Klamath Basin News, Wednesday, Dec. 20 – Harbor Isles Tennis & Fitness Club Sold To Sky Lakes Medical Center Foundation; Local Charities Ask For Help

The latest and most comprehensive coverage of local News, Sports, Business, and Community News stories in the Klamath Basin, Southern Oregon and around the state of Oregon from Wynne Broadcasting’s KFLS News/Talk 1450AM / 102.5FM, The Herald and News, and BasinLife.com, and powered by Mick Insurance, your Local Health and Medicare agents. Call 541-882-6476.

Wednesday, December 20, 2023

Klamath Basin Weather

Today’s Headlines

Harbor Isles Tennis & Fitness Club, a local fitness center in Klamath Falls is under new ownership this week by the not-for-profit Sky Lakes Medical Center Foundation.

Harbor Isles Tennis & Fitness Club, located in the 2800 block of Front Street near Pelican School, belonged to JELD-WEN Inc., a global manufacturer based in Klamath Falls. According to a news release from Sky Lakes Medical Center, the fitness facility officially changed hands Monday morning.

The new owners plan to keep gym operations and memberships as-is and without interruption, the release said. Harbor Isles fitness instructor Kristen Leist said employees have been told that no immediate changes will be made to the club’s programming. Brittney Geraud, the current manager of Harbor Isles, said in she is personally excited for this “new chapter for Harbor Isles.”

The release assures that Sky Lakes is committed to maintaining the highest standards the community has come to expect at the facility by continuing to offer a wide range of programs, top-of-the-line equipment and a supportive environment for everyone to reach their fitness goals. (more at HeraldandNews.com)

Greetings from the City of Klamath Falls and their new Klamath Falls Transportation Safety Action Plan Project Team.

The City of Klamath Falls has started a public engagement campaign with this online survey to get community input on how to make our streets safer.

We hope you will take the time and provide us with your thoughts and opinions and respond to this survey.

The survey HERE is open until this Friday (12/22/23). Thank you.

The Oregon Tech Honors Program welcomed 13 students during its Induction Ceremony on Oct. 14th.

Three of the inductees were students from Klamath Falls studying Biology-Health Sciences. They are Hunter Cook, class of 2027, Naomi Pope, class of 2026 and Angelica Ramos-Rose, class of 2027.

The event took place in front of a live audience of friends, family and peers, and was broadcast to a Zoom audience for those who could not be present in person.

The Oregon Tech Honors Program is a prestigious academic program designed for high-achieving students from diverse academic majors. This specialized program offers an interdisciplinary education that equips future leaders and professionals with the skills and knowledge to excel in their careers and lead meaningful lives.

Oregon Tech was founded in Klamath Falls in 1947 and is the premier polytechnic institution in Oregon. Offering bachelor’s, master’s, and a Doctor of Physical Therapy, Oregon Tech offers programs in engineering, health technologies, business, technology, communication and applied sciences.

Programs prepare students to be effective participants in their professional, public and international communities through applied, relevant learning and professional practice. (more at HeraldandNews.com)

The Klamath County Association of Realtors held their annual Christmas Party this December and voted to donate funds raised from their silent auction to the Klamath Community College Skilled Trades Program.

A check for $3,652 was presented to College representatives last week. Each year a different non-profit is chosen by local Realtors to contribute to, with a focus on industries or agencies that benefit home ownership.

A reminder that The Klamath Falls Lions club is selling See’s Candy for the Christmas Holidays as a fundraiser for their sight and hearing projects. See’s Candy will be available at Turn Thom Point S tires next to Bi-Mart, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. until noon on Saturday.

The Lions conduct vision screening for most students in Klamath County through the school districts, as well as providing glasses for students and others in need. 

Lions collect used eye glasses to be recycled and provide a college scholarship to a graduating high school senior from a local school. For more information, call 541-591-6483.

All libraries in the Klamath County Library Service District will be closed on the following days this coming weekend on Sunday and Monday for observation of Christmas.

In addition all libraries will be closed on Sunday December 31^st and Monday January 1^st in observance of New Years. A reminder that no materials will be due on the days that the libraries are closed.

For more information, you can call the library at (541) 882-8894, or see the library’s events calendar at https://klamathlibrary.org/library-events-calendar. (HeraldandHews.com)

Where can you find the most beautiful national park in America. Well, Crater Lake topped the list of the most beautiful national parks in the U.S. compiled by travel blog Travel Lens, which scoured Google Reviews looking for the words “beautiful,” “stunning,” “breathtaking” and “gorgeous.”

Among reviews of Crater Lake, 45.26% contained one or more of those words, Travel Lens said, placing it narrowly above second place Acadia National Park in Maine, and third place Glacier National Park in Montana.

Oregon’s only full-fledged national park, Crater Lake draws hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, though those crowds have been dwindling recently.  (Oregon news/Google)

The annual holiday model train exhibit will open on Saturday at the Klamath County Museum. The show runs through Dec. 30 during museum hours, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday.

A variety of train layouts, including N, O, HO and G-scale model sets, will be displayed by the Klamath Rails Model Railroad Club.

A time set aside for families with special needs will be offered from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 17.

Entry to the train show is free with regular paid admission to the museum. Admission fees are $5 for adults, and $4 for seniors, military and teens. Youth 12 and under are free when accompanied by an adult.

The museum will be closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

For more information, contact the museum at (541) 882-1000. (Herald and News)

Chiloquin, Ore. – Guided First Day Hikes led by rangers and volunteers are set for 31 Oregon State Parks on New Year’s Day—Monday, Jan. 1^st, 2024. 

The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) is partnering with America’s State Parks for free guided First Day Hikes in state parks as we start the new year.

Here’s information about the hike hosted at Collier Memorial State Park:

• Join us for a brisk morning 3-mile hike along the Spring Creek and Williamson Rivers. At the halfway point, we will have snacks, hot and cold drinks, and a warming fire. We may see bald eagles and river otters.
• The path is hard packed dirt and gravel with uneven terrain and roots. Little to no elevation gain. Plan for possible snow and ice on the ground. Traction devices for shoes recommended.
• Please register for the hike online so we can plan for the snacks and beverages
• The hike starts at 11 a.m. Meet at the Cookhouse located on the west side of the highway north of the parking lot at the Collier Memorial Logging Museum, 46000 Highway 97 N.
• Friendly dogs are welcome on six-foot leashes.
• Participants should dress in layers, wear sturdy hiking boots, and bring water and snacks, as well as a camera or binoculars for wildlife viewing.
• For more information, call 541-783-2471 prior to Dec. 29.

If you have questions about access or to request any reasonable accommodations needed for your participation, please email Park Ranger Dave Padgett. Requests must be submitted by Dec. 29.

The $5 day-use parking fee is waived that day for all state parks that require a parking permit and are open.

Share photos of First Day Hikes via social media by using the hashtag #ORfirstdayhikes.

First Day Hikes is a national initiative to welcome the coming year in the outdoors, promote exercise and encourage connecting with nature. The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department has participated since 2012.

The Chiloquin Community is hosting the Chi-Town Winter Wonderland, Friday, Dec. 22nd.

The fun event will benefit the Chiloquin community to help ensure that every child has an opportunity to enjoy and the experience the spirit of giving during this holiday season.  Attendees will enjoy hot cocoa and Christmas-themed treats to create a cosy and festive atmosphere. 

Organizers are Tahnie Clark and Alethia Brown-David.

• • If anyone would like to donate, it would be greatly appreciated for our Chi Community. We are also looking for anyone interested in setting up some type of little Xmas game inside the gym. This event will be on Friday, December 22, 2023, from 4 to 7 p.m.
  • For information, please call Valerie at 541-882-8846, ext 3508

Around the state of Oregon

On Tuesday, shortly after midnight, Oregon State Police troopers responded to a pedestrian struck by a vehicle on Highway 97 at NW Maple Avenue near Redmond.  

The preliminary investigation indicated that Deschutes County 9-1-1 received a call of a person sitting in the median of an unlighted portion of Highway 97 near the NE Maple Avenue overpass at approximately 12:19 a.m.   A short time later, Corey Lee Smith, 52, of Warm Springs was in the right northbound lane of Highway 97 when he was struck by a Ford F-150 operated by Brandon Wayne Boland, 48, of Redmond.

Smith was pronounced deceased at the scene.  The driver of the Ford and a passenger were uninjured. The northbound lanes of Highway 97 were closed for approximately three hours.

A Grants Pass, Oregon medical doctor and his general medical practice have paid $115,000 to settle allegations by the United States regarding the physician, on behalf of himself and his practice, submitting medical reimbursement claims to Medicare, TRICARE, and the Veterans Health Administration.

Wendell Heidinger, 60, and Optimal Health of Southern Oregon, LLC (Optimal), paid $115,000 to the United States. The United States contended that, between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2020, Dr. Heidinger and Optimal submitted claims for reimbursement to Medicare, TRICARE, and VHA coded as “evaluation and management” when frequency specific microcurrent treatments were primarily provided. Medicare considers FSM as an investigational treatment for which it does not provide coverage or payment. 

Medicare is a public health insurance program administered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, a federal agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). TRICARE is a civilian health care program administered by the Defense Health Agency (DHA), a joint, integrated combat support agency within the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). VHA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, is the largest integrated health care system in the United States and provides primary care, specialized care, and related medical and social support services to American veterans.

This settlement was the result of a coordinated investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon; HHS Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); and DHA. 

Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum and a bipartisan group of 52 other attorneys general today announced a $700 million agreement with Google in their lawsuit about Google’s anticompetitive conduct with the Google Play Store.

Google will pay $630 million in restitution, minus costs, and fees, to consumers who made purchases on the Google Play Store between August 2016 and September 2023 and were harmed by Google’s anticompetitive practices.  Google will pay the states an additional $70 million for their sovereign claims.

People eligible for restitution do not have to submit a claim – they will receive automatic payments through PayPal or Venmo, or they can elect to receive a check or ACH transfer. More details about that process will be forthcoming.  The agreement also requires Google to make their business practices more procompetitive in a number of important ways. The attorneys general sued Google in 2021 alleging that Google unlawfully monopolized the market Android app distribution and in-app payment processing. 

Specifically, the States claimed that Google signed anticompetitive contracts to prevent other app stores from being preloaded on Android devices, bought off key app developers who might have launched rival app stores, and created technological barriers to deter consumers from directly downloading apps to their devices.  The states announced a settlement in principle on September 5, 2023, and today released the finalized terms of that deal. 

According to informal data gathered by Healing Advocacy Fund, a nonprofit that advocates for legal psilocybin programs in Oregon and Colorado, at least 715 people have accessed services in Oregon since the program officially launched this year.

The Oregon Health Authority, which runs the psilocybin program, does not currently collect data from people participating in the program. That will change in 2025 when the Oregon Psilocybin Services section of the health authority will start to collect some aggregated data from service centers as required by Senate Bill 303, which passed in June.

While Oregonians passed the legal psilocybin framework in 2020, the law allowed the state to spend two years developing the system. Oregon released the first draft rules for the psilocybin program in February of 2022. In late 2022, the state started licensing facilitator training programs, and in January of 2023 began accepting applications for licenses for workers, facilitators, manufacturers, laboratories and service centers, as required by the new law. (Oregon Live

California regulators on Tuesday approved new rules to let water agencies recycle wastewater and put it right back into the pipes that carry drinking water to homes, schools and businesses.

It’s a big step for a state that has struggled for decades to have a reliable source of drinking water for its more than 39 million residents. And it signals a shift in public opinion on a subject that as recently as two decades ago prompted backlash that scuttled similar projects.

Since then, California has been through multiple extreme droughts, including the most recent one that scientists say was the driest three-year period on record and left the state’s reservoirs at dangerously low levels. California has been using recycled wastewater for decades.

The Ontario Reign minor league hockey team has used it to make ice for its rink in Southern California. Soda Springs Ski Resort near Lake Tahoe has used it to make snow. And farmers in the Central Valley, where much of the nation’s vegetables, fruits and nuts are grown, use it to water their crops. (Oregon Live)

Bureau of Land Management interns are available for interviews regarding their experiences with BLM, and to let other students know about the benefits of starting a federal career with a paid student internship.

Bureau of Land Management officials have extended the period to apply for paid student internships! Eligible students can now apply through Monday, January 8, 2024.

After a successful push to hire more than 100 student interns across the country last year, BLM leaders are again in search of 100+ enthusiastic students looking for paid internships in the federal government. Jessica Schooley and Scott Truman were hired during the first “100 Interns” campaign. They are currently kicking off their federal careers as part of the BLM survey team in eastern Oregon.

Applying for internships with the federal government is a little different than applying for other jobs, so BLM leaders recently hosted two workshops to help interested students.  Internships are available in a variety of career fields and functions, including Civil engineering, Public affairs, Information technology, Survey, Administration, Land law examiner and Natural resources. Other positions include  Land surveyor, Wildland fire, Geographic information systems, Human resources, Grant management. Contracting and Budget Environment protection.

Three Die as Plane Crashes Into Power Lines Starting Brush Fire and Power Outage in Independence

Officials released more details Sunday about the deadly plane crash just outside Independence State Airport the day prior and identified the occupants of the plane.

The pilot and two passengers died when the single engine plane traveling from McMinnville to Independence crashed amidst heavy fog late Saturday afternoon according to the Independence Police Department and Polk County Fire District No. 1.

The occupants are identified as Mohammad Hussain Musawi and Mohammad Bashir Safdari, both 35 from Independence, and 29-year-old Ali Jan Ferdawsi of Salem. Musawi was the pilot, while Safdari and Ferdawsi were passengers.

The owner of the plane was not on board when it crashed around 4:55 p.m. near Hoffman Road and James Street just outside of the airport. It brought down power lines, sparked a small brush fire and knocked out power to nearly 400 homes overnight.

“I was upstairs and suddenly we heard a series of booms, loud kind of boom, boom, boom, bang and then all the power fluctuated, a little dim and then everything went out all at once,” said resident Aaron Forbes. “You could almost immediately see the fire as soon as we walked outside because the field caught on fire as soon as the plane crashed.”

High-voltage power lines had to be deenergized by the power company before the fire could be fully extinguished and emergency personnel could reach the site to investigate.

“The electricity was still popping, and you could see it every five or ten minutes. You could hear the transformers, the electrical line just lighting up the sky with blue plasma. It was pretty dangerous,” Forbes added.

Pacific Power reports that power has been restored as of Sunday afternoon.

“Our thoughts are with the families of those involved in the crash.” officials said. Police are investigating alongside the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board.  (SOURCE)

Fatal Crash — Highway 97 — Deschutes County

On Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023, at approximately 7:14 p.m., Oregon State Police troopers responded to a two-vehicle crash on Highway 97 near milepost 128 south of Redmond.

The preliminary investigation indicated that a white Ford Econoline van was northbound on Highway 97 and drove onto the shoulder of the highway for an unknown reason. The driver lost control of the vehicle and drove across both northbound lanes, the center median, and into the southbound “A” lane. The van collided with a silver 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee that was traveling southbound.

The driver of the van, Ghandi Lakshmi Satya Sai Yerramsetti (23) of Redmond, and the passenger of the Jeep, Christy Lee Bigelow (29) of Bend, both sustained fatal injuries and were pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of the Jeep, Nicholas Loren Husted (32) of Bend was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

During the crash investigation, Highway 97 was closed and traffic detoured. A suspected impaired driver struck an Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) vehicle that was diverting traffic at 61^st Street. The suspect, Nicholas Jason Cardone (33) of Bend, was arrested for DUII by the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office. The operator of the ODOT vehicle was evaluated at a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.

An additional non-injury crash occurred in the southbound lane near the crash scene and Lylliane Walczyk (20) was arrested for DUII.

Oregon State Police was assisted by the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Bend Fire Department, and the Oregon Department of Transportation.

On Friday law enforcement officers from Oregon State Police, Grants Pass Police Department, and Josephine County Sheriff’s Office were searching for a suspect in a homicide investigation.

At approximately 12:10 p.m. the suspect was located in a vehicle near Grants Pass and fled from law enforcement officers who pursued the suspect. The pursuit ended at Highway 199 and Allen Creek Road. During the course of the incident, law enforcement officers from all three agencies discharged their duty weapons.

The suspect, identified as Kelly Lynn Mason (48), was pronounced deceased on scene.  At least one law enforcement officer on scene received non-life-threatening injuries during the incident.  All involved officers have been placed on traumatic event leave as is standard protocol in Senate Bill 111 deadly force incidents.

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office is leading the investigation of the incident. This team is comprised of investigators from numerous agencies and is overseen by the Josephine County District Attorney’s Office.

Man Arrested After Recording In Coquille High School Girls Bathroom

Police arrested a man Friday night after they said he was caught recording underage girls in a bathroom at Coquille High School.

According to the Coquille Police Department, officers responded to the school around 9:30 p.m. on December 15 for a report of a fight. They learned a man had been found in the women’s bathroom using a phone to record girls using the bathroom and changing clothes after an athletic tournament involving schools from around the south coast region.

When some of the girls noticed they were being recorded, one told her father who went to the bathroom and “forcibly detained” the man, police said. Other parents then called 911 to report the incident. Officers noticed signs of injury, but he refused to talk about them.

CPD arrested 59-year-old Patrick Laird of Coquille and initially charged him with second-degree encouraging child sex abuse and first-degree invasion of personal privacy. He was taken to the Coos County Jail where he was still in custody as of Sunday morning.

An investigation into the incident is ongoing and additional charges are possible, the department said. They are working with the Coquille School District on the investigation. Anyone with any information about the incident, please phone 541-396-2114.

Officer Involved Shooting – Josephine County

JOSEPHINE COUNTY, Ore. 15 Dec. 2023 – On Friday, Dec. 15, 2023, law enforcement officers from Oregon State Police, Grants Pass Police Department, and Josephine County Sheriff’s Office were searching for a suspect in a homicide investigation.

At approximately 12:10 p.m. the suspect was located in a vehicle near Grants Pass and fled from law enforcement officers who pursued the suspect. The pursuit ended at Highway 199 and Allen Creek Road.

During the course of the incident, law enforcement officers from all three agencies discharged their duty weapons. The suspect, identified as Kelly Lynn Mason (48), was pronounced deceased on scene.

At least one law enforcement officer on scene received non-life-threatening injuries during the incident.

All involved officers have been placed on traumatic event leave as is standard protocol in Senate Bill 111 deadly force incidents.

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office is leading the investigation of the incident. This team is comprised of investigators from numerous agencies and is overseen by the Josephine County District Attorney’s Office.

Per the standard protocols, all future media releases related to this incident will come from the Josephine County District Attorney’s Office.

Federal Judge Rejected Request From Oregon Republican State Senators Who Boycotted The Legislature To Be Allowed On The Ballot After Their Terms End

U.S. District Court Judge Ann Aiken issued the decision Wednesday rejecting a request from Oregon Republican state senators who boycotted the Legislature to be allowed on the ballot after their terms end.

State Sens. Dennis Linthicum, Brian Boquist and Cedric Hayden were among the plaintiffs who filed the federal lawsuit to challenge their disqualification from running for reelection under Measure 113. The voter-approved constitutional amendment, which passed by a wide margin last year, bars legislators from seeking reelection after 10 or more unexcused absences.

Each of the three senators racked up more than 10 absences during a record six-week walkout that paralyzed the 2023 legislative session. The boycott stemmed from bills on abortion, transgender health care and guns.

The lawmakers sought, among other things, a preliminary injunction to prevent the secretary of state’s office from enforcing their disqualification from the ballot. The office in September disqualified Linthicum and Boquist from the 2024 ballot, court filings show. Hayden’s term ends in January 2027.

The senators argued that walkouts are a form of political protest protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

“The Senators were punished solely for exercising their First Amendment rights,” their attorneys said in court filings.

Aiken disagreed with their claims in her opinion.

“However, these walkouts were not simply protests — they were an exercise of the Senator Plaintiffs’ official power and were meant to deprive the legislature of the power to conduct business,” she wrote.

“Their subsequent disqualification is the effect of Measure 113 working as intended by the voters of Oregon,” she added.

The Oregon Senate and House of Representatives must have two-thirds of their members present in order to have a quorum and conduct business. In recent years, Republicans have protested against Democratic policies by walking out of the Legislature and denying a quorum in a bid to stall bills.

The federal suit named Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade and Democratic Senate President Rob Wagner as defendants. The senators claimed, among other things, that Wagner violated their First Amendment right to freedom of expression and their Fourteenth Amendment right to due process by marking their absences as unexcused.

Attorneys from Oregon’s justice department representing Griffin-Valade and Wagner argued the First Amendment does not protect legislators’ refusal to attend legislative floor sessions.

“Under Oregon law, a senator’s absence has an important legal effect: without the attendance of the two-thirds of senators needed to achieve a quorum, the Senate cannot legislate,” they wrote in court filings.

The federal court decision was issued one day before the Oregon Supreme Court heard a separate challenge to the measure. In oral arguments before the state’s high court in Salem Thursday, a lawyer for a different group of Republican state senators argued that confusion over the wording of the constitutional amendment means that legislators whose terms end in January can run in 2024.

Griffin-Valade, the secretary of state, is also a defendant in that lawsuit. Earlier this year, she said the boycotting senators were disqualified from seeking reelection in 2024. She directed her office’s elections division to implement an administrative rule to clarify the stance. She said the rule reflected the intent of voters when they approved the measure last year.

All parties in the suit are seeking clarity on the issue before the March 2024 filing deadline for candidates who want to run in next year’s election.

The Homeowner Assistance and Reconstruction Program (HARP) will be the first assistance available directly to 2020 Labor Day disaster survivors administered by Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS).

The program is part of ReOregon, which is funded by a $422 million Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). HARP assistance will help low- and moderate-income homeowners who still need to repair, rebuild, or replace their homes. Those who have already completed repairs or rebuilding may be reimbursed in a future phase of HARP, if funds are still available.

In Jackson County ACCESS, NOWIA Unete Center for Farmworker Advocacy, and Firebrand Resilience Collective (Remake Talent), and Unite Oregon in Jackson County and the Lincoln County Long Term Recovery Group will be assisting with the outreach work. While OHCS and its partners continue to prepare to launch an application portal, survivors can help make the process as smooth as possible by ensuring they have the right documentation before they apply.

HARP applicants will need the following information: Proof they owned the damaged or destroyed home, and it was their primary residence; Records of damage from the 2020 Labor Day Disasters; Proof of current income; Record of any insurance or other recovery funds you received and  Personal identification (ID) for all household members over the age of 18.

OHCS recognizes how challenging this disaster has been and wants to work with survivors to ensure they have the resources they need to apply to the appropriate ReOregon program. The federal rules governing CDBG-DR are extensive and include significant documentation requirements for any beneficiary households.

Governor Kotek Says She’s Monitoring PeaceHealth Closure

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek said she’s closely watching the closure of Eugene’s only hospital, PeaceHealth University District and the community impact of it. Hospital leaders have said the Eugene location lost about $2 million a month and was underutilized. University District’s emergency department closed Dec. 1 and its inpatient rehabilitation wing closed Friday.

Kotek is one of several political leaders who’ve spoken out against the decision to shutter the facility. She said she’s also addressing similar concerns in Baker County, which recently lost its maternity ward.

“This is part of a larger national trend,” Kotek said. “The Oregon Health Authority is going to be keeping an eye on making sure that Eugene Springfield has the hospital services that they need. And no one is off the hook here. Yes there are workforce issues, yes there are financing issues and you are a hospital that is providing a public good, and you need to make sure you are providing a certain level of care.”

Kotek said her administration has already approved expedited licenses to maintain behavioral health services downtown. She said her team is also in conversation with hospital leaders to ensure the region has access to care.

The governor spoke during a visit to Eugene Thursday, which was the final stop on her statewide listening tour.

Oregon State Police Traffic Stop Near Albany Results in Major Drug Seizure

A traffic stop in Linn County last week led to a major drug seizure including methamphetamine, heroin, a loaded firearm, and cocaine.

On Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023, an Oregon State Police trooper initiated a traffic stop on Interstate 5 just south of Highway 34 near Albany after observing a traffic violation. The trooper contacted the single occupant of the vehicle and obtained legal authority to search the vehicle. As a result of the search, the following items were seized:

• 42 pounds of methamphetamine
• Seven pounds of heroin
• A loaded pistol
• A small amount of cocaine

Allan Alexis Medina of Puyallup, WA, was arrested for several crimes related to the seizure. The investigation is ongoing and no additional information is available for release at this time.

A new law in Oregon will let drivers pass a slow-moving cyclist in a no-passing zone.

Starting Jan. 1, vehicles traveling at less than half the speed limit will be considered road obstructions. Therefore, drivers in no passing zones will be allowed to cross into the left lane of the roadway to get around them.

Eugene resident Richard Hughes, a self-described bicycle advocate, requested the law. It was formally introduced by Sen. Floyd Prozanski of Eugene and Rep. Tom Andersen of Salem. It was approved during the 2023 legislative session with no votes in opposition in either chamber.

Hughes said it’s unnerving for cyclists when drivers trail them for miles on rural roads.

When travelling at over 35 mph, Oregon drivers must also maintain enough distance while passing to avoid a falling cyclist.  (Oregon news)

Some Oregonians who applied for benefits through the state’s new paid family- and medical-leave program are reporting frustrating delays receiving their checks, technical issues during the application process and long wait times to speak to customer service representatives.

The program has been inundated with fraud attempts, contributing to the problems.

A state dashboard shows that program officials have processed more than 28,000 applications, about 80% of what they’ve received, and paid out nearly $104 million so far. There are about 7,000 applications still waiting to be processed, although a portion of those claims are new or could be fraudulent.

A significant number of Oregonians facing benefit delays say they have run into issues with the state’s identity verification process, a step officials put in place to combat the large number of fraudulent application attempts.  (Oregon news)

Today, the USDA Forest Service published a Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement on the proposal to amend the 17 land management plans of the Northwest Forest Plan that provide direction for the management of those national forests and grasslands.

The process will be informed by robust engagement with stakeholders across all affected geographies to address urgent land management concerns including wildfire resilience, climate change adaptation, and greater tribal inclusion in the plan.

While the plan has guided important progress over the past three decades, changed ecological and social conditions are challenging the effectiveness of this plan. This action launches the public process of amending the Northwest Forest Plan with a 45-day public comment period.

The Notice of Intent identifies changed conditions driving the need to amend the plan. The process will focus on five key areas: wildfire resilience, climate change adaptation, tribal inclusion, sustainable communities, and conservation of old growth ecosystems and related biodiversity. Amending or otherwise strengthening the effectiveness of the Northwest Forest Plan can incorporate the latest science and help forests adapt to social, economic, cultural and ecological changes.

The Forest Service intends to preserve the elements of the plan that are working well.

People seeking Measure 110 services and supports can now access a newly invigorated helpline to connect individuals more efficiently with treatment, housing, and overdose prevention providers within the statewide behavioral health resource networks (BHRNs).

Oregon Health Authority (OHA) announced that Health Resources in Action (HRiA), a non-profit organization based in Boston, was selected as the new contractor for the helpline, replacing Lines for Life.

The firm has extensive experience working with federal and state government agencies such as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the federal Department of Health and Human Services. HRiA operates helplines in three other states: Massachusetts, Illinois, and Vermont.

The 18-month contract totals more than $2.8 million. The firm is planning to undertake extensive statewide outreach and add new functionalities to the hotline such as texting.

This helpline will continue to be a statewide public resource for substance use screening and service referrals as well as a resource for those seeking to waive Class E citations.

Under its proposal, HRiA will operate the phone and text helpline, develop a comprehensive website to support the helpline, offer follow-up calls to support service access, and promote the hotline.

The new helpline number is 1-833-975-0505 (OHA)

In the Rogue Valley, Rogue X – a new event center complete with water slides, a swimming pool, basketball courts and more — will open its doors to the public on Jan. 6^th, 2024.

Medford city officials toured the facility on Tuesday as crews made their finishing touches.

On one side of the facility, guests will find the event center. Here, there are courts for multiple sports, bleachers and plenty of room for other large events.

On the other side of the facility, guests will find the aquatic center. The pool happens to be the largest competition pool in the region. Complete with two slides, the aquatic center was designed for people of all ages.

The 140,000 square-foot facility cost the city $76 million and has been in the works since 2018. The city told NewsWatch 12 there are already 41 events scheduled to take place at Rogue X in 2024.

Not only is Rogue X expected to be a popular recreation destination for local families, but the city is hoping to see the facility boost the local economy.

Medford already has the west coast’s largest outdoor sports complex just off of Highway 99 between Medford and Phoenix.  Over a dozen baseball, softball, and soccer fields and a full fledge football stadium, all with artificial turf,  The US Cellular Sports Park has tournaments 50 out of 52 weeks a year in various sports.  Several new motels have been built near the area since that opening.

Rogue X will open on January 6. Rosenthal said it’s a public facility but recommended guests purchase passes online.  (kdrv 12)

Get $5 off annual Oregon State Park parking permit in December

Give the gift of the outdoors and save this season with the Oregon State Parks 12-month parking permit sale during the month of December.

The permit hangtag once again features whimsical designs from Portland artist El Tran. Holiday shoppers can buy the annual parking permits for only $25, which is a $5 savings starting Dec. 1 and running through Dec. 31. The permit is good for 12 months starting in the month of purchase.

Purchasing permits is easy. Buy them online at the Oregon State Parks store (use the drop down menu to pick your favorite design). Parking permits are also sold at some state park friends’ group stores and select local businesses throughout the state. For a complete list of vendors, visit stateparks.oregon.gov.

Parking costs $5 a day at 25 Oregon state parks unless you have a 12- or 24-month parking permit or a same-day camping receipt. The 24-month pass is $50 and is also available at store.oregonstateparks.org. The permits are transferable from vehicle to vehicle.

People in Oregon can now manage state benefits with the Oregon ONE Mobile app

People can now securely manage their medical, food, cash and child care benefits through the State of Oregon from the convenience of their mobile devices using the new Oregon ONE Mobile app. People first will need to apply for benefits online, in person at a local office or over the phone.

The app is available for free in the Apple and Android app stores. It is an official State of Oregon app created by the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS). The app’s development was partially funded by the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

“At ODHS we are committed to meeting people in Oregon where they are with as many ways as possible to manage their benefits, check application status and share needed documentation, like when they get a request for information during a renewal,” said Nathan Singer (he/him), director of the ODHS Oregon Eligibility Partnership. “People can now manage their benefits in-person, by mail, by fax, by telephone, online and on their mobile phone using the Oregon ONE Mobile app, which is available in English and Spanish.”

Interview with OEP Director Singer available on YouTube

Oregon ONE Mobile app video on YouTube

New Oregon ONE Mobile app video link

• Create a ONE Online account.
• Access their existing ONE Online account.
• Report changes to household information including address, contact information and income.
• Upload requested documents using a smartphone camera.
• Get updates on application status and check if it is approved, denied, or pending, and what actions might need to be taken.
• See and download notices that were mailed.
• Find the next renewal date for their benefits.
• Get important, time-sensitive alerts and notifications about benefits on mobile devices.
• View benefit issuance history for food and cash payments.

People who serve as Authorized Representatives for people with benefits are also able to use the app.

How to manage your medical, food, cash and child care benefits: 

• By phone at: 1-800-699-9075. All relay calls accepted.
• Online at: benefits.oregon.gov
• Through the free Oregon ONE Mobile app available on Apple and Android app stores
• In person at an office near you: Find an office.
• In your language: Help in Your Language
• By mail at: ONE Customer Service Center, PO Box 14015, Salem, OR 97309
• By fax at: 503-378-5628

Resources to help meet basic needs

• Find food resources in your community: needfood.oregon.gov.
• Learn about government programs and community resources for older adults and people with disabilities: Aging and Disability Resource Connection of Oregon at 1-855-673-2372 or www.adrcoforegon.org.
• Dial 2-1-1, or text your zip code to 898-211, www.211info.org
• Find local resources and support by contacting your local Community Action Agency: www.caporegon.org/find-services/
• Oregon Department of Human Services help center 

A national auto travel organization says U.S. travelers are gearing up for the second busiest year for holiday travel.

The American Automobile Association (AAA) says today it expects 115,000,000 Americans, including 1.6-million Oregonians, to travel from home for the holidays.

AAA of Oregon’s  projection of 115.2-million traveling Americans amounts to 33.8% of the population, whom it says will travel 50 miles or more for Christmas and New Year holidays.

AAA says this figure is a 2.2% increase from last year and the second-highest holiday travel volume since 2000 when AAA began tracking holiday travel, only behind 2019, the nation’s last pre-pandemic holiday season.

AAA says while aout 90% of travelers, or 104,000,000 will drive to holiday destinations, “Air travel sets a new record this holiday season, with 7.5 million Americans including 156,000 Oregonians taking to the skies.”

AAA expects peak traffic days to be December 23rd and 28th and, “Some metro areas could see travel times that are up to twice as long as normal.”  It forecasts that traffic also will be heavier than usual Saturday, December 30th, when many people will be heading back home from their holiday destinations or traveling for New Year’s Eve. Another day with higher than normal volumes will be Tuesday, January 2nd, as people drive home from their New Year’s destinations.

AAA also expects 930,000 calls for service, including 15,000 Oregonians, at the roadside during the holidays for dead batteries, lockouts, flat tires and extrications. (AAA Oregon)

Bend, Ore. – The Oregon Youth ChalleNGe Program (OYCP) graduated graduated over 150 cadets from their 22-week program at the Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center in Redmond, Oregon on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023. The school is located in Bend, Oregon.

Brig. Gen. Alan Gronewold, Adjutant General, Oregon, attended the graduation and was the guest speaker, as this OYCP graduation ceremony for Class 66 was his first as the Adjutant General for the Oregon National Guard since assuming command last month.

The Oregon Youth ChalleNGe Program gives at-risk students a second chance to catch up on credits to complete High School. In addition, the program allows attendees to re-enter high school, graduate on time with their peers, or graduate from OYCP with a state-accredited high school diploma.

The stated mission of the Oregon Youth ChalleNGe Program is: To provide opportunities for personal growth, self-improvement, and academic achievement among Oregon high school dropouts, teens no longer attending, and those failing in school through a highly structured non-traditional environment, integrating training, mentoring, and diverse educational activities.

In 1999, the Oregon National Guard established the OYCP in Bend, Oregon, as an intervention program to reclaim the lives of Oregon teens who had dropped out of high school or were not on track to graduate. “At-risk” refers to the risk of not graduating high school. To help at-risk students, the Department of Defense invested in the OYCP style challenge model for youth development and community outreach.

Attendees for the Oregon Youth ChalleNGe Program must be 16 to 18 years old, a legal U.S. and Oregon resident, and academically deficient (behind in high school credits) or in danger of not graduating high school. OYCP can be contacted through their website, https://www.oycp.com, or by calling 541-317-9623.

Last-minute camping is about to get a little easier in Oregon.

Starting Jan. 1, 2024, same-day online reservations will available at dozens of state park campgrounds, allowing spontaneous campers the option to book sites less than 24 hours in advance.

The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department announced the change Tuesday, nearly five months after rolling out same-day reservations at state parks on the coast. That pilot program went smoothly, park managers said in a news release, giving the parks department the confidence to expand it to campgrounds across the state, including at popular places such as Silver Falls, L.L. Stub Stewart and The Cove Palisades.

(Oregon news)

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