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, December 8, 2022
Willamette Valley Weather
Springfield Police K9 Kirby Apprehends Car Robbery Suspect
An armed car robbery suspect was arrested in Springfield with the help of K9 Kirby after the suspect tried to flee from police through the yards of several homes.
Springfield Police say the man approached a coffee shop employee in the 800 block of West Centennial just before 12:30 a.m. on Monday, December 5, told her he had a gun and demanded her vehicle keys or he would shoot her. The victim surrendered her keys and the suspect left with the vehicle.
Two nights later at 1:00 a.m. on Wednesday, December 7, a Springfield Police officer spotted the car at South 41st Street and Camellia Street with a man matching the suspect description and a female standing nearby.
The man fled through several yards and was tracked by officers and K9 Kirby until he was located underneath a covered barbeque on a home’s back porch. “The suspect was not compliant, and K9 Kirby quickly apprehended the suspect,” police said.
The suspect, identified as 31-year-old Kody Mathew Kaulani Jones of Roseburg, was treated at a hospital for minor injuries before being lodged at the Lane County Jail on charges of:
- Robbery II
- Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle
- Possession of a Stolen Vehicle
- Elude by Foot
- Resisting Arrest
Man Arrested After Threatening People With Gun And Mace At Springfield Motel
According to Springfield Police, a Eugene man is in custody tonight after he allegedly threatened guests at a local hotel with a gun and bear mace.
Around 4:16p.m. Wednesday, SPD was called out to the House Inn and Suites on Gateway street for reports of a armed disorderly man. Police said the suspect, John Vaea Leata, 30, was reportedly threatening people with a gun and bear mace as he walked the halls of the hotel. Police said he also tried to enter occupied rooms.
Police said at one point, Leata made inappropriate comments toward an 8-year-old girl. When confronted by her parents, he pointed the gun at the parents reportedly making the comment “head shot, head shot.”
When officers got to the hotel, they confronted Leata in the parking lot. He did not cooperate and refused to comply with police commands.
Springfield police said he angled his body away from officers, which prevented them from seeing his hands. An officer tried to taser Leata, but it did not work. He then took off running, and was chased by officers.
Leata was eventually taken into custody in the center lane of Gateway street. Police said he continued to resist arrest, and while he was being handcuffed, an officer was exposed to a chemical variant similar to pepper spray.
Leata now faces charges of Disorderly Conduct, Meanacing, and more.
Fatal Crash near Cottage Grove This Morning
This morning at approximately 5:43am, Lane County Sheriff’s deputies and officers from the Cottage Grove Police Department responded to the report of a rollover crash in the 33000blk of E. Saginaw Rd. Responders arrived to find that the driver and sole occupant of the involved vehicle was deceased.
Preliminary investigation reveals that a blue Nissan Sentra had been driving westbound on E. Saginaw Rd. when it left the roadway for an unknown reason. The vehicle then struck a driveway embankment and rolled onto its top.
The driver’s identity is being withheld at this time, pending next of kin notification.
The Lane Library League 22nd annual Authors and Artists Fair on Saturday 12/10
The Lane Library League will host the 22nd annual Authors and Artists Fair on Saturday 12/10. This year’s event features the work of 42 local authors and nine local artists with the creators themselves there to engage directly with community members.
Authors and Artists is not just an event that brings the local writing community together, it also serves as a fundraiser for the Lane Library League whose mission is to “expand and improve library service throughout Lane County.” Twenty-five percent of sales will go directly to the Lane Library League, according to the organization’s president, Bill Sullivan, the author of many well-known Northwest hiking books.
The event began in 2000 and was originally hosted at the Eugene Public Library with the proceeds going to support the campaign to build a new library. Since then the event has moved to the Lane Events Center and proceeds have gone to support small volunteer libraries in rural Oregon.
Community members who attend can look forward to conversing directly with authors and artists about their work as well as being able to purchase signed books and pieces of art from their favorite Oregonians. “An autographed book makes a better present than a lot of things,” Sullivan says. “Where else can you meet 42 authors and get autographed books on pretty much any subject?”
The Authors and Artists Fair, 10 am to 5 pm, Dec. 10, is at Lane County Events Center, 796 W. 13th Ave. FREE. $1 to $5 suggested donation. FOR MORE INFO: https://sites.google.com/site/lanelibraryleague/home/authors-artists-fair?pli=1
Five Electricity Substations Attacked in Pacific Northwest in November
At least five electricity substation attacks in Washington and Oregon in November were reported to the FBI, according to local media. Utility companies Puget Sound Energy, the Cowlitz County Public Utility District, and Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) told the Seattle Times they were cooperating with a federal investigation, though the FBI declined to confirm it was investigating the attacks. It’s not clear if any power outages resulted from the assaults.
One operation described as a “deliberate physical attack” took place at a Clackamas, Oregon, substation over the Thanksgiving holiday, BPA spokesman Douglas Johnson said. News of the attacks in the Pacific Northwest comes after damage from a substation shooting in North Carolina on Saturday plunged tens of thousands of people into darkness.
Governor Brown Issues Executive Order To Help Strained Oregon Hospitals
Governor Brown has issued an executive order in response to a surge in adult and pediatric cases and hospitalizations for respiratory viruses.
The order gives hospitals more flexibility to increase staffing and use volunteer nurses and doctors.
The Oregon Health Authority will spend up to 25-million dollars to hire supplemental nurses to help increase hospital staffing.
“Our health care workers––our nurses, doctors, and hospital staff––are being pushed to their limits by this year’s combination of flu, RSV, and COVID-19 hospitalizations,” said Governor Brown. “As they do everything they can to keep Oregonians healthy and safe, we must all do our part to help them. Our health care workers are working around the clock to protect the people most vulnerable to severe respiratory illnesses––including our young children and seniors.
“I am asking Oregonians to come together to help our health care heroes this holiday season. Stay home if you are sick, stay up to date on your vaccinations, and consider wearing a mask in crowded indoor situations––especially if you are at higher risk for severe illness from RSV, the flu, or COVID-19.”
Last month, Governor Brown issued an order that increased hospital flexibility to help with the increase in pediatric RSV cases. The new order expands that flexibility. See executive order
Oregon State Police’s Permit-To-Purchase Gun Application Now Online While Measure 114 On Hold
Oregon’s new permit-to-purchase application for prospective buyers of firearms is online today, as the legality of the State’s new gun control measure is getting resolved in state and federal courts.
Oregon State Police (OSP) put the application online overnight at Oregon’s Measure 114 had been set to take effect today, December 8, 2022, 30 days after Oregon voters narrowly passed the measure in a November 8, 2022, referendum. The Oregon Secretary of State’s Office had said last month it would certify the vote outcome and the Measure’s passage today, too.
OSP said yesterday it would proceed with making the application available online while courts determine Measure 114’s legality. Harney County Circuit Court Judge Robert Raschio issued a temporary restraining order against the measure Tuesday, preventing it from taking effect. The State court said the measure violated Oregon’s constitution, and Judge Raschio ordered further case arguments for deliberation about whether the restraining order stands.
Oregon’s Supreme Court yesterday denied a request from Oregon’s Department of Justice to set aside Raschio’s restraining order, upholding the temporary suspension of Measure 114.
OSP noted that decision, saying it is proceeding with those steps in the gun purchase permitting process that it can, pending the outcome of the court rulings. Lawsuits are also pending in federal court to challenge Measure 114 as a violation of the U.S. Constitution’s Second Amendment. One case’s federal court ruling early this week had allowed the measure to stand while delaying its State-required effective date at the request of Oregon’s Attorney General to allow policing agencies more time to prepare a system to meet Measure 114’s new gun control requirements.
OSP’s online application today allows Oregonians to see the application and get information about the prospective new firearms acquisition process while local law enforcement agencies prepare for possible enforcement of Measure 114, pending further court decisions about its validity.
Its site offers a link to the application, labeled as “Employment Application” in the browser tab, and information about “Rules and Firearms Purchase Disqualifiers.”
OSP notes on the page, “The Permit to Purchase Program is a result of the passage of the 2022 Ballot Measure 114. This program regulates and creates a process for the sale, purchase, and otherwise transfer of all firearms in the State of Oregon. A person must apply for and be issued a ‘Permit to Purchase’ a firearm or firearms from the Police Chief or County Sheriff with jurisdiction over the residence of the person making the application. These Law Enforcement entities are referred to as ‘Permit Agents’ in this program.
Prior to a person buying, leasing, or otherwise transferring a firearm from a ‘Gun Dealer,’ the person must show proof of current identification and a valid ‘Permit-to-Purchase’ before the Federally Licensed Firearms ‘Gun Dealer’ can conduct firearms background checks on persons attempting to purchase a firearm (ORS 166.412) in Oregon.”
Measure 114 would require any person in Oregon to get police permission to get a gun. Any civilian gun purchase would require a person apply to get government permission to buy a gun, require the applicant to pay for that permission from police, require new background checks that also require a full set of a person’s fingerprints, and require applicants complete firearms training before applying. It also limits gun magazine capacity to ten rounds if upheld by the court.
Missing Coos Bay Woman Found Deceased Near Car Crash Down 100-Foot Cliff
A missing woman apparently drove off a 100-foot embankment at Cape Arago State Park in Coos County was found dead Sunday by Oregon State Police who’ve reported this now but say they don’t know when she crashed.
At approximately 10:59 a.m., Sunday, Dec. 4, OSP responded to a report of a single vehicle crash on Highway 540, Cape Arago Highway, near milepost 12.9, according to a news advisory from OSP.
The preliminary investigation indicated that on an unknown date and time, an eastbound Honda Civic operated by Wendy Haumea Smith, 45, of Coos County, crossed the westbound lane of travel onto the earthen shoulder and plummeted more than 100 feet down a cliff and came “to an uncontrolled rest against a tree.”
Smith, who had been reported missing to the Coos County Sheriff’s Office Nov. 6, was found a short distance from the vehicle deceased.
Scene evidence indicated Smith survived the crash, extricated herself from the vehicle, collected some belongings and moved a short distance from the vehicle. It is currently undetermined whether Smith died as a result of injuries related to the crash or other causes, OSP said.
State parks officials closed access to the last section of the park during the investigation, and recovery efforts were underway.
OSP was assisted by the Coos County Sheriff’s Office, Charleston Fire, North Bend Fire and Oregon State Parks.
New Study Shows Oregon Workers’ Compensation Rates Among Lowest in Country
Oregon’s workers’ compensation rates remain among the lowest in the nation, according to an analysis released today by the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS).
This reflects the state’s ongoing success in making workplaces safer and keeping costs under control, according to a release from DCBS.
The biennial study ranks all 50 states and Washington, D.C., based on premium rates that were in effect Jan. 1, 2022.
Oregon had the 10th least expensive rates in 2022. Oregon fell in the rankings by four spots from the 2020 survey, despite having a lower premium index rate, because rates in other states dropped a few pennies more. Oregon’s index rate is 93 cents per $100 of payroll, down from $1.00 from 2020.
DCBS announced in September that Oregon workers’ compensation rates would decline further – an average 3.2 percent – in 2023. Workers’ compensation pays injured workers for lost wages and medical care for job-related injuries.
In recent years, rates have dropped all over the country, which has led to a compression of the scores in the survey. The premium index rates are bunched up at the low end, so that small changes in the index rates can lead to big jumps in the ranking.
In 2020, Oregon was sixth least expensive. In 2022, that spot is held by Kentucky. However, there is just a 7-cent difference per $100 of payroll between the two (93 cents for Oregon and 86 cents for Kentucky).
“This study is an important tool for the workers’ compensation systems throughout the U.S.,” DCBS Director Andrew Stolfi said. “It shows how strong the Oregon workers’ compensation system has become since the survey’s inception in 1986. As an agency, we work hard to keep workplace injuries low and benefits robust and are glad to see insurance costs for employers continue to fall.”
The study shows New Jersey had the most expensive rates, followed by Hawaii and California. Meanwhile, North Dakota had the least expensive rates. In the Northwest, Washington’s rates were the 24th most expensive and Idaho was the 16th most expensive.
Oregon researchers also compared each state’s rates to the national median (the 26th ranked state) rate of $1.27 per $100 of payroll. Oregon’s rate of 93 cents is 73 percent of the median, its second-lowest recorded level.
To produce a valid comparison of states, which have various mixes of industries, the study calculates rates for each state using the same mix of the 50 industries with the highest workers’ compensation claims costs in Oregon.
Oregon has conducted these studies in even-numbered years since 1986, when Oregon’s rates were among the highest in the nation. The department reports the results to the Oregon Legislature as a performance measure. Oregon’s relatively low rate today underscores the success of the state’s workers’ compensation system reforms and its improvements in workplace safety and health.
Oregon has long taken a comprehensive approach to making workplaces safer, keeping business costs low, and providing strong worker benefits, the release states. This approach includes enforcing requirements that employers carry insurance for their workers, keeping medical costs under control, and helping injured workers return to work sooner and minimize the impact on their wages.
It also includes efforts to prevent on-the-job injuries by enforcing workplace safety and health rules and advising employers about how to improve worker safety and health.
Read the study at https://www.oregon.gov/dcbs/reports/Documents/general/prem-rpt/22-2083.pdf.
Oregon’s Commercial Dungeness Crab Season Remains Closed
The ocean commercial Dungeness crab season remains closed as round two of pre-season testing shows crabs remain too low in meat yield in some areas.
Elevated domoic acid is still detected in some crab viscera (guts), according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Oregon Agriculture Department.
Round three of crab meat yield and biotoxin testing will occur in the coming weeks. Results help determine if the season opens Dec. 31 or is further delayed or split into areas with different opening dates.
Targeted to open Dec. 1, Oregon’s ocean commercial Dungeness crab season can be delayed so consumers get a high-quality product and crabs are not wasted.
Oregon, California and Washington coordinate Dungeness crab quality testing and the commercial season opening dates. California and Washington also are delaying their commercial seasons until at least Dec. 31. Tri-state crab quality testing protocol is available online.
ODFW tests crabs out of Oregon’s six major crabbing ports in partnership with the Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission, Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA), and the commercial Dungeness crab industry.
Commercial Dungeness crab is one of Oregon’s most iconic and valuable fisheries, contributing millions to our coastal communities. The commercial ocean Dungeness crab fishery opening has been delayed the past six seasons due to either low meat yield or domoic acid levels above the threshold for safe consumption.
Although the season was delayed in stages in 2021 (harvest opened Dec. 16 south of Cape Falcon and Feb. 15, 2021 north of Cape Falcon), fishermen still brought in 12.2 million pounds of Dungeness crab coastwide with an ex-vessel value of $60.6 million dollars.
Free ranger-guided walks will be offered again this winter at Crater Lake National Park beginning Saturday, Dec. 10th
In an average winter, Crater Lake National Park receives 42 feet of snow! Ranger-guided snowshoe walks are a fun way to explore this winter wonderland while learning how plants, animals, and people survive the harsh conditions.
This winter (2022-2023), walks will be offered on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays from December 10 through April 30, and every day from December 17 to January 2 and March 25 to April 1. The walks start at 1:00 pm, last two hours, and cover 1 to 2 miles of moderate-to-strenuous terrain. They don’t follow a trail—the hike is an off-trail exploration through the forests and meadows along the rim of Crater Lake. If the road to Rim Village is closed, the walks explore the forests and meadows in the vicinity of Park Headquarters.
No previous snowshoeing experience is necessary. Snowshoes are provided free of charge, and there is no cost for the tour (apart from the winter entrance fee of $20 per vehicle). Participants should be at least 8 years old, be in good physical health, and come prepared with warm clothing and water-resistant footwear. The walks take place rain or shine (or snow). Pets are not allowed on the hike.
Space on each tour is limited, and advance reservations are required. For more information and to sign up, call the park’s visitor center at 541-594-3100. Organized groups (such as scout troops, hiking clubs, and church groups) may be able to arrange for a separate tour, staff permitting. Call to check on available dates. https://www.nps.gov/crla/planyourvisit/ranger-guided-snowshoe-walks.htm
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