MEDFORD, Ore. — Drug recovery centers are seeing more kids check in for heroin treatment. OnTrack in Medford says for parents who can’t afford treatment for their child, there are several options.

Treatment is available on a sliding scale, or in other words, based on income. But OnTrack also receives grants, so there is funding for those who can’t afford treatment at all. If parents suspect their child is using heroin or any drug, counselors suggest bringing them in for an evaluation.

The center says children are abusing drugs at younger age now than before.

“I have seen it in the middle schools, students that have used and purchased in the middle schools,” recalls OnTrack Director of Youth Programs, Carol Law.

OnTrack also has diversion programs to out-patient treatment options for kids. They have several offices in the area- Medford, White City, Ashland, and Grants Pass. Phone numbers to the different offices can be found here.

The fish were scheduled to go to Lake Selmac, but with water temperature around 70 degrees, it was deemed unsafe. So now, these fish will find a home in Howard Prairie Reservoir and the Rogue River above Lost Creek Dam.

“When we stock trout, we like to see temperatures in the 50 degree range maybe the lower 60s and that’s one of the reasons why we don’t stock a lot of our lower elevation ponds and reservoirs in the heat of the summer,” said ODFW Dan Van Dyke.

ODFW says it’s hasn’t seen 70 degree water temperatures in late May or early June in years. ODFW also cancelled a release of 1,500 trout into expo pond at the Jackson County Fairgrounds that was scheduled for the end of May.

The annual free fishing weekend event held there is cancelled this year due to scheduling conflicts at the fairgrounds. Lake Selmac already has been stocked with 15,000 legal sized trout this year

**UPDATE** (5/17)

NEAR FORT WORTH, Texas — A severe weather outbreak took place across portions of northern Texas Wednesday evening. The tornado count has now risen to 16 confirmed tornadoes, all occurring just west of the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

Meteorologists are currently undergoing damage assessments to determine the strengths of these twisters and have declared two among the 16 as an EF3 and EF4.

The one mile wide EF4 tornado ripped through Granbury, Texas with wind speeds in excess of 164 mph. It caused significant damage, wiping homes clear off their foundation, killing six and injuring dozens. South of Fort Worth, the EF3 tornado caused 8.5 miles of destruction and had a peak wind speed of roughly 140 mph.

This information is still preliminary and it’s possible the strengths change and death toll rises as data continues to be collected and surveying continues.

NEAR GALICE, Ore. — A private contractor wanting to move machinery from the Rogue valley to Gold Beach has helped open Bear Camp Road slightly sooner than expected.

The U.S. Forest Service was waiting on the sun to help melt more snow before finishing plowing parts of that rural road.

Wednesday, they announced that because of the warm weather, Forest Service Crews and that private Gold Beach area contractor have officially cleared the way for Bear Camp Road to be open for travel.

GRANTS PASS, Ore. — In light of Police Memorial Week, counties across Oregon are honoring those who gave their lives in the line of duty. Thursday, Josephine County held a memorial ceremony at the United Methodist Church.

Community members and various law enforcement officers gathered to honor fallen officers. Grants Pass officials from the Josephine County Sheriff’s Department, Oregon State Police and the Grants Pass Department of Public Safety spoke at the ceremony. They honored six officers who lost their lives since 1933, Trooper Burrell Baucom, Captain Emmet Blackmun, Deputy Alice Moran, Deputy Glenn Allen, Sergeant Marvin Brewster and Deputy Thomas Rice.

One person who attended the memorial says he wanted to be there because his family works in law enforcement, but also because he is grateful for other officers who serve to protect the community.

“I’m proud of the service that all of the young people are doing for us at this time of need and I’m blessed in the county for having the kind of people to serve us,” Gilbert Aguinaga says.

Friday there will be a memorial service for the Jackson County area. The Medford Police Department and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office will have that ceremony at the Singlar Plaza beginning at 10 a.m.

The Oregon Attorney General issued a press release thing morning on Operation Trojan Horse. The Attorney General said more than 30 arrests were made in the bust, and 4 pounds of meth and 25 guns were retrieved. Police searched 23 Klamath County homes and businesses, as well as 22 cars and trucks.

The press release stated the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office had to open an unused wing of the county jail to house the suspects. As of Wednesday morning, officers expected to take more suspects into custody.

Agents have developed evidence of connections between the meth ring located in Klamath County and Mexican drug cartels. The Attorney General said the cartels have successfully made inroads into Oregon, particularly into some rural parts of the state.

Operation Trojan Horse was a joint effort between federal, state and local law enforcement. Involved in the operation: the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the U.S. Department of Homeland Security; the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office, the Klamath Falls Police Department, the Oregon State Police and the Oregon Department of Justice.

Also involved were the Medford Police Department, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Central Oregon Drug Enforcement, Medford Area Drug and Gang Enforcement, Rogue Area Drug Enforcement and the Klamath County District Attorney’s Office.

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. — Two months ago, Klamath County Commissioners voted to opt out of the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement, and the agreement that outlines removal of dams on the upper Klamath River.

Tuesday commissioners voted to invite the new Secretary of the Interior, Sally Jewell, to Klamath and Siskiyou counties to see first-hand the issues upon which she could have a big impact.

Klamath County Commissioner Tom Mallams read a letter Tuesday morning addressed to new interior Secretary Sally Jewell, urging her to come to the Klamath Basin to see water issues for herself before making any decision on the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement.

“With no hope for the required Congressional authorization, with the vast uncertainty of the future funding from a California water bond, and with the legal threats against withdrawing parties fore shadowing the morass of litigation that will entangle any effort to push forward on this misguided path, now is the time to reevaluate the Interior Department’s approach to the Klamath River,” said Commissioner Mallams.

Board Chairman Dennis Linthicum agreed and the board voted 3-0 to move ahead.

“I think the letter is quite succinct and uh, to the point, and offers not only a visit by Miss Jewell with regard to her new role as Department of Interior Secretary, but also leaves open the idea that there are a lot of options that have not been thoroughly vetted,” Chairman Linthicum said.

‘I think Secretary Jewell, we’re hoping will have that open mind to be able to address those other options that have been tried time and time again to be put on the table,” said Commissioner Mallams.

Earlier this year Klamath county commissioners voted to opt out of the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement, and the agreement that calls for removal of dams on the Klamath River. Now they say they want the Secretary of Interior, the new Secretary of Interior, to come to Klamath and Siskiyou counties and see what the issues are all about.

In a news release, Sherri Biggs says she was frustrated with dealing with the board of commissioners. Since Linthicum is the only member of the board who has served long enough to be recalled, he’s the target for now.

She says Commissioners Tom Mallams and Jim Bellet will be named later. They say they are willing to discuss concerns with those who are upset.

“I encourage them to come and talk to us, individually, and don’t be part of the problem,” said Commissioner Bellet.

“We don’t have a proprietary relationship with various departments. We do not have any closed door policy with regard to the public at large,” said Dennis Linthicum.

A group called “Voters for Fiscal Responsibility” has until August 7th to gather nearly signatures from nearly 3,500 registered voters to force a recall election.

Tuesday, around 2:30 a.m., Grants Pass Police responded to an auto shop because of loud noises. Police say 23-year-old Dakota Geer broke into a storage shed and stole some money.

The K-9 went searching for Geer, finding him underneath a car. Geer refused to come out so the k-9 apprehended him. Police say Geer punched the dog in the head and neck multiple times that’s considered a felony.

A few years ago a Grants Pass officer worked to change Oregon law so K-9s would be considered officers.

“The law was set up where police dogs were equipment. And if they were assaulted or injured it would basically be criminal mischief. So as a result of going back there and making the adjustments these new laws were put on the book,” said Grants Pass Dept. of Public Safety Lt. Jim Hamilton

Geer had some injuries on his left arm and side of his body from the K-9. He was treated and then lodged at the jail.

GALICE, Ore. — Memorial Day Weekend is less than two weeks away, and many people who enjoy floating the lower Rogue River are gearing up for the beginning of float season.

Things were quiet at Grave Creek boat ramp on Monday morning, but operators of Galice Resort say the past couple weekends have been busy on the river, but getting back from the coast after several days floating down the river is still a long shuttle trip, because Bear Camp Road is not yet open.

Those who run the shuttles say snow is blocking the highest part of Bear Camp, waiting for forest service crews to plow it out.

“There is between one and two miles of snow that are two to five feet deep and it’s on the north sloping side, and so it doesn’t get any sun. So that’s what we’re waiting for,” explained Galice Resort’s Debbie Thomason.

Using Bear Camp Road cuts the shuttle time by at least half. Forest Service Spokesman Paul Galloway says they expect to have plow crews on the Bear Camp Road by next week.