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May 16, 2024

Klamath Basin News, Monday, 4/29 – Suspected Homicide In Keno Yesterday; Tyler’s Lottery Lounge Robbed at Gunpoint; Voters’ Pamphlets for Oregon’s May Primary Arriving in Mailboxes

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. Call 541-882-6476.

Monday, April 29, 2024

Klamath Basin Weather

Today
Mostly sunny, with a high near 52. West wind 8 to 15 mph, with higher gusts at times.  Overnight, mostly clear, with a low around 27. Gusty overnight winds to 15 mph.
Tuesday
Sunny, with a high near 52. Light and variable winds 10 to 15 mph. Overnight low of 26.
Tuesday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 26. Northwest wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph.
Wednesday
Sunny, with a high near 59. North wind 5 to 11 mph.
Thursday
Sunny, with a high near 64.
Friday
Sunny, with a high near 68.

Today’s Headlines

It was a very busy Sunday for first responders here in Klamath County. The calls we’re all within about an hour of each other midday Sunday.

This is from Klamath County District Attorney David Schutt:

“On April 28th, 2024, at 9:59a.m., a call came in to Klamath County Emergency Dispatch reporting a subject had been shot on Keno-Worden Road.  Information provided that there were several subjects currently on the property or in the area.  Oregon State Police Troopers and Klamath County Sheriff’s Deputies arrived at the scene within 15 minutes.  Several individuals were detained and another was eventually taken into custody a short distance from the scene of the shooting.  The Klamath County Major Crime Team was activated and this incident remains under investigation as a suspected homicide.  Mr. Ole Hans Rendahl, (D.O.B. 09-12-84) was found deceased at the location.  It appears at this time all involved persons have been identified and detained.  Law enforcement does not believe any threat to the public exists at this time.”

Around the same time frame, Tyler’s Lottery Lounge on Oregon Avenue was held up in gunpoint by two men.

It’s not immediately known if they escaped on foot or in a vehicle but  they were reported last seen on or near Donald street. No one was injured and it is not immediately known how much money was taken from the business. The manhunt for those two continues as well. 

It is not believed that the two incidents are related in any way.

Finally, there was a brush fire reported on highway 97 near milepost 247 near Chiloquin during the same time frame.

Fire crews quickly got to the scene and extinguished the blaze. No reports of damage or injuries in that incident.

 

With the goal to see all Oregonians live in thriving communities that are equitable, healthy and safe, The League of Oregon Cities opened its annual Local Government Spring Conference at the Running Y Ranch Thursday.

Created in 1925 through an intergovernmental agreement of incorporated cities, the League of Oregon Cities (LOC) functions as an extended department of all 241 cities in Oregon. The league acts as a trusted partner for local, state, federal and community leaders in developing policy and legislation to empower Oregon’s cities through collaboration, advocacy, training and sharing of best practices.

Open to all municipal leaders including city mayors, councilors and managers, the conference saw over 170 registrants from all across Oregon including townships such as North Bend, La Grande, Gresham, Ashland, Independence, Hillsboro, Maupin, Pendleton, Fossil and Dayton.

Over the two-day conference, the public officials will be taking part in workshops such as planning for and recovering from an emergency, rural resources and leveraging the power of regional resources to meet Oregon’s housing needs. They will also be hearing from keynote speakers Sheriff Nick Hunter of Marion County, State Representatives Ken Helm and Mark Owens and Portland attorney Anit Jinda, whoseclients include public utilities, state and local governments, and privately held businesses.

Klamath Falls City Councilors Abbie McClung and Kelsey Mueller-Wendt said they’d like to collect good ideas from other cities that may help Klamath Falls grow and learn how other city councilors generate positive change.

The LOC provides training to both elected city officials and city staff on a variety of core and specialized topics throughout the year in several locations and online. The LOC’s premier event is the annual conference which is held in the fall — this year in Bend — and is the largest gathering of municipal officials in Oregon. To learn more about the League of Oregon Cities visit their website www.orcities.co

 

As part of the American Society of Civil Engineers and American Institute of Steel Construction, students from Oregon Tech’s civil engineering program participated in the Pacific Northwest Student Steel Bridge Competition held April 6 in Vancouver, British Columbia.

The competition challenged students to design, fabricate, and construct a structurally efficient 20-foot-long steel bridge to safely support 2,500 pounds. The teams were required to determine how to fabricate their bridge and plan for an efficient assembly under timed construction conditions at the competition. Bridges are also load-tested, weighed, and judged on aesthetics.

The competition gave students applied experience, an opportunity to combine skills and creativity, and training in teamwork, communication, and project management.

Oregon Tech placed ninth out of 12 teams. Although the team’s bridge experienced a weld failure before it was fully loaded, it ranked slightly higher in lightness and economy.

Civil Engineering Professor and team advisor C.J. Riley, Ph.D., said the team had a great build time compared to practice builds. Additionally, Riley used the travel time to continue teaching.

Steel Bridge team members are: Daniel Duyvestein; Bryson Ladd; DJ Lopez (American Society of Civil Engineers-Associated General Contractors ASCE-AGE chapter president); Serena Moha (captain); Alejandro Quinonez (co-captain) and Aiden Shields.

 

The Assistance League of Klamath Basin was awarded a $10,000 grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank and First Interstate Bank to support Operation School Bell, its primary philanthropic program.

A 28-year-old program that touches the lives of over 1,700 hundred children each year, the grant will aid the Assistance League in providing newly purchased, appropriate school clothing, school supplies and hygiene products.

Through Operation School Bell, the local public schools identify children in need and obtain parental permission for the student to receive the clothing, which is dispersed through four in-store shopping nights held at the start of each school year at Fred Meyer, or through vouchers. High school seniors can also receive help with graduation gowns and caps.

The Assistance League of Klamath Basin is an all-volunteer organization dedicated to clothing, comforting and educating the children and youth of the Klamath community. For more information, to volunteer or make a donation go to the organization’s website, www.klamathbasinassistanceleague.org. Adults who think their children are eligible should contact their local school about Operation School Bell.

 

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Klamath Falls Field Office, seeks public input on the Gerber Forest Health Treatments Environmental Assessment.

Acting Klamath Falls manager Mike Limb says “Prolonged drought and changing weather patterns are starting to take a toll on our overstocked dry site pine stands, and we need to take action to increase the resilience of the forest and help to prevent a catastrophic loss of these stands,” 

This EA covers approximately 27,000 acres of treatment on Public Domain Lands in Southeastern Klamath County, Oregon. The objective of the project is to increase the resilience of forested ponderosa pine stands and woodlands to the impacts of insect, disease, and uncharacteristic stand replacing wildfire. Treatments include commercial timber harvest through uneven aged management regimes, non-commercial thinning, juniper removal, and prescribed burning including both under burning and pile burning.

The BLM asks for public comments through May 30, 2024. Comments must be provided in writing to the Klamath Falls Field Manager.

 

Lake County leads Oregon in the most affordable places to buy a home, with Klamath County also ranking in the top five, according to a SmartAsset analysis.

SmartAsset, a financial technology company specializing in home-buying calculators and tools to help people make decisions about personal finance, began the study by including all cities with a population of 5,000 or greater. The company analyzed closing costs, real estate taxes, homeowners insurance and mortgage rates throughout the United States.

Across a five-year period, the total average cost of owning a home was measured and used as a proportion of median household income in each location to determine affordability, with extra weight on mortgage payments. The most affordable places were decided by those in which total housing costs were smallest compared to the average income in each area.

Indexed on a scale from 0 to 100, Lake County, determined to be the most affordable in Oregon, scored an affordability index equaling 34.83, with an average closing cost of $1,564 and an average annual mortgage payment of $12,079. According to SmartAsset, the median family income in Lakeview was calculated to be $54,931.

Klamath County scored 22.92 with an average closing cost of $2,641, an annual mortgage payment of $20,393 and a determined median family income of $62,328.

 

Klamath Union High School has found its new principal. The Klamath Falls City Schools Board of Education approved the hiring of Rod Heyen during a special meeting last week at the KFCS Central Office.

Heyen is currently the principal at Oregon’s Warrenton High School and his first day at Klamath Union will be July 1, the first day of the 2024-2025 school year.

Heyen will take over after current KU principal, Tony Swan, retires at the end of the current school year. Swan has been Klamath Union’s principal since February 2018.

Heyen has been principal at Warrenton since August 2004.

There, he created five Career and Technical Education programs of study to connect students with career pathways in welding, automotive, natural resources, graphic design and manufacturing technology.

Heyen was part of the building of a $1.2 million Career Technology and Innovation Center, overseeing the budget, design and construction to ensure maximum functionality of the space for programs, faculty and student experience.

Additionally, Heyen navigated the formation of a campus softball field through collaborating with community stakeholders and harnessing local resources to comply with a Title IX mandate. Heyen implemented the Coastal Commitment through partnership with Clatsop Community College oversight to provide the opportunity for students to select from 44 college credits while on the high school campus.

Heyen served twice as kindergarten through eighth grade interim principal at Warrenton Grade School to ensure district-wide stability and continuity during periods of economic, staffing and COVID-19 pandemic challenges. As interim principal, he created a daily Launch Pad program, leveraging educational technology to ensure all kindergarten through fifth-grade students access to math, reading, writing and coding technologies available for differentiated learning.

While principal at Warrenton High, Heyen, a certified calculus instructor through the CCC Coastal Commitment program, did double duty and taught calculus one period daily for 18 years, allowing WHS students additional college credit opportunities on campus.

 

The Ross Ragland Theater once again hosts the highly anticipated “Dancing With Your Klamath Stars,” at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 10.

Voting is already open digitally through the event’s fundraising page. Vote for your favorite contestant, or just donate to help the cause, by visiting givebutter.com/dwyks2024.

Modeled after the beloved television series, the event pairs prominent community figures with professional dancers from the Utah Ballroom Dance Company. Together, they’ll grace the stage in a friendly competition to raise funds for deserving causes in Klamath County.

This year’s lineup features six dynamic duos, each representing a different charity close to their hearts:

  • Lyle Ahrens, former reporter at KOBI-TV NBC5/KOTI-TV NBC2, dancing on behalf of United Way of Klamath County;
  • Nic Phair, branch principal at Highstreet Insurance & Financial Services, dancing on behalf of the David R. Kingsley Foundation;
  • Heidi Gaither, director at Klamath County Developmental Disability Services, dancing on behalf of SMART Reading of Klamath County;
  • Cora Christ, agency owner at Country Financial, dancing on behalf of the Assistance League;
  • Tessa Gutierrez, HEP director at Klamath Community College, dancing on behalf of the KCC Foundation;
  • Chris Benjamin, director of choirs at Henley High School, dancing on behalf of Youth Rising.

The real stars of the night are the audience members, who play a crucial role in determining the winner.

Through a voting system, attendees can support their favorite contestant by making a minimum $1 donation per vote. Whether through phone, in-person, or text-to-vote, every contribution counts toward the overall audience score.

Leading up to the main event, contestants will undergo rigorous rehearsals with the Utah Ballroom Dance Company to perfect their routines.

While votes are tallied, the audience will be treated to an exclusive performance by the talented dance troupe. The winner will walk away with a trophy and $500 towards the charity of their choosing.

The Ross Ragland Theater donates part of the proceeds to the charities from around the Klamath Basin that help this event be a success.

Friends of the Children – Klamath Basin invites the community to its annual fundraising dinner auction, Friend Raiser, presented by Lithia Ford of Klamath Falls, Thursday, May 30th. Doors open at Mike’s fieldhouse at Steen Sports Park at 5 p.m.

“This year’s event theme is ‘You Belong!” because we help children feel the belonging and value they need to develop hope and skills for bright futures,” said Executive Director Amanda Squibb. “Our community health depends on our kids’ well-being, and I’m excited to see everyone come out to support professional mentoring in the Klamath Basin.”  

Friend Raiser begins with dinner and cocktail stations, a silent auction, wine and bourbon games, and raffle sales. A seated program and live auction follow at 7 p.m.  

To reserve seats, visit friendsklamath.org or https://fckb.ejoinme.org/FR2024. Silent and live auction items will be added May 23rd for preview. 

Friends – Klamath Basin was established in 2000 to impact generational change by empowering youth facing the greatest obstacles. It pairs youth with professional mentors for 12+ years, no matter what, and will serve 72 youth this year. 

Summer Camp Registration Now Open for ages 6-18!! 
CLICK HERE:  https://ragland.org/theater-camps/

 

 

Each week, BasinLife.com features a Pet of the Week ready for adoption from the Klamath Animal Shelter.

This week’s pet is a dog named ” Vador “.   Vador is an 8 month old male Pit Bull and Border Collie mix, is black and white, and weighs about 40 pounds.
Vador’s family said that he had more energy than they were prepared for. They said that Vador is house-trained and lived with children as young as 3 years old, there were no other dogs in the home but at the Shelter he has had a doggy room mate. He is an energetic, happy dog that could be a great addition to an active family.
If you are interested in adopting Vador 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 awww.klamathanimalshelter.org

 

Around the State of Oregon

A suspect is dead and two people were hurt after a Coburg shooting suspect led police on a chase on I-5 northbound on Sunday afternoon.

 

Oregon State Troopers responded to the Coburg area to help officials with the Coburg Police Department and Lane County Sheriff’s Office with a reported shooting.

Officials said the shooting critically injured one of the involved individuals and a search began for the other involved suspect. At about 6PM officials said a vehicle of interest in the Coburg shooting was reported as a driving complaint. The vehicle was located by Linn County Deputies, Lane County Deputies, and Oregon State Troopers. 

That’s when officials said a pursuit ensued northbound on Interstate 5 from Exit 209. After a successful deployment of spike strips to stop the suspect vehicle, the vehicle crashed along the shoulder of Interstate 5. At the crash scene, an officer-involved shooting occurred, involving the Linn County Deputies and OSP Troopers from the pursuit. 

OSP officials said the driver of the suspect vehicle was pronounced deceased. A passenger in the suspect vehicle was also injured during the officer-involved shooting and was transported for treatment.

No law enforcement members were injured during these incidents. The Oregon State Police Major Crimes Team is investigating the Coburg shooting.

 

OSP Superintendent Casey Codding, who leads the Oregon State Police, is one of three troopers on administrative leave after he fired his service weapon Tuesday amid that high-speed chase on Interstate 5 near Eugene last week.

Codding was among the troopers who responded after police in Oregon identified a former Washington state police and school resource officer who allegedly kidnapped his 1-year-old son and killed two women, including the child’s mother, in West Richland, Wash.

On Tuesday afternoon, Oregon State Police spotted the suspect, Elias Huizar, who fled after troopers tried to make a traffic stop. Huizar later died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Capt. Kyle Kennedy, with the Oregon State Police, told OPB that Codding was in the area as the pursuit unfolded.

It’s unusual for such a high-ranking law enforcement officer typically tasked with the administrative duties of a sprawling statewide agency to use lethal force in the line of duty.

With Codding on leave, Oregon State Police Deputy Superintendent Josh Brooks will temporarily take over.

Kennedy said it’s unclear how long Codding and the other troopers will be on administrative leave.

The entire law enforcement organization was focused Tuesday on finding Huizar after the Washington State Patrol requested that the agency issue an Amber Alert, Kennedy said.

Codding, who was driving his unmarked State Police SUV, was part of the pursuit which saw speeds reach more than 100 miles per hour.

Codding, Sgt. Orly Johnson and another trooper who is also on leave, attempted to stop Huizar near milepost 209.

During that, the suspect vehicle lost control, and the suspect began to engage those pursuing officers with gunfire,

Codding and Johnson returned fire, Kennedy said.

Huizar crashed near milepost 197 and died by suicide, police said during a news conference Tuesday. One-year-old Roman Santos was not injured.

Last week’s shooting was not the first time Codding was involved in a high-profile police killing.

On Jan. 26, 2016, Codding was one of the troopers who shot and killed LaVoy Finicum, one of the leaders of an armed occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.

 

A man wanted on warrants in Klamath County was part of a major arrest late last week in Jackson County.

Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) deputies arrested two suspects yesterday after an early-morning burglary in rural Central Point. Yesterday morning, a JCSO Community Service Deputy took a report from ECSO Dispatch just after 8 a.m. of a burglary in the 5700 block of Upton Road. Through the investigation, JCSO deputies identified several suspects and tracked them to an address in the 100 block of Laurelhurst Street, also in rural Central Point.

JCSO deputies obtained a search warrant for the property and identified a female suspect on scene. During the initial search of the property, deputies located an additional suspect hiding under a shed. The man did not respond to commands to come out and barricaded in the crawl space. After a lengthy standoff, deputies persuaded the man to give up through the use of pepper spray and a K9.

JCSO Criminal Investigations Division (CID), and Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team (IMET) detectives responded to assist in the arrest and search of the property. During the search, investigators discovered 10 firearms including a stolen pistol, and an AR-style rifle with no serial number. Deputies also found body armor, an illegally-manufactured silencer, methamphetamine, heroin, Butane Honey Oil (BHO), 35 lbs. of processed cannabis, and 58.3 grams of fentanyl. Deputies also uncovered nearly $19,000 in cash.

The first suspect was Kelli Margaret Hernandez, 44, of Medford. She was arrested for conspiracy to commit second-degree burglary, and hindering prosecution. She was booked and lodged at the Jackson County Jail.

The second suspect was Mickey Ray Galatz, 28, of Central Point. He was arrested on 15 charges related to the incident, in addition to five outstanding warrants. The new charges include second-degree burglary, first and second-degree theft, second-degree criminal mischief, second-degree trespass, interfering with a peace officer, felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of body armor, possession of a prohibited firearm, unlawful possession of methamphetamine, unlawful distribution of methamphetamine, unlawful possession of heroin, and unlawful distribution of heroin. For the fentanyl Galatz was charged with unlawful possession of a schedule II-controlled substance – substantial quantity, and unlawful distribution of a schedule II-controlled substance.

The outstanding warrants include probation violations for felon in possession of a firearm, two counts of felony unlawful possession of heroin, attempting to elude police by vehicle, and a Klamath County warrant for first-degree burglary and first-degree aggravated theft. Galatz is lodged in the Jackson County Jail.

 

A federal jury Friday awarded a specialized cardiologist $4 million in damages against Oregon Health and Science University and $50,000 in punitive damages against her former department chief, finding the medical school and her boss discriminated against her because she was an outspoken woman who complained about inadequate patient care.

Dr. Rupa Bala and her lawyers argued at trial that she was subjected to sex-based stereotyping and discrimination because she was assertive and reported substandard care.

She raised concerns over an anesthesia nurse giving an incorrect dosage of medicine, the absence of a cardiac anesthesiologist for a procedure as requested and a mistake by a nurse in the operating room. She also told a visiting technician to stop talking during a procedure and identified problems with patient preparation for device implants.

Attorney Matthew C. Ellis said nobody seriously doubted Bala’s clinical skills but they objected to her communication style and were critical of her style being “too strong” or direct, relying on “subjective stereotypes” to critique her. At one point, she was told her communication style was too “East Coast,” according to court records.

Bala now works at Citrus Cardiology Consultants, located in a retirement community in The Villages, Florida.

 

 

A new wildfire detection camera has been installed on Green Mountain in Southeastern Oregon.

The new camera is in partnership between the Lakeview District of the BLM and the Oregon Hazards Lab at the University of Oregon.

The Green Mountain camera is hosted on the ALERTWest platform and is one of a 1,000 plus camera network, 16 of which are in Oregon and sponsored by the BLM.

These new camera systems will allow us to detect wildfires quickly, and they will also allow fire managers to get information on fire behavior earlier and make more timely critical decisions on what resources they send to the fire.

According to the bureau, the Green Mountain Fire Lookout will continue to be staffed from June through October.

This summer, another wildfire detection camera is set to be installed 60 miles east of Lakeview on Acty Mountain, if conditions allow.

 

Students at the University of Oregon participated in a rally on Thursday night in which participants spoke out against sexual and domestic violence.

The 46th annual ‘Take Back the Night’ rally, a staple event since 1978, drew out scores of students at the university to show their support for survivors and raise awareness of the issue’s significance. One student speaker sees the event as a way to show survivors that they are not alone and there’s many standing in solidarity with them.

The rally began at the Erb Memorial Union amphitheater at 6 p.m. and its organizers marched throughout Eugene over a 2.5-mile route that concluded back at the U of O campus. A student-led ‘speak-out’ students also had the opportunity to share their experiences in a safe space which featured speakers from a variety of communities.

The event is an annual international protest that was established in 1976 to raise awareness about the realities of sexual and domestic on campus and within communities.

 

Oregon is one of the worst states in the nation when it comes to rising rates of auto loan delinquency.

That’s according to Wallethub data, which reveals where delinquencies are increasing the most.  The top five states where auto delinquencies have increased the most are Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Georgia and Rhode Island.

In each of these states the average number of loan delinquencies in the fourth quarter of 2023 were above eleven-percent.  To determine the states most delinquent on auto loans WalletHub analyzed data on consumer delinquency rates between Q-3 and Q4 of 2023.

 

The Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC) is asking community members to weigh in on a potential general rate increase by Pacific Power.

Recently Pacific Power filed a request to increase overall rates by 17.9% or about $322.3 million for all customers combined. If the request is approved, single-family customers using an average of 950 kilowatt hours could see an increase of over $30 per month. For multi-family customers using just 650 kilowatt hours, that’s a jump of over $18 per month.

The power company cite multiple reasons for the proposal to raise rates, including investments in transmission infrastructure, wind generation to serve customer load, upgrades to the customer service system, increased costs of capital to match updated market conditions and risks, as well as wildfire and vegetation management costs. Pacific Power is also proposing an insurance cost adjustment and funding for a catastrophic fire fund.

According to the PUC, “Pacific Power’s general rate case filing is undergoing a nearly year-long review and will be fully investigated on behalf of electricity customers by the PUC, the Oregon Citizens’ Utility Board, and others.”

Members of the community can give their input at a virtual meeting happening April 30 at 6 p.m. or comments can be submitted via phone or mail through June 14.

 

Oregon U.S. Senator Ron Wyden has voiced citizen safety concerns over the federal legislator’s passing of a new surveillance bill.

The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act re-authorizes federal surveillance for the next two years. It gives the government access to internet and cell phone data without the need of a warrant in order to help find foreign threats to the country.

Senator Wyden, who is a member of the federal Intelligence Committee, says he is concerned with how the bill will be put into effect.

Sen. Wyden says he proposed an amendment for the bill aimed at reducing the invasiveness of this type of security surveillance. That amendment was not approved before the bill was passed.

 

Healthcare deductibles and co-pays are on the rise for Oregonians.

The Oregon Health Authority reports that between 2015 and 2022 the costs of deductibles and copays increased 17 percent. That doesn’t include increases in premiums. In 2022, Oregonians with commercial health insurance paid 13 percent of their total health care costs, while people with Medicare Advantage paid nine percent. At least 28 percent of Oregonians were considered underinsured in 2021, meaning that even though they had health insurance, it was too expensive for them to use.

 

 Voters’ pamphlets for Oregon’s May primary are starting to arrive in mailboxes.

State Elections Division Director Molly Woon says her office is getting a lot of calls from people wondering why former President Donald Trump – the only Republican Presidential candidate – does not appear in the pamphlet. 

Candidate Trump did not submit a voters’ pamphlet statement for the May primary. And, just to make very clear, our office does not have any say in which statements appear in the pamphlet, according to the director.

 It doesn’t affect whose name is on the ballot, so his name will clearly be on the ballot, but he is not in the pamphlet.  She told reporters this week the Secretary of State’s Office only prints what candidates submit, exactly how the statement is submitted.

For Democrats, campaigns are underway in several states to encourage voters to choose “uncommitted” instead of President Joe Biden, to protest Biden’s Middle East policies. 

Oregon’s Primaries are “closed,” which means you must be registered with a party to vote on their candidates in May. Unaffiliated voters will still get a ballot with non-partisan races and local measures.

 

Among the vast array of strange and surprising mascots for the city of Portland, perhaps the most unlikely is an old carpet.

That carpet is the “iconic” Portland International Airport carpet, originally installed in 1988. It is a heady ‘80s design, teal with blue, purple and red lines and dots, meant to represent what air traffic controllers see on the screen. The carpet has been mostly gone for nearly a decade, but now it’s back. And when the airport’s new terminal opens later this year, visitors will finally be able to take real airport carpet selfies again.

In 2015, the ‘80s carpet was replaced with a decidedly less teal design. Though reminiscent of the original, the replacement’s background is a darker green and its design is almost universally less loved.

After the aging teal carpet was replaced, the PDX carpet became a city-wide obsession. The carpet’s trademark lines and dots appeared on all types of clothing items, and pieces of the actual carpet were sold at various stores in various forms.

The carpet was even chosen as the Grand Marshal of the Rose Festival’s Starlight Parade in 2015.

 

Thanks for reading the the news on BasinLife.com from Wynne Broadcasting.

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