Teacher arrested in sex abuse case

EUGENE — A middle school band teacher in Western Oregon has been arrested for the second time this month on suspicion of child sexual abuse charges.

Matthew McKinley Woodford, 34, of Springfield, was jailed Thursday after a grand jury indicted him on 15 charges. The charges allege he engaged in inappropriate communication and sexual contact with a student younger than 15. Woodford has pleaded not guilty.

The new indictment follows Woodford’s Feb. 3 arrest on similar charges but includes details alleging he sexually abused the victim on numerous occasions.

Woodford has been placed on leave from his job as Thurston Middle School’s music director.

School district spokeswoman Jen McCulley says the district has started the termination process for his employment.

State ends Kitzhaber probe

The Oregon Department of Justice is ending its involvement in the influence-peddling investigation of former Gov. John Kitzhaber and Cylvia Hayes.

The department’s criminal justice section head Michael Slauson told federal prosecutors last week that the state was officially out “and will not be pursuing any further inquiry into the misconduct” by the former first couple.

Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum opened an investigation into the matter on Feb. 6, 2015, days before Kitzhaber resigned.

Three weeks later she agreed to suspend it at the request of federal investigators, who took the lead in the case.

A protracted legal fight over evidence has delayed the investigation.

— From wire reports