The latest news stories across the state of Oregon from the digital home of the Oregon coastal cities, OregonBeachMagazine.com
Monday, July 26, 2021
Oregon Beach Weather
Today– Partly sunny, with a high near 68. Windy, with a north northwest wind 13 to 22 mph, with gusts as high as 32 mph.
Tuesday– Partly sunny, with a high near 68. Breezy, with a north northwest wind 8 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph.
Wednesday– Partly sunny, with a high near 71. North wind 5 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph.
Thursday– Mostly sunny, with a high near 70.
Friday– Mostly sunny, with a high near 68.
LOCAL HEADLINES:
Beach Monitoring Program Busy This Season
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality partners with the Oregon Health Authority to monitor the waters along Oregon’s coastline. The monitoring is funded by annual grants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Marine waters are tested for enterococcus bacteria, which indicates the presence of other harmful microbes. Enterococcus is present in human and animal waste and can enter marine waters from a variety of sources such as streams and creeks, storm water runoff, animal and seabird waste, failing septic systems, sewage treatment plant spills, or boating waste.
From Memorial Day to Labor Day, the Oregon Beach Monitoring Program collects samples from beaches along the Oregon coastline. The program operates on a three week rotation of sampling the north coast, the mid coast, and the south coast.
The state’s Beach Monitoring Program started in 2002 as an organized way to protect swimmers from harmful microbes. Technicians use a variety of tools and mobile labs in their vehicles to test for Enterococcus, which is an indicator of fecal bacteria present in human and animal waste.
Harris Beach is one of 21 regularly tested beaches on the coast. Other test sites on the South Coast include Mill Beach in Brookings, Hubbard Beach in Port Orford, and Bastendorff and Sunset Bay beaches in Coos Bay. The Beach Monitoring Program runs from Memorial Day to Labor day, when people are using the beaches the most.
Thanks to the mobile testing labs, technicians can know within 24 hours whether a site has high levels of fecal bacteria. When high levels are found, DEQ notifies the Oregon Health Authority, which issues a public health advisory, and then contacts state park officials, who are responsible for posting warning signs at beach entrances and notifying visitors.
Dani Padilla, Harris Beach State Park manager, said she is thankful for the quick turnaround time on testing, as Harris Beach gets about 3 million visitors each year, and many of them like to swim.
“You don’t see a whole lot of people swimming on the Oregon Coast, but for some reason this is the beach where I see the most of it,” said Padilla.
When a beach advisory comes in from OHA, Padilla said she gets the word out to her staff right away.
“I tell people that it’s still safe to recreate on the beach, but you want to stay out of the water. It’s very rare that we have to close the beach.”
Earlier this month, this system was used to flag Hubbard Beach after tests indicated high levels of fecal bacteria. The advisory for Hubbard Creek was lifted July 6, and there are currently no beach advisories at any of Oregon’s 18 monitored beaches.
However, Sunset Bay State Park in Coos Bay has been plagued with high levels of fecal bacteria in recent years, and it’s still a mystery as to why. A 2018 investigation launched by DEQ determined the contamination was likely coming from freshwater creeks feeding into the bay, but researchers still couldn’t pinpoint the source of bacteria, according to the report.
The most recent health advisory at Sunset Bay was issued in September of 2020, and the site has also been listed as “impaired water” under the federal Clean Water act.
In May, the Oregon Beach Monitoring Program received $221,000 in an annual grant from the Environmental Protection Agency to continue their efforts. Nevertheless, funding for the program has dwindled about 30% over time due to inflation, according to Mike Mulvey, natural resource specialist with DEQ.
Mulvey said the decline in funding has reduced the scope of the longtime project.
“We used to monitor over 70 beaches throughout the whole year, but now we look at less beaches over less time,” he said. “This program is really a great thing for protecting public health,” said Mulvey.
What’s more, this 20-year-old data collection program could help future researchers identify a link between warming waters due to climate change, and increased fecal bacteria growth, although that’s not the goal of the project right now, said Mulvey.
For the latest beach advisories go to: https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ph/HealthyEnvironments/Recreation/BeachWaterQuality/Pages/s
https://www.oregon.gov/deq/wq/Pages/WQ-Monitoring-Beach.aspx
Arrests Made and 2 Boys Removed From Toledo Home After Being Left Alone With No Water Or Food
Two people have been arrested and accused of child neglect after authorities say they found two children alone in a home in Toledo with no power or running water.
According to court documents, a Toledo officer was sent to a home on Wednesday, July 21 for a welfare check after it was reported that two minors were left alone. The officer said he found a ten-year-old boy, who answered the door, and a 13-year-old boy with special needs at the home.
When the officer asked where the boys’ parents were, the 10-year-old said he had not seen them, identified as Tessa Padgett and Andrew Sargent, since Saturday or Sunday, July 17-18, according to court documents. The boys told police that Sargent lived at the home and acted as a stepdad who would take care of them along with Padgett.
The boys told the officer they didn’t know where the parents were and said they didn’t have phone service unless they used their neighbor’s wifi. The officer stated in court documents that he noted the “children have not showered in days.”
When the officer went inside to look around the house, he said he observed “extremely poor living conditions,” including dog feces and urine on the floor, an overflowing trash and sink, empty containers of alcohol, flies, and little food, according to court documents. The boys reportedly told the officer they hadn’t had water for more than a week.
With the upstairs bathroom non-functional, the boys said they had to use their parents’ bathroom. When the officer inspected that bathroom, he found “meth pipes, residue bags, and marijuana bongs lying in plain view,” according to court documents.
As the officer took photos of the home, the 13-year-old boy was able to contact Padgett through Facebook messenger who said she was returning home.
Court documents also note that the officer found several dogs that “appeared hungry and in poor shape.” The boys told police they had run out of dog food a few days prior and that one was aggressive.
The Department of Human Services was contacted and due to the poor living conditions, the two boys were immediately removed from the home and taken into emergency custody.
According to court documents, when Padgett arrived at the house, she was arrested. A detective found Sargent nearby and he was taken into custody as well. Both were lodged in the Lincoln County Jail.
AROUND the STATE of OREGON
WILDFIRE and Weather UPDATES
It has been forty-one days since Portland has received any measurable rain. In Medford, it’s been 33 days. In Klamath Falls, near the Bootleg Fire, it has been 31 days. No rainfall means no relief for the drought conditions throughout the Pacific Northwest, and severe drought leads to an increased risk for fire danger.
At the beginning of July, the US drought monitor indicated that the worst drought level existed in a portion of Central Oregon. However, by July 20th, the area in “exceptional drought” stretches right through the middle of the state into Washington. Parts of Northwest Oregon were also upgraded from moderate to severe and extreme in recent weeks.
Fire crews are making progress on several wildfires burning across Oregon, but crews will be challenged as a stretch of hot weather is forecast throughout the region this week.
Fire crews are urging the public to make fire-safe choices because this environment has little to defend itself with if something were to spark.
Gov. Brown Warns About Future Wildfires
Gov. Brown warned Sunday the state would likely see more devastating wildfires linked to climate change as firefighters continue to battle the mammoth Bootleg Fire, the largest blaze in the United States this year that is still burning near the state’s border with California.
Brown made the comments on CNN’s “State of the Union,” telling host Jake Tapper that an increase in extreme weather, including heatwaves and drought, linked to climate change made it urgently important for wildlife officials to prepare for future blazes.
“The harsh reality is that we’re going to see more of these wildfires,” Brown told Tapper. “They’re hotter, they’re more fierce, and obviously much more challenging to tackle. And they are a sign of the changing climate impacts.”
She continued: “Climate change is here, it’s real, and it’s like a hammer hitting us in the head. And we have to take action.”
Brown added that the federal government had helped support the state as it battled the blaze, but said it would remain a multibillion-dollar issue not just for Oregon, but for adjoining states.
“It’s incredibly important with climate change that we get into these forests and start doing the fitting and harvest and prescriptive burning, so that we can create healthier landscapes that are more resilient, for wildfire,” the governor said Sunday. She later added: “We’re going to need to partner throughout the West to tackle these issues. As you well know, wildfire knows no jurisdictional boundaries.”
Here’s that interview: https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2021/07/25/sotu-brown-full-interview.cnn
BOOTLEG FIRE:
The Bootleg Fire, the largest fire burning in the nation, grew by more than 7,000 acres overnight. According to fire officials, the fire now covers 408,930 acres. Containment once again inched forward from 42% to 46% on Sunday.
More than 2,200 people are battling what has quickly become one of the largest wildfires in Oregon’s history.
A tornado was confirmed on the eastern perimeter of the Bootleg Fire on July 18, 2021. This weather event was confirmed by Derek Williams, a meteorologist working on the Bootleg Fire, with the Medford National Weather Service Forecast Office.
Officials say this weekend crews were able to hold the fire in check above the Winter Rim. Contingency lines and structure protection continue to be improved around Summer Lake and Paisley. However, the fire remains active in Coyote Creek drainage to the north.
“The progress that we have made is due to the continuous, vigilant work by our crews,” said Joe Hessel, Incident Commander for the Oregon Department of Forestry Incident Management Team. “Severe fire weather conditions and extremely dry fuels continue to challenge us on this fire.”
Firefighters were able to improve containment lines on the eastern side of the fire with the removal of smoldering fuels from the fire’s edge. On the west side, crews continue to hold and patrol containment lines. Some Oregon National Guard forces will also be helping as fire managers prepare for suppression repair work to begin.
JACK FIRE:
The fire is currently at 21,503 acres with 57 percent containment. The fire is burning in timber, primarily the understory, with leaf litter and brush. The Jack fire is burning in steep rugged terrain making some areas inaccessible to firefighters and resistant to containment. Fire personnel had another successful day of containing fire activity within control lines north of Hwy 138. Firefighters continue to patrol this area and mop up along containment lines where needed.
South of Hwy 138, crews will resume use of mechanical equipment along the eastern flank to reinforce control lines. On the southeast section of the fire, firefighters improved handline within the Twin lakes area and will conduct assessments today to identify possible strategies to strengthen containment lines. Along the west flank of the fire, crews continue to patrol and mop up.
ELBOW CREEK FIRE:
The Elbow Creek fire is reporting as 22,681 acres and 28 percent contained. More resources will continue to arrive through this evening and tomorrow morning.
Another successful day on the line; all operations went according to plan. Primarily, efforts were focused on mopping up deeper into the fire perimeter and strengthening contingency lines around the fire. Last night’s burn out at the top of Elbow Creek was a great success. Smoke is visible this evening as some large pockets of unburned fuel consume within the Elbow Creek Drainage.
The east side of the fire remains stable and continues to be mopped-up and patrolled. The spot fire that occurred multiple days ago remains in mop-up status as well. The same operational plans are in place for tomorrow.
A fire behavior analyst joined crews in the field today to help evaluate operational plans for the Sickfoot Area. After assessment, overhead has agreed to continue to utilize direct attack up against the fire’s edge. Fire lines will continue to be constructed and strengthened.
The weather continues to be hot and dry, but with more favorable humidity recovery tonight. Lighter winds have also worked in favor of the firefighters reducing chances of long range spotting from flying embers.
BRULER FIRE:
Firefighters continued mop-up activities near the Bruler Fire perimeter. Smoke decreased within the fire perimeter as interior fuel consume and reduce hazard, with only isolated tree torching well inside the control line. The helicopter was not used yesterday, as the fire activity remained low. The helicopter remains available for the Bruler Fire today. Containment is now listed at 44%.
Today, firefighters will continue to improve established contingency line on the west side of the Bruler fire. Work will continue on the contingency line for the next few days, and will be near completion by Wednesday.
As summer progresses, it is important to be ready for fire season. Before a wildfire occurs in your area, create defensible space near your house. Remove flammable vegetation and other combustible material near your home. This includes cleaning gutters, roofs, and removing material under decks. Develop an evacuation plan for your family and assemble an emergency supply kit.
The Willamette National Forest issued an order yesterday banning the use of campfires within the forest boundary. The fire ban includes fires within established campground fire pits. Additionally, vehicles are restricted to established forest roads, except for the Huckleberry Flats and the Santiam OHV areas, which remain open. Members of the public should be careful with any activity that could cause a spark – and a fire.
A large closure area has been established to maintain firefighter and public safety. This closure encompasses large portions of Forest Service lands south of Detroit Lake, west of Highway 22 and north of Highway 20. The closure also includes the Middle Santiam Wilderness, Daly Lake, Tule Lake and the trail network known as the Old Cascade Crest trail system. The closure is posted to the Willamette National Forest webpage. A Bureau of Land Management (BLM) closure area is also in place for lands along the Quartzville Scenic Byway/Quartzville road including Yellowbottom Campground, Old Miner’s Meadow Group Site, and nearby dispersed camping areas. Visit InciWeb for more information about closures in the area.
Teen Arrested Following Rolling Hills Fire, Investigation Ongoing
ROSEBURG, OR– Three juveniles have been identified by Detectives as being present at the origination point of the Rolling Hills Fire which broke out Friday evening and have made one arrest at this time.
On Friday, July 23, 2021, at approximately 4:35 pm, 9-1-1 dispatchers received multiple reports of a fast moving grass fire in the 900-block of Rolling Hills Road. Multiple agencies responded to the blaze.
Investigators began working to determine the cause of the fire. Three teens were identified as having been in the area immediately prior to the fire starting. They were contacted by detectives and interviewed about the incident.
The teens were determined to have been walking in the area while one of them, a 13 year-old Roseburg teen, was playing with a lighter. The teen had pulled a clump of dead and dry grass from the ground and lit it. It became too hot causing the teen to drop it to the ground, igniting the approximate 20 acre fire that destroyed two homes, multiple outbuildings and four vehicles. The teens attempted to extinguish the fire and stop its spread, but were unable to do so. At least one of the juveniles went to a nearby residence and alerted the homeowner who called 9-1-1.
The teens and their guardians are cooperating with law enforcement. The investigation is ongoing. The 13 year-old, which started the fire was arrested for Reckless Burning.
Detectives are requesting homeowners in the area to review any security camera footage which may assist them in the investigation.
“Detectives are particularly interested in any footage which may show the teens walking to or from the field as well as any footage which may have captured the start of the fire,” Sgt. Brad O’Dell said.
Homeowners who have footage they feel would aid in the investigation may upload it directly to the following web address: https://douglassheriffor.evidence.com/axon/citizen/public/rollinghillsfire — Douglas Co. Sheriff’s Office
COVID UPDATES
Oregon reports 613 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 2 new deaths
There are two new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 2,836, the Oregon Health Authority reported.
Oregon Health Authority reported 613 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 bringing the state total to 214,869.
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (1), Benton (10), Clackamas (35), Clatsop (5), Columbia (9), Coos (7), Crook (2), Deschutes (23), Douglas (28), Harney (3), Hood River (1), Jackson (58), Jefferson (9), Josephine (25), Klamath (15), Lane (63), Lincoln (6), Linn (43), Malheur (1), Marion (62), Morrow (5), Multnomah (71), Polk (5), Sherman (1), Tillamook (2), Umatilla (34), Union (11), Wasco (4), Washington (58) and Yamhill (16).
Delta Variant on the Rise in Oregon
COVID-19 cases are heading in the wrong direction in Oregon as the Delta variant becomes more common in the state.
Doctors say the variant is more contagious than the original virus, and state health officials said during a press conference earlier this week that cases of the variant have increased as well.
Tri-County Health Officer Dr. Jennifer Vines talked about this concerning development and advises anyone who hasn’t been vaccinated yet to get the shot.
Vines says those who have not been vaccinated should still be wearing face masks indoors, however, she stops short of saying if it should be a formal health policy.
When asked if mask mandates could return for everyone in Multnomah County as virus cases increase, Vines says it’s still too early to say but that it “is under discussion.”
Man Missing after Fall on Mount Jefferson
Steven Van Pelt was reported missing on Friday, July 23, 2021, while descending Mount Jefferson, the state’s second-tallest peak. Rescuers have been searching for Van Pelt since Friday to no avail.
A press release from the Linn County Sheriff’s Office indicates Van Pelt was reported missing after he fell among “extreme mountainous terrain.” A witness to Van Pelt’s fall told authorities they lost “sight of Van Pelt after he fell several hundred feet.”
The Linn County Sheriff’s Office press release states rescue efforts have been complicated by the nature of the terrain which is described as “extremely dangerous and requir[ing] technical mountaineers to traverse the mountainside.” The mountain’s “snow, cliffs, large boulders, crevices, and rock scree” have hindered rescuers’ ability to locate Van Pelt.
A number of search and rescue agencies are involved with the search for Van Pelt including Corvallis Mountain Rescue, Eugene Mountain Rescue, Deschutes Mountain Rescue, Portland Mountain Rescue. Helicopters have searched for him from LifeFlight and the United States Army National Guard.
Other agencies are involved due to Mount Jefferson’s proximity to county borders including Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon Emergency Management, Idanha Fire Department, and Detroit Fire Department.
Workplace Safety, Health Training Grants Available
If you have a dazzling idea for a workplace safety or health training program, Oregon OSHA wants to hear your pitch.
The agency is accepting grant applications for the creation of innovative on-the-job safety and health training programs. Applications are due by 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 8. Oregon OSHA encourages unique projects such as mobile apps, videos, or online educational games to engage workers.
The training grants will focus on programs that target a high-hazard Oregon industry, such as construction or agriculture, or a specific work process to reduce or eliminate hazards. Any employer, labor group, school affiliated with a labor group, or nonprofit organization may apply. Applicants may request up to $40,000 per grant project.
Employers are not allowed to use grants to pay for training for their employees. Materials produced by grant recipients become the property of Oregon OSHA. Many of the materials are housed in the Oregon OSHA Resource Center and are available for use by the public. Some materials are available electronically.
Some examples of past grant projects include:
- Spanish-language flip charts designed to help prevent heat-related illness among forest workers
- Creation of safe design guidelines for anchoring systems used as part of logging operations
- An educational program for nurses to prevent ergonomic-related injuries
The Oregon Legislature launched the Occupational Safety and Health Education and Training Grant Program in 1990. Award recommendations are made by Oregon OSHA’s Safe Employment Education and Training Advisory Committee, a group with members from business, labor, and government.
Grant application information is available at https://osha.oregon.gov/edu/grants/Pages/default.aspx. For more information, contact Teri Watson at 971-599-9638 or i.a.watson@oregon.gov“>teri.a.watson@oregon.gov.
Oregon OSHA, a division of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, enforces the state’s workplace safety and health rules and works to improve workplace safety and health for all Oregon workers. For more information, visit www.osha.oregon.gov.
The Department of Consumer and Business Services is Oregon’s largest business regulatory and consumer protection agency. For more information, go to www.dcbs.oregon.gov. — Oregon Dept. of Consumer & Business Services