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
Monday, August 15, 2022
Rogue Valley Weather
Quick Action By Neighbors in Grants Pass Helped Keep Fire Contained
Quick action by neighbors and people passing by kept a fire in the 4700 block of Cloverlawn Drive to approximately 1/10th of an acre. Actions included using a tractor to build a line around the parameter, and pulling propane tanks off an RV within a few feet of the flames. Fire crews from Rural Metro Fire and ODF arrived within 6 minutes to complete the mop-up and overhaul. ODF is conducting the investigation.
This was another in a string of unrelated fires this week that involved intervention by good Samaritans. Firefighters appreciate the assistance when done so in a safe manner. To be the most-prepared when presented with a small fire situation, carry a shovel and at least a 2.5 pound fire extinguisher or 1 gallon of water. And whenever possible, make the call to 911 before taking action to avoid any delay in firefighter response.
Fires Along I-5 Tackled Quickly By ODF
Over the weekend ODF Southwest Oregon District responded to six small fires along I5 northbound between mile marker 45 and 58.
Numerous engines from ODF and our structural partners engaged in an aggressive initial attack.
All six fires have been caught and all flames are extinguished. The largest one was stopped at approximately a quarter of an acre.
Firefighters worked on mopping up each incident.
We have launched aircraft to do recon further north and so far, haven’t found any new fires. We’ll continue to monitor these areas throughout the day.
· 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘 The majority of the fires are 100% lined and 100% mopped up. The two largest fires, a quarter and 1/10th of an acre respectively, are 100% lined and 75% mopped up.
Investigators are on scene looking into the cause of these fires. When fires like this occur along the roadway, they’re typically from dragging chains that throw sparks or hot pieces of a catalytic converter that hit dry grass and ignite it.
We have sent engines further north to be available should any new fires be reported. This will be the final update unless conditions significantly change.
Suspect in Custody after Shady Cove Carjacking Leads to Attempted Kidnapping of Infant
SHADY COVE, Ore. – A suspect is in the Jackson County Jail today after attempting to steal a car with an infant inside. Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) deputies responded to a carjacking and attempted kidnapping at the Shady Cove Chevron gas station yesterday morning at 1045.
The suspect stole the victim’s running vehicle parked with her 1-year-old child inside. A few feet away the mother saw what was happening and ran to the car, opening the driver’s door and pleading with him to stop so she could get her child out. Knowing the infant was in the car he still attempted to flee with the mother hanging on the outside of the door. The mother fought with the suspect and was able to get him to stop in the middle of Hwy 62. The suspect fled the scene and JCSO deputies and a K-9 unit began to track him. He was located hiding under a tarp at the 21500 block of Hwy 62 and arrested.
The suspect, Jason Lee Cheatham, 33, of Bend, is charged with unlawful use of a motor vehicle, two counts of second-degree kidnapping, two counts of recklessly endangering, first-degree robbery, second-degree disorderly conduct, and harassment. He is lodged in the Jail under several Measure 11 felony charges and is not eligible for pre-trail release. Further information will come from the Jackson County District Attorney’s office. — JCSO Case 22-4662 Jackson Co. Sheriff’s Office
Fatal Crash Highway 238 — Josephine County
On August 10, 2022, at about 2:45 PM, Oregon State Police (OSP) Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a two-vehicle crash on Highway 238 near milepost 4.
Preliminary investigation revealed that a Toyota Camry, operated by, Braden Hales, age 34, from Williams, pulled out onto Highway 238 from Jaynes Drive and into the path of a northbound Ford F250 pickup, operated by Ed DeVos, age 56, from Williams. The vehicles crashed and came to rest on the shoulder of the roadway.
Hales was pronounced deceased at the scene by emergency personnel. A juvenile passenger in the Toyota Camry received non-life threatening injuries and was transported to Rogue Reginal Medical Center. DeVos was not injured.
OSP was assisted by Josephine County Sheriff’s Office, Mercy Flights, Rural Metro Battalion 5 and ODOT.
Make a plan: how to prepare in the event you test positive for COVID-19
If you test positive for COVID-19 and are at high risk for severe illness, treatments are available that can reduce your chances of being hospitalized, if taken within five days of symptom onset. You can help prepare yourself and your family by making a plan for yourself in the event you test positive for COVID-19, that way you can focus on resting and feeling better. Visit our blog for a printable guide that can help you make a plan: https://covidblog.oregon.gov/make-a-plan-how-to-prepare-in-the-event-you-test-positive-for-covid-19/
Here’s what to know about mosquitos and keep them at bay this summer.Mosquitoes carry diseases such as West Nile virus and can infect humans, horses and birds.Humans can only get the virus from the bite of an infected mosquito; the disease does not spread from other animals to humans, or from person to person.Most mosquito-borne infections are mild, with fever and flu-like symptoms, but severe infections may cause encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and rarely, death.To learn more, visit our West Nile Virus Prevention and Education website: http://ow.ly/sb1y30snj5W
Update on Wildfires in the Region
The Klamath National Forest says today crews working the McKinney Fire have 95% containment of the deadly Siskiyou County wildfire. It stays listed today at 60,392 acres in size.
Though it caused four deaths, its cause is under investigation as firefighters gain containment while hot, dry and windy weather conditions increase, risking potential new fires.
The U.S. Forest Service’s Klamath National Forest Office (KNF) says today hand crews and engines are focusing on the George Fire west of the Scott River where firefighters are strengthening the containment line and getting ready to begin suppression repair work in that area. It says firefighters will keep focus on a small section of fire containment line northeast of Collins Creek to strengthen its line enough to call that area contained.
Meanwhile, the Windigo Fire’s containment is up to 60% today. It has burned 1,007 acres along the Klamath-Douglas County line north of Crater Lake National Park.
Northwest Incident Management Team 6 (NIMT) says, “Firefighters took advantage of the extended period of gentler
weather on Saturday to improve lines on all fires.” It says crews will work direct today, utilizing dry mop up
operations to secure fire lines in the Windigo Butte area as, “Crews use dry mop up methods – mixing dirt into the ashes, when water isn’t available to cool down the burned edge of the fire.”
VIDEO of Potter Fire activity on the southwest corner. 8/13/2022 at 3pm before burnout operations. 20-minute time-lapse. https://www.facebook.com/WindigoPotterBigSwampFireInfo/videos/598503315161461
Windigo Fire is one of three wildfires burning in northeast Douglas County’s part of the Umpqua National Forest. NIMT says Lake View Hotshots successfully conducted a backburn on the southwest edge of the 425-acre Potter Fire yesterday, and today firefighters will conduct strategic firing operations using a drone, aiming to control fire growth on the west flank of the fire, while crews mop up to secure the Fire’s perimeter.
Fire behavior has been minimal on the #CedarCreekFire with more moderate temperatures, higher relative humidity and light winds. This flyover video was shot at 11:00 a.m. (August 12) by the Air Operations Branch Director on the northwest portion of the fire. https://www.facebook.com/CedarCreekFire2022/videos/747278233202429
Arrest Made in Catalytic Converter Crimes on West Coast
Police in suburban Portland said Thursday they arrested a crime ring leader responsible for trafficking more than 44,000 catalytic converters stolen from vehicles on the West Coast since 2021.
Detectives said they identified Brennan Doyle, 32, as the leader of the operation and searched his Lake Oswego home last week, along with seven other properties. The detectives seized over 3,000 catalytic converters hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, a high-end car and jewelry.
Doyle and his associates are accused of stealing catalytic converters from vehicles along the West Coast, Beaverton police spokesperson Matt Henderson said. The crime ring was centered around Portland, but spanned multiple Oregon counties as well as Washington state, Nevada, California, Texas and New York, he said.
The metals inside catalytic converters can sell for thousands of dollars per ounce. The street value of the parts stolen and trafficked was estimated to be over $22 million.
The crime ring shipped boxes of converters to the East Coast and internationally, Henderson said. Dozens, if not hundreds, of people may have been involved in the operation, he added, but declined to share more details because the investigation is ongoing.
Doyle was indicted on 72 different charges, including racketeering, aggravated theft, and money laundering. Police say one of his associates, Tanner Hellbusch of Beaverton, was caught with over 100 catalytic converters in March. He was indicted on 20 similar counts. It wasn’t immediately known if they have lawyers to comment on the case.
At least 12 other people face charges in connection within the operation, police said.
Person Struck and Killed in Klamath Falls
On Saturday August 13, 2022, at about 9:30 PM, Oregon State Police (OSP) Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a vehicle versus pedestrian crash on South Sixth Street near Hope Street in Klamath Falls.
Preliminary investigation revealed that an adult male pedestrian walked out into the roadway and stopped in the middle of the travel lane facing westbound traffic. A westbound Toyota pickup, operated by James Richardson-Lawson, age 38, from Klamath Falls, collided with the pedestrian.
The pedestrian was pronounced deceased at the scene by emergency personnel. Richardson-Lawson was uninjured and cooperated with investigators at the scene.
The name of the pedestrian is being withheld pending next of kin notification. OSP was assisted by Klamath County Sheriff’s Office and ODOT.
Klamath County Sheriff’s Office Raided Two Alleged Illegal Marijuana Grows Near Beatty
The Klamath County Sheriff’s Office raided two alleged illegal marijuana grows near Beatty on Thursday, Aug. 11.
The Sheriff’s Office said the raids netted 13,300 marijuana plants being grown in multiple greenhouses.
Police said the Southern Oregon operations might have stolen up to 600,000 gallons of water throughout several months. Police have accused other alleged illegal cannabis grows of illegally procuring water for greenhouses.
KCSO said the two grows in Beatty had alleged illegal marijuana valued at $60 million.
Marijuana is legal in Oregon, California and Washington state but high taxes on illegal weed and continued cannabis prohibitions at the federal level and other states including Idaho, Texas, Florida and Georgia drives demand for unregulated, unlicensed products. Beatty is located approximately 40 miles northeast of Klamath
Falls.
Veneta School District Employee Facing Child Pornography Charges
An employee with the Fern Ridge School District has been arrested, accused of making and distributing child pornography on the internet, the Lane County Sheriff’s Office said.
On Thursday, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children gave the sheriff’s office information that Kelsey Meta Boren, 31, of Veneta, Oregon, had been uploading child pornography to the internet.
Detectives served a search warrant for her Veneta home at about 8 p.m. that evening and say they found “evidence indicating that Boren has utilized the internet on numerous occasions to distribute and exchange pornographic images of children.”
They say they also found evidence that showed she had engaged in creating child pornography and uploaded it to the internet.
Boren works for the Fern Ridge School District, which is aware of the allegations. District officials say they are cooperating with the investigation.
“No children known to Boren through her employment have been identified as victims at this point,” the sheriff’s office said.
Boren was booked into the Lane County Jail on six counts of first-degree encouraging child sex abuse, six counts of second-degree encouraging child sex abuse, and one charge of using a child in display of sexually explicit conduct.
If you have any helpful information in the case, detectives want to hear from you at 541-682-4150 opt. 1.
Oregon Outdoor Recreation Committee Seeks Volunteers to Fill Vacancies
Two positions on the Oregon Outdoor Recreation Committee (OORC) are now open for volunteers to apply. The committee is recruiting for one member to represent the interests of people with disabilities and one member to represent members of an historically underrepresented community or tribal government.
The OORC evaluates, scores and ranks project applications for funding assistance from the Land and Water Conservation Fund Grant Program (LWCF). The nine-member committee is appointed by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department director. Each member serves a four-year term and may be eligible to serve a second term.
The OORC generally meets once a year, virtually or in Salem. The time commitment varies and duties include reviewing and evaluating an average of 15-20 grant applications each annual funding cycle. The OORC’s priority ranking list is forwarded to the director of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department and to the Oregon State Parks Commission.
Those interested in serving must submit an interest form to the LWCF program coordinator by Monday, Sept. 19. The form is available online at https://www.oregon.gov/oprd/GRA/Pages/GRA-lwcf.aspx#8
The Land and Water Conservation Fund Program is a competitive grant program funded by the National Park Service and administered by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. Grants are awarded to local governments, federally recognized tribal governments, and eligible state agencies for land acquisition, development, and rehabilitation projects for public outdoor recreation areas and facilities.
For more information about the advisory committee or application process, contact Nohemi Enciso, LWCF program coordinator, at nohemi.enciso@oprd.oregon.gov or 503-480-9092.
Women Missing Since May 1st 2022 between Medford, Grants Pass and Roseburg per Oregon State Police (Jackson, Josephine and Douglas County)
| MAKENNA KENDALL 5/3/2022 |
| ERICA LEE HUTCHINSON 5/26/2022 |
| MARIAH DANIELLE SHARP 6/12/2022 |
| KAITLYN RAE NELSON 6/14/2022 |
| BROOKLYN JOHNS 6/14/2022 |
| DONNA LEPP 6/27/2022 |
| BARBARA DELEPINE 7/4/2022 |
| ****KENDRA MARIE HANKS 7/7/2022 FOUND MURDERED 7/21/2022 |
| CORI BOSHANE MCCANN 7/8/2022 |
| SHYHAILA SMITH 7/12/2022 |
| ALEZAE LILYANNE MARTINEZ 7/13/2022 |
| RAVEN RILEY 7/13/2022 |
| TAHUANA RILEY 7/13/2022 |
| DANIELLE NEWVILLE 7/14/2022 |
| CONNIE LORAINE BOND 7/19/2022 |
| KARIN DAWN RUSSELL 7/19/2022 |
| CHEYENNE SPRINGS 7/19/2022 |
| KAREN ANNETTE SCIORTINO 7/22/2022 |
| MARLENE HICKEY 7/23/2022 |
| MAKAYLA MAY VAUGHT 7/23/2022 |
| WENDY JEAN HAZEN 7/26/2022 |
| SHAHE SOPHIA CATRANIDES 7/27/2022 |
| NAVEAH LEIGH BILYEU 8/1/2022 |
| DEBI ANN HARPER 8/3/2022 |
| CHARLIZE D GIBSON 8/3/2022 |
Women Missing Since May 1st 2022 in Lane County per Oregon State Police
| REISA RAQUEAL SIKEL 5/3/2022 |
| HANNAH MARIE RHOTEN 5/17/2022 |
| MARISSA ALEESA DAMBROSIO 5/18/2022 |
| ISABELLA BROSOWSKEYOUNGBLOOD 6/7/2022 |
| LOUISA DAY AVA 5/28/2022 |
| AMY CHRISTINA SULLIVAN 6/1/2022 |
| NIKKI ELIZABETH ZEREBNY 6/6/2022 |
| SHADOW STAR SEVIGNY 6/17/2022 |
| SHAUNA LEAH HOGAN 6/17/2022 |
| AIRIONNA CHEALSEY RHODES 6/27/2022 |
| KARISSA RENEE ADAMS 7/6/2000 |
| VERONICA ESSYNCE DELERIO 7/6/2022 |
| AUBRIE HANNA STEPHENS 7/10/2022 |
| LARA IVEY STEINMETZ 7/11/2022 |
| SARA LINDSAY SCHAEFER 7/12/2022 |
| ANGELINA MARIE NAZAR 7/16/2022 |
| LUCIA MARTHA PANNIER 7/17/2022 |
| MALINA LINN COATS 7/20/2022 |
| KATHY A VERNACCHIO 7/23/2022 |
| JANE MARIE HOLLIMAN 7/23/2022 |
| ASHLEY MARIE SEELEY 7/27/2022 |
| LILLY ANNE WARMUTH 7/28/2022 |
| MALINA LINN COATS 7/29/2022 |
| JORDYN CLARA GOHL 7/31/2022 |
| QAVAH ALAH TILLILIE 7/31/2022 |
| TALYNN RYLIE MERTZ 8/1/2022 |
| YASINIA CALLISTA GUTIERREZ 8/3/2022 |
As of 8/9/2022, there are now 51women missing between Medford and Eugene. Sadly Kendra Hanks has been found murdered, though that takes her off the list. We send thoughts and prayers to her family as well as the families of all missing people in our area.
51 women missing in just less than 3 1/2 months. That averages out to 15 missing per month. Something needs to be done.
This is just a small compilation of missing women and their pictures in the area. There are of course women missing all over Oregon and men and children missing too. We don’t mean to dismiss that, however, there is an inordinate amount of women who go missing each week and there could possibly be a connection with an anomaly or two here and there. Sadly most of them never get any attention. Family and friends must keep any information going and lead investigations so that they aren’t just forgotten.
https://www.oregon.gov/osp/missing/pages/missingpersons.aspx
https://www.facebook.com/pg/Have-You-Seen-Me-Southern-Oregons-Missing-People-161249961222839/posts/
