Klamath Basin News, Monday, Jan. 3 – Snow Today, Winter Storm Warning Through Tomorrow for the Klamath Basin

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Monday, January 3, 2022

Klamath Basin Weather

Winter Weather Advisory in effect from January 2, 04:00 PM PST until January 4, at 4AM.
Winter Storm Warning in effect from January 2, 04:00 PM PST until January 4, at 4AM.

Today Snow could be heavy at times. Widespread blowing snow with a high near 38. Southwest winds 28 to 34 mph, with gusts as high as 50 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. Total daytime snow accumulation of 3 to 5 inches possible. Overnight expect blowing show low around 30 degrees. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible.

Tuesday Snow before 1pm, then rain and snow. High near 40. Southwest wind 11 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible. Rain mixed with snow overnight, low around 34.
Wednesday Rain likely, mainly before 10am. Snow level 6900 feet. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 43. West southwest wind around 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Thursday A 30% chance of rain. Snow level 6200 feet. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 44.
Friday Rain before 4pm, then a chance of rain and snow. Snow level 5100 feet. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 42.
Saturday Partly sunny, with a high near 39.

See Road Camera Views

Hiway 97 at GreenSprings Dr. (Bi-pass)
Lake of the Woods   
Doak Mtn.   
Hiway 97 at Chemult   
Hiway 140 at  Bly
Hiway 97 at LaPine

Today’s Headlines

Friday the Oregon Health Authority announced there are 15 new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 5,655. They also reported 2,948 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 bringing the state total to 421,263.

The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (4), Benton (61), Clackamas (269), Clatsop (12), Columbia (15), Coos (39), Crook (26), Curry (11), Deschutes (286), Douglas (57), Gilliam (1), Grant (9), Harney (2), Hood River (19), Jackson (185), Jefferson (12), Josephine (48), Klamath (35), Lake (2), Lane (244), Lincoln (37), Linn (75), Malheur (24), Marion (148), Morrow (6), Multnomah (641), Polk (39), Sherman (3), Tillamook (15), Umatilla (121), Union (11), Wallowa (5), Wasco (10), Washington (418) and Yamhill (58).

Amid this alarming increase in cases Klamath County reported 35 new cases, Jackson 185, Josephine 48 and Lake County reported just 2.

The state also reported on COVID hospital beds available in Region 7 which encompasses Klamath County. There are just 6 Adult ICU beds available and 57 non-ICU beds available in the region. To date, there have been 53,604 COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough cases in Oregon. The average age of all cases is 46.

Breakthrough cases (those already vaccinated) have been reported in all 36 counties. Cases of COVID-19 are far more common in unvaccinated people. The report shows that the rate of COVID-19 in unvaccinated people is currently three times higher than in vaccinated people. To date, 4.3% of all vaccine breakthrough cases have been hospitalized and 1.2% have died. The average age of vaccinated people who died was 81.

For those Klamath County residents who heat with firewood a change in rules went into effect this weekend.

With the new year personal use firewood permits on the Fremont-Winema National Forest will be free, available at no charge to the public. A permit will still need to be obtained by contacting the local Ranger District or the Forest Supervisor’s office. Woodcutters will need to have a paper copy of the permit with them while cutting firewood. The current personal use firewood synopsis and firewood map also needs to be with them either hardcopy or electronically while cutting wood. Loads should be logged on the removal record located on the permit before leaving the woodcutting site.

The Forest is no longer issuing tags for personal use firewood. Each household can collect up to 10 cords of personal use firewood a year. A cord equates to a wood stack that is 4 feet wide by 4 feet high by 8 feet long. The Fremont-Winema National Forest is among the national forests shifting to a free personal use firewood program. As a result, the Forest will no longer be charging for personal use firewood permits. Firewood obtained through this program is for personal use only and not for resale. Woodcutting permit holders are expected to follow the 2022 rules and regulations.

The document, along with the woodcutting maps is available online at the Forest’s “Firewood Permits” page. For more information on the free personal use firewood cutting, please contact your local Fremont-Winema National Forest Office during regular business hours between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Deputies from the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office seized thousands of marijuana plants found during the search of a cargo van in the Mt. Shasta Vista area.

According to the agency, a deputy pulled over the driver of a cargo van near Mt. Shasta Vista and while talking to the driver, the Sheriff’s Office said, the deputy could smell the strong odor of marijuana coming from inside.

The driver was identified as Shuo Kuang. The Deputy saw multiple boxes in the rear cargo area of the van and asked what was in them; Kuang said he was hauling plants. The deputy searched the boxes, allegedly finding almost 6,000 marijuana plants. Law enforcement officers seized the plants and issued Kuang a citation on the scene.

Around the state of Oregon

Oregon To Increase Minimum Wages in 2022

Throughout 2021, numerous national retailers increased their minimum pay rates. In 2022, more than half of the states in the U.S. will increase their own minimum wages.

In the new year, 26 states will implement an increase to their minimum wage, according to payroll experts at Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S.

On July 1, the standard minimum wage in Oregon will increase $0.75 an hour to $13.50. However, the rate in the Portland metro area will sit higher at $14.75, and non-urban counties’ minimum wage will rise to $12.50. The increases are part of a planned schedule for the state.

Beginning in 2023, Oregon’s standard minimum wage rate will be adjusted yearly depending on inflation and any increase to the U.S. City average Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers.

Nationally, the federal minimum wage in the U.S. is $7.25, a rate that hasn’t been raised since 2009 . As of fall 2021, 16 states have minimum wage rates at the federal level.

The company’s report shows California will have the highest state rate at $15 an hour. Parts of New York, including New York City, will also have a $15 minimum wage.

Officials Report More Than 30,000 Oregon Households Have Received Rental Assistance

Oregon Housing and Community Services has announced that as of last Wednesday, OHCS and local program administrators have paid $211.6 million in federal emergency rental assistance to 30,471 households.

An OHCS release said that’s up from $200.4 million and 28,869 applicants the previous week, through the Oregon Emergency Rental Assistance Program.

OERAP continues to be one of the nation’s top-performing programs and is ranked 5th in the nation in the percentage of federal Emergency Rental Assistance funds paid out and obligated, as tracked by the National Low-Income Housing Coalition.

To date, OHCS and its processing partners have:

*Paid over $211.6 million to landlords and tenants to help over 30,000 Oregon households.

*Received more than 51,700 completed applications to be reviewed for eligibility.

Law enforcement was busy in the Rogue Valley over the New Year’s Weekend. On December 31st, 2021 at 7:26 a.m., officers and medical personnel responded to a multiple car crash on the Table Rock Road overpass over Interstate 5.

Upon arrival, officers found three vehicles were involved and one vehicle had flipped on its side. The driver of the flipped vehicle was deceased and the remaining involved parties were not injured.

The investigation revealed that 45 year old Timothy Harbison of Prospect was traveling southbound on Table Rock Road in his 2000 Ford Ranger when the vehicle lost control and flipped on its side, on the overpass. The vehicle came to rest in the northbound lane and was struck by a vehicle traveling northbound. The secondary accident triggered a crash with a third vehicle. Icy roads were believed to be a contributing factor. 

The first call involving 28 year old Brian Smith came in December 31st, 2021 at 12:15 p.m., when he was disorderly at the Chevron gas Station where Smith, was attempting to steal cigarettes and physically harassed the employee before leaving in a black Mazda 4 door.

The same vehicle was involved in two reckless driving calls around 12:24 p.m. One caller reported the vehicle had driven into some bushes in the alley near Lincoln Street and 10th Street. The vehicle drove away in a reckless manner and struck a curb near 10th Street and Hamilton Street. The crash caused a wheel to fold underneath the vehicle.

Additional callers reported the vehicle being driven into downtown Medford with a heavily damaged wheel. The vehicle finally became disabled at Earhart Street, near Riverside Avenue.  An additional caller reported the suspect went to a room at the Sis-Q motel.

One officer arrived on scene, and as she made her way to the front desk to speak with the manager, the suspect emerged from the office area covered in blood and fled on foot.

The officer caught the suspect after a foot chase and utilized a taser to take him into custody. When officers went back to the manager’s office, they found the manager deceased. His wife was also injured from being assaulted. The investigation revealed just minutes prior to the officer arriving, the suspect forced his way into the manager’s office, crawled under the plexi-glass partition and stole money from the register.

During the robbery, the suspect assaulted the manager and forced his way into the manager’s living quarters, where he continued to assault the manager and his wife. The manager, Bansi Sahu, died from his injuries. His wife was treated on scene with nonlife threatening injuries. 

Smith was later lodged in jail for Murder, Robbery 1st Degree, Burglary 1st Degree and Burglary 2nd Degree and is being held without bail. 

Missing Shady Cove Woman Found Safe After Freezing Temperatures Overnight

A missing 21-year-old Shady Cove woman is recovering in a local hospital after being lost in the wilderness in sub-freezing temperatures overnight.

The woman went missing from her residence on Indian Creek Road at 3 a.m. over night. She was attempting to find two of her dogs that went missing during the evening. She brought two of her dogs along to help locate the others but quickly became disoriented. With her dogs by her side, she walked all night long and ended up at a residence on Butte Falls Highway nine hours later.

They were recovered cold and wet, but safe. Fortunately she was wearing weather appropriate clothing but still ended up in a local hospital with hypothermia. Her dogs are doing well and the missing dogs returned to her property today.

Jackson County Search and Rescue (SAR) initiated a call-out for ground teams, all-terrain vehicles, K9, drones, helicopter and fixed wing aircraft to search for the missing woman. Around 25 total SAR personnel joined the search.

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office wants to remind everyone to be safe during these cold and wet winter months.

Grants Pass Fatal Motor Vehicle Crash 12/30/21

On December 30th, 2021, at about 7:01 PM, Deputies with the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office along with Troopers from the Oregon State Police, Officers from the Grants Pass Police Department, AMR and Grants Pass Fire Department personnel responded to the intersection of Tenth and Hillcrest in Grants Pass for a report of a single vehicle crash.

Once on scene, first responders located a vehicle crashed into the embankment on the north side of the intersection. The vehicle appeared to be traveling northbound on Tenth prior to the crash. The single male occupant was unresponsive and not breathing. Once responders were able to make entry into the vehicle, they were able to confirm the driver was deceased.

The driver was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash and speed appeared to be a factor.  Next of kin has been notified.  Josephine Co. Sheriff’s Office

UPDATE: Fatal Traffic Accident on Table Rock Road

On December 31st, 2021 at 7:26 a.m., officers and medical personnel responded to a multiple car crash on the Table Rock Road overpass over Interstate 5.

Upon arrival, officers found three vehicles were involved and one vehicle had flipped on its side. The driver of the flipped vehicle was deceased and the remaining involved parties were not injured.

The investigation revealed that 45 year old Timothy Harbison of Prospect was traveling southbound on Table Rock Road in his 2000 Ford Ranger when the vehicle lost control and flipped on its side, on the overpass. The vehicle came to rest in the northbound lane and was struck by a vehicle traveling northbound. The secondary accident triggered a crash with a third vehicle. Icy roads were believed to be a contributing factor. Medford Police Dept

On Saturday at approximately 9AM, Grants Pass Police officers responded to a reported criminal mischief to the AT&T building located at 150 NE Agness Avenue.  

When officers arrived on scene, officers located damage to the building to include a broken window. Based on the initial investigation, it appeared the damage was consistent with bullets being fired into the building. After conducting further follow up, it was discovered the building was damaged after subjects shot at the building from nearby residences.

With the assistance of witnesses and physical evidence collected at the scene, two individuals, Shawn Schill and Tony Smith were later identified as persons of interest in the case. Schill and Smith were contacted, interviewed and later arrested after it was determined they discharged firearms within the city limits.

Both Smith and Schill were lodged in the Josephine County Jail for: Criminal Mischief in the First Degree, Reckless Endangering and Unlawful Use of a Weapon.

Missing Teens Rescued in Lane County after Writing SOS in the Snow

Two 19-year-old men were rescued Saturday in Lane County by the U.S. Coast Guard after signaling for help by writing an SOS sign in the snow.

The two men went camping near Swastika Mountain southeast of Eugene around Christmas Day and failed to return as expected on Dec. 29, officials said. Officials said the men were reported missing on New Year’s Eve.

Due to heavy snow in the area, a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter crew assisted the Lane County Sheriff’s Department in finding the two men, whose names have not been released.

The helicopter crew also spotted two other people in distress while searching for the two men and reported the location of those individuals to Lane County officials, according to the Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard crew was also able to find the two 19-year-olds and they were evacuated via helicopter to the Eugene Airport, officials said. They did not suffer any injuries, according to the Coast Guard.

Coast Guard officials said the men were smart to stay near their car and logging roads and to write, “SOS” in the snow to ensure they could be found easily.

“These young men did a lot of things right to give themselves the best chance of being rescued,” said Lt. Maggie Champin, MH-65 aircraft commander for Sector North Bend. “By writing ‘SOS’ in the snow, staying near their vehicle and staying near logging roads, we were able to find them relatively quickly. We recommend hikers carry personal locator beacons while out in the back country.”

Swastika Mountain, the site where the men were hiking, derives its name from the swastika-shaped brand used by an area rancher before the symbol was appropriated by Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party.

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