Armstrong Williams takes on the news of the week and asks the questions you want answered. Don’t miss our weekly town hall. kayaker remains missing as search over Willamette River continuesby Sana Aljobory (KATU) — Search and rescue operations resumed Sunday morning for a kayaker who went missing after being seen going over Willamette Falls late Saturday night multiple 911 callers reported a kayaker in distress on the Willamette River Coast Guard located the missing kayaker's blue hard-shell kayak which was then recovered by the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit His identity is being withheld awaiting further developments Emergency responders from the Clackamas County Water Rescue Consortium and the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit launched a coordinated search effort shortly after The search was supported by additional crews from the Sheriff’s Office READ ALSO: Wanted man arrested after standoff in Clackamas County Coast Guard helicopter and a fixed-wing airplane from the Portland Police Bureau The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office will release additional updates as they become available Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact the Sheriff’s Office Tip Line at 503-723-4949 or use the online email form at clackamas.us/sheriff/tip. the home improvement and real estate network explored the history attractions and beauty that make small-town downtowns across America so charming "Nothing charms like a small downtown that beckons visitors with historic architecture and boutique shops or local culture and tree-lined streets," the HGTV article said adding they specifically sought downtowns inviting to visitors Here's why HGTV picked Bend for Oregon's most charming downtown one of the fastest growing cities in Oregon boasts a population of more than 100,000 and is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts and microbrew lovers Bend's "picture-perfect" downtown streets include "distilleries cideries and kombucha brewers that make up the craft beverage scene" and are a big part of what makes it so charming Downtown Bend also features dozens of popular shops and restaurants HGTV mentioned the Bend Ale Trail as the best way to sample brews from the city's more than two dozen breweries It also noted the Deschutes River as a perfect spot for water activities such as tubing Outside of downtown, HGTV also mentioned the nostalgia that can be felt while visiting the city's Blockbuster store the last of the once popular chain video rental store in the United States Central Oregon also features other towns catching national attention, including Sisters, which was ranked among the top 10 best small towns across the U.S. for 2025 by Country Living magazine Ginnie Sandoval is the Oregon Connect reporter for the Statesman Journal. Sandoval can be reached at GSandoval@gannett.com or on X at @GinnieSandoval but the search for the man continued without success Monday The Clackamas County Sheriff's Marine Unit said people camping near the railroad tracks in Oregon City first spotted the kayaker in distress about 200-300 feet away from them while the kayaker was still about 200 feet from Willamette Falls some time before 11 p.m Investigators said they believe the 20-year-old kayaker put in at the floating house rentals just south of the Willamette Falls Scenic Viewpoint They believe he set out on the river at about 10 p.m. "We don't know why he went out at that time Thompson said the victim had only kayaked a couple of times on lakes adding that the family may not have known that there was a waterfall near their rental Thompson said at least one witness heard some yelling A witness was on the phone with 911 dispatchers when they saw the victim frantically rowing away from the falls not far from a concrete block near the Oregon City side of the river the witness saw the victim jump into the water and try to swim to safety Thompson said the kayak went over the falls "There are a lot of signs warning there is a waterfall ahead in this section of the river The blue kayak the man was last seen operating was recovered near Elk Rock Island on the Willamette River about 7.5 river miles downstream of Willamette Falls The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office urged anyone recreating on the Willamette River between Oregon City and Milwaukie to report any items or information that could assist searchers in their efforts Residents at the floating houses said they didn't hear anything unusual until a Coast Guard helicopter showed up around 1 a.m "I was up well before 10...10:50 is when they said it happened," said Josh Sommer who is staying at the floating homes in Oregon City the helicopters and a police plane circling overhead." the marine unit official said there are safety buoys to divert people away from the most dangerous part of the falls but he said there is nothing keeping boats back with too much debris with all the spring runoff," he said The conditions are dangerous for boaters as well as the search teams Searchers spent Sunday canvassing the riverbanks and searching the river to the Sellwood Bridge but Thompson said with all the water coming off the falls it's also possible the victim could still be trapped under the falls Willamette Falls is the second-largest waterfall in the United States by volume He estimated the drop over the Willamette River is about 30 feet and said he's never before heard of someone accidentally going over the falls in his time with the sheriff's office KTVZ NewsChannel 21 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here. Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInSALEM Ore. (KPTV) - The Oregon Department of Human Services says a 16-month-old who was reported missing has been found. According to ODHS, Cierra Rosemon and her toddler, Isaiah Johnson, went missing on April 1. ODHS said Isaiah was believed to be at risk but did not say why. On Friday, ODHS said Isaiah had been found but did not provide any other details. Copyright 2025 KPTV-KPDX. All rights reserved. making it the first city to be formally recognized in the Pacific Northwest This photograph of Willamette Falls dates to 1878 Situated at the base of Willamette Falls it had long been an important fishing and gathering spot for several local Indigenous tribes By 1829, Dr. John McLoughlin of the Hudson’s Bay Company laid out a two-square-mile claim near the falls and encouraged white traders missionaries and emigrants to settle there According to historian Hubert Howe Bancroft, writing in 1886, the name “Oregon City” came from McLoughlin On Dec. 24, 1844 the Oregon Provisional Legislature incorporated the city and proclaimed it its capital This lithograph of Oregon City dates to 1845 That act made it the first incorporated city west of the Rocky Mountains While other Euro-American settlements predated it — Astoria’s founding goes back to 1811 — Oregon City was the first to gain formal recognition By 1846, the new city had grown to 500 residents, with two churches, two saloons and a newspaper “Oregon Spectator.” Beginning in the mid 1840s, thousands of westward settlers arrived in the city, making it the symbolic end of the Oregon Trail the arrival of settlers decimated the Indigenous population of the area The early Euro-American migrants brought smallpox cholera and other diseases that killed thousands of Native Americans in the region the remaining inhabitants were forced out of the region In 1855, local tribes ceded Willamette Falls to the United States under the Willamette Valley Treaty and Native people were forcibly removed to the Grand Ronde Reservation. In 2019, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde purchased a 23-acre property at Willamette Falls that was formerly home to a Blue Heron Paper Company mill The site holds significant historical and cultural importance for the Grand Ronde Tribes They have named it “tumwata” — the Grand Ronde’s name for Willamette Falls — and are now working on a long-term project to restore and revitalize the area This photograph taken by Carleton Watkins shows Oregon City in 1867 Tags: Culture, Oregon Experience, Oregon City Stand with OPB and protect independent journalism for everyone Listen to the OPB News live stream (opens new window)Streaming Now \"Oregon Experience,\" which brings to life the stories of Oregon's past she has contributed to a variety of OPB and PBS productions including \"History Detectives,\" \"PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer,\" the \"New Heroes\" hosted by Robert Redford Kami launched her journalism career in Southern Oregon and website content creator for an international nonprofit in Brussels dedicated to social justice Her work has earned numerous local and national awards Kami graduated from Southern Oregon University with a bachelor's degree in broadcasting obtained a master's degree in nonfiction writing from Portland State University and completed certificate programs in Germany and Belgium she holds a deep passion for the people and history of her home state announced Friday he will hold three town halls for Central Oregonians in Jefferson just over a month after postponing the visit due to a change in the Senate's voting schedule for the Deschutes County town hall in Sisters The three rescheduled events in Central Oregon continue Merkley’s 2025 town hall tour where he’s holding a community conversation in each of the state’s 36 counties “There is nothing like holding town halls directly in the communities where Oregonians live and work to get to the heart of the ideas That’s why I hold a town hall for every Oregon county “I’ve held over 600 of these conversations since Oregonians first sent me to the Senate and each one helps fuel my fight for working families and keeps me laser-focused on where to target federal resources to meet local needs.  “These direct community conversations also provide respectful safe spaces for people to express their unique points of view and open folks up to new perspectives—essential to healing divisions and moving our state forward together.  “I look forward to speaking with Oregonians from all walks of life in their communities.”  Senator Merkley has kept his promise to hold an open town hall for each of Oregon’s 36 counties every year.   His upcoming town hall conversations are as follows with additional details to be sent to local media ahead of each event:  Location: Madras Performing Arts Center– Auditorium   Location: Barnes Butte Elementary School – Gym  NOTE: Oregonians have been turning out in record-breaking numbers to Merkley’s town halls this year His office works to find the best venues available but please be prepared that venues may reach capacity.  Barney is the Digital Content Director for KTVZ News. Learn more about Barney here which is located on lands sacred to the tribe A large fire engulfed the old mill early Thursday morning closing all lanes on Highway 99E in Oregon City for much of the day but the extent of the damage is not yet known An aerial view of the former Blue Heron Paper Mill in Oregon City The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde purchased the 23 acres of industrial land in 2019 Grand Ronde Tribal Council Chairwoman Cheryle Kennedy said Thursday that crews were “working diligently” to investigate the cause of the fire and the extent of the damage “The area is very significant to us as our cultural and historic site.” Kennedy said there have been fires at the site in the past and said it had been an ongoing concern “There were a lot of old beams holding up the structure,” she said and so it was very difficult just to get right down in there to see exactly the extent of the fire.” The tribes originally purchased the 23-acre property in 2019, with plans to convert the old paper mill into a new district called tumwata village public gathering spaces and restored habitats for native wildlife The Grand Ronde tribes are still in the process of demolishing the old mill buildings and Kennedy said the fire will not delay those efforts She also said the public should avoid the area while crews are investigating The former mill sits within eyesight of Willamette Falls, a sacred site for the Grand Ronde tribes. The purchase was partly a method for the tribe to reclaim lands lost to broken treaties with the U.S The Willamette Falls area is a major fishing site and trade hub for multiple other tribes, which has led to disagreements over how the area should be managed in the future Related: Fire at old Oregon City paper mill closes Highway 99E Crews work to extinguish a fire at the former Blue Heron paper mill in Oregon City on January 30 Tags: Native Americans, Oregon City Digital Video","longBio":"MacGregor Campbell is an award-winning visual journalist and editorial product creator specializing in animation Mac co-created, co-produced, story edited and led animation for OPB's Superabundant food video series He directed the design and implementation of OPB's elections results products in multiple election cycles and was a lead on the complete redesign of OPB's web presence in 2019-2020 He also initiated and directed the creation of OPB's homepage COVID-19 data visualizations With OPB Mac has won a number of NW regional Emmy awards as both an animator and a producer He's won regional Murrow awards for video and multimedia As a story editor he has helped his colleagues win two Best of the West awards for video Outside of OPB his work has appeared in New Scientist, The Economist Intelligence Unit, National Geographic and ProPublica, among others. As an animator and story consultant, Mac contributed to the ProPublica team that won the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for national reporting In 2018 Mac created a master's level class on explanatory journalism with the University of Oregon's School of Journalism and Communication Kristian Foden-Vencil is a reporter and producer for Oregon Public Broadcasting In 2004 he was embedded with the Oregon National Guard in Iraq Kristian started as a cub reporter in 1988 In 1991 he moved to Oregon and started freelancing the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and Voice of America Kristian has won a Peabody Award along with awards from the Associated Press, Society of Professional Journalists and the Association of Capitol Reporters and Editors He graduated from the University of Westminster in London (KATU) — A 48-year-old from Oregon City has been sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison for the murder and dismemberment of his roommate who lived with Taylor at a home on Jefferson Street was sentenced on March 19 after pleading guilty He received a true-life sentence at the Clackamas County Circuit Court for second-degree murder in the death of Kara Taylor He was also given a concurrent sentence for abuse of a corpse Fritsch and Taylor were respiratory therapists and knew each other professionally Her disappearance prompted an investigation Authorities executed search warrants at multiple locations and a search of the Coffin Butte Landfill resulted in the discovery of Taylor's remains he admitted to dismembering Taylor and placing parts of her body in different locations believing police would not find her remains "Our detectives searched the landfill for about three days -- 35 to 40 hours They moved approximately 4,000 to 7,000 tons of equipment with the help of the landfill company." started her statement by thanking all officials who helped find Taylor's killer you acted as God and took her last breath from her and I have no intention of wasting another breath of mine on you," she said also made a statement while holding Taylor's remains in a box "I'd like to also introduce you to Kara PAST COVERAGE: Human remains found at Corvallis landfill, likely missing Oregon City woman "Even with our childhood issues, the three of us worked our way through it, getting diplomas and GEDs, going to college and earning college degrees and some nice careers," he said. "Kara was a respiratory therapist and she was so proud of it. She loved helping patients breathe better." "It didn't matter if it was her last dollar or the shirt off her back, Kara would hand it off with a smile," Marcus continued. He mentioned that Taylor was having marital issues in 2023, as well as back pain. "She ended up having a special complicated back surgery and moved out of the family home shortly thereafter. After a short stay with a friend, she ended up in Jamon's house. She told me he had offered her a safe place to stay while she finished recovery," he said. Marcus said the three of them had a conversation about how Jamon would take care of Taylor and her daughter, and Fritsch reassured him. "It sounded like a great situation, and I felt relieved," Marcus said. Court documents revealed that Fritsch reported Taylor's disappearance to the police, leaving her daughter in his house. He made several trips to Home Depot to purchase items such as zip ties, tarps, and contractor bags. The FBI evidence team found blood in Fritsch's bathroom, bathtub, walls, bedroom, and on a saw. "I do not wish you death, but I wish with all my might that the prison system will never let you out of these concrete walls you put yourself in," Marcus said. At the time of Taylor's murder, KATU interviewed neighbor Hailey Stupasky who said, "When I got to my house, I saw a drone circulating over and that was a little concerning. It seemed like there kept being more of a presence, more of a presence, and then I started hearing the megaphone asking somebody to come outside. "I’ve always felt super safe in this neighborhood, so it was really shocking to find out that all of that was happening just a block away," Stupasky continued. "It’s really disturbing and disappointing that this could happen in such a good neighborhood." Taylor's husband, Dennis Taylor, said Kara's daughter was "everything" to her. He spoke about her experiences working in FEMA camps in California during the COVID-19 pandemic, before she moved to Oregon and met Dennis. He stated that his late wife moved in with a friend in Salem as they had marital problems, and that she "eventually moved in with someone she thought she knew from her college days, not knowing that Jamon Fritsch was a violent predator with a criminal history with violence against women." He described the murder as depraved, and said Fritsch murdered her "in the presence of, and with callous disregard for her disabled daughter, Nicky." In a prepared statement in 2023, Taylor's family expressed gratitude to the Oregon City Police Department, the Clackamas County Major Crimes Team, the Interagency SWAT Team, and the FBI for their efforts in the investigation. They described Taylor as a loving and caring person who believed in the good in everyone and expressed appreciation for the time spent with her. Taylor leaves behind a 22-year-old special needs daughter named Nicole. The family requested thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. Dennis, Taylor's husband, ended his statement addressing Fritsch, "You are a narcissistic bastard who has destroyed so many lives," he said. "You are the epitome of evil. For that, I know you will spend eternity in hell, and deservedly so. But before that, you have one more stop, and that is in the Oregon Department of Corrections." Kara's other brother, Randy Sanders, also had a statement, but was not physically in court. He called Taylor his spiritual twin, as read by the family's representative. Fritsch went last and had his own statement, in which he said he agreed to take antipsychotic medication while he "waits" to die in solitary confinement. He took "full responsibility" for his crimes. He did not address Taylor's family. Instead, he thanked his counselors, "especially to the Clackamas sheriff deputies." He said he didn't expect and "certainly didn't deserve" their "decent" treatment toward him. After the sentencing, Capt. Edwins expressed relief and gratitude for the outcome. "It's a great resolution to the case," Edwins said. "First and foremost, our thoughts go out to Kara Taylor's family." Edwins noted the family's appreciation for the efforts of prosecutors and police officers, who were instrumental in the investigation. "When you look at this case in a historical perspective, to be that diligent and to go forth with that and to provide that relief to the family is tremendous to our agency and we're thankful for that." The case was described by the police captain as a "grisly murder," and one of the most impactful and horrific during his tenure with the department. "It's a lot of high pressure, very high stakes cases, obviously, because when somebody does something horrific like this to a citizen, you don't want that person out on the streets causing harm in the community," Edwins said. Fritsch received a sentence to life in prison. Edwins expressed satisfaction with the sentence. 2025 1:04 a.m.Crews work to extinguish a fire at the former Blue Heron paper mill in Oregon City on January 30 Fire crews will remain on scene as heavy equipment begins debris clean up Due to the complexity of the building and the property Clackamas Fire said in a press release Friday that demolition and clean-up efforts will likely continue through the weekend Officials warn people may see occasional flare-ups and smoke from the building but added crews will be on site to control the clean up The Department of Environmental Quality also conducted an on-scene observation the agency has found no danger to public health which purchased the paper mill site in 2019 will help Clackamas Fire run the operation Grand Ronde Tribal Council Chairwoman Cheryle Kennedy said Thursday that crews were “working diligently” to investigate the cause of the fire and the extent of the damage Tags: Oregon, Fire, Oregon City With Fruitdale Elementary School in the background a homeless man adjusts his shoe at Fruitdale Park A volunteer holds on to a wheelchair as they help Max Hartfelt into his tent after relocating him from one park to another on Saturday Vehicles drive down Rogue River Highway as light shines on the area March 23 Under the decision by Josephine County Circuit Court Judge Sarah McGlaughlin Grants Pass must increase capacity at city-approved sites for camping and ensure they are physically accessible to people with disabilities arresting or fining people for camping on public property; from forcing people to leave campsites; from removing campsites that are not clearly abandoned; or from prohibiting camping in most city parks The order still lets the city enforce rules banning sleeping on sidewalks and streets or in alleys and doorways Mayor Clint Scherf told The Associated Press he was “disheartened” by the decision and Grants Pass information coordinator Mike Zacchino said via email that the city was “reviewing all aspects to ensure we make the best decision for our community.” The lawsuit was filed by Disability Rights Oregon which accused the city of discriminating against people with disabilities and violating a state law requiring cities’ camping regulations to be “objectively reasonable.” Plaintiffs also included five homeless people in Grants Pass Its parks in particular became a flashpoint with many of them becoming the site of encampments blighted by drug use and litter That overturned a California-based appeals court decision that held that camping bans when shelter space is lacking amounted to cruel and unusual punishment under the U.S the new mayor and new council members moved to close the larger of the two sites Meanwhile the smaller one saw its hours of operation reduced to between 5 p.m meaning people had to pack up their belongings every morning with poor conditions and inaccessible to people with disabilities due to loose gravel “It is unconscionable to me to allow people to live there like that,” City Council member Indra Nicholas said before the vote to close the larger site smaller site and extended the time people could stay to four days McGlaughin’s order says the city must increase capacity to what it was previously before the larger site was closed deputy legal director for Disability Rights Oregon ‘Go back to the amount of space and places for people who are homeless that you had just three months ago,’” he told AP OREGON CITY – Unheralded Oregon City has quietly taken the inside track in Three Rivers League boys basketball who haven't won a league title in 15 years gained sole possession of first place Friday night with a 64-54 home win over No It's becoming clear that Oregon City (14-3 With 6-foot-5 senior guard Gylan Payne doing a little bit of everything – and 6-5 sophomores Eli Hopkins and Alarion Scott providing length athleticism and scoring punch – the Pioneers are building momentum with every win Every game I feel like we've got something to prove.” Oregon City took the lead for good late in the first half The Pioneers led 46-41 after three quarters and pushed their edge to 61-46 with 1:30 remaining led the way with 18 points and 11 rebounds Hopkins had 15 points and Payne chipped in 10 points 11 rebounds and about a half-dozen assists It's been a gratifying senior season for Payne who averages a team-high 21.2 points per game Oregon City has not made the 6A tournament since 2019 losing in the first round of the playoffs the last two seasons With the marked improvement they have made on defense and we struggled defensively,” coach Aaron Newkirk said “We knew we had to take a lot of steps to be competitive against teams like West Linn.” Newkirk said his team learned a hard lesson in the season opener at Century The Pioneers blew a 15-point lead in the second half and lost 66-64 “The kids learned right away we have to be more consistent on defense,” Newkirk said “Every week we have gotten better on defense That's why we're in the situation we're in now.” West Linn coach Travis Myers was impressed with Oregon City They do a really good job with what they do I thought their bigs played really well tonight Payne didn't have his usual game on offense but left his fingerprints all over the victory “I noticed early that my shot wasn't falling but I've just got to affect the game in any way that I can,” Payne said Newkirk raved over Payne's passing ability “He has a knack to see the floor like no kid we've ever had,” Newkirk said Payne drove down the middle of the key and flicked the ball high toward Hopkins who ran the baseline and threw down a thunderous dunk The play illustrated the chemistry they have developed we're just getting more comfortable with it,” Payne said “We've had a couple during league that have been big Me and him have probably the most chemistry on the team.” and it's just been bread-and-butter since then Scott was outstanding inside for Oregon City Scott was a little extra fired up to play against his old teammates Sophomore guard Trey Price led West Linn with 15 points Senior wing Kevin Benson and senior guard Jalen Snook added 13 and 11 points Myers said his team did not defend well Friday “It's something that we've done well all year we didn't guard the ball well,” Myers said “I thought we rebounded it as poorly as we could … We were letting them have second chances.” The Lions played their sixth consecutive game without senior Gavin Gross 10 against Clackamas and is expected to miss up to six weeks by Christina Giardinelli (KATU) — Authorities say a 911 call from a person living at a homeless encampment along the Willamette river alerted authorities about a kayaker struggling against the current near Willamette Falls on Saturday night "As the call taker was on the phone with the reporting party they were describing him paddling and struggling and then describing him going over the falls," said Sgt Nate Thompson with Clackamas County Sheriff's Office the search for the 20-year-old missing kayaker from California has only yielded his empty blue kayak seven and a half miles downstream at Elk Rock Island "They witnessed the kayak go over the falls and then they witnessed the male go over the falls He said the kayaker likely did not know about the falls when he put in around 10 p.m where he was vacationing with his family less than a mile upstream from the falls Maybe been on a kayak a couple of times in a lake We don't know exactly why he went out at that time and why he went out so late at night They had just gotten to this area and they were very unfamiliar with the area," Thompson said and are the second largest in the nation by volume PAST COVERAGE: Kayak recovered, kayaker remains missing as search over Willamette River continues Thompson said he only knows of one other kayaker who has gone over the falls and did so intentionally as an extreme sport enthusiast There are large signs leading up to and around the around cautioning the public about the falls there are also signs at the nearest public put in spot at Willamette Park there are no signs around the floating home community and the kayaker may have not seen the large signage given that it was late at night Thompson said it is unknown if the kayaker had any lights He had contact with his family via phone shortly after he put in and crews began searching for him shortly after 11 p.m Authorities are asking people enjoying activities on the river to keep an eye out for anything unusual that may belong to the kayaker. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office at 503-723-4949, or by using the online email form at clackamas.us/sheriff/tip. Thompson said they are currently searching a 10 to 11 mile stretch of the river, which is too large to send divers in. The area around the falls is also too dangerous to send divers in. "We're still looking every day, trying to find any evidence, trying to find this missing male so that we can have some closure for his family," he said. The Tigard boys basketball team found their way to the bucket down the stretch and held their breath at the final horn to knock off Oregon City 51-48 in a Three Rivers League game Tuesday night. Corbin Cichy hit a tricky turn-around jumper from the left side, followed by teammate Kingston Hunter slashing into the lane and hitting a floater on the team’s next possession for a 50-44 lead with 1:40 to play. Oregon City’s Gylan Payne grabbed an offensive rebound and kept his balance along the baseline before sending the ball out to Alijah Scott on the perimeter. He spun past a defender and scored to make it a two-point margin as the clock ticked under a minute. Oregon City had two chances to tie the game, but Tigard’s Hudson Boyd kept getting in the way. First, he drew a charging foul at the front of the rim for an Oregon City turnover. And on the final possession of the game, he swatted the ball away from behind. The ball bounced out of bounds and possession stayed with the Pioneers, but the play took precious seconds off the clock. Oregon City was left with only a few ticks to put up a desperation 3-point try that only touched glass. The win marked the first in league for the Tigers, while Oregon City dropped out of a tie for first place with the loss. Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. With Fruitdale Elementary School in the background, a homeless man adjusts his shoe at Fruitdale Park, March 23, 2024, in Grants Pass, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File) Vehicles drive down Rogue River Highway as light shines on the area March 23, 2024, in Grants Pass, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File) This image provided by the Oregon Law Center shows Janine Harris, a homeless plaintiff in a new lawsuit against the Oregon city of Grants Pass over its homeless camping regulations, in Grants Pass, Ore., on Jan. 29, 2025. (Ali Mayeda/Oregon Law Center via AP) A homeless person adjusts the jacket after receiving it from another under Redwood Highway near Baker Park, March 22, 2024, in Grants Pass, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File) This image provided by the Oregon Law Center shows people waiting in Grants Pass, Ore. on Jan. 21, 2025 for a city-designated campsite for homeless people to open for its overnight hours. (Allison Nasson/Oregon Law Center via AP) The Rogue River is seen March 22, 2024, in Grants Pass, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File) Disability Rights Oregon sued Grants Pass on Thursday, accusing it of violating a state law requiring cities’ camping regulations to be “objectively reasonable.” “I don’t think that the bad decision from the Supreme Court is the end of homeless advocacy,” Tom Stenson, the group’s deputy legal director, told The Associated Press. “I think we’re going to see that it continues, because the problem isn’t going away. The need for housing is not going away.” Mike Zacchino, the information coordinator for Grants Pass, said in an email that the city had no comment. In Grants Pass — where officials have struggled for years to address a homelessness crisis that has divided residents — the decision paved the way for the new mayor and City Council members elected in November to crack down on camping upon taking office. The high court decision overturned a ruling from a California-based appeals court that found camping bans when shelter space is lacking amounted to cruel and unusual punishment under the U.S. Constitution’s Eighth Amendment. It enabled Grants Pass to enforce local ordinances barring camping on city property such as parks and sidewalks. Grants Pass has just one overnight shelter for adults — the Gospel Rescue Mission — and its rules requiring attendance at religious services and barring pets, alcohol, drugs and smoking mean many won’t stay there. But last week, the new council closed the larger of the two campsites — which housed roughly 120 tents, the complaint says — and made the remaining smaller one only open from 5 p.m. to 7 a.m., forcing people to pack up their belongings every morning and carry them throughout the day with no place where they can legally set down their things. “It wants to make being homeless in Grants Pass so unpleasant that people go elsewhere,” Disability Rights Oregon said of the city in its complaint. “Despite the presence of numerous elderly, ill, and disabled people on site, the city increased its draconian restrictions in the dead of winter leaving hundreds of people with no legal option for their continued survival.” Five homeless people with disabilities who live in Grants Pass are named as plaintiffs in the lawsuit. They include people who use wheelchairs and canes, as well as people suffering from the aftermath of a stroke or missing part of their limbs, according to the complaint. Among them is Janine Harris, who has lived in Grants Pass for over two decades and became homeless four years ago. The 57-year-old, who says she struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, lived at the larger city-sanctioned campsite that closed last week. She often has to use a cane to get around due to physical conditions including arthritis, according to the complaint. “A lot of us do not have any idea where to go,” she told the AP on Thursday. “I really am hurting, physically and mentally.” Harris said she joined the lawsuit as a plaintiff because she wants city officials to recognize that homeless people are human beings. “Just because we don’t live in a house doesn’t mean that we’re not,” she said. The complaint says the camping restrictions discriminate against people with disabilities and violate state law, which states that cities’ rules regarding when, where and how homeless people can sleep or keep warm and dry outdoors must be “objectively reasonable.” Disability Rights Oregon is asking the court to block the city from enforcing its camping rules. This story has been updated to correct that New York did not ban sleeping outside and to clarify that cities across the U.S. are now allowed to do so. 2025 2 p.m.Gene Jones drove for TriMet for 18 years and retired in the early 2000s He started driving for Columbia Area Transit last year because he wanted something to do in the winter you’ve heard hosts and announcers say a long list of letters and places at the end of every hour We’re required to do this by the Federal Communications Commission This week, Lillian joins us to share what it was like making the 14-day journey on 38 buses to some of Oregon’s most remote places for OPB’s “Stop Requested” series We’ll learn about the joys and challenges of rural public transit and meet some of the friendly folks who ride it Listen to all episodes of “The Evergreen” podcast here. Stop Requested is a journey by public transit to all the communities that OPB says on the radio every hour This is a map of the route which took 14 days and 38 buses to complete Tags: The Evergreen podcast, Transportation, Oregon, Public Transit she hosted the financial radio show and podcast \"Oh My Dollar!\" She was previous co-host of the BikePortland.org podcast from 2011 - 2016 morning radio host at KRRC and KXRY (XRAY.FM) and financial advice columnist at Slate.com a podcasting studio in a 1960s airstream.\n\nAlong the way she’s worked as a vegetarian cook at a commune in rural Oregon a live-in social worker with young mothers leaving incarceration \"A Cat’s Guide to Money,\" is an illustrated guide to personal finance She is currently writing a non-fiction graphic novel about the American health care system \nLillian graduated from Reed College with a degree in economics Think Out Loud","longBio":"Sage Van Wing is the executive editor of talk and podcasts for OPB She has produced daily news programs at other NPR affiliate stations Vermont Public Radio She graduated from Stanford University with a degree in anthropology Sage hopes someday to become an expert taxidermist by Barry Mangold (KATU) — As multiple agencies searched the Willamette River for a kayaker who was last seen near Oregon City the body of another person was found in the water in North Portland Multnomah County Sheriff's deputies said on Sunday "We have our detectives investigating the body," Deputy Alex Jarmer told KATU in an email Sunday night "They are very early in the process so we do not have any info to share." Deputies did not say if the body was immediately identifiable when it was discovered between Swan Island and Cathedral Park Multnomah County is one of several agencies that is assisting in a search of a 20-year-old man from California who was last seen kayaking late Saturday night on the Willamette just north of the Willamette Falls in Clackamas County Coast Guard found the man's kayak more than 7 river miles downstream near Elk Rock Island MORE: Kayak recovered, kayaker remains missing as search over Willamette River continues Laundry is one of the most necessary yet overlooked processes we use in our day-to-day lives “Having clean clothes is such an important part of confidence within our world to get work and get a date,” said Nash Hascall a charity that focuses on bringing free laundry to local communities Nash Hascall poses for a photo at LoveOnes Oregon City event LoveOne is a local Oregon charity that provides showers food bank services and housing solutions for the unhoused However the main attraction is their free laundry events in which they have provided over 368 tons of clean laundry to communities Anyone can come down and do free laundry for an evening and get a good meal and good hospitality One of LoveOne’s recent events was held at Brax Laundry in Oregon City less than two miles from the Clackamas Community College campus “People who are in school are often like I was: spending money on school and can’t afford to go out to eat or do $30 worth of laundry People can show up and we don’t ask questions We just get a first name and get you on the list.” said Nash they currently run events in several other locations Nash said it all started with one man who saw folks in need he was in Milwaukie doing laundry and saw this woman who was out of quarters and she couldn’t do laundry so she was really distressed so he offered to pay for her laundry Then kind of just saw the need within his own community And so in various restaurants he got permission to put in gumball machines And then he would use those quarters to host his laundry events and pay for people’s laundry And so that grew into a volunteer run organization Since then it’s grown into what we see today.” Upcoming free laundry events are posted on OneLove’s website. Archives (1976-2011) The Clackamas Print aims to report the news in an honest, unbiased and professional manner. Content published in The Print is not screened or subject to censorship. We welcome tips, comments, concerns, story ideas, letters to the editor and guest contributions. Contact us here. © 2025 The Clackamas Print. All Rights Reserved. Site Map Site design by Consistent Image Web Design An 18-year-old man was arrested after he allegedly walked onto the campus at Pregon City High School carrying a gun (KATU) — An Oregon City teen was arrested after he allegedly was seen carrying a gun on a high school campus Officers were called out to Oregon City High School later identified as 18-year-old Armando Bagos Bagos was arrested on complaints of resisting arrest and possession of a firearm READ ALSO: Missing teen rescued from ocean near Haystack Rock The school was briefly placed on a “hold” as a precaution while police searched for and interviewed students who they said were “associated” with Bagos The hold was lifted after those students were accounted for Oregon City High School is located at 19761 Beavercreek Rd Principal Greg Timmons sent the following letter home to parents and guardians about this incident: April and Jaime Correa lost $45,000 after unknowingly buying a stolen pickup truck from a fraudulent car dealership. Oregon City police are working to solve the sophisticated crime with ties to Texas. (KATU) OREGON CITY, Ore. (KATU) — Oregon City police are working to solve a sophisticated crime with ties to Texas that left victims out tens of thousands of dollars. The suspects ripped off car buyers with a fraudulent car dealership and stolen cars. “Everything we had we put into this vehicle and didn't expect to be scammed the way that we were,” April Correa said. April’s husband, Jaime, found his dream truck on Facebook Marketplace in September. He got the seller down to $45,000 for the 2023 GMC and found the cash to get the truck. “You said you thought it was a good deal. Did you ever think for a second, ‘Man, this is almost too good?’” KATU asked the Correas. “When you first see the post on Marketplace, you think, ‘Oh, that's a great deal.’ There's got to be some kind of a catch, you know, because that's a that's a good price for this truck. It was still a little bit out of our budget, but it was a deal we didn't want to pass up,” April said. The Correas said the car lot in Oregon City raised no red flags. April said they had paperwork up on the wall, a Better Business Bureau accreditation, and more. “Everything seemed to check all the boxes, and it seemed like any dealership that we've ever been to,” April said. The concern came later when Jaime needed the title. “He called several times, and it was just going straight to voicemail. So, he decided he'd go back into the dealership,” April said. “Nobody was there; the dealer was empty,” Jaime said. They called Oregon City police right away. It turned out the vehicle identification number printed on a sticker in the truck, or VIN, was actually printed on a counterfeit sticker and was connected to another truck. The real VIN revealed the $80,000 truck was stolen near Dallas, Texas earlier this year. April and Jaime had to give the truck to police. “I asked him, I'm like, ‘Well, what does that mean for us? What does that mean? We've just paid $45,000 for this truck; what does that mean we're supposed to do at this point?' And he said, ‘I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but your money is gone,’” April said. They said the revelation nearly brought them to tears -- a dream purchase turned into a nightmare. KATU Investigates reached out to the Oregon DMV, the agency that licenses car dealers. It confirmed the sales were not conducted by a licensed dealer. “If the cars were not stolen, we can assist with tracking down titles and paperwork. However, if the cars were stolen, it becomes a criminal investigation with the police,” the agency said. An Oregon City police spokesperson said detectives are actively working on the case to find the suspects and declined to comment on the case. April said she knew of nine other victims. “I mean, we really just feel like whoever this is somebody has to know something and hopefully that the people who did this can be caught,” April said. KATU tracked down the original owner of the truck. He told KATU it was stolen at a movie theater in April. He said his insurance paid out for the theft and auctioned the car off once it was recovered. He was surprised to hear about what happened once it came to Oregon. April is holding out hope police find the suspects and her money. “It’s insane. There's no happy ending. There’s no solution,” April said. “It's a really tough place to be in.” 2025 6:54 p.m.They’re hoping state lawmakers will be moved to act by a Friday deadline but opponents say existing law is adequate.Oregon cities hoping to win new authority to restrict homeless camps are rushing to convince lawmakers to take their request seriously — and pushing a new poll they say shows change is needed A posting is taped near a group of tents in downtown Portland in 2022 The League of Oregon Cities is circulating data that suggest most voters disapprove of elected officials’ attempts to stem the state’s homeless crisis and support stronger policies to restrict camping which lobbies on behalf of Oregon’s 241 cities If none of its proposals are scheduled for a future hearing by this Friday “We’re working the hallways and the members and we’re asking to get this scheduled and have that conversation,” said Scott Winkels The league’s survey of 800 Oregon voters was conducted by DHM Research from Feb It used phone conversations and text messages that directed voters to an online questionnaire Winkels said Monday the results are a stark sign that voters are fed up with the status quo But homeless advocates who oppose stricter camping restrictions saw nothing new in the data “This polling confirms what we already know: Oregonians are frustrated with their elected leaders at all levels over the homelessness crisis,” said Sybil Hebb director of legislative advocacy at the Oregon Law Center which already allows cities to set reasonable limits on camping in public spaces and sweep camps with notice.” The poll is the latest salvo in an ongoing debate over how the state should regulate homeless camping Supreme Court last year that the southern Oregon city of Grants Pass didn’t violate the U.S Grants Pass tossed out earlier appeals court rulings that blocked local and state governments from banning camping if they couldn’t offer alternatives like shelter the court freed up western states controlled by those earlier rulings to more forcefully regulate camps That’s because of a 2021 bill pushed by Gov. Tina Kotek when she served as House speaker The bill set a new standard for when and how cities can sweep cities risk being sued if their policies are not “objectively reasonable,” a term that is not defined in statute Cities have said for months they would make rolling back the 2021 law a central goal of this year’s session They say the policy doesn’t give them enough certainty on what kinds of policies they’re allowed to pass and creates an ever-present risk of a lawsuit An attempt in Portland to ban camping between 8 a.m spurred a lawsuit from the Oregon Law Center Portland withdrew its policy and introduced a scaled-back proposal Grants Pass has also been sued over its camping policies under the 2021 law Both Republicans and Democrats have spoken in favor of loosening Oregon’s rules — and there are plenty of bills in this year’s session aimed at allowing local governments to sweep camps more quickly The proposal favored by the League of Oregon Cities would require anyone suing a city over camping rules to state specifically why the policy is not “objectively reasonable.” It would also allow local governments to avoid lawsuits for policies that ban camping on public property between 7 a.m And it would give cities explicit authority to ban camping next to places like a city hall public park or highways; or within 300 feet of a business 500 feet of a homeless shelter and 1,000 feet of a childcare facility Winkels says those provisions are merely meant to be a menu of options “An ordinance isn’t going to contain that entire laundry list but the ordinances are going to be tailored towards the local conditions,” he said “So there are plenty of places where camping near a city hall in certain hours is going to be perfectly fine.” Not every city is on board with the push for more regulation Portland Mayor Keith Wilson has said isn’t looking for a change to state law Neither are many Democrats with a say in housing policy an Ashland Democrat who chairs the House committee on housing has said repeatedly she sees no need to roll back current law while she’s not opposed to discussing what “reasonable” means under state law existing policies give cities plenty of power “Cities can and are making sweeps right now of homeless camps,” Fahey said “They are allowed to set rules that are reasonable within their environment.” cities and their allies are looking to state Sen Prozanski chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee where one bill to change state laws on camping currently sits Asked Monday whether he plans to take up the matter “I’ve got cities that are for it and cities that are against it,” he said Tags: Politics, Homelessness, Housing, Law Enforcement, Crime 500 feet of a homeless shelter and 1,000 feet of a childcare facility.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SSSTAKCPPFGGNN7OHIO5Y4YREY","additional_properties":{"_id":1742322788967},"content":"Winkels says those provisions are merely meant to be a menu of options.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7SIQTFYCQJH4FPEHRY7RM2HGWE","additional_properties":{"_id":1742322788968},"content":"“An ordinance isn’t going to contain that entire laundry list “So there are plenty of places where camping near a city hall in certain hours is going to be perfectly fine.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"FABNLR5D6NFZHJFMVEDQXGMCQ4","additional_properties":{"_id":1742322788969},"content":"Not every city is on board with the push for more regulation Portland Mayor Keith Wilson has said isn’t looking for a change to state law.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Z3LEC4KJKNFJNDA32QTWINXIII","additional_properties":{"_id":1742322788970},"content":"Neither are many Democrats with a say in housing policy has said repeatedly she sees no need to roll back current law.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZY7TIUCLJNH3ROLHS67RJKNDVU","additional_properties":{"_id":1742322788971},"content":"And House Speaker Julie Fahey existing policies give cities plenty of power.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VVW7W5O5WNAM3NTIM24AOGKBZA","additional_properties":{"_id":1742322788972},"content":"“Cities can and are making sweeps right now of homeless camps,” Fahey said “They are allowed to set rules that are reasonable within their environment.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"JYQKQUKL7NGBXBNAOXSTKY4TLQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1742322788973},"content":"With possible opposition in the House Prozanski was noncommittal.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YAPDIKFTXJCNZNQEKW52LERVX4","additional_properties":{"_id":1742322788974},"content":"“I’ve got cities that are for it and cities that are against it,” he said he spent more than a decade as a newspaper reporter—much of that time reporting on city government for the Portland Mercury He’s also had stints covering chicanery in Southwest Missouri Dirk’s byline has appeared in USA Today He’s got a journalism degree from Michigan State University