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, February 28, 2022
Willamette Valley Weather
Today– Rain, mainly before 4pm. High near 61. Breezy, with a south southwest wind 16 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Tuesday– Rain. High near 58. Southeast wind 3 to 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Wednesday– Rain. High near 54. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Thursday– A 50 percent chance of rain. Snow level 3000 feet. Cloudy, with a high near 50.
Friday– A chance of showers, mainly before 4pm. Snow level 2500 feet. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 48.
Police Search For Victim’s Roommate In Albany Homicide
A 42-year-old woman, the roommate of a 75-year-old man whose death was ruled a homicide, is wanted for questioning in the case, Albany police officials said.
Elvin “Al” Pierce was found dead by officers around 9:10 p.m. Friday after a 911 caller reported a man was unconscious and not breathing. Investigators at that time said the circumstances surrounding his death were suspicious.
APD said Pierce’s roommate, 42-year-old Elizabeth Nicole Tyler Jimenez, wasn’t there at the home when officers found Pierce dead and they don’t know where she is.
Authorities did not specifically state whether Jimenez is a suspect or if there are any charges against her.
Pierce’s car, a tan 2004 Buick Park Avenue with Oregon license plate 081FAX, is also missing.
Jimenez, who investigators believe is currently without a job, is described as often visiting local soup kitchens. She also has skills as a masseuse and a seamstress, officials said.
Anyone with information is urged to contact APD at 541-917-7680 or APD Lt. Buck Pearce at 541-917-3209.
OHA Hosts March 1st Community Meeting On Health Impacts Of Baxter Plant Contamination
The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) will host a virtual community meeting Tuesday, March 1st to discuss human health and risks associated with exposure to dioxins found in soil samples near the former J.H. Baxter wood preserving facility.
Public health toxicologists will share the results of health assessments and risks related to soil samples taken from nearby residences. There will be time after the presentation for questions participants may have for OHA about the results.
The meeting will take place Monday, March 1 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. via Zoom.
Zoom meeting link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82224601041?pwd=UGhJVHRFYXJpN2VpekZhYTdWQVdPUT09
Fatal Crash on Hwy 126 Near Walton
One person is dead and another is injured following a crash on highway 126 about 5 miles west of Walton near milepost 28. According to officials, this happened before 6 p.m. Sunday.
All lanes of Highway 126 in the area were closed for six hours while officials investigated. Lane Fire Authority was at the scene. Oregon State Police and Lane County Sheriff’s Office also responded.
Officials said this was a head-on collision and that a life flight helicopter was requested.
A shop and a car in Junction City are a complete loss after a fire on Sunday night.
This happened on the 93000 block of Dorsey Lane. Fire crews responded to the scene just before 7 p.m.
A shop and a car in Junction City are a complete loss after a fire on Sunday night. This happened on the 93000 block of Dorsey Lane. Fire crews responded to the scene just before 7 p.m.
A warehouse in Roseburg is a complete loss after a fire Saturday afternoon.
According to the Douglas County Fire Marshal, firefighters responded around 1:30 p.m. in the back half of Douglas County Forest Products. This is located on the 300 block of Del Rio Road.
Officials said the warehouse was doing hemp oil extraction. Luckily, the warehouse was unoccupied at the time of the fire. The cause of the fire is unknown and under investigation at this time.
It’s been two years since the first coronavirus case was identified in Oregon.
The anniversary comes amid rising optimism that the country is inching closer to the end of the pandemic.
Oregon’s first confirmed case of COVID-19 was Hector Calderon, the janitor working at Forest Hills Elementary School in Lake Oswego.
He was released from Kaiser Permanente in Hillsboro after two months of treatment. But in those two months, we started to see the dramatic impact the virus was having on both our state and the country.
In two years, Oregon has seen roughly 692,000 cases of coronavirus and 6,582 deaths related to COVID-19.
The state is also seeing a pathway out of the grips of the pandemic, with more than 7 million doses of COVID vaccines administered.
On March 19, the state will lift indoor masking mandates for businesses and schools. Meanwhile, in the neighboring Washington state, mask mandates will remain in place until March 21.
While the rules are being lifted for schools, individual districts will decide whether they keep mask rules in place past March 19.
While the Omicron variant of the virus that causes COVID-19 is on the decline across Oregon, there is an Omicron subvariant called BA.2 that we’re monitoring closely through genetic sequencing and wastewater surveillance. Currently, just over 6% of all positive COVID-19 test samples are analyzed for sequencing, and within that analysis, BA.2 represents fewer than 1% of variants circulating in Oregon.To learn more, visit our Variants Dashboard: http://ow.ly/6sJx50I4UIe
$62 million in Oregon SNAP emergency food benefits to be distributed in March
Oregonians who receive SNAP benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will also get emergency allotments again this March.
Since the pandemic hit in March 2020, the federal government has approved emergency food allowances each month. Jake Sunderland with Oregon Department of Human Services said in March, about 386,000 SNAP households will receive nearly $62 million in extra food benefits.
“We know that many rely on these additional food benefits to get enough healthy food for themselves and their families,” he said. “We also know that many Oregonians are struggling to meet their basic needs and we encourage them to contact our partners at 211 1or the Oregon Food Bank for support.”
Current SNAP households will receive emergency benefits on March 11. Emergency allotments will be issued March 31 or April 2 for households who did not receive benefits in the first monthly issuance.
- Most Oregonians who receive SNAP benefits will continue to receive increased emergency food benefits in March
- Find resources to meet your basic needs: Dial 2-1-1, or text your zip code to 898-211, www.211info.org
- Oregon Department of Human Services COVID-19 help center
More information about emergency allotments is available at https://www.oregon.gov/dhs/ASSISTANCE/FOOD-BENEFITS/Pages/Emergency-Allotments.aspx.
Questions about your SNAP benefits should be directed to the ONE Customer Service Center at 1-800-699-9075.
Body Recovered At Cape Arago State Park
Crews recovered a body below the cliffs at Cape Arago State Park Sunday. Charleston Fire and Rescue officials said this was an “unfortunate recovery process.” They said the operation ran smoothly and safely.
This recovery took the effort of federal, state and local governments, according to officials. In addition to Charleston Fire, the U.S. Coast Guard, Oregon State Police, and Coos County Sheriff’s Office were also involved in the task.
Fatal Crash on Hwy 101-Lincoln County
On Friday, February 25th, 2022 at approximately 11:15 PM, Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a single vehicle crash on Highway 101 near milepost 126.
Preliminary investigation revealed a gold Honda Accord, operated by Jessie Evan Carl Nunn (22) of Gleneden Beach, was southbound and failed to negotiate a curve. His vehicle drove off the southbound shoulder, continued into the forest, down a steep embankment where it struck several trees. The vehicle fractured into multiple sections so that driver seat was ejected from the vehicle.
Nunn sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene. Highway 101 remained open during the investigation. OSP was assisted by Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Depoe Bay Fire and Rescue and ODOT Incident Response. Oregon State Police
Structure Fire at ‘It’s A Burl’ in Kerby
A structure fire broke out in Kerby early Sunday evening. According to Illinois Valley Fire District (IVFD), Highway 199 is down to one lane while units are cleaning up after a structure at “It’s a Burl” caught fire.
One building was full involved when the first unit arrived on scene. As large as the fire was it was quickly brought under control. There were no injuries reported. 199 in Kerby was closed for a while and then opened to one lane. The fire is under investigation. Unite responding were IVFD, AMR, Rural Metro Fire – Josephine County, ODOT, Sheriff and OSP. There will be a lengthy mop-up.
Oregon Legislators Would Get Even Higher Salaries Than Originally Estimated If A Bill Raising Salaries Passes
Oregon legislators would make almost $63,500, if they vote to tie their salaries to the state’s average wage, according to an updated report from legislative analysts. That’s $6,000 more than what was originally calculated under terms of the proposed legislative raise.
A Senate committee advanced Senate Bill 1566 on Tuesday, with proponents arguing that higher wages would improve diversity in the Legislature and reduce turnover. At that time, the legislative analysts said passing it would result in paying lawmakers $58,500 beginning in January 2023. They now are paid slightly less than $33,000.
Their new salary would increase every two years if average wages in Oregon increase, but it couldn’t decrease more than 2% in a year, even if average wages fall. The Senate president and House speaker receive twice the salary as other lawmakers.
An updated analysis posted Thursday shows that the average salary in Oregon in 2021 was actually $63,464, so lawmaker salary would be set at that amount beginning in January 2023 if the bill passses.
The higher wage also means more total cost to taxpayers, requiring an extra $1.7 million to cover the first six months of 2023 and then $7.1 million in the two-year budget cycle that begins in July 2023.
Only California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania pay their legislators more than $63,000, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Legislatures in those states run full time, while the Oregon Legislature is in session for just more than one-quarter of the days in a two-year period.
The pay increase proposal is awaiting a hearing before the Legislature’s budget-writing committee.
JCSO received a call Thursday regarding a vehicle that had been left in the parking lot north of the Gold Hill Sports Park, according to a JCSO press release. Upon arrival, deputies discovered that the vehicle was rented by Walzer. JCSO Search and Rescue responded and completed a search of this area along the Rogue River. Neither Walzer nor any additional clues were located.
This is a busy recreational area which leads authorities to believe Walzer was most likely seen or contacted by someone.
“Walzer was in a silver Nissan pickup truck and most likely had a full-size camera,” the press release reads. “Investigation indicates Walzer may have left his vehicle over a week ago on Friday February 18.”
Walzer is 6’2” 220 lbs with brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen waring a blueish-gray button up shirt and blue jeans.
If you have any information or have seen Walzer, please contact Sgt. Shawn Richards at 541-774-6800.
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/