Klamath Basin News, Thursday, Oct. 24 – County Commissioners To Help Commission USS Oregon Navy Submarine

The latest Klamath Falls News around the Klamath Basin from Wynne Broadcasting’s KFLS News/Talk 1450AM/102.5FM, BasinLife.com and The Herald & News.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Klamath Basin Weather

Today
Sunny, with a high near 67. Clear overnight, with a low around 37.

Friday
Sunny, with a high near 71.

Saturday
Sunny, with a high near 60.   Clear, with a low around 28.

Sunday
Sunny, with a high near 54.

Monday
Sunny, with a high near 58.

Today’s Headlines…

The Klamath County Commissioners committed $1,000 for the commissioning of the USS Oregon, a naval submarine that will be the second ship to bear the state’s name.

The USS Oregon Commissioning’s fundraising committee asked all 36 Oregon counties to commit $1,000 for the traditional ceremonies that correspond with the commissioning of ships. Commissioning Committee co-chair Jim Lasher said the Navy pays for the commissioning ceremony of the vessel itself, but it’s up to the committee to fund receptions for the crew and their families, sponsor dinners and a reception after the commissioning.

The date of the Oregon commissioning is not yet set but is slated for the last three months of 2020. Lasher said they expect the Navy to set a date around April or May. The vessel was christened on Oct. 5 in Connecticut, where it was built, and a bottle of Oregon sparkling wine from Stoller Family Estates in Dayton, Ore., south west of Portland, was broken over its hull, which sat in an ice bucket of water from Crater Lake. Lasher said a three-gallon bucket of water from Crater Lake was shipped to Connecticut for the ceremony and that the first water to touch the sub will be from Crater Lake.

Brought forward by Commissioner DeGroot, the $1,000 the county committed was pulled from the Veteran Services’ budget.

Construction of the submarine began in the fall of 2014, and is equipped with torpedoes and missiles, designed to carry out a wide range of missions, including surveillance work and the delivery of Special Operations forces.

State Sen. Dennis Linthicum, R-Beatty, filed for re-election Tuesday with the Oregon Secretary of State’s office.

Linthicum said families working in this district should get equal access to the resources that their tax dollars fund. “For instance, an education system that prepares young people to achieve their dreams, a transportation system that provides an efficient network of affordable roads, and they certainly don’t need any new taxes, regulations or other employment burdens,” he said. As the Republican Whip, Linthicum said he was proud of his role in leading the effort to “walk out” and deny the Democrat super-majority the ability to pass several destructive bills.

In announcing his re-election plans, Linthicum highlighted some of his Legislative accomplishments, including being co-sponsor of HB 4005 (prescription drug price transparency), which was aimed at helping the public understand prescription drug pricing issues. Linthicum carried the bill to continue the rural tax credit for medical center employees as well as the military spouse employment/licensing access bill and pushed for the adequate funding of Oregon State University Extension and Future Farmers of America programs within the education budget.

If your out and about driving Saturday remember from 9:45 AM to 1:30 PM the Klamath Falls Downtown Association will conduct their annual Scarecrow Row event.

During this event Main Street will be closed between 4th Street and 11th Street and traffic routed to alternate routes.

The fun event for kids and their families includes trick or treating at downtown businesses, star wars characters, face painting, pumpkin carving and games.

The M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust has published its Summer 2019 Grants Report, announcing 60 new grants to nonprofits serving the Pacific Northwest totaling just shy of $16 million including 7.1 million dollars in Oregon.

Locally grant money will go to the new Campus for Rural Health and will expand efforts by Sky Lakes Medical Center to create an innovative inter-professional educational learning environment for OHSU students as they rotate to rural areas of Oregon, with Klamath Falls as the hub.

The history of salmon runs in the Upper Klamath Basin will be examined in a program tonight sponsored by the Klamath County Historical Society.

The free program will be presented at 7 p.m. in the back meeting room of the Klamath County Museum. John Hamilton, a retired fish biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, will be the presenter. The presentation will focus primarily on chinook salmon runs that existed in the Upper Klamath River before dams blocked their passage. Hamilton will review information about salmon runs that has come to light over the past 15 years, and what that information reveals about where historical salmon runs occurred.

Around the region last week an OSP Trooper responded to a complaint of suspicious hunter activity within the city limits of Ashland. 

A local resident reported observing a male loading a deer into a pickup while parked on a city street.  The reporting party approached the male to inquire about the deer but the male then drove off.  A license plate and make of pickup was obtained. Faced with the evidence and resident observations, the male hunter admitted to shooting the buck deer as it laid in its bed under a large bush against a house.  The male stated he shot from inside his vehicle while knowingly parked on a city street in Ashland.  

The male had dumped the buck deer and rifle on the Tiller/Trail Highway after the incident, which the Trooper recovered. The suspect was charged with Hunting Prohibited: Within City Limits, Unlawful Take/Possession of Buck Deer, Unlawful Use of Weapon, and Criminal Trespass II. 

Klamath Falls News from partnership with the Herald and News, empowering the community.

…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.

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