Klamath Basin News, Friday, 6/25 – Kruise of Klamath This Weekend, with Downtown Area Events

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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 Insuranceyour local health and Medicare agents.

Friday, June 25, 2021

Klamath Basin Weather

Excessive Heat Warning in effect from June 26, 11:00AM until June 29, 11:00PM

Today Sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming west northwestly to 7 mph in the afternoon. Overnight, clear with a low around 63.

Saturday Sunny and hot, with a high near 98. Overnight with a low around 67.
Sunday Sunny and hot, with a high near 102.
Monday Sunny and hot, with a high near 104.
Tuesday Sunny and hot, with a high near 100.
Wednesday Sunny and hot, with a high near 101.

Today’s Headlines

Kruise of Klamath

The Kruise of Klamath is back! The entirety of the Kruise of Klamath will be held downtown this year due to dry conditions at Moore Park.

There will be street closures to accommodate the event: SHOW ‘N SHINE: Main Street will be closed from 11th Street to 3rd Street from 6:00 AM until 1:30 PM. Please note: Any vehicles parked within this section of Main Street this morning after 5:00 will be towed off of Main Street to the closest convenient location.

EVENING CRUISE: Main Street will be closed from 12th Street to 4th Street and Klamath Avenue will be closed from 12th Street to 3rd Street from 6:00 PM until 9:00 PM. Side streets within these routes will be closed and motorists detoured around the event.

Kruise of Klamath this weekend, downtown Klamath Falls!

A Klamath Falls man has been jailed with bail set at over 500-thousand dollars on several felony charges. The man, 33-year-old Larry David Burkett, was arrested and charged with multiple charges including rape, sexual abuse, and sodomy charges. Klamath Falls City Police took Burkett into custody yesterday afternoon. No further information is available on this case at this time.

A local family nurse practitioner is being disciplined by the Oregon State Board of Nursing after repeatedly prescribing controlled substances to a co-worker and their spouse.

Jueth Atigbi-Hansen, of Klamath Falls, also failed to properly document the prescription refills of schedule II controlled substances for three patients on multiple occasions.

During its board meeting on June 16, the OSBN took disciplinary action against Atigbi-Hansen, placing her on a 12-month probation and a 90-day suspension. Atigbi-Hansen has been a licensed nurse practitioner since 2017.

However, public disciplinary records {span}published by the board show that soon after being issued a license — between Dec. 2017 and March 2020 — Atigbi-Hansen prescribed controlled substances on at least 50 occasions to a “physician mentor coworker” with whom she failed to maintain professional boundaries. The records show that Atigbi-Hansen also prescribed controlled substances, on at least 24 different occasions, to the spouse of the same coworker.

Atigbi-Hansen is also said to have justified providing controlled substances to the coworker based on the coworker’s self-diagnosis.

Record-high heat is forecast in the normally mild-weathered Pacific Northwest this weekend, raising concerns about wildfires and the health of people in a region where many people don’t have air conditioning.

Fire crews are being sent to places in Oregon where the risk of wildfires is high. The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat watch and predicted “dangerously hot” conditions Friday through at least Tuesday.

The heat wave will cover portions of Washington, Oregon and Idaho, with temperatures rising to 114 degrees Fahrenheit (45 Celsius) in places, the agency said. In Oregon, forecasters predicted record-setting weekend temperatures between 102 and 106 degrees Fahrenheit (38 and 41 degrees Celsius) — and possibly higher — in the Portland metropolitan area. The hottest temperature ever recorded in Portland was 107 degrees Fahrenheit (41 Celsius), in 1965 and 1981. Cooling centers will open in the Portland area on Friday.

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Temperatures are forecast to climb to record levels, but you can stay cool, use less energy and save money with these tips from Pacific Power

With triple-digit temperatures forecast throughout the Northwest over the next several days, Pacific Power wants to remind customers how to beat the heat, use less energy and save money.

Be air conditioner smart

  • Set your thermostat at 78 degrees. Cooling your house below that temperature can increase your air conditioning bill as much as 8 percent.
  • Don’t turn off the air conditioner when you’re gone; instead set it at 85 degrees. That setting allows your air conditioner to use less electricity to cool the house than if the air conditioning has been off all day.
  • Use a smart or programmable thermostat to automatically adjust the temperature around your schedule. Set it to start bringing your home’s temperature from 85 degrees down to 78 degrees no more than 30 minutes before you get home.

Don’tlet the sun shine in

  • On warm days, close blinds and drapes, especially in south-facing windows which allow in the most heat.

Open windows and circulate cool air

  • Open windows in evening and early morning to let in cool air.
  • Use fans to bring in and circulate cool air. Ceiling and window fans use much less electricity than air conditioning. Running an air conditioner in fan-only mode can also be effective as outside temperatures drop.

Reduce the heat inside

  • Use heat-producing appliances like ovens, dishwashers and dryers in the early morning or late evening when temperatures are cooler.
  • Use a microwave, slow cooker or toaster oven. A toaster oven uses one-third to one-half as much energy as a regular oven and releases less heat into the home.
  • Turn off heat-generating devices when not in use, including lamps, televisions and computers.

Be safe. With sweltering temperatures, you need to protect yourself. Drink plenty of water and stay out of the sun as much as possible. Also check on any neighbors who may have limited contact with others and may need a fan or other assistance.

Heat waves are something Pacific Power experiences each year. From a power supply perspective, we do not anticipate heat-related service interruptions during this current heat wave. In addition to regular maintenance and equipment upgrades, Pacific Power, as part of PacifiCorp, can access a diverse mix of available energy resources – solar, wind, hydro and thermal – which is key to fulfilling our promise of reliability and stability.

The company owns and operates over 16,500 miles of high-voltage transmission across 10 states. That reach is essential in accessing available energy and delivering it to our customers. Still, extreme weather–either summer heat or winter storms–has the potential to produce localized outages. So we’re closely monitoring the system and will respond promptly if an outage of any nature occurs.

If you are concerned about your power bill, call us now. We can set up a payment plan or refer you to local agencies for bill assistance. Call us any time at 1-888-221-7070.

The Klamath County commissioners approved a new sewage waste treatment plan for the city of Chiloquin on Tuesday, despite opposition from local residents and a series of environmental appeals.

The city plans to install sewage treatment lagoons along the Chiloquin Highway, also known as Oregon Route 422, which connects U.S. Highway 97 with Oregon Highway 62. Residents who live along the roadway are upset about the proposed location, which is in close proximity to their homes.

The 211-acre property where the lagoons are being built is located west of Highway 97.

The first lagoon will be approximately 5 acres in size while the second will be around 10 acres, according to the wastewater facilities plan. Wastewater will be pumped into these lagoons for treatment and the treated water will later be used to irrigate farmland. The lagoons will replace the current waste treatment plant located on the Williamson River in Chiloquin.

This facility is about 40 years old and does not meet Department of Environmental Quality standards.

Around the state of Oregon

There is one new COVID-19 related death in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 2,760, the Oregon Health Authority reported today.  Oregon Health Authority reported 232 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of today, bringing the state total to 207,558.

The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (1), Benton (2), Clackamas (12), Clatsop (3), Columbia (5), Coos (2), Crook (1), Curry (7), Deschutes (14), Douglas (10), Harney (1), Hood River (1), Jackson (16), Jefferson (3), Josephine (15), Klamath (6), Lake (1), Lane (12), Lincoln (3), Linn (18), Marion (25), Morrow (1), Multnomah (29), Polk (7), Tillamook (1), Umatilla (12), Wasco (1), Washington (19) and Yamhill (4).

Oregon has now administered 2,454,959 first and second doses of Pfizer,1,715,306 first and second doses of Moderna and 164,742 single doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines.

As of today, 2,365,580 people have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 2,122,292 have completed a COVID-19 vaccine series.

The number of adult Oregonians needing vaccinations to reach the 70% threshold is 35,290. 

Cases of COVID-19 are trending downward in Oregon following a slight increase after Memorial Day weekend.  

Over the last week, new cases declined nearly five-percent.  The number of hospitalizations increased slightly, but deaths declined.  The number of positive tests declined to three-point-three-percent. 

Oregon is on track to reach a COVID-19 vaccination rate of 70-percent by June 30th, or maybe a little sooner.  The Oregon Health Authority says 83-hundred new doses of vaccinations were recorded yesterday.  The state is now 38-thousand-143 vaccinations away from reaching 70-percent.  

When Oregon reaches the 70-percent mark, most of the COVID-19 restrictions will be dropped.

Oregonians could mail their ballots right up until Election Day and still have them counted under a bill headed to Gov. Kate Brown.

House Bill 3291 would eliminate the need for the traditional warning given to voters about five days before each election: “It’s the last day to safely mail your ballot.”

Currently, ballots that arrive at county elections’ offices after 8 p.m. on Election Day are not counted, regardless of when they were mailed. Ballots that arrive in the mail up to seven days after an election would be counted, unless their postmark showed that they were mailed after Election Day. If a postmark is missing or unreadable, the bill would direct elections officials to assume the ballot was mailed prior to the deadline.

Oregon wants more cannabis tax money, of course. The Oregon Senate sent a bill to the House that would allow cities and counties to more than triple the local sales tax on cannabis.

Senate Bill 864 passed the Senate on a 23-6 vote Wednesday. State Sens. Floyd Prozanski, Sara Gelser and Dallas Heard were among the “No” votes. State Sen. James Manning was excused. The House held a first reading and sent the bill to the Revenue committee the same day. No hearings have been scheduled.

If approved and signed by the governor, it would take effect Jan. 1, 2022. The bill would increase from 3% to 10% the tax cities and counties can impose on the retail sale of recreational cannabis. A city would be required to transfer 20% of tax collections to the county where the city is located.

Josephine County Public Health updates list of COVID-19-related deaths

Following an internal review, Josephine County Public Health staff discovered that a deceased COVID-19 patient previously identified as a Josephine County individual was a resident of another Oregon county.

A 63-year-old man tested positive for COVID-19 May 23 and died June 10 at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford. While considered a Josephine County individual at the time, JCPH records have been updated to indicate that the patient was not a resident of Josephine County.

Josephine County now has an updated total of 76 COVID-19-related deaths. Of those patients, 75 died from complications relating to COVID-19 infections.

Treasurer Read Praises Inter-Agency Team Working to Move Unclaimed Property and Estates Programs to Oregon State Treasury

Oregon’s Unclaimed Property and Estates Administration programs will move from the Department of State Lands to Oregon State Treasury on July 1.

Salem, OR – State Treasurer Tobias Read today praised months of behind-the-scenes work by employees preparing for Oregon’s Unclaimed Property and Estates programs to move from the Department of State Lands to Oregon State Treasury on July 1, 2021.

The transfer, initiated by Senate Bill 454 and approved by the Oregon Legislature in June 2019, will move oversight of the two programs to Treasury while continuing to protect Oregonians’ assets. Oregon’s Unclaimed Property Program holds more than $773 million in unclaimed funds and other property for owners to claim in perpetuity. The Estates Administration Program safeguards personal estates when Oregonians die without a will and known heirs.

“These programs are vital to reuniting Oregonians with their lost property, and I appreciate the inter-agency team working hard to complete the transfer without any interruptions or hiccups for people claiming or reporting funds,” said Treasurer Read. “I’m especially impressed by the collaboration and attention to detail despite the fact that many employees are working remotely during the pandemic.”

Most U.S. states house their unclaimed property programs in state treasuries. In 2019, Oregon legislators determined that moving Oregon’s Unclaimed Property Program to Oregon State Treasury would better align with other states’ programs. The transfer will integrate unclaimed property program staff with the Treasury team responsible for investing and managing unclaimed funds until they are claimed by their rightful owner. Treasury’s investment staff oversee the $2.2 billion Common School Fund in a diversified portfolio of investments.

The Oregon Department of State Lands will retain responsibility for distribution of investment earnings income to public schools. Two disbursements per year go to public schools across Oregon; in 2020, nearly $55 million was distributed.

Vicki Walker, Director of State Lands, applauded her team for carefully preparing for the move while also overseeing the program’s day-to-day responsibilities. “Our goal all along has been for the program transfer to be as seamless as possible for the people who rely on it,” said Director Walker. “I’m proud of the staff who have done an excellent job of overseeing the operations of the program while working on program transfer logistics.”

A total of 16 staff from both programs will become Oregon State Treasury employees on July 1; all existing positions were retained by the Legislature. “We look forward to officially welcoming the unclaimed property and estates staff to our team,” said Treasurer Read.

Following the transfer, most people using the program will see no difference in their experience submitting or following up on a claim, and the main portal for searching for and claiming unclaimed property will remain the same: unclaimed.oregon.gov. Businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies that report and remit unclaimed property should continue to meet the annual reporting deadline for unclaimed funds. Oregon Dept. of State Lands

Officers responding to reports of a disturbance in Montague during the early hours of Thursday morning soon found themselves at the scene of a rollover crash involving the subject.

Around 3:30 a.m., a deputy from the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office and officers from California Highway Patrol responded to a “disturbing the peace” cal from 510 N 9th Street in Montague.

Upon arrival, the officers learned that 26-year-old Aaron Burlew was intoxicated and the source of the disturbance, CHP said. Not long after their arrival, the officers saw a silver Acura speeding southbound on N 9th Street, with Burlew believed to be the driver. He turned onto westbound SR-3 then northbound onto Ager Road “at a very high speed.”

The CHP officers soon took off in pursuit, hoping to catch up with Acura and pull the driver over. Still speeding northbound on Ager Road near Shelley Road, Burlew reportedly lost control of the car and veered off the road, rolling several times before coming to a rest. Burlew was not wearing a seat belt and was thrown from the car, “sustaining major injuries.” Responding medical staff took Burlew to Fairchild Medical Center, and he was later airlifted to Mercy Redding for treatment. CHP said that alcohol is believed to be a factor in the crash.

BEAT THE HEAT….BE CAREFUL!

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Gov. Brown Commutes Sentences Of 41 Inmates For Helping Fight 2020 Wildfires

In recognition of 41 inmate’s efforts to help fight wildfires in 2020, Gov. Kate Brown has commuted their sentences by 12 months.

The Oregon Department of Corrections conducted a case-by-case analysis of all inmates who worked as firefighters for a potential one-time, 12-month conditional commutation of their sentence.

The governor’s office released a statement in part here: ” While the Labor Day 2020 wildfires destroyed homes and forests across Oregon, many adults in custody—who qualified for participation in a fire crew due to good behavior and having received proper training—bravely fought these wildfires, alongside civilian firefighters, and helped prevent further destruction and loss of life across the state. The governor recognizes that these adults in custody served our state in a time of crisis, and she believes they should be rewarded and acknowledged for their contribution to this historic firefighting response.:

The governor’s office also added that DOC screens inmates prior to fire crew participation to ensure the safety of the public. Criteria includes having a record of good conduct for the last 12 months, having a suitable housing plan, having their out-of-custody health care needs addressed and not presenting a safety risk to the public.

Those who have been approved for commutation will be notified by the end of next week through their release counselor.

Fatal Crash on Hwy 101 – Curry County

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On Thursday, June 24, 2021 at approximately 11:30 A.M., Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a vehicle crash on Hwy 101 near milepost 339.

Preliminary investigation revealed a Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle, operated by James Rice (29) of Brookings, was northbound when it struck a, also northbound, Infiniti QX60, operated by Brecken Watterson (43) of Cedar Park, TX. The Infiniti was turning left into a viewpoint.

Rice sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased. Watterson and 4 juvenile passengers were not injured.

OSP was assisted by the Curry County Sheriff’s Office, Gold Beach Police Department, Gold Beach Fire Department, Pistol River Fire Department, and ODOT

Oregon Bottle Drop mark Bottle Bill’s 50th birthday with ‘Hidden Bottle Hunts’ Across the State

Oregon’s iconic Bottle Bill is turning 50! On July 2, 1971, Governor Tom McCall signed into law the nation’s first bottle and can redemption system, which has helped keep Oregon clean and litter-free for 50 years. Not only was it the first, but it remains among the best, with Oregon regularly seeing some of the top redemption and recycling rates in the nation.

To mark the 50th Anniversary of the Bottle Bill, the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative (OBRC), parent company to BottleDrop, is hosting a treasure hunt by hiding six commemorative, gold-colored, 50th Anniversary bottles in parks throughout the state. 

The six, statewide Hidden Bottle Hunts will take place July 7-11. OBRC will release one clue per bottle, per day, on this webpage, leading hunters to the final hiding spot. The lucky winners will get to keep the commemorative bottle and select a BottleDrop nonprofit partner to receive a $500 donation through BottleDrop’s Containers for Change program.

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Participants can sign up to receive daily clues at our BottleDrop Hidden Bottle Hunt webpage, or can view new clues each day at bottledropcenters.com/hunt. Six separate hunts, geographically dispersed across Oregon, will be conducted simultaneously, with separate clues being released daily for each hunt. 

”There’s no better way to celebrate the Bottle Bill’s 50th birthday than to engage Oregonians in a fun outdoor activity that features the special places it helps keep litter free,” said Eric Chambers, external relations director for OBRC, the not-for-profit cooperative that serves as the operational steward of the Bottle Bill.

“Our Hidden Bottle Hunts will be fun for individuals and families, connect closely with the Bottle Bill’s mission of protecting public spaces, and best of all, the winners get to ‘redeem’ their bottle for a nice donation to one of 4,000 participating nonprofits serving communities across Oregon,” Chambers added.

What is the Bottle Bill?

On July 2, 1971, Oregon became the first state in the nation to pass a Bottle Bill – a system that provides a redemption value to Oregonians, incentivizing recycling and keeping bottles and cans out of our natural areas. It remains a groundbreaking approach to addressing the issue of litter in our forests, rivers, beaches, scenic byways and other natural areas. Over time, Oregon’s system has grown and innovated, and has become a national model of beverage container redemption and recycling, inspiring national and international delegations to visit Oregon to learn about its unique and effective system. Learn more about the Bottle Bill here

About BottleDrop and the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative

The Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative (OBRC) is the industry steward of Oregon’s nationally recognized beverage container redemption system and operator of the BottleDrop network. Headquartered in Clackamas, Ore., OBRC is a statewide, not-for-profit cooperative, formed by the beverage industry to serve as the operational steward of Oregon’s Bottle Bill. OBRC helps keep Oregon beautiful by providing outstanding services to partners, distributors, retailers and the public for the recovery, reuse and recycling of beverage containers. Through OBRC’s BottleDrop Redemption Centers and container pickup service for more than 2,500 retail partners, the co-op recycles nearly two billion beverage containers annually, protecting the Oregon we love, supporting the causes we cherish, and inspiring innovation beyond our borders – all without any taxpayer funding. 

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