Wildfire smoke and heat hit Oregon health: Oregon and Southwest Washington are under air quality advisories as wildfire smoke pushes conditions into unhealthy ranges, with Oregon Health Authority reporting elevated hospital patients—officials urge people with heart and lung issues, older adults, and kids to stay indoors, use HEPA filtration, and avoid bringing outdoor air in. Food safety recalls: FDA/USDA actions include a recall of Bettergoods pistachio nut butter sold at Walmart in 19 states (salmonella risk) and a separate recall of imported bacon that bypassed required federal inspection, with no illnesses reported. Medicaid policy spotlight: Sen. Jeff Merkley opened a Medicaid hearing criticizing proposed cuts and arguing fraud enforcement should not mean reduced coverage for low-income Oregonians. Local public health alerts: Oregon health officials found West Nile virus in mosquitoes in Jackson County for a third time this year, urging testing after mosquito bites and steps to reduce standing water. Care access and community support: A Disaster Assistance Center is set to open at Shadle Park High School for wildfire victims, offering “one-stop shop” help with paperwork, permitting, and case management. Health system spending signal: Ashland Medicaid radiology billing jumped sharply in 2024, underscoring how local dollars flow into imaging services. Addiction and bias case: NPR reports on how medical bias and discharge decisions can leave addiction patients without safe next steps, raising concerns about how hospitals handle people seen as “not medically needed.”