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
Wednesday, April 27, 2022
Rogue Valley Weather
Gold Hill Structure Fire Destroys Mobile Home as JCSO Evacuates Park and FD3 Saves Other Homes
GOLD HILL, Ore. – Early Tuesday morning, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) assisted Jackson County Fire District 3 and Medford Fire at the Gold Hill Mobile Estates for a fully engulfed mobile home. At 3:05 a.m., ECSO Dispatch received a call for a structure fire at a mobile home park on the 700 block of 2nd Avenue in Gold Hill.
Upon arrival, multiple mobile homes were threatened and JCSO evacuated the surrounding homes and shut down 2nd Avenue. Most occupants had self-evacuated, and only the homeowner of the engulfed trailer needed medical treatment for smoke inhalation.
Fire Dist. 3 was able to knock down the fire and prevent it from spreading to the surrounding trailers in close proximity. Two additional homes received some structural damage due to melting and the engulfed mobile home and several vehicles were a total loss.
The homeowner advised he did not have working smoke alarms inside his home and was awakened by smoke filling his residence. The smoke was thick so he crawled out by feeling his way toward the door just in time before it became fully engulfed. The home owner said he was using two space heaters inside the home. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Jackson Co. Sheriff’s Office
Bear Aware Warnings Issued in Ashland
ODFW and the Ashland Police Department have an annual message for Ashland residents and visitors: ‘Be Bear Aware.’
ODFW and Ashland Police Department
urge residents to be bear aware.
Although recent weather has been cooler, bears are becoming more active and have begun leaving forested areas to search for food.
The City of Ashland typically experiences a high level of bear conflict yearly, usually peaking during spring when hungry bears look for an easy meal in city neighborhoods. So far this year, ODFW received four nuisance bear complaints.
In 2021, ODFW logged 62 complaints (down from 103 in 2020) about bears inside city limits including aggressive actions, nuisance behaviors, and loss of wariness. Most of these incidents resulted from access to garbage, bird seed, compost, and other types of food rewards.
ODFW wildlife biologists urge people to “Be Bear Aware” and do their part to avoid creating situations that are dangerous for people and bears. Black bears are wild animals that can behave unpredictably and may quickly become a human safety problem if habituated to human food.
The best ways to keep bears and people safe is to prevent bears from getting food rewards. To keep wild bears wild, we ask Ashland resident to:
- Never feed bears.
- Put garbage cans out just before pick-up.
- Recology Ashland offers bear-resistant cans, call 541-482-1471.
- Keep pet food inside.
- Remove bird feeders.
- Keep BBQ grills clean or in garage.
- Clean up fruit under fruit trees.
If you encounter a bear:
- STOP: Never approach a bear at any time for any reason. If you see bear cubs, leave the area.
- GIVE IT SPACE: Give any bear you encounter a way to escape.
- STAY CALM: Do not run or make sudden movements. Face the bear and slowly back away.
- AVOID EYE CONTACT: Don’t make eye contact with the bear.
- DON’T RUN: It may encourage the bear to chase you.
- FIGHT BACK: In the unlikely event you are attacked, fight back, shout, be aggressive, use rocks, sticks and hands.
Report non-emergency bear activity in Ashland through the city’s bear reporting website or by calling ODFW directly at 541-826-8774.
Dial 911 if there is an immediate threat to human health and safety.For more information on living with bears, click here.
Update: Grants Pass Missing and Endangered Juvenile Located
Stacy has been located, safe and is being returned home. The GPPD would like to thank the citizens for their assistance in this matter and the numerous tips received.
On April 25, 2022, at approximately 2100 hours, it was reported that 12 year-old Stacy Ramos-Orellana ran away from her home in the area of SW H Street.
It was reported that Stacy has not been home for over 24 hours. She was last seen on foot wearing a black jacket with white stripes and black pants.
Stacy is juvenile Hispanic female, 5’1” and 100 lbs. Due to Stacy’s age, she is considered endangered.
Please contact the Grants Pass Police Department if she is located. 541-450-6260
Public input sought for Action Plan for $422 million in disaster recovery funding
Public hearings scheduled for May
Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) will publish on May 2 a draft Action Plan for a $422 million disaster recovery grant, funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The effort, which will be known as “ReOregon,” will support individuals, households, and communities continue to recover from the 2020 Labor Day Fires. This will be accomplished primarily by providing new permanent housing in the areas most impacted by the disaster.
In May, OHCS will seek public comment on the draft Action Plan for spending the funds, which will come in the form of a Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR). Members of the public will be invited to provide their input on the draft Action Plan in person at public hearings (see below), online, or via telephone.
“Feedback from the community plays a critical role in the development of the plan and recovery programs,” said Alex Campbell, chief external affairs officer for Disaster Recovery and Resiliency at Oregon Housing and Community Services. “That is why we want to make it easy for Oregonians to do so in whatever format works best for them. In particular, we are very interested to hear from fire survivors themselves and will be visiting four of the most-impacted counties to hold public hearings.”
A short summary of the key elements of the plan and the entire draft Action Plan itself will be made available for review on OHCS’ website at:
https://www.oregon.gov/ohcs/housing-assistance/Pages/CDBG.aspx.
Printed copies of the plan will be available by request.
“The draft Action Plan lays out our initial plan for how we will use CDBG-DR funding,” said Ryan Flynn, assistant director of Disaster Recovery and Resiliency at OHCS. “These funds will replace hundreds of lost housing units, particularly for low- and moderate-income families and individuals. The Action Plan also includes funding to build new public infrastructure to support that new housing development and help make communities better prepared to withstand future disasters.”
The programs in the draft Action Plan will ensure that the housing needs of very low-, low- and moderate-income (LMI) households and vulnerable populations are addressed to the greatest extent feasible. The proposed programs will help survivors who were renters prior to the disaster or who lost a home that they owned. The draft plan also includes funds to assist with rent payments while homes are built or rebuilt and to provide recovery counseling and legal aid services to address a range of barriers that survivors might face.
As part of the public comment process, OHCS will hold a series of public hearings to provide information on the plan and obtain feedback and comments during a 30-day public comment period. The schedule is as follows:
| Oregon CoastCC-North Campus Monday, May 16, 2022Door: 5 p.m.Public hearing: 6 p.m.Community Room (#108)3788 SE High School Drive, Lincoln City | Gates Community Christ Church Tuesday, May 17, 2022Door: 5 p.m.Public hearing: 6 p.m.40070 Gates School Road, Gates | McKenzie RiverCommunity School Wednesday, May 18, 2022Door: 5 p.m.Public hearing: 6 p.m.“New” Gym51187 Blue River Drive, Vida | Talent Community Center Thursday, May 19, 2022Door: 5 p.m.Public hearing: 6 p.m.(Behind City Hall)104 E. Main St., Talent |
Prior to the hearings, OHCS officials will be on hand to answer questions about the draft Action Plan. Partners will also be on hand to connect survivors with resources and programs that are already available to assist with recovery. The hearings will include a short presentation by OHCS officials, followed by acceptance of public comments.
All of the information presented at the public hearings will be available on the ReOregon website at:
https://www.oregon.gov/ohcs/housing-assistance/Pages/CDBG.aspx. Spanish and ASL translation services will be available at all of the public hearings. OHCS will publish through a forthcoming press release how attendees can request any additional accommodations they may need.
In addition to providing comment in person, the public will be able to do so by e-mail, web form, phone, or mail. Those details will be provided when the draft Action Plan is published. All comments must be submitted to OHCS no later than 11:59 p.m.June 1, 2022.
After the 30-day public comment period, feedback will be incorporated into the plan before OHCS submits it to HUD for review and approval. As required by HUD, OHCS will respond to all comments received. The state’s deadline to submit its Action Plan is June 8, 2022. The Oregon State Housing Stability Council, OHCS’ governing body, will review and approve the final Action Plan at its June 3 meeting.
To learn more about the Community Development Block Grant funding process, timeline, and upcoming presentations, visit the OHCS website or sign up to receive e-mail notifications.
Oregon health officials launched a digital COVID-19 vaccine card this week.
Oregon launched a $2.45 million app this week aimed at making it easier to prove and verify that someone has been vaccinated against COVID-19, nearly a month later than previously promised and after pandemic restrictions have been lifted.
The project has been in the works since at least November, when Oregon health officials spoke about it to state lawmakers. In early March, the health authority said it was “on track” to launch it by the end of the month but the official rollout didn’t happen until Monday, whenthe agency announced on Twitter that people could sign up.
By 8 a.m. Tuesday, 1,425 people had registered, Oregon Health Authority spokesperson Rudy Owens said in an emailed response to questions.
The concept of an easy-to-use app with verifiable vaccine information had appeal earlier in the pandemic, when entering some or all businesses required wearing a mask or displaying vaccination certification, creating logistical challenges for some companies and concerns about fake vaccine cards.
But state officials earlier this year lifted requirements, prompting many, but not all, businesses to similarly stop masking measures or vaccination checks.
When asked, the Oregon Health Authority did not sayTuesday how many people it expects will use the tool. Nor did the spokesperson answer directly whether the cost of the project was justified for the number of people OHA expected would use the tool.
“The My Electronic Vaccine Card provides an equitable and accessible means for all individuals to maintain their important health records, while also providing a convenience factor that means residents don’t ever have to worry about not having or losing their cards if they need to use it,” Owens said.
Owens said Oregon worked closely with Washington and California in developing its app, which he said is available in 13 languages. Both those states’s vaccine verification systems saw high uptake, Owens said, pointing to a February Washington news release that said its system had been used to generate 1 million QR codes.
Oregon businesses, including bars, restaurants, movie theaters and live show venues can require proof of COVID-19 vaccination before allowing patrons inside. Until now, they have been relying predominantly on the paper cards people get when they get the shot or a photo of those cards stored on a cell phone.
OHA’s app provides people vaccinated in Oregon with another option — a digital QR code accessible by cell phone that, when scanned by a business, shows an individual’s name, date of birth, when they got vaccinated and which vaccine they received. The tool does not work for people who were vaccinated outside of Oregon.
To get the QR code, a person has to go to myelectronicvaccinecard.oregon.gov, provide their name, date of birth and the email or phone number they gave when getting vaccinated. Once OHA verifies the person is in their statewide vaccination records, the agency sends them a link with the QR code, which can then be stored on their phone as a photo, in a digital wallet or as a PDF file or printed out on paper. People can fill out an OHA form requesting help if the state doesn’t verify their vaccination status.
Businesses, in turn, can scan the QR code through a different app, such as SMART Health Card QR Code, which according to the company does not store users’ information.
The QR system will not be mandatory, and it is unlikely the digital card will replace existing methods businesses accept for proof of vaccination.
While venues such as the Moda Center stopped requiring proof of vaccination to attend Portland Trail Blazers games, others have maintained the practice.
Some shows at the Portland’5 Centers for the Arts, for example, still require patrons to show proof of vaccination and will almost certainly continue to accept regular vaccine cards as proof, said Executive Director Robyn Williams.
“It’s mostly an equity issue. Not everyone is going to have the resources for a computer and the wherewithal to log on” and register for the card, Williams said. “I think the shows are going to want to be flexible.”
For more information, including COVID-19 data by county, visit our dashboard: http://ow.ly/PObn50ISJPY
The number of identified coronavirus cases increased in Oregon for a fourth consecutive week, according to state data released Monday. The 48% increase in weekly confirmed or presumed infections marked the second consecutive week with nearly 50% growth, pushing identified cases to their highest levels since late February. But Oregon remains far below the case and hospitalization numbers seen during late 2020, summer 2021 and this year’s omicron surge. And the current rise in infections isn’t expected to have the kind of dire consequences as the delta and omicron waves did.
Meanwhile, the spread of COVID-19 in the nation’s capital reached Oregon yesterday. The office of U.S. Senator Ron Wyden says Oregon’s senior U.S. Senator has the virus.
The Biden Administration says today U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris also has tested positive for COVID-19. Neither President Joe Biden nor first lady Jill Biden was considered a “close contact” of Harris in recent days. The White House said Tuesday Harris tested positive with both rapid and PCR tests, and it said she “has exhibited no symptoms. Harris will isolate at her residence but continue to work remotely and would only return to the White House once she tests negative for the virus.
Ballots Getting Mailed Out for Oregon’s May Primary Election
Starting Wednesday, Oregon ballots will be mailed out for the May primary. As we approach the voter registration deadline at midnight Tuesday, April 26, this year’s primary features a big change when it comes to mailing your ballot.
You can update your mailing address at the website to make sure you get your ballot — Oregon is an all mail-in ballot state.
You will likely get your ballot in the mail in the next week, and it may look different than the one someone else gets in your household, especially if you are a registered unaffiliated voter — meaning not registered with a particular party.
You can also change your registration before midnight to one of the major parties, vote for partisan candidates, then change back after the election.
This primary is Oregon’s first where your ballot doesn’t have to be at elections offices by 8 p.m. on election day. It just has to be postmarked by election day.
With Oregon’s primary election just a few weeks away, ballot security is top of mind for county clerks statewide.
After the 2020 election, Homeland Security visited election offices in Oregon. Clackamas County Clerk Sherry Hall said they assessed the facilities team and worked with the IT Department ahead of this year.
“We file a security plan every January with the secretary of state, and they approve it, and it’s not a public record,” Hall said.
During a tour of the Multnomah County Election Office on Tuesday, Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan referred to the election system as unhackable.
“The DMV checks the age and citizenship for every single registered voter in Oregon and verifies that. Number two, there is a unique bar code on every single ballot envelope. No two ballot envelopes are the same. That unique bar code is also tied to every registered voter, uniquely, in Oregon,” Fagan said.
Other states, like Florida, are now moving forward with plans for an election crimes police unit.
In Washington County, the election public affairs coordinator said that likely would not be necessary in Oregon.
“I think we just have the type of system that is easy and convenient for voters to vote from the comfort of their homes and as far as needing that kind of system, I haven’t heard too much from our officials about whether we need that or not,” Silvia Pereida said.
Hall said with election season looming, her next concern is misinformation.
“When people are needing information about elections, they need to come to the elections office, or the secretary of state. They need to get their information from a trusted source rather than listening to gossip on the street,” she said.
Clackamas also restricted badge access at the election office just in the last two weeks, ensuring that all people go through the front desk before entering the building.
Counties in southern Oregon still have a ways to go to recoup all the jobs lost during the start of the coronavirus pandemic, according to new state labor data released Thursday. However, it’s a much different story just 135 miles north in the Bend/Redmond area.
Central Oregon’s hospitality sector continues to struggle to fill job openings, and near-record-low unemployment and rising inflation could impact Central Oregon’s summer tourist season.
Oregon Employment Department Regional Economist Damon Runberg says we’ve entered what’s called a wage-price spiral. The March jobs data shows that Klamath County has Oregon’s highest unemployment rate and local jobs are still down 3% from pre-pandemic levels.
Klamath’s unemployment rate is 5.3% down from 5.5% in February. Interestingly in Central Oregon, levels of hiring demand in anticipation of the summer season are far in excess of anything ever seen in history in Central Oregon. In
Central Oregon, there were over 3100 job ads in March, which is a 12% year-over-year increase from what it was last March. And the kicker is, that’s an 85% increase in job ads compared to what it was in March 2019.
Washington County Man Arrested After Running From Law Enforcement in Douglas County
TOKETEE, Ore. – A wanted Washington County man has been arrested and lodged in the Douglas County jail following a short vehicle pursuit and a subsequent manhunt.
On Monday, April 25, 2022, shortly before 10:00 am, Douglas County 911 dispatchers received a call from a man at Toketee Falls reporting he had observed a man loitering in the parking lot next to the caller’s vehicle with a jug filled with yellow liquid. He later discovered his fuel lines had been cut. The caller observed the suspect leave in a silver Toyota Tacoma. A deputy responded to take the report. While the deputy was obtaining information from the victim, a Forest Service law enforcement officer observed the suspect vehicle a short distance away. Law enforcement learned the suspect vehicle had previously been reported stolen out of Beaverton, Oregon.
Law enforcement attempted to conduct a traffic stop with the suspect vehicle, which fled toward Highway 138E. After a brief vehicle pursuit, the suspect pulled over in the middle of the westbound lane of 138E and ran from the car and swam across the North Umpqua River.
A perimeter was established and K9 Eros was dispatched to the scene. K9 Eros tracked the suspect’s scent down a trail eastbound from his point last seen, locating several articles of the suspect’s clothing. Another deputy, assigned to the Diamond Lake area, was staged holding perimeter at the opposite end of the trail. Eventually the suspect walked toward the staged deputy’s location and was taken into custody without further incident.
The male initially refused to identify himself and denied any involvement in the incident. He was transported to the Douglas County Jail where he was identified as 29-year-old Aubra Carl Rasmussen of Beaverton. Rasmussen had four warrants for his arrest out of Washington County. In addition to the warrants, he was lodged on the following charges:
- Attempt to Elude Police – Vehicle
- Attempt to Elude Police – Foot
- Possession of a Stolen Vehicle
- Reckless Driving
- Criminal Mischief II
- Theft III
Fatal Crash on Interstate 5-Douglas County
On Monday, April 25, 3033 at approximately 2:28 PM, Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a single vehicle crash on Interstate 5 near milepost 119.
Preliminary investigation revealed a northbound red Ford Ranger pickup, operated by Daniel Charon (65) of Roseburg, left the roadway while negotiating a curve. After traveling a short distance, the vehicle rolled, coming to rest on its roof.
Charon sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased.
OSP was assisted by Douglas County Fire District 2, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, and the ODOT. Oregon State Police
National Audubon says turning off lights can help birds migrate over Oregon
Every year, billions of birds migrate north in the spring and south in the fall, the majority of them flying at night, navigating with the night sky. However, as they pass over big cities on their way, they can become disoriented by bright artificial lights and skyglow, often causing them to collide with buildings or windows. Around 7.3 million birds are expected to fly over Oregon on one night alone.
While lights can throw birds off their migration paths, bird fatalities are more directly caused by the amount of energy the birds waste flying around and calling out in confusion. The exhaustion can then leave them vulnerable to other urban threats.
Dozens of species are affected, including priority species—those we have identified as most in need of and most likely to benefit from our help— such as the Allen’s Hummingbird, Wood Thrush, and Golden-winged Warbler. Just one building can cause major problems for birds in the area; within one week in 2017, nearly 400 passerines (warblers, grosbeaks, etc.) were caught in the floodlights of a 32-story Texas skyscraper and killed via window collisions.
Audubon’s Lights Out program is a national effort to reduce this problem.
The strategy is simple: by convincing building owners and managers to turn off excess lighting during the months migrating birds are flying overhead, we help to provide them safe passage between their nesting and wintering grounds.
Contribute to Lights Out
- Turn off exterior decorative lighting
- Extinguish pot and flood-lights
- Substitute strobe lighting wherever possible
- Reduce atrium lighting wherever possible
- Turn off interior lighting especially on higher stories
- Substitute task and area lighting for workers staying late or pull window coverings
- Down-shield exterior lighting to eliminate horizontal glare and all light directed upward
- Install automatic motion sensors and controls wherever possible
- When converting to new lighting assess quality and quantity of light needed, avoiding over-lighting with newer, brighter technology
FOR MORE INFO: https://www.audubon.org/lights-out-program
Grants Pass Missing Person
The Grants Pass Police Department is seeking assistance from the public in locating 30 year old Noah Baker. Baker was despondent after an argument and left his residence in Grants Pass driving a silver Ford Fiesta with Oregon Plate 671MUR.
Baker is described as a white male adult, 5’09”, 170 lbs, brown hair and blue eyes and was last seen wearing black sweats, black shirt, black shoes and a black hat.
If anyone knows of his whereabouts or sees Baker, please call your local law enforcement agency or the Grants Pass Police at 541-450-6260. Reference case #2022-14203 Grants Pass Police Department
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
https://www.facebook.com/pg/Have-You-Seen-Me-Southern-Oregons-Missing-People-161249961222839/posts/