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Wednesday, February 12, 2024
Klamath Basin Weather
Today
Patchy fog before 11am, otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 28. East wind around 5 mph. Evening snow flurries with temperature falling to near 21 by 8pm, then rising to around 30 during the remainder of the night. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.
See Road Camera Views around the Klamath Basin:
Lake of the Woods
Doak Mtn.
Hiway 97 at Chemult
Hiway 140 at Bly
Hiway 97 at GreenSprings Dr.
Hiway 97 at LaPine
Today’s Klamath Falls Headlines
The Klamath Falls Police Department (KFPD) is warning the community about a recent jury duty scam.
According to KFPD, scammers pose as police officers or court officials and claim the person they are contacting owes money and/or may be arrested for missing jury duty or a court appearance.
Police say scammers have been using various forms of communication including phone, text, and email, during which they demand personal information and immediate payment. Do not give this information out over the phone, in an email or in a text.
The police department says the court system will never ask for sensitive information over the phone, email, or text.
It will also never use threats or demand money in relation to jury duty. For more information or to learn how to protect yourself from court-related scams, visit the Oregon Judicial Department website.
Oregon Institute of Technology (Oregon Tech) is focusing on the student experience and incorporating hands-on learning into the construction of its new $35 million mass timber residence hall at the Klamath Falls campus.
The 86,170-square-foot, four-story building will house 517 students, addressing the university’s growing need for additional on-campus housing. Construction is expected to be completed in December 2025.
The vision for this new residence hall was directed by a steering committee at Oregon Tech, which included students. The concept is to provide a dynamic and enriched community experience through a high-quality, long-lasting building that feeds curiosity and is a place to retreat and relax. With these qualities in mind, the facility is designed to showcase mass timber construction—a renewable building material that significantly reduces the building’s carbon footprint while supporting Oregon Tech’s commitment to sustainability.
Associate Principle Joseph Mayo at Mahlum Architects describes the building as a biophilic design, which aims to connect people with nature by incorporating natural elements into buildings. “Biophilic material has a number of health and well-being benefits, such as reduced stress, greater relaxation, connection to nature, and connection to local and regional forests,” said Mayo.
Eighty-nine percent of the project’s construction work is being provided by firms within a 100-mile radius of campus, with 57% based in Klamath Falls and 32% from Southern Oregon.
The lead construction company, Bogatay Construction, is based in Klamath Falls, with offices adjacent to the campus. Eighty-nine percent of the project’s construction work is being provided by firms within a 100-mile radius of campus, with 57% based in Klamath Falls and 32% from Southern Oregon. The lead construction company, Bogatay Construction, is based in Klamath Falls, with offices adjacent to the campus.
National figure skating champions are coming to Klamath Falls in March to appear in “Celebration On Ice,” Klamath Ice Sports’ 22nd annual figure skating spectacular, which will take place at 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 8, at the Bill Collier Ice Arena.
Keegan Messing, the two-time Canadian men’s champion and a fan favorite, will headline the ice show, along with Ashley Cain, two-time U.S. pairs champion, and Mariah Bell, U.S. women’s champion. Emcee for the event will be Max Aaron, U.S. men’s champion. Also appearing will be Leah Neset and Artem Markelov, world and U.S. junior ice dance champions, and Ellie Korytek and Timothy Chapman, U.S. junior pair champions. The show will be directed and choreographed by Autumn Morin.
Other featured skaters include Liam Kapeikis, Michael Xie and Samuel Mindra, each one a senior men’s competitor. The three men finished in the top 10 at the recent 2025 U.S. nationals. Various figure skaters from the Portland area will also be featured in the show. In addition to the single skaters, Rose City Synchronicity, the only adult synchronized skating team in Oregon, along with the Klamath Kids and Klamath Youth Hockey, two groups of young local skaters who train at the Bill Collier Ice Arena, will appear in the show.
Tickets for Klamath Ice Sports’ “CELEBRATION ON ICE” are currently available online at www.klamathicesports.org. Seating location choices include reserved on-ice seating, reserved hockey box seating, reserved heated bleacher seating, reserved bistro chair seating, and general admission.
Four public hearings are to be held in regards to proposed changes to local public land administrative fees and noxious weed control amendments.
The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) of Klamath County is encouraging public participation during the hearings, seeking feedback about the proposed changes.
The first item up for revision is a proposed increase in Public Land Corner Preservation Fund administrative fees from $5 to $10. The second matter will be the proposed updates to Ordinance 15.13 regarding noxious weed control. The changes would focus on the uniform civil violation procedure of Klamath County’s code, including “enhanced enforcement provisions,” penalties for violations, and clarifications of procedures.
Klamath County commissioners will hold two sets of public hearings for both matters. The hearings are set for Feb. 25 and March 18, starting at 1:15 p.m. on both dates. They will be held in the Government Center, located at 305 Main St., in Klamath Falls in room 219. Both matters will be heard during both scheduled public hearings.
Residents of rural Eastern Klamath County have long struggled with insufficient law enforcement in their communities, and tensions are not easing.
Klamath County and Bonanza town officials held a town hall in the community on Jan. 30, aiming to address concerns and propose solutions after receiving numerous and ongoing complaints and concerns.
County Commissioner Derrick DeGroot explained the first issue: funding. DeGroot went on to explain that the removal of the hydroelectric dam, the J.C. Boyle, in Klamath County also resulted in reduced tax revenue.
As for growing the tax base, the county faces another problem: large tracts of Klamath County land is owned by the federal government and receives no tax revenue as a result. DeGroot also relayed a message he’d received from members of legislature earlier that day.
The Department of Agriculture’s Secure Rural Schools (SRS) federal grant funding program historically provided hundreds of millions of dollars to more than 700 American counties with the intent of supporting critical rural infrastructure, including schools, roads and projects on both federal and county lands.
If Klamath County, among hundreds of other local governments, can no longer depend upon SRS funds, basic municipal services such as local law enforcement may be forcibly reduced. Klamath County Sheriff Shane Mitchell said he’d hoped he wouldn’t have to ask rural residents to provide funding for localized law enforcement upon taking office last month.
Over the course of the past year, county officials have met with town and city officials and law enforcement to discuss, among other things, the issue of adequate law enforcement provisions. DeGroot said that, together, local leaders formulated a possible plan of action: propose a tax levy that charges by tax lot, not by assessed property value. Two-thirds of non-federal lots in Klamath County are owned by people who do not live here, he said.
By charging a flat rate of $72 per tax lot, the majority of the cost would be placed on non-local landowners whose often vacant lots, DeGroot said, are frequently the living sites of individuals allegedly committing crimes in the Bonanza area.
The family of the pedestrian struck and killed earlier this week on Washburn Way in Klamath Falls is raising money to transport their loved one back home for burial.
The pedestrian was a 32-year-old Klamath Falls man, identified on the GoFundMe page as “Chris,” who moved to Oregon from Los Angeles in 2018.
The fundraiser says that Chris was a “loving father, son, brother, grandson and godson — someone whose heart was as big as his smile.” A relative of Chris, Susy Romo, who organized the fundraiser, said their hearts are with all who are impacted by this loss, including the “young man involved in the accident.” The family expressed gratitude for the driver who stopped to call 9-1-1 after the accident occurred.
“Thank you for keeping Chris and his family in your thoughts,” Romo said in the statement. “Your generosity and kindness will help bring him home.” To donate, visit gofundme.com/f/remembering-chris-with-love.
Klamath Community College’s Cosmetology school is supporting the Sky Lakes Cancer Treatment Center and Wigs For Kids during February.
The donations are a part of the beauty school’s quarterly community event. On February 19, all haircut proceeds between 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. will be donated to Sky Lakes Cancer Treatment Center.
For the whole month, anyone who cuts off and donates 12+ inches of hair to Wigs for Kids gets their services for free. The students at the beauty school are looking forward to giving back to the community and providing comfort to people who might be going through a tough time. It helps our students practice, but for a second reason, it goes to support such a wonderful cause. Contact the cosmetology school for more information.
Volunteers from the Oregon Department of Revenue will be at the Klamath County Library today, Wednesday, Feb. 12th to assist taxpayers in using the free combination of IRS Direct File and Direct File Oregon to complete their returns.
Taxpayers can find more information on the department’s Free Direct File assistance at local libraries webpage.
The IRS estimates that 11,000 people in Klamath County are eligible to use IRS Direct File and Direct File Oregon.
The department believes that helping taxpayers file their own returns using direct file will help maximize the number of Oregonians who choose to use the new free option and make it possible for many who don’t have a filing requirement to file and claim significant federal and state tax credits for low-income families. The IRS estimates that nearly 25 percent eligible Oregon taxpayers are not claiming the EITC. One Oregon organization says that added up to almost $100 million in unclaimed credits in 2020.
Taxpayers should use theIRS eligibility checker to see if they’ll be able to use IRS Direct File and Direct File Oregon. Eligible taxpayers should set up an IRS online account and an account with Oregon’s Revenue Online before they come to an event.
Taxpayers should bring the following information with them to the library.
- Social security card or ITIN for everyone on your tax return
- Government picture ID for taxpayer and spouse if filing jointly (such as driver’s license or passport)
- Forms W2 (wages from a job)
- Forms 1099 (other kinds of income)
- Form SSA-1099 (Social Security Benefits)
Optional documents
- Canceled check or bank routing and account numbers for direct deposit
- Last year’s tax return
Taxpayers can signup for the new “Oregon Tax Tips” direct email newsletter to keep up with information about tax return filing and how to claim helpful tax credits. The library is located at 126 South Third Street in Klamath Falls.
CVIP Seeks Program Manager to Lead EPA Community Change Grant Initiative
Chiloquin Visions in Progress (CVIP) is seeking a dedicated Program Manager to lead public outreach and engagement activities for the EPA Community Change Grant and manage the Wood Stove Replacement Program. CVIP is proud to partner with the City of Chiloquin on the transformative Community Resilience Hub and Municipal Center project.
This initiative, funded by an EPA Community Change Grant, will strengthen our community’s resilience and address critical needs through innovative programs and the construction of a cutting-edge Municipal Center that will serve as a resilience hub for the community.This position coordinates public events, manages stakeholder communication, conducts community surveys,
aims to replace up to 150 non-EPA-compliant wood stoves in the project area, improving residents’ air quality and
energy efficiency, and reports progress to the City of Chiloquin, CVIP Board of Directors, and project collaborators.
How to Apply:
Interested candidates should complete the job application at the bottom of CVIP’s online job board
https://www.chiloquinvisions.com/cvip-job-board/ and upload a resume and cover letter explaining their relevant experience and interest in the position. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
Pet of the Week from Klamath Animal Shelter
This week’s pet looking for a good home is a dog named ” Loralei “. Loralei is a female Great Pyrenees mix about 1 1/2 years old. She is white with tan patches, the angle of her pictures makes her look small but she weighs around 55 pounds. 
Loralei is a happy energetic girl, still very puppy like and loves attention. She gets excited to greet people and forgets that jumping isn’t polite. Around the State of Oregon
While Elon Musk is helping reduce the size of the federal work force and has already discovered millions of dollars of fraud, waste and abuse in several agencies of the federal government, liberal new Oregon U.S. Rep. Maxine Dexter has introduced a bill in Congress to prohibit Elon Musk from retaliating against federal employees.
The doctor ran for Congress to work on lowering prescription drug prices and expand access to behavioral health treatment, as well as addressing other issues she sees working with patients. But constituents in her east Portland district demanded action after Musk and people working for him seized control of federal administrative offices, gained access to the U.S. Treasury Department’s records of Americans’ personal financial information and dismantled the federal agency that distributes aid overseas, which has already uncovered millions of dollars of waste and misuse of funds given to agencies and other countries. The amount of waste of taxpayer money is astounding.
Dexter however, introduced the “Stop Musk Act,” her first bill, spelling out that no federal employee can face retaliation for “resisting, circumventing or preventing Elon Musk or individuals he oversees from taking unlawful or unconstitutional actions relating to federal agencies.”
Dexter’s proposal, which she acknowledged has next to no chance of passing in the Republican-controlled House, is among several actions Oregon’s Democratic congressional delegation have taken to oppose the Trump administration and Musk’s unprecedented power over federal agencies.
U.S. Rep. Janelle Bynum, a swing-district Democrat who like Dexter is in her first term, joined Oregon’s Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley at a rally outside the U.S. Treasury last Tuesday.
Over the weekend, U.S. Reps. Val Hoyle and Andrea Salinas joined Merkley for town hall events in Newport, Philomath and Salem where they told crowds of hundreds that they were ready to fight. Dexter is planning more town halls and hopes to have attorney general Dan Rayfield join her at one. Rayfield, who served with Dexter in the state House, is leading Oregon’s legal response to the Trump administration, including securing an indefinite block Thursday to a Trump executive order that attempted to repeal a constitutional guarantee that babies born in the U.S. to immigrant parents are automatically citizens, even if their parents are not.
North Medford High School is actively searching for relocation options after the recent snowfall caused damage to the school’s gym.
One of the supporting beams cracked Friday after school hours. Nobody was injured and crews are now in the process of planning necessary repairs. The relocation spots being considered include Oakdale Middle School and Rogue X. This is all happening in the middle of the boy’s and girl’s basketball seasons. North Medford’s Athletic Director Pieter Voskes says this is a bump in the road for all the sports who need the gym, but he hopes to get those athletes back on the floor.
The North Medford gym has been surrounded by fencing as school operations continue as usual.
A state board overrode a request from Gov. Tina Kotek to spend the entirety of Oregon’s national opioid settlement money over the next two years on harm reduction services and supplies, preserving funding for drug treatment and prevention programs.
That means Save Lives Oregon, a state-funded program that provides harm reduction resources, training and items such as clean syringes, Narcan and fentanyl test strips to local organizations, will get $5.1 million instead of $21.6 million in opioid settlement funding through 2027.
Several members of the 18-person Opioid Settlement Prevention, Treatment and Recovery Board, established in 2022 to allocate state funds from legal settlements with national pharmaceutical companies, said the board’s decision Wednesday aligned with its previous funding formula.
A Salem man is facing possible bias crime charges after allegedly threatening a Hispanic family with a shot gun and yelling racist remarks at them.
The Salem Police Department says officers arrested 27-year-old Jonathan Haun Sunday. Police say the family of two adults and one young girl were waiting for a tow truck when Haun approached them with the shotgun and started shouting at them. Police are encouraging anyone who experiences or witnesses a bias crime to report it.
The Oregon Division of Financial Regulation is warning about a romance scam called ‘pig butchering.’ It often starts with a text or direct message from a stranger that builds into a romantic relationship.
After gaining the victim’s trust, the scammer convinces them to send money for phony investments. They send claims the investment is making money and then disappear with the victim’s investment.
The FBI says that in 2023, investment scams cost Americans more than four-and-a-half-billion dollars.
A 32-year-old North Bend man is in jail on an attempted rape charge after attacking a 19-year-old in the parking lot of a Coos Bay Walmart last week.
According to the Coos Bay Police Department, officers responded to a report of a fight in the parking lot of the Walmart on Newmark Avenue just after 6 p.m. on Thursday. Officers arrived to find three men fighting outside of one of the store entrances.
Police say two of the men involved, as well as other witnesses, said the third man, identified as 32-year-old Andrew Orr had assaulted a woman in the parking lot. Officers learned that Orr had intentionally attacked the 19-year-old woman, who was unknown to him. That’s when the other two men intervened and pulled Orr off the woman.
Orr is in the Coos County Jail and faces several charges including attempted rape, sex abuse, and harassment among others.
Nurses at eight Providence hospitals continue to strike after rejecting a contract that was approved by union leadership.
The contract offered a 20 percent wage increase over three years. A typical full-time acute-care nurse would make around 150-thousand-dollars a year. They would have also received ratification bonuses of up to 10-thousand-dollars and a 25-hundred-dollar retention bonus after a year.
The contract also included Oregon’s new law that regulates nurse staffing levels. Hospitalists at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center approved their contract.
Oregon residents are bracing for continued cold winter storms later this week which may bring snow, ice, and increased risks of falling tree branches and downed power lines.
Emergency management officials urge the public to remain alert, be properly prepared for winter driving, and follow safety guidelines to protect homes, vehicles, and personal well-being. Many regions in Oregon are experiencing snowfall and ice buildup on trees. The added weight can cause branches–or even entire trees–to snap unexpectedly.
Falling branches pose a danger to:
Vehicles: Branches can damage cars, so avoid parking under trees whenever possible.
Pedestrians: Tree limbs can break without warning, so be extra cautious when walking outdoors.
Power lines: Branches falling onto power lines may cause electrical hazards or widespread outage.
Stock up on essentials: Have flashlights, batteries, portable chargers, and blankets ready in case the lights go out.
Keep extra supplies: If safe to do so, store a few days’ worth of food and water, especially in rural areas where utility restoration may be delayed.
Stay informed: Monitor local weather updates through official channels.
Follow any advisories from the National Weather Service or your local emergency management office.
The organization that makes policies for Oregon school sports teams is looking into the local implications of President Trump’s order banning transgender women from women’s sports.
The Oregon Schools Activities Association says it is working with the state Department of Education and legal counsel to determine what to do about the order. The liberal Oregon School Activities Association previously said a ban on transgender athletes would violate the state’s anti-discrimination law.
President Trump signed the executive order last week directing the Department of Justice and other federal agencies to interpret Title IX rules as banning transgender women and girls from participating in female sports. Trump says he’s requiring immediate enforcement of the new rule across the nation. Stay tuned.
The U.S. winter virus season is in full force, and by one measure is the most intense in 15 years. Oregon is one of 14 states with the most cases of flu in the nation.
One indicator of flu activity is the percentage of doctor’s office visits driven by flu-like symptoms. Last week, that number was clearly higher than the peak of any winter flu season since 2009-2010, according to data posted Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of course, other viral infections can be mistaken for flu.
But COVID-19 appears to be on the decline, according to hospital data and to CDC modeling projections. Available data also suggests another respiratory illness, RSV, has been fading nationally.
Some 14 other states, along with New York City, are now at the CDC’s highest tier of influenza activity: Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, South Carolina and Tennessee.
Overall, 43 states reported high or very high flu activity last week. Flu was most intense in the South, Southwest and western states. U.S. health officials recommends that everyone 6 months and older get an annual flu vaccination.
About 44% of adults got flu shots as winter began, which is the same as last winter. But coverage of children is down, at about 45% this winter. It’s usually around 50%, according to CDC data.
A bill that would require thousands of farmers to report their fertilizer use to the Oregon Department of Agriculture drew a big crowd largely in opposition to the proposal in its first public hearing.
Senate Bill 747 would require farms larger than 200 acres to report their annual fertilizer use — including the quantity applied, the type of fertilizer and the crop grown on the fertilized land — to the department.
The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Khanh Pham, D-Portland, said she wants the state agriculture department to track fertilizer applications to help identify where and how large concentrations of nutrients found in fertilizers, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, are getting into and contaminating ground and surface water. Excesses of those nutrients cause frequent summer algal blooms in parts of the state and are making well water unsafe to drink in critical groundwater areas.
Irrigated agriculture is responsible for the bulk of groundwater nitrate contamination in Morrow and Umatilla counties, according to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality.
The Jackson County Expo is announcing its 2025 summer concert lineup to take the stage during the Jackson County Fair this July.
According to the Expo, musical acts including Outlaw Mariachi, Jo Dee Messina, and a Taylor Swift tribute will take the stage in Central Point this summer. The Jackson County Fair runs from July 15 through July 20.
Fair tickets start at $12 and include lawn seats at the Bi-Mart Amphitheater. Meanwhile, concert ticket prices start at $25 and go on sale to the public on Tuesday. Fair admission is included with the purchase of a reserved seat.
For more information or to purchase a ticket, visit the Jackson County Expo’s website.
The Britt Festival Orchestra (BFO) announces its 2025 season, with three weeks of exciting outdoor programming in historic Jacksonville, Oregon, June 12 – 28, 2025.
Under the leadership of four guest conductors, Damon Gupton (June 12-13); Chia-Hsuan Lin (June 15-18); Roberto Kalb (June 21-23); and Normal Huynh (June 26-28) the Orchestra’s 63rd season highlights a feature film alongside beloved classical favorites.
The season features seven extraordinary guest artists: pianist Clayton Stephenson performing Ravel’s Concerto in G Major; violinist William Hagen performing Korngold’s Concerto in D Major; violinist Tessa Lark and cellist Wei Yu performing Brahms Double concerto for Violin & Violoncello in A minor; vocalist Sun-Ly Pierce performing Ravel’s Shéhérazade; pianist Jaeden Izik-Dzurko performing Rachmaninoff’s Concerto No. 3 in D minor; and violinist Simone Porter performing Stravinsky’s Violin Concerto in D and Ravel’s Tzigane. The season will begin with two evenings of Jurassic Park in Concert where John Williams’ score will be performed live-to-picture by the full orchestra in one of the most beloved films of the 20th Century.
Britt Music & Arts Festival shares extraordinary live performances and arts education experiences that inspire discovery and build community, anchored at the Britt hill amphitheater. Since its grassroots beginnings in 1963, the non-profit organization has grown from a two-week chamber music festival to a summer-long series of concerts in a variety of genres, including a three-week orchestra season, and year-round education and engagement programs. For more information, visit www.brittfest.org
You’ll need a Real ID to fly domestically, starting in May of this year, that’s unless you have a passport or enhanced driver’s license issued by several states.
The deadline is May 7, 2025, but you probably don’t want to wait until the last minute to get your Real ID. You can apply for your Real ID driver’s license or ID card through your local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
Real IDs are marked with a star on the top of the card. Real IDs will also be needed to access certain federal facilities. Congress mandated the real IDs in 2005 on the recommendation of the 9/11 Commission.
Wildlife Safari, south of Roseburg has a new baby giraffe named Watson who from Fort Worth, Texas.
Giraffes are the tallest land animals on earth, yet populations are declining in the wild, due to habitat loss and poaching. Wildlife Safari says Watson’s arrival will allow visitors to learn more about these “gentle giants,” and their importance in the wild.
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