The latest news stories across the state of Oregon from the digital home of the Oregon coastal cities, OregonBeachMagazine.com
Friday, May 20, 2022
Oregon Beach Weather
The Rhododendron Festival in Full Swing
This weekend there are expected to be tens of thousands of visitors to the coast. The Rhododendron Festival is in full swing in Florence with lots of fun things to do all weekend long.
Weinermobile Makes a Showing this Weekend
The Oscar Meyer Weiner mobile has been entertaining audiences for decades and this year it has made it to the Rhododendron Festival.
It will be visible all weekend at different places in the city including the Grocery Outlet parking lot tomorrow and at the Rod’s n Rhodies Show and Shine on Saturday.
Local businessman Dan Lofy says he has been working with the “hotdoggers” for over 5 years and scored the prize for the 115th Rhododendron Festival.
The spectacular display of hundreds of Rhododendrons takes place at the Florence Events Center. Enjoy the Street Vendor Fair, Car Show, 5K run and the Carnival with rides, games and a few surprises. Join us Sunday for the 115th annual Rhododendron Floral Parade which starts at noon.
May 20th – Kiddies Parade and Bed Races/Hair & Beard Contest
Kiddies Parade
Check–in & Assembly at Rec Center, Lawrence & Tyler
Registration begins 2:00 pm
No judging—everyone’s a winner!
Parade begins–3:30 pm: Lawrence St. from appx. Quincy to Jackson. Left on Jackson to Chetzemoka Park.
HAIR & BEARD CONTEST
Registration at 5:15 pm & Judging 5:30 pm – Water St. at Legion
BED RACES
Check-in & Assembly at Water & Monroe Streets
Registration 5:30 pm & Judging 6:00 pm
Races begin at 6:30 pm: on Water St. from Monroe to Madison
May 21st – Rhody Grand Parade
8:00 am – 12 pm: Grand Parade registration at Visitor Center on Sims Way — Assembly uptown, per entry info
8 am – Jim Caldwell Memorial Rhody Open – PT Golf Course
12:30pm – Sunrise Rotary ‘Running of the Balls’, Monroe Street
GRAND PARADE – Parade begins at 1 pm: Uptown to Downtown
3 – 7 pm – Rhody Run Registration – Arts Bldg., JeffCo Fairgrounds
4 – 7 pm – Spaghetti Feed at the Elks Lodge
MAY 22nd
9 am – Jim Caldwell Memorial Rhody Open – PT Golf Course
9 am – Rhody Run Begins – JeffCo Fairgrounds
10 am – 1pm – Sather Park open to public to view newly planted Pacific Rhododendrons
Oregon Coast Aquarium Celebrates 30 Years
The Oregon Coast Aquarium celebrates its 30th birthday on Monday, May 23. Founded by area business leaders with an eye toward stimulating the economy in Yaquina Bay and promoting conservation of Oregon marine wildlife, the aquarium was incorporated as a (501)(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization years before its permanent home was built.
Organizers spent eight years planning and fundraising, construction began in summer 1990, and the doors to its $12 million facility located on a 23-acre site in South Beach opened to the public on May 23, 1992. Within nine months, it had already hosted its first million visitors.
The aquarium gained the world’s attention for the role it played in rehabilitating Keiko, the orca star of the film “Free Willy,” who came to live in South Beach in 1996. Upon Keiko’s departure two years later — he was taken to Iceland in an attempt to release him into the wild — his $7 million habitat was transformed into the aquarium’s Passages of the Deep exhibit, a clear tunnel that winds underwater through three ocean habitats, which opened for the new millennium.
Also in 2000, the aquarium received accreditation by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, requiring the highest standard of animal care and welfare, a distinction it shares with about 200 other facilities. As of 2012, it hosted an average of 500,000 visitors a year.
The aquarium’s current exhibits range from deep-sea life to North America’s largest outdoor seabird aviary to a journey through the coast’s fossilized history. It’s currently undergoing a nearly $20 million capital expansion project, improving three exhibits and building a marine rehabilitation center, children’s nature play area, amphitheater, entry, café and great hall. The project’s first phase is scheduled for completion this summer.
“The aquarium began as an idea to encourage growth in our coastal communities, and over the last 30 years we’ve done that and so much more,” aquarium President and CEO Carrie Lewis said. “We’ve rehabilitated endangered species, we’ve fostered strong ties with our community partners, and we’ve introduced millions to the splendor of the Oregon coast. The next 30 years are bound to be just as rewarding.”
The magazine Coastal Living consistently ranks Newport’s aquarium among the top 10 on the continent.
The Oregon Coast Aquarium is located at 2820 SE Ferry Slip Road. It’s open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week. https://aquarium.org/
We want to keep you informed about COVID-19 in Oregon. Data are provisional and change frequently. For more information, including COVID-19 data by county, visit our dashboard: http://ow.ly/JEsM50Jcvvm
Oregon’s Unemployment Rate Edges Down to 3.7% in April
Oregon’s unemployment rate edged down to 3.7% in April, from 3.8% in March, reaching its lowest level in more than two years. The rate is now close to Oregon’s record low of 3.4% which occurred in each of the four months of November 2019 through February 2020. The U.S. unemployment rate was 3.6% in both March and April 2022.
Throughout the past two years, Oregon and the nation have experienced similar trends as their economies and labor markets have recovered from the pandemic recession. Both saw their unemployment rates spike to unusual highs of more than 13% by April 2020, followed by a drop to below 7% six months later. For the past 21 months, Oregon’s unemployment rate has been within a half percentage point of the U.S. unemployment rate.
Payroll employment trends have also been similar for Oregon and the U.S., with both losing roughly 14% of payroll jobs between February and April 2020, then recovering roughly a third of those jobs three months later, followed by a more gradual recovery leading up to April 2022. However, Oregon has slightly lagged the U.S. jobs recovery overall, with the U.S. adding back 95% of jobs lost during the pandemic-induced recession, while Oregon has only recovered 88% of the jobs.
In April, Oregon’s seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment rose by 4,200 jobs, following a revised gain of 7,000 jobs in March. Over-the-month gains were largest in health care and social assistance (+1,800 jobs), manufacturing (+1,300), and professional and business services (+1,300). The only major industry to cut at least 1,000 jobs was other services (-1,000 jobs).
Professional and business services has grown rapidly and consistently over the past two years. In April, employment reached 261,700, another record high for the industry. Recent revisions to the jobs tallies boosted the past six months’ employment upward by about 3,000 above original estimates.
Next Press Releases — The Oregon Employment Department plans to release the April county and metropolitan area unemployment rates on Tuesday, May 24, and the next statewide unemployment rate and employment survey data for May on Wednesday, June 15.
Notes: All numbers in the above narrative are seasonally adjusted.
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 October, November and December 2021 tax records data. In addition, data for July through September 2021 were revised by a total of up to 2,600 jobs per month. 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, then within the top banner, select Economic Data, then choose LAUS or CES. 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 Oregon.gov/employ.
The Oregon Employment Department (OED) is an equal opportunity agency. Everyone has a right to use OED programs and services. OED provides free help. Some examples are: Sign language and spoken language interpreters, written materials in other languages, braille, large print, audio and other formats. If you need help, please call 971-673-6400. TTY users call 711. You can also ask for help at OED_Communications@employ.oregon.gov.
OHA Update on the Baby Formula Shortage
National baby formula maker Abbott Laboratories has reached a deal with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to restart production at its shuttered Michigan facility. A federal judge approved the deal, which means Abbott could restart production in a couple of weeks, filling up store shelves six to eight weeks later.
Meanwhile, the FDA is taking steps to increase the supply of baby formula in the United States. In Oregon, members of the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program can use their benefits to purchase other brands.
Visit OHA blog to learn more about your options and how to spot potentially contaminated baby formula, as well as why we warn against feeding babies homemade formula or cow’s milk: https://covidblog.oregon.gov/update-on-the-baby-formula-shortage/?fbclid=IwAR3g3bVm34ZL4fkA9kJgoNSKoWRYVn1lSCtytqG3TVSceDssIdmnpKSAaVA
Suspect Kills Self after Randomly Shooting During Police Pursuit in Klamath Falls on Monday
Details have finally been released almost four days after an incident in Klamath Falls that left a man dead and resulted in shots being fired at city police officers.
Police in Klamath Falls attempted a traffic stop on Monday afternoon, May 16, 2022, after witnessing behavior they considered concerning in a vehicle driven by Garrett Turnham.
Turnham ignored the commands from police and sped away. With police in pursuit, Turnham drove through a fence and the playground at Mills Elementary, where a female passenger got out of the car.
Turnham then headed South on East Main, and eventually onto 6th Street, heading west. Near the 6th Street viaduct, Turnham began shooting a gun from his vehicle.
The pursuit and shooting continued to Klamath Avenue, and into the commercial district near Spring and Commercial. Turnham stopped at Commercial and 7th near Eagle Ridge High School and was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to Klamath County District Attorney Eve Costello, the initial investigation suggests that Turnham suffered an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. A subsequent search revealed a handgun and AK-style rifle.
This investigation is ongoing. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to call the Oregon State Police.
Pain at the Pump
The pain at the pump continues. High gas prices have surpassed the $5 per gallon mark on average in Oregon, Washington and Alaska and the $6 per gallon mark statewide in California.
That is according to AAA’s Fuel Gauge Report from Tuesday, May 17. AAA reports the average price of gas in Oregon is $5.06 per gallon statewide. That is an all-time record high with prices up 41 cents per gallon over the past month and $1.69 per gallon since last year.
The average prices of gas stands at $5.04 per gallon in Klamath County, $5.14 in the Medford-Ashland area and $5.23 in Grants Pass, according to AAA. Gas prices are highest in on the west coast, according to Marie Dodds, director of government and public affairs for AAA in Oregon and Idaho. In California, gas prices average $6.02 per gallon and diesel averages $6.56 per gallon. Both are records, according to AAA.
When in Doubt, Stay Out
Increasing temperatures create potential for toxins in water
PORTLAND, Ore.—As summer approaches, and more communities and recreational areas around the state begin reopening amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Oregon Health Authority (OHA) reminds people heading outdoors to be on the look-out for cyanobacteria blooms that can produce toxins in Oregon lakes, rivers and reservoirs.
Cyanobacteria are beneficial bacteria found worldwide in all freshwater. Under the right conditions—when weather, sunlight, water temperature, nutrients and water chemistry are ideal—cyanobacteria can multiply into blooms in any water body. Many blooms are harmless, but some can produce cyanotoxins that make people and animals sick.
Exposure to cyanotoxins occurs when water is swallowed while swimming, or when water droplets are inhaled during high-speed activities such as water-skiing or wakeboarding. Symptoms of exposure to cyanotoxins include diarrhea, cramps, vomiting, numbness, dizziness and fainting. Although cyanotoxins are not absorbed through the skin, people with sensitive skin can develop a red, raised rash when wading, playing or swimming in or around a bloom.
Children and pets are particularly sensitive to illness because of their size and activity levels. Dogs can get extremely ill and even die within minutes to hours of exposure to cyanotoxins by drinking the water, licking their wet fur or eating the toxins from floating mats or dried crust along the shore. Similar to dogs, livestock and wildlife can become ill and die after drinking from waterbodies, troughs or other sources of drinking water affected by blooms and potential toxins.
Only a fraction of freshwater bodies in Oregon are monitored for cyanotoxins. Due to continued staffing and safety concerns related to COVID-19, OHA expects less frequent visual monitoring and sampling of affected water bodies than normal. For this reason, it will be even more important as more recreational areas open and the summer recreation season begins for people to visually observe any water body they choose to recreate in before taking the plunge.
OHA recommends that everyone stay out of water that looks foamy, scummy, thick (like pea-green or blue-green paint) or where brownish-red mats are present. If you are unsure, follow OHA’s guidance of “When in doubt, stay out.”
Open recreational areas where blooms are identified can still be enjoyed for activities such as camping, hiking, biking, picnicking and bird watching. By being aware of signs of a bloom and taking appropriate precautions to reduce or eliminate your exposure, you can also enjoy water activities such as canoeing, fishing and boating, as long as speeds do not create excessive water spray and fish are cleaned appropriately.
To learn if an advisory has been issued or lifted for a specific water body, visit the Harmful Algae Bloom website or call the Oregon Public Health Division toll-free information line at 877-290-6767.
For health information or to report an illness, contact OHA at 971-673-0440. For campground or lake information, call the local management agency.
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