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, December 27, 2022
Rogue Valley Weather
WIND ADVISORY ISSUED: 3:57 AM DEC. 27, 2022 – NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
...WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON... * WHAT...South winds 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 55 mph. * WHERE...Jackson County. This includes Medford, Jacksonville, White City, Shady Cove, Ashland, and Gold Hill. * WHEN...Until 4 PM PST Tuesday. * IMPACTS...Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result. Travel will be difficult, especially for high profile vehicles. * View the hazard area in detail at https://www.wrh.noaa.gov/map/?wfo=mfr
New Medford Dental Clinic Opens Today That Will Help Patients Regardless Of Ability To Pay
Rogue Community Health is opening a second dental clinic in Medford that will offer affordable, high-quality care for patients regardless of their ability to pay or their insurance status.
The new Rogue Main Street Dental clinic opens Tuesday, Dec. 27, at 922 E. Main St. The dental clinic is sited alongside Rogue Community Health facilities that provide primary medical care, behavioral health care, a pharmacy and administrative services.
Rogue Community Health will have two permanent dental care sites in Medford once the new clinic opens. The organization already has a dentist office at 906 Royal Court.
Dental care is provided by licensed professionals, according to Rogue Community Health.
“Our dental program continues to grow to meet the needs of our patients and our community. We are pleased that our East Main dental clinic is opening as we are building out our medical, behavioral and dental services campus on East Main Street,” Rogue Community Health Executive Officer William North said in a press release.
The organization’s dental care program is part of a whole-patient approach designed to address the overall wellness of Rogue Community Health members. Services include dental exams, X-rays, periodontal and cancer screenings, TMJ screening and treatment and insurance enrollment assistance, the organization said.
A grand opening celebration for the new dental clinic is planned for Jan. 25 in partnership with The Chamber of Medford & Jackson County. More details will be announced closer to the event.
Rogue Community Health is a federally qualified health center, meaning it receives federal funding to help medically underserved people regardless of their ability to pay.
Opened in 1972 as a small, all-volunteer clinic in Ashland, Rogue Community Health has grown to serve nearly 15,000 Southern Oregon residents with an array of services, including primary care, behavioral health care, dental care, pediatrics, pharmacy services, transitional housing and community resource assistance.
High Wind Watch Through Tuesday Evening
A High Wind Watch is in effect through Tuesday Evening. Forecasters at the National Weather Service said south winds of 35 to 45 miles per hour with gusts up to 80 miles per hour are possible.
The Advisory area applies to the south central and southern Oregon Cascades and the Siskiyou Mountains. That includes Crater Lake and Mt. Ashland.
Forecasters said damaging winds could blow down trees and power lines. Power outages will be possible. Travel could be difficult, especially for high profile vehicles.
Snow levels will lower around 7:00 a.m. Tuesday to where heavy, wet snow is falling at the rate of one inch per hour. That is very likely to cause white out conditions, which would severely restrict visibility. The combination of heavy snow and strong winds will also increase the chance for trees to fall.
Check back for updates on this situation. Dangerous driving conditions are possible. Fasten loose objects or shelter objects in a safe location prior to the onset of winds.
Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving Awareness Campaign
The weeks leading up to the holiday season are a busy period on America’s roads. To help keep drivers safe, our local law enforcement departments will work with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) during the national Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving drunk-driving-awareness campaign.
If you plan to go out and include alcohol in your celebration, make sure you refrain from driving. Review these facts and spread the word about the dangers of drunk driving.
- During the 2016-2020 December months, more than 4,400 people were killed in drunk-driving-related crashes.
- Drunk male drivers were involved in fatal crashes at a much higher rate (660) in December 2020 compared to female drivers (191).
- Approximately one-third of all traffic crash fatalities in the United States involve drunk drivers (with BACs at or above .08). In 2020, there were 11,654 people killed in drunk-driving crashes.
- Although it’s illegal to drive when impaired by alcohol, in 2020 one person was killed every 45 minutes in a drunk-driving crash on our nation’s roads.
- The rate of alcohol impairment among drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2020 was 3.1 times higher at night than during the day.
Plan for a Safe Celebration
Always remember to plan ahead when you will be celebrating with alcohol. If you plan to drink, make arrangements for a sober driver to take you home. Before you start celebrating this holiday season, look over these safety tips to keep you, your loved ones, and everyone else safe on the road.
- Plan ahead: If you wait until you’ve been drinking to make a smart decision, you might not. Before you have one drink, designate a sober driver who won’t be drinking.
- If it’s your turn to be the designated driver, take your job seriously, and don’t drink.
- If you see a drunk driver on the road, 911 immediately.
- Do you have a friend who is about to drink and drive? Take the keys away and let a sober driver get your friend home safely.
High winds along coast and inland increase outage risk over next 24 hours
Check your emergency outage kit, keep mobile devices charged, revisit family storm prep plans
A powerful Pacific storm coming on the heels of a significant ice and wind event will increase the potential for widespread power outages from Crescent City, Calif. to the Portland area over the next 24 hours. It will be a wet and windy week as a series of low-pressure systems will bring stormy weather to the region.
“The winds that are headed our way have the potential to cause damage to trees already weakened by the previous storm,” said Allen Berreth, vice president, operations. “We are always prepared to respond with crews at the ready to repair damage as fast as possible and reduce the amount of time any customer is without service. We are staging personnel and equipment to respond to outages as they occur.”
Already over 70,000 people were without power in Oregon while over 30,000 were without power in California and over 10,000 in Washington, according to PowerOutage.US, as wind gusts topped 70-80 mph along the coastal headlands and mountain tops while Astoria, Oregon hit a gust of 69 mph.
Pacific Power’s meteorology team is closely monitoring forecasts and field personnel are prepping for wind-related impacts late this evening and into Tuesday. Forecasts call for potentially damaging winds hitting Crescent City and Yreka by 8 p.m. tonight. The storm will work its way north along the coast overnight with high winds likely in the Willamette Valley and the Portland area by Tuesday morning.
Forecasts indicate the fast-moving storm will exit the area by Tuesday evening.
To ensure that you are prepared for outages, we ask that every home maintain an Emergency Outage Kit that includes the following:
- Flashlight
- Battery-operated radio and clock
- Extra batteries
- Non-perishable foods
- Manual can opener
- Bottled water
- Blankets
If a power outage occurs, Pacific Power encourages customers to first check their fuses and circuit breakers. If the power failure is not caused inside the home or business, customers should report the outage to Pacific Power at 1-877-508-5088 or by texting OUT to 722797.
Get the App. The Pacific Power App for mobile devices can become invaluable during an outage. You can report and track an outage affecting you from your mobile device. The app is free and can be downloaded on the App Store or Google Play.
Pacific Power suggests these safety precautions once a storm has hit:
- Stay away from all downed power lines and utility lines. Even if the lines are not sparking, they could be energized and extremely dangerous. Call 911 immediately, then report it to Pacific Power at 1-877-508-5088.
- Extensive rain may cause flooding or landslides. Be especially careful of any standing water or even soggy ground. A live, downed wire may seem to be a safe distance away, but it is still extremely dangerous due to wet conditions.
- Don’t drive over downed power lines.
Starting Monday evening, several weather watches and warnings have been issued for a storm system that is expected to bring a lot of rain and some pretty significant wind to Northwest Oregon and Southwest Washington through Tuesday.
A Wind Advisory has been issued for a majority of the Willamette Valley from 2 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday.
The Oregon Coast is expected to experience heavy rain and wind on Monday lasting into Tuesday . A High Wind Warning and Coastal Flood Watch have both been issued for most areas along the coast through Tuesday evening.
Oregon’s Paid Family And Medical Leave Program Will Begin Collecting Money From Workers And Businesses Jan. 1st
Oregon’s paid family and medical leave program will begin collecting money from workers and businesses Jan. 1 and employees will be able to start applying for benefits Sept. 3.
The program will cover leave for the birth or adoption of a child, for serious illness or injury, for taking care of a seriously ill family member and for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking or harassment, according to the state. Most workers will be able to take up to 12 weeks of paid leave annually through the program, although those who are pregnant, have given birth or have health issues related to childbirth, may be eligible for up to 14 weeks of paid leave, the state said.
Starting Jan. 1, workers will pay 0.6% of their gross wages every paycheck and big employers will contribute an additional 0.4% to fund the program. For the first eight months of 2023, the state will use that money to build up a fund that it will tap starting in September to pay benefits to workers.
Employers with fewer than 25 employees will not be required to pay into the program but they can choose to pay into it if they wish to access grants to cover costs such as overtime or a temporary replacement worker. Those small employers will still need to collect and remit contributions from employees even if they decline to pay into the program themselves.
Oregon is set to join 10 other states and Washington D.C. in offering some sort of paid leave program.
To ensure that employees and employers are informed about the program, The Oregonian/OregonLive recently compiled a list of reader questions and posed them to Paid Leave Oregon spokesperson Angela Yeager. Here are her responses:
Who will be covered by Oregon’s paid leave program? Will temporary and part-time employees be covered?
Yeager: “An employee who made at least $1,000 the year before applying for paid leave, and qualifies for benefits, may be eligible for the paid leave program. This includes temporary, part-time, and seasonal employees, as well as people who work for more than one employer.
“Individuals who are self-employed are not automatically covered, but can choose coverage. Federal government employees are not covered, and cannot choose coverage.”
What if a worker has mostly retired and is receiving a pension or Social Security but still works part-time?
Yeager: “If a worker is mostly retired, but works part-time and makes at least $1,000 per year, the worker is required to contribute to the program.”
Do employees get paid 100% of their salary when they’re on leave? Do all workers, regardless of income, get the same percentage of their salary covered?
Yeager: “The amount an employee gets paid while on leave will depend on how much the employee has earned. Lower-wage earners will receive 100% of their paycheck, while higher-wage earner will receive a portion. Please see the chart on the employee section of our website that shows the contribution and benefit payments for minimum-, median- and higher-wage earners.”
Do the 12 weeks of paid leave have to be used consecutively or can they be broken up?
Yeager: “Leave can be taken consecutively or intermittently, in days, for a qualifying condition. For example, someone who has ongoing chemotherapy treatments may need a few days per month for their treatments. Leave has to be taken for an entire workday though, not by hour or minute.”
A pregnant worker is going to give birth in April 2023, after the state has started to collect paid leave contributions from that worker but before the state will begin offering paid leave benefits, which will not be until September. Will it be possible for that worker to claim retroactive leave payments after September?
Yeager: “Employees can take paid leave for the first year of a child’s life. An employee who gave birth in April 2023 can’t take retroactive leave; however, beginning in September 2023 they could still apply to take up to 12 weeks of paid leave off work to bond with their child until April 2024.”
What if a worker’s employer already offers more than 12 weeks of parental leave? Would that employee and employer still have to pay into Oregon’s paid leave program?
Yeager: “An employer that already offers paid leave to their employees that is equal to or greater than the leave benefits of the paid leave program can apply for an equivalent plan. The equivalent plan must offer paid leave for at least 12 weeks of family, medical and safe leave (for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, harassment or stalking). If the equivalent plan is approved by the Oregon Employment Department, the employer can choose to have the employee pay contributions or the employer can choose to pay the contributions on behalf of the employee.”
Do employees have any option to opt out of paying into the paid leave program?
Yeager: “There is no option to opt out. Paid leave supports employees during life’s most challenging moments, which are often unplanned. To ensure benefits are available when needed, employees – regardless of the size of their employer or hours worked – do not have the option to opt out of the program based on how it was written into statute.”
MORE INFO: https://paidleave.oregon.gov/Pages/default.aspx
Oregon Capitol Undergoing Seismic Retrofits
Construction to stabilize Oregon’s Capitol in case of an earthquake is still underway with weeks left until the start of the legislative session.
Officials say the Rotunda will remain closed, as will the north entrance. Lawmakers and visitors will be able to access hearing rooms and chambers through the south entrances on State Street.
The project has been ongoing since lawmakers approved phase one in 2016. However, construction up until 2018 was focused on structural components that were less visible.
“We have basically been closed since 2020 due to the pandemic. So then we have been slowly opening parts of the Capitol back up while closing other parts down for construction,” said Jodie Jones, director for the Capitol Accessibility, Maintenance and Safety Project (CAMS).
The project has been structured in phases. With the third and final phase now underway, Jones said the project is expected to wrap up in July of 2025 and to cost approximately $508 million.
She said it was estimated that without reinforcement, an earthquake could cause the entire structure to crumble.
“Currently, if we were to have a massive earthquake, this building would not withstand that earthquake and people would not be able to get out of here safely,” she said, noting that the seismic upgrades will ensure the safety of those in the Capitol and a return to work for lawmakers needing to assist in recovery after a disaster.
“Our first priority of course is to save lives,” Jones said. “Then the next is how do we get this building to function again as quickly as possible.”
Oregon Argues Part Of New Gun Measure 114 Should Take Effect
An Oregon judge will decide by Jan. 3 whether to keep in place or lift his order blocking part of a new, voter-approved gun safety measure requiring a completed criminal background check before a gun can be sold or transferred.
During a hearing Friday, an Oregon special assistant attorney general, Harry B. Wilson, urged Harney County Judge Robert S. Raschio to allow the completed background check requirement to take effect, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported.
Wilson argued it will save lives, is constitutional and wasn’t directly challenged by the plaintiffs.
Under federal law, firearms dealers can sell guns without a completed background check if the check takes longer than three business days. That’s how a man in a Charleston, S.C., bought his gun in 2015 and killed nine people at a church. The new measure in Oregon would end that practice.
Raschio this month paused all parts of the Oregon gun control measure. He issued a preliminary injunction against its restrictions on the sale, manufacture and use of large-capacity magazines and a temporary restraining order on the requirement that a permit be obtained to buy a gun.
Raschio’s orders came as a result of a lawsuit brought by Virginia-based Gun Owners of America and two Harney County gun owners that seeks to halt the measure.
The hearing Friday focused mainly on the background check provision.
“Although a significant percentage of background checks are completed automatically within minutes, many require additional time,” Wilson wrote to the court. “As a result, in some instances, individuals with felony criminal histories can obtain a firearm because the transferer can deliver the firearm after three days and before the background check is complete. This has led to horrifying consequences.”
GasBuddy Reports Oregon Gas Prices Fall Close To Year-Ago Level
Average gasoline prices in Oregon have fallen 5.5 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.73/g Monday, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 1,307 stations in Oregon.
Prices in Oregon are 69.1 cents per gallon lower than a month ago and stand 0.4 cents per gallon higher than a year ago.
Meanwhile, the national average price of diesel has fallen 8.6 cents in the last week and stands at $4.68 per gallon.
According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Oregon was priced at $3.13/g Sunday, while the most expensive was $4.55/g, a difference of $1.42/g.
The national average price of gasoline has fallen 4.9 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.05/g Monday. The national average is down 50.2 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 20.3 cents per gallon lower than a year ago, according to GasBuddy data compiled from more than 11 million weekly price reports covering over 150,000 gas stations across the country.
Historical gasoline prices in Oregon and the national average going back ten years:
December 26, 2021: $3.73/g (U.S. Average: $3.25/g)
December 26, 2020: $2.48/g (U.S. Average: $2.25/g)
December 26, 2019: $2.98/g (U.S. Average: $2.54/g)
December 26, 2018: $2.91/g (U.S. Average: $2.30/g)
December 26, 2017: $2.73/g (U.S. Average: $2.44/g)
December 26, 2016: $2.41/g (U.S. Average: $2.28/g)
December 26, 2015: $2.33/g (U.S. Average: $2.00/g)
December 26, 2014: $2.56/g (U.S. Average: $2.30/g)
December 26, 2013: $3.28/g (U.S. Average: $3.26/g)
December 26, 2012: $3.29/g (U.S. Average: $3.23/g)
MORE INFO: https://www.gasbuddy.com/
Free Ranger-Guided Hikes at 20 Oregon State Parks On New Year’s Day
Rangers will guide hikes at Oregon state parks on New Year’s Day to kick off 2023. Choose from 24 hikes in 21 parks across the state. All hikes will be guided by a park ranger or volunteer who will share stories about the park’s history, geology, wildlife, and plants.
Known as “First Day Hikes,” the trips typically cover just a few miles and are considered family-friendly.
The tours are free and the $5 day-use parking fee is also being waived on New Year’s Day at every state park that normally requires a fee. A few of the guided hikes do require registration.
Rangers will cover park history, geology, wildlife and plants during the hikes at parks around the state from the high desert to the coast, according to a news release.
“A guided hike is great way to kick off 2023 in the outdoors and begin a new tradition or continue a longstanding family tradition,” said Lisa Sumption, director of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. “As our centennial year comes to a close, we’re excited to begin the next 100 years of Oregon State Parks and continue to offer year-round recreation.”
The hikes begin at different times and locations. To get information on each of the different treks, including length, difficulty and whether you need to register, go to https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=v.feature-article&articleId=263
“Remember to plan for winter weather, dress in layers, wear sturdy shoes, bring water and carry binoculars for viewing wildlife,” the news release said.
Here’s a list of the planned hikes at each state park.
Portland area
- L.L. Stub Stewart State Park: 10 a.m., meet at the Dairy Creek West meeting hall
- Milo McIver State Park: 10 a.m., meet at the Dog Creek Trailhead in the Riverside Day-Use Area.
- Milo McIver State Park: 1 p.m., meet at the Dog Creek Trailhead in the Riverside Day-use Area.
Columbia River Gorge
- Deschutes River State Recreation Area: 11 a.m., meet at the Oregon Trail Kiosk. Registration required.
- Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail: 10 a.m., meet at the Mark O. Hatfield East Trailhead on Rock Creek Road, Mosier. Bring your snowshoes or cross-country skis if there’s snow.
Willamette Valley/West Cascades
- Elijah Bristow State Park, Equestrian Ride: 11 a.m., foot in stirrup at noon, meet at the equestrian parking area for horse riding (bring your own horse).
- Elijah Bristow State Park: 10 a.m., meet at the main parking lot at the end of the park road near group picnic areas.
- Detroit Lake State Park: 11 a.m., meet at the Campground Visitor Center.
- Silver Falls State Park, Historic District Hike: 10 a.m., meet at the South Falls Lodge porch.
- Silver Falls State Park, Geology Hike: 10 a.m., meet at the South Falls Lodge porch.
Oregon Coast
- Bullards Beach State Park: 1 p.m., meet at the amphitheater.
- Fort Stevens State Park: 10 a.m., meet at the main parking lot next to the museum and visitor center.
- Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park: 10 a.m., meet at the Cleawox Lodge.
- Nehalem Bay State Park: 9 a.m., meet at the main parking lot.
- South Beach State Park, South Jetty: 10 a.m., meet at the new Jetty Trailhead, South Jetty Day-use Area.
- Sitka Sedge State Natural Area: 12 p.m., meet at the parking lot.
Southern Oregon
- Collier Memorial State Park: 10 a.m., meet at the Logging Museum parking lot. Call the park office, 541-783-2471 X21 to register by Dec. 30. Leave a message that includes name, contact info and number of people attending.
- TouVelle State Park: 1:30 p.m., meet at the day-use area by Area F at the far end of the park.
- Valley of the Rogue State Park: 10 a.m., meet at the amphitheater fire pit in the program area.
Eastern/Central Oregon
- Cottonwood Canyon State Park: 10 a.m., meet at the Experience Center.
- LaPine State Park: 10 a.m., meet at the Cougar Woods Trailhead. Registration required.
- Smith Rock State Park: 9 a.m., meet at the Welcome Center Yurt. Registration required.
- Tumalo State Park: 1 p.m., meet at the day-use entrance near the fee machine.
