Klamath Basin News, Wednesday, Jan. 10 – Blowing Snow, Icy Leaves Schools Closed Again; Spoof Fake Calls Being Reported say Klamath County Assessor’s Office

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Wednesday, January 10, 2024

Klamath Basin Weather

Winter Storm Warning in effect until Wednesday evening, January 10, 7:00 PM

Today’s Headlines

Klamath County Schools are again CLOSED TODAY and all events and activities are CANCELED for Wednesday, January 10^th, 2024.

Klamath Falls City and Klamath County school districts canceled classes on Tuesday due to inclement weather.

Parents and interested people are urged to get on the text list of each district and to monitor the Facebook and Instagram pages for school closure information when the weather is threatening.

Today on Wednesday we do know that all Klamath County Schools are again closed today.

KCSD reminds you that if it is decided to delay or close school, announcements are made through their mass notification system and posted on our website and KCSD Facebook and Instagram pages. Media partners, including television and radio stations, also help us get the word out.

If a parent determines they cannot safely transport their child to school because of environmental factors in their area, we ask that they call their school and let them know.

Following is KCSD’s plan to let you know if there are closures, delays, or early dismissals due to inclement weather or other emergencies:

• The first line of communication will be through their mass notification system. Please make sure that the school your student attends has your current contact information in the system. Parents can choose to be contacted by text, phone call, or email.
• To update your contact information, either log in to your parent portal and make the necessary changes or contact your school.
• If they find it necessary to close or delay school, they will make every attempt to notify families via our mass notification system by 6 a.m.

They also will post announcements on their website – www.kcsd.k12.or.us – and on Facebook and Instagram pages. The mass notification system must notify more than 7,000 parents and guardians so it can sometimes take up to 30 minutes for all the contacts to receive messages. Thr goal is to start sending alerts around 5:30 a.m.

To find this information our website, go to www.kcsd.k12.or.us. Click on the inclement weather icon on the main page or go to: http://www.kcsd.k12.or.us/…/inclement-weather….

OREGON TECH CLOSED TODAY

Oregon Institute of Technology- Klamath Falls: Closed

ODOT: SW Oregon: UPDATE: The High Cascade passes near Diamond Lake and Crater Lake closed overnight due to blizzard conditions and low visibility.

This includes OR 62 east of Union Creek, OR 230 from Union Creek to the intersection with OR 138E (Diamond Lake Junction), OR 138E between OR 230 and U.S. Highway 97. You will need to use alternative routes. 

ODOT: SW Oregon: OR-62, MP 57 – 65.45: Crater Lake Highway (OR-62), is closed just north of Union Creek due to blizzard conditions and low visibility. Postpone travel on nearby mountain passes until conditions improve. Check TripCheck.com for updates.

Postpone travel on mountain passes until conditions improve. Check TripCheck.com for updates.

The Klamath County Sheriff’s Office says The Klamath County Assessor’s Office has had their phone number “spoofed” since late December 2023. You may be getting spoof calls asking silly questions and this is NOT the County Assessor’s Office.

It is estimated that hundreds to thousands of calls per day are being made by unknown persons from what appears to be the Assessor’s Office. The spoofed calls usually are received during the noon hour and during mid-afternoon.

When a call is answered, a variety of strange questions are being asked by the caller. The questions range from what the person’s pet’s name is to what type of vacuum cleaner they use. This leaves many people confused and susceptible to answering questions regarding personal information that could be used for fraudulent purposes. 

Please be aware of these scam callers and protect your personal information.

If you see that you missed a call from 541-883-5111 and there is no message, it was not from the Assessor’s Office and it can be ignored. The Klamath County Assessor’s Office will leave a message if they are the actual caller.

There is no need to call the Assessor’s Office to report this as they are already aware and working on the issue.

A groundbreaking took place at EagleRidge High School last week, as the school announced its next steps for the future in a new 5,000-square-foot building to house a Career and Technical Education program at the high school.

All EagleRidge Board of Directors were in attendance for the groundbreaking, including KFCS Superintendent Keith A. Brown and Director of Operations, Daymond Monteith, as well as EagleRidge students and staff.

EagleRidge School Board vice chair Cecelia Amuchastegui said. “Working together, we were able to obtain some ESSER funds. We could not have the ESSER funds if we did not have the city schools … to build a building to expand programs”

Amuchastegui was KFCS Superintendent from 2004-2010. The new space will be located behind the school, just off Plum Avenue.

The new building will replace a space across the street on Commercial Street, which EagleRidge currently rents and holds classes.

Amuchastegui mentioned several phases to take place during the building’s construction, which is expected to be completed in time for the 2024-2025 school year. The first phase will be fundraising to go toward the new space, which will be two separate buildings to support EagleRidge’s Construction Pre-Apprenticeship Program, along with its Business Management and Digital Media programs.

Mark Wendt will be the contractor and Kinsman Construction is the subcontractor for the new building. Adkins Engineering and Surveying also has been a partner to EagleRidge.

EagleRidge students will be seeing first-hand how the new building will be built as under the instruction of Dominic Herrera, will assist in how the building will be built.

Much of the region has been impacted by winter storms. Interstate 5 and Highways 62 and 140 above 2,000 feet fall into the winter storm warning.

Drivers traveling on Highway 140 between Klamath Falls and Medford are met with challenging conditions requiring caution and preparation. ODOT screws bserved numerous trucks pulled over to apply chains in anticipation of the impending snowstorm.

The area surrounding Highway 140 has a good amount of snow cover. Drivers are advised to plan accordingly and carry chains or have a four-wheel drive car in the case conditions worsen.

It’s advised to avoid driving between 3 a.m. and 9 a.m., if possible.

Lake of the Woods Resort said they are there for anyone who feels unsafe during their drive. Joshua Sisk, Lakehouse restaurant manager, said staff is maintaining road safety and offers accommodations for travelers.

A winter storm is arriving this week and many mountain passes are expecting substantial snow. The Oregon Department of Transportation said it will be fully staffed in preparation for the weather.

Places like Diamond Lake and Lake of the Woods could see upwards of two feet of snow. Julie Denney, a public information officer with ODOT, said people should avoid these areas if possible.

Denney said this warning applies to lower elevation areas as well as higher elevation areas. These lower elevation areas might not see snow, but the storm this week could cause other problems.

While Denney encouraged people to avoid areas with bad conditions, she also recognized some people will have to travel regardless. She asked that those who have to take those roads be prepared for anything, including being stuck or delayed.

Another tip for drivers is to make sure phones are charged before leaving. Drivers can also check the ODOT website, TripCheck, which has the most current road conditions and closures for Oregon.

Highway 97 is treacherous on this Wednesday. If you must travel, drive carefully.

Pacific Power is monitoring a winter storm approaching the Pacific Northwest regions in Oregon, California and Washington. The forecast weather indicates strong winds could result in system interruptions, causing possible power outages through early Wednesday morning.

Pacific Power’s meteorology team is closely monitoring the storm and crews are on standby ready to respond to weather-related outages. 

Pacific Power encourages customers to always be prepared for outages and supports state and local emergency management organizations, recommending Oregonians have an emergency plan for up to 72 hours without essential services.

Here are some simple steps customers can take to prepare and stay informed:  

• Update your contact information so we can reach you.
• Sign up to receive outage alerts by text, email or phone.
• Restock your outage kit.
• Keep mobile devices charged so that may be used in an emergency.
• Track outages, update contact info and do more with our free app.
• Text OUT to 722797 to report your outage or STAT to check status.

Visit pacificpower.net/outages for restoration estimates.

As a reminder, stay away from all downed power lines and utility lines. Even if the lines are not sparking, they could be energized and extremely dangerous. Customers should avoid both downed trees and powerlines as well as keep pets far away from those areas.  

Call 911 and report the outage to Pacific Power at 1-877-508-5088.  

A labor of love and volunteer time across more than half a year has culminated with installation of a new welcome sign on the Highway 39 entrance to Klamath Community College.

More than 200 volunteer hours were spent building the sign with collaboration among students, KCC staff and faculty, and even one Oregon Tech student (Dylan Glover) who assisted in the original design. Since June students under the instruction of KCC Faculty Machinist Ben Forester had been developing the project, as both a teaching tool and hands-on learning project to improve the KCC campus.

Plans were developed in collaboration with the KCC Manufacturing-Engineering-Technology (MET) program and KCC Welding programs, led by faculty members Stan Pence and Matthew Walter respectively. Also participating in the project’s development was KCC’s former Facilities Director (retired) Mike Homfeldt, new Facilities Director Tim Williams, and multiple KCC Facilities crew members.

The extensive project was a learning lesson for students in the many steps involved in metal fabrication; from initial design to revisions, development, welding, material bending, painting, and powder-coating. Students completed the majority of work, with Pacific Powder Coating providing the sign’s finish. The KCC Facilities team poured the concrete base with assistance from KCC Apprenticeship Programs Lead Mark Griffith.

KCC students who worked extensively on the sign’s completion included Matt McClelland, Kai Ranson, and Vincent Hinton. KCC Facilities members involved in the project’s completion included Matthew Anderson, Kyle Bennett, Quinton Felsinger, Robert Guthrie, Jeffrey Kelley, and Juanito Valle.

BONANZA JR./SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL TO OFFER PRE-APPRENTICESHIP IN CONSTRUCTION, CARPENTRY

Grant awards also will be used to renovate the high school shop, purchase equipment, supplies

Bonanza Junior/Senior High School is starting a two-year pre-apprenticeship training program in construction and carpentry and purchasing equipment to revitalize its shop thanks to nearly $500,000 in grants from the Bureau of Labor and Industries and Oregon Department of Education.

Students graduating from the two-year program will earn a pre-apprenticeship certificate that can be used to enter the skilled trades. Bonanza hired a construction and agriculture mechanics teacher and offered its first pre-apprenticeship class this fall. Plans are to offer three more classes in September 2024 under a state-registered program.

More than 60% of Bonanza’s senior class has shown an aptitude or interest in the skilled trades, said Bonanza Principal Jordan Osborn, and students have asked for help in getting the skills they need.

“They want jobs in the skilled trades, but need training in high school to help them get those jobs,” Osborn said. “This program is life changing for students in Bonanza.”

Klamath County School District started a state-registered pre-apprenticeship program in construction and carpentry at Henley High School in September 2023. With the $228,000 BOLI Future Ready Oregon grant, that program is expanding to Bonanza, operating in partnership with Klamath Community College, Southern Oregon Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee, and industry and trade organizations.

Henley is expected to graduate 12 to 15 students from its pre-apprenticeship program in 2025. Bonanza’s first pre-apprenticeship graduates will be in 2026.

At Henley, 25 high school students are currently taking pre-apprenticeship classes and 64 middle school students have started introductory classes in the new Construction Trades Building on the Henley campus. Projects include renovating the high school’s soccer field team shelters and building tiny homes in partnership with KCC’s carpentry apprenticeship team.

“The early success of the Henley program is inspiring the district and its partners to continue to pursue our joint goal of providing pre-apprenticeship at all Klamath County schools, no matter how remote,” said Adam Randall, CTE coordinator at Henley, who was instrumental in writing the BOLI grants for both Henley and Bonanza. “Students at Bonanza don’t have the ability to travel 60 miles roundtrip to take pre-apprenticeship classes at Henley or Klamath Community College. It is imperative that we equitably provide access to training to our rural students so they can access apprenticeship and the quality of life it provides.”

Bonanza also was awarded a $250,000 ODE CTE revitalization grant that will be used to renovate the shop and purchase needed equipment for the program and career and technical education classes. The renovated shop will host the pre-apprenticeship program and include new welding booths, a CNC machine, tool room, and small motors room where students will learn how to build, fix and operate small motors.

The grant also will enable Bonanza and Henley to purchase four trailers to support the transportation of supplies and construction and carpentry projects for both schools.

Bonanza expects to enroll 35 students in the program over the next year. All Bonanza high school students will be required to taken an introductory to CTE/construction/manufacturing class and junior high school students will take an exploratory class.

Osborn, who announced the grant awards and plans to the community last month, is excited to move forward. The two current grants are among $1.4 million in grants the school has received in the last two years to improve facilities and student opportunities.

“The trades are near and dear to my heart,” he said. “I come from a family that works in commercial concrete, and to be able to provide an avenue to change students’ lives by helping them get a high wage/high demand job in the trades is not only professionally gratifying, but also personally.”

Around the state of Oregon

Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) Search and Rescue (SAR) is ready for this Southern Oregon winter storm, bringing heavy mountain snow and strong winds to our region.

The National Weather Service Medford has issued multiple winter storm warnings for Tuesday night through Wednesday morning. NWS Medford is calling for heavy mountain snow and strong winds brining frequent whiteout conditions. Snow levels will lower from 3000 to 200 ft. overnight. Snow may even accumulate on Rogue Valley floors during the storm.

As always, human safety is our #1 priority. We take the risk to SAR personnel into consideration during every mission, and this storm brings the considerable danger of heavy snow and fallen trees, which could further delay response times.

BE PREPARED: If you are venturing into the mountains during winter be prepared to self-rescue in the event SAR response is delayed. Make sure you have chains, warm clothes, a shovel, and a fully charged cell phone. Check the weather forecast before leaving as conditions may change quickly. Always notify someone of your travel plans, when you are expected to return, and when/where they should notify authorities to start searching.

To best notify SAR of your potential location during a rescue, JCSO offers the Sheriff’s App “Share My Trip” feature. JCSO developed this feature with the understanding that response time is crucial in search and rescue operations. The information you provide in this form will help our Search and Rescue personnel make more informed decisions which will result in quicker, more effective responses. Download the App here: https://apps.myocv.com/share/a72997501.

The Mt. Ashland Ski Area opens tomorrow, on Thursday, January 11th.

Mt. Ashland announced on its website that it plans to open to the public on its 60th anniversary. This year, the ski area has added an extra night of Twilight Ski, which is usually only on Thursdays and Fridays. Skiers and snow boarders can now head to the mountains for Twilight Ski on Saturday nights as well, starting January 18th.

Although he was hopeful for a December opening, Mt. Ashland Ski Area’s General Manager Andrew Gast says he’s not worried about there not being enough snow.

On opening day, it will also have its Day Onesie event, in which anyone who shows up in a onesie can get a prize. Gast says it’ll have plenty of snow by Thursday for people to get their skiing and boarding on.

Mt. Ashland also reminds folks it closed all admittance to the ski area for uphill access until it is open, as grooming machines are working to make the park safe.

Meanwhile, Mt. Shasta Ski Park is opening January 10th. While it is excited to open, it also says snow conditions are still low and asks people to stick to the open run.

For those interested in other winter activities, Lake of the Woods announced on Facebook that their Great Meadow Snow Park is open. Snowshoers, snow mobile riders, and sledders are welcome to get a day pass for $6.

Diamond Lake Resort saw more snowfall as well. The resort says it’s confident the tubing hill will open up on January 12th, but you can get tickets now.

A former Oregon Department of Human Services employee pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court to violating the civil rights of a woman with developmental disabilities in his care by engaging in sexual misconduct with her.

Zakary Glover, 30, of Lebanon, Oregon, pleaded guilty to one count of depriving the victim of her constitutional right to bodily integrity under color of law involving attempted aggravated sexual abuse.

According to the court documents, Glover served as a Direct Support Crisis Specialist for the Oregon Department of Human Services, Office of Developmental Disabilities Stabilization and Crisis Unit (SACU). SACU operates several 24-hour crisis residential programs in Oregon that serve individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. As a SACU employee, Glover was tasked with ensuring the health, safety and security of the individuals who lived at the residential facility where he worked.

The victim, who has severe autism and cognitive deficits, was one of the individuals under Glover’s care. As part of his duties, Glover took the victim on outings in a state-owned van. The van used for such outings was purposely secured with child locks and a heavy plastic partition between the front and rear seats so that individuals like Glover’s victim cannot get out.

On November 2, 2021, while on an outing with the victim, Glover drove down a dead-end road near a cemetery in Aumsville, Oregon. Upon reaching the dead-end, he parked the van near the cemetery’s gate and proceeded to engage in sexual acts with the victim without her consent.

Oregon delegates to the Republican National Convention this summer must pledge to back the winner of the state’s presidential primary, a top state party official confirmed.

Tracy Honl, Oregon’s Republican national committeewoman, clarified the party’s rules for the 31 delegates who will cast the state’s votes for the GOP presidential nominee at the July convention in Milwaukee, Wis. A national reporter sparked confusion among some Oregon political analysts last week by asserting the state party would select delegates at a May 25 convention independent of the May 21 primary.

The Oregon Republican Party’s bylaws call for a convention where precinct committeepersons — the elected local party officials who vote on party business, including nominating replacements for candidates or elected officials who don’t finish their terms — will select their delegates and alternates.

While the bylaws don’t require delegates to support the winner of the primary, a separate set of rules adopted by the state party’s central committee do. Those rules lay out qualifications for delegates, including that they submit a written pledge to support the presidential candidate who wins the state’s primary election.

Oregon’s delegates would be free to vote for other candidates if the national convention doesn’t choose a nominee after two rounds of ballots.

Oregon’s secretary of state, LaVonne Griffin-Valade, told critics pushing to get Trump off the ballot that she didn’t have the authority to bar any candidate in a presidential race. That case is now on appeal before the Oregon Supreme Court, which has asked for legal briefs by Jan. 9. Trump has appealed the Colorado case to the U.S. Supreme Court.

California investigators have released new information in hopes of putting to rest the final unidentified victim of the notorious “Happy Face” serial killer.

Keith Jesperson is serving multiple life sentences at the Oregon State Penitentiary in Salem for murders he committed while working as a truck driver in the 1990s. Authorities have identified seven of eight of his confirmed victims, leaving only a woman whom Jesperson called “Claudia” unidentified.

Jesperson was convicted of killing the woman, whose true name may not be Claudia, exactly 14 years ago, the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office announced Monday.

The woman was hitchhiking toward Los Angeles in August 1992 when she caught a ride in Jesperson’s purple Peterbilt rig at a Victorville, California, truck stop. They stopped for lunch at the Burns Brothers diner near Indio, about 115 miles away on Interstate 10.

Jesperson then continued east, killed the woman in his truck and dumped her body on the side of U.S. Route 95 north of Blythe, California.

Investigators believe “Claudia” was white with fair skin, about 25 to 35 years old, stood 5-feet-7 and had a medium build and likely had brown or dyed blond hair. Claudia had two dots tattooed on her right thumb and was wearing a gray shirt with a skeleton riding a motorcycle on it.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said the Alaska Airlines Boeing jetliner that suffered an inflight blowout over Oregon last week was not being used for flights to Hawaii after a warning light that could have indicated a pressurization problem lit up on three different flights in the past 30 days.

Alaska Airlines decided to restrict the aircraft from long flights over water so the plane “could return very quickly to an airport” if the warning light reappeared, Jennifer Homendy, chair of the NTSB, said on Sunday.

Homendy cautioned that the pressurization light might be unrelated to Friday’s incident in which a plug covering an unused exit door blew off the Boeing 737 Max 9 as it cruised about three miles over Oregon.

On Monday, the NTSB shared photos of the recovered door plug. The plug will be sent to the NTSB Materials Laboratory in Washington, D.C. for more examination.

The NTSB says the door plug from Alaska Airlines flight 1282 has been located by a man named “Bob.”

Within minutes of the scheduled press conference ending, the NTSB came back out and said it had breaking news.

Bob reported the location to the NTSB through their witness email account, accompanied by two photos, the agency said. Bob is a school teacher in Portland.

The American Red Cross is experiencing an emergency blood shortage as the nation faces the lowest number of people giving blood in 20 years. 

The Red Cross blood supply has fallen to critically low levels across the country, and blood and platelet donors are urged to make a donation appointment to help alleviate the shortage and help ensure lifesaving medical procedures are not put on hold.

Over the last 20 years, the number of people donating blood to the Red Cross has fallen by about 40%. When fewer people donate blood, even small disruptions to blood donations – such as the nearly 7,000-unit shortfall in blood donations the Red Cross experienced between Christmas and New Year’s Day alone – can have a huge impact on the availability of blood products and dramatic consequences for those in need of emergency blood transfusion. Blood products are currently going to hospitals faster than blood donations are coming in, and in recent weeks, the Red Cross has had to limit distributions of type O blood products – among the most transfused blood types – to hospitals. 

To make an appointment, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

The Red Cross and the National Football League (NFL) are partnering this January, during National Blood Donor Month, to urge individuals to give blood or platelets and help tackle the emergency blood shortage. Those who come to give blood, platelets or plasma in January will automatically be entered for a chance to win a trip for two to Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas. For details, visit RedCrossBlood.org/Super Bowl.

A suspect will remain in jail for the murder of a teen in Salem back in November.

Yesterday, a judge denied bond for 18-year-old Gage Clark-Adkins during an arraignment hearing. On November sixth, the body of a 15-year-old boy was found in a truck parked along Evergreen Avenue Northeast and D Street. At the time, police called it a “suspicious death.” Earlier this week, police said the teen died of a gunshot wound and it was now considered a homicide. Police arrested Clark-Adkins on Wednesday. He’s been charged with second-degree murder. The victim’s name hasn’t been released and police said they aren’t releasing any further information on the case for the time being.

Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) has awarded $7.5 million in funding allocated through the Homeless Housing Response and Capacity Strengthening Notice of Funding Availability.

This is the first award of a one-time $25 million HOME American Rescue Plan (ARP) federal investment. These funds will go towards developing housing for those who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of homelessness in Oregon’s rural communities. The $7.5 million awarded went to develop Liberty Village Apartments located in Hermiston which will focus on Veterans at risk of homelessness. This property is being built by Umatilla County Housing Authority and Casa of Oregon. Liberty Village Apartments will provide 17 total homes, 15 with rental assistance, and primarily affordable at 30% median family income. 

OHCS has reserved $1.5 million to provide rural housing organizations with funding to increase their capacity to address housing needs in their communities. 

For more information about this funding award, please visit the Housing Stability Council web page. 

John Exley doesn’t play the Keno game often but bought a ticket at the Oregon City Safeway on December 23 to try his luck.

The 60-year-old from North Bonneville, Wash. wagered on a 10-spot game, meaning he’d need to match all ten numbers drawn between 1-80 to win. He added the Special Keno game play option for no additional cost. To his surprise, he hit all ten for the $1 million win.

Claiming a 10-spot win is rare, with Oregon’s last known $1 million Keno winner dating back to February 16, 2000. The odds for this type of win are also higher at about one in 8 million. Last year, Oregon saw 8.5 million winning Keno tickets, averaging $8.71 per claim.

Keno games are drawn every four minutes and feature an 8-spot rolling jackpot bonus that is based on sales and continues to grow until the 8-spot game is won. In 2023, Keno players claimed $74 million total prizes in Oregon.

The Oregon Lottery recommends that you always sign the back of your winning ticket to ensure you can claim your prize. In the event of winning a jackpot, players should consult with a trusted financial planner or similar professional to develop a plan for their winnings. Players have a year to claim their prize.

For more information on the Oregon Lottery visit www.oregonlottery.org.

This year, the state of Oregon has a record $5.6 billion tax kicker refund for Oregonians that have filed their 2022 personal income tax return. The 2022 return must be filed because that is the amount the kicker is based off.

The tax kicker refund can be claimed while filing the 2023 return. Those 2023 forms will have special instructions on how to claim that money.

Tax kickers are the result of a budget surplus in the state during a given biennium. The $5.6 billion kicker is 44.28% of all personal income tax paid to Oregon in 2022.

In order to calculate a personal kicker, multiply the amount paid for 2022 by 44.28%.

Robin Maxey, a public information officer for the Oregon Department of Revenue, said that in order to get the kicker refund faster, residents should file earlier.

While Maxey urged Oregonians to file early, he also made it clear to not rush the filing too much. Make sure all information needed for tax returns is ready and available before filing.

To put this kicker in perspective, the kicker from the 2013-2015 biennium was only about $400 million. The most recent kicker from the 2019-2021 biennium was $1.89 billion. This biennium’s kicker is just under three times the amount from the 2019-2021 biennium.

Oregon Running Out Of Funds To Plow Major Roads and Highways

As winter weather hits the mountain passes hard this week, the Oregon Department of Transportation issued a warning: The state was running out of money to plow roads and could “no longer maintain the state’s transportation system at the same level as we have in the past.” Drivers would need to anticipate delays and prepare to be stranded in poor weather.

The outcry was swift, particularly in the snowiest parts of Oregon.

Among those skeptical of the agency’s approach was state Sen. Lynn Findley, a Republican who represents a sprawling, sparsely populated district that covers the entire southeast quadrant of the state. The warning reminded him of scare tactics the National Park Service used when budget cuts loomed, threatening to shut down popular tourist attractions, he told transportation officials at a November public hearing.

The public may have been “snow plowed,” but the tactic worked. By early December, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek and legislative leaders, all Democrats, announced plans to boost the Oregon Department of Transportation budget by $19 million to pay for winter maintenance service. Next up? Revamping how the state pays for all its transportation needs.

Across the country, state transportation departments are warning that public safety is at risk if lawmakers don’t overhaul how road maintenance gets funded. Like other states facing shortfalls in their transportation maintenance budgets, Oregon blames declining gas tax revenues from more efficient cars and the wider adoption of electric vehicles, structural funding issues that limit how federal and state highway money can be spent, and inflation-driven cost increases.

States are trying creative new ways to fill the gap, from road use charges to delivery fees. And critics say states must stop prioritizing major new projects over basic maintenance needs.

Grants Pass Downs announced its race schedules for the 2024 Summer and Fall season, though it’ll be a little while before it’s warm enough to hit the track.

The summer racing season kicks off June 15, with races every Saturday and Sunday ending on the Fourth of July. The fall season kicks off September 8 with races every Saturday and Sunday.

The final race day will be October 14.

Going into a big election year, staffing at elections offices in Oregon is an issue, according to a study.

Staff-to-voter ratios vary widely between counties depending on their size but average about one staff member per 27-thousand voters statewide. Paul Manson with Portland State University helped conduct the research and says there are warning signs flashing as this election year ramps up. He says it’s a challenge for election offices to find workers in this politically charged environment.

Manson says low pay also makes it hard to recruit and retain people to work in elections offices. He says the county level funding model, which is tied to the real estate market, presents challenges as well.

He also says another pressure on workers is a growing list of public records requests, which offices have deadlines to respond to. He says there are a few ways the state could help election staff.

For Oregon, 2023 was a year of emergencies — from a worsening addiction crisis, to an ongoing housing shortage, to an inability to staff core services like public defense.

Here are some notable new laws that are now in place for 2024:

Speed cameras throughout Oregon: Autonomous “photo radar” units have, until now, only been legal in 10 cities in Oregon. But with speeding and other unsafe driving increasing since COVID-19, the Legislature is now letting every city in the state get in on the action. House Bill 2095 eased limitations on when and where speed cameras can be installed, offering them as an option as long as cities foot the bill to run them.

• Changes to DUII law:It’s long been illegal to drive drunk or under the influence of illicit drugs, but that didn’t necessarily encompass some substances that can impact driving ability, such as kratom, a herbal substance that can produce opioid- and stimulant-like effects.
• Tweaks to Measure 110:These days, much of the discussion over Oregon’s pioneering drug decriminalization law centers around whether the state should reverse course as overdoses soar. But during this year’s session,
• New tax breaks for kids:Beginning this year, low-income families can pursue a new tax credit aimed at combating early childhood poverty.
• Laws targeting “paramilitary activity” and “domestic terrorism”:With violent clashes on the streets of Portland in recent years and a spate of attacks on the Pacific Northwest’s power grid, lawmakers were concerned about extremism in 2023. House Bill 2572 allows the attorney general to investigate organized paramilitary activity and to petition a judge to block planned paramilitary activities that aim to intimidate others or infringe on free speech. It also creates a right to sue for anyone injured by a paramilitary group.
• Cracking down on shoplifting: Changes to laws against organized retail theft included in Senate Bill 340 make it easier for prosecutors to charge repeat shoplifters and to seek higher penalties.

Streamlining housing conversions: As Gov. Tina Kotek sets lofty goals for ratcheting up housing production and development in Oregon, lawmakers have been looking for ways to help. House Bill 2984 is one idea. It requires local governments to greenlight the conversion of commercial buildings into housing without throwing up the normal bureaucratic hurdles.

• Insurance immunity for wildfire maps:The state saw intense backlash in 2022 when it released a map showing areas that were most prone to wildfire risk.

Ready to Advertise in 2024? 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 radio and 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!