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
Friday, November 12, 2021
Willamette Valley Weather
Today– Rain, mainly after 10am. High near 65. South southwest wind 5 to 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Saturday– Mostly cloudy, with a high near 61. Calm wind.
Sunday– A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 63. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph.
Monday– Rain, mainly after 4pm. High near 60. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Tuesday– A chance of rain, mainly before 4pm. Snow level 3100 feet. Partly sunny, with a high near 50.
Water Rescue on Santiam River in Stayton
At 1:30 p.m. Thursday afternoon, November 11th, workers from a Knife River facility called 911 after hearing a woman calling for help after she became trapped in the current of the Santiam River near the 1st Street Bridge in Stayton.
When first responders arrived at the scene, the 32-year-old woman was clinging to brush in the water, unable to safely get to shore. Workers from Knife River were on the bridge trying to throw a flotation device out to the woman.
Deputies threw a rescue line to the female from the bridge and used it to get a personal flotation device out to her while waiting for additional help to arrive. The Jefferson Fire District put a boat out onto the water and had a swimmer help the woman to safety.
Responders learned the woman had been living in a camp near the river and became stuck in the current while attempting to leave due to the rising water levels. She was taken to a local hospital for an evaluation.
Undersheriff Jeff Wood said, “We were fortunate the workers from Knife River heard the victim calling out for help. Their efforts to find the woman and to quickly call 911 definitely made a difference today.”
Several agencies actively participated in this response including the Jefferson Fire District, Stayton Fire District, Stayton Police Department, Salem Fire Department, Linn County Sheriff’s Office, Albany Fire Department, Willamette Valley Communications Center, and METCOM 911.
In anticipation of the heavy rains forecasted this week, deputies from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office Marine Patrol proactively coordinated with local agencies to ensure water rescue resources were available for situations such as this. The Sheriff’s Office would like to thank our partner agencies for their preparation efforts and swift response. Marion Co. Sheriff’s Office
Fire at Eugene Church Leads To Arson Investigation
Eugene Police are now investigating a fire at a Eugene church on Wednesday night as arson.
Churchgoers at Saint Mark CME Church on Sam Reynolds Street noticed flames coming from the front porch at about 6 p.m.
The flames were put out by several members of the church, and fire crews helped pull up the damaged boards of the porch to keep it from spreading.
Pastor Deleesa Meashintubby said she is thankful it was discovered before anyone was hurt.
“And if we all could’ve been in there and not seen that fire. We could’ve been inside when it happened. You know when it blew up or whatever it would do. Not looking for the bad, but you have to stop and think about the what coulds.” said Meashintubby.
She also said there was a lighter on the ground next to the flames and it appeared to be set with some sort of accelerant.
Police are still investigating. They said there is currently no suspect in the case. The Eugene Police Arson detectives are looking into the origins of the fire, and the Special Investigations Unit is also being brought in to investigate whether there was any bias crimes associated with the fire, as the church’s membership is predominantly Black.
If you have any information, contact detectives at 541-682-5111.
The Kiva Grocery downtown is the first grocery store in Eugene to partner with Double Up Food Bucks Oregon.
“Double Up Food Bucks is a nutrition incentive program that doubles the value of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits when purchasing fruits and vegetables,” according to the Kiva. “When customers use their Oregon Trail Card (SNAP) to purchase fruit and vegetables at The Kiva Grocery, they earn $1 for $1 back to redeem for future fruit and vegetable purchases and can only be used at the grocery store where they were issued.”
According to the grocer and Double Up: “Kiva is located in the heart of downtown Eugene and serves a diverse community that is disproportionally impacted by hunger and food insecurity. This partnership allows everyone a means to eat well and healthy.”
The Kiva Grocery and Deli opened its doors in 1970. Over the years, they’ve opened their shelves to then-new but now-established Eugene food companies like Nancy’s Yogurt and Toby’s Family Foods to help them reach customers.
Learn more about Double Up Food Bucks Oregon
Oregon reports 1,033 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 75 new deaths
PORTLAND, Ore. — There are 75 new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 4,730, Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.
Oregon Health Authority (OHA) reported 1,033 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 376,372.
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (7), Benton (16), Clackamas (91), Clatsop (7), Columbia (15), Coos (23), Crook (2), Curry (8), Deschutes (111), Douglas (49), Gilliam (1), Grant (1), Harney (5), Hood River (3), Jackson (54), Jefferson (12), Josephine (28), Klamath (16), Lake (13), Lane (62), Lincoln (17), Linn (45), Malheur (12), Marion (79), Morrow (3), Multnomah (136), Polk (27), Sherman (1), Tillamook (8), Umatilla (27), Union (1), Wallowa (2), Wasco (7), Washington (100) and Yamhill (44).
Reminder: State health officials to add more than 500 COVID-19 deaths due to technical error
Over the coming weeks, OHA will report approximately 550 deaths among people who died with COVID-19, but whose deaths only became recently known to state epidemiologists due to a technical computer error.
This will result in higher death totals as the backlog is resolved. More details can be found here.
COVID-19 weekly cases decline, deaths and hospitalizations rise
OHA’s COVID-19 Weekly Report, released today, shows a decrease in daily cases and increases in hospitalizations and deaths.
OHA reported 6,643 new cases of COVID-19 during the week of Monday, Nov. 1, through Sunday, Nov. 7. That represents a 16% decrease from the previous week and the fewest since the last week of July.
The overall incidence of reported COVID-19 cases in Oregon varied by county vaccination rate, but continues to be lower in counties with higher vaccination rates and the lowest in the five counties where the vaccination rates were more than 70%.
There were 378 new COVID-19 hospitalizations, up from 313 last week.
There were 243 reported COVID-19-related deaths, up from 82 reported the previous week. This increase is a result of ongoing data reconciliation of COVID-19-related deaths that primarily occurred from May to August 2021, as reported last month.
There were 135,539 tests for COVID-19 for the week of Oct. 31 through Nov. 6. The percentage of positive tests was 6.4%, down from 7.4% the previous week.
Today’s COVID-19 Weekly Outbreak Report shows 76 active COVID-19 outbreaks in senior living communities and congregate living settings, with three or more confirmed cases and one or more COVID-19 related deaths.
COVID-19 hospitalizations
The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 across Oregon is 509, which is one fewer than yesterday. There are 125 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, which is two fewer than yesterday.
There are 56 available adult ICU beds out of 675 total (8% availability) and 281 available adult non-ICU beds out of 4,096 (7% availability).
| 11/10/2021 Available Beds (and Percentage of Staffed Beds Available) | ||||||||
| Statewide | Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 3 | Region 5 | Region 6 | Region 7 | Region 9 | |
| Adult ICU beds available | 56(8%) | 24(7%) | 2(2%) | 13(15%) | 9(15%) | 1(10%) | 2(4%) | 5(19%) |
| Adult non-ICU beds available | 281(7%) | 51(3%) | 6(1%) | 72(12%) | 34(8%) | 10(20%) | 59(14%) | 49(41%) |
The total number of patients in hospital beds may fluctuate between report times. The numbers do not reflect admissions per day, nor the length of hospital stay. Staffing limitations are not captured in this data and may further limit bed capacity.
Note: Please do not visit an emergency department for COVID-19 testing, unless you require emergency care for your symptoms.
Emergency departments in Oregon are under significant strain. You can find a test here.
If you have a medical condition that doesn’t require emergency care, contact your provider. An urgent care center may also help you get the care you need and will save emergency departments from added strain. More information about hospital capacity can be found here.
Oregon Attorney Files Lawsuit Against Pharmaceutical Company
Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against pharmaceutical company Endo, alleging that the company deceptively marketed the opioid Opana for more than a decade. The state’s complaint alleges that Endo misrepresented the risks and benefits of Opana, which Rosenblum’s office said was an extended-release opioid similar to Purdue Pharma’s OxyContin. It was pulled from the market in 2017 at the request of the FDA.
The Oregon Department of Justice began investigating Endo in March of 2016. The next year, Oregon began to lead a multi-state investigation into the company. Rosenblum ultimately decided to move ahead with a complaint on behalf of Oregon alone, issuing a notice of intent to sue on October 4.
Oregon’s suit draws parallels between Endo and the cases against Purdue Pharma, alleging that Endo followed in Purdue’s footsteps after the success of OxyContin through aggressive marketing. In 2007, Oregon and 25 other states settled a multi-state lawsuit against Purdue Pharma. The state sued Purdue again in 2018 for alleged
violations of the 2007 agreement, and sued the Sackler family — the owners of Purdue — in 2019.
Klamath Community College Breaks Ground on New Apprenticeship Center
Klamath Community College celebrated the construction kickoff of the school’s Apprenticeship Center with a groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday.
The 32,000 square-foot building is slated to open in fall 2022.
The Apprenticeship Center will span four acres and will provide space for hands-on training and programs for transitioning high schoolers, increase the college’s career-technical program offerings and offer specialized structural and wildland fire science training.
Apprenticeships will include: electrical, millwright, plumbing, pipefitter, machinist, carpentry, cement mason, drywall,
interior and exterior painter specialist, and sheet metal fabrication, including HVAC.
Students enrolled in fire sciences and emergency medical operations programs through an Apprenticeship Center fire academy will gain real-world experience training in an exterior fire yard and fire tower.
Steve Tippin, chair of the KCC Foundation, said in 2022 the KCC Foundation will launch a capital campaign to raise funds to fill the center with
equipment and technology that will allow instructors and partners to provide state-of-the-art programming for students enrolled in Apprenticeship Center courses.
Oregon State Police Trooper critically injured in a police incident on Highway 30 — Columbia County
Thursday, November 11, 2021, at around 3:31 P.M., OSP Troopers were involved in a police incident involving a fleeing suspect on Highway 30 milepost 31 west of St. Helens, when the suspect vehicle rammed an OSP Patrol car and struck an OSP Trooper.
The Trooper was taken by ground ambulance to Emanuel Hospital in critical condition. The investigation is being handled by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office.
The Oregon State Police will not be releasing any information about the incident. The identity of the OSP Trooper is not being released at this time. Oregon State Police
Fatal vehicle vs. pedestrian crash on I-5- Marion County
On November 10, 2021, at approximately 7:38 P.M., Oregon State Police and emergency personnel responded to a motor vehicle collision involving a bicyclist on Interstate-5 northbound at exit 260 near Salem.
A preliminary investigation revealed that a bicyclist identified as Anthony Lee Garza (61) was riding his bicycle across the northbound lanes of Interstate-5 when he was struck by a pickup truck operated by Benjamin J Miller (35) of Gervais. Miller remained at the scene and is cooperating with law enforcement.
Garza was pronounced deceased at the scene. OSP was assisted by Salem Fire and Medics, the Keizer Police Department, and the Oregon Department of Transportation. The investigation is ongoing.
Serious injury crash involving Worker I-205- Clackamas County
On November 10, 2021, at 9:37 A.M., Oregon State Police responded to a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate-205 SB at milepost 12. The investigation revealed that a black Volkswagen GTI operated by Tyler Nicholas Pacheco (28), was southbound when it struck multiple vehicles and an Oregon Department of Transportation worker, who was working outside of his vehicle.
The victim, Grant RIEDEL (38), was transported to Oregon Health Science University with serious injuries. PACHECO stayed on the scene and cooperated with the investigation. OSP was assisted on scene by Day-N-Nite towing, Clackamas Fire, and the Oregon Department of Transportation.
This is an ongoing investigation and no further information will be released at this time.
The Oregon State Police is asking anyone who witnessed this incident to please call OSP Dispatch 800-442-2068 or OSP from your mobile phone. Reference case number SP21316723. Oregon State Police
Fatal multi-vehicle crash Highway 97- Deschutes County
On November 10, 2021, at 4:51 P.M., OSP responded to a multi-vehicle crash on Highway 97 milepost 114 near Terrebonne. A silver Hyundai Elantra, driven by Karl Thompson (58) of Metolius, was southbound on Highway 97 when it attempted to pass a southbound black Dodge Ram on the shoulder.
The Dodge Ram was driven by Kyle Jensen (32) of Redmond. When the Elantra reentered the southbound lane, it struck the front of the Dodge Ram, sending the Elantra into the northbound lane. The Elantra then struck a Nissan Pathfinder, driven by Jessica Shaw (33) of Metolius. The Pathfinder was pushed into the southbound lane when it was struck by a Dodge Tow Truck, driven by Austin Ontjes (26) of Terrebonne.
The driver of the Pathfinder, Jessica Shaw, was pronounced deceased at the scene. The passenger in the Elantra, Emmanuel Pina-Lopez (29) of Madras, was transported to an area hospital with serious injuries. The Driver of the Tow Truck, Austin Ontjes reported minor injuries. Karl Thompson, Kyle Jensen, his passengers along with the passenger of the Tow Truck did not report any injuries.
The highway was closed for 6 hours. OSP was assisted at the scene by Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Redmond Fire, Redmond Police Department, and the Oregon Department of Transportation. The investigation is ongoing. Oregon State Police
The Modoc Nation, a federally-recognized Native American tribe based in Oklahoma and descended from Klamath Basin native people, hired Ken Sandusky to represent the tribe in their traditional homelands.
Sandusky previously spent 14 years as a public affairs specialist with the U.S. Forest Service, much of that on the Modoc National Forest.
He serves on the Modoc County Fire Safe Council and Modoc Fish, Game and Recreation commission. Born and raised in Klamath Falls, Sandusky attended Riverside Elementary and graduated from Klamath Union and Oregon Tech. He is a member of the Choctaw Nation.
Sandusky is now managing all aspects of the Modoc Nation’s efforts in Siskiyou and Modoc counties.
The tribes’ top priority is to revive the overgrazed ranchlands recently purchased by the tribe near Tulelake, with the goal of establishing a new branch of the Modoc Nation’s bison herd.
The Modoc Nation descends from Modocs who were removed to Oklahoma after the Modoc War at Captain Jack’s Stronghold in what is now the Lava Beds National Monument. It is based in Miami, Okla., and is now expanding interests into Northern California, according to
the tribe.
https://www.facebook.com/pg/Have-You-Seen-Me-Southern-Oregons-Missing-People-161249961222839/posts/