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Paul Moore for Clackamas Co. Sheriff Fund Raiser
Friday, April 5, 2024 at 6:10 pm
$50.00, deluxe grazing buffet, Silent Auction, live entertainment
Tumwater Ballroom The Museum of the Oregon Territory 211 Tumwater Dr. Oregon City



Hood River County GOP's Second Annual Lincoln Dinner
Saturday, April 6, 2024 at 5:00 pm
Hood River County GOP's Second Annual Lincoln Dinner 5pm-9pm
Hood River, OR



Dorchester Conference 2024
Friday, April 26, 2024 at 5:00 pm
Dorchester Conference 2024 April 26th-28th
Welches, Oregon



Memorial Day
Monday, May 27, 2024 at 11:00 am
Memorial Day
A federal holiday in the United States for honoring and mourning the U.S. military personnel who died while serving.



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Wednesday, June 19, 2024 at 12:00 am
Juneteenth
Celebrated on the anniversary of June 19, 1865, when in the wake of the American Civil War, Major General Gordon Granger ordered the final enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation in Texas.



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Thursday, July 4, 2024 at 11:59 pm
Independence Day
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Linn Laughs LIVE with Adam Corolla
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Albany Works to Accent Riverfront
A vibrant riverfront can encourage positive new redevelopment

The confluence of the Willamette and Calapooia Rivers was significant to the native Kalapuya peoples and to early European settlers who eventually built the city at this unique intersection of rivers, roads, and railroads.

Albany is one of last major cities on the Willamette to invest in its riverfront and today, the riverfront is separated from downtown Albany by parking lots, Water Avenue, railroad tracks, and is missing sidewalks and crossing options. The connection between downtown Albany and its waterfront has become largely hidden by thick foliage and poor water access.

Over time, the City has been taking steps to reestablish downtown Albany’s connection with its rivers. In recent years, the City has been preserving waterfront properties for public use, using the Central Albany Revitalization Area to make strategic investments in downtown, and planning improvements to Water Avenue and the waterfront parks.

Now, the City is taking the next steps in this long-standing effort to improve Albany’s waterfront and how it connects to downtown. The expectation is that new waterfront redevelopment will ultimately create one of the most unique downtowns in the state of Oregon. When complete, the riverfront will be a major downtown anchor, connecting the community to the river to which it was historically connected.

This project will create plans to improve Water Avenue, Monteith Park, and the publicly owned portion of the riverfront and Dave Clark Trail. The project area includes up to 24 acres of park space and 14 blocks of streetscape along Water Avenue between Monteith Park and Main Street.

This process is expected to generate a final design concept by Summer 2020 and a final design is expected to be ready for City Council approval by Spring 2021. A phased approach to construction will allow for individual projects to be built over time. Pending final review, approval, and permitting, it may be possible to begin construction of individual projects as soon as Fall/Winter of 2021. The cost has not been determined.

You can find out more at the Albany Waterfront Project website.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2020-10-18 11:23:18Last Update: 2020-10-18 13:10:07



Portland Indian Leaders Denounce Leftist Mayhem in Portland
Destruction at the Oregon Historical Society very disappointing

Members of the Portland Indian Leaders Roundtable met and issued the following statement:

“We, the members of the Portland Indian Leaders Roundtable, disapprove of the destruction and theft of property, and threat of violence, by those participating in demonstrations last night. As with other resistance movements who have turned out in countless numbers this year, we understand that there is justifiable righteous indignation over the unconscionable mistreatment of our people and communities over centuries, and that Indigenous People’s Day is a time to reflect and speak out against these injustices. Yet, we cannot condone pointless acts of vandalism and the brandishing of weapons that serve only to detract from the real message that must be heard:

Many of us have spent our lives advocating for the needs of our people and working to prevent re-traumatization of our elders and families. Acting only in anger is not our way. Disavowing the teachings of our elders is not our way. Wielding weapons and stealing what is not ours is not our way.

The destruction at the Oregon Historical Society was so very disappointing, especially given the great care they have given to their most recent exhibit that displays Native American history so honestly and respectfully. We thank them for their deep consultation with tribal nations to create this exhibit and wish them the best in the repairs to their building.

On this Indigenous People’s Day of October 12, 2020, we choose to continue our important work being of service to those who need us. Relying upon the Indigenous values of respect, humility, kindness, and accountability, we will continue to work toward healing, using our traditions and culture as a guide.”


--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2020-10-18 11:20:01Last Update: 2020-10-18 13:26:30



Donors Weigh in on Secretary of State Race
Fagan rakes in cash from the left

In a sign that the Secretary of State Election might be very close, a variety of left-leaning donors have dumped hundreds of thousands of dollars into the Shemia Fagan campaign for Secretary of State.

At this point in the campaign, state law requires reporting of contributions no later than seven days after being received. Below is a report of major donors to Fagan's campaign, during the first 9 days of October. It represents a broad cross-section of left leaning interests, labor unions, and individuals.

Some analysts point out that Oregon voters don't like a highly partisan race, especially for the office of Secretary of State -- a person in the position of being the referee on Oregon's elections. They have suggested that this large last-minute surge of cash is the result of an election that is turning out much like the Brad Avakian/Dennis Richardson Race four years ago, when the respected Richardson defeated the partisan Avakian.

The election is a mere 17 days from now.

Major donations to Committee to Elect Shemia Fagan just during the month of October 2020
DateDonorAmount
10/09/2020Blue Wave Project$5,000
10/09/2020Portland Metro Fire Fighters PAC (223)$10,000
10/09/2020Oregon Nurses Political Action Committee (12986)$20,000
10/09/2020Earl Blumenauer for Congress$1,500
10/09/2020Oregon Health Care Association PAC (275)$5,000
10/09/2020Blue Wave Project$20,000
10/09/2020Aaron Mitchell$5,000
10/08/2020Dentists of Oregon PAC (54)$10,000
10/08/2020Citizen Action for Political Education (33)$2,500
10/08/2020Elect Ellen Rosenblum for Attorney General (15406)$2,500
10/08/2020Save Democracy PAC$5,000
10/08/2020Oregon League of Conservation Voters PAC (2352)$25,000
10/07/2020Citizen Action for Political Education (33)$25,000
10/06/2020Blue Wave Project$5,000
10/06/2020Holding Onto Oregons Priorities$10,000
10/05/2020The Mother PAC (14523)$1,000
10/05/2020Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde$2,500
10/04/2020Molly McCabe$10,000
10/03/2020OFNHP AFT 5017 Political Action Committee (17220)$4,000
10/03/2020Phillip Fogg Jr.$5,000
10/03/2020EmpRes Healthcare Management$2,500
10/02/2020Democratic Association of Secretaries of State$50,000
10/02/2020National Democratic Redistricting Committee$100,000
10/02/2020Local 48 Electricians PAC (4572)$30,000
10/02/2020Professional Firefighters PAC #3219 (3219)$5,000
10/02/2020Oregon League of Conservation Voters PAC (2352)$25,000
10/01/2020Salem Fire PAC (245)$1,000

--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2020-10-17 18:32:45Last Update: 2020-10-17 20:50:16



Revenue Reminds Taxpayers to Check Withholding
Remember, unemployment compensation is taxable.

The Oregon Department of Revenue is reminding taxpayers that now is the perfect time to review their Oregon tax withholding and payments to avoid a surprise when filing next year.

“We encourage Oregon taxpayers to check their withholding for tax year 2020,” said Personal Tax and Compliance Division Administrator JoAnn Martin. “Not withholding enough during the year could lead to an unexpected tax bill in 2021.”

Oregon’s Form OR-W-4 and Revenue’s online withholding calculator allow taxpayers to determine the correct amount to withhold for Oregon personal income tax. The 2020 Form OR-W-4 and the withholding calculator are available on the department’s website.

Generally, wage earners should periodically review their withholding, especially when they had a recent personal or financial change that may affect their tax situation such as a change in income, filing status, or number of dependents.

This year, thousands of Oregon taxpayers have had to file for unemployment benefits, many of them for the first time. Unemployment compensation is taxable and withholding is not done automatically. If recipients did not elect to have state income tax withheld when applying for benefits, they will need to fill out Form 1040WH from the Oregon Employment Department website and submit it to the OED to authorize withholding.

To get tax forms, check the status of your refund, or make payments, visit www.oregon.gov/dor or email questions.dor@oregon.gov. You can also call 800-356-4222 toll-free from an Oregon prefix (English or Spanish) or 503-378-4988 in Salem and outside Oregon.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2020-10-17 11:30:33Last Update: 2020-10-17 18:32:45



Governor Brown Sued Over Shut Down
Separation of Powers is the Basis for Three Legislators

This afternoon Senator Dennis Linthicum (R-Klamath Falls), Representatives Mike Nearman (R-Independence) and E. Werner Reschke (R-Klamath Falls), and Neil Ruggles sued the Governor and State of Oregon in the Circuit Court for the County of Multnomah, challenging the Governor’s power to maintain a continuing state of emergency under ORS Chapter 401. The lawsuit claims that the Legislature’s attempt to delegate “all police powers vested in the state by the Oregon constitution” is in fact prohibited by several sections of the Oregon Constitution which provide for a separation of legislative, executive and judicial powers.

“This lawsuit raises constitutional claims not previously considered by the Supreme Court of Oregon in its Elkhorn Baptist Church case, which upheld the Governor’s exercise of emergency powers when challenged on statutory grounds,” explained James Buchal, counsel for plaintiffs. “We hope that the Oregon Supreme Court will follow the Supreme Court of Michigan and other state and federal courts which have recognized that the exercise of very broad statutory emergency powers for months on end infringes the rights of both citizens and legislators to have important general policy rules established by the legislative brand of government.”

The complaint cites Article III, Section 1 of the Oregon Constitution:

"The powers of the Government shall be divided into three separate (sic) departments, the Legislative, the Executive, including the administrative, and the Judicial; and no person charged with official duties under one of these departments, shall exercise any of the functions of another, except as in this Constitution expressly provided."

The lawsuit points out that the measures available to the legislature “places a significant burden on the Legislature to regain its own Legislative powers once the Governor declares an emergency. For example, recently in Pennsylvania, the power supposedly granted to the legislature to end the emergency by a simple majority vote of both houses in a joint resolution failed because the governor vetoed the bill.”

The complaint notes that "All rules and orders...shall have the full force and effect of law both during and after the declaration of a state of emergency. All existing laws, ordinances, rules and orders inconsistent with ORS 401.165 to 401.236 shall be inoperative during the period of time and to the extent such inconsistencies exist." The complaint describes the Governor as a “super-legislature who might strike down 'all existing law' at will after such a declaration of emergency, making the effect of all outstanding laws dependent upon the whim of the Governor.”

Ending on a grand note, the complaint notes that “allowing the Governor to exercise all police power of the state for an extended period of time beyond the statutory limits of ORS Chapter 433 and the Constitutional limits of Article X-A violates the federal rights of Oregonians to a Republican form of government under Article IV, § 4 of the U.S. Constitution.”

One of the plaintiffs, Neil Ruggles, has a Go Fund Me page to help cover the costs of the suit.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2020-10-16 16:57:50Last Update: 2020-10-18 13:15:27



Occupational Safety Rules Proposed
Redefining “reasonable diligence”

Amidst the chaos of COVID-19, the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration has quietly moved forward with proposed changes to two administrative rules that would stack the deck against employers in contested cases. Oregon OSHA’s Proposed Amendments in General Administrative Rules to Clarify Employer’s Responsibilities and Oregon OSHA’s Proposed Increase of Certain Minimum and Maximum Penalties for Alleged Violations.

These rule changes seem to be about agency convenience in contested cases, not employee safety.

Oregon law says that for an employer to be liable for a serious violation, Oregon OSHA must prove that the employer knew, or with the “exercise of reasonable diligence” could have known, of the violation. Recently, the Oregon Supreme Court has made clear that the burden is on Oregon OSHA to prove what is "reasonable" and what is "diligence" under the circumstances of each case. Now, Oregon OSHA is attempting to change that court ruling.

Oregon OSHA proposes redefining “reasonable diligence” to make employers strictly liable so that the agency can easily win a contested case. They are shifting the burden of determining fault to employers -- despite clear direction from the Supreme Court and legislature. Additionally, the agency’s rule changes make the “unpreventable employee conduct” defense entirely useless, which further lessens Oregon OSHA’s burden of proof. This is an abuse of power for an agency that already has stepped outside the bounds of its authority during this crisis.

Further, through a separate rulemaking, the agency is trying to give Oregon OSHA’s Administrator unlimited discretion to impose huge penalties: $13,538 for any “serious” violation and up to $135,382 for any “willful” violation. These enormous fines could be assessed for just repeat paperwork violations. Or worse, these new rules could be used against businesses struggling to comply with COVID-19 restrictions.

It is evident that these rule changes are focused on ensuring Oregon OSHA’s ability to penalize employers for serious violations with minimal effort and maximum penalties.

Oregon OSHA will adopt these rule changes at the end of October. There will be a final opportunity for in-person testimony on October 28, 2020 at 10:00 AM. Interested parties can register for the Public Hearing on Employer Responsibilities. Written comments are due on October 30th.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2020-10-16 16:41:10Last Update: 2020-10-16 16:57:50



Mayhem and Violence Continues In Portland
144 Days And Counting

On October 15, 2020, a group gathered outside the Justice Center in Downtown Portland. Nearly 100 people began standing in the street on Southwest 2nd Avenue between Southwest Madison and Southwest Main Street. Members of the group were seen spray painting Central Precinct as well as putting garbage near the entryways and exits to the sally port garage doors. At the same time, members of the group started a large fire in the intersection located at Southwest Main Street and Southwest 3rd Avenue. As the fire grew larger, members stood near blocking vehicular traffic. Smaller fires were lit by igniting the garbage left near the sally port doors.

Warnings were issued over loudspeaker advising the crowd that all streets are open to vehicular traffic. You must immediately vacate the roadway and proceed to the sidewalk. If you remain in the roadway, you may be subject to arrest for Disorderly Conduct, Interfering with a Police Officer, and other State and City offenses. If you remain in the roadway and show the intent to engage in physical resistance to removal, or if emergency circumstances require, you may be subject to the use of force, including crowd control agents, tear gas, and impact weapons. Move to the sidewalk. Despite the warnings, the crowd continued to block vehicular traffic on Southwest 2nd Avenue as well as Southwest 3rd Avenue at Southwest Main Street.

A passenger vehicle associated with the group stopped near the sally port doors and a passenger exited the vehicle and added accelerant to the fires. The vehicle was later stopped and the passenger was cited for reckless burning and arson 1.

Portland Police along with Portland Fire moved in to the area of Southwest 3rd Avenue and Southwest Main Street and Firefighters addressed the fire. After the fire was out, officers and firefighters left the area.

The group continued to stand in the street and block vehicular traffic. Members of the group also continued to light small fires. Once again the group was warned over loudspeaker to vacate the roadway or they would be subject to use of force, including crowd control agent, tear gas, and impact weapons. The group continued to stand in the roadway and officers arrived on scene and made some targeted arrests.

The group began to leave the area and was mostly dispersed by 12:30 a.m.

The Portland Police Bureau did not use crowd control munitions or CS (tear) gas.

The following person was cited on listed charges:
Talbot, Rachel Lee, 18-year-old, Reckless Burning, Arson 1

The following people were arrested and booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on listed charges:
Reinhardt, Zachary, 29-year-old of Portland, Oregon, Interfering with a Peace Officer, Disorderly Conduct II
Bowen, Justin, 25-year-old of Portland, Oregon, Reckless Burning


--Sabrina-Marie Fisher

Post Date: 2020-10-16 11:26:19Last Update: 2020-10-16 12:37:53



COVID-19 or the Common Cold?
More testing with less-than-accurate tests

As the Oregon Health Authority sends out notice of keeping face coverings dry during rainy weather, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website says people testing positive for COVID-19 may simply have the common cold. If you test positive, the test result may show you have antibodies from an infection from a virus that causes COVID-19. However, there is a chance you have antibodies from a virus from the same family of viruses called coronaviruses such as the one that causes the common cold.

“Some tests may exhibit cross-reactivity with other coronaviruses, such as those that cause the common cold. This could result in false-positive test results. Some persons may not develop detectable antibodies after coronavirus infection... Thus, serologic test results do not indicate with certainty the presence or absence of current or previous infection with SARS-CoV-2.”

“Serologic testing by itself should not be used to establish the presence or absence of SARS-CoV-2 infection or reinfection. Antibodies may not be present among those tested early in illness before antibodies develop or among those who never develop detectable antibodies following infection. In addition, the presence of antibodies may reflect previous infection and may be unrelated to the current illness.”

There are growing suggestions that we should wear masks to prevent spreading the flu and colds also. With the constant wearing of a face mask at work and schools, the question is how long can a person wear a mask without fear of hypoxia. According to a study in 2008 that studied the risk of hypoxia, the onset of slight hypoxia starts after the first hour of wearing a mask. It can trap the exhaled CO2 that limits the oxygen intake in the air we breathe and induce silent hypoxia. The inexpensive masks or cloth masks are for show. A respirator mask (N95 mask) filters out 95% of small flu particulate matter, and COVID-19 are smaller. Are we headed towards another medical crisis from wearing the wrong mask too long?


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2020-10-16 07:34:29Last Update: 2020-10-16 08:22:20



Black Lives Matter Resolution Passed By Oregon Educators
Virtue Signaling from Oregon Board of Education

The Oregon State Board of Education has passed a resolution declaring “Black Lives Matter.”

The resolution strongly supports justice and dignity for all Black people and renews the Board’s commitment to anti-racism, equity, and access to education as a core value. It also urges Oregon school districts, public charter schools, and education service districts to take several actions to support Black students, educators, and community members including renewing their commitment to anti-racism and strengthening networks of support for students and families who are experiencing increased harassment, violence, bullying, or hatred based on race.

The Oregon State Board of Education, the Oregon Department of Education (ODE), the Coalition of Oregon School Administrators (COSA), the Oregon Education Association (OEA), the Oregon School Boards Association (OSBA), the Oregon School Employees Association (OSEA), the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA), the Oregon Association of Education Service Districts (OAESD), and the Oregon Association of Student Councils (OASC) have submitted a joint letter to the Oregon State Board of Education supporting the resolution.

The resolution and letter mirror similar actions taken by boards of education around the U.S., including Baltimore County Public Schools, Indianapolis Public Schools, Berkeley Public Schools, and many more.

“All students belong in Oregon schools. Sometimes, that means telling one student they belong and that they matter when they need to hear it,” said Kimberly Howard, Chair of Oregon State Board of Education. “Sometimes, that means telling a group of students that they matter when they have heard and felt the opposite for far too long.”

“We cannot be silent in response to the racism that students and staff experience in Oregon’s schools,” said Oregon Department of Education Director Colt Gill. “The Oregon Department of Education is committed to ensuring that Oregon’s schools are safe and inclusive for all students and staff, and that means conclusively and repeatedly saying, ‘Yes, we affirm the dignity and humanity of Black people.’ That’s what Black Lives Matter means, as a statement of love and justice. And love and justice are the side of history we all need to be on.”

“We applaud the Oregon State Board of Education for adopting a Black Lives Matter resolution today. This is an important step -- one of many -- toward affirming our Black children and families. Their lives, their dreams, and their futures matter,” said Craig Hawkins, Executive Director of Coalition of Oregon School Administrators. “As school leaders, it is our responsibility to make sure that all of our students feel seen, safe, and welcome in our schools so they can fulfill their potential and achieve their goals, and we commit to partnering with Black students and community to ensure that our systems change.”

“We fully support Black Lives Matter as a civil rights movement that aims to combat racism and support Black individuals,” said Jim Green, Executive Director of Oregon School Boards Association. “We stand beside Black Lives Matter, as a statement of social justice and an affirmation of the value and worth of Black people.”

ODE is supporting school districts in developing rules, policies, and procedures by providing guidance, educational resources, and toolkits to support implementation of policies prohibiting hate symbols. To provide clarity as questions arise, the resolution and letter affirm that Black Lives Matter slogans and insignias are neither considered hate symbols, nor are they political or attached to a specific candidate or party, so are not prohibited by the state.

Critics have noted that the organization known as BLM seems to be more focused on encouraging Marxism and Communism than on black livelihood.


--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2020-10-15 18:03:23Last Update: 2020-10-15 21:15:39



Explicit Material Borders on Sexual Misconduct
Warning: Explicit. West Linn parents are outraged

Parents are irate after finding out, via social media, that West Linn High School allowed pornographic materials to be used via zoom, during a distance learning class this week.

In a module of "Healthy Living", a class was presented by Clackamas Women's Services titled "Pleasure vs Pain". The class is intended to educate students on healthy touch and pleasurable sexual experiences, versus being able to recognize pain in a sexual partner. The Center has helped many women heal after domestic abuse, and sexual trauma, but parents say this content is taking it too far.

Dayna Dague-Morales, a mother of WLHS student feels outraged, and betrayed "This is unacceptable and infuriating, an education system turned joke, and a total abuse of our tax dollars. I want my child out of public school now". She goes onto add that her student was even disgusted, and left feeling embarrassed, both question when education on a particular subject crosses the line, into becoming the exact unwanted subject matter, being taught.

"At what point does it become sexual misconduct itself, when teaching about these topics", "At what point is far, too far?" Asks Suzanne Gallagher the Executive Director of Parents Rights in Education. "We try to get parents involved when the concept is still on paper, being presented to our school boards, unfortunately, most do not take notice until content is already implemented, at which point it's already too late". The 501(c) was created after various court rulings that have systematically removed parents rights, and the importance of family values in the educational system. The teachers unions have strong armed the judicial system into turning out "in loco parenti" adjudications, like the famed Palmdale ruling, which gives the school full legal guardianship once a child walks through the front door. Gallagher is not surprised by the content "If parents are shocked by this content, they're not paying very close attention, Oregon has an obscenity law that expressly exempt teaching institutions from liability, due to content that would put any parent behind bars, for child endangerment.".

Exceptions to obscenity laws apply to schools, museums and any institution that would show vulgar or X rated content to minors, if done for educational experiences.

Lori Blain is another parent to a West Linn High School student, and says she's "Irate", "I fully intend on taking this to the school board, along with other parents. There will be hell to pay".

In the 2019 long session the Oregon legislature passed, and Governor Kate Brown signed SB 155. The bill titled "Sexual Misconduct Reporting and Investigation" was introduced after a reported incident occurred within the Portland Public School District. Oregon law 339.388(2) requires that a designated licensed administrator report to the department any incident of suspected sexual misconduct involving a student and a non-licensed school employee, contractor, agent, or volunteer. According to the bill language, anyone can submit a report.

West Linn High School is said to have not properly vetted the material prior to its use in the zoom class. The School has been contacted by Northwest Observer, as well as the School Board, without a response, a public statement has yet to be made. We've also reached out to Clackamas Women's Services to request the full class, and Power Point presentation for context. At the time of this report, a response was not given by either the School or the third party contractor.


--Breeauna Sagdal

Post Date: 2020-10-15 17:21:03Last Update: 2020-10-15 17:53:53



A History of Minimum Wage in Oregon
Spoiler alert: It’s going up

The federal minimum wage is the default wage in all states for most occupations that are involved in interstate commerce. A state may choose to set a minimum wage above or below the federal rate, but minimum wage earners receive the higher of the two amounts. States also may set a different minimum wage rate for specific occupations or employee classes not covered by the federal rate. The current federal minimum wage, set in 2009, is $7.25 per hour.

In 2002, Oregon voters approved a ballot measure to increase the state minimum wage to $6.90, with annual increases tied to inflation. Due to the inflation adjustments, the minimum wage had increased to $9.25 by January 2016. The legislature moved away from a statewide minimum wage in 2016 and instead set regional minimum wages, phasing in increases over a seven-year period with increases occurring on July 1 of each year, as shown in the chart below.

Following 2022, the minimum wages for urban counties will continue to grow according to annual adjustments in the Consumer Price Index. The Portland Metro Urban Growth Boundary minimum will be $1.25 higher than the urban county rate, and the nonurban counties will be $1.00 lower than the rate of urban counties.

Exceptions to the minimum wage law are listed in ORS 653.020. Examples include professional salaried employees and employees in specific occupations, such as taxicab operators, in-home care providers, volunteer firefighters, and some agricultural workers. Oregon, along with six other states, requires the same minimum wage rate for tipped and nontipped workers.11 The remaining states allow a “tip credit” against the minimum hourly rate, meaning that employers may count a limited amount of the worker’s tips toward the minimum wage.

Some economists have argued against a high minimum wage, such as in Oregon, pointing out that it excludes less-skilled people from the marketplace and discourages employers from training new wages. They also point out the increase in self-check and kiosk-ordering in states with a high minimum wage.




--Staff Reports, with Legislative Policy and Research Office

Post Date: 2020-10-15 09:03:32Last Update: 2020-10-14 20:44:52



State Police Take On Poachers
Wildfires have increased wolf and cougar looking for food

This year, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Turn-in-Poachers (TIP) went to a new level. It is the Fall hunting season that brings up poaching of big game animals. But it can include the illegal take of game or fish, trespassing, littering, theft, destroying of property and road closure violations, and damaging habitats affects present and future generations of wildlife, impacts communities and the economy, and creates enforcement challenges. People who "work" the system and falsely apply for resident license or tags are not legally hunting or angling and are considered poachers.

The TIP program offers rewards that pays or offers preference points for tag drawings when information leads to an arrest or issuance of a citation for the illegal killing or taking of wildlife or illegally obtaining Oregon hunting or angling licenses or tags.

Oregon State Police are investigating the unlawful killing of a wolf in the Keating Wildlife Management Unit on or about September 24, 2020, and posted it on the TIP offering a reward. This incident occurred north west of New Bridge, OR in the Skull Creek drainage of the Wallowa Whitman National Forest.

After a lone gray wolf from Idaho’s experimental population entered Oregon back in 1999, gray wolves have continued to disperse into Oregon from Idaho and have established breeding populations. Livestock producers have been affected financially due to direct losses of livestock from wolf depredations.

HB 3560 went into effect in 2011, which directed the Oregon Department of Agriculture to establish and implement a wolf depredation compensation and financial assistance grant program.

The wildfires the last couple of years has increased wolf and cougar activity looking for food. Hunters report wolf packs moving in making it dangerous to hunt, and more bow hunters are carrying pistols for self-protection. This past week KOIN reported on a cougar spotting in Albany near a home by a young man. ODFW reports that more wolves and new locations is now a common occurrence for Oregon as the population has been growing for over a decade.

Those caught illegally hunting animals like wolves, black bears or cougars pay $7,500 in fines. These funds go toward the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to pay for the loss of a resource.

According to the Democrat leadership, it’s perfectly okay to riot and loot your business to provide for family needs, but if you’re unlucky in a hunting tag draw, they don’t have the same empathy. Or if you’re threatened by a predator, animal rights come first over your safety. Is it time to look at the threat of wolves to us and the threat to other animals?

In the meantime, you can report a Wildlife and/or Habitat Law Violation or Suspicious Activity: TIP Hotline: 1-800-452-7888 or *OSP(677).


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2020-10-15 06:50:06Last Update: 2020-10-14 20:03:32



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