Oregon
Oregon youth cheer coach arrested on sex abuse charges
An Oregon youth cheer coach was arrested and hit with sex abuse charges on Friday, capping a three-week investigation into an allegation of sex abuse at a local gym.
Police nabbed Anthony Trenkler, 27, after luring him onto a street corner in St. Helens, according to a statement from the St. Helens Police Department. Detectives then executed a search warrant, seizing additional evidence, police said.
Police began investigating the cheer coach Aug. 13 following a report made about Trenkler’s conduct while he was working at Vault Elite in St. Helens, police said. Once the probe began, additional victims were located, police said.
Vault Elite fired Trenkler in August after they learned of the investigation, according to the gym’s Facebook page, and asked parents to attend a meeting Aug. 15 to address concerns.

“Vault Elite has terminated this coach’s contract, and we are fully cooperating with local law enforcement to ensure our athletes are safe,” the gym said. “He will no longer be allowed in our gym and our athlete’s safety remains our top priority. Classes and camps have been canceled until further notice.”
Trenkler was initially hit with a count of sex abuse and two counts of attempted sex abuse, but charges were later expanded to six counts of sex abuse, plus the attempted sex abuse charges, police said.
Police are concerned that there may be additional victims, and are asking anyone with information to come forward.
Oregon
High surf advisory affecting Oregon Saturday and Sunday
A high surf advisory was released by the National Weather Service on Friday at 1:50 a.m. valid from Saturday 11 a.m. until Sunday 5 a.m. for Clatsop County Coast, Tillamook County Coast and Central Coast of Oregon.
“Large waves and hazardous surf conditions. Breakers up to 30 feet,” can be anticipated according to the weather service. “Caution should be used when in or near the water. Always keep an eye on the waves, and be especially watchful of children and pets. Those participating in razor clam digs should exercise caution.”
“Destructive waves may wash over beaches, jetties, and other structures unexpectedly. People can be swept off rocks and jetties and drown while observing high surf. Minor beach erosion may damage coastal properties and buildings. Higher than normal water run-up is expected on beaches and low-lying shoreline,” describes the weather service. “A High Surf Advisory means that high surf will affect beaches, producing rip currents, sneaker waves and beach erosion. Stay well back from the water’s edge and be alert for exceptionally high waves. Keep away from large logs on the beach. Water running up on the beach can easily lift or roll logs which can injure or kill someone caught in their path. Remain out of the water to avoid hazardous swimming conditions.”
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Oregon
Who is Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley? Why is he giving a marathon Senate speech? What to know.
WASHINGTON – Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley is the latest Democrat to take a protracted stand against President Donald Trump, holding a marathon speech on the Senate floor that has stretched for over 20 hours amid an ongoing federal government shutdown.
Merkley, who took the floor at 6:21 p.m. on Oct. 21, knocked the Trump administration’s policies and actions, which he argued are dragging the country into authoritarianism.
“I don’t believe there’s a single senator here in the United States Senate who wants to see freedom crushed and authoritarian rule established here in the United States of America … Our founders did not want the president to be a king,” he said.
His speech comes as Republicans and Democrats have been unable to strike a funding deal to reopen the government. Democrats have made healthcare the focus of their demands, urging Republicans to extend the Affordable Care Act subsidies, which are set to expire at the end of December.
Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, went viral earlier this year when he gave the longest-ever speech on the Senate floor, which lasted 25 hours and five minutes. Booker beat the record set by the late South Carolina Sen. Strom Thurmond, a Democrat-turned-Republican, who gave a speech on the Senate floor lasting 24 hours and 18 minutes for his filibuster against the 1957 Civil Rights Act.
If Merkley continues his talk-a-thon past 7:26 p.m. on Oct. 22, he could officially beat Booker’s record.
Who is Jeff Merkley?
Merkley, 68, was first elected to the Senate in 2008 and has held onto his seat ever since. He is up for reelection in 2026.
Before serving in Congress, Merkley served in the Oregon House of Representatives from 1999 to 2009 and was speaker of the House from 2007 to 2009. He previously worked as a national security analyst for the Pentagon and the Congressional Budget Office, executive director of the nonprofit Habitat for Humanity’s Portland chapter and president of the World Affairs Council of Oregon.
He’s a strong proponent of LGBTQ+ rights and expanding healthcare access. In April, he teamed up with Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisconsin, Booker and Congressional Equality Caucus Chair Rep. Mark Takano, D-California, to reintroduce the Equality Act, a bill aimed at prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation in employment, housing, public accommodations and other settings.
He fiercely championed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, a landmark piece of legislation under the Obama administration.
Merkley was the first senator to endorse progressive firebrand Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential bid, writing in a New York Times op-ed at the time that, “As we look toward the next administration, there is far more work to do. We need urgency. We need big ideas. We need to rethink the status quo.”
Contributing: Zach Schermele, USA TODAY
Oregon
Merkley holds Senate floor to denounce authoritarianism
‘I’m speaking on the Senate floor right now to ring the alarm’
Watch Sen. Merkley on the Senate floor in the player above
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley is holding the floor of the Senate to denounce authoritarianism.
In a statement, Merkley said:
“I’m speaking on the Senate floor right now to ring the alarm. From deploying the National Guard in our cities to defying court orders and shutting down the government to attack health care, Trump is testing how far he can go. He’s trying to make Americans accept his total control as the new normal. Over the weekend, more than 7 million Americans joined No Kings protests across the country — a clear message that we refuse to let Donald Trump’s authoritarian takeover go unchecked.”
Merkley intends to hold the floor of the Senate for as long as he can.
KOIN 6 News will have updates on this developing story.
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