An Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) adult in custody, Charles Edward Vermillion, died the afternoon of July 3, 2025. Vermillion was incarcerated at Snake River Correctional Institution (SRCI) in Ontario and passed away at a regional hospital while on hospice care. As with all in-custody deaths, the Oregon State Police have been notified, and the State Medical Examiner will determine cause of death.
Vermillion entered DOC custody on April 20, 2017, from Klamath County with an earliest release date of November 5, 2034. Vermillion was 60 years old. Next of kin has been notified.
DOC takes all in-custody deaths seriously. The agency is responsible for the care and custody of approximately 12,000 individuals who are incarcerated in 12 institutions across the state. While crime information is public record, DOC elects to disclose only upon request out of respect for any family or victims.
SRCI is a multi-custody prison in Ontario that houses approximately 3,000 adults in custody. SRCI has multiple special housing units including disciplinary segregation, intensive management, infirmary (with hospice) with 24-hour nursing care, and an administrative segregation unit. SRCI participates in prison industries with Oregon Corrections Enterprises including a contact center, laundry, and sign shop. SRCI specializes in incentive housing, specialized housing, individuals with mental health/medical vulnerabilities, education and trades programs, cognitive and parenting programs, and institution work programs. SRCI opened in 1991 and is the largest correctional institution in the state.
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In an ongoing effort to improve services for Oregonians, the Department of Corrections (DOC) has modernized its public records request process by implementing new software to streamline access and communication.
Effective July 7, 2025, DOC will launch Granicus GovQA, a cloud-based platform designed to efficiently manage and process public records requests. Public records requests can be submitted through the DOC website: Department of Corrections : Public Record Requests : Research and Information Requests : State of Oregon.
As the volume and complexity of requests have grown, DOC adopted GovQA to provide a secure, centralized, and highly customizable solution. The new system enhances transparency and improves tracking and communication—leading to better customer service.
Through the new public records portal, requesters can:
For DOC staff, the system standardizes workflows, increasing internal efficiency and consistency in handling requests.
Granicus GovQA is the largest provider of cloud-based services for government compliance with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). It supports numerous state and local governments across the country, including other agencies within Oregon.
DOC employs 4,600 staff members at 12 institutions, two community corrections offices, and several centralized support facilities throughout the state. The agency is responsible for the care and custody of over 12,000 adults sentenced to more than 12 months of incarceration, and direct or indirect supervision of 24,000 offenders on felony supervision in the community. DOC is recognized nationally among correctional agencies for providing adults in custody with the cognitive, education, and job skills needed to become productive citizens when they transition back to their communities.
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An Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) adult in custody, Stuart Ross Anderson, died the morning of July 2, 2025. Anderson was incarcerated at Oregon State Penitentiary (OSP) in Salem and passed away in the infirmary while on hospice care. As with all in-custody deaths, the Oregon State Police have been notified, and the State Medical Examiner will determine cause of death.
Anderson entered DOC custody on June 22, 2004, from Deschutes County with an earliest release date of January 4, 2040. Anderson was 72 years old. Next of kin has been notified.
DOC takes all in-custody deaths seriously. The agency is responsible for the care and custody of approximately 12,000 men and women who are incarcerated in 12 institutions across the state. While crime information is public record, DOC elects to disclose only upon request out of respect for any family or victims.
OSP is a multi-custody prison located in Salem that houses approximately 2,000 adults in custody. OSP is surrounded by a 25-foot-high wall with 10 towers. The facility has multiple special housing units including disciplinary segregation, behavioral health, intermediate care housing, and an infirmary (with hospice) with 24-hour nursing care. OSP participates in prison industries with Oregon Corrections Enterprises including the furniture factory, laundry, metal shop, and contact center. It provides a range of correctional programs and services including education, work-based education, work crews, and pre-release services. OSP was established in 1866 and, until 1959, was Oregon’s only prison.
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Without proper protection, the sun can cause serious damage to the health of Oregonians. Oregon has a high rate of melanoma—ranking 16th in the country as of 2021.
The good news is a broad-spectrum sunscreen helps guard against the effects of the sun’s harmful UV rays. But how does sunscreen actually work? SAIF’s new video looks at how sunscreen, sunburns, and the sun’s rays work. It’s part of a new series looking at the science behind safety.
The video can be viewed at saif.com/ScienceofSafety.
“Unprotected exposure to the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays is a major risk factor for skin cancer,” says Wendy Boughton, SAIF occupational safety and health nurse consultant. “That’s why cancer and other skin concerns often show up on places such as forearms, face, neck, and tops of ears that are exposed to the sun on a daily basis and not typically covered by clothing.”
Here are some tips on protecting your skin every day:
For more information about sun protection, visit saif.com/SunSafety.
About SAIF
SAIF is Oregon’s not-for-profit workers’ compensation insurance company. For more than 100 years, we’ve been taking care of injured workers, helping people get back to work, and striving to make Oregon the safest and healthiest place to work. For more information, visit the About SAIF page on saif.com.
SALEM, Oregon – Applications open today for heritage organizations statewide to apply for free technical assistance from the Oregon Heritage MentorCorps. Organizations applying to this program address priority projects or pitfalls with the guidance and support of volunteer professionals. The mentors have backgrounds spanning the heritage spectrum including to museums and collections management, curatorship, archives, preservation, non-profit management, disaster preparedness, planning, prioritization, heritage interpretation, volunteer coordination, and more.
The role of MentorCorps is to help museums, libraries, archives, and cultural institutions navigate through challenges as well as supplement the expertise of staff and volunteers during one-on-one sessions over a period of nine months. Common requests for assistance include:
With mentors that are geographically and technically diverse, we provide services statewide both virtually and in person.
“Improving practices incrementally with a nonjudgmental approach is key,” says Cam Amabile, Technical Resources Coordinator and MentorCorps Coordinator for Oregon Heritage. “Mentors know that achieving ‘best practices’ takes capacity in time, expertise, and finances, which are limited commodities in small organizations. We are there to provide resourceful, achievable, and realistic pathways forward to implementing local plans or actions all led by the applicant organization.”
MentorCorps began as a pilot program funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services more than a decade ago. Today, it is a fully actualized technical assistance program of that supports the “Pursue Best Practices” goal of the 2020-2025 Oregon Heritage Plan. This service is offered free to any heritage organization operating within the state of Oregon, but primarily serves museums, libraries, archives, and cultural institutions. Applications open July 1, 2025 and close on August 15, 2025 for the 2025-2026 assistance year. Organizations can reach out to Oregon Heritage Technical Resources Coordinator, Cam Amabile with questions about projects or applications at 971-720-8998 or ile@oprd.oregon.gov">cam.amabile@oprd.oregon.gov.
SEATTLE, Wash.--Dr. Andrew Voegel-Podadera, 35, a resident physician at the University of Washington Medical School who worked at Seattle Children’s Hospital, UW Medicine, and Harborview Medical Center is charged with two counts of Acquiring a Controlled Substance by Misrepresentation, Fraud, Deception, and Subterfuge.
On June 24th, 2025, DEA Seattle Diversion Group and DEA agents, along with the Food and Drug Administration - Office of Criminal Investigations, arrested Voegel-Podadera at his residence and transported him to the Federal Courthouse for an initial hearing.
As an anesthesia resident at the University of Washington and Seattle Children’s Hospital, Voegel-Podadera was found to have diverted Fentanyl, Remifentanil, Sufentanil, Hydromorphone and other controlled substances while treating children. In addition to practicing medicine while under the influence of controlled substance, Voegel-Podadera tampered with and diverted controlled substances that were ordered for three children.
“Diverting medicine away from infant patients is despicable, doubly so if the person involved is a doctor,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “If Dr. Voegel-Podadera is convicted, it will show that he violated both his oath and the law, and I am proud that DEA could help stop him.”
According to the complaint, the attending physician at Seattle Children’s believed that Voegel-Podadera was displaying behavior consistent with drug use, including unexplained delays and absences from the operating room. On December 27, 2024, as a resident anesthesiologist, he treated three minor patients The attending physician observed Voegel-Podadera draw up an excessive amount of fentanyl into syringes that would not be needed for their patients that day. With concerns Voegel- Podadera was diverting, Seattle Children’s arranged for all the substances returned as wastage to be tested that day and found the waste syringes were filled with saline solution.
The DEA Seattle Diversion Group received a report Voegel-Podadera was suspected of diverting controlled substances in January 2025. In February 2025, the investigation revealed Voegel-Podadera allegedly diverted controlled substances while working at Seattle Children’s Hospital, as well as the University of Washington Medical Center, and Harborview Medical Center, going back to January 2024.
On June 12, 2025, DEA Diversion served Voegel-Podadera with an Immediate Suspension Order, suspending his controlled substance prescribing abilities. He was arrested on June 24th, 2025.
The charges contained in the criminal complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This operation took place as part of the 2025 Department of Justice National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action.
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SALEM, Oregon—Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) is seeking public comment on proposed rule changes to update the Special Assessment of Historic Properties following passage of HB 3190.
The Special Assessment of Historic Properties program offers a 10-year property tax exemption for properties listed in the federal National Register of Historic Places. Under the new legislation, the program will be limited to commercial properties. Eligible properties may apply for multiple 10-year terms with qualifying projects outlined in a preservation plan.
Public comments on the proposed rule change will be accepted through 5 p.m. July 31, 2025, and can be submitted:
Mail: OPRD Department, attn: Katie Gauthier, 725 Summer St NE, Suite C, Salem OR 97301
Email: D.Publiccomment@oprd.oregon.gov" rel="noreferrer noopener" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">OPRD.Publiccomment@oprd.oregon.gov
A public hearings will be held for the public to provide comments.
Once the public comment period ends, the proposal with any incorporated updates is slated to go to Oregon State Parks and Recreation Commission in September for possible adoption. New applications for the program are expected to be accepted beginning November 1, 2025.
SALEM, Oregon—Electric-assist bicycles (e-bikes) are now allowed on trails where other bicycles are allowed unless specifically prohibited at Oregon State Parks.
E-bikes are also allowed on the ocean shore on wet sand except where specifically restricted.
Previously, e-bikes were only allowed on trails that were at least 8 feet wide. Signs will be posted on trails and areas where e-bikes are not allowed, and the trails and areas will be listed on the Oregon State Parks website.
Where e-bikes are not allowed:
The updated rules also include stronger and clearer language on safety, particularly operation around other visitors, pets, children and equestrians.
“We ask that all riders ride responsibly, stay on designated trails and yield to others at Oregon State Parks and the ocean shore. Please keep operating speeds low as people might not be aware that riders are approaching. These are multi-use pathways where they will share the trail with many other users,” said Aaron Raines, park manager at Stub Stewart State Park.
The rules apply to Class 1, 2 and 3 e-bikes as defined by the Oregon State Legislature. Anything not included in those e-bike classifications is considered a motor vehicle and is not allowed on trails.
E-bike classification:
While education remains the primary focus for rule enforcement at Oregon State Parks, enforcement rangers do have the authority to issue citations, which carry fines starting at $100 for significant or repeated violations of park rules.
Safety tips for sharing the path:
For more information and a list of trails where e-bikes are prohibited, visit Oregon State Parks website at https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=v.page&id=131
DOC takes all in-custody deaths seriously. The agency is responsible for the care and custody of 12,000 individuals who are incarcerated in 12 institutions across the state. While crime information is public record, DOC elects to disclose only upon request out of respect for any family or victims.
TRCI is a multi-custody prison in Umatilla that houses approximately 1,800 adults in custody. TRCI participates in prison industries with Oregon Corrections Enterprises including institution and industrial laundry, mattress manufacturing, and sewing. Other institution work programs include reparation and cleaning of irrigation ditches, maintenance of local baseball fields, and work with local cities and the Hermiston School District. The facility provides a range of correctional programs and services including education, religious services, and behavioral health services. TRCI opened in 2000.
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