Klamath Basin News, Tuesday, June 14 – Murder Investigation Continues in Bly Mtn area of Bonanza Man

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Tuesday, June 14, 2022

Klamath Basin Weather

Today Sunny, with a high near 68. Light west wind becoming northwest 6 to 11 mph in the afternoon. Overnight, clear with a low around 39.

Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 79. Light and variable wind becoming west southwest 8 to 13 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph.
Thursday Mostly sunny, with a high near 72. Calm wind becoming southwest 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon.
Friday A 20% chance of showers after 11am. Snow level 7200 feet. Mostly sunny, with a high near 66.
Saturday A chance of showers and thunderstorms after 11am. Snow level 6200 feet rising to 7300 feet in the afternoon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 61.
Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 64.

Today’s Headlines

The Klamath County Sheriff’s office continues the investigation into the shooting death of a Bonanza man over the weekend.

On Sunday at approximately 8:45AM, Klamath County Sheriff’s Office deputies along with personnel from Klamath County Fire District 5 and Bonanza Ambulance Service, were dispatched to the 5900 block of Flamingo Dr. in the Bly Mountain area east of Bonanza, on a report from an individual that he’d shot someone in self defense.

Fire personnel were first to reach the scene and began life saving efforts on 34 year old Kyle Alan Majestic Sr., of the Bly Mountain area who succumbed to his injuries. Deputies questioned the responsible individual, who alleged that Majestic came at him swinging a dangerous weapon.

The investigation is in the early stages and anyone with any information they feel can help with the case is urged to contact the Klamath County Sheriff’s office.

Oregon gas prices are in the top 10 in the nation, rising each week. The nationwide average price for a gallon of gasoline is topping $5 today for the first time ever.

Automobile Association of America (AAA) says the average price on Saturday grew to over $5.00 a gallon.

AAA says Oregon’s average gas price per gallon today is $5.54, with average county-by-county prices as follow.

$5.45 in Klamath County
$5.56 in Jackson County
$5.72 in Curry County, Oregon’s most expensive gas price
$5.68 in Josephine County
$5.62 in Lake County.

AAA data show diesel fuel’s national average cost at $5.77 today, up from $3.21 per gallon a year ago and $5.53 a month ago. AAA shows California’s average cost for a gallon of diesel fuel is $6.99 while Oregon’s average diesel price per gallon is $6.16. Drivers in some parts of the country, especially California, are paying more.  AAA shows California’s average regular gasoline price per gallon at $6.43, with Siskiyou County’s average at $6.61.

The national average price has risen 19 cents in the past week, and it’s up $1.93 from this time last year.

Weyerhaeuser Company has announced the passing of George H. Weyerhaeuser Sr., long-time former leader and great-grandson of founder Frederick Weyerhaeuser. He was 95.

Mr. Weyerhaeuser served as president and CEO from 1966 to 1991 and continued to serve as Board chairman through 1999. He oversaw significant growth of the company, including a number of major timberland acquisitions, and had an enduring impact on the evolution of forest management at Weyerhaeuser and across the industry.

“George was an extraordinary person and leader — one of the most influential in the history of the industry,” said Devin Stockfish, president and chief executive officer. “Over his many years as president and CEO, he brought transformational changes to our company, including important advances in sustainable, high-yield forestry and wood products research, as well as expansion into overseas markets, among many other achievements. He left a tremendous legacy and will be greatly missed by everyone in the greater Weyerhaeuser family and community.”

Weyerhaeuser is still one of the world’s largest private owners of timberlands, began operations in 1900. They own or control approximately 11 million acres of timberlands in the U.S. and manage additional timberlands under long-term licenses in Canada. They manage these timberlands on a sustainable basis in compliance with internationally recognized forestry standards.

Weyerhaeuser  continues to be one of the largest manufacturers of wood products in America. The company is a real estate investment trust. In 2021, they generated $10.2 billion in net sales and employed approximately 9,200 people who serve customers worldwide. Learn more at www.weyerhaeuser.com.

In Klamath Falls, the Weyerhaeuser mill cut its first log on Dec. 16, 1929, and its last log on May 29, 1992. Weyerhaeuser Klamath Falls employed approximately 1,200 men and produced 200 million feet of wood products each year. 

Weyerhaeuser experienced a boom at the start of World War II, and as a result, company officials saw a dramatic change in their product line and workforce.  Lumber production was earmarked for the war effort and the box factory changed priorities from fruit and vegetable boxes to airplane crates and cartons for ammunition.  The workforce, moreover, saw an influx of women who replaced men recruited by U.S. military.

Weyerhaeuser Co. closed its operation in Klamath Falls in 1996 including the timberlands and wood products mills in the Klamath Basin. At that time the timber giant sold its 600,000-acre southern Oregon tree farm and three wood products mills for $309 million to U.S. Timberlands, a new company. In the course of closing, the Klamath Falls hardboard, particle board and plywood plants were transferred to Collins Products, an affiliate of Collins Pine Co. of Portland, which also has a mill in Lakeview.

Chiloquin Visions In Progress (CVIP) was awarded a $200,000 grant by Oregon Heritage, a division of Oregon Parks and Recreation Department to restore the historic HIRVI Building in downtown Chiloquin. 

The restoration project is a collaboration between Chiloquin Visions In Progress, Chiloquin Community Builders, the city of Chiloquin and the new building owner, Hannah Levine.

Once the lifeblood of the town, but lying vacant for the past 20 years, the iconic HIRVI Building is the largest and most visible remaining pre-WWII historic era commercial structure in the core of Chiloquin’s downtown. Restoration of the HIRVI Building has long been considered the key to inspiring much needed future investment and economic development in downtown Chiloquin.

Exterior historic renovation projects to be completed with grant funds include stucco, windows/glazing, entry doors, entryways, roof repair, a new coat of paint, historic signage, and awnings. Interior projects will be largely funded by the building owner as part of the overall project and will include build out of electrical systems, insulation, plumbing, flooring, secondary fire escape doors, and finish work.

When complete, the restoration project will bring this prominent downtown building back to life, offering six professional office spaces and up to four unique retail spaces all enjoying the natural light provided by the many windows gracing the building’s walls. The HIRVI Building restoration will be the first on the core block of Chiloquin’s historic downtown and a certain inspiration and catalyst for future historic renovations.

Around the state of Oregon

Man Arrested in Grants Pass in Carjackings Connected to Case of Missing Idaho Woman

At approximately 7:29 p.m on Sunday 6/12 Officers from the Grants Pass Police Department responded after a citizen called and said her vehicle was stolen at gunpoint.  According to police, officers had already been in the area looking for a vehicle with possible stolen plates. 

When police arrived to the carjacking scene, they located the vehicle with the stolen plates, which had been abandoned and the driver, who had forcefully taken another vehicle. The suspect, later identified as 42-year-old Jeremy Anderson, fled the area in the stolen Ford Escape.

While officers were still gathering information on the suspect and the stolen vehicle, it was located traveling in the area of Allen Creek Road and Redwood Avenue.  The suspect vehicle fled from police at a high rate of speed.  

Due to the reckless disregard for the safety of the public by the suspect, officers terminated the pursuit and began setting up a perimeter to locate the vehicle.  Additional reports were received about the vehicle driving at a high rate of speed, possibly heading toward Williams Highway.

While officers were attempting to locate the suspect off of Williams Highway, a caller reported that another vehicle was stolen in the area of Skycrest Lane and the suspect had discharged a round from a firearm while stealing the vehicle.  Officers located the stolen Ford Escape abandoned and another vehicle, a PT Cruiser, had been stolen.  Prior to officers arriving on that scene, there was yet another report of a vehicle being stolen in another nearby area. It was later determined the shots were fired while the second vehicle was being stolen by the suspect.   

With the report of shots being fired and multiple vehicles being car jacked, deputies with the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office and Troopers from the Oregon State Police responded to assist with the investigation.  As officers arrived on scene, they learned the suspect had crashed the stolen PT Cruiser then forcibly stole a GMC Canyon pickup.

A short time later, there was a report of a vehicle that crashed near the Valley of the Rogue State Park on Interstate 5.  The vehicle matched the description of the stolen GMC Canyon. 

Deputies and Troopers from Jackson County, Oregon responded and learned the suspect who had crashed the GMC had taken yet another vehicle, a yellow Dodge Ram, by force.  The truck was located by officers responding and a pursuit followed.  The suspect attempted to elude the officers and eventually stopped at a residence and was taken into custody by the Oregon State Police and Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.

Anderson was turned over to detectives with the Grants Pass Police Department and was later booked in the Josephine County Jail.

As of this writing, police have not confirmed if at any point during the series of carjackings, or before, if Anderson was accompanied by 36-year-old Candi R. Chandler, of Orofino, who was reported missing by her father Keith on June 2. 

Last Wednesday, an Orofino Police Department release said if Chandler was in the company of Anderson, that it was unclear if she is doing so by choice or if she is under duress.  Chandler was considered an “At-Risk Missing Person,” said police.

Police say the investigation into the carjackings is ongoing.  One person was transported for minor injuries as a result of one of the vehicle thefts.  All vehicles have been recovered and the original vehicle with the stolen plates has been impounded for further investigation. 

Anderson is now facing charges related to the multiple carjackings.  Police says he will face crimes in both Jackson and Josephine Counties.

Charges include the following:

  • Idaho parole violation.  Additional warrant for aggravated assault. 
  • Robbery in the first degree 
  • Burglary in the first degree
  • Felon in possession of a firearm
  • Unauthorized use of a motor vehicle (x3)
  • Unauthorized use of a weapon-Firearm

Pacific Power Begins Fire Mitigation Efforts

Pacific Power is investing nearly half a billion dollars over the coming years in wildfire mitigation strategies. Targeting communities at the highest wildfire risk.

Grid hardening is their biggest component towards their wildfire mitigation. This means Pacific Power crews will be replacing and rebuilding their equipment to make their systems more resilient to extreme weather conditions.

Pacific Power has started in high-risk areas such as the Medford, Grants Pass, and Ashland areas but plans to expand once these areas are complete.

Pacific Power Vice President of Operations Allen Berreth says grid hardening is their biggest component towards their wildfire mitigation. Creating installations that wrap around bare wires to protect them from falling branches. As well as replacing wooden powerline poles with a more fire-resilient material such as steel or fiberglass.

Another step Pacific Power is taking toward wildfire mitigation is applying meteorology and data analytics to develop weather forecasting models to show weather impacts on their systems. These efforts started in 2018 and will continue through 2028.

State workers in Oregon will start receiving their 3.1% cost-of-living raises four months early and the state will pay 5% hiring and promotion bonuses, under agreements authorized by Gov. Kate Brown this week.

Under contracts negotiated by the governor last year, state workers were set to receive a 3.1% cost-of-living raise on Dec. 1 but they will now be paid the higher rates starting Aug. 1, under amendments the Brown administration signed this week. State workers also receive separate annual raises known as “step increases,” unless they have reached the top of their pay ranges.

Liz Merah, a spokesperson for the governor, said Brown agreed to the early raises in recognition of that inflation is causing steep price increases for workers and to address difficulties the some state agencies have faced filling vacant jobs.

Merah said that some state agencies “have faced vacancy rates upwards of 20% as hiring has been constrained across all sectors.”

Inflation has eaten into workers’ wage gains, although it varies by industry and some workers have still come out ahead so far including the education and healthcare sector.

Oregon Is First State To Ban Synthetic Cannabis

Oregon will soon become the first-ever state to ban synthetic weed sales, which includes products containing lab-grown cannabinoids like delta-8.

  • Starting on July 1, Oregon will ban the sale of synthetic cannabinoids or cannabis compounds like CBN.
  • It’s the first US state to ban lab-grown weed, but many are already federally illegal.
  • Oregon officials said the lack of regulation over synthetic weed influenced their decision.

Starting on July 1, weed shoppers won’t find certain weed gummies and other products at their go-to stores, even if they’re THC-free. That’s because Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission officials say they’re concerned about the unregulated nature of these products, many of which exist in a federal legal loophole .

“We have testing for pesticides. We have testing for residual solvents from the extraction process. We don’t have any testing for any of the whole universe of chemical reagents that you could use to synthetically turn one cannabinoid into something else, or for any of the byproducts of that reaction,” Steven Crowley, the hemp and processing compliance specialist with the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC), told The Oregonian.

The federal government has banned or temporarily banned certain synthetic cannabinoids like K2 or “spice,” but there are hundreds that remain unregulated at the state level.

Scientists are lab-engineering naturally-occurring cannabinoids – All cannabinoids, the chemical compounds in weed, start as CBG (short for cannabigerol), or the “mother” cannabinoid , as researchers often call it.

When exposed to environmental factors like light or heat, CBG reacts and turns into other cannabinoids, like THC, CBD, THCV, and CBN. THC, the cannabinoid best known for getting a person “high,” but isn’t legal everywhere, is also the most commonly occurring one in the cannabis plant.

Hundreds of these cannabinoids exist but are often found in small quantities in nature. Now, scientists are engineering them to create greater potency in labs .

According to Crowley, the influx of lab-made cannabinoids is related to a surplus of CBD.

“And so, the people who had CBD on hand were looking for other ways that they could market it. People started working on different products that they could convert the CBD into. This is where you get the delta-8 THC products,” Crowley said.

If synthetic weed sellers want to keep their products on store shelves in Oregon, they’ll have to apply to the FDA’s regulation process . Wyld, which sells gummies with synthetic CBN, filed a petition to stop the ban.

By July 2023, approved synthetic weed products will only be sold at OLCC-sanctioned stores, according to the ban.

Bay Area Hospital’s Behavioral Health unit will remain open in the Coos Bay area.

Over the weekend, the Oregon Nurses Association announced in a statement that the advocacy of nurses, community members and elected officials led to the decision.

Senator Jeff Merkley, State Representative Rob Nosse, and the Coos County Commissioners were also thanked for their efforts in preserving the unit.

Currently, Klamath County patients that are held for psychological or psychiatric evaluation are transported to the Bay Area facility for treatment and services. Sky Lakes Medical Center does not have a dedicated mental health ward dedicated to inpatient care.

The self-published romance novelist who was found guilty of shooting and killing her husband at the Oregon Culinary Institute back in 2018 has been sentenced to life in prison for his murder.

In late May, Nancy Crampton-Brophy – who once wrote an essay titled “How to Murder Your Husband” – was convicted of second-degree murder in the death of her husband, Dan Brophy.

Dan Brophy was found dead inside the Oregon Culinary Institute on June 2, 2018. He was a chef and teacher at the institute.

The jury spent two days deliberating following a nearly six-week trial.

An Oregon man is among the 31 white nationalists arrested for allegedly planning to riot at an LGBTQ+ Pride event in northern Idaho over the weekend.

The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office says 32-year-old Lawrence Alexander Norman of Prospect was arrested near the Pride in the Park event in Coeur d’Alene on Saturday. All 31 suspects are members of the white supremacist neo-Nazi group Patriot Front. Police say the suspects were wearing riot gear including armor and masks and were carrying shields when officers stopped the U-Haul truck they were traveling in.

Police responded after a concerned citizen called 911 to report the men piling into the U-Haul looking “like a little army” in the parking lot of a local hotel. Arraignment was scheduled yesterday.

After a two year hiatus, the Oregon Country Fair returns in less than a month.

Three days of live entertainment kicks off July 8th with a variety of musicians, vaudevillians, circus acts, spoken word and other acts on 18 stages. For a full list of performers, visit the Oregon Country Fair website.

Advance tickets for the Oregon Country Fair are $40 for Friday and Saturday and $35 for Sunday. All admission tickets are sold through TicketsWest online; no admission tickets are sold at the fair site. Get tickets here.

Children under 12 get in free with a ticketed adult.

Oregon State Police Troopers responded for a welfare check at Camp Sherman Saturday . Multiple reports were received of an intoxicated male causing a disturbance at Camp Sherman in Jefferson County. The male, identified as Sean Brabham) of Willamina, had been evicted from the Sisters Rodeo earlier in the evening. 

Brabham left the Camp Sherman campground and walked to the Cold Springs Resort and RV Park and entered a cabin. Brabham confronted a couple, physically fought with the male and assaulted both subjects before leaving. Brabham entered a second cabin and confronted the owner who was armed with a loaded shotgun and took the shotgun from the homeowner. While leaving the cabin, Brabham was confronted by the resort manager and Brabham menaced him with the stolen shotgun. Brabham then attempted to break into a third cabin, causing approximately $2,000 damage. The manager secured the shotgun when Brabham set it on the ground. Troopers arrived and took Brabham into custody without incident.

Brabham was lodged at the Jefferson County Jail for Burglary I x 2, Assault IV x 2, Robbery II, Criminal Mischief I, Menacing x 2 and Harassment x4, Criminal Trespass II, Disorderly Conduct II and Attempted Burglary II. 

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