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, August 2, 2021
Klamath Basin Weather
Today Isolated showers and thunderstorms after 11am. Widespread haze before 11am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 93. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Overnight a low around 59.
Tuesday Widespread haze. Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 96. Calm wind becoming south southwest around 6 mph in the afternoon.
Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 94.
Thursday Sunny, with a high near 85.
Friday Sunny, with a high near 85.
Saturday Sunny, with a high near 87.
Today’s Headlines
The Umpqua Bank in Merrill was robbed Friday afternoon and as of Saturday morning, the suspect remained at large.
The bank, located at 206 East Front St., was robbed of an undisclosed amount of money about 3:15 p.m. The individual was described as a white male about 5’4″ and roughly 150 pounds.
If anyone has information concerning the identity of this individual or his whereabouts please contact the Merrill Police Department at 541-798-5821. You may remain anonymous.
Bootleg Fire Update, August 2, 2021
Location: 28 miles northeast of Klamath Falls, OR
Fireline total: 323 miles
Size: 413,762 acres, 647 square miles
51 miles active fire edge, 272 miles of contained line
Personnel Fighting the fire: 1,780
Containment: 84%
Yesterday the Bootleg fire crews reported smokes from smoldering and torching fuels inside the burn area as they widen the fire line and soak remaining heat and flames.
Dozers continue to straighten the ragged edge of the fire line on the east side for improved containment. If a spot fire were to start, or if the existing fire jumped the line, contingency lines are in place to stop its progression. Due to the crews’ tremendous efforts over the past few days, the percent containment has increased and the miles of active fire edge have decreased significantly.
Because of the Bootleg Fire’s size and local conditions, it still holds a lot of heat. Even though progress has been made and fire advisors are confident in the containment measures, severe conditions remain for fire hazard. “Megafires” like this do not usually burn out until late fall or early winter when moisture increases and temperature decreases.
As of Sunday, the entire perimeter has been closed and crews are working to expand the width of the line, extinguish residual heat and flames, cut snags so they don’t roll downslope taking embers with them, and use bulldozers to straighten the ragged edge on the east side of the fire. Because there has not been more spot fires or breaches of the line, the Incident Management Team has been able to allocate resources to focus on the active areas of the fire and strengthen fire line. Those efforts may be just in time.
On Monday, some isolated thunderstorms are possible, but they are more likely to bring gusty winds than rain. By Tuesday or Wednesday, warmer temperatures, low humidity, and gusty winds are likely to create conditions for rapid fire spread. This will be a test of the work that has been done so far to contain the fire.
The Fremont-Winema National Forest is now open south of Oregon State Route 140. Closures remain in effect north of the highway to provide for public safety and the safety of firefighters.
The Cleetwood Trail in Crater Lake National Park will temporarily close on Tuesday, August 3rd and Wednesday, August 4th so park staff can install a hardening material on a portion of the trail surface.
The work is being done mid-week to reduce impacts on visitors and the trail will reopen as soon as the work is completed. The park attempts to complete maintenance projects that may require closures in the shoulder seasons to limit disruption to our visitors. However, due to the very short construction season at Crater Lake, it is often necessary to work in the middle of summer.
In this case, this critical project is needed to install a section of test material to determine if it can withstand heavy summer use and severe winter conditions. If the material is effective, it will be incorporated into the larger Cleetwood rehabilitation project that is scheduled to begin in 2023. The larger project will provide much needed repairs and upgrades to the trail and lakeshore facilities and will provide for a safer and more enjoyable visit for everyone.
The Cleetwood Trail is the only safe and legal access to the lake, but there are lots of other scenic trails in the park to enjoy. If you are visiting on August 3rd or 4th, consider hiking up Garfield Peak or Watchman Peak for great views of the lake and surrounding areas. Or hike to Plaikni Falls to experience a beautiful waterfall.
For more information on park trails, please call 541-594-3100 or visit the rangers at our outdoor contact station located on the back porch of the Rim Visitor Center in Rim Village from 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM daily.
Oregon Health Authority issued a recreational use health advisory Friday for Klamath County’s Eagle Ridge Park on Upper Klamath Lake due to the presence of a cyanobacteria bloom and cyanotoxins above recreational use values for human exposure.
People should avoid swimming and high-speed water activities, such as water skiing or power boating, in areas of the lake where blooms are as the major route of exposure in ingestion of water. Toxins are not absorbed through the skin. However, if you have skin sensitivities you may get a puffy red rash. Boating is safe as long as speeds do not create excessive water spray. Sprays could lead to the risk of inhaling cyanotoxins.
Drinking water directly from areas of the lake affected by a bloom is especially dangerous. Toxins cannot be removed by boiling, filtering or treating water with camping-style filters.
Klamath Outdoor Science School is offering a free new residential camp on August 10-13 for 8-13 year-olds.
Students will have the opportunity to spend four days and three nights at KOSS’s camp in Sun Pass State Forest, adjacent to Kimball State Park and the source of the Wood River. Students will build connections to nature while studying fish and other aquatic organisms with Alex Gonyaw, fisheries biologist for the Klamath Tribes.
Alex and his team will also help students use radio telemetry to locate tagged animals and attract owls into camp using recorded calls. Students will also build connections to other peoples while participating in a Klamath round dance and owl dance with Taylor Tupper, interacting with storyteller William Hess, and learning to make tule baskets with Kelli Campagna, all members of the Klamath Tribes.
The American Red Cross has an emergency need for lifesaving blood amid the ongoing severe blood shortage.
Blood and platelet donations continue to be critical to meet hospital demand and the public is urged to make an appointment to give now.
Donors of all blood types are needed, especially type O, which stands at just a one-day supply right now.
To thank donors who help ensure a strong blood supply in August, all who come to give Aug. 1-15, 2021, will automatically be entered for a chance to win an exclusive, VIP trip for two to the sold-out 2021 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival.
Those who come to donate throughout August will also receive a free 4-month subscription offer to Apple Music by email (new subscribers only). More details are avai The Red Cross has updated its pandemic safety protocols in alignment with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Fully vaccinated individuals, including staff and donors, no longer need to wear masks or socially distance. Unvaccinated individuals continue to be required to wear masks and socially distance.
In most cases, those who have received a COVID-19 vaccine can donate. However, knowing the name of the manufacturer of the vaccine they received is important in determining donation eligibility.
Around the state of Oregon
Officials in Central Oregon are reporting at least 19 fire starts from lightning as of Friday morning, but there could be more overnight.
So far, many of those fires have been contained and are fairly small. A spokesperson with the Central Oregon Agency Dispatch Center says there’s been progress keeping up with these fires while they’re small, but there are still many unknowns as the region heads into the night And fire officials say they can’t stress it enough — they don’t want to see any human-caused fires this year.
On Sunday, August 1, 2021 at approximately 1:10 A.M., Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a vehicle collision on Interstate 5 near milepost 125.
Preliminary investigation revealed that an adult male was crossing the northbound lanes of I-5, from the west to east, and was struck by a Buick Enclave, operated by Eric Ortiz (47) of Vacaville, CA. and a Honda Odyssey, operated by Katrina Davis (31) of Roseburg.
The pedestrian sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased.
The name will be released when appropriate. OSP was assisted by Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Roseburg Police Department, Roseburg Fire Department & EMS and ODOT.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 special enrollment period, more than 16,500 Oregonians have enrolled in health coverage through the Marketplace.
The COVID-19 special enrollment period ends Aug. 15, 2021, and is open to all people who qualify to shop. The Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace encourages all people who are uninsured to explore their health coverage options and to see how much in additional savings they can now get.
Anyone not currently enrolled in health coverage can apply and enroll before Aug. 15 to get health coverage with these extra savings for the rest of 2021.
Current Marketplace enrollees can log in to their HealthCare.gov account and report that they received unemployment during 2021 to take advantage of these additional savings. These savings are in addition to any additional savings that have been available since April 1, 2021, under the American Rescue Plan. The Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace, a part of state government, helps people get health insurance when they do not have job-based coverage, and do not qualify for the Oregon Health Plan or another program.
The Marketplace is the state-level partner to HealthCare.gov.
State health officials are saying at least 88-percent of all active cases of COVID-19 in Oregon are the Delta variant.
Just a few weeks ago, the Delta variant accounted for just 33-percent of cases. Now, Dr. Paul Cieslak with the Oregon Health Authority says that unvaccinated Oregonians are at a much greater risk of contracting the descendant of the novel coronavirus strand than when it first surfaced in the state 16 months ago. The Delta variant, experts say, spreads twice as fast as the original and appears to make infected patients sicker than the novel COVID-19.
A California law taking effect Jan. 1 could make pork harder to find and more expensive. Voters in 2018 overwhelmingly approved the law, which requires more space for breeding pigs, egg-laying chickens and veal calves.
National veal and egg producers are optimistic they can meet the new standards, but only 4% of hog operations now comply with the new rules. Unless the courts intervene or the state temporarily allows non-compliant meat to be sold in the state, California will lose much of its pork supply.
Groups have long been pushing for more humane treatment of farm animals but the California rules could be a rare case of consumers clearly paying a price for their belief.