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.
Drazan steps down. To run for Governor?
In a move that insiders read as an announcement of a Gubernatorial bid, Oregon Representative Christine Drazan (R-Canby) has stepped down from the role of Oregon House Republican Caucus Leader. Representative Vikki Breese-Iverson (R-Prineville) was selected by House Republicans to serve as its new Leader.
Representative Drazan served as Caucus Leader since 2019.
“It has been a privilege to serve as Republican Leader in the Oregon House during these challenging times,†said Representative Drazan. “Today I stepped down from this role to focus my efforts on preparations to serve our state in a new way. I have enjoyed working alongside my Republican colleagues who have been committed to amplifying the voices of tens of thousands of Oregonians that feel unheard by our current state leadership.â€
“It’s an honor to be chosen by my friends and colleagues for this role,†said Leader Breese-Iverson. “I’m proud of the work that this Caucus has achieved together in recent years, standing up to the one-party dominance that controls this state. The size of state government has
ballooned after a decade of Democrats’ liberal agenda-driven focus and as a result made Oregon more expensive for everyone. I look forward to continuing our work in this new role to fight for much-needed balance. House Republicans will not stop pushing for solutions that focus on the actual needs of Oregonians.â€
Representative Breese-Iverson first began serving as a State Legislator in 2019.
Without hardly stopping to catch her breath, Breese-Iverson issued a statement in response to calls from Democrats for a
special session to extend pandemic-related housing policies.
“We must allow our economy to return to normal,†said newly minted House Republican Leader Vikki Breese-Iverson. “Our unemployment level, jobless claims, and job openings have returned to pre-pandemic years. A special session is unnecessary. After back-to-back years of record state revenue, the Emergency Board has the ability to allocate funds to support those already in line to receive rent assistance.â€
--Staff Reports| Post Date: 2021-11-30 17:54:27 | Last Update: 2021-11-30 18:09:06 |
