Oregon

Debbie Colbert picked to become next director of Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

Published

2 years ago

May 11, 2024

Debbie Colbert picked to become next director of Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has a new leader — and they didn’t have to look beyond the building to find her.

Debbie Colbert, the current deputy director for fish and wildlife programs at ODFW, was picked to lead an agency that oversees 1,200 employees and the state’s vast range of fauna.

Colbert replaces Curt Melcher, who had been director since 2014 and retired in April.

Colbert, 52, of Corvallis, becomes the first woman to ever hold the position in the agency with a history dating back to the 1800s. The vote by the ODFW Commission to appoint her was unanimous.

In many ways Colbert was the safer and more conventional choice between two candidates interviewed on Friday.

In the public question and answer period, Colbert held the line on many of the agency’s hottest topics, including support for hatcheries, the central role of hunting and the challenge of managing the state’s population of wolves.

The job is one of Oregon’s more difficult, often putting the agency in the middle of the state’s urban-rural divide over issues such as wolf and cougar management, hatchery versus wild fish, and the cost for fishing and hunting licenses, among many other issues.

“I think that fish and wildlife are the bridge and not the divide in Oregon,” she said during the public hearing. “We have diverse perspectives but that’s not a bad thing. It means people care. My approach will be to show up, listen and find common ground.”

Colbert expressed a desire to “build a bigger tent” and reach out to Oregonians who didn’t feel as though they have a voice in the agency.

“I am very committed to positioning the agency so it engages all Oregonians,” she said. “Our tent extends to everyone who wants to protect and enhance fish, wildlife and their habitats.”

She also said she would “double down on finding alternative revenue” to support the agency’s finances and mission that went beyond hunting and fishing licenses.

The other candidate interviewed Friday was Kaitlin Lovell. Lovell leads the Portland Bureau of Environmental Services on stream restoration and previously worked for the advocacy group Trout Unlimited. In the public interview, she talked about the need for new ideas that can dust off “stagnation.” She also noted she does not hunt and is vegetarian, but pointed to the ways she’s been able to work with people from all walks of life to get results.

Lovell had become the more controversial candidate on hunting and angling groups on social media, especially given the historical critiques of hatcheries by Trout Unlimited.

Colbert struck a tone that emphasized support for hunting. “If you look at my record and talk to hunters or hunting organizations I’ve worked with, they would tell you I have a deep respect for the connection hunting brings for so many and for their families,” she said.

She also offered support for hatcheries — including new investments in them — which some environmental groups have targeted as a negative in the effort to help native wild fish rebound.

“I do not see a future in which hatcheries are not necessary to meet demand (for fishing) and for conservation,” she said.

Ultimately, she noted that she was looking forward to the job.

“I am honored to be part of this and am so excited about work that agency has ahead of it,” she added.

Debbie Colbert’s background

Colbert has worked for two decades on natural resources issues, according to the biography provided by the hiring committee.

Since 2021, Colbert has served as ODFW’s deputy director for fish and wildlife programs, overseeing fish, wildlife, habitat, and regional programs statewide as well as legislative engagement.

“In this leadership role, she has been thrilled to collaborate with ODFW’s many talented staff, hunters, anglers, tribal leaders and staff, volunteers, landowners, state and federal agency staff, elected officials, and statewide advocacy groups,” the biography said.

Colbert’s career includes stints in field work as a fish sampler for the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission, as a researcher at sea for several months and studying nutrient cycling in Tillamook Bay. During her time at ODFW, Colbert worked for five years as deputy director for administration and in her current position since 2021 as deputy director for fish and wildlife programs.

Previously, Colbert served six years as the board of trustees administrator at Oregon State University.

Colbert earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and has a master’s in oceanography and a doctorate in interdisciplinary oceanography. She was selected as a 2022 National Conservation Leadership Fellow.

“Debbie is passionate about working with diverse groups to advance Oregon’s fish, wildlife, and habitat,” the biography said.

Zach Urness has been an outdoors reporter in Oregon for 16 years and is host of the Explore Oregon Podcast. Urness is the author of “Best Hikes with Kids: Oregon” and “Hiking Southern Oregon.” He can be reached at zurness@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6801. Find him on X at @ZachsORoutdoors.

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Oregon

Keizer city councilor fined $500 by Oregon ethics commission

Published

5 hours ago

March 6, 2026

Press Room

Keizer city councilor fined 0 by Oregon ethics commission

The Oregon Government Ethics Commission voted March 6 to fine Keizer City Councilor Soraida Cross $500 after an investigator found she tried to use her position to avoid a criminal citation.

In a stipulated final order signed by Cross, an OGEC investigator detailed a May 14, 2025, incident in which Cross attempted to call Marion County Sheriff Nick Hunter on his personal cellphone when police responded to a domestic dispute at the home Cross shared with her ex-husband.

During the incident, first reported by Keizertimes, a woman accused Cross of pushing her off a barstool.

Salem Police responded to the 911 call in Keizer to avoid a possible conflict of interest. Video footage obtained by Keizertimes shows Cross telling the officer she is a city councilor, played golf with Keizer Police Chief Andrew Copeland and is friends with Hunter.

The body camera footage was later shared on social media by Marion County Democrats.

Paige Barton, chair for Marion County Democrats, filed a complaint against Cross with the ethics commission.

When Cross told the officer she was a councilor, she attempted to “use her official position to avoid the financial detriment associated with a criminal citation,” according to the order.

The order said Cross “used confidential information in an attempt to obtain a personal gain” when she called Hunter on his personal cellphone to involve him in the Salem Police investigation.

“The personal phone number of Mr. Hunter is not publicly available information, such that any member of the public may contact him when dealing with law enforcement matters,” the order said.

The criminal citation for harassment was forwarded to the Polk County District Attorney’s Office due to a possible conflict of interest. The office declined to prosecute.

Cross told OGEC that she did not willingly or intentionally violate Oregon ethics law.

“She further asserts that she is a victim of domestic violence and that the police were called to her home on May 14, 2025, by her ex-husband as a form of retaliation and that was not the only time,” officials said in the order. “Ms. Cross further contends that on the evening of May 14th, she needed to call her friends, which is why she contacted Marion County Sheriff Nick Hunter whom she called for advice out of fear and there was no malicious intent.”

Commission investigator Daniel Pacheco said in a preliminary investigation that Cross appeared to try to use her position to avoid financial detriment, such as legal fees associated with a criminal charge.

The commission voted 5-0 in October to find a substantial objective basis for believing Cross violated Oregon law. A more in-depth investigation ensued.

In the order, OGEC officials said the results of the investigation pointed to a preponderance of evidence that Cross violated Oregon ethics law.

Cross signed the stipulated final order on Feb. 17, waiving her right to a contested hearing and judicial review. She will pay a $500 civil penalty to settle the matter.

The commission approved accepting the final order in a 6-0 vote with one abstention.

For questions, comments and news tips, email reporter Whitney Woodworth at wmwoodworth@statesmanjournal.com, call 503-910-6616 or follow on X at @wmwoodworth

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Oregon

Oregon Lottery Pick 4 results for March 5

Published

17 hours ago

March 6, 2026

Press Room

The Oregon Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at March 5, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Pick 4 numbers from March 5 drawing

1PM: 6-6-8-1

4PM: 7-4-6-0

7PM: 5-6-5-2

10PM: 3-5-4-4

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.

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Oregon

Where Oregon Ducks rank in industry recruiting rankings for 2027 class

Published

1 day ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Where Oregon Ducks rank in industry recruiting rankings for 2027 class

With the winter evaluation period of high school football recruiting now behind us, we’ve seen some of the top recruiting sites update their rankings over the past few weeks and start to reset their boards for the 2027 class. In February, On3 shifted players around after getting fresh looks at the class, and 247Sports did the same earlier this week.

So with Oregon’s handful of commits getting new ratings, where does the Ducks’ class rank nationally in this cycle?

If you look at sites individually, it looks different, with 247Sports having Oregon sitting at No. 13 in the nation. At Rivals, though, they take the industry ranking, which factors in their own rankings, plus an average from 247Sports and ESPN.

In the industry rankings, Oregon sits at No. 9 in the nation, with five commitments.

Going into the summer months, the Ducks are in a great spot, leading or among the top schools for a handful of the top prospects in the nation, like 5-star QB Will Mencl or 5-star WR Dakota Guerrant. We will see what movement Oregon can make in the coming months after official visits take place early in the summer.

Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.

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