Investigations

The Oregon Government Ethics Commission has voted to move forward with a formal investigation into Alfalfa Fire District Chief Chad LaVallee, adding another layer to what has become a growing list of legal controversies and governance concerns surrounding the rural fire district and its leadership.

For months, the Prineville Review has been engaged in ongoing investigative reporting into the Alfalfa Fire District—most recently revealing a state investigation into alleged election law violations tied to the District, as well as documenting repeated and ongoing failures to comply with Oregon’s public meetings laws.

The Oregon Journalism Project has learned that an Oregon Court of Appeals judge who sided with PacifiCorp in a case brought by thousands of rural Oregonians caught in the 2020 Labor Day wildfires represented the utility giant for years before she left private legal practice.

The Alfalfa Fire District was not among the agencies selected for Oregon’s 2026 wildfire season staffing grants, with state officials confirming the decision was tied to ongoing inquiries by multiple state agencies into the district.

The Alfalfa Fire District and its Chief are reportedly under investigation by the Oregon Secretary of State’s Elections Division for potential violations of state election law related to advocacy for a local levy measure

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek has vetoed House Bill 4177, rejecting a closely watched proposal to revise Oregon’s public meetings law and calling instead for a “collaborative fix” to address concerns from both local governments and transparency advocates.

State and county officials have confirmed that boundary change filings submitted by Alfalfa Fire District Chief Chad LaVallee improperly classified Juniper Acres properties as annexed into the district,

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek on Friday issued a formal notice that she is considering vetoing a controversial public meetings bill, citing concerns that portions of the legislation could weaken government transparency.

TDS Telecom President and CEO Ken Dixon is now directly addressing billing increases applied to certain “Price for Life” internet plans, after weeks of customer complaints and a multi-week investigation by the Prineville Review.

After some much needed sunlight on its operations, Travel Oregon is looking for a new chief executive—at a significantly lower salary.