Oregon Nurses Association Leader Files Wage Theft Lawsuit
On March 18th, an Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) member leader filed a class action lawsuit against Asante for wage theft and violating Oregon law. According to a release, Asante is accused of multiple illegal accounting practices including manipulating workers’ timecards, making unauthorized wage deductions, time rounding, refusing to pay workers’ earned differentials, refusing to pay missed meals and breaks, and failure to pay workers’ wages on time. Nurses are suing to stop Asante’s alleged illegal accounting practices, recover lost wages owed to healthcare workers, and ensure a fair and accurate accounting of all workers’ hours and pay. Class counsel estimates 6,000 hourly workers have been victims of Asante’s wage theft since 2020, including nearly 5,000 current employees. Plaintiffs estimate Asante owes workers $500,000 in unpaid wages. Asante is facing an additional $2 million in statutory penalties and damages plus interest and court costs. The ONA represents more than 1450 registered nurses and technical workers at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford.
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IMET, JCSO Assist in Stopping Money Laundering Scheme
The owner and operator of Tienda Santa Maria II LLC has been charged with money laundering. This comes after Jose Alonso Paramo Arguello, 45, used his money service businesses to launder narcotics trafficking proceeds and structure financial transactions to avoid suspicion of law enforcement. A citizen of Mexico and unlawfully residing in the United States, he has been charged by criminal complaint with money laundering. According to court documents, Arguello is the owner and operator of the Phoenix business, along with two others, Tienda Santa Maria in Medford, and Paramos Barber Shop in Central Point. Arguello uses his three businesses to transfer narcotics trafficking proceeds to Mexico by breaking down transactions into smaller amounts and using fake names and addresses for the money senders to conceal the true nature and source of the funds. From January 2, 2024, through December 3, 2025, Arguello’s three money service businesses transferred more than $13 million in wire transfers of $500 or more to Mexico, an amount often indicative of narcotics trafficking. Of that, over $7 million was sent to locations in Mexico associated with narcotics trafficking. The Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) provided an informant with cash to attempt to wire money to Mexico.
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GPCC Divides Tourism Grants & Okays Tree Climbing Contests in Riverside
Grants Pass City Councilors Approved Tree Climbing Competition, Divided Tourism Grants and appointed several committee positions during Wednesday night's Business Session.The Council approved a resolution allowing Pacific Northwest International Society of Arboriculture to conduct commercial activity within Riverside Park as it conducts the Southern Oregon Region Tree Climbing Competition scheduled to run from April 10th through the 12th this year. Fees of $521.25 were waived.The Council then approved a second resolution awarding tourism promotion grants departing from the committee's recommendation. The Grants Pass Active Club and Hellgate Jetboat Excursions will receive $5,000 each. $2,500 will be awarded to Grants Pass High Band Boosters, Mainstreet Grants Pass Cruise, Rogue Valley Classic Cruisers, and the Rogue Valley Mountain Bike Association.The council authorized the city manager to amend the city's classification plan affecting four positions: the community service officer, the engineering supervisor, the facilities maintenance technician and an urban forester and trail coordinator. Councilors then appointed Rebecca Anderson, Wynnis Grow and Trevor House to the Tourism Advisory Committee.
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