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 them at 541-882-6476.
Friday, Oct. 18, 2024
Klamath Basin Weather
Today
Sunny, with a high near 59. Calm winds west southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Overnight, mostly clear with a low around 33 degrees.
Today’s Klamath Falls Headlines
Search Warrant on Oregon Ave Helps In Arrest of Attemped Murder Suspect
Wednesday afternoon, Detectives from the Klamath Falls Police Department and Oregon State Police obtained a search warrant for 1615 Oregon Avenue in Klamath Falls that was associated to the shooting over the summer at Modoc Field next to Klamath Union High School on July 30th.
During that investigation, detectives learned that Andrew Gregory allegedly shot a man during a physical altercation. The Klamath Falls Police Department’s Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team with the assistance of the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office Special Response Team (SRT) executed the search warrant due to the higher threat level and credible information to believe Gregory was inside the residence and armed.
Once the search warrant was executed, negotiations with Gregory were established while the tactical teams held containment on the residence. After a four-hour standoff, Gregory was taken into custody without further incident.
Gregory was transported to the Klamath County Jail and lodged on his warrants for Attempted Murder, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, and multiple charges of Reckless Endangering. He was also charged with an additional count of Felon Possession of a Firearm from today’s event.
If any members of the community have additional information regarding this investigation, you are encouraged to call the Klamath Falls Police Department at (541) 883-5336 and contact the lead detective, Det. Witmer. If you want to remain anonymous, you can call the anonymous Tip Line at (541) 883-5334.
Klamath Union High School is having their annual Homecoming Parade today, Friday, October 18, 2024.
The parade will be held from 2:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Staging will begin on Spring Street. The parade will proceed onto Main Street and proceed down Main to 2nd Street where it will turn left on Timbermill Drive to disband.
Any questions can be directed to Rhiannon Kerr at KUHS, (541) 359-5360.
A Lakeview woman was killed on Friday when the motorcycle she was riding on left the roadway and crashed.
Oregon State Police responded to the accident at 5:35 p.m. on Hwy. 395E, near milepost 148, in Lake County.
The driver of the motorcycle, Tyler June Rich, 39, of Lakeview, was seriously injured and transported to an area hospital.
The passenger, Deanna Lee Rosecrans, 39, also of Lakeview was pronounced dead at the scene.
The preliminary investigation indicated a northbound Honda motorcycle failed to negotiate a corner, left the roadway, and crashed. The highway was impacted for approximately 4.5 hours during the on-scene investigation. The cause of the crash is under investigation. OSP was assisted by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Modoc County Sheriff’s Office, Thomas Creek Westside Fire Department, Lakeview EMS, and ODOT.
Two Bonanza residents were arrested for allegedly giving alcohol to minors in a case relating to a wrongful death civil suit filed against the Klamath County school district and the defendants.
Justine Padilla-Thomas, 39, and John Garrett Thomas, 35, were booked and released Monday on two counts each of furnishing alcohol to two minors, one of whom, Adrian Mojica, 17, died in a single-vehicle car accident on April 28, 2023.
Mojica’s blood alcohol content was .166 according to the autopsy report.
At the time of Mojica’s death, Padilla-Thomas was employed by Klamath County School District as a paraprofessional educator at the Bonanza High School where the minors attended school. She was also a licensed server through the Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC).
In a report filed with the Klamath County District Attorney’s Office, Mojica’s brother, also a minor under the age of 18, reported the events of that day prior to his brother’s death.
The call for Adrian Mojica’s accident came in at 11:06 p.m. Thomas and Padilla-Thomas are also co-defendants in a wrongful death tort claim filed against Klamath County School District (KCSD) and a fourth party, Kaylee Conner.
The civil case was filed last year following the death of Mojica, a 17-year-old Bonanza High School senior who was killed in a single-vehicle accident after allegedly drinking alcohol at the married defendants’ home.
The lawsuit was filed by the brothers’ family, Maria, Ricardo and Beatriz Mojica, and seeks damages for wrongful death, reporting breaches and infliction of emotional distress in the amount of $3.65 million.
More testimony at the Negasi Zuberi trial in Federal Court in Medford
It was Cinco de Mayo back in May of 2023, and The Pikey, an Irish pub and the busiest bar in downtown Klamath Falls, was hopping.
Just before closing, a 21-year-old woman walked out around 1 a.m. hoping to catch a ride with a friend. But the friend had left so she looked around for other cars she might recognize.
A strange man approached. He asked her for her name and number and what her astrological sign was. She told him she wasn’t interested. She remembered walking along the sidewalk and the next thing she knew, she said, she ended up in the passenger seat of Negasi Zuberi’s SUV.
The Klamath Falls woman described the next terrifying 13 hours when she said Zuberi fired a Taser into her ribs, handcuffed her and repeatedly raped her in the back of his white Honda Pilot that he parked in the garage of his home.
The woman spent about four hours on the witness stand during the second week of Zuberi’s federal trial in Medford. He is accused of abducting the Klamath Falls woman in May 2023 and a Seattle woman in July 2023, sexually assaulting them and imprisoning them in the garage of the house he rented from the Klamath Falls’ mayor.
Zuberi, now 30, has pleaded not guilty to charges of kidnapping, gun possession and transportation for criminal sexual activity, contending through his lawyers that the sex was consensual.
The Klamath Falls woman testified that Zuberi pistol-whipped her, repeatedly raped her and filmed her on his cellphone for what he called an “insurance” sex video, demanding that she pretend she was having a good time, she said. The trial is anticipated to continue through the end of the week.
Potential solutions for increasing law enforcement coverage were a key topic at the county’s Council of Governments meeting Tuesday night.
Klamath County’s Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) met with municipal officials and staff to review the progress so far of the council’s policing task force.
Commissioner Derrick DeGroot said county staff determined the cost of increasing law enforcement staffing to be an estimated $800,000 at most. Including gear and a location to operate out of, the total cost would run about $1.1 million.
If the county were to seek an amount per $1,000 assessed property value, it would cost residents nearly $3.25 each year. However, it’s believed that the people bearing that, would be quite frankly the people doing things right already.
Instead, a more reasonable option would be to charge $6 per month, per tax lot. Klamath County has 16,000 tax lots, about 11,000 of which are owned by non-county residents.
In other county news, commissioners moved forward this week with a second public hearing held on behalf of the proposed dissolution and reformation of the Midland Park District to form a taxing district.
The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) approved their referral of the proposed ballot measure to form a special district and levy taxation. The Midland Park District board is in need of consistent funding in order to pay for the services of the Special Districts Association of Oregon, such as insurance.
Klamath County resident Leslie Esklidson expressed some concerns about the potential formation of a taxing district. A petition to dissolve and reform the district was submitted with the needed 66 signatures in July.
The proposed ballot measure seeks $0.25 per $1,000 assessed property value, generating $10,411.22 annually for the park.
The deadline for local Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) flood mapping is approaching next month, and the county and some municipalities discussed the revision progress so far.
County Public Works Director Jeremy Morris discussed some of the historic examples of flood events in Klamath County, such as the 1964 Christmas flood that submerged a large portion of the entire Pacific Northwest.
That year, the Williamson River swole to nearly top the Williamson Bridge near Chiloquin, Morris said, noting the cubic feet per second of water surpassed 17,000 cfs. The trouble with flood control is when the lake’s full, Upper Klamath Lake is used to “attenuate” flood overflows.
The BOCC and Klamath County Planning Commission will be holding a joint, public meeting at the fairgrounds on Oct. 22 to discuss the revised flood mapping.
Students across the Klamath County School District will crunch carrots together on Thursday, Oct. 24 during the district’s seventh annual Crunch at Once celebrating National Farm to School Month.
More than 4,600 whole carrots from Red Buttes Farm in the Applegate Valley were recently delivered to the district warehouse in preparation for next week’s event.
Elementary students will receive their carrots whole while students in our junior high and high schools will eat the local carrots integrated into their lunchtime meal.
KCSD’s annual Crunch event is a fun way to celebrate farmers and to connect youth with local food, said Michelle Kekoa Taipin, the district’s Farm to School procurement and education coordinator.
Taipin started with the district in January 2024, taking over the reins of KCSD’s Farm to School program. A 2020 graduate of Henley High School, she grew up in the Klamath Basin, participating in 4-H and FFA at local, state, and national levels.
She earned a bachelor’s of science in animal science and production from Texas Tech University, where she served with the Texas Tech Agriculture Ambassadors. Klamath County School District hosted the first Crunch in October 2018. I
n past years, students have crunched Oregon-grown apples and Klamath-grown spinach. This year, the district again is partnering with OSU Extension. Klamath Grown joined the effort by picking up and delivering the carrots for the event, and Sky Lakes Wellness Center is working with KCSD to implement a Crunch at Once event in Klamath Falls City Schools.
The Crunch event is just one way Klamath County School District demonstrates its commitment to Farm to School programming, both at the school and district levels. Throughout the year, the district’s Food Services Team supports Farm to School through its procurement and promotion of local foods, pursuit of grant funding opportunities, and support of agriculture education.
The South Central Oregon Fire Management Partnership will lower the fire danger level to moderate in Klamath and Lake counties tonight at midnight.
According to a news release from SCOFMP, the change will take effect at 12:01 a.m.
“The decision to… [reduce] the fire danger level to a Moderate was made based on current temperatures, relative humidity, fuel moisture levels, and projected weather conditions over the coming weeks,” the release said. “Please continue to be vigilant and use caution when recreating on public and private lands.”
The Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office rescued three people after their car lost control and plunged into the Klamath River.
According to a Facebook post from SCSO, no one died in the accident — but one of the passengers had to be hospitalized for “serious injuries.” “[The car lost control] while travelling at a high rate of speed,” the post said. “…After ensuring everyone was safely rescued from the river, the Dive Team was able to secure the vehicle onto a pulley system and remove it from the river.”
SCSO is reminding everyone to drive slowly on Highway 96 along the Klamath River corridor — especially because upcoming fall and winter months will bring rain, ice and snow
The eastbound right travel lane of South 6th Street will be closed in front of 2430 South 6th Street (Holiday Inn) today through Monday, October 21, excluding Sunday, the 20th.
The lane closure will be from 7:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. each day.
The sidewalk will remain open with a spotter who will allow pedestrians through the work zone when it is safe. Precision Painting is closing the lane to facilitate power washing the face of the building. Any questions can be directed to Brandon Hartley at (541) 880-6865.
Spudder on down to Merrill this weekend and get salty at the annual Klamath Basin Potato Festival.
Join Klamath Basin ag in celebrating the 87th annual agricultural event starring one of the basin’s top producing crops with vendors, exhibits, raffle prizes, a parade and a 5K run.
Taters will be hot to trot with this year’s Tater Trot/Spud Run kicking off events at 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 19.
The parade is set for 11 a.m. Saturday, starting at the Presbyterian Church on the corner of Second and Monroe Streets in Merrill, with this year’s grand marshals, the Woodhouse family.
A news release from the Potato Festival tells the Woodhouse’s story of a multi-generational farming family of pater and mater familias,Terry and Janice.
Those who attend can also try their luck with a slew of spud-tacular raffles with prizes ranging from an inflatable kayak to an item donated by Tater Patch Quilts.
And don’t forget the cooking with this year’s food contests spanning 37 different categories, with both potato and non-tater themed dishes.
A measure on the November ballot could change the way Oregonians vote. If Measure 117 is passed, Oregonians would use ranked choice voting instead of choosing a single candidate in federal and major state office elections. This includes the election of the president and the vice president.
Ranked choice voting is a system where voters rank the candidates on a ballot. Voters can rank multiple candidates, or choose to rank a single candidate. Votes are counted in rounds. If a candidate receives over 50% of votes in the first round, they win. If no candidates receive more than 50% the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, votes for the person eliminated are then assigned to their next option.
This process continues until someone receives the majority vote needed. State Representative, Pam Marsh says this would give voters more variety.
Klamath County Election Clerk, Rochelle Long, has expressed concerns with Measure 117 that were endorsed by 15 other Oregon county clerks. They encourage voters to research the measure. Long is worried about increased costs, adding that the fear is for the littler counties that don’t have the staffing. This is going to require major staffing and we just– we don’t have it and we don’t have the funding to provide that either. And from other counties in other jurisdictions that we’ve talked to that are performing ranked choice voting– they’re like ‘you need one person strictly dedicated to that.’”
As if there weren’t already countless reasons to love Turner Classic Movies, next week the cable channel is airing a documentary that’s likely to appeal not just to general lovers of cinema, but specifically to Oregonians.
“Merchant Ivory,” from director Stephen Soucy, is a fascinating look at the life and career of James Ivory, the director known for such films as “A Room With a View,” “Howards End,” “The Remains of the Day,” and many more. Despite his talent for telling stories set in England, and his ability to bring out the best in British actors, Ivory is in fact, an Oregonian.
The filmmaker, who’s now 96, grew up in Klamath Falls, attended the University of Oregon, and regularly visits his family’s cabin in Lake of the Woods. Interviews with Ivory, and such actors as Hugh Grant, Helena Bonham Carter, Vanessa Redgrave, and Emma Thompson, capture the sometimes seat-of-the-pants process involved in making Merchant Ivory films, and the ingenuity the late Merchant demonstrated as he raised money to finance the projects.
In addition to offering entertaining anecdotes and insightful commentary about how Merchant Ivory Productions came to be, the documentary also makes a point of noting how influential Merchant Ivory films were, particularly in their willingness to tell stories about LGBTQ+ characters, as in the 1987 feature, “Maurice,” adapted from E.M. Forster’s novel, which presented a portrait of gay men living amid the repressive culture of the Edwardian era.
“Merchant Ivory” will air on Turner Classic Movies at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 15. It will be followed by “A Room With a View,” at 9:30 p.m. No cable or satellite? You can stream Turner Classic Movies on platforms including DirecTV Stream; Sling; and Hulu Live TV.
The Two Rivers Art Gallery and Gift Shop is honored to be chosen by the family of the late Jim Snook to sell the remaining work of this beloved Pacific Northwest Cartoonist/Artist.
Jim passed away in 2021 after a long, successful life touring North America and Europe, selling his creations in Shows and Fairs. His hilarious cartoons conveyed a family life well lived outdoors, portraying his experiences of hunting, fishing, and RVing as dominant themes. His snarky animals added their perspective on the human condition with side comments and sneaky actions.
You may not know his name, but you likely know his work from seeing it on someone’s wall, evoking nostalgia and connection.
Jim knew he was an artist from childhood. He served in the Air Force, earned a degree in Art Education, and spent many years teaching Art at Eagle Point High School in Oregon. As his cartoons grew in demand, he left teaching to pursue his heart’s desire. Along with his wife as his business manager, they built his career while raising a creative, loving family in Rocky Point, Oregon, where much of the family still resides. It was their home for 40 years of a 66-year marriage.
The Two Rivers Art Gallery is a nonprofit, all-volunteer artist cooperative that echoes their same family values as expressed in our motto “for the love of Art and Artists.” Members’ work shown there is a celebration of individual creativity and community spirit.
Who better to share his legacy? Beginning October 19, there will be a featured Jim Snook Memorial Art Show with family memories shown among his highquality prints, cards, and posters for sale.
At the show’s close, a “Snooks Corner,” sales will continue until all inventory is gone. Sales will be first come, first served, emphasizing the limited availability of these unique pieces. Some prints will have added cost because they are rare now, and a few are hand-signed. Because Jim’s Fine Art Prints are not duplicatable at the affordable prices they have long been sold for, his Estate has expressed no plans to create new re-prints. Some original ink drawings may be parted with in the future for serious fans and collectors.
The family and Two Rivers Art Gallery will provide authentication of all works, ensuring you are taking home a truly unique piece of art. Some posters and prints can be ordered on his website at jimsnookstudio.com. Items may also be ordered through the Gallery by phone at 541-783-3326, but we encourage you to come in and visit! Some samples of his fun here…
The wonderful detail and quality of Jim’s Art are best seen in person! We are located in the Chiloquin Community Center at 140 South First Avenue, Chiloquin, OR, downtown. The gallery is about a 35-minute drive from Crater Lake National Park! Check out our website at 2riversartgallery.com.
The Klamath County Veterans Service Office will accept nominations for Klamath County’s Oldest Living Veteran.
The Nomination form will be open through October 31, 2024. To nominate a veteran stop by the Veterans Service Office, 3328 Vandenberg Rd. or call 541-883-4274.
The chosen Veteran will be honored on Monday, November 11, 2024 during the Veteran’s Day Ceremony at Veterans Memorial Park.
Alleyway Activation Phase 3: Women of Klamath
Unveiling & Installation October 25
Join us on October 25th as we celebrate the installation of Phase 3 of the Alleyway Activation Project located at 925 Klamath Ave at 4 pm.
Phase 3 is focused on featuring the “Women of Klamath” a collaboration with Virtuosa Society honoring a few historical women of Klamath County. We invite you to join in our celebration of the hard-working artists and meaningful women of Klamath. We hope to see you there!
October 25, 2024, 4:00 pm at 925 Klamath Ave, Downtown Klamath Falls 97601
Click here for more information.
Win-R-Insulation, Inc. wants you to know of a special partnership with EnergyTrust of Oregon where you may be able to qualify for a FREE CEILING INSULATION PROGRAM.
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
The Oregon Secretary of State’s Office shut down its phone lines Thursday after being swamped by calls from individuals asking about former President Donald Trump’s absence from the state’s Voters’ Pamphlet, the agency said in a press release.
The calls were prompted by posts from several conservative social media accounts, including one on X with nearly 4 million followers, that falsely claimed Trump’s absence from the Oregon Voters’ Pamphlet was a purposeful effort to block the former president from appearing on ballots.
As media outlets and the Secretary of State’s Office have previously reported, Trump is absent from the Oregon Voters’ Pamphlet because his campaign chose not to submit information to the secretary of state for the guide. The former president will appear on all Oregon ballots.
The Secretary of State’s Office said it repeatedly reached out to the Trump campaign and to the Oregon GOP to make sure it was aware of the deadline to submit a statement for the Voters’ Pamphlet, but received no response.
Trump also declined to supply a statement for the Voters’ Pamphlet ahead of the May primary. Secretary of state spokesperson Laura Kerns said the agency had received roughly 400 calls Thursday morning before deciding to shut down its phone lines.
A man accused of making nearly three dozen threats “to kill the president” in posts on social media and calls and voicemails left with the Secret Service has been arrested in Oregon and faces federal charges.
Through his court-appointed lawyer, Diedrich Joseph Holgate, 46, entered not guilty pleas Tuesday in federal court in Portland to a two-count indictment charging him with making a threat against the president and making interstate communications with a threat to injure.
Holgate was later booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center. It’s not clear what Holgate was doing in Oregon. Prosecutors said he’s from Madison, Wisconsin, but records indicated he lived previously in Texas.
Holgate is accused of calling the Secret Service’s office in Miami on Sept. 7 and saying, “I’m going to kill the president,” according to the newly unsealed indictment. He also called a Secret Service field office in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 28 and threatened to “kill everybody,” the indictment alleges.
According to the indictment, when asked to specify who exactly he was after, Holgate said in that call, “POTUS, FLOTUS and SCOTUS. … I have the right to kill the president. I want to kill you” and added that the president had better call him or “he’s going to die.”
On the same call, he told the office he didn’t care “if it is Trump or Biden” and that he would “hang everyone for treason.”
Oregon’s unemployment rate was 4.0% in August and September and has been in a tight range between 4.0% and 4.2% since October 2023.
The U.S. unemployment rate was little changed at 4.1% in September from 4.2% in August. Other labor force indicators also reflected stability. Oregon’s labor force participation rate was 63.0% in September, the same as in each of the prior four months. Prior to that it generally rose slowly over the past four years, from 62.0% in September 2020, indicating a larger share of Oregonians working or seeking jobs.
Meanwhile, Oregon’s labor force was stable during the past five months, remaining close to 2.19 million people. In September, Oregon’s seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment gained 800 jobs, following a revised increase of 900 jobs in August.
September’s gains were largest in health care and social assistance (+700 jobs). Declines were largest in construction (-1,500). None of the other major industries experienced a monthly change of more than 600 jobs. In the past 12 months, health care and social assistance (+15,100 jobs, or 5.2%) grew rapidly, while government (+5,700 jobs, or 1.8%) added the second most jobs.
Only three other major industries—other services; wholesale trade; and transportation, warehousing, and utilities—grew since September 2023, each adding 1,400 jobs. The other nine major industries declined during the past 12 months. The five industries that cut more than 1,000 jobs were retail trade (-7,000 jobs, or -3.4%), professional and business services (-5,000 jobs, or -1.9%), construction (-4,000 jobs, or -3.4%), leisure and hospitality (-2,500 jobs, or -1.2%), and financial activities (-2,200 jobs, or -2.1%).
Another Oregon news source has gone belly up due to declining revenues. The Columbia County Chronicle & Chief, a recently formed hybrid of two existing papers serving the rural area northwest of Portland, printed its last issue Sept. 25.
Its publisher, Country Media, had merged the St. Helens Chronicle and Clatskanie Chief in December 2023, citing the need to cut costs in the face of declining print revenue and difficulties with staff turnover. The weekly Chronicle & Chief was down to a newsroom of one, plus an administrator and page designer when the closure was announced.
Both papers had served Columbia County under a variety of mastheads since the late 1800s. It’s the latest bad news for local print media publishers, who have spent decades searching for a sustainable business model while grappling with an ad market now dominated by tech companies.
There are about 1,000 people left working for the state’s newspapers, a decline of three quarters since 2000.
The Port of Coos Bay receiving over $25 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation for the Pacific Coast Intermodal Port (PCIP) Terminal Planning Project.
The project plans to ease congestion on other ports by being the nation’s first ship-to-rail port on the west coast. This means the port won’t need to rely on trucks to move cargo. Congresswoman Val Hoyle, along with Oregon Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden support the project.
They say the project will not only bring in thousands of permanent local jobs, but also cut greenhouse gas emissions, boost the economy and strengthen the nation’s supply chain.
Thousands of Oregon seniors are set to lose their health plans as some Medicare Advantage carriers cut their offerings in response to rising costs.
Moda Health and Summit Health will end their Medicare Advantage plans in Oregon in 2025. Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon, Aetna and PacificSource are also removing some Advantage plans from the menu next year.
In all, more than 12,000 Oregon seniors will need to find new coverage options for 2025, based on data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
In Oregon, Curry, Harney, Lake, Umatilla and Union counties will no longer have Medicare Advantage offerings at all. That means residents of La Grande, Umatilla, Lakeview, Burns, Brookings, Hermiston and Pendleton will have original Medicare as their only option. Many Oregon counties will have fewer options in 2025 than this year. Those who live in Coos County, for example, will only have one Medicare Advantage plan option next year, down from seven in 2024.
For the last 30 years in the western U.S. states, shrub and grass fires have burned far more acres and destroyed more property than forest fires, and the same was true this season.
But it seems Salem and Gov. Tina Kotek reacts far too late to help in fire fighting of any kind.
In Washington D.C., Republicans in the U.S. House – including Oregon’s two Republican representatives – are hoping Congress will pass a bill before year’s end that would tackle increasingly large wildfires in the West by scaling back environmental regulations to make it easier to log and cut vegetation in federal forests, which account for more than 60% of the forests in Oregon.
Proposed by Arkansas Republican Rep. Bruce Westerman and California Democrat Rep. Scott Peters, the “Fix Our Forests Act” passed the U.S. House on Sept. 24 with 268 representatives in favor and 151 opposed, including Oregon’s four Democratic representatives.
It is expected to get a vote in the U.S. Senate after the November general election, according to Hank Stern, a spokesperson for Oregon’s U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, a Democrat. Proponents say the bill would restore forest health, increase resiliency to catastrophic wildfires and protect communities by expediting environmental analyses while reducing frivolous lawsuits and step up restoration projects.
But opponents, including environmentalists and Democrats, say it would open millions of acres of federal land to logging without scientific review or community input, potentially increasing the risk of wildfires while rolling back regulations to protect endangered and threatened species. Hiking, biking, fishing and hunting seem to preceed business and jobs from those in power.
The Biden administration is also opposed to the bill and published a statement a day before the House vote, saying it contains “a number of provisions that would undermine basic protections for communities, lands, waters and wildlife.”
More than 85 environmental groups also submitted a letter to the House Committee on Natural Resources opposing the bill.
The bill comes on top of calls in Oregon from state House Republicans to roll back restrictions on logging in state and private forests.
Three prominent state lawmakers recently called on their peers in the state Legislature to reform forest management and logging policies they say would prevent large fires from starting and spreading.
With the national elections on November 5 approaching, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) is reminding campaigners and their supporters that political signs are not permitted on state highway right-of-ways.
Only official traffic control devices are allowed in these right-of-way areas, as ODOT says improperly placed signs can distract drivers and obstruct road safety messages. ODOT stated that any signs found in violation will be removed and held at a nearby district maintenance office for 30 days.
To reclaim them, individuals should contact the nearest ODOT maintenance office. “Signs are prohibited on trees, utility poles, fence posts, and natural features within highway right-of-ways,” ODOT said. They are also banned within view of designated scenic areas.
LINN COUNTY, Or – An Oregon State Police K-9 team seized a large quantity of crystal methamphetamine earlier this week.
On Oct. 8, 2024, at about 5:00 p.m., an Oregon State Trooper stopped a vehicle on Interstate 5 in Linn County for a traffic violation. During the stop, the trooper recognized signs of possible drug trafficking and deployed his drug detection K-9.
A search of the vehicle revealed 40 pounds of crystal methamphetamine in the trunk.
The driver, Sheyla Jesmely Serrano Lopez (27) of Shafter (CA), was arrested and lodged in jail.
No additional information is available for release at this time.
A $300 million lawsuit against Medford-based Asante is growing.
More clients are signing on and as a result the suit has grown to $340 million. The medical malpractice and wrongful death lawsuit was field by Medford-based law firm Shlesinger & deVilleneuve on behalf of both patients who survived and those who passed away.
At least one of those patients was a Klamath Falls resident.
The law firm says there are 20 victims involved in the suit. It’s still evaluating whether to include about a dozen additional potential cases in the suit. The lawsuit alleges Asante didn’t follow safety protocols and prevent a nurse from replacing fentanyl, meant for patients, with tap water.
Former Asante nurse, Dani Marie Schofield, is now facing 44 counts of second-degree assault in connection with the alleged drug diversion case at Asante’s Rogue Regional Medical Center.
According to Medford Police, Schofield diverted patients’ liquid fentanyl for her personal use and replaced it with tap water causing serious infections. After her arrest this summer, Schofield is out on bail and awaiting trial in the criminal case. Two other civil lawsuits were filed against Asante earlier this year.
Portland Police reinstated the Rapid Response Team over the summer, and it’s now preparing for potential unrest related to Election Day.
More than 50 officers took part in their last training before November fifth, practicing with new shields that are fireproof and impact resistant. “We are looking at integrating public order shields into this team’s capabilities, as an additional way to de-escalate,” says Commander Franz Schoening, “When we encounter folks out there who want to engage in conflict during disorder, the shields are hopefully going to be one more tool to allow us to de-escalate that conflict.”
Other tools are also available, depending on what they encounter, “Officers are equipped with internal, basically blunt armor, they wear under their uniforms to protect them from thrown projectiles or blunt objects. They have helmets, hearing protection, gas masks, all of that is the same as it was in 2020.”
Schoening says the Rapid Response Team has met monthly since June, “That training has really been pretty introductory training. So, part of it is as simple as getting familiar with the equipment they’re going to be wearing- the protective equipment they’ll be wearing, how to gather together in formations. There’s been a lot of legal and policy-based training because there’s been a lot of changes to state law.”
Oregon Aging and People with Disabilities offers free help for Medicare Open Enrollment
(Salem) — Medicare Open Enrollment for the 2025 plan year begins Oct. 15 and remains open through Dec. 7, 2024. Medicare beneficiaries seeking to compare or change their existing Medicare plan can receive free help from the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS).
During the Medicare Open Enrollment period, people with Medicare can make changes to their health plan or prescription drug plan, pick a Medicare Advantage plan or choose Original Medicare. The ODHS Office of Aging and People with Disabilities’ (APD) Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance (SHIBA) program is available to help Oregonians understand their Medicare options and benefits, provide enrollment guidance and help people detect and avoid Medicare scams. Additionally, there are some key changes coming to Medicare in 2025 that APD’s SHIBA program counselors can assist people in understanding including:
- The new Manufacturer Discount Program which addresses the coverage gap, also known as the “donut hole;”
- The lower maximum to pay for covered drugs. The maximum amount for 2025 will be $2,000;
- Coverage for weight loss drugs when doctors prescribe them for people who meet certain conditions;
- Expanded coverage for family caregiver services through the Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) model; and
- Increased access to mental health services by allowing more providers to bill Medicare for services.
“Our APD SHIBA team is devoted to helping people prepare for open enrollment and understand changes,” said Jane-ellen Weidanz, who oversees SHIBA as APD Deputy Director of Policy.
Oregonians who need help navigating Medicare open enrollment are encouraged to call SHIBA at 800-722-4134 (toll-free) or learn more by visiting the SHIBA website at SHIBA.Oregon.gov. The 2025 Oregon Guide to Medicare Insurance Plans will be available on the SHIBA website in the coming days and will be translated to multiple languages.
SHIBA certified counselors can also help people report scams to Medicare and educate people on how to avoid Medicare scams or fraud. According to the Senior Medicare Patrol, common scams include promising free durable medical equipment, such as knee braces and catheters, or offers of free genetic testing. The ultimate goal for the scammer is to get the beneficiary’s Medicare number to commit Medicare billing fraud. “SHIBA counselors are committed to ensuring Oregonians have the information they need to avoid becoming victims of fraud and report scams or suspected Medicare fraud,” said APD Director Dr. Nakeshia Knight-Coyle.
Help from SHIBA is available over the phone and through virtual and in-person appointments. Because high call volume during Open Enrollment may result in longer than usual wait times, Oregonians are also encouraged to access free resources on the SHIBA website such as Medicare frequently asked questions, an agent locator tool, a list of free virtual and in-person Medicare presentations and videos to help people understand their Medicare options. People who need Medicare help in a language other than English, including sign language, can call 833-685-0841 or send an email to odhs.languageaccess@
Snap Benefits provided through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program are set to increase this week.
The Cost of Living Adjustment impacts the maximum allotments for those who receive SNAP, commonly known as food stamps. The changes will take effect on Oct. 1 and last until Sept. 30, 2025. SNAP eligibility depends on household income and assets and is adjusted yearly.
Some 42.1 million people – roughly 12.6% of people in the U.S. – benefited from SNAP each month in 2023, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The average benefit was $211.93 per month. State-by-state participation rate ranges from a low of 4.6% in Utah to 23.1% in New Mexico.
FALL BACK ONE HOUR…starts Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024.
In a little less than a month, it will be time to set your clocks back to standard time.
Daylight saving time will end at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. Most devices these days will adjust automatically to the time change, but don’t forget to set any traditional clocks back by one hour.
Despite several efforts to end seasonal time changes, we will be falling back in November and springing forward in March for the foreseeable future. Oregon, Washington and California have all made multiple attempts to permanently switch to either standard or daylight saving time — but none of the efforts have stuck.
Changing to daylight saving time requires congressional approval — and that approval doesn’t appear to be likely, despite bipartisan efforts to allow states to make the change.
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