The latest news stories in the Klamath Basin and around the state of Oregon from Wynne Broadcasting’s KFLS News/Talk 1450AM/102.5FM, BasinLife.com and The Herald & News.
Tuesday, March 31, 2020
Klamath Basin Weather
Today
Rain or showers much of the day, high of 47 degrees. Snow level 4900 feet. Overnight a chance of rain or snow, low of 24.
Wednesday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 46. Overnight low of 21.
Thursday
Sunny, with a high near 52.
Friday
Partly sunny, with a high near 53.
Saturday
A chance of morning rain and snow. Snow level 4400 feet. Partly cloudy with a
high near 53.
Today’s Headlines
The Klamath County Public Health Air Advisory is Green until noon today.
COVID-19 has claimed three more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 16, the Oregon Health Authority reported yesterday. Oregon Health Authority also reported 58 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the state total to 606.
The new COVID-19 cases reported are in Benton, Clackamas, Deschutes, Douglas, Jackson, Josephine, Lane, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Tillamook, Wasco, Washington, and Yamhill counties.
Oregon’s 14th COVID-19 death is a 91-year-old male in Yamhill County, who tested positive on March 20, and died March 29 at Providence Newberg Medical Center. He had underlying medical conditions.
Oregon’s 15th COVID-19 death is an 80-year-old male in Clackamas County, who tested positive on March 22, and died March 29 at Legacy Meridian Park Medical Center. He had underlying medical conditions.
Oregon’s 16th COVID-19 death is a 91-year-old male in Linn County, who tested positive on March 15, and died March 29 at the Oregon Veterans’ Home in Lebanon. He had underlying medical conditions.
Many Sky Lakes Primary Care Clinic and Cascades East Family Practice Clinic patients will now be able to visit their providers without actually going to the clinic thanks to “televisits.”
Using a special application on their smart phone or camera-equipped computer or tablet, patients can interact with providers for a variety of medical needs. Providers are able to see patients and their medical history on side-by-side computer monitors.
According to Grant Niskanen, MD, a family practice physician and a Sky Lakes vice president these interviews are very similar to what they would do in the clinic. They can judge their alertness, their respiration, apply diagnostic skills based on responses to questions, and provide education. The only thing they can’t do is a physical exam.
Sky Lakes and Cascades East have been preparing for televisits, and the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the program.
“There is an increasing need not only for physical separation but also the ability to see more patients, especially those who are at higher risk,” Niskanen said.
Patients can call their provider to find out if a televisit is appropriate. Televisit appointments, including “well visit” appointments, can often be done the same day they are requested, and are covered by insurance. Learn more about the free application at Doxy.me.
The Klamath-Lake County Food Bank is receiving a large donation which includes 24 pallets (42,000 lbs.) of assorted canned goods coming from Latter-day Saint Charities in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Beside providing temporary assistance to many families and seniors in the counties, Klamath-Lake County Food Bank also provides food support for more than 15 emergency food assistance programs and more than 30 non-profit organizations that provide vital services to the community.
Niki Sampson, director of the local food bank, expressed appreciation for the donation saying this major contribution comes at a critical time when our resources are low and will allow us to continue to serve those in need in both Klamath and Lake counties. Sampson estimated that the 42,000 pounds of canned goods, combined with perishable items from the Food Bank, will help to feed 1,200 families for around five days.
Local members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints participate in an annual food drive each September, which supports the Klamath-Lake County Food Bank with thousands of pounds of food and a significant amount of financial assistance. Additionally, the Church contributes nearly 30,000 pounds of pears annually from its Welfare Orchard in the Rogue Valley.
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service has programs to assist growers planting cover crops on land that will not be irrigated in 2020, according to Klamath Water Users Association.
KWUA Deputy Director Mark Johnson said that applications are being taken now at the NRCS Tulelake office for Modoc and Siskiyou Counties through April 14th and the application period will open late this week for Klamath County. Johnson said they’ve been communicating with NRCS early and often to encourage they get these programs out as early as possible this year and we also expect the Klamath Project Drought Response Agency programs will take shape soon. The NRCS cover crop programs provide cost-share assistance for planting, with emphasis on highly erodible soils.
Producers in Modoc and Siskiyou counties are urged to submit applications via email or by phone due to the current COVID-19 restrictions. When the application period opens in Klamath County, residents are urged to apply through Conservation Client Gateway on a first come, first serve basis.
In other water news a federal judge has approved a proposal to withdraw a legal action that could have potentially sent an additional 50,000 acre-feet of Upper Klamath Lake downstream, avoiding a potential “worst-case” scenario for local irrigators.
On March 27, parties in a federal lawsuit brought by the Yurok Tribe and Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Association filed documents that put the case on hold and withdraw a motion for a preliminary injunction that otherwise would have been decided before this irrigation season. Federal District Court Judge William Orrick approved the stipulation the same day.
Klamath Irrigation District and Klamath Water Users Association Board member Jerry Enman said the plaintiffs had asked for an injunction that could have reduced irrigation water by 50,000 acre-feet in this already-bad year and Fortunately that worst-case scenario was avoided.
This action followed the Bureau of Reclamation’s (Reclamation’s) release last week of a proposed interim Klamath Project operations plan that would be in effect through September 2022. That plan increases flows to the Klamath River, but with less annual impact to irrigation than the injunction that was being requested. That impact will be 23,000 in some hydrologic conditions, and no impact in other conditions.
Twice each year there are “open burn windows” that allow Klamath County residents the opportunity to burn yard waste. Klamath County Public Health has announced the 2020 Spring open burning window beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday and ending at 5 p.m. Sunday, April 19.
Public Health officials have set the following guidelines for the open burning window: The air quality advisory must be green. Only residential yard waste, such as tree limbs, brush, and leaves may be burned. All burning must occur between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
No trash, plastic, rubber, tar, petroleum products, treated or painted wood may be burned. The use of burn barrels is prohibited. The burning of commercial, construction, demolition or industrial waste is not included in this burn window. The open burn window may be cancelled at any time due to air quality or fire hazard conditions.
KCPH reminds people that the smoke from burning yard debris is equally as harmful to lungs as cigarette smoke.
Two years after a U.S. judge ordered the Trump administration to reconsider its refusal to protect sage grouse populations along the California-Nevada line, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has again decided against listing the bi-state grouse as threatened or endangered. The bi-state grouse is related to but separate from the greater sage grouse, which lives in a dozen Western states and is at the center of a dispute over the government’s efforts to roll back protections adopted under President Barack Obama.
Monday’s decision is the latest in the government’s on-again, off-again federal actions to protect the game bird under the Endangered Species Act dating to 2013. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said its latest review indicates the status of the bi-state grouse’s population has improved, thanks in large part to voluntary protection measures adopted by state agencies, local ranchers and other interested third parties.
Around the state
Fueling your own vehicle
Oregon’s COVID-19 Statewide Joint Information Center and the Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE) are providing additional clarification related to the state of Oregon’s announcement from the Office of the State Fire Marshal, which temporarily suspended Oregon’s ban on self-service gas stations.
This
temporary suspension does not make self-service mandatory. The intention is to
ensure fuel is available to essential personnel who need to travel. The
Oregon Fuels Association (OFA) states,
“This change allows gas station attendants to help these customers while avoiding face-to-face, and-to- hand contact and apply social distancing practices. Attendants will sanitize equipment and fuel nozzles and assist customers with refueling as needed.”
ODOE is responsible for maintaining a reliable source of fuel for Oregonians. The gas station workforce has recently reduced by as much as 50 percent due to illness, childcare issues and safety concerns according to the fuel industry. Self-service allows some gas stations to continue operations with fewer staff and ensures Oregonians can refuel their vehicles.
OFA adds, “Unattended self-service will only happen if and when a gas station owner exhausts all staffing options.” Those stations that do not have an attendant on hand are required to post safety signs for social distancing as well as instructions for how to operate a fuel pump.
This temporary suspension is currently in effect through April 11, 2020, and may be extended by the Oregon State Fire Marshal. Amidst the COVID-19, the goal of this change is to make refueling safer for both customers and service station attendants, while keeping stations open.
This does not affect existing areas of the state already authorized for self-service refueling under Oregon law.
Andrew Phelps, Director of the Oregon Office of Emergency Management (OEM), gave his first status update from the Joint Information Center yesterday, about the state’s response to COVID-19.
Following the directive of Governor Kate Brown, OEM has activated Oregon’s Unified Command structure, the state’s incident command emergency response organizational structure, similar to the response structure that would be activated during a major Cascadia earthquake. Director Phelps will hold regular press conferences to update the media and the public.
While all emergencies begin and end at the local level, the spread of COVID-19 has outpaced the personnel, capacity, and resources of local communities in Oregon.
“In these unusual and dire circumstances,” said Director Phelps, “The ECC is charged with coordinating collective efforts at a statewide level to stem the outbreak of COVID-19 throughout Oregon, working as one team, with one voice, to serve every single Oregonian.”
“COVID-19 affects everyone in Oregon – all 36 counties, all nine tribes,” said Director Phelps. “As we continue to fight the spread of this virus, I want to thank everyone for what they are doing to help flatten the curve, especially our first responders and front line workers. And I’d like to remind Oregonians that the best way they can help is to stay home to save lives.”
Stay informed about COVID-19:
Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Office of Emergency Management lead the state response.
Oregonians who have difficulty finding work during the COVID-19 pandemic do not have to worry about losing their food benefits, due to changes included in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.
Normally, benefits are only available for three months for people who are not working but are considered able to work. The act temporarily suspends Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) time limits for a subset of the SNAP population who are required to seek work as a condition of receiving benefits. The changes begin April 1, 2020 and ends the month after the Secretary of Health and Human Services declares the COVID-19 state of emergency is lifted.
“SNAP benefits play a critical role in helping Oregonians get by during difficult circumstances,” said Dan Haun, director of Self-Sufficiency Programs at the Oregon Department of Human Services. “This change ensures that food benefits remain available for the increasingly number of Oregonians losing jobs during this pandemic.”
“As business and schools close because of this public health crisis, Oregonians are losing work and wages. SNAP is there to help put food on the table,” said Annie Kirschner, executive director of Hunger-Free Oregon. “By waiving SNAP time limits, more Oregonians can now focus on staying healthy, instead of the threat of hunger.”
DHS announced last week that Oregonians statewide now can use their SNAP benefits online to buy groceries at Amazon or Wal-Mart, which support the physical distancing required by Governor Brown’s Stay Home Save Lives Executive Order. In addition, DHS is not requiring interviews for those who report having no household income. Oregonians can apply for SNAP without visiting a DHS office. You can apply online at OHP.Oregon.gov.
“Whether you’re experiencing job loss for the first time, or you’ve been struggling to make ends meet for a while, we want you to know about all the options open to you,” said Susannah Morgan, Oregon Food Bank CEO. “SNAP food assistance is our region’s most effective defense against hunger — especially in times of crisis. It’s an important resource that can feed families and help prevent hunger from becoming yet another symptom of COV-19.”
What
is SNAP?
SNAP is a federally funded program that offers nutrition assistance to
low-income individuals and families. SNAP is the largest program in the
domestic hunger safety net. In Oregon, individuals and families apply for SNAP
benefits at Department of Human Services (DHS) and Area Agency on Aging (AAA)
offices across the state.
Who
is an Able-Bodied Adult Without Dependent (ABAWD)?
An ABAWD is an individual:
- Age 18 but not yet 50; and
- Does not have children under age 18 in their SNAP filing group.
What
are SNAP time limits?
An ABAWD is limited to three months of SNAP benefits in a three-year period,
unless the individual:
- Is participating in work activities
- Meets an allowable exemption, or
- Lives in a waived area.
What
does the suspension mean for SNAP customers?
While time limits are suspended, SNAP benefits will not be reduced or closed
due to not meeting time limit work requirements.
As part of National Social Work Month in March, the Oregon Department of Human Services, Child Welfare Program named Dave Owens of Eugene, the 2019 Tom Moan Memorial Award. The annual award recognizes and promotes leadership and outstanding achievement by caseworkers in the field of child welfare.
“National Social Work month is a time to recognize that social work is more than social workers. Those who work to positively impact communities, families, youth, and children should be celebrated for their contributions to social change and development,” said Child Welfare Director Rebecca Jones Gaston.
The awardee is chosen through nominations from community organizations, Child Welfare employees, and organizational partners and will attend the National Association of Social Work Conference in Washington DC. All expenses for the travel are raised by DHS staff and the Tom Moan award committee. Moan was a career child welfare caseworker and administrator in Oregon.
Blue Zones Project, Klamath Falls – “Tips for Working From Home”
In the spirit of supporting our organizations across the state as many offices navigate a transition to remote work and virtual meetings, Blue Zones Project – Healthy Klamath wants to provide you a few helpful tips for working from home:
- Set up a designated work area and working schedule.
It can be hard to ‘turn off’ from a day at work when your living and working space are the same. Be sure to designate a space for work equipment and time on the clock to ensure you still maintain a work-life balance. Be sure to turn off work notifications when you’re done working for the day.
- Wake up and get ready for the day as usual.
Be sure to wake up with enough time to continue your morning routine and get in the right headspace for work. Sleeping in and not giving yourself enough transition time can make your morning feel rushed and stressful. Don’t forget to include a healthy breakfast!
- Continue to take regular breaks.
Taking time for a short walk, standing up for a few minutes and having a scheduled lunch break are important to your routine and can ensure that you’re downshifting just enough to refocus and complete your work in a timely manner. Microbreaks, such as resting the eyes for 60 seconds, are made easy by this free Chrome extension, Break Timer.
- Communicate to people in your household when you are working and request quiet time.
It can be easy to be distracted by family members at home, chores that need to be done and other everyday things. Be sure to communicate with your family when you need quiet time for working and conference calls to decrease stress.
Regular stretching during the day can help reduce stress and increase productivity. Download our desk stretches flyer for easy tips to incorporate stretching into your day!
MAKE WORKING FROM HOME WORK FOR YOU
Is working from home new for you? Many offices are navigating a transition to remote colleagues and virtual meetings. Here at Blue Zones Project – Healthy Klamath, we are also working remotely so we’ve included some best practices in colleague onboarding. Find more on our website to guide you through these coming days and weeks.
SEE MORE FROM
BLUE ZONES PROJECT, Click Here
…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.