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, July 7, 2022
Rogue Valley Weather
SWAT Responds to Armed Barricaded Domestic Assault Suspect in Central Point
Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) SWAT, Crisis Negotiators Team (CNT), and detectives were called out early this morning for an armed, barricaded subject following a domestic assault.
JCSO Patrol deputies responded to a 911 call for a domestic assault at 2:27 a.m. on the 6000 block of Table Rock Road and the armed subject barricaded. The suspect has prior assaults on the same victim.
JCSO is working through contingency plans to create an environment and opportunity for the suspect to give up and be arrested. SWAT and CNT have made multiple notifications, and flash bang distraction devices have been deployed.
In an abundance of caution neighboring residences have been evacuated. This scene is active, please avoid the area while the situation is ongoing. JCSO Case 22-3851 Jackson Co. Sheriff’s Office
Medford Water Commission Says It Is Working To Fix Strange Smell And Taste To Tap Water
The Medford Water Commission says it is working to fix the strange smell and taste that has been reported to be coming from the tap water. The reason for the musty smell and taste is that the commission’s Ozone treatment system is currently under repair.
According to the Medford Water Commission, the Ozone treatment system is the part of the water purification process that gets rid of any odors or taste in the water. Every summer when the water heats up due to higher temperatures, there is typically more organic material that evaporates in the water, resulting in an extra-strong smell. This year, the Ozone treatment system isn’t working to help with that.
“What’s different this summer than the past summers is that our Ozone equipment is currently being rebuilt,” said Ben Klayman, the water quality and treatment manager at the Medford Water Commission. “We have an Ozone treatment system that is designed to improve the taste and odor of the water — that’s specifically what it’s for — and that’s offline right now for repairs.”
Even though the Ozone treatment system is down right now, the water is still safe to drink. During the summer, water for the Rogue Valley comes from the Rogue River. Right now, the water is still being treated with the same filters and chemicals as usual. Even so, some members of the community have certainly noticed the strange smell.
“I didn’t pick up on it right away,” said Sellar Nugent, who lives in Eagle Point. “But, it started to smell like sewer and when you fill up a glass, it wasn’t crystal clear like it normally is.”
The Medford Water Commission said the ongoing global supply chain crisis is preventing them from repairing its Ozone treatment system right away. That being said, the commission is working to get the issue fixed as soon as possible. In the meantime, Klayman said there are some things to do at home that can help reduce any strange smells or taste in the water.
“Folks like to fill up a pitcher of water and keep that in the refrigerator,” said Klayman. “Keeping that water cold will keep those odors from evaporating.”
Another way to reduce any odors from evaporating in the water is to let the cold water tap run for a while before filling up a glass. Klayman recommends letting the cold water tap run between 30 seconds and two minutes, or however long it takes to notice the temperature drop.
UPDATE: Commercial motor vehicle collision closes Interstate 5 near Ashland
On Tuesday, July 5, 2022 at approximately 6:26 PM, Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a two commercial motor vehicle crash on Interstate 5 southbound near milepost 11.
Preliminary investigation revealed southbound traffic had slowed to approximately 35 miles per hour when a white International CMV, operated by Theresa Thompson (58) of Albany, rear-ended a Freightliner CMV, operated by Kirpal Singh (50) of Ontario, Canada. Both CMV’s were fully loaded with plywood which spilled onto the Interstate.
Thompson was extricated and transported to an area hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. Singh was uninjured.
Interstate 5 southbound traffic was detoured for approximately 10 hours. Lanes are currently open for southbound traffic. OSP was assisted by Dick’s Towing and ODOT.
Forums For Funding Josephine County Law Enforcement Scheduled
Josephine County Commissioner Herman Baertschiger will host a series of law enforcement forums throughout the county beginning July 11.
The first forum will take place at 6 p.m. on July 11 at Wild River Pizza, 249 North Redwood Highway in Cave Junction.
The second will be 6 p.m. on July 12 in Merlin Community Park, 100 Acorn St. in Merlin.
The final forum will be held at 6 p.m. on July 13 at the Anne Basker Auditorium in Grants Pass.
The forums will be an opportunity to discuss funding options for law enforcement in Josephine County. Potential avenues being explored include an ordinance imposing a tax on retail sales, an ordinance imposing a commercial activity privilege tax, and a levy.
Ashland Police Department Brings Back Its Volunteer In Police Services Program
The Ashland Police Department has brought back its Volunteer In Police Services program. If you are retired or just simply want to help out the community of Ashland, this program engages citizens in the safety monitoring of the community.
“They do a lot of stuff that if not for them would be left to the already overworked police and general city staff,” said Tighe O’Meara, Police Chief. “You know if you’re going out of town for vacation you can call the PD and say I want to put my house on the vacation checklist and the volunteers will take that.”
There are currently 7 members in the program but they are looking to extend it back to 20-30 members as they have done in years past.
“Leading up until the 4th of July parade we started to bring them [volunteers] back, we had a new volunteer step up into the volunteer coordinating position, Adam Lemon and we’re trying to bolster the ranks,” O’Meara said.
Help from community events, vacation home check-ins, bike patrols, meaning the information center downtown to even helping with District Attorney currier run from Ashland, Talent, Phoenix and Medford.
“There are several different things that volunteers can do that are meant to lighten the load off of police staff and city staff in general,” O’Meara said.
FOR MORE INFO: https://www.ashland.or.us/Page.asp?NavID=141&Print=True
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/3HnZ50JPVNX
Democratic governor nominee Tina Kotek has contracted COVID-19, she announced Tuesday afternoon on Twitter.
She’s one of more than 7,000 Oregonians to test positive for COVID during the past seven days, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It has classified 24 of Oregon’s 36 counties as “high” risk for the disease and recommended that Oregonians in those counties resume wearing masks indoors to limit spread.
A spokeswoman did not immediately respond to texted questions about where Kotek might have contracted COVID. She spent the past several days campaigning and traveling in Oregon, according to Twitter photos, including taking in a Portland Pickles baseball game, hiking at Silver Falls State Park near Silverton and marching in the Hillsboro Fourth of July parade.
One Year After Bootleg Fire: Oregon’s Third Worst Wildfire In Modern History
On July 6th 2021 the Bootleg Fire, Oregon third’s largest wildfire in modern history, erupted onto the scene in Klamath & Lake Counties, destroying more than 413,000 acres, after more than a month of burning, and 164 homes with it.
For many, the weeks and months ahead of them would be forever changed, but for some hope is returning, as what was once lost is now returning.
To help those who were impacted during the fire, people from around the surrounding community like Leda Hunter, President of the Bly Community Action Team, Relief Angels, the Baptist Church on Homedale and many more have stepped in to help.
“Relief Angels was out here pretty much for the last here and they’re still here helping people out,” said Ford. “Everybody has been able to put a little bit out to help those other people.”
Even with the help, Ford and many others have had to push through one hurdle after the next because of the Bootleg Fire, even during the winter months.
“We had a very substantial winter,” said Ford. “We had a lot of wind, we had a lot of snow blowing around and trees blowing over that were killed. We were on our own.”
But despite the hardships, Ford and many others like him in the Sycan Estates community continue to press on, in the hope that one day life will truly return to normal.
$6 million in grants helping Oregon fire service staff up this summer
SALEM, Ore. – To boost capacity within the Oregon fire service, the Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal (OSFM) has awarded $6 million in grants to the structural fire service to hire firefighting staff during the 2022 wildfire season.
The OSFM is excited to announce that 180 local fire districts and departments across Oregon were awarded $6 million in grant funding to support staffing through the 2022 wildfire season. As part of the OSFM’s Response Ready Oregon Initiative, this grant opportunity was available to all 306 local fire districts and departments.
“Our office has heard from multiple fire chiefs across Oregon who say this funding will have a profound, positive impact in communities across the state,” Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said. “Agencies will be able to have additional paid firefighters at the ready during these critical summer months. This will help to keep fires small and away from communities.”
The grant aims to bolster capacity within the Oregon fire service and the Oregon Fire Mutual Aid System (OFMAS). The OSFM uses OFMAS to mobilize the Oregon fire service to incidents like wildfire and floods to help protect Oregonians, their homes, and critical infrastructure.
Local fire agencies were able to request up to $35,000 to support staffing during this critical time of year. This additional funding will increase on-duty capacity throughout the 2022 fire season at the local level and allow agencies to mobilize quickly to fires at the local, regional, and state (conflagration) levels.
“The community of Chiloquin Fire & Rescue and our mutual aid partners in Klamath County will benefit greatly. The recent 242 and Bootleg fires ravaged our communities, highlighting the need for a robust firefighting force, available anytime,” Chiloquin Fire & Rescue Chief Mike Cook said. “This grant will provide us the capability of using trained students, overtime staff, and volunteers during future events.”
Using this grant, Chiloquin Fire & Rescue plans to staff two Type 6 engines or one Type 3 and a Type I tender throughout the 2022 fire season.
“Saturday, July 2nd was the first day our additional staff was on shift,” Cook said. “We had a smoke report that turned out to be a fire in heavy timber. The engine staffed through this grant was able to get the fire under control and turn it over to the Oregon Department of Forestry. This is proof the program is viable and a great addition to the small rural departments.”
Funding for this up staffing grant opportunity was made possible through the Oregon Legislature and Senate Bill 762.
ABOUT RESPONSE READY OREGON — The OSFM’s Response Ready Oregon initiative was created to help bolster capacity and modernize wildfire response within the Oregon Fire Mutual Aid System (OFMAS). The goal of Response Ready Oregon is to attack fires while they are small and keep them away from communities. To learn more about the OSFM or Response Ready Oregon, visit oregon.gov/osp/programs/sfm.
Oregon State Police Ready for World Athletics Championships
Oregon is excited to welcome the world!
The State of Oregon, along with Travel Oregon and the University of Oregon will host the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 and welcome 2,000 of the world’s best track and field athletes from over 200 countries to #Oregon.
For the first time, the World Athletics Championships will take place on U.S. soil. There is no better place for Team USA to compete than at Hayward Field.
Visit www.Worldchampsoregon22.com to learn more about the events happening July 15-24, 2022, at the newly reimagined Hayward Field at the University of Oregon in Eugene.
With so many people coming to visit from all over the world, let us show them how enjoyable Oregon is. That means helping our visitors travel safely around our state.
Be prepared for an increase in motor vehicles on Oregon’s highways- give yourself extra time to get to your destination whether it be to work, the store, or the #WCHOregon22.
Know before you go- use www.tripcheck.com to know about any traffic delays, crashes, or construction projects.
Always obey the rules of the road- everyone deserves to get to their destination safely.
Like your momma always said, “Let’s be on our best behavior while we have guests in our home.”
#HighwaySafety #RulesoftheRoad #YourOregonStatePolice
3 Ballot Measures Certified for Vote In 2022
As of July 6, 2022, 3 statewide ballot measures were certified for the ballot in Oregon in 2022.
On the ballot:
Measure 1: Right to Healthcare Amendment
Description: Amends the Oregon Constitution to add that the state “ensure that every resident of Oregon has access to cost-effective, clinically appropriate and affordable health care as a fundamental right”
Measure 2: Remove Slavery as Punishment for Crime from Constitution Amendment
Description: Repeals language allowing slavery or involuntary servitude as criminal punishments and authorizes an Oregon court or a probation or parole agency to order alternatives to incarceration for a convicted individual
Measure 3: Exclusion from Re-election for Legislative Absenteeism Initiative
Description: Excludes state legislators from re-election for unexcused legislative absenteeism
Click here for more details.
Fatal Crash on Hwy 38-Douglas County
On Tuesday, July 5, 2022, at about 12:30 p.m., Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to multi-vehicle, serious injury, blocking crash on Highway 38 near milepost 25.
Preliminary investigation revealed a tan Toyota Corolla, operated by Cedric Lossing (24) of Myrtle Point, was traveling east overtaking a motorhome in the passing lanes when it crossed the centerline and crashed head on into a westbound Jeep Cherokee, operated by Cathy Fore (60) of North Bend. A red Peterbilt dump truck, operated by David Buoy (60) of Clatskanie, was traveling westbound following the Jeep Cherokee and attempted to avoid the collision by steering into the eastbound lane where it crashed through an eastbound bumper-pulled Winnebago travel trailer pulled by a Grey Ford F150, operated by Timothy Prulheire (70) of Grants Pass. The grey Ford F150 traveled into the westbound lane where it collided with a blue Kenworth dump truck, operated by Dillan Bloomer (27) of Clark Fork, Idaho, pulling a flatbed utility trailer hauling a grader.
Cedric Lossing was transported to RiverBend Hospital in Eugene. Cathy Fore and a passenger in the Jeep, Patrick Culbertson (70) of Myrtle Point, were transported to RiverBend Hospital in Eugene. Patrick Culbertson sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased at RiverBend. David Buoy and Dillon Bloomer were uninjured. Timothy Prulheire and his passenger, Joan Prulhiere (81) of Grants Pass, reported minor injury but declined medical treatment at the scene.
Hwy 38 traffic remained open while Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit members investigated the scene.
OSP was assisted by Scottsburg Fire Department, Reach Air Ambulance, North Douglas Fire and Ambulance, Kellogg Fire Department, Elkton Fire Department and ODOT.
Oregon Historical Society Celebrates Hatfield Centennial July 12 with Free Admission, Special Guests, and Root Beer Floats
Plus, Senator Hatfield’s oral history interview to be released to the public for the first time through OHS Digital Collections
On Tuesday, July 12 — what would have been Senator Mark O. Hatfield’s 100th birthday — the Oregon Historical Society (OHS) will commemorate the Hatfield Centennial at a special event in downtown Portland. A brief program will begin at 11am in the Oregon Historical Society’s pavilion (1200 SW Park Avenue, Portland) where former Oregon governors Barbara Roberts and Ted Kulongoski, and OHS Boyle Family Executive Director Kerry Tymchuk, will share their memories of working with Senator Hatfield. The program will also include remarks from Oregon Health & Science University president Dr. Danny Jacobs, who will speak on the senator’s impact on OHSU, and Willamette University board secretary Sean O’Hollaren, who will officially announce the opening of the Hatfield Archives at Willamette University. Following the program, attendees can enjoy root beer floats — Senator Hatfield’s favorite — featuring ice cream donated by Salt & Straw. Admission to the Oregon Historical Society’s museum will be free all day.
The traveling exhibit, The Call of Public Service: The Life and Legacy of Mark O. Hatfield, which premiered at OHS one year ago on July 12, 2021, before traveling to museums and heritage organizations around the state, will also be back on view at OHS. The exhibit, which focuses on the lasting impression the senator had on Oregon and the nation, features three pop-up kiosks that highlight the issues Hatfield championed: healthcare, education, equal rights, the environment, and world peace. The exhibit is available to rent at no cost through the end of 2022, thanks to a generous sponsorship from the Samuel S. Johnson Foundation.
The centennial celebration also coincides with the release of the senator’s official oral history, which was restricted from public release until Hatfield’s 100th birthday. The Hatfield interviews are part of a decades-long OHS initiative, the Oregon Legislature Oral History Project, which was conducted between the late 1980s and early 2000s and documents the stories of state officials who served between about 1960 and 1998. The senator’s interviews will go live on the OHS Digital Collections website (digitalcollections.ohs.org) on Tuesday, July 12, alongside twenty-four oral history interviews with Hatfield’s congressional aides, staff, and advisors that are currently available on OHS Digital Collections.
In a remarkable forty-six-year career in elected office, Mark O. Hatfield earned a reputation as the most respected and influential politician in Oregon’s history. First elected as an Oregon State Representative in 1950 at the age of twenty-eight, Hatfield never lost an election and would go on to serve Oregon as a state senator, secretary of state, governor, and a United States senator.
“I am one of hundreds of Oregonians who served as a college intern in Senator Hatfield’s office and am incredibly fortunate to have called him a mentor and a friend,” said OHS Boyle Family Executive Director Kerry Tymchuk. “In these often-polarizing times, let us all remember these words of Senator Hatfield: ‘All of us need each other, all of us must lift and pull others as we rise, all of us must rise together — powerful, free, one self-determined people.’”
About the Oregon Historical Society
For more than a century, the Oregon Historical Society has served as the state’s collective memory, preserving a vast collection of artifacts, photographs, maps, manuscript materials, books, films, and oral histories. Our research library, museum, digital platforms & website (www.ohs.org), educational programming, and historical journal make Oregon’s history open and accessible to all.We exist because history is powerful, and because a history as deep and rich as Oregon’s cannot be contained within a single story or point of view.
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