The latest and most comprehensive coverage of local News, Sports, Business, and Community News stories in the Klamath Basin, Southern Oregon and around the state of Oregon from Wynne Broadcasting’s KFLS News/Talk 1450AM / 102.5FM, The Herald & News, and BasinLife.com, and powered by Mick Insurance.
Thursday, August 6th, 2020
Klamath Basin Weather
Today Sunny, with a high near 81. Overnight low of 49.
Friday Sunny, with a high near 87.
Saturday Sunny, with a high near 91.
Sunday Sunny, with a high near 94.
Monday Sunny, with a high near 95.
Today’s Headlines
COVID-19 has claimed five more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 338. Oregon Health Authority reported 299 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of yesterday, bringing the state total to 19,979. Klamath County reported two new cases.
Jackson County had 9 new cases.
Klamath Health Partnership is offering free testing in Klamath Falls Wednesday, August 12. Walk-up and drive through testing will be offered August 12 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Veterans Park in downtown Klamath Falls. Participants will be asked to complete some paperwork before being given the nasal swab test. This service is made possible through a collaboration between Klamath County Public Health and Klamath Health Partnership. Klamath Health Partnership COO Amanda Blodgett said that the testing is part of the requirements for Klamath County to remain open.
For any tests that return a positive result, Klamath County Public Health will follow-up with the individual to provide direction for isolation and symptom monitoring.
A Klamath Falls woman was arrested Tuesday night after allegedly cutting a man’s throat near Stukel Park in the Mills area.
According to Klamath Falls Police Department, 46 year old Tilla Lugo and Joshua Ray Holden Brown were arguing near a bench at Stukel Park when Lugo pulled a knife. She swung it at Brown, cutting his throat. Brown was taken to Sky Lakes Medical Center where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Lugo is being held in the Klamath County Jail on charges of attempted murder, unlawful use of a weapon and fourth-degree assault.
COVID-19 has claimed five more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 338, the Oregon Health Authority reported as of this morning.
Oregon Health Authority reported 299 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 19,979.
The new cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (1), Benton (2), Clackamas (20), Clatsop (1), Columbia (2), Coos (1), Deschutes (8), Douglas (1), Hood River (4), Jackson (12), Jefferson (9), Josephine (1), Klamath (2), Lane (5), Lincoln (19), Linn (8), Malheur (7), Marion (42), Morrow (10), Multnomah (59), Polk (2), Tillamook (2), Umatilla (26), Wasco (1), Washington (48), and Yamhill (6).
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown’s office told lawmakers Tuesday it is in active conversations about possible travel restrictions to slow the spread of coronavirus between states.
Details of those conversations, and the extent of any potential restrictions, are not clear. It’s unclear what states could be impacted by those potential restrictions; whether they could include quarantine orders following travel; or if the constraints could apply to Oregonians leaving the state, outsiders arriving in or residents returning to Oregon, or some combination of both.
The governor’s office did not make anyone available Tuesday night for an interview. Travel restrictions issued by state or local leaders are becoming more common across America as local leaders look to prevent coronavirus spread amid a summer wave of infections.
Today marks the 75th anniversary of the atom bombing of Hiroshima, followed in a few weeks by the 75th anniversary of the close of World War II.
The Oregon Department of Forestry has launched a new online map where people can find the location of 45 Oregon peace trees grown from the seed of Hiroshima trees that survived the atom bomb. Klamath Falls is one of 30 towns and cities across the state that received the trees and which are pinpointed on the new map. The new site tells the story of how the trees came to be in Oregon, which now has one of the largest plantings of Hiroshima-origin peace trees outside of Japan.
Karl Wenner, who spent more than 30 years as an orthopedic surgeon at the Sky Lakes Medical Center, hasn’t really retired.
He’s just found more time to focus on his many other conservation-related interests. Before he pursued a career as a doctor, Wenner earned an undergraduate degree in marine biology and a master’s degree in wildlife ecology from the University of Florida. Since moving to Klamath Falls, he’s been active with a variety of conservation groups, including serving as chairman of the Klamath Basin Working Group, Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, Nature Conservancy, and as founding member of the Klamath Watershed Partnership.
Now, Wenner is taking on new challenges as chairman of the Oregon Conservation and Recreation Advisory Committee. The committee’s goals include supporting conservation and recreation projects across the state, and to provide “valuable oversight and expertise in Oregon’s ecoregions.” Wenner represents the Klamath Mountains region.
An auto tour of lumber mill sites around Lake Ewauna will be offered Saturday, Aug. 15, by the Klamath County Museum. Participants will drive their own vehicles from stop to stop on the hour-long tour that will begin at 9 a.m. at Veterans Park.
No registration is required to join the tour. Interpretive comments by Todd Kepple and Ron Loveness will be broadcast via FM radio at each stop, so participants will not have to leave their cars. Information on tour stops and radio frequency will be provided at the beginning of the tour. Stops will include at least six sites where lumber mills operated from the early 1900s to 1996. Among the lumber companies to be discussed are Ackley, Modoc, Big Lakes, Ewauna, Chelsea, Kesterson and Moore Bros. Other topics will include railroad and boating history related to Lake Ewauna. For more information, contact the Klamath County Museum at (541) 882-1000.
Around the state of Oregon
A riot was declared early Wednesday during demonstrations in Portland after authorities said people set fires and barricaded public roadways. Unruly protest have happened in Oregon’s largest city every night for more than two months since George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis. People gathered outside the Portland Police Association in North Portland. KOIN TV reports a group of people breached the doors of the Portland Police Association building. While inside, some set a fire and caused other damage — prompting the police to declare a riot around 1 a.m. Wednesday. Police say several arrests were made overnight.
The Oregon Employment Department announced today that they met their FOCUS PUA goal of processing 70,000 remaining initial Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) claims on August 4, several days ahead of the August 8 deadline the Department set for itself. The Department is now current with processing regular and PUA unemployment claims, and processing new ones that come in at a record rate, so Oregonians can start getting paid the benefits they are owed.
“We hope that more Oregonians are now starting to feel relief,” said David Gerstenfeld, acting director of the Oregon Employment Department. “The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program’s new online form has also helped in processing weekly claims, so more Oregonians will start getting their benefits much more quickly.”
In the past week, the Department processed more than 20,000 initial PUA claims, as with the week prior, signaling the increased speed at which the Department is now working. The Department has already redirected employees to other work needed to get people their benefits.
“It’s important to remember that while some claims may need more attention for benefits to be sent, that initial processing is a critical first step. I am happy to report that the Department has removed one more barrier to Oregonians getting their critically needed regular unemployment or PUA.”
Gerstenfeld noted that additional barriers still remain, but that the Department is moving in the right direction, and is continuing to build positive momentum.
“We have turned a corner in getting Oregonians their benefits more quickly. It has certainly taken more time than we’d like. But we’re getting there, and we are committed to doing everything we can to make this easier for everyone,” said Gerstenfeld in his weekly media briefing.
Last week the Department announced they had found a way to pay tens of thousands of Oregonians “Benefits While You Wait.” The Department is proactively reaching out to Oregonians who may be eligible for those benefits while their claims are being reviewed by an adjudicator.
Gerstenfeld also shared that the Department is committed to getting the modernization of the Department’s computer system back on track.
“We are well-positioned to modernize in a way that will help Oregonians get the benefits they deserve in a timely fashion. We now have a talented team of employees. I am now responsible for the success of this project and intend to do everything I can to make real progress—and quickly.”
Fred Meyer is offering a weekly discount to teachers, parents, and school administrators from now through September 9 as school returns in one form or another. The “Teachers and Honorary Teachers” savings event is available for teachers, school administrators, and parents who shop at Fred Meyer on Wednesdays for 10 percent off “general merchandise” — including school and craft supplies, toys, games, sporting goods, housewares, apparel and electronics. In order to get the discount, customers can either shop in-store or via Fred Meyer Pickup using their shopper’s card on any Wednesday through September 9, they just have to request the discount at checkout.
U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams announced today that a Portland woman has been charged with preparing more than 1,000 false and fraudulent federal income tax returns requesting over $3 million in fraudulent refunds.
A federal grand jury has returned a 25-count indictment charging Elizabeth Munoz, 36, a resident of southeast Portland, with filing false tax returns on behalf of herself and her clients.
“Falsifying tax returns to get fraudulent refunds harms every American because it takes revenue from federal programs that benefit the public,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “Every taxpayer must file accurate returns with the IRS and pay all taxes required by law. Those who fail to do so will face significant consequences, including criminal prosecution, prison, and monetary penalties.”
“Unscrupulous return preparers create unforeseen hardships for their clients that include unexpected tax debt along with penalties and interest,” said IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Special Agent in Charge Justin Campbell. “IRS-CI devotes considerable resources to ensuring all return preparers follow the law and act in good faith on behalf of their clients.”
According to court documents, from 2015 through 2018, Munoz operated a tax return preparation business that promised her clients the “biggest refund guaranteed.” Munoz allegedly prepared 1,196 false tax returns for 629 clients. She manipulated various entries on their returns to falsely claim tax credits for which her clients were not eligible.
Munoz will make her first appearance in federal court on August 27, 2020. If convicted, she faces a maximum sentence of three years in federal prison, three years supervised release, and $6.2 million in fines.
…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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