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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.



Juneteenth
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.



Independence Day
Thursday, July 4, 2024 at 11:59 pm
Independence Day
USA



Linn Laughs LIVE with Adam Corolla
Saturday, September 7, 2024 at 5:00 pm
Linn Laughs LIVE with Adam Corolla 5pm-9pm
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Oregon Might Not Be Ready For Tolling
Tolling decision will be made in 2023

More than 4,600 people and organizations from Oregon and Washington helped kick-off the I-205 Toll Project by giving input on the draft project's purpose, including tolling scenarios and ways to implement tolls.

The 75-day comment period marked the beginning of the environmental review process as required by the National Environmental Policy Act.

The feedback illustrated the need for more public engagement.

"Clearly there is more work to do," said Lucinda Broussard, Oregon Toll Program Director. "The comments we received from the community demonstrate the confusion around this type of tolling, which makes sense considering this has never been done before in Oregon."

The proposed project would toll all lanes of Interstate 205 near the Abernethy Bridge to raise revenue, improve travel reliability and manage congestion. The revenue could help pay for highway improvements along the corridor. Tolls would be collected electronically without toll booths to keep traffic moving.

The primary method used to provide comments was an online survey. Based on survey data, about half of respondents live in Clackamas County and rely on I-205 for multiple trips a week. Like other demographic groups, people most affected by a potential toll expressed the greatest concerns.

"We've seen at the beginning of other toll projects how community support starts low," Broussard said. "With so many unknowns, it's easy to understand why no one wants to pay more for travel."

The most frequently mentioned comments focused on: Respondents offered numerous suggestions on how impacts of tolls could be lessened. Suggestions included toll discounts, improved transit, and maintaining the choice of a toll-free route.

"We appreciate all the specific suggestions and will continue to work with the community to create a system that works for us in Oregon," Broussard said.

Over the next two months, ODOT and the Federal Highway Administration will consider all the comments. ODOT will publish a response for how the public comments will be addressed in early 2021.

The next steps for the project include conducting a detailed analysis of the benefits and impacts of tolling. The results of this analysis will be published for public review in a draft Environmental Assessment in 2022. A final decision is expected in 2023. Tolling on I‑205 would not begin before 2024.


--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2020-12-05 19:29:27Last Update: 2020-12-05 19:59:02



120 Toilets For Homeless in Portland Causing Backlash
Attracting unwanted odors, noise and activity

Across Portland, over 120 portable toilets will feature a new, super-sized message: "This is more than a bathroom. It's also a human right."

Signs are being installed this week to discourage people from vandalizing or stealing the units, which are intended to serve people experiencing homelessness and others who need access to public bathrooms. Since placing the portable toilets in response to COVID-19, the City of Portland has faced backlash from some neighbors who oppose having toilets close to their homes.

The City installed signage on new portable toilets to raise awareness about public health.

Striving to serve as many people as possible, the City selected locations based on a detailed analysis of areas where houseless people are living, interviews with people living in encampments, an audit of existing public restrooms and an assessment of human waste. Follow-up surveys are being conducted to help fine-tune the placement of the toilets.

Critics of the portable toilets have sent angry emails and voicemails to the Homelessness and Urban Camping Impact Reduction Program, as well as blocking toilet delivery, and vandalizing or stealing the bright red hygiene units. Some people say portable toilets are attracting unwanted odors, noise and activity near their homes.


--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2020-12-05 15:00:51Last Update: 2020-12-05 15:13:43



Taxpayers Fund Snacks for Rioters
As if it’s not bad enough that your government won’t prosecute them

According the Oregon Health Authority website, "On August 18, 2020, OHA opened grant applications to not-for-profit organizations statewide and Oregon’s nine federally recognized Tribes and the Urban Indian Health Program for grants flowing from legislatively-directed $45 million in federal CARES Act coronavirus relief funds. These grants are intended to address the disproportionate impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on Oregon’s tribal communities and communities of color." PJ Media has also reported on this.

Page 7 of this list of Oregon Health Authority COVID-19 Health Equity Grant Awards lists the award to SNACK BLOC as $145,000. Ironically, although it appears that these snacks were used to sustain rioters, the OHA website says that "these grants can be used to help people address...safety and violence prevention." The motto of SNACK BLOC seems to be the statement "Supporting the Resistance One Snack at a Time," according to their facebook page.

According to their facebook page:

SNACK BLOC is a community resource and support for rallies, protests, community events and vigils in the greater Portland area.
Supporting the Resistance, one snack at a time (via donations from the community). We aim to create a safe space with sustinance, medic tent, and chill zone during efforts made by the Resistance.

SNACK BLOC holds a zero-tolerance policy for:
Racism
Non-consensual interactions
Violence
Transphobia
Homophobia
Xenophobia
Ableism
Sexism
Body shaming
Misogyny
Victim blaming & shaming
Cultural appropriation

If you feel that SNACK BLOC is not holding to this standard, please let us know.

As one can infer from the spelling, the name "SNACK BLOC" derives its significance -- and its political leanings -- from "Black Bloc." According to Wikipedia,

"black bloc is a tactic used by protesters who wear black clothing, ski masks, scarves, sunglasses, motorcycle helmets with padding, or other face-concealing and face-protecting items. The clothing is used to conceal wearers' identities and hinder criminal prosecution by making it difficult to distinguish between participants. It is also used to protect their faces and eyes from pepper spray, which is used by police during protests or civil unrest. The tactic allows the group to appear as one large unified mass. Black bloc participants are often associated with anarchism, anarcho-communism, communism, libertarian socialism, antifascism, or the anti-globalization movement."

According to the Secretary of State's Corporation division, SNACK BLOC was founded in June as a public benefit corporation and lists its President as Masyn Bontrager.

One observer said, "$145,000 buys a lot of snacks, but it could have gone to help struggling small businesses or unemployed people."




--Donnie Coleman

Post Date: 2020-12-04 21:29:04Last Update: 2020-12-05 14:18:43



Portland Police Seeking Information on Rioters
Vandalism Attacks Still Under Investigation

On November 26, 2020 at about 1:22 a.m., Portland Police responded to reports of people breaking windows and committing other acts of vandalism along Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard. Multiple callers reported seeing people dressed in black clothing moving west along Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard breaking out windows as they went.

Responding officers contacted people and made some arrests. The investigation into these crimes is still underway. Portland Police are working in the service of the community to gather information and build cases against the people responsible for these attacks on businesses and other private property. Property in the Sunnyside, Richmond, and Buckman neighborhoods were impacted that morning. Similar attacks against property occurred throughout the city days before, including in the Hosford-Abernethy, Laurelhurst and Hollywood neighborhoods.

Damage along Southeast Hawthorne and Northeast Sandy Boulevards was particularly extensive and impacted dozens of local businesses.

Portland Police encourage any victim who has not yet reported damage such as broken windows, graffiti, or other property damage to make those reports. Crime victims can make reports online or call the non-emergency number 503-823-3333.

Portland Police would also be interested to collect video that captured any part of these incidents.


--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2020-12-04 17:21:03Last Update: 2020-12-04 17:32:10



Brown Insists Vaccinations For All Oregonians
Stopping Coronavirus means total complaince

Oregon Governor Kate Brown stated in today's press conference that Oregonians are complying, but the pandemic isn't over yet.

More than 84% of Oregonians are wearing masks, a meta analysis of cell phone data use shows that Oregonians are staying home. Transportation is down by 37%, office use is down 40% and telecommuting is up 13%. Oregonians are listening, and doing as they're told, to get through this "dark winter".

"We just need you to hang on a little longer, hope is on the way" stated Kate Brown. 35k initial doses of the Pfizer vaccine are on the way, approximately 70k initial doses of the Moderna vaccine will be here by December 22nd. Health care workers will be the first in line to roll up their sleeves and be given the "opportunity to get the vaccine, by the end of January".

In a press release yesterday Governor Brown announced the appointment of a new panel to the Western States’ Scientific Safety Review Workgroup. Doctors, scientists, and health experts from California, Nevada, and Washington, will fill positions on the panel. The workgroup will review the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines that receive Emergency Use Authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).In addition to reviewing safety and efficacy, the workgroup will give recommendations on timelines for reopening Oregon, including when schools can reopen.

But Brown warned "the vaccine doesn't end the pandemic just yet, everyone needs to buckle down until they can receive it".

The press conference was handed off to Oregon Health Authority Director Pat Allen who began his announcement with "grim milestones", Oregon has reached 80k total cases, and today marks 1,003 deaths for the total pandemic. Case counts have reached 1k cases per day, and Allen stated "we only expect this to get worse as Thanksgiving case counts emerge". "But there's light at the end of the tunnel" says Allen, as vaccines are expected to arrive soon. Until that point Allen suggests no meetings, no travel, and no gatherings.

"Rigorous clinical trials show the vaccines are safe and effective". Claimed Dr Rachael Banks the Director of Public Health. "Our typical flu vaccine is between 40-60% effective, and you see us pushing those vaccines like crazy, because 40-60% is pretty good. 95% effective is unheard of, so we feel really good about these vaccines. Banks went on to add that "It's not the vaccine that's the solution, but it's us all getting vaccinated that will stop this pandemic", "I know I'll be getting the vaccine" stated Banks, who then turned toward Governor Brown and Pat Allen, asking if they would too. Naturally both answered in the affirmative, the entire event felt scripted and contrived, like a dystopic advertisement for the new vaccine.

To put things into perspective we're currently shut down due to 80k positive and presumptive cases, of those cases we're looking at a 1.25% fatality rate of both positive and presumptive Covid-19 deaths. Oregon's population is currently 4.45 million, meaning exactly 0.000225093% of Oregon's population have died of or with Covid-19. It should also be noted that Oregon is using the Thermo Fisher PCR test at 40 cycles, which has proven to be a faulty method of testing. In fact Portugal recently determined the test will no longer be used to create public policy.

Conversely it's estimated 265 million people will die from starvation this year, due to lockdowns, and interruptions in the marketplace.

Many questions remain unanswered by Brown and OHA, like do we have enough cold storage for the vaccine, which requires storage at sub freezing temperatures? What will happen to people if they don't receive the second vaccine dose in time, due to supply shortages? What is Oregon's plan for post market surveillance? What exactly is a robust economic package, and will it be available to all Oregonians? One thing did stand out quite clear, in today's meeting however. Oregon's economy will continue to be held hostage until total compliance is achieved and everyone gets their shots.


--Breeauna Sagdal

Post Date: 2020-12-04 10:53:21Last Update: 2020-12-04 17:21:03



The Saga of Winchester Dam
Environmentalists Weaponize the DEQ

Constructed in 1890, the Winchester Dam fish ladder has been a longtime attraction in Douglas County. The dam no longer produces hydropower, and the structure is now maintained for the surrounding landowners and recreational benefits of the Winchester Water Control District.

Now, due to lack of repairs, the dam has been categorized as “high hazard” by the Oregon Department of Water Resources, and a 2019 inspection requested the owners hire an engineer to inspect the structure, which has yet to be conducted.

In January 2020, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality assessed a $58,378 fine for violations during a repair in 2018 at Winchester Dam. The letter, issued by the DEQ Office of Compliance and enforcement, read, in part:

DEQ issued this penalty because the North Umpqua River is important habitat for threatened Oregon Coast coho salmon and several other sensitive species, and your activities resulted in the discharge of sediment and wet ( or "green") concrete to the river, degrading aquatic habitat and killing numerous fish. These incidents also negatively affected the quality of the primary drinking water source for two community water systems - City of Roseburg and Umpqua Basin Water Association, serving approximately 37,700 people (28,800 and 8,900, respectively).

Your dam repair activities were conducted without following all established in-water work best management practices, despite receiving information in advance from state and federal agencies on how to protect water quality and resident aquatic species.

The. Conservationist organizations are claiming that holes throughout the wooden structure have become false attractions for fish jumping against it and getting injured. Jim McCarthy with WaterWatch Oregon claims the fish reach spawning grounds in bad shape or don’t arrive at all because they died. Lack of repairs has led a number of organizations to sue the Winchester Water Control District for its operation and lack of maintenance of the Winchester Dam.

The organizations allege the 130-year-old dam is harming Coho Salmon. The plaintiffs, represented by Karl G. Anuta and attorneys for Earthjustice, asked the court to declare that the defendant violated the ESA and to provide adequate passage for Coho salmon as well as store water without a permit. They also asked the court to either require the dam to be removed or for the defendants to repair the dam to provide “adequate fish passage” and impose civil penalties on Winchester Water Control District.

The District claims the current 10 year average fish count for Coho is the highest it has ever been since the count record began in the late 1940s, and the suit is aimed at removing the dam. But, can they defend against what appears to be poor management?

The Winchester Water Control District board can’t win. If the suit is denied, they must still answer to the Oregon Department of Water Resources for the poor rating and conduct an inspection. If the suit is upheld the board must still make repairs and conduct an inspection, or remove the dam. If the dam is removed, they can each be held liable for damages to each and every citizen of Roseburg that benefits from this dam. “The board can individually be held liable and sued on a personal basis for the rise in cost of water by each resident as a result of removing the dam,” according to Loma Wharton of Liberators.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2020-12-03 21:09:34Last Update: 2020-12-03 22:06:35



Housing Providers Propose Relief
Point out state’s role in generating back due rent.

An Oregon association representing more than 25,000 members and over 270,000 rental units, Multifamily NW, has communicated with Governor Kate Brown, requesting a resolution to the hundreds of millions of dollars in unpaid rent owed to real estate owners. These arrearages were created by state policies on housing, including eviction moratoria and lack of tenant requirements for proof of hardship. Spurred by the recent discussion by the Governor's Council of Economic Advisors, the letter, authored by Multifamily NW Executive Director, Deborah Imse calls out the advisors for their inability to address the problem.

Oregonian renters and housing providers would be angered and disheartened by the response you received from economist Tim Duy, and your apparent agreement with his statement: “I don’t know that it’s possible for the state to make that investment, it’s probably too big, and I would probably let the bankruptcy courts deal with it and let the banks deal with it....you are going to have to accept that there are going to be costs to this pandemic that cannot be dealt with effectively by the state”

The costs referred to by the economist amount to more than $250 300 million, but housing providers maintain they are higher. In an ironic twist, some of the loudest voices in favor of the eviction moratorium, which involves the state intervention on a private contract, are the same voices that point out the inviolability of a contract when PERS reform is discussed.

Not content with merely complaining to the Governor, Multifamily NW offers several solutions that the upcoming legislature could use to provide relief. There is a proposal on the table for mitigating the damages done to housing providers, currently known as Legislative Concept 18. In another letter, addressed to "Speaker Kotek and Members of the Democratic Caucus," the association points out several flaws in LC 18, including: 38% of all residential real estate in Oregon is renter occupied, so the dollar figure of any impact on rental properties quickly balloons. Often accused of picking winners and losers, Democrats in the person of the Governor and the majority party in the legislature have created a massive welfare program -- with a wealth transfer of possibly nearly half a billion dollars -- and placed the cost of that welfare program squarely on the shoulder of one sector of society. Ask a housing provider if "We are all in this together."


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2020-12-03 18:10:02Last Update: 2020-12-03 19:49:27



The Oregon Election Has Been Certified
Secretary of State Bev Clarno announces record turnout

Today, elections officials certified the 2020 General Election in Oregon. Official election results are available on the Oregon Secretary of State website.

In the months leading up to the 2020 General Election, Oregon's Secretary of State Bev Clarno challenged all Oregon voters to remain engaged in democracy and to participate in this year’s election. Not only did voters participate, but Oregon experienced a record number turnout with over 2.4 million ballots cast.

“Thank you for participating and making your voices heard,” said Secretary Clarno. “I am so proud of the work all of our election officials do every day to ensure that our democracy is safe and secure. Voters can rest assured that their votes count and that our system remains one of the most accessible in the nation.”

The Electoral College will meet at 1:30 p.m. on December 14th to cast the electoral votes. This will be available to watch by livestream on the Oregon Legislature's website.


--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2020-12-03 16:21:12Last Update: 2020-12-03 16:29:28



Distance Learning Got You Down? Blame the OEA
For teachers’ unions, it not about the kids.

If your kid is sick of distance learning and/or not getting the most out of your education property taxes, you might have more than just Governor Brown to blame. It might be that the Governor is under a lot of pressure from her friends as the local teachers' union. One of the most powerful public employee unions in the state, the Oregon Education Association is convinced that standing up for its members means keeping kids out of classrooms.

Governor Brown has been convening her COVID advisory group in secret -- as the public meeting laws apparently allow -- so it's not clear who is putting pressure on her to develop policies favorable to their interests, such as public employee unions. In this case, though it's not required for her to be transparent, her failure to do so heightens speculation that she's being influenced.

According to their website:

OEA and your local association are continuing to work around the clock to fight for protections for students and staff who fear for their health, or the health of their loved ones, should they be asked to return to school. Nobody wants to get students back into the classroom more than educators, but we can’t bring students back until we can ensure that our schools are a safe place for students to learn and for educators to work.

As we continue to see record levels of COVID-19 both here in Oregon and throughout the United States, it is more important than ever that our communities recognize the threat of this pandemic and take the steps necessary to contain its spread.

OEA President John Larson makes a similarly bold statement on their website:

Relaxed metrics at this moment in time will only serve to further disrupt education for students, families, and educators throughout Oregon – allowing districts to bring students back to the classroom before it is safe to do so and increasing the likelihood that our schools and communities will again be forced to lockdown in the future.

The science tells another story. First of all, according to data supplied by the Oregon Health Authority, children age 19 and below make up fewer cases than the general population -- despite the fact that roughly a quarter of them, kids under the age of five, have no mask mandate. When they do contract the disease, children aged 19 and below have less-serious symptoms, as evidenced by the fact that they are hospitalized much less than other age segments. And, as would be expected from these statistics, they are far much less likely to die from it. In fact, no one in Oregon has died from COVID-19 who is 19 years or younger.

Not. A. Single. Person.

Further, as we are on our way to herd immunity from this disease -- an equilibrium in which enough people have immunity to the disease to keep it at bay, whether by having contracted it, or though vaccination, the demographic that can be most helpful in this process are the children. No one wants their child -- or any child -- to get seriously ill, but this outbreak seems to target the elderly and immune compromised, so the more young people who get immune from it helps corner the virus.

It's hard to imagine who the teachers' unions are trying to protect. Kids? Not really. Teachers? Maybe, but other professionals -- one thinks of first responders and health care workers -- face the disease, too and survive.

One could wonder if, instead of teaching critical thinking and science to a generation of youth, children are taught fear and dependence upon government, by the "red for ed" public employee union members who are doing the teaching. One also wonders if there's not a rift between the actual boots-on-the-ground educators -- a group not known to fear a virus -- and their union bosses. Certainly, there must be some teachers that want to return to the classroom. They might be better served by their union fighting to get them a spot closer to the front of the line for scarce vaccines, rather than an eternal spot in front of a laptop.

It remains to be seen if the public employee unions which control our education system care about children. It's pretty clear that they are wholly unresponsive to taxpayers and parents.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2020-12-03 15:10:40Last Update: 2020-12-03 16:20:42



Separation of Powers and Branches of Government in Oregon
This should be easy. Spoiler alert: It’s not

If you were taught any civics, probably the most basic thing you were taught is the three branches of government. You can probably still name them: The Legislative, the Executive and the Judicial Branches. Well, Oregon's founders didn't want you to rest on your laurels after 10th grade, so they created an appendage to the Executive. Article III, Section 1 of the Oregon Constitution spells it out.

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

Article III, Section 2 says it all starts with Legislative action:

Budgetary control over executive and administrative officers and agencies. The Legislative Assembly shall have power to establish an agency to exercise budgetary control over all executive and administrative state officers, departments, boards, commissions and agencies of the State Government.

Once the legislature has created executive agencies and given them a budget and a mission, they are under day-to-day control of the executive -- The Governor.

The Administrative Department is described in Article VI. Because the Secretary of State and the State Treasurer are elected officials in addition to the Governor, who is the head of the Executive Branch, they are deemed part of the Executive Branch, but not really. Get it? The fact that they are called out on the Oregon Constitution gives them a measure of independence from the Governor.

To further complicate things, there are two other agencies within the Executive Branch, which are not named as part of the administrative branch, but are separate elected officials. The Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industries as head of that agency and the Attorney General as head of the Oregon Justice Department are statewide elected officials in the Executive branch.

The Governor is in charge of all other agencies in state government. Most agencies have a board of commissioners, appointed by the Governor and in some cases, confirmed by the State Senate, to direct policy for the agency.




--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2020-12-02 19:50:38Last Update: 2020-12-03 10:23:17



Kate Brown Announces Closure of Three Prisons
Public safety sees little priority in Brown’s new budget

Kate Brown has explained that "equity" will be the priority with her newly released biennium budget proposals. She announced the budget on Tuesday, via press conference, and she explained that funding for public safety will suffer significant cuts.

While these budget cuts are being considered as a response to the loss of state revenue during the mandated lock downs, the governor may not be willing to give up on pet projects, as indicated by the proposed 8 percent increase in the overall budget. She then pleaded with the Trump administration for additional federal funding for projects that Oregon could not budget appropriately for.

"Honestly, it is time for Washington, DC to get its act together. Unlike the federal government, state governments have to balance our budget. We have to meet the needs of the pandemic Our revenues are down as a result of the recession caused by the pandemic and yet we've got to meet the needs of vulnerable Orgon families and, frankly, we've got to invest and rebuild in our communities."

"Together, with our public safety system, we cut roughly 100 million. I had a very tough conversation with the hospitals today because the Oregon Health Plan is still short $400 million, so that we need to work collaboratively to preserve our health care infrastructure."

She announced a plan for three prisons to be closed. Mill Creek Correctional Facility in Salem is slated to be the first closure in July 2021 with Shutter Creek Correctional Institution in North Bend next, and Warner Creek Correctional Facility in Lakeview to follow.

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

Senate Republican Leader Fred Girod (R-Lyons) issued the following statement:

“I am deeply concerned for Oregonians’ public safety with Governor Brown’s decision to close three state prisons yesterday. There is a potential for an increase in crime, especially when there are no details on who is being released or relocated. “Before the Legislature does anything, Governor Brown must share the plan of where inmates will go, who will be released and how law enforcement, vendor and support staff jobs will be protected.

“Two of the prisons are in rural Oregon communities already under significant stress due to the COVID-19 lockdowns, and the years of neglect as the Portland area has been given priority. “Governor Brown’s decision to close multiple corrections facilities, along with the early release of inmates this year, and the 2019 bill that narrowed the use of the death penalty, are examples of the disturbing trend that she does not value Oregonians’ public safety and is determined to undermine the Oregon criminal justice system to earn political points.”


--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2020-12-02 13:05:16Last Update: 2020-12-24 12:42:24



Republican Candidate Selma Pierce Tragically Dies
Fatal crash in West Salem

On December 1, 2020 at approximately 5:00 p.m., the Salem Police and Fire Departments responded to Doaks Ferry RD NW and Hidden Valley DR NW on a report of a vehicle colliding with a pedestrian.

The pedestrian, identified as Selma Pierce age 66 of Salem, was declared deceased at the scene. The driver of the Chevrolet SUV that struck Pierce remained on scene and is cooperating with the investigation.

The preliminary findings indicate Pierce was in the roadway when she was struck. The investigation is still ongoing and no further details will be released at this time.

Both Bud and Selma Pierce were very active in Oregon politics. Selma's husband Bud had announced his campaign to run for governor of Oregon just the day prior.

House Republican Leader Christine Drazan has released a statement offering condolences:

"House Republicans were devastated to learn of the tragic passing of Dr. Selma Pierce in an accident earlier today. We are profoundly saddened by this sudden loss of our friend and community leader. Selma dedicated her life to serving people.

"She touched the lives of thousands through volunteer dental work to at-risk populations, service on local education foundations, and her and her husband Bud’s generous support of countless community organizations. The Pierces are a pillar of the Salem community and this loss will be felt deeply across our state. Our prayers are with Bud and the entire Pierce family this evening.”

Selma's husband Dr. Bud Pierce has also released a somber statement on the tragic passing of his wife:

Selma Pierce, the glue of the Pierce family, an angel of a person , the only woman that I have ever loved, died this evening in a sudden and tragic accident. We cannot believe that she has left us, but we are comforted in the knowledge that she is with God, and we will see her again.


--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2020-12-01 21:03:18Last Update: 2020-12-01 21:05:57



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