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, October 21, 2022
Willamette Valley Weather
Search Warrant Served on Illegal Butane Hash Oil Lab Near Pleasant Hill
On 10-17-2022 Detectives from the Lane County Sheriff’s Office and Oregon State Police were contacted by OLCC inspectors regarding an illegal butane hash oil (BHO) extraction lab on property in the 83700blk of Raintree St. near Pleasant Hill. OLCC had responded to the location for a site inspection of a permitted growing operation and noted the BHO lab, as well as marijuana and products outside of the permitted site.
Detectives from LCSO and OSP responded to the location and contacted the owner/permittee. Investigators applied for and were granted a search warrant executed by detectives and DEA personnel.
Two labs were located on the property. One inside the residential garage and another was under a covered section outside the garage. The indoor lab was active and butane vapor was actively venting from a vessel inside the garage. This odorless vapor is highly volatile and creates a substantial danger of fire and explosion.
The garage and residence were evacuated and guarded overnight to allow the butane in the air to dissipate. Members of OSP and DEA clandestine lab teams arrived the morning of 10-18-2022 and rendered the illegal labs safe. LCSO seized portions of the lab equipment. Hundreds of pounds of marijuana in various states of processing, including 533 plants, were destroyed and commercial amounts of BHO, firearms and currency were seized.
LCSO and OSP were assisted on scene by the DEA, Douglas County Interagency Team (DINT), and Pleasant Hill / Goshen Fire department. The case will be referred to the Lane County District Attorney’s Office for charges. Lane County Code Compliance and the State Watermaster will follow up on numerous violations found at the site.
ESPN’s College GameDay in Eugene
The University of Oregon will be back in the national spotlight, as ESPN’s College GameDay returns to Eugene for the first time in four years. Stopping by for the top-ten matchup between UCLA and the Ducks, this will mark the eleventh time the popular college football morning show has come to Eugene.
ESPN’s ‘College Gameday’ has landed in Eugene ahead of the big game between Oregon and UCLA on Saturday, and they are bringing back a Ducks legend to be the show’s guest picker this weekend.
On Thursday, the show announced that the celebrity guest picker on Saturday will be none other than Oregon women’s basketball star Sabrina Ionescu. Ionescu now plays for the New York Liberty and was drafted No. 1 overall in the 2020 WNBA draft.
College GameDay has visited college campuses around the country for nearly thirty years. The last time they came to Eugene was in 2018 for Oregon’s match-up against rank seven Stanford. A game the Ducks would lose 38-31 in overtime.
It is the 11th time ESPN’s flagship college football show has broadcast live from Eugene.
Students and fans alike are excited about the exposure the show will bring, and many are planning to make it to the show bright and early and make the most of a limited opportunity. The show begins at 6 AM and will be held at the Memorial Quad across from the Lillis Business Complex. The game kicks off at 12:30 p.m. Saturday.
http://espncollegegameday.com
Lane County Sheriff’s Office Search Warrant — Internet Child Sex Crimes Suspect Arrested
Lane County Sheriff’s Office detectives recently received information from the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force that a subject, later identified as 22 year old Matthew Aaron Blomquist, had uploaded approximately 40 separate files of child pornography to a messaging platform named ‘Kik’. As deputies investigated, they learned that Blomquist had been living at a residence in the 80000blk of Horn Rd. north of Cottage Grove.
FBI investigators obtained a search warrant for Blomquist’s residence. LCSO detectives assisted the FBI with the execution of this warrant on Wednesday of this week. Several videos containing homemade child pornography were located on Blomquist’s phone. Evidence was also discovered indicating that Blomquist has been filming himself sexually abusing a child in the recent past.
Blomquist was taken into custody and lodged at the Lane County Jail on charges including Sex Abuse in the 1st Degree, Using a Child in Display of a Sex Act, Encouraging Child Exploitation in the 1st Degree, and Encouraging Child Exploitation in the 2nd Degree.
The Lane County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the FBI Eugene Office for their assistance with this case.
Lane County Public Health’s Community Access Center To Temporarily Close To Undergo Improvements
EUGENE, OR—The Community Access Center, Lane County Public Health’s (LCPH) vaccine clinic at Valley River Center (VRC), is temporarily closing in order to make necessary changes which will improve the service offering and promote greater access. Sunday, October 23rd will be the final day of operation before the closure.
“While we would prefer not to close, this time is needed to to refocus our efforts on new service offerings and access opportunities,” said LCPH Communicable Disease Community Response Program Supervisor, Elizabeth Miglioretto.
The closure is anticipated to last two weeks with a projected reopening on Wednesday, November 9th.
Community members who need a COVID booster, you have until this Sunday, October 23rd, to receive it at the VRC clinic. LCPH encourages all community members to take advantage of this valuable resource before the temporary closure.
LCPH will keep the community up to date on the progress of the reopening, as well as new service offerings with weekly updates on social media, the LCPH vaccine clinic webpage (www.lanecounty.org/vaxclinics), and press releases.
Lane County 2022–2023 property tax statements are available online and going out in the mail
Lane County taxpayers will receive their 2022–2023 property tax statements beginning on October 18, 2022. Statements are available online now, as well as information about the county value trends, levy changes, and individual property tax account information, at www.LaneCountyOR.gov/AT. The first payment is due on November 15, 2022.
State, federal and local leaders convene to share progress on statewide housing plan
U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, Oregon Housing and Community Services and Hacienda spoke to importance of community partnerships in addressing affordable housing crisis
GRESHAM, Ore. – Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) Director Andrea Bell joined U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley and Hacienda CDC CEO Ernesto Fonseca and other local leaders to meet with residents at Rockwood Village, an affordable housing community that opened in fall 2021 and serves 224 households. Director Bell also shared progress on the statewide housing plan, which was developed in 2019 to expand the supply of affordable housing in communities across Oregon.
“Every Oregonian should have access to a decent home in a decent community, but far too many people across the state are struggling to find housing that is affordable and stable,” said Sen. Merkley. “Rockwood Village is proof that community partners are essential to ensuring we are building housing in the locations that need it most, and we’re providing culturally informed services and resources that match community needs. I’ll continue fighting to get every federal housing dollar I can into our state so communities like this can be replicated statewide.”
After extensive listening sessions in rural, urban and suburban communities across the state, the agency launched a five-year statewide housing plan which outlined ambitious goals. It was the first time that the state had created a strategic, statewide plan for addressing the housing shortage.
“When we created the statewide housing plan, we were given an opportunity to rethink how we deliver services, identify inequities in our systems, and center the voices of those that were intentionally left out. OHCS continues to make steady progress on the statewide housing plan,” said OHCS Director Andrea Bell. “We recognize that the plan was written prior to a global pandemic. Out of necessity, we have continually pivoted and reprioritized, while keeping ourselves accountable to the plan. We put forward the largest budget request in the agency’s history for the 2023-2025 budget year: $775 million.”
Following are highlights from progress made on the statewide housing plan. OHCS:
- Set a goal of increasing funding for housing in rural Oregon by 75%. With more than a year to go, OHCS has surpassed its goal by funding 3,612 affordable rental homes in rural areas, a 148% increase from the previous five-year period from 2014-2019.
- Set a goal of funding 1,000 new permanent supportive homes. In 2022, the state exceeded that goal by funding more than 1,200 new permanent supportive homes. This type of affordable housing connects people experiencing chronic homelessness with additional support services to help them stay stably housed.
- Set a goal of increasing the existing pipeline of affordable rental housing by 25,000 homes. In 2022, OHCS has increased the pipeline by nearly 21,000 homes, 82% of the way to meeting the goal.
“This progress represents the collective efforts of our federal delegation, the Governor, the Oregon State Legislature, community partners, Tribal Nations, federal, state and local agencies, developers, local businesses, and local communities—to ensure quality and affordable housing is available to everyone in our state,” said Bell. “But we also recognize the demand for affordable housing options far outweighs supply. This progress shows that having a plan in place, with the right partners at the table, and being accountable to Oregonians, ensures we can continue to deliver.”
Leaders present today remarked on the urgency to keep the momentum going and the need to continue to introduce innovative partnerships and solutions to build quality, affordable housing in every corner of the state. Speakers noted that many members of the community are still struggling to get by, but redoubled their collective commitment to continuing to be relentless in ensuring every Oregonian has a safe, affordable and stable place to call home.
“We know the importance of safe and stable affordable homes for our community members. Rockwood Village is the latest example of our work to not just build apartments to live in, but to create a community where people feel connected and can thrive,” said Hacienda CEO Ernesto Fonseca.
OHCS will begin working closely with stakeholders, with significant community input, over the next year to develop a revised five-year statewide housing plan that reflects the current landscape and addresses the most pressing housing issues facing the state.
Oregon Unemployment Rate Update
Oregon’s unemployment rate edged up to 3.8% in September from 3.7% in August.
Oregon nonfarm payroll employment shed 600 jobs in September. Although a small decline, this was the first drop in jobs following 12 consecutive months of gains.
Losses in September were largest in other services (-1,500 jobs), government (-1,100 jobs), and financial activities (-700). These losses were balanced by gains in professional and business services (+1,400), health care and social assistance (+1,000), manufacturing (+800), and leisure and hospitality (+600).
Oregon’s private sector added 500 jobs in September, reaching an all-time high of 1,676,100. This was 4,400 jobs, or 0.3%, above its pre-recession peak in February 2020.
Other services—one of the smallest of the major industries, employing 61,200 in September—has pulled down overall jobs in recent months. It cut 2,700 jobs between July and September, following a spike upward of 4,200 jobs between April and July. In September, a diverse grouping of establishments cut jobs including civic and social organizations, religious organizations, and nail salons.
Health care and social assistance rebounded substantially this year following a lackluster performance in 2021. It added 10,800 jobs during January through September 2022. Each of its four component industries added jobs during that time, with two growing at the fastest rate and adding the most jobs: ambulatory health care services (+4,500 jobs) and social assistance (+3,100).
Accommodation and food services continued to recover from the Pandemic Recession, adding 2,400 jobs in September and gaining 16,100 jobs over the past 12 months. Despite this recent growth, it is still 6,500 below its pre-pandemic high reached in February 2020.
Oregon’s latest unemployment rate moved above the recent low of 3.5% reached in May, June, and July. The U.S. unemployment rate declined from 3.7% in August to 3.5% in September.
Despite slight differences in their movements in recent months, both the U.S. unemployment rate and Oregon’s unemployment rate have each averaged 3.6% since March.
Oregon PUC Receives Federal Pipeline Safety Grant Funds
SALEM, Ore. – The Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC) recently received just under $670,000 in grant funds from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA).
The PUC received the grant funds as part of its agreement with PHMSA to assist the federal government’s safety program. The grant funds will help maintain the PUC’s Pipeline Inspection Program, which aims to enhance safety for Oregonians by conducting inspections of Oregon’s natural gas pipeline infrastructure, enforcing pipeline safety regulations, and conducting thorough investigations of pipeline-related incidents.
PHMSA issues these grants to support the cost of personnel, equipment, and activities reasonably required to inspect and carry out enforcement activities of pipeline facilities to improve safety and reduce risk associated with pipeline transportation. The states inspect 90 percent of the pipeline infrastructure under federal jurisdiction.
The PUC’s Pipeline Safety Program regulates the safety practices of 13 pipeline operators that manage 812 miles of intrastate gas transmission lines, 16,000 miles of gas distribution mains, just over 825,000 individual service lines, and two liquefied natural gas peak shaving facilities.
# # # The PUC regulates customer rates and services of the state’s investor-owned electric and natural gas utilities, including Portland General Electric, Idaho Power, Pacific Power, Avista, Cascade Natural, and NW Natural. The PUC also regulates landline telephone providers and select water companies. The PUC’s mission is to ensure Oregonians have access to safe, reliable, and fairly priced utility services that advance state policy and promote the public interest. We use an inclusive process to evaluate differing viewpoints and visions of the public interest and arrive at balanced, well-reasoned, independent decisions supported by fact and law. For more information about the PUC, visit oregon.gov/puc.
Pacific Northwest has Worst Air in the United States Due to Wildfire Smoke
Wildfires in Oregon and Washington are blanketing much of the Pacific Northwest with smoke, choking residents in Seattle, Portland, and other parts of the two states with the worst air in the United States, according to government data.
The 10 U.S. locations with the worst air quality on Thursday were all in Washington or Oregon, led by Oakridge, Oregon, 150 miles (240 km) southeast of Portland. Oakridge’s air quality index was 487, in the hazardous category, according to the federal airnow.gov website.
Seattle, with an air quality index of 207 and Portland, with 204, led large cities on the list, with air considered to be very unhealthy. To have poor air quality from wildfire smoke as late in the year as October is unprecedented in Washington, said Susan Woodward, spokesperson for the Washington State Department of Ecology.
“It’s a column of smoke all the way down to the ground right now,” she said. The air quality index measures a combination of ozone and particulate pollution in the air.
In Portland, the air was hazy and people wore N95 face masks outside as they walked or rode bicycles through town, Harry Esteve, a spokesperson for the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, said on Thursday.
In Oregon, smoke from numerous fires has been held close to the ground by a weather system, he said.
On Thursday, Oregon expanded an air quality advisory to cover much of the state including the Portland metro area, urging people to stay indoors if possible and use filtered ventilation systems or air purifiers.
Rain expected on Friday throughout the region was expected to aid firefighting efforts and improve air quality.
But Esteve said that officials working to put out numerous fires burning in Oregon fear that extreme dry conditions over the summer have left brush and other fuels for fire so parched that it would take a lot of moisture to extinguish them. As a result, the blazes may continue to smolder and create smoke despite the anticipated precipitation, he said.
The federal government’s InciWeb wildfire information site shows more than two dozen wildfires currently burning in Washington and Oregon. About 10 fires burning within a few hours’ drive of Portland have contributed to the smoky air there, officials said earlier this week.
Rain and Snow in Forecast Also Brings Slick Roads
As the weather forecasts that rain and snow are on the way with potential help for the drought situation and the prolonged wildfire smoke that will help clear this weekend, it does bring other dangers.
This will be the first rain chance Oregon’s seen in nearly a month and that means ash, vehicle fluid, and fall leaves will add to potentially slick roads.
The rain will bring slick road conditions to the valleys and coast while snow will make roads icy and slick over the Cascades. The first rains of the season are usually some of the most dangerous because of the rainwater mixing with the oils and other chemicals on the road.
Travelers should reduce speeds this weekend as inclement weather returns to Western Oregon.
Snow elevations are expected to drop to nearly 3,000 ft. through the weekend. Drivers heading to or through higher elevations in central and southern Oregon this weekend should prepare for winter weather.
With the predicted rain on Friday, the National Weather Service is forecasting several inches of snow to fall in the Cascades in areas above 4,000 feet. Travelers should prepare for wet and snow conditions during the day and ice in the early morning.
To prepare for winter driving:
- Always carry tire chains and practice putting them on.
- Make sure vehicle tires have good tread and windshield wipers are clean and in good condition.
- Make sure the vehicle’s heater and defroster are working well.
- Pack warm clothes, extra snacks and water, and an emergency stock of medications.
- Check Tripcheck.com for up-to-date road conditions.
“On the road, drivers should slow down, give other vehicles extra space, and drive according to conditions,” the ODOT said in a statement. “If you’re using GPS navigation, double check its route. Some GPS systems may lead you down unmaintained back roads. Be safe and stick to main roads.”
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