News from around the Rogue Valley and Southern Oregon, from RogueValleyMagazine.com
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2019
Rogue Valley Weather
Monday, Veterans Day
Sunny, with a high near 70. Overnight low around 45.
Tuesday
Partly sunny, with a high near 67.
Wednesday
Partly sunny, with a high near 67.
Thursday
Partly sunny, with a high near 65.
Friday
A slight chance of rain before 10am.
TODAY’s HEADLINES…
On Saturday afternoon Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to the report of a single vehicle crash on Hwy 38 near mile post 25 approximately 10 miles west of Elkton. Preliminary investigation revealed that a 2016 GMC Canyon Pickup, operated by 84 year old John Norlin of Roseburg, was traveling on Highway 38 when for unknown reasons left the roadway and struck a tree.
Norlin sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased. One lane of Hwy 38 was closed for approximately four hours after the crash.
The Center for Disease Control has released the first report analyzing the vape-related lung injury that has recently claimed 39 lives in the United States.
The CDC describes the outbreak as “unprecedented.” The CDC refers to the lung disease as EVALI — e-cigarette or vaping product use associated lung injury. In addition to the 39 deaths, 2,051 cases of EVALI have been reported in the U.S. in every state except Alaska. According to the Oregon Health Authority, there have been nine documented vaping injuries in Oregon as well as two deaths.
The public has an opportunity to view six historic military uniforms next week, which were worn by Oregonians who served our armed forces.
This is part of a month-long celebration at the Oregon Lottery to celebrate Veterans Day and the 85 veterans who work at the state agency.
This display was put in the lobby at the Oregon Lottery to help celebrate the fact it is providing millions in funding to assist all 36 counties across the state fund their local County Veteran Services Offices.
The six uniforms on display were provided by VFW Marion Post 661 in Salem are from a collection of over 1,900 uniforms. The uniforms are from different branches and eras of the military service.
Lottery Director Barry Pack and Oregon Dept. of Veteran Affairs Kelly Fitzpatrick addressed Lottery staff Thursday, Nov. 7 in what has become an annual event at the Lottery to honor veterans.
“With nearly 20 percent of Lottery staff being veterans, recognizing their service is so important,” said Lottery Director Pack. “And with the passage of Measure 96 in 2016, Lottery proceeds now benefit Oregon veterans by solidifying and expanding veteran services.”
The Oregon Lottery’s Salem headquarters will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday next week and is located at 500 Airport Road SE in Salem.
Since the Oregon Lottery began selling tickets on April 25, 1985, it has earned more than $12 billion for economic development, public education, state parks and watershed enhancements, as well as Veteran Services and Outdoor School. For more information on the Oregon Lottery visit www.oregonlottery.org
Oregon State Police (OSP) Fish and Wildlife troopers are seeking the public’s assistance regarding a bald eagle being illegally shot with a firearm on Lower Cow Creek Road near West Fork Cow Creek Road.
On November 7th OSP Fish and Wildlife troopers responded to a reported bald eagle that was deceased in Lower Cow Creek. Upon examination by Fish and Wildlife troopers and personnel from Umpqua Wildlife Rescue, it was determined that the bald eagle died from being shot by a firearm. It is believed the bald eagle had been deceased for one to two days before being reported.
In conjunction with The TIP program and the Oregon Hunters Association TIP reward fund, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is offering a reward up to $2,500 for information leading to a criminal conviction of the person(s) responsible for the shooting. The bald eagle is currently protected by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The killing or possession of a bald eagle or its parts is a violation of both Acts, punishable by imprisonment of up to one year and a fine of up to $100,000.
Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to contact OSP Senior Trooper Kyle Bachmeier or Senior Trooper Curtis Weaver through the Turn in Poachers (TIP) hotline at 1-800-452-7888 or *OSP (mobile).
** 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)
At the Governor’s Office in Salem, Astoria artist Darren Orange will exhibit “Those Who Step Into The Same Rivers” at the Capitol Building from Nov.14 to Jan. 21.
In this new body of work Orange’s compositions stretch further from literal reference and deeper into abstraction. The artist continues to explore automatism, a practice of intuitive mark making that engages both play and meditative focus. The resulting built-up paint layers present suggestive imagery that reveal the history of the painting process in line, smudge and replacement. The exhibited works were created in Orange’s studio on the Columbia River.
The exhibition title refers to a quote by Greek philosopher Heraclitus. In response to the ancient philosophical paradox known as The Ship of Theseus, Heraclitus stated that though a river changes as the water is replenished by other water, the river continues to be the same river. Likewise, a person who steps into the same river twice may also have changed, but still maintains the same identity.
After studying art at Western Washington University, Orange moved to the remote area of the Lower Columbia in 2000, setting up a studio with friends in a defunct schoolhouse. He has resided in Astoria since then, minus a two-year sojourn to Santa Fe in the mid-2000s. The sublime and grandeur experience of nature, in the place where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean, continues to inspire him.
Orange’s work is recognized throughout the Northwest and abroad. His work has been selected for exhibitions by Dominic Iocono of the Syracuse University Art Galleries, Michael Klein of the Microsoft Collection, Nat Trottman of the Guggenheim, Bonnie Laing Malcolmson of the Portland Art Museum, Margarette Bullock of the Tacoma Art Museum, and many others. Academic institutions such as Portland State University, Mt. Hood Community College, Peninsula College, Lower Columbia College, Oregon Coast Council for the Arts, and Clatsop College have awarded him with solo exhibitions. Orange’s paintings are in private and public collections including Western Oregon University, Trimet, and the Columbia Memorial Hospital Foundation. He is represented by Imogen Gallery in Astoria.
The Art in the Governor’s Office Program honors selected artists in Oregon with exhibitions in the reception area of the Governor’s Office in the State Capitol. Artists are nominated by a statewide committee of arts professionals who consider artists representing the breadth and diversity of artistic practice across Oregon, and are then selected by the Arts Commission with the participation of the Governor’s Office. Only professional, living Oregon artists are considered and an exhibit in the Governor’s office is regarded as a “once in a lifetime” honor. Artists whose work has previously been shown in the Governor’s office include Henk Pander, Michele Russo, Manuel Izquierdo, James Lavadour, Margot Thompson, Gordon Gilkey and Yuji Hiratsuka.
A VETERANS DAY MESSAGE FROM ODVA DIRECTOR KELLY FITZPATRICK: VETERAN STORIES ARE CRUCIAL PART OF OUR NATION’S HISTORY
I love to study our nation’s history through the lens of our military veterans.
Who could fail to be inspired by the brash courage of the United States Marines during the Battle of Belleau Wood in World War I? Or by the words of Marine Captain Lloyd W. Williams, who, after being repeatedly urged to turn back by retreating French forces, famously said, “Retreat? Hell, we just got here.”
Legend has it that it was at this battle that Marines earned the German nickname “Teufelshunde“: “Devil Dogs.”
What about the story of Pfc. Dirk J. Vlug, serving in the Philippines during World War II, who refused to back down despite being outnumbered 5-to-1. No, it wasn’t one against five enemy soldiers. It was one soldier against five, heavily armed Japanese tanks.
Reacting on instinct, Pfc. Vlug grabbed a bazooka and six rounds of ammunition, and managed to destroy all five tanks singlehandedly.
I still get goosebumps when I read the words of Lt. Gen. Lewis “Chesty” Puller, the most decorated Marine in American history, when he and his men were surrounded by enemy forces at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir: “They’re on our left, they’re on our right, they’re in front of us, they’re behind us…we got them right where we want them. They can’t get away this time.”
Or the story of Master Sgt. Roy Benavidez, who jumped from a helicopter armed only with a knife, determined to help a Special Forces patrol trapped in North Vietnam. Over the course of a six-hour ordeal, Benavidez was wounded by bullets, bayonets and shrapnel a total of 37 times.
When he was awarded the Medal of Honor, President Reagan said that if his story were a movie script, audiences wouldn’t believe it. His heroic actions saved the lives of eight men.
In Iraq, Sgt. Leigh Ann Hester became the first woman awarded the Silver Star since World War II. A retail store manager from Kentucky, Hester led the counter-assault against 50 insurgents who attacked her convoy, braving heavy mortar and machine gun fire to engage the enemy on foot.
These stories of courage, selflessness and sacrifice are so much more than just stories to tell on Veterans Day. They are a crucial part of our nation’s history, and the foundation upon which its legacy has been built.
Countless millions of American lives — with more to come — have been lived in the freedoms secured by the blood and service of our veterans.
Despite this rich history of military service that continues to this day, our country has not drafted a single soldier in over 45 years.
Since the draft ended in 1973, no person has been compelled to serve their country. And yet, each year, an estimated 180,000 young Americans voluntarily enlist in the United States Armed Forces.
One of the many things that makes this country so great is that its people have the will to serve. They have the will to lay down their own freedoms, and even their own lives, to defend those of others.
Our veterans didn’t have to be told to serve or to sacrifice. It was already there, in our DNA.
This is why I believe it is so important to honor, remember and celebrate our veterans, not just on Veterans Day, but every day. And it’s not only because they have earned it — though they have.
But it’s also because in honoring and remembering our veterans, we reveal the values that matter to us as a nation: Courage. Sacrifice. Selflessness. Dedication. The willingness to give up one’s own life so that others might live and be free, which we call “heroism.”
We reveal ourselves and our values in what we remember, and in what we give our time to. This Veterans Day, I encourage you to spend your time in a meaningful way.
Say, “Thank you,” to a veteran, yes, but also take some time to hear their story. I guarantee you: It’s a story you won’t hear anywhere else.
Kelly Fitzpatrick is the director of the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs and Governor Kate Brown’s policy advisor on veterans’ issues. She is a retired Army officer. Her military awards and decorations include multiple awards of the Meritorious Service Medal, the Southwest Asia Service Medal and the Army Parachutist Badge.
The Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs maintains an online list of Veterans Day events across the state. To see what’s happening in your area, visit oregondva.com/2019/11/01/2019-veterans-day-statewide-events.
For information about benefits and resources for Oregon veterans and their families, please visit www.oregon.gov/ODVA.