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.

 

Thursday, February 20, 2024

Klamath Basin Weather

Today
Mostly sunny, with a high near 42. Calm wind. Overnight, cloudy with a low near 20 degrees.

 

 

 

 

 

The Ragland Masquerade returns Saturday, Feb. 22, at the Ross Ragland Theater. The annual education fundraising benefit is planned to be an unforgettable night of celebration and giving back.

The Ragland Masquerade Education Fundraiser is a premier fundraising gala and social event that raises awareness of the need and benefits of keeping access to the arts and arts education for K-12 students across the Klamath Basin and Southeastern Oregon. According to the Ragland, this must-attend event is full of elegance, delicious food and live entertainment, all dedicated to supporting the Ragland’s seven education programs.

The education programs offer over 20,000 individual opportunities for arts education to all students in the Basin, K-12, each year. The Masquerade promises an unforgettable night with surprises, enchantment and raffle items you don’t want to miss.

Doors open at 4:30 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to wear cocktail attire and masquerade masks. Performances and events are scheduled throughout the evening.  Tickets are $75 per person. Tickets can be purchased at the Ragland Box Office Monday-Friday, noon to 5 p.m., by calling (541) 884-LIVE, or by visiting their website at www.ragland.org.

 

Pet of the Week from Klamath Animal Shelter

 

Around the State of Oregon

Lake County School District announced on Wednesday that Lakeview High School junior, Thomas Strong, had died.

“[Thomas] was a vibrant presence in our school,” the school district shared in a news release on Wednesday. “His kind spirit and friendship will be deeply missed by all who knew him. He touched many lives in our community, and his absence will be felt profoundly.”

The district said that they are unable to share further details due to an ongoing investigation. Counseling staff, Lake ESD staff and Outback Strong are available at Lakeview High during school hours if students or staff are looking for support. Mental health care is also available through Care Solace to students, staff and families in the district.  

Earlier, it was reported that the Lake County Major Crime Team started an investigation on Tuesday into a juvenile death on the 300 block of South G St in Lakeview. The Major Crime Team involves the Oregon State Police, Lake County Sheriff’s Office and Lake County District Attorney’s Office, with OSP leading the investigation. The Sheriff’s Office said there is no known threat to the public right now. 

 

A new report of health care spending in Clackamas and Deschutes counties averaged roughly $7,900 per person in 2019, the most of anywhere in Oregon.

The spending likely reflects populations who are proactive about seeking medical care when they’re feeling ill and have the insurance or money to cover it. That’s according to a new study on U.S. health care spending released last week by researchers at the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.

The research, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, analyzed data from over 3,000 counties in the U.S., tallying variations in spending and the different types of people accessed from coast to coast between 2010 and 2019. 

Klamath County residents spend an average of 6 thousand, two hundred and fifty four dollars a year on health care.

 

An avalanche in Oregon’s Cascade Mountains has killed two backcountry skiers, authorities said Tuesday.

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that its search-and-rescue unit recovered two bodies west of Bend in Happy Valley, near Broken Top peak.

The couple had been skiing when an avalanche happened Monday at 6,700 feet on a south-facing slope, the Central Oregon Avalanche Center said in a social media post.

“We extend our deepest condolences to all who loved the couple who tragically lost their lives while doing what they loved,” the post said. “As longtime residents of Central Oregon, they have touched many lives, and their legacy will continue to live on in our community.”

 

The U.S. Forest Service is grappling with a wave of 2,000 probationary worker layoffs, a direct consequence of the Trump administration’s push to reduce federal spending.

As a result, numerous federal employees across the U.S.  are now facing job uncertainty, and some former workers are speaking out, calling the recent job cuts “illegal firings.” Sean Anderson, a fired forestry technician, was informed last week that his employment had been terminated.

Anderson, who had worked for the U.S. Forest Service for three years as a seasonal hydrologic technician, said the layoffs were particularly distressing due to the longstanding dedication he had to the job.  He says that the issue was not about the local Oregon Forest Service management but rather a broader federal decision that affected employees.

Anderson’s responsibilities ranged from hydrology work to working with wildfire crews. He had previously seen the potential for stability in a job listing for permanent seasonal positions in March 2023  which he believed represented a positive step forward.  However, the Trump administration’s push for federal budget cuts left Anderson and other probationary workers in an uncertain position.   

A USDA spokesperson says they are acknowledging the cuts and stating that the Forest Service had released about 2,000 probationary, non-firefighting employees. These workers were in temporary positions funded by temporary IRA funding, and none of the affected individuals were operational firefighters. 

 

The Trump administration is firing the U.S. Attorney for Oregon.

Natalie Wight was appointed by President Biden and confirmed by the Senate in 2022. The White House thanked her for her service. The First Assistant U.S. Attorney now serves as the Acting U.S. Attorney.

 

The Oregon Health Authority is launching a six-month pilot program to get people addicted to opioids medication treatment sooner.

Emergency responders in Marion and Multnomah counties will be trained to administer the drugs that help people stop using opioids. They’ll give them the medication in the field, before they’re taken to an emergency department. The Oregon Pubic Health Institute and the Bridge Center will receive 300-thousand dollars to conduct the pilot program.

 

DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE ISSUES FIRST INCOME TAX REFUNDS IN 2025

Salem, OR–The Oregon Department of Revenue has begun distributing refunds for the 2024 tax year. Through February 17, the department has already processed more than 400,000 tax returns. The first refunds of the year were issued Tuesday.

Each year the department employs a refund hold period as part of the agency’s fraud prevention efforts. The hold period has been completed and most taxpayers can expect to receive their refunds within two weeks of the date their return is filed. Some returns, however, require additional review and can take up to 20 weeks before a refund is issued.

Taxpayers can check the status of their refund by using the department’s Where’s My Refund? tool. The Department of Revenue recommends that taxpayers wait one week after they have electronically filed their return to use the Where’s My Refund tool.

The Where’s My Refund? tool has been updated for 2025, providing more information about the status of their return to taxpayers who are signed into their Revenue Online account. Taxpayers who don’t already have a Revenue Online account can create one by following the Revenue Online link on the department’s website. Taxpayers who don’t have a Revenue Online account can still use the Where’s My Refund? tool but won’t be able to see the updated features.

A video outlining the refund process and timelines is also available to help taxpayers understand the process.

The department also offered a list of do’s and don’ts for filing to help with efficient processing and avoid unnecessary delays.

Do file electronically and request direct deposit. On average, taxpayers who e-file their returns and request their refund via direct deposit receive their refund two weeks sooner than those who file paper returns and request paper refund checks.

Don’t send a duplicate paper return. Taxpayers should file just once unless they need to make a change to their return. Sending a duplicate return will slow processing and delay your refund.

Do make sure you have all tax records before filing. Having all necessary records is essential to filing a complete and accurate tax return and avoiding errors.

Don’t get in a hurry and fail to report all your income. If income reported on a return doesn’t match the income reported by employers, the return, and any corresponding refund, will be delayed. If taxpayers receive more or corrected tax records after filing a return, they should file an amended return to report any changes.

Do make sure you have a Revenue Online account. Before beginning the filing process, taxpayers should make sure their information is current in Revenue Online, the state’s internet tax portal. Those who don’t have a Revenue Online account can sign up on the agency’s website.To get tax forms, check the status of their refund, or make payments, visit our website or email questions.dor@dor.oregon.gov.

You can also call 800-356-4222 toll-free from an Oregon prefix (English or Spanish) or 503-378-4988 in Salem and outside Oregon. For TTY (hearing or speech impaired), we accept all relay calls.

 

200 employees at the Bonneville Power Administration took the Trump Administration’s buyout offer, 90 new job offers have been rescinded and 400 probationary employees could be laid off.

Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley say cutting 20 percent of the agency’s staff puts the power grid at risk, which is highly unlikely says officials.

 

Some residents in eastern Oregon would like to merge with our neighbor to the east, creating a Greater Idaho.

Supporters include some state lawmakers. This session, again, Republican legislators have proposed looking at the issue in Senate Memorial 7 and also House Bill 3488, which would set up a task force.

The possibility of those being passed is remote in a Legislature controlled by Democrats but that is less important than understanding the reasons behind the campaign.  The movement appears to be a symptom of the divide within our country — not the cause, but a result of people feeling isolated and with polarized views from their neighbors, even if the neighbor happens to be their state.  Those living west of the proposed line may be inclined to ignore the concerns or the purpose of the plan. There may be a tendency to ridicule the proposal as a joke, but the concerns are not a joke.

Supporters have noted a variety of issues including water rights, agricultural regulations, rural broadband, spikes in unsheltered homelessness, public land use, solar priorities, protocols for ranchers, undue burden of estate taxes, media, housing, health care deserts and more.

The League of Women Voters has positions on most of these issues, but more importantly, we strive to ensure all voters are represented whether east, west, north or south.   Leaders of the Greater Idaho movement wrote to then-resident-elect Donald Trump in early December about their campaign. Calling on his skills as a “practical problem-solver,” they requested support for what they called “Oregon’s long-standing east-west divide.” 

But a Greater Idaho merger would take more than the swipe of a president’s golden pen. Both state legislatures would have to approve redrawing state lines and Congress would have to agree as well. Further, success of such a monumental task would not guarantee solutions to the issues of concern.

 

The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) is accepting all appeals to the statewide wildfire hazard map up until Mar. 10, under direction from Gov. Tina Kotek.

These appeals will not be referred to the Office of Administrative Hearings until after the end of this year’s legislative session. This comes as a group of Oregon Republicans in the House and Senate are seeking a repeal of the wildfire hazard map.

House Republican leader Christine Drazan (R-Canby) and Senate Republican leader Daniel Bonham (R-The Dalles) are speaking at a press conference aimed on repealing the map on Monday, along with Sen. Noah Robinson (R-Cave Junction) and Rep. Mark Owens (R-Crane). “The map is riddled with inaccuracies and threatens the property values and livelihoods of rural homeowners,” the Oregon House and Senate Republicans said in a statement Feb. 14. Anyone looking to submit an appeal can do so using this link from ODF. The legislative session must end no later than June 29.

 

Meanwhile on Monday, Oregon Republican legislators are coming out against the state’s wildfire hazard map and seeking its repeal. The map designates wildfire risk statewide.

Oregon’s Republican state senators and representatives say the map threatens the property values and livelihoods of rural homeowners. Many property owners in high-hazard areas fear their designation could impact their insurance rates, but state law makes it illegal for insurance companies to use the map to do so.

Freshman Senator Noah Robinson, from Cave Junction, introduced Senate Bill 678. It proposes repealing the entire bill that established the wildfire map among other programs to improve wildfire preparedness. The original bill, Senate Bill 672, establishes the wildfire hazard map as well as programs the Oregon Department of Forestry says “is comprehensive legislation passed with bipartisan support that will provide more than $220 million to help Oregon modernize and improve wildfire preparedness through three key strategies: creating fire-adapted communities, developing safe and effective response, and increasing the resiliency of Oregon’s landscapes.”

The Republican legislators say they invite Gov. Tina Kotek to endorse the map’s repeal.

Property owners may appeal their property’s designation in any zone until March 10. On the same day the Oregon GOP announced their intentions, Governor Tina Kotek is directing the Department of Forestry to continue to accept all appeals of the wildfire hazard map, but to stop referring the appeals to the office of administrative hearings until after the legislative session concludes– no later than June 29.

 

Democratic leaders in the Oregon Legislature have appointed a Republican to investigate accountability in the Oregon Department of Transportation.

Senator Bruce Starr will lead the development of recommendations for an accountability proposal that will be a central component of the 2025 Transportation Package. Starr says it’s critical for ODOT to get back to its core mission of road safety and freight transportation. House Speaker Julie Fahey says accountability plays a key role along with a stable funding structure.

 

The Jackson County Expo has announced the 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.

 

Britt Music & Arts Festival is excited to announce the first installment of concerts for the 2025 summer season.

The first of three official season announcements, this extensive group of shows features a wide array of musical artists, including first-time-to-Britt indie alt-rock band Rainbow Kitten Surprise, singer-songwriter Regina Spektor,  country artists Brothers Osborne, and folk/indie it-band Waxahatchee.

Britt will also be welcoming back legendary artists like Chicago, Earth, Wind & Fire, Gregory Alan Isakov, Buena Vista Orchestra, The California Honeydrops, Andy Grammer and many more.

The Australian Pink Floyd Show will also be returning to the Britt main stage in 2025 to deliver an unforgettable tribute to Pink Floyd, combining mind-blowing visuals and stunning soundscapes for a mesmerizing live performance.

President & CEO Abby McKee commented, “It’s always thrilling to share the news of the upcoming season with our community, and this year’s season feels especially exciting. We have an incredible mix of genres coming through town! With superstar legacy acts, longtime fan favorites, and extraordinary newcomers, I think our patrons have some amazing shows to choose from, and I suspect we’ll be seeing folks out on the hill several times this summer! And don’t forget, two more announcements are still to come.”

With this announcement, there will be a Member pre-sale before tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, February 28. 

 

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.

 

New Edition of the Oregon Blue Book Highlights John Day Fossil Beds and the Great Comet of 2024

Every odd-numbered year since 1911, the Oregon Secretary of State’s office has published the Oregon Blue Book, our state’s official almanac and fact book. Each edition of the book features beautiful, new cover images of Oregon captured by the winners of the Oregon Blue Book Cover Photo Contest.

The 2025-2026 Oregon Blue Book front cover features a stunning capture from the Painted Cove in the Painted Hills Unit of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, near Mitchell. Photographer Matt Straite of Keizer made the image which he titled, “The Many Sides of Oregon.” The back cover includes an amazing astrophotography shot titled “Comet/C2023 A” by Nathan Rohde of Shady Cove.

“The Oregon Blue Book is an invitation to learn more about Oregon, engage with your neighbors, our government and our state’s history. It helps us understand what it means to be an Oregonian. The artists who’ve created these cover images captured some of that spirit, and I’m thrilled they’re a part of my first Oregon Blue Book as Secretary of State,” said Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read.

“So many people look right past the desert areas of the state, but there is so much beauty there,” said Straite. “I have always been drawn to images that show the work of mankind in nature, particularly when that work has been added to help others see the nature, like the work of the Civilian Conservation Corp. The way this trail bends at the end is such a strong draw to want to explore more.” Straite also said that he shot this image from the boardwalk, which is there to take people through the sensitive clay hills without harming them.

Nathan Rohde’s image of Comet/C2023 A3, also known as the “Great Comet of 2024” was made near his home. He said he’s always been fascinated by astrophotography and loved trying to capture the Milky Way and the Aurora, but after seeing posts online of other peoples’ images of the comet, he thought he could capture it too: “Living in Southern Oregon affords access to some relatively dark areas. On a tall clearing not far from Lost Creek Lake, I got set up about an hour before sunset and began scanning the sky with my lens fully extended. About 45 minutes after sunset, conditions were perfect and the pictures started coming through!” Rohde said the rolling hills in the foreground were an excellent way to provide scale and accentuate the sky.

The 2025-2026 Oregon Blue Book is available for presale purchase now at bluebook.oregon.gov/shop. These limited-edition books are $30 for the hardcover and $18 for the paperback, plus shipping and handling. A downloadable copy of the full cover for use by the media can be found in Oregon Blue Book Assets and Information here.

 

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