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
Monday, April 24, 2023
Rogue Valley Weather
Update: SWAT Team Takes Rural Jacksonville Homicide Suspect Into Custody
JCSO Case 23-2239
APPLEGATE, Ore. – The suspect from Thursday’s rural Jacksonville homicide is in custody. Today around 11:00 a.m., investigators learned the suspect, Michael Wayne Ray, was possibly hiding in the house where the original crime occurred.
Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) SWAT and K9 Teams responded to the 14000 block of Upper Applegate Road. After a brief standoff, the suspect was taken into custody without incident at 4:15 p.m. The investigation is ongoing. We will provide more information in the coming days.
Skeletal Remains Found in Rural Jackson County , Detectives Investigating Suspicious Death
JCSO Case 23-2132
SOUTHERN JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. – Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) detectives are investigating a suspicious death after skeletal remains were discovered April 14 in a remote area in a rural southern Jackson County.
The suspicious nature of the scene led to JCSO detectives and medical examiners responding to investigate. The rugged terrain and remote area required JCSO Search and Rescue to assist in recovering the body. Due to the ongoing investigation, the exact location of the remains will not be released at this time.
A forensic pathologist conducted an autopsy and concluded the remains were most likely female. Investigators are working to identify the subject and the cause and manner of death. Due to the advanced stages of decomposition, state medical examiners will conduct further testing. This case is under further investigation with detectives following additional leads. No more information is available at this time.
Health Care Workers Unionizing at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford
Workers say it’s time they are recognized for having a meaningful impact on patient care
Medford, Ore. – More than 250 health care technical workers at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford, Oregon filed for union recognition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). The group, comprised of radiologic technologists, licensed practical nurses (LPNs), respiratory therapists, physical therapy assistants, occupational therapy assistants, surgical technicians, and others, will be represented by the Oregon Nurses Association (ONA). ONA already represents frontline registered nurses working at Rogue Regional.
The technical workers identified a wide range of issues as their primary reasons for organizing, including safe staffing, affordable health insurance, respect, and wages that are competitive and that include cost of living increases.
“The last couple years of working in healthcare has brought to light why we need to stand in solidarity. Stepping away from top-down management and into collaborative efforts with our fellow coworkers will improve working conditions, staff morale, and most importantly patient care,” said Angela Henry, a vascular ultrasound technologist. “It has become very apparent our organization has drifted into caring more about profits than patient or worker satisfaction and fair working conditions. I look forward to a united front with my fellow colleagues and for the changes to come!”
Asante Rogue Regional Hospital is a Level 2 trauma center. Health care providers and workers there have been nationally recognized for their heart and stroke care, orthopedic services, cancer care and diabetes care. It’s also home to Southern Oregon’s only neonatal intensive care unit.
“I take a lot of pride in what our hospital workers do for this community. We have one of the top cardiovascular programs in the country and it’s awesome to be a part of that team,” said Dustin Boehm, a cardiovascular technologist. “However, I see firsthand the disparities between union and non-union staff. Both techs and nurses feel that the techs unionizing with ONA creates a united front that will allow for more equality and stronger unity for our patients.”
“We, the nurses of RRMC, stand united with our peers unionizing across the hospital,” said Fred Katz, a hospice RN and chair of the nurse bargaining unit at Rogue Regional.“RNs experience daily the value of collective bargaining and the benefits of having a voice through our union; it is this voice that moves us toward the goals of true shared governance in the workplace and quality care for our community. It is time for the rest of the hospital to join us in advocating for our patients and community.”
The NLRB will determine a union election date in the coming weeks.
The Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) is the state’s largest and most influential nursing organization. We are a professional association and labor union which represents more than 16,000 nurses and allied health workers throughout the state. We are a proud state affiliate of AFT. ONA’s mission is to advocate for nursing, quality health care and healthy communities. For more information visit: www.OregonRN.org.
Grants Pass Vehicle Theft Suspect Rams Cars and Stops I-5 Traffic Before Being Arrested
Grants Pass, Ore. – This morning at 9:10 am, a Grants Pass Police Officer spotted a stolen Dodge Truck and followed it to the area of NE Hillcrest Lane near NE Terrace Drive. When the driver of the stolen vehicle pulled into a residential driveway, the officer coordinated with other responding units to drive in behind the stolen truck to make the arrest. When the officers did so, they saw the suspect enter the driver’s seat of a white Acura and begin ramming vehicles, including the patrol cars, as officers blocked him in. The suspect left the vehicle behind and attempted to flee on foot.
With the assistance of the Oregon State Police and the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office, Grants Pass Police quickly set up a perimeter around the neighborhood to capture the suspect. A detective in an unmarked vehicle spotted the suspect with a bicycle he had stolen. The suspect once again fled and began jumping fences toward Interstate 5. The suspect eventually ran out onto the highway, and as vehicles stopped, he began attempting to enter random vehicles occupied by citizens. Officers realized the dangerousness of the rapidly evolving situation and the threat being posed to motorists. Officers chased after the suspect onto the highway.
The officers’ pursuit caused the suspect to continue his flight as he continued across all lanes of traffic and over the guard rail on the south of the highway. As the suspect ignored officers’ commands and attempted to jump a barbed wire fence, officers used less than lethal force by deploying a Bean Bag shell and Taser. The efforts stopped the suspect, and he was placed under arrest. No citizens were injured during this incident, and officers only sustained minor injuries. The suspect was transported to a local hospital for medical clearance.
The suspect was identified as Chauncey Justice McKinney, a 27-year-old male who resided in Cave Junction. McKinney was later lodged at the Josephine County Jail for two warrants involving weapons, elude, and parole violation, as well as fresh charges for vehicle theft, eluding officers, reckless driving, and bicycle theft x2.
The Grants Pass Police Department thanks the Oregon State Police and Josephine County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance and citizen witnesses who assisted in the capture by calling 9-1-1 when they saw the suspect. In addition, the Grants Pass Police Department thanks the citizens who were inconvenienced by the traffic stoppages for their patience. Anyone having additional information about this case can contact the Grants Pass Police Department at 541-450-6260 and reference case #23-16424.
Arrest Made in January 14th Fire Investigation
On January 14, 2023 at approximately 2:30 a.m. officers from the Ashland Police Department along with Ashland Fire & Rescue responded to a fire at the fueling station located at 60 Shamrock Lane. The fire was found to have been caused by a person stealing gas from the underground tanks as well as a piece of heavy equipment parked in the area. The fire presented an immediate potential threat to the neighboring Wingspread Mobile Home community and beyond.
Officers remained diligent in following up on the investigation. On April 20, 2023 officers arrested Talon Casey McComb, 32, at his home on Hwy 238 outside Jacksonville. McComb was lodged at the Jackson County Jail on charges of Criminal Mischief 1st Degree, Theft 2nd Degree and Reckless Endangering of another Person.
McComb was not in custody as of April 21, 2023. The attached picture shows the dangerous embers falling in the area during the fire.
Oregon Teen Drug-Related Deaths are Increasing Faster than Anywhere Else in the Nation
Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden and Representatives Suzanne Bonamici, Lori Chavez-Deremer, Earl Blumenauer, Andrea Salinas, and Val Hoyle are raising concerns with the U.S. Department of Education (ED) that Oregon teens are dying of drug-related causes faster than any other state, and the lawmakers are pushing for action. The Oregon delegation members are urging the Department to work with school districts to combat the opioid crisis and substance misuse in schools.
The rate of Oregon teenagers dying due to drug-related causes is growing faster than in any other state. Adolescent drug overdose deaths have more than doubled nationwide since 2019 and more than tripled in Oregon in the same time period. This is largely due to the proliferation of illicitly manufactured fentanyl, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“If we are truly committed to ending the opioid crisis, then we must ensure that our students, as well as their parents and teachers, are equipped with all of the resources they need, including access to Naloxone and successful drug-prevention education programs,” the members wrote in a letter sent today to Secretary Cardona. “In pursuit of combatting and eventually ending the opioid crisis, we believe that ED can play an increasingly important role in the education of students, parents, and teachers as well as in the delivery of drug-resistance education programs.”
In the letter, they ask the Education Department to provide an update on their efforts to share best practices with school districts. The lawmakers highlight Beaverton School District’s “Fake and Fatal” campaign, which focuses on providing resources for students, parents, and teachers on the dangers of synthetic opioids, as well as key contacts and hotlines should a student ingest these drugs. The district has also adopted a non-punitive approach to students with substance use issues, instead providing specialists and social workers to each campus to help students and families find the help they deserve.
“School districts can no longer pretend that fake pills made from potentially deadly fentanyl are not a threat to their students,” said Shellie Bailey-Shah, Public Communications Officer for the Beaverton School District. “Fentanyl poisonings are a reality across the country. As educators, we have a responsibility to inform our students, parents and staff about the dangers. I implore school districts to be proactive and not wait until their communities suffer a student death that could have been prevented through education.”
“There has been a seismic shift in the drug landscape in the past several years. Potent synthetics, easily and cheaply produced and distributed, are the ideal raw material for drug traffickers, so they have flooded the streets. This trend, in tandem with the deceptive marketing of fake pills as legitimate medicines, makes the street drug supply unpredictable and extremely risky. Young Americans are dying in record numbers in this environment, largely from a lack of information. We can and must address the knowledge gap among teens and young adults that puts them at risk of consuming illicit fentanyl unknowingly. We need to install updated drug education programs in our schools as part of a multipronged effort to reduce drug harms. We encourage Congress to provide funding for innovative drug education programs that reach students where they are, in relevant and resonant ways, with the goal of empowering our youth to avoid harms and develop healthy, sustainable coping skills,” said Ed Ternan, President, Song for Charlie.
“The poisoning and overdose crisis is a complex issue with many different drivers and potential solutions discussed and debated. The drug landscape has drastically changed in a short amount of time, and will continue to, due to the prevalence of synthetics and the widespread counterfeiting, contamination, and deception occurring today. At the same time, in Oregon and nationally, we seem to have lost our commitment and focus on primary prevention of harmful substance use for our youth. Simple awareness programs, done broadly and repeatedly in our schools either as stand-alone efforts or integrated with existing prevention programs will go a long way towards mitigating the current harms we’re seeing where the first time a teenager experiments with what they think is a legit pill could be the last decision they ever make. We lost our 18 year old son to this deadly and hidden threat. Had we and he known about it, there’s a good chance he never would have made that choice. We don’t defend his choice; it wasn’t a good one. But kids need good information to make good decisions. And when they make a mistake, they should be able to learn from it. With fentanyl, there’s no time for intervention or learning. Therefore, we are grateful to Sen. Merkley’s office and the Oregon Delegation for appreciating the past efforts of the Dept of Education, and inquiring about what help is needed to do more in this area. Fighting the threat of illicit fentanyl requires an all hands on deck effort. Schools can and should play an important role in this,” said Jon Epstein, Board Member, Song for Charlie.
“The introduction of fentanyl into the street drug supply has been the most dramatic shift in the drug market in our nation’s history. While Monitoring the Future reports that teen illicit drug use has been trending down and is at its lowest in 20 years, since 2020 there has been a dramatic increase in teen drug deaths, primarily due to fentanyl. Schools in every state are still grappling with understanding this crisis and how to best protect our nation’s youth. Synthetic drugs being delivered on social media in the form of fake pills are a dramatic change in the drug landscape that will require updates to the drug education currently being used in every district. The dynamic nature of the current drug supply makes it especially challenging for educators to find current and accurate resources. Schools still recovering from the impacts of COVID are now faced with another major challenge, finding ways to protect their students from deadly fentanyl and other synthetic drugs. Schools don’t typically rely on resources provided by the U.S. Department of Education, but these are unprecedented times and kids are dying every day. We need to think differently, engage all available resources, and be open to make dramatic changes and in order to tackle this new phase of the opioid epidemic, and I am grateful Sen. Merkley’s office and the Oregon Delegation are asking how U.S. Department of Education can support the schools in their effort to protect our nation’s youth, and what resources they need to do so,” said Jennifer Epstein, Director of Outreach and Education, Song for Charlie.
Full text of the letter can be found hereEditSign and follows below:
Dear Secretary Cardona,
We write today to express our support for the recent efforts that the Department of Education (ED) has taken to combat the opioid crisis and substance misuse in our nation’s schools. The Department’s two-pronged approach of education and prevention is an integral part of addressing, and eventually solving, the opioid epidemic that continues to plague communities and families across the United States.
While the ongoing efforts at ED are commendable, we remain deeply concerned with the unmitigated growth of opioid-related overdoses amongst teens. Since 2019, we have seen adolescent drug overdose deaths more than double, due largely to the proliferation of illicitly manufactured fentanyl.[1] This issue is especially acutely felt in Oregon, where drug-related deaths among teens are increasing faster than anywhere else in the nation.[2] As the widespread availability of counterfeit pills and their availability through commonly accessed social media platforms continue, there remains an unmet need to ensure students, parents, and teachers have access to the resources that will help prevent these tragic deaths.
We are aware that many effective drug-use prevention exist, however, our concern remains that we are not reaching all of our students with this life-saving information. If we are truly committed to ending the opioid crisis, then we must ensure that our students, as well as their parents and teachers, are equipped with all of the resources they need, including access to Naloxone and successful drug-prevention education programs.
In pursuit of combatting and eventually ending the opioid crisis, we believe that ED can play an increasingly important role in the education of students, parents, and teachers as well as in the delivery of drug-resistance education programs. To that end, we ask:
- Can ED provide an update as to their efforts to share best practices with school districts, including information about what efforts have been most successful and where there are opportunities for improvement?
- What additional resources, if any, does ED require from Congress to better address concerns with drug use and drug overdoses amongst adolescents?
More concerning than our schools’ inability to react effectively to the opioid crisis, is the underutilization of drug-use prevention programs. According to a study conducted by the Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, over twenty-five percent of students aged twelve to seventeen reported not having experienced drug or alcohol use prevention messages while at school.[3]
As an example for how we think ED could help address this issue, we would like to highlight the “Fake and Fatal” campaign launched in the Beaverton School District in Oregon. The campaign focuses on providing resources for students, parents, and teachers on the dangers of synthetic opioids as well as key contacts and hotlines should a student ingest these drugs. The district has also adopted a non-punitive approach to students with substance use issues, instead providing specialists and social workers to each campus to help students and families find the help they deserve. It has been a success in our state and could be a life-saving example for other school districts across the country.
We value ED’s commitment and partnership in combatting the opioid epidemic and welcome the opportunity to work with the agency to continue these efforts. (SOURCE)
Scam Jam 2023 brings awareness to fraud schemes aimed at seniors
SALEM – Representatives of Oregon’s Division of Financial Regulation (DFR) will take part in Oregon Scam Jam 2023 at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) in Portland on Tuesday, April 25, to help bring awareness to fraud schemes targeting seniors.
The workshop aims to educate the public on how to spot and avoid scams. The free event is hosted by AARP Oregon and is open to everyone. Scam Jam will provide attendees with information on how to recognize common scams, as well as tips on how to protect themselves from becoming victims. Joining DFR will be experts from AARP, Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, Federal Trade Commission Director Chuck Harwood, KGW consumer reporter Kyle Iboshi, and more.
DFR will be represented by Administrator TK Keen; Tricia Goldsmith, the division’s consumer education and advocacy manager; and Karla Martinez, the division’s consumer liaison.
All attendees will receive complimentary admission to the museum after the event, and the first 100 guests will receive a planetarium ticket. Planetarium tickets can be used through April 30. A light breakfast and lunch will be provided.
This is an invaluable opportunity for anyone looking to stay safe from scammers in today’s digital age. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn more about protecting yourself from fraud.
What: Oregon Scam Jam 2023
When: Tuesday, April 25 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: OMSI, 1945 SE Water Ave., Portland, OR 97214
Those interested can register online.
### About Oregon DFR: The Division of Financial Regulation is part of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, Oregon’s largest business regulatory and consumer protection agency. Visit dfr.oregon.gov and www.dcbs.oregon.gov.
COVID-19 outlook good as cases, deaths, hospitalizations continue declines
OHA monitoring community transmission and variants that may cause brief spring infection wave
PORTLAND, Ore. — As COVID-19 cases, deaths and hospitalizations continue their declines in Oregon and across the country, state health officials remain hopeful that an anticipated spring infection wave triggered by virus subvariants will be short-lived.
Dean Sidelinger, M.D., M.S.Ed., health officer and state epidemiologist at Oregon Health Authority (OHA), said he expects to see adjustments in the state’s COVID-19 forecast over the coming months as health officials learn more about infections from XBB.1.16, an Omicron subvariant that has yet to be identified in the state. Along with another burgeoning Omicron subvariant, XBB.1.9, XBB.1.16 is forecast to cause an increase in infections that will peak in June, he said, citing Oregon Health & Science University forecasting data.
Thanks to a positive overall outlook for COVID-19 in the coming months, Sidelinger was confident the state can weather a subvariant wave and continue its preparations for winding down Oregon’s pandemic response on several fronts as the federal public health emergency ends May 11.
Speaking to reporters Thursday during OHA’s final monthly COVID-19 media briefing, Sidelinger said that on March 30, Oregon finally dropped below 200 hospitalizations, which the state hasn’t seen since May 2022.
“On Tuesday, April 18, we had 172 hospitalized COVID-19-positive patients in Oregon, which was slightly higher than the week before, but still represents a steady downward trend from our recent hospitalization peak of 370 on November 29, 2022,” he said.
“To put that number in perspective, our highest hospitalization count during the pandemic was 1,178, which occurred on September 1, 2021, during the Delta surge. We’ve come a long way.”
A recording of Thursday’s media briefing is available via YouTube at this link. Sidelinger’s comments are available at this link.
Sidelinger noted that Oregon’s percentage of positive COVID-19 test results has stayed relatively flat since the start of the year, with a slight jump occurring in late March. “We expect this trend to continue, particularly as new subvariants continue to evolve and enter Oregon over the next several months,” he said.
The ending of the federal public health emergency means that Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding for some COVID-19 response activities also will end. That includes vaccines and therapeutics that have been provided at no cost to everyone in the country since December 2020. After May 11, pharmaceutical companies will begin distributing and selling vaccines like other vaccines, such as the influenza vaccine; therapeutics commercialization is product-dependent with different timelines, and some are already available commercially.
This transition is likely to take place sometime early fall 2023 for vaccines and by the end of 2023 for therapeutics.
“Right now, there are many unknowns regarding the commercialization process,” Sidelinger said. “For example, we don’t know what COVID vaccine and therapeutics prices will be. OHA is working with other state agencies and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to ensure everyone in Oregon will have continued, equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics once commercialization takes place.”
Also ending after May 11 are FEMA-funded community vaccinations events, which were “hugely efficient at administering the many types of vaccine doses that were offered over the course of the pandemic in 2021 and 2022, including the monovalent primary and booster doses, and the bivalent booster doses,” Sidelinger said. In total, more than 340,000 vaccine doses were administered at more than 6,300 vaccination events.
And access to My Electronic Vaccine Card (MEVC), at myelectronicvaccinecard.oregon.gov, will be decommissioned and archived after the federal emergency ends. People can still use the e-card as proof of their COVID-19 vaccine indefinitely, but they should add any boosters to the card before May 11. After that time, they will not be able update their information, nor will people be able to set up new accounts.
Sidelinger explained that showing the original white vaccination record card from the CDC – or a photo of the card – or showing an immunization record from a health care provider or OHA’s ALERT Immunization Information System still works for proving vaccination status.
During the media briefing, Sidelinger touched on this week’s announcements by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and CDC that authorized and recommended a second dose of the bivalent COVID-19 vaccines for persons 65 years of age and older, and for people 6 and older with certain immunocompromising conditions. He said the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices discussed simplified recommendations for the vaccines April 19 and that the recommendations were affirmed by the CDC.
The second bivalent booster doses will be available to eligible Oregonians in the coming days.
“Stay tuned for additional recommendations, including whether regular boosters will be needed,” Sidelinger said. “We recommend anyone who is now eligible to get the bivalent booster do so as soon as they can. They can get the booster through their health care provider, a county public health vaccine clinic, federally qualified health centers and local pharmacies.”
Governor Tina Kotek Requests Expedited Declaration of a Fishery Resource Disaster
In response to the recent Pacific Fishery Management Council’s recommendation to close all commercial ocean fisheries for Chinook Salmon from Cape Falcon on the north coast, to the California border through August 2023, Governor Tina Kotek is requesting that the U.S. Department of Commerce make an expedited declaration of a federal fishery resource disaster.
A release from the Governor’s office said as juvenile salmon grow to adults off the coasts of California and Oregon, they are caught in Oregon’s commercial fisheries. However, due to recent droughts, returns of Chinook salmon to the Sacramento and Klamath rivers are expected to be extremely low this year. In anticipation of drought-related impacts on salmon spawning, the National Marine Fisheries Service is expected to close all commercial ocean fisheries for Chinook Salmon from Cape Falcon to the California border through August 2023 in order to stabilize the salmon population.
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife forecasts an 82 percent reduction in the ex-vessel value for commercial troll fisheries in this area, compared to the recent five-year average, as a result of these expected closures.
A federal fishery disaster declaration would provide important financial assistance to impacted communities, according to the release.
Bird Flu Killing Endangered California Condors
Endangered California condors are dying from bird flu. Researchers at Oregon State University have found at least seven deceased condors from the northern Arizona population with avian influenza.
At least seven deceased California condors from a northern Arizona population were infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza this spring, the Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at Oregon State University has found.
As of Monday, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has reported a total of 20 deceased condors in the Arizona flock, with 10 confirmed positive for HPAI, including those tested at OSU. OSU is currently testing additional deceased condor samples for HPAI. The deceased birds to date represent nearly 4% of the condor population left in the world.
The OSU laboratory detected HPAI in samples from 11 dead condors from the Arizona population. Seven of those have been confirmed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory, and OSU lab supervisors are awaiting final confirmation on the last four samples OSU tested.
The same virulent H5N1 strain of avian influenza has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40 million egg-laying hens in the U.S since the current outbreak began in January 2022, with the losses also contributing to rising egg prices. The virus, which has no cure, is spread via bird-to-bird contact and also affects many mammals.
There are only about 500 California condors in the world, so a highly pathogenic, highly contagious disease hitting the species is alarming, said Kurt Williams, director of the diagnostic laboratory housed in OSU’s Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine.
Due to many human factors including poisoning, shooting, habitat degradation and the collection of eggs and feathers, California condors nearly went extinct in the 1980s, with a population low of 22 birds. Conservation and breeding programs have helped increase their numbers, but the birds are still at high risk, especially from lead poisoning caused by eating carcasses full of bullet fragments left by hunters.
“Their numbers are low enough that any individual leaving the population prematurely is an important event for the species,” Williams said. “This is a species that has made a remarkable recovery through conservation, and now to have this disease hit is pretty devastating.”
The 20 dead condors this spring were part of a population that spans several national parks in northern Arizona and southern Utah, with the first deceased female in the flock collected on March 20, according to the Fish and Wildlife Service. The carcasses were all sent to the National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Lab in Ashland, Ore., for necropsies to determine cause of death.
Spleen samples from the birds were then sent to the diagnostic laboratory at OSU, where technicians extracted RNA and conducted PCR tests to identify the virus, said Donna Mulrooney, quality assurance manager in the laboratory.
Once OSU positively identified avian influenza, the condor samples were sent to the National Veterinary Service Laboratory in Iowa for final confirmation. Seven are confirmed and four are “presumed non-negative,” OSU lab supervisor Dawn Dirks said.
The disease affects several organ systems, primarily the respiratory, gastrointestinal and nervous systems. According to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, symptoms in birds include lethargy, inability to fly, erratic behavior, loss of coordination, cloudy eyes, swimming in circles and head shaking. Birds typically die within 72 hours of showing clinical signs.
Several factors have made the current outbreak much more severe than previous avian flu outbreaks, Mulrooney and Williams said.
In the past, avian flu was more seasonal, flaring during spring and fall when waterfowl migrate but then subsiding in the off-seasons. The outbreak that started in January 2022, however, has not really had an off-season, Williams said.
This outbreak is also affecting a much wider range of mammals, which carries the threat of spreading to humans, though the risk is low and only a few human cases have been reported this year, all outside the U.S.
In addition to both domestic and wild birds, in the last year the OSU laboratory has detected the virus in two feral cats, several skunks, a racoon and an American marten.
The current outbreak has also had a massive economic impact, costing the poultry industry tens of millions of dollars last year and contributing to soaring egg prices.
While the risk to humans is low, people still need to be cautious around wildlife, Williams said.
“Don’t pick up sick or dead birds or mammals; just leave them be and steer clear,” he said.
About the OSU Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine: The college serves the needs of Oregon, the nation and the world by training the next generation of practice-ready veterinarians, providing state-of-the-art diagnostic and clinical services and supporting the continuing education of veterinary practitioners. Biomedical research conducted at the college increasingly expands the scope of veterinary medicine to address both animal health issues and the relevance of animal diseases to public health. (SOURCE)
High Desert Museum Welcomes Baby Bobcat
BEND, OR — A male bobcat kitten, approximately 8 months old, is now in the care of the High Desert Museum. The public will begin to get to see the yet-to-be-named kitten periodically in the Museum atrium across from the permanent Spirit of the West exhibition.
News media are invited to see the bobcat and meet Museum Curator of Wildlife Jon Nelson between 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm today, Friday, April 21. Please contact Director of Communications & Visitor Experience Heidi Hagemeier to schedule a visit.
The bobcat arrived at the Museum in October weighing less than 3 pounds. Individuals near Portland, Oregon removed the kitten from the wild and reached out to Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW). Biologists with ODFW informed them that animals will often leave their young for a period of time to feed, only to return later. The officials placed the bobcat back where he was found in the hope that his mother would return. The kitten was brought back into ODFW six days later by another individual, prompting ODFW officials to consider other options.
It is unknown whether the bobcat was truly orphaned or was simply separated from its parents by a well-meaning citizen. In either case, the kitten could not be returned safely to the original location, and rehabilitation of bobcats is not generally allowed in Oregon to avoid releasing human-habituated predators on the landscape. Seeking other options, ODFW then placed him at the High Desert Museum.
The bobcat currently weighs 15 1/2 pounds and is thriving in his new environment. The wildlife team at the High Desert Museum has expertise in caring for feline predators, and staff are training him to voluntarily crate and to participate in husbandry and vet care.
It will take about another year for the bobcat to reach a full size of 20-25 pounds. Wild bobcats eat a wide range of prey including birds and small mammals. The Museum wildlife team does its best to mimic a wild diet for the animals in its care, and the bobcat enjoys meals that include rats, mice, rabbit, quail and other whole-animal foods. He has done well so far and is a smart animal who has taken quickly to training and working with wildlife staff.
“The best thing to do when discovering baby or injured wildlife is leave the animal there and contact the local ODFW office to report it,” said Museum Curator of Wildlife Jon Nelson. “The best outcome is always to locate the mother so the animal can be raised and live in the wild, but ODFW is well-equipped to determine if the animal is legitimately abandoned or otherwise requires long-term human care.”
Bobcats are very common in the High Desert and are remarkable hunters. They are solitary animals that can thrive near humans and can be seen at times in suburban habitats. We encourage people to learn about, appreciate and coexist with our native wildlife.
“Caring for young wildlife is work that requires total dedication, and once again our wildlife team has risen to the challenge to give the bobcat the best possible home,” said Museum Executive Director Dana Whitelaw, Ph.D. “Although not generally a danger to humans, bobcats are also not housecats. Our team is working with him daily to ensure he will thrive here.”
For the coming weeks, the bobcat will periodically be visible in the atrium where Gert the gray fox presently resides. They cannot be in the atrium at the same time, so they will rotate and visitors will have the opportunity to view and learn about a gray fox or a bobcat, both with important stories and lessons we can take home to help conserve their habitats.
The opportunity to name the new bobcat will be auctioned off on Saturday, August 26 at the High Desert Rendezvous, the Museum’s largest fundraising event of the year.
The Museum cares for more than 130 animals, from otters to raptors. All the animals are nonreleasable, either due to injuries or because they became too familiar with humans. At the Museum, they serve as ambassadors that educate visitors about the conservation of High Desert species and landscapes.
ABOUT THE MUSEUM: THE HIGH DESERT MUSEUM opened in Bend, Oregon in 1982. It brings together wildlife, cultures, art, history and the natural world to convey the wonder of North
America’s High Desert. The Museum is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, is a Smithsonian Affiliate, was the 2019 recipient of the Western Museums Association’s Charles Redd Award for Exhibition Excellence and was a 2021 recipient of the National Medal for Museum and Library Service. To learn more, visit highdesertmuseum.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
