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, MAY 5, 2020
Klamath Basin Weather
Today Sunny, with a high near 71. Overnight, clear and about 39 degrees.
Wednesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 64.
Thursday Sunny, with a high near 75.
Friday Sunny, with a high near 82.
Saturday Sunny, with a high near 84.
Today’s Headlines
There were no new Covid cases reported Monday in Klamath County once again, and, there were no new deaths from COVID-19 reported Monday in the state of Oregon for the second day in a row, according to the Oregon Health Authority.
OHA stated no deaths were reported Sunday, as well, after five deaths were reported Saturday and one was reported Friday. The state’s overall death toll from the coronavirus is 109 people. On Monday, there were 65 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, along with 14 presumptive cases.
The number of Oregonians sick enough to be hospitalized with coronavirus hit a new low Sunday, with state officials reporting 92 active hospitalizations.
That number represents a significant drop of more than 40% from the 156 reported hospitalizations on April 8, the first day state officials disclosed active hospitalizations for confirmed cases of COVID-19. Hospitalizations have been heading downward almost ever since, and the number of Oregonians stood at 128 last Sunday.
The tally dipped below 100 for the first time Saturday. It’s no surprise that Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties rank highly in total infections, but based on population, Marion County has by far the highest rate of infection in Oregon and now has the second-most total infections.
In Medford on Monday, Jackson County Public Health said that it had received no new positive test results for COVID-19, leaving the countywide total at 49 cases.
The last confirmed case was announced on Friday, April 24. Of the 49 total cases, Jackson County says that 38 have fully recovered. 11 cases are still being monitored by public health staff. Earlier this week, officials said that Jackson County has “one of the lowest” rates for coronavirus in Oregon, at 22 cases per 100,000 people.
Washington state is just days away from entering phase one of reopening parts of the economy and social interactions, but don’t expect any big changes to Oregon’s social distancing measures this week.
In Washington, phase one of a four step plan to reopen starts on a Tuesday. Meanwhile, in Oregon, reopening the Beaver State is already looking different.
Oregonians were able to resume elective health procedures last week – and people can golf in Oregon but state parks are still closed. Gov. Kate Brown has drafted a three-phase plan for reopening the state, including allowing childcare facilities and possibly restaurants to reopen in phase one. However, it’s unclear when phase one would start. More recently, Brown unveiled guidelines for reopening Oregon counties.
Rural counties with zero to few COVID-19 cases could begin reopening as early as May 15 but would need to meet certain requirements.
In Washington, the stay at home order was extended through the rest of the month. In Oregon, there’s no timeline for Gov. Brown’s stay at home order, although Brown’s emergency declaration has been extended through July.
A salon owner in Salem is defying the state’s stay at home order. Lindsey Graham, the owner of Glamour Salon says that she will take appointment-only clients beginning this week.
Graham said she doesn’t have any income and needs to provide for her family. She said she will only book five appointments a day and her stylists will be working in separate rooms and sanitizing stations and tools in between appointments
Oregon State Police says it found illegal drugs, cash, and a weapon when it pulled over a car on Highway 140.
On Thursday April 30th, an OSP Trooper pulled over a Dodge sedan for traffic violations near Lakeview. When the Trooper searched the car they found 31.8 grams of heroin, 32.9 grams of methamphetamine, $2,606.00 in U.S. currency, and a .45 caliber handgun and ammunition.
Oregon State Police arrested the driver of the car, Dennis Langahit from Redding, California. Langahit is facing charges of Unlawful Possession of Heroin, Unlawful Delivery of Heroin, Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine, Unlawful Delivery of Methamphetamine, Laundering a Monetary Instrument, Tampering with Evidence, Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Criminal Conspiracy.
Oregon State Police says the investigation led Troopers to to a house in Lakeview, where they found more evidence related to the distribution of methamphetamine.
Traffic on Oregon roads is lighter these days, but our work zones are still humming. May is Work Zone Safety Month in Oregon, a chance to remind drivers: when you see orange, slow down and expect delays.
As construction ramps up across the state this spring, keep an eye out for work zones, pay attention and watch your speed. It could save a life. Oregon saw an average of 331 work zone crashes involving injuries each year between 2014 and 2018. During the same time, it saw an average of 24 crashes each year involving serious injuries or deaths.
An average of 532 people were injured and 26 killed or seriously injured each year between 2014 and 2018. Twenty-eight people were killed in work zone crashes. Of those, four were workers. Another 14 workers were injured. ODOT and contractors are increasing the use of automated flagging assisted devices. These devices improve flagger safety by putting distance between them and traffic. Drivers can expect to see the devices on two lane highways throughout Oregon.
Early Monday morning, Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to the report of a vehicle crash on Interstate 5 southbound near milepost 29.
Preliminary investigation revealed that a Mazda sedan, operated by 26 year old Sidney De La Cruz of Ashland, was southbound on Interstate 5 when she struck a pedestrian that was in the travel lanes of Interstate 5. A second vehicle, a Ford utility work truck, operated by 49 year old Shawn Child of Molalla, also struck the pedestrian. The pedestrian was pronounced deceased on scene. De La Cruz and Child were not injured. Interstate 5 southbound was closed for approximately 2.5 hours following the crash. OSP was assisted by Medford PD, Central Point PD, Mercy Flights, Medford Fire, and ODOT.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Oregonians are facing unprecedented economic instability and food insecurity.
As Oregon continues to maintain physical distancing rules, the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) wants to remind you that you can apply for food, cash and childcare assistance from home.
While many DHS offices are still open to the public, members of the public are encouraged to apply online at https://govstatus.egov.com/or-dhs-benefits. The online application does experience heavy traffic from 11am – 3pm, which causes it to be unavailable intermittently. Please try use the online application in the early morning or late evening hours.
If you are not able to access the online application, please call your local office. We can email or mail you an application. You can also apply for benefits over the phone. Most assistance provided by DHS can completed without visiting an office in person.
If you need to visit an office in-person, it is important to call first. Offices have implemented physical distancing measures and may be able to help you by phone.
To find your local office, child care providers or food pantries, contact 211info:
- By calling 2-1-1 from any phone
- Text your zip code to 898211
- By email at help@211info.org
- 211info.org
The Office of the State Fire Marshal is extending a temporary rule change that allows Oregon gas stations to provide self-service on a voluntary basis, in order to address shortages of workers experienced by gas retailers statewide.
The rules change was first announced on March 28 and then extended on April 11 to April 25. Friday, April 24, State Fire Marshal Jim Walker extended the deadline another two weeks, through May 9. The extension of the change will still allow station attendants to help customers while avoiding face-to-face and hand-to-hand contact. It also continues to ensure physical distancing measures are in place. Attendants will continue to sanitize station equipment and fuel nozzles and assist customers with their refueling as needed.
Battelle cleaning system being installed at UofO. Will extend lifespan of masks to up to 20 uses for health care workers.
A machine being installed today at the University of Oregon (UO) will decontaminate N-95 respirators, allowing the critical personal protective equipment to be used up to 20 times by frontline health care workers.
The decontamination unit is coming to Oregon courtesy of the U.S. government and to the Eugene campus through an agreement with the state and the university, which will house the unit.
N-95 respirators have been in short supply during the coronavirus pandemic and are typically used just once and then thrown away. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved the use of decontamination units, which sterilize the masks so they can be reused. While state and private procurement of PPE has improved in recent weeks, the new decontamination system will significantly increase the lifespan of Oregon’s supply of N-95 respirators.
“We are happy to be able to support our healthcare workers and first responders in this way,” said Cass Moseley, senior associate vice president for research and innovation. “All the pieces fell into place quickly and, in a week or so, agencies across most of the state will be able to send masks here to be sterilized.”
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has contracted with the Battelle Memorial Institute of Ohio. The agency plans to cover the cost of installation and will manage the operations, providing decontamination free of
charge for public and private personnel who use N-95 masks from across Oregon.
“An emergency of this scale requires partnerships across all levels of government and with the private sector,” said Andrew Phelps, Director of Oregon’s Office of Emergency Management. “This is a great example of partners working together to bring an innovative solution forward to help save lives.”
The unit consists of eight shipping containers that have been converted into airtight chambers that use vaporized hydrogen peroxide to sterilize the masks. The state, U.S. government and Battelle are collaborating to ensure the chambers operate under peak safety conditions to protect the local area. The UO will house the containers for a nominal charge in facilities at the Romania lot, at the corner of Franklin Boulevard and Orchard Street. Oregon’s decontamination unit is one of 60 being placed around the country.
…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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