Willamette Valley News, Friday 12/2 – Slick Driving Conditions Around the Region, Bridge from Glenwood to Eugene Shut Down

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, December 2, 2022

Willamette Valley Weather

Slick Driving Conditions Around the Region

Around 4:30 a.m. Friday, the City released an update, saying the roads remain slick and icy throughout the city.

Public works crews utilized five different pieces of equipment throughout the night, applying sand and deicer on city roads.
People should still expect an icy commute this morning, regardless of location.
If people must go out this morning, assume there is ice.
Give yourself plenty of time and distance and drive as though you can’t rely on your brakes.

Public Works crews will continue to work to improve road conditions over the coming hours and until the temperatures rise above freezing.

There are additional driving tips in the release below and as well online at https://www.eugene-or.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=5880.

If it is icy out and you don’t have to travel, stay home
Slow down
Leave plenty of driving distance, don’t accelerate quickly and don’t brake abruptly
Drive defensively and cautiously – your eyes should be looking ahead and down the road so you can see conditions and traffic and will be able to react appropriately and calmly
Even if you have a green light, check to see you are safe proceeding through the intersection. There may be vehicles sliding into the intersection, without the ability to stop due to road conditions and unsafe driving
If you have an outside temperature gauge in your car, check it from time to time (These gauges are inexpensive and available at stores locally)
Drive as though you can’t rely on your brakes
Be aware that road conditions can change quickly as the temperature drops
The surface on overpasses and bridges freeze faster so be cautious
Remove all ice on windshields, windows, headlights and tail lights prior to driving to ensure adequate visibility, and make sure the vehicle’s windshield is defrosted
Carry chains or traction devices if it is going to snow
Check your tire pressure. It should be at least at the level recommended by the manufacturer. As the temperature drops, so does tire pressure
Turn headlights on
If you crash, carefully evaluate the situation from inside your vehicle. Don’t immediately get out because it is possible other vehicles might also be crashing near you. Don’t stand between moving traffic and your vehicle. Use a flare, hazard lights or other signaling device to warn other drivers of the crash.
Four-wheel drive vehicles and all-wheel drive vehicles are great at accelerating, but in snow or ice that doesn’t help you stop or turn.
Don’t use cruise control in freezing, near freezing, or rainy conditions. The powered wheels can lose traction.
Don’t leave your vehicle unattended, warming up in the driveway, a perfect target for would-be car-thieves.

Bridge from Glenwood to Eugene Shut Down

The Eugene Police Department closed the bridge and advised motorists to avoid the area of Franklin Boulevard near I-5 due to several traffic collisions Thursday evening because of icy conditions.

Eugene Police responded to a multi-vehicle crash at Franklin Boulevard, under I-5. A Springfield Police officer and multiple engines from Eugene Springfield Fire Department also responded to assist. More than nine vehicles crash on Franklin, under I-5 At 7:03 p.m. on December 1,

There had been snow in the Eugene area earlier in the day, most of which did not stick. However as daylight ended, the temperatures lowered to freezing, causing moisture on the roadway to develop black ice.

Responders arrived to find there were multiple crashes on both sides of Franklin Boulevard, with more than nine involved vehicles. One of the drivers, who had been in a white Subaru Forrester, was transported to a local hospital for precautionary evaluation after being extricated from the car by Eugene Springfield Fire. Eugene Springfield Fire remained on scene to assist with clearing the incident.

Responding agencies cleared the roadway allowing an ODOT truck to de-ice the roadway so traffic could be opened up. Involved parties were encouraged to exchange insurance information amongst each other. Multiple tow companies responded to clear disabled cars from the roadway.

It is likely some involved vehicles are not mentioned in this report as they might have left the location before Police arrival or called for their own tows. The roadway was opened at about 8:57 p.m. to regular traffic, once de-iced.

Motorists should continue to exercise caution as roadways throughout the area are icy.

Corvallis Hwy Off-Ramp Closed For Repairs After Crash

The highway off-ramp that leads into downtown Corvallis is closed after a truck crashed into it Wednesday.

Officials from the Oregon Department of Transportation say that if all goes well the ramp should be repaired and back to normal by the end of December.

“When situations like this happen it’s a multi-faceted thing,” said Angela Beers-Seydel with ODOT. “We take a look immediately at the damage done by somebody hitting the ramp, and based on that what repairs are needed, but also what is the safety factor.”

When the ramp was struck by a vehicle in the evening of November 30, a nearby crew from ODOT was able to act immediately. The driver of the vehicle was shortly identified, officials say. Under Oregon law, the driver will be charged for damages to public property.

One official from the Oregon Department of Transportation states that if it’s safe enough, they are thinking of letting smaller cars use the ramp. Trucks, however, are considered too heavy for the ramp at the moment and are strictly off-limits.

This is a major ramp in Corvallis that sees plenty of traffic every day. Before the accident, all the traffic coming from the west would use the ramp as a way to bypass the town.

There are a number of roads in Corvallis that drivers can take while the ramp is being fixed. Highway 34 coming into Corvallis on the Harrison Street bridge is one example. It will take longer to navigate around town.

Fatal Crash Closed River Road Between Junction City And Eugene

Deputies responded to a crash in the 91800blk of River Rd. on 11/30/22 at approximately 1:30pm. Investigation reveals that a red Jeep SUV was traveling northbound on River Rd. when it drove off of the roadway and struck two trees.

The driver of the SUV did not survive the crash. No other vehicles were involved. The involved driver’s identity is being withheld at this time.

70th Annual Springfield Christmas Parade Set for Saturday

The Springfield Christmas Parade is set to entertain crowds of people this Saturday. The parade kicks off at 1 p.m. and follows a route from northeast Springfield into the downtown area. This is the 70th year in a row for the parade.

Organizers call it the “Oldest and Coldest” parade in Oregon. The parade will be held rain or shine. As of Wednesday afternoon, the forecast for Saturday in Springfield is for an 80% chance of showers and a high of 44.

“There’s nothing like going to the parade and having ten, twenty, thirty thousand people alongside there, and you’re just there to enjoy some fun., “said Brenda Hughey, director of the Oregon Riders Society, a non-profit that organizes the annual event. “Life is so stressful, so many things going on, but this is just a couple of hours of pure enjoyment.”

Hughey said the parade is still looking for additional entries. She says small businesses or community organizations are especially welcome to sign up. An application form is available on the Oregon Riders Society homepage. — https://springfield-or.gov/event/70th-annual-springfield-christmas-parade/

The First Christian Church in Eugene is partnering with Lane County Health and Human Services and CAHOOTS to help with the newly-announced Operation Winter Survival Stockpile, an effort to have plenty of warm winter clothing and supplies through donations that will help people experiencing homelessness.

Some of the items they need include things like tents, blankets, sleeping bags, hand warmers, and anything else that can be used to keep someone warm as well as other survival supplies. Lane County officials say the supplies would be distributed to homeless outreach providers like CAHOOTS that have direct contact with individuals in need.

Some items that Operation Winter Survival Stockpile’s looking for are:

Tents – preferably 2 person
Blankets – preferably wool
Rain ponchos
Sleeping Bags
Hand Warmers
Socks – preferably wool
Tarps
Gift Cards
Laundry Cards
Footwear
Thermal Underwear
Flashlights/ Batteries
Beanies/Warm Hats
Gloves
Other survival supplies

Items can continued to be dropped off on weekdays between the hours if 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at First Christian Church, at 1166 Oak Street in Eugene.

For more information on Operation Winter Survival Stockpile contact Maria Cortex at Maria.Cortez@lanecountyor.gov

For those who don’t wish to donate in-person, or are just looking for ideas on what to donate, the church has set up an Amazon wish list for Operation Winter Stockpile.

Bend Police Release Documents and Video Timeline of Deadly Safeway Shooting

The Bend Police Department released a final update into their investigation of a deadly Safeway shooting last August. The update includes a timeline of the events leading to the shooting that left three dead, including the gunman.

The 20-year-old Bend gunman who fired over 100 shots before and after he entered Bend’s Eastside Safeway on Sunday, August 28, killing a customer, then a store worker who hid and confronted him with a produce knife, was acting alone, police said Thursday, concluding their investigation and releasing chilling video of the attack.

In what police called a “final update” on the act of violence that rocked the Central Oregon community, Communications Manager Sheila Miller wrote that as of now, “Bend Police have found no evidence that anyone other than the suspect was involved in” the assault. The city of Bend’s police department has a link to a five-and-a-half-minute video, redacted by blurring out faces and without sound, of the incident.

The release of the new information and footage follows “dozens of public records requests for video and reports,” that were denied due to the open investigation. With the case no longer active, the Bend police have released 398 pages of reports and a video used in their investigation.

The over 5-minute video begins with Ring camera footage of the shooter, 20-year-old Ethan Blair Miller moving through the Fox Hollow Apartments, already firing. Miller then leaves the apartments, heading for the parking lot between Costco and Old Navy. Footage at this point switches to show the east-facing Costco view and an inside view of Big Lots where people begin reacting to gunfire. Shots are then fired through the front door of Big Lots and Miller walks past the doors.

The footage shifts again to show two angles of Safeway’s west entrance. Smoke from gunfire can be seen as Miller enters the store.

During the shooting inside of the store, Glenn Edward Bennett, 84, was shot and killed at the front of the store and Donald Ray Surrett, 66, a man who was a Safeway employee was shot and killed at the back of the store.

As the suspect moves through the store towards the produce section, two Bend police officers enter through the east entrance. Miller then sits and shoots himself.

The full 398 pages of documents, as well as the footage released by Bend police, can be found here.

US 30 will remain closed about 20 mi. east of #Astoria until #landslide repairs can restore safety enough to reopen at least one lane of travel with flaggers.

UPDATE from ODOT: Our first goal is making the area safe enough to reopen one lane while we continue working on the lanes closer to the hillside. We don’t have an estimated time for reopening a single lane, but it expect it to be no sooner than Friday, Dec. 2.

Our work will continue tomorrow and through the weekend if necessary to reopen the highway as soon as it is safe to do so. More info on the slide:

The slide started Tuesday night about 100 feet above the roadway, likely due to rain and strong winds on trees with deep roots in the rocky hillside. The slide is about 110 feet wide and sent at least 1,800 cubic yards of mostly rock onto the highway. The semi caught in this initial slide has been removed from the debris, but still needs to be towed out. We’re grateful that the driver of that truck is okay.

In addition to debris removal work that began yesterday, our geologist found two car-sized sections of hillside that need to be removed because they are large enough to block the highway again if they fall.

Before we can reopen one lane: We’ve got to remove those two very large sections of hillside that are on the verge of sliding and blocking the entire highway. We also need to clear enough debris on the road surface so we can reopen one lane with enough additional space so crews can continue their work and catch any new smaller rock slides. We also need to repair any pavement damage to prepare the surface for our single lane detour.

For travelers during our closure: If you’re planning to travel between the #Portland metro area and the northern #OregonCoast in the next few days, please use an alternate route. Currently, US 26 is your best alternative. OR 47 and 202 are options for passenger vehicles, but OR 47 has length restrictions on commercial vehicles. Winter weather conditions continue throughout the area, so make sure to check your alternate route for the latest conditions on TripCheck.com

If you need to travel in this area – please do not use your GPS to detour on less developed roads. This can be dangerous for you, especially with the severe weather conditions we are seeing. Remember also to slow down in wintry weather when visibility is generally lower and stopping distances are longer on wet and/or freezing conditions. Always bring traction devices if you cross snow zones. Snow zone and chain restriction information is also located on our TripCheck website. Check TripCheck.com for updates before traveling.

Section Of I-84 Closed In Eastern Oregon Due To Crashes And Winter Weather

UPDATE: 11:53 p.m. I-84 is now reopen for traffic in both directions.

According to ODOT the road is now open from Pendleton to La Grande, however, drivers should expect winter conditions and should use caution when driving.

Check TripCheck.com for updates before traveling.

Multiple crashes and severe winter weather have forced a stretch of Interstate 84 to close in eastern Oregon Thursday evening, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) reported.

Both eastbound and westbound lanes are closed between Exit 216, 6 miles east of Pendleton, and Exit 265, 4 miles east of La Grande.

Only local traffic is able to use OR 204, also known as Tollgate Highway, according to ODOT. No alternate routes for I-84 are available in the area.

Westbound I-84 is also closed to truck traffic between Ontario (Exit 374) and Baker City due to limited parking availability from the closure near La Grande. The section is open to passenger vehicles, ODOT said.

Trucks must exit the freeway before or at Exit 374. For the latest updates on closures, visit TripCheck.com or call 511 at 800-977-6368. For those outside of Oregon, call 503-588-2941.

Federal Judge In Portland Will Hear Oral Arguments Friday On Measure 114

Midterm voters in Oregon narrowly passed one of the toughest gun control laws in the nation, buoying the hopes of gun control supporters, but the new permit-to-purchase mandate and ban on high-capacity magazines now faces a lawsuit that could put it on ice just days before it’s set to take effect.

A federal judge in Portland will hear oral arguments Friday on whether Measure 114, which is scheduled to go into law Dec. 8, violates Americans’ constitutionally protected right to bear arms. Depending on the outcome, the groundbreaking law could be delayed for months or longer as it works its way through the courts, legal experts said.

Various other entities, including the National Rifle Association affiliate the Oregon State Shooting Association and the Second Amendment Foundation, filed legal actions this week as well, but court dates have not been set in those cases yet.

The Oregon ballot measure is part of a national trend of gun policy being decided by voters because “significant reform is stalled and that has put all the battles over gun control and gun safety at the state level,” said Adam Winkler, a constitutional law professor and expert in gun policy at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law.

“Ballot measures are one way for people to seize the reins of policy-making. People can act for themselves to change the law and on an issue like gun safety there is a really growing and active gun safety movement in America,” he said. “That’s not something we probably would have said 20 years ago.”

Measure 114, which passed by a slim majority in November, was born out of concern about the 2018 mass shooting in Parkland, Florida and gained public momentum last spring following massacres at a grocery store in Buffalo, N.Y. and at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, said Mark Knutson, chairman of the interfaith Lift Every Voice Oregon campaign and pastor at Portland’s Augustana Lutheran Church.

“The arc of the moral universe is bending towards justice, and justice today is going to be ending gun violence in this country,” he said. “That’s why I trust this process will work … and a year and a half, two years from now, it’ll be 70% of the population saying this was the right thing to do — not the 51% that passed it.”

The biggest legal flash point is a ban on magazines over 10 rounds unless they are owned by law enforcement or a military member or were owned before the measure’s passage. Those who already own high-capacity magazines can only possess them in their homes or use them at a firing range, in shooting competitions or for hunting as allowed by state law after the measure takes effect.

The law also requires gun buyers to obtain a permit to purchase a new gun. Permit applicants must take a state-approved, hands-on gun safety training course with live or dry rounds, submit a photo ID and undergo fingerprinting and a criminal background check. The state will keep a list of permit-holders that’s exempt from public disclosure; the $65 permits will be good for five years and can be used to buy multiple guns in that five-year period with a fresh background check.

The lawsuit filed by the Oregon Firearms Federation, a local sheriff and a gun store owner asks the court to declare the law unconstitutional and issue an injunction to prevent it from going into effect next week. Alternatively, the plaintiffs seek a partial order on the high-capacity magazine ban.

In court papers filed late Wednesday, Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum said the plaintiffs were “wrong and unlikely to prevail” and that the state’s new law would save countless lives. Seven appellate courts have previously found that bans on large-capacity magazines are consistent with the Second Amendment, she wrote, and the New York case doesn’t change the legal landscape for Oregon’s law.

“Measure 114 allows those who, like Plaintiffs, currently own large-capacity magazines to keep and use those magazines as long as they do so within the law’s restrictions,” the filing reads.

Oregon’s ban on high-capacity magazines will nonetheless face scrutiny and the court will also take a close look at Oregon’s “permit to purchase” mandate to determine if the additional steps now required to gain access to firearms are also a Second Amendment violation, said Norman Williams, a constitutional law professor at Willamette University College of Law in Salem, Oregon.

While supporters of Measure 114 have cited the recent mass shootings in Colorado and Virginia as further evidence the law is needed and timely, Williams says that likely won’t have much bearing on the courts’ rulings in this case.

“It’s going to take the federal courts months, if not years, to sort out what parts of Measure 114 are constitutional and what parts, if any, aren’t … and I think this is the type of measure that the U.S. Supreme Court itself might have some interest in reviewing,” he said.

“Proponents of gun safety regulations, in emphasizing the continuing gun violence in our society, are in some sense making an argument that doesn’t resonate with the federal judges considering the constitutionality of these measures.”

Details about the permit process and hands-on training are still being worked out and some local agencies have complained they don’t have the budget or staff necessary to enforce the law’s provisions. Several local sheriffs have said publicly they won’t enforce the law in their jurisdictions.

State lawmakers are likely to advance legislation to aid the law’s implementation and provide funding in the upcoming session, said Elizabeth McKanna, chair of the Measure 114 legislative committee.

The uncertainty around Measure 114’s future has driven a surge in firearms sales that began after it passed as gun owners worry they might not be able to obtain a new permit for weeks or months if some or all of it goes into effect.

As of this week, Oregon State Police had more than 35,000 pending background check transactions for gun purchases and was averaging 3,000 requests a day compared to less than 900 a day the week before Measure 114 passed, according to agency data. On Black Friday, the agency received 6,000 background check requests alone, OSP Capt. Kyle Kennedy said in an email.

Meanwhile, OSP is “working diligently” with local law enforcement agencies to implement the law next week, Kennedy said.

Insurance tips for freezing temperatures, snowstorms

SALEM – The weather is turning cold and with that comes the chance of ice and snow.

Winter weather can lead to damage due to falling trees or limbs, burst pipes, ice dams on your roof, cracks in your home’s foundation, car crashes, and more. Some of these losses may be covered by your insurance policy and others may not.

Before your home, vehicle, or possessions are damaged by storms and winter weather, the Oregon Division of Financial Regulation recommends calling your insurance company or agent to make sure you have the right types and amounts of coverage.

You can also take actions to help prevent losses from occurring in the first place. You can:

Inspect and maintain your foundation, gutters, and roof
Insulate and maintain water pipes
Monitor tree health and trim them as needed
Prepare your vehicle for winter driving

If your home or vehicle is damaged in a storm, call your insurance company or agent to ask about your policy coverages, exclusions, and deductibles before filing a claim.

Before filing a claim, it is important to know if the amount of your loss is worth the effect filing a claim can have on your premium rates. It may be better to handle repairs yourself, if the loss is less than or close to your deductible.

Homeowners — A typical homeowners policy covers damage to the home caused by falling trees or limbs and weight of ice and snow. If your home received minor damage, such as the wind blowing a few shingles off your house, your homeowners insurance will probably replace the damaged shingles, but not the entire roof.

Winter storms can also create sudden damage caused by an ice dam on the roof or pipes bursting due to freezing. This type of damage is typically covered, and can be extensive – if a pipe burst floods a home – or minor, such as a leak from an ice dam causing a stain on a ceiling.

If your home sustained severe structural damage from a fallen tree or other storm debris, and it is deemed uninhabitable, and your policy has additional living expenses coverage ✎ Edit Sign, it can help cover the extra costs of lodging, meals, and even pet boarding while you are unable to live in the home. Those who have renters insurance can also take advantage of this policy coverage.

If your home lost power and received only minor damage, it will probably still be considered safe to live in, so additional living expenses may not apply. Check with your insurance agent or provider to confirm your coverage.

Coverage may be available for food spoilage due to a power outage. If you need to file a claim for another type of damage to your home, food spoilage can typically be added to the claim you need to file for repairs.

Auto — There are three coverage options on an auto insurance policy that typically apply to winter storms:

Comprehensive covers damage caused by falling trees or limbs. This includes while your vehicle is parked inside a garage. Homeowners insurance excludes coverage for vehicles, even while parked inside your garage.
Collision covers damage to your vehicle that occurs while driving. This includes hitting storm debris or sliding on ice.
Liability covers damage you accidentally caused to another person’s property or to a person who is injured in an accident.

Once again, if the cost to repair your vehicle is less than or close to your deductible, you may not want to file a claim.

Remember, you want to make sure you have the right types and amounts of coverage and take steps to reduce your risks. Check with your insurance agent or company to determine your policy coverages, exclusions, and deductibles.

If you still have questions or concerns, the division’s consumer advocates are here to help. You can contact the division’s advocates three ways:

Call 888-877-4894 (toll-free)
Email .insurancehelp@dcbs.oregon.gov“>dfr.insurancehelp@dcbs.oregon.gov
Visit dfr.oregon.gov

Visit the division’s storm insurance resource page for more information.

### About Oregon DFR: The Division of Financial Regulation is part of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, Oregon’s largest business regulatory and consumer protection agency. Visit dfr.oregon.gov and dcbs.oregon.gov.

Oregon State Parks offers $5 off annual parking permit purchases in December

SALEM, Oregon— Give the gift of the outdoors and save this season with the Oregon State Parks 12-month parking permit sale through December.

The permit hangtag once again features whimsical designs from Portland artist El Tran. Holiday shoppers can buy the annual parking permits for only $25, which is a $5 savings starting Dec. 1 and running through Dec. 31. The pass is good for 12 months starting in the month of purchase.

Purchasing passes is easy. Buy them online at the Oregon State Parks store. Parking permits are also sold at some state park friends’ group stores and select local businesses throughout the state. For a complete list of vendors, visit stateparks.oregon.gov.

Parking costs $5 a day at 25 Oregon state parks unless you have a 12- or 24-month parking permit or a same-day camping receipt. The 24-month pass is $50 and is also available at store.oregonstateparks.org. The permits are transferable from vehicle to vehicle.