(Portland, OR)  --  A new coronavirus variant has been detected in Oregon.  The Oregon Health Authority says six cases of the India variant have been reported.  The variant constitutes a small number of cases in the U.S. so far, but it makes up 75-percent of the cases in the United Kingdom.  Health officials say the India variant may be more transmissible.  Studies show the vaccines do work against the India variant.

(Portland, OR)  --  Health officials say Oregon has now surpassed 200-thousand COVID-19 cases.  The Oregon Health Authority reported 433 new cases yesterday, raising the state's total number of cases so far to 200-thousand-210.  The health department also confirmed 21 new deaths from COVID-19, raising the state's death toll to two-thousand-660.  Officials say 256 Oregonians are currently hospitalized for the virus, which is down 17 from Wednesday.

(Portland, OR)  --  A Portland man has been indicted for allegedly running a COVID-19 relief fraud scheme.  Court records show 29-year-old Eric Lysne is accused of claiming to own a fake company that employed ten people.  He got a 147-thousand-dollar Economic Injury Disaster Loan through the Small Business Administration.  He also got a 27-thousand-dollar Paycheck Protection Program loan through a bank.  Lysne pleaded not guilty.  His trial is set for July 27th.

(Lincoln City, OR)  --  The Oregon Health Authority has issued a public health advisory for the D River in Lincoln City.  Tests have detected unsafe levels of fecal bacteria.  They're advising people to avoid contact with water near the river until the advisory is lifted.

(Timberline Lodge, OR)  --  This is your last weekend to enjoy spring skiing and snowboarding at Timberline Lodge.  May 31st is the last day of spring operations.  Summer ski season begins June 1st with a week of limited terrain as they refresh the terrain parks and get Palmer ready for summer training.  Timberline Lodge is Oregon's only ski resort that has summer skiing.

(Portland, OR)  --  A suspect has been arrested for a shooting in Portland that wounded two people.  It happened April 26th on Northeast Sandy Boulevard about a block east of I-205.  Police were called to a shooting and found two victims with serious injuries.  The Police Bureau's Enhanced Community Safety Team identified 31-year-old Tejay Castle as a suspect, and he was arrested in Vancouver.  Castle is in the Clark County Jail pending extradition to Oregon.

(Portland, OR)  --  Oregon is reporting over 400 new coronavirus cases.  The Oregon Health Authority confirmed 424 new cases of COVID-19 yesterday along with four new deaths.  The department also reported eight new hospitalizations for the virus, raising the total number of Oregonians hospitalized with COVID-19 to 274.  Oregon has now seen over 199-thousand cases of COVID-19 and two-thousand-628 deaths since the pandemic began.

(Salem, OR)  --  The Oregon Public Utility Commission is approving a final one-month extension to the moratorium on disconnections for electric and natural gas customers who haven't paid their bills during the pandemic.  Nearly 87-thousand electric and natural gas customers are at least 90 days behind on payments.  That's more than 230-percent higher than before the pandemic.  Disconnections can start August 1st.  The PUC is asking utilities to make their best efforts not to disconnect customers who are working to pay their back debts. 

(Salem, OR)  --  Five more Oregon counties will move into the Lower Risk category of COVID-19 restrictions tomorrow.  Multnomah, Baker, Curry, Grant, and Tillamook will join ten other counties already placed in the Lower Risk category.  Counties with a vaccination rate higher than 65-percent that have submitted a vaccine equity plan can be moved to the Lower Risk category.

(Portland, OR)  --  Police in Portland, Oregon arrested five people as a crowd staged what police declared a riot last night on the one-year anniversary of the killing of George Floyd.  The crowd that gathered downtown included people wearing helmets and carrying gas masks, backpacks and tote bags.  Some pushed a dumpster against the Multnomah County Justice Center and set it on fire.  Police say people chanted, "Burn it down."  George Floyd died in police custody in Minneapolis after an officer knelt on the unarmed Black man's neck for more than nine minutes the evening of May 25th, 2020.  

(Olympia, WA)  --  Fire season begins Friday for southern Oregon.  The Douglas Forest Protective Association, the Umpqua National Forest and the Bureau of Land Management in Roseburg have declared fire season will begin on Friday, May 28th.  It means that open fires are prohibited except at designated sites, backyard debris burning isn't allowed, and there are restrictions on commercial operations.  All of southern Oregon ranges from Severe to Exceptional Drought. 

(Vancouver, WA)  --  Two people are facing charges in connection with a road rage incident and shooting in Vancouver earlier this month.  Detectives from the Safe Streets Task Force, U.S. Marshal's Fugitive Task Force and Vancouver Police arrested 31-year-old Tejay Castle and 36-year-old Montgomery Hedges on Monday.  They were booked into the Clark County Jail on charges of assault and drive-by shooting.  Police say no one was hurt in the incident, but the victim's car was damaged by gunfire.

(Vancouver, WA)  --  The 17-year-old son of triple murderer Brent Luyster is now charged with murder himself.  Court documents say Brent Luyster Junior is accused of the deadly stabbing of his step-father.  The Clark County Sheriff's Office says it happened early Monday morning in Amboy.  After the stabbing, Luyster allegedly went to a neighbor's house and said his step-father attacked him and he acted in self-defense.  Deputies responded and took Luyster into custody.  Brent Luyster Senior was convicted in 2017 of murdering three people and shooting a fourth person in the face at a home in Woodland.

(Portland, OR)  --  Oregon's marijuana industry is generating millions of dollars in tax revenue.  The Marijuana Policy Project says Oregon collected 158-million dollars in taxes from marijuana sales last year.  Neighboring Washington state collected 614-million.  Nationwide, states with legal marijuana sales collected a total of nearly three-billion dollars.

(Salem, OR)  --  Governor Kate Brown is revising rules for businesses in the Lower Risk category, allowing them to have special sections for vaccinated customers.  Brown announced the new rules yesterday.  Vaccinated sections won't need to require physical distancing or capacity limits for customers.  Businesses can still require that vaccinated people wear masks in those areas.  Children younger than 15 with a vaccinated parent can be in a vaccinated section if they wear a face mask.  Unvaccinated sections must continue to follow health and safety protocols.

(Portland, OR)  --  Oregon is reporting two new coronavirus deaths.  The Oregon Health Authority confirmed the new deaths yesterday, raising the state's death toll from the pandemic to two-thousand-624.  The health department also reported 284 new cases of COVID-19 and 18 new hospitalizations for the virus.

(Salem, OR)  --  A bill that would have forced Oregon public schools to reopen for full-time in-person learning this fall has died in the Oregon legislature.  In a party line vote, Democrats blocked the Senate bill from moving out of committee.  Republicans who sponsored the bill argued this past year and a half has devastated learning for kids in Oregon and caused havoc for parents who tried to make ends meet.

(Clackamas, OR)  --  The Clackamas School District is investigating an incident of racist vandalism at Clackamas High School.  Authorities say someone smeared refried and black beans on the entrance to the school along with Trump campaign stickers and door hangers.  The school district's superintendent called it a disturbing act of racist vandalism.  They're investigating to determine who was responsible.

(Undated)  --  A federal judge is imposing a temporary restraining order that will give an Oregon soccer prodigy the chance to play for a professional team.  The National Women's Soccer League had a rule that players had to be at least 18-years old to enter the league, however, the judge found the age restriction violates federal anti-trust law and would cause irreparable harm.  The order will allow 15-year-old Olivia Moultrie to be offered a contract.  Moultrie lives in Wilsonville, Oregon, and practices with the Portland Thorns.  The order is only good for 14 days. 

(Portland, OR)  --  Oregon is confirming 334 new coronavirus cases along with four new deaths from the virus.  The Oregon Health Authority reported the new numbers yesterday.  A total of 248 Oregonians are currently hospitalized with COVID-19.  Oregon has now seen over 198-thousand cases of COVID-19 and two-thousand-622 deaths since the pandemic began.

(Portland, OR)  --  Shake Shack is offering a new incentive to convince people to get vaccinated against COVID-19.  The burger chain is now offering Oregonians who show proof of vaccination free crinkle-cut fries with the purchase of any burger or chicken sandwich.  The promotion runs through June 12th.

(Idleyld Park, OR)  --  A missing Roseburg man is alive and well after spending 17 nights stuck in the wilderness in Douglas County.  Police say search crews found 69-year-old Harry Burleigh yesterday afternoon in a shelter in the Toketee area.  Burleigh was reported missing on May 7th after failing to return from a camping trip in the area.  Crews say he was suffering from some minor pain but was otherwise in stable condition.

(Portland, OR)  --  A TriMet bus driver is recovering after being shot Saturday evening near Northeast 102nd and Halsey.  Police say the bullet went through the windshield and hit the driver in the shoulder.  Glass from the windshield injured the driver's eye.  There were 25 passengers on the bus, and no one else was hurt.  Police believe the shooting happened several blocks away and that the driver wasn't the target.  A suspect has not been arrested.

(Portland, OR)  --  An investigation is ongoing into a suspicious death in the Argay Terrace Neighborhood.  The Portland Police Bureau says a man's body was found in the street near 143rd and Milton Street around 6:30 yesterday morning.  Police initially thought the man may have been killed by a hit and run driver but later said there were suspicious circumstances to the man's death.  They're asking anyone with information about how the man died to contact Portland Police.

(Portland, OR)  --  A suspect has been arrested in Texas for the murder of 30-year-old Breauna White in Portland earlier this month.  U.S. Marshals arrested 30-year-old Henry Brogdon in Tyler, Texas on Friday.  He's accused of shooting and killing White in an apartment near North Willamette Boulevard and Charleston Avenue on May 5th.  Brogdon will be extradited to Portland to face a charge of second-degree murder.

(Portland, OR)  --  More than a dozen museums and attractions in Oregon are coming together to issue a joint statement about wearing masks.  They're requiring all visitors to wear masks, especially because children younger than 12 can't be vaccinated and it will help protect their health.  The attractions include the Oregon Zoo, Portland Art Museum, Oregon Coast Aquarium, Oregon Historical Society and the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry.  They say that as conditions change their policies may change.

(Portland, OR)  -  Oregon is reporting five new deaths related to COVID-19 along with 603 new cases.  The Oregon Health Authority reported the new numbers yesterday.  Officials say 301 people are hospitalized with coronavirus, which is five less than Wednesday.  There have now been two-thousand-606 deaths and 197-thousand-356 cases of COVID-19 in Oregon since the pandemic began.

(Portland, OR)  --  A man is under arrest after firing several shots through the door of an apartment.  It happened early yesterday morning on Northeast 162nd a few blocks south of Sandy Boulevard.  Three of the rounds went through a wall and continued outside of the apartment.  No one was hurt.  Police found the suspect, 18-year-old Gage Williams, hiding nearby.  He was arrested and charged with Attempted Murder.

(Beavercreek, OR)  --  The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office is investigating a brazen, daylight theft of a catalytic converter that was caught on video surveillance.  Police say a Ford Excursion was in a Beavercreek parking lot yesterday when a black Ford F350 pulled alongside.  A suspect then crawled under the Excursion and a minute later the catalytic converter was removed and the thieves were gone.  The suspect's F350 is believed to be a 2006 crew cab, it had a dealer plate, but investigators think it was stolen.

(Portland, OR)  --  Invasive Cuban treefrogs have been found on nursery plants at one location in Oregon.  The treefrogs prey on frogs, tadpoles, small lizards and snakes.  They also secrete a mucus that may irritate your eyes and nose causing allergy-like symptoms.  They can trigger asthma attacks in some people.  The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife says if you find frogs, insects or snails on plants don't release them into the wild and call the Invasive Species Hotline.

(Portland, OR)  --  Over half a dozen more Oregonians are dead after contracting COVID-19.  The Oregon Health Authority confirmed seven new coronavirus deaths yesterday, raising the state's death toll to two-thousand-601.  The health department also reported 394 new cases of COVID-19.  A total of 306 Oregonians are currently hospitalized with the virus, which is down 25 from Tuesday.
 

(Portland, OR)  --  Portland City Council is approving a more assertive policy toward large homeless camps.  Councilmembers voted Wednesday to pass a plan to remove homeless camps if there's untreated waste, a fire hazard, reports of criminal activity or ADA violations.  The plan will mainly target camps with eight of more structures.  Campers will be given 48 hours notice before a camp is removed.

(Hillsboro, OR)  --  A man who spit in an officer's face after claiming to have COVID-19 is headed to jail.  The Washington County District Attorney's Office announced yesterday that a judge sentenced Miguel Hernandez-Cuesta on May 11th to six months in jail plus three years probation.  The judge also revoked his driver's license for life.  Court records say the incident happened last July, after Hernandez-Cuesta fell asleep in his car at the drive-thru of a Tualatin restaurant.  When police arrested him, he started coughing, said he had COVID-19, and then spit in an officer's face.  Hernandez-Cuesta pleaded guilty to assault, harassment and driving under the influence.
 

(Portland, OR)  --  Cases of COVID-19 in Oregon are down over the last week, but deaths and hospitalizations are up.  The Oregon Health Authority reports the number of new cases declined 16-percent last week over the previous week.  New hospitalizations increased by ten to 265, and COVID-19-related deaths rose from 31 to 57, which is the highest weekly death toll in ten weeks.  The number of positive tests increased from six-point-one to six-point-four-percent.

(Portland, OR)  --  Voters have until 8 p.m. to submit their ballot for today's special election.  It's too late to mail in a ballot, but voters can still drop their ballots off at a secure ballot drop box.  Voters are being asked to choose new members for the Portland School Board.  Voters are also being asked whether to renew a five-year levy to fund the Oregon Historical Society in downtown Portland.

(Portland, OR)  --  Oregon has three new deaths from COVID-19 and 310 new cases.  The Oregon Health Authority released the new numbers yesterday.  There are 342 people currently hospitalized with the virus, which is an increase of three patients from Sunday.  There have now been two-thousand-590 deaths in Oregon and 195-thousand-882 confirmed cases since the pandemic began. 

(Portland, OR)  --  The Oregon Health Authority has posted a new webpage that shows where each county stands in reaching the goal of vaccinating 65-percent of its residents.  Counties that meet that goal and provide the state with an equity plan will be moved to the COVID-19 Lower Risk category, which has the least number of restrictions.  Currently, only Hood River and Benton counties are above a 65-percent vaccination rate.  The new webpage also shows the state's progress toward the governor's goal of 70-percent vaccination statewide, which will allow most restrictions to be dropped.

(Laurelwood, OR)  --  The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is warning residents of Laurelwood in Washington County not feed bears.  Seven residents have reported problems with two bears near Bald Peak.  They've torn down bird feeders, gotten into trash cans,  and broken open a smoker.  The bears are a mother and a cub.  They don't appear to be frightened of alarms and other noisemakers being used to scare them off.  ODF-and-W is asking residents to bear-proof their homes so they don't unintentionally feed the bears.

(Salem, OR)  --  The Oregon Senate is approving a bill to extend the moratorium on residential foreclosures through July 1st of this year.  The bill also allows the governor to extend the moratorium for 90-day increments through the end of the year.  The bill passed the Senate yesterday on a party line vote and now moves to the House for concurrence before going to the governor.

(Hillsboro, OR)  --  An investigation continues to determine what caused the release of an unidentified toxic substance that sickened more than two-dozen people in a Hillsboro Shari's restaurant on Saturday.  Investigators say a heating and air conditioning unit on top of the restaurant was likely responsible, but it's still not clear what caused the leak.  Seven people were transported to hospitals, and 19 others were treated on scene.  The victims say they started coughing and experienced a burning sensation in their throats along with dizziness. 

(Portland, OR)  --  A middle school teacher in Estacada is dead after contracting COVID-19.  The family of 46-year-old Samantha Fox tells the Oregonian she died just weeks after contracting the virus.  Fox taught 6th and 7th grades at Estacada Middle School for 20 years.  Family members say she was otherwise healthy.  They add that she didn't get a vaccine because she was afraid of needles.

(Portland, OR)  --  Nearly a dozen more Oregonians are dead after contracting COVID-19.  The Oregon Health Authority confirmed nine new coronavirus deaths yesterday along with 616 new cases.  There are 346 people hospitalized with the virus, which is up one from Tuesday.  Oregon has now seen two-thousand-558 deaths and 193-thousand-14 cases since the pandemic began.  More than two-million Oregonians have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
 

(Portland, OR)  --  Oregon's average number of new COVID-19 cases is down for the second week in a row.  The Oregon Health Authority reports the number of new cases is down 12-percent from the previous week.  COVID-19 hospitalizations also declined from 272 to 245.  The number of positive tests was six-point-one-percent.  There were 31 deaths, which nearly doubled the previous week's total.

(Salem, OR)  --  May 18th is election day in Oregon.  Voters should have received ballots and voter pamphlets.  Most of the candidates are for school boards and other local races.  It's too late for voters to mail in their ballots, but voters can still drop their ballot in a secure drop box.  The deadline to turn in ballots is 8 p.m. on Tuesday.

(Salem, OR)  --  Sprint is paying Oregon one-point-six-million dollars for overcharging the Oregon Lifeline program.  Lifeline helps low income Oregonians afford phone and internet service.  In 2019, the Oregon Public Utility Commission found Sprint's subsidiary Assurance Wireless was overcharging the Lifeline program for ineligible usage.  A nationwide investigation found it was happening across the country, and the FCC recovered 368-million dollars from the company.  Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum says it sends a strong signal that waste and abuse of critical state subsidies won't be tolerated.

(Portland, OR)  --  Over a dozen more Oregonians are dead after contracting COVID-19.  The Oregon Health Authority reported 16 new coronavirus deaths yesterday, raising the state's death toll from the pandemic to two-thousand-549.  The health department also confirmed 660 new cases of COVID-19 and 19 new hospitalizations for the virus.  Oregon has now seen over 192-thousand cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began.  Officials say 49-percent of Oregonians have now received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

(Portland, OR)  --  Online learning resumes today in the Centennial School District following a cyberattack on the district's computer system.  Online learning has been shut down in the district for over two weeks after officials discovered the ransomware attack on April 26th.  Students were only in the classroom for in-person learning for a few hours each week during that time.  An investigation into the cyberattack is ongoing.
 

(Portland, OR)  --  Portland Public Schools says its campuses are expected to be fully reopened for in-person instruction this fall.  The district announced on Twitter yesterday it's presenting its Fall 2021 reopening plans to the board of education.  District Superintendent Guadalupe Guerrero says he expects schools will be welcoming back all students for the fall unless guidance from public health prevents it.

(Portland, OR)  --  The Oregon legislature is sending Governor Kate Brown a bill that will extend the deadline for renters to repay back rent until February 28th of 2022.  Lawmakers gave final approval to the bill yesterday.  The additional time will help renters and landlords make use of hundreds of millions of dollars in federal rent assistance.  The bill also temporarily allows families to share housing that would be in violation of landlord-imposed occupancy limits.  It also protects against the use of COVID-era rental and credit records when tenants apply to rent in the future.

(Portland, OR)  --  Oregon lawmakers are considering a proposal to make police discipline records public.  The Senate Judiciary Committee held a public hearing on the bill yesterday.  The bill is aimed at increasing transparency and trust in law enforcement.

(Olympia, WA)  --  Republican U.S. Representative Jamie Herrera Beutler will vote against efforts to remove embattled Congresswoman Liz Cheney of Wyoming from her GOP leadership position.  A spokesperson for Herrera Beutler tells the Seattle Times she'll vote to keep Cheney in her position as House GOP conference chair.  Fellow Washington state Republican representatives Dan Newhouse and Cathy McMorris Rodgers have not yet revealed how they plan to vote.  House Republicans are expected to vote today to oust Cheney from her leadership position over her criticism of former President Trump.

(Portland, OR)  --  The Oregon Employment Department is activating a new program to help "hybrid workers" who earn both self-employment income and W-2 wages.  The department launched the Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation program yesterday.  The program offers an additional 100 dollars a week to workers who earned at least five-thousand dollars in self-employment income during the most recent taxable year before they applied for unemployment benefits.  Benefits are available from December 27th of last year through September 4th of this year and will be retroactive.  Application details are on the employment department's website.

(Portland, OR)  --  State lawmakers are getting closer to approving a nine-point-three-billion-dollar budget for Oregon schools.  The budget would draw 200-million dollars from the Education Stability Fund, which is a rainy day fund for schools to use during a crisis.  The fund will still have over a billion dollars in reserve.  This is in addition to the 250-million dollars for the summer learning and enrichment programs that are intended to help students catch up from a year of remote learning.  The bills are expected to move out of committee sometime today.

(Portland, OR)  --  The federal government is approving 550-million dollars in food assistance for 572-thousand kids in Oregon.  The money is for families who don't have access to free or reduced price meals that are usually provided at school.  The money will be distributed on Pandemic EBT cards.  Children who are enrolled in free or reduced meal programs will get the cards automatically.  Kids who aren't enrolled can sign up on the Oregon Department of Education website.

(Portland, OR)  --  A 71-year-old hiker who was reported missing on Saturday night is safe after being found alive Monday morning.  Joe Dean got lost on the Rock of the Ages trail and texted his wife he needed help.  Rescuers say the terrain was the most difficult they've ever searched because of damage from the Eagle Creek Fire.  Dean was brought out on a stretcher and taken to a hospital for evaluation.

(Portland, OR)  --  Oregon is dealing with nearly 400 new coronavirus cases.  The Oregon Health Authority reported 388 new cases of COVID-19 yesterday along with three new deaths.  A total of 326 people are hospitalized with the virus, which is up eight from Sunday.  Oregon has now seen two-thousand-533 deaths and 191-thousand-774 cases since the pandemic began.  One-point-46 million people in Oregon have been fully vaccinated.

(Portland, OR)  --  Organizers of the mass vaccination clinics at the Oregon Convention Center and the Portland International Airport plan to close on June 19th.  The organizers say demand for the vaccine is declining.  They are offering first doses through May 27th, and then during June they will only offer second doses.  Since the clinic opened, they have administered 465-thousand vaccinations.

(Eugene, OR)  --  The University of Oregon will require the COVID-19 vaccine for students and staff this fall.  The university announced the news yesterday, saying vaccinations are critical for public health.  Exemptions may be requested for medical and religious reasons.

(Portland, OR)  --  A new series of billboards is bringing attention to the violent impact of racism on Portland's Black residents.  Artist Elijah Hasan tells the Oregonian that the billboards unveiled yesterday are aimed at connecting "the issue of Black-on-Black gun violence to the self-hate that is (created) by racism."  The billboards include phrases like "Destroy white supremacy, not each other" and "Racism plus self-hate equals gun violence."  Four billboards are currently up around the city, and three more are scheduled to be installed later this month.

(Portland, OR)  --  The FDA has approved using the Pfizer vaccine on children between the ages of 12 and 15 to prevent COVID-19, but it'll be a few days before kids can get the shot here in Oregon.  The Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup needs to give its approval first.  That's been the same process for all of the vaccines that have been released so far.  After that approval is given, the Oregon Health Authority will allow the shots to be administered to the younger kids.

(Portland, OR)  --  Oregon is reporting two new coronavirus deaths and 610 new confirmed cases of COVID-19.  The Oregon Health Authority reported the new numbers yesterday.  A total of 318 people are hospitalized, which is down eleven from Saturday.  Oregon has now seen two-thousand-530 deaths and 191-thousand-405 cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began.

(Portland, OR)  --  Portland Police say a hit and run driver killed a rider on a Lime scooter in Northeast Portland early Saturday morning.  The crash happened at Northeast Sandy and 149th Avenue.  Another driver remained at the scene until police arrived.  Police are asking for help identifying the driver.  It's the 26th traffic fatality in Portland so far this year.  That's double the number of fatal crashes from this time last year and the highest number of traffic fatalities in 30 years.

(Salem, OR)  --  People moving to Oregon who have a driver's license from another state soon won't have to take a written test to get an Oregon license.  Governor Kate Brown has signed a bill last week that eliminates the requirement.  The bill takes effect June 5th.

(Woodburn, OR)  --  Police are warning residents about a cougar that has been spotted in the Woodburn area.  The Marion County Sheriff's Office says the big cat was seen around Butteville and Ten Oaks Lane, and that it doesn't appear to fear people or dogs.  Police are urging residents not to approach it and call the sheriff's office's non-emergency number if you see it.

(Oregon City, OR)  --  An investigation is ongoing into an officer-involved shooting following a police pursuit in Oregon City.  Police say the pursuit started on I-205 Saturday night and stopped at the onramp from Highway 213.  The Clackamas County District Attorney's Office says the suspect, Gerald Barnes the second, fired at officers before they returned fire.  He's charged with attempted aggravated murder.  Barnes was treated at a hospital and booked into jail.  An Oregon City Police officer suffered serious, but not life-threatening injuries.

(Salem, OR)  --  Oregon had five new deaths from COVID-19 and 763 new cases reported yesterday.  There are 328 people hospitalized, which is two less than on Wednesday.  There have been two-thousand-514 deaths in Oregon since the pandemic began and 189-thousand-162 confirmed cases.

(Tigard, OR)  --  The Tigard Police Department will expand its body camera program to all officers.  For more than ten years, they've had dash cameras and some body cameras for K-9 handlers, traffic officers, community service officers and school resource officers.  Those systems are outdated, so City Council has approved new body worn cameras, along with in-car video systems, Tasers, interview room technology and digital storage.  The program will cost nearly one-and-a-half-million dollars over five years.

(Portland, OR)  --  An investigation is ongoing into a confrontation between drivers and demonstrators at Interstate Avenue and Killingsworth Street.  KATU-2 reports video of yesterday afternoon's incident circulating on social media shows people confronting each other with guns drawn.  Demonstrators were marching for justice for Patrick Kimmons, a Black man who was shot to death by police in 2018.  Kimmons's mother says the confrontation started after a driver started speeding toward the group of demonstrators and then yelled a racial slur at them.  One of the drivers tells police that people surrounded their vehicle, broke its windows and damaged its tires before spraying some sort of irritant at them.

(Salem, OR)  --  The Oregon Health Authority reports there have been 611 COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough cases as of May 3rd, and eight of those people have died.  Breakthrough cases are when a person tests positive for COVID-19 at least two weeks after being fully vaccinated.  OHA isn't saying where the deaths occurred in the state, but 14-percent of the cases were in long-term care facilities.  The 611 breakthrough cases are a small percentage of the one-point-three-million people who have been fully vaccinated.

(Salem, OR)  --  Governor Kate Brown has approved new guidance for indoor recreation and indoor entertainment facilities.  In Moderate Risk counties, they can have 20-percent occupancy or 100 people, whichever is larger.  In High Risk counties, they can have ten-percent occupancy or a maximum of 50 people.  The new rules took effect on Wednesday.

(Portland, OR)  --  The COVID-19 mass vaccination clinic at the Oregon Convention Center will start taking walk-ins without appointments today.  The clinic isn't normally open on Fridays, but they'll be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.  They'll be closed Saturday and Sunday.  They'll return to normal hours on Monday.  They prefer that people make appointments at the All 4 Oregon website.  They hope the ability to offer walk-in vaccinations will make it easier for people who can't make an appointment.

(Portland, OR)  --  Police are releasing the identity of a person who was shot and killed Wednesday morning in North Portland.  The Portland Police Bureau identified the victim yesterday as 20-year-old Breauna White.  Police were called to a shooting near North Willamette Boulevard and Charleston Avenue where they found White's body in an apartment.  The suspect had fled the scene, and there hasn't been an arrest.  White's killing is the 28th homicide this year in Portland.

(Portland, OR)  --  Oregon is reporting one new death from COVID-19 and 808 new cases.  The Oregon Health Authority says 330 people are hospitalized, which is 15 less than on Tuesday.  There have been two-thousand-509 deaths and 188-thousand-417 confirmed cases since the pandemic began.

(Portland, OR)  --  Regal is opening three more theaters this Friday.  They are Regal Cascade, in Vancouver, Regal Evergreen Parkway, in Hillsboro, and Regal Three Rivers Mall in Kelso.  A wide range of health and safety measures will be in place.  They'll be showing Guy Ritchie's Wrath of Man, Mortal Kombat and Godzilla vs. Kong, along with other movies.  Regal had already reopened Willamette Town Center and Bridgeport Village theaters.

(Salem, OR)  --  A 22-year-old Salem man is under arrest, accused of starting a four-alarm fire that caused over a million dollars in damage at a Salem storage facility.  It happened Monday evening at Airport Self Storage on Turner Road, Southeast.  The fire burned for several hours and destroyed multiple storage units.  Salem Police say Tristan Stillman was arrested Tuesday on 25 counts of Arson and Criminal Mischief.

(Portland, OR)  --  Students and faculty at Portland State University will need to get their COVID-19 vaccinations before returning to campus for the fall.  The university announced yesterday it will require proof of vaccination from students and staff before the fall semester begins.  The university is allowing exemptions for medical, religious or philosophical reasons.  Oregon State University, the University of Portland, Lewis & Clark College and Willamette University are also requiring proof of vaccination.

(Portland, OR)  --  Health officials say the fourth wave of the pandemic may have peaked in Oregon.  The Oregon Health Authority reports new cases declined three-percent over the last week.  Hospitalizations dropped 18-percent, while the number of deaths declined 38-percent.  Meanwhile, the percent of positive tests increased from six to six-point-eight-percent.

(Salem, OR)  --  Governor Kate Brown is reversing the decision she made a week ago to place 15 counties in the COVID-19 Extreme Risk category.  Brown announced yesterday the counties are being moved to High Risk.  The statewide seven-day average increase for hospitalized COVID-19 patients has dropped below 15-percent, which means the state no longer meets the metrics for the Extreme Risk level.  A total of 24 counties will be in the High Risk category, which limits restaurants, fitness centers, theaters and bowling alleys to 25-percent indoor capacity.

(Portland, OR)  --  Oregon is reporting six new deaths from COVID-19 and 748 new cases.  There are 345 people hospitalized with COVID-19 which is one less than Monday.  There have been two-thousand-508 deaths and 187-thousand-611 cases confirmed since the pandemic began.

(Corvallis, OR)  --  Oregon State University will require students and employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 starting in the fall term.  Students who are enrolled exclusively in online courses won't be required to be vaccinated.  The school is still working out details of the program and how students and employees will need to show they've been vaccinated.  There will also be an exemption policy that would allow some people to avoid being vaccinated.

(Salem, OR)  --  Former Oregon House Speaker Dave Hunt is facing charges in connection to a human trafficking sting.  Pamplin Media reports Hunt was one of eight men arrested for commercial sexual solicitation during the undercover operation last month.  Officers posted online decoy ads on human trafficking websites and then cited the men who contacted them to arrange payment for sexual acts.  Hunt served as speaker of the house from 2009 to 2011.

(Portland, OR)  --  Oregon is reporting over 500 new coronavirus cases.  The Oregon Health Authority confirmed 540 new cases of COVID-19 yesterday along with one new death.  The department also reported six new hospitalizations for the virus.  Oregon has now seen nearly 187-thousand cases of COVID-19 and two-thousand-502 deaths since the pandemic began.

(Gresham, OR)  --  Several groups representing businesses and parents plan to file a lawsuit against Governor Kate Brown in an attempt to end her COVID-19 state of emergency.  Sandy Mayor Stan Pulliam announced the lawsuit yesterday on behalf of Heart of Main Street, the Oregon Mom's Union and other groups.  The groups say the governor can't support her executive orders with science.  The lawsuit will be filed in federal court and will argue that a governor's powers in a state of emergency must be narrowly defined and temporary.

(Portland, OR)  --  Three people are facing charges in connection to a riot that followed a peaceful day of May Day demonstrations in Portland.  Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt announced yesterday he's filed charges against Phoebe Loomis, Quang Nguyen and Jeremiah Day.  Police arrested a total of seven people in connection to the unrest.  The Portland Police Bureau says one group demonstrated at Portland City Hall, where they broke windows and spray painted graffiti.  A second group demonstrated outside of the ICE building in south Portland.

(Medford, OR)  --  A Oregon man is pleading guilty to cashing nearly a half-million dollars worth of Social Security checks that were intended for his Aunt, who died 50 years ago.  The Social Security Administration started the investigation, because the woman would have been the second-oldest person living in the U.S. at 114-years-old.  They learned she died in New York in 1971.  George Doumar, of Klamath Falls, admitted to cashing 458-thousand dollars worth of Social Security checks.  Under his plea deal, he'll repay the money and could be sentenced to 10 years in prison.

(Portland, OR)  --  A weeks-old kitten is doing all right after being abandoned on the side of the road in Washington County.  The Washington County Sheriff's Office says a woman discovered the kitten last week and pulled over to rescue it.  However, after she picked the kitten up, it reportedly wiggled its way into the center console of her Jeep Wrangler and got stuck there.  The woman called the sheriff's office for help, and two deputies arrived to extricate the kitten.  Deputies say the kitten is now named Wrangler and is enjoying life in his new home.
 

(Hillsboro, OR)  --  Hillsboro-based Parr Lumber is acquiring Deer Park, Washington-based Evergreen Truss & Supply.  Parr Lumber says it's expanding into the truss manufacturing market as part of its three-year plan to grow its business.  Evergreen Truss & Supply has been providing products to Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho since 1987.

(Eugene, OR)  --  The University of Oregon is condemning a large, maskless house party that was held last weekend.  Lane County is under Extreme Risk restrictions.  Photos show students attending the party for hours without wearing masks.  The university tweeted that they have worked hard to educate students about the serious COVID-19 risks of gathering in groups without masks.  However, the university says it's limited in what actions it can take against students living in private housing.

(Portland, OR)  --  Oregon is marking a grim new milestone in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.  The Oregon Health Authority says the state has now surpassed two-thousand-500 coronavirus deaths.  The agency confirmed three new deaths yesterday, raising Oregon's death toll to two-thousand-501.  Officials also reported 756 new cases of COVID-19 and 14 new hospitalizations for the virus.

(Portland, OR)  --  Police are searching for a suspect of group of suspects accused of scrawling swastikas on the Oregon Holocaust Memorial's stone wall in southwest Portland.  The Oregonian reports the anti-Semitic vandalism was reported just before noon yesterday.  Maintenance crews managed to remove the graffiti.  The Portland Police Bureau is investigating.

(Portland, OR)  --  Meteorologists say the month of April is going down as Portland's driest April ever recorded.  KATU-2 reports Portland's rainfall total for April was zero-point-39 inches.  That beats the previous record for driest April of zero-point-53 inches recorded in 1956.  Portland usually sees an average of one-point-63 inches for April.
 

(McMinnville, OR)  --  Longtime Linfield University trustee Ronni Lacroute is resigning from the board in protest of the abrupt firing of an English professor who spoke critically of the university.  Lacroute resigned yesterday, saying she could no longer serve on the Board of Trustees "in good conscience" following the firing of Daniel Pollack-Pelzner last Tuesday.  Lacroute says she's "appalled" by Pollack-Pelzner's termination, calling him an "esteemed, brilliant and respected" professor who has sought to "bring deep-seated problems to light in order to help the Linfield community thrive."  Pollack-Pelzner was fired after he denounced the university for not doing more to address allegations of sexual misconduct against four board members.  He held the Ronni Lacroute Endowed Chair in Shakespeare Studies before his termination.

(Portland, OR)  --  More than half a dozen men are facing charges following a human trafficking sting.  The Portland Police Bureau says its Human Trafficking Unit cited eight men on charges of commercial sexual solicitation during the undercover operation last month.  Officers posted online decoy ads on human trafficking websites and then cited the men who contacted them to arrange payment for sexual acts.  Police say survivors of human trafficking may be hesitant to get help from law enforcement because they're concerned about their personal safety and they fear arrest.  The Human Trafficking Unit has victim advocates for those who need help.

(Portland, OR)  --  Police say officers arrested six people during a riot that followed a peaceful day of May Day demonstrations in Portland.  The Portland Police Bureau says one group demonstrated at Portland City Hall, where they broke windows and spray painted graffiti.  A second group demonstrated outside of the ICE building in south Portland.  Police say one man pulled a knife on officers.  Police arrested 22-year-old Jeremiah Day for menacing officers with a knife.  Charges against the other five people include riot and criminal mischief.