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.
Friday, January 29, 2021
Today’s Basin Weather
Today- Partly sunny, with a high near 39. South wind 3 to 6 mph.
Saturday- A 20 percent chance of snow before 10am. Partly sunny, with a high near 41. South wind 8 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph.
Sunday- A chance of rain and snow before 1pm, then a chance of rain between 1pm and 4pm, then a chance of rain and snow after 4pm. Snow level rising to 5000 feet in the afternoon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 44. South wind 13 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Monday- Rain and snow likely before 10am, then rain between 10am and 4pm, then rain and snow likely after 4pm. Snow level 4700 feet. High near 42. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Tuesday- A chance of snow. Partly sunny, with a high near 39.
See Road Camera Views:
Lake of the Woods
Doak Mtn.
Hiway 97 at Chemult
Hiway 140 at Bly
Hiway 97 at GreenSprings Dr.
Hiway 97 at LaPine
Today’s Headlines
Oregon Health Authority reports ‘steep decline’ in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations
Oregon reports 750 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 6 new deaths
Oregon Health Authority reported 750 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 140,783.
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Benton (15), Clackamas (62), Clatsop (6), Columbia (4), Coos (26), Crook (2), Deschutes (37), Douglas (20), Harney (2), Hood River (5), Jackson (25), Jefferson (4), Josephine (22), Klamath (16), Lake (3), Lane (72), Lincoln (6), Linn (12), Malheur (8), Marion (90), Morrow (2), Multnomah(174), Polk (12), Tillamook (1), Umatilla (24), Union (3), Wasco (12), Washington (73) and Yamhill (12).
NOTE: OHA no longer lists individual cases of COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon in its daily media releases. We share aggregated COVID-19 related deaths on OHA’s public dashboards, which are updated daily. A breakdown of today’s reported deaths by age category is included below.
Weekly media briefing scheduled for Jan. 29 at 11 a.m.
Media are invited to attend a media briefing at 11 a.m. tomorrow, Jan. 29, with Oregon Health Authority Director Patrick Allen and Oregon State Public Health Officer and Epidemiologist Dr. Dean Sidelinger. OHA will discuss COVID-19 projections and COVID-19 variants in Oregon. Media will be able to join via Zoom: https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1619447624?pwd=RllrMU5WVXdub2Q0YkFqUVZrZTdDUT09
Vaccinations in Oregon
Today, OHA reported that 19,010 new doses of COVID-19 vaccinations were added to the state immunization registry. Of this total,12,292 doses were administered on Jan. 27 and 6,718 were administered on previous days but were entered into the vaccine registry on Jan. 27.
Cumulative daily totals can take several days to finalize because providers have 72 hours to report doses administered and technical challenges have caused many providers to lag in their reporting. OHA has been providing technical support to vaccination sites to improve the timeliness of their data entry into the state’s ALERT Immunization Information System (IIS).
Oregon has now administered a cumulative total of 359,370 first and second doses of COVID-19 vaccines. To date, 606,725 doses of vaccine have been delivered to sites across Oregon.
These data are preliminary and subject to change. OHA’s dashboards provide regularly updated vaccination data, and Oregon’s dashboard has been updated today.
The role that race should play in deciding who gets priority for the COVID-19 vaccine was put to the test Thursday in Oregon, but people of color won’t be the specific focus in the next phase of the state’s rollout as tensions around equity and access to the shots emerge nationwide.
An advisory committee that provides recommendations to Gov. Kate Brown and public health authorities discussed whether to prioritize racial minorities but decided on a wide range of other groups: those under 65 with chronic medical conditions, essential workers, inmates and people living in group settings. The 27-member panel in Oregon, a Democratic-led state that’s overwhelmingly white, said people of color likely fell into the other prioritized groups and expressed concerns about legal issues if race was the focus.
Vaccines Arrive at the Gospel Mission
The Klamath Falls Gospel Mission hosted a walk-in vaccine clinic Thursday to help protect housing insecure people in Klamath Falls against COVID-19.
The Mission partnered with Klamath County Public Health, which provided doses of the Moderna vaccine, and Klamath Community College, whose second-year nursing students delivered the shots.
Out of the 77 doses KCPH provided to the Mission, Executive Director Ammond Crawford said 32 of its guests and six of its staff members received shots, and the rest were likely taken to Klamath Open Door nearby.
Crawford said he didn’t know what to expect ahead of the clinic. On top of varying opinions surrounding the vaccine in general, people the Mission serve often have serious trauma that makes them distrustful of institutions like public health.
But, he said the vaccinations were an important part of keeping people who come in and out of the mission safe.
“If we’re given the ability to distribute it, we need to be able to do that,” he said. “It’s not a conspiracy. It’s not political. It’s about keeping people safe.”
Most of the Mission’s guests, as they’re referred to, had few ways to know about the clinic if they weren’t already staying there. But Crawford said word of mouth has been helpful in letting Klamath Falls’ housing insecure population know about the opportunity.
“They talk to each other, so the word’s been getting out,” he said.
While several states have prioritized homeless shelters in their vaccine rollouts — typically making them part of Phase 1b along with other congregate settings — Oregon hasn’t mentioned the facilities specifically in its official plan. Homeless shelter staff in Portland did receive shots earlier this month.
Crawford said most of the Mission’s guests have compromised immune systems or other pre-existing conditions that put them at risk of severe illness or death due to COVID-19, making them an important part of the early days of Oregon’s vaccine rollout. Many cannot socially distance or isolate if necessary.
The room was abuzz with people waiting for their turn to receive a shot. Christie Cahill, a registered nurse and faculty member at KCC’s School of Nursing, said her program had reached out to the local public health office to offer assistance administering vaccines.
“It’s really important that we get that high-risk population vaccinated right away,” Cahill said.
Not being a critical care nurse by training, Cahill said she had felt helpless during much of the pandemic, watching other healthcare workers bear the brunt of surging hospitalizations due to COVID-19. Now, she’s excited to get herself and her students out doing their part to help the community.
“I finally feel like there’s something that I can do personally to help keep people safe and healthy,” Cahill said. “I’m just really grateful that we were able to be here.”
Gerald Weaver, who has been living at the Mission for seven weeks, was one of the first to receive his shot. Concerned about new variants of the virus popping up around the world and in the U.S. in recent weeks, he was eager to get the shot. And as a veteran who served in the Middle East and the Balkans, a needle didn’t scare him.
“It’s only getting worse, and I can’t be foolish with it,” he said about COVID.
Weaver scooted his wheelchair over to a KCC nursing student, who went through his paperwork and administered the shot. Once he gets fully vaccinated, he said he’s hoping to get a house in Klamath Falls and help other struggling veterans get back on their feet.
Linda Chandler, who had been at the Mission for 105 days, fled from Redding, Calif., during the summer’s devastating wildfires. After a tough year, the vaccine was a shot in the arm for her in more ways than one.
“Now I’m beginning to build my life,” she said. “I feel like it’s a huge turning point.”
Chandler said she wasn’t nervous at all about the vaccine. Being in her 60s, she didn’t want her life truncated by the virus. She had previously been exposed to COVID-19 and was lucky enough not to catch it, so she welcomed the opportunity to protect herself.
“I don’t tend to listen to the naysaying,” she said. “Hold your breath, take the shot and believe in the science of man. It’s a wonderful thing.”
Fatal Crash on Hwy 31 – Lake County
On Thursday, January 28, 2021 at approximately 8:40 P.M., Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a single vehicle crash on Hwy 31 near milepost 33.
Preliminary investigation revealed a Dodge Dakota, operated by Kenneth Wolfe III (55) of Lakeview, was southbound when it lost control on icy roads, left the roadway, and rolled. Wolfe III sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased. OSP was assisted by Lake County Sheriff’s Office, EMS, and ODOT.
Mazama High Names Pete Whisler as Head Baseball Coach
Mazama High School has named longtime winning baseball coach Pete Whisler to head its program this spring.
“Pete was selected because of his many years of experience and knowledge of the game,” said Vic Lease, Mazama High School athletic director. “He has had proven success wherever he has coached.”
Whisler is no stranger to Mazama athletics. As head baseball coach for the Vikings in the 1990s, he compiled a 113-17 record over five seasons, winning the Class 4A state championship in 1996. Whisler also was named the Class 4A coach of the year in 1996. Since then, he has continued to coach, leading high school and college teams to successful seasons and championships.
For the past few seasons, Whisler has been assistant coach for Henley’s program. He will replace Josh Moore, who was Viking head coach for three years, compiling a 37-33 overall record.
Whisler will officially start coaching pitchers and catchers on March 22. Full team practices start April 5.
His coaching philosophy focuses on fundamentals and discipline.
“Fundamentals are what make young athletes better,” he said. “I’m old school. I’m real tough on athletes, but I’m also the first one to tell them they’ve done something good. If they can play for me, they can go on to play college ball for someone.”
The Vikings will have a 15-game season, playing each Skyline Conference team three times. At the end of the season, OSAA will host a culminating week, but those details are not yet finalized.
Whisler, who works full-time for the Klamath County School District as a GED specialist at Falcon Heights, has coached at every level — professional, collegiate, and high school. He also played professional ball with the Cleveland Indians for two years in the 1980s. The 1979 Klamath Union graduate helped his team win the state championships his senior year before playing college ball.
Since 1988, Whisler has served as head coach of the Klamath Falls Falcons American Legion squad with the exception of a few summers in early 2000 when he coached professionally. The Falcons regularly made the state playoffs under Whisler, winning the state championship in 1996.
After coaching at Mazama in the 1990s, Whisler took the head position at South Medford High School before returning to Klamath Falls in 2002 to coach Oregon Tech’s Hustlin’ Owls. He led the Owls to first place in Cascade Conference and advancement to the regional tournament.
After Oregon Tech, he served as co-head baseball coach at Klamath Union, leading the Pelicans to the playoffs each year, where they made the quarterfinals, and a semifinal. From there, he was an assistant coach at Mazama for a couple of years before transferring to Henley as an assistant for the past five seasons.
At Mazama this season, he will push athletes to improve their skills and has hopes for at least a scaled-back game schedule.
“We just want to have some kind of season where kids are out there competing,” he said. “There are some good athletes at Mazama right now. My goal is to see some of the seniors go on to play at the next level.”
AROUND the STATE of OREGON
Friends for over 40 Years Win $7.4 Million Jackpot
A good friendship is priceless, asErik Maki and Brian Krahmer will tell you. The duo has been friends since middle school and after more than 40 years of sharing a friendship, they can also say they share a $7.4 million Oregon’s Game Megabucks jackpot.
Over the past 28 weeks, Maki and Krahmer, both of Hillsboro, who have also worked together for 25 years, have been taking turns buying Megabucks tickets.
“We always check our tickets on Monday,” said Maki, who has also worked with Krahmer for 25 years. “The best we’d done had been winning a free ticket! Our offices are next door to each other and Brian brought the ticket and said we’d won $7,400. We were pretty excited about that. Then Brian decided to check what number we’d missed and he compared the ticket to the Lottery app. That’s when he saw that we’d matched all six numbers and we’d really won $7.4 million!”
The first thing they did was contact their wives to tell them the news. “They didn’t believe us at first,” said Krahmer. “That was understandable because we both like to joke around.” Once their wives were convinced that had won, Maki and Krahmer wisely contacted their financial planner and CPA before heading to the Lottery to claim their prize January 26.
The two friends split the $7.4 million prize from the January 23 drawing, and after taxes, each received a check for nearly $1.3 million. Krahmer bought their winning ticket at the Cedar Mills Liquor Store on Cornell Road in Portland.
To protect the health and safety of its employees and the public, the Oregon Lottery has temporarily closed the Salem and Wilsonville Lottery offices. Officials with the Lottery continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation closely. If players have a winning ticket, they can fill out a claim form on the Oregon Lottery website, https://oregonlottery.org/about/claim-prizes , and then mail in the signed ticket and claim form.
Players who have winning tickets of $50,000 or more, will need to make an appointment to come to the Oregon Lottery office in Salem. Call 503-540-1000 for assistance. As always, players should be certain to sign the back of their tickets.
Since 1985, Oregon Lottery players have won more than $38 billion in prizes.
Lottery officials recommend that you always sign the back of your tickets with each Oregon Lottery game you play, to ensure you can claim any prize you may win. In the event of winning a jackpot, players 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, Veteran Services and watershed enhancements. For more information on the Oregon Lottery visit www.oregonlottery.org
Grants available for historic properties and archaeology projects
The State Historic Preservation Office is offering grants for work on historic properties and for archaeology projects. The annual grants fund up to $20,000 in matching funds for preservation projects. Both grant programs support the goals of the Oregon Historic Preservation Plan.
The Preserving Oregon Grants fund preservation of historic properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Work may include non-maintenance preservation like window repair, roof work, foundation projects, plumbing, and electrical needs. Recently funded projects include preservation of the following historic properties.
- Odd Fellows Building in Astoria
- Butte Creek Mill in Eagle Point
- Grand Ronde Depot Building
- Fort Stevens Guard House
- Carnegie Library in Gresham
- SP&S Locomotive in Portland
- Brunk House in Polk County
- Watts House in Scappoose
- Triangle Lake Round Barn in Lane County
- Long Branch Building in Weston
Preserving Oregon Grants can also fund archaeology projects for significant work contributing toward identifying, preserving and/or interpreting archaeological sites. Past projects include the analysis of the Britt Gardens archaeological investigations by Southern Oregon University and study of sites in Lincoln County.
The Diamonds in the Rough Grants help restore or reconstruct the facades of buildings that have been heavily altered over the years. These grants return buildings to their historic appearance and potentially qualify them for historic register designation (local or national). Recent façade projects have taken place in Astoria, Harrisburg, Lebanon, Klamath Falls, Portland, and Sheridan.
The online grant application is simple to use and includes plenty of support. A free, online grant workshop specific to these grant programs and how to use the online grant application will be offered. Visit the Oregon Heritage grants webpage to register.
- March, 2:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. for Diamonds in the Rough building façade projects.
- March 5, 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. for Preserving Oregon Grants archaeology projects.
- March 5, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. for Preserving Oregon Grants historic property projects.
Recorded trainings and tips are also online. To learn more about the grants and workshops visit www.oregonheritage.org or contact Kuri Gill at i.Gill@oregon.gov“>Kuri.Gill@oregon.gov or 503-986-0685.
Oregon Legislative Panel Starts Hearing Policing Bills
Five lawmakers on a House subcommittee will focus on Oregon’s policing practices and the people who carry them out.
They have already started public hearings on more than a dozen bills, some of them overlapping, that propose various changes to Oregon laws in the aftermath of last year’s death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer and the nationwide protests it triggered.
One hearing on two bills is scheduled Monday, Feb. 1.
The subcommittee chair is Rep. Janelle Bynum, a Democrat from Clackamas who also leads the full House Judiciary Committee. Her District 51 straddles Multnomah and Clackamas counties.
Bynum, while canvassing her district in 2018, was reported as a “suspicious person” to the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office. She is Black.
Bynum said in opening the subcommittee’s work Jan. 25 that while there is a need for a strong law enforcement presence, “that is not the only way to keep the peace.”
“I believe that our communities need some healing and an update to our laws so that everyone can live and breathe freely,” she added. “That is the perspective I am bringing to this committee — a sense of fairness, a sense of balance and an opportunity to fix things that have been neglected for a long time — and make sure that all of us feel safer in our communities.”
Bynum was the House co-leader of a joint interim committee that produced half a dozen bills lawmakers passed during a special session June 24-26. But the committee conceded in its final report that more work needs to be done.
While several bills now before the subcommittee emerged from the interim committee, the committee never voted on its final report because it was unable to meet in person in December due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Legislature’s lawyers advised lawmakers that the Oregon Constitution and House rules bar remote voting, unless the governor invokes a “catastrophic disaster” provision that has never been used since voters approved it in 2012.
The two Republican members of the subcommittee are former police chiefs in small communities.
Rep. Ron Noble of McMinnville was police chief from 2006 to 2014, and was with Corvallis police for 18 years before that. He also was on the joint interim committee. Part of his District 24 goes into Washington County.
“I am looking always to ensure the highest professionalism of the people that the Legislature asks to do their bidding to ensure a safe society,” Noble said in his opening statement.
Rep. Rick Lewis of Silverton was police chief from 1988 until his retirement in 2012. He was elected mayor in 2014 and appointed to the House seat in 2017. He also has been chief in Union and Bandon, and worked in Umatilla. Part of his District 18 goes into Clackamas County.
“I want to ensure that what we do is workable, not only for law enforcement, but also addresses the concerns of our citizens,” he said.
Lewis also sat on the interim committee.
The other Democrats on the subcommittee are Maxine Dexter of Portland, a physician with Kaiser Permanente — she represents District 33 in Northwest Portland and part of Washington County — and Marty Wilde of Eugene, a lawyer who also has spent 25 years with the Oregon National Guard, both Army and Air, with overseas service.
All legislative panels are taking testimony virtually or in writing because the Capitol has been closed to the public since March 18, 2020, at the start of the pandemic. They are not expected to amend or advance bills until the midpoint of the session in April, when they will start meeting in person.
Subcommittee agenda
Below is a list of the bills and bill concepts laid out at a subcommittee meeting Jan. 25. Some bills have been drafted by the legislative counsel and carry LC numbers, but have not been officially introduced in the House; others have been drafted by outside groups. Contents of proposals in the latter categories are public; go to the subcommittee website for the full texts.
Bills
(All filed by Rep. Bynum except House Bill 2306)
House Bill 2306 (Rep. Paul Evans, D-Monmouth): Requires police agencies to set up board to review policies annually and report to the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training.
House Bill 2928: Generally bars police use of tear gas or other chemical irritants, rubber bullets and sound cannons, except where police can justify physical use of force (proposed amended version).
House Bill 2929: Requires police to report misconduct by police involving “unjustified or excessive force,” discrimination, sexual harassment or misconduct, a crime, or violations of minimum standards. Also requires investigation of such reports. Database to be maintained by the Bureau of Labor and Industries.
House Bill 2930: Limits arbitrators’ decisions about alleged misconduct by police. Creates a commission on statewide law enforcement conduct and discipline.
House Bill 2931: Requires an arresting officer to provide for a medical assessment of someone who is arrested. The assessment can be by a physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner.
House Bill 2932: Directs Oregon Criminal Justice Commission to set up a statewide database on use of force incidents.
House Bill 2936: Requires Department of Public Safety Standards and Training to investigate the character of officer and reserve candidates before they are accepted for training at the state public safety academy in Salem. Also bars “racist behaviors” by police.
Bill concepts
(These will be assigned new numbers when officially introduced in the House.)
LC 743: Specifies that police uniforms must be blue; black is reserved for members of special weapons and tactics (SWAT) teams and correctional emergency response teams. Undercover officers are excepted.
LC 748: Requires a state database to contain any complaint filed against any public safety employee, whether or not it resulted in disciplinary proceedings, and the status of and findings related to the complaint. A state database is maintained by the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training of suspensions and revocations of the certifications of officers. (Oregon Innocence Project and Oregon Criminal Defense Lawyers Association)
LC 748: Requires police to report specified disciplinary actions to the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training.
LC 751: Creates a task force on statewide law enforcement disciplinary standards.
LC 769: Creates a commission on statewide public employee standards on conduct and discipline.
LC 3177: Bars disclosure of booking photos to publish-for-pay publications.
LC 3178: Allows civil lawsuits against police agencies for improper disclosure of personal information of people who file complaints against police.
Concept, no LC number: Uniforms of police in crowd management must bear name, agency identification, and “police,” “sheriff” or “trooper” on jackets or other outerwear.
Five lawmakers on a House subcommittee will focus on Oregon’s policing practices and the people who carry them out.
They have already started public hearings on more than a dozen bills, some of them overlapping, that propose various changes to Oregon laws in the aftermath of last year’s death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer and the nationwide protests it triggered.
One hearing on two bills is scheduled Monday, Feb. 1.
The subcommittee chair is Rep. Janelle Bynum, a Democrat from Clackamas who also leads the full House Judiciary Committee. Her District 51 straddles Multnomah and Clackamas counties.
Bynum, while canvassing her district in 2018, was reported as a “suspicious person” to the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office. She is Black.
Bynum said in opening the subcommittee’s work Jan. 25 that while there is a need for a strong law enforcement presence, “that is not the only way to keep the peace.”
“I believe that our communities need some healing and an update to our laws so that everyone can live and breathe freely,” she added. “That is the perspective I am bringing to this committee — a sense of fairness, a sense of balance and an opportunity to fix things that have been neglected for a long time — and make sure that all of us feel safer in our communities.”
Bynum was the House co-leader of a joint interim committee that produced half a dozen bills lawmakers passed during a special session June 24-26. But the committee conceded in its final report that more work needs to be done.
While several bills now before the subcommittee emerged from the interim committee, the committee never voted on its final report because it was unable to meet in person in December due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Legislature’s lawyers advised lawmakers that the Oregon Constitution and House rules bar remote voting, unless the governor invokes a “catastrophic disaster” provision that has never been used since voters approved it in 2012.
The two Republican members of the subcommittee are former police chiefs in small communities.
Rep. Ron Noble of McMinnville was police chief from 2006 to 2014, and was with Corvallis police for 18 years before that. He also was on the joint interim committee. Part of his District 24 goes into Washington County.
“I am looking always to ensure the highest professionalism of the people that the Legislature asks to do their bidding to ensure a safe society,” Noble said in his opening statement.
Rep. Rick Lewis of Silverton was police chief from 1988 until his retirement in 2012. He was elected mayor in 2014 and appointed to the House seat in 2017. He also has been chief in Union and Bandon, and worked in Umatilla. Part of his District 18 goes into Clackamas County.
“I want to ensure that what we do is workable, not only for law enforcement, but also addresses the concerns of our citizens,” he said.
Lewis also sat on the interim committee.
The other Democrats on the subcommittee are Maxine Dexter of Portland, a physician with Kaiser Permanente — she represents District 33 in Northwest Portland and part of Washington County — and Marty Wilde of Eugene, a lawyer who also has spent 25 years with the Oregon National Guard, both Army and Air, with overseas service.
All legislative panels are taking testimony virtually or in writing because the Capitol has been closed to the public since March 18, 2020, at the start of the pandemic. They are not expected to amend or advance bills until the midpoint of the session in April, when they will start meeting in person.
Subcommittee agenda
Below is a list of the bills and bill concepts laid out at a subcommittee meeting Jan. 25. Some bills have been drafted by the legislative counsel and carry LC numbers, but have not been officially introduced in the House; others have been drafted by outside groups. Contents of proposals in the latter categories are public; go to the subcommittee website for the full texts.
Bills
(All filed by Rep. Bynum except House Bill 2306)
House Bill 2306 (Rep. Paul Evans, D-Monmouth): Requires police agencies to set up board to review policies annually and report to the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training.
House Bill 2928: Generally bars police use of tear gas or other chemical irritants, rubber bullets and sound cannons, except where police can justify physical use of force (proposed amended version).
House Bill 2929: Requires police to report misconduct by police involving “unjustified or excessive force,” discrimination, sexual harassment or misconduct, a crime, or violations of minimum standards. Also requires investigation of such reports. Database to be maintained by the Bureau of Labor and Industries.
House Bill 2930: Limits arbitrators’ decisions about alleged misconduct by police. Creates a commission on statewide law enforcement conduct and discipline.
House Bill 2931: Requires an arresting officer to provide for a medical assessment of someone who is arrested. The assessment can be by a physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner.
House Bill 2932: Directs Oregon Criminal Justice Commission to set up a statewide database on use of force incidents.
House Bill 2936: Requires Department of Public Safety Standards and Training to investigate the character of officer and reserve candidates before they are accepted for training at the state public safety academy in Salem. Also bars “racist behaviors” by police.
Bill concepts
(These will be assigned new numbers when officially introduced in the House.)
LC 743: Specifies that police uniforms must be blue; black is reserved for members of special weapons and tactics (SWAT) teams and correctional emergency response teams. Undercover officers are excepted.
LC 748: Requires a state database to contain any complaint filed against any public safety employee, whether or not it resulted in disciplinary proceedings, and the status of and findings related to the complaint. A state database is maintained by the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training of suspensions and revocations of the certifications of officers. (Oregon Innocence Project and Oregon Criminal Defense Lawyers Association)
LC 748: Requires police to report specified disciplinary actions to the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training.
LC 751: Creates a task force on statewide law enforcement disciplinary standards.
LC 769: Creates a commission on statewide public employee standards on conduct and discipline.
LC 3177: Bars disclosure of booking photos to publish-for-pay publications.
LC 3178: Allows civil lawsuits against police agencies for improper disclosure of personal information of people who file complaints against police.
Concept, no LC number: Uniforms of police in crowd management must bear name, agency identification, and “police,” “sheriff” or “trooper” on jackets or other outerwear.
Website of House Judiciary subcommittee on equitable policing, where you can find texts of bills and bill concepts: https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2021R1/Committees/HJUDEP/Overview.
The state Criminal Justice Commission would create a new public database that captures reports on the use or threatened use of force by each police or corrections officer, under a bill heard by an Oregon House subcommittee Wednesday.
State Rep. Maxine Dexter, D-Portland, a proponent of House Bill 2932, argued that it would help create a “culture of accountability and transparency” that would improve the performance of officers. Others in support said they believe it would deter more officers from using excessive force than training would, help provide a true accounting of police actions and identify problematic officers. The bill, sponsored by state Rep. Janelle Bynum, D- Clackamas, is one of a number of police reform and criminal justice proposals introduced this legislative session and supported by a 12-member Black, Indigenous and People of Color Caucus. A House subcommittee on equitable policing, which Bynum chairs, held Wednesday’s hearing.
Suspicious House Fire Leads to High Speed Chase Near Grants Pass
An investigation into a suspicious house fire Wednesday night resulted in a violent addendum, according to fire officials — with two suspects leading deputies on a high-speed chase, shooting at their pursuers, then crashing into a guard rail. Rural Metro Fire and Grants Pass Fire Rescue first responded to a house fire in the 4000-block of
Midway Avenue around 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday night. According to Rural Metro, the house was believed to be vacant and occupied by transients. There were no injuries reported in the fire, and officials began an investigation into the fire’s origin. A few hours later, two people led deputies from the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office in a high-
speed chase, with the suspects reportedly firing shots at the deputies. The chase ended when the suspects slammed head-on into a guard-rail on Azalea Drive near Galice Road a little after 2 a.m. Emergency crews responded to the crash, and both suspects were taken to hospitals in Grants Pass and Medford with serious injuries. Rural Metro said that the two are believed to be connected to the house fire, though the investigation
into both incidents is ongoing.
UPDATE – Death Investigation – Clackamas County
Police say the death of a 16-year-old boy from Washington whose body was found in a parked car at a rest area on Interstate 5 in Oregon “is being treated as suspicious.” The boy, whom Oregon State Police have not yet identified by name, was found Tuesday night at the northbound French Prairie rest area on I-5 in Clackamas County.
“The manner of his death is being treated as suspicious, and investigators are actively examining the circumstances surrounding his death,” police said. The victim was a 16 year old from Washington state. The name will not be released as he was a juvenile and this is an ongoing investigation.
On Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at approximately 7:37 P.M., Oregon State Police Troopers were called to the northbound French Prairie rest area on Interstate 5 in Clackamas County.
A male was discovered deceased inside a parked vehicle. The manner of his death is being treated as suspicious, and investigators are actively examining the circumstances surrounding his death.
No further information is available at this time.
Alek Skarlatos has a new gig.
The National Guard trooper starred as himself in the Clint Eastwood movie “The 15:17 to Paris” about a thwarted 2015 terror attack that earned Skarlatos the French Legion of Honor and the American Soldier’s Medal. His high-profile heroism led Skarlatos to appear on “Dancing with the Stars” and run for office in Oregon.
The Freedom Foundation announced Thursday that Skarlatos was joining the nonprofit think tank as the group’s national director for development The group has offices in Oregon, Washington, California, Pennsylvania and Ohio. The organization was founded in 1991 and has made headlines in Oregon, including a lawsuit attempting to prevent Gov. Kate Brown’s mask mandate from taking effect.SHARE0