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
Monday, October 18, 2021
Willamette Valley Weather
Today– A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly before 10am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 57. Calm wind.
Tuesday– A 10 percent chance of rain after 5pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 65. East southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the morning.
Wednesday– Showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 62. South southwest wind 9 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Thursday– A 50 percent chance of rain after 11am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 68.
Friday– Showers. Cloudy, with a high near 58.
Gov. Brown Tours UO Covid Monitoring Program
Gov. Brown visited Eugene on Friday to tour the University of Oregon’s COVID-19 Monitoring and Assessment Program.
It’s called the COVID-19 Monitoring and Assessment Program, or MAP for short. Since its creation back in 2020, there have been 115,000 free COVID-19 tests administered to UO students, employees, and Oregonians.
The university has now partnered with both public and private K-12 schools across the state for the 2021-22 school year. As of right now, about 100 schools and 5,700 students are enrolled in MAP.
“It’s through this collaborative approach that Oregonians will benefit not only for the short term, but for the long term. And that’s critically important for Oregonians to understand,” said Brown.
Brian Fox, the UO lead on COVID-19 testing, explained what the process looks like.
“We provide opt-in testing on a weekly basis for K-12 students throughout the Willamette Valley south, or Eugene south, to the California border and soon will be rolling that out to Eastern Oregon,” said Fox.
He said the process is quick and accurate. “A student will provide a sample the evening before; they bring that into the school the next day. That’s picked up by our courier in the afternoon,” he said. “And they’ll see it either that night, so within 24 to 48 hours, or they’ll see it the next morning.”
First, tests are taken to the Romania building, then they are taken to the lab at the Knight Campus, where they have the capacity to process 10,000 tests per day. Fox states that even with this high processing capacity, there is still some room to improve.
“Right now we’re doing about 5,000 tests per week, so we have capacity to grow, and we look forward to offering that,” said Fox.
He said he hopes the program will move to more K-12 schools in southern and western Oregon. Schools interested in the program must register, and students attending schools that are participating must opt to receive testing, which is completely voluntary.
“It’s absolutely key if we’re going to protect our children under the age of 12 who are not yet eligible for vaccines, as well as vulnerable Oregonians that we continue to comply with safety protocol,” said Brown.
“Vaccines and masks are two very simple and effective tools that we can use to lower the transmission of the virus and keep people safe and healthy. So we’ll continue to move forward with these safety protocols over the next several weeks. As you notice, while certainly our infection rates are going down. We are still at one of the highest rates we’ve ever seen during the pandemic. So it’s absolutely key if we’re going to protect our children under the age of 12 who are not yet eligible for vaccines, as well as vulnerable Oregonians that we continue to comply with the safety protocols.”
“Here’s the harsh reality: we’re in the midst of a global pandemic and vaccines are the most simple and effective and incredible tool that we have to put us on a pathway out of the pandemic. The challenge is because we’re in the midst of a pandemic, we’re seeing workforce shortages when people are home sick with COVID or have to quarantine. We’re going to continue moving forward. It’s absolutely essential that people in Oregon get these vaccines and we’re working to make that happen as quickly as possible.”
Man Shot Dead in Eugene Home Invasion
Allegedly a burglar was shot and killed after entering a south Eugene apartment early Monday morning, Eugene police said.
The Eugene Police Department responded to reports of a burglary in progress around 3:40 a.m. at South Crest Apartments on Donald Street. According to officials, neighbors called 911 to report gunfire before patrol officers were able to arrive on scene.
When police arrived, they found the suspect inside the apartment and tried to perform CPR, but he was already dead.
A man and a woman live in the apartment. Officials said it was the man who pulled the trigger on the suspect. Both of the residents of the apartment were cooperating with police.
Violent crimes detectives have been notified and are investigating the incident. There is no ongoing threat to the public.
Crash Near Fern Ridge Send Four to Hospital
Four people were taken to the hospital after two cars crashed at the intersection of Royal Avenue and Fir Butte Road, Eugene Springfield Fire officials said.
The crash happened at about 11:50 a.m. Sunday morning. Officials said two cars were involved. The extent of injuries is unknown at this time.
Officials said traffic in the area was flowing as normal as of 12:45 p.m
New Information and Image Released on Unidentified Woman Found Dead near Sweet Home
New information about an unidentified woman found dead near Sweet Home last year has been released by the Linn County Sheriff’s Office.
Back in April 2020, an unknown woman’s remains were found near Gordon Road, which is in a wooded area east of Sweet Home. Now over a year later, a forensic DNA service enabled authorities to generate a new image that helps determine what she potentially looked like.
According to this new information, the remains likely belong to a white woman with naturally light brown/blonde hair with fair skin, green or hazel eyes and zero or few freckles.
The woman was found wearing a purple, Apana brand athletic jacket, a green BKE Core camisole with spaghetti straps, a heather gray sports bra, a black fabric bandanna, size 5/6 x36 Wrangler’s brand blue denim jeans with crystal decorations on the pockets and size 9.5 black Steve Madden brand dress boots.
The woman’s identity, along with the cause or manner of her death, has not yet been determined despite LCSO receiving over 100 tips. Anyone with information is urged to contact Detective Colin Pyle at 541.967.3950.
Oregon reports 1,218 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 20 new deaths
There are 20 new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 4,161. The Oregon Health Authority reported 1,218 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 bringing the state total to 348,766.
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (6), Benton (18), Clackamas (65), Clatsop (6), Columbia (17), Coos (29), Crook (45), Curry (2), Deschutes (88), Douglas (44), Grant (1), Harney (3), Hood River (5), Jackson (56), Jefferson (17), Josephine (23), Klamath (80), Lake (7), Lane (87), Lincoln (16), Linn (93), Malheur (32), Marion (125), Morrow (8), Multnomah (148), Polk (16), Sherman (1), Tillamook (5), Umatilla (28), Union (14), Wallowa (2), Wasco (17), Washington (88) and Yamhill (26).
A deadly spike in COVID-19 infections that began just before Independence Day should near its end around Christmas, a new state forecast said Thursday. But with more than two months to go to reach the projected end point, about 177,000 more infections are expected in the state, according to the Oregon Health & Science University weekly forecast released late Thursday.
A lawsuit against Oregon’s vaccine mandate for state employees, health care workers, and teachers will be heard today, the same day the mandate takes effect. The lawsuit was filed by seven Oregonians who will argue they should be exempt because they previously had COVID-19 and recovered from it. They claim there’s evidence that people who recover from COVID-19 have a greater risk of having an adverse reaction. The CDC says it’s safe if the person waits 90 days after recovering from the virus.
Medicare Open Enrollment Begins
Open enrollment begins today for Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription drug plans.
Open enrollment for the 2022 Medicare plan year is from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7, 2021.
Medicare plans and coverage for prescription drugs change each year, so it is important for Oregonians who are enrolled in Medicare to evaluate their plan options and make changes during open enrollment.
The Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance (SHIBA) program with the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) is available to help Oregonians understand their Medicare options and benefits, provide enrollment guidance and answer any questions related to Medicare benefits.
“Medicare is a critical benefit for older adults and people with disabilities and navigating the options available can be confusing,” said Jane-Ellen Weidanz, ODHS Long Term Services and Supports Administrator. “When it comes to open enrollment, do not wait until the last minute. Take time to review your options and make choices as soon as you can. SHIBA is here to help Oregonians make the right choice for them.”
SHIBA provides trained counselors to educate and advocate for Oregonians with Medicare. Local SHIBA counselors and SHIBA’s 2022 Oregon Guide to Medicare Insurance Plans can be found by visiting SHIBA.Oregon.gov. Oregon Department of Human Services
Governor’s Office Responds to Oregon National Guard Issue
Governor Brown’s office responded on Friday to a letter published by members of Oregon’s Congressional delegation highlighting alleged mismanagement and delay of benefits and pay for National Guard members deployed to help hospitals understaffed and overwhelmed by the COVID-19 Delta variant surge.
The original letter addressed to Gov. Brown and Major General Michael E. Stencel, said that the treatment some service members faced was “unacceptable” citing reports that the deployment was chaotic, and that Guardsmen received contradictory or lackluster directions about where they needed to be and when.
Some Guardsmen were left hanging up to mid-September, according to the lawmakers, and some had to reserve hotels or other accommodations with their own money, while others reportedly found that their travel vouchers weren’t recognized.
In a statement, Governor Brown’s office said that the Oregon Military Department had already started addressing the issues last week and let the Congressional delegation know. Gov. Brown’s press secretary Liz Merah said that the issues also seemed to be confined to a handful of the Guardsmen deployed.
Oregon House Speaker Calls for Special Session to Protect Tenants
The Oregon House Speaker, Tina Kotek, called for a special session of the Oregon Legislature to stave off a rash of evictions as pandemic restrictions expire.
“Nothing is more important than keeping people housed,” Kotek wrote on Twitter. “The pandemic and the coming winter demand action now.”
It has been reported that 11,900 renters statewide who’ve applied for pandemic assistance were on the cusp of losing legal protection from eviction because it had taken too long for the state to get relief money to their landlords.
When The Oregonian reported Friday that the protections for those renters had expired, Kotek responded to the story with the tweet. “We need a special session for legislators to fix this problem,” she wrote.
It’s not clear whether Kotek would have the votes to pass such a bill, nor is it clear that Gov. Brown will call for a special session. Brown has previously stated she will rely on landlord self-interest to wait for state assistance rather than kick tenants out and get nothing. If tenants are evicted before assistance arrives, the application does not proceed, Brown’s office said last month.
Mt. Bachelor to Keep Controversial Ski Passes for Now
A central Oregon ski area operator will keep in place a new ski pass that allows people who pay more to bypass most chairlift lines despite a request from Oregon U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden to scrap the plan due to equity issues.
Powdr Corp. co-Presidents Wade Martin and Justin Sibley, in an open letter Friday, said the company intends to keep the pass available at Mt. Bachelor near Bend, but will offer season ticket holders refunds before the season starts.
The pass, called Fast Tracks and announced Monday, starts at $49 per day and allows buyers to use a dedicated lane at each chairlift. The price will vary based on high-demand days, the company said.
The U.S. Forest Service, which manages the land the ski area is located on, has looked into the matter. Deschutes National Forest District Ranger Kevin Larkin states that the agency will continue to evaluate information.
Havoc Ongoing in Portland
A crowd of 100 people wreaked havoc in downtown Portland last week, smashing storefront windows, lighting dumpsters on fire, and causing at least $500,000 in damage. But police officers didn’t stop them.
Portland Police Bureau officials say that’s because legislation passed by Oregon lawmakers this year restricts the tools they can use as people vandalize buildings and cause mayhem. The measure prohibits the use of things like pepper spray and rubber bullets for crowd control.
However there are exceptions, and lawmakers say police should still be able to use the tools they need to quell riots. Portland has seen ongoing, often violent protests since the murder of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis.
OSU Study on Sunscreen
A new study out of Oregon State University shows sunscreen with the common ingredient zinc oxide loses much of its effectiveness and becomes toxic after two hours of exposure to the sun.
Researchers at OSU say zinc oxide or titanium dioxide are effective at blocking UV rays, but they change and turn toxic after two hours of exposure and they lose 80-percent of their effectiveness. The study was published in Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences.
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