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, May 21, 2021
Willamette Valley Weather
Today– Isolated showers after 11am. Partly sunny, with a high near 63. Light and variable wind becoming northwest 5 to 9 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Saturday– Isolated showers after noon. Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 68. Calm wind becoming west northwest around 6 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Sunday– A chance of rain before noon, then a chance of showers after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 65. Calm wind becoming west southwest 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Monday– A chance of rain before 1pm, then a chance of showers after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 70. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Tuesday– A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 69.
Oregon reports 603 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 5 new deaths
There are five new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 2,606. The Oregon Health Authority reported 603 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 bringing the state total to 197,356.
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (1), Benton (6), Clackamas (73), Clatsop (3), Columbia (7), Coos (10), Crook (8), Curry (1), Deschutes (42), Douglas (25), Harney (7), Hood River (1), Jackson (19), Jefferson (5), Josephine (18), Klamath (15), Lane (36), Lincoln (2), Linn (46), Malheur (4), Marion (51), Morrow (3), Multnomah (90), Polk (9), Umatilla (24), Union (1), Wasco (5), Washington (74) and Yamhill (17).
Vaccinations in Oregon
Today, OHA reported that 37,228 new doses of COVID-19 vaccinations were added to the state immunization registry. Of this total, 20,028 doses were administered on May 19 and 17,200 were administered on previous days but were entered into the vaccine registry on May 19.
The 7-day running average is now 29,005 doses per day.
Oregon has now administered a total of 2,019,003 first and second doses of Pfizer, 1,502,574 first and second doses of Moderna and 127,500 single doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines. As of today, 1,656,783 people have completed a COVID-19 vaccine series. There are 2,114,580 people 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, 2,442,375 doses of Pfizer, 1,988,260 doses of Moderna and 281,700 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.
COVID-19 hospitalizations
The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 across Oregon is 301, which is five fewer than yesterday. There are 77 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, which is one fewer than yesterday.
The total number of COVID-19 positive patient bed-days in the most recent seven days is 2,288, which is a 2.2% decrease from the previous seven days. The peak daily number of beds occupied by COVID-19 positive patients in the most recent seven days is 342.
The total number of patients in hospital beds may fluctuate between report times. The numbers do not reflect admissions per day, nor the length of hospital stay. Staffing limitations are not captured in this data and may further limit bed capacity. More information about hospital capacity can be found here.
OHA Pediatric COVID-19 Report
As of 12:01am on Wednesday, May 12, there have been 193,014 COVID-19 cases reported in Oregon. Pediatric cases, as defined as people under 18 years old, accounted for 23,161, or 11.9%, of the total cases. There have been 35 cases of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) reported in Oregon. Oregon witnessed two surges in pediatric COVID-19 cases in 2020 and is currently experiencing a third in 2021. Similar to cases in adults, pediatric cases began to rise again at the beginning of April.
The full report indicates that while pediatric case counts have increased, pediatric patients remain far less likely than adults to develop severe cases of COVID-19. Only 1.0% of pediatric patients have been hospitalized at some point during their COVID-19 illness. Comparatively, 6.1% of adults with COVID-19 have been hospitalized.
COVID-19 vaccine a game changer for one 12-year-old
OHA has been collecting and sharing stories about what the COVID-19 vaccine means to Oregon families. Today, we introduce you to Paul Carson. Paul’s 12-year-old son, Anthony, has Down syndrome, which puts him at much higher risk for severe complications from COVID-19.
Because the Pfizer vaccine was authorized for emergency use in individuals ages 12–15, Anthony was able to get vaccinated last week at the Oregon Health & Science University-run drive-through vaccination site at the Portland International Airport (PDX).
Paul and his wife Susan are beyond thrilled. Both described their son’s vaccination at PDX as a great experience and called the vaccine a “game changer” for their family — especially for their son. They didn’t know if they were going to be able to send Anthony back to school in the fall because of the risk and now they can. Take a listen to Paul talk about the experience here.
Cases of COVID-19 in Oregon are down over the last week, but deaths and hospitalizations are up.
The Oregon Health Authority reports the number of new cases declined 16-percent last week over the previous week. New hospitalizations increased by ten to 265, and COVID-19-related deaths rose from 31 to 57, which is the highest weekly death toll in ten weeks. The number of positive tests increased from six-point-one to six-point-four-percent.
Oregon May Give Away $1 Million in Lottery As a COVID Vaccine Incentive – Gov. Brown to Make Statement Today
Ever since Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced last week that his state will hold a lottery each week for five weeks — awarding randomly selected residents $1 million if they’ve been vaccinated against COVID-19 — the nation has been abuzz about the idea.
Well, it now looks like Gov. Kate Brown is prepared to announce a similar lottery effort to encourage Oregonians to get shots.
Brown has scheduled a noon news conference Friday with Oregon Lottery officials “to discuss Oregon’s ongoing response to COVID-19.”
Although Brown’s staff are staying mum about the details, at least for now, lottery officials have never before been present at a COVID-19 news briefing in the nearly 15 months Brown has been giving them.
LOCAL HEADLINES:
Eugene Police Looking for Oregon Car Theft Suspect that Test Drives Vehicles and Never Returns Them
Detectives say a “prolific vehicle theft suspect” rents or test drives cars – and then never returns them.
Eugene Police Property Crimes made a public appeal Wednesday for information on William Stanton Boyd, 42, whom police described as “a suspect in multiple cases of theft from dealers and rental companies.”
“Boyd typically steals vehicles, either by renting them from a rental company and not returning them, or, posing as a prospective buyer at car dealerships where he takes the vehicle for a test drive and never returns,” Eugene Police said.
“Boyd has victimized several companies in the Eugene, Springfield, and greater Lane County area. He has been committing similar crimes in the Salem area as well.”
Anyone with information on Boyd’s whereabouts is asked to contact Detective Shawn Trotter at (541) 682- 5168 or email strotter@eugene-or.us
Ricci Huling Named Lane Regional Teacher of the Year
Oregon teachers bring their ingenuity, flexibility, encouragement and expertise to classrooms every day in support of their students.
During this global pandemic, teachers have overcome constant challenges requiring transitioning instructional models, developing new ways to create important student connections, learning new teaching platforms and so much more.
Lane Regional Teacher of the Year
Candidate for 2022 Oregon Teacher of the Year
Agnes Stewart Middle School’s math teacher, Ricci Huling was named Lane’s 2022 Regional Teacher of the Year! Huling wins a $500 cash prize and is in the running for Oregon’s 2022 Teacher of the Year – to be announced this fall.
“Every child in our country deserves the opportunity to experience an education that engages their mind and sparks their curiosity.” Huling is quoted from her application.
Regional Teachers of the Year are nominated by students, colleagues, administrators, friends or family members to apply for the award, and are selected by a diverse panel of regional representatives. Later this fall one of the Regional Teachers of the Year will be named the 2022 Oregon Teacher of the Year.
Thanks to the Oregon Department of Education’s partnership with the Oregon Lottery, the 2022 Oregon Teacher of the Year receives a $5,000 cash prize (with a matching $5,000 going to their school!) and serves as a spokesperson and representative for all Oregon teachers. Three finalists will receive $2,000 with a matching $2,000 going to their school. Please visit OregonTeacheroftheYear.org for more information.
Rent assistance applications open in Lane County now through May 28
Lane County Human Services has opened another round of rent assistance applications for Lane County renters.
Applications for the new funding are open now. This application is for Lane County residents with household income at or below 80 percent of the Area Median Income. A link to the online application and information phone line are posted at www.LaneCounty.org/RENT.
Applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Be a renter living in Lane County.
- Have income at or below 80 percent of the Area Median Income.
- Experienced loss of income due to COVID-19 related factors, impacted by business closure due to COVID-19, or experienced financial hardship due to COVID-19.
Applications will be prioritized based on income, unemployment history and need. Applications will be processed by community partners who will reach out to tenants and ask for additional information and eligibility documentation.
Utility assistance is also available to renters through this program.
To apply, visit www.LaneCounty.org/RENT before 5 pm, May 25. Tenants can fill out an online application or can be assisted in filling out a form over the phone at 541-682-3776.
There will be additional opportunities to apply. To be alerted to these opportunities, please sign up at www.LaneCounty.org/RENT. — Lane Co. Government
Small Plane Crashes near Eugene Airport
A small Cessna aircraft has crashed into a field near Green Hill Road and Meadowview Road near the Eugene Airport.
One person has been transported to a hospital for medical treatment. The identification of the person, as well as the extent of injury, is not available at this time.
Community members are asked to avoid the area to allow emergency responders to work. Lane County Sheriff’s Office is coordinating with federal officials, including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), to conduct an investigation.
No information is available yet on the cause of the crash. — Lane Co. Sheriff’s Office
AROUND the STATE of OREGON
OREGON PUC ADOPTS NEW RULES FOR 2021 WILDFIRE SEASON
Rules address public safety power shutoffs and utility reporting requirements
The Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC) approved temporary rules for use during the 2021 wildfire season on public safety power shutoffs (PSPSs) and fire-related reporting requirements for investor-owned electric utilities, including Portland General Electric, Pacific Power, and Idaho Power. These rules provide near-term guidance for utilities to enhance the safety of Oregonians as more expansive permanent rules are further developed.
During Oregon’s historic 2020 wildfire season, nearly one million acres burned across the state and Portland General Electric implemented their first PSPS. A PSPS is a measure of last resort, designed to help keep people and communities in high fire-risk areas safe by proactively shutting off electricity during extreme and dangerous weather conditions when energized electrical lines could be damaged and ignite a fast-moving wildfire. In these rules, the PUC has set out expectations utilities must meet when utilizing a PSPS. Implementing a PSPS is a complex decision that impacts communities, including use of home medical devices, access to 911 services, and the ability to pump water.
“With the earliest official opening to Oregon’s wildfire season in 40 years, the establishment of these rules was extremely important and timely,” said Letha Tawney, PUC Commissioner. “They are designed to help keep Oregonians safe by establishing criteria on how the utilities communicate about and coordinate during a PSPS, and particularly how they issue notifications before, during, and after a potential PSPS in order to provide the PUC, public safety partners, and the general public useful and timely information.”
These temporary rules will remain in effect through mid-November 2021. The PUC will continue working with the utilities, public safety partners, and the communities to develop permanent rules to further enhance public safety as the electrical system adapts to extreme wildfire risk.
“We look forward to the continued work on this critical issue and we encourage the public to stay informed on this process as permanent rules are established,” added Commissioner Tawney.
For information on how to be prepared for this year’s fire season, including public safety power shutoffs and other long-duration outages, visit https://www.oregon.gov/puc/safety/Pages/Power-Outage-Prep.aspx.
The Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC) regulates customer rates and services of the state’s investor-owned electric, natural gas and telephone utilities, as well as select water companies. The PUC mission is to ensure Oregon utility customers have access to safe, reliable, and high quality utility services at just and reasonable rates, which is accomplished through thorough analysis and independent decision-making conducted in an open and fair process. Oregon Public Utility Commission
U.S. Reps Pushing for Relief Funding for Klamath Basin Water Issues
With precious little water available for farmers and other stakeholders in the Klamath Basin this year, two Congressmen who represent large areas of southern Oregon and northern California are pushing for millions of dollars in relief funding for the region.
U.S. Representatives Cliff Bentz and Doug LaMalfa, of Oregon and California respectively, have put forward a $57 million proposal to assist the Klamath Basin. Much of the funding would take the form of monetary aid for farmers, with some elements going toward infrastructure, wildlife refuges, and Tribes.
The lawmakers pointed to a decision from the federal Bureau of Reclamation earlier this month to halt diversions of water from Upper Klamath Lake for irrigation, which leaves the majority of farmers without a water supply. Particularly amid a severe drought year, the Bureau faces competing demands for the water stored in Upper Klamath Lake, governed by a complex web of laws and court rulings that stretch back years.
Farmers in the Basin require diversion of the water for irrigation needs, Tribes along the Klamath River have fought for flows downstream to spare native salmon species from disease, and the Klamath Tribes want to preserve water stored in Upper Klamath Lake in an attempt to save the Lost River and Shortnose sucker species.
The severity of the 2021 drought is such that none of the major stakeholders are particularly pleased with the outcome. The Yurok Tribe reports that low spring flows have resulted in a die-off in young salmon due to rampant disease, and the Klamath Tribes worry that low water levels in Upper Klamath Lake will exacerbate the decline of sucker species even with irrigation curtailed.
Oregon Unemployment Changes on the Way
No more benefits, if you’re not looking for a job. That’s the change on the way for Oregon in the next couple months.
Oregonians will have to show they’re trying to find work in order to continue getting unemployment payments. Acting Director of the Oregon Employment Department David Gerstenfeld explains that businesses are having trouble finding workers. “As the pandemic begins to fade and the economy changes we’re still focusing on how we can help fuel economic recovery, and help Oregonians overcome challenges related to employment,” he says.
In normal times, federal law requires people to show they’re trying to find a job while they collect unemployment. But the U.S. Congress allowed states to put that requirement on hold, because the pandemic forced so many businesses to close. Gerstenfeld says since the pandemic started. more than half a million Oregonians have collected unemployment payments.
The Oregon Employment Department Will Start Updating Obsolete Computer System
The Oregon Employment Department says in July it will start upgrading the obsolete computer system that pays jobless benefits. That would end a 12-year delay that caused a catastrophic breakdown in distributing aid during the early months of the coronavirus pandemic.
Oregon’s new system won’t be in place until 2024. Oregon was among the slowest states in the nation at paying jobless benefits during the pandemic, with laid-off workers frequently waiting weeks or months for aid. The employment department was hindered by a rigid computer system from the 1990s, which was unable to adapt to added benefits Congress added last year.
Jackson County Sheriff Nathan Sickler held a press conference on Thursday afternoon, covering initial details of an officer-involved shooting near Wimer earlier in the week.
Deputies were dispatched to a house in the 1500-block of Queens Branch Road near Evans Creek Road just after 11 a.m. on Monday, responding to a 911 call for a domestic assault.
The victim told dispatchers that he thought the suspect “was going to kill him,” Sickler said. Shortly after that, the suspect returned in a vehicle and was seen holding a rifle.
Around 11:42 a.m., one of the deputies reported to deputies that “shots had been fired.” Sickler said that the shooting was caught on the deputy’s body cam, and the video showed him firing several rounds from his handgun into the vehicle, hitting the suspect several times. The deputy who fired and more deputies who arrived just after the shooting started giving the suspect first aid, Sickler said, but he died at the scene.
Sickler said that the suspect’s .22 caliber rifle was loaded, but declined to comment on whether the man had fired any shots, citing the pending investigation and the coming grand jury proceedings.
Toledo Man Dies in Lincoln County Crash on Hwy 101
On Wednesday, May 19, 2021 at approximately 11:24 pm, Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a two vehicle crash on Hwy 101 near milepost 128.
Preliminary investigation revealed a Ford F350, operated by Jesus Perez (25) of Salem, was northbound when it crossed into the southbound lane and collided with a Kia Spectra operated by George Linden III (46) of Toledo.
Linden sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased. Perez was transported to Salem Hospital.
OSP was assisted by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Depoe Bay Fire Department, and ODOT.