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
Monday, May 24, 2021
Willamette Valley Weather
Today– A chance of rain before 11am, then showers between 11am and 2pm, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 2pm. High near 63. Light and variable wind becoming west southwest 5 to 8 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Tuesday– A 40 percent chance of showers, mainly before 11am. Partly sunny, with a high near 63. West wind 3 to 6 mph.
Wednesday– Mostly sunny, with a high near 73. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Thursday– Rain likely before 11am, then showers likely after 11am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 67. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Friday– A slight chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 66.
Oregon reports 334 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 4 new deaths
There are four new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 2,622 the Oregon Health Authority reported 334 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 bringing the state total to 198,689.
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Benton (4), Clackamas (26), Columbia (2), Coos (3), Crook (5), Deschutes (43), Douglas (10), Jackson (7), Jefferson (7), Josephine (5), Klamath (7), Lane (28), Linn (21), Marion (51), Morrow (1), Multnomah (67), Polk (4), Tillamook (1), Wasco (1), Washington (35), and Yamhill (6).
Vaccinations in Oregon
Today, OHA reported that 29,464 new doses of COVID-19 vaccinations were added to the state immunization registry. Of this total, 17,564 doses were administered on May 22 and 11,900 were administered on previous days but were entered into the vaccine registry on May 22.
As of today,1,726,292 people have completed a COVID-19 vaccine series. There are 2,164,594 who have had at least one dose.
The seven-day running average is now 31,010 doses per day.
Oregon has now administered a total of 3,765,116 million vaccine doses, which includes 2,092,218 first and second doses of Pfizer,1,538,260 first and second doses of Moderna 132,924 single doses of Johnson & Johnson (1,714 doses were administered but vaccine product information was not specified).
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).
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 248, which is 10 fewer than yesterday. There are 71 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, which is three fewer than yesterday.
The total number of COVID-19 positive patient bed-days in the most recent seven days is 2,071, which is an 12.8% increase 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.
Oregon officials will offer a series of prizes ranging from $10,000 to $1 million for people who have received at least one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine, Governor Kate Brown announced on Friday.
The “Take Your Shot Oregon” campaign aims to encourage Oregonians age 12 and up to get vaccinated. For younger vaccine recipients, prizes will take the form of college scholarship funds. According to Governor Kate Brown’s office,
there will be one $1 million winner, five winners of a $100,000 Oregon College Savings Plan scholarship between the ages of 12 and 17, and thirty-six $10,000 winners — one selected from each county. The cash prizes will only be offered to adults 18 and up.
Oregonians who have received at least a first dose of the Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson vaccines will be automatically entered through the state’s vaccination database, and the drawing will include people registered through June 27. The Oregon Health Authority will choose winners with the help of the Oregon Lottery, officials said.
The drawing is set to take place on June 28, with names announced the following week.
MORE INFORMATION: https://www.oregon.gov/gov/Documents/Take%20Your%20Shot%20Oregon.pdf
LOCAL HEADLINES:
Fire that Started in Chicken Coop Destroys Sweet Home Residence
A fire that began in a chicken coop destroyed a Sweet Home residence and everything inside, displacing five people, officials said.
The residents narrowly escaped and fire officials said one of them was pulled from the window of the burning building by bystanders.
The initial 911 call came in at 9:02 a.m. from a neighbor who first noticed the fire burning at the top of the chicken coop, officials said.
The first unit arrived to the scene at 9:08 a.m. and found two-thirds of the home not visible through the flames. At that time, fire had spread through the carport and engulfed an apartment at the back of the home, as well as the main house.
A downed, live power-line made access to the fire and to a water source challenging, adding a significant hazard for firefighters.
The fire was brought under control by 10:13 am, but firefighters remained on scene working to overhaul the structure for another two and a half hours, ensuring that the fire was completely extinguished.
Firefighters from Sweet Home Fire, Lebanon Fire, and Brownsville Fire fought the two-alarm blaze, with units from Halsey Fire and Lebanon Fire responding to cover the Fire District for other emergencies.
Investigators determined that the fire was started by a heat lamp in the chicken coop.
Car Crashes Into Eugene Coffee Shop
A car crashed into the building of Coffee Plant Roasters on the 2800 block of West 11th Avenue in Eugene around 11 a.m. Sunday morning. Police and fire crews responded to the scene.
Police said no one was taken to the hospital in an ambulance. However, a worker at Coffee Plant Roasters said that two people were driven to urgent care with minor injuries by a family member.
Coffee Plant Roaster said they will close for the rest of Sunday. They also said a contractor will be on scene to evaluate the damages. Information on how many people were in the car or the driver is unavailable at this time. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
Police Investigation After Man Shows Up At Hospital With Stab Wounds
Eugene Police are investigating after a man showed up to PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center University District with stab wounds early Monday morning. Officials say a 42-year-old man drove himself to the hospital around 1:45 a.m. and was immediately transported to PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at Riverbend for surgery after medical personnel noticed multiple stab wounds around his abdominal area. His condition is currently unknown.
AROUND the STATE of OREGON
Missing Douglas County Man Found Alive
After 17 nights in the wilderness, 69 year-old Harry Burleigh has been found alive and rescued by Search and Rescue crews who never gave up.
On Sunday, May 23, 2021, Douglas County Search and Rescue conducted another mission in the area of Calf Creek after Burleigh’s fishing gear was found last weekend. Additional SAR resources were called in from Jackson County, Lake County and Siskiyou County (CA) for Sunday’s efforts.
At approximately, 3:00 p.m., a team of searchers from Jackson County SAR located a shelter southwest of the original shelter found last weekend. The search crews called out to Mr. Burleigh who responded back. He was found to be walking and complaining of minor pain, but was in stable condition. A Brim Aviation helicopter was utilized to hoist Burleigh from his location and transport him to a waiting Lifeflight helicopter. Lifeflight later transported him to an out of area hospital for evaluation.
The Brim Aviation helicopter was utilized to extract the remaining Jackson County SAR team from their position. The other search crews were able to self-extricate.
“This was the outcome we all have been looking for in this case. It is because of our determined Search and Rescue Teams and the partnerships we have with other SAR teams from around the state, that Mr. Burleigh has been re-united with his family this evening,” Sgt. Brad O’Dell said. “The Sheriff’s Office wants to thank everyone who was involved in this mission.”
Over the course of the search for Mr. Burleigh, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Team was assisted by the following entities:
- Jackson County SAR
- Josephine County SAR
- Modoc County SAR (CA)
- Del Norte County SAR (CA)
- Siskiyou County SAR (CA)
- Curry County SAR
- Klamath County SAR
- Lake County SAR
- Lane County SAR
- US Coast Guard
- Oregon State SAR Coordinator
- Brim Aviation
- Lifeflight
- United States Forest Service
- Wolf Creek Job Corp. Hotshots
- Bay Cities Ambulance
Rescue crews would like to remind everyone of the 10 essentials for survival, which include:
- Navigation (map, compass, GPS, personal locator beacon, etc)
- Headlamp/flashlight
- Sunglasses and sunscreen
- First-aid supplies
- Fire (the means to start and sustain a fire)
- Knife
- Shelter (tent, garbage sack, tarp, etc)
- Extra clothing
- Extra food
- Extra water
For more information visit www.dcso.com/sar or www.hikesafe.com — Douglas Co. Sheriff’s Office
Report Finds Little Sign Of Recovery In State’s Manufacturing Sector
It is easy to see that Oregon hotels are reopening, restaurants are serving up meals again and workers are beginning to return to the office as vaccines proliferate and the COVID-19 pandemic begins to fade. The state’s factories, though, may have suffered permanent damage.
Overall, Oregon has recovered 59% of jobs lost during the pandemic, and the state’s jobless rate has receded from 13.2% in April 2020 – the highest point on record — to 6.0% last month. That progress reflects the easing of health restrictions and billions of dollars in federal money that helped prop up the private sector during the pandemic.
The manufacturing sector isn’t showing a similar bounce. Oregon has recouped just a fifth of the factory jobs it lost a year ago, and recent numbers point in the wrong direction.
As Oregon Employment Department economist David Cooke noted earlier this month, the number of hours Oregon manufacturing workers spend on the job had been in decline even ahead of the pandemic. Before anyone ever uttered the words “COVID-19,” economists were warning the state faced a “manufacturing recession” as former President Donald Trump’s trade war disrupted global supply chains and economies slowed in Europe and China.
And while Oregon never shut down private factories with coronavirus health directives, some of the markets those factories serve were severely affected by the pandemic.
Metal components manufacturer Precision Castparts laid off 40% of its workers worldwide last year as demand for airplanes dried up and Boeing shut down production of its troubled 737 MAX. Railcar maker Gunderson cut jobs the month before the pandemic hit, then more in the ensuing months. Steelmaker Evraz cut its Portland workforce by about half.
Even as many other sectors have expanded this spring, Oregon’s manufacturing sector shed 700 more workers in April, according to the latest state data.
Factory workers average about 38 hours a week on the job – an hour fewer than before the pandemic. Economists look to those hourly figures as a key indicator of the manufacturing sector’s health.
A shortage of computer chips has hobbled manufacturing across the country, holding up everything from gadgets to automobiles while factories wait for key components to become available. And factories in Oregon and across the country are facing a tight labor market as businesses rush to reopen and rehire.
Oregon remains among the most manufacturing-dependent states in the nation. And the state’s factory jobs pay relatively well, with average earnings of around $75,000 annually, compared to $59,000 across all industries.
Manufacturing is a notoriously cyclical industry, with big swings amid changing economic conditions. But Oregon factories have been in steady decline for decades, and recent recessions have produced only partial recoveries – and lasting damage.
Oregon To Reinstate Work Search Rules For People On Unemployment
Work search requirements will resume in stages for more than 100,000 Oregon workers who receive unemployment benefits, now that the economic downturn triggered by the coronavirus pandemic is easing.
But unlike more than 20 states — all of them with Republican governors — Oregon has no plans to stop supplemental federal unemployment benefits before their scheduled end on Sept. 4.
“The pandemic-related federal programs have created a lifeline for people whose livelihoods were affected by COVID-19,” said David Gerstenfeld, acting director of the Oregon Employment Department, in a weekly conference call with reporters.
“We do not want those who need those benefits to lose access to them before the programs end. While we are watching current economic conditions, we do not have any plans to end the federal benefit plans early.”
The supplemental federal benefit amounts to $300 per week. It is in addition to regular benefits drawn from the state unemployment trust fund, which comes from employer contributions, and special federal benefit programs created during the pandemic.
Some states will start opting out of the federal benefits as soon as June 12.
At the onset of the pandemic, when they received an avalanche of claims, Oregon and other states did suspend legal requirements for people to search for work, be available for work and register with state workforce agencies as conditions for receiving benefits.
The pandemic emergency declared by Gov. Kate Brown almost 15 months ago, renewed every 60 days, is scheduled to expire June 28. Although Republican minorities want the Oregon Legislature to repeal her orders now — Democratic majorities have declined so far to take any steps to do so — Brown has said “I fully intend to reopen our economy” by the next deadline.
As her benchmark for dropping most pandemic restrictions, Brown has set 70% of Oregon’s population age 16 and older getting at least one vaccination. She says she thinks that goal is achievable by June.
Oregon’s statewide vaccination rate against COVID-19 for eligible people was 62.7% as of Thursday, May 20. But the rate varies from a low of 32.5% in Lake County to a high of 67.6% in Benton County. Multnomah and Washington counties have met or exceeded 65%; Clackamas County trails at 58.5%.
Gerstenfeld said in advance of any potential action, people receiving unemployment benefits will be notified about registering with the agency’s iMatchSkills system for jobs and meeting either face to face or virtually with staff from WorkSource Oregon. The latter is a partnership of public and private agencies serving individuals and businesses.
“These requirements are starting back up again, and people will need to meet those requirements by designated dates to be eligible to continue receiving benefits,” he said.
“This will be a new experience for some people currently receiving unemployment benefits. We want to make sure everyone receiving benefits understands what the requirements are and knows what to do to continue receiving benefits. As the pandemic begins to fade and the economy changes, we are still focused on how we can help fuel economic recovery and help Oregonians overcome challenges related to employment.”
Gerstenfeld has said supplemental federal benefits are not a factor in deterring people from returning to work.
Among factors that the agency will consider in reemployment, he said, are a lack of child care available for workers, lingering fear of COVID infection via jobs that require close contact with the public, and inadequate skills required for people to take new jobs.
Gerstenfeld did not specify what will happen with self-employed and gig workers who receive federal benefits known as Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. Many were not covered by unemployment benefits until Congress approved the new program as part of the CARES Act in March 2020.
Although Oregon has regained about 60% of the jobs lost since the low point of the pandemic in April 2020 — and the state’s latest economic forecast projects far more in tax collections and a $1.4 billion rebate to taxpayers next year — state economist Mark McMullen also says Oregon will return to prepandemic employment levels by the fourth quarter of 2022.
According to the most recent report by the Employment Department, permanent job losses now account for the largest group of unemployed workers. The number of workers without jobs for at least one year, the long-term unemployed, is at its highest point in nine years.
Oregon job growth in April was around 2,200, down from the average of 14,000 over the preceding three months. The unemployment rate jumped from a modern low of 3.5% in March 2020 to a record high of 13.2% (adjusted) in April 2020, but has since declined to 6%, where it has hovered for a few months.
“But we are seeing record job openings just one year after the huge job losses in spring 2020,” Gerstenfeld said. “We are back to being in a tight labor market much faster than we were coming out of the Great Recession.”
Oregon Board of Forestry hosts a special virtual public meeting on May 27
The Oregon Board of Forestry will hold a special meeting on May 27, 2021 to deliberate on the appointment of an acting state forester. The meeting will be held virtually and will be live streamed on the Oregon Department of Forestry’s YouTube channel. The agenda for this meeting is available at https://www.oregon.gov/ODF/Board/Pages/BOFMeetings.aspx.
There will not be an opportunity for public comment during the meeting; however written testimony can be emailed to oardofForestry@oregon.gov” target=”_blank”>BoardofForestry@oregon.gov before or after the meeting.
Accommodations for people with disabilities, and special materials, services, or assistance can be arranged by calling ODF’s Public Affairs Office at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting at 503-945-7200. Oregon Dept. of Forestry