CORRECTIONS OFFICER-SEXUAL MISCONDUCT
Oregon jail officer pleads guilty to sexual misconduct
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. (AP) — A corrections officer accused of having a sexual relationship with a female inmate at an Oregon jail has pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of official misconduct and custodial sexual misconduct.
Court records show 26-year-old Bradley Davis entered the plea Wednesday, just a day after the Klamath County district attorney filed the charges.
The Klamath County Sheriff’s Office contacted Oregon State Police three weeks ago after learning Davis may have had an inappropriate relationship with an inmate. He was placed on administrative leave after the woman confirmed the relationship to detectives.
Court documents say the relationship occurred sometime between Sept. 1 and Jan. 31.
WRESTLING COACH-SEX ASSAULT
Ex-Astoria wrestling coach faces new sex charges
(Information from: The Daily Astorian, http://www.dailyastorian.com)
ASTORIA, Ore. (AP) — A former high school wrestling coach in Astoria, Oregon, has been arrested at the Clatsop County Courthouse on sexual assault charges shortly after he was formally charged with rape.
The Daily Astorian reports 42-year-old Gary Salvador Medina is accused in separate cases of having sexual contact with two underage girls in 2005, including one victim who was a student at Astoria High School.
Medina had initially been arrested in February after a woman reported she had a sexual relationship with him when she was 15 and a student.
Medina was released after his arrest on $50,000 bail and later indicted for the sexual assault of a 17-year-old girl staying at his home.
A judge set Medina’s bail at $250,000, despite his lawyer arguing to have it set at the $50,000 minimum.
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LOTTERY HARASSMENT-REPORT
Report: Former Oregon Lottery boss harassed subordinates
(Information from: The Oregonian/OregonLive, http://www.oregonlive.com)
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — An investigative report has found that the former deputy director of the Oregon Lottery harassed subordinates, tried to have his boss fired and repeatedly attempted to mislead investigators looking into his conduct.
The Oregonian/OregonLive reports that officials launched an investigation into Roland Iparraguirre after an employee claimed he intimidated and harassed her.
Iparraguirre was placed on paid leave in April 2016, but he claimed he was wronged as a whistleblower. His subsequent complaint led to the firing of then-Lottery Director Jack Roberts. The new director kept Iparraguirre on leave. He resigned from the lottery Aug. 31.
An investigation into Iparraguirre’s conduct found that he intimidated the employee who accused him of harassment and harmed other subordinates.
Iparraguirre disputes the findings of the investigation.
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SENATE-SUPREME COURT-THE LATEST
The Latest: Senators worry about coming blowup over Gorsuch
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senators from both parties are worried about the coming blowup over Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is poised to change Senate rules. By lowering the threshold for a vote on Supreme Court nominees from 60 votes to a simple majority, Republicans would eliminate the ability of Democrats to keep Gorsuch off the high court.
But some Republicans worry the move will weaken Senate traditions.
Arizona Republican John McCain said, “I fear that someday we will regret what we are about to do. In fact, I am confident we will.” He said there has to be a Senate “where the rights of the minority are protected regardless of which party is in power at the time.”
Still, McCain is expected to go along with McConnell on changing the filibuster rule.
DAMS-NITROGEN
Young salmon risk ‘gas bubble trauma’ on trip to ocean
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Juvenile salmon and steelhead migrating out of the Columbia River Basin in unusually high flows this year face a potentially lethal problem in spillways at dams where increased nitrogen in the water can cause tissue-damaging gas bubble trauma.
But fisheries managers say special features at dams meant to reduce nitrogen will help young fish make it to the ocean and predict survival this year will be about average based on previous high-flow years.
Like natural waterfalls, water going over a dam’s spillway increases total dissolved gas in water. That includes nitrogen that can cause bubbles to form inside fish.
The standard for total dissolved gas considered safe for fish is 110 percent, but dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers in recent weeks have been near or above 120 percent.
BODY FOUND-BRIDGE
Oregon man found near Washington bridge died of homicide
WASHOUGAL, Wash. (AP) — The Skamania County Sheriff’s Office has identified the man whose body was found near Dougan Falls in southwest Washington.
The office said Wednesday that 40-year-old Christopher Libert, of Portland, Oregon, died from stab and gunshot wounds. His death is being investigated as a homicide.
His body was found over the embankment near Dougan Falls bridge Saturday morning. The area is about 17 miles northwest of Washougal.
The office says the incident appears to be isolated and there isn’t a threat to the general public.
UO POLICE BIKERS
UO Police Department adds bearded, motorcycle cops
(Information from: The Register-Guard, http://www.registerguard.com)
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — The University of Oregon has added bikers with beards to its police force.
The Register-Guard reports the campus police department last week unveiled two Kawasaki KLR650 motorcycles. They are black-and-green bikes and include yellow “O” stickers.
The addition coincides with a relaxation of grooming rules. Officers can now grow trimmed beards.
Officer Chris Waggoner and Cpl. Jared Davis are among the first UOPD officers to grow beards and ride motorcycles.
Davis says the new facial-hair policy allows officers to express some individuality. Waggoner says the motorcycles have attracted a lot of thumbs up.
Department officials made the changes to make officers more approachable and accessible.
The department of 20 sworn officers also has cars, trucks, bicycles, two small electric vehicles and two all-terrain vehicles.
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SUICIDAL MAN-GOOD SAMARITAN
Police: Oregon man and bystander help save a man’s life
(Information from: The Register-Guard, http://www.registerguard.com)
SPRINGFIELD, Ore. (AP) — Police are calling an Oregon man a hero after he helped distract a man who was attempting suicide while police pulled him to safety.
The Register-Guard reports Brandon Rapolla saw a man hanging over the railing of a 90-foot-bridge in Springfield Tuesday. Police say another bystander alerted them of the situation. Officers found Rapolla pleading with the man and decided to pull the back over the railing while he was distracted by Rapolla.
Police say the man was taken to PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center, University District for a mental health evaluation.
The officers said Rapolla and the bystander’s actions helped save the man’s life.
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Copyright 2017 The Associated Press.