

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.
They have consistently prioritized students over a failing education system
The Senate Republican Caucus came together in unison to fight for Oregon’s students and parents. The
Education Freedom Pledge, put together by the non-partisan
American Federation for Children, promotes policies that support educational opportunities and parental rights in education, including having their voices heard at school board meetings.
“Senate Republicans are unified in our support of parents and students in education,†said Senate Republican Leader Tim Knopp (R-Bend). “Education is about them and their needs – not the government. All students, regardless of ZIP code, should have access to a learning environment that works for them. Parents should have a say in how their children are taught. That is not controversial, and as a caucus, we won’t shy away from advocating for bold, real education reform in Oregon.â€
Senate Republicans were the first legislators in Oregon to publicly sign the pledge. As a caucus, they have consistently introduced legislation to prioritize students over a failing education system 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
Last session, Senate Republicans introduced legislation to increase the number of students who legally could attend virtual charter schools, in addition to a suite of other school choice measures. They voted to abolish school district boundaries, which would allow children to choose any public school in the state that best meets their needs.
The pledge is one simple paragraph. It reads:
“I pledge to support policies that promote parental rights in education and educational freedom. This includes the right of parents to voice their opinions at school board meetings and to take their children's taxpayer-funded education dollars to the education providers of their choosing - whether it be a public, private, charter, or home school.â€
--Staff ReportsPost Date: 2021-11-05 11:20:29 | Last Update: 2021-11-05 12:15:21 |