Oregon

Razor clam harvest ban lifted for northern Oregon coast amid shellfish toxin scare

Published

2 years ago

June 16, 2024

Razor clam harvest ban lifted for northern Oregon coast amid shellfish toxin scare

Oregon fish and wildlife officials reopened the northern Oregon coast for razor clamming last week while keeping a prohibition in place south of Yachats and continuing a coastwide ban on harvesting bay clams and mussels.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife had closed the entire coast to shellfish harvesting earlier this month because of a potentially deadly toxin, paralytic shellfish poisoning, or PSP, that had sickened at least 20 people who had eaten Oregon coast mussels.

No one is reported to have died in the outbreak, but some were hospitalized, according to Oregon health officials. Naturally occurring marine toxins are not eliminated by cooking or freezing.

Officials said Friday that two consecutive tests had shown razor clams in the newly reopened area were below the threshold at which harvesting is banned due to biotoxins. They said the earlier closure was precautionary, and that testing had not detected biotoxin levels above the closure threshold.

However, razor clamming is closed from the Yachats River to the California border, where tests have detected high levels of paralytic shellfish poisoning and domoic acid.

Harvesting bay clams and mussels remains prohibited along the entire Oregon and Washington coast.

The state also has reopened commercial oyster fisheries in Tillamook Bay and Netarts, while the Umpqua River/Winchester Bay commercial oyster fishery remains closed. Crab harvesting is open for the length of the Oregon coast.

The Oregon Department of Agriculture operates a toll-free shellfish biotoxin hotline 800-448-2474 and maintains a list of closures on its website.

— Elliot Njus edits business news. Contact him at enjus@oregonian.com.

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Oregon

Oregon FFA honors SAGE Center with Distinguished Service Award – East Oregonian

Published

8 hours ago

March 24, 2026

Press Room

Oregon FFA honors SAGE Center with Distinguished Service Award

Published 7:30 pm Monday, March 23, 2026

BOARDMAN — The SAGE Center & Event Center received the Distinguished Service Award at the Oregon FFA Convention in Redmond.

The award honors individuals and organizations that demonstrate exceptional support of FFA through financial contributions, volunteerism, and ongoing service. The convention took place March 19-22.

The SAGE Center was honored for its continued commitment to advancing agricultural education, leadership development, and community engagement throughout the region.

“We are incredibly honored to receive this recognition,” SAGE Center Interim Manager Angel Aguilar said. “Supporting FFA and the next generation of leaders is at the heart of what we do. This award is a reflection of the strong partnerships we’ve built and the shared commitment to our community’s future.”

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Oregon

Sting leads to arrests of two Oregon men accused of luring minors, police say

Published

20 hours ago

March 23, 2026

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Sting leads to arrests of two Oregon men accused of luring minors, police say

LINCOLN CITY, Ore. — Two Oregon men were arrested this month after undercover officers posed as minors in online stings, the Lincoln City Police Department reports.

On March 13, Mitchell Isham, a 58-year-old resident of McMinnville, was arrested after offering to meet with a minor for sex. Unbeknownst to Isham, the minor he initiated a sexually graphic conversation with was, in reality, an undercover officer posing as a minor.

Isham was arrested and booked into the Lincoln County Jail for two counts of Luring a Minor and two counts of Online Sexual Corruption of a Child in the 2nd Degree.

Also on March 13, Richard Brotherton, 63, of Amity, was arrested after initiating a sexually graphic conversation with an undercover officer posing as a minor. Brotherton was arrested and booked into the Lincoln County Jail for Luring a Minor.

LCPD Officers were assisted by the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office and the McMinnville Police Department.

On March 19, a Lincoln County Grand Jury issued a True Bill Indictment against Isham and Brotherton for the crimes. A “True Bill Indictment” is a formal indictment returned by a grand jury when they find sufficient probable cause to believe a person has committed a crime, authorizing the case to proceed to trial.

The Lincoln City Police Department encourages parents to monitor their children’s social media activity and discuss with them the possible dangers of communicating with strangers online. These investigations are conducted in a continuing effort to protect our children from predators who target children for sexual exploitation and to reduce crime and further enhance the safety of our community.

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Oregon

Texas ‘generational talent’ Booker scores 40 in March Madness rout of Oregon

Published

1 day ago

March 23, 2026

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Texas ‘generational talent’ Booker scores 40 in March Madness rout of Oregon

AUSTIN, Texas — Oregon was simply helpless against Madison Booker.

Texas’ three-time All-American forward did anything she wanted as she scored a career-high 40 points in a rollicking 100-58 win over Oregon on Sunday that earned the No. 1-seeded Longhorns a trip to the Sweet 16 for the third consecutive year.

Drive for layups? Easy. Her go-to mid-range jumper? Breezy. Step out for 3-pointers? Swish.

Booker set a Texas school record for most points in an NCAA Tournament game.

It’s still 10 points shy of the overall tournament record of 50 set by Drake’s Lorri Bauman in 1982. But give her time. She’s got at least one more game coming up in Fort Worth, and if the Longhorns are going to play for their first national championship in 40 years, she could get four more.

Booker carried the Longhorns to the Elite Eight as a freshman and to Final Four last season.

“She’s a generational talent,” Texas coach Vic Schaefer said.

Texas forward Madison Booker (35) drives to the basket against Oregon forward Ehis Etute (35) during the second half in the second round of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Sunday, March 22, 2026, in Austin, Texas. Credit: AP/Eric Gay

And an unselfish one. Schaefer often has to tell his star player to go get her shot instead of making the extra pass to a teammate.

“I want her to hunt to go get a bucket,” Schaefer said.

That side of her is emerging now that it’s time to start collecting trophies.

Booker came in to the tournament averaging 18.9 points. She set her previous career high of 31 just a couple of weeks ago against Mississippi in the Southeastern Conference tournament, which Texas won.

The previous Texas tournament scoring record of 32 was set by Clarissa Davis in 1986 and Heather Schreiber in 2003. The 1986 team won the national title. The 2003 team made the Final Four.

“Coach Schaefer has pushed me into taking a big role, being aggressive on the offensive end,” Booker said.

She was dominant from the start against Oregon, scoring 14 points in the first quarter. Bookers’ final stat line included 14-of-21 shooting, eight rebounds, five assists, two steals and no turnovers.

“I’ve never seen that. I’d like to see it again,” Texas senior guard Rori Harmon said. “I saw the look in her eyes when she came in. I saw something special coming today.”

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