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
Thursday, February 10, 2022
Willamette Valley Weather
Today– Patchy dense fog between 11am and 1pm. Otherwise, cloudy through mid morning, then gradual clearing, with a high near 59. Calm wind becoming north 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon.
Friday– Areas of dense fog before 1pm. Otherwise, cloudy through mid morning, then gradual clearing, with a high near 59. North northwest wind 3 to 6 mph.
Saturday– Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 58. Light north wind.
Sunday– Partly sunny, with a high near 60.
Monday– Rain. Snow level 3200 feet lowering to 2700 feet. Cloudy, with a high near 47.
UPDATE: Three Woman Killed in Crash With Log Truck Near Monroe
Three Junction City women were killed in a crash on Highway 99 West near McFarland Road Tuesday afternoon.
The Benton County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded to the crash at about 2:15 p.m. It happened about four miles north of Monroe.
An unloaded Kenworth log truck was traveling north on the highway when a southbound 2008 Honda Civic went into the northbound lane, crashing head-on with the log truck, authorities said. It’s not known what caused the driver to change lanes.
All three people inside the Honda were pronounced dead at the scene, including driver Shelene Parrish, 49, her passenger Laynette Taylor, 51, and Laynette’s daughter Brittany Taylor, 31.
The driver of the log truck, a Tillamook resident, was not injured and is cooperating with the investigation. Both lanes of the highway were closed while crews investigated, and the roadway was back open by 7 p.m. that night. The investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information should contact deputies at 541-766-6858.
Fire in Glenwood Area of Eugene
A fire in the Glenwood area destroyed a recreational vehicle and spread to a home on Wednesday morning.
Eugene-Springfield Fire officials said they responded to the area of East 15th Avenue and Concord at about 10:45 a.m.
When crews got there, they quickly spotted the fire, which was burning in tall trees next to the RV. The fire was under control by about 11:15 a.m., but by then, it had spread to a small part of the house and other vegetation in the area.
If the fire had happened in the summer or on a windy day, it could have easily spread to other houses in the area, officials stated. No one was injured, and the investigation is ongoing.
4J School District Continues Contract Talks With Union
Contract negotiations will continue for the 4J School District and the Eugene Education Association after a bargaining session Wednesday evening.
Prior to the meeting, dozens of community and staff members met outside of the 4J district office to support the teacher’s efforts.
Nathan Goldbright is a teacher at North Eugene and a member of the union’s bargaining team. He said there is still work to be done.
“While we were making some progress at times it felt like things also really ground to a halt,” Goldbright said. “[We] felt like we were getting some real knocks to our respect from the district.”
Goldbright and his team were hopeful the district would bring another financial proposal to the table tonight, however that was not the case. During their last discussions, the two sides were far from an agreement.
At the meeting, district officials weighed in on the state of negotiations.
“We don’t necessarily agree with everything our staff is doing or wanted, but we’re in a position of authority and leadership in the district,” Judy Newman, 4J board member said. “We can’t do it alone. They can’t do it alone.”
The two sides are scheduled to meet again next Thursday. The time is to be determined.
Oregon reports 3,309 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 57 new deaths
There are 57 new COVID-19-related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 6,322, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) reported at 12:01 a.m. today. OHA reported 3,309 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 668,783.
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (19), Benton (96), Clackamas (216), Clatsop (23), Columbia (41), Coos (75), Crook (31), Curry (43), Deschutes (180), Douglas (80), Grant (8), Harney (4), Hood River (20), Jackson (219), Jefferson (68), Josephine (98), Klamath (86), Lake (6), Lane (383), Lincoln (54), Linn (170), Malheur (27), Marion (316), Morrow (3), Multnomah (397), Polk (91), Sherman (4), Tillamook (16), Umatilla (46), Union (15), Wallowa (5), Wasco (21), Washington (372), Wheeler (19), Yamhill (57)
Statewide, the COVID-19 hospitalization numbers are entering a downward slope.
Oregon’s hospitalizations reported Tuesday were 75 occupied beds short of the omicron peak so far, Jan. 27. An Oregon Health & Science University forecast last week said hospitalizations either had already peaked or would do so Feb. 6th.
The burden on hospitals from the omicron surge has been far less severe than originally predicted, with experts attributing the difference to Oregonians’ efforts to prevent spread. With the omicron surge on its way out, hospitals will be less likely to see big spikes in COVID-19 hospitalizations because of how many people have developed immunity to the disease, OHSU data analyst Peter Graven said last week in a statement. The state also reported 21 additional deaths connected to COVID-19.
The CDC is pleading with states not to drop school mask mandates. Director Rochelle Walensky says now is not the moment. She told the news agency Reuters their guidance hasn’t changed and still recommends students mask up due to the high rate of new infections. This comes as Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey and our state of Oregon plan to end their school mask mandates. California will also stop its indoor mandate next week and New York will reportedly do the same tomorrow, but not just yet for schools.
Oregon Community Foundation to Deploy Nearly $1.46 Million in American Red Cross Relief for Fire Impacted Communities in Oregon
February 9, 2022 – The Community Rebuilding Fund, a joint effort led by Oregon Community Foundation in partnership with American Red Cross (as well as Meyer Memorial Trust and The Ford Family Foundation), today announced $1,455,000 in Community Rebuilding Fund grants made possible through American Red Cross funding. The grants will support seven nonprofit organizations providing vital help to Oregon communities continuing to rebuild from the 2020 fires.
“The American Red Cross has stood alongside Oregonians and provided support for their recovery from the very first days of the devastating 2020 fires,” said Amanda Ree, Executive Director, Wildfire Recovery Programs for the American Red Cross. “Our strong partnership with Oregon Community Foundation helps us continue our efforts, and direct help where it is most urgently needed. We applaud these organizations on the ground delivering critical fire recovery services in Oregon.”
Following are the seven community organizations that will be supported with this latest round of $1,455,000 in Community Rebuilding Fund grants, made possible through the American Red Cross:
Echo Mountain Fire Relief| $240,000
To build capacity among local service providers who are assisting 2020 fire survivors, specifically with bilingual resource workers to reach rural Latino/a/x community members and mental health counseling for survivors.
Glide Revitalization | $240,000
To provide support for the unmet needs of Douglas County residents who survived the Archie Creek Wildfire in 2020, including housing and childcare.
McKenzie Valley Long Term Recovery Group | $200,000
To provide funding to the Unmet Needs Committee for survivors of the Holiday Farm Fire in 2020.
Remake Talent | $240,000
To continue to support the Fire Zone Captains and Loss & Recovery Data Dashboard, two programs serving the 3500 survivors of the Almeda Fire in 2020.
Santiam Canyon Wildfire Relief Fund | $245,000
To provide funding for the Unmet Needs Committee to deploy to 2020 fire survivors and assist with housing, appliances, furniture and sheds for rebuilding.
Unite Oregon | $250,000
To continue to serve the Latino community who survived the 2020 Almeda Fire by developing and training community leaders, including youth, and distributing basic needs support to those still displaced.
United Way of Lane County | $40,000
To provide funding for the unmet needs of the survivors of the Holiday Farm Fire in 2020.
“The recovery and rebuilding process will take years. Together – and with generous support from committed partners like American Red Cross – Oregon will recover and flourish again,” said Sonia Worcel, Chief Community Impact Officer, Oregon Community Foundation. “We’re incredibly grateful to the many nonprofits on the frontline helping our neighbors rebuild their homes and their lives.”
About the 2020 Community Rebuilding Fund
The 2020 Community Rebuilding Fund launched in response to Oregon’s devastating 2020 wildfire season which forever changed many of Oregon’s vibrant rural communities. Recognizing equitable, inclusive and resiliency-based rebuilding is essential, the 2020 Community Rebuilding Fund centers the needs of Oregon’s vulnerable residents most impacted – including Latino/a/x, Tribal and rural community members. The Fund supports community-led rebuilding that engages residents in shaping the future of the diverse and dynamic places they call home. The 2020 Community Rebuilding Fund is led by Oregon Community Foundation, in partnership with Meyer Memorial Trust, The Ford Family Foundation and American Red Cross and in addition to each partner, is primarily funded through individual, corporate and foundation support. To learn more, please visit: Community Rebuilding Fundhttps://oregoncf.org/grants-and-scholarships/grants/community-rebuilding-fund-grants/community-rebuilding-fund-values/.
About Oregon Community Foundation
Oregon Community Foundation (OCF) works with donors and volunteers to award grants and scholarships to every county in Oregon. From 2020 to 2021, OCF distributed more than $560 million, supporting more than 4,000 nonprofits and 6,000 students. With OCF, individuals, families, businesses, and organizations create charitable funds that meet the needs of diverse communities statewide. Since its founding in 1973, OCF has distributed more than $2 billion toward advancing its mission to improve lives for all Oregonians. For more information, please visit: oregoncf.org.
About American Red Cross
American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. American Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org.
Oregon’s Revenue Surpasses Expectations Again
Oregon lawmakers were briefed Wednesday on the state’s quarterly revenue forecast, and the outlook again went beyond earlier expectations. Even with Oregonians expected to receive a kicker refund of about $964 million in 2024, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle quickly identified opportunities for spending more than $900 million in additional revenue.
But for many Oregonians still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic or destructive wildfires, the bird’s-eye economic analysis may not resemble their personal experience. The report pointed to overall rising wages and a tight labor market, with workers in high demand — and the higher wages mean more tax income for the state.
For lawmakers, the growth in revenue means a larger budget to work with. While Democrats and Republicans agreed on the need for new spending, they had different ideas on where that money should go.
Sunny Valley Man Trying To Shoot Bear Accidentally Kills Brother Then Kills Himself
On February 8, 2022, at approximately 6:59 AM, Josephine County 911 received a report of a shooting at a residence in the 2000 block of Placer Road in Sunny Valley.
The caller reported that he had accidentally shot his brother while loading a gun because there was a bear on their property.
Upon arrival, Deputies located a deceased male from an apparent gunshot wound. While checking the rest of the residence, a second deceased male was located with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Sheriff’s Office Detectives were assisted by Detectives from the Oregon State Police.
Based upon the investigation, it is believed the caller took his own life after calling 911 to report the accidental shooting. This case is still under investigation and will be forwarded to the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office. Josephine Co. Sheriff’s Office
Body Found in Hillsboro Business Building Fire Debris
A man’s body was found this week among the debris from the Weil Arcade building fire in downtown Hillsboro that destroyed dozens of businesses. This discovery comes more than a month after the historic building was destroyed on January 2nd.
According to Hillsboro Police, the man, who has not been identified, died from smoke inhalation. Investigators don’t believe he was connected to any businesses in the building.
Investigators said the delay in finding the body was due to safety concerns with the building.
“It was unsafe for a couple reasons. The fire was still burning for a number of days,” Sergeant Clint Chrz with Hillsboro Police, said. “The front side facade of the businesses that faces main street, we were concerned that portion was unstable, and it would either fall back into the burned-out debris or fall into the sidewalk or street. So, that prevented anybody, police investigators, fire investigators, ATF investigators, from going in there.”
Police said they don’t believe there are any more victims.
Roel Leon, 34, is accused of starting the Jan. 2 fire, as well as starting torching two nearby vehicles the same night. She’s also accused of a burglary in downtown Hillsboro that happened Dec. 2nd.
Leon was arrested a few days after the Weil Arcade fire and booked into the Washington County Jail on two counts of second-degree arson and two counts of second-degree burglary. Hillsboro Police will send updates on the body found to the Washington County District Attorney’s Office to determine whether charges will be upgraded.
The fire started around 3 a.m. Jan. 2 and ripped through a building that’s been a Main Street staple for over 100 years. It took more than 12 hours and over 90 firefighters to extinguish the flames. More than a dozen businesses were destroyed.
Fatal Motorcycle Crash on Hwy 31-Lake County
On Tuesday, February 8th, 2022 at approximately 4:47 PM, Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to the report of a motorcycle crash on Highway 31 near milepost 65.
Preliminary investigation revealed that a northbound Harley Davidson motorcycle, operated by Trustin Hudson (39) of Bend, failed to negotiate the corner, went off the roadway and struck a tree.
Hudson sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased. OSP was assisted by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and the Oregon Department of Transportation. Oregon State Police
Winter Wings Festival Will Now Focus on Decline of Klamath Falls Migratory Bird Refuges
Once attracting millions of birds at a time during the mid-20th Century, the Klamath Basin’s “Everglades of the West” have made it a Mecca for birders. But after two years of intense drought, most of the watershed’s iconic wetlands are high and dry.
Now the Winter Wings Festival, which typically celebrates the Klamath’s avian bounty each February, is making a bit of a pivot. Previous years’ Winter Wings Festivals, presented by the Klamath Basin Audubon Society, has always included birding field trips to Lower Klamath and Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuges, which are all that’s left of
hundreds of thousands of acres of wetlands that once filled the Upper Klamath Basin.
The refuges were renowned for their variety of migratory bird species, particularly waterfowl and bald eagles, due to their crucial position on the Pacific Flyway. As many as 80% of all migrating birds on the West Coast of North America stop here to rest and eat on their journeys between the Arctic and the tropics.
This winter, only a few thousand acres on Tule Lake Refuge’s Sump 1B remain wet — the refuge’s larger wetland unit and all but a few puddles worth of Lower Klamath Refuge sit dry and cracked. There are still birds, but Winter Wings attendees visiting the basin for the first time since 2020 may be in for a shock.
This year, the festival program includes seven presentations and field trips directly addressing the decline of the Klamath refuges, how they fit into the basin’s water crisis and what can be done to fix things. Refuge staff, local historians, private landowners and non-governmental organizations are lined up to help festival-goers unravel the complexities of the Klamath from the avian perspective.
Klamath County Sheriff’s Office Asks for Public’s Help in Search For Trucker Suspect
The first real clue to come in on all the missing person cases in the area. Help Klamath Falls Oregon Sheriff Office ID this trucker. He was the last to see this woman alive and could be the key to not only solving this woman’s disappearance but a number of the hundred other women missing in PNW. IF you have any information, please call (541) 883-5130
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/