Oregon saw the second-largest increase in overdose deaths of any state in 2023, even as much of the rest of the country saw a decline, federal data show.

About one-third more people died of a drug overdose last year in Oregon compared with the previous year, federal figures show. That’s about 1,880 people dead after ingesting opioids such as fentanyl, stimulants such as methamphetamine or other drugs, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

While Oregon set a record for overdose deaths in the state last year, the national numbers declined for the first time since 2018. Since that year, Oregon’s overdose deaths have grown a staggering 237% — the second-highest increase in the United States, after Alaska — compared with a 58% increase nationally during that time.

Why that’s happening is not entirely clear.

Nearly 107,700 people died of an overdose in the U.S. last year, compared to about 109,400 in 2022, federal data show, an approximately 2% decline.

Oregon wasn’t the only state to buck the national trend. Alaska saw the steepest increase in overdose deaths, with 45% more deaths last year than in 2022, according to federal data. Oregon had a 35% increase, according to federal data. Washington, Nevada and Hawaii placed third, fourth and fifth, with increases of 28%, 24% and 14%, respectively.

Nine other states and Washington, D.C., counted more overdose deaths last year than the year before, while South Dakota saw no change, and each of the remaining 35 states saw a decline. Nebraska, Indiana and Maine saw the steepest drops in overdose deaths, with 23%, 18% and 16% fewer deaths last year, respectively, than in 2022.

While full data for 2024 won’t be available for some time, the numbers federal health officials have already released paint a hopeful picture not only for the country as a whole but for Oregon as well.

During the one-year period ending in July, nearly 17% fewer people across the country died of overdoses compared to the one-year period ending July 2023, preliminary federal data show.

Only five states had more overdose deaths during the year ending in July than the prior year. Oregon is one of them, but the increase in deaths in the Beaver State was only 5%, far lower than the approximately 35% more deaths during the year ending December 2023.

The Oregon Health Authority confirmed their data also show a downward trajectory this year.

“Our very preliminary 2024 data show Oregon is seeing a similar trend in overdose decrease,” spokesperson Jonathan Modie said in an email, “but we are not sure why at this point.”

— Fedor Zarkhin is a breaking news and enterprise reporter. Do you have a story? Reach him by phone or text at 971-373-2905 or by email at fzarkhin@oregonian.com.

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Associated Press

Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks (5-5, 0-2 Southland) at Oregon Ducks (9-1, 1-1 Big Ten)

Eugene, Oregon; Sunday, 6 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: No. 12 Oregon hosts SFA after Nate Bittle scored 22 points in Oregon’s 73-71 loss to the UCLA Bruins.

The Ducks are 4-1 on their home court. Oregon is 9-1 against opponents over .500.

The ‘Jacks are 1-4 in road games. SFA has a 0-2 record in one-possession games.

Oregon averages 7.7 made 3-pointers per game, 1.3 more made shots than the 6.4 per game SFA allows. SFA averages 5.1 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.9 fewer made shots on average than the 8.0 per game Oregon allows.

TOP PERFORMERS: Bittle is scoring 14.4 points per game with 9.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists for the Ducks.

Kyle Hayman is averaging 12.3 points and 2.1 steals for the ‘Jacks.

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Googly eyes have been appearing on sculptures around the central Oregon city of Bend, delighting many residents and sparking a viral sensation covered widely by news outlets and featured on a popular late-night talk show.

On social media, the city shared photos of googly eyes on installations in the middle of roundabouts that make up its so-called “Roundabout Art Route.” One photo shows googly eyes placed on a sculpture of two deer, while another shows them attached to a sphere. It’s not yet known who has been putting them on the sculptures.

“While the googly eyes placed on the various art pieces around town might give you a chuckle, it costs money to remove them with care to not damage the art,” the city said in its posts.

The Facebook post received hundreds of comments, with many users saying they liked the googly eyes. “My daughter and I went past the flaming chicken today and shared the biggest laugh,” one user said, using a nickname for the “Phoenix Rising” sculpture. “We love the googly eyes. This town is getting to be so stuffy. Let’s have fun!”

Another Facebook user wrote: “I think the googly eyes on the deer specifically are a great look, and they should stay that way.”

Others said the city should focus on addressing more important issues, such as homelessness, instead of spending time and money on removing the googly eyes.

Over the years, the city’s sculptures have been adorned with other seasonal decorations, including Santa hats, wreaths, leis. The city doesn’t remove those, and views the googly eyes differently because of the adhesive, Bend’s communications director, Rene Mitchell, told The Associated Press.

“We really encourage our community to engage with the art and have fun. We just need to make sure that we can protect it and that it doesn’t get damaged,” she said.

The post and its comments were covered by news outlets, and even made it on a segment of CBS’s The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The city regrets that its post was misunderstood, Mitchell said.

“There was no intent to be heavy-handed and we certainly understand maybe how that was taken,” she said. “We own this large collection of public art and really want to bring awareness to the community that applying adhesives does harm the art. So as stewards of the collection, we wanted to share that on social media.”

The city has so far spent $1,500 on removing googly eyes from seven of the eight sculptures impacted, Mitchell said, and has started treating some of the art pieces, which are made of different types of metal such as bronze and steel. The Phoenix Rising sculpture might need to be repainted entirely, she said.

For some, the googly eyes – like the other holiday objects – provide a welcome boost of seasonal cheer.

“I look forward to seeing the creativity of whoever it is that decorates the roundabouts during the holidays,” one social media commenter said. “Brings a smile to everyone to see silliness.”