The latest news stories and stories of interest in Eugene-Springfield area and around the state of Oregon from the online digital home of the valley, WillametteValleyMagazine.com.
Friday, September 25, 2020
Willamette Valley Weather
Today Rain. High near 66. Breezy, with a south wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Tonight Rain before 8pm, then showers, mainly between 8pm and 11pm. Patchy fog after 2am. Low around 55. South southeast wind 5 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Saturday A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly before 11am. Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 70. West southwest wind 3 to 6 mph. Overnight, cloudy, with a low around 49. West northwest wind 5 to 8 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Sunday Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 74. Calm wind becoming north 5 to 8 mph in the afternoon.
Monday Patchy smoke. Sunny, with a high near 78.
Tuesday Patchy smoke. Sunny, with a high near 80.
Today’s Headlines
Yesterday, Lane County public health officials reported 47 new cases. This brings the county’s total of confirmed and presumptive cases to 1,118. It’s been a tough week as Lane County’s surge in COVID-19 cases continues. Six months into the pandemic, Lane County is reporting the worst numbers its seen so far.
Of those, 175 are considered infectious, which means it has been less than 10 days since symptoms began. Nine people are in the hospital, and 16 people have died of coronavirus-related causes.
Thursday’s sobering numbers are causing health officials to put stricter guidance in place. They are asking the community to hold off on social gatherings so they can get a better handle on the virus.
“This is the most significant spike we’ve seen to date,” Lane County Public Health Public Information Officer Jason Davis said. Davis said he’s worried the spike will result in a continued exponential increase in cases. So much so that Lane County Public Health is bracing for three to four weeks of an upward trend.
“Then we lose a handle on the preventable measures and we see it spread throughout the county and into populations who can be very adversely affected by COVID-19” Davis said. So they’re going back to the basics. Davis said the first and best way is to not have social gatherings.
Back when Lane County had a relatively low case count, community members were able to adjust their gatherings to make them safer. However, since our cases and contacts are considered high now, they want the community to stop them all together. He said social gatherings and people’s behavior at these events are what’s driving the spread.
“It really enables public health to get a better handle on the cases and it will result in us being able to have a downward slope in our cases,” Davis said.
Davis said Lane County is dealing with seven outbreaks right now, which are all made up of people ages 17 to 28. However, Davis wanted to make one thing clear.
“This is not a University of Oregon problem. We are seeing students from other schools involved in these clusters, we are seeing people who are in this age group who are not students, this is a behavior problem,” Davis said.
This comes after the University of Oregon saw its highest daily COVID-19 case count on Wednesday.
A COVID-19 outbreak has been reported at Roseburg Forest Products. John Myers, director of environmental health and safety at the company, said a team member at the Riddle plywood plant tested positive on Sept. 10. They worked with the Douglas Public Health Network and Oregon Health Authority to coordinate quarantine and contact tracing measures. That worker has recovered and returned to work.
At another facility – Riddle Engineered Wood – an employee and their spouse tested positive. They are currently in quarantine. No other employees have tested positive at this time, according to Myers.
“The safety of our team members and our communities is paramount, and Roseburg will continue to do all we can to mitigate the spread of the virus,” Myers said.
Oregons Ducks and Oregon State Beavers to play some football
The Pac-12 conference CEO Group voted to lift their postponement of athletic activities and pave the way for a return to play in the fall of 2020.
The conference will start their football season on Nov. 6, and all teams will play seven games with a Pac-12 title game scheduled for Dec. 19. Earlier in the month, the Pac-12 announced a landmark agreement with medical testing giant Quidel which would provide all schools in the conference with daily Coronavirus tests starting in late September.
Locally, Oregon health officials approved a return to play for both Oregon and Oregon State football.
The Pac-12 CEO group announced its 2020 football schedule which consists of ten games. All teams will play five road and five home games beginning September 26th (normally week 4 of the regular season).
Games that are unable to be played can be rescheduled for the team’s bye weeks or in week 12 (December 12) of the season with the Pac-12 Football Championship Game scheduled for December 18 or 19.
The conference title game will now be a home-hosted model. Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, which was the previously scheduled site, will now host the Pac-12 Football Championship Game beginning in 2021.
Oregon opens up the season at home against Colorado. Oregon State hosts Cal to begin the 2020 campaign.
The full football schedule and plans for other fall sports can be found here.
Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) shared an update on veterans impacted by Oregon wildfires after the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced that they will extend debt relief for veterans impacted by natural disasters, including wildfires.
“Many veterans in my district have been adversely impacted by Oregon’s wildfires and we need to make sure they can focus on their safety and health right now, not on financial issues. I am pleased that Secretary Wilkie recognizes this need and has taken steps to give veterans with pending debts some leave way during these tragic times,” said Walden.
To request assistance for VA’s financial debt relief, veterans should call the VA Debt Management Center at 1-800-827-0648.
Oregonians devastated by wildfires should apply for relief at www.disasterassistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-3362.
For more information about disaster relief and wildfire resources click here.
To learn more about Walden’s efforts to help veterans click here.
Based on the status of nearby fires, local forecasts with cooler temperatures and some precipitation, and long-range projections for fire behavior, Crater Lake National Park lifted the Level 1 Evacuation Notification on Wednesday, September 23, 2020.
The park will continue to monitor conditions and will reissue any evacuation notifications if needed. Fall can be a beautiful time to enjoy Crater Lake National Park. All trails are currently open as well as all park entrances. Rim Village Café and Gifts is open daily. Mazama Campground and Camper Store are open through the weekend but are scheduled to close for the season on Monday, September 28.
Crater Lake Lodge will remain open for guests until Monday, October 12, 2020. All roads within the park are open except for the Pinnacles Road which has been closed due to the threat of falling trees. Pinnacles Road will be reassessed later this week for possible reopening. Please be aware that effective September 8, 2020 the park implemented a complete ban on all wood and charcoal fires, and the ban is still in effect. Wood and charcoal fires are not permitted in any location throughout the park. This regulation is being strictly enforced. For more information, please go to 2020 fire ban.
Around the state of Oregon
The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) has received federal approval to extend the normal 10-day deadline for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients in 20 counties to request replacement of benefits as a result of food lost due to power outages and wildfires that began on Sept. 7.
The extension gives SNAP recipients in Benton, Clackamas, Columbia, Coos, Deschutes, Douglas, Jackson, Jefferson, Josephine, Klamath, Lake, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Multnomah, Tillamook, Wasco, Washington, and Yamhill counties until Oct. 7 to apply to re SNAP recipients do not need to visit an office.
They can request replacement food benefits by calling their local office and submitting the required information by email, fax or regular mail. Recipients can use either Form DHS 0349D (Affidavit for Nonreceipt or Destroyed Food Stamp Benefits) or submit a signed and dated written request that includes how the food was destroyed, the date it happened, destroyed food items and the amount paid for each item.
Oregon’s wildfires have “turned a corner” as firefighters continue to make significant progress containing the flames, but Oregonians still face a long road to recovery, Gov. Kate Brown said Wednesday. Officials are hopeful that rain, which is expected during the next three days, will help in the fight against the remaining seven large blazes in Oregon. Nine people have died from the wildfires and five remain missing. Approximately 1,500 square miles (3,880 square kilometers) have burned in Oregon. Officials say, prior to this year, the average of land burned each year in Oregon for the last ten years was roughly half that. Doug Grafe, the chief of Fire Protection at the Oregon Department of Forestry, announced that the wildfires have cost $78 million so far, and by the end of the season could reach $100 million.
Protesters in Portland hurled Molotov cocktails at officers in Oregon’s largest city during a demonstration over a Kentucky grand jury’s decision to not indict officers in the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor, police said Thursday. Thirteen people were arrested. Police and the protesters clashed as demonstrators in cities around the U.S. raged against a criminal justice system they say is stacked against Black people. In Taylor’s hometown of Louisville, gunfire rang out and wounded two police officers. The protesters in Portland Wednesday night also threw rocks that shattered windows at a law enforcement precinct station, targeted the station with projectiles fired from slingshots, police said in a statement. The Oregonian/Oregonian Live said they set an awning at the station on fire. The people taken into custody were arrested on suspicion of charges ranging from attempted murder to attempted assault, riot, interfering with a police officer and disorderly conduct, police said.
As Jackson County officials prepare to open a new resource center at the old Central Medford High School building for those displaced by wildfires, they addressed the media with updates on fire recovery efforts — including a newly-completed damage assessment of the areas burned by the Almeda Fire. The original assessment by a Utah-based Urban Search & Rescue Team completed last week found more than 2,800 structures damaged or destroyed, Sheriff Nathan Sickler said at the time. In the intervening days, a group of local agencies have been working on a more detailed assessment that will be vital for additional FEMA assistance. As of Wednesday, they had assessed 3,395 properties — finding 2,790 damaged or destroyed. Roughly 2,606 were considered residential structures, along with 181 commercial buildings. Numbers are expected to change slightly as more specific evaluations finish up. These assessments are necessary for those who lost property to be eligible for FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program, Jackson County said.
Working with licensed contractors is one of the best ways for Oregon consumers to protect their most valuable investment and avoid common scams
Salem, Ore. – The Construction Contractors Board (CCB) and construction industry leaders have a shared message for Oregonians who have had their home or business damaged or destroyed by wildfires: protect your investment – hire licensed contractors.
“It is unfortunately quite common after disasters for consumers to be taken advantage of by unscrupulous individuals,” said Chris Huntington, Administrator of the Construction Contractors Board. “Consumers who do their homework and hire licensed contractors have protections that all Oregon licensed contractors provide.”
Oregon licensed contractors provide financial protections to Oregon consumers. Licensed contractors carry a bond and insurance, which protect the consumer if things go wrong during construction. Working with licensed contractors also provides homeowners with access to CCB’s dispute resolution service if a conflict arises, potentially avoiding lengthy and expensive court proceedings.
“On behalf of over 2,500 home builder members,” said Mark Long, CEO of the Oregon Home Builders Association, “Oregon Home Builders Association wants to remind consumers to collect references and written contracts from the start of a repair project, and avoid contractors who ask for cash up front.”
Licensed construction firms are an important part of Oregon’s economy and our Oregon communities. Oregon has approximately 41,000 licensed construction firms that have made an investment in their industry and in their communities by playing by the rules.
“AGC applauds the CCB for taking steps to protect the interests of Oregonians recovering from these wildfires as they begin the process of rebuilding their homes, businesses, and lives. We will work with the CCB to ensure state law is fully enforced, and Oregonians understand the benefit of using licensed contractors,” stated Mike Salsgiver, Executive Director of Associated General Contractors (AGC), Oregon-Columbia Chapter.
Licensed contractors also have a license history that consumers can easily check on the CCB’s website. This allows the consumer to know how long the firm has been in business and whether there is any history of complaints. Unlicensed firms found through online listing sites may not provide consumers with any verifiable history.
In addition to checking for a valid license, consumers can avoid common construction scams by simply being aware. Consumers should be wary of demands for large up-front payments, demands for cash-only payments and contractors who use high-pressure tactics, door-to-door or over the phone.
How Do You Check a License?
To verify licenses:
- Visit http://search.ccb.state.or.us/search/
- Enter the license number in the box, then hit the “search” button.
- Select the “choose” button beside the proper license.
- Verify that the license is “active,” and that the name and other information on the license matches the contractor you are considering.
- Call 503-378-4621 for help searching or understanding the results.
Contractors and consumers can report unlicensed contractors and other illegal activity on the CCB’s website http://search.ccb.state.or.us/online_complaint_enf/ or by calling 503-934-2246.
The Portland Parks Bureau is denying a permit to far-right organizers planning a rally at Delta Park on Saturday. The Parks Bureau says the permit was denied because of the expected crowd size, which would violate the Governor’s limits for COVID-19. Organizers estimate several thousand people will attend the rally. Counter protesters plan to gather at Peninsula Park at the same time. They didn’t apply for a permit.
A former Redmond Police detective who sexted with an undercover informant will serve five days jail and 18 months probation, a judge ruled Tuesday. The Deschutes County jail will make “special accommodations” to protect Cory Michael Buckley because of his status as a former officer, The Bend Bulletin reported. Buckley, 43, pleaded guilty to official misconduct for improperly using his work-issued cellphone to send inappropriate texts to a woman in 2017. He was sentenced Tuesday. Buckley was working on the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement team when he met with a Prineville woman who provided him with information about a drug buy. At the time, the woman had an open criminal case and was facing a possible prison sentence for her involvement with illegal drugs. Several weeks later, Buckley began sending her “sexually charged” texts.
The Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC) has conducted an investigation and approved a framework designed to protect residential and small commercial utility customers by ensuring continued access to essential services during COVID-19 and in the aftermath of the pandemic.
“During the pandemic, Oregonians have found themselves more reliant on their utility services as they now stay at home to combat the pandemic, stay home to work where possible, and even educate their children at home,” said Mark Thompson, PUC Commissioner. “This increased reliance on utility services also comes at a time where many customers’ ability to pay for these services has diminished due to the economic impacts COVID-19 has had on so many in our communities.”
In June 2020, the PUC held a public meeting to hear from the regulated investor-owned utilities, as well as customer groups and interested stakeholders on the impacts of COVID-19 and actions taken by utilities to protect customers. Even prior to this time, investor-owned utilities proactively suspended disconnections of residential and non-residential accounts, stopped issuing late and final notices, suspended assessing late fees, and offered more flexible payment options for their customers in recognition of the hardships caused by the pandemic, and the importance of utility services.
“In addition to confirming the actions taken by the utilities, the Commission also wanted to further investigate the impacts of the pandemic on customers, and further evaluate additional and future actions to protect utility customers, especially low income and vulnerable populations, during and after the pandemic,” added Commissioner Thompson.
As part of the investigation, the PUC engaged participants in a dynamic and inclusive public process, which provided invaluable feedback, collaboration, and compromise from stakeholders representing utility and customer interests across Oregon. The results of these discussions were separate agreements, which had broad support from the participants in the investigation, for energy, telecommunications, and water utilities that would benefit utility customers through a variety of measures. These included establishing terms on service disconnections, reconnections, time payment arrangements, waiver of fees related to late payments, provisions to protect customers’ credit, self-certification of medical certificates, and work on programs that can assist people in donating funds to help neighbors unable to pay their bills, among others. The agreement for energy utilities also includes a condition concerning arrearage management plans to assist residential customers with outstanding balances.
The terms of the agreements are being finalized by PUC Staff and regulated energy, water, and telecommunications service providers, including: Portland General Electric, NW Natural Gas, Pacific Power, Avista, Idaho Power, Cascade Natural Gas, Avion Water, Oregon Water Utilities, NW Natural Water, Oregon Telecommunications Association, Lumen (formerly CenturyLink), and Ziply Fiber (formerly Frontier); as well as numerous stakeholders including Citizens’ Utility Board, Community Action Partners of Oregon, Verde, Northwest Energy Coalition, and Multnomah County Office of Sustainability, among others.
“We value stakeholders’ active participation in this process and willingness to compromise and work together to develop agreements that benefit utility customers, especially as Oregonians are still dealing with the effects of the pandemic and now the wildfires that have impacted so many in our state,” added Commissioner Thompson. We also recognize the need to further examine systemic problems that low-income and vulnerable populations face with high energy burden on an ongoing basis, which were explored in our investigation. The Commission is committed to taking this challenge on.”
Staff Counsel will develop stipulations based on the tentative agreements. These stipulations will be brought back to the Commission for final approval at a later date.
For additional information, view the PUC’s COVID-19 Aftermath Report with details on the agreements for energy, telecommunications and water utilities.