This week’s regional roundup highlights accountability and recovery across the Northwest — from reforms at a Washington jail to efforts to rebuild Oregon’s kelp forests, and new findings in a federal investigation into a Southern Oregon hospital.
Nearly 3 years after outcry, audit finds rural Washington jail in a better place
The Klickitat County Jail has made improvements after a $2 million settlement tied to the 2023 death of an inmate during opioid withdrawal. County commissioners removed the jail from the sheriff’s oversight, and a recent audit found better screening and monitoring practices. Still, the report cites ongoing gaps in medical and mental health care, as staffing shortages continue to limit services.
A Newport-based sea urchin ranch aims to restore kelp forests, turn profit
Efforts to restore Oregon’s declining kelp forests are taking a market-based approach. At OoNee Sea Urchin Ranch in Newport, divers harvest overabundant purple sea urchins that have devastated kelp ecosystems and raise them in tanks for consumption. The model aims to reduce grazing pressure while creating a viable seafood product, linking environmental restoration with economic opportunity along the coast.
Before Asante deaths and drug diversion went public, a year of missed warnings
A federal investigation into Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center found staff raised concerns about a nurse’s suspected drug diversion for more than a year before action was taken. Employees documented unusual behavior as infections spread among patients, but hospital leadership did not connect the issues until months later. The report cites systemic failures in oversight and delayed response as infections and deaths mounted.
