(Portland, OR)  --  Portland Police recovered 10 stolen vehicles in their latest auto theft mission.  Five drivers tried to elude police and officers pursued three of the vehicles stopping them.   Seven people were arrested and one ghost-gun with a destroyed serial number was recovered.  Portland Police worked with the crowdsourced Facebook group PDX Stolen Cars, Gresham Police, Port of Portland Police, Multnomah and Clackamas County Sheriff's deputies and the District Attorney's Office.

(Washington, D.C.)  --  Oregon's two U-S Senators have introduced a bill to fund research to benefit forests and farming.  The Oregon Research Bounty Act would invest in eleven projects in the state's agriculture and forest products sector including research in wine grape smoke exposure, hemp, tree fruits, soil and sudden oak death.  Several of the programs were created by previous federal legislation.  The newly proposed act would provide permanent funding.

(Portland, OR)  --  Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson is proposing a nearly four-billion-dollar budget for next year.  It increases spending on homelessness by 24 percent.  Twenty-nine-million-dollars would be spent on substance use and recovery.  Eight-hundred-thousand dollars would go toward a partnership with Portland to reduce retail and auto theft.  There will be several opportunities for public comment before final approval June 6th.

(Portland, OR)  --  Oregon is one of the worst states in the nation when it comes to rising rates of auto loan delinquency.  That's according to Wallethub data, which reveals where delinquencies are increasing the most.  The top five states where auto delinquencies have increased the most are Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Georgia and Rhode Island.  In each of these states the average number of loan delinquencies in the fourth quarter of 2023 were above eleven-percent.  To determine the states most delinquent on auto loans WalletHub analyzed data on consumer delinquency rates between Q-3 and Q4 of 2023.

(Salem, OR)  --  Salem Police arrested a suspect on gun and drug possession charges on Tuesday.  35-year-old Daniel Northcutt was located at a hotel.  He initially refused to come out of the room, but eventually surrendered without incident.  A search found a handgun, a sawed-off shotgun, and one-and-a-half ounces of powder and 50 pills believed to be fentanyl.  They also recovered a thousand dollars in cash.  Northcutt was charged with felon in possession of a firearm and possession of controlled substances.

(Vancouver)  --  Clark County Sheriff's detectives have a mystery on their hands, after a resident stumbled across a body at a transient camp on Monday.  The partially decomposed remains were found inside a tent, in a wooded area near Northeast 179th Street and 10th Avenue.  Initial estimates are that the remains had been there between 6 and 12 months.  There is no indication of foul play.  The person's identity will be determined by the Clark County Medical Examiner.

(Portland, OR)  --  Nurses at the Multnomah County Jail have passed a no confidence vote in the director and senior clinical manager.  Nurses say staffing is inadequate and it's a hostile work environment.  Seven inmates died last year and three died the year before.  Nurses claim County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson won't meet with them, but she says she's tried.  She also says they've hired 14 people and rehired 15 people.  The nurses dispute those numbers.  They want the Corrections Health Director and Nursing Supervisor to be removed.

(Portland, OR)  --  Planning is underway for a new park in North Portland that will give access to the Willamette River.  Willamette Cove is located north of St. Johns and was a former industrial site that left a lot of waste that still needs to be cleaned up.  When that's finished, work can begin on the new 27-acre park.  It'll include trails, interpretive signs and access to the river along with parking and restrooms.  Metro wants your opinion on how the park should be developed.  There's a survey on Metro's website that will be available through May 10th.

(Portland, OR)  --  A mother on fentanyl gave birth in a tent in downtown Portland, Oregon across the street from a fire station.  KGW reports the woman had used fentanyl an hour before the birth and had no prenatal care.  Her partner said the umbilical cord was wrapped around the baby's neck and the mother was bleeding a lot.  She refused transport to a hospital.  Twelve days later, the baby was taken to the hospital and it's not known what its condition is.  Three years ago, Portland passed illicit- drug decriminalization measures, but lawmakers retreated on those measures after drug use exploded in the city.

(Portland, OR) -- The Oregon DMV has fixed a problem with a computer system that's used to process driver's licenses, ID cards or instruction permits that require photos. The system went down on Monday. The cause was a configuration issue with the program. It was the first time it occurred, and DMV says it was difficult to find the cause. The system is fixed and starting Thursday DMV offices will again be able to offer new driver's licenses, ID cards or instruction permits.

(Portland, OR) -- Healthcare deductibles and copays are on the rise for Oregonians. The Oregon Health Authority reports that between 2015 and 2022 the costs of deductibles and copays increased 17 percent. That doesn't include increases in premiums. In 2022, Oregonians with commercial health insurance paid 13 percent of their total health care costs, while people with Medicare Advantage paid nine percent. At least 28 percent of Oregonians were considered underinsured in 2021, meaning that even though they had health insurance, it was too expensive for them to use.

SALEM, OR -- Voters’ pamphlets for Oregon’s May primary are starting to arrive in mailboxes. State Elections Division Director Molly Woon says her office is getting a lot of calls from people wondering why former President Donald Trump - the only Republican Presidential candidate - does not appear in the pamphlet. 

"Candidate Trump did not submit a voters’ pamphlet statement for the May primary. And, just to make very clear, our office does not have any say in which statements appear in the pamphlet." Woon says, "It doesn’t affect whose name is on the ballot, so his name will clearly be on the ballot, but he is not in the pamphlet." She told reporters this week the Secretary of State's Office only prints what candidates submit, exactly how the statement is submitted. "We did reach out to the Trump campaign about how to submit the statement; we sent them multiple reminders. But, ultimately, we can’t force anyone to participate in the voters’ pamphlet process. But we do hope they'll consider submitting one in the general election in November."

For Democrats, campaigns are underway in several states to encourage voters to choose "uncommitted" instead of President Joe Biden, to protest Biden's Middle East policies. But, "There is no ‘uncommitted’ box on an Oregon ballot," says Woon. Write-in is always an option, but there are very few reasons those are counted. Woon says write-in candidates are considered if no one filed for that race, "The other reason that write-ins would be counted is if the cumulative number of write-in votes is greater than the top vote-getter."

The deadline to register for the May election, update your registration or change your party affiliation is April 30. Woon says, "For folks who make that change, that do a party change or you’re registering for the first time, updating your address close to the deadline of next Tuesday, it is possible they will receive two ballots." She adds, "This is totally normal." That’s because some counties pre-print ballots, so they’re ready to be mailed May first. "For a voter who receives two ballots, the most important thing is for them to know they cannot vote twice. They can only vote once. That second ballot that reflects their change is the ballot they should use. And if they have any questions or they’re not sure which ballot to vote, they should contact their county clerk."

(Salem, OR)  --  Computer problems at the Oregon DMV are preventing field offices from making driver's licenses or IDs.  The problem started on Monday.  If you have a license that's about to expire they can issue a 30 day temporary permit.  DMV can also process all vehicle related transactions.  Replacement and renewal credentials can be done over the DMV's website.

(Salem, OR)  --  Computer problems at the Oregon DMV are preventing field offices from making driver's licenses or IDs.  The problem started on Monday.  If you have a license that's about to expire they can issue a 30 day temporary permit.  DMV can also process all vehicle related transactions.  Replacement and renewal credentials can be done over the DMV's website.

(Portland, OR)  --  A woman who's accused of retail theft in Oregon and Washington has been indicted by a Multnomah County grand jury.  Twenty-four-year-old Janeice Downs was arrested in Washington and is currently lodged in the King County Jail.  In Washington she's accused of stealing over 400-thousand dollars worth of items.  In Multnomah County, she allegedly stole 56-thousand dollars in goods from stores.  She also faces charges in other Oregon counties where she allegedly stole from stores.

(Eugene, OR)  --  The former police officer accused of killing his ex-wife and underage girlfriend in Washington state and then abducting his one-year-old child is dead following a pursuit with Oregon State Police.  Police say Elias Huizar died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound yesterday following a car chase that ended when Huizar crashed into a semi on I-5 south of Albany.  The one-year-old boy in the car was unharmed and placed with child protective services.  Huizar was accused of killing his ex-wife at the school where she worked in Washington's Tri-Cities on Monday, and the body of his underage girlfriend was found near the school shortly after.  Huizar was due in court on Monday on charges of raping a teenage girl.  

(Portland, OR)  --  A suspect has been arrested in connection with a fatal shooting last December in Portland.  It happened near Southeast 148th and Taggart Street.  Officers found 41-year-old Michael McFadden injured.  He died at a hospital.  Investigators say it was not a random shooting.  On Monday, Homicide detectives arrested 48-year-old Donald Burgett, the second.  He was booked for Murder in the Second Degree.

(Portland, OR)  --  Willamette Week reports there's so much trash in the water of the Willamette River that the State Department of Environmental Quality is proposing it be regulated under the federal Clean Water Act.  The river would be the third body of water in the nation to be regulated that way.  Only California's Los Angeles River and the Potomac in Maryland are as dirty.  The listing would give the DEQ a tool to pressure riverfront property owners to prevent camping or clean it up.  The DEQ invites public comment until June 17th.

(Salem, OR)  --  The winner of the Oregon Lottery's latest million-dollar raffle had stuck the ticket in a Tupperware container with other tickets and just learned she's the big winner.  52-year-old Leslie Carr took the pile of tickets to a retailer where they were checked, and she found she won.  The news about the billion-dollar Powerball win reminded her about the tickets she had and took them in to be checked.  Carr works as a medical receptionist.  She plans to pay off their mortgage, buy a new truck and vacation in Hawaii.

(Salem, OR)  --  Two state lawmakers hope an informal workgroup can help find solutions to chronic absenteeism in Oregon schools.  Representative Hoa Nguyen, an East Portland Democrat who also serves on a school board, and Senator Suzanne Weber, a Tillamook Republican and former educator, are organizing the group.  Other members include district superintendents, parents, teachers, and other school staff.  They plan to meet monthly to create a legislative proposal for the 2025 session.

(Portland, OR)  --  More than four-thousand people volunteered to clean up Oregon during SOLVE's weeklong Spring Cleanup that ended on Earth Day.  There were projects across Oregon and in Southwest Washington.  Nearly 22-thousand pounds of litter and marine debris were picked up and almost 22-thousand square feet of invasive plants were removed.  The cleanup started in 1986 as the Oregon Spring Beach Cleanup and has expanded to projects across the region.

(Hillsboro, OR) -- Police in Hillsboro are investigating an apparent kidnapping that was captured on a home's doorbell camera. Police say the home's residents heard knocking on their door late Sunday night and checked their doorbell camera. The footage showed a woman standing on the doorstep frantically knocking and ringing the doorbell while a man ran up to her. She then screamed, "please help me!" twice while the man picked her up and dragged her into a white pickup truck. The residents called police, but the suspect and victim were gone. Police say the residents do not know the woman or the man in the video. An investigation is ongoing.

(Portland, OR) -- Oregon is getting over 80-million dollars in federal funding for solar energy projects. The Environmental Protection Agency announced yesterday Oregon will receive more than 86-point-six-million dollars of the total seven-billion dollars going out nationwide. The grants are part of the EPA's Solar for All grant competition. The funding will go towards launching programs to provide rooftop solar energy to lower-income households.

(Government Camp, OR) -- The Timberline Lodge is seeking donations to help it rebuild following a three-alarm fire that caused heavy damage last week. The historic lodge on the slopes of Mt. Hood reopened on Sunday after closing over the weekend due to the fire last Thursday. The lodge was built in 1937 and is also known for the location of where the movie The Shining was set. The investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing along with damage assessments. Donations can be made on the Timberline Lodge's website of Facebook page.

(Portland, OR) -- An investigation is ongoing after a large warehouse in North Portland caught fire Sunday morning. The 10-thousand square foot building housed an automotive repair shop. There were no windows and the smoke was under heavy pressure when the first Portland Fire & Rescue crews arrived. They cut a hole in to roof to vent the smoke and firefighters knocked down the flames in about 30 minutes. No one was injured.

(Corvallis, OR) -- Authorities in Corvallis are warning residents after a bear was seen roaming the streets. The Corvallis Police Department says it received multiple calls between 3 and 8 o'clock yesterday morning reporting sightings of the bear. The bear was seen strolling pass the police station and through the LBCC Corvallis campus and OSU dairy fields. Police warn anyone who sees the bear to avoid it until it moves on.

(Portland, OR) -- A Portland sports bar known for televising women's sports exclusively is branching out. KATU-2 reports The Sports Bra is expanding after receiving financial backing from Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. Sports Bra founder Jenny Nguyen says the franchise will be expanding into cities across the country and beyond.

(Salem, OR) -- The Oregon Health Authority reports the number of people accessing addiction treatment through Ballot Measure 110 continues to grow as more facilities increase staffing. Since the start of the program in 2022, screening services are up 346 percent and staffing is up 422 percent. Ballot Measure 110 required OHA to organize creation of addiction treatment centers across the state. Despite record growth in service access, nearly one-third of providers report challenges finding enough staff.

(Timberline Lodge, OR) - Work is underway to dry out Timberline Lodge following Friday's fire. It damaged the roof of the building, and water from fire hoses soaked the inside. Firefighters worked fast to remove paintings and protect other historic artwork. No one was injured. The lodge reopened to guests over the weekend. The investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.

(Glide, OR) -- Police say they've recovered the body of a missing Douglas County kindergarten teacher. Search and rescue teams found the body of 27-year-old Rachel Merchant-Ly on Friday. Merchant-Ly was reported missing February 29th, when she didn't show up for work at Glide Elementary. Later that day, deputies discovered signs of a crash on Highway 138. The next day, her vehicle was recovered from the North Umpqua River, but there was no sign of Merchant-Ly. Search and Rescue teams from Douglas, Jackson and Lane counties were back in the area Friday with additional volunteers. Her body was discovered more than seven miles downstream from the crash site.

(Oregon City, OR) -- A suspect was arrested Saturday afternoon for allegedly trying to stab an Oregon City Police officer. The incident started as a trespassing call at a Jiffy Lube. When officers tried to contact 23-year-old Adonai Gabriel-Escamila he pulled a knife and tried to stab an officer. The officer wasn't injured. Gabriel-Escamila ran into a business with customers inside. He eventually dropped the knife and was arrested. Gabriel-Escamila was treated at a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries and booked into the Clackamas County Jail.

(Washington, DC) -- The Supreme Court will hear arguments today over whether homeless people can be cited for camping on public property. At the center of the case is the Oregon city of Grants Pass, which has been enforcing ordinances that ban camping in city parks and on public property. A lower court ruled that if there are more homeless people than available shelter beds, the city can't fine people for camping outside. Opponents of the city's rules argue they violate the Eighth Amendment's protections against excessive fines and cruel and unusual punishment.

(Portland, OR) -- The U-S Attorney for Oregon is joining ten other U-S Attorneys in a new multi-agency carjacking task force. Seven of the groups launched around the country building on existing task forces in Chicago, Washington D-C, Philadelphia and Tampa. Officials say the efforts are driving down carjacking rates in those cities because prosecutors, officers, federal agents and analysts are working together. Oregon's task force will be led by the U-S Attorney's Office, the FBI and ATF, with state and local partners.

(Eugene, OR)  --  Police are searching for a man accused of inhaling nitrous oxide and swinging a sword near Terwilliger Hot Springs east of Eugene over the weekend.  Lane County Sheriff's deputies responded to the hot springs Saturday morning, but the suspect was gone.  No one was injured by the sword.  Deputies spotted 33-year-old Andrew Dimmick in a vehicle and he sped away on Forest Service roads before being stopped by downed trees.  Dimmick ran into the forest and despite a search with K-9s he couldn't be found.  Dimmick is six-foot four-inches tall, 175 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.  Anyone with information on his location should contact the Lane County Sheriff's Office.

(Washington, D.C.) -- Crater Lake National Park has a new company running concessions. Following months of complaints from staff and federal lawmakers, the National Park Service has approved ExplorUS to run hospitality that includes lodging, food and beverage services, retail operations at gift shops and boat tours. The previous provider - Aramark - faced criticism over employee working conditions and facility maintenance. Most visitor services will open for the season at Crater Lake in mid-May.

(Salem, OR) -- Oregon's minimum wage will increase 50-cents on July first. Bureau of Labor and Industries Commissioner Christina Stephenson announced the annual adjustment this week, based on inflation. The Standard rate goes up to 14-dollars and 70-cents an hour. For workers in 18 rural counties, the non-urban rate will increase to 13-70 an hour, and the Portland Metro Minimum wage will be 15-95 an hour. Oregon switched to a tiered minimum wage in 2017 adjustments based on inflation began in 2023.

(Winston, OR) -- Visitors to the Winston Wildlife Safari are getting to see a new Wallaroo joey. The baby was born last July. At birth, they're typically less than an inch long and spend up to 270 days in their mother's pouch. At nine months, they're permanently out of the pouch. The new joey can be seen regularly in the Australia walkabout section. It'll be a while longer before keepers can determine its gender.

MOUNT HOOD, OR -- Timberline Lodge reopened Sunday, following last week’s three-alarm fire. "The investigation is still ongoing and they are just starting the damage assessments to the exterior and interior of the building," says Heather Ibsen, with the Mt. Hood National Forest, "It ignited the roof, and there’s definitely roof damage. But, thankfully, the quick response of firefighters and Timberline employees really have limited that fire damage." Ten engines, three ladder trucks and five water tenders responded from five fire agencies late Thursday night. 

A bigger problem may be from the water, "And that water came into the roof, into the chimney and into the beams inside," says Ibsen. "They have people up there, drying things out with blowers, air scrubbers, tarps, all these different things, to try and get the moisture levels down. And then they can really kind of have a better feel for what the damage is and what repairs next steps are."

She says staff and firefighters from five agencies quickly moved paintings out of harm’s way, and did their best to protect the rest, "The lodge is filled with historic artwork and a lot of carvings and paintings and even metalworking in the doors that is original to the 1930s and part of that New Deal Works Progress administration artists and craftspeople. That kind of craftsmanship is all but gone today."

Staff are now helping visitors navigate around damaged areas, "Most people shouldn’t notice anything different in their experience. It is a building that’s owned by the American public. It’s owned by the Forest Service, operated for the American public and so anybody is welcome to come up, just to take a look around this historic building, at any time."

Timberline was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1977 and is one of the state’s most popular tourist attractions. It's operated under an agreement with the U.S. Forest Service. 

Photos courtesy of the US Forest Svc.

PORTLAND, OR -- An Oregon nonprofit hopes Earth Day inspires everyone to contribute to a cleaner, greener planet. While SOLVE Executive Director Kris Carico wants people thinking about the Earth all year, she understands why there’s one special day, "When the weather starts getting better and it’s nice to have that one day that kind of culminates into a big celebration."

SOLVE Oregon’s Spring Cleanup is underway this weekend, through Monday. Carico hopes the momentum continues all year, "Every weekend we have an event; many here in the Portland metro area, but also along the coast and in southern Oregon, central Oregon. So, every day is Earth Day to us."

Volunteering can be a family affair, "So, we want to get kids out when they’re young, show them how easy it is to volunteer and to safely get out and pull ivy or pick up litter, whatever that might be."

Carico says volunteers are often surprised about how quickly their bags fill with trash, especially when it’s small. "A lot of our beaches don’t have a lot of huge debris; it’s a lot of micro-trash. So, we want to remind people the importance of cleaning up that micro-trash. Sometimes you find it as you’re walking along the beach. On the tideline you’re going to see a lot of that - little bits of plastic." But that garbage is very different in urban areas, "In the city, it’s cigarette butts. We really encourage people to pick up our cigarette butts. They’re very toxic and they pollute our water all the time." And, once you start looking for litter, Carico says you can't unsee it, "If you spend an afternoon or a morning cleaning up in an urban area and you see a lot of cigarette butts, or you see a lot of scattered trash from a convenience store, you start to notice it just as you’re strolling through town, while you’re walking your dog."

Even if you don’t take part in an organized Earth Day event, she asks that you be mindful of the planet, "It’s the only thing we have. I mean, honestly, without the planet, we don’t exist. So, it’s vital that we’re taking care of our natural areas - not just for ourselves now, but for future generations."

Learn more about SOLVE’s events at their website.

SALEM, OR -- April is Child Abuse Prevention Month and Oregon’s child welfare agency is changing its abuse prevention strategy. Oregon DHS Child Welfare Director Aprille Flint-Gerner says the agency is more focused on supporting the whole family. "Ending child poverty, making sure that families just have what they need, absolutely can put a dent in our numbers of children that have to unnecessarily experience foster care." But she says the approach requires the entire community, "We really can’t do it all."

Flint-Gerner says poverty is often mistaken for neglect. "When we’re working together as a community to make sure that there are services, that there are resources, that we have caring community members that are not saying just, ‘what’s wrong with you?’ But, ‘what can I do to help you?’ You’re actually helping to prevent child abuse."

While economic status isn’t an indicator of abuse, families experiencing poverty are more likely to get reported to the state’s Child Abuse Hotline. She believes those calls could be avoided by better access to community resources, "We all are responsible for children in our community, not just the Child Welfare agency. And when we can find ways to just love on one another, ask how we can support one another and create those safety networks around children, then maybe the call doesn’t have to come to the line in the first place and we can prevent some bad things from happening to kids." 

Flint-Gerner doesn't discourage people from calling if they have concerns, and she says ODHS now has more resources, "We have human beings: social workers, people who are trained to understand the difference between poverty and neglect and child abuse, and those kinds of things."

ODHS is now working with the Doris Duke Foundation on a pilot project to offer families support to improve their economic stability. A similar program in Klamath County program has resulted in a 60% drop in the number of kids in foster care in that community.

To hear our full conversation with ODHS Child Welfare Director Aprille Flint-Gerner, visit KBND's Podcast Page. 

Mount Hood, OR -- A Thursday night fire at Timberline Lodge is now under investigation. The agents from the ATF and U.S. Forest Service are working to determine a cause.

Reports started pouring in at about 9:30 p.m. of a fire in the attic of the historic building. Crews from multiple fire agencies responded, including Hoodland Fire, Clackamas Fire, Gresham Fire and Estacada Fire. They knocked down the blaze and tried to protect historic assets.

(Salem, OR)  -- Governor Tina Kotek has announced that Chris Warner will be her new chief of staff. This comes after Kotek's previous chief of staff resigned abruptly about a month ago.  Warner was Kotek's Deputy Chief of Staff of Public Administration and recently served as Director of the Portland Bureau of Transportation.  Other members of Kotek's staff are also shuffling.  The Governor's Economic Development and Workforce Advisor takes over Warner's old position.  Kotek's Housing and Homelessness Initiative Director will take on the newly developed role of Deputy Chief of Staff for Governor's Initiatives.  And her Housing Advisor will become the new Housing and Homelessness Initiative Director.

(Salem, OR)  --  A new report from the Secretary of State's Office finds Oregon's Department of Environmental Quality should make changes to better support staff, especially minorities.  State auditors say DEQ is actively working to become an anti-racist organization but suggests it adopt new principles and demonstrate a commitment to change.  It also needs to decentralize and share power.  

To address other challenges, they also suggest DEQ create communication goals and priorities to break-down silos.

(Wilsonville, OR)  --  The Oregon Schools Activities Association won't change its policy concerning transgender athletes competing in girls sports.  A group of Republican women from the Oregon legislature sent a letter Tuesday to the OSAA demanding transgender athletes be banned from competing in girls' sports.  

In a response letter to the lawmakers, Executive Director Peter Weber says OSAA policies were developed through coordination with member schools and comply with state and federal laws intended to keep students safe and free from discrimination. Click HERE to read Weber's full letter. 

The GOP women issued their complaint after a Sherwood track meet, where a transgender student placed third in girls' events.

(Springfield, OR)  --  After working without a contact for over a year, the Oregon Nurses' Association says more than 90 frontline nurses at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Home Care Services in Lane County have voted to authorize a second strike.  Nurses led a limited-duration strike in February to protest PeaceHealths labor practices, to protect community health and safety and to secure equitable pay.  The union says PeaceHealth has continued demanding the home health and hospice nurses accept nearly percent lower pay than PeaceHealth pays hospital nurses in Eugene/Springfield and hospital and home care nurses in Florence.  This time, the walkout would be open-ended.  If a strike is called, the ONA will provide the community and PeaceHealth with a 10-day notice.  

(Salem, OR)  --  Oregon will use $5 million from the state's CHIPS Act for a new child care fund created by the 2024 legislature.  The goal is to fund childcare for workers in the semiconductor supply chain, including members of the building and construction trades.  

Business Oregon will work with the Bureau of Labor and Industries to dole out money and build on BOLI's existing apprentice-ship-related child care program. A work group will also create recommendations for requiring certain businesses to contribute to the CHIPS Child Care Fund. 

(Salem, OR)  --  Governor Tina Kotek signed a summer learning bill she says gives teachers and students needed resources.  The bill provides $30 million for programs this summer and orders Oregon's Department of Education to study how to establish a permanent summer learning program within the state's K-12 system.  

The bipartisan bill also requires districts to partner with tribes and community-based organizations to ensure programs reach high-need students. 

(Portland, OR)  --  A dog that was stolen from its sleeping owner on a MAX train has been returned.  Gresham Police say the dog, named Bodhi, was stolen along with the victim's phone.  Community members and the owner started an effort on social media to find the dog.  Police say the suspect was identified through MAX surveillance video and after releasing the person's name, the suspect came forward and turned over the dog.  The dog's owner asked the police to resolve the matter with a warning rather than criminal prosecution.

(Portland, OR)  --  The northbound span of the Interstate Bridge is set to close tomorrow night for its regular inspection.  I-5 northbound traffic should use I-84 and I-205 as a detour.  A team will inspect the bridge's steel structure.  The inspection is conducted every two years.  The bridge will be closed from 11 p.m. Saturday through 7 a.m. on Sunday.  The Jantzen Beach on-ramp to I-5 northbound will also be closed.  The northbound sidewalk will be closed, but the sidewalk on the southbound span will remain open.

(Portland, OR)  --  Transportation officials say excessive speed was to blame for Portland's deadliest traffic year on record.  The Portland Bureau of Transportation presented a report to City Council yesterday showing excessive speed was a factor in a majority of crashes last year.  The report says 40 of the 69 traffic deaths reported last year were at least partially caused by excessive speed.  The report also found that people experiencing homelessness are disproportionately affected by traffic violence.

(Portland, OR)  --  Multnomah County's Homelessness Czar is stepping down amid allegations of bullying women in the office.  Willamette Week reports Chris Fick resigned Monday afternoon at the request of Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson.  The resignation took effect on Tuesday.  Officials say six former and current female employees came forward with allegations that Fick repeatedly bullied women workers at the county.  Fick is receiving more than 25-thousand dollars in severance pay.

(Jacksonville, OR)  --  An investigation is ongoing into the discovery of skeletal human remains in rural Jacksonville.  The Jackson County Sheriff's Office says the remains were found Sunday in a remote area of rugged terrain in the Applegate area.  Police are investigating the death as suspicious.

(Vancouver, WA)  --  Evergreen Public Schools Superintendent John Boyd is retiring.  Boyd announced yesterday he plans to retire at the end of this school year.  Boyd says it was a difficult decision but that he and his family have agreed that this is the right time for him to retire.  Boyd has served as superintendent since 2022 and has worked as a teacher, principal and administrator for over three decades.  Evergreen Public Schools serves students in the Vancouver, Washington area.

(Salem, OR)  --  A second suspect has been arrested in a Salem mail theft investigation.  Forty-nine-year-old Brett Regimbal, of Salem, was arrested after a nearly seven-hour standoff with Salem Police SWAT.  Regimbal refused to talk with negotiators, so police sent a K9 into the house and he was taken into custody.  Investigators found stolen mail, counterfeit mail keys, evidence of identity theft and drugs.  Regimbal was booked into the Polk County Jail on charges including possession of a burglary tool, identity theft, and strangulation.  He had two outstanding warrants from Marion and Yamhill counties.

(Portland, OR)  --  Portland City Council is postponing discussion on Mayor Ted Wheeler's new camping ban proposal that would replace the previous law, which is tied up in court.  Council members were scheduled to take up the ban this week but are now delaying discussions on it until next Wednesday.  The new ordinance would focus on the manner of camping.  Things that would be prohibited include using a propane heater, blocking access to private property, and selling bike or car parts.  Violators could face a 100-dollar fine and up to seven days in jail.  Wheeler says it's mainly aimed and people who refused services that are offered for alternate shelter.

(Portland, OR)  --  Multnomah County is on track to meet its goal for spending Supportive House Services money.  This fiscal year, they've spent 91 million dollars which is 53 percent of the 170-million-dollar budget.  That's more than they spent in the entire previous fiscal year.  The money is used for shelter, outreach, permanent supportive housing and short-term housing assistance.  The program got off to a slow start the first two years because of workforce challenges in the homeless services sector, but those issues are improving.

(Salem, OR)  --  Oregon's Department of Agriculture is enacting emergency requirements for imported cattle in response to recent cases of bird flu in cattle found in other states.  Effective immediately, cattle exposed to, infected with or suspected to be carrying avian influenza or bovine influenza are not allowed to be brought into Oregon.  And dairy cattle coming from states with virus outbreaks need extra health certificates and special permission from the ODA.  The agency has also declared highly pathogenic avian influenza a reportable disease, regardless of species.

(Gresham, OR) -- Shootings appear to be on the rise in Gresham. The Gresham Police Department claims the number of shootings reported in the city is up 400-percent from 2018. Police say there have been 38 shootings in Gresham so far this year. The department claims it needs more police officers on the streets to address the alleged problem.

(Bethany, OR)  --  Police in Washington County are warning parents after a man allegedly tried to abduct a child near school.  It happened around 5:20 yesterday evening near the Jacob Wismer Elementary and Stoller Middle school complex.  Police say the boy was walking home from the elementary school when a man approached him and claimed to be a friend of his mother's.  The man then told the boy he'd been sent to pick him up.  Police say the boy ran away and got home safely.  The suspect is described as a large man in his 70s with a three-inch white beard, Pit Viper-style sunglasses and an American flag hat.

(Camas, WA)  --  A city near Portland is being called one of the best places to live in America.  Personal finance website Money says Camas in Washington's Clark County is one of the 50 best places to live in the U.S.  The website lists Camas in its "Best Kept Secrets" category and praises the town's commitment to revitalizing its downtown area as well as its easy access to natural attractions, like the Cape Horn Lookout.  Eugene also made the list under the website's "Not Just College Towns" category.

(Seattle, WA)  --  The families of a Seattle couple killed in a mass shooting that also injured an Oregon man during an electronic music festival last summer in Washington are filing a lawsuit.  Thirty-one-year-old Andrew Cuadra of Eugene suffered a gunshot wound in the attack last June at the Beyond Wonderland EDM festival at the Gorge Amphitheater.  Family members of the two women killed in the shooting, 29-year-old Brandy Escamilla and 26-year-old Josilyn Ruiz, are suing event organizer Live Nation and its security contractors.  They argue the companies had both the means and the responsibility to do more to prevent the shooting.  Court documents show 26-year-old James Kelly of Joint Base Lewis-McChord told detectives he took psychedelic mushrooms and started to believe the world was ending before pulling out a gun and opening fire.

(Salem, OR)  --  The Salem-Keizer School District plans to cut 400 positions to balance its budget for next year.  The cuts total 40-million-dollars which is on top of the 31-million-dollars the district already planned to cut.  Two-hundred-31 teachers will be eliminated across all grade levels, 114 instructional assistants, health assistants and graduation coaches will be cut along with eight administrators.  School District Superintendent Andrea Castañeda blamed the shortfall on underfunding by the state.

(Oregon City, OR)  --  A Clackamas County Jail deputy has been charged with Official Misconduct for an incident that happened last July.  The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office says the charges stem from a standard review following a use of force incident on an inmate by Deputy Jeanamarie Fisher.  Oregon State Police were called in to conduct the investigation.  Fisher has been placed on paid administrative leave.  The Clackamas County District Attorney's Office filed the charges against Fisher.

(Portland, OR)  --  Sight impaired basketball fans are experiencing NBA games in a partnership with the Portland Trail Blazers.  OneCourt, based in Seattle, developed a device that allows sight impaired people to experience a basketball game by feel through their hands.  They place their hands on a device that lays on their lap.  Vibrations indicate where the play is on the court.  The two organizations worked with local nonprofits to invite sight impaired people to test the devices.  The Trail Blazers allow the company to access the NBA's live gameplay tracking data that translates to vibrations on the device.  Tests will continue at the final two games of the season this week.

(Portland, OR)  --  The Oregon Zoo is bringing back its Zoo Brew festival to help kick off the summer season.  The zoo announced this week it will run the popular beer-tasting festival June 7th and 8th.  Over 45 breweries and cideries from the Pacific Northwest will be represented.  Tickets are available at the Oregon Zoo's website.

(Salem, OR)  --  Oregon is distributing millions of dollars to local fire agencies to help out with this year's wildfire season.  The Oregon State Fire Marshal announced earlier this week it has awarded a total of six-million dollars in grants to nearly 200 local agencies.  The funding is intended to help the agencies pay for the additional staffing necessary to fight the growing number of wildfires in the state.

(Portland, OR) -- One person is dead after being crushed by a 12-hundred-pound tree stump in Northeast Portland. KATU-2 reports the victim was using some sort of equipment to remove the stump from their backyard yesterday morning when the equipment malfunctioned. Firefighters say the victim died at the scene.

(Vancouver, WA) -- A 23-year-old man accused of opening fire on a pair of churches and a school parking lot in Vancouver is pleading not guilty. KATU-2 reports Aleksey Suturin pleaded not guilty to multiple charges in court yesterday in connection to the drive-by shooting spree early Tuesday morning. Police say the spree started with a shooting at the Seventh Day Adventist Church on Northeast Saint Johns Road. Then shots were fired at the Kessid Columbia Church on Northwest 99th Street and later at a school parking lot. No injuries were reported. Suturin is being held without bail until a competency evaluation can be completed.

(Chehalis, OR) -- A Southwest Washington man is pleading not guilty to sabotaging a pair of electrical substations in Oregon. The Oregonian reports Nathaniel Cheney of Chehalis pleaded not guilty to federal charges in court yesterday. He's accused of breaking into power stations in Oregon City and Clackamas near Portland in November of 2022 and shooting at pieces of equipment. Police say he had an accomplice, whose name remains redacted.

(Milwaukie, OR) -- Milwaukie Police have released the name of a man who was hit by a vehicle and killed on Tuesday. Police say 80-year-old Louis Daniel Rodrigues, of Milwaukie, was crossing Southeast McLoughlin Boulevard in an area that wasn't a crosswalk. There was also reduced driver visibility. Rodrigues died at the scene. No citations or charges were issued to the driver who remained at the scene.

(Gresham, OR) -- A suspect in a Gresham assault has been arrested. Police were trying to find the person who used a skateboard to hit a man on the head. The victim was hospitalized. Tuesday night, the 15-year-old suspect came with his parents to the Gresham Police Department and turned himself in. He was lodged at the Donald E. Long Juvenile Detention Facility and will be charged with assault.

(Hillsboro, OR) -- Police are seeking help in their search for a missing Hillsboro man. The Hillsboro Police Department says 58-year-old Daniel Quitugua has been missing since April 2nd. Police say he was last seen leaving his home in his white Toyota Tacoma. Anyone with information is urged to contact police.

(Portland, OR) -- A pilot project to help people in Portland's Central City with mental health and addiction problems is being expanded. The Unified Command, under the Governor's 90-day fentanyl emergency, has recommended spending 682-thousand dollars to lease a space and staff the operation. The money would fund four peer support specialist-outreach team members, a project coordinator, a vehicle and leased space at the Mercy Corps building. The cost is being split between the state, Multnomah County and the City of Portland.

(Portland, OR) -- Portland Police are trying to find 53-year-old Harold "Bob" Dulaney in connection with a fatal shooting February 5th in the St. Johns Neighborhood. Dulaney is six-feet three-inches tall, weighs 260 pounds, and has brown hair and hazel eyes. He walks in a hunched posture and sometimes uses a cane. Crime Stoppers is offering a 25-hundred-dollar reward for information that leads to his arrest.

(Woodburn, OR) -- The Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival is ending early this year. KATU-2 reports the annual event will end a week earlier this year on Sunday, April 28th. The festival was originally slated to run through May 5th. The festival started early this year due to an unseasonably early bloom.

(Gervais, OR) -- The Gervais School District could be forced to close if voters don't approve a bond for repairs. The last time voters approved a maintenance bond for the school district was in 1991. The Statesman Journal reports a survey of the district's three buildings found 119 projects would cost around 60-million-dollars to complete. The current bond is asking voters for 28-million-dollars. It would be used to build a new middle school, add portables, replace the roof on the high school and more than two dozen other projects. If the district closes, students would go to other schools in Marion County.

(Portland, OR) -- Portland Police have released the name of a pedestrian who was killed in a hit and run crash last week. Rachelle Schaefer, of Portland, was on the offramp from southbound I-5 to North Broadway when she was hit. She died at the scene. The driver didn't stop and police are asking for help identifying the vehicle or the suspect.

(Netarts, OR) -- The body of a 54-year-old man from New Mexico who drowned in Netarts Bay has been recovered. Last Thursday, a man and a woman were clamming on a sand bar when the tide came in and they tried to swim to shore. The woman made it, but when she looked for the man she couldn't find him. The water was neck-deep and he was wearing waders. On Saturday, people crabbing in the bay called 911 to report finding a deceased man in the water. Tillamook County Sheriff's deputies responded and located the man. They determined it was the same man who went missing two days earlier. He was still wearing the waders.

(Portland, OR) -- Multnomah County is planning a one week closure of the Behavioral Health Resource Center starting May 6th. The closure is required for fire protection upgrades to elevator shafts. During the closure, staff will get required certification training and drainage work will be done in the courtyard. The Resource Center provides daily support for over 100 people with mental health challenges. There's also a 30-day shelter program and a 90-day transitional bridge housing program.

(Woodburn, OR)  --  The warm weather has caused the tulips at the Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm in Woodburn to bloom early.  They're currently in full bloom and if you want to take part in the Wooden Shoe Tulip festival, you'll need to do it by April 28th.  They're ending early this year, because there won't be many tulips remaining for the planned May 5th end to the festival.  All admission, both day and season tickets, need to be purchased online.

(Corvallis, OR)  --  Tuition at Oregon State University is going up.  Last Friday, the Board of Trustees approved an increase of four-point-six percent for undergraduate students.  OSU will increase student financial aid by nearly 10-million-dollars to more than 125-million dollars.  That's nearly three times what it was five years ago.  The university says the increases are driven by inflation from labor, goods and services, along with costs from increasing enrollment.

(Portland, OR) -- Comedian and actor Wanda Sykes is bringing her "Please & Thank You" tour to Portland this fall. Sykes is an Emmy award winning comic, writer, and actor. Her most recent Netflix special is called "Wanda Sykes: I'm an Entertainer." She'll perform October 11th at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. Tickets go on sale this Friday.

(Portland, OR)  --  Multnomah County's Preschool for All program is accepting applications for 2024-25.  The program is free.  It's funded by a Multnomah County income tax.  Six-hundred new students will be added this year.  A total of two-thousand students will be in the program.  The deadline to apply is April 30th.  The goal is to eventually have openings for all children in the county.  Currently, children from disadvantaged families get higher priority.

(Portland, OR)  --  More changes are coming to the Gateway Green Project.  It's located at the intersection of I-84 and I-205 in Northeast Portland.  The park already includes hiking trails and mountain biking.  The work is beginning at the south end of the park.  It'll include a new entry plaza, a thousand feet of new bike trails, a new trailhead, restoration of oak habitat and a five percent grade that will make it easier to access the park.  The third phase of the project is expected to be completed this fall. 

(Portland, OR)  --  Portland is being called one of the top ten healthiest cities in the nation.  The finance company WalletHub compared 182 cities in terms of good health, focusing on 41 areas like daily fruit and vegetable consumption and the rate of healthy restaurants per capita.  Portland was ranked sixth in the U.S.. San Francisco came in first place, followed by Honolulu in second.

(Portland, OR)  --  The Oregon Humane Society is helping the Oregon Coast Small Animal Rescue, in Toledo, by taking 36 cats.  The cat rescue says it's been overwhelmed by people leaving cats at their facility.  The Oregon Humane Society has a special center to handle large rescues, but they're asking for donations, and they need people to adopt the cats.  Some of the cats will be available as soon as this weekend.

(Oregon City, OR)  --  A man who vandalized the public elevator in Oregon City has been arrested.  Late Friday night, surveillance video captured a suspect kicking the elevator doors causing so much damage the elevator stopped working. The damage is estimated at over a thousand dollars.  On Saturday, police identified the suspect and arrested 22-year-old Evan Bettencourt.

(Portland, OR)  --  A pedestrian who was hit on April 1st in Portland's Overlook neighborhood has died from his injuries.  The crash happened at 6:15 in the morning near North Interstate Avenue and Sumner Street. Thirty-one-year-old Cameron Giles was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries, and he died three days later at a hospital.  The driver remained at the scene and has not been cited or charged.  The investigation is ongoing.

(Gresham, OR)  --  A seven-day MAX disruption is underway in Gresham.  Crews are replacing a decades-old rail crossing in the Rockwood Neighborhood.  It's located about a thousand feet southeast of the 188th Avenue station.  New rail will be installed along with a better crossing for vehicles.  Five MAX stations are closed between the East 172nd Avenue and Civic Drive MAX stations.  Buses are running in place of the Blue Line trains.  Service will return to normal on Sunday April 14th.

(Salem, OR)  --  Oregon will receive more than 90-million dollars from the Environmental Protection Agency to fund safe drinking water projects and strengthen wastewater and stormwater infrastructure. Fifty-three-million is for development of water treatment facilities.  The investments are part of eight-and-a-half-billion dollars the EPA is doling out around the country from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024.

(Portland, OR)  --  A heat map of the Portland area has been produced that shows the hottest areas during extreme heat.  It includes Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties.  It's the largest heat mapping project in the world and covered 400 square miles.  The hottest areas were along transportation corridors.  The information can be used by governments to increasing cooling centers and where to plant more trees to provide shade.

(undated)  --  Somebody won the billion-dollar Powerball jackpot.  Lottery officials say a single ticket in Oregon matched all six numbers in Saturday's drawing, and is worth an estimated one-point-three-billion dollars.  Powerball says it's the fourth-largest jackpot in the history of the game.  The winner has the option of getting the full amount, before taxes, spread out over 30 years, or getting a lump sum payment of about 620-million dollars. 

(Portland, OR)  --  Comedian Ellen DeGeneres will perform in Portland this summer.  She ended her talk show after 19 seasons, and after taking a break from stand-up, she's resumed for what might be her last tour.  She's bringing her "Ellen's Last Stand...Up" to the Newmark Theatre on Tuesday, June 25th and Wednesday, June 26th.

(Portland, OR)  --  A free solar eclipse viewing party is set for today at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry.  The museum will have pinhole cameras available to see what the eclipse looks like over Oregon.  The Planetarium will have a live stream video of the eclipse.  Over Oregon, the Moon will cover 23 percent of the Sun.  The duration will be over four minutes which is nearly twice as long as the 2017 solar eclipse.  The viewing party will run from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

(Portland, OR)  --  Multnomah County will be funding a program to keep 80 asylum seekers from homelessness.  The group had previously been staying at a hotel in North Portland through the Interfaith Movement for Immigrant Justice but the funds ran out at the end of March.  The funding will last through the end of the month.  Long term solutions will be discussed next week at a county meeting. 

(Oregon City, OR)  --  A service dog taken in a stolen car Monday in Oregon City is back with his family.  The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office says the car was spotted driving into an apartment complex.  The suspects ran into an apartment leading to a standoff.  After several hours, deputies arrested Derek Johnson and Celeste Bush.  Nina White was arrested for allegedly trying to hide the two in her apartment.  Acting on a tip, deputies went to an apartment complex in Happy Valley and recovered the service dog, named Takoda.

(Portland, OR)  --  A new city ordinance has been announced by the mayor to ban homeless camps in public areas.  It comes as Mayor Wheeler's previous camping ban was put on hold by a judge.  The new plan would ban camping for people who have a reasonable shelter alternative or who decline an offer of a reasonable alternative. 

(Portland, OR)  --  A Florida woman is being accused of stealing almost one-and-a-half million dollars from Portland's affordable housing funds.  Chantail Williams faces seven charges including aggravated theft for allegedly taking affordable housing money in a cybersecurity breach.  She allegedly took the money late in April of 2022.  She was arrested in Florida and transferred to Multnomah County custody on Wednesday.

(Portland, OR)  --  Alaska Airlines is receving a big payout following the door plug incident on a flight leaving Portland International in January.  The airline says Boeing has paid them 160-million dollars in "initial compensation" for the mishap, which involved a door plug blowing out midflight on an Alaska Boeing Max 9 jet. Alaska says the payment covered the airline's pretax loss related to the accident.  Boeing will allegedly pay more at a later date for lost revenue due to Alaska's "customer consideration."  

(Medford, OR)  --  A federal grand jury in Medford has indicted a man for allegedly selling explosives and fentanyl.  In March, Medford Police notified ATF agents that 56-year-old Wesley Armstrong was trying to sell explosives.  They say he was arrested after selling eight cast explosives, other explosive material and a small amount of fentanyl.  A search of his vehicle found a loaded gun and more fentanyl.  He was charged for selling explosives, drug possession with intent to distribute, and felon in possession of a firearm.

(Portland, OR)  --  The new Main Terminal at Portland International Airport will open in August.  Crews paused work earlier this year, because of safety issues that lead to near accidents.  The project was delayed by three months.  Over the past several weeks, crews have been installing Oregon white oak flooring and benches for stadium seating in a community space before you go through security.  The TSA checkpoints are being redesigned to make it easier and faster for travelers.  And concession areas are being completed.  They have not set a specific date for the opening.

(Portland, OR)  --  A Florida woman is accused of a cyberattack on the City of Portland, stealing nearly one-and-a-half-million dollars.  The suspect allegedly hacked into the email account of a city employee and misdirected the money to a bank account in Florida that was managed by Chantail Williams.  The money was transfered to other accounts, including international accounts.  Williams allegedly used the money to buy a car and home furnishings.  She was arrested in Florida and extradited to Portland, where she faces a seven count indictment for stealing and laundering public funds.

(Portland, OR)  --  A coalition of more than 20 organizations wants to send President Biden a message during Oregon's May Primary.  They're asking members of the Democrat party to write in "uncommitted" on their ballots.  The group wants Biden to demand that Israel stop its attack on Hamas and agree to a permanent ceasefire.  Oregon is one of 22 states where the group is protesting.

(Portland, OR)  --  Portland Police have arrested a suspect in the fatal shooting of a man in the Hillsdale neighborhood.  It happened in a parking lot off Southwest Capitol Highway on January 13th.  The victim, 35-year-old Joshua Page, was found in a vehicle.  He was hospitalized and later died.  Homicide detectives identified the suspect as 19-year-old Luis Gutierrez-Medina.  He was arrested and will be charged with manslaughter.

PORTLAND, OR -- Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality asks everyone to put a greater focus this week on preventing food waste, to protect the planet and save money.

"Food is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental problems. We know that up to 40% of the food that is grown or imported for consumption is ultimately never eaten," says DEQ Food Systems Specialist Jerin Dinkins, "We buy three bags of groceries at the store, and the amount of food that we’re wasting is equivalent to just walking to your car and dropping one of those grocery bags on the ground and never even consuming it."

Wasting food is also expensive. "Households in Oregon lose a lot of money due to food waste; up to about $1600 a year," says the DEQ's Katie Romano. That’s where Food Waste Prevention Week comes in. Romano says Oregon ranked third in the nation for participation in 2023, "A lot of our communities, both in our metro areas, as well as some of our more rural communities, these different organizations are really coming together, collaborating, connecting and creating some really unique and creative events to spread the word about food waste prevention." Dinkins says, "The goal is to raise awareness about the environmental and the economic impacts of wasted food, while also addressing food insecurity and all doing this while trying to save Oregon families money over time."

Events are planned around the state and virtually this week, where people can learn simple tips like just paying attention to what’s in your fridge and pantry. "A lot of times, those leftovers kind of get smooshed into the back and we totally forget about them; out of sight out of mind. There’s something newer, more enticing up in the front part of your refrigerator," says Romano. 

The Oregon DEQ is also hosting an online video contest for K-12 students and their teachers. Winners will receive cash prizes. Those submissions are accepted through May 10th. 

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SALEM, OR -- Oregon Governor Tina Kotek signed a bill into law Wednesday, limiting campaign contributions. 

"For many years, Oregon has been one of a handful of states that don’t have any limits on how much people can give to political campaigns," House Speaker Julie Fahey said at the bill signing ceremony, noting Oregon is now one of 46 states where donations to political candidates are limited. "Our goal with this bill was to meet the need for reasonable contribution limits, better transparency and accountability, but without simply shifting contributions into dark money independent expenditures. And, without shutting out the grassroots organizations that are doing the kind of pro-democracy campaigning that we want to see more of - things like door-to-door campaigning and community organizing."

Like many others, House Minority Leader Jeff Helfrich didn’t think the bill would pass in the short session, but says, "We came together as Republicans and Democrats to get this bill across the line and help negotiate it for the best outcomes." He added, "Every day Oregonians’ voices have been heard." Helfrich and Fahey led the bipartisan effort to pass the bill. "Everyone deserves a chance to participate in our elections process, and it shouldn’t just be for the rich and powerful," said Helfrich, "A thriving democracy depends on an active engagement of citizenry who have faith in their vote that matters."

Angela Wilhelms, President of the statewide Chamber known as Oregon Business & Industry, says the bill is a starting point, "We anticipate a discussion in 2025, maybe 2026, maybe beyond, about necessary improvements to the structure layed out in House Bill 2024. We know there will need to be a lot of rulemaking."

The new law takes effect in 2027. "We have all witnessed the erosion of trust in our democratic institutions," said Rep. Fahey, "And I hope that this bill, and other key measures we’ve passed recently, will help restore some of the faith that has been lost."  

SALEM, OR -- Oregon Governor Tina Kotek is creating an Office of the First Spouse. Responding to criticism over her plan, Kotek told reporters Wednesday the office was previously approved by the legislature, "First Spouses are now public officials under the revised statutes. That's why the first spouses have to submit their statements of economic interests, just like other electeds."

But, what lawmakers approved several years ago did not include rules for the position. Kotek is submitting questions to the Oregon Ethics Commission for guidance, "Questions that I think a lot of people have, we're working on the questions. We're going to submit those; I believe we're shooting for Friday to the commission. We'll make those public, what the questions are. The response from the Ethics Commission will also be a public document, because they do give opinions and that's how they do it." After getting those answers she'll set a direction for her wife Aimee Kotek Wilson. "We hope that will provide some clarity for everybody. Certainly our office; certainly, you know, the public and probably answer a lot of your questions as well." Kotek notes the job of First Spouse is a volunteer, unpaid position.  

The Governor has also requested additional security for her wife, "It is commonplace in other states that First Spouses have security protection." And, she says, "It is the policy of the state to keep members of the First Family safe. Period, plain and simple." But, she wouldn't elaborate on why she considered it necessary.  

(Newberg, OR)  --  An investigation is ongoing after a missing Newberg woman was found dead near her home.  Police say officers found the body of 43-year-old Carolyn Duncan in the creek behind her home yesterday.  Duncan had been reported missing on Sunday.  Authorities are still working to determine her cause of death.

(Vancouver, WA)  --  Bail is set at two-million dollars for a man accused of killing another man with a bow and arrow in Vancouver.  Richard Vanderhoek made his first court appearance yesterday.  The Clark County Sheriff's Office says Vanderhoek called 911 on Tuesday to report he shot another man with an arrow after an altercation.  A witness says the two men were fighting in front of a house when one man walked away and the other followed in a vehicle.  When they returned, there was another altercation and the victim was killed with an arrow.  Vanderhoek is charged with second-degree murder.

(Sweet Home, OR)  --  A momma dog and her eight puppies are recovering after being abandoned in a forest in Southwest Washington.  The Knotty Creek Animal Rescue in Sweet Home was alerted to the abandoned dogs in Skamania County over the weekend.  A volunteer with the rescue traveled to the location and found the momma dog tied to a tree, with her eight pups nearby.  Officials say it appears the dogs had been left there for about a week before being discovered, with a nearby deer carcass serving as their only food.  The dogs are now safely recovering at the rescue.

(Portland, OR)  --  The Oregon Zoo is seeking volunteers to help track the Columbia River Gorge's Pika population.  The work is for a project called The Cascades Pika Watch, which aims to map out where the fluffy rodents make their homes in the region.  The zoo is offering a free crash course in May to help residents learn how to identify pikas.  Interested residents can visit the zoo's website for more information.

(Cannon Beach, OR)  --  Two teenagers and a family dog are safe after being rescued from a rip current at Cannon Beach.  Fire officials say the 18-year-old and 14-year-old were boogie boarding on Tuesday when their parents noticed they'd been separated from their boards.  The younger teen reportedly managed to drag themselves and the older teen out of the water.  The dog was also pulled from the water and is doing fine.  First responders arrived to find the teens recovering on the beach and took them to a hospital for evaluation.
 

(Portland, OR)  --  Police say a woman who was on I-5 near North Broadway Avenue was hit and killed Tuesday night and driver didn't stop.  The woman was on the off-ramp to North Broadway Avenue when she was hit.  Her name hasn't been released.  Police are trying to identify the vehicle that hit the woman.

(Portland, OR)  --  Authorities say a man who was stabbed to death on a MAX train last Friday did nothing to provoke the attack.  Police say 51-year-old Michael Brady was sitting across the isle from the suspect, Shondel Larkin.  Surveillance video from the train shows Larkin suddenly stand up and start to stab Brady.  Larkin was arrested and charged with murder.  Nora Brady released a statement saying she wants people to know her husband was a great human being, a loving father of a six-year-old boy, and a loving husband.  

(Portland, OR)  --  The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry is offering a free solar eclipse viewing party on Monday.  They will have pinhole cameras available if you want to see what the eclipse looks like over Oregon.  The Planetarium will have a live stream video of the eclipse.  Over Oregon, the Moon will cover 23 percent of the Sun.  The duration will be over four minutes which is nearly twice as long as the 2017 solar eclipse.  The viewing party will run from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

(Salem, OR)  --  The Oregon Secretary of State's Office is expanding its program to reduce election misinformation.  The legislature allocated $150,000 for this year's public service campaign, which you'll see on social media.  Messages highlight efforts the state takes to keep elections accurate, safe and secure.  It encourages people to visit OregonVotes.gov for accurate election information.

(Portland, OR)  --  An investigation is ongoing after a man was stabbed multiple times in downtown Portland Monday afternoon.  Police say it happened near Southwest Park Avenue and Yamhill Street.  The man was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.  Police have not made an arrest and they're looking at surveillance video in the area to help identify a suspect.

(Salem, OR) -- The Oregon Department of Agriculture is warning ranchers to take precautions against bird flu. Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza has now been detected in cattle on an Idaho dairy farm. The dairy recently imported cows from another state where bird flu was detected in cattle. Ranchers are being advised to practice good biosecurity. There's no evidence the virus is any more contagious than before and there is no risk to the commercial milk supply. ODA encourages farmers to test animals before moving them and isolate sick animals from the rest of the herd.

(Salem, OR) -- A wrong way driver has been arrested for a crash in Salem that killed another driver. The crash happened Tuesday morning on Commercial Street and Ewald Avenue Southeast. Salem Police say 38-year-old Thomas Cesna was driving the wrong way when he collided head on with a pickup. Fifty-two-year-old Jose Hernandez-Orozco was driving the truck. He was taken to Salem Hospital where he died. Cesna was also hospitalized. He'll be arrested and charged with manslaughter, reckless driving, and driving under the influence.

(La Grande, OR) -- A tanker truck carrying 102-thousand Chinook smolts for release into the Imnaha River in Northeast Oregon crashed northeast of Elgin. The semi rolled onto its top. The crash happened along Lookingglass Creek and 77 thousand smolts made it into the creek. Twenty-five thousand smolts died in the tanker or on the ground. The driver suffered minor injuries. The smolts represent 20 percent of the total that will be released into the river. Fishery managers expect as many as 900 fewer adult fish will return in 2026 and 2027. The 77-thousand fish that made it into the creek should bring a return of up to 700 adults.

(Cottage Grove, OR) -- A young black bear has been killed in Cottage Grove after losing its fear of people. Oregon State Police say residents were hand feeding the bear. It would sleep on porches and in front of doors. The bear was killed at the request of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. The body will be taken to the state veterinary office for a necropsy. Fish and Wildlife Officials say that once a bear loses its fear of people they can't be relocated.

(Portland, OR) -- The price of gas in Oregon is up while the national average remained steady over the last week. The Triple-A says Oregon's average increased eight cents to 4-dollars-29-cents a gallon. The national average is 3-dollars-54-cents. Oregon's increase is the eight-largest in the country. Refinery maintenance and increased demand have reduced supplies which causes prices to rise. More expensive summer blends of fuel are reaching pumps and the cost of crude oil is over 80 dollars a barrel which also puts upward pressure on prices.

(Vancouver, WA) -- An investigation is ongoing after a man was killed with a bow and arrow Tuesday morning in Vancouver. The Clark County Sheriff's Office says the suspect called 911 and said he shot another man with an arrow after an altercation. It happened on Northeast Petticoat Lane near Northeast St. Johns Road. A witness saw two men fighting in front of the house. One man walked away and the other followed in a vehicle. When they returned, there was another altercation and the man was killed with an arrow. He died at the scene. The suspect, Richard Vanderhoek, said he was an acquaintance of the victim. Vanderhoek was treated at a hospital for minor injuries, arrested and charged with Murder in the Second Degree.

(Vancouver, WA) -- Vancouver Police are asking anyone with information about the disappearance of Cristina Ase to contact them. She left for work at a West Linn care center last Tuesday, but didn't arrive. Her car was found in Vancouver, with her lunch still inside. Police believe her disappearance is suspicious. Her friends say she wouldn't leave without telling someone. A person of interest has not been identified in the case.

(Gresham, OR) -- A 54-year-old man is jailed after trying to steal a car, then breaking into at least one home and evading arrest for two hours. Multnomah County Sheriff's deputies say it happened in Wood Village late Monday morning. It started with a search for the suspect who tried to steal a car on Northeast Arata [[ uh-RAT'-uh ]] Road. The suspect was seen running through several yards, and one home. Deputies found David Knight hiding in the home's garage and arrested him on multiple charges, including unlawful entry of a motor vehicle, burglary and trespass.

(Portland, OR) -- The Portland Fire Bureau says its new overdose response team is keeping other firefighters available to respond to non-overdose calls. In the first month, the Community Health Asses & Treat Overdose Response Team handled 90 calls. In nearly half of the calls, the patient didn't go to a hospital emergency department. Twenty-eight percent of the patients were treated in the field without transport. The program saved 30 hours in response time from other crews at the downtown fire station, where the team is located.

(Vancouver, WA) -- The victim of a robbery in downtown Vancouver thought he was stabbed, but it turned out he was shot. Sunday morning, police responded to a fight at the Vine Turtle Place bus stop at 7th and Washington Street. The suspects and victim were gone. Twenty minutes later, a man called 911 and requested an ambulance near Broadway and East 12th Street. He was bleeding and thought he had been stabbed. Doctors say he was shot at close range and he was expected to survive. The suspects got on a bus that police located and five people were arrested. Police recovered the gun, illegal drugs, the victim's shoes and other evidence.

(Portland, OR) -- Portland Police have arrested a woman who's accused of burglarizing businesses in seven cities. Thirty-eight-year-old Virginia Kellison is accused of three burglaries at a game and comic shop and a consignment shop in Southwest Portland. She's accused of stealing over 50-thousand dollars' worth of items. Police believe she also burglarized businesses in Lake Oswego, Beaverton, Sherwood, Salem, McMinnville and Southwest Washington. Kellison was arrested Monday morning and charged with burglary and theft.

(Portland, OR) -- Six-million-dollars in Oregon properties have been forfeited to the federal government, because they were used for drug trafficking. Fifty-three-year-old Fayao "Paul" Rong, of Houston, Texas, ran the operations. He was sentenced to nearly three years in prison. Homes in six counties were turned into marijuana grow operations. Excessive power use helped tip police to the operations. In one case, so much power was drawn a transformer exploded. Rong shipped 13-million dollars in marijuana to states where weed sales are illegal.

(Mt. St. Helens, WA) -- The Skamania County Sheriff's Office has identified a snowboarder who was killed in a fall into the crater of Mt. St. Helens. On Saturday, 42-year-old Roscoe Shorey, of Washougal, climbed to the rim of the mountain. He was an experienced climber. It was his 28th trip to the top. He was on a snow cornice when it broke and he fell 12-hundred feet into the volcano's crater. He was killed in the fall. A helicopter brought a search and recovery team into the crater and they removed his body. The Sheriff's Office says snow cornices are difficult to detect and more likely to break away during warmer weather.

(Portland, OR) -- The suspect in a fatal stabbing on a MAX train told investigators he heard voices telling him to do it. The incident happened on a MAX train approaching the 82nd Avenue Transit Station Friday evening. Court documents reveal surveillance video on the train shows 51-year-old Shondel Larkin allegedly stabbing the victim repeatedly in an unprovoked attacked. The victim died on the MAX platform. Police found Larkin in the train covered in blood and armed with a large butcher-style kitchen knife. Larkin is charged with Murder in the Second Degree.

(Salem, OR) -- Oregon Governor Tina Kotek is accepting applications for new judges in Washington and Jackson counties. Last week, she signed a bill that adds judicial positions in the two counties effective July 1st. In 2025, Clackamas County will also get a new judge. Lawyers with a wide variety of backgrounds are encouraged to apply. The Governor will appoint judges to the new positions and then they'll have to run in an election to stay on the bench.

(Portland, OR) -- Multnomah County has several areas for improvement following January's extreme cold and ice storm. Four people died from the cold, three people died from fallen power lines and one person was killed by a falling tree. Shelters set a record for use. An after-action report recommends planning for longer shelter operations, year-round training for a storm response, fewer but larger shelters, and security personnel at shelters. The county will also work to coordinate its response with Portland and other partners.

(Eugene, OR) -- A man is lucky to be alive after he narrowly escaped being hit by a flying four-foot saw blade in Eugene over the weekend. A construction crew was using the blade on a piece of equipment when it flew off at high speed, raced across a parking lot and slammed into the wall of a convenience store. Surveillance video showed a customer going through the door seconds before impact. The blade was embedded halfway into the wall next to the door. No one was hurt.

(Salem, OR) -- Oregon Governor Tina Kotek has signed a bill passed by the legislature that recriminalizes possession of small amounts of illicit drugs. It reverses Ballot Measure 110 that voters approved. The new law creates a misdemeanor for drug possession with a possible six months in jail. It also allows counties to establish deflection programs to avoid fines, if the person completes addiction treatment. Critics are concerned about racial disparities of enforcement. Supporters say potential jail time is needed to encourage people to get treatment.

(Portland, OR) -- The eastbound ramp from the Morrison Bridge in Portland to Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard will be closed during the day this week. Last week, a semi rolled onto its side causing damage to the guard rail on the bridge. The ramp will be closed from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. most days this week for repairs.

(Portland, OR) -- Portland Police are identifying a suspect accused of stabbing a man to death on an eastbound MAX train. Officers arrested 51-year-old Shondel Larkin at the 82nd Avenue Transit Station Friday evening. They found the victim on the platform but there's no word yet what led up to the attack. TriMet calls it "horrific" and a "senseless act of violence," saying they've handed over security video.

(Gresham, OR) -- A 19-year-old man is facing charges in connection to his father's murder in Gresham. Police say Myles Menafee shot and killed his 46-year-old dad Joshua Heinrich at a home last Tuesday. Menafee is being charged with second-degree murder and unlawful use of a weapon. Police are still piecing together how it happened and haven't released a possible motive.

(Molalla, OR) -- A four-year-old child is dead and five people are injured following a crash in Hubbard. It happened Saturday afternoon on Highway 211 near South Meridian Road. The Oregon State Patrol says Kakkera Geethanjali was driving south when he ran a stop sign and collided with a westbound Jeep. The girl was in his car and died at the scene. An eight-year-old boy and another passenger were hospitalized for serious injuries, and the 32-year-old is fighting to survive. The driver of the Jeep and one of his passengers suffered minor injuries.

(Portland, OR) -- Regence BlueCross BlueShield patients will be able to continue using Legacy Health providers at in-network prices. The insurance corporation and health system announced a last-minute deal over the weekend to keep Legacy Health in-network. The agreement came just hours before last night's deadline. Without the agreement, some 200-thousand patients would have had to start paying out-of-pocket costs for seeking care at Legacy Health facilities. With the new deal in place, officials say there won't be any disruption of care for patients.

(Portland, OR) -- The Portland Rose Festival dragon boat race season is underway. The Portland-Kaohsiung [[ COW-zhee-uhng ]] Sister City Association kicked off the season Saturday with its annual Dragon Boat Eye Dotting Ceremony. That involved dignitaries painting pupils onto the eyes of each dragon boat's face to represent the dragon waking from its slumber. The season runs through mid-June.

(Stevenson, WA) -- A snowboarder is dead after falling from the top of Mount St. Helens over the weekend. The Northwest Avalanche Center says the snowboarder had summited the peak and was standing near the top on Saturday when he triggered the release of a cornice, causing him to fall to his death. A cornice is an overhanging mass of hardened snow. Officials say cornices are more prone to crumbling and falling as the weather warms.

(Tigard, OR) -- Two people are dead and one is critically injured following a crash in rural Washington County over the weekend. Police say the crash happened early Saturday morning when a Nissan Altima collided with a GMC Terrain. Two people inside the Altima died at the scene, while the driver of the GMC was hospitalized for life-threatening injuries. An investigation into the crash is ongoing.

(Heceta, OR) -- The Heceta Head Lighthouse is celebrating its 130th birthday. The landmark structure turned 130 on Saturday. The Heceta Lighthouse Bed & Breakfast held celebrations to mark the occasion. The Heceta Head Lighthouse is the West Coast's most photographed lighthouse.