News from around the Rogue Valley and the state of Oregon from Rogue Valley Magazine.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2019
Rogue Valley Weather
Today
Mostly sunny, with a high near 70. Overnight, mostly clear with a low of 45.
Wednesday
Morning fog otherwise, sunny, with a high near 70. Overnight low of 39.
Thursday
Sunny, with a high near 75. Calm wind.
Friday
Sunny, with a high near 75.
Saturday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 64.
Today’s Headlines
Just after the official fire season has ended the Oregon Department of Forestry crews battled a slow-burning fire near Rogue River and Gold Hill on Monday.
The Fry Peak fire, which was burning roughly 14 miles north of Rogue River, was reported at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, said ODF public information officer Natalie Weber. Crews had the fire fully lined by yesterday afternoon. The fire is believed to be human-caused, officials said. The area within the firelines was estimated to be about 10 acres, while the actual fire was just under 5 acres, ODF reported.
“With the conditions that we have right now, the recent rain, it’s not burning very quickly,” Weber said.
The sluggish blaze is burning in a clear-cut area that was being salvaged following the 8,886-acre Garner fire a year ago.
“It’s burning in a really remote area,” Weber said. “It has taken crews a little while to get to it just because it’s so out of the way.”
Tyler Reinhardt and Brian Forsythe were awarded the Grants Pass Department of Public Safety Certificate of Appreciation this morning for their efforts on October 2nd, 2019.
The two citizens observed a disturbance in the parking lot of a business on Union Avenue. A 911 call was made reporting a female chasing a male with a knife.Before officers could arrive to the chaotic and dangerous scene, Reinhardt and Forsythe intervened. The two were able to wrestle the knife away from the female and safely detain her until police could arrive. Their efforts helped prevent grave harm to the other person in the disturbance and possibly to the female herself. For that intervention, the Grants Pass Department of Public Safety wanted to acknowledge their contribution to keeping the situation safe.
Around the region…
Protect people around you: Get a flu vaccine
Health officials say they have started to see cases of flu in Oregon. They recommend everyone 6 months and older get a flu vaccine.
People who get vaccinated not only protect themselves but may also protect those around them. People at higher risk of severe illness include babies and young children, adults older than 65, pregnant women, and those with chronic medical conditions or weak immune systems.
“Healthy adults who get vaccinated help prevent the flu from spreading quickly. But only a third of adults 18 to 49 get the flu vaccine,” says Ann Thomas, M.D., public health physician at the Oregon Health Authority Public Health Division. “Even if adults do not get a vaccine for themselves, they may want to get vaccinated to protect those they love.”
The flu vaccine may take up to two weeks to become effective, so getting it earlier in the season is ideal. Flu vaccine is available from health care providers, local health departments and many pharmacies. The vaccine is free or low cost with most health insurance plans. To find flu vaccine clinic, visit http://www.flu.oregon.gov/ and use OHA’s flu vaccine locator tool.
Flu is a virus that causes mild to severe respiratory illness. In severe cases it can lead to hospitalization and even death. The virus kills thousands of people in the U.S. each year. Oregon had two flu-related deaths of children during the 2018-2019 flu season.
Flu vaccines can be life-saving for children. A 2017 study was the first of its kind to show that flu vaccines can significantly reduce a child’s risk of dying from influenza. Studies have also shown flu vaccines reduce the severity of illness in people who get vaccinated but still get sick, preventing thousands of hospitalizations each year.
Public health officials also encourage health care workers to get vaccinated for the flu. Immunized health care workers help prevent the spread of influenza in health care settings, particularly among hospitalized patients at high risk for complications from the flu. Data on 2017-2018 Oregon health care worker influenza vaccination rates are available in the Oregon Health Care Worker Influenza Vaccination report.
Additional ways people can help prevent the spread of flu:
- Stay home from work or school when you are sick and limit contact with others.
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue out when you are done.
- Wash hands with soap and water. Use an alcohol-based hand rub if soap and water are not available.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
- Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may have flu germs on them.
- Avoid getting coughed and sneezed on.
PacificSource Health Plans announced the 12 healthcare organizations that will receive a combined total of more than $600,000 in funding as part of its annual Community Health Excellence program for the 2019-2020 cycle.
Now in its 10th year, the CHE program has awarded more than $5 million in community grant awards to improve community health by awarding financial support to providers advancing healthcare delivery innovations in Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and, Washington.Through the CHE program, funding is made available for a variety of care delivery innovations including trauma-informed and culturally appropriate care, health care integration, palliative care, and chronic disease management.
In Oregon awards went to Children’s Health Foundation, La Pine Community Health Center, Mercy Foundation, North Bend Medical Center, Oregon Medical Group, Partners in Care and Summit Medical Group.
Oregon Governor Kate Brown has responded to President Donald Trump’s executive order giving state and local governments the authority to refuse to accept refugees.
Brown said in a video posted Monday on Twitter that refugees are welcome in Oregon and noted that it is a sanctuary state. The Democratic governor said resettlement is a lifeline that America provides to the world’s most vulnerable refugees.
Trump’s September 26th executive order says that within 90 days the secretary of state and the secretary of health and human services must develop and implement a process by which a state and the locality’s consent to the resettlement of refugees is taken into account.
If a state or locality has not provided consent, then refugees would not be resettled there except for under special circumstances.
Since it launched in August 2018, the statewide Oregon Child Abuse Hotline has made significant progress in protecting Oregon’s children by implementing a system that ensures the best possible safety decisions, that calls are handled consistently, and callers are respected and responded to in a timely manner.
Dropped call rates have decreased, average call waits have gotten shorter, and 98,404 calls reporting concerns of child safety were screened by hotline staff.
This data is available in the recently released Oregon Child Abuse Hotline Annual Report.
“As the Hotline reflects on progress made during its first year, we also acknowledge that there is still much room for improvement,” said DHS Director Fariborz Pakseresht. “We will continue to use data, customer feedback, predictive analytics, and training to better serve and protect the children in our communities.”
The statewide hotline resulted from the centralization of 15 previously independent, regional hotlines in order to improve consistency in how rule and procedure were applied, including screening reports of child abuse. When someone calls the Hotline, a screener gathers sufficient information to assess whether the allegation meets the criteria of suspected abuse and whether there is imminent danger to the safety of the child. Calls can remain anonymous.
Over the last year, DHS partnered with Action for Child Protection, Portland State University, and other community partners to develop a 56-hour training for DHS screeners. This training, along with the centralization, has increased screening consistency, decreased the potential for bias, and integrated robust and intentional data in the Hotline’s efforts to keep children safe. Along with predictive analytics and access to past reports from multiple sources, screeners now have more information in assessing safety for children at their fingertips.
On October 20, 2019, an Oregon State Police (OSP) Fish & Wildlife trooper responded to a report of a buck deer being dumped along Signal Tree Road near Camas Valley.
The trooper located the carcass of a buck deer with only the head removed. The meat was wasted and left to rot.
Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to contact Senior Trooper Kyle Bachmeier through the Turn in Poachers (TIP) hotline at 1-800-452-7888 or *OSP (*677).
** Report Wildlife and Habitat Law Violators**
The TIP program offers preference point rewards for information leading to an arrest or issuance of a citation for the unlawful take/possession or waste of big game mammals.
Preference Point Rewards:
* 5 Points-Bighorn Sheep
* 5 Points-Rocky Mountain Goat
* 5 Points-Moose
* 5 Points-Wolf
* 4 Points-Elk
* 4 Points-Deer
* 4 Points-Antelope
* 4 Points-Bear
* 4 Points-Cougar
Or the Oregon Hunters Association TIP reward fund also offers cash rewards for information leading to an arrest or issuance of a citation for the unlawful take/possession or waste of Bighorn Sheep, Rocky Mountain Goat, Moose, Elk, Deer, Antelope, Bear, Cougar, Wolf, Upland Birds, Waterfowl, Furbearers, Game Fish and Shellfish. Cash rewards can also be awarded for turning in people who destroy habitat, illegally obtain licenses/tags and for the unlawful lending/borrowing of big game tags.
CASH REWARDS:
* $1,000 Bighorn Sheep, Rocky Mountain Goat and Moose
* $500 Elk, Deer and Antelope
* $300 Bear, Cougar
and Wolf
* $300 Habitat Destruction
* $200 Illegally Obtaining License/Tag(s)
* $200 Unlawful
Lend/Borrow Big Game Tags(s)
* $100 Upland Birds and Waterfowl
* $100 Furbearers
* $100 Game Fish and
Shellfish
How to Report a Wildlife and/or Habitat Law Violation or Suspicious
Activity:
TIP Hotline:
1-800-452-7888 or *OSP(677)
TIP E-Mail: TIP@state.or.us (Monitored M-F 8:00AM –
5:00PM)
### www.oregon.gov/OSP ###
Twitter: @ORStatePolice
Facebook: @ospsocial
Register for the Oregon Young Farmers & Ranchers Leadership Conference, Nov. 15-17 in Portland
Young farmers, ranchers, and others interested in agriculture are encouraged to register for the 2019 Oregon Young Farmers & Ranchers (YF&R) Leadership Conference, set for Nov. 15-17 at the Sheraton Portland Airport Hotel.
Open to Farm Bureau members ages 16 through 35 (as of Jan. 1, 2019), the conference is geared toward young people interested in improving their leadership and communication skills, learning about the most important issues impacting Oregon’s agriculture community, gaining business tips from experts, networking with peers, and having fun!
“Last year’s conference was a huge success with nearly 100 attendees,” said Jenny Freeborn, chair of the Oregon Farm Bureau YF&R Committee. “The conference is a great opportunity for young people to learn about different aspects of agriculture and have a great time with new and old friends.”
To get the reduced rate for lodging, hotel reservations must be made by Oct. 28 — and the $50 conference registration fee is due by Nov. 7 (fee includes dinner on Friday and Saturday and lunch on Saturday).
Find the registration form and hotel information at OregonFB.org/yfrconference.
For more information, email yfr@oregonfb.org or call Jacon Taylor at 541.589.9694.