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
Tuesday, October 18, 2022
Rogue Valley Weather
Josephine County Sheriff’s Office Marijuana Search Warrant Illegal Grow Bust
On October 17, 2022, the Josephine Marijuana Enforcement Team (JMET) executed a search warrant in the 1600 block of Cedar Flat Road in Josephine County regarding an illegal marijuana grow site. The search warrant was executed with the assistance of Rogue Area Drug Enforcement (RADE) and Josephine County Code Enforcement.
During the execution of the warrant more than 1,800 growing marijuana plants and approximately 100 pounds of processed marijuana was seized and destroyed.
The property also had multiple electrical, water and solid waste code violations. These violations could result in the civil forfeiture of the property.
Radoslav Bogdanov was arrested for Unlawful Manufacturing of Marijuana, Unlawful Possession of Marijuana, Unlawful Delivery of Marijuana and Unlawful Appropriation of Water.
At the time of this press release the investigation is ongoing and no further details are being released.
City of Grants Pass Still Working To Repair Water Main Break
The City of Grants Pass says it is working to repair a water main break that is affecting water availability for many water utility customers there.
Crews are working on flushing and testing the water. Officials say the problem should be resolved within the next two days.
The City says the water main break is active at the top of Dimmick and E Streets. It says the affected area is greater than initially thought and crews are working as quickly as possible to make repairs adding, “If you experience water that appears to be dirty, please contact us at 541-450-6035.”
It says a repair crew is on-site, and the City is aware of high water on streets in the area. It is asking people to please avoid the area while crews work to make repairs. The City expects to have more information once an assessment has been made.
Jackson County Property Tax Statements Being Mailed Out
It’s that time of year again when property tax statements start showing up in mailboxes across Jackson County. From questions about your statement to where and how you can pay your taxes, here are some resources on our website to help guide you.
Property tax statements will be mailed by October 25th for the 2022-2023 tax year. If you have not received your statement by November 1st, please call 541-774-6541. You may also access your tax statement using Property Data Online.
MORE INFO: https://jacksoncountyor.org/Whats-New/News/property-tax-statements-483
Today is Last Day to Register to Vote in Oregon
The deadline to register to vote in Oregon is today 10/18 (Tuesday). Oregonians can register either in person, online before midnight or via the mail, which must be postmarked for Tuesday. Oregon is one of eight states where elections are conducted entirely by mail. Ballots will start going out on Wednesday.
Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan says for people experiencing homelessness, they can register anywhere with an address. “They could use, for example, the local elections office. They could use any different address that can receive mail as their residence for purposes as voting, as long as they’re an Oregon resident and otherwise eligible to vote.” A recent New York Times analysis ranked Oregon the easiest place in the country to vote.
Ballots must be in a dropbox by 8 p-m or postmarked for November 8th. Oregon has been a vote-by-mail state for more than two decades. Oregon ballots will begin going out this Wednesday. They’re due November 8th.
State officials renew agreement with Forest Service to help with forest health and wildfire risk reduction
SALEM, Ore.— Earlier this month the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF), Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), and U.S. Forest Service (Forest Service) renewed their agreement allowing continued work across boundaries to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires, improve forest and watershed health, and create jobs in rural, forest-dependent communities.
The cooperative work agreement was extended until 2032 under the Good Neighbor Authority (GNA). This is a provision of the 2014 federal Farm Bill that allows state agencies to do vital restoration work on national forestlands in Oregon. Those make up nearly half of Oregon’s 30 million forested acres.
Kyle Sullivan with the Oregon Department of Forestry is that agency’s Federal Forest Restoration Program Lead. “The Forest Service is the largest forestland manager in Oregon. We are seeing real benefit in leveraging the strengths, skills, and resources of state organizations tasked with stewarding Oregon’s forests, fish and wildlife. This Good Neighbor Authority agreement is a crucial tool to continue this cooperative work.”
Sullivan said ODF, ODFW and the Forest Service have been working together for over six years under the current GNA agreement. “We’ve identified long-term projects that extend beyond the agreement’s original 2026 expiration date. The agreement signed this week now extends the work between state and federal agencies through 2032,” he said.
The three state and federal land management agencies are taking aim at the most pressing issues facing Oregon’s forests. At the top of the list is the over 7 million✎ EditSign acres of federal forest in declining health and at elevated risk of large and destructive wildfire. Climate change mitigation and adaptation, wildlife species recovery, habitat connectivity, producing sustainable forest products, and supporting jobs are also issues the GNA agreement can help address.
This GNA agreement allows the Forest Service to take advantage of the additional capacity provided by ODF and ODFW, access streamlined state contracting processes, and leverage state funding dedicated to restoring federal forests.
Despite the GNA agreement allowing states to help improve the health of federal forests, all applicable federal laws and environmental reviews are followed. Decision-making authority still rests with the Forest Service for restoration work.
Forest Service Regional Forester Glenn Casamassa said, “GNA is a powerful tool. It allows us to work together across boundaries, at the appropriate scale, to benefit Oregon communities through enhancing forest and watershed health conditions – and to do so proactively, not reactively.”
Since 2016, ODF and ODFW have worked across all 11 National Forests in Oregon under 30 Supplemental Project Agreements. Results of this work include:
- 52,000 acres of restoration project planning and project preparation
- 11,000 acres of non-commercial fuels reduction and thinning, prescribed fire preparation, noxious weed treatments, wildlife habitat improvement, and stream enhancement
- 14,000 acres of commercial restoration, producing 50 million board feet of timber volume
- 7 contracted National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Categorical Exclusions (CE) projects covering 30,000 acres
- 440 acres of post-implementation monitoring work
In addition to the strong partnerships, the success of this work is also due to the Oregon Legislature’s forward-thinking investments in the Federal Forest Restoration Program. Under this program, state funds support forest collaboratives, environmental planning and analysis, and a state workforce dedicated to increasing the pace, scale and quality of restoration of federal forests.
“The renewal of this agreement maintains a crucial tool for the Oregon Department of Forestry to manage, protect and promote stewardship of all of Oregon’s forests,” said Oregon State Forester Cal Mukumoto. “Because so much of Oregon’s forests are under federal ownership, working with our federal partners under GNA is key to fulfilling the mission of ODF.”
Curt Melcher, Director of the Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, said, “As managers of Oregon’s fish and wildlife resources, we rely heavily on partnerships with public and private landowners to improve habitat. Formal agreements like this will further strengthen our partnership with the Forest Service and provide the flexible tools and resources needed to boost stewardship and bring rural communities together.”
Report Says Oregon Hospitals Setting Up ‘Roadblocks’ To Financial Assistance Programs
A report from a union representing more than 15,000 healthcare workers alleges that most of Oregon’s 10 largest health systems have “set up roadblocks to accessing financial assistance programs and are currently out of compliance with Oregon law.” SEE REPORT: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c410100cc8fed8a660f968c/t/6340a82e876a152fbb205782/1665181742724/Shortchanged_final.pdf
A 2019 Oregon law requires nonprofit hospitals to provide complete bill forgiveness to patients earning up to 200 percent of the federal poverty line and some forgiveness to those earning up to 400 percent of the federal poverty line, according to the October report from SEIU Local 49. The law also requires that financial assistance be made available to patients who receive care at hospital-owned clinics as well as financial assistance screening of patients before they are sent to collections.
In the report, SEIU Local 49 said it identified 10 of the state’s largest health systems and reviewed publicly available documents related to financial assistance that the systems are mandated to provide, including full financial assistance policies, plain language summaries, application forms and related website text. Through its review, SEIU set out to “understand to what extent these documents were in compliance with legal requirements.”
SEIU found that the Oregon systems are making financial information assistance difficult for patients to find and understand. The systems are also placing restrictions on which patients or services qualify for financial assistance beyond those allowed by law. The systems are also allegedly demanding patients complete detailed applications, despite having the information to determine eligibility, and are aggressively sending patients to collections “well before their window to apply for financial assistance has closed.”
Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems president and CEO Becky Hultberg pushed back against the report, telling the Portland Business Journal that it “provides a limited and incomplete picture of hospital financial assistance practices.”
SAIF brings back free in-person farm safety trainings
SAIF will be touring the state in the next few months to offer free farm safety sessions.
The 29 free ag safety seminars will be in 17 cities across Oregon. The first will be in Ontario on October 25, and they’ll continue through March. Nine of the seminars will be presented entirely in Spanish.
SAIF has put the seminars on for the last 29 years, helping Oregon’s farm owners, managers, and workers stay safe in one of the most hazardous industries. SAIF offered online webinars the last two years in lieu of in-person events.
“We are excited to get back on the road to offer these critical safety trainings this year,” said Courtney Merriott, senior safety management consultant at SAIF and one of the seminar presenters. “Being able to get out into the ag community is more effective as we look at reducing hazards in this industry.”
This year’s seminars will focus on four topics: ag hacks and ag myth busters; coexisting with agricultural chemicals; balancing the effects of heat and the effects of OSHA’s new heat rule; and first responders on the farm.
SAIF will also host online webinars in December and March in both English and Spanish.
The seminars are designed primarily for people working in agriculture but are open to anyone interested in ag safety and health—they don’t have to be insured by SAIF.
In-person seminars will be held in Bandon, Boring, Central Point, Corvallis, Eugene, Hermiston, Hillsboro, Hood River, Klamath Falls, La Grande, Madras, Milton-Freewater, Mt. Angel, Ontario, Salem, The Dalles, and Wilsonville.
Spanish seminars will be held in Central Point, Hermiston, Hillsboro, Hood River, Madras, Mt. Angel, Salem, The Dalles, and Wilsonville.
All will run from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and lunch will be provided.
Employers with small ag businesses who attend the seminar, or watch the webinars, will meet OSHA’s instructional requirement—one of four requirements that exempt small agricultural operations from random OSHA inspections.
Three hours of technical and one hour of business continuing education credits are available from the Landscape Contractors Board. Four producer continuing education credit hours for licensed insurance agents are approved by the Department of Consumer and Business Services.
More information—including registration details—can be found at www.saif.com/agseminars.
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