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, January 3, 2022
Willamette Valley Weather
Flood Watch in effect from January 2, 06:00 PM PST until January 3, 04:00 PM PST
Today– Rain. The rain could be heavy at times. Snow level 3500 feet lowering to 2000 feet. Temperature falling to around 39 by 5pm. South southwest wind 8 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.
Tuesday– Rain. Snow level 2500 feet rising to 3500 feet in the afternoon. High near 46. South wind around 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
Wednesday– Rain. High near 48. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Thursday– Rain likely, mainly after 4pm. Cloudy, with a high near 53. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Friday– Rain. Cloudy, with a high near 49.
Missing Teens Rescued in Lane County after Writing SOS in the Snow
Two 19-year-old men were rescued Saturday in Lane County by the U.S. Coast Guard after signaling for help by writing an SOS sign in the snow.
The two men went camping near Swastika Mountain southeast of Eugene around Christmas Day and failed to return as expected on Dec. 29, officials said. Officials said the men were reported missing on New Year’s Eve.
Due to heavy snow in the area, a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter crew assisted the Lane County Sheriff’s Department in finding the two men, whose names have not been released.
The helicopter crew also spotted two other people in distress while searching for the two men and reported the location of those individuals to Lane County officials, according to the Coast Guard.
The Coast Guard crew was also able to find the two 19-year-olds and they were evacuated via helicopter to the Eugene Airport, officials said. They did not suffer any injuries, according to the Coast Guard.
Coast Guard officials said the men were smart to stay near their car and logging roads and to write, “SOS” in the snow to ensure they could be found easily.
“These young men did a lot of things right to give themselves the best chance of being rescued,” said Lt. Maggie Champin, MH-65 aircraft commander for Sector North Bend. “By writing ‘SOS’ in the snow, staying near their vehicle and staying near logging roads, we were able to find them relatively quickly. We recommend hikers carry personal locator beacons while out in the back country.”
Swastika Mountain, the site where the men were hiking, derives its name from the swastika-shaped brand used by an area rancher before the symbol was appropriated by Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party.
Man Arrested in Springfield After Shooting Fireworks at Police Officers
A man was taken into custody after allegedly shooting mortar-type fireworks at Springfield Police officers and attempting to ignite explosive blasting caps.
Police responded to reports of possible shots fired around 6:45 Sunday morning on the 700 block of South B Street.
Upon arrival, officers witnessed a man lighting mortar-type fireworks but then the man began shooting them at officers, police said.
The man also reportedly made statements that he wants the officers to shoot him. According to police, the concussion of the explosions impacted their hearing.
Police said officers continued to use less-lethal methods to try and safely take the man into custody but it was not immediately effective.
The man then allegedly tried to ignite what appeared to be a vintage device designed to ignite explosive blasting caps. Police said officers created distance and after the man tried to detonate the device several times, he threw it in the direction of officers without igniting it and was finally taken into custody.
Police said if the blasting caps were successfully detonated, it would have instantly killed the officer and the suspect.
The suspect’s name is being withheld pending service of search warrants.
Detectives have taken over the investigation and are currently serving Search Warrants on an address in the Thurston area, and a vehicle in the Mohawk Blvd area.
Eugene Police’s Explosive Disposal Unit will assist in evaluating the residence prior to entry to ensure there are not any rigged devices.
Everyone Village in Eugene Opens Up on New Year’s Eve
Everyone Village is Eugene’s newest safe sleep site and it’s officially up and running and it’s a warm start to the new year for 15 unhoused people in Eugene, who now have a place to call home.
Gabe Piechoicz is the co-leader of Everyone Village and pastor at Everyone Church. He said there’s still plenty more work to be done, but his crew is excited to welcome in the 15 new villagers. “We hit our mark of opening before the end of the year and getting people out of the cold and into a shelter,” Piechoicz said.
Each room is complete with a bed and a heater, which is especially important during these cold winter nights. There’s even a warehouse for the villagers to come together and interact as a community.
“It’s like the heartbeat or the center point, the brain. So, in here villagers have access to a kitchen area and a food prep station and tables for eating and we have staff offices in here, we just kind of share the spaces as a way for everyone to do village life together,” Piechoicz said.
To make sure nobody goes hungry, co-leader Heather Sielicki said villagers have access to a fridge and cooking supplies throughout the day.
“Now everyone has a place to keep their food so that they can prepare it here on hot plates and just start to feel at home,” Sielicki said.
The community is just getting started. Sielicki said by the end of January, they hope to provide a place to stay for more than 40 villagers.
Oregon reports 2,948 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 15 new deaths
Friday the Oregon Health Authority announced there are 15 new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 5,655. They also reported 2,948 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 bringing the state total to 421,263.
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (4), Benton (61), Clackamas (269), Clatsop (12), Columbia (15), Coos (39), Crook (26), Curry (11), Deschutes (286), Douglas (57), Gilliam (1), Grant (9), Harney (2), Hood River (19), Jackson (185), Jefferson (12), Josephine (48), Klamath (35), Lake (2), Lane (244), Lincoln (37), Linn (75), Malheur (24), Marion (148), Morrow (6), Multnomah (641), Polk (39), Sherman (3), Tillamook (15), Umatilla (121), Union (11), Wallowa (5), Wasco (10), Washington (418) and Yamhill (58).
Amid this alarming increase in cases, Klamath County reported 35 new cases, Jackson 185, Josephine 48 and Lake County reported just 2. The state also reported on COVID hospital beds available in Region 7 which encompasses Klamath County. There are just 6 Adult ICU beds available and 57 non-ICU beds available in the region.
To date, there have been 53,604 COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough cases in Oregon. The average age of all cases is 46. Breakthrough cases have been reported in all 36 counties. Cases of COVID-19 are far more common in unvaccinated people. The report shows that the rate of COVID-19 in unvaccinated people is currently three times higher than in vaccinated people. To date, 4.3% of all vaccine breakthrough cases have been hospitalized and
1.2% have died. The average age of vaccinated people who died was 81.
Two Devastating Fires in Hillsboro Over the Weekend
Authorities say a fire early Sunday in Hillsboro, Oregon, impacted about 20 to 25 businesses. Shortly after 3 a.m., Hillsboro firefighters responded to a commercial blaze inside the Weil Arcade building on East Main Street.
Around 10:55 a.m. the day before, Hillsboro Fire and Rescue responded to the fire on East Main Street near 12th Avenue. A total of 17 people were left without homes after flames damaged three apartment units, according to fire officials. No injuries were reported among the victims.
The downtown fire effected as many as 25 businesses. Within half an hour, Hillsboro Fire and Rescue said the blaze had fully involved the structure. Crews from Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue, Cornelius Fire, Forest Grove Fire, Portland Fire and Rescue, and Washington County Police all responded to assist.
Firefighters were working to prevent any extension for several hours. At the firefighting effort’s peak, about 90 firefighters were on the scene.
Around 7:20 a.m., HFR said most of the blaze was knocked down but crews were still extinguishing hot spots and assessing damage.
No injuries have been reported. The cause of the fires ares under investigation.
According to the Hillsboro Water Department, nearby residents may experience some water discoloration and low water pressure as a result of the firefighting efforts. Once the fire is extinguished, residents are advised to run cold water taps for 10 minutes.
Hillsboro Mayor Steve Calloway issued a statement that referenced both fires and said:
“Our hearts go out to the families and all of the Main Street businesses affected by the fires. We and the community are here to support them in their recovery. In both fires, our firefighters did remarkable work. They stopped the apartment fire from spreading to other units. Their efforts to keep the Main Street fire from spreading was flat-out amazing. And it was a team effort with not only Hillsboro Fire & Rescue firefighters, but also our partners from neighboring agencies: Banks, Cornelius, Forest Grove, Gaston, Portland Fire, and Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue.”
Officials Report More Than 30,000 Oregon Households Have Received Rental Assistance
Oregon Housing and Community Services has announced that as of last Wednesday, OHCS and local program administrators have paid $211.6 million in federal emergency rental assistance to 30,471 households.
An OHCS release said that’s up from $200.4 million and 28,869 applicants the previous week, through the Oregon Emergency Rental Assistance Program.
OERAP continues to be one of the nation’s top-performing programs and is ranked 5th in the nation in the percentage of federal Emergency Rental Assistance funds paid out and obligated, as tracked by the National Low-Income Housing Coalition.
To date, OHCS and its processing partners have:
*Paid over $211.6 million to landlords and tenants to help over 30,000 Oregon households.
*Received more than 51,700 completed applications to be reviewed for eligibility.
New Oregon Bill Requires Death Report Tracking for Homeless
For the last decade, only one Oregon county has tracked the deaths of people experiencing homelessness. That’s about to change with a new law that took effect Jan. 1.
Senate Bill 850 requires death reports to indicate if someone was homeless at their time of death, similar to the way Multnomah County has tracked deaths through its “Domicile Unknown” report since 2011.
When compiling a report, state medical examiners would check a box called “domicile unknown” if they determined a person was homeless when they died. The examiner could also report the decedent’s last known address.
The bill passed the Senate 22-to-5 and had zero opponents in the House.
Supporters say tracking this data is crucial in determining how policymakers can address increasing homelessness numbers in the state.
“Imagine trying to solve any problem without basic fundamental information on the nature of that problem,” said Jimmy Jones, executive director of Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action, during testimony in May. “It’s like building a house without a blueprint, or running a race on an unmarked course. For all the millions we spend on homeless and housing issues in Oregon, we know next to nothing about the people who are dying outside.”
Jones, who worked closely with lawmakers on the bill, said the “domicile unknown” box might add additional work for medical examiners compiling death reports, but that would be similar to the research they do to determine other components of the report, such as the decedent’s cause of death or their veteran status.
Medford Homicide Investigation Suspect in Custody
The first call involving Smith came in December 31st, 2021 at 12:15 p.m., when he was disorderly at the Chevron gas Station, 2232 Biddle Road. A male, later identified as Smith, was attempting to steal cigarettes and physically harassed the employee before leaving in a black Mazda 4 door. He was with a female, whom we have identified.
The same vehicle was involved in two reckless driving calls around 12:24 p.m. One caller reported the vehicle had driven into some bushes in the alley near Lincoln Street and 10th Street. The vehicle drove away in a reckless manner and struck a curb near 10th Street and Hamilton Street. The crash caused a wheel to fold underneath the vehicle. At this point, the vehicle was occupied by only one person, believed to be Smith.
Additional callers reported the vehicle being driven into downtown Medford with a heavily damaged wheel. The vehicle finally became disabled at Earhart Street, near Riverside Avenue.
An additional caller reported the suspect went to a room at the Sis-Q motel. One officer arrived on scene, and as she made her way to the front desk to speak with the manager, the suspect emerged from the office area covered in blood, and fled on foot. The officer caught the suspect after a foot chase, and utilized a taser to take him into custody.
When officers went back to the manager’s office, they found the manager deceased. His wife was also injured from being assaulted. The investigation revealed just minutes prior to the officer arriving, the suspect forced his way into the manager’s office, crawled under the plexi-glass partition and stole money from the register. During the robbery, the suspect assaulted the manager and forced his way into the manager’s living quarters, where he continued to assault the manager and his wife. The manager, Bansi Sahu, died from his injuries. His wife was treated on scene with non life threatening injuries.
The involved suspect is believed to have been involved in other crimes earlier in the day, which are still under investigation. As a result there are multiple crime scenes. Detectives have taken over the case.
We ask for patience as detectives work through the difference crime scenes. More information will be released as the case unfolds. Medford Police Dept.
Oregon To Increase Minimum Wages in 2022
Throughout 2021, numerous national retailers increased their minimum pay rates. In 2022, more than half of the states in the U.S. will increase their own minimum wages.
In the new year, 26 states will implement an increase to their minimum wage, according to payroll experts at Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S.
On July 1, the standard minimum wage in Oregon will increase $0.75 an hour to $13.50. However, the rate in the Portland metro area will sit higher at $14.75, and non-urban counties’ minimum wage will rise to $12.50. The increases are part of a planned schedule for the state.
Beginning in 2023, Oregon’s standard minimum wage rate will be adjusted yearly depending on inflation and any increase to the U.S. City average Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers.
Nationally, the federal minimum wage in the U.S. is $7.25, a rate that hasn’t been raised since 2009 . As of fall 2021, 16 states have minimum wage rates at the federal level.
The company’s report shows California will have the highest state rate at $15 an hour. Parts of New York, including New York City, will also have a $15 minimum wage.
A 17-year-old was reported missing in Salem and detectives say the teen might be the victim of an online catfishing scheme.
Ezra Mayhugh, 17, was last seen on October 15, 2021 after being dropped off in downtown Salem by a friend, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said. He was reported as a runaway the following day when he did not return home.
Investigators say he might be in Washington or California. They hope to reunite Ezra safely with family members.
He’s described as about 5-foot 11-inches tall, weighing 130 pounds, with blonde hair and brown eyes.
If you have had contact with Mayhugh since October 15 or have other helpful information on his whereabouts, the sheriff’s office asks you to contact Detective M.J. Sphoon at 503-588-6808 or to submit a tip by texting TIPMCSO and your tip to 847411.
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