On this day, December 6, 2006, James Kim, a San Francisco man who struck out alone to find help for his family after their car got stuck on a snowy, remote road in Oregon was found dead, bringing an end to what authorities called an extraordinary effort to stay alive.
Governor Tina Kotek has announced that she will appoint Jeffrey D. Auxier to the Multnomah County Circuit Court.
Auxier fills the vacancy created by the resignation of Judge Amy Baggio. In an announcement of her appointment, Governor Kotek indicated that Auxier received the most votes in the November 2024 general election and that "the appointment reflects the will of the voters in Multnomah County." The appointment is effective immediately. Article V, Section 16 of the Oregon Constitution says that "[W]hen at any time a vacancy occurs...in the office of judge of any court, the governor shall fill such vacancy by appointment"
In this case, an election did precede the appointment, but it need not, and in nearly all cases, judges resign partway through a term and -- as provided in the Oregon Constitution -- the replacement appointment is made by the Governor. Nearly all Oregon Governors are from the west side of the state, and an even higher percentage from the Willamette Valley. Since 2014, Oregon Governors (Brown, Kotek) have hailed from the Portland metro area. This has a disruptive effect on the regional ties judges have to their communities in other parts of the state.
In an interview with the Oregonian Editorial Board prior to the November 2024 elections, Auxier said:
In July of this year, I served as the lead prosecutor in State v. Rahnique Jackson, a murder case in which a man was stabbed to death for defending his transgender friend. The case lacked meaningful surveillance footage or forensic evidence, and relied heavily on eyewitness testimony. I biked around Portland to meet my witnesses after they got off work at bars and restaurants. Connecting with Portlanders of varying gender identities and racial backgrounds who wanted to help their community and honor Colin’s life deepened my connection to the city and strengthened the case.
This case was rigorously and publicly prosecuted by then-Multnomah County DA Mike Schmidt.
Again, from the same interview,
As district attorney of Columbia County, I made several decisions that were not always politically popular but they were the right thing to do. Following my appointment as DA in 2017, I inherited the case of State v. Daniel Butts, in which the defendant was charged with murdering the chief of police in Rainier. Many members of the community wanted me to pursue the death penalty in that case, but after working closely with law enforcement and the family of the victim, I gained their support to pursue a life sentence, which better accounted for the defendant’s mental illness.
Governor Kotek says she continues to consult with the Governor’s Racial Justice Council, and these conversations have helped inform her approach to decision making. She states: “My approach to being your Governor will always be grounded in truth, pragmatism, and a relentless pursuit of equitable outcomes for all Oregonians. The December revenue forecast projects stability for Oregon, and I am pleased to share that my budget does not lay off people or cut services, and instead strategically deepens our commitment to building progress on Oregonians’ top priorities while remaining disciplined when it comes to new programs. I fundamentally believe the Legislature needs to pass budgets for the next two years that build on the progress we have achieved together.”
Governor Kotek made housing and homelessness a top priority in 2023-24, and continues down that path.
The Homelessness budget includes infrastructure to stabilize partnerships. Her 2025-2027 budget shows resolve toward continuing a progressive plan committing more than $700 million, including:
$217.9 million to maintain Oregon’s statewide system of shelters. The Oregonians who are still spending the night on our streets are relying on statewide support and we cannot afford to allow our progress to stall.
$188.2 million to maintain current efforts to transition Oregonians out of homelessness and into housing. The Oregon Rehousing Initiative gets Oregon families into safe, stable housing, and keeps them there.
$173.2 million to maintain services to prevent Oregonians from becoming homeless in the first place. The most cost effective strategy to combat our homelessness crisis is to prevent people from becoming homeless in the first place.
The failed Housing Program she says takes persistence, and her 2025-2027 recommended budget continues to focus on increasing Oregon’s housing supply in every part of the state by committing more than $1.4 billion including:
$880 million new bond authority to build more affordable housing and homeownership pathways. The recommended budget reflects a dogged commitment to meet the state’s housing production goals and includes $780 million to build affordable rental homes and $100.9 million for new homeownership units.
$100 million to establish a new housing infrastructure program. These new funds will establish a new housing infrastructure program to fund water, sewer, stormwater, and transportation infrastructure linked to new housing development to unlock thousands of new affordable and market rate rental and homeownership units.
$57.6 million to continue efforts for supporting first-time home buyers and Oregonians looking to buy an affordable home. Homeownership is out of reach for many working families, keeping Oregonians from building wealth over the long term. This investment supports homeownership development and homebuyer assistance.
Not all agree with Governor Kotek’s proposal. Senate Republican Leader Daniel Bonham (R-The Dalles) criticized Governor Kotek’s proposed budget for lacking a bold vision to address Oregon’s worsening housing crisis, highlighting her administration’s failure to meet its own housing production goals.
“When Governor Kotek took office, she set an ambitious goal of building 36,000 housing units per year to address Oregon’s severe housing shortage. Yet, the latest report shows that only 18,000 units were built in 2023—less than half of her target and even fewer than the 20,000 units built in 2022,” said Bonham. “This failure reflects the shortcomings of the policies she continues to champion.”
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“Under Governor Kotek’s leadership, housing policies have been largely driven by
bureaucracy and ideology, prioritizing government-subsidized projects over real solutions to increase supply, reduce costs, and empower working families. Her new budget doubles down on the same failed strategies that have left Oregonians behind. It's time for a new vision—one that focuses on affordability, homeownership, and economic opportunity for all,” added Bonham.
Senate Republicans are committed to delivering a housing policy that works for every Oregonian. This means focusing on increasing housing supply across the spectrum, reducing regulatory burdens that drive up costs, and addressing the skyrocketing energy prices that make it harder to build and maintain homes.
“Oregonians don’t need more empty promises or half-measures. They need real solutions to bring housing within reach. Senate Republicans will continue to fight for policies that deliver the American Dream for Oregonians,” concluded Bonham.
Governor Kotek says she continues to consult with the Governor’s Racial Justice Council, and these conversations have helped inform her approach to decision making. She states: “My approach to being your Governor will always be grounded in truth, pragmatism, and a relentless pursuit of equitable outcomes for all Oregonians.” Voters could ask how her council, her biggest influence, represents “all” Oregonians.
She touts that her “budget does not lay off people or cut services, and instead strategically deepens her commitment to building progress on Oregonians’ top priorities while remaining disciplined when it comes to new programs.” As Oregonians deal with inflation, growing government isn’t even on Santa’s wish list. “I fundamentally believe the Legislature needs to pass budgets for the next two years that build on the progress we have achieved together.” The majority of Oregonians are scratching their heads to list what she has accomplished.
Governor Kotek made housing and homelessness a top priority in 2023-24, and continues down that path dedicating $700 million for homelessness after the 2023 legislature recriminalized drug laws. It took a 210 percent increase in fentanyl-related deaths for the legislature to correct a failed policy that increased homelessness. Kotek is also asking for $1.4 billion for housing supply after the prior attempt failed in accountability. (See companion article on homelessness and housing funding.)
Funding for Behavioral Health includes aligning treatment capacity with workforce capacity to close gaps in services. Since day one, Governor Kotek has been working to make her vision for Oregon’s behavioral health system possible: access to care no matter where you live or what you can afford. The 2025-2027 Governor’s Recommended Budget focuses on building treatment capacity and supporting a strong behavioral health workforce by committing more than $330 million, including:
$90 million in General Fund backfill of ARPA investments for capacity building. The Governor’s budget includes a $90 million investment towards capacity building for adult mental health services, substance use disorder residential treatment, and withdrawal management.
$50 million General Fund backfill from ARPA to strengthen workforce investments. Governor Kotek is focused on increasing the supply and distribution of a diverse and culturally responsive behavioral health workforce by investing $25.7 million in behavioral health education and training programs, wrap-around supports for students, and tuition assistance and scholarships, and investing $24.3 million in graduate stipends, loan repayment, and peer and manager support for the community mental health workforce.
$40 million to continue deflection services through the Criminal Justice Commission. The funding supports deflection coordinators, peers and counselors who give individuals struggling with addiction the opportunity to avoid legal consequences and to seek treatment instead.
Governor Kotek’s vision for her Children and Youth funding is to invest for a stronger, healthier future. Building on her education initiative work, she is advancing a multipronged approach to supporting Oregon’s children and youth for a better future in Oregon by committing more than $835 million, including:
$600 million increase to strengthen the State School Fund Current Service Level (CSL) for a total of $11.36 billion. The Governor is recommending a three-pronged approach to adjusting funding for the State School Fund to move the needle on student outcomes and provide more accurate and predictable funding for K-12 public education across Oregon, along with adjusting the calculation to account for the recent PERS rate increase.
$205.5 million to provide additional targeted funding to help more students get on track for success. By recommending $127 million to maintain and strengthen previous early literacy investments and $78.5 million to expand and make ongoing investments in summer learning programs, Oregon’s students will get more help to overcome pandemic learning loss.
$25 million for youth behavioral health investments. Governor Kotek is recommending new investments in targeted residential and community-based behavioral health and substance use disorder capacity, expansion of mental health services, prevention services for school-based health centers, and funding to expand youth suicide prevention work.
"The Department of Transportation is asking for an additional $1.7 billion per year. The Governor’s budget leaves a massive hole that will likely be filled with new taxes. It’s time for the legislature to live within its means and prioritize essential services—just as every Oregonian is forced to do in this struggling economy.”
“Oregonians are sending a clear message that they want a state where everyone has the freedom and opportunity to succeed. House Democrats will protect what makes Oregon special and show that this state is for everyone. We take this responsibility seriously,” said Majority Leader Ben Bowman (D-Tigard, Metzger, S. Beaverton). “In the 2025 session, we will improve the lives of all Oregonians with a focus on affordability, making government work, and keeping Oregonians safe. It’s time to get to work delivering results for working people and protecting Oregonians’ basic rights and freedoms.”
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In response to Governor Tina Kotek’s 2025 budget proposal, House Republican Leader Christine Drazan (R-Canby) stated: "Budgets express priorities and it is clear Governor Kotek's priority is to protect the status quo. This budget has no new ideas and no new vision. What was put forward today is more of the same from Governor Kotek. The Governor proposed a budget that is unsustainable without implementing substantial new taxes, that Oregonians cannot afford and do not support.
“Whether it’s schools, addiction, roads or public safety, under Governor Kotek’s leadership, this budget means Oregonians can expect to pay more, but get less,” Drazen concludes.
Governor seeks existing available funds to finish paying bills for historic fire season before the end of the year
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek announced that she is using her constitutional authority to call a special session of the Oregon Legislature, to begin on Thursday, December 12, for lawmakers to appropriate funds to pay for the historic 2024 wildfire season. A record 1.9 million acres burned this wildfire season, far exceeding the state’s 10-year average of 640,000 acres per season and incurring costs upwards of $350 million. While over half of the costs will eventually be covered by disaster relief funds from the federal government, the state needs to pay its bills as expeditiously as possible.
“The unprecedented 2024 wildfire season required all of us to work together to protect life, land, and property, and that spirit of cooperation must continue in order to meet our fiscal responsibilities,” said Governor Kotek. “I am grateful to legislative leaders for coming to consensus that our best course of action is to ensure the state’s fire season costs are addressed and bills paid by the end of the calendar year.”
The Governor is asking the Legislature to release a combined total of $218 million to the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) and the Oregon Department of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) to address all costs for the season assumed to date. This includes meeting the state’s financial obligations to small, medium, and large contractors who worked tirelessly to protect and support Oregonians for more than five months.
“Fighting wildfires of the magnitude we saw this season required a tremendous level of resources that even wildfire experts couldn’t foresee,” said House Speaker Julie Fahey (D-West Eugene & Veneta). “Now, as we approach the end of the year and the holiday season, we need to make good on our commitments and pay our bills so that the contractors who fought fires in Oregon can be made whole. Convening now will enable us to do so, and to chart a bipartisan path forward to address our state’s most pressing needs.”
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Wildfires this season destroyed at least 42 homes and 132 other structures, and caused severe disruptions and damage to transportation facilities, utility infrastructure, and natural resource economies. In July, Governor Kotek declared a State of Emergency in response to the threat of wildfire and invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act a state record 17 times to mobilize structural firefighting resources coordinated by OSFM to local communities and thousands of wildland firefighting personnel and resources coordinated by ODF.
Oregonians are perplexed over the number of acres burned. If 86% of wildfires are man caused, why are the blaming climate change? How many of those man made fires were prescribed burns? The National Forest Service intents to repeat prescribed burns every five years. The trees that survived the 2021 prescribed burns are now dead hit by current wildfires that had the potential of two billion board feet of timber harvest.
According to ODF, the state’s share of 2024 fire season net cost is $123 million. Net costs are gross costs minus reimbursements from federal or other state agencies. The September 2024 emergency funds provided for 2024 net costs was $40 million, leaving $83 million. ODF intended to request the $83 million from the December Emergency Board, which is the remaining portion of the state’s share (net) of wildfire costs for the 2024 fire season. The gross cost will eventually be reimbursed by sources such as FEMA and USFS, but ODF has to carry that debt and pay those bills in the meantime. After the most expensive fire season in Oregon’s history, it’s clear that ODF needs financial help to make it until federal funds are received for reimbursements.
Will Governor Kotek enforce a 2010 administrative rule mandating that ODF harvest enough timber from state forests to fulfill its obligations to manage the forests. As chief of the Land Board, her decision to advance HCP, cutting production by over 50% is putting a bigger burden on taxpayers to cover wildfire costs, and having total disregard for rule of law.
2024 election has Senate Republicans in a superminority position
The 2024 election has left Oregon Senate Republicans in a superminority position. With Republicans taking control of the White House, U.S. House, and U.S. Senate, there’s a concern that the Oregon Democrat Majority may pursue an increasingly extreme agenda. The Senate Republicans Caucus released their priorities for the 2025 legislative session advancing common-sense policies, and safeguard the interests of Oregonians. They state, “we’re prepared to stand firm, and… ready for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in this new political landscape.”
The areas they want to prioritize that will impact Oregonians the most are:
Strong Economy
A Safer State
A Better Future for Oregon’s Children
A More Accountable Government
The Oregon Senate Republican Caucus is focused on practical solutions that make life better for all Oregonians. Whether it’s improving public safety, making life more affordable, or supporting good jobs and schools, they are committed to building a safer, stronger, and more affordable Oregon for everyone. They aren’t just focusing on the problems, they are asking for input to make a real difference in people's lives.
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December 10-12 are Legislative Days where committees hold informational hearings on potential legislation, review updates on past bills, and hear reports from state agencies.
School Board elections could not come soon enough for St. Helens parents. Following the arrests of two teachers on sexual abuse charges, the St. Helens School District has placed its superintendent, Scot Stockwell, and high school principal, Katy Wagner, on paid administrative leave. The district has also accepted the resignation of its school board chair, Ryan Scholl.
On November 12, 2024, the St. Helens Police Department arrested Eric Stearns, a 46-year-old choir teacher at St. Helens High School facing seven counts of second-degree sex abuse and one count of third-degree sex abuse involving six students, according to police. Mark Collins, a 64-year-old former math teacher, arrested on two counts of second-degree sex abuse and one count of attempted second-degree sex abuse. The allegations against Collins involve three students, police said. The arrests came after a two-month investigation.
Parents and students are protesting and want to know why the board didn’t take action in 2019 when they were informed of abuse allegations against Stearns, and didn’t notify authorities.
November 12, 2024: Stearns and Collins were arrested on sexual abuse charges.
November 14, 2024: Principal Katy Wagner was placed on administrative leave.
November 15, 2024: School Board Chair Ryan Scholl resigned.
November 16, 2024: Superintendent Scot Stockwell was placed on paid administrative leave.
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Eric Stearns has pleaded not guilty to charges of sexually abusing six students between 2015 and January 2024. Mark Collins has pleaded not guilty on sex abuse involving three minors between 2017 and 2023. The district is also being investigated for not forwarding the report to law enforcement.
Moving forward, the district has stated its goal is to ensure a safe and positive learning environment, with clear steps to address the concerns of students, families, and community members. St. Helens School Board appointed an acting superintendent to address the rapidly escalating crisis.
Oregon follows California on 100% ban on new diesel vehicles
In November 2021, the Oregon Environmental Quality Commission (EQC) adopted the Advanced Clean Truck (ACT), following in the footsteps of the California Air Resource Board’s rules that limit the kinds of vehicles Oregonians can purchase. The first phase of those new regulations takes effect January 1, 2025.
Representative Shelly Boshart Davis (R-Albany) sent a letter to EQC asking for a delay in the implementation of the ACT rules that will lead to the ban of heavy-duty diesel vehicles in Oregon. This includes RVs, heavy duty pickup trucks like Ford F-250 and -350, utility vehicles, tow trucks, and semi-trucks. The rules require medium- and heavy-duty vehicle manufacturers to sell zero-emission vehicles (ZEV)
as a certain percentage of new vehicle sales, beginning with the 2025 model year. RV, pickup truck, and
semi-truck manufacturers must increase their zero-emission new truck sales in Oregon year-over-year
based on the truck’s size. The ban begins in 2025, requiring between 7-11% (depending on Class size) of
sales to be ZEV, and increases in percentage to 100% by 2036.
The letter says in part:
“Given the lack of technological advancements and infrastructure necessary to support this transition, I believe that the implementation of these rules, while well-intentioned, will actually slow the
reduction of emissions from the transportation sector while harming local industries and
communities who rely on trucks to keep Oregon’s economy moving.”
Due partly to the lack of technological advancement, North Carolina, Connecticut, and Maine have
since backed off their commitment to adopt the California standards. Colorado, Maryland, and Rhode
Island have also delayed implementation. Federal law allows states that choose to adopt CARB
regulations to modify implementation dates, but the substance of the regulations must be identical to
California’s.
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“Oregon’s climate change policies need to get back in touch with reality,” Representative Boshart Davis said. “A 100% ban on new diesel pickups, RV’s and semi-trucks by 2036
should alarm everyone. Without immediate action from the EQC, countless everyday Oregonians who
rely on essential equipment to make a living will find themselves unable to purchase that equipment.
Without action, these regulations will do irreparable harm to Oregon businesses and working people. I
urge the EQC to take immediate action and delay these rules.”
You can read the entire letter here.
The EQC is scheduled to meet on November 21 about potential paths forward regarding the ACT rules. There are new inventive energy systems being develop that will soon revolutionize vehicles that should cause a delay in all restrictions of use of fuels whether for vehicles or energy.
Monique DeSpain Thanks Supporters in Statement on Final Oregon District 4 Election Returns
The final District 4 election results are in and Oregon Fourth Congressional District will return Val Hoyle to Washington D.C. to represent an average of 706,917 residents in Coos, Curry, Lincoln, Lane, Benton, Linn and a portion of Douglas County.
Challenging Hoyle was Monique DeSpain, a retired U.S. Air Force Colonel, mother of twin boys, and public policy advocate who resides in Eugene, Oregon. She has been the Republican nominee for Oregon’s 4th Congressional District, running to unseat incumbent Congresswoman Val Hoyle in 2024 to bring about a safer, more prosperous Oregon. She issued the following statement and challenge to Hoyle:
“I am immensely proud of our campaign that led the public debate on the top issues voters care about. We shed a bright light on the truth about the disastrous policies and corrupt conduct of the elected official who has been representing us these past two years,” noted DeSpain.
“Despite being outspent 3 to 1 and inundated with more than $1 million of ads telling baldfaced lies, our campaign message of restoring public safety, securing our border, stopping fentanyl, ending homelessness, bringing back an affordable, prosperous economy, preventing wildfires, and ensuring a transparent and accountable government clearly resonated with voters and forced my opponent to run ads paying lip service to them - issues she made no mention of in her voter pamphlet statement or during her previous years representing Oregonians.”
“With nearly 157,610 or 30% of the 526,538 eligible 4th District voters not casting ballots in this election, there were still too many voters who chose to remain silent when it mattered the most. To bring about the change we seek, these voters must awaken and participate in the political process that dictates the direction of Oregon and our nation.”
“Bottom line: this election is not the end, but just the beginning of holding Val Hoyle accountable for delivering bipartisan results she has promised. I challenge her to actually vote to secure our border, to stop fentanyl from entering Oregon and killing our people, to prevent wildfires rather than fund fires, to end, not just fund, homelessness, to deliver infrastructure with $2.3B of funding to the Coos Bay Port, and to kill the reviled BOEM windfarms threatening our coastal communities,” said DeSpain. “And, all of us will be watching with great interest how the U.S. Department of Justice proceeds with their current investigation of Val Hoyle’s pay-to-play scheme to strong-arm the illegal BOLI grant of over $500,000 for La Mota’s nonprofit Endeavor.”
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“In the coming weeks and months, I will be exploring various opportunities to continue to make a difference on the key issues that we care about, those issues which I have fought to address during my campaign. Our district and our nation are worth it.”
DeSpain fought for bold, effective solutions to the problems that really matter to the people of this District. “Though we didn’t achieve our goal to replace our corrupt incumbent career politician by deploying me to Congress, my outstanding team and I want to express our heartfelt thanks and appreciation to all of the voters, volunteers, and contributors from all parties and parts of the District for their hard work, generosity in time and resources, and constant moral support and prayers. I am honored to have raised your voices. Thank you.”
She can be contacted via Communications Director, Kevin Hoar, at kevinghoar@gmail.com or call 503-866-3264.
“By agreeing to an external audit, Democrats have conceded that something is systemically wrong”
Initial DMV release of its After Action Report, which identified additional errors in its processes resulted in 302 individuals being registered to vote who did not provide proof of their eligibility. In response, Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade directed county elections officials to inactivate all 302 voter registrations.
Secretary Griffin-Valade also joined Governor Tina Kotek calling for an independent, external audit of the Motor Votor system.
Secretary Griffin-Valade stated, “The DMV’s After Action Report raises serious concerns about this important part of our voter registration system. The first step in restoring the public’s trust in Motor Voter is a transparent review by a neutral third party operating under strict government auditing standards.”
The investigation by DMV increased the number to 1,259 in September. Two days after the election DMV says they have found 56 more non-citizens who were added to the voter rolls making the total 1,617 since the error was discovered.
The system was configured to use a drop-down menu of document choices, where the default choices included U.S. passport (as opposed to any other kind of passport) and U.S. birth certificate (as opposed to any other kind of birth certificate). This configuration did not separate documents that prove U.S. citizenship from those that do not and did not take into proper account the need to minimize
potential for human error when accurate input for OMV purposes should have been paramount. Front-line staff were not adequately trained on the importance of accuracy in this part of a transaction and why it was critical for the reliability of OMV to take the time to get it right every time.
Secretary Griffin-Valade instructed the Oregon Elections Division to take steps to increase its oversight of the Motor Voter system. DMV hired a new Motor Voter oversight position to ensure automatic voter registration policies and procedures are reviewed, updated and followed with regular data checks. Additionally, she directed corrective action to be taken to protect the integrity of the 2024 election. County clerks were to inactivate all ineligible voter registrations and issue “due process” letters providing them with the opportunity to reregister if they can confirm their eligibility. In a second layer of security, ensure that any ballots returned from this group are not counted without first verifying eligibility to ensure the error does not impact the 2024 election.
Do we know these individuals’ citizenship status?
No. We simply know that they did not present the necessary documentation supporting their eligibility when they interacted with the DMV.
Did any of these individuals vote? And if so, what will be done with them?
The Oregon Elections Division will work with the 36 county election officers to determine if
there are any individuals with a vote history and follow the same process used with the
previous data sent over by the DMV in September.
Counties will be instructed to flag these ballots in the election management system. If any ballots are returned, they will be removed from the vote tallying process. The voter will be given an opportunity to demonstrate that they are eligible, but if that doesn’t happen the votes will not be counted.
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“Both the Secretary of State’s office and the Department of Motor Vehicles assured voters there were no more issues to be found, but again they were wrong. They also assured voters nothing would impact the 2024 election; how are voters to be sure they are not wrong about that also?” said Representative Anna Scharf (R-Amity). “What is clear is that there are major flaws in the Motor Voter system. Yes, we should have an independent audit, but there should also be an investigation performed into possible violations of the law”
Teachers may not suggest to a child they are trapped in the wrong body.
According to the 2022 Oregon Student Health Survey taken by 6th, 8th and 11th grade students, 12% think they are transgender, gender-expansive, or questioning. The survey is used to gather data to increase gender-affirming support for youth, families, and educators, and build legacies of love and support for transgender and gender expansive youth in our school communities during Transgender Awareness Month and all year.
According to the LGBTQ2SIA+ Student Success Plan, student focus groups reported, “a majority of students we heard from believe that their curriculum is not sufficiently inclusive of LGBTQ2SIA+ people or issues.” Only 3 out of 10 Oregon LGBTQ2SIA+ students said they were taught positive representations of LGBTQ2SIA+ figures, history, or events with inclusive instructional materials, and fewer than 2 out of 10 reported receiving inclusive sex education in school.
In Director Dr. Charlene Williams’ monthly report, she expounded on creating spaces where everyone feels a genuine sense of belonging that means also carrying the responsibility to show up well, to make room for learning and growth, and to step up when it’s time to make amends. She provides an example, “sometimes getting folks to the table requires us to think about how we are welcoming them: strong relationships with families, as well as intentional communication, are impacting attendance rates for kindergartners in Yoncalla, Oregon. Yoncalla kindergartners are attending school at 93%! This is just one example of how our efforts to reach out to our communities matters significantly for the youth and families we serve.”
Does the LGBTQ2SIA+ Student Success Plan reach out to present themselves as being inclusive? Or is the program so self-centered it conveys their own exclusion? How should inclusion be taught so it goes two ways? President-elect Trump has announced that on day one he will set up processes that may affect how Oregon schools treat equity and diversity.
Trump states: “I will revoke Joe Biden’s cruel policies on so called gender affirming care, a process that includes giving kids puberty blockers, mutating their physical appearance and ultimately performing surgery on minor children. I will sign an executive order for all agencies to cease programs that promote the concept of sex and gender transition at any age. I will then ask congress to stop any taxpayer dollars to be used to promote or pay for these procedures and pass a law prohibiting child mutilation in all 50 states. Any hospital or healthcare provider that participates in the chemical or physical mutualization of minor youth will no longer meet health and safety standards for Medicaid and Medicare and terminated from the program immediately. Furthermore, I will support the creation of a private right of action for victims to sue doctors who have unforgivably performed these procedures on minor children…
“My department of education will inform school districts, if any teacher or school district suggests to a child that they could be trapped in the wrong body, they will be faced with severe consequences including potential civil rights violations for sex discrimination, and the elimination of federal funding. As a part of our new credentials for teachers, we will promote positive education about the nuclear family, the roles of mothers and fathers, and celebrating rather than erasing the things that make men and women different and unique. I will ask congress to pass a bill that the only genders recognized by the United States government are male and female assigned at birth. The bill will also make clear that Title IX prohibits men from participating in women’s sports. It will protect the rights of parents to allow their minor child to assume a gender which is new and an identity without the parent’s consent…”
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The controversial bill passed by Democrats in 2023, HB 2002, allows abortions without parents’ knowledge or consent. Oregon also lets teens age 15 and up receive state-subsidized gender-affirming care and other medical treatment through school services without parental consent. Oregon has even prevented parents from seeking psychological conversion preventive therapy when a child is confused. It's that 12% that thinks, but not positive they are transgender, gender-expansive, or questioning that run the risk of being abused.
Governor Tina Kotek said of HB 2002, “I want to be very clear. Gender-affirming care is health care.” Oregon should ask what role schools need to play in healthcare and seek a healthier curriculum to serve 100% of the students?
RCV counting process can produce faulty results due to errors, inaccuracies, and complexity
The League of Women's Voters of Oregon has been running a TV ad in support of Measure 117, Ranked Choice Voting (RCV). The ad is misleading and may be mal-information. They state: "study after study, state after state confirms it’s effective” while displaying two articles that supposedly supports their statement. Those studies are articles written by NBC News,”New voting method that involves ranking candidates gains favor across the nation,” stating that 14 states will consider bills.
USA Today article, “Following a big year, more states push ranked-choice voting,“ simply cites who is using RCV, and not a study. USA Today cites California, Oregon counties and Florida cities.
The League’s ad seems to copy what FairVote Research says on their website. FairVote, a non-partisan organization, takes credit for getting Measure 117 on the ballot in Oregon. They do not identify one actual study done to come up with their ideology. They examined recounts and determined that there were not enough to be concerned about. The issue here is whether fraud can be proven or not, and they don’t seem to have an answer.
A study by the Report: Deficiencies in Recent Research on Ranked Choice Voting Ballot Error Rates (July 13, 2024) found that RCV causes an average of 17% more votes to directly affect the outcome between top candidates. This highlights the potential for inaccuracies in vote tallies.
Overall, studies that have been done highlight the ongoing debate and discussion surrounding ranked choice voting, with proponents arguing it can improve elections and opponents citing concerns about complexity and potential drawbacks of unintended results and transparency.
Some key findings and debates from these studies include:
Inadequate testing and implemented incorrectly leading to errors.
RCV’s complexity and difficult to understand leading to voter confusion.
Lack of standardization leading to inconsistent application and potential errors.
The impact of RCV on candidate quality and diversity.
The effectiveness of RCV in reducing spoilers and vote splitting.
The potential benefits of RCV in increasing voter satisfaction and participation.
The need for further research and evaluation of RCV’s effects in different contexts.
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In areas that have actually used RCV:
Ballot Measure 2 in Alaska: The 2020 ballot initiative implemented RCV in Alaska, and opponents argue it is complicated and convoluted. It is on the ballot to repeal after the system provided a win to other than the most popular candidate.
Ranked-Choice Voting in Missouri: Amendment 7, a ballot measure in Missouri, aims to ban RCV in the state. Proponents argue that RCV is unnecessary and would lead to confusing elections, while opponents claim it would increase voter participation and reduce spoilers.
California’s 2023 Oakland Unified School District election, a court-ordered recount revealed errors that changed the outcome of the race.
Maine’s 2018 primary election, errors were discovered in the RCV count, leading to a re-count and a changed winner.
Portland City Council races will be using RCV to select City Council members. Architects of the system hoped for a more diverse set of policymakers, and political experts predicted candidates would identify with policy-aligned slates and encourage voters to rank multiple candidates.
While ranked choice voting aims to promote more representative outcomes, its counting process can produce faulty results due to errors, inaccuracies, and complexity. To ensure the integrity of election results, it is essential to prioritize thorough testing, due diligence, and transparency in the counting process.
Failing this, the choice is to vote No on Measure 117.
President Trump says he will look at having a more productive forest management plan
Clatsop County Circuit Court Judge Beau Peterson dismissed the Jewell School District’s case against the state over the Western Oregon State Forest Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) limits on logging that will lead to reduced funding for the district. The Jewell School District with 124 students, funds its current $4.3 million budget entirely with state forest timber harvests. They rely on timber harvests along with 13 Forest Trust Land Counties.
The School District argued that the Oregon Department of Forestry will cause the school and the forestry department serious financial harm by allowing the HCP to move forward that will reduce logging more than 35% in the Clatsop State Forest. The HCP will scale back logging on 630,000 acres for the next 70 years claiming to protect 17 threatened or endangered species.
Judge Peterson’s decision stated there was not enough evidence that the forestry department couldn’t find other cost-saving or revenue-generating activities to make up for any lost revenue from the HCP. He must not be aware that ODF is asking taxpayers for $450 million in lost wildfire revenue, or that a 2010 administrative rule mandates that ODF harvest enough timber from state forests to fulfill its obligations to manage the forests. The judge also determined that ruling against the state on the HCP wouldn’t guarantee the school district would receive financial relief. The judge is making a political decision leaving Jewell’s fate to taxpayers because the Oregon Department of Education is obligated to provide adequate funding. Under the state education funding equalization formula, Jewell would take a 17% cut with the timber harvest reduction.
Recently, an Oregonian had the opportunity to ask President Trump his thoughts on removing dead trees and debree from forest floors instead of backburning. After he explained the need for the jobs wasted, Trump agreed that the jobs are important to rural communities and he will look into a more productive forest management plan.
Meanwhile an investigation is brewing to carry on the work of the National Wildfire Institute (NWI) to continue research into the increasing wildfires that pose financial risks to communities in addition to the HCP. The need for USFS to better manage its wildfires and forestlands includes immediate snag salvage and site preparation followed by better reforestation planning and forest maintenance strategies for future generations.
In the past 10 years, 51 communities in western states were struck by wildfires started on National Forests, and most of those are in the legal range of spotted owls and subjected to the NWFP. These communities had at least 30 structures burned; or 50% of a community’s structures. A part of the project is to determine if the source of fires are related to parts of the forest management practices.
Bob Zybach, spearheading the project, said, ”We were pretty shocked at how recent most of the fires were, and also that they were almost entirely related to USFS lands. All indications are that the September 2020 fires were at least as destructive, if not as deadly, as the historic 1871 and 1910 Fires.”
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As reports come out on increasingly destructive wildfires in western states, regrowth is proving to be slow. It isn’t just that nursery can’t keep up with seed supply, training enough workers is difficult to prepare burnt sites and replant. The Forest Service says the biggest roadblock is the never-ending task of completing environmental and cultural assessments and preparing severely burnt land for replanting.
Now studies show a slowing of regrowth blamed on climate change producing extended drought. This makes young trees more vulnerable to repeat fires and often killing them. Research indicates hot fires also can harden the ground leaving barren slopes susceptible to washing away in rainstorms and polluting waterways that may never recover.
Forestry practices have been a hot topice for decades, starting with enviornmental and conservation clamp downs to forest management, which has steadly increased wildfire risks. For the first time, what once was a self-supported Oregon Department of Forestry, it is in the red asking for taxpayer bailout. While some call the HCP illegal, it will also have its toll on taxpayers to makeup for reduction in harvesting timber as many counties and school districts rely on those funds.
“Oregon has the highest known inactive registration rate of any state in the nation”
In July, Tom Fitton, President of Judicial Watch sent a notice letter to the Oregon secretary of state on behalf of the Constitution Party of Oregon and an Oregon registered voter, notifying them of violations of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) of 1993, based on the failure to remove inactive voters from the registration rolls. The notice letter to Oregon served as a “pre-suit” notice.
Judicial Watch announced this week it is making good on the notice and filing suit after discovering a statewide failure to clean up voter rolls. In its complaint, Judicial Watch argues that Oregon’s voter rolls contain large numbers of old, inactive registrations; and that 29 of Oregon’s 36 counties removed few or no registrations as required by federal election law. Their discovery contends that 35 of its counties had overall registration rates exceeding 100%; and that Oregon has the highest known inactive registration rate of any state in the nation.
The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oregon, Eugene Division, to compel the defendants to comply with their voter list maintenance obligations under Section 8 of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA).
The NVRA requires states to “conduct a general program that makes a reasonable effort to remove” from the official voter rolls “the names of ineligible voters” who have died or changed residence. Among other things, the NVRA requires registrations to be cancelled when voters fail to respond to address confirmation notices and then fail to vote in the next two general federal elections. In 2018, the Supreme Court confirmed that such removals are mandatory (Husted v. A. Philip Randolph Inst., 138 S. Ct. 1833, 1841-42 (2018))
Judicial Watch is a national leader in voting integrity and voting rights. As part of its work, Judicial Watch assembled a team of highly experienced voting rights attorneys, including Stephen Joncus of Joncus Law PC in Happy Valley, who stopped discriminatory elections, and cleaned up voter rolls across the country. Legal pressure from Judicial Watch ultimately led to the removal of up to four million ineligible voters from voter rolls in New York, California, Pennsylvania, Colorado, North Carolina, Kentucky, Ohio, and elsewhere.
In September, Judicial Watch presented arguments regarding a lower court ruling on Mississippi’s election law that permits absentee ballots to be received as late as five business days after Election Day. Now, the 5th Circuit Court just ruled that ballots must be received by Election Day and any state laws that allow them to be received and counted after Election Day violates federal law. This case affects Oregon’s practice giving ballots seven days to arrive.
Oregon has also been shown to have over 100% of registered voters in 35 out of its 36 counties. Oregon’s legislature has also tried to limit public access to voter lists. In July 2023 Judicial Watch filed an amicus curiae (friend of the court) brief, supporting the decision of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine, which struck down Maine’s policy restricting the use and distribution of the state’s voter registration list. According to a national study conducted by Judicial Watch in 2020, Maine’s statewide registration rate was 101% of eligible voters.
“Dirty voter rolls can mean dirty elections,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “Oregon has among the dirtiest voting rolls in America and needs to clean them up ASAP!”
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This suit comes on the heels of Oregon’s DMV caught registering more than a thousand noncitizens as eligible voters. The potential is that Oregon has 218,521 noncitizens that could have done business at DMV in the past two years that have a possibility of receiving a ballot in error. Add to that dirty voter rolls of people that have moved out-of-state or died, no wonder so many counties have more than 100% registered voters, and they all were sent ballots that can be fraudulently cast by unethical people.
Any ballot not legally voted, is an opportunity to be illegally cast. Please vote, and vote early to prevent your ballot from being stolen.
Ballots were mailed last week and Oregonians are pondering how to vote. Early voting nationally indicates the nation seems to be making a shift for change. Has Oregon’s one-party state had enough to follow? Oregon voters have more than enough to make their decision.
HB 4133, passed in 2022 by Democrats, created a fourth option for identifying as a valid voter in the registration process. This bill was advertised as “an effort to make voting more accessible to minority and underserved communities.” In Oregon there were three valid forms of ID: a drivers' license, a drivers' permit, or a State issued ID card. HB 4133 added a valid Social Security number, but then they negated its “validity” for the last four-digits, which can have duplicates. It became more complicated after allowing noncitizens a drivers' license.
Registering noncitizens at DMV has been in the news, and Governor Kotek and Secretary of State Lavonne Griffin-Valade are calling it “clerical errors.” It was a challenge for them to admit the number was over a thousand and call for an investigation. The potential is that Oregon has 218,521 noncitizens that could have done business at DMV in the past two years that have a possibility of receiving a ballot in error. Now, they are pushing ranked-choice-voting so these errors will be nearly impossible to discover.
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is holding its final public hearing on the leadership’s plan to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 90% from fossil fuels used in Oregon. This would essentially shut down the Oregon economy. DEQ’s Climate Protection Program was ordered by former Governor Kate Brown after she failed to get the program enacted by the state legislature. The Democrat controlled legislature has refused to address the devastation it will bring to the economy and raise costs on everything. It seems their answer is to move closer to socialism.
Governor Brown issued an Executive Oregon (EO 20-04) in 2020 which directed state agencies to reduce and regulate greenhouse gas emissions followed by the Democrat legislature passing HB 2021 into law creating a 100% “clean” energy mandate by 2040 and prohibited new fossil fuel plants. Ratepayers will bear the cost of this expensive mandate and will also be the ones left in the dark when the grid fails to operate without sufficient reliable power. The excess cost has already shown up in residential arrearages for energy utilities. They tripled throughout the pandemic, and increased $74 million on arrears over 91-days with nearly 300,000 Oregon residential customers collectively owing more than $94 million in arrears.
In 2019 a huge transportation package was enacted to solve Oregon’s infrastructure. Years later the infrastructure is as bad as it ever was, and now they want to install tolling, even on already built highways. One of the proposals is a $3 toll on Hwy 217 and I-5.
Oregon Department of Forestry was one of the few agencies in the nation that was self-funding and some of the forest harvest money went to 250 essential services. That all changed when leadership adopted an illegal unfunded HCP, which will reduce timber harvest 57% on 640,000 acres. This is about $4.5 billion in lost revenues. Now, they are asking taxpayers to pick up nearly $450 million, and counties are left bankrupt.
Speaker of the Oregon House Dan Rayfield (D-Corvallis) and then-Majority Leader and now-Speaker of the Oregon House Julie Fahey (D-Eugene) and eight others listed on OrStar received LaMota money, a company based in Spain. The parent company is still under secret investigation. They are accused of a crime against public health, criminal organization, money laundering, and power theft. These candidates along with Rayfield took LaMota money and didn’t report it until they got caught up in the 2023 scandal. Is this money connected to why the legislature didn’t refund the 2021 grant to irradiate "illegal grows"?
Leadership’s experiment to decriminalize drugs was a disaster, which has lead to taxpayer funded treatment centers as they try and dig their way out of legalizing criminal activity. Even though more arrests for trafficking drugs have taken place, they have not provided more funds for the one enforcement program that shut down over eight slave camps in one county. Fentanyl deaths in Oregon increased 41% in 2023, and a 1,500% increase in overdose deaths since 2019, which is mostly the results of cartel activity.
Biden/Harris Administration has flown in 674,000 convicted criminals distributed nationwide. Now, Oregon is giving homes to non-citizens, including free abortions to non-residents, free medical care, free sex changes, free treatment centers, and free lodging for homeless all funded by taxpayers.
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Are Oregon voters happy with 10-year-olds getting abortions without parent consent, and the legalization of pornography in schools? In 2023, the legislature passed HB 2002, which allows girls of any age to obtain an abortion without her parents’ knowledge. ODE teaches students how to redefine their gender as X giving them 58 options. Are Oregonians satisfied with a stagnant education system that focuses on identity and diversity and not education?
The current majority party repeatedly tries to exclude parents from school board meetings and from their children’s school records. The legislature, in 2024, introduced SB 1583 attempting to block parents and citizen-elected school boards from having input to determine and exclude age-inappropriate books and materials used in the curriculum. The Education Recovery Scorecard, 2024 study, shows Oregon’s elementary and middle school students remain an average of about two-thirds of a year behind in reading compared to pre-pandemic levels and three-fourths of a year behind in math. That’s roughly two to three times the deficit faced by students nationwide despite a $1.6 billion infusion of federal pandemic aid.
In 2023, the Oregon Legislature passed HB 2005 which makes it a crime to make or be in possession of any modern firearm or certain firearm’s parts unless those have been serialized in accordance with federal rules.Then there is Measure 114, still making it’s way through the courts, which legislature leadership should never have put an unconstitutional measure before the voters that ends the sale and possession of most modern firearms and magazines.
Oregonians "flies with her own wings", is she ready to break the old mold?
Workgroups will most likely need tolling for funding
The Oregon Joint Committee on Transportation recently wrapped up its 12-stop tour to determine how to fix the many ways Oregonians need a safe, functional and efficient transportation system. Now the committee will convene three workgroups tasked with providing a starting point for the legislature in 2025.
From June through September, legislators visited 12 cities around Oregon where legislators and staff received more than 1,000 pieces of spoken and written testimony and engaged in detailed dialogue with 285 roundtable participants.
Election years give voters a preview of what legislation will look like if reelecting the same people. Developing consensus ideas, in most cases, is a show of cooperation to impress voters. The group expressed the need to address Oregon’s transportation system with a focus toward fundamental maintenance and safety, public transit options, and finishing major existing projects.
The Joint Committee on Transportation is made up of 12 members, seven Democrats and 5 Republicans. Three workgroups consisting of approximately 50 members consisting of committee members and stakeholder will determine the direction the legislation will take. Meetings will be livestreamed and posted on the Oregon Legislative Information System. The three workgroups will be:
Back-to-Basics / Maintenance and Operations: Preservation of our systems and ADA requirements
Public and Active Transit: Transit, Rail, Micromobility, Safe Routes to School
Finishing 2017 Priority Commitments: Projects with statewide significance that are already in process with state and major federal funding secured (e.g., I-205-Abernethy Bridge, the I-5 Rose Quarter Safety Improvement Project).
“Whether we were in Ontario, Coos Bay, Bend, or Tillamook, we learned about the unique challenges that different communities face when it comes to transportation infrastructure," said Senator Chris Gorsek (D - Gresham), committee chair. "We also heard many common themes: Oregonians said they want well-maintained roads, stable bridges, multiple modes of transit, and for everyone to pay their fair share.”
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“Inaction is not an option — based on what we learned during our statewide tour, the legislature must act in 2025 to provide stable and sufficient funding to our transportation systems,” said Rep. Susan McLain (D - Hillsboro). "Now that we’ve heard from the public, members of the committee will lead workgroup discussions in three key areas so the legislature can consider the best package for all Oregonians using our roadways."
"Over the past several months, this committee engaged in robust discussions with members of the public and community leaders about their needs and their suggestions for how we fund those needs. Those conversations were a vital step in crafting a path forward," said House Speaker Julie Fahey (D-West Eugene & Veneta) and Senate President Rob Wagner (D-Lake Oswego). "Now, the work groups will incorporate those perspectives into discussions about how we maintain a safe, functional, and efficient transportation system.”
This is the slow easing towards developing the need to support a tolling package that can’t be refuted by voters regardless of prior outcries. The only option is to vote.
If Oregon wants to be a player in AI, the council needs an energy action plan that will secure energy for Oregonians.
It is nearly a year since Oregon Governor Tina Kotek issued Executive Order 23-26 establishing a state government artificial intelligence advisory council. She stated it was a fundamental priority of her office to be well-prepared for the rapid evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI).
The council’s primary recommendations aim to ensure the responsible and beneficial use of artificial intelligence in Oregon state government, while promoting transparency, equity, and fairness. The council will be meeting October 30 to finalize their action plan. Even though the public comment period closed last week, public comment can be made at the October 30 meeting.
The council is recommending 35 actions in three principle areas. All actions seem to point to an agency for oversight and governance, and establishes a methodology of equity, diversity and inclusion in all areas. Standards of transparency, accountability, testing, auditing and guidelines for use ensure compliance with relevant privacy laws with exceptions.
In all the recommendations, there seems to be convenient carve outs that will allow the Secretary of State and any other government agency to continue spying on free speech for what they determine to be mis- mal- or dis-information.
Big tech AI is an energy guzzler and the council has ignored standards for energy use. Big tech AI companies Google, Oracle and Microsoft have turned from renewable energy giving up on reaching ‘net zero’ with wind and solar power. Instead they are buying buildings next to nuclear power and employing nuclear engineers. If Oregon wants to be a player in AI, the council needs an energy action plan that will secure energy for Oregonians.
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OSU has been at the forefront of AI research and education. As a result, AI development companies are the 13th most popular industry and market group, including such companies as AI Chatbots, Generative AI, AI Virtual Assistants, AI Deployment and Darwoft, which is a custom software development company with expertise in UX design and development for web and mobile applications.
Possibly the only thing standing in the way of AI success in Oregon is leadership's policy on energy.
The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) released results from the Oregon Statewide Assessment System’s spring 2024 summative tests, which highlights the need for more work to reach pre-pandemic academic performance levels. The results included key areas of progress statewide, with six out of seven grade levels showing improved math scores, while recovery in literacy scores has been slower and more uneven across the state.
While ODE is patting themselves on the back claiming gains were made in math scores, overall the gain was 0.4 percent for 31% achievement rate compared to pre-pandemic of 45.8%. That’s barely noticeable to base progress on and still leaves a gap of 14.8. It doesn't show real gains when the national average is approximately 70.9%.
Districts who have shown improvement are pointing to several factors that have contributed to this progress, including teacher collaboration time, an emphasis on connecting the math lesson to other school subjects such as science and social science, and a focus on conceptual understanding.
ODE says English Language Arts (ELA) data reveals it as a critical area of concern as students are not consistently demonstrating grade-level knowledge and skills. The ELA scores dropped -0.5% showing eighth grade with the biggest loss at -1.3. The overall achievement rate is 42.5 compared to the pre-pandemic rate of 62.6 leaving a 20.1 rate gap. In the last three school years, the level of achievement in ELA has steadily declined -1.1, clearly showing the current programs are not working. Then compare that to the national average of 65.1%.
Science also took a 0.1% loss which puts it back at 2021-22 levels at 29.3 achievement rates.
Along with the data release, ODE has identified key areas for targeted action to support improved student performance, including continued and increased investment in K-12 literacy, support for summer and afterschool learning, refining data and policy practices and developing an accountability framework. The key areas they want to target are:
ODE was recently awarded $11.5 million from the U.S. Department of Education to deepen and expand literacy efforts across the K-12 continuum. This grant is the initial installment of a potential total of $57 million, with funds flowing as soon as the 2025-26 school year to high need districts through competitive subgrants. This new grant builds on the momentum generated by the Early Literacy Success Initiative, the 2023 legislation (HB 3198) that invested more than $90 million in state funding to close opportunity gaps for historically underserved students, including multilingual learners and those experiencing disabilities from birth to 12th grade.
The state legislature has tasked a workgroup to address critical areas such as equitable access to summer and afterschool programs, sustainable funding, streamlined grant administration, program quality and oversight, and incentivizing partnerships.
Ongoing examination of achievement data to guide decision making in order to direct resources where they are most needed. ODE is elevating a system of assessments by combining the state summative test results with other data, such as the Student Educational Equity Development (SEED) Survey. The intent is to highlight those students who had more frequent opportunities to learn (e.g. write about what they read, use different ways to show math thinking, etc.) were also more likely to be proficient on the state summative tests.
ODE is developing an accountability framework in partnership with education and community partners that represents the diversity of our state in terms of race/ethnicity, region, gender, and role. This workgroup is synthesizing the guiding principles and student success categories that will drive the identification of indicators that can be used to shine a light on Oregon’s K-12 education system in places that might need additional attention.
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ODE Director Dr. Charlene Williams said, “Several targeted efforts are underway to support students including the statewide investment and commitment to early literacy best practices. As funding and supports from the Early Literacy Success Initiative become embedded in schools, we will begin to see a significant payoff for Oregon’s scholars.”
Governor Tina Kotek expressed her dissatisfaction, “We must double down on our commitment and collaboration to fix the gaps in our system that are failing students. I am focused on working with education partners across the whole system to identify evidence-based solutions, increase high-quality learning opportunities, and strengthen student wellbeing.”
Filling the gap to regain pre-pandemic levels that are below national levels, is to continue to be below achievement levels the state should be providing students. After three years of no viable gains, it’s a high indicator that the state’s answer to throw more money in the system is failing students. It has encouraged a growing movement towards school choice with funding that follows the student as an attractive education option.
Governor Kotek said, “The Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative is the result of a historic, unified partnership with sovereign Tribal nations and the states of Oregon and Washington – and I am committed to full implementation of our agreement over the next decade. My directives to state agencies will uphold our state’s commitment and complement other efforts by the state to build a resilient and adaptive future to climate change, while also positioning our communities for a prosperous economic future.”
The “Six Sovereigns,” made up of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs, the Confederated Tribes of the Yakama Nation, the Nez Perce Tribe, and the states of Oregon and Washington, joined together to develop the CBRI.
In December 2023, the United States government agreed to a suite of actions memorialized in the federal commitments made by the Biden-Harris Administration in response to the CBRI, in conjunction with a Presidential Memorandum, and the federal commitments together comprise the Resilient Columbia Basin Agreement (RCBA).
In collaboration with the Biden-Harris Administration, an agreement was developed to work in partnership with the Six Sovereigns to restore wild salmon populations, expand Tribally sponsored clean energy production, and provide stability for communities that depend on the Columbia River System for agriculture, energy, recreation, and transportation.
A key to the stability of the region is the development of clean, reliable, and affordable replacement power for the region prior to considering removal of existing dams on the Snake River as a priority in the agreement.
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To achieve these outcomes, Governor Kotek is directing relevant Oregon state agencies to:
By February 2025, develop a report that outlines program commitments and existing statutory or administrative needs and capacity.
Twice annually, meet with the Governor’s Office to review coordination among the State of Oregon, the federal government, and the other Six Sovereigns for the purpose of assessing their work to achieve and accelerate full implementation of the CBRI and RBCA.
By June 2025, and annually thereafter, report to their respective boards or commissions on their implementation of the CBRI and RBCA, including identifying opportunities to enhance their agency’s role in CBRI and RBCA implementation.
By November 2025, and annually thereafter, convene with the Governor’s Office a meeting with the Six Sovereigns to discuss ongoing implementation efforts and opportunities for collaboration to optimize implementation by Oregon.
The Governor’s Executive Order also directs the Northwest Power and Conservation Council (NWPCC) to identify opportunities for the NWPCC to advance the goals of the CBRI and RBCA and, by April 2025, deliver a report to the Governor of the opportunities that have been identified and the actions that are needed to implement those opportunities.
Sea surface temperatures dictate atmospheric CO2 levels, not fossil fuel emissions
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality recently asked for public comments on rules for the Climate Protection Program (CPP). In December 2023, the Oregon Court of Appeals invalidated CPP for not complying with notice requirements. The new rules will:
Reestablish a program to set limits on greenhouse gas emissions from significant sources in Oregon including large stationary sources, transportation fuels, and other liquid and gaseous fuels.
Set an enforceable and declining limit, or cap, on greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels used in Oregon, including diesel, gasoline, natural gas, and propane beginning in 2025.
Prioritize equity by promoting benefits and alleviating burdens for environmental justice communities.
Reestablish a climate program with comparable scope and emissions reduction ambitions as the previously adopted Climate Protection Program.
Oregon’s intense policy mandates based on human caused climate change has caused energy bills to sky rocket, and the elimination of fossil fuels is impacting transportation and costs of produce. Now, an inconvenient truth, a new study vindicates the human desire to be effective, efficient and economically minimal that challenges the theory that human emissions are the primary driver of increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration.
It turns out that fossil fuel emissions have a negligible impact on atmospheric CO2 levels, especially when compared to natural phenomenon like natural fluctuations in sea surface temperatures according to research, published in the Science of Climate Change. The research shows that sea surface temperatures (SST) dictate atmospheric CO2 levels. This research calls into question every climate change agenda proposed by global governments and institutions.
Dao Ato, an independent researcher, Osaka, Japan, released his study comparing the impacts of sea surface temperature and human emissions on atmospheric CO2 concentrations derived from NASA and the UK-HADLEY Centre datasets, which has the most accurate predictors of CO2. The analysis spanned from 1959 to 2022 and employed multiple linear regression techniques to evaluate the influence of sea surface temperature and human CO2 emissions on the annual increase in atmospheric CO2. He built his research upon three other studies that established fossil fuel emissions had no impact on CO2 levels so much so that a 2009 study produced such a negligible impact on atmospheric CO2 that it was excluded having no impact on the planet.
The study conclusion reads:
The global SST has been the main determinant of annual increases in atmospheric CO? concentrations since 1959. No human impact was observed. This result indicates that human efforts to curb CO? emissions have been, at least in the past, meaningless. Moreover, the theory that modern global warming and climate change are caused by human-emitted CO? is also wrong, irrelevantly to the credibility of the story that modern warming and climate change are occurring more dramatically than those in the past.
Ato’s study also found that human methane emissions, despite rising dramatically in recent decades, have not contributed to rising methane concentrations in the atmosphere through the 21st century.
The study’s findings suggest that natural variations in sea surface temperature, rather than human activities, are the dominant factor influencing fluctuations in atmospheric CO2. This study challenges the prevailing narrative that human emissions are the primary driver of climate change, and should call into question all global government narratives surrounding the climate change agenda.
Oregon has been on its own planet for more than a decade, not stopping to do due diligence or research best practices. As early as 2009 a whistleblower leaked thousands of emails between scientists in high-ranking positions in the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). These emails document their “unethical attempts to suppress contrary opinions and publications from climate skeptics.” He submits that climate change is a political hoax with no true basis in real science/data.
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There are many Al Gore types that are calling these studies a hoax, but cannot disprove them. They have gone to great effort to tie CO2 levels to temperature changes and human activity and those ties are becoming weak. Now that fossil fuels aren’t increasing in the atmosphere as predicted, government is doing other activities to keep the pretense going. Most notably is adding to wildfires by increasing prescribed burns, and building windmill farms at sea to disrupt surface temperatures to increase CO2 levels inland.
Historically, climate changes in cycles, always has and always will. When government lacks due diligence with an independent scientific study, how much suppression and tyrannical control can a democratic republic tolerate?
Oregon measure 118 is far from being transparent and simple as they claim. The eye catcher is the $1,600 yearly income, which would be $6,400 for a family of four. There are very few restrictions on who would receive this windfall and will go to prisoner, drug addicts, undocumented residents, cartel traffickers, and anyone else living in Oregon. Under Measure 118, the current minimum corporation tax is replaced with a 3 percent gross receipts tax. It is being sold as a classic tax on big business, but it functions like an aggressive sales tax on consumers.
So where does all this money come from? They say big corporations need to spread their wealth back to residents of Oregon. And where do big corporations get their profits – from us, you and me. That family of four will pay approximately 12 percent more for purchases like groceries, clothes, entertainment devices, utilities, and general goods. They will also pay income tax on the added funds if they make over $40,000. Redistribution of wealth is the backbone of a socialist government, which has a history of failing. Is that where Oregon is headed?
The Tax Foundation says this scheme is a hidden sales tax, which voters have rejected 10 times. They calculate that a modest corporation of $50 million in Oregon sales would generally owe taxes of $294,000 on average profit margins of 6.6 to 7.6 percent. Under measure 118, paying 3 percent on gross receipt, they would pay $1.5 million, which is 37.5 percent on profits. You might say they can afford it, but that isn’t the whole picture. Unfortunately, this sales tax isn’t just imposed at the retail level. It’s also imposed on the same product at the wholesale level, and at each stage of the manufacturing process. The tax is embedded at every level of production. That creates what is called tax pyramiding, where the final price to consumers has embedded added tax costs so that each level of production is taxed on the higher added taxed price, effectively the consumer is taxed multiple times on the same item amounting to an approximate 10.9 percent sales tax.
The proposed tax is also regressive, since the highest effective rates are on consumer goods (where profit margins are often slim) and the lowest effective rates are in areas like information services, where profit margins are often larger. Typically, there are far more stages of production for retail goods than for services. Groceries, which have notoriously low margins, would be hit particularly hard. The Tax Foundation charted effective rates at a single stage of production for several different industry sectors, not even taking into account how many times the tax would pyramid for the goods and services provided by these industries.
If Oregon were to see the same levels of pyramiding as Washington State has documented, consumers could expect to see about a 12 percent price increase. It may not show up on the receipt, but a 12 percent sales tax would impact Oregon’s livability negatively. According to “Rich States, Poor States” (2024 edition), Oregon is currently ranked 42nd out of 50 states in terms of its economic outlook. This forward-looking forecast is based on the state’s standing in 15 important policy variables. A WalletHub report (August 2024) ranked Oregon among the top 10 worst states to live in, citing factors such as high cost of living, housing affordability, restaurants per capita, and job opportunities, which would all be hit harder by measure 118.
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The pyramiding of taxes creates incentives for businesses to do as much of their production as possible outside Oregon borders, which is bad for Oregon’s economy. In 2023, Portland was fifth highest for large cities and Grants Pass was ranked 13th highest in the nation for unemployment. Increasing unemployment would put pressure on the legislature to increase the 3 percent tax, which could be done by a simple majority once the funding source (tax) is passed as law.
Will outside influencers be successful in deceiving Oregon voters that are so aversive to a sales tax?
“Hoyle Chose Illegal Alien Rapists and Abusers Over Women”
Oregpn 4th District Republican candidate Monique DeSpain condemned Val Hoyle’s vote against H.R. 7909 Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act, which would make non-U.S. nationals (alien under federal law) who admit to or are convicted of domestic violence crimes and sex offenses, including conspiracy to commit a sex offense, inadmissible for entry and deportable.
“This past Thursday, Val Hoyle voted against the bipartisan Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act H.R. 7909, which would make it easier for law enforcement to deport illegal aliens who assault or rape women,” stated DeSpain. “Hoyle pretends she stands up for women’s rights, but when it comes to deporting illegal aliens who assault women, she stands with the rapists and abusers. Hoyle is nothing but a thoughtless administration rubber stamp who won’t even stand with Democrats who want border security and a safe country for their constituents.”
Hoyle rejects all bipartisan attempts to achieve national security. In early 2023, Hoyle voted against H.R. 2 Secure The Border Act, which would have:
Restarted building the border wall
Ended Biden catch and release policy
Reinstituted the Remain in Mexico policy
Deployed technology to the southern and northern border
Increased the number of Border Patrol agents
Strengthened the asylum process
Reimbursed states for costs incurred while securing the border.
Earlier this year, Val Hoyle went to El Paso, TX, and praised open borders while lecturing her constituents who asked her, “Why don’t you just shut down the border?” explaining that “We need to have movement through the border and how much we need the workforce.” Seven weeks later, Texas National Guard Troops at an El Paso, Texas checkpoint were overrun and assaulted by foreign military-aged males forcing their way into our country.
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As a result of the Biden Harris open border policies that Hoyle supports, lawmakers have fought to protect Americans by passing the following bills in Congress, all of which Hoyle voted against:
H.R. 7511 Laken Riley Act requiring ICE to detain illegal migrants who have been arrested for burglary, theft, larceny, or shoplifting.
H.R.7343 Detain and Deport Illegal Aliens Who Assault Cops Act requiring ICE to detain any illegal aliens who assault a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or other first responder.
HR 5283 Protecting our Communities from Failure to Secure the Border Act barring the housing of illegal immigrants in national parks, forests, and public lands
H.R. 1371 Strongly condemning the Biden Administration and its Border Czar, Kamala Harris’s, failure to secure the United States border
H. Res. 863 Impeaching Biden Secretary of Open Borders Alejandro Mayorkas for his role in causing this crisis and providing false testimony to Congress about it.
H.R. 8580 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act included a provision that would H.Amdt.958 that would prohibit the use of funds for the Department of Veterans Affairs to process medical claims for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Health Service Corps, originally proposed under H.R.6744 - No VA Resources for Illegal Aliens Act.
H.R. 8281 Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act requiring individuals to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship in order to register to vote in federal elections.
H. R. 7109 Equal Representation Act to count and exclude the massive influx of millions and millions of illegal migrants during the Biden Administration in the next U.S. Census from Congressional Reapportionment.
“Val’s appalling support for the current administration’s disastrous open border and the devastating ramifications we all feel has led directly to unlimited illegal immigration, human smuggling, fentanyl trafficking, overwhelmed communities and law enforcement, and terrorist infiltration,” said DeSpain. “Representative Hoyle supports the interests of criminal illegal immigrants over law-abiding immigrants and other people severely impacted by crime every chance she gets by casting votes no reasonable person in the 4th District would approve. Voters, especially female assault victims, deserve a representative in Washington, D.C., who puts them first. I will.”
Governor Tina Kotek has directed Oregon Driver and Motor Vehicle Services to take additional proactive steps to protect the integrity of Oregon’s Motor Voter program. Her new directive follows an already-resolved data processing error in a set of records transmitted to the Oregon Secretary of State.
“The integrity of election systems is the cornerstone of a functioning democracy, and any error that can undermine our voting system must be taken seriously and addressed immediately,” Governor Kotek said. “Following round-the-clock corrective action on the part of Oregon DMV to address the known errors and ensure they will not impact the 2024 general election, I am now directing the agency to go above and beyond to ensure errors like this will not happen again.”
In a press release, Governor Kotek says that she has directed Oregon DMV to:
Provide updated training immediately to all relevant staff on the full set of corrective actions in response to the errors.
Undertake and complete a comprehensive After Action Report within 14 days to determine how the errors occurred, document the corrective actions taken, and provide an explanation of why the errors will not occur again.
Initiate a full-scale data integrity review overseen by a panel of external data experts to produce preliminary recommendations for improved data management by the end of 2024. The recommendations must include staff training improvements to ensure staff have every available resource to succeed.
Establish a data quality control calendar in coordination with the Oregon Secretary of State to ensure due diligence ahead of elections.
In response to Governor Kotek's press release regarding the Oregon DMV's automatic voter registration system errors which led to 1,259 non-citizens being wrongfully placed on voter rolls, Senate Republican Leader Daniel Bonham (R-The Dalles) issued the following statement:
“While I appreciate Governor Kotek’s directive to the DMV to take proactive steps to avoid further errors with the state’s motor voter program, it’s not enough. The only reason we know about the DMV registering 1,259 non-citizens to vote is because a national think tank started asking questions. This tells me that there’s probably much larger, systematic issues at play. For Governor Kotek to suggest that this is the only necessary action to clean up our voter rolls suggests that she’s more focused on managing appearances than solving real problems.”
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Leader Bonham emphasized that Governor Kotek still needs to direct the Secretary of State to audit all voter registrations to ensure that Oregon's voter rolls are accurate.
House Republicans also reiterated their call today for a public briefing on non-citizen voter registrations as the number of reported non-citizen registrations increased by over 400% over what was initially reported. Despite requesting the briefing multiple times, as of this release, House Republicans have not received a formal update on steps being taken to address this issue.
“A press announcement is no substitute for an open and public hearing,” said House Republican Leader Jeff Helfrich (R-Hood River). “Oregonians deserve full transparency about how this happened. We must have a public hearing.”
“It is disappointing that we are all here in Salem this week to do our jobs, but we have no Legislative Rules Committee scheduled to hear from the Secretary of State’s office on this issue,” said Rep. Anna Scharf (R-Amity). “I have personally read in the papers conflicting reports of how this problem was even detected. We need clear answers from the Secretary of State on what the current plan of action is moving forward so that this never happens again.”
They bring problems that the American Taxpayers simply cannot afford to subsidize
Oregon Representative Court Boice (R-Curry) reports on his recent visit to the Arizona border and observed first-hand the ongoing chaos and sheer evil that continues to invade our country. “What I saw was shocking! Much of that destruction has brought havoc to Oregon as no state and no community is isolated from the last four-year consequences of horribly failed policies. American Citizens know and many are experiencing those negative and destructive impacts.”
The number of Illegal Immigrants in Oregon is growing. Of the estimated 11.4 million unauthorized immigrants living in the United States, the estimated number living in Oregon in 2010 was 170,000 according to the 2017 Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) report. The FAIR report estimated that Oregon’s state and local governments spent $1.08 billion on services for individuals residing in the country illegally, and taxpayers funded $1 billion.
In 2018, the American Immigration Council indicated 239,261 were undocumented immigrants in Oregon. The top countries of origin were Mexico (36 percent of immigrants), Vietnam (6 percent), China (5 percent), India (5 percent), and the Philippines (4 percent). Approximately 186,460 people in Oregon, including 89,520 U.S. citizens, lived with at least one undocumented family member between 2010 and 2014.
Oregon has a sizeable community of immigrants, many coming from Mexico. One out of every ten Oregon residents is foreign-born, while one in nine residents is a native-born American who has at least one immigrant parent. More than two-fifths of Oregon’s farmers, fishers, and foresters are immigrants, as are over one-fifth of all production employees. Overall, Oregon’s immigrant population has become more diverse, with a growing Latino and Asian population. The population remains relatively young, with a high proportion of working-age individuals.
Because of the clandestine nature of the undocumented immigrant population, sources vary in their estimations based on how they draw their conclusions. Based on increasing naturalization rates, the increased presence of the undocumented is a given. According to the Census Bureau’s data, between 2010 and 2022, approximately 201,669 foreign-born individuals in Oregon became naturalized U.S. citizens with 28.4% naturalized since 2015.
Rep. Boice points out the obvious of mismanaging the increasing number of immigrants: “What we see today is a travesty in law breaking immigration. Perhaps as many as 16 million illegal aliens from all across the Third World have been enabled by the Biden-Harris administration to enter the United States of America. Tens of thousands find their way to our pristine regions with nothing in their pockets but problems that the American Taxpayers simply cannot afford to subsidize. The drain on our benevolence is profound.
“Most now come to America not to embrace opportunity but many come to commit horrific crimes; murder, rape, and human trafficking. All have been exploded as they push a bottomless surge of newcomers here, tragically with their hands out. Our environment, our economy, our law enforcement, our medical and educational systems are all under tremendous pressure as we witness this cruel enablement, even encouraged invasion. If we fail to correct, we can say goodbye to our special American memories of yesteryear. That's why we must unite, stand against and repel this onslaught.
“I and everyone I know supports legal immigration and always has. Legal entry is the lifeblood of our heritage. However, we must adhere to the rule of law and critical order! We need responsible, vibrant, and vetted immigration with those that want to respect and embrace our history and beliefs.”
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Senator Tim Knopp (R-Bend) and Representative Vikki Breese-Iverson (R-Prineville) wrote a memo to Republican colleagues that Oregon has been “significantly impacted” by a surge of illegal entries at the nation’s southern border, “particularly through the influx of fentanyl and other illicit drugs…”
They plan to introduce legislation in the 2025 session that will roll back the so-called Sanctuary Promise Act. The Act passed in 2021 by Democrats to make it easier for local law enforcement agencies and other Oregon public officials to collaborate with federal authorities to enforce immigration law. But, by strengthening Oregon’s decades-old sanctuary protections, it created explicit prohibitions on local officials prohibing them from aiding federal immigration authorities. It gave illegals a pass to commit crimes, and if caught, they were allowed to escape from federal enforcement.
The fentanyl crisis has exposed the Sanctuary Promise Act for harboring criminal activity. The new recriminalization law, HB 4002, gives Oregon some hope that law enforcement will again pursue justice and reduce the undesired criminals out of the undocumented illegals entering the state.
Demand Action on Voter Roll Accuracy Following Discovery of DMV Registration Errors
Senate Republican Leader Daniel Bonham (R-The Dalles) has called on Governor Tina Kotek in a letter to address urgent problems with Oregon’s voter registration system. Reports have revealed that the Oregon DMV registered over 300 non-citizens to vote, raising serious concerns about the accuracy of the state's voter rolls.
“Two weeks ago, we learned that non-citizens were getting $30,000 taxpayer-funded down payments for houses. Now, we’re finding out they’re being registered to vote, too,” Leader Bonham said. “Governor Kotek needs to make sure Secretary LaVonne Griffin-Valade gets on top of this and cleans up the voter rolls fast. Oregonians need to be sure the system is fair and accurate, especially with such an important election coming up.”
Leader Bonham also pointed to Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin’s recent Executive Order 35, which prioritizes accurate voter rolls and addresses potential errors. “We need to follow Youngkin’s lead and get serious about fixing our system.”
Additionally, Leader Bonham is demanding that Governor Kotek ensure the Oregon Department of Transportation fixes the DMV’s process problems that led to these registration errors. “It’s important that ODOT reviews and enhances their procedures to prevent these kinds of errors in the future. Our elections need to be secure, and we can’t afford any more mistakes.”
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House Republican Leader and Rules Committee Vice Chair Jeff Helfrich (R-Hood River) asked House Democrat Leader and Rules Committee Chair Ben Bowman (D-Tigard) to call a meeting of the House Rules Committee to receive a briefing from the Secretary of State and the director of the Oregon Department of Transportation on what is being done to catch and purge noncitizens from Oregon’s voter rolls.
“Only American citizens should vote in American elections, yet noncitizens have been discovered on Oregon’s voter rolls. Oregonians have a right to full transparency from the state as to the extent of the problem and what is being done to fix it before ballots go out next month. The legislature gathers next week; this provides an ideal opportunity for state officials to update the legislature on the steps being taken to ensure that Oregon’s elections are secure,” said Helfrich.
As of this time, the legislature has not received a formal update or notice of intent to provide an update from the secretary, nor has the House Republican Caucus received a response to its request for a hearing.
In response to a report that directly contradicted official statements about how Oregon detected non-citizens on their voter rolls, House Republicans also renewed their call for a public briefing on Oregon’s election integrity efforts.
“State election officials led us to believe they caught the problem through regular internal processes. That is not true,” said House Republican Leader Jeff Helfrich (R-Hood River). “Learning about this through the press is unacceptable. We need a public hearing as soon as possible so the Secretary of State and Department of Motor Vehicles can tell us directly what happened, why, and what is being done to fix it.”
The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) awarded Portland, Oregon, the league’s 15th franchise, which will begin play in 2026. The Portland team will be owned and operated by RAJ Sports, led by Lisa Bhathal Merage and Alex Bhathal. Portland is the third expansion franchise awarded by the WNBA during this round of expansion, following the Golden State Valkyries and a Toronto franchise, bringing the league from 12 to 15.
Oregon’s franchise will play at the Moda Center, where Oregon Senator Ron Wyden made the announcement. Wyden inspired fans saying he has been in contact with Sabrina Ionescu, who will be a free agent in 2026. She played college basketball at the University of Oregon and became a local icon earning multiple player of the year awards. Ionescu has pushed for an Oregon franchise where she continues to have a fan base.
Governor Tina Kotek hails women’s sports in Oregon. “The decision to choose Portland for the next WNBA team is just as much a recognition of our past as it is about faith in our future. Portland has an unequivocal love of women’s sports. The National Women’s Soccer League made a smart bet on Portland twelve years ago with the Portland Thorns, now an unmatched cultural hallmark. The Rose City Rollers are among the founding members of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association, and later this year their national championship will take place in Portland’s own Veterans Memorial Coliseum. And you can watch it all from The Sports Bra, the nation’s first-ever sports bar dedicated to supporting and showing women’s sports.
“You can tell a lot about a community by where people find joy, and Portland just can’t help but break the mold. The next WNBA team is a great fit. Portland is back on the rise, and Oregon is aiming high with Portland. I look forward to seeing you at the first tip off.”
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Signing Sabrina Ionescu to Portland would give the franchise a starting boost. While sports news has Ionescu going toe-to-toe with Stephen Curry at the NBA All-Star weekend, she wouldn’t just be bringing attention to the new Portland franchise, but her launch of Sabrina 2 Nikes could help with a much-needed boost to Oregon’s Nike business.
The Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD) followed Governor Tina Kotek’s lead by updating groundwater rules after Kotek declared a drought emergency. Kotek first declared a drought emergency in Jefferson County in June, her first use of her emergency authority for drought. She recently extended the emergency to Lake County.
The Basin Outlook Reports show these two counties to be on the low end with Lake County’s two reservoirs being at 41% capacity compared to 29% a year ago at this time. Jackson County Willow Creek reservoir was at 64% capacity when the emergency drought was declared in June, and is now at 37% capacity compared to last year it was at 27%. Overall, Oregon basin index is at 61% of capacity compared to a year ago it was at 53%, with a current median capacity of 97% compared to 91% a year ago. The underlying question is why did it take over a year to recognize this need.
After decades of groundwater declines, OWRD is responding to limit further depleting groundwater resources. OWRD has adopted what they consider science-based rules for issuing new water rights. They have used a forward-looking approach that considers the needs of future generations. OWRD is committed to safeguarding existing surface water and groundwater users and the livelihoods they support, while managing groundwater resources more sustainably.
The updated rules detail how OWRD determines if water is available to support new groundwater rights. The rule changes are not intended to impact groundwater applications in the agency queue at the time the new rules become effective. The new rules also do not affect exempt groundwater uses, existing water rights, or water rights transfers.
The updated rules clarify, and update key terminology used for decision-making when issuing new groundwater rights. Under the updated rules, water is considered available if the groundwater levels are reasonably stable, the proposed groundwater pumping does not further deplete an already over-appropriated surface water source, and the aquifer can produce the water at the full amount requested. If the Department is not able to make site-specific determinations based on existing data, a finding will be made that no water is available for the requested use and the application will be denied. In practice, this means overall fewer new water right applications will be granted.
There are some underlying messages in how to accomplish using less water while growing Oregon’s population. Future water uses will likely require alternative pathways such as water sharing and designing for water reuse and reclamation that walkable communities offer. Recently, New Spirit Village opened in Medford modeling a walkable community.
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In 2015 a campaign was started to raise $30 billion to bring a proposed interstate undersea water pipeline from the mouth of the Columbia River on the Oregon–Washington border to California. Should Oregon support our neighbors when our water levels are depleting?
The 2022 Census of Agriculture shows Oregon has 35,000 farms and ranches with 15.2 million acres, mostly locally owned and operated, which the Oregon Farm Bureau estimates are directly and indirectly responsible for $50 billion in goods and services. Water is the lifeblood of these operations and demands eighty-five percent of our state’s supply. For comparison, municipal and industrial sectors (combined) consist of a mere fourteen percent of the water demand. Over the next thirty-four years, this ratio will remain essentially the same, according to OWRD.
OWRD has identified a complicating factor in Oregon’s trend is temperature. By 2050, the OWRD projects an average increase of eight degrees. However, this year’s weather pattern started out colder than normal, which seems to be reflected in the increased water levels.
Oregon Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade has ordered updates to 0.01% of voter registrations today after the DMV determined in an internal audit that they sent a small number of inaccurate customer records to the Elections Division.
The Secretary of State’s Office was made aware of the issue late on September 12 and acted within 24 hours. Residents impacted by this issue were noncitizens at the time they were erroneously registered. They will be notified by mail that they will not receive a ballot unless they demonstrate that they are eligible to vote.
Only 2 individuals in this universe have a voting history. Their citizenship status at the time they voted is unknown, according to the Secretary of State's office. The Secretary of State will do additional due diligence in these cases.
The error occurred at the DMV when staff entered information into their system. DMV customers are required to present an identity document when they request a new driver’s license or ID. The error occurred when DMV staff entered information about the type of identity document provided. One example is entering “U.S. Passport” when the document was actually a foreign passport. The other example would be entering “U.S. Birth Certificate” when the document was actually a foreign birth certificate. When such an error occurred, the customer’s information was then transmitted to the state’s voter registration system. No individual took action to register inappropriately.
The DMV’s initial review of the error shows that it impacted 0.01% of voter registrations in the state of Oregon. The DMV is working around the clock to ensure that any additional records with the error are identified and corrected. According to the Secretary of State's data, there are 3,025,132 registered voters in Oregon. 0.01% of that is about 303 persons
The Secretary of State's office issued a statement saying, "While this error is regrettable, the Secretary and the Elections Division stand by automatic voter registration and its many benefits. For the vast majority of eligible Oregonians who were registered through Oregon Motor Voter, this has increased access to our democracy. Oregon elections officials are firmly committed to ensuring eligible voters have the opportunity to exercise their right to vote."
“Safeguarding the integrity of our elections is my top priority,” said Secretary Griffin-Valade. “When my office was made aware of this error, we moved quickly to update the voter rolls. I am also personally calling on the DMV to take immediate action to improve its processes to ensure this doesn’t happen again.
“Automatic voter registration has been hugely beneficial for thousands of eligible Oregon voters to ensure access to our democracy,” said Secretary Griffin-Valade. “I’m confident the DMV is rectifying this error and improving their process, so it doesn’t happen again.”
Oregon House Republican Leader Jeff Helfrich (R-Hood River) responded.
“Republicans warned over and over that Oregon’s election laws were too relaxed, and Democrats dismissed our concerns. Now, hundreds of noncitizens were found on Oregon’s voter rolls, and the state can’t say how many there are. This threat to election integrity is unacceptable. The Secretary of State must immediately inform the legislature as to the full extent of this problem and what is being done to fix it before ballots go out next month,” Helfrich said.
“Parents deserve clear, honest information about how schools are performing”
Senate Republican Leader Daniel Bonham (R-The Dalles) is calling for urgent reform in how Oregon’s school performance report cards are presented. A recent report highlighted a significant lack of transparency in these report cards, making it difficult for parents to understand the true educational performance of their children.
The Oregon Department of Education is Directed by Charlene Williams, but Oregon's governor, Tina Kotek is the Superintendent of Public Instruction, according to the Oregon Constitution.
“Parents deserve clear, honest information about how schools are performing,” said Leader Bonham. “The current lack of transparency in our school performance report cards undermines their ability to make informed decisions about their children’s education. We need to ensure that these report cards provide a true and accurate picture of school performance so that all families can be empowered to support their children’s educational journey.”
Senator Dick Anderson (R-Lincoln City), member of the Senate Education Committee, also weighed in on the issue. “Transparency in school performance reporting is crucial for accountability and improvement. Our goal should be to make sure that parents and communities have the information they need to advocate for better educational outcomes. It’s time for parents and local school boards to demand better reporting standards that truly reflect the quality of education our children are receiving.”
According to a recent release, Senate Republicans are committed to advocating for reforms that will enhance the transparency and reliability of school performance report cards, ensuring that every student in Oregon has access to a quality education.
The private sector is not fairing as rosy as the forecast indicates
How long will it take for Oregon voters to see that leadership has propped up the economy to save their jobs. The Revenue Forecast for September shows inflation is still above target levels but the insufficient growth indicates private industries continue to struggle to keep doors open, according to Josh Lehner, Economist.
Every employment increase was government or government related. The highest increase was in Health Services followed by State Government. Only Transportation Equipment in the private sector reported a 0.7 employment gain.
In Lehner's final report he attempts to be encouraging, “The labor market is expected to improve as well following the past year where slower hiring has led to a rising unemployment rate, despite layoffs remaining low. While imminent recession fears appear misplaced, the longer high interest rates remain, the probability of recession rises as economic growth slows… For now, the economic forecast remains essentially unchanged compared to recent outlooks.”
The forecast report is mostly laced with “potential” platitudes to cover the leadership’s agenda. The “data could be the first indication that Oregon’s patterns of growth have shifted out of the pandemic era lull, and back toward something more like the typical expansion. However, they could also be more noise than signal. Only time will tell.”
“Looking ahead to the 2025-27 biennium, available resources are revised lower by $66 million compared to the previous forecast. Increases in corporate, estate, and interest earnings are not enough to fully offset the larger personal kicker being paid out. That said, when looking at the state budget and the combined resources of 2023-25 and 2025-27 the General Fund forecast is raised $610 million.
Another indication that the private sector is not fairing as rosy as the forecast is that “consumption-based tax collections for the corporate activity tax, the lottery, and recreational marijuana in the current 2023-25 biennium are lowered at a combined $27 million (-0.5%) compared to the prior forecast, and lowered a similar $34 million (-0.6%) in the upcoming 2025-27 biennium.”
The forecast can be viewed as a “state of the government” address. It doesn’t speak for three-fourths of the state where wheat is being piled on the ground as there is no overseas market, stores are closing, shelves are thinning, and people moving. Since 2010, the population under age 19 dropped 22.882. Even though the ages for bearing children increased, Oregon’s policies on abortion and push towards transgender is impacting Oregon’s future prosperity.
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Senator Brian Boquist (R-Independence, candidate for State Treasurer) stated that at the State Economist revenue forecast meeting, it was said that “20-25% was closer to the real inflation needed to balance state budgets. Oregon's budget is well over $100 billion. I see nobody who works for a living that can afford 25% more in taxes for state government to get another $25 billion. None. What about you?”
Boquist continues, “It is election season. Are you better off today than two or four years ago? Is your grocery bill lower? Is your power bill lower? Do you even have insurance anymore? Is your rent or mortgage lower today? Do you want to pay unrealized capital gains tax on your house? Can you afford to pay extra to the US Government for say corporate profits or Ukraine pensions or Israeli weapons? If you don’t want the status quo of five decades of decline in Oregon, then speak with your vote and encourage others to vote as well. It is a citizen’s duty if you want a free country.”
Lehner indicates a lot of what happens in Oregon is resting on what the federal government does. If that is true, Oregon is in for a shock if Donald Trump wins and Oregon is unprepared to brake ties to the federal IRS, which he has slated for elimination.
Offshore wind farms could lead to significant disruptions in coastal communities
Members of the “Oregonians Against Wind Turbines” PAC have successfully convinced the commissioners of Coos and Curry County to put an advisory vote on the ballot for the upcoming November General Election. This marks the first time in the nation that a county has decided to seek voter opinion on a wind energy project in their area.
On August 06, 2024, the Coos County Board of Commissioners passed a measure to place an advisory question on the ballot, asking voters if they wanted the board to oppose the offshore wind energy project. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has established two call areas off the coast of southern Oregon available for lease.
The wind turbine advisory question on the November General Election ballot reads:
“Should County Commissioners work to oppose the installation of a 95 square mile, deep floating wind farm off our coast?”
A ‘YES’ vote means voters want Coos County Commissioners to work in opposition to the Offshore Wind Energy Project, while a ‘NO’ vote means voters do not want the Commissioners to oppose it.
In a significant turn of events, Coos County Commissioner John Sweet, who initially stated he would vote against placing an advisory question on the ballot, changed his mind after listening to passionate public comments. This decision was seen as a testament to the power of civic engagement.
The following day, on August 07, 2024, the Curry County Board of Commissioners passed a similar measure to put an advisory question on the November ballot.
The Curry County ballot question reads:
“Should offshore floating wind turbine development along the Curry County, Oregon coast be stopped?”
A ‘YES’ vote means voters want the wind turbine development to be stopped, while a ‘NO’ vote indicates support for the offshore wind turbine development.
Despite unanimous support from the Curry County Commissioners, the Chair of the Board highlighted concerns raised by Ryan Nelson, a political and legislative representative with Labors International Union of North America Local 737. According to Nelson, the county has no legal authority to ban an offshore wind project, as the areas under consideration are entirely within federal waters. This could lead to costly legal challenges should the measure be referred and passed by voters.
Economic Impact
The development and operation of offshore wind farms present significant challenges. The turbines, costing billions of dollars, will be constructed by foreign workers outside the USA. This could replace local permanent jobs with temporary construction jobs filled by workers from outside the area. U.S. taxpayers will bear the financial burden, with locals unable to use the energy generated by the turbines. Additionally, the higher costs associated with offshore floating turbines could result in increased energy prices, affecting low-income households and small businesses.
OAWT describes the impacts of offshore turbines.
Environmental Impacts
There are several environmental concerns associated with offshore floating wind turbines:
Destruction of marine ecosystems
Decline in populations of whales, porpoises, dolphins, and crabs
Reduction in coastal biodiversity
Negative changes in wind, wave, and atmospheric patterns
Habitat destruction and disruption of the food chain
Electromagnetic field effects from power cables
Pollution of seawater, beaches, and the food chain from toxic materials
Noise pollution
Increased navigation risks
Social & Cultural Impacts
Offshore wind farms could lead to significant disruptions in coastal communities:
The fishing industry may suffer due to restricted access to fishing grounds and habitat disruption.
The visual impact of turbines could harm tourism.
Eminent domain could threaten public and private land, affecting social and cultural heritage.
The towering structures will mar the natural beauty of coastal areas.
“We cannot keep doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results”
House Republican Leader Jeff Helfrich (R-Hood River) and state Representatives Ed Diehl (R-Stayton) and E. Werner Reschke (R-Klamath Falls) are calling for legislative action to improve wildfire prevention and suppression efforts next session. Oregon has recently experienced severe wildfires, covering over 1.5 million acres - the largest area in the United States.
“Lives, property, and livestock are lost when fires ravage our state. This is the direct consequence of bad policy. The legislature should make a good-faith, bipartisan effort to reform its forestry management approach to better balance safety and concern for the environment. Doing so will benefit all those who live under the risk of wildfires,” said Leader Helfrich.
The representatives identified four core policies that need to change to make Oregon a safer state:
The Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) has prevented responsible logging in much of the state. Managing Oregon’s forests does not mean ignoring them until they are on fire. The legislature should reform the HCP to allow responsible economic use and undo its overly aggressive expansion.
Oregon's war on the timber industry must end. The logging industry plays a vital role in clearing out deadwood and decreasing the severity of fires. Seven sawmills have closed this year due to anti-business policies. Republicans support reforming burdensome regulations while treating the lumber industry as partners in conservation.
Oregon must invest in more early warning and prevention resources and increase our support to firefighters. Oregon Republicans previously introduced bills to promote and protect firefighting efforts. These bills included HB 2491 (2023) which would prohibit volunteer firefighters from being held civilly liable for good faith firefighting efforts and HB 2953 (2023) which would allow the state forester to fight fires on federal lands within Oregon. Neither bill received a public hearing during the 2023 session, and Republicans plan to re-introduce the legislation in 2025.
Some of the wildfires in this state have started because of homeless encampments that do not engage in safe practices in vulnerable areas. Now that the Supreme Court has allowed states to ban camping on public grounds, the legislature must reverse 2021's HB 3115 and strictly prohibit these encampments. The state should also take common-sense safety steps like those described in 2023’s HB 2940, which requires state agencies to comply with regulations we already require private entities to follow for fire safety.
Reschke and Diehl added the following statements:
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"We all support responsible environmental practices that protect our forests for future generations," said Rep. Reschke. "But these fires are the result of 40 years of bad policy choices that have gone past conservation and put the lives of Oregonians at risk, not modern living improvements. It's simply not true that we have to allow deadwood to pile up, constantly increase land use restrictions to protect our environment, or allow dangerous homeless encampments in vulnerable areas."
"The fires that have ravaged our state were the largest in the country, and put Oregonians and regional firefighters needlessly at risk," said Rep. Diehl. "We cannot keep doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results. My district is still recovering from the effects of the 2020 wildfire season, and bad policy is compounding our problems instead of solving them."
DeSpain urges DOJ to look into federally-funded BOLI grants
Oregon Fourth Congressional District Candidate Monique DeSpain sent a letter to the US Attorney for Oregon to urge the US Department of Justice to review a recent TV interview with Congresswoman Val Hoyle for other possible pay-to-play schemes and illegal grant activity with employers in Oregon.
Hoyle described her relationship with Oregon employers as similar to that which she had with La Mota’s executives, despite La Mota having eleven employee complaints before BOLI at the time while owing hundreds of thousands of dollars in back taxes, facing dozens of lawsuits for debts owed to creditors, and still making sizable donations to elected officials, including
Hoyle.
“Val Hoyle explained in her recent TV interview that the way she communicated with and assisted La Mota was the same as how she dealt with all other employers in Oregon. I am urging the US DOJ to review Hoyle’s statements and the BOLI communications they’ve subpoenaed for evidence of illicit pay-to-play activity with other employers, similar to Hoyle's activity currently being investigated,” said DeSpain. “Congresswoman Hoyle was clear that she believes that receiving donations and strong-arming illegal grants for employers is just fine, even when employees of those businesses have active complaints against them with Hoyle’s agency.”
On January 29th, the US Department of Justice issued a subpoena to BOLI for “all records” related to the illegal grant ENDVR received, a grant for which email records show Hoyle was the “key organizer” ensuring it was awarded. The subpoena was issued just five days after DeSpain’s January 24th press conference launching WhatsValHiding.com and DeSpain’s letter to the US Attorney for the District of Oregon Natalie K. Wight, calling on Ms. Wight to expand her investigation to include Hoyle and her activities.
For eleven months after leaving BOLI in 2023, Congresswoman Hoyle denied BOLI access to key public records on her personal cell phone, which media outlets have referenced in bringing Hoyle’s illicit activities to public attention - activities that are now the subject of the federal investigation.
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“As a retired Air Force Colonel who conducted investigations in the JAG Corps for 20 years, I will continue to speak up and call out corrupt, bad actors like Val Hoyle who are standing in the way of addressing voters' top priorities. After voters deploy me to Congress this November, I will use my independent voice to deliver bold, commonsense solutions for the struggling, hard-working people of the Fourth District.”
Sixth event of Stand Your Ground to be held September 14
The popular Oregon event, Gathering of the Eagles, is making it’s fifteenth production after Ames Curtright first sponsored it at his airfield. After a brief break, his wife, Dama Curtright carried on his legacy at the airfield hanger. It’s the sixth year the Oregon Liberty Coalition has sponsored Gathering of the Eagles combining it with their event. In 2018 Gathering of the Eagles partnered with Oregon Liberty Coalition’s Rally Around the Flag to bring about the "Stand Your Ground" rallies in memory of Ames Curtright. Stand Your Ground was what Ames Curtright stood for based on one of his favorite Bible verses: “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” Ephesians 6:13 NIV.
This year’s Gathering of the Eagles will be held September 14, 2024, with the theme of Regaining Election Integrity. Morning training is designed to increase effectiveness on becoming a powerful social media influencer and how to do a personal get out the vote campaign.
The afternoon will address Measure 117 by Ranked Choice Voting expert Phil Izon, Alaska Ranked-Choice Education Association, will discuss the drawbacks to ranked-choice voting and how it does away with the constitutional option for in-person voting.
Jeff O’Donnell, “The Lone Raccoon” on Telegram, is on Mike Lindell’s team and will show how Oregon elections were stolen in vote by mail data, and how it is being manipulated.
Joe Hoft, Gateway Pundit, will expose the Secretary of State’s witch hunt on censorship. Hoft has a lawsuit in the U.S. Supreme Court against government censoring speech that is similar to an Oregon case.
Ames Curtright liked to quote as a standard for freedom of speech, Fisher Ames, author of the First Amendment. “Should not the Bible regain the place it once held as a schoolbook? Its morals are pure, its examples are captivating and noble….In no Book is there so good English, so pure and so elegant, and by teaching all the same they will speak alike, and the Bible will justly remain the standard of language as well as of faith.”
Corral Creek Band is scheduled to play throughout the day. They perform Bluegrass style music around the Northwest with homespun humor that draws the audience in.
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SkyMed will hold a reception at the conclusion of the event with music by Nashville singer Brandon Hartt, a up and coming Nashville County Music artist.
As a private event, registration is required. The event will also be available with the purchase of livestream.
“Out-of-state wealthy interests are trying to dupe Oregonians”
Fourth District Congressional Candidate Monique DeSpain has announced her opposition to the state ballot Measure 118 that would impose the largest tax increase in Oregon history in the form of a 3% tax on the gross receipts, not just profits, of any corporation with Oregon sales of more than $25 million a year in order to send an annual check of $750 to individuals residing in Oregon for at least 200 days. The scheme, known as Universal Basic Income, has been tried and abandoned as a failure in several countries in recent years and has been funded overwhelmingly by wealthy California-based individuals and organizations, led by venture capitalist and UBI activist Josh Jones.
“I oppose the inflationary and economically destructive Measure 118 and urge voters to defeat it on the ballot this November,” stated DeSpain. “Once again, out-of-state wealthy interests are trying to dupe Oregonians into being experimented on by an expensive, damaging, radical policy. We’ve seen this movie before with the catastrophe of Measure 110, and we know it ends in disaster for working people and families. It’s time to take the ‘kick me’ sign off of our state and instead unite to pursue effective, commonsense policies for a prosperous and affordable economy for all Oregonians.”
In addition to opposition from business groups whose members would be impacted, the measure has also received opposition from across the political spectrum for its expected inflationary consequences for Oregon consumers and a forecasted reduction in government tax revenues available for funding schools, other essential services, and the state’s healthcare infrastructure. It faces particularly strong opposition from grocery retailers who typically operate on 1-3% profit margins, which would be wiped out by the 3% tax and very likely result in leading grocers closing stores and raising prices to stave off financial losses.
“The bottom line with Measure 118 is that it will cause inflation to go up and businesses to flee or go bankrupt,” said DeSpain. “With the urgent crises gripping our state and nation of unsecured borders, declining public safety, spiraling drug addiction, rising homelessness, and a crushing inflation all fueled by other failed policy experiments, the last thing citizens of the Fourth District of Oregon need right now is a failed socialist income redistribution idea adding another crisis to the list.”
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“Speaking out on behalf of the Fourth District against Measure 118 is what real leadership looks like. For years, career politicians like Congresswoman Val Hoyle have rubberstamped one disastrous policy after another, and voters have had enough,” added DeSpain. “As a retired Air Force Colonel, a fighter for crime victims, and the mother of twin sons, I am ready to deploy to Congress to bring my independent leadership to fight for Oregon’s voiceless in Washington, D.C.”
This past May, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee moved Val Hoyle to its “Frontline” list of vulnerable incumbents, a powerful sign of Hoyle’s weakness versus the strong challenge being offered by GOP nominee DeSpain. Last week, the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) named Monique DeSpain to their Young Guns Program, recognizing her campaign as one of the best and strongest in the country and making OR-04 a key flip opportunity for national Republicans. DeSpain has challenged Hoyle to six debates in six counties in the 4th District, to which Hoyle has so far failed to agree.
This highly destructive wood-boring pest targets ash, white fringe trees, and olive trees
A year ago Oregon State University Extension Service encouraged homeowners to not take down their ash trees before they are infested bu the Emerald ash borer or unless the insect has been detected nearby. Homeowners have the option of using a systemic pesticide to keep the insects at bay, but once the beetles arrive, pesticides won’t kill them.
Now it has become real for four counties. The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) has detected the Emerald ash borer (EAB) and expanded the EAB Quarantine Alert to Yamhill, Marion, and Clackamas counties. This brings the number of counties with EAB populations to four, including Washington County, where APHIS first confirmed EAB in Oregon in June 2022.
This highly destructive wood-boring pest targets ash, white fringe trees, and olive trees. The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) has expanded the quarantine per the Oregon Administrative Rule (OAR 603-052-1075) on ash, white fringe trees, and olive tree material in these counties.
The four counties are on permanent quarantine status for ash, olive, and white fringe tree. They must remain within the quarantined counties, and wood waste must be processed as regulated.
The Oregon Department of Forestry warns that the establishment of Emerald Ash Borers will likely devastate ash woodlands and riparian zones where native Oregon Ash (Fraxinus latifolia) is a dominate species. These trees provide important shade, food and habitat resources in riparian areas where soils can be poorly draining and where seasonally high water tables can exclude other tree species.
Oregon ash (Fraxinus latifolia), a member of the olive family (Oleaceae), is one of 16 species of ash in the United States. It is the only ash species that is native to the Pacific Northwest; however, ornamental ash species from other parts of the country and world are commonly used in landscaping in Salem, including: white ash (F. americana), flowering ash (F. ornus), Raywood ash (F. oxycarpa), green ash (F. pennsylvanica), European ash (F. execelsior), black ash (F. nigra), and velvet ash (F. velutina).
City of Salem staff is moving quickly to implement Emerald ash borer management plans after ODA confirmed detection of the Emerald ash borer in Marion County on August 28, 2024. The loss of ash trees caused by EAB infestations could lead to a reduction in urban tree canopy, an increase in invasive plants taking hold within communities, and loss of shade and habitat along streams, to name just a few of the anticipated impacts.
Milan Davis, Salem’s Urban Forester said, “We are collaborating with the Oregon Department of Forestry and the Oregon Department of Agriculture and have plans in place to start implementing preservation strategies this coming spring and to complete an overall management strategy to protect urban tree canopy against EAB for years to come.”
Since the first observation of the Emerald ash borer in Oregon on June 30, 2022, Salem officials have been working on a plan for responding to the arrival of this aggressive tree pest in order to slow its spread and preserve Salem's tree canopy.
The quarantine does not allow the movement of tree materials from ash, olive and white-fringe trees outside the county unless they meet certain conditions. Live plant material is eligible for compliance agreements with the Oregon Department of Agriculture if one of the following conditions is met:
Diameter at the base of the plants is less than 0.75 inches
Plants were grown in a screenhouse approved by the ODA
Plants have been properly treated with an approved insecticide
Debark wood and remove at least 1 inch of underlying wood
Grind or chip to 1 inch or less
Heat wood to a minimum of 140°F for at least 60 minutes
Bury under at least 12 inches of topsoil
Incinerate wood materials
Secondary processing to produce wood by-products (i.e. paper)
Other methods specified within a compliance agreement with the Oregon Department of Agriculture.
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Suggested care for Ash trees includes keeping trees from stress:
Water your trees in the dry months and maintain a layer of woodchips or mulch around the base of your trees.
Avoid pruning, especially during high EAB activity (April through October). Pruning can send signals to insects that a tree is in stress. A professional arborist can also provide guidance on other things you can do to improve the health of your trees.
If planting new trees on your property, carefully inspect plant materials before purchasing. Avoid planting new ash trees.
Enroll in OSU Extension's Oregon Forest Pest Detector Program to learn more about recognizing and reporting signs and symptoms of high-priority, invasive forest pests like EAB.
“If the OEA is actively involved with the DSA, it raises serious questions about their commitment to neutrality”
As students across Oregon begin a new school year, Senate Republican Leader Daniel Bonham (R-The Dalles) is demanding accountability and transparency from the state's largest teachers’ union, the Oregon Education Association, led by Union President Reed Scott-Schwalbach. Concerns have surfaced regarding the OEA's potential ties with the Democrat Socialists of America, a radical group that openly supports pro-Hamas rhetoric. Following the discovery that OEA was regularly hosting DSA’s monthly meetings at their headquarters, DSA proclaimed via social media that “Oregon's educator unions and DSA are in a committed relationship”.
“The OEA represents over 41,000 teachers across Oregon, and their actions have a significant impact on the education of our children,” said Leader Bonham. “If the OEA is actively involved with the Democrat Socialists of America, who have been openly pro-terrorist, it raises serious questions about their commitment to neutrality in our classrooms. Oregon’s parents and students deserve to know where the OEA stands and how its affiliations may influence the education system.”
Oregon's public education system is already struggling to deliver positive outcomes for students, with many falling behind in critical subjects like reading, math, and science. Rather than being distracted by extreme political ideologies, the OEA should be fully focused on improving educational outcomes and supporting teachers in their mission to provide a quality education to every student.
“Our education system is at a critical juncture, and we cannot afford to have it sidetracked by political partisanship,” Bonham continued. “Oregon's children deserve a public education system that is transparent, accountable, and dedicated to their academic success. The OEA must be transparent with its affiliations to ensure that the focus remains where it belongs—on the students.”
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As the new school year begins, Leader Bonham is calling on the OEA to publicly clarify its position, disclose any affiliations with extremist groups, and reaffirm its commitment to impartiality and the best interests of Oregon's students and teachers. He also encourages parents, teachers, and community members to demand transparency and hold the education system accountable to prevent any undue influence from radical political agendas.
“We need to make smart choices now to avoid more difficult decisions down the road”
The latest revenue forecast reveals that Oregon's economic situation remains precarious, with stagnant growth, persistent inflation, and rising costs posing ongoing challenges for the state. Despite modest revenue increases, the forecast underscores the need for cautious budgeting and prudent spending as the state faces significant economic uncertainty.
“This forecast is another clear warning that we must exercise fiscal restraint,” said Senate Republican Leader Daniel Bonham (R-The Dalles). “Oregon families are already feeling the squeeze from high costs, and it's imperative that we don't add to their burden by overspending.”
The forecast, while showing slight improvements in revenue projections, highlights the continued pressure from inflation and the impact of rising costs on state finances. Senate Republicans caution against relying on these modest gains to justify increased spending, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing essential services, and addressing the long-term financial health of the state.
“Now is not the time to get complacent,” added Senator Lynn Findley (R-Vale), who sits on the Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue. “We need to focus on sustainable budgeting practices that protect Oregonians from the uncertainty of the future. Our priority should be ensuring that we have the resources to support critical needs without overburdening taxpayers.”
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Senate Republicans also reiterated their call for a comprehensive review of state spending to identify areas where efficiencies can be found. With the state facing ongoing challenges, they argue that now is the time to reassess priorities and make tough decisions to ensure Oregon's economic stability.
“Every dollar spent must be scrutinized to ensure it's serving the best interests of Oregonians,” Bonham added. “We need to make smart choices now to avoid more difficult decisions down the road.”
In response to the August revenue forecast, House Republican Leader Jeff Helfrich (R-Hood River) offered the following remarks.
“This forecast shows that government and government-adjacent bureaucracies are expanding while private industries struggle to keep up. Meanwhile, inflation remains higher than national averages. Many in the current majority will call for new taxes next session, which will make these problems worse. The legislature should resist the push for new taxes both to ease the cost burden for families and to unleash Oregon’s private sector potential,” said Leader Helfrich.
The year 2021 was pivotal in Oregon when voters lost control over maintaining voter rolls. The Oregon legislature passed HB 2681 to suspend cleaning voter rolls, sponsored by Representative Dan Rayfield (D-Corvallis), running for Attorney General. No one will be taken off the active voter rolls even if their address is wrong or they have not voted for any period of time.
The bloating of voter rolls will increasingly cost taxpayers a lot more to send out ballots to addresses that are no longer accurate for that voter. A Rasmussen Poll from a national telephone and online survey found that 75% of likely U.S. voters believe voters should be required to show photo identification such as a driver’s license before being allowed to vote. Only 21% are opposed to such a requirement.
Eight states have enacted voter ID laws since the 2020 election, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures: Arkansas, Idaho, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio and Wyoming. The US Supreme Court recently added Arizona to the list allowing them to reinstate proof of American citizenship for voter registration.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced last week that since signing Senate Bill 1 into law in 2021, Texas has removed over one million people from the state’s voter rolls, including people who moved out-of-state, are deceased, and are noncitizens. That removal process has been, and will continue to be, ongoing.
While other states are working towards election integrity, Oregon is making it easier for illegal voting by a self-certification of citizenship, and never cleaning voter rolls. Oregon’s Secretary of State was notified earlier this year in a “pre-suit” to come into compliance with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993.
In 2018, the Supreme Court confirmed that removals are mandatory in Husted v. A. Philip Randolph Inst., 138 S. Ct. 1833, 1841-42 (2018).
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Oregon has approximately one-fifth the registered votes that Texas has, and comparing their results, Oregon could see removal of 1,300 noncitizens, 1,200 voters with felony convictions, 91,400 deceased people, 92,600 unresponsive suspended voters, 26,800 confirming they have moved, 13,000 failing to respond to notice, 3,800 requests to cancel their registration, for a total of 230,000 potential removals. Texas further strengthened the law by increasing the penalty for illegal voting, including voting by noncitizens, to a second-degree felony.
In contrast, Oregon passed HB 4133 (2022) allowing the last 4 digits of Social Security number for online voter registration, and HB 2107 (2023) that expanded Oregon’s Automatic Voter Registration system to the Oregon Health Plan to register users of that system to be automatically registered as voter.
It didn’t stop there, SB 166 claims to protect voter privacy, but it prevents observers from getting the ballot images to discover fraud and assist in cleaning voter rolls. This bill could make the cast vote record cost up to $700,000 in some counties. The ballot is a public document for rule of the people.
Improvements are aimed at protecting agricultural workers and their families from potential hazards
Oregon OSHA is proposing significant changes to its safety and health rules for housing that employers provide to workers, most often in agricultural settings. The proposed rule changes are part of a comprehensive package of program enhancements aimed at protecting agricultural workers and their families and boosting employer compliance.
The division's agricultural labor housing (ALH) rule proposal is going through the public hearing and comment process before it is adopted. The proposed rules address the potential hazards in employer-provided housing. Oregon OSHA regulates such facilities from the perspective of workplace safety and health.
The rule proposal is part of a comprehensive set of reforms on how the division addresses ALH. Those reforms, which are in addition to the rule proposal, would be incorporated as part of the budget and other administrative processes. Altogether, the reform package includes:
Rule changes that would substantially raise the protective standards for indoor and outdoor facilities that employers must include when they provide housing.
Technical assistance to support the Oregon Department of Agriculture in providing $5 million in grant funds to growers for existing on-farm housing compliance with the rule change, and additional funding for infrastructure improvements once the existing grant funding is exhausted.
Development of a new, annual self-certification requirement for employers that would be pursued through a budget proposal during the 2025 legislative session. If approved, it would complement future enhancements to the registration system by including more detailed information about each location's amenities.
Establishment of a new seasonal ALH surveyor program to increase Oregon OSHA's ability to evaluate conditions at housing locations. The surveyor program would deploy seven seasonal surveyors to evaluate site conditions, attempt to gain compliance, and refer a site to Oregon OSHA's enforcement program if needed.
Renée Stapleton, administrator for Oregon OSHA commented: “Our comprehensive approach to ALH reflects the fact that this rule proposal must be accompanied by additional, program-level steps to bolster the safety and health of who we know are among our most vulnerable workers and families. And with all of these proposed changes, we are focusing on increasing protective measures while maintaining a stable operating environment for employers."
Andrew Stolfi, director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, of which Oregon OSHA is a division states: “Worker protection is at the core of our mission. We know that we cannot achieve our mission simply by issuing regulations, which is why we are proposing a comprehensive, multi-agency approach to protecting some of our most vulnerable workers. We look forward to receiving public comment on these proposals."
Public hearings on the ALH rule proposal will follow a public comment period, which may be submitted by email at OSHA.rulemaking@dcbs.oregon.gov. The deadline for submitting comments and the public hearing schedule will be posted online on Oregon OSHA's proposed rule and the agricultural labor housing webpages.
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The proposal's language – available for review online in more detail – includes delayed effective dates for certain provisions, recognizing the need for time to prepare for the changes. The table shows the proposal broken down by category and year of implementation:
Registration deadline is January 2025 to remove exception that housing provided for nonfood crops were not required to register, submit water testing results, and require sites in Initial registration to have no hazardous conditions.
Facility Grounds proposed exterior/walkway lighting by January 2025 and remove livestock care exception by 2026.
Laundry proposed tubs, trays and laundry machines and separate cleaning for contaminated clothes by 2026.
Water testing results in language of occupants, and add arsenic and nitrates to well water testing frequency implemented by 2025. By 2026 require water pressure to be at least 20 psi.
Bathing facilities with locking shower stalls by 2026, and private changing rooms by 2027.
Toilets to include solid doors and handwashing with paper towels by 2025. Facilities must have 200 feet and provide 1:10 ratio for each gender
Kitchens need protected food storage by 2025, and gas vented burners by 2026, and enclosed kitchens with plumbed sinks with hot and cold water by 2027.
Housing must have mattresses with cleanable covers, and add safety measures including reporting diseases by 2025. Heating and cooling and electrical outlets in sleeping areas, and lockable storage by 2026. By 2027, provide at least 50 square feet per bed in sleeping rooms with bunk beds.
Oregon OSHA's announcement of the package of reforms follows a challenging multi-year, comprehensive review of its existing ALH requirements that included using a rulemaking advisory committee. The division garnered input from growers, agricultural associations, housing operators, and employee representative groups. For more information, go to osha.oregon.gov.
Oregon Army National Guard Soldiers deploy to the Kosovo Force Mission
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek led a Mobilization Ceremony for the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) at the Salem Armory. The Oregon Army National Guard Soldiers will be deploying to the Kosovo Force (KFOR) Mission. The 41st IBCT will be returning to the U.S European Command as part of a 28-country alliance to maintain a safe and secure environment across the region.
During the ceremony, members of the 41st IBCT were honored as they prepared for their deployment, which is part of KFOR’s 34th rotation. Established to end the Kosovo War, KFOR was authorized to deploy an international peacekeeping force to Kosovo, a mission crucial for maintaining regional security and stability. The brigade’s support will include security forces, logisticians, medical professionals, intelligence analysts, and a command team. In keeping with the National Security Strategy, the 41st IBCT KFOR mission will provide stability, safety and security, as part of a NATO international peacekeeping force.
“I am honored to be with you to mark the deployment of the 41st to support the United States European Command’s Kosovo Force Mission,” Governor Kotek said. “Whether the mission is to protect democracy and peace abroad or protect Oregonians from wildfire here at home, the Oregon National Guard’s Citizen-Soldiers are ‘always ready, always there.’ Serving as your Commander-in-Chief is one of the honors of my lifetime.”
As Governor, Kotek is the Commander-in-Chief of the Oregon National Guard when it is activated for state emergencies or domestic purposes. However, when the Oregon National Guard is deployed overseas, the Commander-in-Chief is the United States Commander-in-Chief, which typically is the President. Must has been said who the Oregon National Guard will report to, but according to military law, it won't be the Biden Administration.
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Col. Peter Helzer, Commander of the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, spoke about the deployment’s significance before the ceremony. “The 41st IBCT brings a robust set of capabilities to support the people of Kosovo. From security to medical and logistical support, Oregonians will contribute to the stability and security of the region as part of the NATO effort.”
The 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team continues its long legacy of service, tracing its lineage back to the 41st Infantry Division that served in World War I and performed the longest overseas service of any division in the U.S., in the Pacific during World War II.
To view the ceremony visit the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team’s Facebook page.
“Oregon is in Trouble, D.C. Politicians are to Blame”
Oregon’s Fourth Congressional District Candidate Monique DeSpain announced the launch of her second TV ad spot of her campaign targeting general election voters. The ad is running on broadcast and cable TV, OTT/disconnected cable, and Digital platforms.
“Oregon is in trouble, and voters know things have gotten worse. The career politician currently representing them, Val Hoyle, has ignored their top concerns and has rubber-stamped the disastrous policies making our communities unaffordable and unsafe while she dodges federal investigations into her pay-to-play scandal,” said DeSpain.
“I’m not a career politician, and I will be an independent voice who will bring bold new leadership to Congress,” added DeSpain. “I served our country for 30 years in the Air Force, and I’m ready to serve again to fight for the common sense solutions the people of Oregon’s 4th District need and deserve.”
In late July, DeSpain was named to the National Republican Congressional Committee Young Guns Program, which recognizes a handful of the strongest Republican challenger campaigns in the country. This past May, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee moved Val Hoyle to its “frontline” list of vulnerable incumbents, a powerful sign of Hoyle’s weakness versus the strong challenge being offered by GOP nominee DeSpain. DeSpain has challenged Hoyle to six debates in six counties in the 4th District, to which Hoyle has so far failed to agree. Two weeks ago, DeSpain launched her first TV ad highlighting voters from all walks of life who have had enough of career politicians.
“The net effect of HB 2005 is to criminalize the core aspects of the self-manufacture of firearms”
Alawsuit has been filed in Federal Court to overturn a recent firearms restriction. In 2023, the Oregon Legislature passed HB 2005 which bans many home made firearms and firearm parts. The suit names current Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum and current Superintendent of the Oregon State Police Casey Codding as defendants. The plaintiffs in the suit are Dallin Montgomery, Nick Holdway, Kevin Walters, Oregon Firearms Federation, and Firearms Policy Coalition. All three individual plaintiffs have concealed carry licenses and own firearms described in the bill.
According to the complaint, "The net effect of HB 2005 is to criminalize the core aspects of the self-manufacture of firearms."
The complaint goes on to describe the history of home made firearms. "Throughout American history, people have been free to personally manufacture, construct, and/or assemble arms for lawful purposes, including self-defense in the home. In defiance of this historical tradition, Oregon’s Bans completely and categorically prohibit individuals not prohibited from exercising their Second Amendment protected
rights from possessing, acquiring, and self-manufacturing firearms that are of types, functions, and designs, and are themselves, commonly owned and possessed firearms—self-made firearms that do not bear a manufacturer’s serial number, as well as the component parts used to build such arms—by law-abiding citizens for lawful purposes."
As the bill was making its way through the legislature, Oregon House Republicans pledged to support legal action against HB 2005. According to Oregon Firearms Federation Director Kevin Starrett "Oregon’s House Republicans pulled a “bait and switch” and extorted money from their members with a false promise of funding a lawsuit against the bill they helped pass. Since then they have pretended it never happened and just don’t want to talk about it." OFF is asking for donations to help defray the costs of legal action.
The complaint summarizes the reasoning behind the suit. "Because Plaintiffs’ proposed course of conduct is covered by the Second Amendment’s plain text, it the Constitution “presumptively protects” their conduct. It is thus the State’s burden to “affirmatively prove that its firearms regulation is part of the historical tradition that delimits the outer bounds of the right to keep and bear arms.” (“[W]e are not obliged to sift the historical materials for evidence to sustain New York’s statute. That is respondents’ burden.”). Oregon cannot meet this burden. There is no well-established and representative historical tradition of banning the self-manufacture of arms that are in common use for lawful purposes or banning the self-manufacture of such arms.
“You’ll be paying more with higher prices on everything”
Oregon Representative E Warner Reschke (R-Crater Lake) answers: “What is Measure 118?”
“Measure 118 will be one of several ballot measures on your ballot this November. Put simply, Measure 118 is a tax, another tax. Whenever a new tax is introduced into Oregon’s economy, it means you will pay more for the things you buy, period.
“Measure 118 tries to fool you by claiming you’ll get a check from the government. “Pass 118 and get money,” is the pitch. Sounds great, right? But Measure 118 is the classic bait & switch. As my Dad used to say, “There is no such thing as a free lunch, someone always pays.” In this case, that is you — you’ll be paying more with higher prices on everything."
How Measure 118 Works
“Measure 118 is like going to your favorite cafe to buy a coffee for $5. Pass Ballot Measure 118 and you could get money back from the government, but now the coffee’s price will increase and could be $8, or higher. But it won’t just be coffee’s price going up — everything will go up! What’s worse is Measure 118 is not just a tax, but a tax on a tax!
“Measure 118 will tax businesses on their gross revenue, not their profits. That means you won’t be taxed directly, but indirectly through higher prices everywhere. When your gas station, your utilities, your grocery store, your coffee shop, your home improvement store, your doctor’s office, your delivery service (Door Dash, Amazon, Fed Ex, UPS, etc), your bank, your cell phone service, your home and auto insurance, your beer or wine, your prescriptions and your fast food restaurant all have their taxes go up, they pass that cost along to you. Furthermore, if they use electricity or fuel to keep the lights and get supplies to their location, those additional costs will also get passed along to you.
“This tax is called a gross receipts tax; it is the worst kind of tax for businesses because even if the business is losing money, it will incur these new tax costs directly or indirectly — and pass them along to you.
“Gross receipts taxes discourage businesses from coming to Oregon, for start-ups to find their footing and for current businesses to expand. That means fewer jobs in Oregon; that means less opportunities for Oregonians. That’s why both Democrat and Republican lawmakers are opposed to Measure 118.
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“As Oregonians try to recover from high inflation, Measure 118 will breathe new life into further increasing prices on nearly everything you buy. Don’t Be Fooled. Oregonians Don’t Deserve Higher Prices!”
Hoyle Signs Old Growth Pledge, Ignores Bipartisan Legislation to Reduce and Prevent Annual Wildfires
As dozens of wildfires burn, smoke spreads, and emergencies are declared, fourth District Candidate for Congress Monique DeSpain criticized incumbent Congresswoman Val Hoyle’s leadership failure to deliver wildfire prevention after nearly two years in Congress. Oregon's fourth Congressional District contains Eugene and the Southern Oregon Coast region.
“Another year brings us another season of choking on smoke from wildfires. Everyone supports doing more to fight these fires, but voters in the Fourth District have had enough of the excuses for failing to diminish and end these annual wildfire emergencies, which are both predictable and preventable,” stated DeSpain. “In a district that is 85% forestland, of which half of it is federally-managed and
where so many of these fires burn out of control every year, our current federal representative, Congresswoman Val Hoyle, hasn’t led in delivering the urgent, proactive, transformative solutions that we need. I will.”
HR 8790 Fix Our Forests Act is comprehensive, bipartisan legislation designed to restore forest health, increase resiliency to catastrophic wildfires, and protect communities by expediting environmental analyses, reducing frivolous lawsuits, and increasing the pace and scale of forest
restoration projects. The Act presents desperately needed solutions that would expedite progress under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and improve forest management activities on
National Forest System lands, on public lands under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management, and on Tribal lands to return resilience to overgrown, fire-prone forested lands, and for
other purposes.
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“I am at heart an environmentalist who values our state's beautiful natural ecosystems and its abundant resources. I know that what is happening now, and for the last several years, is not good for the environment nor for any of us living creatures who live in or near our forests. The truth is; either we act now to harvest the timber and underbrush, which serves as a powerful fuel load for
these wildfires, or we breathe the timber later as wildfire smoke every year. We must act now to improve overall forest health, which would have the added positive benefit of producing revenue for our local economies and communities that are desperate for law enforcement, school funding, and other basic community resources. This is why I will work with anyone from any party starting on Day
One by supporting bipartisan bills like H.R. 8790, the Fix Our Forests Act,” added DeSpain.
“As a retired Air Force Colonel, a fighter for crime victims, and the mother of twin sons, I won’t wait 19 months into my term of office to make wildfire prevention through active forest co-management a priority,” added DeSpain. “Career politicians like Val Hoyle have given us the forest policies we have
now that have led to these annual wildfire disasters. She’s even doubled down on failure by signing a pledge to extreme special interest groups vowing to block better forest management policies on more Oregon federal land. I will be an independent voice for our 4th District who will focus on delivering concrete results using proven, effective solutions. Deploy me to Congress, and let's make it happen.”
This past May, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee moved Val Hoyle to its “Frontline” list of vulnerable incumbents, a powerful sign of Hoyle’s weakness versus the strong challenge being offered by GOP nominee DeSpain. Last week, the National Republican Congressional Committee named Monique DeSpain to their Young Guns Program, recognizing her campaign as one of the best in the country and making OR-04 a key flip opportunity for national Republicans. DeSpain has challenged Hoyle to six debates in six counties in the 4th District, to which Hoyle has so far failed to
agree.
Oregon's U.S. District 5 covers Linn County, most of Clackamas County, Deschutes County, and parts of Multnomah and Marion Counties. Oregon Congresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R) is being challenged by Janelle Bynum (D), Sonja Feintech (L), Kurt Hauth (C) and Andrea Thorn Townsend (PG) for the Fifth District spot.
Chavez-DeRemer has accomplished a lot in her first term in Congress. Currently she is focused on obtaining more Federal resources for Oregon firefighters. But, now she has surprised Oregonians by joining a handful of House Republicans supporting Biden’s $370 billion Green New Deal bill, because it brings tax dollars to their districts. Perhaps her constituents will see the benefit.
Chavez-DeRemer signed onto a letter to Speaker Johnson with 17 other House Republicans asking him not to repeal the energy tax credits that are part of the Green New Deal. They argue that eliminating the credits would jeopardize the investments they've made because of the bill's promised payments.
Steve Forbes’ team commented, “Sorry. Private companies are not entitled to billions of dollars of taxpayer money for worthless projects. And members of Congress have a duty to protect the public purse – not raid it.”
Chavez-DeRemer, former mayor of Happy Valley and first Republican congresswoman to represent Oregon, was named a 2024 Hero of Main Street by the National Retail Federation. The recognition is given to lawmakers who work to advance policies that help create a vibrant and healthy retail sector. Retail is the nation’s largest private-sector employer, and contributes over $27 billion in Oregon’s economy. Chavez-DeRemer is a cosponsor of the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act to protect retailers from this criminal activity, which has cost $720,000 for every $1 billion in sales.
Chavez-DeRemer also introduced the Tolling Transparency Act and the No Tolls on Oregon Roads Act. The bill, HR 4820, passed the House in November but was unfinished business at the close of the session.
Chavez-DeRemer’s biggest contender with like principles is likely to be Sonja Feintech, the Libertarian candidate serving as the party’s Public Policy Council Secretary. Feintech is a mother, farmer, business owner and butcher. She has been labeled as a “fighting warhawk” as the former Political Action Director of FreeOregon, and is out to end the warfare state. The fight isn’t new to her. She stood against COVID tyranny and has fought against oppressive government policies.
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State Representative Janelle Bynum, Democratic candidate, has been dubbed by the New York Times as a “Democrat who could make history — and help her party win back the House.” She is an electrical engineer, small business owner, and state legislator and mom, and is running to become the first Black person to ever represent Oregon on the federal level. As a state representative, Bynum has been a vocal supporter of police reform and of liberalizing drug laws, which is turning against her in Oregon’s re-criminalizing drugs.
Pacific Power announced it is lowering its rate increase request for 2025 from 17.9% to 11.9% overall. For residential customers, that’s a drop from 21.6% to 14.9%. This is a significant reduction relative to the original rate requested in February, and an overall reduction in the company’s rate increase request from $322.3 million to $214.5 million.
The overall proposed average rate increase for residential customers of 14.9% using 950 kilowatt-hours per month would see a $21.49 increase on their monthly power bill. This is closer aligned to Portland General Electric (PGE) request for a 10.9% rate increase.
PacifiCorp states, “Like all utilities in the West, we are managing significantly higher insurance costs due to increased wildfire risk and activity in the region. We have also increased our own insurance coverage to ensure we can continue responsibly managing our energy system for our customers.”
All utilities were affected on April 24, 2023 when a jury verdict found PacifiCorp liable for damages for negligently failing to cut power to its 600,000 customers during a windstorm over Labor Day weekend, despite warnings from top fire officials, and for its power lines being responsible for multiple blazes. That fire killed nine people, burned more than 1,875 square miles and destroyed upward of 5,000 homes and other structures leaving billions of dollars in damages. The case highlights the legal and financial risks utilities take if they fail to take proper precautions in a hotter, drier climate.
After the verdicts were handed down, PacifiCorp filed a request with Oregon’s public utility commission asking to potentially defer the costs linked to the lawsuit. The jury awarded around $90 million to 17 homeowners named as plaintiffs in the case, and damages for a broader class that included about 2,500 properties, totaling nearly $180 million.
In its filing, PacifiCorp said the application would enable it “to preserve its ability to seek recovery in the future” in case potential future class-action damages “impact the financial stability of the company.” Such a move “would result in higher costs to customers.” They are building hundreds of miles of new lines to improve resiliency to mitigate wildfire risks. Wildfire mitigation includes vegetation management, removing dead trees around lines, and forecasting weather disruptions.
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The Oregon’s Citizens’ Utility Board sees the rate hikes as massive investments in infrastructure and creating a slush fund for potential wildfire payouts in the future. The board wants PUC to cap rate increases at 7% plus the rate of inflation, or 10% annually, whichever is lower.
No matter how you look at it, rate payers are assuming the cost of a well-meaning jury that forced infrastructure improvements. Government policies are also leading to economic struggles for countless Oregonians who are forced to keep up with inflation while their sources of income do not. While utilities are forced to incorporate expensive wind and solar energy, and even though Vice President Harris has declared she is for fracking, Oregon still wants to ban the cheapest energy. Natural gas has dropped to the lowest price in 20 years, which is also needed to produce electricity. And, Oregon still hasn’t addressed what Casper, Wyoming, is now facing with 870 windmill blades in their landfill that are indestructible and non-recyclable.
Oregon House Republican Caucus sent a letter to US Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Friday, Aug. 2, in support of a federal disaster declaration to offset certain agriculture losses and damages from wildfires.
The letter supports a request by Governor Tina Kotek to designate the event a disaster, thereby unlocking emergency funds through conservation, hay and grazing, and livestock assistance programs. The letter also supports the governor’s request to expand grazing on federal lands and improve access to weed-free forage. More than a million acres have burned in Oregon, more than any other state.
All areas statewide are already eligible to apply for hazard mitigation assistance. Clackamas, Douglas, Jackson, Klamath, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, and Marion counties are currently eligible for the Individual Assistance (IA) program, providing grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans for uninsured property losses, and other recovery programs. Survivors can register for disaster assistance by visiting www.DisasterAssistance.gov, calling 800-621-3362, or using the FEMA app.
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Stay informed by calling 211 or visiting wildfire.oregon.gov, which includes the latest information and resources available to those affected by wildfires.
Fueled by failure of two unmanaged homeless camps and lack of attention to taxpayers’ concerns
The unofficial results of a special election held July 30, recalled three Cottage Grove City Councilors, Mike Fleck, Chalice Savage and Alex Dreher. The results are the second attempt by political action committee, Save The Grove, to conduct a recall election.
The group members claim the targeted councilors were not acting in the public’s best interest. The failure of the two unmanaged homeless camps and a perceived lack of attention to taxpayers’ concerns fueled two efforts in the past eight months to recall Cottage Grove city councilors.
Cottage Grove 912 Vice-Chair Chris Wagner commented, "The recall process was used because council actions led to an intolerable homeless situation here in the city where the homeless population exploded leading to a drastic increase in crime and worsening living conditions for residents who live near the new unmanaged camps the city set up. Resident concerns about their situation were ignored by councilors,
who refused to take action to correct the situation or even acknowledge that there was a problem.
"The recall was also based on dubious spending actions the council took, chief one being to spend around $70,000 on a process to hire a new city manager when we already had a capable and willing person on city staff ready to step into the position."
Mike Fleck expressed his disappointment. “The recall process is supposed to be used to remove elected officials that have done something wrong, not for political reasons. That’s what the regular elections are for.” To 27-percent of voters, it was more than political.
Alex Dreher defended her position stating. "The real disappointment is the division this has caused in the community. The chaos of the recall lost us $2 million in homeless services that St. Vincent de Paul was going to bring to our city. If you really want to move people out of homelessness, and prevent people from coming here because we have entirely unmanaged camps, $2 million and some structured programs goes a long way. I am concerned that we will be denied other grants and state money because our own community basically turned this down.
Wagner responded, “This recall process has been active since February 2024 following a failed recall attempt in the fall of 2023. It was ongoing when St. Vincent entered the scene so they were not blind-sided by the recall. It may be added that whatever millions of dollars St Vincent might get to run a homeless shelter in Cottage Grove are going to St. Vincent, not to the residents of Cottage Grove or the city. There is also no guarantee that St. Vincent would not try to import more homeless to Cottage Grove if they felt their shelter had "extra capacity" available.”
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According to the City’s charter, a council vacancy is filled by the three remaining councilors and mayor. The appointee must be a resident of the same ward as the predecessor, unless the predecessor was a Councilor-At-Large. The appointees’ term of office will run to the next general election (Nov 5), at which time a candidate will be elected to serve the remaining term.
Councilor Jon Stinnett remarked, “This recall is not going to save our town because our town does not need saving. Our town needs to come together and bring all available resources and ideas together to find a solution. It’s been the way this community has addressed problems for well over a century. Cottage Grove always rises to meet its challenges.”
Affordable housing development proposes one answer for housing crisis
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek's answer to affordable housing is encompassed in a 6-acre 87 home new development in Medford called New Spirit Village. The new housing development had its grand opening dedicated to fire-victim families in Southern Oregon.
New Spirit Village is a creative re-thinking on the development of affordable housing. The development is the vision of the Thalden Foundation to help wildfire victims get out of hotels and campgrounds. “While this one project of 87 homes will not solve the housing crisis in the U S, or even in Southern Oregon, it can serve as a prototype for building affordable communities because it encompasses so much more than just a new building type. Rather, it is a whole new approach that creates the opportunity for a way out of multi-generational poverty.”
Governor Kotek said, “My administration is laser focused on our state’s housing crisis because we know that having safe, affordable housing is the foundation for Oregonians building healthy and full lives. Part of the solution must include permanent housing for Oregonians who lost their homes because of wildfires. The innovative approach taken here at New Spirit Village represents exactly the kind of creative thinking and community-mindedness that we need to tackle a challenge of this magnitude.”
After the 2020 Almeda Wildfire, Kathryn and Barry Thalden dedicated a significant portion of The Thalden Foundation funds to the construction of New Spirit Village, and more than 20 community service organizations joined in the planning and development. Funding for the project included a State of Oregon LIFT Grant of $4,300,000, as well as private funds from United Way, PacificCorp Foundation, and the Oregon Community Foundation.
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Construction at New Spirit Village began in March 2024, and once complete, will have 87 single family one, two, and three-bedroom homes. The price of homes will be below $195,000 for a one-bedroom and below $249,000 for a three-bedroom in an area where the average home price is $463,000.
The village is within two blocks of shopping, including drug store and grocery stores, and is one block from bus transportation. The cobble stone drive through goes up to front doors for high-density housing. Immediately next to the site is the 8-acre Lewis Park, with its walking trails, wooded creek, and athletic field and courts.
Establishes structure for management of and participation in the Oregon Main Street Network
Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) is seeking public comment on proposed updates to the Oregon Main Street Network rule to include Oregon Main Street. (OAR 736-056-0000 through 736-056-0080).
Downtowns are traditionally the heart of a community – the social, economic, and civic center. Many of our downtowns in Oregon are “diamonds in the rough" that need a little polishing to sparkle once again. Others are vibrant and want to maintain their competitive advantage. Oregon Main Street Revitalization Grant Program and funding was passed by the Oregon legislature in 2015, but never added to or made a part of ORS chapter 390 (ORS 390.262 and 390.264). The program intends to help communities wherever they are in their downtown revitalization efforts.
What is most noticeable is the proposed rules may be in violation of the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council (1984), allowing agencies to exercise significant discretion in interpreting laws, while courts played a limited role in reviewing those interpretations.
The proposed rules implements the Main Street Approach™ trademarked and managed by Main Street America, a third party, national nonprofit that isn’t mentioned in the enabling statute. Oregon Parks and Recreation Department holds an annual agreement with Main Street America to be the official statewide coordinating program, also not mentioned in the enabling statute.
Oregon Main Street provides training and technical assistance to communities participating in the Main Street Track of the Oregon Main Street Network and allows for access to the Oregon Main Street Revitalization Grant which funds building improvement projects that spur economic development for all Network communities (available once per biennium in odd years).
The proposed rule will include parameters for participation in the Oregon Main Street Network, describe how resources will be provided to participating organizations and establish primary structure for management of and participation in the Oregon Main Street Network. The proposed rules provides for representation, but lacks a requirement that participants must live or operate in the greater main street area.
Communities with population over 5,000 are obligated to hire a full-time executive managerial position or part-time if less in order to qualify for the program and a grant. How long will a grant pay for that position before taxpayers are obligated?
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OPRD is accepting comments until 5 p.m. August 31, 2024, and they can be made online, at a public hearing, in writing or via email: D.Publiccomment@oprd.oregon.gov or OPRD.Publiccomment@oprd.oregon.gov.
Mail: OPRD, attn: Helena Kesch, 725 Summer St NE, Suite C, Salem OR 97301
Virtual Public Hearing: 1 p.m. August 26th. Must register in advance to receive conference link.
Individuals who require special accommodations for the meeting should contact Helena Kesch at least three days in advance of the meeting at Helena.KESCH@oprd.oregon.gov or 503-881-4637.
OR-04 is becoming a top flip opportunity in the nation
The National Republican Congressional Committee named Monique DeSpain to their Young Guns Program, recognizing her campaign as one of the best in the country and making OR-04 a key flip opportunity for national Republicans.
“I am honored to be named to the NRCC’s Young Guns Program as one of the nation’s strongest challengers in my campaign to unseat corrupt incumbent career politician Congresswoman Val Hoyle,” stated DeSpain. “Val Hoyle has been a rubber stamp for all the worst policies coming out of Washington, D.C., and is under federal investigation for a pay-to-play scheme in Oregon. Voters are in desperate need of an authentic servant leader who will listen to and represent them with transparency and integrity and enact real and lasting policies that address their top concerns.”
The NRCC’s Young Guns program recognizes a handful of the strongest Republican challenger campaigns in the country. The campaigns selected have met rigorous benchmarks demonstrating strength in campaign organization, fundraising, communications, and grassroots engagement. This past May, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee moved Val Hoyle to its “frontline” list of vulnerable incumbents, a powerful sign of Hoyle’s weakness versus the strong challenge being offered by GOP nominee DeSpain. She has challenged Hoyle to six debates in six counties in the 4th District, to which Hoyle has so far failed to agree.
The newly redistricted CD4 contains the counties of Lincoln, Benton, Lane, parts of Douglas, Coos and Curry.
“As a retired Air Force Colonel, a fighter for crime victims, and the mother of twin sons, I will pursue bold, commonsense solutions to secure our borders, end the fentanyl crisis, restore an affordable economy, and bring the transparency and accountability to government that voters deserve this November,” added DeSpain.
“A breach of their right to not have law enforcement rifle through their personal information in search of a crime”
Alawsuit has been filed by Oregon plaintiffs in federal court against the federal government, naming Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen regarding the constitutionality of the Corporate Transparency Act. The plaintiffs are seven Oregon business owners.
Buried deep in over 1,500 pages of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2021 ("NDAA") are fifteen pages of regulatory statue call the Corporate Transparency Act The "Sense of Congress" is that the CTA is necessary because "more than 2,000,000 corporations and limited liability companies are being formed under the laws of the States each year" and that most States do not set about to require or collect information about the beneficial owners of such entities. Congress further notes that "malign actors use the types of entities being regulated by the CTA for a litany of criminal activities including "money laundering, the financing of terrorism, proliferation financing, serious tax fraud, human and drug trafficking, counterfeiting, piracy, securities fraud, and acts of foreign corruption."
While there is no dispute that these issues are serious and of genuine concern, rather than make investments into already-existing Federal agencies whose mission is to bring these types of criminals to justice, or make budget allocations to States to address these types of crimes at a local level by helping local law enforcement enforce existing State law, the CTA instead designs a complex statutory and regulatory scheme, replete with eye-popping civil and criminal penalties, which starts from a premise that all businesses subject to the CTA should be and will be suspect of these kinds of criminal activities at the outset of an entity's formation.
Developed from a premise that all covered entities should be suspected by law enforcement of engaging in the types of criminal activities that Congress seeks to uncover, the finished work product of the CTA will result in a vast database containing the personally identifiable and "sensitive" information of the covered entities subject to the CTA's requirements. This database, which is designed to give law enforcement agencies unfettered access to the information contained therein, will be managed by the United States Department of Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network.
Such a collection and aggregation of the individualized and "sensitive information of law-abiding Oregonians like Plaintiffs, in furtherance of providing that information for unwarranted law enforcement purposes, is in opposite of the protections afforded Plaintiffs and others under the First, Fourth, Fifth, and Ninth Amendments. The CTA is a serious breach of Plaintiffs' rights to privacy, their right to not have law enforcement rifle through their personal information in search of a crime for which there is otherwise no reasonable suspicion or probable cause to search, and the right of Plaintiffs to not self-incriminate to the government.
For Plaintiffs, challenging the CTA is not merely an exercise of objecting to another government regulation and more red tape on small businesses. While Plaintiffs most certainly will be burdened by the financial cost of compliance, including the financial costs of trying to ensure Plaintiffs have followed ever step to a "T" and do so every single time a change occurs in their covered entity, the financial cost is only one of several burdens. The cost of compliance includes protecting themselves from the actual threat of civil and criminal penalties when there is no due process and no safe harbor in the law. But most problematic is that cost of compliance includes an unwarranted and unreasonable invasion of Plaintiff's privacy and it does so in violation of their civil rights.
The plaintiffs are accepting contributions to offset their legal costs.
EPA awards Oregon $197M from the federal CPRG program
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it has awarded Oregon $197 million from the federal Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) program. This is the largest award announced in the Pacific Northwest. The EPA’s CPRG program provides $5 billion in grants to states, local governments, Tribes, and territories to develop and implement ambitious plans for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other harmful air pollution.
Authorized under Section 60114 of the Inflation Reduction Act, this two-phase program provided $250 million for noncompetitive planning grants and is now announcing approximately $4.6 billion for competitive implementation grants. The CPRG implementation grants are designed to fund measures contained in climate action plans developed under CPRG planning grants.
Governor Kotek said, “Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is a critical strategy to mitigate the impacts of climate change. When I was Speaker of the House, I fought for ambitious GHG reduction goals. This investment is not only an affirmation of Oregon’s collective efforts to combat climate change, but a significant down payment on our ability to meet our reduction goals with a statewide approach. I want to thank Oregon’s congressional delegation for their partnership in making this key investment happen.”
“Every community is feeling the impacts of climate change, from heat waves and drought conditions to increased wildfire smoke and severe winter storms. We must act collaboratively to reduce carbon emissions and to address the adverse impacts on people’s health and our economic prosperity,” said EPA Regional Administrator Casey Sixkiller. “Through the Biden Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act, EPA is partnering with states and local communities to make the largest investments ever in green buildings, clean energy transportation, and climate justice, and the State of Oregon continues to lead the way.”
“Governor Kotek and our state agencies have demonstrated outstanding leadership in securing this highly competitive federal grant,” Meredith Connolly, Director of Policy and Strategy for Climate Solutions said. “This level of funding will enable investments in every corner of Oregon, making clean energy solutions more affordable, our air cleaner, and our economy greener. By transitioning to electric cars, buses, trucks, and heat pumps - all powered by renewable energy - we are also increasing our communities’ long-term resilience in the face of rising wildfire threats and extreme heat. Our organization along with many others stand ready to support the state’s implementation to ensure a swift reduction of climate pollution, with a strong focus on benefiting frontline communities and lower-income Oregonians across the state.”
Oregon will use this federal grant to implement the measures identified in Oregon’s Priority Climate Action Plan. The prioritized measures fall into three categories that are among the largest contributors to Oregon’s GHG emissions: transportation, residential and commercial buildings, and the handling of waste and materials. The workplan lays out 12 critical measures that will accelerate Oregon’s emission reduction efforts for a vibrant environment, for the health of communities across the state, and for a more sustainable future.
Transportation accounts for at least 35% of state emissions. Incentivizing zero-emission vehicles in all classes will achieve significant reductions in GHGs. Co-benefits include improved public health in communities that are nearest to transportation corridors by lowering tailpipe emissions of criteria and toxic air pollutants such as diesel particulate matter. However, the net zero is the measurement only of the exhaust pipe.
Residential and Commercial Buildings account for about a third of the state’s GHG emissions. Incentives are proposed to improve the efficiency of existing and new buildings, promote the transition to clean equipment and appliances, and increase building weatherization. Co-benefits include improved indoor air quality, including protection from wildfire smoke, and reduced energy cost burdens due to more
efficient homes and buildings.
Waste and Materials are also major contributors of GHGs. Oregon’s consumption-based emissions inventory (CBEI) identifies 51 MMT CO2e of additional emissions that are not a part of Oregon’s sector-based inventory. Incentives addressing waste and materials focus on some
of the largest emissions categories in the CBEI, including embodied carbon in the built environment and emissions associated with food. Reducing these emissions, along with significant sources of landfill methane, offers multiple co-benefits and will demonstrate for the nation opportunities to address sources that are more difficult, but still necessary, to abate in ways that are responsive to community needs.
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Waste and Material proposals should be of most concern to residence. Fifteen-minute cities are being explored and this proposal focuses on space-efficient housing, embodied carbon and consumption-based emissions of households. A DEQ study found the operational and embodied carbon impacts of extra-small homes (defined as 1149 SF in the study) are reduced by 20 to 40 percent compared to medium-sized homes. Case studies of building reuse where cites embodied GHG emissions reduced 40 to 75 percent in reuse of existing buildings compared to new construction.
Another concern is food waste as the single largest source of methane generation in landfills, accounting for 58% methane generation (EPA). Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas – 28 times as potent as carbon dioxide in trapping heat in the atmosphere. Is this their way of replacing natural foods? No mention was made of developing more trash incinerators that produce electricity. Opened in 1986, Covanta Energy is the backbone of Marion County's waste management system, diverting 90 percent of the county's trash from landfills and putting it to use creating electricity.
Amid the projects of how emission reduction will benefit quality of health, it never compares it to quality of life. It also lacks an evaluation of how and how much emissions are reduced for the cost and effort.
How many programs are long-term needing additional funding when the grant runs out? Oregon is already in a school crsis when school districts used Covid temporary funds to fund regular services and then the money ran out. Is this a repeat?
Settlement Board allocates $13 million in opioid settlement funds
Oregon is one of 35 state receiving an allocation of $13.08 million out of at least $55 billion awarded to states and localities from opioid-related lawsuits. by the Opioid Settlement Prevention, Treatment & Recovery Board (Settlement Board) will expand and strengthen the state’s access to substance use disorder treatment and services through opioid treatment programs (OTPs) and jails. The funding was awarded to OHA, which will administer the allocations. The Board’s decision can be viewed in a recording of its July 10 meeting.
The Board approved Alcohol and Drug Policy Commission (ADPC) recommendations July 10. The allocation, which Oregon Health Authority (OHA) will administer, will improve access to medication for opioid use disorder and treatment services by providing:
Up to $3.9 million to fund:
Two mobile or non-mobile medication units in Clackamas County serving Oregon City and rural Clackamas County.
An opioid treatment program or a mobile or non-mobile medication unit in Multnomah County serving the geographic areas of the county with the highest unmet need.
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Up to $9.1 million to fund a total of seven opioid treatment programs or mobile or non-mobile medication units, specifically:
Two in Northeastern Oregon.
One in the Mid-Gorge region.
One in Klamath County.
Two in underserved coastal areas.
One in eastern Lane County.
To be eligible for funding, a mobile or non-mobile medication unit or an opioid treatment program must be currently certified by OHA.
Up to $250,000 to Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) to provide technical assistance to jails and to foster collaboration between opioid treatment providers and jails.
Prior to awarding any funding, OHA must engage the partners listed in the ADPC proposal and provide a proposed timeline and implementation plan to the Board for approval no later than Sept. 1, 2024. The drawback that was evident during the pandemic, when a windfall of funds are used to establish programs, it creates a future tax obligation to continue. School districts are suffering over poor decisions, will this be a repeat of a lesson not learned?
Since July 2021, the State of Oregon has reached agreement on national lawsuits against several companies for their role in the opioid crisis. Through these agreements, nearly $600 million will be awarded to Oregon over the course of 18 years. Settlement funds from opioid manufacturers, distributors and pharmacies are divided between the State of Oregon (45%) and local jurisdictions (55%).
The state’s share is deposited as it becomes available into the Opioid Settlement, Prevention, Treatment and Recovery (OSPTR) Fund. This fund is controlled by the 18-member OSPTR Board. Next meeting is August 7, 2024, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm by zoom.
“Yesterday Val Hoyle just added to her horrendous record in Congress by refusing to vote to hold Kamala Harris accountable for her abject leadership failure to fix the crisis at the border,” stated DeSpain. “Given her full-throated endorsement of Harris for President, does Val Hoyle also proudly endorse the Vice President’s comparing ICE to the KKK and calling to get rid of it?”
Vice President Harris took on the lead role to address the crisis at the border on behalf of the Biden-Harris Administration in 2021 and has since presided over record levels of illegal immigration, drug trafficking, human smuggling, and terrorist infiltration into the country. As a result, 4th District communities, along with those across the nation, have been flooded with deadly fentanyl and meth, skyrocketing addiction and homelessness, and surging crime, while bringing law enforcement and public services to their knees.
“We already knew Val Hoyle supports the open border, but now she is 100% in support of the person running for President who was supposed to make things better, but delivered a whole series of national security, public safety, and addiction crises at our border instead. Voters of the 4th District have had enough of Val’s “movement through the border,” said DeSpain. “I will work tirelessly to secure our borders, stop the flow of deadly drugs, support law enforcement, and restore our safe streets and neighborhoods.”
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“It’s time for voters to hear a real debate between Congresswoman Hoyle and me. I have challenged her to six debates in six counties in the 4th District so voters can hear directly from both of us what we stand for and why their current member of Congress has voted repeatedly against their interests in Washington, D.C.,” said DeSpain.
States are required by federal law to report data concerning their removal programs
Tom Fitton, President of Judicial Watch released the notice letter sent to the Oregon secretary of state on behalf of itself, the Constitution Party of Oregon and an Oregon registered voter, notifying them of evident violations of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) of 1993, based on their failure to remove inactive voters from their registration rolls. The notice letter to Oregon serves as a “pre-suit” notice.
The NVRA requires states to “conduct a general program that makes a reasonable effort to remove” from the official voter rolls “the names of ineligible voters” who have died or changed residence. Among other things, the NVRA requires registrations to be cancelled when voters fail to respond to address confirmation notices and then fail to vote in the next two general federal elections. In 2018, the Supreme Court confirmed that such removals are mandatory (Husted v. A. Philip Randolph Inst., 138 S. Ct. 1833, 1841-42 (2018))
The letter states:
According to your state’s responses to the EAC’s [federal government’s Election Assistance Commission] survey, 19 Oregon counties reported removing zero voter registrations from November 2020 to November 2022 pursuant to Section 8(d)(1)(B) of the NVRA for failing to respond to a Confirmation Notice and failing to vote in two consecutive general federal elections. Another 10 counties reported just a handful of such removals during the same two-year period.
Furthermore, not a single one of Oregon’s 36 counties reported any data whatsoever to the EAC regarding inactive registrations. Instead, in the relevant column where the data should have been, the survey response for each of Oregon’s counties merely stated, “Data not available.”
Oregon’s non-compliance with the NVRA is further illustrated by the unusually high registration rates observed in several of its counties. Comparing the data your state reported to the EAC regarding the total registrations for each county to the U.S. Census Bureau’s most recent five-year estimates of the numbers of resident citizens over the age of eighteen suggests that eight Oregon counties have more voter registrations than citizens of voting age. Several federal courts have determined that such high registration rates are sufficient grounds for alleging a failure to comply with the NVRA’s requirement to make reasonable efforts to remove voters by reason of death or change of address.
“Dirty election rolls can mean dirty elections,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “With a presidential election less than four months away, it is vital that Oregon get about the business of cleaning its voter registration rolls of ineligible voters to eliminate any cloud of doubt over the legitimacy of its balloting.”
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Judicial Watch is a national leader in voting integrity and voting rights. As part of its work, Judicial Watch assembled a team of highly experienced voting rights attorneys who stopped discriminatory elections in Hawaii, and cleaned up voter rolls in across the country. These similar cases should give Oregon voters hope:
A hearing recently held challenges a Mississippi election law permitting absentee ballots to be received as late as five business days after Election Day.
In May 2024, Judicial Watch and the Libertarian Party of California sued California to clean up its voter rolls. The suit asks the court to compel California to make “a reasonable effort to remove the registrations of ineligible registrants from the voter rolls” as required by federal law (Judicial Watch Inc. and the Libertarian Party of CA v. Shirley Weber et al. (No. 2:24-cv-3750))
In December 2023, Judicial Watch sent three other notice letters to election officials in the District of Columbia, California, and Illinois, notifying them of evident violations of the NVRA, based on their failure to remove inactive voters from their registration rolls. In response, Washington D.C. officially admitted that they had not complied with the NVRA, and promptly removed 65,544 outdated names from the voting rolls, promised to remove 37,962 more, and designated another 73,522 registrations as “inactive.”
In July 2023 Judicial Watch filed an amicus curiae (friend of the court) brief , supporting the decision of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine, which struck down Maine’s policy restricting the use and distribution of the state’s voter registration list (Public Interest Legal Foundation v. Shenna Bellows (No. 23-1361). According to a national study conducted by Judicial Watch in 2020, Maine’s statewide registration rate was 101% of eligible voters.
Judicial Watch in July 2023 settled a federal election integrity lawsuit on behalf of the Illinois Conservative Union against the state of Illinois, the Illinois State Board of Elections, and its director, which now grants access to the current centralized statewide list of registered voters for the state for the past 15 elections.
In April 2023, Pennsylvania settled with Judicial Watch and admitted in court filings that it removed 178,258 ineligible registrations in response to communications from Judicial Watch. The settlement commits Pennsylvania and five of its counties to extensive public reporting of statistics regarding their ongoing voter roll clean-up efforts for the next five years.
In March 2023, Judicial Watch filed a federal lawsuit against the Illinois State Board of Elections and its Executive Director, Bernadette Matthews, over their failure to clean Illinois’ voter rolls and to produce election-related records as required by federal law.
In March 2023, Colorado agreed to settle a Judicial Watch NVRA lawsuit alleging that Colorado failed to remove ineligible voters from its rolls. The settlement agreement requires Colorado to provide Judicial Watch with the most recent voter roll data for each Colorado county each year for six years.
In February 2023, Los Angeles County confirmed the removal of 1,207,613 ineligible voters from its rolls since last year, under the terms of a settlement agreement in a federal lawsuit Judicial Watch filed in 2017.
Judicial Watch settled a federal election integrity lawsuit against New York City after the city removed 441,083 ineligible names from the voter rolls and promised to take reasonable steps going forward to clean its voter registration lists.
Kentucky also removed hundreds of thousands of old registrations after it entered into a consent decree to end another Judicial Watch lawsuit.
In February 2022, Judicial Watch settled a voter roll clean-up lawsuit against North Carolina and two of its counties after North Carolina removed over 430,000 inactive registrations from its voter rolls.
In March 2022, a Maryland court ruled in favor of Judicial Watch’s challenge to the Democratic state legislature’s “extreme”
congressional-districts gerrymander.
States are required by federal law to report data concerning their removal programs to the federal Election Assistance Commission (EAC). Every few years the EAC publishes this data as part of a report it provides to Congress. The most recent report and accompanying datasets were released in June of this year.
How much will marine reserves be affected by increased ocean noise?
Oregon legislature passed HB 4132 (2024), which is designed to protect marine life along Oregon’s coast. This bill focuses on Oregon’s five marine reserves, which are coastal waters dedicated to scientific research and conservation. HB 4132 requires the state to outline ways to continue protecting these coastal waters from developments and other threats to marine life. It provides the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife with funding to do this work.
For relatively low cost ($1 million/biennium), HB 4132 provides support to build a state-of-the-art Marine Reserves Program. It will allow more robust monitoring, adaptive management, and ocean resiliency in the face of a changing climate to support biodiversity and our economically important fisheries.
A "marine reserve" defines an area within coastal waters dedicated to scientific research and conservation, where ocean development and removal of marine life is prohibited. A "marine protected area" refers to coastal waters directly next to a marine reserve, which have site-specific rules that allow some fishing activities while prohibiting development. Oregon currently has five marine reserves that have been officially designated for ocean areas along the coast. These marine reserves are managed by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, which handles planning and oversight of scientific research as well as monitoring within the reserves.
The five established marine reserves are:
Cape Falcon - Established in 2016, the Cape Falcon Marine Reserve is the northernmost reserve, just off of Oswald West State Park, near Manzanita. This site includes a marine reserve plus two Marine Protected Areas.
Cascade Head - The Cascade Head Marine Reserve is located off the central Oregon coast, stretching between the Cascade Head headland and Lincoln City. The site includes a marine reserve surrounded by three Marine Protected Areas and was established in 2014.
Cape Perpetua - Oregon’s largest marine reserve is the Cape Perpetua Marine Reserve, established in 2014 between Yachats and Florence on the central Oregon coast. This area comprises a marine reserve, two Marine Protected Areas, and a Seabird Protection Area.
Otter Rock - The Otter Rock Marine Reserve is on the central Oregon coast, near the unincorporated town of Otter Rock. As Oregon’s smallest marine reserve, it spans 1.2 square miles and was established in 2012.
Redfish Rocks - The Redfish Rocks Marine Reserve, established in 2012, is positioned between Rocky Point and Coal Point, just south of Port Orford. This area includes a Marine Protected Area to the west.
It isn't without opponents claiming the plan “will shut down poor people’s access to natural sustainable fishing. This has nothing to do with helping the ecology, it’s simply a communistic shut down of access to food.” They further object to when “Jimmy Carter changed the laws so the Japanese and Chinese can come into USA waters and take as many Salmon as they want and government continues to tax us to death for Salmon Enhancement.”
The open question is the effect of the noise from ocean windmill farms on ecosystems and marine life. From the book, Ocean Noise and Marine Mammals, “When underwater objects vibrate, they create sound-pressure waves that can disturb the natural behavior and habitats of marine animals.”
Some of the effects on marine life includes:
Loud sound waves can cause internal injuries in fish and, in the long term, physical malformations and increased infertility.
Shrimp and mussels are also affected, with growth disturbances, reduced fertility, and associated low reproduction rates.
Animals may flee their habitats, stopping their hunt for food and using up their reserves, which can have cascading effects on entire populations.
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The speed of sound in water is faster than air and travels significantly farther, allowing them to travel thousands of miles at 1,500 meters per second. They may vary with water temperature, salinity, and the source of the sound frequency.
The dominant physical mechanisms of naturally occurring sound in the ocean occur at or near the ocean surface. Most are associated with wind fields acting on the surface and the resulting surface wave activity. Even offshore wind farms have a big impact on underwater pollution. From their construction to their deployment, offshore wind farms, with their turbines and metallic foundations, generate noise and vibrations below the sea surface (called “anthropogenic noise” because it is unnatural and human-made) that disturb marine life and flora, especially for the underwater mammals that rely on sound (like echolocation or vocalization) to survive in the ocean. The impacts of underwater noise pollution on marine life can vary from species to species and long-term effects are yet to be confirmed.
Ocean windmill farms underwater power cables carry the renewable energy from the offshore wind farms to the mainland grid emit electromagnetic fields (EMFs.) These artificial magnetic fields can interfere with, and even mask, the natural EMFs present in the ocean.
Established daily ocean activity has more than doubled in 25 years increasing 0.55 dB per year. This increase was attributed to commercial shipping, namely a doubling of the number of ships. Noise measurements was also made on a receiver on the continental slope of Point Sur, California, that caused and increased noise from 100 to 400 Hz that they have no satisfactory explanation for.
Ocean noise is increasing and potentially five-times due to climate change. Climate change will create areas with amplified noise levels from human-generated noise, such as windmills. These hotspots could impact essential activities of marine life.
"Market-based approaches are the only solution to these service issues."
Many West Coast homeowners are receiving notice that their homeowner’s insurance is being canceled or increased.
"This is devastating," says Senator Daniel Bonham (R-The Dalles). "The average American can barely afford their current home payments let alone increases averaging hundreds of dollars a month.
"Like any industry, the home insurance industry is at a crossroads. With increasing fires due to poor land management for the past decade, the government jumping to overregulate and the lack of market reserves - insurance companies are either pulling out of states or charging impossible premiums. No one is winning in this current market.
"Attempts to create a government-run insurance plan have been met with homeowner complaints about poor service, rising costs and threats of getting kicked off the plan. Government-run programs quickly learn, what private companies already know - providing services efficiently is a tall order with a lot of nuances.
"As the West Coast moves toward more thoughtful land management practices, states need to put in the work to attract types of companies to the market, not seek to overregulate and create government-run alternatives.
"Market-based approaches are the only solution to these service issues. States need to roll up their sleeves and seek to find regional approaches to insurance coverage. Businesses need to be incentivized to learn the nuances of each area and to come up with new technological advances to make homes safer. Further, the nation needs to streamline insurance regulations to reduce cost pass-throughs to consumers.
"Private industry in partnership with government entities will always provide the best service for a consumer. Home insurance is no different. Learn more about free market insurance concepts here."
Three years after the 2020 Labor Day wildfires, many homeowners were still blocked by regulations to rebuild and their homeowners insurance was running out. If the state worked for the people, as it was designed, the market would work more effectively.
Boosts funding by estimated $515 million over current service level to address K-12 education funding
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek unveiled a proposal to boost the current service level (CSL) for the State School Fund by an estimated $515 million above the original CSL calculation for the 2025-27 biennium. Representatives from the Governor’s Office, Oregon Department of Education (ODE), and the Chief Financial Office (CFO) presented this information to the legislative Joint Task Force On Statewide Educator Salary Schedules last Wednesday. This estimate will be updated prior to the 2025 legislative session.
The State School Fund (SSF) is the primary source of state funding for K-12 public education. Current service level is the amount of money needed in the upcoming biennium to continue existing authorized programs.
“Across the country, school districts are facing budget shortages caused by the expiration of federal pandemic relief dollars, declining enrollment, increasing costs due to inflation, and many other factors,” Governor Kotek said. “In response to the way these issues are impacting Oregon students, educators and administrators, I committed to reviewing and updating the methods of how the State funds public schools.
“We are working to be a stronger, more accurate and predictable funder of K-12 public education across Oregon. This effort is part of my priority to ensure we are moving the needle on improving education outcomes for our students, from improving early literacy rates to preventing learning loss to increasing graduation rates. And, ultimately it’s about more than just resources – it’s about the specific outcomes.”
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The Governor is directing agencies to take three steps in order to increase funding:
Budget Distribution - 49/51 Split: For the last decade, the State of Oregon has budgeted SSF distributions to school districts on a 50/50 split over a two-year period (meaning districts received 50% of funds in year 1 and 50% of funds in year 2). This proposal changes the distribution to a 49/51 split.
This will increase the CSL calculation for the next biennium because CSL is built off the funding available in the second year, which increases when districts receive 51% in the second year, compared to 50% previously.
The change will also support school districts in planning to cover rising costs that occur in the second year of the biennium after the SSF has already been set.
Preliminary Estimate: $217 million increase in the CSL for the 2025-27 biennium.
Compensation Costs: The State’s method to account for compensation costs of teachers, administrators, and classified staff is based on a model that looks back at 20 years of historical data. This model has proven to be very accurate (more than 98%) in calculating actual compensation costs, based on the information school districts submit to ODE. That also means the State has historically been within 2 percentage points of being completely accurate.
The Governor’s direction to close the gap between projected compensation costs and actual compensation costs over the last 10 years – instead of 20 years – will increase the SSF CSL. The 10-year period gives us more accurate and more recent data than 20 years. This one-time increase will reflect an even more precise compensation projection and leads to the largest funding increase in the proposal. It’s also important to note that this change will roll forward into future two-year budget cycles.
Preliminary Estimate: $240 million increase in the CSL for the 2025-27 biennium.
Local Property Tax Revenue: SSF funding to districts represent a combination of local revenue (34%) and state revenue (66%). The State’s historical practice doesn’t include fluctuations in local property tax revenue in the second year of the biennium. This limits the State’s ability to accurately account for the level of resources available for our schools.
Going forward, the Governor has directed State agencies to account for annual information for projected local revenue, with the goal of increasing accuracy and precision.
Preliminary Estimate: $55 million increase in the CSL for the 2025-27 biennium.
“I am honored to help advance Governor Kotek’s environmental agenda and have a particular interest in the climate protection program”
At their most recent meeting, the Oregon Environmental Quality Commission designated Matt Donegan as the commission chair. The commission is the governing body for the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, responsible for reviewing and adopting agency policies and rules.
Donegan said, "I am honored to be designated chair of the commission to provide leadership service to DEQ and to Oregon.” “Although I am new to the commission and have a lot to learn from DEQ staff and from my fellow and former commissioners, I bring experience having chaired other state boards and commissions and I believe very strongly in the mission of the agency,” he said.
“I am honored to help advance Governor Kotek’s environmental agenda and have a particular interest in the climate protection program. The climate crisis has reached a tipping point, and I am eager to see Oregon protect its citizens and assert leadership on this critical issue,” said Donegan.
Donegan is a leader in building public-private partnerships to address the wildfire crisis caused by climate change. In 2019, he was appointed to chair Oregon’s Wildfire Response Council to evaluate the state’s system of response to large fires. It was a two-year effort during which he convened federal, state, and local government officials, scientists and environmental groups, and business and industry groups to develop recommendations for the future of Oregon’s wildfire response infrastructure. The Council’s recommendations served as the basis for recent wildfire legislation.
"I am pleased with the commission’s vote to designate Matt Donegan as chair of the EQC and grateful for his willingness to serve Oregon in this critical leadership role," said Leah Feldon, DEQ Director. "He brings extensive policy and leadership experience working within various environmental spheres, which will be a valuable resource to the agency as we continue to develop innovative, equitable and resilient environmental policies and regulations,” she said.
Donegan currently serves on the Lewis and Clark College Sustainability Board and as a fellow for the Oregon Business Council. His prior state service includes chairing both the Governor’s Council on Wildfire Response and the Oregon State Board of Higher Education. He was also a founding member of the Oregon Global Warming Commission, the Oregon Innovation Council and the Oregon Education Investment Board, and has served on various other private and non-profit boards and commissions.
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Oregon’s Senate approved Governor Kotek’s nominations of Donegan and Karen Moynahan to the commission on May 31, 2024. Their terms began July 1, 2024.
As of July 2024, five boards are inoperable due to volunteer board member vacancies across 14 counties
As global tensions rise and military recruitment faces challenges, the Oregon National Guard is playing a vital role in supporting the Selective Service System, ensuring the state remains prepared for potential national emergencies.
The Selective Service System, an independent agency within the executive branch, is responsible for rapidly providing personnel to the military in a fair and equitable manner if the President and Congress authorize conscription. While the United States has maintained an all-volunteer force for decades, the system remains a crucial component of national defense readiness.
"The Selective Service is a vital pillar in our national defense posture," said Michael Kalberg, Oregon's State Director for the Selective Service System. "Even though it may be overlooked by some, it's an important component of our government."
In Oregon, the Selective Service State Headquarters is located at the Salem Armory on 17th St. The state's mission includes maintaining staffing for local draft boards, preparing to activate a fully operational state headquarters if needed, and supporting the ongoing registration of 18-year-old males.
Lt. Col. Robert Earhart, the Selective Service Reserve Service Member for Oregon, explained the system's role: "Most people are familiar with the draft during World War Two through Vietnam. It's been a volunteer force for the past several decades, so the draft has not been going on. But every state needs to have an apparatus in place in case the President and Congress reinitiate conscription."
The Oregon National Guard provides critical support to the Selective Service mission. This partnership includes sharing facilities, logistical support, and personnel. In addition to occupying space at the Salem Armory, National Guard Armory facilities and administrative equipment would be made available for temporary operations in the event of activation.
"We've had a lot of success in Oregon over the last 50 years, and this office has been functional," Earhart said. "A lot of great people have come through, and a lot of great volunteers helping us along the way."
However, the system faces challenges, particularly in rural areas. Oregon is divided into 18 local boards, with nine single-county boards and nine multi-county boards. As of July 2024, five boards are inoperable due to volunteer board member vacancies across 14 counties.
"We have vacancies quite a few vacancies around the state," Earhart noted. To reach board capacity, "I could probably fill another 30 slots."
These local boards play a crucial role in the Selective Service process. In the event of a draft, board members would review and decide on draftee claims for exemptions, postponements, or deferments from military service.
"It's a big responsibility because you hold someone's future in your hands," Earhart explained. "It's a matter of trust, logic, and an understanding of the story being told to you."
The time commitment for board members is minimal during peacetime — approximately five hours in the first year and two hours annually thereafter. However, their role becomes expanded and critical if a draft is reinstated.
Kalberg emphasized the unique challenges Oregon faces in maintaining the Selective Service System. "Oregon is not a high-visibility military state. We don't have a lot of military footprint [in Oregon]," he said. For that reason, probably in particular, Oregonians have never had a history of high registration compliance when young men turn 18."
Despite these challenges, recent efforts to bolster the system have shown promise. Earhart has been conducting outreach with agency partners, the governor's office, county commissioners, and service organizations like the VFW and American Legion, which has resulted in several new volunteers in the pipeline.
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The Selective Service is also adapting to potential changes on the national level. Congress is considering bills that could expand registration requirements, such as the automatic registration of 18-year-old males and including women in the draft. If passed, these changes would significantly increase the workload for local boards.
"If mandated, it'll be an interesting reaction," Kalberg said. "We're not worried about it, but we do need to get the numbers on the paper, get [board members] trained, and get them ready."
As geopolitical pressures mount and military recruiting struggles to meet its quotas, the importance of the Selective Service System has been identified as a backstop for national defense. Dr. Kathleen Hicks, Deputy Secretary of Defense, recently stated, "I don't want people to think the all-volunteer force is sort of alone when the United States must make major decisions. They do not stand alone."
The Oregon National Guard and Selective Service System are actively seeking volunteers to serve on local boards, particularly in rural areas. Interested citizens can apply online to "Get Involved." Eligible individuals must be U.S. citizens, at least 18 years old, and willing to undergo training and dedicate time to this crucial role in national preparedness.
"We're looking for dedicated individuals who want to serve their community and country in this important capacity," Earhart said. "It's a unique opportunity to play a vital role in our national defense structure."
For more information on volunteering or the Selective Service System in Oregon, you can contact Lt. Col. Robert Earhart, SSS Reserve Service Member, at 503-779-9473 or rearhart@sss.gov.
“Political violence has no place in American politics”
Oregon House Republican Leader Jeff Helfrich (R-Hood River) and Senate Republican Leader Daniel Bonham (R-The Dalles) have called on Gov. Tina Kotek to remove Cass McLeod-Skinner from her position as director for the Oregon Board of Chiropractic Examiners over her amplification of comments supporting the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump.
McLeod-Skinner reposted a social media post that expressed disappointment that the shooter had not succeeded in murdering the former president and current Republican nominee for President of the United States.
In a letter to Governor Kotek, Helfrich and Bonham said the following:
“Political violence has no place in American politics. Certainly, those who believe that it does should not be in positions of authority in Oregon state government. With her amplification of pro-assassination messages, Cass McLeod-Skinner has demonstrated that she is unfit for the position she holds with the Oregon Board of Chiropractic Examiners. Gov. Kotek rightly denounced violence in the aftermath of the shooting, and now she has an opportunity to put her words into action by removing McLeod-Skinner from her position to signal that such dangerous rhetoric is unacceptable.”
According to the Oregon Board of Chiropractic Examiners website, Cass McLeod-Skinner has been the Executive Director for the Oregon Board of Chiropractic Examiners since 2014. Cass came to the OBCE with a background in public health and public service, having held positions as General Counsel and Health Equity Officer for Trillium Community Health Plan and Chair of the Board of Commissioners for Oregon’s Liquor Control Commission. Her spouse is Jamie McLeod-Skinner who lost to Janelle Bynum in a race for the current Democratic nomination for Oregon's 5th Congressional District.
US Fish and Wildlife Service Releases Plan to Protect At-Risk Spotted Owls
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is announcing its final environmental impact statement analyzing proposed barred owl management alternatives to protect northern and California spotted owls in Washington, Oregon and California from invasive barred owls. The Service’s preferred alternative is the implementation of a proposed Barred Owl Management Strategy, which would result in the annual removal of less than one-half of 1% of the current North American barred owl population.
According to USFW, Northern spotted owl populations are rapidly declining due to competition with invasive barred owls and habitat loss. California spotted owls, which are proposed for ESA listing, face a similar risk as barred owl populations continue to move south into their range.
“Barred owl management is not about one owl versus another,” said Service Oregon Office state supervisor Kessina Lee. “Without actively managing barred owls, northern spotted owls will likely go extinct in all or the majority of their range, despite decades of collaborative conservation efforts.”
If the proposed strategy is adopted and fully implemented, lethal removal of barred owls by trained professionals would occur in less than half of the areas where spotted and invasive barred owls co-exist within the northern spotted owl’s range; and would limit their invasion into the California spotted owl’s range. Public hunting of barred owls is not allowed under the proposed strategy and lead ammunition will not be used for any lethal removal actions.
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“Barred owl removal, like all invasive species management, is not something the Service takes lightly,” said Lee. “The Service has a legal responsibility to do all it can to prevent the extinction of the federally listed northern spotted owl and support its recovery, while also addressing significant threats to California spotted owls.”
Barred owls are native to eastern North America but started moving west of the Mississippi River at the beginning of the 20th century. This expansion was likely due to human-induced changes in the Great Plains and northern boreal forest. As a result, barred owls now surpass northern spotted owls in numbers across most of California, Oregon, and Washington.
If the proposed strategy is adopted, the Service would receive a permit under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The Service could then designate interested Tribes, federal and state agencies, companies, or specific landowners to implement barred owl management on their lands if actions are consistent with the strategy, conditions of the permit, and state laws and policies. Those who implement the strategy will be accountable for annual monitoring and reporting.
The final EIS and proposed strategy reflect the input received throughout the scoping and public comment process, as well as feedback from cooperating agencies and Tribes. The Service expects to announce a final record of decision on the proposed strategy at least 30 days after the formal publication of the final EIS in the Federal Register.
More information is available on the Service’s barred owl management website, including the draft and final EIS, proposed strategy and frequently asked questions. The final EIS will be available in the coming days in the Federal Register and at https://www.regulations.gov at Docket No. FWS-R1-ES-2022-0074.
“Over-the-top partisan rhetoric about fake "threats to democracy" have contributed to this”
In response to the attempted assassination of President Trump today in Pennsylvania, House Republican Leader Jeff Helfrich (R-Hood River) offered the following statement.
“Our prayers are with President Trump. Democrats not only need to denounce this despicable act of violence, they must also consider how their over-the-top partisan rhetoric about fake "threats to democracy" have contributed to this,” said Helfrich. “We settle disputes in this country with our votes, not violence.”
Senate Republican Leader Daniel Bonham (R-The Dalles) also issued a statement.
“Today, we should all be reminded that violence has absolutely no place in our political discourse. It threatens our country and the principles upon which it was built. This violent attack is not just an assault on one individual but on our collective values. This moment transcends political affiliations and ideologies,” said Leader Bonham.
Bonham called for bipartisan unity in the face of such threats, urging all Oregonians to come together in condemnation of this act. “Let us honor our commitment to preserving the integrity of our republic and ensure it remains a beacon of freedom and justice for all. As Americans, we must stand united against any form of violence or intimidation.”
“We extend our prayers to President Trump and his loved ones during this difficult time. We also offer our heartfelt condolences and prayers to the families of those who lost their lives in this heinous attack.”
Effective July 15, Oregon Senator Elizabeth Steiner is ending her time as one of the Ways and Means Co-Chairs to focus on campaigning for Oregon State Treasurer. She has served as co-chair since 2019. Steiner is using her time on the committee as reason to vote for her for Oregon's Treasurer.
The Joint Ways and Means Committee is responsible to appropriate and passing all budget related items in the Oregon Legislature. Steiner claims to be "Oregon's chief budget writer" as the Co-Chair of the Ways and Means Committee. She says her job has been to decide the funding for each of the components for agencies and any other state expenditures with the constitutional requirement to have a balanced budget. This includes passing agency budgets, policy bills that have a money component, and capital construction projects that utilize bonds.
Dr. Elizabeth Steiner identifies her candidacy for State Treasurer, “as a physician, a mom, and one of Oregon’s chief budget writers, I’ve seen firsthand how investing in preventive care, saving for education, and balancing a budget can make all the difference for hard-working families.”
Steiner is a Democrat from Northwest Portland who was first appointed to the Oregon Senate in late 2011. If elected Oregon State Treasurer, she would be the first woman in history to hold the office.
KGW interviewed Steiner about investments and the agenda to block fossil fuel investments. "This is one of those 'truth lies in between' questions," Steiner offered. "Which is to say, I strongly support making Oregon and the whole world cleaner and greener and cooler and reversing the impact of climate change. That means helping companies that are big polluters move toward cleaner technology. One of the ways you do that is to use your power as a shareholder — and the treasury is a big shareholder in a lot of these companies — to push them to make these green investments. And there are plenty of examples nationwide of investors pushing brown companies to move towards green technologies."
When asked if that's more effective than disinvesting, Steiner responded, "Yeah. Here's the problem. If you invest solely in green companies, they don't have a lot of room to cut their emissions. But if you invest in brown companies and push them to move toward clean technology, even a relatively small reduction in their emissions makes a big difference in the world. And so I think we need to think about that. It's also hard if — as treasury does for the pension fund — you invest in index funds, for example, and you don't get to pick every stock that's in there. You don't get to say, 'Well, I'll only invest in this fund if you pull out all the fossil fuel investments.'"
Her reference to “brown” companies refers to high-emitting companies. Research by Yale concludes that the sustainable investing practice of divesting high-emitting companies (referred to as “brown” firms) in favor of low-emitting companies (referred to as “green” firms) is counterproductive to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
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Despite Steiner's campaign philosophy, she was a sponsor of HB 4083, which requires the State Treasurer to stop investing moneys in companies that deal in thermal coal. It directs the Oregon Investment Council and the State Treasurer to make efforts to eliminate certain investments in thermal coal companies, except if it is transitioning to clean energy. The council may adopt rules to reflect guidelines of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change regarding necessary decreases in greenhouse gas emissions. This allows the State Treasurer to politicize investments and go outside the legislative authority to establish rules, which now may be in violation of the Supreme Court Chevron decision.
Steiner says she wants to build a stronger Oregon, which she views as investing in the health of our families, kids, and communities. “Over 30 years of experience as a doctor has given me a deep understanding of how agencies can better work together in our state government to improve the health of Oregonians, offer students a great education, and ensure our communities, families, and economy can thrive.”
Steiner's goals for budgeting is often confused with understanding investment options and assessing risks. As Treasurer, there is a fiduciary responsibility to invest in the best interest of Oregonians for sustainable growth, and not political goals. The voter will decide between Steiner and Senator Brian Boquist, the Republican candidate.
HR 8281 would prevent illegal aliens from voting in US elections
Republican candidate Monique DeSpain reacted to Val Hoyle’s vote opposing HR 8281, which would require individuals to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship in order to register to vote in federal elections, effectively prohibiting non-citizens, particularly millions of illegal migrants, from being able to vote in federal elections this November.
“Yesterday, Val Hoyle voted against the bipartisan, commonsense HR 8281 Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act to require proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections,” stated DeSpain. “Most Americans assume this isn’t even possible. However, with more than ten million illegal migrants that Val says we need moving across our borders and flooding into states lacking adequate safeguards against non-citizens registering to vote, this bill would eliminate this possibility and ensure voters can have faith in our elections to which they are entitled.”
Earlier this year, Val Hoyle went to El Paso, TX, and praised open borders while lecturing her constituents who asked her, “Why don’t you just shut down the border?” explaining that “We need to have movement through the border and how much we need the workforce.” Seven weeks later, Texas National Guard Troops at an El Paso, TX checkpoint were overrun and assaulted by foreign military-aged males forcing their way into our country. In another bid to manipulate and distort our election system, Hoyle a href='https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2024/roll193.xml'>voted in early May against HR 7109, the Equal Representation Act, which would have identified the massive influx of millions and millions of illegal migrants entering the U.S. during the Biden Administration while conducting the next U.S. Census and would have prohibited including illegal migrants to distort the next congressional district reapportionment by benefiting sanctuary cities and states. A few weeks ago, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee moved Val Hoyle to its “frontline” list of vulnerable incumbents.
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“As if Val’s numerous shocking votes in favor of open borders that are enabling unlimited illegal immigration, human smuggling, fentanyl trafficking, and terrorist infiltration weren’t enough, today’s vote has exposed her plan to flood ballot boxes with illegal votes to reelect vulnerable incumbents like herself,” said DeSpain. “Now that her party bosses have put her on the list of incumbents most in jeopardy of defeat in 2024, she may actually need untraceable voting by illegal immigrants to salvage her reelection chances.”
“Once again, Congresswoman Hoyle has offered no explanation for her horrendous voting record. That’s why I have challenged her to six debates in six counties in the 4th District so voters can hear directly from both of us what we stand for and why their current member of Congress has voted repeatedly against their interests,” said DeSpain. “Perhaps Val knows that if voters get to hear a real debate, they will vote to retire her this November and deploy me to Congress so she never gets the chance to inflict fundamental damage to our democracy.”
Oregon continues to be used as a testing ground for radical ideas
The United States has dropped out of the top 10 in the global competitiveness rankings for the first time, according to the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) World Competitiveness Ranking. The ranking, which is based on a variety of factors including economic performance, government policies, and business environment, has been released annually since 1989.
Biden Economics has been experiencing a decline in competitiveness over the past few years, due to various factors such as:
Social cohesion - increasing polarization and a lack of social cohesion, which can make it difficult for the country to adapt to changing circumstances.
Adaptability and agility - slow to adapt to changes in the global economy and has been slow to respond to emerging challenges.
Government and business efficiency - slow-moving legislative process and inefficient government bureaucracy, which can make it difficult for businesses to operate effectively.
The decline in competitiveness has significant implications for states. How the U.S. addresses the underlying issues and take steps to improve its competitiveness will affect Oregon significantly. As the U.S. declines in competitiveness, it leads to loss of state’s influence in global markets with a reduced ability for Oregon to sustain its international trade policies. Lack of competitiveness most likely will lead to economic stagnation that reduces the ability to create jobs and stimulate economic growth.
BRICS was started because of economic sanctions, which has resulted in a forced marriage of Russia to China, Oregon’s largest export partner, with sales in 2021 totaling $10.6 billion, a third of all the state’s exports is with China. A decline in competitiveness will make it more difficult for businesses to compete with countries that are more competitive and have a more favorable business environment.
Economic sanctions on Russia has accelerated the demise of the dollar. Recently, the U.S. Treasury slapped an economic sanction on companies and financial institutions that do business with Russia. Poking at the bear when he has nuclear ships off the coast of Miami could be dangers. Biden put a pinch on imports of natural resources, aluminum, gas needed for manufacturing, and fertilizer needed for crops that are all imported from Russia, which directly affects Oregon's economy.
The chart is also an indication that forcing U.S. Employers to hire based on a DEI agenda rather than the quality of work is eroding in moral decay. Economist Dr. Elliott says, “Of course we aren’t going to be in the top 10 with that theology. I call it a theology because this DEI mantra is a religion to them… We are celebrating being the opposite of God in this country and that isn’t good for the economy… Biden is dedollarizing America by his policies.”
The housing market is suffering from supply and demand destroying the balance, and projected to be worst than it has ever been. Rentals are going up, caused by banks undercapitalized by 55 trillion for each Goldman Sacs and Chase with two others close behind. Hedge fund managers are selling off faster than during covid, wages are down, unemployment is up, taxes are up, interest rates and cost of borrowing is up that puts housing in a squeeze. Governor Kotek's housing goals may be a lost cause if banks aren't able to make loans, coupled with the need to import lumber due to the restrictions on harvesting by the Oregon State Land Board.
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If Biden continues pushing the Democrat agenda, we can expect Putin to retaliate. This isn’t a Biden’s agenda, he is simply the current face being used. It doesn’t matter who is president, if they are a Democrat, the policies won’t change. Democrat states follow the same agenda. Oregon's leadership is in step with Democrat policies and repeatedly uses Oregon as a testing ground for some of these radicle ideas.
In 2019, Oregonians held in opposition to cap and trade when legislative bill HB 2020 was proposed. In a last minute effort, Senator Betsy Johnson (D-Scappoose) proposed sweeping amendments as the most vocal cap-and-trade skeptic. Johnson was removed as co-chair of the Ways and Means Committee in a power play to vote the bill out of committee. After passing the House, the Senate walked out to prevent a vote. The bill died, but not cap-and-trade. Governor Brown circumvented the legislative process with Executive Order 20-04, which was directed at state agencies but contained much broader provisions sharply curbing greenhouse gas emissions that exceeded the bill. It opened the door to further legislation and rules on emission standards that is now a step towards eliminating natural gas in SB 98, and regulation of hydropower impacting water usage for small farms in SB 85.
Even though Oregonians have defeated a sales tax nine times, it may have cost less than all the hidden sales taxes and fees that have been passed piece-by-piece, including gas tax, cell phone tax, grocery bag fees, lodging taxes, corporate access Tax (CAT), carbon credit markups, to name a few. As one of the highest taxed states, Ernst & Young found that Oregon’s state and local business tax burden has increased by 45% since 2019. Oregon's regulatory environment contributes to losing it's reputation for being business friendly and lead to a 2.0% reduction in new business filings last year. Oregon's recovery depends on voters, and the need to break from current policies.
Lawmakers use children to further their political agenda
Alex Baumhardt writes in Oregon Capital Chronicle, “More than three dozen Congressional Democrats, led by Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden, are hoping to help revive a landmark lawsuit against the U.S. government by 21 young Americans – including 11 Oregonians – over continued federal support for fossil fuel production and a failure to urgently mitigate the worst effects of climate change, violating the plaintiffs’ right to a livable environment.”
Juliana v. United States, named after Julia Olson, Executive Director and Chief Legal Counsel at Our Children's Trust, is now the longest running suit first filed in the U.S. District Court in Eugene nearly 10 years ago. At the time, the youth behind the suit were between eight- and 18-years old. Olson filed a request in the Ninth Circuit to rehear the case, followed by the backing of Senator Ron Wyden and U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, an Illinois Democrat, filing an “amicus brief” or “friend of the court brief” urging the court to grant it. The filing included 39 other signers including Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley and Oregon Reps. Earl Blumenauer and Val Hoyle, according to the Chronicle.
Fossil fuel companies, the U.S. Department of Justice, former President Donald Trump and Republican states attorneys general have filed court documents against the Juliana case. It was deemed effectively dead in May, when the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco agreed with the U.S. Department of Justice to dismiss the case.
It seems like the intent is to get the case to the U.S. Supreme Court. Olson argued the decision to dismiss was hasty and wrongly denied oral arguments by the plaintiffs rather than issuing an opinion, effectively denying the plaintiffs their right to an appeal. The Ninth Circuit held that ordering the federal government to adopt “a comprehensive scheme to decrease fossil fuel emissions and combat climate change” would exceed a federal court’s remedial authority set in Article III.
Harvard Law Review suggests that Juliana, filed by Our Children’s Trust, is attempting to go where other environmental cases have failed by drawing on common law tort theories. The Juliana case contends the Constitution guarantees an unenumerated fundamental right to a “stable climate system.” They argued that the United States had “continued to permit, authorize, and subsidize fossil fuel extraction . . . [and] consumption” despite these activities’ contributions to global warming. This choice, it continued, had “infringed on” the Trust’s “constitutional rights to life, liberty, and property.”
Judge Hurwitz of the Ninth Circuit wrote, “To have standing under Article III, a plaintiff must have (1) a concrete and particularized injury that (2) is caused by . . . challenged conduct and (3) is likely redressable by a favorable judicial decision . . .Thus, the Trust’s standing turned on redressability: “whether the plaintiffs’ claimed injuries [were] redressable by an Article III court.” The judges found “such relief . . . beyond [its] constitutional power.”
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The amicus brief argues, “Since youth cannot vote, they depend upon each branch of government to act in their best interests when exercising authority. Sadly, at this time, each branch is betraying the intergenerational trust bestowed upon them for ‘our Posterity’ in the face of the climate crisis.” It seems that lawmakers have a vested interest in using children to further their political agenda.
The CDC defines child abuse and neglect as Adverse Childhood Experiences, which can dramatically impact a person’s life experience and health. To use children to front an agenda that isn’t feasible can only be identified as cruel. Studies show that around 30% of Oregon’s carbon drifts in from China, the largest emitter releasing 11.4 billion metric tons of carbon emissions in 2022. Their misguided direction is looming as pitiful when it could have been productive. What if they would have sued to stop chemtrails, which Tennessee has now done and residence are reporting good health benefits. What if they would have sued to stop poisonous fluoride additives to the water system, which is taking hold in some jurisdictions.
What have these children learned from this exercise? How to capitalize on your fears. Money is limitless if you can tie into a cause whether good or bad. Consequences don’t matter. That constitutional right means not having any fears. One thing they still seem to not understand is that the courts are limited in its power to create law.
Oregonians are encouraged to conserve energy and reduce consumption
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek declared a statewide extreme heat emergency in preparation for high temperatures, both day and night, forecasted through Tuesday. Temperatures across Oregon are expected to reach near record-breaking levels, with the Portland metro area, Willamette Valley, and parts of Southern Oregon expected to hit temperatures in the triple digits. The heat risk levels and what they mean for individuals can be found on the National Weather Service’s Heat Risk map.
“Extreme weather events are now the new normal for Oregon. Right now, state and local governments are on a path to strengthen our preparedness and response, not only this year but for the years to come,” Governor Kotek said. Oregonians are watching whether that will mean some modification in energy goal to meet the higher level of consumption.
Oregonians are encouraged to conserve energy and reduce consumption to the extent possible to avoid power disruptions and reduce the strain on our energy grid, such as avoiding the use of major appliances during peak morning and evening energy demand periods. In addition, high heat can also be a catalyst for wildfires, so Oregonians are encouraged to practice extreme caution and take preventive measures to reduce the risk of human-caused wildfires.
“The need for emergency declarations should decrease over time if we continue on this path – including ensuring more Oregonians have air conditioning in the summer months and heat in the winter months, that our electrical grid is modern and resilient, that communities have public spaces and green places that provide relief, and where families have a plan to stay safe and help others to do the same in severe weather."
The Oregon Department of Emergency Management has activated the state Emergency Coordination Center in response to the heatwave. Multiple partners including the Oregon Health Authority, the Oregon Department of Human Services office of Resilience and Emergency Management, the Oregon State Medical Examiner, the Oregon Public Utility Commission and the American Red Cross are working with local and tribal emergency managers as they prepare to open cooling centers. State agencies are providing support and resources where requested. The state Emergency Coordination Center will meet throughout the heatwave to monitor the situation and respond accordingly.
State, local and tribal agencies continue to respond to requests for emergency cooling shelters, transportation assistance, distribution of life-sustaining supplies including water and medical services. The extreme heat will also put a significant strain on Oregon’s energy grid and critical infrastructure, posing a risk to utility outages and equipment and transportation disruptions.
The Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM) will coordinate access to and use of personnel and equipment of all state agencies necessary to assess, alleviate, respond to, mitigate, or recover from conditions caused by this emergency. The agency will also coordinate all essential protective measures in support of identified disaster areas to protect lives, property, and the environment.
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If you believe you are being subjected to excessive prices for bottled water or other essential consumer goods, or lodging due to this emergency, you are encouraged to report violations to the Oregon Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Services, which has the authority to investigate unlawful trade practices.
The Oregon Health Authority is also encouraging people to take steps to avoid heat-related illnesses such as heat stroke and heat exhaustion as advisories predicting triple-digit temperatures are in effect through the weekend and early next week. Oregonians can find more information about local cooling centers from 211. Information about how to keep your animal safe in the heat can be found here.
Sign up for OR-alert and get lifesaving alerts and instructions during emergencies to help you and others stay safe in Oregon.
The Manulife Investment Management fund purchased 55,000 acres of timberland in Oregon’s Douglas, Coos, and Curry counties, stretching from Reedsport in the north to Gold Beach in the south. This acquisition is part of the company’s efforts to expand its presence in the region and provide sustainable working forests and farmlands.
The company already manages over 660,000 acres of working forest in Oregon, making it Oregon’s second-largest manager of private timberland. Out done only by Weyerhaeuser, which owns more than 1.5 million acres of western Oregon’s 6.5 million acres of private forestland. Manulife Forest Management Inc. will oversee the daily operations of the coastal range properties, with about 7,200 acres in Douglas County, located near Reedsport. The 55,000 acres of forests in Southwest Oregon will allow greater access for recreation, and investments in harvest carbon offsets.
The investment objective of Manulife’s strategy is to provide investors with an opportunity to invest in timberlands which will be managed to create carbon credits through enhanced sustainable forest management practices which is designed to add to the stored carbon in the forest. The fund intends to earn competitive returns for investors by selling carbon credits, charging for recreation use, and limited timber harvests to capture potential climate benefits.
The Fund is not registered under the Securities Act or the securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction, and only sold to “qualified purchasers.” The Fund seeks to include investors from other than the U.S. such as the EU that want to invest in forest carbon credits or offsets.
The carbon credit market operates like a hidden tax that drives up the costs for companies that can’t reduce their unavoidable emissions and have to buy offsetting credits so they can operate, and so elite investors get a high rate of return. This racket is spreading as a worldwide investment option funded by consumers. Manulife wants their offsetting credits to represent actual changes in managing timber harvesting. However, offsetting credit does nothing to reduce emissions, and if sold outside of Oregon, it's a direct steel from consumers to fund investors.
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"The acquisition is part of the company’s efforts to manage sustainable working forests and farmlands, providing both economic and ecological benefits. From the 55,000 acres, approximately 85% of it will be harvested over the next 40-50 years. The other 15% is in regulatory and voluntary set-asides primarily buffers on streams and other features to protect water and conserve wildlife habitat," according to Jeff DeRoss, Manulife Forest Management Manager for Western Oregon.
As of October 2023, Manulife Investment Management’s $11.3 billion timberland investment portfolio spans 5.4 million acres in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Chile and Brazil. One hundred percent of its portfolio is certified as sustainable by independent third-party forest certification standards.
The College of Forestry at OSU plans to harvest 60 acres near Cronemiller Lake in the McDonald-Dunn Forest called the Woodpecker Harvest, but is being challenged by Corvallis residents. The harvest is on hold for review of the 2005 plan to challenge the classification of old-growth as 160 years and older.
In the meantime, public forests are under continuous attack from conservationist and environmentalist. The Elliott State Forest, about 82,500 acres, also near Reedsport, is back in the hands of the State Lands Commission trying to push through a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) that will reduce harvesting to unmanageable levels.
The most impact to the forest industry remains the Endangered Species Act and the development of HCP. State Forester Cal Mukumoto recommended supporting the HCP draft to the Board of Forestry. Opposition groups are making a case for some revisions to revitalize the timber industry for the support of rural communities. The state still expects to finalize the HCP by the end of the year, then get federal input in 2025.
July 4th - the day of the Declaration of Independence. Remember, ‘taxation without representation’ was a cry then that may apply today as well. Nobody then would have dreamed of carbon taxes by executive order, but they did foresee taxation without representation. What grassroots and patriotism looked like in 1776:
Five legislative signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died.
Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned.
Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured.
Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War.
The Boston Tea Party and the Coercive Acts galvanized the colonists, leading to the First Continental Congress in 1774. The Boston Tea Party was a protest against British taxation and tyranny, and it helped to formulate a larger movement of the colonists in their fight for independence that culminated in the Declaration of Independence.
As with the Boston Tea Party, it seems the ‘prized’ tea is being thrown overboard, but does Oregon have an Independence Day coming?
The Oregonian reported that Oregon’s exports dropped by more than $6 billion last year, an astonishing 20% plunge that wiped out two years of historic gains. Even though 2023 saw a decrease, Oregon goods exports were $27.7 billion, it was an increase of 49 percent ($9.3 billion) from its export level in 2012. So why the decrease? “Consumers are pulling back. You see that translated into the export numbers, for sure,” said Damon Runberg, economist with Business Oregon, the state’s economic development agency. Then how can Oregon’s revenue forecast for government spending be up if consumer spending is down?
Runberg says there is reason to be optimistic with the development of Oregon’s semiconductor industry. Intel is planning a multibillion-dollar expansion along with other chip companies also set to expand. But, will Oregon voters crush this industry with a proposed 3% gross receipts tax if IP 17 passes in November?
An indication the consumers are pulling back, the Oregonian reports that Nike shares fell 20% as the latest sign of severe turbulence at Oregon’s biggest company. Nike claims it has anticipated a drop in annual sales, thanks to competition from newer competitors, are now worrying investors. Nike stock had its worst day on record losing $28 billion. With a 20% drop in Oregon exports, and Nike losing $28 billion, just what does Oregon’s government revenue forecast interpretation by Democrat politicians mean by Oregonians are doing better than ever? Nike is projecting they will regain the market lose by 2030 based on the past 10 years of the stock’s average growth record. But should a state rely on a high risk forecast?
Oregon is also hit by the Biden Administration banning exports by an Oregon freight-forwarder, USGoBuy, as a warning shot to the industry. The Wall Street Journal reports that an Oregon freight-forwarder was hit with an export ban in what officials said was a warning to companies to heed restrictions on the shipment of sensitive technologies to countries the U.S. considers threats to national security. USGoBuy is placed under a three-year export ban after an audit turned up 176 violations to a settlement over riflescopes the company shipped to China and the emirates.
It isn't just exports dragging Oregon's economy down. The Biden administration has announced a 100% tariff on Chinese-made electric vehicles (EVs) that are carbon-reducing and net zero, as part of a broader effort to protect US manufacturers and jobs. This move is intended to prevent a flood of low-cost, heavily subsidized EVs from China from entering the US market. The tariff is expected to increase the cost of Chinese-made EVs in the US market, making U.S. EVs more competitive with foreign-made EVs. Have they not read that several major automakers, including General Motors, Ford, and Tesla, have announced plans to scale back or delay their EV production goals?
How will this affect Oregon? Tariffs are usually retaliatory and China is by far Oregon’s largest export partner, with sales in 2021 totaling $10.6 billion, a third of all the state’s exports.
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Senator Brian Boquist (R-Polk and Treasurer candidate) stated, "As young Oregon voters look at government inflation they know whom to blame. Young Oregonians know why they cannot afford a house. Young Oregonians know the definition of indentured servitude. If there is a November election, and if there is not a major change, then the economy will drive the Millennial Revelation into high speed collision with the debt ridden failing government police state and corporate oligarchs. This is a recipe for change none of us should want, let alone would a State Senator like myself even survive, as all of present government officials will be swept away, if history is a lesson."
America is still on its First Republic. On July 7th, the Fifth Republic of France will hold elections. Revisionists have repeated “Democracy” so many times that America is being pulled away from its Republic. Will millennials and younger voters bring us back to our first love or form the Second American Republic?
The 142nd Wing out of the Portland Air National Guard Base in Portland, Ore., will conduct Independence Day flyovers for ceremonies and parades at locations throughout Oregon.
The Portland Air National Guard Base employs 1,300 Airmen who provide an economic impact of nearly $500 million to the region. The 142nd Wing defends our homeland with F-15 Eagle fighter jets, guarding the Pacific Northwest skies from northern California to the Canadian border through their Aerospace Control Alert mission as part of Air Combat Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). Their mission is to provide unequalled, mission-ready units to sustain combat aerospace superiority and peacetime tasking any time, any place in service to our nation, state and community.
Oregon Air National Guard F-15 Eagle fighter jets are scheduled to conduct flyovers at the following community locations at, or around, the designated times on Thursday, July 4, 2024.
10:35 a.m. Corbett, Ore.
10:39 a.m. Ridgefield, Wash.
10:43 a.m. Clatskanie, Ore.
10:47 a.m. Warrenton, Ore.
10:50 a.m. Manzanita, Ore.
10:51 a.m. Rockaway Beach, Ore.
10:55 a.m. Neskowin, Ore.
11:00 a.m. Turner, Ore.
11:01 a.m. Salem, Ore.
11:03 a.m. Mt. Angel, Ore.
11:05 a.m. St. Paul, Ore.
11:08 a.m. Lake Oswego, Ore.
11:09 a.m. Happy Valley, Ore.
11:12 a.m. Molalla, Ore.
11:14 a.m. Mill City, Ore.
11:26 a.m. Condon, Ore.
11:34 a.m. The Dalles, Ore.
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All passes will be approximately 1,000 feet above ground level and about 400 mph airspeed. Flights could be canceled or times changed due to inclement weather or operational contingencies.
The Oregon Air National Guard has been an integral part of the nation's air defense since 1941.
Solving homelessness doesn’t include sidewalk tents
The U.S. Supreme Court released its ruling in the Grants Pass v. Johnson case, a decision that some say stands as a victory for the rule of law and the well-being of our communities. This decision recognizes the critical need for local governments to manage public spaces effectively, ensuring safety and order for all citizens.
The Court's ruling supports the City of Grants Pass's right to enforce ordinances that prevent public spaces from becoming unsafe and unsanitary. By upholding these regulations, the Court has validated the efforts of municipalities to protect their communities while safeguarding the safety and dignity of people experiencing homelessness.
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, in a recent KGW interview, emphasized the need for legislative action: “Unless the legislature decides to revisit the law that HB 3115 enacted, no one in Portland is going to see sweeping policy changes after the Supreme Court issues its decision.”
HB 3115 (2021) was a reactionary piece of legislation by Democrats in response to a misguided court opinion by the Ninth Circuit. This law has suffocated local jurisdictions' efforts to keep their communities safe. It is essential that the Legislature acts promptly to ensure state laws align with the Supreme Court's decision, allowing for sensible, community-focused solutions that maintain public safety and health without infringing on individual rights.
“Despite the Supreme Court’s common sense ruling, Democrats’ 'Right to Camp' law will continue to hamper local governments' ability to address homelessness effectively,” said Senate Republican Leader Daniel Bonham (R-The Dalles). “The Legislature should immediately provide clarity to our local governments as they work to reduce homelessness in their communities by taking action on HB 3115. This time, cities and counties that are most affected should be at the table, leading the discussions on what is best for their local jurisdictions. We stand ready to pass legislation that balances the interests of all residents – whether they are in a home or seeking shelter, utilizing both compassion and pragmatism to ensure our public spaces are safe, clean, and accessible for everyone.”
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It doesn’t seem to matter that our sidewalks and parks are crowded with homeless tents. Democrats passed HB 3115 along partisan lines, and Democrat leaders continue to defend their right to litter our cities. The Supreme Court ruling did not address the housing and homelessness crisis, but limits the state in mandating how communities deal with their homeless.
Senator Kayse Jama (D - Portland), chair of the Senate Housing and Development Committee, and Representative Pam Marsh (D - Ashland), chair of the House Housing and Homelessness Committee, statement on how this decision will impact housing policy in Oregon:
“Our goal remains making sure every Oregonian has access to safe, affordable housing so no one has to resort to sleeping on the streets. Homelessness will be solved by building more housing, supporting shelters and programs to get people on the path out of homelessness.
Jama continues, "Local jurisdictions have a duty to maintain livability for everyone in their communities – and, there needs to be a reasonable balance between those concerns and the reality that too many Oregonians don’t have anywhere safe to sleep. Today's Supreme Court ruling does nothing to solve the housing and homelessness crisis in Oregon. The legislature remains focused on addressing the root causes of homelessness, increasing the housing supply, and funding programs that help get people on a path out of houselessness.”
The Oregon legislature passed the Emergency Housing Stability and Production Package earlier this year, which made a $376 investment in expanding affordable housing and support for shelters. They enacted policies to distribute the $2 billion housing package passed in 2023. All that investment may have eliminated a few homeless encampments by building pod villages and subsidizing housing for the hundreds of homeless individuals. The pod villages are intended to provide temporary housing for the homeless that would otherwise occupy encampments.
However, the placement of the pod villages in family neighborhoods, concerns local residents citing potential safety issues and disruptions to the community.
Escaping the notice of the local media, Portland has been running about 40 degrees F colder this year than three years ago. Portland reached 116 F on June 28, 2021, smashing the previous record high for any date of 107 F. The reason for the extreme heat was simple. Strong high pressure inland created a strong offshore flow, bringing hot air from Eastern Oregon and Washington into the Willamette Valley. As soon as that weather pattern broke down and cool Pacific Ocean air returned, we cooled way down. It was 116 F at Portland Airport at 5 pm on the 28th, but only 73 F at 11 pm that evening.
Climate alarmism ran rampant during those days. KOIN 6 Chief Meteorologist Natasha Stenbock called the high temperatures, “Portland’s new normal.” Former Oregon State Climatologist Kathie Dello said, “If we don’t do anything about climate change, 2021 will be one of Portland’s coolest summers.” Current Oregon State Climatologist Larry W. O'Neill added, “The fact that it was so strong, that is an indication I think, of climate change contributing to it.”
In contrast, here is what, a principal research scientist for the University of Alabama in Huntsville, Roy Spencer, had to say at the time. “Despite the near-normal global average temperatures, the USA Lower 48 temperature anomaly of +1.44 deg. C was the warmest in the [June] 43 year satellite record, ahead of +1.15 deg. C in 1988. In contrast, the Antarctic region (poleward of 60 S latitude) experienced its 2nd coldest June (-1.25 deg. C below the 30-year baseline), behind -1.34 deg. C in June, 2017.”
For Portland, it was all a matter of the wind speed and direction. When the wind normally blows off the ocean, we are cool in the summer and warm in the winter. But when the wind reverses direction, we can get spectacularly different weather.
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By the way, with a high temperature of 118 F, The Dalles, Oregon broke the all-time highest temperature record for Washington State on June 28th, 2021. How is that possible? The Dalles weather station is located across the Columbia River at their small airport in Washington State. Oregon did not break its all-time high of 119 F set on August 10, 1898 in Pendleton. And the hottest ever temperature for the USA is 134 F set in Death Valley on July 10, 1913. These very old records still stand.
NW Natural produces clean hydrogen that captures solid carbon
NW Natural released a report from Business Wire that a new poll shows that about 3 in 4 voters believe natural gas is essential. In addition, a large majority of voters from counties including Multnomah, Clackamas, Lane, Marion, Washington and Clark are opposed to natural gas bans. The polling was conducted for NW Natural by DHM Research, an independent leading public opinion research firm, showing that 72% of voters oppose banning natural gas for new homes and buildings. The number of voters who share that opinion has increased by 9 percent since the first poll conducted in 2019.
The poll also shows voters are increasingly concerned about power outages, with 81% of respondents saying we need both electricity and natural gas to reliably meet our energy needs.
NW Natural recently released a report that details how important having two systems was during the massive winter storm that impacted the region in January. During the highest energy use hour on Jan. 13, 2024, NW Natural delivered 55% more energy than local electric providers, Portland General Electric and Pacific Power, combined.
Over the past five years, public opinion polls in NW Natural’s service territory have shown that voters overwhelmingly reject natural gas bans. It’s a consumer sentiment that has steadily grown as voters’ attention is more focused on what they believe are pressing concerns, such as homelessness.
DHM Research conducted polling from February 7 – March 10, 2024, with voters in NW Natural’s service territory, which includes the Willamette Valley, most of coastal Oregon, Clark County, Washington, and the Columbia Gorge. The service territory results are scientifically valid and have a margin of error of +/- 2.1%.
This polling came in time for NW Natural and Modern Hydrogen's unveiling of a new project that is producing clean hydrogen while capturing solid carbon. Innovative methane pyrolysis technology, which is online at NW Natural’s Central Portland facility, produces clean hydrogen and captures solid carbon in a process called methane pyrolysis, using equipment designed by Modern Hydrogen.
Solid carbon being captured from this process is collected and incorporated into Modern Hydrogen’s proprietary, performance-enhancing asphalt products. These are used in applications such as paving and road repair projects—including a section of asphalt surrounding the equipment installation at NW Natural’s facility.
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Hydrogen generated on site is blended with natural gas and delivered via existing energy infrastructure. This three-year pilot project is the latest effort by NW Natural to explore potential hydrogen applications. This includes extensive testing at our Sherwood Operations and Training facility, demonstrating the safety and performance of hydrogen blends ranging from 5 to 20 percent in natural gas systems and equipment.
NW Natural is working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions on multiple fronts, reimagining the role of the natural gas system and the fuel that they deliver. This includes pursuing a combination of decarbonization measures that include energy efficiency, renewable energy, carbon offsets, and carbon capture. Replacing conventional natural gas over time with alternatives like renewable natural gas and clean hydrogen is central to achieving that vision.
NW Natural CEO David Anderson said, “Today we’re looking to renewable natural gas, clean hydrogen, carbon capture and other ways to decarbonize our system. People are eager for solutions that can be put into action today, and we’re proud to play our part.”
In 2023, the Oregon legislature passed a bill called the "Climate Resilience Package," which prohibits the use of natural gas in new structures, including residential and commercial buildings, as well as new infrastructure projects. This means that new buildings and developments will be required to use alternative energy sources, such as electricity or renewable energy systems. The bill is expected to have a significant impact on the construction industry in Oregon, but will it reduce carbon emissions? By promoting the use of alternative energy sources, there is no debate it will increase the cost of energy for everyone while contributing to energy instability.
Opportunity to comment on Medium Heavy-Duty Zero Emissions Vehicles Rebate rules
In 2023, Oregon Representative Dan Rayfield (D-Corvallis) was chief sponsor of House Bill 3409, along with 28 other Democrats, which included 24 directives related to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Among them the bill directs the Oregon Environmental Quality (DEQ) Commission to establish a rebate program for purchase or lease of qualifying medium or heavy duty zero-emission vehicles.
Medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (MHDVs) account for just 5% of vehicles on the road in the United States, yet they are responsible for 21% of transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions, according to a recent study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). They explored how the conversion of diesel MHDVs would evolve over time to result in a 65% reduction in emissions by 2050. Adding incentives, it can increase to a 70% reduction.
In Oregon, MHDVs are currently responsible for an estimated 9.3 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually—approximately 42% of all greenhouse gases from the on-road vehicle fleet. This new rebate program will provide critical support for Oregon's transportation fleets to transition to zero emissions technologies and reduce these emissions statewide.
HB 3409 provides $3 million in revenue for the new Zero-Emission MHDV Incentive Fund and authorizes DEQ to establish a program for providing rebates for the purchase or lease of qualifying vehicles for use in Oregon. That’s $3 million of taxpayer dollars for a 5% possible jump on emission reduction in 25 years. There is probably no chance of reaching even 50% as the probability grows that Mount St. Helens will erupt again.
DEQ proposes to complete rulemaking for the rebate program to specify details including application requirements, rebate allocation criteria, other requirements included in the statute, and program elements to alleviate disproportionate air pollution burdens among frontline communities.
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This rule will also incorporate 2024 Legislative changes that were made to the Oregon Clean Vehicle Rebate Program. The changes include creating a new fund for dedicated Charge Ahead funding and removing the ability to stack the Standard and Charge Ahead Rebates. Instead, it creates a new rebate level for Charge Ahead applicants purchasing or leasing a new vehicle.
DEQ will consider comments received by 4 p.m., on July 22, 2024. A public hearing, will be held Wednesday, July 17, 2024 at 1 p.m. For viewing details go here.
Anyone can submit comments and questions about this rulemaking. Send comments by email to: MHDZEV.2024@DEQ.oregon.gov. By mail, send to Oregon DEQ, Attn: Gerik Kransky, 700 NE Multnomah St., Room 600, Portland, OR 97232-4100.
DEQ plans to present the final proposal, including any modifications made in response to public comments to the Environmental Quality Commission for a decision at its September 26-27 meeting.
The Oregon Outback International Dark Sky Sanctuary (OOIDSS) is a 2.5 million-acre protected area in Lake County, Oregon, which is the largest Dark Sky Sanctuary in the world. Located in a remote and sparsely populated area of southeastern Oregon, this sanctuary is a haven for astronomers, photographers, and anyone eager to gaze upon the unspoiled beauty of the cosmos.
The area is known for its breathtaking night sky viewing experiences, with minimal light pollution allowing for unparalleled stargazing opportunities. The 2.5-million-acre sanctuary about one-half the size of New Jersey, and is part of a larger project aiming to encompass 11.4-million-acres of contiguous, protected night sky, making it over twice the size of New Jersey.
Within the OOIDSS are the unincorporated communities of Adel, Plush, and Summer Lake, the Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge, a portion of the Fremont-Winema National Forest, nearly 1.7 million acres of land managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Summer Lake Wildlife Area, nearly 80,000 acres of state-owned rangeland, and the Oregon Outback Scenic Byway.
The OOIDSS is the certification given by DarkSky International, a nonprofit organization that works to “protect the night” for the benefit of people and wildlife by advancing responsible outdoor lighting. The International Dark Sky Places Program was founded in 2001, as a non-regulatory and voluntary program to encourage communities, parks, and protected areas around the world to preserve and protect dark sites through effective lighting policies, environmentally responsible outdoor lighting, and public education.
As Oregon rural counties are looking for opportunities to replace the income from the cut in timber sales, the OOIDSS could partially fill-in by increasing tourism. Bob Hackett, Executive Director of Travel Southern Oregon said, “This four-year collaboration brings together so many of the elements we try to achieve in regenerative tourism. It not only elevates the destination experience for visitors to Lake County and opens up opportunities for local businesses, but it also helps agencies and residents steward their lands in ways that celebrate a legacy of starry night skies for generations to come.”
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It’s a high desert area characterized by sage scrub and abrupt changes in topography that alternates between narrow faulted mountain chains and flat, arid valleys and basins. Within this unique geography of geological wonders is priority habitat for an array of wildlife, including American pronghorn, bighorn sheep, sage grouse, white-tailed jack rabbit, and migratory birds navigating the Pacific Flyway. The region is also culturally significant and is home to a 13,000-year-old human occupation site. Dispersed within the OOIDSS are hot springs, wild horses, private rangelands, ranches, and cattle.
The DarkSky Oregon chapter has established a network of continuously recording Sky Quality Meters (SQMs) in Oregon to measure skyglow. Skyglow is literally the measurement of the glowing sky at night, due to both man-made artificial light and natural light. The project’s primary aim is to quantitatively measure, interpret, and share skyglow measurements in Oregon to better understand the current level of light pollution in comparison to other regions and to document any changes over a five-year period. The skyglow data will help to inform action toward healthier and safer communities with less light pollution.
Atmospheric conditions such as cloud cover, haze, and air pollution such as wildfires, chemtrails, and CO2 can also limit visibility in night skies. Some controllable and some are natures processing.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released information of an emerging criminal tactic used to further defraud cryptocurrency scam victims.
Using social media or other messaging platforms, fraudsters posing as lawyers representing fictitious law firms may contact scam victims and offer their services, claiming to have the authorization to investigate fund recovery cases. To validate the contact, the “lawyers” claim they are working with, or have received information on, the scam victim’s case from the FBI, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), or other government agency. In some instances, scam victims have contacted fraudsters on fake websites, which appear legitimate, hoping to recover their funds.
To further the recovery scam, the “lawyers” may:
Request victims verify their identities by providing personal identifying information or banking information to get their money back;
Request victims provide a judgment amount they are seeking from the initial fraudster;
Request victims pay a portion of initial fees up front with balance due when funds are recovered;
Direct victims to make payments for back taxes and other fees to recover their funds; or
Reference actual financial institutions and money exchanges, to build credibility and further their schemes.
Between February 2023 and February 2024, cryptocurrency scam victims who were further exploited by fictitious law firms reported losses totaling over $9.9 million, according to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
Tips to Protect Yourself
Be wary of advertisements for cryptocurrency recovery services. Research the advertised company and beware if the company uses vague language, has a minimal online presence, and makes promises regarding an ability to recover funds.
If an unknown individual contacts you and claims to be able to recover stolen cryptocurrency, do not release any financial or personal identifying information and do not send money.
Law enforcement does not charge victims a fee for investigating crimes. If someone claims an affiliation with the FBI, contact your local FBI field office to confirm.
If you believe you have been a victim of a cryptocurrency scheme or other fraudulent scheme, file a report with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. It is helpful to include:
Information regarding how the individual initially contacted you and how they identified themselves. Include identifying information such as name, phone number, address, email address, and username.
Financial transaction information such as date, type of payment, amount, account numbers involved (to include cryptocurrency address), name and address of the receiving financial institution, and receiving cryptocurrency addresses.
“I am challenging Congresswoman Val Hoyle to six debates between August and October”
Republican 4th District Congressional candidate Monique DeSpain has challenged scandal-plagued incumbent Congresswoman Val Hoyle to six debates, one in each of the major counties in the district with at least three televised and the rest streamed online live or broadcast on the radio, to provide all voters across OR-04 the radical transparency and accountability they deserve when selecting their next Member of Congress.
“I am challenging Congresswoman Val Hoyle to six debates between August and October,” said DeSpain. “Val Hoyle has been the least transparent, least accountable Representative this district has seen in a long time. Whether it is her radical voting record for open borders and skyrocketing inflation or hiding her public records from investigators looking into her unethical actions, it is time Val faces the voters and explains this atrocious record. These debates will give voters a chance to hear and compare Val’s disastrous record of corruption and shilling for DC special interests with my track record of bringing people together to solve tough problems and my bold vision for securing our border and communities, restoring economic prosperity, and holding government accountable - starting with Val Hoyle herself.”
“Whether it is her radical voting record for open borders and skyrocketing inflation or hiding her public records from investigators looking into her unethical actions, it is time Val faces the voters and explains this atrocious record,” Monique DeSpain
“During her time so far in Congress, Career politician Val Hoyle has consistently rubberstamped every catastrophic policy and instance of bad behavior by the Biden Administration at great detriment to the hard-working families and businesses of our district,” added DeSpain. “Voters have had enough, leading her own party bosses to recently list her as one of the incumbents most in jeopardy of defeat in 2024. Now the voters get to deliver the final measure of accountability this November by retiring Val Hoyle and deploying me to Congress.”
Self-proclaimed organizer, Antonio Gisbert, moved to Oregon and organized a team to turn Oregon into a socialist utopia. He founded Oregon People’s Rebate and filed initiative petition 17 for the 2024 ballot. IP 17 will rebate about $750 to every Oregonian, every year. This would mean putting about $3,000 in the pockets of a family of four, funded by increasing the minimum tax rate to 3% on gross receipts for big corporations over $25 million of Oregon revenue. This is on sales, and not profit, which means it would tax companies that are not making a profit.
Gisbert initially attempted his idea in 2016 as measure 97, which aimed to increase taxes on certain businesses with annual sales exceeding $25 million. That tax rate was 2.5% of the businesses’ gross receipts, used to fund education, healthcare and senior services. It was defeated by voters 59% to 41%, but it didn’t go unnoticed by the 2019 legislature.
The legislature passed House Bill 3427 adopting the corporate activity tax (CAT), also based on sales at 0.57 percent in excess of $1 million sales. Restaurants and pharmacies, particularly, have closed siting the CAT tax as the reason. Every time Oregon threatens such concepts, Nike and Intel threaten to leave the state until the Governor gives them a special deal.
Gisbert took the failure of measure 97 as a base. He found that everyone agreed that big corporations don’t pay their fair share of taxes, that people don’t feel government would use millions of new dollars effectively, and that voters bought into the argument that businesses would leave the state. Gisbert set out to capitalize on his findings. He argues that there is no reason businesses would raise prices if taxes were increase and directed back to citizens to purchase more. He also argues that businesses will come to Oregon if families have more to spend.
Gisbert claims that giving people money reduces poverty by 15%, but admits that it is an untested number. The inspiration was the Alaska oil dividend that is paid into a fund and interest is paid to residence, which is around $1200 annually. He points out that when Portland gets their rebate, it will become $1.4 billion wealthier and it will have the same effect on smaller communities.
Gisbert says “It is us investing in ourselves… Money in a capitalistic society will help you make all other problems less big.” But, whose money is it really? Redistribution of wealth has failed where this was tried as Universal Basic Income. Universal Basic Income was tried in very progressive nations such as Canada and Finland, it failed, and it was repealed.
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Under IP 17, virtually anyone living in Oregon for 200 days can claim the rebate, even a dead person. Some measure features:
"Eligibility year" means the calendar year in which the individual qualifies for the Oregon Rebate by residing in this state in the aggregate more than 200 days.
"Rebate year" means the first calendar year following the eligibility year.
Moneys not distributed as a rebate for the reasons described… shall be used to provide additional funding for services for senior citizens, health care, public early childhood education and public kindergarten through grade 12 education.
Is this measure a continuation of Governor Kotek doling out cash as a pilot program that gives out free $1,000 to homeless young people on a monthly basis? Liberals and the media define handing out money as a measure of success, but handing out doesn't measure results. Oregon needs growth, but handing out benefits to attract growth isn’t the best practice standards Oregonians want. The more free money that is handled out, the more homeless people there will be, forcing taxpayers to fund subsidies.
Initiative Petition 17 and Gisbert are counting on voter desperation and greed to sell their Marxist concept. They have turned in 130,000 signatures to verify 117,173 needed to could qualify for the November ballot.
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek issued a proclamation honoring June 19, 2024 as Juneteenth across Oregon. In 2021, the Oregon legislature passed HB 2168 to officially recognize Juneteenth as a state holiday, the same year it became a federal holiday. Governor Kotek joined the Willamette Heritage Center, Oregon Black Pioneers, and Just Walk Salem Keizer for their annual Juneteenth In Freedom’s Footsteps Walk.
“On Juneteenth, we remember our history and honor the resilience of the Black community,” Governor Kotek said. “We must continue to work to end racial injustice and ensure equity, inclusion, and opportunity for Black Oregonians. It was wonderful to join Oregon Black Pioneers and the Willamette Heritage Center for their Salem Juneteenth Community History Walk honoring Rev. Daniel Jones, an unwavering leader in Oregon.”
The Rev. Daniel Jones was born in 1830 in Reading, Pennsylvania to a father who had escaped his enslavers in Maryland. As a teenager Rev. Jones became a ‘49er and sought his fortune in California’s gold fields. He eventually made his way to Jacksonville, Oregon, and met and married his wife Anne. The family relocated to Salem, where he somehow found time to run a barbershop, attend Willamette University’s college preparatory school, help found a school, become ordained, and plant a church where he made several Emancipation Day speeches. When he was transferred by the Church to New Jersey and Kentucky, he continued to represent Oregon, becoming its delegate to several national Civil Rights conferences.
The talk in the state capitol would have you believe that Oregon’s racist history is all consuming and there is a continuing injustice. Rev. Daniel Jones is one example of why all Oregonians join to celebrate “Juneteenth Independence Day.” The Juneteenth flag tells the story of freedom. It features a star symbolizing the freedom of African Americans in all 50 states, surrounded by a bursting outline inspired by a nova, representing a new beginning for African Americans. That new beginning was June 19, 1865. The flag is raised in celebrations across the country, marking the end of slavery and the beginning of a new era of freedom for African Americans.
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"Juneteenth is like a second Fourth of July for Black Americans," said Zachary Stocks, Executive Director of Oregon Black Pioneers. "It's a day for us to remember our enslaved ancestors, and to celebrate the anniversary of when freedom came to Black people nationwide."
The Willamette Heritage Center, Oregon Black Pioneers and Just Walk Salem Keizer host an annual community history walking tour every Juneteenth Holiday. The vision for this event, which started in 2023, was to bring people together to walk as a community and follow in the footsteps of local families whose lives were impacted by emancipation. The walks tell family stories by visiting the physical locations in which they lived, worked, worshiped, and commemorated the enactment of the Emancipation Proclamation.
“Semiautomatic rifle equipped with a bump stock is not a machinegun”
The U.S. Supreme Court overturned the bump stock ban on June 14, 2024, in Garland v. Cargill.
In 2017, Trump directed the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to enact a ban in reaction to the massacre at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas. Gun rights proponents declared the act an unconstitutional power grab that created thousands of felons out of thin air without legislative support. The use of bump stocks in that horrible crime is highly suspect even after months of investigation.
Justice Clarence Thomas wrote in the opinion for the court, “We hold that a semiautomatic rifle equipped with a bump stock is not a ‘machinegun’ because it cannot fire more than one shot by a single function of the trigger. And, even if it could, it would not do so ‘automatically.’ ATF therefore exceeded its statutory authority by issuing a Rule that classifies bump stocks as machineguns.”
Oregon Firearms Federation (OFF) reports this as the third major pro-rights victory in two days including the court victory against Biden’s rule to close ‘gun show loophole’ as efforts to entrap any gun owner who transferred a firearm.
OFF praises this victory as common sense. “Given that the dedicated public servants over at ATF have actually determined that a shoelace is a machine gun this is a tremendous victory for sanity, common sense, and the all too rare notion that words actually mean something. Remember, the bump stock ban did not say bump stocks identified as machine guns. It said they were machine guns.”
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“The firearms community has long argued over the value of bump stocks and some have expressed the opinion that they are pointless gadgets that serve no useful purpose. Some even felt that their prohibition was no big deal,” OFF disagrees. “ While the only real purpose they may serve is turning money into noise, if bureaucrats, even the President of the United States, can arbitrarily change the meaning of words, nothing is safe. It is a short distance between saying sliding plastic parts are machine guns to saying AR-15’s are machine guns. In fact, we have seen this very issue arise with the just overturned ban on stabilizing braces, the reinvention of what defines a ‘firearm’ for the purpose of mandatory registration.”
The ruling on this case is a good indication of where the Supreme Court is at today. Whether it will remain the same for the case against Oregon’s SB 554 passed in 2021, remains to be seen. This law levies fines for failure to report a stolen gun with a serial number – you can be held responsible for any crime committed with guns that have been stolen from you, and your liability when you lawfully transfer a firearm is exponentially higher. In addition, under this law, you need to keep any gun you are not carrying locked up and useless, your rights to allow a minor to use one of your firearms are now extremely restricted and complicated by conflicting language, and you may no longer carry a firearm with a concealed handgun license in the Portland Airport Terminal, in the state capitol building and the grounds of any school that chooses to make its property off limits. There remains ongoing debate over contradicting language within the bill and what proponents said it would do.
“This Is War” reflects 20 years after deployment to Iraq
In 2007, the documentary "This is War" captured the harrowing experiences of an Oregon National Guard unit deployed to Iraq, where they faced some of the war's heaviest fighting. As the 20th anniversary of the 2004 deployment approaches, it's a time to reflect on the courage and sacrifice of these soldiers and the successes and struggles they've encountered since then.
"This is War" follows the journey of the Oregon National Guard's 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry Regiment, known as the "Grim Reapers," during their deployment to Iraq. The film provides an intimate look at the challenges and dangers these soldiers face as they navigate the complexities of war.
Gary Mortensen, President of Stoller Wine Group and the filmmaker behind "This is War," was inspired to create the documentary after witnessing the experiences of National Guard soldiers who leave behind their families, jobs, and more to serve their country. Mortensen's goal was to shed light on the sacrifices made by these men and women and to honor their bravery in the face of adversity.
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In an interview, Mortensen reflected on the film's impact and the journeys of the soldiers it portrayed.
"The 20th anniversary of the deployment depicted in 'This is War' is an important reminder of the resilience and dedication of our National Guard members," he said. "Since the documentary was released, many of these soldiers have experienced both triumphs and challenges."
The documentary captured moments of intense combat, camaraderie, and the soldiers' profound sense of duty. It also highlighted the toll that war takes on individuals and their families and the importance of community support in times of need.
As we mark two decades since the deployment depicted in "This is War," it serves as a tribute to the sacrifices made by the men and women of the Oregon National Guard and all those who have served their country. It reminds us of the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring legacy of those who answered the call to duty in the face of adversity.
Preparing teachers with essential knowledge to teach reading and writing
Governor Tina Kotek established the Early Literacy Educator Preparation Council through Executive Order 23-12 in May 2023 to strengthen the preparation of teachers and school administrators to instruct elementary students on reading and writing.
“These recommendations are a significant step forward,” Governor Kotek said. “I appreciate that the council has not just layered on new requirements. They have also tried to streamline existing standards and build on the things we’ve had and continue to be important, like dyslexia standards.”
“We must always do what’s in the best interest of our children,” said Rep. Boomer Wright (R-Coos Bay), who served on the council. “These recommendations represent a way to support teachers and principals to ensure they have the knowledge and skills to do what we’re asking them to do for students. And to make sure that happens well, we also need to set up the right level of resources and support for our educator preparation programs to meet the new expectations the Council has recommended.”
The recommendations were broken into three sections: educator preparation program (EPP) approval standards, implementation recommendations, and educator licensing standards recommendations. The final council recommendations on educator preparation program approval standards include:
Combining Reading Instruction Standards with Dyslexia Standards into one cohesive standard. This will streamline standards that are focused on teaching reading and writing.
Creating new Literacy Standards that combine targeted existing standards providing additional detail that aligns with Oregon’s Early Literacy Framework and the models of reading designed to guide the preparation of Kindergarten through 5th Grade teachers and administrators on evidence-based practices for teaching literacy.
It may be disappointed to some to know that CRT and “identity” instruction remains in the curriculum regardless of the science on brain development and best practices claims. Research proves that cursive writing is an essential component for cognitive development, including improved brain function, memory, and problem-solving skills. Oregon math levels dramatically dropped after removing cursive from the curriculum. Cursive writing strengthens cross-hemisphere connections in the brain, which are essential for language development, reading, and writing, and activates areas not involved in keyboarding. Still, the council ignores viable studies.
Key takeaways from the implementation recommendations include:
Phase in the proposed recommendations so that all Oregon EPPs are implementing new standards by the fall of the 2026-27 academic year.
State support for Oregon EPPs to adapt to the new standards.
Ensuring that all educators, including experienced teachers and graduates of out-of-state EPPs, are supported and held accountable for meeting high standards for literacy instruction.
Investing in the implementation infrastructure needed to enable consistent, research-aligned implementation of new standards in educator preparation and in schools.
Key takeaways from the recommendations on educator licensing standards include:
Preliminary licensure requirements for all newly licensed educators should take effect in 2027.
Consider funding and capacity needs, develop processes for how all educators can demonstrate competency of standards, and minimize economic barriers to certification.
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The council was directed to create recommendations to the Governor and the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC). TSPC has already begun considering the Council’s recommendations. Was the purpose of the council to improve literacy in K-5, or train teachers to comply?
"I have been honored to serve on this council alongside an outstanding group of individuals with one goal in mind: improving literacy outcomes for all of Oregon's children,” said Ronda Fritz, council co-chair and Associate Professor at Eastern Oregon University. “We were able to move the standards for Oregon's teacher preparation programs to reflect what science tells us about how children learn to read as well as the content and methods that are critical for ensuring proficient readers. I believe these standards will give educator preparation programs a clear roadmap for designing courses and programs that will produce teachers with the essential knowledge and skills to create proficient readers and writers."
The investigation into Democrat donations still lingers
In a newsletter, Senator Daniel Bonham (R-The Dalles) said, "I am here to point out that the very people seeking to dismantle the criminal justice system through early release, shutting down prisons, reducing accountability and pushing diversion for almost every crime are turning out to be huge supporters of our criminal justice system this month."
Oregon’s Democratic leadership unsuccessfully re-elect the soft-on-crime, Soros-backed Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt.
Bonham continued, “Every “justice is served” and “no one is above the law” commentary from progressives as we head into November should serve as a shameless reminder of the hypocrisy that is alive and well in society today. And if we learned anything from this most recent District Attorney race in our state, it is that people are tired of the hypocrisy and do not believe we are better off than we were four years ago at any level.”
The Oregon Department of Justice is testing the waters of hypocrisy. A year ago the DOJ announced they were reviewing a potential criminal investigation into the Democrat Party’s failure to report a Las Vegas-based donor who gave $500,000 to the Democratic Party of Oregon under a false name of Prime Trust in the final weeks of the 2022 election that secured at least one win. The donor turned out to be Nishad Singh, an executive at the disgraced cryptocurrency exchange FTX. Oregon Roundup reported that Singh's contribution was arranged and facilitated by the fundraising consultant Senator Ron Wyden for the benefit of more than 20 Democrat candidates.
Bonham reported that “election officials with close ties to the Democratic Party tried to quietly handle the issue by prematurely announcing that no investigation was going to happen, while quietly making them pay a fine that was ambiguously reduced by over $20K.”
While officials tried to distance themselves from this fine reduction and potential cover-up attempt, a request for a continued criminal investigation was sent to the Attorney General. Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum then recused herself from the criminal investigation -- as the Democratic Party gave nearly $115,000 to her campaign fund since 2012, according to state campaign finance records.
An assistant attorney general representing the elections division wrote a legal memo stating the Democrat party “deprived the public of knowing who was contributing enormous sums of money to their party leading into a general election when election transparency is most pivotal for Oregon voters.”
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Under Oregon law, it is a Class C felony to make or accept a campaign contribution under a false name. This month, we have heard many progressives state that “no one is above the law”.
The accountability is particularly meaningful in the Secretary of State race and who will keep this investigation under wraps and hidden from the public.
Late last year Linn County Commissioners proposed a Code Amendment PD23-0670. The issue concerns Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO) for which the commissioners had approved a one-mile setback from neighboring properties that contained dwellings. The action came because a company wants to establish a large CAFO in the Scio area that would produce millions of chickens annually.
“Linn County is one of Oregon’s most important agricultural hubs, and we have a longstanding tradition of protecting our right to farm,” reports Families for Affordable Food. “Dairy farms, feedlots, chicken barns and other operations have operated safely and within the law for many years in Linn County.”
Chicken farmers in Oregon are saying that over 1 million chickens were killed because of Bird Flu last year. They are asking why, at the same time, during an egg shortage were signs posted over the limited and expensive eggs at Winco that stated you can't get Bird Flu from eggs or chicken meat when it is cooked.
Linn County Commissioners Chair Roger Nyquist, Sherrie Sprenger and Will Tucker agreed to reopen a code text amendment process which they defined at a December 2023 meeting. The Planning Commission recommended a three-quarter mile setback and the original proposed text suggested a half-mile setback, so how did they end up with a one-mile setback? In reopening the issue, they want to include more stakeholders — such as cattle and swine breeders.
Notice was given for a hearing on June 11, then on June 18, 2024 the board will reconvene at 10 am to deliberate and make a decision. The public hearing is limited to written testimony only, which can be submitted through Families for Affordable Food website.
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The proposed amendments are to implement portions of SB 85 (2023) relating to the establishment of new large CAFO operations. However, the bill authorizes governing body of city or county to implement a setback or buffer but does not require a buffer between CAFO and adjacent land parcels. The bill reads:
“may require the new large confined animal feeding operation to include a setback or buffer, composed of a natural or created vegetative barrier, berm or terrain, in the production area of the new large confined animal feeding operation, if the parcel of land on which the new large confined animal feeding operation would be located is adjacent to a parcel on which:
A residential structure is lawfuly sited; or
A structure that was lawfully sited when constructed, but no longer conforms with or is allowed under new or changed land use requirements, is sited.
If it was the intent of the legislature to require a buffer zone, the bill won’t have said “may require.” At the rate of farming animals being destroyed, it won’t be long before the next pandemic will be over malnutrition and hypoproteinemia. If this misreading of the law is implemented in Linn County with Republican commissioners, then it will be used to weaponize all bureaucracies.
IP 54, Oregon Crimefighting Act, found not to convey changes to the law
Oregon Supreme Court again points out that the Attorney General performed poorly crafting a ballot title. Chung v. Rosenblum, docket 5070965, involves a review of the Attorney General’s certified ballot title for Initiative Petition 54 (2024) (IP 54), which was challenged by the petitioners, Sandy Chung and Yvonne Garcia.
IP 54, also known as the "Oregon Crimefighting Act," proposes significant changes to the pretrial release system for individuals charged with felonies and Class A misdemeanors in Oregon. The Act also empowers local governments to pass ordinances to fight local crime and requires the state to pay for jail space for those charged with felonies and Class A misdemeanors who need to be held until trial.
The Attorney General prepared a draft ballot title for IP 54 and, after considering public comments, modified the draft and certified the final ballot title. The petitioners, who had submitted comments on the draft, challenged the certified ballot title, arguing that the summary did not comply with the requirements set out in ORS 250.035(2)(d).
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The Oregon Supreme Court reviewed the ballot title to determine whether it substantially complied with the requirements. The court agreed with the petitioners that the summary was deficient. The court wrote:
Petitioners contend that the summary in the certified ballot title for IP 54 does not comply with that standard because it neither sufficiently nor accurately describes the proposed measure’s impacts, which, they contend, “will result in a total revamp of exist-ing law and practice in several significant areas,” most notably, the law governing pretrial release and bail. They relatedly identify specific aspects of both current law and IP 54 that the summary either omits or—they contend—inaccurately describes. The Attorney General responds that the summary substantially complies with ORS 250.035(2)(d) because it uses the available limited words to both tell the voters about current law pertaining to pretrial release and then describe the substantive changes that IP 54 would make.
The court found that the summary did not adequately convey the breadth of the changes that IP 54 would effectuate, particularly in relation to pretrial release decisions at arraignment. The court concluded that the summary must be modified to clarify that IP 54 would override existing law and to provide a more accurate description of the changes that IP 54 would make to the current law governing pretrial release at arraignment. The court referred the ballot title back to the Attorney General for modification.
This measure just became more crucial since the Ninth Circuit Court just told Oregon to provide a public defender within seven days or release them. It was acknowledged by the dissenting Judge Patrick Bumatay that these are hardened criminals, "they are accused of rape, kidnap, strangulation (and) assaulting (cops).” The shortage of defense attorneys is a result of Democrat's changing the law that required an attorney to take impoverished cases.
Oregon Health Authority is not stepping up to the plate
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled June 5 that a lawsuit brought by four hospital systems against the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) was wrongfully dismissed.
Legacy Health, PeaceHealth, Providence Health & Services, and St. Charles Health System filed the lawsuit in September 2022 because the OHA is failing to fulfill its duty to provide adequate access to care for people experiencing severe mental illness. With today’s ruling, the case now returns to the United States District Court for the District of Oregon, where it can continue through the legal process.
The appellate court heard oral arguments on May 8 in Seattle. In the oral arguments, counsel for OHA conceded that the lack of resources for civilly committed individuals is a “long standing, challenging problem that Oregon faces.” Ninth Circuit Judge William Fletcher responded that “it’s a challenge because Oregon is not stepping up to the plate.” In the argument, counsel for OHA further conceded that it has an obligation to make to an appropriate placement of civilly committed persons.
Over two years after this case was filed, legislators passed HB 4002, which removes barriers and establishes programs and policies aimed at improving access to substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. It also establishes a criminal justice framework for possession or delivery of controlled substances designed to encourage treatment over penalties such as jail or probation. Legislative days this past week discussed the enforcement portion of the legislation. To date it is unclear what OHA has done to establish what the bill requires to help behavioral health issues and establish a certified community behavioral health clinic (CCBHC) program located in same geographic region as community mental health program (CMHP) to enter into collaboration agreements.
Governor Kotek also seems to be ignoring the OHA report released earlier this year, which admits that there is a severe shortage of capacity needed to treat individuals in need of both acute and long-term behavioral health treatment across Oregon. Along with the lawsuit and HB 4002, Kotek should answer to why there is a lack of access to behavioral health units for individuals experiencing an acute mental health crisis.
Melissa Eckstein, President, Unity Center for Behavioral Health said, “We’re pleased with the court’s decision, and we’re optimistic that this lawsuit will result in a much-needed course correction from the OHA. We originally took this action because the State of Oregon consistently violates the civil rights of vulnerable Oregonians by refusing to provide care intended to restore their freedom.”
Combined, the four hospital organizations operate more than half of the state’s psychiatric beds, which are designed only for short-term acute care. However, civilly committed patients in need of long-term treatment are not being transferred from the hospitals to more appropriate facilities as the law requires. Instead, many of these patients are forced to remain for weeks, months or longer in highly restrictive acute care settings without a treatment plan tailored to meet their mental health care needs.
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“Community hospitals are not equipped, staffed or designed to provide long-term mental health care,” said Alicia Beymer, Chief Administrative Officer, PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend. “Despite the previous dismissal of our case, we felt duty-bound to appeal on behalf of the many vulnerable patients who are being denied appropriate care.”
“The court’s ruling allows us to continue pursuing legal action to ensure that there is a functional mental health system in Oregon,” said Robin Henderson, Chief Executive, Providence Behavioral Health. “Such a system and continuum of care must include secure residential treatment facilities, as well as effective community-based services to meet the various needs of this vulnerable patient population. Oregonians won’t be able to fully realize this system until the state begins living up to its legally mandated role.”
Is government the cause, the solution, or in the way?
Republican candidate for Oregon's 4th Congressional seat Monique DeSpain responded to Val Hoyle’s vote opposing HR 8580, which would fund Veterans Affairs and critical military programs while ending the current use of the Veteran Administration to pay for free healthcare for illegal migrants.
“Today, Val Hoyle chose partisan politics and illegal migrants over our precious military veterans to whom our nation owes so much,” stated DeSpain. “As a veteran and a retired Air Force Colonel who is deeply concerned by the clear and present national security crisis at the border, I am appalled by Val Hoyle’s thoroughly egregious vote to greenlight the Biden Administration’s looting of VA resources to pay for the chaotic border invasion that President Biden caused, and Congresswoman Hoyle repeatedly enabled.”
In her first term as our Representative, Val Hoyle has voted against fully funding veterans’ health care and benefits and voted to block pay raises for active-duty military personnel in July 2023. Earlier this year, Val Hoyle went to El Paso, TX, and praised open borders while lecturing her constituents who asked her, “Why don’t you just shut down the border?” explaining that “We need to have movement through the border and how much we need the workforce.” Seven weeks later, Texas National Guard Troops at an El Paso, TX checkpoint were overrun and assaulted by foreign military-aged males forcing their way into our country. These are the people Val wants to allow access to our limited veteran resources. In a slap to law enforcement, Hoyle recently voted against H.R.7343, the Detain and Deport Illegal Aliens Who Assault Cops Act. Last week, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee moved Val Hoyle to its “frontline” list of vulnerable incumbents.
“After spending her entire time in Congress voting against any effort to hold the Biden Administration accountable for its catastrophic border policy and even lecturing her constituents that we ‘need this movement through the border,’ now she has voted to take resources Congress reserved for veterans, and instead she wants to fund free healthcare for illegal migrants invited by President Biden’s border policy,” said DeSpain.
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“However, Val’s vote is worse than rubberstamping bad behavior by the Biden Administration. It is a real stab in the backs of my veteran brothers and sisters waiting to access often unreasonably delayed health treatments to which they are entitled - a dereliction of duty to our veteran constituents,” added DeSpain. “Our veterans and active duty should be at the top of our priority list, but Val has put them at the back of the line. They won’t forget. Neither will I, nor will the voters.”
“Val has cast numerous shocking votes at the expense of the citizens of our district, which has exposed who her true priority is - her radical special interest ‘open borders’ masters in Washington D.C.,” said DeSpain. “Now Val’s gone too far by victimizing our veterans. Blatantly corrupt, self-serving, hyperpartisan career politician Val Hoyle is at the heart of the dysfunction in our Nation’s Capitol. Perhaps it’s no surprise that her party bosses have put her on the list of incumbents most in jeopardy of defeat in 2024.”
“As a retired Air Force Colonel and lawyer, I know what fighting for our country and our communities looks like,” said DeSpain. “I am ready to deploy to Congress to make sure my 53,000 fellow 4th District veterans are the priority while still securing our borders by all means necessary and ending the public safety crisis of fentanyl, meth, human smuggling, and crime gripping the 4th District. It all starts with retiring Val Hoyle this November.”
Oregon made national news again – and not in a good way. A disturbing incident in Oregon has raised concerns about public indecency laws. A video of a father’s interaction with a Bend police officer went viral on social media after the man complained about a naked man approaching his 2-year-old son and the officer informed him it was legal.
The father shielded his child’s eyes and called 911, expecting swift action against the individual for indecent exposure. However, the responding officer surprised him by stating it is only a crime for an adult to expose his or her private parts to a minor when there is a sexual element to the act. But there is no law against the actual nudity exposure.
The video on tiktok shows a father asking officer Jeremy Avery with the Bend Police Department to explain why an arrest could not be made after his young child encountered a naked adult on the family’s private property.
The post has over 800,000 views waking people up to how the “letter of the law” is used to give freedom to perversion, but is ignored when people deserve freedom of speech and religion. Many replies asked who determines what gratification is.
Oregon law regarding naked exposure is outlined in ORS 163.465, which states that a person commits the crime of public indecency if, while in or in view of a public place, they perform an act that is intended to arouse or satisfy the sexual desire of any person. Indecent exposure is a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $6,250.
What is considered public indecency? According to ORS 163.465, public indecency includes:
Exposing one’s genitals with the intent to arouse or satisfy the sexual desire of any person.
Performing an act of sexual intercourse in a public place.
Engaging in any other act of sexual conduct in a public place.
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While Oregon law does not explicitly prohibit public nudity, some cities and counties in Oregon have established their own laws regarding public nudity. Ordinances have been adopted, for example: Portland has a law that prohibits indecent exposure, which includes exposing one’s genitals in a public place. Lane County has a law that prohibits public nudity, except for certain events and activities that are specifically permitted.
Portland and Lane County have had incidents in the passed to instigate an ordinance. The wider the incidents the more likely state legislators will propose a law. Officer Jeremy Avery did concede that trespassing was a crime in Bend, although public nakedness was not.
Small doctor-owned clinics are being bought up by large corporations and private equity firms
Oregon Representative Ben Bowman (D-Tualatin) participated on a panel at a Salem City Club event about the rapid trend of corporations and private equity firms acquiring local medical practices. He writes, “In the last 10 years, there has been a 100,000% increase in private capital invested into primary care. The scale of that increase alone should give us all pause.”
Bowman reports, “Across our state and the country at large, small doctor-owned clinics are being bought up by large corporations and private equity firms. When you replace a locally-based physician owner with a private equity firm there are serious, negative consequences. Prices go up, quality of care declines, injuries increase, and physicians burn out. In short, worse care at higher prices.
We are seeing the harm of not acting in real-time.”
Bloomberg writer, Angelica Peebles, says, “Several large companies are also making a push towards primary care in an effort to control access to more expensive specialists and influence patients' treatments over time. For example, CVS Health plans to put doctors in up to 350 of its retail pharmacies…Walgreens Boots Alliance last year purchased a controlling stake in the primary care clinic chain VillageMD, which it previously partnered with to open new primary care clinics across the United States…health insurers are expanding their primary care capacities. UnitedHealth Group's Optum unit now has more than 60,000 physicians, around half of whom are in primary care… Humana plans to open 26 new primary clinics under its CenterWell brand this year and will add between 30 to 50 more annually.
According to Peebles, this interest in primary care is partly motivated by a shift in how medical care is paid for. Private health plans, as well as government programs like Medicare, are increasingly turning towards value-based payment, which links doctors' pay to patients' health outcomes, rather than volume-based payment. This change may increase the risk that profit motivation could eventually outweigh patients' best interests.
Bowman wants to bring legislation in 2025 that will address this growing problem. He sites thousands of patients in Eugene received letters informing them that their local clinic, the Oregon Medical Group, could no longer provide care for them. They would have to find a new doctor.
Independent Health News reports that UnitedHealth’s vehicle for growth – and more profits – is its Optum Health division. Observers say the consolidation could improve the quality of care — or lead to higher prices as the corporate owners exploit their greater control.
Since the purchase of Oregon Medical Group, close to 30 physicians have left the clinic and, due to the contracts they signed with United Health, were forced to either retire from the practice of medicine or leave the community they had made their home. Those leaving the clinic reported that UnitedHealth’s focus on efficiency and profit left them feeling disillusioned and unable to provide the best care for their patients.
Bowman also reports that Oregon’s Coordinated Care Organizations (CCO), are having very important and very-under-the-radar conversation going on around the Oregon Health Plan and CCO’s model serving Medicaid population. The goal of Oregon’s CCO model is to provide a coordinated service delivery model to promote physical, behavioral, and oral health.
CCO’s were established in 2012 and is thought to have bent the cost curve. The second round of “procurement” in 2020, CCOs were given contracts and performance metrics setting the goals for the entities that provide care to low-income families. The behind closed-door meetings are for a third round of procurement. This will likely be the largest procurement process the state has ever done according to Bowman. It involves investing millions of dollars to ensure Oregonians are well cared for, and how it is distributed, and what benchmarks are set for the entities who are awarded contracts.
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Bowman releases his goals for legislation to enact the next procurement process:
Ensuring every Oregonian has access to a basic level of quality health care.
Incentivizing upstream investments in health that lower the cost of providing medical care in the long run.
Providing stability that ensures CCOs are rooted in the communities they serve.
Providing flexibility so that CCOs are able to innovate and build local partnerships that better serve the needs of the people they serve.
Ensuring there are clear accountability measures directly connected to the health outcomes of people and populations.
These sound oddly familiar to the Oregon State University 2023 Health Care Workforce Needs Assessment report done in accordance with HB 3261 for the Oregon Health Authority. It exposed a severe health care crisis and higher than expected, partially from burnout after the pandemic. The report recommended improved support for health care professionals, expand telehealth and integrated care models, and increase the use of community-based care providers like health interpreters and peer wellness specialists to connect on a more personal level with their local communities. Had this report been acted on, would the small doctor-owned clinics been saved?
Since voters passed the right to health care, Governor Kotek hasn’t supported the universal health care board proposed cost of $2 million plan. She says it’s costly and cited potential duplications. Kotek has prioritized behavioral healthcare in response to HB 4002. Oregonians shouldn’t be surprised that UnitedHealth is positioning their clinics to meet Kotek demands on cost reduction while expanding free care to non-insured non-residents, covered treatment for reproductive care (abortions and transitioning), the need for specialized behavioral health physicians, and the projected CCO procurement process to cover universal healthcare. It all adds up to unsustainable budgets and higher taxes.
A more disciplined approach to the budget would lessen the burden on taxpayers and improve economic stability
Oregon's June revenue forecast released by the Office of Economic Analysis indicates, despite big surpluses, significant economic challenges are ahead due to stagnant growth and high inflation. Republican leaders call for adopting a more disciplined approach to the state’s finances would help lessen the burden on taxpayers and improve economic stability.
Senate Republican Leader Daniel Bonham (R-The Dalles) said, “Across the state, Oregon families are having to tighten their budgets and make difficult choices as rising costs due to high inflation outpace their earnings. It’s time the state does the same. The latest revenue forecast indicates that the state has continued to take more than enough of our hard-earned tax dollars. The Legislature – like many of our friends and neighbors – must learn to live within its means.”
“As we navigate through this period of high inflation, rising costs, and stagnant growth, our caucus will continue to advocate for budgetary restraint to ensure the long-term viability of essential services. The Oregon Legislature must act. Soaring energy prices are an example of an inflationary pressure we can actually do something about. Through fiscal accountability and responsible spending, Senate Republicans offer policy
solutions that would provide tangible relief to working Oregonians and protect the financial well-being of all Oregon families.”
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Inflation's effect on Oregonians doesn't seem to matter to Governor Tina Kotek. Government greed is the cause for inflation, and Kotek just keeps spending. Recently she proposed a $40 million investment to sustain container service at Port of Portland’s Terminal 6. This includes $35 million from her 2025-2027 budget that includes a $20 million invested into a capital program that supports ports with active container service. It is unclear where this money would go since it appears that Port of Portland Terminal 6 is the primary and could be the only container port in Oregon. The other $15 million will be dedicated to initial state funding for costs associated with the Lower Columbia River Channel Management Plan. However, only $5 million that she is requesting from the legislative Emergency Board will go to directly resolve the shortage at Terminal 6.
Kotek response on the forecast, “Oregon’s economy continues to be stable and productive. We have made meaningful progress on issues of top concern for Oregonians and worked to move our economy in the right direction. I look forward to continuing to partner with the legislature to focus on meeting people’s needs in every part of the state, from housing to safe schools to behavioral health services.”
“Make sure you’ve renewed your registration and put the decals on your boat correctly, or you could face a $265 citation.”
The Oregon State Marine Board, chaired by Laura Jackson, in partnership with 31 county sheriff’s offices and the Oregon State Police, will be looking for expired boat registrations and required equipment compliance on state waterways as part of “Operation Ship Shape.”
“Boat operators are required to have current registration decals on the bow of their boats and carry the Certificate of Number on board,” says Brian Paulsen, Boating Safety Program Manager for the Marine Board. “Make sure you’ve renewed your registration and put the decals on your boat correctly, or you could face a $265 citation.”
Any boat powered by a motor – electric, gas, diesel, and all sailboats 12 feet and longer must be currently registered when on the water, even when docked or moored. This includes any kayaks and drift boats with an electric motor. Paulsen added, “Each current boat registration brings in additional federal funds which go back to boaters for program services.”
Motorboat registrations are valid for two calendar years and expire on December 31st of the second year. The cost for registration is $5.95 per foot rounded up, plus $5.
Paddlers with boats 10 feet and longer must carry a Waterway Access Permit. Three permit options are available: One week for $5, one calendar year for $17, and two calendar years for $30.
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Boaters can renew their registration or purchase Waterway Access Permits through the agency’s Boat Oregon Store for the fastest service. After completing their online transaction, boaters with motorized boats can print off a temporary permit. Waterway Access Permits can be printed directly after purchase. Multiple purchases can be made under one online transaction. The agency’s online store has a $1.50 portal provider fee. If you need assistance online, please contact the Marine Board at marine.board@boat.oregon.gov or call 503-378-8587. There's also an online help page acclimating new users to the store.
Marine officers will also be looking for the required safety equipment. “Life jackets are the most important safety equipment boaters must carry, and there must be enough on board that fit every passenger,” Paulsen adds. “We’ve seen three years of declines in boating fatalities and want this year to be the safest on record. In 2023, 11 out of 13 victims were not wearing a life jacket, so find a life jacket you’ll wear for the type of boating you’re doing.”
For any titling and registration questions, visit Boat.Oregon.gov and click on the Title & Registration tab at the top of the page.
A K-9 alerted to the presence of illegal substances
Four Oregon State Police traffic stops along Interstate 5 have yielded significant drug seizures in the last month. Oregon State Troopers seized fentanyl, methamphetamine, PCP, and other illegal drugs bound for Oregon streets. The targeted operations are a collaboration among Oregon State Police patrol, K-9, High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Investigation Team, and Criminal Apprehension through Patrol Enforcement programs.
OSP Capt. Kyle Kennedy said, “Oregon State Police is diligently working to stop the flow of illegal drugs to our communities. Fentanyl continues to have devasting effects on Oregon’s communities, and we hope the constant pressure will deter and prevent the transportation of illegal drugs to and through our state.”
On Wednesday, May 8, 2024, at 9:50 a.m., an OSP K-9 trooper stopped a vehicle on I-5 in Linn County for a traffic violation. During contact with the driver, the trooper suspected possible criminal activity. A K-9 was deployed around the outside of the vehicle and alerted to the presence of illegal substances. During a search of the vehicle, the trooper located 10,000 pills suspected to be laced with fentanyl in the vehicle’s trunk.
On May 14, 2024, at 1:13 p.m., an Oregon State Trooper from the Salem Patrol Office stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation on I-5 near milepost 256 in Marion County. During the stop, the trooper observed contraband in the vehicle and suspicious behavior by the vehicle occupants.
During a consent search of the vehicle, the trooper located 4.6 pounds of fentanyl, 1 pound of PCP, 84 grams of suspected methamphetamine, and 14.2 grams of cocaine.
The driver, Edgar Izaguirre Torres (33), whose city of residence is unknown, and the passenger, Marvin Fabian Oseguera Escoto (19) of Auburn, WA, were arrested for distribution of a controlled substance. Once the investigation is complete, additional charges will be referred to the prosecuting agency.
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Oseguera Escoto was additionally arrested on a California warrant for distribution of a controlled substance.
On May 21, 2024, at 8:40 a.m., an OSP K-9 Trooper stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation on I-5 northbound at milepost 148. The trooper contacted the vehicle occupants and noticed signs of criminal activity. The driver and passenger fled from the vehicle on foot. The trooper caught and detained both suspects a short distance from the vehicle.
The K-9 was deployed around the outside of the vehicle and alerted to the presence of illegal substances. A search warrant was granted, and 42,000 suspected fentanyl-laced pills and approximately 8 pounds of fentanyl powder were found inside the vehicle.
The driver, Lauro Parra Moreno (25) of Pittsburgh, CA, was arrested for misdemeanor elude, criminal trespass II, Possession of a controlled substance II, and Delivery of a controlled substance I. The passenger, Jesus Acosta Parra (20), of Pittsburgh, CA, was arrested for criminal trespass II, delivery of a controlled substance II, and possession of a controlled substance II.
The investigation is ongoing, and no further information is available for release at this time.
On May 23, 2024, at approximately 11 a.m., an Oregon State Police K-9 Trooper stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation on I-5 near milepost 225 in Linn County. The vehicle was occupied by an adult couple and their 6-month-old infant.
During a consent search of the vehicle, the trooper located 136 grams (about one-third of a pound) of fentanyl powder and mannitol, which is a common cutting agent for fentanyl. The fentanyl was located in the trunk of the vehicle near the baby’s formula and clothing.
The driver, Meslin Danexi Gamez Barrientos (30) of Oakland, CA, was arrested for possession and delivery of a controlled substance and endangering the welfare of a minor. The passenger, Maryori Estefani Ochoa Chapas (30) of Oakland, CA, was arrested for possession and delivery of a controlled substance and endangering the welfare of a minor.
The infant was placed in protective custody by the Oregon Department of Human Services.
Best interest means Oregon has a moral and upright standard
Julia Shumway wrote a good article in the Capital Chronicle on the Primary Republican election results and the shifting of styles. She writes, “No Senate Democrats faced primaries, and control of the chamber isn’t expected to change.” That may be the impression she gets from interviewing the defeated, coupled with a low turnout. But, don't forget, the largest block of voters have yet to weigh in.
The GOP senate is faced with more challenging races only because Democrat Senate president Rob Wagner barred several GOP senators from running for reelection by his biased application of policies – approving leave for Democrats that wasn’t approved for Republicans. Two of them gave notice of retirement.
What seemed to influence her article is political consultant Bryan Iverson, losing his campaign for Rep. Christine Goodwin to Noah Robinson, whom he called an “obstructionist” candidate. Iverson said, “In the Republican primaries, at least in southern Oregon, you see victories by the same hard-right-leaning candidates and not the everyday Republicans.” Maybe his campaign put Goodwin in a devious light, setting up a questionably phony residence, and creating a last-minute pro-gun organization to sway voters was more “obstructionist” than the opponent.
Iverson told Capital Chronicle, Josephine County – or at least the Republicans in the area who showed up to vote – made it clear they wanted a different style of candidate. “They want that brand of Republicans that are just obstructionist, basically. I think that they were pushing for that from the get-go, and that’s obviously how it turned out. That’s not what Chris wanted to represent, she wanted to represent those people and have a different way of going about it than I think Noah would, but that’s not what the people wanted.”
What Iverson complained about in District 2 certainly wasn’t the case in District 1 – where the “everyday Republicans” carried the status quo vote. David Brock Smith and challenger Todd Vaughn was the most visibly ugly campaign Oregon has seen in a long time. It was started by Brock Smith when he refused to respond to radio host Rob Taylor on his relation with a California donor who has ties to China. The implication angered Brock Smith, and he still hasn’t fully explained his relationship. He was then asked to justify his flip-flopping on the ocean windmill farm proposed off the coast of Coos County. The combination spearheaded an ugly campaign out to destroy each other leaving voters to figure out the truth amidst all the accusations. Brock Smith won by 57% of the vote, but you can be sure voters are watching whether he will flip again and support ocean windmill farms.
Iverson’s “obstructionist” candidate might define Diane Linthicum who beat Klamath County Commissioner Dave Henslee. Henslee seems to think that it’s all about the money. He said of Diane, “She completely supports Dennis Linthicum’s voting record, and in my opinion, his voting record hasn’t benefited our district. I was running for people and for our district, and to try to move the needle and do some really positive things for District 28, and unfortunately, the voters didn’t see it the same way I did.”
Henslee’s view is precisely why the vote for Greater Idaho is now 13 counties strong. They are tired of metro legislators being focused only on their districts and not looking out for the best interest. For the best interest of all Oregon, there needs to be a moral and upright standard for the entire state. In that there is no compromise. Dennis Linthicum would not lower his moral values to compromise even at the threat of his position.
Former House Republican Leader Mike McLane won District 30 to replace retiring Sen. Lynn Findley and is looking forward to meeting with Senator Daniel Bonham and Senate President Rob Wagner on policy decisions. He says, “During my time as a judge, I saw in the courtroom the consequences of policy passed in Salem, and it just shaped in me a view that perfection is often the enemy of the good.” His ultimate goal is to get something that works.
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Todd Nash, Wallowa County Commissioner, won District 29 to replace retiring Sen. Bill Hansell representing northeast Oregon. His plans to meet with natural resource groups including the Oregon Farm Bureau and the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association, may label him as an “obstructionist” according to Iverson. The attack that Democrat leadership is hurling at small farms will affect everyone, and voters can’t afford to ignore.
Other Senate races will have a steep battle against Democrat opponents, but more often than not, “obstructionist” candidates have received more voter attention from nonaffiliates than the status quo. It is the reason they chose not to register with a party. If voters remember that, “obstructionist” candidates will do well.
District 5: Dick Anderson(R) vs. Jo Beaudreau(D)
District 12: Bruce Staff (R) vs. Scott Hooper (D)
District 14: Shane Bolton (R) vs. Kate Lieber (D)
District 18: Brian Pierson (R) vs. Wlnsvey Campos (D)
District 22: Michael Saperstein (R ) vs Lew Frederick (D)
District 25: Raymond Love (R) vs. Chris Gorsek (D)
District 27: Michael Summers (R) vs. Anthony Broadman (D)
The public is invited to testify at each of the 12 stops
In March, public pushback caused Governor Tina Kotek to tell ODOT to halt tolling plans until January 2026. The Joint Committee on Transportation to the rescue with a plan to appease public opinion, they scheduled 12 meetings throughout the state. They announced that Portland Community College will be the venue for the first meeting of the Transportation Safety and Sustainability Outreach Tour.
"Safe, sustainable, multimodal transportation systems are of critical importance to local, regional, and even international travel and commerce between urban and rural communities," said Rep. Susan McLain (D-Hillsboro, Forest Grove and Cornelius), co-chair of the Joint Committee on Transportation. “We’re working to ensure that all communities, all families, and all businesses are provided with choices that are safe, resilient, and sufficient to meet transportation needs.”
Sen. Chris Gorsek (D-Troutdale), co-chairs of the Joint Committee said, "Each stop on this tour is going to give us a greater perspective of the transportation needs in Oregon and how best to tackle the structural challenges we are facing."
The first public hearing will be held on June 4 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Portland Community College Cascade Campus Moriarty Auditorium at 705 N. Killingsworth Street. It will also be available via livestream. Members of the public interested in testifying can register in person starting 30 minutes before the meeting begins. The committee will also hear remote testimony if time permits, if registered, and written testimony can be submitted via email to JCT.exhibits@oregonlegislature.gov.
Preceding the meeting, members of the committee will take a guided trip of transportation facilities in the Portland metro area at noon, and hold a roundtable discussion at 2:30 p.m., which will help them understand the transportation needs of that region through the expertise and lived experience of local partners and officials. A full agenda of the day with registration information.
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The objective of the tour is to gain perspectives and gather information to inform legislators as they develop a plan in the 2025 session to maintain critical infrastructure, complete work on major projects, and guarantee the safety and diversity of transportation systems across the state.
Tour locations and dates (venues to be announced later):
Downtown Portland - Tuesday, June 4
Tillamook - Tuesday, June 18
Albany - Tuesday, July 16
Eugene - Wednesday, July 17
Coos Bay - Wednesday, August 7
Medford - Thursday, August 8
Ontario - Wednesday, August 28
Hermiston - Thursday August 29
Bend - Thursday, September 12
The Dalles - Friday, September 13
Happy Valley - Thursday, September 26
Hillsboro - Friday, September 27
The committee is vice-chaired by Sen. Brian Boquist (R - rural Polk and Yamhill counties) and Rep. Shelly Boshart Davis (R - Albany, Millersburg, and Tangent). The full membership of the committee can be viewed on olis.oregonlegislature.gov.
Cutting DEI could salvage Oregon’s education system
The Oregon Association of Scholars, an affiliate of the National Association of Scholars, released Issue Brief 13 examining the costs and reach of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) bureaucracies at the three largest public universities in Oregon.
The brief reports that public universities, Oregon State (OSU), Portland State (PSU), and University of Oregon (UO), in 2020 were spending an average of $1.7 million per year in annual costs for salary and benefits for DEI Vice Presidents and an average of 19 full-time staff for each DEI office. The DEI offices for all three universities expanded their investment to a shocking $7,255,758. This has contributed to nearly $3,000 increase in tuition costs for the same period. The brief asks “the question of what the universities, the students, potential employers, and the people of Oregon are getting out of these large investments and the concomitant hyper-intense institutional focus.”
A Heritage Foundation study measured an average of 4.6 exclusive Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) personnel are at major public state universities for every 100 faculty members. The study reported that DEI staff and departments urge students to embrace radical leftwing ideologies, including that people should be treated differently due to their race. The study showed DEI bureaucracies are better understood as an academic version of a political commissariat that articulates and enforces an ideological orthodoxy on campus.
In a U.S. Supreme Court landmark decision in Muldrow v. City of St. Louis, the ruling chipped away at all DEI-based discrimination. The orthodoxy tends to make many groups of people feel unwelcome, promotes division, and encourages conformity rather than diversity on various social and political issues. Lawyers tried to argue that there is ‘good discrimination’ and ‘bad discrimination’, that white people should be purposely disadvantaged to pave the way for diversity. The lawyers stated that the court's decision will complicate DEI programs and limit their ability to discriminate against white men.
The financial costs are substantial and on their own raise questions of the utility and necessity of the DEI apparatuses, particularly with the high and continually growing costs of college. There are also questions and issues far beyond the financial costs that should cause the public and the universities to seriously consider a need to down-size or eliminate the DEI bureaucracies and its framework. Heritage analysts found that student surveys exposed the worse campus climates they have measured.
The brief states, “As the costs of college tuition continue to grow, mostly unabated, any expense that is not essential to the operation of a university, whether as a research institution or teaching students to develop knowledge and skills in their areas of study, should be heavily scrutinized. The cost of these DEI leviathans is far greater than the financial one. The loss of public trust in institutions, while difficult to quantify, is very real and the bean-counting style fixation on the distribution of identity characteristics in what should be serious institutions of inquiry and scholarship only further erodes public confidence. The level of influence of DEI dogmatism and its champions raises the serious question of if the universities themselves have wandered from the legislatively defined purposes for which they were established.”
The public university system does not exist to pursue partisan political goals or whatever mission a university may wish to adopt. “Our universities, which are supposed to serve as strongholds of rational inquiry, the unapologetic pursuit of truth, and the abrogation of fads, appear to have thrown caution and evidentiary standards to the wind as they repurposed hitherto world-class institutions in furtherance of the dogmas of “Critical Social Justice”.”
There are laws that set their overall mission and goals and the fundamental shift in direction made by DEI ideology does not align with their defined purpose. The brief states that the ideological framework that underlies DEI flows out of Neo-Marxist doctrine of Critical Race Theory (CRT), which is being pushed into K-12 schools, and fundamentally at odds with traditional civil rights discourse and the enlightenment-based ethos which is supposed to be at the heart of the university. It is not possible for a university to simultaneously embrace a framework that calls for fundamental changes to our social and political systems and remain aligned with the goal of creating an educated citizenry that can support responsible roles in a democratic society.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T
A D V E R T I S E M E N T
Additionally the brief states, there is no solid evidentiary basis that DEI implemented at the lowest level through training produces positive results. Some research has shown that they have the opposite effect of what they are advertised to do and actually increase prejudices and social tensions. A fundamental change in institutional direction at a university should be based on firmly established evidence, not untested ideological fads. Oregonian’s have a deep connection to our public universities and these institutions should honor that by returning to their core mission.
The brief concludes that these are public universities which receive taxpayer funding from the people of Oregon while claiming to serve broad, non-sectarian, interests. Alas, it is difficult to see these agendas as anything but serving narrow political ends through the implementation of unevidenced practices.
Universities tend to drive the agenda for public schools in preparation for higher education. The Heritage Foundation’s Education Freedom Report Card reported waste in the growth of non-teaching staff, particularly “chief diversity officers.” In public schools, Oregon employs 0.76 teachers for every non-teacher.
The Oregon Business Industry brief reported that Oregon funds education at an above-average level, yet student test scores are among the nation's worst." In the above average funding that doesn't account for the added CAT tax, businesses invest heavily in education and want their tax dollars spent effectively. "The disconnect between educational funding and performance is a competitive double-whammy for the state. Raising taxes on businesses substantially has eroded Oregon’s competitiveness. A continued failure to parlay this additional revenue into educational quality will erode its competitiveness further, and businesses will respond by avoiding or leaving Oregon. This will cost the state jobs, tax revenue and prosperity."
Teacher salaries are also above average, still teacher unions blame low academic results on underpaid teachers. Bending to union demands awarding above average pay raises has put school districts in the awkward position of needing deep cuts. Cutting DEI at all levels could go a long way to salvaging Oregon’s education system and benefit the economy.
In honor of great men and women who gave their all
The 142nd Wing out of Portland Air National Guard Base, Portland, Oregon will conduct Memorial Day flyovers for ceremonies at locations throughout northwest Oregon and southwest Washington.
The 142nd Wing Base employs 1,500 Airmen who provide an economic impact of nearly $500 million to the region. The 142nd Wing defends our homeland with F-15 Eagle fighter jets, guarding the Pacific Northwest skies from northern California to the Canadian border through their Aerospace Control Alert mission as part of Air Combat Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). Their mission is to provide unequaled, mission-ready units to sustain combat aerospace superiority and peacetime tasking any time, any place in service to our nation, state and community.
“We support the Memorial Day flyovers to honor the great men and women who have given their all in defense of this great nation,” said Lt. Col. Brad Young, 142nd Wing instructor pilot and 142nd Operations Support Squadron Commander. “We hope that conducting the requested flyovers from community organizations is additive to their ceremonies commemorating those who have lost their lives in service to this nation.”
The F-15 Eagle fighter jets are scheduled to conduct flyovers at the following community locations at, or around, the designated times on Monday, 27 May:
10:25 a.m. Willamette National Cemetery, Portland, Ore.
10:38 a.m. Wasco, Ore.
10:51 a.m. Forest Lawn Cemetery, Gresham, Ore.
10:53 a.m. Glenmoore Gracious Living, Happy Valley, Ore.
11:03 a.m. Timber Linn Memorial Park, Albany, Ore.
11:05 a.m. Corvalis, Ore.
11:15 a.m. Veterans Memorial Park, Beaverton, Ore.
11:16 a.m. Fir Lawn Memorial Park & Funeral Home, Hillsboro, Ore.
11:17 a.m. Forest View Cemetery, Forest Grove, Ore.
11:17 a.m. Veterans Memorial Park, North Plains, Ore.
11:21 a.m. Vancouver National Historic Reserve, Vancouver, Wash.
11:38 a.m. Depoe Bay, Ore.
All passes will be approximately 1,000 feet above ground level and about 400 mph airspeed. Flights could be canceled or times changed due to inclement weather or operational contingencies.
Photo Caption: Oregon Air National Guard F-15C Eagles, assigned to the 142nd Fighter Wing prepare for an afternoon training mission as part of dissimilar aircraft combat training (DACT) on Aug. 13, 2019, at the Portland Air National Guard Base, Ore. The Oregon Airmen are training with U.S. Navy F-18F Super Hornet from VFA-41 squadron, based out of Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif., during two-weeks of DACT exercises. (Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. John Hughel, 142nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs)
Oregon District 2 Representative Cliff Bentz is the only Oregon legislator to vote "nay" on the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. A federal judge has ordered the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to temporarily halt enforcement of its new rule re-defining who is considered to be "engaged in the business” of dealing firearms under federal law.
"The new ATF rule states that individuals are engaged in firearms-related business requiring licensure if the ATF determines they are acting 'predominantly to earn a profit'.” The old rules allowed private individuals to loan firearms to friends and family members or to sell their firearms to individuals without necessarily having to transact through a licensed firearms dealer.
Pro-gun states (not Oregon) argued the new rule violates the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). They contend that it goes beyond the executive branch agency’s authorization from Congress to set regulations.
The federal government argued that it derived the authority using the passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) in June 2022. They say the definition includes firearms-related business as activity where the intent is to earn a profit. If “intent” is all that is required, then ATF can determine anything they want it to mean. The court will hear further arguments on June 2.
In the meantime, a county in Arizona is being sued over its plans to impose $1,000 fines on victims of crimes when their stolen firearm is used in a crime, and they fail to report it fast enough to authorities.
These two cases are wrapped up in Oregon’s SB 554 passed in 2021. This law levies fines for failure to report a stolen gun with a serial number – you can be held responsible for any crime committed with guns that have been stolen from you, and your liability when you lawfully transfer a firearm is exponentially higher. In addition, under this law, you need to keep any gun you are not carrying locked up and useless, your rights to allow a minor to use one of your firearms are now extremely restricted and complicated by conflicting language, and you may no longer carry a firearm with a concealed handgun license in the Portland Airport Terminal, in the state capitol building and the grounds of any school that chooses to make its property off limits. There remains ongoing debate over contradicting language within the bill and what proponents said it would do.
SB 554 was passed during antifa and black lives matter riots, which clearly was not about “lawful self-defense.” When legislators embellished local communities with six million federal dollars through the bribery of Tina Kotek, Republican lawmakers caved and locked up their firearms and told you to do the same. Voters can't depend on courts to correct poor voting choices or that courts will protect second amendment rights.
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, under the direction of Leah Feldon, has announced it has opened a waiting list for the Oregon Clean Vehicle Rebate Program. Applicants who purchase or lease eligible vehicles through June 3, 2024, still have up to six months from the date of that purchase or lease to apply for state rebates. However, high demand and limited funding mean approved applicants are now placed on a waiting list to receive rebates in early spring 2025.
Electric vehicles purchased or leased before April 3, 2024, or on or after June 4, 2024, do not qualify for state rebates, but may still qualify for federal tax credits. They will not be placed on a waiting list for rebates at a later date.
DEQ offers two rebates. Oregon residents, businesses, non-profits and government agencies may apply for one or both of the following:
Standard Rebate: Up to $2,500 for the purchase or lease of a new eligible battery electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, or a new eligible zero-emission ?motorcycle. This rebate is open to all applicants.
Charge Ahead Rebate: Up to $7,500 for the purchase or lease of a new eligible battery electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle or $5,000 for the purchase or lease of a used eligible battery electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. This rebate is open to low- and moderate-income households with a total household income of less than 400% of the federal poverty guideline. To determine Charge Ahead Rebate eligibility, check DEQ’s Income Eligibility Calculator.
“The good news is we are seeing more people than ever accessing the program, especially for our Charge Ahead Rebate for low- and moderate-income households," said DEQ Transportation Strategies Section Manager Rachel Sakata. "The overwhelming response to the electric vehicle rebate program shows a strong desire among those living in Oregon to embrace cleaner transportation, highlighting the need for continued and expanded support. We acknowledge the brief open window and being placed on the waiting list for next spring are problems for many who want to make the transition from a gas to an electric vehicle now. We are working with our state, local and federal partners to find ways to continue to support this critical work.”
Several state agencies and public electric utilities offer savings on EV purchases or charging infrastructure. The Go Electric Oregon website lists available incentives and provides helpful information for potential electric vehicle buyers and lessees.
In this case, an election did precede the appointment, but it need not, and in nearly all cases, judges resign partway through a term and -- as provided in the Oregon Constitution -- the replacement appointment is made by the Governor. Nearly all Oregon Governors are from the west side of the state, and an even higher percentage from the Willamette Valley. Since 2014, Oregon Governors (Brown, Kotek) have hailed from the Portland metro area. This has a disruptive effect on the regional ties judges have to their communities in other parts of the state.
“When Governor Kotek took office, she set an ambitious goal of building 36,000 housing units per year to address Oregon’s severe housing shortage. Yet, the latest report shows that only 18,000 units were built in 2023—less than half of her target and even fewer than the 20,000 units built in 2022,” said Bonham. “This failure reflects the shortcomings of the policies she continues to champion.”
“Oregonians are sending a clear message that they want a state where everyone has the freedom and opportunity to succeed. House Democrats will protect what makes Oregon special and show that this state is for everyone. We take this responsibility seriously,” said Majority Leader Ben Bowman (D-Tigard, Metzger, S. Beaverton). “In the 2025 session, we will improve the lives of all Oregonians with a focus on affordability, making government work, and keeping Oregonians safe. It’s time to get to work delivering results for working people and protecting Oregonians’ basic rights and freedoms.”
In response to Governor Tina Kotek’s 2025 budget proposal, House Republican Leader Christine Drazan (R-Canby) stated: "Budgets express priorities and it is clear Governor Kotek's priority is to protect the status quo. This budget has no new ideas and no new vision. What was put forward today is more of the same from Governor Kotek. The Governor proposed a budget that is unsustainable without implementing substantial new taxes, that Oregonians cannot afford and do not support.
“Both the Secretary of State’s office and the Department of Motor Vehicles assured voters there were no more issues to be found, but again they were wrong. They also assured voters nothing would impact the 2024 election; how are voters to be sure they are not wrong about that also?” said Representative Anna Scharf (R-Amity). “What is clear is that there are major flaws in the Motor Voter system. Yes, we should have an independent audit, but there should also be an investigation performed into possible violations of the law”
Hoyle rejects all bipartisan attempts to achieve national security. In early 2023, Hoyle voted against H.R. 2 Secure The Border Act, which would have:
In response to a report that directly contradicted official statements about how Oregon detected non-citizens on their voter rolls, House Republicans also renewed their call for a public briefing on Oregon’s election integrity efforts.
Senator Dick Anderson (R-Lincoln City), member of the Senate Education Committee, also weighed in on the issue. “Transparency in school performance reporting is crucial for accountability and improvement. Our goal should be to make sure that parents and communities have the information they need to advocate for better educational outcomes. It’s time for parents and local school boards to demand better reporting standards that truly reflect the quality of education our children are receiving.”
In Lehner's final report he attempts to be encouraging, “The labor market is expected to improve as well following the past year where slower hiring has led to a rising unemployment rate, despite layoffs remaining low. While imminent recession fears appear misplaced, the longer high interest rates remain, the probability of recession rises as economic growth slows… For now, the economic forecast remains essentially unchanged compared to recent outlooks.”
“Looking ahead to the 2025-27 biennium, available resources are revised lower by $66 million compared to the previous forecast. Increases in corporate, estate, and interest earnings are not enough to fully offset the larger personal kicker being paid out. That said, when looking at the state budget and the combined resources of 2023-25 and 2025-27 the General Fund forecast is raised $610 million.
There are several environmental concerns associated with offshore floating wind turbines:
Corral Creek Band is scheduled to play throughout the day. They perform Bluegrass style music around the Northwest with homespun humor that draws the audience in.
SkyMed will hold a reception at the conclusion of the event with music by Nashville singer Brandon Hartt, a up and coming Nashville County Music artist.
rights from possessing, acquiring, and self-manufacturing firearms that are of types, functions, and designs, and are themselves, commonly owned and possessed firearms—self-made firearms that do not bear a manufacturer’s serial number, as well as the component parts used to build such arms—by law-abiding citizens for lawful purposes."
The NRCC’s Young Guns program recognizes a handful of the strongest Republican challenger campaigns in the country. The campaigns selected have met rigorous benchmarks demonstrating strength in campaign organization, fundraising, communications, and grassroots engagement. This past May, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee moved Val Hoyle to its “frontline” list of vulnerable incumbents, a powerful sign of Hoyle’s weakness versus the strong challenge being offered by GOP nominee DeSpain. She has challenged Hoyle to six debates in six counties in the 4th District, to which Hoyle has so far failed to agree.
“Political violence has no place in American politics. Certainly, those who believe that it does should not be in positions of authority in Oregon state government. With her amplification of pro-assassination messages, Cass McLeod-Skinner has demonstrated that she is unfit for the position she holds with the Oregon Board of Chiropractic Examiners. Gov. Kotek rightly denounced violence in the aftermath of the shooting, and now she has an opportunity to put her words into action by removing McLeod-Skinner from her position to signal that such dangerous rhetoric is unacceptable.”
The chart is also an indication that forcing U.S. Employers to hire based on a DEI agenda rather than the quality of work is eroding in moral decay. Economist Dr. Elliott says, “Of course we aren’t going to be in the top 10 with that theology. I call it a theology because this DEI mantra is a religion to them… We are celebrating being the opposite of God in this country and that isn’t good for the economy… Biden is dedollarizing America by his policies.”
In contrast, here is what, a principal research scientist for the University of Alabama in Huntsville, Roy Spencer, had to say at the time. “Despite the near-normal global average temperatures, the USA Lower 48 temperature anomaly of +1.44 deg. C was the warmest in the [June] 43 year satellite record, ahead of +1.15 deg. C in 1988. In contrast, the Antarctic region (poleward of 60 S latitude) experienced its 2nd coldest June (-1.25 deg. C below the 30-year baseline), behind -1.34 deg. C in June, 2017.”
The Juneteenth flag tells the story of freedom. It features a star symbolizing the freedom of African Americans in all 50 states, surrounded by a bursting outline inspired by a nova, representing a new beginning for African Americans. That new beginning was June 19, 1865. The flag is raised in celebrations across the country, marking the end of slavery and the beginning of a new era of freedom for African Americans.
And, even if it could, it would not do so ‘automatically.’ ATF therefore exceeded its statutory authority by issuing a Rule that classifies bump stocks as machineguns.”
Marine officers will also be looking for the required safety equipment. “Life jackets are the most important safety equipment boaters must carry, and there must be enough on board that fit every passenger,” Paulsen adds. “We’ve seen three years of declines in boating fatalities and want this year to be the safest on record. In 2023, 11 out of 13 victims were not wearing a life jacket, so find a life jacket you’ll wear for the type of boating you’re doing.”
During a consent search of the vehicle, the trooper located 136 grams (about one-third of a pound) of fentanyl powder and mannitol, which is a common cutting agent for fentanyl. The fentanyl was located in the trunk of the vehicle near the baby’s formula and clothing.
