The latest news stories and stories of interest in the Rogue Valley from the digital home of Southern Oregon, from Wynne Broadcasting and RogueValleyMagazine.com
Tuesday, November 17, 2020
Rogue Valley Weather
Today Showers after 11am. High near 58. Windy, with a south southeast wind 26 to 31 mph decreasing to 13 to 18 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 47 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. Tonight more showers. Low around 43. South southeast wind around 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Wednesday Showers. High near 53. South southwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible. Wednesday Night A 50 percent chance of showers. Snow level 4100 feet. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39. West wind 5 to 7 mph becoming light and variable in the evening.
Thursday A 40 percent chance of showers, mainly before 11am. Snow level 3800 feet. Partly sunny, with a high near 53. Light and variable wind. Thursday Night Patchy fog after 2am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 32.
Friday Patchy fog before 11am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 51. Friday Night Patchy fog after 2am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 31.
COVID-19 has claimed four more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 765. Oregon Health Authority reported 781 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of yesterday, bringing the state total to 57,646.
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (8), Benton (6), Clackamas (71), Columbia (5), Coos (4), Crook (1), Deschutes (35), Douglas (9), Hood River (3), Jackson (59), Jefferson (1), Josephine (9), Klamath (11), Lake (2), Lane (41), Linn (11), Malheur (5), Marion (103), Multnomah (231), Polk (16), Tillamook (2), Umatilla (10), Union (23), Wasco (1), Washington (118) and Yamhill (11).
The state also reported 347 people were hospitalized with the disease, a dramatic jump of almost 40 people since Friday, and the highest number of hospitalizations since the pandemic began. The number of people in intensive care and on ventilators shot up sharply, as well.
While no hospitals in Oregon have reported reaching capacity, healthcare leaders from around the state said the upward trend is troubling and some began canceling elective procedures last week to free up space in anticipation of a new surge of cases. Oregon is now averaging 927 cases a day over the past week. The number of cases reported on Mondays is typically low, with this week’s figure up 8% from last Monday.
— Asante Hospitals ready to meet demands here in Southern Oregon: As COVID-19 cases continue to surge across the state and hospitals in hotspot states nationally are overwhelmed and local hospitals hope to stay ahead of the curve by increasing staff.
“As the number of people in our community has tested positive for COVID and that number has increased, Asante has had the number of people requiring care in our hospitals has also increased due to the infection,” said Amanda Kotler, Vice President of Nursing at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center. ” As a health system we have three hospitals and have several options, we continue to evaluate our volume and are increasing our staffing levels in different areas of patient care to accommodate the influx of patients.”
On Friday, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown announced a “TWO WEEK FREEZE” due to the recent surge in cases and pointed out the dangerous impact the third wave could have on the state’s hospitals.
According to the Oregon Health Authorities website, as of Monday, the region which includes data from both Jackson and Josephine County has 9 of its 57 intensive care unit (ICU) beds available and 61 of its 447 non-ICU beds available. However Kolter said so far Asante hospitals have been able to manage the influx.
As of Monday, there were 83 COVID-19 positive patients in ICU beds across the state, 14 of those patients were in the Rogue Valley.
Kotler explained that Asante is able to handle the increase of patients thanks to its ability to utilize various locations and resources across the valley. Kotler noted that Rogue Regional is also in the process of increasing its ICU capacity. “The new medical pavilion is under construction and that will include more ICU and critical care beds, nearly doubling what we have today, which is exciting for our future and us being here for the community,” Kotler said.
On Sunday morning, the Grants Pass Department of Public Safety (GPDPS) received a call from Three Rivers Medical Center about an assault incident.
A 19 year-old female victim, who is a Grants Pass resident, was treated for a serious head injury in the emergency room.
It was said the assault took place in the 900 block of NE D Street, Grants Pass, Josephine County, Oregon. GPDPS Patrol Officers responded to TRMC to begin an investigation. The victim was in stable condition and subsequently transported to a Eugene area hospital for further treatment.
A GPDPS Detective responded to assist. During the course of the investigation, 23-year-old Grants Pass residents Yasmine McGinnis, Zahira Azamar and Morgan Riley were identified as the suspects.
GPDPS Patrol Officers located McGinnis and Azamar and placed them in custody. After interviews were completed, McGinnis and Azamar were lodged at the Josephine County Adult Jail on the charge of Assault in the Second Degree. Riley later turned herself in and was also arrested and lodged for Assault in the Second Degree.
The GPDPS is asking anyone who witnessed the incident or has further information to please contact Detective Archie Lidey at (541) 450-6342.
The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Medford District has closed the gate on Bear Camp Road, located near Galice, OR. The gate, which is closed annually for public safety ahead of winter weather, will remain closed until spring snow conditions allow for safe passage for public travel.
Bear Camp Road, which is managed by both the BLM and the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest (RRSNF), is a remote, mountainous route that connects the Rogue Valley to coastal areas. It is not plowed during the winter, and weather conditions can often change quickly, making road conditions hazardous.
The BLM and the RRSNF remind the public that it is crucial to Know Before You Go this time of year.
- Carry extra food, water, and warm clothing to provide for longer travel times.
- In addition to paper maps, go digital and download all of your public lands maps on Avenza, and know where you are at all times! Cell service is NOT necessary!
- District Maps and Motor Vehicle Use Maps
- Know Before You Go: Be aware of predicted weather and road conditions of major highways that provide access to your public lands! Be prepared for sudden changes in weather and road conditions. Know the predicted weather for your route and your destination, and how it can possibly affect your travel plans.
- Always let someone know your expected travel route.
- Be prepared: Bring additional warm clothing, water, and extra food to account for unexpectedly longer travel times. Carry chains, a flashlight, and proper attire to install the chains, should the need arise.
Around the state of Oregon
Supporters of President Donald Trump gathered in Oregon for a rally to protest what they perceived as flawed or fraudulent results of the Nov. 3 election.
The event in Salem Saturday was billed by organizers as a “Defeat the Steal” rally and coincided with similar demonstrations across the U.S. A crowd of 100 to 200 people gathered at the state Capitol, where many demonstrators said they do not believe the election results naming Joe Biden as the nation’s president-elect.
Attendees said they came to express their love for Trump and to exercise their First Amendment guarantee of free speech. Many said they want a legal fight over the results. Biden defeated Trump by topping the 270 electoral vote threshold needed to clinch the presidency.
As of Sunday, Biden had 77.5 million votes, the most ever by a winning candidate, to Trump’s 72.3 million votes.
Meanwhile, Voters in Oregon made their pick for president while holding negative views about the country’s direction, according to an expansive AP survey of the American electorate.
The race between President Donald Trump and Democratic rival Joe Biden concluded Tuesday as the nation remains in the throes of a global public health crisis and mired in the economic downturn it brought on.
AP VoteCast found that 34% of Oregon voters said the U.S. is on the right track and 65% of voters said it is headed in the wrong direction. In the race for president, Biden had an advantage over Trump among both voters under 45 and older voters. Biden led among college-educated voters while Trump and Biden were about tied among voters without a college degree. Both voters in cities and suburban voters were more likely to prefer Biden over Trump while voters in small towns and rural areas were more likely to back Trump.
Fires and Wildfires Cleanup offered by State of Oregon
The second phase of clean-up after Oregon’s devastating September fires will be offered at no cost to property owners, the Oregon Office of Emergency Management announced on Monday. While hazardous household waste clean-up is already wrapping up in areas ravaged by the Almeda and South Obenchain fires, Monday’s announcement marks the first indication that state officials have a no-cost plan to clean the ash and debris left behind.
No government agency — whether state, federal or contractor — will seek payment from any insurance policy unless it is “specifically designated for debris removal or left over after the home or business is completely rebuilt.”
The no-cost cleanup is available to home and business owners in Clackamas, Douglas, Jackson, Klamath, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, and Marion counties.
Home and business owners that opt into this government-led wildfire cleanup program will pay no upfront costs for any cleanup work. Additionally, no government agency – state, federal or contractor – will seek payment from any insurance policy unless it is specifically designated for debris removal or left over after the home or business is completely rebuilt.
“Our mission is to safely clear the ash and debris as quickly as possible, and leave Oregonians with a clean site so they can rebuild,” said Kris Strickler, director of the Oregon Department of Transportation. “This will take time, strong partnerships and a lot of hard work, but we’re already well on our way. I encourage every Oregonian who lost a home or business in the wildfires to sign a Right of Entry form with their county, if they haven’t already, to help keep this important work moving forward.”
Property owners need to sign a Right of Entry form to allow cleanup crews onto their property. Cleanup crews will remove ash and structural debris, hazard trees, concrete foundations, and burned vehicles. To submit your Right of Entry form and for more information, visit wildfire.oregon.gov/cleanup or call the wildfire debris cleanup hotline: 503-934-1700.
Wildfire cleanup is a two-step process. Step 1 is removal of household hazardous waste, which is dangerous to people, communities and the environment. This work is nearly completed in all fire-impacted counties. Progress on Step 1 efforts can be viewed on EPA’s 2020 Oregon Fires Recovery website.
Step 2 is removal of ash and debris. The state is currently hiring contractors to carry out this work, scheduled to begin in December 2020. The task force is working closely with local governments to determine cleanup priorities for each area. Given factors such as weather impacts, property access limitations and the large area to be covered, Step 2 is estimated to take approximately 6 to 18 months to complete statewide. As the state task force gets contractors on board, more clarity on timing will be provided.
The 2020 September wildfires were the largest and most expensive disaster in Oregon’s history. Nine Oregonians lost their lives, more than 1 million acres burned and over 5,000 homes and businesses were destroyed. The state has transitioned from immediate fire response to statewide recovery.
FEMA will reimburse the state for a portion of eligible costs. The State of Oregon will fund the remaining costs, regardless of FEMA reimbursement. Initial estimates put the debris cleanup tally at over $600 million, including $326 million for ash and debris removal and $295 million to remove damaged trees. This estimate is preliminary and is likely to change.
Wildfire cleanup webpage: https://wildfire.oregon.gov/cleanup
Wildfire debris cleanup hotline: 503-934-1700
Oregon’s Debris Management Task Force, which includes the Oregon Office of Emergency Management, Oregon Department of Transportation, and Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, is coordinating federal, state, and local government agencies to clean up debris from the 2020 Oregon wildfires.
FATAL CRASH ON HWY 395D – LAKE COUNTY
On Monday, November 16, 2020 at approximately 7:50 P.M., Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a single vehicle crash on Hwy 395D near milepost 73.
Preliminary investigation revealed a Dodge Ram, operated by Jerry Henderson (78) of Lakeview, was southbound when it left the roadway and rolled.
Henderson sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased.
On Monday, November 16, 2020 at approximately 5:50 P.M., Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a two vehicle collision on Hwy 22E near milepost 24.
Preliminary investigation revealed a Chrysler Town & Country van, operated by William Miller (66) of Scio, was westbound when it went into the eastbound lane and collided with a Dodge pickup operated by Richard Kruger (71) of Salem.
Miller sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased.
Kruger was transported to the hospital with injuries.
Hwy 22E was closed for approximately 4.5 hours.
Oregon authorities are seeking help in tracking down the people behind “a frenzy” of poaching cases, including one in which a black bear was found decapitated in October.
The bear’s body was found on Oct. 15 on the Roseburg Forest Products property west of Eugene and outside of Veneta, according to Oregon State Police. The majority of the bear’s body was left to waste, according to the report. Police said multiple deer and elk have also been reported as poached this season. The carcasses of three deer were found on Oct. 15 alone, police said.
State Department of Fish and Wildlife administrator Doug Cottam said in a statement that there are available and inexpensive opportunities to legally harvest a deer or bear to eat in Oregon.