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Monday, January 11, 2021
Klamath Basin Weather
The Oregon Health Authority reported 1,225 new cases of the coronavirus on Sunday, bringing the state total to 125,683 cases since the pandemic began.
Health officials also reported two new deaths as the death toll climbed to 1,605. In recent days, daily case counts have climbed above 1,600. While those are not record-breaking case numbers on their own, in a report from earlier this week, the OHA said that the latest model “estimated that transmission of COVID-19 decreased dramatically between late November and mid-December before surging sharply upward.
Health officials estimate that case numbers, as well as hospitalizations, will increase in the coming weeks. Vaccinations across Oregon continue in an effort to curb the spread of the virus. On Saturday, the OHA added 8,648 new doses of COVID-19 vaccinations to the state’s immunization registry.
More than 6,000 doses of the vaccine were administered on Saturday alone, and the remaining were administered on previous days but had not yet been recorded.
As of Saturday, 2.2% of Oregonians have been vaccinated.
Klamath County still continues to vaccinate a high portion of its population against COVID-19. With 245.6 people per 10,000 having gotten their shots, Klamath now ranks fifth in the state.
At least 1,675 people have received the first of two vaccine doses locally. As of Thursday, Sky Lakes Medical Center had administered at least 1,506 of those shots, according to public information officer Tom Hottman.
Those include county healthcare professionals not affiliated with the hospital. Klamath County Public Health received 200 doses of vaccine last week and began immunizing medical first responders and other healthcare workers. They also administered six shots to staff at the Merrill and Bonanza Clinics this Tuesday.
KCPH Spokesperson Valeree Lane said she’s received calls from residents concerned that Klamath County isn’t receiving its fair share of vaccine doses from the Oregon Health Authority, which manages their distribution. Like most other states, Oregon is severely lagging behind in getting the vaccine into the arms of its healthcare workers—out of a total of more than 252,350 doses received as of this week, fewer than 74,914 have been administered.
It’s on beginning today. “In-person learning” starts up again this morning here in the Klamath basin, with both county and city public school districts allowing students back into the classroom.
The school boards hosted an emergency meeting Thursday night after the Oregon School Boards Association notified districts that liability protection granted by the state legislature protecting them in the case of COVID-19 spread in schools only applied to districts that followed the state health metrics.
On Dec. 23, Oregon Governor Kate Brown changed state health metrics from “mandatory” to “advisory.” After that announcement, the Klamath school districts made plans to start brining students back to school on Jan. 11.
In the survey from the county schools union, 47% of union-represented teachers said they feel safe going back to school, 38% responded that they don’t and 15% responded neutral to the question.
The state also announced Friday that K through 12 teachers will now be next in line to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, after healthcare workers and staff and residents at long-term care facilities.
The Klamath County Chamber of Commerce Executive Committee voted unanimously in support of a group of local business owners that have made the tough decision to save their businesses, their livelihoods, and the jobs of their employees by reopening, as long as they follow Center for Disease Control (CDC) COVID-19 guidelines to keep their customers and their employees safe. Their statement says:
“This support comes in response to several local business owners making the decision to reopen while responsibly following the CDC guidelines.
The Chamber also urges state and local governments to support businesses who act responsibly to be able to survive. The Chamber encourages public officials in Bonanza, Chiloquin, Klamath Falls, Malin and Klamath County to join with the city council of Merrill in their support of business owners in their plight and provide them with the tools, resources, and latitude to make responsible decisions in opening their businesses following CDC and Public Health guidelines.
The business shutdowns have created a hardship on businesses, their employees, and caused harm to the overall economic viability of our entire community. The Chamber staff, board, and volunteers have visited with countless business owners as they work to understand the ever changing guidelines and attempt to make the decision that is right for their business, the families the business supports, and the community. Local business owners care about our community and their customers and clients and since day one have taken extra precautions to keep their customers and clients safe.
In closing the board said they also support the rights and decisions of our members that choose to remain closed, until a date of their choosing for reopening.”
Central and Eastern Lake County; Northern and Eastern Klamath County and Western Lake Count are under a High Wind Watch once again this morning.
The NWS Medford office issued the watch effective from late tonight through Wednesday afternoon. Southwest winds will prevail 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 65 mph possible.
This is in effect for the higher terrain of eastern Klamath and western Lake Counties, but also including Highway 31 between Paisley and Summer Lake. From late Monday night through Wednesday afternoon.
The national weather service says Damaging winds could blow down trees and power lines. Widespread power outages are possible. Travel could be difficult, especially for high profile vehicles.
Two Southern Oregon Republican lawmakers back a new group, Citizens Against Tyranny, that formed last month to defy Gov. Kate Brown’s COVID-19 regulations, try to recall elected officials who decline to sign onto their “declaration of basic rights” and publicly name private citizens who file complaints against businesses that don’t comply with Brown’s executive orders.
Sen. Dallas Heard, a Republican from Roseburg, is one of the group’s main supporters. On Friday night, Heard announced he would raffle off his sports car, a 2000 Dodge Viper, to raise money to support the group’s future endeavors.
Sen. Herman Baertschiger Jr., R-Grants Pass, also spoke at a Friday event at a Roseburg church. The event appeared to be well attended, according to an hour-long video posted to Facebook showing with multiple camera angles. No one in view on the video appeared to be wearing a mask. Heard said he didn’t endorse violence or aggressive action toward those who filed complaints, but he also referred to them as rats and “extremists” who should “no longer be immune to the consequences of their actions.”
Senator Ron Wyden is in support of congress acting on the 25th Amendment following riots at the capitol this Wednesday.
Wyden called the events that unfolded a domestic terrorist attack. He says the president ought to be held to account. He also calls him “a clear and present danger.” Wyden says he views what happened as “the culmination of the president spending 4 years fanning the flames of fanaticism.”
Wyden says this was a classic definition of domestic terrorism as people tried to use intimidation to advance a political goal. He added that every day the current president is in office, it is a threat to the values that are sacred to this county and to the values of Oregon.
An Oregon State Representative is accused of letting demonstrators into the Oregon State Capitol during last month’s Special Session.
The demonstration was in protest of new COVID-19 restrictions. House Speaker Tina Kotek says Oregon State Police identified Representative Mike Nearman as the person who let demonstrators into the building. Officers were injured and Kotek says legislators felt terrorized while the demonstrators were in the building. Legislative staff is considering options for how to address Nearman’s actions.
On Saturday, January 9, 2021 at approximately 8:15 A.M., Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a vehicle crash on Hwy 213 near S. Union Hall Rd.
Preliminary investigation revealed a Toyota Tacoma, operated by Elina Inget (66) of Eagle Point, was northbound when it lost control on the icy road and collided with a southbound Freightliner box truck operated by Colby Ransier (33) of Silverton.
Inget sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased.
Ransier was transported to a local hospital for injuries.
Hwy 213 southbound was closed for approximately four hours.
Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument is now accepting applications for its summer Artist-in-Residence program. Selected artists are provided with a beautiful environment in which to generate artistic works and share their works with the public.
Artistic expertise, professionalism, and creative uses of artistic media are encouraged. Selected artists receive a one to two-week residency at CSNM facilities during the summer. All artists are encouraged to apply for a chance to participate in the program, and there is no preference given to any one particular style or medium; artists from previous years have produced works ranging from panoramic watercolors to musical compositions.
During their stay, artists share their vision in one public presentation. Following their residency, artists donate at least one digital image of their completed artwork to CSNM. CSNM holds a publishing copyright to donated digital imagery for promotional use to advance the residency program. The artist retains a non-exclusive use copyright.
One artist and one alternate will be selected to participate in July 2021. Selections are made on the basis of the following criteria: entry materials, residency proposal, professionalism, and creative vision.
Interested artists may obtain more information and download an application and guidelines by accessing the Artist-in-Residence website, by e-mail (jbrumm@blm.gov) or by calling (541) 618-2256. Detailed instructions are on the entry form. Applications must be postmarked by April 5, 2021.
Those wishing to learn more about the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument information can do so on the CSNM’s website.