What: A regular public meeting of the Oregon State Hospital Advisory Board.

When: Sept. 17, 1-4 p.m.

Where: The meeting will be held via free conference line at 971-673-8888, access code 50989562.

Agenda: After the public comment period, topics will include updates on Consumer and Family services; Peer Advisory Council; communication with families regarding IDT meetings; OSH data, diversity initiatives, and how the hospital meets the needs of people who are transgendered.

Details: The Oregon State Hospital Advisory Board advises the superintendent, Oregon Health Authority director and legislators on issues related to the safety, security and care of patients. Members include consumers, providers, advocates, legislators, community members, consumer families and OSH union members.

For more information, see the board’s website here

Everyone has a right to know about and use Oregon Health Authority (OHA) programs and services.


--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2020-09-12 11:34:24

Last Update: 2020-09-13 12:10:50

Fire Marshal Jim Walker has been placed on paid administrative leave.

At this time, it is unclear why.

Oregon State Police Superintendent Appoints Mariana Ruiz-Temple as acting Oregon State Fire Marshal

Superintendent Hampton says “Mariana is assuming this position as Oregon is in an unprecedented crisis which demands an urgent response. This response and the circumstances necessitated a leadership change. I have the absolute confidence in Mariana to lead OSFM operations through this critical time. She it tested, trusted and respected – having the rare combination of technical aptitude in field operations and administration.”


--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2020-09-12 10:52:09

Last Update: 2020-09-12 11:26:11

Editor's note: Oregon Abigail Adams Voter Education Project equips voters with information on how candidates stand on issues through a questionnaire process featured in comparison guides.

Candidate for House District 51 Jane Hays and Don Crawford are challenging incumbent Janelle Bynum, her 3rd run to represent a portion of Multnomah County.

Three major issues to Oregon voters are the economy, safety and education. Bynum voted to increase taxes and fees including cap and trade, corporate gross receipts tax, and reduce the kicker. She voted to prohibit hydraulic fracturing for oil and gas exploration and production. In the 2020 Special Session she voted for a 6% tax on cell phones. Hays and Crawford both indicate they would vote no on these issues but they differ on tolling. Hays would not vote to toll, but Crawford would support tolls “devoted to expanding lanes and capacity.” They also differ in that Crawford supports a sales tax that would replace the personal income tax, and Hays does not.

Bynum helped sponsor the bill that nullified Measure 88 passed by voters allowing undocumented driver’s license and she helped sponsor a bill that allows not requiring proof of citizenship to obtain a driver’s license. Voted to require employers to notify employees of ICE investigations, and sponsored a bill to prevent courts from asking immigration status and notify ICE. Hays and Crawford would vote to support ICE activities, but differ on their support for maintaining Measure 88. Hays would support voters, and Crawford would not.

In the area of education, Bynum voted to include contributions in all curricula from every minority group such as immigrants, LGBTQ, disabled and women. She voted to require mandated vaccination with no exceptions and ban those from schools that don’t comply. Bynum sponsored allowing a child to be taken into protective custody without a court order. Hays and Crawford agree in opposition to curriculum contributions, but Crawford would support vaccinations “with a carve out for private and charter schools.” Hays does not support mandated vaccinations.






--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2020-09-11 14:02:35

Last Update: 2020-09-30 10:51:18

Estacada was told to turn off their sprinkler systems and evacuate by the County Emergency Operations Center “because the fire has become too difficult to control and therefore too dangerous to fight. They pulled all firefighters off the fire-lines and out of Estacada. At this point there will be no firefighters protecting the City.”

Residents are furious that the Super Tanker plane sets idle waiting for the Governor’s order. They see this as a repeat of the Columbia River Gorge fire three years ago when Governor Brown refused to send up the Super Tanker claiming it cost too much money.

Earlier this year six of the state’s largest CH-47 Chinook military helicopters operated by the Oregon National Guard that could have helped fight the wildfires were sent to Afghanistan. Seven other military aircraft are assisting in search and rescue and four are carrying water.

In April, Governor Brown sent 140 ventilators to New York only to turn around later and accuse President Trump for not sending Oregon ventilators.

This generosity does not relay security for Oregonians that should be government’s priority. The lack of control from riots and now the lack of providing the assets to drive back fires leaves Oregonians shaking their heads. Can we find our way back to prosperity and recovery under this administration?


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2020-09-11 09:29:42

Several of the recent fires are suspected to be arson and many of our readers may be wondering what steps can legally be taken to prevent an arson. This section of Oregon Law is reprinted for your convenience.

ORS 161.225 Use of physical force in defense of premises. (1) A person in lawful possession or control of premises is justified in using physical force upon another person when and to the extent that the person reasonably believes it necessary to prevent or terminate what the person reasonably believes to be the commission or attempted commission of a criminal trespass by the other person in or upon the premises.

(2) A person may use deadly physical force under the circumstances set forth in subsection (1) of this section only:

(a) In defense of a person as provided in ORS 161.219; or

(b) When the person reasonably believes it necessary to prevent the commission of arson or a felony by force and violence by the trespasser.

(3) As used in subsection (1) and subsection (2)(a) of this section, “premises” includes any building as defined in ORS 164.205 and any real property. As used in subsection (2)(b) of this section, “premises” includes any building.

This is not considered to be legal advice. Emphasis is ours.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2020-09-10 19:53:20

The Republican Coos County Chair has called out Melissa Cribbins and Cal Mukumoto for election violation, using government offices to push campaign.

Coos Bay, OR. - Republican Coos County Chair, Rod Schilling, calls out Coos County Commissioner and Democrat candidate in Senate District 5, Melissa Cribbins, for violating ORS 244.040, which prohibits the use of public office to further her political campaign.

In the middle of catastrophic wildfire sweeping the state and up and down the coast, Cribbins, along with other government officials and Democrat candidate, Cal Mukumoto, cross-promoted a town hall with other government officials, including Senator Arnie Roblan. The town hall was cross promoted on social media accounts from both official and political accounts.

“Is advancing a political agenda that important to Melissa and Cal that they are using a devastating tragedy to gain influence?” Schilling asked. “Now is the time to focus on working together and building up the communities facing destruction. Instead, it’s plainly clear that Democrats are prioritizing their own political agenda over suffering Oregonians.”

It would be incumbent upon the people of Coos County to look further into what their government officials are doing in their official capacity. Residents of Coos County need clear and concise information during emergencies, not political theater.

“In the meantime, we are the watchdogs to hold Democrats accountable for Oregonians and are pursuing a complaint with the Secretary of State.” Schilling ended.


--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2020-09-10 18:10:13

Last Update: 2020-09-10 19:28:02

Is this the best time to implement restrictive energy policies on Oregonians?

Governor Kate Brown thinks so.

You can apply to be on this rulemaking committee though. Government belongs to those who show up. You can apply to show up for this committee and let the bureaucrats know what you think about carbon taxes.

Oregon’s Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC) is expected to initiate rulemaking at its September meeting to implement parts of Governor Brown’s Executive Order 20-04 on reducing greenhouse gas pollution.

That rulemaking will focus on significantly strengthening Oregon’s planning rules about transportation planning and housing, particularly for Oregon's eight urban areas with populations over 50,000 people.

Rulemaking Advisory Committee members and staff will focus on meeting our greenhouse gas reduction goals through rule updates while increasing housing choice and creating more equitable outcomes for community members on the ground. (More background).

We are asking community members and other specialists to help LCDC and staff define these outcomes and goals, and to develop associated strategies for how the state can help increase capacity for coordinated regional and local efforts.

The LCDC are seeking community members and other experts from Oregon’s largest eight urban areas (Albany, Bend, Corvallis, Eugene/Springfield, Grants Pass, Medford/Ashland, Portland Metro, Salem/Keizer) to serve on a Rules Advisory Committee (RAC).

The RAC is expected to meet ten times between fall 2020 and fall 2021. Many if not all of these meetings will be on-line.

Staff and commissioners are looking to create a RAC reflecting Oregon’s current and projected demographics, including race, ethnicity, income, ability and gender. Members of historically marginalized communities may receive contracts to help support their participation.

If you are interested in serving on the RAC, please complete this application, and submit it to Stacey Goldstein: stacey.goldstein@state.or.us by 11:59 PM, Thursday, September 24.


--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2020-09-10 16:28:51

Last Update: 2020-09-10 18:10:13

Editor's note: Oregon Abigail Adams Voter Education Project equips voters with information on how candidates stand on issues through a questionnaire process featured in comparison guides.

Candidate for House District 47 Ryan Gardner is challenging incumbent Diego Hernandez, his 3rd run to represent a portion of Multnomah County.

Three major issues to Oregon voters are the economy, safety and education. Hernandez voted to increase taxes and fees including cap and trade, corporate gross receipts tax (CAT), and reduce the kicker. He also voted to prohibit hydraulic fracturing for oil and gas exploration, and voted against an agriculture necessities exemption from the CAT tax. Hernandez sponsored a bill to eliminate the mortgage interest deduction from taxable income. In the 2020 Special Session he voted to impose a 6% tax on cell phones. Gardner, on the other hand, indicates he would vote no on these issues and says, “there are better more effective methods to reduce greenhouse gasses.”

Hernandez’s safety stance is to signed a letter to US Attorney General William Barr demanding “immediate withdrawal of federal operatives from the City of Portland.” He helped sponsor the bill that nullified Measure 88 passed by voters allowing undocumented driver’s license and he helped sponsor a bill that allows not requiring proof of citizenship to obtain a driver’s license and voted to require employers to notify employees of ICE investigations as well as a bill to prevent courts from asking immigration status and notifying ICE. Gardner would vote no protecting the voters will, and would not vote to reduce the effectiveness of ICE for protection. He supports government’s ability to uphold the constitution, and believes “in upholding federal immigration law.”

In the area of education, Hernandez voted to require mandated vaccination with no exceptions and ban those from schools that don’t comply. Gardner does not agree with mandated vaccinations. He supports an Education Savings Account and says, “school choice would force some much-needed improvement in our current education system.”


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2020-09-10 13:19:46

Last Update: 2020-09-30 10:52:06

Governor Kate Brown today issued Executive Order 20-42 , declaring an abnormal market disruption as a result of the statewide wildfire emergency. This order is in response to reports of unusual increases in lodging rates for Oregonians who have evacuated fire areas and concern that the wildfire emergency may prevent ready availability of other essential consumer goods and services.

“During a statewide emergency, it is absolutely unacceptable to price gouge Oregonians who have already been hard hit and are facing devastating loss,” said Governor Brown. “This order empowers the Attorney General and the Oregon Department of Justice to investigate these instances and take appropriate action if businesses are found to be in violation.”

"As wildfires force thousands of Oregonians to abandon their homes, local businesses have stepped up to ensure that families can find essential goods and services at fair prices," said Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum. "To any who would take advantage of neighbors in need, the Governor's order on price gouging is a reminder that the Oregon Department of Justice will stop them in their tracks."

Oregonians who believe they have been subjected to excessive prices for essential consumer goods and services due to this disruption can report these instances to the Oregon Department of Justice through their Consumer Protection hotline at 877-877-9392. Oregonians can also visit www.OregonConsumer.gov for more information. The Oregon Department of Justice has the authority to investigate unlawful trade practices.

This Executive Order is in addition to, and does not replace Executive Order 20-06, which the Governor issued in March. EO 20-06 declared an abnormal market disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic regarding essential consumer goods and services like hand sanitizer and toilet paper. It remains in effect.


--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2020-09-10 12:26:13

Last Update: 2020-09-10 14:12:04

The Portland City Council unanimously voted to ban the government and corporate use of facial recognition technology. This is the first ever ban on corporate use of face surveillance in the United States.

Jann Carson, interim executive director of the ACLU of Oregon, had the following comment:

“Portland Police for months have been gassing, beating, and violently attacking the people of Portland to suppress their demands for racial justice. With today’s vote, the community made clear we hold the real power in this city. We will not let Portland turn into a surveillance state where police and corporations alike can track us wherever we go.

“Face surveillance is an invasive threat to our privacy, especially to Black people, Indigenous people, people of color, and women, who frequently are misidentified by the technology. We appreciate Commissioner Hardesty’s leadership and applaud Portland for banning the government and corporate use of facial recognition technology.

“We hope the passage of this landmark legislation in Portland will spur efforts to enact statewide legislation that protects all Oregonians from the broad range of ways that our biometric information is collected, stored, sold, and used without our permission.”

--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2020-09-10 11:26:23

Last Update: 2020-09-10 14:09:02

February 28 was Oregon’s first case of COVID-19, and Governor Kate Brown issued a state of emergency on March 8 and a stay-at-home executive order on March 23. Since then, her restrictions and extensions are in lock-step with the left, and she claims they are based on the “best science.”

In the August issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases, the CDC reports, “There is limited evidence for [masks] effectiveness in preventing influenza virus transmission either when worn by the infected person for source control or when worn by uninfected persons to reduce exposure. Our systematic review found no significant effect of face masks on transmission of laboratory-confirmed influenza.”

Still in August Governor Brown expanded mask requirements to all common spaces where six feet distancing can’t be maintained, ignoring the “best science.”

President Trump tweets September 8, 2020 that the D’s will end their COVID-19 state lock downs the day after election day. “The shutdowns are ridiculous and only being done to hurt the economy prior to the most important election perhaps in our history.”

Did President Trump foresee Governor Brown’s decision to extend her COVID-19 state of emergency through election day November 3rd? She stated, “Now, six months after this crisis began, we have made progress. Together, we have slowed the spread of this disease. Oregon has one of the lowest mortality rates in the country. But, as students across Oregon begin a school year far different than any other before, it is clear that, at current COVID-19 levels, it will not be safe in much of the state for children to return to in-classroom instruction for months to come.” Is this really necessary? COVID-19 may not be the worse consequences of not opening schools. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released guidelines emphasizing that students get back to the classroom for the sake of their own emotional well-being.

In May the governor said. “Make no mistake, physical distancing will remain part of our daily lives until we have security of a vaccine or a treatment for the disease.” But, now that nine bio-pharmaceutical companies have announced a vaccine by the end of October, and treatments with HCQ and steroids are showing good results, the governor is silent on the need for a vaccine.

How will Governor Brown respond to the New York Times reporting that 90% of the COVID-19 PCR tests that come back positive are clinically insignificant because the people who report positive are not likely to be contagious. Because of the number of amplification cycles during testing will eventually detect such minute specks that it isn’t active or significant.

Governor Brown has followed the game plan of the left each step of the way. Now that they are back-tracking, why isn’t she? Where will she go from here?


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2020-09-10 09:00:53

Portland Police have arrested the Legislative Director for House Speaker Tina Kotek during riots this weekend. Kristina Narayan (D-Portland), 29 was arrested this weekend for interfering with a peace officer -- a class A misdemeanor, along with 58 other rioters. She was released the same day on her own recognizance.

Narayan, who has worked for Speaker Kotek for over four years, according to her Linkedin Profile, describes her position thus: "I synthesize complex ideas into clear work products, policies, and build consensus to help pass legislation."

Narayan may have been lucky to have been arrested by the Portland Police. Since it was the Portland Police, Narayan will likely benefit from the "catch-and-rlease" policy of Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt who has specifically said he would "presumptively decline to charge cases," including interfering with a police officer. If Narayan were to have been arrested by deputized State Police, or federal officers, she could have been subject to federal charges.

Democrats in the legislature have been more focused on putting restrictions on police than bringing the months-old riots to an end.

The story made national headlines on Fox News in the Washington Free Beacon, again making Oregon famous in an infamous way.

Oddly, to our knowledge, the Northwest Observer is the only local or regional news organization that has covered this story.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2020-09-09 18:11:03

Last Update: 2020-09-09 19:01:10