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.

Monday, December 16, 2024

Klamath Basin Weather

Today Rain mixed with snow today, high near 38. South winds to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. Total daytime snow accumulation of less than one inch possible. In the evening, possible snow flurries mixed with rain, snow level at 4300 feet. Overnight, rain, south winds to 10-14 mph, low near 31. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

Today’s Klamath Falls Headlines

USPS PACKAGE SHIPPING DEADLINES

With just about two weeks to go until Christmas Day, there’s still time to finish your holiday shopping. But your holiday shipping? That’s another story.

Deadlines for shipping packages in time for Christmas are quickly approaching. For the U.S. Postal Service’s ground shipping, the deadline is December 18 within the lower 48 states. For USPS priority mail express, you have until December 21. For FedEx, the deadline for 5-day shipping is December 17 or you can cut it as close as Christmas Eve, December 24 with same day shipping.

The deadline for UPS is December 19 or December 23 with next day air. Of course prices vary depending on the service you chose and how quickly you want your package to arrive.

 

 

Amazon has opened its newest delivery station in Klamath Falls, located at 6250 Altamont Drive.

The over 19,000-square-foot facility is now operational, enabling faster and more reliable package delivery services for customers across the Klamath Basin and Southern Oregon. This station is expected to create 100 jobs, bringing new opportunities to the area while enhancing access to goods and services for Southern Oregon’s diverse communities.

 

This delivery station is part of Amazon’s commitment to supporting communities across Southern Oregon. The company says they’re excited to invest in Klamath Falls, creating good jobs and improving delivery speed and reliability for families and small businesses throughout the region.

 

Since 2010, Amazon has invested more than $37 billion in Oregon, including infrastructure and employee compensation, contributing $22 billion to the state’s GDP. These investments have created more than 11,000 full- and part-time jobs and supported an additional 46,300 jobs in industries such as construction, logistics, and professional services.

 

Amazon also empowers local entrepreneurs. More than 5,500 small and medium-sized businesses across Oregon sell in its store, helping to boost the state’s economy. In 2024 alone, Amazon allocated more than $750 million to technologies, resources, training, and programs to further its safety efforts, underscoring the company’s commitment to innovation and workforce well-being.

 

 

The Klamath Tribes and the Modoc Nation are among six tribes that will share $4.6 million in funding from the Bureau of Reclamation for 14 projects aimed at combating drought and building resilience in tribal communities across the region.

Other tribes along the Klamath River in Southern Oregon and far Northern California include the Hoopa Valley Tribe, Karuk Tribe, Pulikla Tribe of Yurok People, and Yurok Tribe. The Klamath Basin Drought and Resiliency and Tribal Ecosystem Restoration Program allows Reclamation to work with Klamath Basin tribes to determine the most effective way to allocate these essential funds.

 

It also reflects Reclamation’s ongoing efforts to implement multi-faceted, durable, and collaborative strategies that balance both human and environmental needs. Eight of the 14 projects recommended for funding will “help tribes conduct environmental and ecosystem analysis and data collection to prepare for drought, restore ecosystems, and build resilience. The remaining projects will focus on general drought preparation, funding for staff and personnel, outreach, and infrastructure improvements.”

 

Since 2021, $16.1 million in supplementary drought-resilience funding has been provided to Klamath Basin tribes under the Klamath Basin Drought and Resiliency and Tribal Ecosystem Restoration Program.

The program supports the Department of the Interior’s broader commitment to increasing collaborative efforts aimed at restoring the Klamath Basin ecosystem and improving water supply reliability throughout the Klamath Project.

 

According to the Klamath Basin Drought Resilience Keystone Initiative website, the funding is intended to support work with tribes, water users, local governments, states and other federal agencies “to advance scientifically sound, community supported projects that will meaningfully impact ecosystem restoration and maximize the benefits of limited resources.  

 

Toys for Tots in Klamath Falls is asking for your holiday help. There are 1200 more kids registered to receive gifts this year compared to last, and they are in desperate need of gifts for kids over the age of 10, especially young girls.

The organization, connected with the Marine Corps, is also in need of gifts for teens. They are hard to shop for and often left out. If you would be interested to help, please drop off whatever you can at the Toys for Tots location in the Wal Mart shopping center next to Sally Beauty Supply.  

 

 

HENLEY SENIORS ARE FINALISTS IN SAMSUNG SOLVE FOR TOMORROW CONTEST

Colton Putnam and Cameron Ransom designing project to help Klamath Basin farmers Henley High School seniors Colton Putnam and Cameron Ransom have been selected as finalists in the first round of the prestigious Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Education Contest. Their project aims to reduce planting and equipment costs for Klamath Basin farmers.

 

The national competition encourages students to use science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to address real-world problems impacting their communities. Putnam and Ransom, who are advanced engineering design and development students in Kristi Lebkowsky’s Henley program, teamed up for the competition. Their first challenge: Identify a problem in their community.

 

“Today, agricultural equipment is expensive and highly advanced, and many farmers can’t afford the cost of buying and maintaining these machines,” Cameron explained. “So, we developed a way to lower costs and reduce the time needed for planting using aerospace technology,” Colton added.

 

Their project focuses on designing and developing a drone that could be used to seed and fertilize fields, cutting down on equipment costs that can be prohibitive, especially for smaller farmers. They plan to use 3D printing technology to create the specialized drone, which would be programmed to fly over fields and release seeds. It could also be used for fertilizing. “We are extremely proud of Colton and Cameron,” Lebkowsky said. “They are applying all the skills they’ve developed to create a project that positively impacts their community. And then to have Samsung say, ‘We not only want to move you to phase two, but we also see the value in your idea and are already awarding you a monetary prize.’ That’s huge. I’m thrilled they’re receiving recognition for the incredible work they’re doing.”

 

As first-round finalists, Colton and Cameron won $2,500 to purchase classroom technology for their school and earned the opportunity to win an additional $12,000 in the second round of the four-phase competition. They are among 300 finalists nationwide, and one of five finalist teams in Oregon. In the second phase, they will compete against the other Oregon finalists and must win in order to advance. In this next phase, Putnam and Ransom will outline their plans for executing the project, including specific activities to achieve their objectives, the community impact, and how they will assess and measure the results.

 

They also plan to interview local farmers to further research the issue and determine whether the project would benefit them. Cameron has been involved in engineering courses since his freshman year. Colton began taking engineering classes his junior year and fully committed, enrolling in two or three courses each semester. Both are interested in aerospace as a potential career field.

 

Ransom hopes to attend Brigham Young University-Provo to study aerospace engineering. Putnam plans to attend Oregon State University, majoring in mechanical engineering with a minor in aerospace.

 

Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow contest provides students with a platform to develop creative solutions to challenges facing their communities. The final rounds of the competition offer significant prizes for the winning teams’ schools—$50,000 in the semifinal round and $100,000 for the nationwide winner. – Marcia Schlottmann, KCSD Public Relations Specialist

 

Driving In Winter Weather

Get to your destination safely this winter season by following advice from Oregon Tech’s lead campus safety officer, Cpl. Christopher Bowman.

Having 29 years in law enforcement, including performing patrol duties with five of those years working for the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office as a jail transporter where he drove inmates to and from the state prison in Salem, Bowman knows the roads in, and the highways around, Klamath Falls. Bowman gave his presentation to Oregon Tech students and any interested local drivers and started by saying that 90% of motorists psych themselves out and overthink winter driving.

He said to brake slowly when coming to stops to avoid skidding (sliding) and allow three times more than normal when following behind another vehicle. He advised using lower gears to keep traction, especially while going uphill. On automatic transmissions, he said those lower gears can be identified as either L (low) or that they can also be numbered typically with 2, 3 and 4.

While driving, Bowman said to do so on well-traveled roads, listing Washburn Way, South Sixth Street, the Crater Lake Bypass and other main thoroughfares as they are more likely to be plowed when compared to side or joining roads.

While on the highway, he advised motorists to take Highway 140 and to transfer on to I-5 instead of going on Highway 97 and Highway 58 for similar reasons. Bowman shared that if your vehicle gets stuck, do not spin the wheels as it will only dig your car deeper into the snow. He said to turn the wheels from side to side a few times to clear the snow away.

Use a light touch on the gas to ease the car out. He said another solution can be to rock the vehicle by inching forward in drive and then itching backward in reverse a few times.

As part of a prepared measure, Bowman told motorists to drive carrying cat litter in the vehicle as it can be used for added traction if their car gets stuck. He said to carry a small shovel in case one needs to dig out.

 

Citizens for Safe Schools in the Klamath Basin is asking the community to celebrate the spirit of giving this holiday season by donating stockings and stocking stuffers for local youth.

The nonprofit youth-mentoring organization has partnered with businesses in the Klamath Basin — including Basin Gaming, Applebee’s, Cascade Health Alliance and Everybody’s Vintage — setting up donation bins at each location in Klamath Falls.

Donations can be made at each business during regular business hours. Citizens for Safe Schools asked kids for a list of things they want in their stockings this Christmas. Their lists included: candy, snacks, gift cards, art supplies and a variety of other small items, like D&D dice and Magic the Gathering cards. The drive is ongoing through Dec. 18.    

‘Tis the season of giving in Klamath County with the Marine Corps League’s annual Toys for Tots toy drive.

Last year alone, Crater Lake Detachment 373 Marine Corps League distributed more than 17,000 gifts to 4,126 children across Klamath County.In difficult economic times, the local Marine Corps League is asking residents who are able to give what they can to help support families in need.

 

Klamath County campaign coordinator Eric Anderson said the drive still needs donations to cover certain age groups. Anderson said the toy drive is hoping to receive a wider variety of local donations in addition to items that have been donated by corporations such as Hasbro and Disney. Although Hasbro donated multiple truckloads to Toys for Tots drives in the Western states, the selection is still slim.

 

Donations of new, unwrapped gifts can be dropped off at Bi-Mart, Fred Meyer, My Mechanic or the Leatherneck Club in Klamath Falls up until Dec. 24th, which will be the final day of collections. Families in need of gifts for their children can sign up online until Sunday, Dec. 8, to receive presents. To apply, visit the Klamath County Toys for Tots website at klamath-falls-or.toysfortots.org and select “request a toy.” And for those interested in lending a hand with this year’s toy collections and distributions, Anderson said volunteers are always welcomed.

 

A group of high school seniors also relinquished a portion of their holiday break to volunteer at the distribution center last year as part of their senior projects. Individuals and organizations interested in volunteering can submit forms via the local website as well.

 

 

Umpqua Bank is having their 10^th Annual Warm Hearts Winter Drive, to support individuals, families and youths throughout the bank’s footprint who struggle with access to housing and other basic resources.

Umpqua Bank’s with 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. L

 

ast 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.

 

Get your fresh Christmas Tree at the Klamath County Fairgrounds now, at Lamb’s Tree Lot! Click here for tree lot info and hours!

 

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

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Around the State of Oregon

Overdose deaths increased nearly 33% in Oregon last year compared to the year before, setting a grim new record that shows the state’s overdose crisis is far from over.

Oregon’s overdose crisis has affected every community across the state, and the highly sensitive and traumatic nature of these events has caused harm, trauma and loss that impact the well-being of everyone.

The newest numbers show 1,833 people died in Oregon from a drug overdose last year, compared to 1,383 in 2022, 1,189 in 2021, 824 in 2020 and 626 in 2019. That means that nearly three times as many people died of overdoses in Oregon last year than did four years earlier. It also means that the increase in overdose deaths isn’t even slowing down. In 2022, overdose deaths increased only 16% compared to 2021. That’s about half of the percentage point increase in deaths from 2022 to 2023.

Oregon lawmakers approved $218 million in emergency wildfire funds during a Thursday special session that was convened to address unpaid bills stemming from the state’s 2024 record wildfire season.

As wildfires still rage in California, Oregon is among several states grappling with steep costs related to fighting wildfires this year. New Mexico lawmakers in a July special session approved millions in emergency aid for wildfire victims, and states including North Dakota and Wyoming have requested federal disaster declarations to help with recovery costs.

Fighting the blazes that scorched a record 1.9 million acres (769,000 hectares), or nearly 2,970 square miles (7,692 square kilometers), largely in eastern Oregon, cost the state over $350 million, according to Gov. Tina Kotek. The sum has made it the most expensive wildfire season in state history, her office said. While over half of the costs will eventually be covered by the federal government, the state still needs to pay the bills while waiting to be reimbursed.

The emergency funding bill passed with bipartisan support in both chambers, with the state Senate voting 25-2 and the state House voting 42-2 with 15 excused. Oregon wildfires this year destroyed at least 42 homes and burned large swaths of range and grazing land in the state’s rural east. At one point, the Durkee Fire, which scorched roughly 460 square miles (1,200 square kilometers) near the Oregon-Idaho border, was the largest in the nation. Kotek declared a state of emergency in July in response to the threat of wildfire, and invoked the state’s Emergency Conflagration Act a record 17 times during the season.  

One person is dead and three others injured after a single-vehicle rollover crash on the southbound side of I-5 in Siskiyou County Friday morning.

According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), officers arrived to the scene, just south of Anderson Grade, shortly after midnight. Upon arrival police found one person had been ejected from the vehicle and three other people were still inside.

Life-saving measures were taken, however the person ejected, a 61-year-old from Woodburn, died at the scene. The other three people were taken to a local hospital for treatment. CHP says icy roads were a factor in the crash and are reminding drivers to slow down when driving in colder temperatures.  

Nearly a week after the Oregon Coast faced a tsunami alert, local agencies in the Coos Bay area are reflecting on their response, identifying both successes and areas for improvement, to better prepare for future emergencies.

On December 5, a tsunami warning prompted evacuations in low-lying areas, including Coos Bay, where city officials prepared for a “worst-case” scenario. The National Weather Service did not provide specific flood estimates, leading authorities to evacuate City Hall and dispatch police to advise residents and businesses. Schools in the Coos Bay School District also evacuated, with staff and students responding calmly and professionally, according to Superintendent Justin Ainsworth.

The Coos Bay Fire Department and other local agencies have since debriefed to assess their response, noting strengths such as the quick actions of emergency personnel and the community’s overall seriousness in following evacuation protocols.

However, gaps in knowledge and preparedness among some residents showed areas for improvement. The school district plans to address logistical challenges, such as the inadequacy of Marshfield High School as a reunification center, which became overwhelmed by traffic during the evacuation. Ainsworth said the school district will be collaborating with the city, fire and police departments to streamline future responses. Local officials are also encouraging residents to take proactive steps, such as learning evacuation routes and creating emergency kits.

Anderson stressed the value of community-level preparedness and self-sustainability for up to two weeks in the event of various disasters, not just tsunamis.  

Mired in deep financial woes, executives at Bay Area Hospital are courting a private equity-owned health company to “assume operations” at the Coos Bay facility.

The 172-bed public, nonprofit hospital — the largest on Oregon’s coast — said this week it has signed a nonbinding letter of intent to negotiate a deal with Quorum Health, which owns McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center in Springfield. Kimberly Winker, a spokesperson for Bay Area Hospital, said the Coos Bay facility “is working toward an agreement where Quorum would enter into a lease transaction and assume operations of the hospital.”

Hospital officials declined to say more about the financial terms of the deal, saying the arrangement has yet to be finalized.  Winker said Bay Area Hospital would keep its name. She said Quorum has so far agreed to maintain essential services for at least 10 years and keep employees in good standing with their existing pay, titles and seniority. Quorum would also ensure local representation on the hospital’s governing board and uphold existing charity care policies, Winker added.  

The University of Portland has received a 20-million-dollar donation, one of the largest ever in the school’s history.

The donor is remaining anonymous, except to say it’s a multi-generational family with 12 U of P alumni. The money will support student access, academic excellence, and other student programs.  

A Cottage Grove family has lost 14-thousand-dollars to a scam involving the court system.

The Lane County Sheriff’s Office says the suspect called them and said they needed to pay 14-thousand-dollars to clear charges for not appearing in court. They were told to pay the money into a Bitcoin ATM where it’s impossible to trace who received the money. The Sheriff’s Office says they never demand money by phone, text or email.  

Commercial crab season will open Monday on part of the Oregon Coast.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife says commercial crabbers will be able to place pots for Dungeness crabs starting today from Cape Falcon, near Manzanita, to the California border.

Testing shows crabs have a minimum amount of meat required and levels of domoic acid are below the safety threshold. North of cape Falcon, the season will remain closed until crabs gain weight.

An Oregon federal judge has temporarily blocked Kroger’s proposed takeover of Albertsons Tuesday, siding with state and federal regulators who argued a $24.6 billion merger between the two supermarket giants would harm consumers and grocery workers.

U.S. District Judge Adrienne Nelson’s temporary injunction, which halts the merger while a Federal Trade Commission Boise, Idaho-based Albertsons is Kroger’s largest rival after Walmart. Albertsons owns the grocery chain that bears its name as well as Safeway, Vons, Randalls and several other chains.

The grocers said their merger would help the combined company better compete against brick-and-mortar and online competitors.

The FTC, joined by state attorneys general from Oregon, the District of Columbia and seven other states, argued in its lawsuit that a tie up between Kroger and Albertsons would drive down competition, resulting in higher grocery prices, lower quality of products and less choice for consumers. Judge Nelson said Kroger and Albertsons “engage in substantial head-to-head competition and the proposed merger would remove that competition. As a result, the proposed merger is likely to lead to unilateral competitive effects and is presumptively unlawful.”

The merger is also the subject of another antitrust lawsuit brought by the Colorado Attorney General’s office. The judge in that case has yet to rule.  

A panel of authorities on the data center industry told Northwest energy planners Wednesday that the tech sector will take all the electricity it can get its hands on, warning of severe consequences if the region doesn’t respond in time.

Data center demand is soaring because of artificial intelligence, which uses massive amounts of electricity for advanced computation. These powerful machines already consume more than 10% of all of Oregon’s power and forecasters say data center power use will be at least double that by 2030 — and perhaps some multiple higher.

If the Northwest fails to add enough generation and transmission to meet the growing energy needs, Cromwell said periodic blackouts are inevitable at times power demand is at its greatest. He used an industry term, “rotating load shedding,” to describe rolling blackouts, which briefly cut off power to homes, businesses and even hospitals that need electricity to provide life-saving care.

Oregon has one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing data center industries, owing in large part to some of the most generous tax breaks anywhere in the world.

Data centers don’t employ many people, but the wealthy tech companies that run them enjoy Oregon tax giveaways worth more than $225 million annually.  

How To Avoid A Fire In Your Home For the Holidays

The holidays are a wonderful time to get everyone together. Unfortunately, they can also mean a greater risk of a fire in someone’s home. This holiday season, the Cascades Region encourages everyone to follow simple steps to prevent home fires from holiday decorations. 

“December is the peak time for home fires involving candles and holiday decorations,” said Red Cross Cascades Region CEO Priscilla Fuentes. “Help protect your family by using battery-operated candles, making sure you have working smoke alarms, and practicing your two-minute escape plan with everyone in your household.”

HOLIDAY DECORATING SAFETY TIPS 

Follow these safety tips and visit redcross.org/fire for more information. You can also download the free Red Cross Emergency app by searching “American Red Cross” in app stores.

• If you must use candles, keep them away from anything that could burn, and place them out of reach of pets and children. Never leave burning candles unattended.
• Check all holiday light cords to ensure they aren’t frayed or broken. Don’t string too many strands of lights together — no more than three per extension cord. 
• Ensure outside decorations are for outdoor use and fasten lights securely to your home or trees. If using hooks or nails outside, make sure they are insulated to avoid an electrocution or fire hazard.
• If buying an artificial tree, look for a fire-resistant label. When putting it up, keep it away from fireplaces, radiators and other sources of heat. Never use electric lights on metallic trees.
• If getting a live tree, make sure it’s fresh and keep it watered. To test if the tree is fresh, bend the needles up and down to make sure no needles fall off.
• Don’t light the fireplace if hanging stockings or other decorations on the mantel.

Install smoke alarms on every level of the home and outside each sleeping area. Test them once a month and replace the batteries at least once a year. If you cannot afford to purchase smoke alarms or are physically unable to install one, the Red Cross may be able to help. Contact your local Red Cross for help. HOME FIRE CAMPAIGN SAVE LIVES Since October 2014, the Red Cross Home Fire Campaign, working with community partners, has saved at least 2,246 lives by educating families about fire safety, helping them create escape plans and installing free smoke alarms in high-risk areas across the country. To learn more about the campaign and how you can get involved, visit redcross.org/homefires.   

Oregon Health Authority remains focused on increased efforts to reduce substance use—and is looking at new opportunities to expand prevention, harm-reduction, treatment and recovery services—as a state data dashboard shows an increase in overdoses during 2023.

Overdose fatalities continued to rise in 2023, with more than half of the unintentional overdose deaths involving an opioid or a stimulant, according to a new and updated data dashboard. State health officials are still gathering data for 2024.

OHA launched the update of its Oregon Overdose Prevention Dashboard to provide more timely data, highlight emerging trends, and give users the ability to download the data. The dashboard is an interactive tool for tracking state, county and demographic trends related to fatal and non-fatal overdoses. The updated dashboard shows the extent to which polysubstance use is contributing to fatal overdoses and disparities in overdose deaths:

• Overdose fatalities continued to rise, from 1,383 deaths in 2022 to 1,833 in 2023.
• 53% of unintentional overdose deaths in 2023 involved both an opioid and a stimulant.
• Fatal overdose rates remain high in non-Hispanic, Black and American Indian/Alaska Native communities.

Oregon is working aggressively to stem the rise in overdoses with a multi-faceted plan intended to reduce substance use and get life-saving treatment to people faster and more efficiently. This includes:

• Expanding naloxone distribution and other harm reduction efforts to better align with community needs, including through our Save Lives Oregon project.
• Increasing access to medically assisted treatments for substance use.
• Scaling up peer support and intervention programs across the state.
• Stabilizing and supporting the substance use treatment workforce.
• Continuing education and prevention campaigns.
  • The Legislature last year approved more funding for education for school-aged youth on the risks of substance use.
• More funding directed toward supplying schools with naloxone. Every middle and high school in the state is eligible to receive up to three opioid response kits, each with eight doses of naloxone.

In addition, since July 2021, the State of Oregon has reached agreement on national lawsuits against several companies—opioid manufacturers, distributors and pharmacies—for their roles in the opioid crisis. Through these agreements, nearly $600 million will be awarded to Oregon over 18 years.

These funds will support substance use and overdose prevention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery strategies. Finally, Gov. Tina Kotek’s 2025-2027 budget proposes $90 million for capacity-building for adult mental health services, substance use disorder residential treatment, and withdrawal management; $40 million for supporting deflection coordinators, peers and counselors who give individuals struggling with addiction the opportunity to avoid legal consequences and to seek treatment instead; and $25 million for targeted residential and community-based behavioral health and substance use disorder capacity, expansion of mental health services, prevention services for school-based health centers, and funding to expand youth suicide prevention work.

“Oregon’s overdose crisis has affected every community across the state, and the highly sensitive and traumatic nature of these events has caused harm, trauma and loss that impact the well-being of everyone,” said Liz McCarthy, overdose epidemiologist in OHA’s Injury and Violence Prevention Program (IVPP). “The impact fatal and non-fatal drug overdoses have on our communities shows how important this data can be, especially for data-driven decisions.”

Developed by the OHA IVPP, the updated dashboard gives public health officials, local agencies, and community organizations improved access to critical data. These resources aim to better inform efforts to reduce drug-related overdose. The final 2023 death certificate data was only recently released. It typically takes nearly a year (and in this case 11 months) for all of the pending information, such as toxicology reports, to be gathered and analyzed.

OHA will release 2024 data as soon as it is available. “Our team decided to update our Overdose Prevention dashboard based on feedback we received from the community and people who use the data,” McCarthy said. “The update allows users to explore the latest trends in overdose deaths, hospital visits and the substances involved, as well as download the data for more in-depth analysis.”

The dashboard covers a range of drug categories including fentanyl, heroin, opioids and stimulants, with data on overdose fatalities, emergency department discharges and hospital discharges. A new page focuses on Oregon’s State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System (SUDORS) data. The new page offers additional information on unintentional overdose deaths in Oregon.

One highlight is the “Drug of Interest” section for information on emerging substances, such as xylazine.  

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek’s proposed budget allocates more for higher education than the last biennium, but university and community college leaders say the budget doesn’t keep up with increased costs institutions are facing.

The leaders of the universities argue the inadequate funding could make higher education more expensive for Oregonians and slow down the state’s workforce development efforts. The governor’s $138 billion budget, released earlier this week, is a guideline for state lawmakers ahead of next year’s legislative session. In her proposal, Gov. Kotek doubled down on her top three funding priorities: confronting Oregon’s homelessness and affordable housing emergency, K-12 education and addressing the state’s behavioral health care crisis.

Higher education appears to be lower on the list of concerns. In the 2025-2027 biennium, the governor recommends $4.39 billion for the agency responsible for two main funding streams for colleges and universities: operating revenue to run the institutions and financial aid programs to help students afford the cost of college.

The proposal, a 6.4% overall increase from the last biennium, sets aside more than $25 million to build up education pathways that lead to behavioral health care jobs and nearly $29 million to expand select need-based grants, like the Oregon Opportunity Grant. But those investments fall well short of what college leaders say are necessary, especially when it comes to financial aid for needy students.

Higher education leaders in both the community college and university realm want to see lawmakers increase funding for the Oregon Opportunity Grant, the state’s largest student financial aid program. Both the Oregon Community College Association and the Oregon Council of Presidents are calling for an additional $150 million investment in this program alone, more than five times what the governor’s budget recommends.  

SOUTHERN OREGON EVENTS

Jacksonville OR will host its Victorian Christmas event every night in December except for Dec. 24 and 25 at 185 N Oregon St.

Admission is free except for some activities, such as Trolley tours. Events include trolley tours, a tree lighting ceremony, a holiday parade, bingo, hot cider and holiday music.

The Crater Performing Arts Center will perform The Nutcracker Ballet on Dec. 14, 15, 20, 21 and 22, with prices ranging from $14 to $30.

Gold Hill is bringing back its Winterfest on Dec. 21 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. There will be games, art activities, food and prizes.

Talent, Oregon is hosting its tree lighting ceremony from 5 p.m.to 8 p.m. on Dec. 6 at Old Town Hall. There will also be a local goods market.

In northern California, Alpaca On the Rocks in Weed CA is hosting a Pictures with Santa event on Dec. 15 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. A $20 admission will cover up to two children, with a $10 admission added for each additional child. There will be vendors, apple cider and hot chocolate.  

Mt. Ashland Ski Area is open!

Sonnet, Comer and Windsor lifts are running from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.  The ski area will feature upgrades such as the widening of Aisle 2 (the entryway to the main mountain), updated LED night lighting for Twilight Skiing beginning Jan. 9, and the opening of the first new chairlift in over 30 years. The announcement for the grand opening of Lithia Chair will be coming soon with the completion of the chairlift made possible by the largest gift in Mt. Ashland Ski Area history — $2 million from the Sid & Karen Deboer Foundation, with an additional $500,000 from Sid & Karen Deboer.

The Ski Area strongly encourages travelers to continue to check the Mountain report at https://www.mtashland.com/mountain-report for updates on uphill travel access and road conditions.

Stay up to date with all of Mt. Ashland Ski Area’s events on the events page: https://www.mtashland.com/event-directory/  

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.    

Oregonians lost $136 million from holiday shopping scams last year, according to a new study from Social Catfish.

The study says that Oregon ranked #22 in the nation for victims per capita, with 991 per 100,000 residents losing money in a holiday scam.  Scammers are salivating because Americans will spend a record $240 billion buying gifts online this holiday season, giving them unprecedented opportunities to steal gift-givers’ hard-earned money.

Residents can avoid holiday scams by doing the following:  Be wary of look-a-like stores that have AI chatbots to make it look legit. Carefully check the store’s URL to make sure it’s the official store website — for example, if you’re shopping at Macy’s, the website should be Macys.com instead of Maceys.com.

Look out for deepfake videos that falsely make it look like trusted public figures are promoting Black Friday deals. The video is a deepfake if the audio isn’t matching up, there are extra body parts, or the person is only speaking in one tone of voice or showing one facial expression. Be careful when marketplaces sell you “discounted” gift cards that have a zero balance. 

Reverse search the seller to verify their identity. A popular scam involves the scammer sending an alert to a consumer saying there is suspicious activity. When the consumer goes to verify their account, the scammer has AI customer service representatives steal their information.

If you get a suspicious activity alert, avoid this scam by contacting the company “only by using the main number on their website. You are asked to report any scam you’ve discovered to local authorities and the website administrator if possible.  

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.  

An Oregon cheese is the world’s best, once again. Tillamook Creamery Maker’s Reserve 2014 Extra Sharp White Cheddar was pronounced the “Best Cheddar in the World” at the World Cheese Awards in Portugal.

The creamery’s Maker’s Reserve cheeses are all white cheddars and are aged for at least three years, according to the Tillamook website. An array of Oregon cheeses have won national and international honors in recent years.  In 2019, Rogue Creamery’s Rogue River Blue was named the best cheese in the world at the World Cheese Awards, becoming the first American cheese to win the title. In 2022, the creamery’s Bluehorn blue cheese won a Super Gold medal at the World Cheese Awards. Earlier this year, Tillamook claimed four of the top five spots in the sharp cheddar category at the 2024 World Championship Cheese Contest, including first place for its Sharp Cheddar.  

Thanks for reading the the news on BasinLife.com from Wynne Broadcasting.

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