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
Monday, February 27, 2023
Rogue Valley Weather
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY ISSUED: 5:20 AM FEB. 27, 2023 – NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM PST TUESDAY ABOVE 2000 FEET... ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM PST TUESDAY BELOW 2000 FEET... * WHAT...For the Winter Storm Warning above 2000 feet, heavy snow expected. Total snow accumulations of 7 to 14 inches. Winds gusting as high as 45 mph. For the Winter Weather Advisory, total snow accumulations of 2 to 6 inches. * WHERE...For the Winter Storm Warning, parts of Jackson County, including Butte Falls, Prospect and portions of Highways 140, 62, 227 and 238. For the Winter Weather Advisory, this includes the valley floors below 2000 feet. * WHEN...For the Winter Storm Warning, until 4 PM PST Tuesday. For the Winter Weather Advisory, until 10 AM PST Tuesday. * IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult to impossible. Patchy blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility. The hazardous conditions could impact the morning or evening commute. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Snowfall of a dusting to 2 inches is likely on the valley floors this morning. Some melting is likely this afternoon into the early evening, then additional valley floor snow is expected later this evening through Tuesday morning. Additional light valley snow is possible Tuesday night. * View the hazard area in detail at https://www.wrh.noaa.gov/map/?wfo=mfr
Phoenix High School Girls Basketball Team Bus Crash On Hwy 97
A bus carrying members of the Phoenix High School Girl’s Basketball Team and coaching staff was involved in a vehicle accident Saturday night on their way home from the team’s last game of the season.
The Phoenix Talent School District said the accident happened on Highway 97 about 30 miles south of Bend.
It said a vehicle traveling northbound hit the bus and another car head-on while attempting to pass another car. The bus driver was able to control the bus and steer it onto the shoulder. Fortunately, no one on the bus was hurt. The bus, however, was totaled.
The six athletes, along with two coaches and the bus driver were not injured after a car traveling northbound on Highway 97 crashed into the bus and another car, which were both headed south. The driver of the First Student bus was able to maintain control of it after the car, which attempted to pass the southbound traffic, crashed into the bus and another car.
“The bus driver did a great job keeping it from being much worse,” Dave Ehrhardt, the athletics director for Phoenix High School said. “Our coaches stabilized the scene and helped calm down the kids, and the families of the other kids circled back from an hour away to help get everyone home.”
Oregon DEQ Index Updates Poor Water Quality In Southern Oregon
Oregon’s D.E.Q has updated its Oregon Water Quality Index. —- Klamath Straight, Little Butte Creek and Bear Creek have shown poor water quality. But the D.E.Q said the Link River has the worst water quality.
The Rogue and Applegate Rivers showed good or excellent quality. But researchers said they’re worst off than when the survey started in 2013.
“Compared to other basins Rogue Basin is doing well, you know there is very good indication it is good to see those samplings.”, said Dylan Darling, public affairs specialist.
The only river that showed significant improvements was Coos River that has fair quality.
The Oregon Water Quality Index analyzes a defined set of water quality variables and produces a score describing general water quality for a particular monitoring site in the ambient monitoring network. Scores correspond to a water quality status and are evaluated for improving or declining trends at each site. https://www.oregon.gov/deq/wq/pages/wqi.aspx
Fiery Crash on Lone Pine Road
This happened on Lone Pine Rd right next to the school Saturday morning at 3 am.
These teenagers are lucky to be alive today. The car was fully engulfed within less than a minute of crashing into the power pole. Big thanks to Medford PD and Medford FD Station 5.
SCAM Call Alert in Jackson County
Governor Kotek Launches Emergency Response Infrastructure to Implement Homelessness State of Emergency
Multi-Agency Coordination Groups Will Lead Day-to-Day Planning, Coordination to Achieve Specific Goals in Reducing Unsheltered Homelessness This YearSalem, OR—In a significant step following her executive order declaring a homelessness state of emergency ( EO 23-02EditSign ), today Governor Tina Kotek kicked off the first meeting of the regional multi-agency group that will support the emergency response in the Portland metro region. The meeting was held virtually due to ongoing weather conditions.
On January 10, Governor Kotek declared a state of emergency in regions of the state that have experienced an increase in unsheltered homelessness of 50% or more from 2017 to 2022. She directed the Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM) and the state housing agency (OHCS) to support the establishment of Multi-Agency Coordinating groups in emergency areas that will serve as the core infrastructure of the emergency response, also known as “MAC groups.”
Local MAC groups include representatives from local jurisdictions, public housing authorities, local homelessness agencies, rapid rehousing service providers, shelter developers and operators, landlord associations and behavioral health providers. MACs are being set up in each continuum of care, in addition to the Metro regional MAC, and will deliver the emergency response:
• Metro region
o Multnomah County
o Washington County
o Clackamas County
• Central Oregon
• Eugene, Springfield and Lane County
• Medford, Ashland and Jackson County
• Salem, Marion and Polk counties
These MAC groups will provide the planning, coordination, and operational leadership that will bring real, measurable improvements on the ground. They will be responsible for the day-to-day implementation of funds, working with both landlords and unsheltered people in their communities to help move individuals and families into housing stability.
“Everyone at this table is already working hard to reduce homelessness. What today’s meeting really represents is a surge in urgency, coordination, and discipline to bring multiple jurisdictions together to achieve specific outcomes,” Governor Kotek said. “It will take all of us working together to make the progress Oregonians are demanding.”
Governor Kotek has directed the MAC groups, OHCS, and OEM to develop plans and administer funds in order to achieve the following goals by January 10, 2024:
• Prevent 8,750 households from becoming homeless statewide;
• Add 600 low-barrier shelter beds in emergency areas; and
• Rehouse at least 1,200 unsheltered households in emergency areas.
MAC groups in each emergency area will submit a community plan to address the specific needs of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness within the service region, in alignment with the goals of the emergency order. The state is offering technical support to all jurisdictions identified in the Governor’s executive order to ensure they have the support needed to accomplish this work.
This work depends on the legislature acting quickly to pass the targeted investment that the Governor has proposed. Her $155 million proposal will provide additional investments for communities in every corner of Oregon, while also allowing our limited emergency management infrastructure to focus on delivering targeted results in areas with the highest increases in unsheltered homelessness. https://www.oregon.gov/newsroom/Pages/NewsDetail.aspx?newsid=87717
Homeless Advocates Weigh In On Governor’s Timeline To Add Housing And Shelter Beds As Winter Weather Hits Oregon
Hundreds of people in Multnomah County and other cities across the state sought emergency shelters to escape the cold and snow over the last week.
This comes as Governor Kotek just created Multi-Agency Coordinating groups, representing regions across Oregon. These groups will map out priorities to address the homeless crisis.
Cathy Clark is the Mayor of Keizer and part of the group representing Marion County. Clark said severe weather reflects the need for more permanent solutions.
“Even temporary or stopgap measures just don’t provide what people need. They’ve got to have a place where they can go inside, be out of the weather, be able to lock up their belongings so they can go take care of the business that they need to,” she said.
The governor set a goal of adding 600 low-barrier shelter beds and rehousing at least 1200 unsheltered households by January 2024.
Clark said she’s worried about that timeline. “If we really want to engage with especially people experiencing homelessness with lived experience or for the certain populations that we need to connect with we may not be able to meet those timelines in the same way as we would under this kind of very shortened process,” she said.
Laura Golino de Lovato is the executive director of Northwest Pilot Project, a service provider in Portland. Golino de Lovato said she sees the governor’s proposal as a good structure. “That could help us identify short-term solutions that allow people to be sheltered or to be housed, even if it’s transitional or temporary housing, while we work on some of the bigger solutions,” she said.
Both women agreed that the state taking a listening approach to address the homeless crisis is an encouraging start.
“Not just focusing on the metro area, which we know is big, it’s a big population, but looking at the whole state and areas within the state where homelessness has really grown dramatically,” Golino de Lovato said.
Moving forward, the governor’s office said MAC groups will submit a community plan to address specific needs within their region that align with Kotek’s emergency order.
Oregon Transportation Department Reports Dangerous Driving Conditions Throughout Parts Of Oregon
ODT says you are going to want to think twice before driving in Oregon over the next few days.
Roads may be dangerously icy throughout central and eastern Oregon and across the Portland area as snow and slush have frozen, leaving roads in poor condition.
Oregon Transportation Department says to avoid travel until conditions improve, but if you must travel, be prepared for difficult winter driving conditions and have supplies in your vehicle to be ready for major delays.
Numerous crashes have occurred over the past several days. Crews have been out working to clear away stranded or damage vehicles and treat roads to improve conditions. Check TripCheck before traveling.
Suspicious Fire Damages Church In Sweet Home
SWEET HOME, Ore. — On Saturday, February 25, Linn County 911 Dispatch Center received a call reporting a structure fire at the Fir Lawn Lutheran Church located at 109 W Holley Rd in Sweet Home at approximately 1:25 A.M.
Sweet Home Fire responded, with the first-arriving unit on scene at 1:29am reporting heavy fire, according to a release from Sweet Home Fire District,
The Incident Commander requested a second alarm assignment, bringing mutual aid resources from Halsey, Brownsville, and Albany.
Firefighters responded to the scene with ten fire apparatus including five engines and one ladder truck, and extinguished the fire within one hour.
The building sustained extensive damage, but no injuries or deaths were reported; a preliminary investigation of the fire turned up evidence suggesting that the cause was suspicious in nature.
An ongoing investigation involving the Sweet Home Fire District, the Sweet Home Police Department, and the Office of the Oregon State Fire Marshall, is reportedly underway.
Double Fatal Crash – HWY 26 – Clackamas County
On Saturday, February 25, 2023, at approximately 3:40 P.M., the Oregon State Police responded to a two vehicle crash on Hwy 26, near milepost 59, in Clackamas County.
The preliminary investigation indicated a Subaru Outback, operated by Althea Spahn (26) of Beaverton, was westbound on Hwy 26 with 4 passengers. The Subaru lost control, spun out, crossed into the eastbound lane, and was struck by an oncoming ODOT snowplow, operated by Jessie White (29) of Troutdale.
Two passengers of the Subaru, Lillian Alma Spahn (24) of Portland and Micah Paul Strauss (28) of Portland, were pronounced deceased at the scene.
The three surviving occupants of the Subaru and the operator of the ODOT snowplow were transported to local hospitals for medical treatment.
The roadway was closed for approximately 6 hours while the on-scene investigation was conducted. Poor road conditions have been determined to be a significant contributor to this crash.
OSP was assisted by AMR, Hoodland Fire, ODOT, the Clackamas County Medical Examiner’s Office, and the Clackamas County District Attorney’s office.
Marion County Sheriff’s Office looking for help in identifying deceased female found in a Jefferson field
On February 21, 2023, about 4:45pm, deputies from the Sheriff’s Office Enforcement Division, Jefferson Contract, along with detectives from the Criminal Investigations Unit responded to a report of a citizen finding a female, deceased, in a field at the dead-end of Tenth Street in Jefferson, Oregon. The Marion County Medical Examiner’s Office responded to assist.
Wednesday, an autopsy was performed by the State Medical Examiner and the death has been determined to be natural causes.
The female found, was a white female, unknown age, 5’3 ½”, 128 pounds, wearing a red tank top, camo colored long sleeve shirt, Green sweatshirt, green sweatpants, and black tennis shoes. She was described as having a brooch attached to the green sweatshirt in the left chest area with a white pearl-looking piece in the middle of it.
We are asking anyone with information on a possible identify for this female to please call Deputy N. Morse, 971-720-0726.
Registration is Open for the 2023 Oregon Women Veterans Conference
Registration is now open for the 2023 Oregon Women Veterans Conference, which will be held on May 20 and 21 at the Salem Convention Center. Hosted by the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs, this free, biennial event is the largest gathering of women veterans in the state.
Women veterans from every branch of military service, era and background are invited to attend this free event celebrating the service and contributions of women who answered the call to serve throughout history. The conference will include informational workshops, keynote speakers and networking opportunities.
This year’s theme, “Stronger Together — Voices of Service” is a testament to the continued strength, diversity and community of our women veterans, said ODVA Director Kelly Fitzpatrick, who is an Army veteran and the first woman to lead the state agency.
“Oregon continues to be a leader in recognizing, remembering and honoring the outstanding contributions of women who have served their country, and we are proud to be able to host this year’s conference in person again,” Fitzpatrick said. “Together, our collective voices achieve more, overcome challenges, and allow our stories to be shared.”
Women veterans make up one of the fastest-growing segments of the Oregon veteran community, with an estimated 25,000 women veterans living in the state today, representing nearly one-tenth of overall veteran population.
The first Oregon Women Veterans Conference was held 25 years ago in 1998.
“The camaraderie and shared calling of service is what inspires our lives and is what continues to unite women veterans across every generation and era of service,” said ODVA Women Veterans Coordinator Jessica Bradley.
The conference is an opportunity for women veterans to socialize, connect to resources, learn about their earned veteran benefits, and celebrate their service.
Attendance is free, but registration is required. Please visit wvc.oregondva.com to register and find additional event information on lodging and sponsorship and vendor opportunities.
Established in 1945, the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs is dedicated to serving Oregon’s diverse veteran community that spans five eras of service members. ODVA administers programs and provides special advocacy and assistance in accessing earned veteran benefits across the state. Learn about veteran benefits and services, or locate a local county or tribal veteran service office online at oregon.gov/odva.
Fremont-Winema National Forest Seeks Camp Hosts for 2023 Season
The Fremont-Winema National Forest is outreaching for campground hosts at four locations across the Forest for the 2023 season.
Camp hosting is a great opportunity to spend your summer enjoying national forest lands while helping others do the same! Camp hosts are friendly, knowledgeable and available. They set a good example and help visitors feel at home while providing information, explaining fees and rules, and performing light maintenance such as cleaning campsites, picnic tables and grills, restocking toilet paper and fee envelopes, patrolling for litter, maintaining waste receptacles, and notifying forest service staff of maintenance needs.
Although volunteers are not paid a salary, they do receive a free camp site in the campground, propane, gas as well as a subsistence allowance. Applicants will need to supply their own RV or other self-contained camping setup and possess a valid drivers license. A government vehicle will be provided to carry out camp host duties.
Applications are being accepted through April 30. Campground hosts typically start in mid-May and volunteer through Labor Day. Hosts take time off during the week, to ensure availability to campers over weekends. Hosts for Digit Point Campground will likely start closer to mid-June. Individuals or couples interested in serving for at least one month are encouraged to inquire. Retirees often find the camp host program an ideal way to spend summers getting to know new forests and new people.
To apply for the host positions at Williamson River or Digit Point Campgrounds, please contact Recreation Specialist Danilo Figueroa, 541-883-6702 or danilo.figueroa@usda.gov.
To apply for the host positions at Lofton Reservoir Campground or Cottonwood Meadows Campground, please contact Recreation Specialist Greg Campbell at 541-947-6359 or gregory.campbell@usda.gov. MORE INFO: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/fremont-winema/news-events/?cid=FSEPRD1091210
