The latest news stories across the state of Oregon from the digital home of the Oregon coastal cities, OregonBeachMagazine.com
Monday, December 20, 2021
Oregon Beach Weather
Today– Rain. High near 53. Southeast wind 6 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Tuesday– Rain, mainly after 10am. High near 51. East southeast wind 5 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Wednesday– Rain before 9am, then showers between 9am and 10am, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 10am. High near 52. Breezy, with a south wind 17 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
Thursday– Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Snow level 2000 feet lowering to 1500 feet. High near 46. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
Friday– Rain. Snow level 2500 feet. Cloudy, with a high near 46.
Bicyclist Dies In Crash With Pickup On Hwy 101 in Clatsop County South of Seaside
A bicyclist died after being hit by a pickup truck driver along Highway 101 Saturday evening in Clatsop County, the Oregon State Police said.
Troopers responded to the scene around 6:11 p.m. Saturday on Hwy 101 near milepost 25.
According to OSP’s investigation, 34-year-old Jesse Holmes was driving a Nissan Frontier northbound along the highway when he left his lane and struck 59-year-old Zane Belshe who was riding his bike along the northbound shoulder.
Belshe did not survive the crash and he was pronounced dead at the scene, OSP said. Police did not immediately release further details on any ongoing investigation. The highway was closed for about 4.5 hours after the crash.
Police Searching for Missing Veteran near Seaside
Evan Goin, a major with four overseas tours, was reported missing from his U.S. Highway 26 home this week. Searchers and canine crews have been unsuccessful in their search.
They will be using a drone to search some areas they have not been able to access on foot, Rhea Goin, who was with Evan Goin for five years, said.
“Right now we just don’t know where he is,” she said.“ We are asking homeowners all along (routes) 26 and possibly 53 to check there properties for anything out of the ordinary. Report anything and keep an eye out for him.”
Goin is a supply specialist and liaison officer with the Oregon National Guard.
“We’ve been trying to find him since Monday,” Clatsop County Sheriff Matt Phillips said. “We went, ‘He’s not here. Well, maybe he’ll come back.’”
After following up, the investigation evolved into a missing person’s case and the sheriff’s office launched search and rescue operations.
The search expanded to the adjoining woodlands and neighboring properties.
On Thursday, 50 to 60 searchers, including sheriff’s office staff, volunteers, Hamlet firefighters and National Guard members searched for any sign of Goin.
“Today (Friday) we have three canine teams,” Phillips said. “We’re just trying a different tool. But at this point, we don’t know where he went.”
On Monday, the sheriff’s office responded to a request for a welfare check at Goin’s home on Highway 26 near milepost 6, where Goin was last known to be.
His vehicles were not missing, Phillips said.
While Goin is known to have firearms, there is no indication he was suicidal, Phillips said, and no indication that he wanted to hurt anyone.
Phillips asked that anyone in the area of the highway to check their property for anything out of place or check buildings for any clue as to Goin’s whereabouts. “If they see something, please contact us,” he said.
A group of his fellow soldiers and friends are planning to go out and search again Sunday, Goin said. “He is somewhere,” she said. “Evan is skilled in hiking and survival.”
Suspect Arrested in 2 Armed Robberies in Coos Bay
The man responsible for two armed robberies early Friday morning in the Coos Bay area is now in police custody, officials say.
Police say around 1:59 a.m. officers were dispatched to a home in the Empire area of Coos Bay where one man reported that a male suspect known to him forced his way into the home and threatened him with a firearm.
He then demanded several items from him before fleeing the scene.
That suspect has been identified as 30-year-old Coos Bay resident Ryan Nicholas.
Officers from across Coos County along with a Coos Bay Police Department K-9 Unit began searching for Nicholas, and just after 3 a.m. North Bend Police Department found him in the act of another robbery in the city limits of North Bend.
Nicholas was taken into custody and transported to Coos County Jail. He has been charged with Robbery in the second degree and Burglary in the first degree. Additional charges may be filed in the North Bend case.
Police ask anyone with additional information about the incident to contact Coos Bay Police. 541-269-8911
Oregon reports 1,072 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 5,531, Oregon Health Authority (OHA) reported on Friday.
OHA reported 1,072 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 bringing the state total to 405,292.
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (4), Benton (19), Clackamas (67), Clatsop (3), Columbia (144), Coos (16), Crook (8), Curry (1), Deschutes (73), Douglas (18), Grant (1), Harney (3), Hood River (4), Jackson (43), Jefferson (5), Josephine (32), Klamath (9), Lake (2), Lane (77), Lincoln (6), Linn (45), Malheur (2), Marion (58), Multnomah (212), Polk (19), Tillamook (8), Umatilla (10), Union (1), Wallowa (2), Wasco (6), Washington (143) and Yamhill (31).
Note: Due to an error in laboratory reporting, we received 900 electronic laboratory reports (ELRs) for Columbia County Dec. 16. A large portion of these test results are duplicate test results from Aug. 2021. Because of the reporting error, case counts and percent positivity for Columbia County are high today. We are working to resolve this issue and will provide an update Monday, Dec.20.
Governor Kate Brown urges Oregonians to get booster shots to protect against Omicron
Earlier today, Governor Brown held a press conference to discuss Oregon’s ongoing response to COVID-19. She was joined by OHA Director Patrick Allen and state epidemiologist Dr. Dean Sidelinger, as well as representatives from Oregon Health & Science University.
Here is a link to watch the news conference with an American Sign Language simulcast from today.
Here are the talking points from OHA.
Oregonians must take all steps necessary to protect their health — and our state’s nurses — in the face of the coming Omicron surge
With the first cases of the Omicron variant already reported in Oregon, and as the variant continues to spread quickly across the globe, Oregon has only a few weeks to take immediate steps to prepare for yet another deadly surge in our state.
Governor Kate Brown’s announcement today of the dire predictions of the impact of Omicron on Oregon is a stark warning to all Oregonians to take immediate steps to protect themselves, our communities, and our health care systems.
For nurses, and for all health care workers in Oregon, this is a particularly crucial time: the state continues to face unprecedented staffing challenges in hospitals and clinical settings in every community. The Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) is calling upon Oregonians to take all possible steps to protect their health in the face of this threat. By doing so, we can help mitigate the devastating impacts on our health care systems, and our dedicated nurses, from an Omicron surge.
OHSU’s modeling indicates that Oregon has a three-week window to prepare for the coming surge from Omicron – a surge that is likely to be more severe than previous Delta surges. There is no doubt that any surge in Covid infections will add additional pressure to our already strained health system, so taking steps now can have a significant impact. ONA looks forward to more details from the Governor on the state’s plans to support health care workers.
For now: If you are not vaccinated, get vaccinated. If you are vaccinated, get your booster shot.
In addition to vaccinations and boosters, please consider taking extra steps related to your family’s plans for upcoming holiday gatherings, including:
- Consider going virtual rather than in person. Everyone is exhausted by the ongoing impact of Covid 19, and Oregon’s nurses understand the frustration of having to be separated from our families and loved ones during the holidays. However, given the upcoming surge, please consider holding virtual gatherings, limiting the number of people who gather and ensuring high-risk individuals are protected from potential exposure.
- Wear a mask indoors and in crowded outdoor spaces if you are not fully vaccinated or have a weakened immune system. Fully vaccinated individuals should also wear a facemask indoors in areas with significant COVID-19 transmission or if gathering in crowded or poorly ventilated spaces with unvaccinated or high-risk individuals. If you’re not sure, it’s safer to wear a mask.
- Wash your hands. Handwashing is a proven tool to prevent disease transmission. Wash your hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Clearly communicate expectations. Even among family and friends, it can be difficult to know who is vaccinated or who is at a greater health risk from COVID-19. You can always ask about vaccinations and employ other health and safety measures like opening windows to improve indoor ventilation, meeting outside, maintaining social distance or asking unvaccinated guests to quarantine or get tested in advance.
- When in doubt, get tested. If you have COVID-19-like symptoms or have been recently exposed to COVID-19 you can visit your state’s health authority website to find COVID-19 testing options near you. You can also consider using a self-test at home before large gatherings as an extra precaution.
- Stay home if you are sick. If you have COVID-19 symptoms or are sick, stay home and avoid hosting or attending gatherings.
The Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) is the state’s largest and most influential nursing organization. We are a professional association and labor union which represents 15,000 nurses and allied health workers throughout the state. Our mission is to advocate for nursing, quality health care and healthy communities. For more information visit: www.OregonRN.org.
Omicron Poses a Serious Threat to Oregonians
Oregonians should get vaccinated, boosted, and continue masking
Lake Oswego, Ore. – September 30, 2021 – Becky Hultberg, President and CEO of the Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health System, released the following statement regarding today’s press conference by Governor Kate Brown and forecasts about the omicron variant in Oregon.
“Today’s alarming forecast about the arrival and eventual spread of the omicron variant in Oregon is a stark reminder of the need to protect ourselves and our communities. Hospital staffing and capacity are overwhelmed from the delta surge, seasonal influenza, and patients needing urgent, delayed care. Now, more than ever, is the time to do all we can to protect ourselves, our loved ones, and our neighbors from COVID. The single best thing you can do is to get vaccinated and receive your booster shot if you haven’t already. Please continue to wear a mask, physically distance, avoid large gatherings, and wash your hands regularly. It is not too late to protect yourself. The time to act is now. Our hospitals, our workforce, and our communities need your help so we can care for those who need us the most.”
About OAHHS: Founded in 1934, OAHHS is a statewide, nonprofit trade association that works closely with local and national government leaders, business and citizen coalitions, and other professional health care organizations to enhance and promote community health and to continue improving Oregon’s innovative health care delivery system.
A new study out of Oregon shows people who are vaccinated against COVID-19 and then get a breakthrough infection end up with super-immunity.
A study of patients by Oregon Health Science University finds that vaccinated people who get COVID-19 have
antibodies that are one-thousand percent more effective than antibodies that come from a second dose of the Pfizer vaccine. The study shows it’s especially effective against the Delta variant, but they believe it would have the same effect against all variants.
Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs Awards $600,000 in Grants to Support, Expand Campus Veteran Resource Centers
The Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs is pleased to announce it has awarded grants totaling $600,000 to expand Campus Veteran Resource Centers at 15 community colleges and public university and bolster other services aimed at helping Oregon student veterans. Veteran Resource Centers are vital in helping veterans transition from military service to college life, complete their educational and vocational goals and successfully transition back into the civilian workforce and community.
The purpose of the Campus Veteran Resource Center Grant Program is to augment these existing campus resources, by funding innovative and impactful projects or programs, designed to improve the lives of student veterans and help them succeed.
All 15 of the institutions who applied received a portion of the available grant funds. The grants ranged from $11,040 to $58,635. The proposed projects were evaluated by a committee composed of members from the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs Advisory Committee, National Service Organizations, as well as veterans and education experts from across the state. ODVA Director Kelly Fitzpatrick had final approval for award funding.
“For many Americans, a post-secondary degree or course of study is a critical gateway to pursuing a successful career,” Fitzpatrick said. “Student veterans bring with them life experiences, can be older and have very different backgrounds than their peers, and may need additional supports to prepare them for the classroom.”
Highlights of the funded projects include:
• Funding for Campus Veteran Coordinators, who work to ensure student veterans have access to crucial benefits they have earned.
• The development of veteran-specific campus orientation and welcome programs for student veterans and their families.
• The establishment of peer mentor programs and other support services to foster deeper connections among peers, resulting in increased veteran retention and success in school.
• Purchase of technology and electronic equipment for student use.
• Purchase of tutorial software for veterans in the areas of college-level writing and math skills, tutoring or a lending library.
The recipients were Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton; Chemeketa Community College in Salem; Central Oregon Community College in Bend; Clackamas Community College in Oregon City; Klamath Community College in Klamath Falls; Lane Community College in Eugene; Linn-Benton Community College in Albany; Mount Hood Community College in Gresham; Oregon State University in Corvallis; Portland State University in Portland; Rogue Community College in Grants Pass; Southern Oregon State University in Ashland; Southwestern Oregon Community College in Coos Bay; University of Oregon in Eugene; and Western Oregon University in Monmouth.
Striking Food Workers Reach Agreement
With overwhelming support from the UFCW Local 555 Retail Negotiating Committee and the representatives Fred Meyer & QFC, both parties have reached a Fully Recommended Comprehensive Tentative Agreement for Local 555 members working under the Grocery, Meat, CCK, and Non-Food contracts in Oregon and SW Washington.
As a result of the Tentative Agreement, UFCW Local 555 is calling off the strike for Fred Meyer and QFC that was scheduled to run through Christmas Eve. UFCW Local 555 members said they were pleased that Fred Meyer and QFC recognized the ongoing hazard to its workers, with a settlement agreement that provides significant wage increases, added workplace protections, a secure retirement, and quality healthcare.
Details of the Tentative Agreement will be made public after members have had a chance to review the agreement and vote on it. Dates and times for ratification meetings will be forthcoming.
OSP Drug Enforcement Section serves search warrants on Unlicensed Marijuana Dispensary-Union County
On December 16, 2021, Detectives from the Oregon State Police Drug Enforcement Section as well as Troopers and other area law enforcement executed a search warrant at a La Grande area storefront named Highway 30 Cannabis which is located at 1709 Adams Ave, La Grande, OR. Law enforcement also served a secondary search warrant at an address of 61074 Stackland Road in Cove, OR which is related to the storefront operation.
This long-term investigation began after tips were called into law enforcement about the unlawful distribution of marijuana products from the business listed as Highway 30 Cannabis. Through multiple investigative techniques, law enforcement found that the business was not operating as a licensed dispensary through the State of Oregon. Investigators sought a search warrant for the crimes of Unlawful Possession of Marijuana, Unlawful Manufacturing of Marijuana Item, Unlawful Delivery of Marijuana Item, Laundering a Monetary Instrument, and Engaging in a Financial Transaction in Property from Unlawful Activity.
Multiple items of evidentiary value were seized during the search warrants and an investigation is ongoing at this time. No arrests were made at the time of the search warrant service, however, arrests and charges are anticipated at a later date and time.
The Oregon State Police was assisted in the investigation by members of the La Grande Police Department, Baker City Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations.
Restoration Project on Upper Klamath Lake
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is evaluating a major restoration project on the shore of Upper Klamath Lake that could benefit species both above and below the water’s surface. If carried out, it would be the largest wetland restoration effort ever attempted for Upper Klamath Lake.
According to a draft environmental assessment released this summer, the USFWS hopes to breach levees that currently separate the Barnes and Agency Lake units of Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge from the western shore of Agency Lake, the northern arm of Upper Klamath Lake. Doing so would reconnect and restore more than 14,000 acres of historic fringe wetlands back to the lake.
Originally diked and drained by the Bureau of Reclamation beginning in the 1940s, the wetlands that became Barnes and Agency Lake ranches hosted grazing cattle during summer and pumped water to flood-irrigate pasture in winter. Fourmile and Sevenmile creeks, which originally flowed into the lake through the wetlands, were channelized and
funneled into canals bordering the current property.
Reclamation purchased the plots in 1998 as water storage areas, allowing the creeks to flood them during the winter, then pumping that water into the lake in the spring to augment the Klamath Project’s water supply. However, pumping costs proved too expensive for Klamath Project irrigators and Reclamation abandoned the storage operation in 2013, transferring the land to Fish and Wildlife.
Since then, FWS has seasonally flooded the former ranches to produce emergent wetland habitat for bird species. According to the EA, more than 80,000 waterfowl have been counted molting on Upper Klamath Refuge in good years.
Family Asks for Help to Find Another Missing Woman in Josephine County
The family has started a Facebook page and asking for help with searching for Rachael. https://www.facebook.com/rachaelbehnkeSG/
The Grants Pass Police Department said 39-year-old Rachael Behnke was last seen dropping her child off at a Grants Pass school on Friday, December 10. She was reported missing on Monday.
According to investigators, Behnke left her cellphone at home and her current whereabouts are unknown.
Behnke was last seen driving a white 2016 Ford Explorer with Oregon plate 684 MTH. Last known location was at North Middle/Highland Schools area. Please check security cameras and Ring door bells.
Anyone with information regarding Behnke’s whereabouts is asked to call Grants Pass police at 541-450-6260.
Crisis of many missing women in and around Josephine County
https://www.facebook.com/pg/Have-You-Seen-Me-Southern-Oregons-Missing-People-161249961222839/posts/