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, April 10, 2023
Willamette Valley Weather
Nurses Lead Rally at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart in Springfield Today
Local nurses from Eugene, Springfield and the surrounding areas will be joined by Congresswoman Val Hoyle, Eugene Mayor Lucy Vinis, ONA President Tamie Cline and community allies in a rally for safe staffing Monday, April 10 from 3 – 6 p.m. outside PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center in Springfield, OR. Speakers will begin at approximately 3:30 p.m.
Local nurses are calling on PeaceHealth’s executives in Washington to do the right thing and adopt safe staffing standards as part of a fair contract agreement for nurses and our community.
Nurses invite community members to attend the rally to talk with local nurses and hear how decisions made by PeaceHealth’s corporate executives are affecting your health care.
The rally is a family and pet-friendly event. It will be held rain-or-shine. Attendees are asked to follow guidance from designated rally officials and safety personnel.
WHAT: Hundreds of local nurses and health care providers are leading a rally to demand PeaceHealth address its staffing crisis and give nurses and patients the support and conditions they need to thrive.
PeaceHealth Sacred Heart has nearly 300 nurse vacancies–leaving emergency department patients and their loved ones waiting hours before seeing a provider or being admitted to the hospital and delaying emergency response times as ambulances line up to hand off patients. Nurses will be joined by local elected leaders, worker advocates and community allies.
WHEN: Monday, April 10 from 3 – 6 p.m. Speakers will begin at approximately 3:30 p.m. Nurses and advocates will be available for media comment during the event.
WHERE: The intersection of MLK Blvd. and Cardinal Way in Springfield, OR. Outside PeaceHealth Sacred Heart RiverBend (3333 Riverbend Dr, Springfield, OR 97477).
WHO: Frontline nurses from PeaceHealth Sacred Heart and Sacred Heart Home Care Services along with other health care providers, elected officials and community allies including:
- Congresswoman Val Hoyle
- Eugene Mayor Lucy Vinis
- Pacific Northwest Hospital Medicine Association President Dr. Charlotte Yeomans
- ONA President Tamie Cline
- ONA Sacred Heart Medical Center Chair Chris Rompala
- ONA Sacred Heart Medical Home Care Services Chair Jo Turner
- Worker advocates
- Community allies
The Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) represents 1,500 frontline nurses at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center and Sacred Heart Home Care Services. ONA nurses are standing up for safety to improve health care for our patients and our community. PeaceHealth’s corporate executives have chosen to cut local care, close clinics, and refuse to staff safely. PeaceHealth Sacred Heart currently has nearly 300 vacant nursing positions. Fewer nurses means Eugene-area patients and families pay more for worse care. Decades of research proveEditSignEditSign, safe nurse staffing is the best medicine money can buy. Studies show adding just one nurse to a health care team can decrease the odds of a patient dying by 6-16%.
Conversely, when hospital executives refuse to staff safely, patients and communities suffer. When staffing isn’t safe, you and your loved ones have longer wait times and more expensive hospital stays; there are more in-hospital infections and injuries; patients are more likely to be readmitted to the hospital; and patients are ultimately more likely to die.
The Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) is the state’s largest and most influential nursing organization. We are a professional association and labor union which represents more than 16,000 nurses and allied health workers throughout the state, including 1,500 frontline nurses at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center and Sacred Heart Home Care Services. ONA’s mission is to advocate for nursing, quality health care and healthy communities. For more information visit: www.OregonRN.org.
Family Raising Money For Search Party To Search For Missing Blue River Woman
The family of a woman from the Blue River area is trying to raise a search party to find her after she was reported missing without a trace last Tuesday.
According to the Lane County Sheriff’s Office, Mekenna Reiley, 40, of Blue River was reported missing from her home near the Blue River Reservoir on April 6. Deputies said her friends and neighbors reported that they had not seen or heard from Reiley for a few days. They said her phone, purse, vehicle and dog had been left behind at her home, but there was no other trace of her.
According to the LCSO, Reiley was last seen near River Street and McKenzie Highway in Blue River on April 5, and may have been suffering from a mental health crisis. The LCSO said she was wearing a pair of blue waterproof boots, but no information is available as to what else she was last seen wearing.
Family members of Reiley have set up a GoFundMe to try to hire a search party to look for her. According to the missing person’s brother, Bevin Stepp, the local police department does not have the resources necessary to carry out a search. According to the GoFundMe page, Reiley’s family fears the worst from the company she has been keeping.
“My family and I are in complete panic and trying to do our best from here to figure out the situation from across the country,” Stepp said on the GoFundMe page. “We all know how important the first 48 hours are and no one has spoken to her since Tuesday when she reached out wanting to come back home soon.”
As of April 10, the GoFundMe has raised $8,530 of its $20,000 goal. Anyone with information about Reiley’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Lane County Sheriff’s Office at 541-682-4150 and reference case number 23-1855.
Eugene Woman Arrested After Stealing Construction Truck And Leading Police On Chase
A Eugene woman was arrested for allegedly stealing a construction truck after ramming through a security gate while leading police on a chase through Harrisburg.
On Friday, April 7, just before 8:15 p.m., deputies with the Lane County Sheriff’s Office called Junction City dispatch to report a possible drunk driver near Prairie Road and Meadowview Road.
The driver, identified as Tara Maffey, was in a large construction-type truck, according to police.
Officers went to the area and located the truck, which was stopped at a business in the 800 block of Ivy Street. They contacted Maffey, who said she had been sexually assaulted and then drove away in the truck without providing any additional information.
Officers attempted to catch up to Maffey as she was driving north on Highway 99 toward Harrisburg. At one point, she stopped the truck in the middle of the road, briefly blocking traffic. Officers continued to follow Maffey with sirens on as she swerved in and out of the lanes and almost hit another car on Harrisburg Bridge. Eventually, she drove through a construction zone and stopped at the Dari Mart in Harrisburg.
According to police, Maffey then refused to get out of the truck. But after some negotiations, officers were about to detain Maffey safely.
During the investigation, officers contacted the construction truck owner, who didn’t know it was stolen. The truck had been parked at a business off Coburg Road, south of the City of Coburg.
Officers then went to the business, and that’s when they learned that Maffey allegedly drove the truck through a metal security gate earlier in the evening when trying to escape. The gate is severely damaged.
Maffey is now facing multiple charges, including Possession of a Stolen Vehicle and Reckless Driving.
Skimmer Machines Reported in Eugene
Eugene Police received a report of a skimming machine at a local convenience store, and EPD Community Engagement Team began visiting local convenience stores. The team is continuing the outreach and guidance to local businesses. The photos in this post are of the actual skimming device discovered yesterday.
A skimming machine is a very small device that a devious criminal can attach surreptitiously to an actual card reader to an ATM, grocery store, gas pump, or other retail credit/debit card reader. The devices can use blue tooth to transmit your bank card’s account information to the thief’s phone or computer. They can then take the account information from the card and use the credit/debit card, make duplicate cards, or sell it on the black market.
Here is how to identify a skimming device before you insert your card:
• If there’s a piece of the machine that does not look solid or like it has not been properly installed, it could have been tampered with.
• Use your hand on the machine before you insert your card to test if the machine’s parts are intact and feel solid
• If you refuel your own vehicle at a commercial site, you can check to make sure the security seal near the reader is not broken.
• Also protect your pin numbers and passcodes when you enter them by covering them with your other hand. This is in case there is a hidden camera.
• Be aware PIN numbers can be stolen via fake keypads placed over an ATM’s actual keypad
• Card reading machines inside a building with more traffic are usually less likely to be tampered with.
If you believe you have been victimized, call the bank or credit card company that issued the card. There is a number for reporting fraud on the back. Be sure to do this promptly to avoid more charges.
Here is a good article: https://www.forbes.com/advisor/credit-cards/how-to-spot-a-credit-card-skimmer/?fbclid=IwAR0A5Z1slgftopRT9U784TA5GIklFElpgfivH1489iXuiK4P3QA0eI4473o
The Oregon Department of Emergency Management honors the state’s dedicated 911 professionals during National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week
SALEM, Ore. – The Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM) recognizes April 9-15 as National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, an annual event that honors the critical role emergency response coordination professionals play in keeping the nation’s communities safe and secure.
Oregon has 43 standalone 911 centers known as Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) that serve as the first and single point of contact for people seeking immediate relief during an emergency. Nearly 800 dedicated telecommunicators across the state answer at least 2 million emergency calls annually for law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services. These 911 professionals respond to emergency calls, dispatch emergency professionals and equipment, and render life-saving assistance in times of intense personal crises and community-wide disasters.
“Oregon’s 911 telecommunicators are heroes devoted to public safety and helping others. They work long hours, remaining calm in all types of situations and quickly constructing plans of action based on limited information,” said OEM State 911 Program Manager Frank Kuchta. “These individuals are lifelines in an emergency, and this annual observance honors their skills, dedication and commitment to helping Oregonians.”
Some 911 professionals are certified as emergency medical dispatchers (EMDs), emergency fire dispatchers (EFDs) or emergency police dispatchers (EPDs). All 911 professionals work diligently behind the scenes to help citizens during emergencies ranging from mental health crises, car accidents, missing person reports, burglaries and domestic violence disturbances. Since early 2020, Oregon’s public safety telecommunicators have had the added responsibility of serving throughout a pandemic, historic wildfires, heatwaves, winter storms, floods and severe staffing shortages.
“On any given day, our public safety dispatchers have an incredibly stressful job; during the last several years, that’s been compounded as they’ve responded to unprecedented disasters in which they were the first to answer the call,” said Kuchta. “National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week brings well-deserved attention and recognition to these invaluable professionals.”
The critical work of Oregon’s public safety telecommunicators directly supports the operations of federal, state and local government agencies, including emergency management, highway safety, and search and rescue. Oregon’s 911 program was established by the 1981 Oregon Legislature and is managed by the Oregon Department of Emergency Management. Learn more at Oregon.gov/OEM.
### You can get this document in other languages, large print, braille, or a format you prefer. For assistance, email oem_publicinfo@oem.oregon.gov. We accept all relay calls, or you can dial 711.
Two People Survive Plane That Crashed And Burned At Ashland Airport
Ashland police and firefighters were at the scene of an aircraft that crashed and caught fire at Ashland Airport Friday night. They are investigating the crash and the fire.
First responders said the two people on board survived the crash. Ashland Fire Department Division Chief Chris Chambers says they declined medical attention.
The aircraft, however, is getting attention. Chambers says the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board were contacted to initiate their investigations of the incident. Those agencies generally require aircraft to stay in place until they can see the crash in place before having the aircraft and its recoverable parts removed and moved to a safe location for closer inspection.
Chambers says that during a practice landing exercise that went wrong, the plane came to a rest off the runway at Ashland Airport. It was setting nose down and charred in a creek along the west side of the Airport and its runway. The crash caused a fire, which caused a small tree to catch fire and burn around 5 p.m.
Another pilot said the aircraft was carrying its owner and another pilot on the experimental turbine-engine airplane with a cabin capable of carrying at least six people.
The Federal Aviation Administration has been notified, as well as an environmental agency because of plane chemicals and non-toxic firefighter foam.
Meth/Fentanyl Arrests in Roseburg
Detectives with the Douglas Interagency Narcotics Team (DINT) arrested two Honduran men in the early morning hours of April 6th, 2023. Detectives have been investigating this organization for some time and have developed information indicating they are involved with large scale drug trafficking crimes.
Detectives contacted the individuals as they were sitting in their vehicle in the parking lot of a business in the 700 block of NW Garden Valley Blvd in Roseburg, at approximately 2:45 AM on Thursday morning. The individuals had just arrived in the area from California. Both individuals were detained, pending application for a search warrant for their vehicle.
Detectives obtained the search warrant and upon searching the vehicle found a huge amount of both methamphetamine and fentanyl, including a large amount of suspected carfentanil.
As many know at this point, Fentanyl is a dangerous synthetic opioid that is the dominant drug of choice among opiate addicts today. Fentanyl has been the driving factor in the astronomical rise in overdose cases across our country, including here in Douglas County. Fentanyl is estimated to be 50 times more potent than heroin.
Carfentanil is a fentanyl analog, but is estimated to be 100 times more potent than fentanyl. Carfentanil is used in the veterinary industry, usually on very large mammals such as elephants. Carfentanil is odorless and tasteless, and is often cut into other drugs like fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin. The dangers of such a drug cannot be overstated.
In the suspects’ vehicle, detectives found the following:
- Approximately 1,614 grams (3.5 pounds) of suspected methamphetamine.
- Approximately 2,000 grams (2 kilos or 4.4 lbs) of suspected fentanyl.
- Approximately 1,000 grams (1 kilo or 2.2 lbs) of suspected carfentanil.
- Assorted drug paraphernalia.
32 year old Jorge Alvarenga, and 26 year old Daniel Mendoza-Archaga were both lodged in the Douglas County jail on the following charges:
- Unlawful Possession, Manufacture, and Delivery of Methamphetamine
- Unlawful Possession, Manufacture, and Delivery of a Controlled Substance Schedule II
The DINT team is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force that identifies, disrupts, and dismantles local, multi-state, and international drug trafficking organizations using an intelligence-driven, multi-agency prosecutor-supported approach. DINT is supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) and is composed of members from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Roseburg Police Department, Oregon State Police, Bureau of Land Management, and the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office. The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives, including DINT.
No Damages Reported In Another 4.0 Earthquake Off Coast From Yachats
A magnitude 4.0 earthquake was recorded off Oregon’s coast on Sunday morning, the United States Geological Survey reported.
The temblor uncorked about 270 miles west of Yachats, according to the federal scientific agency. No injuries or damage have been reported; only three people so far have filled out the USGS’s “Felt Report” survey.
The Oregonian/OregonLive’s Real-Time Earthquake Map, which is updated every 15 minutes, shows how commonplace such small quakes are in the region.
Another 4.0 quake rumbled about 132 miles west of Coos Bay on March 26, for example. On March 17, a 4.3 quake hit in the same general area in the Pacific Ocean. Those quakes also caused no damage or tsunami warnings.
Which isn’t to say there’s no reason to be prepared. Experts believe there’s about a 40% chance a large quake — up to magnitude 9.0 — from the Cascadia subduction zone will hit sometime in the next 50 years. January marked the 323rd anniversary of the last major quake along the 600-mile fault off the Pacific Northwest coast. (SOURCE)
GasBuddy Reports Oregon Gas Prices Up Over In Past Week
Average gasoline prices in Oregon have risen 7.2 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.94/g Monday, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 1,307 stations in Oregon.
Prices in Oregon are 6.5 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and stand 69.8 cents per gallon lower than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has fallen 1.6 cents in the last week and stands at $4.15 per gallon.
According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Oregon was priced at $2.89/g Sunday while the most expensive was $4.79/g, a difference of $1.90/g. The lowest price in the state Sunday was $2.89/g while the highest was $4.79/g, a difference of $1.90/g.
The national average price of gasoline has risen 8.8 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.57/g Monday. The national average is up 13.0 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 52.6 cents per gallon lower than a year ago, according to GasBuddy data compiled from more than 11 million weekly price reports covering over 150,000 gas stations across the country.
Historical gasoline prices in Oregon and the national average going back ten years:
April 10, 2022: $4.64/g (U.S. Average: $4.10/g)
April 10, 2021: $3.15/g (U.S. Average: $2.85/g)
April 10, 2020: $2.47/g (U.S. Average: $1.84/g)
April 10, 2019: $3.16/g (U.S. Average: $2.79/g)
April 10, 2018: $3.07/g (U.S. Average: $2.66/g)
April 10, 2017: $2.74/g (U.S. Average: $2.39/g)
April 10, 2016: $2.17/g (U.S. Average: $2.04/g)
April 10, 2015: $2.69/g (U.S. Average: $2.40/g)
April 10, 2014: $3.68/g (U.S. Average: $3.61/g)
April 10, 2013: $3.68/g (U.S. Average: $3.57/g)
Neighboring areas and their current gas prices:
Eugene- $3.82/g, up 6.9 cents per gallon from last week’s $3.75/g.
Salem- $3.83/g, up 8.7 cents per gallon from last week’s $3.74/g.
Portland- $4.08/g, up 6.3 cents per gallon from last week’s $4.02/g.
“The national average price of gasoline has continued its relatively slow climb, with 44 states seeing average gasoline prices climb over the last week. Prices are being pulled up not only due to continued increases in demand as temperatures warm, but also pressure from oil prices, which have risen over 20% in the last month, primarily driven by OPEC’s surprise decision a week ago to cut oil production,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy.
“Expect the upward trend to continue through much of the rest of spring, but once the transition to summer gasoline and refinery maintenance are behind us, April and May jumps could bring June slumps. However, for diesel, the news continues to be good, with the national average price of diesel continuing to drop, now at its narrowest difference to gasoline in over 13 months.”
GasBuddy is the authoritative voice for gas prices and the only source for station-level data. GasBuddy’s survey updates 288 times every day from the most diverse list of sources covering nearly 150,000 stations nationwide, the most comprehensive and up-to-date in the country. GasBuddy data is accessible at http://prices.GasBuddy.com.
The 10th Annual Art of Survival Century Bicycle Ride
Looking for a memorable way to spend the Memorial Day weekend? The 10th Annual Art of Survival Century Bicycle Ride isn’t just about pedaling a road or mountain bike through beautiful stretches of county side. It’s also an opportunity to learn about a region that includes Southern Oregon’s Klamath Basin and Northern California’s Tulelake Basin and Butte Valley area.
In conjunction with Remembering the Modoc War events commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Modoc War, this year’s 10th annual Art of Survival Century and Gravel Grinder bicycle rides will include sites where, or near, some of the war’s major events occurred. The 59-mile Metric Century, for example, will include stops or information at Captain Jack’s Stronghold, Canby Cross and Hospital Rock.
The two-day event is set for Saturday, May 27, and Sunday, May 28. The Saturday rides — with four routes offering a choice of distances — will begin and end at the Broadway Theater in Malin while the trio of Sunday Gravel Grinder rides will start and end at the Butte Valley Community Center in Dorris.
“Come celebrate our 10th annual Art of Survival Century and Gravel Grinder Bicycle Rides on Memorial Day weekend,” said Linda Woodley, who heads an organizing committee that includes members from Malin, Merrill, Dorris and Lava Beds National Monument. “Cycle along the uncrowded backroads of our beautiful Basin in the shadow of majestic Mount Shasta, while learning more about rural life in our southern Oregon and northern California communities.”
Organizers also noted the Saturday ride will include areas along the banks of Lost River near Merrill, where a battle between Army troops from Fort Klamath attempted to return Modocs back to a reservation near Chiloquin. The Modoc’s refusal ignited the war between the Modoc Indians and U.S. Army.
“Witness first-hand where the war started and where many of the battles took place,” organizers said.
Along with Modoc War sites, Woodley and others emphasize “there is plenty to see and do in our region, so bring your family and enjoy the holiday weekend.”
Activities will begin with a pre-ride reception from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Friday, May 26 at the Malin Broadway Theater in Malin. People can pick up ride packets, meet and mingle with other cyclists, enjoy refreshments, discover new activities to explore and learn about the history of the Klamath Basin.
Day 1 rides Saturday, May 27 include four routes that begin and end at the Malin Community Park in Malin — the 100-mile Century, 60-mile Metric Century, 38-mile and family-friendly 13-mile road routes along with a 22-mile mountain bike route in the Medicine Lake Highlands.
On Sunday, May 28, the mix of a Gravel Grinder, or non-pavement, rides covering distances of 74 and 54 miles and a family-friendly 13-mile route, will begin and end at the Butte Valley Community Center in Dorris. Participants of the two long routes will ride along the flatlands of Butte Valley, including the Butte Valley Wildlife Area, farms, ranches and up to Juanita Lake. Views of snow-capped Mount Shasta and Goosenest Mountain will be plentiful.
People who register for rides on both days get a discount. Post-ride meals will be offered both days and are included in the registration fees. Camping and lodging options are also available.
For detailed information, including maps of the various rides, go to the Art of Survival website at survivalcentury.com.
