Oregon
Family of security guard shot and killed at Portland, Oregon, hospital sues facility for $35M
The family of a security guard who was shot and killed at a hospital in Portland, Oregon, sued the facility for $35 million on Tuesday, accusing it of negligence and failing to respond to the dangers that the gunman posed to hospital staff over multiple days.
In a wrongful death complaint filed Tuesday, the estate of Bobby Smallwood argued that Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center failed to enforce its policies against violence and weapons in the workplace by not barring the shooter from the facility, despite staff reporting threats and aggression toward them in the days before the shooting.
“The repeated failures of Legacy Good Samaritan to follow their own safety protocols directly led to the tragically preventable death of Bobby Smallwood,” Tom D’Amore, the attorney representing the family, said in a statement. “Despite documented threats and abusive behavior that required immediate removal under hospital policy, Legacy allowed a dangerous individual to remain on the premises for three days until those threats escalated to violence.”
In an email, Legacy Health said it was unable to comment on pending litigation.
The shooting at Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center in Portland was part of a wave of gun violence sweeping through U.S. hospitals and medical centers, which have struggled to adapt to the growing threats. Such attacks have helped make health care one of the nation’s most violent fields. Health care workers racked up 73% of all nonfatal workplace violence injuries in 2018, the most recent year for which figures are available, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The gunman at the Portland hospital, PoniaX Calles, first visited the facility on July 19, 2023, as his partner was about to give birth. On July 20 and July 21, nursing staff and security guards filed multiple incident reports describing outbursts, violent behavior and threats, but they weren’t accessible or provided to workers who were interacting with him, according to the complaint.
On July 22, nurse supervisors decided to remove Calles from his partner’s room, and Smallwood accompanied him to the waiting room area outside the maternity ward. Other security guards searching the room found two loaded firearms in a duffel bag, and his partner told them he likely had a third gun on his person, the complaint said.
According to the complaint, over 40 minutes passed between the discovery of the duffel bag and Smallwood’s death. Two minutes before he was shot, a security guard used hand gestures through glass doors to notify him that Calles was armed. Smallwood then told Calles he would pat him down, but Calles said he would leave instead. Smallwood began escorting him out of the hospital, and as other staff members approached them, Calles shot Smallwood in the neck.
The hospital did not call a “code silver,” the emergency code for an active shooter, until after Smallwood had been shot, the complaint said.
Smallwood’s family said his death has profoundly impacted them.
“Every day we grieve the loss of our son and all the years ahead that should have been his to live,” his parents, Walter “Bob” and Tammy Smallwood, said in the statement released by their attorney. “Nothing can bring Bobby back, but we will not stop fighting until Legacy is held fully responsible for what they took from our family.”
After the shooting, Legacy said it planned to install additional metal detectors; require bag searches at every hospital; equip more security officers with stun guns; and apply bullet-slowing film to some interior glass and at main entrances.
Around 40 states have passed laws creating or increasing penalties for violence against health care workers, according to the American Nurses Association. Hospitals have armed security officers with batons, stun guns or handguns, while some states allow hospitals to create their own police forces.
Oregon
Oregon’s 1,500-Acre Dog Park Paradise Just Outside Portland Offers Off-Leash Terrain, Trails, And River – Islands
For many dogs, a perfect day involves playing catch in a giant field, sniffing around a dense forest, and topping it all off with a swim. Just outside of Portland, Oregon, which Forbes calls one of the best cities in the U.S. for dogs, lies the Sandy River Delta, where dogs can have their perfect day. The park offers close to 1,500 acres of pure, off-leash dog bliss where the Sandy River meets the mighty Columbia. This land was once a part of the Watlala Nation and was visited by Lewis and Clark, whose team camped on the shores of the Columbia here.
Almost the entirety of the park is off-leash. The park has five trails where dogs can be off-leash, beaches, rivers, and fields that are all open to sniffing, running free, and playing catch. You’re able to hike the trails with your dog roaming along at their own pace. The trails allowing dogs off-leash range from 0.25 to 2 miles long and showcase different ecological zones in the delta. The forests are full of interesting smells for your pup, and the meadows are wide and open — perfect spots to play with other dogs that are also having their best day ever.
The Sandy River Delta is located in Troutdale, Oregon’s “Gateway to the Columbia River Gorge.” Standing in the middle of the park, looking at the views of the gorge, you’d never know that downtown Portland is 17 miles to the west.
There’s so much for you and your dog to do at the Sandy River Delta Park
The areas a dog must remain on-leash are: the parking lot, bathrooms, picnic areas, and within 100 feet of one of the park’s main treks, the Confluence Trail. If you take a route that crosses the Confluence Trail, your dog is allowed to be off-leash, as long as they don’t disturb hikers. A fenced section on the park’s eastern edge is closed to people and pets to give wildlife some peace and quiet. Other than those specified areas, your dog has plenty of acreage to explore. Just make sure your dog doesn’t dig, and please pack out their waste!
Humans have something to look forward to here, as well. The Confluence Trail runs 1.25 miles along ADA-compliant gravel leading to a bird blind designed by architect and sculptor Maya Lin. The elliptical bird blind is made of wooden slats inscribed with the name and current conservation status of the 134 different species Lewis and Clark encountered. Lin is a renowned artist whose work appears at places like Storm King Art Center, one of the largest outdoor sculpture parks in the U.S.
How to get to the Sandy River Delta Park and what’s nearby
One practical note: bring a towel for your pup. The park offers a lot of water for your dog to swim in, and the shore gets pretty muddy. The cool water is a refreshing treat for your dog in the middle of summer. You can hike to the Sandy River and a side channel of the Columbia easily. Don’t worry — the nearby forest provides free sticks to toss into the water for your dog to fetch. To get to the Sandy River Delta from wherever you are in Portland, take I-84 East. The parking lot will get full on the weekends, so get there early or go late. If the parking is full, you can park down the street at a free lot across from the river and enter through a trail.
After all this running around and sniffing, you deserve a treat, too. Portland is one of the top five foodie cities in the U.S., and that love of good food doesn’t stop at the city borders. A mile down the street from the park is the Sugarpine Drive-In, a restored gas station casually serving gourmet food and ice cream sundaes. The New York Times said the Cherries Jubilee Sundae was one of the best dishes in 2024. On the way home, stop at McMenamins’ Edgefield location — a former farm that is now home to a pet-friendly hotel, multiple bars and restaurants, a spa, a brewery, distillery, winery, golf course, and an outdoor concert venue that consistently brings in nationally touring acts.
James Denny named Sublimity in 1852 after one look at the scenery, and the view still earns it. Green farmland meets the foothills of the Cascades and the streets stay short enough that the local baker knows you by the second visit. Saint Boniface Catholic Church anchors the town with a Carpenter Gothic steeple from 1889. Silver Falls State Park sits 10 miles east and is Oregon’s largest state park, with ten waterfalls along a single loop trail and old-growth Douglas firs over 300 feet tall. Together those four things explain why Sublimity earns the friendliest-small-town title in Oregon.
Sublimity’s History In A Nutshell
Native American trails and mountain streams crisscrossed what would become Sublimity well before settler arrival. The area worked as a small trading post and then a pioneer gathering place by 1852, when a post office opened and James Denny named the town after the surrounding scenery. The first school went up in 1856, followed by Sublimity College in 1857. The town was larger then than it is now. The Civil War triggered a sharp population decline as settlers returned east to fight and many farms were abandoned. New residents brought the farms back to life by 1874. Four years later a grid was laid out across twenty blocks, and Sublimity officially incorporated in 1903.
Downtown Sublimity
Downtown holds plenty for an afternoon stroll. On South Center Street, K’s Coffee runs deep couches and good coffee for sitting and chatting. PanezaNellie Breadstick Shoppe on NE Starr Street covers baked goods including pizza slices. The Wooden Nickel on North Center Street sells homemade bread and fresh produce from local farms.
After meeting a few of the regulars in the shops, walk over to 375 SE Church Street for Saint Boniface Catholic Church. The church was built in 1889 in the Carpenter Gothic style with a 110-foot steeple, and the grounds include the historic St. Boniface cemetery on one side.
Outdoor Activities
Silver Falls State Park is the area’s outdoor answer. The park sits 10 miles east of Sublimity and is Oregon’s largest state park at around 9,200 acres. It sits in the state’s temperate rainforest zone with waterfalls and old-growth trees. A $10 day-use parking fee covers hiking trails, picnic sites, biking paths, and camping access. The Trail of Ten Falls is the headliner, a 7.2-mile loop that passes ten waterfalls. The trail stays open year-round, runs at its fullest in spring, and pulls fall foliage crowds in October.
Beyond the falls, the 6-mile Catamount Trail handles mountain biking through dense forest. Tree Climbing at Silver Falls offers guided climbs up the park’s Douglas firs, some of which top 300 feet. The campground along South Fork Silver Creek has 43 tent sites, 14 cabins, and 48 electrical sites, with ice and firewood for sale plus restrooms and showers on site. Smith Creek Village offers another stay option with cottages, cabins, and lodges plus amenities like TVs and kitchenettes.
Sublimity Events
Back in town, the calendar carries several events that double as introductions to Sublimity residents. National Night Out is one of the town’s signatures, held in partnership with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. Vendors, food, and live music fill Church Park, with the event also raising awareness for community-police ties.
The other anchor event is the Night of Twinkling Lights and Tree Lighting on the first Saturday in December. The Light Parade is the headliner, with locals decorating their floats or vehicles and parading through town to City Hall, where Santa lights the town Christmas tree. The parade then moves to the fire department for photos with Santa. The next morning, people return to the fire department for the annual Candy Cane Breakfast with biscuits and gravy. The Sublimity Harvest Festival in September is the other big event, with monster trucks, pull events, an entertainment tent, and a row of vendors.
Where To Stay In Sublimity
Sublimity has a way of stretching a quick visit into a two-day stay. The Bridgeway Inn and Suites offers continental breakfast and free Wi-Fi for the overnight crowd. The Rodeway Inn and Suites is the other option, with free breakfast, Wi-Fi, a pool, and a fitness center.
Why Sublimity Earns The Name
Sublimity walks the walk on friendliness. The local baker treats you like family before pointing you to the next shop for whatever else you need. A sidewalk hello can turn into the best conversation of the week. Whether you are cheering at a monster truck event or watching Santa light the town tree, the unpretentious warmth this place runs on gets harder to find anywhere else.
Learn about the Salem Saturday Market
The first Salem Saturday Market of 2026 opened March 7, featuring vendors offering handmade goods, fresh produce, baked items and artisan foods.
The Food and Drug Administration announced that Organic ice cream sold in Oregon is being recalled over concerns that the products could contain metal fragments.
California-based Straus Family Creamery issued a voluntary recall on May 14 for select flavors of its Organic Super Premium Ice Cream after identifying the possible contamination issue.
The recalled products were distributed to stores in Oregon and 16 other states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin.
Which flavors are being recalled?
Affected flavors include vanilla bean, strawberry, Dutch chocolate, mint chip and cookie dough in multiple container sizes.
The recalled ice cream can be identified by best-by dates printed on the bottom of the containers. They include:
- Ice Cream Vanilla Bean
- Container Size: Pint
- Best By Date: December 23, 2026; December 28, 2026
- UPC: 7-84830-10030-6
- Ice Cream Strawberry
- Container Size: Quart
- Best By Date: December 24, 2026
- UPC: 7-84830-10097-9
- Ice Cream Strawberry
- Container Size: Pint
- Best By Date: December 25, 2026
- UPC: 7-84830-10095-5
- Ice Cream Cookie Dough
- Container Size: Pint
- Best By Date: December 26, 2026
- UPC: 7-84830-10104-4
- Ice Cream Dutch Chocolate
- Container Size: Quart
- Best By Date: December 27, 2026
- UPC: 7-84830-10012-2
- Ice Cream Mint Chip
- Container Size: Pint
- Best By Date: December 30, 2026
- UPC: 7-84830-10050-4
What should Oregonian do with their recalled ice cream?
Oregon consumers are urged not to eat the recalled ice cream. The company said the products should not be returned to the store but instead should be thrown away. Customers can then fill out a form with Straus Family Creamery for a replacement voucher by visiting strausfamilycreamery.com/recall/.
For questions, Oregonians can contact Straus Family Creamery at support@strausmilk.com or 1-707-776-2887.
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.
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