Latest news with #BenBotkin
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Summer meals available for Oregon youth across nearly 700 sites
Kindergarteners at Durham Elementary School in Tigard eat a free lunch on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024. (Ben Botkin/Oregon Capital Chronicle) Oregon youth ages 1 to 18 can receive free summer meals at schools, libraries, parks and community centers as the Summer Food Service Program begins for the season. Nearly 700 sites across Oregon are participating in the summer meals program, and many have already begun serving a mix of breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. Some sites will begin serving meals later this month and continue into July or August. Roughly 1.43 million meals in Oregon were served in summer 2024, according to Oregon Department of Education spokesperson Peter Rudy. The program is mostly federally funded, but Oregon pays an additional five cents for every meal served, he said. Each site has designated meal times, with some offering a to-go option, games and reading activities. Meals are open to all families without paperwork, income verification and regardless of immigration status. To find a meal site, call 2-1-1 or go to the USDA's Summer Meals Site Finder. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Newly-appointed public defense head mounts effort to stem Oregon's public defense pileup
The newly-appointed head of Oregon's Public Defense Commission announced on Monday an effort to stem Oregon's public defense crisis. (Ben Botkin/Oregon Capital Chronicle) When Gov. Tina Kotek fired the head of Oregon's embattled public defense commission in April, she gave its new director until June 1 to come up with a strategy to end the state's ongoing public defender shortage. On Monday, Interim Executive Director Ken Sanchagrin announced just that: A 12-month-long, seven-point plan by the agency that seeks to expand contracts with lawyers and nonprofits across the state, increase voluntary caseloads for available attorneys and onboard law students who can be supervised while providing a defense for those accused of crimes. The response marks the commission's first attempt at addressing the shortage since Kotek overhauled its leadership two months ago. It doesn't provide a timeline for exactly when the crisis should end, as Kotek requested in April, but Sanchagrin told reporters Monday that he estimates that counties most affected by the issue could see relief as early as mid-fall. 'We can make significant progress over the next 12 months, but I think that coming up with a date, as somebody who really lives in the data, that's not something that is really possible at this point,' he said during a Monday media briefing. 'Given the increases in filings, and then given also some of these new proposals that we've put out that may or may not also be impacted by some legislative decisions that are being made, that makes it extremely difficult.' A Kotek press secretary said Monday that the governor could respond to the news on Tuesday. The announcement drew immediate praise from critics of the public defense agency's prior approaches to solving the crisis. 'We need to honor the hard work of public defenders and provide the appropriate level of representation and service for indigent defense. This plan does that with enhanced capacity and recruitment,' said Sen. Anthony Broadman, D-Bend, in a statement Monday. 'We will continue to leverage the Legislature's accountability and oversight functions to ensure the agency has the tools to execute this plan and resolve the crisis.' The public defense commission is an independent body with power delegated by the Chief Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court, designed with the goal of ensuring representation and defense counsel for all Oregonians. In April, it made headlines after Kotek fired its head leader and slammed the then-estimated number of Oregonians without representation for being at 4,000, which she had called 'unacceptable.' Oregon employs an array of centralized and deployable trial lawyers, public defenders, and nonprofit attorneys to help ensure that those who cannot afford an attorney are given proper defense, an obligation mandated by the U.S. and Oregon constitutions. The issue has long concerned officials, with a scathing 2019 study slamming Oregon's 'complex bureaucracy that collects a significant amount of indigent defense data, yet does not provide sufficient oversight or financial accountability.' As of June 2, 3,779 people lack public defenders, according to the state's dashboard, though Sanchagrin's letter said that the number was upwards of 4,400 as of May 2025. The majority of cases involve the six 'crisis' counties: Coos, Douglas, Jackson, Marion, Multnomah and Washington. Approaches in each of those localities will vary, but according to the plan, about 40% of an identified 176 attorneys with extra case capacity are based in these areas. 'What we're hoping to do is to proactively work with those individuals to identify who is willing and who has the ability to take additional cases above and beyond current…limits amongst those individuals,' Sanchagrin said. 'Then we can build that expectation into our contracts on the front end, which means it will be able to better predict and forecast what our case needs are going to be in a given area.' In a statement, the Oregon Judicial Department said it was 'encouraged by the urgency' demonstrated by Sanchagrin's plan. 'While we have not yet had the opportunity to fully review this detailed document, we support this step toward data-driven solutions and stand ready to assist the OPDC as needed to move forward,' wrote Chief Justice Meagan Flynn in a statement. Some of the plan's ability to be implemented will hinge on current legislative and budget discussions currently underway at the state level, Sanchagrin said. Currently the Legislature is still negotiating the commission's final budget and considering House Bill 2614, which would declare the public defense crisis an emergency and extend contract availability until July 2033. Rep. Paul Evans, D-Monmouth, helped lead the push in 2023 for legislation that allocated around $90 million to overhaul the public defense system. He told the Capital Chronicle on Monday that the plan represents the 'best opportunity we have for progress in sometime.' Citing ongoing negotiations, he declined to comment on the budget or the legislation but said 'we are giving them more than the baseline they need to be able to serve to succeed.' 'We've purposefully taken the long view that this whole session of recognizing that public defense must be integrated into all aspects and you need the entire system healthy,' he said. 'You can't just put money into one compartment and say, OK, somehow it's going to work out.' The amount of in-custody unrepresented individuals has sharply decreased since January — around 30%, according to the commission. Much of that reduction, it says, is because of the work of its trial division, which has taken over 2,200 cases and deploys across the state to assist in cases requiring multijurisdictional authority or high levels of expertise to put on a defense. Under the new plan, the trial division will seek out new counties and jurisdictions in which it can intervene in the crisis, said Aaron Jeffers, the division's chief deputy defender. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Oregon overdose deaths have gone down, but they're still high
While strengthened substance use treatment infrastructure, naloxone distribution and changes in the national fentanyl supply are contributing to the decrease in overdose deaths, Oregon's overdose deaths rates are still too high, Oregon Public Health state epidemiologist Dr. Dean Sidelinger said. (Ben Botkin/Oregon Capital Chronicle) Overdose deaths in Oregon went down 22% in 2024, the Oregon Health Authority announced on Friday. The decrease in overdose deaths follows a nationwide trend of declining overdose deaths. In 2024, there were about 80,400 drug overdose deaths in the country — 26.9% fewer than the 110,000 overdose deaths in 2023, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While strengthened substance use treatment infrastructure, naloxone distribution and education, prevention programs and changes in fentanyl supply are contributing to the decrease in overdose deaths, Oregon's overdose deaths rates are still too high, Oregon Public Health state epidemiologist Dr. Dean Sidelinger said in a news release. Substance use and overdose deaths remain a public health crisis in Oregon. The 1,480 overdose deaths in Oregon in 2024 were still more than overdose deaths rates during the pre-pandemic years. 'We must continue to work together to keep people safe and build treatment and recovery support for people struggling with substance use disorder,' Sidelinger said. The state of Oregon aims to decrease overdose death rates by investing in: Save Lives Oregon Harm Reduction Clearinghouse: This program is working to respond to the fentanyl crisis. It provides more than 360 agencies and organizations in Oregon with no-cost naloxone, infection prevention and wound care kits. Opioid treatment programs: There are 27 opioid treatment programs in Oregon, two medication units and four mobile units. Oregon also expanded telehealth for medications for opioid use disorder. Increasing residential treatment capacity: The state of Oregon is developing 260 beds dedicated to substance use disorder services and 41 beds dedicated to withdrawal management. Peer support systems: Under these programs, individuals in Oregon struggling with substance use receive support, guidance and encouragement from individuals who have experience with recovery. Behavioral Health Regional Networks: Funded through cannabis tax revenue and the Drug Treatment and Recovery Services Funds which accounted for $414 million between 2022-2025, these networks provide screening and assessment, harm reduction, housing, substance use disorder treatment and employment services. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Latest Oregon economic forecast shows more money, but federal government leaves future murky
The Oregon State Capitol closed on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025, due to the snowy weather. (Photo by Ben Botkin/Oregon Capital Chronicle) Chaotic federal announcements about taxes, tariffs, mass firings of federal employees and spending cuts haven't yet affected Oregon's economic forecast, the state's chief economist reported Wednesday. For now, according to chief economist Carl Riccadonna and senior economist Michael Kennedy, Oregon lawmakers can expect to have about $38.2 billion to spend in the state's next two-year budget. That's $350 million more than they thought they would have at the last forecast in November. But Gov. Tina Kotek and legislative budget-writers have advocated for caution and reiterated those calls on Wednesday. The forecast arrived the day after congressional Republicans voted for a spending plan that included $2 trillion in not-yet-specified spending cuts. 'Our state's available resources for the coming years are projected to be slightly higher than previously expected, which is good news, but we must continue to budget responsibly,' said House Speaker Julie Fahey, D-Eugene. 'We need to be prepared for economic headwinds created by the federal administration's actions and for potential cuts to federal programs that Oregonians rely on, like Medicaid.' Riccadonna said tariffs could have a particularly acute effect on Oregon. The state's economy relies more on manufacturing and trade than most states, and it's especially sensitive to trade with Asia. When President Donald Trump installed tariffs in 2018, Oregon's economy slowed down, Riccadonna said, but the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act also provided a fiscal stimulus that softened the sting of the trade war. 'That may very well be the case again this year, as you know that the one big, beautiful bill is being worked on, and the expectation is that Trump tax cuts will be extended, and maybe even corporate income taxes lowered further,' he said during a briefing with reporters on Tuesday. 'That's a very significant positive macroeconomic narrative that will offset some of the negative from the trade side.' It's too early to know the economic impact of other changes, such as the federal government firing tens of thousands of workers in recent weeks. That's because those workers' unemployment claims haven't yet been reflected in state-level data. 'Most of the DOGE cuts started around President's Day weekend, so it's really going to be the first two weeks in March where we start to see a quantifiable measure of these job cuts in the state economic data,' Riccadonna said. The $350 million more available for the next budget cycle reflects $550 million in higher expected income tax revenues tied to higher wages during the next two years, minus $200 million lost to extra state spending to address wildfire costs in December and some late tax refunds. Oregon paid out a record high kicker — the tax credit that takes effect when the state collects more tax revenue than forecasted — of $5.6 billion last year. Since Riccadonna started as chief economist last fall, his top task has been to create more accurate forecasts to reduce the growing kicker payouts. But Oregonians can still expect a large kicker in 2026: The latest forecast pegs it at $1.726 billion, slightly lower than the $1.8 billion predicted in November. Higher-income Oregonians who pay more in taxes get higher kicker payments. Lawmakers will craft the budget for the next two years based on the next economic forecast, expected in late April. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Yahoo
Moving Beyond Addiction series documents Oregon's new chapter in its fight against drugs
Hillsboro Police Officer James Wood shows a packet of methamphetamine found when he cited a man for drug possession in a city park on Nov. 19, 2024. (Photo by Ben Botkin/Oregon Capital Chronicle) Editor's note: Last September, Oregon recriminalized low-level drug possession, and 28 counties rolled out deflection programs to help people addicted to drugs become sober rather than sitting in jail. Reporter Ben Botkin's four-part series looks at their rollout and early impact. He spent more than seven months combing through records and interviewing dozens of people, including law officials, providers and people addicted to drugs in Portland area, Clatsop county and eastern Oregon. — Editor Lynne Terry In April 2024, Gov. Tina Kotek signed an expansive bill that allows counties to put new, state-funded programs in place intended to address the state's soaring rate of fentanyl overdoses. House Bill 4002 marked an historic shift in Oregon's drug policy: It unwound a foundational part of Measure 110 and recriminalized possession of small amounts of drugs. It also paved the way for counties to create deflection programs to allow police to offer recovery services to people who otherwise could face a misdemeanor drug possession charge in court. Those who opt for deflection are not charged in court, nor do they face fines or potential jail time. Moving Beyond Addiction documents how these deflection programs have worked in regions of Oregon from the coast to the Idaho border. It shows what the programs look like now — and the challenges that lie ahead for Oregon, a state that struggles to serve its most vulnerable people. PART 1: Portland-area advocates, police see signs of improvement The deflection programs in the populous Portland area have more resources than elsewhere in the state, with a temporary center where police drop off candidates for assessment and plans for a 24-hour crisis and stabilization center that will likely open in late 2026, with up to 50 beds. Washington County's program is smaller but already Hillsboro police have seen quick gains since it was put in place: There is no longer drug use in areas of the city's downtown that once had prevalent open drug use. But countywide, officials still have concerns about how sustainable the program will be in the long term. The county cannot afford to dispatch peer recovery mentors to every call to assist police, especially in outlying areas outside Hillsboro. PART 2: Clatsop County's program shows some signs of success In Clatsop County along the coast, a region that's long battled homelessness and addiction, the deflection program is tailored toward incentives to keep people enrolled. They get small amounts of cash on a cellphone app and other incentives when they keep showing up for group sessions. So far, two people have successfully finished the three-month program and another four are enrolled. One of them, Maksym Derevianko, a 45-year-old Astoria crabber, said the program has helped him avoid methamphetamines and enter recovery. 'It shows you that they really want you to be better, to live a better life,' he said. PART 3: In eastern Oregon, drug use often lurks in the shadows In rural eastern Oregon, people often live in isolation and addiction, hidden in tucked away encampments. The vastness of Malheur and Baker counties means that outreach workers are often not able to immediately respond to a police arrest. Yet efforts to reach people caught with a small amount of drugs and help them obtain services persist. Peer recovery workers follow up after someone is arrested, armed with information that police give them. They make phone calls, knock on doors and visit homeless camps, hoping to make the initial connections to help people. PART 4: Oregonians have mixed feelings about new deflection programs Across Oregon's recovery community, 83 people lent their voices to a Capital Chronicle survey about the deflection programs. They include people in recovery, people who use drugs and those with loved ones in addiction. Their views were decidedly mixed — and reflect the daunting challenge that lies ahead. Nearly 60% said easy access to drugs on the streets is a barrier for people who are battling a fentanyl addiction. But for deflection to work in the long term, they said, Oregon needs to have a wider treatment system to help people. Nearly 64% said inadequate treatment programs remain an obstacle, with or without deflection programs. One of them, Solara Salazar, runs a company with six houses in Portland for people in recovery. 'Imagine there was a plane crash and there were 300 people with severe injuries,' Salazar said. '911 is called and ambulances arrive and fire trucks. But there is no hospital. They tell the injured people to show up at a hospital the next morning at 7 a.m. and one of them might get seen. That's our current system in a nutshell.' To subscribe to our free daily newsletter, go here. And to make a donation so we can continue to do this work, go here. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
