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
Wednesday, July 6, 2022
Willamette Valley Weather
Oregon Country Fair Ready to Kick Off Friday
For the first time since 2019 the Oregon Country Fair will be held again on land near Veneta, finally back after two years away due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The event usually draws around 45,000 visitors over its three-day course, but this year attendance will be capped at 30,000.
The event, billed as a celebration of art, music, earth and family, will feature 17 entertainment stages, more than 80 food booths, and nearly 300 craft booths. Tickets for the three-day event start at $35. Organizers say proceeds from ticket sales will go to various local funds.
The fair won’t be held without some changes to adjust to a post-pandemic world. The Oregon Country Fair will require proof of a COVID vaccine or a proof of a negative COVID test within 24 hours of arriving to the fair. Event organizers say the test needs to come from a licensed provider or laboratory, meaning at-home test results will not be accepted.
The three-day fair begins this Friday, July 8. Residents and travelers through the area can expect delays from the influx of attendees. More information can be found at the Oregon Country Fair’s website: https://www.oregoncountryfair.org/
Woman Arrested Setting Dumpster Fires In Eugene
A woman was arrested early Wednesday morning in Eugene after two dumpsters were set on fire. The flames of one fire reaching 10 feet above the dumpster.
Eugene Police were dispatched to W. 7th Alley and Madison at around 3:15 a.m. to reports of two dumpsters set on fire.
According to police, a woman, later identified as Shannon Michele Riggs, age 44, of Springfield, was reported to have set them on fire and then walked toward the 7-Eleven nearby.
An officer located Riggs and initiated a stop, but she continued to walk away. He exited his vehicle and Riggs complied with directions.
After an investigation, Riggs was taken into custody and to Lane County Jail on charges of Arson in the Second Degree. Eugene Springfield Fire responded to extinguish the fires.
No injuries or building damage was reported.
World Athletics Championships Security Company Seeking Applicants
Ten days before the start of the games, organizers at the World Athletics Championships need more security personnel.
“I mean to be honest, we need people, we need bodies,” said Eric Waddell, COO of Pono Security.
Waddell said they are seeking between 350 and 450 security officers for the event. As of July 5th they are hovering around 250 people.
“We’re not desperate right now, we know we’ve got some time still,” Waddell said. “I know it’s right around the corner, but we feel confident in the numbers we have.”
This is not Waddell or Pono’s first event in Eugene. They provided security help during last year’s U.S. Olympic trials.
Waddell said for the entry level positions, such as usher, applicants have to be 18 years or older and a U.S. citizen. Security officers have to go through training to be licensed by the state. Waddell said all of the positions, regardless of qualifications, are paid.
“Right now that’s starting at $20 an hour and goes up to $55 an hour just depending upon your skill set and level, and the level of credentials that you carry within the state,” Waddell said.
Interviews for positions start Wednesday morning at 9 a.m. inside the law center across from Hayward Field. Training is a four-hour course that goes over topics like situational awareness and customer service skills that will be used throughout the entirety of the games.
“If there is somebody out there that has availability even if it’s just for a few days, I would definitely encourage them to apply,” Waddell said.
You can apply for positions by clicking here.
We want to keep you informed about COVID-19 in Oregon. Data are provisional and change frequently. This report covers the four-day period from July 1 to July 4. Note: Due to an electronic laboratory report (ELR) auto-processing delay, the case count for July 2 is lower than anticipated and the case count for July 3 is higher than anticipated. The test counts and percent positivity for July 2 were unaffected by the auto-processing delay. The case counts for the week of June 26 are lower than anticipated. We do not anticipate that this auto-processing error will affect CDC’s Community Levels, which use a Thursday to Wednesday timeframe.For more information, including COVID-19 data by county, visit our dashboard: http://ow.ly/qi6e50JOY8g
People who survive COVID-19 are significantly more likely to have certain health complications than those who have no evidence of ever having COVID-19, according to a recent CDC report. These types of lingering health complications linked to a COVID-19 infection are commonly referred to as Long COVID.
The CDC study included data from 2 million participants ages 18 and up. Some key findings include:
◌ 1 in 5 COVID-19 survivors ages 18-64 experienced at least one health complication that may be a result of COVID-19.
◌ 1 in 4 COVID-19 survivors age 65 and older experienced at least one health complication that may be a result of COVID-19.
◌ COVID-19 survivors in both age groups had twice the risk of developing a respiratory condition or a pulmonary embolism (a blood clot that travels to the lung).
◌ Respiratory symptoms and musculoskeletal pain (joint and muscle pain) were the two most common conditions in both age groups.
This analysis highlights the importance of practicing preventive measures, such as getting vaccinated and boosted and wearing a well-fitting mask in crowded indoor settings. Additionally, it’s important, especially for people age 65 and older, to monitor for post-COVID-19 symptoms and to seek routine care after infection.To learn more: http://ow.ly/UPLM50JP6Yo
Some Oregon Landowners Say the New Wildfire Risk Map is Inaccurate
The new interactive wildfire risk map from the Oregon Department of Forestry shows how at-risk your property is from wildfires. But some property owners say the map doesn’t accurately reflect the fire danger on their land.
The searchable map shows the wildfire risk of properties across the state. Anyone can plug in their address and see where their property falls on a risk spectrum. The map was made by a collaborative that included the state’s Department of Forestry, the U.S. Forest Service and Oregon State University as part of Senate Bill 762. That bill, passed during the 2021 Legislative session, ordered state agencies to undertake a slate of proactive measures to prevent and respond to the growing threat of wildfires.
Doug Grafe, Gov. Kate Brown’s wildfire programs director, said in a press conference Tuesday that many have asked questions about how the map will impact their insurance rates and property values since it was released. And some cities that have their own risk maps have asked to have them grandfathered into the database: They say their own assessments and building standards are superior to those the state might mandate.
About 120,000 of the state’s nearly 2 million tax lots are in what’s called the wildland-urban interface – an area where wild vegetation transitions into areas with more human activity – and in high or extreme risk zones.
“The map is the lynchpin for everything. All of the other programs that could potentially impact property owners are all dependent upon the map,” said Dave Hunnicutt, rural representative on the state’s Wildfire Program Advisory Council.
The color shades on the map show how high the risk of wildfire danger is to your property, with green showing “Low Risk” and red indicating “Extreme Risk.” The map also shows which properties are in the Wildland Urban Interface zone, meaning there’s a significant amount of wildfire fuel near structures.
If someone’s property falls into one of those areas, their property may be subject to new regulations from state agencies. Those include hardening a home against fire danger and creating a defensible space around a structure.
But Hunnicutt, who’s also the president of the Oregon Property Owner’s Association, says he’s gotten a lot of phone calls from property owners, like sixth-generation Central Oregon farmer Matt Cyrus, since the map was made public.
“My first thought was whoever drew the map was probably drunk at the time,” Cyrus said.
His property was designated as “High Risk,” but he’s fought wildfires for decades in Oregon and says he knows his property is not at high risk for fire danger.
“It would be difficult to get any fire going on my property at any time of the year. I mean, it’s irrigated farmland, very few trees on the entire property, it’s quite literally hayfields,” Cyrus said.
For situations like this, the Oregon Department of Forestry says it’s created an appeals process for property owners to challenge their property’s risk assessment if they feel it’s inaccurate.
“So we welcome those appeals. They help us verify the map,” said Tim Holschbach with ODF.
Cyrus told us that’s definitely something he’ll be doing in the coming days.
And Hunnicutt says he’ll be far from alone.
“If the volume of calls that I’m getting reflect the concern from the public, they’ll be quite a few appeals the state will have to wade through over the next couple of months as we work through these maps,” he said.
State partnership announces new foreclosure prevention campaign to support homeowners
SALEM, Ore. — Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS), together with the Oregon Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Oregon Division of Financial Regulation (DFR), part of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, has launched a new website and awareness campaign to support struggling homeowners at risk of foreclosure. The state agencies worked in partnership with Oregon Consumer Justice (OCJ) to develop www.oregonhomeownerhelp.org as a central hub for foreclosure prevention resources.
The mortgage foreclosure moratorium in Oregon expired in December 2021. With rising inflation, many households that are having trouble keeping up with living expenses may be at risk of missing a mortgage payment. Some Oregonians are not aware there may be ways to avoid foreclosure.
“We want homeowners who have fallen behind or are at risk of missing a mortgage payment to know they may have options,” said Emese Perfecto, director of the Homeownership Division at OHCS. “It can be overwhelming to receive a letter from a mortgage company. You are not alone. This website, which highlights certified housing counselors as a key resource, can help them find the best way to move forward.”
The emphasis of the awareness campaign is to direct homeowners who are worried about being able to make their mortgage payment, or who have received a foreclosure letter from their servicer, to do one of two things:
- Call 211 to be put into contact with certified housing counselors at one of the many homeownership centers throughout the state.
- Visit www.oregonhomeownerhelp.org for more information.
“Housing counselors can advocate on your behalf with your mortgage servicer,” said Andrew Stolfi, director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services. “If you get a call or a letter from your mortgage servicer, contact a homeownership center right away. The earlier you reach out for help, the more options you will have.”
In addition to housing counseling services, the website can also help homeowners avoid falling victim to fraud and connect them with legal assistance.
“As the attention on foreclosures increases, so will the foreclosure-related scams. It’s important for homeowners to be on the lookout and avoid falling victim,” said Ellen M. Klem, director of Outreach and Education for the Oregon Attorney General. “The new website and awareness campaign will provide Oregonians with the information they need to stay safe from fraud during this challenging time.”
If a homeowner has provided that information to a scammer and believes they are a victim of a scam, they should do the following:
- File a police report to document the crime for their creditors. Make sure they get the report number and a copy.
- Report the theft to the Federal Trade Commission at 877-438-4338 (toll-free) or at www.ftc.gov.
- Call their creditors such as their bank or credit union, credit card company, cell phone provider and other utilities, and their health insurance provider.
- File a complaint with the Oregon Division of Financial Regulation or call 888-877-4894 (toll-free).
“We know that during the subprime scandal, thousands of Oregonians were targeted by scammers with a disproportionate impact on communities of color,” said Jagjit Nagra, executive director at OCJ. “Many families were displaced and have yet to recover. We want to work hard to prevent people from losing their homes due to scams.”
For more information, visit www.oregonhomeownerhelp.org or call 211 to be connected to a housing counselor that serves your area.
Search For Inmate Who Walked Away From Salem Work Crew
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help finding a man who walked away from a work crew in Salem Tuesday morning.
Juan Castillo, 43, was working with a crew near 12th Street Southeast and Bellevue Street Southeast when he walked away shortly after 8 a.m., the sheriff’s office said.
He had been in custody at the Marion County Transition Center for a parole violation. Anyone who sees Castillo should call non-emergency dispatch at (503) 588-5032.
Oregon Liquor And Cannabis Commission Asking Congress To Remove Barriers To Banking Services For Legal Cannabis Businesses
The agency responsible for regulating Oregon’s pot industry is calling on Congress to change banking regulations. It’s a renewed push by the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission – to remove barriers to banking services for legal cannabis businesses.
“We’ve been hearing from the industry, we’ve also seen a proliferation of crime for the past few years occuring at our licensed retail businesses, just because they are cash heavy,” OLCC’s Bryant Haley tells KBND News. He says they have all that cash because federally insured banks are not allowed to do business with companies selling a product considered illegal at the federal level.
The agency recently sent a letter to Oregon’s Congressional delegation, “Our chair of the commission Paul Rosenbaulm is not pleased with federal stagnation, so he’s really been pushing this issue as something that we need to discuss.” Haley adds, “This is what we can do to show support, to show solidarity with the industry for this undue burden placed upon them, versus the business down the street selling ‘x’ widgets. I hate to quote my 7-year-old who loves to use this term, but it’s not fair.”
He says regulators know complete legalization of cannabis is unlikely, but allowing legal businesses access to financial services is long overdue, “So many states in this country are operating some sort of cannabis program.”
OSU To Study Impacts Of Removing Klamath River Dams
Oregon State University begins a unique partnership this month, joining a Klamath-area tribe to study the impact of removing four dams.
The removal of four Klamath River dams built between 1918 and 1962 is expected to be a massive undertaking. “By a number of measures, it is the largest restoration, the largest dam removal in history, globally,” says OSU Water Resources Engineering Professor Desiree Tullos, who is leading the research project.
She says they’ll document how the system changes as it undergoes the dam removal, “The changes in water quality, water quantity – How does that impact the food web? Things like algae, the cyanobacteria – How does that translate into disease risk for salmon? Or whitewater recreationalists? Or the tribes to perform their ceremonies?”
Over the next five years, they’ll collaborate with the Yurok Tribe in a first-of-its kind partnership, “It’s a big piece of what we’re trying to do,” says Tullos, “to document, not just the western science, but also the tribal knowledge and the tribal processes. How do they make decisions? How do they understand the system?”
She hopes the data will be useful for future dam removal plans, “There’s just not a ton of research out there that shows how the full food web responds when you have a big change in water quality. If I can say anything about what I expect, I expect to be surprised.”
The dams provide hydroelectric power for PacifiCorp, but don’t meet current fish passage guidelines. Managers determined decommissioning the dams was more cost effective than paying for the needed upgrades. Work is expected to begin next year, with the four dams slated for removal in 2024.
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