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, March 10, 2022
Willamette Valley Weather
Today– Widespread frost, mainly before 9am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 51. Light northwest wind becoming north northwest 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Friday– Widespread frost before 8am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 61. Light and variable wind becoming west 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon.
Saturday– Rain, mainly after 4pm. High near 57. Breezy, with a south southeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming southwest 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Sunday– A 50 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 54.
Monday– Rain. Cloudy, with a high near 55.
Eugene Will Host Festival for New Waterfront Park During World Athletics Championships In July – Local Art and Craft Vendors Wanted for Eugene Riverfront Festival
The new park on the Willamette River will open to the public later this spring and then Eugene will host a festival this summer during the World Athletics Championships. Festival organizers are seeking vendors and performers.
Construction began in May 2020 as part of the City of Eugene’s effort to connect downtown to the river.
“The original goal was to have this project completed and opened for the 2021 world games, which in hindsight I think would have been kind of impossible,” said Emily Proudfoot with the City of Eugene. “It’s an extraordinary project, and we ran as fast as we could.
The park is mostly finished, with a few art installations left to install. This summer, the park will be the scene of an extraordinary city celebration during the World Athletics Championships.
“It’s been a complete transformation of this property,” Proudfoot said. “It’s really an exciting time and we’re super looking forward to getting this all opened up to the public and to welcome our community down here.”
The City plans to host the festival during the games in July on the 4 1/2 acre site. “Beer gardens and screens and all kinds of things to really extend this event well beyond Hayward Field and out into the community,” Proudfoot said.
The new park will be an asset to the city for years to come. “This kind of park amenity will help bring people to town,” Proudfoot said. “It’s where you’ll bring family when they come to visit. You’ll go to a butte, you’ll go to the riverfront. You’ll go to the other butte, whatever. But this is one of those kinds of destinations.”
Development is expected to begin after the games, with construction of mixed-use office, housing and retail buildings.
FOR MORE INFO: https://www.eugene-or.gov/4855/Eugene-Riverfront-Festival
The World Athletics Championships To Spur Tourism and Economy in Willamette Valley
The World Athletics Championships will be held in July at Hayward Field, the first time the event has ever been held on U.S. soil.
Thousands of people are expected to stream into Eugene to be a part of what’s commonly known as the second biggest sporting event in the world. Nearly a billion people are expected to watch 6,500 hours of live TV coverage of the event around the globe.
Oregon22 is the local organizing committee for the event. Oregon22 Executive Director Niels De Vos says, “This event is a 10 day TV and social media promotion for the state of Oregon that will position Oregon as a place to visit, a place to live and a place to do business.”
Eugene hotels are practically booked up, and surrounding areas will also reap the economic benefits of hotel bookings. Todd Davidson, CEO of Travel Oregon, says people will be willing to commute over an hour to Hayward Field, “There will also be rooms reserved up and down the I-5 corridor as far south as Roseburg and beyond and as far north as Portland.”
Athletes will stay in the University of Oregon residence halls, creating an Olympic village feel that De Vos says is unique to previous World Athletics Championships.
Davidson says Travel Oregon will focus on providing ticket holders with trip planning information for the state and Governor Kate Brown said in a press conference that this is a prime opportunity to highlight Oregon products like Willamette Valley wine, marionberry jam and Tillamook cheese.
SALEM, Ore. — Oregon is set to host the World Athletics Championships this summer, marking the first time that one of the most prestigious international track and field events will be held in the United States.
Oregon22 will be held at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon and is expected to bring more than 200,000 visitors – athletes, coaches and spectators – to the Eugene area.
The World Athletics Championship is viewed as the second biggest single-sport event in the world, with the World Cup taking the top spot.
On Wednesday, Governor Brown spoke about the preparations for Oregon hosting the global event.
She was joined by Eugene Mayor Lucy Vinis, Oregon22’s Chief Executive Director Niels De Vos, UO’s Vice President of communications Richie Hunter, and Travel Oregon CEO Todd Davidson.
The governor highlighted many track and field athletes with Oregon ties, including late University of Oregon alumnae Steve Prefontaine, Olympic medalist Raevyn Rogers who trains here in Oregon, and shot put star Ryan Crowser from Boring.
“We are so honored to cheer on these amazing athletes and welcome the world. This is truly a time for Oregon to shine” Governor Brown said.
The governor says she is working with partners from across the state to seize the opportunity and maximize the economic benefit to the state.
Before the pandemic, tourism in Oregon was generating more than $12 billion but in 2020 that number was nearly cut in half. Organizers believe this event will be a huge boost to the state’s economy and that the worldwide exposure will inspire future travel to Oregon.
Oregon reports 470 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 29 new deaths
PORTLAND, Ore. — There are 29 new COVID-19-related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 6,800, Oregon Health Authority (OHA) reported at 12:01 a.m. today.
OHA reported 470 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 698,564.
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (1), Benton (15), Clackamas (32), Clatsop (1), Columbia (7), Coos (14), Crook (3), Curry (3), Deschutes (29), Douglas (16), Grant (4), Harney (3), Hood River (2), Jackson (34), Jefferson (1), Josephine (16), Klamath (7), Lane (46), Lincoln (8), Linn (17), Marion (40), Morrow (1), Multnomah (93), Polk (9), Sherman (1), Umatilla (5), Union (1), Wasco (4), Washington (50) and Yamhill (7).
The federal government has increased its distribution limit of free at-home rapid antigen COVID-19 tests. If you already placed an order for four free tests, you can now place a second order for four more. In total, each residential address can receive a total of eight free at-home tests.Delivered to your home via the US Postal Service, you can order the tests from the federal government at https://www.covidtests.gov/
If you’re planning to attend a Portland Trailblazer game before the end of the season, the Portland Trail Blazers and the Rose Quarter will remove the indoor mask requirement on March 12th. Oregon Governor Kate Brown will end the mask requirement statewide on the same day. The Oregon Health Authority still recommends masking for people at higher risk from COVID-19, including unvaccinated people and those with weakened immune systems. Masks are encouraged while on the Rose Quarter campus and attending events.
I-84 Reopens 6 Hours After Fatal Crash Forced 50-Mile Closure
Eastbound lanes of Interstate 84 in Oregon reopened more than six hours after a fatal crash about six miles west of La Grande on Wednesday closed the roadway. The closure, announced at 9:45 a.m., covered about 50 miles from just east of Pendleton to near La Grande. The crash required a police investigation, which meant a lengthy closure, the Oregon Department of Transportation said.
A Mercedes driven by Brian Burton, 59, of Portland, was stopped in an eastbound lane at 8:50 a.m. because of an earlier crash, when it was hit by a semi truck driven by Eddi Morales, 30, of Othello. The eastbound Freightliner came around a curve and was unable to stop, hitting the left side of the Mercedes, according to the Oregon State Police. Burton died before he could be taken to a hospital.
Helen Burton, 62, of Portland, a passenger in the Mercedes and Morales were not injured, according to OSP. Speed and an icy roadway are being investigated as contributing factors to the crash, said the OSP. ODOT crews worked Wednesday morning to get a long line of traffic stuck behind the crash turned around and sent back to Pendleton. Westbound lanes remained open.
Oregon Republican Party Chair Resigns
Dallas Heard is resigning as State Republican Party Chair, effective March 11th. Heard, a resident of Douglas County is currently the State Senator for the 1st Senate District of Oregon.
Former Party Chair Herman Baertschiger states he had been discussing the issue with Heard for a little while now, and confirmed the letter was sent by Heard.
“He’s got a lot going on. He’s a state senator, he runs a business, and has a family,” Baertschiger said.
A copy of the letter appeared in a tweet from the account of David Medina late Tuesday evening.
Heard’s letter reads:
Members of the Republican Party of Oregon,
I regret to inform you that as of March 11, 2022, I will no longer be able to serve you as your chairman. My physical and spiritual health can no longer survive exposure to the toxicity that can be found in this community. There are dozens of you men and women that I truly love and admire. I greatly appreciate who you are, and I am extremely grieved that I will no longer serve and help you save Oregon from the ever-advancing Democrats. I must warn you good people in our party that we truly have an equal if not greater evil than the Democrats, walking among us.
Communist psychological warfare tactics are being used daily within the party. These tactics are being used to destroy anyone of true character who would oppose the man who introduced them into our community for the last 20 years. The endless slander, gossip, conspiracies, sabotage, lies, hatred, pointless criticism, blocking of ideas, and mutiny brought against my administration has done what I once never thought possible.
They have broken my spirit. I can face the Democrats with courage and conviction, but I can’t fight my own people too.
It is clear, no amount of political success, hard work, honesty, and self-sacrifice will ever be enough to garner the lasting support of a strong and consistent majority of people who currently represent this party across the state. I can say I have given my best to save the state I love, but when a true servant leader recognizes that his people would rather attack and question him rather than follow, it is time to say goodbye. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all of you amazing men and women that gave your all to help me save this party and move Oregon forward. I bitterly regret that my body and soul were not able to withstand the endless assault.
I hope you will guard your hearts against the wickedness in our party and keep fighting the good fight for our children and those who truly love this state. Those who have worked to destroy me are so determined to dominate/control the party, that they are seemingly willing to sink the ship if that is what is required for them to take back control. I don’t have the will left at this point to fight and resist such reckless hate while also being crushed by the Democrats in Salem as I fight for our freedom. We must be absolute in our focus on winning this 2022 election cycle in Oregon. If we don’t beat the godless Left this November, we will be exposing our children to a future that is not worth living in Oregon.
I will say that ignoring the wickedness within our organization would be a mistake. it must be exposed and removed if this party is to be relevant in supporting Republican candidates in a meaningful way that leads to actual election victories. I hope you find a way to purge this darkness from the ORP and I will be praying for your success and protection.
I believe God will give me health and inspiration to return to the battle for Oregon in the years to come, but I desperately need a long season of rest so I can fully invest in my wife and children. May GOD, Christ, and the Holy Spirit bless all of you who truly live to love others!
Sincerely,
Dallas Heard
Baertschiger, the current vice-chair, said he will serve as acting chair until a replacement is chosen.
Alaska Airlines is prepared to spend millions of dollars to help students attend an Oregon flight school, get their commercial pilot licenses and then get them flying planes for Horizon Air, its regional sister carrier.
The Seattle-based air group is partnering with the Hillsboro Aero Academy to launch the flight school program, which will offer training in either Hillsboro or Redmond. The airline will offer low-interest flight school loans, cover the cost of a commercial pilot license, then give the new pilots a job upon completing the program.
It’s the latest attempt from an airline to shore up its hiring pipeline as carriers across the country try to navigate serious pilot shortages that have forced delays, cancellations and higher plane ticket prices.
Other airlines, too, have recently opened their own flight academies to entice candidates who otherwise may not have pursued a career as a pilot.
While passenger volume is only 9% lower than pre-pandemic levels, the number of domestic flights is still down 16% compared to before the pandemic, according to a report released this month by Airlines for America, a trade association that represents major North American airlines.
Scott Keyes, the Portland-based founder of the travel discount website Scott’s Cheap Flights, said airlines have been unable to keep up with rebounding travel demand due in large part to the pilot shortage. That shortage predated the pandemic, but airlines made things worse when they offered pilots early retirement packages early in the pandemic to cut costs.
One report from consulting firm Oliver Wyman estimates that the U.S. will be short 12,000 pilots by the end of 2023.
“When the airlines reacted to the beginning of the pandemic by really freezing their hiring, not continuing with their ramp up plans like they had, it seemed like a prudent decision,” Keyes said. “But now with travel rebounding much more quickly than anyone expected, airlines have been caught pretty flat-footed.”
To fill the gap, major airlines are hiring pilots away from regional carriers. About 80% of pilots hired by major airlines in 2022 are expected to come from regional airlines, said Carlos Zendejas, Horizon Air’s vice president of flight operations.
That could squeeze the regional airlines, Keyes said, and lead to more cuts in service to smaller destinations, leaving people in places like Medford and Eugene with fewer flight options.
Zendejas said airlines will need to hire more than 10,000 pilots in 2022, double the number of pilots who were hired in 2019. He said Alaska and Horizon alone anticipate they will need to hire 2,000 more pilots by 2025.
Students with little to no flight experience who enroll in the new Ascend Pilot Academy will get access to low-interest loans to help them pay for the training program, a $3,500 stipend to cover their flight instructor certification, a $25,000 stipend to cover the cost of obtaining a commercial pilot license and a conditional job offer from Horizon Air, contingent on completing the program.
The total cost of participating in the Ascend Pilot Academy and obtaining a commercial pilot license will be between $65,000 to $80,000, Zendejas said. He said the airlines hope the stipend and low-interest loans will be enough to entice prospective students who previously saw a career as a pilot as cost-prohibitive.
“What we’re seeing at Horizon is a lot of pilot attrition, so we’re in the process of backfilling for that,” Zendejas said. “We have some programs in place, including our Pilot Development Program, which is a partnership with established flight schools and universities, but this academy program will give us another source of pilots, so as we look to the future, more of our pilots can come from our pipelines.”
Applications for spots in the new flight academy are now open and the airlines are hoping that the first cohort of prospective pilots will begin training April 1. Zendejas said they hope 250 new pilots will go through the academy each year.
He said the airlines hope to attract more candidates from underrepresented communities and are partnering with the Hillsboro School District to market the program.
“We’re out there marketing the profession, we’re giving the blueprints of how to do it, we’re providing financial stipends,” Zendejas said. “We’re out there working to make it accessible to a much broader group.”
However, Matt Barton, partner at Flight Path Economics, said that the opening of new flight academies won’t prevent the pilot shortage from dragging on for years.
That’s because of the time it takes for prospective pilots to obtain the certification necessary to work for commercial airlines. Federal regulations require that airline transport pilots put in 1,500 hours of flight time prior to receiving their certification, a rule that regional airlines have pushed to change. Barton said that many pilots will work as flight instructors after finishing flight school to obtain those hours. It can take an additional two years for some to complete their hours.
That time lag could make it difficult for the industry to navigate the pilot shortage as demand for travel returns to pre-pandemic levels, Barton said.
“The net result is that airports, cities are going to and are losing service, whether it’s one frequency a day or entire cities being disconnected from the network,” Barton said.
Gas and Diesel at Record Highs
Diesel gas prices are now averaging $5.10 per gallon in Oregon and $5.98 per gallon in California — both record highs, according to AAA. Record prices for diesel fuel impacts truckers and that could continue to push for inflationary pressures on food and other prices.
Nationally, diesel fuel prices also stand at a record of $4.88 per gallon. They are up $1.03 per gallon from a year ago. In Oregon, diesel prices are up more than $2.02 per gallon from a year ago, according to AAA. Previous record highs were set in 2008 in early stages of the Great Recession.
Gasoline prices also continue to hit and break record highs in Oregon and nationally. The statewide average is $4.66 per gallon. That’s a record and up 73 cents per gallon in a month. Gas is also costing $4.66 locally in Klamath County, according to AAA.
Oregon’s gas prices are the third highest in the continental U.S. behind only California ($5.57 per gallon) and Nevada ($4.77 per gallon), according to AAA’s Fuel Gauge Report. Prices were already climbing before Russia invaded Ukraine Feb. 24. Energy costs are up 27% over the past 12 months, according to January’s Consumer Price Index.
Top Consumer Complaints in Oregon During 2021
The Oregon Attorney General’s Office is releasing the top consumer complaints from They are auto sales and repairs, telecommunications, and impostor scams. Oregon consumers who filed complaints to the Consumer Protection Hotline got a total of 628-thousand dollars returned to them.
The department received a total of 6,683 written complaints last year. Here’s the breakdown of those complaints:
- Auto sales and repairs — 712
- Telecommunications — 708
- Imposter scams or fraudulent entity — 591
- Credit lending — 499
- Private party seller — 476
- Health and medical — 343
- Travel — 222
- Manufacturing — 194
- Construction contractors — 173
- Real estate — 163
Last year, $628,000 was returned to Oregon consumers who filed complaints with the DOJ Consumer Protection Section. The department also secured $329 million in a settlement with the three largest national distributors of opioid drugs and the drug manufacturer Johnson & Johnson, and an additional $97 million was secured by Oregon in a settlement with Purdue Pharma and the Sackler Family.
Nearly 27-thousand calls came into the hotline and there were almost 67-hundred written complaints. The Oregon Attorney General’s website has tips on scam and fraud prevention: https://www.doj.state.or.us/consumer-protection/sales-scams-fraud/report-scams-fraud/
Oregon Farm Bureau FFA Video Contest
Students can submit videos featuring projects, programs or farm and ranch happenings
The following is a release from the Oregon Farm Bureau
Oregon Farm Bureau (OFB) invites FFA students to participate in its second-annual #GrowingOregon video contest — for a chance to win at least $400!
“This year the winner will earn a generous cash prize for their FFA chapter,” said Anne Marie Moss, OFB communications director.
To participate, FFA members should create a video up to a minute long that features the #GrowingOregon hashtag and something interesting about Oregon agriculture.
Video topic ideas include an overview of an FFA project or program, what’s happening on the farm or ranch, or highlighting an Oregon agricultural product.
Students have until April 30 to submit their videos to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
The contest winner will be determined by which video gets the most likes and views on OFB’s social media platforms by May 31. The winner will receive a cash prize that will be donated to their FFA chapter. The prize amount will be at least $400.
“We can’t wait to see the students’ creativity. There are so many aspects to Oregon agriculture that are fascinating, so the possibilities truly are endless,” said Moss.
For more information about the #GrowingOregon video contest, visit https://oregonfb.org/growingoregon/
Police Ask for Public’s Help in Search For Victim’s Roommate In Albany Homicide – A 42-year-old woman, the roommate of a 75-year-old man whose death was ruled a homicide, is wanted for questioning in the case, Albany police officials said.
Elvin “Al” Pierce was found dead by officers around 9:10 p.m. Friday after a 911 caller reported a man was unconscious and not breathing. Investigators at that time said the circumstances surrounding his death were suspicious.
APD said Pierce’s roommate, 42-year-old Elizabeth Nicole Tyler Jimenez, wasn’t there at the home when officers found Pierce dead and they don’t know where she is. Authorities did not specifically state whether Jimenez is a suspect or if there are any charges against her.
Pierce’s car, a tan 2004 Buick Park Avenue with Oregon license plate 081FAX, is also missing.
Jimenez, who investigators believe is currently without a job, is described as often visiting local soup kitchens. She also has skills as a masseuse and a seamstress, officials said.
Anyone with information is urged to contact APD at 541-917-7680 or APD Lt. Buck Pearce at 541-917-3209.
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
https://www.facebook.com/pg/Have-You-Seen-Me-Southern-Oregons-Missing-People-161249961222839/posts/