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.
Monday, June 21, 2021
Klamath Basin Weather
- Red Flag Warning in effect from June 21, 05:00 PM until June 22, 03:00 AM.
- Fire Weather Watch in effect from June 22, 12:00 PM until June 23, 12:00 AM.
Today Sunny and hot, with a high near 96. Light south southwest winds 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon. Overnight, a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64.
Tuesday A 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms before noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 88. Overnight low around 57.
Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 86.
Thursday Sunny, with a high near 91.
Friday Sunny, with a high near 94.
Saturday Sunny and hot, with a high near 96.
Today’s Headlines
BLY and BONANZA, OREGON CUTOFF FIRE UPDATE.— Fremont-Winema National Forest is reporting tht firefighters on the ground are using bulldozers, other heavy equipment, and hand tools to build containment lines around the Cutoff Fire near Bonanza. In the air, skies above the fire were busy with heavy air tankers, helicopters, and single engine air tankers (SEATS) dropping water and retardant to slow the fire’s spread.
Fire managers estimate that over half of the fire’s 1,500-acre perimeter has been lined. Containment sits at 10%, indicating that the control lines will need to be significantly strengthened before they will withstand forecasted hot, dry weather. The fire is burning on a mix of public and private forestland and threatens approximately 125 structures.
The priorities for the coming days including improving protection around structures and strengthening control lines. The weather forecast calls for continued hot and dry weather with the potential for thunderstorms.
American Red Cross and the Klamath County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) have set up shelter at the Living Springs Fellow Church (31897 Mission St, Bonanza, OR 97623). The shelter offers temporary housing, meals, first aid and a pet shelter.
Bly Mountain Cutoff Road, Jaguar Lane and Keno Springs Road are closed except for Emergency Vehicles and residents exiting the evacuation area. Following is updated evacuation information, at the request of the Cutoff Fire Incident Commander, issued by Klamath County Emergency Management:
Level 3 (GO NOW) East of Bly Mountain Cutoff Rd, North to Grizzly Ln, West of Hummingbird Dr, and South to Keno Springs Road.
Level 2 (GET SET) East of Bly Mountain Cutoff Rd, North to Keno Springs Rd, West of Forest Service Rd 3812, South three miles.
Level 1 (GET READY) East of Bly Mountain Cutoff Rd, North to Hwy 140 and Kingfisher Dr, West of Hummingbird Dr, South to Grizzly Ln. Residents in areas affected by smoke and falling ash should keep animals indoors and avoid all outdoor activities, such as running with dogs. If visibility is less than 5 miles, smoke has compromised the air quality and reached unsafe levels. Anyone who sees animals in distress and is unable to help should note their locations and alert authorities immediately. Trapped horses and other animals can’t outrun wildfires. They should never be locked in their stalls or confined in any way so that they’re unable to flee.
Klamath County remains in the extreme risk category from Oregon governor Kate Brown, despite the fact that one single case was reported in the county by OHA yesterday.
There is one new COVID-19-related death in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 2,754. OHA reported 200 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19, June 20, ,bringing the state total to 206,774.
OHA reported that 10,006 new doses of COVID-19 vaccinations were added to the state immunization registry. Of this total, 5,675 doses were administered on June 19 and 4,331 were administered on previous days but were entered into the vaccine registry on June 19. The seven-day running average is now 12,724 doses per day. Jackson County had six new reported cases, Josephine 10- but both of those counties are in a lower risk category than Klamath.
A Klamath Falls woman died Friday in a single vehicle crash on Highway 140. Donna Palmer, 65, was driving eastbound about 11 a.m. at milepost 60 when her vehicle left the road and rolled down an embankment.
According to Oregon State Police, Palmer was transported by air ambulance to Rogue Regional Medical Center where they were pronounced deceased. The sole passenger in the vehicle, Gerald Berton, 66, of Klamath Falls, was transported to Sky Lakes Medical Center. His condition was not known as of Saturday. OSP was assisted by Klamath Fire District 1 and ODOT.
The 173rd Fighter Wing will conduct night flying operations next week, Monday through Thursday. Operations will take place between approximately 6 and 11 11 p.m.
Night flying is one part of the course curriculum for F-15C student pilots at Kingsley Field, the premiere F-15C schoolhouse for the United States Air Force. The majorityof the training will occur in the military operating airspace to the east of Lakeview, where the pilots can fly without lights. However, the local community will most likely hear the jets during take-offs and approaches to and from Kingsley Field. Take-offs will occur after sundown and the jets will return approximately an hour-and-a-half later. Community members may contact the wing’s public affairs office at 541-885-6677 to express any concerns they have during this time.
As temperatures rise and drought digs in, Klamath tribal youth are participating in forest restoration around Chiloquin that can both protect their community and open up new career paths.
The Tribal Youth Ecological Forestry Training Program is a five week paid training program, and a collaboration between the U.S. Forest Service, Klamath Tribes and the Lomakatsi Restoration Project, an Ashland-based nonprofit. The program has been running for three years, but this is the first year there have been opportunities to participate in training sessions that provide certification in skills like first aid, equipment usage, and fuel reduction techniques.
According to Belinda Brown, the tribal coordinator at Lomakatsi, the program is impactful because it is led by community members who have direct connections with tribe youth.
Last month, the Sessom Family Trust contributed more than $78,000 to the award winning Klamath Union High Sschool band, orchestra, and choir programs.
This generous donation consisted of nearly $14,000 in cash and more than $64,000 in stock. Oregon school districts are barred from accepting stock gifts, so the large stock donation was granted to the Pelican Education Foundation, a local foundation that supports the Klamath Falls City Schools. PEF in turn sold the stock and passed along the proceeds to the city Schools to benefit the KU music department.
KU music teachers Brent Hakanson, Brett Aakre and Allen Haugh said they very grateful for the substantial contribution. No definite plans have yet been made for how best to use the funds, but the department will work diligently to develop a strategy to wisely use the dollars so that it will benefit students for many years to come.
AmeriTitle, the largest title and escrow agent in the Pacific Northwest, has promoted two local women to leadership positions in Klamath Falls.
Stacy Howard has been named vice president and general manager of the company’s Klamath Falls and Lakeview operations. She brings more than 20 years of escrow experience, beginning her title and escrow career in 1998 as an escrow assistant. Howard most recently worked as the escrow department supervisor and leading teams in both locations. Howard grew up in Klamath Falls. She attended Oregon Institute of Technology, where she focused on general studies. Howard has also attended Oregon’s Escrow School and was also a past member of the Oregon Escrow Council.
Julie Lowry was also promoted in the organization.
A local man will serve almost 17 years in prison for his part in a string of armed robberies that took place in 2018 and 2019, according to the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office.
Christian Miller worked with several co-conspirators to steal marijuana and cash, the DA’s office said. The men would arm themselves, dress in tactical gear, then “raid” locations with large quantities of cannabis while posing as law enforcement. The first of three robberies happened on May 11, 2018.
According to the DA’s office, Miller and a co-defendant set up a drug deal at the White City Ponds. When the other party arrived, Miller awaited them in tactical gear — announcing that they were DEA and that it was a raid. The victims were held at gunpoint while the suspects stole marijuana, cash, and credit cards. A second robbery happened just days later, on May 24. Miller set up another drug deal, then made a deal with some co-conspirators to provide a gun if the other men would carry out the robbery. Police later found Miller with zip ties, tactical gear, guns and ammunition.
Around the state of Oregon
A man sought in the killings of his father and two other people at a casino campground and in a shooting at a marijuana dispensary in a small Oregon city has turned himself in to authorities in Wisconsin, police said Sunday.
A man sought in the killings of his father and two other people in a small Oregon city forced a woman to drive him more than 2,000 miles (3,219 kilometers) to Wisconsin, where he surrendered to police, authorities said Sunday.
Oen Evan Nicholson approached Laura Johnson, 34, after she returned to her parking spot during a her lunch break on Friday in Springfield, Oregon, and forced her to drive him in her car, police said. Authorities were notified Sunday morning that Nicholson had surrendered to police peacefully in Milwaukee but did not release details about how he gave himself up.
Johnson was not hurt and was returning to Oregon, Springfield police said in a statement.
“He approached her in her vehicle with a gun,” Johnson’s father, Dennis Johnson says. “They said she was forced to drive 33 hours to where they’re at. She was able to talk him into turning himself in.”
Nicholson is suspected of killing his father, Charles Simms Nicholson, whose body was found in a trailer in an RV campground of The Mill Casino in the coastal city of North Bend, about 110 miles (177 kilometers) southwest of Springfield, on Friday.
While driving his father’s pickup truck, Nicholson is suspected of hitting and killing Anthony Oyster, 74, at the campground and critically injuring his wife, Linda Oyster, 73, Coos County District Attorney R. Paul Frasier said.
Shortly after, Nicholson is also suspected of shooting and killing resident Jennifer L. Davidson, 47, at a marijuana dispensary in North Bend, Frasier said.
The pickup was found Friday crashed and burned about 30 miles (48 kilometers) west of Springfield. A witness reported an armed man got out and ran into the woods, prompting a unsuccessful search, police said.
Nicholson was charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of his father, Oyster and Davidson as well as second-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault and failing to help a person injured in a traffic accident, Frasier said.
Nicholson will appear in court in Milwaukee in the coming days before returning to Oregon to face the charges, Fraiser said. It was not clear if Nicholson has a lawyer who could speak on his behalf.
Over 200,000 Plants Seized as Illegal Marijuana Search Warrants Served In Josephine County
Last Thursday search warrants were executed as part of an investigation of illegal marijuana grow operations in Selma and Cave Junction, Oregon.
Members of the Josephine Marijuana Enforcement Team (JMET) served the search warrants in partnership with Oregon State Police, Grants Pass Department of Public Safety, Rogue Area Drug Enforcement (RADE, consisting of Grants Pass DPS, OSP and Josephine County Parole and Probation), Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team (IMET, consisting of Jackson County SO and Medford PD), Southwest Regional Marijuana Team from OSP, Douglas Interagency Narcotics Team (DINT), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Josephine County Code Enforcement and the Josephine County District Attorney’s Office.
In total, over 200,000 marijuana plants were seized and destroyed between six properties where search warrants were executed. Numerous water pumps, generators, trailers, and a tractor were seized as instruments used in criminal conduct relating to the illegal growth of marijuana.
Numerous subjects were detained and interviewed. At the time of this press release, no arrests have been made. No further details are being released at this time. Josephine Co. Sheriff’s Office
Jackson County Man to Serve 17 Years in Prison over String of Armed Robberies
A local man will serve almost 17 years in prison for his part in a string of armed robberies that took place in 2018 and 2019, according to the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office. Christian Miller worked with several co-conspirators to steal marijuana and cash, the DA’s office said.
The men would arm themselves, dress in tactical gear, then “raid” locations with large quantities of cannabis while posing as law enforcement.
The first of three robberies happened on May 11, 2018. According to the DA’s office, Miller and a co-defendant set up a drug deal at the White City Ponds. When the other party arrived, Miller awaited them in tactical gear — announcing that they were DEA and that it was a raid. The victims were held at gunpoint while the suspects stole marijuana, cash, and credit cards.
A second robbery happened just days later, on May Miller set up another drug deal, then made a deal with some co-conspirators to provide a gun if the other men would carry out the robbery. Police later found Miller with zip ties, tactical gear, guns and ammunition.
With another sign of the chaos continuing in Portland, Oregon, Portland City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty is calling for the Portland Police Bureau to eliminate the Rapid Response Team.
In a statement, Hardesty says the resignation of the officers on the team makes it a perfect time to make a change. She has supported disbanding the team prior to the resignations. Hardesty says now is the opportunity to show what crowd control and de-escalation in policing looks like without the Rapid Response Team.
The Oregon Legislature is expected to pass a bill that’ll give renters a grace period if they face eviction after June 30th when the eviction moratorium ends.
Under the bill, if the renter has applied for federal relief, the landlord wouldn’t be able to evict the tenant for 60 days. The bill passed the House and returns to the Senate, where it previously passed, for approval of changes before it goes to the governor.
Umpqua Bank Charitable Foundation Awards Community Grants to 120 Nonprofits
Umpqua Bank, a subsidiary of Umpqua Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ: UMPQ) announced today that the Umpqua Bank Charitable Foundation has awarded 120 community grants to local nonprofits across its five-state footprint totaling $423.5K.
The grants represent the first of three funding cycles in 2021.
Nonprofits were selected from hundreds of applicants who demonstrated a strong commitment to serving their communities, particularly those focused on reaching low-to-moderate income or under-resourced populations in one of the following eight categories: family engagement and resiliency; financial competency; housing stability and home ownership; college, career or technical readiness; entrepreneurship and business expansion; vibrant and equitable neighborhoods; technical and digital connectivity; and small business support and financial guidance.
“With local community-focused nonprofits, we are able to work together for better,” shared Randy Choy, vice president of community giving & nonprofit partnerships and managing director of the Umpqua Bank Charitable Foundation. “Their grassroots efforts are key to post-pandemic recovery, and we’re honored to support their work.”
Umpqua Bank, through the Umpqua Bank Charitable Foundation, continues to evolve its community giving strategy and community grants program to reflect a deeper commitment to improving economic prosperity, especially for under-resourced individuals, families, and small businesses. The foundation invests in nonprofit organizations, communities, and leaders to support direct-service programming that incorporates a diversity, equity, and inclusion focus.
The community grants are part of an overall foundation and corporate giving program that has invested more than $12 million since the foundation was formed in 2014. The next deadline for community grant applications is Friday, Sept. 3, 2021. Learn more at www.UmpquaBank.com/Community.
For a full list of the nonprofit grant recipients by state, visit https://www.umpquabank.com/blog/umpqua-bank-charitable-foundation-awards-community-grants-to-120-nonprofits/. — Umpqua Bank