Today’s Klamath Falls Headlines

KLAMATH COUNTY CLERK PRESS RELEASE

May 19th Primary Election
1) Ballots will be mailed April 29th
The last day to register as a new voter or to change party affiliation is April 28th. If a voter changes parties or address after the original ballots are processed, they may receive two ballots. The first ballot is inactivated and cannot be voted when the second ballot is issued. Please call if you are unclear which
ballot to vote. If you have not received your ballot by May 5th, please contact our
office.
2) Official Drop Sites are on the Klamath County Website. Your ballot must be in a box by 8pm on Election Day to be counted. Please check the website or call for hours.
https://www.klamathcounty.org/685/Drop-Sites
3) If you are mailing in your ballot, Postmarks CAN count, if:
a. Signed, AND
b. Postmarked on or before Election Day, AND
c. Received by the County Clerk’s Office within seven days after Election Day
d. WE RECOMMEND TO MAIL BALLOT 7 DAYS BEFORE ELECTION DAY.
4) Nobody in Oregon will receive all the candidates on their ballot. Oregon has a closed primary; this is a nominating election for the major parties. Registered Democrats receive Democratic candidates; registered Republicans receive Republican candidates; nonaffiliated voters receive only those races that are nonpartisan.
5) Everyone will have state Measure 120: Tax Increase. All measures will be on the
backside of ballots.
6) Voters’ Pamphlet will be delivered to every household around April 29th. Candidates are
not required to be in the Voters’ Pamphlet. The candidate’s name will still appear on your
ballot.
Contact the Klamath County Clerk’s Office, (541) 883-5134 or elections@klamathcounty.org,
with any questions.

 

City Of Klamath Falls Public Works

Please note:  Intermittent lane closures will occur on South 6th Street and Avalon Street from Thursday, April 9 through Thursday, April 16 to allow for signal head replacements and inspections.

Work will begin each morning at 6:15 a.m. and will conclude as traffic volumes increase. Motorists are advised to use caution and expect brief delays in the work area.

 

Klamath Community College has appointed Lucas Ritter, a distinguished Air Force officer and native of Klamath Falls, as its new Vice President of External Programs, effective May 4.

Ritter, who currently serves as the Inspector General for the Oregon Air National Guard and has dedicated 25 years to the U.S. Air Force, takes over from Charles “Chip” Massie, who resigned from the role in January. The Ritter family has strong ties to the Klamath Basin, with roots tracing back to the 1930s when Ritter’s grandfather immigrated through Ellis Island and settled in Poe Valley.

As a Lieutenant Colonel at Kingsley Field, Ritter has held numerous positions, including Director of Personnel and Security Forces Squadron Commander, and has been an adjunct faculty member at KCC since 2009, teaching criminal justice.

 

Henley robotics team heads to worlds after winning top award

A Henley High School robotics team is heading to the VEX Robotics World Championship with one of the highest honors possible – the Excellence Award.

The team – seniors Aleia Bresch, Ethan Bissell, Theron Tyler, and Layne Worrell and sophomore Alex Smith – earned the award at the Platinum Oregon State VEX Championship on March 7 at Mt. Hood Community College. The four seniors have competed together for three years and have competed at Worlds each of those years. This is the first time they have earned the Excellence Award.

Henley qualified three teams for the Platinum State event and Mazama High School qualified five. The Excellence Award recognizes a team for overall excellence across all aspects of competition: match performance, engineering design, documentation, and interviews with judges. The last time a Klamath County school received the award was in 2017, when a Mazama team earned the distinction.

“The Excellence Award is about being the most well-rounded team,” Bresch said. “You don’t have to be first in every event, but you have to do well in everything: your engineering notebook, your interview, and your robot performance.”

The team placed second in qualification matches and third in the skills challenge out of roughly 30 teams. Their strong performance, combined with detailed documentation and interviews, helped secure the award.

“We have to document every iteration of the robot – every idea, every challenge, every success and failure,” Bresch said. “Judges look at everything. The engineering notebook is a huge part of it.”

Henley robotics coach David Graham said the team represents the heart of Henley robotics.

“They collaborate, mentor, and support not just each other but other teams as well,” he said. “Their leadership and commitment to excellence show what’s possible when students lift each other up and help others succeed.”

Bresch, Bissell, and Tyler began competing together in robotics as early as eighth grade, while Worrell joined them in high school. Smith is in his first year and learning from the seniors.

“Our freshman year we were all on different teams,” Bresch said. “But we had competed together before and were already friends so we decided to form our own team.”

Matches themselves are intense. “The whole game can change in seconds,” said Bissell, the team driver. “One moment you’re winning, and the next, the other team has control. It’s all about strategy and execution.”

The robots compete head-to-head in two-robot alliances. Teams score points by manipulating game pieces and controlling areas of the field. This year’s game involved collecting and placing colored blocks into goals while blocking opponents.

Despite a demanding schedule that includes sports, jobs, and college planning, the seniors keep the team coordinated. “Everyone on the team knows how to do each part,” Tyler said. “If someone can’t make it, the rest of us can keep working.”

Part of the team’s strategy is mentorship. Smith has been learning from the seniors in all aspects of robotics — coding, building, design, and documentation.

“We try to pass on everything we know so the program continues to succeed,” Bresch said. “It’s not just about winning now; it’s about building a sustainable program.”

Henley High School has sent teams to Worlds for the past five years, with the four seniors part of the Worlds team the last three consecutive years. This year, the championship will take place April 21-24 in St. Louis, Mo., with roughly 800 teams from around the world competing.

“It’s exciting,” Bresch said. “Worlds is a completely different level. You see ideas and designs from teams all over the world. It pushes us to improve every part of our robot.”

The Henley team credits much of its success to careful preparation, collaboration, and strategic thinking, as well as experience gained from previous competitions. Their strong showing at Platinum State highlights the strength of the Henley robotics program and its ability to cultivate student leaders who mentor the next generation, said Kristi Lebkowsky, who teaches engineering at Henley High School.

“Creating student leaders who pass their knowledge along is what keeps this program strong,” Lebkowsky said. “These students are not only incredibly successful, but they’re making sure the program thrives after they graduate.”

 

An ongoing dispute between the Klamath Falls Association of Classified Employees (KFACE) and Klamath Falls City Schools District Superintendent Keith Brown has intensified, with KFACE submitting an unfair labor practice complaint to the Oregon Employment Relations Board on March 30.

The union, which represents classified employees within the district, claims the complaint details “12 different, distinct, and concrete violations of Oregon labor law.”

KFACE alleges that these actions stem from “months of relentless illegal harassment, intimidation, and retaliation” directed at employees by Superintendent Brown.

In response, Klamath Falls City Schools District has firmly rejected all allegations of illegal conduct, asserting that it “categorically denies all allegations of illegal harassment, intimidation, or retaliation. Stay tuned on this one.

 

Klamath Falls has been awarded the 2026 IMBA Trail Town designation by the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA), recognizing its outstanding dedication to developing, maintaining, and promoting trail systems.

This honor places Klamath Falls among only two cities in Oregon to receive such recognition, with a total of 28 Trail Towns designated nationwide this year.

The IMBA Trail Town designation highlights communities that excel in trail infrastructure, funding, local trail organization involvement, community engagement, and sustainable stewardship practices. These elements collectively foster healthier lifestyles, bolster local economies, and enhance access to outdoor recreation.

Cascade Locks, located near the Oregon-Washington border and known for its significance to hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail, is the only other Oregon city to earn this designation this year.

 

For over a century Lake Ewauna  has faced challenges related to poor water quality and habitat degradation, but county officials are optimistic about upcoming changes.

Mark Johnson, the agricultural projects coordinator for the Klamath Watershed Partnership, highlighted that this area was once a vast wetland, often likened to the Everglades of the West. The initiative aims to eliminate invasive plant species, restore native flora, and reinstate natural water flow across more than 60 acres of previously cultivated land.

Engineers are working on creating islands and introducing a variety of wetland vegetation to enhance habitats for birds, turtles, fish, and other wildlife. Additionally, the project will feature walking trails, routes for kayaking and paddleboarding, and informative signage to engage and educate the community.

 

A program designed as an alternative to incarceration for individuals facing addiction issues is celebrating its 30th anniversary in Klamath County.

Known as the Community Wellness Court, this initiative is one of the first of its kind in Oregon and across the United States. Originally launched as the Adult Drug Court in 1996, it offers a structured pathway for those with substance use disorders to seek recovery while remaining accountable to the legal system.

Participants voluntarily engage in rigorous requirements, including personalized treatment plans, counseling sessions, regular drug testing, and involvement in support and life skills programs.

Successful completion of the program can lead to the dismissal of most criminal charges and probation obligations. Eligibility is assessed by the district attorney’s office and court coordinators, with the program specifically targeting certain drug possession and use cases, excluding individuals charged with manufacturing or distribution offenses.

 

The Shasta-Trinity National Forest is scheduled to carry out prescribed fire operations on Tuesday, April 7, contingent upon favorable weather conditions.

These controlled burns are intended to mitigate overgrown vegetation, thereby safeguarding local communities, infrastructure, and natural resources from the threat of wildfires. Final approvals are still required before the operations can commence.

Specifically, the McBride Underburn Project will involve burning 110 acres located approximately one mile north of Mount Shasta, just south of Everitt Memorial Highway. For safety reasons, the area may be closed to the public for several days. Warning signs will be placed along nearby roads prior to and during the burns, and residents should be prepared for potential smoke in the vicinity during these operations.

 

The Fremont-Winema National Forest is requesting public cooperation to safeguard forest roadways and prevent long-term damage by adhering to seasonal road closures and refraining from driving on wet native surfaces or unpaved roads.

This year, with a lower-than-average snowpack, many roads that are usually closed are now accessible earlier than expected. However, driving on these roads while they are still wet from snowmelt or rain can lead to severe and lasting harm to both the public lands and the roadways.

Navigating saturated surfaces can create deep ruts, making roads challenging or even impossible for vehicles to traverse. Such damage often necessitates the use of heavy machinery for repairs and can affect future visitors until the roads are restored.

 

Two Klamath County School District students have been elected to leadership positions at the Oregon FFA State Convention and will represent FFA throughout the state and nationally throughout 2026-27.

Lost River Junior/Senior High School’s Anna Kliewer was elected Oregon FFA state president for 2026-2027 and Henley High School’s Dylan Orr was elected Oregon FFA state treasurer for 2026-2027.

This marks the first time KCSD has produced a state president and the first time the district has had two state officers in the same year. Both students will have their living expenses covered and are eligible for additional scholarships as they serve.

Their duties will include travel across Oregon and time at Oregon State University in Corvallis, as well as national events. The election wins were just one highlight of a productive state convention.

  And dozens of students earned state degrees, top proficiency awards, art honors, and team achievements across Bonanza, Henley, Lost River, and Mazama FFA chapters. Congratulations to all our FFA members on their accomplishments.

Lost River FFA won the National Chapter Award Gold, advancing to National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis, Oct. 21–24.