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Thursday, July 18, 2024

Klamath Basin Weather

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.

 

The Klamath Rails Model Railroad Club will present their annual train show through July 27 at the Klamath County Museum.

The club’s show includes a variety of scale models, with their main layout consisting of several hundred feet of HO-scale track.

Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday during the two-week run. 

Entry to the train show is included with regular museum admission, which is $5 for adults, $4 for teenagers and seniors, and free for children 12 and under. An additional discount is offered for families enrolled in the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

“The model trains are always a hit with our visitors, including everyone from little kids to seniors,” museum director Todd Kepple said. “The hobby requires a combination of mechanical skills, imagination and an artistic flair.”

A free-admission day for families with special needs will be offered from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, July 14. For more information, contact the museum at (541) 882-1000.

Around the State of Oregon

On the Williamette River near Portland, the body of “Top Chef Masters” star Naomi Pomeroy was recovered Wednesday, four days after she drowned while tubing with her husband and a friend on the river.

The renowned chef, 49, was on the Willamette River Saturday evening when she became trapped underwater. The tragedy happened when Pomeroy, her spouse, Kyle Linden Webster, and friends were on tubes and a paddle board that were connected together, but got caught on an “exposed snag” that pulled the chef underwater.

Her body was retrieved by authorities Wednesday morning after being spotted by canoers, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office said.

 

On Thursday night, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act for a series of fires in Umatilla County near Pilot Rock. The OSFM is mobilizing its Green Incident Management Team and three structural task forces from Benton, Marion, and Polk counties. One of those task forces was sent earlier in the afternoon through Immediate Response along with a type 1 helicopter. 

Significant lightning storms moved through Umatilla County Thursday afternoon and have kept local fire agencies busy responding to wildfires. Gusty winds and dry conditions caused some of these fires to grow exponentially and threaten life and property.  

“The conditions our firefighters are up against are extraordinarily challenging and we are working to provide the needed resources to protect our communities from many wildfires burning across the state,” Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said. “I can’t stress enough the importance of preventing any new fires and being prepared in case you need to evacuate.” 

The Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office has Level 3 (Go Now) evacuation notices in place. For the latest on evacuations, please follow the Umatilla County Sheriff on Facebook. Shelters are set up at the Pendleton Convention Center, 1601 Westgate in Pendleton, and Grant Union High School, 911 S Canyon Blvd in John Day.  

For information on being prepared for wildfire visit https://wildfire.oregon.gov/prepare.  

The Emergency Conflagration Act allows the state fire marshal to mobilize state resources to protect life and property. Following ORS 476.510-476.610, Governor Kotek determined that threats to life, safety, and property exist because of the fire, and the threats exceed the capabilities of local firefighting personnel and equipment. 

 

AFTER 30 YEARS, ONE OF OREGON DOC’S MOST WANTED FUGITIVES HAS BEEN ARRESTED IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA

An Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) adult in custody who fled from a work crew in 1994 is back in custody. Steven Craig Johnson fled from a work crew at the Mill Creek Correctional Facility (MCCF) in Salem on November 29, 1994.

Johnson was arrested in Macon, Georgia by the U.S. Marshals Service, Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force (USMS SERFTF) on July 16, 2024. He was booked into the Bibb County Jail and is awaiting extradition back to Oregon.

According to the USMS Steven Craig Johnson aka “William Cox,” 70, was taken into custody by the USMS SERFTF on July 16, 2024, at approximately 2:00 p.m. at an apartment complex located at 2087 Vineville Ave. in Macon. Johnson had been a resident there and living under the alias of William Cox since 2011. Johnson was wanted on an Oregon arrest warrant for escape. 

MCCF was a minimum-security prison located five miles southeast of Salem on 2,089 acres. The facility was unfenced and housed approximately 290 adults in custody who were within four years of release. MCCF opened in 1929 as the Farm Annex of the Oregon State Penitentiary. The prison closed June 30, 2021, by order of liberal Governor Kate Brown.

DOC is responsible for the care and custody of approximately 12,000 individuals who are incarcerated in 12 institutions across the state.

 

One person drowned and two people are missing after a 26-foot boat capsized in the Columbia River Bar Saturday morning.

Five people were on board. Three people were recovered by the Coast Guard. One of those people died. A 54-year-old man and an 11-year-old boy remain missing. The investigation continues into the accident.

 

Oregon Department of Justice officials announced Wednesday that they closed their investigation into a former cryptocurrency executive’s $500,000 political donation to the state Democratic Party in 2022 without finding enough evidence to prove the misreported contribution criminally violated state campaign finance laws.

Nishad Singh, who in 2022 was an executive at FTX, sent the Democratic Party of Oregon its largest donation on record in the final weeks of the competitive 2022 election for governor. At the time, Democrats reported the money was from a Las Vegas payment processing company called Prime Trust. After The Oregonian/OregonLive inquired about the transaction, the party said the money was actually from Singh.

Emails were later released that showed Democratic officials asking Singh’s representatives how they should report his donation. For example, the party’s compliance director asked Singh who should be listed as the “donor of record” in Oregon campaign finance records. A person in Singh’s office wrote back, “Nishad prefers Prime Trust.”

Under Oregon law, it is a Class C felony to make or accept a campaign contribution under a “false name.”

However on Wednesday Michael Slauson, chief counsel of the state’s Criminal Justice Division, said in a statement that prosecutors did not find sufficient evidence “to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Singh made the contribution in a name other than his own and that he did so knowingly.”

 

A Cottage Grove woman who made online threats to harm Black people, Jewish people and her co-workers and promised to “go out in a blaze of glory” while amassing a cache of guns and ammunition will spend another two weeks in custody before her release on intense supervision.

Elizabeth West will have spent a total of six months and three weeks in custody stemming from her sentence of time served, followed by three years of federal supervision. She pleaded guilty in April to making interstate threatening communications.

West, 56, was diagnosed recently with borderline personality disorder after earlier diagnoses for bipolar disorder, depressive disorder and post traumatic stress disorder.

Federal agents were first alerted in late September to a post by West on a “Trans Woman Support Group” Facebook page, saying she was being bullied by “trans phobic” co-workers and “at the end of my rope.” She wrote that she was left with no alternative, above a photo of two guns.

West wrote that she would “probably have to go out in a blaze of glory” and would “have to do what I have to do and pray for the gods to forgive me.”

Further investigation revealed violent rhetoric she posted on X, formerly Twitter, in December, sharing her hatred of Jews, Black people and immigrants, with photos of a Nazi flag and other guns, according to a federal affidavit.

 

(Salem) – Having enough to eat is crucial for good health and well-being. Yet hunger is a persistent problem across the country and here in Oregon. Feeding America reports that 1 in 6 children in Oregon face hunger.

To help children get the food they need to thrive, the Oregon State Legislature approved the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) and the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) to offer Summer EBT this year. 

With support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), Summer EBT provides eligible families $120 per child for groceries when school is out, and children lose access to food programs offered at schools. Help us spread the word—thousands of families may be eligible for this new benefit and not know it.

Thirty-seven states, all five U.S. territories, and two tribes have committed to making Summer EBT available to kids and families in their communities this summer. This initiative is backed by a decade of demonstration projects and rigorous evaluation showing that it works to reduce child hunger and support healthier diets, including increased consumption of whole grains, dairy, fruits, and vegetables and decreased consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. Summer EBT works in tandem with other nutrition programs like the USDA Summer Nutrition Programs, Summer Food Oregon and Oregon Food Bank’s Food Finder.

At a July 17 media event, representatives from ODHS, ODE, the USDA, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Salem, Marion, and Polk Counties and the Oregon Food Bank spoke to raise awareness about the new Summer EBT program. The Boys and Girls Clubs offer summer meals to children. 

“Driven by the ongoing economic fallout of COVID-19, the end of pandemic safety nets and the rising cost of food and housing, we are in an ongoing hunger crisis,” said Sammi Teo, Public Policy Advocate at the Oregon Food Bank. “Last year, we saw 1.9 million visits to food assistance sites through the Oregon Food Bank Network — a 14 percent increase from the previous year and a record number of visits. For families facing food insecurity, June has long marked a time when kids no longer have easy access to breakfast and lunch at school. Many parents and caregivers must come up with at least 10 additional meals per week, per child. Summer EBT helps bridge the hunger gap during the summer. By having Summer EBT on a card that families can use when grocery shopping, they can better accommodate dietary needs and cultural preferences.

“There are many people who still don’t know about the program. There is a short window to apply, and there is a short window to use the benefits,” said USDA FNS Western Region Administrator Jesus Mendoza, Jr. “While it’s a new program nationwide, this program has been tested here in Oregon. We learned that this program does help address food insecurity for children during the summer months.”

ODE Director Dr. Charlene Williams said, “Just like Summer Learning addresses unfinished learning between school years, accelerates academic achievement and strengthens student well-being, Summer Meals keep students connected to proper nutrition so they can stay active and engaged while classes are out. And its why Oregon jumped at the chance to provide Summer EBT to eligible families this year. Giving our families more access to groceries during the summer means students will show up for the first day of class ready to learn.”

ODHS Director Fariborz Pakseresht said, “On June 28, 2024, more than 321,000 children were automatically enrolled in Summer EBT because they participate in other programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or receive services through Medicaid. So far, 322,500 children have received Summer EBT. This adds up to $38.7 million in federal funds that families are spending at grocery stores and farmers’ markets in their communities.”

ODHS estimates another 30,000 children in Oregon may be eligible for Summer EBT if they apply. To be eligible, children must:

• Attend a school participating in the national school lunch or breakfast programs.
• Be in households with incomes at or below 185 percent of the Federal Poverty Level.

ODHS encourages families to visit the Summer EBT website in English and Spanish to review eligibility criteria. If a family believes their children may be eligible, please call the Summer EBT Call Center to verify that they need to apply. The Summer EBT Call Center number is 833-673-7328 and can provide customer service in many languages. 

Families that need to apply can do so online in English or Spanish, or by email or regular mail in multiple languages. 

Don’t delay—the deadline to apply is Sept. 2, 2024. Families have 122 days from the day they received Summer EBT food benefits before they expire. For example, if benefits were issued on June 28, 2024, families have until Oct. 28, 2024, to use Summer EBT benefits. 

 

A man accused of shooting and injuring a woman in the Fern Ridge area as been arrested according to the Lane County Sheriff’s Office. Officers says the woman was shot in the arm and shoulder area and sustained non-life threatening injuries.

LCSO officials said the shooting happened originally on the 25000 block of Hunter Avenue in Veneta. The victim was then transported to Perkins Peninsula Park by witnesses.

LCSO said that deputies responded at about 7:20 p.m. on Sunday, July 14 to a report of a woman who had been shot at Perkins Peninsula Park. The victim was taken to a nearby hospital with a non-life-threatening injury to the arm and shoulder area, sheriff’s officials said.

Authorities said that an investigation culminated in the arrest of Timothy Earl Shaw, 33, who was transported to the Lane County Jail where he faces charges of first-degree assault and unlawful use of a weapon. Another person, identified as Hannah Fetko, 32, was also arrested and jailed on an existing warrant, sheriff’s officials said.

Anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact the Lane County Sheriff’s Office at 541-682-4141.

 

SALEM, Ore. — Draft versions of the statewide wildfire hazard and wildland-urban interface maps are available to the public for review and comment starting today on Oregon State University’s Wildfire Risk Explorer website.

The wildfire hazard map’s purposes are to:

• Educate Oregon residents and property owners about the level of hazard where they live.
• Assist in prioritizing fire adaptation and mitigation resources for the most vulnerable locations.
• Identify where defensible space standards and home hardening codes will apply.

A series of open houses about the state’s new community wildfire risk reduction programs were held from June 3 to July 1 throughout Oregon. It was an opportunity to learn about wildfire hazard assessments, new defensible space and home hardening programs and standards, insurance concerns, and statewide wildfire policy.

“Defensible space around your home and property is just one of the ways Oregonians can be better prepared for wildfire,” Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said. “No matter where you live, the simple actions you take to limit where an ember can land and catch fire can make all the difference, saving your home and protecting your community.”

“Home hardening standards are extremely important because they help reduce the risk of ignition to the most vulnerable parts of a home by the embers of a wildfire,” said Andrew Stolfi, director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services. “Once the map is finalized, we will then initiate rulemaking to adopt the home hardening standards, which will be followed by a six-month phase-in period for education and outreach. Importantly, the standards will not apply retroactively. They will be required only in new construction, major additions, and such things as replacing a roof or siding if the home is in both a high wildfire hazard zone and the wildland-urban interface.”

Representatives from OSU, ODF, Oregon State Fire Marshal, Department of Consumer and Business Services Building Codes Division and Division of Financial Regulation, and the Wildfire Programs Advisory Council addressed hours of questions at the events and engaged with over 500 community members.

“The level of engagement at these community meetings was impressive. I attended them all and hundreds of Oregonians had their questions addressed about community wildfire risk reduction programs and how the map supports protecting Oregon’s communities at highest hazard of experiencing wildfire,” said Dave Hunnicutt, Chair of the Wildfire Programs Advisory Council.

At those meetings, early maps depicting wildfire hazard were available, but property tax lot level maps were not yet available. However, draft maps are now ready for Oregonians to see the hazard designation of their specific address, and whether they’re in the wildland-urban interface.

“The maps are still drafts,” said Andy McEvoy, wildfire research scientist at Oregon State University. “The maps won’t become final until we receive input from counties on potential local anomalies, administrative rules are adopted by the Board of Forestry, and we evaluate input from the public.”

The draft maps reflect revisions from the last two years based on input received in 2022 from county governments and the public. Updates include:

• Adjustments for hay and pasturelands.
• Adjustments for northwest Oregon forest fuels.
• Changes based on draft rules to include irrigation of agricultural crops as a mitigating factor in wildfire hazard assessments. Final maps will reflect rules as adopted by the Board of Forestry.

“Work on the wildfire hazard map hasn’t ceased over the last two years,” said Kyle Williams, Deputy Director of Fire Operations at ODF. “ODF and our partners at OSU have worked diligently to evaluate and address concerns about the accuracy of the map. These drafts are still based on the core principles of wildfire science but have been pored through to address expressed concerns. With one more round of public input, we will be well situated to finalize a hazard map that will contribute to advancing wildfire protection in Oregon as the Legislature intended.”

Comments can be sent to hazardmap@odf.oregon.gov. Find more information on ODF’s wildfire hazard web page.

 

Oregon seeks public comment on large-scale farming regulations

Oregonians have until July 22 to submit comments on the implementation of new environmental restrictions for the state’s largest farms.

When the Oregon Legislature passed Senate Bill 85 last year, regulations were signed into law for Confined Animal Feeding Operations. Now, the Oregon Department of Agriculture is working to implement them.

Brian Posewitz, staff attorney for the group WaterWatch of Oregon, said the new rules will help protect one of Oregon’s most important natural resources.

“All Oregonians should care about that, because all Oregonians should care about our water supplies, both in the streams and rivers as well as in the groundwater,” Posewitz emphasized. “Because those water supplies are precious to everybody.”

The regulations mean more closely monitoring the amount of water used by the large farms and considering the placement of the operations to reduce nitrate contamination in groundwater caused by manure. The move to protect Oregon’s water supply coincides with an increase in demand for water as the state reenters its wildfire season.

As important as Oregon’s water is, regulations often come with a price tag. Large ag operations could be more limited in their site selection, disposal of waste and use of water. The Oregon Farm Bureau predicted tougher rules will affect people’s trips to the grocery store.

Lauren Poor, vice president of government and legal affairs for the bureau, thinks the new rules will make it harder to buy local, and wonders if the changes are justified.

“There wasn’t a clear indication that there needed to be changes to this program to protect Oregon’s waterways or Oregon’s water supply,” Poor contended.

According to Poor, the previous regulations were working, and continuously changing them can be difficult for producers. The deadline is July 22 to submit public comments to the Oregon Department of Agriculture before the regulations are finalized the end of this summer.

 

The Jackson County Fair 2024 announces it’s schedule on now!  Events, Rodeo, 4-H, Concerts, Carnival and more!  

SEE THE WEBSITE!

Wed, July 17 – 38 Special with The Judd Hoos

Thurs, July 18 – Josh Turner with Highway Bounnd

Fri, July 19 – Clay Walker with Jessie Leigh

Sat, July 20 – Queen Nation with Brisbane Project

The fair will be running from these dates and times:

• Wednesday, July 17 from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.

• Thursday, July 18 from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.

• Friday, July 19 from 11 a.m. to midnight.

• Saturday, July 20 from 11 a.m. to midnight.

• Sunday, July 21 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Tickets are $15 for adults from the ages of 13 to 61. Adults can get $5 tickets if they are 62 to 74, and admission is free to those 75 years old or older.

Unlimited carnival ride daily wristbands are $45.

 

After a years-long renovation, long delays and months of teasing, Kah-Nee-Ta Hot Springs Resort has officially announced its reopening date.

The Warm Springs resort announced Monday that it will reopen to the public on Thursday, July 18, debuting its new hot spring soaking pools, poolside cabanas and renovated food and lodging options.

Reservations for overnight stays will be available starting July 17, the resort said.

Day passes will also be available from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, for $39 on weekends and $29 on weekdays, according to the Kah-Nee-Ta website.

The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, which owns and operates Kah-Nee-Ta, had previously hoped to reopen the resort in 2023. That summer, the tribe officially delayed those plans after fierce spring storms derailed construction. In December, the resort pushed its reopening plans to summer 2024.

 

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