32.18 F
Klamath Falls
March 28, 2024

Klamath Basin News, Monday, March 16 – Schools Closed as News Changing Fast on Coronavirus Concerns

Today’s news stories from 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.

MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2020

Klamath Basin Weather

Today
Light rain at times with a high near 48. Chance of precipitation is 40%. Overnight a 20% chance of showers before 11pm. Snow level 5500 feet lowering to 4400 feet with a low around 31.

Tuesday
Rain at times, with a high near 47.  Snow level rising to 5000 feet. Overnight rain mixed with snow flurries.  New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Wednesday
Mostly cloudy, with a high near 46.

Thursday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 52.

Friday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 53.

Saturday
Partly sunny, with a high near 54.

Road Conditions

Traveling? Click and check these cameras below for the latest road conditions.

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

This morning Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said that she is not ready to impose a curfew or broader shutdown on bars and restaurants, despite a new federal recommendation against events with 50 or more people for the next eight weeks.

Brown said her current position on imposing a curfew or ordering restaurants and bars to close temporarily was based at least in part by pushback from elected officials.

In a Sunday night telephone call with nearly 200 elected officials from around the state, the governor said she heard that “in our rural communities, restaurants are a key provider of meals to a lot of the elderly and vulnerable folks …”  Stay tuned.

A ban on gatherings of 250 people or more is the new normal in an attempt to slow the spread of the new coronavirus. But places where older people gather — like the Klamath Basin Senior Citizens Center — are downsizing their activities much further.

KBSCC Director Marc Kane says that recommendations from Oregon Governor Kate Brown and the Oregon Health Authority state that such locations should not have more than ten seniors in close proximity to one another.

With that in mind, KBSCC is suspending its exercise and group activities, effective immediately.

Both Klamath Falls City Schools and Klamath County School Districts announced Friday they plan to offer free meals to students this week amid an early Spring Break prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

District officials spent Friday meeting with administrators to decide how to react following the closure of schools between March 16-31. KCSD will offer free meals to students 18 and younger between Monday, March 16, and Wednesday, March 18.

Klamath Falls City Schools will offer meals to students 18 and younger at the front entrances of city elementary schools from noon to 1 p.m. on Monday, March 16 to Friday, March 20. The sack lunch will also contain breakfast for the following morning at the following locations:

Some important services will continue, including Meals on Wheels and the senior center’s transportation services.

Meals on Wheels will likely expand to help with those who cannot come to the now canceled “congregate meals,” — hot lunches that KBSCC serves each day Monday through Friday. 

Both Klamath Falls City Schools and Klamath County School Districts spent Friday meeting with administrators to decide how to react following the closure of schools between March 16-31.  Online classes may be a part of the future for some Oregon students. 

With schools closing, canceling highly anticipated events in the area, and the news disrupting our daily routines by staying home more and away from others, is causing more stress than more for all of us. We are reminded to take a deep breath and remember that officials are are doing all this to protect each other, the people we love, and the communities we call home.

Hundreds of doctors from around Oregon signed a letter Friday to Gov. Kate Brown demanding more resources and help to combat the spread of the new coronavirus.

The letter was made available online Thursday for doctors to sign and had 410 signatures by Friday morning. The letter acknowledges that Brown is in a difficult situation managing the crisis but said they are unequipped to handle the influx of coronavirus patients that could come.

The doctors ask for a number of immediate changes and policies, including creating a statewide call center, a helpline for frontline medical workers and an ethics teams that would draft guidelines for doctors who may have to decide how to best use limited resources for patients.

The letter also suggests a tracking system for those in self-quarantine, taking over hotels to get the homeless population off the streets to better control the spread of the virus and separating nursing care residents into separate facilities for those who are sick and those who have tested negative for the new coronavirus.

The Klamath Lake Counties food bank is stepping up efforts to help during this crisis period.   The pantries throughout the 18 thousand square mile will begin to see up to a 20 percent increase in shelf stable food items. 

If you fall ill, you can go online at www.klamathfoodbank.org and fill out an application to have food brought to you if necessary.

The release from the food bank states that the Covid-19 virus is a fluid situation, and they are ready to help if necessary for residents in Klamath and Lake counties.

Due to concerns about minimizing the spread of the COVID-19 novel coronavirus, the Klamath County Library District has canceled all events at Klamath County libraries through the end of March. The Bookie Joint bookstore is also closed until further notice.

Because older adults are especially vulnerable to COVID-19, the Senior Center Branch Library is also closed until further notice. All other Klamath County libraries will remain open.

The Klamath County Library District is also suspending all late fees until April 1st. Don’t worry about turning in your items; you have more important things to worry about right now.

For the most up-to-date information on this and other measures that Klamath County libraries are taking to prevent the spread of COVID-19, visit the “frequently asked questions” page at klamathlibrary.org/coronavirus or call 541-882-8894.

Pacific Power is temporarily suspending disconnections and late fees for non-payment for customers in Oregon, Washington and California to support the state of emergency declared in all three states in response to the COVID-19 virus.

The company will continue to evaluate other ways to support our customers for the duration of this quickly evolving public health emergency.

Pacific Power wants customers to know we are ready around the clock to answer any questions about your electrical service and help any customers who are having difficulty paying their electrical bills. The company’s focus continues to be on maintaining the reliability of our service and the safety of customers, communities and colleagues.

Customers can call 1-888-221-7070 at any time to speak with a customer care agent who can help answer any questions. We will continue to work closely with state and federal emergency response teams to support all our customers throughout this event.

Around the state

In Medford, police are asking people to possibly report crimes online instead of request an officer make person to person contact.

In a press release, they say “the health and well-being of our community is our top priority. In an effort to reduce the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) and in support of state and federal guidelines for social distancing, we want to inform our residents of an alternative way to report a crime.

When practical, Officers will be directing residents to our online reporting service to report a crime. To report a crime online please go to www.cityofmedford.org/reportcrime and complete the secure form.

The cases submitted online will be processed, reviewed and assigned to officers with the same priority level as in-person reports. The online reporting tool has been in existence since 2002.

“The health and safety of our residents and first responders is my highest priority,” said Chief Clauson, “I want to make it clear that our staffing level remains the same and we’re encouraging online reporting as a precautionary measure to reduce the spread of COVID-19.”

While the City of Medford doesn’t oversee public health, we’re working with our local, state, and national partners to protect the public and prepare to respond to developing concerns related to the COVID-19 virus. Medford Police has existing emergency management operation plans and will implement procedures as needed to ensure our ability to maintain critical and essential services.

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.

More Klamath Local News Here.

Back to the Basinlife.com Homepage

Must Read

Klamath Basin News, Tuesday, 4/25/23 – Today Is Deadline To Register To Vote in Klamath County Special District Election; Drug Busts Net Hundreds of Thousands in Fentanyl, Heroin and more throughout Oregon

Brian Casey

Klamath Basin News, Friday, Feb. 9 – SuperBowl is Sunday; KF Man Arrested On Many Fentanyl Drug Charges; Ross Ragland Hosts Beatles Tribute Band Friday Night, 7:30PM

Brian Casey

Klamath Basin News, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019 – 173rd Fighter Wing 2020 Sentry Eagle Air-to-Air Combat Show Announced

Brian Casey