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Monday, August 26, 2024
Klamath Basin Weather
Today
Nice sunny skies with a high near 85. Calm south winds around 6 mph in the afternoon. Overnight mostly clear with a low near 51.
Today’s Klamath Falls Headlines
The search for a 37-year-old man who went missing at Diamond Lake last Saturday is over after police found his body yesterday.
According to a news release from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, police found Chimanbani Patel’s body Saturday after a resident called 9-1-1 at 7 a.m.
A member of the public (said) they had been walking their dog on the west side of the lake when they observed the body in the water. Marine Deputies, who were already on their way to continue searching for Patel responded to the scene. Upon their arrival, deputies recovered the body and confirmed it to be Patel.
Patel’s death is under investigation, the release said, but there are currently no sign of foul play. Patel went missing at about 5:38 p.m. on Saturday, the release said, when he was on a pontoon boat with friends and jumped into the water to swim. He never resurfaced and police believed he had drowned.
Klamath County School District wants to ease some of the costs associated with rising prices as you send your children back to school. That’s why they will again provide free school supplies this year for all elementary school students.
The district will purchase the items your child needs for class and those supplies will go directly to the classroom, ready for your child to use on the first day of school. They ask that students come to school with a backpack so school materials can be sent home.
Families of middle and high school students will need to purchase school supplies this year. If you are not able to do so, please let your school know. Support will be available to families who need it.
For more information, contact the KCSD via phone or online.
On Thursday, August 22nd, the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office served a search warrant at the property belonging to Moua Y Lo, located on the Oregon and California border south of Keno, Oregon.
Surveillance of the property revealed a large illegal marijuana operation. Moua Y Lo, 62, of Waunakee, Wisconsin was not on scene. A recommendation of criminal charges will be sent to the Klamath County District Attorney’s Office for: Unlawful Possession of Marijuana, Unlawful Manufacture of Marijuana and Unlawful Use or Appropriation of Ground Water.
The on-scene investigation confirmed a large illegal marijuana grow operation containing two unpermitted greenhouses and 1,216 marijuana plants in various stages of growth. Including 180-pounds of processed and packaged marijuana ready for distribution.
Also discovered and seized was a 1979 Freightliner water-truck suspected of illegally transporting and furnishing water to several nearby illegal grow sites. Infrastructure for drying processed marijuana and potentially harmful fertilizers were also discovered. It is estimated more than 170,000 gallons of water was illegally misappropriated to grow this amount of marijuana.
Investigators observed a considerable amount of trash and debris consisting of thousands of feet of plastic drip tubing, plastic greenhouse coverings and more scattered throughout the property. Persons hauling water in Oregon, or receiving water deliveries, are required to maintain records and to present those records to law enforcement.
The Klamath County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Basin Inter-Agency Narcotics Enforcement Team, Oregon State Police, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Klamath County Solid Waste, Klamath County Code Enforcement, Oregon Medical Marijuana Program, Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission, Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Oregon State Water Master.
A Klamath Falls nurse pled guilty to first-degree criminal mistreatment after neglecting three residents at Pacifica Senior Living in January 2022.
According to a news release from the Oregon Department of Justice, the nurse — Phyllis Dodds — reached a plea deal that will require her to surrender her Oregon RN license, be placed on three years of supervised probation, perform 150 hours of community service and not work as a paid caregiver again.
Oregon DOJ says Dodds failed to provide nursing care” to three residents by not performing RN assessments and “[failing] to provide basic follow up medical treatment. This includes one patient who died, the release said.
Dodds pled guilty to neglecting an elderly and vulnerable patient by failing to complete a critical nursing assessment, failing to communicate with staff on scene, and failing to properly document actions taken and results in January 2022. The patient was found deceased in his bed the morning after these failures occurred.
Oregon attorney general Ellen Rosenblum congratulated the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office and Klamath County Adult Protective Services for pursuing the case.
Klamath County will have work crews at the following locations. Please use caution when in these areas and watch for flaggers. If you are able to avoid the work zones, please use an alternate route for your safety and the safety of Klamath County employees and our contractors.
Shasta Way – Sidewalk Replacement
Homedale Road to Patterson Street – Expect daytime travel lane closures with Flagger.
Vicinity of Stearns Elementary School – Road and Utility Work.
Laverne Avenue: Altamont to Crest – Expect road closure to thru traffic during daytime.
Highway 97 Bridge Replacement/Lakeport Boulevard (under the Hwy 97 bridge) Expect daytime travel lane closures with Flaggers
Arthur Street (between Shasta Way and S. 6th St) – Waterline Replacement. Expect daytime travel lane closures with Flaggers In general, flagging stations will be set up at the end of the work zone and delays will be 0 to 20 minutes for the motoring public. Our goal is to minimize the delay to the motoring public.
There may be adjustments of work schedules due to weather or other items outside of the County’s control (breakdown of equipment, material/resource availability, etc.) If you have any questions regarding work, please contact the Public Works Department at (541) 883-4696.
The Klamath County Economic Development Association (KCEDA) announced Friday that community tradition, the Klamath Basin Oktoberfest, is officially scheduled for September 21st.
This is aligned with the same date the historic German Oktoberfest opens. Whether you wear lederhosen or Levi’s, what’s for certain is you won’t want to miss this festival come fall. The event has had groundbreaking attendance in previous years, attracting between 2,000-3,000 people on average, representing a welcome mix of local residents and travelers from regions throughout the West Coast.
According to representatives of KCEDA, the event is on track to bring in record-high attendance, so get your tickets early at www.klamathbasinoktoberfest.com.
Located at the Bill Collier Ice Arena on the Running Y Ranch & Resort, the event will take place on Saturday, September 21st from Noon to 9:00pm.
As a regional gathering, The Klamath Basin Oktoberfest brings the community and tourists together to celebrate the remarkable brew, food, and entertainment options that exist right here in Southern Oregon. In addition to the many notable vendors participating at the event, there is also a wide selection of family friendly games and activities for people of all ages to enjoy.
When land management experts and others were laying out scenarios for revegetation work after the removal of the four Klamath River dams, dealing with feral horses wasn’t on the agenda. They are now.
During a recent visit along the Klamath River between Jenny Creek and the former Irongate Dam site, Pepper Trail, a former ornithologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said on his Facebook page that he counted at least 56 horses, which he indicated are feral, or wild. He said the horses paw the ground, which exposes and removes the re-establishing plants. Dave Meurer, director of community affairs for Research Environmental Solutions (RES), the nation’s largest ecological restoration company overseeing what will be a years-long restoration process along the 263-mile-long river.
Meurer acknowledged those concerns, noting RES is working with Trout Unlimited to raise money to fence areas being restored from grazing horses and livestock.
Areas behind the former Topsy Reservoir south of Keno have already been fenced, mainly to keep out people. He said work could begin late this month or in September to install fences at the former Copco and Iron Gate dam sites, where horses have been seen.
Because those areas are owned by Klamath River Renewal Corporation (KRRC), the company overseeing the dam removals and other related work, he said KRRC will exercise its rights as property owners to install fences. While problems created by grazing horses were not expected, he said RES and KRRC are moving ahead with other planned restoration work, which he said is progressing ahead of schedule.
“Things are growing,” Meurer, noting strong growth of poppies and lupine along with various native grasses.
Most, if not all, individuals deserve a second chance. Project Homefront fulfills that opportunity by providing needed housing and pathways to success for justice-involved persons.
Situated off Highway 97 North, Project Homefront is the first sober-supportive housing of its kind in Oregon. It’s a step up from communal living that is typically the contractual standard for community correctional services.
Conceptualized in 2020 alongside Oregon’s Project Turnkey — a grant program administered by the Oregon Community Foundation with a focus on immediate and long-term housing needs — Klamath County was one of the few counties in Oregon invited to apply for the $65 million grant pool and was awarded $1.7 million for the acquisition and retrofitting of an old motel and RV park.
Since 2021, beyond merely buying the property, Klamath County Community Corrections worked with many local contractors to morph the motel into 29 sober-supportive transitional housing units with new roofing and flooring, more secured dooring and windows and are currently retrofitting an old recreational building located behind the units for use as a restorative justice center.
The purpose of Project Homeland is to provide them with a chance to develop greater self-sufficiency skills and encourage them to further in the direction of being more productive members of society.
ABBEY GATE MEMORIAL MOTORCYCLE RUN
Today,Monday August 26th, the motocycle run will start at Veterans Park at 8:00 AM, under the new airplane located there.
The motorcycle run will be to commemorate the 13 fallen service members who lost lives at Abbey Gate, at Kabul International Airport August 26th, 2021.
The motorcycle run will go from Klamath Falls to Lakeview then Alturas and Tulelake and end back in Klamath Falls.
Charlie James is spearheading the effort to honor our fallen. You can contact him at 541-892-0526; cj7089105@gmail.com for additional info. Come join this open ride, all are welcome. Help us honor all of our fallen Veterans.
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Click here for full details: https://www.basinlife.com/2024/07/08/win-r-insulation-announces-free-ceiling-insulation-program-click-here-for-info/
Around the State of Oregon
With the arrival of somewhat cooler weather in Oregon over the last week has slowed down the growth of many of the state’s 13 remaining uncontained large wildfires — a two-thirds decrease from the 39 large fires burning across over 1.1. million acres in Oregon.
The combination of rain and lower temperatures has kept fire fuels — such as grasses and timber — from quickly drying out enough to easily burn. Firefighters, who are facing a far tougher fire year than in 2023, have seized this as an opportunity in some locations across the state to make more direct attacks on existing blazes by extinguishing them at the perimeter instead of building containment lines farther away from the fire.
Still, firefighters have made considerable progress since early August. There are 404,000 acres currently burning in Oregon, compared to over 1.1 million acres at the beginning of August.
CAL FIRE Law Enforcement is asking for the community’s help following a vegetation fire that sparked in Shasta County earlier this week.
Firefighters with several agencies responded to a report of a fire near Old Oregon Trail and Lynn Drive just after noon on Tuesday.
No injuries were reported, and crews were able to keep the fire to under three acres. The cause is currently under investigation.
Officials are asking anyone who may have witnessed the fire or has information on how it started is asked to contact CAL FIRE’s confidential hotline at 1-800-468-4408.
The Oregon State Fair Runs Through Monday, Sept. 2nd!
185 Acres of Amazing Things to Explore!!! https://oregonstatefair.org/
If you missed out on pre-fair deals , there are still ways to save on specific days.
Admission on opening day is $5 courtesy of sponsor Mattress Firm. The $5 tickets can only be purchased that day at the gates and is a half-price or better deal on regular admission for children 6-12 ($10) and adults 13-64 ($12). Fair admission is $3 for seniors (65 or better) and free for children 5 and under.
“Share at the Fair Day” is Wednesday, Aug. 28, with $2 off admission when you donate two cans of food. The deal cannont be combined with any other offer. The National Association of Women in Construction will build the state of Oregon and an Oregon Trail wagon out of nearly 10,000 cans of beans. After the fair, they’ll dismantle the sculpture and donate the cans to Marion Polk Food Share.
Free admission for children ages 6-12 is Thursday, Aug. 29, saving families $10 a kid. Ages 5 and younger are free every day during the fair.
“Heroes Day” is Monday, Sept. 2, with free admission for military, first responders, teachers, health care workers and their families.
Free parking passes are available with purchase at Oregon Wilco stores through Sept. 2, or while supplies last. The limit is one per purchase, with no minimum dollar amount required. Wilco locations include Salem, Silverton and Stayton. MORE INFO: https://oregonstatefair.org and on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oregonstatefair
Siskiyou County will not get state funding to address the effects of the lower Klamath dam removal project.
According to a Facebook post from the county, the California Governor Gavin Newsome’s Office has denied its requests for a state of emergency. The County had requested state and federal assistance to address the impacts anticipated from the dam removal, citing concerns about air and water quality, and the potential risks to public health and safety. Despite these concerns, the assessment conducted by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) concluded that the situation does not meet the threshold required for a State of Emergency declaration.
This means that the state believes the county can manage the effects of the dam removal project without state or federal assistance.
An unusually cold weather system from the Gulf of Alaska interrupted summer along the West Coast on Saturday, bringing snow to Washington state’s Mount Rainier and a national park in Northern California, causing authorities to close part of a highway that runs through the park.
Snow flurries were also reported on highway 140 near Lake of the Woods in Klamath County early Saturday. Parts of Highway 89 through Lassen Volcanic National Park in California were closed Saturday after an estimated three inches of snow fell overnight, according to the National Weather Service.
Snow also fell overnight on Mammoth Mountain, a ski destination in California, with the National Weather Service warning hikers and campers to prepare for slick roads.
CLACKAMAS COUNTY, Ore. 25 August 2024 – On Saturday, August 24, 2024, at 12:38 p.m., Oregon State Police responded to a two-vehicle crash on Hwy. 224 at milepost 25 near Estacada.
The preliminary investigation indicated a red Ford Focus, operated by Daniel Lee Aragon (55) of Estacada, was traveling eastbound on Hwy. 224 and attempted a left turn into a driveway. The Ford crashed into a westbound black Harley Davidson motorcycle operated by Richard Lee Detherage (71) of Silverton.
Lifesaving measures were attempted on scene; however, the operator of the Harley Davidson (Detherage) was declared deceased on scene.
The highway was impacted for approximately three hours for the investigation.
Oregon State Police was assisted by the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office and chaplain service, Clackamas County Medical Examiner’s Office, Estacada Fire District, and the Oregon Department of Transportation.
HARNEY COUNTY, Ore. 25 August 2024 – On August 24, 2024, at about 6:25 a.m., Oregon State Police responded to a single-vehicle crash on Hwy. 395C near milepost 54 in Harney County.
The preliminary investigation indicated a white Ford F250, operated by a 17-year-old male, was traveling southbound on Hwy. 395C when it failed to negotiate a curve. The vehicle traveled down a steep embankment and struck a tree.
The operator was transported by ambulance to the Harney District Hospital. He was declared deceased at the hospital.
The highway was impacted for approximately 30 minutes.
Oregon State Police was assisted by Harney County EMS, Burns Fire Department, Hines Fire Department, Larkin Towing, and the Oregon Department of Transportation.
Klamath National Forest is inviting the public to provide comments on proposed fee changes at 35 developed recreation sites across the forest. Comment period has been extended until September 30, 2024.
In 2004, Congress passed the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act, which allows the Forest Service to retain funds collected at certain recreation sites and use these funds locally to operate, maintain, and improve these sites. Of the revenue collected from recreation fees, 80% remains on the forest to operate, maintain, and improve facilities. Raising the revenue collected through recreation fees would help the forest improve infrastructure at recreation sites and hire additional recreation staff during the season of operation. The resource derived through collection of fees helps provide quality recreation opportunities that meet the modern expectations of visitors and creates a more financially sustainable developed recreation program for the benefit of current and future generations.
Including the proposed sites, 68% (76 out of 111) of developed recreation sites would still remain free.
Comments will be collected throughout the 2024 recreation season. Fee increases are not expected to take effect until 2025. Some sites can be reserved through www.recreation.gov for an added $8 reservation fee.
Additionally, these fee changes will be reviewed by a citizen’s advisory committee. Committee members represent a broad array of recreation interest groups to help ensure that the Forest Service is proposing reasonable and publicly acceptable new fees and fee changes.
The proposed fee changes include:
- Increasing fees at 18 developed campgrounds and group campgrounds. Most of these fees have not been increased for more than a decade.
- Adding nine new overnight fee sites, which includes four campgrounds, four new yurt rentals, and one group campground.
- Adding a new fee at eight developed day use sites. The new Klamath National Forest Recreation Pass will allow visitors to enjoy as many of the eight new developed day use sites as desired for the day ($5.00) or annually ($30.00 per calendar year). The day use sites include six developed day use areas and two developed trailheads.
- All America the Beautiful interagency passes including the Annual, Senior, Military, 4th Grade, Access, and Volunteer passes will be honored at these day use sites.
The public is invited to comment on the proposed fee changes to the developed recreation program. The comment period opened on May 20, 2024, and will close end of business on September 30, 2024. To ensure that your comments are considered, please send your comments no later than the above date to Klamath National Forest, Attention: Kristian Schenk, 1711 South Main St, Yreka, CA 96097 or R5KNFeeProp@usda.gov. Comments can also be provided online at https://arcg.is/iXXmz.
For more information on the proposed project, visit our website at www.fs.usda.gov/klamath.
Youth hunters (age 17 and under) who will have completed hunter education by the time of the event can sign up now for ODFW’s free pheasant hunts happening around the state starting in September.
ODFW and partners stock pheasants at these special hunts that give youth a head start on regular pheasant seasons. Volunteers bring their trained hunting dogs to some events. Some events also host a shooting skills session before the hunt. ODFW recommends youth register in advance for most events, but walk-ins are also welcome if space allows, see the youth pheasant hunts page for more details.
Register by logging in to the youth’s account at MyODFW’s Licensing page.
Then go to Purchase from the Catalog and look under the Category/ Class/Workshop / Outdoor Skills. Final details about the event will be emailed to the address within the account.
The hunts are free, though participants need a valid hunting license ($10 for youth 12 and older, free for age 11 and under) to hunt. Youth hunters age 12-17 also need an upland game bird validation ($4).
Purchase before the event, online or at a license sales agent. Licenses and validations will not be sold at the events. Some areas will host the event both Saturday and Sunday. Youth who register for one day are welcome to hunt stand by on the other day.
Be Prepared with Fire Weather Tools
As August rolls on, the National Weather Service (NWS) reminds wildland fire managers that we have tools to help you monitor and fight wildfires. Whether it is a prescribed burn, ground fire or crown fire, fire managers can use this information to make decisions on how best to combat fires and keep the public safe.
Fire weather forecasters – The NWS issues Fire Weather Outlooks for the next eight days. These outlooks show areas where pre-existing fuel conditions, combined with forecast weather conditions, may result in a significant threat of wildfires.
Our Fire Weather Program supports land managers and firefighters who mitigate and respond to fires. Our weather forecasts are designed to highlight times and locations where a fire may be exceptionally hard to control. For example, we offer Red Flag Warnings, which mean warm temperatures, very low humidities and stronger winds are ongoing or expected to produce an increased risk of fire danger in 12 to 24 hours for specific locations.
Need a fire weather Spot Forecast? Land managers can request a site-specific, localized forecast for prescribed burns and wildfires to assess a potential threat. NWS recently updated this tool and will deliver additional enhancements to the application later this year. Learn more about the new Spot Forecast tool.
For federal and select state large wildfires, onsite weather forecasting support to firefighters is critical. An NWS Incident- Meteorologist (IMET) can be deployed to your incident command post. IMETs arrive on scene within 12 to 24 hours after activation and can serve up to 14 consecutive days before being relieved by another IMET. https://www.weather.gov/news/241507-fire-weather-tools
PLEASE Help Prevent Human-Caused Wildfires
- Immediately call 911 to report fires.
- Drones and other unmanned aircrafts are illegal to fly near fires.
- Fireworks, incendiary/tracer ammunition and exploding targets, are prohibited during fire season (May-October).
- Use caution when target shooting. Clear a 20-foot radius around the target by removing all vegetation and rocks.
- Ensure vehicles and trailers are properly maintained
- Make sure chains and other metal parts are not dragging.
- Keep exhaust systems clean and use spark arrestors.
- Do not park on dry grass.
- Carry extra water, shovel, and/or a fire extinguisher with you.
- Ensure your campfire is completely extinguished before leaving your campsite by making sure it is cool to the touch.
- Please don’t smoke and if you do, don’t throw out cigarette butts.
- Please be mindful and think about your actions
To ensure all Oregonians remain safe during the 2024 wildfire season, we urge everyone to stay tuned into these communications channels and follow all official safety guidelines related to air quality and recreation:
Watch Duty app: Download this app on your smartphone to understand where wildfires are in real time as well as monitor air quality and other metrics. https://app.watchduty.org
Northwest Interagency Coordination Center: During fire season, this web-based interactive map is updated daily with current fire perimeters and locations. This website acts as the wildfire resource coordination center for the Bureau of Land Management, US Forest Service, Oregon Dept of Forestry, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Washington Dept. of Natural Resources and the National Park Service. https://gacc.nifc.gov/nwcc/index.aspx
InciWeb the Incident Information System: The federal interagency all-risk incident information management system provides an interactive map with real-time location information on wildfires. https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/
Oregon Department of Forestry Wildfire News: The official wildfire news blog for the Oregon Department of Forestry. Look here for all wildfire news related to state forest lands. https://odffire.com/
Keep Oregon Green: A partnership comprised of statewide and interagency groups working together to promote awareness of the risk and causes of wildfires and how to be prepared in case of a wildfire emergency. https://keeporegongreen.org/
OregonLive Wildfire Map: A project managed by OregonLive that incorporates data from InciWeb, National Interagency Fire Center, Northwest Interagency Coordination Center, Oregon Office of Emergency Management, NOAA into an easy-to-use map tool. https://projects.oregonlive.com/wildfires/map
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality – Air Quality Monitoring Data: A real-time map and cell phone application you can use to track air quality, including wildfire smoke impacts, across the state. Check your app store for OregonAir. https://oraqi.deq.state.or.us/home/map
Purple Air – Air Quality Map System: Real-time air quality information using crowdsourced data and data from EPA air sensors. https://map.purpleair.com/1/mAQI/a10/p604800/cC0…
NOAA High Resolution Rapid Refresh Data Visualization: The High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency(NOAA) is an experimental data visualization tool for wildfire smoke. Be sure to turn on the “Vertically Integrated Smoke” layer to see smoke paths. https://hwp-viz.gsd.esrl.noaa.gov/smoke/index.html
Thanks for reading the the news on BasinLife.com from Wynne Broadcasting.
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