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, November 10, 2022
Rogue Valley Weather
Jackson County Agencies Community Panel On Unsheltered Residents
The community addressed a panel made up of local agencies working to address the needs of unsheltered residents at the Jackson County Library Wednesday evening. The library hosted the panel as a way to talk about the current resources available for unsheltered residents but also about the work that still needs to be done.
“We are a trusted community resource and people frequently turn to us when they need answers and important information,” said Kari May, director of Jackson County Library Services. “Adding a social services component to library services is a natural extension of some of that work that we already do in general.”
Officials from the City of Medford, the Medford and Ashland Police Departments and local social workers and mental health experts spoke at Wednesday’s panel. JCLS says the goal of the panel is to share how local agencies are working together to provide services and resources for unsheltered residents while meeting the needs of the rest of the community.
May says the library is aware of the safety concerns that come along with an increased number of unsheltered residents frequenting the library. Wednesday’s panel was an opportunity for community members to voice their concerns to local officials.
“We want to be able to make sure that our space is welcoming and inviting to everyone in our community and that includes some of our marginalized and vulnerable populations such as the unhoused,” she said.
Homelessness is an issue that the entire nation is seeing and May hopes Wednesday’s panel is just the beginning of a longer conversation about addressing the needs of everyone in the local community.
“By no means is this the end of a conversation,” May said. “It’s just the beginning. There’s a lot of complexities to the issues that we face in our community and we hope that this is seen as a starting point for ongoing community engagement in this area.”
Wednesday’s panel ran from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Jackson County Library in Medford. MORE INFO: https://jacksoncountyor.org/Whats-New/News/Homelessness
Christmas Tree Permits Available November 10th
For many families, venturing out onto public lands to cut a Christmas tree is an annual holiday tradition. The process of obtaining permits differs a bit by agency, but families will be able to cut Christmas trees on Forest Service or BLM lands using a permit purchased from either agency.
There are a number of options by which the public can obtain permits:
- Over twenty local vendors will be selling permits across the area starting November 10. Please do call ahead to confirm hours and to ensure passes are available before travelling.
- Forest Service Christmas tree permits will be available for purchase online at recreation.gov also starting November 10. Visitors will need to use a Recreation.gov account to complete the transaction, and adhere to the rules included with the permit.
- Beginning November 10, BLM-issued Christmas tree permits will be available for purchase online at forestproducts.blm.gov.
- Have a 4th Grader? Once again, as part of the Every Kid Outdoors initiative, 4th Graders are entitled to one FREE Christmas tree permit with a valid Every Kid Outdoors pass. Free permits can be obtained through recreation.gov, or in-person in a Forest Service office. (The 4th grader must present their pass to get their free permit.)
- In-person sales will also be available at many Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management offices – please call individual agency offices to confirm availability and to check office hours.
Each permit allows the cutting of one personal-use Christmas tree, and a permit is required for each individual tree visitors wish to take home.
Permits for Christmas trees are $5.00 per tree, and are non-refundable. There is a limit of five tree permits per household, and the permits may be used only on lands open to Christmas tree harvesting on Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest and Medford District BLM lands.
Free maps that identify these areas are provided at the time of permit purchase on recreation.gov, and are also available for home printing or Avenza downloading via the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest website. More information, including tree-hunting tips, guidelines for where people may cut their trees, and safety tips, can also be found on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest website.
Happy tree hunting from the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest and the Bureau of Land Management Medford District! https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/rogue-siskiyou/news-events/?cid=FSEPRD1072510
Mount Ashland Ski Area Releases Projected Opening Date
Mount Ashland Ski Area released an updated snowpack for this season and a projected opening date.
Officials say they received 5 inches of snow over the last 24 hours and 10 inches between the last two storm pulses. The total snowpack at the lower mountain snow stake is currently 20 inches.
The Ski Area says this early-season snowpack is one of the best the mountain has had in a while. As of today, Mount Ashland Ski Area is projected to open on Saturday, Dec. 10. https://www.mtashland.com/
Oregon Election News
The Oregonian, OPB, and other media outlets have declared Kotek the new Oregon Governor, but the Associated Press hasn’t declared that yet.
So far today, Kotek hasn’t declared victory yet, and Drazan has not conceded. The former Republican House leader’s campaign sent out a seemingly optimistic note, saying they are still monitoring returns “with the expectation that this race will tighten.”
While votes are still being counted, Tina Kotek’s campaign announced the gubernatorial candidate will hold a press conference at 10 a.m. Thursday.
The press conference comes as the campaign projected Kotek’s win over Republican Christine Drazan on Wednesday just after 8 p.m. based on reported projections from The Oregonian/OregonLive and Oregon Public Broadcasting . However, at the time of the announcement, the Associated Press had not projected a winner in the contest.
In a statement, Kotek said “Oregon faces major challenges, and I look forward to getting to work to solve them. I promise to be a Governor for all of Oregon. I will start by working tirelessly to deliver results on issues of shared concern across our state: housing and homelessness, access to mental health and addiction treatment, helping our students succeed, and supporting small businesses.”
“I ask Oregonians – no matter who you voted for in this election – to believe in our state, to stay engaged, and to help figure out solutions together,” Kotek added. “I am honored and humbled by this opportunity to serve Oregon, and I will strive every day to be a force for positive change in our state.”
On another note: Democrat Val Hoyle declared victory Tuesday evening in the race to represent Oregon’s Fourth Congressional District. Meanwhile, Republican Alek Skarlatos still isn’t conceding defeat.
ALEK SKARLATOS -Republican 42.73% —— VAL HOYLE -Democrat 51.11%
This is the first general election in which ballots postmarked on Election Day will still be counted, meaning some of the results are coming in slower than in years past. But most of the remaining ballots left to be counted are from Multnomah and Washington counties, which tend to favor Democratic candidates. Overall, registered Democrats outnumber registered Republicans in Oregon by more than 280,000.
Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs to Host Statewide Veterans Day Ceremony at Oregon State Capitol Park Today 11/10
The event will feature remarks by federal, state and local dignitaries and ceremonial elements including color guard, national anthem, wreath presentation and the playing of “Taps.” Attendees should be advised that this year’s event will be held at 11 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 10 — the day before Veterans Day.
The event will be hosted at the Oregon State Capitol Park located on Court Street Northeast in downtown Salem — directly in front of the Oregon State Capitol Building.
While the celebration will honor Oregon veterans of all eras, there will be special recognition of Oregon’s Korean War generation. ODVA is honored to welcome Consul General Eunji Seo of the Consulate of the Republic of Korea in Seattle, Wash., who will serve as one of the event’s keynote speakers.
The event is open to the public and uncovered seating will be provided for attendees. Accessible pathways and seating areas for those needing accommodations will also be provided. Attendees are reminded to plan accordingly for Oregon weather.
For those unable to attend, the event will also be livestreamed on ODVA’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/odvavet.
Health Officials Warn Of Rise In RSV, COVID, and Flu
Oregon is seeing an uptick in respiratory viruses as temperatures drop and more people head indoors. And, it’s not just COVID-19 and the flu.
Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, has joined the ranks of COVID and the flu this year by sending kids and the immunocompromised to the hospital.
RSV is most common in children under two, but it also targets the immunocompromised. Most cases of RSV can be handled at home, but Dr. Dawn Nolt, a pediatric respiratory disease specialist with Oregon Health and Science University, said there is a number of symptoms to look out for.
“If there’s any signs of respiratory difficulty, coughing, breathing hard, not being able to eat or not having a good urine output, that’s when we want families to take that sick child to see a provider.”
There is a vaccine for RSV that has been studied and given to pregnant people that gives some protection to babies that are born, but that’s not readily available beyond clinical trials.
There’s also talk of a Triad vaccine, something that would protect individuals against RSV, COVID and the flu. Although there are vaccines in the works right now, Dr. Nolt said it would take years of development.
For now, Dr. Nolt said individuals can protect themselves and children in the same way as they have been from COVID over the last couple years.Psilocybin-related businesses will not be allowed in more than 100 Oregon cities
“Stay up to date on your vaccines, wash your hands, avoid people who are sick and if you are sick – stay away from others,” said Dr. Nolt. “Masking is still a tool to use to prevent the transmission.
Hard to predict what next months will bring us. Despite the viruses changing, we know how to protect ourselves.”
That being said, Dr. Nolt said COVID is still out there and we need to be vigilant against any new variants that might come.
All Forest Lands Open to Free Day Use November 11th
The USDA Forest Service will recognize the service of America’s veterans by waiving standard amenity fees for all visitors to national forest and grassland day-use areas on Veterans Day, Nov. 11.
“Many veterans spend time with their families and connect with nature while hiking, hunting, boating, and exploring the range of outdoor recreation opportunities national forests and grasslands have to offer,” said Tracy Calizon, regional assistant director of recreation for the U.S. Forest Service in the Pacific Northwest.
Making Veterans Day a fee-free day gives everyone an opportunity to reflect on the service of the nation’s veterans while spending time on America’s public lands, she said.
The Forest Service offers fee-free access a few times each year to encourage everyone to explore educational and recreation opportunities available on national forests and grasslands.
On fee-free days, standard amenity fees normally charged for day use sites, such as picnic areas, developed trailheads, and destination visitor centers, are waived. The waiver does not apply to special recreation permits, cabin rentals, or campground reservations, nor does it include expanded amenity fees charged for certain highly-developed sites, service charges, or fees assessed by independent concessionaires operating on National Forest land.
Approximately 98 percent of national forest land can be enjoyed fee-free, year-round. Where fees are assessed, more than 80 percent of these funds are reinvested at the site where they’re collected, where they provide for necessary maintenance and services or are saved to pay for future improvements.
Fee-free public lands access, including access to National Forests and Grasslands, is available year-round to U.S. military service members and their families, veterans, and Gold Star family members.
The Interagency Military Pass is available at no cost to all active-duty military personnel and their families. This pass is honored nationwide at all Forest Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and US Fish & Wildlife Service sites charging standard amenity or entrance fees.
Veterans may present an approved ID at any Forest Service location selling interagency annual passes to receive an an interagency military pass. Beginning Nov. 11, 2022, Veterans will receive the new Lifetime Military pass, which will not need to be renewed annually. Forms of accepted ID include a valid Department of Defense Identification Card (CAC Card), Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC), Veterans Affairs ID Card, or a Veteran designation on a state-issued U.S. driver’s license or identification card. (Veterans presenting proof of disability may also be eligible for a no-cost Interagency Access Pass, which has no expiration date.)
Veterans Day: Nov. 11 — The fee waiver applies to most Forest Service day-use recreation sites in Oregon and Washington, including many picnic areas, boat launches, trailheads, and visitor centers.
Fees for camping, cabin rentals, or other permits still apply. https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r6/passes-permits/recreation/?cid=stelprdb5350931
Fees are waived at Forest Service-managed day use sites on the following days:
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – January 17, 2022
- President’s Day – February 21, 2022
- National Get Outdoors Day – June 11, 2022
- National Public Lands Day – September 24, 2022
- Veterans Day – November 11, 2022
Gold Star family members who meet the criteria identified in sections 3.2 and 3.3 of Department of Defense Instruction 1348.36 may self-certify their eligibility by printing a voucher at this link <https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/veterans-and-gold-star-families-free-access.htm>. The voucher is valid for waiver of entrance fees or standard amenity fees when presented it in person or displayed on their vehicle dashboard when visiting sites where entrance or day-use fees are normally charged. Beginning Nov. 11, Gold Star families may choose to exchange their signed voucher for a Lifetime Military Pass at all Forest Service Locations where interagency passes are sold; paper-based vouchers will also be honored interchangeably with the new Lifetime Military Pass.
For more information about interagency passes valid on National Forests and Grasslands, visit: Passes and Permits | US Forest Service (usda.gov) <https://www.fs.usda.gov/visit/passes-permits>.
For information about the Northwest Forest Pass, accepted at all Forest Service -managed locations in Oregon and Washington, and about specific local passes honored at some Forest Service locations, visit Region 6 – Recreation Passes & Permits (usda.gov) <https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/r6/passes-permits/recreation>.
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