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Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023
Klamath Basin Weather
Today
Sunny, with a high near 68. Calm wind becoming northwest 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon. Overnight, increasing clouds with a low around 39 degrees.
Today’s Headlines
Continuing a tradition in place for several years, and as a showcase of the close partnership between Sky Lakes Medical Center and Klamath Community College (KCC); laptop computers were recently donated to KCC nursing students courtesy of Sky Lakes.
The computers were donated to new students in the KCC Registered Nurse (RN) Associate of Applied Science degree program. The KCC RN program accepts eight students each year, out of a typical applicant pool of 80 or more, for its rigorous two-year degree program.
Reid Kennedy, volunteer services director at Sky Lakes, joined KCC nursing students Thursday, Sept. 21, to provide the new computers and offer encouragement in their studies. Kennedy and other Sky Lakes staff began donating computers to KCC nursing students in 2019.
This year, they are also offering computers on loan to students in KCC’s LPN-to-RN Bridge program, which began in 2022. Sky Lakes Medical Center staff work to raise funds all year, as well as utilizing their own budget, to purchase laptops for each KCC student. For more information about the KCC Nursing program visit www.klamathcc.edu. (kcc press release)
Sky Lakes Medical Center wants you to know about a Phishing Scam.
Sky Lakes has become aware of a new phishing scam where patients are receiving fake emails or texts representing Sky Lakes telling them that their credit card on file has expired and to click on the link.
Please be advised this is NOT official Sky Lakes communication. Please delete the message. DO NOT CLICK ON THE LINK.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Sky Lakes billing department. (Sky Lakes Medical Center)
During the weekly business meeting of the Klamath County commissioners on Tuesday, one resident expressed his frustration over problems the homeless are creating in the community.
Stuart Whelpley told the commissioners that “it’s getting ridiculous. I am tired of having to replace windows after the homeless break into the old Riverside Elementary School.”
Whelpley’s comments came before the board’s holding of a public hearing on a proposed new ordinance relating to the use of public property for camping, lying and sleeping.
According to county documents, the Klamath County Commissioners are trying to balance the needs of homeless people’s ability to sleep and rest in safe areas with the need of citizens to feel safe and be able to access public areas of the county without hindrance. The commissioners aim is to establish reasonable time, place and manner guidelines related to camping on public lands.
Ordinance #96 reads that no person shall camp, lay or sleep from dusk to dawn on public property in the following areas: any area zoned for residential use; within 100 yards of any waterway or wetland; within 1,000 yards of a public school, childcare facility or homeless shelter; within the boundaries of any public right-of-way; on or near railroad tracks; on public sidewalks or trailers in a manner that prevents safe pedestrian and/or mobility device access.
The proposed new ordinance also says that individuals may not allow any garbage or waste to accumulate; may not hook up to any utility; may not attach any camping shelter to nearby buildings or trees; may not dig or excavate; and may not erect any structures or tents.
Also during the meeting, Commissioner Dave Henslee talked about a new civics and education program for youth titled the Junior Commissioner Program.
Mazama High School is acting as the pilot school for the program with plans by the board to expand to all high schools in Klamath County in the near future. (more at HeraldandNews.com)
The Marsh Fire north of Chiloquin burning on the Klamath Marsh National Wildlife Refuge continues to burn. It’s less than 7% contained and over 3,000 acres burned in northwestern Klamath County.
The March Fire is currently being held to the north at Military Crossing Rd and to the east by containment line.
The environment continues to pose challenges to firefighters as the fire burns in a southwesterly direction. Crews are focusing on mopping up along containment lines on the north and east sides of the fire.
They are using a specialized vehicle called a Marsh Master to scout and assess access to the fire on the southwest side for more accurate fire line placement. No evacuations are in place at this time. The public is advised to use caution while driving in the area and avoid using Military Crossing Road.
Fire Officials are asking the public to avoid the area of the fire so that fire resources can continue to provide suppression efforts.
A fire camp has been established at the Chiloquin Rodeo Grounds. The public is asked to drive with care and be aware that the incident may cause an increase in fire traffic along Military Crossing Road and Silver Lake Highway. (scofmp press release)
Glenn Gailis is used to working long hours. And on Saturday, Sept. 30 — his 80th birthday — he’ll receive honors from the Oregon Medical Association as the Doctor/Citizen of the Year during their annual convention at the Hilton Hotel in Portland.
The reality, however, is Gailis is incredibly deserving. It all started in high school.
While in high school in Chicago, at the urging of a coach, Gailis devoted long, hard hours to becoming a gymnast, eventually becoming a state champion and fielding numerous full-ride scholarship offers to several colleges.
At the University of Iowa, more long hours led to winning All-American honors and being the NCAA champion on rings, still rings, pommel horse and all-around. He was inducted into the Iowa Hall of Fame in 1993.
But even more importantly, his success as a gymnast was overshadowed by his focused studies.
In 1970, Gailis received a medical degree from Iowa’s Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine as a primary care physician.
From 1975 until 2017 he was a family physician at the Klamath Medical Clinic, routinely working long nights at the Merle West and later Sky Lakes Medical Center’s emergency room. He had been lured to Klamath Falls by Dr. Kenneth Tuttle, a surgeon.
Before moving to Klamath Falls, while working in Portland, Gailis met and married a nurse, Ursula Novak, whose family has roots in Klamath Falls. They’ll celebrate their 51st wedding anniversary in November. They moved to Klamath Falls in 1975.
Gailis formally retired in 2017, but he’s never stopped working. He’s sometimes disguised as Batman while picking up cigarette butts and lobbying against smoking and tobacco use. Although he’s always been outspoken against tobacco use, “in retirement I want to do more about it now.” (more at HeraldandNews.com)
You can raise your flags high and wear your colors proudly this weekend to join in celebrating the annual local Pride event.
Klamath Basin Pride will host a free, outdoor event this Saturday with thorough plans to provide a positive, welcoming atmosphere for all who attend.
Organizer Courtney Neubauer said this year the KBP committee pulled out all the stops to ensure the safety, security and peace of mind for all community members.
The small, independent organization was formed by residents of the greater Klamath Basin with one goal in mind: to provide an “open, thriving, safe and supportive space” for LGBTQIA2S+ and all community members.
The Klamath Pride! 2022 event was met with opposition from some residents and outside organizations who gathered in the same space to protest the event.
Organized by Oregon Rep. E. Werner Reschke via Facebook, protesters last year congregated at the steps of the Government Center to “pray for the children and community” before attending the event, picket signs in hand.
But Klamath Basin residents showed up in far greater numbers on behalf of the queer community than the rally of protesters with more than triple the overall attendance as compared to years prior. (more at HeraldandNews.com)
Oregon Tech students return from research gathering in Northern Europe
Two Oregon Tech students, Jaime Kuchle and Tarrah Bickford, embarked on a journey this summer to Finland, Sweden, and Iceland to conduct international research. Their work with Associate Professor Sonja Bickford in the undergraduate business research lab, the Business Research (Rural and Arctic) Group, made this opportunity possible.
Jaime Kuchle, a senior majoring in Marketing, and Tarrah Bickford, a freshman with a double major in Environmental Science and Marketing, pursued diverse research projects in these Northern European countries. Both projects aim to develop strategies and solutions for increasing economic development and tourism in the community and the region.
Jaime’s research project assessed the world of destination branding, and sought to understand its definition and impact on consumer decision-making. By comparing Arctic and Pacific Northwest brands, Jaime explored regional branding strategies and their influence on consumer behavior.
Jaime shared, “This research adventure has been a life-changing experience. Stepping out of my comfort zone and conducting international research has given me unforgettable opportunities, from forming connections with industry leaders to receiving a doctoral thesis that aligns with my work. I now understand the immense value of thinking big and embracing every opportunity.”
Tarrah’s project focused on corporate tourism and corporate retreats, looking at best practices in marketing these experiences. During the trip, she met with tourism-focused retreat entrepreneurs and branding and marketing agencies.
Tarrah shared, “During our time in Stockholm we were interviewing people in an old town, and I had a wonderful professional come up to me and introduce herself. Turns out, she operates in the corporate travel industry, and she would love to mentor me. This was unexpected – but what an outcome!
“My recommendation for other students is to take advantage of opportunities. If the opportunity makes you a little nervous, but you have a great group to support you, like the students and faculty in the Business Research Group, do it!”
Professor Bickford, whose leadership and mentorship were instrumental in Jaime and Tarrah’s research efforts, emphasized the significance of exposing students to the international market. She believes that this exposure to research and presenting work at academic conferences equips students with essential skills in global communication and business strategy, preparing students for successful careers in the business world.
The work and data collection conducted by the Business Research (Rural and Arctic) Group was supported by private donations that were matched on Oregon Tech’s Give a Hoot Day fundraiser.
For more information about Oregon Institute of Technology and its research initiatives, please visit www.oit.edu.
The Klamath County Library will begin its documentary series screenings tonight, Thursday night at 5:30 p.m. The film titled “To the End” is the first in the series shown. There is no cost to attend.
The documentary follows four young women — Rhodes Scholar Rhiana Gunn-Wright, U.S. House Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, climate activist Varshini Prakash and political commentator Alexandra Rojas — as they develop and advocate for a “Green New Deal” to fight the life-threatening effects of extreme weather and climate change.
A discussion of the film will take place afterward. The film is rated R and runs for 1 hour, 34 minutes.
(more at HeraldandNews.com)
People hoping for a clear view of the annular solar eclipse in Oregon will be in Klamath County on Oct. 14, with most going to Crater Lake National Park, the city of Klamath Falls and EclipseFest, a multi-day festival and watch party that received its needed final permit from county commissioners Wednesday.
Permitting for the festival and its overnight camping was decided after a public hearing Wednesday in which residents voiced concerns about traffic, noise and other consequences if the anticipated throng converges on Klamath County to briefly see the moon too far away to completely block out the sun, leaving a “ring of fire” in the sky.
Although the path of the eclipse will be visible across Oregon, especially within a 90-mile-wide band through the southwest corner of the state, the Klamath Basin is expected to have the best chance of clear skies when the eclipse begins, just after 8 a.m. Oct. 14. Crowd estimates throughout Klamath County range from 15,000 to 70,000.
For visitors wanting to stay overnight, local lodging is expected to be booked by the start of October and residents are worried people might trespass on private land, clog up rural areas and overwhelm emergency services in the county with a population of around 70,200.
There is no place left to stay overnight at Crater Lake National Park, which is directly in the path of the eclipse. Park campgrounds will already be closed for the season, as will many other amenities. Crater Lake Lodge, which will stay open through Oct. 15, has no vacancies. Spillover crowds wanting to stay overnight will need to camp at EclipseFest 2023 or find someplace nearby, said officials.
EclipseFest 2023 will be held Oct. 12-15 on a 175-acre parcel of private land at Fort Klamath. (more at heraldandnews.com)
The Klamath Falls Police Department is pleased to introduce their newest police officer, Gustavo Gutierrez.
Gustavo was born in Campeche, Mexico and lived most of his life in Durham, California. Gustavo moved to Klamath Falls in 2016. Gustavo volunteered as a Firefighter/EMT for Fire District 6 and had several job titles for Sky Lakes Medical Center from Health and Wellness Specialist, Emergency Room Technician and Medical Assistant.
Gustavo also serves in the Air National Guard as an Aerospace Medical Technician for the 173rd MDG and served as a KFPD Reserve Police Officer since 2021. Gustavo enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife and daughter, soon the family will welcome a baby boy.
Gustavo is excited and eager to start as a full-time officer and looking forward to continuing to serve the community of Klamath Falls. (KFPD press release)
Henley High School in Klamath Falls ranks as 16th best public high school in Oregon, according to a recent report from U.S. News & World Report’s Best High Schools Rankings.
Other local area public high schools in Klamath and Lake counties in Oregon, and Modoc and Siskiyou counties in California received recognition, as well.
There are 471 Oregon high schools, of which 355 are public and 116 are private. California high schools number 3,892 total, with 3,162 public and 730 private. The rankings for each state are numbered using only a top percentage.
Five of six Klamath County School District high schools received rankings (Henley, 16th; Chiloquin, 95th; Lost River, 98th; Bonanza, 100th; and Mazama, 102nd), and one of two high schools in the Klamath Falls City Schools District (Klamath Union, 93rd) received a ranking. Lakeview (52nd) and North Lake (81st) in Lake County were honored in Oregon top 127, while Tulelake (1,102nd) and Modoc (1,255) made the California list of 1,268 schools. (see more at HeraldandNews.com)
Around the state of Oregon
The Portland Trail Blazers haven’t won an NBA Title but once…back in 1977, and now with this week’s trade of star player Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks, what will be the Blazers future?
Earlier this year Blazers second year General Manager Joe Cronin had the No. 3 overall pick in the NBA Draft and took guard Scoot Henderson with the selection.
Damian Lillard looked it over and publicly asked for a trade soon after the draft on July 1. He said the only team on his desired list was the Miami Heat. Over the summer, talks between the Blazers and Heat fizzled out. Then the race was on to find Lillard a home and try to find some new players for Portland. And now with another season about to begin, a multi-player and team trade deal was made.
Milwaukee was trying to find a way to keep their star Giannis Antetokounmpo happy with the Bucks and to keep them committed to championships. Finally this week the wheels got in motion and the deal is done.
Over the summer, rumors that Toronto and Miami wanted Lillard via draft picks and deals, but Damian is headed to Milwaukee with a 4-year deal, $220 million contract.
The deal also sent other picks to other teams and we’ll save the sports analysts to explain it all to us.
The Milwaukee Bucks, being an Eastern Conference team, will play Portland twice, once in Milwaukee and once in Portland. The first matchup is Nov. 26 at Milwaukee and Lillard’s homecoming at the Moda Center will be Jan. 31, 2024.
Target has had enough of theft and crime in downtown Portland, Oregon and plans to close three stores, effective Oct. 21.
“We cannot continue operating these stores because theft and organized retail crime are threatening the safety of our team and guests,” the company said in a Sept. 26 statement.
Currently, Target is closing nine stores across four states.
The three Portland locations closing are the Galleria at 939 S.W. Morrison St; the Powell location at 3031 S.E. Powell Blvd.; and the Hollywood location at 4030 N.E. Halsey St.
Both eastside locations are relatively small for Target stores and are in former bowling alleys.
Target will still have 15 stores in the Portland area, with more than 2,500 employees, the company said.
Oregon State Parks offers prime viewing spots for the Oct. 14, 2023, annular solar eclipse. Visitors to parks within the path of annularity will watch the moon partially cover the sun, which creates a ‘ring of fire’ because the moon appears slightly smaller as it passes.
“Our park staff are ready to help visitors safely view this phenomenon,” said JR Collier, deputy of Statewide Operations.
He added that a limited number of free eclipse glasses will be available at Oregon State Parks on the day of the event.
He also emphasizes that safety is crucial while observing an eclipse.
Use ISO 12312-2 certified solar filters, avoid damaged filters, and consider projection methods. The eclipse glasses from the 2017 event are expired and shouldn’t be used.
Travelers coming to Oregon should prepare for potential traffic congestion, check local weather conditions, and pack essentials, including water, food, sunscreen, and bug spray.
Whether you’re an experienced eclipse enthusiast or a first-time observer, prioritize safety, and plan your trip to witness the ‘ring of fire’ against Oregon’s breathtaking landscapes and clear skies.
For more information and updates about viewing the eclipse from an Oregon state park, please visit https://stateparks.
Landlords subject to Oregon’s rent control law can increase rents 10% in 2024, the Department of Administrative Services announced Tuesday.
That’s the maximum allowed under a new law passed this year that sought to prevent most double-digit rent increases in years of high inflation. A 2019 law capped rent increases at 7% plus inflation, but high inflation in 2022 meant tenants received rent hikes as high as 14.6% this year.
The new law added a 10% cap. It only applies to buildings that are at least 15 years old and doesn’t apply to subsidized housing. Property managers in newer buildings can increase rent as much as they see fit, and there’s no limit on how high a landlord can set rent for new tenants.
Tenant advocates and Sen. Wlnsvey Campos, D-Aloha, OR, initially tried to keep rent increases lower. Campos’ original bill would have capped rent hikes at 8% or 3% plus inflation, whichever was lower. The most recent West Coast consumer price index, which the state uses to calculate inflation, is 5.6%, meaning rent increases would have been limited to 8% under Campos’ original bill.
Median rent in Oregon is around $1,820, according to the real estate website Zillow.
Landlords are only allowed to raise rent once in a 12-month period, can’t raise rent during the first year of tenancy and must give 90 days written notice before raising rent. Landlords who increase rent beyond the allowed amount or evict a tenant in order to raise the rent are liable for paying their tenants three months rent plus actual damages. (more at HeraldandNews.com)
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek is announcing a new strategy to get fentanyl off the streets of Portland.
Kotek says the Oregon State Police will be increasing staff for local drug enforcement teams and creating fentanyl-focused patrols with detectives and K-9s involved. The initiatives were announced at a Portland Central City Task Force meeting Tuesday. (Oregon news)
Happy Camp Fires Update, Thursday, 9/28/23
The Bureau of Land Management is moving all BLM-owned public lands in southern Oregon to a moderate fire danger level. Restrictions eased at 12:01 a.m. yesterday.
According to a news release from BLM, open fire is prohibited except for campfires in the lower section of the Rogue River below the high-water mark. Visitors in other areas are also allowed to use portable cooking stoves with liquefied or bottled fuels.
Visitors to BLM-owned lands will also be required to carry tools such as a shovel, an axe and at least one gallon of water or a 2.5-pound fire extinguisher, the release said.
“Violation of these restrictions can result in a fine up to $100,000 and/or imprisonment of up to one year,” the release said. “The safety of the public and all wildland fire responders is always the number one priority for all wildland fire agencies. BLM officials are taking the necessary steps to ensure their ability to deploy firefighters for wildfire response.” (BLM press release)
A youth football coach in Canby has indicted for sex abuse. Forty-one-year-old Sean Boyd is accused of inappropriately touching a 13-year-old girl last month.
Boyd was arraigned Monday in Wasco County. Officials believe there may be more victims and have asked anyone with information to call the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office. (Oregon news)
CURRY COUNTY, Ore. – The Bureau of Land Management has extended the withdrawal of the Wheeler Creek Research Natural Area in the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest for another 20 years.
This extension allows the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service to continue managing the 334-acre site to support forest science research and to protect the region’s unique natural heritage, including the Research Natural Area’s rare plant and animal species.
The Wheeler Creek Research Natural Area has been closed to mining development since 1983 to protect the site’s high-quality native ecosystems, which are home to rare species, including Oregon’s northernmost redwood trees. The Forest Service requested an extension of the withdrawal for an additional 20 years to continue these important protections.
The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest expects no changes to the Research Natural Area’s operations, policy, management practices, or allowable uses as a result of the withdrawal extension.
The Bureau of Land Management is responsible for processing requests for Federal land withdrawals on behalf of the Secretary of the Interior.
Today’s action follows a Notice of Proposed Withdrawal Extension published in the Federal Register on February 6, 2023, which opened a 90-day comment period. Under the extension, the land remains withdrawn from location and entry under the United States mining laws, subject to valid existing rights.
– The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in the 11 Western states and Alaska.
Two versions of an initiative to recriminalize drugs in Oregon were filed with the secretary of state on Sept. 19 by the Coalition to Fix and Improve Ballot Measure 110, the campaign behind the initiative.
In 2020, Oregon voters decriminalized personal non-commercial drug possession offenses with the approval of Measure 110. It received 58.5% of the vote. Measure 110 reclassified possession of a controlled substance in Schedule I-IV, such as heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamines, from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class E violation resulting in a $100 fine or a completed health assessment.
The ballot initiative also established the Drug Treatment and Recovery Services Fund governed by the Oregon Health Authority. The fund was designed to give grants to government or community-run organizations to create addiction recovery centers.
The proposed 2024 initiative would make it a misdemeanor to possess or use hard drugs in public and mandate treatment for drug-dependent persons charged with low-level crimes. The second version of the initiative also proposes automatic expungement of misdemeanor possession convictions following addiction treatment and increasing penalties for repeat dealers. The initiative would also transfer oversight of the Drug Treatment and Recovery Services Fund from the Oregon Health Authority to the Alcohol and Drug Policy Commission.
In Oregon, the number of signatures required to qualify an initiated state statute for the ballot is equal to 120,413—6% of the votes cast for governor in the most recent gubernatorial election. The signature deadline is July 5, 2024. (Oregon news)
The Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office is warning the public of a new scam where the callers call residents and impersonate police officers.
“The Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office received reports over the weekend of callers impersonating members of the Sheriff’s Office to solicit money,” SCSO said in a Facebook post. “These callers often identify themselves under a false name, threaten someone with arrest, and then offer to waive the arrest warrant should the targeted individual agree to pay them.”
Police encouraged callers who receive these phone scams to report them. (kdrv 12)
As the latest COVID boosters dribble into Oregon, state health officials urged residents to get vaccinated to protect themselves against an expected rise in respiratory infections in the months ahead.
Dr. Paul Cieslak of the Oregon Health Authority and Dr. Katie Sharff of Kaiser Permanente Northwest urged residents to protect themselves in a news conference Thursday by getting shots against COVID, the flu and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, which often causes cold-like symptoms?. Those who don’t get vaccinated could end up with a trifecta of respiratory infections — and even land in the hospital, they said.
The number of Oregonians infected with COVID has steadily increased since late spring, from about 4% of COVID tests being positive in late May to 15% by mid-September, Cieslak said. And hospitalizations for the disease have doubled since the end of June.
The number of people infected with the flu and RSV remains relatively low, though that’s expected to change, he said. The health authority no longer maintains its COVID data dashboard. Providers at Oregon Health & Science University, which posts a daily update, are treating 18 people with COVID, including four people in intensive care and three on a ventilator, according to Thursday’s post. The patients are a mix of those who’ve not been vaccinated and those who have, including people who have received booster shots. (more at HeraldandNews.com)
The Oregon Court of Appeals on Monday asked the state’s highest court to decide whether Republican state senators who carried out a record-setting GOP walkout this year can run for reelection.
The senators are challenging a constitutional amendment approved by voters in 2022 that bars them from being reelected after having 10 or more unexcused absences. Oregon voters last year overwhelmingly approved the ballot measure that created the amendment following GOP walkouts in the Legislature in 2019, 2020 and 2021.
Statehouses around the nation have become ideological battlegrounds in recent years, including in Montana, Tennessee and Oregon, where the lawmakers’ walkout this year was the longest in state history and the second-longest in the United States.
Several Oregon state senators with at least 10 absences have already filed candidacy papers with election authorities, even though Oregon Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade announced on Aug. 8 that they are disqualified from running for legislative seats in the 2024 election.
The senators from the minority party sued Griffin-Valade in the Oregon Court of Appeals, aimed at forcing state officials to allow them to seek reelection. They and Oregon Department of Justice attorneys on the opposite side of the case jointly last month asked the appeals court to send the matter straight to the state Supreme Court.
The appeals court on Monday formally asked the Oregon Supreme Court to take the case, said Todd Sprague, spokesman for the Oregon Judicial Department. The Supreme Court has 20 days to grant or deny and can add up to 10 days to make a decision on the request, Sprague said. (Oregon news)
A local helicopter company had the opportunity to help recover a NASA spacecraft, that landed yesterday after years in space.
Timberland Helicopters Incorporated is a charter helicopter company based in Ashland. They primarily do power line patrol and other works with Pacific Corp, as well as some firefighting.
Timberland also has an aircraft base in Utah, which is where NASA’s Osiris- Rex mission spacecraft landed.
In 2016, the spacecraft started its mission to an asteroid that orbits the sun at a distance closer than earth.
It aimed to collect samples from the asteroid that could give us insight into the early solar system and the origins of life on earth.
Timberland president, Mark Gibson says it was honor to contribute to the mission.
(Oregon news)
A man from Oregon is facing federal charges in connection to the January 6th U.S. Capitol riots in Wshington D.C.
Forty-year-old Ryan Wilson was arrested in Portland this month. He’s charged with felony obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder and assaulting, resisting or impeding officers using a dangerous weapon. Court documents allege Wilson rammed a pipe toward police during a confrontation in the Lower West Terrace Tunnel. (Oregon news)
The Oregon International Air Show returns this weekend. The Navy’s Blue Angels will appear for the first time in Oregon in 8 years. It’s part of the show’s 35th anniversary, happening Friday through Sunday.
Tickets for the show are on sale now. The event takes place in McMinnville. (Oregon news)
MONMOUTH, Ore. – Western Oregon University’s Peter and the Wolves, a beloved Hood to Coast Relay team, is proud to mark its 32nd year of participation in this iconic Oregon event. Founded in 1991 by Peter Courtney, the team has evolved over the years into a tight-knit group of runners with strong connections to Western Oregon University (WOU).
Peter Courtney’s journey with Hood to Coast began when he joined a random team as a last-minute runner. Instantly captivated by the experience, he went on to form his own team, consisting of runners connected to WOU, including staff, students, and alumni. Today, the team boasts a roster of eight alumni and one nearly retired staff member, all bound together by their shared passion for this extraordinary race.
The Hood to Coast Relay spans 200 miles from Timberline to Seaside, and each runner takes turns covering legs ranging from three to eight miles, with each participant completing a total of three legs before reaching the finish line on the beautiful Oregon coast.
This year, Sarah Lorenzen ‘98, a dedicated member who has also served as co-captain for several years, celebrates her 16th anniversary on the team. Despite being asked to join the team only one month before race day, Lorenzen enthusiastically accepted the challenge and has been an integral part of the group since 2007.
“Our team may not be the fastest but we’ve cultivated the best team that supports each other on the crazy journey from Timberline to Seaside,” shares Lorenzen.
Alongside Lorenzen, the team includes fellow co-captain Ray Jones ‘06, Annie Reed ‘15, Spencer Walsh ‘06, Chris Reed ‘11, Laura Beckert ‘07, Jeremiah Beckert ‘06, Chris Campbell, and Darin Silbernagel, who currently serves as Western’s Treasurer. These dedicated individuals, all with their unique stories and backgrounds, come together each year to tackle the relay, embodying the true spirit of camaraderie and teamwork that defines Peter and the Wolves.
Peter and the Wolves look forward to yet another exhilarating Hood to Coast Relay and are excited to continue their tradition.
If you are interested in joining the team or becoming a substitute runner, please contact the Director of Alumni Engagement at alumni@wou.edu.
The historic water tubs at the Tub Springs State Wayside, which have been a popular water source for generations, are operating again but not as a source of drinking water.
The Oregon Health Authority recently ordered the tubs be closed to public use because of high turbidity. Nathan Seable, the Rogue Management Unit manager for the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, said public access to water was closed to public use in January because of water quality concerns.
Seable, who manages state parks in Jackson and Josephine counties, said an analysis by the Oregon Health Authority determined the high turbidity well exceeds safe levels. The water’s classification has been changed from groundwater to surface, which means the water is not fit for drinking without additional analysis and treatment.
Changes in water quality at the spring, according to OHA, were not a result of operations and maintenance, but are due to unknown causes. To resume potable water service would require treating the water, possibly including, but not limited to, enhanced filtration and chlorination.
As a result, the Oregon Parks has modified the water feature so it continues to flow but not as a drinking source. (more at HeraldandNews.com)
What makes a happy town? According to Outside Magazine, safety, outdoor space, affordability, diversity and freedom. And, if the magazine’s new list is to be believed, one Oregon town has all the right qualifications to make it into the list of the 15 happiest towns in the United States: Hood River.
Anyone who has read Outside Magazine or traveled the hour or so east from Portland to visit Hood River won’t be surprised at the main reason the town of roughly 8,300 people made the list – It’s the outside parts. Windsurfing, kiteboarding, sailing, hiking and mountain biking are all mentioned by Outside, as well as the proximity to you-pick fruit farms.
Not every place on the list is an outdoorsy paradise, though many are. Anchorage and Saint Petersburg are mentioned, but so is New Orleans and, don’t tell Seattle, Tacoma. (Oregon news)
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