The latest news stories across the state of Oregon from the digital home of the Oregon coastal cities, OregonBeachMagazine.com
Thursday, February 10, 2022
Oregon Beach Weather
Today– Areas of dense fog before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 61. North wind 6 to 10 mph.
Friday– Sunny, with a high near 62. North northeast wind 6 to 8 mph.
Saturday– Sunny, with a high near 61. East wind 6 to 8 mph.
Sunday– Partly sunny, with a high near 56.
Monday– Rain. Cloudy, with a high near 50.
Controversy Over North Bend City Council Paying City Administrator’s Legal Fees
On Tuesday, North Bend’s city council voted to reimburse city administrator David Milliron $12,121.97 in legal fees pertaining to a personnel investigation involving him.
The vote was 4-2 with councilors Susanna Noordhoff and Pat Goll voting against the reimbursement. Councilor Bill Richardson was not present.
“There was no council consensus that any claims were founded, nor any direction from the council to move forward with any corrective action, and as such this matter was effectively closed following the council’s review,” Mayor Jessica Engelke said.
Following the investigation, the city council reviewed the underlying reports, Engelke said. The council also heard from Milliron and his attorney.
“This is a unique situation and isolated to this single event and not to set precedent,” Engelke said. “Reimbursement of these fees would be a way to move past this and move the city forward in a positive direction.”
It’s unclear what sparked the investigation, who conducted it, and what the findings of the investigation were. However, after reviewing its findings, the council did not take action against Milliron, according to Engelke.
Noordhoff shared her disagreement with reimbursing the city administrator for attorney fees during the meeting.
“I think it is unethical. I think it is cronyism and possibly venturing over into corruption,” Noordhoff said.
Noordhoff said she disagreed with the claims that this does not set precedent for the future.
“I think that it would be extremely rare to find anybody that sits as a judge and a jury on a formal investigation by high ranking city officials, for that judge and that jury to award attorney fees,” she said. “That to me, and the statement by the mayor that, ‘Oh, no, this doesn’t set precedent.’ You’re darn well it does set precedent. I think that it is absolutely outrageous to say it doesn’t set a precedent. It does.”
In response to Noordhoff’s claims, Engelke asked the city’s attorney, Mark Wolf, to clarify the city has the ability to reimburse the legal fees. “The city does have the ability to spend this money. It’s a policy decision which falls within the council,” Wolf said.
Councilor Larry Garboden expressed interest in reimbursing the fund during a separate meeting on Monday.
“The whole investigation was done without council approval and anything that was created from that investigation could harm the city administrator personally and professionally,” Garboden said. “If we would have been able to make the decision to hear it in-house instead of letting it go all the way through the investigation process — costs the city a lot of money — David wouldn’t have had to spend the money for attorney fees to protect himself. So I see no problem reimbursing him.”
According to a letter from Roland Iparraguirre, the attorney representing former North Bend police captain Curtis Bennett sent to media outlets in October 2021, multiple complaints have been filed against Milliron.
“In particular, on June 23, 2021, Chief Kappelman submitted a 12-page letter to the City outlining serious concerns about David Milliron including, but not limited to, detailed complaints directly related to Mr. Milliron’s conduct and behavior during the time the NBPD was consumed with a quadruple homicide investigation,” the letter said.
According to the letter from Iparraguirre, “a series of strange investigations involving many personnel” followed complaints about Milliron.
“We are unaware of any conclusion to these investigations,” Iparraguirre wrote. “We do know, however, that North Bend City Council held several executive sessions, presumably to discuss the investigations and the accusations leveled against David Milliron.”
“We are writing this letter to make you aware of conditions within the police department that cause us grave concern,” the complaint reads. “We don’t know where else to turn for help. We considered a letter to Mayor Engelke and Council President Richardson, but our intent is not to circumvent the chain of command. All efforts to inform or gain help from the City Administrator have been ignored or grossly misrepresented.”
The letter detailed “significant problems within the police department” including understaffing, the need for officers to log rampant overtime, lack of training for officers, and others. The letter also offered solutions to these issues including immediately converting the community safety officer position to a sworn officer position in order to reduce overtime expenditures, restoring dispatch staffing and working toward a joint dispatch center in order to relieve stress on the department’s dispatch center, and restoring two additional sworn positions in fiscal year 2022-2023.
“This letter is our last best effort to help you understand how dire the situation is within our police department. We cannot continue under the current conditions. We are pleading with you to please help us immediately address these issues and provide hope for a brighter future,” the complaint said.
Both Kappelman and Bennett retired from their positions within the North Bend Police Department on Oct. 6, 2021.
A statement released on behalf of both Kappelman and Bennett by the pair’s attorneys clarified the reasoning behind the pair’s retirements.
“Chief Kappelman and Captain Bennett retired due to their loss of confidence in City Administrator David Milliron and the City Council, plain and simple,” the statement said. “Chief Kappelman and Captain Bennett endured a year of David Milliron’s increasingly bizarre and abusive behavior, culminating in his inappropriate interjection into a quadruple homicide case in June of 2021.”
In the past, Milliron has served in various leadership roles in multiple cities around the country.
Before he began serving as North Bend’s city administrator in October 2020, he served as city manager in Danville, Kentucky. He began serving in this position in January 2020. He was fired in June 2020, according to a special called city commission meeting posted to the City of Danville’s YouTube channel on June 12, 2020.
Prior to that he served as city manager in Hogansville, Georgia, from September 2017 until he resigned in January 2020. And before that, he served as city manager in Villa Rica from 2015 until his employment was terminated without cause in 2017, according to minutes from a February 16, 2017, special council meeting.
Coos Bay Officer Attacked By Man
On Tuesday afternoon just after 1pm, a Coos County Sheriff’s deputy responded to N. Coos River Hwy at the request of Bay Cities Ambulance, which reported a man slumped over at the wheel of his vehicle and non-responsive.
Bay Cities personnel advised the man was refusing medical attention and had driven away from the location. It was also relayed to the deputy by medical personnel that the man was driving impaired.
The deputy located the man and his vehicle at the Rooke Higgins boat ramp.
According to CCSO, the man, later identified as 27-year-old Wyatt R. Morgan, attempted to cut the deputy’s wrist with a large knife while the deputy was attempting to arrest him.
“Morgan then ran over the deputy’s foot while striking the deputy in the side with his vehicle,” the sheriff’s office said. “Mr. Morgan drove over a steep embankment to evade arrest and a vehicle chase ensued.”
The pursuit went down-river on N. Coos River Hwy, through a construction zone with several ODOT workers, then continued onto Catching Slough, Coos Sumner, Fairview Sumner, Lone Pine Lane, and Sitkum Lane, where Morgan eventually crashed into a fence at Ferona County Park.
He then fled on foot from officers, but was eventually taken into custody after he was tased, the report said.
Morgan was arrested and transported to the Coos County Jail on multiple charges.
“The Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Coos Bay Police Department, Coquille Police Department, Myrtle Point Police Department, and Oregon State Police along with the citizens of Coos County all for assisting and ensuring a peacefully resolution to this case with no major injuries to anyone involved.”
Oregon reports 3,309 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 57 new deaths
There are 57 new COVID-19-related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 6,322, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) reported at 12:01 a.m. today. OHA reported 3,309 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 668,783.
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (19), Benton (96), Clackamas (216), Clatsop (23), Columbia (41), Coos (75), Crook (31), Curry (43), Deschutes (180), Douglas (80), Grant (8), Harney (4), Hood River (20), Jackson (219), Jefferson (68), Josephine (98), Klamath (86), Lake (6), Lane (383), Lincoln (54), Linn (170), Malheur (27), Marion (316), Morrow (3), Multnomah (397), Polk (91), Sherman (4), Tillamook (16), Umatilla (46), Union (15), Wallowa (5), Wasco (21), Washington (372), Wheeler (19), Yamhill (57)
Statewide, the COVID-19 hospitalization numbers are entering a downward slope.
Oregon’s hospitalizations reported Tuesday were 75 occupied beds short of the omicron peak so far, Jan. 27. An Oregon Health & Science University forecast last week said hospitalizations either had already peaked or would do so Feb. 6th.
The burden on hospitals from the omicron surge has been far less severe than originally predicted, with experts attributing the difference to Oregonians’ efforts to prevent spread. With the omicron surge on its way out, hospitals will be less likely to see big spikes in COVID-19 hospitalizations because of how many people have developed immunity to the disease, OHSU data analyst Peter Graven said last week in a statement. The state also reported 21 additional deaths connected to COVID-19.
The CDC is pleading with states not to drop school mask mandates. Director Rochelle Walensky says now is not the moment. She told the news agency Reuters their guidance hasn’t changed and still recommends students mask up due to the high rate of new infections. This comes as Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey and our state of Oregon plan to end their school mask mandates. California will also stop its indoor mandate next week and New York will reportedly do the same tomorrow, but not just yet for schools.
Oregon Community Foundation to Deploy Nearly $1.46 Million in American Red Cross Relief for Fire Impacted Communities in Oregon
February 9, 2022 – The Community Rebuilding Fund, a joint effort led by Oregon Community Foundation in partnership with American Red Cross (as well as Meyer Memorial Trust and The Ford Family Foundation), today announced $1,455,000 in Community Rebuilding Fund grants made possible through American Red Cross funding. The grants will support seven nonprofit organizations providing vital help to Oregon communities continuing to rebuild from the 2020 fires.
“The American Red Cross has stood alongside Oregonians and provided support for their recovery from the very first days of the devastating 2020 fires,” said Amanda Ree, Executive Director, Wildfire Recovery Programs for the American Red Cross. “Our strong partnership with Oregon Community Foundation helps us continue our efforts, and direct help where it is most urgently needed. We applaud these organizations on the ground delivering critical fire recovery services in Oregon.”
Following are the seven community organizations that will be supported with this latest round of $1,455,000 in Community Rebuilding Fund grants, made possible through the American Red Cross:
Echo Mountain Fire Relief| $240,000
To build capacity among local service providers who are assisting 2020 fire survivors, specifically with bilingual resource workers to reach rural Latino/a/x community members and mental health counseling for survivors.
Glide Revitalization | $240,000
To provide support for the unmet needs of Douglas County residents who survived the Archie Creek Wildfire in 2020, including housing and childcare.
McKenzie Valley Long Term Recovery Group | $200,000
To provide funding to the Unmet Needs Committee for survivors of the Holiday Farm Fire in 2020.
Remake Talent | $240,000
To continue to support the Fire Zone Captains and Loss & Recovery Data Dashboard, two programs serving the 3500 survivors of the Almeda Fire in 2020.
Santiam Canyon Wildfire Relief Fund | $245,000
To provide funding for the Unmet Needs Committee to deploy to 2020 fire survivors and assist with housing, appliances, furniture and sheds for rebuilding.
Unite Oregon | $250,000
To continue to serve the Latino community who survived the 2020 Almeda Fire by developing and training community leaders, including youth, and distributing basic needs support to those still displaced.
United Way of Lane County | $40,000
To provide funding for the unmet needs of the survivors of the Holiday Farm Fire in 2020.
“The recovery and rebuilding process will take years. Together – and with generous support from committed partners like American Red Cross – Oregon will recover and flourish again,” said Sonia Worcel, Chief Community Impact Officer, Oregon Community Foundation. “We’re incredibly grateful to the many nonprofits on the frontline helping our neighbors rebuild their homes and their lives.”
About the 2020 Community Rebuilding Fund
The 2020 Community Rebuilding Fund launched in response to Oregon’s devastating 2020 wildfire season which forever changed many of Oregon’s vibrant rural communities. Recognizing equitable, inclusive and resiliency-based rebuilding is essential, the 2020 Community Rebuilding Fund centers the needs of Oregon’s vulnerable residents most impacted – including Latino/a/x, Tribal and rural community members. The Fund supports community-led rebuilding that engages residents in shaping the future of the diverse and dynamic places they call home. The 2020 Community Rebuilding Fund is led by Oregon Community Foundation, in partnership with Meyer Memorial Trust, The Ford Family Foundation and American Red Cross and in addition to each partner, is primarily funded through individual, corporate and foundation support. To learn more, please visit: Community Rebuilding Fundhttps://oregoncf.org/grants-and-scholarships/grants/community-rebuilding-fund-grants/community-rebuilding-fund-values/.
About Oregon Community Foundation
Oregon Community Foundation (OCF) works with donors and volunteers to award grants and scholarships to every county in Oregon. From 2020 to 2021, OCF distributed more than $560 million, supporting more than 4,000 nonprofits and 6,000 students. With OCF, individuals, families, businesses, and organizations create charitable funds that meet the needs of diverse communities statewide. Since its founding in 1973, OCF has distributed more than $2 billion toward advancing its mission to improve lives for all Oregonians. For more information, please visit: oregoncf.org.
About American Red Cross
American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. American Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org.
Oregon’s Revenue Surpasses Expectations Again
Oregon lawmakers were briefed Wednesday on the state’s quarterly revenue forecast, and the outlook again went beyond earlier expectations. Even with Oregonians expected to receive a kicker refund of about $964 million in 2024, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle quickly identified opportunities for spending more than $900 million in additional revenue.
But for many Oregonians still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic or destructive wildfires, the bird’s-eye economic analysis may not resemble their personal experience. The report pointed to overall rising wages and a tight labor market, with workers in high demand — and the higher wages mean more tax income for the state.
For lawmakers, the growth in revenue means a larger budget to work with. While Democrats and Republicans agreed on the need for new spending, they had different ideas on where that money should go.
Sunny Valley Man Trying To Shoot Bear Accidentally Kills Brother Then Kills Himself
On February 8, 2022, at approximately 6:59 AM, Josephine County 911 received a report of a shooting at a residence in the 2000 block of Placer Road in Sunny Valley.
The caller reported that he had accidentally shot his brother while loading a gun because there was a bear on their property.
Upon arrival, Deputies located a deceased male from an apparent gunshot wound. While checking the rest of the residence, a second deceased male was located with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Sheriff’s Office Detectives were assisted by Detectives from the Oregon State Police.
Based upon the investigation, it is believed the caller took his own life after calling 911 to report the accidental shooting. This case is still under investigation and will be forwarded to the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office. Josephine Co. Sheriff’s Office
Body Found in Hillsboro Business Building Fire Debris
A man’s body was found this week among the debris from the Weil Arcade building fire in downtown Hillsboro that destroyed dozens of businesses. This discovery comes more than a month after the historic building was destroyed on January 2nd.
According to Hillsboro Police, the man, who has not been identified, died from smoke inhalation. Investigators don’t believe he was connected to any businesses in the building.
Investigators said the delay in finding the body was due to safety concerns with the building.
“It was unsafe for a couple reasons. The fire was still burning for a number of days,” Sergeant Clint Chrz with Hillsboro Police, said. “The front side facade of the businesses that faces main street, we were concerned that portion was unstable, and it would either fall back into the burned-out debris or fall into the sidewalk or street. So, that prevented anybody, police investigators, fire investigators, ATF investigators, from going in there.”
Police said they don’t believe there are any more victims.
Roel Leon, 34, is accused of starting the Jan. 2 fire, as well as starting torching two nearby vehicles the same night. She’s also accused of a burglary in downtown Hillsboro that happened Dec. 2nd.
Leon was arrested a few days after the Weil Arcade fire and booked into the Washington County Jail on two counts of second-degree arson and two counts of second-degree burglary. Hillsboro Police will send updates on the body found to the Washington County District Attorney’s Office to determine whether charges will be upgraded.
The fire started around 3 a.m. Jan. 2 and ripped through a building that’s been a Main Street staple for over 100 years. It took more than 12 hours and over 90 firefighters to extinguish the flames. More than a dozen businesses were destroyed.
Fatal Motorcycle Crash on Hwy 31-Lake County
On Tuesday, February 8th, 2022 at approximately 4:47 PM, Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to the report of a motorcycle crash on Highway 31 near milepost 65.
Preliminary investigation revealed that a northbound Harley Davidson motorcycle, operated by Trustin Hudson (39) of Bend, failed to negotiate the corner, went off the roadway and struck a tree.
Hudson sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased. OSP was assisted by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and the Oregon Department of Transportation. Oregon State Police
Winter Wings Festival Will Now Focus on Decline of Klamath Falls Migratory Bird Refuges
Once attracting millions of birds at a time during the mid-20th Century, the Klamath Basin’s “Everglades of the West” have made it a Mecca for birders. But after two years of intense drought, most of the watershed’s iconic wetlands are high and dry.
Now the Winter Wings Festival, which typically celebrates the Klamath’s avian bounty each February, is making a bit of a pivot. Previous years’ Winter Wings Festivals, presented by the Klamath Basin Audubon Society, has always included birding field trips to Lower Klamath and Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuges, which are all that’s left of
hundreds of thousands of acres of wetlands that once filled the Upper Klamath Basin.
The refuges were renowned for their variety of migratory bird species, particularly waterfowl and bald eagles, due to their crucial position on the Pacific Flyway. As many as 80% of all migrating birds on the West Coast of North America stop here to rest and eat on their journeys between the Arctic and the tropics.
This winter, only a few thousand acres on Tule Lake Refuge’s Sump 1B remain wet — the refuge’s larger wetland unit and all but a few puddles worth of Lower Klamath Refuge sit dry and cracked. There are still birds, but Winter Wings attendees visiting the basin for the first time since 2020 may be in for a shock.
This year, the festival program includes seven presentations and field trips directly addressing the decline of the Klamath refuges, how they fit into the basin’s water crisis and what can be done to fix things. Refuge staff, local historians, private landowners and non-governmental organizations are lined up to help festival-goers unravel the complexities of the Klamath from the avian perspective.
Klamath County Sheriff’s Office Asks for Public’s Help in Search For Trucker Suspect
The first real clue to come in on all the missing person cases in the area. Help Klamath Falls Oregon Sheriff Office ID this trucker. He was the last to see this woman alive and could be the key to not only solving this woman’s disappearance but a number of the hundred other women missing in PNW. IF you have any information, please call (541) 883-5130
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.
https://www.facebook.com/pg/Have-You-Seen-Me-Southern-Oregons-Missing-People-161249961222839/posts/