The latest news stories across the state of Oregon from the digital home of the Oregon coastal cities, OregonBeachMagazine.com
Monday, November 8, 2021
Oregon Beach Weather
Today– Rain likely, mainly after 5pm. Increasing clouds, with a high near 58. South southeast wind 11 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Tuesday– Showers. High near 56. Breezy, with a west wind 16 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Wednesday– Rain likely, mainly after 4pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 57. South southeast wind around 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Thursday: Veterans Day– Rain. High near 60. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
FridayA chance of rain. Cloudy, with a high near 61.
FEMA Mobile Vaccination Unit in Florence Nov. 8 to 14
The Florence Events Center, 715 Quince St., will host the FEMA mobile vaccination unit next week, Monday, Nov. 8, through Sunday, Nov. 14. The clinic will be open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day and is organized by the Oregon Health Authority.
The City of Florence has posted the details from OHA to www.eventcenter.org/general/page/drive-thru-free-covid-testing-vaccinations.
The Mobile Vaccination Unit has been making the rounds across the state bringing vaccines free of charge to everyone who is eligible.
It comes courtesy of FEMA, which responded to OHA’s request for assistance to establish and support the unit. The federal agency also provides personnel, financial assistance, equipment and supplies. The bus most recently pulled into Jackson County where, in just two hours, more than 100 people received vaccines.
“We’ve certainly seen a lot of folks who are scared of needles,” said Chris Rushing, OHA field operations manager and FEMA liaison. “I had one lady that just said, ‘Hey will you hold my hand while I get the vaccination.’ So, I held her hand. It went great. There are a lot of stories like that. We certainly have a lot of instances of people wanting to get the information, then going home to think about it and coming back on another day. That’s really what we want—for people to make educated decisions about what is right for them.”
Find information on the mobile vaccination unit from OHA at covidblog.oregon.gov/mobile-vaccination-unit-gives-people-easy-access-information-and-support/.
- Everyone in Oregon 12 and older is eligible
- The vaccine is free to anyone who is eligible
- No ID is necessary
- No appointment is necessary
Individuals can visit https://getvaccinated.oregon.gov/#/ to find locations of vaccinations, including the mobile unit. If they go to the locator map and enter Florence, a list of locations and offerings is provided.
Lakeside Woman Dies After Being Struck by Drunk Driver
Coos County woman is dead after she was struck by a vehicle in Lakeside, the Coos County Sheriff’s Office said.
Around 9:30 p.m. on Friday (Nov. 5, 2021), the Coos County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center received a 911 call reporting a pedestrian had been struck by a vehicle on North Lake Road near the Osprey Point RV Park.
Emergency responders including Lakeside Fire, Oregon State Police, Coos County Sheriff’s deputies and the North Bend Police Dept. responded.
Life-saving efforts were not successful and 43-year-old Jessica A. Collins of Lakeside was pronounced deceased at the scene, police said.
During the course of an investigation, the suspect vehicle was located and the driver, 43-year-old Jason M. Berrier, also of Lakeside, was arrested on the charge of DUII by the Oregon State Police.
“The investigation continued well into the night and the following day resulting in Mr. Berrier being changed additionally with Manslaughter I,” the sheriff’s office said. “Mr. Berrier is currently being held in the Coos County Jail.”
If anyone has additional information about this case, they’re asked to contact the Coos County Sheriff’s Office at (541) 396-7800.
The Coos Bay Police Department is asking for community help in investigating a reported domestic violence incident that took plat at the CFN parking lot on Saturday afternoon.
According to the CPD, Jeanette Dahm reported that she and her ex-husband Robert Neilsen got into a dispute at around 1:30 PM on Saturday while they were traveling through Coos Bay on their way home to Bandon.
“Ms. Dahm stated she and Mr. Neilsen were in her vehicle when they pulled into the CFN parking lot located at 525 N. Broadway, where the dispute escalated,” CPD wrote in a press release. “Ms. Dahm stated she had pulled over at the location and told Mr. Neilsen to get out of her vehicle. However, Mr. Neilsen grabbed the keys from the ignition and got into the driver’s side of the vehicle after he observed a man in a black lifted pickup truck nearby doing something with his cell phone.”
Ms.Dahm stated she had screamed for help, hoping to get someone’s attention, and believed that the man in the black truck may have been calling the police.
The Coos Bay Police Department never received a call regarding the dispute. Mr. Neilsen was later located in Bandon and taken into custody on charges of Domestic Strangulation and Kidnapping in the first degree.
Anyone who may have witnessed this dispute, or has knowledge of the identity of the potential male witness associated with the lifted black pickup truck is being asked to contact the Coos Bay Police Department at 541- 269-8911.
Oregon reports 1,141 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 19 new deaths
There are 19 new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 4,562. Oregon Health Authority reported 1,141 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 bringing the state total to 372,137.
Cases and COVID-19 deaths
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (3), Benton (18), Clackamas (85), Clatsop (3), Columbia (20), Coos (20), Crook (16), Curry (2), Deschutes (118), Douglas (41), Gilliam (2), Grant (15), Harney (11), Hood River (5), Jackson (53), Jefferson (22), Josephine (17), Klamath (39), Lake (4), Lane (84), Lincoln (11), Linn (58), Malheur (11), Marion (108), Morrow (1), Multnomah (131), Polk (23), Tillamook (4), Umatilla (35), Union (14), Wallowa (4), Wasco (9), Washington (110), Wheeler (1) and Yamhill (43).
Children ages 5-11 are now eligible for the Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine
Following review of recommendations by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup has confirmed that pediatric doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children are safe and effective for children ages 5 through 11
Oregon Will Receive $1.6 Billion From Federal Infrastructure Bill
Under the $1.2 trillion public works bill approved by Congress, Oregon can expect to receive over $1.6 billion in additional federal dollars for infrastructure investments.
Members of Oregon’s congressional delegation released the state’s expected share of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act after it was approved by the U.S. House.
The bill passed 228 to 206 on Nov. 5. Nine Democrats voted no and 13 Republicans voted yes. It had previously been approved by the U.S. Senate and now goes to President Joe Biden for his signature.
“The need for action in Oregon is clear and recently released state-level data demonstrates that the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will deliver for Oregon. For decades, infrastructure in Oregon has suffered from a systemic lack of investment. In fact, the American Society of Civil Engineers gave Oregon a C- grade on its infrastructure report card. The historic Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will make life better for millions of Oregon residents, create a generation of good-paying union jobs and economic growth, and position the United States to win the 21st century,” the White House said after the bill’s passage.
According to the releases, Oregon is expected to receive the following amounts in these categories:
• $747 million in public transit investments.
• $529 million to improve access to safe drinking water.
• $268 million for bridge replacement and repairs.
• $211 million for airport investments.
• $100 million for internet broadband expansion.
• $52 million to expand electric vehicle charging station network.
• $39 million to help protect against wildfires.
• $15 million to protect against cyber attacks.
The bill also reauthorizes the existing federal Highway Trust Fund, which is expected to generate $3.4 billion for road projects over five years.
The releases did not identify specific agencies or projects that would be funded. In a Sept. 29, 2021 story, the New York Times said the bill includes funding for TriMet’s Southwest Corridor Light Rail Line and the I-5 Bridge Replacement projects. The story did not say how much funding was included, however.
Additional information is expected to be available in the coming weeks. More details are available in this White House summary here.
Missing Pendleton Mom Found Dead, Daughter Alive In Idaho Forest
Two missing Oregon women were found in an Idaho forest Friday, the mother died from the elements and the daughter alive with their broken-down vehicle.
A hunter discovered the mother’s body in the Solitaire Saddle area of the Panhandle National Forest and reported it to the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office at 11:45 a.m. Friday.
Authorities then discovered the broken-down vehicle nearby with the other woman still alive.
The sheriff’s office said the women — Dorothy “Kae” Turner and her daughter Heidi Turner, according to the Pendleton Police Department in Oregon — were driving to Utah and following a navigation system when they got lost in the northern Idaho forest.
When their vehicle broke down, the mother left to find help but died from exposure to the elements while the daughter stayed behind. They were reported missing from Pendleton on Wednesday.
Governor Brown Attending United Nations Climate Change Conference in Scotland
Governor Brown headed to Glasgow, Scotland to attend the ongoing 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties — commonly referred to as COP26 — to discuss the impacts of climate change on
Oregonians and the actions the state has taken to reduce carbon emissions and transition to clean energy.
Several Democratic governors are slated to attend the summit, including Governor Jay Inslee of Washington state. California Governor Gavin Newsom had initially planned to travel, but later announced that he would only attend
virtually due to family obligations. California’s Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis was tapped to lead the state’s delegation instead.
Items on Governor Brown’s agenda for the conference stretch from Sunday through Tuesday, beginning with participation in the US Climate Alliance/Under2 Supernationals Event and the Under2 General Assembly panel: “Accelerating finance and investment for state and regional climate leadership.”
On Monday, Brown is scheduled to participate in the Under2: States and Regions for the Climate Decade panel, the Pacific Coast Collaborative panel on the Public-Private Partnerships to Reduce Food Waste Along the West Coast of North America, the US Department of Energy/America is All In panel, and the Pacific Coast Collaborative/Ocean Acidification Alliance panel.
Carolyn Whitney Awarded as a 2022 Oregon Teacher of the Year Finalist
(Frenchglen, OR) – The Oregon Department of Education, in partnership with the Oregon Lottery, is pleased to celebrate Frenchglen Elementary School teacher Carolyn Whitney as a 2022 Teacher of the Year Finalist, and award both Carolyn and her school with a $2,000 cash prize!
Whitney was selected as one of four finalists for 2022 Oregon Teacher of the Year, which was announced in September.
Whitney has been teaching at Frenchglen Elementary School for 21 of her 27 total years of teaching. In her application, she stated that she was originally hired to teach 4th-8th grade students but has been the only teacher serving grades K-8 for the last four years. In May, Whitney received recognition as Harney ESD’s 2022 Regional Teacher of the Year, taking home a $500 cash prize.
“Carolyn represents the best in teachers and I have seen hundreds in my 30+ year career,” said Harney ESD Superintendent Shannon Criss. “Her tireless efforts to serve students in frontier rural school districts is amazing. Imagine teaching up to 10 different grade levels and all subjects each and every day of the school year. Students and staff make life-long connections with a teacher like Carolyn. She is like family and that is because her dedication and commitment to excellence is seen daily; and you can’t hide good teaching like that!”
Serving a rural area of Oregon, Whitney stresses the importance of connecting students and their education with the community.
“One of the first things I noticed about this community are the character traits of problem-solving abilities and helping your neighbors. I have been able to promote and encourage these traits in my classroom,” she noted in her application. “They build each other up and are a part of the positive, learning classroom culture that they bring to their community.”
“My students have learned many things beyond a traditional education as they have learned how to be a part of a community by working together, encouraging each other, understanding that there are things that happen behind the scenes that contribute to the success of each and every community, be it Frenchglen School Community, the Frenchglen Community, and the Rural Harney County Community,” she explains further. “They understand that personal integrity and character are evident in everything.” — Oregon Lottery
Replanting After the Bootleg Fire
The United States Department of Agriculture’s Klamath County Farm Service Agency, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Oregon Department of Forestry, and the Klamath Soil and Water Conservation District are busy replanting after the Bootleg Fire.
All of those agencies have come together to offer landowners expertise, funding and technical know-how to protect their land from short-term erosion, and offer tips on how to return long term health and resiliency to the property.
One of the first steps is quickly seeding the ground to reduce soil erosion into waterways. That is especially crucial on steep slopes where landslides are a concern. The organization has also been busy removing as much dense, dead, and burnt materials left behind by the fire.
The USDA’s Klamath County Farm Service Agency is also helping with forest restoration on private forest land, but is also focused on bringing the grazing pastures back so ranchers can feed their animals. It also subsidizes hay prices for ranchers so they can get through the winter. The Farm Service Agency will help ranchers feed their animals as the process unfolds.
OSU Beavers Fire Defensive Coordinator
Oregon State defensive coordinator Tim Tibesar has been fired, Beavers coach Jonathan Smith announced Sunday.
“I felt it was the right time to make a change in our football program and have relieved Coach Tim Tibesar of his duties at Oregon State,” Smith said in a statement. “All of us thank Coach Tibesar for his hard work and professionalism the past four years and wish him nothing but the best moving forward.”
Linebackers coach Trent Bray will take on defensive coordinator duties on an interim basis, while Kendrick Van Ackeren will shift from an analyst role to an on-field role coaching linebackers, Smith added.
The Beavers rank No. 9 in the Pac-12 in yards per play allowed (5.77) and No. 10 in total defense (405.7 yards per game). Oregon State started the season 4-1, but has since dropped three of four including a 37-34 loss at Colorado on Saturday in overtime. Tibesar’s defense allowed at least 30 points in the past four games.
Tibesar had been with Oregon State since Smith was named head coach prior to the 2018 season.
Forecasters Say We Should Have Wet Cold Winter
Forecasters says low elevations in western Oregon have a better-than-average chance of seeing snow this winter, though they’re not specifically predicting a storm like the one that hit Eugene in Feb. 2019. We could be in store for a cooler and wetter than normal winter.
The Portland office of the National Weather Service held a briefing Friday on the winter weather outlook for emergency management officials of three coastal counties. The upshot: Oregon is expected to feel the effects of a “La Niña” weather pattern this winter. Hopefully this helps pull the region out of the drought. MORE INFO: https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/long_range/seasonal.php?lead=2
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