Oregon

Oregon’s ombudsmen are supposed to be independent. But are they?

Published

11 months ago

April 7, 2025

Oregon’s ombudsmen are supposed to be independent. But are they?

Alexis Amorelli, the state’s foster care ombudsman, was at the state Capitol this January to explain her job to members of the Senate Human Services Committee.

Her role: to be an independent voice for one of Oregon’s more vulnerable populations.

Next to Amorelli on the panel sat a high-ranking official from the Oregon Department of Human Services. The chair of the legislative committee — who invited Amorelli to speak and set the agenda for the hearing — was surprised to see him.

A DHS spokesman said they sent the higher-up solely to help Amorelli.

But his presence next to Amorelli seemed to raise a question: How much of an independent watchdog can she be when she works within the agency she is responsible for investigating?

In this screenshot taken from video from the Oregon state Legislature, Alexis Amorelli, the state’s foster care ombudsman, sits next to Seth Lyon, the chief operating officer for the state’s Department of Human Services.

Screenshot via Oregon State Legislature video

This legislative session, Oregon lawmakers have promised to exert more oversight over state agencies and ensure state taxpayer dollars are being spent responsibly. It’s often an episodic effort in the state Legislature, but this year’s effort comes at a time when state agencies serving some of the most at-risk residents have had myriad high-profile struggles; from the Oregon Youth Authority, to the Department of Corrections, to the Department of Human Services. The state’s child welfare system has been particularly beleaguered, having recently settled a multi-million dollar civil suit with promises of lowering rates of maltreatment.

Some lawmakers believe moving Amorelli’s position out from underneath the Department of Human Services to a more independent office could be one move to strengthen accountability. The concept is embodied in Senate Bill 1159.

The current long-term care ombudsman, Fred Steele, made waves after he investigated a state-certified assisted living facility where a woman died after living in the facility’s care for 24 hours. His investigation prompted several legislative hearings and a deeper dive into what is needed systemically to improve care for Oregon seniors.

“If the expectation is the foster care ombudsman can identify systemic concerns, well, the system is DHS, so how do you highlight those concerns like our office did with the regulatory concerns at Mt. Hood Senior Living?” Steele said in an interview with OPB. “We needed to be able to be independent to highlight those concerns and bring it to the public.”

Steele’s investigation and his recommendations were released to the media and prompted several news stories.

Amorelli’s investigations and recommendations are sent to the head of the Oregon Department of Human Services. The recommendations she makes are sent to the agency’s head and not made public. Whether the agency follows through with her suggestions is also not made public.

The word “ombudsman” is derived from the Swedish word meaning "agent" or "representative." The definition is a public official who is charged with investigating citizen complaints against government agencies. Oregon state lawmakers are currently considering a bill to make the Oregon foster care ombudsman more independent. — The word “ombudsman” is derived from the Swedish word meaning “agent” or “representative.” The definition is a public official who is charged with investigating citizen complaints against government agencies. Oregon state lawmakers are currently considering a bill to make the Oregon foster care ombudsman more independent.
*Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB*
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Twenty-four states have independent ombudsman offices that specifically handle child welfare issues, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Oregon is not one of them. The group classified Oregon’s program as a “non-independent children’s ombudsman office,” noting it’s established within the child welfare agency.

Until he was fired in November of 2024, Adrian Wulff worked as the ombudsman for the Oregon Department of Corrections, reporting to the governor. Wulff noted that part of the reason why he was fired was not for opening the mail in a timely fashion. He told OPB he had been asking for more support staff and raised many concerns and often received pushback from the Department of Corrections or no response at all from anyone in the executive branch. He noted he was the only ombudsman overseeing the corrections system and had no staff. Oregon’s prison population is around 12,000 people.

“They didn’t want the office to be independent,” Wulff said. “They kneecapped it.”

Wulff said most of his concerns were ignored. He said that he often got no response when writing an email to the governor’s office. One of Wulff’s efforts centered around making it easier for people in custody to connect with their family members. Wulff pushed the state to provide prisoners with free phone calls, similar to other states. Wulff said he spent a year investing in a report, which was never made public because the Department of Corrections didn’t agree with his findings.

Wulff said he consistently shared concerns with Gov. Tina Kotek’s staff. “There was absolute silence on every issue I raised,” Wulff said.

Wulff shared a five-page memo he sent to the governor’s office in March of 2024, with a litany of concerns over what was happening in the state’s prisons.

“I do not know what the best supervisor structure is for this role, but I believe that having the OCO (Oregon Correction Ombudsman) report directly to the governor has contributed to many of the issues discussed in this memo,” he wrote.

He said the governor’s office never responded.

Kotek’s spokeswoman said their office doesn’t agree with Wulff’s characterizations. They noted he had two years worth of mail unopened, about 700 parcels. The current person in the role, Kristina Rice, has streamlined the process by establishing a database and a tracking system, they noted.

“In addition, Ms. Rice has also set up a voicemail as an additional access point for Adults in Custody,” Roxy Mayer, the governor’s spokeswoman. “This work has been conducted with the same amount of resources.”

Sen. Sara Gelser Blouin, D-Corvallis, who is a chief sponsor of Senate Bill 1159, said the bill is currently focused on making the ombudsman for kids independent, but she could see the effort expanding to other state agencies in the future. Gelser Blouin has been critical of the state’s Department of Human Services agency and, in particular, child welfare for years.

“We’re not getting the whole story (from child welfare),” Gelser Blouin said in a legislative hearing last month.

In January, OPB reached out to Amorelli to see if she would be willing to connect on the phone or in person.

“I am so excited to hear from you,” Amorelli responded. “As my position is under the umbrella of the Oregon Department of Human Services, I have contacted communications about this to ensure that I am able to proceed. If I get the green light, I would be happy to chat over the phone or in-person for coffee.”

The next day, Amorelli responded.

“I can offer myself through email to answer questions you may have, at this time,” she said.

A spokesman for the Oregon Department of Human Services said they don’t control or limit the foster care ombudsman from communicating with the public or the media.

“The ombuds may choose to seek support and advice from the ODHS communications team, but the final choice on how to engage with media is up to the ombuds,” Jake Sunderland wrote in an email.

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Oregon

Oregon women’s basketball playing for March Madness seeding vs. Purdue

Published

3 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Oregon women’s basketball playing for March Madness seeding vs. Purdue

At times, the Oregon women’s basketball team has certainly made things much harder on themselves than it needs to be. The team has also produced some miraculous comeback victories, putting itself in position to make women’s March Madness for the second straight season.

March 1, in their final regular season game, the Ducks (20-11, 8-10 Big Ten) finished on the wrong end of yet another tight game to Washington, 70-69. It’s the second time this season Oregon has come back from a double-digit deficit, but ended up losing to the Huskies (20-9, 10-8).

Those aren’t the only times Oregon has come back from a double-digit deficit, like it did in wins vs. Nebraska and USC. The No. 11-seed Ducks are hoping they won’t need heroics in a Big Ten tournament first-round game against No. 14 Purdue this Wednesday.

Watch Oregon basketball on Peacock

“I think our biggest weakness this year has been our inconsistency,” coach Kelly Graves said, “something we’ve battled all year. The great thing is our kids know, regardless of the score, we’ve got a chance. We’ll make it a game at some point. As a coach, it drives you nuts. Hopefully we can figure it out and play more consistent basketball.”

Oregon’s volatility has seen it earn three double-digit comeback wins this year, but also blow several games in the final moments.

Against Wisconsin, the Ducks held a 6-point lead with less than a minute remaining, but lost in overtime. Against Illinois, Oregon held a 21-point lead at halftime, blew it in the third quarter, trailed by eight with minutes to play and somehow eked out a win.

That makes UO somewhat of a wild card heading into the conference tournament this week at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

“It’s definitely (been) a rollercoaster,” guard Katie Fiso said. “A lot of highs and a lot of lows. But one thing that I try to see through all games is our grittiness and our toughness. One thing that stays consistent throughout the season is our toughness and our grittiness. The game isn’t over until the last bell rings.”

The Ducks will be taking on a Boilermakers (13-16, 5-13) team that has struggled against most of the top competition in the league, but played Oregon tight in a Feb. 25 Ducks win.

Graves said when the Ducks went throughout the postgame handshake line after, the Boilermakers felt like their season would end after the regular season. Thanks to some upsets, Purdue is in the Big Ten Tournament as the No. 14 seed.

“We’re playing a team that probably feels like it’s playing with house money,” Graves said. “We’ve got to pick ourselves back up and get it done.”

What channel is Oregon vs. Purdue on today in Big Ten tournament?

Oregon will tip off vs. Purdue on Peacock, with no TV option to watch the game.

Oregon vs. Purdue start time in Big Ten tournament

Date: Wednesday, March 4
Time: Around 5:30 p.m. PT

Oregon and Purdue will play around 5:30 p.m. PT at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The first game of the day begins at 12:30 p.m. PT, with the next game 25 minutes after the first game ends, and so on. The Ducks play in the third game of the day, so no official tip time is listed.

Oregon women’s basketball schedule 2025-26

Below are the past five games of Oregon’s 2025-26 basketball season. For the full schedule, click here.

Feb. 15	Washington 51, Oregon 43
Feb. 19	Oregon 80, Nebraska 76
Feb. 22	Indiana 72, Oregon 65
Feb. 25	Oregon 71, Purdue 65
March 1	Washington 70, Oregon 69
March 4	Oregon vs. Purdue (Big Ten tournament)

Purdue women’s basketball schedule 2025-26

Below are the past five games of Purdue’s 2025-26 basketball season. For the full schedule, click here.

Feb. 14	Purdue 72, Rutgers 57
Feb. 19	Iowa 83, Purdue 74
Feb. 22	Maryland 99, Purdue 66
Feb. 25	Oregon 71, Purdue 65
March 1	Purdue 67, Northwestern 62
March 4	Oregon vs. Purdue (Big Ten tournament)

Alec Dietz covers University of Oregon football and women’s basketball for The Register-Guard. You may reach him at adietz@registerguard.com.

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Oregon

Oregon lawmakers advance one-year moratorium on tax breaks for data centers

Published

15 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Oregon lawmakers advance one-year moratorium on tax breaks for data centers

Written by Alma McCarty & KGW:

SALEM, Oregon — In the final week of Oregon’s legislative short session, lawmakers in Salem discussed regulating data centers — specifically, placing a one-year moratorium on certain tax breaks.

Governor Tina Kotek has been looking to expand the state’s enterprise zone program, which is intended to grow Oregon companies and attract new ones. Businesses that locate or expand within designated zones can qualify for property tax exemptions on new investments if they meet eligibility requirements.

However, some advocates argue that extending incentives to data centers may not be sustainable long term.

“Data centers have been around for a while,” said Kelly Campbell, policy director for Columbia Riverkeeper. “Data centers are getting bigger and bigger. Some of these new AI hyperscale data centers are exponentially bigger than those tiny ones. They’re really just using a lot of energy, a lot of water.”

However, some advocates argue that extending incentives to data centers may not be sustainable long term.

Last week, Columbia Riverkeeper released a report examining data centers operating or planned along the Columbia River in Oregon and Washington.

“I think the question becomes, do we want to stick to our climate goals of getting to 100% renewable? Or do we want to have these big, mega data centers owned by big tech companies — some of the wealthiest corporations in the world — getting to use whatever energy they want? We would say, no, that’s not OK,” Campbell said.

On Monday, lawmakers amended an economic incentives bill to block new data centers from qualifying for certain tax breaks for one year.

“I think this moratorium is a pretty short pause to give the advisory council time and space to do their work,” said Rep. Nancy Nathanson, D-Eugene, during a subcommittee meeting Monday morning.

The Data Center Advisory Committee, convened by Kotek, held its first meeting Friday. The group’s goal is to develop policy recommendations addressing the rapid growth of data centers.

“There are some businesses that will need them, but freestanding data centers, the way we’ve been growing in the state, is not sustainable,” the Governor told reporters during a press conference last week.

On Monday, her office sent KGW a statement regarding the moratorium:

“The moratorium will address immediate concerns and also allow for the Governor’s Data Center Advisory Committee to develop recommendations to strategically pursue economic development opportunities while ensuring utility costs, infrastructure investments, and environmental impacts remain sustainable and equitable for all residents.”

Supporters of data center growth, particularly in rural communities, also spoke during work sessions.

“This moratorium will have a disparate impact on communities east of the Cascades — communities like Prineville, Hermiston and Redmond that have leveraged enterprise zones and data centers to bring hundreds of living-wage jobs to their communities,” said Alexandra Ring, a lobbyist for the League of Oregon Cities.

“While data centers may be seen as a nuisance or inconvenient in Washington County, they are not in Crook County. They are not in Morrow County, in Umatilla County,” said Sen. Mark McLane, who represents several Eastern Oregon counties, including Baker, Crook, Grant and Harney.

Even if the House and Senate ultimately approve the moratorium, it would apply only to new data centers — not those that already receive tax breaks or projects currently underway.

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Oregon

Iranian in Oregon says he was a political prisoner in his home country

Published

2 days ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Iranian in Oregon says he was a political prisoner in his home country

PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — A member of Oregon’s Iranian community on Monday reacted to American and Israeli strikes in his home country and the death of Iran’s supreme leader over the weekend.

That reaction came as the conflict in the Middle East expanded into a third day. President Donald Trump indicated it could go on for several weeks.

Amin Yousefimalakabad says right now he is concerned about his family, who he says lives near military bases in Tehran, the capital of Iran.

He described businesses with shattered windows and explosions near his family’s home.

At the same time, Yousefimalakabad says he felt relief learning about the killing of the ayatollah.

He says he fled Iran four years ago after facing political persecution.

“I used to be a political prisoner in Iran. I got arrested in one of the protests that happened in Iran, and I was under torture for two weeks,” he said in an interview with KATU News. “They put me in prison for six months. I had, even when I was thinking about those days, it made my body shake from inside because I didn’t deserve that. I just wanted the first things that I can have in a foreign country like America in my country. I wanted freedom. I wanted to have freedom of speech, freedom of religion, to choose who I want to be.”

Meanwhile, Yousefimalakabad says he still can’t return to Iran, fearing he would be punished for his Christian beliefs and says although the regime could change, the ideology in Iran might not.

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