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.
Oregon Legislature passes bill in special session
During the 2021 second special session, the Oregon Legislature passed
Senate Bill 892 that directs the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) to establish a disaster assistance program.
The Legislature awarded $40 million to this new, one-of-a-kind program to help mitigate economic losses farmers and ranchers sustained because of the compounding natural disasters in 2021, including the ice storm, heat dome, and drought.
“I commend the Oregon Legislature and Governor Kate Brown for their firm support of SB 892,†said Alexis Taylor, Director, ODA. “Over the last two years, Oregon has experienced one natural disaster after another, with the pandemic on top of all of that. I have heard from so many Oregon farmers and ranchers who are concerned how they will make it through next year. The funds provided by SB 892 will keep many operations afloat until the USDA develops its federal disaster program that is expected to be announced by mid-2022. All of us at ODA will work as fast as we can to develop an application and distribution process to get these dollars to those in need.â€
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
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack visited damaged berry farms in the Willamette Valley in August 2021, shortly after the heat dome event that brought temperatures of 117 degrees. During his visit, he and Oregon Governor Kate Brown heard from local farmers and ranchers about the limitation and delay in federal disaster delivery. SB 892 allows ODA to contract with regional lenders to provide localized access to disaster assistance. The intent is to meet the unique needs of Oregon producers, for whom disaster assistance has not typically worked for.
SB 892 gives ODA the authority to contract with lending institutions to administer the disaster assistance program locally.
The Legislature designed the loan program to act as a bridge loan or direct assistance while the upcoming federal program is developed. ODA says they intend to begin the implementation process immediately to serve Oregon’s agricultural community.
--Bruce Armstrong| Post Date: 2021-12-15 16:00:01 | Last Update: 2021-12-15 16:18:15 |
