The latest news stories across the state of Oregon from the digital home of the Oregon coastal cities, OregonBeachMagazine.com
Wednesday, August 24, 2021
Oregon Beach Weather
Today– Mostly cloudy, with a high near 66. Calm wind becoming west northwest 5 to 8 mph in the afternoon.
Thursday– Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 68. Calm wind becoming west northwest 5 to 8 mph in the afternoon.
Friday– Sunny, with a high near 68. Light north northeast wind becoming north northwest 9 to 14 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 21 mph.
Saturday– Sunny, with a high near 70. Breezy.
Sunday– Sunny, with a high near 68. Breezy.
Coquille Indian Tribe Opens Inquiries for 2022 Grants
After focusing on pandemic-related projects in 2021, the Coquille Tribal Community Fund will return to supporting a broad range of community programs in 2022.
“We felt the need to assist the local COVID-19 response last time,” said tribal Chairman Brenda Meade. “In our new grant cycle, we’ll still consider COVID-related projects, but we also want to serve a variety of community needs.”
The tribe shared $266,107 with more than 60 community organizations and projects in southwestern Oregon in 2021. All the 2021 grants targeted pandemic-related expenses of local and regional organizations.
The grant recipients included food pantries, homeless programs, museums, community centers, veterans groups, services for children and even a couple of music programs.
“It’s a huge privilege to be able to help so many outstanding organizations and projects,” Meade said.
The five counties make up the Coquille Tribe’s congressionally designated service area, based on significant populations of tribal members living in each county. The grants are funded by a share of annual revenue from The Mill Casino-Hotel & RV Park in North Bend.
The tribal fund is one of southwestern Oregon’s leading sources of community grants, distributing more than $7 million over the past two decades.
The fund will accept letters of inquiry for its upcoming grant cycle during September and October from organizations in all five counties. As in years past, the 2022 grants will focus on seven categories: education, public safety, arts and culture, environment, historic preservation, health and gaming addiction.
“We give big grants and little ones,” said Jackie Chambers, the fund’s administrator. “We encourage all kinds of projects and programs to apply.”
Letters of inquiry for the 2022 grants are due Oct. 31. Organizations whose letters are accepted will be invited to submit formal applications by Nov. 30. Grants will be announced in late February or early March.
For more information, visit the tribal fund website at www.coquilletribalfund.org, or contact Chambers at jackiechambers@coquilletribe.org or (541) 756-0904, ext. 1201.
Coos Bay Hospital Nearing Capacity
Bay Area Hospital in Coos Bay is reporting that its COVID unit is full and the ICU capacity is now very limited.
Because of this worsening situation, the hospital is being forced to delay all elective surgeries that would require an in-patient bed.
A hospital spokesperson says there are no blanket cancellations yet for other types of surgery. Meanwhile, Coos Health and Wellness is reporting current Covid hospitalizations at 19. Deaths have increased by three for a total of 49 and there are 127 new cases since Friday.
Curry County Dealing with COVID Surge
Curry County is in the midst of an unprecedented surge of COVID-19. On Monday, the county reported more cases per capita than any other county in the state, according to data from the Oregon Health Authority.
The 136 cases occurring over the weekend and reported Monday also illustrated a sharp uptick from the previous Monday when 55 cases were reported. The surge has moved the county’s running daily average for COVID-19 cases from 14 to 36. Additionally, from Friday to Sunday, the county saw a 20.4% test positivity rate. Since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been 1,148 cases and 13 deaths linked to the virus.
Last week, Gov. Kate Brown announced the state would be deploying up to 1,500 National Guard members to assist at hospitals overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients.
According to the announcement, 500 National Guard members will be sent to more than 20 hospitals in Oregon as soon as Aug. 20 to provide logistical support as materials handlers and equipment runners, as well as assisting with COVID-19 testing and other services. The same day, Brown also renewed a statewide mask mandate for indoor public spaces.
During the surge, St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church in Brookings has been offering free COVID-19 testing and vaccines out of the church’s basement. On Monday, about 20 people were gathered on the lawn outside — either waiting for a shot or a test result.
Earlier this month, South Coast Lumber Co. temporarily shut down, partially due to high-rates of COVID-19 among employees.
As of of Tuesday, 49.5% of Curry residents were fully vaccinated and an additional 7.6% had received at least one dose. The county is administering about 30 doses of vaccine per day, a steep decline from April when the county was giving out more than 300 shots per day. Curry’s vaccination rate is ranked 20th of the 36 counties in Oregon.
Recently, the Centers for Disease Control recommended COVID-19 booster shots for immunocompromised individuals, including those who have received chemotherapy, an organ transplant, or have an immunodeficiency.
Those wanting a COVID-19 test or vaccine can call the Curry Health Network at 541-412-2000 to schedule an appointment.
Additionally, the Coast Community Health center in Port Orford is hosting COVID-19 testing from 1:30-4:30 p.m. and vaccines from 8:20-11:40 a.m. St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church in Brookings is hosting COVID-19 testing from 12-3 p.m. Monday-Saturday and giving out vaccinations from 1-3 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
Oregon reports 2,804 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 30 new deaths
There are 30 new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 3,066. The Oregon Health Authority reported 2,804 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 bringing the state total to 260,425.
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (7), Benton (37), Clackamas (171), Clatsop (46), Columbia (15), Coos (65), Crook (22), Curry (24), Deschutes (135), Douglas (240), Gilliam (1), Grant (4), Harney (7), Hood River (12), Jackson (242), Jefferson (7), Josephine (195), Klamath (25), Lake (3), Lane (195), Lincoln (72), Linn (110), Malheur (47), Marion (464), Morrow (10), Multnomah (152), Polk (45), Sherman (3), Tillamook (26) Umatilla (87), Union (15), Wallowa (4), Wasco (50), Washington (162) and Yamhill (104).
COVID-19 hospitalizations
The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 across Oregon is 1,000 which is 63 more than yesterday. There are 283 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, which is 30 more than yesterday.
There are 45 available adult ICU beds out of 667 total (7% availability) and 369 available adult non-ICU beds out of 4,191 (9% availability).
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.
Note: Please do not visit an emergency department for COVID-19 testing, unless you require emergency care for your symptoms. Emergency departments in Oregon are under significant strain responding to the current surge in COVID-19. You can find a test here.
If you have a medical condition that doesn’t require emergency care, an urgent care center will help you get the care you need and will save emergency departments from added strain.
More information about hospital capacity can be found here.
OHA reports 1,000 COVID-19 hospitalizations
“Today, OHA is reporting 1,000 COVID-19 hospitalizations, a pandemic high and yet another grim milestone in Oregon’s ongoing struggle with the virus, said Dr. Dean Sidelinger, the state health officer.
“This represents 1,000 people who spent the night in the hospital being away from their families and being cared for by health care providers who even in their exhausted states, are continuing to care for those who are sick with this virus. My thoughts are with all of them.
“We are far exceeding the hospitalization numbers we saw during the pre-vaccination surges of last fall and winter. This is putting an unprecedented strain on our local hospitals. Already, we have seen some hospitals suspend much-needed medical procedures because of the overflowing capacity. This affects every Oregonian family and it is not sustainable.
“The overwhelming majority of COVID-19 patients in our hospitals are unvaccinated. The Delta variant is highly contagious. Unvaccinated people are at the most serious risk of hospitalization and, tragically, even death from the disease. I urge everyone who has not yet been vaccinated to please make a plan and get the vaccine. And I urge everyone to wear masks in indoor public settings, or when outdoors among large gatherings. By taking these measures we more quickly slow this surge and once again regain the upper hand against the virus.”
Statewide Mask Mandate Starts Friday 8/27
Governor Kate Brown announced on Tuesday that Oregon’s statewide mask mandate will be expanded to include outdoor public spaces, particularly large events and other circumstances where physical distancing is not possible.
The new requirement begins Friday, August 27, and applies regardless of vaccination status. The Oregon Health Authority also highly recommended masks for private outdoor gatherings when people from different households cannot consistently maintain physical distancing.
At the Governor’s direction, the OHA plans to issue a new rule on the topic. The rule does not apply to “fleeting encounters,” such as when two people walk by one another on a trail or in a park. The rule also does not apply to private settings, despite the strong recommendation from the OHA.
Mask requirements for day-to-day operations at K-12 schools are not governed by this rule, and will instead
continue to fall under the school mask rule. Outside public events, spectator events, and gatherings of the general
public on K-12 school grounds will be subject to the rule. Child care and youth programs will continue to follow
existing OHA mask guidance;
Smoke limited fire activity on most ongoing fires yesterday until some clearing in the afternoon allowed low to moderate activity on ongoing fires. Slightly warmer yesterday than the previous day with moderately low humidity and light winds.
Mostly sunny in the morning with smokey conditions in eastern Oregon. Clouds developed late in the afternoon and
blanketed most of the region by nightfall. There were good humidity recoveries overnight on the west side and moderate to poor recoveries on the east side. No lightning was detected across the region and initial attack activity was light.
After a dry day, the first of a series of upper-level troughs will approach later this afternoon, increasing cloud cover and boosting breezes through Cascade gaps in the afternoon and bring some light rain chances tonight mainly over the Olympics and Washington Cascades. Precipitation chances continue in the northern Cascades Thursday, then shift to northeastern Washington Friday. Gap breezes will pick up a bit more Thursday and Friday afternoons, then calm for the weekend. A flat upper-level ridge will move across the region over the weekend for a brief warming spell before another trough cools the region again early next week.
Diminished fire danger coupled with seasonable temperature and humidity will keep the potential for new significant fires at or below seasonal normal through the work week. Warmer, drier conditions over the weekend will elevate potential for parts of south-central and southwestern Oregon Sunday early next week.
Wildfires happen fast and spread quickly. If you had to evacuate at a moment’s notice, would you be ready?
– Make a plan: http://ready.gov/plan
– Have a go-kit: http://ready.gov/kit
– Receive alerts: http://oralert.gov
– Be ready: http://go.usa.gov/xFd5q
Here are links to be able to see updated info on the larger fires in Oregon:
- Black Butte InciWeb
- Bootleg InciWeb
- Bruler InciWeb
- Bull Complex InciWeb
- Devil’s Knob Complex InciWeb
- Elbow Creek Inciweb
- Fox Fire InciWeb
- Jack Fire InciWeb
- Rough Patch Complex InciWeb
- Middle Fork Complex/Knoll Fire InciWeb
- Skyline Ridge Complex InciWeb
This public lands link is super helpful to check before you head outdoors. The Keep Oregon Green website carries ODF’s public use restrictions. Click the link for up-to-date information:
https://keeporegongreen.org/current-conditions/
Oregon’s Waiting Week for Unemployment Insurance Returns Sept. 5
Starting Sept. 5, the waiting week will again apply to unemployment insurance benefit claims. The waiting week does not impact the number of weeks claimants receive in benefits or the total amount they may be paid. It does mean people need to wait until after the first week they are otherwise eligible for unemployment insurance benefits to get those benefits.
Last year, Governor Brown declared an emergency and waived the waiting week during the pandemic so people were able to receive benefits the first week they filed a claim. Even after the expiration of that emergency declaration, the Governor waived the waiting week further, through the duration of federal pandemic-related unemployment insurance programs. This decision was based on the Oregon Employment Department’s findings that this further waiver would help Oregonians by providing additional federal resources to people in need. With those federal pandemic unemployment programs ending, Oregon law requires that the normally applicable waiting week resume.
“We know unemployment benefits are a critical safety net and people rely on these funds to provide for their families and stay in their homes. With temporary federal benefits ending Sept. 4 and COVID-19 on the rise, this is a stressful time for many throughout the country. We want to make sure people have the information they need when we return to regular unemployment insurance (UI) benefit rules, including the waiting week,” said David Gerstenfeld, acting director of the Oregon Employment Department.
The department’s resources webpage has a list of organizations and services that may help people during this one-week gap in benefits.
The reinstatement of the waiting week may impact approximately 11,000 people, who include:
- People filing an initial claim for regular UI benefits.
- People currently receiving Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) benefits who were eligible for a regular UI claim after their original PEUC claim expired. PEUC rules required that they continue receiving their PEUC weekly benefit amount if it was at least $25 or more than the WBA on their new claim. Once PEUC ends Sept. 4, 2021, these individuals will be moved back to their new, regular UI claim, triggering a waiting week.
Oregon state law requires people receiving regular UI benefits serve a waiting week. Any changes to this law would require legislative action. The waiting week is the first week of a person’s regular Unemployment Insurance (UI) claim when they meet all eligibility requirements. They must claim the week, but they are not paid for it.
The first week people claim after Sept 4., and for which they are eligible for benefits, will be their waiting week. They need to complete work-seeking requirements and file their weekly claim during their waiting week, but they will not be paid unemployment benefits for it. People already receiving regular UI benefits will not have a waiting week, unless they later file a new claim for regular UI benefits. Oregon Employment Department
Former Klamath Falls Police Officer Pleads Guilty for Stealing Methamphetamine and Fentanyl from Evidence Room
A former Klamath Falls police officer pleaded guilty today in federal court after stealing methamphetamine and fentanyl from an evidence room.
Thomas Dwayne Reif, 28, pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception, or subterfuge.
According to court documents, on or about November 27, 2020, Reif is alleged to have entered the Klamath Falls Police Department’s temporary evidence room using an unauthorized key and removed an evidence item containing methamphetamine and fentanyl. Reif briefly left the evidence room before returning the evidence item to the evidence locker and leaving the facility.
Shortly thereafter, Reif overdosed while operating his police car. The car jumped a median, traveled into oncoming traffic, and caused a multiple-vehicle accident. Reif was rushed to the hospital and successfully revived by medical personnel. Toxicology reports showed that Reif was under the influence of substances including methamphetamine and fentanyl.
Investigators searched the personal locker assigned to Reif at the Klamath Falls Police Department. Inside the locker, investigators found that Reif had concealed an evidence bag containing methamphetamine.
On May 20, 2021, a federal grand jury in Medford returned a two-count indictment charging Reif with possession of a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception, or subterfuge.
Reif faces a maximum sentence of four years in prison, a $250,000 fine and one year of supervised release. He will be sentenced on November 23, 2021 before U.S. District Court Judge Michael J. McShane.
Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from Oregon State Police. It is being prosecuted by John C. Brassell, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. Klamath Falls Police Department cooperated and provided assistance throughout the investigation. U.S. Attorney’s Office – District of Oregon
Woman Arrested in Attempted Kidnapping in Portland
A woman was arrested Sunday after attempting to kidnap a 6-year-old boy, threatening his parents with a machete and an ax, and shouting racial slurs at the family, authorities said.
Elizabeth A. Zurcher-Wood, 37, approached a family that was waiting in line outside a pizzeria just before 4 p.m. in downtown Portland, the Portland Police Bureau said.
Zurcher-Wood told the family that she wanted to take the boy and lunged at him, according to police. When the family tried to back away and threw objects at Zurcher-Wood to keep her back, police said the suspect threatened them with the bladed weapons and used racial slurs before running away.
Officers were alerted to the attempted kidnapping and responded to Southwest 3rd Avenue and West Burnside Street. After being warned the suspect had a machete and an ax, officers found Zurcher-Wood a few blocks away.
Zurcher-Wood cooperated with officers and was arrested. The machete and ax found in her possession were seized as evidence, police said.
Zurcher-Wood was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on charges of second-degree kidnapping, three counts of second-degree bias, unlawful use of a weapon, second-degree disorderly conduct and menacing.
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to Kill More Wolves
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has authorized the killing of two more wolves in eastern Oregon, several weeks after the state fatally shot two young wolves from the same pack.
The Lookout Mountain pack was suspected of injuring or killing five cows over two weeks in July, and the state on Monday authorized ranchers to kill up to four of the wolves, excluding the breeding pair.
Another cow was attacked Friday, and the state-approved an extension of the original permit.
The pack consists of the breeding pair, both of whom are fitted with radio tracking collars, two yearlings and five 4-month-old pups.
Their territory is primarily in Baker County, near the Idaho and Washington borders. Two of the pack’s seven pups were shot by state officials using a helicopter earlier this month.
Powerball draw dates wrong on 273 printed tickets
The Oregon Lottery is asking players who purchased a Powerball ticket between 8/18 at 8:15 p.m. – 8/19 at 11:45 a.m. with advanced draws to contact Lottery customer service, as the printed draw dates may be incorrect.
If they are, Lottery will provide a free bonus ticket that reflects the actual draw date printed on the ticket.
On Powerball tickets with multiple draw dates purchased between 8:15 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 18 and 11:45 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 19, the printed draw dates may be incorrect.
An error occurred during the system upgrade to add Monday Powerball draws, and instead of limiting players to only purchase one draw last week, terminals allowed players to continue to select advanced draws. As a result, 273 multi-draw tickets were sold showing incorrect draw dates.
The lottery system sells based on the number of draws chosen, not the actual dates. For example, if a player purchased six draws, the ticket would show three weeks’ worth of Weds/Sat dates. However, once the Monday draws were added to the system, the six draws would happen sooner – three per week instead of two.
To accommodate this error and to meet the dates printed on impacted tickets, Lottery is offering free bonus tickets to impacted players. Players should save their tickets and contact the Lottery to determine if their ticket was one of the 273.
Lottery customer service: 503-540-1000 Oregon Lottery
Note: This issue is unrelated to the nationwide delay in the Multi State Lottery Association (MUSL) releasing Powerball results from Monday’s draw.