The latest news stories across the state of Oregon from the digital home of the Oregon coastal cities, OregonBeachMagazine.com
Friday, August 18, 2023
Oregon Beach Weather
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY ISSUED: 2:39 AM AUG. 18, 2023 – NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM PDT SATURDAY... * WHAT...Steep seas 6 to 9 ft at 5 to 6 seconds. * WHERE...Entire area. * WHEN...Until 11 PM PDT Saturday. * IMPACTS...Gusty winds and/or steep seas could capsize or damage smaller vessels. * View the hazard area in detail at https://go.usa.gov/x6hks
Two Children Recovering After Falling From Third Story Hotel Window In Seaside
Two young children from Washington are in the hospital after falling out of a third story hotel window on the Oregon coast.
Seaside Fire & Rescue says crews responded to the Red Lion Inn in Seaside just before 9 a.m. after two kids – a 3-year-old and a 5-year-old – fell out of a window.
Both children survived the fall but had to be flown to a hospital in Portland for treatment of serious injuries.
According to the children’s grandmother, Charlena Houck, the family of five from Yakima had decided to splurge on a vacation in Seaside. Sometime after arriving at the Red Lion Inn, Houck says the kids were standing on a bench in the hotel room, trying to look out the window. She says the screen gave way and the kids fell three stories.
Three-year-old Freya broke her leg and 5-year-old Oliver suffered several fractures, including his skull and collar bone. He also suffered a minor brain bleed.
“It’s something you never want to see happen in your family. It’s such a tragic thing. You know, you don’t think about something like that ever happening in your life. They’re really good parents and this isn’t… they deserve this,” Houck said.
The kids are already showing a lot of improvement. FOX 12 learned Freya was set to be discharged from the hospital Wednesday night. As for Oliver, Houck says he’s no longer intubated and even woke up briefly and told his father “I love you.”
A GoFundMe has been created to help pay for medical expenses. Anyone who would like to help can do so here. (SOURCE)
Fleet Advisory For Fixed-Gear Commercial And Recreational Fisheries, Aug. 18th
During recent surveys researchers observed aggregations of both blue and humpback, in addition to other large whales in waters as shallow as 20 fathoms (36 m). These sightings were primarily in waters off the southern Oregon coast from Charleston to Gold Beach. However, because these observations only provide information within a small survey area and time span be aware that whale aggregations may exist in un-surveyed areas and may shift over short periods of time.
ODFW is issuing this fleet advisory for both recreational and commercial fixed-gear fisheries from Charleston south to Gold Beach. Fishing vessels should remain vigilant and move or avoid setting gear in areas where whales are transiting or foraging to minimize risk of entanglement as much as possible. This advisory is effective immediately and will remain in effect through September 1, 2023. We want to remind fishery participants about best fixed-gear fishing practices to help reduce risk of entanglements at all times, but especially when higher numbers of ESA-listed humpback whales and blue whales are present off Oregon.
Please remember to:
• Remove any fishing gear that you are not actively tending and promptly remove all gear from the ocean when finished fishing.
• Use the minimum amount of scope required to compensate for tides, currents, and weather.
• Adjust the length of buoy lines when moving gear to shallower water to maintain taut vertical lines.
• Minimize surface gear and ensure no excess line is floating at the surface.
• Avoid setting gear in the vicinity of large feeding aggregations of whales.
• Maintain gear to ensure lines and buoys are in good working condition and clearly marked.
• Report any derelict gear to ODFW by emailing Joel.A.Prickett@odfw.oregon.gov.
• If commercially licensed: o Bring in derelict gear to shore; o Participate in derelict gear recovery by getting a permit to recover gear or reporting locations of derelict gear for permitted vessels to target for removal.
Please share this advisory and reminders about fixed-gear fishing best practices to reduce risk of marine life entanglements with your networks. Also, consider reporting whale sightings using the WhaleAlert app and sharing the locations of unusually high whale or sea turtle activity with ODFW and with other fishermen. All entangled marine mammals or sea turtles should be promptly reported by calling 1-877-SOS-WHALe (1-877-767-9425). Thank you for taking these important, proactive steps to avoid entanglements with fishing gear.
DUII CRASH ON YAQUINA BAY BRIDGE IMPACTS MORNING COMMUTE
News Release from Newport Police Dept. On Thursday, August 17, 2023 at approximately 7:33 a.m., Newport Police Officers were dispatched to a one vehicle crash on the south end of the Yaquina Bay Bridge. Callers reported a vehicle had struck the bridge railing and was blocking the southbound lane of travel.
Officers arrived on scene and located the vehicle, a 2018 Ford Explorer, with heavy front-end damage. The driver of the vehicle was identified as 47-year-old South Beach resident Brian Macho. Investigation revealed that Macho was northbound on Highway 101 when he drifted out of his lane, driving up onto the east side sidewalk as he drove onto the bridge, before crossing over the southbound lane of travel and crashing head on into the west side sidewalk and railing causing damage to the concrete railing.
Macho was showing signs of impairment during the crash investigation and submitted to Standardized Field Sobriety Tests, which later indicated he was impaired. Macho was transported to the Lincoln County Jail where he provided a breath sample that showed his blood alcohol content at .08%. Macho was lodged at the Lincoln County Jail for DUII and Criminal Mischief II, due to the damage to the bridge.
Florence Annual Yard Sale
If you want to participate in the annual City Wide Garage Sale September 8-10, then you have to act quickly. In order to be included in the map that is distributed in the Siuslaw News the deadline for registration is this coming Monday, August 21st. due to print deadlines information has to be in to make the September 1st and September 8th publications. This is the 10th year the community garage sale has gone on and participants will receive recognition on the map and two signs for their $15 fee.
Federal Energy Agency Seeks Public Comment On Two Oregon Coast Sites Slated For Floating Offshore Wind Farms
Two sites off the southern Oregon coast could soon be home to the state’s first floating offshore wind farms. But first, the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management will meet with residents and stakeholders in coastal towns, some of whom are concerned about impact to the fishing industry and marine ecosystems.
Officials from the ocean energy bureau announced Tuesday that they had identified two ideal “wind energy areas” near Coos Bay and Brookings. The two areas are 20 or more miles from land, collectively encompass about 344 square miles of ocean and could host enough floating wind turbines to generate 2.6 gigawatts of electricity, enough to power about 195,000 homes.
That would get Oregon closer to a goal passed by the state Legislature in 2021 to generate at least 3 gigawatts of electricity from offshore wind by 2030, part of the state’s larger climate strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 90% by 2050. But it’s also raised concerns from some in the fishing industry and some environmentalists who fear unintended consequences to coastal marine life and the effect on their livelihoods.
“Placing giant turbines and anchors in a current system that is largely free-flowing and structure-free could cause irreparable harm to seabirds, marine mammals, fisheries management regimes and more,” said Susan Chambers, chair of the marine industries and fisheries advocacy group Southern Oregon Ocean Resource Coalition, in a statement last year. Chambers was responding to the federal ocean bureau’s interest in an even larger swath of ocean off the Oregon coast that had been identified as having potential for wind energy development. Several environmental groups opposed to the projects did not respond to requests for comment on Tuesday.
Federal officials dropped a third wind energy area near Bandon that they were considering after officials did further research on the impact to the commercial fishing industry and to sensitive marine habitats.Public comment on the two wind energy areas announced Tuesday will be accepted online and by mail for the next 60 days. The meetings with residents, which are not yet scheduled, will be open to the public, with one designed to reach people heavily involved in fishing, the bureau said.
“We continue to prioritize a robust and transparent process, including ongoing engagement with tribal governments, agency partners, the fishing community and other ocean users,” Elizabeth Klein, the bureau’s director, said in a news release.
Following public comment, officials could update the plans, and the bureau will prepare to host an auction to lease the sites to companies interested in developing them, potentially by the end of 2023. A similar auction in California in 2022 brought in $757 million in winning bids from three multinational companies and one domestic company developing floating wind farms. President Joe Biden has pledged to develop at least 15 gigawatts of floating offshore wind by 2035. (SOURCE)
An overdose awareness event to shed the spotlight on lives lost to overdoses is scheduled for 6-8 p.m. Thursday, August 31, at the Barbey Maritime Center in Astoria.
“We invite the community to come together to remember and celebrate loved ones we lost to an overdose. Together we can prevent future losses of life,” said Jenna King, Clatsop County Public Health Department harm reduction coordinator.
“Clatsop County Public Health and our community partners are committed to showing people how they can help save the lives of loved ones and to provide those resources. Help us end the stigma of addiction,” she said.
Clatsop County Senior Sheriff Deputy Chance Moore and Sergeant Nate Baldwin will share their experiences saving lives by reversing an overdose with naloxone.
Attendees are encouraged to bring a photo of someone they loved who died by overdose. Photos will be displayed on a memorial wall so their story can be shared at the Overdose Awareness Day event.
Event activities include:
- Music
- Narcan supplies and training
- Art projects and activities
- Keynote address by Alison Noise, CODA inc. executive director
- Free food and beverages provided
- Community resources available
- Giveaways
- Candlelight Vigil
For more information, contact Jill Quackenbush at 503-325-8500. (SOURCE)
Newport Oregon Police Department – · FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Night Time Single Lane Closure – Yaquina Bay Bridge –
Sunday night, August 13 through Friday morning, August 25. Night work is scheduled on Yaquina Bay Bridge for two weeks, starting Sunday night, August 13th and finishing Friday morning, August 25th.
There will be a single lane closure on the bridge, with flaggers, nightly from 7:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Thank you for your patience and cooperation.For questions, please contact: Clare C. Paul, PE, Assistant City Engineer541-574-3370Andrea Mather, PE, ODOT Assistant Resident Engineer, Area 4 541-757-4156
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.
Smith River Fire Complex Updates:8-18-23Acres: 7,593 (6:24 am) Containment:0%
According to the USFS, the complex is being hit with an aggressive initial attack by firefighters and additional resources have been ordered for support. Caltrans District 1 said Highway 199 is completely closed in Del Norte County between Pioneer Road and the Agricultural Inspection Station near the Oregon border due to the Smith River Complex. Anyone who tries to travel on Highway 199 in this area will be turned around.
State releases 2020 Labor Day Wildfire After-Action Review
The Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM) has released the 2020 Labor Day Wildfire Disaster Recovery Operations After-Action Review.
The 2020 Labor Day Wildfires and Straight-Line Winds event marked the first full activation of the Oregon Disaster Recovery Plan and called for an unprecedented recovery operation in Oregon, employing approximately 1,500 professionals from around the country and within the state.
Oregonians impacted by the 2020 wildfires received just over $39 million in relief from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) programs guided by OEM staff, and they continue to receive assistance from Long-Term Recovery Groups (LTRGs).
Nearly $500 million has been obligated to repair infrastructure and rebuild communities, with more to come. OEM anticipates facilitating Public Assistance projects and local jurisdiction support with LTRGs and Community Organizations Active in Disasters (COADs) for decades.
View the After-Action Review on OEM’s website.
Stan Thomas, OEM Deputy Director and Mitigation and Recovery Section Division Director, is available for phone and online interviews. Please schedule with OEM Public Affairs Officer Chris Crabb at is.crabb@oem.oregon.gov“>chris.crabb@oem.oregon.gov.
Software upgrade may impact ONE Customer Service Center call wait times
Need to know:
- People in Oregon can call the ONE Customer Service Center to apply for or get help with their medical, food, cash, and child care benefits.
- The ONE Customer Service Center phone software will be upgraded over the weekend outside of its normal operating hours, no service interruptions are expected.
- The ONE Customer Service Center may have longer call wait times through Aug. 25 as the system is implemented.
- No service interruptions are expecting during this time and the ONE Customer Service Center will continue to take calls and provide support during its normal business hours of Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Pacific Time.
- There are many other ways people can apply for and manage their benefits to avoid potentially longer wait times.
(Salem) – The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) is alerting people in Oregon that they might experience longer wait times when they call the ONE Customer Service Center through Aug. 25. The ONE Customer Service Center provides phone support to people in Oregon calling to apply for or get help with their medical, food, cash, and child care benefits.
The State of Oregon will be upgrading the phone software used by the ONE Customer Service Center from Aug. 18 to Aug. 21. The upgrade will take place over the weekend and outside normal business hours. ODHS does not expect any service interruptions, however, the upgrade may result in longer wait times for callers.
The ONE Customer Service Center, which can be reached by phone at 1-800-699-9075, will continue to take calls and provide support during its normal business hours of Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
There are many other ways people can get support and information about their medical, food, cash, and child care benefits:
- Online at: benefits.oregon.gov
- Visiting or calling an office near you: Find an office.
- Through the free Oregon ONE Mobile app available on Apple and Android app stores
- In your language: Help in Your Language
- By mail at: ONE Customer Service Center, PO Box 14015, Salem, OR 97309
- By fax at: 503-378-5628
Resources to help meet basic needs
- Find a food pantry: foodfinder.oregonfoodbank.org
- Learn about government programs and community resources for older adults and people with disabilities: Aging and Disability Resource Connection of Oregon at 1-855-673-2372 or www.adrcoforegon.org.
- Dial 2-1-1, or text your zip code to 898-211, www.211info.org
- Find local resources and support by contacting your local Community Action Agency: www.caporegon.org/find-services/
- Oregon Department of Human Services help center
About the ONE Eligibility system – The ONE Eligibility system allows people in Oregon to apply for medical, food, cash and child care benefits with one application online, by phone or in person at any ODHS Self-Sufficiency Programs, Aging and People with Disabilities or Area Agency on Aging office.
About the Oregon Department of Human Services – The mission of ODHS is to help Oregonians in their own communities achieve wellbeing and independence through opportunities that protect, empower, respect choice and preserve dignity.
Human Remains Discovered In Corvallis Landfill During Investigation Into Missing Woman
The discovery of human remains in a Corvallis-area landfill is likely connected to the disappearance and death of an Oregon City woman last month, according to an update from the Oregon City Police Department.
Kara Taylor, 49, was reported missing on July 27 by a man she’d been living with, identified as Jamon Peter Fritsch, 47. The case almost immediately aroused suspicion because Taylor left behind a 22-year-old daughter with special needs who she cared for in the same home.
Less than two weeks later, police arrested Fritsch and charged him with Taylor’s murder.
According to investigators, Fritsch had made multiple trips to Home Depot to purchase zip ties, tarps and a saw blade. A search of the home that Fritsch and Taylor shared revealed evidence of blood, police said.
Following his arrest, investigators say Fritsch admitted to killing Taylor and dismembering her body. He told investigators that they wouldn’t find her remains because he’d dispersed them in garbage bins across multiple municipalities, according to a state prosecutor.
According to a Wednesday statement from Oregon City police, investigators began a search of the Coffin Butte Landfill near Corvallis on Friday. Although the search took several days, investigators did eventually discover human remains at the site that are believed to belong to Taylor.
“The Oregon City Police Department would like to publicly thank Republic Services, who owns and operates the landfill, and its employees for their assistance throughout the investigation and search,” the agency said. “Investigators have been working tirelessly to uncover everything they can about the facts surrounding Ms. Taylor’s disappearance and death, so that we can provide her family and friends with the answers they deserve as they navigate and grieve her loss.”
The remains were taken to the Clackamas County Medical Examiner’s office for further examination and positive identification.
Fritsch has been indicted in connection with Taylor’s death and is being held without bail at the Clackamas County jail on charges of second-degree murder and first-degree abuse of a corpse. The investigation is ongoing.
Taylor’s friends and family released a statement following Fritsch’s arrest last week, saying in part:
“Kara was a very loving and caring person who would do anything for anyone if she knew it would make a day in their life better. She was trusting and had faith in others and believed there was good in everyone. Her time here was shortened, but the ones that had the blessed opportunity to be part of her life will be forever grateful for the time spent with her. As the phenomenal mom Kara was, she unfortunately leaves behind a 22-year-old special needs daughter named Nicole. “The difficult times these are, your thoughts and prayers are appreciated in finding Kara and bringing her home to Rest.” (SOURCE)
Oregon’s Unemployment Rate Ties a Record Low at 3.4% in July
Oregon’s unemployment rate dropped to 3.4% in July, down from 3.5% in June. This was the sixth consecutive monthly drop in the unemployment rate, down from a recent high of 4.8% in January. The July rate equaled Oregon’s record low of 3.4%, which was reached in November and December 2019. The U.S. unemployment rate was 3.5% in July, which was very close to Oregon’s July rate.
In July, Oregon’s seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment rose by 6,800 jobs, following a gain of 5,700 jobs in June. July’s gain was nearly double the average increase of 3,700 jobs per month during the prior 12 months.
Over-the-month job gains were largest in health care and social assistance (+3,400 jobs); government (+1,600); professional and business services (+1,000); and construction (+900). Declines were largest in financial activities (-600 jobs); manufacturing (-500); transportation, warehousing, and utilities (-500); and private educational services (-500).
Over the past 12 months, three major industries—health care and social assistance; leisure and hospitality; and government—have added nearly all of Oregon’s net new jobs, with each up by close to 10,000 jobs while expanding by about 4% to 5%.
Health care and social assistance grew by 13,900 jobs, or 5.2%, contributing the most new jobs since July 2022. Each component of health care rapidly added jobs in the past 12 months. Nursing and residential care facilities added 2,800 jobs, or 5.7%, since July 2022. The industry remains slightly below its peak employment, reached in early 2020. Similarly, hospitals added 1,900 jobs, or 3.3%, over the year. Despite the recent growth, the industry was slightly below its March 2020 peak employment level. Meanwhile, ambulatory healthcare services added 2,400 jobs, or 2.5%, in the past 12 months and reached a record high of 98,300 jobs in July.
Durable goods manufacturing cut 700 jobs in July. Since July 2022, several of its component industries each cut a few hundred jobs. The bright spot was transportation equipment manufacturing, which added 400 jobs over the past 12 months. Nondurable goods manufacturing added 1,300 jobs.
Next Press Releases – The Oregon Employment Department plans to release the July county and metropolitan area unemployment rates on Tuesday, Aug. 22, and the next statewide unemployment rate and employment survey data for August on Wednesday, Sep. 13.
Notes:
All numbers in the above narrative are seasonally adjusted, except the component industries within health care and durable goods manufacturing.
The Oregon Employment Department and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) work cooperatively to develop and publish monthly Oregon payroll employment and labor force data. The estimates of monthly job gains and losses are based on a survey of businesses. The estimates of unemployment are based on a survey of households and other sources.
The Oregon Employment Department publishes payroll employment estimates that are revised quarterly by using employment counts from employer unemployment insurance tax records. All department publications use this Official Oregon Series data unless noted otherwise. This month’s release incorporates the January, February and March 2023 tax records data. The department continues to make the original nonfarm payroll employment series available; these data are produced by the BLS.
The PDF version of the news release can be found at QualityInfo.org/press-release. To obtain the data in other formats such as in Excel, visit QualityInfo.org, select Tools, then choose LAUS or CES under the Economy header. To request the press release as a Word document, contact the person shown at the top of this press release.
To file a claim for unemployment benefits or get more information about unemployment programs, visit unemployment.oregon.gov.
The Oregon Employment Department (OED) is an equal opportunity agency. OED provides free help so you can use our services. Some examples are sign language and spoken-language interpreters, written materials in other languages, large print, audio, and other formats. To get help, please call 503-947-1444. TTY users call 711. You can also send an email to communications@employ.oregon.gov.
El Departamento de Empleo de Oregon (OED) es una agencia de igualdad de oportunidades. El OED proporciona ayuda gratuita para que usted pueda utilizar nuestros servicios. Algunos ejemplos son intérpretes de lengua de señas e idiomas hablados, materiales escritos en otros idiomas, letra grande, audio y otros formatos. Para obtener ayuda, por favor llame al 503-947-1444. Usuarios de TTY pueden llamar al 711. También puede enviar un correo electrónico a communications@employ.oregon.gov.
Certified Burn Manager Program now accepting applications
Salem, Ore. – The Oregon Department of Forestry’s Certified Burn Manager (CBM) Program is now accepting applications for both burn managers and qualified training providers. The overall purpose of the program is to reduce barriers to prescribed fire in Oregon and protect certified burn managers and landowners from civil liability.
The program, created by Senate Bill 762 (2021), increases capacity for prescribed burns on non-federal, ODF-protected lands through leadership training and a certification program. Through the certification program, individuals seeking to become burn managers learn how to properly plan and oversee a prescribed burn.
When a landowner or community within an ODF protection district uses a certified burn manager, and follows the required burn plan, it protects both from civil liability. The certified burn manager can manage a burn anywhere within ODF protection, whether on their own property or that of other landowners. A potential burn manager does not need to be a landowner to become certified.
Expanding access to safely conducted prescribed burns benefits Oregonians by maintaining healthy forests and reducing risks to public safety. Reintroducing periodic fire to fire-adapted landscapes reduces the potential for high-intensity wildfires along with the huge volume of smoke they produce.
ODF is seeking applications from individuals interested in becoming certified burn managers and training providers with experience creating and delivering wildland fire training to deliver content based upon a detailed certified burn manager instructor guide and final exam provided by ODF. Apply online at https://www.oregon.gov/odf/fire/pages/prescribed-fire.aspx.
The first day of fall practice was met with tragedy at Newport High School. Boys soccer player Yael Felix-Trejo died on Monday night after falling ill during practice.
According to Lincoln County School District, sophomore Felix-Trejo felt ill while at soccer practice. Felix-Trejo’s parents and 911 were notified and Felix-Trejo was taken to the Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital, where he died.
Monday was the first day of fall practices for Oregon high schools for the 2023-24 school year. It was also Oregon’s hottest day of the year, with some parts of the state reaching over 100 degrees. Being a coastal town, temperatures in Newport did not get as high as other parts of the state, with the National Weather Service logging temperatures in the low 60s.
Newport High School had a care room open and had counselors available on Tuesday for any students looking for mental health help. Tuesday was also the school’s Fall Sports Parent Night, where attendees could write a card or note to Felix-Trejo’s friends and family.
The FBI Is Offering a Reward of up to $15,000 for Information Leading to the Arrest and Conviction of the Individual(s) Responsible for the Murder of Adrian Perdomo
PORTLAND, OREGON – The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Portland Field Office and the Portland Police Bureau are asking for the public’s help in identifying the individual(s) responsible for the shooting death of 26-year-old Adrian Perdomo one year after his murder.
On August 14, 2022, Perdomo was walking past Northgate Park, located at 9415 N Geneva Avenue, Portland, Oregon, around 10pm when investigators believe he was assaulted and then shot and killed. Several casings were found near the victim.
The FBI is offering a reward of up to $15,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest, and conviction of the individual(s) responsible for the murder of Adrian Perdomo.
“Adrian Perdomo was out for a walk when he was killed outside a Portland city park,” said Matthew Schlegel, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Portland Field Office. “This week marks one year since his murder and we believe there were witnesses there that night who could help bring his family the closure they deserve. We hope the $15,000 reward will encourage anyone with information to reach out to the FBI.”
In addition to the reward, the FBI will also be utilizing Lamar digital billboards throughout the Portland metro area to encourage anyone with information to contact the FBI.
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact the FBI Portland Field Office at (503) 224-4181, your local FBI office, the nearest American Embassy or Consulate, or you can submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/seeking-info/adrian-perdomo
Gas prices have hit their highest levels since last October.
Triple-A reports rising crude oil prices are causing gas prices to rise. Crude oil is up nine percent over the
last month into the upper 70s and low 80s per barrel. The national average gained four cents to three-86. Oregon’s average is up three cents at four-69.
Medford has the highest prices at four-80 a gallon and Pendleton has the least expensive gas at four-51. Diesel in Oregon jumped 15 cents to four-76. The national average for diesel increased 12 cents to four-33.
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.
83-year-old Clarence Edward Pitts walked away from his home in Bandon on Tuesday, January 31 at around 1:00 p.m. Pitts is described as:
- 6′ 00″
- 150 lbs
- Gray hair
- Brown eyes
- Last seen wearing an orange beanie, plaid jacket, tan pants and white shoes
- May have a walking cane
- Has dementia and PTSD
Pitts may be in a vehicle that was also found to be missing from the home:
- 1999 Toyota Van
- White
- Oregon license plate: WYN 788
If you see Clarence or have any information pertaining to where he may be, please call the Coos County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center at 541-396-2106 or the Bandon Police Department at 541-347-3189.
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