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
Thursday, March 3, 2022
Rogue Valley Weather
Today– Rain, mainly before 4pm. Snow level 4900 feet lowering to 4300 feet in the afternoon . High near 52. Northwest wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Friday– Showers, mainly after 4pm. Snow level 2400 feet. High near 45. West northwest wind 3 to 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Saturday– A 30 percent chance of showers before 10am. Snow level 2300 feet rising to 2900 feet in the afternoon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 50. Northwest wind 3 to 6 mph.
Sunday– Mostly sunny, with a high near 56.
Monday– Sunny, with a high near 61.
Jackson County Parks Officially Closes Emigrant Lake Water Slide Permanently
The Jackson County Parks Department has officially closed the Emigrant Lake Water Slide permanently. The facility has been open for 38 years but has struggled in recently due to drought and disrepair.
The slide was already closed in both 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19 and a lack of water, and now that change is permanent.
“The slide, if we decided to keep it open, would take a significant investment to get it up to snuff and safe to continue into the future. For a very old facility, that has reached frankly the end of its life span,” said Jackson County Parks Director Steve Lambert at a presentation to the Jackson County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday.
According to Jackson County Parks, the slide used thousands of gallons of water per day when operational and it would have cost at least $500,000 to repair. With Emigrant Lake getting more depleted by the day, the slide no longer made sense to keep up.
“This is not a moneymaker, it’s a money loser. It’s very difficult to even get staff who will work, when Steve talked about the staff we can get, we’ve had to limit hours and reduce use just because of the inability to staff it,” said Jackson County Administrator Danny Jordan.
Jordan said the ongoing drought has made it necessary to prioritize certain Emigrant Lake functions over others, and the slide could not take precedence over more essential services.
“We have an extreme water shortage out there, where we’re just trying to keep the bare minimum of water available to serve our guests in the R/V park, restrooms etc. From a drinking water point. And, we’re also looking at revenues going forward that are extremely unstable due to a bunch of different factors,” said Jordan.
The city of Medford will be opening up a water park of their own in 2023 that the county believes will give anyone looking for a splash of fun everything they need. Jackson County Parks will devise a new use of the space once the water slide is gone. https://jacksoncountyor.org/parks/Day-Use/Emigrant-Lake/Water-Slide
Crater High School Student Heads to State Championships in Poetry Contest
Eleven Oregon high school students who won their school Poetry Out Loud contests will compete for the state championship at the 2022 Oregon Virtual Poetry Out Loud State Contest at 5 p.m. on Friday, March 11. The contest will be streamed live on the Oregon Arts Commission’s Facebook page and YouTube Channel.
Clara Bennett is a junior at Crater High School in Central Point. She is one of 11 Oregon high school students who won their schools’ Poetry Out Loud contests. They now will compete for state championship.
Bennett participates in theater, vocal performance, dance, art, creative writing, and designing. Besides her extracurricular activities and summer classes, she runs a small business and is top of her class.
Clara understands competition from her track and field experience, where she has a personal record of 5’1” in high jump as a varsity athlete who won first place in state and district competitions (three times) for 5A schools in high jump.
The other students competing for the state championship are: Cecily Cooper, Crook County High School, Prineville; Maria Daniels, St. Stephen’s Academy, Beaverton; Trayshun Holmes-Gournaris, Oregon School for the Deaf, Salem; Juwon Kim, Lakeridge High School, Lake Oswego; Alyssia Menezes, Lincoln High School, Portland; Elena Morris, Oregon Charter Academy, Mill City; Ava Neudeck, West Linn High School, West Linn; Mariah Reynolds, Redmond High School, Redmond; Auria Vallloton, Oakland High School, Oakland; and Willa Wise, Grant High School, Portland.
The host of the 2022 Oregon State Contest will be Joaquin Lopez, a performing artist, musician and mental health counselor whose work is grounded in personal transformation, self-expression and Latino Queer identity. Lopez currently serves as co-Creative Laureate of Portland.
Poetry Out Loud is a national recitation contest for high school students, organized in Oregon by the Oregon Arts Commission in collaboration with the NEA and the Poetry Foundation. Participants memorize and present poems, practicing public speaking skills while exploring the complexity of poetry.
The 2022 Poetry Out Loud State Contest is again being conducted virtually to ensure the safety and health of participating students and staff. The decision was based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization and General Counsel for the National Endowment for the Arts.
Judges for the State Contest are Subashini Ganesan, an artist, arts administrator and former Creative Laureate of Portland; Jonathan Hill, a cartoonist, illustrator and educator; André Middleton, the founder and executive director of Friends of Noise; Juan Antonio Trujilllo, a recently retired Oregon State University professor and co-organizer of the Portland-based Tag! Queer Shorts Festival; and Vicky Falcon Vazquez, a poet, activist and educator who works at the intersection of social, cultural and gender issues.
Non-scoring respondent judges, who will provide written feedback to the students on their performances, are Amy Botula, an advocate, writer and teacher; Jillian Frakes, a middle school language arts teacher and Oregon’s 2012 Poetry Out Loud state champion; and Tony Fuemmeler, a theater artist exploring transformation, expression and articulation through masks and puppetry.
The students’ performances will be judged on physical presence; voice and articulation; dramatic appropriateness; evidence of understanding; overall performance and accuracy.
Scores will determine the state champion and a runner up. The champion will be invited to compete in the National Poetry Out Loud Semifinals on May 1; the top nine students will advance to the National Finals on June 5..
Editor’s note: Short student bios and photos are available on request.
The Oregon Arts Commission provides leadership, funding and arts programs through its grants, special initiatives and services. Nine commissioners, appointed by the Governor, determine arts needs and establish policies for public support of the arts. The Arts Commission became part of Business Oregon (formerly Oregon Economic and Community Development Department) in 1993, in recognition of the expanding role the arts play in the broader social, economic and educational arenas of Oregon communities. In 2003, the Oregon legislature moved the operations of the Oregon Cultural Trust to the Arts Commission, streamlining operations and making use of the Commission’s expertise in grantmaking, arts and cultural information and community cultural development.
The Arts Commission is supported with general funds appropriated by the Oregon legislature and with federal funds from the National Endowment for the Arts as well as funds from the Oregon Cultural Trust. More information about the Oregon Arts Commission is available online at: www.oregonartscommission.org.
Hundreds of Oregon residents who lost their homes in the Almeda and South Obenchain fires are currently housed in FEMA trailers. Now, with few housing alternatives in the Rogue Valley and thr slow recovery from the wildfires these residents are being asked to pay market rate rent.
FEMA installed around 180 trailers after the devastating 2020 fires. The temporary housing was planned to be removed on March 15, so Oregon lawmakers applied for an extension. When that was approved, it came with a catch. Residents got letters a week-and-a-half ago telling them that they would be expected to pay market rate rent.
“For a two-bedroom, it’s about $1,100. It’s more like $1,700 for a three-bedroom,” says Rep. Pam Marsh, D-Ashland. “So it’s caused a tremendous amount of alarm and anxiety and sort of retraumatization among residents.”
Marsh says residents should begin an application for FEMA subsidies, which are priced according to individuals’ income. “People who are at 50% of median income can get their rent decreased to as little as $50 a month,” says Marsh. “Which, I think we’d all agree, is probably manageable for everybody.”
Financial assistance is also being offerred by the Medford nonprofit, ACCESS. https://www.accesshelps.org/
Scammers Posing as Assessor Employees
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office has become aware of a new scam in which scammers are posing as employees from the Assessor’s Office.
It has been reported that an individual contacted a resident at their home indicating the supposed employee was there to collecting past due taxes. This is a scam and Douglas County will not send anyone to your home to collect taxes.
It is the practice of the Assessor’s Office for employees to provide residents with a business card and present their employee identification card. True Douglas County Assessor employees will only arrive at your property during business hours Monday – Thursday. If you ever question the validity of the person’s affiliation, you can call the Assessor’s Office at (541) 440-4222.
Oregon reports 696 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 4 new deaths
PORTLAND, Ore. — There are four new COVID-19-related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 6,652, Oregon Health Authority (OHA) reported at 12:01 a.m. today.
OHA reported 696 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 695,323.
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (3), Benton (25), Clackamas (54), Clatsop (3), Columbia (10), Coos (10), Crook (10), Curry (2), Deschutes (25), Douglas (19), Gilliam (1), Harney (1), Hood River (12), Jackson (59), Jefferson (2), Josephine (26), Klamath (12), Lake (1), Lane (77), Lincoln (5), Linn (44), Marion (40), Morrow (2), Multnomah (121), Polk (8), Tillamook (2), Umatilla (18), Union (1), Wasco (4), Washington (89) and Yamhill (10).
Note: Due to delayed reporting, approximately 1,500 backlogged negative test results were received for Deschutes County on March 1, 2022. Results were from December 15, 2021, to March 1, 2022. As a result, test counts are higher than anticipated and percent positivity is lower than anticipated for March 1.
OHA and ODE hold media briefing on new COVID-19 guidance
Dean Sidelinger, M.D., health officer and state epidemiologist at OHA, and Colt Gill, director of the Oregon Department of Education, spoke to the media today about changes to COVID-19 guidance and the Ready School Safe Learners Resiliency Framework, starting March 12.
Dr. Sidelinger’s comments are here. Director Colt’s comments are here.
A link to the media availability is here.
DMV Drops Mask Requirement For Customers Starting March 14th
Oregon’s mask mandates for indoor public places ends after March 11. When DMV offices open the following Monday, March 14, customers can leave their masks at home if they choose; masks will be optional inside DMV offices and during driving tests.
The DMV issued the following information today:
“As a reminder, masks are still required for both DMV employees and customers inside DMV offices and on drive tests through Friday, March 11,” DMV Administrator Amy Joyce said. “Even after the mask requirement ends, you will still see customers and employees wearing masks by their own choice in DMV offices.”
Final Week of the 2022 Legislative Session
Broken tail lights, Russian vodka, the Great Resignation, overtime pay, and a machine speed-reading a 193-page budget bill were pieces of a hyperactive Tuesday as the Legislature hit the final week of the 2022 session.
In the main event of the day, the Senate and House swapped political hot potatoes. The House voted 37-23 along party lines to approve a contentious farmworker overtime bill, sending it to the Senate.
The Senate voted 16-11 for what’s been dubbed “the broken tail light law” that would limit police vehicle stops. It now goes to the House.
Signs the Legislature was coming into the final days of its 35-day sprint of a “short session” could be seen in the committee calendar. In the first weeks after the session began Feb. 1, the 37 legislative committees held up to 30 meetings a day, five days a week.
By Tuesday, the trickle was down to two committees, with no meetings scheduled for Wednesday. Legislation cannot be amended on the floor of the House and Senate, so the final committee hearings were sometimes dramatic showdowns over which bills would make the jump to the floor and which would remain in the legislative graveyard at the end of the session.
Governor Brown Responds After Judge Blocks Clemency Commutation Orders
After a judge blocked Gov. Kate Brown’s order which would let the parole board review commutations, her office says they will be evaluating their legal options going forward.
The order would have allowed dozens of juvenile convicts the chance for an early release from prison.
A circuit court judge decided that by allowing the parole board to make release decisions, Brown could hand off her responsibility. The move would have expanded the parole board’s authority through executive action, which isn’t allowed.
Kevin Mannix, the president of Common Sense for Oregon and one of the attorneys behind the lawsuit, said there were “up to 250 cases that could be considered here.”
Despite this decision, the governor’s office said Brown will continue to use her clemency authority and thinks executive clemency “can be used to address systemic failures in our criminal justice system while we work to make lasting change.”
In the same lawsuit, the judge upheld some other commutations the governor recently made.
“The Governor is pleased the court’s letter opinion has affirmed that her use of clemency powers was within her authority and upheld every single commutation granted to date, impacting almost 1,200 individuals,” according to Gov. Brown’s office.
Bureau Of Land Management Plan Protects Oregon Forests Through Integrated Vegetation Management
The Bureau of Land Management Oregon/Washington Medford District Manager has approved a plan to promote resilient forests across southwestern Oregon. The Decision Record for the Integrated Vegetation Management for Resilient Lands Environmental Assessment (IVM EA) was signed Wednesday. The plan aims to protect forests from fire, drought, insects, and disease. It is also designed to improve habitat for wildlife and plants.
The forests of southwest Oregon are fire-adapted ecosystems. Reducing competition among trees allows them to grow larger in diameter becoming more resilient to impacts of fire, drought, insects, and disease. The plan will preserve large trees and reduce the risk of large-scale, high severity fires.
“This plan supports the Rogue Valley Fire Integrated Community Wildfire Protection Plan,” said Jen Smith, acting Medford District Manager. “The IVM plan is critical in helping us reduce the threat and severity of fire across a very large wildland urban interface area.”
By analyzing similar actions across the Medford District, the IVM EA creates a framework to increase the pace and scale of critical resiliency treatments. While developing the IVM EA, BLM officials consulted with local Tribes, worked with other government agencies, and provided multiple opportunities for public engagement. The BLM will provide additional public engagement opportunities for future projects involving commercial harvest treatments under the IVM EA.
Learn more about the IVM EA by visiting the project website at: https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/123406/510.
Pacific Power files 2023 Oregon Rate Proposals
General rate request supports new investments for system hardening and renewable energy
PORTLAND, Ore., (March 1, 2022) — Today Pacific Power filed a general rate case, along with its annual power cost forecast, with the Oregon Public Utility Commission. The general rate case, which proposes a 6.6 percent rate adjustment, or $82.2 million, supports continued investments in wildfire mitigation strategies, vegetation management and clean energy resources, while also responding to inflationary impacts. If approved, this would be Pacific Power’s first general rate increase in nearly a decade.
“Through careful stewardship on behalf of our customers, we have delivered safe, reliable, affordable service at prices that are 12 percent below the national average,”[1] said Matt McVee, vice president of regulatory policy and operations. “While our essential operating costs continue to stay low, new factors – including extreme weather events and changing economic conditions impacting all households and businesses – are raising the costs of providing our essential services.”
The company’s annual power cost forecast (Transition Adjustment Mechanism or TAM) is being filed concurrently with the rate case. The initial forecast shows power costs increasing for the first time in five years, if approved. The proposed 5.6 percent increase for rates effective in 2023 is primarily due to inflationary pressures related to increases in wholesale electricity and natural gas commodity prices. The final approved 2023 TAM rate will be updated in November with the most current forecasted prices for wholesale energy and natural gas.
The proposed TAM increase is well below the U.S. Consumer Price Index for the energy sector and energy services, which increased 27 percent and 13.6 percent, respectively, over the last 12 months.[2] The TAM increase is lower in part due to Pacific Power’s expansion of low-cost, zero-carbon renewable resources and its participation in the Western Energy Imbalance Market (EIM). The EIM enables access to even more low-cost, zero-carbon energy across the entire Western U.S. market while reducing emissions and increasing reliability. Since Pacific Power helped form the EIM in 2014, it has provided its Oregon customers with $102 million in savings through year-end 2021 and $24 million of expected benefits in the 2023 TAM.
“We are in a period of significant change. We are investing in the safety, adaptability and resilience of our energy grid and building to a net zero emissions energy future,” said McVee. “While we do this, we remain steadfast in our commitment to our customers and our communities and will continue to seek new ways to reduce impacts to customer bills along the way.”
Pacific Power Plans New Rate Discount for Low Income Customers
Later this year, Pacific Power plans to work with the commission to develop an on-bill rate discount to support customers who are experiencing income restraints. This will be separate from the current rate process to allow for faster adoption of the proposed rate discount, enabling us to mitigate the impact of the proposed rate increase for our most vulnerable community members.
Public Participation
The public review process for a general rate case can take up to 10 months. During that time, the public can provide input on the filing. The commission has the authority to set final rates that may be lower or higher than the company’s request, depending on the outcome of its examination. The public is also invited to take part in public meetings. To learn more, visit: oregon.gov/puc/utilities/Pages/Rates-Tariffs.aspx.
Customer Resources
Pacific Power’s most vulnerable customers can access a variety of bill support programs through local community action agencies, including the Oregon Energy Fund, Oregon Energy Assistance Program, COVID Energy Assistance Program and Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. In 2020, more than 30,000 of Pacific Power’s customers in Oregon received $13.8 million in support toward their bill payments.
Pacific Power also offers a variety of ways to budget for energy expenses, including time of use and equal pay billing options, and energy use tracking offered online and through the company’s app. In partnership with Energy Trust of Oregon, Pacific Power customers can tap into information and rebates to help improve their energy efficiency and lower their bills. Customers can call 1-888-221-7070 to discuss options.
About Pacific Power
Pacific Power provides electric service to more than 770,000 customers in Oregon, Washington and California. It is part of PacifiCorp, one of the lowest-cost electricity producers in the United States, providing 1.9 million customers with value for their energy dollar through safe, reliable electricity. For more information, visit www.pacificpower.net.
Large Clackamas County Drug Seizure Leads to Federal Indictment of Local Drug Traffickers
PORTLAND, Ore.—A federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment today charging two local men for trafficking and selling large quantities of methamphetamine and counterfeit prescription pills across the Portland Metropolitan Area.
Juan Manuel Angulo, 50, of Gresham, Oregon, and Enrique Ocegueda, 31, of Beaverton, Oregon, have been charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl.
According to court documents, on February 2, 2022, Angulo and Ocegueda were arrested when they showed up to a drug deal with an undercover law enforcement informant in Clackamas County, Oregon.
Investigators found and seized a combined 50 pounds of methamphetamine and more than 10,000 counterfeit pills suspected to contain fentanyl from Angulo and Ocegueda’s vehicles. Later that same evening, agents executed federal search warrants on both men’s residences and a storage locker belonging to Ocegueda. They seized several thousand additional counterfeit prescription pills, 15 additional pounds of methamphetamine, one pound of heroin, and approximately $50,000 in cash.
Both defendants will be arraigned on March 4, 2022. If convicted, they face maximum sentences of life in prison with ten-year mandatory minimum sentences.
U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) and the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the FBI. It is being prosecuted by Scott M. Kerin, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Police Ask for Public’s Help in Search For Victim’s Roommate In Albany Homicide
A 42-year-old woman, the roommate of a 75-year-old man whose death was ruled a homicide, is wanted for questioning in the case, Albany police officials said.
Elvin “Al” Pierce was found dead by officers around 9:10 p.m. Friday after a 911 caller reported a man was unconscious and not breathing. Investigators at that time said the circumstances surrounding his death were suspicious.
APD said Pierce’s roommate, 42-year-old Elizabeth Nicole Tyler Jimenez, wasn’t there at the home when officers found Pierce dead and they don’t know where she is. Authorities did not specifically state whether Jimenez is a suspect or if there are any charges against her.
Pierce’s car, a tan 2004 Buick Park Avenue with Oregon license plate 081FAX, is also missing.
Jimenez, who investigators believe is currently without a job, is described as often visiting local soup kitchens. She also has skills as a masseuse and a seamstress, officials said.
Anyone with information is urged to contact APD at 541-917-7680 or APD Lt. Buck Pearce at 541-917-3209.
JCSO received a call Thursday regarding a vehicle that had been left in the parking lot north of the Gold Hill Sports Park, according to a JCSO press release. Upon arrival, deputies discovered that the vehicle was rented by Walzer. JCSO Search and Rescue responded and completed a search of this area along the Rogue River. Neither Walzer nor any additional clues were located.
This is a busy recreational area which leads authorities to believe Walzer was most likely seen or contacted by someone.
“Walzer was in a silver Nissan pickup truck and most likely had a full-size camera,” the press release reads. “Investigation indicates Walzer may have left his vehicle over a week ago on Friday February 18.”
Walzer is 6’2” 220 lbs with brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen waring a blueish-gray button up shirt and blue jeans.
If you have any information or have seen Walzer, please contact Sgt. Shawn Richards at 541-774-6800.
Klamath County Sheriff’s Office Asks for Public’s Help in Search For Trucker Suspect
The first real clue to come in on all the missing person cases in the area. Help Klamath Falls Oregon Sheriff Office ID this trucker. He was the last to see this woman alive and could be the key to not only solving this woman’s disappearance but a number of the hundred other women missing in PNW. IF you have any information, please call (541) 883-5130
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.
https://www.facebook.com/pg/Have-You-Seen-Me-Southern-Oregons-Missing-People-161249961222839/posts/