West
Oregon reverses course and recriminalizes drug possession
People caught in possession of hard drugs will once again be at risk of state criminal penalties after the state of Oregon opted to recriminalize possession of drugs such as fentanyl, heroin and meth.
Oregon became the first state in the country to decriminalize possession of small amounts of hard drugs in response to a 2020 ballot measure, but it will now recriminalize those offenses under a new law that takes effect Sunday.
The new law, HB4002, will give those caught with small amounts of hard drugs such as fentanyl, heroin, and meth the ability to choose between a charge of possession or treatment programs that would include being mandated to complete a behavior health program to avoid fines.
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A syringe drop box stands on the street as a Portland Police officer conducts an investigation into drug dealing and issues a citation for drug possession during a patrol in downtown Portland, Oregon on January 25, 2024. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP) (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)
A personal-use possession will be a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail, while the law encourages, but does not mandate, counties in the state to set up treatment alternatives to divert offenders away from the criminal justice system.
According to the report, the new law will now make it easier for police to crack down on drug use in public, a problem that has become widespread in some parts of the state over the last few years. The law also introduces stiffer penalties for selling drugs in public places, such as near parks.
Offenders who choose treatment programs will have to meet strict eligibility criteria to avoid charges, Portland police chief Bob Day told the Guardian, mandating that those caught in possession have “no other charges, no warrants, no violent behavior, medically stable.”
A person holds a foil while smoking following the decriminalization of all drugs, including fentanyl and meth, in downtown Portland, Oregon, on January 25, 2024. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP) (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)
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If someone caught in possession of hard drugs chooses and is eligible to participate in a deflection program, officers will call their county’s deflection dispatch line and connect to a mobile behavioral health outreach team.
“If the behavioral health people cannot be there within 30 minutes, we’re going to go to jail. We’re not able to just wait around,” Day said. “There is certainly a lack of equity in that. But I would argue that it’s not necessarily common. I’m not saying it’s right.”
Nevertheless, detractors of the new law have argued that it is too complicated, noting that every county will have different resources and rules that could confuse drug users who face possible criminal penalties.
The report notes that 28 of the state’s 36 counties have so far applied for grants to fund deflection programs, with more than $20 million in grants set to be released by the state’s criminal justice commission in the next year.
Portland Police officers look on as American Medical Response (AMR) paramedics transport a patient after they were administered Narcan brand Naloxone nasal spray for a suspected fentanyl drug overdose in Portland, Oregon, on January 25, 2024. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP) (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)
“It’s going to be this very complicated system, where essentially people who use drugs won’t know their rights and what to expect, because it’s different in every single county,” Kellen Russoniello, the director of public health at the Drug Policy Alliance, told the Guardian. “Whether or not you are connected to services or you are just churned through the system will depend very heavily on where you happen to be in the state.”
Others, such as Democratic state representative Jason Kropf, a supporter of the law, expressed optimism about the new direction for the state.
“I have optimism, and I have hope,” Kropf told the Guardian. “I’m also realistic that we have a lot of work ahead of us.”
Read the full article from Here
SAN FRANCISCO – A 16-year-old boy was charged Thursday with murder and attempted murder in a shooting in San Francisco’s Western Addition that left a 15-year-old girl dead.
“This was a life lost far too soon,” said San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins. The girl who died, Jayda Mabrey, was a 10th grader at Gateway High School.
“She was a girl who was beloved in her community, and to lose that life so soon, so early, under these circumstances, has really rocked the community,” Jenkins said.
Jayda was killed and two 16-year-old boys were wounded when a fight erupted into gunfire near Golden Gate Avenue and Laguna Street at about 5 p.m. Friday. Jayda’s younger sister witnessed the shooting.
First court hearing
What we know:
On Thursday, both suspects appeared at a hearing at the Juvenile Justice Center that was open to reporters but closed to cameras.
The 16-year-old suspect was also charged with two counts of attempted murder and assault with a firearm. He repeatedly shook his head as the judge read the charges.
A second suspect, a 15-year-old boy, was charged with attempted murder for wounding one of those boys.
Through their attorneys, both boys denied all charges, including conspiracy and gun allegations.
Murder case could be moved to adult court
What they’re saying:
Jenkins said she will determine at a later date whether to ask a judge to have the 16-year-old tried as an adult. The other defendant is too young, at age 15, to be transferred to adult court.
“We have a lot of work to do when it comes to making sure that guns are not in the hands of our kids,” the prosecutor said.
If the case stays in juvenile court, the most the 16-year-old could stay in custody would be until he’s 25 years old. If he’s charged as an adult, he could face up to 25 years to life in prison.
Jenkins said the juvenile justice system is broken because those two possibilities are extreme.
“There’s a big gulf in between there that unfortunately needs to be considered,” Jenkins said.
Judge Anne Costin of San Francisco Superior Court ordered both teens held in custody at least until the next hearing later this month.
Henry Lee is a KTVU crime reporter. E-mail Henry at Henry.Lee@fox.com and follow him on X @henrykleeKTVU and www.facebook.com/henrykleefan
The Source: KTVU reporting, San Francisco police and DA’s office
After Bo Nix suffered his devastating fractured ankle in the Denver Broncos’ 33-30 divisional-round win over the Buffalo Bills, we didn’t hear much from him until a couple of days after the season ended. The Broncos lost to the New England Patriots in the AFC championship game, and then Sean Payton decided to start spilling the beans on Nix’s injury during his end-of-season presser two days later.
Nix took exception to some of what Payton said publicly about his injury, opting to call a virtual press conference of his own the next day to clear some things up on the record. Nix and Payton may have gotten their wires crossed on some of the injury details, but the quarterback didn’t appreciate his head coach revealing details about his health or certain details he’d prefer to keep private, whether the revelations were true or not.
Since that virtual presser, all has been quiet on the Western Front. The Pro Bowl Games have come and gone, and Super Bowl 60 is now only a few days away.
What has Nix been up to since then? We can safely assume that his focus has been on his recovery from ankle surgery, but his teammate and friend, Troy Franklin, provided Broncos Country with a nice update on Thursday from radio row at the Super Bow.
“I’ve kind of been in the facility with him the past couple of days, the past week, man. So I’ve seen my guy scootin’ around on his scooter,” Franklin said of Nix via KOA Radio. “He’s in high, great spirits. And he’s taking it day by day.”
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Nix Will Return and With Gusto
It’s good to hear that Nix has been able to maintain an optimistic attitude and affable demeanor though the disappointment of his freak injury and the painful drudgery of recovery and rehabilitation. He’s sticking around Denver and spending time at the Broncos’ facility, and it’s probably safe to assume he’s doing what he can to get a jump on the 2026 season.
The good news is, despite the mixed messaging last week from Payton and Nix, the Broncos are certain that this ankle injury won’t be a long-term issue. CEO and co-owner Greg Penner made that perfectly clear in his end-of-season presser.
“[I have] zero concern. His surgery was a straightforward surgery that went very well, absolutely no issues there or concerns going forward,” Penner said.
The fullness of Nix’s recovery timetable is expected to correspond with the beginning of the Broncos’ offseason training program. By the time the veterans report for Phase 1 of OTAs, he is expected to be good to go.
It was a terrible football tragedy how Nix’s impressive 2025 season came to an end. But the silver lining is that the Broncos have found their franchise quarterback.
That was evidenced by the team’s sudden reversal of fortunes in the AFC title game without him. If Nix played in that game, the Broncos are likely preparing to take on the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl 60.
If ‘ifs and buts’ were candy and nuts, we all would have a Merry Christmas. That’s not how it shook out. But Penner and his fellow owners are resting comfortably in the knowledge that the Broncos have a bona fide franchise quarterback. There will be many more opportunities to vy for World Championships.
“I thought he had, as a second-year quarterback, a fantastic season. He won 15 games for us. He showed his mettle in the fourth quarter a lot of times, bringing us back,” Penner said of Nix. “He would say the same thing. It’s only his second year in the league, and he has room to grow. Fortunately, Bo has a terrific approach to studying and working. He loves the game. I look forward to watching his continued improvement over the coming years.”
Franklin Aiming for 1,000 Yards & Double-Digit TDs in 2026
As for Franklin, after showing some development in 2025, he’s focused on taking even bigger steps next season. He finished with 65 receptions for 709 yards and six touchdowns.
Franklin is shooting for 1,000 yards and double the touchdowns in 2026, according to The Denver Post‘s Luca Evans. Franklin also told Evans that he wants to add another 10 pounds of muscle to his frame by training camp.
“I’m going to get a 1,000-yard season,” Franklin told Evans. “I’m going to double up the TDs.”
With Nix returning, Franklin has a good shot at achieving his goals.
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Seattle Seahawks third-year receiver, Jaxon Smith-Njigba was named the Associated Press Offensive Player of the Year, for a season campaign that included 1,793 receiving yards, which led the NFL, on 119 receptions and 10 touchdowns.
“What an honor,” Smith-Njigba said on receiving the award. “I want to first give all the glory to God. Second, I want to give it to my teammates. I want to thank y’all. I love y’all. Y’all are who I do it for each and every week. I want to give this award to my father. Going into my last year [of college], he told me to pray for wisdom, and I did. Before going into that season, I wanted to be a Top 5 draft choice, I wanted to be a Heisman candidate, a bunch of things, and ultimately, I wasn’t able to play and I think with that time, I grew wise and figured out a lot about myself, and who I wanted to be and who I wanted to do it for. Ultimately dropping to the 20th draft pick where I was selected by the Seattle Seahawks and I can’t thank everyone involved enough.”
Smith-Njigba’s third season was filled with breaking records while helping to make Seattle’s offense the No. 3 scoring offense this season (483 total points, 29.2 points per game).
Along with leading the NFL in receiving yards, he became the first player in NFL history with at least 75 receiving yards in each of his first 11 games of a season. He had nine 100+ yard games this season, with a season best of 167 yards in Week 12. He also had nine 100-yard games this season, the most in the NFL, and the most in a single season in franchise history. Along with that, Smith-Njigba set multiple franchise records and did enough to put his name next to NFL greats in the league record books.
This season he also became the third player in NFL history 23 years old or younger with at least 1,700 receiving yards in a single season and set the franchise record for most receptions in a single season with a career-high 119.
“There’s a lot of great receivers in this league who don’t have as diverse of a skill set as he does,” head coach Mike Macdonald said. “Anywhere from an intermediate route tree, catch-and-run stuff at the line of scrimmage, and then we’ve seen his ability to track the ball at the third level and keep his body position, all that kind of stuff.”
Smith-Njigba also won the Air and Ground Player of the Year award that was announced at NFL Honors.
He is just the second Seahawks player to win this award ever after Shaun Alexander won the award in 2005. Kenny Easley and Cortez Kennedy both won the Defensive Player of the Year awards in 1984 and 1992, respectively.
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