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, February 22, 2023
Willamette Valley Weather
WINTER WEATHER ADVISOR YISSUED: 8:05 AM FEB. 22, 2023 – NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM PST THURSDAY... * WHAT...Snow. Additional snow accumulations of 3 to 5 inches. * WHERE...Central Willamette Valley and South Willamette Valley. * WHEN...Until 10 AM PST Thursday. * IMPACTS...Plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous conditions could impact the morning or evening commute. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Slow down and use caution while traveling. For the latest road conditions call 5 1 1, or visit for Oregon: https://www.tripcheck.com and for Washington: https://wsdot.com/travel/real-time/map
Lawsuit Claims City Of Cottage Grove And It’s Police Department Violate Oregon’s Sanctuary Law
The city of Cottage Grove and its police department have used public funds to help enforce federal immigration rules, which violates Oregon law, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Lane County Circuit Court.
The lawsuit, filed by the Rural Organizing Project, said the city and police had “adopted policies” that “direct officials to engage in activities that constitute immigration enforcement and to use public funds to support federal agencies in their activities.” to support and assist in enforcing immigration”.
The lawsuit seeks an injunction to prevent the city and its police force from “unlawfully using public resources to participate in or assist in the enforcement of federal immigration laws.”
Oregon law prohibits local government agencies from using public funds to enforce federal immigration laws.
Oregon has long drawn a line between public funds used to enforce state criminal laws and enforcement of federal immigration laws, which is a civil violation. Across the country they are known as the Sanctuary Laws or Disentanglement Statues.
Oregon has one of the oldest sanctuary laws in the country, first passed by the legislature in 1987 and serving as a model for others.
Since then, voters have rejected a ballot measure to repeal the law, and lawmakers have passed measures strengthening and clarifying it, most recently in 2021 with House Bill 3265, known as the Sanctuary Promise Act. The law includes a number of provisions that block the information that public agencies can share with federal immigration officials, prohibit the collection of information about citizenship status, and prevent state law enforcement agencies from detaining individuals for immigration officials.
The lawsuit, filed against Cottage Grove, a town of 10,000 people 20 miles south of Eugene, alleges that public funds — including the town’s jail — were used to help enforce federal immigration rules.
The complaint said the city and its police provided the identities and contact information of people it arrested to federal immigration officials. It also said the city and police have notified immigration officials when someone is being released from their jail, “granted federal immigration officials non-public access to those held in jail,” and have held people past their release so immigration officials could have time around arrive at the prison and presumably arrest them.
The town of Cottage Grove and the Cottage Grove Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit.
“To be honest, we don’t know how common this is,” Jess Campbell, executive director of the Rural Organizing Project, told OPB.
She said when local law enforcement cooperates with federal immigration officials, it damages trust and makes people less likely to call the police when they need help.
“Oregonians have reiterated time and time again that we want our Protections Act upheld, and we want local law enforcement to focus their resources on local priorities and not support enforcement of federal immigration laws,” Campbell said. Source
Oregon Schools Responded to False Reports Of An Active Shooter Tuesday
𝙃𝙤𝙖𝙭 𝘾𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙎𝙤𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙣 𝙊𝙧𝙚𝙜𝙤𝙣 𝙎𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙡𝙨: There were a number of non-legitimate threats at schools across Oregon Tuesday. A swatting call was made from the same phone number to two other local school districts and South Medford.
Tuesday morning, Ashland Police Department received a false call of a person shot at Ashland High School. Officers responded and AHS went into lock down. APD searched the building and found nothing wrong.
While this was occurring. a similar call was received for a Medford High School. After AHS was determined to be all clear, the investigation revealed that this same phone number has called in similar events nationally over the last few weeks. APD will continue to investigate.
Hoax Calls to Schools in Throughout Oregon
UPDATED RELEASE 02-21-2023 2:45 PM DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ore. – All Douglas County schools have been released from lockdown.
The Sheriff’s Office, working in conjunction with other local law enforcement agencies, responded this morning to false reports of active shooters in various Douglas County schools. Law Enforcement responded to each report utilizing active shooter response protocols and assessed each situation. Out of an abundance of caution, all schools were advised to activate their lockdown procedures.
Each school in the county was visited by law enforcement and determined to be safe at which point that school would be released from the lockdown. All lockdowns have been lifted and classes have resumed. If you have further concerns, please contact your local school office.
The Sheriff’s Office was in communication with school administrators and the Douglas Education Services District who assisted greatly during the initial response phase.
Douglas County Sheriff’s Office also stated in a Facebook post that reports of an active shooter at various Douglas County schools are false and ask parents not to pick up their child at school.
FROM DOUGLAS COUNTY SHERIIFF —-Law enforcement is receiving FALSE reports of an active shooter at various Douglas County Schools. At this time, all reports are false. However, law enforcement is responding to each report and taking each report seriously. Law enforcement is working in partnership with all schools to ensure safety of students and staff.
Parents may have a reaction to want to pick up their child from school and we urge parents to please not do that. Doing so can result in additional chaos and panic as well as detract law enforcement from focusing on their assigned tasks. “We believe these to be swatting incidents to instigate police response and generate panic among responders and community members,” Lt. Brad O’Dell said. “There have been similar incidents occurring nationwide for at least the past 24 hours. Law Enforcement will respond to and assess each incident appropriately.”
Lt O’Dell also recommends that the community avoid calling 9-1-1 or the non-emergency number to check on the status of these incidents or to inquire about picking up students. “The 9-1-1 center is being overrun with these calls making managing an already stressful incident even more so,” he said. “This also prevents delays in answering other life or death emergency calls and dispatching the appropriate resources.” The community is urged to look to credible news sources, government and local emergency response organizations for updates to avoid misinformation.
Hermiston School District placed Hermiston High School in lockdown Tuesday, Feb. 21, due to a “swatting” report of shots fired at the school, according to a release from the school district.
Due to its proximity, West Park Elementary School also was placed in lockdown, as a precautionary measure.
Hermiston High School is one of multiple schools in the state that received swatting calls Feb. 21, which is a prank call made to draw a large number of emergency services to a particular address. Media reports indicate similar incidents at La Grande and Baker high schools. Pendleton High School has reported not receiving one of the calls.
“At about noon we received a broadcast from Oregon State Police Southern Command Center identifying that there was a possible swatting incident involving several high schools in Ashland, Sutherlin, South Umpqua, and Roseburg,” Pendleton Police Chief Charles Byram said. “Someone was claiming there was an active shooter in each of these schools. That claim was false.”
Byram said once there was time for law enforcement to compare notes, agencies realized the calls all came from the same phone number with what he described as a similar heavily-accented male voice.
LCSO Case #23-00972 — Death Investigation at Cougar Reservoir
On Saturday 02/18/2023 at approximately 4:22pm, the Lane County Sheriff’s Office received a report that a man had fallen off a cliff located between the Aufderheide Hwy (USFS Rd. 19) and Cougar Reservoir, near the Terwilliger Hot Springs. First responders arrived and were able to see the man lying motionless on the ground at the bottom of a cliff, but due to the extreme terrain, the rescuers were not able to immediately reach him. Lane County Sheriff Search and Rescue personnel had also been enroute and upon arrival used ropes to rappel down the cliff.
The victim, a 22-year old man from the Salem area, was determined to be deceased. His identity is being withheld at this time.
Preliminary investigation shows that the man’s fall was likely accidental.
Rural residents asked to help update Lane County’s Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan by taking survey
Residents who live outside the Eugene-Springfield area are being asked to take a short online survey to help update Lane County’s Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan.
Take the survey at www.LaneCountyOR.gov/mitigation (QR code attached).
Lane County’s Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan is updated every five years. Mitigation means taking action now to reduce our long-term risk from natural hazards. It is our local blueprint to help protect people and property. Updating this plan also makes Lane County and its partners cities eligible for federal grants and funding to help mitigate potential impacts from disasters such as fuels reduction reduces our risk to wildfires.
“Lane County is a beautiful place. There aren’t many counties where you can ski and surf in the same day, but alongside this natural beauty that we all appreciate is a high risk for natural disasters,” said Lane County Emergency Manager Patence Winningham. “We regularly experience flooding, wildfire, severe winter storms, and we are at high risk of significant seismic events – including the major Cascadia earthquake.”
Residents can weigh in on the plan update: Do you think Lane County should focus on fuels reduction? Updating culverts and bridges to withstand flooding? Or something else? Take the short survey to tell us what you think the plan should focus on first.
Paper copies of the survey can be requested by calling 541-682-6967 or emailing licInformation@LaneCountyOR.gov“>PublicInformation@LaneCountyOR.gov.
Merkley and Wyden Announce Over $5.4 Million Coming To Oregon For Natural Disaster Recovery
Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced that the Port of Brookings Harbor and the Oregon Department of Forestry will be receiving $5,417,255 from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for disaster recovery efforts through its Public Assistance Program.
“Oregon’s devastating winter storms and wildfire season take a heavy toll on many communities across the state, and we need to continue to do everything we can help them recover and rebuild,” said Senator Merkley. “I’m glad this federal funding is headed to the Port of Brookings Harbor and the Oregon Department of Forestry to help ease the expensive burden communities have taken on to recover and move forward following severe weather events. I will keep working to ensure Oregon communities have the tools they need to recover and become more resilient in the face of future wildfires and winter storms while we take on the climate chaos that is intensifying these disasters.”
“The destructive punches from winter weather and wildfires in Oregon sometimes slam our state to the point that federal help is needed to assist with the rebound in communities large and small,” Wyden said. “I’m gratified the Port of Brookings Harbor and the state Department of Forestry have secured these much-needed federal funds, and I’ll keep battling to deliver similar resources for communities recovering from similar disasters across our state.”
The award amounts and information can be found below:
- Port of Brookings Harbor: $1,835,304 for debris removal operations following severe winter storms and flooding, which caused excessive sediment to be deposited into the Port of Brookings Harbor.
- Oregon Department of Forestry: $3,581,951 for management costs resulting from wildfires and straight-line winds.
Wyden, Merkley: Nearly $19 Million To Oregon To Ensure Clean Drinking Water In Rural And Underserved Communities
U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley this week announced Oregon will receive $18.9 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to address emerging contaminants like Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in drinking water.
“Access to clean drinking water is a human right that is undermined by the presence of PFAS and other contaminants that often go unaddressed in too many water systems around the state due to outdated infrastructure,” said Wyden, who supported the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. “These dollars will go a long way to identify the communities affected by PFAS contamination, neutralize the pollutants, and then safeguard our state’s future drinking water sources.”
“PFAS contamination represents an urgent public health threat across our nation, with millions of Americans consuming PFAS-contaminated water that could put them and their children at higher risk for cancer, birth defects, and other devastating health outcomes,” said Senator Merkley, who, as Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior and the Environment, wrote the legislation funding the EPA. “This funding to promote clean and safe drinking water for all Oregonians is vital as we work to combat PFAS contamination across the country.”
Oregon received this funding through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities (EC-SDC) Grant Program that assesses and improves access to safe and clean water in small, rural, and disadvantaged communities while supporting local economies.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests $5 billion over five years to help communities that are on the frontlines of PFAS contamination reduce PFAS in drinking water. EPA announced the funds for Oregon as part of a $2 billion nationwide investment so that states and territories can source water treatment for pollutants, like PFAS and other emerging contaminants, and to conduct water quality testing.
“Oregonians deserve clean, safe drinking water,” said EPA Region 10 Administrator Casey Sixkiller.”Thanks to this historic investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA is delivering on its commitment to address PFAS and emerging contaminants by providing more than $18 million to safeguard Oregon’s drinking water and protect communities from these dangerous chemicals.”
Medical Examiner Says Man Found Dead In Happy Valley Fire Was Killed
The Oregon state medical examiner said Tuesday that someone killed a man found dead inside a burning apartment building last week.
Firefighters with Clackamas Fire District No. 1 responded to the fire at the Avana at Happy Valley Apartments on Southeast Causey Avenue on Thursday, Feb. 16.
Firefighters discovered the body and called the sheriff’s office.
Officials identified the dead man as 35-year-old Jeremy Paul Kellogg of Portland.
The sheriff’s office said he was frequently in downtown Portland and sometimes went by the nickname “Billy.”
Anyone with information about this case or who noticed suspicious activity at Building F at the apartment complex is asked to contact the sheriff’s office tip line at 503-723-4949 or by using the online form at https://www.clackamas.us/sheriff/tip and reference CCSO Case # 23-003463.
70-Year-Old Skier Dies At Mt. Ashland Ski Area
Sunday, a 70-year-old man was found on Mt. Ashland, unresponsive from an apparent cardiac incident. Ski Patrol initiated CPR and other lifesaving efforts on the Upper Romeo trail.
A Mercy Flight helicopter arrived in the ski area’s medical room, where the man was pronounced dead.
“Our team is devastated at this loss,” said Andrew Gast, Mt. Ashland’s General Manager. “Mt. Ashland is a very close-knit community and we care deeply for our mountain family. We are extremely grateful to all of our staff, Ski Patrollers, Ashland Fire and Rescue, and Mercy Flights for their excellent response and medical care they provided. Our entire mountain team offers our sincerest condolences to the family and friends who were affected by this loss.”
Oregon Lawmakers Consider Allowing Self-Pumping Gas Stations Statewide Again
House Bill 2426 would allow for self-service gas pumps. But it would require gas stations in some counties to keep attendants for drivers who might need help filling up — and to protect those jobs.
A bipartisan group of state lawmakers is going at it yet again trying to give Oregonians the power to pump their own gasoline.
The bill would require gas stations to keep no less than half of their pumps full-service in 16 counties that are mostly in western Oregon. Stations could be totally self-service in eastern Oregon or on most of the coast.
Self-service gas has long been a white whale for Oregon drivers frustrated with long waits at the pump and, lately, understaffed gas stations. Oregon law has required attendants to pump gas since 1951 in part to provide jobs and prevent spills.
Lawmakers carved out an exception for counties with less than 40,000 residents in 2018, making the state a confusing patchwork of different rules , the bill’s sponsors say.
A similar bill died in last year’s short legislative session because of a last-minute shakeup, Willamette Week reported. In July, former Gov. Kate Brown temporarily allowed self-service pumping to protect workers during a blistering heatwave.
The Office of the State Fire Marshal enforces Oregon’s law at the pump. During the hearing, Chief Deputy Travis Medina said the office received no safety complaints when the rules were relaxed.
The Northwest Grocery Association supports the bill as does Oregonians for Choice at the Pump, an advocacy group. Both are represented by lobbyist Shawn Miller. Source
Newport Seafood & Wine Festival Starts Thursday
The Newport Seafood & Wine Festival is returning this week, after having to cancel the past two years.
The Newport Seafood & Wine Festival is Newport’s largest annual event. It started in 1977 with the intention to boost the local economy during the slowest time of the year.
Today, the four-day event draws thousands of visitors to Newport during the last full weekend February, boasting over 125 vendors: seafood vendors, craftspeople, and Northwest wineries all under a tented venue adjacent to the Rogue brewery in South Beach.
More than 300 volunteers, a dedicated volunteer committee, and local support from city and county agencies make this annual event possible. Presenting Sponsor Chinook Winds Casino Resort has generously supported the event for the past thirteen years. MORE INFO: Newport Seafood & Wine Festival
