Klamath Basin News, Monday, Feb. 19 – Country Performer Billy Currington Coming to Klamath County Fair; Dr. Sejal Hathi Named Director Of Oregon Health Authority, Will Travel State To Talk With Community Leaders

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Monday, February 19, 2024

Klamath Basin Weather

Today’s Headlines

The Klamath County Fair Board has announced that Billy Currington as its Saturday, August 3rd Fair Concert Performer this summer!

Saturday, August 3, 2024, John Hancock Event Center
Doors Open at 6:30 PM
Show Begins at 7:30 PM
Tickets:
Party Zone = $57.00
General Seating = $47.00

Tickets will be available for the concerts ONLINE and in the Klamath County Fairground’s Office, 3531 S. 6^th Street beginning February 23 @ www.kcfairgrounds.org starting at 8:00 AM. Listen for other ticket outlets.

Billy Currington’s latest album bears the breezy title Summer Forever, but the talented Georgia native has spent more than a decade in the spotlight proving he’s truly a man for all seasons.

Possessing one of the smoothest and most distinct voices in any genre of music, Currington is equally skilled at delivering upbeat summertime anthems as well as exploring the complexities of life and love with a poignant ballad. On Summer Forever, Currington’s sixth studio album, he brings both with a collection of songs that will take the listener on a riveting musical journey and leave them breathless at the end of the ride.

Since his self-titled debut album bowed on Mercury Records in 2003, Currington has scored eleven career No. 1 singles, most recently, “Don’t Hurt Like It Used To.” His other hits that reached the No. 1 spot include such memorable songs as “Good Directions,” “Let Me Down Easy,” “Must Be Doin’ Somethin’ Right,” “People Are Crazy,” “That’s How Country Boys Roll,” “Hey Girl,” and “We Are Tonight.”

The Klamath River Renewal Corporation (KRRC) marked the end of its initial drawdown phase on Thursday. The draining of Iron Gate, Copco and J.C. Boyle reservoirs is complete, according to the KRRC.

During a press conference on Thursday morning, the KRRC and a restoration manager reviewed the timeline for the project, which is still running according to plan.

With the initial drawdown phase complete, KRRC CEO Mark Bransom said the progress being made is “inspiring.”

Bransom said the drawdown phase took place at this time of year to allow enough time for the sediment to clear and water quality to improve.

Dave Coffman, Klamath restoration program manager for Resource Environmental Solutions, stated the water quality is poor right now but it’s expected to improve in the coming months.

Bransom and Coffman spent a few minutes answering less than a handful of questions from the media during the press conference. However, Bransom did address the doubt expressed by community members about the success of the dam removal project.

Bransom emphasized that the environmental impacts seen on the river right now, such as dead fish and significant amounts of thick sediment, are only short-term impacts. 

The Klamath Falls Police Department’s Citizen’s Academy is a great opportunity for citizens and community leaders to gain insight into our department and operations.

This year, we made the decision to have select course weeks available to the general public as a “drop in” night. This allows citizens the chance to learn more about our agency, how we police our community, and address any concerns specific to the City of Klamath Falls Police Department without the commitment of attending the full 10-week program.

Those interested in attending the full 10-week program, can pick up an application today from the police department (2501 Shasta Way) during the business hours of 8am-5pm.

Application Deadline is Friday March 22, 2024.

The academy is limited to the first 20 approved applicants, with classes beginning Thursday April 4, 2024, every Thursday from 6pm – 8pm.

Questions? Contact Program Coordinators: Detective Kiley Bergstrom, kbergstrom@klamathfalls.city or Officer Joseph Reed, jreed@klamathfalls.city

More than 100 Klamath County School District FBLA students have qualified to represent their schools in the FBLA State Business Leadership Conference in Portland in April.

The Feb. 6 qualifying FBLA Regional Skills Conference at Oregon Tech included 254 students from nine schools, including Bonanza, Brixner, Gilchrist, Lost River, and Mazama, and four schools from Deschutes County – Culver, Mountain View, Redmond and Ridgeview.

The City of Chiloquin hosted an outreach event last week to inform the community about various projects that the city and its partners have in progress.

The Chiloquin Connects event was arranged as a career fair type event, where community members walked around to find out information about the various projects and groups involved in them, and be able to ask questions about those projects.

“We had between 60 and 100 people who came out for the event,” Chiloquin City Councilor Robert Cowie said.

In addition to the City of Chiloquin, Adkins Engineering was there to provide information about a new water well, wastewater treatment facility, and the Safe Routes to School projects that they are managing for the City.

Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) was there to explain plans for the Great Streets Program and collect feedback.

The Klamath Tribes Department of Public Safety was also in attendance to discuss the formation of the new police and dispatch operations.

The Sierra Service Project, which will be back in Chiloquin this summer for volunteer projects, had a table along with the Chiloquin Vector Control District, Friends of the Chiloquin Library, and Chiloquin Visions in Progress who are installing new electric-vehicle charging stations in the city.

Hunter Communications was also there, as they are now entering their second year of the fiber optic buildout in the city and surrounding areas.

The City of Chiloquin plans to conduct these outreach events several times a year as they continue with major projects and potentially a few more.

Reaction to last week’s announcement by the Department of Interior regarding funding for water and restoration projects in the Klamath Basin came in from a range of groups and individuals.

The U.S. Department of the Interior announced a historic agreement with the Klamath Tribes, Yurok Tribe, Karuk Tribe and Klamath Water Users Association to advance collaborative efforts to restore the Klamath Basin ecosystem and improve water supply reliability for Klamath Project agriculture.

The Department also announced more than $72 million in new investments – including funding from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda – for ecosystem restoration and agricultural infrastructure modernization. The Department also unveiled the Klamath Basin Drought Resilience Keystone Initiative, a new effort to steward investments from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act, and support a wide range of restoration activities that will help recover listed species, create new habitat for fish and birds, and rethink the way water moves across the Klamath Basin to better align agriculture with ecosystem function.

Clayton Dumont, chairman of the Klamath Tribes, said he is pleased with the agreement, saying, “I think it’s a positive step forward.”

Dumont noted the funding includes money for several Klamath Basin projects, including the Upper Williamson River Restoration and Sprague River Collaborative Restoration projects totaling $26 million. He emphasized various projects are aimed at benefiting the Tribes, farmers and ranchers and others, restore historic wetlands and repair lands damaged by the massive 2021 Bootleg Fire.

Moss Driscoll, Klamath Basin Water Users Association Director of water policy, expressed hope the actions will benefit all water users, including farmers and ranchers. 

Driscoll cautioned the agreement does not provide “firm solutions” and expressed concerns and frustration on how federal funds have been allocated and spent. He believes a key issue is that the agreement is “missing a firm and durable agreement over the allocation of water for the Klamath Basin.”

Tracey Liskey, the Klamath Water Users Association’s President, commented on the agreement, saying in a news release, that the next few years will be critical to securing funding and completing restoration efforts in the Klamath Basin, so this agreement will help us work together and streamline the various interests and objectives we all have. There are many laws and initiatives at the state and federal levels, including the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act, that have created sources of significant funding for restoration activities and efforts to address water supply challenges.

Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley said improvements created by the agreement will benefit a range of people impacted by Klamath Basin water issues. In a statement he said, “Drought has severe impacts on the Klamath Basin – affecting fish and wildlife, agriculture, families and Tribal communities.

Meanwhile, yesterday, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is announcing nearly $64 million in funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) for ecosystem restoration activities that address high-priority water-related issues in the Klamath Basin in southern Oregon and northern California, with an additional $6 million in funding from other infrastructure investments.  

Through BIL, the Service is investing $162 million over five years in ecosystem restoration projects in the Klamath River Basin. Yesterday’s  announcement builds on the Service’s $26 million investment of BIL funds in Fiscal Year 2022, which supported 32 projects throughout the basin and the expansion of the Klamath Falls National Fish Hatchery.  

The funding announced today will support continued construction of the Klamath Falls National Fish Hatchery, focus on innovative collaborative conservation in the Sprague River watershed, advance collaborative restoration projects with stakeholders, and continue the implementation of Tribally-led projects throughout the Basin.  

Included in this announcement is funding for 15 projects, some of which are highlighted below: 

-Klamath Basin Co-Development Process – $25,000,000 

-Completion of Klamath Falls National Fish Hatchery – $20,000,000 

-Sprague River Collaborative Restoration (Phase 1) – $6,000,000 

-Blue Creek Salmon Sanctuary Project – $3,000,000 

-Upper Williamson River Restoration – $2,000,000 

More information can be found on the US Fish and Wildlife website.

                  Coming to Ross Ragland Theater!
The Missoula Children’s Theatre Spring Break Theater Camp Presents

Jack and the Beanstalk

Dates: Monday-Friday, March 25-29; 8:30am – 1:00pm

Performances: Saturday, March 30 at 3pm & 5:30pm

The Missoula Children’s Theatre presents JACK AND THE BEANSTALK, an original adaptation of the classic children’s story. What happens when a young boy plants Wonder Beans in his own backyard? For Jack, it is the beginning of a great adventure. With a little help from P.T. Wonder and a Giant, Jack learns a valuable lesson about true happiness. This musical production also features a host of other characters, including the Elegant Harp, Jill, Mother, Milky White, the Farmers, the Merchants, the Circus Performers and the Wonder Beans.

There are three age groups for the Spring Break Camp with opportunities for students from Kindergarten to age 18!

Cost: $175, multi-student discount available; scholarships available

Group 1: Kinder – age 7 have the opportunity to be part of the production on stage! They will audition on Monday and begin rehearsals that day! (16 spots available)

Group 2: Ages 8 – 8th grade have the opportunity to be part of the production on stage! They will audition on Monday and begin rehearsals that day! (44 spots available)

Group 3: Ages 12-18 have the opportunity to be an assitant director for the show! Have the experience of helping backstage and to learn from MCT’s director team! (4 spots available)

 LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ROSS RAGLAND SPRING CAMPS HERE!

KLAMATH FALLS, OR, Thursday, February 8, 2024 – Join the Ross Ragland Theater for an unforgettable night of celebration and giving back! The Red Tie Masquerade Ball & Scholarship Fundraiser will occur on Saturday, February 24, 2024.

The Red Tie Masquerade Ball & Scholarship Fundraiser is a premier fundraising gala
and social event that raises awareness of the need and benefits of keeping access to the arts
and arts education for K-12 students across the Klamath Basin and Southeastern Oregon.

The doors will open at 5:30, with performances and events scheduled throughout the evening.

This must-attend event is full of elegance, delicious food, and live entertainment, all
dedicated to supporting the Ragland in funding our seven revered education programs that
help create arts education opportunities for students across the Klamath Basin. Our
education programs offer over 20,000 individual opportunities for arts education to all
students in the Basin, K-12, each year.

Your support will make a difference in the lives of many students who dream of a
brighter future. You don’t want to miss this fantastic opportunity to have fun and make a
lasting impact.

Our Masquerade Ball promises an unforgettable night filled with surprises,
enchantment, and a Silent Auction you don’t want to miss! So, mark your calendars and
prepare for a mystical experience like no other. We can’t wait to see you there!

Red Tie Masquerade Ball & Scholarship Fundraiser: February 24, 2024 starting at 5:30
pm.

TICKETS: $75 for singles, $120 for couples
Call 884-LIVE today to reserve your ticket now!
Visit the theater’s website at www.ragland.org to purchase tickets online and learn more
about the theater. The box office is open 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday or two
hours before show time the day of any show.
If you would like more information, please email: development@ragland.org

Klamath County libraries closed today for Washington’s Birthday, Monday, February 19th in observance of Presidents’ Day. No materials will be due on a day that the libraries are closed.

For more information, call us at 541-882-8894.

Each week, BasinLife.com and KFLS News 1450AM & 102.5FM feature a pet of the Week ready for adoption from the Klamath Animal Shelter.

This week’s pet of the week this week is a dog named ” Melon ” Melon is an 8 month old male Labrador Border Collie mix, he is black with white markings, he weighs around 50 pounds 

Melon’s family had to move and the new landlord wouldn’t allow him. His family said that he is started on house training, lived with children 6 months and older, he knows sit, lays down, loves belly rubs, playing with toys and playing with dogs at the dog park

If you are interested in adopting Melon the shelter is located at 4240 Washburn Way, Monday through Friday from 12:00 – 4:00, walk throughs are available, pet meet and greets are by appointment, you can reach the shelter at 541-884-PETS (541-884-7387)

View all adoptable pets anytime online at www.klamathanimalshelter.org

Just for reading our news, click to enter to win Free Movie Tickets from BasinLife.com and Wynne Broadcasting. 
  Click here!

Around the state of Oregon

Doctor Sejal Hathi, MD, MBA, confirmed one week ago as the new Director of Oregon Health Authority (OHA), will spend the next several months visiting all major regions in Oregon – meeting with and talking to community leaders, health care providers, Tribal leaders, local public health officials, and non-profit partners about their biggest needs from the state and the state health agency.

“I’m here with questions and I’m here to learn,” said Dr. Hathi at a sit-down meeting with medical, oral and behavioral health providers Thursday at one of La Clinica’s 30 sites in Southern Oregon. La Clinica offers integrated healthcare services to about 30,000 people across Jackson County.

Friday, Doctor Hathi was in Klamath Falls meeting with two coordinated care organizations and the Klamath Tribes.

Doctor Hathi heads to Astoria and Seaside in two weeks to hear from residents in the coastal communities of the state. A full schedule of all of Dr. Hathi’s upcoming regional listening visits will be posted on her web page.

Doctor Hathi discussed her three most urgent priorities as OHA Director: eliminating health inequity, transforming Oregon’s behavioral health system, and expanding access to affordable health care.  But she emphasized that local input will inform and shape OHA’s priorities, strategies and focus.

A recently fired administrative services manager for the Prineville Police Department filed a $1.5 million lawsuit Friday against against the city and former police chief Larry Seymour, who recently resigned after a months-long investigation, alleging she was forced out for reporting illegal discrimination against and harassment of an officer.

State-owned land on the southeast edge of Bend, known as the Stevens Road Tract, is now ready to be sold, and eventually developed, after years of planning.

The land, located just beyond Reed Market Road and 27th Street, is expected to host thousands of housing units, new space for businesses, parks and trails on the land within several years.

Before development can occur, the Bend City Council must finalize modifications to the city’s code, transportation system plan and comprehensive plan, which accounts for future population growth. That is expected to happen at its Feb. 21 meeting. Then, the property can be listed for sale with approval from the State Land board, which consists of Gov. Tina Kotek, state Treasurer Tobias Read and Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade.

Once the state lists the land for sale, a buyer will have to return to the city for approval of a major master plan and then create infrastructure, including a 1.5 million gallon water tank.

The Stevens Road Tract is owned by the Department of State Lands and has been since 1997, when it was passed on from the Bureau of Land Management.

The tract’s current real market value is around $182,000, according to Deschutes County’s property information database.

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek is using Legos to explain the state’s housing crisis. She posted a video on Instagram where she uses Lego built houses and Lego people to show how the lack of housing leads to bidding wars and higher prices that make buying a house impossible for many people. But what will she actually do for the housing price crisis in Oregon remains to be seen.

She says 440-thousand homes are needed over the next 20 years to keep up with demand. The Governor supports a bill in the Legislature that would allow cities to expand urban growth boundaries to increase housing construction. The bill is opposed by groups that are fighting urban sprawl.

Oregon is inching closer to a future without arbitrary time changes after Senate Bill 1548 was passed unanimously by the Senate Committee On Veterans, Emergency Management, Federal and World Affairs Thursday.

The Oregon bill would end daylight saving time in the part of the state in the Pacific Time Zone for good.

SB 1548 is Oregon’s latest attempt to stop bi-annual time changes in the state. The Oregon Legislature passed permanent daylight saving time in 2019, but that effort requires an act of Congress and has effectively stalled.

Advocacy groups pushed back on the idea of a permanent daylight saving time, pointing out that in the past switches to that time were unpopular and increased a variety of problems, including deaths of children who were hit by vehicles walking to school in the dark.

A change to permanent standard time requires no congressional involvement.

Drive-thru chain Dutch Bros said Wednesday it will spend as much as $41 million on relocation costs, severance benefits and capital expenses when it relocates 40% of its corporate jobs from its Grants Pass headquarters to the company’s office in Arizona.

Dutch Bros announced the move last month, saying it wanted more corporate employees to be working closer to a major airport and closer to the company’s rapidly growing markets in the South and Southwest. The company hasn’t said publicly how many jobs are going to Arizona, but some who decline to make the move will lose their jobs.

In a regulatory filing Wednesday, Dutch Bros said it will spend between $19 million and $26 million on those costs.

The company said it will spend another $5 million in consulting fees and other costs, and between $6 million and $10 million to expand the Phoenix office.

New Dutch Bros CEO Christine Barone lives in Arizona but the company’s headquarters will remain in Grants Pass, where co-founder and chairman Travis Boersma lives.

A homeowner in Springfield recently learned possession of a crocodilian (yes, alligators are in the crocodilian family) is prohibited in Oregon except for particular circumstances such as a wildlife rehabilitation center or educational/research facilities.

The seized alligator had been a family pet for approximately 13 years. The alligator was transported to a permitted facility by an Oregon Department of Agriculture veterinarian where it will live out its remaining years.

This was only the fourth alligator Fish & Wildlife troopers could recall coming across in the last six years.

The right to buy a gun in Oregon remains stalled.  Oregon’s attorney general, Ellen Rosenblum, has filed a motion requesting gun regulation law Measure 114, stay in effect while it goes through a lengthy court process. 

According to a news release from Rosenblum’s office, this would be temporary. 

“This January, the same court issued its final decision saying that Measure 114 violates the Oregon Constitution. The state promptly appealed to the Oregon Court of Appeals,” the release said. “That appeal is pending, but the appeals court processes could reasonably take up to a few more years.”

Voters narrowly approved Measure 114 in Nov. 2022. However, it has been in court since then and has not had a chance to take effect. 

Opponents of the measure claim that it violates the Second Amendment and restricts the right of Oregonians to bear arms and defend themselves. They also claim that it would not stop shootings or fatalities. 

Another increase from Pacific Power. The company filed a general rate case and a Transition Adjustment Mechanism update with the Oregon Public Utility Commission.

The combined rate actions would result in a 16.9% rate adjustment, or roughly $304 million, and would support continued investments in wildfire risk management strategies, transmission infrastructure and renewable generation projects. 

The average residential customer with typical energy usage would see an increase of about $29.47 per month.  

Key factors driving the rate request include: 

• Transmission infrastructure investments, which enable the integration of new renewable resources to serve growing customer needs.  
• Continued investments in low-cost renewable energy resources. 
• Cost of capital to finance utility operations and reflect current market conditions and risk. 
• Wildfire risk management, including rapidly growing wildfire insurance premiums, wildfire mitigation and vegetation management and the creation of a catastrophic fire fund, which would create a mechanism to manage the risks associated with increased wildfire activity.  

Pacific Power remains committed to actively managing its system in the face of rising costs to limit price exposure and reduce cost volatility for our customers. This includes actively working with a diverse set of stakeholders across the region to develop and implement tools to address the growing risk of wildfires.  

In 2014, Pacific Power helped pioneer the Western Energy Imbalance Market in partnership with the California Independent System Operator, which provides access to the lowest-cost energy available. Through the participation of PacifiCorp, Pacific Power’s parent company, in the market, the company has saved customers throughout its six-state service area over $745 million through the end 2023. PacifiCorp has also announced that it will join the new Extended Day-Ahead Market, which will result in tremendous savings to customers through optimal power purchases a day ahead of time, when critical resource decisions are made.    

The dead whale found on the Oregon coast near Astoria on Monday will remain on the shore to decompose into the ocean.

Researchers released the gas built up from decomposition in the fin whale on Tuesday, removing the risk that it will explode and injure beachgoers, according to Seaside Aquarium staff. The whale was left to decompose because of its benefit to the environment.

Boothe said it’s a good opportunity for people to see a large whale up close, but warned that they can carry diseases that can be transferred to humans, dogs and other animals. Anyone looking at the fin whale should avoid touching it.

Anyone who spots a stranded whale should report it to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and stay away from the carcass. Touching the animal or anything attached to it will make it more difficult for researchers to find out what happened.

Daylight saving time begins this year at 2 a.m. on March 10, 2024.

Most devices these days will adjust automatically to the time change, but don’t forget to set any traditional clocks forward by one hour.

Twice a year — when we spring forward and then again when we fall back — we get questions about this: Didn’t Oregon decide not to participate in the time change any longer? So why are we still doing it?

In 2019, Oregon and Washington agreed to partner to abolish seasonal time changes, remaining on daylight saving time year-round. California also joined the agreement, seemingly paving the way for the West Coast states to get rid of standard time permanently.

However, any such change is dependent on approval by the federal government, which hasn’t happened.

In 2023, members of Congress reintroduced the long-stalled Sunshine Protection Act, which would allow states to remain on daylight saving time all year.

That bill has yet to make it out of committee.

Changes are coming to the way Oregonians apply for unemployment benefits.

Starting on March 4, those seeking unemployment insurance will submit claims on a new website called Frances Online. It’s part of the state’s $106 million, multi-year effort to upgrade the Oregon Employment Department’s technology to make it more secure and user-friendly.

The state has been gradually migrating to the new system, and the unemployment insurance claims portal is the last major step in the transition, according to Unemployment Insurance Director Lindsi Leahy.

The old system dates back to the 1990s. Multiple state audits have found that it was unable to handle complicated claims and had trouble incorporating rule changes. Officials acknowledged it lacked streamlined ways for people to communicate with the state about their claims.

Before the new system goes live for users, both the old and new online portals will be down for a few days in preparation for the launch on March 4. Starting at 5 p.m. on Feb. 28, users will not be able to access the sites, including for Paid Leave Oregon. Also, customer service phone lines and online support will be closed starting on Feb. 28 and won’t reopen until Frances goes live.

Officials say to avoid an interruption in benefits, claims must be submitted in the old system by 5 p.m. on Feb. 28. Unemployment insurance claimants will then need to create a new account in Frances after 8 a.m. on March 4, officials say.

Orchestra fans get excited. We are about a week out from learning just what the Britt Orchestra has in store for this summer.

The Britt Festival Orchestra will be holding a season reveal party on the 22nd. We already know this season we will see a couple of guest conductors following longtime conductor Teddy Abrams leaving.

But as for what pieces the orchestra will play and what shows are in the works, we are still in the dark.

The reveal party will be at Bigham Knoll in Jacksonville. If you’d like to attend and help fundraise, tickets run at $50. You can find out more at http://brittfest.org.

As for the summer concert series, Britt says we’ll know that full schedule come April.

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