Rogue Valley News, Friday 8/25 – Man Accused Of Kidnapping Seattle Woman Caught Trying To Break Out Of Jackson County Jail, Red Cross Opens Shelter For Smith River Complex Fire at Rogue Community College, Another Illegal Grow Bust in Josephine County

Oregon State Fire Marshal protecting communities with air tankers and task forces mobilized to two different wildfires

SALEM, Ore. – With the state of Oregon entering the heart of wildfire season, the Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) mobilized suppression resources through its Response Ready Oregon initiative to keep fires small and protect communities.

The Liberty fire broke out near Salem, OR, prompting evacuations on Wednesday afternoon. With the risk to life and property, OSFM has mobilized multiple aerial firefighting resources, including two single engine air tankers (SEATs), one type one helicopter, and an air attack resource. Getting aircraft up and to these fires immediately is critical in supporting the local firefighters on the ground. This is possible through our Response Ready Oregon initiative and agreements with the Oregon Department of Forestry.

Additionally, with the Smith River Complex growing, OSFM is mobilizing two structural task forces to Josephine County through immediate response starting Thursday, August 24^th. The task forces are from Marion and Polk counties. These firefighters and equipment will be mobilized as surge resources to bolster capacity in Oregon communities impacted by the Smith River Complex.

“The new response tools our agency has been deploying are making a difference in protecting Oregon communities,” Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said. “We have seen the power of the Oregon Fire Mutual Aid System protecting communities during this wildfire season. We are thankful to the Oregon fire service and our Oregon Department of Forestry partners for the work they have accomplished so far this summer.”

As of Wednesday evening, the Liberty Fire is estimated at 10 acres; additionally, the Smith River Complex is made up of 27 wildfires, burning in two states, and is estimated at 47,277 acres.

The Marion County Sheriff’s Office has level 3 evacuation notices for those near the Liberty Fire. For updates, follow their social media: https://www.facebook.com/MCSOInTheKnow.

More information on the Smith River Complex is available on Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/casrf-smith-river-complex.

ABOUT RESPONSE READY OREGON  — The OSFM’s Response Ready Oregon initiative made these firefighting resources possible. It was launched through Immediate Response, a tool developed with funding from Senate Bill 762 (2021). The goal is to boost response to wildfires and keep fires small and away from communities.

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.

As Oregon fires rage, US Rep Chavez-DeRemer joins push for higher firefighter pay

Federal wildland firefighters received temporary raises last year that are set to expire at the end of September

As fires rage in Oregon, U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer joined a bipartisan group of senators and representatives pushing to permanently boost pay for wildland firefighters.

Federal wildland firefighters received temporary pay boosts through the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure law of 2021, which ensured they make at least $15 per hour – wildland firefighters work a base 40 hours. They also received temporary raises of $20,000 or 50% of their base pay a year, whichever was less, in 2022.

But those raises are set to expire on Sept. 30. Legislation proposed in the U.S. House and Senate aim to permanently increase pay for wildland firefighters and provide supplemental pay boosts for each day a firefighter is deployed to a fire.

“I’m honored to join this bipartisan effort in support of our wildland firefighters, who run towards danger to keep our communities safe,” Chavez-DeRemer said in a statement. “Unfortunately, time is running out to ensure they continue receiving the pay they deserve.”

The Senate version of the bill, spearheaded by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Arizona, received a favorable vote out of the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee in July and is expected to be considered by the full Senate after it returns from its August recess. The House version, led by Democratic Rep. Joe Neguse of Colorado, was introduced last week and hasn’t yet been considered by any committees.

So far, Chavez-DeRemer is the only member of Oregon’s congressional delegation signed on to either bill.

At least eight wildfires were burning in the state as of Tuesday afternoon, including the newly ignited Fuzztail Fire burning 5 miles south of Bend. The largest uncontained fire, the Bedrock Fire, has burned more than 22,000 acres in the Cascade foothills east of Eugene and was only 20% contained.

The Bedrock Fire, as well as two others in eastern Lane County – the 135-acre Salmon Fire and 2,720-acre Lookout Fire – resulted in air quality alerts in the Eugene area and contributed to smoky conditions in Salem. About 140 homes are under evacuation notices because of the Lookout Fire and Bedrock Fire, according to the Lane County Sheriff’s Office.

To the southwest, the Flat Fire has burned nearly 34,000 acres in the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest since mid-July and is expected to be fully contained by Sept. 1.

The 2,100-acre Golden Fire east of Medford, 129-acre Boulder Fire southwest of Dufur and the 95-acre Ben Harrison Fire west of Baker City are both under control, though fire crews in eastern Oregon are paying close attention to the Ben Harrison Fire because the subalpine fir trees in the area are notorious for holding onto heat and reigniting.

Much of the state is under red flag warnings because of hot, dry and windy conditions. Nearly every state park has a fire ban, as does Crater Lake National Park and public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management.

Extreme heat has plagued western Oregon since Monday, but cooler temperatures are expected beginning late Friday. State and local health officials recommend drinking plenty of water, limiting time outside and physical activity if possible and finding cool places, such as public libraries and designated cooling centers, if they don’t have air conditioning at home. Oregonians can find information about hot weather resources in their area at 211info.org.  — (SOURCE)

Governor Kotek Discusses Managed Urban Homeless Camps During Oregon Tour

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek continued her multiday trip through Central Oregon by spending most of Thursday in Redmond, holding meetings at City Hall and spending the afternoon at an under-construction homeless shelter.

“We’re spending a lot of time in Redmond on this trip,” said Kotek, who has been traveling through parts of rural Oregon since the legislative session ended June 25. “Deschutes County is not just Bend.”

The governor met with the Latino Community Association at City Hall, then had lunch with Deschutes County Commissioner Patti Adair, Redmond Mayor Ed Fitch and Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler. Kotek said the group talked about a range of issues in Central Oregon and the state, from housing to education and from economic development to St. Charles Health System possibly withdrawing from the Medicare Advantage program.

Kotek spent part of the afternoon at Redmond’s first proposed low barrier homeless shelter, run by the nonprofit Shepherd’s House Ministries and currently under construction off U.S. Highway 97. According to Dave Notari, director of development for Shepherd’s House, the new facility may be ready to open by early October. All the electrical work and the kitchen is finished, he said.

“We just need to start adding furniture and we’re there,” said Notari.

Kotek sat with Shepherd’s House staff and other service providers, which she said helped her gain perspective on the issue of homelessness in Central Oregon.

“We have been funding communities around the state with emergency resources to have more shelter capacity, more services,” she said. “And I have to say Central Oregon has a strong plan, strong partnerships that are really making things happen here. And my job as governor is just to be helpful, be supportive, make sure they can get done what they need to get done.”

Kotek has differed from local leaders, however, by rejecting their calls to allow homeless shelters outside urban growth boundaries around Bend, Redmond, Sisters and La Pine. In Redmond, city officials have said building managed camps and affordable housing developments outside city limits could help ease the crisis. Kotek argued that managed camps outside cities often leave people too far from other services.

“This isn’t about saying go far away,” she said. “This is about come in, get connected to services, let’s help get you get housed. This is about long-term stability. So being outside the urban growth boundary, far away, is not probably the best way to go about it.”

She also said that thinking of middle-income housing outside UGBs may not be the answer either.

“I think we have to be open to new ideas when it comes to the land supply,” said Kotek. “But what I do know is that it’s not just about land supply. Even if you have the land, you need to have the infrastructure. You need to have some resources to develop the land so it can be used for housing.”

Kotek also talked about the CORE3 project in Redmond spearheaded by the Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council. It would create a base of operations and emergency response center in the case of a large-scale regional disaster.

“I think it’s smart to think about it here in Redmond,” she said. “I think we have to figure out how to fund it long term. I’m definitely interested in the concept. I think we’re going to continue to deal with major wildfires. We’re going to have that major earthquake somewhere down the line, and Central Oregon’s going to be a key piece of that recovery. So I think we have to figure out how to get it done.”

Community Responds to PeaceHealth’s Plan to Close The Only Hospital in Eugene

“It’s all about the money.” One resident spoke to us and said just hearing the announcement that the Eugene hospital was closing made her have an anxiety attack. “What about people in outlying areas that have no way to get to a hospital quickly in case they are having a heart attack. Ambulances take too much time to arrive at emergencies here already. There are so many people who will be affected by this and most likely a rise in deaths. This is disastrous and shameful that a city the size of Eugene will not have a hospital.”

The planned closure of PeaceHealth’s Sacred Heart University District Hospital has also sparked major concerns from the Associated Students of the University of Oregon.

“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,” said Alicia Beymer, chief administrative officer at the University District site. “We believe consolidating some services at RiverBend will provide an enhanced care experience.”  A PeaceHealth statement said the Springfield hospital “generates a positive cash flow,” keeping its other services in the county afloat.

The nurses union, however, said the consolidation could be devastating for elderly people, with the closure of a specialized unit providing acute care in Eugene. It also lamented the potential impact on patients needing emergency care. PeaceHealth said its emergency department has 34,000 visits annually, or about 95 a day. It said only a small fraction – 6% – need to be admitted and that many of the rest are either patients in need of social services or have lower acuity needs.

Nevertheless, the union said some patients waited 18 hours on Monday to be seen.

“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,” it said.

—-“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.”

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.

Roseburg Fire Department Announces Hiring of First Female Fire Marshal

The City of Roseburg Fire Department is pleased to announce the hiring of new Fire Marshal Cheryl Flick.

“Today is a remarkable day for our fire department and our community as a whole. We celebrate a significant milestone in our journey- the appointment of our first female Fire Marshal. As we stand on the edge of progress, it is essential to reflect on how far we have come as an organization. Our fire department has a legacy built upon dedication, courage, and unwavering commitment to service. Today, that legacy takes a bold step forward.” said Fire Chief Tyler Christopherson.

Chief Christopherson added, “As we welcome her into this new role, let us remember that diversity is our strength. Our fire department is an organization that values different perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences. With each new addition to our team, we expand our knowledge and enrich our capabilities.”

Cheryl joins more than 11,000 women across the United States who work as career firefighters and officers in the fire service, including the Oregon State Fire Marshal Marianna Ruiz-Temple.

Fire Marshal Flick received advanced education from Oregon State University, Chemeketa Community College, and Lane Community College.  She holds certification as a Fire and Life Safety Plans Examiner, Commercial Building Inspector, and Commercial Mechanical Inspector, in addition to several more certifications from the State of Oregon and the International Code Council.

Before starting with the Fire Department, Fire Marshal Flick worked as a full time Plans Examiner for Douglas County Building Department.  Cheryl also worked as a Building Inspector for Douglas County before accepting her past role as Plans Examiner.  Fire Marshal Flick has previously worked for the City of Corvallis and the City of Salem in various inspector roles.  Cheryl’s strong work ethic, experience in customer service, and ability to effectively communicate fire and life safety code will be valuable in her new role.

In her new position as Fire Marshal, Cheryl will serve as a fire inspector, arson investigator, fire safety educator, instructor, and more.  She will oversee the Fire Prevention Division and supervise the Deputy Fire Marshal, as they work together to improve fire and life safety within our community.

When she is not studying fire code and working in her new position as Fire Marshal, Cheryl spends her free time with her family.  They enjoy camping, hiking, and riding all-terrain vehicles.  Please join us in welcoming Fire Marshal Flick to the department. She will serve our community well.

The Oregon Employment Department provided updates on the new Paid Leave Oregon program.

Paid Leave Oregon aims to give workers and employers opportunities to take time for their families and personal needs. Applications opened earlier this month and the meeting, today gave more insight into how it works.

The program recognizes three types of leave: Family, Medical and Safe leave. If you’re eligible, you can take up to 12 weeks of paid leave, over a 52-week period.

It works through paying into the program, that’s called your ‘contribution rate’ which is one percent of your gross wages. If you work for a large employer, they are required to help you pay 40 percent of this amount.

At the meeting, staff behind the program say they are making sure each application is thoroughly reviewed.

Paid Leave Oregon director, Karen Humelbaugh said, “We received 4,631 applications and we have approved two thus far, which might seem small but it’s due to ramping up of processing, ID verification behind the scenes and thoroughly making sure we’ve trained our staff with real and complex claims.

Those who are eligible, can take paid leave as soon as September 3rd. You can see specific qualifications and the step-by-step process on their website: https://paidleave.oregon.gov

Human Remains Found Near Albany Along I-5

ALBANY, Ore. – A southbound lane of Interstate 5 was closed on Wednesday about 10 miles south of Albany as police investigated human remains found west of the roadway, authorities said.

Oregon State Police officials said they responded at 10:20 a.m. on August 23 to a report of human remains found on the west side of the southbound lanes of the interstate near milepost 224.

The Oregon Department of Transportation announced a closure of the slow lane of southbound I-5 in the area on Wednesday afternoon as police investigated the scene. The closure was expected to last for a few hours, ODOT said. Traffic on I-5 is now flowing normally, according to ODOT traffic cameras.

Police said they spent several hours searching the scene for additional items or information that would help determine how the remains arrived at that location. OSP detectives are working with the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office as part of their investigation, state police officials said.

Lebanon Police Respond To Bomb Threat At Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital

On Wednesday, August 23, 2023, at about 9:06 AM, Lebanon Police Department officers responded to Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital, located at 525 North Santiam Highway, Lebanon, Oregon, for a report of a bomb threat.

Officers learned that Anna Leigh Karren, a 49-year-old Salem resident, had called Linn County Sheriff’s Office dispatch and Lebanon Community Hospital to report that she was going to bring a bomb to the Lebanon Community Hospital. Karren further reported that she was close to the Lebanon Community Hospital at the time.

Lebanon Police officers immediately responded to the hospital and set up a perimeter. Lebanon Police dispatch began gathering information for officers. An incident command post was set up at Lebanon Hospital, along with the Lebanon Hospital emergency management team, to coordinate responses and streamline information sharing.

Utilizing investigative tools, officers learned that Karren was likely south of Lebanon. Lebanon Police detectives went to the location and made contact with Karren. Karren admitted to making statements about using a bomb; however, no bomb-making materials or weapons were discovered.

Karren was taken into custody without incident, and later transported and lodged at Linn County Jail. Karren was arrested on two counts of Disorderly Conduct in the First Degree (ORS 166.023) and Harassment (ORS 166.065).
The Lebanon Police Department had no in-house history with Anna Karren.

This is an ongoing investigation, and anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact Officer Zachary McKinney at 541-258-4331.