ODOT is reporting that very foggy conditions exist north of town on Highway 97. Visibility currently reported less than 1/4 mile with ice conditions on roadways. The 911 call center also recently received a call of very slick ice conditions around mile post 265 a few miles north of the Pilot truck stop.
A vehicle slid off the road around milepost 265 with no injuries reported. Please use caution for fog and ice on HWY 97 and ice in other areas especially shaded sections of highway.
Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) invites Oregonians outdoors on New Year’s Day for the annual First Day Hikes event. Visitors can choose from 32 hikes in 31 parks across the state. All hikes will be guided by a park ranger or volunteer who will share stories about the park’s history, geology, wildlife and plants.
All hikes are free; day-use parking fees will be waived at all participating parks Jan. 1 only.
Hikers can register for specific hikes online at the Oregon State Parks Store: bit.ly/ParkStoreEvents. While online registration isn’t required for participation, visitors are encouraged to register. It helps park staff plan the hike and provides them with participant contact information should hike details change.
OPRD advises visitors to plan for inclement weather, dress in layers, wear sturdy shoes, bring water and remember to carry binoculars for viewing wildlife.
OPRD has sponsored First Day Hikes annually since 2012, part of a larger national event organized by America’s State Parks.
Participating parks and meeting areas are below. Full details for each hike are also on bit.ly/ParkStoreEvents.
PORTLAND
L.L. Stub Stewart State Park: 10 a.m., meet at Hilltop Day-use area.
Tryon Creek State Park: 9 a.m., meet at the nature center.
COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE
Deschutes River State Recreation Area: 9 a.m., meet at Oregon Trail kiosk.
Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail: 1 p.m., meet at Mark O. Hatfield Visitors Center West trailhead.
Latourell Falls (Guy W. Talbot State Park): 10 a.m., meet at Latourell Falls parking lot.
Starvation Creek State Park: 10 a.m., meet at Starvation Creek Falls trailhead.
WILLAMETTE VALLEY/CASCADES
Champoeg State Heritage Area: 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., meet at the visitor center.
Dexter State Recreation Site: 11:00 a.m., meet at the information kiosk for disc golf.
Elijah Bristow State Park: noon, meet at the equestrian parking area for horse riding (bring your own horse.)
Fort Yamhill State Heritage Area: 11 a.m., meet at the main parking lot.
Silver Falls State Park: 10 a.m., meet at South Falls Lodge porch.
COAST
Bullards Beach State Park: 1 p.m., meet at the meeting hall.
Cape Lookout State Park: noon, meet in the Lookout Trailhead parking lot.
Fort Stevens State Park: 10 a.m., meet at parking lot A.
Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park: 10 a.m., meet at Cleawox Lodge.
Oswald West State Park: 8 a.m., meet at Elk Flats Trail parking lot. Parking is limited; please arrive early, carpool, or use another nearby lot.
Port Orford Heads State Park: 1 p.m., meet at Port Orford Heads lifeboat.
South Beach State Park: 10 a.m., meet at the park day-use area.
Umpqua Lighthouse State Park: 10 a.m., meet at Lake Marie swim area.
Whale Watch Center at Depoe Bay: 10 a.m., meet at the Whale Watch Center.
SOUTHERN OREGON
Collier Memorial State Park: 9 a.m., meet at Logging Museum parking lot.
Joseph H. Stewart State Recreation Area: 11 a.m., meet at the group camp.
OC & E Woods State Line Trail: 9 a.m., meet at Switchbacks trailhead.
TouVelle State Park: 1 p.m., meet at TouVelle area F parking lot.
Valley of the Rogue State Park: 1 p.m., meet at Valley of the Rogue program area.
EASTERN/CENTRAL OREGON
Cottonwood Canyon State Park: 10 a.m., meet at the experience center.
Emigrant Springs State Heritage Area: 11 a.m., meet at the day-use parking lot (right of park entrance.)
LaPine State Park: 11 a.m., meet at south loop.
Smith Rock State Park: 10 a.m., meet at the welcome center.
Tumalo State Park: 11 a.m., meet at Deschutes River Trail trailhead, near the day-use parking lot.
Wallowa Lake State Park: 10:30 a.m., meet at the parking area across from the south entrance of Iwetemlaykin State Heritage Site.
More information about participating parks, including maps and directions, is on oregonstateparks.org.
Do you have what it takes to be a firefighter or EMT?
Klamath County Fire District No. 1 (KCFD1) is establishing a hiring list for Firefighters/EMTs. This eligibility list will be utilized to fill positions with an anticipated start date of February 15, 2019.
Oregon winter weather is starting to set in across Oregon. Are you prepared? With the increase chances of snow, freezing rain, and ice on the roadways it is more important than ever to #Knowbeforeyougo.
Checkingwww.tripcheck.comis the best way to get information on highway closures/construction, minimum chain requirements and road conditions utilizing their traffic cameras.
Those traveling in lower elevations, expect rain and wet roadways. Which means you will need to increase your following distances due to decreased traction on those wet roads.
OSP is also urges all motorists to plan their travels by:
Be prepared in the event you become stuck during your travels- Carry water, food, and blankets in the event you are stuck in your vehicle during your trip
Put the distractions away. Pull over to use that handheld electronic device, ask as passenger to help or wait to arrive at your destination to use them.
Watch your speed; often speeding will not get you to your destination any faster. You will fatigue faster, burn more fuel, and create a more hazardous environment on the highway.
Be extra vigilant in highway work zones. Even when workers are not present, all work zone speed limits still apply and fines double. Inactive work zones still have equipment, detours, and incomplete changes in the roadway so drivers need to slow down and be alert.
Get rested before you travel. Fatigued drivers are more frequent during holiday weekends because of increased travel and activity. Be patient and allow plenty of time to reach your destination.
Wear your safety belt. Ensure your passengers and children are properly restrained too. We see too many crashes were people would have walked away with minor in any injuries.
Get a designated driver (plan ahead) if you plan on consuming intoxicating substances.
Our partners at Oregon Department of Transporation recently reminded drivers about the dangers of not checking the roads before you go and only utilizing GPS. When roads are closed and your navigation systems direct you onto a detour route, keep in mind that the device you count on for guidance could instead guide you into trouble.http://bit.ly/2rp6ufP
A controlled burn north of Old Fort Road and Hogback Mountain has caused concern for many. The glow from the fire was visible overnight. We observed large columns of smoke in the same area yesterday afternoon.
Klamath Alerts has confirmed with fire management officials that this fire is a controlled slash burn and that there is no need for alarm.
Above: Earlier yesterday morning, Air Force One waits on the tarmac in Texas to transport President Bush to Washington, D.C.
With the media coverage over the next few days of the upcoming State funeral, I thought it would be an appropriate time to share my experience as a U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard for President Bush while he was in office.
You may have noticed the joint service military members (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard) who are and will be carrying the casket of President Bush. They will also be posted as guards at the US Capitol while President Bush is lying in state. Those members are part of an elite group of the military known as “guardsmen” or ceremonial honor guards.
The honor guard is an elite unit consisting of members from each branch of the U.S. military. The unit is directly attached to The White House and President.
New Guardsmen Hand Picked From Boot Camp
Most new members of the honor guard are hand picked by special recruiters who usually select new members as they are in boot camp of the military service for which they enlisted. The recruiters have authority to change military contracts and orders. Most tours of the honor guard are between two and four years. Once selected, the new member will have their original military orders changed so they can complete the honor guard tour of duty.
Top Secret Security Clearance Required
Once selected, new members of the presidential honor guard undergo a very detailed background investigation that starts while they are still in bootcamp. Federal agents travel to the home town of the recruit and investigate all the way back to childhood. If the background investigation is favorable, the new member is issued a top secret security clearance.
Additional Bootcamp
New honor guard recruits complete additional boot camp style training when they first arrive at their respective honor guard command. The training includes precision march and drill techniques and training to stand for very long periods of time without moving. Also included in the training is detailed uniform care.
Joint Service and Local Service
Upon graduation new members of the guard are assigned to a division within the local guard command. For the U.S. Navy, assignments include firing party, casket bearers, colors (flag bearers), and drill team.
Anytime there is a major function at The White House, Pentagon, or other location where honor guardsmen are needed they work with members from each military service. This is known as a joint service mission. You will be seeing a lot of these joint service missions in the news coverage during the upcoming memorial.
When there is no joint service mission honor guard members spend most of their time training or participating in military funerals in the local Washington, D.C. area.
My Experience:
I was selected in my 3rd week of bootcamp. A recruiter invited me to attend a presentation where I was shown a video and information about the guard was presented to me. Once I agreed, the recruiter had my original military orders changed so that I could complete my newly assigned duty. I reported to Washington, D.C. in the fall of 1989 to start my honor guard training.
The training was intense and I remember having to endure hours of standing at attention while instructors tried various tactics to make us laugh or flinch. One of many methods used by instructors was employing a Gumby doll and the instructors would make voices for it and put it through amazingly funny situations only inches from your face. You didn’t dare crack a smile or you would find yourself outside running around the building and doing extra work after hours. I also remember standing for long periods of time at attention (sometimes two hours or more) and before breakfast while instructors played long games of chess in front of us.
After making it through the training I was assigned to firing party. We were responsible for the 21 gun salutes at funerals. My primary job was Navy funerals around the Washington, D.C. area when I wasn’t needed for a presidential function.
Working for President Bush
The Honor Guard is directly attached to The White House, on call and ready to provide immediate services anytime they are needed. Anytime a State dinner or other high profile White House function occurs, the ceremonial guard is there.
I had the privilege of serving under President H.W. Bush for the majority of his time in office. One day after working at an arrival ceremony and an evening State dinner, President Bush jokingly told us to go ahead and take the rest of the night off after we had been working there all morning, day, and evening. His grin after saying that to us has stayed with me.
Above: President Bush inspects our unit on the White House front lawn during an arrival ceremony in the early 1990’s.
I feel blessed and fortunate to have served in the honor guard for President Bush 41. Aside from what your political views might be, he was a good president to work for and he appreciated the work we did.
Helpful tips to prepare for winter weather from Pacific Power Check your Emergency Outage Kit now, then download app to stay up to date
PORTLAND, Ore. – Winter weather is beginning to settle in across the Pacific Northwest. Pacific Power is urging its customers and the public to take precautions to stay safe and comfortable.
“Storm season can cause significant damage to the electrical grid,” said David Lucas, vice president, operations. “One way we minimize interruptions to your electric service despite the storms is by paying close attention to trees near power lines. In 2018, we pruned 265,000 trees on 5,700 miles of lines investing more than $29 million to remove hazards and make the lines more resilient. Based on experience, we’ve anticipated and prepared for this weather and the outages that could occur by staging crews and equipment strategically so that we are able to deploy them where they are needed when the time comes.”
When outages occur, Pacific Power is ready to keep customers informed of efforts to restore service and get them through an outage.
“We are ready to assist you whenever you need help with your electric needs,” said Barb Coughlin, vice president of customer service. “Reporting outages and receiving updates is easier than ever. Outages can be reported via the website, through our mobile app, or by telephone at 1-877-508-5088.”
New this year is the ability to report an outage via text messaging. Text OUT to 722797 to report an outage. Text STAT to 722797 to check the status of your outage.
Please visit our mobile app or website to update your outage alert preferences, email address and phone number. Keeping this information updated ensures you will be able to report outages and receive updates using these quick and easy options.
Download our mobile app (www.pacificpower.net/ya/app.html) to report power problems or get real time outage updates. Outage information is always available by viewing our outage maps on the mobile app and website at pacificpower.net.
Every home should have an Emergency Outage Kit that includes the following:
Flashlight
Battery-operated radio and clock
Extra batteries
Non-perishable foods
Manual can opener
Bottled water
Blankets
To ease the inconvenience of power outages and assist crews in restoring power, Pacific Power suggests the following tips and safety precautions:
Stay away from all downed power lines and utility lines. Even if the lines are not sparking, they could be energized and extremely dangerous. Call 911 and report the downed line to Pacific Power at 1-877-508-5088.
Don’t drive over downed power lines.
Turn on your porch light. After crews complete repairs, they patrol the area of the power failure to see if lights are on.
Check on your neighbors, especially those who may need special assistance. Also, check with others who have electricity, to see if you can visit.
Keep mobile devices charged so that may be used in an emergency. Before anything happens, download the Pacific Power app to your smart device so you can have information readily available.
Klamath Alerts just received this statement about a rape suspect that is in custody and awaiting a trial on December 12th.
On January 6, 2000, Victoria Cravitz was indicted for Rape in the First Degree, for her role in the horrific assault of a child. She and her co-defendant fled the state and eluded arrest for approximately 18 years. In August of 2018 Ms. Cravitz was taken into custody and returned to Klamath County. She is currently held in the Klamath County Jail, with a trial date set for December 12, 2018.
On November 28, 2018, defense counsel for Ms. Cravitz filed a Notice of Intent to Introduce Evidence of Disease or Defect in this case. The Court granted a continuance of the December 12, 2018 trial date to allow the Klamath County District Attorney’s office to have their own expert at the Oregon State Hospital conduct a psychological evaluation of Ms. Cravitz. The results of this evaluation will inform the resolution of this matter.
The District Attorney’s office believes Ms. Cravitz’s commitment is necessary for the protection of public safety.
ASHLAND, Ore. – As the winter recreation season begins, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) search and rescue (SAR) officials are sharing tips to stay safe in the snow. SAR personnel are gearing up to help when needed, but they urge people to do their part to prevent emergencies from happening in the first place.
JCSO Sergeant Shawn Richards says before heading out, it’s important to tell someone exactly where you are going and when to expect you back. He also urges people to be prepared, even for short trips.
“Whether you’re hunting for a Christmas tree or enjoying a day on the mountain, you need to take along adequate food, water, clothing, and gear,” said Sergeant Richards. “That also means having a plan for what you will do if you get stuck or lost.”
Skiers and snowboarders are reminded of the dangers of crossing into the backcountry – a practice that tends to get people into trouble every year on Mount Ashland. Sergeant Richards says it shouldn’t be attempted by those without experience. Even so, skiers should keep in mind that the area beyond the Mount Ashland Ski Area boundary is not patrolled, there is no cell phone service, and rescuers probably won’t arrive quickly.
“When SAR or Mt. Ashland Ski Patrol are called upon to look for someone, it takes time to organize resources and start tracking someone down,” said Richards. “And that’s a best-case scenario. If nobody knows where you are or when to expect you back, it may take a long time for someone to report you missing and start the search process.”
Two JCSO SAR emergency shelters are placed on Mount Ashland where lost skiers have ended up in the past. A shelter on the east side of the mountain has been restocked with emergency gear. New this year, a second shelter was added to the south side of the mountain, in the Cottonwood drainage off US Forest Service Road 40S06.
While the purpose of the shelters is to save lives, Sergeant Richards reminds people that the shelters are for emergencies only. People should plan ahead to be self-sufficient when heading outdoors, especially in the backcountry.
Open auditions for the Linkville Players spring community production – “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels – The Musical” – will be held at the Ross Ragland Theater on the following dates:
Saturday December 8, 2018 at 11am
Sunday December 9, 2018 at 2pm
Monday December 10, 2018 at 6pm
Call Backs (if needed) will be Tuesday December 11, 2018 at 6pm
The first cast meeting and read-through will be December 13, 2018 at 6pm.
Once cast, rehearsals will generally be Monday through Thursday evenings beginning January 2, 2019, with occasional Saturday mornings. This show features mature themes and it is suggested that only mature teens and adults audition. There are no roles for young children.
The show calls for six featured roles and a small ensemble who will perform multiple roles.
Featured Roles include:
Lawrence Jameson – An experienced British con artist who is sophisticated, suave, and elegant. Male Age: 45 to 60
Freddy Benson – A young, clever, aspiring American con artist. He is a sloppy, yet attractive womanizer. Male Age: 25 to 35
Christine Colgate – A seemingly good-natured American heiress vacationing on the French Riviera. Naive and clueless at first, she becomes cunning and mischievous. Female Age: 35 to 45
Andre Thibault – Lawrence’s French assistant. Official and mostly serious, he has a light-hearted nature and a quirky sense of humor. Male Age: 45 to 55
Muriel Eubanks – A wealthy and attractive American socialite from Nebraska, she one of Lawrence’s victims and Andre’s subsequent love interest. Female Age: 50 to 60
Jolene – An American heiress from Oklahoma and the “Princess of Petroleum,” she is very eager, optimistic, and energetic. Female Age: 25 to 35
Ensemble: Waiters, Butlers, Maids, and Casino patrons.
Auditions will include singing, dancing and acting. Those wishing to audition for a leading or supporting role are expected to have prepared one verse and one chorus of an up-tempo Broadway style song (including bringing sheet music or CD accompaniment with no voice overlay), or you can sing the Star Spangled Banner with piano accompaniment (sheet music provided). No A cappella auditions will be allowed.
Everyone who auditions will be put through a dance/movement audition. All performers seeking a speaking role must tell a favorite joke or present a short comedic monologue in addition to reading scenes from the play.
“Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” is based on the 1988 comedy film of the same name, starring Michael Caine and Steve Martin.
The Linkville Player’s production will be directed by Chip Massie, with musical director Dan Crenshaw, and choreography by Sam Burris. The show will run weekends February 28, 2019 through March 30, 2019. For more information on auditions or the Spring production, please contact info@linkvilleplayers.org. You can also visit linkvilleplayers.org and facebook.com/linkville.playhouse.
From the 173rd: Night flying will continue through Thursday to meet student training schedules. For questions or concerns contact the Public Affairs office at 541-885-6677.
Klamath Falls Downtown Association and The City of Klamath Falls are excited to announce parking modifications to provide for convenient and extended time downtown during the holiday shopping season!
Starting on TODAY and through December 31, the two-hour parking limit in the downtown parking district will be waived.
ALL OTHER RESTRICTIONS WILL REMAIN IN PLACE AND BE ENFORCED, including 15-minute zones, accessible parking spots, after hours parking, and reserved parking spots. In addition, downtown employees are encouraged to leave Main Street parking spaces open for visitors.
We hope that this will provide a safe and convenient opportunity for you to spend more time enjoying all our downtown has to offer!
On Sunday 11-25-18 at about 12:15pm a person reported finding what he thought was a pipe bomb in the trunk of a vehicle in the 5000 block of Washburn Way. Additional details about why the device was there or if it was real are not currently available.
Multiple agencies including Klamath County Sheriff, ODOT, KCFD1, and Oregon State Police responded.
Upon arrival, police officers identified a device that appeared to be a pipe bomb. The device was observed from a distance.
As a precaution, Washburn Way was closed between Joe Wright Road and South Side Bypass for several hours.
A police bomb squad responded and rendered the device safe. Washburn Way was closed from about 12:30pm until 3:37pm.
We will report additional details if and when a press release is obtained.
The above image shows the Washburn Way closure on Sunday. Photo by Klamath Alerts.
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