The latest news stories across the state of Oregon from the digital home of the Oregon coastal cities, OregonBeachMagazine.com
Wednesday, July 6, 2022
Oregon Beach Weather
UPDATE: Authorities In Curry County Investigating After An Out-Of-Control Van Struck Several People & Vehicles At An RV Park In Harbor On July 4th
What began as a time of celebration became what Curry County Sheriff John Ward calls a tragic accident after an out-of-control van driven by a Brookings man plowed into a 4th of July crowd.
It happened Monday afternoon in the Harbor neighborhood at the Beach Front RV Park where visitors gathered to see the fireworks.
Sheriff Ward says 66-year-old Paul Armenta was behind the wheel of the Econo Van that caused the crash.
“He veered off and struck two vehicles, struck two ladies, hit an RV, then struck the lady that had the RV, and then went on down and struck another RV, which did a lot of damage,” Ward explained.
He says 38-year-old Heidei Bailey was fatally injured as her 11-year-old daughter played on the beach. Bailey’s sister performed CPR on her while 79-year-old Doris Bever and 46-year-old Rebecca Williams were also injured. Williams is still hospitalized while Bever is expected to be released.
A witness says just before the crash, Armenta drove past him. He says he noticed Armenta’s head slumped to the side as if he was passed out.
“The whole thing was unfortunate,” Sheriff Ward said. “We don’t believe it was intentional. It could’ve been a medical issue. We’re trying to rule out a lot of things at this point.”
Armenta was transported to Curry General Hospital Monday night for a 24-hour observation for suspected head injuries. Sheriff Ward says alcohol is not being considered a factor in the crash, which remains under investigation.
43-Foot Gray Whale Washes Ashore Near Manzanita
A 43-foot-long gray whale washed ashore in Falcon Cove near Manzanita over the weekend.
A representative with the Seaside Aquarium says the Oregon Marine Mammal Stranding Network, a research group based at the Seaside Aquarium, has collected tissue samples from the adult whale to determine how it died. It is still unclear what the course of action will be for removing the whale’s carcass from Falcon Cove.
About a week ago, a 120-pound shark washed up on the beach in Seaside. The 8.7-foot shark was a female and had reportedly died before washing in but was still in good shape, according to the Seaside Aquarium.
The razor clam harvest will be closed in Clatsop County from July 15 through Sept. 30.
The annual closure began in 1967 to protect the clam population by allowing newly set young clams to establish themselves.
The closure extends from Tillamook Head in Seaside to the Columbia River. During the closure, staff at the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife will assess stock.
Clatsop County produces over 90% of the state’s razor clam harvest.
Razor clam harvesting will remain open on other state beaches from Tillamook Head to the California border. Bay clam harvest is open throughout the coast.
We want to keep you informed about COVID-19 in Oregon. Data are provisional and change frequently. This report covers the four-day period from July 1 to July 4.
Note: Due to an electronic laboratory report (ELR) auto-processing delay, the case count for July 2 is lower than anticipated and the case count for July 3 is higher than anticipated.
The test counts and percent positivity for July 2 were unaffected by the auto-processing delay. The case counts for the week of June 26 are lower than anticipated. We do not anticipate that this auto-processing error will affect CDC’s Community Levels, which use a Thursday to Wednesday timeframe.For more information, including COVID-19 data by county, visit our dashboard: http://ow.ly/qi6e50JOY8g
People who survive COVID-19 are significantly more likely to have certain health complications than those who have no evidence of ever having COVID-19, according to a recent CDC report. These types of lingering health complications linked to a COVID-19 infection are commonly referred to as Long COVID.
The CDC study included data from 2 million participants ages 18 and up. Some key findings include:
◌ 1 in 5 COVID-19 survivors ages 18-64 experienced at least one health complication that may be a result of COVID-19.
◌ 1 in 4 COVID-19 survivors age 65 and older experienced at least one health complication that may be a result of COVID-19.
◌ COVID-19 survivors in both age groups had twice the risk of developing a respiratory condition or a pulmonary embolism (a blood clot that travels to the lung).
◌ Respiratory symptoms and musculoskeletal pain (joint and muscle pain) were the two most common conditions in both age groups.
This analysis highlights the importance of practicing preventive measures, such as getting vaccinated and boosted and wearing a well-fitting mask in crowded indoor settings. Additionally, it’s important, especially for people age 65 and older, to monitor for post-COVID-19 symptoms and to seek routine care after infection.To learn more: http://ow.ly/UPLM50JP6Yo
Some Oregon Landowners Say the New Wildfire Risk Map is Inaccurate
The new interactive wildfire risk map from the Oregon Department of Forestry shows how at-risk your property is from wildfires. But some property owners say the map doesn’t accurately reflect the fire danger on their land.
The searchable map shows the wildfire risk of properties across the state. Anyone can plug in their address and see where their property falls on a risk spectrum. The map was made by a collaborative that included the state’s Department of Forestry, the U.S. Forest Service and Oregon State University as part of Senate Bill 762. That bill, passed during the 2021 Legislative session, ordered state agencies to undertake a slate of proactive measures to prevent and respond to the growing threat of wildfires.
Doug Grafe, Gov. Kate Brown’s wildfire programs director, said in a press conference Tuesday that many have asked questions about how the map will impact their insurance rates and property values since it was released. And some cities that have their own risk maps have asked to have them grandfathered into the database: They say their own assessments and building standards are superior to those the state might mandate.
About 120,000 of the state’s nearly 2 million tax lots are in what’s called the wildland-urban interface – an area where wild vegetation transitions into areas with more human activity – and in high or extreme risk zones.
“The map is the lynchpin for everything. All of the other programs that could potentially impact property owners are all dependent upon the map,” said Dave Hunnicutt, rural representative on the state’s Wildfire Program Advisory Council.
The color shades on the map show how high the risk of wildfire danger is to your property, with green showing “Low Risk” and red indicating “Extreme Risk.” The map also shows which properties are in the Wildland Urban Interface zone, meaning there’s a significant amount of wildfire fuel near structures.
If someone’s property falls into one of those areas, their property may be subject to new regulations from state agencies. Those include hardening a home against fire danger and creating a defensible space around a structure.
But Hunnicutt, who’s also the president of the Oregon Property Owner’s Association, says he’s gotten a lot of phone calls from property owners, like sixth-generation Central Oregon farmer Matt Cyrus, since the map was made public.
“My first thought was whoever drew the map was probably drunk at the time,” Cyrus said.
His property was designated as “High Risk,” but he’s fought wildfires for decades in Oregon and says he knows his property is not at high risk for fire danger.
“It would be difficult to get any fire going on my property at any time of the year. I mean, it’s irrigated farmland, very few trees on the entire property, it’s quite literally hayfields,” Cyrus said.
For situations like this, the Oregon Department of Forestry says it’s created an appeals process for property owners to challenge their property’s risk assessment if they feel it’s inaccurate.
“So we welcome those appeals. They help us verify the map,” said Tim Holschbach with ODF.
Cyrus told us that’s definitely something he’ll be doing in the coming days.
And Hunnicutt says he’ll be far from alone.
“If the volume of calls that I’m getting reflect the concern from the public, they’ll be quite a few appeals the state will have to wade through over the next couple of months as we work through these maps,” he said.
State partnership announces new foreclosure prevention campaign to support homeowners
SALEM, Ore. — Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS), together with the Oregon Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Oregon Division of Financial Regulation (DFR), part of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, has launched a new website and awareness campaign to support struggling homeowners at risk of foreclosure. The state agencies worked in partnership with Oregon Consumer Justice (OCJ) to develop www.oregonhomeownerhelp.org as a central hub for foreclosure prevention resources.
The mortgage foreclosure moratorium in Oregon expired in December 2021. With rising inflation, many households that are having trouble keeping up with living expenses may be at risk of missing a mortgage payment. Some Oregonians are not aware there may be ways to avoid foreclosure.
“We want homeowners who have fallen behind or are at risk of missing a mortgage payment to know they may have options,” said Emese Perfecto, director of the Homeownership Division at OHCS. “It can be overwhelming to receive a letter from a mortgage company. You are not alone. This website, which highlights certified housing counselors as a key resource, can help them find the best way to move forward.”
The emphasis of the awareness campaign is to direct homeowners who are worried about being able to make their mortgage payment, or who have received a foreclosure letter from their servicer, to do one of two things:
- Call 211 to be put into contact with certified housing counselors at one of the many homeownership centers throughout the state.
- Visit www.oregonhomeownerhelp.org for more information.
“Housing counselors can advocate on your behalf with your mortgage servicer,” said Andrew Stolfi, director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services. “If you get a call or a letter from your mortgage servicer, contact a homeownership center right away. The earlier you reach out for help, the more options you will have.”
In addition to housing counseling services, the website can also help homeowners avoid falling victim to fraud and connect them with legal assistance.
“As the attention on foreclosures increases, so will the foreclosure-related scams. It’s important for homeowners to be on the lookout and avoid falling victim,” said Ellen M. Klem, director of Outreach and Education for the Oregon Attorney General. “The new website and awareness campaign will provide Oregonians with the information they need to stay safe from fraud during this challenging time.”
If a homeowner has provided that information to a scammer and believes they are a victim of a scam, they should do the following:
- File a police report to document the crime for their creditors. Make sure they get the report number and a copy.
- Report the theft to the Federal Trade Commission at 877-438-4338 (toll-free) or at www.ftc.gov.
- Call their creditors such as their bank or credit union, credit card company, cell phone provider and other utilities, and their health insurance provider.
- File a complaint with the Oregon Division of Financial Regulation or call 888-877-4894 (toll-free).
“We know that during the subprime scandal, thousands of Oregonians were targeted by scammers with a disproportionate impact on communities of color,” said Jagjit Nagra, executive director at OCJ. “Many families were displaced and have yet to recover. We want to work hard to prevent people from losing their homes due to scams.”
For more information, visit www.oregonhomeownerhelp.org or call 211 to be connected to a housing counselor that serves your area.
Search For Inmate Who Walked Away From Salem Work Crew
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help finding a man who walked away from a work crew in Salem Tuesday morning.
Juan Castillo, 43, was working with a crew near 12th Street Southeast and Bellevue Street Southeast when he walked away shortly after 8 a.m., the sheriff’s office said.
He had been in custody at the Marion County Transition Center for a parole violation. Anyone who sees Castillo should call non-emergency dispatch at (503) 588-5032.
Oregon Liquor And Cannabis Commission Asking Congress To Remove Barriers To Banking Services For Legal Cannabis Businesses
The agency responsible for regulating Oregon’s pot industry is calling on Congress to change banking regulations. It’s a renewed push by the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission – to remove barriers to banking services for legal cannabis businesses.
“We’ve been hearing from the industry, we’ve also seen a proliferation of crime for the past few years occuring at our licensed retail businesses, just because they are cash heavy,” OLCC’s Bryant Haley tells KBND News. He says they have all that cash because federally insured banks are not allowed to do business with companies selling a product considered illegal at the federal level.
The agency recently sent a letter✎ EditSign to Oregon’s Congressional delegation, “Our chair of the commission Paul Rosenbaulm is not pleased with federal stagnation, so he’s really been pushing this issue as something that we need to discuss.” Haley adds, “This is what we can do to show support, to show solidarity with the industry for this undue burden placed upon them, versus the business down the street selling ‘x’ widgets. I hate to quote my 7-year-old who loves to use this term, but it’s not fair.”
He says regulators know complete legalization of cannabis is unlikely, but allowing legal businesses access to financial services is long overdue, “So many states in this country are operating some sort of cannabis program.”
OSU To Study Impacts Of Removing Klamath River Dams
Oregon State University begins a unique partnership this month, joining a Klamath-area tribe to study the impact of removing four dams.
The removal of four Klamath River dams built between 1918 and 1962 is expected to be a massive undertaking. “By a number of measures, it is the largest restoration, the largest dam removal in history, globally,” says OSU Water Resources Engineering Professor Desiree Tullos, who is leading the research project.
She says they’ll document how the system changes as it undergoes the dam removal, “The changes in water quality, water quantity – How does that impact the food web? Things like algae, the cyanobacteria – How does that translate into disease risk for salmon? Or whitewater recreationalists? Or the tribes to perform their ceremonies?”
Over the next five years, they’ll collaborate with the Yurok Tribe in a first-of-its kind partnership, “It’s a big piece of what we’re trying to do,” says Tullos, “to document, not just the western science, but also the tribal knowledge and the tribal processes. How do they make decisions? How do they understand the system?”
She hopes the data will be useful for future dam removal plans, “There’s just not a ton of research out there that shows how the full food web responds when you have a big change in water quality. If I can say anything about what I expect, I expect to be surprised.”
The dams provide hydroelectric power for PacifiCorp, but don’t meet current fish passage guidelines. Managers determined decommissioning the dams was more cost effective than paying for the needed upgrades. Work is expected to begin next year, with the four dams slated for removal in 2024.
https://www.facebook.com/pg/Have-You-Seen-Me-Southern-Oregons-Missing-People-161249961222839/posts/