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
Monday, August 17, 2020
Klamath Basin Weather
Today: Scattered thunderstorms after noon. Some of the storms could produce gusty winds and heavy rain. Patchy smoke before noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 95. Calm wind becoming south 5 to 8 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Tuesday: A 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon, otherwise sunny, with a high near 95.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 92.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 90.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 91.
Todays Headlines
Oregon reports 252 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 2 new deaths
COVID-19 has claimed two more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 388, the Oregon Health Authority reported yesterday evening.
Oregon Health Authority reported 252 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 23,262.
The new cases are in the following counties: Clackamas (26), Clatsop (1), Columbia (4), Deschutes (4), Hood River (2), Jackson (18), Jefferson (3), Josephine ( 1), Klamath (2), Lane (4), Lincoln (1), Linn (5), Malheur (12), Marion (40), Morrow (7), Multnomah (67), Polk (7), Umatilla (15), Wasco (1), Washington (29) and Yamhill (3).
Ready to fly? The city of Klamath Falls is polling the public about interest in a nine-seat, turboprop air service between Klamath Falls and Portland.
San Francisco-based Boutique Airlines would fly between Crater Lake-Klamath Regional Airport and Portland International Airport for an average cost per seat of $200 each way. Linda Tepper, business manager for the airport, figures that many travelers would continue to use Rogue Valley International Airport in Medford. But Boutique could offer a faster, more convenient option to those who could afford the service.
Boutique officials have visited Klamath Falls in the last two weeks to talk with city officials and have expressed interest in the potential to provide service in the city. The company currently operates flights between Portland and Pendleton, its only other route in Oregon.
New building coming to KCC
A multi-million dollar Apprenticeship Center, which could create 166 local jobs, is coming to Klamath Community College after the project secured $3 million in federal funding Friday.
The federal funding will match a $3.9 million state grant that was awarded in 2018. According to KCC President Roberto Gutierrez, the center will create a pipeline for high school students into high-demand, skilled trades careers. Initial design concepts for the center show a 35,000-square-foot center that will span five acres and include nearly 12,000 square feet of training space for students enrolled in apprenticeship programs such as electrical, plumbing, millwright, pipefitter and machinist.
The center will also include a fire training academy, according to KCC. Students enrolled in fire sciences and emergency medical operations programs will have a 3,200-square-foot fire training academy for wildland and structural fire instruction.
The only full-time TV news reporter in Klamath Falls will hang up his press pass next week, finishing off a stellar second career in broadcast journalism.
Lyle Ahrens, a reporter for Medford-based KOBI-TV/KOTI-TV, will retire August 19 after 16 years behind the camera. Known for more than his wavy, silver hair and his charismatic radio voice, Ahrens has been KOTI’s longest-serving reporter.
Ahrens began his broadcasting career here at Wynne Broadcasting’s KFLS and Sunny 107, serving as news and production director for 10 years. KOBI doesn’t yet know who will fill his position. For Ahrens’ part, he will split time between the Klamath Basin and Brookings, where he bought a house.
The United Way of the Klamath Basin wrapped up its special COVID-19 fund drive on July 31 and immediately moved forward with its annual community campaign by setting a goal of $500,000 to support its 17 local agencies.
The campaign will not kick off with a luncheon, as in the past, but rather will officially start Sept. 9 with a special United Way publication in the Herald and News, in other local media, and on United Way’s web site and campaign video, said Winn. Klamath Energy and Triad School have volunteered to be pacesetter and will report their contributions Sept. 9. Other workplace campaigns are also encouraged to run their employee campaigns early. Contributions to the 75th annual United Way Community Campaign can be sent to United Way at 136 N. Third Street, Klamath Falls, OR 97601. Contact United Way at 541-882-5558 for more information.
Around the State of Oregon
Crane Fire currently burning on Lakeview Ranger District southeast of Lakeview
The Crane Fire is currently burning on the Fremont-Winema National Forest Lakeview Ranger District. It was discovered today around 1:45 p.m.
Mid-afternoon the fire was estimated to be approximately 400 acres. It is burning on Crane Mountain, near Crane Creek, southeast of the town of Lakeview. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Smoke from the fire is highly visible from Lakeview and the surrounding area. Currently there are no structures threatened.
The town of Lakeview is not threatened by the fire, however there are likely to be smoke impacts. Individuals with smoke sensitivity or medical conditions that could be affected by smoke are advised to take precautionary measures. This includes closing windows and using indoor air circulation.
Multiple ground and air resources are currently fighting the fire, with additional resources on order. Winds in the area have been a challenge, grounding air resources earlier this afternoon. At approximately 4:15 p.m., all four single-engine air tankers were able to make drops on the fire. Air resources will continue to operate as long as wind conditions allow.
A Type 3 Incident Management Team is expected to take over management of the fire tomorrow morning. A Type 2 Incident Management Team is ordered and expected to transition in late tomorrow.
On Saturday, August 15, 2020 at approximately 4:00 P.M., Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to the report of a four-vehicle crash on Hwy 97 near milepost 108 between Madras and Terrebonne.
Preliminary investigation revealed that a red 1993 Chevy Blazer, operated by Donald Matney (54) of Redmond, was traveling southbound and crashed into the back of a stopped 1999 white Chevy Cavalier operated by Emily Worthington (19) of Terrebonne.
Traffic was stopped at this location due to another vehicle crash and fire approximately 5 miles south.
The Cavalier was pushed into another vehicle and subsequently across the oncoming lane where a northbound vehicle had a minor collision with the Cavalier before coming to rest. The other involved vehicles were identified as a Jeep Cherokee and a white BMW X2. Both of these vehicles were occupied by multiple occupants and were treated for non life-threatening injuries.
The Chevy Cavalier had two passengers, Gavin Hermosillo (21) of Terrebonne who sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased and a 12 year old who was transported via ground ambulance to an area hospital for serious injuries.
Matney and Worthington were both transported to area hospitals.
OSP was assisted by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, ODOT, Jefferson County Fire and Rescue, and Jefferson County District Attorney’s office.
Governor Kate Brown and the Oregon Health Authority on Friday issued an expansion to the state’s face covering requirements, adding mandates for private and public office spaces.
It is to take effect immediately. The new guidance provided an exception to allow for face coverings to be removed in “situations where someone’s identity needs to be confirmed for visual comparison, such as interactions in banks or with law enforcement.” Governor Brown foreshadowed the new requirement in a press conference on Tuesday following the end of a single-day special legislative session.
Governor Kate Brown is moving Malheur County from Phase 2 back to Phase 1 of the state’s reopening plan.
Brown says COVID-19 is rapidly spreading in the county. Malheur County was placed on the Watch List on July 3rd to get additional support from the state. Brown says immediate action is necessary to reduce spread of the disease. The change takes effect beginning today.
Oregon State Police on Thursday revealed that it would withdraw its complement of officers deployed in the city of Portland.
The detachment came to Oregon’s largest city in beginning of August under an agreement with Governor Kate Brown to fill the vacuum left by federal law enforcement officers from the Department of Homeland Security. OSP’s officers were charged primarily with taking over protection of the Mark O. Hatfield federal courthouse during continued nightly protests and flare-ups of violence or vandalism. While the departure of federal forces from downtown did largely shift the flash-point of protests away from the courthouse, it did not mark the end of violence in Portland over the following two weeks, with frequent clashes taking place outside of the Portland Police Association offices. Governor Kate Brown said in a Facebook post that the OSP withdrawal had been “planned for the last two weeks.”
…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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