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.
Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024
Klamath Basin Weather
Today
Widespread haze before 3pm. Sunny and hot, with a high near 96. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph in the afternoon. Overnight, mostly clear skies with a low near 56. Light northwest winds to 5 mph.
Today’s Klamath Falls Headlines
Chiloquin Copperfield Fire Update – Thursday, 9AM
Evacuation orders remain in place for hundreds of residents in the vicinity of the Copperfield Fire, 10 miles east of Chiloquin.
Burning 3800+ acres, the wildfire at 20% containment as crews work on establishing a perimeter.
Eric Perkins, operations section chief with the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF), said that firefighting efforts Monday afternoon and night were encouraging. Five task force operations will be focusing on structure preservation Tuesday, Perkins said, with three additional task force operations added throughout the night.
According to a news release from ODF, seven residences are confirmed as destroyed and 10 other structures as well. High winds Monday led to a number of spot fires up to half a mile from the Copperfield footprint. Though temperatures will rise, decreased winds and higher relative humidity are beneficial to ongoing firefighting efforts.
Structural task forces from Lane, Deschutes, Polk, Marion, Linn, Clatsop and Washington Counties are aiding in the protection of homes and structures in the area of the fire.
Evacuation shelters are in place at the Chiloquin Community Center, located at 140 S. First St. in Chiloquin. Domestic and large animals can be accommodated at the Klamath Falls Fairgrounds, 3531 S. Sixth St. in Klamath Falls.
As grasshoppers and crickets continue to wreak severe crop damage that has impacted many Klamath County farmers and ranchers, as well as food supplies and the overall health of the basin’s ecosystem, the Board of Klamath County Commissioners announced Tuesday that relief is available.
During the weekly meeting, commission Chairman Dave Henslee said the Grasshopper and Mormon Cricket Financial Assistance Grant is ready to accept applicants, and has $100,000 available from the Oregon Department of Agriculture to help tackle the problem.
Affected farmers and ranchers can apply for the grant now through 5 p.m. on Oct. 31. A special grant committee has been formed that will review the applications in early November and provide the county commission with funding recommendations. The application for the Grasshopper and Mormon Cricket Financial Assistance Grant can be found on the county website.
The form can also be filled out at the Klamath County Grants Office located at 305 Main Street in Klamath Falls inside the government center.
Another announcement made during Tuesday’s meeting was the forming of a Policing Task Force that carries the mission of providing fair and equitable policing throughout the county. Deciding that it was a countywide issue, the Council of Governments (comprised of Klamath County, the cities of Bonanza, Chiloquin, Klamath Falls, Malin and Merrill, and the Klamath Tribes) agreed to assign two representatives from their respective entities to participate in the newly formed task force and begin exploring options.
DeGroot said that, in regards to law enforcement, he has tossed the idea around of funding the service using the entire property tax collected each year minus veteran’s services. In doing so, DeGroot said it would be up to the commission to find other means to fund other county departments and services, which he said would be achievable.
Each month the Klamath County Board of Commissioners recognizes employees for their service starting with their first five years. County Maintenance Director Glen Gregory was recognized during Tuesday’s meeting for 30 years of service.
Gregory was hired as a maintainer for Klamath County maintenance on Sept. 12, 1993, under then-director Tom Banks. Dan Golden, county juvenile director, said was the best decision Banks had ever made. Gregory said that much has changed around the county in his 30-year tenure, and he hopes to remain employed by the county until he is ready to retire.
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued an air quality advisory due to smoke from fires in Oregon, Idaho and California.
The following areas are affected:
- Klamath County
- Crook County
- Deschutes County
- Grant County
- Harney County
- Jackson County
- Lake County
- Malheur County
DEQ expects the air quality advisory to last until at least Friday. DEQ and partner agencies will continue to monitor smoke in the area. Smoke levels can change rapidly depending on weather.
Check current conditions on the Oregon Smoke Information Blog, DEQ’s Air Quality Index, or by downloading the free OregonAIR app on your smartphone. Smoke can irritate the eyes and lungs and worsen some medical conditions. People most at risk include infants and young children, people with heart or lung disease, older adults and pregnant people.
Cloth, dust and surgical masks don’t protect from the harmful particles in smoke. N95 or P100 respirators approved by NIOSH may offer protection, but they must be properly selected and worn. Select a NIOSH-approved respirator with a N, R or P alongside the number 95, 99 or 100. Learn how to put on and use a respirator. Respirators won’t work for children as they don’t come in children’s sizes. People with heart or lung conditions should consult their health care provider before wearing a respirator.
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is hosting free pheasant hunts for kids 17 and under. There are two hunts in Southern Oregon, one in Central Point and another Klamath Falls.
Kids must have a valid Hunter Safety Education card and a valid hunting license. They must be accompanied by an adult 21 years or older. The Central Point hunt is taking place at the Denman Wildlife Area on September 14 and 15. Check in starts at 7 a.m. and the hunt goes from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
To join the hunt, participants must register beforehand. For more information on this hunt, call 541-826-8774.
A celebration of life for one of Klamath County’s most invested, driven individuals is slated for this Saturday following his death last week.
Chuck Wells died last Wednesday, the day of his 99th birthday. Both Chuck and his wife, Sally Wells, have been residents of Klamath County for more than 30 years and have accomplished many a feat in their time here.
The celebration of life memorial will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 7, in the Chiloquin Community Center, 140 S. First St., in Chiloquin, in the Chuck and Sally Wells Meeting Room located in the middle portion of the building which the couple helped create. All are welcome to attend.
The Shaw Historical Society is planning a banquet dinner from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024, at Oregon Tech’s College Union. The guest speaker will be Ryan Bartholomew.
Cost is $40, with rib roast or beef. A vegetarian option will be available upon request. A no-host social hour begins at 5:30 p.m. Visit oit.edu/shaw2024 to make reservations online. Deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 6. For more information, contact Katie Cavendish at (541) 885-0222.
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Around the State of Oregon
The fire danger level in Jackson and Josephine counties will increase from high to extreme starting tomorrow, Friday, Sept. 6.
“Fire danger decreased to high in Jackson and Josephine counties following significant rainfall in late August,” ODF Southwest Oregon District said in a release. “Due to increased temperatures, dry vegetation and the potential for east winds and thunderstorms, fire danger is once again increasing to extreme on the ODF Southwest Oregon District.”
For more information visit ODF Southwest Oregon District’s website.
Former President Donald Trump has once again missed a chance to submit a statement for Oregon’s widely-distributed Voters’ Pamphlet, which was released Tuesday. He will of course appear on the ballot.
One unnamed spokesperson for Trump said, “You know who he is and hw much he wants to protect this nation’s people. We hope Oregon voters will elect him.”
Oregon sends nearly 2 million Voters’ Pamphlets to all households ahead of elections. Candidates don’t have to appear in the pamphlet, but for a fee of $3,500 for presidential candidates, it’s a cheap and easy way for candidates to get their face and a 325-word statement in front of the state’s 3 million voters. (Local candidates pay less; the fee is only $600 for a city or county candidate).
A Republican state senator who represents part of the Oregon coast has submitted a plan to exclude state income taxes on tips.
Sen. Dick Anderson of Lincoln City said in a news release last week his “No Tax on Tips” proposal is designed to offer tax relief to people working in the service industry who are increasingly squeezed by rising inflation and “poor economic policies.”
Under Oregon law, employers must staff at least the minimum wage, regardless of whether they receive tips or not. Many other states allow tips to be counted as wages.
His proposal follows calls by former President Donald Trump in his Republican presidential bid to exclude taxes on tips. Under his plan, tips collected by restaurant workers, barbers, caddies, movers, drivers and others would not be taxed on their tips. The Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, suddenly has the same plan as well, that would exclude taxes on tips for hospitality and service workers.
More Covid-19 testing kits are on the way to Oregon.
According to the Oregon Health Authority, free at-home tests will be available from the federal government by the end of September. Each household can order four test kits, with each kit containing two tests. The kits will then be delivered by the U.S. Postal Service. Additionally, the FDA has extended the expiration dates of many at-home testing kits.
To order testing kits or to check whether or not a kit has actually expired, visit the Department of Health and Human Services website.
An Oregon community college basketball coach, arrested in Douglas County in 2022 for online sexual corruption of a minor, is headed to federal prison.
The Oregon U.S. Attorney’s Office says 38-year-old Nathan Bowie of Portland, is going to prison for more than 13 years after pleading guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor.
Bowie was the head coach of the Mount Hood Community College basketball team in Gresham. During a basketball clinic in Glide, police said he encouraged female athletes to follow him on social media. According to police, he then used one of those connections to start an online relationship with an underage girl and asked for intimate images of her.
Police say he planned to meet the girl for a sexual encounter while in Douglas County representing his college when he was arrested.
A woman is facing charges after her eight-year-old child called 9-1-1 on Monday to report that mom was driving recklessly along Beltline toward Springfield.
Local police say word reached officers that 43-year-old Camie Sorensen’s blue Subaru was driving at a high rate of speed and running multiple red lights. Officers reportedly brought Sorensen to heel after her vehicle came to an abrupt stop in the middle of the intersection of Pioneer Parkway and Q Street.
She was taken into custody for reckless driving, reckless endangering and attempt to elude. Officials say the child came through the experience unharmed.
Ghost Guns To Be Outlawed this week
So-called ghost guns, privately made firearms that don’t have serial numbers and are largely untraceable, will be banned across Oregon starting Sunday after a federal judge denied a legal challenge that tried to block the prohibition.
Ghost guns differ from weapons manufactured by licensed companies in that the latter are generally required to have serial numbers — usually displayed on the frame of the gun — that allow officials to trace them back to the manufacturer, the dealer and the original purchaser.
The U.S. Department of Justice reported recovering 25,785 ghost guns in domestic seizures in 2022. In the Oregon case, Stephen Duvernay, a lawyer for the Oregon Firearms Federation and the Firearms Policy Coalition Inc., argued in federal court this month that self-made guns without serial numbers are common in the U.S., The Oregonian/OregonLive reported.
Duvernay also said requiring his clients to add serial numbers to their guns or gun parts would be impractical, adding that about 1 million people own such weapons in state and would be affected by the new law. In 2023 the Oregon Legislature passed House Bill 2005 banning ghost guns.
State Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, a Democrat, had pushed for the legislation for years, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting.
When the ban takes effect, firearms made after Oct. 22, 1968, must have a serial number, and violating the law could result in a $1,000 fine. Repeat offenders could face higher fines and potentially incarceration. Under the law, people with firearms that currently do not have serial numbers can have numbers put on them by federally licensed gun dealers so they comply with the statute.
Since July 2023, Oregon has also barred the sale, transfer and import of unserialized firearms and the possession, sale and manufacturing of firearms that cannot be detected by metal detectors or X-ray machines.
Federal officials are moving ahead with plans to promote the shipment of goods by zero-emission trucks up and down the West Coast.
Authorities say the U.S. Department of Transportation is giving Washington, Oregon and California 102-million dollars to create a network of charging and fueling stations to power battery and hydrogen fuel-cell semi-trucks traversing the three states. Officials say major hubs would be built in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland and Seattle.
Federal officials are taking action to save a threatened and endangered owl, but it will come at a cost to another species.
The goal is to help the Northern and California Spotted Owl from the ‘invasive’ Barred Owl. The Barred Owl Management Strategy has now been finalized and will be rolled out thanks to lobbyists and environmentalists.
Fish and Wildlife officials wrote, “The Service has a Migratory Bird Treaty Act special purpose permit to implement the strategy. Under this permit, the service can designate interested tribes, federal and state agencies, companies, or specific landowners to implement barred owl management on their lands.” The agency emphasized, “Absolutely NO public hunting is allowed under the strategy.”
The plan calls for a maximum of about 15,600 invasive barred owls per year that could be removed over 30 years under full implementation of the strategy. Joshua Morris with the conservation organization ‘Birds Connect Seattle’ said the Spotted Owls face multiple issues, including the destruction of old-growth forests and the competition with food and resources from the Barred Owls.
A medical helicopter called to the scene of a fatal crash on Interstate 5 on Friday couldn’t immediately respond due to interference from a civilian drone flying over the crash site, spokespeople for the Oregon State Police and Life Flight Network said.
The Linn County crash killed the driver, 45-year-old Dustin Andrew Brown of Sweet Home, and injured his 19-year-old daughter and an additional 19-year-old passenger. An Oregon State Police spokesperson said Brown lost control of his Hyundai while trying to avoid a rear-end collision. All three people in the car — whom troopers said did not appear to be wearing seatbelts — were ejected from the car as it rolled over, coming to a stop on top of Brown.
Troopers and other motorists lifted the car off Brown, but he was declared dead at the scene. The medical helicopter had no way to contact the operator of the drone to make sure it didn’t run into rescuers. But Hannah, the spokesperson for Life Flight, said first responders were able to take the two passengers to a hospital by ground instead, and so the flight was called off.
The Warner Creek Fire that burned more than 82,000 acres of the Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge in northern Lake County is now 100 percent contained.
But the refuge will remain closed through June 15, 2025, because of extensive fire damage and the potential threat of invasive species. In a press release, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials for the Sheldon-Hart Mountain National Wildlife Refuge in Lakeview said beginning Sept. 2 visitors will have access to 186,000 acres of the refuge, including Hart Mountain Road, Frenchglen Road, Camp Hart Mountain Campground, Shirk Road, Flook Lake Road and Poker Jim Ridge. When the refuge reopens, visitors are asked to clean their vehicles to prevent invasive weeds from entering the refuge that could affect sagebrush rehabilitation.
The lightning-caused fire started Aug. 5 and quickly spread to more than 65,000 acres, or nearly 24 percent of the refuge.
Both Post Meadows and Hot Springs campgrounds had significant damage, especially in riparian areas and surrounding seasonal roads. The fire also resulted in the temporary evacuation of staff living at refuge headquarters but bulldozers and other equipment were used to prevent damage to the residences, offices and visitor center. According to the release, FW&S will “work with partners to assess the burned areas and develop a rehabilitation plan that balances the needs of wildlife, habitat and public recreational opportunities.”
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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