The latest Klamath Falls News around the Klamath Basin and the state of Oregon from Wynne Broadcasting’s KFLS News/Talk 1450AM/102.5FM, BasinLife.com and The Herald & News.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 3, 2020
Klamath Basin Weather
Today Partly sunny, with a high near 48. Overnight rain perhaps mixed with snow at times. Snow level 5200 feet lowering to 4200 feet after midnight . Low around 30. Chance of precipitation is 90%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.
Saturday A 50% chance of morning snow flurries, then partly sunny with a high of 39 for the day. Little or no snow accumulation expected. Overnight, rain mixed with snow at about 4700 feet and gusty winds at times. Low of 29 degrees. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Sunday A slight chance of snow showers after 10am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 39.
Monday Partly sunny, with a high near 40.
Road Conditions
Traveling? Check our cameras below for the latest road conditions from BasinLife.com.
Lake of the Woods Hiway 140
Greensprings Drive at Hiway 97
Doak Mountain looking east
Chemult, Oregon
LaPine, Oregon
Bly, Oregon
Medford at I-5 -Biddle Road & Crater Lake Parkway
Today’s Headlines
The Klamath County Public Health Air Advisory is Green until noon today.
Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley kicks off 2020 with 12 town halls across Southern and Central Oregon.
The town halls will be January 2nd through the 5th, in Klamath, Douglas, Coos, Curry, Josephine, Jackson, Deschutes, Jefferson, Crook, Wheeler, Grant and Gilliam counties. The Klamath County Town Hall will be at 4 p.m. this afternoon in the Mazama-Scott room in the Oregon Tech college union, 3201 Campus Drive.
Senator Merkley will update constituents on his work in Washington, D.C., and answer their questions and invite their suggestions about how to tackle the challenges facing Oregon and America
The 2020 Winter Wings Festival is hosting an art contest open to all Klamath Basin students, with the theme of “Winter Waterfowl of the Klamath Basin.
Art will be displayed during the festival over President’s Day weekend, February 13th through 15th at the Oregon Tech College Union. Artwork is due by Friday, January 17th, and may be delivered to the Klamath Falls City Schools district office at 1336 Avalon St., or the Klamath County School District office at 2845 Greensprings Drive. Teachers are also encouraged to have their students participate.
Grade levels will be categorized as follows: kindergarten through second grade; third through fourth grade; fifth through sixth grade; seventh through eighth grade; ninth through 10th grade, and 11th through 12th grade. Prizes will be awarded for each grade level.
Exciting news for shoppers in the Klamath Basin as Natural Grocers, near the corner of South 6th and Washburn Way, will open its first Klamath Falls store in the Jefferson Square shopping complex on January 15th. There will be a ribbon-cutting at 8:25AM at the store.
The grocery chain has 157 stores in the United States and is known for its organic food. Natural Grocers started in 1955 when Margaret and Philip Isely were doing door-to-door sales of nutrition books and bread.
“We are empowering the health and wellness in the communities we serve by offering the highest-quality products at always affordable prices, free one-on-one sessions with our in-store Nutritional Health Coaches, environmentally friendly practices and by providing our employees with great jobs that pay well,” wrote Pamela Lipshitz, public relations director for Natural Grocers.
The store is bringing 22 jobs to Klamath Falls, and most positions have been filled already.
According to the Natural Grocers website, the store only sells organic and GMO-free produce, pasture-based dairy and antibiotic and hormone-free meats. The store also carries dietary supplements, household items, pet supplies, body care products and books.
The first 100 customers on Jan. 15 will receive gift bags containing a breakfast recipe, all the ingredients to make the recipe and a Natural Grocers kitchen set with an oven mitt and utensils. Natural Grocers will also host a “Grocery Giveaway Sweepstakes” in which nine customers in line for the opening will win gift cards to the grocery store.
From 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. the store will have a gluten-free muffin sampling and an ice cream social from 4 to 6 p.m. Vendors will also be putting on demonstrations in the store all day.
Around the region
In Jackson County yesterday, a 911 call was received reporting a possible assault involving a weapon and shots being fired.
The caller reported the suspect was threatening her boyfriend and then heard gunshots coming from a shop on the property. Deputies arrived on scene around 8:23 pm, and began efforts to secure the scene. They were able to contact a male individual, who was cooperative, and exited the structure. Deputies learned another male, who was later identified as 28 year old Teddy James Maverick Varnerwas inside the location, likely armed and hostile. As they continued to speak with the witness/victim, Varner exited the building with a handgun and approached the deputies in an aggressive manner pointing the gun at them.
One deputy fired his patrol rifle multiple times, striking Varner. Medical Personnel were requested to the scene and transported Varner, who was later pronounced deceased.
Around the state
An armed man was killed early Thursday in a police shooting in a residential neighborhood in Hillsboro.
Officers responded to a report of an armed man inside a condo shortly after 1 a.m. After officers showed up, the man fired “multiple” rifle and pistol rounds from inside the condo over about a half-hour according to police. Homes and cars were hit, but no one was hurt. The armed man eventually came out of the condo and police said an officer-involved shooting ensued. The man later died at a hospital. No officers were hurt.
A judge on Thursday set bail at $750,000 for a man charged with a hate crime in the death of a transgender teenager.
Prosecutors had asked Clark County Judge David Gregerson to order no bail, or a minimum $6 million bail, for David Bogdanov, of Vancouver, but the judge said the lower amount was appropriate because Bogdanov has no prior criminal history. Bogdanov was arrested December 17th and charged with second-degree murder in the death of 17-year-old Nikki Kuhnhausen. Kuhnhausen disappeared June 6 and her remains were discovered in a remote area of Larch Mountain on December 7th by someone gathering bear grass.
Prosecutors recently added a hate crime charge because they believe Bogdanov strangled Kuhnhausen after learning she was transgender.
…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.