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.
Friday, March 4, 2022
Klamath Basin Weather
Today A 20% chance of snow showers after 1pm. Increasing clouds, with a high near 43. Northwest wind 8 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Overnight, a 40% chance of snow showers, with a low around 27 degrees.
Saturday Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 46. North wind 15 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph. Overnight, clear with a low around 22.
Sunday Sunny, with a high near 51.
Monday Sunny, with a high near 56.
Tuesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 62.
Today’s Headlines
Oregon reports 696 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 34 new deaths
There are 34 new COVID-19-related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll at 6,686, Oregon Health Authority (OHA) reported today. OHA reported 696 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 696,003.
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (1), Benton (21), Clackamas (53), Clatsop (4), Columbia (6), Coos (11), Crook (3), Curry (7), Deschutes (46), Douglas (24), Gilliam (2), Grant (5), Harney (1), Hood River (5), Jackson (36), Jefferson (6), Josephine (17), Klamath (11), Lane (60), Lincoln (5), Linn (46), Malheur (4), Marion (48), Morrow (1), Multnomah (140), Polk (8), Umatilla (6), Union (2), Wallowa (3), Wasco (9), Washington (89) and Yamhill (16).
Statewide, the Oregon Department of Education is releasing new guidance for school districts to deal with the pandemic after the mask requirement is lifted on March 11th.
Sky Lakes Medical Center reports they are at Active Status today, with 16 in-patients diagnosed with Covid-19. Because of declining patient volumes, the Sky Lakes Vaccine Clinic, adjacent to the Sky Lakes Collaborative Health Center on the medical center campus, will be open only two days a week beginning next week.
COVID-19 vaccinations – initial doses for ages 5 and older as well as third shots for qualifying adults – will be available Monday and Friday 9 a.m. to noon and 1-5 p.m.
Additionally, COVID-19 vaccination shots will no longer be available at Sky Lakes Outpatient Pharmacy or Sky Lakes Downtown Pharmacy.
While indoor mask mandates are going away later this month, the OHA has released masking recommendations. Sky Lakes has] updated their COVID-19 FAQ with those recommendations. You can check out the FAQ at skylakes.org.
Statewide, the Oregon Department of Education is releasing new guidance for school districts to deal with the pandemic after the mask requirement is lifted at 11:59PM on March 11th.
Contact tracing will go away. If a student or staff member gets COVID, the groups affected would be notified. Infected students should stay home for five days. They can return 24 hours after their fever breaks but should wear a mask for the next five days.
The Test to Stay program would turn into an enhanced exposure program for people at higher risk.
Gas prices in the U.S. and in Oregon are surging with the war in Ukraine by Russia.
The national average price for a gallon of regular gas stood at $3.84 a gallon Friday, according to AAA. That is the highest price since September 2012 and 11 cents higher than, yesterday, Thursday.
Gas prices have soared 18 cents since Wednesday and 29 cents since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine eight days ago.
Locally in Klamath Falls, prices are sitting around $4.29 a gallon on Friday.
“This is not the end of it. We’re already up another 14 cents on wholesale gas prices this morning,” said Tom Kloza, global head of energy analysis for OPIS. He said the wholesale gas price increases are likely to be passed onto consumers in short order.
“It’s absolutely out of control,” he said.
The average price a year ago was $2.75 a gallon.
California’s statewide average jumped 13 cents overnight to $5.07 a gallon, making it the first state ever to have an average price above $5 a gallon.
There are now nine states — California, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Illinois, New York and Pennsylvania, where the average price is already over $4 a gallon, with New York and Pennsylvania crossing the $4 mark with the latest reading.
The average price of a gallon of diesel in the U.S. is now $4.26 a gallon.
The sanctions placed on Russia’s economy following its invasion of Ukraine have so far exempted Russian oil exports. But traders in the U.S. have been reluctant to purchase Russian oil due to uncertainty about being able to close the transaction with the limits on the Russian banking sector, as well as concerns about finding oil tankers willing to to call on Russian ports to load any oil purchased.
The Klamath County Board of Commissioners voted March 1 to spend $283,725 on a new dump truck for the public works department.
The board previously approved the purchase of new dump truck in January 2021 but “the original order and purchase order were lost”, according to county documents. The mishap required a new request and approval from the board. That lost order was for $232,916 and was slated to be purchased from Freightliner Northwest in Medford.
The county is paying $50,809 more for the new truck under new procurement. The dump truck is being purchased from Premier Truck Group of Portland
The Bureau of Land Management, Lakeview Field Office, has had an uptick in illegal woodcutting.
On Saturday, February 19, BLM law enforcement caught several people who had already felled approximately 32 trees. Several weeks prior, recreation staff found that dozens of green trees had been felled in various locations around the Christmas Valley area. As a reminder, campers may collect a small amount of “dead and down” wood for use at a campsite without a permit.
Cutting green trees without a permit is prohibited in the BLM Lakeview District. Maps identifying BLM firewood cutting areas will be provided at the time of purchase. Some roads to these areas may be inaccessible at this time due to weather conditions.
Woodcutters are advised to contact the BLM and obtain current road access information before planning any woodcutting activities.
Paintings by a group of local adult art students are featured an exhibition running through April in the Klamath County Museum’s Modoc Gallery.
An opening reception for the exhibit will run from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 5, in the museum at 1451 Main St.
The artists are studying in classes offered weekly at the museum by Susan Liskey. The show includes paintings created in various mediums, with a variety of individual techniques and subjects.
Students with pieces in the show include June Bell, Luisa Freeman, Billie Hagerman, Penny Hansen, Grace Johnson, Mary Johnson, Annie McDougal, Pat McLaughlin, Helen O’Harra, Manuela Pasual and Mary Rabe.
Mountain Mike’s Pizza, a leading California-based family-style pizza chain for more than 40 years, known for its crispy, curly pepperonis, Mountain-sized pizzas, and dough made fresh daily, is excited to announce that its first Klamath Falls location is now open for business.
The new restaurant, the brand’s fourth in Oregon, is owned by franchisee Jim Smith, who also owns and operates the other three Oregon Mountain Mike’s Pizza locations.
The expansive 3,040-square-foot Mountain Mike’s Pizza in Klamath Falls features the welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere the brand is known for, and it’s bound to be a go-to destination for sports fans. Featuring five big-screen televisions, the Klamath Falls location is the perfect venue no matter which team guests want to root for, the news release said.
The new Klamath Falls Mountain Mike’s is located at 3430 Washburn Way and can be reached by telephone at (541) 851-9171.
The restaurant is open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. It offers dine-in, carryout and delivery. For additional information about Mountain Mike’s Pizza, visit www.mountainmikespizza.com.
Around the state of Oregon
Gov. Kate Brown’s $200 million workforce initiative won bipartisan approval in the Oregon Legislature this week. Senate Bill 1545 passed the Oregon House in a 48-10 vote Thursday.
The Senate approved it on Tuesday, 23-3. The workforce initiative, which Brown is calling “Future Ready Oregon,” aims to address a severe labor shortage that has been exacerbated by the pandemic.
Oregon had more than 100,000 job openings last fall, exceeding the number of Oregonians looking for work, according to employment department data. It is Brown’s final major legislative initiative. The bill will direct funding to local workforce development boards, community colleges and state agencies to support youth, training and apprenticeship programs that prioritize underserved communities.
The plan is being funded by $76.9 million from the state’s general fund and $123.1 million in federal funds from the American Rescue Plan, the 2021 federal stimulus package.
Oregon Employment Department receives $4.5 million for equitable access to Unemployment Insurance benefits
SALEM – Oregon will receive more than $4.5 million in grant funding from the United States Department of Labor (DOL) to address disparities in access to unemployment insurance (UI). The Oregon Employment Department (OED) will use the grant to provide direct outreach to underserved communities and gather data to identify which communities need more help.
“This grant will help us reach those people who really need our services but haven’t been able to access them,” Acting OED Director David Gerstenfeld said. “It gives us the opportunity to connect with partners who bring a deep understanding of Oregon’s unique communities, to gain invaluable knowledge about how to best serve these communities, and to gather the data that shows us where there are barriers and how to knock them down.”
Gerstenfeld said the grant will enable the agency to build on what it already started during the pandemic. During the surge of unemployment claims, OED listened to the needs voiced by Oregon’s underserved communities and quickly applied strategies that improved access to its much-needed services.
This included partnering with community-based organizations to help people file claims and expanding the amount of information available in languages other than English, including on OED’s website.
With the grant, OED plans to create a new business unit called the Equitable Access to Unemployment Insurance (EAUI). The unit will create new materials in additional languages and formats, implement outreach programs for underserved communities, and provide one-on-one guidance services to help people with barriers to using the UI system.
Designed in alignment with the State of Oregon Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Action Plan, the new program will focus on Native Americans, Latinx, Blacks, Pacific Islanders, Asian Americans, immigrants, people who need assistance in languages other than English, people with disabilities, and those who are economically disadvantaged.
—— The Oregon Employment Department (OED) is an equal opportunity agency. Everyone has a right to use OED programs and services. OED provides free help. Some examples are: Sign language and spoken language interpreters, written materials in other languages, braille, large print, audio and other formats. If you need help, please call 971-673-6400. TTY users call 711. You can also ask for help at OED_Communications@employ.oregon.gov.
Bill Passes To Give A One-Time $600 Payment To Low-Income Households With People Who Worked During The First Year Of The COVID-19 Pandemic
Oregon House Democrats passed a bill that would give a one-time $600 payment to low-income households with people who worked during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. — After the bill passed the House with a 42-16 vote, it also passed the Senate this afternoon on a vote of 23-2.
“Low-wage workers are a critical part of our economy and are also the most vulnerable to the rising costs of everyday necessities,” said Senator Kathleen Taylor (D-Portland), Chair of the Senate Committee on Labor and Business, who carried the bill on the Senate floor.
“Cash payments make a huge difference in the lives of individuals and working families. They can help pay a utility bill, buy necessary medicine or essentials like diapers and groceries. Cash payments also ease stress, allowing families some support to manage the obstacles they face in their daily lives”.
House Bill 4157 is an opportunity to show support to our low-wage workers as they show up to do the jobs upon which our economy depends.”
The payment aims to help address the rising cost of living and help working families’ necessities such as rent, groceries, prescriptions, and childcare.
“Right now many Oregonians, myself included, have been struggling to get by as the cost of living has skyrocketed,” state Rep. Andrea Valderrama (D-Portland), the chief sponsor of the bill, said in a statement. “These payments can make a huge difference for low-income individuals and working families: they can help pay a utility bill, buy necessary medicine, or essentials like diapers and groceries.”
Those who qualified for and claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit on their 2020 personal income tax returns or file an amended 2020 tax return by April 15, will be eligible to receive the payments. According to the Department of Revenue (DOR), an estimated 250,000 Oregonians will qualify.
“We know that the wealth gap has only continued to widen since the pandemic,” state Rep. Rachel Prusak (D-West Linn) said in a statement. “This means rising costs disproportionately impact our lowest wage workers. With this legislation we’re reaching the working families and individuals whose hard work is essential and makes up the backbone of our economy.”
Eligible Oregonians will not be required to go through an application process and can expect checks or a direct deposit as soon as June. Payments will be distributed through the DOR and funding will come from the State Fiscal Recovery Fund program, a part of the American Rescue Plan Act. The bill will now go to Gov. Kate Brown for her signature.
Arrest of Drug Traffickers in Clackamas County Leads to Largest Seizure of Fentanyl Pills in Oregon History
On March 1, 2022, a coordinated law enforcement operation targeting four drug traffickers operating in the Portland Metropolitan Area led to the seizure of approximately 150,000 counterfeit prescriptions pills containing fentanyl and 20 pounds of suspected bulk fentanyl, the largest single fentanyl seizure in Oregon state history with an estimated street value of approximately $4 million.
The operation, led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Clackamas County Inter-agency Task Force (CCITF) with assistance from the FBI, came after federal agents learned that Ufrano Orozco Munoz, 27, was knowingly and intentionally conspiring with others to traffic large quantities of fentanyl manufactured in Mexico and elsewhere to Oregon for distribution and sale in the Portland area.
Three of Orozco’s associates were also arrested during this week’s operation. They include Abraham Vera Enriquez, 29; Jesus Miguel Zamora Cruz, 36; and Jose Javier Valdez Paramo, 32.
Orozco, Vera, Zamora, and Valdez have been charged by criminal complaint with conspiring with one another to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. All three made their first appearances in federal court today and were ordered detained pending further court proceedings.
HSI began investigating Orozco in February 2022 for his role in trafficking large quantities of fentanyl from Mexico to the U.S. for distribution in several western states including Arizona and Oregon.
CCITF, led by the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, works to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations operating in Clackamas County, and reduce illegal drugs and related crimes throughout the community. The task force is comprised of members of the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, Canby Police Department, Oregon State Police, HSI, and FBI.
Former Beaverton Mayor Charged with Possession of Child Pornography
Dennis “Denny” Doyle, the former mayor of Beaverton, Oregon, is facing federal charges for illegally possessing child pornography.
Doyle, 73, a Beaverton resident, has been charged by criminal information with one count of possession of child pornography. According to the information, between November 2014 and December 2015, Doyle is alleged to have knowingly and unlawfully possessed digital material containing child pornography, including images depicting minors under twelve.
Doyle will make his first appearance in federal court today. If convicted, Doyle faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine, and a life term of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement. This case was investigated by FBI Portland’s Child Exploitation Task Force (CETF). It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. Child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, child victims suffer re-victimization each time the image of their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s website at www.missingkids.org.
Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenbaum announced the settlement with Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family regarding their role in the opioid epidemic.
Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum said yesterday that a major settlement with Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family that will deliver up to $6 billion nationally for their role in the opioid epidemic. Oregon will receive up to $97 million in the settlement, all of which will be used for opioid treatment and prevention.
On Friday, the historic $26 billion opioid agreement against the three largest distributors of opioids (McKesson, AmerisourceBergen and Cardinal Health) and drug manufacturer Johnson & Johnson was also approved, with Oregon and its cities and counties to receive approximately $329 million from the settlement. Oregon was part of the lead group of attorneys general negotiating both settlements.
The settlement keeps intact provisions of the Purdue bankruptcy plan that forces the company to be dissolved or sold by 2024 and bans the Sackler family from the opioid business and requires Purdue to publicly disclosure additional records.
Police Ask for Public’s Help in Search For Victim’s Roommate In Albany Homicide
A 42-year-old woman, the roommate of a 75-year-old man whose death was ruled a homicide, is wanted for questioning in the case, Albany police officials said.
Elvin “Al” Pierce was found dead by officers around 9:10 p.m. Friday after a 911 caller reported a man was unconscious and not breathing. Investigators at that time said the circumstances surrounding his death were suspicious.
APD said Pierce’s roommate, 42-year-old Elizabeth Nicole Tyler Jimenez, wasn’t there at the home when officers found Pierce dead and they don’t know where she is. Authorities did not specifically state whether Jimenez is a suspect or if there are any charges against her.
Pierce’s car, a tan 2004 Buick Park Avenue with Oregon license plate 081FAX, is also missing.
Jimenez, who investigators believe is currently without a job, is described as often visiting local soup kitchens. She also has skills as a masseuse and a seamstress, officials said.
Anyone with information is urged to contact APD at 541-917-7680 or APD Lt. Buck Pearce at 541-917-3209.
A Medford lawyer says tonight he has a class action claim against an Oregon state trooper for racial discrimination in traffic stops.
He also has a document from Jackson County’s District Attorney to support his case. Justin Rosas says Trooper Travis Peterson “has been underreporting his traffic stops and his K-9 searches to appear fair and has had drugs in his possession mysteriously disappear.”
Rosas makes his claims in a four-page letter outlining instances he asserts mistreated his law firm’s eight clients who comprise the class action litigants, “including six people of color.”
Jackson County District Attorney Beth Heckert’s office shared information in a September 7, 2021 memo to Rosas that outlines findings to an investigation of five allegations at the time against Trooper Peterson, related to his administrative leave. The memo said two allegations were not substantiated.