The latest news stories across the state of Oregon from the digital home of the Oregon coastal cities, OregonBeachMagazine.com
Tuesday, May 30, 2023
Oregon Beach Weather
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY ISSUED: 2:20 AM MAY. 30, 2023 – NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 AM PDT THURSDAY... * WHAT...North winds 15 to 25 kt with gusts up to 30 kt and steep seas 5 to 8 ft. * WHERE...All areas through this afternoon, then all areas south of Bandon. * WHEN...Until 5 AM PDT Thursday. * 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
Coast Guard Rescue Near Cape Arago After Fishing Boat Sinks
Three people were rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard Station Coos Bay Monday after the boat they were in started taking on water off the coast from Coos Bay.
At about 8 a.m Monday, the Coast Guard received reports of a 17-foot fishing boat in danger about a nautical mile from Cape Arago. About 20 minutes later, a Coast Guard lifeboat responded from Coos Bay and reached the fishing boat in about 10 minutes.
A Coast Guard air unit also responded and lowered a swimmer to help with the rescue. All three people showed signs of hypothermia and were transferred to emergency medical responders for care. The fishing boat was fully submerged and the Coast Guard said they were unable to retrieve the vessel.
Oregon Coast Businesses Say Bigger Crowds This Memorial Day Weekend
The Oregon coast was the place to be for many people this Memorial Day weekend and it’s reported that it’s been a busy holiday weekend for businesses on the coast.
People running those businesses tell us they’re excited the warmer weather is bringing the crowds that their coastal towns depend on.
Businesses along the coast said this Memorial Day weekend they saw more people than this time last year. They said it’s a great sign for their unofficial kickoff to the tourist season.
Razor Clamming Opened Along Central Oregon Coast
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has opened razor clamming for the North Jetty up to Seal Rock. Recent shellfish samples have shown low levels of the toxin Demoic Acid for the past two weeks. Razor clam limits are 15 per digger and each digger must have their own container, dig their own clams and can only have one limit while in the clam digging area.
Information on digging and on the toxin demoic acid is available at the Oregon department of Agriculture’s number 800-448-2474.
Razor clam harvesting has been and continues to be available from the Washington border to Tillamook Head. However, other areas of the coast remain closed.
According to the ODA, “the daily razor clam limit is the first 15 clams dug, regardless of size or condition. Each digger must have their own container, dig their own clams and can only have one limit in possession while in the clam digging area.”
Officials will continue to monitor domoic acid levels twice per month, and say clam diggers can check tides and visit ODFW’s clamming page for up-to-date information.
Coos County Man Arrested Following Burglary Investigation
On May 29th, 2023, around 07:24 am, Coos County Dispatch Center received a call about two concerned citizens following a possible Burglary suspect in the area of Highway 101 and Hauser Depot Rd in North Bend.
Deputy Z. Smith and Reserve Deputy Sattler responded to the area accompanied by Oregon State Trooper Mullins and contacted the suspect, Jeffery Ross (40) of Coos County.
It was learned that Ross had active warrants for his arrest and was a convicted felon supervised by Coos County Parole and Probation. During the search of Ross, Deputy Sattler located a spring-assisted knife. Oregon Law restricts convicted felons from possessing such a weapon.
Deputy Smith learned during his investigation into the burglary that Ross had broken into a shop building and stolen some tools and other items. When the concerned citizens confronted Ross, he hid the items hoping to retrieve them later. All items were recovered and returned to the owner of the shop.
Ross was arrested on his active warrants and new charges of Burglary in the 2nd degree, Theft in the 2nd degree, two counts of Criminal Trespass, and Felon in Possession of a Restricted Weapon. Ross’ Parole and Probation Officer issued a hold due to his criminal behavior.
Ross was transported to the Coos County Jail, where he was booked and lodged.
Thank you to the Coos County Dispatchers, Deputy Smith, and Reserve Deputy Sattler for a well-done job—also, a big thank you to Trooper Mullins for the assistance.
The Oregon National Guard takes part in Memorial Day ceremonies around the state
Oregon National Guard Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen participated in several Memorial Day community events on May 29, 2023, honoring service members who died for their country in observances around the state of Oregon.
In Beaverton, American Legion Post 124 hosted their annual Memorial Day ceremony at Veterans Memorial Park as Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, U.S. Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, 1st Congressional District of Oregon, Mayor Lacey Beaty and Keynote speaker for the ceremony, Oregon Air National Guard Col. Todd Hofford, 142nd Wing Commander, were among the featured guest that addressed those in attendance.
“My father served our country in Korea in the Army, his service shaped my admiration and respect for those who serve and their families who stand by them,” said Gov. Kotek. “Today across our great state, across our great nation, people are gathering in remembrance of loved ones who where lost and honoring the bravery of our fallen service members.”
Prior to becoming Governor earlier this year, Kotek served as the Speaker of the House for over nine years. She recalled meeting with family members of fallen service members from Oregon, being remembered in resolution.
“Every time – I was caught-up by these life stories of young Oregonians, who went into the bigger world for their country, and never to come back. They are Oregon – and I will not forget their stories.”
Also in attendance was Larry Wittmayer, Commander of the American Legion Department of Oregon as the ceremony featured the American Legion Post 185 Band, playing music throughout the hour-long ceremony.
Speaking to those in attendance, Hofford traced the lineage of those who have died in the nation’s wars back to the founding of the country.
“More than 1,275,000 Americans have died in war and conflict since 1775,” he said, speaking to the audience during the mid-day gathering. “History has so often reminded us, Liberty is not fairly gained, nor is it easily obtained or preserved and must be continually safeguarded by each generation.”
At the conclusion of the ceremony, a Howitzer Salute was performed by the Oregon Army National Guard’s Battery ‘A’ of the 2-218th Field Artillery.
A Joint Service Honor Guard team and other Oregon Soldiers and Airmen took part in the Memorial Day Ceremony at Willamette National Cemetery in Clackamas. Oregon Senator Ron Wyden spoke to those attending, noting that “Americans always get it right…after they’ve tried everything else,” a quote attributed to Winston Churchill during WWII.
During a Memorial Day ceremony in Medford, the Oregon Army National Guard Honor Guard, conducted a flag folding ceremony for a family member of a fallen service member, held at the Memory Gardens Memorial Park. Throughout the state, the Oregon Air National Guard’s 142nd Wing and 173rd Fighter Wing flew patriotic flyovers at ceremonies and parades in over a dozen towns and cities.
Oregon police officers killed 23 people in the line of duty in 2022, according to the state’s first use-of-force report.
Lawmakers discussed a summary of the report, which is not yet released, on Wednesday in the Senate Judiciary Committee. The report, compiled by Oregon’s Criminal Justice Commission, doesn’t discuss whether the police use of force was justified or followed established policies.
Instead, the report offers a breakdown of how often police use force, whether it resulted in injury or death and how many police departments in Oregon are complying with a 2021 state law that requires them to submit data about police use-of-force incidents. The data is sent to the Oregon State Police and forwarded to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The report shows that Oregon had 58 use-of-force incidents in 2022 and 23 of them – less than half – involved a fatality. The others led to injuries or police officers firing their weapons. Incidents took place in rural and urban areas.
Police use of force has gained national attention with calls for accountability and more transparency in recent years. The 2020 death of George Floyd, a Black man who was killed by a Minneapolis police officer, sparked a national reckoning over policing and race.
In Portland, the city settled a federal lawsuit for $250,000 in 2022 following its police bureau’s use of tear gas and other crowd control tactics during the city’s 2020 protests, the Associated Press has reported.
Josephine County deputies and Oregon State troopers in southern Oregon were cleared of wrongdoing after shooting and killing a man at an Interstate 5 rest area in September 2022. In that case, the man fired at officers and shot a woman, according to media reports. Use-of-force incidents encompass a variety of situations. They can involve a fatality, a serious injury to a person or the discharge of a firearm. Ninety percent of the people involved resisted police officers in different ways, including not complying with orders, making threats, using a firearm or fleeing, the report said.
The majority of people involved in the incidents were white men and in 64% of the cases, police officers were responding to illegal or suspicious activity. In the other cases, police officers were conducting traffic stops, serving warrants or making other types of calls.
Ninety-six officers were involved in the incidents and seven of them were injured.
Most police and sheriff agencies in Oregon – 92% – have complied with the state law’s requirement to report data. That’s 137 police agencies. All large agencies with more than 100 officers reported data.
Kelly Officer, research director for the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission, told legislators it wasn’t aware of any use-of-force incidents that occurred and were not reported.
State officials are working to get the non-compliant agencies – one dozen – reporting information.
Sen. Floyd Prozanski, D-Eugene and the committee’s chairman, said he’s pleased with the high level of compliance in the first year and suggested future reports identify agencies that aren’t complying with the law. (SOURCE)
Airmen From The Disabled Aircraft Recovery Team Recovered The U.S. Air Force F-15D Aircraft From Irrigation Canal Of Klamath Falls.
12 days after an aircraft first crashed in a training mission, the U.S. Air Force F-15D was finally recovered from a Bureau of Reclamation irrigation canal at the south end of the runway at Kingsley Field in Klamath Falls, Ore. on May 26, 2023.
As reported earlier , the aircraft was involved in a ground mishap following a routine training mission, on May 14, 2023. To be classified as a Runway excursion , upon landing the aircraft left the paved surface of the runway and came to a stop in the canal.
“This was a challenging undertaking due to all of the unforeseen contingencies that are associated with the mishap,” said Lt. Col. Victor Knill, Director of 173rd Fighter Wing Emergency Operations Center. He noted the weight of the plane, as well as the location, being the biggest factors.
“The land around the canal, especially on the south side, is very soft and narrow, not capable of supporting an extraction,” said Knill. “Additionally, we had to procure a crane that was large enough to extract the water-logged aircraft.”
To assist with the removal of the aircraft, Bureau of Reclamation lowered the water in the canal to allow the Crash Damage or Disabled Aircraft Recovery Team to access the connection points on the aircraft for crane removal.
“We used a 400-ton crane located on the north side of the canal to hoist the aircraft out safely to the north side,” said Knill. “The recovery team did a fantastic job of safely executing this challenging undertaking.”
Col. Micah Lambert, 173rd FW vice commander, also noted that the wing has been conducting routine water sampling since the mishap. He said only trace amounts of petroleum products have been detected in the immediate vicinity of the aircraft and were contained using multiple absorbent booms, as well as hard booms to prevent any downflow of possible containments.
“Ensuring the safety of our community’s irrigation water is a top priority, and this is why have been working with the Bureau of Reclamation and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality to prevent contamination from the mishap,” said Lambert. “Partnering with our local and federal agencies has been key to executing this recovery safely, and effectively.”
The plane was assigned to the 173rd Fighter Wing, and there was one crew member on board. The F-15 instructor pilot was transported to Sky Lakes Medical Center for evaluation where he was released the same day with minor injuries. (SOURCE)
Governor Kotek Calls for Improved Educator Preparation to Boost Early Literacy
Salem, OR—As part of her ongoing efforts to boost literacy rates across Oregon, Governor Tina Kotek today announced she will form a council to develop recommendations to raise the bar on elementary educator preparation for reading and writing instruction.
Executive Order 23-12 establishes the Early Literacy Educator Preparation Council, which will be appointed and begin work this summer. Governor Kotek is directing this council to develop recommendations for strengthening standards that the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC) uses to approve elementary educator preparation programs and license elementary educators. TSPC will use these recommendations to adopt new rules next year.
“Literacy is the foundation for learning, yet far too many students are not getting the intentional literacy support and experiences they need,” Governor Kotek said. “We can and must do more to prepare new educators for teaching every student to read and write.”
The Council will be made up of no more than 20 members, including teachers, elementary school leaders, representatives from education preparation programs, early literacy experts, teachers, and bipartisan appointments from the Oregon House and Senate.
Council recommendations to revise educator and school administrator preparation program standards for literacy instruction are due no later than December 15. These recommendations must align with the Oregon Department of Education’s (ODE) Early Literacy Framework for kindergarten through fifth grade. Instruction must be grounded in culturally responsive instructional practices, based on research derived from the science of reading and writing, and designed for students with disabilities and students who are emerging bilingual learners.
Additionally, the Council must develop recommendations by March 30, 2024, to revise elementary educator licensing requirements. These recommendations are expected to be presented to the TSPC for rule adoption no later than June 30, 2024. This work will include a focus on literacy instruction for K-5 students.
Applications to join the council can be submitted here until Friday, June 23.
Along with the formation of the Council, Governor Kotek has worked with Rep. Jason Kropf (D-Bend) to develop House Bill 3198, which aims to invest at least $140 million for evidence-based, culturally responsive, targeted literacy strategies inside and outside of the classroom. The bill has bipartisan support and is currently in the Joint Committee on Ways and Means.
The full executive order can be found here.EditSignEditSign
EditSign — https://www.oregon.gov/newsroom/pages/newsdetail.aspx?newsid=144033
𝟳𝗞 𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗘 Near Veneta 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘
Firefighters continued mop up efforts overnight on the #7KFire, located approximately 10 miles southwest of Veneta. Last night concluded the incident’s night shifts, as crews have completed all the work they can safely do after dark. As of this morning, the fire’s perimeter lines are holding at 100% and 15% of the fire is now considered mopped up. It’s still estimated to be 300 acres, and the cause is under investigation.
Overnight, windy conditions until midnight kept the fire active, but helped crews to easily spot the areas where more work is needed, as illustrated in the photo below. When winds calmed down in the early hours of the morning, fire activity stalled with it, allowing resources several hours to focus on mop up operations. Perimeters are mopped in 25 feet into the interior on most of the line, except for an exceptionally steep portion on the east side of the fire.
Tuesday’s day shift will pick up where they left off and continue to push into the interior of the fire, extinguishing hotspots that have the potential to flare up in warm, windy conditions. Temperatures will be slightly cooler today, which will help to keep fire behavior at a minimum, however winds are still predicted. Resources assigned to the fire today are the same as Monday’s day shift, totaling around 300 personnel working on the incident. One Type 3 helicopter remains assigned to the fire, and additional aircraft can be ordered as needed.
The remainder of work is situated on steep terrain that only gets more challenging from here. Safety is a top priority as firefighters work further in the interior. Falling trees and rolling debris continue to be major concerns, and medical personnel are available on scene and prepared to quickly respond if needed. To date, there hasn’t been an injury on this incident.
Perkins Peninsula County Park remains closed to the public and in use for firefighting resources.
Grants Awarded for Main Street Projects Throughout the State
Salem, OR—Oregon Heritage, a division of Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, awarded 27 matching grants worth nearly $5,000,000 to Oregon Main Street Network organizations across the state for building projects that encourage economic revitalization. Projects range from façade improvement to basic facilities and housing with awards ranging from $62,930-$200,000.
The department funded applications that best conveyed the ability to stimulate private investment and local economic development, fit within the community’s long-range plan for downtown vitality, and community need. Oregon Main Street coordinator Sheri Stuart noted, “We have seen the impact of these funds the local Main Street organizations have brought to their communities on projects to date. We are excited to support this new round of projects and the potential to enhance and support downtowns across the state.”
Funded projects include:
• Several projects will address a variety of preservation needs from window repair to electrical and plumbing including projects by Baker City Downtown, City of Reedsport, City of Maupin, Medford Downtown Association, Klamath Falls Downtown Association, Northeast Oregon Economic Development District for projects in Wallowa, Oregon Frontier Chamber of Commerce for a project in Spray, and Weston Area Development Association.
• Several projects were for housing increases or improvements including projects Albany Downtown Association, Independence Downtown Association, Northeast Oregon Economic Development District for a project in Enterprise, Salem Main Street Association and St. Helens Main Street Alliance.
• Façade restoration projects by the cities of Cornelius, Maupin, North Bend and Woodburn, Friends of La Grande Main Street, Oregon Frontier Chamber of Commerce for a project in Condon, and The Dalles Main Street.
• Structural and roof prepare projects were approved for Albany Downtown Association, Astoria Downtown Historic District Association, Dallas Downtown Association, and McMinnville Downtown Association.
• Projects by Harney County Opportunity Team and Pendleton Downtown Association will increase and improve lodging options.
• New construction will be funded in Dayton.
The grant program was created during the 2015 legislative session, and placed with the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office. The legislation established a permanent fund for the Oregon Main Street Revitalization Grant, and provided an initial infusion of funds from the sale of lottery bonds. The legislature included the Oregon Main Street Revitalization Grant in the lottery bond package approved in 2021. If funded by the 2023 state legislature, there will be future grant rounds in the 24-25 biennium. The funds must be used to award grants to participating Oregon Main Street Network organizations to acquire, rehabilitate or construct buildings to facilitate community revitalization. The program also requires that at least 50 percent of the funds go to rural communities as defined in the bill.
To learn more about the Oregon Main Street Revitalization Grant or the Oregon Main Street Network, visit www.oregonheritage.org or contact Kuri Gill at Kuri.gill@oprd.oregon.gov or 503-986-0685. — https://www.oregon.gov/newsroom/Pages/NewsDetail.aspx?newsid=144041
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.
Contact us: Info@OregonBeachMagazine.com
Oregon Beach News, Monday 11/13 – 53 Years Since A Dead Sperm Whale Was Blown Up With Dynamite In Florence & Other Local and Statewide News…