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, October 14, 2022
Rogue Valley Weather
UPDATE: Detectives Investigating Rural Central Point Murder Last Night Have Suspect in Custody
10-14-22 UPDATE: Next of kin has been notified. The victim of yesterday’s murder was Nicholas Steven Davis, 38, of Grants Pass. Our condolences go out to his friends and family.
JCSO Case 22-6002 — Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) deputies responded to a shooting last night at 12:24 a.m. on the 3500 block of Kirtland Road in rural Central Point. The shooter fled the scene and was located on I-5 South near Talent, Ore. The suspect eluded during a traffic stop and law enforcement initiated a pursuit. With the help of a successful spike by an Ashland Police Department officer, the suspect came to a stop at I-5 mile marker 13.5 south of Ashland and was taken into custody without incident.
The suspect, Thomas Anthony Murphy II, 37, of Medford, Ore., was charged with second-degree murder, two counts of second-degree attempted murder, unlawful use of a weapon, and elude. He is lodged in the Jackson County Jail.
Murphy shot the victim multiple times on a gravel pull out near the Denman Wildlife Area along Kirtland Rd. before fleeing the scene. A Mercy Flights ambulance transported the victim to a local hospital where they were pronounced deceased shortly after arriving. Victim identification is pending notification of next of kin. An autopsy is scheduled for this afternoon.
Medford, Ashland, Phoenix, and Talent Police Department officers assisted JCSO deputies in locating and pursuing the suspect vehicle.
Investigations are open and ongoing with detectives working additional leads. Oregon State Police and Medford Police Department detectives are assisting as part of a Major Assault and Death Investigation Unit (MADIU) call out. No further information is currently available for release.
Quake Near Eagle Point
President Joe Biden to Visit Oregon
President Joe Biden is scheduled to arrive in Portland Friday, Oct. 14th, to participate in a Democratic function and on Saturday, Oct. 15, attend a fundraising event for gubernatorial candidate Tina Kotek, according to the White House.
the White House released further details about the agenda for Biden’s visit, though the timing and location of events were not released:
Friday, Oct. 14
- Biden travels from Orange County, Calif. to Portland, where he’ll participate in a grassroots volunteer effort with the Oregon Democrats
Saturday, Oct. 15
- Biden will attend a reception for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tina Kotek in Portland
- Biden will give a speech in Portland about “lowering costs for American families”
President Biden last visited Oregon in April as part of a nationwide tour to promote the $1 trillion infrastructure bill that Congress passed late last year. Oregon is estimated to receive about $1.2 billion for transportation projects over the next five years.
In a speech delivered at a hangar near Portland International Airport, Biden highlighted several ongoing and planned upgrades to the airport as examples of the kind of infrastructure renewal that the new bill would bring.
Biden’s visit next week comes just a few weeks before Americans are set to vote in the Nov. 8 midterm elections.
The typically deep-blue Oregon has emerged as a surprisingly competitive state this year, due in part to its three-way race for governor, where recent polls have showed Republican Christine Drazan with a narrow lead over Democrat Tina Kotek.
Oregon also has some competitive House races this year, with Democrat Andrea Salinas and Republican Mike Erickson facing off in Oregon’s newly-created 6th Congressional District and Democrat Jamie McLeod-Skinner and Republican Lori Chavez-DeRemer battling it out in the state’s 5th District after McLeod-Skinner ousted Democratic incumbent Rep. Kurt Schrader in the May primary.
The Portland Police Bureau is warning about traffic delays this afternoon due to President Biden’s visit to Portland. It could impact freeways on an already busy Friday afternoon.
Community Bank Week Oct. 17-22
SALEM – Oregon Gov. Kate Brown has proclaimed Oct. 17-22 as Community Bank Week. The week honors local banks and their employees for their economic and civic contributions in communities across the state.
Oregon community banks provide more than 5,800 family wage jobs through more than 375 branch and loan offices, issue $13 billion in home purchase and refinance loans, and safeguard $37 billion in deposits. They also make 80 percent of all agriculture-related loans.
Oregon’s community banks, most of which are chartered by the Division of Financial Regulation, play an essential role in promoting the economic health and prosperity of the state. In some communities, they are the sole provider of banking products and services and sometimes the largest employer. Community banks donate millions of dollars each year to nonprofits and local organizations.
“Our state banks continue to support small businesses and agriculture in Oregon, as well as provide banking services and create thousands of jobs,” said TK Keen, administrator for the Oregon Division of Financial Regulation. “State banks are also invested in their communities through their 64,000 volunteer hours each year and the millions of dollars they have pledged to support nonprofits and other endeavors throughout the state.”
State-chartered banks throughout Oregon are celebrating Community Bank Week in their local neighborhoods. To learn more about Oregon’s state-chartered banks, go to https://www.oregonbankers.com/local.html.
ODFW Issues Hunting Advisory: Warns Of Wasting Disease In Deer And Elk
A disease that is threatening deer has prompted ODFW to issie an advisory to Oregon hunters.
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) is recommending that deer and elk hunters have their game checked for chronic wasting disease (CWD) this season.
CWD has been detected in deer and elk in Idaho, near the Oregon border. Hunters transporting deer or elk carcasses during the first weekends of the respective hunting seasons for those animals will be required to stop at check stations in Prineville, Celilo and Elgin.
Chronic wasting disease is not known to affect humans but threatens deer and elk populations.
“There is no cure, no treatment or vaccine for the disease and it is fatal to all animals that become infected,” ODFW state Wildlife Veterinarian Dr. Colin Gillin said.
Affected animals will appear healthy for several years following infection before symptoms appear.
ODFW has tested more than 24,000 elk and deer for the disease over the past two decades and has yet to detect the disease in Oregon. However, with the disease approaching Oregon’s borders after spreading from Colorado and Wyoming in the past 20 years the department is redoubling its efforts.
In addition to the mandatory check points during the first weekend of deer and elk seasons, ODFW is asking hunters to have their deer and elk checked by their local ODFW field office. The testing process is quick and non-destructive.
ODFW will contact hunters directly if an animal they submit is affected and will post negative results on the agency’s website. MORE INFO: https://www.dfw.state.or.us/wildlife/health_program/chronic_wasting/
Nearly half a million Oregonians pledge to practice preparedness during this year’s Great Oregon ShakeOut earthquake drill
Practice Drop (or Lock), Cover and Hold On to reduce risk during an earthquake
SALEM, Ore. – Oct. 13, 2022 — Earthquakes can strike any time without warning, as many Oregonians experienced last Friday when a magnitude 4.4 quake occurred in Linn County. When the earth starts to shake, people need to know how to best protect themselves.
The Great Oregon ShakeOut is part of a global drill for people to practice how to stay safe during an earthquake. Nearly half a million Oregonians have registered to take part in this year’s self-led Great ShakeOut drill at 10:20 a.m. on Oct. 20, pledging to Drop, Cover and Hold On for at least 60 seconds as if a major earthquake was occurring at that moment.
“The earthquake that struck Linn County last week rattled some folks and was a wake-up call that we live in earthquake country,” said Oregon Emergency Management (OEM) Director Andrew Phelps. “Knowing what to do when the earth starts shaking helps people reduce their risk and better protect themselves to prepare for earthquakes. Every person in Oregon should practice Drop, Cover and Hold On until it becomes a familiar routine. It’s an effective and no-cost addition to your preparedness plan.”
Emergency management experts and official preparedness organizations like the United States Geological Survey (USGS) all agree that Drop, Cover and Hold On is the appropriate action to reduce the chance of injury from falling objects and flying debris during earthquakes. When shaking begins or an earthquake alert is received on a cell phone:
- Drop immediately onto hands and knees. This position protects people from being knocked down and allows them to stay low and crawl to a nearby shelter.
- Cover the head and neck with one arm and hand. If a sturdy table or desk is nearby, crawl underneath it for shelter. If there is no nearby shelter, crawl next to an interior wall away from windows. Remain on the knees and bend over to protect vital organs.
- Hold On until shaking stops. If under shelter, hold onto it with one hand and be ready to move with the shelter if it shifts. If there is no shelter, hold onto the head and neck with both arms and hands.
Those with mobility disabilities may need modified actions to the traditional Drop, Cover and Hold On approach, but the premise is the same: Immediately protect oneself as best possible, shielding the head and chest and staying in a safe position until the shaking stops. Earthquakes may be so violent that it’s impossible to walk, crawl, or steer a wheelchair, and people may be knocked to the ground when shaking starts. Those who use a walker, wheelchair or have other mobility impairments are urged to lock any wheels; bend over and cover the head and neck with arms, a book or a pillow; and hold on until the shaking stops.
Oregon averages around 70 earthquakes a year; 15 of those are large enough to be felt. Most are crustal quakes that occur at relatively shallow depths. However, the Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) – a 600-mile fault located off the Pacific coast shoreline – puts Oregon at risk for a 9.0+ magnitude earthquake. A Cascadia quake could cause up to four minutes of shaking or rolling, followed by a tsunami of up to 100 feet in height that will impact the state’s coastal areas.
“A Cascadia quake will devastate the entire Pacific Northwest region, impacting critical infrastructure like energy, drinking water and sewer services, transportation routes and lifesaving health-care facilities for weeks to months or longer,” said Phelps. “Knowing this makes it even more important to build a culture of preparedness in the state. Half a million Oregonians practicing earthquake preparedness at the same time is impressive, but it’s not enough. We need to work toward every Oregonian registering for the Great Oregon ShakeOut as an important step toward keeping themselves safe in the event of a Cascadia quake.”
Additional simple and effective no-cost and low-cost measures people can take to prepare for an earthquake include securing their space by identifying hazards and securing moveable items, signing up to receive local emergency alerts and enabling Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) on cell phones. People in Oregon, Washington and California who’ve opted into WEA automatically receive ShakeAlert earthquake early warnings notifications (for quakes in their area with a magnitude of 4.5 or greater), which can offer critical seconds of warning to seek cover from falling objects and brace themselves.
There are currently two ShakeAlert-powered apps available for download on the app stores: QuakeAlertUSA and MyShake. Those who have the MyShake app will receive a TEST alert at 10:20 a.m. on Oct. 20 for the Great Oregon ShakeOut.
OEM recommends people in Oregon be informed and knowledgeable about the hazards where they live and have an emergency plan and enough food, water and supplies to survive for at least two weeks following any disaster. The agency’s 2 Weeks Ready program offers several resources in multiple languages to help people prepare.
Learn more about the Great Oregon ShakeOut and register as a participant at Shakeout.org/Oregon.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1109674113319848
