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, June 10, 2022
Rogue Valley Weather
Oregon State Police Drug Enforcement Team Shut Down Another Illegal Marijuana Grow Operation In Jackson County
On June 8, 2022, the Oregon State Police Southwest Region Drug Enforcement Section team served an illegal marijuana search warrant in the 13000 block of Hwy 62, Eagle Point, Jackson County. As a result, 5,038 illegal marijuana plants contained in eighteen greenhouses were seized. Five individuals were detained, identified, interviewed, and released.
The property had been leased for the sole purpose of illegal marijuana cultivation. Jackson County Code Enforcement also responded to the property for multiple code violations. A total of $58,000.00 dollars in fines were levied related to unapproved greenhouse structures, solid waste, and unpermitted electrical installations. The investigation is ongoing.
The OSP SWR DES team was assisted by the Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team (IMET) of the Medford Police Department and Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, as well as Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Oregon State Police
Medford PD Responds To Fatal Motor Vehicle Accident
On 6/8/22 at 10:39 P.M., patrol officers responded to the 600 block of Crater Lake Avenue to investigate a motor vehicle accident involving a pedestrian. Upon arrival, officers determined the accident involved one motorcycle and one pedestrian. The driver of the motorcycle suffered non-life threatening injuries and was transported to the hospital via ambulance for treatment. The pedestrian suffered fatal injuries and died at the scene.
The Medford Police Serious Traffic Accident Reconstruction team (STAR) and a Medford Police Detective responded to the scene to investigate the accident. Their investigation revealed the motorcycle was traveling south on Crater Lake Avenue when it collided with a pedestrian who was in the middle of the number 2 lane. The pedestrian was not crossing the street within a crosswalk. The incident was determined to be non-criminal and no arrests or citations were issued. Medford Police Dept.
State submits Action Plan to HUD for funding to help with recovery from 2020 Labor Day Fires
SALEM, Ore. — Oregon Housing and Community Services submitted an Action Plan for ReOregon to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on June 8. The ReOregon program will provide new resources to help survivors of the 2020 Labor Day Fires who have not yet been able to rebuild or find safe, affordable homes. The program will likely launch late this year or in early 2023.
The Action Plan describes how the state will spend $422 million of federal funding to support recovery from the 2020 Labor Day Fires in Clackamas, Douglas, Jackson, Klamath, Lane, Lincoln, Linn and Marion counties. The goal of the program is that all fire-impacted individuals and households have equitable access to the resources necessary to be housed safely, sustainably, permanently, affordably and in their housing of choice. There are no proof of citizenship or residency requirements and OHCS will seek opportunities to partner with culturally specific, community-based organizations to support survivors through application and recovery processes.
The core elements of the plan, which were refined through extensive public engagement in fire-impacted areas in May, are:
- A housing replacement program for homeowners who lost homes to the fires.
- A new homeownership program for fire survivors who were renters and displaced by the fires.
- A fund to support local priority projects to build new infrastructure, carry out mitigation activities, or support economic revitalization.
Other ReOregon programs include intermediate housing assistance, housing recovery services, and recovery planning, as well as services of rent support, housing navigation, legal assistance and case management.
There are programs available today for low- and moderate-income fire survivors that can help more immediately. All survivors of the 2020 Labor Day Fires are strongly encouraged to enroll with a disaster case manager who can help survivors create a recovery plan tailored to their situation. The disaster case manager hotline is 833-669-0554.
To learn more about the ReOregon Action Plan or to sign up for email updates as programs become available, please visit Re.Oregon.gov.
“Ready for Fire in 2022” Online Forum June 13th
Representative Pam Marsh will be hosting an online forum with various state fire agencies to help people plan and prepare to protect themselves and their property on Monday, June 13th. Both Spanish and ASL interpretations will be available.
The “Ready for Fire in 2022” will begin at 6 PM, Monday, June 13th.
Panelists will discuss emergency notifications, evacuation preparations, firefighting personnel and equipment, and
coordination among fire departments, municipalities, and agencies that are working to reduce risk.
Fire management leaders presenting include:
Holly Powers, Jackson County Emergency Manager
Chief Mariana Ruiz-Temple, Oregon State Fire Marshal
Chief Mike Shaw, ODF Fire Protection; Tyler McCarty, ODF
Southwest Oregon District Forester
Chief Bob Horton, Jackson County Fire Defense District
and
Merv George, Forest Supervisor, Rogue River-Siskiyou National
Forest
The virtual discussion will be held on Monday, June 13 at 6:00 p.m. The link to attend online is bit.ly/3ag1Bjd. The meeting link may also be accessed at https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/marsh.
DMV in Dire Need to Fill Job Openings in Your Area
The DMV has been experiencing the same shortage of applicants for job openings as other employers statewide and nationwide and is looking for applicants looking for a good and rewarding job.
“The people working at your local DMV live in your community – and could use your help.”
Apply for a job at ODOT today at www.odotjobs.com – select “Department of Transportation” under the Company menu.
We want to keep you informed about COVID-19 in Oregon. Data are provisional and change frequently. For more information, including COVID-19 data by county, visit our dashboard: http://ow.ly/xgHo50JtMhm
OHA releases COVID-19 vaccine Breakthrough Report
Oregon Health Authority’s most recent update on COVID-19 breakthrough cases, released today, reported 44,363 cases of infection during the month of May.
Of those cases, 21,100, or 47.6%, were unvaccinated people, and 23,246, or 52.4%, were vaccine breakthrough cases. Among the breakthrough cases, 14,506, or 62.4%, were fully vaccinated and boosted.
To date, there have been 233,873 COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough cases in Oregon. Of those cases, 69,105, or 29.5%, were fully vaccinated and boosted at the time of infection.
To date, 2.6% of all vaccine breakthrough cases have been hospitalized, and 0.6% have died. The median age of vaccinated people who died is 80.
COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective at protecting people from getting seriously ill, being hospitalized and dying. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends everyone age 5 years and older stay up to date with their vaccines, including getting boosters when they are eligible. The latest breakthrough report can be found here.
Oregon Rep. Kurt Schrader Was One of Just Two Democrats Who Voted Against Gun Control Bill Passed By The U.S. House
Oregon Rep. Kurt Schrader was one of just two Democrats who voted against a wide-ranging gun control bill passed by the U.S. House on Wednesday in response to the recent mass shootings in Buffalo, New York and Uvalde, Texas.
Schrader and Rep. Jarden Golden of Maine joined most Republicans in voting against the full package, which passed on a mostly party-line vote of 223-204.
Lawmakers not only voted on the entire package, but separately on the seven individual provisions in the bill. Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said in a letter last week that the House would vote on the provisions separately “to place Republicans on record on each of these issues relating to gun safety.”
Schrader voted against provisions seeking to raise the minimum age for purchasing a semi-automatic weapon and banning the use of high-capacity magazines. He did not vote on a provision that would create new safe-storage requirements for gun owners who have minors in their homes.
A spokesperson for Schrader did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.
The legislation included provisions that would raise the age limit for purchasing a semi-automatic rifle and prohibit the sale of ammunition magazines with a capacity of more than 15 rounds, among other provisions.
The bill has almost no chance of becoming law as the Senate pursues negotiations focused on improving mental health programs, bolstering school security and enhancing background checks. But the House bill does allow Democratic lawmakers a chance to frame for voters in November where they stand on policies that polls show are widely supported.
The push came after a House committee heard wrenching testimony from recent shooting victims and family members, including from 11-year-old girl Miah Cerrillo, who covered herself with a dead classmate’s blood to avoid being shot at the Uvalde elementary school.
Schrader, a seven-term Congressman, lost his reelection bid in the Democratic primary for the 5th Congressional District last month to Jamie McLeod-Skinner, a progressive Democrat from central Oregon. Whether she’ll end up replacing Schrader in Washington, D.C., will be decided in the general election in November.
President Joe Biden nominated Assistant U.S. Attorney Natalie Wight to become Oregon’s top federal prosecutor.
Wight was one of seven applicants and three finalists for the position, which requires confirmation by the U.S. Senate. If confirmed, she will direct 107 employees who prosecute federal criminal cases, defend the U.S. government in civil cases and collect debts owed to the federal government.
She has been an assistant U.S. attorney in Oregon since 2012 and did the same job in the Northern District of California from 2008 to 2012, according to the White House. Wight previously worked as an attorney for the Federal Bureau of Prisons from 2003 to 2008.
She received her law degree from the University of Notre Dame in 2003 and also holds a master’s degree from California State University and a bachelor’s degree from the College of Idaho. U.S. Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden said they strongly supported her nomination.
Rent Increases Nationwide
Rents are up significantly across the Pacific Northwest and Southern Oregon and northern California, but the most dramatic increases are being seen in Florida where housing costs are up as much as 30% over the past 12 months.
That is according to a new analysis of rental housing costs across the country.
Average rents across the region have increased between 14.9% in Boise to 10.4% in the San Francisco Bay Area over the past , according to analysis of annual price gains by Florida Atlantic University, Florida Gulf Coast University and the University of Alabama.
Parts of northern California, including San Jose and San Francisco, have the most expensive rents in the country with monthly housing costs in excess of $3,100 per month, according to April housing data from the universities.
In the Northwest, rental properties average $1,821 per month in Portland — up 12.6%.
Safeway/Albertsons Blames “Glitch” for Missing Wage Hike Timeline
UFCW Local 555 filed a class action grievance against Albertsons/Safeway for not meeting the timeline of its new contract.
United Food & Commercial Workers Union Local 555 filed a labor grievance last month against Albertsons and Safeway, alleging the company failed to increase wages in the time frame stipulated by a new contract.
Eshaia added that about 9,500 members throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington are impacted.
“Albertsons/Safeway has failed to implement wage increases by the time required by our contract,” Miles Eshaia, communications coordinator for UFCW Local 555, said in a statement. “UFCW Local 555 has filed a class action grievance demanding that they put the wage increases in place immediately and pay affected workers interest on the money they are owed.”
Jill McGinnis, director of communications and public affairs for Albertsons/Safeway, attributes the failed wage increases to a technology error.
“We regret the delay in our implementation. Unfortunately, this was due to an unforeseen glitch associated with a new technology platform we are using,” McGinnis wrote in an email to WW. “However, we remain committed to rectifying this situation so that impacted associates will receive the full amount owed as soon as possible.”
Wage increases were a point of contention between Albertsons/Safeway and UFCW Local 555 in the negotiations of their latest contract. The two sides were “very far apart on what is deemed an acceptable wage increase” in mid-November of 2021, according to a statement issued by the .
UFCW Local 555 announced the ratification of its three-year contract with Albertsons/Safeway in March. In addition to wage increases, the new contract included improved safety and workplace protections, retirement security, and the continuation of workers’ health plan.
High Desert Museum Welcomes New Baby Otter
An approximately 8-week-old North American river otter pup is now in the care of the High Desert Museum. Learn more below about this new addition.
Museum Curator of Wildlife Jon Nelson will be available to speak to reporters today from 2:30—3:30 pm. Please let Heidi Hagemeier know if that’s of interest. We will not at this time make the otter pup available for media viewing.
Photos may be credited to Jon Nelson/High Desert Museum.
BEND, OR — A new North American river otter, estimated to be approximately 8 weeks old, is now in the care of the High Desert Museum. While the male pup is not presently in public view with the other two otters at the Museum, the intent is to eventually introduce him into the Autzen Otter Exhibit.
The pup was found the week before Memorial Day weekend on a golf course near Sunriver. The otter, which was emaciated and severely dehydrated, was brought to the Museum temporarily for care while multiple wildlife professionals attempted to locate his mother. That search failed.
This week, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife determined that the otter should remain with the Museum.
“We don’t know exactly what happened to this otter, although we do know that without his parents he wouldn’t have survived in the wild,” said Museum Curator of Wildlife Jon Nelson.
“This was a unique situation where this otter pup does appear to have been legitimately orphaned,” Nelson continued. “This is the time of year when people will sometimes find young animals seemingly alone in nature. Often, though, the parent has only temporarily left the young in a secluded spot to feed or rest and plans to return. The best thing to do is leave the animal there and contact the local ODFW office to report it.”
The pup, which weighed 2.4 pounds on arrival, is gaining weight rapidly and getting healthier by the day. He presently weighs about 4.6 pounds.
Young otters like this can be very challenging to keep healthy. Museum staff are experienced and well-equipped to offer the specialized care this animal needed while attempts were made to locate his wild family. Successful long-term rehabilitation would require he be raised with other otter pups of the same age over eight to nine months. Unfortunately, that type of care is not currently available in Oregon. With the family having not been found over the course of more than a week of looking, long-term human care is now the pup’s best option.
Otters live approximately eight to nine years in the wild, and often longer in human care.
“Caring for a young otter is intense work, and our wildlife team has done an incredible job juggling bottle feedings around the clock,” said Museum Executive Director Dana Whitelaw, Ph.D.
This is not the first young otter to come into the Museum’s care. A pup found along the Metolius River was brought to the Museum in 2017, and wildlife staff raised it from about 7 weeks old.
That otter, a male named Pitch, resides in the Autzen Otter Exhibit with Brook, an approximately 10-year-old male. In March, a third river otter, Rogue, 12, was humanely euthanized after his health deteriorated rapidly.
The Museum cares for more than 130 animals, from otters to fish. All of the animals are non-releasable, either due to injuries or because they are habituated — they became too familiar with humans and possibly never learned how to hunt or avoid predators. At the Museum, they serve as ambassadors that educate about the conservation of High Desert species and landscapes.
ABOUT THE MUSEUM:
THE HIGH DESERT MUSEUM opened in Bend, Oregon in 1982. It brings together wildlife, cultures, art, history and the natural world to convey the wonder of North America’s High Desert. The Museum is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, is a Smithsonian Affiliate, was the 2019 recipient of the Western Museums Association’s Charles Redd Award for Exhibition Excellence and was a 2021 recipient of the National Medal for Museum and Library Service. To learn more, visit highdesertmuseum.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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