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About Appeal tribune. (Silverton, Or.) 1999-current | View Entire Issue (June 14, 2017)
2B Wednesday, June 14, 2017 Appeal Tribune Detroit Lake fishing open despite toxic algae alert ZACH URNESS STATESMAN JOURNAL It remains safe to go fishing at De- troit Lake despite a toxic blue-green al- gae alert put in place. Anglers can safely catch, harvest and eat trout, kokanee and other fish from the reservoir by following special pre- cautions, said Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist Elise Kelley. Kelley said before eating fish caught at the lake, anglers should make sure to remove the skin, organs and fatty tissue around the belly of the fish and cook it thoroughly. She also recommended anglers avoid drinking the water or swimming in the reservoir. Water testing at Detroit Lake con- firmed toxin levels that can be harmful to humans and animals, according to the Oregon Health Authority. The toxic bloom was located in the Heater Creek arm of the reservoir when testing was conducted on May 31. How- ever, the advisory applies to the entire reservoir because the bloom often moves across the reservoir to different areas, said David Farrer, public health toxicologist for the OHA. Exposure to toxins can produce a va- riety of symptoms including numbness, tingling and dizziness that can lead to difficulty breathing or heart problems, and require immediate medical atten- tion, OHA said in a news release. The toxin the algae bloom tested posi- tive for is called cylindrospermopsin, Farrer said. It was tested at a level of 70 Silverton resident killed in collision LAUREN E HERNANDEZ STATESMAN JOURNAL ANNA REED/STATESMAN JOURNAL Water testing at Detroit Lake found toxin levels that can be harmful to humans and animals. parts per billion. OHA issues a health ad- visory for anything above 20 parts per billion. The last time cylindrospermopsin sparked a health advistory at Detroit Lake was 2015. Children and pets are at increased risk for exposure because of their size and level of activity. People who bring their pets to Detroit Lake for recreation activities should take special precau- tions to keep them from drinking from or swimming in the lake, OHA said. Kelley asks anglers to report fish that are underweight, sluggish, or unrespon- sive in behavior to the ODFW Mid-Wil- lamette district office (541-757-4186). A Silverton man died in a head-on collision with a semi-tractor trailer on Highway 97 north of La Pine, according to officials. Frederick Holmes Winkler, 69, was driving north in a red 1998 Ford Ranger on Highway 97 near Burgess Road when he traveled into the oncoming southbound lane and collided head-on with the semi. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Tyler Staudt, 29, of Lake Havasu, Ar- izona, was driving the 2015 Kenworth semi-tractor trailer at the time of the crash, lost control of the trailer and rolled into a ditch. He was taken to St. Charles Hospital in Bend, where he was treated for mi- nor injuries. It is unknown why Winkler traveled into oncoming traffic, according to Oregon State Police. Staudt's trailer, owned by Indian River Trucking Co., was loaded with 5,000 gallons of apple juice. The Deschutes County Sheriff's Of- fice, the Redmond Police Department, LaPine Fire District, Oregon Depart- ment of Transportation and the Des- chutes County Medical Examiner as- sisted Oregon State Police. Lawmakers unveil major budget constraint bill DIANE DIETZ STATESMAN JOURNAL Lawmakers think they can save al- most $700 million in coming years by re- ducing administrative health care costs, cutting supplies and not refilling vacant state worker positions. The newly written cost containment legislation, Senate Bill 1067, is estimated to save $691 million in coming years as individual measures are phased in. The bill got a first reading in the Senate on June 5. The bipartisan bill requires a review of spending in each biennial budget, re- sulting in similar potential savings in the future. Democratic leadership, including Gov. Kate Brown, Senate President Pe- ter Courtney and House Speaker Tina Kotek, are committed to passage of the cost containment bill whether or not Re- publicans agree to raise taxes on busi- ness, Kotek said. “It shows we’re serious about cost containment which is part of the deal with the overall business community,” Kotek said. The first hearing on Senate Bill 1067 was expected in the Joint Ways & Means subcommittee on capital construction at 1 p.m. June 10 in Hearing Room F. The hodgepodge of measures include: » Combining the health care system for state workers (PEBB) with that for educators (OEBB) to save on administra- tive costs — and cap the rate of growth at 3.4 percent annually. Also, peg payments for certain services to a percentage of rates paid by Medicare. Savings: $266 million. » Eliminating automatic inflation in- creases to agency services and supplies budgets. Savings: $211 million in 2017-19. » Delay hiring at state agencies. Sav- ings: $145.3 million in 2017-19. » Eliminating positions left vacant for more than six months and recouping the funding associated with the posi- tions. Savings: $67.8 million in 2017-19. The bill calls for these additional cuts, but the state cannot quantify the savings: » Limiting the number of state em- ployee full-time equivalent (FTE) posi- tions to 1 percent of state population (currently, 1.5 percent.) » Changing debt collection practices: The state currently has $3.3 billion of un- collected debt on its books. » Adding rigor to vendor contracting process. » Requiring legislative review of po- sition reclassifications and the addition of steps to the top of salary ranges. » Requiring the Department of Ad- ministrative Services to report on future costs of collective bargaining agree- ments. » Using the available money for smaller capital projects rather than issu- ing bonds. » Establishing a target for capital spending on deferred maintenance. Fight over DHS’ putting foster children in hotels resumes JONATHAN BACH STATESMAN JOURNAL The Oregon Department of Human Services is again in a legal battle over housing children in hotels and other places that aren’t foster homes. Settlement talks failed between the state and lawyers representing two girls in foster care who sued over where chil- dren removed from their homes can be held when DHS can’t immediately place them in foster homes, according to court records. Children who come into the Oregon’s foster care system because of alleged abuse or neglect don’t always have a proper placement to head to right away. They are deemed “children in need of placement,” known internally as CINOP. As a temporary solution, state work- ers sometimes board these children in hotels. Staff remain with them around the clock, according to DHS spokeswom- an Andrea Cantu-Schomus. How many children in hotels? DHS has housed some 130 Oregon fos- ter youth in a hotel at least one night, Cantu-Schomus said, citing data collect- ed since mid-2016. The number is a rough estimate since exact the number of children was not col- lected the whole year, Cantu-Schomus warned. On an average day, 7,600 children spent time in foster care last fiscal year, DHS data show. At a rally Tuesday outside the Capito- lon , child protective services worker Al- exandra Sergeevasaid a hotel “is not a place where children can start healing from trauma,” according to video of the event. “There are at least 13 children in Multnomah County waiting for a home right now,” Sergeeva said. “This is unac- ceptable.” The state argues putting children up in states offices and hotels is a “safety valve,” court documents show. Oppo- nents argue the practice means “DHS has functionally rendered children in its care homeless.” An interim settlement reached in No- vember paused court proceedings as the fighting parties tried to figure out a per- manent agreement. The November agreement barred DHS from housing children in jails with- out charges; hospitals without medical reasons “unless there is a safety risk to the child;” state offices unless a safe ho- tel can’t be found in a 30-mile or half- hour radius of the office; and hotels, ex- cept in emergency cases. But the foster children’s lawyers called for proceedings to kick back into gear last month, court records show. It’s unclear right now why settlement talks broke down. Now that court proceedings have re- started, though, both the lawyers and the state received deadlines to file respons- es to motions that had been in play before the settlement. Lawyers for the foster children had to respond by May 19 to Oregon’s motion to dismiss the case. They argued in a court filing: “This so-called ‘safety valve’ is what plaintiffs will prove is the institutionalization of unconstitutional practices that also vio- late the (American with Disabilities Act).” “DHS has not lodged a child overnight in an office at any time in the last six months and has permanently ceased that practice,” Oregon Attorney General El- len Rosenblum said in a May court filing. State official: Some kids like hotel A state official argued some foster youth prefer hotels to other placements. Kellie Barber, an interim child wel- fare senior operations manager, said in a May court filing she knew of multiple times when foster children older than 14 wanted stay in a hotel, rejecting other placements. Barber said a minimum of 12 children have asked to stay in a hotel between January 2016 and when she submitted a declaration in court documents in May. In another May court filing, a DHS caseworker argued the lawyer of an 18- year-old identified as “RL” had pushed for him to be housed in a hotel. This was “because he was refusing to return to his foster home claiming he was uncomfortable there,” caseworker Kim Berovic said in the filing. Plans for shelter in play The state has tentative plans for a shelter for foster youth to open this Au- gust, a document obtained through a public records request shows. Such an opening could reduce the number of children still housed in hotels as they await foster care placement. The document shows a 12-bed shelter was proposed to open August 1 for foster youth 9 to 20 years of age. “It is all very preliminary at this point,” DHS spokeswoman Cantu-Scho- mus said. Cantu-Schomus declined to comment on the lawsuit. Kristina Edmunson, an Oregon De- partment of Justice spokeswoman, de- clined to comment on the pending litiga- tion. Richard Vangelisti, whom the court appointed to represent the children, de- clined to comment on the matter. Lead lawyers for the foster children did not respond to requests for comment. The lawsuit in federal court centers on two foster girls identified in court records as B.C. and A.R., whom state of- ficials had lodged in hotels, records show. DHS doesn’t generally give out de- tails on foster children in its care. But court records show A.R., who was 4 years old when the case started, has suffered from post traumatic stress dis- order, for which she has received treat- ment. She has been with DHS since March 2014. B.C. was 6 years old as of last year, when the case kicked off, a court filing shows. The state has had custody of her since May 18, 2016, following an alleged as- sault by her mother and 19 reports of al- leged neglect or abuse. “She was also housed for one or more nights in at least three different hotels with as many as 15 different casework- ers,” her lawyers said in an amended complaint. Send questions, comments or news tips to jbach @statesmanjournal.com or 503-399-6714. Follow him on Twitter @JonathanMBach. OBITUARIES Jeremiah Wright Beck Nov. 22, 1979 – June 1, 2017 Jeremiah Wright Beck, 37, passed away on June 1, 2017 in Silverton. Jeremiah was born Nov. 22, 1979 in Silverton. He graduated from Silver- ton High School, married Katie Tucker and moved to Ashland where he attended Southern Oregon University and studied comput- er technology. At the conclusion of school, Jeremiah, Katie, and their two children returned to Silverton and he went to work for Pentagon Technologies where he remained for nine years until his death. Jeremiah enjoyed playing video games with his children, watching movies, and reading. One of his joys in life was reading to his children from books that had been important to him during his childhood. He also loved being outdoors and was an avid hiker, snow- boarder, and disc golfer. Jeremiah is survived by his children, Adam Beck, 16, and Evelyn Beck, 9. Jere- miah is also survived by his parents, Tim and Anita Beck, siblings Carly Sichley of Silverton and Aiden Beck of Portland, grandparents Bobbie Beck, Vernon and Laura Vogt, and Jerry Wright, along with many uncles, aunts, and cousins. He is remembered for many things, but three stand out: his love for his family, bike rides with his dog, Clyde, and a wry sense of humor. A memorial service will be held at St. Edward’s Episcopal Church in Silverton on June 17, 2017 at 3:00 pm. All are wel- come. Donations in memory of Jeremiah may be made to Willamette Humane So- ciety. Lloyd Charles Howell July 24, 1929 – May 31, 2017 Lloyd Charles Howell, 87, passed away on May 31, 2017 in Mt. Angel Ore- gon. Lloyd was born July 24, 1929 in Wells County, North Dakota to Charles Augustus and Mary Jane Howell. He graduated from Silverton High School in 1948. After school he worked for a time in the forestry industry. On August 12, 1950 Lloyd enlisted in the Na- vy. He served as a commissary 3rd class USN until June 9, 1954 when he was hon- orably discharged. November 30, 1951 Lloyd married Rose Marie Torresdal and together they had three sons, Charles, Steven, and Richard. Lloyd and Marie enjoyed 65 years of marriage. After 2 years at Ore- gon Tech College he made his career choice of being a machinist, working for the state of Oregon until he retired. Lloyd was loved and respected by his friends and family. He is survived by his wife Rose Ma- rie, sons; Charles (Sheri), and Richard (Julie) eight grandchildren, and 21great- grandchildren. A Memorial Service will be held Fri. June 9th, 2pm at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Silverton. Interment will be Fri. June 9th, 1pm preceding service, at Val- ley View Cemetery.
