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

Tuesday, January 5, 2021 

Willamette Valley Weather

Today- A 30 percent chance of rain after 5pm. Patchy fog before 11am. Snow level 2800 feet rising to 3300 feet. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 51. South wind 7 to 9 mph.

Wednesday- Rain. High near 50. South wind around 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Thursday- A 10 percent chance of rain after 5pm. Snow level 3100 feet lowering to 2300 feet. Partly sunny, with a high near 50. East southeast wind 3 to 5 mph.

Friday- Showers likely, mainly before 11am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 48. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Saturday- Mostly cloudy, with a high near 47.

The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (10), Clackamas (67), Clatsop (2), Columbia (10), Coos (20), Curry (2), Deschutes (45), Douglas (14), Harney (2), Jackson (40), Jefferson (6), Josephine (16), Klamath (31), Lake (1), Lane (62), Lincoln (4), Linn (10), Marion (79), Morrow (4), Multnomah (92), Polk (16), Tillamook (2), Umatilla (24), Union (4), Wasco (2), Washington (141) and Yamhill (22).

COVID-19 has claimed six more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 1,506, the Oregon Health Authority reported on Monday. Oregon Health Authority reported 731 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. Monday, bringing the state total to 118,456. Oregon had two-thousand-431 new cases of COVID-19
reported over the weekend along with ten new deaths. There are 109 patients hospitalized in ICU’s. There have been 15-hundred deaths and more than 117-thousand cases of COVID-19 in Oregon since the pandemic began. Nearly 49-thousand people have been vaccinated against the virus.

 Oregon is preparing to start using a mobile phone app that will tell you if you came in contact with someone who has a confirmed case of COVID-19. The Oregon Health Authority says Apple inadvertently turned on the app too soon. It’s being tested by Oregon State University. OHA says the project is still under development, and they
haven’t said when the app will go active. Washington, and several other states, are currently using the app.

What’s the best way to build immunity against COVID-19?

Some people may be wondering if getting a COVID-19 vaccine is as effective at building immunity as getting infected by the virus. The answer is that the body will build immunity to COVID-19 in a different way with the vaccine than through infection.

However, infection has the potential to lead to serious symptoms, which may prove to be deadly. Natural immunity, which is gained from having an infection, may not even last very long. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), natural immunity also varies from person to person and there is real potential for re-infection.    

Vaccination is the best tool we have to help us end the COVID-19 pandemic in Oregon and across the globe. The mRNA vaccines developed by Pfizer and Moderna give our cells instructions for how to make a harmless protein that is unique to the virus. Our bodies recognize that the protein should not be there and build T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes that will remember how to fight the virus that causes COVID-19 if we are infected in the future.

By getting vaccinated, wearing masks, washing our hands, staying physically distant and avoiding large indoor gatherings, we can help stop the spread of COVID-19. If enough of us get vaccinated, we can achieve community immunity and the virus will not spread so quickly.  

Learn more at Oregon Health Authority’s COVID-19 Vaccine page in English or Spanish.

City of Eugene To Offer Free PPE To Small Businesses & Nonprofits

The City of Eugene plans to distribute millions of units of Personal Protective Equipment, or PPE, to small businesses and nonprofits for free this month. Eligible businesses and organizations can begin applying on Jan. 12.

To comply with COVID-19 protocols, businesses and organizations are required to use masks and sometimes gloves. Costs can add up, but the city is hoping to relieve some of the burden by offering PPE for free.

“We recognize that because this is a worldwide pandemic access to these supplies not only is a dwindling resource, but it’s also become [a] very expensive resource,” Amy Hartsfield said. Hartsfield is the Deputy Operations Chief with the city’s Emergency Operations Center.The City of Eugene plans to give out masks, gloves, and antiseptic wipes to eligible businesses and nonprofits in an effort to offer some relief in COVID-19 related expenses. Applications open Jan. 12.

“Anything we can do to help our community members and the businesses in the area to stay safe, and slow the spread of COVID, is something that we think is incredibly valuable,” she said.

Through a partnership with Business Oregon, the state’s economic development agency, the city acquired a stock of 14,000 boxes of medium and large gloves, nearly 4 million masks, and 32,000 boxes of antiseptic wipes. 

All supplies will be given out through an application process on a first come first serve basis. Once approved, businesses and nonprofits can receive a two-month supply of PPE.

“We believe we will be able to give about 2,000 businesses almost everything,” Hartsfield said. Hartfield added that based on their estimation, they’ll run out of gloves and wipes but will continue to distribute masks until those are gone.

To qualify for free PPE, small businesses and nonprofits have to be located or headquartered in Eugene, have a 100 or fewer employees and have an Oregon Business Registry number. Registration opens on Jan. 12 on the City of Eugene’s website: https://www.eugene-or.gov/4624/Free-Supplies-for-Small-Businesses

Authorities Seek To Identify Man Involved In Robbery Of Eugene AmPm Store

The Lane County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s assistance identifying and locating a suspect in a robbery.

On December 24, 2020 at approximately 3:30 a.m., the Lane County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a robbery at the AmPm market on River Road and Azalea Drive in Eugene.

The suspect reportedly entered the market and presented a note to the cashier, then left on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash.

The suspect is described as a white male, approximately 30-40 years old with a medium build, and is estimated to be between 5’06” and 6’00” tall.

At the time of the robbery he was wearing a black jacket over a gray hooded sweatshirt, gray pants, and black shoes with red and white accents (pictured).

The suspect wore a hood over his head and a face mask, but he had dark colored eyebrows.

If you know the identity or location of the suspect, contact Detective Greg Jones with the Lane County Sheriff’s Office at (541) 682-2342, or call (541) 682-4150 then press 1.

Do not attempt to contact or apprehend the suspect, police said.

Eugene Police Identify Person Killed In New Year’s Day Crash

Eugene police on Monday identified the man who died in a car crash on Highway 99 on New Year’s Day. 

At 7:19 a.m. Friday police responded to a report of a single vehicle that crashed into a crosswalk pole on Highway 99 and Fairfield Avenue. Two people were in the car. EPD released their identities Monday afternoon.

Mikel Steven Johnston, 41, of Eugene was riding passenger and found deceased at the scene. 

Geoffrey Dwayne Gibson, 41, of Eugene was driving the car and is still in the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries as of Monday. 

According to a news release, “The vehicle was travelling northbound at a high rate of speed, and the case is still under investigation.” The crash still is being investigated by the department’s Major Collision Investigation team.

3 Arrested In Eugene As Officers Respond To Report Of Car Theft In Progress

Officers arrested three men after responding to a report of a car theft in progress early Monday morning, Eugene Police said.

The owner of a Honda Civic parked on Jacobs Drive called police at 1;39 a.m. to report “two men were in the process of stealing her vehicle and a third man was also present in a truck waiting nearby.”

Officer arrived on scene and contacted the men. “Two of the men, identified as Stephen Ray Friend, age 30, of Springfield, and Shawn Vincent Kanzulak-Wills, age 24, were found to have gotten into the Honda and attempted to hot-wire and then jump-pack charge it,” police said. Police arrested all three men.

Officers charged Friend with Unlawful Use Vehicle, Unlawful Entry Motor Vehicle, Possession of Methamphetamine Prior Felony Conviction, Felon in Possession of a Restricted Weapon.

Officers charged Kanzulak-Wills with Unlawful Use Vehicle, Unlawful Entry Motor Vehicle.

The third man – identified as Jesse Ward Anderson, 43, of Springfield – was charged with Possession of Burglary Tool or Theft Device, Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance Methamphetamine – felony (over 5 grams), and Felon in Possession of a Restricted Weapon (brass knuckles).

AROUND the STATE of OREGON

A Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect for the Cascades, including Willamette Pass and Santiam Pass.

“Heaviest snow expected above 4500 feet, with total snow accumulations of 5 to 10 inches. Winds gusting as high as 40 mph,” the National Weather Service said. “Travel could be very difficult.”

Snow levels fell from 5,500 feet Monday morning down as low as 3,000 by midnight last night. That is below pass level on Highway 58 and US 20 over the Cascades.

Meanwhile, The National Weather Service says “dangerous high surf along southern Oregon beaches and shorelines will continue into Thursday morning.” Surf heights will remain near peak values of 23-27 feet. Beach erosion is possible, as well as damage to exposed infrastructure Beachgoers should stay off of jetties, rocks, and logs. Beachcombing is strongly discouraged. An active weather pattern will continue into the weekend with another episode of dangerous surf conditions possibly beginning early Friday.

Over the weekend, Congressman Cliff Bentz was officially sworn in as a member of the
117th U.S. Congress, representing Oregon’s Second Congressional District.

Bentz, a Republican, was elected in November after beating Democratic candidate Alex Spenser. He replaces longtime Congressman Greg Walden, who announced last year that he would retire from politics instead of seeking another term. The massive 2nd District encompasses most of south, central, and eastern Oregon. It has become the
state’s only reliably Republican federal seat in recent years. “It is an honor to represent the citizens of Oregon’s Second Congressional District, and I humbly thank them for entrusting me with this responsibility,” said Bentz. “I will fight every day to protect rural communities and stand up for Oregon values in Congress.” Bentz was accompanied at the swearing-in by his wife, Dr. Lindsay Norman. Bentz formerly served as a state Senator in the Oregon legislature.

The start of a new year brings with it new laws that take effect throughout the state.

The new year means increased taxes on cigarettes and cigars, in addition to a new tax on nicotine vaping products with the passage of Oregon Measure 108 in the November general election. Cigarettes taxes increased by $2 to $3.33 per pack. Taxes on cigars doubled to $1. Vaping products and e-cigarettes are taxed at 65% of the wholesale
price. The money from the new taxes will largely go toward funding the Oregon Health Plan, with 10% of the tax revenue funding smoking prevention programming.

The Oregon DMV will no longer require proof of U.S. citizenship or legal residency to obtain an Oregon divers license after a bill passed by the state legislature in the summer of 2019 removed the requirement. Those licenses will not include automatic voter registration like other Oregon licenses. To get a license, the person must still show proof of residency in Oregon, pay fees and pass a driving test.

Voters also passed Measure 110 in November which decriminalizes possession of small amounts of Schedule I drugs beginning Feb. 1. Those found in possession of amounts of drugs like heroin and LSD deemed for personal use will only face a $100 fine for a class E violation. The fine can be waived if the person seeks treatment.

More than two dozen Native American and Alaska Native tribes and cultural groups from the Northwest are suing the federal government to stop the sale of the National Archives building in Seattle, a plan that would force the relocation of millions of invaluable historical records to California and Missouri.

The government is planning to sell the vast warehouse under a law aimed at unloading excess federal property, but the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court on Monday says the building is anything but “excess.” It contains irreplaceable documents dating to the 1840s and is used all the time for research about everything from tribal history to Japanese
internment during World War II and fur seal hunts on remote Alaskan islands. The National Archives building is one of a dozen properties around the country, collectively valued at $500 million to $750 million, identified for sale by the Public Buildings Reform Board. The board initially intended to sell the properties individually, but has announced
that due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s effect on the commercial real estate market, it will offer the buildings early this year for an expedited sale as a single portfolio.

Construction begins on FEMA housing sites for Linn and Marion counties wildfire victims

The Mill City site will hold up to 16 temporary housing units, according to the Federal Emergency Management Association. FEMA is setting up utilities and making sure they are accessible before the mobile homes arrive.

La-Tanga Hopes, a FEMA official, said the homes are expected to arrive in Mill City in three to four weeks, depending on the weather.

In Oregon, 250 families have been approved to receive FEMA Direct Temporary Housing. The agency says that number has decreased over time as many households have located alternate temporary or permanent housing on their own.

In order to qualify for the Direct Temporary Housing program, Hopes said wildfire victims must file a claim, which is then assessed. A person is eligible for temporary housing if FEMA confirms a person owned a home that suffered $17,000 or more in damages, or if FEMA confirms a renter’s home suffered major damages or was destroyed. Wildfire victims must also prove they do not have rental assistance available to them.

Residents approved for temporary housing can remain in the units for up to 18 months, until March 2022.

The Fields Artist Fellowship Now Seeking Proposals For Applications From Oregon – Artists Will Be Considered From January 4 To February 15, 2021

Oregon Humanities, in partnership with Oregon Community Foundation, is now accepting applications for the second round of the Fields Artist Fellowship program, offering two years of financial support to Oregon-based artists who are in a pivotal moment or inflection point in their careers.

Four artists will be awarded two-year fellowships to advance their artistic practice while developing creative and meaningful ways to address and respond to the opportunity gap in Oregon.

The first Fields Artist Fellowships were awarded in 2019 to Crystal Akins of Lincoln City, Mic Crenshaw of Portland, Ka’ila Farrell-Smith of Chiloquin, and Joe Whittle of Enterprise.

Applications will be accepted from January 4 to February 15, 2021. More information on how to apply is available on the Oregon Humanities website (www.oregonhumanities.org). A selection committee will review applications and award the fellowships by July 2021.

During their fellowship terms, Fields Artist Fellows will respond to and explore the opportunity gap in their region, participate in cohort gatherings, and document their experiences and projects. Each fellow will receive $100,000 over the course of the two-year term. In addition, eight finalists will each receive a one-time award of $10,000.

The phrase “opportunity gap” refers to widening socioeconomic disparities across Oregon largely determined by the circumstances into which a child is born, such as family circumstances, neighborhoods, educational experiences, and race and ethnicity.

Artists of all disciplines are encouraged to apply, including writers, filmmakers, visual artists, multimedia artists, culture bearers, and performance artists. Eligibility requirements include the following:

• At least five years of professional practice in an artistic discipline or combination of disciplines
• At least three years of residence in Oregon (non-continuous) and the intent to reside in Oregon for the majority of the fellowship term (September 1, 2021 to September 30, 2023)
• Demonstrable evidence of artistic practice that can engage with community groups and organizations and/or address community concerns

Oregon Humanities will administer the program and convene gatherings for the fellows. All funding is provided by the Fred W. Fields Fund of Oregon Community Foundation.

Oregon Humanities connects people and communities through conversation, storytelling, and participatory programs to inspire understanding and collaborative change. More information about our programs and publications—which include the Connect In Place, Consider This, Humanity in Perspective, Public Program Grants, Responsive Program Grants, and Oregon Humanities magazine—can be found at oregonhumanities.org. Oregon Humanities is an independent, nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities and a partner of the Oregon Cultural Trust.

Oregon Community Foundation (OCF) puts donated money to work for Oregonians. Thanks to the generosity of Oregonians, OCF distributes more than $100 million in grants and scholarships annually. For nearly fifty years, OCF grantmaking, research, advocacy and community-advised solutions have helped individuals, families, businesses and organizations create charitable funds to improve lives for all Oregonians. Impactful giving—time, talent and resources from many generous Oregonians—creates measurable change.