On this day, November 21, 1992, Oregon Senator Bob Packwood, issued an apology but refused to discuss allegations that he'd made unwelcome sexual advances toward 10 women over the years.
“Oregon is in crisis because Measure 110 has failed”
Oregon House Republicans have sent a
letter to Governor Tina Kotek, Senate President Rob Wagner, and Speaker Dan Rayfield with proposals for policy needed to end the addiction, crime, and homeless epidemics that they say have been exacerbated by the failure of Measure 110.
“Oregon is in crisis because Measure 110 has failed. House Republicans have diligently assembled proposals for legislation needed to effect meaningful change to end the addiction, crime, and homelessness that plague our state,” said House Republican Leader Jeff Helfrich. “It is time for the majority party to put partisanship and special interests aside and work with Republicans to implement these desperately needed solutions so that our state can begin to heal.”
House Republican proposals include:
- Restore criminal justice accountability for those who possess deadly fentanyl, heroin, and meth.
- Prohibit the public use of hard drugs in a manner consistent with alcohol and marijuana.
- Prioritize treatment for drug addicts by allowing them to choose treatment instead of jail if arrested for drug-related offenses. Expunge criminal records for those who successfully undergo treatment to beat their addictions.
- Adequately fund county probation departments and Oregon Specialty Courts that supervise misdemeanor theft and property crime cases where defendants are struggling with addiction.
- Invest in good health by providing adequate county-level funding to implement prevention, treatment, recovery support, community harm reduction, and enforcement services.
- Make capital investment in stabilization and treatment facilities by leveraging state bonds.
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- Reform ineffective boards and procedures within the law that prevent resources from reaching areas of acute need.
House Republicans believe the following actions must be taken to alleviate the suffering caused by Measure 110 so Oregon can begin to heal:
1. Rehabilitate those struggling with addiction. Measure 110 promised treatment but it instead has enabled addiction. The House Republican plan will not leave people without the support they need to recover. Treatment should be a requirement, not a suggestion, for those who commit crimes to fuel their habits. We can achieve this by mandating treatment, instituting welfare holds for intoxicated individuals who pose a danger to themselves or others, and creating conditional discharge diversion procedures for those charged with drug possession. We support expunging drug possession criminal records for those who successfully undergo treatment.
2. Restore criminal justice accountability by reinstituting penalties for possession of deadly fentanyl, meth, and heroin. Additionally, the public use of drugs should be prohibited consistent with the laws regulating alcohol and marijuana use.
3. Reinvest funding to address acute needs. Fund county probation departments to supervise misdemeanor theft and property crime cases where defendants are dealing with addiction, and prioritize adequate and stable funding for Oregon’s Specialty Courts. Create adequate stabilization, detoxification and treatment capacity in jurisdictions throughout Oregon by making sustainable investments in sobering center/stabilization and treatment bed capacity for adults and youth. The state should use bonds to make capital investments for treatment and recovery infrastructure.
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4. Repeal other failed aspects of Measure 110 to improve efficiency at delivering life-saving resources. This includes abolishing the ineffective, activist-led Oversight and Accountability Council. Ensure that counties actually get the funding needed to implement prevention, treatment, recovery support, community harm reduction, and enforcement services. Direct the Alcohol and Drug Policy Commission to conduct a gaps analysis and advise counties and the legislature on budgeting and best practices for addressing substance use.
The letter goes on to say:
Each day that this horrendous policy remains in place creates more opportunity for drug dealers to take advantage of vulnerable Oregonians. It’s another day that struggling addicts are unable to receive the treatment promised to them when the policy was enacted. It’s another day that Oregonians live in fear of falling victim to crime as desperate people look for ways to feed their habits. It’s another day that the homeless crisis worsens.
Failure to act is to embrace the status quo of death, overdoses, crime, and suffering. Enough is enough. House Republicans are willing to work with you on tangible solutions to solve these crises. Stand with us and let’s get this done for the people that we serve.
Many Democrats
supported the passage of Measure 110. Governor Kotek has
not taken a clear stand on the repeal of Measure 110.
--Staff Reports| Post Date: 2023-11-14 15:12:34 | Last Update: 2023-11-14 15:38:47 |
Jaime Alvarez named as the new Director of Debt Management
The Oregon State Treasury
has announced that Jaime Alvarez is the new Director of Debt Management in Oregon. In his new role, Jaime will oversee the statewide program responsible for issuing all State of Oregon bonds and managing the state’s outstanding debt.
Jaime was promoted to the Director position after serving as the Deputy Director and Senior Debt Program Manager of Treasury’s Debt Management Division since 2021.
“Jaime has been a valuable member of our bonding program since joining Treasury and I am excited to announce his appointment as the new Director of the Debt Management Division,” said Oregon State Treasurer Tobias Read. “I have confidence in Jaime’s ability to lead and advance the program’s efforts to build a better Oregon through bonds and careful management of our state’s debt.”
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In his new role, Jaime leads a team that works closely with partners from across state government, regional and local governments, nonprofits, and the financial industry to provide financing assistance. Put another way: when governing bodies across Oregon need to finance capital projects like affordable housing or retrofit a school facility with seismic upgrades, Jaime and his team make it happen.
He will also serve as Treasurer Read’s designee on the Oregon Private Activity Bond Committee and the Oregon Municipal Debt Advisory Committee.
Prior to joining Treasury, Jaime worked for the City of Houston, Texas, as the Division Manager of the Capital Management and Debt Management Division of the Finance Department. In his capacity as Division Manager for the City of Houston, Jaime worked on bond issuances for General Obligation, Combined Utility System, Airport and Convention and Entertainment credits. Jaime’s prior experience also includes financial positions at The Bank of New York and JP Morgan Chase Bank.
Jaime holds an M.B.A. in Energy Finance from Texas Southern University and a B.B.A. in Finance from the University of Houston.
Appointed in mid-October, Jaime succeeds Jacqueline Knights, who accepted a senior position with the United States Department of Treasury.
--Ben Fisher| Post Date: 2023-11-13 17:39:19 | Last Update: 2023-11-13 20:17:33 |
“I will truly miss being an advocate for my community”
One of Oregon's Republican state legislators, Representative Lily Morgan has now announced her resignation from her position as
Representative for the people of House District 3. She has released the following statement:
"It is with mixed emotions that I am announcing that I am stepping down from my role as
Representative for Oregon House District 3. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve the
community that I grew up in. I have thanked God every day for being blessed with this
opportunity.
"I have truly loved being your voice in Salem and have appreciated getting to know the ins and
outs of the issues we face as Oregonians from a broader perspective. The issues we face here at
home when it comes to opioid addiction and homelessness are problems we are seeing across
the whole state, and getting to work with my colleagues to try and find sound solutions to these
problems over the last few years has been a pleasure."
"I have been given the opportunity to continue to serve Southern Oregon a little closer to home.
This opportunity would allow me to spend more time with my family, and to continue that
mission of service. I will truly miss being an advocate for my community and our values in
Salem, but ultimately, I must do what is best for myself and my family."
"I thank the voters who elevated me to this position. I trust the Commissioners will appoint a
replacement that exemplifies what the people voted for in November of 2022. I have had a long
road in public services, and while it is taking me away from the Legislature for now, I would be
remiss if I did not admit that I hope it one day will bring me back to Salem as your advocate."
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Representative Morgan steps away from the legislature having championed pressing issues in
Southern Oregon, including cannabis, illicit drugs, addressing human trafficking and foster care.
She was a leading voice on the passage of
HB 3000 (2021), which passed with broad bipartisan
support and overhauled cannabis regulations in Oregon. More recently, she passed
HB 2645
(2023), which gave law enforcement more tools to crack down on fentanyl use.
HB 4074 and
SB
1052 both addressed the human trafficking issues to create mandatory reporting on cannabis
farms and increase penalties for trafficking across Oregon. In her three years in the State
House, Representative Morgan was chief sponsor of 23 bills that passed into law.
Representative Morgan has taken a position with the City of Gold Hill as the city manager. Her
resignation will be effective on December 3rd at 11:59pm.
--Ben Fisher| Post Date: 2023-11-11 17:54:34 | Last Update: 2023-11-11 18:09:17 |
Electrify is Federal answer to air quality
Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley announced that Klamath County Public Health and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation have secured a combined $5.1 million in federal funds for air quality. This follows a $1 million grant received in August 2022 to
Oregon Institute of Technology in Klamath Falls to monitor air quality and improve health outcomes in wildfire-prone Southern Oregon. Now the move is to align with the Green New Deal and electrify homes that are heating with free wood.
The $4.67 million from the Environmental Protection Agency will go to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality to partner with Klamath County Public Health, allowing the two agencies to change out around 300 woodstoves and weatherize 100 houses in Klamath County, with a focus on improving services to underserved populations who rely on wood for heat. As part of the $4.67 million, $323,630 in utility assistance will be granted to low-income applicants who change out their woodstoves through the program.
An additional $451,250 in EPA funding will go to the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation for air quality monitoring.
“This federal investment packs a one-two punch because it improves overall air quality and helps Oregonians get efficient heat sources to replace their wood-burning units,” Wyden said. “That adds up to a huge win for quality of life in Klamath County as well as for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.”
“These critical investments will be used to help ensure folks in Klamath County and on the Confederated Tribes of Umatilla Indian Reservation have the support and innovation to better monitor and improve air quality,” said Senator Merkley. “Air pollution often goes unnoticed, but can contribute greatly to chronic health conditions. This funding will help improve health outcomes and quality of life for thousands of Oregonians."
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“Air quality is an area of public health that requires our constant attention and intention,” said Jennifer Little, director of Klamath County Public Health. “We’ve had two diligent partners in working toward better air for everyone in the DEQ and South Central Oregon Economic Development District. This grant also includes a new element with Klamath Lake Community Action Services, which is an exciting addition to the ongoing work. Our community is better for the work of each and our continued partnership.”
Removing woodburning stoves may contribute to air quality in the winter, but the greatest impact is summer wildfires and federal prescribed burns in the heat.
--Donna Bleiler| Post Date: 2023-11-08 23:41:11 | Last Update: 2023-11-08 23:54:13 |
“We urge the Secretary of State’s Office to halt implementation now!”
Several Republican legislators in Oregon are now blasting Oregon Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade for steps taken by the agency recently that enables to state of Oregon to constantly surveil, track,
and attempt to suppress or manipulate the free speech of Oregon’s citizens. They have bicamerally penned
a letter, it reads as follows:
We call on you and your office to immediately halt implementation of the "Misinformation,
Disinformation, and Mal-information (MDM) Analysis Platform Services" Contract (IT Services
Contract per Bid Solicitation S-16500-00007470). We have learned that the purpose of this
system is to continually monitor and actively manipulate the free speech of Oregonians. We
believe that this system as described in the Request for Proposal (RFP) violates Oregonians' First
Amendment rights.
Logically (logically.ai), a UK-based company, was awarded the MDM contract last month. As
detailed in the RFP (link here), the system will "…identify and mitigate harmful information online
as it relates to elections (mis-, dis-, and mal- information, or “MDM”).” The Logically system
will monitor Oregonians’ social media posts for MDM on a nonstop basis and use artificial
intelligence to “identify perceived threats” and “recommend countermeasures”, including
promoting an AI-generated counter-narrative to Oregonians’ speech. The system will also report
anything it determines is a possible threat or constitutes speech that “violates community
guidelines and/or policies” of different sites to those social media platforms. It will report "urgent
information" to the FBI and State Police.
The problem is that the state will determine which content is labeled MDM. Also concerning is
how such determinations will be made and by whom. These terms and processes are not defined
either in the contract or in any Oregon statute. Instead of focusing on the primary role of ensuring
confidence and transparency in Oregon’s elections, the Secretary of State’s Office has chosen to
monitor and encourage the censoring of citizens who voice legitimate concerns, some of which
may question government practices or policies, on public platforms such as social media.
We reject the idea that any elected official or agency has the authority to constantly surveil, track,
and attempt to suppress or manipulate the free speech of Oregon’s citizens. We urge the Secretary
of State’s Office to halt implementation now and we call on the Legislature to address this pressing
Constitutional issue during the 2024 session. Oregonians deserve a transparent government that
prioritizes service to its people. Our government should never use secretive processes and AI
programs to tip the scales by suppressing some citizens and augmenting only those who voice
consensus with the state. Using artificial intelligence in this manner does nothing to improve
confidence or security in our elections; instead, it will deepen the ongoing divide we are all
working to heal.
We look forward to your reply.
Sincerely,
Court Boice
State Representative, District 1
- Shelly Boshart Davis
State Representative, District 15
- Ed Diehl
State Representative, District 17
- Tracy Cramer
State Representative, District 22
- Lucetta Elmer
State Representative, District 24
- Christine Goodwin
State Representative, District 4
- Jeff Helfrich
State Representative, District 52
- James Hieb
State Representative, District 51
- Bobby Levy
State Representative, District 58
- Rick Lewis
State Representative, District 18
- Kevin Mannix
State Representative, District 21
- Emily McIntire
State Representative, District 22
- Lily Morgan
State Representative, District 3
- Virgle Osborne
State Representative, District 2
- Mark Owens
State Representative, District 60
- E. Werner Reschke
State Representative, District 55
- Anna Scharf
State Representative, District 23
- Brian Stout
State Representative, District 31
- Kim Wallan
State Representative, District 6
- Boomer Wright
State Representative, District 9
- Kim Thatcher
State Senator, District 11
- Dennis Linthicum
State Senator, District 28
- Suzanne Weber
State Senator, District 16
- Cedric Hayden
State Senator, District 6
- David Brock Smith
State Senator, District 1
- Fred Girod
State Senator, District 9
- Lynn Findley
State Senator, District 30
--Ben Fisher| Post Date: 2023-11-08 16:20:46 | Last Update: 2023-11-08 18:10:37 |
“We’re thrilled to roll out the new PCP Initiative”
The Oregon Republican Party has now released it's
official platform, numerating the issue positions agreed upon within the party. You can read the ORP Platform , and find out how to get involved in the party on the
ORP website.
The Preamble of the 2023 Platform reads as follows:
We, the Republican Party of Oregon, stand for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We seek to ensure justice,
order, and domestic tranquility, as one nation under God, our Creator. Without restrictive government, as free
people, all Oregonians have the opportunity, through hard work and perseverance, to build a more prosperous
future for themselves, their families, and their communities. We believe each generation should teach, proclaim,
promote, and defend the essential civic Virtues of our founding.
We encourage all citizens to work with us to elect ethical and accountable candidates who align with our ideals.
This platform outlines our guiding principles, and our vision of the role and scope of our Constitutional Republic, the
protection of individual rights, and the responsibilities we have to ourselves, each other, and our Country. We are
committed to securing these ideals for future generations.
The ORP is also announcing an incentive program designed to engage and challenge PCPs (Precinct-Committee-Persons) to help with canvassing, door knocking, phone banking,
letter writing, voter registration drives and
community engagement events.
Precinct Committee Persons (or PCPs) are the entry-level officials of the Oregon Republican Party (ORP.) They represent the people that live within their precinct to their county Republican Party. Each PCP is a voting member of the Central Committee in their county party. You can find out how to become a PCP on the
Oregon Republican Party website.
The ORP says PCPs with the greatest number of verified
volunteer hours win prizes. Hours will be sent to the
ORP PCP chair at the end of each quarter by the designated county verifier.
Rewards may change from time to time. First quarter prizes are:
- Free admission to the ORP State Central Committee meeting
- A 90-minute private flight from the airport nearest to you with Brian Bishop
- $25 Gift certificates
The ORP says that the PCP who banks the most hours will select between the first two
prizes. The PCP who banks the second most hours will receive the
prize not selected by the winner. All other PCPs who have banked
at least 5 verified hours will be eligible to enter a drawing for
a $25 gift card.
"We’re thrilled to roll out the new PCP Initiative to help PCP’s engage in GOTV activities in their county and our state party", said PCP Organization Chair Jessica Davidson. "We have some wonderful prizes in store and hope you’re all excited to get to work helping get Republicans elected at every level."
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The ORP says eligible activities include: voter registration drives, ballot collection activities,
canvassing, phone banking, volunteering in a county or ORP office,
volunteering at a fair or community event that includes voter registration,
writing pro-Republican letters to the editor (approved by the county
chair/county PCP chair).
Activities that are NOT eligible for this initiative include: attending or
volunteering at rallies or conferences, attending or volunteering at Central
Committee meetings or other regular county or Republican events or
meetings, signature gathering for petitions (unless the event also focuses on
voter registration).
In May 1856, the first Republican meeting in Oregon was held in Jackson County to nominate county officers and adopt a strong platform declaring freedom throughout the United States, and the Oregon Republican Party was officially organized in Albany just three months later.
By December of that same year, the Oregonian newspaper stated that almost every county had held a Republican convention and adopted a ‘free state platform’, in favor of the admission of Oregon to the Union as a free state.
The first nominating convention of the Oregon Republican Party was held in Salem on April 21, 1859. Delegates supported William Seward, who was in favor of Oregon’s statehood, and was noted for his strong position against slavery.
The current Chairman of the Oregon Republican Party is businessman, Justin Hwang.
--Ben Fisher| Post Date: 2023-11-07 15:19:41 | Last Update: 2023-11-07 19:46:24 |
Congress has authorized states selecting permanent standard time
As people across America adjust to this past weekend’s switch from daylight saving time to standard time, Oregon Senator Kim Thatcher and Washington Senator Mike Padden are planning to introduce bills early next year to put their states on standard time year-round. This isn't the first time lawmakers have sought to end the switch.
"I introduced
Senate Bill 320 in 2019 that would change Oregon to permanent daylight saving time,” said Sen. Kim Thatcher, R-Keizer, who serves Oregon's District 11. “Even though the bill passed it was contingent on Washington and California passing a similar bill and then all the states seeking permission from the federal government. Washington passed a bill but California never did, though their people overwhelmingly passed a proposition in 2018 to ditch the switch."
In 2019, Sen. Mike Padden, who serves Washington’s 4th District, supported the passage of a
state law in Washington calling for year-round daylight saving time, which will not take effect until the federal government approves the same change.
“If there is one issue most people agree on, it’s the dislike of moving their clocks from standard time to daylight saving time in the spring and then back to standard time in the fall,” said Padden, R-Spokane Valley, who will introduce his year-round standard-time bill when Washington’s 2024 session begins Jan. 8.
“It confuses and annoys many people, and it causes health problems for some. That’s why Senator Thatcher and I are working together to see if our respective legislatures can keep our clocks on standard time year-round,” added Padden.
In 2022, Padden co-sponsored
Senate Bill 5511, a bipartisan measure that would have exempted Washington from observing daylight saving time until the state could move to Pacific Daylight Time year-round.
SB 5511 was not approved by the Senate.
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During Oregon’s 2023 legislative session Thatcher introduced
Senate Bill 1090, a bipartisan bill that would have kept Oregon on standard time year-round and halted the state’s annual switch from standard time to daylight saving time.
Thatcher and Padden said they have contacted legislators in California, Idaho and Nevada to see if they will introduce similar bills in those states.
Arizona and Hawaii are the only states on permanent standard time. Because Congress has already decided states may be on permanent standard time if they choose, Oregon and Washington would not need the federal government to pass a bill authorizing the two states to be on year-round standard time.
--Donna Bleiler| Post Date: 2023-11-07 12:37:39 | Last Update: 2023-11-07 00:03:45 |
National eyes are on Oregon to expand health coverage
Governor Tina Kotek appointed nationally known Dr. Sejal Hathi as the director of the Oregon Health Authority as of January 16. Dr. Hathi brings over a decade of experience in medicine, health policy and education, and non-profit development. On the line is the implementation of universal health care with the passing of Measure 111, and obtain HIPPA exemption allowing health providers to register voters.
“The Oregon Health Authority has a critical role in ensuring equitable access to health care in Oregon and for stewarding our behavioral and public health systems in every part of the state,” Governor Kotek said. “This work must be carried out with transparency, accountability, urgency, and an infallible commitment to customer service. Dr. Hathi brings a rare combination of extraordinary qualifications to this role – from frontline experience as a physician, to shaping policy in the White House, to founding two non-profits focused on women and girls leadership. I am grateful she is bringing her experience and talent to serve Oregonians.”
Before joining the Oregon Health Authority, Dr. Hathi served as New Jersey's deputy health commissioner for public health services and designated state health officer. Prior to that, she served for two years as the White House’s Senior Policy Advisor for Public Health, where she led various Administration priorities for the Domestic Policy Council. A board-certified attending physician, she also held joint faculty appointments as an assistant professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and the Bloomberg School of Public Health.
“I’m both excited and humbled to be a part of the ground-breaking advances in health care access that are happening in Oregon," Dr. Hathi said. "At the national level, all eyes are on Oregon and the steps this state is taking to expand health coverage and tackle root cause issues, such as the social determinants of health. I look forward to continuing this proud tradition and working with the team to make every community in the state a healthier place to live.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic Dr. Hathi served as host and producer of
CivicRx, a podcast on health equity and social justice. She interviewed doctors on subjects such as: climate change is a public health emergency; calling for federal action against gun violence; unvaccinated pulled us back into a war against the coronavirus; “vaccine passports” debate; and more.
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Dr. Hathi cared for COVID-19 patients as a resident physician at Massachusetts General Hospital and a clinical fellow on faculty at Harvard Medical School, where she also launched and led a voter education and mobilization initiative for providers and their patients. She has served on numerous national boards related to public service and public health. She served as a health policy advisor to Pete Buttigieg’s presidential campaign, and today, she maintains a role as a founding board member of Indiaspora. Dr. Hathi has spoken at TEDWomen, the World Health Assembly, and the United Nations, among other venues.
Early in her career, Dr. Hathi founded and led two, award-winning social enterprises, each building community and advancing women’s and girls’ leadership around the world. In 2013, Dr. Hathi was appointed as 1 of 9 public health leaders to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s expert advisory group on women’s & children’s health, charged with evaluating and reporting global progress against maternal and child mortality. Dr. Hathi holds a B.S. with honors from Yale University and an M.D./M.B.A. from Stanford University.
Interim Director Dave Baden will continue his work at OHA, and will serve in a deputy director role, overseeing major programs and policy initiatives. Kris Kautz will continue as a deputy director overseeing agency operations.
--Donna Bleiler| Post Date: 2023-11-06 19:24:20 | Last Update: 2023-11-06 20:48:00 |
Youth suffer from failing behavioral health system
Charlie Conrad (R-Eastern Lane County) convened a summit of statewide experts at the University of Oregon to discuss opportunities and challenges for fixing the state's youth behavioral health system. Those in attendance included behavioral health leaders from the Oregon Health Authority, Oregon Health Sciences University, Oregon Department of Education, University of Oregon, and other state departments and programs along with behavioral health experts representing providers from all areas of the state.
Oregon has an estimated 24,000 youth suffering from substance youth disorders, one of the highest rates in the United States, and has one of the lowest rates of access to care for youth. According to a 2023 study by Mental Health America, Oregon ranks 51st among all states and the District of Columbia for providing access to behavioral health care to youth.
"Oregon's youth are in crisis, and we must do better. This is not a partisan issue: we need urgent action across parties and at all levels of the system," said Representative Conrad.
Those who attended the summit describe the current youth behavioral health system as "neglected", "morally unacceptable", and "a desert with a corn maze in the middle." The highest priorities identified by the group include:
- Simplifying the current system;
- Improving integration and communication; and
- Balancing local control with state support.
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While the summit dwelled on administrative and structural changes that would add government support and increase funding, Measure 110 remains the source behind substance disorders that Democrats don’t want to discuss repealing. Teenagers with substance disorders get more satisfaction from the substance and are more likely to become addicted says clinical expert Sarper Taskiran MD, at
Child Mind Institute. Kids with negative thoughts will turn to a substance and half will end up with a substance use disorder making it harder to treat mental health issues.
At the close of the summit Conrad stated, "I will work closely with agency leaders, care providers, researchers, youth, and families across the state with the goal of introducing legislation in the 2025 session that will have a significant impact on our youth SUD prevention and treatment services."
Conrad is attempting to regain his credibility after the ORTL PAC asked him to step down and announced a campaign to defeat him due to his support for what ORTL says was dangerous abortion and assisted suicide legislation. Representative Conrad voted to pass
House Bill 2002 seriously damaging children and weaken the parent-child relationship removing parental consent. They also objected to him voting for
House Bill 2279 in the 2023 legislative session opening up assisted suicide to out-of-state access.
--Ritch Hanneman| Post Date: 2023-11-05 18:10:06 | Last Update: 2023-11-07 15:00:28 |
Authority scheduled to take ownership in 2026
Speaker of the house Dan Rayfield has appointed Representative James Hieb (R-Canby) as a non-voting advisor to the 11-member Willamette Falls Locks Authority.
In 2021,
HB 2564 established the Willamette Falls Locks Authority as “a public corporation with the mission to establish ownership, oversight, and management of the Willamette Falls Locks project for the purposes of enhancing the economic vitality of Oregon through facilitating the resiliency and navigability of the Willamette River and repairing, maintaining, upgrading and operating the Willamette Falls Locks project…for commercial, transportation, recreational, cultural, history, heritage and tourism purposes.“ The 11-member Authority will assume ownership of the locks after the Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) completes necessary repairs.
USACE will continue to oversees the locks until seismic repairs are completed. The official transfer of ownership to the Willamette Falls Locks Authority is expected to be in 2026. This will allow time to perform geotechnical explorations involving drilling a series of holes to investigate the systems substructure and ensure seismic anchors installed throughout the repairs have been properly designed.
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The Willamette Falls Locks Authority will oversee the ongoing refurbishments and preserve the water table for renewable energy generation at PGE’s Sullivan Power Plant. Steelhead and salmon habitat upriver will also benefit from repairing the locks.
--Ritch Hanneman| Post Date: 2023-11-05 12:41:39 | Last Update: 2023-11-07 15:19:41 |
The public has been invited to give input
The Growth Management Division at the City of Bend
says that they want to hear from the community about where to locate areas where people can live, work, and play without requiring a car.
This concept is called a Climate Friendly Area. City staff are in the phase of analyzing locations throughout the city to designate as Climate Friendly Areas in a multi-year project driven by the state of Oregon.
As a part of this phase, the community is invited to the Climate Friendly Areas Community Open House on Nov. 7 from 5 to 7 p.m. It will be held in the Audubon Room at the Environmental Center at 16 NW Kansas Ave. An online open house will also be available at the
City of Bend: Climate Friendly Areas website.
Climate Friendly Areas are part of the Climate Friendly and Equitable Communities rules required by the state of Oregon that intend to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by changing land use patterns. Bend says the end result will involve designating walkable, connected areas that provide a mix of businesses, housing and amenities such as parks and schools through code and policy amendments.
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The City of Bend says the process of adopting these changes is supportive of many Bend City Council goals, policies and plans already underway related to climate, equity, housing and transportation.
"It’s vital that we plan for a sustainable future", said Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler. "One where everyone in Bend has the chance to thrive, with a place to live that they can afford, a job that pays the bills, and a community where they feel welcome and safe."
Those interested can visit the
City of Bend: Climate Friendly Areas website for an online open house and opportunity to comment.
The City of Bend says that the Environmental Center is not sponsoring this event.
--Ben Fisher| Post Date: 2023-11-04 12:19:08 | Last Update: 2023-11-04 13:10:14 |
Estimated upwards of 4,500 Ukrainians settled in Oregon
The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) Refugee Program
has announced that it invites community agencies to apply for a portion of $2.25 million in funding that is available to provide services and support to certain individuals from Ukraine or those who entered through the Uniting for Ukraine program.
The application to apply for funding can be
found online, the deadline to apply is Nov. 24. ODHS will be hosting an informational session for organizations who are interested in applying for this funding on Nov. 17. This session is to provide information on this funding and provide an opportunity for session attendees to ask questions before they apply for the funding. Details on how to join the learning session are available in the application that can be
found online.
The U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) is operated by the U.S. Department of State (DOS) 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 initial resettlement provided by Resettlement Agencies.
The ODHS Refugee Program administers refugee cash and refugee medical benefits. Additionally, the ODHS Refugee Program contracts with Community-Based Organizations and Resettlement Agencies to provide culturally responsive services for populations deemed eligible by the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement.
Since February 2022, it is estimated that upwards of 4,500 individuals from Ukraine have resettled in Oregon.
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 Department says that the purpose of this request is to ask for applications from culturally or linguistically responsive organizations who provide services to immigrants or refugees (and those eligible for refugee services) to increase services and supports.
estimated that upwards of 4,500 individuals
ODHS says that funding is available to support:
- $1 million for housing assistance services
- $500,000 for employment services assistance
- $300,000 for health and mental health promotion services
- $300,000 for legal services
- $75,000 for senior services
ODHS says organizations may express interest in supporting more than one service area. The application for this funding, and additional information regarding the ODHS Refugee Program can be found on the
Oregon Refugee Services website.
The Oregon Department of Human Services says that their mission is to help Oregonians in their own communities achieve wellbeing and independence through opportunities that protect, empower, respect choice and preserve dignity.
--Ben Fisher| Post Date: 2023-11-03 11:16:59 | Last Update: 2023-11-03 11:54:42 |
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