On this day, May 5, 1903, James Beard, US culinary expert, author (Delights & Prejudices), was born in Portland, Ore.
Also on this day, May 5, 1945, A Japanese balloon bomb exploded on Gearhart Mountain in Oregon, killing Mrs. Elsie Mitchell, the pregnant wife of a minister, and five children after they attempted to drag it out the woods in Lakeview, Oregon. The balloon was armed, and exploded soon after they began tampering with it. They became the 1st and only known American civilians to be killed in the continental US during World War II.
Also on this day, May 5, 1945, Bly minister Archie Mitchell, his pregnant wife Elsie, and five children from Mitchell's Sunday school class were on a Saturday morning picnic. Thirteen miles northeast of Bly, or about sixty miles northeast of Klamath Falls, Mitchell parked the car, and Elsie and the children headed to Leonard Creek. Mitchell later remembered: "As I got out of the car to bring the lunch, the others were not far away and called to me they had found something that looked like a balloon. I heard of Japanese balloons so I shouted a warning not to touch it. But just then there was a big explosion. I ran up there--and they were all dead." It was a Japanese balloon bomb. They were 70 feet tall with a 33-foot diameter paper canopy connected to the main device by shroud lines. Balloons inflated with hydrogen followed the jet stream at an altitude of 30,000 feet.
Portland is not nearly 2/3 of the population of the state
Sen. Kathleen Taylor (D-Portland), Chair of the Senate Redistricting Committee, and Rep. Andrea Salinas (D-Lake Oswego), Co-chair of the House Redistricting Committee, issued a statement following the release of legislative and congressional maps.
“As legislators we are public servants. Our commitment is to Oregonians and our job is to produce fair and representative maps that reflect Oregon’s population growth, align with statutory and constitutional criteria, and ensure public participation. “The maps drawn meet these requirements and the highest of legal standards. The maps are contiguous, of equal population, utilize existing geographic or political boundaries, are connected by transportation links, and reflect the diversity of communities of interest in our state.â€
For some Oregonians, the result is both comic and tragic, especially the Congressional districts, which seem constructed to give the Democrat party the advantage. Due to these maps, it is possible that Oregon can send four members of Congress from the city of Portland when Portland -- even the Portland Metro area -- is not nearly 2/3 of the population of the state.
“Despite the delayed Census data and the COVID-19 pandemic, we have prioritized an inclusive and accessible process, open to all Oregonians. As a result, we saw nearly 2,000 pieces of testimony submitted from across the state during 22 public hearings held this year.
The Democrat Committee chairs said, “We look forward to sending these maps to the Legislature for consideration during next week’s Special Session.†The Republicans have an equal number of seats on the House Redistricting Committee and if all Republicans on that Committee vote no the decision would go to Secretary of State Shemia Fagan's office. The special session will begin on Monday, September 20 at 10:00am.
--Staff Reports| Post Date: 2021-09-17 09:10:35 | |
