The latest news stories and stories of interest in the Willamette Valley from the digital home of Southern Oregon, from Wynne Broadcasting’s WillametteValleyMagazine.com
Friday, April 23, 2021
Willamette Valley Weather
Today- Mostly cloudy, with a high near 64. Calm wind becoming west northwest 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon.
Saturday- Rain before 11am, then showers after 11am. High near 56. South southwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Sunday- Showers likely, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 11am. High near 56. South wind 5 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Monday- A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 58.
Tuesday- Mostly sunny, with a high near 67.
Oregon reports 993 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 1 new death
There is one new COVID-19 related death in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 2,467. The Oregon Health Authority reported 993 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 bringing the state total to 178,110.
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (14), Benton (24), Clackamas (116), Clatsop (4), Columbia (14), Coos (6), Crook (12), Curry (2), Deschutes (57), Douglas (5), Grant (1), Hood River (5), Jackson (46), Jefferson (6), Josephine (17), Klamath (54), Lake (2), Lane (54), Lincoln (7), Linn (34), Malheur (2), Marion (109), Morrow (1), Multnomah (206), Polk (20), Tillamook (1), Umatilla (8), Union (2), Wasco (16), Washington (128) and Yamhill (20).
Oregon Reports Highest Daily COVID-19 Case Total in 3 Months
Oregon health officials reported 989 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday — the state’s highest daily case count since mid-January.
The spike follows Oregon’s fourth consecutive week of surging daily cases and increasing hospitalizations. According to most recent data from the state health authority, last week there was a 27% increase in cases. The state’s positivity rate is 5.3%.
Since the start of the pandemic, Oregon officials have recorded 177,134 COVID-19 cases. The state’s death toll is 2,466.
More than 1 million people in Oregon, or about one-fourth of the state’s population, have been fully vaccinated. On Monday, anyone 16 or older became eligible for the shots.
Although eligibility has opened up, health officials continue to warn that the virus, including variants, continues to spread through communities, senior living centers, workplaces, homes and even the state Capitol building. On Tuesday, officials canceled floor sessions for the rest of the week in the Oregon House of Representatives after someone in the building tested positive for COVID-19.
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown has warned businesses will be shut down again if hospitals become inundated with patients.
On Tuesday, the governor announced that about 10 counties are moving into the ‘high risk’ category, which implements more COVID-19 restrictions, including decreased capacity in restaurants and gyms.
Vaccinations in Oregon
Today, OHA reported that 48,387 new doses of COVID-19 vaccinations were added to the state immunization registry. Of this total, 28,535 doses were administered on April 21 and 19,852 were administered on previous days but were entered into the vaccine registry on April 21.
The seven-day running average is now 34,328 doses per day.
Oregon has now administered a total of 1,398,442 doses of Pfizer, 1,172,051 doses of Moderna and 91,160 doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines. As of today, 1,091,777 people have completed a COVID-19 vaccine series. There are 1,658,130 who have had at least one dose.
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, 1,683,045 doses of Pfizer, 1,432,000 doses of Moderna and 215,000 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.
OHA finds small number of data entry errors in reported vaccine doses
Oregon Health Authority has identified that a small number of Johnson & Johnson vaccine doses were recorded in the ALERT IIS System on and after April 13. OHA conducted an investigation and contacted all of the sites that reported submitting three or more doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine since the pause was issued April 13. All the sites that OHA contacted reported that these reports were data entry errors, and none of the sites had administered the vaccine. All told, OHA has determined that data entry errors were a factor at eight sites, accounting for 121 of the 159 total doses recorded.
As we continue to receive additional reports of Johnson and Johnson doses administered while the pause is in effect, we will clarify with vaccine providers whether or not these are data entry errors and will continue to ask providers to clarify these reports.
OHA is currently working with sites that have continued to report administering Johnson & Johnson vaccine doses during the pause to investigate why these doses have been reported. Consequently, the vaccine administration numbers for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will change as this work continues. OHA is reiterating to partners that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have recommended a pause on Johnson & Johnson vaccine administrations as they conduct a federal review of the vaccine.
OHA, CDC investigating death of Oregon resident following Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccination
Oregon Health Authority has been informed that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating the death of an Oregon woman this week following immunization with Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine.
Information about the death has been sent to the CDC through the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), the national reporting system used to collect reports of adverse events after vaccination.
OHA was notified of the potential adverse event on April 20, two days after the CDC was notified on April 18. The Oregon resident, a woman in her 50s, received a dose of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine before the pause order on its use was issued. Until the investigation is complete, it cannot be concluded whether her death is related to the vaccine.
She developed a rare but serious blood clot within two weeks following vaccination. This blood clot was seen in combination with very low platelets. Prior to the issuance of the pause, cases of this serious blood clot had been identified among six women around the country who received the vaccine.
Health care providers are required to report certain adverse events after COVID-19 vaccines, in accordance with the emergency use authorization (EUA) for COVID-19 vaccines. These include serious adverse events, such as death, any life-threatening event and inpatient hospitalization. At the time of the CDC–FDA pause recommendation, about 7.5 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine had been administered in the United States, with more than 87,000 doses having been administered at locations throughout Oregon.
The case in Oregon will add to the evidence of potential risk associated with Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) will review the data accumulated to date and weigh the risks and benefits of the vaccine. These considerations will inform the ACIP’s recommendations regarding use of the vaccine going forward.
The CDC and OHA will provide updates on any developments as they can be shared during the review and investigation process. OHA continues to encourage all Oregonians to schedule an appointment to receive a COVID-19 vaccination when appointments become available.
LOCAL HEADLINES:
Olympic Trials Ticketing Will Start Over Due to Pandemic
TrackTown USA has news for spectators of this summer’s U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in Eugene. CEO Michael Reilly said in a statement Thursday that based on Hayward Field’s capacity and current health protocols, they cannot honor the number of tickets already sold.
All ticket holders will be refunded their money. TrackTown USA will announce new ticketing procedures in May, using updated COVID-19 safety regulations.
Athletes will have first choice of seats and days, followed by those who have held tickets until this point. The statement says TrackTown USA will try to give as many people as possible an opportunity to attend at least one day of the 10-day event.
Those who’ve paid for tickets will be contacted with details about next steps. The U.S. Track and Field Olympic Team Trials are scheduled for June 18th to 27th. — https://www.gotracktownusa.com/
Suspect Arrested In Dozens Of Identity Theft Cases In Lane, Coos And Marion Counties
Authorities arrested a suspect in connection with dozens of identity theft cases in Lane, Coos, and Marion counties.
Investigators worry there may be more victims – or that people may have been unaware they had even been targeted.
The investigation by Eugene Police Financial Crimes detectives led to the arrest of Hailey Albright. “During the investigation, which involved a search warrant for Albright’s storage unit, detectives discovered numerous additional victims and stolen mail,” Eugene Police said.
Police are concerned about the information contained in the mail, possibly including checks or other personal information. Detectives have found from previous cases that Albright has used this information to gain access to personal bank accounts in addition to fraudulently scamming the Oregon Unemployment Department by making false unemployment claims.
“Detectives investigating the case also found several victims who were unaware of the activity,” police said, “and other victims who knowingly had property stolen but did not report the information to police.”
“The Eugene Police Department wants to remind the public the importance of reporting criminal activity to police at the earliest convenience to help prevent the activity from continuing and to keep the community and your neighbors safe,” police said.
The Property Crimes Unit asks anyone with information about Albright to contact Detective Chris White at 541.682.5376 or by email at cwhite@eugene.or-gov.
Tips from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service
- Pick up your mail promptly after delivery. Don’t leave it in your mailbox overnight. If you’re expecting checks, credit cards, or other negotiable items, and you can’t get to it, ask a trusted friend or neighbor to pick up your mail.
- If you don’t receive a check or other valuable mail you’re expecting, contact the issuing agency immediately.
- Tell your Post Office when you’ll be out of town, so they can hold your mail until you return.
- Report all suspected mail theft to a Postal Inspector.
- Consider starting a neighborhood watch program. By exchanging work and vacation schedules with trusted friends and neighbors, you can watch each other’s mailboxes (as well as homes).
- Consult with your local Postmaster for the most up-to-date regulations on mailboxes, including the availability of locked centralized or curbside mailboxes.
Eugene Police Seek Public’s Help Locating Three Missing Children
Police say three children were taken by a noncustodial parent during a visit on Thursday.
Children:
• Kyden Matthew Cantu, age 1, Hispanic male, last seen wearing red shirt, plaid shorts
• Trulee Lynay Cantu, age 6, Hispanic female, last seen wearing a purple shirt
• Robert Samuel Mena III, age 10, white male, last seen wearing a white t-shirt
The children were last seen at 2050 East 23rd Avenue in Eugene around 4:30 p.m.
A vehicle associated with the case is a 2002 gold Lexus 300 with license plate 988LKA. Police said the suspects may also be associated with a dark-colored SUV.
Suspects:
• Jeremy Michael Cantu, age 32, an Hispanic male, with a thin build, black hair, and last seen wearing a white shirt.
• Whitley Morgan McGrady, age 29, a white female, with brown or reddish hair, and unknown clothing.
Please call 911 if you have information. Please reference case 21-6148.
AROUND the STATE of OREGON
Oregon Department Of Corrections Sued For Charging Inmates For Medical Devices
A class action lawsuit has been filed claiming the Oregon Department of Corrections is violating the Americans with Disabilities Act because it charges prisoners with disabilities for prosthetics and other medical devices they need.
The suit was filed this week in federal court by Portland attorney Lynn Walsh and nonprofit legal organization Disability Rights Advocates.
The litigation aims to prevent the practice of charging people with disabilities in prison for health care appliances and durable medical equipment. In addition to preventing the practice in the future, the plaintiffs want the state to reimburse people.
The lead plaintiff, Donald Terrill, is imprisoned at the Snake River Correctional Institution in eastern Oregon, and was fitted with a prosthesis after a lower leg amputation eight years ago.
Since 2013, the Oregon Department of Corrections has garnished Terrill’s trust account. He’s paid more than $10,000 toward his own prosthetic leg and still owes another $14,000. He makes $45 per month working in prison.
“Because I am being charged for my prosthesis, I cannot buy much beyond toothpaste and deodorant, or save up for shoes,” Terrill said in a statement.
The Oregon Department of Corrections acknowledged adults in custody (AICs) are “generally required” to buy their own medical equipment “like hearing aids and prosthetics.”
“When AICs are released from custody, these items leave with the AIC because the equipment is not Department of Corrections property, but personal property,” Corrections spokeswoman Jennifer Black said. Medical items such as canes are supplied by Corrections and can be returned and used again, she said.
Terrill requires the prosthetic limb to get around the Snake River prison, according to the lawsuit. Without it, he said, he wouldn’t have access to the same programs and services in prison as inmates who are not disabled.
Oregon Senate Passes Bill To Track Deaths Of Homeless Oregonians
Senate Bill 850 passed the Oregon Senate on Wednesday on a 22-5 vote. Senator Deb Patterson (D-Salem) sponsored this bill to ensure that the state tracks the deaths of unhoused Oregonians.
| “Requires that report of death for certain decedent who was homeless at time of death indicate that decedent’s residence address was “Domicile Unknown.” |
“For the sake of those living and dying on our streets, we must accurately track data around the deaths of our houseless neighbors. A collective desire exists to address Oregon’s houseless crisis and provide shelter and care to our most vulnerable community members,” said Senator Patterson, who chairs the Senate Committee on Health Care.
Senate Bill 850 requires an unhoused person’s residence be marked “Domicile Unknown” at their time of death, allowing the state to better track information about all who call Oregonians home.
“By tracking this data, we can learn if the steps we are taking are working and we can prevent complacency. We cannot allow this crisis to feel normal or okay. We must remain vigilant and ready to act,” said Senator Patterson. “Most importantly, we must provide some humanity and dignity in death. By tracking the data we can learn about their full lives, we can become informed about their challenges, and honor the pain and grief of their loved ones.”
Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury spoke in support of the bill at a public hearing. Multnomah County has produced an annual report entitled “Domicile Unknown” since 2011. That report reveals important demographic and statistical information, shares the stories of our neighbors and informs needed policy changes.
“Incredible advocates strive to support our vulnerable community members and I thank them for supporting this bill. This is indeed a somber piece of legislation, and it’s an important one. I’m hopeful it will inform future good work to prevent unnecessary death,” add Senator Patterson. Senate Bill 850 now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration.
Multiple Deaths on Hwy 101 Crash
Coos County Investigators made a public appeal for information after a driver reported to 911 for speeding and executing illegal u-turns on the Oregon Coast Highway 101 was involved in a crash which “tragically resulted in multiple fatalities,” the Coos County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday.
Dispatchers received multiple reports around 8 a.m. Thursday, April 22, reporting “a red Mitsubishi Eclipse bearing California license plate 4NDF245 being driven dangerously,” the sheriff’s office said.
“Reports indicated the vehicle travelling in the Bandon area, and included unlawful u-turns on the highway, excessive speeds and near collisions with other vehicles.”
According to the Coos County Sheriff’s Office, the vehicle involved had been reported in Curry County as early as 6:30 a.m., as far south as Gold Beach. At about 8:17 am, the vehicle was involved in a crash that tragically resulted in multiple fatalities on Highway 101 near mile marker 247.
They ask anyone with information about the red Mitsubishi Eclipse or who saw the vehicle between the hours of 7 a.m. and and 8:20 a.m. between Langlois and the intersection of Highway 101 and Highway 42 is asked to call the Coos County Dispatch non-emergency number at 541-396-2106.
“Please leave your name and a good contact number for investigating officers to return your call for a brief interview,” the sheriff’s office said. “Additional information may help piece together the events leading up to the crash.”
All lanes have since been reopened at milepost 248.5 following the investigation, about five miles south of the Oregon 42 junction.
Sheriff’s Office State That White City Fire Resulted From An ‘Illegal Cannabis Extraction Process’
Jackson County Sheriff’s Office state that the major fire in White City on Wednesday night appears to have resulted from an illegal marijuana operation at the building on Antelope Road.
Sheriff’s deputies, firefighters, and paramedics responded to reports of an explosion and fire at the industrial building in the 1500-block of Antelope Road shortly after 8 p.m.
The first deputy at the scene found a man who appeared to have suffered burns. Two more men soon approached the same deputy, both suffering from serious burns.
JCSO said that all three men were treated by medical teams, with the two most seriously injured taken to OHSU in Portland for treatment. A fourth man was seen running from the building, and investigators are looking for him.
“The fire and explosions caused extensive building damage, impacted power and internet services in White City and the fire was near open fields in the Denman Game area behind the building,” the Sheriff’s Office said.
An initial investigation found evidence that the explosion and fire were the result of an “illegal cannabis extraction process,” the Sheriff’s Office said. The case is now being examined by the Interagency Marijuana Enforcement Team, JCSO, Fire District 3, and the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office.
JCSO said that investigators obtained a search warrant for the property, and it remains the site of an active investigation.
Razor Clam Harvesting Opens on Part of Oregon Coast
The Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife announce the opening of all razor clam harvesting from the north jetty of Coos Bay to Cape Arago.
Recent shellfish samples taken from the area indicate levels of the marine biotoxin domoic acid have fallen below the alert level for two consecutive sampling weeks.
Razor clam harvesting remains closed from the Columbia River to the north jetty of Coos Bay, and from Cape Arago to the California border.
Mussel, bay clam and crab harvesting remain open along the entire Oregon coast. Coastal scallops are not affected by biotoxin closures when only the adductor muscle is eaten. ODA does not recommend eating whole scallops. Commercial shellfish products remain safe for consumers.
Paralytic shellfish toxin and domoic acid toxin are produced by algae and originate in the ocean. ODA will continue to test for shellfish toxins twice per month, as tides and weather permit. Reopening an area closed for biotoxins requires two consecutive tests with results below the closure limit.
Contact ODFW for recreational license requirements, permits, rules and limits.
For more information call ODA’s shellfish biotoxin safety hotline at (800) 448-2474, the Food Safety Division at (503) 986-4720, or visit the ODA Shellfish Biotoxin Closures webpage.