SEARCH SUSPENDED
Search suspended for man in Columbia River Gorge
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Authorities have suspended the search for a 68-year-old man whose car was found Sunday at Horsetail Falls in the Columbia River Gorge.
Portland police say Thomas McAdams was reported missing Saturday and the search was suspended Wednesday night.
Authorities have searched over 200 miles of the trail system on the ground, by air and with police dogs in the gorge.
Police said in a news release they’ve found no sign of him and that McAdams had been upset about personal issues and has exhibited signs of memory loss recently.
He’s 5 foot 11 inches and 165 pounds with gray hair, green eyes, bushy eyebrows and a mustache.
Anyone who sees McAdams is asked to call 911. Anyone with non-emergency information is asked to contact Detective Heidi Helwig at (503) 823-0797.
FOOTBALL HAZING-OREGON
Ex-Oregon football coach arraigned in hazing case
(Information from: Gazette-Times, http://www.gtconnect.com)
CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) — A not guilty plea has been entered for a former volunteer high school football coach charged in connection with an Oregon hazing incident.
The Gazette-Times reports that a judge entered the not guilty plea to a misdemeanor criminal mistreatment charge on behalf of 22-year-old Cooper Kikuta during his arraignment Tuesday. Kikuta, who has no previous criminal history, was granted conditional release.
The former assistant volunteer coach for Philomath High School is charged along with six varsity football players for a July hazing initiation in which 11 freshmen had intimate parts of their bodies targeted at a summer training camp.
Prosecutors allege Kikuta didn’t provide adequate care for the players who were under his supervision.
The juveniles cited in the case have admitted to the allegations against them.
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TEEN STRUCK-DELIVERY DRIVER
Family of teen struck by delivery van sues for $16.5 million
(Information from: The Oregonian/OregonLive, http://www.oregonlive.com)
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The family of a Gresham teen who was struck and severely injured by a delivery van is suing the driver and her employer for $16.5 million, alleging the driver was hired without disclosing her history of seizures and epilepsy.
The Oregonian/OregonLive reports that Deann Lepoidevin had been driving for a flower delivery service when she struck Viridiana Orozco-Hernandez as the teen crossed the street. The girl suffered brain trauma and several fractures.
The lawsuit filed this week says Lepoidevin suffered two seizures the day of the crash. It alleges negligence against Nancy’s Floral for hiring the woman without asking about her medical history.
The complaint also claims Lepoidevin was previously denied a driving job with another company because they knew about her seizures.
Nancy’s Floral declined to comment.
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SEX TRAFFICKING SUMMIT
Prosecutors meet in Hawaii on international sex trafficking
HONOLULU (AP) — Prosecutors from a dozen states and eight countries are meeting in Waikiki to talk about the global problem of sex trafficking.
They’re planning to share strategies for bringing traffickers to justice.
The conference beginning Wednesday is being held in Hawaii which was the last state in the nation to formally ban sex trafficking.
Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Keith Kaneshiro says they intend to send a clear message that sex trafficking will not be tolerated.
Most of the law enforcement conference is closed to the media. Organizers say that’s because they may talk about sensitive cases or law enforcement strategies.
International prosecutors are attending from Canada, China, Japan, Palau, the Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.
American prosecutors are attending from states spanning the coasts and the Midwest.
JANITORIAL COMPANY BLACKLISTED
Oregon blacklists janitorial company for underpaying workers
(Information from: The Oregonian/OregonLive, http://www.oregonlive.com)
SALEM, Ore. (AP) — A janitorial company has been permanently banned from Oregon government work after an investigation revealed widespread underpayment of workers.
The Oregonian/OregonLive reports the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries conducted the investigation which prompted a settlement between Cornerstone Janitorial and the state.
The company must pay $144,000 in damages to 46 workers as part of the deal. That’s on top of nearly $200,000 in back wages collected by the bureau last year related to Cornerstone employees’ work on 16 taxpayer-funded projects.
The investigation involved health and education related projects in Portland, Eugene, Stayton, Junction City, Salem, Keizer, Philomath, Vernonia, Corvallis, Monmouth and Wilsonville.
Oregon’s prevailing wage laws required workers on those public works projects be paid a certain rate.
Cornerstone’s owner, Sang In Nam, declined to comment to the Oregonian Wednesday.
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RANCHING STANDOFF-IDAHO MILITIA
Idaho militia group members resign, say leader took money
(Information from: Idaho Statesman, http://www.idahostatesman.com)
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — More than 30 members of an Idaho militia group say they’ve resigned after the group’s president spent $2,900 in donations on personal items rather than using it to help four Idaho men facing charges from a 2014 armed standoff with government agents in Nevada.
The 36 members in mainly leadership positions of Idaho 3% announced the resignations Tuesday in a letter obtained by the Idaho Statesman .
The former members contend that Brandon Curtiss used the money for unauthorized car accessory purchases and other charges.
Curtiss said Tuesday he’d issue a statement but hasn’t done so.
One of the four Idaho men facing charges is Scott Drexler of Challis.
His daughter, Chelsea Hamel, says the four men received only $429 from the militia group’s donation efforts over the summer.
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SKINNER DESCENDANT-CITY HALL
Descendant of Eugene founder to get involved in land dispute
(Information from: The Register-Guard, http://www.registerguard.com)
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — A man who says he is a great-great-grandson of Eugene’s founders plans to intervene in a court case about the location of new city and county buildings.
The Register-Guard reports that Ken Darling says he is a descendant of Eugene and Mary Skinner and believes his ancestors wouldn’t approve of a land swap being considered by Eugene and Lane County.
The city and county are seeking a court ruling on whether an 1855 deed from Eugene Skinner specifying that the land be used for county seat purposes could stop the city from building on the property, which is current owned by the county.
City and county attorneys say they have researched the deed and believe it does not restrict the county from selling or transferring the land to Eugene.
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CAMPUS THREAT ALLEGATION-APPEAL
Court: Portland State student wrongfully booted over threat
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Oregon Court of Appeals has ruled that Portland State University wrongfully expelled a graduate student who was accused of threatening violence.
The university banned Henry Liu from campus four years ago after a classmate reported to police that the student was upset with a professor and talked about guns in the same conversation.
Police found four unloaded guns in Liu’s apartment, along with ammunition and survival gear.
Liu maintained he did not threaten a faculty member, and was expelled based on hearsay.
The Appeals Court said Wednesday that PSU officials did not follow procedures for contested cases when expelling Liu. The judges said he should have had the right to counsel and the ability to cross-examine witnesses.
Portland State spokesman Christopher Broderick says the university disagrees with the decision and is deciding whether to appeal.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.