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.
Thursday, July 1, 2021
Klamath Basin Weather
Today Some patchy smoke and haze at times, otherwise sunny and hot with a high near 98. Overnight low around 64.
Friday Sunny and hot, with a high near 100. Late night shower or thundershowers possible.
Saturday Sunny and hot, with a high near 97.
Sunday, Independence Day Sunny and hot, with a high near 96.
Monday Sunny and hot, with a high near 96.
Today’s Headlines
Oregon is officially open and the Klamath Basin is happy about it. Limits on how many people can occupy the same space are now a thing of the past.
The official opening by Gov. Kate Brown means restaurants, bars, bowling alleys, strip clubs, museums, stores, shopping malls, pharmacies, pools, gyms and every other imaginable venue can go back to pre-pandemic capacity limits.
Indoor entertainment venues in some counties have at some points had to cut capacity to as low as 10% of maximum occupancy.
Social gatherings have no limits. Oregon OSHA yesterday removed the facial covering and physical distancing requirements of its COVID-19 rule for all workplaces, with certain exceptions, including health care, public transit, and airports.
The move by the division is part of a formal process involving initial amendments to the existing requirements of its COVID-19 rule for all workplaces. It also encompasses similar changes that will be made to another COVID-19 rule addressing housing provided by employers, including as part of agricultural operations.
The lifting of the facial covering and distancing requirements – effective immediately – are consistent with previous public announcements about the reopening of Oregon, including by Gov. Kate Brown and the Oregon Health Authority.
However, that does not mean that all of Oregon OSHA’s COVID-19 requirements are going away immediately. For the rule addressing all workplaces, examples of measures that will remain in place longer include optimization of ventilation, notification of a positive case in the workplace, and proper steps to take if an employee must quarantine.
While the facial covering and distancing provisions are removed from the rule addressing employer-provided housing, the rule’s measures – including placement of beds and air purifiers – remain in place. Meanwhile, Oregon OSHA continues to meet on a regular basis with stakeholders about the eventual full repeal of the requirements.
On Sunday, Klamath County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to an area approximately three miles south of Lake of the Woods on a report of skeletal remains found.
After arrival on scene deputies confirmed the remains were human and are working with Jackson County Search and Rescue, Oregon State Police Crime Lab, and other agencies on the investigation. Further details will be released when available.
Over last weekend the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to Crescent Lake on the report of a person that was drowning.
Upon arrival deputies learned that divers who had been recreating in the area had retrieved the body of Arlo Dean Pade, 77 of Rogue River, OR. According witness statements the deceased had been in the water approximately an hour before he was located.
Klamath County Sheriff’s Office wants to remind people to wear life jackets and recreate safely on the water ways.
All the booms and bangs around town are a reminder that the Fourth of July is right around the corner.
As heat and drought continue to blanket the Northwest, cities and fire officials across the state are banning fireworks as the holiday approaches, but Klamath Falls and Klamath County are not among them.
Local city officials in Klamath Falls decided Tuesday after a meeting with fire officials to not ban fireworks this year. Both Portland and Bend have banned the use of fireworks given the increased fire risk. The Portland ban was issued Tuesday by Portland Fire & Rescue and in Bend, a state of emergency declared by the city on Monday included a ban on all public fireworks through July 9.
The 173rd Fighter Wing out of Kingsley Field will conduct Independence Day flyovers for ceremonies at locations throughout Oregon, including in Klamath Falls.
F-15 Eagle fighter jets are scheduled to conduct flyovers at noon in downtown Klamath Falls, at 11:45 a.m. at Lake of the Woods, at 10:40 a.m. in downtown Ashland and at 10:30 a.m. in Central Point at the Fourth of July Freedom Festival.
All passes will be approximately 1,000 feet above ground level and at about 400 mph airspeed. Flights could be canceled or times changed, due to inclement weather or operational contingencies.
Officials with the Shasta-Trinity National Forest Service say that the Lava Fire is burning 3.5 miles northeast of Weed and has grown to 17,591 acres.
The containment on the Lava Fire is at 19%. The fire had growth overnight onto the slope of Mt. Shasta. Highway 97 remains closed between the city of Weed and the city of Dorris. All evacuation orders below remain in place by the Siskiyou County Sherrif’s Office.
While fire crews continued to battle the massive Lava Fire in Siskiyou County on Tuesday, the nearby Tennant Fire grew to almost 8,200 as crews there struggled to curb its spread.
Crews remained on the Tennant Fire overnight, working to build firelines and doing structural protection. An infrared flight over the fire provided the new acreage, with containment now estimated at 5 percent.
An update from fire officials on Tuesday night attributed the growth to the same litany of issues prevailing across the Pacific Northwest critically low relative humidities, very high temperatures, and enough wind to keep the flames moving outward. The California Interagency Incident Management Team 15 is now assuming command of the firefight.
Meanwhile, The Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office confirmed on Tuesday that officers shot and killed a man during evacuations prompted by the Lava Fire in the Mount Shasta Vista Subdivision, an area increasingly notorious for the proliferation of marijuana grows and a corresponding crackdown by the County.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, law enforcement officers were assisting in evacuations from the Mounta Shasta Vista Subdivision on Monday evening, shortly after 8:30 p.m., due to the Lava Fire’s rapid wind-driven expansion to the north.
Firefighters were staging at the intersection of Shasta Vista Drive and County Road A-12 while officers assisted motorists at the intersection. Law enforcement had closed the southbound lane of County Road A-12 to stop any traffic from entering Mount Shasta Vista, now under a mandatory evacuation order. Officers were directing traffic north along the road toward Grenada.
The Sheriff’s Office said that the driver of a GMC pickup starting approaching County Road A-12 from Shasta Vista Drive, and officers directed the driver to turn north, away from the evacuation zone. According to the agency, the GMC driver ignored those directions and started heading southbound.
With the increased fire danger and above normal significant wildland fire potential throughout the region, Crater Lake National Park is implementing fire restrictions effective immediately.
To ensure public safety and to provide the highest degree of protection to park resources, the following restrictions will be in place until further notice:
Wood fires and charcoal fires are permitted only within established grills or fire rings, or portable self-contained grills, in the following designated areas: Mazama Campground and Park residential areas.
Gasoline and propane camp stoves and gas grills are permitted in campgrounds, picnic areas, backcountry areas, and residential areas.
Smoking is permitted only in the following areas: In vehicles, provided that an ashtray is used for ashes and butts.
While stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or free of all flammable materials. Ashes and butts must be disposed of safely and may not be discarded on the ground. Fireworks are prohibited in the park at all times.
Fire season 2021 continues to run about a month ahead of schedule, prompting concern among local fire officials.
The South Central Oregon Fire Management Partnership will increase the fire danger level on all lands in Klamath and Lake counties to “extreme” today.
The declaration comes less than three weeks after SCOFMP bumped the local fire danger to “high,” and two and a half months after this year’s fire season began a month ahead of normal. This means burn restrictions now apply to all federal, state, county and private lands in the two counties, including the Fremont-Winema National Forest, Bureau of Land Management parcels, Crater Lake National Park and the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuges.
Crater Lake National Park, in partnership with Discover Klamath and Friends of Crater Lake National Park, will host the annual Ride the Rim days September 11 and 18, 2021.
On these consecutive Saturdays, East Rim Drive from North Junction to Park Headquarters will be closed to motorized vehicles from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. to allow for non-motorized recreation including biking, hiking, and running. Ride the Rim is seeking volunteers to help with the event and has many opportunities for the local community. From set-up and tear-down, to rest stops and parking, every aspect of the event is run by volunteers alongside National Park Staff.
Volunteering at Ride the Rim is easy, whether it’s for one day or two, no training is required and anyone can volunteer. If interested, you can learn more about each role and simply sign up online at RideTheRimOregon.com.
The American Red Cross continues to experience a severe blood shortage that is negatively affecting blood product availability across the country.
Donors of all blood types – especially type O – are urged to make an appointment to give now and help ensure hospital shelves are stocked with blood products over the Fourth of July holiday and beyond.
Right now, the Red Cross is working around the clock to provide blood products to hospitals responding to an unusually high number of traumas and emergency room visits, as well as overdoses and resulting transplants. As a result of the blood shortage, some hospitals are being forced to slow the pace of elective surgeries until the blood supply stabilizes, delaying crucial patient care.
In addition, while summer is traditionally a time when blood donations decline, this year is particularly challenging as many Americans receive their vaccinations and resume summer activities after more than a year of limited interactions and travel, leading to lower donor turnout. The need for blood doesn’t take a holiday break − patients still depend on lifesaving transfusions.
Donors are needed now to prevent further delays to patient care. Schedule an appointment to give blood now by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device.
Around the state of Oregon
Yesterday Governor Kate Brown was joined by various business, health, community and governmental leaders to commemorate Oregon’s official reopening.
“Today, we celebrate Oregon’s strength, resilience and collaboration,” said Governor Brown. “We celebrate brighter days ahead. And, today, we celebrate that Oregon is 100% open for business.”
While reopening gives many reasons to be joyful, the event also acknowledged the immense loss and grief that many continue to experience as a result of the pandemic.
“In Oregon, we’ve lost 2,770 family, friends, neighbors and coworkers who died with COVID-19,” said OHA Director Patrick Allen. “If we took just one minute to honor each person we’ve lost, we’d stand a vigil that would last more than 46 hours.”
For those who are continuing to grieve, whether it’s for the loss of a loved one, a sense of stability, or the life you imagined for yourself and your family this past year and a half, know that it’s okay to feel the way you do. If you need support, mental and emotional health resources are available for you online through Safe + Strong, The Dougy Center and Refuge in Grief. Additionally, OHA filmed a Facebook Live on grief in early March, which you can view here.
There are four new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 2,774, the Oregon Health Authority reported today. Oregon Health Authority reported 196 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of today, bringing the state total to 208,637.
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (3), Clackamas (17), Clatsop (5), Crook (1), Curry (1), Deschutes (7), Douglas (11), Harney (1), Hood River (2), Jackson (16), Jefferson (3), Josephine (5), Klamath (5), Lane (17), Linn (15), Malheur (2), Marion (12), Morrow (1), Multnomah (19), Polk (8), Tillamook (2), Umatilla (21), Union (6), Washington (11) and Yamhill (5).
Oregon has now administered 2,529,381 first and second doses of Pfizer, 1,737,991 first and second doses of Moderna and 168,272 single doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines.
As of today, 2,397,594 people have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 2,183,905 have completed a COVID-19 vaccine series. The number of adult Oregonians needing vaccinations to reach the 70% threshold is 16,094.
A bill that allows Oregon college athletes to be compensated for the use of their name, image, and likeness was signed into law by Governor Kate Brown on Tuesday.
California paved the way in 2019, adopting a law scheduled to take effect in 2023 that would allow college athletes to make money from endorsement deals. The state did so against stiff opposition from the NCAA. Since then, several other states have joined the push to compensate college athletes, even jumping ahead of California’s original timeline.
The new law will go into effect on July 1 of this year, giving college athletes the right to sign contracts for endorsement deals and appearance fees. Student athletes will also be allowed to retain professional representation, which is supposed to increase fairness during contract negotiations.
OSP Joins Tri-State Effort Keeping Motorists On I-5 Safe over the 4th of July Holiday Weekend
State patrol agencies in Oregon, California, and Washington are partnering for a traffic safety campaign focused on speeding drivers aptly named, “I-5 Alive” starting July 2. This coordinated education and enforcement effort is aimed at making the 1,381 miles of I-5 safer for all summer travelers.
In addition to a social media campaign, Troopers of the Oregon State Police (OSP), Washington State Patrol (WSP), and the California Highway Patrol (CHP) will be especially watchful for traffic violations that often lead to tragedy on our highways. Speed & distracted driving top the list, along with driving while impaired by drugs or alcohol and failing to use safety belts and child safety seats.
“Speeding continues to be one of the highest contributing factors to serious injury crashes and fatalities,” stated OSP Superintendent Terri Davie. “Speeding tickets are easily the most common ticket issued; however, it isn’t the goal of law enforcement. The goal of speed enforcement is to potentially save your life and the lives of the others.”
“Driving responsibly and at a reasonable speed is the best way to help ensure you and your passengers will arrive at your destination safely,” CHP Commissioner Amanda Ray said. “We know people are eager to get out and travel, but reckless driving will not get you there sooner – it will just create dangerous conditions for you and everyone else on the road.”
“Summer holidays should be a time of fun and family, not sorrow and tragedy,” Chief John R. Batiste of the WSP said. “We ask everyone driving the I-5 corridor to slow down, pay attention, drive sober, and buckle up. When it comes to safe highways, we are truly all in this together.”
Five simple strategies for drivers to help make I-5 safer for everyone:
• Slow down
• Drive sober
• Be patient
• Put your phone down
• Buckle up
Each state agency will use its best strategies to provide additional enforcement presence during this busy 4th of July weekend, including the use of existing grant funding and shifting resources already on the road over to the I-5 corridor.
The Oregon State Police wants all drivers to get to their final destination safely. We think that working together, we can. Oregon State Police
Oregon SNAP recipients who lost food due to power outages may be eligible for replacement benefits
Need to know:
- If you had to throw away food purchased with SNAP due to power outages you can apply for replacement benefits to purchase new food.
- You must request replacement benefits within 10 calendar days of the food loss.
- Replacement benefits may also be available if you lost food due to home damage or other natural disasters.
(Salem) – Oregonians who lost food purchased with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits due to power outages are encouraged to apply for replacement benefits with the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS).
SNAP households who lost or disposed of food that was unsafe to eat due to power outages can request SNAP replacement benefits. Replacement benefits also may be available to SNAP households who lost food due to home damage.
Replacement benefits must be requested within 10 calendar days of the food loss by:
- Calling (800) 699-9075
- Email: kshare@dhsoha.state.or.us“>SSP.StatewideWorkshare@dhsoha.state.or.us
Once approved, replacement benefits are added to the households existing Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card.
Resources to help meet basic needs
- Find a food pantry: foodfinder.oregonfoodbank.org
- Learn about government programs and community resources for older adults and people with disabilities: Aging and Disability Resource Connection of Oregon at 1-855-673-2372 or www.adrcoforegon.org.
- Dial 2-1-1, or text your zip code to 898-211, www.211info.org
Administered by ODHS, SNAP is a federal program that provides food assistance to approximately 1 million eligible, low-income families and individuals in Oregon, including many older adults and people with disabilities. Oregonians in need can apply for benefits, including SNAP, child care, cash assistance and Medicaid. Learn more at benefits.oregon.gov. For local resources in your area, such as food or shelter, please call 2-1-1 or reach out to the state’s Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) at 1-855-ORE-ADRC or 1-855-673-2372. — Oregon Department of Human Services