Oregon
Audit finds missed safety checks at Oregon state parks
A new state audit found safety inspections are not consistently being completed or documented at some Oregon state parks.
The audit, released by the Oregon Secretary of State’s Audits Division, examined operations at overnight campgrounds and found required inspections at multiple parks were missed or undocumented – in some cases for years.
“Oregonians love their state parks and have been able to safely enjoy them for decades,” Secretary of State Tobias Read said. “The findings in this audit will help protect that important legacy and our public dollars.”
Auditors found that buildings used by employees, many of which are also accessed by the public, volunteers, and contractors, were not consistently inspected as required under OSHA rules and agency policy.
At least one location had no inspection records for three years.
Beyond safety inspections, the audit also identified significant problems with how the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) tracks its assets.
According to the report, the agency’s asset management system contains unreliable and incomplete data, including missing records, untracked equipment, and items incorrectly labeled as inactive or missing.
Auditors say those gaps increase the risk of lost property, inaccurate financial reporting, and inadequate insurance coverage.
“These problems risk Oregonians’ safety and taxpayer money through avoidable lawsuits and fines,” the Secretary of State’s office wrote in a press release.
The audit issued eight recommendations, including the need to establish consistent inspection protocols, improve training and accountability, and replace the agency’s outdated asset management system.
In response, a spokesperson for OPRD said it agrees with the findings and has already begun making changes.
“OPRD thanks and acknowledges the audit’s findings and appreciates the Audits Division’s work,” said Interim Director Stefanie Coons. “The safety of our visitors and the protection of Oregon’s state parks have always guided our decisions, and we remain committed to strengthening the systems that support that responsibility.”
The agency says improvements were already underway during the audit and include updating policies, strengthening safety practices, and modernizing its asset tracking system. Officials say new fees will help fund upgrades to ensure the system is functional moving forward.
Oregon’s state park system sees roughly 51 million visitors each year and includes more than 250 properties, over 2,000 buildings, and a wide range of infrastructure, from campgrounds and restrooms to roads, docks, and historic structures.
The Department does not regularly receive state general fund dollars. It is primarily funded through visitor fees, lottery funds, and recreational vehicle registration fees.
Auditors say improving oversight will be key to ensuring those assets and the people who use them are properly protected.
Read the full audit below:
Oregon
David Brock Smith wins GOP primary for US Senate in Oregon, will face incumbent Merkley
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — David Brock Smith won the Republican primary for U.S. Senate in Oregon on Friday, in the last significant race to be called following the state’s May 19 primary election.
Brock Smith, a state senator, emerged from a field of seven candidates to challenge the incumbent, Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley, in November.
“This campaign is about putting Oregon first. Fighting for affordable living, safer communities, good-paying jobs, responsible government, and protecting the values that make our beloved state strong,” he said in a statement. “This election is bigger than politics. It’s about restoring hope, opportunity, and accountability for every Oregonian.”
Merkley, who was first elected in 2008, is viewed as having a generally safe seat since Oregon hasn’t elected a Republican U.S. senator since 2002. His campaign did not immediately respond Friday evening to a request for comment on Brock Smith’s win.
Friday’s result comes after other high-profile contests were called on election night, including a gas tax referendum and the Republican primary for governor that set up a November rematch for the state’s top job.
Voters overwhelmingly rejected the ballot measure that asked them whether to raise the state gas tax by 6 cents to 46 cents a gallon. The Democratic-controlled Legislature passed the contested gas tax increase and a series of fees last year to help fix roads and plug a gap in the state’s transportation budget. Republicans then launched a referendum campaign to refer it to the ballot and give voters the final say.
Republicans hailed the rejection of the gas tax increase after it was trounced by voters. Democrats have remained mostly silent and didn’t organize efforts to campaign for it as the Iran war caused prices at the pump to skyrocket. Some party members said in the run-up to the primary that they expected voters to defeat it.
In the governor’s race, Republican state Sen. Christine Drazan advanced from a field of 14 candidates to win her primary. She beat opponents who included a fellow GOP legislator who helped lead the gas tax referendum campaign and a former NBA player.
Her victory set up a rematch with Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek, who won her party’s primary as she seeks reelection. Drazan lost to Kotek in 2022 by over 3 percentage points in a three-way race that included an independent candidate.
Elected that year to her first term as governor after years in the Legislature, including as Oregon’s longest-serving House speaker, Kotek has sparred with the Trump administration, which sought unsuccessfully to deploy the National Guard to Portland last fall for the stated purpose of protecting federal property and personnel following protests at the city’s U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building.
Kotek also pledged to tackle homelessness, mental health and education. Despite approving funding and programs aimed at addressing those issues, the state has continued to see rising homelessness and flagging student test scores that have failed to return to pre-pandemic levels.
Drazan will likely try to capitalize on those issues while facing an uphill battle: Oregon hasn’t elected a Republican governor in over 40 years.
Meanwhile, in Oregon’s lone competitive U.S. House district, Democratic incumbent Rep. Janelle Bynum won her primary. Patti Adair, a county commissioner, won the GOP primary there and will work to win back the seat for Republicans. The GOP flipped it in 2022 for the first time in decades before Bynum reclaimed it for Democrats.
Oregon
Police seek public’s help after collared wolf shot dead in Oregon
Dire wolves had their first playdate
The three dire wolves created using fossil DNA had their first official hang just months before their first birthday.
The Oregon State Police and Wildlife Division is seeking the public’s help after a collared wolf from eastern Oregon’s Desolation Pack was found dead in Grant County earlier this month.
The male wolf was discovered the morning of May 18 near Desolation Meadow on public land next to U.S. Forest Service Road 10, about 3.25 miles northwest of Olive Lake, police said in a release.
Investigators said the wolf appeared to have died from a gunshot wound.
A preliminary investigation found the wolf was likely shot sometime between the late evening hours of May 14 and the early morning of May 15. Investigators believe the wolf may have been shot from the roadway.
The investigation involves the Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
OSP said rewards are available for information tied to illegal wolf killings. That includes up to $600 through the Oregon Hunters Association and between $10,000 to $11,500 through the Oregon Wildlife Coalition, depending on where the killing occurred.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the “Turn In Poachers” hotline at 1-800-452-7888 or dial OSP (677) from a mobile phone. People can also email TIP@osp.oregon.gov.
Anonymous tips are allowed. Investigators asked callers to reference case number SP26-160166.
Ginnie Sandoval is the Oregon Connect reporter for the Statesman Journal. Sandoval is a lifelong Oregonian who covers trending news, entertainment, food and outdoors. She can be reached at GSandoval@statesmanjournal.com or on X at @GinnieSandoval.
Oregon
Oregon Lottery Pick 4 results for May 21
The Oregon Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at May 21, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Pick 4 numbers from May 21 drawing
1PM: 5-3-1-9
4PM: 8-6-0-0
7PM: 0-3-6-2
10PM: 3-7-2-4
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Oregon Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 7:59 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 7:59 p.m. on Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 4: 1 p.m., 4 p.m., 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. daily.
- Win for Life: 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Megabucks: 7:29 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Oregon editor. You can send feedback using this form.
-
News16 minutes agoWhat will Trump do next with Iran?
-
New York2 hours agoHow Stars From ‘The Morning Show’ and ‘The League’ Keep Their Love Alive
-
Los Angeles, Ca2 hours agoLos Angeles man charged in Southern California catalytic converter theft spree
-
Detroit, MI2 hours agoRain-soaked Detroit job seekers show skills, grit at Comerica Park hiring event
-
San Francisco, CA2 hours agoNine runs? NINE runs! White Sox down Giants with one huge inning
-
Dallas, TX3 hours ago11 Dallas neighbors declared best places to live and more top stories
-
Miami, FL3 hours agoDolphins 90 in 90: Tight end Greg Dulcich looking to build in 2026
-
Boston, MA3 hours agoRed Sox’s Trade Market Desires Reported By Boston Insider