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 16, 2022
Willamette Valley Weather
Fire Marshal Says GuestHouse Inn Was Deemed Unsuitable For Human Habitation 24 Hours Before Evictions
According to an inspection carried out by the Eugene Springfield Fire Marshal’s Office, the recently-evacuated GuestHouse Inn and Suites had numerous health and life safety code violations that made it unsuitable for human habitation.
The Fire Marshal’s Office said an inspection of the GuestHouse was carried out on December 13 along with the Springfield Building Official, Springfield Code Enforcement, and the Springfield Police Department after increased police calls and reports of fire and health code violations.
Officials said the inspection found that the conditions inside the building posed “present and imminent danger” to the occupants, and the occupants were issued a Notice of Violation. The Fire Marshal’s Office said the occupants were given an opportunity to correct the code violations after the building was placed on a 24-hour fire watch.
On December 14, residents were evicted, with the building being totally vacated by 8 p.m., according to the Fire Marshal’s Office. The office also said the building was surrounded by security and fencing to keep people out of the unsafe site.
According to the Eugene Springfield Fire Marshal’s Office, conditions within the GuestHouse were squalid. Among the safety code violations, they said they found the fire alarm monitoring panel was tampered with and non-functional, and many fire separation walls and doors were damaged and non-functional. Inspectors said they found multiple guest room doors had been screwed shut by occupants, with most or all of the hardware missing.
Inspectors also said they found live electrical wiring hanging from many sections of the ceiling, and several sections of the ceiling assembly were missing. Finally, inspectors also said they found heavy concentrations of mold as well as raw sewage that increased the threat to occupants’ health.
The Fire Marshal’s Office said the property had been abandoned by the previous on-site management company, Ali Hospitality, in November 2022. The Fire Marshal’s Office said the property was turned over to Ampleo, a real estate receivership representative that declined to repair the violations inspectors found, leading to the evacuation of the building. The Fire Marshal’s Office said Ampleo is working with local agencies including Carry it Forward and HIV Alliance to help ensure the safety and relocation of the estimated 75 people who were staying at the location.
Local Law Enforcement Practice Active Violence Drills At Mohawk Elementary School In Springfield
Springfield Police Department hosted a training exercise at Mohawk Elementary School, along with the Lane County Sheriff’s Office and Oregon State Police. Thursday, December 15 was their fourth day of the exercise. All sworn personnel for the Springfield Police Department received mandatory training on how best to respond to violent incidents, including active shooters.
The drills that law enforcement agents practiced included hallway movements, room entries, and making decisions under pressure. Sergeant Justin Myers of Springfield police said it’s all meant to prepare them for the worst.
“Obviously these are the incidents that are few and far between, but when they do happen, they’re significant, they’re high stakes, and we want to prepare our officers to respond as best they can to these types of incidents and the time for them to learn is now and not when it’s happening,” Sgt. Myers said. “So, if we can prepare them with training, the outcomes will be much, much better.”
Myers said they no longer train for an “active shooter,” instead preferring the term “active violence.” This covers a wider variety of attacks, including edged weapons, explosives, or any situation where a person is trying to inflict damage or harm on innocent bystanders in a public gathering.
Springfield Police Chief Andrew Shearer said the impetus to conduct the exercise was the Uvalde school shooting in May. Chief Shearer said the response he saw in Uvalde was a complete failure.
“I think it’s clearly understood around the country, and it has been for a long time, that police have to immediately go in to stop the killing,” chief Shearer said. “What we saw, in Uvalde was, early on, a brief attempt at that, and then what I would describe it as a total failure from that point forward, and that’s entirely on the shoulders of the leadership of those agencies involved.”
Chief Shearer said one of the most critical roles the police department plays is to protect the children of the community. The exercise was undertaken alongside the LCSO and OSP because, in the event of any real violence, law enforcement agencies from all over the region would respond.
Chabad of Eugene Will Host a Giant Menorah Lighting To Celebrate Chanukah
Eugene mayor Lucy Vinis will be on hand for the lighting of a nine-foot Menorah. The festivities will include a photo booth, face paint, balloon twisting, a juggling show, and crafts and entertainment.
The Menorah lighting will take place Sunday, December 18 at 4:30 p.m. at The 5th Street Market Alley.
Get more information and RSVP for the event at jewisheugene.org/chanukah.
Operation Winter Survival Stockpile Still Needs Your Help
Lane County Health & Human Services, along with the First Christian Church of Eugene and Cahoots, would like to thank the many community members who have contributed to Operation Winter Survival Stockpile. To date, over 3,000 items have been donated and over 200 households served. There remains, however, a need for tents, sleeping bags, and blankets.
“We are humbled by the tremendous response to Operation Winter Survival Stockpile,” said Lane County Human Services Program Coordinator, Maria Cortez. “Despite the many donations, supplies that are essential to sleeping outside this time of the year are still in short supply. We need as many folks to help as possible.“
Every winter, individuals in our community who are unhoused experience terrible weather conditions and life-threatening temperatures. To address this, Lane County Health & Human Services, in partnership with the First Christian Church of Eugene’s Helping Hearts program and Cahoots, have launched Operation Winter Survival Stockpile.
Operation Winter Survival Stockpile is a community-driven effort to create a stockpile through donations of clothing and other supplies that will help those in our community who are unhoused to stay safe and warm this winter.
As a reminder, items can be dropped off Monday through Thursday between 10 am and 2 pm at the First Christian Church, located at 1166 Oak St. in downtown Eugene. (541) 344-1425.
Items can also be purchased on Amazon and sent to First Christian Church at 1166 Oak St. Eugene OR 97402 – Amazon Wish List https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2XR33GS1ULV8Z?ref_=wl_share
Distribution of items will be prioritized to homeless outreach providers such as CAHOOTS that come into direct contact with individuals who are unhoused and unsheltered.
Oregon Attorney General Announces Nearly $700-Million Monsanto Settlement For PCB Contamination
Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum (AG) announced today the Monsanto Company will pay Oregon a $698-million lump sum for polychlorinated biphenyls contamination (PCBs). She says the historic $698-million dollar settlement involves polluting Oregon with PCBs for more than 90 years.
The AG Office says Monsanto was the only manufacturer, seller, and distributor of PCBs which are toxic compounds formerly used in coolants, electrical equipment such as fluorescent lighting fixtures, and other devices, as well as hydraulic oils, paint, caulking and copier paper.
Rosenblum said the Monsanto case was the kind of lawsuit Oregon’s AG office should make to protect Oregonians. She noted that one of the AG staff even came out of retirement to help handle the matter with the AG’s office.
“This is a huge win for our state,” said Rosenblum, adding, “PCBs are still present throughout Oregon — especially in our landfills and riverbeds — and they are exceedingly difficult to remove, because they ‘bioaccumulate’ in fish and wildlife. Cleaning up our state from this horrific environmental degradation will be as costly and time-consuming as it sounds, but this settlement means we now will have resources to help tackle this problem.”
Monsanto is owned by Bayer AG, a massive German pharmaceutical and biotechnology company, which paid more than $60-billion for Monsanto in 2018. Creve Coeur (St. Louis), Missouri-based Monsanto’s best known product is Roundup, and its herbicide work is the source of other lawsuits.
Bayer shared its statement about the final settlement agreement in the Oregon PCB environmental impairment case: “Bayer has reached a final agreement with the Attorney General for the State of Oregon to resolve a pending polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB)-related environmental impairment case, involving legacy Monsanto PCB products. The settlement will fully resolve all claims brought by the state, release the company from any future liability, and result in the dismissal of the case. Under the terms of the agreement, Bayer will make a one-time payment of $698 million, which is fully covered by previous provisions. The company filed a lawsuit against former PCB customers to enforce its indemnification agreements and recover these and other PCB-related litigation costs. The Oregon agreement contains no admission of liability or wrongdoing by the company. The settlement terms reflect the unique challenges and trial procedures in this Oregon venue even though Monsanto voluntarily ceased production of PCBs in 1977 and never manufactured, used or disposed of PCBs in Oregon. Bayer remains committed to defending existing and future cases at trial and won dismissal of a case brought by the state of Delaware earlier this year.”
Today’s settlement stems from a lawsuit filed by Attorney General Rosenblum against Monsanto in 2018 alleging Monsanto was aware as early as 1937 of the highly toxic nature of PCBs and, “Even with that knowledge, Oregon asserted, Monsanto continued to produce and promote the compounds for decades — until they were finally banned in 1977.” Oregon’s lawsuit asked for damages for harm to Oregon from PCB contamination as well as clean-up costs.
Rosenblum said, “Monsanto’s toxic legacy unfortunately lives on in our lands, rivers and other waterways – and poses ongoing risks to the health of our people and our environment. This is all the more reason why this settlement is so vitally important. Oregon and Oregonians will be the better for it.”
The Oregon Department of Justice (DOJ), which AG Rosenblum leads, will work with the Legislature, the Governor and state agencies to put the funds to use for statewide remediation and clean-up.
Oregon State Fire Marshal Opens New Grant Funds To Help Communities Better Prepare For Wildfire
The Oregon State Fire Marshal has opened the application period for a new $18 million grant fund geared toward helping communities be better prepared for wildfire.
The Community Wildfire Risk Reduction Grant is a competitive opportunity open to local governments, special districts, structural fire service agencies, and non-governmental organizations that can use the funds to support individual community members. Those eligible can apply for funding for wildfire risk reduction projects, equipment, and staff to support local efforts.
The funds will enable local organizations to create and/or support existing programs that reduce wildfire risk. These projects may include yard debris recycling days, curbside chipping programs, community education, equipment purchases, Firewise community support, and staffing to support local efforts.
“This grant fund is a major step forward in giving communities the tools they need to be better adapted to living with wildfire,” Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said. “These funds will empower communities to create solutions that work best for them. They also embody the essence of our mission of protecting people, property, and communities from wildfire.”
The OSFM will host two virtual educational webinars for those interested in learning more about the grant. Links to attend can be found on the OSFM’s website.
Oregon’s 2022 General Election Results Officially Certified Now
Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan certified the 2022 General Election yesterday. Official election results are available at the Oregon Secretary of State’s website.
Fagan says, “Since the 2020 election, proponents of the Big Lie — the false belief that the 2020 election was stolen from former President Trump — have eroded public trust, increased violence and threats of violence related to election administration and put core American values of democratic self-governance at risk of erosion. In the face of these challenges, the 2022 midterm election went off without any major issues.”
Fagan says Oregon’s November 2022 election was smooth and secure, a testament to the resiliency of Oregon’s vote-by-mail system and the importance of democracy to Oregonians.
The Oregon Elections Division’s official statistics for the November election show preliminary voter turnout at 61.5% of registered voters, placing Oregon as the top state in the country, tied with Maine, for voter turnout according the U.S. Elections Project.
In the run-up to the November Election, Secretary Fagan visited all 36 county elections offices to hear from county clerks and staff about the challenges they face and the status of vote by mail in each county. She says, “In every corner of Oregon, the state of our vote-by-mail system is strong. I want to thank the elections workers around Oregon whose integrity and hard work makes our democracy work.”
Oregon Coast To Hold ‘Whale Watch Week’ In Person Again For The First Time Since 2019
Oregon State Parks will host Whale Watch Week in person along the Oregon Coast Dec. 28 – Jan. 1. — Previous Whale Watching events were canceled during the pandemic since 2019.
Every year thousands of Gray whales migrate south through Oregon’s waters at the end of December, and Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) invites visitors to the coast to see their journey.
Trained volunteers will be stationed at most of the 17 sites to help visitors spot whales, share information and answer questions from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily. The sites are some of the best places to watch for whales on the Oregon Coast.
“We really enjoy getting folks out to the coast for Whale Watch Week,” OPRD Park Ranger Peter McBride said. “It’s something that Oregon State Parks has been doing for more than 40 years now, and we’re really glad to be able to bring it back in person,” he said.
A map of volunteer-staffed sites is available online on the official event webpage: https://oregonstateparks.org/index.cfm?do=thingstodo.dsp_whaleWatching
An estimated 19,000 Gray whales are expected to swim past Oregon’s shores over the next several weeks as part of their annual migration south to the warm calving lagoons near Baja, Mexico. The end of December is the peak time for their migration; roughly 30 whales pass by per hour.
The Whale Watching Center in Depoe Bay will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Visitors to the center can enjoy interactive whale exhibits and take in the panoramic ocean views. Binoculars are provided. Rangers from Oregon State Parks will also be on hand to answer questions about the whales.
All Whale Watch Week visitors are encouraged to dress for the weather, to bring binoculars and to follow beach safety guidelines such as remaining out of fenced areas, knowing the tide schedule and keeping an eye on the surf at all times. Go to https://visittheoregoncoast.com/beach-safety/ for a list of safety tips.
For more information about coast parks and campgrounds, visit http://oregonstateparks.org
AAA Holiday Travel Forecast: Expect Busy Roads and Crowded Airports
AAA projects 112.7 million Americans (33.8% of the population) will travel for the Christmas and New Year holidays. This is up 3.3% from 2021 and closing in on pre-pandemic numbers.
About 1.6 million Oregonians will pack their sleighs for a holiday trip. 2022 is expected to be the third-busiest year for holiday travel since AAA began tracking in 2000, only trailing 2019 and 2018.
While about 90% of travelers will drive to their holiday destinations, air travel is seeing a jump this year, up 14% compared to 2021. The holiday travel period is defined as Friday, December. 23 through Monday, January 2.
“With Christmas Day and New Year’s Day falling on Sundays, many are taking long weekends to celebrate the holidays. And with hybrid work schedules, we’re seeing more flexibility with the days people are traveling because they can work remotely at their destinations,” says Doreen Loofburrow, senior vice president of travel for AAA Oregon/Idaho.
“Despite roller-coaster gas prices and a bumpy year for flights, people are ready to wrap up the year with a holiday trip. This will be one of the busiest times for holiday travel in the last two decades. Travelers should expect busy roads and crowded airports this holiday season,” says Marie Dodds, public affairs director for AAA Oregon/Idaho.
Peak traffic expected Dec. 23, 27, 28 and Jan. 2 — Travelers can expect the busiest roads on Dec. 23, 27 and 28 and on Jan. 2. Delays will be the longest in the afternoons and evenings, especially in urban areas, as travelers mix with commuters. Some metro areas across the U.S. could see more than double the delays versus typical drive times, and larger urban areas could experience three times the normal delays.
“Knowing the busiest drive times can help you avoid the stress of being stuck in stop-and-go traffic,” says Dodds.
Medical Examiner Says Body Of Woman Found In Portland Remains Unidentified – Seeks Public Help
The Multnomah County Medical Examiner’s Office is asking for the public’s help identifying the body of a woman who died Nov. 28 in Portland.
The Medical Examiner describes the woman as white, between the ages of 20 and 40 years old. They say she also was about 5′4″ tall, weighing 139 pounds. She had medium to long brown hair with brown eyes.
The woman also had pierced ears, with scars on both forearms and the following tattoos:
- Right wrist: Faith Hope Love
- Left wrist: Amirah
- Right Shoulder: Black and red butterfly
Anyone with information about the woman is asked to call the Multnomah County Medical Examiner’s Office at (503) 988-0055 and reference case number #MU-221128-812.
