Why do some voters receive multiple ballots? What if my signature doesn’t match the one on file with elections officials? How do I report suspected voter fraud? Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum wants Oregonians to know they can call the Attorney General’s Voter Protection Hotline at 971-673-4111 with non-emergency questions and concerns.

“Voting by mail in Oregon is easy, secure, and resistant to fraud.” Attorney General Rosenblum said. “That said, there are reports of misinformation around this year’s election, and voters may have urgent questions. I want Oregonians to know they can call our hotline and get a pretty quick call back.”

Staff at the Oregon Department of Justice review hotline messages regularly and return most calls within 24 hours on weekdays and on Mondays following the weekend. The hotline currently offers recorded instructions in English and Spanish, but messages can be returned in other languages upon request.

Attorney General Rosenblum said that along with the Secretary of State’s “My Vote” web site, county elections officials are a key resource for voters.

“Oregonians of all parties are justifiably proud of our elections system,” she said. “That’s due in no small part to our County Clerks and elections staff in all 36 counties who provide a high level of service to voters and ensure that ballots are processed and counted with a high degree of security and transparency.”

Voter fraud in Oregon is extremely rare, according to every study of the state’s 20-year history with conducting elections by mail. But Attorney General Rosenblum says voters should still call the hotline if they suspect fraud or any illegal activity related to the election.

“DOJ will work with the Secretary of State and law enforcement to investigate and take appropriate action against anyone who commits fraud or otherwise interferes with an election,” Attorney General Rosenblum said.

The DOJ has also created a one-pager to ensure Oregonians understand how their right to vote is protected. The Oregon Votes 2020! one-pager is available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Vietnamese.

Voter Protection Hotline Summary

Since its launch on October 13, the Attorney General’s Voter Protection Hotline has logged more than 90 calls, many from voters worried that their ballots had not yet arrived. By now, all voters registered in Oregon should have received a ballot at the address on file with their voter registration. Voters can check their registration online at the Secretary of State’s website and contact their county elections office for a replacement ballot, if necessary.

Other callers had questions about multiple ballots arriving for the same voter, or about receiving ballots addressed to voters who have moved or who are deceased. Because Oregon prints ballots 30 days before they are mailed, any registration changes made after that date could result in duplicate ballots, as could requests for replacement ballots.

Regardless of how many ballots are sent, however, only one ballot is considered “active,” and only one ballot per voter will be validated by elections officials. After a voter’s ballot has been accepted, subsequent ballots would be rejected and flagged for review to determine whether voter error or fraud were involved.

Tuesday, October 27 is the last day to safely mail in ballots in Oregon. After Tuesday, voters should use an official ballot drop box (the Secretary of State has a drop-box locator, but check with your county elections office for the most up-to-date list of official sites near you). Your ballot must be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3.

The Oregon Department of Justice is led by Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum and serves as the state’s law firm.


--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2020-10-27 10:33:12

Last Update: 2020-10-27 10:51:33

Portland, Oregon and the surrounding area saw record low temperatures this morning, getting down to an unseasonably cold 29° F, but a a far cry from the -29° F reported in Montana. Ironically, the Columbia River Gorge did not reach freezing because of the East Wind. Eugene even had Portland beat with a frosty 23° F this morning.

Noted climate realist, Dr. Gordon Fulks commented "I think that we can safely blame the Canadians or Mother Nature, not Global Warming, for the frigid morning."

Here is the official Record Report from Clinton Rockey at the National Weather Service:

Record Report

000
SXUS76 KPQR 261836
RERPQR

RECORD EVENT REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OREGON
1136 AM PDT MON OCT 26 2020

...RECORD LOW TEMPERATURES FOR THIS MORNING (MONDAY) 26 OCT...
A VERY CHILLY AIR MASS SETTLED OVER THE REGION THIS PAST WEEKEND.
WHILE IT WAS CHILLY SUNDAY MORNING, IT TOOK UNTIL THE EAST WINDS
EASED LAST NIGHT FOR THE COLDEST TEMPERATURES TO BE REALIZED. THE
COLDEST TEMPERATURE SO FAR THIS FALL SEASON OCCURRED THIS MORNING,
WITH MORNING LOWS DOWN TO THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 20S INLAND, AND LOWER
MIDDLE 30S ALONG THE COAST.

FOLLOWING SITES SET NEW RECORD LOW TEMPERATURES FOR TODAY (26 OCT):

OBSERVED
LOCATIONS LOW THIS AM OLD RECORD (YEAR)
---------------------------------------------------------------
PORTLAND AIRPORT 29 *** NEW RECORD 30 (IN 1963)
VANCOUVER 26 *** TIED RECORD 26 (IN 1978)
HILLSBORO 24 *** NEW RECORD 27 (IN 1954)
EUGENE 23 *** NEW RECORD 26 (IN 1954)

FOLLOWING SITES WERE CLOSE, BUT NO NEW RECORD:
OBSERVED
LOCATIONS LOW THIS AM OLD RECORD (YEAR)
---------------------------------------------------------------
ASTORIA 33 32 (IN 1976)
MCMINNVILLE 25 23 (IN 1900)
SALEM 27 26 (IN 1978)

We also tied cold records at a couple of stations last Thursday:

Record Report

000
SXUS76 KPQR 230236
RERPQR

RECORD EVENT REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OREGON
735 PM PDT THU OCT 22 2020

...RECORD LOW TEMPERATURES FOR THURSDAY OCT 22ND 2020...

OBSERVED
LOCATION LOW TEMPERATURE OLD RECORD (YEAR)
------------------------------------------------------------------
HILLSBORO 30 TIED 30 (2008)
ASTORIA 34 TIED 34 (1961)

--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2020-10-26 14:53:57

Last Update: 2020-10-27 09:44:43

Editor's note: Michael Strickland is a free-lance photo-journalist in Portland.

Before Michael Forest Reinoehl shot Aaron Danielson. Before Kyle Rittenhouse. Before Marquise Love punted Adam Haner’s head into the ground. Before the McCloskeys. Before Jake Gardner in Omaha. Before the Albequerqe guy shot people shouting they were going to kill him.

Before Andy Ngo was attacked. Before Joey Gibson and Patriot Prayer and the Proud Boys. Before riots were commonplace in Portland. Before everyone and their mother were accused of being white supremacists. Before “antifa” was a household term. Before Trump was even the nominee for President.

There was me.

My name is Michael Strickland. Some of you may remember me from my stints at The Gateway Pundit and affiliated site Progressives Today and my YouTube channel Laughing At Liberals. I used to film political events around the Portland area and report on them. What started off as a hobby blossomed into my actual job in 2015 after “documentarian” Skye Fitzgerald, who was caught lying to the mother of a disabled kid and the family of a shooting victim for a very biased documentary project on guns, stole two video cameras from me and body slammed onto the pavement, shattering my arm and leaving me too disabled to go back to my old line of work.

Since covering political events in the area had now become my job, I began covering more and more events. I was basically just filming wackjob leftists in the area saying and doing the things they say and do. Several of my videos and stories started going viral. News networks started buying my footage. International news distributors starting hiring me to cover local events. My videos were getting played on FOX news, MSNBC, and several local news broadcasts. I was becoming a serious problem for the left simply because I showed the world what they were all about.

This all came to a head on July 7th, 2016, when I was filming a Black Lives Matter protest in downtown Portland. This was before one could assume that violence and destruction were going to happen. I was just standing there, holding a video camera on a monopod, filming the speakers on the steps of the Justice Center. I wasn’t there to argue with anyone or instigate anything, as I preferred a fly-on-the-wall style of filming protests.

A gang of antifa thugs made the conscious and deliberate decision to stage a physical altercation with me. They made a b-line right for me and started attacking me. I tried to get away, they kept coming after me, and with no police around, I eventually drew down on them with my legally carried Glock 27. Fortunately they all stopped coming at me at that moment, they ceased to be threats, and I reholstered, without firing a shot. Every move I made was in reaction to what other people were doing to me. Had I waited another second or two, until their bodies were on top of me, there would not have been that buffer zone, and there’s a significant chance that I would have had to do the unthinkable. I’m very thankful they all finally stopped and backed away from me at the point that I drew, and that that was the amount of force necessary to prevent them from doing further harm to me.

I reholstered after having my gun out for 7 seconds, just enough time to neutralize the threats. I was in a bit of a state of shock. I couldn’t believe I was in that predicament and I had to draw. I continued to retreat up the block until police eventually showed up. To arrest me.

I attempted to explain that I had been attacked and that my actions were in self defense and that I had a Concealed Handgun License, but they didn’t care about anything I had to say. They didn’t even want to watch the video of it on my camera. They threw me in jail.



Deputy District Attorney Kate Molina then cited a false police report at my arraignment involving a completely separate matter, and used it as justification for charging me with felonies and keeping me in jail on $250,000 bond.

Fortunately enough people were up in arms over all of this that enough funds were raised to pay for attorneys and bail me out (only 10% was needed for the actual cash amount).

While I was out on bail, pre trial release officer Chelsea Fonua ordered that I be banned from blogging, banned from talking to the media, banned from posting videos, banned from twitter, banned from even going to political events. I couldn’t make my own case publicly. Had I done any of those things I would have been thrown back in jail, forfeited bail, and been on the hook for the full $250,000. I was effectively banned from working.



My own first-person video, which is the only angle that showed the initial attack by the mob, was ordered as sealed evidence by Judge Thomas Ryan. Also part of the sealed evidence was video taken from the Hatfield Courthouse surveillance cameras that shows the gang huddling up, formulating their attack on me, masking up, and moving in to get me in an organized fashion. All the public got to see was what the news cameras picked up, which was the seven seconds I had the gun, yelling “Everyone needs to get the hell back! Get the hell back!” with no context.

After a trial in February of 2017, where many pieces of exculpatory evidence were ruled inadmissible and many due process rights violations were committed against me, I was found guilty of 21 counts, including 10 felonies of “Unlawful Use Of A Weapon”, all for not harming so much as a fly and trying to get away to avoid an altercation. The violent thugs who started the fight are considered to be the innocent victims.

I was sentenced to 40 days in jail, 240 hours of community service, and 3 years of probation. I was banned from filming political events or anything at the local colleges. Had I done that, it would have been a violation of my probation and I would have been thrown in prison.

I was kicked out of my apartment, been declined various different jobs, car insurance doubled, I was forced to pay $45 monthly probation fees, along with $3100 in fines. Sometimes I wonder, should I have just taken the beating instead? Should I have let them pummel me into the pavement, possibly rendering me even more disabled, possibly killing me, likely robbing me of my camera gear, computer gear, and gun? Would I have been better off?

Of course I’m banned from owning guns, or even being near one that isn’t in the control of someone else. If I’m visiting someone’s house, and a they have a gun in separate room that I don’t know about, that could be construed as a “felon in possession” since the gun would be accessible to me. The judge specifically said I can’t touch anything more dangerous than a butter knife. If I’m at a restaurant (which is rare because I can’t afford to eat out), and someone across from me is having a steak, and they put their steak knife down in the middle of the table, that’s technically a weapon that is accessible to me, and I could go to jail for that.

Since this incident, violence and riots have been common in Portland. A short time after this we saw the election week riots. Then the inauguration week riots. Then more May Day riots. Then the dueling protests between antifa and Trump supporters. Then the antifa and BLM gangs patrolling the streets, directing people around, smashing up cars when someone takes offense. Then the 120 days of nightly riots this summer. My case set the standard for legalized mob violence, while also invalidating the 1st and 2nd Amendment. The gangs of terrorists know they have the legal authority to attack whomever they want in the street, and not only face no consequences for it, but the person they target is the one who goes to jail for fighting back. Violence is now incentivized.

I immediately appealed the ruling, citing a variety of due process errors that occurred throughout the spectacle, and because my actions were solely in self defense. Three years later, spring of 2020, the state appeals court upheld the lower court’s ruling, saying that all of the things Judge Thomas Ryan ruled on, and all of the shady antics pulled by DA’s Kate Molina and Todd Jackson were all perfectly acceptable. The appeals court did this relying on several erroneous things that they referred to as “undisputed facts” that were in fact heavily disputed throughout the trial. They denied me a re-review after I politely corrected them. The state supreme court also denied reviewing the case.

Much of what I have been appealing on involved my state of mind at the moment of the incident, as it relates to mens rea and culpable knowledge that someone is committing a crime. You see, many pieces of evidence that pointed to my mindset were ruled to be inadmissible. Ironically, and disgustingly, the day after the state supreme court declined to hear my case, they overturned a sex abuse case because a woman saying “No, I don’t want to” while crying as a man forces himself onto her isn’t enough for the perpetrator to “KNOWINGLY” realize that the woman is not consenting. They will let state of mind play a factor in overturning rape cases, but not in my case.

I am now in the process of petitioning the Supreme Court Of The United States to hear my case.



Many people ask what they can do to help. Well, most pressing is raising funds to pay the attorneys. I usually hate begging for money, but it all goes to pay for the attorneys and other legal costs. I have a PayPal and Oregon Firearms Federation has been gracious enough to once again take donations for my fund. , just please make a note on the check-out page that it’s for my fund so they know where to allocate the money.

I’m very thankful to those who have donated, both in the past and more recently. I plan on hosting an exclusive livestream Q&A event for anyone who has donated, past or present. There’s no way I would have been able to survive this without the help of so many who have chipped in.

You can also share this story around. Share some of the videos about the case that I’ve posted on my YouTube channel. Share some of the stories on VictoriaTaft.com . Raise awareness over what has happened.

Speaking of Oregon Firearms Federation, they have been there every step of the way helping me out. The same cannot be said for a certain other, very large, supposedly pro gun organization.

Unfortunately, the NRA has been silent on this issue thus far. Though, now that the case is going up to SCOTUS and nationwide precedent can be set, maybe they’ll realize they have to take action and help out. If the Heller case established an individual’s right to own a gun for self defense, then the Strickland case may very well decide if a person can draw their legally owned and carried firearm in self defense. If you’re an NRA member, you should be lighting them up to get involved in my case. Heck, even if you’re not an NRA member, I implore you to hit the NRA pages on Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms, encouraging them to help out. My hope is that they will get involved.

The NRA and other organizations can file what’s called Amicus Curiae, which is “friend of the court” status. This allows groups and other interested parties who are not directly involved in the case to submit briefs to the court in support of me, and they can make other legal arguments and approach the matter from different angles.

Other groups, such as 1st Amendment and free press organizations and non profits, as well as justice reform groups, should also take interest in this. My case spans a variety of Constitutional, civil, and due process rights, regardless of political leanings. Leftist groups, such as the ACLU, should be up in arms over the way the courts treated me. My brief to the Supreme Court is due November 25th, and interested third parties have 30 days after that to file Amicus.

Regarding the 1st Amendment: Does a person have the right to be in public area, filming a public event, as part of their job, and in exercise of their right to free press? Or does a gang of thugs have the legal right and lawful authority to use force, threats, and intimidation to prevent a person from engaging in their 1st Amendment rights? If the gang of thugs does not have that right, then they used unlawful force against me, thus meeting the threshold for exercising self defense.

Secondly, can the courts threaten someone with imprisonment for engaging in 1st Amendment rights? At various different phases over the course of four years I was banned from blogging, talking to the media, going on twitter, posting videos, going to political events, filming political events, or filming anything at the local colleges. Had I done anything of those things, I would have been thrown in prison as a violation of the terms of my release and/or probation.

The 2nd Amendment ramifications are obvious. Can a person draw their firearm in self defense against a mob that the person believes is engaging in unlawful force, potentially deadly force, and further imminent unlawful force? Given the number of assailants against me and the fact that I am partially disabled, a large disparity of force was presented. Additionally, I used verbal commands, a non lethal alternative, and was attempting to retreat to avoid the conflict, all to no avail, as the mob continued to bear down and pursue me. I followed the training I had received from the numerous firearms courses I had taken over the years.

There are a litany of due process rights violations that have been committed against me at various different aspects:

At my first arraignment, deputy district attorney Kate Molina cited a false police report, filed by a guy named John Slaughter, whom I hardly knew, who had gotten in my face screaming and yelling at me a few weeks prior at the vigil for the Orlando nightclub shooting victims. Slaughter claimed that I had started sending him threatening race based text messages and voice mails, that I have ties to white supremacist groups, and that I drove by his house with my hand in the shape of a gun pointing toward me. Of course all of those accusations are untrue. I barely knew or cared who this guy was. On that evening he’s claiming I drove by his house I was caring for two cats that needed medical attention. But Kate Molina read that report out loud in course, lying to Judge Leslie Bottomly, stating these assertions as if they were fact, with the media there recording it and subsequently broadcasting it to the public. Molina was essentially able to unduly influence and taint the jury pool with these defamatory statements. That police report was so unconvincing that she never brought it up again, never charged me with anything from it, and never pursued anything from that because it never happened. But the damage was done.



Judge Thomas Ryan denied my motion for a change of venue, to move to the trial to a different part of the state, away from the Portland area media footprint. I was effectively denied my right to a fair trial before a jury of my peers, and forced to go with a bench trial.

It turned out that John Slaughter was one of the ones who had organized the mob to attack me, as he testified to that and admitted such on the witness stand.

My indictment is the only one I’ve ever seen that lists specific “victims” using vague descriptions but no names. It says things like “Michael Aaron Strickland, on or about July 07, 2016, in the County of Multnomah, State of Oregon, did unlawfully attempt to use, carry with intent to use and possess with intent to use unlawfully against another person, to wit: a male wearing jeans, a dark top, a backpack, a green cloth on his face, and a multicolor mask on top of his head.”

In fact, though the indictments and other charging instruments specify ten “victims”, only two were ever identified, ever came forward, and testified at the trial. Those two were Ben Kerensa (a 400 pound guy with a lengthy criminal history who led the mob to attack me) and Malcolm Chaddock (whom I had seen at previous protests engaging in criminal behavior and causing trouble, and who served as the distraction for Kerensa to run up along my blind side). The other eight were never identified, never came forward as “victims”, and never testified. I was denied my right to face my accusers, because eight of these people never accused me of anything unlawful. I was convicted of crimes against unknown John Does who were physical threats to me. “Unlawful Use Of A Weapon” has multiple definitions in Oregon. We motioned for the state to clarify which part of the law they were charging me with. Judge Thomas Ryan ruled that the state does not have to clarify such, which left me not knowing what I was supposed to be mounting a legal defense against.

My trial also featured an ambush witness who was allowed to testify after both sides had rested. Molina and Todd Jackson (the other DA on the case) had known for at least six weeks that we were planning on putting on our own expert use of force witness, and he testified that everything I did was correct and in line with how a civilian CHL holder should react in the situation that befell me. As per law, witness lists from both sides were provided to the other the week before the trial. After both sides had rested, Molina and Jackson told the judge they wanted to put on on their own expert use of force witness. We of course objected to this, but the judge allowed it anyway. This expert was Ryan Rasmussen, who serves as Gresham police’s use of force and firearms trainer, and he testified that my actions were wrong and unlawful. Rasmussen was not on any prior witness list and he did not testify at grand jury. He was not a witness to the incident, either. Another problem with all of that is that Rasmussen could only testify as to what a police officer is trained to do, as he has no experience as a civilian. He graduated high school, went into the Marines, then spent a year as armed security, then joined the police department. He has never had a Concealed Handgun License, had never taken a CHL course, does not have any certifications to train civilians, and even conceded that police are held to a higher standard than civilians with CHL’s. yet his testimony was still considered valid.

Can a judge rule that a person’s own experiences, training, and knowledge be irrelevant? Can a judge pretend to be a mind reader and tell a defendant what that defendant was or was not thinking in the heat of the moment, under duress, and under threat of physical harm? At numerous different points, Judge Thomas Ryan substituted his own mindset in place of my mindset. Judge Ryan ruled that a aforementioned incident with Skye Fitzgerald, just 16 months beforehand, where my arm was shattered and had to be surgically reconstructed, was “irrelevant” and somehow didn’t play into my mindset and decision making when I was staring down an even more precarious situation. Judge Ryan also ruled that my statements to the detective, where I explained how the mob attacked me, how I tried to get away, how I was in fear, and how I acted in self defense, were all inadmissible, irrelevant hearsay.

Judge Ryan didn’t even take 30 seconds to go back and deliberate and review evidence and arguments. He immediately announced a guilty verdict as soon as Todd Jackson was done with his closing statement. As Judge Ryan was announcing his verdict, he proclaimed that this is not about what other people were doing to me, it was about my actions. By refusing to consider the actions of those who premeditated and carried out this attack on me, Judge Ryan is essentially refusing to consider self defense as a thing, since self defense is predicated on the actions of others.

At sentencing, Judge Ryan stated with fact that the mob was not about to pummel me, and I could not react in the way that I did. He said “Regarding the acts. I know I’ve already ruled on guilt of innocence, but the Defendant’s acts were not justified. This was not self-defense. This was an unlawful escalation of the situation. Simply put, you cannot respond in the way that the Defendant did in this situation. Brandishing the weapon was not the Defendant’s only option. He was not about to be pummeled.”

He is basically trying to tell me what I was thinking or not thinking.

Further, there are no such terms as “unlawful escalation” or “brandishing” in the Oregon statutes. By stating that drawing was not my “only option” he is implying that some sort of action was necessary. Oregon has no duty to retreat (State v Sandoval, 2007), so that action was not legally necessary, even though I was retreating and trying to avoid conflict. The judge is basically making up the laws as he goes along.

If they can do these things to me, they can do it to anyone. They can do it to you, your family, your loved ones, your doctor, your auto mechanic, your neighbor. I have no doubt that shady police, unethical DA’s, and crooked judges are using these tactics to lock up innocent people every day. This is our best chance to overturn these practices. I am fighting not just for my rights, not just to clear my name, but for everyone’s rights. Help me win this for all of us.


--Michael Strickland

Post Date: 2020-10-26 12:57:52

Last Update: 2020-10-26 14:50:22

Portland Oregon is out of control in 2020. Unspeakable crimes seem to happen with regularity under Ted Wheeler and Kate Brown's leadership -- while most of the media remains silent.

On Friday, October 23rd at about 10:48pm., Portland Police responded with Portland Fire & Rescue to a vehicle fire in the area of Northeast 148th Avenue and Northeast San Rafael Street. Responders determined there was a person, deceased, in the vehicle.

The Oregon State Medical Examiner's Office conducted an autopsy and determined this death was a homicide. Additional information will be released at the direction of the investigators. It is not known if this incident is related to the Antifa and/or Black Lives Matter riots that have plagued the City of Portland for months.

Portland Police homicide detectives are investigating and ask that anyone with information about this incident contact Detective William Winters via email or at 503-823-0466 or Detective Anthony Merrill via email or at 503-823-4033.


--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2020-10-26 10:46:46

Last Update: 2020-10-26 13:49:00

On Tuesday, October 27, Portlanders struggling from health or financial impacts of COVID-19 will have the opportunity to apply for $500 in household assistance through a new City of Portland program to help with costs such as food, dependent care, medicine, rent and utilities, and transportation.

United Way of the Columbia-Willamette has partnered with the City to distribute 2,800 prepaid debit cards through two open application windows. The cards will be distributed on a first-come-first-served basis. The application window for the first 1,400 cards opens on October 27 beginning at 9am and the remaining 1,400 will be distributed on October 30 beginning at 1pm. All applications must be submitted online.

To be eligible, applicants must be at least 18 years old and living in the City of Portland; have experienced a loss of income or elevated health risk related to COVID-19; and have a household income at or below 80% of Area Median Income (see income eligibility chart).

“The City of Portland’s emergency response to the COVID-19 crisis prioritizes housing stability, food security and support for the most vulnerable in our community,” Mayor Ted Wheeler said. “This household assistance program will help ease the daily struggle of those who are most deeply impacted by the pandemic’s severe economic impact.”

The $15 million Household Assistance Program was rolled out by the Portland Housing Bureau earlier this month. To ensure assistance would reach Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC) communities, and those facing barriers to accessing a public application, the majority of the funds are being distributed in collaboration with approximately 35 culturally specific community-based organizations—most of which represent new partnerships for the City, in an effort to create new opportunities with City resources and better serve BIPOC communities.

“We know that it is Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color who are most deeply impacted by economic crises and most often left behind by economic recovery,” said Portland Housing Bureau Director Shannon Callahan. “In a time of such great need, having these broad community-based partnerships is critical to getting this assistance to those in need who are too often left out and left behind.”

Through a partnership with the Joint Office of Homeless Services (JOHS), prepaid cards will also be provided to families and individuals experiencing homelessness and living in shelters and on the streets. Those cards will be made available through sheltering organizations and outreach teams that contract with the Joint Office.

“The pandemic has only deepened the crisis for people experiencing homelessness in our community. Especially as we head into winter, these household assistance funds will be a lifeline for people who are struggling to face COVID-19 without even the basic protections a home,” said Marc Jolin, Director of the Joint Office of Homeless Services.

In total, the Household Assistance Program is expected to assist 27,000 Portland households between now and December 30.

The program is part of a $36 million investment in housing relief measures by the City of Portland and the Portland Housing Bureau in response to COVID-19, including $19.5 million in City funds for rent assistance and $1.6 million in housing stabilization support for low-income BIPOC homeowners. Members of the public seeking rent assistance should call 211.


--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2020-10-26 09:02:11

Last Update: 2020-10-25 16:03:53

Editor's note: Oregon Abigail Adams Voter Education Project equips voters with information on how candidates stand on issues through a questionnaire process featured in comparison guides.

Candidate for House District 30 Darrell Gulstrom is challenging incumbent Janeen Sollman, her 3rd run to represent portions of Washington County.

Three major issues to Oregon voters are the economy, safety and education. Sollman voted to increase taxes and fees including cap and trade, corporate gross receipts tax, and reduce the kicker. She helped sponsor a prohibition on hydraulic fracturing for oil and gas exploration and production. Gulstrom indicates he would vote no on these issues and says he “believes in Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.”

Sollman helped sponsor the bill that nullified Measure 88 passed by voters allowing undocumented driver’s license and she helped sponsor a bill that requires no proof of citizenship to obtain a driver’s license. Voted to require employers to notify employees of ICE investigations, and prevent courts from asking immigration status and notifying ICE. Gulstrom served in the US Air Force until 1982. He would vote no and support voters. He also supports the work of ICE.

In the area of education, Sollman voted to include in all curriculum’s contributions from every minority group such as immigrants, LGBTQ, disabled and women. She voted against mandated vaccination with no exceptions and ban those from schools that don’t comply. Gulstrom also would vote against forced vaccinations and would vote against curriculum mandates to include minority group contributions. He served on the Hillsboro school board as an activist for conservative causes.



--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2020-10-26 07:31:58

Last Update: 2020-10-25 13:46:44

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act, prescribes energy conservation standards for various consumer products, including residential clothes washers and dryers. In proposed rulemaking the Department of Energy proposes to establish separate product classes for top-loading residential clothes washers and consumer clothes dryers that offer cycle times for a normal cycle of less than 30 minutes, and for front-loading residential clothes washers that offer cycle times for a normal cycle of less than 45 minutes. The Department of Energy would consider appropriate energy and water efficiency standards for such product classes, if adopted, in separate rulemakings.

The deadline for comment was September 14th, 2020. However, Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum filed comments opposing the U.S. Department of Energy’s proposal with other Democrat run states on October 13. She claims the proposed rule completely exempts fast-cycle clothes washers and dryers from any energy efficiency standards, which isn’t true according to the Federal Register.

Rosenblum states, “The Energy Policy and Conservation Act makes it clear that the Department of Energy is not allowed to weaken energy efficiency standards, let alone carve out complete exemptions to those standards. In this case, Department of Energy claims the authority, not only to exempt both washers and dryers from the Department of Energy’s own standards, but to exempt certain washers from minimum standards set by Congress itself.” However, the Act does not just seek to reduce energy demand and provide energy efficiency through energy conservation, but a comprehensive approach to increase energy production and supply as well to make the U.S. energy independent.

Part of the review has to do with the reduced life of appliances. The adoption of stricter standards has increased appliance demand through turnover, and increased energy used to manufacture and replace appliances more often.

Attorney General Rosenblum noted that Department of Energy unlawfully claimed that the rule change is exempt from the National Environmental Policy Act, based on its assertion that granting exemptions from energy efficiency standards will have no environmental impact. “Allowing increased energy use means more greenhouse gas emissions,” Rosenblum said. “Claiming that this action has no environmental impact is an example of climate denialism.”


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2020-10-25 17:29:48

Last Update: 2020-10-25 20:13:19

As COVID-19 has taken its hold on Oregon, there have been many news reports about regional nursing and school nurse shortages. Becoming a nurse is an excellent career path; not only can you work anywhere, but you’ll also be making a difference in people’s lives on a daily basis. The path to becoming a nurse is varied and depends on what type of nurse you’d like to become. This guide will help you learn about the various nurse occupations, how to find your first job, and how to further your education and career.

Determine a pathway When you’ve decided to become a nurse, there are a number of factors to consider. First, what type of nurse do you want to be? Do you want to work in a hospital, or would you be happier in a nursing home? It’s also important to determine whether you’d like to support medical staff as part of a team, or if you’d rather manage other nurses or oversee systems. Let’s take a closer look at some different types of nursing degrees.

When it comes to education, you can earn a nursing diploma or Associate Degree in nursing from a community college or vocational school, or pursue a Bachelor of Science in nursing from a four-year college or university. Beyond your undergrad, you can earn a Master of Science or a Doctoral degree if you want to expand your learning and your career options.

Many nurses will choose to earn a master’s degree in nursing to further their careers. It’s possible to pursue a master’s degree while still working: many colleges now offer online training to obtain a master’s in nursing education, nursing leadership and management, or nurse informatics.

Before you start looking for jobs, it’s necessary to obtain a license.

Career options The career paths are varied for nurses: whether it’s assisting in labor and delivery or working in an emergency room, you can pursue nursing in a number of different settings.

If you want to jump right into the hands-on nursing experience, you could become a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA). You can become a CNA with just a certificate in nursing, which can be obtained from a community college or vocational school. The next step up is a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), which requires about a year of schooling and allows you to work more directly with patients.

Many who earn a two-year associate’s or four-year bachelor’s nursing degree will become a Registered Nurse (RN). RNs do more hands-on medical work, including administering medication, assisting doctors with exams and surgeries, and more.

There are more advanced nursing careers for those with four-year degrees and master’s degrees: you could become a Certified Nurse Midwife, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, or a Nurse Practitioner.

Finding your first job Once you’ve finished nursing school and obtained your license, determine in what setting you’d most like to work. Nurses have a variety of environments to choose from, whether it’s a hospital, clinic, nursing home, or school. You can even work as a traveling nurse, filling in for temporary stints all over the country.

One of the challenging aspects of finding your first job is overcoming your lack of experience. You can gain more experience through internships, job shadowing, or filling in as an on-call nurse. This can be a great way to learn what you do and don’t like before committing to a full-time job.

A nursing career can be varied with plenty of options depending on the amount of schooling you’re prepared to complete. Consider what kind of education you’d like to pursue, and where you’d most like to work. Becoming a nurse will provide you with job security and a diverse array of opportunities—use this guide to help you get started.

Julia Merrill is a retired board certified nurse practitioner


--Julia Merrill

Post Date: 2020-10-25 17:20:07

Last Update: 2020-10-27 01:04:15

Meetings are starting for yet another Portland-Vancouver area Columbia River crossing project. The last project failed after eight years of studies and tests. It was known as the Columbia River Crossing project and it managed to waste $175 million dollars without any tangible results.

Anyone interested in the bi-state Interstate Bridge Replacement Program can attend the Executive Steering Group’s introductory meeting from 8:00am to 11:00am on Friday, November 6th. This virtual meeting is the first of two kickoff sessions, with the second meeting scheduled for 1:00pm to 3:00pm on Monday, November 30th.

This meeting will be hosted in Zoom in an effort to follow the states’ social distancing guidelines for slowing the spread of COVID-19. It will also be livestreamed on YouTube, and those without internet access will have the option to call in to listen to the meeting. Meeting materials and instructions for participation are available on the Executive Steering Group page.

The Oregon and Washington departments of transportation are convening the 12-member steering group to provide regional leadership recommendations on key program issues of concern to the community. The advisory body includes senior representatives from both state departments of transportation, TriMet, C-TRAN, Oregon Metro, the Southwest Regional Transportation Council, the cities of Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington, and the Ports of Portland and Vancouver. These parties have a direct role in the integrated, multimodal transportation system around the Interstate Bridge. A community representative from each state will also serve on the group. At the kick-off meetings the steering group will:

• Receive progress updates from the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program team.
• Review a draft Executive Steering Group charter.
• Discuss equity considerations.
• Review recommended steps to form a Community Advisory Group.

Public input on agenda items is welcome for each steering group meeting and can be shared via email, phone or online during the meeting:

Those who would like to weigh in can email comments to Washington state at the address interstatebridge@wsdot.wa.gov with “ESG Public Comment” in the subject line or call 360-905-1560 and state “ESG Public Comment” in your message. Facilitators will provide an opportunity for online participants to give input during the meeting. More information is available on the Executive Steering Group page.

Comments received by 8 a.m. on Wednesday, November 4th will be shared with the committee ahead of the meeting. All comments received prior to or at the meeting will be included in the meeting summary.

To request an accommodation, such as materials in alternate formats, interested persons can contact the program team at 360-905-1560 at least 48 hours prior to the meeting.

Replacing the aging Interstate Bridge across the Columbia River with a seismically resilient, multimodal structure that provides improved mobility for people, goods and services is a high priority for Oregon and Washington. In late 2019, governors and legislative leadership in both states directed the Washington Department of Transportation and Oregon Department of Transportation to launch the bi-state Interstate Bridge Replacement Program to lead this work. Program development will center on equity and follow a transparent, data-driven process that includes collaboration with federal, state, regional and local partners.

Comprehensive and equitable community engagement is critical to identify a solution that prioritizes safety, reflects community values and discussions with communities of concern, and fosters broad regional support. The Executive Steering Group, Community Advisory Group, and an effective equity strategy will be key components of comprehensive community engagement efforts to ensure ongoing, extensive and inclusive public dialogue.


--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2020-10-25 14:20:26

Last Update: 2020-10-25 14:23:02

Editor's note: Oregon Abigail Adams Voter Education Project equips voters with information on how candidates stand on issues through a questionnaire process featured in comparison guides.

Candidate for House District 27 Sandra Nelson is challenging incumbent Sheri Schouten, her 3rd run to represent a portion of Washington County.

Three major issues to Oregon voters are the economy, safety and education. Schouten voted to increase taxes and fees including cap and trade, corporate gross receipts tax, and reduce the kicker. She was a sponsor to prohibit hydraulic fracturing for oil and gas exploration and production. Nelson indicates she would vote no on these issues and is for “government reduction of taxes, red rape, regulations, and overly restrictive land us laws nearly always increases the availability of jobs and affordable homes.”

Schouten signed a letter to US Attorney General William Barr demanding “immediate withdrawal of federal operatives from the City of Portland.” She helped sponsor the bill that nullified Measure 88 passed by voters allowing undocumented driver’s license and she helped sponsor a bill that requires no proof of citizenship to obtain a driver’s license. Voted to require employers to notify employees of ICE investigations, and prevent courts from asking immigration status and notifying ICE. Nelson would vote no and support voters, and would not vote to reduce the effectiveness of ICE for protection.

In the area of education, Schouten voted to include in all curriculum’s contributions from every minority group such as immigrants, LGBTQ, disabled and women. She voted to require mandated vaccination with no exceptions and ban those from schools that don’t comply. Nelson does not endorse a curriculum that mandates minority groups contribute nor mandated vaccinations.



--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2020-10-25 13:15:59

Last Update: 2020-10-25 13:31:58

Named for the state's first state forester Francis Elliott, the Elliott State Forest is a state forest in the coast range regions of Coos and Douglas counties, between Coos Bay and Reedsport. The Department of State Lands and Oregon State University are working on a plan to transform the Elliott State Forest into a publicly owned research forest.

The Elliott State Forest is overseen by the three-member Oregon State Land Board, which consists of the Governor, the State Treasurer and the Secretary of State. In 2018, the State Land Board asked the Department of State Lands to look into the possibility of working with Oregon State University to make the Elliott State Forest a publicly owned research forest. Key elements of a research forest proposal have now been drafted with the help of advisory committees, Tribes, state and local governments, stakeholders, and the public. Interested persons can participate in the process by sharing thoughts on how this forest can best serve the varied needs of our state while fulfilling our constitutional obligations.

Several years ago, under heavy environmental regulations, the Elliott State Forest at one point generated negative revenue, as it cost more to maintain than it was generating in timber sales. Environmentalist backed Democrats in the state legislature have been working to "sell" the forest back to the state and to place the forest into some sort of conservation status. The research plan is widely seen as part of that process.

Article VIII, Section 2 of the Oregon Constitution says that

(1) The sources of the Common School Fund are:
. . .
(a) The proceeds of all lands granted to this state for educational purposes, except the lands granted to aid in the establishment of institutions of higher education under the Acts of February 14, 1859 and July 2, 1862
. . .
(2) All revenues derived from the sources mentioned in subsection (1) of this section shall become a part of the Common School Fund.

There will be two remote presentation and Q&A sessions about the draft plan with Department of State Lands and Oregon State University on October 26th and November 5th, as well as informal drop-in Zoom sessions that will occur on October 27th, 29th, November 4th and 6th. All of these sessions are open to the public.

Department of State Lands has created a website where you can find details for the draft proposal, information on the remote sessions, and ways to provide feedback. The Department asks that feedback be provided by November 13th in order to prepare for the State Land Board meeting on December 8th, where we will make a determination on next steps for this forest.

Photo courtesy Oregon Department of Forestry - Elliott State Forest


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2020-10-25 08:22:00

Last Update: 2020-10-23 20:03:30

The number of homeschoolers is rising in nearly every district in Oregon. Oregon Department of Education shows more than 22,000 students registered being homeschooled. Survey shows that 40 percent of families are more likely to homeschool when lockdown restrictions lift. Statistics are easy to keep, as one of the requirements for homeschooling is that the parents need to notify the school district that they live in that they will be homeschooling.

The Governor’s Healthy Schools Reopening Council met to review the steps Oregon will need to take to return more students to in-person instruction in schools. While new nationwide data on schools reopening for in-person instruction has become available, the increasing community spread of COVID-19 in counties across Oregon presents a major obstacle to returning more students to the classroom.

"Returning to in-person instruction safely is key to ensuring Oregon’s students are receiving a high-quality education that prepares them for lifelong success," said Governor Kate Brown. "But our schools and our educators do so much more than teach and inspire students. Our schools provide warm and nutritious meals to students who are hungry. They are health centers. They provide for students’ mental health and well-being. And, at the center of it all, are the teachers, nurses, counselors, librarians, and support professionals who, every day, build the personal, individual connections with students that are so crucial to their lifelong success.”

As of this week, only two counties currently meet Oregon’s metrics for in-person instruction for all grades, however, Oregon as a whole is exceeding the statewide 5% positivity rate maximum allowed for schools to move forward with reopening. Seven counties currently meet the metrics for some in-person instruction for K-3 students. (Before case counts increased, as many as 20 counties were eligible to resume in-person instruction for K-3 students). According to the Oregon Department of Education, approximately 45,000 students currently receive at least some in-person instruction in Oregon schools. Updating Oregon’s metrics without addressing the rising COVID-19 case rates in counties across the state, though, would leave most students in Oregon in comprehensive distance learning.

Governor Brown stated, “Distance learning is exponentially more difficult for parents who can’t stay home, because they work in essential sectors like the service industry, construction, manufacturing, and agriculture. Not every home in every county has reliable access to broadband or learning devices for all children. And, unfortunately, too many students do not have a stable place to call home. These are the kids who need in-person instruction the most. The kids for whom a smile in the classroom or a helping hand in the lunchroom means everything.”

The Northwest Observer interviewed a frustrated father whose son is struggling with the amount and level of technology required to do his lessons and the lack of support. He receives instruction over zoom two days a week and the other three days is expected to be self-disciplined to complete the lesson. Parents facing this amount of commitment to help their student in an ineffective program are looking elsewhere for a better more proven method of schooling.

Parents who are considering home schooling their children can review the legal requirements which are a part of the Oregon Department of Education's administrative rules.

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash.com


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2020-10-25 06:16:57

Last Update: 2020-10-24 19:59:30