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.
Tuesday, October 12, 2021
Rogue Valley Weather
Today– Widespread frost, mainly before 9am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 60. Light and variable wind.
Wednesday– A 20 percent chance of showers before 11am. Snow level 5100 feet lowering to 4300 feet. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 57. Calm wind becoming north northwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Thursday– Areas of frost before 9am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 64. Calm wind.
Friday– Areas of frost before 8am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 70.
Saturday– Mostly sunny, with a high near 74.
Temperatures fell overnight into the 30s across Western Oregon “bringing us our first night of near-freezing temperatures of the season,” the National Weather Service said.
“There is a Frost Advisory out for all locations lower than 2,000 ft west of the Cascades,” forecasters said. “Take precautions with any crops or plants left over from this last growing season. Clouds will begin to fill in early Tuesday morning with rain on the way in the afternoon.”
Troon Vineyard One of Only Two Worldwide to Earn Regenerative Organic Certified Label
Troon Vineyard announced it’s the first farm and winery in Oregon to receive the newly launched Regenerative Organic Certification (R.O.C.).
Troon Vineyard in Oregon‘s Applegate Valley is located on the Kubli Bench, high above the Applegate River in the Siskiyou Mountains of Southern Oregon.
It is a biodiverse farm of almost 100 acres. Life on the farm includes cider apples, a vegetable garden, re-wilded honeybees, sheep, chickens, wildlife, dogs, humans and, of course, grapevines.
Purchased in 2017 by Texas natives Dr. Bryan and Denise White, and helmed by industry veteran Craig Camp, the trio set out to reinvigorate Troon by transforming the farm into a Demeter Biodynamic Certified vineyard and winery deeply committed to regenerative agriculture, according to a news release from the company. Troon has rapidly evolved by replanting their vineyard with ideal varieties and intertwining cutting-edge agriculture science with biodynamic practices to craft viticulture that best serves the land and their wines. Becoming Regenerative Organic Certified was the next milestone in the process.
“At Troon we do not simply consider ourselves environmentalist, rather stewards of the planet. The basic principle of regenerative farming is restoring the ecosystem of our vineyard back to a place of natural balance,” White said.
Regenerative agriculture is a way of farming that reverses climate change through rebuilding soil organic matter and restoring biodiversity. First, to even apply for the R.O.C. certification you must be certified organic by the USDA. Then there are three pillars of the Regenerative Organic Certification that producers must achieve to be certified: soil health, animal welfare, and social fairness. “We seek to be an organization where all of our co-workers can expand their knowledge through education, participate in our organization’s trajectory and planning, and be part of the holistic approach that defines regenerative farming,” said White.
“The focus on regeneration is what is key to me. We have to put back more than we take to establish a natural food growing system. As the R.O.C. slogan says, ‘Farm like the world depends on it” — because it does. My search for a framework for regenerative viticulture soon transformed into the broader view of the “whole farm” concept that defines biodynamics. Practicing regenerative agriculture is more than simple organic viticulture. Biodiversity creates more biodiversity and is the key to regenerative agriculture,” Camp said in the news release.
Troon Vineyards is also Demeter Biodynamic Certified, a rigorous holistic farming certification that is used in over 50 countries to signify the highest standards and practices when it comes to natural farming and winemaking, according to the news release.
To further showcase Troon’s commitment to biodynamic and regenerative agriculture, it has redesigned its labels to show the biodynamic preparations produced from essential botanicals used to enliven soils, vines, and wines. White wines are now adorned with biodynamic preparation 502, yarrow; amber “orange wines” feature biodynamic preparation 506, dandelion; and red wines highlight biodynamic preparation 507, valerian.
“Our vision since the beginning is to produce the exceptional, individualistic wines in a regenerative way that gives back to the earth. By choosing to include our biodynamic processes on our labels now, we are hoping to bring an even greater focus on these practices to help spread the word and, in turn, help heal the earth one farm at a time — farm like the world depends on it,” Camp said in a news release.
Grants Pass Murder Suspect Arrested
On 10/10/2021 at approximately 10:17 PM, the Grants Pass Police Department received a report of a disturbance in the 800 block of NE D Street where a male victim had reportedly been severely injured.
Officers arrived at the scene and discovered Cole Osborne, a 49-year-old male, had sustained a life-threatening wound. Osborne was transported to the Rogue Regional Medical Center by American Medical Response where he later died as a result of his injury.
Grants Pass Police Detectives tirelessly pursued leads in the case that resulted in locating Jeremy Garcia, a 43-year-old male, who had fled from the scene to a residence near the intersection of Swathout Drive at Cloverlawn Drive. With the assistance of Grants Pass Police SWAT, Jeremy Garcia was taken into custody without incident and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for charges of Murder in the second degree and Unlawful Use of a Weapon.
The Grants Pass Police Department would like to thank Oregon State Police Detectives and Oregon State Police Forensics, as well as numerous citizens in the community, for their assistance in this investigation. If anyone has further information related to this investigation, please call the Grants Pass Police non-emergency number at 541-450-6260. — Grants Pass Police Department
Structure Fire in the Illinois Valley
At 12:48 on 10/11/2021, Illinois Valley Fire District, Oregon Department of Forestry, Rural Metro Fire Department, and American Medical Response responded to a Structure Fire on 357 Turner Road.
The Travel trailer appeared to be the first item that was on fire, which sustained heavy loss. The fire and heat radiated to the Mobile Home, with the fire progression being stopped in the middle of the structure by firefighters.
PP&L responded to confirm the electricity was turned off. Sheriff’s Deputy also responded. Turner Road was closed down due to the fire apparatus. The fire was mopped up and the fire was confirmed to have been extinguished. IVFD will continue to check on the structure throughout the night to make sure there is no smoldering occurring.
Red Cross was notified to assist the fire victims. Fire is under investigation. Illinois Valley Fire District
Structure Fire in Downtown Grants Pass
Early Sunday morning Grants Pass Fire and Grants Pass Police Department were alerted to a structure fire near 2nd street and B street.
The crew reports, the first engine arrived to find heavy fire involvement of a residential structure.
An aggressive fire attack and search were performed keeping the fire to the building of origin.
Rural Metro Fire of Josephine County assisted with fire control efforts. No injuries were reported. The cause is under investigation.
Josephine County Sheriff’s Office Staffing Detective and K-9 Divisions
The Josephine County Sheriff’s Office has not had any personnel assigned to the Detective Division since July of 2012. The Office has not had a K-9 Division since the end of 2015. This was largely due to the reduction of federal funding, that for decades was the primary funding stream to support the special divisions of the Sheriff’s Office.
The Josephine County Sheriff’s Office is happy to announce both the Detective and K-9 Divisions have been reactivated as of October 4th, 2021.
The Detective Division is now staffed with a Detective Sergeant and a Detective. They will both be joining the Josephine County Major Crimes Team, which the Sheriff’s Office has not been a part of since 2012. Being there are only two; cases will be assigned based on severity of the crime and complexity of the investigations.
The K-9 Division is staffed with one Deputy Handler and K-9 “Gibbs” (photo attached). Gibbs is a different kind of K-9. He is not an “apprehension, tracker, or narcotics detection dog”. For two years, the Sheriff’s Office has wanted a “compassion/therapy” dog. This type of program is rare in law enforcement. Gibbs’ mission is to bring joy and smiles to those suffering from tragedy, victimization, trauma and/or depression. Gibbs also treats Sheriff’s Office employees as they see and deal with situations routinely that the average citizen may never see or go through.
Gibbs was donated by a Josephine County family to the Sheriff’s Office. He has nearly 2 years of formal training by the organization “Canine Angels Service Teams” located in Grants Pass, OR. Gibbs is almost 2 years old and is a Yellow Labrador/Golden Retriever cross. Gibbs actively patrols Josephine County with his Handler 40 hours a week, looking for opportunities to brighten someone’s day.
If you wish to support the K-9 Division, donations can be made to the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Fund and all donations are tax deductible. Donations can be made to the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office by check or money order and can be dropped off or mailed to 1901 NE F Street, Grants Pass, OR 97526. Josephine Co. Sheriff’s Office
Oregon reports 2,895 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 20 new deaths
There are 20 new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 4,002. The Oregon Health Authority reported 2,895 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 bringing the state total to 343,993.
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (8), Benton (86), Clackamas (212), Clatsop (15), Columbia (57), Coos (43), Crook (10), Curry (13), Deschutes (275), Douglas (62), Gilliam (2), Grant (4), Harney (8), Hood River (30), Jackson (126), Jefferson (50), Josephine (69), Klamath (58), Lake (6), Lane (259), Lincoln (26), Linn (181), Malheur (35), Marion (277), Morrow (13), Multnomah (374), Polk (37), Tillamook (14), Umatilla (94), Union (26), Wallowa (7), Wasco (12), Washington (322), Wheeler (11) and Yamhill (73).
COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon top 4,000 over the weekend
“Today, Oregon has now recorded more than 4,000 deaths,” said Oregon Health Authority Director Patrick Allen. “That’s two short months since we last paused to mark the painful milestone of 3,000 COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon. Our condolences go out to everyone who has lost a loved one, a family member, a friend or a neighbor.
“These two milestones tell the story of how swiftly and severely the Delta variant has moved through our communities.
“This is even more heartbreaking because many of these deaths are preventable. COVID-19 vaccines are widely available throughout Oregon, and the vaccines are our best protection against serious illness and death from this virus. My message to Oregonians today is simple: The Delta variant has changed everything. Please, get vaccinated as soon as you can.”
Wildfire season winding down now, however, if you’ve noticed there has been a rash of structure fires now that the weather has cooled down.
October Is Fire Prevention Month in Oregon
Nationally and in Oregon, firefighters respond each year to structure fires that injure or kill people where the smoke alarm is not functioning or is missing altogether. Residents understanding the sounds their smoke alarms make and what actions they can take to protect themselves can make all the difference. Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms make different beeps and chirping noises to let us know that maintenance is needed. Everyone needs to know what each noise means and what actions you should take to keep your alarms in safe working order.
According to the ten-year data collected from the Oregon Fire Service for the National Fire Reporting System, 250 people have died, and more than 1,400 have been injured in structure fires. In addition, out of the structure fires reported since 2011, over 1,400 incidents reported smoke alarms missing, without adequate power, or disabled. Statistics from the past year show a working smoke alarm in 42% of the structures fires across the state, and 14% of the incidents report no smoke alarm at all.
Fire and Carbon Monoxide Alarms are good at telling us what they need. We just have to listen.
- One chirp or beep means there is an issue with the alarm getting power.
- Recurring beeps or three beeps in a row is the smoke alarm telling you it needs to be replaced.
- If you noticed your smoke alarm is only activated when you’re cooking or using your shower, it might need to be moved to a better location.
- If your smoke alarm is beeping continuously, get low, use your family escape route, and call 911 from a safe place outside.
“This year to mark Fire Prevention Month, the Oregon Office of the State Fire Marshal asks Oregonians to learn the sounds of their alarms,” says State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple. “Knowing the different sounds of your smoke alarm and what to do when it makes a certain sound is the key to saving lives; working smoke alarms save lives.”
On Monday, October 3rd, 2021, the OSFM and its fire service partners will be launching a four-week social media campaign #KnowYourBeepingAlarm to illustrate the importance of knowing what your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are saying. Each week takes an in-depth look at the sound and what actions people can take.
The OSFM has also put together a smoke and carbon monoxide installation guide, which is available in six different languages and can be found on OSFM’s website.
For more information on the sounds smoke and carbon monoxide alarms make and proper installation, please visit the OSFM’s website. To get help installing a smoke alarm, contact OSFM at egonsfm@osp.oregon.gov“>oregonsfm@osp.oregon.gov.
Two Women Inmates Walk Away From Work Crew In Salem
Police are searching for two armed women who walked away Monday from a work crew at the Oregon Department of Corrections commissary facility in Salem.
Brandy Woodward and Shelly Radan, who are both incarcerated at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility in Wilsonville, walked away around 9:10 a.m. and were last seen on Amber Street Northeast headed toward Dick’s Sporting Goods on Lancaster Drive Northeast, according to a Monday news release from the corrections department.
Jennifer Black, a state corrections spokesperson, said the department’s Fugitive Apprehension Unit has been investigating the walkaway since they left the facility with a boxcutter and a “heavy lock that could be used as a weapon.”
The department said in the news release that the women should be considered armed and dangerous and should not be approached.
Woodward, 45 of Long Creek, weighs 145 pounds with blue eyes and blonde hair. She was last seen wearing blue jeans, a blue T-shirt and a sweatshirt all with the word “inmate” stenciled in orange, the news release said.
Woodward pleaded guilty to two counts of delivery of methamphetamine and three counts of possession of methamphetamine over three cases in Grant and Umatilla county circuit courts, according to court records . She has been in custody since April 29 and her earliest release date is Jan. 14, 2024.
Radan, 43 of Otis, weighs 174 pounds with brown hair and eyes. She pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree burglary in Lincoln County Circuit Court, court records showed. She has been in custody since Nov. 3, 2020, and her earliest release date is Sept. 2, 2024. Radan’s previous name was Michael Price Crawford.
The corrections department’s Fugitive Apprehension Unit and the Oregon State Police are investigating the walkaway and asked anyone with information to contact the state police at 1-800-452-7888, their local police department’s non emergency number or the Fugitive Apprehension Unit at 503-569-0734.
ONA Statement on OFNHP’s Kaiser Strike Vote
The Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) supports our colleagues at the Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals (OFNHP) who are fighting for safe staffing and quality patient care at Kaiser Permanente facilities. The results of their strike vote are unprecedented, with 96% voting in favor of staging a strike; a clear and unequivocal message that Kaiser administration must settle on a fair contract and listen to the voices of their frontline healthcare workers.
In a recent survey, more than 42% of Kaiser’s nurses and other healthcare professionals indicated they are considering leaving the healthcare workforce because of the treatment they have received at Kaiser. These numbers support ONA’s position that Oregon’s healthcare system is facing an existential crisis; one that has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic but which was caused by decades of failures by hospital systems like Kaiser.
OFNHP’s members are joined by tens of thousands of other workers who are part of the 21-union Alliance of Health Care Unions, many of which have now authorized strikes as well. Across five states, over 40,000 of the 52,000 workers in the Alliance have local contracts allowing them to strike (38,000 were able to strike as of October 1, with another 2,000 able to strike November 1).
The primary issue for OFNHP’s members is safe staffing. Again, Oregonians must listen to the concerns of nurses and other healthcare workers who have been saying for years that staffing must be a priority or we will see a worsening of already crisis-level problems across the state.
OFNHP and ONA are in 100% agreement: health care systems like Kaiser must do more to address safe staffing. This is a crisis they caused and Kaiser’s failure to reach an agreement is putting even more pressure on an already overstressed nursing workforce.
It is time for Kaiser to put patients before profits and settle a fair contract.
The Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) is the state’s largest and most influential nursing organization. We are a professional association and labor union which represents 15,000 nurses and allied health workers throughout the state. Our mission is to advocate for nursing, quality health care and healthy communities. For more information visit: www.OregonRN.org.
Republicans Sue Over New Oregon U.S. House Redistricting Maps
Former Oregon Secretary of State Bev Clarno and three other Republicans have filed a lawsuit to challenge new congressional districts recently passed by state lawmakers. They say the new maps are partisan gerrymandering, unconstitutional, and contrary to state law.
The suit, filed Monday in Marion County Circuit Court, is the first such attempt to alter the six-district map that Democrats pushed through during a contentious special legislative session last month.
That session nearly ended in a Republican walkout after House Speaker Tina Kotek, D-Portland, reneged on a deal to grant the GOP an equal say in new congressional and legislative maps. Instead, Republican lawmakers showed up on the last possible day and allowed Democrats to pass a map that could lead to Democratic control of five of the state’s now-six seats in Congress.
Oregon picked up an additional U.S. House seat because of population gains recorded by the recent U.S. Census.
State receives federal grant to continue developing Habitat Conservation Plan for western Oregon state forests
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Oregon Department of Forestry are pleased to announce the state has received an additional $750,000 federal grant to continue developing a Habitat Conservation Plan for state-owned forests west of the Cascades.
This is the third grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to support ongoing development of the Western Oregon State Forest Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP). The Oregon Department of Forestry has engaged federal, state and county partners, as well as Tribes, stakeholders and members of the public in this project since 2018. In October 2020, the Board of Forestry reviewed the first administrative draft of the HCP and directed ODF staff to move into Phase 3 of the project, which is review through the National Environmental Policy Act process. This involves substantial opportunities for public review and feedback, with the next meeting open to the public scheduled for October 12, 2021. Under the current timeline, the HCP would return to the Board of Forestry in 2023 for a final decision.
By law and administrative rule, lands owned by the Board of Forestry must be managed for social, environmental, and economic benefits to Oregonians. The HCP would apply to 639,489 acres of state forestlands west of the Cascade Mountains and represents a holistic process for protecting threatened and endangered species. It would establish 70-year commitments for conservation with long-term assurances that other uses could continue, such as public recreation and timber harvesting to benefit counties and local taxing districts that provide important public services. The agency is also developing a companion Forest Management Plan that would guide implementation of the HCP. Oregon Dept. of Forestry
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