Governor Kate Brown, Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-Portland), and State Representative Andrea Valderrama (D-Portland) visited an abortion facility operated by Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette as the state of Idaho’s trigger law banning abortion has taken effect. Abortion remains legal in the state of Oregon at all stages of fetal development. Governor Brown, Congresswoman Bonamici, and Representative Valderrama discussed their commitment to ensuring that all patients seeking abortions in Oregon have access, regardless of where they come from.

In the 2022 Session, Section 368 of HB 5202 allocated an extra $15 million "for distribution to Seeding Justice for advancing reproductive health equity." This was done to provide funding to women from other states seeking abortions in Oregon -- mostly expected from Idaho.

“Oregon will always be a safe and welcoming place for all people seeking reproductive care, and for all people seeking an abortion,” said Governor Brown. “Oregon has joined Washington and California to form the West Coast Offense, to protect abortion access on the West Coast, protect people seeking an abortion in our states, and to protect providers from prosecution in other states for providing medical care. I’d like to thank the health care workers of Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette, who are on the front lines of providing patient care to everyone who comes through their doors.”

“We will never stop fighting to protect, restore, and expand access to abortion care,” said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. “We must stand together in opposition to the recent attacks on reproductive rights, including the trigger law going into place in our neighboring state, Idaho. Here in Oregon we are committed to providing the care people need, whether they are Oregonians or traveling from nearby states. I am deeply grateful for the Planned Parenthood staff we met with today who are providing needed care, and to the many reproductive health care workers throughout our state.”

“Reproductive justice is racial justice. This means if we aren’t addressing health disparities that continue to impact Black and Brown communities, we aren’t going far enough,” said Representative Andrea Valderrama. “While the right to abortion is protected under Oregon law and we’ve worked hard to expand access, we know that coverage and access gaps persist. That’s why I support the Hillman Clinic and efforts to address and eliminate barriers in the 2023 session."

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

“Idaho’s abortion ban is devastating and cruel, and it puts physicians in an impossible position: having to choose between upholding their oath, or risk criminalization and jail time,” said Anne Udall, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette. “The chaos, confusion and devastation we are now seeing on the ground is exactly the environment politicians opposed to reproductive rights have worked for decades to create. Banning abortion does not stop people from needing abortions. It only puts more people’s lives in danger.

“Here in Oregon and Southwest Washington, where our health centers are located, our doors are open and we will do what we can to connect people who come to us seeking abortions with the care they need — regardless of where they live.”

“Anti-abortion politicians have been systematically stripping access to abortion one state at a time. Against the will of the American people, the Supreme Court handed away our bodily autonomy and removed the bulwark against politicians having free rein in our personal medical decisions,” said An Do, Executive Director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon. “I am proud to live in a state with leadership that believes abortion is health care and that health care is a human right.

“We are so grateful for the leadership of Governor Brown, Congresswoman Bonamici and Representative Valderrama for taking bold and necessary action in recent months to try to protect abortion access. We need everyone -- at every level of government -- to continue using every tool in their toolboxes to protect access to abortion.”


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-08-26 11:23:25

Last Update: 2022-08-26 14:27:35

People Not Politicians announced that they have filed with the Oregon Secretary of State a proposed initiative petition for the November 2024 ballot to reform Oregon’s redistricting process -- which some have called dysfunctional and partisan -- and to replace it with an independent citizens’ commission. The initiative has been filed by Gary Wilhelms of Portland, Eric Richardson of Eugene, and Chris Telfer, Bend.

Currently, Oregon legislators are incentivized to gerrymander voting districts to re-elect incumbents in safe districts, thereby reducing political competition. This results in incumbents who are not accountable to voters. The Princeton Gerrymandering Project gave the 2021 congressional map, passed by the Oregon legislature along party-line majority, an “F” grade for its lack of competitive races.

“Oregonians deserve to have their legislative and congressional districts decided by citizens, not political partisans who are all too often beholden to monied interests. Our state and our nation are already far too divided, and intense partisanship around these boundary lines is a major factor in making this situation even worse. Let’s give some power back to the people,” said Phil Keisling, former Oregon Secretary of State.

The March 2022 voter registration report of the Secretary of State shows that, for the first time in state history, the largest single group of Oregon voters is not affiliated with either the Democratic or Republican parties – yet that group of non-affiliated voters are mostly shut out of the redistricting process.

Creating an independent redistricting commission has been a consistent goal of reform-minded organizations who stand by the principle that legislators have a direct conflict of interest in drawing electoral lines that benefit incumbents.

The PNP coalition filed its previous initiative measure (IP 34) in April 2021 in the hopes of making the November 2022 election. However, legal challenges from allies of the elected officials of the state’s majority party kept the initiative tied up in court until it was too late for this year.

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

Supporters are more energized than ever. “The fact that certain interests went to great lengths to stop Oregonians from having a say in this fundamental democratic process is just another sign that partisan politics have gotten way off track. Let's come together and do what's right for the people of Oregon,” said Eric Richardson, former Executive Director of the Eugene Springfield National Association For the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and one of the initiative's three chief petitioners.

People Not Politicians filed Petition 2024-013 to amend the Oregon Constitution repealing sections 6 and 7, Article IV, and adopting a new section 6 and 7 establishing the Citizens Redistricting Commission of twelve members. It authorizes the Secretary of State to adopt rules to facilitate the maximum degree of correctness, impartiality and efficiency in selection of members. Secretary of State randomly selects by lot, six member commissioners meeting a criterion. Those six shall review the remaining names in the sub-pool and select the remaining six commissioners. It creates a Review Panel reflecting the diversity of this state consisting of administrative law judges or tribal court judges. Commissioners will hold at least 10 public hearings and approval final maps. The Oregon Supreme Court will review redistricting maps if any registered voter files a petition for review.

Petitioners anticipate that the initial qualification process could be completed as soon as January. The campaign can then begin in earnest to gather some 150,000 required valid voter signatures. They will have nearly a year and a half to accomplish this signature-gathering phase of the campaign.

People Not Politicians is a diverse coalition that has included the League of Women Voters of Oregon, Common Cause Oregon, Oregon State Chamber of Commerce, Oregon Farm Bureau, Independent Party of Oregon, OSPIRG, NAACP, Oregon Home Builders Association, Oregon Association of Nurseries, and The Klamath Tribal Council.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2022-08-25 11:35:55

Last Update: 2022-08-25 12:08:57

A complaint resulted in Secretary of State Shemia Fagan rejecting the Constitution Party nominees. Paul Romero, Jr. was hoping to take advantage of a second convention and add a male to the governor’s race. However, the support wasn’t there, and after the proper 10-day notice, the Constitution Party re-nominated its slate of candidates and added two more for a total of nine candidates.

• Caleb Abel – HD 1
• Ed Renfroe – HD 2
• Tracy Cramer – HD 22
• Morgan Hinthorne – HD 44
• Kim Rice – SD 18
• Donice Smith – Governor
• Jim Howard – US 4
• Larry McFarland – US 6
• Jo Rae Perkins – US Senate

Donice Smith adds her name to four other women running for governor. Three have legislative backgrounds, which could give her a few votes considering the climate of distrust of government. Smith has a background that more than qualifies her.

Smith earned several secondary degrees, including a Bachelor of Arts in History and the Constitution from Eastern Oregon University and continued to advance her education taking courses where ever she went.

Smith isn’t just educated -- her experience matches her training. She attained the rank of Master Sergeant (E8) over thirty-five years in the military, ten active. During her service, she earned multiple medals. She was also a teacher, a published journalist for forty-six years in and out of the military, an author, and a talk show host for twenty-six years.

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

Smith says her top priorities for Oregon will be to fix our broken election process, eliminate medical tyranny and limit the scope of government overreach. She wants to restore small and family-owned businesses. Parents, not government, know what is best for their families in education, and strongly opposes critical race theory, and supports alternatives to the public school system.

As governor, Smith says she will appoint leaders who are committed to reducing the power of government to its prescribed limits. Her biggest challenge will be competing with women who have millions to make themselves visible.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-08-24 15:48:34

Last Update: 2022-08-24 15:56:36

On Friday September 16 and Saturday September 17, The Oregon Moms Union will be hosting their First Annual Parents Matter Summit, a two-day educational event with prominent school choice and parental rights advocates including Rebecca Freidrichs, Dr. Carol Swain, Lance Izumi, Corey DeAngelis, Marcus Brandon, and Mark Siegel.

“We are so proud of the progress that Oregon Moms Union has made over the last year and the impact it has made on parents and children throughout the state,” said MacKensey Pulliam, President of the Oregon Mom’s Union. “This event is a testament to how much progress we have made through our grassroots efforts in the school choice and parents’ rights movement in a state that is severely lacking in academic performance in the public school system. Parents are waking up to the problems associated with our public schools’ curriculum and are looking for solutions, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“The Parents Matter Summit is going to be a critically important event that will shed light on the issues that are students continue to face and the solutions we can adapt to initiate the change we need to positively shape our children’s future.” Pulliam added.

The two-day event will consist of:

• A Viewing of “Who’s Children Are They” with creator Rebecca Friedrichs
• An education panel with nationwide education experts
• Special breakout sessions for future school board members and School District Captains
• Strategy sessions focused on special education, parental rights, private schools, and homeschooling
• Dinner Gala on Saturday Night with a special Keynote Speaker Dr. Carol Swain and Corey DeAngelis

Members of the press interested in attending can sign up using the form on the website.

Oregon Moms Union, formed in early 2021 in the wake of COVID-19 school shutdowns and distance learning, seeks to empower parents to advocate for a student-first K-12 education system. It currently has more than 90 volunteer School District Captains serving in more than 75 school districts.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-08-24 11:37:14

Last Update: 2022-08-24 12:11:06

Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum has prepared a draft ballot title for Initiative Petition 4 and is inviting public comment on it. Comments are due bu September 6 and they can be submitted via email to irrlistnotifier.sos@sos.oregon.gov or mailed to the Secretary of State at 255 Capitol St NE Ste 126, Salem OR 97310.

Comments should be regarding the legality or constitutionality of the title, and not on the content of the proposed ballot measure. A "title" contains four parts: A caption, Result of a Yes vote, Result of a No vote, and a Summary.

Caption:
Amends Constitution: Prohibits “highway” (defined) fees/tolls after December 31, 2017, unless voters in nearby counties approve

Result of “Yes” Vote:
“Yes” vote amends constitution. After 2017, new “highway” (defined) fees/tolls require voter approval in counties within 15 miles, including planned tolls on I-5, I-205.

Result of “No” Vote:
“No” vote retains current law allowing public bodies to collect fees/tolls without voter approval, including planned tolls on I-5, I-205.

Summary:
Amends Constitution. Currently, public bodies may collect fees and tolls without voter approval; current law requires tolls be collected on certain sections of I-205 and I-5 in Portland metro area. Measure prohibits public bodies from assessing “any fee or charge for the use of a highway,” unless referred for approval or rejection to the electors in each county with a border within a 15-mile radius of any section of “highway” proposed to be tolled and approved by majority of votes cast. Definition of “highway” includes “every public way, road, street, thoroughfare and place, including bridges, viaducts and other structures.” “Vehicles” include devices propelled/powered by any means, including bicycles. Measure applies to tolls established after December 31, 2017, including forthcoming I-205 and 1-5 tolls.

The Oregon Department of Transportation has already begun the process of developing a tolling system and has received approval to toll from the Oregon Legislature in 2017 through HB 2017


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-08-23 15:04:46

Last Update: 2022-08-23 15:36:55

The Betsy Johnson campaign has delivered signature sheets to the office of the Secretary of State in order to have her name placed on the November ballot for the office of Governor as a non-affiliated candidate. She is required to turn in 23,744 valid signatures to qualify.

According to Johnson, "Today, we made history. Together with Betsy Brigade members, I delivered 48,214 signatures to the Secretary of State’s office, more than double the number of signatures that I need to qualify for the ballot in November. By delivering more than twice the number of signatures needed to qualify, we’ve made it very difficult for the political establishment to imagine ways to keep me off the ballot. I will be on the ballot in November, and I hope to be your next governor."

According to the State Candidates Manual on the Secretary of State's website, "Candidates who are not members of any political party may file for partisan office in a general or special election in two ways: (1) by submitting a completed Individual Electors nominating petition containing the required number of valid signatures, or (2) by holding an Assembly of Electors and filing the assembly minutes that contain the required number of valid signatures of active Oregon voters. Nonaffiliated candidates for partisan office do not appear on the primary election ballot.

"The name of a candidate nominated to the ballot through either the Individual Electors or Assembly of Electors process will appear on the general or special election ballot with the designation of nonaffiliated."

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

Johnson characterized her achievement, "Coming onto the ballot through the power of people’s signatures is one of the most meaningful -- and foundational -- elements of my campaign. As I’ve been traveling the state talking to Oregonians, it has been very clear that they are ready for a real change, and there’s no bigger change than electing an independent governor loyal only to the people of Oregon."


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-08-23 12:52:48

Last Update: 2022-08-23 15:36:01

Kevin Mannix, representing Linn County District Attorney Douglas Marteeny, Lane County District Attorney Patty Perlow and several crime victims, have filed a Petition for Review in the Oregon Supreme Court. The Petition challenges the Oregon Court of Appeals decision made regarding the Clemency Process.

The Petitioners seek to maintain the Marion County Circuit Court’s decision that declared the Board of Parole’s newly established “Juvenile Review Hearing” process illegal, preventing the Parole Board from carrying out any further early release of convicted felons.

Petitioners also challenge the refusal of Governor Kate Brown to follow the clemency process laws which have existed in Oregon since the early years of the state. Those clemency process laws require notice to the District Attorney in each case where clemency is under consideration. The District Attorney then notifies the crime victim so that both the District Attorney and the crime victim have the opportunity to be heard as to the proposed clemency action.

Kevin Mannix stated: “Governor Brown has refused to be bound by this process. She takes the position that she can devise her own clemency process. We are challenging this in court because the process laws should apply in every case and every victim should have a right to be heard.

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

”Mannix added: “Oregon’s carefully crafted clemency process was established to ensure that the Governor is fully informed as to the concerns of crime victims and District Attorneys when making clemency decisions. This Governor’s refusal to follow this process is an insult to those who have been victimized by crime. I hope the Supreme Court will require the Governor to follow the law as to the clemency process.”


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-08-23 09:36:32

Last Update: 2022-08-23 15:37:14

“Over the last decade, a staggering 99% of people needing Search and Rescue assistance in Oregon lived outside the county where they were rescued -- underscoring that people exploring the state may be inexperienced, unprepared or exploring unfamiliar terrain when heading out to adventure." This is an important point according to State of Oregon Search and Rescue Coordinator Scott Lucas. "Summer is always a busy time for Oregon's SAR program, and 2022 has been no exception. The good news is, SAR missions are down 22% from this time last year. The flip side is injuries are up 35% -- so fewer missions but greater injuries. We're especially seeing an increase in alpine rescues – rescues in mountainous regions at 5,000 feet and above.

"On average over the past decade, alpine rescues are up 100%; 19% over the last year alone. Climbing injuries are up 26%, owing to people not knowing the area, proper routes or their own limits. These increases have led to more extreme lifesaving helicopter missions, up 41% over last year. Our SAR teams have already performed 596 missions to date this year, most of those attending to hiking injuries for people who were ill-prepared for their adventure."

Lucas continued, "Oregon is known for year-round outdoor recreation. This week, archery hunting season opens, and Oregon's new rules of drawing tags means many hunters will be in new and unfamiliar locations. That, combined with folks looking to squeeze in the last bit of summer, may escalate the risk and resulting SAR missions. There's also a greater risk of human-caused fires as we hit the height of wildfire season."

Lucas points out that "one positive upward trend is the use of GPS tracking devices. This tells us that people are starting to pay greater attention to our SAR messaging and understand the importance of being prepared. Having a plan helps prepare explorers for any Oregon adventure – as those of us in emergency management know all too well. Now is a critical time to remind our audiences of best safety practices when heading outdoors, including getting familiar with the area they're heading, bringing printed maps, checking local fire restrictions, packing appropriately, traveling with a companion, and always letting someone know where they're going and when they'll be back.

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

Lucas reminds outdoor enthusiasts that "people should always know their physical limits and plan for activities that won't exceed their experience to avoid becoming a search and rescue statistic."


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-08-23 06:40:34

Last Update: 2022-08-23 11:48:19

Clatsop County Oregon is welcoming Justin Gibbs as the new Emergency Management Director.

Gibbs brings more than 14 years in emergency management and public administration to the position. A native of North Carolina, he graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a Master’s Level Certificate in Community Preparedness and Disaster Management.

“Having been born and raised on the coast of North Carolina, I very much feel at home,” Gibbs said. “I look forward to learning, growing and becoming a member of the community and serving its members with integrity.”

Gibbs’ background includes more than 13 years with Hyde County, North Carolina, where he served as 9-1-1 database administrator before being selected as emergency services director. His tenure included response to multiple hurricanes, storms and wildfires, as well as an assignment to Puerto Rico as a planning section chief for the Hurricane Maria response in 2017.

Prior to joining Clatsop County Gibbs served with Multnomah County for two years, most recently as Interim Division Chief of Planning with the county’s Emergency Management Planning Section.

“My focus will be to develop strong relationships with the cities to ensure they are supported across all phases of Emergency Management, as well as concurrently making sure that Clatsop County is operationally ready to respond to disasters that will inevitably impact unincorporated areas of the jurisdiction,” he said.

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

Gibbs’s arrival comes as the county has elevated Emergency Management to a department-level office within the county organization, in recognition of the vital role it plays not only in disaster planning and response but also policies such as the government responnse to diseases like COVID-19.

. Located at Camp Rilea, Emergency Management maintains responsibility for a breadth of planning efforts, facilitation of various appointed and volunteer committees, all-hazards public outreach and education, grant management and operating the County Emergency Operations Center at Rilea’s Warrior Hall.

The department partners with other county offices as well as local cities, fire districts and Medix ambulance service, community groups, schools, water districts and state and federal agencies on emergency training, preparedness and response.

It coordinates amateur radio operator, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and other volunteer organizations, and manages the county’s ClatsopAlerts communications system.


--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2022-08-22 20:52:14

Last Update: 2022-08-22 21:05:07

Jason Harvey has been appointed as the next Chief of Police for the Corvallis Police Department. He will succeed outgoing Chief Nick Hurley upon his retirement on December 30, 2022.

During the interim period, Harvey will work closely with Hurley, the Police Department, and the Corvallis community to ensure a smooth leadership transition.

Harvey is a 25-year veteran of the Corvallis Police Department and has worked in virtually every role at the department, from patrol officer to detective to K-9 handler. He currently holds the rank of Captain at CPD, where he oversees a division responsible for uniformed patrol, detective investigations, crime analysis, and traffic enforcement.

Harvey holds a degree in criminology and criminal justice from Portland State University. He graduated from the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia in 2017. He is also a graduate of the International Public Safety Leadership and Ethics Institute and holds an Executive Certification from the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training.

Outside of work, Harvey enjoys spending time with his family, camping, and endurance sports such as cycling and long-distance running.

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

“I am honored and excited to be appointed the next Chief of Police for the City of Corvallis,” Harvey said. “Serving this community is a true privilege, and I am committed to working with Chief Hurley over the next few months as we coordinate the handover of responsibilities to ensure a smooth transition for the department and the community.”

The leadership transition comes a few months after the Corvallis Police Department was re-accredited through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). CPD has the distinction of being the longest-tenured CALEA-accredited law enforcement agency in Oregon.

The appointment was made by City Manager Mark Shepard.

“Captain Harvey is an accomplished law enforcement professional and a true community ambassador for Corvallis,” Shepard said. “I am excited to work closely with Jason to maintain the high levels of service that the community has come to expect from its Police Department.”

Harvey will assume his duties as Police Chief on December 30. A public reception with the community is planned for early 2023.


--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2022-08-21 11:22:03

Last Update: 2022-08-21 11:33:52

In a panel discussion on homelessness with local leaders on Friday, August 10, Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) Director Andrea Bell outlined and defended what the state is doing to prevent and end homelessness.

“We are continuing to focus on supply, supply, supply—supply of affordable housing,” she said at the annual Oregon Mayors Association Summer Conference. “We don’t have enough affordable housing and haven’t had enough for a very long time. We also need to open up that stock of affordable housing by opening up pathways to homeownership. At the same time, we need to focus on preservation of affordable housing.”

Accompanied on the panel by North Bend Mayor Jessica Engelke and Gresham Mayor Travis Stovall, who provided their own cities’ experiences and efforts, Bell emphasized the importance of partnership between leaders on the state and local level.

“We’ve been able to make some collective strides,” Bell said. “It’s not just because of the state. It is primarily because of the partnerships we have with leaders, with leaders like yourselves, with leaders of these communities who are actually doing this work on the ground.”

Permanent supportive housing is one area where OHCS says that progress is being made. In 2019, OHCS set out to increase the number of new units by 1,000 by 2023.

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

"Working with local governments to fund and build navigation centers is another way these partnerships have worked to get things done. It is these innovative solutions that have proven to be—and will continue to be—real solutions and pathways to help get people out of unsheltered homelessness and into permanent homeownership", Bell said.

Although the Oregon Housing and Community Services agency insists that progress has been made, critics are saying there is still much to be done.

“We are here today because we do not accept homelessness is a fact of life; we do not accept housing instability as a fact of life,” Bell said. “And so that’s great.”

In addition to preparing to ask the Legislature for $800 million in funding for the 2023-25 biennium to sustain homeless services and eviction prevention, among its other programs, OHCS says they will continue to listen for feedback from local governments. Observers of the situation remain skeptical of the efforts.

“The reality is that at the end of the day, our job, our responsibility is to the people of Oregon and to all of you to have what you need from us.”, stated Director Bell, who was appointed by Oregon Governor Kate Brown.


--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2022-08-20 17:26:27

Last Update: 2022-08-20 17:56:15

The Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission again expressed displeasure with badly behaving cannabis businesses, signaling a desire to sideline marijuana licensees unable to follow common business practices. Last month, the Commission indicated its frustration with licensees that break the law or don't follow OLCC rules and as a settlement are required to surrender their license; many licensees in this position are able to monetize the soon-to-be surrendered license through the sale of their cannabis business. Commissioners want to close that loophole.

At the Commission's regularly scheduled monthly meeting on August 18 Commissioners made clear that they don't want industry poor performers to jeopardize consumer confidence in the regulated recreational marijuana market. The Commissioners also approved stipulated settlement agreements, renewed 12 liquor store agent contracts and appointed two new agents to run independently operated liquor stores.

While discussing cannabis stipulated settlement agreements, Commission Chair Paul Rosenbaum voiced concern about a settlement with a lab that had a faulty testing process. The result is that improperly tested products were approved and eventually sold to consumers.

"Consumers in this state have to be one hundred percent sure that we're complying and doing it [testing] safely," said Rosenbaum.

Other concerns are the frequency of packaging and labeling mistakes, and licensees not following the proper process and protocols for testing. OLCC Compliance Director Jason Hanson told the Commission there has been a rise in issues that could lead to product recalls.

According to Hanson problems have included: licensees adding ingredients to marijuana products after final testing and not re-testing; licensees not following requirements for non-cannabis additives when making flavored vapes; and licensees not understanding changes to OLCC rules before continuing to manufacture and distribute products for sale.

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

"What worse violation can you think of then getting approval to go to the market, then changing the product?" said Rosenbaum.

On August 18, 2022, OLCC issued a product advisory after finding that a THC vaping product containing a banned ingredient was sold at two licensed cannabis retailers in Eastern Oregon. Commission staff worked with the licensees who voluntarily removed the products from their shelves in early July, 2022.

The Commission also expressed a desire to work with the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) on a joint campaign to address excessive alcohol consumption. That interest came after OHA shared with Commissioners a new public awareness campaign "Re-think the Drink" to raise awareness about the impacts of over consumption of alcohol. The campaign asks Oregonians to reflect on and then reconsider their alcohol consumption while pointing out the impacts of over consumption.

A joint campaign might better highlight the value of the OLCC and the control state system according to Commissioner Matt Maletis.

"This agency is one of the lead funders of addiction treatment services, cities, counties and health programs," said Maletis. "I think that is something people forget that we are partners with slightly different missions, but really we don't because we're on the same team."

The OLCC's Distilled Spirits division reported to the Commission that although liquor sales revenue has grown 5.2%, the volume of liquor sold is down 1.5% from the same period last year. This shows a continued trend of Oregonians moving up-the-shelf and purchasing higher price point liquor products. The revenue growth is attributed to Oregon's continued population growth and the hospitality industry's re-emergence from the pandemic.

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

In other business, Commissioners renewed 12 independently owned liquor store contracts because of their operational success. The Commission also appointed Angela Smeulders to operate a Tualatin liquor store located at 19265 SW Martinazzi Ave. Smeulders has acted as the temporary agent since September of 2021 due to her father's retirement as the previous agent. Commissioners also appointed Robert Babin to operate the Jantzen Beach Store located at 11980 N Jantzen Dr. Babin has been the store manager for the past 12 years and took over the Jantzen Beach store due to his father's retirement.

The Commissioners also ratified the following stipulated settlement agreements (detailed information on specific cases can be found on the OLCC website):

• ELEVEN ELEVEN a marijuana producer, will pay a $2,750 fine OR serve a 11-day license suspension for one violation.
• LIGHTSCALE LABS a marijuana laboratory, will pay a $5,750 fine OR serve a 23-day license suspension for one violation.
• CURA CANNABIS SOLUTIONS a marijuana processor, will pay $130,000 fine, AND serve a 23-day suspension OR pay a $132,750 fine AND serve a 12-day suspension for multiple violations.
• VILLAGE GREEN a marijuana producer, will pay $24,500 fine OR pay a $10,500 fine AND serve a 56-day suspension.

--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-08-19 13:37:26

Last Update: 2022-08-19 16:19:53