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Oregon State University researchers are first to see at-risk bat flying over open ocean

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Oregon State University researchers are first to see at-risk bat flying over open ocean


CORVALLIS, Ore. – On a research cruise focused on marine mammals and seabirds, Oregon State University scientists earned an unexpected bonus: The first-ever documented sighting of a hoary bat flying over the open ocean.

The bat was seen in the Humboldt Wind Energy Area about 30 miles off the northern California coast; the Humboldt area has been leased for potential offshore energy development, and the hoary bat is the species of bat most frequently found dead at wind power facilities on land.

OSU faculty research assistant Will Kennerley, the first to see the bat, and colleagues documented the sighting with a paper in the Journal of North American Bat Research. The bat was spotted just after 1 p.m. on Oct. 3, 2022, in observing conditions rated as excellent.

“I have spent a lot of time at sea in all oceans of the world, and I’ve seen a lot of amazing things,” said Lisa Ballance, director of OSU’s Marine Mammal Institute. “A hoary bat was a first for all of us. It’s a reminder of the wonder of nature, and of its vulnerability.”

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Hoary bats are strong fliers and highly migratory, moving from breeding areas across North America to southern or coastal wintering areas, the scientists said. They are regular visitors to the Farallon Islands near San Francisco and to Bermuda, but a review of current and historic records of offshore bats in North America indicated that a hoary bat had never been spotted from a ship.

Hoary bats can fly as high as 2,400 meters – well beyond the vision of human observers and outside the acoustic range of ultrasonic detectors, which could partly explain why the species has seldom been detected offshore, the researchers note.

Kennerley and Oregon State marine ecologist Leigh Torres were aboard the R/V Pacific Storm as part of the MOSAIC Project, which studies the distributions and densities of seabirds and marine mammals around potential offshore wind energy areas. Ballance is the four-year project’s principal investigator.

The bat appeared during a seabird survey 49 kilometers off the coast of Arcata, California. It was flying between 5 and 10 meters above the ocean, generally approaching the Pacific Storm from the north, and got as close as 50 meters to the vessel.

“We of course didn’t set out to look for bats at sea, but this demonstrates the value of having observers out on the water ready and able to document unexpected observations like this,” said Kennerley, who photographed the bat. “I think surprises like this are one of the most exciting parts of doing science.”

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Research including a 2019 study led by OSU-Cascades suggests the hoary bat, known scientifically as Lasiurus cinereus, is declining at a rate that threatens its long-term future in the Pacific Northwest.

Bat population declines are problematic for a host of reasons, researchers say. In many environments worldwide bats provide ecosystem services including pollination, pest control and seed dispersion. They are one of the most diverse groups of mammals but are not well understood, and have in recent years become at great risk both from wind energy production and from the invasive bat disease white-nose syndrome.

Wind power affects bats through collision and barotrauma, which refers to injuries caused by rapid changes in atmospheric pressure like what can occur around the blades of a wind turbine. Examination of dead bats collected near turbines often reveals signs of the internal hemorrhaging associated with barotrauma rather than collision.

The scientists on the Pacific Storm say their observation provides further evidence that the hoary bats sometimes use offshore habitat. That the sighting occurred within a leased offshore wind energy area highlights the potential for hoary bats to be affected by offshore energy development, they note.

“Our study only documents a single individual but nonetheless suggests a greater need for studies looking at threats bats may face at sea,” Kennerley said.

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Donald Solick of the Electric Power Research Institute and Vesper Bat Detection Services is the corresponding author on the paper, which is based on work funded by the U.S. departments of Energy and the Interior. OSU marine ecologist Rachael Orben is also a co-author of the paper.



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Timeline video traces SB 1008’s impact on Oregon juvenile justice, viewers can watch now

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Timeline video traces SB 1008’s impact on Oregon juvenile justice, viewers can watch now


Oregon’s juvenile justice system has been reshaped in recent years by a sweeping reform law that changed how the state handles minors accused of serious crimes.

Senate Bill 1008, which took effect in 2020, ended automatic transfers of juveniles into adult court and eliminated life without parole sentences for juveniles. The law also created “second-look” hearings and established parole eligibility after 15 years for certain offenders who committed crimes before turning 18.

To help explain the law and its impact, KVAL’s Frannie Pedersen put together a timeline video tracing the history of Senate Bill 1008, from the passage of Measure 11 in 1994 to the reforms that later reshaped Oregon’s juvenile justice system.

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The video breaks down how the law changed, why lawmakers pushed for reform, and how SB 1008 continues to influence Oregon’s justice system today. Viewers can watch the full video for a detailed timeline and explanation of the changes.



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New Jersey man sentenced in Oregon federal court for conspiring to distribute fentanyl

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New Jersey man sentenced in Oregon federal court for conspiring to distribute fentanyl


A New Jersey man was sentenced to federal prison last Friday for conspiring to distribute fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon.

Mark T. Eager, 34, was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release.

“This defendant showed a blatant disregard for human life by trafficking fentanyl across the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Bradford. “My office will continue to pursue those who profit from poisoning our communities, and we will use every available resource and partnership to combat fentanyl trafficking and keep Oregonians safe.”

“This investigation brought together law enforcement agencies from across the nation,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Seattle acting Special Agent in Charge April Miller. “Homeland Security Investigations special agents from Portland, Newark, and Houston contributed to the case, along with the Portland Police Bureau and HIDTA HIT officers, who were instrumental in identifying Eager. His 11-year sentence sends a clear message: no matter where you are in the country or the world, if you attempt to sell narcotics online to Americans, we will find you.”

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“Fentanyl trafficking poses a grave threat to communities across the United States, and Homeland Security Investigations is committed to working with our partners to disrupt and dismantle the criminal networks responsible,” said HSI Houston Special Agent in Charge Lucia Cabral-DeArmas. “This case demonstrates the power of interagency collaboration under the Homeland Security Task Force initiative, leveraging resources from across the country to hold traffickers accountable and protect the American people. We will continue to pursue those who endanger lives through the distribution of dangerous synthetic opioids, and we remain steadfast in our mission to safeguard our communities from the violence and instability caused by transnational criminal organizations.”

“By following this offender’s digital trail, Homeland Security Investigations and our law enforcement partners nationwide executed federal search warrants, dismantled an active dark web fentanyl packaging operation and recovered deadly amounts of fentanyl, thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency, and a trove of electronic devices and packaging materials,” said HSI Newark Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas. “This case is a powerful example of how coordinated, data-driven investigations can disrupt dangerous networks and help protect our communities from lethal synthetic opioids.”

According to court documents, from November 2023 through June 2024, Eager and his co-conspirator sold fentanyl on the Dark Net and Telegram. Eager operated as the vendor WRSEH10 and marketed the fentanyl as “China White Synthetic Heroin.”

In June 2024, HSI agents executed search warrants on two residences associated with Eager in Kearny, New Jersey, and seized over 360 grams of powdered fentanyl, counterfeit M30 pills, drug ledgers, cellular phones, two computers, and drug packaging consistent with three deliveries that were sent to Oregon.

On September 4, 2024, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a four-count indictment charging Eager with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl.

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On February 4, 2026, Eager pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.

HSI Portland and HSI Houston investigated this case with assistance from HSI Newark, the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) and the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Interdiction Task Force (HIT). Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Kerin prosecuted the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Jersey assisted the U.S. Attorney’s in Oregon in obtaining the search warrants that were executed in Kearny.



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4 Takeaways From Oregon State Baseball’s Run At The Eugene Regional

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4 Takeaways From Oregon State Baseball’s Run At The Eugene Regional


Oregon State’s season came to an end in Eugene on Sunday evening, after a rocky 7th inning doomed them against the 11th-ranked Oregon Ducks. The Beavers put up a valiant effort to try and fight their way back from the loser’s bracket, but they couldn’t accomplish this incredible feat that they pulled off in 2025.

A Bad Start Changed Everything

Winning the first game of a regional is almost a must if you want to advance, and this is where things started to go south.

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After a nearly two-week layoff (since they didn’t have a conference tournament), OSU’s bats were rusty against a very solid left-hander in WSU’s Nick Lewis. Though the Beavers were able to put up a run early on, Lewis rolled with the punches and ended up throwing a complete game against the country’s seventh-ranked team. Though their bats came to life the next day, the uphill climb proved to be too much.

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Pitching Wasn’t the Issue

Oregon State came into this tournament with the nation’s best ERA, and their starting rotation was exactly as advertised.

After a good outing from Kleinschmit on Friday afternoon, Eric Segura threw a 6.2 inning gem in an elimination game against Yale. True freshman Trey Morris threw 117 pitches in the rout of WSU early Saturday, and Wyatt Queen was excellent against the Ducks off of short rest later that evening.

The Power Just Wasn’t There

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In today’s era of baseball where starting pitchers are so talented, it’s crucial to have guys that can get you runs with just one swing of the bat, especially when the man on the hill is striking a lot of people out.

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Throughout the entirety of this season, the Beavers have not been a club that hits for much power, and this makes things difficult in the postseason. In four games across the Eugene regional, Oregon State didn’t hit a single ball out of the park. In 2026 they only hit a total of 55 homers, a stark contrast from the 107 of 2025’s Omaha year.

They Ran into a Good Team With a Deep Pitching Staff

In Mark Wasikowski’s tenure with the Ducks, his team’s pitching has often been a crutch that holds them back from big postseason runs. This certainly doesn’t seem to be the case this year.

Throughout the regional that they hosted, Oregon starters looked nearly untouchable. Will Sanford struck out 14 batters and didn’t allow a run against Washington State. Yesterday against the Beavers, left-hander Miles Gosztola was phenomenal, bouncing back after allowing a run in the second inning. The Ducks also have great relievers in guys like Tanner Bradley and Devin Bell. With a lot of reliable arms to go to, it would’ve been difficult to beat Oregon twice.

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