Mike Reese has been doing a lot of walking and listening as he takes over running Oregon’s prison system.
Since Nov. 13, he’s been in charge of 12,143 adults in custody, 3,835 employees and a billion-dollar budget.
Reese came out of retirement at the request of Gov. Tina Kotek to serve as director of the Oregon Department of Corrections.
He brings to the job a long resume in criminal justice. He served as chief of the Portland Police Bureau and then as Multnomah County sheriff, retiring from that job in 2022.
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Reese was considering running for mayor of Portland when Kotek’s office called.
She persuaded him to give up his political ambition to immediately take on the prison job.
“I need you,” Kotek told him.
Reese agreed.
“I’ve spent my professional career doing everything I can to create safer communities,” Reese said in an interview. “I felt like I had more to offer.”
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In his first days, he sat down with agency leaders and then started prison tours. He’s been to Coffee Creek Correctional Facility in Wilsonville and Santiam Correctional Institution and Oregon State Penitentiary in Salem.
He’s talked to prison leaders and corrections officers, who remain in short supply across the agency. He found time to talk to those in custody.
Meeting them “has been really good for my learning experience,” Reese said.
“It’s sad to see folks who have severe mental health issues being incarcerated in our prisons.”
–Mike Reese, director, Oregon Department of Corrections
The prisons hold countless challenges.
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According to Corrections Department reports, roughly 7 out of every 10 adults in the system have abused drugs or alcohol.
And about 1 out of 5, or 2,426, are classified as having severe mental health issues.
Reese wants to do something about both.
“It’s sad to see folks who have severe mental health issues being incarcerated in our prisons,” he said.
He noted the agency is short of professionals who can provide in-prison treatment.
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Reese said he intends to work with Kotek and legislators “on alternatives to incarceration for people who are severely mentally ill.”
He also wants to see improved treatment for those with substance abuse issues.
Reese said prisons weren’t built to serve as mental health wards or as treatment centers.
And he was struck by one scene at the state penitentiary, eying a four-tier cell block.
“Looking at the bottom tier, every cell has a wheelchair or walker outside. We have an aging population in our institutions,” Reese said.
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But he’s as concerned about what happens when adults are released.
“Housing matters,” Reese said. “We’ve got to have stable housing for every single person that leaves here. I know that’s a challenge.”
“If you’re turning people back to the streets of any city in Oregon, that’s not a stable environment for them,” Reese said.
Lack of a place to live makes it too easy for them to slip back into “bad habits” and “self-destructive” behavior.
He also wants to be sure they are ready to work.
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“Employment matters,” he said.
One of his immediate priorities is addressing staff wellness.
“We have to take care of our staff, particularly those on the front line,” Reese said. “We have too many vacancies in our organization and that impacts wellness.”
The Corrections Department has struggled to hire, faced with a heated labor market where criminal justice agencies are competing for employees. Currently, the agency has 403 vacancies, including 210 corrections officers and 51 ranking officers from corporal to captain.
VIDEO: Reese addresses employees
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“We have to be a lot more innovative,” Reese said, to draw in recruits. “Our best recruiters are folks that already work here.”
He said the agency might start paying a bonus to employees who recruit an applicant and pay them another bonus if a recruited employee makes it through probation.
Reese said getting sentenced to state prison is the punishment for those convicted of crimes and they deserve to be treated humanely.
“Our job is to keep them safe, keep our community safe and provide them the resources they need to be successful when they leave custody,” Reese said. “Treating people with dignity and respect can be transformative.”
Mike Reese, new director of the Oregon Department of Corrections, meets agency employees during a tour of the Oregon State Penitentiary in Salem in November. He is former sheriff of Multonmah County. (Stephanie Lane/Oregon State Penitentiary)
Contact Editor Les Zaitz: [email protected].
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Les Zaitz is editor of Salem Reporter and also serves as editor and publisher of the Malheur Enterprise in Vale, Oregon.
Watch a helicopter harvest Christmas trees in south Salem
A helicopter makes sweeping passes over a Christmas tree farm in south Salem, quickly delivering bundles of trees from field to truck.
Most grocery stores in Oregon close early on Christmas Eve and are closed on Christmas Day.
Here are the hours, though individual stores’ operating hours may differ.
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Is Safeway open in Oregon on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
Safeway will close at 7 p.m. Christmas Eve and will be closed on Christmas.
Is Fred Meyer open in Oregon on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
Fred Meyer will close at 6 p.m. Christmas Eve and will be closed on Christmas.
Is Roth’s Fresh Markets open in Oregon on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
Roth’s Fresh Markets will close at 6 p.m. Christmas Eve and will be closed on Christmas.
Is WinCo open in Oregon on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
WinCo Foods will close at 6 p.m. Christmas Eve and will be closed on Christmas.
Is Costco open in Oregon on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
Costco will close at 5 p.m. Christmas Eve and will be closed on Christmas.
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Is Trader Joe’s open in Oregon on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
Trader Joe’s will close at 5 p.m. Christmas Eve and will be closed on Christmas.
Is Grocery Outlet open in Oregon on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
Most Grocery Outlets will close at 7 p.m. Christmas Eve and be closed on Christmas Day. Some Grocery Outlets will be open from 7 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Christmas Day, depending on the location. Check with your nearest store for hours.
Is Walmart open in Oregon on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
Walmart will close at 6 p.m. Christmas Eve and will be closed on Christmas.
Is Target open in Oregon on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
Target will close at 8 p.m. Christmas Eve and will be closed on Christmas.
Are convenience stores like 7-Eleven, Circle K and AM/PM open in Oregon on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day?
Most 24-hour convenience stores such as 7-Eleven, Circle K and AM/PM will be open on Christmas Day.
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Is Starbucks open in Oregon on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
Starbucks will close at 7 p.m. Christmas Eve and will be open from 7 a.m.-11 a.m. on Christmas Day.
Is Dutch Bros open in Oregon on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
Dutch Bros will close at 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve and will be closed on Christmas.
Is Human Bean open in Oregon on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
Human Bean will close at 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve and will be closed on Christmas.
Ginnie Sandoval is the Oregon Connect reporter for the Statesman Journal. Sandoval can be reached at GSandoval@gannett.com or on X at @GinnieSandoval.
HONOLULU (AP) — Liutauras Lelevicius scored a career-high 17 points, including four in overtime, and Oregon State rallied to beat Oakland 80-74 on Monday night to advance to the final of the Diamond Head Classic.
The Beavers (10-2) advance to play Nebraska in the championship game on Christmas Day. The Golden Grizzlies (4-8) will play Hawaii for third place, also on Wednesday.
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Lelevicius made 5 of 9 shots with two 3-pointers and all five of his free throws for Oregon State, adding nine rebounds. Michael Rataj had 13 points and seven rebounds. Demarco Minor totaled 11 points, five rebounds, four assist and four steals. Josiah Lake II scored 11 off the bench.
Allen Mukeba had 21 points and seven rebounds for Oakland. Malcolm Christie scored 18. Tuburu Naivalurua finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Isaiah Jones made 8 of 10 free throws and scored 10.
Christie hit a 3-pointer to give Oakland a 68-56 lead with 4:32 left in regulation. Lelevicius answered with a 3-pointer for Oregon State and his three-point play with 12 seconds to go finished off a 15-3 run as the Beavers forced OT tied at 71.
Lelevicius made two free throws and hit a jumper in a 6-0 run to give Oregon State a 77-74 lead with 1:32 left.
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The 2024 Oregon Ducks season has been one of the most successful in program history. For the first time ever, Oregon finished out the regular season with a 13-0 record and a Big Ten Conference title in their first season with the league. With all this success during Oregon coach Dan Lanning’s third year with the program, it makes sense the young coach gets a big pay day.
In total, by reaching the Rose Bowl quarterfinal for the College Football Playoffs, Lanning is expected to make an extra $850,000 on top of his $7 million base salary for the 2024 season.
Included in the $850,000 bonus is $150,000 for clinching the Big Ten Conference title and $200,000 for reaching the Rose Bowl. Lanning would have earned $150,000 for a first round playoff game slot. The rest of the $850,000 is made up of bonuses like Oregon’s 12-0 regular season (the second time that record has happened in program history since 2014).
Dec 7, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning hugs quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) after defeating the Penn State Nittany Lions to win the Big Ten Championship in the 2024 Big Ten Championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images / Robert Goddin-Imagn Images
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If Lanning and the Ducks are able to beat the Ohio State Buckeyes in the new year at the Rose Bowl, Lanning’s bonus will increase by $250,000. For a National Championship appearance, Lanning gets another $500,000. Finally, if the Ducks win it all, Lanning will get $500,000 more for his contract this year, and every other year of his contract with the Ducks.
Lanning earned a contract extension of one year, extending his tenure at Oregon through January of 2031, after beating the Maryland Terrapins in November 39-18.
With all this success, many Duck fans may wonder if Lanning will continue to stay in his current contract. On The Zach Gelb Show before the Rose Bowl, Lanning emphasized there’s no need to doubt his allegiance to Oregon when compared to a job in the NFL.
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Nov 16, 2024; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning looks on during the third quarter against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images / Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
“You know it used to be a goal of mine. It certainly did. But I think at this point, everybody can realize I’m not going anywhere,” Lanning said when asked by Zach Gelb about coaching in the NFL. “I love what we have here, I’ve got three young boys that love Eugene, we have a lot of unfinished business that we hope to handle, and I’m enjoying the ride. So this will be the place that I’m coaching for a long, long time, as long as I continue to do my job.”
Lanning’s legacy in Eugene is already a great one for Duck history. He coached the Ducks to a 10-3 record for his first season in 2022 before building a 12-2 record in 2023. Lanning is the third head coach at Oregon to reach at least 22 wins in his first two seasons. His 31 wins are tied with Chip Kelly for the most by an Oregon head coach through his first 36 games.
Lanning is the fifth-highest paid coach in the Big Ten, tied with Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz, and is the 18th-highest paid coach on the FBS level. Big Ten coaches rounding out the highest paid list include Wisconsin’s Luke Fickell, Ohio State’s Ryan Day, and USC’s Lincoln Riley.
The Oregon Ducks face off against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day with a 2 p.m. PT kickoff.
MORE: Oregon Ducks vs. Ohio State Betting Odds: Rose Bowl, College Football Playoff
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