Willamette Valley News, Wednesday 11/2 – Wanted Suspect Arrested After Barricading Himself in Springfield Residence, NW Natural Gas Cancels West Eugene Hydrogen Blending Project

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, November 2, 2022

Willamette Valley Weather

Wanted Suspect Arrested After Barricading Himself in Springfield Residence

On November 1st at 11:26pm , a Springfield Police Department patrol Officer was conducting a vehicle patrol of the area around 1975 5th Street. Earlier that day, the Officer had been advised of the presence of multiple wanted suspects at the address.

Due to the Officer’s proactive efforts, visual identification of Michael Glenn Baileywas established in the apartment complex. The Officer observed Bailey entering a previously contacted apartment at which point additional Officers arrived on scene.

Bailey began barricading himself in the rear of the residence. Officers attempted to communicate with Bailey, however he refused to communicate.

SWAT was deployed to the scene and continued efforts to contact Bailey. Less than lethal measures were utilized to breach a window, which resulted in response from Bailey. A sergeant with the SPD Crisis Negotiation Team established contact with Bailey and was able to persuade the suspect to exit the residence and be taken into custody.

Bailey was arrested on-scene without incident and transported to the Lane County Jail. Bailey was arrested on several outstanding felony warrants and lodged at Lane County Jail.

NW Natural Gas Cancels West Eugene Hydrogen Blending Project

NW Natural says it is canceling its plans to blend hydrogen into parts of its west Eugene natural gas pipeline system.

The utility in August filed plans with the Oregon Public Utility Commission signaling it would incorporate hydrogen into its natural gas pipelines, a small-scale test of how blending the non-carbon fuel may one day reduce systemwide greenhouse gas emissions. NW Natural withdrew the plans Tuesday , citing concerns raised by some of its customers.

NW Natural was going to build an electrolyzer, which splits water’s hydrogen and oxygen molecules, on Eugene Water and Electric Board property in west Eugene. It planned to use the hydrogen it created by injecting it into the pipes with existing natural gas, reducing by between 5%-10% the amount of carbon fuel serving its customers in the pilot project.

NW Natural, in its PUC filing Tuesday withdrawing their plans, said it had heard those concerns and agreed to cancel its plans at least until more stakeholder outreach could be conducted.

About 2,300 residential, 160 commercials, and six industrial west Eugene customers would have gotten blended natural gas through the pilot project, NW Natural Business Development Segment Manager Chris Kroeker said in August.

But hydrogen blending is a relatively new technology. While it’s used in some European and U.S. pipelines, the practice has raised concerns about safety, cost and the potential to distract from more reliable efforts to reduce GHG emissions.

Some Eugene-area environmental groups opposed the plan and called for the PUC to reject the NW Natural project.

The utility said in its filing it had considered putting the plans on hold, but is withdrawing the application instead so its timeframe for community engagement isn’t limited.

“The company was concerned that seeking to suspend or pause the procedural schedule would create the erroneous impression that this additional outreach is merely a ‘check-the-box’ exercise, and that NW Natural is unwilling to actually incorporate community input into the project,” the filing read.

“By withdrawing its application, NW Natural is seeking to convey that it is willing to engage in stakeholder outreach without a predefined time limit that would have been included as part of a motion to suspend the procedural schedule, and that it is willing to consider changes to the project in light of such outreach as well as potentially other factors, such as the Inflation Reduction Act, which was not passed when the project application was submitted.”

The filing said NW Natural still believes hydrogen blending can be safely used to reduce GHG emissions. The filing said the utility may file a new application once it has conducted more outreach with local stakeholders.

Veneta Man Jailed Following Alleged Mail Theft Incident In Oakland

A Veneta man was jailed following an alleged mail theft incident on Monday. A Douglas County Sheriff’s Office report said just after 6:30 a.m. a caller said he caught 35-year old Casey Hadley breaking into his mailbox in the 900 block of Cole Road in Oakland, and then followed the suspect to Sutherlin. The victim said the suspect placed him in imminent fear during the incident, due to the man’s behavior.

Officers in Sutherlin located Hadley and initiated a stop on South Comstock Road. Hadley and a passenger were detained. A search of his vehicle allegedly revealed stolen mail along with other items that were suspected to be stolen.

Hadley claimed he and the passenger had come to the Oakland area from River Forks Park and said he decided to “do something stupid” while the passenger was asleep. He denied breaking into the victim’s mailbox but had a prybar and long screwdriver along with bolt cutters in his possession.

DCSO said multiple reports of mail theft and criminal mischief had come in the Garden Valley area throughout the day. There were at least 15 victims.

Hadley was charged with first-degree theft, second-degree theft, four counts of recklessly endangering another person, six counts of second-degree criminal mischief, three counts of menacing, six counts of mail theft, and for reckless driving. Hadley was detained without bail.

If you plan on traveling soon, Interstate 5 drivers going south should expect weekday traffic delays through southern Douglas County for the next two months.

Oregon Department of Transportation says hazard tree removal starts Tuesday, November 1, as ODOT contractors remove trees along the highway that were damaged by the Milepost 97 Complex Fire south of Canyonville in 2019.

The work should occur 7am-3pm weekdays through the end of the year. ODOT says rolling slowdowns will apply to both directions of I-5 traffic and drivers should expect delays up to 20 minutes as southbound traffic will be affected between Weaver Road (Exit 106) and Canyon Creek Pass (milepost 90) while northbound traffic will have slowdowns from Quines Creek (Exit 86) to milepost 97, near Canyon Creek Road. 

ODOT says flaggers will stop traffic at each on-ramp in these areas for 10-20 minutes. ODOT says the work also could require lane and shoulder closures in both directions and drivers should watch for construction vehicles entering and exiting the travel lanes. https://tripcheck.com

State of Oregon surpasses House America goals to re-house hundreds of people experiencing homelessness and create more than 250 homes with supportive services  

SALEM, Ore. — The State of Oregon met the commitments it announced in August when it joined the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s House America initiative to address the nation’s homelessness crisis. Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) committed to re-housing 3,500 people by the year’s end and with the work of local partners   more than 4,300 individuals were re-housed. Local housing leaders also helped meet the goal of funding the creation of 214 permanent supportive homes for individuals and families experiencing chronic homelessness by the end of 2022, with 255 in the pipeline. 

“Like many of our partners across Oregon, OHCS does not accept homelessness as a fact of life. All people of Oregon are worth fighting for and deserve safe, stable, and affordable housing,” said OHCS Director Andrea Bell. “Let this milestone be yet another proof point that positive housing outcomes can prevail when we tackle the urgency of this challenge with community inform and data driven solutions that center humanity at the local, state, and federal levels.  This is just the beginning of relentless efforts to end homelessness across Oregon’s beloved communities. To all the homeless service providers: thank you for your steadfast leadership and compassion in connecting people to housing. We see you and appreciate you.” 

House America is a partnership between HUD, the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness and state and local leaders from over 105 communities across 31 states and territories to use resources from the American Rescue Plan to address the nation’s homelessness crisis. Participating states and communities commit to achieving specific goals on the number of people experiencing homelessness that will be permanently housed and the number of affordable and supportive housing units that will be added to the development process by the end of 2022. These collective efforts aim to re-house at least 100,000 households experiencing homelessness nationwide and add at least 20,000 new affordable homes into the development pipeline.  

OHCS and other House America partners have worked diligently with HUD and the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness to use federal, state, and local resources to help reach national goals. 

“I congratulate Governor Kate Brown and Oregon Housing and Community Services for achieving the goals set under House America,” said Secretary Marcia L. Fudge. “Because of their leadership, collaborative efforts, and commitment to proven Housing First solutions to homelessness, more than 4,300 Oregonians have a place to call home with more homes on the way. We encourage other states and localities to follow their lead to meet and exceed their respective House America goals.” 

The State of Oregon and three other communities in Oregon – City of Eugene, Washington County and City of Bend – joined more than 100 states, cities, counties and Tribes in pledging to respond with urgency to meet the needs of community members who need access to a safe and stable place to call home. For more information, visit the HUD House America website

Enroll now for 2023 health coverage

(Salem) – The annual open enrollment period for health coverage starts today, Nov. 1. Open enrollment is the only time when anyone who are not offered coverage from a job or a public program like the Oregon Health Plan or Medicare can enroll in health coverage through the Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace, often with financial help.

Things to know for this open enrollment:

  • Eligibility rules have changed this year, making health coverage more affordable for thousands of Oregonians. Previously, people offered health coverage through a spouse or parent’s employer could not access financial help if the least expensive plan offered to only the employee was considered affordable. New rules allow people who previously were ineligible for financial help through the Marketplace if that coverage is considered unaffordable to the enrollee.
  • Nearly 80 percent of Oregonians who applied for financial help qualified in 2022. The average amount of financial help received was $483 per month.
  • Oregonians have choices when it comes to choosing their health plan. All Oregonians have at least four insurance companies and 26 plans to choose from.
  • Free local help is available throughout the state. Licensed insurance agents and trained community groups can be found at OregonHealthCare.gov/GetHelp.

Sorting through health coverage options can be confusing, but Oregonians should know that there are tools. OregonHealthCare.gov offers a quick and easy-to-use window-shopping tool where users can preview what plans and savings are available to them. The tool also allows users to see which plans cover their prescription drugs and are networked with their preferred doctors or hospitals. A new tool available at OregonHealthCare.gov can help you figure out if job-based coverage is considered affordable.

Bottom line: we encourage all Oregonians who do not currently have health coverage available to start at OregonHealthCare.gov. There they can see if health coverage offered from a job is considered affordable, preview plans and savings, and find an expert to guide them through the process.

### The Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace, a part of state government, helps people get health insurance when they do not have job-based coverage, and do not qualify for the Oregon Health Plan or another program. The Marketplace is the state-level partner to HealthCare.gov. For more information, go to OregonHealthCare.gov.

Contest promoting young worker safety in Oregon is open to high school students; submissions due Feb. 17, 2023

Salem – High school students across Oregon are encouraged to let their video or graphic design skills shine by engaging in a competition held for a good cause: increasing awareness about workplace safety for young workers. 

They will have the opportunity to do so using updated contest rules. Those rules empower them to choose a key message, theme, or tagline for their video or graphic design piece. This is different than previous contests that featured a predesignated tagline.

The 2023 media contest, organized by the Oregon Young Employee Safety Coalition (O[yes]), is now open for submissions.

The contest calls on participants to capture the attention of high school teens and persuade them to take the O[yes] online Safety Awareness Training to boost their knowledge of how to stay safe and healthy while on the job.

Contestants may do so by either creating a video that is between 30 to 90 seconds in length or by crafting a graphic design piece. They get to choose a key message, theme, or tagline to help make their media project stand out and effectively reach their audience.

The top three entries in each of the two media categories will take home cash prizes ranging from $300 to $500. In each category, the first-place winner’s school, club, or organization will receive a matching award. 

Some contestants may dream up a bold, splashy graphic design to get their message across. Others may grab a smartphone or camera and develop a video that captivates their audience with documentary-style seriousness. Either way, contestants are expected to choose their key message, theme, or tagline in a wise manner as they work to persuade teens to take positive action by using the O[yes] online Safety Awareness Training.

While they carry out their projects, contestants must ensure the health and safety of their team. No one should be endangered while creating their video or graphic design project. 

The deadline for submissions is 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17, 2023. 

Contestants are encouraged to submit entries online. Submissions may also be mailed on a USB thumb drive. All participants will be invited to a live-streamed event in which all finalist submissions will be shown and the top three winners in each category will be revealed.

For more information about the entry form and rulescontest expectations, and resources – including graphic design and video examples, and the entries that won in 2022 – visit the O[yes] online contest page

The contest sponsors are local Oregon chapters of the American Society of Safety Professionals, Construction Safety Summit, Central Oregon Safety & Health Association, Hoffman Construction Company, Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences at OHSU, Oregon OSHA, SafeBuild Alliance, SAIF Corporation, Oregon SHARP Alliance, and the Oregon Utility Notification Center.

### Oregon OSHA, a division of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, enforces the state’s workplace safety and health rules and works to improve workplace safety and health for all Oregon workers. For more information, go to osha.oregon.gov.

The Department of Consumer and Business Services is Oregon’s largest business regulatory and consumer protection agency. For more information, go to oregon.gov/dcbs.

The Oregon Young Employee Safety Coalition (O[yes]) is a nonprofit dedicated to preventing young worker injuries and fatalities. O[yes] members include safety and health professionals, educators, employers, labor and trade associations, and regulators. For more information, go to youngemployeesafety.org.

County clerks throughout Oregon are seeing many forms of media that is incorrect and misleading voters regarding Oregon elections

Election Day is fast approaching and sadly so is all of the misinformation. The county clerks throughout Oregon are seeing many forms of media that is incorrect and misleading voters regarding Oregon elections. This includes but is not limited to texts, emails, calls and social media posts. Some are even made to look like they are from a trusted source.

Be cautious, know your trusted source. If you hear or see anything from a source other than the County Clerk’s Office or the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office, please verify the information with your County Clerk’s Office. Do not be misled.

Turnout this year could be crucial to the results. Voters have key races to decide and several are highly competitive, including the three-way gubernatorial contest between Democrat Tina Kotek, Republican Christine Drazan and unaffiliated candidate Betsy Johnson. Three congressional races also could be tight, including for the 4th, 5th and 6th districts. Those results could influence the balance of power in the U.S. House.

Oregon voters are also deciding the makeup of the state’s next Legislature, which Democrats have dominated for years.  “There are a lot of close races, and they could be won very narrowly,” said John Horvick, senior vice president and an elections expert at Portland-based DHM Research. “Every vote matters. And though that’s a cliche, it really is true.”

All Oregon Voters Should Have Their Ballots by Now – Warned of Disinformation and Lies about Voting

Now that November election ballots are blanketing the state, Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan is sending out the message that voting here continues to be fair and secure. She says that Oregon has a robust system for ensuring the integrity of elections, including regularly updating voter rolls and checking voter signatures to validate the vote.

“Every single signature is checked. Every one. Not just a sample, not just a statistical amount. Every single signature is checked to make sure that’s the person who actually did vote.”

Former president Donald Trump and his supporters are continuing to repeat lies and disinformation about widespread fraud in U.S. elections and specifically about the security of mail-in voting, which Fagan says is affecting the job of county-level election officials here in Oregon.

“Sadly it’s a conspiracy that’s believed by about one in five Oregon voters and that’s a significant amount of our population,” she said. “We know it’s safe and secure here in Oregon. But yes, those conspiracy theories definitely are wearing on our county elections officials.”

Earlier this week, the Siuslaw News reported on a conservative group called the “Florence Liberty Alliance, which put up a post on its Facebook page asking for volunteers for a “Ballot Box Watch Team.” Fagan’s office is encouraging Oregon voters to “know their rights” and urging anyone who feels someone is trying to intimidate them at the ballot box or elsewhere to report it to her office online, by calling 503-986-1518 or emailing elections.sos@sos.oregon.gov.

“Intimidation can include aggressive or harassing questions about whether someone is qualified to vote that are intended to interfere with the right to vote … questions about citizenship status, criminal record, residency or other personal information or questions about how you intend to vote.”

Fagan says she hopes that their education campaign “Voting in Oregon Feels Good,” will resonate with Oregonians and encourage voter turnout. Ballots in the November election must be turned in or postmarked by Nov. 8.

All registered voters in Oregon should have received their ballots in the mail by now. Those who have their ballots must be sure to get them turned in or postmarked by 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 8, in order to have their votes counted. Ballots put into any official ballot drop box by 8 p.m. that night will be counted.

Anyone who did not get a ballot or received a damaged ballot should contact their county’s elections office to get a new one right away. Find your county elections office

According to the Oregon Secretary of State’s office, if someone requests a new ballot, their old ballot will be canceled, to prevent any attempts at voting more than once.

Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan assures Oregonians our upcoming election next week will be safe and fair. She outlined the process they are going through to assure election credibility. It starts with accurate voter registration records.

Oregon works with Federal, State and county elections officials to keep the list up to date and accurate. With accurate voter registration records we know only eligible voters are sent a ballot. Next, they take steps to prevent fraudulent voting. Every ballot envelope gets a unique barcode matched to a voter, and every signature on every returned ballot is verified.

These and other measures ensure that voter fraud in Oregon is exceedingly rare. When it happens, we catch it and the votes don’t count. Finally, they conduct post-election audits to verify the accuracy of the results. That’s how we know the results of the election match the will of the voters.

You can find this information in an infographic on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram and I encourage you to share it. Knowing these basic facts helps prevent people from falling for false information they may encounter online. Learn more at http://Oregonvotes.gov/Integrity

Voting in Oregon feels GOOD

It’s time to get #VoteReady: Just grab your ballot and a blue or black pen!☑️ You don’t even need a stamp☑️ It’s not a test: you can vote on every candidate and measure, or leave some blank☑️ How you vote is private. Make a plan to vote! http://OregonVotes.gov#TrustedInfo2022

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