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
Friday, January 7, 2022
Rogue Valley Weather
Today– Rain likely, mainly before 10am. Patchy fog between 7am and 10am. Snow level 5400 feet lowering to 3800 feet in the afternoon . Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 45. South wind 5 to 9 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Saturday– Areas of fog before 1pm. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 46. Calm wind.
Sunday– Patchy freezing fog before 10am. Sunny, with a high near 49. East southeast wind 3 to 5 mph.
Monday– Partly sunny, with a high near 49.
Tuesday– Mostly sunny, with a high near 52.
Wind Advisory issued January 7 at 6:51AM PST until January 7 at 7:00PM PST by NWS Medford —
An atmospheric river is bringing major precipitation from the ocean toward the Pacific Northwest. Heavy rain is forecast for Oregon and Washington today, and that’s expected to melt snow that remains in lower elevation hills.
The National Weather Service has flood watches and warnings posted for both states. Residents are being told to prepare for many creeks and rivers that could flood later this week.
Southwest winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph expected California, Modoc County along the Warner Mountain Range. In Oregon, mostly the high terrain of Northeast Klamath County and Winter Rim in Western Lake County Until 7 PM PST this evening.
Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result. Snowfall amounts of 0.5 to 1 inch along highway locations combined with the winds could lead to difficult driving conditions from blowing snow creating visibility reductions.
* View the hazard area in detail at https://www.wrh.noaa.gov/map/?wfo=mfr
Four Jackson County Sheriff’s Office Win State-Wide Sheriff Association Awards
Four Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) deputies were recognized last month at the 2021 Oregon State Sheriff’s Association (OSSA) awards banquet. This included three Awards of Valor and Search and Rescue (SAR) Deputy of the year. The Award of Valor is presented in recognition of a selfless and courageous act risking their own life with full awareness of the danger involved.
On February 23, 2021, Eagle Point Police Department (EPPD) was dispatched to a domestic dispute involving a firearm. The suspect left in a vehicle while officers were en route. A few minutes later EPPD spotted the suspect vehicle and JCSO deputies responded to assist. Deputy Chad Prins and EPPD approached the vehicle to identify the suspect. Without warning a man fired a handgun from the passenger seat, striking Deputy Prins in the chest. Fortunately, the bullet struck his ballistic vest. Despite being shot at point-blank range, he moved to cover and returned fire. Realizing the driver was injured during the exchange of gunfire and in danger, Prins rescued him from the line of fire and began to render medical aid. Showing courage after being shot in the line of duty, and ultimately risking his life to save that of another, is why Deputy Prins received the Award of Valor.
On August 11, 2021, JCSO responded to a multi-agency pursuit of an armed carjacker. Deputy Brent Hegdahl quickly became lead in the pursuit. Sergeant Ben Weaver was the on-duty patrol sergeant and coordinated with multiple agencies to keep the violent offender in view. The suspect drove extremely recklessly throughout the pursuit reaching speeds of over 100 MPH multiple times. Spike strips were successfully deployed as the suspect entered the city of Medford, yet he continued to reach speeds over 100 MPH through neighborhoods. Based on the continued risk to the public, Weaver ordered Hegdahl to initiate a Pursuit Intervention Technique (PIT) maneuver, successfully disabling the vehicle by causing it to crash into a hedge. While still inside the vehicle, the suspect raised a handgun and fired at Hegdahl. Both Weaver, Hegdahl, and a Medford Police Officer returned fire, striking the suspect multiple times. Once he stopped firing and was believed to be unconscious, law enforcement approached and removed him from the vehicle to begin rendering aid until Medford Fire Department medics took over, ultimately saving his life. The man was later identified as the suspect in a string of violent crimes to include the shooting of a man in front of his child, an armed carjacking in Portland, and the disappearance of his girlfriend in Yakima, Wash. The courageous actions of these deputies alongside local law enforcement agencies, led to the arrest of a dangerous, violent offender, while ensuring the safety of our community. For that reason, Sergeant Weaver and Deputy Hegdahl received Awards of Valor.
Deputy David Duke received the award for OSSA Command Council SAR Deputy of the Year for outstanding professional achievement and accomplishment while going above and beyond in performing his duties for JCSO Search and Rescue. In 2021 Deputy Duke participated in nearly 140 SAR missions, often acting as team leader. Overall, these missions totaled nearly 1000 hours in the field. He helps run and manage the Tactical Rope Rescue Team and is a level one member. He founded the Bike Response Team, a small unit quick reaction force that responds rapidly to locate a lost or injured subject, provide initial medical care, and prep for the ground teams to carry them out. He is also a member of the Snow Response Group. In 2021, Deputy Duke obtained the highest level of advanced Search and Rescue qualification. For his selfless dedication to SAR and the safety of the County, Deputy Duke received the OSSA 2021 SAR Deputy of the Year.
Congratulations to these deputies and thank you to the OSSA for the recognition of their selfless and courageous actions. Here at JCSO we are proud of the work our deputies do every day to ensure the safety and security of our community. Jackson Co. Sheriff’s Office
4 Adults Arrested Following Investigation of Residential Robbery, Attempted Kidnapping, and Fentanyl
On December 26, 2021, at approximately 6:28 PM, the Grants Pass Police Department responded to the 200 block of NW Blossom Drive to find two victims suffering from the effects of bear spray. One of the two victims had also been struck several times by rubber bullets during an attempted kidnapping and robbery. Due to the seriousness of the crime, Grants Pass Detectives responded to the scene to continue the investigation. Neither of the victims required hospitalization for their injuries and were not randomly targeted by the suspects.
With the assistance of the Medford Police Department, the vehicle used by the suspects was located in Medford a few days later. Following the granting of a search warrant, Grants Pass Police Detectives, with the assistance of the Rogue Area Drug Enforcement Team and Grants Pass K-9 Match, recovered approximately ¼ pound (estimated 1,400 pills) of suspected Fentanyl concealed within the vehicle.
The driver of the vehicle at the time of the stop in Medford, identified as Bruno Chiquete-Reyes, a 35-year-old male from Richmond, CA., was subsequently arrested and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for possession and attempted distribution of a controlled substance.
As the robbery investigation progressed, Grants Pass Police Detectives identified three primary suspects. On January 05, 2022, Grants Pass Detectives arrested Aliczander McClymonds, a 30-year-old male, and Anthony Jolly-Satyna, a 24-year-old male. On January 06, 2022, with the assistance of the Medford Police Department, Grants Pass Detectives arrested Joel Wurch, a 41-year-old male. All three suspects were lodged at the Josephine County Jail for First-degree Robbery, Attempted First-degree Kidnapping, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, and Unlawful Use of Mace (Bear Spray).
The Grants Pass Police Department would like to thank the community, R.A.D.E., and the Medford Police Department for their assistance. Anyone having further information related to this investigation is asked to contact Grants Pass Detectives at 541-450-6260 and reference case #21-54740. Grants Pass Police Department
ODOT Has Reopened Several Highways
The Oregon Department of Transportation says it has reopened several highways that were closed earlier this week amid heavy snow. Highways 138E, 62, and 230 are all back open to traffic, the agency said. Crews from southwest Oregon had been working to plow the deep snow, remove fallen trees, and clear slides throughout the three-day
closure.
ODOT asked travelers to continue watching out for crews and equipment as they keep working to widen the narrow roadways. Through Wednesday morning, Highway 138E was closed between Glide and Toketee, and from Toketee to the intersection with Highway 97.
All of Highway 230 remained closed, and Highway 62 was closed from Prospect north to the intersection with Highway 230. Several highways through the Cascades of Southern Oregon remained closed on Tuesday morning after being shut down Monday amid heavy snow.
The Oregon Department of Transportation says that crews are working to get them back open later in the day. ODOT originally predicted that all or some sections of the three highways could be reopened later on Tuesday, “depending on weather.” Regardless, transportation officials warned travelers to be prepared for severe winter conditions in the Cascade mountain passes.
An earlier closure on Green Springs Highway (OR-66) between Ashland and Keno was already reopened to traffic, while Highway 140E remains closed between Adel and the Nevada border.
Oregon reports 7,615 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 9 new deaths
PORTLAND, Ore. — There are nine new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 5,728, Oregon Health Authority (OHA) reported at 12:01 a.m. today.
OHA reported 7,615 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 449,267.
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (17), Benton (317), Clackamas (756), Clatsop (45), Columbia (49), Coos (219), Crook (41), Curry (42), Deschutes (159), Douglas (91), Grant (14), Hood River (27), Jackson (441), Jefferson (62), Josephine (105), Klamath (70), Lake (4), Lane (623), Lincoln (74), Linn (204), Malheur (33), Marion (501), Morrow (34), Multnomah (1,598), Polk (275), Sherman (2), Tillamook (21), Umatilla (306), Union (27), Wallowa (1), Wasco (21), Washington (1,333) and Yamhill (103).
Media briefing on COVID-19
OHA will host a press conference at 11 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 7, about COVID-19 in Oregon. Speakers will include Oregon State Health Officer Dr. Dean Sidelinger, Oregon Department of Education Director Colt Gill and Peter Graven, Ph.D, director of the Oregon Health & Science University Office of Advanced Analytics. The public is invited to watch the press conference on Youtube. Members of the media can participate in the press conference by joining this Zoom link.
Oregon Hits New Record of COVID Cases For 4th Consecutive Day, More than Doubles Old Mark
Oregon hit a new record of COVID cases for the fourth consecutive day Thursday, more than doubling its old mark.
Health officials reported 7,615 new COVID cases Thursday.
Oregon averaged 4,001 COVID cases the past week. That figure is up 162 percent from just last Thursday. The infections are being driven by the Omicron variant, which is highly contagious, although less severe. Much of the spread occurred since Christmas.
Almost 25 percent of the state’s reported COVID tests were positive on Thursday, as well.
Despite the record number of cases, Oregon reported some of the lowest rates of cases in the nation during the latest COVID surge.
Health officials in some of Oregon’s largest counties, such as Multnomah, where Portland is, said the number of COVID cases and hospitalizations will probably continually increase over the next several weeks.
Unlike past waves, the growth rate of cases has far outpaced COVID hospitalizations. However, local scientists estimate that roughly 1,650 coronavirus patients will be hospitalized statewide on the predicted peak in late January, which would surpass the Delta surge.
Klamath County Investigators Identify Suspect In Unsolved 1978 Double Murder with Help of DNA
The long-cold case of a couple murdered near Lake of the Woods in 1978 at last has something approaching closure, thanks in large part due to advances in DNA forensics, law enforcement officials in Klamath County announced Thursday.
“There are many ways that law enforcement agencies find out about homicides, which is what we’re talking about today,” said Sheriff Chris Kaber. “Sometimes they find out as they’re happening, sometimes they find out years later, sometimes they find out from citizens’ complaints, and sometimes it starts with a missing persons case. In this particular incidence, it started out with some people out in the woods and they located something that no-one wants to ever come across.”
43 years ago, in mid-November, deputies from the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office responded to an area near Lake of the Woods and what was then called Dead Indian Road, looking into the reported discovery of skeletal remains. The caller had been out cutting firewood when he came upon the bodies.
Deputies found the body of a man, later identified as 19-year-old Kirk Wiseman of Southern California. The remains of a small dog were found near him. Investigators returned the next day for a more thorough search of the area and soon found another body, later identified as 17-year-old Cynthia Frayer.
Both Wiseman and Frayer had been shot multiple times in the head with a small-caliber gun. There were also signs that Frayer had been sexually assaulted.
Wiseman and Frayer had been hitchhiking through Oregon, possibly to visit Crater Lake, when they disappeared sometime in September of 1978.
Though investigators followed a number of leads at the time — reaching out to other agencies for help, including the FBI — nothing solid materialized. The case went cold.
By 2011, the murders of Wiseman and Frayer were KCSO’s oldest unsolved case. Around this time, a detective assigned to the cold case began going through the evidence with an eye for newly available technology, including DNA.
Finally, in 2019, several items of Frayer’s clothing were submitted to the crime lab in Bend — returning an unknown male DNA sample. It was entered into CODIS, the Combined DNA Index System, but did not return any hits.
Undeterred, the detective now on the case submitted the sample to Parabon Nanolabs — a private company now armed with an impressive pedigree of solving cold cases using genealogical data. Locally, Parabon was involved with identifying the final victim of the Almeda Fire, 55-year-old Derrick Mills, and in the case of Stevie Crawford, a young boy found dead east of Ashland in 1963.
Parabon came back to KCSO with a viable suspect in the early summer of 2021. Detectives managed to get in contact with family members of the suspect, learning that he died in Texas in 1996. For confirmation, the family members agreed to give samples of their own so that investigators could be relatively certain of the match.
The name attached to the DNA found on Frayer’s clothing was Ray Mason Whitson, Jr. According to Sheriff Kaber, Whitson had moved to the Klamath Falls area with his family in 1976 in order to work in the lumber industry, and they reported commonly using Dead Indian Road. Whitson had no other criminal record, Detective Dan Towery said.
Back in 1979, investigators had identified a prime suspect in the case, but it was not Whitson. The man had given the young couple a ride and dropped them off in Grants Pass. He also died in the 1990s, and former Sheriff Carl Burkhart said Thursday that he’d buy that man dinner if he could for the suspicion he endured.
With a suspect identified, but no means of taking him into custody, KCSO said that the case has been suspended. Klamath County District Attorney Eve Costello said she believes she could have convicted Whitson if tried on the evidence now assembled.
I-84 is now fully open both EASTBOUND and WESTBOUND
Smaller slides continue in the Gorge and we’ll continue to monitor the freeway. Conditions remain volatile with continue precipitation and temps dropping below freezing in many parts of the state. Stay alert if traveling through the area. The soil is still very saturated and rain continues. Use caution, and give yourself extra time.
It’s slide-y, slushy and sloppy on aisle I-84 in the Columbia River Gorge this morning due to a debris slide between MP 36 and 37. This means the freeway is closed in both directions between Exit 17 in Troutdale and Exit 62 in Hood River. We expect this to be a lengthy closure. Complicating crew efforts is a jack-knifed truck with a punctured fuel tank at MP 53. No estimate for reopening, so US 26 is the viable detour for connecting Central Oregon to the Portland area. SR 14 in Washington State is closed to vehicles over 10,000 GVW in both directions at MP 17 near the Hood River Bridge until further notice. For updates use TripCheck.com in Oregon and WSDOT’s Real-Time travel map in Washington.
Oregon Officials Reject Nicholas Kristof’s Run for Governor
Oregon election officials told former New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof he cannot run for governor of the state as he does not meet residency requirements.
The state requires a candidate for governor to have been a “resident within this state” for three years before the election, the Oregon Elections Division said in a statement.
“As Oregon’s chief elections official, it is my responsibility to make sure all candidates on the statewide ballot are qualified to serve if elected,” Secretary of State Shemia Fagan said in the statement.
In a separate statement, Kristof said he would challenge this decision in court and would continue running for governor.
“If Mr Kristof chooses to appeal, the Oregon Elections Division is committed to doing everything possible to allow Oregon courts to decide promptly,” Deborah Scroggin, Oregon elections director said.
In October last year, Kristof announced that he was running for governor, saying he hoped to address systemic social issues in the state where he grew up on his family’s sheep and cherry farm.
Kristof, 62, who is from Yamhill, a rural community in western Oregon, said if elected he would tackle homelessness, poverty, drug addiction and inadequate education.
Oregon House Speaker Tina Kotek Resigns to Focus on Run for Governor
Oregon House Speaker Tina Kotek announced Thursday she will resign from the Legislature to focus on her gubernatorial run. The last day for the longest-tenured speaker in state history will be Jan. 21. Dozens of candidates have filed to run for the spot being vacated by a term-limited Gov. Kate Brown this year. Kotek’s change of strategy was sudden as recently as November her office said she planned to remain in her role through the end of the year.
Oregon State Senator Peter Courtney Announces His Retirement
Courtney announced yesterday he will not be seeking reelection. He says it’s been an honor and a privilege to have been allowed to serve locally on the Salem City Council and in the Legislature for nearly 40 years. He was elected Senate President in 2003 and has served a record 10 years in that post. He’s the longest-serving legislator in state history.
New Rebate in Oregon for Electric or Hybrid Vehicles
Low and moderate income households in Oregon can now get bigger rebates for buying an electric or hybrid vehicle. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality says a new law went into effect on New Year’s Day that increases the rebate by five-thousand dollars.
The previous rebate was 25-hundred dollars, which remains in place. The total rebate can be as much as 75-hundred dollars under the Oregon Clean Vehicle Rebate Program.
Deadly Rabbit Virus
Officials are warning Oregon hunters about a virus that’s deadly to rabbits so they can help avoid spreading the disease. Rabbit hemorrhagic virus is not contagious to humans.
Hunters should avoid areas where they find dead or sick rabbits. Wear gloves when handling rabbits and avoid eating, drinking, or smoking while handling animals.
Rabbits with the virus might have a bloody nose or die suddenly. Deaths of wild rabbits should be reported to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Ground Beef RECALL due to Possible E. Coli Contamination
Interstate Meat Dist. Inc., an Oregon business, is recalling approximately 28,356 pounds of ground beef products due to the possibility they may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced yesterday.
The raw, ground beef items were produced on Dec. 20, 2021, and bear establishment number “EST. 965” inside the USDA mark of inspection or printed next to the time stamp and use or freeze by date. These items were shipped to retail locations in Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
Products subject to the recall are all packaged in tubes known as “chubs.” Sold at Walmart, Winco, Albertsons, Krogers, and FredMeyer.
The recall is the result of product that was purchased and analyzed by a third-party laboratory that tested positive for E. coli O157:H7. FSIS determined the results were actionable.
Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a healthcare provider. E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps 2–8 days (3–4 days, on average) after exposure the organism. While most people recover within a week, some develop a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). This condition can occur among persons of any age but is most common in children under 5-years old and older adults. It is marked by easy bruising, pallor, and decreased urine output. Persons who experience these symptoms should seek emergency medical care immediately.
FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.
A 17-year-old was reported missing in Salem and detectives say the teen might be the victim of an online catfishing scheme.
Ezra Mayhugh, 17, was last seen on October 15, 2021 after being dropped off in downtown Salem by a friend, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said. He was reported as a runaway the following day when he did not return home.
Investigators say he might be in Washington or California. They hope to reunite Ezra safely with family members.
He’s described as about 5-foot 11-inches tall, weighing 130 pounds, with blonde hair and brown eyes.
If you have had contact with Mayhugh since October 15 or have other helpful information on his whereabouts, the sheriff’s office asks you to contact Detective M.J. Sphoon at 503-588-6808 or to submit a tip by texting TIPMCSO and your tip to 847411.
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