The latest news from the Rogue Valley and Southern Oregon, from Rogue Valley Magazine.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2019
Rogue Valley Weather
Tonight
Partly cloudy, with a low around 43.
Saturday
Partly sunny, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 64. Overnight, light winds, clear with a low of 36.
Sunday
Sunny, with a high near 63. Frost possible overnight, low around 32.
Monday
Widespread frost before 8am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 65.
Tuesday
Sunny, with a high near 67.
As influenza activity picks up this fall, the American Red Cross is urging healthy donors of all blood types to give blood or platelets to ensure a strong blood supply for patients in need.
One way to maintain health is to get a flu vaccine each fall. There is no waiting period to give blood or platelets after receiving a flu shot as long as the donor is symptom-free and fever-free.
For those that have the flu, it is important to wait until they no longer exhibit flu symptoms, have recovered completely and feel well before attempting to donate. Donors must feel healthy and well on the day of donation.
All blood types needed now. Blood and platelets can only be given by donors who are feeling well.
Donors of all blood types, especially platelet donors and those with type O blood, are urged to give now to ensure a stable supply this fall. Stay healthy this flu season and make an appointment to donate blood by downloading the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device.
Upcoming blood donation opportunities Nov. 1-15:
Jackson County
Ashland
11/14/2019: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, 1615 Clark Ave, Siskiyou Blvd and Walker Ave
11/15/2019: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 175 N. Main St.
Butte Falls
11/7/2019: 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Butte Falls Community Hall, 431 Broad Street
Medford
11/1/2019: 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Medford Blood Donation Center, 1174 Progress Drive Suite 102
11/4/2019: 1 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., Medford Blood Donation Center, 1174 Progress Drive Suite 102
11/8/2019: 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Medford Blood Donation Center, 1174 Progress Drive Suite 102
11/11/2019: 1 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., Medford Blood Donation Center, 1174 Progress Drive Suite 102
11/12/2019: 1 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., Medford Blood Donation Center, 1174 Progress Drive Suite 102
11/15/2019: 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Medford Blood Donation Center, 1174 Progress Drive Suite 102
White City
11/8/2019: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., VA SORCC, 8495 Crater Lake Hwy
11/11/2019: 12:30 p.m. – 6 p.m., Jackson County Fire District 3 Administration Building, 8383 Agate Rd
Josephine County
Grants Pass
11/5/2019: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., First Call Resolution, 333 SW 5th St
11/6/2019: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., RCC Redwood Campus Student Center, 3345 Redwood Highway
11/7/2019: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Newman United Methodist Church, 132 NE B St.
11/14/2019: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Grants Pass Council Chambers, 101 NW A St
ASHLAND, Ore. – Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) deputies say a man died Wednesday in an accident at a logging site south of Ashland. Russell Gilbert Elder, 89, of Trail, died after the heavy equipment he was operating rolled over.
Police dispatch received a 911 call reporting an injury at a logging site. The location was in private timber land approximately two miles southeast of Interstate 5, exit 6. The caller reported a possible rollover involving heavy machinery.
Deputies responded with medical personnel from Fire District 5 and Ashland Fire & Rescue. Elder was pronounced dead at the scene. Deputies learned Elder had been operating a skid-steer loader, which overturned on a slope. A detective with the Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office responded to investigate the cause and manner of death. Elder’s family has been notified of his death.
Jackson County Sheriff’s Office detectives served search warrants at two residences in the Ruch area Thursday morning.
Detectives say the investigation is ongoing, but one man was arrested on unrelated warrants. Yesterday at approximately 6:30 a.m., JCSO detectives, aided by the JCSO special weapons and tactics team, served warrants at residences in the first block and the 1800-block of Upper Applegate Road.
“We received a few calls because people were concerned about seeing the SWAT team,” said Sergeant Julie Denney. “SWAT was there as a precaution because of the criminal history and wanted status of one of the residents. There was no danger to the public.”
During the search warrant service Thursday, detectives contacted Joaquin Amadeus Cowart, 41, of the 1800-block of Upper Applegate Road. Cowart had felony warrants for absconding from parole, and for charges related to a domestic violence incident. He was lodged in the Jackson County jail without bail due to the State Parole Board warrant.
Detectives say Cowart is a registered sex offender who has not updated his registration as required. Additional charges are pending.
A welding teacher from Grants Pass has won second place in the 2019 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence, earning his high school skilled trades program $50,000 as part of $1 million awarded nationally.
Jacob Leair, who teaches welding at Grants Pass High School in Grants Pass, was surprised in his classroom by a representative from Harbor Freight Tools for Schools with the news that his school will receive $50,000. Because of school, district or state policy regarding individual cash awards, Leair’s school will receive the entire prize winnings.
“Skilled trades educators are crucial to helping students stay engaged and motivated in high school,” said Danny Corwin, executive director of Harbor Freight Tools for Schools. “These amazing teachers connect students to promising careers, show them how to apply academics to the real world and help them feel pride and accomplishment—something they might not experience in all their classes. We make these awards because we believe in these teachers, we believe in these students, and we believe this vital sector deserves more support and investment.”
Grange Co-op is teaming up with local FFA chapters to help support their Drive Away Hunger campaign. On October 25th at 6:30pm Grange Co-op will open its doors for a special event called “Grange Co-op After Hours.”
Every person who donates a canned food item earns a raffle ticket to earn great prizes. This special event will be held at the Central Point, Klamath Falls, Grants Pass and Yuba City Grange Co-op store locations.
“FFA chapters have been collecting cans at all of our locations for the month of October. We recognize there are needs for people in our communities and by supporting FFA in their collecting we help create a greater impact. Offering this incentive to our customers is just one-way Grange Co-op has long supported our Oregon and California FFA Chapters. “says Jason Wall, Marketing Manager. “We want to make this a celebration event, thanking our great customers by offering amazing promotions as well as giveaways and swag bags for the first 50 customers. By offering this event to our loyal customers we know we can really help the FFA collect cans by giving customers a chance to win raffle prizes.”
Last year the Oregon FFA’s Drive Away Hunger initiative helped raise 510,150 pounds of food which was enough food to provide 382,612 meals. This is a very special project for Oregon FFA members, because they are given the opportunity to live out their motto of “learning to do, doing to learn, earning to live and living to serve.” During the month of October, while the Drive Away Hunger Initiative is happening you may see FFA members across the state doing a variety of service activities to raise as much food and funds as possible. Grange Co-op wants to help get the message out and collect cans at all our locations for the month of October.
Grange Co-op has been a community partner for over 85 years. Our stores are a one stop shop for pet supplies, clothing, lawn and garden, nursery, agricultural supplies and farm products. Grange Co-op works hard to consistently provide exceptional customer service that is both knowledgeable and friendly, while offering competitive pricing and quality products and services. For more information about Grange Co-op, or to shop online, please visit GrangeCoop.com
Wednesday about 3:00pm, an Oregon State Police trooper stopped a 2015 Chevy Pickup on Hiway 140E near milepost 15 for a traffic violation.
During the traffic stop the trooper obtained probable cause to search the vehicle. During the search the trooper located 632.5 lbs of marijuana and 36.8 lbs of suspected Butane Honey Oil extract. The driver was identified as year old Dustin R. Schoenhofer from Ohio. Through the investigation investigators learned the marijuana and BHO extract was destined for Ohio.
Schoenhofer was lodged at the Klamath County Jail for Exporting Marijuana, Exporting Extract, Possession of a Controlled Substance-Marijuana, and Distribution of a Controlled Substance-Marijuana, Possession of a Controlled Substance-Extract, and Distribution of a Controlled Substance-Extract.
The OSP Domestic Highway Enforcement team routinely conducts illegal narcotic trafficking saturations throughout the state of Oregon. Their mission is to identify and disrupt all criminal conduct on Oregon highways and identify elements of drug trafficking organizations for further investigation and dismantling in cooperation with numerous law enforcement agencies not only in Oregon but several other locations within the United States.