The latest News and Weather for the Rogue Valley from RogueValleyMagazine.com
MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2019
Rogue Valley Weather
Monday Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 48. Overnight, cloudy with a low of 34.
Tuesday A 30 percent chance of rain after 4pm. Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 51. Overnight, rain with a low of 40.
Wednesday, New Year’s Day 2020 Rain. Patchy fog after 10am. High near 52. Chance of precipitation is 80%. Less than a quarter of an inch is possible.
Thursday A chance of rain, mainly before 10am. Patchy fog before 1pm. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 51.
Today’s Headlines
Mt. Ashland Ski Area is open despite what has been a challenging start to the ski season across the Pacific Northwest.
Mt. Ashland has the deepest natural snow base in Oregon alongside Timberline at 34” and remains the only ski area in Oregon to be 100% open, running all lifts, and all 220 acres of terrain. This includes the famous “Bowl” that offers lift-serviced steep chute skiing.
Ski lifts are running daily through January 6th, after which the ski area will run their normal operating schedule Thursday through Monday 9 am – 4 pm. Twilight skiing starts January 9th and will be available Thursdays and Fridays through mid-March.
It’s the end of plastic shopping bags on Tuesday this week. Starting Wednesday single-use bags will be banned in all grocery stores and restaurants in Jackson County as well as statewide in Oregon.
It’s old news for some parts of the state as Portland banned the bags in July 2011, Corvallis banned them one year later in July 2012 and Eugene passed a ban in October 2012. Now the ban has gone statewide. House Bill 2509 was passed in the 2019 Legislative session. Klamath Falls grocery stores have signs posted informing customers of the switch and reactions have been mixed.
People can skip the cost of buying paper bags by using their own carrying vessel whether it be a reusable shopping bag, a plastic bag from home or a backpack.
Crater Lake National Park is increasing its entry fees for the new year by $5 to help cover local and national deferred park maintenance and other projects.
Starting Wednesday it will cost $30 per vehicle and $25 per motorcycle to visit the park. Annual park passes will cost $55. The National Park Service announced in 2018 that it would incrementally increase entry fees at park sites across the nation to help cover a more than $11 billion nationwide maintenance backlog. This is the last scheduled price increase for Crater Lake and other parks around the nation as part of that plan. The Park Service estimates the new fee structure will increase annual revenue by about $60 million nationally.
Crater Lake Superintendent Craig Ackerman said extra revenue would go toward deferred maintenance at the South-Central Oregon park as well as projects like improving trails.
Around the state of Oregon
On Saturday, morning in the midnight hour, Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a vehicle crash on Hwy 101 near mile post 241.
Preliminary investigation revealed that a Ford Focus, operated by John Shorb (27) of Myrtle Point, was northbound on Hwy 101 when he struck a pedestrian, Daniel Fowers (74) of Coos Bay, which was crossing Hwy 101.
Fowers sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased.
OSP was assisted by the Coos County Sheriff’s Office, Millington Fire Department, Bay Cities Ambulance, and ODOT.
The Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division is asking for the public’s help locating the person(s) responsible for the unlawful waste of several ducks and geese in Tillamook County.
On Thursday, December 26, Fish and Wildlife Troopers responded to a report of three garbage bags full of birds found by a person while walking their dog. The bags were located near the Nestucca River in the area of the Cloverdale Boat Launch and the Cloverdale Water District building.
A total of eight geese and five ducks were found within the three garbage bags. Three of the geese had the breast meat removed and the rest were left to waste.
OSP is asking anyone who was in the area or anyone who may have information on the person(s) responsible to call the TIP line at 1-800-452-7888, or dial *OSP and refer information to Sergeant Greg Plummer. Information can also be sent by email to TIP@state.or.us.
In another case, Oregon State Police Fish & Wildlife Division is asking for the public’s help for information regarding the person(s) responsible for the unlawful take of a buck deer east of Bend near Pine Mountain.
The buck deer was found shot and left to waste. Troopers believe the deer was shot sometime during the week of Christmas.
Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to contact OSP Trooper Aaron Roth 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)
A wanted woman is accused of crashing into an Oregon State Police trooper’s vehicle in Banks, Oregon on Sunday, then speeding away and abandoning the vehicle on Highway 26.
Authorities are still searching for the suspect, identified as 25-year-old Aubri Jenkins of Timber, Oregon. She’s wanted on an unrelated felony warrant for a probation violation. Jenkins is still on the loose and has not been found.
Washington County deputies were sent out to do a welfare check on a driver seen “slumped over behind the wheel” of a blue 1991 Geo Prism at a rural intersection outside Banks. The trooper tried to get Jenkins out of the driver’s seat, but she’s accused of putting the car into reverse, throwing the trooper to the ground. The trooper was unhurt.
Jenkins allegedly hit the trooper’s vehicle and another parked pickup truck before speeding off north on Highway 47. She allegedly hit speeds of about 80 mph, so the trooper called off the pursuit for safety reasons.
A trooper ended up finding the car about two miles away near Banks City Hall on Main Street.