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, December 8, 2022
Rogue Valley Weather
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY ISSUED: 3:58 AM DEC. 8, 2022 – NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 10 PM PST THIS EVENING ABOVE 2000 FEET... * WHAT...Snow accumulations of 1 to 3 inches expected above 2000 feet with 6 inches possible around 4000 feet. * WHERE...Douglas County, Eastern Curry County, Josephine County and Jackson County. This includes Canyon Creek pass on I-5, a portion of highway 227 south of Tiller, portions of highway 138 from Steamboat east to Diamond lake. * WHEN...From 10 AM this morning to 10 PM PST this evening. * IMPACTS...Travel could be difficult due to reduced visibility from blowing snow and slick roads. The hazardous conditions could impact the morning or evening commute. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...The period of heaviest snowfall will be between 10 AM through 4 PM PST Thursday. There is a 30% chance snowfall rates reaching one inch per hour. During periods of lighter snowfall intensity, roads could end up wet during the day Thursday. * View the hazard area in detail at https://www.wrh.noaa.gov/map/?wfo=mfr
Search And Rescue Teams Save Man Stranded in Snow for Two Days Near Prospect
Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) Search and Rescue (SAR) saved a 77-year-old man this morning after he was stranded in the snow for two days. SAR vehicle teams and the Snowcat began looking for the man last night at 1:55 a.m. after he was reported missing in the area of Elk Creek Road outside of Prospect.
The SAR Snowcat located the man around 8 a.m. this morning approximately 10 miles off the Elk Creek Rd. on National Forest Road 6640. Two days ago, he attempted to turn his truck around before becoming stuck in two to three feet of snow. He spent the last two nights in his truck without a functioning heater but was located in good spirits with a mild case of hypothermia.
During this winter season always be prepared even if you aren’t planning on driving in the snow. Bring supplies including blankets, food, and water. Make sure you tell someone where you are going and include the route, and especially what time you will be back. This ensures SAR will know your general location and begin searching as soon as possible. Thank you to the SAR volunteers for a successful mission.
Joint Task Force Sweep Arrests Five Local Suspects for 38 Felony Counts of Encouraging Child Sexual Abuse
JCSO Case 21-5045, 21-5063, 22-0731, 22-0837, 22-4608
Rogue Valley, Ore. – The Southern Oregon Child Exploitation Team (SOCET) joint inter-agency task force arrested five separate suspects Wednesday on 38 encouraging child sexual abuse felony charges. Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) deputies and the United States Marshals Service (USMS) Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force (PNVOTF) along with Grants Pass Police Department (GPPD) assisted with serving the arrest warrants throughout Jackson and Josephine County. Although the cases are not connected, investigations uncovered more than 200 images of child exploitation among the five suspects. Felony charges include 34 first-degree, and four second-degree encouraging child sexual abuse.
Investigations led the task force throughout the Rogue Valley yesterday including addresses in Ashland, Central Point, Gold Hill, Grants Pass, Medford, Phoenix, and White City. These locations included tips where the suspects might be found, where they uploaded child exploitation images, as well as their residences and places of employment.
Each investigation began when SOCET received tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which led to subpoenas, followed by search warrants at the respective residences. Investigators seized digital devices during the searches and applied for additional warrants to examine the devices. Once the additional search warrants were signed, the Southern Oregon High Tech Crimes Task Force (SOHTCTF) forensically examined the devices for further evidence of child exploitation. At that point SOCET took each case through a Grand Jury hearing and the courts issued warrants for each suspect’s arrest.
The first arrest came when SOCET received a tip that a suspect was at work in the 5000 block of Table Rock Road in Central Point. The task force located and arrested Andrew Gilbert Holstein, 33, of Medford, on 10 felony counts of first-degree encouraging child sexual abuse. Previously, SOCET served a search warrant at Holstein’s former residence on the 5800 block of Beagle Road in White City. During the course of the investigation, SOCET and SOHTCTF discovered Holstein was in possession of 124 child exploitation images. He is now lodged at the Jackson County Jail.
Next, SOCET located a suspect’s vehicle at his workplace in the 4000 block of Crater Lake Highway in Medford. The task force found and arrested Cody Austin Hill, 34, of Jacksonville, for nine felony counts of first-degree encouraging child sexual abuse. Based on a NCMEC cyber tip, SOCET served a search warrant at Hill’s former residence in the 1600 block of Anderson Creek Road in Talent. During the course of the investigation, SOCET and SOHTCTF discovered Hill was in possession of 24 child exploitation images. He is now lodged at the Jackson County Jail. Investigators believe that Hill may have victimized others. If you have any information about the suspect, please call the JCSO Tip Line at (541) 774-8333 and reference case number 21-5045.
The task force then located and arrested Nicholas Adam Tellin, 41, at his residence in the 400 block of North Rose Street in Phoenix, for three felony counts of first-degree and two felony counts of second-degree encouraging child sexual abuse. Previously, a NCMEC cyber tip led investigators to his residence where child exploitation images were uploaded. During the course of the investigation, SOCET and SOHTCTF found Tellin to be in possession of seven images of child exploitation. He is now lodged at the Jackson County Jail.
In Grants Pass the task force and GPPD located and arrested Matthew Jay Daniels-Gable, 24, in the 500 block of Northeast Royal Drive, for two felony counts of first-degree and two felony counts of second-degree encouraging child sexual abuse. During the course of the investigation, SOCET and SOHTCTF found Daniels-Gable to be in possession of four images of child exploitation. Daniels-Gable is now lodged at the Josephine County Jail.
The final arrest for the sweep came when Brandon Dean Johnson Gilsdorf, 26, of Gold Hill, turned himself in at the Jackson County Jail this morning. The task force attempted to arrest Gilsdorf at his residence in the 9900 block of Old Stage Road in Gold Hill, but he was not at the location. Gilsdorf is charged with 10 felony counts of first-degree encouraging child sexual abuse. During the course of the investigation, SOCET and SOHTCTF found Gilsdorf to be in possession of 45 images of child exploitation.
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, GPPD, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and prosecutors from our local, state and federal law enforcement partners in Jackson and Josephine County.
Winter Weather Advisory for Most of Southern Oregon
A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect Thursday from 10:00 a.m. through 10:00 p.m. above 2,000 feet for most of Southern Oregon.
Forecasters at the National Weather Service in Medford said snow accumulations of 1 to 3 inches are expected with 6 inches possible above 4,000 feet.
The Advisory area includes the central portion and eastern foothills of Douglas County, Josephine and Jackson counties and eastern Curry County.
This includes Canyon Creek Pass on Interstate 5, a portion of Highway 227 south of Tiller, and portions of Highway 138 from Steamboat east to Diamond Lake.
Forecasters said travel could be difficult due to reduced visibility from blowing snow and slick roads. Hazardous conditions could impact the morning and evening commute. There is a 30 percent chance of snowfall rates reaching 1 inch per hour between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
Get current road conditions at www.tripcheck.com.
White City Armed Robbery Suspects On-The-Run UPDATE: New photos of suspects showing male’s face without mask and his possibly tattooed hand. Additional angle of female’s face.
JCSO 22-7060 —- WHITE CITY, OR – Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) is attempting to locate two suspects from a reported armed robbery at the Purple Parrot in White City this evening. At 5:54 p.m. JCSO deputies responded to a panic alarm on the 7300 block of Highway 62 in White City. Upon arrival, deputies learned an adult man and woman came in to the store, pointed a gun at the cashier and stole money.
The first suspect is described as a Hispanic female adult in her 20’s with brown/red curly hair, wearing a skull mask and a black zip up sweatshirt. The second suspect is described as a Hispanic male adult wearing a dark baseball cap and a black bandana. There is no suspect vehicle description at this time and they left in an unknown direction.
If you have any information about the armed robbery or suspects involved, please call ECSO dispatch at (541) 776-7206.
Mt. Ashland Plans to Open Saturday 12/10
Mt. Ashland Ski Area announced on Wednesday, December 7, that they will open for the season this Saturday, December 10th at 9 am. According to a press release, crews have been working on getting the mountain ready.
They also state lifts will run 9 am to 4 pm December 10-12, while December 15th will start the Ski Area’s 7-days a week holiday schedule, through January 2nd.
Officials say that all trails on the upper mountain will be ungroomed and are recommended for advanced skiers and riders only.
Skiers and riders should expect early season conditions, meaning some natural obstacles will be present. Trails off of the Comer and Sonnet lifts will be groomed and provide easier terrain.
“We are excited to announce the beginning of the 22/23 season. The team has worked hard to prepare the mountain and we are ready. The mountain base looks great, and we are excited to introduce the First Act Magic Carpet to our mountain community” said Curt Burrill, Board President of the Mt. Ashland Association. “Early snowfall has allowed us to open on schedule and we are excited for the forecast of more snow in the next week.”
The Mt. Ashland Ski Area says the first day of the season will be called “Day Onesie” and guests who arrive wearing any one-piece style clothing will receive a special $25 ticket. A group photo of onesie skiers and riders will also take place in the morning.
All services will be available including lessons, rentals, retail shop, T-bar, and the Granite Grill, however officials say the shuttle service will not be operating for this season.
Since the beginning of the snow season, Mt. Ashland has reported 42 inches of snow and in the last seven days, has reported almost two feet. FOR MORE INFO: https://www.mtashland.com/
Five Electricity Substations Attacked in Pacific Northwest in November
At least five electricity substation attacks in Washington and Oregon in November were reported to the FBI, according to local media. Utility companies Puget Sound Energy, the Cowlitz County Public Utility District, and Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) told the Seattle Times they were cooperating with a federal investigation, though the FBI declined to confirm it was investigating the attacks. It’s not clear if any power outages resulted from the assaults.
One operation described as a “deliberate physical attack” took place at a Clackamas, Oregon, substation over the Thanksgiving holiday, BPA spokesman Douglas Johnson said. News of the attacks in the Pacific Northwest comes after damage from a substation shooting in North Carolina on Saturday plunged tens of thousands of people into darkness.
Governor Brown Issues Executive Order To Help Strained Oregon Hospitals
Governor Brown has issued an executive order in response to a surge in adult and pediatric cases and hospitalizations for respiratory viruses.
The order gives hospitals more flexibility to increase staffing and use volunteer nurses and doctors.
The Oregon Health Authority will spend up to 25-million dollars to hire supplemental nurses to help increase hospital staffing.
“Our health care workers––our nurses, doctors, and hospital staff––are being pushed to their limits by this year’s combination of flu, RSV, and COVID-19 hospitalizations,” said Governor Brown. “As they do everything they can to keep Oregonians healthy and safe, we must all do our part to help them. Our health care workers are working around the clock to protect the people most vulnerable to severe respiratory illnesses––including our young children and seniors.
“I am asking Oregonians to come together to help our health care heroes this holiday season. Stay home if you are sick, stay up to date on your vaccinations, and consider wearing a mask in crowded indoor situations––especially if you are at higher risk for severe illness from RSV, the flu, or COVID-19.”
Last month, Governor Brown issued an order that increased hospital flexibility to help with the increase in pediatric RSV cases. The new order expands that flexibility. See executive order
Oregon State Police’s Permit-To-Purchase Gun Application Now Online While Measure 114 On Hold
Oregon’s new permit-to-purchase application for prospective buyers of firearms is online today, as the legality of the State’s new gun control measure is getting resolved in state and federal courts.
Oregon State Police (OSP) put the application online overnight at Oregon’s Measure 114 had been set to take effect today, December 8, 2022, 30 days after Oregon voters narrowly passed the measure in a November 8, 2022, referendum. The Oregon Secretary of State’s Office had said last month it would certify the vote outcome and the Measure’s passage today, too.
OSP said yesterday it would proceed with making the application available online while courts determine Measure 114’s legality. Harney County Circuit Court Judge Robert Raschio issued a temporary restraining order against the measure Tuesday, preventing it from taking effect. The State court said the measure violated Oregon’s constitution, and Judge Raschio ordered further case arguments for deliberation about whether the restraining order stands.
Oregon’s Supreme Court yesterday denied a request from Oregon’s Department of Justice to set aside Raschio’s restraining order, upholding the temporary suspension of Measure 114.
OSP noted that decision, saying it is proceeding with those steps in the gun purchase permitting process that it can, pending the outcome of the court rulings. Lawsuits are also pending in federal court to challenge Measure 114 as a violation of the U.S. Constitution’s Second Amendment. One case’s federal court ruling early this week had allowed the measure to stand while delaying its State-required effective date at the request of Oregon’s Attorney General to allow policing agencies more time to prepare a system to meet Measure 114’s new gun control requirements.
OSP’s online application today allows Oregonians to see the application and get information about the prospective new firearms acquisition process while local law enforcement agencies prepare for possible enforcement of Measure 114, pending further court decisions about its validity.
Its site offers a link to the application, labeled as “Employment Application” in the browser tab, and information about “Rules and Firearms Purchase Disqualifiers.”
OSP notes on the page, “The Permit to Purchase Program is a result of the passage of the 2022 Ballot Measure 114. This program regulates and creates a process for the sale, purchase, and otherwise transfer of all firearms in the State of Oregon. A person must apply for and be issued a ‘Permit to Purchase’ a firearm or firearms from the Police Chief or County Sheriff with jurisdiction over the residence of the person making the application. These Law Enforcement entities are referred to as ‘Permit Agents’ in this program.
Prior to a person buying, leasing, or otherwise transferring a firearm from a ‘Gun Dealer,’ the person must show proof of current identification and a valid ‘Permit-to-Purchase’ before the Federally Licensed Firearms ‘Gun Dealer’ can conduct firearms background checks on persons attempting to purchase a firearm (ORS 166.412) in Oregon.”
Measure 114 would require any person in Oregon to get police permission to get a gun. Any civilian gun purchase would require a person apply to get government permission to buy a gun, require the applicant to pay for that permission from police, require new background checks that also require a full set of a person’s fingerprints, and require applicants complete firearms training before applying. It also limits gun magazine capacity to ten rounds if upheld by the court.
Missing Coos Bay Woman Found Deceased Near Car Crash Down 100-Foot Cliff
A missing woman apparently drove off a 100-foot embankment at Cape Arago State Park in Coos County was found dead Sunday by Oregon State Police who’ve reported this now but say they don’t know when she crashed.
At approximately 10:59 a.m., Sunday, Dec. 4, OSP responded to a report of a single vehicle crash on Highway 540, Cape Arago Highway, near milepost 12.9, according to a news advisory from OSP.
The preliminary investigation indicated that on an unknown date and time, an eastbound Honda Civic operated by Wendy Haumea Smith, 45, of Coos County, crossed the westbound lane of travel onto the earthen shoulder and plummeted more than 100 feet down a cliff and came “to an uncontrolled rest against a tree.”
Smith, who had been reported missing to the Coos County Sheriff’s Office Nov. 6, was found a short distance from the vehicle deceased.
Scene evidence indicated Smith survived the crash, extricated herself from the vehicle, collected some belongings and moved a short distance from the vehicle. It is currently undetermined whether Smith died as a result of injuries related to the crash or other causes, OSP said.
State parks officials closed access to the last section of the park during the investigation, and recovery efforts were underway.
OSP was assisted by the Coos County Sheriff’s Office, Charleston Fire, North Bend Fire and Oregon State Parks.
New Study Shows Oregon Workers’ Compensation Rates Among Lowest in Country
Oregon’s workers’ compensation rates remain among the lowest in the nation, according to an analysis released today by the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS).
This reflects the state’s ongoing success in making workplaces safer and keeping costs under control, according to a release from DCBS.
The biennial study ranks all 50 states and Washington, D.C., based on premium rates that were in effect Jan. 1, 2022.
Oregon had the 10th least expensive rates in 2022. Oregon fell in the rankings by four spots from the 2020 survey, despite having a lower premium index rate, because rates in other states dropped a few pennies more. Oregon’s index rate is 93 cents per $100 of payroll, down from $1.00 from 2020.
DCBS announced in September that Oregon workers’ compensation rates would decline further – an average 3.2 percent – in 2023. Workers’ compensation pays injured workers for lost wages and medical care for job-related injuries.
In recent years, rates have dropped all over the country, which has led to a compression of the scores in the survey. The premium index rates are bunched up at the low end, so that small changes in the index rates can lead to big jumps in the ranking.
In 2020, Oregon was sixth least expensive. In 2022, that spot is held by Kentucky. However, there is just a 7-cent difference per $100 of payroll between the two (93 cents for Oregon and 86 cents for Kentucky).
“This study is an important tool for the workers’ compensation systems throughout the U.S.,” DCBS Director Andrew Stolfi said. “It shows how strong the Oregon workers’ compensation system has become since the survey’s inception in 1986. As an agency, we work hard to keep workplace injuries low and benefits robust and are glad to see insurance costs for employers continue to fall.”
The study shows New Jersey had the most expensive rates, followed by Hawaii and California. Meanwhile, North Dakota had the least expensive rates. In the Northwest, Washington’s rates were the 24th most expensive and Idaho was the 16th most expensive.
Oregon researchers also compared each state’s rates to the national median (the 26th ranked state) rate of $1.27 per $100 of payroll. Oregon’s rate of 93 cents is 73 percent of the median, its second-lowest recorded level.
To produce a valid comparison of states, which have various mixes of industries, the study calculates rates for each state using the same mix of the 50 industries with the highest workers’ compensation claims costs in Oregon.
Oregon has conducted these studies in even-numbered years since 1986, when Oregon’s rates were among the highest in the nation. The department reports the results to the Oregon Legislature as a performance measure. Oregon’s relatively low rate today underscores the success of the state’s workers’ compensation system reforms and its improvements in workplace safety and health.
Oregon has long taken a comprehensive approach to making workplaces safer, keeping business costs low, and providing strong worker benefits, the release states. This approach includes enforcing requirements that employers carry insurance for their workers, keeping medical costs under control, and helping injured workers return to work sooner and minimize the impact on their wages.
It also includes efforts to prevent on-the-job injuries by enforcing workplace safety and health rules and advising employers about how to improve worker safety and health.
Read the study at https://www.oregon.gov/dcbs/reports/Documents/general/prem-rpt/22-2083.pdf.
Oregon’s Commercial Dungeness Crab Season Remains Closed
The ocean commercial Dungeness crab season remains closed as round two of pre-season testing shows crabs remain too low in meat yield in some areas.
Elevated domoic acid is still detected in some crab viscera (guts), according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Oregon Agriculture Department.
Round three of crab meat yield and biotoxin testing will occur in the coming weeks. Results help determine if the season opens Dec. 31 or is further delayed or split into areas with different opening dates.
Targeted to open Dec. 1, Oregon’s ocean commercial Dungeness crab season can be delayed so consumers get a high-quality product and crabs are not wasted.
Oregon, California and Washington coordinate Dungeness crab quality testing and the commercial season opening dates. California and Washington also are delaying their commercial seasons until at least Dec. 31. Tri-state crab quality testing protocol is available online.
ODFW tests crabs out of Oregon’s six major crabbing ports in partnership with the Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission, Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA), and the commercial Dungeness crab industry.
Commercial Dungeness crab is one of Oregon’s most iconic and valuable fisheries, contributing millions to our coastal communities. The commercial ocean Dungeness crab fishery opening has been delayed the past six seasons due to either low meat yield or domoic acid levels above the threshold for safe consumption.
Although the season was delayed in stages in 2021 (harvest opened Dec. 16 south of Cape Falcon and Feb. 15, 2021 north of Cape Falcon), fishermen still brought in 12.2 million pounds of Dungeness crab coastwide with an ex-vessel value of $60.6 million dollars.
Free ranger-guided walks will be offered again this winter at Crater Lake National Park beginning Saturday, Dec. 10.
In an average winter, Crater Lake National Park receives 42 feet of snow! Ranger-guided snowshoe walks are a fun way to explore this winter wonderland while learning how plants, animals, and people survive the harsh conditions.
This winter (2022-2023), walks will be offered on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays from December 10 through April 30, and every day from December 17 to January 2 and March 25 to April 1. The walks start at 1:00 pm, last two hours, and cover 1 to 2 miles of moderate-to-strenuous terrain. They don’t follow a trail—the hike is an off-trail exploration through the forests and meadows along the rim of Crater Lake. If the road to Rim Village is closed, the walks explore the forests and meadows in the vicinity of Park Headquarters.
No previous snowshoeing experience is necessary. Snowshoes are provided free of charge, and there is no cost for the tour (apart from the winter entrance fee of $20 per vehicle). Participants should be at least 8 years old, be in good physical health, and come prepared with warm clothing and water-resistant footwear. The walks take place rain or shine (or snow). Pets are not allowed on the hike.
Space on each tour is limited, and advance reservations are required. For more information and to sign up, call the park’s visitor center at 541-594-3100. Organized groups (such as scout troops, hiking clubs, and church groups) may be able to arrange for a separate tour, staff permitting. Call to check on available dates. https://www.nps.gov/crla/planyourvisit/ranger-guided-snowshoe-walks.htm
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