502. 

Topics to be covered include:

• Private Forests Division update
• Operator of the Year selection
• ODFW MOA update
• Implementation study update
• SB 1602 – E-notification overview

The meeting is open to the public to attend online via Zoom. Public comments will be accepted near the start of the meeting after approval of the minutes. Requests for an interpreter for the hearing impaired or other accommodations for persons with disabilities should be made at least 72 hours before the meeting by contacting Susan Muniz at 503-945-7502.

Regional Forest Practices Committees are panels of citizens – mandated under Oregon law – that advise the Oregon Board of Forestry on current forestry issues and forest management approaches. Three Regional Forest Practices Committees, serving the Eastern, Northwest and Southwest regions of the state, were created by the 1971 Oregon Forest Practices Act. Under Oregon law, a majority of the committees’ members must be private forest landowners and logging or forest operations companies.

Oregon’s forests are among the state’s most valued resources, providing a balanced mix of environmental, economic and social benefits. View more information on the RFPC webpage.

SALEM, Ore. — The Oregon Board of Forestry will hold a virtual special meeting starting at 9 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 29. The meeting will be livestreamed on the department’s YouTube channel.

The agenda includes hearing from the public on what aspects of the skills, attributes, and qualifications are key for the next state forester. The board will deliberate on the final candidates for the state forester position and will vote to determine who will be appointed Oregon’s next state forester.

There will be an opportunity for the public to provide live testimony. Sign up to provide live testimony is required. Registration is available online and closes Monday, Oct. 25 at 11:59 p.m. Written public testimony will also be accepted. Written comments can be submitted before or up to two weeks after the meeting day to oardofforestry@oregon.gov">boardofforestry@oregon.gov.

Accommodations for people with disabilities, and special materials, services, or assistance can be arranged by calling ODF’s Public Affairs Office at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting at 503-945-7200 or by email at estryinformation@oregon.gov">forestryinformation@oregon.gov.

The Oregon Board of Forestry consists of seven citizens nominated by the Governor and confirmed by the Oregon Senate. Responsibilities include appointing the State Forester, setting management direction for state-owned forests, adopting rules governing timber harvest and other practices on private forestland, and promoting sustainable management of Oregon’s 30-million-acre forestland base. Read more information about the board.

Oct. 22, 2021 (Salem, OR) — The Oregon Employment Department is announcing the new membership of the Employment Advisory Council. The advisory council has oversight of the agency’s unemployment insurance and workforce programs.

The virtual advisory council meeting is scheduled from 1-5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021. This will be the first advisory council meeting since the start of the pandemic in March 2020. Members of the public are invited to attend and should register via Zoom. 

“This council plays a vital role in shaping how our organization evolves. Their input is critical to ensuring our agency works proactively and is responsive to the needs of all Oregonians,” said David Gerstenfeld, acting director of the Employment Department. 

The council has been in place since 1997, and members are appointed by the Governor for a term of two years as provided in ORS 657.695. Members may be considered for reappointment to serve additional terms up to a maximum of four terms, or eight years of service, on the advisory council.

For more information, visit our Employment Advisory Council webpage. 

Members of the Employment Advisory Council 

• Haley Alves, Union Carpenter – Employee Representative
• Kurtis Barker, Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians – Public Representative
• Robert Camarillo, Oregon State Building and Construction Trades – Employee Representative
• Marc Chrismer, Tillamook Creamery – Employer Representative
• Tom Cusack, Oregon Housing Blog – Public Representative
• Kenechi Onyeagusi, Professional Business Development Group – Employer Representative
• Paloma Sparks, Oregon Business and Industry – Employer Representative
• Catie Theisen, Oregon AFL-CIO – Employee Representative
• Laurie Westenberg, Madden Industrial Craftsmen – Employer Representative
• Royce Williams, Attorney at Law – Employee Representative
• David Gerstenfeld, Acting Director; Oregon Employment Department – Ex-Officio Member

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Equal Opportunity program — auxiliary aids and services available upon request to individuals with disabilities. Contact: 971-673-6400. For people who are deaf or hard of hearing, call 711 Telecommunications Relay Services.

WHO:               David Gerstenfeld, Acting Director, Oregon Employment Department and Gail Krumenauer, State Employment Economist

WHEN:             Wednesday, 1 p.m. PST, Oct. 20, 2021.

WHAT:           The Oregon Employment Department is hosting a video-conference media briefing to share updates on economic and workforce-related trends, employment services, unemployment claims processing, claimant resources and more.

WHERE:          Via Zoom video conference: Members of the media must RSVP by emailing OED_Communications@employ.oregon.gov by 12 p.m. PST on Wed., Oct. 20. Video conference information will be provided to all reporters who RSVP. RSVPs must indicate if the reporter wants to ask a question of the presenters.

OTHER:           The Oregon Employment Department is updating a claims processing progress data dashboard weekly. Visit this link for weekday updates. After the briefing concludes, a recording of the video conference will be emailed to reporters who RSVP’d.

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Equal Opportunity program — auxiliary aids and services available upon request to individuals with disabilities. Contact: (503) 953-2366. For people who are deaf or hard of hearing, call 711 Telecommunications Relay Services. 
 

Oregon’s unemployment rate dropped to 4.7% in September from 5.0%, as revised, in August. In September, 102,000 Oregonians were unemployed. This is a remarkable improvement from the worst labor force impacts of the COVID recession when 270,000 Oregonians were jobless in April 2020. However, there is still ground to make up to approach the average of 82,000 Oregonians unemployed during 2017 through 2019, during the tight labor market of the prior economic expansion. The U.S. unemployment rate dropped to 4.8% in September from 5.2% in August.

In Oregon, nonfarm payroll employment declined by 200 in September, following a revised gain of 8,900 jobs in August. Monthly gains averaged 10,200 during January through August. Job reductions in September were largest in government (-3,800 jobs) and construction (-1,400). These losses were balanced by substantial gains in professional and business services (+2,500 jobs); leisure and hospitality (+2,200); and transportation, warehousing, and utilities (+1,000 jobs).

The private sector added 3,600 jobs in September, continuing the steady private-sector expansion that averaged 4,600 jobs added per month over the past six months.

Government job losses in September were concentrated in local government where some K-12 schools added fewer employees than is typical at the start of the school year. Other local government employers are still well below their staffing levels seen two years ago, prior to the recession. 

Leisure and hospitality added 2,200 jobs in September, following a gain of 1,200 in August. Despite these gains, leisure and hospitality still accounts for the bulk of Oregon’s jobs not recovered since early 2020, with 42,100 jobs left to recover to reach the prior peak month of February 2020. The industry has regained 62% of jobs lost early in the pandemic.

Professional and technical services has grown at a rapid rate throughout 2021, and is now well above its pre-recession peak. This industry added 11,800 jobs since the low point in April 2020. Most of the jobs in the broader industry are found in firms providing services in the areas of legal, architectural, engineering, computer systems design, management consulting, research, and veterinary. 

Next Press Releases

The Oregon Employment Department plans to release the September county and metropolitan area unemployment rates on Tuesday, Oct. 26, and the next statewide unemployment rate and employment survey data for October on Tuesday, Nov. 16.

The Oregon Employment Department and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) work cooperatively to develop and publish monthly Oregon payroll employment and labor force data. The estimates of monthly job gains and losses are based on a survey of businesses. The estimates of unemployment are based on a survey of households and other sources. 

The Oregon Employment Department publishes payroll employment estimates that are revised quarterly by using employment counts from employer unemployment insurance tax records. All department publications use this Official Oregon Series data unless noted otherwise. This month’s release incorporates the January, February and March 2021 tax records data. The department continues to make the original nonfarm payroll employment series available; these data are produced by the BLS.

The PDF version of the news release can be found at QualityInfo.org/press-release. To obtain the data in other formats such as in Excel, visit QualityInfo.org, then within the top banner, select Economic Data, then choose LAUS or CES. To request the press release as a Word document, contact the person shown at the top of this press release

To file a claim for unemployment benefits or get more information about unemployment programs, visit unemployment.oregon.gov.

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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.

October 22, 2021

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

Rules Advisory Committee (RAC) meets Oct. 28

What: Rules Advisory Committee (RAC) will provide input to Oregon Health Authority on state rules regarding school exclusion, public health and safety requirements for childcare providers and youth programs, masking in schools, and vaccination requirements in schools (Oregon Administrative Rules 333-019-0010, 333-019-1005, 333-019-0015, and 333-019-1030).

Agenda: Provide input on the following rules:

• 333-019-0010: Disease Related School, Child Care, and Worksite Restrictions: Imposition of Restrictions https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/DISEASESCONDITIONS/COMMUNICABLEDISEASE/REPORTINGCOMMUNICABLEDISEASE/Documents/rules/2021/COVID-July-Immunity/PH_27-2021TrackedChanges.pdf
• 333-019-1005: Public Health and Safety Requirements for Child Care Providers and Youth Programs

https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/DISEASESCONDITIONS/COMMUNICABLEDISEASE/REPORTINGCOMMUNICABLEDISEASE/Documents/rules/2021/COVID-July-Immunity/PH_27-2021TrackedChanges.pdf

• 333-019-1015: Masking Requirements in Schools

https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/DISEASESCONDITIONS/COMMUNICABLEDISEASE/REPORTINGCOMMUNICABLEDISEASE/Documents/rules/2021/School%20masking/PH_44-2021.pdf

• 333-019-1030: COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements for Teachers and School Staff

https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/DISEASESCONDITIONS/COMMUNICABLEDISEASE/REPORTINGCOMMUNICABLEDISEASE/Documents/rules/2021/Vaccination-Schools/PH_39-2021.pdf  

The purpose of the RAC meeting is to "to seek input from committee members during the development or amendment of a rule, including the projected burden and fiscal impact of the rule and suggestions for alternative language. The general public is invited to attend the RAC meeting in listen-only mode. After the rule is formally proposed, a written comment period and public hearing will be announced to solicit input from the public. If you would like to receive information about this opportunity when it is available, please contact lichealth.rules@dhsoha.state.or.us">publichealth.rules@dhsoha.state.or.us to be added to the interested parties list.

When: Thursday, Oct. 28, 1-3:30 p.m.

Where: Register for this meeting to receive meeting login information:

Attendee listen-only phone number: 657-615-349

https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/7219673042470050060

Background: The COVID-19-related rules around school exclusion, public health and safety requirements for childcare providers and youth programs, masking in schools, and vaccination requirements in schools were amended or adopted via the temporary rulemaking process in mid-2021; they are planned to be made permanent. Oregon Health Authority is seeking input on this permanent rulemaking process.

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Everyone has a right to know about and use the 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 material in other languages
• Braille
• Large print
• Audio and other formats

If you need help or have questions, please contact Angela Phan, lichealth.rules@dhsoha.state.or.us">publichealth.rules@dhsoha.state.or.us at least 48 hours before the meeting.

Oct. 22, 2021

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

Oregon reports 1,517 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 10 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — There are 10 new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 4,284, Oregon Health Authority (OHA) reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

OHA reported 1,517 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 357,526.

Booster doses for Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccine recommended by CDC

Yesterday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) endorsed the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP) recommendation for booster shots of Moderna’s and Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccines.

CDC recommended that anyone 65 and older, and those between 18 and 64 who received the Moderna vaccine, should receive a booster dose of the Moderna vaccine at least six months after their second dose. Those groups include people 18 and older in long-term care settings, who have underlying medical conditions, and who work or live in high-risk settings. The CDC also recommended that anyone 18 and older who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine should receive a booster dose at least two months after their first dose.

The Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup, including Oregon, Washington, California and Nevada, met last night to discuss recommendations for COVID-19 booster doses for fully vaccinated people. Today, the workgroup announced its support for the CDC recommendations.

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown today praised the decision. “Whether you received the Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson vaccine, everyone eligible who wants a booster will be able to get one and the extra layer of protection a booster dose provides,” she said.

Some people may have a preference for the vaccine type they originally received and others may prefer to get a different booster. The workgroup supported CDC’s decision that individuals eligible for a booster may receive either the same or a different COVID-19 vaccine as a booster dose, depending on advice from a health care provider, individual preference, availability or convenience

Additional information on vaccine boosters and third doses can be found on this web page.

COVID-19 hospitalizations

The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 across Oregon is 537, which is 30 fewer than yesterday. There are 128 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, which is five fewer than yesterday.

There are 45 available adult ICU beds out of 703 total (6% availability) and 280 available adult non-ICU beds out of 4,097 (7% availability).

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.

Note: Please do not visit an emergency department for COVID-19 testing, unless you require emergency care for your symptoms.

Emergency departments in Oregon are under significant strain responding to the current surge in COVID-19. You can find a test here.

If you have a medical condition that doesn’t require emergency care, contact your provider. An urgent care center may also help you get the care you need and will save emergency departments from added strain.

More information about hospital capacity can be found here.

Vaccinations in Oregon

Today, OHA reported that 13,526 new doses of COVID-19 vaccinations were added to the state immunization registry on Oct. 21. Of that total, 842 were initial doses; 922 were second doses and 3,477 were third doses and booster doses. The remaining 8,203 were administered on previous days but were entered into the vaccine registry on Oct. 21.

The seven-day running average is now 9,133 doses per day.

Oregon has now administered 3,219,167 doses of Pfizer Comirnaty, 1,937,297 doses of Moderna and 224,324 doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines.

As of today, 2,796,331 people have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 2,583,129 people have completed a COVID-19 vaccine series.

These data are preliminary and subject to change. Updated vaccination data are provided on Oregon’s COVID-19 data dashboards and have been updated today.

Cases and COVID-19 deaths

The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (10), Benton (28), Clackamas (119), Clatsop (12), Columbia (29), Coos (25), Crook (44), Curry (6), Deschutes (126), Douglas (53), Gilliam (1), Harney (2), Hood River (8), Jackson (80), Jefferson (36), Josephine (36), Klamath (54), Lake (15), Lane (120), Lincoln (19), Linn (134), Malheur (20), Marion (118), Morrow (6), Multnomah (153), Polk (37), Sherman (2), Tillamook (5), Umatilla (42), Union (11), Wasco (14), Washington (110), Wheeler (1), and Yamhill (41).

Oregon’s 4,146th COVID-19-related death, reported on Oct. 15, was determined to have been an out-of-state resident. Because of this update, OHA is renumbering the reported deaths, starting with 4,275 today.

Oregon’s 4,275th COVID-19-related death is a 96-year-old man from Washington County who tested positive on Oct. 15 and died on Oct. 19. Place of death and underlying conditions are being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,276^th COVID-19-related death is a 50-year-old woman from Multnomah County who tested positive on Aug. 17 and died on Sept. 1. Place of death and underlying conditions are being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,277th COVID-19-related death is an 81-year-old man from Multnomah County who tested positive on Sept. 12 and died on Sept. 24 at Providence Portland Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,278th COVID-19-related death is a 72-year-old man from Klamath County who tested positive on Oct. 12 and died on Oct. 20 at Sky Lakes Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,279th COVID-19-related death is a 69-year-old man from Harney County who tested positive on Oct. 17 and died on Oct. 20 at Harney District Hospital. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,280th COVID-19-related death is a 70-year-old man from Washington County who tested positive on Oct. 2 and on died Oct. 16 at OHSU Hillsboro Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,281th COVID-19-related death is a 71-year-old woman from Multnomah County who tested positive on Aug. 9 and died on Oct. 16 at Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,282nd COVID-19-related death is an 86-year-old man from Marion County who tested positive on Oct. 18 and died on Oct. 20 at Salem Hospital. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,283rd COVID-19-related death is a 52-year-old man from Linn County who tested positive on Sept. 28 and died on Oct. 21 at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

-Oregon’s 4,284th COVID-19 related death is a 78-year-old man from Malheur County who tested positive on Oct. 8 and died on Oct. 20 at St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Idaho. 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 web page (English or Spanish), which has a breakdown of distribution and other information.

October 22, 2021

Contact: Philip Schmidt, 503-383-6079, Philip.schmidt@dhsoha.state.or.us , (media inquiries)

Sarah Bartelmann, 971-283-8107, ah.e.bartelmann@dhsoha.state.or.us">sarah.e.bartelmann@dhsoha.state.or.us (meeting information or accommodation)

Sustainable Health Care Cost Growth Target Implementation Committee meets October 26, 2021

What: A public meeting of the Sustainable Health Care Cost Growth Target Implementation Committee.

When: October 26, 2021 from 9:00 am – 11:00 am

Where: Virtual meeting only. The public can join remotely via Zoom or conference line.

To join by Zoom: https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1611849485?pwd=U3Zsdi8vN2V5bE1Sazl0d2FqVWpVZz09 To join by Phone: 1-669-254-5252,,1611849485#,,,,225362#

Agenda: Welcome. Implementation Updates. Initial Public Hearing Planning. Review 2013-2019 Cost Trends Data. Public Comment.

Public comment will be heard at 10:45 AM.

Please submit any public comment in writing prior to the meeting at  e.CostTarget@dhsoha.state.or.us">HealthCare.CostTarget@dhsoha.state.or.us

For more information, please visit the committee’s website at https://www.oregon.gov/oha/HPA/HP/Pages/Sustainable-Health-Care-Cost-Growth-Target.aspx

# # #

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 Sarah Bartelmann at 971-283-8107, 711 TTY, ah.e.bartelmann@dhsoha.state.or.us">sarah.e.bartelmann@dhsoha.state.or.us, at least 48 hours before the meeting.

October 22, 2021

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

Northwest Regional Newborn Bloodspot Screening Advisory Board meets Nov. 1

What: The Northwest Regional Newborn Bloodspot Screening (NWRNBS) Advisory Board is holding a public meeting. The meeting is accessible by a webinar link or conference line.

Agenda: Welcome, introductions, housekeeping; information from the Department of Justice and Oregon Health Authority Government Relations on board processes; community birth provider Medicaid reimbursement; public comment; statute review; wrap-up and next steps.

When: Monday, Nov. 1, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. A 15-minute public comment period is scheduled at about 11:30 a.m.; comments are limited to one to three minutes depending on the number of people providing comments.

Where: Remote access only. Zoom access: https://pdx.zoom.us/j/88965026032

Dial by your location:         +1 971 247 1195 US (Portland)

        +1 720 928 9299 US (Denver)

        +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)

        +1 602 753 0140 US (Phoenix)

Meeting ID: 889 6502 6032

Background: The Northwest Regional Newborn Bloodspot Screening (NWRNBS) Program screens newborns for endocrine, hemoglobin, cystic fibrosis, immunodeficiency and metabolic disorders that may not be clinically evident in the first few days or weeks of life. Detecting these conditions early allows the infant to be referred for diagnosis and appropriate treatment to prevent death or disability. For more information, visit www.healthoregon.org/nbs.

###

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 Nicole Galloway at 503-693-4172, 711 TTY or NBS.AdvisoryBoard@dhsoha.state.or.us at least 48 hours before the meeting.

###

October 22, 2021

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

Newest COVID-19 modeling report projects decrease in daily cases and hospitalizations

Today, the Oregon Health Authority released its latest COVID-19 forecast showing a continued decline in daily cases and hospitalizations through early November.

According to the report, the effective reproduction rate – the expected number of secondary cases that a single case generates – was estimated at .90 on Oct. 6, which is slightly lower than last week’s projection.

At that level of transmission, the report estimates 255 cases per 100,000 people, or an average of 770 daily cases and 45 hospitalizations for the two-week period between Oct. 27 and Nov. 9.

The report also estimated the potential impact from the projected spread of the disease from Sept. 30 through Oct. 2, which had a reproductive rate that averaged .82.

At that rate of transmission, new daily cases and hospitalizations are expected to decline more steeply, with an estimated average of 185 per100,000 people, projecting an average of 555 new cases and 31 hospitalizations over the same period.

The report also identified a “significant contrast” in adherence to the recommended public health protocols between unvaccinated and vaccinated persons.

Mask wearing among unvaccinated people is about half the rate of vaccinated people. Unvaccinated people are also more likely to attend large events outdoors.

Vaccinations and booster doses remain the most effective shield against COVID-19. Oregonians should wear masks when in indoor public spaces and when outdoors among crowds.

To date more than 2.79 million Oregonians have received at least one dose of the safe and highly effective vaccine and 2.58 million people have completed a vaccine series.

###

Oct. 21, 2021

This news release is an updated version to include case and death information.

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

Oregon reports 1,407 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 40 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — There are 40 new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 4,275, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 1,407 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 356,061.

State health officials to add more than 500 COVID-19 deaths due to technical error

Over the coming weeks, OHA will begin reporting approximately 550 deaths among people who died with COVID-19 but whose deaths only became recently known to state epidemiologists due to a technical computer error. 

This will result in higher death totals as the backlog is resolved.

More details can be found here.

COVID-19 Disease Severity Dashboard update highlights hospitalizations

Today, OHA is publishing a revamped Disease Severity Dashboard. In addition to case demographic data, the dashboard now features new data that highlights COVID-19-related hospitalizations and deaths in Oregon. Due to the nature of newly added visualizations, all data on this dashboard will be published weekly on Thursdays with data from the most recent full week.

The dashboard has three tabs: Case Demographics, Disease Severity and Severity Trends.

• The Case Demographics tab shows COVID-19 cumulative hospitalizations and deaths by sex, age group, race, and ethnicity.
• The Disease Severity tab shows factors related to COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths.
• The Severity Trends tab looks at hospitalization trends and death trends, including graphs on the following:
  • A comparison between trends of new cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.
  • Hospitalization trends by intensive care unit categories, presence of underlying condition, length of stay categories, age categories, race, and ethnicity.
  • Deaths trends by hospitalization status, presence of underlying condition, congregate settings, age categories, race, and ethnicity.

The visualization showing trends among new cases, hospitalizations and deaths reveals that cases and hospitalizations tend to rise before deaths. The visualizations also show that COVID-19 cases who were hospitalized or died have higher prevalence of all types of underlying conditions compared with COVID-19 cases who were not hospitalized or survived.

This updated dashboard can be found on the dashboard page.

OHA releases new COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough report

OHA’s most recent update on COVID-19 breakthrough cases, released today, found that 76.5% of the 6,446 reported COVID-19 cases between Oct. 10 through Oct. 16, occurred in people who were unvaccinated.

There were 1,977 breakthrough cases, accounting for 23.5% of all cases.

The average age of the breakthrough cases during that period was 48. Thirty-five breakthrough cases involved residents of care facilities, senior living communities or other congregate care settings. There were 88 cases in people ages 12 to 17.

To date, there have been 32,954 COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough cases in Oregon. The average age of all cases is 48. Breakthrough cases have been reported in all 36 counties.

Cases of COVID-19 are far more common in unvaccinated people. The report shows that the rate of COVID-19 in unvaccinated people is currently four times higher than in vaccinated people.

To date, 4.4% of all vaccine breakthrough cases have been hospitalized and 1% have died. The average age of vaccinated people who died was 80.

Vaccination remains the most effective tool to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

The number of vaccine breakthrough cases identified in Oregon remains very small when compared to the more than 2.79 million Oregonians who have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

The latest breakthrough report can be found here.

Last week OHA added three new features to the breakthrough report. Data is now available by vaccine manufacturer, including the number of breakthrough cases and their severity. This report also shows the number of Oregonians who received each vaccine, as well as the number of breakthrough cases per 100,000 vaccinated people.

OHA also expanded demographic data to include race and ethnicity for breakthrough cases, hospitalizations, and deaths and a map showing cumulative breakthrough cases for each county. In general, breakthrough case totals correspond with population size, vaccination rates, and overall case counts.

Pediatric weekly dashboard update

Today, OHA published its latest dashboard report of pediatric COVID-19 case data in Oregon.

This dashboard replaces the previous report and is published weekly on Thursdays with the most recent full week’s data.

COVID-19 hospitalizations

The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 across Oregon is 567, which is one fewer than yesterday. There are 133 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, which is seven more than yesterday.

There are 48 available adult ICU beds out of 706 total (7% availability) and 265 available adult non-ICU beds out of 4,115 (6% availability). 

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.

Note: Please do not visit an emergency department for COVID-19 testing, unless you require emergency care for your symptoms.

Emergency departments in Oregon are under significant strain responding to the current surge in COVID-19. You can find a test here.

If you have a medical condition that doesn’t require emergency care, contact your provider. An urgent care center may also help you get the care you need and will save emergency departments from added strain.

More information about hospital capacity can be found here.

Vaccinations in Oregon

Today, OHA reported that 14,240 new doses of COVID-19 vaccinations were added to the state immunization registry on Oct. 20. Of that total, 871 were initial doses; 933 were second doses and 3,558 were third doses and booster doses. The remaining 8,835 were administered on previous days but were entered into the vaccine registry on Oct. 20.

The seven-day running average is now 9,309 doses per day.

Oregon has now administered 3,208,051 doses of Pfizer Comirnaty, 1,935,312 doses of Moderna and 223,943 doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines.

As of today, 2,793,594 people have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 2,580,142 people have completed a COVID-19 vaccine series.

These data are preliminary and subject to change. Updated vaccination data are provided on Oregon’s COVID-19 data dashboards and have been updated today.

"Magic" team brings vaccination confidence to Oregon — and the world

As a refugee services provider Catholic Charities Oregon has a mission — to create trusting relationships with the families and communities they serve.   

Through a partnership with the Oregon Health Authority, Catholic Charities hired a team of COVID-19 Community Engagement Specialists in early 2021. This team rapidly took on the work of supporting their communities.

“We are a group of individuals from different backgrounds and nationalities who work for Catholic Charities with pride,” said Chomba Kaluba, who is originally from Zambia and serves the Congolese- and Swahili-speaking communities. “The power of numbers is what each one of us brings as a strength. And that strength is from all backgrounds; our values, beliefs and passion.”

He came up with the idea of making language- and culturally-specific videos about the vaccine to amplify vaccination confidence. Clackamas County Public Health provided a producer to film and edit the work.

Chomba Kaluba

Two other team members, Abidah Jamaluddin and Lung Wah Lazum both originally came from the same country, Myanmar (formerly known as Burma), but they represent different cultures. The pair decided to make videos in both Burmese and Rohingya to broaden their reach.

The group felt it was essential to meet people where they are.  

“It is because we are immigrants,” said Kaluba. “We are coming from backgrounds which might have lacked a health education, might have lacked access to health care, might have different political systems or economic systems.”

“We have been able to reach the world because someone in Burma, they'll see that video on YouTube and they'll go, 'Wow - I can get vaccinated.’ So maybe somehow, we are trying to do what they say is teaching in time saves nine. So maybe we are saving lives somewhere else,” he said.

You can read more at Oregon Vaccine News and watch the videos in Burmese, English, French, Rohingya, Somali and Swahili.

Cases and COVID-19 deaths

The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (10), Benton (29), Clackamas (108), Clatsop (1), Columbia (16), Coos (31), Crook (40), Curry (2), Deschutes (146), Douglas (46), Gilliam (1), Grant (5), Harney (16), Hood River (5), Jackson (75), Jefferson (15), Josephine (15), Klamath (67), Lake (6), Lane (113), Lincoln (8), Linn (49), Malheur (22), Marion (98), Morrow (4), Multnomah (190), Polk (37), Tillamook (5), Umatilla (50), Union (11), Wallowa (3), Wasco (10), Washington (144) and Yamhill (29).

Oregon’s 4,236th COVID-19 related death is an 89-year-old man from Linn County who tested positive on Sept. 7 and died on Sept. 15 at his residence. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,237th COVID-19 related death is a 68-year-old man from Lincoln County who tested positive on Sept. 8 and died on Oct. 8 at Portland VA Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,238th COVID-19 related death is a 55-year-old woman from Lane County who tested positive on Oct. 17 and died on Oct. 20 at Mckenzie Willamette Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,239th COVID-19 related death is a 64-year-old man from Lane County who tested positive on Oct. 1 and died on Oct. 19 at Peacehealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at Riverbend. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,240th COVID-19 related death is a 45-year-old woman from Klamath County who tested positive on Oct. 2 and died on Oct. 14 at Renown South Meadows Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,241st COVID-19 related death is a 57-year-old man from Klamath County who tested positive on Oct. 3 and died on Oct. 20 at Sky Lakes Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,242nd COVID-19 related death is an 83-year-old woman from Jackson County who tested positive on Oct. 9 and died on Oct. 20 at Ashland Community Hospital. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,243rd COVID-19 related death is an 81-year-old woman from Jackson County who tested positive on Aug. 24 and died on Sept. 14 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,244th COVID-19 related death is a 50-year-old woman from Columbia County who first became symptomatic on Oct. 3 and died on Oct. 20 at Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,245th COVID-19 related death is a 26-year-old man from Clackamas County who tested positive on Sept. 25 and died on Sept. 28 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,246th COVID-19 related death is an 81-year-old man from Clackamas County who tested positive on Sept. 2 and died on Sept. 18 at Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,247th^h COVID-19 related death is a 61-year-old woman from Baker County who tested positive on Sept. 21 and died on Oct. 19 at St Alphonsus Regional Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,248th COVID-19 related death is a 56-year-old woman from Linn County who tested positive on Oct. 6 and died on Oct. 11 at Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,249th COVID-19 related death is an 85-year-old man from Linn County who tested positive on Sept. 16 and died on Sept. 20 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,250th COVID-19 related death is a 79-year-old woman from Umatilla County who tested positive on Aug. 31 and died on Sept. 21 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,251st COVID-19 related death is a 70-year-old woman from Umatilla County who tested positive on Aug. 31 and died on Sept. 10 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,252nd COVID-19 related death is an 80-year-old man from Tillamook County who tested positive on Aug. 29 and died on Sept. 10; location of death is being confirmed. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,253rd COVID-19 related death is a 38-year-old man from Tillamook County who tested positive on Aug. 22 and died on Sept 111; location of death is being confirmed. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,254th COVID-19 related death is a 50-year-old woman from Tillamook County who tested positive on Aug. 17 and died on Sept. 1 at Providence Portland Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,255th COVID-19 related death is a 41-year-old woman from Multnomah County who tested positive on Oct. 1 and died on Oct. 11 at Adventist Health Portland. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,256th COVID-19 related death is an 87-year-old man from Multnomah County who tested positive on Sept. 21 and died on Oct. 8 at Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,257th COVID-19 related death is a 69-year-old man from Multnomah County who tested positive on Sept. 16 and died on Sept. 21 at his residence. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,258th COVID-19 related death is an 88-year-old man from Multnomah County who tested positive on Aug. 22 and died on Oct. 11 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,259th COVID-19 related death is a 62-year-old man from Marion County who tested positive on Oct. 14 and died on Oct. 18 at Salem Hospital. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,260th COVID-19 related death is a 93-year-old man from Marion County who tested positive on Oct. 4 and died on Oct. 14 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,261st COVID-19 related death is a 61-year-old man from Marion County who tested positive on Oct. 3 and died on Oct. 16 at Salem Hospital. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,262nd COVID-19 related death is a 74-year-old man from Marion County who tested positive on Sept. 26 and died on Oct.16 at Santiam Hospital. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,263rd COVID-19 related death is an 83-year-old man from Marion County who tested positive on Sept. 23 and died on Oct. 18 at Salem Hospital. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,264th COVID-19 related death is a 76-year-old man from Marion County who tested positive on Sept. 23 and died on Oct. 15 at Salem Hospital. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,265th COVID-19 related death is a 78-year-old man from Umatilla County who tested positive on Sept. 3 and died on Sept. 23 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,266th COVID-19 related death is an 86-year-old woman from Umatilla County who tested positive on Aug.6 and died on Aug. 20 at her residence. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,267th COVID-19 related death is an 84-year-old woman from Union County who died on Sept. 25 at his residence. The death certificate listed COVID-19 disease or SARS-CoV-2 as a cause of death or a significant condition contributing to death. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,268th COVID-19 related death is a 79-year-old man from Yamhill County who tested positive on Oct.14 and died on Oct. 19 at Willamette Valley Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,269th COVID-19 related death is an 87-year-old man from Yamhill County who tested positive on Oct. 4 and died on Oct. 17 at Providence Newberg Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,270th COVID-19 related death is a 97-year-old woman from Washington County who first became symptomatic on Oct. 3 and died on Oct. 19 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,271st COVID-19 related death is a 66-year-old man from Washington County who tested positive on Sept. 24 and died on Oct. 19 at OHSU Hillsboro Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,272nd COVID-19 related death is a 73-year-old man from Washington County who tested positive on Sept. 21 and died on Oct. 10 at OHSU Hillsboro Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,273rd COVID-19 related death is a 76-year-old woman from Washington County who tested positive on Sept. 16 and died on Oct. 11 at OHSU Hillsboro Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,274th COVID-19 related death is a 44-year-old man from Washington County who tested positive on Aug. 22 and died on Sept. 29 at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,275th COVID-19 related death is a 78-year-old man from Wasco County who tested positive on Oct. 15 and died on Oct. 19 at Mid-Columbia Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Learn more about COVID-19 vaccinations  

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

October 21, 2021

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

CDC advisory panel recommends COVID-19 booster shots for Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines 

Today a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advisory panel recommended booster doses of Moderna and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines for persons who have already completed their vaccination series.

A booster is a vaccine dose that may be given to someone whose immune response from the primary vaccine series has waned over time.  

The Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are currently authorized for use to prevent COVID-19 for persons 18 years of age and older. The only approved booster authorized for use for some groups is for Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine, known as Comirnaty. 

The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) concluded its two days of meetings today. The ACIP recommended the use of booster doses for Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine for some persons 18 and older and booster doses of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine for persons 18 years and older.

The committee voted unanimously to recommend the use of boosters six months after a Moderna primary vaccination series and two months after a J and J vaccination series for eligible populations as outlined by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Emergency Use Authorization.

The guidance will allow Moderna’s booster dose to be given six months after completing the original series for those 65 years and older and some groups of persons 18 years and older with certain health conditions and occupations, and as soon as two months for all persons 18 years and older who have received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.  

The committee also considered heterologous doses or a “mix and match” approach to booster doses. This would mean people eligible to receive the Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson booster dose could use any COVID-19 vaccine as their booster dose. This would allow people to get a booster dose at any location that provides COVID-19 vaccines.

• The committee’s final vote did not formally endorse the mix and match approach.
• The CDC still needs to issue official recommendations and update their clinical considerations after review of the committee’s recommendations.
• This topic will be reviewed more closely in the Western States Scientific Safety Review Group as well.

The Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup, including Oregon, Washington, California and Nevada, will assess the recommendations next. The group meets later today, and it should make its recommendation in one to two days. OHA would then issue guidance regarding the administration of booster shots in Oregon.  

At that point, eligible Oregonians could seek booster shots through their health care provider or local pharmacy.  

"Oregonians can have confidence in the rigorous scientific review undertaken by the panels of scientists, medical experts and health officials to assess the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines,” said Dr. Paul Cieslak, Medical Director, Communicable Diseases and Immunizations. “Following this authorization, it may still take a little time for Oregonians eligible to get a Moderna or Johnson & Johnson booster to schedule their shots. Those who become eligible will get one, and we appreciate everyone's patience. The good news is, all vaccines continue to protect vaccinated Oregonians from COVID-19."

Eligible residents in long-term care facilities, including seniors, should receive their boosters through vaccination plans developed by their homes and pharmacies. State officials are also planning ways to reach home-bound seniors, people with disabilities and other vulnerable populations. 

Vaccines will continue being made available to Oregonians through their health care provider or local pharmacy. OHA has enrolled hundreds of vaccine providers in the state, and these sites are already vaccinating adults. We anticipate these sites will provide widespread access to booster doses so eligible persons who previously received the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines as well as those not yet vaccinated.

"Those most at risk, however, remain persons who have not yet received a primary series of COVID-19 vaccines," said Cieslak. “We strongly encourage everyone eligible to take advantage of this preventive measure."

OHA estimates that more than 632,000 adult Oregonians could soon be eligible to receive the added benefit provided by boosters for the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.  

October 21, 2021

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

Dental Pilot Project Program accepting applications to serve on advisory committee for Pilot Project #300

What: The OHA Dental Pilot Projects Program is seeking applicants to serve on the Advisory Committee for Dental Pilot Project #300, “Dental Therapist Project: Dental Hygiene Model.”

When: Applications due by 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 22.

Where: Application information and submission instructions can be located at the Dental Pilot Project Program Website at http://healthoregon.org/dpp.

All committee meetings will be held virtually. The first advisory committee meeting will be on Jan. 31, 2022, from 9-11 a.m. If you have questions, contact the OHA Dental Pilot Project Program at ah.e.kowalski@dhsoha.state.or.us">sarah.e.kowalski@dhsoha.state.or.us.

Background: Dental Pilot Projects are intended to evaluate the quality of care, access, cost, workforce, and efficacy by teaching new skills to existing categories of dental personnel; developing new categories of dental personnel; accelerating the training of existing categories of dental personnel; or teaching new oral health care roles to previously untrained persons.

Program contact: Sarah Kowalski, ah.e.kowalski@state.or.us">sarah.e.kowalski@state.or.us.

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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 Sarah Kowalski at 971-673-1563, 711 TTY or ah.e.kowalski@state.or.us">sarah.e.kowalski@state.or.us at least 48 hours before the meeting.

Oct. 21, 2021

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

Oregon reports 1,407 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 40 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — There are 40 new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 4,275, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 1,407 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 356,061.

State health officials to add more than 500 COVID-19 deaths due to technical error

Over the coming weeks, OHA will begin reporting approximately 550 deaths among people who died with COVID-19 but whose deaths only became recently known to state epidemiologists due to a technical computer error. 

This will result in higher death totals as the backlog is resolved.

More details can be found here.

COVID-19 Disease Severity Dashboard update highlights hospitalizations

Today, OHA is publishing a revamped Disease Severity Dashboard. In addition to case demographic data, the dashboard now features new data that highlights COVID-19-related hospitalizations and deaths in Oregon. Due to the nature of newly added visualizations, all data on this dashboard will be published weekly on Thursdays with data from the most recent full week.

The dashboard has three tabs: Case Demographics, Disease Severity and Severity Trends.

• The Case Demographics tab shows COVID-19 cumulative hospitalizations and deaths by sex, age group, race, and ethnicity.
• The Disease Severity tab shows factors related to COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths.
• The Severity Trends tab looks at hospitalization trends and death trends, including graphs on the following:
  • A comparison between trends of new cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.
  • Hospitalization trends by intensive care unit categories, presence of underlying condition, length of stay categories, age categories, race, and ethnicity.
  • Deaths trends by hospitalization status, presence of underlying condition, congregate settings, age categories, race, and ethnicity.

The visualization showing trends among new cases, hospitalizations and deaths reveals that cases and hospitalizations tend to rise before deaths. The visualizations also show that COVID-19 cases who were hospitalized or died have higher prevalence of all types of underlying conditions compared with COVID-19 cases who were not hospitalized or survived.

This updated dashboard can be found on the dashboard page.

OHA releases new COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough report

OHA’s most recent update on COVID-19 breakthrough cases, released today, found that 76.5% of the 6,446 reported COVID-19 cases between Oct. 10 through Oct. 16, occurred in people who were unvaccinated.

There were 1,977 breakthrough cases, accounting for 23.5% of all cases.

The average age of the breakthrough cases during that period was 48. Thirty-five breakthrough cases involved residents of care facilities, senior living communities or other congregate care settings. There were 88 cases in people ages 12 to 17.

To date, there have been 32,954 COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough cases in Oregon. The average age of all cases is 48. Breakthrough cases have been reported in all 36 counties.

Cases of COVID-19 are far more common in unvaccinated people. The report shows that the rate of COVID-19 in unvaccinated people is currently four times higher than in vaccinated people.

To date, 4.4% of all vaccine breakthrough cases have been hospitalized and 1% have died. The average age of vaccinated people who died was 80.

Vaccination remains the most effective tool to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

The number of vaccine breakthrough cases identified in Oregon remains very small when compared to the more than 2.79 million Oregonians who have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

The latest breakthrough report can be found here.

Last week OHA added three new features to the breakthrough report. Data is now available by vaccine manufacturer, including the number of breakthrough cases and their severity. This report also shows the number of Oregonians who received each vaccine, as well as the number of breakthrough cases per 100,000 vaccinated people.

OHA also expanded demographic data to include race and ethnicity for breakthrough cases, hospitalizations, and deaths and a map showing cumulative breakthrough cases for each county. In general, breakthrough case totals correspond with population size, vaccination rates, and overall case counts.

Pediatric weekly dashboard update

Today, OHA published its latest dashboard report of pediatric COVID-19 case data in Oregon.

This dashboard replaces the previous report and is published weekly on Thursdays with the most recent full week’s data.

COVID-19 hospitalizations

The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 across Oregon is 567, which is one fewer than yesterday. There are 133 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, which is seven more than yesterday.

There are 48 available adult ICU beds out of 706 total (7% availability) and 265 available adult non-ICU beds out of 4,115 (6% availability). 

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.

Note: Please do not visit an emergency department for COVID-19 testing, unless you require emergency care for your symptoms.

Emergency departments in Oregon are under significant strain responding to the current surge in COVID-19. You can find a test here.

If you have a medical condition that doesn’t require emergency care, contact your provider. An urgent care center may also help you get the care you need and will save emergency departments from added strain.

More information about hospital capacity can be found here.

Vaccinations in Oregon

Today, OHA reported that 14,240 new doses of COVID-19 vaccinations were added to the state immunization registry on Oct. 20. Of that total, 871 were initial doses; 933 were second doses and 3,558 were third doses and booster doses. The remaining 8,835 were administered on previous days but were entered into the vaccine registry on Oct. 20.

The seven-day running average is now 9,309 doses per day.

Oregon has now administered 3,208,051 doses of Pfizer Comirnaty, 1,935,312 doses of Moderna and 223,943 doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines.

As of today, 2,793,594 people have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 2,580,142 people have completed a COVID-19 vaccine series.

These data are preliminary and subject to change. Updated vaccination data are provided on Oregon’s COVID-19 data dashboards and have been updated today.

"Magic" team brings vaccination confidence to Oregon — and the world

As a refugee services provider Catholic Charities Oregon has a mission — to create trusting relationships with the families and communities they serve.   

Through a partnership with the Oregon Health Authority, Catholic Charities hired a team of COVID-19 Community Engagement Specialists in early 2021. This team rapidly took on the work of supporting their communities.

“We are a group of individuals from different backgrounds and nationalities who work for Catholic Charities with pride,” said Chomba Kaluba, who is originally from Zambia and serves the Congolese- and Swahili-speaking communities. “The power of numbers is what each one of us brings as a strength. And that strength is from all backgrounds; our values, beliefs and passion.”

He came up with the idea of making language- and culturally-specific videos about the vaccine to amplify vaccination confidence. Clackamas County Public Health provided a producer to film and edit the work.

Chomba Kaluba

Two other team members, Abidah Jamaluddin and Lung Wah Lazum both originally came from the same country, Myanmar (formerly known as Burma), but they represent different cultures. The pair decided to make videos in both Burmese and Rohingya to broaden their reach.

The group felt it was essential to meet people where they are.  

“It is because we are immigrants,” said Kaluba. “We are coming from backgrounds which might have lacked a health education, might have lacked access to health care, might have different political systems or economic systems.”

“We have been able to reach the world because someone in Burma, they'll see that video on YouTube and they'll go, 'Wow - I can get vaccinated.’ So maybe somehow, we are trying to do what they say is teaching in time saves nine. So maybe we are saving lives somewhere else,” he said.

You can read more at Oregon Vaccine News and watch the videos in Burmese, English, French, Rohingya, Somali and Swahili.

Cases and COVID-19 deaths

The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (10), Benton (29), Clackamas (108), Clatsop (1), Columbia (16), Coos (31), Crook (40), Curry (2), Deschutes (146), Douglas (46), Gilliam (1), Grant (5), Harney (16), Hood River (5), Jackson (75), Jefferson (15), Josephine (15), Klamath (67), Lake (6), Lane (113), Lincoln (8), Linn (49), Malheur (22), Marion (98), Morrow (4), Multnomah (190), Polk (37), Tillamook (5), Umatilla (50), Union (11), Wallowa (3), Wasco (10), Washington (144) and Yamhill (29).

Note: Additional details with case and death information will follow in an updated news release.

Learn more about COVID-19 vaccinations  

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

October 21, 2021

Contacts: Philip Schmidt, 503-383-6079, philip.schmidt@dshoha.state.or.us  (media inquiries)

Daphne Peck, 503-580-9792, c.info@dhsoha.state.or.us">herc.info@dhsoha.state.or.us (meeting information or accommodation)

Oregon Health Evidence Review Commission and VBBS Subcommittee to meet Nov. 18 online

Health Evidence Review Commission Meets online on Nov. 18

What: A public meeting of the Health Evidence Review Commission

When: Thursday, November 18, 1:30-3:30 p.m.

Where: By Zoom https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1619077888?pwd=WWFIMXAxQTUxV2lBT3M4ak9YWE9tdz09 

Or dial 1-669-254-5252 Meeting ID: 161 907 7888 | Passcode: 333914

Note: Unscheduled testimony will not be allowed at the meeting. If you think you may want to testify, please complete the survey to sign up at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/herc-public-comment by Tuesday, 11/16/21, noon. If you decide not to testify, you can always decline later. If you need assistance in signing up for public testimony, please call Daphne Peck at 503-580-9792.

 Written public comment (up to 1,000 words per sender for each topic) will be accepted until noon on 11/16/21; submit to C.Info@dhsoha.state.or.us">HERC.Info@dhsoha.state.or.us.

Agenda: HERC will consider the following topics:

• VBBS report

Topics which remain unresolved at the conclusion of the morning's VbBS meeting will not be heard by HERC until a later date. Public notice of tabled topics will be announced 28-days prior their next scheduled discussion.

For more information about the meeting, visit the committee’s website at https://www.oregon.gov/oha/HPA/DSI-HERC/Pages/Meetings-Public.aspx. The meeting agenda and materials will be available one week before the meeting. 

HERC’s Value-based Benefits Subcommittee meets November 18 Online

What: A public meeting of the Health Evidence Review Commission’s Value-based Benefits Subcommittee

When: Thursday, November 18, 8:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

Where: By Zoom https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1619077888?pwd=WWFIMXAxQTUxV2lBT3M4ak9YWE9tdz09 

Or dial 1-669-254-5252 Meeting ID: 161 907 7888 | Passcode: 333914

Note: Unscheduled testimony will not be allowed at the meeting. If you think you may want to testify, please complete the survey to sign up at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/herc-public-comment by Tuesday, 11/16/21, noon. If you decide not to testify, you can always decline later. If you need assistance in signing up for public testimony, please call Daphne Peck at 503-580-9792.

 Written public comment (up to 1,000 words per sender for each topic) will be accepted until noon on 11/16/21; submit to C.Info@dhsoha.state.or.us">HERC.Info@dhsoha.state.or.us.

Agenda: Items scheduled for discussion could include, but may not be limited to, the following:

• Straightforward consent agenda items
• New COVID-19 vaccine codes
• Advisory Panel reports
  • Genetics Advisory Panel
    • Expanded carrier screening
      • Updates to the prenatal and non-prenatal genetic testing guidelines
    • Whole genome sequencing
    • NCCN reference updates to the hereditary cancer genetic testing guideline
  • Oral Health Advisory Panel
    • 2022 CDT code placements
    • Porcelain crowns
    • Non-restorative caries treatment
    • Orthodontia for handicapping malocclusion
    • D0190 dental screening code placement
  • Behavioral Health Advisory Panel
    • Nightmare disorder
    • HCPCS code review for substance use disorder waiver
    • Selective mutism
  • 2022 CPT and HCPCS code placements
  • Platelet rich plasma
  • Radiofrequency ablation and cryotherapy for select renal cell cancers
  • Pelvic congestion syndrome
  • Cyanoacrylate vein ablation for varicose veins
  • Breast reconstruction after lumpectomy
  • Breast MRI guidelines
  • Clarify coverage for EPSDT treatment services for unfunded conditions which may affect childhood growth, development and school attendance
  • 2024 Biennial review combining duplicative angioedema lines

For more information about the meeting, visit the committee’s website at https://www.oregon.gov/oha/HPA/DSI-HERC/Pages/Meetings-Public.aspx. The meeting agenda and materials will be available one week before the meeting. 

# # #

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 Daphne Peck at 503-580-9792, 711 TTY or c.info@dhsoha.state.or.us">herc.info@dhsoha.state.or.us at least 48 hours before the event. Written comments are also welcome at c.info@dhsoha.state.or.us">herc.info@dhsoha.state.or.us.

October 21, 2021

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

State Health Officials to Add Approximately 550 COVID-19 Deaths from May to August 2021 to State Totals, Omitted Due to Technical Error

Over the coming weeks, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) will begin reporting approximately 550 deaths among people who died with COVID-19 but whose deaths only became recently known to state epidemiologists due to a technical computer error.  Most of these deaths occurred between May 2021 and August 2021.

The deaths will be reviewed during the data reconciliation process over the next month. People who have died and meet the COVID-19 death definition based on death certificates will reported on the Oregon Health Authority’s COVID-19 dashboards and its daily COVID-19 media releases. As a result, daily reported COVID-19-related deaths will be higher than usual until the backlog is resolved. Details of all deaths will be listed in OHA’s daily COVID-19 media release, which is published weekdays.

OHA’s reporting of COVID-19 deaths involves reconciling death records to case records, which is done manually. OHA has been working to automate the process but that has led to periodic backlogs, such as what is being reported today.

“We are taking steps to ensure that our reporting is comprehensive and transparent,” said OHA Director Patrick Allen. “We extend our condolences to everyone who has suffered a loss to COVID-19, and we deeply regret the pain this disclosure may cause.”

The additional deaths will affect Oregon’s national standing in COVID-19 death rates. Presently, Oregon has the 6^th lowest death rate in the nation. The newly reported deaths are expected to push Oregon’s death rate past one or two other states. However, Oregon’s death rate will remain well below the national average and the fatality rates of most other states.

State health officials estimate that if Oregon’s death rate matched the national average, another 4,000 or more Oregonians would have died from COVID-19. Health officials attribute Oregon’s comparatively low death rate to vaccinations, mask wearing and other social distancing measures, which Oregonians have practiced to a greater extent than residents of many other states.

Death is a lagging indicator and generally follows a surge in cases. In addition, there is often a delay in reporting as OHA epidemiologists review death certificates. 

OHA expects that reported deaths may continue to be high even as daily case counts decrease. This is due to the time period between when a person tests positive for a case of COVID-19 and when they die with COVID-19.

The newly enhanced COVID-19 Case Severity dashboard visualizes the time lag between when case onset and dates of death. Peak deaths routinely trail peak case onset by two weeks.

 #####

October 20, 2021

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

Rules Advisory Committee’s (RAC) Oct. 21 meeting postponed

PORTLAND, Ore.— A Rules Advisory Committee (RAC) meeting scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 21, to provide input on school exclusion rule, public health and safety requirements for childcare providers and youth programs, masking in schools, and vaccination requirements in schools is being postponed until the week of Oct. 25-29.

The meeting has been postponed to ensure adequate time for those interested in attending to plan for the meeting. The meeting will be rescheduled to a day to be determined.

The purpose of the meeting is to obtain input from members of the Rules Advisory Committee and will not be open to public comment. After the proposed language is finalized, notice will be posted, and a public comment period opened. A public hearing will be scheduled at a later date.

The agenda for the rescheduled meeting will provide input on the following rules:

• 333-019-0010: Disease Related School, Child Care, and Worksite Restrictions: Imposition of Restrictions

https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/DISEASESCONDITIONS/COMMUNICABLEDISEASE/REPORTINGCOMMUNICABLEDISEASE/Documents/rules/2021/COVID-July-Immunity/PH_27-2021TrackedChanges.pdf

• 333-019-1005: Public Health and Safety Requirements for Child Care Providers and Youth Programs

https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/DISEASESCONDITIONS/COMMUNICABLEDISEASE/REPORTINGCOMMUNICABLEDISEASE/Documents/rules/2021/COVID-July-Immunity/PH_27-2021TrackedChanges.pdf

• 333-019-1015: Masking Requirements in Schools

https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/DISEASESCONDITIONS/COMMUNICABLEDISEASE/REPORTINGCOMMUNICABLEDISEASE/Documents/rules/2021/School%20masking/PH_44-2021.pdf

• 333-019-1030: COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements for Teachers and School Staff

https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/DISEASESCONDITIONS/COMMUNICABLEDISEASE/REPORTINGCOMMUNICABLEDISEASE/Documents/rules/2021/Vaccination-Schools/PH_39-2021.pdf 

Background: The COVID-19-related rules around school exclusion, public health and safety requirements for childcare providers and youth programs, masking in schools, and vaccination requirements in schools were amended or adopted via the temporary rulemaking process mid-2021; they are now going through the regular rule-making process. Oregon Health Authority is seeking input in this regular rulemaking process.

Program contact: Stephen Ladd-Wilson, stephen.g.laddwilson@dhsoha.state.or.us

###

Everyone has a right to know about and use the 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 material in other languages
• Braille
• Large print
• Audio and other formats

If you need help or have questions, please contact Angela Phan, angela.k.phan@dhsoha.state.or.us  at least 48 hours before the meeting.

October 20, 2021

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

COVID-19 weekly cases and hospitalizations decline, deaths rise

The Oregon Health Authority’s COVID-19 Weekly Report, released today, shows decreases in daily cases and hospitalizations and an increase in deaths.

OHA reported 8,033 new cases of COVID-19 during the week of Monday, Oct. 11 through Sunday, Oct. 17. That represents an 11% decrease from the previous week and the seventh consecutive week of declining case counts.

The incidence of reported COVID-19 was higher in Oregon counties with population vaccination rates less than 50%.

There were 377 new COVID-19 hospitalizations, down from 416 last week, which marks a 9% reduction and the sixth consecutive week of declines.

There were 183 reported COVID-19 related deaths, up from 179 reported the previous week. This was the highest weekly death toll since the week of Jan. 11–17.

There were 139,727 tests for COVID-19 for the week of Oct. 10 through Oct. 16.  The percentage of positive tests was 7.6%, down from 8.1% the previous week.

Today’s COVID-19 Weekly Outbreak Report shows 127 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.

####

Oct. 20, 2021

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

Oregon reports 1,343 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 9 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — There are nine new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 4,235 the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 1,343 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 354,681.

COVID-19 hospitalizations

The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 across Oregon is 568, which is six more than yesterday. There are 126 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, which is 4 fewer than yesterday.

There are 63 available adult ICU beds out of 703 total (9% availability) and 267 available adult non-ICU beds out of 4,113 (6% availability). 

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.

Note: Please do not visit an emergency department for COVID-19 testing, unless you require emergency care for your symptoms.

Emergency departments in Oregon are under significant strain responding to the current surge in COVID-19. You can find a test here.  

If you have a medical condition that doesn’t require emergency care, contact your provider. An urgent care center may also help you get the care you need and will save emergency departments from added strain.  

More information about hospital capacity can be found here.

Vaccinations in Oregon

Today, OHA reported that 13,077 new doses of COVID-19 vaccinations were added to the state immunization registry on Oct. 19. Of that total, 950 were initial doses; 967 were second doses and 3,360 were third doses and booster doses. The remaining 7,752 were administered on previous days but were entered into the vaccine registry on Oct. 19.

The seven-day running average is now 9,343 doses per day.

Oregon has now administered 3,195,848 doses of Pfizer Comirnaty, 1,933,674 doses of Moderna and 223,599 doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines.

As of today, 2,791,014 people have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 2,577,281 people have completed a COVID-19 vaccine series.

These data are preliminary and subject to change.

Updated vaccination data are provided on Oregon’s COVID-19 data dashboards and have been updated today.

These data are preliminary and subject to change.

Updated vaccination data are provided on Oregon’s COVID-19 data dashboards and have been updated today.

Cases and COVID-19 deaths

The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (15), Benton (17), Clackamas (108), Clatsop (12), Columbia (11), Coos (26), Crook (17), Curry (4), Deschutes (111), Douglas (60), Gilliam (1), Harney (2), Hood River (10), Jackson (76), Jefferson (30), Josephine (28), Klamath (52), Lake (7), Lane (79), Lincoln (18), Linn (59), Malheur (44), Marion (155), Morrow (7), Multnomah (132), Polk (51), Sherman (2), Tillamook (4), Umatilla (44), Union (8), Wallowa (6), Wasco (17), Washington (105) and Yamhill (25).

Oregon’s 4,227th COVID-19 related death is a 70-year-old woman from Umatilla County who tested positive on Oct. 4 and died on Oct. 15 at Kadlec Regional Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,228th COVID-19 related death is a 95-year-old woman from Multnomah County who tested positive on Oct. 9 and died on Oct. 18 at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,229th COVID-19 related death is a 67-year-old man from Linn County who tested positive on Sept. 26 and died on Oct. 8 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,230th COVID-19 related death is a 75-year-old woman from Josephine County who tested positive on Oct. 12 and died on Oct. 18 at Asante Three Rivers Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,231st COVID-19 related death is an 85-year-old man from Jackson County who tested positive on Sept. 30 and died on Oct. 19 at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,232nd COVID-19 related death is an 85-year-old man from Jackson County who tested positive on Sept. 10 and died on Oct. 9 at Providence Medford Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,233rd COVID-19 related death is an 82-year-old woman from Jackson County who tested positive on Aug. 9 and died on Aug. 23 at Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose, Calif. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,234th COVID-19 related death is a 63-year-old man from Grant County who tested positive on Sept. 16 and died on Oct. 15 at St. Charles Bend Hospital. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,235th COVID-19 related death is a 68-year-old man from Clackamas County who tested positive on Oct. 10 and died on Oct. 18 at Legacy Meridian Park Medical Center. 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.

October 20, 2021

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

Rules Advisory Committee (RAC) to meet virtually Oct. 21

What: Rules Advisory Committee (RAC) to provide input on school exclusion rule, public health and safety requirements for childcare providers and youth programs, masking in schools, and vaccination requirements in schools (Oregon Administrative Rules 333-019-0010, 333-019-1005, 333-019-0015, and 333-019-1030).

Agenda: Provide input on the following rules:

• 333-019-0010: Disease Related School, Child Care, and Worksite Restrictions: Imposition of Restrictions

https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/DISEASESCONDITIONS/COMMUNICABLEDISEASE/REPORTINGCOMMUNICABLEDISEASE/Documents/rules/2021/COVID-July-Immunity/PH_27-2021TrackedChanges.pdf

• 333-019-1005: Public Health and Safety Requirements for Child Care Providers and Youth Programs

https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/DISEASESCONDITIONS/COMMUNICABLEDISEASE/REPORTINGCOMMUNICABLEDISEASE/Documents/rules/2021/COVID-July-Immunity/PH_27-2021TrackedChanges.pdf

• 333-019-1015: Masking Requirements in Schools

https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/DISEASESCONDITIONS/COMMUNICABLEDISEASE/REPORTINGCOMMUNICABLEDISEASE/Documents/rules/2021/School%20masking/PH_44-2021.pdf

• 333-019-1030: COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements for Teachers and School Staff

https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/DISEASESCONDITIONS/COMMUNICABLEDISEASE/REPORTINGCOMMUNICABLEDISEASE/Documents/rules/2021/Vaccination-Schools/PH_39-2021.pdf 

The overarching purpose of the RAC is to "to seek public input to the maximum extent possible during the development of the proposed rulemaking prior to giving notice of intent to adopt, amend, or repeal an administrative rule. RAC’s allow the public and stakeholders to provide input and suggestions during the development of new rules, amendment or repeal of existing rules, and the fiscal impact of the proposed rulemaking."

When: Thursday, Oct. 21, 1-3 p.m.

Where: Register for this meeting to receive meeting login information: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4182817528353779980

• Audio Access Code for Attendees: 113-403-806

Background: The COVID-19-related rules around school exclusion, public health and safety requirements for childcare providers and youth programs, masking in schools, and vaccination requirements in schools were amended or adopted via the temporary rulemaking process mid-2021; they are now going through the regular rule-making process. Oregon Health Authority is seeking input in this regular rulemaking process.

Program contact: Stephen Ladd-Wilson, stephen.g.laddwilson@dhsoha.state.or.us

###

Everyone has a right to know about and use the 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 material in other languages
• Braille
• Large print
• Audio and other formats

If you need help or have questions, please contact Angela Phan, angela.k.phan@dhsoha.state.or.us  at least 48 hours before the meeting.

This news release is an updated version to include case and death information and an updated number of deaths.

October 19, 2021

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

Oregon reports 1,366 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 41 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — There are 41 new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 4,226, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 1,366 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 353,368.

COVID-19 hospitalizations

The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 across Oregon is 562, which is one more than yesterday. There are 130 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, which is 10 fewer than yesterday.

There are 56 available adult ICU beds out of 706 total (8% availability) and 292 available adult non-ICU beds out of 4,127 (7% availability).

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.

Note: Please do not visit an emergency department for COVID-19 testing, unless you require emergency care for your symptoms.

Emergency departments in Oregon are under significant strain responding to the current surge in COVID-19. You can find a test here.

If you have a medical condition that doesn’t require emergency care, contact your provider. An urgent care center may also help you get the care you need and will save emergency departments from added strain.

More information about hospital capacity can be found here.

Vaccinations in Oregon

Today, OHA reported 8,804 new doses of COVID-19 vaccinations added to the state immunization registry on Oct. 18.

Of that total, 4,438 were administered on Oct. 18. There were 793 initial doses, 732 second doses and 2,799 third and booster doses. The remaining 4,366 were administered on previous days but were entered into the vaccine registry on Oct. 18.

The seven-day running average is now 9,511 doses per day.

Oregon has now administered 3,184,813 doses of Pfizer Comirnaty, 1,931,989 doses of Moderna and 223,288 doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines.

As of today, 2,788,567 people have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 2,574,554 people have completed a COVID-19 vaccine series.

These data are preliminary and subject to change.

Updated vaccination data are provided on Oregon’s COVID-19 data dashboards and have been updated today.

Cases and deaths

The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (7), Benton (44), Clackamas (87), Clatsop (13), Columbia (14), Coos (29), Crook (42), Curry (8), Deschutes (73), Douglas (44), Gilliam (3), Grant (15), Harney (17), Hood River (3), Jackson (56), Jefferson (14), Josephine (14), Klamath (81), Lake (14), Lane (124), Lincoln (22), Linn (60), Malheur (26), Marion (116), Morrow (4), Multnomah (123), Polk (51), Sherman (2), Tillamook (7), Umatilla (72), Union (3), Wallowa (3), Wasco (22), Washington (107), Wheeler (9),and Yamhill (37).

Oregon’s 4,186th COVID-19 death is a 72-year-old woman from Harney County who tested positive on Sept. 30 and died on Oct. 11 at St. Charles Bend Hospital. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,187th COVID-19 death is a 72-year-old woman from Douglas County who tested positive on Oct. 15 and died on Oct. 18 at her residence. She had no underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,188th COVID-19 death is an 81-year-old woman from Douglas County who tested positive on Sept. 28 and died on Oct. 15 at Mercy Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,189th COVID-19 death is a 90-year-old woman from Deschutes County who tested positive on Aug. 27 and died on Sept. 7 at St. Charles Bend Hospital. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,190th COVID-19 death is a 75-year-old woman from Curry County who tested positive on Sept. 24 and died on Oct. 7 at her residence. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,191st COVID-19 death is a 99-year-old woman from Curry County who tested positive on Aug. 30 and died on Oct. 6 at her residence. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,192nd COVID-19 death is a 68-year-old man from Coos County who tested positive on Oct. 3 and died on Oct. 17 at Bay Area Hospital. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,193rd COVID-19 death is a 65-year-old woman from Clackamas County who tested positive on Sept. 3 and died on Sept. 30 at Salem Hospital. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,194th COVID-19 death is a 74-year-old man from Clackamas County who tested positive on Oct. 14 and died on Oct. 16 at his residence. He had no underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,195th COVID-19 death is a 41-year-old man from Benton County who tested positive on Aug. 18 and died on Oct. 18 at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,196th COVID-19 death is a 77-year-old man from Lake County who tested positive on Oct. 1 and died on Oct. 7 at Lake District Hospital. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,197th COVID-19 death is an 82-year-old man from Klamath County who tested positive on Oct. 2 and died on Oct. 17 at Sky Lakes Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,198th COVID-19 death is an 86-year-old woman from Klamath County who tested positive on Oct. 5 and died on Oct. 15 at Sky Lakes Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,199th COVID-19 death is a 57-year-old man from Klamath County who tested positive on Sept. 25 and died on Oct. 10 at Oregon Health & Science University Hospital. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,200th COVID-19 death is a 78-year-old woman from Klamath County who tested positive on Sept. 17 and died on Oct. 18 at Sky Lakes Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,201st COVID-19 death is a 74-year-old man from Klamath County who tested positive on Aug. 31 and died on Oct. 3 at Sky Lakes Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,202nd COVID-19 death is an 83-year-old man from Jefferson County who tested positive on Dec. 15, 2020 and died on Feb. 3 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,203rd COVID-19 death is a 97-year-old man from Jackson County who tested positive on Aug. 23 and died on Oct. 1 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,204th COVID-19 death is a 95-year-old woman from Lane County who tested positive on Sept. 30 and died on Oct. 17 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,205th COVID-19 death is an 82-year-old man from Polk County who tested positive on Aug. 22 and died on Aug. 29 at his residence. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,206th COVID-19 death is an 87-year-old man from Washington County who tested positive on Oct. 12 and died on Oct. 16 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,207th COVID-19 death is a 64-year-old man from Union County who tested positive on Oct. 12 and died on Oct. 18 at Grande Ronde Hospital. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,208th COVID-19 death is a 61-year-old woman from Umatilla County who tested positive on Sept. 30 and died on Oct.r 11 at CHI St. Anthony Hospital. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,209th COVID-19 death is a 37-year-old man from Multnomah County who tested positive on Oct. 5 and died on Oct. 10 at his residence. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,210th COVID-19 death is a 48-year-old man from Multnomah County who tested positive on Sept. 27 and died on Oct. 17 at Legacy Mt. Hood Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,211th COVID-19 death is a 96-year-old man from Multnomah County who tested positive on Sept. 25 and died on Oct. 4 at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,212nd COVID-19 death is a 73-year-old man from Multnomah County who tested positive on Sept. 25 and died on Oct. 8 at Providence Portland Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,213rd COVID-19 death is a 68-year-old man from Multnomah County who tested positive on Sept. 22 and died on Sept. 29 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,214th COVID-19 death is a 76-year-old man from Multnomah County who tested positive on Sept. 20 and died on Sept. 28 at Legacy Mt. Hood Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,215th COVID-19 death is an 87-year-old woman from Multnomah County who tested positive on Sept. 15 and died on Sept. 21 at Legacy Mt. Hood Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,216th COVID-19 death is a 74-year-old man from Marion County who tested positive on Oct. 4 and died on Oct. 13 at Salem Hospital. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,217th COVID-19 death is an 81-year-old woman from Marion County who tested positive on Sept. 27 and died on Oct. 11 at Samaritan Albany General Hospital. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,218th COVID-19 death is a 60-year-old man from Marion County who tested positive on Sept. 10 and died on Oct. 12 at Salem Hospital. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,219th COVID-19 death is a 56-year-old man from Malheur County who tested positive on Oct. 8 and died on Oct. 17 at St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,220th COVID-19 death is a 74-year-old woman from Malheur County who tested positive on Sept. 30 and died on Oct. 16 at St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,221st COVID-19 death is an 85-year-old woman from Linn County who tested positive on Oct. 10 and died on Oct. 15 at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,222nd COVID-19 death is a 96-year-old man from Linn County who tested positive on Oct. 4 and died on Oct. 15 at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,223rd COVID-19 death is a 72-year-old woman from Linn County who tested positive on Sept. 28 and died on Oct. 9 at Samaritan Albany General Hospital. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,224th COVID-19 death is a 54-year-old man from Linn County who tested positive on Sept. 16 and died on Oct. 9 at Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,225th COVID-19 death is a 41-year-old man from Linn County who tested positive on Sept. 9 and died on Sept. 29 at Oregon Health & Science University Hospital. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,226th COVID-19 death is a 56-year-old man from Linn County who tested positive on Aug. 29 and died on Oct. 8 at Providence St Vincent Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon updates non-viable vaccine disclosure^1,2,3

OHA’s non-viable vaccine table has been moved to the Tableau dashboard. You can find the link to the weekly tab here. OHA reports updates on vaccines not being used each Tuesday in our daily media release.

¹Updated: 10/19/21 

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 web page (English or Spanish), which has a breakdown of distribution and other information.

# # #

October 19, 2021

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

Oregon reports 1,366 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 41 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — There are 41 new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 4,226, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 1,366 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 353,368.

COVID-19 hospitalizations

The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 across Oregon is 562, which is one more than yesterday. There are 130 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, which is 10 fewer than yesterday.

There are 56 available adult ICU beds out of 706 total (8% availability) and 292 available adult non-ICU beds out of 4,127 (7% availability).

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.

Note: Please do not visit an emergency department for COVID-19 testing, unless you require emergency care for your symptoms.

Emergency departments in Oregon are under significant strain responding to the current surge in COVID-19. You can find a test here.  

If you have a medical condition that doesn’t require emergency care, contact your provider. An urgent care center may also help you get the care you need and will save emergency departments from added strain.

More information about hospital capacity can be found here.

Vaccinations in Oregon

Today, OHA reported 8,804 new doses of COVID-19 vaccinations added to the state immunization registry on Oct. 18.

Of that total, 4,438 were administered on Oct. 18. There were 793 initial doses, 732 second doses and 2,799 third and booster doses. The remaining 4,366 were administered on previous days but were entered into the vaccine registry on Oct. 18.

The seven-day running average is now 9,511 doses per day.

Oregon has now administered 3,184,813 doses of Pfizer Comirnaty, 1,931,989 doses of Moderna and 223,288 doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines.

As of today, 2,788,567 people have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 2,574,554 people have completed a COVID-19 vaccine series.

These data are preliminary and subject to change.

Updated vaccination data are provided on Oregon’s COVID-19 data dashboards and have been updated today.

Cases and deaths

The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (7), Benton (44), Clackamas (87), Clatsop (13), Columbia (14), Coos (29), Crook (42), Curry (8), Deschutes (73), Douglas (44), Gilliam (3), Grant (15), Harney (17), Hood River (3), Jackson (56), Jefferson (14), Josephine (14), Klamath (81), Lake (14), Lane (124), Lincoln (22), Linn (60), Malheur (26), Marion (116), Morrow (4), Multnomah (123), Polk (51), Sherman (2), Tillamook (7), Umatilla (72), Union (3), Wallowa (3), Wasco (22), Washington (107), Wheeler (9),and Yamhill (37).

Note: More information about the cases and deaths will be provided in an updated news release.

Oregon updates non-viable vaccine disclosure^1,2,3

OHA’s non-viable vaccine table has been moved to the Tableau dashboard. You can find the link to the weekly tab here. OHA reports updates on vaccines not being used each Tuesday in our daily media release.

¹Updated: 10/19/21 

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 web page (English or Spanish), which has a breakdown of distribution and other information.

# # #

October 18, 2021

Contact: Philip Schmidt, 503-383-6079, philip.schmidt@dhsoha.state.or.us (media inquiries)

Brian Toups, 503-385-6542, rian.m.toups@dhsoha.state.or.us">brian.m.toups@dhsoha.state.or.us (meeting information or accommodation)

All Payer All Claims Technical Advisory Group to meet October 20

What: The regular public meeting of the Oregon Health Authority’s All Payer All Claims Technical Advisory Group.

When: October 20, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Where: By webinar and conference line only. The public may join remotely through a webinar and conference line:

• Join the webinar at

https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1608651776?pwd=YWFZUVJidVQxVG9mWm84SytCbzBxdz09

• Conference line: 669-254-5252, Meeting ID: 160 865 1776, Password: 124713.

Agenda: Attendance for those attending by phone only; Meeting opening; APAC-Comagine discussing single file submission; General updates: PAF update, Updates from HSRI, and APAC data use; Future activities; Public Comment; adjourn

For more information, please visit the committee's website at https://www.oregon.gov/oha/HPA/ANALYTICS/Pages/All-Payer-All-Claims-TAG.aspx.  

# # #

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.
• Large print.
• Audio and other formats.

If you need help or have questions, please contact Brian Toups at, 503-385-6542, 711 TTY, rian.m.toups@dhsoha.state.or.us">brian.m.toups@dhsoha.state.or.us at least 48 hours before the meeting

October 18, 2021

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

Oregon reports 3,276 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 24 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — There are 24 new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 4,185, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 3,276 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 352,026.

COVID-19 hospitalizations

The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 across Oregon is 561, which is 11 more than yesterday. There are 140 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, which is two fewer than yesterday.

There are 59 available adult ICU beds out of 698 total (8% availability) and 305 available adult non-ICU beds out of 4,099 (7% availability).

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.

Note: Please do not visit an emergency department for COVID-19 testing, unless you require emergency care for your symptoms.

Emergency departments in Oregon are under significant strain responding to the current surge in COVID-19. You can find a test here.  

If you have a medical condition that doesn’t require emergency care, contact your provider. An urgent care center may also help you get the care you need and will save emergency departments from added strain.  

More information about hospital capacity can be found here.

Vaccinations in Oregon

Today, OHA reported that 4,376 new doses of COVID-19 vaccinations were added to the state immunization registry on Oct. 17. Of this total, 1,371 were administered on Oct. 17: 265 were initial doses; 230 were second doses and 863 were third doses and booster doses. The remaining 3,005 were administered on previous days but were entered into the vaccine registry on Oct. 17.

The seven-day running average is now 9,677 doses per day.

Oregon has now administered 3,177,686 doses of Pfizer Comirnaty, 1,930,703 doses of Moderna and 222,984 doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines.

As of today, 2,786,683 people have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 2,572,424 people have completed a COVID-19 vaccine series.

These data are preliminary and subject to change.

Updated vaccination data are provided on Oregon’s COVID-19 data dashboards and have been updated today.

Cases and deaths

The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (12), Benton (87), Clackamas (256), Clatsop (12), Columbia (44), Coos (31), Crook (29), Curry (6), Deschutes (311), Douglas (124), Grant (4), Harney (18), Hood River (18), Jackson (149), Jefferson (49), Josephine (61), Klamath (55), Lake (7), Lane (340), Lincoln (28), Linn (240), Malheur (12), Marion (296), Morrow (14), Multnomah (515), Polk (45), Tillamook (16), Umatilla (47), Union (31), Wallowa (3), Wasco (11), Washington (334), Wheeler (4) and Yamhill (67).

Oregon reports 1,726 confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases on Oct. 15, 883 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases on Oct. 16 and 667 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases on Oct. 17.

Oregon’s 4,162nd COVID-19 related death is a 60-year-old man from Jackson County who tested positive on Sept. 23 and died on October 14 at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,163rd COVID-19 related death is a 65-year-old man from Harney County who tested positive on Oct. 11 and died on Oct. 11 at his residence. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,164th COVID-19 related death is a 68-year-old woman from Douglas County who tested positive on Sept. 9 and died on Oct. 7 at Mercy Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,165th COVID-19 related death is a 90-year-old man from Deschutes who tested positive on Sept. 27 and died on Oct. 9 at St. Charles Bend Hospital. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,166th COVID-19 related death is a 74-year-old woman from Curry County who tested positive on Sept. 14 and died on Oct. 2 at Oregon Health & Science University Hospital. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,167th COVID-19 related death is an 88-year-old man from Crook County who tested positive on Oct. 1 and died on Oct. 10 at his residence. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,168th COVID-19 related death is a 60-year-old woman from Coos County who tested positive on Oct. 5 and died on Oct. 14 at Bay Area Hospital. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,169th COVID-19 related death is a 61-year-old man from Coos County who tested positive on Sept. 27 and died on Oct. 15 at Bay Area Hospital. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,170th COVID-19 related death is a 57-year-old man from Jackson County who tested positive on Oct. 13 and died on Oct. 13 at Providence Medford Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,171st COVID-19 related death is a 68-year-old man from Jackson County who tested positive on Oct. 11 and died on Oct. 13 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,172nd COVID-19 related death is a 68-year-old man from Jackson County who tested positive on Oct. 11 and died on Oct. 14 at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,173rd COVID-19 related death is a 69-year-old woman from Marion County who tested positive on Oct. 12 and died on Oct. 15 at Legacy Meridian Park Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,174th COVID-19 related death is an 89-year-old man from Lane County who tested positive on Oct. 4 and died on Oct. 14 at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,175th COVID-19 related death is a 69-year-old man from Klamath County who tested positive on Oct. 13 and died on Oct. 15 at Sky Lakes Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,176th COVID-19 related death is an 84-year-old woman from Jefferson County who tested positive on Oct. 3 and died on Oct. 13 at St. Charles Bend Hospital. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,177th COVID-19 related death is a 92-year-old woman from Union County who tested positive on Oct. 13 and died on Oct. 15 at Grande Ronde Hospital. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,178th COVID-19 related death is a 64-year-old woman from Tillamook County who tested positive on Sept. 1 and died on Oct. 8 at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,179th COVID-19 related death is a 44-year-old woman from Multnomah County who tested positive on Sept. 27 and died on Oct. 8 at Adventist Health Portland. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,180th COVID-19 related death is a 78-year-old man from Multnomah County who tested positive on Sept. 22 and died on Oct. 8 at Portland VA Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,181st COVID-19 related death is a 73-year-old woman from Multnomah County who tested positive on Sept. 20 and died on Oct. 9 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,182nd COVID-19 related death is a 76-year-old man from Washington County who tested positive on Sept. 24 and died on Oct. 4 at Oregon Health & Science University Hospital. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,183rd COVID-19 related death is a 54-year-old man from Washington County who tested positive on Aug. 20 and died on Sept. 7 at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,184th COVID-19 related death is an 89-year-old woman from Washington County who tested positive on Aug. 19 and died on Oct. 7 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,185th COVID-19 related death is a 79-year-old man from Yamhill County who tested positive on Oct. 4 and died on Oct. 14 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.

October 18, 2021

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

Nurse Staffing Advisory Board, Civil Monetary Penalties Committee meets virtually Nov. 1

What: The Nurse Staffing Advisory Board’s Civil Monetary Penalties Committee is holding its fourth meeting.

Agenda: Review the meeting agenda and summary from Oct. 1 meeting; review financial and workload impacts of nurse staffing regulatory activities – triennial surveys, complaint investigations, and revisit surveys, CMPs; prioritize nurse staffing regulatory activities; summarize action items, next steps.

The agenda will be available on www.healthoregon.org/nursestaffing.

When: Nov. 1, 1:30-3:30 p.m.

Where: Register for this meeting to receive meeting login information: https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJItdeysqT8oHn7q8v-RWcIYN3qDPHk-jGM.

Background: The Nurse Staffing Advisory Board advises Oregon Health Authority on the administration of Oregon’s nurse staffing laws; identifies trends, opportunities and concerns related to nurse staffing; makes recommendations to the Oregon Health Authority based on those trends, opportunities and concerns; and reviews the enforcement powers and processes under Oregon’s nurse staffing laws.

Program contact: Kimberly Voelker, ox.nursestaffing@state.or.us">Mailbox.nursestaffing@state.or.us

###

Everyone has a right to know about and use the 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 material in other languages
• Braille
• Large print
• Audio and other formats

If you need help or have questions, please contact Kimberly Voelker, MPH at 971-803-0914, 711 TTY or erly.n.voelker@dhsoha.state.or.us">kimberly.n.voelker@dhsoha.state.or.us at least 48 hours before the meeting.

SALEM, Ore. – Oct. 19, 2021 – Oregonians have learned the importance of preparedness due to numerous recent hazards – including wildfire, drought, floods, ice storms and more. Though earthquakes are less common, they are top of mind in the Northwest due to the Cascadia subduction zone, a fault located off the Pacific Coast with the potential to deliver a 9.0+ magnitude earthquake and resulting tsunami. Governor Kate Brown has proclaimed Thursday, Oct. 21, as Great Oregon ShakeOut Day to encourage Oregonians to learn and practice safe methods to use during an earthquake.

A global earthquake drill taking place at 10:21 a.m. this Thursday, the Great ShakeOut urges people to take the following simple but critical safety steps during an earthquake: “Drop, Cover and Hold On:”

• Drop onto hands and knees.
• Cover head and neck and crawl to a sturdy desk or table if one is nearby.
• Hold On until the shaking stops.  

“The state of Oregon takes seriously its responsibility to help ensure the safety of its residents and visitors,” said Oregon Office of Emergency Management Director Andrew Phelps. “Understanding what to do in the first few moments after a disaster can mean the difference between being a survivor and a victim. As we work to build a culture of preparedness in Oregon, it is up to each of us – and all of us – to take action to reduce our risk.  Participating in the Great Oregon ShakeOut is a proactive step anyone can, and should, take.”

More than 500,000 Oregonians – including schools, individuals, families and businesses – have committed to take part in this year’s ShakeOut drill, pledging to drop, cover and hold on wherever they are and whatever they’re doing. 

“Knowing what to do before, during and after an earthquake can save your life,” said OEM Geologic Hazards Coordinator Althea Rizzo. “The event also serves as a reminder to review and update emergency preparedness plans and supplies.” 

OEM’s 2 Weeks Ready program recommends citizens be informed and knowledgeable about the hazards where they live; make an emergency plan for themselves and their loved ones; and build an emergency kit with at least two weeks’ worth of food, water and other necessities. 

The 2 Weeks Ready program offers several resources to help people prepare, including a free publication informing what actions to take in the event of an earthquake or tsunami. To learn more about earthquakes in Oregon and how to prepare, Living on Shaky Ground is available for download at OEM’s website, and hard copies may be obtained at county and Tribal emergency management offices.

Learn more about the Great Oregon ShakeOut and register as a participant at Shakeout.org/Oregon; the public can also view a webinar on the event hosted by OEM on YouTube in English and in Spanish.

###

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.

The Oregon Office of Emergency Management has posted the Oregon Wildfire Recovery Update for Oct. 18, 2021, to the Oregon Wildfire Resources page. View today's Wildfire Recovery update here. The next update will be released on Nov. 17, 2021.

Photo Captions:

The Oregon Office of Emergency Management's Wildfire Recovery logo: Oregon Rising Stronger Together. (Office of Emergency Management)

The McKenzie Community Celebration in Vida, Ore., unveiled a permanent commemorative art piece designed and created by Oregon conceptual artist Margaret Godfrey. (McKenzie River Locals Helping Locals)

The McKenzie Community Celebration in Vida, Ore., included a first responder appreciation ceremony celebrating the Upper McKenzie Fire Department. (McKenzie River Locals Helping Locals)

FEMA has activated a federal program offering 2020 wildfire survivors the opportunity to purchase their currently occupied trailer. (FEMA)

 SALEM, Ore. – The State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation (SACHP) will meet October 21 and 22 via conference call to consider nominations to the National Register of Historic Places. This meeting is open to the public. 

The SACHP meeting will begin at 9:00 a.m. both days to consider nominations to the National Register. The weblink for the call is posted on our website at https://www.oregon.gov/oprd/OH/Pages/Commissions.aspx#SACHP

Thursday’s meeting agenda: hearings of one proposed multiple property document and five proposed nominations. 

Friday’s meeting agenda: hearings of two proposed multiple property documents and four proposed nominations. 

For specific hearing times, refer to the online agenda: www.oregonheritage.org (click on “Commissions & Committees” at top of page and look under “State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation”). 

The committee will review three proposed multiple property documents: The Architecture of Donald J. Stewart in Washington and Oregon, 1933-1967 MPD, Oregon and Washington; Historic Residential Resources of Redmond, Oregon MPD, Redmond; Oregon New Deal Resources from the PWA and WPA, 1933-1943 MPD, Statewide. 

The committee will review nine proposed nominations: Mt. Olivet Baptist Church, Portland; Dean’s Beauty Salon and Barber Shop, Portland; Golden West Hotel, Portland; Burford-Stanley House, Monmouth; South Park Blocks, Portland; Norman and Frances Swanson House, Redmond; Dallas Cinema, Dallas; Rex Theater, Vale; State Library of Oregon, Salem. 

This effort aligns with the Oregon Historic Preservation Plan goal to increase the thematic diversity of Oregon properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It also supports the goals to include more voices and increase access to Oregon heritage that are part of the Oregon Heritage Plan.

Nominations recommended by the SACHP go to the National Park Service, which maintains the Register under the authority of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. 

The SACHP is a nine-member governor-appointed citizen commission with credentials in many historic preservation-related fields. 

The conference call is accessible to people with disabilities. Special accommodations for the meeting may be made with at least three days of advance notice by calling (503) 986-0690. 

More information about the National Register of Historic Places process is online at www.oregonheritage.org (click on “National Register” at left of page). 

# # # 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021

DOUGLAS COUNTY COVID-19 UPDATE #644

(Douglas County, Ore.) A QUICK LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, AS OF FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021

Our COVID quick look includes the total number of new cases in Douglas County, which combines people with positive test results and presumptives. We follow the CDC definition for fully vaccinated, which states that a fully vaccinated person is someone who has received both doses of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine, or one dose of a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine and at least 14 days have passed since the individual’s final dose.

As of 12:00 pm today, Friday, October 22, 2021, there are FORTY-FIVE (45) people with new positive test results, NINE (9) new presumptives and TWO (2) new COVID-19 related deaths to report bringing the total number of cases of people with positive test results and presumptives in Douglas County to 12,140. Currently, there are THIRTY-FOUR (34) Douglas County COVID-19 patients that are being hospitalized, twenty locally and fourteen out-of-the-area, including one that has been transferred out of the state for specialized care not available here. We continue to work with Mercy to provide information on our COVID patients being hospitalized locally: 1 COVID positive patient in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and 4 in the Progressive Care Unit (PCU).  10% of the total hospitalized patients at Mercy are COVID positive. Of our hospitalized patients today, TWENTY-NINE (29) of the 34 patients are not fully vaccinated. 

Our COVID case update includes the total number of cases in Douglas County, which combines people with positive test results and presumptives, as well as a breakout of those case numbers. There will be times when a presumptive will move to a positive test result, and our total case number will not change because the case has already been counted. 

On Thursday, October 21, 2021, at 12:00 pm we had FORTY-SEVEN (47) people with new positive test results and THREE (3) new presumptives to report bringing our total number of cases of people with positive test results and presumptives in Douglas County to 12,086.  We had THIRTY-SIX (36) Douglas County COVID-19 patients hospitalized, twenty-two locally and fourteen out-of-the-area, including one patient that has been transferred out of the state for specialized care not available here. We continue to work with Mercy to provide information on our COVID patients being hospitalized locally: 2 COVID positive patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and 3 in the Progressive Care Unit (PCU). 7% of the total hospitalized patients at Mercy are COVID positive. Of our hospitalized cases on Thursday, October 21, 2021, THIRTY (30) of the 36 patients were not fully vaccinated.

Douglas County Public Health has confirmed the death of two more Douglas County residents related to the COVID-19 virus. Our two hundred and forty-fourth COVID-19 related death was a 68-year-old woman who was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Wednesday, September 29, 2021 and passed away on Wednesday, October 20, 2021. She was not vaccinated.  Our two hundred and forty-fifth COVID-19 related death was a 63-year-old man who was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Thursday, September 9, 2021 and passed away on Wednesday, October 20, 2021. He was partially vaccinated.  In the interest of privacy for the loved ones of these residents, and as our ethical responsibility to follow all medical laws, no additional information will be released.  We thoroughly scrutinize and investigate all deaths, and review all medical records to make sure that everyone we report has met the requirements for a COVID related death, as per the Oregon Disease Investigative Guidelines for COVID-19.  Each death related to COVID-19 is painful for all Douglas County residents, and a sad reminder of the terrible impact COVID-19 has had in our local communities. The Douglas County Board of Commissioners, Dr. Dannenhoffer, DPHN and the DCCRT team extend our heartfelt condolences and sympathies to all family members, friends, relatives, co-workers and community members of those who have passed after contracting this deadly virus.

LAST DAY FOR TRAVELING COVID-19 CLINIC IN ROSEBURG

Today, Friday, October 22, 2021 is the last day to take advantage of the traveling COVID-19 vaccination and testing clinic in Roseburg.    The clinic is offering free drive-through COVID-19 vaccinations, COVID-19 PCR testing and COVID-19 booster/3rd vaccine dose for those who are eligible.  Additionally, thanks to the efforts of DPHN and Aviva Health, they also have annual flu shots available.  The Roseburg COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Clinic is open from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm today.  The drive-through clinic is located in the parking lot (1530 NE Diamond Lake Blvd) at the corner of NE Fowler Street and Diamond Lake Blvd (Hwy 138), adjacent to the Roseburg Public Library in downtown Roseburg.  The clinic was made possible by the Douglas County Board of Commissioners and Douglas Public Health Network (DPHN) in collaboration with Aviva Health, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. 

The drive-through COVID-19 Mobile Vaccination and Testing Clinic offers:

• No pre-registration required.  Vaccinations and testing are provided on a first come-first served basis
• Vaccines and testing are open to anyone 12-years-of-age and older.  Please note for residents ages 12 to 14, this will require a parent or guardian to accompany them and give written consent for the vaccine.  Under Oregon law, minors 15 years of age and older may consent to medical treatment, including vaccinations, when provided by a licensed medical professional; however, families are encouraged to make decisions about vaccinations together.
• First and second doses of the Pfizer and Moderna Vaccines.
• Single doses of Johnson and Johnson Vaccine. 
• COVID-19 PCR testing.  This test is not a rapid test, and results will be returned in 3-4 business days. 
• Pfizer COVID-19 Booster/3rd vaccine dose for eligible residents.  According to the CDC and OHA: People ages 65 and older, as well as people ages 18 to 64 with underlying health conditions or that work in occupations or in institutional settings that put them at higher risk of COVID-19 exposure and transmission are eligible for a booster/3rd vaccine dose. These include: health care workers, first responders, firefighters, law enforcement, congregate care staff, teachers, school support staff, daycare workers, food/agriculture workers, manufacturing workers, corrections staff, U.S. Postal Service employees, public transit workers and grocery store workers.
• Plus, we will have annual Flu Shots available. 

For more information about the traveling clinics, please call our Douglas County COVID-19 Hotline at (541) 464-6550.

COMING SOON! The traveling clinic is also coming to Reedsport. The Reedsport Traveling COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Clinic will run from Tuesday, November 2, 2021 through Sunday, November 7, 2021.  The drive-through clinic will be located on Fir Avenue adjacent to the Douglas County Courthouse Annex (680 Fir Avenue) in Reedsport.  Hours of operation will be 11:00 am until 6:00 pm. 

Douglas County continues to add more residents to our COVID-19 vaccine register. This week, 814 total vaccines were administered in Douglas County, and 308 of those doses were first doses for those aged 16 years and above. 

• For those 16 years old and above in Douglas County who have received one dose of vaccine, taking into account the Federally reported VA numbers, we are now at 64.8% or 60,810/94,338. 
• For those 18 years old and above in Douglas County who are fully vaccinated (calculated by the CDC) we are at 58%. 
• The percent of the ENTIRE population in Douglas County who are fully vaccinated (calculated by the CDC) is 48%.

In addition, as with any outbreak, considering our local data of 11,939 total COVID-19 cases to date, national and historical statistics project that there are generally 2.1 times as many infections as reported cases. So, locally it is predicted that Douglas County has had likely upwards of 25,072 residents infected with COVID-19, which equates to about 22% of our population with some natural immunity (note that some may have had both infection and vaccine).  This would suggest that about 66 to 71% of our population is now immune, either by vaccination, natural infection or both.  Unfortunately, that still leaves about 29 to 34% of our population susceptible, and widespread disease is still possible, although it is less likely that we will have the huge surge that we recently experienced. Around the world, areas with less than 10 to 15% susceptible populations have avoided big COVID-19 Delta spikes, and those with more than 30% susceptible populations have been subjects of big spikes in COVID-19 cases.

The Federal and State Governments, and their agencies are the ones that set policy, issue mandates and provide the guidelines for a state of emergency like the current COVID pandemic. For information log onto U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Oregon Health Authority (OHA).  If you have questions about the current guidelines, mandates or the recommendations, please contact them directly for more information. OHA posts their daily updates at www.healthoregon.org/coronavirus. Please do not call 911, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office or Douglas County Offices to report issues with the State of Oregon, OHA or the Governor’s mandates.

💻 Local Online Access to Updates: Stay up to date with accurate and local COVID-19 information by visiting the Douglas County Government Website or DCGOV Facebook page or the DPHN Website or DPHN Facebook page.  

📝 Free Local e-Newsletter Subscription: You can also sign up for the free Douglas County e-Newsletter that publishes and sends out the update to our subscription base. Log onto: www.co.douglas.or.us. 

📞 Douglas County COVID-19 Hotline (541) 464-6550: Your Douglas County Board of Commissioners and DPHN continue to offer a local resource hotline for Douglas County residents for COVID-19. The hotline provides answers to frequently asked questions, basic COVID information and referrals to local resources and services. Our local hotline number is (541) 464-6550 and is staffed from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, 7 days a week. 

🔍 DPHN Vaccine Information: Want more information on the vaccines? Log onto: http://DougCoVaccine.com.

🔍 DPHN Informational Videos: Check out DPHN’s YouTube Channel for informational videos about COVID-19.

🐯 Douglas County Tiger Team: The Tiger Team organizes our county-wide COVID-19 vaccine program via free pop-up vaccine clinics, with Umpqua Valley Ambulance, who provide a certified vaccinator and medical assistant.  The clinics are open to anyone 18 years of age and older, and preregistration is not required. Click here for the calendar of upcoming clinics or call (541) 670-3110 or (541) 464-6550, if you are interested in having team come to your location.

👩‍⚕️ Aviva Health:  Aviva is offering fee-based leisure COVID-19 testing at its drive-through testing clinic at located at  4221 NE Stephens Street, Suite 101A, in Roseburg, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 am to 11:30 am and 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm to individuals who require a negative test for travel, public events such as college football games, return to work, and other non-medically necessary purposes. Rapid BINAX tests are $60, and PCR tests are $35. Aviva Health continues to offer no- and low-cost COVID-19 tests to people with symptoms by billing their insurance or for uninsured individuals charging on an income-based, sliding-fee scale. Testing is by appointment only. Community members may schedule a testing appointment by calling (541) 492-2067.  They continue to offer free drive-through COVID-19 vaccination services to patients and non-patients.  Patients must be Douglas County residents and be 12 years of age or older.  Vaccinations are also available on a limited basis at Aviva Health’s outlying clinics in North County, Sutherlin, Glide, and Myrtle Creek. People seeking vaccinations at their outlying clinics should call (541) 672-9596, to determine availability. For more information please visit www.aviva.health/covid-19-resources/.  Aviva also has an online COVID FAQ page with answers to frequently asked questions. 

🏥 Lower Umpqua Hospital District: Lower Umpqua Hospital District has a COVID-19 Vaccine Call Center for COVID-19 vaccine information in the Reedsport area. Call (541) 271-2175, Monday through Friday from 9 am to 4 pm.

👨‍⚕️ Cow Creek Health and Wellness Center: As of Tuesday, October 12, 2021, Cow Creek Health and Wellness Center is no longer offer community testing. Testing will be available by appointment only for Cow Creek Health and Wellness Center patients, Tribal Members, employees of Cow Creek Government Offices and affiliated businesses at the new Roseburg Clinic at 2589 NW Edenbower Blvd and the South Clinic in Canyonville at 480 Wartahoo Lane. Free Community Vaccinations: Cow Creek Health and Wellness is still offering Free COVID Vaccines. They are administered via drive-thru clinics Monday through Friday ONLY in Roseburg at 2360 NE Stephens Street from 9:00 am to 3:45 pm. The last vaccine will be administered at 3:45 pm. You must be 18 years or older to receive the vaccine. If you are waiting to receive a COVID Booster from Cow Creek Public Health and received vaccines from them previously, they will call you to schedule your booster when you become eligible based on FDA approval.  

🏥 Roseburg VA Health Care System: Veterans can set up an appointment COVID-19 vaccine, by calling the Roseburg VAMC at (541) 440-1000.

👵 Douglas County Senior Services can help seniors with questions, find testing and vaccines at (541) 440-3677.

Please note for residents ages 12 to 14, this will require a parent or guardian to accompany them and give written consent for the vaccine.  Written consent can also be obtained in advance. Under Oregon law, minors 15 years of age and older may consent to medical treatment, including vaccinations, when provided by a physician, physician assistant, naturopath, nurse practitioner, dentist or optometrist, or other professionals operating under the license of these providers; however, families are encouraged to make decisions about vaccinations together.

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Contact Tamara Howell, Douglas County Public Information Officer & Emergency Communications & Community Engagement Specialist | Phone: (541) 670-2804 | Cell: (541) 957-4896 | Email: tjhowell@co.douglas.or.us 

Contact Vanessa Becker, Public Information Officer, Douglas Public Health Network – Cell: (541) 817-6552 – Email: vanessa@douglaspublichealthnetwork.org

Douglas County Board of Commissioners 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 21, 2021

Commissioners Declare State of Emergency for Illegal Marijuana Operations 

(Douglas County, Ore) Yesterday, at their weekly Business Meeting, the Douglas County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to declare a local “State of Emergency” regarding the ever-increasing threat to the safety of our citizens, the environment and our law enforcement communities regarding the overwhelming amount of illegal cannabis (marijuana) being produced, distributed and sold in Douglas County.  Commissioner Chris Boice read the three-page declaration in its entirety at the meeting.  A copy of the declaration is attached at the bottom of this release and residents can watch the recitation and corresponding Commissioner comments by viewing the video recording of the Wednesday, October 20, 2021 Douglas County Board of Commissioners Business Meeting here. 

The declaration cited the following conditions that have resulted in the need for the local state of emergency:

1. Since the passage of Ballot Measure 91 in Oregon, the illegal production and processing of cannabis has resulted in significant impacts to Douglas County related to enforcing compliance with County Codes, State criminal laws, and State water laws; and jeopardizing the public health, safety, and welfare of our citizens.
2. The impacts to Douglas County from the illegal production and processing of cannabis in our County continues to increase year after year.
3. The continued lack of state funding and resources to properly regulate and enforce the County Codes, State criminal laws, and State water laws related to the cannabis industry are continuing to cause significant impacts in Douglas County.

“This is important work for us to do!  The amount of calls and concerns that our office receives regarding illegal marijuana growing operations is staggering. When residents call in, they are scared. They are scared about where they live, afraid of what's going on around them and in many cases, they are afraid to leave their homes. Nobody in our county should ever have to live in fear!” stated Commissioner Tim Freeman. 

Commissioner Freeman went on further to say that the incredible growth in illegal marijuana activity is causing problems on so many levels.  First, the people that are working at these illegal grow operations are often afraid to come forward about the poor working conditions, unfair treatment and lack of pay.  Certainly, there are no time cards being turned in and no withholdings being taken.  There is no way of knowing if these workers are being paid. The second issue is the significant amount of chemicals being used in the cannabis production process that are being dumped and end up flowing back into our rivers and creeks is scary. Additionally, the living and environmental conditions on the illegal sites are despicable for both employees and neighboring residents, as most are filled with human waste, piles of garbage and hazardous materials that are leaching into our soil and streams, as well as creating a haven for rodents and other animals to congregate, get sick and spread disease.  Third, the illegal activity is growing exponentially throughout Oregon, with known direct ties to large drug cartels in the United States and Mexico.  One of the main premises and promises for legalizing marijuana with Ballot Measure 91 in Oregon, was to eliminate the cartels. But many counties, including Jackson, Josephine, Wheeler and Douglas are in worse shape than ever before. For example, this year, just in Douglas County, we have confiscated and destroyed over 300,000 cannabis plants. If you look back at the statistics 10 or 15 years ago, if they confiscated and destroyed 100,000 cannabis plants in the entire state it was a big year.  This brings us to our last, but not least problem.  The onset of the increased illegal marijuana grow operations has created a significant amount of undue stress and strain on our law enforcement, district attorney, court system and corrections resources. 

By approving the state of emergency, Douglas County is requesting the assistance from the State of Oregon, through the Governor and the Oregon Legislature, to provide the revenue and resources necessary to properly enforce the County Codes, State criminal laws and State water laws through whatever means are available.   

“It's time to say, enough is enough and get a handle on this escalating situation. Not only are we prepared to do this Emergency Order, but as we approach next year's budgeting cycle, as a board we are prepared to work with the budget committee to provide even more resources to DINT and the Douglas County Sheriff's office to deal with this issue.  It is that big of a problem.  This is an important first step, but there is a considerable amount of work to still be done” - Commissioner Freeman.

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Contact Tamara Howell, Douglas County Emergency Communications & Community Engagement Specialist 

(541) 670-2804 cell - (541) 957-4896 office - tjhowell@co.douglas.or.us

State of Emergency Declaration Attached

DOUGLAS COUNTY LOCAL PUBLIC SAFETY COORDINATING COUNCIL

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

October 21, 2021

Notice of Virtual Meeting  

Douglas County Local Public Safety Coordinating Council (LPSCC) 

Behavioral Health & Housing Subcommittee 

Tuesday, October 26, 2021

            (Roseburg, OR) The next Douglas County Local Public Safety Coordinating Council (LPSCC) - Behavioral Health & Housing Subcommittee meeting will take place on Tuesday, October 26, 2021 at 11:30 am via virtual conference format.

This meeting will be conducted virtually. We will accommodate any member of the public who wishes to join the meeting via video or by phone. For information on how you can listen in on this meeting, please email the LPSCC Coordinator, Melissa McRobbie-Toll at melissa@co.douglas.or.us or call (541) 450-9768.

The meeting agenda is attached and also available at: www.co.douglas.or.us

Douglas County attempts to provide public accessibility to its services, programs and activities. If accommodation is needed to participate in this meeting, please contact (541) 450-9768

at least 48 hours prior to the scheduled meeting time.

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Contact Melissa McRobbie-Toll

Programs & Partnerships (LPSCC) Coordinator, Douglas County

(541) 450-9768 cell - melissa@co.douglas.or.us

DOUGLAS COUNTY TAX COLLECTION OFFICE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

October 21, 2021 

Notice 2021/2022 Property Taxes

Property Taxes Due by November 15

(Douglas County, Ore.) – The Douglas County Tax Collection Office will start mailing Property Tax Statements later this week for the 2021/2022 Property Tax year. The 2021/2022 Property Taxes are due November 15, 2021. 

A Few Important Announcements From The Douglas County Tax Collection Office:

• Tax statements are scheduled to be mailed starting on Friday, October 22, 2021.
• In order to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19, this year, the Douglas County Tax Collection Office will be closed to the public from October 19, 2021 through November 26, 2021. 
• Our office will continue to provide service to our customers remotely. You can conduct business with our office via phone, e-mail or online.  Staff will be available to assist customers via phone and email between the hours of 8:00 am and 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday.

Here Are Your Options For Tax Payment Methods This Year:

MAIL PAYMENT in the envelope provided for quickest processing.  Please do not send cash.  We ask that you convert all cash payments to a cashier’s check, money order or personal check. 

PLACE YOUR PAYMENT IN ONE OF OUR DROP BOXES, located at the front of the Douglas County Courthouse (at the base of the steps) or in the hallway outside the Douglas County Tax Collection Office. The Douglas County Courthouse is located at 1036 SE Douglas Avenue in Roseburg, Oregon.  Please do not place cash in the drop box.  We ask that you convert all cash payments to a cashier’s check, money order or personal check. 

PAY ONLINE WITH NO FEES: Thanks to our Douglas County Board of Commissioners, this year, our property owners will not have to pay the online payment service or transaction fees. Please note that Douglas County will only pay the online payment service or transaction fees charged through our designated Tax Payment Portal at the website listed below between October 20, 2021 and November 30, 2021.  Simply click on Tax Payment Portal link to pay online: https://www.douglascountyor.us/finance/makepayment.asp.  The link can also be found on the Douglas County Government website at: www.co.douglas.or.us, by clicking on the Tax Office Department listing.

A Few Reminders From The Douglas County Tax Collection Office:

• Reminder: To receive the 3% discount, payment in full must be received or post marked by November 15, 2021. To avoid interest and penalties, the first trimester payment must be paid by November 15, 2021.  The second trimester is due February 15, 2022 and the third trimester is due May 16, 2022.
• Reminder: Our payment mailing address changed last year, make sure to update your online bill pay information.
• Reminder: The Reedsport Umpqua Bank branch is no longer accepting tax payments. 
• Reminder: Due to changes with the US Postal Service, mail is often transported out of town for processing and postmark.  Be sure to mail your tax payment early or take your payment envelope into the Post Office to receive an official “hand stamped local postmark”, to avoid late penalties and loss of discount. 

If you have questions or need more information, please contact the Tax Office at (541) 440-4253, or by email tax@co.douglas.or.us or log onto our website at https://douglascounty-oregon.us/348/Tax-Collection.  As a reminder, staff will be available to assist customers this year via phone and email only, between the hours of 8:00 am and 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday.   

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Contact Tamara Howell, Douglas County Emergency Communications & Community Engagement Specialist (PIO) (541) 670-2804 cell - (541) 957-4896 office - tjhowell@co.douglas.or.us

DOUGLAS COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

A Joint Release with Grant Partners

South Umpqua School District (Canyonville School)

Douglas County Education Service District

Thrive Umpqua

October 20, 2021

Douglas County Receives a $2 Million Safe Routes to School Grant for Canyonville

(Douglas County, Ore.)  The Douglas County Board of Commissioners are pleased to announce that Douglas County has been awarded a $2 million grant from the Oregon Transportation Commission (OTC), as a part of the Oregon Department of Transportation’s (ODOT) Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Competitive Construction Grant Program. The Commissioners along with the Douglas County Public Works Department submitted the grant application cooperatively with three key contributors – the South Umpqua School District (Canyonville School), Douglas County Education Service District (ESD) and Thrive Umpqua (formerly Blue Zones Project).  The grant funding will focus on improving the school zone near Canyonville School, located on North Main Street in the rural community of Canyonville. Much like Douglas County’s other SRTS projects, the improvements will not only benefit students, staff, and parents during school hours, but also residents and visitors to Canyonville’s Main Street every day. 

“Douglas County was one of only two applicants in Oregon to be awarded the full $2 million in funding for the 2021-2023 grant cycle! It is the highest amount awarded for Safe Routes to School projects by the Oregon Transportation Commission,” stated Tom Kress, Board Chair for the Douglas County Board of Commissioners. “We are excited to announce this latest grant on the heels of completing our successful Carnes Road Improvement Project, adjacent to Green Elementary School. The school zone improvement project for Canyonville School is truly the culmination of many years of hard work and collaboration with the local Canyonville community, schools, and tribal members working hand-in-hand with our engineers in the Douglas County Public Works Department.  We are very fortunate to have submitted another successful grant application.”

This year Douglas County was one of 43 applicants to receive grant dollars from the Safe Routes to School Competitive Construction grant with ODOT. The agency received a total of 99 grant applications from applicants across the state with requests totaling $73 million for safety improvements. The OTC ultimately approved grants that will fund the 43 approved projects with a total investment of $28.3 million. ODOT’s SRTS grant programs require matching funding from the local entity that was awarded the grant dollars. For the Canyonville project, Douglas County will contribute an estimated $1,300,000, which will represent about 40% of the funding to cover the infrastructure improvements to North Main Street in Canyonville.

“The enhancement of North Main Street in Canyonville has been pursued for many years, dating back to the 1990s,” Kress said. “As cited in our grant application, after many years of observing speeding vehicles, traffic violations and poor visibility due to gaps created by several driveway and street crossings, wide driveway entrances, on-street parking, and a lack of continuous designated bicycle and pedestrian lanes along North Main Street near the Canyonville School have made safe pedestrian travel very difficult and often times hazardous.  We are confident that the improvements being made through the combination of grant and county funding for this project will address these concerns, and clearly define a safer school zone for students and provide a safer pedestrian path for everyone in the community.”

The proposed improvements include the installation of continuous sidewalks with ADA ramps and buffered bicycle lanes on both sides of North Main Street between Gazley Bridge Road (located north of Seven Feathers Casino and Resort) and 1^st Street in Canyonville. A rapid flashing pedestrian beacon, new school zone warning signs and new painted pavement and curb markings will be installed near the school.  The improvements aim to increase the safety for pedestrians and bicyclists, maximizing healthy and efficient non-vehicular travel to and from Canyonville School.

            "Thrive Umpqua is excited to partner with Douglas County on another project focused on safety, inclusion, and improving the health of our community. Safe street improvements like those proposed for Canyonville's Main Street pave the way to encourage community members of all ages to walk and bike more. We are thrilled to see schools around Douglas County participating in Safe Routes to School, and hope to encourage more to get involved in these programs that can really make a big difference in overall well-being for a lifetime, starting at a young age," said Jessica Hand, Thrive Umpqua Executive Director.

According to their website, Safe Routes to School has a 16-year history of projects and programs in Oregon. Safe Routes to School is a national program introduced to increase physical activity, improve health and reduce traffic congestion around schools by making it safer and easier for students to walk and bicycle to school. 

“Student safety is always a priority,” stated Kate McLaughlin, Superintendent for South Umpqua School District.  “The grant provided through our partnership with the Douglas County Commissioners and the Public Works Department, and the work with Thrive Umpqua and the Safe Routes to School team will provide a tremendous opportunity to improve safety for pedestrians and bike riders to access Canyonville School. Canyonville Principal, Shilo White, and I are excited to see these necessary improvements for the entire Canyonville community!”

The Canyonville SRTS project is currently seeking bids for the design work and is slated to begin construction sometime in 2023.  We would also like to extend our appreciation to additional collaborators for this project including the City of Canyonville, the Canyonville Chamber of Commerce and the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians. 

“Safe infrastructure is vital to our educational and encouragement programs,” said Janelle Newton, Facilitator for Safe Routes to School through the Douglas Education Service District. “As someone who works on the programming side of Safe Routes to School, we teach kids how to safely navigate streets as pedestrians and 

while riding bikes, but without proper infrastructure they cannot put those skills to use. In addition, our encouragement events like ‘Walk and Roll to School Day’ are not possible unless schools have safe infrastructure. Therefore, the project in Canyonville helps both aspects of Safe Routes to School, the infrastructure and non-infrastructure side, work together seamlessly.” 

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Media Contacts:

Tamara Howell, Emergency Communications & Community Engagement Specialist, Douglas County

(541) 957-4896 – TJHowell@co.douglas.or.us

Jessica Hand, Executive Director, Thrive Umpqua

(541) 816-1726 – Jessica@thriveumpqua.com

Kate McLaughlin, Superintendent, South Umpqua School District

(541) 883-3115 - Kate.McLaughlin@susd.k12.or.us

Janelle Newton, Safe Routes to School Facilitator, Douglas ESD

(541) 440-4776 - Janelle.Newton@douglasesd.k12.or.us

For More Information:

Douglas County Government: www.co.douglas.or.us

Safe Routes to Schools: www.oregonsaferoutes.org. 

Project Information - Douglas County Public Works: https://douglascounty-oregon.us/357/Public-Works

Canyonville School (South Umpqua School District):https://www.susd.k12.or.us/. 

Thrive Umpqua: http://www.thriveumpqua.com/

Douglas ESD: https://douglasesd.k12.or.us/

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2021

DOUGLAS COUNTY COVID-19 UPDATE #643

(Douglas County, Ore.) A QUICK LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, AS OF WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2021

Our COVID quick look includes the total number of new cases in Douglas County, which combines people with positive test results and presumptives. We follow the CDC definition for fully vaccinated, which states that a fully vaccinated person is someone who has received both doses of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine, or one dose of a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine and at least 14 days have passed since the individual’s final dose.

As of 12:00 pm today, Wednesday, October 20, 2021, there are FIFTY-FOUR (54) people with new positive test results and SEVEN (7) new presumptives to report bringing the total number of cases of people with positive test results and presumptives in Douglas County to 12,036. Currently, there are THIRTY-FOUR (34) Douglas County COVID-19 patients that are being hospitalized, nineteen locally and fifteen out-of-the-area, including one that has been transferred out of the state for specialized care not available here. We continue to work with Mercy to provide information on our COVID patients being hospitalized locally: 1 COVID positive patient in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and 4 in the Progressive Care Unit (PCU). 7% of the total hospitalized patients at Mercy are COVID positive. Of our hospitalized patients today, TWENTY-NINE (29) of the 34 patients are not fully vaccinated. 

Our COVID case update includes the total number of cases in Douglas County, which combines people with positive test results and presumptives, as well as a breakout of those case numbers. There will be times when a presumptive will move to a positive test result, and our total case number will not change because the case has already been counted. 

On Tuesday, October 19, 2021, at 12:00 pm we had THIRTY-ONE (31) people with new positive test results, FIVE (5) new presumptives and ONE (1) new COVID-19 related death to report bringing our total number of cases of people with positive test results and presumptives in Douglas County to 11,975.  We had THIRTY-SEVEN (37) Douglas County COVID-19 patients hospitalized, twenty-two locally and fifteen out-of-the-area, including one patient that has been transferred out of the state for specialized care not available here. We continue to work with Mercy to provide information on our COVID patients being hospitalized locally: 3 COVID positive patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and 3 in the Progressive Care Unit (PCU). 9% of the total hospitalized patients at Mercy are COVID positive. Of our hospitalized cases on Tuesday, October 19, 2021, THIRTY-TWO (32) of the 37 patients were not fully vaccinated.

Douglas County Public Health has confirmed the death of one more Douglas County resident related to the COVID-19 virus. Our two hundred and forty-third COVID-19 related death was a 72-year-old woman who was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Friday, October 15, 2021 and passed away on Monday, October 18, 2021. She was fully vaccinated.  In the interest of privacy for the loved ones of this resident, and as our ethical responsibility to follow all medical laws, no additional information will be released.  We thoroughly scrutinize and investigate all deaths, and review all medical records to make sure that everyone we report has met the requirements for a COVID related death, as per the Oregon Disease Investigative Guidelines for COVID-19.  Each death related to COVID-19 is painful for all Douglas County residents, and a sad reminder of the terrible impact COVID-19 has had in our local communities. The Douglas County Board of Commissioners, Dr. Dannenhoffer, DPHN and the DCCRT team extend our heartfelt condolences and sympathies to all family members, friends, relatives, co-workers and community members of those who have passed after contracting this deadly virus.

Just a reminder that the traveling COVID-19 vaccination and testing clinic will be in Roseburg through Friday, October 22, 2021.  They are offering drive-through COVID-19 vaccinations, COVID-19 PCR testing and COVID-19 booster/3rd vaccine dose for those who are eligible.  Additionally, thanks to the efforts of DPHN and Aviva Health, they also have annual flu shots available. 

The Roseburg COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Clinic is open from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm and will run through Friday, October 22, 2021.  The drive-through clinic is located in the parking lot (1530 NE Diamond Lake Blvd) at the corner of NE Fowler Street and Diamond Lake Blvd (Hwy 138), adjacent to the Roseburg Public Library in downtown Roseburg. 

The clinic is brought to you by the Douglas County Board of Commissioners and Douglas Public Health Network (DPHN) in collaboration with Aviva Health, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and Federal Emergency Management Agency. 

The drive-through COVID-19 Mobile Vaccination and Testing Clinic offers:

• No pre-registration required.  Vaccinations and testing are provided on a first come-first served basis
• Vaccines and testing are open to anyone 12-years-of-age and older.  Please note for residents ages 12 to 14, this will require a parent or guardian to accompany them and give written consent for the vaccine.  Under Oregon law, minors 15 years of age and older may consent to medical treatment, including vaccinations, when provided by a licensed medical professional; however, families are encouraged to make decisions about vaccinations together.
• First and second doses of the Pfizer and Moderna Vaccines.
• Single doses of Johnson and Johnson Vaccine.
• COVID-19 PCR testing.  This test is not a rapid test, and results will be returned in 3-4 business days.
• Pfizer COVID-19 Booster/3rd vaccine dose for eligible residents.  According to the CDC and OHA: People ages 65 and older, as well as people ages 18 to 64 with underlying health conditions or that work in occupations or in institutional settings that put them at higher risk of COVID-19 exposure and transmission are eligible for a booster/3rd vaccine dose. These include: health care workers, first responders, firefighters, law enforcement, congregate care staff, teachers, school support staff, daycare workers, food/agriculture workers, manufacturing workers, corrections staff, U.S. Postal Service employees, public transit workers and grocery store workers.
• Plus, we will have annual Flu Shots available.

For more information about the traveling clinics, please call our Douglas County COVID-19 Hotline at (541) 464-6550. 

The Federal and State Governments, and their agencies are the ones that set policy, issue mandates and provide the guidelines for a state of emergency like the current COVID pandemic. For information log onto U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Oregon Health Authority (OHA).  If you have questions about the current guidelines, mandates or the recommendations, please contact them directly for more information. OHA posts their daily updates at www.healthoregon.org/coronavirus. Please do not call 911, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office or Douglas County Offices to report issues with the State of Oregon, OHA or the Governor’s mandates.  

💻 Local Online Access to Updates: Stay up to date with accurate and local COVID-19 information by visiting the Douglas County Government Website or DCGOV Facebook page or the DPHN Website or DPHN Facebook page.  

📝 Free Local e-Newsletter Subscription: You can also sign up for the free Douglas County e-Newsletter that publishes and sends out the update to our subscription base. Log onto: www.co.douglas.or.us. 

📞 Douglas County COVID-19 Hotline (541) 464-6550: Your Douglas County Board of Commissioners and DPHN continue to offer a local resource hotline for Douglas County residents for COVID-19. The hotline provides answers to frequently asked questions, basic COVID information and referrals to local resources and services. Our local hotline number is (541) 464-6550 and is staffed from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, 7 days a week. 

🔍 DPHN Vaccine Information: Want more information on the vaccines? Log onto: http://DougCoVaccine.com.

🔍 DPHN Informational Videos: Check out DPHN’s YouTube Channel for informational videos about COVID-19.

🐯 Douglas County Tiger Team: The Tiger Team organizes our county-wide COVID-19 vaccine program via free pop-up vaccine clinics, with Umpqua Valley Ambulance, who provide a certified vaccinator and medical assistant.  The clinics are open to anyone 18 years of age and older, and preregistration is not required. Click here for the calendar of upcoming clinics or call (541) 670-3110 or (541) 464-6550, if you are interested in having team come to your location.

👩‍⚕️ Aviva Health:  Aviva is offering fee-based leisure COVID-19 testing at its drive-through testing clinic at located at  4221 NE Stephens Street, Suite 101A, in Roseburg, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 am to 11:30 am and 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm to individuals who require a negative test for travel, public events such as college football games, return to work, and other non-medically necessary purposes. Rapid BINAX tests are $60, and PCR tests are $35. Aviva Health continues to offer no- and low-cost COVID-19 tests to people with symptoms by billing their insurance or for uninsured individuals charging on an income-based, sliding-fee scale. Testing is by appointment only. Community members may schedule a testing appointment by calling (541) 492-2067.  They continue to offer free drive-through COVID-19 vaccination services to patients and non-patients.  Patients must be Douglas County residents and be 12 years of age or older.  Vaccinations are also available on a limited basis at Aviva Health’s outlying clinics in North County, Sutherlin, Glide, and Myrtle Creek. People seeking vaccinations at their outlying clinics should call (541) 672-9596, to determine availability. For more information please visit www.aviva.health/covid-19-resources/.  Aviva also has an online COVID FAQ page with answers to frequently asked questions. 

🏥 Lower Umpqua Hospital District: Lower Umpqua Hospital District has a COVID-19 Vaccine Call Center for COVID-19 vaccine information in the Reedsport area. Call (541) 271-2175, Monday through Friday from 9 am to 4 pm.

👨‍⚕️ Cow Creek Health and Wellness Center: As of Tuesday, October 12, 2021, Cow Creek Health and Wellness Center is no longer offer community testing. Testing will be available by appointment only for Cow Creek Health and Wellness Center patients, Tribal Members, employees of Cow Creek Government Offices and affiliated businesses at the new Roseburg Clinic at 2589 NW Edenbower Blvd and the South Clinic in Canyonville at 480 Wartahoo Lane. Free Community Vaccinations: Cow Creek Health and Wellness is still offering Free COVID Vaccines. They are administered via drive-thru clinics Monday through Friday ONLY in Roseburg at 2360 NE Stephens Street from 9:00 am to 3:45 pm. The last vaccine will be administered at 3:45 pm. You must be 18 years or older to receive the vaccine. If you are waiting to receive a COVID Booster from Cow Creek Public Health and received vaccines from them previously, they will call you to schedule your booster when you become eligible based on FDA approval.  

🏥 Roseburg VA Health Care System: Veterans can set up an appointment COVID-19 vaccine, by calling the Roseburg VAMC at (541) 440-1000.

👵 Douglas County Senior Services can help seniors with questions, find testing and vaccines at (541) 440-3677.

Please note for residents ages 12 to 14, this will require a parent or guardian to accompany them and give written consent for the vaccine.  Written consent can also be obtained in advance. Under Oregon law, minors 15 years of age and older may consent to medical treatment, including vaccinations, when provided by a physician, physician assistant, naturopath, nurse practitioner, dentist or optometrist, or other professionals operating under the license of these providers; however, families are encouraged to make decisions about vaccinations together.

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Contact Tamara Howell, Douglas County Public Information Officer & Emergency Communications & Community Engagement Specialist | Phone: (541) 670-2804 | Cell: (541) 957-4896 | Email: tjhowell@co.douglas.or.us 

Contact Vanessa Becker, Public Information Officer, Douglas Public Health Network – Cell: (541) 817-6552 – Email: vanessa@douglaspublichealthnetwork.org

Sharing on Behalf of the Downtown Roseburg Association

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Todd Boyd, President
Jessica Bogardus, Executive Director
Phone: 503-702-9536
541-315-6516
Email: downtownroseburg@gmail.com
 

Downtown Roseburg Association and Douglas County Board of Commissioners Present: 

Neewollah 2021 Virtual Costume Parade & House Decorating Contest
 

     Roseburg, Oregon (October 19, 2021) - This October the 53rd Annual Neewollah Parade goes virtual. The Downtown Roseburg Association hosts virtual costume parade and house decorating contests for all ages, beginning October 15, 2021. Participants can submit a photo of their creative Halloween costume or decorated home at bit.ly/neewollah2021 from October 15 to November 3, 2021. Approved submissions are automatically entered to win one of ten Grand Prizes for the costume contest or one of three Grand Prizes for the house decorating contest, announced on November 5, 2021. A gallery of all entries will display in an online gallery at bit.ly/neewollah2021 so everyone can see all the Halloween creativity.

Downtown Roseburg hosts the Neewollah Parade each Halloween in the center of downtown. Every year thousands of kids attend the event with their parents. 2021 marks the 53rd year for Neewollah and given the continued pandemic and consideration of all safety precautions, the event is virtual again in 2021. This year, Neewollah is re-imagined as a community-wide virtual costume parade and house decorating photo contest.
“The DRA is overjoyed to welcome and support events downtown in any capacity, always moving towards a thriving community and partners with a shared vision! Halloween may be different through the pandemic but with the help of our community and partners we can arrive at a fun and safe experience!” -Jessica Bogardus, Executive Director, Downtown Roseburg Association.

Find the 2021 Neewollah event poster attached, which provides all the specific event details. A special thank you to our title sponsor, Douglas County Board of Commissioners. Thank you to the City of Roseburg for their continued support of the Downtown Roseburg Association.

Happy Halloween!

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The Downtown Roseburg Association is a non-profit organization whose board strives to recruit business development, create, and administer promotional events, design & beautify the Heart of Roseburg. The Downtown Roseburg Association is also a member of the National Main Street Organization, Main Street America/Oregon Main Street Association. Follow us on social media on Facebook or Instagram. Visit our website at: www.downtownroseburgassociation.org/

DOUGLAS COUNTY ASSESSOR'S OFFICE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 19, 2021

Douglas County Annual Property Tax Assessment

(Douglas County, Ore.)  The Douglas County Tax office will mail out the 2021-22 property tax statements in the coming week, and the annual review from the Douglas County Assessor’s Office indicates that property owners on average will pay about 4.2% more than they did in 2020.  Two of the changes that some property owners will note on their tax bills this year are that the Roseburg School District bond expired this year and that Sutherlin will now have an Urban Renewal Area.  Property owners will be billed $115 million, up from last year’s $113 million, which will be distributed to 118 taxing districts. The County’s share will be $11.75 million, up 2.4% from a year ago.  The average tax rate is $9.97 per $1,000 of assessed value. That is a decrease of 1% from last year, when the average was $10.06. The lowest tax rate in Douglas County is $6.19 per $1,000 of assessed value, which are in parts of rural Douglas County. The highest rate is $18.96 per $1,000, which is in the city of Reedsport. A review of 16 residential homes throughout the county shows an average increase of 7% in real market values while the assessed values increased by 3%.

Property owners who have questions or concerns about their assessment can contact the Assessor’s Office at (541) 440-4222.  Property tax payment related questions can be addressed with the Tax Collector’s Office at (541) 440-4253.  Dissatisfied taxpayers can appeal their assessment to the Board of Property Tax Appeals through the Clerk’s office by December 31, 2021. Appeals hearings are held in February each year.

See attached Annual Douglas County Tax Assessment Chart.

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Contact Tamara Howell, Douglas County Emergency Communications & Community Engagement Specialist (541) 670-2804 cell - (541) 957-4896 office - tjhowell@co.douglas.or.us

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – MONDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2021

DOUGLAS COUNTY COVID-19 UPDATE #642

(Douglas County, Ore.) A QUICK LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, AS OF MONDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2021

Our COVID quick look includes the total number of new cases in Douglas County, which combines people with positive test results and presumptives. We follow the CDC definition for fully vaccinated, which states that a fully vaccinated person is someone who has received both doses of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine, or one dose of a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine and at least 14 days have passed since the individual’s final dose.

As of 12:00 pm today, Monday, October 18, 2021, there are SIXTY-ONE (61) people with new positive test results to report bringing the total number of cases of people with positive test results and presumptives in Douglas County to 11,939. Currently, there are THIRTY-SIX (36) Douglas County COVID-19 patients that are being hospitalized, twenty-two locally and fourteen out-of-the-area, including one that has been transferred out of the state for specialized care not available here. We continue to work with Mercy to provide information on our COVID patients being hospitalized locally: 4 COVID positive patients are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and 4 are in the Progressive Care Unit (PCU).  12% of the total hospitalized patients at Mercy are COVID positive. Of our hospitalized patients today, TWENTY-NINE (29) of the 36 patients are not fully vaccinated. 

Our COVID case update includes the total number of cases in Douglas County, which combines people with positive test results and presumptives, as well as a breakout of those case numbers. There will be times when a presumptive will move to a positive test result, and our total case number will not change because the case has already been counted. 

On Saturday, October 16, 2021, at 12:00 pm we had THIRTY-TWO (32) people with new positive test results, FOUR (4) new presumptives and ONE (1) new COVID-19 related death to report bringing our total number of cases of people with positive test results and presumptives in Douglas County to 11,849. We had THIRTY-SIX (36)Douglas County COVID-19 patients hospitalized, twenty-three locally and thirteen out-of-the-area, including one patient that has been transferred out of the state for specialized care not available here. Due to the decrease in cases, Mercy is able to take a step back from their weekend reporting for COVID-19 patients being hospitalized locally, so we will not be reporting weekend statistics.  Of our hospitalized cases on Saturday, October 16, 2021, THIRTY-THREE (33) of the 36 patients were not fully vaccinated.

On Sunday, October 17, 2021, at 12:00 pm we had TWENTY-EIGHT (28) people with new positive test results and ONE (1) new presumptive to report bringing our total number of cases of people with positive test results and presumptives in Douglas County to 11,878. We had THIRTY-SIX (36)Douglas County COVID-19 patients hospitalized, twenty-three locally and thirteen out-of-the-area, including one patient that has been transferred out of the state for specialized care not available here. Due to the decrease in cases, Mercy is able to take a step back from their weekend reporting for COVID-19 patients being hospitalized locally, so we will not be reporting weekend statistics.  Of our hospitalized cases on Sunday, October 17, 2021, THIRTY-THREE (33) of the 36 patients were not fully vaccinated.

Douglas County Public Health has confirmed the death of one more Douglas County resident related to the COVID-19 virus. Our two hundred and forty-second COVID-19 related death was an 81-year-old woman who was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Tuesday, September 28, 2021 and passed away on Friday, October 15, 2021. She was partially vaccinated.  In the interest of privacy for the loved ones of this resident, and as our ethical responsibility to follow all medical laws, no additional information will be released.  We thoroughly scrutinize and investigate all deaths, and review all medical records to make sure that everyone we report has met the requirements for a COVID related death, as per the Oregon Disease Investigative Guidelines for COVID-19.  Each death related to COVID-19 is painful for all Douglas County residents, and a sad reminder of the terrible impact COVID-19 has had in our local communities. The Douglas County Board of Commissioners, Dr. Dannenhoffer, DPHN and the DCCRT team extend our heartfelt condolences and sympathies to all family members, friends, relatives, co-workers and community members of those who have passed after contracting this deadly virus.

Just a reminder that the traveling COVID-19 vaccination and testing clinic is up and running in Roseburg and offering drive-through COVID-19 vaccinations, COVID-19 PCR testing and COVID-19 booster/3rd vaccine dose for those who are eligible.  Additionally, thanks to the efforts of DPHN and Aviva Health, they also have annual flu shots available. 

The Roseburg COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Clinic is open from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm and will run through Friday, October 22, 2021.  The drive-through clinic is located in the parking lot (1530 NE Diamond Lake Blvd) at the corner of NE Fowler Street and Diamond Lake Blvd (Hwy 138), adjacent to the Roseburg Public Library in downtown Roseburg.  Please note: The Roseburg clinic is closed on Mondays.

The clinic is brought to you by the Douglas County Board of Commissioners and Douglas Public Health Network (DPHN) in collaboration with Aviva Health, the City of Reedsport, Lower Umpqua Hospital District, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and Federal Emergency Management Agency. 

The drive-through COVID-19 Mobile Vaccination and Testing Clinic offers:

• No pre-registration required.  Vaccinations and testing are provided on a first come-first served basis
• Vaccines and testing are open to anyone 12-years-of-age and older.  Please note for residents ages 12 to 14, this will require a parent or guardian to accompany them and give written consent for the vaccine.  Under Oregon law, minors 15 years of age and older may consent to medical treatment, including vaccinations, when provided by a licensed medical professional; however, families are encouraged to make decisions about vaccinations together.
• First and second doses of the Pfizer and Moderna Vaccines.
• Single doses of Johnson and Johnson Vaccine. 
• COVID-19 PCR testing.  This test is not a rapid test, and results will be returned in 3-4 business days. 
• Pfizer COVID-19 Booster/3rd vaccine dose for eligible residents.  According to the CDC and OHA: People ages 65 and older, as well as people ages 18 to 64 with underlying health conditions or that work in occupations or in institutional settings that put them at higher risk of COVID-19 exposure and transmission are eligible for a booster/3rd vaccine dose. These include: health care workers, first responders, firefighters, law enforcement, congregate care staff, teachers, school support staff, daycare workers, food/agriculture workers, manufacturing workers, corrections staff, U.S. Postal Service employees, public transit workers and grocery store workers.
• Plus, we will have annual Flu Shots available. 

For more information about the traveling clinics, please call our Douglas County COVID-19 Hotline at (541) 464-6550. 

The Federal and State Governments, and their agencies are the ones that set policy, issue mandates and provide the guidelines for a state of emergency like the current COVID pandemic. For information log onto U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Oregon Health Authority (OHA).  If you have questions about the current guidelines, mandates or the recommendations, please contact them directly for more information. OHA posts their daily updates at www.healthoregon.org/coronavirus. Please do not call 911, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office or Douglas County Offices to report issues with the State of Oregon, OHA or the Governor’s mandates.  

💻 Local Online Access to Updates: Stay up to date with accurate and local COVID-19 information by visiting the Douglas County Government Website or DCGOV Facebook page or the DPHN Website or DPHN Facebook page.  

📝 Free Local e-Newsletter Subscription: You can also sign up for the free Douglas County e-Newsletter that publishes and sends out the update to our subscription base. Log onto: www.co.douglas.or.us. 

📞 Douglas County COVID-19 Hotline (541) 464-6550: Your Douglas County Board of Commissioners and DPHN continue to offer a local resource hotline for Douglas County residents for COVID-19. The hotline provides answers to frequently asked questions, basic COVID information and referrals to local resources and services. Our local hotline number is (541) 464-6550 and is staffed from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, 7 days a week. 

🔍 DPHN Vaccine Information: Want more information on the vaccines? Log onto: http://DougCoVaccine.com.

🔍 DPHN Informational Videos: Check out DPHN’s YouTube Channel for informational videos about COVID-19.

🐯 Douglas County Tiger Team: The Tiger Team organizes our county-wide COVID-19 vaccine program via free pop-up vaccine clinics, with Umpqua Valley Ambulance, who provide a certified vaccinator and medical assistant.  The clinics are open to anyone 18 years of age and older, and preregistration is not required. Click here for the calendar of upcoming clinics or call (541) 670-3110 or (541) 464-6550, if you are interested in having team come to your location.

👩‍⚕️ Aviva Health:  Aviva is offering fee-based leisure COVID-19 testing at its drive-through testing clinic at located at  4221 NE Stephens Street, Suite 101A, in Roseburg, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 am to 11:30 am and 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm to individuals who require a negative test for travel, public events such as college football games, return to work, and other non-medically necessary purposes. Rapid BINAX tests are $60, and PCR tests are $35. Aviva Health continues to offer no- and low-cost COVID-19 tests to people with symptoms by billing their insurance or for uninsured individuals charging on an income-based, sliding-fee scale. Testing is by appointment only. Community members may schedule a testing appointment by calling (541) 492-2067.  They continue to offer free drive-through COVID-19 vaccination services to patients and non-patients.  Patients must be Douglas County residents and be 12 years of age or older.  Vaccinations are also available on a limited basis at Aviva Health’s outlying clinics in North County, Sutherlin, Glide, and Myrtle Creek. People seeking vaccinations at their outlying clinics should call (541) 672-9596, to determine availability. For more information please visit www.aviva.health/covid-19-resources/.  Aviva also has an online COVID FAQ page with answers to frequently asked questions. 

🏥 Lower Umpqua Hospital District: Lower Umpqua Hospital District has a COVID-19 Vaccine Call Center for COVID-19 vaccine information in the Reedsport area. Call (541) 271-2175, Monday through Friday from 9 am to 4 pm.

👨‍⚕️ Cow Creek Health and Wellness Center: Effective Tuesday, October 12, 2021, Cow Creek Health and Wellness Center will no longer offer community testing. Testing will be available by appointment only for Cow Creek Health and Wellness Center patients, Tribal Members, employees of Cow Creek Government Offices and affiliated businesses at the new Roseburg Clinic at 2589 NW Edenbower Blvd and the South Clinic in Canyonville at 480 Wartahoo Lane. Free Community Vaccinations: COVID Vaccines are administered via drive-thru clinics Monday through Friday ONLY in Roseburg at 2360 NE Stephens Street from 9:00 am to 3:45 pm. The last vaccine will be administered at 3:45 pm. You must be 18 years or older to receive the vaccine. If you are waiting to receive a COVID Booster from Cow Creek Public Health and received vaccines from them previously, they will call you to schedule your booster when you become eligible based on FDA approval.  

🏥 Roseburg VA Health Care System: Veterans can set up an appointment COVID-19 vaccine, by calling the Roseburg VAMC at (541) 440-1000.

👵 Douglas County Senior Services can help seniors with questions, find testing and vaccines at (541) 440-3677.

Please note for residents ages 12 to 14, this will require a parent or guardian to accompany them and give written consent for the vaccine.  Written consent can also be obtained in advance. Under Oregon law, minors 15 years of age and older may consent to medical treatment, including vaccinations, when provided by a physician, physician assistant, naturopath, nurse practitioner, dentist or optometrist, or other professionals operating under the license of these providers; however, families are encouraged to make decisions about vaccinations together.

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Contact Tamara Howell, Douglas County Public Information Officer & Emergency Communications & Community Engagement Specialist | Phone: (541) 670-2804 | Cell: (541) 957-4896 | Email: tjhowell@co.douglas.or.us 

Contact Vanessa Becker, Public Information Officer, Douglas Public Health Network – Cell: (541) 817-6552 – Email: vanessa@douglaspublichealthnetwork.org

With full federal and state level approval for booster doses of Moderna and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines anticipated by Monday, October 25^th, Lane County Public Health is announcing boost clinic information for county residents who have already completed the initial series of COVID-19 vaccinations earlier this year. Boost dose clinics for those having received the Pfizer vaccine more than six months ago have been ongoing since full federal approval on September 22^nd. 

The federal Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have approved COVID-19 boost doses as follows:

• The use of a single booster dose of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine that may be administered at least 6 months after completion of the primary series to individuals:
  • 65 years of age and older
  • 18 through 64 years of age at high risk of severe COVID-19
  • 18 through 64 years of age with frequent institutional or occupational exposure to SARS-CoV-2
• The use of a single booster dose of the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine may be administered at least 2 months after completion of the single-dose primary regimen to individuals 18 years of age and older.
• The use of each of the available COVID-19 vaccines as a heterologous (or “mix and match”) booster dose ineligible individuals following completion of primary vaccination with a different available COVID-19 vaccine.
• To clarify that a single booster dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine may be administered at least 6 months after completion of the primary series to individuals 18 through 64 years of age with frequent institutional or occupational exposure to SARS-CoV-2.

“We’ve worked hard to plan and calibrate our clinical operations to ensure that we can provide boost doses, free of charge, to our residents, often against uncertain federal and state timelines,” said Jocelyn Warren, Lane County’s Public Health Administrator. “Unlike this past spring, all three approved vaccines are widely available in Lane County at pharmacies, primary care providers, and at LCPH clinics. Based on our experience with the Pfizer boost clinics that we’ve been running for nearly a month now, we are confident that people seeking a booster shot will be able to find one rather easily.”

A very significant development in the federal approval process is the ability for individuals to receive a different vaccine for a boost dose than what they received as their primary vaccination series. “We’ve been watching the science and anticipating the “mix and match” strategy for some time now,” said Dr. Patrick Luedtke, Lane County Public Health Officer. “For those who are wondering whether they should stay with the vaccine they received initially or seek a different vaccine now for a boost, we highly recommend that you consult with your primary care provider. Those who have completed the initial series of any of the three approved vaccines still enjoy good protection against severe disease and hospitalization. There is ample time for a consultation with your provider before you make your booster vaccination appointment.”

Beginning Tuesday, October 26^th, Lane County Public Health will offer booster shots of Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson at the following times and locations:

• Lane Events Center 
  • Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m
  • Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m
  • Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Bob Keefer Center
  • Tuesday from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
• North Eugene High School
  • Wednesday from 4:00 p.m to 6:00 p.m.
• Cascades Middle School
  • Thursday from 4:00 p.m to 6:00 p.m.
• Willamette High School
  • Friday from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
• Siuslaw Middle School
  • Saturday from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

While encourage individuals to schedule an appointment in advance for more rapid service at our clinics. We welcome walk-in appointments but to avoid delays or wait times an appointment will be important. LCPH will be announcing additional vaccination clinic opportunities in the coming days. 

For more information about Lane County Public Health COVID-19 vaccination clinics, including our appointment scheduling app for expedited service, please visit our website at: COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics - Lane County or call our COVID-19 call center at (541) 682-1380 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Lane County taxpayers are receiving their 2021-2022 property tax statements in the mail this week. Statements are also available online now, as well as information about the county value trends, levy changes, and individual property tax account information, at www.lanecounty.org/AT. The first payment is due on November 15, 2021. 

“The health and safety of our staff and customers continues to be very important. We have made a concerted effort to provide a variety of socially distanced and efficient payment options, but if you do visit our office, you will find we are following safety protocols recommended by healthcare officials. Precautions include face coverings, hand sanitizer, social distancing, and Plexiglas barriers,” said Assessor Michael Cowles. 

Lane County Assessment and Taxation collects property tax on behalf of 85 separate taxing districts, including cities, schools, education service districts, water districts, rural fire districts, urban renewal districts and other taxing districts such as park and recreation, library and ambulance districts. 

The total property tax certified for all tax levies combined in 2021–2022 is $620.3 million. This is approximately two percent more than in 2020. The total amount of taxes billed changes each year as a result of the addition of new or renewed local option and bond levies, the expiration of local option and bond levies, the three percent statutory increase in Maximum Assessed Values (MAV), the addition of new properties to the tax roll, the number of exemptions granted, and the number of properties being taxed on their lower market values instead of their Measure 50 MAV. 

Lane County’s January 1, 2021 Real Market Value (RMV) increased from $70.1 billion to $77 billion, an overall increase of approximately 10 percent from January 1, 2020. 

The total taxable value for all properties combined in Lane County increased by 3.4 percent over last year, from $36.9 billion in 2020 to $38.1 billion in 2021. Additionally, 1.72 percent of residential properties in Lane County now have a market value below their Measure 50 MAV, which is down from 2.51 percent in 2020. 

Most properties will continue to see the 3 percent statutory increase in their MAV. On average, residential property owners will pay tax on 59.6 percent of their RMV in 2021. 

Oregon’s constitution limits the increase in MAV of each property to 3 percent per year, unless there have been changes made to the property, such as new construction or additions, new partitions or subdivisions, removal from special assessment or exemption programs, or changes in zoning and use of the property. 

There are approximately 180,900 property tax accounts in Lane County consisting of: 54.5 percent Residential/Tract; 16.9 percent Exempt; 9.7 percent Commercial; 5.8 percent Industrial; 4.2 percent Farm/ Forest; 4.8 percent Multi-Family; and 4.3 percent Business Personal Property, Utilities and Other. 

Property values for tax purposes are set only once a year at the time of certification. Certification occurred for the 2021–2022 tax roll on October 6, 2021. Oregon does not reset property values at the time of sale, nor does it reset property values for tax purposes at the time of a refinanced loan. 

The 2021–22 tax statement reflects a property’s RMV as of January 1, 2021. This is based on the January 1, 2020 RMV compared to 2020 sale prices which showed an overall median RMV increase of 12.8 percent for a typical house value. 

Market value changes for individual properties will vary each year due to many factors including the general real estate market, property location and changes made to the property such as new additions, remodels, or demolition.

Voters in the past year have approved changes to the tax levies and bond rates, which are then applied to a property’s Assessed Value (AV). However, Oregon’s constitution limits the total tax rate that can be billed to an individual property to no more than $10 per $1,000 of market value for government and $5 per $1,000 of market value for schools. These limits do not apply to bonds. 

If taxpayers believe their properties’ market values are incorrect, taxpayers should first contact Lane County Assessment and Taxation. Taxpayers have the right to appeal to the Board of Property Tax Appeals through the Deeds and Records Division of the County Clerk’s Office. The Board of Property Tax Appeals has the authority to reduce market value when sufficient evidence is provided to demonstrate the RMV of a property was different on January 1, 2021 than what is on the tax statement. If RMV is still higher than AV, the taxes will likely remain the same. A reduction to the value does not always result in a refund. The Board cannot grant reductions to a tax amount; it can only review a property’s value.   All appeals must be filed with the Lane County Deeds and Records office by January 3, 2022.

2021 Property Tax Changes

Voters approved the following new levies:

• Upper Willamette Soil and Water Conservation Easement District levy of $0.07 per $1,000.
• Lane Fire Authority levy of $0.35 per $1,000 to hire three firefighters/medics and replace or repair fire apparatus.
• Bethel School District Bond of $99.3 million to fund safety upgrades, building repairs, updated textbooks and computers and school improvements.
• Alsea School District Bond of $2.1 million for new instructional spaces, a weight room, covered bus waiting area and remodeling of several areas such as the lunchrooms.

The following districts renewed their local option levies for 5 years:

• Lane County 4-H and OSU Extension Programs
• City of Eugene Library
• City of Springfield Fire Local Option
• Fern Ridge Library

South Lane County Fire & Rescue paid off its bond. 

Attached is a copy of the property tax insert that was mailed with each tax statement. The insert has additional information on payments, the location of payment drop boxes, appeals, and other services provided by Lane County Assessment & Taxation. 

Also attached are two charts. One showing the median assessed value and tax rates for different areas of the county and one showing the real market value and percent change between 2020 and 2021. 

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Today, before the Honorable Audrey J. Broyles, Angel Hernandez-Cruz was sentenced to 120 months in the Department of Corrections for crimes stemming from a crash that killed Luis Morales Ramirez in June 2020.  Hernandez-Cruz had previously pled no contest to the crimes of Manslaughter in the First Degree and Aggravated Driving While Suspended, and guilty to Driving While Under the Influence of Intoxicants.  

On June 9, 2020 at about 3:45 p.m., the victim Luis Morales Ramirez was driving southbound on Highway 99E towards his home to celebrate a family event.  The defendant had just left the Last Chance Saloon and was driving a large truck northbound on Highway 99E.  Multiple witnesses indicated that they saw the defendant’s large truck drive off the shoulder of the roadway and onto gravel, overcorrect, and drive fully into the southbound lane of travel.  Defendant struck Mr. Morales Ramirez’ vehicle head on.  Morales Ramirez was pronounced dead at the scene.  

The defendant was transported to Salem Hospital, where a medical blood draw registered .238% blood alcohol content. Throughout the investigation defendant blamed Morales Ramirez for the crash despite the multiple witness accounts showing that Morales Ramirez never left his lane of travel.  A full investigation of the circumstances of the crash and defendant’s intoxication was led by the Oregon State Police.  At the time of this crash, the defendant was on probation in Salem Municipal Court for a DUII that occurred on June 12, 2019.  As part of that conviction, the defendant was required to install an ignition interlock device to ensure that he was not using alcohol and driving.  No such device was installed in defendant’s vehicle.  Defendant had also completed a DUII diversion in 2009.

Mr. Morales Ramirez is survived by his wife, Rosalia, and five children: Edgar, Kenya, Alexandra, Karim, and Saralee. On the day of the crash, Mr. Morales Ramirez had worked all day and was on his way home to celebrate his oldest son’s graduation from middle school.  
 

ROSEBURG, Ore., Oct. 20, 2021 – Students interested in pursuing automotive, welding and apprenticeship technologies at Umpqua Community College will have access to the latest technology and educational infrastructure after a massive renovation of Lockwood Hall. This newly renovated state-of-the-art facility will be open for public viewing November 1, 2021, from 4pm – 6pm.

Originally built in 1969, Lockwood Hall has now been reconfigured to include expanded space for state-of-the-art hands-on instruction. The automotive facility now includes a redesigned space for improved shop flow and two new car lifts and has room to add an additional lift later. With the updated technology students are able to learn how to work on hybrid vehicles.

The Welding program previously had temporary booths that provided space for 17 welding students. After the remodel there are now two welding labs, one welding lab dedicated to aluminum welding and fabrication, and the other for welding lab for steel. Welding now has 29 welding booths in these two new areas. Additionally, new the program is now able to show case its Miller LiveArc Machine. This machine helps to train welding students with immediate feedback and reduce material consumption. The welding program also gets to show off other welding cameras that can help instructors demonstrate skills and techniques.  These cameras give welding students a closer look at welds in real-time. 

Previously, Lockwood Hall had no formal entrance. Students used to enter Lockwood through the men’s locker room or a hallway with the staff copy machine. Walls were removed and reconfigured which lead to additional space and a more formal entry for students. After the remodel, Lockwood now includes a modern lobby with display cases and double glass entry doors.

“This has been a complete overhaul of Lockwood Hall’s facility and it not only includes latest tools and technology, but also compliments our top-notch instruction. It is our hope that the new building will recruit more students to learn these high-demand trades,” said Ian Fisher, Welding Instructor Coordinator, and CWI. “We’ve already seen a 50 percent increase in student retention for this fall and an increase in women enrolling in the programs as well.”

Brandi Loop is enrolled in the automotive program and said she appreciates the vast resources available to her and her fellow students. 

“There are a lot of opportunities in this trade for women,” she said. “I also think it helps to build trust when women who bring their cars in for repair to see women working on their vehicles. We also sometimes have smaller hands that can be useful for the smaller automotive parts.”

Isaiah Denley-Arensmeier is also enrolled this fall and said, “It’s the most advanced place that I’ve ever done automotive work in. It’s great to be in a nice shop and makes learning much easier in a garage like this.”

The apprenticeship program now has a new machining and hydraulics lab and was brought back on-site. Previously, this program was housed in a separate leased building with a monthly fee attached. By relocating UCC’s finance department and mail room this remodel has brought Apprenticeship students back to the UCC main campus for classes. A brand new machine shop with mills, lathes, classroom space is available to serve Millwright Apprentices. 

This new facility will provide UCC students with relevant, and up-to-date industry training for many local employment opportunities. Several welding graduates have gone on to work in lead positions at local manufacturers such as Performance Fab, North River Boats, Con-Vey Keystone and Roseburg Forrest Products.

The project was made possible by generous donations from Con-Vey and Perry Murray. In the end, an anonymous donor provided an additional funding to enable the project through to completion.

About Umpqua Community College

Nestled in the beautiful North Umpqua River Valley, Umpqua Community College is the regional center for higher education in Douglas County, Oregon. UCC provides high quality college degree programs, workforce development, and community learning opportunities. For more information, please visit us online at www.umpqua.edu.

>>>PHOTOS ATTACHED<<<

LIVE-ARC WELDING MACHINE SIMULATOR provides a sparkless, fireless experience that saves money and the environment as students do not use as many rods and raw materials.

FLAME CUTTING is just one of the many machining processes that students learn. 

HYDRAULIC LAB space is now available in Lockwood Hall with expanded room for the Machining and Apprenticeship courses.

BRANDI LOOP is an automotive student at UCC’s newly renovated Lockwood Hall. She said she’s pleased with the additional learning opportunities provided by the improved facility.

THE LOCKWOOD HALL LOBBY provides a formal entrance to the facility and offers a place for students to congregate and collaborate. Previously, entrance to the building was gained through locker rooms and staff offices.

ROSEBURG, Ore., Oct. 19, 2021 – Umpqua Community College (UCC) has been awarded a $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Title III Strengthening Institutions Program. The 5-year grant will fund programs to support students in college preparedness, retention and graduation. 

The programs will employ two new staff members dedicated to helping students make the transition to college-level courses. An enhanced First-Year Experience course will help bridge that gap, provide a student help desk and increased tutoring will be offered. 

The college will also establish a writing center in the library to help students master college-level writing in their first year. Technology improvements to be funded include a teaching and learning hub to develop a collaborative space for teaching, a student support center and smart classroom for training and professional development. Cohorts are created within the program so students develop friendships and professional contacts. An early alert software system will help identify students that need extra academic assistance and will prioritize outreach. 

“We have a lot of challenges to solve with our first-year students, ensuring that they are ready to start college and able to access technology. This grant will help us face those challenges and get them across the finish line and advance with a successful entry into well-paying careers,” said Danielle Haskett, Dean of Learning Support Services.

The U.S. Department of Education’s Title III Strengthening Institutions Program is designed to assist institutions of higher education in expanding their capacity to serve low-income students by providing funds to improve and strengthen the academic quality, institutional management and fiscal stability of eligible institutions. The average award amount is $400,000.

Portland, OR — The Oregon Historical Society (OHS) is excited to announce the reopening of its research library following nearly two years of renovation.  Thanks to support from individuals and foundations through the FORWARD! campaign, this critical renovation will allow library staff to better serve researchers who visit OHS in person as well as more efficiently connect the thousands of individuals that contact OHS each year to the priceless collections in the library's care.  

OHS's research library preserves the largest collection of Oregon-related archival and published materials, documenting the people, places, and events that have shaped the history of Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. These materials include books, manuscripts, oral histories and sound recordings, films and moving images, and photographs, some of which are accessible online through OHS Digital Collections and through the library's digital history projects. Changes in library best practices and new technologies make this renovation a long overdue enhancement to the research library. 

"The research library is truly the heart of everything we do at the Oregon Historical Society," said OHS Executive Director Kerry Tymchuk. "Without these priceless collections, and the individuals who have preserved and stewarded them for over 120 years, OHS's exhibitions, scholarship, and educational programs would not be possible."

For over 50 years, the research library has occupied the fourth floor of the Oregon Historical Society's building located on SW Park Avenue in downtown Portland — and throughout that time, has been left relatively untouched. Researchers will notice many new improvements on their next visit, including:
 

• A refreshed reading room that highlights the library’s striking mid-century architecture and also serves as a flexible space for hosting workshops and programs;
• A tech hub that allows several researchers at a time to explore OHS’s library collections in a variety of historical and contemporary media — from VHS to digital files;
• A collaborative learning lab that serves as a creative, flexible space where small groups of students, educators, researchers, community members, and archives professionals can share knowledge, explore the library’s vast resources, and make new discoveries that expand collective knowledge about Oregon’s complex history;
• A reconfigured reference desk that gives staff a better vantage point to both serve researchers and safeguard the precious materials in OHS's care;
• A map and architecture viewing station that creates a central access point to digitized and original materials from the library's enormous collection of documents that have charted Oregon from past to present;
• Twenty-first-century behind-the-scenes workspaces that give OHS staff the space and technology they need to preserve and make collections available for the next 120 years; and
• The new Pietro Belluschi Resource Center, which provides a focal point to highlight the library’s architectural collections and a well-equipped meeting space for instruction.

After overseeing this renovation, which included an extensive and meticulous move of the collections (which is documented on OHS's Dear Oregon blog), Library Director Shawna Gandy is eager to welcome visitors back downtown for in person research appointments. 

"After what has been a historic and unpredictable year and a half, I am grateful that we have completed this renovation and are ready to once again open our doors to researchers," said Gandy. "The reason our staff is so passionate about preserving and making our collections accessible is because of the countless students, scholars, writers, filmmakers, historians, and others who use these materials in their work. It is thanks to their interpretation of the primary documents in our care, through school projects, documentaries, books and articles, and a variety of other illuminating projects, that we continue to grow and evolve our understanding of the past."

While admission to OHS’s research library is always free, advance reservations are currently required to allow for physical distancing of researchers due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic; researchers can contact reference@ohs.org">libreference@ohs.org or leave a voicemail at 503.306.5240 to book their visit. OHS is currently unable to accommodate walk-in visitors and is limiting appointments to 25% capacity in the reading room. Press tours are available; please contact achel.randles@ohs.org">rachel.randles@ohs.org to schedule a tour.
 

About the Oregon Historical Society

For more than a century, the Oregon Historical Society has served as the state’s collective memory, preserving a vast collection of artifacts, photographs, maps, manuscript materials, books, films, and oral histories. Our research library, museum, digital platforms, educational programming, and historical journal make Oregon’s history open and accessible to all. We exist because history is powerful, and because a history as deep and rich as Oregon’s cannot be contained within a single story or point of view. 

What qualities do Oregonians look for when choosing a place to work?

ECONOMY AND JOBS, ORGANIZATIONAL IMAGE AND BRANDING

From September 14-22, 2021, the Oregon Values and Beliefs Center conducted a statewide survey of Oregonians’ values and beliefs, including what is important to them about their place of work. The questions were intended to gather preliminary data to inform more in-depth research in the months ahead.

The online survey consisted of 1,124 Oregon residents ages 18+ and took approximately 15 minutes to complete. This survey’s margin of error, for the full sample, ranges from ±1.8% to ±2.9% depending on how the response category percentages split for any given question. Due to rounding, numbers may not add up to 100%.

Respondents were contacted by using professionally maintained online panels. In gathering responses, a variety of quality control measures were employed, including questionnaire pre-testing, validation, and real-time monitoring of responses. To ensure a representative sample, demographic quotas were set, and data weighted by area of the state, gender, age, and education.

This survey uses aggregated data to analyze the opinions of BIPOC residents in comparison to the opinions of residents who identify as white and not another race. BIPOC residents are not a monolith; the grouping represents a wide diversity of races and ethnicities. The findings included in this memo should not be construed such that all people of color are believed to share the same opinions. Disaggregated race data will be provided when sample sizes permit reliability.

The question numbers in this document correspond with the survey questionnaire, available at the bottom of the page (Q12-28, Q29-44).

Workplace Characteristics

Respondents were provided a list of things people often feel are important in what they do as work or employment. They were then asked to rate, selectively, the importance of each item if they were choosing a place to work (Q12-28). Nearly all of the workplace features or outcomes were viewed as very or somewhat important by a strong majority of Oregonians.

• Only being in a leadership position (37%) and having people admire my accomplishments (47%) were viewed as very/somewhat important by less than 50% of Oregonians (Q20,Q24).
   
• Interestingly, the percentage of those who say it is very/somewhat important having people admire my accomplishments declined with age, from 61% among those ages 18-29, to 33% among those ages 65-74 (Q20).

How Important Each Workplace Quality is to Oregonians

When examining responses of “very important,” several priority tiers emerge.

• Tier one includes features or outcomes that receive “very important” scores of 60% or higher. There is only one feature within this tier: Having a work-life balance (63%) (Q27).
  
  
  • This feature is rated highly by all major demographic groups. Notably, more than 60% of Oregonians with and without school-aged children rate this feature as “very” important.”
  • This priority placed on healthy work-life balance corresponds with recent research showing high levels of employee burnout and work-related stress during the COVID-19 pandemic[1].
     
• Tier two includes features or outcomes that receive “very important” scores between 50-60%:
  
  
  • Obtaining health insurance benefits (58%) (Q21)
  • Being with people I respect (51%) (Q16)
  • Earning a good salary (50%): The percentage of Oregonians who view this feature of their work as “very” important is higher among renters than homeowners (57% vs. 45%) (Q12).
     
• Tier three includes features or outcomes that receive “very” important scores between 40-50%:
  
  
  • Being in control of my own destiny (48%) (Q25)
  • Having a job I can be proud of (47%) (Q13)
  • Enjoying work, having fun (47%) (Q15)
  • Feeling appreciated by leadership and coworkers (44%) (Q19)
  • Developing my skills (42%): A notable 55% of Oregonians ages 18-29 rate this feature as “very” important. This is perhaps unsurprising as this age group is newer to the workforce (Q17).
  • Proximity to where I live (40%): Ratings of “very” important were higher among those making less than $50K per year compared to those making $100K or more (44% vs. 31%), perhaps indicating the latter group is more likely to be able to work from home (Q26).
     
• Tier four includes features or outcomes that receive “very important” scores between 20-40%. It is worth noting that many of these features still receive high overall (very/somewhat) importance ratings from Oregonians.
  
  
  • Flexible hours (38%): Oregonians with school-aged children are more likely to view this work feature as “very” important than those without kids (44% vs. 36%) (Q22).
  • Learning new things, having new experiences (36%) (Q18)
  • Contributing to society’s benefit (32%) (Q14)
  • Involvement in important decisions (21%): Interestingly, men are more likely than women to rate this feature as “very” important for their place of work (25% vs. 18%) (Q23).

“Other” Answers

Respondents were also given the opportunity to list other characteristics, an option which many people selected. Often these were similar to the listed characteristics, but with more specific detail or elaboration.

Other job features important to Oregonians include quality and characteristics of employer leadership; impacts on physical and mental health; family; and the workplace climate:

“Integrity - of the company and the people there.”
- Male, age 65-74, Crook County, white or Caucasian

“Having a 32-hour workweek to balance mental health and work.”
- Female, age 18-29, Washington County, Hispanic/Latina/x

“Not soul-sucking.”
- Female, age 30-45, Jackson County, white or Caucasian

“Sustainable practices as a part of the workplace and products.”
- Female, age 65-74, Lincoln County, more than one race or ethnicity

A significant number of Oregonians listed a response related to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the “Other” category:

“Not feeling discrimination.”
- Female, age 18-29, Washington County, Hispanic/Latina/x

“Equal pay, irrespective of gender.”
- Female, age 65-74, Washington County, white or Caucasian

“Respect and equality for all in the workplace.”
- Male, age 30-44, Multnomah County, Black or African American

“Environments of equity, diversity, and inclusion.”
- Non-binary or gender non-conforming, age 45-54, Yamhill County, white or Caucasian

Ranking the Most Important Employment Considerations

Next, Oregonians were asked to rank the same list of work features/outcomes in terms of the top five most important things to have if they were choosing a place to work (Q29-44). When combining ratings of 1-5, a top tier emerges, all receiving combined scores of 40% or higher. These results largely correspond with the higher-tier priorities from Q12-28:

• Earning a good salary (64%). This feature is especially important to Oregonians ages 30-54 (72%). 20% of Oregonians rank this as their number one priority (Q29).
   
• Having a good work-life balance (50%). This feature is slightly more important for Oregonians with school-aged children compares to those without kids (53% vs. 48%) (Q44).
   
• Enjoying work, having fun (46%). Compared to the previous feature, this is more of a priority for Oregonians without school-aged children than those with kids (48% vs. 39%) (Q32).
   
• Obtaining health insurance benefits (44%). Among age groups, this priority was most important for those 45-54 (53%) and least important for those ages 18-29 (36%). This is perhaps unsurprising, as many in the youngest group are able to remain on their parents’ health insurance (Q38).

It is interesting to compare these results to a 2013 Oregon Values and Beliefs statewide survey, which did not test the importance of having a good work-life balance, but did show that salary, benefits, and enjoying work/having fun were all top-tier priorities then, as well². However, it should be noted that salary appears to be a stronger priority now than in 2013.

Demographic Trends

Identifying What Unites Us, Understanding What Divides Us

Reported below are statistically significant subgroup differences between BIPOC and white Oregonians, and urban and rural Oregonians.  Many of these differences are not major and are presented to inform public education and communications initiatives. 

Oregonians of color and whites show consistent alignment on what is important about where they choose to work. Most priorities show only a few percentage points of difference between the two groups. For example, when combining the ratings of their top 1-5 priorities, both groups selected earning a good salary as their clear choice, at an identical 64% (Q29). However, there are a few statistical differences worth point out:

• Oregonians of color are more likely than whites to think developing my skills is a “very” important part of the work environment (54% vs. 41%) (Q17).
   
• Oregonians of color are more likely than whites to think flexible hours are a “very” important part of the work environment (44% vs. 37%) (Q22).
   
• BIPOC Oregonians provide slightly higher “very” important scores for feeling appreciated by leadership and coworkers than whites (48% vs. 43%) (Q19).

Urban and rural Oregonians also show strong agreement on what is important about where they choose to work, with mostly marginal differences between these groups. Here are a few datapoints that stand out:

• Urbanites are more likely than their rural counterparts to think contributing to society’s benefit is a “very” important part of the work environment (38% vs. 28%) (Q14).
   
• Lastly, urban and rural Oregonians place equal importance on proximity to where I live¸ with an identical 42% both groups seeing this feature as “very” important (Q26).

This research was completed as a community service by the Oregon Values and Beliefs Center, an independent and non-partisan organization. OVBC is an Oregon charitable nonprofit corporation (www.oregonvbc.org).

For more information, please see the OVBC September 2021 Survey Annotated Questionnaire and Crosstabs, visit Oregonvbc.org, or contact us.

For information about the panel, please visit About the Panel - Oregon Values and Beliefs Center (oregonvbc.org)

[1]https://www.oregonlive.com/topworkplaces/2021/09/survey-of-4000-companies-shows-loyalty-to-employers-is-down.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=theoregonian_sf

[2]2013 OREGON VALUES & BELIEFS PROJECT STATEWIDE AND REGIONAL RESULTS; DHM Research | PI Research; Oregon General Population Age 18+; N= 1,958;

Are Oregonians more or less concerned about community health, the economy, and personal finances compared to previous months?

COMMUNITY PLANNING, COVID-19, ECONOMY AND JOBS, HEALTHCARE, POLITICS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS 

From September 14th through 22nd, 2021, the Oregon Values and Beliefs Center conducted a statewide survey of Oregonians’ values and beliefs. The questions were intended to gather preliminary data to inform more in-depth research in the months ahead.

This online survey consisted of 1,124 Oregon residents ages 18+ and took approximately 15 minutes to complete. This survey’s margin of error, for the full sample, ranges from ±1.8% to ±2.9% depending on how the response category percentages split for any given question. Due to rounding, numbers may not add up to 100%.

Respondents were contacted by using professionally maintained online panels. In gathering responses, a variety of quality control measures were employed, including questionnaire pre-testing, validation, and real-time monitoring of responses. To ensure a representative sample, demographic quotas were set, and data weighted by are of the state, gender, age, and education.

This survey uses aggregated data to analyze the opinions of BIPOC residents in comparison to the opinions of residents who identify as white and not another race. BIPOC residents are not a monolith; the grouping represents a wide diversity of races and ethnicities. The findings included in this memo should not be construed such that all people of color are believed to share the same opinions. Disaggregated race data will be provided when sample size permits reliability.

Findings will include a citation of the relevant question, which can be referenced in the annotated questionnaire and tabs, available on our blog at oregonvbc.org/blog, or sent directly upon request.

Right Direction or Wrong Track?

Oregonians’ opinions on the direction of our state have returned to the more pessimistic lows of last winter. About half of Oregonians say things in the state are headed off on the wrong track (49%). Nearly as many say things are headed in the right direction (45%), and the rest aren’t sure (Q1).

• These results are almost identical to December 2020 (52% wrong track)¹ and February 2021 (49% wrong track)², and show increased pessimism from May 2021 (42% wrong track, 49% right direction)³.
• The youngest and oldest Oregon adults are the most optimistic. Among people under 30, half say things are headed in the right direction (50%). Among people 75 and older, 60% say things are headed in the right direction.

Coronavirus Concerns

When thinking about coronavirus, concerns about community health remain high, whereas concerns about personal health have fallen slightly since last summer (Q2-4).

More than three-quarters of Oregonians say they are somewhat or very concerned about the health of their communities regarding coronavirus, a figure essentially unchanged since July 2020 (77% to 78%)⁴ (Q4). 

• Levels of concern are similar across the state, irrespective of region (75% to 78%).

Meanwhile, 60% of Oregonians say they are concerned about their own health when it comes to coronavirus, a figure just slightly lower than in July 2020 (63%)⁴(Q2).

• Concern is higher among vulnerable, older age groups than among young people: 68% of people 75 and older say they are concerned, compared to 51% of people under 30.

Concerns about the economy vis-à-vis coronavirus remain. All in all, Oregonians are more concerned about Covid-19’s impact on the economy than their individual health—but concern doesn’t mean the economy is in bad shape (Q5).

• More than eight in ten Oregonians say they are somewhat or very concerned about the economy in the wake of coronavirus (84%), a figure that has slipped only slightly since July 2020 (87%)⁴.
   
• People of all social ideologies share concerns about the economy (81% to 93%). This marks a difference from health concerns, about which liberals are significantly more concerned.

Oregon’s Economy

Oregonians are evenly split as to whether the state’s economy is good or poor. While 45% say it is good or very good, 44% say it is poor or very poor (Q6).

• Overall positivity about the state’s economy has increased 15 percentage points since the beginning of the pandemic. In April 2021⁵ and June of 2020⁶, 30% of Oregonians said the economy was good or very good.
   
• Men are much more likely than women to report good economic conditions (53% to 37%).
   
• Perceptions of economic conditions may be colored by one’s own financial standing or career path. People with household incomes of $100,000 or more were the most likely of any group to rate Oregon’s conditions as good or very good (69%), compared to people with lower incomes (33-47%).
   
• Similarly, college graduates have a more positive outlook, and two-thirds say the state’s economy is good or very good (65%), compared to less than half of people with less education (33-40%).

Personal Financial Situation

While ratings of the state’s economy have grown more positive, many Oregonians remain worried about their own finances. More than half now say they are somewhat or very worried about their personal financial situation (53%) (Q9).

• While overall sentiment has remained roughly the same over the past year, the figure representing those very worried about their finances has creeped up, from 16% in June 20206, to 19% in October 2020⁷, to 21% today.
   
• Women are nearly twice as likely to express deep worry than men (27% to 15%).
   
• When it comes to those who described themselves as very worried about their finances, there is no notable difference between households with children and without (20%, 21%).
   
• Millennials and Gen Xers say they’ve been hit hard. About one-third of Oregonians ages 30-54 say they are very worried about their financial situation (30-34%).

People outside the Portland tri-county region are more likely to say they are struggling financially (Q9).

• Fewer than half of residents in the tri-county region say they are somewhat or very worried about their financial situation (47%). Meanwhile, in the Willamette Valley, that figure stands at 61%. In other reaches of the state, it sits at 57%.

• Tri-county residents are also the most likely to say they aren’t worried at all about their financial situation (21%), almost double the rate for people in the valley or elsewhere in the state (12-13%).

Opening Oregon’s Economy

Few Oregonians believe the economy is “fully restarted” since the pandemic began (13%) (Q7).

• Those who believe this are more likely to be under 30, have college degrees, and have high incomes (18-19%).

About one in five Oregonians feel an urgency to “open everything up and restart the economy” (Q8).

• Back in June 2020⁶, when many businesses were still closed and fewer people were sick in the ICU with Covid-19, more than one-fifth of Oregonians said they felt strongly it was time to open back up (21%). Yet, even then, more than half felt it was not safe yet (55%).
   
• Now, many businesses have re-opened with restrictions, and the proportion of Oregonians eager to open back up has remained mostly stable (19%). Still, 56% say it is better to stay safe and wait.
   
• Men are more likely than women to say that things should open back up, by a margin of ten points (42% to 32%).

• Renters—who might approximate essential workers—are among the least eager to open back up (despite few differences by age). Just 28% say it is time to fully re-open, compared to 43% of homeowners.

Demographic Trends

Identifying What Unites Us and Understanding What Divides Us

Reported below are statistically significant subgroup differences between BIPOC and white Oregonians, and urban and rural Oregonians.  Many of these differences are not major and are presented to inform public education and communications initiatives.

BIPOC and white residents are equally likely to say things in Oregon are headed in the right direction (45%) (Q1).

• By area, ruralites are much more wary. More than half (57%) say things are off on the wrong track. Meanwhile, about half of urbanites say things are headed in the right direction (49%).

Rural and urban residents are about equally likely to express concern about the health of their communities when it comes to coronavirus, with urban residents ever so slightly more concerned (74% to 79%) (Q4).

• There is similarly almost no difference between rural and urban residents when it comes to concern about the economy in the wake of Covid-19 (85% to 83%) (Q5).

White residents are somewhat more concerned about the economy than BIPOC residents (86% to 74%). This figure could reflect partisan differences.

Rural areas of the state have been hit especially hard by painful impacts from the pandemic, drought, and wildfires. More than half of rural Oregonians rate economic conditions as poor or very poor (57%) (Q6).  

• For urban and suburban areas, that figure floats between 38% and 41%.

BIPOC Oregonians are more likely to express worry over their personal financial situation (Q9).

• Two-thirds of BIPOC residents say they are somewhat or very worried about their personal financial situation (66%), compared to about half of white residents (52%).
• BIPOC and white residents rate economic conditions nearly identically (Q6).

Half of ruralites say it is time to open everything back up and restart the state’s economy (49%). They are joined by fewer than one in three urbanites (29%) (Q8).
 

This research was completed as a community service by the Oregon Values and Beliefs Center, an independent and non-partisan organization. OVBC is an Oregon charitable nonprofit corporation. 

For more information, please see the OVBC September 2021 Survey Annotated Questionnaire and Crosstabs, visit Oregonvbc.org, or contact us.
 

For information about the panel, please visit About the Panel - Oregon Values and Beliefs Center (oregonvbc.org)

[1] Survey conducted December 4-8, 2020; OVBC; n=615

[2] Survey conducted February 11-17, 2021; OVBC; n=600

[3] Survey conducted May 4-10, 2021; OVBC; n=918

[4] Survey conducted July 14-22, 2020; DHM Research; n=603

[5] Survey conducted April 1-6, 2021; OVBC; n=600

[6] Survey conducted May 29-June7, 2020; DHM Research; n=900

[7] Survey conducted October 1-6, 2020; OVBC; n=600