The City of Molalla, Oregon has posted this on their official facebook page.

COVID-19 Temporary Restaurant Relief

Dear Local Restaurant Owners,

As you are aware Governor Kate Brown has used her executive authority to shut down indoor dining for the foreseeable future due to perceived threats from COVID-19. While curbside pickup and delivery have been successful tools to combat some of the hardship faced by local restaurants, it is simply not enough to make ends meet for most of you. Additionally, as purported reopen dates have repeatedly proven to be nothing more than shut-down reissuance dates, City Staff has been brainstorming ways to support you.

While there is nothing that can be done at the local level to allow you to fully reopen, there are local rules that can be relaxed to allow you to increase your operations and remain compliant with all relevant laws and executive orders. In that vein, City Manager, Dan Huff, under his emergency authority, has authorized me to invite all restaurants in the City of Molalla to partake in outdoor dining operations (subject to City approval).

The process is simple, just contact me using the contact information above. I will meet with you, discuss your plan, and arrange for you to provide the relevant documents based on your plan and the nature of your property. There will be no fee for this process and barring situations outside our purview we can have you ready for outdoor operations within a day or two.

I can’t tell you enough how sorry I am that we have not rolled this out sooner. Like so many across our state and country, we heard “two weeks to flatten the curve” and believed that (even with some minor extensions) there was a light at the end of the tunnel. And, while we are still positive that this too shall pass, we now understand that the length of the tunnel is based on the whims of individuals, and that it has already been too long for many.

Thank you for being a valued member of the Molalla Community, please don’t hesitate to reach out as soon as possible to get the ball rolling.

Contact Mac Corthell at 503-759-0219 or mcorthell@cityofmolalla.com.

Please disseminate this information to other local restaurant owners if you are willing.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2020-12-16 12:45:25

Undaunted by Yamhill County counsel Todd Sadlo’s zero for five record at the Land Use Board of Appeals, friends of the Yamhelas Westsider Trail and their allies in both elected and unelected government press on, including Commissioner Casey Kulla. With grant money from the Oregon Department of Transportaton and DLCD Alta Planning has been hired to create a a master plan for an unapproved trail.

Virtual townhalls were part of the rollout in which unscientific polls were taken to establish consensus. Alta’s Mary Stewart stated that all property owners adjacent to the trail would have input to the process. As the Master Plan moves to a Board of Commissioner’s meeting on December 17th no effort had been made by Alta to contact those owning land adjacent to the trail. Finally, an adjacent property owner, Jim VanDyke, contacted Alta and arraigned for Stewart to meet property owners on Dec. 16th at his farm.

Yamhill County grant money coordinator, Carrie Martin, stated in a McMinnville News Register article on Dec. 8th that she had reached out to adjacent property owners. That simply wasn’t true. Following up on that newspaper article Commissioner elect, Lindsay Berschauer asked Ms. Martin if adjacent property owners had been contacted. Ms. Martin tried to give Berschauer the run-around by claiming that they were contacted if they logged into the virtual townhall. It’s unfortunate when public officials deliberately mislead for partisan reasons.

Materials in the possession of Alta which were not presented at the virtual townhalls are part of the presentation to the Board of Commissioners for the Dec 17th meeting. Metro added the Yamhelas Westsider Trail to it’s regional trails map in 2018. Who is orchestrating these moves that lack transparency? What level of oversight does grant money receive? Why is ODOT so heavily involved in a facility of the Parks Department?


--Tom Hammer

Post Date: 2020-12-16 08:56:26

In 1990, the North Gateway Urban Renewal Area was established on roughly 900-acre section of north Salem that includes the Portland Road Corridor. As an innovative public-private partnership between Salem-Keizer Public Schools and Mountain West Investment Corporation, the Career and Technology Education Center opened in 2015. The vision for CTEC is to prepare high school students for high-skill, high-wage and high-demand careers while developing the professional skills, technical knowledge, academic foundation and real-world experience to assure their success upon graduation. The first full school year (2016-17), Salem-Keizer graduation rates increased nearly two percent, and decreased the dropout rate.

The Urban Renewal Agency just announced an investment of $2 million toward the Salem-Keizer School District’s Career and Technology Education Center. CTEC opened in North Salem to address the need for a trained workforce in the Mid-Willamette region and provides workforce development and educational opportunities for Salem residents including auto mechanics, construction, agricultural science, culinary, and design programs.

Mountain West purchased the 150,000 square-foot former Neilsen Manufacturing facility in 2014 with a commitment to renovate the space and equip 10 different Career Technical Education programs by 2019. The total capital project budget is $17 million, with Mountain West contributing $9 million, and $8 million leveraged from the public sector, foundations, individuals and businesses.

As the other half of the public-private partnership, Salem-Keizer Public Schools develops the curriculum, recruits and registers students, hires faculty and staff, provides transportation and covers ongoing operating costs. CTEC programs align with high school graduation requirements as well as industry certifications and standards.

The CTEC programs are right inline with Ivanka Trump’s campaign as co-chair of the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board that took root at the beginning of 2019. The goal is to make apprenticeships and other training programs just as attractive that is far less expensive than higher education.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2020-12-16 08:49:05

Oregon State Police has partnered with the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification (UNT-CHI) for over 10 years to process and upload missing person and unidentified person DNA profiles into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). The Center has also provided invaluable service to all 36 Oregon counties by sponsoring and managing the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs). Unfortunately, due to a loss of federal funds, the UNT-CHI can no longer process any missing person or unidentified remains samples outside the state of Texas. UNT-CHI will also be limited in their management of the NamUs website as of January 1, 2021.

The Oregon State Police Forensic Science and Pathology Bureau will now be expected and sought out by Oregon law enforcement agencies to provide the services that UNT cannot. OSP cannot provide the suite of DNA examinations and services that UNT has provided in the past; however, the Bureau is committed to assisting Oregonians and Oregon law enforcement providing DNA analyses. If you have missing person/family reference standards to submit for DNA analysis, they ask that you retain them securely until further notice. You may direct questions regarding DNA analysis for Family Reference Standards of missing persons to Stephenie Winter Sermeno, OSP DNA Unit Supervisor: swinter@osp.oregon.gov.

Death investigators and law enforcement agencies routinely begin with the NamUs website to determine if DNA, dental records, and fingerprints from both missing persons and unidentified remains are available for searching and comparison purposes. In addition, families of missing persons have access to NamUs to provide and search for important information about their loved ones for “matching” or associating cases. Negotiations appear to be ongoing regarding the maintenance and management of the NamUs website; the National Institute of Justice is acknowledging the burden that suspending this national information repository would bring. NamUs is a crucial tool to the forensic science, pathology, anthropology, missing persons, and law enforcement communities. Continued use as a state-wide and nation-wide resource and service is important as an uninterrupted tool. In the meantime, you may direct questions regarding the analysis of unidentified remains and/or the OSP Human Identification Program to Dr. Nici Vance, State Forensic Anthropologist: nvance@osp.oregon.gov

In the coming days OSP will communicate analytical capabilities and limitations regarding the submission and processing of biological samples in missing person cases and unidentified remains cases. How this plays out may depend on the 2021-23 OSP budget. The agency requested a 41.59% increase of which 28% comes from the General Fund. However, The Governor’s budget did not include additional funding for the Forensic Science and Pathology Bureau. But, in response to the riots, the Governor will invest $5.8 million to support and improve the Oregon State Police’s policy, training, and wellness accountability plans, which includes funding for implicit bias training, firearms accountability, trooper wellness, and the purchase of additional body cameras.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2020-12-16 08:40:49

Last Update: 2020-12-17 06:23:48

Senator Dennis Linthicum (R-Klamath Falls) has issued a statement about the unconstitutional lockdowns and the resulting double standards.

“If Governor Kate Brown truly ‘followed the science’, the insidious and unconstitutional COVID-19 lockdowns would have ended months ago because they do not make any sense. The cost far exceeds the benefits and the negative results from lockdowns far outweigh the false imagery about ‘saving lives.’ We now know there are increased rates of child abuse from the lockdowns; patients are unable to get cancer treatments; and, the U.N. estimates nearly 130 million people will starve as a direct result of lockdowns worldwide.

“Here in Oregon, the cruel and perfidious COVID-19 mandates only seem to apply to hard-working Oregonians but not to the many hypocrites in office. When the political elite fail to live by their own arbitrary rules, it creates a double standard that signals to Oregonians that have been irreparably damaged by the lockdowns that their suffering and sacrifices do not matter. This is socialism at its worst: ‘Everyone is equal, but some are more equal.’

“America’s founding concepts still remain: all men and women are inherently valuable. They are free-will moral agents who are, and by right, ought to be free. Self-governance is the goal; not control by the state. After watching a disturbing video of a corporate airline discriminating against a young family, it is abundantly clear that when citizens and businesses blindly follow the government’s arbitrary COVID-19 rules out of fear, they unwittingly become the arm of state power. It’s time for Oregonians to take back their freedom and get back to living their lives without fear of state interference.”

Senator Linthicum can be contacted at Sen.DennisLinthicum@oregonlegislature.gov


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2020-12-16 08:26:01

Last Update: 2020-12-16 08:49:05

Below are answers to frequently asked questions about the Oregon Health Authority’s Sector Guidance for Retail Stores. The guidance and these FAQs apply statewide. OHA provides these FAQs to help the public understand the guidance, to respond to stakeholder questions, and to clarify how the guidance may apply in specific scenarios. These FAQs may be intermittently updated. The FAQ is not intended to take the place of the guidance, but rather to interpret, supplement and help fill in the details of the guidance.

Operations

Q1: May secondhand stores accept donations?
A1: Yes. When processing returns or donations, employees should wash hands or use hand sanitizer before and after handling items. A retailer may set items aside for a day or longer if concerned about perceived risks of exposure.

Q2: Where do real estate offices fit?
A2: Real estate offices must follow the OHA General Guidance for Employers and Organizations. Real estate offices are not subject to, but may review, the retail guidance for other recommendations that they may want to follow.

Q3: How do I determine the number of customers to allow in a store?
A3: Businesses must limit capacity based on the designated risk level for the county where the store is located. Guidance for determining maximum occupancy and capacity is located in the Sector Risk Level Guidance Chart.

Q4: May farmers markets or other open markets operate under the Retail Guidance?
A4: Yes, farmers markets or indoor and outdoor markets may operate under the Retail Stores guidance and are required to follow the maximum capacity limits based on the designated risk level of the county where the market is located.

Q5: If a customer gets COVID-19 from being in my store, am I liable?
A5: If you have liability concerns you should contact your legal counsel.

Q6: I've noticed many businesses have shorter hours. Is there any requirement that retailers are to be closed by a certain time?
A6: There is not a requirement for retailers to be closed by a certain time or change their hours of operation.

Q7: Are museums required to follow the Sector Guidance for Retail Stores? What is the guidance for museums?
A7: Museums are considered indoor entertainment and are required to follow the Sector Guidance for Indoor Entertainment Establishments.

Q10: Are u-pick/u-cut operations, like tree farms, allowed?
A10: Yes. These are allowed following the Sector Guidance for Retail. For more information about U-Pick Farms, refer to the Oregon Department of Agriculture’s U-Pick Farms information.

Q11: Can holiday bazaars operate under the Retail Guidance?
A11: Yes. Holiday bazaars may operate under the Retail Guidance. Holiday Bazaars are generally considered an outdoor or indoor market and are subject to the additional requirements in the Retail Guidance.

Q12: Are banks and credit unions allowed to operate under the Retail Guidance?
A12: Yes, banks and credit unions must comply with the retail guidance.

Employees

Q1: Are retail businesses required or recommended to conduct health care screening for employees? What about self-health monitoring for employees instead?
A1: It is recommended that retail businesses consider regular health checks (e.g., temperature and respiratory symptom screening) or symptom self-report of employees, if job-related and consistent with business necessity, and in accordance with human resources policies.

Q2: May I take the temperature of my employees?
A2: Following OHA guidance, retail businesses may consider regular health checks (e.g., temperature and respiratory symptom screening) or symptom self-report of employees if job-related and consistent with business necessity and in accordance with human resources policies.

Q3: If our retail business decides to check the temperature of our employees, is there a specific thermometer to use that is less invasive?
A3: Yes, it is recommended to use an infrared no-touch thermometer.

Q4: If a retail facility has employees who can maintain physical distancing, do we still have to require them to wear masks?
A4: Yes, a retail facility must require employees, contractors and volunteers to wear a mask, face shield or face covering following the Statewide Mask, Face Covering, Face Shield Guidance. Employees must also maintain at least six feet of physical distance from others.

Q5: Is the face covering requirement for customer-facing employees only, or also for employees who don't interact with the customers (e.g., warehouse employees)?
A5: It applies to both. The Statewide Mask, Face Covering, Face Shield Guidance requires all employees, contractors and volunteers to wear a mask, face shield or face covering.

Q6: For retail stores that have not closed or are not listed as required to close based on the designated risk level for the county, are face coverings required for those employees?
A6: Yes. All retailers, including grocery and pharmacy stores, must comply with the Guidance for Retail Stores and the Statewide Mask, Face Covering, Face Shield Guidance

Shopping Centers and Malls

Below are answers to frequently asked questions about the Oregon Health Authority’s Sector Guidance for Indoor and Outdoor Shopping Centers and Malls. The guidance and these FAQs apply statewide. OHA provides these FAQs to help the public understand the guidance, to respond to stakeholder questions, and to clarify how the guidance may apply in specific scenarios. These FAQs may be intermittently updated. The FAQ is not intended to take the place of the guidance, but rather to interpret, supplement and help fill in the details of the guidance.

Q1: Can shopping centers and malls open during the extreme risk level?
A1: Yes. Shopping centers and malls may operate during the extreme risk level and must follow the capacity requirements listed in the Sector Risk Level Guidance Chart.

Q2: If a food establishment is located at a mall or shopping center, may it provide curbside, take out service for food?
A2: Yes. Establishments located at a mall or shopping center are required to follow the Sector Guidance for Eating and Drinking Establishments and may offer food or drink for off-premises consumption (e.g., take out) or for delivery. All on-site consumption in restaurants and food courts is based on the designated risk level of the county where the eating and drinking establishment is located.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2020-12-16 07:12:02

Last Update: 2020-12-15 20:56:53

On November 27, 2020, at approximately 3:58 P.M., Oregon State Police Troopers were dispatched to a multiple vehicle crash at the intersection of South 6th Street and Crater Lake Parkway in Klamath Falls. The driver that caused the crash, later identified as, Thomas Dwayne Reif (27) was driving a silver 2013 Dodge Avenger.

Reif, a detective with the Klamath Falls Police Department, was on duty at the time of the crash and was driving his assigned Detective vehicle.

Just prior to the crash, Klamath County 911 received a call describing Reif as driving recklessly down South 6th Street.

Reif was evaluated at the scene by Klamath County Fire District 1 personnel and found to be unresponsive and not breathing. He was transported to Sky Lake Medical Center where emergency department personnel were able to quickly stabilize him.

The Klamath Falls Police Department immediately requested the Oregon State Police take lead on the investigation. Troopers began a DUII investigation and collected evidence the night of the crash. Evidence was sent to the Oregon State Police Crime Lab as part of the investigation. Members of the Oregon State Police Criminal Investigation Division were brought in to work with the Patrol Division on the investigation.

While evaluating the evidence seized in the investigation, Troopers developed probable cause that Reif had unlawfully obtained and used drug evidence from an unrelated case in the course of his duties.

Once lab results were obtained on the evidence, Troopers sought to arrest Reif for DUII, Reckless Driving, Recklessly Endangering Another Person, Official Misconduct 1st degree, Tampering with Evidence, and Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance (Schedule II controlled substance – fentanyl)

Thomas Dwayne Reif was booked into the Klamath County Jail on December 15, 2020.

The Klamath Falls Police Department has released a statement on the situation.


--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2020-12-15 19:53:32

Last Update: 2020-12-15 20:12:02

Governor Kate Brown will hold a press availability tomorrow, when Oregon hospitals are scheduled to begin administering the first COVID-19 vaccinations in the state to frontline health care workers. She will be joined by representatives from the Oregon Health Authority and Oregon hospitals, including Legacy Health, Oregon Health & Science University, and Saint Alphonsus in Ontario.

Governor Brown will hold a press conference tomorrow, December 16, at 11:00 am. A livestream will be available for the public.

According to the Oregon Health Authority website, this event is the beginning of what will be a massive immunization campaign as health facilities begin receiving new Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The first COVID-19 vaccine doses arrived in Oregon yesterday, December 14. Legacy Health is the first registered COVID-19 vaccine provider in the state to receive the vaccine, made by Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE. The health system’s Holladay Park site in Portland and Meridian Park site in Tualatin each took delivery of one package of 975 doses today at around 7:00 am.

Additional doses are expected at three other locations in Oregon on Tuesday: Oregon Health & Science University Pharmacy, Kaiser Permanente’s Airport Way Center in Portland, and St. Alphonsus Medical Center in Ontario also are each expected to receive 975-dose packages of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The remaining 30,225 Pfizer vaccine doses from this week’s allocation of 35,100 dose for Oregon will arrive at hospitals throughout the rest of the week, with 10,725 doses going to skilled nursing facilities for vaccinations that start next week.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2020-12-15 18:28:23

Last Update: 2020-12-15 19:38:04

Why is that great news? Because it is not coming to Oregon. Our chances for snow in the Willamette Valley are low until after the first of the year. However, if you want snow, all you need to do is look at the nearby hills that are covered. Still more snow is available on Mt. Hood.

Some are worried about the Arctic melting. They should be worried about the coming snow and ice. For reference, Resolute, Nunavut Canada in the high Arctic is presently -15 F with a stiff wind that makes it feel like -45 F, AND it is completely dark 24 hours per day this time of year. Resolute is about the most northern settlement on Earth that is a real town, not just a military or weather station.

If anyone is worried about the sea ice, here is the latest from the Arctic. The Arctic ocean is completely covered with sea ice, but slightly less than normal for this time of year. The temperature at Summit Camp high on the Greenland ice cap is about -22 F. That is considerably warmer than it was a few days ago, when the temperature dipped to -60 F. The ice cap is still shedding icebergs into the North Atlantic at these temperatures, because that process is largely unrelated to the outside temperature.

The Antarctic is losing sea ice fast but slightly 'above normal' as their summer approaches. The temperature at Vostok, Antarctica is presently a relatively mild -22 F. Nevertheless, there is no melting at those temperatures.

In other words, planet Earth still has lots of ice and snow. Those on the East Coast USA may soon feel that they have more than their fair share.

Santa is definitely shivering at the North Pole. Merry Christmas to all.


--Gordon Fulks, Ph.D.

Post Date: 2020-12-15 16:11:16

Last Update: 2020-12-15 16:21:32

Three bill drafts are out for the upcoming special legislative session, announced earlier today by Governor Kate Brown. It is not expected that any other legislation will be considered.

• LC 10 provides some regulations on the restaurant industry.
• Allows "to go" sales of liquor.
• Caps delivery charges at 10% of the price of the meal.
• LC 18 attempts to address the growing secondary crisis caused by the eviction moratorium.
• Distributes money to landlords to pay rents that have been unpaid from tenants.
• Extends the eviction moratorium until the end of June.
• LC 21 limits legal liability for public schools and colleges -- but not private schools -- from claims arising from COVID-19 related causes.

Persons wishing to provide testimony on these bills can do so on the Oregon Legislative Information Website. The session will be closed to the public -- at least in person.

Republican Legislative leaders sounded off on the upcoming special session -- each leader articulated a strong vision for the session.

“The third special session will give needed relief to hurting Oregonians. Proposed legislation includes COVID-19 liability protections for schools, a critical first step to get schools reopened, support for renters and landlords, as well as technical changes in the restaurant industry that will help hard-working Oregonians and small businesses.

“There is significant work to be done in the upcoming 2021 long session, and Republicans will continue to advocate for liability protections for our health care system in the coming weeks.” said Senate Republican Leader Fred Girod (R-Lyons) in a statement.

House Republican Leader Christine Drazan (R-Canby) also released a statement, saying that “A third special session will provide needed relief for Oregonians who have been impacted by COVID-19 and the governor’s executive orders. Proposed legislation prioritizes families and kids, restores jobs and takes our first steps to prevent frivolous lawsuits, while setting aside resources to balance our budget, fund wildfire recovery and support public health.

This special session is an opportunity for us to come together to support Oregonians. Our work remains incomplete until we successfully provide access to COVID-19 vaccines to Oregonians who want it, get our students back in the classroom, provide critical liability protections for businesses and our essential health care system, rebuild communities impacted by wildfires and recover jobs."


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2020-12-15 08:43:35

Last Update: 2020-12-16 09:50:27

Governor Kate Brown will convene a Special Session of the Oregon Legislature at 8:00am Monday, December 21, 2020, to address Oregonians’ most pressing needs given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which have only been compounded by Oregon’s horrific wildfires. The Governor is asking the legislature to consider both critical policies and $800 million in relief to support Oregonians during a one-day special session on COVID-19 and wildfires.

“Oregonians are making tremendous sacrifices to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” said Governor Brown. “While the risk reduction measures we have put in place are working to slow the spread, many Oregon families are struggling with unemployment, housing, food insecurity, and paying their bills — and those most impacted are the same people who are often left behind, including rural, Black, Indigenous, Latino/Latina/Latinx, Asian, Pacific Islander, and Tribal communities.

“I continue to call on Congress to pass another robust coronavirus relief bill to bring support to the American people. But these calls have not yet been heeded. It is clear that states must act on their own to provide a bridge until federal help arrives. This is why I am calling on legislators from both sides of the aisle to come together in the best interests of the state.

“We must protect Oregonians now, as we face some of our hardest days, whether by getting critical resources into the hands of those most in need, keeping a roof over people’s heads, or recognizing the incredible toll of this virus on our small businesses and restaurants. Oregon must act to bridge the gap as we continue to wait to see federal relief. I thank legislators for their work in addressing these critical issues next week, and I look forward to our progress.”

Republicans are calling for supports for businesses, schools and the health care system.

Included in the Governor’s budget priorities is aid for tenants and landlords, funding for vaccine distribution and contact tracing, wildfire prevention and community preparedness, and support for reopening schools.

To help ensure a healthy and safe environment for conducting session, legislative officials are consulting the state epidemiologist, Dr. Dean Sidelinger.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2020-12-15 07:39:17

Last Update: 2020-12-15 08:43:35

Despite a government-lockdown-driven COVID recession, Oregon's Treasurer is projecting strong general fund and lottery revenues over the next nine-year period. It's not known how dependent these revenue projections are on the influx of federal money. According to the report from the State Debt Policy Advisory Commission, the December revenue forecast permits the issuance of $1.139 billion general fund backed debt in 2019-21 biennium.

Oregon Treasurer Tobias Read said in a letter to Governor Brown and the Legislature, "In addition to the human costs, the pandemic has dramatically affected our economy, leading to financial uncertainty and commensurate challenges to the State’s budget in both the current and upcoming biennia. This makes long-term funding plans more difficult for important State and local government capital projects."

The debt capacity has a target of using 5% or less of state revenue to do debt service, and at that rate, the state will be able to issue over a billion dollars in debt during the next biennium.

Treasurer Read points out the uncertainty in the economy as well as the uncertainty of federal aid. "For these reasons, we continue to advise caution and patience when planning for capital projects," Read added.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2020-12-14 21:18:19

Last Update: 2020-12-14 22:09:40