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
Wednesday, December 29, 2021
Willamette Valley Weather
Today– A 30 percent chance of snow before 10am. Mostly cloudy, with a temperature rising to near 33 by 11am, then falling to around 29 during the remainder of the day. North northwest wind around 8 mph. Little or no snow accumulation expected.
Thursday– Snow before 11am, then rain and snow between 11am and 1pm, then rain after 1pm. Snow level rising to 1700 feet in the afternoon. High near 39. South southwest wind 8 to 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.T
Friday– A 40 percent chance of rain, mainly before 10am. Snow level 1500 feet. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 41. Calm wind.
New Year’s Day– Partly sunny, with a high near 42.
Sunday– Rain likely, mainly after 4pm. Snow level 2600 feet. Partly sunny, with a high near 44.
Officials Arrest Two People After City of Drain Put on Lockdown for Hours
Officials have rescinded a warning to residents in Drain after two people were arrested Wednesday morning.
Law enforcement activity across the town began on Tuesday evening and continued overnight. Officials had asked residents to secure their homes and shut their blinds. There was no other information given for lockdown order.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that two people were taken into custody, and has not released any other information at this time.
Oregon Ducks Play Oklahoma In Alamo Bowl Today
No. 14 Oregon will take on No. 16 Oklahoma in the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio.
It will be the highest ranked matchup among all non-CFP bowl games and the first Alamo Bowl matchup between two 10-win teams.
The Ducks are 1-1 overall in the Alamo Bowl. Oregon is making its first Alamo Bowl appearance since losing to TCU in overtime after the 2015 season. The Ducks beat Texas in the 2013 Alamo Bowl.
Kickoff is scheduled for 6:15 p.m. on Dec, 29. The game will be aired on ESPN.
Garbage Companies Focus On Trash Pickup After Snow With Yard Debris And Recycling Delays Possible
Snow forced garbage and recycling companies to delay service this week in Eugene-Springfield. The companies all report drivers are working to catch up.
Both Sanipac and Lane Apex told customers to put their bins by the curb on their regular day – but to be prepared that pickup could be delayed.
“Please note, your pickup day may be delayed, so please place your cans out on your regular day and continue to leave them out this week and we will service them as soon as we can,” Sanipac said.
To aid the process, the hauler said yard debris would not be picked up this week.
“Yard debris also tends to freeze and stick to the cans when we try to dump them,” Sanipac said. “Yard debris will be collected on your next regularly scheduled yard debris day.”
It’s a similar story for customers of Lane Apex: “We are unable to haul yard debris during these cold temperature as the material freezes in the carts and we need all available trucks to collect trash and recycling,” Lane Apex said. “As such, if your yard debris does not get emptied on the normal schedule we will collect it on your next regularly scheduled pick up week.”
Lane Apex also cautioned that service in the South Hills of Eugene could be delayed.
“We will NOT be operating residential collections route in the South Eugene hills due to weather until roads are clear and conditions are safe enough to conduct operations,” the company said on Facebook.
Royal Refuse Service said it would not collect curbside recycling this week in an effort to catch up on trash collection.
“Any extra Recycle we will collect next scheduled pick up week,” the hauler said. “Thank you again for your patience and understanding!
Oregon reports 1,900 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 8 new deaths
PORTLAND, Ore. — There are eight new COVID-19-related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 5,631, Oregon Health Authority (OHA) reported at 12:01 a.m. today.
OHA reported 1,900 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 416,020.
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (3), Benton (30), Clackamas (136), Clatsop (4), Columbia (7), Coos (95), Crook (23), Curry (9), Deschutes (182), Douglas (22), Gilliam (1), Grant (16), Harney (3), Hood River (13), Jackson (104), Jefferson (8), Josephine (32), Klamath (40), Lake (2), Lane (157), Lincoln (14), Linn (33), Malheur (8), Marion (257), Morrow (5), Multnomah (258), Polk (73), Tillamook (4), Umatilla (79), Union (8), Wallowa (5), Wasco (20), Washington (217), Wheeler (2) and Yamhill (30).
Weather affecting some high-volume clinics for vaccine, booster shots
High-volume vaccination clinics around Oregon continue to operate today to provide primary and booster COVID-19 vaccines, but inclement weather is affecting some sites.
The clinic at Multnomah Greyhound Park in Wood Village is closed today, while the Tektronix, Salem and Springfield sites are open with reduced hours – until 5 p.m., closing two hours early.
While the Jackson County Expo vaccination site has permanently closed, a new indoor site has opened at The Merrick, 200 N. Riverside Ave., Medford. The Redmond Fairgrounds site is closed this week.
All the high-volume sites offer all three COVID-19 vaccines, boosters and pediatric doses, and can accommodate large numbers of people seeking vaccinations. To learn more about locations and hours of service for high-volume community vaccination locations, including changes due to inclement weather, visit our web page.
Number of Covid Cases Climbs
The number of Oregonians known to be infected with COVID-19 climbed by 25% this past week even though the overall number of tests administered dropped 15%, reflecting the omicron variant’s tightening grip on the state. While omicron has been surging nationwide in the past few weeks, Oregon clearly is now following suit, albeit at a slower pace.
Across the U.S., new infections rose by 61% week to week, while testing declined by 24%. The percentage of Oregonians testing positive for COVID-19 – known as the positivity rate – rose to 9%, up from 5% a week ago. With
most omicron infections thought to be milder than those caused by delta and many occurring in fully vaccinated people, experts say what matters most are the numbers of people experiencing severe disease and the potential for death. On that front, the outlook worsened slightly, with the number of hospitalized patients rising 42 patients since Thursday to 381 patients on Monday.
Winter Weather And Holiday Traffic Leads To Hundreds Of Accidents On Oregon Roads
Oregon recorded a stunning number of traffic accidents on roads throughout the state this holiday season. State police and transportation officials say winter weather and a return to pre-pandemic levels of traffic are to blame.
According to Oregon State Police, there were 915 traffic accidents between Thursday, Dec. 23, and Tuesday, Dec. 28. Oregon saw 365 accidents during that same period last year, and some 237 in 2019.
The agency hasn’t yet calculated how many people may have been killed or injured. A 15-year-old passenger died in a Coos County wreck Dec. 23. OSP officials said a fuller picture of the human toll will take time to verify.
David House, a spokesperson for the Oregon Department of Transportation, said that the high number of accidents over the last week is a reminder to travelers to use caution and prepare for slick conditions.
It’s also a signal that traffic is picking back up significantly.
“We’ve heard how air travel is back up, and we’ve seen for ourselves that the freeways are full of cars again, pretty much almost back to normal,” House said.
Snow in the mountain passes hasn’t been the only concern for transportation officials this holiday travel season, with lower elevations in the Willamette Valley and even areas of the Oregon Coast receiving up to several inches in some locations.
According to House, Highway 22 near Detroit was blocked for several hours Monday with a number of vehicles sliding off the road.
On Tuesday morning, a crashed semi-truck 14 miles east of Biggs Junction along the Columbia River caused all lanes of Interstate 84 to close as crews cleared the wreckage. About an hour later ODOT reopened one lane of travel in both directions.
“When it first hits, it really catches you off guard. It only takes one car to slip and block a lane” House said.
Staffing is also playing a role with both ODOT and Oregon State Police feeling the effects of a nationwide labor shortage.
Fines for trucks that don’t carry chains doubled earlier this year. According to House, the Oregon Legislature passed a law in 2021, and in September it took effect, increasing the fine from $440 to $880.
House said ODOT is working to get the message out to truck drivers that although chaining up takes time, it saves them and thousands of other travelers time in the long run.
“Trucks from out of state who have never been to Oregon before don’t understand that this snow can be different,” House said. “It’s different when you go to the other side of the mountains, or you go to the Midwest where the snow is very dry and gritty. [In the Willamette Valley], it’s very wet and slippery.”
ODOT and State Police are continuing to push the message to travelers that they need to carry chains or use traction tires when crossing the Cascades. They’re also urging travelers to use TripCheck to ensure their route is clear.
The other biggest piece of advice for travelers this holiday season: Stay home if you can.
“If you can sit tight for a couple more days, just avoid getting out there, that’s going to be the safest thing you can possibly do,” House said.
OHA investigating state’s first cases of Candida auris infection
Fungus, often multi-drug resistant, detected in 3 Salem Health patients
PORTLAND, Ore. — Oregon Health Authority is investigating an outbreak of the state’s first cases of Candida auris, a serious fungal infection that is often resistant to multiple antifungal medicines.
The Healthcare-Associated Infections Program at the OHA Public Health Division, working with a regional public health laboratory in Seattle and Salem Hospital, have identified Candida auris in three Salem Health patients. The first case was detected at Salem Hospital Dec. 11 in a patient who had recent international health care exposures, and confirmed Dec. 17. Candida auris has only recently appeared in the United States.
Two of the cases did not have international health care exposures, but had epidemiologic links to first case, indicating health care-associated spread of Candida auris to the second and third patients – identified Dec. 23 and Dec. 27, respectively.
The Healthcare-Associated Infections Program is leading the investigation, working with local public health authorities, local health care partners, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the regional public health laboratory to identify cases and ensure appropriate infection control measures are in place.
“Candida auris is an emerging pathogen of concern because it can cause serious infections, particularly in those with serious medical problems, and can be resistant to the antifungal drugs we have to treat it,” said Rebecca Pierce, Ph.D., Healthcare-Associated Infections Program manager. “Fortunately, the organism we’re dealing with in this outbreak appears to respond to existing treatments. Nonetheless, it’s critical that we prevent the spread of the infection.”
Jasmin Chaudhary, medical director of infection prevention at Salem Health, said the health system is taking action on a number of fronts to prevent the spread of Candida auris at Salem Hospital.
“With the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen a rise in multi-drug resistant organisms around the world and nationwide, and Salem is not immune,” Chaudhary said. “Salem Health is working with OHA and the CDC to execute a rigorous plan, implementing aggressive eradication measures that have been shown in other hospitals to be successful in eliminating Candida auris. These include proactive steps that will assist in preemptively identifying new cases to prevent spread.”
Among the measures in effect: working with the patients’ care teams to ensure frequent and effective disinfection of the health care environment; using transmission-based precautions for those infected or colonized with Candida auris; adhering to hand hygiene protocols; and conducting effective interfacility-transfer communication about a patient’s Candida auris status when being transferred to another health care facility.
In addition, OHA and Salem Health have been coordinating to notify health care facilities that previously received transferred patients from affected units at Salem Health, and to support safe discharge of patients from Salem Health during the anticipated COVID-19 surge.
Candida auris is a type of yeast that can cause severe illness, particularly those suffering from serious medical conditions in hospitals and nursing homes. According to the CDC, patients who have been hospitalized in a health care facility for long periods, have a central venous catheter or other lines or tubes entering their body, or have weakened immune systems are at highest risk of infection and serious complications. The risk of Candida auris infection to otherwise healthy people, including health care personnel, is extremely low.
The fungus can cause serious infections, including bloodstream infections and wound infections. It also has been isolated from respiratory and urine specimens and can colonize patients’ skin. A laboratory test is needed to determine whether a patient is colonized or infected with Candida auris, but laboratories should be aware that it can be misidentified as other types of fungi and should know when to suspect Candida auris, as misidentification could delay treatment and control measures. Health care facilities that suspect they have a patient with Candida auris should contact their local public health authority immediately.
Since 2013, more than 1,150 clinical cases of Candida auris have been identified in the United States. There have never been any cases of the fungus identified in Oregon until now.
Patients who test positive or had a high-risk exposure will be contacted by Salem Health.
Visit the CDC’s Candida auris website at https://www.cdc.gov/fungal/candida-auris for more information.
Man Found Shot To Death, Buried In Shallow Grave At Illegal Marijuana Grow In O’Brien
On Oct. 8th, 2021, Deputies and Detectives with the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a deceased male that had been shot and buried in the O’Brien area. The reporting party did not know the area well but was able to lead law enforcement (LE) to a location off Samarkand Drive in O’Brien, Oregon.
Upon arrival, LE recognized the property to be an illegal marijuana grow site, where a previous marijuana search warrant had been served. The reporting party knew some details regarding the incident and was able to walk LE to a wooded area, approximately one-quarter mile from the grow site to a shallow grave. LE dug up the shallow grave and confirmed a deceased individual was buried at the location. The deceased was a Hispanic male, who was known to work on the grow site. Next of kin have been notified, however, the name of the deceased will not be released in order to protect the investigation.
The Josephine County Major Crimes Team was activated for this incident which consists of the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office, Grants Pass Police, Oregon State Police and the Josephine County District Attorney’s Office.
The investigation is still ongoing and further information is not available. Anyone with information pertaining to the incident is asked to call the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office at 541-474-5123. Josephine Co. Sheriff’s Office
Falling Tree Crashes Onto ODOT Truck Near Wolf Creek
On Monday, an incident responder with the Oregon Department of Transportation was driving on northbound Interstate 5 near Wolf Creek, Oregon when a large tree came crashing down on their vehicle.
No one was hurt. Oregon DOT officials said that Oregon State Police and a private logging company responded and helped remove the tree.
BottleDrop Gives $20,000 To Assist Oregon Warming Shelters
On Tuesday, BottleDrop announced it’s contributing $20,000 from its emergency fund to help warming shelters across Oregon. That includes several in the Portland Metro area.
The emergency fund supports nonprofits in local communities during times of crisis. It’s previously been used during the wildfires and during last February’s severe cold snap.
“As we watched this weather take over much of Oregon and we thought about the vulnerable Oregonians who are facing it most severely, we wanted to quickly get some support out the door to help with organizations that are providing warming centers and shelters for unhoused individuals,” said Ric Chambers, external relations director for Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative.
If you’d like to support Bottle Drop’s emergency fund, just bring any bottles or cans to one of their redemption centers and say you’d like to donate them.
And if you need a warm place to go, call 211. They can also set you up with a ride.
A 17-year-old was reported missing in Salem and detectives say the teen might be the victim of an online catfishing scheme.
Ezra Mayhugh, 17, was last seen on October 15, 2021 after being dropped off in downtown Salem by a friend, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said. He was reported as a runaway the following day when he did not return home.
Investigators say he might be in Washington or California. They hope to reunite Ezra safely with family members.
He’s described as about 5-foot 11-inches tall, weighing 130 pounds, with blonde hair and brown eyes.
If you have had contact with Mayhugh since October 15 or have other helpful information on his whereabouts, the sheriff’s office asks you to contact Detective M.J. Sphoon at 503-588-6808 or to submit a tip by texting TIPMCSO and your tip to 847411.
https://www.facebook.com/pg/Have-You-Seen-Me-Southern-Oregons-Missing-People-161249961222839/posts/