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About Oregon news herald. (Drain OR) 2025-current | View Entire Issue (May 1, 2025)
Vol 3 Issue #5 May 2025 Formerly the North Douglas Herald FREE Funds to help Lane County in Major Disasters, Gutted by Feds Story by Rusty Savage Nearly 75M in Disaster Relief Grants, Cancelled across the State The Coffeepot Fire north of Oakridge on Aug. 2, 2024. Photo Courtesy U.S. Forest Service Lane County officials have reported that the Trump administration has cancelled a $19.6 million grant aimed at supporting residents during extreme weather events like wildfires and heat waves. “During a recent wildfire, Oakridge experienced the worst air quality in the world, underscoring the urgent need for this project,” Oakridge Mayor Bryan Cutchen said on Tuesday. “The cancellation of this grant puts lives at risk. The people of Oakridge deserve better. We will continue to advocate fiercely for the resources our city needs and explore every possible avenue to complete this vital project.” The Environmental Protection Agency notified Lane County on Friday, May 2, that it was terminating its Community Change Grant. “This EPA Assistance Agreement is terminated effective immediately on the grounds that the remaining portion of the Federal award will not accomplish the EPA funding priorities for achieving program goals,” the notification read. In addition to complying with the current administration’s policies, the letter said, “it is vital that the Agency assess whether all grant payments are free from fraud, abuse, waste, and duplication, as well as to assess whether current grants are in the best interests of the United States.” The cuts appear to be part of a broad effort across federal agencies to limit support for disaster response and to target funding for programs that respond to climate change. The Trump administration has also made cuts to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, including $141.1 million in promised FEMA payments to Oregon. U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, D-Washington, last week accused the administration of crippling the National Weather Service and threatening the nation’s ability to predict and respond to weather disasters. Cuts to hazard mitigation grants, meanwhile, have Oregon’s Department of Emergency Management staff concerned about disaster preparedness and safe drinking water in small communities. “This decision appears to be part of a broader, arbitrary review process that unjustly targeted programs vital to small, rural communities like ours,” Oakridge Mayor Bryan Cutchen said. “Our residents are now left without the resilience center that would have served as a critical lifeline during wildfires and smoke events.” Lane County, along with several partners, was awarded the $19.6 million grant through the Inflation Reduction Act on Dec. 12, 2024. The state was awarded a total of four Community Change Grants, including $19.9 million for the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, $20 million for the Columbia Gorge Education Service District and $16.3 million to the City of Chiloquin. The Community Change Grants were aimed at reducing pollution and improving climate resilience in communities. The grant would have funded a collaborative project with United Way of Lane County, the cities of Cottage Grove, Florence, Oakridge and Veneta, as well as the Bethel School District and Willamalane Park and Recreation District. Now the administration has frozen all federal grants aimed at climate action and is jeopardizing hundreds of millions of dollars already earmarked for Oregon. Lane County’s Policy Director Steve Adams said the county had already received $105,000 in reimbursements for work it had begun. “The portal opened very briefly after a federal court ruled about two weeks ago requiring movement on the grants that have been frozen,” he said. “We were at that point able to access the funds and submit for reimbursement for costs that we had incurred.” Adams said those costs included staff time aimed at trying to set up the fund as quickly as possible. “We’ve been busy and, in good faith, in trying to set up a large grant. This is a three-year project that included construction in six different locations, multiple subcontractors and using federal funds. So certainly with the large size of the grant, we had work to do to set everything up.” According to Adams, the portal to access the federal funds was available for four days. After that, the county received the notification of termination. The county is considering disputing the termination and has 30 days to do so. “We’re profoundly disappointed with this outcome, and this is a really important grant for Lane County,” Adams said. “We’ve lost over 700 square miles of Lane County to wildfire in the last five years. We have a deep need for sheltered space that can be air conditioned, air filtered and even during winter storms — heated, and that’s what this grant would have provided for us in 6 distinct locations.” Viral Road Rage Driver Arrested, Motorcycle Rider Recovering Story by Rusty Savage A driver wanted for an apparent road rage crash that was caught on camera has been arrested, according to the Beaverton Police Department. Police say Samir Helio Pazzoto-Filho was arrested on Monday on charges of first-degree attempted assault, second-degree assault (felony), hit-and-run felony, reckless driving, and unlawful use of a weapon. The incident occurred Monday, May 5th, at about 6:15 a.m. on Highway 26, between Highway 217 and Cedar Hills Boulevard. Video captured the incident, which police say appears to show the end of a road rage incident between the motorcyclist and the driver of a Kia Carnival minivan. As the motorcyclist gestured towards the Kia, the driver of the van rammed the motorcycle, sending the rider flying off the road. The driver of the Kia fled the scene. The rider was taken to a nearby hospital with serious injuries. It has been reported that the Kia tried to make contact with the Motorcycle once just prior to the rider making gestures. The motorcycle rider, identified only as Cory, was taken to the hospital and has since been released. His family says he is battered and bruised but is expected to recover. It was lucky that the motorcycle was able to slide along the shoulder until it came to a stop without slamming into any obstructions. The video was widely circulated locally and nationally and generated a large number of tips. After receiving several community tips, Beaverton police arrested Samir at his home in Washington County near Highway 26. Pazzoto-Filho was arraigned Tuesday afternoon. According to police, investigators believe that Pazzoto-Filho has been driving recklessly in the days before the crash. Several reports attest ramming or Unique Business Co-op, Capricorn Manor Step into a beautiful experience from yesteryear at the regions newest venture: Capricorn Manor. 13 handcrafted vendors gathered for a unique business model: a co op where the business owners are on site to share their unique products and art- istry . The setting is out of a fairy tale in a historical Queen Anne Victorian house. In a world where everyone is going a mil- lion miles per hour, we invite you to take your time to browse our wares , enjoy the beautiful gardens, free tea and WiFi. Our wares range from art, cottage core, plants, felted objects, millinery, antiques, oddities, jewelry , home goods , clothing, and even amazing business services , We have delicious baked goods on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and award win- ning chocolates every day. We will have fun demos and classes - check out our Continued on Page 2 Malheur Enterprise Closes Oregon Loses another Newspaper Legacy Story by Rusty Savage attempted ramming on the road just 1 day before this incident. Anyone with information about his reckless driving behavior should contact the Beaverton Police Department at 503-526-2261. The Malheur Enterprise newspaper is closing after serving the community for more than 115 years. The last print edition of the newspaper is May 7. The newspaper’s online service will end May 31. The closure comes after the rural weekly, founded in 1909, earned a national reputation for tough investigative reporting holding public officials accountable. Last year, it was judged the best newspaper of its size in Oregon. Continued on Page 2
