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Monday, December 2, 2024
Klamath Basin Weather
Air Stagnation Advisory until December 4, 4:00PM
Today
Mostly cloudy with areas of dense freezing fog in the morning, later becoming sunny with a high near 34 degrees. Overnight, increasing clouds with a low around 24.
Today’s Klamath Falls Headlines
Klamath County’s deflection program has a few new partnerships this week following the approval of agreements between the county and two community organizations Tuesday.
The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) approved and signed two Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) with Lutheran Community Services North West and Klamath Basin Behavioral Health.
Collaboration with the two organizations is agreed upon on behalf of the new county deflection program which aims to keep those charged with petty drug crimes out of the jails by offering rehabilitation programming instead. Klamath County Community Corrections director Aaron Hartman said the MOUs “aims to facilitate the effective referral and treatment of individuals in need of substance use disorder services.”
The county also took the next steps towards building an amphitheater for library programming that will double as a county staff respite space. Approval was granted to county staff leaders to submit a grant application to the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development for the community green infrastructure grant. If awarded, the grant will provide $500,000 for the project and allow construction to begin.
A second grant application submission was approved to submit to the Oregon State Parks local government grant program for the potential award of $250,000 with a required 50% match of funds. The amphitheater project is planned to be place on a lot located at 296 Main St.
The Salvation Army will be losing one of its longest-working soldiers next summer, Debi Leighton.
When Leighton retires from her dual roles as service center coordinator (Klamath County) and Oregon service extension representative in June next year it will be after 43 years of dedicated service to not only the Salvation Army’s mission, but also to the communities of Southern Oregon and Northern California.
Saying that the Salvation Army has always been her home, Leighton, while growing up, would attend its Sunday School and was a frequenter of its youth programs and summer camps, soon becoming a counselor for those activities. After that, it was on to working in the organization’s thrift stores. The Klamath Falls center provides food boxes and a Friday produce giveaway (the Produce Connection), rent and utility assistance and bus passes.
According to a member of the local Salvation Army advisory council, Don Boyd, the Klamath Falls center hands out upwards of 800 food boxes monthly (distributed Tuesday, Thursday and Friday) in addition to an average of 600 produce boxes. The center operates “shopping style” so a family or individual picks what is placed inside their boxes instead of the boxes being pre-arranged.
For Christmas, the center also gives roughly 700 more holiday food boxes and provides presents for local kids by way of Giving Trees that are tagged with a gift wish filled out by a child. “Thanks to the giving people of Klamath,” Boyd said, over 80 percent of those requests are fulfilled with the exact asked for present.
The Klamath Falls Service Center offers the above-listed services to all Klamath County municipalities and some that are a part of Northern California, such as Tulelake, Dorris, Newell and Macdoel. Leighton, in her position as the Oregon Service Extension Representative, also oversees 20 other service units across southern Oregon.
There will be two scheduled road closures tomorrow, on Tuesday, December 3rd, in order to complete pavement striping.
These closures are necessary for the safety of drivers and to ensure that the striping is done efficiently. The first location that will be closed is the intersection of Main, E. Main, Michigan, and N. El Dorado. This closure will take place on Tuesday, December 3rd between the hours of 10:00AM and 5:00PM.
The second location is the Portland Street Rail Crossing, which will also be closed on Tuesday, December 3rd from 10:00AM to 5:00PM. There is a possibility for additional closures on Wednesday morning, December 4th in order to complete the work.
Detours and traffic control signage will be in place to direct drivers around the closures. It is important for drivers to pay attention to these signs and follow the designated detours in order to avoid delays or getting lost.
Eagle Ridge New Tech High School students finished an 8-by-16-foot shed built for helping a Sprague River family who lost their home in the Copperfield Fire. Eagle Ridge New Tech’s shed is one of five sheds built in the Klamath Basin through Team Oregon Build.
Mazama, Lost River, Henley, Bonanza and Chiloquin also have built or are in the process of building sheds. Eagle Ridge New Tech instructor David Parker was presented with the task for his students which took the group four weeks to complete. For Parker and some of his students, the tragic fire was all too real. The fire missed Parker’s house by less than an eighth of a mile.. Team Oregon Build provided materials to Eagle Ridge New Tech and picked up the shed Thursday.
Team Oregon Build, which started in 2023, partners with the Bureau of Labor and Industries, the Oregon Housing Authority, Oregon Department of Education and PIVOT Architecture to provide funding for high school CTE programs. Team Oregon Build also helps with any natural disaster, helps the homeless and helps making sheds into a small home. Parker and his class were asked by Team Oregon Build to build a duplicate shed, which Parker and Eagle Ridge New Tech Principal, Terry Bennett, agreed to without hesitation.
The second shed will aim to take 15 days to finish. Parker has 30 years worth of construction and carpentry experience, previously owning his own business and was a head project manager for Modoc Contracting. Only two students in Parker’s class had previous experience in construction.
Sky Lakes is proud to announce that Cyntia Pope, RN, has been recognized as a 2024 Outstanding Nurse Preceptor by the Oregon Center for Nursing (OCN).
This prestigious honor celebrates nurse preceptors who play an essential role in shaping the future of the nursing workforce. Nurse preceptors provide vital guidance, encouragement, and education to nursing students and new graduates, helping them navigate hospital policies, build competencies, and grow into confident healthcare professionals. The relationship between a preceptor and their preceptees is instrumental at every stage of a nurse’s career.
For over 7 years, Pope has been an exceptional preceptor at Sky Lakes, positively impacting countless nurses’ careers. Known for her quiet strength, support, and dedication, Pope has left an indelible mark on her preceptees, many of whom have shared their gratitude: Sky Lakes Medical Center congratulates Cyntia Pope on this well-deserved recognition and thanks her for her invaluable contributions to the nursing profession and the community.
Klamath Union High School has been awarded just under a half-million dollar grant for programming geared toward future careers in medicine.
KUHS is to receive $440,843 via the third and final round of funding distribution from Future Ready Oregon — a $200 million Oregon Senate bill passed by legislature in 2022. The bill focuses on preparing Oregon youth to enter the workforce in the fields of healthcare, technology and manufacturing, and establishing educational and community support and engagement for underserved populations throughout Oregon. Funding was awarded for the city school’s health occupations program, a new course offered to all KUHS students that provides students with hands-on experience working in healthcare.
Adam Randall, assistant principal at KUHS, said although 2024 is the first year offering the course, the results have been “pretty insane.” Randall said next year, the school is planning to double the available instruction time by making the teacher’s role a full-time position, allowing for approximately 200 students to take the class each year.
The course, entitled “Introduction to Health Occupations,” gives high schoolers an opportunity to tour through 33 different health occupations at Sky Lakes Wellness Center. Partnering with Sky Lakes has been an overwhelming success story, Randall said. The health occupations program also comes with an opportunity for students to progress in their potential careers in healthcare by working — and earning wages — as clinical or surgical ambassadors at Sky Lakes facilities.
Sky Lakes even provides tuition assistance to students who continue through the programming. And, as of this fall, students who are surgical ambassadors can go on to complete the new surgical tech program at KCC.
The state grant funding awarded to KUHS is enough to cover the necessary equipment to have on the high school campus and provide wages for the ambassadors working at Sky Lakes who, until now, have been paid out of pocket by the hospital facility.
Other local organizations also got awarded money- Klamath County School District and Mazama High School: $302,793 for manufacturing, Oregon Institute of Technology: two grants for $1,209,546 for technology, and the Ross Ragland Theater: $500,000 for technology.
Winter is here, and Klamath County is taking some extra steps to help people plan their winter getaways.
Whether you’re looking to have some fun in the snow with a winter adventure or take it easy and relax in a cabin, Discover Klamath is trying to take the stress out of planning. They have updated their website to showcase different activities such as: the 40th Annual Klamath Snowflake Festival, a month-long festival with a parade and festive events, Snowy Sleigh Rides, dash through snow on a cozy sleigh ride at Odell Lake Resort, and, the Crater Lake Snowy Tour, guided snowshoeing and cross-country skiing with stunning views. Visit discover Klamath’s website for winter activities information.
Opening day for Mt. Shasta Ski Park is set for Wednesday, December 11th.
The ski park made the announcement on Facebook Monday morning, also stating that while there is a lot of work to be done, crews are already hard at it. Mt. Shasta’s annual season pass party will happen the Friday before opening day, on December 6. Hours on opening day will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
In Oregon, Mt. Ashland Ski Area announced it’s opening day earlier this month, that’s set for December 14.
Meanwhile, Warner Canyon Ski Area, located in Lake County, Oregon is targeting Dec. 21 for its opening, contingent on sufficient snowfall. Warner Canyon remained closed last winter due to a lack of snow.
‘Tis the season! Looking for an outdoor experience to celebrate the holidays? How about cutting down your own Christmas tree? Christmas tree permits for the Bureau of Land Management Klamath Falls Field Office can be purchased ONLINE starting now.
Buy your permit here! Permits cost $5 per tree with a limit of 2 trees per household. Go to forestproducts.blm.gov, select Oregon and “Klamath Falls Field Office” from the drop-down menu, and follow the prompts. A permit, stipulations, and a map will be emailed to you following purchase.
Though some restrictions may apply, Christmas tree cutting is permitted on most BLM-administered lands within the Klamath Falls Field Office. Maps of cutting areas are available with permits. Before you head out to find your perfect tree, review the details below to have the best experience.
- You must have a valid permit to cut and/or remove trees from BLM-managed public lands. Check with your local BLM field office as cutting areas, guidelines and restrictions vary. Tag prices and restrictions are different for trees cut on U.S. Forest Service land.
- No topping of trees.
- Cut below lowest live limb – Leave stumps no higher than six inches.
- Avoid damage to other trees.
- Drive only on existing roads. Don’t block traffic when you park. Comply with road closures.
- Do not trespass on or through private land.
- Stay on designated roads and respect private land. Some tree cutting areas may be inaccessible after a snowfall – early-season cutting is advisable.
- Be safe and prepared. Check road and weather conditions before heading out. Ensure you have everything you need for an outdoor venture, including warm clothes, food, water, and safety equipment. Let someone know where you’ll be going and when you plan to return. If you get stranded, call for help, and stay with your group and vehicle until help arrives.
- Please dispose of trees properly. Consider composting or using it as firewood if those are options available to you.
Keep in mind that hunting seasons can be open during these times, so wearing brighter colors may be advisable. For more information about Christmas tree cutting on BLM lands in the Klamath Falls Field Office, call 541-883-6916.
Umpqua Bank is having their 10th Annual Warm Hearts Winter Drive, an associate-driven campaign to support individuals, families and youths throughout the bank’s footprint who struggle with access to housing and other basic resources.
Umpqua Bank’s 4,800 associates and nearly 300 local branches will help mobilize their respective communities to raise money and collect winter items for shelters and aide organizations serving people experiencing homelessness.
Last year, the Warm Hearts Winter Drive raised a total of $365,000 for more than 100 shelter partners and nonprofits across Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho, Nevada and Utah. Since the campaign launched in 2015, the Warm Hearts Winter Drive has raised nearly $2.5 Million in funds and other resources for local nonprofits and shelters helping neighbors in need.
“It’s an honor to celebrate the Warm Heart Winter Drive’s 10-year anniversary and take a moment to reflect on the impact this campaign has made in the communities across our footprint,” said Umpqua Bank Chief Marketing Officer David Moore Devine. “Thank you to all our associates, customers and community members who contribute to Warm Hearts each and every year. We look forward to continuing to work alongside all the amazing nonprofit partners and local shelters that do so much to support those in need and make our communities stronger.”
How to Support the Warm Hearts Winter Drive
The Warm Hearts Winter Drive accepts cash donations in addition to new winter clothes. Contributions can be made at www.WarmHeartsWinterDrive.com. Financial contributions and new winter clothing items can also be donated at Umpqua Bank branches.
The Klamath Animal Shelter Pet of The Week, Ready for Adoption is a dog named ” Copper”.
Win-R-Insulation, Inc. has a special partnership with EnergyTrust of Oregon where you may be able to qualify for a FREE CEILING INSULATION PROGRAM. See if you qualify by clicking here, or calling Win-R-Insulation at (541) 884-8008
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
Heading into the holiday season, Pacific Power is reminding customers to be vigilant about fraudulent communications from scammers posing as utility representatives.
This activity tends to increase during this time of year.Customers can protect themselves from these types of schemes by being aware of the following facts:
Pacific Power will not contact any customer demanding immediate payment to avoid disconnection of service.
Pacific Power does not ask customers to make payments by purchasing a prepaid card. You and other customers can always choose how you would like to make your payments. service the same day.
Pacific Power will not demand immediate payment for damaged or broken electrical equipment or any other service.
Pacific Power customer service employees will always have your correct account number. Scammers increasingly have used text messages as a means of targeting victims will not demand payment via text message.
Pacific Power encourages customers to set up their online billing profile at Pay My Bill (pacificpower.net) where they can pay bills and review statements. Scammers may use a sophisticated deceptive tactic that makes it appear to caller ID systems that the call is coming from Pacific Power when it is not. Hang up and call Customer Service directly.
Remember, if you still have concerns about the legitimacy of a call, you can always call our published customer service number, 1-888-221-7070. Pacific Power is asking customers to report information about any scam calls received, including the phone number the person is calling from and any information that may help to track down the fraudsters.
The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Wednesday that it responded to a threat against U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, an Oregon Republican selected by president-elect Donald Trump to lead the federal Department of Labor.
Chavez-DeRemer tweeted that she received a pipe bomb threat on Tuesday at her Happy Valley home, and that she and her family were safe. “This kind of violence harms not just the intended targets but entire communities,” she tweeted. “It is an unacceptable way to express opposition, and it will not deter President Trump and the team he has assembled from doing the work on behalf of the American people.”
A spokesman for the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the office responded to a threat and that the FBI is handling an investigation, but declined to answer other questions. A spokesman for Chavez-DeRemer did not immediately respond to questions. The FBI said in a statement that it was aware of “numerous bomb threats and swatting incidents targeting incoming administration nominees and appointees.”
Trump spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said in a statement that several officials received “violent, un-American” threats ranging from bomb threats to “swatting,” a term that describes prank calls intended to cause a large number of heavily armed police officers to show up at an address to respond to a non-existent threat.
U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, a New York Republican and Trump’s pick for ambassador to the United Nations, also reported receiving a bomb threat at her home. Former U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin, another New York Republican tapped to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, said on X that he was a victim of a “pipe bomb threat” with a “pro-Palestinian themed message.”
A 54-year-old Medford man has been arrested for child sex crimes.
According to a news release today from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, the man — David Lee Hurd — is facing 10 felony counts of second-degree encouraging child sex abuse.
“[Police] began the investigation in 2023 after a tip came in from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children,” the release said. “The task force served a search warrant in August of 2023 and seized digital devices from Hurd’s residence in the 3700 block of South Pacific Highway in south Medford.” Hurd is currently being lodged in Jackson County Jail.
According to court records, his bail has been set at $500,000 and his pre-trial conference will be on Dec. 9.
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek has announced she will call state lawmakers in for a special session next month to address the high cost of this year’s record-breaking wildfire season.
Critics say instead of tackling the fires with more resources, equipment and personnel when they first begin, Kotek’s weak management of Oregon forests has regularly been too slow, thus her Monday morning quarterbacking of fighting of wildfires in the state, costing tax payers millions.
The session will begin Dec. 12 and focus on a request from Kotek for $218 million in additional funding for state agencies that were overtaxed by the cost of fighting the wildfires, according to a news release from Kotek’s office.
The fires collectively torched more than 1.9 million acres in 2024, far more than any prior year on record. Oregon’s annual wildfire costs have ballooned as wildfire seasons have grown more intense, rising to around $75.5 million per year over the past decade from an average of around $11 million per year during the decade prior.
The 2024 season blew even that new average out of the water with a record-high cost estimated at $250 million as of mid-September. That total has now grown to more than $350 million, according to Kotek’s news release.
The Oregon Department of Forestry said back in September that it had exhausted its funding to pay firefighters and contractors and would need to ask for another $47.5 million from the state’s Emergency Board, which is run by the Legislative Fiscal Office and handles emergency funding requests from state agencies when the legislature is not in session.
The board only had about $43 million in its general fund at the time, so the Legislative Fiscal Office recommended splitting the cost between the board’s general fund and a separate natural disaster fund. The board approved the request, but the Legislative Fiscal Office warned that ODF was on track to run out of money again in November.
Oregon’s next regular legislative session starts Jan. 21 and will run through June 29, unless lawmakers opt to adjourn sooner.
Oregon Senator Ron Wyden is asking Portland General Electric to explain why it’s raised rates nearly 41 percent and plans another increase next year.
PGE released a statement saying they take Wyden’s concerns seriously, and they’ll respond to his letter. PGE says they’re working to modernize and strengthen the power grid while trying to keep costs as low as possible. PGE has programs and incentives to help customers manage energy use and there’s an income qualified bill discount program.
Oregon’s new chief state economist estimates the state will have about $37.8 billion available to spend in the next two-year budget cycle after reworking how the state calculates its economic forecast.
The state’s also on track to pay out a $1.8 billion kicker to taxpayers in 2026. But new chief economist Carl Riccadonna, a former Wall Street analyst hired in September, is changing the way Oregon models its expected revenue with an eye toward more accurate forecasts that reduce the amount returned to taxpayers through Oregon’s unique kicker law.
Riccadonna and senior economist Michael Kennedy presented their first quarterly forecast to lawmakers Wednesday and previewed some of their findings on a call with reporters Tuesday evening. Under the new forecast, lawmakers could have nearly $6 billion more to spend in the upcoming 2025-27 budget cycle compared to the last one.
Oregon Driver and Motor Vehicle Services has let people take the non-commercial driver’s license knowledge test online in English and Spanish since October 2023. The test is now available in six additional languages: Arabic, Chinese (simplified Mandarin), Japanese, Korean, Russian and Vietnamese.
The online test is offered in the same eight languages available at on-site testing screens in DMV offices. In its first year, 22,642 customers passed the knowledge test online. During that same period, 66,195 customers passed the test at DMV offices.
Choosing the online test lets you take the test at your convenience. The online testing experience closely mirrors testing at a DMV office, and there is no difference in fees. Online knowledge testing requires a desktop or laptop computer with a mouse, keyboard and functioning webcam. You cannot complete the test using a touchscreen device like a phone or tablet. Teens under 18 need an adult 21 years or older to supervise their test as they take it.
Testing online lets you know if you have passed the exam before coming into the DMV office. This can save multiple trips into the office if you don’t pass the first time. After you pass your test online, you will need to come into an office with your identity documents and pass a vision screening. You will then be issued a permit or be eligible to schedule a drive test, depending on your age.
Learn more on the DMV online test webpage. Online knowledge testing is one of more than 20 transactions that can be done online at DMV2U.
Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) unveiled the first State of the State’s Housing Report for Oregon, providing an in-depth analysis of housing availability and affordability across the state.
Drawing from comprehensive data on housing markets, economic trends, and demographic shifts, the report highlights the challenges Oregon residents face in affording high-quality housing. Oregon’s population grew by more than 860,000 residents, representing a 25% increase between 2004 and 2023. Housing construction was insufficient to keep pace with a rapidly increasing population.
Oregon must add more than 500,000 housing units over the next two decades to begin addressing supply issues. Home prices have far outpaced wage gains over the past decade in the for-sale market.
For every dollar Oregonians earned in wage increases between 2013 and 2022, the median sales price of a home increased by $7.10. Communities of color continue to face significantly lower homeownership rates (49%) compared to their white counterparts (66%). More than half of all renters in Oregon and a third of homeowners experience a housing cost burden, meaning that they spend more than 30% of their income on housing costs.
Approximately 242,000 households fall into the extremely low-income or very low-income categories. Oregon only offers approximately 113,000 housing units that are both affordable and available to them, resulting in a deficit of 128,000 units for these households. OHCS expects to release a State of the State’s Housing Report every two years, with additional localized analyses in the years between each release. Reliable data enables the agency to identify where efforts are making an impact and where improvements are needed.
Electric vehicles, EV charging stations, transit improvements, and bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure are among the 14 projects across Oregon to receive funding from the second round of the federal Carbon Reduction Program.
The program’s second round of competitive grant funding, which ran in spring this year, had $11.5 million available for “small urban and rural” projects in Oregon that reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation. The 14 projects were split among 13 local agencies and one Tribe.
Over 70% of the funds will go to projects in disadvantaged communities, following the federal government’s Justice40 initiative. Eligible projects for the grant were in urban and rural areas of the state with populations under 200,000. Cities, counties, Tribal governments, and local and state transportation agencies were eligible to apply. The Carbon Reduction Program will distribute $82 million of federal funding over five years for transportation projects in Oregon. The ODOT Climate Office administers the program. Office staff worked with a consultation group of local transportation organizations and advocates to develop strategies, priorities and evaluation criteria for the program.
The next round of funding from the Carbon Reduction Program is expected to be in spring 2026.
Public comments on a proposed amendment to the land management plans guiding national forests within the Northwest Forest Plan area, which includes the Fremont-Winema National Forest, is being sought by the U.S. Forest Service.
The draft Environmental Impact Statement for the amendment will be published Saturday (today) in the Federal Register. The 120-day comment period is intended to “provide an opportunity for the public to share input on how these forests will be managed for decades to come,” according to a press release.
The Northwest Forest Plan area spans Oregon, Northern California and Washington and, along with the Fremont-Winema, includes the Modoc, Rogue River-Siskiyou, and Deschutes national forests. Buchanan said key themes of the draft EIS focus on balancing economic needs, ecological health and community safety across the Northwest Forest Plan area.
Oregon will receive over $750,000 from the federal government to help save Monarch Butterflies.
Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley has worked to get the funding. 458-thousand-dollars will go to the Pollinator Partnership that supports conservation efforts in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. $300,000 will be used to produce Pollinator Habitat Kits that’ll be used on 500 acres of public and private lands.
Oregon State Parks has added Brookings to the cities where overnight beach camping is banned.
Residents near Mill Beach voiced concerns about public health, risks to public safety, and impacts on the marine ecosystem. Over 90 percent of comments expressed support for the ban. Brookings joins Seaside, Cannon Beach, Manzanita, Rockaway Beach, Lincoln City, Newport, Bandon and Gold Beach where camping is also banned.
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