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, November 8, 2021
Willamette Valley Weather
TodayAreas of fog before 10am. Otherwise, increasing clouds, with a high near 55. South southeast wind 3 to 5 mph.
Tuesday– Showers. Steady temperature around 48. West southwest wind 7 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
Wednesday– Rain likely, mainly before 11am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 55. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Thursday: Veterans Day-Rain. High near 60. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Friday– A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 61.
Lebanon Firefighters Quickly Snuff Fire at Old Town Mall
An early evening fire in a downtown retail shopping center was quickly extinguished by Lebanon firefighters on Saturday night. The Old Town Mall, located at 743 Main Street, was partially occupied at the time of the fire and occupants from two separate businesses escaped unharmed. An employee in one store reported hearing a loud pop come from a store that shares a common wall. He went outside to investigate and noticed interior lights in the Amber Moon clothing store flickering and popping. Shortly afterwards occupants noticed smoke in the building and called 911.
First arriving units reported smoke filling the main hallway of the building and light smoke pushing from the roof where it intersected with the exterior walls. The Battalion Chief immediately called for a second alarm, which is standard procedure on a working commercial fire, to bring additional resources from neighboring fire departments. Lebanon responded with 25 personnel on 13 units and received mutual aid from the Albany, Sweet Home, Brownsville, and Scio fire departments.
According to Division Chief Jason Bolen, crews had to enter the common hallway of the 7,500 square foot structure and determine which of the seven interior occupancies was on fire. “Our first arriving crews did a great job of quickly locating the fire and getting it knocked down.” Bolen said. Firefighters were on scene in just over three minutes from the time of dispatch. They had to force entry into the building, and make their way down the smoke-filled hallway to find the seat of the fire within an interior retail store. Once the fire was out crews transitioned to overhaul mode, as firefighters systematically checked the structure for extension of fire and burning hot spots typically found in wall and ceiling spaces. No fire spread was found, and crews used multiple positive pressure fans to evacuate the smoke from the building.
As firefighters picked up equipment and left the scene, the Lebanon Fire Investigation Team arrived and began to investigate the scene to determine what caused the blaze. “Our investigators will take it from here and try to determine the fire’s cause and origin.” said Bolen. Lebanon’s fire investigation team is made up of career and volunteer firefighters, as well as a few specially trained Lebanon Police Department officers. They are called in when a fire’s cause cannot be easily determined by firefighters on scene. Bolen estimated the damage at roughly $50,000, although that number will likely change as the damage is evaluated by owners and occupants over the coming days.
Due to the age of the building there were no requirements for automatic fire sprinklers or commercial fire alarm systems, which Bolen noted likely could have helped reduce the damage significantly. There were no injuries to fire personnel, who were on scene for just over two hours. Lebanon Fire District
Missing Person near Blue River Reservoir
The Sheriff’s Office is requesting the public’s assistance in locating 47-year-old Shane Eldor Sprenger. Sprenger was last known to be near the Blue River Reservoir area possibly mushroom picking. Family had communication with Sprenger until approximately 7:30 a.m. on 11/03/2021. At that time, Sprenger told a family member that he had lost his keys to his truck and needed a ride home.
Sprenger’s truck was located by family on 11/05/2021, but Sprenger was nowhere to be found. Cell phone location information placed Sprenger in the area of Blue River Reservoir, but the phone was turned off on 11/04/2021. Sprenger was last seen wearing a camo jacket and dark colored work pants.
The Sheriff’s Office is utilizing volunteer Ground Search & Rescue K9 teams to search for Spregner, however Sprenger may also have left the area. The Sheriff’s Office is not requesting any additional assistance searching the area as the presence of untrained searchers can hamper official search efforts.
Anyone with information on Sprenger’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Lane County Sheriff’s Office at (541) 682-4150. Reference case number 21-6268. Lane Co. Sheriff’s Office
Ducks Ranked No. 5 In AP Poll
UO Duck’s football team moved up two spots to No. 5 in the latest Associated Press top-25 poll on Sunday following the Ducks’ 26-16 win over Washington in Seattle
Oregon is in the top five of the AP poll for the fourth time this season, and first since week four. This is the Ducks’ ninth consecutive week in the top 10 of the AP poll. Oregon remains the only Pac-12 team ranked in both the AP and AFCA polls.
The Ducks return home this week to host Washington State on Saturday, Nov. 13, at 7:30 p.m. in Autzen Stadium.
OSU Beavers Fire Defensive Coordinator
Oregon State defensive coordinator Tim Tibesar has been fired, Beavers coach Jonathan Smith announced Sunday.
“I felt it was the right time to make a change in our football program and have relieved Coach Tim Tibesar of his duties at Oregon State,” Smith said in a statement. “All of us thank Coach Tibesar for his hard work and professionalism the past four years and wish him nothing but the best moving forward.”
Linebackers coach Trent Bray will take on defensive coordinator duties on an interim basis, while Kendrick Van Ackeren will shift from an analyst role to an on-field role coaching linebackers, Smith added.
The Beavers rank No. 9 in the Pac-12 in yards per play allowed (5.77) and No. 10 in total defense (405.7 yards per game). Oregon State started the season 4-1, but has since dropped three of four including a 37-34 loss at Colorado on Saturday in overtime. Tibesar’s defense allowed at least 30 points in the past four games.
Tibesar had been with Oregon State since Smith was named head coach prior to the 2018 season.
Oregon reports 1,141 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 19 new deaths
There are 19 new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 4,562. Oregon Health Authority reported reported 1,141 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 bringing the state total to 372,137.
Cases and COVID-19 deaths
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (3), Benton (18), Clackamas (85), Clatsop (3), Columbia (20), Coos (20), Crook (16), Curry (2), Deschutes (118), Douglas (41), Gilliam (2), Grant (15), Harney (11), Hood River (5), Jackson (53), Jefferson (22), Josephine (17), Klamath (39), Lake (4), Lane (84), Lincoln (11), Linn (58), Malheur (11), Marion (108), Morrow (1), Multnomah (131), Polk (23), Tillamook (4), Umatilla (35), Union (14), Wallowa (4), Wasco (9), Washington (110), Wheeler (1) and Yamhill (43).
Children ages 5-11 are now eligible for the Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine
Following review of recommendations by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup has confirmed that pediatric doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children are safe and effective for children ages 5 through 11
Oregon Will Receive $1.6 Billion From Federal Infrastructure Bill
Under the $1.2 trillion public works bill approved by Congress, Oregon can expect to receive over $1.6 billion in additional federal dollars for infrastructure investments.
Members of Oregon’s congressional delegation released the state’s expected share of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act after it was approved by the U.S. House.
The bill passed 228 to 206 on Nov. 5. Nine Democrats voted no and 13 Republicans voted yes. It had previously been approved by the U.S. Senate and now goes to President Joe Biden for his signature.
“The need for action in Oregon is clear and recently released state-level data demonstrates that the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will deliver for Oregon. For decades, infrastructure in Oregon has suffered from a systemic lack of investment. In fact, the American Society of Civil Engineers gave Oregon a C- grade on its infrastructure report card. The historic Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will make life better for millions of Oregon residents, create a generation of good-paying union jobs and economic growth, and position the United States to win the 21st century,” the White House said after the bill’s passage.
According to the releases, Oregon is expected to receive the following amounts in these categories:
• $747 million in public transit investments.
• $529 million to improve access to safe drinking water.
• $268 million for bridge replacement and repairs.
• $211 million for airport investments.
• $100 million for internet broadband expansion.
• $52 million to expand electric vehicle charging station network.
• $39 million to help protect against wildfires.
• $15 million to protect against cyber attacks.
The bill also reauthorizes the existing federal Highway Trust Fund, which is expected to generate $3.4 billion for road projects over five years.
The releases did not identify specific agencies or projects that would be funded. In a Sept. 29, 2021 story, the New York Times said the bill includes funding for TriMet’s Southwest Corridor Light Rail Line and the I-5 Bridge Replacement projects. The story did not say how much funding was included, however.
Additional information is expected to be available in the coming weeks. More details are available in this White House summary here.
Missing Pendleton Mom Found Dead, Daughter Alive In Idaho Forest
Two missing Oregon women were found in an Idaho forest Friday, the mother died from the elements and the daughter alive with their broken-down vehicle.
A hunter discovered the mother’s body in the Solitaire Saddle area of the Panhandle National Forest and reported it to the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office at 11:45 a.m. Friday.
Authorities then discovered the broken-down vehicle nearby with the other woman still alive.
The sheriff’s office said the women — Dorothy “Kae” Turner and her daughter Heidi Turner, according to the Pendleton Police Department in Oregon — were driving to Utah and following a navigation system when they got lost in the northern Idaho forest.
When their vehicle broke down, the mother left to find help but died from exposure to the elements while the daughter stayed behind. They were reported missing from Pendleton on Wednesday.
Governor Brown Attending United Nations Climate Change Conference in Scotland
Governor Brown headed to Glasgow, Scotland to attend the ongoing 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties — commonly referred to as COP26 — to discuss the impacts of climate change on
Oregonians and the actions the state has taken to reduce carbon emissions and transition to clean energy.
Several Democratic governors are slated to attend the summit, including Governor Jay Inslee of Washington state. California Governor Gavin Newsom had initially planned to travel, but later announced that he would only attend
virtually due to family obligations. California’s Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis was tapped to lead the state’s delegation instead.
Items on Governor Brown’s agenda for the conference stretch from Sunday through Tuesday, beginning with participation in the US Climate Alliance/Under2 Supernationals Event and the Under2 General Assembly panel: “Accelerating finance and investment for state and regional climate leadership.”
On Monday, Brown is scheduled to participate in the Under2: States and Regions for the Climate Decade panel, the Pacific Coast Collaborative panel on the Public-Private Partnerships to Reduce Food Waste Along the West Coast of North America, the US Department of Energy/America is All In panel, and the Pacific Coast Collaborative/Ocean Acidification Alliance panel.
Carolyn Whitney Awarded as a 2022 Oregon Teacher of the Year Finalist
(Frenchglen, OR) – The Oregon Department of Education, in partnership with the Oregon Lottery, is pleased to celebrate Frenchglen Elementary School teacher Carolyn Whitney as a 2022 Teacher of the Year Finalist, and award both Carolyn and her school with a $2,000 cash prize!
Whitney was selected as one of four finalists for 2022 Oregon Teacher of the Year, which was announced in September.
Whitney has been teaching at Frenchglen Elementary School for 21 of her 27 total years of teaching. In her application, she stated that she was originally hired to teach 4th-8th grade students but has been the only teacher serving grades K-8 for the last four years. In May, Whitney received recognition as Harney ESD’s 2022 Regional Teacher of the Year, taking home a $500 cash prize.
“Carolyn represents the best in teachers and I have seen hundreds in my 30+ year career,” said Harney ESD Superintendent Shannon Criss. “Her tireless efforts to serve students in frontier rural school districts is amazing. Imagine teaching up to 10 different grade levels and all subjects each and every day of the school year. Students and staff make life-long connections with a teacher like Carolyn. She is like family and that is because her dedication and commitment to excellence is seen daily; and you can’t hide good teaching like that!”
Serving a rural area of Oregon, Whitney stresses the importance of connecting students and their education with the community.
“One of the first things I noticed about this community are the character traits of problem-solving abilities and helping your neighbors. I have been able to promote and encourage these traits in my classroom,” she noted in her application. “They build each other up and are a part of the positive, learning classroom culture that they bring to their community.”
“My students have learned many things beyond a traditional education as they have learned how to be a part of a community by working together, encouraging each other, understanding that there are things that happen behind the scenes that contribute to the success of each and every community, be it Frenchglen School Community, the Frenchglen Community, and the Rural Harney County Community,” she explains further. “They understand that personal integrity and character are evident in everything.” — Oregon Lottery
Replanting After the Bootleg Fire
The United States Department of Agriculture’s Klamath County Farm Service Agency, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Oregon Department of Forestry, and the Klamath Soil and Water Conservation District are busy replanting after the Bootleg Fire.
All of those agencies have come together to offer landowners expertise, funding and technical know-how to protect their land from short-term erosion, and offer tips on how to return long term health and resiliency to the property.
One of the first steps is quickly seeding the ground to reduce soil erosion into waterways. That is especially crucial on steep slopes where landslides are a concern. The organization has also been busy removing as much dense, dead, and burnt materials left behind by the fire.
The USDA’s Klamath County Farm Service Agency is also helping with forest restoration on private forest land, but is also focused on bringing the grazing pastures back so ranchers can feed their animals. It also subsidizes hay prices for ranchers so they can get through the winter. The Farm Service Agency will help ranchers feed their animals as the process unfolds.
Forecasters Say We Should Have Wet Cold Winter
Forecasters say low elevations in western Oregon have a better-than-average chance of seeing snow this winter, though they’re not specifically predicting a storm like the one that hit us in Feb. 2019. We could be in store for a cooler and wetter than normal winter.
The Portland office of the National Weather Service held a briefing Friday on the winter weather outlook for emergency management officials of three coastal counties. The upshot: Oregon is expected to feel the effects of a “La Niña” weather pattern this winter. Hopefully this helps pull the region out of the drought. MORE INFO: https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/long_range/seasonal.php?lead=2
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