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
Monday, January 25, 2021
Willamette Valley Weather
Today– Scattered rain and snow showers before 11am, then scattered rain showers. Patchy fog before 11am. Snow level 1400 feet. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 42. Southwest wind 3 to 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.
Tuesday– A chance of snow between 11am and 2pm, then rain. Patchy fog before 2pm. Snow level rising to 1500 feet in the afternoon. High near 39. South southeast wind 8 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.
Wednesday– A 50 percent chance of rain, mainly after 11am. Snow level 1500 feet rising to 2000 feet. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 46. Southeast wind 3 to 5 mph.
Thursday– A chance of rain before 11am, then a chance of showers after 11am. Snow level 2500 feet rising to 3000 feet in the afternoon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 45. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Friday– A slight chance of showers between 11am and 5pm, then a chance of rain after 5pm. Snow level 1500 feet rising to 2000 feet. Partly sunny, with a high near 45.
Oregon Health Authority reported 582 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 138,168.
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Benton (3), Clackamas (49), Coos (26), Crook (9), Curry (1), Deschutes (31), Douglas (14), Harney (1), Hood River (9), Jackson (47), Jefferson (4), Josephine (20), Klamath (26), Lake (5), Lane (49), Lincoln (6), Linn (18), Malheur (3), Marion (72), Morrow (3), Multnomah (78), Polk (18), Tillamook (1), Umatilla (16), Union (5), Wasco (2), Washington (59) and Yamhill (7).
The Oregon Health Authority was notified today that a person in Washington County has tested positive with the variant COVID-19 virus strain originally detected in the United Kingdom.
The person has a known travel history outside of the United States during their exposure period.
This is the third known case in Oregon of the United Kingdom variant strain, also known as strain B.1.1.7 or SARS-CoV-2 VOC 202012/01. Close contacts to the person have been identified and notified.
Multiple variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 have been detected in the U.S. and globally. The CDC provides case data information in the United States.
This strain is considered to be more contagious. OHA recommends that all Oregonians take the following steps to slow the spread of COVID-19.
- Maintain six feet of physical distance;
- Wear a face covering when outside the house;
- Practice good hand hygiene;
- Avoid any gatherings with people you don’t live with;
- People who experience symptoms — even mild ones — are urged to consult with a medical provider quickly to get instructions on how to care for yourself and your household members and whether to get tested.
Oregon Covid-19 Spread Rate ranks No. 49 Among States
Oregon reported far fewer coronavirus cases in the week ending Sunday, adding 4,963 new cases. That’s down 34% from the previous week’s toll of 7,522 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19. Oregon ranked No. 49 among the states where coronavirus was spreading the fastest on a per-person basis, a USA TODAY Network analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the latest week, the United States added 1,190,227 reported cases of coronavirus, a decrease of -22% from the week before. Across the country, 1 state had more cases in the latest week than they did in the week before.
Lane County Issues Warnings to Beware of Vaccine Registration Scams.
Apparently there was some confusion as people showed up at mass vaccine sites who thought they had an appointment only to find out they had been victims of a scam.
Lane County vaccine information can be found at www.lanecounty.org/covidvaccine or by calling 541-682-1380.
Elderly Pedestrian Severely Injured in Hit-and-Run Crash in Springfield
Springfield Police got a report of a vehicle vs. pedestrian hit and run crash at the intersection of Franklin Boulevard and Mississippi Avenue. An elderly pedestrian is suffering from potential life threatening injuries after a hit-and-run crash Saturday evening around 5:30 p.m.
Police say an unknown vehicle was traveling eastbound and hit an elderly pedestrian that was crossing from the north to the south across Franklin Boulevard.
Officials said the pedestrian was transported to Sacred Heart Riverbend.
The Springfield Police Department’s Major Accident Investigation Team (MAIT) was activated and is handling the investigation. The MAIT team is currently reviewing surveillance footage from area businesses in an attempt to identify the vehicle involved.
Courtney Bard who said her mother, Marilyn, was the pedestrian hit in that crash. Courtney said her mother has a broken leg and heavy bleeding on her brain from the crash. She told KEZI that her mother is being transferred to the ICU at Sacred Heart Medical Center at Riverbend.
Courtney said the crash happened less than 100 feet from their home. She said she had no idea what happened until one of her friends went to her home and said someone was hit outside.
“It was maybe an hour since I last saw my mom and she told me she was going to go for a walk or maybe a bus ride. But then I got this really bad feeling in my stomach, so I walked out there and waved one of the officers down. I asked if an elderly woman was involved in the incident and they said yes and identified her.”
Courtney said her mother is in good spirits and will be getting surgery on her leg once the bleeding on her brain stops. Courtney set up a GoFundMe account to help offset the cost of medical bills for her mother.
Thieves Drive Truck into Junction City Gun Store and Steal Guns
A pick-up truck slammed through the front door of a Junction City gun store Saturday morning, causing thousands of dollars worth of damage.
Adam Bryce, the co-owner of GunRunner Arms, said the people in the truck also took several rifles. The Lane County Sheriff’s Office told Bryce they did recover one of the guns, but there are still some missing. Bryce said his store has multiple layers of securities features in the event of a break in.
“As soon as that hit the building all the alarms started going off,” Bryce said. “Everything from glass break detectors to motion censors all picked it up. Plus the fact that the front door was destroyed. It went off immediately and as soon as it did, I got a notification on my phone.”
Wood now covers the hole the truck made from the impact. Bryce said when his store is secure, he will be back open for business.
AROUND the STATE of OREGON
Cat Reunited with Family After Being Lost Near Diamond Lake for Months
In July, the McMillans, from the Phoenix, Arizona-area, took a trip to Oregon. “We decided to take the kids on an adventure,” Lizzy McMillan, the mom, said. Lexi, the family’s fluffy gray and white cat, joined the family on their trip. “She’s so shy, so she kind of got brought along for the ride,” McMillan said.
Once they got to Oregon, Lexi the cat got away at one of their stops near Diamond Lake. “I saw her, I told him, he put her in the back and somehow, five of us, none of us saw her make her grand escape,” McMillan said. The McMillans extended their trip one day to try looking for her, but, sadly, they had to head back home to Arizona without Lexi.
Four months later, an ODOT worker, Chris Southwick, found Lexi just a few miles from where the McMillans last saw her. “It was hiding on the engine of a piece of equipment, that had been used earlier in the day, to try and stay warm. I opened up the engine compartment and grabbed it,” Southwick said. “There were fires, when I found her, we’d been getting a pretty good snowstorm. Probably two or three feet at that time. I’m surprised she actually lived.”
After Lexi made herself at home in Southwick’s house in Glide, he decided to take her to a shelter. “I just kept thinking of my kids and how sad they would be if they lost an animal like that,” Southwick said.
He took her to Saving Grace Adoption Center in Roseburg, where they found her owners because she was microchipped. “This is why you chip your animal,” said Janice Quist, a volunteer at Saving Grace.
Quist said she was happy to deliver Lexi back to her family in Arizona. She just happened to have a trip planned to Surprise, Arizona anyway – just an hour away from the McMillans’ home.”No big deal. I was determined to do it for the family,” Quist said.
As all of these plans were being figured out, Lizzy and Andy McMillan kept this a secret from their kids. Needless to say, Maxine was happy to have Lexi back home. “I was like ‘oh my god, is this really her!?’ I got so excited that I started crying,” Maxine said through tears. Lizzy said Lexi is adjusting back to her life in Arizona just fine.
Oregon’s Samuel Mindra takes Bronze Medal at U.S. Figure Skating Championships
Oregon native and 17-year-old Samual Mindra has claimed the bronze medal at the U.S Figure Skating Championships in the Junior competition. According to FanZone U.S. Figure Skating , Mindra went from eight the third with a free skate that scored 121.12. That skate brought his total up to 181.49. That was also the first Mindra has ever scored above 180.
Mindra trained at the Bill Collier Ice Arena at Running Y because ice rinks all around the state are closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Collier arena is open air. Mindra said it was pretty nice and Klamath Falls, there was some altitude and it helped me with my breathing.
He will continue to train wherever he can, and could return to the Klamath Basin again. Mindra also spoke of his drive to improve. “All the improvements that you make, it makes you want to keep going and make more improvements and get better as a skater. And so I guess that’s, what’s pushing me to get better.”
Those improvements have helped Mindra represent Oregon by claiming a medal at one of the most prestigious competitions in figure skating.
60 Dogs and Cats from Texas Flown to Oregon are Ready for Adoption
The Oregon Humane Society and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals flew 60 cats and dogs Saturday from Texas to the Portland area, where organizers hope they’ll find adoptive homes.
The pets are part of the Oregon Humane Society’s Second Chance program, which transports animals from regions with low demand for adoptions to the Portland area and Southwest Washington, with the goal of adopting them out.
“We are fortunate to live in a community where adopters are ready to open their hearts and homes to pets in need,” says Sharon Harmon, Oregon Humane Society president and CEO, in a news release. “This effort demonstrates how animal welfare organizations work together every day to save lives.”
The public can start the adoption process for this batch of 60 starting Sunday between 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The Oregon Humane Society is closed to the public, except for by appointments. To view pets available for adoption or learn about how to make an appointment, visit www.oregonhumane.org/adopt.
2 Drivers Killed in Oregon Coast Crash
Two people were killed in a crash Saturday on U.S. 101 near Rockaway Beach, troopers said. Authorities responded about 1 p.m. to the crash, which closed the highway for several hours.
The Oregon State Police said two drivers — Robert Muzzy, 69, of Nehalem and Leeanna Sutton, 63, of Rockaway Beach — collided and suffered fatal injuries. They both died at the scene.
Muzzy, who was driving south in a Ford Clubwagon van, traveled into the northbound lane and collided with Sutton, who was driving a Nissan Rogue SUV, the state police said, citing an early investigation.
Woman’s Body has Been Recovered Beneath 15 feet of Debris after Landslide
The body of a woman whose car was overrun by a landslide in Oregon this month has been found by authorities.
Officials with the Multnomah County Sheriff’s office said they recovered Jennifer Moore’s remains on Saturday beneath a large pile of debris, more than a week after the landslide.
“It’s not the outcome everyone would have hoped for,” said Sgt. Steve Dangler in a statement. He added, “but at least at this point, it brings closure to the family and allows them to begin the grieving process.”
Moore had been driving in the city of Dodson when the landslide occurred on Jan. 13. The incident took place shortly after 1 a.m. that day, officials said.
Following the landslide, officials suspected Moore’s SUV to be under “15 feet of mud, rock and logs,” the sheriff’s office said in its announcement Saturday.
Deputies with the Multnomah County Sheriff’s office recovered Moore’s body Saturday. “To reach the location, road crews used heavy machinery, such as front loaders and dump trucks, to remove the debris from the edges of the debris field,” said the announcement from the sheriff’s office.
“This work had to be performed carefully, as the mud was wet and unstable.” Officials with the Corbett Fire District helped the Multnomah County deputies in their recovery of Moore’s body. Dodson is about 41 miles east of Portland.
39th Prisoner in Oregon Dies from Covid Reported
An inmate who tested positive for the coronavirus has died at the Two Rivers Correctional Institution, the Oregon Department of Corrections reported on Sunday. The man was between the ages of 75 and 85 years old.
The new report brings the total number of inmate deaths to 39 since the start of the pandemic.
“As with all in-custody deaths, the Oregon State Police have been notified, and the Medical Examiner will determine cause of death,” the DOC said in a release.Earlier this week, advocates for incarcerated people called on the state to vaccinate Oregon’s prisoners, saying the government isn’t doing enough to protect those in custody.
The DOC says the vaccine is currently being offered to staff and say they’re following all safety guidelines to prevent the spread of the virus. A “small number” of inmates who clean the COVID-19 units have also been vaccinated.