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, August 23, 2023

Rogue Valley Weather

Smith River Fire Complex Pushes Closer to O’Brien

Just south of the Oregon border along Hwy 199, the Diamond, Holiday, Kelly, and Prescott fires along with multiple other fires in the area have been grouped together in the “Smith River Complex.” This is along the route from Grants Pass to the coast.

To the west, the Smith River Complex of fires in Six Rivers National Forest totaled 6.25 square miles (16.2 square kilometers). Morning rain had also been expected there.
A section of U.S. 199 closed due to the fire.
The complex fires were among many ignited across the forest and the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation after more than 150 lightning strikes since Tuesday. Most of the fires remained small.

The Smith River Complex is approximately 40,000 acres with zero percent containment. Strong northeast winds affected the fire area overnight, but an inversion settled in, dampening fire behavior on most of the complex yesterday morning. Areas of the Kelly fire aligned with Stony Creek (north of Hwy 199) and Craigs Creek (south of Hwy 199) and made significant movement to the southwest growing approximately 2.5 miles in the early morning hours. The west side of the Kelly fire moved into the North Fork Smith Roadless Area.

Josephine County Emergency Management

  · Notice from Josephine County Sheriff:

Level 1 – BE READY Smith River North Complex Fire Notice from Josephine County Sheriff. Level 1 – BE READY notice for: Forested area from Lone Mountain Road to Buckskin Peak.Monitor conditions. Find preparedness resources at RVEM.org. Act early if there is any reason you might need extra time. Leave right away if you feel you are in immediate danger.If conditions change quickly, this may be the only alert you receive.For more information, visit: www.rvem.org

Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest (RRSNF), Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) resources continue to be proactive by reopening old fire containment features and identifying areas of opportunity in protection of life and property.

Smith River Complex North update for Wednesday, August 23, 2023 Grants Pass, Oregon

Pushed by gusty winds, the Kelly Fire spread further north into the West Fork of the Illinois River valley yesterday. In response, local firefighters and resources from the Smith River Complex North concentrated on structure protection work around Lone Mountain and Elk, Blue, Dwight, and White Creeks. Protecting structures, powerlines, and resources along Hwy 199 are a high priority for this fire. Heavy smoke continues to hamper aerial operations.

Yesterday, smoke prevented helicopters from dropping water or retardant on the north edge of the Kelly Fire. The smoke also made it difficult to monitor the fire’s spread and exact location using aircraft. Winds from the north are expected today, which should reduce smoke along the north edge of the Kelly Fire. When the smoke lifts, aerial resources are ready to support firefighters on the ground. Resources assigned to the Complex will assist with initial attack on fires within the Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) and on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest.

Currently assigned resources include seven helicopters for the Complex, nine engines, four crews, and five pieces of heavy equipment for the North, with more on order. With more resources arriving at the fire, the Smith River Complex North has added a night shift. These resources will be working overnight and monitoring the fire vicinity. They can respond quickly if there is an increase in fire activity. Del Norte County has issued a Level 3 evacuation notice from the Oregon/California border south. Specifics of this closure can be found at https://www.facebook.com/DelNorteOfficeOfEmergencyServices/.

Josephine County has issued a Level 2 evacuation notice along Hwy 199 south of mile post 39 to the California border, and a Level 1 evacuation for the community of O’Brien south of Rough & Ready Creek. For more information and maps, visit the Rogue Valley Emergency Management site at https://www.rvem.org. The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest has implemented an area and road closure order for the Smith River Complex. Visit the forest website for additional information https://tinyurl.com/2s4hymku. Cooperatively responding agencies include the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, the Oregon Department of Forestry, BLM-Coos Bay District, BLM-Medford District, Josephine County Sheriff’s Office, Josephine County EMS, the Illinois Valley Fire Department and Curry County Sheriff’s Office. There will be a community meeting on Thursday, August 24 at 6:00 p.m. It will be held at the staging area across from 30159 Redwood Hwy, Cave Junction. The meeting will also be live-streamed on Facebook.

Man Arrested After Leading Medford Police On Chase After Harassing Ambulances

A man arrested in Klamath County in December after leading police on a 13-mile chase after allegedly brandishing a gun at a residence while wearing a bulletproof vest was arrested Saturday in Medford after leading police there on another chase after allegedly harassing local ambulance crews.

Mosquitoes Test Positive for West Nile Virus in Jackson County

Jackson County, Ore.—West Nile virus (WNV) has been detected in mosquitoes collected in east Medford on July 18, 2023.  This is the first WNV detection in Jackson County this year.  In 2022, WNV was found in a total of eight mosquito samples; all 2022 detections occurred in August or September.  The mosquitoes were collected by the Jackson County Vector Control District (JCVCD) as part of a routine surveillance program and tested using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

Residents are advised to take basic precautions against mosquitoes since West Nile virus is spread to humans through the bites of infected mosquitoes. People should consult their health care providers if they experience any flu-like symptoms. Health care providers can contact the Jackson County Health Department for information on West Nile virus testing.

The Jackson County Vector Control District suggests the following steps to protect against mosquitoes:

• Eliminate or treat any sources of standing water around your home.
• Avoid outdoor activities at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active.
• Use repellants containing DEET, oil of lemon/eucalyptus, or Picardin. Always follow the label directions.
• Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants when outdoors.
• Ensure that screen doors and windows are in good condition and fit tightly.

Jackson County Vector Control District:  https://jcvcd.org/

Oregon Health Authority: http://public.health.oregon.gov/DiseasesConditions/DiseasesAZ/WestNileVirus/Pages/survey.aspx

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/ index.htm

 

The restoration project for the Butte Creek Mill is entering its last push.

As part of the final fundraising efforts, Jim Belushi, brother of the famous John Belushi and star of the TV show “according to Jim”,, is putting on Comedy on the Rogue at Belushi Farms.

Tickets went on sale today at http://comedyontherogue.com. The night will include Jim Belushi’s Board of Comedy and music from Belushi’s band.

Volunteer Jay O’Neil said they need about $300,000 to finish the restoration project. Most of the work that needs done still is repairing the basement that was damaged by water during the fire.
Tickets will be on sale until late September, or until they sell out. Belushi owns property in the Rogue Valley and has settled there.

Media advisory: Oregon’s first evacuation assembly point (EAP) equipment will be set up in Tillamook on Wednesday

Oregon’s first evacuation assembly point (EAP) equipment will be set up in Tillamook on Wednesday

WHAT: Tillamook County and ODHS Office of Resilience and Emergency Management emergency preparedness exercise

WHO: 

• Mary Faith Bell, Commissioner, Tillamook County
• Randy Thorpe, Emergency Manager, Tillamook County
• Chad Knowles, Operations Chief, ODHS Office of Resilience and Emergency Management
• Kevin Tucker, President, Near Space Corporation
• Eric Waters, Business Development Manager, Near Space Corporation
• Michele Bradley, General Manager, Port of Tillamook Bay

WHEN: 

• Wednesday, August 23, 2023
• The Tillamook County Board of Commissioners will hold a public meeting in a tent at the evacuation assembly point 9:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M. Media is welcome to attend this meeting. If attending the meeting, please arrive by 8:30 A.M. to set up.
• Media availability will occur directly after the meeting, in the same space. 11:00 A.M. to 11:30 A.M.
• There will be time to get photos and videos of the various tents that comprise the EAP after 11:30.

WHERE: 5255 Long Prairie Road, Tillamook, OR. See attached map. Look for signs for Able Readiness 4, the name of this emergency preparedness exercise.

WHY: ODHS’ Office of Resilience and Emergency Management (OREM) supplied Tillamook County with two Conex boxes that contain food, water, tents and medical supplies to support 100 people at the EAP for two weeks in the event of an emergency. Evacuation assembly points are short-term locations for people to gather while emergency responders work to access the impacted area. The Tillamook-area EAP is located at Tillamook Municipal Airport. All 17 EAP tents will be set up on Tuesday and Wednesday as part of an emergency preparedness exercise. OREM, as the lead state agency for mass care (e.g. shelter, food and water), has staged these supplies in Tillamook because coastal communities will be isolated from responders in the immediate aftermath of the Cascadia earthquake. During this exercise, OREM will train community leaders on how to set up the EAP.

This news release was sent when the containers were delivered to Tillamook.

HOW: For interviews or additional information please contact Sara Campos (she/her), OREM public information officer at a.k.campos@odhs.oregon.gov“>sara.k.campos@odhs.oregon.gov or 971-208-1947.

Kotek holds signing ceremony for bills on ghost guns, fentanyl and Oregon’s police training backlog

One of bills Gov. Tina Kotek highlighted on Monday, House Bill 2005, was one of the bills that Oregon Senate Republicans targeted with a six-week walkout.

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek held a symbolic signing ceremony for seven new public safety bills Monday afternoon, touting legislation aimed at cracking down on “ghost guns” and fentanyl, bolstering Oregon’s overloaded public defender system and clearing a backlog at the state’s sole police academy.

The deadline for Kotek to sign bills from the 2023 legislative session has already passed; all of the bills she mentioned at Monday’s news conference were officially signed back in July, but the governor sought to highlight them as a group, declaring that they “represent concrete steps forward to ensure that Oregonians are safe and have trust in their justice system.”

The ghost gun bill was one of two bills targeted by a six-week walkout led by Senate Republicans earlier this year, which ended when Democrats agreed to scale down both pieces of legislation before passage — something Kotek acknowledged at Monday’s news conference, although she didn’t mention the parts that got cut.

“Because we know House Bill 2005 did generate some controversy in the legislature, and I want to thank the legislators and the advocates for getting that bill across the finish line,” she said. “It wouldn’t be here without your leadership, so thank you very much.”

The more expansive version of House Bill 2005 would have raised the minimum age to purchase most guns from 18 to 21 and given Oregon cities the option to ban firearms in public buildings, in addition to cracking down on untraceable firearms. The final version only maintains the ghost gun ban, establishing fines and jail time for the sale or possession of 3D printed guns with the serial numbers removed or unfinished gun frames and receivers.

Even the smaller version of HB 2005 ultimately passed the Senate on a relatively narrow vote — in terms of the legislature’s quorum rules — of 17-3, with 10 lawmakers absent or excused. Most of the other bills Kotek touted on Monday passed by large margins in both chambers.

The only other relatively close vote was for Senate Bill 337, which passed the Senate 17-8 with five absences. The bill aims to overhaul Oregon’s public defender system, but it made headlines during the legislative session when Kotek sent lawmakers a letter asking for amendments to the in-progress legislation.

The other five bills Kotek mentioned are:

• Senate Bill 5533 provides new funding for training and classes at the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training, Oregon’s only police academy. Mayor Ted Wheeler has cited a backlog at DPSST as one of the factors slowing down Portland’s efforts to fill police vacancies.
• House Bill 2676 updates Oregon’s Victims Compensation Program to expand counseling eligibility and offer compensation for additional expenses such as counseling or funeral expenses.
• House Bill 2732 provides funding for Children Advocacy Centers statewide, which provide services when child abuse is suspected.
• House Bill 2320 creates a Juvenile Justice Policy Commission Tasked with analyzing policy and making recommendations to the legislature about how to improve Oregon’s juvenile justice system.
• House Bill 2645 creates misdemeanor penalties for possession of a gram or more of fentanyl — or five pills — allowing violators to be sentenced to up to a year in jail or a $6,250 fine, or both.  (SOURCE)

Central Oregon Drug Trafficker Sentenced to Federal Prison

On August 16, 2023, a Deschutes County, Oregon woman was sentenced to federal prison for trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl to Oregon for distribution.

Krista Vela, 39, was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.

“Today marks a significant victory in our ongoing fight against the scourge of methamphetamine and fentanyl trafficking. With the successful arrest and conviction of Krista Vela, we have dealt a decisive blow to the criminal networks that seek to spread destruction in the central Oregon community,” said Sergeant Kent van der Kamp of the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office. “This outcome is a testament to the tireless efforts of the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team (CODE), and our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office. We remain resolute in our commitment to ensure the safety of central Oregon, and this case serves as a powerful reminder that those who peddle in illegal drugs will face the full force of justice.”

According to court documents, in November 2020, as part of a broader drug trafficking investigation, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office and CODE identified Vela as a key source of supply for a prominent area drug dealer. In early December, investigators seized several pieces of luggage being removed from a hotel room rented by Vela in Sunriver, Oregon. The bags contained drug packaging materials, a digital scale, a GPS tracking device, 15 kilograms of methamphetamine, and 2 kilograms of fentanyl. One of the bags also contained several pieces of paperwork with Vela’s name on them.

On December 6, 2021, Vela was charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to possess and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. Later, on April 21, 2022, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned a two-count indictment charging Vela and an accomplice with conspiring with one another to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. On July 5, 2023, Vela pleaded guilty to both charges.

Vela’s sentence will run concurrent to an 84-month federal prison sentence imposed on March 16, 2023, in the District of Montana for a separate drug trafficking conviction.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, and CODE. It was prosecuted by Adam E. Delph, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

The CODE team is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program. CODE includes members of the Bend, Redmond, Prineville, Madras, Sunriver, and Black Butte Police Departments; the Warm Springs Tribal Police Department; the Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson County Sheriff and District Attorney’s Offices; the Oregon State Police; the Oregon National Guard; DEA; and the FBI. Updated August 22, 2023 (SOURCE)

Potential Impact of $24.6 Billion Kroger-Albertsons Merger on Oregon’s Grocery Market Competition

Kroger, Fred Meyer and QFC’s parent company, and Albertsons, Safeway’s owner, are on the verge of a substantial $24.6 billion merger. This move promises to reshape the retail landscape of the Pacific Northwest and bolster competition. Concerns are surfacing, though, regarding the potential reduction in shopping options for Oregon residents. Regulatory hurdles such as Federal Trade Commission (FTC) scrutiny over potential monopolistic results and price increases are also present.

Kroger’s CEO, Rodney McMullen, strongly backs the merge. He refers to the grocery industry’s drastic changes over the past ten years to support his point. He believes that the merger will fortify Kroger and Albertsons’ standing against big players like Walmart, Amazon, and Costco. Another objective of the merger is to enhance their online grocery wing in response to the growing trend of online grocery shopping.

However, industry analysts have a cautious outlook on the merger’s approval due to the FTC’s strict perspective on such proposals. They criticize the FTC’s interpretation of the grocery industry which might ignore major players such as Amazon or Costco. They warn that overlapping stores might need to be sold to preserve market competition, raising questions about finding willing buyers. The situation recalls the Albertsons-Safeway merger in 2015 which led to 150 stores being sold to a smaller grocer, who later went bankrupt. Such situations make it unclear whether the proposed merger will encourage competition or create a monopoly in Oregon’s grocery industry. PODCAST: https://www.oregonlive.com/podcasts/2023/08/what-a-kroger-albertsons-grocery-merger-could-mean-for-oregonians-beat-check-podcast.html?outputType=amp

PeaceHealth announces beginning of comprehensive process to close the only hospital in Eugene

PeaceHealth today announced the beginning of what will be a comprehensive process to close its underutilized University District hospital in Eugene. Upon receiving regulatory approval, the health system plans to transition Inpatient Rehabilitation, Emergency Department and related medical services to PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend, located less than 6 miles away in Springfield. Ambulatory Services, including PeaceHealth Medical Group clinics and Home & Community services, will remain open and ready to serve the needs of the community in Eugene. PeaceHealth intends to continue providing Behavioral Health services at University District until there is a sustainable alternative in the community.

“After careful consideration and an ongoing ethical discernment, PeaceHealth has decided to close the hospital at University District,” said Alicia Beymer, chief administrative officer PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center, University District. “As the needs of the Lane County community evolve, PeaceHealth services and sites of care also need to evolve to ensure compassionate, high-quality care now and in the future. We believe consolidating some services at RiverBend will provide an enhanced care experience.”

Since opening in 2008, the RiverBend hospital has increased capacity and access, and the community’s reliance on University District has diminished, with patient volume declining to the point where the University District facility consistently generates losses averaging $2 million per month. University District now sees an average of just 95 patient visits daily, with an average of only 15.5 patients per month admitted as inpatients and only 7.5 patients per month admitted for observation. Only about two-thirds of patients present for routine medical care. The other one-third seek behavioral health services that would be better served by a crisis stabilization center planned for Lane County.

“We are committed to serving the people of Lane County and plan to increase our care and services over the coming years,” added Beymer. “By discontinuing services at University District, which have unsustainable negative operating margins, we can more effectively invest our resources to better meet the Lane County community’s current and emerging needs and ensure patients have access to the right care, in the right setting, at the right time.”

PeaceHealth outlined the next steps in what will be a comprehensive process involving the state and other community partners. The plan, which requires regulatory approval, focuses on the three core healthcare services currently provided at University District:

• Emergency Department – PeaceHealth intends to phase out Emergency Department services on the University District campus in November. The goal is to consolidate limited Emergency Department resources at RiverBend, which has available capacity and can accommodate additional emergency and in-patient volume. PeaceHealth also plans investments to expand patient access, including additional secure spaces for patients experiencing behavioral and mental health challenges.
• Inpatient Rehabilitation – PeaceHealth intends to temporarily relocate the 27-bed inpatient rehabilitation unit at University District to RiverBend in early 2024. Relocation will allow the service to remain available in the community through 2026, when PeaceHealth and LifePoint Health plan to jointly open a separate state-of-the-art 50-bed inpatient rehabilitation facility on the RiverBend campus. The new 67,000-square-foot hospital will double capacity and feature a 12-bed traumatic brain injury unit — a first for the area.
• Inpatient Behavioral Health – PeaceHealth intends to continue serving patients at the current behavioral health location at University District until there is a sustainable alternative in the community. This unit provides inpatient services for 1,100 vulnerable, often complex patients per year. PeaceHealth is collaborating with community partners on alternative care models and works with outpatient behavioral health entities in Lane County and beyond that provide wraparound services.

PeaceHealth is committed to retaining its valued caregivers as it evolves its care services in Lane County, finding equivalent positions within PeaceHealth’s Oregon network, including integrating qualified and interested University District caregivers into open positions at the RiverBend campus and other PeaceHealth locations.

About PeaceHealth: PeaceHealth, based in Vancouver, Wash., is a not-for-profit Catholic health system offering care to communities in Washington, Oregon and Alaska. PeaceHealth has approximately 16,000 caregivers, a group practice with more than 1,200 providers and 10 medical centers serving both urban and rural communities throughout the Northwest. In 1890, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace founded what has become PeaceHealth. The Sisters shared expertise and transferred wisdom from one medical center to another, always finding the best way to serve the unmet need for healthcare in their communities. Today, PeaceHealth is the legacy of the founding Sisters and continues with a spirit of respect, stewardship, collaboration and social justice in fulfilling its Mission. Visit us online at peacehealth.org.

Oregon Nurses Association Statement on Potential Closure of University District Hospital in Eugene

(Eugene, Ore.) – The Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) bargaining unit leaders at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center were notified yesterday, August 21, that PeaceHealth is planning to close PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center University District in Eugene.

ONA is strongly opposed to PeaceHealth’s closure of University District hospital and calls upon management to reverse this dangerous and irresponsible decision immediately.

This short-sighted decision on the part of PeaceHealth management raises serious concerns not only for the more than 100 ONA-represented nurses who will be impacted by this closure, but also for the many hundreds of other staff at the hospital and the thousands of patients in Eugene who will lose access to emergency services.

At this time, it is unclear how PeaceHealth intends for the residents of Eugene to access crucial, life-saving services like those provided by the University District Emergency Department. This is particularly concerning given that wait times at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center Riverbend, the closest alternative hospital to University District, were over 18 hours for some patients just yesterday. Closure of the University District hospital would have an enormous impact on Riverbend’s capacity to provide care to the more than 200,000 people in Eugene and the surrounding areas.

The Medical Unit at University District would also close under PeaceHealth’s current plan. The Medical Unit, also known as the ACE Unit, or acute care for the elderly unit, provides specialized care for the region’s most vulnerable, elderly patients. PeaceHealth has not indicated if there are plans to create a similar unit at Riverbend.

ONA nurses were blindsided by this announcement. Nurses just settled a four-year agreement with the hospital after a lengthy and contentious contract negotiations. At no point during those negotiations were nurses given even the slightest hint that a closure of University District was on the table.

ONA is working closely with our union partners at PeaceHealth, including Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE), and the Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals (OFNHP) on a coordinated response to this dangerous and harmful decision by PeaceHealth.

There are clear contractual implications for a closure of University District. PeaceHealth has indicated that they intend to reorganize the University District Emergency Department, the Float Pool and Rehabilitation Services, all of which will have direct impacts on ONA-represented nurses. Should a closure occur, major layoffs will also impact staff throughout the hospital.

ONA and our union colleagues are in contact with the Oregon Health Authority to determine if there are regulatory ways to stop this closure from happening. We will also be launching ways for the Eugene community to make their concerns known to PeaceHealth administration within the coming days.

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, including 1,500 frontline nurses at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center Riverbend and University District and Sacred Heart Home Care Services. ONA’s mission is to advocate for nursing, quality health care and healthy communities. For more information visit: www.OregonRN.org. 

Ticks and mosquitos: More patients buzzing into urgent care

PORTLAND, Ore. (August 22, 2023): In the midst of peak mosquito and tick season in Oregon, Dr. Anne Toledo, Chief of Urgent Care for Kaiser Permanente Northwest, reports she is also seeing more patients coming into urgent care with concerns about insect bites.

Not only did the Oregon Health Authority report that mosquito populations are five times greater in Multnomah County this year, but Portlanders are reporting more ticks, too. The NextDoor neighborhood app is filled with reports of ticks crawling closer into town, latching on to people and pets in Southeast, Montavilla and Mt. Tabor.

Dr. Toledo attributes much of this increase in insects to climate change, which allows pests that carry infection, such as ticks, to live longer and wider ranging.

The good news? “Only some ticks can spread diseases to humans,” said Dr. Toledo. “In Oregon, Lyme disease is very rare and although the western black-legged tick can spread Lyme disease it is important to know what the other risks are and take preventive measures to protect yourself from these summer pests. Many ticks are so small – the size of a sesame seed – that people don’t even realize they’ve been bitten until a mark appears or the tick has grown big.”

Most of the time, all you need to do for a tick bite is relieve any symptoms you may have, which you can do at home. Some people may have an allergic reaction to a tick bite. This reaction may be mild, with symptoms like itching and swelling.

“In rare cases, a severe allergic reaction may occur,” said Dr. Toeldo. “You should seek immediate medical care if you have signs of infection, such as increased pain, swelling, warmth, or redness around the bite; red streaks leading from the bite; pus draining from the bite; or a fever.”

Interviews available
Dr. Anne Toledo, Chief of Urgent Care for Kaiser Permanente Northwest, is available for Zoom interviews with media this Tuesday, August 22 from 4-4:30 p.m. and Wednesday, August 23 at 3 p.m. Additional times available early next week. Contact en.a.vitt@kp.org“>Karen Vitt to schedule.

Dr. Toledo is prepared to discuss:

• What are ticks and what happens if they bite you?
• Can you tell what bug has bitten you just from the bite mark? (Mostly no,but there are some classics I can teach about)
• What you can do to protect yourself from mosquitos and avoid tick bite
• How do you tell a local skin reaction from an infection caused by a bite?
• What you can do to protect yourself from mosquitos and avoid tick bites
• How to remove a tick and treat a tick bite
• When you should see a doctor for your insect bite
• Why Portland is seeing a rise in mosquitos and ticks – is it climate change?

ABOUT KAISER PERMANENTE 
Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 12.6 million members in 8 states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists, and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery, and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education, and the support of community health. For more information, please visit: about.kaiserpermanente.org

For more information, please visit: about.kaiserpermanente.org

Governor Tina Kotek is urging Oregonians to apply for over 130 open positions on 12 new boards and commissions that were created by the Legislature.

They include hospital discharge challenges, juvenile justice, cybersecurity, universal health and more. Kotek says true progress requires each and every one to be engaged. Applicants should apply on the state’s website. https://oregon.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/SOR_External_Career_Site

Help your wildland firefighters. Most human-caused fires are avoidable. Help your wildland firefighters by actively practicing wildfire prevention. The fewer human-caused fires they have to respond to, the less our resources are strained and the more we can protect our firefighters from fatigue and burnout.

The Shaniko Hotel Reopens

If you’ve driven between Klamath Falls and the Washington border using Highway 97, you’ve driven through Shaniko.

After 16 years of closure, the Shaniko Hotel , located in Oregon’s famous ghost town, has reopened, this time under the management of the town’s volunteer firefighters.

If that sounds like an unusual arrangement, well, nothing in Shaniko is usual.

Shaniko remains a functioning municipality with about two dozen full-time residents. They practically take turns running the city.

Consisting of a handful of buildings dating to around 1900, Shaniko most likely survives because of its location along U.S. 97, which still brings traffic past the town.

Staff will tell you the hotel is definitely haunted, and it’s hard to tell if that’s because of actual spirits or a sales tactic. It does make an overnight stay more exciting.

While the town is small, Julianne Herman, secretary of South Wasco Fire & Rescue (and also employee of the hotel, and also Long’s girlfriend), said the town’s handful of firefighters responded to about 80 calls last year. Most of those were medical calls and highway crashes (such as the semi-truck that barreled through two buildings next to the Shaniko Hotel last fall.)

Visitors might notice a small blue rubber ball in one of the hotel hallways. Staff says this ball seemingly moves around on its own, played with by an unseen girl whom they call Amelia. Room 14, they said, is supposedly haunted by a woman named Nettie.

Thinking about an overnight stay? Shaniko is 215 miles north on U.S. Highway 97 from Klamath Falls. https://www.shanikohotel.com/