Oregon
Why Oregon lawmakers are asking Elon Musk to stop plan to kill 450,000 barred owls
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Four Oregon lawmakers are calling on Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to help stop a plan that would kill 450,000 barred owls in an effort to save endangered spotted owls over the next 30 years.
The entrepreneurs were named by President-elect Donald Trump to lead the so-called Department of Government Efficiency.
In a letter sent Tuesday, state Rep. Ed Diehl, R-Stayton, Rep. David Gomberg, D-Lincoln County, Rep. Virgle Osborne, R-Roseburg, and Sen.-elect Bruce Starr, R-Yamhill and Polk counties, asked the incoming Trump administration officials to stop the reportedly more than $1 billion project, calling it a “budget buster” and “impractical.”
Environmental groups Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy in late 2024 filed a federal lawsuit in Washington state to stop the planned killing of the barred owls.
Here is why the Oregon lawmakers are opposed to the plan, what the plan would do and why it is controversial.
Why the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wants to kill barred owls
In August 2024, after years of planning, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service came up with a proposal to kill a maximum of 450,000 invasive barred owls over 30 years as a way to quell habitat competition between them and the northern spotted owl.
Spotted owl populations have been rapidly declining due in part to competition from invasive barred owls, which originate in the eastern United States. Northern spotted owls are listed as a threatened species under the federal Endangered Species Act.
According to the USFWS plan, barred owls are one of the main factors driving the rapid decline of northern and California spotted owls, and with their removal, less than one-half of 1% of the North American barred owl population would be killed.
The plan was formally approved by the Biden administration in September 2024.
Why environmental groups want to stop the plan to kill barred owls
Shortly after it was announced, Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy immediately responded in opposition to the plan to kill barred owls. They argued the plan was both ill-conceived and that habitat loss is the main factor driving the spotted owls decline.
“Spotted owls have experienced significant population decline over decades,” a news release from the groups filing the lawsuit said. “This decline began and continues due to habitat loss, particularly the timber harvest of old growth forest. The plan is not only ill-conceived and inhumane, but also destined to fail as a strategy to save the spotted owl.”
In their complaint, the groups argued the USFWS violated the National Environmental Policy Act by failing to properly analyze the impacts of their strategy and improperly rejecting reasonable alternatives to the mass killing of barred owls, such as nonlethal population control approaches, spotted owl rehabilitation efforts and better protections for owl habitat.
Why Oregon lawmakers are asking Musk to stop the plan to kill barred owls
The four Oregon lawmakers are siding with the environmental groups and calling for Musk and Ramaswamy to reverse the federal government’s plan to kill the barred owls. It was not immediately clear how the two could stop the plan.
The lawmakers letter stated the plan was impractical and a “budget buster,” with cost estimates for the plan around $1.35 billion, according to a press release by the two groups.
The letter speculates there likely isn’t an excess of people willing to do the killing for free: “it is expected that the individuals doing the shooting across millions of acres – including within Crater Lake National Park – will require compensation for the arduous, night-time hunts,” according to the press release.
“A billion-dollar price tag for this project should get the attention of everyone on the Trump team concerned about government efficiency,” Diehl said. “Killing one type of owl to save another is outrageous and doomed to fail. This plan will swallow up Americans’ hard-earned tax dollars for no good reason.”
USFWS says they aren’t trying to trade one bird for the other.
“As wildlife professionals, we approached this issue carefully and did not come to this decision lightly,” USFWS Oregon State Supervisor Kessina Lee said in announcing the decision in August. “Spotted owls are at a crossroads, and we need to manage both barred owls and habitat to save them. This isn’t about choosing one owl over the other. If we act now, future generations will be able to see both owls in our Western forests.”
Statesman Journal reporter Zach Urness contributed to this report.
Ginnie Sandoval is the Oregon Connect reporter for the Statesman Journal. Sandoval can be reached at GSandoval@gannett.com or on X at @GinnieSandoval.
Oregon
‘Changed my life’: Portland man warns of Facebook Marketplace dangers after robbery leaves him injured
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — What began as a routine Facebook Marketplace sale left a Portland man with serious injuries and a warning for others, as police investigate a series of violent crimes linked to online meetups across the area.
The man, who asked not to be identified for safety reasons, said he is still recovering nearly five months after a Jan. 21 encounter in Northeast Portland’s Cully neighborhood.
He told KOIN 6 News he arranged to meet a buyer through Facebook Marketplace to sell an iPhone. Instead, he said the buyer grabbed the phone and ran.
“I just immediately reacted and instinctively started chasing after him,” he said.
The man noted the suspect ran to a waiting getaway car. He chased after the vehicle and reached the front of it before being thrown to the pavement.
“I rolled off the car, and as soon as I hit the pavement and started to stand up, my right leg and knee turned into jello,” he said.
The incident left him with a broken ankle, knee injuries and a concussion. He said these injuries forced him into a wheelchair during part of his recovery and required multiple medical leaves from work.
“That changed my life,” he added.
Despite the injuries, he said he is grateful the outcome was not worse. Further, he’s sharing his experience in light of law enforcement agencies across the Portland area investigating other violent crimes connected to Facebook Marketplace transactions.
Last week, Tualatin police arrested a 20-year-old man accused of firing shots at sellers during a Marketplace meetup involving counterfeit cash. No one was injured.
Days earlier, detectives said a gunman shot and robbed a man during another Marketplace transaction in Northeast Portland.
Police say the two most recent cases are not connected, but the message is the same.
The Portland man said buyers and sellers should meet in highly visible public locations, such as coffee shops, businesses or police stations whenever possible.
Police also recommend meeting in well-lit locations with security cameras, bringing a friend, keeping a cellphone nearby and trusting your instincts if something feels wrong.
The warning comes as more Americans turn to online marketplaces to supplement their income.
According to a recent survey of more than 1,300 Americans conducted by Omnisend, 28% reported having a side hustle.
The survey also found many use platforms such as Facebook Marketplace to help cover bills, pay down debt or boost their income. Facebook Marketplace was among the most popular selling platforms cited by respondents.
Police say thieves often target high-value items such as cars, electronics, phones and designer goods.
Meta, Facebook’s parent company, advises users to cancel transactions immediately and report suspicious activity if something feels unsafe or unusual.
As for the man injured during the January meetup, he hopes the person responsible learns from what happened.
“I would challenge you to learn from this and grow from this and be a better person for that,” he said.
Oregon
OHA reverses course on adult supervision mandate for children at public pools
The health authority said it will engage in “community conversations” for similar rulemaking processes going forward.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Public health leaders are walking back a rule requiring adult supervision for some minors at Oregon pools.
Public pools statewide must now post signage stating the Oregon Health Authority recommends that individuals over 18 accompany children under the age of 14, officials announced on Tuesday. The agency previously adopted an adult supervision mandate in April 2025, with Portland Parks & Recreation set to implement the policy for open swim sessions starting this summer.
But the health authority has reversed course due to pushback.
“After hearing from parents and caregivers of older elementary and early middle school-age children, the Food, Pool and Lodging Health and Safety Program is proposing additional discussion with the community and regulated partners to gather more input, ensure equitable access to public pools and continue to keep kids safe,” Gabriela Goldfarb, manager of OHA’s Environmental Public Health Section, explained in a statement.
The agency said it worked alongside a Rule Advisory Committee to develop the previous policy that aligned with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Model Aquatic Health Code. The code was established using national CDC data, which found swimming pool deaths are significant through the age of 13 before declining at 14, according to Oregon leaders.
Officials said the data also revealed drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related deaths for those between the ages of 5 and 14.
And while OHA noted committee members unanimously approved the adult supervision mandate, the agency added that “a broad range of more technical issues” like pool equipment and chemistry appeared throughout the rulemaking process.
The health authority is now working to implement a process in which parents, caregivers, pool operators and lifeguards can weigh in on the rule later this fall.
“Given the technical nature of most of the rules, OHA typically gets participation from pool facility operators and builders, and not the community members using the pool,” Goldfarb noted. “Going forward, when CDC updates its model codes, we’ll work to identify proposed changes that need community conversations to find the right path for Oregon.”
Oregon
Oregon Lottery Powerball, Pick 4 results for June 8
The Oregon Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at June 8, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from June 8 drawing
03-24-34-43-49, Powerball: 20, Power Play: 3
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from June 8 drawing
1PM: 1-1-0-3
4PM: 0-2-8-8
7PM: 4-7-5-1
10PM: 5-6-4-0
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Win for Life numbers from June 8 drawing
10-22-36-41
Check Win for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Megabucks numbers from June 8 drawing
02-23-28-33-36-41
Check Megabucks payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Oregon Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 7:59 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 7:59 p.m. on Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 4: 1 p.m., 4 p.m., 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. daily.
- Win for Life: 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Megabucks: 7:29 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Oregon editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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