Oregon

Salinas seeks to direct federal dollars toward fighting gambling addiction – Oregon Capital Chronicle

Published

2 years ago

January 22, 2024

Salinas seeks to direct federal dollars toward fighting gambling addiction – Oregon Capital Chronicle

A gambling addiction, like drugs and alcohol, can wreck a person’s life as they spiral out of control. Someone can lose their house, job and family.

An Oregon study even found gambling addiction can be a factor that leads people into incarceration. Yet no federal funds are devoted solely to help prevent and treat problem gambling, even as federal officials plow money toward drug addiction treatment programs.

U.S. Rep. Andrea Salinas, D-Oregon, sees a need for the federal government to step up its efforts, especially as online sports betting grows across the U.S. and other types of gambling become more accessible compared to decades ago, when brick-and-mortar casinos and horse racing tracks dominated the gambling landscape.

The National Council on Problem Gambling estimates that nearly 7 million Americans suffer from a gambling addiction, costing the country $7 billion. In Oregon, an estimated 2.6% of adults experience moderate or serious problems with gambling, according to Oregon Health Authority statistics. An estimated 88,000 adults and adolescents in the state have a gambling disorder, and another 180,000 are at risk of developing a problem with gambling, according to health authority estimates.

Salinas is sponsoring a bill that would direct existing revenue toward gambling addiction treatment, prevention and research. The bill, introduced earlier this month, would create the first dedicated stream of funding towards the problem. Co-sponsored by U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, the proposal would take half of the federal excise tax revenue from sports betting. It would go toward two purposes: 75% for addiction treatment and prevention programs in states, and 25% toward research.

In an interview with the Capital Chronicle, Salinas said it’s critical to take action.

“It’s always accessible, and you don’t have that kind of barrier of getting to a facility or a place where gambling is located,” Salinas said. “This could be 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. And the bets are endless that you could make. It’s worldwide and global. There has been a huge proliferation and thus a problem that I think we need to address before it really becomes an even larger societal problem.”

Salinas stresses that the bill would not raise any taxes and would simply draw half of the revenue from the existing excise tax on sports wagers. The federal government levies an excise tax of 0.25% on all money wagered on sports, which currently goes into the general fund with no designated purpose.

Online sports betting has continued to increase, from nearly $111 million in fiscal year 2021, up from nearly $39 million the year before.

State revenue currently plays a role in Oregon’s gambling addiction programs. One percent of Oregon Lottery revenues pay for problem gambling services in Oregon, which provides about $7.5 million annually for prevention and treatment services.

And advocates say federal money will help move that work forward and provide much-needed research to guide efforts to fight gambling addiction.

Gina Parziale, executive director of the Oregon Council on Problem Gambling, said the bill is needed and that the government needs to take responsibility as it benefits from the revenues.

“If you’re going to profit from gambling, it’s only responsible to make sure that some of the money that you’re making is going back to lessen the harm,” Parziale said in an interview with the Capital Chronicle.

Parziale said prevention is an important component, especially for young people.

“Now that internet sports betting is legal in Oregon, it’s really a whole new world out there,” Parziale said. “Young people, college students are sitting in their dorm rooms, betting on games on the weekends. We have a responsibility to provide them with financial literacy and guidance on how to participate in these activities in a safer way.”

A survivor’s story

Kitty Martz’s life spiraled out of control from problem gambling.

The Portland resident lost hundreds of thousands of dollars gambling on video lottery terminals. Once a human resources director for a large company, Martz reached the point where she was unemployed and relied upon government aid for food and housing.

“It cost my marriage, my life savings,” she told the Capital Chronicle. “I needed to go to inpatient treatment.”

She got help through Bridgeway Recovery Services in Salem and has been in recovery for 12 years. She said she found a new purpose as executive director of Voices of Problem Gambling Recovery, which provides education and training to people that help others overcome problem gambling.

“Now, my meaning in my life is to be able to speak to how much gambling harm happens, and how there are social costs that are correlated with it, that legislators seem to be overlooking,” she said. “If that’s loss of productivity, divorces, bankruptcies, theft, crime, the more the gambling addiction increases, the more that kind of thing is going to happen.”

A 2021 Oregon Health Authority study that surveyed about 1,000 inmates entering the Oregon Department of Corrections found that over a third has a problem with gambling. And about 8.3% of adults entering custody reported that gambling contributed to their incarceration. That ties problem gambling to about one in 12 adults in an Oregon prison.

At the same time, gambling options are easier to find than a dealer who feeds someone’s drug addiction, Martz said.

“If you’re addicted to fentanyl, you can move to a new neighborhood and it’s not going to be on your drive to work every day or next to your grocery store,” Martz said. “ There’s ways to deselect it from being in your circle of influence in your life.”

For Martz, her recovery is a blessing – and it’s not an easy path for people who make the journey out of addiction.

“Of the probably 300 people I’ve worked with, only a handful of them have ever really recovered from disordered gambling,” Martz said. “So, I feel incredibly blessed to be one of the few people that’s been able to kind of reclaim my life from gambling harm and go on to have it have some meaning. That usually is not the case. The recurrence rate is incredibly high.”

GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX

Source link

Click to comment

Oregon

Tale of the tape: Previewing Oregon’s Class 3A football state title game between Cascade Christian and Burns

Published

6 hours ago

November 28, 2025

Press Room

Tale of the tape: Previewing Oregon’s Class 3A football state title game between Cascade Christian and Burns

We’re at the final week of Oregon high school football and the Class 3A state tournament all comes down to No. 1 Cascade Christian (12-0) and No. 3 Burns (11-1).

Here is a breakdown of Saturday’s Class 3A state championship game, which will take place at 4:30 p.m. at Summit High School in Bend.

Last meeting: Burns won 46-19 in Week 3 of the 2014 season.

Quick fact: Cascade Christian is vying to become the first team to give up zero points en route to a state title since Regis won the Class A championship in 1973.

About Burns

Road to the final: Def. Phoenix 54-7 (first round), Vale 32-20 (quarterfinals), Banks 36-31 (semifinals)

Last state championship: 2024 (second)

Last state final: 2024 (fifth appearance)

Coach: Matt Bruck, third season (28-14)

Offensive leaders: QB Jack Wright, sr. (144-246-3-2445, 40 TDs pass; 88-491-12 rush); RB Tommy Winn, sr. (139-943-9); WR Coltin Miller, sr. (79-1505-21); WR Preston Hill, sr. (31-471-7); TE Cannon Kemper, jr. (19-342-8)

Defensive leaders: LB Jasper SkunkCap, jr. (73 tackles, 15 for loss); DL Joe Weil, sr. (68 tackles, 28 for loss, 11.5 sacks); LB Kemper (69 tackles, 10.5 for loss, 5.5 sacks); LB Colter Handley, soph. (56 tackles, 5 for loss); DL Ben Chamberlain, jr. (13 tackles for loss)

Lighthearted moment: Several weeks ago, the team played a game of “blob tag,” which requires teammates to remain attached by holding hands or interlocking arms, and as they tag players and attach them to the blob, it breaks off to form new blobs. Who started as the blob? Two of their biggest linemen — Weil and classmate Wesley Graham — trying to chase down their quicker teammates, which Bruck said was a funny sight.

Secret weapon: Weil also rated a mention as the leader of the Hilanders’ offensive and defensive lines.

“On the offensive side of the ball, they create gaps for Tommy and Jack to run through as well as protect Jack,” Challengers coach Jon Gettman said. “On defense, they just shut down a Banks team that had run the ball really well all season. They are a very physical, well-coached team that puts a lot of pressure on you.”

About Cascade Christian

Road to the final: Def. Pleasant Hill 68-0 (first round), North Valley 48-0 (quarterfinals), Gervais 36-0 (semifinals)

Last state championship: 2023 (fifth)

Last state final: 2023 (eighth appearance)

Coach: Jon Gettman, 16th season (155-32)

Offensive leaders: QB Deryk Farmer, sr. (89-147-4-1556, 16 TDs pass; 64-682-11 rush); RB Bryson Walker, jr. (89-986-27); WR Caleb Scaglione, sr. (38-563-7); WR Mikey Covey, soph. (11-353-2); WR Caleb Parker, sr. (15-335-3)

Defensive leaders: LB Covey (63 tackles, 14 for loss, 3.5 sacks, 11 hurries); LB Wyatt Hurley, jr. (59 tackles, 6 for loss); LB Walker (58 tackles); DE Alex Fiannaca, sr. (53 tackles, 11.5 for loss); LB Seth Scaglione, jr. (44 tackles, 10 for loss, 4.5 sacks); DE Austin Cook, jr. (9.5 tackles for loss)

Lighthearted moment: One night before the season kicked off, Gettman invited all the players and their fathers to gather for a night of worship and prayer along with a talk from guest speaker Brandon Boice, a former Oregon State player. It was such a success that Gettman held another session during their Week 7 bye.

“We spend so much time and effort on the gridiron,” Gettman said. “But the greatest blessing is seeing these young men grow up and be leaders in the community. So, taking a break from the season and just being able to speak to the weightier things of life is what I’m thankful for.”

Secret weapon: Bruck pointed to their big three of Farmer, Walker and Caleb Scaglione, “but everything has to run through their quarterback,” he said. “But really, you have to pay equal attention to their trio.”

— René Ferrán is a freelance reporter for The Oregonian/Oregon Live. René grew up in Portland and has written about high school sports in the Pacific Northwest since 1993, with his work featured at the Idaho Press Tribune, Tri-City Herald, Seattle Times, Tacoma News Tribune, The Columbian and High School on SI. He can be reached at rferran.oregonianhssports@gmail.com

Source link

Oregon

Oregon State women can’t keep up with No. 17 Vanderbilt in second loss of season

Published

24 hours ago

November 27, 2025

Press Room

Oregon State women can’t keep up with No. 17 Vanderbilt in second loss of season

Oregon State women’s basketball failed to keep pace with a dynamic offensive team Thursday night, as No. 17 Vanderbilt ran away from OSU, 88-66, in the Paradise Jam Tournament.

Playing their first game in the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Beavers (5-2) struggled against a high-pressure Vanderbilt defense, committing 21 turnovers.

The Commodores (7-0) got a game-high 35 points from superstar sophomore Mikayla Blakes and a career-high 17 from Justin Pissott. OSU got 15 points apiece from Jenna Villa and Ally Schimel, and 14 from Lizzy Williamson.

OSU fell behind 8-0 early, facing intense defensive pressure from the Commodores. Blakes was a force from the opening whistle, scoring 21 first half points.

The Beavers trailed, 26-13, after one, as Vanderbilt hit five three-pointers in the opening quarter alone.

But aggressive offensive play from Villa and Schimel cut the Commodores’ lead down to two in the second quarter.

With 2:30 left in the first half, a three-pointer from Cloe Vecina gave OSU the lead, 33-32. But Vanderbilt finished the half strong and took a 43-38 lead at the break thanks to the relentless scoring of Blakes and Pissott.

Vanderbilt carried their strong shooting into the third quarter, going on a 7-0 run to get it to 50-38.

The full-court press started to wear OSU down in the third, and Blakes took full advantage with easy buckets in transition. The Commodores extended their lead to 58-42 midway through the period.

Vanderbilt kept its foot on the gas pedal and didn’t look back, as Scott Rueck’s team committed 11 turnovers in the third quarter alone, getting out-scored 30-9. The Commodores went on a 21-5 run and took a 73-47 lead into the fourth.

Next game: Oregon State (5-2) vs. Virginia Tech (5-2)

When: Saturday, Nov. 29
Time: 11:00 a.m. PT
Where: St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (Paradise Jam tournament)
Stream: ESPN+

Source link

Oregon

Thousands of Americans advised to avoid outdoors in California, Oregon

Published

2 days ago

November 27, 2025

Press Room

Thousands of Americans advised to avoid outdoors in California, Oregon

Thousands of residents across parts of California and Oregon have been advised to stay indoors where possible on Thursday due to concerns over high levels of air pollution.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s AirNow map shows that areas including Cromberg, Portola, and Sattley in California, and La Pine in Oregon face “unhealthy” levels of air quality as on 03.10 a.m. ET on Thursday.

Why It Matters

Unhealthy levels of air pollution in the atmosphere can affect everyone, but vulnerable people, especially the elderly, children, and those with existing heart or lung conditions, can be particularly affected.

Exposure to poor air can lead to eye, throat, and nose irritation, coughing, chest tightness, or shortness of breath.

When pollution is in the “unhealthy” range, the EPA advises that sensitive groups avoid long or intense outdoor activities and consider moving or rescheduling them indoors. The EPA also recommends the remainder of the population to reduce long or intense activities, and to take more breaks during outdoor activities.

This is a developing story. More to follow.

Source link