The latest news stories across the state of Oregon from the digital home of the Oregon coastal cities, OregonBeachMagazine.com
Monday, January 3, 2022
Oregon Beach Weather
- Coastal Flood Advisory in effect from January 3, 10:00 AM PST until January 3, 03:00 PM PST
- Flood Watch in effect from January 2, 06:00 PM PST until January 3, 04:00 PM PST
Today– Rain before 1pm, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 1pm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Snow level 3000 feet lowering to 2000 feet. Temperature falling to around 42 by 5pm. Windy, with a west southwest wind 21 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 39 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Tuesday– Rain. High near 50. Breezy, with a southwest wind 13 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.
Wednesday– Rain likely, mainly after 10am. Cloudy, with a high near 51. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Thursday– Rain. High near 53. Windy. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Friday– Rain. Cloudy, with a high near 50. Breezy.
Help Requested in Finding Missing Women Last Seen in Waldport
If anyone has seen or knows the whereabouts of Tameka Please have her call her father… police report of a missing person has been filed in Lincoln County… spread this around so we can find her. Thank you – Last seen in Walport Oregon Case# 21-02175 — If you have any information, please call Lincoln County Sheriffs Office: (541) 265-0777
Wind Storms Along the Coast Causing Havoc
High winds hit the Oregon Coast overnight, causing widespread power outages. Pacific Power reports nearly 12,000 Oregon customers are without power as of 8 a.m. Monday
Thousands of those outages are in the Coos Bay-North Bend area.
The Bandon, Coos Bay and North Bend school districts have all canceled school Monday due to power outages.
The impact on schools returning from winter break was not isolated to the coast.
In Lane County, the Mapleton School District is on a 2-hour delay due to debris in the roads and power outages. The nearby Siuslaw School District is closed. The private Willamette Leadership Academy is closed.
Alsea schools in Benton County and Elkton Schools in Douglas County also reported delays due to power outages.
Lane Electric reported outages outside of Eugene.
On the Central Oregon Coast, the damage is so extensive the local utility expects repairs to take days.
Coos and Curry county residents were warned to stay indoors and away from wooded areas overnight.
That’s due to a high winds warning from the National Weather Service into Monday afternoon.
Officials say the South Central Oregon Coast and Curry County Coast are experiencing winds of 40 to 50 mph with gusts of 65 to 75 mph. They say higher gusts of up to 90 mph are possible along capes and headlands.
The winds are expected to cause tree damage and power outages.
Roads may become blocked causing difficulty for travelers. Loose objects may be blown away or damaged, and structural damage is possible. Officials suggest staying indoors on lower levels of your home and avoid windows.
A high wind warning blew into Florence last night and into this morning causing downed trees along with some power outages. Central Lincoln PUD reported that several thousand customers along the coast were affected. Clusters of outages ranged from Dunes City to customers in SouthView and east to Mapleton.
Wind gusts reaching70 miles per hour in some area caused downed trees and even caused the closure of some roads. Early this morning a portion of highway 101 south of Sutton Lake was closed in both directions due to vegetation in the roadway. The area affected Bay Berry Drive and Sutton Lake Road as well.
In addition to the wind and the rain a flood watch is also in effect until 4 pm this afternoon for much of the central Oregon coast. The effects of which will likely peak during high tide early this afternoon. Drivers should take caution as trees could be unstable and still come down.
Some Outages May Take Days to Repair
Central Lincoln PUD is reporting about 6 thousand outages in their coverage area, but only about 1300 of those are in the Florence area. Chris Chandler with Central Lincoln PUD says while most customers in the Florence area will have power back on over the next several hours those in outlying areas may have to wait a little longer.
Oregon reports 2,948 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 15 new deaths
Friday the Oregon Health Authority announced there are 15 new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 5,655. They also reported 2,948 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 bringing the state total to 421,263.
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (4), Benton (61), Clackamas (269), Clatsop (12), Columbia (15), Coos (39), Crook (26), Curry (11), Deschutes (286), Douglas (57), Gilliam (1), Grant (9), Harney (2), Hood River (19), Jackson (185), Jefferson (12), Josephine (48), Klamath (35), Lake (2), Lane (244), Lincoln (37), Linn (75), Malheur (24), Marion (148), Morrow (6), Multnomah (641), Polk (39), Sherman (3), Tillamook (15), Umatilla (121), Union (11), Wallowa (5), Wasco (10), Washington (418) and Yamhill (58).
Amid this alarming increase in cases, Klamath County reported 35 new cases, Jackson 185, Josephine 48 and Lake County reported just 2. The state also reported on COVID hospital beds available in Region 7 which encompasses Klamath County. There are just 6 Adult ICU beds available and 57 non-ICU beds available in the region.
To date, there have been 53,604 COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough cases in Oregon. The average age of all cases is 46. Breakthrough cases have been reported in all 36 counties. Cases of COVID-19 are far more common in unvaccinated people. The report shows that the rate of COVID-19 in unvaccinated people is currently three times higher than in vaccinated people. To date, 4.3% of all vaccine breakthrough cases have been hospitalized and
1.2% have died. The average age of vaccinated people who died was 81.
Two Devastating Fires in Hillsboro Over the Weekend
Authorities say a fire early Sunday in Hillsboro, Oregon, impacted about 20 to 25 businesses. Shortly after 3 a.m., Hillsboro firefighters responded to a commercial blaze inside the Weil Arcade building on East Main Street.
Around 10:55 a.m. the day before, Hillsboro Fire and Rescue responded to the fire on East Main Street near 12th Avenue. A total of 17 people were left without homes after flames damaged three apartment units, according to fire officials. No injuries were reported among the victims.
The downtown fire effected as many as 25 businesses. Within half an hour, Hillsboro Fire and Rescue said the blaze had fully involved the structure. Crews from Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue, Cornelius Fire, Forest Grove Fire, Portland Fire and Rescue, and Washington County Police all responded to assist.
Firefighters were working to prevent any extension for several hours. At the firefighting effort’s peak, about 90 firefighters were on the scene.
Around 7:20 a.m., HFR said most of the blaze was knocked down but crews were still extinguishing hot spots and assessing damage.
No injuries have been reported. The cause of the fires ares under investigation.
According to the Hillsboro Water Department, nearby residents may experience some water discoloration and low water pressure as a result of the firefighting efforts. Once the fire is extinguished, residents are advised to run cold water taps for 10 minutes.
Hillsboro Mayor Steve Calloway issued a statement that referenced both fires and said:
“Our hearts go out to the families and all of the Main Street businesses affected by the fires. We and the community are here to support them in their recovery. In both fires, our firefighters did remarkable work. They stopped the apartment fire from spreading to other units. Their efforts to keep the Main Street fire from spreading was flat-out amazing. And it was a team effort with not only Hillsboro Fire & Rescue firefighters, but also our partners from neighboring agencies: Banks, Cornelius, Forest Grove, Gaston, Portland Fire, and Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue.”
Officials Report More Than 30,000 Oregon Households Have Received Rental Assistance
Oregon Housing and Community Services has announced that as of last Wednesday, OHCS and local program administrators have paid $211.6 million in federal emergency rental assistance to 30,471 households.
An OHCS release said that’s up from $200.4 million and 28,869 applicants the previous week, through the Oregon Emergency Rental Assistance Program.
OERAP continues to be one of the nation’s top-performing programs and is ranked 5th in the nation in the percentage of federal Emergency Rental Assistance funds paid out and obligated, as tracked by the National Low-Income Housing Coalition.
To date, OHCS and its processing partners have:
*Paid over $211.6 million to landlords and tenants to help over 30,000 Oregon households.
*Received more than 51,700 completed applications to be reviewed for eligibility.
New Oregon Bill Requires Death Report Tracking for Homeless
For the last decade, only one Oregon county has tracked the deaths of people experiencing homelessness. That’s about to change with a new law that took effect Jan. 1.
Senate Bill 850 requires death reports to indicate if someone was homeless at their time of death, similar to the way Multnomah County has tracked deaths through its “Domicile Unknown” report since 2011.
When compiling a report, state medical examiners would check a box called “domicile unknown” if they determined a person was homeless when they died. The examiner could also report the decedent’s last known address.
The bill passed the Senate 22-to-5 and had zero opponents in the House.
Supporters say tracking this data is crucial in determining how policymakers can address increasing homelessness numbers in the state.
“Imagine trying to solve any problem without basic fundamental information on the nature of that problem,” said Jimmy Jones, executive director of Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action, during testimony in May. “It’s like building a house without a blueprint, or running a race on an unmarked course. For all the millions we spend on homeless and housing issues in Oregon, we know next to nothing about the people who are dying outside.”
Jones, who worked closely with lawmakers on the bill, said the “domicile unknown” box might add additional work for medical examiners compiling death reports, but that would be similar to the research they do to determine other components of the report, such as the decedent’s cause of death or their veteran status.
Medford Homicide Investigation Suspect in Custody
The first call involving Smith came in December 31st, 2021 at 12:15 p.m., when he was disorderly at the Chevron gas Station, 2232 Biddle Road. A male, later identified as Smith, was attempting to steal cigarettes and physically harassed the employee before leaving in a black Mazda 4 door. He was with a female, whom we have identified.
The same vehicle was involved in two reckless driving calls around 12:24 p.m. One caller reported the vehicle had driven into some bushes in the alley near Lincoln Street and 10th Street. The vehicle drove away in a reckless manner and struck a curb near 10th Street and Hamilton Street. The crash caused a wheel to fold underneath the vehicle. At this point, the vehicle was occupied by only one person, believed to be Smith.
Additional callers reported the vehicle being driven into downtown Medford with a heavily damaged wheel. The vehicle finally became disabled at Earhart Street, near Riverside Avenue.
An additional caller reported the suspect went to a room at the Sis-Q motel. One officer arrived on scene, and as she made her way to the front desk to speak with the manager, the suspect emerged from the office area covered in blood, and fled on foot. The officer caught the suspect after a foot chase, and utilized a taser to take him into custody.
When officers went back to the manager’s office, they found the manager deceased. His wife was also injured from being assaulted. The investigation revealed just minutes prior to the officer arriving, the suspect forced his way into the manager’s office, crawled under the plexi-glass partition and stole money from the register. During the robbery, the suspect assaulted the manager and forced his way into the manager’s living quarters, where he continued to assault the manager and his wife. The manager, Bansi Sahu, died from his injuries. His wife was treated on scene with non life threatening injuries.
The involved suspect is believed to have been involved in other crimes earlier in the day, which are still under investigation. As a result there are multiple crime scenes. Detectives have taken over the case.
We ask for patience as detectives work through the difference crime scenes. More information will be released as the case unfolds. Medford Police Dept.
Oregon To Increase Minimum Wages in 2022
Throughout 2021, numerous national retailers increased their minimum pay rates. In 2022, more than half of the states in the U.S. will increase their own minimum wages.
In the new year, 26 states will implement an increase to their minimum wage, according to payroll experts at Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S.
On July 1, the standard minimum wage in Oregon will increase $0.75 an hour to $13.50. However, the rate in the Portland metro area will sit higher at $14.75, and non-urban counties’ minimum wage will rise to $12.50. The increases are part of a planned schedule for the state.
Beginning in 2023, Oregon’s standard minimum wage rate will be adjusted yearly depending on inflation and any increase to the U.S. City average Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers.
Nationally, the federal minimum wage in the U.S. is $7.25, a rate that hasn’t been raised since 2009 . As of fall 2021, 16 states have minimum wage rates at the federal level.
The company’s report shows California will have the highest state rate at $15 an hour. Parts of New York, including New York City, will also have a $15 minimum wage.
A 17-year-old was reported missing in Salem and detectives say the teen might be the victim of an online catfishing scheme.
Ezra Mayhugh, 17, was last seen on October 15, 2021 after being dropped off in downtown Salem by a friend, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said. He was reported as a runaway the following day when he did not return home.
Investigators say he might be in Washington or California. They hope to reunite Ezra safely with family members.
He’s described as about 5-foot 11-inches tall, weighing 130 pounds, with blonde hair and brown eyes.
If you have had contact with Mayhugh since October 15 or have other helpful information on his whereabouts, the sheriff’s office asks you to contact Detective M.J. Sphoon at 503-588-6808 or to submit a tip by texting TIPMCSO and your tip to 847411.
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