Oregon
Oregon drug possession arrests drop under new law that offers treatment instead of jail
Oregon’s new drug law goes into effect Sept. 1.
The law reintroduces penalties for possession of small amounts of illicit drugs. Some counties will offer “deflection” to treatment instead of jail.
Drug possession arrests in Oregon have fallen from a weekly average of 218 to 170 three months after Oregon recriminalized possession of small amounts of controlled substances and offered treatment programs instead of jail, according to data shared with lawmakers Wednesday.
There was an initial peak of 218 arrests per week after House Bill 4002 went into effect Sept. 1, repealing the Class E violations created by the voter-approved Measure 110 and introducing a new misdemeanor crime for possession, said Ken Sanchagrin, executive director of the Criminal Justice Commission.
But arrests have since fallen to a weekly average of about 180 in October and 170 in November, Sanchagrin told lawmakers.
The bill also allocated $20.7 million for counties to set up “deflection programs” and offer eligible Oregonians treatment before entering the criminal justice system.
Between Sept. 1 and Dec. 4, a total of 442 people were referred to deflection and 263 were enrolled.
“I’m really proud of what we did and I’m also really thankful that you all dug in,” Sen. Kate Lieber, D-Portland, told representatives of Lane, Washington and Malheur counties who talked about their deflection programs.
Lieber, now co-chair of the budget-writing Ways and Means Committee, will be part of fielding additional funding requests for the program.
“All of us in this room and who have participated in this, ultimately, we want to make Oregon safer and we want Oregonians to get the treatment they need when they need it,” Lieber added.
What Oregon’s dashboard tracking drug arrests shows
A dashboard maintained by the commission shows 1,648 cases have been filed for the new drug enforcement misdemeanor. Of those, 931 cases filed were standalone, meaning there were no other accompanying charges.
Another dashboard maintained by the Criminal Justice Commission shows 2,734 arrests for possession were made from Sept. 1 to Dec. 12. The number includes all possession arrests including commercial drug offenses.
Prior to the pandemic, there was an average of about 300 arrests a week for possession of controlled substance. After Measure 110 went into effect, there were about 50 arrests per week.
Status of county programs for people arrested with narcotics to avoid immediate jail time
Of Oregon’s 36 counties, 28 counties applied for Behavioral Health Deflection grants.
As of December, 19 deflection programs are operational and most have committed to using a Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion program similar to the program that Marion County has been operating since 2018.
Lane County was awarded $2 million for its new deflection program, which launched Oct. 18.
Lane County District Attorney Chris Parosa shared preliminary data with lawmakers that 65 people were deemed eligible for the county program and 25 people were offered deflection.
A total of 35 people were in deflection, more than offered because police had referred them even without charges filed, Parosa said.
Four people declined the program and 15 people were terminated from deflection. “The primary reasons are that they just weren’t ready for treatment at that point and they’re not willing to engage,” Parosa said.
He urged lawmakers to maintain funding for the deflection programs. If state funding dries up, the program will end, he warned.
“Having talked with many of my compatriots from around the state and district attorney offices, if we are going to have the expectation that they’re going to build up robust programs in their communities, they’ve gotta receive adequate funding as well,” Parosa said.
Baker, Crook, Gilliam, Grant, Harney, Hood River, Malheur, Morrow, Tillamook, Union and Wasco each received $150,000 and “are going to need more funding put into their system in order for them to stand up these programs,” he said. “We wouldn’t have even known where to start if that is what had been given to us.”
Sanchagrin said 216 people remained enrolled in deflection statewide and 70 did not complete their program largely because they did not engage as required.
A best practices report by the commission about deflection programs and including recommendations for funding of the Oregon Behavioral Health Deflection Program is expected in April.
Dianne Lugo covers the Oregon Legislature and equity issues. Reach her at dlugo@statesmanjournal.com or on Twitter @DianneLugo
Oregon
Oregon-set horror movie ‘Wolf Man’ opens Friday; critics call it ‘gripping enough,’ ‘not especially scary’
‘Wolf Man” isn’t just the latest example of a classic Hollywood monster movie character getting a reboot, it’s also the newest horror movie to be set in Oregon. “Wolf Man,” which opens in theaters Friday, Jan. 17, follows in the spooky footsteps of “Strange Darling,” “Longlegs,” and “Cellar Door,” which were also set in Oregon.
While “Strange Darling” and “Cellar Door” were filmed in Oregon, “Wolf Man” didn’t film in the Northwest, but instead was made in New Zealand. The plot involves a married couple, Blake (played by Christopher Abbott, whose credits include “Poor Things”) and Charlotte (Julia Garner, of “Ozark” fame), and their daughter, Ginger (Matilda Firth), who are living in San Francisco.
When Blake learns that his long-missing father has been declared dead, Blake brings his wife and daughter back to the family’s rural Oregon house.
Unfortunately, their trip to Oregon goes bad quickly, as what seems to be a deadly creature injures Blake, who soon begins showing signs of transforming into something, well, wolfy.
While the idea has roots back in the Hollywood days when Universal Pictures turned out monster movies built around such figures as Frankenstein’s monster, Dracula, The Mummy, The Invisible Man, and more, the new “Wolf Man” isn’t simply a remake of the 1941 original.
Director Leigh Whannell’s previous films include “The Invisible Man” and “Insidious: Chapter 3.”
Reviews for “Wolf Man” are mixed, with some critics praising Abbott’s performance and the movie’s creepy atmosphere, while others wish Garner’s character was more developed and that the dialogue was sharper.
In The Hollywood Reporter, for example. David Rooney writes that “Wolf Man” is “gripping enough.” Less enthusiastic is Peter Debruge in Variety, who found the movie slow, soulful and not especially scary.”
Purdue women’s basketball was unable to change its fortunes on the west coast, falling to Oregon 69-53 on Wednesday night in Eugene. The Boilermakers have now lost five straight games dating back to December 21st and are 0-6 a third of the way through Big Ten play this season.
The latest loss in the streak also marks Purdue’s seventh loss by 16 or more points this season, after having eight losses of double-digits all of last season.
The offense took awhile to show itself in Eugene, as Purdue and Oregon combined to shoot 2-10 in the early going, where it was a 2-2 game until the 5:57 mark. That’s when sophomore guard Sophie Swanson entered the game and provided scoring for the Boilermakers, having a quick five points to hand Purdue a 7-2 advantage at the 5:05 mark of the first quarter.
The Ducks then responded, outscoring the Boilermakers 11-2 over the final three minutes of the quarter, thanks to contributions from Peyton Scott and one time Purdue portal target Nani Falatea.
Purdue shot a respectable 45% from the field, but nine turnovers, leading to nine Oregon points was the difference in the opening frame.
The ball security woes compiled with shooting troubles in the second quarter for Purdue, who saw the deficit grow. The Boilermakers were 1-5 from the field and had five turnovers over the first five minutes of the quarter, while Oregon extended its lead to eight at the 4:55 mark.
Purdue went nearly nine minutes without a field goal in the second quarter as a Reagan Bass triple ended the drought with 49 seconds left in the first half, after Oregon had pushed the lead to 12. The Ducks responded quickly with a three of their own to take a 35-23 lead into the break.
Oregon quickly got the lead to a then high 14 to start the third quarter before three straight scores by Lana McCarthy and Rashunda Jones chopped that lead down to eight with 7:26 to play in the third. After a back-and-forth few minutes, McKenna Layden made it a seven point game with her second triple of the night.
That would be as close as the Boilermakers could get for the rest of the night. Oregon would then outscore Purdue 11-2 down the stretch of the third quarter, with the help of Deja Kelly and Phillipina Kyei who scored 13 combined in the quarter, to take a 52-36 lead into the fourth.
Despite best efforts from Rashunda Jones and McKenna Layden, the Boilermakers were unable to claw their way back into the game, watching Oregon coast to a convincing win in Matthew Knight Arena.
Another woeful offensive performances doomed Purdue’s chances of snapping its five-game losing streak, having 23 turnovers (leading to 25 Oregon points), as well as shooting a combined 42% from the field and 25% from three-point range.
Rashunda Jones led the way in the scoring department for the Boilermakers, with a team-high 17 points on 8-10 shooting from the field, as well as four rebounds and three assists. Jones returned to the starting lineup on Wednesday and has averaged 12.0 points, 3.6 rebounds and 4.6 assists over the last three games.
McKenna Layden has come into her own of late, putting together the best performance of her young career, despite the loss. The sophomore had nine points and a career-high nine rebounds, which also paced the Boilermakers on the night. Over her last three games, Layden is averaging 7.6 points and 6.0 rebounds in an expanded role.
The transfer trio of Reagan Bass, Ella Collier and Destini Lombard were held in check in a frustrating night for the bunch, combining for just ten points on 27% shooting from the field and one assist.
Purdue will remain out west with a battle against Washington on deck for Saturday evening, where Katie Gearlds and company will look to get back in the win column for the first time in 2025.
EUGENE- The Oregon Ducks return home to Matthew Knight Arena after two road games to begin a three-game homestand starting on Wednesday as the Ducks face the Purdue Boilermakers. Wednesday’s matchup will mark the first-ever meeting between the programs, as Purdue is one of three teams in the Big Ten Conference that Oregon will face for the first time this season. The other two programs Oregon has yet to face are Michigan and Penn State.
Oregon has been dominant at home this season, winning its last three home games while boasting a 10-1 record at Matthew Knight Arena. The Ducks will look to extend their home winning streak while also earning the team’s 13th win of the season over Purdue on Wednesday night.
How to Watch
Uo Wbb V Ucla 08 / Dana Sparks/The Register-Guard via Imagn Content Services, LLC
The Oregon Ducks (12-5) return to Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Oregon, to host the Purdue Boilermakers (7-9). Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. PT. The game will be streamed on B1G+.
Preview
The Ducks enter Wednesday’s matchup against the Boilermakers after a two-game road trip where Oregon defeated Penn State but fell to Ohio State. Oregon’s chance at an upset over the No. 9 Buckeyes last Sunday fell just short, losing the game 69-60.
Despite the loss, multiple Ducks had successful outings. Guard Nani Falatea and Amina Muhammad led all players with 11 points each. Guard Deja Kelly added another 10, while center Phillipina Kyei contributed eight points and eight rebounds. Ohio native Peyton Scott scored seven points while grabbing a season-high eight rebounds.
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Now, the Ducks look to redeem themselves from Sunday’s loss with a statement win over Purdue. The Boilermakers are trying to snap a five-game losing streak against Big Ten teams. Purdue has also trailed by 10 or more points after the first quarter in four straight games.
Purdue has struggled to find consistency, compiling a 7-9 record. After the team’s loss to Michigan State on Jan. 1, the team held a meeting in an attempt to get back on track and find ways to win. However, in the team’s most recent outing, the Boilermakers fell at home 87-60 to the Michigan Wolverines.
“We need to regroup. But we can’t afford to have another team meeting to do that. It just needs to be everyone buying in and going back to the team that we know we can be,” said Purdue fifth-year guard Ella Collier. “Whenever we are all at our best, and we’re all cheering for each other, and we’re not in our own heads, we can do some pretty good things together.”
The Boilermakers will look to regroup Wednesday in Matthew Knight Arena as they face the Ducks in Eugene. However, this will undoubtedly be a daunting task for Purdue.
The Ducks are an extremely deep and versatile squad that has proven they can excel on both ends of the court. Defensively, Oregon has forced more turnovers than their opponents in 12 straight games and 14 times this season. The Ducks have also recorded 10 or more steals in seven of the last 10 games.
Olympic gold medalist Elisa Mevius is Oregon’s leader in steals, averaging 1.6 per game, while Kyei leads in blocks with 0.9 per contest. Kyei also leads the team in rebounding, grabbing 6.0 rebounds per game while also scoring 6.5 points per contest.
Offensively, Oregon boasts one of the deepest benches in the country and the best in the Big Ten. Oregon’s reserves are averaging 29.2 points to lead the Big Ten and rank 14th in the nation.
Not to mention, Oregon also features two of the top ten active scorers in the NCAA: Peyton Scott (9th) and Deja Kelly (10th). They rank first and second among active players in career points in the Big Ten. Both Kelly and Scott have surpassed the 2,000-point mark this season. The pair is the only set of teammates in the top 10 in scoring among active players.
Prediction
Facing the Ducks will undoubtedly be a tough challenge for the Boilermakers. Oregon’s deep bench means Purdue will have to defend multiple scoring threats, making it difficult to key in on just one or two players. Additionally, the Boilermakers will need to find a way to contain Kyei in the paint, where her size and skill can dominate both sides of the floor. Additionally, Oregon’s aggressive defense, which consistently forces turnovers, will likely disrupt Purdue’s rhythm. With the added advantage of playing at Matthew Knight Arena, where the Ducks have been nearly unbeatable this season, Oregon will likely come out on top.
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