Contributions from Paul Hanson at Wynne Broadcasting’s KFLS 1450AM / 102.5FM and The Herald & News
Wednesday, May 15, 2019
KLAMATH BASIN WEATHER
Today
Rain before 11am, then showers after 11am. High near 55. Chance of precipitation is 80%. Overnight, a 30 percent chance of showers.
Thursday
A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 53. South southeast wind 10 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Friday
A 30 percent chance of showers before 11am. Partly sunny, with a high near 54. West wind 7 to 11 mph.
Saturday
Rain likely, mainly after 11am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 53. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Sunday
Showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 53.
Monday
A chance of rain and snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 53.
TODAY’s HEADLINES IN THE KLAMATH BASIN
Woman uses stun gun on man
A Klamath Falls woman is accused of using a stun gun on a male victim following an argument.
The victim told police he and Keyrah Lynn Rosas, 19, were involved in a disturbance at Rosas’ house Monday. Rosas then came to the victim’s relative’s home where he was staying, reached through the front door and Tased him on the abdomen, he told police.
The victim said the tasing hurt and caused him injury.
The arresting officer seized the Taser from Rosas, he wrote in his probable cause statement. Rosas admitted to the officer that she held the taser to the victim “but said she didn’t think it activated,” he wrote.
Rosas was charged with first-degree burglary and unlawful use of a weapon, Class A and C Felonies, respectively. She was also charged with second-degree use of a stun gun and fourth-degree assault, Class A Misdemeanors.
Community wide ‘Give Back Day’ Thursday
The sixth annual Give Back Day, hosted through the Klamath Falls City Schools district, Blue Zones Project-Klamath Falls, and JustServe.org will be Thursday, May 16th, 2019.
This is spring cleaning effort is a community-wide effort with Blue Zones Project, local schools, many local organizations and volunteers.
The Klamath Falls City Schools started Give Back Day in 2014 as a way to show the community how much students care. In total, students and staff have contributed 18,000 hours of community service, and 15,000 students have learned the value of giving back to their community. Klamath Falls County Schools gave back to the community earlier in the fall.
Students from across the City Schools district will do service projects such as window washing along Main Street and Klamath Avenue, bike path mile markers cleanup, staining downtown benches, planting flowers downtown, landscaping at Kiger Stadium, at local churches and at the Cerulean Hotel, cleaning up Veterans Memorial Park, Moore Park Marina, Lake Ewauna Nature Trail, Link River Trail, Moore Park and local public areas.
Oregon vaccine bill dead as U.S. measles count soars
SALEM— Critics blasted a decision by Oregon lawmakers that killed a bill aimed at getting more children vaccinated for measles and other preventable diseases in order pass a tax on large businesses, saying it jeopardized public health.
Despite passing the House and having the necessary votes in the Senate, the measure to make it harder for families to opt out of required vaccinations was nixed as part of a deal announced Monday to end a week-long Republican walkout over a multibillion school funding tax.
Under the vaccination measure children would only have been be able to forgo vaccine requirements with a doctor’s note, otherwise they’d be unable to attend public school.
Sen. Elizabeth Steiner Hayward, a Democrat from Beaverton, Oregon, and the bill’s sponsor, said the move prevents the state from protecting its citizens from a public health crisis.
“This isn’t how I want our state to be known,” she said. “This is a major public health issue and it’s critical we address it.”
Pipeline company responds to state questions
Jordan Cove LNG last week provided more than 1,600 pages of response to questions and comments from the Oregon Department of State Lands (DSL) and the public, according to a press release from the company.
The response comes at the request of DSL for more information as it considers a removal-fill permit for the Jordan Cove LNG project in Coos Bay.
The proposed 239-mile pipeline is to run from Malin to Coos Bay, where it would feed natural gas to a plant that would convert it to liquid natural gas for shipment in tankers overseas.
The Jordan Cove responses are part of the final technical review step, which includes time for the applicant to address relevant comments and unresolved technical issues, the release said.
These may be addressed by the applicant in written response, through project revisions, providing additional information, or other action as appropriate. All comments were provided to the applicant for response.
“The next step is making sure substantive issues raised by the public are adequately addressed so we can make an informed decision based on the public record in its entirety,” said Bob Lobdell, DSL Aquatic Resources Coordinator.
Public employees may be pinched by PERS
SALEM — Thousands of Oregon public workers could see smaller retirement pots if lawmakers pass a slate of changes to the state’s retirement plan.
About 176,000 people now working for state and local government, ranging from teachers to firefighters to wildlife biologists, are part of the Oregon Public Employees Retirement System, known as PERS.
Under a new proposal from Republicans and Democrats in the Legislature, employees who make $30,000 a year or more could expect to see the benefits they were going to get reduced, depending on when they were hired and how long before they plan to retire.
The change would continue until the state catches up and nearly fully funds the retirement system.
10 days left to apply for woodstove change out grants
Klamath County Public Health (KCPH) has opened opportunities to fund the replacement of inefficient woodstoves in Klamath County.
“We want homeowners – including rental property owners – to know that this opportunity will close a week from Friday on May 24,” said Jennifer Little, director of KCPH. “At this point we’ve seen two applications from Chiloquin and four from Klamath Falls.”
In Klamath Falls KCPH is seeking proposals from homeowners to change-out woodstoves for non-wood burning heat sources. Meanwhile in Chiloquin, KCPH is seeking proposals from homeowners to change out woodstoves for certified low emission woodstove heat sources.
Grant application materials are available at http://www.klamathcounty.org/998/Woodstove-grant-program. Applications must be received at KCPH by 4 p.m. Friday, May 24. They may be emailed to KCPH@klamathcounty.org or faxed to 541-885-3638.
Applications may also be delivered by mail or in person to 3314 Vandenberg Road, Klamath Falls OR 97603.
In Klamath Falls, these grant funds must be used for the purchase of a non-wood burning heat source, permits, contractor for installation, and removal and decommissioning of existing wood burning device only.
In Chiloquin, these grant funds must be used for the purchase of a low emission woodstove or non-wood burning heat source, permits, contractor for installation, and removal and decommissioning of existing wood burning device only.
Quotes for all services must be included with application.
The award amount is not-to-exceed $5,000 per dwelling. One award per homeowner is authorized. Homeowners are eligible to apply for owner-occupied or rental dwellings with existing woodstoves.
Grantees must submit receipts at the end of the grant period to demonstrate that funding was used for purchase and installation of an appropriate device, depending upon the city of the residence, and removal of a woodstove.
Receipts are due Thursday, August 1, 2019. Preference will be given to applications for dwellings located within a designated area in each city. These areas are described in the grant materials. However, those preference areas did not return enough valid applications in a previous funding opportunity to dispense all of the funding available. All interested residents of Klamath Falls and Chiloquin are urged to apply.
For more information, call 541-882-8846.
Klamath Falls City Council Public Hearing
The Klamath Falls City Council will conduct a public hearing on Monday June 3, 2019, at 7:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers of the City Administration Building, 500 Klamath Avenue, Klamath Falls, Oregon, to consider the following item(s):
Annexation 3-A-19 for Mike Cornett, requesting to annex a 1.95-acre parcel into City limits so urban services, namely a connection the City’s wastewater utility, can be furnished to the property. The property is located at 5602 Homedale Road; Tax Assessor Map R-3909-014DB-08800 and if approved through assignment of equivalent zoning, Suburban Residential (County) to Single Family Residential (City).
. All interested citizens will have the opportunity to give written and oral comments. Disabled persons desiring information may call the City’s TDD line at 883-5324. For more information, contact the City Planning Division at 541-883-4950.
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