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Monday, July 15, 2024
Klamath Basin Weather
Today
Areas of smoke. Sunny, with a high near 94. Calm wind becoming northwest 5 to 8 mph in the afternoon. Overnight, smoky skies, low of 63 degrees. Light northwest winds to 7 mph.
Today’s Headlines
A local firefighter has died in the line of duty.
The Fremont-Winema National Forest Service confirmed Thursday that wildland firefighter Daniel Foley died on Tuesday after completing a routine preparedness activity. He was just 27 years old.
Public Affairs Officer Benjamin Wilson said additional information will be made public later in the day Thursday.
“Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with the family, friends and wildland fire community,” Wilson said.
Foley began working for the U.S. Forest Service earlier this year in March, moving from New York to Bly, Ore. to fight wildfires.
Foley’s father said his son “lived his dream of becoming a firefighter” in a statement posted on Facebook Wednesday morning.
Prior to serving in Oregon, Foley was said to have worked as a nurse for the VA in Buffalo, New York.
In a show of solidarity, Klamath County Fire District No. 3 as well as many wildland firefighters and loved ones are displaying photos on social media of the U.S. Forest Service logo with a black bar across the center.
Executive staff leaders with Klamath Health Partnership (KHP) are calling for the replacement of the KHP board of directors, citing the potential cessation of federal funding due to board non-compliance.
Areas in need of correcting: financial reporting and board composition.
KHP currently operates five medical care facilities throughout Klamath County. Known better as Klamath Open Door, these facilities provide care to vulnerable populations where health and wellness provisions are limited.
Should KHP fail to reach compliance within the next 90 days, Director Amanda Blodgett said the organization stands to lose all annual federal funding by February 2025.
On July 2, Blodgett and fellow executive staff submitted a letter to the board expressing their “grave concern and desperation.”
Blodgett said in October of last year, newly appointed executive staff, including herself, discovered that KHP was “severely delinquent in federal reporting,” having neglected to follow the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, or “GAAP,” standards for financial tracking and reporting.
In staff’s letter to the board, Blodgett wrote, “Instead of rallying in support of reattaining compliance … the board has instead … ignored major issues that affect the financial viability and professional reputation of our organization,” Blodgett wrote.
Upon learning of the subpar federal financial reporting last October, Blodgett said multiple board members resigned, leaving the board three members short of the mandatory minimum of nine directors.
Standards for compliance are set by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), a federal administration which provides funding and other resources to underserved and vulnerable populations.
According to the HRSA compliance manual, the current KHP board of directors is also non-compliant in its composition.
To date, Blodgett said, the board has put forth little to no effort to achieve federal compliance, despite executive staff providing the board the necessary resources, including multiple trainings and a list of 10 prospective board members who meet the standards defined by the HRSA.
Blodgett said she as well as other newly appointed executive staff inherited a number other issues of non-compliance beyond the board level, all of which, she said, they are dedicated to correcting.
The board, Blodgett said, has lost the confidence of KHP staff, leading to their urgent request that current directors appoint replacements for themselves as well as fill the remaining vacancies with new appointments.
Should the board refuse, Blodgett said she and fellow staff leadership will be unable to continue to serve under the governance of this board.
The Klamath Community College testing center was recently approved to administer the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airman Knowledge Testing exams.
The exams assess knowledge for pilots (private, commercial and remote), maintenance personnel, dispatchers, hot air balloon pilots, parachute riggers, glider pilots, instructors (flight and ground), and small, unmanned aircraft such as small drones.
These exams will provide local access to aviation students and aid in their academic and professional success. To schedule an exam or for more information call 541-880-2334.
KCC offers fixed-wing and helicopter flight training as part of its curriculum, but until recently it did not offer the written FAA-approved tests.
The AAS Aviation Airplane and Helicopter programs train students to work as professional pilots in the air transportation industry. Career paths with this degree include: Commercial pilot, pilot for a private corporation, charter pilot and flight instructor to new student pilots.
The Redbird FMX Advanced Aviation Training Device creates hands-on training and knowledge in preparation for the real-world experience of flying. In the simulator, students receive instruction from a certified flight instructor.
The aviation program is designed to produce graduates who are prepared to enter the industry as pilots. This field offers high-wage careers that are global in scope. The AAS Aviation Airplane or Helicopter degree provides students with the mandatory flight hours along with industry-specified instruction.
Thomas and Rachel Bentley are the new owners of Bentley’s Physical Therapy located in Merrill.
Thomas is a licensed physical therapist for more than 20 years. He has wanted to open his own physical therapy practice for the last 11 years, but the timing never seemed to be right, he said.
Both Thomas and Rachel have strong community ties in Klamath County.
Thomas was raised in Chiloquin and Rachel in Merrill, where they currently reside. Merrill has had limited services available; physical therapy being one of them, they said. Patients have to travel 19 miles to Klamath Falls, often twice a week for therapy. This was the perfect opportunity to provide a much-needed service in a community they live in and love, they said.
They reached out to the Klamath Community College Small Business Development Center for help. An advisor set them set a path toward their goal. That included applying for and obtaining a Klamath County Economic Development Grant. This additional funding for start-up costs helped tremendously, the Bentleys said.
They found a vacant building and worked with the owners to get it ready. Everything fell into place and on June 18, Thomas began seeing patients.
They anticipated seeing three patients per day on average, but were quickly overwhelmed, they said. The first three days they saw nearly 30 local patients. They also praised the support of the Merrill community.
Bentley Physical Therapy, 415 N. Main St., is open 5 days a week offering services to all of Klamath County. Call 541-880-3586 or visit bentleyphysicaltherapy.com
Klamath County Developmental Disabilities Services (KCDDS) is pitching in to support local arts with a $15,000 donation to the Ross Ragland Theater.
A news release from the Ross Ragland Theater announced the summable gift last month as a contribution during the Dancing with your Klamath Stars campaign.
“The donation from KCDDS played a pivotal role in making this year’s (event) fundraising a record-breaking success,” the release said.
In total, the campaign broke the theater campaign record with $40,646 in donations overall.
The release said $10,000 of the KCDDS donations is to be allocated for purchasing new assistive listening systems for the theater.
“This investment will significantly enhance the theater experience for patrons with hearing impairments, ensuring that everyone can fully immerse themselves in the magic of live performances,” the release said.
Ross Ragland Theater Executive Director Curtis Peoples thanked KCDDS for their sizable contribution to the local theater.
“Their support not only helps us in creating a more inclusive and accessible space but also reinforces the transformative power of the arts in our community,” Peoples said in the release.
Anticipated by the young and young at heart, Moore Park’s new playground attraction is now open.
Measuring 18,000 square feet, the park’s new playground is ADA accessible and features elements that reflect Klamath County’s history and culture, such as a Klamath tule hut and Crater Lake-themed surfacing.
During the playground’s grand opening, Healthy Klamath and Sky Lakes Foundation Director Merritt Driscoll said, “Thank you to all. Thanks to our donors, volunteers and the entire community for supporting and making this project a reality.”
Started by speaking with local elementary school students on what their ideal park would look like, since 2019, Healthy Klamath, Sky Lakes Medical Center, the city of Klamath Falls and other community partners have been working together to bring the playground to life. The project was financially supported entirely by donations from 24 local businesses, 67 individuals and five grants, and was built with assistance from 250 community volunteers.
A few of the playground’s highlights are the separate sections divided by recommended age groups. A zip-line, a trampoline, a four-person teeter totter and a Liberty Swing — the world’s safest and most recognized swing for children and adults in wheelchairs.
Moore Park’s new playground is open every day during normal park operating hours.
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Around the State of Oregon
As the Salt Creek Fire is active and still growing in central Jackson County, so is the effort to fight it.
The Salt Creek Fire has about a thousand firefighters working on it, listed as burning more than 3,300 acres north of Highway 140 about ten miles east of Eagle Point. They are under the command of an incident management team that took control of the firefighting response since the fire started Sunday.
Today, Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) Incident Management Team 1 is setting up a firefighters camp a few miles from the wildfire, burning about ten miles east of Eagle Point, preparing for a long fire fight.
As these thousand firefighters get ready for a long fight, they’re dealing already with long work days, working on steep terrain few people would attempt even in good conditions.
ODF Incident Management Team 1 Operations Section Chief Kyle Gibbons says the firefighters are wearing heavy, protective clothing and carrying more than 40 pounds of gear on that terrain — just to get into position to start their work.
Gibbons says the Salt Creek Fire’s conditions are more like later, hotter summer. He says firefighters can tell when days are extra hot, even when surrounded by heat from wildfire.
Gibbons says the incident management team works to get tools such as air support to help the firefighters at ground level. The team is ordering more support to fight the Salt Creek Fire.
Gibbons says the fire is burning with characteristics more like a late summer fire, when conditions are scorched and extremely dry. Though the area had a wet fall, winter and spring, Jackson County is in the midst of a ten-day span of very low humidity with hot temperatures above 100 degrees, with several days setting new record high temperatures — some hotter than 110 degrees.
A homeless man is behind bars and facing arson charges related to a fire last week in Shasta County.
According to the Shasta Lake Fire Protection District, a vegetation fire was reported around 1 p.m. Friday near 4215 Shasta Dam Blvd.
Upon arrival, firefighters located the fire which was spreading to nearby brush piles.
A short time later, a homeless man was found within the fire area. When questioned, he said he had started the fire to warm food. He also told officials that once the fire was started, he left allowing the fire to spread.
There were two witnesses at nearby businesses who confirmed that the suspected man started the fire. Surveillance cameras also captured his activities in the area.
The man is currently in the Shasta County Jail on arson as well as health and safety charges.
The death toll from the recent heat wave affecting Oregon continues to rise.
Officials now say at least a dozen people may have died from the heat since July 5th in Oregon. Six deaths are under investigation in Multnomah County, while others have been reported in Washington, Jackson and Coos counties.
All of the deaths are under investigation to determine the cause. It can take several weeks for tests to determine whether it was heated related.
Fire restrictions remain in effect for the Klamath National Forest and Fremont National Forest areas.
These fire restrictions are designed to help minimize the chances of human-caused wildland fires in our forests. Human-caused fires, which range from escaped campfires, careless smokers, equipment use, vehicle exhaust, catalytic converters, parking on dry grass, or children playing with matches, are preventable. Due to recent exceptional heat and rapid drying of fuels, these restrictions also apply to wilderness areas.
Some of the fire restrictions in effect include:
- Campfires, stove fires, and barbecue grills using charcoal briquettes are only allowed in open developed recreation sites, such as campgrounds (no permit required).
- Smoking is limited to inside enclosed vehicles or buildings, within developed recreation sites, or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable material.
- Operating an internal combustion engine, except on National Forest System roads or trails, or within developed recreation sites is prohibited.
- Welding, or operating an acetylene torch or other torch with an open flame is prohibited.
Outside of developed recreation sites, Forest visitors with a valid California Campfire Permit will still be able to use pressurized liquid or gas stoves, grills, or lanterns with shut-off valves, in an area that is cleared at least five feet of any flammable materials. Permits may be obtained at any forest office or online at www.preventwildfireca.org/campfires/.
For a complete list of fire restrictions and a list of developed recreation sites for the Klamath National Forest visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd1187464.pdf.
If visitors choose to have a campfire within a listed developed recreation site, follow these safety tips to prevent starting a wildfire:
- Clear all flammable materials from the ground for five feet in all directions from the edge of the fire and make sure it is located away from overhanging limbs. Only use developed fire rings.
- Have a shovel and water nearby.
- Keep your campfire small and only use dead and downed wood…don’t cut live trees for firewood.
- Make sure a responsible adult is always in attendance of your campfire. NEVER leave a campfire unattended!
- Always make sure your campfire is DEAD OUT before leaving it! Drown it with plenty of water, stir well with a shovel, feel to see if it is hot, REPEAT. If it is too hot to touch, then it is too hot to leave.Fire Managers Increase Fire Danger Level and IFPL
Lakeview, OR
For more information on restrictions please visit: https://www.scofmp.org/
Oregon Department of Forestry – 541-883-5681 (ODF-Klamath) or 541-947-3311 (ODF-Lake)
Fremont-Winema National Forest – 541-947-2151
BLM Lakeview District – 541-947-2177 (Lakeview) or 541-883-6916 (Klamath)
Sheldon-Hart Mountain National Wildlife Refuge Complex – 541-947-2731.
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