(see Oregon News below for Off-Duty Pilot story)

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.

Wednesday, October 25, 2023

Klamath Basin Weather

Today’s Headlines

Grants for cultural projects and events in Klamath County are available as the Klamath County Cultural Coalition opens up the 2023 grant funding process.

The news release said the coalition recently received new funds from the Oregon Cultural Trust for this year’s funding cycle.

Local nonprofits seeking funding for cultural projects relating to the arts, heritage or history of Klamath County can apply for grants of up to $2,000 through KCCC.

The grant application form is available online at klamathculture.org. 

Completed applications for grants must be submitted as a PDF or Word document via email to Rich Bergstrom at richb1943@live.com.

The deadline for grant submissions is Nov. 17.

For more information, contact Bergstrom at 541-205-2800.  (HeraldandNews.com)

CommSurf Pro LLC road crews will be performing crack seal operations in the Klamath basin soon.

On-street parking will not be available during construction. Traffic control will be in place during work hours. Please be cautious when travelling around construction zones. Work is expected to take place between October 26 th and October 29th between the hours of 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM. For any questions or concerns please contact Streets Division at 541-883-5385.  (City of KF)

New rule changes aimed at providing regulatory certainty for harvesting timber and to better protect fish and wildlife will go into effect Jan. 1, 2024. 

The changes came about from legislation that supported the landmark Private Forest Accord which was an agreement between the timber industry, small forest landowners, and conservation groups.   

The main overview training is titled:  Forest Practices Act changes—streams, roads and more.

The “other” part of the training will focus on programs specifically designed to help the owners of small acreage forestlands.

The training will also provide updates on the new Forest Conservation Tax Credit Program (FCTC). FCTC provides financial benefit to small forestland owners who support conservation and habitat protection by leaving a larger unharvested area next to streams as a conservation area for the protection of wildlife habitat.

The FPA changes—streams, roads and more class will be held 9 a.m. to noon on:

• 26—Klamath Falls, Klamath County Events Center, 3531 South 6th Street.
• 7—Wilsonville, Wilsonville Holiday Inn, 25425 SW 95th Ave

(ODF press release)

With Oregon overdose deaths rising, more state and local government officials are asking to repeal Measure 110. The effort is being led by a legislator from Klamath County.

Measure 110 was passed by voters back in 2020. It decriminalized the possession of drugs, even methamphetamine, fentanyl and heroin.  Instead, it invested in drug treatment centers, which intended to address addiction as a health issue rather than a legal one.

E. Werner Reschke, who represents Klamath County in the legislature, along with Senator Brock Smith, say what we have now just “isn’t working”, they say they expect more information about the repeal efforts should be coming out within the following weeks.

In the years since, Oregon’s drug problem appears to have much gotten worse.

As elected officials weigh a change in next February’s legislative session, the former head of Oregon’s Department of Corrections and the Oregon Community Foundation Max Williams is leading a statewide coalition.  He’s clear they don’t want to repeal 110,  but make changes to it.

Meanwhile Oregon governor Tina Kotek says while the results with Measure 110 aren’t what everyone hoped for, the state is seeing some progress.

Jackson County’s board of commissioners and the Medford City Council officially came out against 110 a few months ago as their city continues to deal with drug users, homeless, burglaries, robberies and other crimes involving drug related arrests. (local sources/state rep Reschke)

The Klamath Falls City Council approved standards for licensing and operating Short Term Rentals within city limits. STRs are also known as vacation rentals or by the companies that operate them, such as Airbnb or Vrbo.

The City of Klamath Falls says it is classifying STRs as units rented for less than 30 days. Anything rented longer than the 30 day period is not considered an STR.

It also noted that the change comes due to an increase in STR growth in the past few years, much like other Oregon communities. The majority of STRs in Klamath Falls are located in low-density residential areas.

Under the approved standards, all properties used as an STR must have a Short-Term Rental Permit and maintain an active City Business License. The date of compliance is September 30, 2024.

The total fee for the first year is $200, and each following year it will be $50.

For more information or to apply for an STR Permit, visit http://klamathfalls.city.  (City of KF information)

Enrollment at Klamath County schools remains about the same this year, Superintendent Glen Szymoniak told the school board Wednesday.

Szymoniak reported 7,132 students for the district — up only four students from last year. The most significant increase of students was at Great Basin Homeschool (up 42 students) and Bonanza Jr./Sr. High School (up 31 students). Greatest decreases were seen at Peterson Elementary, which is down 33 students; Ferguson Elementary, down 30 students; and Keno Elementary, down 22 students.

The board approved $24,928 in grants awarded to teachers and schools for a variety of needs. The most significant of these was an award of $10,000 to Gilchrist Schools for its afterschool program given by the Oregon Community Foundation.

Two presentations from district personnel were also given that informed the board of advances made in social-emotional learning for students, and in nursing services provided at schools.

David Marshall, director of special services, and Stacey Ramirez, social-emotional administrator for the district, said much progress has been made in providing support to students that have challenges in their behavioral and social-emotional development.

Also at the meeting Wednesday, KCSD head school nurse Laura Limb, told the board that nursing staff has increased from one full-time and two part-time nurses, to five full-time and two part-time nurses and an administrative assistant to meet the needs of students.

The next regular Klamath County School District meeting will be held at 5 p.m., Thursday Oct. 16 in the KCSD board room, 2845 Greensprings Drive. Regular meetings are open to the public. (more at HeraldandNews.com)

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Oregon Tech had 44 student-athletes represented among the 477 Cascade Collegiate Conference recipients of the U.S. Bank Academic All-Conference honors for their performances in the classroom, announced by the conference office.
 
Student-athletes from the fall sports of men’s and women’s cross-country, men’s and women’s soccer and volleyball earned the distinction. To earn recognition as an All-CCC Academic honoree, a student-athlete must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2 and sophomore standing.  The Hustlin’ Owls men’s soccer team led the way with 15 recipients, while the Lady Owls women’s soccer team had 11 honorees.

Earning the award were –

Men’s Soccer (15): Ian Bermudez, Ben Bradshaw, Sebastian Brunk, Brandon Donat, Ellis Harwood, Hunter Hoogerwerf, DeShone Myles, Dylan Nakagawa, Andrew Pasang, Ryan Pearson, Arthur Proost, Brock Rideout, Kevin Rodriguez, Matthew Shirley, Britton Ullan.

Women’s Cross Country (4): Eva Brady, Kira Morrow, Rachel Newhard, Mackenzie Peterson.

Volleyball (8): Brooke Cassidy, Molly Grace, Kate Hicks, Willow Jacobson, Savanna Sterck, Paige Tevelde, Kaley Whalen, Karly White.

Men’s Cross Country (6): Maxwell Cox, Dylan Davis, Jonas Hartline, Tychon Preston, Toby Ruston, Joseph Wilkinson.

Women’s Soccer (11): Kianna Guzon, Logan Kashima, Olivia Kreiser, Brianna Lewis, Kara Morris. Carly Moss, Sydni Nakamura, Kaelin Ness, Jissel Valencia-Mendez, Miranda Valle, Kiah Wetzell.

Crunch At Once!

KCSD students to crunch locally grown carrots to recognize National Farm to School Month

Grab a locally grown carrot and join students across the Klamath County School District on Thursday, Oct. 26 for the sixth annual Countdown to Crunch in celebration of National Farm to School Month.

More than 3,865 students from 12 schools will countdown together and crunch into locally grown carrots produced by local farmer Katie Swanson, owner of Sweet Union Farm in Klamath Falls, who is providing 4750 carrots for the event.

In past years, students have crunched Oregon-grown apples and Klamath-grown spinach. This is the third year a local farmer is supplying the district with thousands of fresh carrots for the annual event.

Klamath County School District hosted the first Crunch, organized by Patty Case, a now retired associate professor at Klamath Basin OSU Extension, in October 2018. This month, the Oregon Farm to School and School Garden Network organized the first annual statewide Oregon Farm to School Crunch and more than 30,000 students are joining the fun.

The Crunch event is just one way Klamath County School District demonstrates its commitment to Farm to School programming, both at the school and district levels. Throughout the year, the district’s Food Services Team supports Farm to School through its procurement and promotion of local foods, pursuit of grant funding opportunities, and support of agriculture education.

KCSD’s annual Crunch event is a fun way to celebrate farmers who grow food and to connect youth with local food, said Jordan Rainwater, KCSD’s Farm to School procurement coordinator. When possible, Rainwater has producers and growers visit the schools to meet students.

“Inviting local farmers and ranchers to be with students in the cafeteria when their food is being served makes meaningful connections for both the producers and the students,” she said. “We’re excited to host farmer Katie Swanson at Shasta Elementary for the Crunch at Once celebration this Thursday so she can hear just how loud her carrots crunch.”

KCSD Nutrition Services Supervisor Jennifer Detwiler heads the district’s food service team, working hard behind-the-scenes to advance and sustain the district’s Farm to School goals.

“With Farm to School celebrations occurring across the nation this month, we should be proud of what we’re accomplishing at the local level,” she said. “The Countdown to Crunch event is a wonderful way to highlight the many benefits of investing in Farm to School.”

Road Work is anticipated from Monday through Friday in the county this week:

Sprague River Road: Asphalt paving operations will be occurring between milepost 5 and milepost 12.

Shasta Way: Sidewalk work between Madison and Patterson streets

Traffic control measures will be in place for guidance, maximum flagger controlled delays of 20 minutes should be expected.  For additional questions or concerns, please contact Jeremy Morris, Klamath County Public Works Director at 541-883-4696. (more at HeraldandNews.com)

The annual Coats for Kids campaign is underway with donations of children’s new and gently used coats are now being collected in communities across southern Oregon through October 29th.

Windermere Real Estate announced that the public can donate youth-sized coats at local Windermere branches, including one in Klamath Falls, located at 519 Main St. in Klamath Falls.

Donated coats can be dropped off between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays. To donate at a different time, the release said community members can contact their local Windermere broker for more details.  Coats will cleaned and delivered to local schools every Friday for children in need, the release said.   (more at HeraldandNews.com)

Friends of the children of the Klamath Basin will launch its Annual Potato Sale fundraiser Saturday, November 4, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., in the parking lot of Klamath Falls Subaru on Washburn Way.

Beginning November 6, potatoes will be available for delivery in Klamath Falls.

The potatoes are premium russets donated by CAL-ORE Produce. They will be sold in 20-pound boxes for $25, with all proceeds directly supporting youth mentoring in the Klamath Basin.

New this year is online ordering through https://ddock.co/199bdd. Buyers can also call 541-273-2022.

Friends of the Children – Klamath Basin is a chapter of a nationwide organization dedicated to breaking the cycle of generational poverty through salaried, professional mentoring. We select youth facing the greatest obstacles and commit to working with those children for 12+ years. Learn more at friendsklamath.org.  (submitted press release)

Don’t forget your breast cancer screening

Early detection saves lives! This October, during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we urge people to get screened for breast cancer.

For individuals who are uninsured or underinsured, breast cancer screening in Oregon is free through the Oregon ScreenWise Program.

To enroll in ScreenWise, a patient must meet all of these requirements:

• Age 50 or older and needing breast or cervical cancer screening or diagnostic services; or age 21-49 and needing only breast or cervical cancer diagnostic services;
• Living or intending to live in Oregon;
• Household income at or below 250% of Federal Poverty Level;
• Uninsured or underinsured.

To learn more about ScreenWise and how to enroll, visit OHA’s website, or call (877) 255-7070.

Oregon has its fair share of spooky stories to delve into for the Halloween season.  Constructed in 1905, the Baldwin Hotel Museum is the oldest public building in Klamath Falls and remains haunted by the story — if not the spirit — of former proprietor and local photographer Maud Baldwin.

Todd Kepple of the Klamath County Museum likes to begin the Baldwin Hotel Museum’s popular evening flashlight tours from outside, near the street.

In September and October, the museum offers special guided tours of the historic hotel.

Kepple says touring via flashlight offers a different sensory experience than just viewing the museum in the daytime, allowing visitors a chance to focus on each object: 

Most nights, a glowing light appears from Maud’s former fourth-story room. From the road below, that single light may look eerie — but as Kepple explains, there is a rational explanation. “We always leave a light on in Maud’s studio. It’s just our way of paying our respects.”

The guest register includes names like John Muir, Zane Grey and four presidents: James Garfield, William Taft, Woodrow Wilson and Theodore Roosevelt, the last of whom visited several times on his way to Crater Lake.

For more information on flashlight tours at the Baldwin, contact the Klamath County Museum  (heraldandnews.com)

Around the state of Oregon

An off-duty pilot riding in the extra seat in the cockpit of a Horizon Air passenger jet tried to shut down the engines in midflight and had to be subdued by the crew, a pilot flying the plane told air traffic controllers.

Authorities in Oregon identified the man as Joseph David Emerson, 44. He was being held Monday on 83 counts each of attempted murder and reckless endangerment and one count of endangering an aircraft, according to the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office.

The San Francisco-bound flight on Sunday diverted to Portland, Oregon, where it was met by officers from the Port of Portland, who took Emerson into custody. He was arraigned Tuesday.

Seattle-based Alaska Airlines, which owns Horizon, a regional carrier, did not name Emerson, but said Monday that the threat was posed by one of its pilots who was off duty but authorized to occupy the cockpit jump seat.

The airline said in a statement that the captain and co-pilot “quickly responded, engine power was not lost and the crew secured the aircraft without incident.” Alaska said no weapons were involved. One of the pilots told air traffic controllers that the man who posed the threat had been removed from the cockpit.

The FBI office in Portland said it was investigating “and can assure the traveling public there is no continuing threat related to this incident.”The Federal Aviation Administration said it was helping law enforcement investigations, but declined further comment about the incident.

FAA records indicate that Emerson has a valid license to fly airline planes. Property records show that he owns a house in Pleasant Hill, California, about 30 miles east of San Francisco. The Associated Press tried to reach his family members but was unsuccessful.

The Horizon Air Embraer 175 was carrying 80 passengers, some of them lap children, and four crew members. The plane left Everett, Washington, at 5:23 p.m. local time and landed in Portland an hour later.  (HeraldandNews.com)

Oregon’s attorney general, Ellen Rosenblum, has joined 33 states in suing Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, for designing its social media platforms to create addiction in children and teens. 

“(The complaint) asserts that Meta knowingly designed and deployed harmful features on Instagram and its other social media platforms that purposefully addict children and teens. All the while, Meta falsely assured the public that these features are safe and suitable for young users,” the release said. “The attorneys general assert that Meta’s business practices violate state consumer protection laws and the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).”

In the complaint, these parties also accuse Meta of collecting data from underage users — including those under 13 — without parental consent.

“While much of the complaint relies on confidential material that is not yet available to the public, publicly available sources including those previously released by former Meta employees, detail that Meta profited by purposely making its platforms addictive to children and teens,” the release said. “Its platform algorithms push users into descending “rabbit holes” in an effort to maximize engagement. Features like infinite scroll and near-constant alerts were created with the express goal of hooking young users. These manipulative tactics continually lure children and teens back onto the platform.”

Rosenblum said Meta knew about the addictive qualities of its platforms, yet hid this information and did not take steps to make their platforms safer.  (Oregon AG’s office)

Influenza vaccination rates among Oregon’s health care personnel have not recovered from significant declines suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic, new Oregon Health Authority (OHA) data show.

According to the Healthcare Worker Influenza Vaccination Dashboard published by OHA’s Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) Program, 64% of the state’s eligible health care workers from all facility types were vaccinated against the flu during the 2022-2023 flu season. This is similar to the 2021-2022 flu season rate of 63% — a concern for state officials trying to prevent the virus’s spread to people most at risk of severe illness and death.

The influenza vaccination rate among eligible health care workers had dropped by 25% between the 2019-2020 and 2022-2023 influenza seasons.

OHA requires annual reporting of health care worker influenza vaccination data from four facility types – ambulatory surgery centers, dialysis centers, hospitals (including inpatient psychiatric facilities) and nursing facilities.

Data are self-reported by facilities and include aggregate counts of health care workers, filterable by health care worker category; who received an influenza vaccination; who declined; who had a medical contraindication; or who had an unknown vaccination status. The Healthcare Worker Influenza Vaccination Dashboard displays influenza vaccination data filterable by facility type, county, and worker classification. The dashboard also shows trends by flu season and facility-specific data. (oha)

The Oregon Department of Transportation’s budget is taking a hit due to fuel efficient and electric cars not requiring as much gas.

ODOT’s budget comes from the state gas tax, in which they receive 38 cents to the gallon, regardless of how much gas costs. As much as fuel efficient and electric cars are good for the environment, they aren’t so good in keeping the Department of Transportation funded.

With less money, ODOT might not be able to plow roads as frequently as they used to. While they do plan to prioritize routes like I-5, I-84, and I-205, the manpower and resources are getting expensive, and they don’t predict being able to plow other roads as often.

Drivers should also expect to see more graffiti and debris on the roads along with road lines not being repainted.

The Department of Transportation asks drivers to be extra cautious on the roads, especially during winter.

(ODOT)

Portland residents are speaking out in support of Palestinians in Gaza even after the horrific and gruesome deaths carried out by Hamas.

A rally was held in the northeast part of the city on Sunday with hundreds in attendance. The rally-goers gathered on NE 11th before marching down NE Lloyd Boulevard. The group Oregon Stands with Israel also had a rally planned for Sunday, but canceled it due to safety concerns.  (Oregon news)

Man Arrested After Splatter Ball Shooting at Downtown Eugene Protest Rally

Saturday afternoon about 2pm, there was a protest at 405 E. 8th Avenue in Eugene. Eugene Police Mobile Response Team had responded to monitor safety at the planned protest. At about 3:15 p.m., an estimated 200 marchers concentrated in a city block began to a march.

The crowd was marching southbound on Pearl approaching E. 8th Avenue when a man later identified as Jonathan James Wisbey, age 51, stopped his pickup, blocking the crowd. He engaged the crowd and there was a verbal altercation.

EPD MRT began closing on the area as members of the protest slashed one of the truck’s tires. Wisbey got out of his truck and shot a splatter ball gun into the crowd. Immediately a couple of protestors armed with handguns drew their weapons. Very quickly, EPD MRT officers were able to challenge all armed subjects, and they were detained without further issues.

EPD patrol responded in emergency mode to cover EPD MRT and to create distance with the 200-member crowd returning to the scene and encircling officers. There was a concern when other armed subjects were seen in the crowd, including one who had an AK-47.

Wisbey was arrested and lodged at Lane County Jail on charges of Menacing, Disorderly Conduct in the Second Degree, and Bias Crime in the First Degree.  Case 23-15877

Samson Garner, a Multnomah County man, was charged Friday on allegations that he was planning a mass shooting in Deschutes County, specifically targeting rock climbers.

Authorities would not say where they believed the shootings would take place, but Smith Rock State Park Manager Matt Davey said“There was a possible threat targeted toward the Smith Rock Craggin Classic.”

The classic, which took place this past weekend, is an annual three-day rock-climbing festival at Smith Rock State Park hosted by the Colorado-based American Alpine Club.

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office arrested Garner, 39, on Thursday night after being alerted by the Portland Police Bureau that Garner had told two acquaintances he planned to shoot people who were rock climbing in Deschutes County, said District Attorney Steve Gunnels.

Garner was found with three handguns and an AR-15 rifle when sheriff’s deputies arrested him outside his Subaru near Tumalo, Gunnels said. (Oregon news)

Scammers Targeting Public Benefits At New Paid Leave Oregon Program

Some Oregonians have reported getting a letter saying they’ve been approved for paid leave benefits that they never applied for, a warning sign of identity theft.

Oregon’s Paid Leave program has sent out more than $28 million in benefits so far — but scammers are among those trying to cash in on the state’s new program.

Public benefits have long been a target of fraudsters who attempt to illegally gain access to personal data in order to file fraudulent applications for things like unemployment insurance or food benefits. Officials with Paid Leave Oregon said it is experiencing the same type of attempted fraud, and are asking Oregonians who receive a letter regarding benefits they didn’t actually apply for to report it on the program’s website.

The program started paying out benefits last month and has approved more than 15,000 applications so far. Eligible Oregon employees can take up to 12 weeks of paid leave for family, medical or “safe leave” — the program’s term for people seeking financial support to escape domestic or sexual violence. Workers taking paid time off for pregnancy may be eligible for up to 14 weeks of leave.

Workers seeking benefits must send in certain documentation that corresponds to the type of leave they’re taking, such as a birth certificate for a new child. Once an application is submitted, the employment department reviews all the documents and verifies the identity of the applicant. It also notifies the employer.

But some Oregonians have reported getting a letter saying they’ve been approved for paid leave benefits that they never applied for. That’s a warning sign a person’s identity has been compromised. A spokesperson for the program said Oregonians should keep an eye on their mailboxes and report any letters regarding benefits they didn’t apply for.

OPB has heard from at least one employer who reported feeling suspicious after receiving a letter from Paid Leave Oregon regarding an employee who was not planning to be away from work.

Employment department officials declined to provide a count of potentially fraudulent applications they’ve received. But they believe they are catching the fraud attempts in the screening process, before money goes out.

The Oregon Department of Justice suggests checking personal credit reports frequently for any anomalies, and urges suspected victims of identity theft to report it to local authorities and the Federal Trade Commission. (SOURCE)

Hard to believe but Oregon high school students won’t have to prove basic mastery of reading, writing or math to graduate from high school until at least 2029, the state Board of Education decided unanimously on Thursday, extending the pause on the controversial graduation requirement that began in 2020.

The vote went against the desires of dozens of Oregonians who submitted public comments insisting the standards should be reinstated, including former Republican gubernatorial candidate Christine Drazan. Backlash against the lowered standard had already delayed the vote, originally slated to take place in September.

Opponents argued that pausing the requirement devalues an Oregon diploma. Giving students with low academic skills extra instruction in writing and math, which most high schools did in response to the graduation rules, helped them, they have argued.

But leaders at the Oregon Department of Education and members of the state school board said requiring all students to pass one of several standardized tests or create an in-depth assignment their teacher judged as meeting state standards was a harmful hurdle for historically marginalized students, a misuse of state tests and did not translate to meaningful improvements in students’ post high school success. (Oregon news)

Federal regulators have approved the expansion of a natural gas pipeline in the Pacific Northwest over the protest of environmental groups and top officials in West Coast states.

The route through Oregon starts at the border, stays on the west side of the Cascades near Medford, then heads into central Oregon near Bend.  It continues eastbound towards Pendleton and into the Tri-Cities area of Washington.

The project, known as GTN Xpress, aims to expand the capacity of the Gas Transmission Northwest pipeline, which runs through Idaho, Washington and Oregon, by about 150 million cubic feet (4.2 million cubic meters) of natural gas per day. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission gave it the green light in a vote on Thursday.

The pipeline belongs to TC Energy of Calgary, Canada — the same company behind the now-abandoned Keystone XL crude oil pipeline.

TC Energy plans to modify three compressor stations along the pipeline — in Kootenai County, Idaho; Walla Walla County, Washington; and Sherman County, Oregon. Compressor stations help maintain the pressure and flow of gas over long distances in a pipeline.

The company says the project is necessary to meet consumer demand.

The 1,377-mile (2,216-kilomter) pipeline runs from the Canadian border through a corner of Idaho and into Washington state and Oregon, connecting with a pipeline going into California.

Officials from Washington, Oregon and California called on federal regulators to reject the project, saying it would undermine their states’ efforts to reduce emissions to combat the effects of climate change.

(kdrv 12)

U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D) of Oregon is speaking out against the federal government’s decision to expand a natural gas pipeline in the Northwest.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved the GTN Xpress pipeline to increase its capacity. It means upgrading compressor stations in Idaho, Washington, and Oregon. Merkley says the expansion will be like adding 644-thousand gas powered cars to the road every year. Washington Governor Jay Inslee also opposed the move, saying the decision to allow more natural gas to be burned reduces the impacts of climate change reduction efforts. Inslee says the fight is not over.  (Oregon news)

Oregon’s economy added 81-hundred jobs in September and the state’s unemployment rate increased a fraction to three-and-a-half percent.

September was the fourth consecutive month where the unemployment rate was between three-point-four and three-point-five percent. The U.S. unemployment rate is higher at three-point-eight percent. Construction topped the list adding 32-hundred jobs in September followed by professional and business services, and leisure and hospitality.

Oregon wildlife officials are urging residents to be Bear-Aware. This is the season when bears fatten up before hibernating for the winter.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is reminding people living in bear country to make sure they aren’t leaving out food that will attract bears. Garbage cans should be put out just before they’re picked up; chicken feed, pet food and other livestock feed should be secured; remove bird feeders; pickup downed fruit; and store barbecues inside. If you see a bear, give it plenty of space, don’t run, don’t make eye contact, and if you are attacked fight back with rocks, sticks and your hands. (Oregon news)

There’s an old shed that sits at the bottom of the J.C. Boyle Dam near Klamath Falls. The building is unremarkable in just about every way — except that it’s home to a colony of bats.

That makes the shed valuable in a couple of bat-friendly ways. That’s because there’s a data gap on bats in the Pacific Northwest.

First, the 1950s space is tiny, small enough that Adkins had to stoop to enter on one recent fall day. Bats like to hide away, so prefer these kinds of confined quarters.

Second, it has a corrugated metal roof, so the shed gets nice and warm in the summer, perfect for rearing bat pups.

And most importantly, the shed stands right above the dam’s spillway, so there’s a constant flow of water underneath.

The shed has holes in the floor so that cool, moist air can flow in, and the bats can easily swoop out into the bug-laden evening.

While the shed makes a perfect bat roost, its actual purpose is to house machines that lift and lower water gates so that if the dam turbines need to be fixed, water can be diverted around the dam and out the spillway.

Next year the whole thing — the dam, the spillway and the shed — are all scheduled to be knocked down to allow salmon to once again swim up the full length of the Klamath River to spawn.

Like salmon, bats are also protected. So when they need to be moved — from a dam shed or someone’s home — the state advises the installation of bat boxes nearby to provide alternative habitat.

While some people are scared of bats, they can be beneficial in a number of ways: They help keep insect populations, like mosquitos and pine bark beetles, under control. And in some areas, though not the Pacific Northwest, they even pollinate plants.

There’s a note of urgency to the bat box study because of a fungal disease known as White Nose Syndrome. It can cause mass bat die-offs. (OPB/heraldandnews.com)

Butte Falls, Ore. — The Town of Butte Falls and the Bureau of Land Management invite the public to attend an open house meeting to learn about and comment on two related projects: the Butte Falls Community Forest Recreation Plan and the BLM’s Fredenburg Butte Trails project.

The open house will take place on October 26, 2023, from 4:00-8:00 p.m., at Butte Falls Community Hall, 555 E. Main Street, Butte Falls, Ore.

The Town of Butte Falls will explain and seek input on the recreation development plan for its recently acquired community forest. Following acquisition of the community forest in 2022, the Town of Butte Falls began developing its community forest recreation plan with the support of the National Park Service’s Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance program. The Town held a public workshop in May of 2023 to solidify an initial plan. Now, the Town and the Community Forest Commission are seeking input from the Town residents and the larger community on the draft plan.

“The Butte Falls Community Forest Recreation team is excited to share the results of several years of plans on this project.” said Trish Callahan, Mayor of the Town of Butte Falls. “We were joined by the National Park Service, the Rivers, Trail Conservation Assistance Program, to develop the falls day use area. Later we were joined by the BLM, and together we created the Butte Falls trail system. This collaboration will hopefully tie the Butte Falls trails into the Fredenberg trail system and campground proposal. This gives more opportunity for recreation and economic development within our community.”

To complement the Town’s plans for its community forest, the BLM is proposing a new non-motorized trail system in the Fredenburg Butte area north of town. The BLM originally began planning the proposed Fredenburg Trail system as part of its the South Clark Forest Management project. The BLM asked for initial public input in November 2022, through public scoping of the forest management project. Since then, the BLM has separated the Fredenburg Butte Recreation Project from the South Clark project, to allow for a more cooperative and integrated planning process with the Town’s own recreation planning. The BLM has also adjusted the trails project since the original scoping and will provide more information at the meeting. The BLM will issue a separate Environmental Assessment for the Fredenburg Butte Trail system and is seeking public comments based on the updated proposed actions and alternatives. In addition to the public meeting, the BLM will post information on its eplanning.blm.gov website and provide additional public comment periods.

“The BLM is excited to compliment the Town of Butte Falls’s efforts to promote economic development, recreation, tourism, and natural resources education by expanding recreation access on public lands in the area,” said Jared Nichol, BLM Butte Falls Field Manager. “We look forward to hearing from the public about our proposal.” 

Town of Butte Falls-

The Town of Butte Falls is a small rural town in Jackson County, Oregon connected to the rich history and beautiful landscape of Oregon’s forests and natural resources. The Town chose to actively shape its future in response to the changing economic, ecological, and wildfire conditions of the 21^st century. Through the Community Forest and other efforts, Butte Falls hopes to serve as a model of fire resilience and adaptation for other rural communities while promoting recreation, education, and economic development. 

Ready to Advertise? Call BasinLife.com at 541-363-7503. We offer more local advertising opportunities than any one in the Klamath Basin. We’re ready to help you with the best digital advertising in Southern Oregon.

You can receive Daily Radio Mentions across our 6 stations, Articles, direct link Banner Ads, floating Banner Ads on hundreds of article pages daily, Social Media Posts, geo-fencing and geo-targeting services, and also available are monthly Email Blasts to thousands of local residents. We keep you updated with the latest smart digital marketing strategies for 2023 for your business. At BasinLife.com we’re still the best value in the Klamath Basin for advertising, as we celebrate our 7th year promoting businesses!

For information or prices on plans, simply call us today at 541-363-7503 or email us at Info@BasinLife.com. Let us keep your business top-of -mind!

Play our $5K U-PICK-EM Contest all season long!  Click the pic!