The latest news stories across the state of Oregon from the digital home of the Oregon coastal cities, OregonBeachMagazine.com
Wednesday, September 28, 2022
Oregon Beach Weather
Lincoln City Ballot Measure Would Increase The City’s Lodging Tax
Voters in Lincoln City will decide in November whether to increase the city’s lodging tax. The tax on hotels, BnB’s and vacation rentals would go from 9.5% to 12% under the proposal.
That rate would be almost double what Lincoln City charged when the lodging tax was first approved by voters in 1991. But it would put it on par with other Lincoln County beach destinations such as Newport and Depoe Bay. Both of those cities increased their lodging tax within the past year, although both did so via a city council vote rather than turning the decision over to voters.
City councilors in Lincoln City decided to place the tax hike on the ballot during a mid-August meeting. Some council members objected, saying the public and the business community wasn’t involved in the conversation.
But council member Mitch Parsons said that’s why the proposal is going to the voters. “Putting this on the ballot and having a vote of the people is probably the biggest public involvement we can actually get out of it,” he said.
The city estimates the higher tax would bring in an additional $2.7 million a year. Under state law, the majority of revenues received from a “transient lodging tax” must be used to either promote tourism or to make improvements to facilities that serve tourists.
According to an explanatory statement filed in the Lincoln County voters pamphlet, some of the money raised by the higher lodging tax would go toward building a new visitors center at D River.
The city is proposing to use the remaining money to fund “essential city services, such as narcotics enforcement,” according to the council-approved resolution that created the ballot measure.
“It is appropriate to require visitors, who place additional demand on these city services, to pay a share of the services,” read the resolution.
The council voted 4-2 to put the tax increase on the ballot. One member who voted against the resolution, Rick Mark, said he would have supported a smaller increase.
“I think ten-and-a-half would fly much more easily than 12 percent,” he said. “And I think (it would be) much easier for us to justify.”
In addition to the rate imposed by cities or counties, the state of Oregon also levies a 1.5% lodging tax.
The Oregon Coast Visitors Association Will Host The Sixth Annual People’s Coast Summit In Yachats
The Oregon Coast Visitors Association will host the sixth annual People’s Coast Summit in Yachats on Oct. 10-12. This end-of-season industry gathering welcomes participants to decompress from the busy summer tourism season, share experiences and connect with colleagues old and new.
Programming this year has a focus on ‘travelability’ or the accessibility in travel on the coast. Keynote speaker Kelcie Miller-Anderson will take the stage Tuesday evening to address topics of accessibility and disability advocacy in the tourism space. Miller-Anderson, of Calgary, Canada, has received many awards for her work as an environmentalist, innovator and scientist. She is one of Canada’s Top 20 Under 20, Next 36, and a Manning Youth Innovation award winner. Her website states, “As a young person diagnosed with several progressive illnesses at a young age, Kelcie has met the challenge in more ways than one, but she’s fiercely committed to not letting her illnesses hold her back.”
Additional keynotes will be delivered by Zachary Stocks of the Oregon Black Pioneers, speaking about undercovering seldom-told stories, and Dr. Sara Hamilton of University of California Davis, speaking about Oregon’s kelp forests and opportunities for ocean-based ecotourism.
“We are thrilled to have such knowledgeable speakers this year to facilitate big picture thinking about progressive initiatives in tourism,” said OCVA Deputy Director and Summit organizer Arica Sears.
More experts will deliver workshops over the course of the conference, offering nuts-and-bolts skills for attendees to take home and put immediately to use. This year’s workshop topics include improving beach mobility on the Oregon coast, organizing familiarization tours and accessible itineraries, and developing ADA compliant websites.
Tourism professionals, small business owners and anyone interested in tourism on the Oregon coast are invited to register for the summit. The summit registration fee includes meals, workshops and entertainment, and attendees should expect ample social and networking time between sessions. Register for the People’s Coast Summit at https://coast-summit-2022.heysummit.com/checkout/select-tickets
Attention OHP members: If you got a bill in the mail, keep the bill and figure out if you need to pay. OHP members should NOT pay for services that OHP should cover. Find out more at bit.ly/ohpbills.
Bend Police Seek Public’s Help To Identify Human Remains
The Bend Police Department is asking for the public’s help in identifying human remains found last month in the Deschutes River north of Archie Briggs Road.
On Saturday, August 27th, Bend Police officers responded and learned that a juvenile had been swimming in the river when she found what appeared to be human bones underwater.
Officers recovered the remains, then contacted Bend Police detectives and the state medical examiner’s office, which confirmed the remains were human.
On Sunday, August 28th, the Deschutes County Search & Rescue dive team searched the area of the Deschutes River and located additional human bones. The remains are believed to be from one individual, likely an adult. They are believed to have been in the water for more than a year.
The skeletal remains have been taken to the state medical examiner’s office for possible DNA identification, but no identification has yet been made.
If you have information about a missing person, you are asked to call the nonemergency dispatch line at 541-693-6911.
Oregon PUC Approves Revised Rules to Better Protect Customers at Risk of Utility Service Disconnection
SALEM, Ore. – The Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC) recently approved rule revisions intended to strengthen protections for low-income energy customers at risk of service disconnection due to nonpayment. These rules are specific to Oregon’s investor-owned energy utilities, including Portland General Electric, PacifiCorp, Idaho Power, NW Natural, Cascade Natural, and Avista. The PUC approved the following:
- Changes to the rule defining disconnection of service to ensure vulnerable populations are protected
- Adjustments to the language defining what actions a utility has to take before disconnecting a customer that offers to pay cash at the door
- Waiving select charges for low-income customers
- Extension of the period of time required to notify customers of a disconnection of service due to nonpayment
Disconnection of Service — The PUC approved changes to the rule to postpone the disconnection of service any time a temperature of less than 32 degrees is forecasted during the colder months of November through March or when a winter storm warning is in effect. The previous rule required a pause in disconnection only if a high temperature of less than 32 degrees was forecasted, which did not take into account very cold days that may have a high that reaches 32 degrees. The rule now also indicates utilities are unable to disconnect service for nonpayment when a customer is under certain wildfire evacuation notices and when the air quality index is at or above 100. Utilities can now only disconnect service between the hours of 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. to allow for same-day reconnection of service for customers.
Paying Outstanding Bills to Avoid Disconnection – The previous rule allowed energy utilities, when arriving at a home to disconnect service due to an outstanding bill, to collect a reasonable partial payment of the overdue balance at the door to prevent disconnection. The rule now requires that any energy utility with a policy not to accept payment at the door be required to notify customers of the options available to pay the outstanding balance and be provided at least 24 hours to make the payment.
Waiving Select Charges for Low-Income Customers – The PUC approved changes to the rule to prohibit utilities from imposing late payment charges and collecting deposits. Additionally, select reconnection fees will also now be waived for qualifying low-income customers.
Disconnection Notice Extension – Utility customers at risk of disconnection are now required to receive notification from their utility service provider at least 20 days in advance of a disconnect. This change to the rule provides customers more time to prepare for a pending disconnection and ability to pay the outstanding balance to avoid disconnection.
“We appreciate the efforts of PUC Staff, utilities, and stakeholders who were very involved in the process of updating these rules,” noted Mark Thompson, PUC Commissioner. “This is a good step forward in improving the protections that are afforded customers experiencing financial and other difficulties. These updates reflect the need to change business as usual to better recognize the fact that people rely on their utility services to sustain life, while still providing for an orderly way to terminate services only where that becomes absolutely necessary.”
Customers with questions about billing or utility service can contact the PUC’s Consumer Services Team at 800-522-2404 or puc.consumer@puc.oregon.gov.
The PUC regulates customer rates and services of the state’s investor-owned electric and natural gas utilities, including Portland General Electric, Idaho Power, Pacific Power, Avista, Cascade Natural, and NW Natural. The PUC also regulates landline telephone providers and select water companies. The PUC’s mission is to ensure Oregonians have access to safe, reliable, and fairly priced utility services that advance state policy and promote the public interest. We use an inclusive process to evaluate differing viewpoints and visions of the public interest and arrive at balanced, well-reasoned, independent decisions supported by fact and law. For more information about the PUC, visit oregon.gov/puc.
Pacific Power Incentives Charge Customers’ Shift to EVs as National Drive Electric Week Approaches
Electric vehicle charging equipment rebates, power cost discounts, and infrastructure investments reduce barriers to adoption
PORTLAND, OR—September 27—Pacific Power is supporting customers making the shift to electric vehicles with valuable incentives as National Drive Electric Week approaches.
Drivers looking to go gas-free can access discounts on the price of electricity for vehicle charging, newly available home charging equipment rebates, and a larger array of EV infrastructure across the Pacific Power service territory.
“When you look over the life of a car, the total cost of ownership is now lower for an EV than a gas-powered vehicle,” said Kate Hawley, Senior Product Manager at Pacific Power.
Drivers electrifying their vehicles can take advantage of the following incentives:
- Residential Pacific Power customers can get $500 to $1,000 toward installing an at-home charger, depending on income level
- Business and multifamily property owners (apartment complexes) can get up to $3,000 per port
- We also offer EV drivers deep discounts in the way they pay for electricity through an incentive called Time of Use.
We’re also investing big dollars in electric vehicle mobility for Oregon communities, especially in underserved and rural regions — more than $2.5 million to date. Pacific Power E-Mobility Grants have helped communities purchase e-bikes in Corvallis, electric tractors in Prineville, an electric school bus in Bend, an EV and charger for a health clinic in Portland. We’ve also installed fast charging stations in Bend, Klamath Falls, Madras, Otis, and Mill City.
“With our work in expanding our service territory’s charging infrastructure, we are making EV ownership and operation more accessible to customers,” Hawley said.
How much would going electric save you? See what savings are available in your area based on your average mileage, energy use, budget and rebate availability with our WattPlan tool at pacificpower.wattplan.com/ev .
National Drive Electric Week raises awareness of the benefits of electric and hybrid vehicles including trucks, motorcycles, and cars. The 12th annual celebration takes place September 23–October 2, 2022. It is organized by Plug In America, Electric Vehicle Association, Sierra Club, and EVHybridNoire.
### About Pacific Power Pacific Power provides safe and reliable electric service to more than 764,000 customers in Oregon, Washington and California. The company supplies customers with electricity from a diverse portfolio of generating plants including hydroelectric, thermal, wind, geothermal and solar resources. Pacific Power is part of PacifiCorp, one of the lowest-cost electricity producers in the United States, with 2 million customers in six western states. For more information, visit www.pacificpower.net.
Oregon Parks Officials Say High Demand For Crowded Campsites Leading To Fights And Arguments
Some Oregon parks officials say high demand for crowded campsites is leading to arguments, fistfights and even so-called “campsite pirates.”
Brian Carroll with Linn County Parks and Recreation said park rangers have had to play mediator this summer as would-be campers argue over first-come, first-served campsites at Sunnyside County Park.
“People were literally fighting over campsites,” said Carroll. “What we experienced this year was certainly a general level of increased frustration and anxiety of people not being able to get their campsite. There seems to be less general common courtesy going on.”
Tensions also escalated over reserved campsites, with some recreationists wrongly claiming already-reserved sites by tearing off the reservation tags and replacing them with their own, prompting the nickname “campsite pirates.” The original parties end up angry and confused when they arrive to find their campsite occupied. The practice isn’t common, but it’s happening more than it used to, Carroll said.
“In the past, it was extremely rare,” he said. “Have there been disputes? Yeah, you know that happened previously. But like I said, not on the scale that we saw this year.”
Sunnyside County Park isn’t the only place experiencing such woes. Earlier this year, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department said it would seek legislation to give rangers added protection because of the increasing level of assaults and harassment targeting rangers.
“Traditionally about 1% of our visitors really struggle with complying to rules and regulations,” said Dennis Benson, recreation manager for Deschutes National Forest. “Now, we’ve got more like 10% of the population that doesn’t comply or adhere with rules, regulations, those kinds of things, which is lending itself to more problematic behaviors on public lands.”
Oregon’s state park system has opened just three new campgrounds since 1972, though the state’s population has increased dramatically.
Last year, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department set records for its total numbers of visitors — an estimated 53.6 million day visits and 3.02 million campers who stayed overnight. This year’s numbers are about the same, state Parks and Recreation Department associate director Chris Havel said.
“This summer we’ve been extremely busy, at 96% to 98% capacity, which basically means you might find a night here or there, but basically everything is taken,” Havel said. “What we’re noticing again this year is that it’s a lot of people new to camping and the outdoors in general. In other words, the trend that we saw start during the pandemic of people coming out for the first time is continuing, and that means we’re going to stay busy.”
Missing Salem Teen Found Dead in Willamette River
A missing teen last seen at a West Salem High School football game on Sept. 16 was found dead in the Willamette River, police said. Salem Police detectives and Polk County sheriff’s deputies responded to reports of a body found in the waterway at 1 p.m. Saturday.
Police confirmed on Tuesday the body matched the description of 16-year-old Zackary Brenneman. “An examination performed by the Oregon State Medical Examiner ruled the cause of death as drowning,” police said in a statement.
Police said detectives are waiting for the results of other medical reports for official confirmation of identity, but said they are confident the person found is Brenneman. Detectives found no evidence of criminality or foul play.
Flyers and posters were widely circulated on social media and throughout the city, saying Brenneman was last seen at 9 p.m. Sept. 16.
Salem-Keizer Public Schools communications officials said they cannot comment on the case as it relates to the ongoing investigation of the night Brenneman went missing.
USDA Oregon Farm Service Agency Is Hiring Additional Loss Adjusters
The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) is currently accepting offers from individuals interested in providing contracted crop adjusting services throughout Oregon for the 2023 crop year. Loss Adjuster applications for the 2023 crop year are due November 1, 2022, to the Oregon FSA State Office.
Loss Adjusters perform crop loss and related program services as assigned by FSA. Duties associated with these services include: 1) visiting farms to inspect damaged or destroyed crops; 2) appraising potential crop production; 3) determining and verifying the cause and time of loss; 4) determining farm-stored production; 5) visiting FSA offices and/or farms to perform inspections, reviews or other loss services.
Starting pay for new adjusters is $20.22 per hour. A pay raise to $22.55 per hour is contingent on satisfactory completion of a full certification on at least one crop. Training pay is $15.00 per hour. Most equipment necessary to perform loss-adjusting activities is provided by FSA. Mileage and per diem will be paid by FSA; however, contracted adjusters are expected to provide their own mode of transportation.
Applications should be sent to the Oregon Farm Service Agency State Office, Attention: Sarah Hanlon, 7620 SW Mohawk St., Tualatin, Oregon, 97062. All applications postmarked by November 1, 2022, will be reviewed and selections made based on work experience, agriculture background, availability, and the need for loss adjusters in the area. As part of the contract process, Loss Adjusters must pass a required fingerprint background check.
Click here to obtain a copy of the Oregon FSA Loss Adjuster Application Form. The application form can also be obtained by contacting the Farm Service Agency State Office at 503-692-3688. For further assistance or information please contact Sarah Hanlon at 503-404-1116.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.
This is just a small compilation of missing women and their pictures in the area. There are of course women missing all over Oregon and men and children missing too. We don’t mean to dismiss that, however, there is an inordinate amount of women who go missing each week and there could possibly be a connection with an anomaly or two here and there. Sadly most of them never get any attention. Family and friends must keep any information going and lead investigations so that they aren’t just forgotten.
https://www.facebook.com/pg/Have-You-Seen-Me-Southern-Oregons-Missing-People-161249961222839/posts/
