Oregon Beach News, Wednesday 10/27 – Witches of Depoe Bay Food Drive, Florence Police Investigating Body Found

The latest news stories across the state of Oregon from the digital home of the Oregon coastal cities, OregonBeachMagazine.com

Wednesday, October 27, 2021

Oregon Beach Weather

Today– A chance of showers before 2pm, then rain likely, mainly after 5pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 62. South wind 7 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Thursday– Rain likely, mainly after 5pm. Cloudy, with a high near 64. South wind 10 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Friday– Rain likely, mainly before 11am, then a chance of showers after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 58. North northeast wind 9 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Saturday– A 30 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 60.

Sunday– A slight chance of rain after 11am. Partly sunny, with a high near 61.

Witches of Depoe Bay Food Drive

The Witches of Depoe Bay are preparing for the 12th annual food drive to support the Bayside Chapel Food Pantry in Depoe Bay.

This year’s event is being held in memory of dear friends of Depoe Bay who are no longer with us. It will take place, rain or shine, from 2 to 5 p.m. this Sunday, Oct. 31. The witches will be collecting cash, checks, and nonperishable food items at the following locations:

• Chester’s Market parking lot, 3950 Highway 101, Depoe Bay;

• In front of the Whale Fountain on Highway 101, Depoe Bay;

• In front of Re/Max Integrity, 110 N Highway 101, Depoe Bay.

Witches and warlocks will be stationed in these three areas to collect donations. All proceeds will go directly to the Bayside Chapel Depoe Bay Food Pantry. Last year’s food drive collected 1,670 pounds of food and $5,311 in monetary donations.

Checks payable to the Food Pantry may be dropped off at the Re/Max office before or after the event. To learn more about the food pantry, visit https://baysidechapeldepoebay.com/bayside-chapel-depoe-bay-food-pantry

Florence Police Investigating Body Found

The Florence Police Department reported the discovery of a body outside of Clawson’s Wheelhouse, 820 Highway 101, on Monday afternoon. The body has been identified as that of Cindy Chance, age 55, who was found deceased under the canopy of the restaurant, which closed permanently in August due to staffing and supply issues.

At approximately 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 25, Florence Police received a report of a female laying on the ground, under the canopy, near the front door of the closed business. Officers responded and found the victim, who they identified as Chance, to be deceased.

Florence Police Commander John Pitcher reported that the death is being investigated by the Lane County Medical Examiner, but it appears Chance was not the victim of foul play.

“Ms. Chance was a transient in the area and she apparently died from natural causes. There was no evidence of violence and there was no one else around. We will know more once we get a report from the medical examiner, but we have no reason to think there was violence involved, at this time,” Pitcher said.

Notifications to family have been made and a final report on the specific circumstances of Chance’s death will be forthcoming.

Oregon reports 1,557 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 23 new deaths

There are 23 new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 4,318. The Oregon Health Authority reported 1,557 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 bringing the state total to 361,240.

The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (4), Benton (44), Clackamas (113), Clatsop (3), Columbia (22), Coos (24), Crook (24), Curry (14), Deschutes (129), Douglas (41), Gilliam (3), Harney (3), Hood River (11), Jackson (86), Jefferson (15), Josephine (23), Klamath (65), Lake (15), Lane (145), Lincoln (6), Linn (66), Malheur (34), Marion (155), Morrow (9), Multnomah (191), Polk (57), Sherman (5), Tillamook (2), Umatilla (49), Union (4), Wasco (11), Washington (113), and Yamhill (71).

Due to an unexpected technical glitch, Opera, the COVID-19 case database, was down from 6 p.m. on Oct. 22 through 9 p.m. Oct. 23. As a result, daily case counts for those days were lower than expected.

That disruption accounts for today’s higher case tally, which arises as local public health authorities work through that backlog of cases.

Gov. Brown receives COVID-19 booster

Gov. Brown received a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot Tuesday and encouraged other eligible Oregonians to discuss booster shots with their physicians.

“Vaccinations are our way out of this pandemic,” Brown said from Salem Health’s Edgewater Clinic. “If you still have questions about getting vaccinated, call your doctor or health care provider today to get your questions answered.”

Brown had the Johnson & Johnson shot earlier this year, and received the Moderna vaccine for her booster shot.

The Federal Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control have approved “mixing” coronavirus vaccinations for boosters. 

Booster shots are recommended for people who received a two-shot vaccination more than six months ago and are:

  • 65 years old and older,
  • 18 years old and older residing in a long-term care facility, or
  • 50-64 years old with underlying medical conditions or at increased risk of social inequities.

Those who may receive a booster after six months include:

  • People 18-49 with underlying medical conditions or at increased risk of social inequities, or
  • People 18-49 who are at higher risk of exposure and transmission of the coronavirus due to their occupations 

Brown was eligible for the booster shot because she received the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine; recipients of that vaccine are eligible to receive a booster two months after having the shot.

Brown said Tuesday she does not expect the state to mandate booster shots, but instead to focus on informing people who are eligible. 

Mass vaccination sites are also not expected for booster shots. Coronavirus vaccines are available at pharmacies and doctor’s offices across the state.

Brown also received a flu shot at the same time as getting her COVID-19 vaccine booster.

“I am extremely grateful for the protection the Johnson & Johnson vaccine has given me,” Brown said. “And now, I am grateful to have received extra protection against both COVID-19 and the flu with the Moderna booster shot and the flu shot.”

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is AROUND-OR.png

Oregonians urged to plan ahead as much of the state faces increased risk of flooding, landslides and debris flows following wildfire season

Oregon is entering its rainy season while recovering from the recent devastation caused by wildfires. The Oregon Office of Emergency Management is warning people living and traveling in and around areas impacted by wildfires about the risk of flooding, landslides and debris flows and urging Oregonians to sign up for emergency alerts, exercise caution and plan ahead. 

Wildfires dramatically change the landscape and ground conditions, which can lead to a higher risk of flooding. Natural, unburned vegetation and soil normally act as a sponge during a rainfall event. But after an intense wildfire, burned vegetation and charred soil form a water repellent layer, blocking water absorption.

As a result, properties located below or downstream of the burn areas are at an increased risk for flooding and debris flows. Even areas not traditionally flood-prone are at risk of flooding for up to several years after a wildfire. 

“The impacts of wildfires are often felt for years after the flames are out. For those in or near these areas, threats like flash floods and debris flows can happen quickly and with little to no warning,” said Oregon Office of Emergency Management Director Andrew Phelps. “Leave if you are told to evacuate or you feel it is unsafe to remain in your home. Have an evacuation route planned that is least likely to be impacted by flash flooding and debris flow and stay informed: Sign up for OR-Alert to receive emergency alerts and pay attention to weather forecasts in your area.”

OEM also recommends developing an emergency plan – for floods and other hazards – that includes building and maintaining emergency kits for home, work and vehicles. When a disaster occurs, it’s unrealistic to expect first responders will be able to reach everyone within hours or even days. Oregonians should plan on being self-sufficient for at least two weeks following any type of disaster. OEM’s 2 Weeks Ready program offers several resources.

The U.S. Geological Survey provides maps showing the likelihood of debris flow in different areas around specific wildfires. The recent atmospheric rivers affecting the Pacific Northwest have proven the rainy season is already underway, and recent data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows a high possibility of more La Niña-related events continuing throughout this fall and winter. 

Floods are the most common and expensive natural disaster in the U.S. Just an inch of water in an average-sized home can cause more than $25,000 in damage. Most homeowners’ and renters’ insurance policies do not cover flood damage. Flood insurance is a separate policy that protects homes and belongings from floodwater damage so residents can recover after a storm. Policies typically take 30 days to go into effect, so it is important for residents to plan in advance.

For more information about flood risk and mitigation, visit Ready.gov/floods. For information on landslides and debris flow, visit Ready.gov/landslides-debris-flow. For information on flood insurance, visit Fema.gov/flood-insurance. — Oregon Office of Emergency Management

Controlled burns to reduce forest fuels and lower risk of high-intensity wildfires are now underway

Oregonians in forested areas may see smoke from a number of controlled burns – known as prescribed burns – this fall and winter. Forest landowners use prescribed fire to eliminate woody fuels that build up on their land from forest thinning and after timber harvests. 

More than a million acres burned in the Labor Day wildfires of 2020 in Oregon, with more than 800,000 more acres this year. Much of that was in prime forestlands. Landowners have been trying to salvage their investments by harvesting whatever dead or dying trees are large enough and not badly burned enough to still be marketable. In some cases, the harvest volume exceeds the average annual harvest by a wide margin. This results in a larger amount of slash or unmarketable felled snags needing to be burned to clear land for replanting and to reduce wildfire risk.

This year’s fall burning season continues to coincide with ongoing concerns related to COVID-19. Smoke may worsen symptoms for people coping with compromised health or lung function due to COVID-19. However, thanks to the wide availability of vaccines that are highly effective in preventing severe illness and death from COVID-19 infections, Oregon Health Authority (OHA) believes it is appropriate at this point in the pandemic to move forward with controlled burns as regulated by ODF smoke management rules. The updated smoke management rules minimize smoke from entering certain populated cities and areas known as Smoke Sensitive Receptor Areas (SSRAs) and encourage proactive communication. 

To protect Oregonians, trained professionals, monitor controlled burns to ensure that fires are lit when fire danger is low and weather conditions are favorable for protecting SSRAs communities from smoke. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and partner agencies monitor smoke levels and air quality across the state. DEQ’s Air Quality Index provides current air quality conditions categorized as good, moderate, unhealthy for sensitive groups, unhealthy, very unhealthy and hazardous. Sign up for text of email alerts about air pollution. View current air quality conditions online or by searching for OregonAir on your smart phone.

ODF has developed a Statewide Communication Framework for helping Oregonians: (1) understand why we burn, (2) health risks of smoke, (3) ways to avoid smoke, (4) where burning is taking place each day, and (5) where smoke is impacting communities. This communication plan is updated annually, distributed to partners and is posted to the ODF website here: https://www.oregon.gov/odf/board/Documents/smac/20211026-statewide-smoke-communications-framework.pdf

In addition to the Statewide Communication Framework, ODF and DEQ recommend communities that are SSRAs and have experienced repeated smoke incidents and/or intrusions in the past collaboratively develop a community response plan and program.  DEQ received special legislative funding to assist with the development and implementation of community response plans. 

DEQ, with support from our partners, is seeking proposals from local governments to develop comprehensive community response plans for smoke. DEQ will award approximately $300,000 for community response plan development and the identification of potential mitigation strategies that could be deployed to protect the public and most vulnerable from prescribed fire smoke. Projects must be conducted within the timeframe of Jan. 1, 2022 through March 30, 2023. DEQ expects to award multiple contracts and will consider grant requests up to $40,000. For grant requirements and additional information, please review the Smoke Management – Community Response Plan Development Projects Request for Proposals​

For more information, visit:

ODF – https://www.oregon.gov/odf/Fire/pages/Burn.aspx

DEQ – https://www.oregon.gov/deq/aq/Pages/Burning.aspx

OHA COVID-19 website – https://govstatus.egov.com/OR-OHA-COVID-19

Oregon Delivery Contractors Sue Amazon

Two delivery businesses that delivered packages for Amazon in the Portland area sued the tech giant Monday, alleging it imposed “unsafe” and “unreasonable” conditions on the contractors and their drivers, throttling the businesses and injuring personnel.

The two companies, Beaverton-based Triton Transportation and Vancouver-based Last Mile Delivery, stopped delivering Amazon packages in the Portland area last June.

Last Mile told drivers at the time that “Amazon has been nickel and diming us so bad” that they couldn’t manage the business profitably or deliver packages safely.

The companies are seeking $15 million, plus damages and attorney fees in the lawsuit, filed Monday in Multnomah County Circuit Court. Amazon said it did not have any immediate comment on the litigation.

Amazon has been facing growing scrutiny from its workers and contractors who allege that the company’s packaging and delivery demands are extreme and unrealistic. The company outsources much of its delivery work to delivery firms, which operate vans painted with Amazon’s logos and whose drivers wear Amazon uniforms.

Triton and Last Mile helped bring national attention to the conditions facing Amazon drivers when the companies stopped delivering packages in the Portland area in June.

In this week’s litigation, Triton and Last Mile allege that Amazon dictated every element of its business, from which drivers they hire to how much it could pay them and the hours they worked.

They accuse Amazon of refusing basic accommodations, such as using smaller vans in the narrow streets of Portland’s West Hills. Amazon “refused to allow Plaintiffs any ability to modify or optimize those routes to account for terrain, density, traffic congestion, construction, or any other important considerations,” according to the complaint.

Drivers frequently worked 12-hour days to meet Amazon’s demands, the contractors say, but Amazon would only reimburse the companies for 10-hour shifts. So the delivery companies had to pay the difference, including overtime, from their own budgets.

And they say Amazon made no accommodations to allow drivers to slow down to avoid creating hazardous situations. Amazon’s “unreasonable requirements resulted in numerous injuries to Plaintiffs’ drivers, including back injuries resulting from (Amazon’s) fast-paced load-out requirements at the warehouse and falls and strains from rushed deliveries,” the plaintiffs allege. “The rushed deliveries also put the public at risk.”

The litigation describes damage to contractors’ vehicles but does not say whether the incidents resulted in damage or injuries to others who didn’t work for the contracting firms or for Amazon.

Triton and Last Mile say Amazon also interfered with their business relationship with vehicle suppliers and others and provided rival contractors with confidential information about the two companies’ operations and personal information about their drivers.

Oregon Special Election – Tuesday, Nov. 2nd Last Day To Mail In Ballots

 Election Day is in one week, and ballots are due back to county election offices or in an official drop box by 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 2.

Issues on the special election ballot will vary depending on where you live.

Postmarks do not count in Oregon’s vote-by-mail system, and after Tuesday (Oct. 26) it will be too late to mail in your ballot to guarantee it arrives in time for the election.

Completed ballots should be returned to an official ballot drop box. | FIND BALLOT DROP NEAR ME

https://www.facebook.com/pg/Have-You-Seen-Me-Southern-Oregons-Missing-People-161249961222839/posts/

Related posts

Oregon Beach News, Tuesday 3/23 – Depoe Bay Harbor Dock in Serious Need of Repair, Two Separate Fatal Vehicle Incidents in Coos County

Renee Shaw

Oregon Beach News, Thursday 12/23 – Dead Humpback Whale Washed Ashore at Cannon Beach near Silver Point, Landslides Could Impact Holiday Travel to the Oregon Coast

Renee Shaw

Oregon Beach News, Friday 12/18 – Local Groups Continue to Push Protections for Puffins

Renee Shaw