“We cannot keep doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results”
House Republican Leader Jeff Helfrich (R-Hood River) and state Representatives Ed Diehl (R-Stayton) and E. Werner Reschke (R-Klamath Falls) are calling for legislative action to improve wildfire prevention and suppression efforts next session. Oregon has recently experienced severe wildfires, covering over 1.5 million acres - the largest area in the United States.
“Lives, property, and livestock are lost when fires ravage our state. This is the direct consequence of bad policy. The legislature should make a good-faith, bipartisan effort to reform its forestry management approach to better balance safety and concern for the environment. Doing so will benefit all those who live under the risk of wildfires,” said Leader Helfrich.
The representatives identified four core policies that need to change to make Oregon a safer state:
The Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) has prevented responsible logging in much of the state. Managing Oregon’s forests does not mean ignoring them until they are on fire. The legislature should reform the HCP to allow responsible economic use and undo its overly aggressive expansion.
Oregon's war on the timber industry must end. The logging industry plays a vital role in clearing out deadwood and decreasing the severity of fires. Seven sawmills have closed this year due to anti-business policies. Republicans support reforming burdensome regulations while treating the lumber industry as partners in conservation.
Oregon must invest in more early warning and prevention resources and increase our support to firefighters. Oregon Republicans previously introduced bills to promote and protect firefighting efforts. These bills included HB 2491 (2023) which would prohibit volunteer firefighters from being held civilly liable for good faith firefighting efforts and HB 2953 (2023) which would allow the state forester to fight fires on federal lands within Oregon. Neither bill received a public hearing during the 2023 session, and Republicans plan to re-introduce the legislation in 2025.
Some of the wildfires in this state have started because of homeless encampments that do not engage in safe practices in vulnerable areas. Now that the Supreme Court has allowed states to ban camping on public grounds, the legislature must reverse 2021's HB 3115 and strictly prohibit these encampments. The state should also take common-sense safety steps like those described in 2023’s HB 2940, which requires state agencies to comply with regulations we already require private entities to follow for fire safety.
Reschke and Diehl added the following statements:
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"We all support responsible environmental practices that protect our forests for future generations," said Rep. Reschke. "But these fires are the result of 40 years of bad policy choices that have gone past conservation and put the lives of Oregonians at risk, not modern living improvements. It's simply not true that we have to allow deadwood to pile up, constantly increase land use restrictions to protect our environment, or allow dangerous homeless encampments in vulnerable areas."
"The fires that have ravaged our state were the largest in the country, and put Oregonians and regional firefighters needlessly at risk," said Rep. Diehl. "We cannot keep doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results. My district is still recovering from the effects of the 2020 wildfire season, and bad policy is compounding our problems instead of solving them."
DeSpain urges DOJ to look into federally-funded BOLI grants
Oregon Fourth Congressional District Candidate Monique DeSpain sent a letter to the US Attorney for Oregon to urge the US Department of Justice to review a recent TV interview with Congresswoman Val Hoyle for other possible pay-to-play schemes and illegal grant activity with employers in Oregon.
Hoyle described her relationship with Oregon employers as similar to that which she had with La Mota’s executives, despite La Mota having eleven employee complaints before BOLI at the time while owing hundreds of thousands of dollars in back taxes, facing dozens of lawsuits for debts owed to creditors, and still making sizable donations to elected officials, including
Hoyle.
“Val Hoyle explained in her recent TV interview that the way she communicated with and assisted La Mota was the same as how she dealt with all other employers in Oregon. I am urging the US DOJ to review Hoyle’s statements and the BOLI communications they’ve subpoenaed for evidence of illicit pay-to-play activity with other employers, similar to Hoyle's activity currently being investigated,” said DeSpain. “Congresswoman Hoyle was clear that she believes that receiving donations and strong-arming illegal grants for employers is just fine, even when employees of those businesses have active complaints against them with Hoyle’s agency.”
On January 29th, the US Department of Justice issued a subpoena to BOLI for “all records” related to the illegal grant ENDVR received, a grant for which email records show Hoyle was the “key organizer” ensuring it was awarded. The subpoena was issued just five days after DeSpain’s January 24th press conference launching WhatsValHiding.com and DeSpain’s letter to the US Attorney for the District of Oregon Natalie K. Wight, calling on Ms. Wight to expand her investigation to include Hoyle and her activities.
For eleven months after leaving BOLI in 2023, Congresswoman Hoyle denied BOLI access to key public records on her personal cell phone, which media outlets have referenced in bringing Hoyle’s illicit activities to public attention - activities that are now the subject of the federal investigation.
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“As a retired Air Force Colonel who conducted investigations in the JAG Corps for 20 years, I will continue to speak up and call out corrupt, bad actors like Val Hoyle who are standing in the way of addressing voters' top priorities. After voters deploy me to Congress this November, I will use my independent voice to deliver bold, commonsense solutions for the struggling, hard-working people of the Fourth District.”
Sixth event of Stand Your Ground to be held September 14
The popular Oregon event, Gathering of the Eagles, is making it’s fifteenth production after Ames Curtright first sponsored it at his airfield. After a brief break, his wife, Dama Curtright carried on his legacy at the airfield hanger. It’s the sixth year the Oregon Liberty Coalition has sponsored Gathering of the Eagles combining it with their event. In 2018 Gathering of the Eagles partnered with Oregon Liberty Coalition’s Rally Around the Flag to bring about the "Stand Your Ground" rallies in memory of Ames Curtright. Stand Your Ground was what Ames Curtright stood for based on one of his favorite Bible verses: “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” Ephesians 6:13 NIV.
This year’s Gathering of the Eagles will be held September 14, 2024, with the theme of Regaining Election Integrity. Morning training is designed to increase effectiveness on becoming a powerful social media influencer and how to do a personal get out the vote campaign.
The afternoon will address Measure 117 by Ranked Choice Voting expert Phil Izon, Alaska Ranked-Choice Education Association, will discuss the drawbacks to ranked-choice voting and how it does away with the constitutional option for in-person voting.
Jeff O’Donnell, “The Lone Raccoon” on Telegram, is on Mike Lindell’s team and will show how Oregon elections were stolen in vote by mail data, and how it is being manipulated.
Joe Hoft, Gateway Pundit, will expose the Secretary of State’s witch hunt on censorship. Hoft has a lawsuit in the U.S. Supreme Court against government censoring speech that is similar to an Oregon case.
Ames Curtright liked to quote as a standard for freedom of speech, Fisher Ames, author of the First Amendment. “Should not the Bible regain the place it once held as a schoolbook? Its morals are pure, its examples are captivating and noble….In no Book is there so good English, so pure and so elegant, and by teaching all the same they will speak alike, and the Bible will justly remain the standard of language as well as of faith.”
Corral Creek Band is scheduled to play throughout the day. They perform Bluegrass style music around the Northwest with homespun humor that draws the audience in.
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SkyMed will hold a reception at the conclusion of the event with music by Nashville singer Brandon Hartt, a up and coming Nashville County Music artist.
As a private event, registration is required. The event will also be available with the purchase of livestream.
“Out-of-state wealthy interests are trying to dupe Oregonians”
Fourth District Congressional Candidate Monique DeSpain has announced her opposition to the state ballot Measure 118 that would impose the largest tax increase in Oregon history in the form of a 3% tax on the gross receipts, not just profits, of any corporation with Oregon sales of more than $25 million a year in order to send an annual check of $750 to individuals residing in Oregon for at least 200 days. The scheme, known as Universal Basic Income, has been tried and abandoned as a failure in several countries in recent years and has been funded overwhelmingly by wealthy California-based individuals and organizations, led by venture capitalist and UBI activist Josh Jones.
“I oppose the inflationary and economically destructive Measure 118 and urge voters to defeat it on the ballot this November,” stated DeSpain. “Once again, out-of-state wealthy interests are trying to dupe Oregonians into being experimented on by an expensive, damaging, radical policy. We’ve seen this movie before with the catastrophe of Measure 110, and we know it ends in disaster for working people and families. It’s time to take the ‘kick me’ sign off of our state and instead unite to pursue effective, commonsense policies for a prosperous and affordable economy for all Oregonians.”
In addition to opposition from business groups whose members would be impacted, the measure has also received opposition from across the political spectrum for its expected inflationary consequences for Oregon consumers and a forecasted reduction in government tax revenues available for funding schools, other essential services, and the state’s healthcare infrastructure. It faces particularly strong opposition from grocery retailers who typically operate on 1-3% profit margins, which would be wiped out by the 3% tax and very likely result in leading grocers closing stores and raising prices to stave off financial losses.
“The bottom line with Measure 118 is that it will cause inflation to go up and businesses to flee or go bankrupt,” said DeSpain. “With the urgent crises gripping our state and nation of unsecured borders, declining public safety, spiraling drug addiction, rising homelessness, and a crushing inflation all fueled by other failed policy experiments, the last thing citizens of the Fourth District of Oregon need right now is a failed socialist income redistribution idea adding another crisis to the list.”
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“Speaking out on behalf of the Fourth District against Measure 118 is what real leadership looks like. For years, career politicians like Congresswoman Val Hoyle have rubberstamped one disastrous policy after another, and voters have had enough,” added DeSpain. “As a retired Air Force Colonel, a fighter for crime victims, and the mother of twin sons, I am ready to deploy to Congress to bring my independent leadership to fight for Oregon’s voiceless in Washington, D.C.”
This past May, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee moved Val Hoyle to its “Frontline” list of vulnerable incumbents, a powerful sign of Hoyle’s weakness versus the strong challenge being offered by GOP nominee DeSpain. Last week, the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) named Monique DeSpain to their Young Guns Program, recognizing her campaign as one of the best and strongest in the country and making OR-04 a key flip opportunity for national Republicans. DeSpain has challenged Hoyle to six debates in six counties in the 4th District, to which Hoyle has so far failed to agree.
This highly destructive wood-boring pest targets ash, white fringe trees, and olive trees
A year ago Oregon State University Extension Service encouraged homeowners to not take down their ash trees before they are infested bu the Emerald ash borer or unless the insect has been detected nearby. Homeowners have the option of using a systemic pesticide to keep the insects at bay, but once the beetles arrive, pesticides won’t kill them.
Now it has become real for four counties. The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) has detected the Emerald ash borer (EAB) and expanded the EAB Quarantine Alert to Yamhill, Marion, and Clackamas counties. This brings the number of counties with EAB populations to four, including Washington County, where APHIS first confirmed EAB in Oregon in June 2022.
This highly destructive wood-boring pest targets ash, white fringe trees, and olive trees. The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) has expanded the quarantine per the Oregon Administrative Rule (OAR 603-052-1075) on ash, white fringe trees, and olive tree material in these counties.
The four counties are on permanent quarantine status for ash, olive, and white fringe tree. They must remain within the quarantined counties, and wood waste must be processed as regulated.
The Oregon Department of Forestry warns that the establishment of Emerald Ash Borers will likely devastate ash woodlands and riparian zones where native Oregon Ash (Fraxinus latifolia) is a dominate species. These trees provide important shade, food and habitat resources in riparian areas where soils can be poorly draining and where seasonally high water tables can exclude other tree species.
Oregon ash (Fraxinus latifolia), a member of the olive family (Oleaceae), is one of 16 species of ash in the United States. It is the only ash species that is native to the Pacific Northwest; however, ornamental ash species from other parts of the country and world are commonly used in landscaping in Salem, including: white ash (F. americana), flowering ash (F. ornus), Raywood ash (F. oxycarpa), green ash (F. pennsylvanica), European ash (F. execelsior), black ash (F. nigra), and velvet ash (F. velutina).
City of Salem staff is moving quickly to implement Emerald ash borer management plans after ODA confirmed detection of the Emerald ash borer in Marion County on August 28, 2024. The loss of ash trees caused by EAB infestations could lead to a reduction in urban tree canopy, an increase in invasive plants taking hold within communities, and loss of shade and habitat along streams, to name just a few of the anticipated impacts.
Milan Davis, Salem’s Urban Forester said, “We are collaborating with the Oregon Department of Forestry and the Oregon Department of Agriculture and have plans in place to start implementing preservation strategies this coming spring and to complete an overall management strategy to protect urban tree canopy against EAB for years to come.”
Since the first observation of the Emerald ash borer in Oregon on June 30, 2022, Salem officials have been working on a plan for responding to the arrival of this aggressive tree pest in order to slow its spread and preserve Salem's tree canopy.
The quarantine does not allow the movement of tree materials from ash, olive and white-fringe trees outside the county unless they meet certain conditions. Live plant material is eligible for compliance agreements with the Oregon Department of Agriculture if one of the following conditions is met:
Diameter at the base of the plants is less than 0.75 inches
Plants were grown in a screenhouse approved by the ODA
Plants have been properly treated with an approved insecticide
Debark wood and remove at least 1 inch of underlying wood
Grind or chip to 1 inch or less
Heat wood to a minimum of 140°F for at least 60 minutes
Bury under at least 12 inches of topsoil
Incinerate wood materials
Secondary processing to produce wood by-products (i.e. paper)
Other methods specified within a compliance agreement with the Oregon Department of Agriculture.
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Suggested care for Ash trees includes keeping trees from stress:
Water your trees in the dry months and maintain a layer of woodchips or mulch around the base of your trees.
Avoid pruning, especially during high EAB activity (April through October). Pruning can send signals to insects that a tree is in stress. A professional arborist can also provide guidance on other things you can do to improve the health of your trees.
If planting new trees on your property, carefully inspect plant materials before purchasing. Avoid planting new ash trees.
Enroll in OSU Extension's Oregon Forest Pest Detector Program to learn more about recognizing and reporting signs and symptoms of high-priority, invasive forest pests like EAB.
“If the OEA is actively involved with the DSA, it raises serious questions about their commitment to neutrality”
As students across Oregon begin a new school year, Senate Republican Leader Daniel Bonham (R-The Dalles) is demanding accountability and transparency from the state's largest teachers’ union, the Oregon Education Association, led by Union President Reed Scott-Schwalbach. Concerns have surfaced regarding the OEA's potential ties with the Democrat Socialists of America, a radical group that openly supports pro-Hamas rhetoric. Following the discovery that OEA was regularly hosting DSA’s monthly meetings at their headquarters, DSA proclaimed via social media that “Oregon's educator unions and DSA are in a committed relationship”.
“The OEA represents over 41,000 teachers across Oregon, and their actions have a significant impact on the education of our children,” said Leader Bonham. “If the OEA is actively involved with the Democrat Socialists of America, who have been openly pro-terrorist, it raises serious questions about their commitment to neutrality in our classrooms. Oregon’s parents and students deserve to know where the OEA stands and how its affiliations may influence the education system.”
Oregon's public education system is already struggling to deliver positive outcomes for students, with many falling behind in critical subjects like reading, math, and science. Rather than being distracted by extreme political ideologies, the OEA should be fully focused on improving educational outcomes and supporting teachers in their mission to provide a quality education to every student.
“Our education system is at a critical juncture, and we cannot afford to have it sidetracked by political partisanship,” Bonham continued. “Oregon's children deserve a public education system that is transparent, accountable, and dedicated to their academic success. The OEA must be transparent with its affiliations to ensure that the focus remains where it belongs—on the students.”
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As the new school year begins, Leader Bonham is calling on the OEA to publicly clarify its position, disclose any affiliations with extremist groups, and reaffirm its commitment to impartiality and the best interests of Oregon's students and teachers. He also encourages parents, teachers, and community members to demand transparency and hold the education system accountable to prevent any undue influence from radical political agendas.
“We need to make smart choices now to avoid more difficult decisions down the road”
The latest revenue forecast reveals that Oregon's economic situation remains precarious, with stagnant growth, persistent inflation, and rising costs posing ongoing challenges for the state. Despite modest revenue increases, the forecast underscores the need for cautious budgeting and prudent spending as the state faces significant economic uncertainty.
“This forecast is another clear warning that we must exercise fiscal restraint,” said Senate Republican Leader Daniel Bonham (R-The Dalles). “Oregon families are already feeling the squeeze from high costs, and it's imperative that we don't add to their burden by overspending.”
The forecast, while showing slight improvements in revenue projections, highlights the continued pressure from inflation and the impact of rising costs on state finances. Senate Republicans caution against relying on these modest gains to justify increased spending, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing essential services, and addressing the long-term financial health of the state.
“Now is not the time to get complacent,” added Senator Lynn Findley (R-Vale), who sits on the Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue. “We need to focus on sustainable budgeting practices that protect Oregonians from the uncertainty of the future. Our priority should be ensuring that we have the resources to support critical needs without overburdening taxpayers.”
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Senate Republicans also reiterated their call for a comprehensive review of state spending to identify areas where efficiencies can be found. With the state facing ongoing challenges, they argue that now is the time to reassess priorities and make tough decisions to ensure Oregon's economic stability.
“Every dollar spent must be scrutinized to ensure it's serving the best interests of Oregonians,” Bonham added. “We need to make smart choices now to avoid more difficult decisions down the road.”
In response to the August revenue forecast, House Republican Leader Jeff Helfrich (R-Hood River) offered the following remarks.
“This forecast shows that government and government-adjacent bureaucracies are expanding while private industries struggle to keep up. Meanwhile, inflation remains higher than national averages. Many in the current majority will call for new taxes next session, which will make these problems worse. The legislature should resist the push for new taxes both to ease the cost burden for families and to unleash Oregon’s private sector potential,” said Leader Helfrich.
The year 2021 was pivotal in Oregon when voters lost control over maintaining voter rolls. The Oregon legislature passed HB 2681 to suspend cleaning voter rolls, sponsored by Representative Dan Rayfield (D-Corvallis), running for Attorney General. No one will be taken off the active voter rolls even if their address is wrong or they have not voted for any period of time.
The bloating of voter rolls will increasingly cost taxpayers a lot more to send out ballots to addresses that are no longer accurate for that voter. A Rasmussen Poll from a national telephone and online survey found that 75% of likely U.S. voters believe voters should be required to show photo identification such as a driver’s license before being allowed to vote. Only 21% are opposed to such a requirement.
Eight states have enacted voter ID laws since the 2020 election, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures: Arkansas, Idaho, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio and Wyoming. The US Supreme Court recently added Arizona to the list allowing them to reinstate proof of American citizenship for voter registration.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced last week that since signing Senate Bill 1 into law in 2021, Texas has removed over one million people from the state’s voter rolls, including people who moved out-of-state, are deceased, and are noncitizens. That removal process has been, and will continue to be, ongoing.
While other states are working towards election integrity, Oregon is making it easier for illegal voting by a self-certification of citizenship, and never cleaning voter rolls. Oregon’s Secretary of State was notified earlier this year in a “pre-suit” to come into compliance with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993.
In 2018, the Supreme Court confirmed that removals are mandatory in Husted v. A. Philip Randolph Inst., 138 S. Ct. 1833, 1841-42 (2018).
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Oregon has approximately one-fifth the registered votes that Texas has, and comparing their results, Oregon could see removal of 1,300 noncitizens, 1,200 voters with felony convictions, 91,400 deceased people, 92,600 unresponsive suspended voters, 26,800 confirming they have moved, 13,000 failing to respond to notice, 3,800 requests to cancel their registration, for a total of 230,000 potential removals. Texas further strengthened the law by increasing the penalty for illegal voting, including voting by noncitizens, to a second-degree felony.
In contrast, Oregon passed HB 4133 (2022) allowing the last 4 digits of Social Security number for online voter registration, and HB 2107 (2023) that expanded Oregon’s Automatic Voter Registration system to the Oregon Health Plan to register users of that system to be automatically registered as voter.
It didn’t stop there, SB 166 claims to protect voter privacy, but it prevents observers from getting the ballot images to discover fraud and assist in cleaning voter rolls. This bill could make the cast vote record cost up to $700,000 in some counties. The ballot is a public document for rule of the people.
Improvements are aimed at protecting agricultural workers and their families from potential hazards
Oregon OSHA is proposing significant changes to its safety and health rules for housing that employers provide to workers, most often in agricultural settings. The proposed rule changes are part of a comprehensive package of program enhancements aimed at protecting agricultural workers and their families and boosting employer compliance.
The division's agricultural labor housing (ALH) rule proposal is going through the public hearing and comment process before it is adopted. The proposed rules address the potential hazards in employer-provided housing. Oregon OSHA regulates such facilities from the perspective of workplace safety and health.
The rule proposal is part of a comprehensive set of reforms on how the division addresses ALH. Those reforms, which are in addition to the rule proposal, would be incorporated as part of the budget and other administrative processes. Altogether, the reform package includes:
Rule changes that would substantially raise the protective standards for indoor and outdoor facilities that employers must include when they provide housing.
Technical assistance to support the Oregon Department of Agriculture in providing $5 million in grant funds to growers for existing on-farm housing compliance with the rule change, and additional funding for infrastructure improvements once the existing grant funding is exhausted.
Development of a new, annual self-certification requirement for employers that would be pursued through a budget proposal during the 2025 legislative session. If approved, it would complement future enhancements to the registration system by including more detailed information about each location's amenities.
Establishment of a new seasonal ALH surveyor program to increase Oregon OSHA's ability to evaluate conditions at housing locations. The surveyor program would deploy seven seasonal surveyors to evaluate site conditions, attempt to gain compliance, and refer a site to Oregon OSHA's enforcement program if needed.
Renée Stapleton, administrator for Oregon OSHA commented: “Our comprehensive approach to ALH reflects the fact that this rule proposal must be accompanied by additional, program-level steps to bolster the safety and health of who we know are among our most vulnerable workers and families. And with all of these proposed changes, we are focusing on increasing protective measures while maintaining a stable operating environment for employers."
Andrew Stolfi, director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, of which Oregon OSHA is a division states: “Worker protection is at the core of our mission. We know that we cannot achieve our mission simply by issuing regulations, which is why we are proposing a comprehensive, multi-agency approach to protecting some of our most vulnerable workers. We look forward to receiving public comment on these proposals."
Public hearings on the ALH rule proposal will follow a public comment period, which may be submitted by email at OSHA.rulemaking@dcbs.oregon.gov. The deadline for submitting comments and the public hearing schedule will be posted online on Oregon OSHA's proposed rule and the agricultural labor housing webpages.
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The proposal's language – available for review online in more detail – includes delayed effective dates for certain provisions, recognizing the need for time to prepare for the changes. The table shows the proposal broken down by category and year of implementation:
Registration deadline is January 2025 to remove exception that housing provided for nonfood crops were not required to register, submit water testing results, and require sites in Initial registration to have no hazardous conditions.
Facility Grounds proposed exterior/walkway lighting by January 2025 and remove livestock care exception by 2026.
Laundry proposed tubs, trays and laundry machines and separate cleaning for contaminated clothes by 2026.
Water testing results in language of occupants, and add arsenic and nitrates to well water testing frequency implemented by 2025. By 2026 require water pressure to be at least 20 psi.
Bathing facilities with locking shower stalls by 2026, and private changing rooms by 2027.
Toilets to include solid doors and handwashing with paper towels by 2025. Facilities must have 200 feet and provide 1:10 ratio for each gender
Kitchens need protected food storage by 2025, and gas vented burners by 2026, and enclosed kitchens with plumbed sinks with hot and cold water by 2027.
Housing must have mattresses with cleanable covers, and add safety measures including reporting diseases by 2025. Heating and cooling and electrical outlets in sleeping areas, and lockable storage by 2026. By 2027, provide at least 50 square feet per bed in sleeping rooms with bunk beds.
Oregon OSHA's announcement of the package of reforms follows a challenging multi-year, comprehensive review of its existing ALH requirements that included using a rulemaking advisory committee. The division garnered input from growers, agricultural associations, housing operators, and employee representative groups. For more information, go to osha.oregon.gov.
Oregon Army National Guard Soldiers deploy to the Kosovo Force Mission
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek led a Mobilization Ceremony for the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) at the Salem Armory. The Oregon Army National Guard Soldiers will be deploying to the Kosovo Force (KFOR) Mission. The 41st IBCT will be returning to the U.S European Command as part of a 28-country alliance to maintain a safe and secure environment across the region.
During the ceremony, members of the 41st IBCT were honored as they prepared for their deployment, which is part of KFOR’s 34th rotation. Established to end the Kosovo War, KFOR was authorized to deploy an international peacekeeping force to Kosovo, a mission crucial for maintaining regional security and stability. The brigade’s support will include security forces, logisticians, medical professionals, intelligence analysts, and a command team. In keeping with the National Security Strategy, the 41st IBCT KFOR mission will provide stability, safety and security, as part of a NATO international peacekeeping force.
“I am honored to be with you to mark the deployment of the 41st to support the United States European Command’s Kosovo Force Mission,” Governor Kotek said. “Whether the mission is to protect democracy and peace abroad or protect Oregonians from wildfire here at home, the Oregon National Guard’s Citizen-Soldiers are ‘always ready, always there.’ Serving as your Commander-in-Chief is one of the honors of my lifetime.”
As Governor, Kotek is the Commander-in-Chief of the Oregon National Guard when it is activated for state emergencies or domestic purposes. However, when the Oregon National Guard is deployed overseas, the Commander-in-Chief is the United States Commander-in-Chief, which typically is the President. Must has been said who the Oregon National Guard will report to, but according to military law, it won't be the Biden Administration.
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Col. Peter Helzer, Commander of the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, spoke about the deployment’s significance before the ceremony. “The 41st IBCT brings a robust set of capabilities to support the people of Kosovo. From security to medical and logistical support, Oregonians will contribute to the stability and security of the region as part of the NATO effort.”
The 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team continues its long legacy of service, tracing its lineage back to the 41st Infantry Division that served in World War I and performed the longest overseas service of any division in the U.S., in the Pacific during World War II.
To view the ceremony visit the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team’s Facebook page.
“Oregon is in Trouble, D.C. Politicians are to Blame”
Oregon’s Fourth Congressional District Candidate Monique DeSpain announced the launch of her second TV ad spot of her campaign targeting general election voters. The ad is running on broadcast and cable TV, OTT/disconnected cable, and Digital platforms.
“Oregon is in trouble, and voters know things have gotten worse. The career politician currently representing them, Val Hoyle, has ignored their top concerns and has rubber-stamped the disastrous policies making our communities unaffordable and unsafe while she dodges federal investigations into her pay-to-play scandal,” said DeSpain.
“I’m not a career politician, and I will be an independent voice who will bring bold new leadership to Congress,” added DeSpain. “I served our country for 30 years in the Air Force, and I’m ready to serve again to fight for the common sense solutions the people of Oregon’s 4th District need and deserve.”
In late July, DeSpain was named to the National Republican Congressional Committee Young Guns Program, which recognizes a handful of the strongest Republican challenger campaigns in the country. This past May, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee moved Val Hoyle to its “frontline” list of vulnerable incumbents, a powerful sign of Hoyle’s weakness versus the strong challenge being offered by GOP nominee DeSpain. DeSpain has challenged Hoyle to six debates in six counties in the 4th District, to which Hoyle has so far failed to agree. Two weeks ago, DeSpain launched her first TV ad highlighting voters from all walks of life who have had enough of career politicians.
“The net effect of HB 2005 is to criminalize the core aspects of the self-manufacture of firearms”
Alawsuit has been filed in Federal Court to overturn a recent firearms restriction. In 2023, the Oregon Legislature passed HB 2005 which bans many home made firearms and firearm parts. The suit names current Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum and current Superintendent of the Oregon State Police Casey Codding as defendants. The plaintiffs in the suit are Dallin Montgomery, Nick Holdway, Kevin Walters, Oregon Firearms Federation, and Firearms Policy Coalition. All three individual plaintiffs have concealed carry licenses and own firearms described in the bill.
According to the complaint, "The net effect of HB 2005 is to criminalize the core aspects of the self-manufacture of firearms."
The complaint goes on to describe the history of home made firearms. "Throughout American history, people have been free to personally manufacture, construct, and/or assemble arms for lawful purposes, including self-defense in the home. In defiance of this historical tradition, Oregon’s Bans completely and categorically prohibit individuals not prohibited from exercising their Second Amendment protected
rights from possessing, acquiring, and self-manufacturing firearms that are of types, functions, and designs, and are themselves, commonly owned and possessed firearms—self-made firearms that do not bear a manufacturer’s serial number, as well as the component parts used to build such arms—by law-abiding citizens for lawful purposes."
As the bill was making its way through the legislature, Oregon House Republicans pledged to support legal action against HB 2005. According to Oregon Firearms Federation Director Kevin Starrett "Oregon’s House Republicans pulled a “bait and switch” and extorted money from their members with a false promise of funding a lawsuit against the bill they helped pass. Since then they have pretended it never happened and just don’t want to talk about it." OFF is asking for donations to help defray the costs of legal action.
The complaint summarizes the reasoning behind the suit. "Because Plaintiffs’ proposed course of conduct is covered by the Second Amendment’s plain text, it the Constitution “presumptively protects” their conduct. It is thus the State’s burden to “affirmatively prove that its firearms regulation is part of the historical tradition that delimits the outer bounds of the right to keep and bear arms.” (“[W]e are not obliged to sift the historical materials for evidence to sustain New York’s statute. That is respondents’ burden.”). Oregon cannot meet this burden. There is no well-established and representative historical tradition of banning the self-manufacture of arms that are in common use for lawful purposes or banning the self-manufacture of such arms.
Corral Creek Band is scheduled to play throughout the day. They perform Bluegrass style music around the Northwest with homespun humor that draws the audience in.
SkyMed will hold a reception at the conclusion of the event with music by Nashville singer Brandon Hartt, a up and coming Nashville County Music artist.
rights from possessing, acquiring, and self-manufacturing firearms that are of types, functions, and designs, and are themselves, commonly owned and possessed firearms—self-made firearms that do not bear a manufacturer’s serial number, as well as the component parts used to build such arms—by law-abiding citizens for lawful purposes."
