News from around the State of Oregon from Rogue Valley Magazine
THURSDAY, AUGUST 8, 2019
TODDLER’S DEATH UNDER INVESTIGATION
Detectives are still investigating the death of an Eagle Point toddler. The girl was found unresponsive in her home on Monday afternoon.
According to the report, an Eagle Point Police Department officer was dispatched to a call of CPR in progress at 233 S. Shasta Avenue #63, Eagle Point. The 911 caller reported a child in the home was not breathing.
Alivia Rose Allen, 2, was unresponsive when police and Fire District 3 personnel arrived on scene. She was transported by Mercy Flights ambulance to Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center. Alivia died at the hospital later that evening.
Eagle Point PD requested assistance with the investigation from Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) detectives. If anyone has information about the incident, they can call the JCSO tip line at (541) 774-8333.
The cause and manner of Alivia’s death has not yet been determined. According to the Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office, an autopsy is planned for Thursday.
No further information is available for release at this time. Case #19-16348
A group pushing for the decriminalization and regulation of psychedelic mushrooms continues to plug away for a shot at Oregon’s 2020 ballot. The Secretary of State’s office granted a draft ballot title on Wednesday for Initiative Petition 2020-034, “The Psilocybin Service Initiative of Oregon.”
If approved by voters, the initiative would establish a legal process for licensed groups to manufacture, deliver, and administer psilocybin — the active compound found in psychedelic mushrooms.
While similar in some ways to the system by which cannabis is now legalized and regulated in Oregon, there are some major differences in the psilocybin initiative. Instead of being administered by the OLCC, mushroom products would fall under the purview of the Oregon Health Authority. Individuals interested in taking psilocybin would do so only under supervision at a “psilocybin service center” — ostensibly for the purposes of mental health treatment.
“Studies conducted by nationally and internationally recognized medical institutions indicate that psilocybin has shown efficacy, tolerability, and safety in the treatment of a variety of mental health conditions, including but not limited to addiction, depression, anxiety disorders, and end-of-life psychological distress,” the initiative reads.
The initiative’s chief Petitioners, Thomas and Sheri Eckert of Beaverton, gathered over 1,000 valid signatures in order to receive a draft ballot title. The current initiative represents a second attempt for the couple in the run-up to 2020, following a similar ballot measure approved in December of 2018.
As is typical for initiative petitions, the Secretary of State’s office has asked for input from the public “on whether the petition complies with the procedural constitutional requirements established in the Oregon Constitution for initiative petitions.” Comments are due by August 21, after which the Secretary of State will make a decision.
Assuming the Secretary of State approves, the Eckerts will need to gather a total of 112,020 signatures to get their measure on the 2020 ballot.
Somebody call Pete Rose. The Oregon Lottery is rolling out a new official means for betting on sports with the “Scoreboard” app, which will allow people 21 and older to wager on most professional sports.
“This is the Oregon Lottery’s first entry into online sales and gameplay with plans to add in-venue sports betting at select Oregon Lottery retail locations in the coming months,” the Lottery said in a statement.
Users will have to register and verify their identities online, then put money in their accounts — allowing them to place bets for the NFL, NBA, MLS, NWSL, MLB, and NASCAR. They will be able to make single-game wagers, or use options like parlay, live, in-game betting and a variety of others.
According to the Oregon Lottery, the app will be tightly restricted to users currently in Oregon. Geolocation services will be used to ensure that players are within state boundaries and outside of Tribal lands.
“Testing is underway on the Oregon Lottery Scoreboard mobile app and desktop computer interface to ensure the game, and player accounts, are fully functional and secure prior to release,” the Lottery said.
The app is set for launch in time for the NFL regular season opening.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has formally acknowledged the completion of all requirements for PacifiCorp’s physical decommissioning and removal of the Condit Dam.
Once the only man-made impoundment between Mt. Adams and the Columbia River, the 125-foot dam was one of the largest dams ever removed in the United States.
The 13.7-megawatt Condit Project, located on the White Salmon River in Skamania and Klickitat counties, Washington, was completed in 1913 and produced hydroelectricity for the paper industry in Washington and the growing communities in and near Portland, Ore. After nearly a century of serving customers, PacifiCorp began in late August 2011 to physically remove the dam, fulfilling a multi-party settlement agreement signed in 1999.
Steps involved in decommissioning the Condit project included constructing new bridge piers for the Northwestern Lake Road bridge to provide public access across the White Salmon River, relocation of a City of White Salmon waterline and removing the dam and remaining facilities. The historic powerhouse remains intact.
The surrender of the FERC license by PacifiCorp marks the restoration of approximately 33 miles of historic spawning and rearing area for steelhead and 14 miles for salmon in the White Salmon River basin.
Video of the dramatic removal of the Condit Dam and the ensuing reclamation can be seen here: https://www.pacificorp.com/energy/hydro/condit.html
About PacifiCorp: A leader in renewable energy development, PacifiCorp provides affordable, reliable power to more than 1.9 million customers in six Western states. A Berkshire Hathaway Energy company, PacifiCorp operates as Rocky Mountain Power in Utah, Wyoming, and Idaho and as Pacific Power in Washington, Oregon, and California. Learn more at www.pacificorp.com.
Electric vehicle charging station projects across Oregon receive funding from Pacific Power grant program
More Oregon cities are getting help with charging-up from a Pacific Power grant program. Electric vehicle charging station projects from Pendleton to Grants Pass – 9 in all – will receive up to 100% of eligible costs. The program is designed to assist non-profits, local governments and businesses with providing employees, customers and the general public with more options to charge electric vehicles. Launched in late 2018, the electric charging station grant program has awarded over $700,000 to 25 recipients in Oregon.
“We are thrilled by the high level of interest the electric vehicle charging station grant program has received,” said Cory Scott, director of customer solutions. “Charging stations are a key piece of infrastructure that is becoming increasingly in-demand as more people switch to electric-based vehicles. This is one of the many ways Pacific Power is helping make the transition to electric-powered vehicles easier with more charging options for commuters.”
Recent Grant Recipients:
- City of Pendleton – Pendleton, Ore. (3 ports)
- City of Myrtle Creek – Myrtle Creek, Ore. (2 ports)
- Mt. Ashland Ski Area – Ashland, Ore. (2 ports)
- Softstar Shoes – Philomath, Ore. ( 2 ports)
- JAB, LLC – Medford, Ore. (8 ports)
- Fort George Brewery – Astoria, Ore. (1 port)
- 7th Mountain Resort – Bend, Ore. (2 ports)
- Westside Yard – Bend, Ore. (6 ports)
- CHI Hospitality – Grants Pass, Ore. (1 port)
Pacific Power is providing grant funding to help non-residential customers develop community-driven electric transportation infrastructure projects. This round of grant funding will award nearly $300,000 to Oregon-based workplace charging and publicly accessible charging station projects that advance transportation electrification.
Funding awards will cover up to 100 percent of the project cost. All non-residential Pacific Power customers in California, Oregon, and Washington are eligible to apply with preference given to community-focused organizations, such as 501(c)(3) and city, county and regional governments.
Applications will be accepted up to August 15, 2019 at 5:00 PM. Recipients will be announced October 2019. For detailed eligibility requirements, charging station project qualifications, additional technical assistance program details, application forms and more information about the benefits of electric vehicles, please visit www.pacificpower.net/ev.
GRANTS AVAILABLE FOR OREGON HERITAGE AND HISTORY PROJECTS
The Oregon Heritage Commission is offering grants for qualified projects for the conservation, development and interpretation of Oregon’s cultural heritage. Awards typically range between $5,000 and $20,000. Projects can include anything related to Oregon heritage, and priority will be given to projects that preserve, develop or interpret threatened heritage resources or heritage resources of statewide significance. The grant application deadline is October 1, 2019.
Projects may include theatrical performances, collections preservation and access, exhibits, oral history projects, public education events, organizational archives projects, films and more. Previously funded projects included a variety of projects around the state.
Past projects included:
- Chetco Historical Memorial Committee installed an interpretive area in partnership with local Tribes.
- The High Desert Museum revamped their spring education program to include more diverse stories.
- Linn County Museum partnered with Oregon Black Pioneers to incorporate African American history in the permanent exhibit.
- Cascade AIDS Project collected oral histories and made them accessible.
- Oregon Nikkei Endowment digitized, translated and made available online historical newspapers and Japanese American internment related FBI documents.
- The Vanport Mosaic Festival collected and presented the history of the Albina neighborhood in Portland.
“We hope to see projects from a variety of organizations that engage Oregonians in heritage,” states Kuri Gill, heritage grants program coordinator. “We encourage the documentation, preservation and exploration of all aspects of Oregon’s heritage.”
Applications are submitted online. There is plenty of support for preparing them.
“Our goal is to support organizations of all sizes all over the state in their valuable work. We provide assistance in the application process,” notes Gill. Oregon Heritage grants programs staff is happy to discuss projects and review applications in advance.
The Heritage Commission is comprised of nine people representing Oregon’s heritage and geographical diversity who have been appointed by the Governor. There are nine advisory representatives from state agencies and statewide organizations. The commission’s mission is to secure, sustain, and enhance Oregon’s heritage by ensuring coordination of heritage initiatives by public and private organizations; advocacy on its behalf; education of the public about its extent and value; and promotion and celebration of its diversity.
To learn more about the grants, visit www.oregonheritage.org or contact Kuri Gill at Kuri.Gill@oregon.gov or 503-986-0685.
SALEM – The Oregon Speed Zone Review Panel will meet at 2 p.m., Wed., August 14 at the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife Building, 4034 Fairview Industrial Drive SE in Salem, in the Commission conference room.
The Speed Zone Review Panel is meeting to continue its oversight role in the updating of the Oregon Administrative Rules for setting designated speed limits. ODOT representatives will present draft rules for changes in the speed zoning process and procedures and will ask for feedback from the Speed Zone Review Panel. NOTE: There are no contested speed zones scheduled for discussion at this meeting.
The Oregon Speed Zone Review Panel, which also serves as an advisory body to ODOT, is comprised of representatives from the Transportation Safety Committee, the Oregon State Police, the Association of Oregon Counties, the League of Oregon Cities, and ODOT.