The latest news stories across the state of Oregon from the digital home of the Oregon coastal cities, OregonBeachMagazine.com
Thursday, June 24, 2021
Oregon Beach Weather
Today– Patchy fog before 11am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 67. Breezy, with a north northwest wind 7 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph.
Friday– Mostly sunny, with a high near 68. North northwest wind 5 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.
Saturday– Mostly sunny, with a high near 72. Calm wind becoming northwest 5 to 9 mph in the afternoon.
Sunday– Mostly sunny, with a high near 76.
Monday– Partly sunny, with a high near 63.
Oregon reports 233 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 2,759. The Oregon Health Authority reported 233 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 bringing the state total to 207,333.
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (7), Benton (4), Clackamas (14), Columbia (3), Coos (8), Crook (3), Curry (5), Deschutes (14), Douglas (11), Grant (1), Harney (2), Hood River (1), Jackson (18), Jefferson (4), Josephine (6), Lane (13), Lincoln (3), Linn (14), Malheur (2), Marion (29), Morrow (2), Multnomah (27), Polk (8), Umatilla (7), Union (1), Wasco (10), Washington (12), Yamhill (4).
Weekly COVID-19 cases and deaths decrease; hospitalizations rise
The Oregon Health Authority’s COVID-19 Weekly Report, released today, shows decreases in daily cases and an increase in hospitalizations from the previous week.
OHA reported 1,697 new daily cases of COVID-19 during the week of Monday, June 14, through Sunday, June 20. That represents a 4.7% decline from the previous week and the lowest weekly case count in nine months.
However, new COVID-19 related hospitalizations rose from 152 to 161.
There were 26 reported COVID-19 related deaths, down from 36 reported the previous week.
There were 68,601 tests for COVID-19 for the week of June 13 through June 19. The percentage of positive tests was 3.3%, down from 4.0% the prior week.
People 70 years of age and older have accounted for 38% of COVID-19 related hospitalizations and 74% of COVID-19 related deaths.
Today’s COVID-19 Weekly Outbreak Report shows 21 active COVID-19 outbreaks in senior living communities and congregate living settings, with three or more confirmed cases and one or more COVID-19 related deaths.
Vaccinations in Oregon
Today, OHA reported that 8,306 new doses of COVID-19 vaccinations were added to the state immunization registry. Of this total, 4,465 doses were administered on June 22 and 3,841 were administered on previous days but were entered into the vaccine registry on June 22.
The seven-day running average is now 10,112 doses per day.
Oregon has now administered 2,447,918 first and second doses of Pfizer,1,712,278 first and second doses of Moderna and 163,958 single doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines.
As of today, 2,360,737 people have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 2,115,776 have completed a COVID-19 vaccine series. The number of adult Oregonians needing vaccinations to reach the 70% threshold is 38,143. A daily countdown can be found on the OHA vaccinations page.
Cumulative daily totals can take several days to finalize because providers have 72 hours to report doses administered and technical challenges have caused many providers to lag in their reporting. OHA has been providing technical support to vaccination sites to improve the timeliness of their data entry into the state’s ALERT Immunization Information System (IIS).
To date, 2,946,375 doses of Pfizer, 2,221,000 doses of Moderna and 299,100 doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines have been delivered to sites across Oregon.
These data are preliminary and subject to change.
OHA’s dashboards provide regularly updated vaccination data, and Oregon’s dashboard has been updated today.
COVID-19 hospitalizations
The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 across Oregon is 155, which is nine more than yesterday. There are 34 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, which is one fewer than yesterday.
The total number of COVID-19 positive patient bed-days in the most recent seven days is 1,039, which is an 11.4% decrease from the previous seven days. The peak daily number of beds occupied by COVID-19 positive patients in the most recent seven days is 155.
The total number of patients in hospital beds may fluctuate between report times. The numbers do not reflect admissions per day, nor the length of hospital stay. Staffing limitations are not captured in this data and may further limit bed capacity. More information about hospital capacity can be found here.
LOCAL HEADLINES:
Port of Astoria Agrees To Allow Cruise Ship Stay With Precautions
The Pride of America is planning to spend the summer in Astoria. Stating the commission did not take the decision lightly, the Port of Astoria has accepted a request from Norweigian Cruise Lines (NCL) to berth a non-passenger carrying ship at the port docks for an extended period of time beginning in July.
The Port of Astoria announced it has signed an agreement with Norwegian Cruise Line to host the vessel for 69 days, from July to September.
Will Isom, the Port’s executive director, said it’s a fairly significant deal for the Port.
“In rough financial terms it’s $4,000 per day in dockage plus another approximately $900 in security fees, so all told gross it’s right around $350,000 in revenue to the Port to host them,” he said.
Isom added the timing is fortunate. Depending on what happens with the late summer and fall cruise ship season, the Port is not scheduled to host any other vessels until later in September, at which point the Pride of America would be gone.
Norwegian Cruise Line originally sent the vessel berth request to the Port in May.
The Pride of America is much larger than the Regatta, the cruise ship that docked in Astoria from October to April as cruises were on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic. While the Regatta is about 600 feet long, the Pride of America is 920 feet.
“I think this is exciting news for the Port,” Isom said. “In particular at a time when there’s so much question — even going through the budget committee meetings — of what the cruise ship revenue is going to look like, this is a huge development for us.”
Isom thanked terminal services manager Sue Transue and deputy director Matt McGrath for their work in setting up the agreement.
The cruise ship will not have any passengers aboard. It will be crew-only and the cruise line has its own list of approved safety measures for how it operates. As of Monday, there have been no cases of COVID-19 on board the cruise ship. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention allows crew members to disembark from cruise ships in U.S. waters if the ships meet its safety criteria.
Coos Bay Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Sexually Exploiting a 3-Year-Old Child
A Coos Bay, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison today for producing sexually explicit images and videos of a 3-year-old child.
Keith James Atherton, 33, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison followed by a life term of supervised release.
According to court documents, on July 13, 2018, an undercover agent from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) viewed child sexual abuse material streamed on a video chat website. Less than 24 hours later, Atherton was identified as the perpetrator, located, and taken into federal custody. Further investigation revealed that Atherton had produced several sexually explicit images and videos involving a 3-year-old child.
Investigators seized more than 10 digital devices from Atherton, containing at least 35,000 images and 8,000 videos depicting the sexual abuse of infants, toddlers, and young children.
A federal grand jury in Eugene, Oregon returned a three-count indictment charging Atherton with using or attempting to use a minor to produce a visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct and possession and distribution of child pornography. On February 24, 2021, Atherton pleaded guilty to using or attempting to use a minor to produce a visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct.
Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Coos Bay Police Department, the Coos County Sheriff’s Office and the Oregon State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey S. Sweet prosecuted the case with assistance from the Coos County District Attorney’s Office.
Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to contact HSI at (866) 347-2423 or submit a tip online at www.ice.gov/tips.
Summer Arts Camps are back at Newport’s Visual Arts & Performing Arts Centers
The Oregon Coast Council for the Arts is thrilled to offer a fun and engaging variety of summer visual and performing arts camps for youth between the ages of 9 and 18 years old. Each camp is a week-long and features high-quality arts teachers who tailor each camp to their participants.
“We have both visual arts camps and theater camps to choose from this summer. There’s really something for everyone! We know young people have gone through a lot in the past year, so we have designed camps that will emphasize FUN, creativity and self-expression.” said OCCA Arts Education Manager, Sara Siggelkow.
These will be the first in-person programs offered by OCCA since before the pandemic. Class sizes are very limited so families are encouraged to enroll today! More information including the camp’s COVID protocols is available now at www.coastarts.org/camps.
The Oregon Coast Council for the Arts manages the Newport Visual Arts Center and the Newport Performing Arts Center and serves as the regional arts council for Oregon’s Central Coast.
Art Camp at the Newport Visual Arts Center provides an amazing opportunity for your young artists to have fun and explore hands-on artmaking. Camp includes a variety of activities, games, outdoor adventure, and FUN! Projects help build on a foundation of art techniques and concepts. The resulting artwork will be part of a public exhibit at the Newport Visual Arts Center. Working with various media and tools, campers will learn to interpret the world around them in new ways. Did we mention FUN?
For more information, contact Sara Siggelkow, OCCA Arts Education Manager, at ssiggelkow@coastarts.org or (541) 574-3364. — Oregon Coast Council for the Arts https://coastarts.or
Oregon State Police Requesting Public’s Assistance with Homicide Investigation
On Friday, June 18, 2021 Oregon State Police assisted numerous agencies with the investigation of multiple homicides that occurred in Coos County.
The suspect, Oen Nicholson, traveled to Hwy 126, near Noti, in Lane County where the vehicle Nicholson was driving was ditched. It is believed that Nicholson obtained a ride from someone in the Noti area to Springfield where Laura Johnson was abducted and taken to Wisconsin.
Oregon State Police is requesting anyone with information or that might have given Nicholson a ride from Noti to Springfield to contact the Oregon State Police
1-800-442-0776 or OSP and leave information regarding OSP Case # SP21-168713. — Oregon State Police
AROUND the STATE of OREGON
Labor Shortage in Oregon
On the heels of the pandemic, there was the labor shortage, with businesses reporting struggles to find enough applicants to fill posted jobs.
But for some jobs, finding the right applicants is nothing new. Researchers with the Oregon Employment Department surveyed 14,000 employers in 2020 and found that out of 44,400 job openings, 22,800 were considered by employers as difficult to fill.
With high unemployment during the pandemic, that share was lower compared with past years. The percentage of job vacancies considered hard to fill was 57% in 2019, down from a peak of 64% of vacancies in 2016 and 2017.
According to OED economist Jessica Nelson’s analysis of the findings, the hard-to-fill-jobs had better average pay than other positions (by more than $2.50 an hour) and were more likely to require previous experience.
“With the constantly evolving business restrictions in 2020, along with worker availability that was limited by concerns over the virus and school and child care closures, employers may have needed to offer higher wages or other benefits to find the experienced candidates they were seeking,” Nelson wrote.
Using OED findings, we compiled Oregon’s most difficult to fill jobs in 2020, based on the number of openings and the percentage of openings in the occupation considered difficult by employers.
In general, more remote areas of the state had more difficulty filling job vacancies than metro-dominated regions in 2020. Eastern Oregon had the highest share of difficult-to-fill vacancies at 70%. Employers in several regions reported difficulty filling more than six out of 10 job openings, including Southwestern Oregon (68%), Northwest Oregon (67%), the Rogue Valley (65%), and Lane County (62%). Portland-Metro had the smallest share of difficult-to-fill openings at 33%, followed by Clackamas County at 49%.
Jobless Claims Declining In Oregon and Nationwide
The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits dropped last week, a sign that layoffs declined and the job market is improving. The Labor Department said Thursday that jobless claims declined just 7,000 from the previous week to 411,000. The number of weekly applications for unemployment aid has fallen steadily this year from about 900,000 in January. The level of unemployment claims generally reflects the pace of layoffs.
Oregon tallied just over 5,000 new claims for regular unemployment benefits last week, according to the latest federal data. That’s about 25% higher than the weeks before the pandemic started in 2020, but it’s the lowest count since fresh lockdowns began in November amid a surge in COVID-19 cases.
And the number of Oregonians receiving unemployment benefits has plunged in recent weeks, suggesting workers are returning to the job in large numbers.
With many employers desperate to hire, some states are starting to cut off several pandemic-related unemployment aid programs in response to business complaints that the assistance is making it harder for them to find workers. Starting this month, 26 states will end an extra $300 weekly federal unemployment payment and 22 of those states will also cut off all jobless assistance to self-employed, gig workers, and those out of work more than six months. The extra $300 ends nationwide Sept. 6.
Oregon officials say they won’t cut off the extra aid, though they are beginning to push benefits recipients back to the labor force. Workers must actively resume their job search by the end of July, and they must register to participate in a skills matching program before then.
The Oregon Employment Department said Wednesday that 4,000 workers failed to register for that program last week. They will lose their benefits if they don’t register soon.
Economists at Bank of America have estimated that those who earned less than $32,000 a year at their previous jobs can receive more in jobless aid with the extra $300. At the same time, the federal expansions of unemployment benefits have made it possible for millions of self-employed and contract workers who were previously not eligible for help to receive aid for the first time.
Four states — Alaska, Iowa, Mississippi, and Missouri — stopped providing the $300 payment last week. All but Alaska also cut off the two programs that covered the self-employed and the long-term jobless.
Record Heat Wave for Most of Oregon
According to Weather.gov, “A record-breaking and dangerous heat wave is coming to the West,” and will affect most of Oregon later this week and through this weekend. A strong high pressure over the Pacific Northwest will bring unseasonably hot weather beginning Friday and lasting through next Monday. Temperatures will be 20 to 30 degrees above normal for this time of year, and will remain hot overnight, which will limit relief from the heat and contribute to increased risk of heat related illness.
Temperatures are forecast to climb to record levels, but you can stay cool, use less energy and save money with these tips from Pacific Power
With triple-digit temperatures forecast throughout the Northwest over the next several days, Pacific Power wants to remind customers how to beat the heat, use less energy and save money.
Be air conditioner smart
- Set your thermostat at 78 degrees. Cooling your house below that temperature can increase your air conditioning bill as much as 8 percent.
- Don’t turn off the air conditioner when you’re gone; instead set it at 85 degrees. That setting allows your air conditioner to use less electricity to cool the house than if the air conditioning has been off all day.
- Use a smart or programmable thermostat to automatically adjust the temperature around your schedule. Set it to start bringing your home’s temperature from 85 degrees down to 78 degrees no more than 30 minutes before you get home.
Don’tlet the sun shine in
- On warm days, close blinds and drapes, especially in south-facing windows which allow in the most heat.
Open windows and circulate cool air
- Open windows in evening and early morning to let in cool air.
- Use fans to bring in and circulate cool air. Ceiling and window fans use much less electricity than air conditioning. Running an air conditioner in fan-only mode can also be effective as outside temperatures drop.
Reduce the heat inside
- Use heat-producing appliances like ovens, dishwashers and dryers in the early morning or late evening when temperatures are cooler.
- Use a microwave, slow cooker or toaster oven. A toaster oven uses one-third to one-half as much energy as a regular oven and releases less heat into the home.
- Turn off heat-generating devices when not in use, including lamps, televisions and computers.
Be safe. With sweltering temperatures, you need to protect yourself. Drink plenty of water and stay out of the sun as much as possible. Also check on any neighbors who may have limited contact with others and may need a fan or other assistance.
Heat waves are something Pacific Power experiences each year. From a power supply perspective, we do not anticipate heat-related service interruptions during this current heat wave. In addition to regular maintenance and equipment upgrades, Pacific Power, as part of PacifiCorp, can access a diverse mix of available energy resources – solar, wind, hydro and thermal – which is key to fulfilling our promise of reliability and stability.
The company owns and operates over 16,500 miles of high-voltage transmission across 10 states. That reach is essential in accessing available energy and delivering it to our customers. Still, extreme weather–either summer heat or winter storms–has the potential to produce localized outages. So we’re closely monitoring the system and will respond promptly if an outage of any nature occurs.
If you are concerned about your power bill, call us now. We can set up a payment plan or refer you to local agencies for bill assistance. Call us any time at 1-888-221-7070.
ABOUT PACIFIC POWER
Pacific Power provides safe and reliable electric service to more than 783,000 customers in
243 communities across Oregon, Washington and California. Pacific Power is part of PacifiCorp, one of the lowest-cost electricity producers in the United States, serving nearly two million customers in six western states as the largest regulated utility owner of wind power in the West. For more information, visit www.pacificpower.net.
Olympic Trials Schedule Adjusted Due To High Temperatures
USA Track & Field announced Wednesday adjustments to the competition schedule for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials with regard to athlete safety while competing in high temperatures.
With a triple-digit temperature forecast over the weekend, the women’s 10,000m final will now be run in one section at 10:00 a.m. Pacific on Saturday, June 26. The men’s 5,000m final will now be run at 10:00 a.m. Pacific on Sunday, June 27.
The free park and ride shuttle from the Valley River Center will begin operating at 9 a.m. on both Saturday and Sunday, and the gates at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon will open to spectators at 9:00 am on both mornings as well. A valid ticket for the day’s session will be required to watch the races.
Spectators will be permitted to exit the secure perimeter after the races, but they will need to receive a hand stamp as they are leaving in order to be able to return later in the day. A hand stamp and a ticket are required for re-entry later in the day.
Limited food and beverage concessions will be available for the morning races, with free potable water available in the venue as well.
Spectator information for the event can be found here. All event-related information is available at TrackTown20.com.
Oregon State Police Joins Forces To Put The Brakes On Excessive Speeding
Drivers stayed off the roads in droves during the pandemic. Unfortunately, those who did drive were the cause of a steep rise in roadway deaths, with the excess speed at the heart of many crashes. The Western States Traffic Safety Coalition (WSTSC) members came together to show commitment and emphasis on meaningful public education about the dangers of risky driving behaviors, especially excessive speeding.
The WSTSC Coalition includes the following members from Arizona Department of Public Safety, California Highway Patrol, Colorado State Patrol, Idaho State Police, Montana Highway Patrol, Nevada Highway Patrol, North Dakota Highway Patrol, South Dakota Highway Patrol, Utah Highway Patrol, Washington State Patrol, Wyoming Highway Patrol, and #YourOregonStatePolice.
Excess speed is a major factor contributing to serious injury and fatal crashes for drivers of all ages, along with speeding-related vehicle rollovers. As the nation opens up, summer vacations begin and more people hit the roads, law enforcement will be proactive in helping bring speeds and subsequent crashes down.
Excessive speed has a devastating impact on the safety of life for those traveling on our highways. To help address this issue, the WSTSC will be conducting an Excessive Speed Enforcement Safety Campaign this June 25 – 27, 2021. Assertive traffic law enforcement activity with a targeted public safety focus is the purpose of the WSTSC partnership and this campaign. The WSTSC encourages everyone to plan ahead and allow plenty of time to arrive at your destination safely to avoid feeling the need to speed.
The WSTSC hopes you choose to join us in achieving the goal of zero deaths due to excessive speeds, especially over the #FourthofJuly holiday. #SlowYourRoll #WSTSC #HighwaySafety
Drought Affecting Oregon’s Wheat Industry
Record-breaking drought conditions have consumed much of Eastern Oregon. Wheat industry experts say meager precipitation stretching back through the spring of 2020, coupled with high overall temperatures, have all but assured a challenging year for farmers.
“It’s an exceptionally dry year,” said Larry Lutcher, an extension agronomist for Oregon State University based out of Morrow County, adding, “It’s too late for most of the wheat in Morrow County.”
Luther said the crop-year precipitation in Morrow County ranges from roughly 4 to 6 inches — about half of the region’s long-term average. And a late-season rain would do little to help now, he said.
“Most folks are disappointed that our yield potential will be much less than average,” Lutcher said.
“For us, things aren’t as bad as other drier areas,” said Emery Gentry, Umatilla County president of the Oregon Wheat Growers League, who farms on the foothills of the Blue Mountains near Weston. “But it’s definitely a poorer year for us too. Typically we rely on rains in April and May. And it’s June. And the amount of rain we got is just dismal compared to what we would normally expect.”
The month of March was the sixth driest on record in Pendleton and the second driest in Hermiston. In April, conditions hardly improved, with Pendleton reporting the seventh driest month on record and Hermiston the third driest, according to the National Weather Service in Pendleton.
A May 2021 climate summary from the National Weather Service in Pendleton said many stations throughout Northeastern Oregon and Southeastern Washington reported conditions from March through May that ranked in the top 10 driest three-month periods on record, and some stations reported the driest three-month period on record.
Gov. Kate Brown already declared a state of drought emergency in Jefferson, Deschutes, Crook, Harney, Malheur, Sherman, Wallowa, Lake, Jackson and Klamath counties. In April, Umatilla County declared a drought and asked Brown to follow suit.
“Basically, between February and now, we have not had any substantial rain in a good segment of the state,” said Amanda Hoey, the chief executive officer for the Oregon Wheat Growers League and Oregon Wheat Commission. “The crop conditions have certainly declined. We have a lot of wheat in fair condition, very little that’s in good or excellent condition.”
Hoey said farmers statewide are voicing concerns over the conditions.
“I don’t think anybody is expecting to see anything that is above average, for certain,” she said. “Average would be ambitious. We’re probably looking at below-average overall.”
But average wheat prices have remained strong throughout the year, experts say, ranging from about $7 to more than $8 per bushel. Hoey said new international trade agreements with places such as China have bolstered the sale of soft white wheat this year, as the majority of wheat grown in Oregon is exported internationally.
But a meager crop this year will impact the region’s economy regardless, Hoey added.
“As an industry, agriculture has a huge ripple effect down the supply chain,” she said. “You need to have a healthy agriculture industry to have a healthy economy overall. We’re resilient. I will say, it will be an extraordinarily tough year with what we have out there.”
Oregon Senate Approves Bill for Local Sales Tax Hike on Marijuana Consumers
On June 23, 2021, the Oregon Senate approved on a vote of 23-6 a measure, SB 864, that if passed by the House of Representatives and signed by Governor Kate Brown will allow cities and counties to raise their portion of the sales tax on marijuana items sold in recreational dispensaries from 3%, as allowed under current law, to 10%. This means that the total tax applied at the time of sale could increase from 20% to 27%, representing a 35% tax hike to Oregon recreational cannabis consumers.
While the bill, if it becomes law, will not automatically result in a tax increase, it will allow the governing bodies of cities and counties to raise the marijuana sales tax within their own jurisdictions, much like current law. However, if past experience is predictive, it is nearly certain that most or all local governments will take the necessary steps to enact the tax increase. Customers who present current, valid OMMP cards at the time of sale will continue to be exempt from this tax.
The measure now moves to the House for consideration and based on the vote in the Senate is likely to pass unless constituents make their voices heard in opposition. If you’d like to make your voice heard, you can use this online tool to look up your representative. The legislative session is set to expire on Sunday, June 27, 2021, so time is of the essence.