The latest news stories of interest in the Rogue Valley and the state of Oregon from the digital home of Southern Oregon, Wynne Broadcasting’s RogueValleyMagazine.com
Wednesday, April 19, 2023
Rogue Valley Weather
Community Comes Together for White City Graffiti Cleanup Project
Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) White City Community Action Team deputies teamed up with community partners, non-profits, businesses, and local kids to clean up graffiti and trash in White City Tuesday.
The effort is part of White Mountain Middle School’s Project G.R.A.C.E. (Graffiti Removal Achieving Community Empowerment). Project G.R.A.C.E. plans on these clean up efforts to be more frequent to maintain the cleanliness and safety of the White City community.
Students from White Mountain Middle School and Eagle Point High School helped in cleaning up the graffiti and trash. Tuesday’s event included many JCSO community partners such as Jackson County District Attorney’s office, Oregon Youth Authority, Eagle Point Student Services, and Jackson County Community Justice.
It also included non-profits such as United Way, Youth 715, Real Life Church, and Familia Unida Bike Builders. Local businesses that participated were Spartan Boxing, Cascade Community Pool, and K&T Restaurant Janitorial Services. A special thanks go to the White City Young Marines who donated the paint sprayer.
Project G.R.A.C.E. plans to have another White City clean-up event soon.
MEDFORD POLICE REPORT STAGGERING RISE IN POTENTIAL OVERDOSE DEATHS
Since the start of 2023, the Medford Police Department (MPD) has seen a staggering number of suspected overdose deaths within the Medford area.
The Medford Area Drug and Gang Enforcement (MADGE) Team are actively working cases to combat current drug issues by putting an incredible amount of time and resources into fentanyl related cases. As previously mentioned by MPD, MADGE has seen the presence of xylazine (a central nervous system depressant) in recent fentanyl seizures.
“Fentanyl and xylazine are being found in everything right now,” said MADGE Sergeant Josh Reimer, referencing other drug seizures such as cocaine, methamphetamine or counterfeit opiate pills.
In March 2023, MPD responded to a total of 13 suspected overdose deaths within the City of Medford. This number is alarming, and the public should heed the advice from medical personnel and local law enforcement warning of the dangers of drug use in general.
“Any type of experimentation with street drugs is life-threatening, now more than ever,” said MPD Lieutenant Rebecca Pietila.
MPD wants the public to be aware of the current dangers related to drug use in our community. When using or experimenting with illicit drugs, the user is not aware of the actual contents or properties of the suspected drug they are about to consume. With the increase of fentanyl and xylazine in our area, it is likely the users will consume these substances unknowingly, thus experiencing an overdose.
OSF Launches The Show Must Go On: Save Our Season, Save OSF Fundraising Campaign
The Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) announces the launch of The Show Must Go On: Save Our Season, Save OSF, an emergency fundraising campaign with a goal of raising $2.5M to help complete the 2023 Season successfully.
Like other theatres across the country, OSF has been navigating financial hardship since reopening from the closures brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and wildfires. This hardship has led to a gap in OSF’s funding between May and July of this year. To prevent season closure and layoffs, OSF is launching several efforts to save the season and ensure that the company reaches its 90-year anniversary in 2025, and beyond.
“OSF has existed for almost nine decades for a reason,” says Kamilah Long, Interim Director of Development. “This is an economic anchor for the Rogue Valley, a beloved theatre throughout the industry, and a beacon for innovative theatre-making. The Show Must Go On: Save Our Season, Save OSF campaign is just that: A way for everyone who loves OSF to come together, save this theatre that we all love so much, and make sure that OSF shows can go on.”
In addition to The Show Must Go On grassroots campaign, OSF is also launching a transformational gift campaign, aimed at securing large gifts that can help secure and sustain OSF’s future.
“OSF is a national treasure and the Board is hopeful that this campaign will produce the needed funds to enable us to keep offering world-class art to our audiences,” says Board Chair Diane Yu. “We are facing difficult scenarios based on a post-pandemic reality, but we are doing everything we can to prevent these scenarios from happening. Our hope is that everyone whose lives have been touched by OSF and values powerful theatre-making will help ensure its survival.”
This movement to invest in OSF’s future has already begun:
- The Hitz Foundation committed to a $10M multi-year gift, OSF’s very first of that size
- The Mellon Foundation has given $2M
- OSF has already secured $5M in individual pledges towards stabilization
- OSF Endowment Board released $4.5M Endowment Funds in December
- $170,000 pledged by the OSF Board of Directors, including a $50,000 gift from the Board Chair
The next phase of fundraising efforts will be critical as the company also announced additional decisions:
- This year’s production of It’s Christmas, Carol! will be canceled so staff can focus all resources on the 2023 repertory season.
- Planning for the 2024 Season is on hold, pending the results of the fundraising efforts.
- The Executive Committee of the Board of Directors has implemented a temporary management structure and will assume the executive director duties that Interim Executive Artistic Director Nataki Garrett has been responsible for since January so she can focus on the opening of the 2023 Season.
The Show Must Go On grassroots campaign must raise $1.5M by June for the 2023 season to continue. OSF Leadership and Board of Trustees will watch the results of the campaigns closely to reevaluate its financial position in May and to determine what the next steps are.
“Through these campaigns, OSF is calling on benefactors—past, present and future—to help secure the company’s legacy by investing in its future,” says Artistic Director Nataki Garrett.
To donate, go to www.osfashland.org/SaveOSF.
Protesters Shut Down Butterfly Program in Talent
A group of people protested during a Pollinator Project Rogue Valley event on Sunday. During the event, they planned to present part two of their series about increasing the butterfly population in urban and rural communities.
The incident is currently under investigation, according to Jennifer Shook, the chief of police for the City of Talent Police Department.
“About 30 to 40 people attended the event,” said Shook. “And there was a call to service around 1:40 pm regarding protestors on site. When officers arrived, there were approximately 12 protestors as some of their members had left when officers arrived.”
Due to the incident, members of the organization were forced to postpone the event by leaving a sign on the door saying, “Event postponed PPRV.”
Members of the Pollinator Project that they are unsure what the people were protesting about, and they also did not know who the protesters were. They mentioned officers from Talent Police and Ashland responded to the call and were at the scene.
Grants Pass Man Arrested Following Stabbing
On Saturday, 04/15/2023, at 3:42 AM, Grants Pass Police responded to the Chevron Station near Redwood Highway and Ringuette Street regarding a reported disturbance involving a weapon. Two groups of persons who had been engaged in a fight at a residential party earlier in the evening had begun to fight again at the gas station.
The investigation determined that during the confrontation a male adult, Angel Rodriguez of Grants Pass, stabbed a male juvenile victim who was subsequently transported to an area hospital. The victim was in stable condition with non-life-threatening wounds.
The suspect, Rodriguez, was later located and apprehended by Grants Pass Police after a short vehicle chase. Rodriquez was arrested and lodged in the Josephine County Jail on charges of Assault II, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, and Attempted Eluding Police. Anyone with information about this investigation is requested to call Detective Hoy with the Grants Pass Police Department at 541-450-6260 and refer to case number 23-15585.
Memorial Service For Joseph Johnson, The Nyssa Police Reserve Corporal Murdered On Duty, Is Scheduled For Saturday, April 21
Press conference in Ontario with latest developments on the investigation and arrest of Rene Castro for Aggravated Murder of Nyssa Police Reserve Cpl. Joseph Johnson on April 15th, 2023 in Nyssa, Oregon.
UPDATE: Live stream available via the Ontario Police Department Facebook Page- https://www.facebook.com/OntarioORPolice/videos/766185828407819
A memorial service for Joseph Johnson, the Nyssa police reserve corporal murdered on duty, is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, April 21, at Nyssa High School.
An overflow crowd is expected and organizers are preparing additional venues to watch the ceremony.
A law enforcement procession will wind through Ontario and end at the high school but route details have yet to be announced. Organizers are urging people to line the route to show support for Johnson’s family, which will be in the procession.
As friends and colleagues share memories, a portrait is emerging of a man dedicated to his community, willing to help out on many fronts.
Johnson, 43, worked as a behavioral specialist at Snake River Correctional Institution, served as a reserve police in Nyssa for five years, worked as a therapist and served as a volunteer firefighter.
He died Saturday, April 15, while on patrol in Nyssa. He responded to a disturbance at a home well-known to police for domestic violence calls. Johnson was shot to death after pulling up behind a man reported to be on a rampage who had led the officer on a short pursuit.
The grief of law enforcement was evident during a news conference in Ontario on Tuesday, April 18. They did not use the defendant’s name, instead referring to Rene Castro, 36, only as “the suspect.” He is in jail, charged with aggravated murder and four other felonies.
Nyssa Police Chief Don Ballou said it would take a long time for his team to recover from Johnson’s death.
“I don’t think it’s ever going to be fully recovered,” said Ballou, who last December had presented Johnson his agency’s Outstanding Performance Award.
The chief thanked police agencies for their swift response to the murder and the subsequent tracking and arrest. He also said his team appreciated the community’s response.
“I’m overly humbled to see the support we have,” Ballou said.
Malheur County District Attorney Dave Goldthorpe shared that the suspect in Johnson’s killing, Rene Castro, 36, of Nyssa, was in custody and had been charged with aggravated murder and four other felonies and was in custody.
He said police worked “tirelessly” to find the suspect.
“It really has been a great team effort to enact swift justice,” said Malheur County Sheriff Travis Johnson.
Mike Iwai, Ontario police chief, said the murder and investigation had taken a toll on officers and asked for continued public support for police.
“They will definitely need it,” Iwai said. “Now is not a time for us to rest.”
Earlier in the day, a procession of about 50 police, fire and medic rigs formed on Stanton Boulevard, falling into line to escort Johnson’s body the final miles back to Ontario, to the Haren-Wood Funeral Chapel on Southwest Fourth Avenue.
There, law enforcement officials saluted as the flag-draped coffin was moved into the chapel.
David Peterson, a Bend police officer and board member of the Oregon Fallen Badge Foundation, said the nonprofit group is covering expenses for the memorial service.
“Nyssa police and the Johnson family will not pay for any of these services,” Peterson said.
He said the foundation is collecting donations to support Johnson’s family. Donations can be made online, by check or at any U.S. Bank branch. He said the foundation should be considered the “official” conduit for contributions for the family.
Oregon Health Authority licenses first psilocybin facilitators
PORTLAND, Ore. – This week, Oregon Health Authority (OHA) licensed the state’s first three facilitators for providing psilocybin services within the regulatory framework created by M109, the Oregon Psilocybin Services Act. OHA issued the licenses to David Naftalin, Alexander Polvi and Jeanette Small.
“We want to congratulate the first facilitators to be licensed in Oregon,” says Oregon Psilocybin Services (OPS) Section Manager Angie Allbee. “As your work in providing non-directive psilocybin services takes shape, we thank you for your dedication to client safety and access as we move closer to opening service centers.”
Psilocybin administration sessions can only take place in licensed service centers statewide. These centers can employ and/or contract with licensed facilitators, who are trained to support preparation, administration and integration sessions with clients.
Service centers will provide psilocybin products produced by licensed manufacturers and tested by licensed laboratories. Currently, two manufacturers have licenses for producing psilocybin in the state. OPS anticipates issuing licenses to service center and laboratory applicants in the coming months.
Anyone interested in accessing psilocybin services can learn more at OPS’s webpage Access Psilocybin Services, which also includes the following:
- The OPS Licensee Directory with contact information provided by OPS licensees who consented to have such details published.
- Links to required client intake documents. These must be completed with a licensed facilitator before participating in an administration session.
OPS’s role is to license psilocybin facilitators, manufacturers, service centers and laboratories, while ensuring that those licensees and their workers comply with state law.
OPS encourages the public to visit the OPS website for more information, and to sign up for the distribution list to get the latest updates.
Oregon License Plate Funds Safe Animal Crossing
The Watch for Wildlife license plate is available for purchase at all DMV locations in Oregon. For more information about Oregon specialty license plates and how to get your own Watch for Wildlife plate, please visit www.oregon.gov/odot/dmv.
Proceeds from a new license plate in Oregon will fund two projects meant to help wildlife make it safely across busy highways.
More than 13,000 of the plates have been sold since the new option was unveiled last May. The Oregon Wildlife Foundation says an initial disbursement from the fund will go toward a crossing for mule deer and elk across Highway 20 near Sisters. A second project will help coastal martens get across Highway 101 at a still-to-be-determined location.
Tim Greseth, the Executive Director of the OWF, said the projects were created with help from ODOT’s Wildlife Passage Program.
“We can create more opportunities for habitat connectivity in the state of Oregon,” Greseth said. “Wildlife passage structures are not inexpensive, and so this is an important source of revenue.”
The Oregon Wildlife Foundation said each year, almost 6,000 drivers in Oregon alone are involved in a collision with a deer, elk, bear, or other wildlife species.MORE INFO: https://www.myowf.org/watchforwildlife
Electric All-Terrain Trackchairs to be available in Manzanita and Seaside
April 17, Medford Oregon – Providing a new way to get out into nature for people with mobility challenges, David’s Chair Outdoor Mobility Systems and Oregon Parks Forever are collaborating to bring the Oregon Coast the first locations where mobility challenged visitors can pick up and use an electric all-terrain wheelchair.
Starting in early May, chairs will be located at the Manzanita Visitor’s Center (31 Laneda Ave, Manzanita, OR 97130) and at the Seaside Elks (324 Avenue A, Seaside, OR 97138) and can be reserved through davidschair.org.
These chairs will provide a new freedom for a mobility challenged park visitor – to get off the pavement and out into nature.
With increased accessibility to the beach, mobility-impaired visitors will be able to participate in activities never-before possible.
By being able to get on the beach, all the way down to water’s edge, these all-terrain chairs will invite many new people to share the wonders of fresh air, sunshine and sea breezes with family and friends instead of being limited to paved walkways and parking lots.
Anyone with mobility impairment, requiring the assistance of wheelchairs, scooters, walkers, canes or crutches, will be able to use these chairs.
See these chairs in action at: https://youtu.be/Yryz48ijMuc
Over the next couple of years, the partners are working to locate hosts at American Legion, VFW, Elks and Tourism related entities along the Oregon Coast and the I-5 corridor where a chair and trailer can be stored and made available for free use by visitors with mobility challenges. Our goal is to find locations for a total of ten chairs.
We are doing this to provide easier access to these chairs to a wider number of people. Under the current operating model for David’s Chair, anyone wishing to borrow one of their seven current chairs (for free) must bring a trailer hitch-enabled vehicle to Medford or Tigard and pick up a chair and trailer to take where they would like to use it. This severely limits access to other parts of the state. One of the most popular uses for these chairs is to get out on the beach, hence our desire for host locations along the Oregon Coast.
Reservations for free use can be made at: www.davidschair.org
The media is invited to visit either or both of these sites while David’s Chair CEO, Steve Furst, is there and available for interviews.
The first of the electric all-terrain Track chairs will be delivered on Friday (4/21) and Saturday (4/22).
The first chair will be delivered to the Manzanita Visitor’s Center (31 Laneda Ave, Manzanita, OR 97130) on Friday. Volunteer Training will begin at 10am. The team from David’s Chair Outdoor Mobility Systems will be there from about 9:30am to 1pm. The chair will become available for FREE use starting May 5 by folks who make a reservation at davidschair.org. The CEO of David’s Chair, Steve Furst, will be available in Manzanita that morning for interviews.
The second chair will be delivered to the Seaside Elks (324 Avenue A, Seaside, OR 97138) on Saturday. The training of volunteers will take place between 11am and 3pm. The team from David’s Chair Outdoor Mobility Systems will be there from about 10:30am to 4pm. This chair will also become available for FREE use starting May 1 by folks who make a reservation at davidschair.org. The CEO of David’s Chair, Steve Furst, will be available in Seaside that morning for interviews.
If you can’t get a film crew there over the weekend, you can grab clips from the Video Gallery on DavidsChair.org
Please contact us in advance to schedule a time to give you special attention.
