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, November 5, 2020
Klamath Basin Weather
Today Mostly sunny, with a high near 67.
Friday Rain showers likely before 10am, then rain and snow showers likely. Snow level 4700 feet. High near 44 degrees. Chance of precipitation is 70%. Little or no snow accumulation expected. Overnight low 28.
Saturday A 20% chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 42.
Sunday A slight chance of snow showers before 10am. Partly sunny, with a high near 40. Cloudy overnight, with a low around 18.
Monday Mostly sunny, with a high near 40. Winter is here!
Today’s Headlines
Klamath County Public Health officials reported three new cases of COVID-19 in the community on Wednesday, Nov. 4, according to a news release. The local case count is 448.
Nearby Jackson County, after reporting 70 cases Tuesday, reported 52 more cases yesterday.
This week’s total is 12. COVID-19 has claimed four more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 705.
Oregon Health Authority reported 597 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of yesterday, bringing the state total to 47,049.
Yesterday’s new cases are in the following counties: Baker (7), Benton (2), Clackamas (54), Clatsop (4), Columbia (5), Coos (2), Crook (9), Deschutes (17), Douglas (12), Grant (2), Harney (1), Hood River (2), Jackson (52), Jefferson (5), Josephine (1), Klamath (3), Lake (1), Lane (24), Linn (11), Malheur (11), Marion (83), Morrow (2), Multnomah (172), Polk (13), Tillamook (2), Umatilla (23), Union (3), Wallowa (3), Wasco (1), Washington (57), and Yamhill (13).
This is the second consecutive week that daily case counts set a record high for the pandemic.
As COVID-19 cases continue to surge, OHA reminds people to:
- Wear a face covering.
- Keep physically distant.
- Maintain good hand hygiene.
The Oregon Health Authority updated a recreational use health advisory for Upper Klamath Lake today due to spread of the cyanobacteria bloom currently in place and cyanotoxins above recreational guideline values for human exposure.
The lake is in Klamath County. The advisory, originally issued Sept. 26 and updated Sept. 29, applied to Howard Bay and the surrounding area of Upper Klamath Lake. Due to the size of the lake and the unpredictability of cyanobacteria and the toxins produced, OHA updates advisories on the lake when new sampling data is received.
People are encouraged to visit Upper Klamath Lake and enjoy activities such as fishing, camping, hiking, biking, picnicking, and bird watching. Boating is safe as long as speeds do not create excessive water spray, which could lead to inhalation risk. Drinking water directly from areas of the lake affected by a bloom is especially dangerous.
The Klamath County Sheriff’s Office, through grants awarded by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) in association with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) will conduct multiple High Visibility Enforcements, both day and night, from October 2020 through September 2021.
The Klamath County Sheriff’s Office is able to conduct these extremely beneficial High Visibility Enforcements without affecting the normal functions of the office.
For the Fiscal Year 2020/2021, ODOT/NHTSA awarded the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office $19,500 for High Visibility Enforcement across the five (5) categories. The Klamath County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank ODOT and NHTSA for their support in the sustained objective of ensuring the safe travel on roadways within Klamath County.
Starting on November 16th through Thanksgiving weekend, deputies will be focusing on Driving Under the Influence and Safety Belts.
First-time undergraduate student enrollment at the Oregon Institute of Technology in fall 2020 again registered a strong increase over the year prior.
New freshmen at Oregon Tech increased more than 11% from 2019, which was previously the largest freshman class increase for the university in 30 years. Incoming freshmen numbers have increased by almost 40% since 2017. Overall, Oregon Tech’s headcount (not including high school dual credit students) is 3,962 students — 30 students more than fall 2019. In addition, 1,363 dual credit students are taking Oregon Tech courses in high schools this fall for an overall enrollment of 5,325 students.
As Oregon Tech approaches winter term, the university continues to remain vigilant about the health of the campus community and will follow the preventative measures necessary to minimize risk of exposure, and change course delivery methods as necessary.
Republican Cliff Bentz has won the race for Oregon’s 2nd congressional district with roughly 60% of the vote, according to the Oregon Secretary of State’s unofficial election results. With more than 448,000 votes cast, the race saw its highest turnout in decades.
Bentz ran on a platform supporting President Trump’s policies, including building a border wall and weakening environmental regulations. He also plans to use his seat to address contentious water issues in rural Oregon, including those in the Klamath Basin. Bentz will succeed more than 20-years of representation by Congressman Greg Walden (R-Hood River), who decided not to seek reelection this year. Unlike Walden, Bentz grew up on a ranch in Harney County and has practiced water law and ranch reorganizations for more than three decades.
In his tenure as a state house representative, he served on the energy and environment, revenue and transportation committees, among others.
In case you missed local election results:
Klamath Falls Mayor Carol Westfall held onto her seat at city hall, besting former city councilor Bill Adams by about 18% of the vote, as of unofficial results posted at 10 p.m. Tuesday. Westfall, at home with her family after the results were released, was thrilled with the news.
Incumbent State Sen. Dennis Linthicum has been re-elected to the Oregon Senate representing parts of Jackson, Klamath, Lake, Crook, and Deschutes Counties. Linthicum garnered 71.19% of the votes with 20,966 votes, compared to Deschutes County Democrat Hugh Palcic’s 28.68% and 8,447 votes, according to unofficial results posted Tuesday evening. Linthicum credits his win in part to his informative newsletters that keep voters abreast of what’s happening in the Oregon Legislature along with constitutional and conservative values he carries with him to Salem.
State Rep. E. Werner Reschke has been re-elected to his House District 56 seat in the Oregon House of Representatives, according to unofficial results tallied Tuesday evening. Reschke, 55, took in 17,795 votes and 70.89% of the votes. He’ll represent southern Klamath and Lake Counties for a third term. Leith garnered 28.97% of the votes, with 7,272 votes.
Incumbent Judge Alycia Kersey will retain her seat on the Klamath County Circuit Court with roughly 43% of the vote. She has held the seat since August when she was appointed by Governor Kate Brown to fill the vacancy created by Roxanne Osborne’s retirement. Before her appointment, she had been an attorney for nearly a decade, a domestic violence prosecutor for the Klamath County District Attorney’s office and a clerk for all five of the courthouse’s judges.
CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE LOCAL ELECTION RESULTS
The Klamath Senior Center, like everyone else, is having to develop new strategies for fundraising. This Friday our Development Committee has something new that we are hoping you and others in your office might participate in.
It’s a Chili Feed on Friday, November 6th. In the past this has been a in-person evening event only. This year we are offering take out as well as an in-person event in our dining room. There will be ample space for proper distancing of course.
WHAT’S NEW THIS YEAR? WE WILL OFFER A LUNCH TIME CHILI FEED with the hope that that individuals and employee groups will come for take out or in person seating.
THOSE WISHING TO DO TAKE OUT SHOULD CALL 541-883-7171 ABOUT 30 MINUTES PRIOR TO PICK UP TIME. WE WILL START TAKING ORDERS AT 11:00 AM ON FRIDAY NOVEMBER 6TH. Come Celebrate Life With Us! All Are Welcome!
Online events for children, families and teens hosted by the Klamath County Library, downtown
Join us online for events that families, kids and teens will enjoy! Here’s what we have coming up in November…
- Detective Month! The library’s oldest and rarest book has been stolen! (Gasp!)Each week, pick up an evidence pack at the Youth Services desk, and help us solve the crime with real-life investigative techniques! (Each week’s packet will include a review of the previous week’s evidence and an updated suspect list, so don’t worry if you miss a week.) Find out “whodunit,” and earn your Private Investigator’s License! For all ages.
- Camp Write Stuff: Weekdays after school. Join fellow authors each morning to bounce ideas – or just leverage a little friendly peer pressure to make yourself finish that fic you’ve been procrastinating on. (You know the one.) For ages 12-18. Email Sarah at smiller@klamathlibrary.org for the link to join!
- Virtual Storytime: Tuesdays at 11 am. We go live on our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/KlamathCountyLibrary, each week with stories, games, and surprisingly catchy songs. (Don’t worry if you miss us live – we host a recording of each Virtual Storytime on our Facebook page.)
- Tuesdays. We have everything you need to play – just bring a healthy dose of imagination! We have two different playgroups, which meet at different times on Tuesdays. Email Sarah at smiller@klamathlibrary.org to get your character started!
- Teen Gaming Hour: Thursdays at 4 pm. We’re finding the imposter, trading fruit and more every Thursday at 4pm! Join us each week for co-op gaming fun. Get the link to join on the Teen Discord server, or email Vesta at vkerns@klamathlibrary.org.
- Storytime Live: Fridays at 11 am. Do you like our Facebook live storytimes, but wish you could join in? Katie’s got an interactive storytime for you! Register once at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZErcOquqDMtE9Z23Au-YvIWq8KgRvarzKEY and you’ll have access to all our Storytime Live gatherings. Email Katie at khart@klamathlibrary.org if you need help getting connected.
- Lemon Brick Studios Comics Club: Saturday, November 14th from noon to 3 pm. Our ongoing comics club for artists and writers in sixth through 12th grade hangs out online on the second Saturday of every month! Email Sarah at smiller@klamathlibrary.org or club advisor Professor Franny at franny.howes@gmail.com to get the link to join in.
- Teen Discord! Did you know the Klamath County Library has a Discord server for teens to hang out? It’s true! The conversations happening there inspire quite a bit of our online events. Email Sarah at smiller@klamathlibrary.org for the server info.
For more information, please call 541-882-8894, visit the Youth Services desk, or see our calendar at klamathlibrary.org/calendar.
Linkville Players Season Opens This Weekend with “Talk Radio”
With a spirit of cautious optimism and a healthy can-do attitude, The Linkville Playhouse is excited to announce the start of the 2020/2021 season this weekend with Season Opener, “Talk Radio”. Originally slated for the 19/20 season, the Players were forced to move Talk Radio to this season due to COVID-19 and the resulting quarantine, and are excited to finally be able to bring this story to life onstage here in the Klamath Basin.
A dramatic play written by Eric Bogosian and Directed by Linkville member Fallon Walker, “Talk Radio,” will open the 2020-2021 season at the Linkville Playhouse, starting a November run on Friday, Nov. 6.
Performances will run on Fridays and Saturdays from Nov. 6-28 at 7:30 p.m., with an additional Sunday matinee performance on Sunday, Nov. 22 at 2 p.m.
Ticket sales will be limited in accordance with proper social distancing and COVID-19 restrictions. Masks will be required, and attendees are encouraged to purchase their party’s tickets as one group to help with seating capacity. Tickets for performances are available for purchase in advance at Poppy (522 Main St.), or at the Linkville Playhouse box office prior to showtime. Tickets cost $13 for general admission, with a $1 military/student/senior discount.
For more information follow the Linkville Players Facebook page and the Talk Radio Event page, or check out their website at linkvilleplayers.org.
2020 has been good for one thing at least… poetry at Klamath County Library!
Sunday, November 8th at 2PM Streaming via Zoom – register for invite link
From a devastating wildfire season to the global COVID-19 pandemic and more, 2020 has been a bad year for, well, lots of reasons. But local poetry group The Spoken Word proclaims that tumultuous times make for great art. Join us online for “2020: A Good Year for Poetry” on Sunday, November 8th at 2pm.
Sign up for the event by visiting the registration page at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEkcu-qrTMtE9GJDVYD2WPFkxxPOfQpQS3l or by emailing Charla at coppenlander@klamathlibrary.org.
Has the news cycle gotten you down? Can’t stop refreshing your social media page in dread? Channel that energy into poetry! Klamath Basin poets from The Spoken Word will give tips and tricks on how to focus your 2020 angst into art, alongside their favorite original works produced this year. Join us via Zoom from the comfort of home to hear the latest from our local poets as they demonstrate that 2020 was good for something, after all.
For more information, call 541-882-8894.
Around the state of Oregon
Oregon election officials are reporting record-breaking voter turnout for Tuesday’s election. The Oregon Secretary of State’s Office says two-point-15-million Oregonians cast their votes as of yesterday. That breaks the previous record of two-point-05-million votes set during the 2016 presidential election.
Governor Kate Brown says that she will extend a joint law enforcement command intended to keep the peace in Portland past this Election week, maintaining a stepped-up presence in the city from Oregon State Police and the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office. Brown’s peacekeeping plan, announced on Monday, keeps the Oregon National Guard on standby in case they are needed to support crowd control efforts. Though demonstrators did march through Portland on Tuesday night, the anticipated violence did not emerge — but the Presidential Election remains undecided. Brown’s office said that the joint incident command structure, originally set to expire at 5 p.m. on Wednesday evening, has been extended until Friday evening unless rescinded or lengthened.
A measure intended to hike taxes on tobacco products and put taxes in place on vaping products has passed. Measure 108 increase taxes on tobacco products and “inhalant delivery systems,” namely e-cigarettes, and puts the money toward health programs under the Oregon Health Authority umbrella. Cigarette tax at 16.65 cents per cigarette, which is an increase from $1.33 to $3.33 per 20-pack of cigarettes; E-cigarettes and other nicotine inhalants at a rate of 65% of the wholesale sales price; and Cigar tax cap of 65% of the wholesale sales price, not to exceed $1.00 per cigar, an increase from $0.50. With over 67 percent of precincts reporting, almost 67 percent of voters favored the measure, with just over 33 percent against.
Voters in Union and Jefferson counties say they want their slice of Oregon to become part of Idaho. To be more precise, a majority of residents who cast ballots in those rural counties decided to require that their county commissioners hold meetings about relocating the border. In Jefferson County, 5,655 residents — 51.02% — voted for the measure. In Union, 7,401 — 52.42% — supported it. The measure also was on the ballot in Wallowa County but fell just short, with 2,429 (49.53%) voting yes and 2,475 (50.47%) voting no.
The weak mayor of Portland, Ted Wheeler, declared victory Wednesday after a bruising campaign that sandwiched him between a tough challenger to his political left and anger from moderate voters and business owners frustrated with five months of near-nightly protests that made the city a frequent lightning rod for President Donald Trump. Wheeler said he had a clear mandate with more than 90% of the vote counted and was energized by his win. If his lead holds, Wheeler would become the first mayor to win a second term in the notoriously hard-to-govern city in 20 years.
On Wednesday, November 4, 2020 at approximately 10:10 A.M., Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a multiple vehicle crash on Hwy 101 near milepost 9.
Preliminary investigation revealed a Lincoln Navigator, operated by Rachael Forrest (26) of Seaside,was northbound when it crossed into the southbound lane and struck a Toyota Rav4 operated by Randall Shine (63) of Ilwaco, WA. The impact spun the Rav4 into the northbound lane where it was struck by Chevrolet pickup (ODOT) operated by Richard Kearns (67) of Ocean Park, WA.
Kearns and his passenger Virginia Williams (59) of Warrenton (both ODOT employees) were transported to the hospital.
Shine and his passenger Patricia Shine (71) of Ilwaco, WA. both sustained fatal injuries and were pronounced deceased.
Forrest was not injured. Alcohol is being investigated as a possible factor.
On Monday, November 2, 2020 at approximately 9:45 A.M., Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a crash on Hwy 395E near milepost 148.
Preliminary investigation revealed a Ford F350 truck and flatbed trailer, operated by Daniel Decker (22) of Lakeview, was northbound when it failed to negotiate a corner, overcorrected, and rolled.
The passenger, Clarea Lasley (37) of Lakeview, sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased.
Decker was transported by ground ambulance to the hospital and later flown to St. Charles Medical Center.
Decker will be referred to the Lake County District Attorney’s Office for charges of Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and Manslaughter.