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On this day, March 28, 1942, Japanese-American lawyer Minoru Yasui (1916-1986) violated a military curfew in Portland, Oregon, and demanded to be arrested after he was refused enlistment to fight for the US. He was one of the few Japanese Americans who fought laws that directly targeted Japanese Americans or Japanese immigrants following the bombing of Pearl Harbor. In 2015 he was among 17 people awarded the presidential Medal of Freedom.

Also on this day March 28, 1939, the front page of the Eugene Register-Guard blared the headline: "Mighty Oregon Scramble Ohio State to Take Hoop Title of All America," right under a declaration that the Spanish War had ended, of course.




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Paul Moore for Clackamas Co. Sheriff Fund Raiser
Friday, April 5, 2024 at 6:10 pm
$50.00, deluxe grazing buffet, Silent Auction, live entertainment
Tumwater Ballroom The Museum of the Oregon Territory 211 Tumwater Dr. Oregon City



Hood River County GOP's Second Annual Lincoln Dinner
Saturday, April 6, 2024 at 5:00 pm
Hood River County GOP's Second Annual Lincoln Dinner 5pm-9pm
Hood River, OR



Dorchester Conference 2024
Friday, April 26, 2024 at 5:00 pm
Dorchester Conference 2024 April 26th-28th
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Memorial Day
Monday, May 27, 2024 at 11:00 am
Memorial Day
A federal holiday in the United States for honoring and mourning the U.S. military personnel who died while serving.



Juneteenth
Wednesday, June 19, 2024 at 12:00 am
Juneteenth
Celebrated on the anniversary of June 19, 1865, when in the wake of the American Civil War, Major General Gordon Granger ordered the final enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation in Texas.



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Thursday, July 4, 2024 at 11:59 pm
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Saturday, September 7, 2024 at 5:00 pm
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Cuts Hit Rural Oregon
Pray for rain

When Oregon Governor Kate Brown said "Revenge is a dish best served cold", she wasn't kidding, and apparently she didn't mean it was just one dish. The hits keep coming, from abuse of power, to creating police reform with inadequate stakeholder input. Now rural districts in Oregon are about to get burned, literally.

Among many things being chopped, or drastically reduced are; veterans affairs, housing, disability services, clean air Oregon, rebates and tax incentives, transportation, education, poacher and predator prevention services, gang task forces, two prisons, addiction help, and more. But the kicker might be wildfire mitigation and extinguishing needs.

Oregon is set to have record wildfires this year due to logging contracts gone unfulfilled, and an inappropriate forest management plan, which came after the Oregon Forestry Board was bound and gagged by environmental groups last year. Oregon was already falling behind in terms of proper practice for fire mitigation, and as fire crews lose vital funding, Oregon may lose its footing on fire season.

Governor Brown took to Twitter in order to remind Oregonians it's that time of year again, and perhaps set the stage for why Oregon is about to burn, yep, her go to villain "COVID-19".

What's possibly most perplexing about this photo, is that state parks are not yet open, especially to camping. So what's really going on here?

Oregon media is exclusively covering Portland mayhem, and while everybody is chatting about police reform bills, (which are being tabled until September) Oregon's legislature is making massive budget cuts starting Monday. The area that will see the steepest decline in funding is Natural Resources. The budget for Natural resources covers everything from farmer rebates, to poacher prevention. What's possibly most ironic is the deep cuts to "Oregon Clean Air", created after last year's famed HB 2007. A bill so drastic, thousands flocked to the capitol and created the grassroots group #TimberUnity, in order to fight it. That fight resulted in a walk out, and thus the promise of revenge by Kate Brown. If only leaders had a COVID-19 crystal ball, but as they say "hindsight is 2020".

Uncontrolled fires, pump millions of C02 ppm into the atmosphere per minute, and are one of the largest contributors to carbon emissions on the planet. Taking diesel trucks off the road, and stopping logging contracts seem sort of silly, in comparison. Had the super majority spent the better part of last session actually working on ways to manage the rain forest, that is Oregon, we might not be in this situation right now. Time and time again we see how pandering to a base, rather than legislating, is costing valuable resources. This time the costs may become incalculable. Homes, farms, life, and many acres of timber will go up in flames if these budget cuts are not amended.


--Breeauna Sagdal

Post Date: 2020-08-10 06:54:24



Educators Get Carve-Out
Is this the work of teachers' unions?

The education union has taken advantage of the opportunity to cash-in on the COVID-19 outbreak to receive benefits for which it is currently ineligible. SB 1702 describes the bill as a temporary authorization of payment of unemployment insurance benefits to individuals performing services in other than instructional, research or principal administrative capacity for educational institution or institution of higher education in circumstances in which payment is currently denied.

Payments that are currently denied are excess of any salary, like bonus payments. How does a COVID-19 outbreak with a shortage of funds justify paying bonuses? Especially for research that isn’t of an emergency nature?

To throw the public off track, this statement was added to the bill: “If the United States Secretary of Labor serves notice that any provision of section 2 of this 2020 second special session Act, or rule adopted under section 2 of this 2020 second special session Act, fails to meet the requirements of the Social Security Act or the Federal Unemployment Tax Act, the nonconforming provision or rule shall no longer be of any force or effect.”

So what does SB 1702 say that the U.S. Secretary of Labor might not like? “The denial of benefits and compensation under ORS 657.221 (1) to (4) does not apply to benefits and compensation otherwise payable to individuals for weeks beginning on or after May 1, 2020, and ending before December 1, 2020.” When has the federal government questioned state authority for lifting restrictions on compensation?

ORS 657.221 states what is ineligible for benefits of certain educational institution employees. The provisions SB 1702 wants to suspend or allow for payment is research based on other than instructional research payable at the same rate as other services and if not performed during a customary vacation period or holiday. Benefits are not paid when more than 50% of time is performed for an education service district. Employees who terminate employment due to labor negotiations or dispute, the separation shall be considered an involuntary leave or layoff.

Suspending laws that has the effect of increasing compensation beyond regular compensation doesn’t benefit those really needing help. It deserves questioning. Is this political payback setting the stage for a repeal in the regular session?


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2020-08-10 06:38:04



Prozanski: Water Cannons as Crowd Control
Why we can’t have a discussion about law enforcement.

Joint Committee On Transparent Policing and Use of Force Reform met and had further discussions about the use of tear gas to control riots. The proposal is LC 742 which would regulate police use of pepper spray, sound devices or kinetic impact projectiles.

You'll remember that during the first special session in late June, the Legislature passed HB 4208 which placed strict limits on the ability of law enforcement to use tear gas to control riots and never for any other purpose.

(2) A law enforcement agency may not use tear gas for the purposes of crowd control except in circumstances constituting a riot, as described in ORS 166.015.
(3) Before using tear gas in circumstances constituting a riot, a law enforcement agency shall, in the following order:
     (a) Announce the agency’s intent to use tear gas;
     (b) Allow sufficient time for individuals to evacuate the area; and
     (c) Announce for a second time, immediately before using the tear gas, the agency’s intent to use tear gas.


During the discussion Sen. Floyd Prozanski suggested the consideration of water cannons as an alternative to chemical means of riot control. Committee Co-Chair Rep. Janelle Bynum bristled at the suggestion and an animated exchange ensued.


Other police reforms are on the table, as well as budget issues.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2020-08-09 19:52:35Last Update: 2020-08-09 20:25:18



Unemployment Benefits Changes Proposed
Part-time workers might get a bump

In the wake of President Trump signing an Executive Order to extend pandemic benefits by $400, he obligated states to pick up $100. Governor Brown is uncertain whether Oregon can do that. The big criticism for the federal $600 per week benefit is that employers can’t get employees to come back to work. But, in release of the Second Special Session bills, up-front is an increase of unemployment benefits for those working part-time.

SB 1701 does nothing to balance the budget. To the contrary, it permanently amends ORS 657.150 unemployment laws increasing the excluded amount when claiming unemployment from $132 per week (in Portland) to $300 per week statewide.

Under current law a person making minimum wage has to work a day and a fourth before unemployment is reduced based on wages. This proposal allows that same person to work almost three days before unemployment is reduced. It allows a person to work 3 days a week and get 3 days of full unemployment paid. Put another way, a person can make $1200 a month and still get full unemployment benefits.

How will that get full time employees back to work? It will force employers to split jobs into part-time work and keep the unemployment rate high. How do we pay for the higher unemployment once federal money stops flowing? We should question this redistribution of wealth which we will all pay for in increased costs.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2020-08-09 19:25:50



Meme of the Week
Tough choice, eh?




--Northwest Observer Meme Team

Post Date: 2020-08-09 13:15:03



A Preparation for Tolls
Just because it’s a conspiracy theory, doesn’t mean it’s wrong.

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown told lawmakers on Tuesday that she is actively considering travel restrictions to slow the spread of the COVID-19, especially southern interstate travel. The details are unclear how it will affect Oregonians doing business in other states, or traveling for vacation and could include quarantine following travel. This action is being considered after Oregon’s infection rate has plateaued and California’s rate is declining. So, what is the point?

In 2017, lawmakers approved a $5.3 billion statewide transportation packaged that includes a road fee (toll) plan. To set the road fee plan in motion the Equity and Mobility Advisory Committee has met six time since November with five more meetings scheduled this year. The committee consists of government, industry and transit-related stakeholders tasked to ensure equitable I-205 and I-5 toll processes, and to help develop a framework for the toll project.

The Equity and Mobility Advisory Committee reviewed the mobility and equity strategies for I-205 and I-5 toll projects offering recommendations for how to toll the metro area's busiest highways. The June 29, 2020 meeting summarized that most agreed that improved transit needs to be one of the benefits that comes out of toll revenue; that toll revenue will provide improvements to roads and infrastructure; that there must be the potential for tolls to decrease emissions, though only if paired with incentives to use public transit; and that using carpools and apps connecting people to get to work and other events or activities can provide a sense of community and decrease the number of cars on the freeway.

Retired State Representative Jeff Kropf reports that polls show that next to violent protesters moving voters towards law and order candidates, that tolling freeways that are already paid for upset voters.

In response, Initiative Petitions 10 was collecting signatures to put the toll issue on the ballot in November that will restrict tolls or user fees to approval by voters, except on new freeways. It failed to draw funding, so it did not make the ballot, but backers are committed to trying again.

From the Vote On Tolls Act of 2020:

"No personal or recreational vehicle, or commercial truck usage, of transportation infrastructure in Oregon may be subject to any transportation fee or toll, unless ... approved by both a majority of voters in the state and a majority of voters in each county in which the fee or toll applies."

When the Governor talks of restricting travel to stop the spread of the COVID-19 from other states, is it another conditioning act to usher in tolling?




--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2020-08-08 16:16:58Last Update: 2020-08-08 16:43:31



Meme of the Week
Somebody let the OHA know to add another tick mark




--Northwest Observer Meme Team

Post Date: 2020-08-08 14:05:27Last Update: 2020-08-08 14:16:42



Meme of the Week
Its all fun and games until someone gets tear gassed.




--Northwest Observer Meme Team

Post Date: 2020-08-08 13:16:47



Who CARES?
Why is Governor Brown delaying distribution?

Joint Emergency Board met August 5, amid other joint committee meetings in preparation for the Second Special Session. Oregon received about $2.45 billion in federal CARES funds (CRF) of which $1.6 billion was to be passed to local jurisdictions. The rest of the $2.45 or $850 million is spread across nearly four dozen other recovery programs. The money can’t be used to make up lost revenue, according to the U.S. Department of Treasury. It can only be used to cover unbudgeted expenses due to COVID-19 that occur between March 1 and Dec. 30.

Counties and cities that had populations of more than 500,000 in 2019 were eligible for direct funding. All the other jurisdictions can only receive a share of funds through the state. Accordingly, Portland received around $114 million and Multnomah County around $105 million of direct payments.

Months ago, Senate Republican Leader Fred Girod (R-Stayton) issued a statement and wrote a letter to Governor Kate Brown asking for the remaining Coronavirus Relief Funds (CRF) from the federal government to be rightfully distributed to local governments. Oregon distributed around $247 million to the city of Portland, and Washington and Multnomah counties. Senator Girod said, “Local governments should have received roughly $625 million of the CRF, or 45%, of the remaining amount.” The funds have not been distributed. “Governor Brown is refusing to respond to the pleas of local governments across the state. It would appear that the governor is waiting for the election to go one way in the hopes of using the CRF as a slush fund for her own special interests and Portland. Stockpiling federal funds for political gain, while vulnerable Oregonians are suffering, is abysmal.”

According to reports from the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) where the funds are housed, local governments got only $200 million through reimbursable expenses. This leaves questions about what happened to $123,617,662 the Emergency Board has for local governments.

Cities and counties are strapped within their budgets, and that is being stretched with the increase in violent threats. President Trump has sent relief, why is Governor Brown delaying distribution?


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2020-08-07 19:54:10



Oregon High Court Approves PERS Reform
Requiring public workers to pay is not an impairment of contract.

The Oregon Supreme Court announced a decision Thursday which dismissed all the complaints of government employee unions and upheld SB 1049 which was passed by a vote of 31-29 in the House and 16-12 in the Senate during the 2019 session, despite the objections of many Democrats. Indeed, House floor proceedings had to be halted while House Speaker Tina Kotek met separately with Reps. Mitch Greenlick and Andrea Salinas, presumably to secure their votes.

The bill was not liked by government employee unions. It has two major effects. First, it requires that public employees make a small contribution toward their own retirement plans. The second, is that it establishes a cap on the amount of annual pay that can be used in retirement calculations at $195,000.

Government employee unions sued, using the argument that the new law was an "impairment of a contract" made with employees at the time they were hired. The high court noted the distinction between changing someones benefit based on work already performed, as opposed to changing the arrangement for future work, which they said is legal. This is what SB 1049 does.

This legislation caused quite a stir in Democratic circles, inspiring at least one primary challenge in May. Sponsored by Senate President Peter Courtney and House Speaker Tina Kotek, it was widely seen as a way for Democrats to deflect criticism for not taking measures to resolve the unfunded PERS liablity, which stands at about $27 billion and grows each day. SB 1049 will not change that number much.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2020-08-07 13:53:39Last Update: 2020-08-07 14:22:30



Portland Mayor Calls Out Rioters
Ted Wheeler responds to the turning tide of public opinion

There is a saying. “Never give in to terrorists.” It seems that Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler has finally reached the point where the utility of appeasing the mob has lost it's value. If he's true to his word, arrests should increase and violence should wane.

In a press conference, Mayor Wheeler said:

“When you commit arson with an accelerant in an attempt to burn down a building that is occupied by people who you have intentionally trapped inside, you are not demonstrating, you are attempting to commit murder.

“This is not the first time that people have tried to set fire to a city building with people intentionally trapped inside. Unfortunately, it's not the second time. And by the way. This building is in a residential neighborhood attached directly to neighborhood homes. This can't be ok.

“This is not peaceful protest, this is not advocacy to advance reforms to transform any system. They're keeping out police officers from responding to historic levels of violence in our community. Right now Portland is experiencing record gun violence. [Police] need to be focused on responding to that, not on responding to arson at our own police precincts.

“We have supported non-violent demonstrations in Portland.

“There's been a lot of talk, particularly in political right-wing circles that we have allowed criminal activity to take place or that we have endorsed criminal activity

“It is actually disturbing to me that there are people who are coming from out of town,even out of state, to witness these activities. This is not a tourist opportunity.”

Mayor Wheeler ended the conference on a political note. He said to the rioters:

“Don't think for a moment if you are participating in this activity that you are not being a prop for the re-election campaign of Donald Trump, because you absolutely are. You are creating the B-roll film that will be used nationally to help Donald Trump during his campaign. if you don't want to be part of that then don't show up.”


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2020-08-07 10:12:14Last Update: 2020-08-07 10:49:02



COVID-19 Numbers Don’t Add Up
Are people getting the best treatment available?

Death isn’t a subject anyone wants to talk about, and the Oregon Health Authority is no exception. When it comes to COVID-19, they do not graph deaths but still the Governor uses deaths to spread the fear of COVID-19 with the implication that death is lurking for all of us.

On March 25, 2020, the Oregon Board of Pharmacy adopted temporary rules in response to the Governor’s Executive Order restricting the use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine as treatment for COVID-19 in anticipation of a shortage even though FDA declared no shortage on March 28. It took until July 14, 2020, for the Board to repeal the temporary rule. There was never a real question of safety in taking these drugs, and 6,000 doctors surveyed said hydroxychloroquine as the most effective therapy for COVID-19.

So, for what reason was it withheld from Oregonians to treat COVID-19? Dr. John Powell is a board-certified family physician who works at Evergreen Family Medicine as director for Urgent Care and Hospitalist services. He writes an open letter to Governor Kate Brown encouraging her to ease social distancing restrictions and relax the ban on “non-essential medical services.” At the heart of his request is that “it is becoming clear to many of us who follow epidemiological data and global research about this virus that the severity of COVID-19 related illness does not warrant the current Oregon public health measures…. Rising numbers of COVID-19 cases illustrate that what we are doing is not working. Data demonstrating falling infection fatality rates, emergency department visits and hospitalizations due to COVID-19 coupled with age severity differentials demand a more targeted and sustainable public health approach… Let us start by structuring the pandemic around our lives and not our lives around COVID-19.” With reports of near-death patients recovering with proper treatment of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, why is the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) continuing to report several deaths per day since July 14?

It’s hard to determine how prevalent COVID-19 really is. Today, OHA website charts 19,162 positive tests and 20,225 cases, so there are 1,063 that were probably diagnosed before testing began. What is more confusing is the 4,065 recovered cases. That leaves 16,160 still active positive COVID-19 cases. Even if you subtract an average of 300 new cases per day for the past 20 days plus 15 per day hospitalize, there shouldn’t be more than 6,300 active cases.

OHA documents the duration for recovery is an average of 20 days for non-hospitalized symptomatic cases and hospitalized cases is an average of 26 days. They also show a few people active clear out to 94 days. If this chart says anything it’s that physicians aren’t being proactive with treatment options.

Oregon has had a sympathetic heart for the terminally ill. In 1997, Oregon legislature passed the Death With Dignity Act allowing terminally ill Oregonians to end their lives through the voluntary self-administration of a lethal dose of medication prescribed by a physician. Then in 2015, Oregon enacted the “Right to Try” law (HB 2300) allowing doctors to prescribe experimental medications and treatments to terminally ill patients. Its intent is that dying patients no longer have to lobby for an exemption from the Food and Drug Administration in order to try medications that are still being tested waiting for FDA approval.

So, what are the number of deaths and why so many lingering cases? The numbers for those dying jumps after age 60 with white people having the highest death rate at 2.8% and Asians a close second at 2.5%, versus Blacks and Indians at 1.3%. All the talk about helping people of color because they are the hardest hit by COVID-19 is not support by the numbers. Even the total case numbers are 40.7% of white affected versus 3.6% and 2.4% for Blacks and Native-Americans.

Is Oregon embracing laws allowing doctors more freedom to treat in dire situations? As an Oregonian, the numbers are bothering, and more than the numbers, are people getting the best treatment available?


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2020-08-06 20:47:04



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