Klamath Basin News, Thursday, Aug 17 – Heat Advisory & Air Quality Alerts; Gas Prices Rising In Oregon; Fire Updates

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 and News, and BasinLife.com, and powered by Mick Insurance, your Local Health and Medicare agents. Call 541-882-6476.

Thursday, August 17, 2023

Klamath Basin Weather

AIR QUALITY ALERT TODAY
Red Flag Warning until 11PM
   HEAT ADVISORY until  1100 PM 

Today’s Headlines

See our Extreme Heat Awareness, Resources, Community Preparedness Page, From Klamath County Health Dept and Oregon Health Authority. CLICK HERE:

An Air Quality Advisory has been issued for Klamath, Deschutes and Lane counties due to wildfire smoke. The advisory, issued by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and Lane Regional Air Protection Agency remains in effect through Thursday night.

An advisory also came from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in coordination with the Klamath Tribes, on Tuesday for the Klamath Reservation.

Intermittent smoke from the Lookout and Bedrock fires could also bring poor air quality at times to parts of Jackson, Josephine, eastern Douglas and southeastern Linn counties.

Smoke levels can change rapidly depending on weather. Check current conditions on the Oregon Smoke Information Blog, DEQ’s Air Quality Index, or by downloading the free OregonAIR app on your smartphone. Or viisit the EPA AirNow website. For a list of current burn bans on tribal lands, call the EPA Federal Air Rules for Reservations Hotline at 1-800-424-4372, or visit the FARR website.

Smoke can irritate the eyes and lungs and worsen some medical conditions. People most at risk include infants and young children, people with heart or lung disease, older adults and pregnant people.

Protect yourself and your family when smoke levels are high:

Stay inside if possible. Keep windows and doors closed. If it’s too hot, run air conditioning on recirculate or consider moving to a cooler location.

Avoid strenuous outdoor activity.

Use high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters in indoor ventilation systems or portable air purifiers. Or create your own air purifying filter by following these instructions.

Be aware of smoke in your area and avoid places with the highest levels. (Oregon media sources and the Herald and News)

The Klamath Falls City School Board hoped for more stringent cell phone use and dress code policies from leadership Monday night.

At August’s board meeting, elementary and secondary school administrators came to the board seeking approval for their 2023-2024 code of conduct and student handbooks, and were met with backlash from the board.

Beginning with the code of conduct that is to be followed by all students attending a school in the city district, board members seemed to be confused over the differences between the code of conduct and the student handbooks.

As explained by the district’s Director of Human Resources Renee Clark, the district-wide code of conduct provides the framework, and the handbooks are created by administrators at each school to “better cater” toward the demographics of the students.

While presenting the elementary student handbook, Director of Curriculum Fred Bartels was asked if the elementary schools have a cell phone policy and what the repercussions are if a student is to break it.

Bartels said that the handbook does not state what outcome is to occur if the student fails to meet any policy, and that there are problems with having predetermined consequences.

At the district’s high school level, the board shifted concern more toward Klamath Union’s dress code policy.

Klamath Union High School’s Dean of Students Sandy Yazzie told the board that the dress policy is tough to enforce, and that the school conducted research on what is appropriate to wear. (Herald and News)

A former local Klamath Falls nurse facing charges for sex crimes involving a 14-year-old and charges of furnishing alcohol to minors in a separate case, is now facing additional charges in a third criminal case.

Tiffany Fregoso, 36, was indicted and arrested for the third time July 28 for new allegations of first- and third-degree rape, sodomy and furnishing alcohol and marijuana to a minor.

Fregoso was first arrested in October 2022 on similar charges, including sexual misconduct, contributing to the sexual delinquency of a minor, third-degree rape and third-degree sodomy.

The probable cause statement on behalf of her indictment said Fregoso was allegedly caught engaging in sexual acts with the minor 14-year-old at the local movie theater.

The former nurse posted 10% of a $43,000 bail two days after her arrest but was taken back into custody four months later on charges of furnishing alcohol to multiple minors in her home.

The arresting officer’s report estimated up to 50 youth were at Fregoso’s for a party. On the night of Feb. 17, one of the teens who had been drinking in Fregoso’s home was in a car accident. Another teen was taken to the emergency room at Sky Lakes Medical Center and intubated for alcohol poisoning.

Charges which arose from this event warranted Fregoso’s release agreement void, leading to her arrest again on Feb. 22.

Upon further investigation of Fregoso’s first set of charges involving a minor, the Oregon Department of Justice indicted Fregoso on a new case for the sex crimes, nullifying the first case.

The revamped case included additional charges of encouraging child sexual abuse in the first degree and using a child in a display of sexually explicit conduct, a charge received by those who employs, authorizes, permits, compels or induces a child to participate or engage in sexually explicit conduct for any person to observe or to record in a visual recording, according to state law.

However, because the first case had been closed, Fregoso was eligible for bail for both cases and was released after paying 10% of her $10,000 bail. Further investigation of the party at Fregoso’s home led to a third round of criminal sex charges involving a separate victim, a 15-year-old male.  Fregoso was arrested and taken back into custody July 28, arrest records show.  (herald and news)

One of the Klamath hydroelectric dams is almost demolished and the work is underway to remove the three other Klamath River dams in 2024.

Work on removing Copco 2, the smallest of the four hydroelectric dams being removed as part of the nation’s largest dam removal project, is on a brief pause. Its full removal is scheduled to be completed by late October.

Mark Bransom, CEO for Klamath River Renewal Corporation, which is overseeing dam removals, said the pause in deconstructing Copco 2 is being done to capture water from the Copco 1 dam and raise water levels before removing a diversion channel. He said most of the 35-foot-tall, 278-feet long concrete Copco 2 dam has been removed,

Removing Copco 2 is the first phase of a planned years-long effort to remove the dams and complete restoration efforts. Bransom and Ren Brownell, KRRC’s public information officer, said completing Copco 2 and the removal of the three other dams – Copco 1, Iron Gate and John C. Boyle – all in early 2024, is being done “very, very slowly” to reduce impacts on fish and sediment.

While Copco 2’s removal is drawing the most attention, plans are in place to remove trees and other vegetation from Ward’s Canyon directly below Copco 1 in September. Bransom and Brownell said trees, mostly cottonwoods, and other vegetation that has grown near the dam will be removed by helicopter. Once the area where the trees are growing again become part of free-flowing Klamath, it’s expected the trees would otherwise die and fall into the river, creating safety hazards for boaters and other recreationalists.

Bransom said other work is being done at Iron Gate and Boyle to prepare for drawing down the reservoirs to reduce impacts from sediment and protect fish and wildlife, such as relocating coho salmon and western pond turtles and “getting the critters out of harm’s way.”  (herald and news)

As Oregon temperatures reach triple digits, the Oregon Health Authority is warning people not to jump into rivers and lakes with toxic algae blooms.

Cyanobacteria are blooming in nine Oregon bodies of water, from Hells Canyon Reservoir to Upper Klamath Lake and the South Umpqua River..

Cyanobacteria are found in fresh and salt water all over the world. The bacteria can be beneficial by producing oxygen, but in warm weather, low water flows can lead to blooms that produce large amounts of cyanotoxins. High bacteria has been recently reported in Klamath, Lake, Bear Creek and other waterways in Southern Oregon.

What should Klamath Falls do with the traffic lights on Main Street?

An online poll by the Herald and News is asking just that.  As of yesterday afternoon, 85% of those that responded said they should return them to how they were, with green, yellow, and red stoplights.

The survey shows that 10% of people polled say “take out all lights and put in stop signs at every intersection”.

Only 5.3% say they should leave it the way it currently is.

The current configuration has been there since June.  So far,, traffic along Main Street, Klamath Avenue and Pine Street has decreased appreciably. Citizens have expressed concerns and entered complaints regularly at city council meetings since the traffic test began. 

Main Street Jewelers is in the process of collecting signatures from residents to put a stop to the project. The business has filled nearly all allotted spaces for signatures on the petition provided by city staff.

Go to heraldandnews.com to voice your vote.  (herald and news/local sources)

The October 14 Annular Eclipse will be a sight to behold in Klamath County and the surrounding area.

Klamath County will be one of the best viewing sights for the ring of fire appearing behind the darkened moon. The peak of the eclipse will be 9:15 a.m. and the eclipse will last for four minutes 24 seconds.

Klamath County Commissioner Dave Henslee says we learned a lot from the 2017 total eclipse Even though Klamath was not the best viewing location, we were on the path to the best location. We experienced a shortage of gas and diesel, but we are working to be better prepared in October.

Henslee went on say that two events in the community will draw thousands of people. We will see an economic boost from those going to the Running Y’s celebration and the Eclipse Fest in Fort Klamath, and according to Henslee, projected attendance of both is 10,000.

This will bring extra traffic to the area and greater demands on cell towers, other technology and first responders.

He says the county asks that you please be patient and kind to our guests and be prepared ahead of October 14. In addition to the fuel shortage in 2017, Klamath also ran out of bottled water.

He went on to encourage local residents to:

• Stock up on staples, such as food, medication and toilet paper, ahead of October 14.
• Fill your gas tank early in the week of October 14.
• Be prepared to pay with cash the weekend of the eclipse, as the extra use of cell towers and other technology may slow credit and debit purchases. The worst case scenario is payment systems may fail with extra use.
• Enjoy the experience, but be prepared for extra traffic.

Information updates about eclipse preparedness can be found at the Klamath Eclipse 2023 Facebook page.(klamath county press release)

Klamath County has work crews at the following locations this week and ask you to please use caution when in these areas and watch for flaggers.

If you are able to avoid the work zones, please use an alternate route for your safety and the safety of Klamath County employees and our contractors.

Chip Seal Crew

August 21— Westside Road; August 22 — Westside Road, Sunset Beach, Lakeshore Drive; August 23 — Lakeshore Drive, Sharp Road, Horsely Road; August 24 — Dayton Street, Derby Street, Gary Street, Gettle Street.

4 a.m. – Early Morning Broom Crew

August 22 — Westside Road; August 23 — Westside Road, Sunset Beach, Lakeshore Drive; August 24 — Westside Road, Sunset Beach, Lakeshore Drive, Sharp Road, Horsely Road; August 25 — Sharp Road, Horsely Road, Dayton Street, Derby Sreet, Gary Street, Gettle Street.

Paint Striping/Stencil Crew

• Clover Creek Road, Westside Road, Fort Klamath area, Williamson River Road
• Road and Utility Work — Vicinity of Stearns Elementary School
• Expect daily lane closures. — Crest Street: Clinton to Denver

See the following link for a map of roads to be chip sealed for the 2023 season, or log onto the Klamath County Public Works website at http://www.klamathcounty.org/734/Maps.

In general, flagging stations will be set up at the end of the work zone and delays will be 0 to 20 minutes for the motoring public. Our goal is to minimize the delay to the motoring public. Other minor work is occurring through the county but we are only listing the major items in this announcement. Please do not contact the County if you do not see work occurring, it could be finished already or will be rescheduled.

Klamath County Public Works and the Board of County Commissioners appreciate the motoring publics’ patience during the repair season for our local roads and bridges. If you have any questions regarding work, please contact the Public Works Department at (541) 883-4696.

(public works/Herald and news)

The Ella Redkey Pool will be hosting Summer Splash 2023 tomorrow, on Friday night.

This event is sponsored by the Friends of Ella Redkey Pool and includes free admission to the first 100 people ($5 per person, $20 per family up to 6 people after), family friendly music, and a raffle with 18 different baskets to choose from.

The Summer Splash will begin at 7:00 p.m. and the fun will continue until 10:00 p.m. with the raffle beginning at 8:00 p.m. All proceeds raised by this event will be applied to future projects and equipment at the pool. Tickets are available for purchase at the Ella Redkey Pool during normal hours of operation. Must be 18 years old or older to purchase a ticket, and winners do not have to be present at the drawing. Tickets are $5 each or $20 for 5 tickets. Tickets can be purchased up to the drawing time. For inquiries call (541) 273-1477. (city of KF press release)

Around the state of Oregon

The first day of fall practice was met with tragedy at Newport High School. Boys soccer player Yael Felix-Trejo died on Monday night after falling ill during practice.

According to Lincoln County School District, sophomore Felix-Trejo felt ill while at soccer practice. Felix-Trejo’s parents and 911 were notified and Felix-Trejo was taken to the Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital, where he died.

Monday was the first day of fall practices for Oregon high schools for the 2023-24 school year. It was also Oregon’s hottest day of the year, with some parts of the state reaching over 100 degrees. Being a coastal town, temperatures in Newport did not get as high as other parts of the state, with the National Weather Service logging temperatures in the low 60s.

Newport High School had a care room open and had counselors available on Tuesday for any students looking for mental health help. Tuesday was also the school’s Fall Sports Parent Night, where attendees could write a card or note to Felix-Trejo’s friends and family. (oregon news)

Lookout Fire now over 3800 acres; firefighters work to protect nearby communities

BLUE RIVER, Ore. — Small mountain communities along the McKenzie River are struggling with more of the Lookout Fire’s smoke covering the region. The fire has now burned over 3800 acres that is resulting with assive dense smoke over the area and into nearby town. 

Because of the conditions, helicopters were grounded until the smoke clears up more. With the lack of aerial help from above, hotshot and fire crews on the ground doing most of the day’s work. Their work included protecting structures like houses and power lines, along with setting a line so the fire does not get over the McKenzie Highway.

Incident Management Team Six says operations performed the previous night are helping in ensuring the highway can remain open for as long as possible.

Around 400 personnel are working on controlling the fire, with around 60 to 80 more people joining each day. Because of the fires close proximity to the Holiday Farm Wildfire Blue River its giving officials a unique tool in helping put out the blaze.

Stefan Myers with the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office said because of the large burn scar left by the Holiday Farm Fire, crews can use it in their favor in closing off the Lookout Fire’s spread.

“We are aware of where those burn scars are from previous fires and sometimes, we can actually use those to our advantage because those could be places where there aren’t as many fuels for the fire,” Myers said. “I think what we are focused on is a community that is still recovering. Just three years ago, we had the Holiday Farm Fire and a lot of the firefighters that are here today.”

Residents in Blue River say they already are preparing for another evacuation if it comes. Myers said it’s always important in wildfire situations that people living near or around the fire stay informed and be ready to move in a moment’s notice. (various Oregon news sources)

Klamath National Forest Update of area wildfires

Oregon’s unemployment rate dropped to 3.4% in July, down from 3.5% in June.

This was the sixth consecutive monthly drop in the unemployment rate, down from a recent high of 4.8% in January.  The U.S. unemployment rate was 3.5% in July, which was very close to Oregon’s July rate.

In July, Oregon’s seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment rose by 6,800 jobs, following a gain of 5,700 jobs in June. July’s gain was nearly double the average increase of 3,700 jobs per month during the prior 12 months.

Over-the-month job gains were largest in health care and social assistance (+3,400 jobs); government (+1,600); professional and business services (+1,000); and construction (+900). Declines were largest in financial activities (-600 jobs); manufacturing (-500); transportation, warehousing, and utilities (-500); and private educational services (-500).

Health care and social assistance grew by 13,900 jobs, or 5.2%, contributing the most new jobs since July 2022. Each component of health care rapidly added jobs in the past 12 months. Nursing and residential care facilities added 2,800 jobs, or 5.7%, since July 2022. The industry remains slightly below its peak employment, reached in early 2020. Similarly, hospitals added 1,900 jobs, or 3.3%, over the year. Ambulatory healthcare services added 2,400 jobs, or 2.5%, in the past 12 months and reached a record high of 98,300 jobs in July.

Durable goods manufacturing cut 700 jobs in July. Since July 2022, several of its component industries each cut a few hundred jobs. The bright spot was transportation equipment manufacturing, which added 400 jobs over the past 12 months. Nondurable goods manufacturing added 1,300 jobs. (press release)

The Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is calling on employers to protect workers indoors and outdoors during the excessive heatwave happening this week.

OSHA’s heat illness prevention requirements apply when employees work in weather conditions 80 degrees or higher.

In a news release from the agency, OSHA suggests employers follow five tasks to protect their workers;

• Encourage workers to drink water every 15 minutes.
• Take frequent rest breaks in the shade to cool down.
• Have an emergency plan ready to respond to workers who show signs of heat-related illness.
• Train workers on the hazards of heat expose and how to prevent heat-related illness.
• Allow workers to build tolerance for working in the heat.

For more information about the agencies heat rules in the workplace, residents can visit the Heat Prevention Rules Key Requirements website. (press release)

As temperatures heat up you might be looking for ways to cool off. But don’t forget, safety first.

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office says a person had to be rescued yesterday at Emigrant Lake. They say the person jumped off their paddle board and dislocated their shoulder.  They couldn’t get back on the board or swim to shore. Another person helped them to safety.

The sheriff’s office says, you should stay aware of water conditions and always be prepared.  Most water recreation areas have loaner life jacket stations.

But you should always bring your own.  They also say, always stay close to shore and avoid jumping into water. (jcso press release)

Officials are reminding residents of the importance of wearing a life jacket while enjoying local waterways.

The Army Corp of Engineers reminds everyone should wear a life jacket while boating, fishing and swimming, even if they consider themselves a strong swimmer. Army Corp of Engineers public affairs specialist Tom Conning says people often overestimate their swimming ability in open water and that “men are especially arrogant about their swimming abilities and strength.” Conning says grown men make up about 88-percent of drowning victims and that 89-percent of all drowning victims were not wearing life jackets at the time of their death. (oregon news)

Oregon gas prices have hit their highest levels since last October thanks to President Biden’s energy policies.

Triple-A Auto Club reports rising crude oil prices are causing gas prices to rise again. Crude oil is up 9% over the last month into the upper $70s and low $80s per barrel. The national average gained four cents to three-86.

Oregon’s average is up to $4.69 a gallon.

Klamath Falls is averaging $4.49 a gallon for regular gas. Medford has the highest prices at $4.80 a gallon and Pendleton has the least expensive gas at $4.51. Diesel fuel in Oregon jumped 15 cents to $4.76. The national average for diesel is $4.33. (oregon news)

More Than Half Of Oregon In Drought

According to a state report, more than half of Oregon is experiencing moderate to severe drought.

Several streams along the coast and in western Oregon are measuring record low flows. Southwestern and central Oregon measured the lowest July precipitation it’s ever recorded, according to the Oregon Water Resources Department’s report for July.

About 52% of the state was in drought that month, up from 49% in June. The report shows a stark turn from this year’s spring, when snowmelt and heavier-than-usual rain helped alleviate drought in much of the state, particularly western Oregon.

Gov. Tina Kotek has declared drought emergencies for nine Oregon counties so far this year. Those declarations open up state resources to counties that need help. Dry conditions are making matters worse for regions battling wildfires. Rain in the spring helped plants grow fast, then an extremely dry summer dried them out. That’s left plenty of fuel to burn.

Conditions are particularly bad in Lane County. Much of the county is experiencing severe drought and some people have had to evacuate from the Bedrock and Lookout fires burning in the Willamette National Forest east of Eugene.

As of Monday afternoon, the Bedrock Fire had burned across about 19,300 acres. The Lookout Fire had burned across about 1,200 acres around three miles north of the McKenzie Bridge.

The National Weather Service has also issued excessive heat advisories for most of Oregon west of the Cascades. (SOURCE)

Oregon’s state-run paid leave program has started taking applications. The first leave can start September 3rd with payments going out through direct deposit or prepaid cards two weeks later.

Paid Leave Oregon will cover time off for family members, illness, and safe leave. Around 41-thousand claims are expected at the start and then 12-thousand a month as the program moves forward. Grants are available for small businesses to help cover for employees while they’re on leave. Eleven states have similar programs. Details at paidleave-dot-oregon-dot-gov. (oregon news)

Gray whales are a sight to see and we are fortunate to have them off our coast, feeding in the summer months.

Oregon State University scientists have been watching them much more closely than the rest of us. In recent years, they’ve been using non-invasive techniques like drones, to really get to know the 212 gray whales called the Pacific Coast Feeding Group.

The population is much smaller than the 16,000 or so that travel farther north to Alaska to feed, in the Eastern North Pacific.

The habitat here off the Oregon coast is much different than the habitat of the gray whales feeding in Alaska or in the arctic would experience. It’s much more shallow, rocky, kelp forest, so you could see where a different morphology: smaller size, shorter skulls (and) flukes might actually help them thrive and survive in this habitat. (oregon news)

Oregon manufacturing’s pandemic recovery may be over, with factories shedding thousands of jobs since last summer.

The declines stand out because other parts of Oregon’s economy are continuing their recovery, adding workers, and because the state’s jobless rate is near a historic low at 3.5%.

Manufacturing recoveries tend to be incomplete, reflecting a long-term decline in factory work in Oregon and across the country. That protracted deterioration of blue-collar jobs reflectsoffshored production work, especially in the 1990s and early 2000s; increased automation on the factory floor; and the closure of aging factories that are too expensive to replace.

Oregon manufacturing has held up better than in other parts of the country, but in the pandemic’s wake, Oregon factories appear to be faring a little worse.

Nationally, manufacturing employment is up about 1% in the past year. It’s down a little more than 2%, about 4,100 jobs, in Oregon.

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