The latest news stories across the state of Oregon from the digital home of the Oregon coastal cities, OregonBeachMagazine.com
Friday, May 21, 2021
Oregon Beach Weather
Today– Partly sunny, with a high near 57. East southeast wind 5 to 11 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 18 mph.
Saturday– Partly sunny, with a high near 59. Calm wind becoming northwest 5 to 9 mph in the afternoon.
Sunday– A chance of rain before 1pm, then a slight chance of showers after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 58. Calm wind becoming west northwest 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Monday– A chance of rain before 2pm, then a chance of showers after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 60. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Tuesday– A chance of showers, mainly before noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 59.
Oregon reports 603 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 5 new deaths
There are five new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 2,606. The Oregon Health Authority reported 603 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 bringing the state total to 197,356.
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (1), Benton (6), Clackamas (73), Clatsop (3), Columbia (7), Coos (10), Crook (8), Curry (1), Deschutes (42), Douglas (25), Harney (7), Hood River (1), Jackson (19), Jefferson (5), Josephine (18), Klamath (15), Lane (36), Lincoln (2), Linn (46), Malheur (4), Marion (51), Morrow (3), Multnomah (90), Polk (9), Umatilla (24), Union (1), Wasco (5), Washington (74) and Yamhill (17).
Vaccinations in Oregon
Today, OHA reported that 37,228 new doses of COVID-19 vaccinations were added to the state immunization registry. Of this total, 20,028 doses were administered on May 19 and 17,200 were administered on previous days but were entered into the vaccine registry on May 19.
The 7-day running average is now 29,005 doses per day.
Oregon has now administered a total of 2,019,003 first and second doses of Pfizer, 1,502,574 first and second doses of Moderna and 127,500 single doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines. As of today, 1,656,783 people have completed a COVID-19 vaccine series. There are 2,114,580 people who have had at least one dose.
Cumulative daily totals can take several days to finalize because providers have 72 hours to report doses administered and technical challenges have caused many providers to lag in their reporting. OHA has been providing technical support to vaccination sites to improve the timeliness of their data entry into the state’s ALERT Immunization Information System (IIS).
To date, 2,442,375 doses of Pfizer, 1,988,260 doses of Moderna and 281,700 doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines have been delivered to sites across Oregon.
These data are preliminary and subject to change. OHA’s dashboards provide regularly updated vaccination data, and Oregon’s dashboard has been updated today.
COVID-19 hospitalizations
The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 across Oregon is 301, which is five fewer than yesterday. There are 77 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, which is one fewer than yesterday.
The total number of COVID-19 positive patient bed-days in the most recent seven days is 2,288, which is a 2.2% decrease from the previous seven days. The peak daily number of beds occupied by COVID-19 positive patients in the most recent seven days is 342.
The total number of patients in hospital beds may fluctuate between report times. The numbers do not reflect admissions per day, nor the length of hospital stay. Staffing limitations are not captured in this data and may further limit bed capacity. More information about hospital capacity can be found here.
OHA Pediatric COVID-19 Report
As of 12:01am on Wednesday, May 12, there have been 193,014 COVID-19 cases reported in Oregon. Pediatric cases, as defined as people under 18 years old, accounted for 23,161, or 11.9%, of the total cases. There have been 35 cases of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) reported in Oregon. Oregon witnessed two surges in pediatric COVID-19 cases in 2020 and is currently experiencing a third in 2021. Similar to cases in adults, pediatric cases began to rise again at the beginning of April.
The full report indicates that while pediatric case counts have increased, pediatric patients remain far less likely than adults to develop severe cases of COVID-19. Only 1.0% of pediatric patients have been hospitalized at some point during their COVID-19 illness. Comparatively, 6.1% of adults with COVID-19 have been hospitalized.
COVID-19 vaccine a game changer for one 12-year-old
OHA has been collecting and sharing stories about what the COVID-19 vaccine means to Oregon families. Today, we introduce you to Paul Carson. Paul’s 12-year-old son, Anthony, has Down syndrome, which puts him at much higher risk for severe complications from COVID-19.
Because the Pfizer vaccine was authorized for emergency use in individuals ages 12–15, Anthony was able to get vaccinated last week at the Oregon Health & Science University-run drive-through vaccination site at the Portland International Airport (PDX).
Paul and his wife Susan are beyond thrilled. Both described their son’s vaccination at PDX as a great experience and called the vaccine a “game changer” for their family — especially for their son. They didn’t know if they were going to be able to send Anthony back to school in the fall because of the risk and now they can. Take a listen to Paul talk about the experience here.
Cases of COVID-19 in Oregon are down over the last week, but deaths and hospitalizations are up.
The Oregon Health Authority reports the number of new cases declined 16-percent last week over the previous week. New hospitalizations increased by ten to 265, and COVID-19-related deaths rose from 31 to 57, which is the highest weekly death toll in ten weeks. The number of positive tests increased from six-point-one to six-point-four-percent.
Oregon May Give Away $1 Million in Lottery As a COVID Vaccine Incentive – Gov. Brown to Make Statement Today
Ever since Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced last week that his state will hold a lottery each week for five weeks — awarding randomly selected residents $1 million if they’ve been vaccinated against COVID-19 — the nation has been abuzz about the idea.
Well, it now looks like Gov. Kate Brown is prepared to announce a similar lottery effort to encourage Oregonians to get shots.
Brown has scheduled a noon news conference Friday with Oregon Lottery officials “to discuss Oregon’s ongoing response to COVID-19.”
Although Brown’s staff are staying mum about the details, at least for now, lottery officials have never before been present at a COVID-19 news briefing in the nearly 15 months Brown has been giving them.
LOCAL HEADLINES:
Florence Cancels Fourth Of July Fireworks This Year
Florence’s Old Fashioned Fourth of July Celebration won’t feature fireworks this year – but a show “may” be possible later this year. Bettina Hannigan, president and CEO of the Florence Area Chamber of Commerce states: “And I emphasize ‘may'” Florence again ran into challenges planning the event amid the uncertainty of changing guidance from the state.
“Based on the most current pandemic-related guidelines from Governor Kate Brown, and the need to plan far ahead for big events like our annual Old Fashioned Fourth of July Celebration, we are unable to produce our fireworks show and its associated events,” Hannigan said Thursday. “Thankfully, our contracts with the fireworks technicians, and the Port of Siuslaw for the launch site, are in place for next year.”
“Due to the gracious flexibility of these and other partners, we may — and I emphasize “may” — be able to reschedule them later this year.” Hannigan said the Chamber had hoped to pull of the fireworks this year after having to cancel them in 2020.
“We waited as long as we could to make this decision in hopes of hosting this fun day of traditional family events and fireworks; but given the timeline to put this event together — with the producers of the pie- and watermelon-eating contests and the providers of the bounce houses, music, and fireworks — there is no way to plan for it with total certainty,” Hannigan said. “Currently we are in the wait-and-see stage with all the planning that goes into moving the fireworks and related events to another weekend, and we are doing all we can to save this year’s Wine and Chowder Trails held on Columbus Day weekend. Stay tuned.”
Tourism is important to the Florence economy. Hannigan said about 1,900 of the 4,600 people who work in the Oregon Coast community rely on tourism-based employment. Tourism pumps an estimated $147 million into Florence’s economy each year.
The town was also forced to cancel Rhody Fest in 2020 – the first time the event had been put on hold since World War II. The event would have happened last weekend but was “suspended” for 2021.
Toledo Man Dies in Lincoln County Crash on Hwy 101
On Wednesday, May 19, 2021 at approximately 11:24 pm, Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a two vehicle crash on Hwy 101 near milepost 128.
Preliminary investigation revealed a Ford F350, operated by Jesus Perez (25) of Salem, was northbound when it crossed into the southbound lane and collided with a Kia Spectra operated by George Linden III (46) of Toledo.
Linden sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased. Perez was transported to Salem Hospital.
OSP was assisted by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Depoe Bay Fire Department, and ODOT.
Oregon Safe Boating Week May 22-28
National Safe Boating Week is the official launch of the 2021 North American Safe Boating Campaign. The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary wishes to help ensure the public has a safe, secure and enjoyable boating experience this season by bringing attention to important life-saving tips for recreational boaters.
In May, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown signed, with seal, an official proclamation declaring May 22 to 28, 2021 to be Oregon Safe Boating Week.
The Oregon Safe Boating Week proclamation encourages boaters to practice safe boating while enjoying the “many wonderful opportunities for recreational boating in lakes, rivers and the ocean” in Oregon.
According to the Oregon State Marine Board, there were 27 fatalities on Oregon waters in 2020, the most since 1987. Seven of the 27 victims were wearing life jackets. Recreational boating encompasses both motorized and non-motorized vessels, including paddlecraft such as kayaks, canoes, standup paddleboards, and others. All these recreational vessels are included in the numbers.
According to U.S. Coast Guard statistics for recreational boating, on average, 600 people die each year in boating related accidents in the United States. Approximately 79 percent of those drowning victims with reported life jacket usage, 86 percent were not wearing a life jacket. Where instruction was known, 70 percent of deaths occurred on boats where the operator did not receive boating safety instruction. Only 20 percent of deaths occurred on vessels where the operator had received a nationally or state approved boating safety education certificate.
Alcohol use is the leading known contributing factor in fatal boating accidents. Operator inattention, improper lookout, operator inexperience, excessive speed and alcohol use rank as the top five primary contributing factors in accidents.
These statistics hit home important boating safety information.
• Wear a Coast Guard-approved, proper-fitting life jacket at all times while underway. Do not stow it since you may not have time to don it in an emergency.
• While boating or paddling, always expect the unexpected and be prepared with the proper training and equipment.
• Take a boating safety class.
• Use an engine cut-off device on motorized boats.
• File a float plan.
• Be aware of weather and water conditions.
• Be considerate of others and understand boating etiquette and navigations rules.
• Boat sober – it’s the law.
For more information from the U.S. Coast Guard about safe boating, visit www.uscgboating.org.
The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and other organizations offer boating and paddling classes both online and in person. In Oregon, all boaters who operate a motorboat over 10 horsepower and youths 12 to 15 years old operating a motorboat of any size are required to take an approved boating safety course and apply/carry a boater education card. Youth ages 11 and under cannot operate a motorboat. For more information about boating requirements and laws in Oregon, visit the Oregon State Marine Board online at boat.oregon.gov.
The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary offers free Vessel Safety Checks (VSCs) for recreational boats and paddlecraft. The courtesy exam is performed at your boat – whether in a slip, at the launch ramp, or in your driveway – by a certified Vessel Examiner, at a mutually-convenient rime, and usually takes 30 to 45 minutes, depending upon the size of your boat.
Auxiliarists will check to see if you have the necessary equipment to save lives and summon help, and check if your vessel meets current state and federal safety standards. No recreational vessel is too large or too small to be safe and in compliance. If you pass the exam, you will receive a VSC sticker to place on your vessel.
To request a VSC, contact your local Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla, the local U.S. Power Squadron or visit cgaux.org. — http://wow.uscgaux.info/content.php?unit=A-DEPT&category=nsbw
Florence Banner Program Call To Artists
Florence Area Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the City of Florence, Central Lincoln PUD, and Three Rivers Casino Resort is preparing to hang festive, colorful banners on power poles along the Highway 101 corridor and at the casino.
But first, we need some design ideas. The person submitting the winning design suite could win $1000.
The Chamber is launching this program to catch drivers’ attention at the casino and through our Highway 101 corridor, get them to slow down a little, and help direct visitors to stop, shop, eat, play, and stay here in Oregon’s Coastal Playground.
That’s where you come in! Four million cars pass through Florence on Highway 101 every year. We want your fabulous designs to capture some of those visitor dollars for our economy. When that happens, everyone benefits.
The program will include six primary themes and three sizes to hang in different locations. Banners will rotate seasonally and feature the themes Shop, Eat, Stay, Play, Oregon’s Coastal Playground, and Florence, to coincide with the Chamber’s other tourism marketing messages.
The project will be adaptive and expandable in the future to include additional seasonal changes, events such as the annual Florence Rhododendron Festival, July 4, the Wine & Chowder Trails, and more.
Deadline for entries: June 14!
FOR MORE INFO and ONLINE SUBMISSION FORM: https://florencechamber.com/florencebannerartistcall/
AROUND the STATE of OREGON
OREGON PUC ADOPTS NEW RULES FOR 2021 WILDFIRE SEASON
Rules address public safety power shutoffs and utility reporting requirements
The Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC) approved temporary rules for use during the 2021 wildfire season on public safety power shutoffs (PSPSs) and fire-related reporting requirements for investor-owned electric utilities, including Portland General Electric, Pacific Power, and Idaho Power. These rules provide near-term guidance for utilities to enhance the safety of Oregonians as more expansive permanent rules are further developed.
During Oregon’s historic 2020 wildfire season, nearly one million acres burned across the state and Portland General Electric implemented their first PSPS. A PSPS is a measure of last resort, designed to help keep people and communities in high fire-risk areas safe by proactively shutting off electricity during extreme and dangerous weather conditions when energized electrical lines could be damaged and ignite a fast-moving wildfire. In these rules, the PUC has set out expectations utilities must meet when utilizing a PSPS. Implementing a PSPS is a complex decision that impacts communities, including use of home medical devices, access to 911 services, and the ability to pump water.
“With the earliest official opening to Oregon’s wildfire season in 40 years, the establishment of these rules was extremely important and timely,” said Letha Tawney, PUC Commissioner. “They are designed to help keep Oregonians safe by establishing criteria on how the utilities communicate about and coordinate during a PSPS, and particularly how they issue notifications before, during, and after a potential PSPS in order to provide the PUC, public safety partners, and the general public useful and timely information.”
These temporary rules will remain in effect through mid-November 2021. The PUC will continue working with the utilities, public safety partners, and the communities to develop permanent rules to further enhance public safety as the electrical system adapts to extreme wildfire risk.
“We look forward to the continued work on this critical issue and we encourage the public to stay informed on this process as permanent rules are established,” added Commissioner Tawney.
For information on how to be prepared for this year’s fire season, including public safety power shutoffs and other long-duration outages, visit https://www.oregon.gov/puc/safety/Pages/Power-Outage-Prep.aspx.
The Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC) regulates customer rates and services of the state’s investor-owned electric, natural gas and telephone utilities, as well as select water companies. The PUC mission is to ensure Oregon utility customers have access to safe, reliable, and high quality utility services at just and reasonable rates, which is accomplished through thorough analysis and independent decision-making conducted in an open and fair process. Oregon Public Utility Commission
Eugene Police Looking for Oregon Car Theft Suspect that Test Drives Vehicles and Never Returns Them
Detectives say a “prolific vehicle theft suspect” rents or test drives cars – and then never returns them.
Eugene Police Property Crimes made a public appeal Wednesday for information on William Stanton Boyd, 42, whom police described as “a suspect in multiple cases of theft from dealers and rental companies.”
“Boyd typically steals vehicles, either by renting them from a rental company and not returning them, or, posing as a prospective buyer at car dealerships where he takes the vehicle for a test drive and never returns,” Eugene Police said.
“Boyd has victimized several companies in the Eugene, Springfield, and greater Lane County area. He has been committing similar crimes in the Salem area as well.”
Anyone with information on Boyd’s whereabouts is asked to contact Detective Shawn Trotter at (541) 682- 5168 or email strotter@eugene-or.us
U.S. Reps Pushing for Relief Funding for Klamath Basin Water Issues
With precious little water available for farmers and other stakeholders in the Klamath Basin this year, two Congressmen who represent large areas of southern Oregon and northern California are pushing for millions of dollars in relief funding for the region.
U.S. Representatives Cliff Bentz and Doug LaMalfa, of Oregon and California respectively, have put forward a $57 million proposal to assist the Klamath Basin. Much of the funding would take the form of monetary aid for farmers, with some elements going toward infrastructure, wildlife refuges, and Tribes.
The lawmakers pointed to a decision from the federal Bureau of Reclamation earlier this month to halt diversions of water from Upper Klamath Lake for irrigation, which leaves the majority of farmers without a water supply. Particularly amid a severe drought year, the Bureau faces competing demands for the water stored in Upper Klamath Lake, governed by a complex web of laws and court rulings that stretch back years.
Farmers in the Basin require diversion of the water for irrigation needs, Tribes along the Klamath River have fought for flows downstream to spare native salmon species from disease, and the Klamath Tribes want to preserve water stored in Upper Klamath Lake in an attempt to save the Lost River and Shortnose sucker species.
The severity of the 2021 drought is such that none of the major stakeholders are particularly pleased with the outcome. The Yurok Tribe reports that low spring flows have resulted in a die-off in young salmon due to rampant disease, and the Klamath Tribes worry that low water levels in Upper Klamath Lake will exacerbate the decline of sucker species even with irrigation curtailed.
Oregon Unemployment Changes on the Way
No more benefits, if you’re not looking for a job. That’s the change on the way for Oregon in the next couple months.
Oregonians will have to show they’re trying to find work in order to continue getting unemployment payments. Acting Director of the Oregon Employment Department David Gerstenfeld explains that businesses are having trouble finding workers. “As the pandemic begins to fade and the economy changes we’re still focusing on how we can help fuel economic recovery, and help Oregonians overcome challenges related to employment,” he says.
In normal times, federal law requires people to show they’re trying to find a job while they collect unemployment. But the U.S. Congress allowed states to put that requirement on hold, because the pandemic forced so many businesses to close. Gerstenfeld says since the pandemic started. more than half a million Oregonians have collected unemployment payments.
The Oregon Employment Department Will Start Updating Obsolete Computer System
The Oregon Employment Department says in July it will start upgrading the obsolete computer system that pays jobless benefits. That would end a 12-year delay that caused a catastrophic breakdown in distributing aid during the early months of the coronavirus pandemic.
Oregon’s new system won’t be in place until 2024. Oregon was among the slowest states in the nation at paying jobless benefits during the pandemic, with laid-off workers frequently waiting weeks or months for aid. The employment department was hindered by a rigid computer system from the 1990s, which was unable to adapt to added benefits Congress added last year.
Jackson County Sheriff Nathan Sickler held a press conference on Thursday afternoon, covering initial details of an officer-involved shooting near Wimer earlier in the week.
Deputies were dispatched to a house in the 1500-block of Queens Branch Road near Evans Creek Road just after 11 a.m. on Monday, responding to a 911 call for a domestic assault.
The victim told dispatchers that he thought the suspect “was going to kill him,” Sickler said. Shortly after that, the suspect returned in a vehicle and was seen holding a rifle.
Around 11:42 a.m., one of the deputies reported to deputies that “shots had been fired.” Sickler said that the shooting was caught on the deputy’s body cam, and the video showed him firing several rounds from his handgun into the vehicle, hitting the suspect several times. The deputy who fired and more deputies who arrived just after the shooting started giving the suspect first aid, Sickler said, but he died at the scene.
Sickler said that the suspect’s .22 caliber rifle was loaded, but declined to comment on whether the man had fired any shots, citing the pending investigation and the coming grand jury proceedings.