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, Nov. 15, 2024

Klamath Basin Weather

Today
Mostly sunny, with a high near 41. North northwest wind 9 to 11 mph. Overnight mostly clear, with a low around 19 degrees. North northwest wind 5 to 9 mph.

 

Heatley currently serves as deputy chief of the Bureau of Land Management’s NEPA, Planning and Decision Support Division in Washington, DC. He previously worked for the BLM on both sides of the Cascade Mountains in southern Oregon, as Medford District assistant field manager and Klamath Falls Office field manager. 

Crater Lake was established in 1902. It is the fifth-oldest national park in the United States and the only national park in Oregon. The park encompasses the caldera of Crater Lake, a remnant of Mount Mazama, a destroyed volcano, and the surrounding hills and forests. It is approximately 182,304 acres and heavily forested. 

Members of American Indian tribes continue to value the park’s lands, and the park is fortunate to have the support of local and regional partners, who contribute to protecting resources and enhancing visitor experiences. 

 

Four Klamath River hydroelectric dams have been removed. For many, the question is: What’s the future of the Keno Dam?

The Keno Dam is a non-power generating dam that was built in 1967 after a flood washed out the wooden Needle Dam. It was owned by PacifiCorp until ownership was recently transferred to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Located about a mile south of Keno, it impounds water from Keno about 22 miles upstream to Lake Ewauna in Klamath Falls.

It also provides for about a third of the water for Klamath Reclamation Project irrigators. Because of its importance to agriculture, the dam will remain in place.

The Keno Dam is 41 feet high and 723 feet wide. The Irongate Dam, one of four dams that has been removed, was 173 feet high and 540 feet wide, and the John C. Boyle was 68 feet high and 715 feet wide. Copco No. 1 was 132 feet high and 415 feet wide while Copco 2, the smallest of four removed dams, was 33 feet high and 78 feet long.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) is exploring fish passage options at Keno Dam with a recent $1.9 million NOAA award. Alternatives for improving fish passage at the Keno Dam range from building a salmon-friendly fish ladder to removing and replacing the dam.

According to ODFW, a future design would need to both provide fish passage and retain irrigation and other functions for nearby communities. Over the next three years, ODFW will “Identify fish passage options in coordination with partners, tribes and community members; study the feasibility of the most viable fish passage options; develop cost estimates; and create a 30-percent engineering design for the chosen option.”

Among groups involved in the study will be the Klamath Tribes who, according to ODFW, “will play a key role in developing and evaluating fish passage options.”

 

The latest beginner firefighter training class kicked off this fall on the Klamath Community College campus with a group of 17 students aiming to get their certificates for Firefighter I.

These students faced a gauntlet of physical and mental tasks during the 11-week course. KCC is home to the Klamath Regional Training Center, which includes the Emergency Response and Operations Program for students. ERO includes three disciplines: Structure Fire; Wildland Fire and EMT training.

Students usually range in age from high school graduate up to their 40s. Firefighter I consists of 8 credits: six credits in the lab and 192 hours of hand-on training, plus two hours online for lectures.

The program is about seven years old, and in its fifth year on campus.  After one year of training at KCC, you should be able to take a test for Firefighter EMT certification.

Around the State of Oregon

The FBI is offering a $250,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the suspect in a string of ballot box fires in Portland, OR and Vancouver, WA last month.

According to a news release from the FBI, the suspect set three fires on Oct. 28 — two at two ballot boxes in Vancouver and one at a ballot box in Portland. Three ballots in Portland were destroyed along with hundreds in Washington.

There was also an attack on a ballot drop box in Vancouver on Oct. 8 between 3:30 and 4 a.m. “A surveillance camera captured images of an early 2003 to 2004 Volvo S-60 sedan, dark in color, with dark wheels and a light-colored interior, driven by the suspect believed to be responsible for these crimes,” the release said.

“The vehicle does not have a Volvo logo on the front grill. At the time of the October 28, 2024, incidents, the vehicle also displayed a fraudulent temporary Washington license plate on the rear and no front license plate. The plate, which is not associated with a Volvo, may no longer be on the vehicle.” 

The FBI described the suspect as a white man who is about 30 to 40 years old with “thinning hair.”  “It is believed that he may have some experience with metal work and welding,” the release said. “Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact the FBI’s Toll-Free tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), your local FBI office, the nearest American Embassy or Consulate, or you can submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.”

 

In the Coos Bay area, some people in the community are organizing a candlelight vigil for Joshua McCoy, the 5-year-old boy who was found deceased Tuesday after being missing for several days.

The vigil will take place at North Bay Elementary School in North Bend, at the field behind the playground on Saturday, at 6 p.m. hauna Bogart, one of the people organizing the event.

She said Saturday would have been Joshua’s 6th birthday. While she never met Joshua, she said the community is so tight knit that when tragedy strikes, it’s important to come together. Bogart said, Saturday’s vigil is open to the public. Donations will be accepted for Joshua’s family, some of whom will be present at the vigil.

 

Oregon school districts are projected to pay $670 million more to the state’s public employee pension program over the next two years, potentially wiping out all increases to school funding proposed by Gov. Tina Kotek.

The increased tab, more than 10% for some districts, follows lagging returns in investments of the Public Employees Retirement system and could affect teaching and learning in some schools. The impact will vary, with most of Oregon’s 197 school districts and 17 community colleges facing an average 1.5% increase in their payroll going to PERS during the 2025-27 budget cycle, according to a PERS presentation last month. But 22 districts are facing average increases of 10% or more in part because investment returns have been lower than expected but mainly because side investment accounts meant to help buffer PERS increases are expiring.

For 72 school districts that don’t have one of these accounts, the average contribution rate for PERS will soon amount to about 27% of payroll. Overall, school districts and colleges will pay $565 million more in the next two years compared with the 2023-25 biennium, while about 77,000 vested employees, who also pay into PERS, will pay $105 million more.

The increased costs to districts will more than erase the $515 million boost proposed by Kotek for school funding for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 school years. She announced in July that she’d ask the state Legislature early next year to send more than half a billion dollars to the State School Fund for the next biennium to boost student outcomes, literacy rates and more. The fund is responsible for the bulk of district funding, and payroll makes up about 85% of school budgets.

 

Police rescued a motorist last night after the car got stuck in snow on a remote forest road in McCloud.

According to a Facebook post from the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office, the car was freed from the snow and “all parties were safe.”  [However,] this ordeal was avoidable,” the post said.

Here are some tips the Sheriff’s Office gave out to prevent you from being in this situation: Do not drive through conditions that your vehicle is not capable of driving in. Rescue can take a long time in the event that you are stranded. Pack a winter safety kit in your vehicle that includes water, food, lights, warm blankets, spare clothing and your own means of self-rescue, such as a shovel and tire chains.

If you are going somewhere that doesn’t have good cell service, let someone know where you are going and when they should expect you to return. “Before recreating in the high country and remote areas of the county, call or visit the website of the relevant land management agency for snow condition reports, road closures, and storm information,” the release said.

 

Heads up if you’ve purchased a Jeep Cherokee or Dodge Durango recently.

Chrysler is recalling more than 200,000 vehicles because of a potential anti-lock brake system malfunction. The recall from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration impacts 2018 and 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokees and Dodge Durangos.

According to Chrysler, the malfunction may cause some brake lights to illuminate incorrectly. The issue could also disable the electronic stability control and allow a driver to start and shift out of park without the brake pedal being applied. Stellantis, which owns Chrysler, says braking capability is not affected. The company is also not aware of any accidents or injuries related to the malfunction. A solution to the problem is in the works.

 

A former Oregon Department of Corrections guard admitted to “killing” his brother in a fatal shooting over the weekend, according to court records that detail what led to the guard’s arrest Saturday in front of the Oregon State Penitentiary.

Alonzo Rowell, 51, of Dallas, is being held at the Polk County Jail on allegations of second-degree murder, first-degree assault, recklessly endangering another person and unlawful use of a weapon.

According to a probable cause affidavit supporting Rowell’s arrest, the former corrections officer fired multiple rounds at a man named Tony Miller, killing him. Miller lived in a camper on property off Monmouth Cutoff Road in Dallas. The property belongs to Tad Bunyard, the court filing states. Authorities confirmed on Tuesday that Miller was Rowell’s brother. He was 54.

Bunyard told police he heard round after round and some bullets “went through the house and into his bedroom, striking near his head as he was lying in bed,” according to the affidavit written by Dallas police Detective Jordan Schrock. 

Rowell arrived at the prison, his former longtime workplace, with “potential intent to harm others,” according to an email that Corey Fhuere, the prison superintendent, sent agency employees Sunday. The prison, Oregon’s oldest, houses about 1,700 people.

 

A Eugene man pleaded guilty to three federal hate crimes today for intentionally defacing a Eugene synagogue on multiple occasions.

Adam Edward Braun, 34, pleaded guilty to two counts of intentionally defacing a synagogue and one count of attempting to deface religious property because it was a place of religious worship for Jewish people.

According to court documents, between September 2023 and January 2024, Braun intentionally defaced Temple Beth Israel, a Jewish synagogue in Eugene, by repeatedly targeting the synagogue with graffiti, some of which used antisemitic symbols and phrases. Braun’s pattern of behavior culminated in the early morning hours of January 14, 2024, when he traveled to Temple Beth Israel with a hammer and prepared to swing at the glass doors of the synagogue. Braun stopped when he saw he was being recorded by a surveillance camera, and then moved to a different area of the property and used spray paint to write “White Power” in large letters on the building’s exterior.

On January 31, 2024, officers from the Eugene Police Department, with assistance from the FBI, executed a state search warrant on Braun’s Eugene residence. Investigators located multiple pieces of evidence connecting Braun to the attacks on Temple Beth Israel, along with several items and writings belonging to Braun that were consistent with antisemitic beliefs and biases.

Braun was initially charged by criminal complaint on March 4, 2024. Later, on May 9, 2024, Braun was charged by criminal information with five counts of defacing and attempting to deface religious property because it was a place of religious worship for Jewish people. 

Braun faces a maximum sentence of one year in prison, a $100,000 fine, and one year of supervised release for each count. He will be sentenced on February 18, 2025, before U.S. District Court Judge Michael J. McShane.

As part of the plea agreement, Braun has agreed to pay restitution in full to the victim.

This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Eugene Police Department. Gavin W. Bruce, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, and Cameron A. Bell, Trial Attorney for the Civil Rights Division Criminal Section, are prosecuting the case.

 

Oregon legislature House Republican Leader Jeff Helfrich announced Monday he will not seek reelection as caucus leader, citing a reevaluation of his priorities following the death of his father.

Helfrich’s resignation comes during a year of considerable turnover in leadership for both parties. Republicans will enter next year’s session with new leaders in both chambers, while Democrats will have a new House speaker and majority leader and a new Senate majority leader.

State House Republicans will elect a new caucus leader Monday, according to multiple lawmakers. The announcement comes after Helfrich, who has served as House Republican leader since September 2023, appeared to barely eke out a win in the November election, with a current lead of just 1,281 votes over his Democratic opponent Nick Walden Poublon, a drug and alcohol prevention specialist. He raised roughly $1 million this election cycle as caucus leader, helping himself and other vulnerable House Republicans defend their seats. His opponent raised just $86,000.

 

Oregon made history this election. Voters up north elected the state’s first Black representative in Washington D.C.

Janelle Bynum, a Democrat and former state lawmaker, appears to have beaten freshman Republican U.S. Representative Lori Chavez-DeRemer in Oregon’s 5th U.S. Congressional District.

The race was called Friday morning and Bynum declared victory at a press conference that afternoon. It was one of the nation’s hardest fought congressional races, with money pouring in and attack ads airing in both the Portland and Bend TV markets. Oregon’s 5th Congressional District represents parts of several major counties, including Clackamas, Deschutes, Multnomah, Marion, and Linn counties.

 

A Springfield elementary school teacher is on administrative leave after showing a 1st-Grade class a sexual education video.

The video, titled “Help kids learn why it’s important to keep private parts private” was shown to first grade students at Mount Vernon Elementary. While the video is animated in a more child centric way, the video ends with discussing touching ones privates, and the act of which feeling good.

Springfield Public Schools confirmed that the teacher who showed the video is now on leave. According to the district teachers are expected to utilize District-approved, age-appropriate instructional materials/curriculum when providing instruction to students and that teachers may use special aids with the express approval of the principal. Springfield Public Schools has confirmed that they are investigating this incident.

 

Two California men were arrested, and 20 pounds of methamphetamine was seized from a vehicle in Ashland last week following a long-term investigation by the Medford Area Drug and Gang Enforcement team.

According to the Medford Police Department, police suspect the men were involved in a methamphetamine trafficking operation from California to southern Oregon.

Following a long-term investigation, police executed a search warrant on a vehicle in Ashland, seizing 20 pounds of meth and arresting 42-year-old Gabriel Calderon of Madera and 62-year-old Randall Banks of Sonora. Both individuals face multiple drug-related charges.

 

A Eugene woman is suing a Lane County medical center and one of its doctors, alleging she was forced to undergo a body cavity search without a warrant or signs that she was hiding contraband.

Salina Hernandez, 37, filed a lawsuit this month in Lane County Circuit Court against Lane County, McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center and Dr. Brian Hoyt, alleging negligence and sexual battery. She is seeking up to $10 million in damages. A spokesperson for the Lane County Sheriff’s Office declined to comment and so did the medical center.

Hoyt could not be reached for comment. Hernandez’s claims stem from her arrest on June 22, 2023, on suspicions of menacing, unlawful use of a weapon and unlawful possession of a firearm. She was taken to the Lane County Jail, where she underwent a “pat down and strip search” that didn’t turn up weapons or other contraband, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit says Lane County Sheriff’s Office deputies used an “x-ray type security machine” to further scan Hernandez’s body and that, too, failed to detect anything.

According to her claim, Lane County’s policy requires that law enforcement obtain a search warrant to conduct a “body cavity search.” Hernandez alleges that Hoyt, a physician at McKenzie-Willamette, “agreed to perform a highly invasive body cavity search using a speculum to spread Ms. Hernandez’s vagina to look inside her body and using his fingers to feel inside her rectum while she was video recorded and handcuffed to a hospital bed.” The search, the lawsuit claims, found nothing

       

A new memorial park opening at the state Capitol this month will honor the 790 Oregonians who died, and the more than 180,000 Oregonians who fought, during the 20 years of the Vietnam War.

The memorial is designed to be a reflective outdoor space in Salem’s Willson Park, located in the southwest corner of the Capitol grounds, adjacent to the World War II Memorial. Architect Mike Abbaté designed the memorial to include 46 granite columns engraved with the names of Oregonians who died in the Vietnam War, from 1955 to 1975.

It’s meant to contrast with the solid granite wall of the neighboring World War II memorial. The Department of Defense lists 710 Oregon residents who died in the Vietnam War, but that figure is based only on the state in which a soldier entered the service.

 

Make fishing part of your Thanksgiving weekend plans with friends and family. Everyone can fish, clam and crab for free in Oregon on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 29-30, 2024.

No fishing/shellfish licenses or tags (including a Combined Angling Tag, Columbia River Basin Endorsement or Two-Rod Validation) are required those two days. Both Oregon residents and nonresidents can fish for free. All other fishing regulations apply including closures, bag limits and size restrictions.

See the Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations for rules and remember to check for any in-season regulation updates too, especially for salmon and steelhead fishing. Click on the zone where you want to fish to see regulation updates.

The Recreation Report is updated weekly and features the best bests for fishing for the upcoming week. Depending on water levels and conditions, fishing could be good for Chinook or coho salmon; again be sure to check regulations first because not all rivers are open.

Trout will also be stocked the week before Thanksgiving at several popular lakes in the Willamette Valley. Prefer to crab or clam instead? MyODFW.com has all the information you need to get started clamming or crabbing.

Remember to check ocean conditions and take safety precautions—always clam with a friend and never turn your back on the ocean. Call the ODA Shellfish safety hotline at 1-800-448-2474 or check their Shellfish Closures page before you go clamming or crabbing. The Oregon Department of Agriculture regularly tests shellfish and closes areas when naturally occurring biotoxins get to levels that make crabs and clams unsafe to eat. Currently, crabbing is open in bays, beaches, estuaries, tide pools, piers and jetties along the entire Oregon coast. Crabbing is closed in the ocean due to the annual closure from Oct. 16-Nov. 30 each year.

As of mid-November, razor clamming is closed from Cascade Head to the California border due to high levels of the marine biotoxin domoic acid, but closures may change by Thanksgiving Weekend so check before you go.

 

Oregon’s legalization of magic mushrooms is creating a sprinkling of 911 calls.

Oregon-live-dot-com reports newly released records show there have been five cases of psilocybin center staff members calling 911 or taking a client to the hospital since the drug was legalized 15 months ago. One of the 911 calls came after a client reportedly pulled a fire alarm. Another instance involved a client becoming paranoid and stepping onto a busy road as she tried to escape the clinic.

Oregon Healing Advocacy Fund Director Heidi Pendergast says the small number of 911 calls speaks to the safety of the state’s psilocybin program.

 

Ashland Parks and Recreation, with $800,000 raised through private donations and local and state grants, is hoping in 2025 to restore the beloved Butler Butler-Perozzi fountain and landmark inside Lithia Park and, make the site more accessible and have a reserve for ongoing preservation work.

Since 1916, even in times of needed repair, as it is now, the 12,000-pound Italian-made marble fountain has been a Belle Epoque beacon to anyone with a photogenic subject and a camera.

For generations, it has been a place to pause and ponder, and document life-changing occasions: high school graduations, marriage proposals, reunions.

The classic tiered fountain resting in a reflecting pool on a hillside near Granite Street was a cherry-on-top addition to the city’s best improvement project: the 100-acre Lithia Park that extends from the downtown Plaza area and the former grounds of the Chautauqua arts and culture programs, which in 1935 became the Oregon Shakespeare Festival campus, to the foothills of Mount Ashland.

The $800,000 goal was achieved, and foundation president Mike Gardiner said Ashland Parks and Recreation staff and consultants with the Architectural Resources Group will create construction documents and refine the scope of the project to invite contractors to bid on the project. The hope is to start the restoration and repair work in 2025.

 

Senator Ron Wyden Speaking to a crowded room of high school students worried about the impact of another Trump administration and adults focused on the ongoing war in Gaza, Oregon’s senior U.S. senator urged Oregonians to stay engaged with their government and keep fighting.

Wyden spoke before an auditorium of students and Portland residents at David Douglas High School, Oregon’s largest high school and one of its most diverse. The town hall on Friday was the 1,101st of left-leaning Democrat Ron Wyden’s career, and he used it to answer questions and talk about his plans for the next few lame-duck weeks in the Senate.

Questions alternated between the students and adults, with most students asking short, specific questions — should their undocumented friends and family be worried about deportation? What is Oregon doing for women’s reproductive health? — and most adults giving speeches about their views on the Middle Eastern conflict and preserving the Owyhee Canyonlands in eastern Oregon.

Wyden, who has gone from being one of the youngest members of Congress as a 31-year-old House freshman in 1981 to one of its typical lifer members as chair of the Finance Committee, said it was important for him to hear directly from young people about their concerns.

He said he’ll also be watching in the Senate for federal attempts to undermine access to abortion, which are not expected to happen at all according to the Supreme Court and President-elect Donald Trump, who forwarded the issue of abortion back to the states, not the federal government.

“Oregon is better off than many states”, Wyden said — Oregon and Vermont do more to protect abortion access than any other states, according to the Guttmacher Institute — but some issues, including regulating medication abortion, are still handled at the federal level.

 

Pacific Power is making it simple to make a difference in communities by helping struggling neighbors stay warm this winter.

For every dollar that you donate, Pacific Power will match your donation to the Oregon Energy Fund with $2 more. Pacific Power customers who receive their bills by mail will find they include an Oregon Energy Fund contribution envelope in November. Customers who pay their bills electronically can send a check or enroll in the fixed donation program. 

To enroll in the fixed donation program, customers can call Pacific Power toll-free at 1-888-221-7070 or Donate to Energy Assistance (pacificpower.net).

This program allows customers to donate any dollar amount, starting at $1 per month, which is then incorporated into their monthly bill. Fixed donations will also be matched 2-for-1 by Pacific Power.

Donations may be tax-deductible and are forwarded directly to the Oregon Energy Fund, which verifies eligibility and allocates funds to those in need. All funds donated are used to assist families in need within the same county in which the donor resides.

Last year, donations from Pacific Power’s customers, employees and the company helped 2,995 individuals in need throughout Oregon, including 1,482 adults, 503 seniors, 464 people with disabilities and 1,010 children. This year, Pacific Power will match up to $144,000 in donations.

Customers who need bill assistance can speak with Pacific Power representatives at 1-888-221-7070 who can help with payment plans that work for their individual needs, while directing them to agencies that may be able to help.

 

If you plan on traveling to the Oregon coast this week, stay alert to the power of the ocean. Beachgoers could be swept off of rocks and jetties and that sneaker waves and rip currents could occur during this period. 

Friday, the first king tide of the season is expected to hit the coast. King tides are extremely high tides that typically happen during new and full moons and can cause flooding. These big waves and high tides can quickly become deadly.

Visitors should always keep their eyes on the ocean when near the beach.  According to the Oregon King Tides Project, this season’s king tides are expected over the periods of Friday, Nov. 15, through Sunday, Nov. 17, Friday, Dec. 13, through Sunday, Dec. 15, and, Saturday, Jan. 11, through Monday, Jan. 13, 2025.

 

Officials are reporting a record number of steelhead returned to the Deschutes River this year.

Biologists collected over 250 adult steelheads in this year’s run. That’s the largest return since the 1960s. The steelhead will be released into Lake Billy Chinook with tracking technology to allow biologists to gather data about their activity.

 

OVER 1,000 CONSTRUCTION JOBSITES CHECKED DURING CCB SWEEPS, HUNDREDS OF PROPOSED VIOLATIONS ISSUED

The Construction Contractors Board (CCB), the state agency that licenses contractors in Oregon, conducts periodic enforcement sweeps in search of unlicensed contractor activity and other violations. “Unlicensed contractors put consumers at risk,” said Vena Swanson, CCB Enforcement Manager. “By searching for unlicensed contractor activity, we’re helping to protect consumers that hire contractors.” As of last week, CCB’s productive sweep season came to a successful conclusion. 

What is a CCB Enforcement Sweep?

An enforcement sweep is a planned effort with Field Investigators working together in designated areas searching for unlicensed contractors and illegal construction activity. This year’s sweep season, which started last spring and concluded at the end of October, touched every region of Oregon. Some sweeps were conducted with other state agencies, while others were conducted as a part of a national sweep effort. The agency conducted 10 collective weeks of sweeps over the last 6 months, sometimes overlapping sweeps in different areas of the state at the same time. 

“We completed 1,052 CCB license/jobsite checks, checked the certification on 330 lead-based paint jobsites, and checked credentialing for 170 tradespeople during this collective 10 weeks,” reported Swanson. The result? The CCB issued 226 proposed violations during 2024 sweeps. These proposed violations can lead to civil penalties. Some of the major violations included working without a license, lack of workers compensation insurance, working on pre-1978 homes without a lead-based paint license, and violation of safety practice standards while working with lead-based paint. There were many other offenses as well, such as failure to have a valid contract in place, advertising without a CCB number, and not being registered with the Secretary of State. 

While the goal of sweeps is to find illegal construction activity and confront it head on, CCB Field Investigators also encounter CCB licensees in the field. Jobsite checks go fast for contractors in compliance with the law. These encounters give licensees a chance to ask compliance-related questions and develop a rapport with field investigators. 

Why Are Sweeps Important?

“When reports of alleged violations are relayed back to our Compliance team, the civil penalty process may begin,” said Swanson. “The desired outcome is to shield consumers from harm and promote a fair business environment.”

Sweeps reinforce CCB’s strong enforcement presence and can help identify, remediate, and stop construction violations. Those in violation of construction laws often take steps toward compliance once a violation is issued. 

Dangers of Hiring an Unlicensed Contractor 

While CCB can fine unlicensed contractors for violations, consumers that hire unlicensed contractors have little recourse when construction projects go awry. CCB urges consumers to check contractors for an active license before hiring them. Consumers who become aware of unlicensed contractor jobsites should report them to the CCB. 

The dangers of working with unlicensed contractors include:

• No ability to look up license history. CCB’s online license search feature allows consumers to look up any license and see its history, including disciplinary history, previous suspensions, complaints and more. No such look up exists for unlicensed contractors.
• No access to mediation. CCB offers mediation services to consumers in dispute with their licensed contractor. Mediations help keep disputes out of court. Consumers in dispute with unlicensed contractors do not have this option, and while some do choose to go to court, others simply give up.
• No insurance, bond, or workers comp policy. Licensed contractors are required to have insurance and a bond in place to protect consumers. Businesses with employees are required to have workers comp. Most often, unlicensed contractors do not have this kind of protection and thus put consumers who hire them at risk.

How Can I Report Unlicensed Contractor Activity? 

Reporting unlicensed contractor activity is easy with the CCB’s website. Consumers that are aware of unlicensed contractors working on active jobsites can report the activity to the CCB at this link: https://search.ccb.state.or.us/online_complaint_enf/ 

Consumers can also find this link themselves through the CCB’s website, www.oregon.gov/ccb 

To report activity, look for the button that says “Report Contractor Activity.” Reports can be made anonymously, or consumers can request a follow up phone call to find out what happened to their report. 

About the CCB

The CCB is the state agency licensing over 42,000 contractors. Anyone who is paid to repair, improve or build a home must be licensed. Learn more about how to have a successful project at www.oregon.gov/ccb.

 

Portland (and Oregon) have a reputation for weirdness.

Cyclists pedal naked through Portland. Gourd enthusiasts empty the guts out of giant, boat-sized pumpkins and paddle on the Columbia River.

Then there’s an entire festival dedicated solely to Portland’s wackiest characters and creations. This idiosyncrasy touches almost every corner of the City of Roses. It does not, however, extend to Oregon’s pet names.

In its annual study, petsitting service, TrustedHousesitters, breaks down the United States’ most popular pet names, and the results for 2024 are mostly boring. Oregon, despite its commitment to going against the grain in most other areas, more or less shares the same top dog and cat names with the rest of the country. Luna snagged the top spot this year, followed by Bella and Charlie. Sound familiar? It wouldn’t be surprising, considering the same names dominated in 2023, 2021, and 2018. 

However, In April, a Portland cat named Tony “Scarface” Baloney won Nationwide’s Wacky Pet Names contest — so all hope for weirdness isn’t lost. Carry on.

 

SAFETY TIPS FOR YOUR HOME AS WINTER APPROACHES

The chill in the air here in the Northwest is the reminder to check your yard and tend to maintenance issues around your home.

“Fall is a great time to check the condition of your trees and a good opportunity to prune them before they become an issue once storms start,” said Jeremy Gee, Pacific Power’s vice president of health and safety. “Winter storms that bring down branches are a common source of power outages. Check around your property to see if any trees or branches could harm power lines if they fell. Some preventative work now could save you additional trouble and inconvenience related to power outages later.”

Use caution when pruning trees. Don’t use pruning tools or ladders near power lines. Always keep yourself and anything you’re handling at least 10 feet away from overhead power lines. Never try to remove a branch that is tangled or lying across a power line. Instead, call Pacific Power at 

1-888-221-7070. We’ll be happy to remove it for you.

Some additional tips for fall safety:

• Treat all electric lines with caution.
• Use only wooden and fiberglass ladders. Metal ladders conduct electricity.
• Be aware and steer clear of overhead electrical wires when installing, removing, cleaning or repairing gutters.
• Never use electrical equipment or tools near a pool or other wet areas such as puddles. Additionally, make sure outlets are equipped with a ground fault circuit interrupter, designed to automatically disconnect if the tool comes into contact with water.
• Plant trees and shrubs away from meters, switching cabinets and boxed transformers. Vegetation that blocks electrical equipment makes repairs and maintenance challenging and sometimes dangerous for utility workers.
• Have help when installing or adjusting a satellite dish or antenna. Make sure you’re working at least 10 feet away from overhead power lines.
• Underground power lines are just as dangerous as overhead ones. If your project involves digging, make sure the locations of underground power lines are marked. Call 811 to have underground utilities located and marked for free.

For more safety tips or to order free Pacific Power safety materials, call toll free at 800-375-7085 or visit PacificPower.net/Safety.

 

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We offer more local advertising opportunities than any one in the Klamath Basin. We’re ready to help you with the best radio and digital advertising in Southern Oregon.

You can receive Daily Radio Mentions across our 6 stations, Articles, direct link Banner Ads, floating Banner Ads on hundreds of article pages daily, Social Media Posts, geo-fencing and geo-targeting services, and also available are Email Blasts to thousands of local residents.

We can also keep you updated with the latest smart digital marketing strategies for 2024 for your business. BasinLife.com is still the best value in the Klamath Basin for advertising, as we celebrate our 8th year promoting businesses!

For information or prices on plans, simply call us today at 541-363-7503 or email us at Info@BasinLife.com.  Let us keep your business top-of -mind!