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.
Monday, April 13, 2020
Klamath Basin Weather
Monday
Sunny, with a high near 59. Overnight, clear with a low around 32. Northeast wind 3 to 7 mph.
Tuesday
Sunny, with a high near 67. Overnight low of 35.
Wednesday
Sunny, with a high near 69.
Thursday
Sunny, with a high near 63.
Friday
Sunny, with a high near 71.
Today’s Headlines
The Klamath County Public Health Air Advisory is Green until noon today.
There were no new cases of Covid-19 reported in Klamath County yesterday.
The Southern Oregon totals as of today are:
Klamath County 25
Jackson County 44
Josephine County 19
Douglas County 12
Curry County 3
Siskiyou County 5
Lake County 0
COVID-19 has claimed 1 more life in the state of Oregon, raising the state’s death toll from 51 to 52. Oregon Health Authority also reported 80 new cases of COVID-19 over the weekend, bringing the state total to 1527.
The new COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Benton (1), Clackamas (4), Deschutes (1), Douglas (2), Jackson (2), Josephine (1), Lane (2), Linn (1), Malheur (1), Marion (13), Multnomah (31), Umatilla (2), Wasco (1), and Washington (18). Oregon’s fifty-second COVID-19 death is an 89-year-old woman in Multnomah County, who tested positive on March 25, 2020, and died on March 25, 2020. She had underlying conditions.
On Friday afternoon, deputies from the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a domestic disturbance in the 1700 block of Fargo Street.
The initial report indicated that an intoxicated male was trying to take his children. When deputies arrived, the involved male was no longer on the scene. Klamath 9-1-1 announced an attempt to locate for the vehicle with details that the suspect was possibly intoxicated, that there was a six-year old child in the vehicle, and that the suspect had an AK-47 rifle.
A short time later an Oregon State Police trooper observed the vehicle and a pursuit began near Biehn Street and Crater Lake Parkway, then traveling north on Highway 97. Units from the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office and the Oregon State Police were involved as the vehicle attempted to elude. Deputies deployed a spike strip on Highway 97 and the vehicle was brought to a stop on Wocus Road.
The driver exited the vehicle and fired numerous shots at the officers. Law enforcement returned fire. One officer was injured. The suspect was declared dead at the scene. The child was unharmed.
The names of those involved are being withheld pending further investigation. The Klamath County Major Crime Team is investigating with Klamath Falls Police assigned as lead agency. Pursuant to policy, the involved officers have been placed on administrative leave during the pendency of the investigation.
Basin Transit Service Transportation District will require all passengers on BTS vehicles and those visiting BTS facilities to wear a face mask covering nose and mouth beginning today.
Bus operators and all essential BTS staff will also be required to wear a face mask covering the nose and mouth effective today. BTS bus operators and transit supervisors will monitor compliance with the face mask covering requirement.
BTS has been closely monitoring the number of passengers on its buses for social distancing. In an effort to better ensure social distancing, BTS will be allowing only 10 passengers at a time on each bus. If the bus has 10 passengers on board it will not pick up new passengers until someone exits the bus. If buses are consistently full policies will be reassessed but passengers should still leave extra time for their trips.
BTS will also be adding signs to some bus seats that will ask riders not to sit in them. These signs will be arranged to give passengers a safe amount of space from each other and the operator.
Passengers should only be making the necessary trips to get groceries, go to work or to a pharmacy. Non-essential trips are not allowed at this time.
Sky Lakes leaders are asking the community to follow the medical center’s lead by wearing non-medical masks when in public to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
According to Sky Lakes President and Chief Executive Officer Paul Stewart we strongly recommend that everyone wear a mask whenever they’re interacting with anyone not living under the same roof.
Dozens of area crafters have donated fabric masks they’ve made to help support healthcare workers. This helps staff protect each other while preserving the supply of medical-grade masks for the healthcare workers who will be on the frontlines of patient care.
Sky Lakes employees who have patient-care responsibilities wear the appropriate personal protection equipment – PPE – in clinical settings.
Wearing a mask does not replace physical distancing, Stewart noted saying people still need to adhere to physical distancing guidelines – at least 6 feet – and wash their hands frequently, as well as wear masks in public.
Bandanas, scarves, or other types of cloth face masks could be used as face coverings as well. Fold the material two or three times before wrapping it around your mouth and nose to offer more protection.
The Oregon Department of Human Services announced that the Oregon Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will provide an additional $30 million each for the months of April and May 2020 to eligible SNAP households.
SNAP households will automatically receive the additional allotment in the same way they receive their current benefits. For most customers this is an EBT card. No additional action is needed from Oregonians already enrolled in SNAP. Households that already receive the maximum benefit will not receive any additional benefits.
This allotment will not permanently change a household’s monthly benefit amount. It is a temporary supplement to help during the current health crisis. DHS will not be sending individual notices to households about the emergency allotments.
OREGONIANS START RECEIVING $600 PANDEMIC UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION PAYMENTS
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020 was signed into law on March 27.
The CARES Act allows payment of Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC). The Oregon Employment Department has started issuing these payments to eligible individuals as of April 10, 2020.
Oregonians who are already eligible for regular Unemployment Insurance benefits and eligible for FPUC will receive two weekly payments; one for regular UI benefits, and an additional $600 payment.
Individuals will be receiving FPUC benefits using the same payment method as their regular UI benefits for the week. FPUC payments will be paid for each week someone is eligible from March 29, 2020 through the week ending July 25, 2020. The $600 payments will be retroactive for those eligible for payments.
No additional action is needed to apply for or receive FPUC benefits. In order to receive the $600 benefit, an individual must have an existing Unemployment Insurance claim, continue claiming weekly benefits, and be eligible to receive benefits.
Individuals may receive FPUC if they are receiving unemployment benefits under one of the following programs:
- Regular Unemployment Insurance;
- Unemployment Insurance for Civilian Federal Employees (UCFE);
- Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Service Members (UCX);
- Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC);
- Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA);
- Extended Benefits (EB);
- Work Share Benefits, or Oregon’s Short-Time Compensation (STC) Program;
- Trade Readjustment Allowances (TRA); or the
- Self-Employment Assistance (SEA) program.
The Employment Department continues receiving guidance from the U.S. Department of Labor to implement the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program into its systems.
The PUA benefits allow the self-employed, contract workers, and gig workers not already eligible to receive unemployment benefits for the first time. More information about the upcoming PUA program and all benefits associated with the CARES Act can be found on the Employment Department’s COVID-19 page.
To file an online claim for unemployment benefits, go to Oregon.gov/employ or call 1-877-FILE-4-UI.
For help finding jobs and training resources, contact your local WorkSource Oregon center or go to WorkSourceOregon.org. Equal Opportunity program — auxiliary aids and services available upon request to individuals with disabilities. Contact: (503) 947-1794. For people who are deaf or hard of hearing, call 711 Telecommunications Relay Services.
Office of State Fire Marshal Extends Rules Change Allowing Self-Service at Oregon Gas Stations through April 25, extending a temporary rules in order to address shortages of workers experienced by gas retailers statewide.
“We appreciate the patience of all Oregonians and businesses with this temporary suspension of rules, which now allow for self-service at Oregon gas stations,” said Walker. “These changes provide station operators flexibility to manage their operations and help to make refueling safer for both customers and service station attendants, while keeping stations open at a critical time when COVID-19 is impacting gas retailers who serve our many essential workers statewide.”
The change allows station attendants to help these customers while avoiding face-to-face, hand-to-hand contact. It also applies physical distancing measures. Attendants will continue to sanitize equipment and fuel nozzles and continue to help customers with their refueling as needed.
Self-service is not mandatory, but having it as an option allows some gas stations to continue their operations with less staff and allows Oregonians who have to travel to still drive without concern they may not be able to find gas.
Unattended self-service is permitted when a gas station owner exhausts all staffing options. Stations that do not have an attendant on duty are required to post safety signs for physical distancing and instructions showing customers how to operate a fuel pump correctly.
SALEM, OR—The State of Oregon received a shipment of personal protective equipment (PPE) from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) today, replenishing the state’s stockpiles of critically needed N95 masks and other PPE.
Masks, face shields, gloves and other PPE are vital tools in the state’s ability to combat the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and help ensure frontline health care workers have the equipment they need to stay safe.
The shipment of 78 pallets includes N95 masks, scrubs, coveralls, and face shields.
The materials will need to go through the inventory process before the state can report exact totals, but the state expects approximately 150,000 N95 masks, 2,500 scrubs pants, 2,000 scrubs tops, 250 coveralls, and nearly 67,000 face shields. The PPE distribution center in Wilsonville will ship the equipment to Oregon counties in need.
The PPE was procured from USAID’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance warehouse based in Dubai. The U.S. has not utilized materials from this stockpile for a domestic emergency since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Today is a good day to reach out
It’s natural to struggle during this time of increased isolation, and we want to encourage you to reach out today. Whether that’s reaching out to check on someone by sending a text message, making a phone call, or writing a letter, we can all help make someone’s day better. You can also reach out to your favorite non-profit organization to see what kind of financial or volunteer support they need at this time.
Reaching out can also mean reaching out for help. There are many resources that are available to help support you during this crisis. While we know physical distancing is an important strategy to slow the spread of COVID-19, we all need connection. Let’s support each other.
The Oregon Department of Human Services and Oregon Health Authority have launched a multi-agency support team to assess the needs of long-term care facilities experiencing increased COVID-19 cases and help them access resources to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 to residents and staff.
The new team is built on DHS and OHA’s ongoing efforts and provides for stronger coordination in providing both intervention and support. As part of this work, the state is beginning to contract with facilities to develop additional capacity to safely treat COVID-19 patients.
“COVID-19 already has had a significant impact on Oregonians in long-term care facilities,” said Fariborz Pakseresht, director of DHS. “We are saddened by the tragedies that have occurred, and our thoughts are with all the residents, staff and families who have been affected.” DHS and OHA entered a new data sharing arrangement that will allow them to better monitor incidences of the virus at long-term care facilities statewide and share status updates with the public. An initial report from this data shows nine long-term care facilities have five confirmed cases or more.
…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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