Klamath Basin News, Monday, 11/9 – First Snow Hits Basin; 6 New Covid-19 Cases in the County, State with 874 New Cases

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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, November 9, 2020

Klamath Basin Weather

Monday Mostly sunny, with a high near 40. Overnight, cloudy with a low of 23 degrees.

Tuesday A 10% chance of showers after 4pm. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 43. Calm wind becoming southwest around 6 mph in the morning.

Wednesday, Veterans Day Mostly sunny, with a high near 42.

Thursday A chance of snow after 10am, mixing with rain after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 45. Overnight, a chance of rain and snow before 7pm, then snow likely. Cloudy, with a low around 31.

Friday Rain and snow likely, becoming all rain after 1pm. Snow level 4700 feet. Cloudy, with a high near 42.

Today’s Headlines

COVID-19 has claimed one more life in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 730, the Oregon Health Authority reported today for Sunday. 

Oregon Health Authority reported 874 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today bringing the state total to 50,448.

The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Benton (5), Clackamas (127), Clatsop (5), Columbia (6), Coos (4), Crook (1), Curry (2), Deschutes (23), Douglas (15), Grant (5), Harney (1), Hood River (6), Jackson (67), Jefferson (1), Josephine (9), Klamath (6), Lane (57), Linn (5), Malheur (13), Marion (112), Morrow (8), Multnomah (216), Polk (17), Tillamook (1), Umatilla (25), Union (9), Wallowa (1), Wasco (1), Washington (104), Yamhill (22).

Klamath County had six new Covid-19 cases according to the OHA. Jackson County reported 67 new cases and Josephine with 9 new cases.

A man died Wednesday on Highway 97 after his vehicle crossed into oncoming traffic.

John Fairbanks, city of residence unknown, was driving northbound on the highway near milepost 232 in Klamath County when his vehicle crossed into the southbound lanes and collided with a vehicle driven by Roberto Salinas, 32, of Sanger, Calif.  Fairbanks sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased. Salinas sustained minor injuries.

The Klamath Basin received its first measurable snowfall Saturday night. Many inches fell on the passes surrounding the Basin, while snow squalls then freezing temperatures made driving slick after months of little to no precipitation.

Temperatures are expected to plunge near single digits the next few nights, with the next chance of a snow shower likely coming in Tuesday.


Sky Lakes Medical Center officials are anticipating a “detrimental” financial impact on the medical center following a ransomware attack last week, but officials are hopeful a new system will be up and running by next week.

The medical center is one of numerous hospitals around the country that was hit by the attack. IT professionals have been working around the clock to remedy the threat, and the medical center is in the process of getting a system-wide upgrade.

Tom Hottman, spokesman for Sky Lakes Medical Center, and Stewart said Friday there is still a lot to be done but that “great progress” is being made. Hottman said that systems that have to do with patient care are going to be up much sooner. Radiologists will have a brand new system to read diagnostic images.

The hospital will have to replace about 2,000 computers.

A 38-year old Klamath Falls man is in the Klamath County jail, lodged on at least 10 felony counts. Kevin Dean Moya was arrested at a residence on Manzanita Avenue Friday afternoon.  He faces at least 10 counts of encouraging child sex abuse in the first degree. No other details on the arrest were immediately available.

The family of a Klamath Falls man who died gruesomely in 2017 while working at the Columbia Forest Products mill has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the company.

Kay Moyette, the mother of Francis “Frankie” Crispen, is suing the mill for nearly $5.5 million after Crispen, 28, fell into a vat of scalding, corrosive liquid on Nov. 17, 2017 while he was repairing an electrical cord that operates a motor at the mill. The complaint alleges Columbia failed to install the proper safety equipment, such as guard rails or other fall protection, that could have prevented Crispen’s death. An OSHA investigation into his death completed in May 2018 led to $17,500 in fines for Columbia after finding multiple safety violations, including holes in the vat cover and not providing safer access to the area.

The complaint states Crispen’s family has incurred economic losses of almost $3 million, from things like funeral expenses and loss of income, and noneconomic losses totaling $2.5 million.

The Klamath Tribes donated more than $114,000 of CARES Act funding to Chiloquin schools this week to help with the transition back to in-person learning.

In the past, the tribes have previously sponsored field trips and speaker events for students, along with tutoring programs and technology investments. Tribal council members often show up on the first day of school to greet students and send them well wishes for the upcoming school year. With the COVID-19 pandemic sending the school year into a frenzy, the tribal council and Chiloquin school principals looked for ways to fill gaps in funding.

Months of challenging distance learning had left both teachers and students exhausted. Some students had fallen behind and needed tutoring, and teachers struggled to engage students in their virtual classrooms. And many low-income, rural families had inadequate technology and internet access to facilitate online learning.

A solar energy project may be coming to Langell Valley, but some of its potential neighbors aren’t so sunny about the prospect. Hecate Energy LLC hopes to take advantage of the Klamath Basin’s 300-plus days of sun per year by constructing the Bonanza Energy Facility.

Rows of photovoltaic panels spanning up to 1,851 acres would convert sunlight into electrical energy, which would be sent via transmission line to the Captain Jack Substation north of Malin. From there it would enter the California-Oregon Intertie, an electricity superhighway that transports power between California and the Pacific Northwest. Utilities like Pacific Power and Portland General Electric would have the ability to purchase the electricity through energy markets. The facility would generate between 150 and 300 megawatts of carbon-free power, and an accompanying battery system housed in 11 separate buildings could store up to 1,100 megawatts of energy to make up for Klamath County’s rare cloudy days Hecate submitted a Notice of Intent to Apply for a site certificate to the Oregon Energy Facility Siting Council in August, the first step in a long state approval process for the facility.

The notice isn’t a formal application and therefore doesn’t include many specifics about the project’s construction or operations, but some Bonanza residents aren’t enthused about what they’re seeing so far.

Following months of infrastructure upgrades to the venerable venue, the Ross Ragland Theater officially lit its new LED lighting system on its towering spire, installed earlier this year, on Friday, Nov. 6.

During the COVID-19 pandemic the historic concert and theater venue in the heart of downtown Klamath Falls has not sat idle; the facility underwent numerous upgrades including new office space and much-needed projects inside the venue that has stood since the 1930s. Among the projects planned while the theater remained mostly shuttered to the public due to crowd restrictions was a largely community-funded effort to replace the neon lighting that once lit the Ross Ragland’s spire for decades, which had long since burned out, with modern programmable LED lighting.

A formal lighting ceremony to be livestreamed had been planned in August, but delays with the project’s completion ultimately led to Friday’s less formal but still celebrated marking of a new era in the history of the Ross Ragland Theater.

Tulelake will celebrate its 13th annual Veteran’s Day Program 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Tulelake Veteran’s Park.

Organizers said fifth and sixth grade students from Tulelake Elementary School who were winners in the Tulelake Basin Republican Women Federated essay contest will read from entries. The theme for this year’s contest was “Why is it Important to Vote.” Facial masks and social distancing are strongly encouraged.

Around the state of Oregon

Suspect Joshua Robert Miller is currently at the Jackson County jail on several charges related to a double homicide that was reported last week.

The victims of the shootings have been identified as a father and son. The other two victims were Shane Heiwa Roork from Ukiah, California and Dune Allen Roork from Willits, California.

Joshua Robert Miller is facing the following charges:

  • TWO COUNTS OF MURDER 2ND DEGREE, no bail
  • TWO COUNTS ABUSE OF CORPSE 2ND DEGREE, bail: $7,500 per count
  • ATTEMPTED MURDER 2ND DEGREE, bail: $100,000

The case will be referred to the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office.

At a press conference with state health officials on Friday, Governor Kate Brown called for a two-week “pause” in social activities for five Oregon counties that have seen a sustained spike in coronavirus cases — Jackson County among them.

Brown said that the pause affects counties with more than 200 cases per 100,000 over a two-week period, or more than 60 cases in rural counties. To begin with, this describes Malheur, Umatilla, Marion, Jackson, and Multnomah counties — but another group of counties are on the cusp, Brown said.

The pause begins on Wednesday, November 11 and extends through Wednesday, November 25, the day before Thanksgiving.

The pause is intended as “a first step” intended to reduce human contact and reduce spread of coronavirus, Brown said.

She characterized it as a measure intended to avoid more drastic restrictions. Included within the pause are a variety of measures — halting indoor visits to long-term care facilities; instituting a 50-person maximum capacity in restaurants, including both patrons and staff, and reducing restaurant party sizes to a maximum of six.

Outdoor dining and takeout are strongly encouraged. There will also be a 50-person capacity for recreational venues like gyms, fitness centers, and museums — however, this does not extend to faith-based gatherings.

Oregon OSHA has adopted a temporary rule that combats the spread of coronavirus in all workplaces by requiring employers to carry out a comprehensive set of risk-reducing measures.

The rule will take effect Nov. 16, with certain parts phased in, and is expected to remain in effect until May 4, 2021. It is a continuation of the guidance produced by the Oregon Health Authority and enforced in the workplace by Oregon OSHA, including physical distancing, use of face coverings, and sanitation. The rule is intended to further improve the current structure for reducing risks in the workplace by requiring several measures many employers have voluntarily implemented.

For example, it requires employers to notify employees of a workplace infection and provide training to workers on how to reduce risks. Likewise, employers must formally assess the risk of exposure, develop infection control plans, and address indoor air quality within their current capability.

Those measures – along with more requirements for exceptionally high-risk jobs, such as direct patient care – are part of Oregon OSHA’s ongoing enforcement and educational efforts to help protect workers from the coronavirus disease.

Gov. Kate Brown Sunday said she has rescinded an executive order that called for Oregon State Police and the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office to command any police response to potentially violent protests that were anticipated in Portland in the days after Tuesday’s presidential election.

Brown said her executive order had been set to expire at 5 p.m. Sunday, but she was announcing its end more than five hours early because response to the presidential election — Joe Biden’s victory — has been overwhelmingly celebratory in Portland.

On Sunday, November 8, 2020 at approximately 9:40 A.M., Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a vehicle crash on Hwy 97 near milepost 181.

Preliminary investigation revealed a Toyota Tacoma, operated by Heriberto Pacheco Madrigal (35) of Sunnyside, WA. was northbound when it lost traction on the ice, slid into the southbound lane, and collided with a Toyota Tundra operated by Daniel Frank (63) of Redding, CA. 

Pacheco Madrigal and his passengers, Silvia Pacheco Madrigal (29) of Sunnyside, WA and two minor children, were transported to the hospital.

Frank and his passenger, Cheryl Frank (63) of Redding, CA. were transported to the hospital.  Cheryl Frank sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased at the hospital. 

There was a third vehicle, Ford Explorer, involved and the occupants were uninjured.

OSP was assisted at the scene by ODOT and Crescent Rural Fire Department.  Weather and roadway conditions were a factor in this crash. 

On Saturday, November 7, 2020, at approximately 3:32 A.M., Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a vehicle crash on Hwy 99E near milepost 35.

Preliminary investigation revealed a Honda Accord, operated by Pulciano Roque-Perez (26) of Salem, was northbound when it crossed into the southbound lane and collided with a Chevrolet Silverado operated by Antonio Mendoza-Gallardo (62) of Woodburn.

Roque-Perez sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased.

His passenger Bulmaro Cortes-Salinas (24) of Salem was transported to the hospital with injuries.

Mendoza-Gallardo was transported to the hospital with injuries.

On Thursday, November 6, 2020 at approximately 11:56 P.M., Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a vehicle crash on Hwy 97 near milepost 111.

Preliminary investigation determined that a Honda, operated by a juvenile, was southbound and a Chevy pickup, operated by Brandon Kern (29) of Redmond, was northbound.  The vehicles collided and cause of the crash is still under investigation.

Kern and his passenger, Shawna Henkemeyer (38) of Redmond, were transported with serious injuries. 

The Honda operator was transported with serious injuries. 

The passenger in the Honda, Alisa Miller (19) of Madras, sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased 

On Wednesday, November 4, 2020, at approximately 9:59P.M., Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a vehicle crash on Hwy 97 near milepost 232.

Preliminary investigation revealed a Honda motorcycle, operated by John Fairbanks (56) of unknown, was northbound when it crossed into the southbound lane and collided with a Pontiac G6 operated by Roberto Salinas (32) of Sanger, CA. 

Fairbanks sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased.

Salinas sustained minor injuries.

Double Homicide Investigation

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office reports Joshua Robert Miller, DOB 080885, has been taken into custody. On 110520 at 1120pm, JCSO received a call from a resident in the 15000 block of East Evans Creek Rd. reporting that Miller had shown up at their house . The residents left the house. Deputies responded to the location and set up a perimeter with assistance from Oregon State Police. Miller was taken into custody without incident at 0316am on 110620.

The identity of the victims in this case are pending release until next of kin are notified. The case remains under active investigation.

15000 block of E. Evans Creek Road, Rogue River, OR

Suspect: Joshua Robert  Miller, birthdate 5/8/1985, resident of 15000 block of East Evans Creek Rd. Rogue River, OR. This address is located north of Wimer, Oregon.

Suspect Joshua Robert Miller has been lodged at Jackson County Jail on several charges related to the double homicide case reported on 110420. The victims of the shooting have been identified.

The two deceased victims are:

Shane Heiwa Roork, 35 years old of the Ukiah, California area.

Duane Allen Roork, 58 years old of the Willits, California area.

The victims are father and son. The involved parties were all known to each other.

Joshua Robert Miller has been lodged at the Jackson County Jail on the following charges:

TWO COUNTS MURDER 2ND DEGREE No Bail          

TWO COUNTS ABUSE OF CORPSE 2ND DEGREE Bail: $7,500 per count

ATTEMPTED  MURDER 2ND DEGREE Bail: $100,000.

The Attempted Murder charge relates to shots fired by the suspect at a third victim. That victim information is not being released at this time. The case will be referred to the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office.

On Friday, November 7, 2020 there were two separate demonstrations in the Salem Area.   One rally started at the Capitol at approximately 12:00 P.M. and a second rally started at Pringle Park in Salem at approximately 5:00 P.M. and later marched to the Capitol. 

Four people were arrested during these rallies:

2:00pm – Nathan Arnett (29) of Molalla – Assault IV and Unlawful use of OC

4:37pm – Jeffrey Mustin (37) of Eugene– Assault IV and Unlawful possession of firearm

5:00pm – Ryan Swanzey (32) of Portland– Disorderly Conduct and Offensive Littering

6:00pm – Jesse Baughman (22) of Salem – Disorderly Conduct and Interfering with Police

Oregon State Police is aware of other criminal behavior during the night and will continue to investigate those reports.

The Oregon State Police is seeking public assistance in identifying the person(s) who shot and killed three elk and left them to waste near Hwy 126 and Quail Tree Dr. in the Dry Canyon area east of Sisters.

Investigation has determined all three elk were most likely shot on opening day of the East Central Cascade elk season (Wednesday, October 28 through Sunday, November 1, 2020).  

All three elk were located in fairly close proximity. 

One mature bull elk had the head and antlers removed and only the two front shoulders salvaged.  

A spike bull elk and cow elk were shot and left to waste approximately 40 yards apart.

Anyone with information on this incident is encouraged to contact the Oregon State Police TIP number at 1-800-452-7888 or *OSP and leave information for Senior Trooper Creed Cummings. 

Information can also be provided at the following website   https://www.oregon.gov/osp/programs/fw/Pages/tip.aspx or the TIP information below.

Also, Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Troopers are requesting any information regarding a 6×6 bull elk that was shot and left to waste in the 3000 block of Reuben Road, Glendale on November 5, 2020 between 9 P.M. to Midnight. 

Troopers responded and found the bull had been shot and killed by small caliber rifle. 

Residents reported seeing a full sized white Chevy crew cab pickup with a white canopy in the area.  It is estimated to be around the 2014 – 2015 model year. 

A cash reward amount is pending in addition to the preference point/cash option listed below.

If you have any information please contact the Oregon State Police Southern Command Center at 1-800-442-2068 or *OSP and leave information for Trooper Aaron Baimbridge. You can also contact the TIP Hotline or TIP email below.

** Report Wildlife and Habitat Law Violators** 

Oregon Hunters Association TIP reward fund also offers cash rewards for information leading to an arrest or issuance of a citation for the unlawful take/possession or waste of Bighorn Sheep, Rocky Mountain Goat, Moose, Elk, Deer, Antelope, Bear, Cougar, Wolf, Upland Birds, Waterfowl, Furbearers, Game Fish and Shellfish.  Cash rewards can also be awarded for turning in people who destroy habitat, illegally obtain licenses/tags and for the unlawful lending/borrowing of big game tags.

CASH REWARDS:
* $1,000 Bighorn Sheep, Rocky Mountain Goat and Moose 
* $500 Elk, Deer and Antelope 
* $300 Bear, Cougar and Wolf 
* $300 Habitat Destruction

* $200 Illegally Obtaining License/Tag(s)

* $200 Unlawful Lend/Borrow Big Game Tags(s) 
* $100 Upland Birds and Waterfowl 
* $100 Furbearers 

* $100 Game Fish and Shellfish 

How to Report a Wildlife and/or Habitat Law Violation or Suspicious Activity: 

TIP Hotline: 1-800-452-7888 or *OSP(677)

OHA Releases Interactive Version of Oregon Health Insurance Survey Data

The Oregon Health Authority announced the data from the Oregon Health Insurance Survey is now available in interactive dashboards, allowing people to explore 2011-2019 survey data, complete with demographic and geographic breakdowns.

Every two years, the Oregon Health Insurance Survey asks people in 8,000 Oregon households about insurance coverage, access to care and health care use.

The most recent survey, released in September 2019, found that nearly 3.9 million or 94% of Oregonians had health coverage, a nearly 10% increase over 2013, before the Affordable Care Act (ACA) went into effect. Under the ACA, Oregon extended Oregon Health Plan (OHP) coverage to approximately 400,000 Oregonians who lacked health insurance. Meanwhile, 145,000 Oregonians had signed up for health insurance through the Health Insurance Marketplace as of December 2019.

“With the ACA under continued threat and the pressure COVID-19 has put on individuals and our health care system, understanding Oregon’s health coverage gaps is critically important,” said Jeremy Vandehey, director of health policy and analytics at OHA. “As a state, we have a history of seeking out innovative ways to expand coverage and improve quality of care. Being able to identify groups who have been most impacted by a loss of coverage will be an important part of building strategies for recovery.”

The interactive data set released today allows users to examine trends within and among groups of Oregonians across time. The dashboards are part of OHA Health Policy and Analytics Division’s continued effort to make data about what is happening in the health system more accessible and transparent. OHA is also working on a special report to estimate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health coverage in Oregon through publicly available data.

Among the conclusions in the new dashboards, OHA highlighted:

  • While 6% of Oregonians were uninsured at the time of the survey, 3.5% were uninsured for the entire year.
  • While increases in insurance rates were seen among each race or ethnicity group between 2011 and 2019, disparities for communities of color remain.
  • Since 2011 Hispanic or Latinx Oregonians have been considerably more likely to be uninsured than non-Hispanic or Latinx Oregonians; 11.5% of Hispanic or Latinx Oregonians reported being uninsured in 2019.
  • From 2011 through 2019 the age group with the highest uninsured rates was consistently 19-to-34-year-old Oregonians.
  • Most uninsured Oregonians were eligible for help getting health insurance through the Marketplace or through Medicaid (77.7% statewide).
  • Losing Oregon Health Plan coverage was the most common reason people were uninsured.

Access the OHIS dashboards.

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