RANCHING STANDOFF-PAYNE
Judge denies Ryan Payne’s motion to undo guilty plea
(Information from: The Oregonian/OregonLive, http://www.oregonlive.com)
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A federal judge has denied Oregon refuge occupier Ryan Payne’s request to withdraw his guilty plea.
The Oregonian/OregonLive reports that U.S. District Judge Anna J. Brown ruled Wednesday that Payne’s plea in the Oregon case wasn’t, as his attorney argued, contingent on reaching a plea agreement in a case against him in Nevada.
Payne, of Anaconda, Montana, admitted in July that he conspired with others to prevent Interior Department employees from doing their jobs during the 41-day occupation of the Malheur National Wildfire Refuge.
Payne was one of 11 defendants to plead guilty before others in the case went to trial and were found not guilty.
Payne will be sentenced at a later date.
In Nevada, he’s accused of organizing “armed protection” in an April 2014 standoff over impounding Cliven Bundy’s cattle.
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MANSLAUGHTER PLEA
Man gets nearly 12 years for causing deadly crash
(Information from: Mail Tribune, http://www.mailtribune.com/)
MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) — A 27-year-old man who killed a woman while fleeing from Medford police in a pickup has been sentenced to nearly 12 years in prison.
Oregon State Police said in a news release that Robert Franklin Brooks of Gold Hill was sentenced Wednesday after pleading guilty to manslaughter, attempting to elude police in a vehicle and other charges earlier this month.
Authorities say that 63-year-old Catherine “Katie” Hein died in August after Brooks in his full-sized pickup ran a red light and crashed into her vehicle as he attempted to elude police.
The Mail Tribune reports Brooks’ vehicle then crashed through the door of a convenience store, starting a fire. Brooks told police he had used methamphetamine the night of the crash.
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AIR STAGNATION
Air stagnation advisory issued for south central Oregon
MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) — Officials have issued an air stagnation advisory for much of south central Oregon through Friday afternoon.
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued the alert Wednesday based on information from the National Weather Service.
The advisory includes Grants Pass, Cave Junction, Medford, Ashland, Altamont, Klamath Falls, Beatty, Bly, Chemult, Crescent, Gilchrist and Sprague River.
Forecasters expect an inversion over these areas, conditions which include light winds and limited mixing in the air. During an inversion, smoke can be trapped at ground level where people breathe.
Officials ask people in the affected areas to limit outdoor burning and the use of uncertified woodstoves.
Scientific studies have linked smoke pollution to problems including coughing, aggravated asthma, bronchitis and irregular heartbeat.
OREGON COLLEGE SHOOTING-MEMORIAL
Pacific Power unveils community memorial for Umpqua tragedy
(Information from: The News-Review, http://www.nrtoday.com)
GREEN, Ore. (AP) — A memorial honoring how the community came together after the mass shooting at Umpqua Community College has been unveiled south of Roseburg.
The News-Review reports the memorial is in the community of Green, in front of the Pacific Power operations center.
A 70-foot-tall flagpole that flies a large flag can be seen from Interstate 5. Nine concrete pillars stand behind the flagpole, representing those who lost their lives.
Each of the nine letters in “UCC Strong” rest on the front face of the pillars.
The flagpole and pillars sit in front of a steel-cut silhouette backdrop of four adults and three children holding hands. They represent the community.
Pacific Power and other local businesses joined forces to get the memorial built. It was unveiled during a private gathering on the one-year anniversary of the October 2015 shooting. It’s now open to the public.
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EUGENE CITY HALL
Eugene considers almost doubling new city hall budget
(Information from: The Register-Guard, http://www.registerguard.com)
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Eugene city officials are considering boosting the proposed City Hall project’s budget by almost 50 percent.
The Register-Guard reports that a proposed cash infusion would give the project $8.7 million, boosting the authorized budget 46 percent to $27.45 million from its present authorized amount of $18.75 million.
The proposed contribution would come from a nearly $19 million payment that Comcast recently made to the city. It comes as city officials are attempting to refocus the construction project that has drawn criticism for running over budget.
Comcast made the payment to the city after losing a long-running legal dispute over a city-imposed fee for broadband Internet service.
The cash infusion is awaiting approval by the City Council.
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DODGE BIRTH
Vale baby born in Dodge Durango
(Information from: Argus Observer, http://www.argusobserver.com)
ONTARIO, Ore. (AP) — A baby in Eastern Oregon entered the world in a Dodge Durango after her parents couldn’t quite get to the hospital in time.
The Argus Observer reports Channa Williams of Vale delivered her daughter shortly before 7 a.m. Monday. She and her boyfriend had pulled into the parking lot of the Ontario hospital, but didn’t have time to get inside.
They got help from a nurse who was leaving work.
Williams’ mother and sister were called during the stressful drive from Vale, and were present for the birth. The mother wrapped her granddaughter in a jacket. The temperature was below zero.
Williams had gone to the hospital Christmas night, but was told she could return home because it wasn’t time.
The healthy baby weighed in at 8 pounds, 2 ounces.
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BROTHER HOMICIDE
Suspect arraigned in brother homicide in Bonanza
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. (AP) — A California man arrested following the death of his brother in Bonanza, Oregon, has been arraigned on a murder charge.
Travis Kimball returns to court next week for a preliminary hearing.
A probable cause statement filed by Oregon State Police says the 52-year-old Kimball called 9-1-1 Monday to report that he stabbed his brother Troy Kimball, and then shot him. He said Troy was unresponsive and had a lot blood coming from his mouth.
The statement indicates the brothers got into an altercation that also included their father. Investigators were told that the shooting victim was intoxicated at the time.
Travis Kimball lives in Yreka, California. His only prior criminal activity in Oregon was a speeding ticket in 1995. His brother pleaded guilty to drunken driving in 2010.
LOOKINGGLASS ELEMENTARY FIRE
Fire destroys gymnasium at Douglas County elementary school
(Information from: The News-Review, http://www.nrtoday.com)
ROSEBURG, Ore. (AP) — A fire at a Douglas County elementary school has destroyed a historic gymnasium.
The News-Review reports that the two-alarm fire at Lookingglass Elementary School reduced the gymnasium to smoldering ruins Tuesday. No injuries were reported and the blaze was contained to the gym.
Winston-Dillard School District Superintendent Kevin Miller says it’s unclear at this time if the school will be able to reopen next week at the end of the holiday break. He says he is talking to utility companies to see if the campus will have power and water.
Miller says that though the elementary school had no athletic programs operating out of the gym, the space served as the school’s cafeteria and housed the school’s library. All of the books and band instruments were destroyed in the fire.
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Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.