(Oregon City, OR) -- Clackamas County Elections is close to finishing the process of transferring votes from ballots with blurred bar codes to ballots that can be counted by a machine. On Memorial Day, 160 people worked to process ballots. Five-thousand-912 ballots were counted. Only a few thousand ballots remain to be processed. The only election still too close to call is the democratic party primary for Oregon's 38th House District.

(Portland, OR) -- The City of Portland and the Portland Police Bureau are facing three new civil lawsuits in connection with racial justice protests in 2020. Plaintiffs in the latest lawsuits allege incidents of assault, battery, retaliation, indiscriminate use of force, and illegal incarceration. The group also accuses federal officers from the Department of Homeland Security of participating.

(North Bend, OR) -- The Coast Guard says it rescued three people and their dog from the Umpqua River on Saturday. Their boat grounded after becoming disabled. Local emergency responders weren't able to reach them. A Coast Guard helicopter crew from North Bend lifted them from their boat and took them to safety. No one was injured.

(Portland, OR) -- TEDxPortland organizers are apologizing after receiving backlash for allowing unaffiliated candidate for Governor Betsy Johnson to speak at the event. The surprise interview with Johnson during Saturday's event sparked criticism from participants due to the fact that other candidates for governor were not invited to speak. Johnson is a supporter of gun rights and said the style of guns doesn't dictate the lethality. She also called for better mental health care in Oregon. TEDxPortland organizers apologized for making Johnson part of the event.

(Portland, OR) -- This is the start of the 100 Deadliest Days of Summer. The time between Memorial Day and Labor Day has the highest rate of fatal crashes for young drivers. The highest risk factors are inexperience, distracted driving, speeding, substance use, and not wearing seat belts. Police urge parents to talk with their kids about the risks and what they can do to be safe drivers.

SALEM, OR -- Oregon’s Department of Veterans’ Affairs hosts its annual Memorial Day ceremony Monday - Its first in-person Memorial Day since 2019. ODVA Director Kelly Fitzpatrick says veterans from all over Oregon will take part, "We are trying to reflect, as much as possible, that great diversity across the veteran community. So, we’ve got participants in the event who represent just about every modern day era of service." She says participants range from a WWII vet who was at Pearl Harbor, to those who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as peace-time soldiers. "Two veterans from Warm Springs who are going to be participating to give a tribal blessing," says Fitzpatrick, "And then a performance of a warrior song."

Following a fly-over by the Air National Guard, the event starts at 11 a.m. in front of the Oregon World War II Memorial in Salem. ?The ceremony will also be livestreamed on ODVA’s Facebook page for those unable to attend.

Fitzpatrick says it’s a solemn day, "Memorial Day is the one day every American should stop, pause and remember - in the case of Oregon, about 6,000 individuals dating back to the civil war that fought and died for our freedoms."

(Clackamas, OR) -- Jamie McLeod-Skinner appears poised to defeat incumbent Kurt Schrader in the race for the Democratic nomination in Oregon's 5th Congressional District. McLeod-Skinner leads Schrader by nearly ten-thousand votes. Ballots remain to be counted in Clackamas County, where Schrader has a lead, but it doesn't appear he'll have enough votes to make up the difference district wide. The winner will face Republican Lori Chavez-Deremer. The results won't be certified until June 13th.

(Salem, OR) -- A new bird flu infection has been confirmed along the Oregon/Idaho border south of Ontario, and a regional quarantine has been established. The Oregon Department of Agriculture says it means all avian species are quarantined along with transportation of birds in an area that's about six miles around the location. Oregon currently has two other regional quarantines in the Corvallis and Eugene areas.

(Aurora, OR) -- The Life Flight Network headquartered in Aurora is adding a 24/7 helicopter critical care transport base in Salem, to augment its existing air medical services in the Northwest and Intermountain West. Chief Executive Ben Clayton says it brings mobile ICU-level care to rural communities in the valley and the surrounding area, reducing emergency response times. Life Flight is the nation's largest non-profit air medical transport service.

(Salem, OR) -- The Oregon Department of Agriculture has approved a permit for a massive chicken farm in Linn County. J-S Ranch plans to build a facility that can raise over 580-thousand broiler chickens, which means they're sold for food. The permit has been reviewed, with public comments, over two years. The facility can't leak waste or feed into the ground. Drinking water wells will be tested on a regular basis for contamination. ODA will monitor construction to make sure they follow requirements of the permit.

(Vancouver, WA) -- Police say they've arrested a student at Vancouver's Heritage High School for bringing a gun to school. School employees say they found the handgun in the boy's backpack yesterday. He told deputies that he had no plans to hurt himself or others with the gun. He was taken to the Juvenile Detention Center where he'll also talk with a Designated Crisis Responder.

(Portland, OR) -- A California real estate developer is being indicted by a federal grand jury in Portland for stealing more than one-and-a-half million dollars in COVID-relief business funds. Alfred Nevis, of Arroyo Grande, California allegedly used names of former employees, business associates, and their spouses to illegally get Economic Injury Disaster Loans. The victims didn't know their names were being used. Nevis claimed a straw corporation called Isley Farms, in Oregon, had 12 employees. Nevis pleaded not guilty and faces trial in August.

(Portland, OR) -- A Multnomah County jury is finding romance novelist Nancy Crampton-Brophy guilty of second-degree murder for the death of her husband in 2018. A jury delivered the guilty verdict yesterday. Crampton-Brophy shot and killed her husband Daniel Brophy at the Oregon Culinary Institute, where he was a popular teacher and chef. Before Brophy's killing, Crampton-Brophy wrote an essay titled "How To Murder Your Husband." The judge ruled the essay could not be admitted in court. Crampton-Brophy will be sentenced June 13th.

(Medford, OR) -- A Medford man with a long criminal history, including multiple convictions for strangulation, has been sentenced for illegally possessing a gun. James Patterson was pulled over by Medford Police for suspected drug activity. Inside of his car, he reached for his waistband and then ran when he was ordered out of the car. When an officer took him into custody, a gun fell from his waistband. In a recorded jail phone call, Patterson said he would have killed the officer if he got a chance. Patterson was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison.

(Portland, OR) -- A free concert by the Oregon Symphony will help launch the Rose Festival tonight. The concert is being moved indoors because of weather. It'll be held at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall starting at 6 p.m. It'll debut a special Rose Festival themed song called "From One Rose." If you're going, you'll need to wear a mask.

(Olympia, WA) -- Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson has recovered six-point-six million dollars in stolen unemployment money. It's estimated that fraudsters stole 163-billion dollars nationwide during the pandemic. Ferguson says Washington is the only state using asset forfeiture powers to recover stolen unemployment funds. The money was located in JPMorgan Chase Bank accounts and a King County Superior Court Judge ordered the bank to return the funds to Washington. So far, nearly 19-million dollars have been recovered.

(Oregon City, OR) -- The ongoing counting of primary election ballots in Clackamas County could be finished sometime this weekend. Clackamas County Clerk Sherry Hall estimates that county employees will wrap up the job between Saturday and next Thursday on June 2nd. A printing error led to hundreds-of-ballots receiving a faulty barcode, forcing the county to duplicate the misprinted ballots by hand. Results from the 116-thousand ballots are expected to determine the candidates for Oregon's Fifth Congressional District.

CORVALLIS, OR -- An exhibit of ag-related artwork will tour the state this summer, as part of Oregon State University’s annual Art About Agriculture program. This year’s exhibition theme is Sustainable Feast. "It’s talking about marine food, it’s talking about farm workers, it’s talking about livestock in Eastern Oregon," says Directing Curator Owen Premore, "So, most of the actual artwork in the show about food is talking about the broader understanding of how food comes to be on our table. It’s a very broad show - very few pieces actually have ‘food on a plate’."

OSU received 290 submissions from artists in Oregon, Washington and Hawaii. A jury then whittled it down to the best of the best, "This year, it’s a very full show; I’d say it’s kind of maximum size for us at 60 pieces. So, 60 artworks by 47 artists are included in the tour." Premore says it's the first year there are an equal numver of photographs and paintings; but the exhibit includes so much more, "This year, we have textile art, ceramics, there’s an installation piece, found object sculpture, drawings, print-making." Eight of the pieces have been selected to be included in OSU’s permanent collection of nearly 400 ag-related works of art. 

The touring "Sustainable Feast" art exhibit is in Corvallis through June 15. Then, July 1-30, it’s in Baker City, and in Newport in August and September. You'll find the full schedule online. 

(Oregon City, OR) -- The Clackamas County Clerk says ballots from the Primary Election will be counted within four to nine days. Sherry Hall sent a letter to the Oregon Secretary of State detailing how fast they can process ballots with blurred bar codes. Depending on staffing levels, they can duplicate four-thousand to eight-thousand ballots a day. Thirty-eight-thousand-381 ballots remain to be duplicated. The deadline to finish the work and certify the election is June 13th.

(Salem, OR) -- Oregon State Police say a wolf that was found dead in Wallowa [[ wahl-OW-uh ]] County in January was killed by a vehicle. It was initially believed the wolf died from a shooting. An examination at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services Forensic Lab in Ashland determined the wolf had been shot in the leg, but the wound had partially healed and it happened before the wolf was hit.

(Portland, OR) -- A Vancouver, Washington man faces federal charges for distributing fentanyl that led to the overdose death of a Portland teenager. The U.S. Attorney's Office for Oregon says 24-year-old Manuel Souza Espinoza allegedly sold pills that led to the teen's death. He also sold one-thousand counterfeit "M30" Oxycodone pills that were made with fentanyl to a confidential informant. They say Espinoza is a known, high volume Portland area drug dealer.

(Portland, OR) -- The Oregon Zoo is welcoming five new chimpanzees to its recently opened Primate Forest habitat. They join three chimps already at the zoo. The new group includes four females and one male. They came to the zoo on a recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums which works to find locations where endangered chimps can be cared for.

(Portland, OR) -- The Oregon Health Authority is warning Oregonians to check their homes for Jif peanut butter recalled for Salmonella contamination. Jif peanut butter was also included in food boxes distributed through the OHA's food box program prior to the recall. OHA is visiting all of its food hubs to make sure the peanut butter has been removed. Any recipients of food boxes that have the recalled peanut can exchange it for a new jar.

To see if your jar of Jif peanut butter is being recalled, check the lot number printed below the "Best if Used by" date on the label.

Products with lot codes 1274425 – 2140425, with the digits 425 in the 5th-7th position, are being recalled. 

A list of recalled products and their numbers can also be seen on the FDA's website. If you happen to have a jar included in the recall, you should throw it away immediately. After throwing the peanut butter out, OHA recommends washing and sanitizing any surfaces or containers that might have come into contact with the peanut butter.

For many infected people, symptoms appear 12 to 72 hours after contact and often include diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps. Most people who are infected recover within four to seven days and do not need any treatment. More serious and severe cases can occur, though, so OHA recommends contacting your health care provider if you believe you have been infected.

Currently, there are 14 cases across 12 states, two hospitalizations, no deaths and no cases in Oregon.

OHA recommends that all peanut butter distributed from April 15 through May 23 be immediately thrown away or exchanged at a retail store.

(Portland, OR) -- The Oregon Zoo is planning a series of events this summer called Zoo Nights. They start June 17th and will be held every other Friday through mid-August. The will be music, food, and opportunities to see animals active during twilight hours. The series starts with the Garcia Birthday Band, a Portland group celebrating the music of Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead.

(Salem, OR) -- Health insurance rates for plans under the Affordable Care Act in Oregon will be going up next year. The Oregon Department of Consumer & Business Services says the requests from insurance companies would cause individual plans to increase an average of six-point-seven percent, while small businesses would see an increase of six-point-nine percent. Reasons for the increases include inflation, medical trends, and enrollment changes. Public hearings on the rates will be held in July. Final rates will be decided in August.

(Portland, OR) -- Nurses at two more Providence Health Hospitals are taking strike votes. Providence says progress is being made in contract negotiations at Willamette Falls Hospital, and their next bargaining session is May 25th. A federal mediator is helping to find consensus. At Providence Milwaukie, they proposed increases of nearly seven-percent. Their next negotiation is May 26th. The Oregon Nurses Association says they want contracts to raise nurse staffing standards and address a staffing crisis.

(Cornelius, OR) -- A kitten in Cornelius is recovering after spending several days trapped inside a storm drain. KOIN-TV reports firefighters responded to the scene yesterday morning after a local resident contacted the fire department to report a kitten had fallen down a six-foot drainage swale cleanout. Authorities say the kitten had been stuck there since Friday. Firefighters say they heard the kitten's cries from 30 feet away. The drain was opened and a firefighter went inside to rescue the kitten. It was hungry but otherwise in good condition. A local resident is caring for the kitten.

 (Salem, OR) -- Salem Police say they've arrested a suspect in connection to two shootings late last year. Officers arrested 25-year-old Kenneth Felton Sunday on two counts of second degree attempted murder along with other charges. Felton is a suspect in two shootings late last December. Police say a man at a northeast Salem apartment complex was assaulted and shot as he tried to run for safety on December 27th. The other incident happened on December 30th at a parking lot, where two men asked the victim for a ride, and when he refused, he was shot. Both victims survived.

PORTLAND, OR -- A new permit system launches Tuesday in the Columbia River Gorge, which coud bring spontaneous visits to Multnomah Falls and the Waterfall Corridor to an end. 

Summer daytime visitors in personal vehicles now need a permit to drive the Historic Columbia River Highway, between Bridal Veil and Ainsworth State Park (see map below). Karen Davis, with the US Forest Service, says it’s necessary to alleviate overcrowding during peak times, "We see it as a security problem, and also just a lack of quality of a visit issue that we wanted to see if we could solve that and make it a better experience and a much safer experience." 

During the pilot period, up to 60 personal vehicles and motorcycles will be allowed each hour, between 9 am and 6 pm, May 24 through September 5. The timing aligns with a similar permit system already in place at the Multnomah Falls parking lot. "If you wanted to do both - go see Multnomah Falls and park in that big parking lot right off I-84, that’s one permit. But if you also wanted to drive on the historic highway to get a closer look at all those highways, you would need that second permit."

Each permit is for entry during a one-hour window, but you can stay as long as you like. Permits are available online and can be reserved up to two weeks in advance. There is a $2 transaction fee. 

Davis says visitors can avoid the permit requirement by arriving before 9 am or after 6 pm, taking public transit or a tour bus, ride a bike, or wait to visit until after Labor Day. 

(Salem, OR) -- The Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission is pulling the liquor license of a Springfield restaurant for not following COVID-19 regulations. Along Came Trudy allowed indoor dining when it was prohibited due to the pandemic. They were fined over 50-thousand dollars, but didn't change their operation. The OLCC acknowledged the challenges that restaurants faced and that the issue would ultimately be decided by the courts.

(Salem, OR) -- Police agencies across Oregon will be taking part in the Click It or Ticket campaign. It's an effort to increase seat belt use. Nationwide, 90-percent of drivers and passengers use seat belts. Of people age 18 to 34 who were killed in crashes, 60-percent weren't wearing seat belts. Police agencies use federal grant money to increase patrols. Click It or Ticket continues through Sunday June 5th.

(Portland, OR) -- Police say an Apple Air Tag is responsible for helping detectives track down and arrest a robbery suspect. Police say the robbery happened Thursday afternoon at a business on Northwest Broadway, where the suspect allegedly stole the victim's wallet and phone. Police used the phone to track the suspect to an Embassy Suites Hotel, where he allegedly ran and pulled a fire alarm. Police found a fake pistol, but the suspect was gone. Before he fled, he stole a backpack with an Apple Air Tag inside, and police used that to track the suspect to North Portland, where 39-year-old Justin Johnston was arrested.

(Salem, OR) -- Officials are reminding residents that this is the time of year when snapping turtles build nests and they might be more visible. Residents who see one should call the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife. Snapping turtles aren't native to Oregon and can harm native turtle populations along with other mammals, birds, and fish. Snapping turtles have a long neck and a powerful bite. They can be contained with large plastic containers.

(Oregon City, OR) -- Clackamas County Clerk Sherry Hall says she should have acted faster when they learned thousands of ballots for the Primary Election had blurred bar codes. Hall says 200 county employees have volunteered to help transfer votes from bad ballots to ballots that can be read by a machine. It takes one person from each party to transfer the votes. Three other counties have offered help and Hall says they'll accept the offers. They have to get the counting finished and the election certified by June 13th.

PORTLAND, OR -- Oregon's State Climatologist says says everyone is watching for extreme weather this summer, especially after experts were caught off guard by last year's deadly heatwave. Larry O'Neill doesn't think we'll see a repeat this year, "There are a couple parts to why the heatwave was so severe [in 2021]. One of them was the fact that we had the driest spring on record in Oregon - and other parts of the Pacific Northwest, it was one of the driest. So that lack of soil moisture actually contributed to the severity of the heatwave that we had. So, the fact that we’ve had a wetter than average spring this year might help a little bit." He says as the moisture in the ground evaporates, the water vapor cools the air - by as much as a couple of degrees. 

While Central and Southern Oregon brace for a third year of extreme and exceptional drought, other parts of the state are no longer under any drought designation. O’Neill says the wet spring has helped a lot, "This water year has seen some substantial improvements through much of the region, mostly to the north. The regions that we have not seen very much improvement are in southern Oregon and eastern Oregon, and then parts of Idaho." He notes much of Central and Southern Oregon are still in exceptional drought - the worst designation. And, he expects that to extend into the fall.

In the Willamette Valley, O'Neill says the ag community may actually suffer from too much precipitation, "There is some impact actually from the fact that we’ve received so much rain, when we’ve had some - like the grapes in bloom. There’s some potential the yields will be down in some of the fruits and berry crops, things like that, from the rain."

(Portland, OR) -- The trial of former romance writer Nancy Crampton Brophy continues today -- the 24th day of Brophy's trial on charges she killed her husband, Daniel Brophy, four years ago. Brophy was an instructor at the Oregon Culinary Institute when he was found shot to death inside the school. Testimony yesterday included that of a forensic psychologist who discussed Crampton Brophy's state of mind. The executive chef and president of the institute at the time of the murder, Brian Wilke, and the woman who discovered Brophy's body, Clarinda Perez, also testified. The defense plans to call more rebuttal witnesses today.

(Portland, OR) -- Total vote counts for Portland elections shifted only slightly yesterday as ballot counting continues from Tuesday's primary. The contest for the Position Three seat on the Portland City Council remains headed to a runoff because no candidate has picked up the required 50 percent of the votes. Incumbent Jo Ann Hardesty garnered 43 percent of the vote, while Rene Gonzalez's lead over Vadim Mozyrsky is growing. In Clackamas County, employees have been reassigned to help with the counting of ballots after a printing error resulted in some barcodes being smudged and unreadable. County officials say they do not have a timeline for when they'll be finished.

(Hillsboro, OR) -- Intel has announced plans to build what it calls a mega lab research center at its campus in Hillsboro. The facility will help Intel develop ways to make data centers operate more efficiently and without so much heat. Officials say data centers use four percent of the world's total energy. The project will cost 700-million dollars and will open late next year.

(Vancouver, WA) -- Clark County fife officials say six of nine teenagers traveling in an SUV were hurt when the van spun off the road and rolled down an embankment, nearly falling into Salmon Creek yesterday. Clark County fire officials say the van was traveling erratically when it went off the road, going almost 70 miles an hour. The Clark County Sheriff's Office says they're investigating the cause of the accident. They say charges might be filed.

(Portland, OR) -- Students at schools across Portland plan a walkout today over their demand for climate action by the city. Students with the group called Portland Youth climate Strike organized a similar action last fall in which they say about two-thousand students took part in a walkout. Portland school officials have sent letters home to parents asking them to discuss the strike with their kids and to make plans to keep them safe if they do walk out. Students plan to meet at City Hall at eleven o-clock and march to Revolution Hall to participate in the Portland Climate Festival.

(Portland, OR) -- Portland, along with Eugene and Salem, rank among the best places to live in the United States, according to the annual survey by U.S. News and World Report. The report ranks the top 150 metropolitan areas according to such categories as desirability, value and quality of life. This year's survey places Portland 22nd among all cities ranked, with Eugene coming in at 119 and Salem at Number 123.

(Portland, OR) -- The one-time cellmate of former romance writer Nancy Crampton Brophy took the stand yesterday in Crampton Brophy's trial in her husband's murder. Crampton Brophy is charged with the murder four years ago of her husband -- 63-year-old Daniel Brophy -- who was an instructor at the Oregon Culinary Institute. The prosecution says Crampton Brophy killed her husband to cash in on a one-point-four million dollar insurance policy. Yesterday, prosecutors called a last-minute witness -- former cellmate Andrea Jacobs. They said Jacobs claimed Crampton Brophy admitted the murder to her. But yesterday, Jacobs said the apparent admission was simply a verbal error and the prosecution quickly wrapped up questioning. The trial is expected to go to the jury as soon as tomorrow.

(Portland, OR) -- The candidates running for the job as Oregon's next governor have made history. For the first time in state history, the final slate of candidates seeking the state's top job are all women. They each hope to succeed Democrat Kate Brown, who is stepping down from the office after two terms because of term limits. Analysts say the race will likely be very competitive and could be the most expensive campaign ever waged in Oregon history. Before this year, there have been only two other women who have been elected Oregon's governor -- Barbara Roberts, who served from 1991 to 1995, and Kate Brown, who has served since her election in 2015.

(Newberg, OR) -- A 23-year-old Newberg woman is paving the way for other disabled Oregonians by becoming the first wheelchair user to graduate from nursing school in Oregon. Dani Hillenbrand was already attending nursing school at George Fox University's College of Nursing last year when she suffered what was described as a catastrophic medical event that left her confined to a wheelchair. Hillenbrand says she has overcome preconceived ideas about the disabled among many people that she thinks will help make her a better and stronger healthcare employee.

(Portland, OR) -- Oregon's jobless rate has fallen to its lowest point in two years -- to three-point-seven percent. This is the closest it has been to pre-pandemic levels since late 2019, when the rate dipped to a record low of three-point-four percent. The fields with the highest job gains last month were healthcare and social assistance. State officials say Oregon has lagged slightly behind the national jobs recovery. Nationally, the country has recovered 95 percent of the jobs lost due to the pandemic and Oregon has recovered about 88 percent.

(Portland, OR) -- Employees at two Portland Starbucks stores held a daylong strike yesterday after they claimed they suffered retaliation by management for their efforts to organize a union. The employees said the walkouts at the two stores -- located at Grand and Lloyd and at Jantzen Beach -- would last 24 hours. A supervisor at the Jantzen Beach store said her hours were cut from 40 hours a week to 18 after she filed paperwork with the National Labor Relations Board last month. A Starbucks spokesperson says claims of anti-union activity are false. The strikes yesterday came a day after employees at four other Portland Starbucks stores voted to unionize.

PORTLAND, OR -- Oregon State University hosts its first “State of Black Affairs Summit” next week. 

"We have been very forthright about the fact that our agenda is all things black," organizer Bridget Jones tells KBND News. She is the Secretary for the OSU President's Commission on the Status of Black Faculty and Staff Affairs.

Jones believes conversations at the summit will be difficult for some people, "You could talk to any person of color about their experience just existing in the last 60 days and they will probably be able to share an experience with you of something that they’ve encountered - either as a microaggression or as straight-up racism." But, she says, the discussion is necessary, "These things are not going away. These things need to be addressed. Our lives are at stake; our safety matters. Our existence and our value are things that people should care about. And so the summit is an opportunity for us to have that platform to educate, to share, to network."

The inaugural State of Black Affairs Summit is Wednesday, May 25, the two year anniversary of the murder of George Floyd. It will take place in a hybrid format. In-person tickets are sold out but there is still space to register as a virtual attendee. 

(Portland, OR) -- Multnomah County voters have made history by electing their first female sheriff. She's Nicole Morrissey O'Donnell and she was the county's Undersheriff before winning the election. In partial returns last night, O'Donnell picked up more than 60 percent of the vote. She will succeed Sheriff Mike Reese, who could not run for reelection because of term limits. O'Donnell will take office January first.

(Portland, OR) -- A man has been charged with arson and vandalism at several houses of worship and a Black-owned business in Portland in a weeklong series of incidents. The man is identified as 34-year-old Mike Edgar Bivins, who is reportedly a freelance reporter. He's charged with incidents that took place between April 30th and May fourth. The incidents occurred at Congregation Shir Tikvah, Congregation Beth Israel and the Muslim Community Center of Portland. Bivins is also charged with vandalism at a Black-owned business on Northwest 10th Avenue. He then reportedly walked to a local television station to talk with a reporter about the incidents.

(Portland,. OR) -- Former Oregon House Speaker Tina Kotek will square off against either former Oregon House Republican leader Christine Drazan or former state GOP Party chair Bob Tiernan in November's general election. Kotek won the Democratic primary yesterday. Drazan holds a slim lead over Tiernan in results from yesterday's primary. Drazan had served three years in the legislature before resigning to run for the governor's office last winter. Ballot bar code issues in Clackamas County are delaying the tabulation of final results in the election. Election officials knew there would be a delay in the Clackamas County voting because of a printing error on some ballots.

(Portland,. OR) -- Authorities in Washington County say the remains found inside a car that was discovered in the Willamette River last Friday are those of former Cornelius Mayor Ralph Brown. Investigators say there were no signs of foul play. Brown -- who was 77 -- had been missing for a year. Brown was last seen leaving his home last May 16th. His family says he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's a year before he disappeared.

(Portland, OR) -- Dan Ryan has won reelection to his seat in Position Two on the Portland City Council while Jo Ann Hardesty faces a runoff in the Position Three race. Hardesty is seeking reelection for a second term and Ryan was running for his first full term. He had won a special election to succeed councilman Nick Fish, who passed away in mid-term. Hardesty will face either Rene Gonzalez or Vadim Mozyrsky in November. Both Gonzalez and Mozyrsky are in a tight battle for the runoff spot.

PORTLAND, OR -- Oregon Schools now have access to a Fentanyl and Opioid Response Toolkit released by the Oregon Health Authority and Department of Education. OHA’s Director of Health in Education Ashley Thirstrup says it includes information on how to access and administer Narcan - a medication that can reverse the effects of an overdose. "I will not say definitively that this is happening widespread in Oregon schools. However, we do know that young people spend the majority of their time in school. So, this is a protective measure we can take to support and respond to an opioid overdose if it did happen." She adds, "This is a very key piece to the lifesaving first aid or AED systems they already have in place."

It also has information to help school staff recognizing an overdose, "Blue skin, pinpoint pupils, nonresponsive," says Thirstrup. And, it's designed to help develop overdose response procedures. 

(Portland, OR) -- The former romance novelist who's charged with the murder of her husband -- Nancy Crampton-Brophy -- says she did not kill her husband at the Oregon Culinary Institute four years ago. Brophy took the stand in her defense yesterday. She says she was home the night of his murder but prosecutors produced video that showed her driving near the institute around the time he was shot to death. Her husband was a chef at the institute. Brophy is scheduled for cross-examination today.

(Portland, OR) -- State election officials say early signs indicate today's turnout for the state primary elections may be among the lowest in the last 60 years. Officials say through last Friday, only about 17 percent of ballots that had been sent to voters had been returned. The figure at this point was a little higher in the last primary four years ago -- a little more than 18 percent. Voter turnout in the 2018 primary was almost 34 percent. But voter numbers have also surged during this time. There are almost 285-thousand more Oregonians who are registered to vote compared with four years ago.

(Portland, OR) -- A Portland-based digital archiving firm -- called Smarsh -- is buying a mobile messaging firm. Smarsh officials say the deal will help their customers track and archive their communications over an expanding number of messaging apps and services. They say with the purchase of TeleMessage, they'll be better able to monitor and store communications over apps ranging from WhatsApp to WeChat.

(Portland, OR) -- Oregon's agriculture director -- Alexis Taylor -- has been named to a senior job with the US Agriculture Department. Taylor has been tapped to be under secretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs with the agency. Taylor has led Oregon's agriculture department for the last six years. She is also a member of the Army Reserves.

(Portland,OR) - Police have arrested a man they say was making threats against Middleton Elementary School in Sherwood. Police say they arrested the man yesterday on several counts of first-degree disorderly conduct. He's being held in the Washington County Jail. Police say they'd received information from a federal agency about a man making continuous threats against schools but until yesterday, the threats had not targeted a specific school.

(Portland,. OR) -- City election officials say a mailbox was stolen in Southeast Portland and they're asking voters who used the mailbox to contact them. The mailbox was located at Southeast Reed College Place and Woodstock Boulevard. It was stolen May fourth. Multnomah County officials are asking anyone who used the mailbox after 11-35 a.m. May fourth to contact them to check on the status of their ballot.

(Portland OR) -- One person is hospitalized after they were struck by a MAX train at Northeast Jonesmore and 82nd in Northeast Portland last night. Officials say the pedestrian was rushed to the hospital for treatment of life-threatening injuries. The light rail station was closed while the accident was cleared and was reopened about four o-clock this morning. Police are investigating he cause of the accident.

(Portland, OR) -- Flags across Oregon remain at half-staff until sunset today in memory of the nearly one-million Americans who have passed away from COVID-19. Governor Kate Brown issued the order Friday for flags at all public buildings. The death toll includes seven-thousand-548 Oregonians.

(Portland, OR) -- Home prices have topped the 600-thousand-dollar mark in Portland last month for the first time ever. According to local real estate data, new listings fell by more than nine percent over a year ago at this time. The total time a house spends on the market has fallen to 21 days. Last month, the most active areas for listings were in West Portland and Southeast Portland.

(Portland, OR) -- Supporters of Palestinian rights marched through downtown Portland yesterday on the 74th anniversary of the event known as Al Nakba. Al Nakba commemorates the destruction of several hundred Palestinian cities and displacement of more than 700-thousand Palestinians during the Palestine War of 1948. Supporters say the march yesterday was meant to show how struggles among people around the world are connected.

(Portland, OR) -- A crowd estimated in the hundreds turned out for rally in downtown Portland this weekend in support of abortion rights. Planned Parenthood of Oregon organized the rally on Saturday at the Justice Center that advocated for women's reproductive rights. This weekend, Governor Kate Brown held a news conference to reaffirm her support for abortion access The event was one of many held nationwide over the Supreme Court's anticipated ruling that could overturn its landmark decision that legalized abortion decades ago.

(Portland, OR) -- State health officials are urging schools across Oregon to return to COVID-19 safety measures as cases of COVID-19 begin to increase again. Six counties -- including the tri-county metro area -- saw their COVID-19 levels rise from low to medium this past week. Cases in the metro area are up more than 40 percent from woo weeks ago. State health officials say schools should reinstate masking policies before returning to remote learning again.

(Portland, OR) -- Police in Eugene responded to what was described as an unruly gathering at a house that led to dozens of people either being ticketed or arrested this weekend. Police say there were about 100 people on the scene on Hilyard Street at the time they arrived Saturday following calls of a disturbance. Most of the tickets were for noise violations and open containers. It's the third time in recent weeks that Eugene police have responded to an unruly gathering.

(Salem, OR) -- The Oregon Employment Department has set the rate for Paid Leave Oregon. It's a new program that offers up to 12 weeks of paid time off for family, medical and "safe" leave. Workers will be taxed one-percent of their income with employers paying 40-percent and the employee paying 60-percent. The employer can pay the entire amount as a benefit. On one-thousand dollars in wages, the employee would pay six dollars and the employer will pay four dollars. The new fee takes effect next January.

(Gresham, OR) -- The woman who killed her two young children and then killed herself on Monday in a Gresham apartment was in a custody battle with her former spouse. Court records show Ashley Palmer and Jenavie Palmer had divorced and were in the process of deciding who would get custody of their six and eight-year-old children. Police say Ashley shot the children and then killed herself.

(Salem, OR) -- Oregon Governor Kate Brown is ordering all flags at Oregon public buildings to be flown at half-staff until sunset May 16th in memory of the nearly one-million Americans who have died from COVID-19. That includes seven-thousand-548 Oregonians. Brown says every life lost to COVID-19 is a tragedy, and too many families are now without a friend, family member, or other loved one.

(Portland, OR) -- COVID-19 cases are on the rise, and Multnomah County health officials are urging residents to wear masks indoors. It's not a requirement, but Tri-County Health Officer Dr. Jennifer Vines says this increase in COVID cases is expected to peak in June. Currently, Oregon is averaging around 12-hundred new cases per day. 201 people are hospitalized with coronavirus.

(Portland, OR) -- Fentanyl-related overdose deaths increased by 74-percent in Oregon from 2019 to 2020, and the state is taking action to help school districts. Oregon Health Authority and the Department of Education have released a Fentanyl & Opioid Response Toolkit for schools. It includes how to create an emergency protocol for naloxone, which can reverse the effects of an overdose. It also includes resources for staff training, prevention education and information on implementing a school emergency response plan.

(Washington, D.C.) -- U.S. Senator Ron Wyden is responding to a failed vote in the U.S. Senate to codify Roe v. Wade. The measure failed yesterday on a 49 to 51 vote. The Oregon Democrat says the vote "was a gut punch to anyone who believes in liberty, privacy rights and equal rights, but now the American people know on which side every Senator stands." Oregon Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley said, "Oregonians, and the American people, don't want MAGA politicians telling survivors of rape and incest that they must stay pregnant." Senator Joe Manchin was the only Democratic Senator who voted against the bill.

(Salem, OR) -- Oregon OSHA is making rules for working in high heat and wildfire smoke permanent. The heat rules take effect at 80 and 90 degrees and require shade, cool drinking water, and increased paid breaks. When there's wildfire smoke, employers need to provide N95 masks, systems to reduce smoke indoors and a mandatory respirator when smoke is extreme. The heat rules start June 15th and the smoke rules start on July 1st.

(Salem, OR) -- Large utilities in Oregon are ready to cut the power this summer if fire risk is severe. The Oregon Public Utility Commission has approved permanent rules for Portland General Electric, PacifiCorp, and Idaho Power. Temporary rules were implemented last year and they were finalized this year. Utilities say it's important to be ready, because when the power is turned off it can take several days to restart. Residents should have two weeks of supplies, people with medical equipment that requires power should contact their utility, have a back-up battery for your cell phone and register for emergency alerts.

(Portland, OR) -- The Oregon Zoo has 12 baby California condors. It's the most hatches ever since they started their breeding program. There are only 500 of the birds left in the world and the babies will make a significant difference in saving the breed. They'll stay with their parents for eight months before moving to pre-release pens for about a year. Eventually, they'll be released into the wild.

(Portland, OR) -- A Portland man is being sentenced to a year and a half in federal prison for bank fraud after using a quitclaim to steal a property. Court records show 63-year-old Ali Zamani paid one dollar to quickly transfer ownership of a property in Bend to his businesses. He used the property as collateral on a 316-thousand dollar bank loan. When he defaulted on the loan, the original owner bought it out of foreclosure for 400-thousand dollars. Zamani pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay the property owner 400-thousand dollars in restitution.

(Salem, OR) -- A third party web hosting provider of a company that records campaign finance records has been targeted in a ransomware attack. The Oregon Secretary of State's Office released a statement saying state information wasn't taken and no sensitive systems were exposed. It did not affect elections administration. The clients of Opus Interactive and C&E Systems had their logins to the state's system compromised. The state is working with eleven-hundred users to have them change their passwords. The state says it took immediate action to protect those accounts.

(Portland, OR) -- Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler is issuing an emergency declaration to launch a new program to clean up the city. Christine Leon, who currently manages the Development Permitting and Transit Group for PBOT, will serve as director of the Public Environment Management Office. It'll coordinate clean up of garbage, graffiti, illegal dumping and abandoned cars that aren't related to homeless camps. The emergency order takes effect today.

(Central Point, OR) -- A woman is recovering from having spent two nights in freezing temperatures after getting stuck on a muddy road northwest of Central Point. After getting stuck in the mud, it snowed four inches making it more difficult for the woman to get out. She was able to send a text message and the Jackson County Sheriff's Office sent a team to find her. Deputies say she did the right thing by staying in her vehicle, because the snow would have made it too dangerous to walk out. She was treated for minor exposure to the cold temperatures.

(Salem, OR) -- A wrongful death lawsuit is being filed against the City of Salem and police officer Nathan Bush over the fatal shooting of a man with a history of mental illness. In July of last year, Arcadio Castillo the third allegedly assaulted his mother in their home, and she called police for help. The lawsuit alleges that Bush entered the home without backup and shot Castillo before giving him a chance to drop the knife he was holding. Prosecutors say Castillo ran toward Bush and he opened fire, killing him. A grand jury determined Bush was justified in the shooting.

(Gresham, OR) -- Gresham Police are conducting a death investigation after finding multiple bodies inside of an apartment. Police made the discovery yesterday morning while conducting a welfare check at the apartment near Southeast 185th and Yamhill. Police have not said how many people were found dead. They say it's an active investigation and that there's no apparent risk to the public.

PORTLAND, OR -- The FBI is warning travelers of increasing scam activity as we approach warmer weather. They say fraudsters know we’re all desperate to get outside and out of town, "Travel scams come in many forms: emails, cold calls, social media, even submit or play-to-win drawings."

Experts suggest avoiding robo calls and doing your homework before booking a discount hotel stay, car rental or airline ticket, "If you answer your phone to an automated message, hang up and block the number. Research a company before you book with it; look up reviews and ratings to see if other customers were satisfied with the service. And check multiple sites; fraudsters can post fake online reviews." And, they say requests to pay with a gift card, cashiers check or cash app are big red flags. Your best protection is to book with a credit card.

SALEM, OR -- The FDA appears poised to ban menthol cigarettes and all flavored cigars. Oregon Deputy State Health Officer Dr. Tom Jeanne supports the move, saying flavors are generally used to attract new, young smokers. "We know that here in Oregon three out of four youth and young adults who use tobacco use a flavored product," says Dr. Jeanne, "So removing menthol from cigarettes, and some of these flavors like strawberry, grape and fruit punch from flavored cigars, will have a big impact, we think."

Despite the statistics, he expects significant pushback from the tobacco industry, as has occurred in the past, "I think that underscores the importance of local action and statewide action. We do have communities that are leading the way in passing flavor restrictions, and we know that a growing number of jurisdictions nationally have passed restrictions on the sale of flavored tobacco products, including five states. In Oregon, a Washington County flavored tobacco ban was put on hold after lobbyists successfully pushed the issue to the May ballot. 

If you need help to stop smoking visit Smoke Free Oregon's website or call 800-QUIT-NOW.

SALEM, OR -- The Oregon State Hospital risks losing significant federal funding if it doesn’t correct deficiencies uncovered in a recent investigation. According to the Oregon Health Authority, the investigation began when a patient took off during a community outing last year. But, officials say, they expanded the scope of the inquiry after federal investigators found additional deficiencies at the Junction City campus.

They cited issues ranging from a lack of daily on-site administrator management to other episodes when staff lost visual contact with patients on outings. The State Hospital has 10 days to submit a plan of corrective action.

(Portland, OR) -- There will be a total lunar eclipse on Sunday night, but even if the weather cooperates, there won't be much of a show on the west coast. Experts say the so-called "Flower Moon" will be very low on the horizon, and by the time the Moon is high enough in the sky, the total phase of the eclipse will be ending. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth's shadow passes over the moon. There will be a second lunar eclipse that's visible on the west coast November 8th.

(Salem, OR) -- Boaters are facing new regulations on the Willamette River between the Yamhill River and Willamette Falls. The Oregon State Marine Board has approved new rules for towed watersports. Any boater towing someone now needs a special certification, and wake surfing is banned. Officials say the new rules are necessary because that section of the river is narrow, and there's often a lot of boats on the water.

(Keizer, OR) -- Keizer Police are investigating an attempted break-in at Oregon Right to Life. Police say the suspect tried to break a window Sunday night and threw two flaming Molotov cocktails at the brick building. There was a small fire and minimal damage. Police have not identified a suspect, and they're asking anyone with information about the incident to contact them.

(Portland, OR) -- Gas prices in Oregon have reached a record high. Triple-A reports that over the last week, average gas prices in the state increased 12 cents to four dollars and 81 cents a gallon. The national average is four dollars and 33 cents. Diesel in Oregon increased 15 cents to five-60 a gallon, also a new record high.

(Portland, OR) -- Police say a man who was involved in a crash while riding an electric bike last week has died from his injuries. Portland Police say Shane Johnson died in a hospital on Saturday. Johnson was injured in the crash that happened on May 4th at Southeast 50th and Powell. Witnesses told police that Johnson suddenly drove into the road and that the driver wasn't able to avoid the crash. Johnson's death was the 22nd traffic-related death in Portland this year. It was the first traffic-related bike death since December 4th, 2020.

(Salem, OR) -- Tickets for the Oregon State Fair are now on sale. That includes General Admission, Carnival Ride, FairLift, and the Columbia Bank Concert Series tickets. Some of the performers this year include Shaggy, Nelly, and The Beach Boys. Concert tickets range from 40 to 100 dollars. The Fair runs August 26th through September 5th.

(Vancouver, WA) -- Firefighters rescued a turtle from a garage that was on fire in Vancouver on Saturday night. When firefighters arrived, there was heavy smoke and fire coming from the garage. All of the residents got out of the house safely. Firefighters rescued a pet turtle from the garage. It took 15 minutes to bring the fire under control. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

(Beaverton, OR) -- Police say they've arrested a suspect in connection to a string of arsons and vandalisms against mosques and synagogues in Portland. Police say 34-year-old Michael Bivens was arrested after going to KPTV in Beaverton and demanding to talk with a reporter. He's accused of trying to set fire to a mosque, breaking windows and spray painting graffiti. Willamette Week reports he worked for them covering the demonstrations in Portland and his behavior became erratic during the pandemic. He's charged with arson and criminal mischief.

(Salem, OR) -- Oregon is receiving an additional 16-million dollars in emergency rental assistance funds from the federal government. The money comes from states that didn't use their funds. Oregon Housing and Community Services won't reopen the website to new applicants. They will distribute the funds to current tenants who need additional support. Those tenants will be contacted starting this week.

PORTLAND, OR -- The May Primary is the first statewide election since implementation of a new Oregon law allowing ballots received after 8 p.m. on Election Day to be counted, if they’re postmarked by Election Day. 

A new campaign by the Secretary of State's Office reminds Oregonians last-minute voters now have the option to mail their ballot. "Drop it in your mailbox or a USPS collection box. Just make sure it’s postmarked on or before Election Day," the new ad says, "Some mail-in ballots will arrive after Election Day, even if they were cast on time."

Ben Morris, with the Secretary of State’s Office, says the goal is to combat the misinformation seen in other states, where people thought late ballot increases were evidence of fraud. "We’re going to see the total number of votes go up on Wednesday and Thursday and Friday following Election Day. Those are valid votes that were cast on time, and they’ll count." There is still a deadline - mailed ballots postmarked on time must be received within seven days of Election Day. There's more information at the state's Elections website. 

Oregon's Primary is May 17. 

(Portland, OR)  --  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra is visiting Portland to discuss the Biden Administration's initiatives to improve access to mental health care.  Becerra toured Lines for Life, a Portland non-profit crisis call center.  He met with volunteers who provide 24-7 support for people struggling with substance use, suicidal thoughts, or other mental health challenges.  He also talked with teen volunteers who staff the YouthLine, a teen-to-teen crisis line.  Becerra says the federal government has increased mental health funding by 100-million dollars to help keep burned out counselors and other professionals from leaving.

(Portland, OR)  --  Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University are unveiling a new study that shows how space affects the brains of new astronauts.  The researchers took MRIs of new astronauts after they returned to Earth and found the area around blood vessels increased in size.  However, the change didn't continue for astronauts who made additional trips to space.  There were no neurological problems with balance or memories.  The increase is seen in people who are older and people with dementia.  The study could help diagnose and treat diseases that affect circulation in the brain.

PORTLAND, OR -- A man accused of shooting his AirBnB host is now in a Portland jail. Police responded to a report of a shooting at a Northeast Portland home Wednesday night. They found a woman shot in the chest. She is expected to survive, thanks to the efforts of responding medics.

Investigators say the suspect shot multiple rounds through the bedroom door when the host tried to contact him. Officers realized he was in his room. After a short stand-off, the 21-year-old surrendered.

He faces attempted murder and other charges.

(Portland, OR)  --  The Council on American-Islamic Relations is condemning an arson attempt at a Portland mosque.  The Oregon chapter of the organization spoke out yesterday, calling Wednesday's incident at the Muslim Community Center of Portland's North Vancouver Avenue building "deeply disturbing."  The group adds the incident serves as a "reminder that hate and bigotry continue to pose a genuine threat to the Muslim community.  Surveillance footage shows the suspect pouring an accelerant on the back of the building before lighting it on fire.  Police say the fire failed to take off, prompting the suspect to allegedly try to light it up a second time.  An investigation is ongoing.

(Astoria, OR)  --  The captain of a small sailboat is lucky to be alive after being forced to abandon ship in rough coastal waters near Astoria.  The U.S. Coast Guard says the man was sailing near Fort Stevens State Park yesterday when his 26-foot boat became disabled.  Coast Guard video shows the boat being thrashed by surging whitecaps before the man jumps overboard and starts swimming toward shore.  A Coast Guard boat crew rescued the man and brought him to shore, where he was evaluated for injuries.  Authorities say the boat later washed up on the beach at Fort Stevens State Park.

PORTLAND, OR -- Reaction and fallout continue, in response to the leaked Supreme Court draft pointing toward overturning Roe v. Wade. "I believe this Alito draft opinion is so sweeping it really is an assault on the privacy rights of all Americans," Oregon Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) said Wednesday, "The Alito draft opinion is so sweeping that anything from birth control to marrying who you love, to living free from government intrusion into your life is now on the table, in my view."

But Lois Anderson, with Oregon Right to Life, says overturning Roe would simply put the issue back in state hands, "To return the responsibility for making laws about abortion to citizens and their elected representatives, rather than the courts. And that’s where we believe it should be."

Wyden sees it as a slippery slope, "Anti privacy crusaders are discussing a federal ban on abortion and if they win in November, they’re going to pass it." He also believes it would open the door for the government to use private online data - like web searches - to look for women seeking abortion services.

The Oregon Democrat says some of his colleagues feel lied to by recent Supreme Court nominees-turned-Justices, "Let’s look at some of the Republican Senators who voted for judges who they believed treated Roe as settled law, and they’re not particularly happy right now."

(Salem, OR)  --  Christine Drazen is considered the frontrunner for the Republican nomination in the race for governor.  The new poll from Nelson Research shows the former Oregon House Minority Leader is holding steady in a crowded field with close to 19-percent support.  Former state party chair Bob Tiernan came in second place.  More than 27-percent of Republican primary voters remain undecided ahead of the election on May 17th.

(Portland, OR)  --  Children with ADHD can have their symptoms improved by taking vitamins and minerals.  A study by the Oregon Health & Science University confirmed results in a previous study in New Zealand.  54-percent of children who were given supplemental vitamins and minerals showed improvement in their symptoms compared to 18-percent in a placebo group.  The study involved 135 children in Portland, Columbus, Ohio; and Alberta, Canada.  The results were published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

(Portland, OR)  --  The Point-in-Time Homeless Count for the Portland area found more than 66-hundred people were homeless on one night in January.  That included 36-hundred unsheltered people, more than two-thousand people in shelters and 800 people in transitional housing.  It's always considered an undercount because it's done by interviewing people.  Portland City Commissioner Dan Ryan says Multnomah County adds interviews to the process, which makes it more complex and less accurate.  He wants a real time list of homeless people by name.  He's calling on the Joint Office of Homeless Services to change the process.

PORTLAND, OR -- Oregon groups on both sides of the abortion fight are reacting to the leaked Supreme Court draft decision on Roe v. Wade.

Oregon Right to Life is cautiously optimistic. Executive Director Lois Anderson says she knows the decision isn’t final, "Should the core of this draft hold, yes, this is what we have been working for for decades." An Do, Executive Director of Planned Parenthood of Oregon, says abortion remains legal here because of the 2017 Health Equity Act passed by the legislature, 'We codified the right to an abortion in state law. So, regardless of this leaked decision or the final ruling, abortion will remain legal and accessible in our state."

Because of that protection, CEO of Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette Anne Udall expects to see a dramatic increase in women coming to Oregon seeking abortions. She says some estimate Oregon clinics will see a more than 230% increase in patients, "No matter what happens, we will be there for our out-of-state neighbors and clearly for everyone who lives in Oregon and Southwestern Washington." Anderson agrees the state will likely see more women from states with stricter abortion laws, "If they’re coming here to seek an abortion, we want to be able to still offer them hope and support, and the resources they need to embrace life, rather than choosing to end the life of their child."

Oregon Governor Kate Brown joined other Democrats speaking out against the direction the Supereme Court appears to be leaning. She released a video statement Tuesday, saying in part, "Access to abortion is a basic and fundamental right, and is protected by state law in Oregon." She went on to say, "You cannot ban abortion. You can only ban safe abortions," adding, "We cannot and we will not let our country take this huge step backward." But ORTL's Anderson says reversing Roe v. Wade would not be a step back in time, "If we think about what life was like in 1972 or 1955, it might as well be Mars compared to 2022. We just have access to so many more resources; the technology. If you want to prevent pregnancy, there’s more options now than there ever has been."

Anderson stresses the leaked document was only a draft and she awaits a final decision from the high court, which is expected this summer. 

PORTLAND, OR -- The FBI is renewing efforts to educate parents and kids about the dangers of what the agency calls “sextortion.” Kieran Ramsey, Special Agent in Charge of the Portland Field Office, says adults pose as kids to connect with young people through various social media or gaming platforms, "And they look to build a rapport with these kids, and ultimately will try to get them into a private conversation online in this virtual world. And, eventually, that will come with an ask for perhaps a photo." 

He says predators have typically targetted girls and use those explicit images to extort more pictures or video. But now, Ramsey says, they're increasingly targeting boys, "And not, this time, asking for more photos. But once they get that inappropriate photo or video they’re demanding money, saying, ‘if you don’t send me money, I’m going to release these photos or videos to your friends, your family, your classmates, what have you’."

The FBI took 18,000 reports of sextortion last year, nationwide. In Oregon, in the past six months, there have already been six cases. Ramsey says, "If you think your child is a victim of this, we ask that you don’t delete anything until Law Enforcement has gotten involved and been able to review the situation with you and make sure that your child isn’t victimized any further."

He says prevention is key – by monitoring your kids’ online activity.  

GRANTS PASS, OR -- A disturbance at a Southern Oregon juvenile facility led to a two-hour stand-off Sunday night. A young inmate allegedly assaulted another, then refused to comply with commands and things escalated when two others joined him. They pushed furniture against doors so officers couldn’t get inside, destroyed a common area and tried to break windows to access the control room.

Near the end of the stand-off one suspect threatened another with a sharp knife-like object. Grants Pass SWAT responded, using pepper balls to bring the kids into compliance, and police eventually forced their way in to take the suspects into custody. They say only the original assault victim was injured in the melee. 

Officials say the facility is now unusable with thousands of dollars in damage, and all of the inmates were moved to other regional facilities. 

PORTLAND, OR -- Oregon State Police chased a stolen ambulance up I-5 Friday evening. It started when a driver ran from a Woodburn area crash. Troopers say he returned to the scene, jumped in a responding ambulance and drove north. 

They 30-year-old Noor Mohammad Baheej rammed a patrol car, struck a building and turned southbound before he was caught in Southwest Portland. The Winnetka, CA man had a blood-alcohol level of .21 when he was caught. 

He's charged with DUII, UUMV, Attempt to Elude, Reckless Driving and Failure to Perform the Duties of a Driver. 

ESTACADA, OR -- Highway 224 reopened Sunday, near Estacada, following nearly two years of clean-up work.

The highway was heavily damaged in the Labor Day wildfires of 2020. Oregon’s Department of Transportation says crews cleared debris from miles of ditches, repaired and replaced 11 miles of guardrails, removed tens of thousands of dead and dying trees along the road, and replaced scores of highway signs destroyed by fire.