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
Tuesday, April 12, 2022
Willamette Valley Weather
Today– Showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 1pm. Snow level 1600 feet. High near 46. Breezy, with a southwest wind 6 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Wednesday– Rain and snow showers likely before 10am, then rain showers. Some thunder is also possible. Snow level rising to 2100 feet in the afternoon. High near 47. South wind 6 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Thursday– Rain and snow showers likely, becoming all rain after 9am. Snow level 1200 feet rising to 2100 feet in the afternoon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 48. Calm wind becoming west southwest 5 to 9 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.
Friday– A slight chance of rain and snow showers before 9am, then a chance of rain showers. Snow level 1100 feet rising to 2500 feet in the afternoon. Partly sunny, with a high near 52. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.
Saturday– Showers likely. Snow level 2400 feet rising to 3000 feet in the afternoon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 53.
A series of storm systems will continue to impact our region with wet and wintry weather. Temperatures will be chilly and below average throughout this week keeping our snow levels low. Snow will impact travel for many lower and higher passes in the region. Snow will also fall on many valley floors.
Study Shows Eugene/Springfield Area in Top 20 Among Nation’s Worst For Air Quality
The World Health Organization announced this week that 99% of the world’s population breathes poor-quality air, that when inhaled over time can cause cardiovascular and respiratory disease.
While cities in the developing world have the worst air quality, according to the WHO, pollution is still a problem in American cities. There are chronic sources of air pollution, like vehicle traffic on busy highways, as well as seasonal issues, like smoke from wildfires.
The American Lung Association tracks air pollution in U.S. cities. Its annual report uses data from the Environmental Protection Agency on the presence of two types of pollutants: ozone (or smog) and particulate matter. Particulate matter has many sources, such as transportation, power plants, agriculture, fires and industry – as well as from natural sources like desert dust.
The Medford-Grants Pass area in Southern Oregon has been rated in the top five for the nation’s worst for year-round particle pollution. The Eugene/Springfiled area ranked in the top 20 cities. Below is a list of the top 20 cities with the highest amounts of each type of pollution.
Using the EPA data, the report ranks the most and least polluted metro areas.
The cities with the highest amount of ozone pollution (or smog) are:
- Los Angeles-Long Beach, California
- Bakersfield, California
- Visalia, California
- Fresno-Madera-Hanford, California
- Phoenix-Mesa, Arizona
- Sacramento-Roseville, California
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, California
- Denver-Aurora, Colorado
- Salt Lake City-Provo-Orem, Utah
- San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, California
The cities with the worst year-round particle pollution are:
- Bakersfield, California
- Fresno-Madera-Hanford, California
- Visalia, California
- Los Angeles-Long Beach, California
- Medford-Grants Pass, Oregon
- Fairbanks, Alaska
- San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, California
- Phoenix-Mesa, Arizona
- Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, Pennsylvania/Ohio/West Virginia
- El Centro, California
“Particulate matter, especially PM2.5, is capable of penetrating deep into the lungs and entering the bloodstream, causing cardiovascular, cerebrovascular (stroke) and respiratory impacts,” WHO said. “There is emerging evidence that particulate matter impacts other organs and causes other diseases as well.”
The American Lung Association also keeps track of which cities have the least air pollution.
The ten cities with the cleanest air, free of particle pollution are:
- Urban Honolulu, Hawaii
- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, Hawaii
- Cheyenne, Wyoming
- Wilmington, North Carolina
- Casper, Wyoming
- St. George, Utah
- Bellingham, Washington
- Elmira-Corning, New York
- Sioux Falls, South Dakota
- Duluth, Minnesota/Wisconsin
There are many cities that also scored well for smog-free air, but because they all had similar readings, the ALA did not rank them. You can see the full list of clean air cities in the American Lung Association’s report .
Lane County Urging Residents to Get Vaccines Before World Athletics Championships Begin
The Lane County Health Department is urging residents to make sure their vaccines are up-to-date ahead of the World Athletic Championships in Eugene.
Officials say the concern goes beyond COVID-19, noting declines in vaccination rates for measles, mumps, and rubella, diphtheria, tetanus and polio. Clinics around the county are ready
to administer the necessary shots. Worlds is set to take place at Hayward Field beginning on July 15th.
UO Students Rally to Keep Duck TV Running
Some University of Oregon students claim their student-run broadcast program Duck TV is at stake. Students said the school administration has indicated a lack of support, canceling studio sessions in the fall and the program entirely for the winter term.
A petition online to ensure the future of Duck TV has gained nearly 1,500 signatures. Students gathered in front of Allen Hall Sunday to discuss the issues with school administration. The Dean of the School of Journalism and Communications Juan-Carlos Molleda said Duck TV won’t be going away and they plan to modify the format in which the program will return. https://www.uoducktv.com/
We want to keep you informed about COVID-19 in Oregon. Data are provisional and change frequently. Note: This report covers the three-day period from April 8 to April, 10, 2022. For more information, including COVID-19 data by county, visit our dashboard: https://public.tableau.com/views/OregonCOVID-19Update/DailyDataUpdate?:language=en-US&:toolbar=n&:display_count=n&:origin=viz_share_link
The Oregon Health Authority says over 47-percent of the two-thousand-35 COVID-19 infections last week involved people who were vaccinated. Officials say 58-percent of those “breakthrough” cases involved people who were fully vaccinated and boosted. But the OHA says well over half of the cases, 52-percent, were among those who were
unvaccinated.
Oregon Department of Transportation released the latest traffic updates Tuesday morning.
- U.S. 395 remains closed between Nye Junction at the intersection with OR 74 (MP 23.64) and Long Creek (MP 90.84) due to severe snowstorms and unsafe weather conditions.
- I-84 also remains closed in Eastern Oregon due to weather and crashed trucks. Crews have been working to open the route through the night, but blizzard-like conditions have impacted operations.
Additional ODOT Alerts:
- Closure
- ORE 245, 1 mile North of Intersection with John Day Highway US26 MP 1 – 36
- Closure
- I-84, 3 miles West of Ontario MP 374 – 302
- Closure
- US 395, Intersection with Heppner Highway ORE74 MP 24 – 91
- Closure
- I-84, 7 miles East of Pendleton MP 216 – 265
- Closure
- US 30, Haines MP 40 – 50
- Closure
- I-84, 3 miles West of Baker City MP 302 – 265
- Closure
- I-84, 4 miles East of La Grande MP 265 – 216
- Closure
- ORE 204, 1 mile West of Elgin MP 39 – 10
ODOT said that drivers should take extra precautions in winter-like conditions, stay in a safe location until checking TripCheck, and do not blindly follow GPS navigation apps for detours.
ODOT suggests that drivers continue to check TripCheck.com or call 511 / 800-977-6368 for updated conditions before hitting the road. If you are traveling outside Oregon, call 503-588-2941.
Learn more information: Click Here.
Oregon Department of Transportation worked through the night trying to reopen Interstate 84 through Eastern Oregon but the road remained closed Tuesday morning. Blizzard-like conditions in the late spring snowstorm that hit the Northwest starting Monday slowed their efforts, said the department. Limited tow trucks were available for the number of vehicles that needed to be pulled out.
I-84 was closed from six miles east of Pendleton to just east of La Grande due to snow and multiple trucks that had spun out Monday evening. As of 5 a.m. Tuesday westbound lanes also were closed from Baker City to La Grande, with westbound truck traffic stopped at Ontario, due to the lack of truck parking at Baker City and La Grande.
North And South Lanes Closed On I-5 Following Motorcycle Crash At Siskiyou Summit
Interstate 5 at Siskiyou Summit southbound and northbound are open again Monday at milepost 11 according to a release from Oregon Department of Transportation.
Both directions of traffic are under a full chain restriction. All vehicles must chain up except 4×4 or all wheel drive unless those vehicles are towing.
Oregon Department of Transportation announced that both northbound and southbound traffic were on a temporary hold because of a motorcycle crash, a disabled vehicle and heavy snow showers in the area. “Expect delays and winter driving conditions,” said ODOT. Check TripCheck: https://tripcheck.com
Two Oregon Congressmen Have Tested Positive for COVID-19.
Rep. Peter DeFazio, 74, tweeted Thursday that he has tested positive for the virus. In addition Rep. Earl Blumenauer said on Friday he has tested positive for COVID-19. Blumenauer also said that he would follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and that he would isolate.
The congressmen are two of several lawmakers that have announced positive COVID-19 test results, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi who tested positive for COVID-19 a day after appearing unmasked at a White House event with President Joe Biden. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine also tested positive late Thursday, shortly after the Senate voted to confirm Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson.
The federal government announced Monday that it will deprive highly fertile farms and ranches in the Klamath Basin of irrigation water necessary to produce food this year.
The decision comes at a time of global food security fears, rapidly rising food prices, and concerns that grocery store shelves may become empty this year. Klamath Water Users Association (KWUA), which represents irrigation water users who produce food based on once-reliable irrigation water supplies from Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon’s
largest surface water body, decried yesterday’s announcement.
KWUA leaders said that there is adequate water available this year to provide irrigation from Upper Klamath Lake to the Klamath Project, a system of infrastructure that was built to deliver water to a community of family farms straddling the California-Oregon border.
The Project provides water to some of the richest soils in the world. But federal regulators intend to deny irrigation water needed to produce food, at a time when the country and world most need it.
Rigid operating guidelines mandated by federal regulatory agencies mean that the Project’s family farms and ranches will have an uncertain amount of water, probably less than 15 percent of what they need.
In yesterday’s announcement of a 2022 Klamath Project Operations Plan, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation directed that water that could be used for irrigation or wildlife benefits will instead be used to artificially augment flows 40 miles downstream in the Klamath River, and to maintain specified elevations of water in Upper Klamath Lake.
In a separate release, The Bureau of Reclamation announced Monday the Klamath Project will receive approximately 50,000 acre-feet to allow for limited irrigation beginning April 15.
The bureau also announced a total of $20 million in immediate aid to the project through the Klamath Project Drought Response Agency for this year’s irrigation season. An additional $5 million in technical assistance is being made available to Klamath Basin tribes for tribally led projects.
The 50,000 acre-feet is subject to meeting an end of water year Upper Klamath Lake elevation of no less than 4,138.15 feet, with the objective of no less than 4,139.2 feet through July 15. The bureau said in a news release that unauthorized diversions of water will result in reductions to the project’s water allocation, and appropriate legal action will be pursued.
Investigation Into Stolen Goods Leads To One Stolen Guitar From The Oregon Music Hall Of Fame
Portland Police have recovered some items that were stolen from an Oregon Music Hall of Fame storage locker earlier this year. The suspect in the case is 40-year-old Eric Lamberton. In March, detectives found guitars and other items that were stolen during a burglary in Washington County last year.
As the investigation continued, detectives searched properties and located one signed guitar from the Oregon Music Hall of Fame, along with other items. They also found 25-thousand dollars worth of stolen Yeti coolers. The stolen items are being returned to their owners. Anyone tips about this investigation is asked to contact NRT through crimetips@portlandoregon.gov
Grants Pass Missing Person
The Grants Pass Police Department is seeking assistance from the public in locating 30 year old Noah Baker. Baker was despondent after an argument and left his residence in Grants Pass driving a silver Ford Fiesta with Oregon Plate 671MUR.
Baker is described as a white male adult, 5’09”, 170 lbs, brown hair and blue eyes and was last seen wearing black sweats, black shirt, black shoes and a black hat.
If anyone knows of his whereabouts or sees Baker, please call your local law enforcement agency or the Grants Pass Police at 541-450-6260. Reference case #2022-14203 Grants Pass Police Department
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/