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, May 9, 2022
Willamette Valley Weather
Three Eugene Police Officers Injured at Another Out of Control House Party
Three Eugene Police officers were injured “after being assaulted responding to an unruly gathering comprised of college-age individuals and some of their parents” attending a party hosted at a frequent loud party location, Eugene PD said.
Around 11:15 p.m. Saturday, Eugene Police officers were dispatched to a home at 1376 Ferry Street. “This particular home was known to officers as a party hotspot and ranked 6th out of the top ten locations with 44 calls for service related to noise and alcohol since March 2020,” EPD said.
Officers arrived to find hundreds of people in and around the residence. They contacted the residents to clear the party, and all residents were cited for prohibited noise, with more charges forthcoming under the city’s unruly gathering ordinance.
Officers estimated over a hundred subjects leaving the home, “including some who appeared to be mothers of those present,” police said.
As officers were attempting to leave, a group of subjects in the street refused to clear out of the roadway. One of these subjects stood his ground in front of a patrol car attempting to exit the area, despite siren and verbal admonishment, according to the report.
“Blocking vehicular traffic is a crime under Oregon law, so the officer attempted to stop and detain the man, who was later identified as William Maxwell Crever, 21, of the Portland area,” police said.
According to EPD, Crever pulled away from officers and struck one officer in the face, causing injury to his face and nose. “As three officers struggled against Mr. Crever’s attempts to escape, a large crowd surrounded them,” police said. “One woman who identified herself as Crever’s mother had to be pushed away to allow the officers to complete his arrest.”
Based on the crowd behavior and concern for officers’ safety, officers from Eugene Police, Lane County Sheriff’s Office, Springfield Police Department, and Oregon State Police responded to assist, and several other calls for service went unanswered while this situation was stabilized, EPD said.
Two officers involved sustained injuries to their hands while struggling with Crever, who was uninjured and remains lodged at the Lane County Jail, the report said.
“This situation is out of control,” said Eugene Police Chief Chris Skinner. “It was only two weeks ago that we had a party that included parents and college-age individuals on 16th between Patterson and Hilyard, create a drain on police resources for this city.
Once again our law enforcement officers were called by community members to step in and help with an out-of-control party. Three of this community’s police officers were injured while trying to effect an arrest and gain control of the situation. I’m frustrated and angry with the blatant disregard for overall community safety and the lack of respect these students and parents showed our community and public employees.”
The following charges were issued:
Arrested for Assault on a Public Safety Officer, Assault 4 x 2, Resisting Arrest, and Disorderly Conduct under 22-07027:
- Crever, William Maxwell, 21, Address unknown
Cited for Prohibited Noise under 22-07026:
- Luke Thompson, 20, of Eugene
- Braden Rice, 21, of Eugene
- Max Johnson, 21, of Eugene
- Rory Bradford, 21, of Eugene
- Derek Hogan, 21, of Eugene
“Additional charges are likely forthcoming against subjects who were involved in this incident,” EPD said.
The University of Oregon released the following statement on Sunday:
We have heard conflicting information about an off-campus incident this past weekend. As members of the broader Eugene community, we are mindful of the inherent responsibility to be good neighbors and community members.
Students are expected to adhere to a Student Code of Conduct on and off campus. When able and appropriate, the Dean of Students office conducts investigations about complaints it receives. The consequences of violating the UO’s code of conduct may include educational sanctions, disciplinary probation or suspension depending on the egregiousness of the behavior. Complaints related to this incident will be reviewed, after which necessary and appropriate action may be taken.
Teen Missing Near Lowell Covered Bridge Found Deceased
LCSO Case #22-2466 – Missing person – Lowell area
The body of a deceased male found in the water near the Lowell Marina on Saturday has been identified as 19-year-old William Robert Henry Vaughn.
The body was found along the banks of the reservoir, near the covered bridge leading to Lowell at about 5:30 p.m. Saturday, according to Jason Bowman, search and rescue program supervisor with the Sheriff’s Office.
Vaughn was reported missing on Friday near the Lowell covered bridge. The Lane County Sheriff’s Office says that there are no obvious signs of foul play at this time.
In this phase of the pandemic it’s important to consider the level of COVID-19 transmission in your community so you can make decisions about masking, attending social gatherings and other activities.You may be accustomed to considering your health and vaccination status (and the health of vaccination status of the people you live and work with), but there are additional ways to help you decide which situations are safe.
Data from the CDC and Oregon Health Authority show COVID-19 spread in your community, another indicator that can help you make personal decisions about your risk of COVID-19.To learn more about how to use data to navigate day-to-day life, visit our blog: http://ow.ly/1PkY50J1NUi
State continues paying out Oregon Emergency Rental Assistance Program applications to renters and landlords across Oregon
More than 51,000 Oregon households facing pandemic hardship receive over $340 million in rental assistance relief
Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) is processing for payment applications submitted through the Oregon Emergency Rental Assistance Program (OERAP) which stopped accepting applications on March 21, 2022. As of today, the agency has paid out $340.3 million in emergency rental assistance to 51,780 households.
The state has received the additional $16 million the U.S. Department of Treasury allocated in March. The funds were reallocated from other states to high-performing states such as Oregon, demonstrating both speed and continuing need.
As application processing and payout of new applications received after Dec. 1 continues, the program identified a sizeable number of recent applications that were over income or did not meet minimum eligibility criteria in the compliance phase. Program staff are reaching out to tenants to verify documents and ensure the basic eligibility criteria are met before moving forward with the standard denial process for those that do not qualify before redirecting available funds to other eligible applicants.
OERAP staff and customer support vendors have launched a recertification phase in response to feedback from local partners for tenants who may need additional support. Beginning next week, program staff will reach out to current applicants with applications in the system who may not have requested the full 15 months of assistance allowable by the U.S. Department of Treasury. Eligible tenants who previously applied and have unpaid rent balances or need a few additional months of assistance to be made whole will be contacted by the program.
The OERAP portal remains closed to new applicants; however, local-level assistance is available for applicants who meet minimum eligibility criteria from Community Action Agencies. Landlords can be reimbursed for eligible non-payment costs such as rent and late fees incurred during the “safe harbor” period by applying to the Landlord Guarantee Program. Tenants with questions about local-level resources and supports can call 2-1-1 to be connected with their regional Community Action Agency.
Oregon Disaster Assistance For Agriculture Aid Opens Monday 5/9
Drought, smoke, heat and pests are all reasons Oregon is offering aid to farmers and ranchers for 2021 natural disaster effects.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) says starting Monday, May 9, 2022, Oregon Disaster Assistance Program (ODAP) applications will be available to farmers and ranchers who experienced financial losses due to various natural disasters in 2021.
It says they can apply for ODAP state-level assistance as local banks and credit unions familiar with agriculture will administer ODAP aid throughout the state. A list of partners and a sample application are available at the ODAP web page. Applications will be available until June 3, 2022.
ODA Director Alexis Taylor says, “Oregon’s farmers and ranchers are used to dealing with issues beyond their control, but the series of natural disasters, where historic drought conditions were compounded by record-breaking heat, wildfire smoke, early winter storm damage, and pest infestation in 2021, was hard for any producer to absorb.”
ODA says the Oregon Legislature granted ODA the legal authority and $40-million last December to establish a disaster assistance program which ODA designed as a forgivable loan program with stakeholders and industry partners, adding, “The program calculates assistance for eligible farmers and ranchers in Oregon on the loss of Gross Farm Income. ODAP is based on tax filing from 2017, 2018, and 2019 to establish a 3-year baseline of what a producer could have expected in farm income without disaster impacts. Using the producer’s 2021 Gross Farm Income, the difference between 2021 income and the 3-year baseline is considered a loss due to natural disasters.
“The maximum assistance is $125,000 or 90% of the three-year baseline. In addition, producers who meet the USDA definition of a historically underserved producer or have less than $350,000 in gross income may qualify for maximum assistance is $150,000 or 95% of the three-year baseline.
“Assistance will be forgiven unless the producer receives additional funds under ODAP and certain US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) disaster assistance. USDA FSA disaster assistance will be reported back for redetermination for any repayment or forgiveness. Based on available funds, ODAP may conduct a second round of applications.”
Oregon farm regulators might decide to take over fresh produce safety inspections from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration next year.
The FDA began performing inspections in Oregon in 2019 to implement the Food Safety Modernization Act, a
federal statute intended to prevent foodborne illness. Since then, the state Department of Agriculture has focused on providing education and technical assistance to fresh produce growers rather than directly conducting on-farm inspections.
However, some farmers have told ODA that they’d prefer to be overseen by state inspectors who are more familiar with local crops, said Susanna Pearlstein, the agency’s produce safety program manager.
Public Defender Shortage Hurts Many Oregonians
Oregon’s public defender system has shown cracks for years, but a post-pandemic glut of delayed cases is exposing shocking constitutional landmines. Those problems are impacting defendants and crime victims alike in a state with a national reputation for progressive social justice.
An acute public defender shortage means hundreds of low-income criminal defendants don’t have legal representation – sometimes in serious felony cases – and judges have dismissed several dozen cases.
Hearings in others are delayed, leaving defendants and victims in limbo. Lawmakers are ordering reforms and budgeting millions for fixes after a recent study found Oregon has 31% of the necessary public defenders.
Avian Flu Detected in Oregon
The avian flu that’s spreading quickly across the U.S. has been detected in Oregon for the first time since 2015, in a backyard flock of birds in a rural area, authorities said. The presence of the highly contagious virus in Linn County, about 110 miles southeast of Portland, was confirmed Friday by federal officials after state officials conducted
preliminary testing, the Oregon Department of Agriculture said in a statement.
The latest outbreak has led to the culling of about 37 million chickens and turkeys in U.S. farms since February, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture has confirmed 956 cases of bird flu in wild birds, including at least 54 bald eagles. But the actual number is likely significantly higher because not every wild bird that dies is tested and the federal tally doesn’t include cases recorded by wildlife rehabilitation centers.
The discovery of the avian flu in the Pacific Northwest wasn’t unexpected as the virus has been spreading rapidly across the country in both domestic and wild birds. An infected bald eagle was found in British Columbia, Canada, in early March, said Dr. Ryan Scholz, Oregon’s state veterinarian.
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
https://www.facebook.com/pg/Have-You-Seen-Me-Southern-Oregons-Missing-People-161249961222839/posts/