The latest news stories across the state of Oregon from the digital home of the Oregon coastal cities, OregonBeachMagazine.com
Monday, April 10, 2023
Oregon Beach Weather
No Damages Reported In Another 4.0 Earthquake Off Coast From Yachats
A magnitude 4.0 earthquake was recorded off Oregon’s coast on Sunday morning, the United States Geological Survey reported.
The temblor uncorked about 270 miles west of Yachats, according to the federal scientific agency. No injuries or damage have been reported; only three people so far have filled out the USGS’s “Felt Report” survey.
The Oregonian/OregonLive’s Real-Time Earthquake Map, which is updated every 15 minutes, shows how commonplace such small quakes are in the region.
Another 4.0 quake rumbled about 132 miles west of Coos Bay on March 26, for example. On March 17, a 4.3 quake hit in the same general area in the Pacific Ocean. Those quakes also caused no damage or tsunami warnings.
Which isn’t to say there’s no reason to be prepared. Experts believe there’s about a 40% chance a large quake — up to magnitude 9.0 — from the Cascadia subduction zone will hit sometime in the next 50 years. January marked the 323rd anniversary of the last major quake along the 600-mile fault off the Pacific Northwest coast. (SOURCE)
Man Tracked By K9 Cena And Arrested After Eluding Police In A Stolen Vehicle
On April 7, 2023, at 9:30 a.m., the Coos County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center received information that Reedsport Police were involved in a vehicle pursuit with a silver Ford Mustang. Dispatch further relayed that the chase began in the Florence area.
After receiving this information, Sgt. Slater from the Sheriff’s Office responded to the north county line with “Stop sticks” to assist in ending this dangerous chase. While en-route, dispatch advised Reedsport Police had lost sight of the vehicle.
A short time later, an Oregon State Police Trooper observed the vehicle turn onto Wildwood Road in Hauser from the south entrance. The Trooper followed the car (not in pursuit) to where it entered Ocean Pines, R.V. Park. Sgt. Slater responded to the R.V. Park and observed the silver Mustang attempting to exit the park. The Trooper placed out, “Stop sicks,” at the park entrance and was nearly struck by the vehicle’s driver as it accelerated around the obstacle. The “Stop Sticks” made contact with the right front tire.
Sgt. Slater began to pursue the vehicle northbound on Wildwood Road, ending with the car sliding into the brush at the end of Ridling Road after the road ended.
The suspect, later identified as Matthew D. Hulen (23) of Coos Bay, fled from the vehicle on foot while being chased by Sgt. Slater across U.S. Hwy 101 onto Crannog Lane. Sgt. Slater could not catch the suspect and returned to his patrol vehicle to retrieve K9 Cena to conduct a criminal apprehension track.
K9 Cena began tracking for Mr. Hulen while several perimeter units from the Oregon State Police, North Bend Police, and Sheriff’s Office arrived in the area and were placed by Sgt. Slater via radio. While tracking westbound on Crannog Lane, a perimeter unit observed the suspect running westbound about 200 yards in front of the K9’s location.
Ultimately a Trooper from the Oregon State Police on the perimeter was able to place Mr. Hulen into custody without incident. Mr. Hulen was transported to the Coos County Jail, where he remains in custody on the charges of attempted assault II, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, eluding by vehicle, eluding by foot, reckless driving, and reckless endangering.
The Oregon Department of Emergency Management honors the state’s dedicated 911 professionals during National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week
SALEM, Ore. – The Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM) recognizes April 9-15 as National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, an annual event that honors the critical role emergency response coordination professionals play in keeping the nation’s communities safe and secure.
Oregon has 43 standalone 911 centers known as Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) that serve as the first and single point of contact for people seeking immediate relief during an emergency. Nearly 800 dedicated telecommunicators across the state answer at least 2 million emergency calls annually for law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services. These 911 professionals respond to emergency calls, dispatch emergency professionals and equipment, and render life-saving assistance in times of intense personal crises and community-wide disasters.
“Oregon’s 911 telecommunicators are heroes devoted to public safety and helping others. They work long hours, remaining calm in all types of situations and quickly constructing plans of action based on limited information,” said OEM State 911 Program Manager Frank Kuchta. “These individuals are lifelines in an emergency, and this annual observance honors their skills, dedication and commitment to helping Oregonians.”
Some 911 professionals are certified as emergency medical dispatchers (EMDs), emergency fire dispatchers (EFDs) or emergency police dispatchers (EPDs). All 911 professionals work diligently behind the scenes to help citizens during emergencies ranging from mental health crises, car accidents, missing person reports, burglaries and domestic violence disturbances. Since early 2020, Oregon’s public safety telecommunicators have had the added responsibility of serving throughout a pandemic, historic wildfires, heatwaves, winter storms, floods and severe staffing shortages.
“On any given day, our public safety dispatchers have an incredibly stressful job; during the last several years, that’s been compounded as they’ve responded to unprecedented disasters in which they were the first to answer the call,” said Kuchta. “National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week brings well-deserved attention and recognition to these invaluable professionals.”
The critical work of Oregon’s public safety telecommunicators directly supports the operations of federal, state and local government agencies, including emergency management, highway safety, and search and rescue. Oregon’s 911 program was established by the 1981 Oregon Legislature and is managed by the Oregon Department of Emergency Management. Learn more at Oregon.gov/OEM.
### You can get this document in other languages, large print, braille, or a format you prefer. For assistance, email oem_publicinfo@oem.oregon.gov. We accept all relay calls, or you can dial 711.
Photo Caption: The Oregon Department of Emergency Management State 911 Program team celebrates the state’s 911 professionals. Pictured top row left to right: Tanner Rousseau, Aaron Askren. Second row left to right: Frank Kuchta, Robbie Sigleer, Alex Petzold, Michael Warren. Bottom row left to right: Pat Lustig, Kamille Basaca, Juliana Wold, Jeanie Stark.
Lane Co. Sheriff’s Office Case #23-1855 — Missing Person from the Blue River Area
The Lane County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s assistance in locating 40-year-old Mekenna Reiley of Blue River. On the evening of April 6th, friends and neighbors reported they had not seen or heard from Reiley in a few days. Her phone, purse, vehicle, and dog were left behind at her residence near the Blue River Reservoir, but Reiley was nowhere to be found.
Reiley was last seen in the area of River Street and McKenzie Highway in Blue River on April 5th. She was possibly suffering from a mental health crisis. It is unknown what she may be wearing, other than a blue pair of waterproof boots.
Please contact the Lane County Sheriff’s Office at 541-682-4150 opt. if you have any information regarding her whereabouts. Reference LCSO case number 23-1855.
GasBuddy Reports Oregon Gas Prices Up Over In Past Week
Average gasoline prices in Oregon have risen 7.2 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.94/g Monday, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 1,307 stations in Oregon.
Prices in Oregon are 6.5 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and stand 69.8 cents per gallon lower than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has fallen 1.6 cents in the last week and stands at $4.15 per gallon.
According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Oregon was priced at $2.89/g Sunday while the most expensive was $4.79/g, a difference of $1.90/g. The lowest price in the state Sunday was $2.89/g while the highest was $4.79/g, a difference of $1.90/g.
The national average price of gasoline has risen 8.8 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.57/g Monday. The national average is up 13.0 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 52.6 cents per gallon lower than a year ago, according to GasBuddy data compiled from more than 11 million weekly price reports covering over 150,000 gas stations across the country.
Historical gasoline prices in Oregon and the national average going back ten years:
April 10, 2022: $4.64/g (U.S. Average: $4.10/g)
April 10, 2021: $3.15/g (U.S. Average: $2.85/g)
April 10, 2020: $2.47/g (U.S. Average: $1.84/g)
April 10, 2019: $3.16/g (U.S. Average: $2.79/g)
April 10, 2018: $3.07/g (U.S. Average: $2.66/g)
April 10, 2017: $2.74/g (U.S. Average: $2.39/g)
April 10, 2016: $2.17/g (U.S. Average: $2.04/g)
April 10, 2015: $2.69/g (U.S. Average: $2.40/g)
April 10, 2014: $3.68/g (U.S. Average: $3.61/g)
April 10, 2013: $3.68/g (U.S. Average: $3.57/g)
Neighboring areas and their current gas prices:
Eugene- $3.82/g, up 6.9 cents per gallon from last week’s $3.75/g.
Salem- $3.83/g, up 8.7 cents per gallon from last week’s $3.74/g.
Portland- $4.08/g, up 6.3 cents per gallon from last week’s $4.02/g.
“The national average price of gasoline has continued its relatively slow climb, with 44 states seeing average gasoline prices climb over the last week. Prices are being pulled up not only due to continued increases in demand as temperatures warm, but also pressure from oil prices, which have risen over 20% in the last month, primarily driven by OPEC’s surprise decision a week ago to cut oil production,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy.
“Expect the upward trend to continue through much of the rest of spring, but once the transition to summer gasoline and refinery maintenance are behind us, April and May jumps could bring June slumps. However, for diesel, the news continues to be good, with the national average price of diesel continuing to drop, now at its narrowest difference to gasoline in over 13 months.”
GasBuddy is the authoritative voice for gas prices and the only source for station-level data. GasBuddy’s survey updates 288 times every day from the most diverse list of sources covering nearly 150,000 stations nationwide, the most comprehensive and up-to-date in the country. GasBuddy data is accessible at http://prices.GasBuddy.com.
The 10th Annual Art of Survival Century Bicycle Ride
Looking for a memorable way to spend the Memorial Day weekend? The 10th Annual Art of Survival Century Bicycle Ride isn’t just about pedaling a road or mountain bike through beautiful stretches of county side. It’s also an opportunity to learn about a region that includes Southern Oregon’s Klamath Basin and Northern California’s Tulelake Basin and Butte Valley area.
In conjunction with Remembering the Modoc War events commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Modoc War, this year’s 10th annual Art of Survival Century and Gravel Grinder bicycle rides will include sites where, or near, some of the war’s major events occurred. The 59-mile Metric Century, for example, will include stops or information at Captain Jack’s Stronghold, Canby Cross and Hospital Rock.
The two-day event is set for Saturday, May 27, and Sunday, May 28. The Saturday rides — with four routes offering a choice of distances — will begin and end at the Broadway Theater in Malin while the trio of Sunday Gravel Grinder rides will start and end at the Butte Valley Community Center in Dorris.
“Come celebrate our 10th annual Art of Survival Century and Gravel Grinder Bicycle Rides on Memorial Day weekend,” said Linda Woodley, who heads an organizing committee that includes members from Malin, Merrill, Dorris and Lava Beds National Monument. “Cycle along the uncrowded backroads of our beautiful Basin in the shadow of majestic Mount Shasta, while learning more about rural life in our southern Oregon and northern California communities.”
Organizers also noted the Saturday ride will include areas along the banks of Lost River near Merrill, where a battle between Army troops from Fort Klamath attempted to return Modocs back to a reservation near Chiloquin. The Modoc’s refusal ignited the war between the Modoc Indians and U.S. Army.
“Witness first-hand where the war started and where many of the battles took place,” organizers said.
Along with Modoc War sites, Woodley and others emphasize “there is plenty to see and do in our region, so bring your family and enjoy the holiday weekend.”
Activities will begin with a pre-ride reception from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Friday, May 26 at the Malin Broadway Theater in Malin. People can pick up ride packets, meet and mingle with other cyclists, enjoy refreshments, discover new activities to explore and learn about the history of the Klamath Basin.
Day 1 rides Saturday, May 27 include four routes that begin and end at the Malin Community Park in Malin — the 100-mile Century, 60-mile Metric Century, 38-mile and family-friendly 13-mile road routes along with a 22-mile mountain bike route in the Medicine Lake Highlands.
On Sunday, May 28, the mix of a Gravel Grinder, or non-pavement, rides covering distances of 74 and 54 miles and a family-friendly 13-mile route, will begin and end at the Butte Valley Community Center in Dorris. Participants of the two long routes will ride along the flatlands of Butte Valley, including the Butte Valley Wildlife Area, farms, ranches and up to Juanita Lake. Views of snow-capped Mount Shasta and Goosenest Mountain will be plentiful.
People who register for rides on both days get a discount. Post-ride meals will be offered both days and are included in the registration fees. Camping and lodging options are also available.
For detailed information, including maps of the various rides, go to the Art of Survival website at survivalcentury.com.
83-year-old Clarence Edward Pitts walked away from his home in Bandon on Tuesday, January 31 at around 1:00 p.m. Pitts is described as:
- 6′ 00″
- 150 lbs
- Gray hair
- Brown eyes
- Last seen wearing an orange beanie, plaid jacket, tan pants and white shoes
- May have a walking cane
- Has dementia and PTSD
Pitts may be in a vehicle that was also found to be missing from the home:
- 1999 Toyota Van
- White
- Oregon license plate: WYN 788
If you see Clarence or have any information pertaining to where he may be, please call the Coos County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center at 541-396-2106 or the Bandon Police Department at 541-347-3189.
