Salem, Ore. -- The State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation (SACHP) will meet on February 20 and 21 at the State Library of Oregon (250 Winter St NE) in Salem to consider nominations to the National Register of Historic Places. The SACHP meeting is hybrid and open to the public.
The meeting agenda includes guided tours, presentations, and hearings for five proposed nominations and one proposed Multiple Property Documentation (MPD) form. The guided tours are scheduled for Thursday, February 20, at 1:00 p.m., and the business meeting will begin at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, February 21. Anyone may attend the business meeting in person or electronically; instructions for how to attend electronically are posted on the commission web page: https://www.oregon.gov/oprd/OH/Pages/Commissions.aspx (look under "State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation" and "Upcoming Meetings and Agendas"). Registration is required to speak at the meeting.
On Friday, February 21, the committee will complete a courtesy review of a proposed nomination for the Salem Substation in Polk County at 11:30am. Beginning at 1:00pm, the committee will then review a proposed nomination for the Owyhee Grocery in Nyssa, Malheur County; a proposed nomination for the Mingus Park Community Building in Coos Bay, Coos County; a proposed MPD for Oregon Country Methodist Mission Sites: 1834-1847; a proposed nomination for the Mill Place House Site in Salem, Marion County; and a proposed nomination for the Port Orford City Jail in Port Orford, Curry County. For other agenda items, please refer to the online agenda: https://www.oregon.gov/oprd/OH/Pages/Commissions.aspx (look under "State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation" and "Upcoming Meetings and Agendas").
The SACHP is a nine-member governor-appointed citizen commission with credentials in many historic preservation-related fields. Nominations recommended by the SACHP go to the National Park Service, which maintains the National Register of Historic Places under the authority of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966.
This effort aligns with the Oregon Historic Preservation Plan goal to increase the thematic diversity of Oregon properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It also supports the goals to include more voices and increase access to Oregon heritage that are part of the Oregon Heritage Plan.
The meeting is accessible to people with disabilities. Special accommodations may be made with at least three days of advance notice by calling (503) 986-0690.
More information about the National Register of Historic Places process is online at www.oregonheritage.org.
An Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) adult in custody, Michael Cooper, died February 4, 2025. Cooper was incarcerated at Oregon State Penitentiary (OSP) in Salem and passed away at a local hospital. As with all in-custody deaths, the Oregon State Police have been notified, and the State Medical Examiner will determine cause of death.
Cooper entered DOC custody on December 12, 1989, from Multnomah County with a projected release date of September 20, 2025. Cooper was 75 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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Boise, Idaho (January 30, 2025) -- Girl Scouts of Silver Sage is once again kicking off Girl Scout Cookie Season in a big way with an event foodies and champions of female ambition alike can get behind. Tapping into the Treasure Valley's bustling culinary scene, our 4th Annual Top Cookie will challenge local chefs to transform beloved Girl Scout Cookie flavors into an original dessert incorporating the cookie.
Last year's Top Cookie Critics' Choice Winner, Chef Heather Lew of Trillium Kitchen & Cocktails in Boise, is returning to defend her title. Her competition this year includes Chef Kelly Grindstaff of The Modern Hotel & Bar in Downtown Boise, and bakers Mandy & Tyler Fortunati of Great Harvest Bread Company in Meridian and Eagle. Also returning is Chef Pedro Martinez of Snake River Creamery, the People's Choice winner from 2024.
Ali Escalante, Director of Development at Girl Scouts of Silver Sage, shared, "We are excited to pair talented, local chefs with iconic Girl Scout Cookie flavors and taste the delicious creations they come up with. The Girl Scout Cookie Program is more than just cookies--it's the largest girl-run entrepreneurial program in the world. We are delighted to host this fun and engaging event to bring community awareness and support to local Girl Scout programs."
Top Cookie guests will enjoy hors d'oeuvres and drinks, sample each competitor's dessert, and vote for their favorite. Guests will indulge in creations made with Girl Scout Cookie favorites, like Thin Mints(R) and Caramel deLites(R), as well as newer additions to the lineup, such as Lemonades(R) and Adventurefuls(R).
While the audience's votes will determine the People's Choice winner, a panel of celebrity judges will select the Critic's Choice. Weighing in is 4th generation business mogul Callie Zamzow, media guru Natalie Plummer of Hello Meridian, and Chef Adan Callsen of Under The Table Boise, a former Top Cookie competitor.
Top Cookie will be held on February 26 at the Idaho State Museum in Boise. Admission is $55 per person or two for $100. All proceeds raised from this 21+ event support Girl Scout programs that help local girls build leadership and entrepreneurship skills. For more information and tickets, visit https://www.girlscouts-ssc.org/topcookie.
Girl Scout Cookies can be ordered now from your local Girl Scout, either in person or online. Girl Scout Cookie Booths will be set up February 21 through March 16 at many of your favorite local stores. To find a Cookie Booth location near you, visit http://www.girlscoutcookies.org.
About Girl Scouts of Silver Sage: Boise-based Girl Scouts of Silver Sage Council is a girl-led youth development organization that serves 3,400 K-12 girls throughout Southern Idaho and in parts of Northern Nevada and Eastern Oregon. The council, along with a team of 1,200 local volunteers, delivers a leadership curriculum focused on STEM, outdoors, entrepreneurship, and life skills that build girls of courage, confidence, and character who positively impact the communities in which they live.
Agency announces leadership changes, embarks on comprehensive review of care and services adults in custody receive across Oregon.
UPDATED: The quote below is attributed to Director Michael Reese.
Salem, OR -- Today, the Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) announced a significant reform initiative to overhaul the division that provides healthcare to adults in custody (AICs). The agency is addressing long-standing issues where AICs receive care at correctional facilities across Oregon. DOC will engage industry experts to improve its Health Services Division, and has taken steps to enhance staffing, enact operational changes, and innovate its pharmacy operations.
"The health and well-being of those in our care is a high priority. Too often the people coming into our prison system have complex medical conditions, high mental health needs, substance use disorders, and co-occurring disorders. It's also an aging population with approximately 1,400 adults in custody age 60 years or older. We recognize the challenges facing correctional healthcare in Oregon, and as an agency we are dedicated to addressing them with innovation and process improvement.
Patient-centered care must be central to what we do, and I am grateful for the dedication and hard work of our healthcare staff. As we move forward, I am committed to a transparent process of change in our Health Services Division to ensure we have the leadership, resources, and support needed to provide the highest standard of care," stated DOC Director Michael Reese.
The initiative includes the following actions:
"Nationwide and around the world, we have learned that people who experience incarceration are far more likely than others to have complex medical and behavioral health conditions. As a nation, we have a legal and moral obligation to meet those needs when people are in our care and custody, addressing clinical concerns, and returning better neighbors to our communities. Traditional models of healthcare delivery in correctional settings must be elevated in order to meet this need, and our teams specialize in this type of assessment and implementation of change," said Dr. Robin Timme, a forensic psychologist and vice president at Falcon Correctional and Community Services, Inc., an organization with a history of partnering with correctional agencies across the country.
An Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) adult in custody, Shaun Patrick Thomas, died the morning of February 3, 2025. Thomas was incarcerated at Two Rivers Correctional Institution (TRCI) in Umatilla and passed away at the facility while on hospice care. As with all in-custody deaths, the Oregon State Police have been notified.
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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The State Historic Preservation Office is offering grants for work on historic properties and for archaeology projects. The annual grants fund up to $20,000 in matching funds for preservation projects. Both grant programs support the goals of the Oregon Historic Preservation Plan.
The Preserving Oregon Grants fund preservation of historic properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Work may include non-maintenance preservation like window repair, roof work, foundation projects, plumbing, and electrical needs. Recently funded projects include preservation of the following historic properties.
Preserving Oregon Grants can also fund archaeology projects for significant work contributing toward identifying, preserving and/or interpreting archaeological sites. Archaeology projects by Southern Oregon University Lab of Anthropology were funded last year.
The Diamonds in the Rough Grants help restore or reconstruct the facades of buildings that have been heavily altered over the years. These grants return buildings to their historic appearance and potentially qualify them for historic register designation (local or national). Recent façade projects have taken place in Baker City, Independence, Lebanon, The Dalles, Union.
The online grant application is simple to use and includes plenty of support. Free, online grant workshops specific to these grant programs and how to use the online grant application will be offered. Visit the Oregon Heritage grants webpage to register.
Recorded trainings and tips are also online. To learn more about the grants and workshops visit www.oregonheritage.org or contact Kuri Gill at i.Gill@oprd.oregon.gov">Kuri.Gill@oprd.oregon.gov or 503-986-0685.
I-84 eastbound remains closed between Exit 304 in Baker City and Exit 374 in Ontario due to a crash at milepost 332 (2 miles east of the Plano Road Interchange). Traffic stuck at the scene at the time of the incident has been cleared. Crews continue working to remove the truck from the guardrail and clean up diesel. The closure is expected to continue for several more hours. Delay travel if possible. If you do travel, be prepared for delays and winter travel conditions. Stay on main highways and avoid following GPS navigation devices, as they could lead you onto routes that are in worse condition or not maintained during winter.