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.
FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2020
Klamath Basin Weather
Today Sunny, with a high near 84. Overnight, partly cloudy with a low of 56.
Saturday Mostly sunny, with a high near 83. Overnight low of 53.
Sunday (Father’s Day) Sunny, with a high near 83.
Monday Sunny, with a high near 90.
Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 94.
Wednesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 92.
Today’s Headlines
Klamath County Public Health reported 14 new confirmed cases on Thursday, bringing the County total to 79. County officials say that 40 of those cases had recovered and are no longer active.
Jackson County Public Health last reported two new confirmed COVID-19 cases bringing the county total to 85. At least 65 people are considered recovered from the virus. These latest cases are not linked to a recent outbreak at Harry & David, Jackson County officials said. As of Tuesday, eight employees and three close contacts had tested positive for coronavirus, and a contact tracing investigation is ongoing. Lake County last reported 6 confirmed cases of coronavirus. 320 people had been tested, with 305 negative results. Nine tests were still pending as of the last update.
COVID-19 has claimed four more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 187, the Oregon Health Authority reported today.
Oregon Health Authority reported 148 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of this morning, bringing the state total to 6,366.
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Clackamas (12), Columbia (4), Hood River (3), Jefferson (4), Klamath (4), Lincoln (4), Linn (1), Malheur (4), Marion (26), Morrow (4), Multnomah (33), Polk (3), Umatilla (13), Union (5), Washington (25), Yamhill (3).
Governor Kate Brown announced yesterday that a number of northwest Oregon counties will have to require face coverings in public indoor spaces, among other measures.
Brown’s announcement included the face mask requirement for seven counties, but also gave Multnomah County the green light to finally enter Phase I. Counties comprising the Portland and Salem metro areas will also have a new regional requirement in order to move into further phases.
According to an Oregon Health Authority status report published alongside Brown’s announcement, the agency has not seen “significant increases in emergency department visits for COVID-19-like infections” in spite of the recent outbreaks. As of Thursday morning, OHA listed 929 COVID-19 hospitalizations — about 15 percent of cases — and 183 deaths since the pandemic began, out of 6,218 total cases.
Klamath Falls City Councilmembers on Monday agreed to direct staff to explore the creation of a task force geared toward looking at race issues in Klamath Falls.
Council members and several local residents first shared their perspectives during Monday night’s Klamath Falls City Council following a presentation delivered by Klamath Falls Police Department’s Chief of Police Dave Henslee. Henslee shared his thoughts regarding the May 31 Black Lives Matter protest, and many shared their perspective as well.
Ward 3 Councilman Matt Dodson commented on the feeling of “angst” within the community the night of May 31 that something bad might happen amid a Black Lives Matter protest (thought by many at the time to be affiliated with Antifa) coming into the city. He admitted he wasn’t sure if the word “lucky” suffices in the outcome of the protest, but emphasized “no one got hurt.”
Ward 5 Councilmember Todd Andres also addressed the protest and the aftermath in a letter he read before the audience.
Property and business owner Mark Haack agreed with Andres’ view that business owners like himself felt threatened prior to the May 31 protest after hearing of potential threats to the community and were concerned with violence they were seeing in larger cities.
Carol Warren, a member of the Community Police Advisory Team, shared praise for law enforcement and called for a day designated for their appreciation.
Klamath County Freedom Celebration/Foundation announced planned community activities in celebration of the Fourth of July Independence Day holiday in Klamath Falls, according to a news release.
Activities planned include an Independence Day Drive-Thru Display car show in lieu of the traditional parade on Main Street, which will be limited to 40 entries. Entrant’s parking will be on the north of Main Street, while spectators in vehicles will be able to drive down Main Street to see display. During this event there will be no parking permitted on Main Street, except for vehicles entered in the event.
Sign-up for the Drive-thru event will begin at 8 a.m. on Saturday, July 4 on Spring Street at Sharky’s Shack, with the display available to the public from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. The event will also include a flyover by Kingsley Field aircraft and DJ music provided along Main Street. More information is available at www.klamathfc.org.
Also on Saturday, July 4, a drive-in fireworks show will be held at the Klamath County Fairgrounds, starting at 7:30 p.m. with fireworks to commence at 10 p.m. It will be a vehicle-only show inside the RV and carnival area of the fairgrounds, utilizing proper spacing between vehicles. Participants are welcome to bring their own food and drink, but alcohol and personal fireworks are not permitted. No vendor spaces will be offered.
Integral Youth Services in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association, has received an $80,000 grant to develop a community nutrition hub to expand access to healthy foods through park and recreation programs and services, according to a news release.
The gift is part of a $2.5 million grant NRPA received from the Walmart Foundation to build capacity in park and recreation agencies across the country to serve as intentional community nutrition hubs that improve health outcomes for community members. Integral Youth Service’s grant will help increase access to healthy foods, provide connections to social services, and increase health literacy through Park & Play summer meals sites, SNAP and WIC community engagement, and food insecurity screening evaluation of community partners.
Local park and recreation agencies are community health and wellness hubs. For decades, parks and recreation has been one of the largest providers of healthy meals to children in low-income communities, working through USDA child nutrition programs, to address hunger, provide nutrition education, and keep youth safe and engaged during out-of-school times.
Building upon this strong foundation and the existing strengths of local park and recreation agencies, NRPA seeks to expand the role and capacity of local parks and recreation to improve food access across diverse communities and generations by piloting and evaluating three strategies.
Sunday night Klamath Falls Police Department officers contacted the driver of a 2013 Toyota Scion during a traffic stop on Highway 97 N, near the Oregon Avenue off-ramp.
Investigation during the contact with an individual identified as Ricardo Rincon-Castro led to the seizure of over 30 pounds of methamphetamine with an approximate street value of $150,000.
The 29 year old, Yakima Washington resident, was arrested at the scene without incident and lodged at the Klamath County Jail on Charges of Unlawful Possession, Unlawful Manufacture, and Unlawful Delivery of a Controlled Substance-Methamphetamine.
The Klamath Falls Police Department would like to thank the motoring public for adhering to safe driving practices during this investigation, as it is always vital to the safety of officers and citizens alike.
At its first in-person meeting in three months at Sacred Heart Parish Hall, the Catholic Daughters of the Americas Court Klamath 1295 collected 88 lbs. of food for the Klamath-Lake Food Bank, according to a news release.
This food drive helps offset an increased demand in food supplies from the Klamath-Lake Counties Food Bank, which has seen a 70% increase in need over this time a year ago, due to the pandemic.
Food bank guidelines, donation information and drop off locations are found at www.klamathfoodbank.org.
Klamath Outdoor Science School is now offering new summer day camp programs for kids, according to a news release.
Unplug from electronic devices for a week and escape to the great outdoors. The Moore Park Nature Day camp (August 3-6) will include hikes in the park and studies focused on the wildlife and resources in the Basin. Kids, come learn about birds, rocks and geology, bugs and how to identify trees. We will also have art projects and hands-on science activities.
Visit www.klamathoutdoorschool.org for registration information.
The American Red Cross is now testing all blood, platelet and plasma donations for COVID-19 antibodies.
The antibody test used by the Red Cross is authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and may indicate if the donor’s immune system has produced antibodies to the coronavirus, regardless of whether they developed symptoms.
At the same time, there continues to be an urgent need for blood donations after hospital demand for blood products increased in recent weeks. The news release below provides more detail about the antibody testing, how the Red Cross is helping protect the health and safety of donors and staff at blood drives, and why there is an urgent need for donors right now.
AROUND THE STATE
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife will host an online meeting Wednesday, June 24 from 1-3 p.m. to discuss a draft spending plan for CARES Act funding including information on eligibility and how to apply.
Marine and coastal fishery sector businesses who have experienced economic impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic are encouraged to join the meeting to learn more. ODFW anticipates that nearly $16 million in federal relief aid will be available for Oregon’s marine and coastal fishery sectors experiencing significant economic impacts from the global COVID-19 pandemic (loss of greater than 35 percent gross revenue as compared to prior 5-year average).
The relief aid slated for Oregon is part of $300 million in fisheries assistance funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act to states, Tribes, and territories with coastal and marine fishery participants who have been negatively affected. ODFW is the lead State agency working with fishery participants to coordinate aid. ODFW anticipates submitting Oregon’s spending plan to the federal government by the end of June for federal approval.
Once approved, ODFW anticipates the application period will begin mid-July and extend for one month.
Dozens of protesters gathered outside the home of Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler yesterday to call for police reform.
Protesters met under Wheeler’s apartment in northwest Portland, chanting “Black Lives Matter.” The protest came just before City Council’s vote to approve a budget cutting 16-million dollars from the bureau. The protesters called for more budget cuts to the Portland Police Bureau and demanded the bureau immediately stop using militarized gear and weapons.
Mid morning Thursday, On Thursday Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a single vehicle crash on Interstate 5 near milepost 34.
Preliminary investigation revealed that a 2018 Volvo Commercial Motor Vehicle was traveling northbound on Interstate 5 when for unknown reasons the CMV veered onto the shoulder, struck a guardrail, and came to rest in a small creek. The operator of the CMV sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased. The victim’s name was not immediately available. The unnamed creek accesses Bear Creek which is a tributary of the Rogue River. An estimated 50-75 gallons of diesel spilled into the creek system. Emergency crews are currently recovering the CMV and containing the spill. Oregon State Police was assisted on scene by ODOT, Phoenix Police Department, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, and Medford Fire and Rescue.
Early Thursday morning Medford City police officers responded to a residence in the 1500 block of W. Main Street for a report of shots being fired.
Upon arrival, the suspect(s) were gone and officers learned a particular residence was struck with several rounds from a firearm.The residence in question was occupied by five subjects, and luckily none of them were injured. Officers believe the suspect targeted the victim residence. Detectives responded to the scene and assumed the investigation.
Governor Kate Brown on Tuesday announced that she will convene a special session of the state legislature to address both COVID-19 and police accountability measures.
The short 2020 legislative session ended abruptly at the beginning of March after Democrats and Republicans reached an impasse over a cap-and-trade bill, leaving a number of other bills unaddressed. Some funding measures were later taken up by the Legislative Emergency Board as the state went on lockdown in response to coronavirus.
Governor Brown said that the special session is set to begin at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, June 24. The focus of the session will be to improve police accountability and further address the ongoing impacts of COVID-19.
On Monday, the House Republican caucus released a statement on the potential for a special session, saying that they wanted to minimize the economic impact of COVID-19 by “reducing the weight of government waste, protecting the safety net, preserving essential public services, reversing job-killing regulations and lightening the burden of aggressive new taxes.”
House Republicans took aim, in particular, at the “economic devastation” caused by Governor Brown’s executive orders during the coronavirus response.
A statewide plan for COVID-19 testing at long-term care facilities was released on Monday.
It was finalized by the Oregon Department of Human Services and Oregon Health Authority, and it will be implemented in two phases.
From late June to late September, each facility with more than five residents will test all staff and offer testing to all residents. This includes 680 facilities across the state which care for about 31,000 residents and employs 29,000 staff.
In the second phase, facilities will implement plans for ongoing monitoring. Plans must include testing all staff at least once a month.
Facilities must provide testing in a linguistically and culturally sensitive way, state officials said. They are also required to report results to their local public health authority and the DHS Office of Aging and People with Disabilities.
Oregon’s unemployment rate declined to 14.2 percent in May from 14.9 percent, as revised, in April. Meanwhile, the U.S. unemployment rate dropped to 13.3 percent in May from 14.7 percent in April. Oregon’s April unemployment rate was the state’s highest since comparable records began in 1976.
Oregon total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 22,500 jobs in May, following a loss of 252,800 jobs in April. Thus, in May, employers added back nearly one in 10 jobs that were cut in April. Over-the-month job gains in May were largest in leisure and hospitality (+15,900 jobs); health care and social assistance (+8,400); construction (+5,600); and retail trade (+3,200). These gains were countered by substantial monthly losses in manufacturing (-4,900 jobs) and government (-9,900).
During May, statewide and county-specific guidelines for reopening businesses fostered increases in customer demand within leisure and hospitality. Full-service restaurants added back 8,500 jobs in May following steep job cuts in the prior two months. This industry employed 29,900 in May, which was still down more than half from its year-ago total of 72,700 jobs. Limited-service eating places, which includes fast-food establishments, saw its employment rebound by 5,400 in May to reach a total of 49,600. That was still nearly a third below its year-ago headcount of 71,700. Accommodation, which includes hotels and motels, added 1,600 jobs in May, but is still below half of its employment level of 26,500 reached in May 2019.
On Thursday June 18, 2020 at approximately 9:40 A.M., Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a single vehicle crash on Interstate 5 near milepost 24.
Preliminary investigation revealed that a 2018 Volvo Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) was traveling northbound on Interstate 5 when for unknown reasons the CMV veered onto the shoulder, struck a guardrail, and came to rest in a small creek.
The operator of the CMV sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased. The name will be released after next of kin notification has been made.
The unnamed creek accesses Bear Creek which is a tributary of the Rogue River. An estimated 50-75 gallons of diesel spilled into the creek system. Emergency crews are currently recovering the CMV and containing the spill.
Oregon State Police was assisted on scene by ODOT, Phoenix Police Department, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, and Medford Fire and Rescue.
Salem – Oregon OSHA has fined a Portland contractor more than $17,000 for multiple serious violations – one of them a repeat offense – that included exposing workers to potential fall hazards that could kill them.
The division cited Oregon Chimney Repair and Cleaning Inc. following an inspection of a masonry job the company was carrying out on a multi-story house in Portland. Employees were working on a chimney using a scaffold.
In one violation, the company did not provide personal fall arrest or guardrail systems, exposing five employees to falls of up to 19 feet. In another, the company failed to follow a requirement to implement fall protection where workers are exposed to falling six feet or more to a lower level.
The failure to heed Oregon OSHA’s six-foot trigger-height requirements was a repeat violation by the company, subjecting two workers to a fall of just over 11 feet. Falls are the leading cause of death in the construction industry.
“Our fall protection requirements are designed to prevent serious injury or death, and they have proven effective at protecting workers,” said Oregon OSHA Administrator Michael Wood. “To overlook them is unacceptable, and only serves to put lives at needless risk.”
The citation against Oregon Chimney Repair and Cleaning Inc. proposes a total fine of $17,280. It includes three serious violations that were grouped – for a total penalty of $5,000 – because they involved related hazards.
Those violations included:
- The employer did not ensure that employees working from a scaffold were protected by personal fall arrest systems or proper guardrail systems.
- Each platform on all working levels of the scaffold was not fully planked or decked. A worker who was stationed on a level that had only one section of decking in place was exposed to a fall of about 19 feet.
- The employer allowed workers to climb up and down the framework of the fabricated scaffold – as opposed to using a ladder or lift – exposing four of them to falls of up to 19 feet.
The other violations were:
- Workers were exposed to potential electrocution as they built and worked on the scaffold, which came into contact with uninsulated electrical cables. Proposed penalty: $2,400.
- The company failed to ensure the aluminum extension ladder used by employees included nonconductive side-rails. The ladder was near uninsulated electrical cables, exposing workers to potential electrocution. Proposed penalty: $2,400.
- The company allowed a multi-purpose ladder to be used on an unstable surface, subjecting a worker to potentially falling about four feet to a pitched roof. Proposed penalty: $280.
- Workers were exposed to falls of up to 19 feet because the scaffold’s supports lacked a firm foundation. The system was built on an ornamental plant bed. No mudsills were installed under its baseplates. Proposed penalty: $2,400.
- The company exposed workers to a fall of just over 11 feet by failing to implement fall protection where workers are exposed to falling six feet or more to a lower level. This was a repeat of a violation on a separate citation issued to the company in March 2017. Proposed penalty: $4,800.
Under Oregon OSHA rules, penalties multiply when employers commit repeat violations. The citation issued against Oregon Chimney Repair and Cleaning Inc. includes a standard penalty reduction based on the small size of the company.
In addition to its enforcement activities, Oregon OSHA offers employers resources to help improve workplace safety and health. These resources include the division’s Fundamentals of Fall Protection online video training and its A-to-Z topic page about fall protection.
Learn more about help provided by Oregon OSHA’s consultation services, technical staff, and additional education and training services.
New York Giants football kicker Aldrick Rosas was arrested this week, after allegedly hitting a car and fleeing the scene in Chico, California.
The former Southern Oregon University star was arrested by Chico police on charges of hit-and-run and driving with a suspended license, according to tmz.com.
According to the report, Rosas was seen by witnesses driving an SUV erratically at a speed of around 100 mph when he allegedly failed to stop at a red light. Rosas’ SUV then slammed into the side of a pickup truck at the intersection, but police say Rosas didn’t stop.
Rosas’ SUV broke down and stopped, but police say witnesses say the NFL player jumped out of his SUV and ran. Authorities say they eventually tracked down Rosas and found him with his hands, legs and bare feet covered in blood.
Police say they believe alcohol was a factor in the alleged incident.
Portland General Electric and Pacific Power joined other electric utilities in Washington and California today in announcing the results of a study of how to support electric trucks on I-5. The West Coast Clean Transit Corridor Initiative, a study commissioned by an unprecedented collaboration among the utilities, recommends adding electric vehicle charging for freight haulers and delivery trucks at 50-mile intervals along Interstate 5 and adjoining highways.
“The future of Oregon’s transportation is electric, and utilities have an essential role to play in building the infrastructure needed to support a cleaner energy future,”saidAaron Milano, Product Portfolio Manager for Transportation Electrification at Portland General Electric. “Laying the groundwork for an electric I-5 will help the West Coast meet its climate goals, provide cleaner air for our communities and provide new economic opportunities as we make the transition to electric vehicles and trucks.”
The report recommends expanding state, federal or private programs that provide funding for transportation electrification, which could further accelerate electric truck adoption and expand economic opportunities constructing charging sites. PGE and Pacific Power already offer grant programs and are developing infrastructure programs that support non-residential electric vehicle charging, but more support will be needed to reach transportation electrification levels identified in the study and to meet state climate goals.
“We’re fortunate to have such great alignment in the West around discussing and planning for our shared energy future,” said Eva DeCesaro, Senior Product Manager for Transportation Electrification at Pacific Power. “Pacific Power and the other study sponsors are looking beyond our local service areas and working together toward regional solutions that meet the changing and diverse needs of the people we serve. The WCTC initiative roadmap will help us navigate this audacious journey toward significant changes around transportation electrification and could have lasting, positive impacts for generations to come.”
Transportation is the largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in Oregon, making the electrification of freight transportation a critical part of meeting the state’s climate goals. Oregon-specific highlights of the study include:
- By 2030, it’s estimated that medium- (MD) and heavy-duty (HD) electric trucks could make up nearly 25% of MD trucks and 5% of HD trucks for a total of 8% of all trucks on the road in California, Oregon and Washington.
- The study’s final report proposes a phased approach for electrifying the I-5 corridor. The first phase would involve installing 27 charging sites along I-5 at 50-mile intervals for medium-duty electric vehicles, such as delivery vans, by 2025. Then, later, 14 of the 27 charging sites would be expanded to also accommodate charging for electric big rigs by 2030.
- Of the 27 proposed sites, five are in Oregon.
- An additional 41 sites on other highways that connect to I-5 are being proposed for electrification. Those highways include I-84 in Oregon.
Other initiative sponsors are Los Angeles Department of Water & Power, Northern California Power Agency, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Puget Sound Energy, Sacramento Municipal Utility District, San Diego Gas & Electric, Seattle City Light, Southern California Edison and Southern California Public Power Authority.
# # #
About Portland General Electric Company: Portland General Electric (NYSE: POR) is a fully integrated energy company based in Portland, Oregon, with operations across the state. The company serves 899,000 customers with a service area population of 1.9 million Oregonians in 51 cities. For more information visit portlandgeneral.com/cleanvision.
…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 Local Klamath Basin News Here.
The latest State of Oregon Covid-19 News & Preparedness Information Here.
Basin Discounts & Deals, Take-Out, Curbside, Delivery, Preferred Professionals.
Our Basin Life Facebook page Here