The number of unbanked households in Oregon dropped from 3.8 percent in 2019 to just 1.8 percent in 2021, according to a study by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. This is significant for many Oregonians because it means they can avoid paying for expensive alternative financial services such as money orders, check cashing, and pre-paid cards.

Those costs can add up to thousands of dollars over a consumer’s lifetime.

Nationally, over 95 percent of U.S. households had some sort of banking account in 2021. If a household is banked it means at least one member has a savings or checking account at a bank or credit union.

The Oregon Legislature passed SB 1565 in 2022 that makes it an unlawful practice -- with a few exceptions -- for a place of public accommodation offering goods or services, or any person acting on behalf of such place, to refuse to accept from a customer or patron, as payment for goods and services, United States currency.

According to Anthony Smith with the National Federation of Independent Business, "Cash is a labor-intensive process – and under SB 1565, as more and more customers pay electronically, employees would still have to make bank deposits and count out cash registers, before and after each shift, accounting for every transaction down to the last penny, even if the business makes very few – or no cash sales in an average day. Having cash on hand can also prove to be a security risk, exposing employees to the risk of robbery and employers to theft."

"As customer behaviors change," Smith continued, businesses respond by meeting those changing expectations in ways that will keep customers coming back again and again. Customers expect quick check-out lines and fast transactions. SB 1565 limits the ability of a business to safely operate at peak efficiency with customer experiences in mind.

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“One of the challenges facing the unbanked is all of the fees you have to pay to access your money,” said TK Keen, administrator of the Oregon Division of Financial Regulation at the Department of Business and Consumer Services. “While the individual cost may seem minor, having to buy several different financial products to pay rent, utilities, and other monthly expenses starts to add up and eats into your monthly budget. I am pleased to see that our financial institutions continue to help us make headway in getting consumers accounts, and in turn, reducing fees that consumers pay in their daily lives.”

Despite this improvement, Black, Indigenous, and Latino communities, as well as people experiencing a disability, are much more likely to be unbanked. Only 2.1 percent of White households are unbanked in the U.S. In contrast, 9.3 percent of Latino households and 11.3 percent of Black households are unbanked.

“It is important to get as many people as possible banked,” Keen said. “Relationships with our financial institutions come in handy for other financial services people need, such as a loan to buy a car, a mortgage to buy a home, and emergency loans for unexpected expenses that come up.”


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-11-12 06:18:46

Last Update: 2022-11-11 11:58:53

The Oregon Transportation Commission will meet Thursday, Nov. 17 at 9 a.m. at the Hillsboro Public Service Building, 1555 N. 1st Avenue, Hillsboro. Items on the agenda include:

• Great Streets Program Update: An informational update on engagement and program development for the Great Streets Program, including selection criteria and project recommendation process.
• OR 217 Auxiliary Lanes Construction Update: An update on the OR 217 Auxiliary Lanes Project, which is currently under construction.
• Biennial Flat Fee Study: A request to approve advancing the Flat Fee Rate Study with recommendations to the legislature to amend the rates.

The agenda and meeting materials will be available on the OTC Website. The public is invited to watch the meeting on YouTube.

Members of the public are asked to submit written comment in advance of the Nov. 17 meeting and sign up for real-time virtual oral public comment. Sign up to provide comments by completing the comment form on the OTC website at www.oregon.gov/odot/Get-involved/Pages/OTC_Main.aspx. Please sign up by Wednesday, Nov. 16, at 4 p.m.

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Please note participation will be limited to one representative per organization. Commenters (and organizations) who are providing oral testimony to the OTC for the first time will be given priority for the limited available testimony spots.

To submit written testimony or comments electronically, please use the submission form on the OTC website by Wednesday, Nov. 16, at 4 p.m. to guarantee inclusion in the meeting packet. Comments not included in the meeting packet will be shared with Commissioners after the meeting.

Email written comments to OTCAdmin@odot.oregon.gov.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-11-11 10:49:05

Last Update: 2022-11-11 11:01:53

Oregon Military Department released the schedule for the Veterans Day flyover. The 142nd Wing out of the Portland Air National Guard Base, will conduct Veterans Day flyovers for ceremonies and parades at locations throughout the state.

142nd Wing Commander, Colonel Todd Hofford, said the wing is proud to conduct the flyovers. “We appreciate the opportunity to honor those that have served before us. The demonstration of air superiority on this day is a great reminder to us all how fortunate we are to be citizens of this country. These patriotic flyovers are courtesy of your Hometown Air Force.”

The F-15 Eagle fighter jets are scheduled to conduct flyovers at the following community locations at, or around the designated times on Friday, 11 November:

• 10:45 a.m. Tillamook Air Museum, Tillamook, Ore.
• 10:57 a.m. Albany Veterans Day Parade, Albany, Ore.
• 11:11 a.m. University of Portland, Portland, Ore.
• 11:32 a.m. The Dalles Area Chamber, The Dalles, Ore.
• 12:07 p.m. Veterans Memorial Park, Klamath Falls, Ore.
• 12:22 p.m. Douglas County Veterans Day Parade, Roseburg, Ore.

All passes will be approximately 1,000 feet above ground level and about 400 mph airspeed. Flights could be canceled or times changed due to inclement weather or operational contingencies. There will also be a funeral flyover at 11:20 a.m. in Mollala, Oregon.

Previous in-flight flyover gopro footage can be downloaded at: https://www.dvidshub.net/video/752272/142nd-wing-f-15-flight-gopro-footage

The 142nd Wing, Portland Air National Guard Base employs 1,500 Airmen who provide an economic impact of nearly $500 million to the region. The 142nd Wing defends our homeland with F-15 Eagle fighter jets, guarding the Pacific Northwest skies from northern California to the Canadian border through their Aerospace Control Alert mission as part of Air Combat Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). Their mission is to provide unequalled, mission-ready units to sustain combat aerospace superiority and peacetime tasking any time, any place in service to our nation, state and community.

The photo is of an F-15D Eagle assigned to the 142nd Fighter Wing, Oregon Air National Guard Base, Oregon, takes off during an afternoon sortie, Feb. 19, 2015. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. John Hughel, 142nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs/Released).


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2022-11-10 16:25:41

Last Update: 2022-11-10 17:36:13

The Oregon Health Authority has announced that "Like most of the country, Oregon is experiencing a surge in respiratory illnesses. An exponential increase in respiratory syncytial virus cases since October 29 alongside ongoing hospital staffing challenges are straining pediatric hospital bed capacity. Pediatric intensive care unit and medical-surgical beds statewide are heavily strained.

Given the urgency of the current situation, and expected continued rises in RSV and flu cases, we ask that Oregon hospitals take the following steps immediately:

• Maximize pediatric staffing, spaces and supplies to increase surge capacity; examples include but are not limited to:
  • Identifying additional staff with pediatric experience.
  • Using single rooms as double rooms, with temporary licensure as needed.
  • Expanding into surge areas, with temporary licensure as needed.
  • Submitting a Hospital License Temporary Space Application to mailbox.hclc@odhsoha.oregon.gov for any hospital request to change use of existing spaces, add beds, or related requests. Oregon Health Authority's Health Facility Licensing and Certification Program staff will respond to all requests promptly.
• Encourage pediatric and subspecialty providers to maximally manage patients locally with goal to reduce need for transfer to specialty pediatric hospitals.
  • Develop plans and identify resources needed to manage higher acuity patients in anticipation of delays in transfers to specialty pediatric hospitals.
• Review and limit elective procedures if needed to maintain statewide pediatric bed capacity.
• Consider opening neonatal ICUs (NICUs) to suitably aged, outside patients using appropriate precautions.
• Plan to provide intensive care to older children in adult ICUs.
  • Assess readiness and activate any necessary credentialing steps
  • Review PICU in the MICU: How Adult ICUs Can Support Pediatric Care in Public Health Emergencies which outlines a surge continuum framework to increase PICU capacity.
• Maximize opportunities to vaccinate against flu and COVID-19.

As a reminder, OHA rules still require masking in most healthcare settings.

OHA plans to circulate a survey to better understand hospital pediatric surge capacity in the coming days.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-11-10 10:44:04

Last Update: 2022-11-10 16:25:17

Editor's note: Kelly Fitzpatrick is the Director of the Oregon Veterans' Administration

Each year, our nation sets aside Veterans Day to remember all the men and women who have defended our liberty through their honorable military service. American cities big and small celebrate with ceremonies across the nation to honor their service and their sacrifice.

We are proud to note that even in the wake of devastating and destabilizing world events like the COVID-19 pandemic, celebrations that honor our nation's veterans were among the first to return to full strength. The value that we as Oregonians and Americans place on honoring and showing gratitude toward those who have served and sacrificed to protect our freedoms and way of life is immense.

This year, while the Oregon Department of Veterans' Affairs continues to honor all veterans of all eras, we are paying tribute to one particular era of our veteran community: Oregon's Korean War veterans. Though this war it is referred to as the "Forgotten War," we in Oregon have never — and will never — forget the extraordinary and heroic veterans who fought for freedom in the Korean War.

This theme has a personal significance for me. My father fought as a Marine during the Korean War, where he earned the Purple Heart. After I was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Army and asked for my first tour of duty to be in South Korea, my father shared the only thing he ever said to me about his combat experiences there. He half-joked that if I ever traveled near the DMZ, I would surely see his fingernails where he desperately attempted to dig a deeper foxhole as enemy artillery rained down on his Marine unit.

Of course, my own experience of being stationed in the Republic of Korea was vastly different, thanks to those courageous men and women who fought during the Korean War. In fact, I enjoyed my first tour in Daegu so much that several years later, I served a two-year tour in Korea. The Korean people are wonderfully gracious and kind. Whenever I was in uniform outside the military base, older Koreans who remembered the war would sometimes approach me and thank me as a representative of the American military.

In 1950, our nation was weary of war after years of global conflict. Yet, 1.5 million Americans — including 60,000 Oregonians — left their family and friends and their homes to help defend our nation's friends and allies halfway around the world, in a place they had never been and on behalf of a people they had never met.

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Together with men and women from 20 other nations, they joined shoulder to shoulder with the brave people of South Korea to defend their independence, to safeguard other Asian nations, and to protect the freedom that remains our greatest gift. All those who fought in the Korean War endured terrible hardships — deadly cold, unbearable conditions, an enemy of overwhelming numbers, and the threat of brutal imprisonment and torture.

But their courage never wavered — not when they were defending the perimeter at Busan, braving the tides at Inchon, confronting the world's fastest fighter jets in Mig Alley, enduring hand-to-hand combat on Heartbreak Ridge and Pork Chop Hill, or even fighting their way back from the infamous Chosin Reservoir.

In September of this year, I had the privilege of speaking at an Honor Flight of Portland, Oregon, send-off event for 24 honored veterans — 19 of whom served in the Korean War. It was an honor to meet them, shake their hands, hear some of their stories, and wish them well as they prepared to fly across the country to visit the fabulous memorials built in our nation's capital to honor and remember their service and sacrifice. They set a standard of valor and perseverance that may be equaled, but will never be surpassed in the annals of American history.

The men and women who served in the Korean War set themselves apart not only by their courage and sacrifice, but by their unity and dedication to one another. It was just before the Korean War, in 1948, that President Harry S. Truman issued Executive Order 9981 — abolishing discrimination based on race, color, religion or national origin in the United States Armed Forces.

When war broke out in 1950, our country — for the first time in its history — entered the fray with a fully integrated and desegregated military. These proud service members of all races, ethnicities and backgrounds joined the people of 20 other nations and South Korea to fight this war.

Earlier this year, we also observe the 73rd anniversary of the establishment of the Korean Augmentees to the US Army (KATUSA) program. It was started as a spoken agreement between President Seungman Lee and U.S. General Douglas MacArthur. At that time, the U.S. Army needed a military force that had the proper knowledge of the geography of Korea, and the ability to distinguish South Korean allied troops from North Korean enemy troops and communicate better between U.S. soldiers and Korean soldiers. Therefore, some men were drafted as KATUSAs, and others voluntarily applied. After training, they were assigned to U.S. military units. During the Korean War, nearly 44,000 KATUSA soldiers fought for South Korea with U.S. forces. They, too, are heroes, and we honor them today.

This program continued after the Korean War, and KATUSA soldiers would spend 18 months with the U.S. Army learning an occupation and would then return to the ROK Army to train others. The program remains active today and is a symbol of the ongoing friendship and mutual commitment between the Republic of Korea and the U.S.

I was fortunate to have KATUSA soldiers in my organization during both of my tours in Korea. They were among the most dedicated soldiers I have had the honor of serving with.

Finally, on this day, we remember and give thanks for the 40,000 Americans who paid the ultimate price in the fight for freedom and independence during the Korean War. Among their number were nearly 300 Oregonians whose names are inscribed on the Oregon Korean War Memorial in Wilsonville. Similarly, we give thanks for the more than 11,000 KATUSAs who went missing or were killed in action.

The world is a better place because of these men and women. Our duty as a nation and people is to remember and honor them, and to always strive to live up to the ideals for which they served and sacrificed.

Please consider joining me and ODVA for our Oregon Statewide Veterans Day Ceremony, which will take place at 11 a.m. Nov. 10 — the day before Veterans Day — at Oregon Capitol Mall, directly across from the front entrance of the Capitol Building.

The event is free and open to the public. It will also be live-streamed on ODVA's Facebook page.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-11-10 10:23:53

As the election nears, wary -- and weary -- Republicans remember previous contests in which election night saw very narrow margins -- even slim leads -- turn to defeat. This year may be setting the stage for a similar outcome.

In 2010,Chris Dudley, who was ahead by just a few points on election night ended up losing by a few points.

Four years later, Kitzhaber defeated Dennis Richardson in a very close race, also.

What makes this possible? Many experts think that it's the late money and volunteer efforts of public employee unions who can pinpoint resources where needed.

The Drazan campaign released poll results on the eve of the election showing her leading by a slim margin. Will 2022 be a repeat of previous years, or will this be the time that the GOP is able to turn the tide in Mahonia Hall? Chances are we won't find out on Tuesday night.

Many Oregon Republican voters are certainly nervous about the results of Tuesday's election. They have witnessed reasons to be nervous in the past. Oregon Republican voters may go to bed Tuesday night believing that their candidate is winning, only to awaken the next day disappointed to see the election favor the Democrat candidate.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-11-08 21:00:03

Last Update: 2022-11-08 21:07:14

Governor
	Nonaffiliated	Betsy Johnson
	Republican	Christine Drazan
	Constitution	Donice Noelle Smith
	Democrat	Tina Kotek
	Libertarian	R Leon Noble
US Senator
	Progressive	Chris Henry
	Pacific Green	Dan Pulju
	Republican	Jo Rae Perkins
	Democrat	Ron Wyden
Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industries
	Nonpartisan	Cheri Helt
	Nonpartisan	Christina E Stephenson
US Representative, 1st District
	Republican	Christopher A Mann
	Democrat	Suzanne Bonamici
US Representative, 2nd District
	Republican	Cliff S Bentz
	Democrat	Joe Yetter
US Representative, 3rd District
	Independent	David E Delk
	Democrat	Earl Blumenauer
	Republican	Joanna Harbour
US Representative, 4th District
	Republican	Alek Skarlatos
	Constitution	Jim Howard
	Libertarian	Levi Leatherberry
	Pacific Green	Mike Beilstein
	Democrat	Val Hoyle
US Representative, 5th District
	Democrat	Jamie McLeod-Skinner
	Republican	Lori Chavez-DeRemer
US Representative, 6th District
	Democrat	Andrea Salinas
	Constitution	Larry D McFarland
	Republican	Mike Erickson
State Senator, 3rd District
	Democrat	Jeff Golden
	Republican	Randy Sparacino
State Senator, 4th District
	Libertarian	Eric Pinnell
	Democrat	Floyd Prozanski
State Senator, 6th District
	Democrat	Ashley Pelton
	Republican	Cedric R Hayden
State Senator, 7th District
	Democrat	James I Manning Jr
	Republican	Raquel M Ivie
State Senator, 8th District
	Democrat	Sara Gelser Blouin
	Republican	Valerie Draper Woldeit
State Senator, 10th District
	Democrat	Deb Patterson
	Republican	Raquel Moore-Green
State Senator, 11th District
	Republican	Kim Thatcher
	Democrat	Richard Walsh
State Senator, 13th District
	Democrat	Aaron Woods
	Republican	John D Velez
State Senator, 15th District
	Republican	Carolina Malmedal
	Democrat	Janeen Sollman
State Senator, 16th District
	Democrat	Melissa Busch
	Republican	Suzanne Weber
State Senator, 17th District
	Democrat	Elizabeth Steiner Hayward
	Republican	John Verbeek
State Senator, 18th District
	Republican	Kimberly Rice
	Nonaffiliated	Rich Vial
	Democrat	Wlnsvey E Campos
State Senator, 19th District
	Republican	Ben Edtl
	Democrat	Rob Wagner
State Senator, 20th District
	Republican	Bill Kennemer
	Democrat	Mark Meek
State Senator, 24th District
	Democrat	Kayse Jama
	Republican	Stan Catherman
State Senator, 26th District
	Republican	Daniel G Bonham
	Democrat	Raz Mason
State Representative, 1st District
	Democrat	Bret Cecil
	Republican	David Brock Smith
State Representative, 2nd District
	Constitution	Edward Renfroe
	Democrat	Kevin Bell
	Republican	Virgle J Osborne
State Representative, 3rd District
	Democrat	Brady W Keister
	Republican	Lily Morgan
State Representative, 4th District
	Republican	Christine Goodwin
State Representative, 5th District
	Democrat	Pam Marsh
	Republican	Sandra A Abercrombie
State Representative, 6th District
	Democrat	Dan Davis
	Republican	Kim Wallan
State Representative, 7th District
	Republican	Alan Stout
	Democrat	John Lively
State Representative, 8th District
	Republican	Michael F Moore
	Democrat	Paul R Holvey
State Representative, 9th District
	Republican	Boomer Wright
	Democrat	Jerry Rust
State Representative, 10th District
	Republican	Celeste McEntee
	Democrat	David Gomberg
State Representative, 11th District
	Republican	Jami Cate
	Democrat	Mary K Cooke
State Representative, 12th District
	Republican	Charlie Conrad
	Democrat	Michelle Emmons
State Representative, 13th District
	Democrat	Nancy Nathanson
	Republican	Timothy S Sutherland
State Representative, 14th District
	Democrat	Julie Fahey
	Republican	Stan Stubblefield
State Representative, 15th District
	Democrat	Benjamin Watts
	Republican	Shelly Boshart Davis
State Representative, 16th District
	Democrat	Dan Rayfield
	Republican	Keith Lembke
State Representative, 17th District
	Republican	Ed Diehl
State Representative, 18th District
	Democrat	Jesse S Smith
	Republican	Rick Lewis
State Representative, 19th District
	Republican	TJ Sullivan
	Democrat	Tom Andersen
State Representative, 20th District
	Republican	Dan Farrington
	Democrat	Paul Evans
	Libertarian	Taylor A Rickey
State Representative, 21st District
	Republican	Kevin L Mannix
	Libertarian	Michael Morrow
	Democrat	Ramiro Navarro Jr
State Representative, 22nd District
	Democrat	Anthony Medina
	Republican	Tracy M Cramer
State Representative, 23rd District
	Republican	Anna M Scharf
	Democrat	Kriss Wright
State Representative, 24th District
	Republican	Lucetta A Elmer
	Democrat	Victoria Ernst
State Representative, 25th District
	Democrat	Ben Bowman
	Republican	Bob Niemeyer
State Representative, 26th District
	Democrat	Courtney Neron
	Republican	Jason Fields
State Representative, 27th District
	Democrat	Ken Helm
	Republican	Sandra Nelson
State Representative, 28th District
	Democrat	Dacia Grayber
	Republican	Patrick Castles
State Representative, 29th District
	Republican	Gina Munster-Moore
	Democrat	Susan McLain
State Representative, 30th District
	Republican	Joe Everton
	Democrat	Nathan Sosa
State Representative, 31st District
	Democrat	Anthony Sorace
	Republican	Brian G Stout
State Representative, 32nd District
	Republican	Cyrus B Javadi
	Democrat	Logan C Laity
State Representative, 33rd District
	Democrat	Maxine E Dexter
	Republican	Stan Baumhofer
State Representative, 34th District
	Republican	John Woods
	Democrat	Lisa Reynolds
State Representative, 35th District
	Republican	Daniel R Martin
	Democrat	Farrah Chaichi
State Representative, 35th District
	Republican	Greer Trice
	Democrat	Hai Pham
State Representative, 37th District
	Republican	Aeric Estep
	Democrat	Jules Walters
State Representative, 38th District
	Republican	Alistair Firmin
	Democrat	Daniel Nguyen
State Representative, 39th District
	Democrat	Janelle S Bynum
	Republican	Kori Haynes
State Representative, 40th District
	Republican	Adam Baker
	Democrat	Annessa Hartman
State Representative, 41st District
	Democrat	Mark F Gamba
	Republican	Rob Reynolds
State Representative, 42nd District
	Democrat	Rob Nosse
	Republican	Scott Trahan
	Libertarian	Shira Newman
State Representative, 43rd District
	Democrat	Tawna Sanchez
	Republican	Tim LeMaster
State Representative, 44th District
	Constitution	Morgan Hinthorne
	Republican	Rolf Schuler
	Democrat	Travis Nelson
State Representative, 45th District
	Republican	George Donnerberg
	Democrat	Thuy Tran
State Representative, 46th District
	Democrat	Khanh Pham
	Republican	Timothy R Sytsma
State Representative, 47th District
	Democrat	Andrea Valderrama
	Republican	Bill Stewart
State Representative, 48th District
	Democrat	Hoa H Nguyen
	Republican	John Masterman
State Representative, 49th District
	Republican	Randy E Lauer
	Democrat	Zach Hudson
State Representative, 50th District
	Republican	Amelia Salvador
	Democrat	Ricki Ruiz
State Representative, 51st District
	Republican	James Hieb
	Democrat	Walt Trandum
State Representative, 52nd District
	Democrat	Darcy Long
	Republican	Jeff Helfrich
State Representative, 53rd District
	Democrat	Emerson Levy
	Republican	Michael Sipe
State Representative, 54th District
	Democrat	Jason Kropf
	Republican	Judy Trego
State Representative, 55th District
	Democrat	Brian Lepore
	Republican	E Werner Reschke
State Representative, 56th District
	Republican	Emily G McIntire
	Democrat	Jonathan P Chenjeri
State Representative, 57th District
	Republican	Greg Smith
State Representative, 58th District
	Republican	Bobby Levy
	Libertarian	Jesse Bonifer
State Representative, 59th District
	Democrat	Lawrence Jones
	Republican	Vikki Breese-Iverson
State Representative, 60th District
	Progressive	Antonio Sunseri
	Republican	Mark Owens

--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-11-08 20:00:00

Last Update: 2022-11-13 17:37:50

As we take time to reflect on veterans day, there’s a place in our backyard where the younger generation can learn about those who served our country, and the technological advancements that supported their efforts.

Home to more than 150 aircraft, spacecraft, and exhibits, the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum is the site for frequent field trips like one recently hosted by the full-time online public school, Willamette Connections Academy.

“This trip really made me think about those who serve our country by listening to my dad talk about the military aircraft at the museum that helped him in Desert Storm, listening to the veteran volunteers, and reading the history behind the exhibits,” said Arowyn Crossley from McMinnville, a senior at the statewide virtual charter school. She was one of the nearly 30 people who attended the field trip, including students, family members and teachers.

Arowyn’s great-grandfather was an Air Force fighter pilot in WWII and her father, Chris Crossley, served in the Army infantry 101st Airborne Division for 25 years. “I had some good memories of the "Huey", I had my first of many helicopter rides in a similar aircraft,” said Chris Crossley, after spotting a Huey helicopter at Evergreen. He and Arowyn also checked out an A-10 Thunderbolt fighter bomber which flew top cover for Crossley and the rest of the ground forces below in Iraq.

Perhaps the 75th Anniversary of the legendary Spruce Goose at the museum will not only generate gratitude toward veterans who worked on this iconic piece of aeronautic history but also inspire future generations of innovators. “I appreciate the contributions they made and the innovation they created that directly impacted my service,” explained Chris Crossley when asked about the Spruce and the other extraordinary flying machines at Evergreen.

“I believe it is incredibly important for students to have an opportunity to go on field trips like the one to Evergreen where they can learn about the past, present, and future of aviation and space technology, understanding how a large part of that is equipping the people who serve our country,” noted Arowyn. “They may also be motivated to look towards STEM and create their own technological advancements, maybe they get that sense of awe for the wonders of science.”

The Evergreen Museum is home to over 150 military and civilian aircraft, spacecraft and exhibits. Tom Holden from Scio and his grandson Hayden Blair, a freshman at Willamette Connections Academy, looked over the A4D Navy Skyhawk, an “attack” plane Tom remembers well from his years as a military cargo pilot in the Vietnam War.

Arowyn encourages other young people such as Hayden to honor veterans by exploring places similar to Evergreen. “I wish more young people would visit the museum to see up close the aircraft and other equipment that’s saved countless lives and served other purposes,” explained Arowyn. “A museum tour not only offers students the ability to appreciate all aircraft personnel including service members but possibly inspires them to serve in the military themselves.

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Chris Crossley agrees with his daughter. “I have always appreciated museums and the contributions they make to preserving our nation's history. As a child growing up in Oregon, I remember visiting Battery Russell, Fort Clatsop, Ft. Astoria and other locations.” Willamette Connections Academy encourages students and parents to attend field trips for learning opportunities and to socialize with other families with children attending the online school.

Admission is free for veterans through this Sunday, November 13th at the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum. And since the kids are out of school on Friday, why not stop by the museum for a family field trip? Go to www.evergreenmuseum.org for more information

Willamette Connections Academy is a full-time tuition-free online public school serving K-12 students statewide. To learn more about enrollment or other information visit www.WillametteConnectionsAcademy.com or call (800) 382-6010


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-11-08 11:52:33

Last Update: 2022-11-08 12:11:11

The Salem Police specialty unit has been involved with the Safe Streets Task Force (SSTF) since the first of the year. The Safe Streets Task Force is part of the FBI’s Safe Streets Violent Crimes Initiative launched in 1992. The FBI's Safe Streets Violent Crime Initiative has successfully aligned FBI Agents, local law enforcement investigators, and federal and state prosecutors with SSTFs to reduce violent gangs, crimes of violence, and the apprehension of violent fugitives.

The Salem SSTF partnered with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon to bring increased focus and resources to address narcotics trafficking and violent crimes in Salem. Since the first of the year, Salem’s SSTF investigations have led to the seizure of nearly 40,000 fentanyl-laced tablets, over 100 pounds of methamphetamine, and 135 firearms.

The SSTF investigation led to the arrest of Phillip Thomas, a Salem resident, and indicted on November 2, by a federal Grand Jury in US District Court on several drug and weapons related charges.

Thomas was arrested on June 29 by the Salem Police Strategic Investigations Unit as part of an extensive investigation of polydrug pills containing fentanyl and other illicit drugs being sold in Salem. The 30-year-old was charged by a federal Grand Jury on five counts:

• Possession of 3,000 polydrug tablets, more commonly known as M30 pills containing fentanyl with intent to distribute.
• Possession of eight ounces of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.
• Possession of three ounces of heroin with intent to distribute.
• Possession of a Glock 23 firearm with an extended magazine with ammunition loaded, a .25 caliber automatic handgun in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime and felon in possession of a firearm.
• He held approximately $164,000 in cash.

Thomas was in the Marion County Jail on outstanding warrants in other related cases when transferred into federal custody November 7. He was detained as both a flight risk and danger to the community pending a jury trial scheduled for December 20.

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The first SSTF was established in April 2021 by an FBI-led task force working with Portland police to combat the increase of shootings. It was a process of negotiations on set boundaries on Portland officers participating as deputized federal officers, but forbidden to do immigration or crowd control enforcement.

The City of Gresham has also partnered with the Safe Street Task Force as local restorative justice and gun violence initiatives.

Along with the increase in crimes is the increase in deaths of young people from counterfeit prescription pills made with fentanyl. Reducing Oregon’s drug crimes, which is at the root of many other crimes, will take voters to realize it was a mistake to decriminalize street drugs.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2022-11-08 00:41:54

Last Update: 2022-11-08 17:01:59

The Oregon Department of Agriculture, in partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, has confirmed the presence of Phytophthora ramorum (P. ramorum), which causes the disease commonly known as sudden oak death (SOD), at a botanical garden and private residence in Lincoln City, Oregon. ODA has intensively sampled both locations and is developing a mitigation plan based on results.

In early November, ODA and USDA APHIS will conduct a ground-based survey in and around the neighborhood where officials detected P. ramorum. ODA would like to thank nearby residents for cooperating in surveying vegetation in the immediate area. The purpose of the survey is to find out if the invasive pathogen has spread beyond the affected properties and what type of treatment and eradication efforts are needed. ODA and USDA APHIS suspect that the pathogen was introduced into Lincoln City through the planting of infested nursery stock several years ago.

The invasive fungal-like pathogen is most well known as the causal agent of sudden oak death. Since its first detection in northern California in the mid 1990s, P. ramorum has been found to naturally infect over 100 different plant species including multiple high-value ornamental plant species. Such as rhododendron, Pieris spp., cherry laurel and viburnum. On these susceptible ornamental species symptoms include leaf spots, lesions along the twig and/or leaf mid-vein. Multiple plant pathogens cause similar symptoms, so the disease must be confirmed with laboratory testing.

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

P. ramorum was first detected in Oregon in wholesale nursery stock in 2003. It has been detected in limited nursery sites since then. In 2001, the pathogen was confirmed for the first time in the forests outside Brookings in Curry County. Federal and state quarantines were established to prevent the spread of this pathogen in soil and infected plant material. To meet quarantine requirements, the ODA continues to monitor and test nursery stock for the presence of P. ramorum in cooperation with USDA annually.

According to the Oregon Department of Agriculture, the public can help slow the spread by buying healthy plants from reputable nurseries and avoiding purchasing plants online. In addition, if you live, work or recreate in the quarantined area of Curry County, do not remove plants from the forest, do not remove soil and stay on established trails and respect any trail closures. Finally, clean and disinfect all equipment, including your vehicle, bikes, and pet paws, with a 10 percent bleach solution.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-11-07 15:11:29

Last Update: 2022-11-07 15:41:29

The Oregon Elections Division announced that Oregon has hit a new milestone of 3 million registered voters. “Oregonians are voters,” Secretary of State Shemia Fagan said. “Over the last 40 years, Republicans and Democrats in Oregon have worked together to build a system that is consistently ranked as the most accessible voting system in America. Just like our beautiful coast and mountain ranges, strong Tribal partnerships, or events like the Pendleton Round-up, voting is something Oregonians take pride in.”

Representative Dan Rayfield (D-Corvallis) sponsored HB 2681, passed in 2021, which changed the retention of inactive voters to remain on active voter rolls from 10 years to no expiration. It required reregistering 525,918 inactive voters putting them back on the active voter rolls. Past voters moving out of state are never cleared from the voter rolls unless they notify the state. States do not cross-check voter registrations even though there is an Interstate Crosscheck Program and the Electronic Registration Information Center, which allows comparison of voter list data, motor vehicle data, change of address data and death records.

HB 2681 required county clerks to mail voter notification to inactive voters with a current address between 60 and 70 days before date of both 2022 primary election and the 2022 general election. Only 17,376 had valid addresses with an estimated cost to counties of $34,752.

Janice Dysinger, Oregonians for Fair Elections, said ORS 247.012 is an underlying issue, which “only requires that the voter give their name, resident address, date of birth and signature to register to vote. It does not require any ID. ORS 247.035-038 does not require any actual physical address to establish a residency. The voter only needs to think of Oregon as their home and that they intend to return here someday. Any landmark can be the person’s address to register. No proof or any type of documentation is required. These are very loose standards,” Dysinger said in testimony. “HB2681 will perpetuate inaccurate addresses for people whom we cannot verify as actual real people. The scenarios are endless on how this could be abused.”

Oregon People’s Vote representatives say their experience canvassing to clean voter rolls has found 20-30 percent anomalies. They are taking declarations and to date they have at least seven that could be turned over to the sheriff for criminal investigation. A crime only takes place when the ballot is voted. They will pursue more declarations after the election to have enough that they can’t deny attention.

Secretary Fagan said Oregon voter registration has been steadily climbing since the state passed an automatic voter registration law, known as the Oregon Motor Vote Law, in 2016. Vote by mail, automatic voter registration and other Oregon-led innovations are why the state was recently ranked as the most accessible state for voting in the country.

A vulnerable part of Oregon’s election system is stealing ballots. Voter fraud ensues with the ability to have access to inactive voters. So being the most accessible state does not necessarily go hand-in-hand with secure elections.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2022-11-06 06:42:06

Last Update: 2022-11-06 11:54:44

Oregon Democrats are increasing their efforts to rescue themselves from what could be an embarrassing Election Night. Democrats and national special interest groups are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to try and defend three-term incumbent Representative Janelle Bynum (D-Clackamas) in House District 39 in Clackamas County.

Since the May primary, Representative Bynum has reported raising $2,337,783.97 in cash and in-kind contributions. Many of her donations have been from untraceable entities, such as the House Democratic Caucus (Future PAC) and the Democrat Party of Oregon, both of which receive donations and then send them to candidates, such as Bynum. She has also been a recipient of much union money -- especially government employee unions.

Bynum has been a thorn in the side of previous House Democratic Leadership, even challenging then-Speaker Tina Kotek for her Speakership.

According to Republican State Leadership Committee Spokesman Zach Kraft, "The idea Democrats would need to have a 4:1 spending advantage to win a reliably blue district like this would have been inconceivable just a few months ago, and speaks to how much of a failure Democrat control has been for Oregon. Democrats are clearly hoping their last-minute avalanche of cash and 4x spending advantage will allow them to avoid voter backlash over their disastrous agenda."

Largest Bynum Contributors Since May 2022 Primary
Contributor/Payee	Amount
Future PAC, House Builders	$1,157,236
Citizen Action for Political Education (SEIU 503)	$194,523
Democratic Party of Oregon	$187,998
Oregon Education Association-PAC	$51,400
Oregon Education Association	$35,000
Oregon AFSCME Council 75	$30,000
Oregon League of Conservation Voters PAC	$28,445
Defend Oregon's Values	$27,500
Oregon Nurses Political Action Committee	$26,021
Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters	$25,000
Oregon Trial Lawyers Association PAC	$15,666
Local 48 Electricians PAC	$10,000
Oregon Operators Mutual Benefit Corporation	$10,000

Kraft says, “House District 39 is a microcosm for what is happening across Oregon -- voters are rejecting the Democrats’ radical liberal agenda and they are in full-blown panic mode,” said RSLC spokesman Zach Kraft. “Democrats are hoping they can cover up for Janelle Bynum’s soft-on-crime record by ramping up their investments in her candidacy at the 11th hour, just like they are doing in districts all across Oregon. If Democrats don’t defend their majorities after spending millions in a deep-blue state that Biden carried by 16 points in 2020, it will be a failure of epic proportions and show just how much their socialist policies are being rejected.”


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-11-03 11:38:18

Last Update: 2022-11-03 11:47:13