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
Thursday, February 3, 2022
Willamette Valley Weather
Today– A slight chance of drizzle before 10am. Patchy fog before 11am. Otherwise, cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 50. Calm wind becoming north northwest 5 to 8 mph in the afternoon.
Friday– Patchy fog before 9am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 51. Light south southwest wind
Saturday– Patchy fog before 11am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 50. Calm wind becoming north around 6 mph in the afternoon.
Sunday– Mostly sunny, with a high near 52.
Monday– Partly sunny, with a high near 52.
Cold Cases Closed As New DNA Technology Identifies 80’s Lane County Serial Killer
Eugene police investigators say they’ve solved a serial killer case that goes back to the late 1980s. The man who killed three women in Lane County in the 1980s has been identified with the help of new technologies, but police say he died by suicide a month after the third killing.
With the closing of these cold cases, the families of the victims now have a little closure, police said.
Victim Gladys May Hensley, 62, was found dead at her apartment on June 5, 1986. Eugene police and medics responded to 255 High Street at about 2:42 p.m. that day after an employee at the complex went to check on Hensley, who hadn’t been seen for several days. It’s believed she was murdered in the early hours of June 4.
While police didn’t locate a suspect at the time, details at the scene connected it to two murders that happened after Hensley’s death.
On June 19, 1986, just two weeks later, Janice Marie Dickinson, 33, was found dead behind the car dealership at 20 Coburg Road in Eugene. She was naked and had been sexually assaulted, police said.
Then, almost two years later, Geraldine Spencer Toohey, 73, was found dead in her home on the 5400 block of Franklin Boulevard on Feb. 28, 1988. There was evidence of forced entry, and Toohey had also been sexually assaulted. It was a highly public case, and a sketch of the culprit was released at the time.
Police investigated several suspects over the years, who were all excluded through DNA evidence. But in 2016, new technology from Parabon Nano Labs allowed researchers to determine the physical characteristics of the culprit. A detailed snapshot was released by police in 2018 with the hopes of generating new leads, and more than 100 tips came in. All of the names that were generated during this process were ruled out, police said.
Then, the lab kicked off yet another new technology: genetic genealogy. With four new suspects to consider, investigators took a deeper look and eventually identified the culprit.
Police said John Charles Bolsinger, who was 28 years old at the time of the first two murders, committed all three crimes. Back in 1980, before the Lane County murders, Bolsinger was arrested for murder in Salt Lake City, where he served a five-year prison sentence. On March 7, 1986, just months before Hensley was found dead, he was paroled to Springfield.
And it turns out, according to police, Bolsinger was picked up months after the second Lane County murder, but this time for burglary. On Sept. 26, 1986, police responded to the home of a woman on the 300 block of South 51st Place upon reports someone had broken into her home. The woman told police that she was having trouble sleeping and heard her dog making strange noises and went to investigate. She found a man looking at her through her kitchen window, and the man got inside as she ran to call 911. She screamed and hit him with the phone and a flashlight, and he escaped through the window, leaving behind a down vest and paring knife.
A police dog chased Bolsinger down nearby. He reportedly told police he had knocked at the door and walked away and claimed to have memory loss. Bolsinger was arrested for burglary in the incident and was convicted and sentenced to five years of prison in Oregon but was transferred to Utah State Prison in 1987.
Then, on Dec. 11, 1987, he was enrolled at Lane Community College for winter term, and on Feb. 28 the following year, Toohey was found murdered.
Bolsinger himself was found dead in his apartment on the 100 block of Mill Street in Springfield on March 23, 1988. Police said the death was ruled a suicide.
Eugene Police detective Jennifer Curry worked on the investigative team that solved the murders. She credited the advancements in technology as a key part of the investigation.
“There were a lot of different technologies that came into play ultimately,” Curry said. “We as a department are definitely open to using genetic genealogy when it applies, and any other technology to solve not only our current cases but obviously our cold cases as well.” She added she would not have been able to help close the case had it not been for the dedication of the investigators, officers and analysts that laid the groundwork before she joined the case in 2018.
According to Curry, some of the family members of the victims still live in the Eugene/Springfield area. She said they were thankful to receive some closure after so many years of not knowing.
Eugene Police ask those with any information regarding John Bolsinger to contact Curry at 541-682-5166 or jcurry@eugene-or.gov.
OSP Seeking Public Assistance in Fatal Crash On I-5 in Eugene
On Tuesday, February 1, 2022 at approximately 8:48 PM, Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a vehicle versus pedestrian crash on Interstate 5 near milepost 191.
Preliminary investigation revealed a pedestrian, identified as Gale Rodgers (61) of Springfield, was struck by a southbound vehicle on Interstate 5. No vehicles associated with the incident were in the area upon arrival of first responders.
Rodgers sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased.
OSP is seeking public assistance with locating the vehicle involved in the crash, which will likely be a dark blue pickup truck with passenger side mirror damage. The appearance of the damage may be minimal. The vehicle continued southbound on Interstate 5 or exited towards Hwy 58.
Investigators are asking anyone with information that might be helpful to call the Oregon State Police at 1-800-442-2068 or OSP (677). Please reference OSP Case #SP22-026314. Oregon State Police
Oregon reports 5,143 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 39 new deaths
PORTLAND, Ore. — There are 39 new COVID-19-related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 6,163, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) reported at 12:01 a.m. today.
OHA reported 5,143 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 643,973.
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (30), Benton (197), Clackamas (332), Clatsop (37), Columbia (52), Coos (93), Crook (64), Curry (19), Deschutes (305), Douglas (143), Gilliam (4), Grant (6), Harney (22), Hood River (24), Jackson (389), Jefferson (29), Josephine (125), Klamath (83), Lake (16), Lane (449), Lincoln (98), Linn (289), Malheur (15), Marion (561), Morrow (11), Multnomah (628), Polk (144), Sherman (2), Tillamook (28), Umatilla (114), Union (43), Wallowa (12), Wasco (30), Washington (511), Yamhill (238).
Oregon state officials announced Tuesday that quarantine and isolation requirements for child care centers can be reduced from 10 to five days as long as other COVID-19 precautions are observed. The shortened quarantine period is only authorized if the entire class or group in child care wears masks.
The Oregon Dept. of Education’s Early Learning Division “highly recommends” that everyone in child care settings age two or older wear masks. Those kindergarten age or older are required to wear masks under state rules.
The change comes as a result of new CDC guidance for child care settings released January 28, Oregon officials said. There are differences between this guidance and the kind applied for K-12 schools. In child care settings, people who are vaccinated or have had COVID-19 in the last 90 days do not need to quarantine under Oregon rules, but should monitor for symptoms.
Governor Brown To Deliver State Of The State Address Today at Noon
Oregon Governor Kate Brown will deliver the State of the State Address at noon on Thursday. The speech is expected to outline her legislative agenda and priorities for the year. You can watch here:
Oregon Child Welfare Division continues to put its focus on prevention, ends 2021 with the lowest number of children in foster care in 16 years
(Salem) – Despite the challenges of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS), Child Welfare Division continues to reduce the use of foster care by connecting families with resources and services that support children and young adults safely staying at home with their families.
On Jan. 1, 2022, there were 5,393 children in foster care, the lowest number of children in care in 16 years.
The Child Welfare Division is committed to supporting the individual needs of children and families to best serve Oregon’s children and young people. The Child Welfare Division Vision for Transformation is the roadmap and compass for the Oregon Child Welfare Division to transform itself and the greater child and family well-being system.
“We all know that infants, children, adolescents and young adults do best growing up in a family that can provide love, support, lifelong learning, shared values and important memories,” said Child Welfare Director Rebecca Jones Gaston. “That is why we are committed to doing everything we can to provide the necessary supports to help families safely stay together and decrease the use of unnecessary foster care.”
Key Child Welfare Division data for 2021:
- The number of children who experienced foster care decreased by approximately 11% compared to 2020.
- The Oregon Child Abuse Hotline (ORCAH) received approximately 175,000 contacts, an 11% increase compared to 2020.
- Of the contacts received at ORCAH, about 46%, or 80,000, were reports of suspected abuse and neglect. This is an 8% increase compared to 2020.
- In 2021, 55% of the reports of child abuse resulted in a CPS assessment being assigned. In 2020 the assignment rate was 53%.
- Family reunifications in 2021: 1,699
- Adoptions finalized in 2021: 538
- Guardianships finalized in 2021: 365
- Oregon continues to serve all children in state. No children were placed in out-of-state residential treatment facilities in 2021.
Key accomplishments in 2021
In 2021, the Child Welfare Division committed itself to integrating the Child Welfare Division Vision for Transformation into actionable policies and practices to create a strong child and family wellbeing system. Some accomplishments include:
- Gaining federal approval of the Oregon Family First Prevention Services Plan, with a phased demonstration in three diverse areas beginning in 2022. This will strengthen and support families to decrease the number of children entering foster care and is the first major federal modernization of the child welfare system in 30 years.
- Implementing the Oregon Indian Child Welfare Act (ORICWA), which codifies provisions from the federal Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), into Oregon law to ensure Oregon’s child welfare practices better serve Tribal families. In addition, ORICWA recognizes customary adoptions, which are adoptions that align with traditional Tribal child-rearing practices.
- Being one of the first states to distribute federal pandemic aid to support qualifying children and young adults who have experienced foster care. This pandemic aid included $1.3 million to more than 300 young people to help them pay for higher education, housing, bills, access to technology and equipment, access to self-care and mental health support, and other important resources.
- Amplifying strategies to prevent child fatalities, such as developing a collaborative safe sleep guide for families used by providers and coordinating with community partners to end the sale of crib bumpers in Oregon.
- Joining the National Partnership for Safety collaborative, ensuring data sharing and a focus on safety science.
- Expanding a mobile crisis unit to address the critical needs of children in foster care with 24-hour support.
- Building specific resource family recruitment and retention plans based on the unique needs of each ODHS district.
- Expanding the evidence-based KEEP program, to include affinity groups such as Spanish-speaking, LGBTQIA2S+ affirming, Native American, and transracial families to support resource families and relatives caring for children.
- Providing alternative childcare reimbursement during the pandemic to help families access care when childcare centers or schools were closed.
- Launching a public data dashboard on Oregon’s performance of federal child welfare outcomes to increase transparency.
- Integrating All About Me books for children experiencing foster care into procedure, the first child welfare jurisdiction in the country to do so. These books are a way to help every child who enters care understand that their story, perspective, culture and identity matter.
- Taking steps to reduce structural racism within the Child Welfare Division by making rule and practice changes to reduce the oversurveillance of families of color, give power to communities, and address structural bias in decision making. These steps include:
- Reviewing 27 policies using a racial equity impact assessment tool to assess the unintended consequences of policies that contribute to the marginalization of communities of color.
- No longer requiring medical providers to report new mothers who test positive for substance use after childbirth to the Oregon Child Abuse Hotline. Medical providers are encouraged to instead use their training and expertise to determine and report when there is a safety concern.
- Reducing requirements for parents to be eligible for gas vouchers.
- Incorporating biological families and Tribal Nations into the decision- making process when making decisions about immunization of children in foster care.
- Expanded training centered on equity and service delivery:
- About 2,600, or 78% of Child Welfare staff, attended an equity focused training.
- About 2,800, or 84% of Child Welfare staff, attended training on the American Disabilities Act and incorporating its protections into Child Welfare practice.
How to support children and families in Oregon
Support children and families in Oregon by becoming a resource (foster) parent for children in foster care.
The MyNeighbOR program helps meet the essential needs of children, families, and young adults impacted by foster care. Learn how to provide support.
There are many different resources and supports available in our communities to help children and families meet their needs. Sometimes, the best way to support child and family wellbeing is to help them get plugged-in to the resources they need:
Local community supports
- Dial 2-1-1, or text your zip code to 898-211 to get connected to local food, housing, child care and other supports in your community.
- Find a food pantry: foodfinder.oregonfoodbank.org
Mental and behavioral health supports in Oregon
- Youthline: Call 1-877-968-8491, text teen2teen to 839863, chat at www.oregonyouthline.org
- LinesForLife.org/get-help-now
- Lines for Life Suicide Lifeline: Call 1-800-273-8255 (24/7) or text 273TALK to 839863 (Monday through Friday, 2-6 p.m.)
- Oregon Behavioral Health Support Line: Call 1-800-923-4357 (24/7)
- Military Helpline: Call 1-888-457-4838 (24/7) or text MIL1 to 839863 (Monday through Friday, 2-6 p.m.)
- Resources to help educators provide mental health and social for support children and families are available at https://www.oregon.gov/ode/educator-resources/standards/Pages/Mental_Health_Students_Families.aspx.
Oregon Department of Human Services programs and support
- Learn about government programs and community resources for older adults and people with disabilities by contacting the Aging and Disability Resource Connection of Oregon at 1-855-673-2372 or www.adrcoforegon.org.
- Apply for government food, cash, child care assistance and the Oregon Health Plan online at ONE.Oregon.gov or by calling 1-800-699-9075.
- Oregon Department of Human Services COVID-19 help center
About the ODHS Child Welfare Division
The Oregon Department of Human Services, Child Welfare Division is committed to transforming itself to better support the individual needs of families and to best serve Oregon’s children and young people. Read the Child Welfare Division Vision for Transformation to learn more.
Report child abuse to the Oregon Child Abuse Hotline by calling 1-855-503-SAFE (7233). This toll-free number allows you to report abuse of any child or adult to the Oregon Department of Human Services, 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year.
Campaign For Tobacco Free Kids Reports Oregon Ranks No. 1 In Funding Prevention
A recent Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids report has ranked Oregon No. 1 in the nation in funding tobacco prevention at levels recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
CTFK’s Jan. 13 report, “Broken Promises: A State-by-State Look at the 1998 Tobacco Settlement 23 Years Later,” found that Oregon, at 93.9%, and Alaska, at 89.6%, are the only states to provide at least three-quarters of the CDC-recommended funding for tobacco prevention and cessation programs. They also are among only 10 states – along with Utah, California, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Delaware, Wyoming, Hawaii and Maine – to provide more than half of the CDC-recommended funding.
Oregon voters passed Ballot Measure 108 in November 2020. The ballot initiative increased tobacco taxes to expand funding for the Oregon Health Plan and tobacco prevention activities that prevent commercial tobacco addiction and death, particularly for communities of color and young people.
“Oregon Health Authority (OHA) is excited and proud of this recognition of the state’s leadership in funding tobacco prevention at the level recommended by the CDC,” said OHA Public Health Director Rachael Banks. “We are deeply appreciative of Oregon’s collective dedication to improving the health of our communities. We have been a national leader in tobacco prevention, yet we have much more work to do to ensure health equity.”
To achieve OHA’s goal of eliminating health inequities by 2030, Banks explained, the new funding will support community-led solutions to the suffering caused by systemic discrimination and the tobacco industry’s targeting of communities of color and Tribal communities.
“We are boldly stepping into a new era, partnering with those most impacted by tobacco harms to address the root causes of commercial tobacco addiction,” she said.
While Oregon has made great strides toward improving health and reducing tobacco use, certain communities continue to experience unjust health problems related to tobacco use and systemic discrimination, Banks said. The tobacco industry continues to introduce flavored tobacco products such as vaping and smokeless nicotine products that hook youth.
In addition, the tobacco industry continues its decades-long practice of targeting African American and Black communities with menthol products by placing menthol marketing and discounts in Black communities and appropriating African American culture in advertising. Menthol cigarettes are easier to start smoking, and harder to quit, than non-flavored cigarettes. In Oregon, 25% of African Americans smoke compared with 18% of whites.
Matthew L. Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said that as tobacco companies remain as relentless as ever in marketing their addictive and harmful products – including menthol cigarettes, flavored e-cigarettes and flavored cigars – it is critical that the states step up their efforts to protect kids and help tobacco users quit.
“Oregon is a rare beacon of hope among the states in really boosting their funding of the proven tobacco prevention and cassation programs,” Myers said. “Voters increased the state’s tobacco tax at the polls in 2020, and now we’re seeing the state use some of the new revenue to increase program funding that will help us end the grip Big Tobacco has had on this country for far too long. The key next step is ending the sale of all flavored tobacco products – and we hope Oregon will set a great example there, as well, for other states to follow.”
The majority of the new tobacco and nicotine prevention funding will be distributed to communities through grants to federally recognized Tribes and Native-serving organizations, as well as an open funding opportunity for community-based organizations who can work with local public health authorities’ tobacco prevention programs. Visit the request-for-grant-applications website, https://ohapublichealthfunding.org/en/ , to view program activities eligible for funding. Grant applications can be submitted now through Jan. 31.
Everyone deserves a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible – and that includes a life free from addiction to commercial tobacco. OHA is committed to providing free help to anyone in Oregon. It’s no secret that times are hard, but you don’t have to quit alone. For free help, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW or visit https://smokefreeoregon.com/im-ready-to-quit/. — https://www.tobaccofreekids.org
Former Portland Mayor Bud Clark Has Died
Clark was 90-years-old. He served as mayor from 1985 to 1992. Clark ran the Goose Hollow Inn tavern before he ran for mayor. He defeated Mayor Frank Ivancie by running a grassroots campaign.
As mayor, he helped expand mass transit, including the MAX line, supported the development of downtown, and the building of the Oregon Convention Center.
He was also known for his ‘Expose Yourself to Art’ poster, which featured Clark flashing a bronze nude sculpture.
Current Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler Tweeted of Clark’s passing: “Former Mayor Bud Clark was an integral part of Portland history with a larger than life personality. He leaves behind a legacy of work addressing housing and poverty issues. I am grateful for his friendship and leadership.”
Cost of Rent on The Rise
The cost of renting continues to go up everywhere, including in Portland. Redfin reports the average cost of a new lease is up 14-percent nationwide compared to last year. In Portland, the average cost of a new lease jumped 29-percent. Oregon now has a statewide rent control law that limits annual rent increases on occupied units to the
consumer price index, plus seven-percent.
Oregon State Treasurer Holds Online Auction Of Unclaimed Property – Live Auction on Thursday 2/3
The Oregon State Treasury will celebrate National Unclaimed Property Day by holding an online auction of items from abandoned safe deposit boxes received by its unclaimed property team.
Bidding is open now on first edition books, art, coins and currency, jewelry, and other unique treasures from safe deposit box contents collected through Oregon’s Unclaimed Property Program, with a live online auction scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 3rd.
“Events like National Unclaimed Property Day and our online auctions help remind people to go online and check to see if Oregon is holding money that belongs to them,” said Oregon State Treasurer Tobias Read. “We took in our largest amount ever of unclaimed funds this fall, and we want to return every dollar to Oregonians.”
The live auction will begin at 4 p.m. on Thursday, February 3. Capitol Auction & Estate Services will host the auction on its website, and pre-bidding on items is available now at capitolauction.net. This is the second all-online auction Treasury has conducted. The first, held in November, brought in more than $25,700 to Oregon’s Unclaimed Property Program. Well in advance of any auction, program staff attempt to contact safe deposit box owners before items are put up for sale. Items such as military medals or other insignia are never sold through auctions; instead, people can search for unclaimed medals on the website: oregon.gov/treasury.
The auction date was selected to align with National Unclaimed Property Day on Feb. 1, which puts the spotlight on the millions of people across the country whose unclaimed property is protected by programs like Oregon’s. Oregon’s Unclaimed Property Program safeguards assets on behalf of original owners or their heirs in perpetuity.
“These convenient online auctions help us reach potential buyers across Oregon and the country while reducing our storage of older unclaimed items,” said Trust Property Director Claudia Ciobanu. “The program overall and special projects like auctions are designed to ensure we’re protecting people’s unclaimed money until they step up to claim it.”
For safe deposit auctions, proceeds from all items sold are held in trust in the Common School Fund, an investment fund overseen by Oregon State Treasury. The fund generates interest earnings that are distributed to Oregon K-12 public schools, while the principal amount from each sale is saved in Oregon’s Unclaimed Property Program for the item’s owners to claim. Oregonians’ ability to submit claims on unclaimed money held in their name never expires.
Each fall, companies, nonprofits, and government agencies across the state must report and remit unclaimed property to Oregon State Treasury. During the 2021 reporting period last October – the first since the program moved to Treasury – a record $80.8 million was reported, representing property such as uncashed checks, unreturned deposits, forgotten bank accounts, and abandoned safe deposit boxes.
Since the program came to Oregon State Treasury in July 2021, more than $13.3 million has been returned to nearly 11,000 claimants. Oregonians who want to see if the state is holding unclaimed property on their behalf can visit unclaimed.oregon.gov and search on their name.
Klamath County Sheriff’s Office Asks for Public’s Help in Search For Trucker Suspect
The first real clue to come in on all the missing person cases in the area. Help Klamath Falls Oregon Sheriff Office ID this trucker. He was the last to see this woman alive and could be the key to not only solving this woman’s disappearance but a number of the hundred other women missing in PNW. IF you have any information, please call (541) 883-5130
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.
https://www.facebook.com/pg/Have-You-Seen-Me-Southern-Oregons-Missing-People-161249961222839/posts/