SALEM– Nominations for the 2026 Oregon Heritage Excellence Awards Program are now being accepted. Criteria and application process can be found online through the Oregon Heritage website www.oregonheritage.org or by contacting Oregon Heritage Commission Coordinator Katie Henry at katie.henry@oprd.oregon.gov or (503) 877-8834. The deadline for submitting nominations is January 22, 2026.
 

The Oregon Heritage Excellence Awards recognize individuals, organizations and projects for outstanding heritage preservation efforts in Oregon, drawing public attention to these efforts, and raising the quality of heritage‐oriented activities. The Sally Donovan Award for Historic Cemetery Preservation is a special category that may be awarded to one individual, organization, or project demonstration excellence in preservation of historic cemeteries. 
  

In 2022 the Standout Heritage Volunteer category was added and is the only non-competitive category.
 

Nominations are encouraged for organizations and projects of all sizes and heritage purposes and for volunteers and professionals from all heritage sectors.
 

“Previous award recipients have illustrated the extraordinary ways that individuals and organizations connect communities to the past through experiences, dialogue, and preservation,” says Oregon Heritage Commission Coordinator Katie Henry. “They inspire appreciation for our neighbors, our state, and ourselves as we look towards the future.”
 

For a list of previous award recipients, visit https://www.oregon.gov/oprd/OH/pages/awards.aspx#one.
 

Those awarded an Oregon Heritage Excellence Award will be featured in videos presented at the 2026 Oregon Heritage Conference in Woodburn, April 29-May2. Recipients will also receive an award designed and created by Eastern Oregon artist, Alethea Brewer. This year’s awards artist selection process was done in partnership with Crossroads Carnegie Arts Center in Baker City.
 

There will be an awards Q&A online on Dec. 2 at 1pm for those interested in learning more.
 

For more information visit www.oregonheritage.org or contact Oregon Heritage Commission Coordinator Katie Henry at katie.henry@oprd.oregon.gov or (503) 877-8834.

SALEM, Oregon— As this year comes to a close, Oregon State Parks is looking back on 2025 and planning for the 2026 season.  

This year Oregon State Parks welcomed millions of visitors, maintained nearly 1,000 miles of trails, hosted hundreds of events including mushroom hikes and star parties and finished dozens of projects from the restoration of the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse to repaving the campground at Silver Falls State Park.  

State parks also updated many of its fees to reflect increasing costs and decreasing Oregon State Lottery funding. Depending on the fee, the last update was anywhere from seven to 15 years ago.

Staff are looking forward to welcoming visitors for the 2026 season with guided hikes, seasonal events and outdoor adventures. To help visitors enjoy the more than 250 state parks and know what to expect next year, Oregon Parks and Recreation Department gathered the upcoming updates in one place.  

Winter 2025: 

• Green Friday (Nov. 28):  Parking fees will no longer be waived at parks requiring permits on Green Friday. 

Beginning January 1, 2026: 

• First Day Hike (Jan. 1): Guided hikes at select parks. Parking fees will no longer be waived at parks requiring permits for First Day Hikes. 

• 12-month parking permits will increase from $30 to $60 for Oregon residents and to $75 for out-of-state residents due to the out-of-state surcharge.  

• 24-month parking permits will not be sold in 2026. Existing permits will be honored until they expire.  

• Oregon State Parks will no longer sell Oregon Pacific Coast Passports but will honor passports purchased in 2025 until they expire.  

• Oregon State Parks will no longer honor Jackson County parking permits. 

Winter/Spring 2026 

• OPRD is considering updates to its Division 15 Rates and Reservation Policy. The proposed changes would update the rules around cancellations, refunds, special access passes and rate ranges starting as soon as Feb. 2026. The proposed changes are designed to improve the long-term financial sustainability of the state park system and maximize the availability of campsites for visitors by encouraging early cancellation. Public comment is expected to run from December 1 to January 15, 2026. Final approval is required by the Oregon State Parks and Recreation Commission. 
   
• Additional parks will require a parking fee. The specific parks and implementation date is still being finalized. 
   
• Implement fees to use dump stations at Oregon State Parks to support the cost of that service.  
   
• State Parks Day (June 6), will continue to offer free parking for Oregon residents. Camping fees will no longer be waived on that day pending approval of the proposed Division 15 Rates and Reservation Policy updates.  

“The changes are critical to sustaining state park operations and services now and for the future. We appreciate visitors’ continued support as these necessary changes are implemented,” said Oregon Parks and Recreation Director (OPRD) Director Lisa Sumption.  

OPRD is projecting at $14 million budget shortfall this biennium due to decreasing lottery revenue, increasing costs and a long-standing need for more sustainable funding.  OPRD does not receive general fund tax revenue for operations.  

OPRD will continue to review and update fees and operations to keep providing high-quality visitor experiences and sustain parks now and in the future. 

In addition to increasing fees, OPRD is also streamlining costs, planning to add more cabins and yurts to expand capacity and increase revenue and looking for new partnerships and sponsorships to help build a more sustainable funding future. 

An Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) adult in custody, James Iven Moore, died the afternoon of November 3, 2025. Moore was incarcerated at Snake River Correctional Institution (SRCI) in Ontario and passed away at a local hospital. As with all in-custody deaths, the Oregon State Police have been notified, and the State Medical Examiner will determine cause of death.

Moore entered DOC custody on December 19, 2024, from Lane County with an earliest release date of January 25, 2031. Moore was 70 years old. Next of kin has been notified.

DOC takes all in-custody deaths seriously. The agency is responsible for the care and custody of approximately 12,000 individuals who are incarcerated in 12 institutions across the state. While crime information is public record, DOC elects to disclose only upon request out of respect for any family or victims.

SRCI is a multi-custody prison in Ontario. Additional information about the Oregon Department of Corrections can be found at www.oregon.gov/doc.

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COOS Bay, Oregon— From Thanksgiving to New Year’s Eve, the gardens at Shore Acres State Park shimmer with hundreds of thousands of colored lights and seasonal decorations, and now is the time to book reservations for the display, which runs from Nov. 27 to Dec. 31 this year.

Holiday Lights has been a tradition for more than 30 years, and it attracts thousands of visitors each year. Due to its popularity, those who wish to park must purchase timed-entry parking tickets in advance to see the lights.

The tickets are available now online at http://Bit.ly/2025holidaylights. The cost is $10, which is the park’s standard parking fee. The Friends of Shore Acres manages the event.

Parking time slots are available for 4:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. daily. Each vehicle needs a ticket to park at the event, which includes entry for everyone inside the car.

Note: Ticket is per vehicle not per person. For example, if you have 8 people in 1 vehicle, you only need 1 ticket.

The event switched to timed-entry tickets in 2022, and the move has improved safety and the visitor experience.

“The event had become so popular in previous years that vehicles were waiting hours on the road, and traffic was backing up the highway. Vehicles are no longer waiting in long lines on the road to enter the event,” said Park Manager Lee Ricci.  

Please note that parking on the road is not allowed, and parking outside Shore Acres in other day-use areas, including parking pullouts, is not permitted after dusk because those areas are closed.

The $10 fee for parking may be waived (but a reservation is still necessary) if the person making the reservation has one of the following and selects the option during the reservation: 

• 12- or 24-month parking permit
• Special access pass for either veterans with service-connected disabilities or foster, guardian and adoptive foster parents of Oregon foster children
• Current Oregon State Park camping confirmation for the date of the event visit
• Oregon Pacific Coast Passport

Reservations also can be made by calling 800-452-5687. Visitors must have reservations prior to arrival.

Visitors must present a screenshot of the ticket on their smartphone or the printed ticket when entering Holiday Lights, as well as the selected pass, permit or campground confirmation if applicable. Park staff asks that visitors have everything ready to show to keep traffic moving.

Although visitors can reserve their timed entry parking spot now, additional time slots will be available later this fall during a seven-day rolling window. For example: Visitors can make reservations on Nov. 20 for visits on Nov. 27, and so on. The rolling window continues through the end of the event Dec. 31 so visitors are encouraged to keep checking back for tickets.

“We realize that many families are just starting to think about their winter plans, and we want people to still have the chance for spur-of-the-moment visits.” Ricci said. “That is why half the tickets are on the rolling seven-day window to ensure visitors can reserve closer to the event.”

Visit the Oregon State Parks website for 12 and 24-month parking permit and special access pass information.

An Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) adult in custody, Keith John Stewart, died the afternoon of October 30, 2025. Stewart was incarcerated at Oregon State Correctional Institution (OSCI) in Salem and passed away in a local hospital. As with all in-custody deaths, the Oregon State Police have been notified, and the State Medical Examiner will determine cause of death.

Stewart entered DOC custody on January 26, 2017, from Linn County with an earliest release date of November 28, 2025. Stewart was 51 years old.

DOC takes all in-custody deaths seriously. The agency is responsible for the care and custody of approximately 12,000 individuals who are incarcerated in 12 institutions across the state. While crime information is public record, DOC elects to disclose only upon request out of respect for any family or victims.

OSCI is a multi-custody prison located in Salem. Additional information about the Oregon Department of Corrections can be found at www.oregon.gov/doc.

SALEM, Oregon— The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) is seeking volunteers to serve on the Oregon Outdoor Recreation Committee for four-year terms starting Jan. 1, 2026.

The nine-member committee evaluates grant proposals for public outdoor recreation projects seeking funding assistance from the Land and Water Conservation Fund Grant Program, a grant program funded by the National Park Service and administered by OPRD.

Open positions include:

• Member representing the public-at-large
• Member representing a historically underrepresented community, or a member representing Tribal Government
• Member representing Cities over 15,000 population (Must be employed by a city or professionally associated with a city and have a recommendation from the Oregon Recreation and Park Association or the League of Oregon Cities.)

Those interested in serving must submit a committee interest form by November 24, 2025 at https://oregonstateparks.jotformgov.com/232894854468171

OPRD will review the interest forms and follow up with potential members for informal interviews. Committee appointments are subject to confirmation by the OPRD Director.

Committee members serve four-year terms and may be eligible to serve a second term.

The committee generally meets once a year, virtually or at locations throughout the state. Time commitment varies and includes reviewing and evaluating an average of 15 to 20 grant applications each annual funding cycle.

Ideal candidates can live anywhere in Oregon with experience in at least one of the following areas: outdoor recreation planning or design, recreation related volunteerism, or an outdoor recreation enthusiast who is uniquely qualified to evaluate project proposals through other experience and involvement.

Strong candidates may also demonstrate an awareness of statewide recreational needs, other broad recreational issues, and the importance of providing equitable, inclusive, and accessible recreational opportunities.

The Land and Water Conservation Fund Program is a competitive grant program funded by the National Park Service and administered by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. Grants are awarded to local governments, federally recognized tribal governments and eligible state agencies for land acquisition, development and rehabilitation projects for public outdoor recreation areas and facilities.

For more information about the advisory committee or application process, contact Nohemi Enciso, LWCF Program Coordinator, at nohemi.enciso@oprd.oregon.gov or 503-480-9092.