Automated Vehicles use sensors and computer systems to drive themselves. Often called "self-driving" cars, AVs partially or entirely remove the need for a driver to control the vehicle. In 2018, the Oregon Legislature designated the Oregon Department of Transportation to be the lead agency coordinating autonomous vehicle programs and policies in Oregon.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says 94 percent of vehicle crashes are caused by human error. The majority of crashes are caused by 1) recognition errors, where drivers are not paying attention to the road or the vehicles around them; and, 2) decision errors, such as speeding, performing illegal maneuvers and misjudging gaps between vehicles or others’ speed. Automated vehicles could eliminate the majority of these crashes.

While automated vehicle systems require much more testing and validation before they are ready for commercial deployment, engineers are working to ensure they drive safely, closely follow traffic laws, and respond appropriately to changing road conditions. Automated vehicles do not get distracted and can monitor their environment in 360-degree, high-precision 3D, unlike a human.

Automated vehicles can also provide increased mobility to seniors, children, people with disabilities and others who are unable or choose not to drive. They could operate more efficiently than conventional vehicles, reducing congestion and emissions.

Oregon does not currently regulate AV testing, but the voluntary notification process allows ODOT to provide safety information to interested companies on work zones and lane closures on proposed test routes and dates. It also enables us to solicit feedback from AV system developers on how to engage the industry, and to track the progress of AV testing in the state.

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The development of AV technology could spur an economic revolution on the scale of the invention of the internal combustion engine or the invention of the personal computer. AVs could free up resources in the economy currently used by drivers and law enforcemnt ("send my speeding ticket to Google -- I was asleep") as well as reduce insurance premiums. Also, by making driving more efficient, incrmental gains can be made in reducing the cost of shipping.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2021-07-02 17:00:42

Last Update: 2021-07-02 17:00:45

Sandy Mayor Stan Pulliam, who is exploring a run for Oregon Governor in 2022, issued the following statement regarding the Supreme Court of the United States decision on Brnovich vs. DNC.

"I applaud the Supreme Court for upholding Arizona's common sense laws that guarantee every American is able to vote, and vote once," said Pulliam. "Despite the partisan spin coming from our Secretary of State, the reality is that ballot harvesting is a tactic we've seen used and abused by her political party. Oregonians deserve leaders who put the integrity of our elections before their desire to get a good headline or partisan advantage.

The 6-3 SCOTUS decision came during the ongoing Arizona audit of the 2020 election that was started as an attempt to restore trust in elections.

"As I have been traveling around Oregon on my Gubernatorial Exploratory Listening Tour, one of the frequent concerns I've heard is whether our elections are fair and honest," continued Pulliam. "Ensuring our elections are conducted without fraud is basic to our constitutional republic. I have to ask those politicians who are critical of attempts to ensure our elections are fair: why are they so worried about the extra scrutiny?"

Stan Pulliam is the two term, nonpartisan Mayor of Sandy.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2021-07-02 16:10:23

Beginning June 28, Lane County will collect input and feedback from community members to help guide the development of the Lane County Climate Action Plan.

There are multiple ways to get involved this summer, including an online open house, survey, and virtual meetings. Lane County will also conducting stakeholder interviews with residents in historically marginalized communities who experience greater barriers to participation in public engagement.

Online Open House and Survey

Starting June 28, learn more about the project and share your ideas about the draft plan framework using our online survey. The open house and survey will remain available through July 31.

Virtual Public Meetings

Join one of five virtual meetings that will focus on the following elements: transportation, energy used in buildings/renewable energy production, consumption (the stuff we buy and use), coastal communities, and foothills communities.

Meeting	Date and Time	Link
Meeting 1 – Transportation	June 30, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.	Register here
Meeting 2 – Energy Used in Buildings and Renewables	July 13, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.	Register here
Meeting 3 – Consumption: stuff we buy and use, including food, agriculture, and forestry products	July 21, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.	Register here
Meeting 4 – Florence and Coast	July 27, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.	Register here
Meeting 5 – East County Foothills	July 29, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.	Register here

For more information about the project, people can visit www.lanecountyor.gov/climateplan.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2021-07-02 09:29:06

Last Update: 2021-07-02 09:50:37

Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan (D-Portland) has issued a breathless press release regarding the US Supreme Court's recent decision Brnovich v. DNC. At issue is an Arizona law passed as Arizona HB 2023 in 2016, which made it a felony for anyone other than an election official or a family member or caregiver to handle or collect a completed early voting or absentee ballot, thereby banning "ballot harvesting."

While political operatives in Arizona working with data to direct them to harvest only ballots which support their candidates are committing a felony, in Oregon, local election officials welcome trunks full of ballots arriving at 7:59pm or even later.

According to Secretary Fagan:

“The Supreme Court’s decision today is a catastrophic outcome for voting rights across our country. As Justice Elena Kagan wrote in her dissent, 'The Voting Rights Act is ambitious, in both goal and scope. When President Lyndon Johnson sent the bill to Congress, ten days after John Lewis led marchers across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, he explained that it was ‘carefully drafted to meet its objective—the end of discrimination in voting in America’.

This stands in contrast to Oregon who has continued make it easier for Oregonians to cast their ballot by breaking down barriers to voting. From accepting ballots postmarked on Election Day to providing election information in multiple languages to making it simple and easy to register, Oregon continues to lead the way.

The Supreme Court has kicked away the foundation of the Voting Rights Act, effectively allowing the disenfranchisement of American voters, especially those who’ve historically been prevented from exercising this sacred right. To again quote the dissent by Justice Elena Kagan, 'What is tragic here is that the Court has (yet again) rewritten—in order to weaken—a statute that stands as a monument to America’s greatness, and protects against its basest impulses. What is tragic is that the Court has damaged a statute designed to bring about the end of discrimination in voting.'"

As Oregon effectively forces voter registration on voters through Motor Voter -- and now Welfare Voter and Medicaid Voter -- the number of ballots in the hands of low-interest voters is higher than ever and a clever ballot harvesting scheme can easily tip the election in favor of those who aren't inclined by their own will to actually cast a ballot.

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Many observers agree that banning ballot harvesting is a far cry from a "catastrophic outcome" and that ballot harvesting is as much an influence on elections as poll taxes or literacy tests. Though this ruling doesn't directly impact Oregon -- ballot harvesting will still be legal -- it shows that the court is inclined to consider such practices as shady and worthy of banning and a tactic that one can't help but think that Secretary Fagan may be hoping to use in a future run for Governor.


--Mike Nearman

Post Date: 2021-07-01 10:34:02

Last Update: 2021-07-06 19:51:20

The state broke heat records on three consecutive days with a high of 118 in The Dalles and Pendleton on Tuesday. Monday hit 117 in Salem and 116 in Portland. East of the Cascades reached 108, though he record high temperature for the entire Northwest region is officially listed as 119 F in Pendleton, Oregon on the 10th of August, more than 125 years ago.

The extraordinary cool-down we experienced on the hottest day showed what really happened. We were cutoff for a few days from our natural air conditioner, the Pacific Ocean. When it switched back on, our temperature plummeted 50 degrees Fahrenheit in a matter of hours, demonstrating that the heat was due to the direction of the wind.

The Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office has received reports of 63 deaths. Many of the deaths were senior who lived alone with no air conditioning or fans. Multnomah County death are reported to be between the ages of 44 to 97 and many are reported to have underlying health conditions. County Medical Examiner offices report an increase in calls and increase in investigative house calls. The Oregon Health Authority reported that heat-related visits to emergency rooms across Oregon also spiked during the heat wave.

While Governor Brown’s office expressed her profound regret and praised county employees and volunteers for distributing water and fans to vulnerable people, it could be the consequences from her emergency guidelines for shutdown. The pandemic has produced an isolation mentality for fear of getting infected with COVID-19. This is more evident in seniors living alone that lost outside contact due to the fear of the pandemic. That may be the real tragedy. Now that we are set free, we all need to take stock of our surroundings and reconnect with our neighbors.


--Donna Bleiler and Gordon Fulks

Post Date: 2021-07-01 09:48:46

In the year plus of going around the merry-go-round about masks with this, that, and the other experts weighing in, some conclude Occam’s Razor applies appropriately to the mask question. The simplest explanation may be the most accurate explanation. Mask boxes and packages made in Communist Party China warn consumers masks are not for viruses. Some directly read “...not for coronaviruses...”

Are any more words necessary? For those needing a a fuller explanation listen to OSHA experts.

How does the state of Oregon know an emergency is in play? An emergency according to the dictionary is “...a serious, unexpected, and often dangerous situation requiring immediate action.” Governor Kate Brown in all her Executive Orders made no mention of the following section of the Oregon emergency law ORS 401.165(5):

“(5) Any proclamation of a state of emergency must specify the geographical area covered by the proclamation. Such area shall be no larger than necessary to effectively respond to the emergency.”

A shall and a must are imperative in law. Subsection (5) of the emergency law advised and directed the governor and her administrative entities that every square inch of Oregon including the Pacific Ocean could not be shutdown. There are counties in Oregon with no deaths attributed to COVID-19.

The Oregonian in March 2020 per Oregon Sciences and Health University in an article declared the homeless the most vulnerable because of their chronic health issues and they would die. Not one COVID-19 death in the homeless community in Portland, Oregon.

Recently a study by OHSU testing a portion of the Portland homeless produced all negative test results for COVID-19. As well in Portland no child has died from COVID-19. The most compelling issue thus for parents and other professionals working with children is why the governor gave an illegal order to mask children up then in each succeeding order made the age of masking children up younger and younger?

The Constitution of the United States of America and the Oregon Constitution are foundational documents that must be adhered to by the Oregon legislature, by the governor and by the courts in conducting the business of we the people in Oregon.

In the Oregon legislature we have citizen legislators elected by we the people. New legislators can be at a disadvantage by when and how they learn the ropes of writing and passing legislation as well as navigating seemingly entrenched bureaucratic agencies. Getting back to Occam’s Razor this section of the Oregon Constitution might be most helpful to the duties of the legislature, the governor, secretary of state and we the people:

“Section 21, Acts to be plainly worded. Every act, and joint resolution shall be plainly worded, avoiding as far as practicable the use of technical terms.“

If it can’t pass the “...plainly worded...” test such laws are in violation of the Oregon Constitution.

Of concern to many citizens is the locking down of the state Capitol building in Salem, Oregon. Did the locking down and locking out of the citizens of Oregon make the legislative session just ended null and void?

The shutdown of the state of Oregon, its people, its children, its businesses have most citizens looking at the very structure of Oregon state leadership, and these citizens wonder why Communist Party China was the one to tell all citizens masks do not work for viruses. Yet the governor of Oregon went on television repeatedly with her words to Oregonians to “mask up”. Masks from the beginning were not and are not for viruses.


--Margo Logan

Post Date: 2021-07-01 09:43:19

Last Update: 2021-07-01 09:48:46

As of June 30, 2021 the State Medical Examiner’s Office has received reports of 63 deaths that preliminary investigations are suggesting likely to be associated with the Pacific Northwest heatwave.

This number may change in either direction as more information or reports are received from each County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Again, these are preliminary numbers as some investigations are still in progress and final causes of death have not yet been determined.

The following is the current breakdown by county of heat related deaths.

• Multnomah – 45
• Marion – 9
• Washington – 5
• Clackamas – 2
• Columbia – 1
• Umatilla -1

--Bruce Armstrong

Post Date: 2021-06-30 16:34:13

Last Update: 2021-06-30 16:59:01

Governor Kate Brown has declared a state of emergency due to the imminent threat of wildfire across Oregon.

On the heels of record-breaking high temperatures, much of the state is in high or extreme fire danger with red flag warnings in effect for hot, dry, windy conditions and dry thunderstorms. With the extended forecast in Oregon calling for unseasonably high temperatures with no rain in the forecast—and with 19 counties already in declared drought emergencies—the threat of wildfire in Oregon is imminent.

"Oregon is still recovering from the devastation of last year’s wildfires, which resulted in nine Oregonians losing their lives and thousands more losing their homes,” said Governor Brown. “With wildfires already sparking this year, it is imperative that we act now to prevent further loss—of life, property, business, and our natural resources.

“I issued this emergency declaration to ensure every resource is made available for firefighting efforts and to the crews striving to protect our state. With fire seasons increasingly starting earlier and lasting longer, it is up to each of us to do our part to prevent wildfires and be prepared for the ones we can’t prevent. I am urging Oregonians to take charge in preventing human-caused fires by being prepared, safe, responsible, and aware."

Firefighters and first responders face a number of additional complexities this year including active wildfire recovery operations such as hazard tree removal and rebuilding that impact roadways and access points. Extreme heat adds to the already challenging firefighting landscape.

Pursuant to ORS 401.165, Governor Brown determined that a threat to life, safety, and property exists due to the imminent threat of wildfire. The Governor's declaration authorizes the Oregon Department of Forestry and the Oregon Office of the State Fire Marshal, in coordination with the Oregon Office of Emergency Management, to utilize personnel, equipment, and facilities from other state agencies in order to respond to or mitigate the effects of the wildfire emergency.

The declaration allows state agencies to temporarily suspend any rules that impair the response to wildfires, if needed, and also allows the state to request assistance from other states through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact if necessary. The emergency declaration is focused on helping to ensure that the state is prepared to marshal all available and necessary resources as quickly as possible as wildfires arise during this wildfire season.

When state and national resources are limited, the Oregon National Guard will deploy firefighting resources in accordance with Operations Plan Smokey 2021, an agreement between the National Guard and Oregon Department of Forestry.


--Bruce Armstrong

Post Date: 2021-06-30 11:17:53

Last Update: 2021-06-30 11:33:30

In 2018, Candace Owens said she wanted to “free” black voters from the decades-long grip of the Democratic Party and started her own WalkAway urging Blacks and Latinos to support a new movement she is calling “Blexit.”

Candace teamed up with Brandon Tatum, a communications specialist and popular social media personality, to change the narrative that surrounds American minority communities and particularly African-Americans. Their primary goal is “to educate minorities across America about the history of our great country by highlighting the principles of the Constitution of the United States and the importance of self-reliance.” The two believe that change will come by building strong families in the minority communities that value the life and the sanctity of every individual.

The Blexit Foundation’s vision is focused, but not limited to, low-income and minorities by advocating for school choice and alternative educational opportunities, promoting criminal justice reform by developing educational programs to help communities avoid incarceration, championing entrepreneurship as the antidote to poverty, developing history programs that will inspire success, and present the message through evocative visual art and compelling live experiences.

Oregon’s Blexit Chapter’s Executive Director, Janira Brannigan, spoke at Western Liberty Network Zoom training on their plans in Oregon. Brannigan started by saying the organization is primarily designed to promote free thinkers. “In Oregon, we don’t just want to empower minorities, it’s for anyone. No matter how you look at it there will always be more of one color than another. We are not about race.”

Their number one goal is advocating for school choice. They are working to empower parents to be activists, particularly in public schools. She told Northwest Observer that they are one hundred percent against Critical Race Theory. “We believe that we live in a world where everyone has the opportunity to thrive - all you need is the determination and to put in the hard work. Not the color of our skin. I am a 1st generation American from legal immigrant parents from Mexico. I was taught by my parents that the American Dream was at my fingertips but I had to go get it. They taught me that nothing is free in this world, that it all comes at a price. I see kids wanting to make a change but they are only being told one side, so their hunger isn’t being filled.”

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What is CRT? Senator Ted Cruz explains on his podcast, June 17, 2021, “CRT explains everything in the world through the lens of racial oppression, and all white people are inherently racist. You can never change your status no matter what you do. CRT is against competing on merit. It’s designed to criticize with the goal of totally dismantling the system… CRT teaches that the entire system is inherently racists and embodied in the 1619 project taught in our schools. It is Marxism combined with intense racism.”

Blexit - Oregon is helping parents unenroll their children from public school. “Our goal is to see a 30% drop in public-school enrollment statewide,” Brannigan said. “We will not allow our children to be indoctrinated with such CRT evil. We help parents with resources to homeschool groups, co-ops, curriculum with the unaltered history, etc.”

She also spoke on ways they want to bring the community into the educational process and mentor on entrepreneur strategies teaching young people how to become and plan for business ownership.

When asked how their program fits with the BIPOC Caucus (Black, Indigenous and People of Color), Branningan said, “I don't know much about them except that they are an organization based in self-segregation that see government as their savior. We don't stand under that banner. We are inclusive as long as potential members stand and support our mission and the five pillars.”

Brannigan is a strong advocate of learning English. “If you don’t know the English language,” she says, “things can get lost in translation. How do you know the government is telling you the truth?” You can see her out in the community walking her talk. “Our priority isn’t the political realm, change comes from the community, concentrating on kids empowering parents to fulfill dreams. We need to teach people they have a choice. If you don’t like your party, leave, whatever that party is. We need to remove government dependence to build free thinkers.”

You can find them at the July 4th event in Creswell handing out resources for parents.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2021-06-29 21:00:00

Last Update: 2021-06-29 21:27:12

Seventh generation Oregonian and Baker City Mayor Kerry McQuisten has declared for the Republican nomination for Oregon Governor, joining a field of Republicans from a variety of regions and viewpoints. McQuisten is widely regarded as a conservative.

McQuisten describes her decision:

"In 2020 and 2021, like many Oregonians, I was in a 'fight or flight' pattern, trying to decide whether to move out of the state due to Kate Brown's draconian lockdowns, or stay and try to create change. After driving through most of the western half of the United States, it became clear to me that those states still felt like Oregon had felt when I was growing up here. Freedom, hope, and common sense still existed elsewhere.

I discovered that Oregon and our governor had become a running joke across the country, a testament to failed leadership. I was saddened and embarrassed. I was also angry. 'Fight' prevailed. I did the best I could to stand up for my people as mayor, but I knew that wasn't enough. COVID lockdowns would come to an end eventually, I knew, but Oregon needs so much of a course correction that the only way I could see to help in the way I wanted to help, was to run for higher office. After two months of calls from all across Oregon asking me to run for governor, I knew what I needed to do. I didn't make this decision lightly."

McQuisten has been involved in the publishing business much of her adult life. She founded Black Lyon Publishing, and on her website, describes herself as "an entrepeneur, not a politician."

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--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2021-06-29 20:10:36

Last Update: 2021-06-29 21:41:45

Oregon's Governor Kate Brown has now signed Senate Bill 5 into law.

This will allow college athletes at Oregon’s public and private universities to receive compensation for use of their name, image, and likeness.

The bill was sponsored by Senate President Peter Courtney (D-Salem) and Senator James Manning, Jr (D-Eugene).

“This bill is historic... I wish Oregon was the first to do it,” said Senate President Peter Courtney (D-Salem). “Our college athletes have not been treated fairly. They sacrifice everything for their universities...their bodies, their relationships, their academics. Meanwhile, the NCAA and universities are making millions off their hard work... from tickets, merchandise, and concessions, all the way to college enrollment. “We are giving our athletes back what is rightfully theirs: their name, their image, their likeness. This should have been done a long time ago. It should have come from the NCAA and our universities. This is just the beginning. We must keep working to make sure our college athletes are treated fairly.”

Beginning July 1st of this year, college athletes are given the right to sign contracts that provide compensation for use of their name, image, and likeness, including through endorsement deals and appearance fees.

College athletes will also be allowed to retain professional representation, increasing fairness during contract negotiations.

Oregon joins 7 other states on July 1st in being the first to enact name, image, likeness laws in the country. An additional 13 states have passed similar legislation that will take effect soon after.


--Bruce Armstrong

Post Date: 2021-06-29 13:16:13

Last Update: 2021-06-29 13:26:12

If you choose to drop by your local Oregon DMV office to see if you can get standby service, many offices have a modern version of “take a number” – a “virtual lobby” that will text you when your turn at the counter is coming up. The DMV says people are to wait in your car or nearby the DMV.

“If you visit without an appointment, there is a chance the office won’t have the capacity to serve all customers that day, and you may need to visit another day,” DMV Administrator Amy Joyce said. “That’s why we recommend appointments – to save you from waiting with no guarantee that office has capacity that day.”

When COVID-19 restrictions end this week, no later than June 30, DMV offices will no longer require masks or physical distancing, or pandemic-related capacity limits on indoor waiting areas.

However, it seems that the Oregon DMV will continue to require masks during drive tests for both customers and drive test examiners.

Some DMV services require an in-person visit – such as issuance of your first Oregon permit or license, testing, or adding the Real ID option or a motorcycle endorsement, and the demand for those services remain very high. There are some services available online.


--Bruce Armstrong

Post Date: 2021-06-29 12:40:44

Last Update: 2021-06-29 13:02:36