The latest news stories across the state of Oregon from the digital home of the Oregon coastal cities, OregonBeachMagazine.com
Monday, October 24, 2022
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Instructional Assistants Rally for Higher Wages in Coos County
Special education instructional assistants in the South Coast Education Service District are speaking out for better staffing in classrooms and higher wages.
On Saturday, dozens rallied on the Coos Bay boardwalk holding up signs and talking to the public about their effort.
“Last weekend was our first informational rally,” said speech pathology assistant Tina Mendizabal. “I would say the two main things we’re really hung up on in the bargaining process is the safety language, which we’re really pushing for in our contracts, and fair wages.”
The workers are part of a union called Oregon School Employees Association Chapter 119.
According to union leaders, the workers’ previous contract expired on June 30 and they have yet to come to an agreement on next contract negotiations.
“Specifically, we are asking for a baseline wage of $17.50,” said instructional assistant Connie Cooley. “That brings us up to what other ESD’s in the state of Oregon are offering.”
Several of the workers said they have to work several jobs to make a living.
“I have three jobs to help support myself and my family,” said Cooley.
Instructional assistant Tove’ Stroop also weighed in.
“I’m currently working two jobs,” said Stroop. “I’m a personal support worker on Sundays.”
KEZI has reached out to the South Coast Education Service District and is waiting on a response.
The next bargaining session is set to take place on November 7.
North Bend Airport Service Turmoil
The future of the Coos County Airport District’s ability to provide services to the community is uncertain after David Milliron, the North Bend city administrator, threatened to cancel a government agreement with the district for grievances including an alleged “false police report” submitted by a TSA official.
The attorney representing a TSA officer at the Coos County Airport District (CCAD) says his client’s personal and professional reputation has been irreparably harmed due to the actions of North Bend city administrator David Milliron.
Public records show an electronic letter Milliron sent to the executive director of the Coos County Airport District in July. In the letter, Milliron accuses the TSA officer, Josh Scarberry, of making a false police report.
Milliron wrote, “At 12:09 p.m. on April 14, 2022 the Coos North 911 Dispatch Center received a false report of a firearm in the X-ray from Josh Scarberry. He identified himself as being with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). During the recorded call, Mr. Scarberry acknowledged the ‘passenger’ was compliant and for the officer to meet him at the screening checkpoint. A North Bend Police Officer (Badge No. 323) abandoned a call at the North Bend High School and arrived at the airport at 12:15 pm. The officer cleared the airport at 12:20 pm and told dispatch that ‘this was just a TSA test to test our response times.’ The officer then headed back to the legitimate call at the high school.”
As a result of Milliron’s complaint, Scarberry temporarily lost access to secured areas at the airport and was placed on administrative leave pending the results of an investigation, according to an electronic letter sent to Milliron by an attorney representing the CCAD on Aug. 8.
The investigation into what happened on Apr. 14 was conducted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. According to correspondence from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to CCAD that was attached to the August letter, Scarberry did not do anything wrong.
“Please be advised that on April 14, 2022, STSO Josh Scarberry was performing his duties and responsibilities within the scope of his TSA employment and pursuant to authorities granted to TSA by Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations,” the attachment from the Department of Homeland Security read.
According to TSA regulations, the law enforcement incident response test is a requirement that occurs annually to ensure local law enforcement are able to respond to the airport in a timely manner. During April’s test, the response time met the required criteria for the test, meaning the North Bend Police Department passed.
North Bend Police Chief Gary McCullough was informed the law enforcement incident response test would be conducted on occasions before the test occurred, according to the August letter. One of those occasions was reportedly on Apr. 14, the same day as the test.
“We also note that the City’s Chief of Police did not object to the test, but instead expressed appreciation for the notice and opportunity to raise any questions regarding the tests,” CCAD’s attorney wrote in the August letter.
After the CCAD received the results of the investigation, Scarberry’s credentials were immediately reinstated. According to Scarberry’s attorney, Roland Iparraguirre, the accusations have caused irreparable harm to Scarberry.
The motive behind Milliron’s accusation remains unclear. In the July letter, Milliron writes, “the City [of North Bend] is considering exercising the 30-day termination clause in the 2012 Intergovernmental Agreement (“IGA”) that former City Administrator Terrence O’Connor signed after the Law Enforcement Services Agreement terminated on September 30, 2012, with the Coos County Airport District.”
Milliron claims the city does not believe the CCAD is holding up its end of the agreement. The specific section of the IGA Milliron believes the CCAD has failed to uphold states, both North Bend and CCAD are required “to establish a long-term cooperative, relationship… that will serve the best interest of the CCAD, the City, the citizens of North Bend, Oregon, and individuals using the services of the Airport.”
Milliron later references a recent “Senior Center lease agreement” as an example of the CCAD failing to uphold its end of the IGA. The North Bend Senior Center, which is located on CCAD’s property, closed its doors to the public during the coronavirus pandemic. Milliron writes CCAD did not respond to the city’s two requests to reduce the rent during the time its doors were shut.
Since the ad hoc committee was reportedly formed in private, a violation of council rules may have occurred.
“At any time, the council, by simple motion or resolution, may establish a council committee deemed necessary and in the best interest of the council or the city,” council rules state. “Such committees shall report to the council without unnecessary delay upon matters referred to them.”
In the July letter, Milliron stated that the city of North Bend was considering terminating its security agreement with the airport district. If the city terminates its agreement with the airport, the airport would no longer be considered a “special district,” according to a CCAD presentation. A special district is an area created by Oregon legislation to provide specific services to communities at a level higher than a city or county can provide.
In that presentation, the airport district says that losing this designation would negatively affect commercial air service up and down the Oregon coast. The airport district says this loss of service would affect the airport’s ability to attract pilots and airlines, damage travel options for community members, and directly lead to a loss of jobs for the community. The airport also said it would lose funding for its Air Traffic Control Tower, which the local Coast Guard uses to coordinate actions and helps direct traffic at a busy coastal airport. The airport says a loss of funding would also kneecap its growth, and hamper its ability to host community events such as the Knights of Columbus’ food basket program, the North Bend Senior Prom, and the Veteran’s Stand Down, among others.
The Witches of Depoe Bay Annual Food Drive
The Witches of Depoe Bay are flying in for the 13th annual food drive to support the Depoe Bay Food Pantry.
Join the effort from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 31, rain or shine. The Witches will be collecting cash, checks, and nonperishable food items at these locations:
Chester’s Market Parking Lot, 3950 US-101 Depoe BayIn Front of the Whale Fountain on US-101, Depoe BayIn Front of Re/Max Integrity, 110 N. HWY 101 Depoe Bay
Witches and Warlocks will be stationed in these three areas to collect donations.
Donated nonperishable foods include:
TunaTop ramenChiliCanned vegetables and fruitSpaghetti and spaghetti sauceCanned meatsSpamDry potato flakesMacaroni and cheesePasta and pasta sauceCerealSoupBaby foodJam or jelly
All proceeds will go directly to the Depoe Bay Food Pantry.
In 2021, the Whiches of Depoe Bay Food Drive collected 1,769 pounds of food and $6,025.
To donate food, checks or cash before or after the event, email Sandy De Muri at msdemuri@att.net to arrange pick up. For more information contact: Sandy De Muri, msdemuri@att.net, 510-508-3890. — https://www.cityofdepoebay.org/community/page/witches-depoe-bay-food-drive-monday-october-31st-200-500pm
UPDATE** Multi-vehicle crash I-5 with extended closure- Linn County
The Oregon State Police is releasing additional information related to the multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 5 on October 19, 2022.
- Initial estimates of involved vehicles have not changed. Total numbers of involved vehicles may not ever be fully known. Upon dropping the cable barrier to allow first responders ingress/egress, many drivable vehicles within the crash zone drove over the barrier and left the scene.
- 4 subjects were transported to area hospitals, one in serious condition.
- The name of the single fatality is being released: Phillip Frye (29) of Portland.
============================= On October 19, 2022, around 8:00 A.M., Oregon State Police Troopers responded to a multi-vehicle crash on southbound Interstate 5 between milepost 228 and 211.
Interstate 5 southbound is completely blocked with a detour in place. Interstate 5 northbound is open but moving slowly. The freeway is expected to be closed most of the day. Preliminary estimates of involved vehicles are 15 to 20 Commercial Motor Vehicles and 45 passenger vehicles with one confirmed fatality.
The Oregon Department of Transportation has temporarily dropped the cable barrier to detour vehicles caught in the gridlock on Interstate 5. School buses from Eugene have also arrived on the scene to assist in relocating 30-40 stranded motorists to Pioneer Villa at exit 216.
DEQ and HAZMAT are responding to approximately 6 of the CMVs that are leaking fluids onto the roadway.
Several public safety agencies are assisting. Members of the Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit are on the scene.
For current information about detours and when the roadway will be re-open, call 511 or www.tripcheck.com
Kroger-Albertsons Merger Raises Fears of Store Closures In Oregon Causing Greater Harm To Consumers Who Are Already Struggling To Afford Food
The proposal from Kroger Co. to buy Albertsons has residents wondering if their neighborhood store could end up shuttered in the aftermath. The $24.6 billion sale would put Albertsons, Safeway, Fred Meyer and QFC under one corporate umbrella, and leave the chains with dozens of Oregon stores could now be considered redundant.
Roughly 33 Kroger and Albertsons-owned stores across the state that sit within a mile of one another, including 20 in the Portland metro area. More than 100 are less than two miles apart.
Kroger and Albertsons are two of the state’s biggest grocery chains, with 171 stores altogether. Kroger and Albertsons would likely have to divest hundreds of stores nationally to ease anticompetitive concerns from regulators including the Federal Trade Commission, according to retail analysts and consumer advocates.
In Oregon, Kroger and Albertsons are two of the biggest grocery chains, with a combined market share that’s even bigger than Walmart.
Kroger didn’t address potential store closings in its filing with the Securities Exchange Commission, but it’s common to shutter stores during a large retail merger, according to retail analysts. Spinning off the redundant stores isn’t a surefire solution, either.
Following the 2015 merger of Albertsons and Safeway, regulators required the chains to find a buyer for about 20 stores in Oregon in a bid to keep the market competitive.
Haggen, a small Washington state grocery chain, agreed to purchase and rebrand 146 West Coast Safeway and Albertsons locations following the merger with Safeway. But within months, the overextended Haggen filed for bankruptcy and sold several of those stores back to Albertsons for a much cheaper price. Others closed for good.
Executives at Kroger and Albertsons expect the deal to go through in early 2024 and, at that point, the two companies will start making choices on which stores will stay or go and under which banner they’ll operate.
Kevin Coupe, retail analyst and author of the grocery blog Morning News Beat, thinks that the companies’ proposal to divest up to 375 stores might not satisfy regulators.
“I think they’re going to have to divest closer to a thousand stores,” Coupe said. “This is a much tougher FTC than maybe they’re used to dealing with, and we’re at a time of rising consumer prices.”
The proposed combined company would have an annual revenue of $209 billion and operate 4,996 stores nationwide, according to Kroger. It would come close to rivaling Walmart, falling only $10 billion in annual revenue short to the retail behemoth.
Meanwhile, the deal is facing pushback from consumer advocates, labor unions and politicians as the companies look to consolidate stores amid skyrocketing food prices.
Jagjit Nagra, executive director of the nonprofit Oregon Consumer Justice, said the proposed deal would be bad for consumers as less competition could spell grocery prices going unchecked. He said the potential merger could also result in more food deserts that’s likely around areas with lower incomes.
“They’re not going to close down their biggest brightest stars within their quiver,” he said. “They’re going to be probably going out to lower performers, performing stores, maybe stores that are adjacent to, say, rougher neighborhoods, or in areas that have more crime, or maybe areas that are just more rural.”
Kelley Fuller, a resident of Depoe Bay on the central Oregon coast, said the closest Fred Meyer and Safeway in Newport are across the street from one another.
“If Kroger and Albertson are allowed to merge, we’d almost certainly lose that Safeway,” Fuller said, “which would mean not only losing a grocery store, but also the pharmacy inside it.”
She said Lincoln City already lost a pharmacy when Bi-Mart pulled out of the pharmacy business, and that competing pharmacies got noticeably more “crowded and chaotic” afterward.
And she said having two supermarkets was important as the pandemic wreaked havoc on the supply chain.
“When Fred Meyer was out of basics, Safeway sometimes still had them,” she said. “It would have been worse for the local communities if we had not also had Safeway to shop at.”
Nagra, with a state consumer advocacy group, said the Kroger-Albertsons merger leave areas that are already food deserts with even fewer choices.
“Not only would they take away from people’s ability to choose, now they’d actually directly impact people’s health,” he said. “Because if you don’t have access to good quality food, I think it’s fair to assume that your health outcomes may not be as strong.”
He said the deal could “cause greater harm and kind of squeeze consumers who are already struggling to afford food.”
But Kroger leaders said in a statement it will reinvest $500 million to “reduce prices for customers” and $1 billion to raise employee wages and benefits.
Earlier this week, U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Mike Lee of Utah said in a statement that the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust and Consumer Rights will “hold a hearing focused on this proposed merger and the consequences consumers may face if this deal moves forward.”
The committee has “serious concerns” about the merger and wants a grocery market that “remains competitive so that American families can afford to put food on the table,” Klobuchar and Lee said.
Class Action Lawsuit Against Pacific Power For Four Of Oregon’s Labor Day 2020 Fires Is Now Scheduled For April
The high-stakes class action lawsuit that blames Pacific Power for igniting four of Oregon’s Labor Day fires is set to go to trial now in April.
Plaintiffs include owners of 300 properties burned in the Echo Mountain fire in Otis, the 2,500 properties burned in the Beachie Creek and Santiam Canyon fires, along with 242 in the South Obenchain fires.
The outcome of the trial will impact anyone harmed by the fires, even if they haven’t taken legal action.
A court-approved website that provides details on the lawsuit, including who is automatically involved and how to opt-out, is now live. The trial is scheduled to begin April 24.
Lawsuits began separately but were combined into one class action suit filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court in Portland. Plaintiffs’ lawyers are led by three law firms — Keller Rohrback, Stoll Berne and Edelson.
The lawsuit alleges Pacific Power’s failure to maintain its power lines and shut down power during a historic east wind event on Labor Day night in 2020 led to the ignition of the fires that brought damage to homes, towns and businesses from the Santiam Canyon to the Oregon Coast Range to southwest Oregon.
Pacific Power, which is owned by Berkshire Hathaway Inc., denies the claims. In previous court filings the utility called the fires an “unavoidable accident or Act of God.”
The lawsuit is proceeding despite one critical piece of missing evidence: final investigation reports from the government agencies charged with determining the cause of the fires. The Statesman Journal reported last month that more than two years later, the Oregon Department of Forestry and U.S. Forest Service have not issued final investigation reports on any of the 10 Labor Day fires.
The case will move forward with a jury trial in April, centering on whether Oregon’s second-largest utility was at fault. No money would be awarded as a result of the case, but if the plaintiffs are successful and Pacific Power found negligent, a separate legal proceeding to determine damages would likely be set up.
Since there are so many people impacted by the four fires, the suit’s website outlines details of the case and who might be impacted by the trial’s outcome.
Anyone impacted in the four wildfires — and live within the map of the impacted area — are part of the suit, even if they haven’t taken legal action. That means they’re bound to the result of the trial unless they decide to opt-out.
If you were impacted by the fire but do nothing, you will stay part of the suit and remain bound to the outcome of the trial, according to the website.
You will “enjoy the benefits of the lawsuit if plaintiffs prevail, but be bound to the outcome either way, and give up the right to litigate whether (Pacific Power) is liable for your fire-related damages in your own lawsuit,” the website states.
If the suit is successful, plaintiffs will be able to “use any favorable findings a jury makes in a future proceeding to determine whether you are entitled to compensation,” the website said.
If you were impacted by the fires and decide to opt-out, you must ask to be excluded no later than Dec. 6.
For those that choose to opt-out, they would “Get no benefit from (the lawsuit), but preserve your right to litigate whether (Pacific Power) is liable for your fire-related damages in your own lawsuit,” the website said.
To opt-out or clarify your situation, call 1-844-633-0692, email info@PacifiCorpFireLitigation.com or mail to PacifiCorp Fire Litigation c/o JND Legal Administration P.O. Box 91348 Seattle, WA., 98111.
The new Scottsburg Bridge on Oregon Highway 38, now features lighted pylons at each end of the structure, to help light up the area for those passing through.
A release from the Oregon Department of Transportation said lined with steep hills and tall trees, the highway can be a dark and challenging drive for some travelers.
Last week, ODOT staff turned on the lights of the pylons on the bridge, which spans the Umpqua River about 15 miles east of Reedsport.
ODOT Southwest District Manager Chris Hunter said the lights aren’t just for decoration. Hunter said, “It brings an awareness of the bridge in foggy weather and darkness”. He said the old bridge had often been hit by vehicles at night and during foul weather.
Bob Grubbs, the ODOT engineer who led the design of the new bridge said the pylons pay homage to Conde B. McCullough, who created many of Oregon’s most celebrated bridges along the coast in the 1920s and 1930s.
Grubbs said, “The design of the pylons was inspired by a couple of McCullough bridges, a combination of the Umpqua River Bridge (in Reedsport), in terms of height and relative shape, and the Springfield Bridge, in terms of the opening, light and texture”.
The release said the original Scottsburg Bridge opened in 1929 and carried highway traffic until May of this year, when it was decommissioned and removed. Grubbs said the old Scottsburg Bridge shared the same design with the Springfield Bridge, which also opened in 1929.
Construction on the new structure began in early 2020 and is nearly complete. Some work, such as the reconstruction of Main Street under the bridge, has been postponed until weather improves next spring.
Oregon’s Wolf Poaching Problem Continues
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is dealing with an increasing poaching problem in the state. The latest offense is the tragic killing ofOR-88, the breeding female gray wolf of the Lookout Mountain Pack. This is the fifth illegal killing of this species in Oregon this year. The Oregon Wildlife Coalition is offering an $11,500 reward for information that would lead to an arrest in the case of OR-88’s killing.
A report from Oregon Public Broadcasting includes a photo of the slain wolf. OR-88 lays on her side in the photo with a gaping, bloody wound on her shoulder. This is a sad, upward trend in the state right now. More and more animals are being illegally killed as the months wear on.
“It’s tragic enough when a wolf gets killed,” said the senior wolf advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity Amaroq Weiss. “And it’s even more tragic when a wolf has been illegally killed.”
Oregon removed Endangered Species Act protections from gray wolves in 2015. Since then, at least 21 wolves have been illegally killed in the state. Former President Trump went even further during his tenure, pulling the gray wolf from the Endangered Species List entirely. Last year, 8 wolves were illegally killed, which is more than the state had seen in a decade. OPB reports that protections were restored for the species earlier this year, but that hasn’t fully stopped the poachers.
“Wolves are really valuable to wild nature. They’re really valuable as part of our cultural and natural heritage,” said Weiss. “No matter what you think of wolves, poaching is wrong.”
Stripping protections from gray wolves definitely led to more poaching. But, apparently, the wolf populations are staying strong for the moment.
Michelle Dennehy, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife spokesperson, told OPB that despite the upward trend in poaching, the population is relatively stable. In 2021, the department counted a minimum of 175 wolves.
“As terrible as poaching is, and we’re definitely very concerned about it here at ODFW, we’re not expecting to see a decline in the population at this point,” said Dennehy. According to the department, if human-wolf interactions–poaching, hunting, and car collisions–stay below 20%, then the population will continue to grow and thrive.
ODFW is still working with the Oregon Department of Justice and Oregon State Police to work toward combatting poaching in the state. This includes the Oregon Department of Justice hiring a specific prosecutor to investigate and prosecute poachers. Assistant Attorney General Jay Hall is now in charge of prosecuting poachers in Oregon. Additionally, Oregon’s Stop Poaching Campaign received funding in 2019 to work with local communities to put an end to poaching.
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