The latest News around the Klamath Basin from Wynne Broadcasting’s KFLS 1450AM/102.5FM, BasinLife.com and The Herald & News.
Monday, September 23, 2019
Klamath Basin Weather
Monday
Sunny, with a high near 68. Clear overnight, low of 44.
Tuesday
Sunny, with a high near 77.
Wednesday
Sunny, with a high near 76.
Thursday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 69.
Today’s Headlines…
Klamath Community College greatly appreciated the generous donation from Daughters of the American Revolution Eulalona Chapter to provide scholarships that will pay for tests that students must complete to earn a general education diploma (GED).
Shown in the picture above are from left, are Charles Massie, executive director of external programs at KCC; Daughters of the American Revolution members Scharri Brennan and Clidia Gibson; and Erin Szymoniak, director of the Klamath Center for Education and Training at KCC.
ROAD MAINTENANCE FOR THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 23, 2019
Klamath County will have work crews at the following locations. Please use caution when in these areas and watch for flaggers. If you are able to avoid the work zones, please use an alternate route for your safety and the safety of Klamath County employees.
Sidewalk Ramp Replacements – Homedale Road September 23rd to September 27th Shasta Way – South 6th Street
Crack Seal Crew (weather dependent) September 23rd to September 27 th Drews Road Misc County Roads Utility Work (Century Link) Sprague River Road Fall 2019
Utility Work from Chiloquin to Hwy 140 along shoulder of road In general, flagging stations will be set up at the end of the work zone and delays will be 0 to 20 minutes for the motoring public.
Other work is occurring through the County but we are only listing the major items in this announcement. There may be adjustments of work schedules due to weather or other items outside of the County’s control (breakdown of equipment, material/resource availability, etc.) Please do not contact the County if you do not see work occurring, it could be finished already or will be rescheduled.
Klamath County Public Works and the Board of County Commissioners appreciate the motoring publics’ patience during the repair season for our local roads and bridges. If you have any questions regarding work, please contact the Public Works Department at (541) 883-4696.
Geothermal Mainline Replacement Project To Be Completed by November
Work continues on the City of Klamath Falls’ Geothermal Mainline Replacment Project from the alley between Klamath Avenue and Walnut Avenue and now will start work in 7th Street and terminate in 4th Street. Bob’s Excavating is replacing approximately 2500 linear feet of failing piping with new insulated 8’ ductile iron pipe. The project is on schedule to be completed around November 1st.
Oregon Institute of Technology faculty and staff members were honored last week for their exceptional contributions to the university at the annual convocation of faculty and staff before the start of the 2019-20 academic year.
In addition to welcoming new faculty and staff, awards were presented to personnel for outstanding service to students and to the university and each awardee received a check for either $500 or $1,000 from the Oregon Tech Foundation; some even received a dedicated parking spot on campus.
Awards presented this year include:
Student Affairs Most Valuable Partner Award: Alan Wallace, Information Technology Services
Foundation Faculty Achievement Awards: Dr. Dawn Bailey, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Dr. Sean St.Clair, Civil Engineering
Oregon Tech Rising Faculty Scholar Award: Dr. Eklas Hossain, Electrical Engineering and Renewable Energy, with honorable mention given to Dr. Mostafa Saber, Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering and Technology
Classified Staff Award: Ronda Keating, office manager, Medical Imaging Technology, General Instruction
President’s Staff Award: Owl’s Worth Financial Literacy Committee (Jake Coatney of Financial Aid, Michal Kawka of the Student Success Center, Josie Hudspeth of Campus Life and Sarah Matchett of Residence Life)
Each awardee was selected through nomination letters which outlined their commitment to the university and their dedication to making a difference in the lives of students, which adds significantly to the vitality of Oregon Tech.
In the Rogue Valley a man is in jail on multiple charges related to an attack on his family members in their home Friday night.
Jackson County Sheriff’s Office detectives say 57 year old David Edward Hodges shot and killed his father-in-law and seriously injured his wife and his step-daughter. Late Friday night dispatch received a 911 call reporting a shooting at a residence in the 7000 block of Rogue River Highway. The caller 40 year old Kristie Hodges reported an assault with a firearm. Gunshots could be heard in the background of the call before it disconnected.
Deputies responded to the location entered and found the body of 64 year old Richard Carlton Rudolph with apparent gunshot and stab wounds. Deputies learned the suspect had fled the home and may be armed with a shotgun. Deputies also found Kristie Hodges in the home. She had sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was transported by ambulance to Asante Three Rivers Medical Center. Kristie Hodges’ 16-year-old daughter sustained extensive blunt and sharp force injuries. She was flown to Oregon Health & Science University. She is reportedly in serious but stable condition.
At approximately 2:00 a.m., a Jackson County Sheriffs Office K9 team found Hodges hiding under a tree across the highway. Hodges was treated at Providence Medford Medical Center before being lodged in the Jackson County jail. Initial charges at lodging include murder, attempted murder, first degree assault, and unlawful use of a weapon.
Late September marks the beginning of the migration period for deer and elk, which must cross major highways as they head towards wintering grounds.
Between 2007 and 2017 ODOT documented 12,540 animal-vehicle collisions including deer and elk. The actual number of collisions is higher as many are not reported if there is minimal damage or no human injuries. Highway 97 south of Bend is a hot spot for wildlife vehicle collisions as it runs through a historical deer migration route. Various groups are working to build wildlife crossings that allow wildlife to safety cross over or under this busy highway. Currently there are two undercrossings near Sunriver that have reduced wildlife vehicle collisions by 90 percent since 2012. To the south, a third undercrossing is under construction north of Gilchrist in Klamath County and more are planned.
Starting Wednesday C-2 Utilities will be pulling fiber optic cable through an existing line to a pedestal on Washburn Way for CenturyLink. The eastern lane going north on Washburn Way will be closed along with sidewalks and there will be signs and a flagger. You can expect delays from 8am until 4pm through Friday.
Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles officials have launched a yearlong campaign aimed at getting Oregonians to think twice next year about getting a new driver’s license that meets the standards of the federal Real ID law.
The Real ID licenses will be available in Oregon next July, and there could be a lot of demand for them because federal airport screeners will no longer accept non-Real ID licenses from airline passengers starting in October of 2020. DMV spokesman David House said that could create a crush of people seeking the new license when it becomes available.
As a result, House said, the agency is launching an effort to explain to Oregonians that, in many cases, they don’t have to worry about getting a Real ID. That’s because airport screeners also accept passports and some other forms of federal ID, such as Global Entry cards issued by the Department of Homeland Security.
Besides at the airports, most Oregonians can continue to use their existing licenses for everyday activities – whether stopped for speeding by a police officer or confirming one’s identity while cashing a check. Starting next July, Oregon will offer people two driver license options, the Real ID version and a standard license that doesn’t require applicants to prove they are legally in the country.
Reforestation including how to plant a seedling was just one of eight hands-on lessons about the forest that Klamath County sixth-graders participated in last week during the 56th annual Klamath County Forestry Tour.
Other lessons included fire control, fire safety, outdoor safety and recreation, forest products, tree identification, soils, and wildlife management. Over the two days, sixth-graders from the Klamath County School District, Klamath Falls City Schools, and other area schools attended the sessions at the Bureau of Land Management’s Spencer Creek Camp about 11 miles northwest of Keno.
Though coordinated by the Oregon State University-Klamath Basin Research and Extension Center, the event relies on expert volunteers from the Winema Hoo Hoo Club, Green Diamond Resource Co., the U.S. Forest Service, the Oregon and U.S. Departments of Fish and Wildlife, USDA National Resources Conservation Service, Klamath Watershed Partnership, and the Oregon Department of Forestry.
…For complete details on these and other stories see today’s Herald & News. Wynne Broadcasting and the Herald and News…stronger together to keep you informed.