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.
Wednesday, March 17, 2021
Klamath Basin Weather
Today Mostly sunny, with a high near 54. Overnight, cloudy with a low around 34.
Thursday A slight chance of rain and snow before 11am, then a chance of rain. Snow level 4300 feet rising to 5600 feet in the afternoon, with a high near 50. Overnight, a chance of rain and snow between 11pm and 2am, then a chance of snow after 2am. Snow level 5300 feet lowering to 4200 feet after midnight.
Friday Snow showers likely before 2pm, then rain and snow showers likely. Partly sunny, with a high near 46. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Saturday A 20% chance of snow showers after 11am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 46.
Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 51.
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
There are 22 new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon raising, the state’s death toll to 2,346. Oregon Health Authority reported 267 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of yesterday, bringing the state total to 160,050.
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Benton (3), Clackamas (28), Coos (3), Crook (2), Curry (5), Deschutes (15), Douglas (13), Harney (1), Jackson (18), Jefferson (2), Josephine (13), Klamath (7), Lake (2), Lane (12), Lincoln (3), Linn (5), Marion (34), Multnomah (50), Polk (4), Tillamook (3), Umatilla (18), Union (3), Wasco (1), Washington (20) and Yamhill (2).
Due to a delay in laboratory reporting, OHA received a large quantity of approximately 9,000 negative electronic laboratory results (ELRs) on March 15, 2021. The tests are from Aug. 1, 2020 through March 10, 2021. As a result, daily ELR totals are higher than usual for March 15 and percent positivity is lower than anticipated. The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 across Oregon is 119, which is one more than yesterday.
There are 25 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, which is two more than yesterday According to the OHA, 7 new Covid cases were reported here in Klamath County.
The Veterans Affairs Center in White City has opened up coronavirus vaccination appointments to veterans of all ages, the agency announced this week.
All area veterans, from Grants Pass to Klamath Falls, can call the Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center & Clinics at 541-826-2111 extension 4440 to make an appointment between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. No walk-ins will be accepted. All employees, patients, or visitors are required to wear a face mask on the VA SORCC campus — covering the mouth and nose, fitting snugly, and allowing for breathing without restriction.
A unique deal between ranchers and wildlife advocates may at long last bring a reliable water supply to Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge — and the wetlands and birds that depend on it.
That’s exactly what a local water user and the California Waterfowl Association hope to achieve with a landmark water rights transfer deal announced earlier this month. The Wood River Valley rancher, who asked not to be named until the deal is solidified, proposed selling 4,500 acre-feet of his water right to the refuge.
CWA is helping facilitate the deal with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and is fundraising to cover the purchase cost. Instead of being diverted from the Wood River, the rancher would let the water flow into Upper Klamath Lake.
Beginning in April and continuing through the summer, the refuge would then draw the same amount of water from Klamath River south of Lake Ewauna through the Ady Canal. By changing the point of diversion, CWA hopes to get water to the refuges without sacrificing water for farmers in the Project.
Brian Wachs often gives tours of Gilchrist Junior/Senior High School’s shop while his manufacturing and technology students work on projects using metal, wood, and computer design software.
The shop — with its welding stations, 3D printer, plasma CNC, vinyl cutter, laser engraver, and high-tech computer lab — is one of the gems of this small, rural school tucked in an often-struggling mill town in northern Klamath County.
Wachs’ guest last month, Jim Neiman, new owner of the former Interfor mill, now Gilchrist Forest Products, was impressed. So impressed that he returned the next day and handed the school a $15,000 donation for the program. Gilchrist Principal Steve Prock was moved by Neiman’s visit and his commitment to the community.
Oregon has removed a 100-person cap on the number of individual contacts students can have per week in a return to in-person classes, a move that should make bringing older students back for in-person learning less of a challenge for school districts.
The revised guidance for COVID-19 in-person learning protocols released Monday did not make any changes to the amount of space schools must give each student and teacher. The current rules require 35-square-feet of space per person in the classroom, although many educators and parents want to see that reduced to 9-square-feet.
State education officials said last week they are considering reducing the space requirements but have not done so. The elimination of the weekly contact limit should make it easier for schools to plan for a return to in-person learning for middle and high school students. Those students rotate between teachers and classrooms for different subjects, increasing the number of contacts they have in a week.
Gov. Kate Brown ordered all schools in counties where infection rates do not exceed certain limits to offer at least some in-person learning for all grades by April 29, with elementary students phased in no later than March 29. School districts that had already set a timeline for return to class that varies slightly from these dates will be allowed to continue as planned, education officials said Monday.
Nominations for the 28th annual Klamath Country Volunteer of the Year are due by noon on April 1 to the United Way of the Klamath Basin at 136 N. Third Street in Klamath Falls.
“With spring break starting March 22, we are encouraging everyone to try and complete and return a nomination entry form before the April 1 deadline,” said Leroy Cabral, United Way executive director. Each nominee will receive an award and be highlighted in a special Volunteer Appreciation tabloid published April 23, according to United Way officials.
Nomination forms can be obtained by contacting the United Way at 541-882-5558, or can be downloaded from United Way’s home page at www.unitedwayoftheklamathbasin.org.
Around the state of Oregon
An arrest warrant was issued for a woman who refused to wear a mask at a Texas bank, saying to a police officer: “What are you going to do, arrest me?” Police have issued a warrant for the arrest of Terry Wright, 65, of Grants Pass, Oregon.
The incident on Thursday at a Bank of America in Galveston was captured by the officer’s body camera, The Galveston County Daily News reported. Police say they’ve obtained an arrest warrant on resisting arrest and criminal trespassing charges. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday ended statewide orders requiring people to wear face masks in public places, declaring that businesses should decide for themselves what COVID-19 precautions to take on their properties. Many businesses have kept their own mask rules in place.
Oregon’s unemployment rate edged down to 6.1% in February, from 6.2% in January. After dropping rapidly during May through November of last year, Oregon’s unemployment rate declined at a slower pace in recent months.
During the past 10 months the pace of recovery in the national unemployment rate has mirrored Oregon’s experience. The U.S. unemployment rate also declined by a tenth of a percentage point last month, to 6.2% in February, from 6.3% in January.
Nearly all of the jobs gained in February were in leisure and hospitality (+11,100 jobs), where some fitness centers and restaurants hired back workers following closures or curtailments due to COVID-19 restrictions or cautions.
Only two other major industries added a substantial number of jobs in February: transportation, warehousing, and utilities (+1,200 jobs) and wholesale trade (+800). Only one major industry — professional and business services, which cut 900 jobs in February — performed substantially below its normal seasonal trend.
The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission will meet Friday, March 19 online. The meeting will be livestreamed over ODFW’s YouTube channel.
To testify online for one of the agenda items, fill out the online form below no later than 48 hours before the meeting begins (by Wednesday, March 17 at 8 a.m.) Comments about agenda items can also be emailed to odfw.commission@state.or.us.
Contractor Fined for Mishandling Removal of Asbestos at Medford Mobile Home Park While Removing Wildfire Debris
Oregon environmental regulators are fining a contractor tens of thousands of dollars for mishandling hazardous wildfire debris at a mobile home park.
Florida-based contractor BACH Development faces a penalty of $74,469 for illegally clearing wildfire debris containing asbestos from a mobile home park in south Medford, where people were still living at the time.
The Almeda Fire destroyed much of the Medford Estates in September. People continued living at the 90 remaining homes in November as BACH Development workers cleared debris without an asbestos abatement license.
“Asbestos is a known carcinogen and there is no known safe level of exposure,” says Dylan Darling with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality.
Darling says it’s difficult to determine whether residents should be concerned about their potential exposure to the cancer-causing toxin.
In a press release, Oregon DEQ says BACH Development tried taking the material to a nearby landfill, but it had failed to notify the landfill that it was bringing material containing asbestos.
Medford Estates is operated by Cal-Am Properties. The California-based corporation chose not to participate in the government-funded cleanup, and instead hired BACH Development in November. Neither Cal-Am nor BACH representatives responded to requests for comment.
This is the first asbestos violation the state has issued in relation to last year’s wildfires. BACH has 20 days to appeal its penalty.
While BACH has a valid contractors license within Oregon, it doesn’t have a license to handle asbestos. Oregon DEQ has a list of contractors that do.
Construction Started on a Tiny Home Village That Will Serve Homeless Community in Grants Pass
Rogue Retreat started construction on a tiny home village that will serve the homeless community in Grants Pass. Volunteers started putting up the frame walls for Foundry Village.
Rogue Retreat provides affordable housing/shelter and case management to homeless individuals and families in Jackson and Josephine Counties, Oregon, to teach them the skills they need to live independently.
The site will consist of 17 units and it will provide kitchen, bathroom and laundry facilities for 34 people.
Case managers will also be on location to help people find jobs and housing. Project manager Doug Walker says the facility won’t just be for homeless people.
“Anybody that’s on that edge of either becoming homeless or close to homelessness, maybe living in a garage,” Walker said. “Our housing crisis is so bad right now that that people that have decent jobs are living in garages.”
Foundry Village will be modeled after Hope Village in Medford. Rogue Retreat is targeting this August to finish construction.
Executive director Chad McComas visited the site Tuesday afternoon. “This community has been so good to us and so anxious for something to happen,” McComas said. “This is a miracle behind me, it really is.”
Walker says their overall budget is $580,000, and they’re about $150,000 short.
“We definitely need to raise more money and we’re going to need more volunteers,” Walker said.
If you’re interested in volunteering or donating, you can find more information here. https://www.rogueretreat.com/
Covid-19 Led To Cleaner Air Around The World, But Not In Oregon Due to Wildfires
A new global air pollution report for 2020 highlights the profound effect the Labor Day wildfires had in Oregon.
“Because of devastating wildfires, during September 2020 numerous U.S. cities constituted a remarkable 77 of 100 of the world’s most polluted cities for PM2.5 by monthly average,” the report by the Swiss air-monitoring company IQAir said. “These were located in California (35), Oregon (35) and Washington (7).”
As a result, most Oregon cities in 2020 saw big annual average increases in PM2.5 — the fine particles that can be absorbed into the bloodstream — even as pandemic shutdowns brought improved air quality to much of the world.
In Portland, PM2.5, measured in micrograms per cubic meter of air, rose from an annual average of 8.1 in 2019 to 11.2 in 2020, a 38% increase.
Eugene fared worse, going from 8.8 to 14, a 59% increase. It was worse yet in Southern Oregon, where PM2.5 rose 82% in Medford, to 15.8, and in Central Oregon, where Bend suffered a 134% increase, from 5.8 in 2019 to 13.6 in 2020.
At the same time, IQAir reported that 84% of the countries monitored had improved air quality, “largely due to global measures to slow the spread of Covid-19.” It highlighted improvements in several major cities, including Beijing (down 11%), Chicago (down 13%), Delhi (down 15%), London (down 16%), Paris (down 17%) and Seoul (down 16%).
Despite the improvement in Delhi, it remained the most polluted capital city, with average PM2.5 of 84.1 micrograms per cubic meter, seven and half times even the elevated average for Portland in 2020.
Oregon Lottery – 2021 Winning $1 Million Raffle Number
Winning $1 Million Top Prize Number: 171474
Prizes for the St. Patrick’s Day Raffle include:
- One $1 million top prize
- 300 prizes of $500
- 1,500 prizes of $100
To check the winning Raffle numbers for all 1,801 prizes, players can use the Lottery’s smart phone app, go to www.oregonlottery.org or visit a participating Oregon Lottery retail location.
The $500 and $100 prize winners can claim their prizes at any Oregon Lottery retail location. In addition, players can claim their prize by mail – visit oregonlottery.org/about/claim-prizes for instructions. The $1 million Raffle prize winner will need to make an appointment to come to the Oregon Lottery office in Salem. They can call 503-540-1000 for assistance.
As always, players should be certain to sign the back of their tickets.
The Raffle offers the best odds of any Oregon Lottery game of winning $1 million – 1 in 250,000. Overall odds of winning a prize are 1 in 138.8. The Oregon Lottery’s Raffle game went on sale with 250,000 tickets available and all tickets were sold.
Since the Oregon Lottery began selling tickets on April 25, 1985, it has earned more than $13 billion for economic development, public education, state parks and watershed enhancements, Veteran Services, and Outdoor School. For more information on the Oregon Lottery visit www.oregonlottery.org – Oregon Lottery
Detroit Lake Dam Deemed ‘At Risk’ of Failing in Large Earthquake
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has determined that a large earthquake — which is expected to occur again in the Pacific Northwest sooner or later — could cause the spillway gates of a dam in Oregon to buckle, resulting “in a potentially catastrophic flood.”
The Corps said late Monday that it would try to minimize the danger by reducing the maximum height of the lake by five feet starting in April. Hundreds of thousands of people, including those in Salem, Oregon’s capital, live downstream from the Detroit Dam, whose construction in the 1950s created the narrow, nine-mile-long Detroit Lake.
The move comes as Oregon and the wider Pacific Northwest are coming to grips with “the big one” that experts say is coming. Earthquakes in the Cascadia subduction zone, which extends from the ocean off Northern California to Canada’s Vancouver Island, have an average magnitude of around 9.0, making them among the world’s biggest.
A quake in that zone has a 37% probability of happening off Oregon’s coast in the next 50 years, according to Chris Goldfinger, an Oregon State University professor and earthquake geologist.
Just last week, an earthquake early-warning system was launched in Oregon, operated by the U.S. Geological Survey. As in California, the system sends alerts to smartphones. Washington state is expected to join the ShakeAlert system, which operates on an array of seismic sensors, in May.
“When a Cascadia event happens, the critical seconds of notice ShakeAlert warnings provide will save lives and reduce damage to important lifeline systems,” Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said last week, when the system was launched.
Lawmakers are also trying to prepare Oregon for a major earthquake.
In the Legislature, House Bill 3083 mandates that contracts for public works must adhere to seismic safety standards and seismic rehabilitation standards in constructing or renovating public buildings or critical infrastructure in earthquake-prone areas. A House committee has an April 1 work session scheduled for the bill.
Lindsay Baker, an assistant director of the Oregon Department of Transportation, raised concerns about the bill, saying “there is simply not sufficient funding to fully armor the entire transportation system in a reasonable timeframe.”
In 2020, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed a seismic-hazard analysis for Detroit Dam, and found the risk to be higher than Corps officials previously thought.
“Structural analysis has shown a possibility of the spillway gates buckling under the force of a full reservoir during a large earthquake,” the Corps said in its statement. “Risk is high enough to warrant immediate actions.”
A breach would send a surge of water shooting down the Santiam Canyon, which was devastated by a wildfire last summer, and onto where it opens up on the eastern edge of the Willamette Valley.
“Because Detroit Dam is located upstream of many communities including the state capital of Salem, Oregon, there is potential for devastating flooding to affect large portions of the narrow North Santiam River canyon and urban areas,” the Corps said in its draft environmental assessment.
Lowering the maximum level is a temporary solution to mitigate the risks and will have little impact, the Corps said. The lake is used for recreation, and most of the boat ramps would be unusable for up to a month.
The Corps said it continues to evaluate the seismic performance of the spillway and other components of the dam to determine if long-term modifications or changes to operations will be necessary. That includes the potential for major reconstruction to address seismic risk.
Oregon Transportation Commission allots $65 million to Improve Freight Mobility and Relieve Congestion
SALEM, Ore. — The Oregon Transportation Commission (OTC) on March 15 announced its approval of an Enhance Highway Discretionary Program that will address congestion and freight mobility issues on state highways, a move the commission says will impact the state’s trade-based economy.
OTC has set aside $65 million in funding for projects that will improve the functionality of the state’s highways, such as auxiliary lanes and passing lanes, truck climbing lanes, freight improvements, intelligent transportation systems and other technology, and more.
While projects will be focused on congestion relief and improving freight mobility, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) will factor in safety, equity, climate and multimodal accessibility as it selects projects.
ODOT will engage area commissions on transportation and metropolitan planning organizations to get input on priority projects. These groups will be asked to provide feedback on the proposed projects before bringing the final list before the OTC for approval in the draft Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP).
The OTC plans to distribute project across the state, with a minimum of 30% of the total funding going to rural areas.
Once the OTC approves the basic outlines of the program, ODOT will begin gathering potential projects later this year.
Vaccine Voices: Oregon’s Teacher of the Year Nicole R. Butler-Hooton
Nicole R. Butler-Hooton, Oregon’s 2021 Teacher of the Year, is a second-grade teacher at Irving Elementary. Butler-Hooten’s story on Oregon’s Teacher of the Year webpage says that her “teaching style goes beyond instruction and serves to build lasting relationships with students and families.”
As a teacher and a Siletz and Apache tribal member, Butler-Hooton felt it was important to get the COVID-19 vaccine. She shared:
I got vaccinated against COVID-19 because I want to feel safe to be around my family members and friends. I want to feel safe returning to the classroom and teaching. The evidence has shown that it can help bring an end to the pandemic. In addition, Indigenous communities have been disproportionately affected by coronavirus, and I know I am more likely to have a negative outcome than many of my colleagues if I get sick. I believe the vaccine is safe.
The first vaccine I experienced a sore arm, lethargy, and a mild headache. I was back to normal within a few days. The second vaccine caused me to experience severe flu-like symptoms for two days following. I had a high fever, chills, headache, body aches, and nausea.
Nicole R. Butler-Hooton after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.
Vaccine side effects often mean the vaccine is working
Many of us are eagerly awaiting our turn to be vaccinated and hearing from others about their experiences taking the vaccine. You may have noticed that some people have side effects and others don’t. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), side effects are normal signs that your body is building protection. Having side effects may make it difficult to do daily activities, but they should go away in a few days. Some people have no side effects, but the vaccine is still working.
See the graphic below for a list of common side effects and what you can do to relieve them.
Major Fire at Ethanol Fuel Facility in Cornelius
Emergency crews and law enforcement were responding to a major fire at an ethanol fuel facility in Cornelius, Ore., Tuesday.
The Cornelius Fire Department posted a photo of the fire, located on North 4th Avenue, and thick black smoke to Twitter. In addition, the department issued a separate tweet of a map of the surrounding area.
About 50 homes have been evacuated as well as a nearby Walmart. Those evacuated are urged to go to Forest Grove High School for assistance.
In a tweet at 5:39 p.m., firefighters said the incident was a three-alarm fire, and that crews were formulating a plan to attack the flames as safely as possible. “This will be a long duration event and expect delays on local roadways,” the department added.
Investigators said one of the ethanol fuel storage tanks exploded at Summit Natural Energy. First responders had to withdraw due to subsequent explosions. A Cornelius Fire Department spokesperson said that because crews were unable to attack the fire, it spread to nearby buildings. Crews were reportedly letting it burn, while waiting for a foam truck to arrive from Portland International Airport.
Natural gas to 4th Avenue has been turned off to assist with safe operations and a temporary flight restriction has been put in place for 1 nautical mile around the incident and up to 5,000 feet. Individuals who own drones are urged not to use them.
Hillsboro Police noted Southwest TV Highway is closed going into Cornelius, citing “an active fire involving fuel tanks.” Police said the highway will remain closed until the situation can be made safe. As of 5 p.m., there was no estimated time for when the roadway will be reopened.
The Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue said that the Cornelius Fire Department is being assisted by the Oregon State Fire Marshall hazmat team.
Also assisting is the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, who are urging people to avoid the area. North Adair between North 10th Avenue and North Yew Street is also closed.
There have been no immediate reports of injuries or missing people, but a search of the area is planned once the fire is brought under control. Metro West Ambulance is on stanby with 4 ambulances and command personnel to provide medical care as needed. The cause of the initial explosion will be investigated when it is safe to do so.