Rogue Valley News update, from RogueValleyMagazine.com
Wednesday, October. 9, 2019
Rogue Valley Weather
Wednesday
Sunny, with a high near 62. Areas of frost overnight, low around 33.
Thursday
Cold frosty morning then sunny with a high of 71.
Friday
Sunny, with a high near 75.
Saturday
Partly sunny, with a high near 69.
Sunday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 66.
Today’s Headlines…
Monday just after midnight, the Medford Police Department responded to the area of the Greenway and the 4th St. Bridge of a report of a deceased subject found at that location.
Yesterday the Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office conducted an autopsy of the deceased woman. While the manner and cause of death are pending toxicology results, there is no evidence of foul play. The results of the toxicology can take several weeks.
The decedent has been identified as Christina Kellee Campbell, 30 years old. Next of kin have been notified.
On 10/07/19, at approximately 0051 hrs, the Medford Police Department responded to the area of the Greenway and the 4th St. Bridge of a report of a deceased subject found at that location.
The Bureau of Land Management has tentatively scheduled a series of prescribed fires throughout the Medford area.
The upcoming fires in the Medford area will all potentially begin in mid-to-late October and burning operations will intermittently occur, as conditions permit, through spring of 2020. These upcoming prescribed fires include:
Butte Falls: Approximately 600 acres of hand piles within 15 miles of Butte Falls.
Howard Prairie: Approximately 60 acres of hand piles and landing Piles.
Little Butte Creek/Heppsie: Approximately 30 acres of hand piles and landing piles.
Ruch/Upper Applegate: Approximately 100 acres of hand piles.
For information on the Bureau of Land Management’s fire and aviation program in Oregon/Washington, please visit: https://on.doi.gov/2VoXd5E
Gas prices are holding steady or declining in most states, except for the West Coast region where prices are spiking after several unplanned refinery outages.
For the week, the national average for regular slips half a cent to $2.65 a gallon. The Oregon average jumps six cents to $3.18. Disruptions at refineries in California are pushing prices higher for all West Coast drivers.
The Golden State is hardest hit with the current average soaring to $4.19 a gallon. California is the only state in the nation with an average above $4.
Nineteen arts organizations including the Oregon Shakespearean Festival Association and the Rogue Valley Symphony Association will each receive $10,000 grant awards to support their educational projects in Oregon schools through $190,000 in FY2020 Oregon Arts Commission Arts Learning funding announced this week.
Arts Learning grants are designed to: support high-quality projects that provide a responsive opportunity for learning in and through the arts to benefit K-12 students; foster exchange of knowledge between artists and educators; and impact the achievement, skills and/or attitudes of learners. Applications were evaluated based on project quality and responsiveness, project support and project impact.
The Oregon Shakespeare Festival Association grant is to support a year of OSF’s SCHOOL VISIT PARTNERSHIPS for 10 Oregon schools including multi-year residencies, plays, classroom curricula and professional development.
The Rogue Valley Symphony Association grant is to support the elementary music education program, Link Up, provided to the Phoenix – Talent School District including Classical Coaches for 6th grade students.
Early Saturday morning Oregon State Police and emergency personnel responded to the report of a single vehicle crash on Highway 99 milepost 10.5 near Phoenix.
Preliminary investigation revealed that a 2002 Mazda, operated by 23 year old Dakota Arthur of Medford was northbound at a high rate of speed when it slid sideways into a power pole.
Arthur sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased.
The passenger 24 year old Danielle Ramirez of Medford, was transported to an area hospital with serious injuries
Grange Co-op’s Board of Directors appointed Neil Itzen as Chief Executive Officer.
Itzen joined Grange Co-op in 2010 and spent time in various accounting roles until he was promoted to Chief Financial Officer in December 2014. In March 2019, the Board appointed him as Interim Chief Executive Officer. Beginning in May 2019, Grange Co-op’s Board of Directors engaged Morrison and Company to conduct a nationwide search for a permanent CEO.
Grange Co-op Board Chairman Dennis Harmon stated “After an aggressive nationwide search and an intense screening and interview process, the Board of Directors of Grange Co-op hired former Chief Financial Officer Neil Itzen as the new corporate CEO. Neil’s deep understanding of the business of the co-op, his care and concern for our employees and the community along with his vision for the future aligned with the ideas of the board to the extent that we realized that we already had the best man in place. We look forward to his leadership as we explore new opportunities in the changing landscape of the region’s agricultural industry.”
Itzen grew up in Brookings, Oregon on an Easter lily bulb farm. He earned his accounting degree from Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon in 2002.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) announce the opening or razor clam harvesting on the south coast between the south jetty of the Umpqua River and the Coquille River.
Recent shellfish samples taken from the area indicate the marine biotoxin domoic acid has dropped below the closure limit. Razor clamming is now OPEN from the Columbia River to the California border. For more information call ODA’s shellfish safety hotline at (800) 448-2427, the Food Safety Division at (503) 986-4720 or visit the ODA Shellfish Biotoxin Closures webpage.
State Fish and Wildlife troopers are seeking information about buck deer that were poached and dumped near Interstate 5 south of Eugene.
Oregon State Police say troopers responded Sunday to a report of a buck deer that was dumped at an old rest area site near Myrtle Creek.
Police say troopers found one skinned whole buck and the hides and heads of two other bucks. One was a three-point buck and two were forked-horn bucks. Police say the bucks were killed late Friday or Saturday.
Anyone with information about the poachers is asked to call the tip hotline at 1-800-452-7888.