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.
Wednesday, August 11, 2020
Klamath Basin Weather
This Afternoon: Mostly sunny, with a high near 82. West northwest wind around 9 mph.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 87. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Friday: Widespread haze after 11am. Sunny, with a high near 91. Calm wind becoming west southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Today’s Headlines
Oregon Health Authority reported 302 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of yesterday, bringing the state total to 21,774
According to the OHA, 3 new cases were reported here in Klamath County. Jackson County reported 12, and Josephine county had 9 new cases. Aside from a death in Umatilla county, all other deaths reported yesterday were reported in Marion county or in the tri-county metro area of Portland. One of the reported deaths was 105 years of age.
A 23 year old Klamath Falls man was booked into the Klamath County Jail on first degree arson charges after a fire erupted at Coastal Farm and Ranch Monday night.
Tyler William Patrick was also charged with first degree criminal mischief and reckless burning. Police believe Patrick intentionally set at least one fire, and maybe two, to wood pallets in the Coastal yard. No estimate of damage was available.
The Oregon State Police is again requesting the public’s assistance in identifying the person (s) responsible for shooting at vehicles on Interstate 5 in Douglas, Josephine and Jackson Counties.
From the time of the first request for assistance on July 14, 2020 several additional vehicles have been confirmed to have been struck by bullets. Previously only Douglas and Josephine Counties had confirmed bullet strikes. The geographic location has been expanded to include Jackson County. No injuries have been reported. If you are traveling on Interstate 5 and believe your vehicle has been struck with a bullet please call 911. Note the time, location and if possible continue out of the area.
If you have information regarding the shootings or if you believe your vehicle has been struck please contact the Oregon State Police Southern Command Center at 1-800-442-2068 or * OSP- Reference OSP Case #SP20-173444.
Klamath County School District says that regardless of school being in-person, online, or through hybrid learning, students will receive meals this fall.
The district says that their grab-and-go program, which has been delivering free meals at 40 locations since late March, will continue to operate. Since the COVID-19 pandemic closed schools, KCSD has delivered more than 250,000 meals to students throughout Klamath County. The district says that they are watching the health metrics. The Oregon Department of Education is expected to release more information on Tuesday.
Medford School District on Monday said that it similarly plans to ensure students are still being fed, even with distance learning guaranteed for at least the first six weeks of school.
Storage rooms, corner closets and staff workspaces normally off limits to public view at the Baldwin Hotel Museum will be the subject of a special tour to be offered Saturday, Aug. 15.
Those interested in taking the tour must contact the Klamath County Museum at 541-882-1000 to reserve a time and arrange payment. Cost for the hour-long docent-led tour is $10 per person, with a $1 discount for students, seniors and military. One room at the Baldwin stores several pieces of furniture that have not been used since the museum opened in 1978. Two other rooms hold garments, hats and accessories from earlier generations.
The Baldwin building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 — four years before it ceased operation as a hotel. Many of the fixtures in the building are original from when it opened in 1906.
Maintenance and Water Division Crews will be performing repairs for the Geothermal System underground utility vault at the corner of 8th and Main. A temporary lane closure will occur for eastbound traffic on 8th Street during working hours today. Please make plans to take an alternate route on this date.
Pedestrians may encounter small barricades surrounding the work zone at this intersection during this time frame and are urged not to cross barricades into the work area. We also ask that citizens stay clear of contractors and City Staff as overhead and underground work will occur during this project.
City Staff thanks our citizens for proceeding with caution through construction zones and for your cooperation.
An emergency closure order has been implemented on the Klamath, Shasta-Trinity and Six Rivers National Forest lands to provide for public safety and to facilitate wildfire suppression efforts for the Red Salmon Complex.
The temporary closure order was implemented due to extreme fire behavior—the result of many years of drought, heavy fuel loading and erratic winds. The closure order will remain in effect until the fire is declared out. It is difficult to predict when that will occur so forest visitors planning activities for the weeks or months ahead in the closure area should plan for an alternative area if the need becomes necessary.
It is important to understand that the closure order only applies to National Forest land, roads and trails within the closure order boundary
Around the State of Oregon
Oregon’s second legislative Special Session of 2020 ended on its first day after lawmakers worked late into the night — accomplishing major shifts in the state budget to accommodate a more than $1 billion revenue shortfall due to COVID-19, in addition to bills addressing unemployment claims and police accountability.
Democrats in the Oregon House and Senate said that the new budget preserved “critical services” — namely education, health care, and public safety. Lawmakers cut more than $400 million from various state agencies, while plugging in another $400 million in emergency funds from the Education Stability Fund
In the immediate follow-up to the session, Republicans did not voice widespread criticism of the rebalanced budget, but took shots at Democrats’ decision to keep public testimony out of the whirlwind process.
Lawmakers also passed House Bill 4301, which bans the police use of chokeholds and other forms of force that impede breathing or circulation “except for instances of self-defense.” The bill was championed by the legislature’s Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Caucus.
This coming Saturday and Sunday mark Oregon’s next “Free Fishing Weekend,” where anyone can fish, crab, or clam without a license or tags.
No fishing licenses or tags — including a Combined Angling Tag, Columbia River Basin Endorsement or Two-Rod Validation — are required to fish, crab or clam in Oregon that weekend. Although no licenses or tags are required, all other fishing regulations apply including closures, bag limits, and size restrictions. You can find more details and updates on the ODFW website.
Oregon allows non-residents to fish for free on the weekend, but special COVID-19 restrictions remain in place on the coast. Clamming and mussel harvesting are closed to non-residents along the entire Oregon coast. Crabbing is open to non-residents along most of the coast but is closed to non-residents in the Columbia River and in ocean areas north of Cape Falcon.
A few other clamming and crabbing closures are in effect — including razor clamming on Clatsop beaches due to an annual conservation closure.
An emergency closure order has been implemented on the Klamath, Shasta-Trinity and Six Rivers National Forest lands to provide for public safety and to facilitate wildfire suppression efforts for the Red Salmon Complex.
The temporary closure order was implemented due to extreme fire behavior—the result of many years of drought, heavy fuel loading and erratic winds. The closure order will remain in effect until the fire is declared out. It is difficult to predict when that will occur so forest visitors planning activities for the weeks or months ahead in the closure area should plan for an alternative area if the need becomes necessary.
It is important to understand that the closure order only applies to National Forest land, roads and trails within the closure order boundary
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