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Coos County Fair
Tuesday, July 23, 2024 at 8:00 am
www.cooscountyfair.com
July 23-27
Coos County Fairgrounds



Curry County Fair
Wednesday, July 24, 2024 at 8:00 am
www.eventcenteronthebeach.com
July 24-27
Curry County Fairgrounds - Event Center on the Beach



Hood River County Fair
Wednesday, July 24, 2024 at 8:00 am
www.hoodriverfairgrounds.com
July 24-27
Hood River County Fairgrounds



Jefferson County Fair
Wednesday, July 24, 2024 at 8:00 am
www.jcfair.fun
July 24-27
Jefferson County Fair Complex



Lane County Fair
Wednesday, July 24, 2024 at 8:00 am
www.atthefair.com
July 24-28
Lane Events Center



TRUMP TRAIN RALLY
Sunday, July 28, 2024 at 12:00 pm
ALL ABOARD THE LINN COUNTY TRUMP TRAIN! Tail gate BBQ / Guest Speakers / Meet and Greet This is a non-partisan event. All Trump Supporters are welcome THE RIDE STARTS approximately 1:30PM ROUTE: to be determined Presented with local sponsorship by Linn County Conservative Alliance Trump, patriot, Americana, caps,flags, t-shirts and other merchandise available on-site. Profits support conservative and traditional values candidates. https://indd.adobe.com/view/902ce3bb-72b5-4f03-9c74-b71fcdbb6aad
Location: Linn County Fair / Expo parking lot. 3700 Knox Butte Road E. Albany, OR 97322



TRUMP TRAIN RALLY
Sunday, July 28, 2024 at 12:00 pm
ALL ABOARD THE LINN COUNTY TRUMP TRAIN! Tail gate BBQ / Guest Speakers / Meet and Greet This is a non-partisan event. All Trump Supporters are welcome THE RIDE STARTS approximately 1:30PM ROUTE: to be determined Presented with local sponsorship by Linn County Conservative Alliance Trump, patriot, Americana, caps,flags, t-shirts and other merchandise available on-site. Profits support conservative and traditional values candidates. https://indd.adobe.com/view/902ce3bb-72b5-4f03-9c74-b71fcdbb6aad
Location: Linn County Fair / Expo parking lot. 3700 Knox Butte Road E. Albany, OR 97322



Clatsop County Fair
Tuesday, July 30, 2024 at 8:00 am
https://clatsopcofair.com/
July 30 - August 3
Clatsop County Fair & Expo



Malheur County Fair
Tuesday, July 30, 2024 at 8:00 am
www.malheurcountyfair.com
July 30 - August 3
Malheur County Fairgrounds - Desert Sage Event Center



Benton County Fair & Rodeo
Wednesday, July 31, 2024 at 8:00 am
bceventcentercorvallis.net
July 31 - August 3, 2024
Benton County Event Center & Fairgrounds



Deschutes County Fair
Wednesday, July 31, 2024 at 8:00 am
https://expo.deschutes.org/
July 31 - August 4
Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center



Union County Fair
Wednesday, July 31, 2024 at 8:00 am
www.unioncountyfair.org
July 31 - August 3
Union County Fairgrounds



Yamhill County Fair
Wednesday, July 31, 2024 at 8:00 am
www.co.yamhill.or.us/fair
July 31 - August 3
Yamhill County Fairgrounds



Klamath County Fair
Thursday, August 1, 2024 at 8:00 am
https://www.klamathcountyfair.com/
August 1-4
Klamath County Fair



Wallowa County Fair
Friday, August 2, 2024 at 8:00 am
https://co.wallowa.or.us/community-services/county-fair/
August 2-10
Wallowa County Fairgrounds



Baker County Fair
Sunday, August 4, 2024 at 8:00 am
www.bakerfair.com
August 4-9
Baker County Fairgrounds



Harney County Fair
Sunday, August 4, 2024 at 8:00 am
www.harneyfairgrounds.com
August 4-9
Harney County Fairgrounds



Sherman County Fair
Sunday, August 4, 2024 at 8:00 am
www.shermancountyfairfun.com
August 19-24
Sherman County Fairgrounds



Crook County Fair
Wednesday, August 7, 2024 at 8:00 am
www.crookcountyfairgrounds.com
August 7-10
Crook County Fairgrounds



Douglas County Fair
Wednesday, August 7, 2024 at 8:00 am
www.douglasfairgrounds.com
August 7-10
Douglas County Fairgrounds Complex



Grant County Fair
Wednesday, August 7, 2024 at 8:00 am
www.grantcountyoregon.net
August 7-10
Grant County Fairgrounds



Josephine County Fair
Wednesday, August 7, 2024 at 8:00 am
https://www.josephinecountyfairgrounds.com/
August 7-11
Josephine County Fairgrounds & Events Center



Polk County Fair
Wednesday, August 7, 2024 at 8:00 am
https://www.co.polk.or.us/fair
August 7-10
Polk County Fairgrounds



Tillamook County Fair
Wednesday, August 7, 2024 at 8:00 am
www.tillamookfair.com
August 7-10
Tillamook County Fairgrounds



Umatilla County Fair
Wednesday, August 7, 2024 at 8:00 am
www.umatillacountyfair.net
August 7-10
Umatilla County Fairgrounds



Wheeler County Fair
Wednesday, August 7, 2024 at 8:00 am
www.wheelercountyoregon.com/fair-board
August 7-10
Wheeler County Fairgrounds



Clackamas County Fair
Tuesday, August 13, 2024 at 8:00 am
clackamascountyfair.com
August 13-17
Clackamas County Event Center



Morrow County Fair
Wednesday, August 14, 2024 at 8:00 am
https://www.co.morrow.or.us/fair
August 14-17
Morrow County Fairgrounds



Wasco County Fair
Thursday, August 15, 2024 at 8:00 am
https://www.wascocountyfair.com
August 15-17
Wasco County Fairgrounds



Gilliam County Fair
Thursday, August 29, 2024 at 8:00 am
http://www.co.gilliam.or.us/government/fairgrounds
August 29-31
Gilliam County Fairgrounds



Lake County Fair
Thursday, August 29, 2024 at 8:00 am
https://www.lakecountyor.org/government/fair_grounds.php
August 29 - September 1
Lake County Fairgrounds



Oregon State Fair
Saturday, August 31, 2024 at 8:00 am
www.oregonstateexpo.org
August 31 - September 9
Oregon State Fair & Exposition Center



Linn Laughs LIVE with Adam Corolla
Saturday, September 7, 2024 at 5:00 pm
Linn Laughs LIVE with Adam Corolla 5pm-9pm
Albany, OR


View All Calendar Events


Forest Management Issues at Stake in the Douglas-Fir National Monument
The Monument mostly includes Willamette National Forest

Oregonians sighed relief when President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 13792 directing a review of the Antiquities law and its uses. That act protected the Cascade peaks from federal grab. But the proposed Douglas-fir National Monument is again being pushed by a Springfield based nonprofit under the Antiquities Act of 1906. The Antiquities Act gives the President authority to, by presidential proclamation, create national monuments from federal land to protect significant natural, cultural, or scientific features.

Douglas-fir National Monument proposes to cover more than 530,000 acres that includes parts of Linn, Marion and Jefferson counties. It would be the largest national monument in Oregon, and 14th largest in the nation.

The Monument mostly includes Willamette National Forest in the Cascade foothills consisting of wilderness areas. However, of concern is the 44,000 acres of private forest, which appears to not be qualified for inclusion.

It’s the age-old argument of the best way to manage forests. Two sides claiming the same outcome. On one side, they claim federal protection ensures that trees mature, burn, and fall as they would naturally. They claim mature Douglas fir stabilizes soil, shades streams, scrubs and sequesters carbon from the air and has the potential to act as a balm on a warming climate.

On the other side, forest management is needed to physically restore forest, reduce wildfires, protect mature growth, foster recreation, and increase carbon sequester with new growth.

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

The Good Neighbor Authority Agreement was first passed in 2016 as a step for Oregon to enter into cooperative agreements with the United States Forest Service that allows the state to perform forest management and watershed restoration services on National Forest System lands. Jeff Burns, Program Director, said in 2021 that 92-93% of all burned acres were on federal lands, which accounts for 60% of forested lands in Oregon. “Any efforts to reduce wildfire risks in Oregon, must involve federal lands in a meaningful way.”

Designating the Douglas-fir National Monument that would leave the land dormant is not the federal involvement needed to reduce wildfires or preserve mature growths. As director Burns reported, since 2016, significant progress has been made in wildfire risk reduction on federal lands through fuels reduction and forest thinning projects. These kind of results take action.

Officials in Linn County are seeking intervention from Oregon’s U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and Representative Peter DeFazio. Considering Wyden is in a tight race for reelection, it may not be wise to disappoint voters.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2022-08-10 10:53:30Last Update: 2022-08-10 13:04:18



Golden Pressured on Wildfire Maps by Republicans
“The current map is simply unacceptable”

After last week’s inelegant display of the Wildfire Maps and the subsequent “pulling” of the maps by Oregon State Forester, and former Democrat House Candidate Cal Mukamoto, Senate Republican Leader Tim Knopp (R-Bend) pushed for more clarification.

“Oregonians are fed up with Democrats continued assault on rural Oregon. These maps were rushed out the door, championed by Senator Jeff Golden (D-Ashland), then after 1200 people in his own district area stood up against the maps, they were yanked back.” Senator Knopp said. “Southern Oregonians deserve better representation than Senator Golden, even in his own district he was not aware of the effect these maps would have on his constituents.”

It is important to note the quote from ODF Spokesperson Derek Gasperini "I don't think that we anticipated the amount of response about the downstream implications,” he then went on to finish “While we'll have some minor adjustments, the map is not gonna look drastically different than it looks currently.”

Senator Knopp finished, “It is not going away, it will just get repackaged and sent back out again.”

Other quotes and statements from Mayors, Representatives, Senators across Oregon echoed last week.

House Republican Leader Vikki Breese-Iverson (R-Prineville) - “State and federal land mismanagement are the driving force behind our wildfire issues, not private land, but these maps leave most of the burden on private land owners,”

House Deputy Republican Leader Kim Wallan (R-Medford) - “Having experienced the tragedy of the arson-caused Labor Day 2020 fires, as well as the devastating smoke that we live with year after year, I am beyond frustrated that this bill and these maps are the way our state has decided to respond to the need for more and better forest management,”

“I listened to the whole thing, and there wasn’t anybody on there who was happy. Not one person said ‘this is a good idea,’”

Senator Lynn Findley (R-Vale) - “The intent behind SB 762 was to mitigate future significant loss, lack of preparedness and financial hardship in future wildfires, among many other things. Oregonians have been handed anything but that through the new map.”

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 Tim Knopp (R-Bend) - “The growing outrage over high risk classifications of primarily rural property threatens to overwhelm the Oregon Department of Forestry with thousands of appeals that the agency will be unable to handle.”

“Ultimately, we need better management of our public forests at the state and federal levels so that we can begin to reduce the dangers of wildfire for rural and urban Oregonians alike.”

Representative Mark Owens (R-Crane) - “The map as it stands has no credibility and the Oregon Department of Forestry needs to take ownership and leadership and reevaluate immediately. This map serves as an ill-informed, unreviewed, and dangerous and divisive product pitting homeowners against the state of Oregon.”

Representative Lily Morgan (R-Grants Pass) - “The current map is simply unacceptable. I am disheartened that my constituents will have to spend their time and energy submitting appeals for an inaccurate map,” said Representative Morgan. “This just isn’t right.”

Mayor Randy Sparacino (R-Medford) - "Like many Southern Oregonians, I am relieved that our voices were finally heard and the proposed map was withdrawn. However, although the maps have been withdrawn, more rule making is still to come and will need to be addressed. The fight is not over!”

“The bill IS the problem, and I am committing to fixing it. Landowners should not be required to shoulder the burden of fire protection while government lands go unmanaged and pose the greatest threat.”


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-08-10 09:27:14Last Update: 2022-08-10 10:26:13



Analysis: The “Science” of Gender Identity
“Gender is like outer space”

For complete understanding, “science” has historically been a branch of knowledge or study dealing with a body of facts systematically arranged in the form of testable explanations showing the operation of general laws in the physical world.

The word “transgender” gained widespread popularity in the 1990s as an umbrella term to describe people who cross over -- or trans -- traditional gender roles. Currently, transgender is generally understood to be a broad category encompassing many gender identities and expressions, including transsexual, genderqueer and cross-dresser, among many others. Adults can’t settle on what the word transgender means.

However, the Oregon Department of Education, has settled the science for kindergarten through fifth grade. Empowered by Governor Brown, Rob Wagner and Tina Kotek, transgender science has been institutionalized, and is sexual and phycological abuse of young children in our public schools.

Portland Public Schools have adopted a 198 slide lesson curriculum for the fall, targeting Kindergarteners through fifth graders, titled "Understanding our Bodies - Kindergarten Health Scientists."

Under “Kindergarten Health – Unit 5 (page 17), it states “Gender is like outer space because there are as many ways to be different genders as there are stars in the Sky! Each person is different and that is cool.” The curriculum was developed by trans people as “very intentional” and teachers are asked to “use the wording written on the slides.” (page 26)

Second grade students are forced to ingest the idea that “Gender is Colonized.” “When the United States was colonized by white settlers, their views around gender were forced upon the people already living here” (page 89), and (page 90) it states “Other cultures around the world, especially Black, Indigenous, and Brown cultures and people, view gender in different ways and use different words.”

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

The science gets real fuzzy presenting sex and gender as an assigned option that the student has the right to choose. At birth, doctors and adults assign gender based on physical appearance, but they don’t really know the child’s gender because they can’t ask the baby. (page 40)

Starting in Kindergarten the students learn about private parts that are of two kinds. From there the science goes down hill fast. God created male and female. He also created each as unique individuals with special gifts or aptitudes, which doesn’t include nonbinary or LBGTQ+. The two-spirit message presented (page 105) as some spiritual indicator of two gender spirits is a better confirmation that we all have masculine and feminine traits. Neuroscientist Lise Eliot, Chicago Medical School, says brains are a unisex organ.

Because we are a social culture and our brains are formed within a culture, our way of viewing ourselves as men and women is imprinted by the cultural environment we grew up in. The cultural definitions of which traits are appropriate for men and women influence the personality characteristics that boys and girls develop. Such a curriculum is intended to influence your child’s cultural environment.

Research, reported by Popular Science, shows that culture’s "Big Five" personality traits of psychology -- openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism -- do not categorically vary between men and women. The curriculum is aimed at arousing emotional responses, intensifying undeveloped brain activity hindering aspects of normal development – in all aspects it is abusive.

Now our school system wants to confuse students, too young to know who they are, and question their God given birth gender. They are being abused for having normal feelings for both genders. According to Psychology Today, they should be encouraged to accept themself with all of their different characteristics and personality traits as who they are. It isn’t sexual or gender identity that causes difficulties, it’s human character.

Ben Edtl, candidate for SD19, wrote in his newsletter of the Portland School curriculum: “I believe that educating children that Black, Indigenous and Brown people viewed gender in different ways until the white Europeans showed up is completely senseless and blatantly racist to every person mentioned. Our schools should be focused on uniting our children regardless of their differences and focusing on basic education like math, reading and writing.”


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2022-08-10 06:54:21Last Update: 2022-08-10 10:33:19



Proposed Initiatives Create STAR Voting
Supporters say we could skip the primary and just vote in November

Two initiative petitions proposed for the November 2024 election have been filed with the Oregon Secretary of State to significantly change the way Oregonians vote. Initiative Petitions 11 and 12 are the same, except that the former contains a provision for presidential elections.

Chief Petitioners for the initiatives are Deanna Kallen and Bryan Lewis of Portland and Zach Hudson of Troutdale.

The text of the initiatives describes how the process works:

For each seat up for election by means of STAR Voting, votes shall be tallied using a two-round process which consists of a scoring round and an automatic runoff round. The scoring round shall calculate the sum total of the scores received by each candidate and determine the two candidates who received the greatest total scores. Those two candidates shall be the finalists and shall advance to the automatic runoff round, where the finalist preferred by more voters wins.

According to the website, starvoting.us "In STAR Voting, voters fill in the bubbles to score candidates from zero up to five stars. Voters give their favorite(s) five stars, their last choice(s) zero stars, and score other candidates as they like. The five-star ballot allows voters to show their preference order and indicate their level of support for all of the candidates. Voters are allowed to give candidates the same score, if they support them equally. Candidates left blank receive zero stars.

"With STAR Voting we could skip the low-turnout primary and just vote once in November. STAR Voting eliminates vote splitting and the spoiler effect, so it’s highly accurate with any number of candidates in the race. Skipping the primary would save taxpayers money, would save voters time, and the shorter campaign season would make it much more accessible for grassroots candidates to run for office.

"For situations where a primary is needed, such as partisan primaries or the presidential primary, STAR Voting can be used for either or both elections."




--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-08-09 11:04:28Last Update: 2022-08-09 13:24:14



Skarlatos Calls Out Hoyle
She backs Biden’s bill to hire 87,000 IRS agents

Oregon 4th Congressional District candidate Alek Skarlatos is calling out his opponent, Val Hoyle for backing a bill that will pack the Internal Revenue Service with thousands of new agents.

According to Skarlatos, “Oregon Labor Commissioner Val Hoyle has always stood with the extreme wing of the Democratic Party, and it’s no surprise that she voiced her support for Joe Biden’s so-called Inflation Reduction Act that will hire 87,000 new IRS agents. For context, Autzen Stadium can only hold 54,000 people, and Reser Stadium can only hold 26,400, which combined is less people than the 87,000 new IRS agents that Joe Biden and Val Hoyle are going to hire to audit your taxes.

“Oregon’s 4th Congressional District is the poorest in the state, nobody feels the pain of inflation and high gas prices more than us, and Val Hoyle’s response is to support Joe Biden’s decision to hire 87,000 new IRS agents to audit small businesses and families in Oregon,” said Oregon National Guard Veteran Alek Skarlatos. “While large corporations have an army of lawyers to deal with the IRS, that’s not the case for small business owners and is further proof why Val Hoyle’s extreme idea to hire 87,000 new IRS agents is bad for small businesses, farmers, fishermen, timber workers and families in Oregon.”

According to the Washington Times "The reconciliation bill Democrats rushed through congress calls for $80 billion in new IRS funding so the agency can hire as many as 87,000 new agents and auditors. Democrats are doubling the size of the IRS, with most of the new money going into its enforcement arm. The bill provides 14 times as much funding for “enforcement” -- what some are calling fishing expedition audits -- than it does for “taxpayer services” such as answering the phone. It is dangerous to give an unaccountable and incompetent agency this much power over families and small businesses.” (The Washington Times, 08/08/22)


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-08-09 09:55:22Last Update: 2022-08-09 11:04:28



GOP Voters Vent in Washington CD3 Primary
Kent is a conservative endorsed by former President Donald Trump

Voters in Washington state participated in a primary on Tuesday, August 2 and in at least one race, the result is too close to call. The State of Washington has a "Top 2" primary system for choosing who advances to the general election and incumbent CD3 Congressional Representative Jaime Herrera Beutler is in danger of being knocked out in the primary by challenger Joe Kent. The results have not yet been certified.

Kent or Buetler will almost certainly face left-leaning Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, a graduate of Reed College in Portland and an owner of an independent auto-repair shop. Kent grew up in Portland and is an Army veteran and a Gold Star husband, having lost his wife Shannon in Afghanistan. Kent is an unabashed conservative who is endorsed by former President Donald Trump.

According to the Washington Secretary of State, "The Washington Top 2 Primary allows voters to choose among all candidates running for each office. Voters do not have to declare a party affiliation to vote in the primary.

Marie Gluesenkamp Perez(Prefers Democratic Party)64,71830.97%
Joe Kent(Prefers Republican Party)47,62322.79%
Jaime Herrera Beutler(Prefers Republican Party)46,66322.33%
Heidi St. John(Prefers Republican Party)33,52516.04%
Vicki Kraft(Prefers Republican Party)6,6043.16%
Davy Ray(Prefers Democratic Party)4,6392.22%
Chris Byrd(Prefers None / Independent Party)3,6061.73%
Leslie L. French(Prefers Republican Party)1,0370.5%
Oliver Black(Prefers Am. Solidarity Party)4330.21%
WRITE-IN1450.07%
Total Votes208,993
"Candidates for partisan office may state a preference for a political party, which is listed on the ballot. The two candidates who receive the most votes in the Primary Election qualify for the General Election. Candidates must also receive at least 1% of the votes cast in that race to advance to the General Election."

Herrera Buetler has been under criticism by conservative Republicans for, among other things voting to impeach then President Trump. Many experts consider this primary result as a bellwether of GOP anger.

Washington's 3rd congressional district encompasses the southernmost portion of western and central Washington. It includes the counties of Lewis, Pacific, Wahkiakum, Cowlitz, Clark, Skamania, part of Thurston, and Klickitat.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-08-09 09:40:49Last Update: 2022-08-09 11:01:21



Gubernatorial Candidates Raise Big Cash
As if we didn't know, the race is going to be a tight battle

If campaign cash was the only thing determining the outcome of elections, both the Democrat and Republican parties would find themselves on the outside looking in this Fall. Betsy Johnson (I-Scappoose) is leading the pack, while Tina Kotek (D-Portland) and Christine Drazan (R-Portland) have similar financial performance. Drazan has raised a little less and spent a little more than Kotek.

Johnson has collected some large checks from some big names, including Phil Knight of Nike fame, Tim Boyle of Columbia Sportswear, Sidney DeBoer of Lithia Motors in Southern Oregon and timber giant Robert Freres, Jr., as well as from a diverse array of industry, including the heavy equipment supplier, Eugene-based Pape Group, and lumber producer Sierra Pacific Industries and Portland's Schnitzer Properties.

Interestingly, the Association of General Contractors -- the road building industry -- has hedged their bets in a large way, sending $100,000 to both Johnson and Drazan, and nothing to Kotek -- perhaps indicating that they don't trust her to effectively spend money on large transportation projects.

Kotek is heavily dependent on labor money, especially government employee unions. Among her largest contributors is the Service Employees International Union, representing most state workers, and the Oregon Education Association, representing public school teachers.

As if we didn't know, Oregon's gubernatorial race is going to be a tight battle. Both the National Democratic and Republican Governor's associations have taken notice. The Democratic Governor's Association has donated $878,850 to Kotek, while the Republican Governor's Association has propped up Drazan to the tune of over half a million dollars.

Johnson leads the cash race by a 2:1 margin over Kotek and Drazan with a little over $10 million, but she has a way to go to beat Republican Knute Buehler's record haul of $19,382,866.93 in the 2018 Oregon Governor's race.

KotekDrazenJohnson
Cash on Hand$1,393,296$1,713,603$4,532,864
Spent$4,125,888$3,287,689$5,568,153
Total Raised$5,519,184$5,001,293$10,101,016



--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-08-08 10:11:55Last Update: 2022-08-08 11:56:27



CD 6 Republicans Elect State GOP Officers
Salinas drew the district to include her and then filed to run

In a convention that included all Precinct Committee Persons in Oregon's 6th Congressional District, Republicans have elected officers to serve in the State GOP Executive Committee. Voters will remember the process which some considered tainted in which then Oregon House Speaker Tina Kotek reneged on a pledge to include Republicans in equal numbers on the redistricting committee.

ChairDavid HillYamhill
Vice ChairJames GoingsYamhill
Alternate
Chair
Don PowersClackamas
Alternate
Vice Chair
Carla ParadineMarion
SecretarySatya ChandragiriMarion
TreasurerNan CramerWashington
During the redistricting process, Kotek appointed then Representative Andrea Salinas (D-Lake Oswego) to Chair the House Committee on Redistricting, upon which she drew the new, vacant district -- Oregon's 6th Congressional District -- to include her and then filed to run for the seat herself. The new district includes the Western part of Marion County, Polk and Yamhill Counties and the Southern part of Clackamas County -- reaching just enough into the Portland Metro Region to include Lake Oswego, where Salinas lives.

The officers of this new GOP CD 6 Committee will help elect GOP nominee Mike Erickson. According to many PCPs, the new elected officers bring new vitality and energy to this new district.


--Ritch Hanneman

Post Date: 2022-08-07 19:34:21Last Update: 2022-08-09 07:17:06



SoS Adopting Changes to Candidate, Political Party and Recall Manuals
The Elections Division has held public hearings

The Election Division of the Secretary of State's office has provided notice of two permanent administrative orders for OAR 165-010-0005 and 165-014-0005. Prior to the effective date of the administrative rules, the Elections Division held public hearings and allowed time for public comments to be submitted.

OAR 165-010-0005

RULE TITLE: Designating the Candidate's Manual, Minor Political Party Manual and Forms

FILING CAPTION: Updates filing deadlines and implements legislative changes regarding candidate, and political party manuals and forms.

RULE SUMMARY: The changes to this rule and the associated manuals and forms update the write-in notification and acceptance deadlines for the 2022 election period required by Senate Bill 1527 (2022). Further, it modifies the formula for determining if a party can maintain its minor party status. Additional changes were made throughout the manual to provide clarity for the various processes related to candidacy filings.

OAR 165-014-0005

RULE TITLE: Designating the State and Local Initiative, Referendum, Referral and Recall Manuals and Forms

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

FILING CAPTION: Updates signature verification deadlines and implements required legislative changes to the Recall Manual.

RULE SUMMARY: The changes to this rule and associated Recall Manual and forms include update of recall petition signature verification deadlines required by Senate Bill 1527 (2022). Additional changes were made throughout the manual to provide clarity for filing deadline time.


--Ritch Hanneman

Post Date: 2022-08-07 16:44:03Last Update: 2022-08-07 17:08:53



Money for Afghan Refugees in Oregon
$2.8 million in funding made available

The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS), Refugee Program is inviting community partners to apply for a portion of $2.8 million in funding that is available to provide services and support to Afghans.

The deadline to apply is Aug. 25 and the application can be found online.

The U.S. Resettlement Program is operated by the U.S. Department of State through contracts with national non-profit organizations called resettlement agencies. These organizations have local affiliate offices throughout the nation.

The ODHS Refugee Program is responsible for some of the services that are outside of the initial resettlement provided by the resettlement agencies.

The Refugee Program provides cash, medical, employment, and acculturation services to refugees (and those eligible for refugee services) who are within 60 months of gaining their eligible immigration status.

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

Since August 2021, nearly 800 Afghan individuals have resettled in Oregon.

ODHS says that the purpose of the request is to get applications from culturally and/or linguistically responsive organizations who provide services to immigrants or refugees (and those eligible for refugee services) to increase services and supports.

Funding is available to support: Organizations may express interest in supporting more than one service area.

Community organizations are eligible to submit proposals for the funding if the organization can demonstrate they are:
--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2022-08-07 08:31:02Last Update: 2022-08-07 16:40:28



State Wildfire Map Withdrawn After Outcry
“We know how important it is to get this right ”

Cal Mukumoto, Oregon State Forester and Director of the Oregon Department of Forestry has ordered the State Wildfire Risk map withdrawn after the initial draft caused an outcry among impacted parties.

Mukumoto released a statement saying that "Oregon’s wildfire environment has changed significantly in the past decade. Climate change is bringing us hotter, drier summers and historic levels of drought, resulting in severe wildfire conditions and longer, more complex and more expensive fire seasons. We find ourselves at a critical juncture when it comes to wildfire and need to take bold action to mitigate further catastrophic impacts to Oregonians, communities and our state’s natural resources."

State Representative David Brock Smith (R-Port Orford) shot back. "Hypocrisy is alive and well with the majority party in this area. As they push their climate change agenda, they fail to address and even push back on positive ways to manage our carbon sequestering forest resources, as they are beholden to the environmental groups that oppose any best management practices for the forest resources within our state."

In addition to writing the rules for map development and maintenance with a rules advisory committee, we were also tasked with defining the wildland-urban interface and assigning a risk classification at the property ownership level (1.8 million tax lots across Oregon). This work had to be completed by June 30, 2022, less than a year after the bill was adopted. We knew the first iteration of an undertaking of this scale and complexity wouldn’t be perfect, but we have been and continue to be committed to improving the map and our processes related to it. At the same time, our partner agencies are working to collect input as they develop the new codes for defensible space (Office of the State Fire Marshal) and home hardening (Building Codes Division) and address concerns related to homeowner’s insurance (Division of Financial Regulation).

According to Mukumoto, "We’ve been soliciting and collecting questions, concerns, and other input since the statewide wildfire risk map was released just over a month ago. We’ve received specific feedback from nearly 2,000 Oregonians that has helped us understand the key areas of concern related to risk classification. We have a window of opportunity before the new codes go into effect to take some immediate steps toward addressing those concerns, and we will be taking full advantage of the opportunity."

Mukumoto continued, "As required by SB 762, we posted a wildfire risk map on the Oregon Explorer on June 30, 2022 and sent notifications to property owners in the extreme and high risk classifications shortly after. In response to input received since posting, we have decided to remove the current iteration of the wildfire risk map from the Oregon Explorer and withdraw the notices sent. We will immediately begin working with Oregon State University on some refinements to improve the accuracy of risk classification assignments based on what we’ve heard from property owners thus far.

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

Mukumoto addressed those who had filed appeals. "Since we are withdrawing the initial map and notifications, the current appeals process will end and any appeals filed will become moot. For those who did submit an appeal, we will be reviewing the information submitted and using it to identify any additional areas where we may need to take a closer look at the data. Please note, this decision does not impact the code development and adoption processes currently underway through Office of the State Fire Marshal for defensible space or Building Codes Division for home hardening."

Mukumoto concluded, "We know how important it is to get this right, and we’re fully committed to continuing to work with the Governor’s Office, legislators, our partner agencies, local governments, and Oregonians to do just that."


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-08-05 11:17:41Last Update: 2022-08-05 12:46:24



Forestry Department to Hold Wildfire Risk Meetings
Time will be available to address questions from community members

The Oregon Department of Forestry -- under the watch of State Forester Cal Mukumoto -- is holding a series of community information sessions in eastern and central Oregon Aug. 2, 3 and 10. Each session will include a presentation about the Oregon Wildfire Risk Map’s function and purpose, how wildfire risk is assessed, and how property owners may appeal their assigned risk class. Time will be available to address questions from community members.

The wildland-urban interface and Oregon Wildfire Risk Map available through the Oregon Explorer is a tool to help inform decision making and planning related to mitigating wildfire risk for communities throughout Oregon. Representatives from Oregon State University who produced the map based on rules adopted by the Board of Forestry will also attend the sessions.

All meetings will start at 7 p.m. Dates and locations for each community meetings are: Those wishing to file an appeal, may consult the agency's appeals page.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-08-04 16:47:05Last Update: 2022-08-04 16:58:49



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