Regional News

Virtual Exhibit Celebrates First Female Governor

SALEM, OR -- A little-known piece of U.S. history is the focus of a new virtual exhibit on the Oregon State Capitol website. As part of Women’s History Month, the exhibit recognizes the nation's first female Governor, who served Oregon in 1909.

While Caralyn Shelton only served as acting Governor of Oregon, she got a lot of attention in her day. "She was intelligent, articulate, smart, recognized for her executive abilities," says the Willamette Heritage Center’s Kaylyn Mabey, who has studied Shelton for nine years.

Shelton's role lasted a long weekend. She was appointed by Governor George Chamberlain as he resigned to take his newly elected seat in the U.S. Senate. Curator Kylie Pine says Shelton simply held down the fort until the Secretary of State could be sworn in as Governor the following Monday, "It was three days. But it became more, almost a marketing stunt to showcase the ability of women to do things in politics."

Pine says her role as acting Governor garnered worldwide attention, "Women didn’t even have the right to vote in Oregon. It would be another three years before women were able to gain the right to vote, and nationally it would take several more years to do that. So, to have somebody serving as the highest executive office within the state was a really, really big deal." In fact, says Mabey, "It was coming on the heels of the fourth defeat of the referendum for the women’s vote. And it was a charge that George Chamberlain, the sitting Governor, was very passionate about and supportive of." She says he knew exactly what he was doing with the appointment, "He used this opportunity as a way to also put forth that idea that women can serve just as capably as men can in these higher government offices."

Shelton, who was originally from the eastern Oregon town of Union, later moved to Washington, D.C. to work with Chamberlain in the Senate. "What a beacon of hope she was to the women who were fighting for suffrage," says Mabey, "Not just Oregon women, who had just been defeated again by the men, but also across the United States and the world. Women were fighting for their voices to be heard and counted."

The virtual exhibit is a partnership between the Willamette Heritage Center and the Oregon State Capitol Foundation. See it HERE through May 31, 2024. 

Image of Caralyn Shelton: Willamette Heritage Center 2019.13.0008

One Person Killed In Shooting

(Portland, OR)  --  Portland Police are trying to identify a suspect in a fatal shooting that happened Monday afternoon.  Officers responded to Northeast 93rd and Glisan where they found 18-year-old Jamirion Smith-Belhumeur dead at the scene.  The suspect was gone and police have not made an arrest in the shooting.

Salem-Keizer School Teachers Reach Tentative Contract

(Salem, OR)  --  Teachers in the Salem-Keizer School District have reached tentative agreement on a new two-year contract avoiding a possible strike.  Under the proposed contract, teachers would get a six-and-a-quarter percent increase this year and a six-thousand-dollar retention bonus.  The second year of the contract has a three-and-a-half percent increase.  Negotiations have been underway for 11 months.  Teachers still need to approve the contract.

Fire Destroys Asian Market

(Portland, OR)  --  A commercial building in the Madison South Neighborhood was destroyed by fire early Tuesday morning.  The 20-thousand square foot building in northeast Portland contained a boarded-up restaurant and an Asian market.  Smoke was pouring from the restaurant when firefighters arrived. Flames broke through the roof and three alarms were called.   After 90 minutes the fire was controlled.  There were no injuries.  The investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.
 

Clark County Co-Responder Program Has Success

(Vancouver, WA)  --  The Clark County Sheriff's Office says it's seeing success in the first 90 days of its pilot co-responder program.  Sea Mar Community Health Centers send behavioral health professionals, or make them available by phone, when deputies need them for people in crisis.  The goal is to provide options for interventions.  There have been 47 calls with 25 of those calls resulting in outreach.  It takes behavioral health responders about a half hour to respond after they're called.  Sheriff John Horch says the program is a lifeline for the community.
 

Oregon Health Authority Launches Abortion Website

(Portland, OR)  --  A new state website provides information for people seeking an abortion. The Oregon Health Authority’s Reproductive Health Program is behind the new website called Abortion Access In Oregon. It includes links with information about accessing services. It also explains people’s legal and privacy rights for reproductive care. 

Governor Tina Kotek issued a statement saying, "Anyone who comes to our state for an abortion, regardless of immigration status, has the legal and protected right to that abortion service, not just Oregon residents."

 

Markham Elementary Remains Closed

(Portland, OR)  --  Portland Public Schools says they will not reopen Markham Elementary School this fall.  The school was closed earlier this year, because of damage from January's ice storm and freezing temperatures.  Officials say they found hazardous materials in the building.  The district says it had planned to finish reconstruction this summer.  Now, students will stay at temporary relocation schools until further notice.

Mail Theft Suspect Arrested

(Salem, OR)  --  Salem Police have arrested a suspect who was allegedly stealing mail from across the city.  A two-year investigation identified 33-year-old Ross Sierzega as the suspect.  Police and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service searched his apartment and found 30 pounds of mail, several counterfeit mailbox keys, tools to make keys, multiple checks, bank cards and financial documents.  Making a counterfeit mail key can result in a 10-year prison sentence.  Sierzega made his first appearance in federal court on Tuesday.

Rosenblum Rallies For Abortion Rights

(Washington, D.C.)  --  Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum spoke in front of the U.S. Supreme Court building as arguments were being presented inside to allow access to the abortion medication mifepristone [[ MIF'-eh-PRISS'-stone ]].   Justices are reviewing an appeals court decision blocking recent FDA changes that made the medication more widely available.  Rosenblum spoke alongside New York Attorney General Letitia James.  Rosenblum says mifepristone is part of a gold standard of care for medication abortion. 

Deputies Investigate Littering Call, Find Bag Of Weed

(Hillsboro, OR)  --  A big bag of weed was found in a pile of debris along a road in Cornelius.  The Washington County Sheriff's Office got a call about littering.  There was a pile of junk on Northwest Long Road near Susbauer Road.  The debris was scattered in a ditch and deputies found a 15-pound sealed plastic bag filled with dried marijuana.  The weed will be destroyed.  The Sheriff's Office says it's thankful for the person who made the report.

Rare Wolverine Spotted On Oregon Coast

NEWPORT, OR -- A busy wolverine spotted on the Oregon coast is getting a lot of attention from state wildlife officials. "We’ve had some sightings over the last year or so, which have come as an exciting surprise to us," says Beth Quillian, with Oregon’s Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Sightings are extremely uncommon, but reports came in this month from Newport, Netarts and Nehalem. Quillian tells KBND News, "It is likely that this wolverine and the individual that was seen last year are probably dispersing from other areas where wolverines live, and looking to pave their own road and find somewhere to set up shop, so to speak." She admits it may even be the same animal, since wolverines can travel up to 30 miles a day.

Quillian suspects it’s just passing through and doesn’t plan to stay in the area, "Wolverines really need alpine, high elevation habitat. So, the habitat on the coast that it’s been making its way through is not ideal."

By 1936, most wolverine were gone from Oregon, due to over-trapping, "Since then, we’ve had a few documented sightings from the 60s and the 90s but it’s very hard to verify and to confirm wolverine sightings." It's now a legally protected threatened species. Quillian says one known full-time Oregon wolverine lives in the Wallowas, "He pops up every now and then and we get him on camera. But that’s the only one that I’m aware of. And besides that, the closest wolverine population that we know of, is close to Mt. Adams in Washington."

Although they can be tough to confirm, recent sightings give officials hope, "Keep an eye out. If you see something, try to get a photo of it; definitely report it to us." You can submit photos and sighting info online HERE. And, "If you’re in a situation where you’re very close to a wolverine," says Quillian, "Just make sure that you give it an opportunity to escape. It’s certainly an animal that would not like to be cornered."

 

 

Oregon In Path Of Partial Eclipse

PORTLAND, OR -- Astronomers are gearing up for another North American solar eclipse on April 8th. But how much you’ll see depends on where you are in Oregon. 

Jim Todd, OMSI’s Director of Space Science Education, says totality will miss us by a wide margin, "The dark section, called the umbra, is going to move from Mexico into Texas, the Midwest, up to New England. And they’re going to get the totality." OMSI and the rest of the state will see a partial eclipse, "At the angle that we’re at, we’ll get about 23%. But if you start moving eastward, toward the Idaho border or Ontario, they’re going to get about 33%." Bend will see a maximum of 25% at 11:25 a.m. In Burns, it'll be 30% at 11:27 and Jordan Valley gets the most in Oregon at 35%.  

If you plan to view any portion of the eclipse, "It’s imperative, imperative to wear solar viewing glasses from start to end. Just do not take them off," says Todd, "Show children how to use them."

Todd tells KBND News, " If you want to get a last look at a solar eclipse - whether it’s partial, annular or totality, you want to see the one on April 8th. If you plan to stay in Oregon, that’s the last time you’re going to see one in a very long time." He says "We won’t get any kind of eclipse, of any kind, in North America until probably 2040-something."

image courtesy of NASA.

Engine Fall Suspect Also Crime Spree Suspect

(Vancouver, WA) -- A man who was crawling on a telephone wire across Main Street in downtown Vancouver on Saturday is also a suspect in a crime spree. Vancouver Police say Romando Stanley allegedly stole a bike from a home, but dropped it after being chased by a neighbor. In downtown Vancouver, Stanley is accused of entering a business, taking a cell phone from an employee and then punching the person in the chest. Stanley went to the roof of a building near 6th and Main Street where he climbed across the street on a phone line. A fire engine was moved under the wire and when Stanley fell onto the truck he was arrested. He's charged with robbery and theft.

Murder May Have Been Staged

(Hockinson, WA) -- Two men are under arrest in connection with the murder of a woman that may have been staged near Vancouver. The Clark County Sheriff's Office says the suspect in the fatal shooting of 60-year-old Lindy Rummell in Hockinson on Friday, 55-year-old Darrell Riley, was arrested in Eugene. Police found the truck he allegedly stole burned in rural Benton County, Oregon. Investigators believe Rummel's husband, James Rummell, may have conspired with Riley to kill Rummell and make it look like it happened during a burglary. James Rummell was arrested for making false statements to police. Additional charges related to the murder may be added.

2024 Funding Package Includes $36 Million For Oregon

(Washington, D.C.) -- The 2024 federal funding package approved by Congress last weekend and signed by President Biden includes 36-million-dollars for Oregon. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley say the money will fund 28 programs across the state. Nineteen programs concern health care and education including a 988 Suicide & Crisis Prevention campaign, drug addiction treatment and nursing programs. Six programs benefit job creation and innovation and three programs involve community resilience and emergency response coordination.

Two Injured In Apartment Fire

(Portland, OR) -- Several units in a Southwest Portland apartment complex were damaged by fire Monday afternoon. The apartments are located on Cashmur Lane near Southwest 87th Avenue. When firefighters arrived, flames were burning through the roof and people were trapped inside. A second alarm was called to get more crews to battle the fire. Four residents were treated for injuries and two people were hospitalized. The investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.

Woodworking Partnership For Inmates

(Salem, OR) -- Some inmates at the Warner Creek Correctional Facility, in Lakeview, will be able to join a work release program at a woodworking business. Oregon Corrections Enterprises has announced a partnership with Pacific Pine Products, in Lakeview, to train and employ workers from the prison. Inmates would be screened for community safety and have a desire for self-improvement. They would be paid hourly. Pacific Pine would train the inmates in a variety of jobs. The partnership will officially be launched April 2nd.

Stolen Vehicles Recovered

(Portland, OR) -- Portland Police recovered more stolen vehicles during a mission on Friday. They worked with Gresham Police, Port of Portland Police, the Air Support Unit and the Facebook group PDX Stolen Cars to locate the vehicles. Ten stolen vehicles were recovered, 18 people were arrested, 11 drivers eluded police, and six of them were captured.

Strip Club Shooting Suspect Sentenced

(Hillsboro, OR) -- A Washington County judge has sentenced a suspect in a strip club shooting to prison. In August 2022, Joshua Michael Best went to the Sunset Strip and assaulted a woman inside of the club. Security ordered him out and when Best was driving away he fired several shots at the building. Rounds hit the building and a car. No one was hurt. Best pleaded guilty to Attempted Murder. He was also a felon and not allowed to have a gun. He was sentenced to over seven years in prison.

Oaks Park Open For Spring Break

(Portland, OR) -- Oaks Park in Southeast Portland is open for Spring Break. The rides, mini golf, and carnival games will be in operation through March 31st. After Spring Break, the park will be open weekends until summer when it changes to a six-day-a-week schedule. The Roller Rink is also open during Spring Break.

Polystyrene Recycling Plant Closing

(Tigard, OR) -- A Tigard plant that recycles polystyrene foam is closing. Agilyx has announced the Regenyx plant has stopped taking polystyrene foam and will close at the end of April. They say it was a five year project that met its goals. They diverted over six-million-pounds of used polystyrene from landfills. The company is building a new plant in Japan.

Portland Police Officer Cleared Of Criminal Charges

(Portland, OR) -- A Multnomah County grand jury has cleared a Portland Police officer of criminal charges in a fatal shooting that happened in January. Officers responded to reports that shots were being fired from inside an apartment. Officers tried to contact the person, but they never responded. A neighbor reported bullets coming through their wall and Officer Joshua Howery, who was outside of the apartments, fired a shot killing 31-year-old Matthew Holland. They found an AR-15 rifle inside of the apartment. No one in the apartments was injured.

Oregon Joins Apple Lawsuit

(Salem, OR) -- Oregon is joining 15 states and the federal government in a lawsuit against Apple. It claims Apple has a monopoly over the smart phone market. Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum says the action is to protect consumers and the integrity of the marketplace. She says Big Tech companies have to play by the same rules as everybody else. The lawsuit accuses Apple of having tight controls over iPhone software that prevents competition.

Man Sentenced In Domestic Violence Homicide

(Portland, OR) -- A Multnomah County judge has sentenced a man to 25 years in prison for killing his wife. Last June, Brandon Briscoe fatally shot Heather Booker in Corbett. Briscoe pleaded guilty to Manslaughter in the First Degree with a Firearm Constituting Domestic Violence. He was also a felon in possession of a gun. Briscoe will be transferred from Multnomah County to the Oregon Department of Corrections.

Driver Charged In Fatal Crash

(Portland, OR) -- A Tumwater, Washington man has turned himself after being indicted for a deadly crash in Portland last December. Thirty-three-year-old Codey Ammons-Brock was driving and crashed into a utility pole near Southeast 118th and Division Street. His passenger, David Lamb, of Portland, was injured and later died in a hospital. A Multnomah County grand jury indicted Ammons-Brock on charges of Manslaughter in the Second Degree, Driving Under the Influence, and Reckless Driving. He was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center.

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