The latest news stories and stories of interest in Eugene-Springfield area and around the state of Oregon from the online digital home of the valley, WillametteValleyMagazine.com
Monday, November 23, 2020
Willamette Valley Weather
Monday A chance of rain before 1pm, then a chance of showers, mainly between 1pm and 4pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 49. Chance of precipitation is 50%. Overnight, a 20 percent chance of showers before 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40. Southeast wind around 6 mph.
Tuesday Rain, mainly after 4pm. High near 54. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Wednesday Rain, mainly before 4pm. High near 48. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
Thursday, Thanksgiving Day Mostly cloudy, with a high near 50.
Friday Mostly sunny, with a high near 50.
Saturday A slight chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 51.
For the third straight day, the Oregon Health Authority reported a record-breaking high — 1,517 — of new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 in Oregon, bringing the state total to 65,170.
COVID-19 has claimed one more life in Oregon on Sunday, raising the state’s death toll to 820, OHA reported yesterday.
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Benton (7), Clackamas (207), Clatsop (7), Columbia (8), Coos (9), Crook (6), Deschutes (38), Douglas (12), Grant (15), Hood River (6), Jackson (55), Jefferson (8), Josephine (14), Klamath (53), Lake (6), Lane (64), Lincoln (1), Linn (27), Malheur (16), Marion (183), Morrow (7), Multnomah (516), Polk (26), Umatilla (47), Union (5), Wasco (11), Washington (128), and Yamhill (35).
Among the seven new deaths reported Saturday, all were in their 70s or 80s, and either had or were suspected of having underlying health conditions. The state has had a surge in daily cases and hospitalizations since the start of November and health officials have warned that Oregonians are “dying at a faster rate” as cases surge.
It’s here… Thanksgiving week 2020. Watch out… Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said she believes residents who know their neighbors are violating the two-week freeze and the new COVID-19 protocols, which includes capping the number of people allowed in your home at six, should call the police.
“This is no different than what happens if there’s a party down the street and it’s keeping everyone awake,” Brown said in an interview Friday. “What do neighbors do [in that case? They call law enforcement because it’s too noisy. This is just like that. It’s like a violation of a noise ordinance.”
The restrictions, known as a freeze, were implemented this week via an executive order by the governor.
For the next two weeks in Oregon, and four weeks in Multnomah County, residents are banned from eating out at restaurants and going to the gym, among other restrictions. Social gatherings in our homes are also limited to no more than six people. Violators could face up to 30 days in jail, $1,250 in fines or both.
Critics of the freeze have called it unconstitutional. Clackamas County Chair-elect Tootie Smith said on FOX News the freeze made Oregonians “second-rate slaves” in their own homes.
“Look, all of this is irresponsible,” Brown said in response to those criticisms. “These are politicians seeking headlines, not public servants, trying to save lives. My top priority as governor is to keep Oregonians healthy and safe. That’s where I’m focused.”
The governor said Friday she’s promoting an “education-first” model, and she hopes enforcement won’t be needed. But she is employing the option in Oregon.
“This is about saving lives and it’s about protecting our fellow Oregonians,” she said. “We have too many sporadic cases in Oregon. We can’t trace these cases to a particular source. We have to limit gatherings and social interactions.” Stay tuned.
Springfield Police said the missing woman and vehicle that went missing on Saturday afternoon were located in the Portland area and returned to family.
Officers got a report of a missing 63-year-old woman at the Walmart on Olympic St in Springfield. When they arrived they learned that Hangale Hughart was waiting in a 2014 Ford F150 while her family ran a quick errand. However, when they came out of the store, the truck was gone.
Her family said she has dementia and is not familiar with the area. Her family was relieved she has been found and is now home again.
The anticipated Dec. 1 commercial Dungeness crab season has been delayed until at least Dec. 16 for the entire Oregon coast because testing shows crabs are too low in meat yield.
The ocean commercial Dungeness crab season can be delayed to ensure a high-quality product for consumers and to avoid wasting the resource.
Crab quality testing in early November showed a number of the test areas did not meet the criteria for a Dec. 1 opening. The delayed opening will allow crabs to fill with more meat. A second round of crab quality testing will happen after Thanksgiving and results will be used to determine if the season should open Dec. 16.
Around the state of Oregon
The year 2020 isn’t over yet, but it’s already been a roller coaster for Crater Lake National Park.
Based on figures through October, the park set five records for monthly visitation in 2020 — three for historic lows and two for historic highs. Superintendent Craig Ackerman said it was a challenge “trying to manage the day-to-day life of the park when we don’t know what to expect.”
According to park records dating back to 1982, the park saw historic low visitation in April, May and September and historic highs in July and August. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has played havoc with park programs since March. And with new mandatory restrictions imposed by Oregon Governor Kate Brown and increasing caseloads, operating plans for the winter and for 2021 remain in a state of flux.
A Bend man who was reported missing after police found his SUV crashed near Lost Creek Lake was found dead, Oregon State Police confirmed on Friday.
Troopers discovered a crashed and “badly damaged” SUV along Highway 62 near Lost Creek Lake on October 27, but first responders found that there was no-one inside the vehicle. OSP came to believe that the driver was 33-year-old Matthew Lang of Bend. He had not been in contact with friends or family since the crash. Teams from Jackson County Search & Rescue have been scouring the area for signs of Lang, but he was still considered missing for a matter of weeks after the crash.
A statement from OSP said that a Jackson County Sheriff’s deputy found Lang’s body in the river on Tuesday, a few hundred yards from the crash site. The OSP Medical Examiner’s Office later confirmed that it was Lang’s body.
On Sunday, November 22, 2020 at approximately 1:37 A.M., Oregon State Police Troopers received reports of a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) driving northbound in the southbound lanes on Interstate 5 near milepost 163.
An officer from the Cottage Grove Police Department located and attempted to stop the CMV. The CMV drove onto the shoulder and continued northbound in an attempt to elude the officer.
Near milepost 173 the CMV (2020 International), operated by Tylor Stafford (53) of Shelbyville, Texas, crashed into a southbound CMV (2019 Volvo) operated by Daryl Rickman (53) of Portland, Oregon.
Stafford’s CMV (2020 International) then crashed into the concrete barrier and burst into flames.
Stafford attempted to run on foot however he was captured by an officer from the Cottage Grove Police Department. Stafford was arrested for multiple charges including DUII, Reckless Driving, and Reckless Endangering.
Stafford nor Rickman were injured.
The northbound lanes were closed for approximately 30 minutes and the southbound lanes for approximately 3 hours. OSP was assisted by Cottage Grove Police Department, Lane County Sheriff’s Office, South Lane Fire and Rescue, and ODOT.
SNAP FOOD PROGRAM EXTENDED THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2020
Oregon received approval by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to allow Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Disaster SNAP recipients in the following 23 counties to purchase hot or prepared foods from authorized SNAP retailers until Dec. 31, 2020.
Approved counties: Benton, Clackamas, Columbia, Coos, Curry, Deschutes, Douglas, Hood River, Jackson, Josephine, Jefferson, Klamath, Lake, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Tillamook, Wasco, Washington, and Yamhill.
Normally, SNAP benefits cannot be used to purchase “hot food products prepared for immediate consumption.” This restriction is being waived following the severe winds and wildfires that led to the displacement of many residents and left them without access to a kitchen to prepare meals. Examples of allowable Prepared Foods include hot deli foods, fountain drinks, including but not limited to coffee and tea, a slice of hot/prepared pizza, hot soup, salad bars, and sandwiches.
This waiver will last through Dec. 31, 2020, and allows SNAP and DSNAP recipients to use their benefits to buy prepared food at any participating retailer that accepts SNAP EBT cards. Restaurant purchases are still prohibited.
For more information about the hot food waiver, visit https://www.oregon.gov/dhs/ASSISTANCE/FOOD-BENEFITS/Pages/DSNAP-Hot-Foods-Waiver.aspx.
A Bend man was experiencing depression as a result of his failing marriage so he went to his family physician, who counseled him on ways to improve his marriage and prescribed him marijuana and CBD.
The patient now claims in a lawsuit that all along, the doctor, Ronald Rosen, was having an affair with his wife. In a complaint filed Monday in Deschutes County Circuit Court, local musician and financial adviser Peirson Tone seeks $2.9 million from Rosen for professional negligence.
Rosen counseled Tone and offered him solutions to enhance and heal his marriage, and prescribed him herbs and breathing techniques for his depression, in addition to marijuana and CBD. Rosen has been licensed to practice medicine in Oregon since 1991, according to the Oregon Medical Board. He has no prior cases of medical malpractice.
CelebrateAg this holiday season
By Anne Marie Moss, Oregon Farm Bureau communications director
Thanksgiving is all about making time to reflect on the many things in life for which we are grateful. In conversations around the dinner table, Oregon Farm Bureau urges readers to remember the farm and ranch families who grew the food you’ll be enjoying not only on Thanksgiving day, but all year long.
While Oregon isn’t a major producer of turkeys, we do specialize in beef cattle; cattle and calves rank as Oregon’s #3 top agricultural commodity by production value, drawing in over $625 million a year.
Your holiday dining will almost certainly feature other prominent Oregon ag products. Oregon is Number 1 in the nation for producing hazelnuts and Dungeness crab; Number 2 for pears and onions; Number 3 for cranberries; and Number 4 for green peas and potatoes. Milk is Oregon’s Number 4 top ag commodity, valuing at $552 million, and is used to create a host of delicious dairy products.
You’ll #CelebrateAg when you raise a toast during the holidays. Oregon-grown hops are to thank for many of the region’s craft beers, and our state ranks Number 3 in the United States for growing hops. The Oregon wine industry has surged over the past decade, now to 1,297 vineyards with 908 wineries. Wine grapes are the state’s Number 7 top ag commodity, valuing at $238 million.
Few things are more festive than purchasing a fresh Christmas tree. Did you know that Oregon is Number 1 in the nation for Christmas tree production? Because more people are staying at home this year due to the pandemic, there is expected to be increased interest in purchasing a live, fragrant tree that can be enjoyed all season long.
Beyond seasonal favorites, there are many other reasons to #CelebrateAg.
For one, Oregon agriculture is sustainable. Through Oregon Farm Bureau’s Century Farm & Ranch Program, an impressive 1,235 farms and ranches have remained operational, on the same land, and within the same family for at least 100 years, and 47 families have reached the 150-year milestone.
Agriculture is also family-based. Nearly 97% of Oregon’s farms and ranches — including commercial-scale farms — are family-owned and operated. Some are “corporate farms” that incorporated for tax purposes or succession-plan reasons. In agriculture, “big” doesn’t mean “bad.”
Agriculture benefits the environment. The wide, open spaces created by farms and ranches not only preserve Oregon’s cherished landscapes, but also provide 70% of the state’s wildlife habitat. 551,000 acres of Oregon ag land are enrolled in the voluntary USDA Conservation Reserve Program, which helps improve water quality, prevent soil erosion, and reduce loss of wildlife habitat on private land. And, combined, U.S. agriculture, land use, and forestry are a net sink for carbon emissions, removing 172 million metric tons of C02-equivalent emissions from the atmosphere in 2017.
Whether for the simple pleasure of enjoying Oregon-grown food — or for agriculture’s countless other contributions to society — please join us and take a moment to #CelebrateAg this holiday season.
Oregon Farm Bureau President Barb Iverson comes from a multigenerational family farm from Woodburn, raising industrial hemp, grass seed, squash, vetch seed, hazelnuts, wine and table grapes, and operating the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival, which attracts over 160,000 visitors each year. Iverson is OFB’s 17th president.