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, your local health and Medicare agents.
Friday, April 23, 2021
Klamath Basin Weather
Today Partly sunny with increasing clouds, with a high near 68. Overnight, a 50% chance of rain after 11pm. Snow level 7200 feet lowering to 6200 feet after midnight . Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40.
Saturday Showers likely. Snow level 5800 feet. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 52.
Sunday Rain and snow showers, becoming all rain after 11am. Some thunder is also possible. Snow level 4400 feet.
Monday A slight chance of snow showers before 11am, then a chance of rain showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 52.
Today’s Headlines
There is one new COVID-19 related death in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 2,467. Oregon Health Authority reported 993 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of yesterday, bringing the state total to 178,110.
Klamath County Public Health reports over 100 new cases after 54 were reported yesterday.
The Oregon Health Authority reported that 48,387 new doses of COVID-19 vaccinations were added to the state immunization registry.
Of this total, 28,535 doses were administered on April 21 and 19,852 were administered on previous days but were entered into the vaccine registry on April 21. The seven-day running average is now 34,328 doses per day. Oregon has now administered a total of 1,398,442 doses of Pfizer, 1,172,051 doses of Moderna and 91,160 doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines.
As of today, 1,091,777 people in Oregon have completed a COVID-19 vaccine series. There are 1,658,130 who have had at least one dose.
New COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are up in Oregon for the fourth week in a row.
The Oregon Health Authority says the number of new cases is up 27-percent. Hospitalizations are up by 15 patients for a total of 171 people currently hospitalized with the virus. Oregon’s positive test rate has increased to five-point-three-percent. Officials say 60-percent of the new cases are in people younger than 70.
Meanwhile, Oregon Health Authority has been informed that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating the death of an Oregon woman this week following immunization with Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine.
Information about the death has been sent to the CDC through the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), the national reporting system used to collect reports of adverse events after vaccination. OHA was notified of the potential adverse event on April 20, two days after the CDC was notified on April 18.
The Oregon resident, a woman in her 50s, received a dose of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine before the pause order on its use was issued. Until the investigation is complete, it cannot be concluded whether her death is related to the vaccine. She developed a rare but serious blood clot within two weeks following vaccination. This blood clot was seen in combination with very low platelets.
Prior to the issuance of the pause, cases of this serious blood clot had been identified among six women around the country who received the vaccine.
Oregon Tech filed a petition Wednesday with the Oregon Employment Relations Board, asking it to declare the tentative strike by the Oregon Tech American Association of University Professors unlawful.
Oregon Tech also filed an unfair labor practice complaint against the union, accusing it of failing to bargain in good faith and causing unnecessary delays at the bargaining table. The school is asking ERB to declare the faculty union strike unlawful, direct the union to return to bargaining for a full 30 days, and otherwise comply with the law before undertaking any further strike action.
Faculty union secretary Kari Lundgren called the move a “nonsense distraction” and a delay tactic from the university just five days before a scheduled strike.
A half acre fire sparked in brush located on the edge of Chiloquin on Wednesday afternoon, off the north end of Kircher Road.
As the fire spread, it threatened two structures and a bridge over the Sprague River. Chiloquin Fire and Rescue and U.S. Forest Service crews were able to quickly put out of the fire and protected the structures and bridge, according to Chiloquin Fire Chief Mike Cook. The cause is under investigation.
Burning is prohibited in Chiloquin through Friday, but Cook said they were not aware of anyone violating the burn ban.
Community members in Klamath Falls and surrounding areas are invited to attend a virtual open house to learn how to become a licensed teacher without leaving the Klamath Basin.
The event is Monday, April 26, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Community members who would like to attend must sign up to receive a link to the event. The sign-up form can be found at https://tinyurl.com/45usaves.
Representatives from KCC and Southern Oregon University are jointly hosting the virtual open house to share information about their partnership, which allows students registered at SOU to complete a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education at KCC.
This KCC-SOU collaboration provides a clear pathway for students in the Klamath Falls area to earn a bachelor’s degree and provides options for earning a teaching license and/or a minor in early childhood development.
A team from Mazama High School won the Oregon VEX Robotics Competition State Championship on Saturday, qualifying for the world tournament next month.
Sophomores Matt Elfbrandt, Dylan Gerhardt, and James Ferguson of Mazama Team 5686E designed, built, and wrote code for a robot that outmaneuvered 34 teams from 10 high schools across the state. The team won the competition’s top honor, the Excellence Award, which included Zoom interviews with the judges, and was named Robot Skills Champion.
“It was really the programming that set them apart,” said Laura Nickerson, Mazama’s robotics coach and a STEM&M teacher.
“They are only sophomores but have a lot of experience. I was anticipating they would do well.”
Teams are scored on how well their robots perform certain tasks during a specific time frame. The competition includes team-driven and autonomous operation through written code.
The numbers of wolves in Oregon are increasing and so are the number of cattle killed by them, especially in Southern Oregon.
A report issues Wednesday by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife confirmed depredations increased 94 percent in 2020 from 2019 with the majority of the incidents, 52 percent, attributed to the Rogue Pack. That pack had 16 verified kills in 2020 alone.
The Rogue Pack’s known area of activity includes Klamath and Jackson counties and many of their livestock kills have been on grazing lands in the Wood River Valley in Klamath County and near Prospect in Jackson County. Wildlife biologists counted 173 wolves in Oregon this past winter, a 9.5 percent increase over last year’s count of 158, according to the Oregon wolf conservation and management’s 2020 annual report.
Around the state of Oregon
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office says that a major fire in White City on Wednesday night appears to have resulted from an illegal marijuana operation at the building on Antelope Road.
Sheriff’s deputies, firefighters, and paramedics responded to reports of an explosion and fire at the industrial building in the 1500-block of Antelope Road shortly after 8 p.m. The first deputy at the scene found a man who appeared to have suffered burns. Two more men soon approached the same deputy, both suffering from serious burns. JCSO said that all three men were treated by medical teams, with the two most seriously injured taken to OHSU in Portland for treatment.
A fourth man was seen running from the building, and investigators are looking for him.
California Highway Patrol will be stepping up patrols on I-5 through Siskiyou and Shasta counties on Friday, part of an effort to cut down on serious crashes through the region.
CHP’s Northern Division said that it will be conducting a “Major Corridor Enhanced Primary Collision Factor” enforcement campaign focusing on the freeway corridor in those two counties. The agency cited data from 2018 and 2019, when 1,042 crashes occurred on I-5 in Siskiyou and Shasta counties.
Those crashes resulted in 430 injuries and 13 deaths. The California Highway Patrol said that its mission is to provide the “highest level” of safety, service, and security to Californians — including the prevention of deaths, injuries, and property damage that arise from crashes.
The Oregon Employment Department is investigating suspicious activity involving its Pandemic Unemployment Assistance website.
The department says the activity took place over the weekend and early this week. Employment Department Director David Gerstenfeld says they’re still trying to determine what happened. The department temporarily shut down the website to increase security, affecting around 20-thousand people filing claims.
Oregon Department Of Corrections Sued For Charging Inmates For Medical Devices
A class action lawsuit has been filed claiming the Oregon Department of Corrections is violating the Americans with Disabilities Act because it charges prisoners with disabilities for prosthetics and other medical devices they need.
The suit was filed this week in federal court by Portland attorney Lynn Walsh and nonprofit legal organization Disability Rights Advocates.
The litigation aims to prevent the practice of charging people with disabilities in prison for health care appliances and durable medical equipment. In addition to preventing the practice in the future, the plaintiffs want the state to reimburse people.
The lead plaintiff, Donald Terrill, is imprisoned at the Snake River Correctional Institution in eastern Oregon, and was fitted with a prosthesis after a lower leg amputation eight years ago.
Since 2013, the Oregon Department of Corrections has garnished Terrill’s trust account. He’s paid more than $10,000 toward his own prosthetic leg and still owes another $14,000. He makes $45 per month working in prison.
“Because I am being charged for my prosthesis, I cannot buy much beyond toothpaste and deodorant, or save up for shoes,” Terrill said in a statement.
The Oregon Department of Corrections acknowledged adults in custody (AICs) are “generally required” to buy their own medical equipment “like hearing aids and prosthetics.”
“When AICs are released from custody, these items leave with the AIC because the equipment is not Department of Corrections property, but personal property,” Corrections spokeswoman Jennifer Black said. Medical items such as canes are supplied by Corrections and can be returned and used again, she said.
Terrill requires the prosthetic limb to get around the Snake River prison, according to the lawsuit. Without it, he said, he wouldn’t have access to the same programs and services in prison as inmates who are not disabled.
Oregon Senate Passes Bill To Track Deaths Of Homeless Oregonians
Senate Bill 850 passed the Oregon Senate on Wednesday on a 22-5 vote. Senator Deb Patterson (D-Salem) sponsored this bill to ensure that the state tracks the deaths of unhoused Oregonians.
| “Requires that report of death for certain decedent who was homeless at time of death indicate that decedent’s residence address was “Domicile Unknown.” |
“For the sake of those living and dying on our streets, we must accurately track data around the deaths of our houseless neighbors. A collective desire exists to address Oregon’s houseless crisis and provide shelter and care to our most vulnerable community members,” said Senator Patterson, who chairs the Senate Committee on Health Care.
Senate Bill 850 requires an unhoused person’s residence be marked “Domicile Unknown” at their time of death, allowing the state to better track information about all who call Oregonians home.
“By tracking this data, we can learn if the steps we are taking are working and we can prevent complacency. We cannot allow this crisis to feel normal or okay. We must remain vigilant and ready to act,” said Senator Patterson. “Most importantly, we must provide some humanity and dignity in death. By tracking the data we can learn about their full lives, we can become informed about their challenges, and honor the pain and grief of their loved ones.”
Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury spoke in support of the bill at a public hearing. Multnomah County has produced an annual report entitled “Domicile Unknown” since 2011. That report reveals important demographic and statistical information, shares the stories of our neighbors and informs needed policy changes.
“Incredible advocates strive to support our vulnerable community members and I thank them for supporting this bill. This is indeed a somber piece of legislation, and it’s an important one. I’m hopeful it will inform future good work to prevent unnecessary death,” add Senator Patterson. Senate Bill 850 now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration.
Multiple Deaths on Hiwy 101 Crash
Coos County Investigators made a public appeal for information after a driver reported to 911 for speeding and executing illegal u-turns on the Oregon Coast Highway 101 was involved in a crash which “tragically resulted in multiple fatalities,” the Coos County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday.
Dispatchers received multiple reports around 8 a.m. Thursday, April 22, reporting “a red Mitsubishi Eclipse bearing California license plate 4NDF245 being driven dangerously,” the sheriff’s office said.
“Reports indicated the vehicle travelling in the Bandon area, and included unlawful u-turns on the highway, excessive speeds and near collisions with other vehicles.”
According to the Coos County Sheriff’s Office, the vehicle involved had been reported in Curry County as early as 6:30 a.m., as far south as Gold Beach. At about 8:17 am, the vehicle was involved in a crash that tragically resulted in multiple fatalities on Highway 101 near mile marker 247.
They ask anyone with information about the red Mitsubishi Eclipse or who saw the vehicle between the hours of 7 a.m. and and 8:20 a.m. between Langlois and the intersection of Highway 101 and Highway 42 is asked to call the Coos County Dispatch non-emergency number at 541-396-2106.
“Please leave your name and a good contact number for investigating officers to return your call for a brief interview,” the sheriff’s office said. “Additional information may help piece together the events leading up to the crash.”
All lanes have since been reopened at milepost 248.5 following the investigation, about five miles south of the Oregon 42 junction.
Razor Clam Harvesting Opens on Part of Oregon Coast
The Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife announce the opening of all razor clam harvesting from the north jetty of Coos Bay to Cape Arago.
Recent shellfish samples taken from the area indicate levels of the marine biotoxin domoic acid have fallen below the alert level for two consecutive sampling weeks.
Razor clam harvesting remains closed from the Columbia River to the north jetty of Coos Bay, and from Cape Arago to the California border.
Mussel, bay clam and crab harvesting remain open along the entire Oregon coast. Coastal scallops are not affected by biotoxin closures when only the adductor muscle is eaten. ODA does not recommend eating whole scallops. Commercial shellfish products remain safe for consumers.
Paralytic shellfish toxin and domoic acid toxin are produced by algae and originate in the ocean. ODA will continue to test for shellfish toxins twice per month, as tides and weather permit. Reopening an area closed for biotoxins requires two consecutive tests with results below the closure limit.
Contact ODFW for recreational license requirements, permits, rules and limits.
For more information call ODA’s shellfish biotoxin safety hotline at (800) 448-2474, the Food Safety Division at (503) 986-4720, or visit the ODA Shellfish Biotoxin Closures webpage.
Olympic Trials Ticketing Will Start Over Due to Pandemic
Exciting news as the Willamette Valley’s TrackTown USA has news for spectators of this summer’s U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in Eugene. CEO Michael Reilly said in a statement Thursday that based on Hayward Field’s capacity and current health protocols, they cannot honor the number of tickets already sold.
All ticket holders will be refunded their money. TrackTown USA will announce new ticketing procedures in May, using updated COVID-19 safety regulations.
Athletes will have first choice of seats and days, followed by those who have held tickets until this point. The statement says TrackTown USA will try to give as many people as possible an opportunity to attend at least one day of the 10-day event.
Those who’ve paid for tickets will be contacted with details about next steps. The U.S. Track and Field Olympic Team Trials are scheduled for June 18th to 27th. — https://www.gotracktownusa.com/