The latest news stories of interest in the Rogue Valley and around the state of Oregon from the digital home of Southern Oregon, Wynne Broadcasting’s RogueValleyMagazine.com
Monday, August 9, 2021
Rogue Valley Weather
Excessive Heat Watch in effect from August 10, 01:00 PM PDT until August 14, 11:00 PM PDT
Today– Widespread smoke, mainly after 5pm. Sunny and hot, with a high near 97. Calm wind becoming northwest around 6 mph in the afternoon.
Tuesday– Patchy smoke before 2pm. Sunny and hot, with a high near 104. Calm wind becoming north northwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Wednesday– Sunny and hot, with a high near 107. Calm wind becoming north northwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Thursday– Sunny and hot, with a high near 107.
Friday– Sunny and hot, with a high near 106.
LOCAL HEADLINES:
Jackson and Josephine Counties Experiencing Surge Of New Covid-19 Cases and Hospitalizations
Jackson and Josephine Counties are experiencing a surge of new Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations. Data from the Oregon Health Authority shows that from Tuesday through Friday of last week, Josephine County experienced 222 cases of Covid-19, and Jackson County experienced 602 cases.
On Monday, August 2, Josephine County and Jackson County health officials both announced weekly records of Covid-19 cases for their respective counties.
For Josephine County, health officials reported 256 cases and for Jackson County, health officials say that the county experienced 626 cases of Covid-19.
But with new Covid-19 infection rates surging to levels never experienced before last week, health officials say they expect a new weekly record of Covid-19 cases to be reported on Monday.
This comes as hospitalizations across Region 5, which includes both Jackson and Josephine Counties, are all surpassing record numbers.
Data from Jackson County Public Health shows that 104 people are now in the hospital with Covid-19 across both counties. That crushes the previous record for the Region which was 69, set back months ago.
As Covid-19 cases continue to skyrocket in Oregon, hospitals say resources are getting stretched thin. “We’re at 100% capacity almost across the entire system,” said Asante Three Rivers Medical Director, Dr. Christopher David.
“It’s exceedingly hard to prepare and have enough resources to handle that kind of surge of increase, and the last two weeks has only amplified that beyond what we could have expected,” said Dr. David.
“Almost everything out there is delta variant and is more contagious, it’s causing more people to get ill even at a younger age and so we’re seeing it spread even further than it had before,” said Dr. David.
Asante Three Rivers say its ICU is at capacity. It started boarding patients in the emergency department due to the lack of available beds. “It’s a constant struggle when you’re running at 99% percent capacity at all times,” said Dr. David.
Providence in Medford says it’s going through the same struggle. “It’s worse now than it was when the pandemic first started for us,” said CEO of Providence Medical Center, Chris Pizzi.
Providence says wait times fluctuate depending on the severity of your condition. But wait times could be upwards of hours. “The emergency rooms, the urgent cares are all being overwhelmed,” said Pizzi.
Most elective surgeries have already been canceled. “It’s very complicated having to work through this and it’s a very difficult situation for all our health care providers,” said Pizzi.
Hospitals say people should avoid coming in, when possible. Getting tested or getting the vaccine, should not be done at local hospitals.
- Oregon’s 2,886th COVID-19 death is a 25-year-old man from Jackson County who tested positive on July 30 and died on Aug. 4 at Providence Medford Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.
- Oregon’s 2,887th COVID-19 death is a 48-year-old man from Jackson County who tested positive on Aug. 1 and died on Aug. 4 at Asante Rogue Valley Medical Center. He had no underlying conditions.
As coronavirus cases continue to spike in Oregon, health officials describe the dire situation they are seeing play out in hospitals — especially among unvaccinated people. As of Friday, 496 people are hospitalized in Oregon due to COVID-19. Based on data from the state health authority, the state’s record of people hospitalized was 622 during
November’s surge when vaccine doses were not yet available.
As COVID-19 cases continue to climb in Oregon, some counties — most where less than half of the area’s adult population is vaccinated — are experiencing their highest hospitalization numbers during the pandemic. In the southwest hospital region, which includes Jackson and Josephine counties, between 49% and 55% of adults have been vaccinated. This week the region’s COVID-19 hospitalizations have reached an all time high for the area with 100 people. The previous record of coronavirus-related hospitalizations in the region was 69 in January.
Get Ready for Another Excessive Heatwave this Week
EXCESSIVE HEAT WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING
* WHAT…Dangerously hot conditions with afternoon high temperatures of 102 to 112 degrees possible and overnight low temperatures in the upper 60s to mid-70s.
* WHERE…In Oregon: The inland west side valleys including the Rogue Valley, Illinois Valley, and Umpqua Valley. This includes Medford, Ashland, Grants Pass, and Roseburg. In California: The Shasta Valley, Scott Valley, and Klamath River Valleys. This includes Weed, Happy Camp, Mt. Shasta, and Fort Jones.
* WHEN…From Tuesday afternoon through Saturday evening.
* IMPACTS…Extreme heat will significantly increase the potential for heat-related illnesses, particularly for those working or participating in outdoor activities.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…Extremely hot days, warm overnight lows, and the extended nature of this heatwave may make it especially difficult to get any relief from the heat.
* View the hazard area in detail at https://www.wrh.noaa.gov/map/?wfo=mfr
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
Monitor the latest forecasts and warnings for updates on this situation. Be prepared to drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors.
Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances. This is especially true during warm or hot weather when car interiors can reach lethal temperatures in a matter of minutes.
Detectives Conducting Investigation Into Fatal Trailer Fire in Azalea
A fatal trailer fire at the Meadow Wood RV Park early Friday morning is currently under investigation.
At approximately 4:30 a.m. on Friday, August 6, 2021, 9-1-1 dispatchers began receiving reports of a trailer on fire at the Meadow Wood RV Park on Autumn Lane in Azalea.
Fire personnel and law enforcement responded to the scene where two people, whose identity are being withheld at this time, were found deceased inside the trailer.
Detectives are currently investigating the cause of the fire. Anyone who may have photos, video or surveillance footage of the incident, is asked to share that with investigators by submitting the items to a public evidence portal via the web at: dcso.com/publichelp.
If you believe you have information which may aid investigations, please contact the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Division at 541-440-4458 or email dcso.pio@co.douglas.or.us. — Douglas Co. Sheriff’s Office DCSO Case #21-3532
The Deadline to Sign Up for Health Insurance is August 15th
If you don’t qualify for Oregon Health Plan (OHP) and you don’t have insurance through your work, you can sign up for an individual or family plan at the Oregon Marketplace. The deadline for 2021 coverage is Aug. 15.
To learn more, visit OregonHealthCare.gov or call 855-268-3767 (toll-free) to find free, local help.
AROUND the STATE of OREGON
WILDFIRE UPDATES:
As of Sunday, there are 28 wildland fires in the PNW and 5 large fires were contained! Containment signifies that a control line has been completed around the fire, and any associated spot fires, which can be expected to stop the fire’s spread. Thank you firefighters!
HELPFUL LINKS:
- This public lands link is super helpful to check before you head outdoors. The Keep Oregon Green website carries ODF’s public use restrictions. Click the link for up-to-date information: https://keeporegongreen.org/current-conditions/
- Wildfire evacuation risk for PNW communities https://usfs.maps.arcgis.com/apps/View/index.html?appid=8630fdb3e88f475fb5304415ce9e03c0&extent=-136.2333,39.1055,-102.4834,50.3252
- An interactive smoke map at https://fire.airnow.gov/ allows you to zoom into your location to see the latest smoke information. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures.
- Insurance Assistance: For additional information on submitting insurance claims after losing your home or property to a wildfire, please visit https://dfr.oregon.gov/insure/home/storm/Pages/wildfires.aspx or call the state’s team of consumer advocates at 888-877-4894 (toll-free).
Bootleg. OR-FWF-210321. IMT1, NW Team 2, (Allen). 15 mi NW of Beatty, OR. Start 7/6. Cause: Lightning. 413,765 acres (+0). 96% containment. Moderate fire behavior. Timber. Structures threatened. Evacuations in effect. Road and area closures.
Yesterday, Bootleg Fire Information announced significant progress was made on the northeast corner of the Bootleg Fire on Saturday, located 28 miles northeast of Klamath Falls. The official containment, on the 413,765 acre fire, has grown to 96% due to hard-fought effort by firefighters for nearly a month.
Engine crews will continue patrolling the fire’s perimeter as a safety measure for the foreseeable future. Crews and equipment will also continue efforts to return the fire line to a more natural state, which means repairing the impacts on the landscape caused during the initial and extended attack periods of the fire. Smoke will be visible in the interior of the fire perimeter until a season-ending event (heavy rains or snow). The fire size remains unchanged for the tenth consecutive day despite being tested by the hot, dry, windy days over the last week.
Yainax. OR-981S-210391. IMT1, NW Team 2, (Allen). 10 mi NE of Bonanza, OR. Start 8/5. Cause: Unknown. 84 acres (-5). 50% containment. Moderate fire behavior. Timber. Road closures.
Walrus. OR-981S-210394. IMT1, NW Team 2, (Allen). 10 mi N of Bonanza, OR. Start 8/5. Cause: Unknown. 75 acres (-10). 65% containment. Moderate fire behavior. Timber. Evacuation notices. Road closures.
Meanwhile, ground resources on the Walrus and Yainax Fires, aided by heavy helicopters, kept fire growth to a minimum and completed hose lays around both fires. Containment lines are being constructed and reinforced and have a high probability of success in the coming shifts.
Calmer weather conditions today will aid firefighter in continued suppression and mop up efforts on both fires. The forest closure remains in effect, and you can check with your local ranger district before entering national forest lands. Right now, the Walrus Fire is located 10.5 miles north of Bonanza, 75 acres in size, and 0% contained. The Yainax fire is located 10 miles northeast of Bonanza, 88 acres in size, and 0% contained as well.
(New Fire) Bean Creek 766 CS. OR DEF-000766. IMT3. 20 mi W of Jefferson, OR. Start 8/5. Cause: Lightning. 138 acres. 0% containment. Minimal fire behavior. Timber. Structures threatened.
(New Fire) Knoll. OR-WIF-210362. IMT1, PNW Team 3 (Johnson). 7 mi NE of Mckenzie Bridge, OR. Start 8/5. Cause: Lightning. 59 acres. 0% containment. Moderate fire behavior. Timber. Structures threatened. Evacuations in effect. Road, trail and area closures.
Devils Knob Complex. OR-UPF-000450. IMT2, NW Team 8 (Stock). 30 mi SE of Roseburg, OR. Start 8/3. Cause: Unknown. 2,493 acres (+92). 5% containment. Active fire behavior. Timber. Structures threatened. Evacuations in effect. Road, trail and area closures. The complex consists of 38 fires.
Skyline Ridge Complex. OR-732S-000174. IMT1, ODF Team 1 (Hessel). 5 mi E of Canyonville, OR. Start 8/1.Cause: Lightning. 2,418 acres (+0). 14% containment. Active fire behavior. Timber. Structures threatened. Evacuations in effect. The complex includes 18 fires.
Rough Patch Complex. OR-UPF-000373. IMT2, NW Team 13 (Gales). 26 mi SE of Cottage Grove, OR. Start 7/29.Cause: Unknown. 2,778 acres (+585). 3% containment. Active fire behavior. Timber. The complex consists of 32 fires. Road, trail and area closures.
Jack Fire. OR-UPF-000265. IMT2, NW Team 13 (Gales). 20 mi E of Glide, OR. Start 7/5. Cause: Human Caused. 23,310 acres (-478). 54% containment. Active fire behavior. Timber. Structures threatened. Evacuation notices. Road, trail and area closures.
The fire’s incident command team reported Friday that the Jack Fire was human-caused. The Jack Fire burning 20 miles east of Glide was determined to be human-caused, according to officials with Northwest Interagency Management Team 13. The fire was first reported on July 5 and has burned 23,644 acres.
Middle Fork Complex. OR-WIF-210307. IMT1, PNW Team 3 (Johnson). 9 mi N of Oakridge, OR. Start 7/29. Cause: Unknown. 3,703 acres (+0). 10% containment. Moderate fire behavior. Timber. Structures threatened. Evacuations in effect. Road, trail and area closures. The complex consists of 11 fires.
Black Butte. OR-MAF-021300. IMT2, NW Team 9 (Goff). 25 mi S of Unity, OR. Start 8/3. Cause: Lightning. 9,667 acres (+1,055). 0% containment. Active fire behavior. Timber. IMT2, NW Team 9 (Goff) assumed command 0600 today.
Bull Complex. OR-MHF-000738. IMT3. 13 mi NE of Detroit, OR. Start 8/3. Cause: Lightning. 450 acres (+0). 0% containment. Minimal fire behavior. Timber. Road, area and trail closures. The complex consists of 5 fires. Located in the Bull of the Woods wilderness area.
COVID UPDATE:
Oregon reports 970 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 4 new deaths
There are four new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 2,889, the Oregon Health Authority reported 970 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 bringing the state total to 226,899.
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (7), Benton (11), Clackamas (73), Clatsop (26), Columbia (3), Coos (24), Crook (10), Curry (16), Deschutes (54), Douglas (64), Harney (3), Hood River (10), Jackson (141), Jefferson (7), Josephine (41), Klamath (9), Lake (1), Lane (40), Lincoln (13), Linn (8), Malheur (5), Marion (71), Morrow (13), Multnomah (94), Polk (18), Tillamook (4), Umatilla (61), Union (19), Wallowa (1), Wasco (12), Washington (79), Wheeler (3) and Yamhill (29).
Note: The number of new COVID-19 cases reported today is lower than expected because a technical issue has created a backlog of unprocessed reports. Local public health departments and OHA are working through the backlog of unprocessed reports.
OHA Study shows dramatically lower risk of hospitalization from COVID-19 among fully vaccinated people
The Oregon Health authority says The three available COVID-19 vaccines serve as an effective shield against virus-related hospitalizations. In a press release, OHA states that The data tracked hospitalized COVID-19 patients aged 65 and older between Feb. 1 through April 30, through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC)
COVID-19-Associated Hospitalization Surveillance Network (COVID-NET), which includes all Oregon hospitals in Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties and covers approximately 43% of Oregon’s population.
The conclusions confirm the findings of earlier clinical vaccine trials that demonstrated a dramatically lower risk of
hospitalization from COVID-19 among fully vaccinated people. According to the vaccine effectiveness study, the two-dose Pfizer and Moderna vaccines reduced the risk of hospitalization by 96% and the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine reduced the risk of hospitalization by 84% in adults 65-74 years old. A previous study released by
the CDC reported similar results.
Klamath Basin Worsening Problem as Wells Going Dry
In July, the number of dry wells registered in Klamath County was at 84. A month later, that number has climbed to 185 as wells from the California state line all the way to Crescent and La Pine are getting low and going dry. There are likely more unregistered dry wells in Klamath County.
Many who are experiencing well water shortages live near irrigation canals. In past summers, wells 80-200 feet deep can draw from a shallow aquifer that is recharged by water pumped through canals and over fields.
Paul Simmons, executive director of Klamath Water Users Association, is not surprised to see these water shortages in such areas. He has been hearing about the shortages for at least a month now.
“The areas where it is happening are all along major canals that have been left dry this season,” Simmons said.
Since the Klamath Project received no water from Upper Klamath Lake this year, farmers have not been able to irrigate as much of their land from surface water, forcing those who want to irrigate to drill deep and pump water to the surface.
Without extensive and time-consuming research, there is no way to tell where the groundwater level is in the Klamath Basin and how far it has dropped during the current drought.
The United States Geological Survey monitors water in the Klamath Basin and other areas with various sensors that can detect water levels. They monitor about 40 wells, including household and commercial wells with landowner permission, as well as USGS wells installed specifically to measure aquifer levels.
The recent measurements “are some of the lowest levels we’ve seen and it looks like a long-term trend,” said Terrence Conlon, a regional science coordinator for the USGS.
Klamath County Commissioners are working with Oregon Emergency Management and the Oregon Department of Human Services to secure portable water in places where wells went dry. There is no cost.
The county watermaster’s office said they receive daily calls from well owners asking how to register. And the Modoc County Sheriff shared a PSA on Facebook explaining what to do if someone in that county is without well
water. For now, well users in Klamath County are encouraged to continue registering dry wells with the watermaster in order to receive water storage tanks and water deliveries from the state.
Tulelake is operating under a similar procedure, and asks water users to report dry wells directly to the Tulelake Irrigation District. Klamath County is working with the Oregon Department of Human Services to provide 500 gallon water storage tanks to people with dry wells.
County Commissioner Kelley Minty-Morris said approximately 75 tanks were delivered to people with dry wells as of July 30. Some needed the 500-gallon tanks to store water, but others were able to find their own. Regardless, everyone is struggling to fill them.
Oregon Employment Department Paid Out More Than $4 Million In Overtime During 2020
Overtime pay cost Oregon’s Employment Department more money than the president is paid per year while thousands of unemployed Oregonians waited on benefits in 2020.
Records show employees earned $430,065 in overtime pay working at the OED in 2019. That’s equal to working 33,370 hours on Oregon’s $12.75 minimum wage. In 2020, that number was almost 10 times more or just over $4 million in overtime pay.
Those earnings came from a total of 1,127 employees eligible for overtime at the state agency in 2020. Altogether, they worked 77,027 hours of overtime, with an average of 68 hours per employee. Some worked far longer hours.
According to OED data, the most any employee earned in overtime pay last year was $34,640, and the most overtime they worked was 631.5 hours or 26.3 days. A total of 93 employees earned more than $10,000 working overtime in 2020.
That overtime pay is on top of base salaries, which average $63,720 between the agency’s lowest and highest paid jobs. For example, office coordinators earn $31,704 per year and information systems specialists earn $95,736 to start, based on public state salary data.
For the past 17 months, the OED has been the target of intense public criticism for its long wait times and less than desirable customer service . In March, its 28-year-old computer servers were inundated with 243,000 jobless claims and it has since buckled under the strain of thousands of hours of phone calls. The OED has seen its budget increased by 4% to $337.4 million for the current biennium and processed more than a million claims since the onset of the pandemic.
OED Director David Gerstenfeld has blamed labor shortages for the slow current response times. Oregon was one of the slowest states in the nation at processing unemployment claims last year, falling far behind federal labor standards.
Statewide, the job market has picked up for Oregonians since Oregon reopened. Unemployment peaked at 14.3% in March 2020 and fell to 5.6% in June, or two points above pre-pandemic levels. Businesses will start 2022 with tax relief too. Oregon’s surging COVID cases and a backlog of housing relief payments threaten the state’s improved outlook.
The OED has begun the process of modernizing its computer system after hiring a third-party contractor. It expects the process to be completed by 2025.
45 Adoptable Dogs Arrive In Oregon from Oklahoma
Forty-five dogs and puppies have beem welcomed off a flight from Oklahoma Saturday afternoon by Oregon Humane Society volunteers and staff thanks to an interstate partnership designed to find homes for adoptable pets.
The animals were brought to the state through Fetch Fido a Flight, an Oklahoma nonprofit started by a former Oregon resident.
According to OHS, this was the first pet transport from Oklahoma of 2021.
OHS’ own program, Second Chance, takes in pets from local owners and overcapacity shelters across the state. According to the nonprofit, it has found homes for nearly 10,000 pets since it moved to an adoption-by-appointment system because of the pandemic.
The furry transplants from Oklahoma will be available for adoption beginning Aug. 16 and will be posted on the humane society’s website.