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, November 4, 2022
Rogue Valley Weather
Joint Task Force Serves Search Warrant After Child Porn Uploaded from Local Rogue River Apartment Complex
JCSO Case 22-4223 ROGUE RIVER, OR. – The Southern Oregon Child Exploitation Team (SOCET) joint inter-agency task force served a search warrant yesterday morning at an apartment complex on the 700 block of North River Road in Rogue River.
SOCET served the warrant after discovering numerous images of child exploitation were uploaded from an apartment. Detectives are interviewing possible witnesses and involved parties, and investigations are ongoing. Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) deputies, Southern Oregon High Tech Crimes Task Force (SOHTCTF), Rogue River Police Department officers, and Jackson County District Attorney’s office assisted with the warrant service.
During the warrant, investigators seized digital devices which will be forensically examined by SOHTCTF for further evidence of child exploitation.
A tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) started the investigation, which led to subpoenas, followed by the search warrant at the residence.
SOCET is a joint inter-agency task force that started in June of 2020 to combat child exploitation and human trafficking. The task force consists of investigators from JCSO, Grants Pass Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations; as well as prosecutors from our local, state and federal law enforcement partners in Jackson and Josephine County.
Medford Police Citizen Academy Registration Open
The Medford Police Department Citizen’s Academy is a program which was developed by MPD to establish a better relationship with our community through communication, education and awareness.
MPD’s goal is for community members to better understand the actions of their department and police officers, and hopefully come to have a deeper understanding of the challenges facing the men and women of law enforcement.
It also affords police officers with an opportunity to become familiar with our community members and to learn more about the needs of the citizens they serve. MPD hopes to enhance the relationships between the police department and our community.
Each potential student must complete an application and return it to the Medford Police Department Training Coordinator with an authorization to conduct a background investigation.
Since the purpose of the academy is to enhance MPD’s relationships within the community they serve, applicants must live or work within the City of Medford.
Applicants also must be at least 18 years of age, have no felony convictions, no outstanding warrants, no misdemeanor arrests within 12 months prior to class and no pending criminal case(s).
Classes will be held every Wednesday night for 11 weeks starting January 4 through March 15, from 7 – 10 p.m.
The course is free, but to graduate, each student must attend at least 80% of the classes (9 out of 11).
Classes will be taught by a variety of Medford Police Officers and personnel who have expertise in the topics they specialize in. Some of the topics covered may include:
- General Administration and Philosophy of Services
- Criminal Investigation and Prosecution of Cases
- Patrol and Traffic Operations
- Recruitment, Selection and Training of Police Personnel
- Use of Force
- Personnel Issues
- Deployment and Tactics of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team
- Canine Program
- Drug Enforcement and Gang Suppression Issues
Please keep in mind, the Citizen’s Academy is not a recruiting tool, nor will it provide any advantage in gaining employment with the City of Medford.
After successful completion of the Citizen’s Academy, students will receive a certificate of completion. The deadline to apply is December 14 at 5:00 p.m. Apply below:
Medford Police Department 2023 Citizen Academy Application
Firewood Pieces Along Jackson County Roads
The county maintains a lot of roads in Jackson County – over 900 miles currently. Many of these roads have trees which are adjacent to them, especially in the foothills and forested areas around our beautiful county. As you might imagine, as the years go by, trees grow and mature and many of them will, at times, encroach upon the road to the point where safety and maintenance are affected. In times like these we send our trained crews, or hire contractors, to remove the hazard – sometimes by simple trimming/pruning and other times by removing the entire tree if it is necessary.
When wood is cut along our county roads we do the following:
- Chip the small stuff and haul it away.
- If safe, leave the big stuff for firewood.
So what happens to the wood? Who gets it? Who does it really belong to?
In some places, it is not safe to leave the wood along the roadside so we will dispose of it, but in general, the less we have to haul away the better. When we do leave wood behind the questions above quickly come to mind – primarily focused on who now owns it. Most of the time, the cut wood actually belongs to the property owner who fronts the road in the area the tree was cut. Sometimes property line issues come up, but in general, it is pretty clear whose property the tree was on.
But what if the tree is in the ‘right-of-way’? Because the majority of county roads are constructed on easements, it still belongs to the property owner who fronts the road.
In some cases, the property owner may not want the wood for any purpose, in which case it then falls to the process of first come – first served. But you should ask permission before removing the wood you just happen to see lying along the roadside so you know for sure the owner does not want it. Many times assumptions are made, and many times they are wrong, so please inquire with the owner first.
If you have any questions, feel free to give us a call – we are here to help at 541.774.8184. — https://jacksoncountyor.org/roads/firewood-pieces-along-county-roads-21
Oregon State Police Fish & Wildlife Division is seeking public assistance with a Cow (bovine) shot in a field- Douglas County
On October 31, 2022, at approximately 11:00 P.M., Oregon State Police was notified by a landowner of a cow shot in his field on Boomer Hill Road near Myrtle Creek. The landowner was called by one of his neighbors who heard a gunshot on October 31, 2022, around 6:00 P.M. The landowner called OSP after finding the cow in his field down and unable to move. The cow died several hours later.
OSP Fish & Wildlife is encouraging anyone with information regarding this event to contact the Oregon State Police dispatch at 1-800-452-7888, OSP (677), or email at TIP@osp.oregon.gov. Reference case number SP22294323.
SMART Reading Program Needs Volunteers in Southern Oregon
An organization that encourages literacy in children is putting out the call for volunteers in Southern Oregon. SMART Reading, which encourages young children to read during a critical development period in their lives, is looking for people who would be willing to read to a child for a few hours a week.
“We pair adult volunteers with students to do shared reading time, whether that’s the adult reading to the student or the student reading to the adult, it’s guided by the child on what they want to do that day so they can practice their reading,” Leona Westdahl, Rogue Valley Area Director for SMART Reading, said.
Volunteers are particularly crucial given the lack of opportunity for many children to read with kids their own age over the last few years because of distance learning during the pandemic.
“The learning loss that’s happened during the pandemic has really underscored the need for support services like SMART Reading that are going to help kids get back to where they they need to be,” Phoebe Petersen, Communications Director for SMART Reading, said.
SMART Reading is still looking for upwards of 600 volunteers in Southern Oregon who can donate just a little bit of their time to help the next generation of Rogue Valley residents. In addition to hands-on work, site coordinators dedicate two to eight hours each week to acting as SMART’s on-the-ground leads at each site, overseeing and implementing the weekly reading sessions.
“No matter where you are in Jackson and Josephine County, it is very likely that we have a school that is convenient for you where people can be going on that weekly basis to read with kids and I will say just on a personal level, It is so fun,” she said. To learn more and sign up to volunteer, please contact the Rogue Valley SMART office at 541-734-5628, or visit their website.
Strong Winds Knock Out Power For Thousands In NW Oregon
High wind across the Pacific Northwest is causing power outages in some communities, according to local utility companies. Portland General Electric was reporting just under 3,300 customers without service at about 6:45 a.m., with a majority being in the Lake Oswego area.
Pacific Power said it had 100 customers without power at roughly the same time, while Clark Public Utilities did not have any listed outages.
The outages prompted two schools in the West Linn-Wilsonville School District to close Friday; Stafford Primary and Three River Charter School will not hold classes. The National Weather Service of Portland issued a High Wind Warning for a large portion of Northwest Oregon and Southwest Washington, while a Wind Advisory was issued for the Willamette Valley.
Forecasters warned that strong wind gusts could bring down trees and debris, which in turn could knock down power lines.
Get the latest on outages and how to report them on your local utility’s website.
MORE TIPS FROM UTILITIES:
- You should turn off electrical equipment when the power goes out. This will help prevent a possible power surge, should your system get overloaded when the electricity is turned back on.
- Surge protectors can help prevent power from damaging voltage-sensitive equipment.
- Keep all refrigerator and freezer doors closed. Food can stay cold in the fridge for 12 to 24 hours if the doors are kept closed after an outage.
- You should turn on a light both inside and outside of the house so crews can tell when the power is turned back on.
A strong atmospheric river is taking aim at the Pacific Northwest, bringing steady rain on Friday, gusty winds and the potential for high water spots and minor flooding.
Today is going to be a pretty rough day weather-wise as an atmospheric river & strong cold front push through. Rain will gradually ramp up throughout the day as the axis of moisture slowly sags southward over western Washington, and eventually northwest Oregon.
Be prepared for pooling and ponding on areas roads. The rain will be coming in sideways due to increasing southerly winds. The National Weather Service has adjusted the wind advisory to go into effect at 8:00 A.M. for our western valleys (since the wind is arriving a bit earlier than expected). They also issued high wind warnings for portions of the Cascade Foothills and the Coast Range, where winds will be even stronger. Expect sustained winds of 20-30 mph in our interior valleys, with gusts up to 40 mph. The coast will endure slightly stronger winds, with gusts between 40-50+ mph. The higher elevations will experience the strongest wind and heaviest rain, with gusts of 55-65+ mph. Keep your devices charged up today, because spotty power outages are likely to occur.
The rain is the primary concern over the next 24 hours. We’re going to see quite a bit of rain in a short period of time, which could lead to minor river flooding in the Coast Range & Cascades. As mentioned above, pooling and ponding will occur on a lot of our area roads, especially this afternoon, evening and overnight. Between today and Saturday morning, our western valleys will end up with about 1-3 inches of rain, with the greatest totals to the north.
The coast should end up with a bit more rainfall, somewhere between 1.50-3+ inches (more to the north than south). Snow levels will rise to about 8,000-9,000 feet, so the higher elevations will have tons of rain coming in. Portions of the Coast Range and Cascades could end up with 4-6 inches of rain. Isolated totals of 6-8 inches will be possible along western-facing mountain slopes.
Steady rain and gusty wind will let up overnight and early Saturday as a cold front surges through the region. Behind the cold front, cooler air will settle in. This will cause snow levels to drop to about 3,000 feet Saturday, leading to about 3-6 inches of new snow in the Cascades. The lower elevations west of the Cascades can expect on & off showers. Showers will transition back to a steady rain overnight Saturday and into early Sunday as another weather system pushes in. This system could bring significant snow to the Cascades on Sunday, perhaps somewhere between 6-12 inches. It will also turn even cooler across the region, with highs only reaching the low to mid 40s.
Showers will gradually wind down on Monday, leading to a dry and chilly stretch Tuesday through Thursday. It looks like we have our first few nights of sub-freezing temperatures coming, with highs only reaching the low to mid 40s.
Oregon Attorney General Scrutinizes Special Dividend Payout Planned Ahead Of the Kroger Albertsons Merger
A plan by Albertsons to pay investors a $4 billion dividend ahead of the grocery chain’s sale to Kroger is drawing scrutiny from state officials.
A special counsel for Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum sent a letter Thursday to Albertsons, asking its board of directors to “reconsider its decision and to rescind the ‘special dividend.’”
In the letter, Oregon Department of Justice antitrust attorney Tim D. Nord said the state “intends to fully investigate all the conduct of individuals and entities involved in negotiating and determining the ‘special dividend’ in conjunction with a thorough review of the parties’ proposed transaction.”
The same day, a Washington judge approved state Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s motion for a temporary restraining order to block the dividend payment. Ferguson had sued to block the payment.
He was also among a bipartisan group of six attorneys general that sent a letter to Albertsons last week urging the company to delay the payment to its shareholders.
The attorneys general argue that the dividend — which equals nearly a third of Albertsons’ $11 billion market value — would deprive Albertsons of cash it needs to compete during the lengthy time period government regulators will be scrutinizing the merger and could result in more store closures.
Attorneys general for California, Illinois and Washington, D.C., have also sued to prevent Albertsons from going forward with the payment.
Albertsons said the dividend payment is unrelated to the merger plans but “part of Albertsons’ long-term strategy for growth,” which was “determined well before Albertsons’ discussions with Kroger began.”
In response to Washington’s ruling Thursday, Albertsons issued a statement saying that the company “intends to seek to overturn the restraint as quickly as possible” because the temporary order was based on incorrect assumptions regarding its proposed merger with Kroger.
Kroger announced plans last month to buy Albertsons for nearly $25 billion. Together, the two chains have revenue of more than $209 billion.
In Oregon, Albertsons owns Safeway, while Kroger owns Fred Meyer and QFC. The two supermarket giants account for nearly 200 grocery stores across the state.
The sale is sure to raise anti-competitive concerns, but it remains unclear what steps Oregon’s top lawyer might take in a region where the two chains overlap heavily.
In response to questions, Rosenblum’s office said the proposed merger between Kroger and Albertsons “has the potential for a significant impact on Oregon consumers and must be thoroughly reviewed by state and federal antitrust enforcers.
“Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum strongly supports the efforts of the Washington Attorney General to protect customers in the Northwest and is considering her legal options with respect to the excessive shareholder dividend Albertson’s plans to distribute next week,” Rosenblum’s office said.
William Gary, a Eugene lawyer who served as deputy attorney general in the 1980s, said one possible reason why Oregon had stayed relatively quiet compared to Washington and California is because of the state’s limited resources, particularly in antitrust matters.
“It’s all a matter of marshaling resources,” Gary said. “In the past, the Department of Justice always had a modest general fund appropriation to fund antitrust enforcement activities, and it’s a very limited budget.”
Gov. Kate Brown’s office did not respond to questions about the merger, nor did two of the three candidates to replace her.
The third, Democratic nominee Tina Kotek, told The Oregonian/OregonLive that the “lack of competition will only make things worse.”
“Plus, this merger will likely increase food deserts in low income and rural communities,” Kotek said. “This is a big reason why I have concerns about this merger — we need to make sure that Oregonians are at the center of this conversation, not the financial interests of big corporate executives.”
On Monday, House Speaker Dan Rayfield, D-Corvallis, on Monday said on Twitter that he had “a lot of concerns about this potential merger and its impact on low-income Oregonians,” adding that the merger could create more food deserts at the hands of company executives.
Sen. Ron Wyden said he’s pressing Albertsons’ largest shareholder, the private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management, to delay the dividend payment, saying Cerberus was attempting to “loot” the company before its sale closes.
“I’ll keep watchdogging this merger proposal by ensuring all parties answer questions about how this deal could reduce options for consumers especially in rural Oregon, undercut grocery-store workers and raise prices at the checkout stand for food shoppers across our state,” Wyden said.
$1 Million Powerball(R) Ticket Sold in Oregon, as Jackpot Climbs to Estimated $1.5 Billion
Powerball jackpot dreams are still alive – and the road to a big win includes a player in Oregon with a $1 million dollar winning ticket. That ticket was sold in Portland on Wednesday. Two $50,000 tickets, also sold on Wednesday, were purchased in Portland and Troutdale.
The Powerball jackpot for Saturday’s drawing is now estimated at $1.5 billion should the winner choose the annuity option or $745.9 million cash. It’s the second largest Powerball jackpot in history. The largest prize won in Oregon was a $340 million jackpot in 2005.
Since Monday, when the Powerball jackpot reached $1 billion, the Oregon Lottery has sold over $6.77 million in tickets. Approximately a third of those sales will be returned to state beneficiaries to support economic development, education, veteran services and more.
The retailers who sell lottery tickets will also see added commissions from the boost in ticket sales. Additionally, if an Oregon retailer were to sell the winning jackpot ticket, they earn a $100,000 bonus.
Powerball is a multi-state jackpot operated by 44 states, plus the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.
The Oregon Lottery recommends that you always sign the back of your ticket to ensure you can claim any prize. In the event of winning a jackpot, players should consult with a trusted financial planner or similar professional to develop a plan for their winnings. Players also have a year to claim their prize.
Since the Oregon Lottery began selling tickets on April 25, 1985, it has earned nearly $15 billion for economic development, public education, outdoor school, state parks, veteran services, and watershed enhancements. For more information on the Oregon Lottery visit www.oregonlottery.org.
Oregon Voter Registration Program Hit Minor Software Glitch
Oregon’s pioneering motor voter program, in which residents who interact with the motor vehicle division are automatically registered to vote, hit a minor software speed bump, but the secretary of state said Monday it’s being resolved.
Secretary of State Shemia Fagan said the Oregon Elections Division on Friday discovered the software error, which for the past six years has failed to pre-register some 16- and 17-year-olds to vote.
“As a result, 7,767 eligible voters in Oregon … were not given the opportunity to become automatically registered voters for the 2022 election. The issue has impacted voters during the last three election cycles,” Fagan’s office said in a statement.
Fagan will direct Oregon’s 36 county clerks to issue ballots to affected voters — those who will be 18 or older on Nov. 8.
“Eligible voters not receiving their ballots in Oregon is unacceptable,” Fagan said. “As long as I am Oregon’s Secretary of State, I will do everything in my power to ensure that no eligible voters are disenfranchised.”
The Oregon Elections Division was alerted to the issue by a voter who didn’t receive a ballot.
Fagan said her technical staff worked through the weekend to resolve the software error.
On Monday morning, there were almost 3 million registered voters in Oregon. A total of 414,000 ballots have already been returned, the secretary of state’s website said. Voters in Oregon receive ballots in the mail and can either mail them back or leave them in official drop boxes.
Make Your Vote Count
Election Day is fast approaching and sadly so is all of the misinformation. The county clerks throughout Oregon are seeing many forms of media that is incorrect and misleading voters regarding Oregon elections. This includes but is not limited to texts, emails, calls and social media posts. Some are even made to look like they are from a trusted source.
Be cautious, know your trusted source. If you hear or see anything from a source other than the County Clerk’s Office or the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office, please verify the information with your County Clerk’s Office. Do not be misled.
Turnout this year could be crucial to the results. Voters have key races to decide and several are highly competitive, including the three-way gubernatorial contest between Democrat Tina Kotek, Republican Christine Drazan and unaffiliated candidate Betsy Johnson. Three congressional races also could be tight, including for the 4th, 5th and 6th districts. Those results could influence the balance of power in the U.S. House.
Oregon voters are also deciding the makeup of the state’s next Legislature, which Democrats have dominated for years. “There are a lot of close races, and they could be won very narrowly,” said John Horvick, senior vice president and an elections expert at Portland-based DHM Research. “Every vote matters. And though that’s a cliche, it really is true.”
All Oregon Voters Should Have Their Ballots by Now – Warned of Disinformation and Lies about Voting
Now that November election ballots are blanketing the state, Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan is sending out the message that voting here continues to be fair and secure. She says that Oregon has a robust system for ensuring the integrity of elections, including regularly updating voter rolls and checking voter signatures to validate the vote.
“Every single signature is checked. Every one. Not just a sample, not just a statistical amount. Every single signature is checked to make sure that’s the person who actually did vote.”
Former president Donald Trump and his supporters are continuing to repeat lies and disinformation about widespread fraud in U.S. elections and specifically about the security of mail-in voting, which Fagan says is affecting the job of county-level election officials here in Oregon.
“Sadly it’s a conspiracy that’s believed by about one in five Oregon voters and that’s a significant amount of our population,” she said. “We know it’s safe and secure here in Oregon. But yes, those conspiracy theories definitely are wearing on our county elections officials.”
Earlier this week, the Siuslaw News reported on a conservative group called the “Florence Liberty Alliance, which put up a post on its Facebook page asking for volunteers for a “Ballot Box Watch Team.” Fagan’s office is encouraging Oregon voters to “know their rights” and urging anyone who feels someone is trying to intimidate them at the ballot box or elsewhere to report it to her office online, by calling 503-986-1518 or emailing elections.sos@sos.oregon.gov.
“Intimidation can include aggressive or harassing questions about whether someone is qualified to vote that are intended to interfere with the right to vote … questions about citizenship status, criminal record, residency or other personal information or questions about how you intend to vote.”
Fagan says she hopes that their education campaign “Voting in Oregon Feels Good,” will resonate with Oregonians and encourage voter turnout. Ballots in the November election must be turned in or postmarked by Nov. 8.
All registered voters in Oregon should have received their ballots in the mail by now. Those who have their ballots must be sure to get them turned in or postmarked by 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 8, in order to have their votes counted. Ballots put into any official ballot drop box by 8 p.m. that night will be counted.
Anyone who did not get a ballot or received a damaged ballot should contact their county’s elections office to get a new one right away. Find your county elections office
According to the Oregon Secretary of State’s office, if someone requests a new ballot, their old ballot will be canceled, to prevent any attempts at voting more than once.
Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan assures Oregonians our upcoming election next week will be safe and fair. She outlined the process they are going through to assure election credibility. It starts with accurate voter registration records.
Oregon works with Federal, State and county elections officials to keep the list up to date and accurate. With accurate voter registration records we know only eligible voters are sent a ballot. Next, they take steps to prevent fraudulent voting. Every ballot envelope gets a unique barcode matched to a voter, and every signature on every returned ballot is verified.
These and other measures ensure that voter fraud in Oregon is exceedingly rare. When it happens, we catch it and the votes don’t count. Finally, they conduct post-election audits to verify the accuracy of the results. That’s how we know the results of the election match the will of the voters.
You can find this information in an infographic on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram and I encourage you to share it. Knowing these basic facts helps prevent people from falling for false information they may encounter online. Learn more at http://Oregonvotes.gov/Integrity
Voting in Oregon feels GOOD
It’s time to get #VoteReady: Just grab your ballot and a blue or black pen!
You don’t even need a stamp It’s not a test: you can vote on every candidate and measure, or leave some blank How you vote is private. Make a plan to vote! http://OregonVotes.gov#TrustedInfo2022
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