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Central Point man suspected ringleader of multi-state car thefts, arrested
PORTLAND, Ore. (KGW) – A Central Point man suspected of being the ringleader of a multi-state car theft ring was arrested Thursday and arraigned Friday on 16 charges relating to the operation, according to a news release from the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office. Aric Wade Adams, 21,...
REGISTRATION CONTINUES FOR THRIVE UMPQUA’S LONGEST TABLE EVENT
Registration continues for Thrive Umpqua’s Longest Table event. A Thrive Umpqua release said residents are invited to gather for a farm-to-table dinner, crafted by local chefs, at the scenic green bridge on Northwest Stewart Park Drive, on Saturday night August 24th. The evening is designed as a way for residents to share ideas and get to know one another.
Oregon State Hospital nurses raise safety fears as they work mandatory overtime
Maggie Simpkins starts her workweek at 6:30 a.m. Sundays at Oregon State Hospital, where the registered nurse dispenses medication to patients, goes over their treatment plans and maps out the day’s schedule, including appointments, meals and care. Her shift is supposed to end at 5 p.m. But most Sundays, Simpkins has to work mandatory overtime, which can stretch until about 10 p.m. For Simpkins and her colleagues, mandatory overtime has...
Oregon governor’s panel makes hundreds of recommendations to reform Coffee Creek prison
Oregon Department of Corrections officials have received hundreds of ideas from a governor-appointed panel for reforming the state’s only women’s prison and better protecting women against trauma, sexual abuse and misconduct. The recommendations would make administrators more accountable for Coffee Creek Correctional Facility, which houses about 900 female inmates, and seek a change in culture at the prison in Wilsonville. They also would increase oversight of allegations of sexual assault and strip searches and expand behavioral health programs, records obtained by the Capital Chronicle show. ...
Second positive test for West Nile Virus found in Jackson County
CENTRAL POINT, Ore. -- Mosquitoes in West Medford have tested positive for the West Nile Virus, according to a news release from the Jackson County Vector Control District. This is the second positive test this season while the first was positive was found in Central Point. Mosquitoes in northwest Central...
Christian nonprofit Youth 71Five gets grants in appeal
MEDFORD, Ore. — Lawyers for a local Christian organization who believe it was unfairly stripped of grant money by the state says it’s getting the critical funding reinstated. Medford’s Youth 71Five ministries say they’ve been receiving grants from Oregon’s Youth Community Investment Grant Program for years....
Grants Pass votes to ban most homeless camping
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The small Oregon city at the heart of a recent landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling that allows cities to enforce outdoor sleeping bans has voted to prohibit camping but establish certain areas where homeless people can go. The Grants Pass City Council voted 7-0 Wednesday to ban camping on public property […]
The solution to homelessness is housing
The U.S. Supreme Court rcently greenlit cruel measures to arrest and prosecute unhoused people. Instead, lawmakers should invest in what really works. It’s hard enough not having a safe place to live. Now it’s easier for cities to arrest you for it. “I am afraid at all times,”...
Oregon Earmarks $10M for 63 New Affordable Homes, Launches ORCA to Streamline Housing Funding
In a notable move to address Oregon's housing crisis, the state's Housing and Community Services Department has earmarked $10 million for the construction of 63 new affordable homes, according to the State of Oregon. This allocation was made through a novel non-competitive process named Oregon Centralized Application (ORCA), which streamlines funding for housing projects demonstrating readiness. Designed to expedite the development of affordable housing units, ORCA was launched to replace the previous system of issuing Notices of Funding Availability (NOFA), aspiring to offer a more equitable and efficient way of distributing resources.
Tired of Oregon wildfires? They’re not going away any time soon
Fire Managers in the Pacific Northwest predict that many wildfires currently burning in Oregon, and potentially new ones, will persist until the region experiences significant rain or snow this fall. The same holds true for the state of Washington. The U.S. Forest Service issued that warning Tuesday, Aug. 13. Widespread lightning is expected this month...
Oregon governor’s panel makes hundreds of recommendations to reform Coffee Creek prison
Oregon Department of Corrections officials have received hundreds of ideas from a governor-appointed panel for reforming the state’s only women’s prison and better protecting women against trauma, sexual abuse and misconduct. The recommendations would make administrators more accountable for Coffee Creek Correctional Facility, which houses about 900 female inmates, and seek a change in culture at the prison in Wilsonville. They also would increase oversight of allegations of sexual assault and strip searches and expand behavioral health programs, records obtained by the Capital Chronicle show. ...
STCU purchases Community Bank expanding reach to smaller areas
SPOKANE, Wash. - Spokane Teacher's Credit Union has announced the agreement and purchase of Community Bank which serves small Washington and Oregon communities. STCU has announced the agreement with $550 million assets protected in the purchase. Community Bank operates ten branches in Wallowa, Union, Umatilla, and Baker counties in Oregon,...
Health officials urge measles vaccination
With the start of the new school year around the corner – and as a measles outbreak continues in three Oregon counties – health officials are urging parents and guardians to get their children vaccinated against the highly infectious virus before classes begin. As of Aug. 8, total of 25 confirmed cases of measles have been reported in Clackamas, Marion and Multnomah counties, all among unvaccinated individuals. Two people have been hospitalized, and there have been no deaths. Ten of the cases are 9 and...
Oregon hop crop declines by nearly 20% as beer sales continue to sink
PORTLAND, Ore. — Next week, many of Oregon’s hop farmers will begin their harvest. However, nearly 20% less of their essential crop was planted this year due to declining craft beer sales, theOregon Beverage Alliance says. “Beer is usually only four ingredients – water, malt, yeast, and hops,...
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