The latest news stories across the state of Oregon from the digital home of the Oregon coastal cities, OregonBeachMagazine.com
Thursday, April 7, 2022
Oregon Beach Weather
Today– Sunny, with a high near 69. East northeast wind 5 to 7 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon.
Friday– A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 55. West wind 7 to 11 mph.
Saturday– A 50 percent chance of showers. Snow level 2000 feet. Partly sunny, with a high near 52. North northwest wind 7 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Sunday– Showers likely. Snow level 2000 feet. Cloudy, with a high near 51. Chance of precipitation is 60%
Monday– Rain likely before noon, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after noon. Snow level 2000 feet lowering to 1500 feet. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 51. Breezy.
Coos County Fire Departments Affected By Volunteer Shortage
Fire chiefs in Coos County say their departments are stretched thin and they share a growing concern over their ability to fight fires with a shrinking pool of volunteers.
Charleston Fire District is one of several throughout the county impacted by the nationwide shortage of volunteer firefighters. Officials there say though numbers are on the decline for volunteers, the calls coming in for fires are only on the rise.
“Call volume has actually increased from the 500-600 into the 700s; it was 910 this last year. Right now we’re at 1050 to 1100 call pace for this year, and this is normally our slowest time of the year. We’re burning our people out,” says Charleston Fire Chief Mick Sneddon.
Sneddon says they’re down to one paid staff. He’s working to find funding for a second with the low volunteer count.
“Five, six years ago, we had forty-plus volunteers, and a majority of them were active. Now we’re down to like 17 volunteers, and out of those 17 probably half can actually truly go in and fight fire,” Chief Sneddon says.
Nearby Lakeside Fire Department says they’re also short-handed.
Coquille Fire Department is a combination department with six paid staff and 30 firefighters total, including volunteers. “A lot of our people are working at certain times of the day, so sometimes we get just get a couple of people to show up, and other times we get multiple people to show up,” explains Coquille Fire Chief Justin Ferren.
He says one of the requirements of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is to have 15 firefighters on the scene of a fire within 10 minutes of that fire being reported.
It’s a standard they fail to meet 70% of the time. Both chiefs agree getting more funds to pay staff is the answer.
“But that takes funding to do, so it’s getting harder and harder to find volunteers to give their time,” the Coquille chief tells us. Coquille Fire is working on an agreement with Green Acres and Myrtle Point fire departments to partner to meet the NFPA standard.
City Of Waldport Fines $5,500 A Day To Wrecking Yards That Continue Operating Despite Stop Order
The city of Waldport is fining the owners of property used as a wrecking yard $5,500 a day for violating a variety of city ordinances after they did not obey a cease and desist order to stop using the yard and did not propose a formal cleanup plan.
The city began mailing the notices last week to W.A.M. Recycling and B&R Leasing, which own five parcels of land totaling 3.5 acres on the south edge of the city.
The properties are filled with wrecked and stored cars and recreational vehicles, cranes and other heavy equipment, and piles upon piles of vehicle parts, scrap metal, vehicles, barrels, batteries and other debris.
The fines started March 28 and follow a March 11 city-issued cease and desist order to Coast Towing and B&R Leasing owner Richard “Rick” Fidlin of Waldport. The order said he had to stop all operations on the properties on Forestry Lane and come up with a cleanup plan.
Four properties have been used as a wrecking yard and vehicle dismantling for decades. Last year, Fidlin bought a two-acre parcel along U.S. Highway 101 from Oregon Coast Community College, graded it and began storing vehicles there.
“We see no evidence that the business has stopped any of its activity,” Waldport city manager Dann Cutter says. “We’ll keep citing him until the properties are rectified.”
Cutter said the city continues to see vehicles brought to the wrecking yard by Coast Towing. Fidlin has also not agreed to professional environmental and wetlands studies and develop plans to clean up the property, he said.
But in letters March 24 and again March 31, Fidlin said he was “working very hard” to clean up the property, questioned why he was ordered shut, and would be asking his attorney to get involved. In his latest letter, Fidlin also said he was installing a “sight-obscuring” fence on the properties.
In his March 31 letter, Fidlin said he had operated the wrecking yard for more than 20 years without issues with the city until he acquired the college property along Highway 101. He then accused the city of eying the property to “use as a fire station” then came up “with all kinds of violations against my business to a point of closing it down because of nuisance violations.”
But the city never looked at the property for a fire station because it doesn’t have a fire department. Central Oregon Coast Fire & Rescue – which was looking for a new station location — looked at vacant land farther east on Forestry Lane but decided it was not feasible. Chief Jamie Mason told YachatsNews that the district is only looking at vacant property with a willing seller. The fire district is a separate entity and is working out a long-term lease with the city for its current station in downtown Waldport.
Despite what Fidlin says, the city and its attorney say they do have authority to issue the cease and desist order – and to issue fines and citations to appear in municipal court if the order is not followed.
The city is using its municipal code and sections on junk, trash, solid waste to issue fines of $1,000 a day on four properties owned by Fidlin’s B&R Leasing. The fifth property is owned by W.A.M. Recycling and Jeremy Gainer of Waldport and is being fined $1,000 a day for the code violations and $500 a day for operating without a city business license.
“The city has provided the owners in question with detailed requirements to come into compliance,” Cutter said Tuesday. “At this time, instead of working with the city, they have chosen to excuse their behavior with a myriad of accusations. The city has only one goal – to ensure this property is cleaned up and used within current code allowances.
“The city intends to continue citations until the issues are addressed, or the owner presents a verified plan to remedy the situation,” Cutter said. “Hiding the violations behind a fence is not an acceptable solution.”
Fidlin and Gainer are corporate owners of Waldport All Metals Recycling, sharing a Waldport post office box. But that company was dissolved by the Oregon Secretary of State’s office in 2020.
Gainer is also listed as the owner of W.A.M. Recycling, which was dissolved by the state in 2021. The state also dissolved Fidlin’s B&R Leasing in 2020, but reinstated it on March 14.
W.A.M. Recycling has a state permit to dismantle vehicles, but Cutter said he asked the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles to suspend it because the company is not incorporated with the state. Cutter said Fidlin also does not have a current business license to operate in the city and won’t get one until the property is cleaned up.
Larry Purdy, chief of investigations for the DMV, said W.A.M. Recycling had an active state license when it received a dismantler’s certificate in 2020 and a former Waldport planner signed off on the certificate. The certificate expires at the end of this year.
Because of the dispute, Purdy told YachatsNews that a DMV inspector will visit the wrecking yard to see if it is meeting state requirements on signs, expansion onto other properties owned by Fidlin, and whether the properties are properly screened and fenced.
Purdy said it is rare that DMV suspends licenses if there are problems, but relies on an administrative process to get any violations corrected. If they are not fixed, the DMV can deny a dismantler’s license when it comes up for renewal – which is now every year, Purdy said.
Waldport’s cease and desist order said the businesses are violating numerous city codes by running an auto and metal recycling business in a commercial zone, not containing rubbish, trash and debris, creating a fire hazard and public nuisance.
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, which inspected the wrecking and storage yard last October, also has enforcement proceedings under way against Fidlin for not having a storm water permit before clearing the former college property along Highway 101.
Dylan Darling, a DEQ spokesman based in Eugene, said the agency’s stormwater staff has referred the case to its compliance and enforcement office.
But Darling said Coast Towing has told the DEQ hazardous waste program that it has addressed the hazardous waste issues at the property.
The City Of Brookings Seeks Volunteers To Help Keep Capella By The Sea Open
The City of Brookings is looking for volunteers to help keep the doors of the Capella by the Sea open in Azalea Park starting May 4th.
The Capella was built in 2008 and donated to the City by famed film producer, Elmo Williams as a memorial to his late wife. Volunteers work two-hour shifts greeting visitors and sharing information about the Capella.
If you are interested in volunteering a few hours a week or just a few hours each month this is your opportunity. It requires no more effort than to welcome visitors, sit at your leisure, work a crossword puzzle, read a good book or simply enjoy the spectacular views and light filled space for a few hours at a time.
The Capella is scheduled to be open 10 am to 4 pm most days through September. Hours are subject to change based on volunteer availability and scheduled events.
A volunteer orientation will be held on Elmo Williams Day, Sunday, April 24 at 11:30 am at the Capella. Anyone interested in volunteering or more details please contact Lauri Ziemer at 541-469-1103.
Redesigned COVID-19 Daily Data Dashboard: http://ow.ly/WEjB50IBwkh Updated every weekday, the dashboard highlights data from several sources that monitor for COVID-19 trends and links to related dashboards for more detailed information.
Anyone contracting coronavirus in Oregon is now more likely than not to have a hyper-contagious subvariant of the virus that has caused COVID-19 cases to swell in some regions of the U.S.
The BA.2 variant likely accounts for seven in 10 of coronavirus infections reported to the state, according to the Oregon Health Authority. Meanwhile positive tests have increased in the mid-valley.
Cases reported to the state and positive tests for the virus continued to increase, then plateau by April 5, when Oregon logged 354 cases. That number increased from case rates less than 300 in March but well below the Jan. 8 peak, when 9,626 cases were reported to OHA.
Test positivity, an early indicator for future cases, hospitalizations and COVID-19-related deaths, increased from 2.5% on March 13, a day after the state lifted mask requirements, to 2.9% by March 27.
We want to keep you informed about COVID-19 in Oregon. Data are provisional and change frequently. Note: This week’s Omicron BA.2 estimate of 100% is higher than expected due to a small number of specimens (n=7) available in GISAID during the most recent week. We do not believe this estimate to be accurate. CDC’s COVID Data Tracker Nowcast model (ow.ly/nywv50ICsbO) estimates that approximately 58% of SARS-CoV-2 variants circulating in the US during the last week were the Omicron BA.2 lineage. We believe our true Omicron BA.2 estimate to be similar to the national figure. For more information, including COVID-19 data by county, visit our dashboard: ow.ly/S3nx50ICsho
OHA releases new COVID-19 data — Oregon has seen an increase in daily reported cases of COVID-19 for the most recent reporting week following more than two months of steady declines, Oregon Health Authority (OHA) reports today. The number of COVID-19 tests was also substantially higher, with a small increase in percent positivity.
Hospitalizations continue to steadily decline, falling to weekly levels last seen in early July 2021. The number of COVID-19-related deaths — typically a lagging indicator — was higher for the week ending April 3 than the previous weekly reporting period that ended March 27.
Oregon Garnishes Millions In Tax Refunds To Collect Old Unpaid Tickets And Court Fees
Tens of thousands of Oregon taxpayers have had money garnished from their state tax refunds due to a little-known program that allows the state to collect old unpaid debts, such as parking tickets or court fees.
The impact of this state program has fallen disproportionately on poor and minority communities.
Each year, the Oregon Department of Revenue collects roughly $27 million in unpaid debt on behalf of dozens of state agencies and local governments. The Oregon Judicial Department (OJD) is the largest user of the program, extracting nearly $8 million annually in delinquent fines and fees.
From 2019 to 2021, approximately 61% of the tax refunds intercepted within Multnomah County on behalf of state courts were intended for residents in zip codes where the median household falls below the county’s overall median household income of $71,425, according to Census Bureau data.
Roughly one-third of the tax-refunds intercepted in Multnomah County for unpaid tickets or court fees came from just five zip codes. Those neighborhoods — including Centennial, Outer Southeast, Wilkes/East Portland, Lents and Gresham – have some of the lowest median incomes in the county and highest non-white populations.
Unpaid parking tickets, court fines and fees often bounce between private debt collectors and the court for years before tax returns are garnished. In Oregon, this unpaid debt doesn’t come off the books for 20 years.
Low-income individuals and families depend on annual tax refunds as a financial safety net, advocates argue. “It’s almost like it is set up to keep people in their poverty status and from moving forward,” said Aliza Kaplan, law professor at Lewis and Clark and director of the Criminal Justice Reform Clinic.
Last year, an estimated 68,000 Oregonians did not receive their full tax returns because the state intercepted the money to pay off debts, according to revenue department records. At the same time, state economists announced a huge budget surplus.
In Oregon, debtors can enter payment plans to pay off fines and fees but if they miss payment or if the debt becomes delinquent, then their state tax refunds may be seized.
The money collected for traffic and parking violations is split between the state and agency which issued the ticket.
Multnomah County Circuit Court has $395 million in unpaid court debt on the books, and the balance grows every year. In 2021, the court recovered just a small fraction of that total — roughly $1 million in unpaid debt by garnishing tax refunds.
The true cost of collecting court fines and fees is difficult to measure — both in financial terms and the burden for those who owe.
Oregon’s Chief Justice and Judicial Department have acknowledged court fines and fees are an issue that should be addressed.
“We will continue to examine the impacts of fines and fees, develop best practices for their imposition and take affirmative steps to ensure that they do not create unnecessary barriers or disproportionate outcomes,” explained the OJD strategic plan for 2020-21.
The Judicial Department has worked with the state legislature and within its own authority to help alleviate the impact of fines and fees, according to a OJD spokesperson.
Over the past few years, the court ended the practice of suspending driver licenses for unpaid fines, temporarily paused collections during the pandemic (since restarted), offered payment plans and extended the time before accounts are sent to collections.
Criminal justice reform advocates argue, there are options including an amnesty program — which would allow people with unpaid tickets the opportunity to pay ticket balances without having to pay the additional late fees that have accumulated. Additionally, some jurisdictions have explored a mandatory statute of limitations where tickets could be dismissed after a certain period and deemed uncollectable.
Advocates argue tax refund garnishment is particularly harmful because they don’t have protections for low-income residents.
“It’s really important to realize that there is a segment of our population who will never be able to pay,” explained Kaplan. “We need a better way to handle it.”
State continues paying applications after the Oregon Emergency Rental Assistance Program closed last month
More than 48,000 Oregon households facing pandemic hardship receive over $319 million in rental assistance relief
SALEM, Ore. — Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) is processing for payment applications submitted through the Oregon Emergency Rental Assistance Program (OERAP) which stopped accepting applications on March 21. As of April 6, the agency has paid out $319.2 million in emergency rental assistance to 48,371 households.
Applications are being approved for payment or denied based upon the highest need, not on a first-come, first-served basis. Applicants can continue to log on to the OERAP portal to check the status of their application. They will be alerted by email as their application advances.
Five counties and the city of Portland received allocations from the U.S. Department of the Treasury and are running their emergency rental assistance programs. Tenants can contact their local community actions agencies to inquire about additional available rental assistance resources. Renters can also call 2-1-1 or visit oregonrentalassistance.org for additional information.
Tenants who submit new applications to the local programs can access protections from eviction for nonpayment of rent while their application is being reviewed and processed. Tenants must show proof to their landlord that they applied for the program to receive the protections. Tenants at immediate risk of eviction should apply for rental assistance right away to access safe harbor eviction protections and contact a legal organization:
- Oregon Law Center’s Eviction Defense Project: 888-585-9638 or evictiondefense@oregonlawcenter.org
- Oregon State Bar: 503-684-3763 or legalhelp@oregonstatebar.org
WorkSource Oregon Hosts Series of Job Fairs in April
The Oregon Employment Department and its WorkSource Oregon partners continue to help workers find good jobs and employers find talented employees.
WorkSource Oregon centers across the state are offering job fairs and events across the state. Here are a few highlights of upcoming WorkSource Oregon hiring events:
- Bend – “Spring Hiring Fair,” April 26, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at Troy Field
More than two dozen employers from various industries throughout Central Oregon will be ready to hire at the “Spring Hiring Fair.” Job seekers and interested community members are invited to attend. They should bring resumes and expect to be interviewed on the spot by employers. Employers come from industries such as healthcare, construction, manufacturing, information technology, technology, public sector, education, and nonprofit.
- Marion, Polk and Yamhill counties – Virtual “Meet the Employer”
for the Oregon Department of Human Services, April 20, 12-1 p.m.
The Oregon Department of Human Services is hosting a virtual “Meet the Employer” event. From entry level to experienced and supervisory-level jobs, the agency has a variety of positions open in its Self-Sufficiency and Child Welfare programs in Marion, Polk and Yamhill Counties, including office support, benefits and eligibility specialists, and case workers.
- Medford – “Rogue Valley Careers in Gear,” April 27, 3-6 p.m. at the Jackson County Expo Center
More than 100 local careers will be represented in the “Rogue Valley Careers in Gear” event on April 27. Employers will accept applications on the spot. Attendees are encouraged to bring their resumes and prepare for success!
The Oregon Employment Department (OED) is an equal opportunity agency. Everyone has a right to use OED programs and services. OED provides free help. Some examples are sign language and spoken language interpreters, written materials in other languages, braille, large print, audio and other formats. If you need help, please call 971-673-6400. TTY users call 711. You can also ask for help at OED_Communications@employ.oregon.gov
El Departamento de Empleo de Oregon (OED por sus siglas en inglés) es una agencia de igualdad de oportunidades. Todas las personas tienen derecho a utilizar los programas y servicios del OED. El OED proporciona ayuda gratuita. Algunos ejemplos son intérpretes de lenguaje de señas y lenguaje hablado, materiales escritos en otros idiomas, braille, letra grande, audio y otros formatos. Si necesita ayuda, llame al 503-947-1444. Los usuarios de TTY pueden llamar al 711. También puede solicitar ayuda en OED_Communications@employ.oregon.gov.
Visit our website at worksourceoregon.org
Umpqua Bank Crowdfunding Partnership Accelerates No-Cost Financing for Oregon BIPOC, Women Entrepreneurs
Bank encourages eligible entrepreneurs needing access to capital to apply for 0% financing up to $15,000. Provides a triple dollar match for business owners across four states
Umpqua Bank, a subsidiary of Umpqua Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ: UMPQ), has officially activated its $1 million Umpqua Bank Managed Loan Fund with Kiva, a nonprofit unlocking capital for historically underserved entrepreneurs and their communities.
Through Kiva’s innovative crowdfunding microloan platform, Umpqua is providing eligible BIPOC and women entrepreneurs across its footprint accelerated financial support towards a 0% interest loan up to $15,000 to finance their emerging business.
Leveraging Kiva’s crowdfunding platform, qualifying business owners in Oregon, Washington, California, and Idaho will receive a triple match from Umpqua for every dollar raised for their business from family, friends, and supporters in their communities.
Umpqua is encouraging entrepreneurs in communities it serves to learn more about Kiva and apply for funding.
“Our partnership with Kiva makes it possible for more entrepreneurs to turn support from their communities into a source of capital that would otherwise not be available,” said Umpqua’s Chief Marketing Communications Officer Eve Callahan. “If individuals believe in and are willing to help finance a local BIPOC or women entrepreneur, Umpqua will triple the amount of their financial support so enterprises can more easily and quickly access the financing they need.”
How Kiva Works
For any business owner in need of funding to start, sustain or grow, the only collateral needed to access capital through Kiva is the support of the people and community they serve. Typical barriers to access are removed from consideration, including those related to credit history, physical assets for collateral, citizenship or verifiable financial track record.
Kiva works hand-in-hand with entrepreneurs to set a financing goal up to $15,000 and raise contributions from friends, family, and community members on its platform. Kiva also offers access to a global network of lenders interested in supporting businesses. Financial commitments raised are then combined into a 0% interest business loan eventually repaid to supporters over three to five years.
Umpqua, through the Umpqua Bank Managed Loan Fund, will help BIPOC and women entrepreneurs reach financing goals more quickly by effectively quadrupling every dollar they raise towards their financing goal.
How to Apply
To apply for Kiva financing and the triple dollar match through the Umpqua Bank Managed Loan Fund, entrepreneurs in Oregon, Washington, California, and Idaho can visit the Umpqua-Kiva partnership page. The initial application process typically takes between 20 and 30 minutes.
The Kiva partnership is part of Umpqua’s Small Business Empowerment Program, which brings together the bank’s various initiatives to improve access to funding, products/services and expertise under one strategic umbrella. Along with Kiva, the Small Business Empowerment Program includes partnerships with organizations that are often the first step for entrepreneurs interested in accessing Kiva funds, including: Oregon-based MESO (Micro Enterprise Services of Oregon); Washington-based Business Impact NW; and California-based Centro Community Partners.
“We are excited to partner with Umpqua Bank as part of its Small Business Empowerment Program to provide additional loans and unlock capital for under-resourcedentrepreneurs,” said Sarah Marchal Murray, Chief Strategic Partnerships Officer at Kiva. “Ensuring every business owner has equal access to capital and other resources to succeed is important for creating strong and vibrant communities. Partnering with Umpqua, Kiva is honored to extend our platform’s reach to more communities across the West Coast.”
About Umpqua Bank
Umpqua Bank, headquartered in Roseburg, Ore., is a subsidiary of Umpqua Holdings Corporation, and has locations across Idaho, Washington, Oregon, California and Nevada. Umpqua Bank has been recognized for its innovative customer experience and banking strategy by national publications including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, BusinessWeek, Fast Company and CNBC. The company has been recognized for eight years in a row on FORTUNE magazine’s list of the country’s “100 Best Companies to Work For,” and was recently named by The Portland Business Journal the Most Admired Financial Services Company in Oregon for the seventeenth consecutive year. In addition to its retail banking presence, Umpqua Bank also owns Financial Pacific Leasing, Inc., a nationally recognized commercial finance company that provides equipment leases to businesses.
About Kiva
Kiva is a global nonprofit that brings people together to invest in lasting impact. Kiva connects individuals, institutional investors, and corporations with global opportunities to invest in humanity—when and where it will make the greatest collective impact. With as little as $25, you can help women, refugees and small businesses across the globe build a better future for individuals, their families and communities. Join two million people who have invested $1.7 billion in real dreams and real opportunity around the world.
Grants Pass Missing Person
The Grants Pass Police Department is seeking assistance from the public in locating 30 year old Noah Baker. Baker was despondent after an argument and left his residence in Grants Pass driving a silver Ford Fiesta with Oregon Plate 671MUR.
Baker is described as a white male adult, 5’09”, 170 lbs, brown hair and blue eyes and was last seen wearing black sweats, black shirt, black shoes and a black hat.
If anyone knows of his whereabouts or sees Baker, please call your local law enforcement agency or the Grants Pass Police at 541-450-6260. Reference case #2022-14203 Grants Pass Police Department
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
https://www.facebook.com/pg/Have-You-Seen-Me-Southern-Oregons-Missing-People-161249961222839/posts/