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
Wednesday, February 15, 2023
Rogue Valley Weather
Student Brandishing Replica Pistol Near North Medford High School Prompts ‘Secure’ Status
At 10:55 am the North Medford High School on campus School Resource Officer (SRO) was contacted by a staff member reporting that a juvenile was seen with a handgun across N Keene Way Dr. This street runs along the west side of the school near the front entrance.
The SRO went to investigate and was contacted by a citizen also reporting that a male juvenile was in a red vehicle parked across the street and he had been holding a handgun. The SRO located the vehicle in the LDS church parking lot, which within 100 feet of the School. The vehicle was occupied by several subjects. Due to the report of an armed subject in close proximity to the school the SRO initiated a “Secure” for the North Medford High School campus.
Additional Officers arrived to assist and conduct a high risk contact of the occupants in the vehicle. The officers contacted 5 juveniles who are all current students at North Medford High School. One of the male juveniles contacted inside the vehicle admitted to being in possession of a pellet pistol and that he had been shooting it at a nearby tree. The replica pellet pistol was seized and is very realistic looking and difficult to distinguish from a real firearm.
The juvenile was cited and released to his parents for Disorderly Conduct 2. The case will be forwarded to the Jackson County Juvenile department for review. Although they were trespassing on the property the other juveniles were released without any charges.
The high school was in “Secure” for approximately 15 minutes. When a school is put into “Secure” it is different than being put into “Lockdown”. Secure means that all doors are locked to keep potential threats outside and learning proceeds as usual. Students can also move around inside the school if escorted by a staff member. When it comes to keeping our students safe at school we make those decisions in an effort to protect them and disrupt their learning as little as possible.
December White City Armed Robbery Suspect Arrested in Las Vegas
JCSO 22-7060 — The suspect from the December armed robbery of the Purple Parrot in White City has been arrested and is lodged in the Jackson County Jail. Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) detectives tracked down the suspect with help from Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agents in Medford and Las Vegas, and the Basin Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team (BINET) in Klamath Falls. The suspect, Francisco Javier Diaz-Ramirez, 44, of Las Vegas, has been charged with two counts of first-degree robbery.
On December 5, 2022, at 5:54 p.m. JCSO deputies responded to a panic alarm in 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 an undisclosed amount of money and products. The suspects left the scene and deputies were unable to locate them.
Upon further investigation, JCSO detectives identified Diaz-Ramirez through a collaboration with BINET and the ATF. On January 19, detectives presented evidence to a Jackson County Grand Jury and an extraditable arrest warrant was issued. LVMPD arrested the suspect on February 2 and served a search warrant at his residence uncovering evidence from the crime including the firearm used in the robbery. Jackson County Jail Transport deputies flew to Las Vegas on February 12 and escorted Diaz-Ramirez to the Jail. On February 13, JCSO detectives interviewed Diaz-Ramirez and he confessed to the crime.
Diaz-Ramirez committed the armed robbery with an unidentified Hispanic female adult in her 20’s with brown/red curly hair, wearing a skull mask and a black zip up sweatshirt. The accomplice has not been identified and is not known to be from Oregon. If you have any information on the unknown suspect’s identification, call the JCSO Tip Line at (541) 774-8333 and reference case 22-7060.
During the course of the investigation detectives determined Diaz-Ramirez attempted to sell old, rare coins in Southern Oregon. If anyone has purchased coins from Diaz-Ramirez (pictured here) contact the JCSO Tip Line at (541) 774-8333 and reference case 22-7060.
BINET consists of investigators from Homeland Security Investigations, Oregon State Police, and Klamath Falls Police Department.
Major Crimes Team Investigating Death of Glide Man
IDLEYLD PARK, Ore. – The Douglas County Major Crimes Team is investigating the death of a Glide man.
On Sunday, February 12, 2023, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a male who was deceased on public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Idleyld Park.
Deputies responded to the reported area and confirmed the death of 35-year-old Glide resident, Austin Mitchell Clark. The cause of death has been ruled a homicide; the circumstances of which remain under investigation. Detectives state the death is an isolated event and there is no threat to public safety.
The Douglas County Major Crimes Team is investigating the incident, with the Sheriff’s Office assigned as the lead investigating agency. Anyone with direct knowledge of Clark’s activities prior to Sunday, February 12, 2023, are encouraged to contact the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Division at 541-440-4458.
The Douglas County Major Crimes Team consists of investigators from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Roseburg Police Department and Oregon State Police working in consultation with the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office.
Governor Orders Flags Flown Half-Staff For Gresham Firefighter Til Sunset Today
Governor Tina Kotek has ordered flags at public institutions flown at half-staff until sunset on February 15th to honor Gresham Firefighter Brandon Norbury. He died suffering cardiac arrest while on duty.
Here’s more from the announcement from the governor’s office.
Norbury dedicated his life to serving others. He was a member of the elite U.S. Navy SEAL Team 2, he was a Gresham Police officer for seven years and a Gresham Fire Department firefighter for nearly 15 years. Norbury’s memorial service is planned for Wednesday. https://www.oregon.gov/newsroom/Pages/NewsDetail.aspx?newsid=87669
House Bill Seeks Funding To Train Dental Workforce Due To Staffing Shortages
House Bill 2979 aims to address a major staffing shortage in Oregon’s dental industry, specifically among dental assistants and hygienists. It would put $20 million toward funding, training, and education programs for college and high school students as well as on-the-job training. It would also expand existing incentives for dental professionals serving in high need areas.
According to The Oregon Health Authority dental offices lost 56 percent of their staff during the first year of the pandemic. For perspective, physician offices lost 11 percent. The problem according to many in the industry, is not enough aspiring dental care professionals in the pipeline.
“I can speak to how difficult it is to hire a dental assistant because I have had advertisements out for the last three years without much success,” said Representative Hai Pham (R-Hillsboro).
Pham is the bill’s chief sponsor as well as a pediatric dentist. On Tuesday, he and others testified before the House Committee on Behavioral Health and Health Care.
“Creating a publicly accessible training module for dental assistants will help create more opportunities for individuals who want to enter the dental profession, particularly those in rural areas,” said Pham.
Representative Cyrus Javadi (R-Astoria) also testified in support of the HB 2979. Javadi practices dentistry on the north coast and also stressed how much more difficult the staffing crisis is in rural areas without access to training programs in their communities.
“The closest training program is two hours away,” said Javadi. “It’s too much of an ask for people interested in the dental profession to change their entire life to move closer to these training programs.”
For providers like Dr. Zeller their concerns always go back to what it means for patients.
“Having to cancel or schedule them months later has massive effects not just on how they’re feeling today but what their oral health is in the future,” said Zeller. Some dental professionals are concerned HB 2979 doesn’t do enough to address dissatisfaction over pay, specifically among dental assistants. They believe that’s one of the main reasons people aren’t filling open positions and that improving access to training isn’t enough to address that frustration.
Umpqua Bank Charitable Foundation Awards Grants to 56 Nonprofits
Latest round of grants helps organizations create economic opportunity in communities across Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho, and Nevada
PORTLAND, Ore., (February 14, 2023) The Umpqua Bank Charitable Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization of Umpqua Bank, has awarded 56 grants to local nonprofits across its footprint totaling $331,500.
Umpqua’s latest round of grants support nonprofit organizations across Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho, and Nevada, and are part of the bank’s overall foundation and corporate giving program that has invested more than $17 million since the foundation was formed in 2014.
“We’re deeply committed to helping nonprofits provide critical community services that improve the economic prosperity for under-resourced individuals, families and small businesses,” said Randy Choy, Umpqua Bank vice president of community giving and managing director of the Umpqua Bank Charitable Foundation. “We look forward to continue aiding organizations through volunteerism and grants throughout 2023 and are grateful for all the hard work by these nonprofits in our regions that help better the lives of others in need.”
These nonprofits, selected from among hundreds of applicants in the final of three grant cycles in 2022, demonstrated a steadfast commitment to serving low-to-moderate-income populations in at least one of eight categories: family engagement and resiliency; financial competency; housing stability and home ownership; college, career or technical readiness; entrepreneurship and business expansion; vibrant and equitable neighborhoods; technical and digital connectivity; and small business support and financial guidance.
The next deadline for community grant applications is 5 p.m. PT on Fri., March 3, 2023. Learn more at www.UmpquaBank.com/Community.
The following Oregon organizations received grants of $5,000 to $15,000:
Free Fishing Weekend This Weekend In Oregon
Make fishing part of your three-day weekend plans. Everyone can fish, clam and crab for free in Oregon on Saturday and Sunday of President’s Day Weekend, Feb. 18-19, 2023.
No fishing/shellfish licenses or tags (including a Combined Angling Tag or Columbia River Basin Endorsement or Two-Rod Validation) are required those two days. Both Oregon residents and nonresidents can fish for free.
All other fishing regulations apply including closures, bag limits and size restrictions. See the Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations for rules and remember to check for any in season regulation changes at the Recreation Report especially for salmon and steelhead fishing. Click on the zone where you want to fish and then click the “Regulation Updates” tab to see the in-season changes.
The Recreation Report is updated weekly and features the best bests for fishing for the upcoming week. For beginners, Easy Angling Oregon is a great guide to getting started fishing in Oregon, and if you live near Portland, Bend, Medford, Roseburg or in Lane County, there are lots of nearby options.
Prefer to crab or clam instead? MyODFW has all the information you need to get started clamming or crabbing. Remember to check ocean conditions and take safety precautions—always clam with a friend and never turn your back on the ocean.
As of Feb. 14, crabbing is open coastside but razor clamming is closed along the entire Oregon coast due to biotoxin levels.
Remember to call the ODA Shellfish safety hotline at 1-800-448-2474 or check their Shellfish page before you go clamming or crabbing. The Oregon Department of Agriculture regularly tests shellfish and closes areas when naturally occurring biotoxins get to levels that make crabs and clams unsafe to eat. MORE INFO: https://myodfw.com/articles/2023-free-fishing-days-and-events
BLM Waives Day Use Fees For Washington’s Birthday
In honor of George Washington’s birthday and to increase recreational access to public land, the Bureau of Land Management is waiving recreation standard amenity and day-use fees for visitors on February 20th.
A release said the BLM is inviting the public to visit unique and diverse natural landscapes and visitor facilities on BLM-managed lands to celebrate the life of the first U.S. President George Washington.
This marks the second of the BLM’s fee-free days of 2023. Fee-free days refer to the waiver of standard amenity fees and day-use fees, such as visitor centers, picnic/day use areas, and National Conservation Land units where fees are charged. Expanded amenity fees and other fees, like group day use, overnight camping, cabin rentals and individual special recreation permits, will remain in effect unless the authorized officer determines it is appropriate to waive them.
MORE INFO: Winter adventure in the Pacific Northwest – Our top locations for recreation in the snow, rain, or ice https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/766c58075f574db2b52f3d2e13b75bb8
