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, October 12, 2020
Klamath Basin Weather
Monday Columbus Day Partly sunny, with a high near 65. Overnight, cloudy with a low around 42.
Tuesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 70.
Wednesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 68.
Thursday Sunny, with a high near 71.
Friday Sunny, with a high near 76.
Saturday Sunny, with a high near 74.
Today’s Headlines
The state’s death toll from COVID-19 is unchanged from yesterday and remains at 599, the Oregon Health Authority reported at yesterday. 337 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 were reported as of yesterday, bringing the state total to 37,262.
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Benton (1), Clackamas (37), Columbia (3), Coos (2), Crook (2), Curry (11), Deschutes (12), Douglas (4), Jackson (2), Josephine (7), Klamath (5), Lane (19), Lincoln (1), Linn (12), Malheur (5), Marion (50), Multnomah (78), Polk (5), Tillamook (2), Umatilla (12), Wasco (1), Washington (62), Wheeler (1) and Yamhill (3).
Nearly 60 incoming seasonal contract strawberry harvest workers for Planasa Oregon Operations LLC on Short Road in Klamath Falls tested positive for COVID-19 before they started work about two weeks ago, according to company officials.
Initially, the cases were in MacDoel. While there is a Planasa office in MacDoel, the outbreak is linked to workers who were tested before going to work at the Short Road facility in Klamath Falls. Klamath County Public Health reported that 54 of the 452 individuals the company tested as a precaution before they started harvest work were confirmed COVID-19 positive.
Oregon Health Authority released a press release later on Thursday detailing that there were five additional cases reported, for a total of 59 cases, that could include other household members aside from harvest workers.
In nearby Jackson County, Public Health Officials announced 25 new cases of the coronavirus over the weekend. The 25 new cases brings the total count in Jackson County to 1,354 cases with 201 cases still active. Josephine County had 17 new cases overnight.
Community members in Klamath Falls and surrounding areas are invited to attend a virtual open house to learn how to become a licensed teacher without leaving Klamath Falls.
The event is Monday, Oct. 19, at 5 p.m. Community members who would like to attend must sign up to receive a link to the event. The sign-up form can be found at https://tinyurl.com/y6dm3m6x. Representatives from KCC and Southern Oregon University are jointly hosting the virtual open house to share information about their partnership, which allows students registered at SOU to complete a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education at KCC.
Community members who already hold a bachelor’s degree and want to become teachers can also get information about earning a teaching license. Options include a K-12 special education teaching license and the Master of Arts in Teaching at SOU.
The downtown Klamath Falls branch of U.S. National Bank, which has been located at 740 Main St. since 1938, will permanently close on Nov. 1.
The bank had closed its doors temporarily in March due to COVID-19, according to a letter signed by Brian Young, district manager for the bank branch.
The closure is also due to changing consumer habits and increased online banking. Evan Lapiska, vice president of Public Affairs & Corporate Communications for U.S. Bank, based in Minneapolis, said in an email that the closure is part of a nationwide strategy to reduce some bank locations. He said the company is “proud of our history serving the region and look forward to continuing to serve the local community through our other locations in the area, including the branch at 3720 S. Sixth St.”
Lapiska said three employees impacted by the closure will have opportunities to apply for new positions within the company. He said there may be positions in customer care centers, which would also allow for a flexible work location.
Members of the District 5 Oregon Grange while attending an annual session donated a supply of handmade winter clothes to Klamath Family Head Start on Friday, Oct. 2.
Items donated included handmade winter hats, scarves and head bands for children active in the Klamath Head Start program. Klamath Head Start is a family development program serving low-income families and children with special needs and disabilities for children ages 3-4. The program has five locations across Klamath and Lake counties.
In its 12th rendition, a beloved downtown Klamath Falls celebration of the Halloween season returns on Saturday, Oct. 24 with Scarecrow Row.
Established as a friendly rivalry among downtown Klamath Falls businesses to create the most creative and spooky street display outside of their storefronts, the event has grown over time to become a revered aspect of Halloween, often paired with the Klamath County Library’s Comic Con (though that event has been cancelled for 2020 due to COVID-19).
The event is coordinated annually by the Klamath Falls Downtown Association (KFDA). Due to concerns related to COVID-19, trick-or-treating will not be an official part of this year’s event. Also missing will be the traditional costume parade on Main Street and the “Scarecrow Express” train ride.
Instead of trick-or-treating, KFDA will provide pre-packaged treat bags (including treat bags without candy or food products) to the first 500 costumed children at their booth at Ninth and Main Streets, and Klamath County Library will be partnering with the event to host a live and online costume contest. Additionally, thanks to the support of local businesses, pumpkins will be provided to children at no charge to be painted and decorated at the event. Donations will be accepted to offset the cost of supplies and the event itself.
Around the state of Oregon
Fewer than 4,000 Oregonians filed new jobless claims at the beginning of October, the lowest volume of weekly layoffs since before the pandemic. Oregon’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic is vastly exceeding expectations, buoyed by federal stimulus payments and a strong recovery in some of the state’s major industries – including health care, electronics manufacturing and athletic apparel.
The state’s unemployment rate in August, 7.7%, was below the national rate and Oregon appears to be faring unusually well as it recovers from the pandemic. (The state will report the September unemployment data on Tuesday.) The U.S. Labor Department reported 840,000 new jobless claims across the country last week – about four times as many as in the weeks before pandemic.
Police in Portland arrested 26 people as protesters gathered outside a police precinct and blocked streets late Saturday night. Oregon’s largest city has seen frequent, often unruly demonstrations for more than four months after George Floyd was killed by police in Minneapolis.
Protesters were warned they would be subject to arrest and crowd control munitions, including tear gas, if they were to enter the closed North Precinct property. Authorities said most in the crowd of about 75 were dressed in black and many wore “armor, helmets, masks, and/or carried shields and umbrellas.”
Police cleared the roads and then made targeted arrests for interfering with a police officer and disorderly conduct.
Temporary Housing Assistance Granted for Oregon Wildfire Survivors
Oregon took a significant step forward in wildfire recovery efforts for displaced residents around the state of Oregon. A State requested direct housing mission to help provide temporary housing for hundreds of Oregonians displaced by wildfire was granted from FEMA on Wednesday, October 7.
The state and FEMA are finalizing the implementation plan for this mission, under which residents in Jackson, Linn and Marion Counties who lost their homes in September wildfires may be eligible. Considerations for prioritization of these three counties included factors such as immediate need and lack of available rental resources. Jackson County alone accounts for more than half of the homes lost in Oregon.
Housing solutions in this mission are tailored to the individual needs and situations of survivors based on how quickly their homes can be repaired to a safe, sanitary and secure condition, and the availability of housing options in their communities.
“The approval of this housing mission is an important milestone in the recovery process and provides some temporary stability to those who have undergone such disruption,” said Oregon Office of Emergency Management Director Andrew Phelps. “We’re grateful to FEMA for their support and continue to work directly with our state and local partners to put our plans in action.”
Direct housing assistance was requested for Douglas, Jackson, Lane, Lincoln, Linn and Marion. FEMA continues to evaluate the need for temporary housing assistance in additional affected counties. The state continues to work directly with the Red Cross and other public and private partners to ensure every impacted Oregonian has a safe place to stay.
To be eligible for direct housing assistance, Oregon wildfire survivors must register with FEMA and reside in Jackson, Linn or Marion County. Damage must be to the primary residence and must be a result of the wildfires. FEMA will reach out to individual households who are potentially eligible for direct temporary housing based on the results of their FEMA inspection.
“We are deeply grateful to Oregon’s Federal Delegation and the Federal Government for recognizing the need in Oregon,” said Oregon Housing and Community Services Executive Director Margaret Salazar. “We were already facing extreme housing shortages across the state. The massive loss of housing caused by the wildfires only exacerbated this crisis. This swift action and much needed federal aid is welcome news to Oregon families impacted by the wildfires.”
Strong windstorms on September 7 ignited multiple wildfires across western Oregon and exacerbated wildfires already in progress. More than 1 million acres burned in 20 Oregon counties; some 4,100 homes were destroyed and thousands more suffered major damage.
The State of Oregon requested Direct Housing Assistance to meet the needs of disaster survivors based on the high number of destroyed homes and displaced residents as well as an extreme housing shortage within highly vulnerable communities.
Direct Housing Assistance is a program available through FEMA’s Individual and Household Program (IHP). The FEMA temporary housing program provides housing for up to 18 months after a disaster declaration. Commonly, FEMA’s disaster housing programs pay for rental of apartments and homes and for immediate home repairs.
On Friday, October 9th, at approximately 12:45 P.M., Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a single vehicle crash on Hwy 99 near milepost 12.
Preliminary investigation revealed a Chevrolet pickup, operated by Robert Mcintosh (77) of Talent, was northbound when it left the roadway, struck a telephone pole and a parked vehicle. The vehicle came to a stop in the front yard of a residence.
Mcintosh was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced deceased.
The passenger, Marilyn Mcintosh (77) of Talent, was transported to the hospital for injuries. It is believed Robert Mcintosh suffered from a medical emergency prior to the crash. OSP was assisted by Jackson County Fire District 5 and ODOT.
The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) has received approval from Food and Nutrition Services to disburse increased food benefits in October.
This additional $30 million for eligible Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients will bring the total increased benefits to $180 million.
SNAP households will automatically receive the additional allotment in the same way they receive their current benefits. For most customers, this is an Oregon EBT card. The additional benefit amount will be disbursed on the schedule below to all eligible SNAP households. Some recipients may not see it until the following day.
Oregonians already enrolled in SNAP do not need to take any additional action.
The increase brings all households to the maximum SNAP benefit. Households that already receive the maximum benefit will not receive any additional benefits. This allotment will not permanently change a household’s monthly benefit amount. It is a temporary supplement to help during the current health crisis. ODHS will not be sending individual notices to households about the emergency allotments.
Questions?
To determine the maximum allotment for your household and view the FAQ, visit https://www.oregon.gov/dhs/assistance/food-benefits/pages/about-snap.aspx.
SNAP customers can contact their local SSP, APD, or AAA office for more information. Find a local office at oregon.gov/DHS/Offices/Pages/index.aspx
The Oregon Health Authority says it is changing the way it reports recovered cases of COVID-19.
It says prior to May 1, 2020, it called people with COVID-19 cases and asked if they still experienced symptoms to assess when they had recovered. People who reported no longer suffering symptoms were reported as “recovered.” After May 1, when the calls discontinued, the definition changed to a person “alive 60 days after the onset of illness.”
The new definition did not factor in people who experienced prolonged illness or lasting effects from COVID-19. The OHA says for that reason, the count of recovered cases after May 1 will no longer be reported on OHA’s COVID-19 data dashboards or website. OHA says it is developing a new metric that will measure the proportion of cases who are alive 60 days after onset of illness. However, the definition is still being refined, and may take into consideration factors that measure disease severity, such as hospitalization status.
A father-daughter visit was “brilliant” after the spur-of-the-moment gift of an Oregon Lottery Scratch-it. Greg Peters decided he’d venture down from his home Seattle to visit his daughter, Makayla Peters in Hermiston. And this is one visit both dad and daughter will long remember!
Peters has played Oregon Lottery Scratch-its since she was 18. Being the good dad he is, Greg bought his daughter a $5 Brilliant Sapphire Scratch-it when they stopped at the Eastside Market in Hermiston.
“Dad said, ‘Here. I bought you this ticket.’” Peters said. “The instructions on the ticket said that if you find the gem, you win that prize. So, I started scratching it and found a gem. Then I started seeing all these zeros. I handed the ticket to Dad and said, ‘We won $50,000!’”
Since July 1, Oregon Lottery players have won more than $2.2 million in Scratch-it prizes of more than $600. Peters became one of more than 140 people who have won jackpots playing Scratch-its in the past three months.
Peters said she had read her horoscope a few days before getting the Scratch-it, and it said there would be lucky days ahead.
Father and daughter will be sharing the prize, but Peters pointed out that her dad’s portion is smaller because that’s how “brilliant” dads are!
For now, prizes up to $50,000 should be claimed by mail. Players with prizes greater than $50,000 need to make an appointment to come to the Oregon Lottery office in Salem, just as Peters did. Call 503-540-1000 for assistance.
The Oregon Lottery reminds players to always sign the back of their Lottery tickets, regardless of the game. In the event of winning a jackpot, they should consult with a trusted financial planner or similar professional to develop a plan for their winnings.
Since the Oregon Lottery began selling tickets on April 25, 1985, it has earned more than $12 billion for economic development, public education, Outdoor School, state parks, Veterans services and watershed enhancements. For more information on the Oregon Lottery visit www.oregonlottery.org
Approximately $5 million will be sent to current and former Oregonians this fall when the state Unclaimed Property Program initiates a historic distribution of unclaimed funds.
Beginning in mid October, people will begin to receive letters informing them of the forthcoming checks. The initial letter will be followed by a subsequent letter and check in early November.
The checks are funds–referred to as unclaimed property–that have been reported to the state by companies and organizations that do business with Oregonians and have been unable to return the money to the correct owner. Common examples of unclaimed property include uncashed checks, forgotten bank accounts, security deposits, tax refunds, credit balances, investment accounts, payroll checks, refunds, and more.
Typically, people need to file a claim with the unclaimed property program to receive the funds they are owed. However, given the unprecedented financial uncertainties and difficulties many are facing, the state has determined, for the first time ever, the funds will be directly mailed to the correct owner.
Checks distributed will vary in amount between $50 – $2,500, depending on the amount of unclaimed property each recipient is owed and based on criteria described at unclaimed.oregon.gov.
While $5 million is being distributed this fall, the unclaimed property program holds more than $700 million in unclaimed funds for 3 million owners. To recover funds not distributed this fall, property owners can file a claim at unclaimed.oregon.gov. The Unclaimed Property Program advises people who receive letters about the forthcoming checks to wait for the checks to arrive, as filing a claim may delay processing by 6 to 7 months.
Questions about unclaimed funds can be directed to the Oregon Unclaimed Property Program via email, claims@dsl.state.or.us or phone, (503)986–5251 or (503)986-5200.