Oregon
Ex-FSU Football Defensive Lineman Transferring to Oregon State Football
The spring transfer portal is officially closed, but players who entered while the portal was open are still able to find their next destinations and take their time in doing so. One player soon to find their next home is a former Florida State defensive end.
Josh Griffis, who has spent time with three different programs at various levels since transferring from Florida State a few years ago, will be continuing his college career at Oregon State. He announced the news on social media on Saturday evening.
READ MORE: Former FSU Stars Keon Coleman, Trey Benson, Tatum Bethune, and Renardo Green Get Their NFL Draft Calls
Griffis, a former three-star recruit and Florida State defensive end, left the Seminoles in 2021. He played briefly for Garden City Community College before joining Deion Sanders at Jackson State. He appeared in six games for the Tigers, totaling five tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and one quarterback hurry.
After the season, Coach Prime took his talents to Colorado — where he’s been heavily involved in the news cycle since — leaving Griffis and many other former Jackson State players in the transfer portal. This was after Griffis spent time in JUCO after being dismissed from Florida State.
The former Seminole then transferred to Tarleton State, where he finished with 13 total tackles, nine solo tackles, five sacks and three forced fumbles during his 2023 college football campaign.
Now headed to Oregon State, Griffis is headed to a unique situation. The program has been left high and dry after the Pac-12 dissolved, with its members dispersing across the Big 12 and Big Ten. Now, with just two programs remaining in the conference, Oregon State has an arrangement with the Mountain West to fill out their 2024 college football schedule.
Griffis is technically joining a power conference, though the Pac-12 is a thing of the past and they’re playing a very weak schedule compared to the Power Four — involving the Big 12, Big Ten, ACC and SEC. The former Seminole has had a very unique college football career path.
READ MORE: FSU AD Michael Alford Possibly Hints At Big 10 Move During Chicago Boosters Event
Stick with NoleGameday for more coverage of Florida State football throughout the offseason.
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Oregon
Fireworks on sale in Oregon until July 6
PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) – Fireworks are on sale in Oregon until July 6, but state and local rules limit where they can be used and what types are allowed.
In Portland, fireworks use and sales are banned year-round.
Fireworks are also banned on beaches and in state and national parks.
Statewide, fireworks that fly into the air, explode, act unpredictably or move more than 12 feet horizontally are illegal. Banned fireworks include sky lanterns, missiles, rockets, Roman candles, firecrackers, cherry bombs and M-80s.
Fountains, sparklers, ground spinners and smoke devices are among the fireworks allowed under state rules.
Officials said people should not call 911 to report illegal fireworks. They said reports should go to the non-emergency line for the area.
First responders said there were 263 fires across Portland during last year’s fireworks season, and 27 were caused by fireworks.
For more details about fireworks regulation in Oregon, click here.
In Washington, fireworks sales legally begin Sunday and run through July 4.
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Oregon
Gray whale carcass washes ashore in Gearhart on Oregon coast
GEARHART, Ore. (KATU) — Another gray whale washed up on the Oregon coast last week, this time in Gearhart, according to Seaside Aquarium.
The 41-foot-long male had been dead for months before washing up on the beach, Seaside Aquarium general manager Keith Chandler said.
He noted that there have been 19 total whale strandings or carcasses washing up on beaches just this year on the Oregon coast region.
The Cascadia Research Collective is reporting at least 30 on Washington coastline alone. | TIMELINE
Of those deaths, more than half were at least partially attributed to malnutrition. That could have been the cause in more strandings, however, necropsies were not performed in roughly a dozen of the 30 strandings.
Chandler said strong wind from the west this year has been contributing to why coastal towns are seeing a lot of whales and other things washing up on shore. However he also noted that many of the Grey whales washed ashore were emaciated with necropsies showing signs of malnourishment.
“The food sources have been compromised. The warmer water means the nutrients that they’re getting aren’t as good, so the whole food chain is kind of not as healthy,” Chandler said.
He pointed to the warming waters with climate change as the main reason noting that warm water plankton–Grey Whale’s main food source–is thinner and has fewer nutrients than plankton in cooler waters.
Chandler says this whale will not have a necropsy done because of its level of decomposition.
“The fresher ones, the team from Portland State [University] will come down and they’ll go in and do measurements, take samples and stuff, measurements of the internal organs. But on one this decayed, you won’t gain anything from it scientifically. And it’s just kind of a mess to do when they’re this rotten,” he said.
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You can report a whale stranding to the West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network Hotline by calling 1-866-767-6114.
Oregon
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek appoints Nathan Lichvarcik to Lane County Circuit Court bench
SALEM, OR — Gov. Tina Kotek announced today that she will appoint Nathan J. Lichvarcik to the Lane County Circuit Court bench, filling a vacancy created by the upcoming resignation of Judge Debra K. Vogt.
Lichvarcik’s appointment is effective Aug. 1, 2026.
Lichvarcik is a criminal law attorney with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. He has worked in the office’s Eugene branch for the past 14 years and has served as branch supervisor for the Eugene and Medford offices since 2020.
He has also taught Trial Advocacy at the University of Oregon Law School for the past 10 years.
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