The latest news stories and stories of interest in the Rogue Valley from the digital home of Southern Oregon, from Wynne Broadcasting’s RogueValleyMagazine.com
Monday, April 5, 2021
Willamette Valley Weather
Today- Sunny, with a high near 60. Light north wind increasing to 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon.
Tuesday- Sunny, with a high near 67. Calm wind becoming north northwest 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon.
Wednesday- Patchy fog before 9am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 59. Calm wind becoming west around 6 mph in the afternoon.
Thursday- A 20 percent chance of showers. Snow level 3000 feet lowering to 2500 feet. Partly sunny, with a high near 56.
Friday- Sunny, with a high near 59.
Oregon reports 404 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 1 new death
There is 1 new COVID-19 related death in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 2,392. The Oregon Health Authority reported 404 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 bringing the state total to 166,882.
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (1), Benton (5), Clackamas (59), Clatsop (1), Columbia (7), Coos (3), Curry (2), Deschutes (31), Douglas (8), Grant (2), Jackson (24), Jefferson (3), Josephine (12), Klamath (13), Lane (30), Lincoln (4), Linn (12), Malheur (1), Marion (28), Morrow (1), Multnomah (84), Polk (13), Tillamook (3), Union (4), Wallowa (1), Wasco (1), Washington (45) and Yamhill (6).
Vaccinations in Oregon
Oregon Has Given Over 1M COVID Vaccine Doses To Date
Today, OHA reported that 32,692 new doses of COVID-19 vaccinations were added to the state immunization registry. Of this total, 22,084 doses were administered on April 3 and 10,608 were administered on previous days but were entered into the vaccine registry on April 3.
Oregon has now administered a total of 1,00,991 first and second doses of Pfizer, 924,661 first and second doses of Moderna and 49,520 single doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines.
Cumulative daily totals can take several days to finalize because providers have 72 hours to report doses administered and technical challenges have caused many providers to lag in their reporting. OHA has been providing technical support to vaccination sites to improve the timeliness of their data entry into the state’s ALERT Immunization Information System (IIS).
To date, 1,225,575 doses of Pfizer, 1,102,200 doses of Moderna and 105,800 doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines have been delivered to sites across Oregon.
These data are preliminary and subject to change.
OHA’s dashboards provide regularly updated vaccination data, and Oregon’s dashboard has been updated today.
Oregon’s Frontline Workers Become Eligible For COVID-19 Vaccine Monday
Oregon’s frontline workers become eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine Monday. The list of qualifying workers is long, including those who’ve delivered mail, served up food and drinks, bagged groceries, sold clothes, and more throughout the pandemic.For a full list of frontline workers, click here.
Officials Say ‘We’re Back On Alert’: Oregon Hits ‘Fourth Surge’ Of COVID-19
Despite a rising number of vaccinated Oregonians and widening eligibility, “the fourth surge of the virus is at our doorstep,” Gov. Kate Brown said Friday as she and state health officials pleaded with the public to keep up safety measures, despite growing COVID fatigue.
News Release from Gov. Brown’s Office:
(Salem, OR) — In a press briefing with the Oregon Health Authority (OHA), Governor Kate Brown today announced Oregon is expanding COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to include all family members of frontline workers. She also announced that Oregon is expanding its criteria of underlying health conditions to match the CDC’s extended list. The Governor was joined by Patrick Allen, OHA Director, and Dr. Dean Sidelinger, State Epidemiologist.
“As we move into the days and weeks ahead, we will continue to deploy a vaccine strategy that is centered on prioritizing our most vulnerable, and ensuring access to the vaccine for everyone. To do this, we need to move in a manner that is both fast and fair,” said Governor Brown.
“If you are a frontline worker as defined by the CDC, when you make a vaccine appointment for yourself, make them for your whole family, too. If you’re attending a community vaccine event, bring your family with you. We know it is not easy for everyone to find the time and transportation to get a vaccine. If you’re a frontline worker making the effort, bring your family, and do it all together.”
The Governor is also asking Coordinated Care Organizations and commercial health insurance providers to reach out to their members with underlying conditions to share information about the importance of vaccinations, and how to get connected to a vaccine.
The Governor warned that Oregon’s increase in cases and hospitalizations over the past two weeks is cause for concern: “It’s clear that, in Oregon and across the country, the fourth surge of this virus is at our doorstep. While Oregon’s case numbers fortunately haven’t matched those of other states seeing large spikes, our numbers are rising and we are back on alert.
“The good news is, now when we face a surge, we know how to protect ourselves and others with powerful safety measures like mask wearing and avoiding large social gatherings. And we have three safe and effective vaccines rapidly rolling out. But make no mistake, this is a race between the vaccines and the variants. It is a critical moment for us all to double down so we can outrun this next wave.”
Video Links
- A recording of today’s live-streamed press conference is available on YouTube. Please note the video starts at the 15:18 mark.
- A recording of a Spanish language translation is available on OHA’s Facebook page.
A copy of the Governor’s prepared remarks from today’s press conference is available here.
More information on vaccines is available at covidvaccine.oregon.gov.
LOCAL HEADLINES:
Deputies Seize ‘Hundreds Of Pounds’ Of Marijuana, Guns, Cash In Lane County Drug Bust
Sheriff’s deputies seized a massive amount of drugs, more than a dozen guns and tens of thousands in cash after they raided a large-scale production facility in Lane County on Thursday, officials said.
The Lane County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of a stolen vehicle on a property in the 27000 block of Lawrence Road outside of the town of Elmira, which is about 15 miles west of Eugene.
While deputies were investigating the vehicle, they came upon a large butane marijuana hash oil extraction lab, officials said. These types of labs, which are illegal in Oregon unless the operator has a license, can be dangerous because of the potential for explosions associated with butane.
Investigators obtained a search warrant for the rest of the property and another address in nearby Veneta. They discovered a home that was being used entirely for the cultivation of suspected psilocybin mushrooms, an illegal drug known for its hallucinogenic properties.
Between the two properties, deputies seized 16 firearms, one of which was stolen; a “large amount of cash, packaged in $10,000 bundles; more than 450 bags of psilocybin mushrooms; more than 20 pounds of finished hash oil extract; “hundreds” of pounds of dried marijuana; and a stolen truck.
“Several people were contacted on the property and identified,” the sheriff’s office said, but no arrests were made.
Several people were contacted and identified during the investigation. Below are items that were seized during the execution of the search warrant:
- 16 firearms, one of which was reported stolen
- A large amount of US currency packaged in bundles of $10,000
- A cash counting machine
- About 465 bags of suspected psilocybin mushrooms
- Dozens of pounds of finished marijuana hash oil extract
- Hundreds of pounds of dried marijuana
- An enclosed cargo trailer
The investigation is ongoing.
Eugene Man Struck and Killed by Train
On Friday a person who was walking on the tracks in Eugene was struck and killed by a train. At 2:44 p.m. a man was reported to have been walking on the train tracks and was hit by an oncoming train near Chambers Street and Railroad Boulevard.
The train had activated its horn and whistle and applied emergency breaks. The man, however, did appear to hear the train and was struck. Eugene Police responded to investigate and the train line’s traffic was stopped to allow incidence response. The man, in his mid-50s, died and police withheld his name until his family is notified.
Police Shooting Fatality in Corvallis Hotel
Oregon police on Saturday shot and killed a man they said was trespassing into a Corvallis hotel and trying to get into guests’ rooms. A Days Inn hotel employee had told dispatchers that the man was acting aggressively and trying to access rooms that were not his, the Corvallis Police Department said. The man had a knife, police said. They shot him sometime after making contact with him.
The man, a 32-year-old Philomath resident, died at the scene. The police did not detail the circumstances that led to the shooting. They said officers were involved in the shooting but did not say how many fired their weapons or how many shots were fired. The officers have been put on administrative leave, pending an investigation by Albany police.
AROUND the STATE of OREGON
Rare Shark Washes Ashore in Gearhart
Walkers along Gearhart beach last Wednesday when they discovered a 6-foot broadnose sevengill shark, the Seaside Aquarium reported.
The shark was dead before washing in and had what looked to be bites from another shark the aquarium’s Tiffany Boothe said. Broadnose sevengill sharks are one of 17 species of sharks that can be found off the Oregon Coast.
While they are known for their aggressive behavior when feeding and the fact that they can get quite large, nearly 10 feet and weighing up to 400 pounds, there has never been an attack on a human in Oregon. Worldwide, they have only been responsible for five attacks on humans since the 17th century and none were fatal.
The broadnose sevengill shark is unique in that it has seven gills while most species of sharks have five gills (apart from two species of sixgill sharks). They can be found off the eastern and western Pacific, Argentina, and South Africa in estuaries, bays, and at ocean depths from nearshore to 400 feet. Smaller sevengills feed on fish and squid but as they get bigger they start to prey on marine mammals and are known to hunt in packs.
The Seaside Aquarium recovered the shark and it will be used as an educational tool for a local school group.
Klamath Tribes want water to remain in the lake, irrigators want it diverted to the Klamath Project — and neither party wants to see more water sent down the Klamath River.
Earlier this week, Klamath Irrigation District filed an emergency motion against the Bureau of Reclamation in Klamath County Circuit Court, requesting a judge bar the agency from releasing water from Upper Klamath Lake for flushing flows in the Klamath River this spring.
The motion comes after the Klamath Tribes filed a notice of intent to sue the Bureau of Reclamation earlier this year if the agency allows the lake to drop below 4,142 feet during Lost River and shortnose sucker spawning season in April and May. As of April 1, the lake was below 4,141 feet — the lowest it’s been at this time in years.
KID’s motion argued that by sending stored water from Upper Klamath Lake into the Klamath River, Reclamation is violating the Amended and Corrected Findings of Fact and Final Order of Determination, which has governed the allocation of Oregon water rights in the Klamath Basin since 2013.
Reclamation has a right to store water in the lake for use by Klamath Project irrigators. The storage right does not give Reclamation the right to use the water that it stores for purposes of enhancing instream flows in the Klamath River according to the motion. It also cites agency documents from February indicating Reclamation’s plan to send a flushing flow down the river later this month.
The same action occurred last April, when Reclamation released approximately 32,889 acre-feet of water over three
days. Reclamation’s unauthorized diversion of stored water to which KID owns the water rights actually constitutes a crime under Oregon law according to the filing.
Lawmakers Moving Forward On Plan To Provide Health Care To All Oregon Residents
Oregon’s health care goals include eradicating health inequities by 2030. A big part of meeting that goal is making sure all residents, including undocumented workers, can get health insurance. We talk with Representative Wlnsvey Campos, D-Aloha, chief sponsor of HB 3352.
If you’d like to comment on any of the topics in this show or suggest a topic of your own, please get in touch with us on Facebook or Twitter, send an email to thinkoutloud@opb.org, or you can leave a voicemail for us at 503-293-1983. The call-in phone number during the noon hour is 888-665-5865.
UPDATE – Homicide Investigation – Josephine County
On Thursday, April 1, 2021 at approximately 2:30 P.M., members of the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office arrested Harley Boitz (26) during a traffic stop on Laurel Rd. in Cave Junction.
Boitz is being held in the Josephine County Jail on the charges of Murder, Arson, Abuse of a Corpse, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, and Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle.
On March 24, 2021, at approximately 12:50 P.M., law enforcement responded to a call regarding a vehicle on fire in Selma about 6 miles up McMullen Creek Road on forest management property.
Detectives responded to the scene and located two deceased persons in the burned vehicle. The incident is being treated as homicide and is actively being investigated.
On March 29, 2021 investigators were able to identify the two persons in the vehicle as Daniel T. Hill (24) from Josephine County and Paul M. Folk (26) from Josephine County. Folk was previously reported as a missing person to the Grants Pass Department of Public Safety.
The Oregon State Police is leading the investigation and are being assisted by Grants Pass Department of Public Safety, the Josephine County District Attorney and the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office. – Oregon State Police
Man Killed in Officer Involved Shooting in Salem
A man is dead following an officer involved shooting in Salem, according to Oregon State Police.
Police responded to the 400 block of Ewald Avenue SE around 6:30 p.m. to a report that a
“suicidal” man had injured himself, OSP officials said.
Firefighters arrived prior to officers and the man allegedly threatened them with a firearm, according to OSP.
When Salem Police officers arrived, the man, still armed, confronted them. An officer then shot him.
Despite lifesaving efforts, the man was pronounced dead at the scene, according to OSP. No other injuries were reported.
Per standard protocols, the Marion County District Attorney’s Office has selected the Oregon State Police to lead the investigation into the shooting. The officers involved in the incident have been put on paid administrative leave. This is a developing story.
72 Year Old Man Shoots His Son
A 72-year-old man faces charges including attempted murder for the alleged shooting of his son in a rural area of central Oregon. The shooting occurred in a rural area near the town of Silverton, about 40 miles south of Portland, according to the Marion County sheriff’s office.
Hospital officials notified police Friday night of a patient with multiple gunshot wounds that were not considered life-threatening. Police went to a property near Silverton where they met the victim’s father, who surrendered peacefully. He was booked on second-degree murder, first-degree assault, and unlawful use of a weapon.
Oregon Nonprofit Saves Cat Stuck In Rat Trap
A friendly feline who looks great in shades was recently rescued by an Oregon nonprofit after she got her paw caught in a rat trap.
Members of Meow Village, a cat rescue based in Aurora, found the starving, underweight stray in the Portland area. A veterinarian later discovered that part of her paw had been cut off from a large rat trap affixed to her left front paw. Part of her bone was also exposed.
Veterinarians were able to save her paw by trimming part of the protruding bone. The Stray — now called Betty Boop — is on her way to a smooth recovery.
Betty Boop must have laser treatment as part of her recovery process, which is why the rescue group gave her protective glasses, but they think she actually prefers wearing them.
Betty Boop will be available for adoption soon, The 10-year-old is spayed and friendly. Visit meowvillage.org to learn more.