The Veterans Administration will now allow veterans in suicidal crisis to go to any VA or non-VA healthcare facility for free emergency healthcare. That includes inpatient or crisis residential care for up to 30 days and outpatient care for up to 90 days.

According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, the suicide rate for veterans in Oregon in 2015, the most recent year data is available, was 37.2 percent, which was more than double the national average among non-veterans.

Veterans do not need to be enrolled in VA health care to use this benefit. This expansion will increase access to acute suicide care for up to 9 million veterans who are not currently enrolled in the VA system.

The policy took effect on January 17 allowing the VA to:

• Provides, pay for, or reimburse for treatment of eligible individual's emergency suicide care, transportation costs, and follow-up care at a VA or non-VA facility for up to 30 days of inpatient care and 90 days of outpatient care.
• Make appropriate referrals for care following the period of emergency suicide care.
• Determine eligibility for other VA services and benefits.
• Refer eligible individuals for appropriate VA programs and benefits following the period of emergency suicide care.

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Eligible individuals, regardless of VA enrollment status:

• Veterans who were discharged or released from active duty after more than 24 months of active service under conditions other than dishonorable.
• Former members of the armed forces, including reserve service members, who served more than 100 days under a combat exclusion or in support of a contingency operation either directly or by operating an unmanned aerial vehicle from another location who were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable.
• Former members of the armed forces who were the victim of a physical assault of a sexual nature, a battery of a sexual nature, or sexual harassment while serving in the armed forces.
  
  Lt. Shelby Brown, is promoting Mission 22 in Oregon, which provides support to Veterans and their families when they need it most – right now. Through a comprehensive approach of outreach, events and programs, they promote long-term wellness and sustainable growth. Lt. Brown, through the foundation’s Facebook page, promoted a fitness challenge to help bring awareness to veterans lost or struggling, and the families affected by the struggle to reacclimate to the home environment after being on duty for so long. The challenge drew in adults in custody (AIC), and they continue to participate in challenges to support the OSP’s Veteran’s Club.
  
  
  --Donna Bleiler
  
  

  Post Date: 2023-03-13 15:17:49

  Last Update: 2023-03-13 18:22:03

  
  

The House Committee on Emergency Management, General Government and Veterans advanced HB 2426, which would allow everyone in the state of Oregon to choose how they fill up their car. Representative Shelly Boxhart Davis (R-Albany), Deputy House Republican Leader and chief sponsor of HB 2426 has bipartisan sponsors to help get it passed.

Service Stations have historically been a place for young people to enter the job market. They learned how to treat customers by washing windows, how to handle money, and developed a civic responsibility. It would free up owners and mechanics for repairs services. Along came minimum wage mandates, which changed the dynamics, and stations were forced to cut back on those quasi-apprenticeship hires.

Since then, service stations have become simply gas stations with very little “service” left. Legislation destroyed a natural opportunity for young people only to replace it with government searching out businesses to start apprenticeships for young people.

Oregon is one of two states, including New Jersey, that restricts self-dispensing of gasoline at gas stations. The prohibition dates back to 1951. Legislative findings regarding the prohibition cite:

• The need for training for safe dispensing of Class 1 flammable liquids;
• Hazards faced by untrained persons dispensing such liquids;
• Difficulties for some persons, such as senior citizens, in self-dispensing fuel and the lack of ability to ensure full-service fuel dispensing;
• Health and environmental factors;
• The tendency for significantly higher cost of full-service fuel dispensing in states that allow self-service dispensing;
• The correlation between self-service dispensing and reduced availability of automotive repair at fueling stations; and
• Employment considerations.

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In 2015, HB 3011 authorized fueling stations in counties with populations less than 40,000 residents to permit non-employees to dispense fuels into motor vehicles or other containers between the hours of 6:00 PM and 6:00 AM. Two years later, HB 2482 (2017) eliminated the time-of-day restrictions and limited the applicability only to small counties in eastern Oregon.

Wiping away all the reasons for the original restrictions has been a slow process. Now House Bill 2426 allows retail fueling stations to operate up to half of their pumps as self-service dispensing devices but must designate at least one person to provide attended service. It allows motorcycle operators to dispense into their own motorcycle at attended or self-service devices. Opens up self-service to all rural counties. Authorizes State Fire Marshal to conduct outreach for two years to educate the public about changes to attended fuel service laws and to educate operators of filling stations regarding provisions of measure, and prevents enforcement penalties until March 1, 2024.

Opponents don’t see a “grassroots groundswell” begging for self-serve pumps. They see Oregon’s large population, that will be hurt the most, of senior men and women, the disabled, paralyzed veterans and other residents who will be adversely impacted like pregnant women inhaling fumes, those suffering from arthritis and surgery pain. They see that self-pump Washington gas prices are higher than Oregon and longer lines with people slower at pumping their own gas. They don’t believe pricing will change, just less service, and less jobs for the unemployed and homeless.

The bill goes to the House floor then to the Senate where the public will have another opportunity to testify.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2023-03-12 16:33:48

Last Update: 2023-03-10 18:47:37

The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) Refugee Program is inviting community partners to apply for a portion of $4.6 million in funding that is available to provide services and support to certain individuals from Ukraine or those who entered through the Uniting for Ukraine program.

The deadline to apply is March 27, 2023, and the application can be found online.

The U.S. Resettlement Program is operated by the U.S. Department of State through contracts with national non-profit organizations called resettlement agencies. These organizations have local affiliate offices throughout the nation.

The ODHS Refugee Program is responsible for some of the services that are outside of the initial resettlement provided by the resettlement agencies. The Refugee Program provides cash, medical, employment and acculturation services to refugees (and those eligible for refugee services) who are within 60 months of gaining their eligible immigration status.

Since February 2022, over 3,100 individuals from Ukraine have resettled in Oregon.

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The Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Department of Human Services are saying that the purpose of this request is to ask for applications from culturally and/or linguistically responsive organizations who provide services to immigrants or refugees (and those eligible for refugee services) to increase services and supports.

Funding is available to support:

• Housing and food assistance services: $2 million
• Statewide outreach, sponsor coordination and connection to existing case management services: $200,000
• Employment services assistance: $221,800
• Health and mental health services: $675,000
• Child care: $100,00
Legal services: $800,000
• Youth mentoring: $100,000
• School assistance: $515,000
• Senior services: $50,000

Organizations may express interest in supporting more than one service area. Community organizations are eligible to submit proposals for the funding.

The stated mission of the Oregon Department of Human Services is to help Oregonians in their own communities achieve wellbeing and independence through opportunities that protect, empower, respect choice and preserve dignity.


--Sabrina-Marie Fisher

Post Date: 2023-03-11 15:17:49

Last Update: 2023-03-10 18:55:03

Oregon Senate President Pro-Tempore James Manning Jr. (D-Eugene) introduced SB 935 to provide support to the thousands of Ukrainian war refugees now in Oregon. “Refugee from Ukraine” is defined as an individual from Ukraine who is displaced as a result of the armed conflict in Ukraine and granted refugee status for admission to the United States by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.

His bill comes at the same time as the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) Refugee Program is inviting community partners to apply for a portion of $4.6 million available to provide services and support to certain individuals from Ukraine or those who entered through the Uniting for Ukraine program. The ODHS Refugee Program provides cash, medical, employment and acculturation services to refugees.

More than 4,500 Ukrainian refugees are currently in Oregon out of 180,000 in the U.S., according to the Uniting for Ukraine program. SB 935 is based on input from the Immigrant & Refugee Community Organizations (IRCO), and will remove two substantial barriers that Ukrainian refugees face during resettlement in Oregon.

• Housing - the new legislation will ensure Ukrainian refugees who do not have an Oregon cosigner can still apply for, and receive, rental housing in Oregon.
• Transportation - waives the written and driving test for Ukrainian refugees applying for a driver’s license – as well as the accompanying fees – provided the applicant holds a valid Ukrainian driver’s license.

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“By removing these obstacles to basic needs, Oregon can ease Ukrainian refugees’ transition to life in Oregon at this unimaginably stressful time,” said Senator Manning. “It is our responsibility and humanitarian duty to not only open our state to these refugees but to do what we can to make their lives easier, ensuring access to housing, mobility, and state-issued identification.”

Since SB 935 doesn’t provide any funding, perhaps it is a matter of operation and the ODHS Refugee Program will fill in the funding.

SB 935 was referred to the Senate Veterans, Emergency Management, Federal and World Affairs Committee for possible hearing.


--Dollie Banner

Post Date: 2023-03-11 15:14:22

Last Update: 2023-03-10 18:49:04

What is the reason for sponsoring a bill? Most ideas are written into legislation without any idea of cost or where the money will come from to implement it. Senator Kathleen Taylor (D -Portland) has an answer to create more funding. She calls it “Workplace Safety Bill.” SB 592 will enforce stiffer penalties for Oregon OSHA safety violations, and aligns fines with federal OSHA standards.

Senator Taylor reported that this legislation will align Oregon OSHA policies with federal OSHA standards. Currently, Oregon’s penalties for serious violations are more than 73% below the national standard, some of the lowest fines in the nation.

It has to be about the money since SAIF reports in 2022, Oregon’s SAIF workers’ compensation program achieved the tenth lowest rate. Disabling claims have dropped by over 50% and the fatality rate has plummeted by 70%.

“We need to do everything we can to keep people safe,” said Senator Taylor. “Our workforce is Oregon’s most valuable asset. This bill protects our people and our economy.”

Major business sectors disagree. Oregon Farm Bureau Federation and Oregon Association of Nurseries testified, “we disagree with the premise that substantially increasing penalties will deter “bad actors” from willfully violating the law. That said, Oregon employers operate in an increasing burdensome and complicated regulatory arena, and many are struggling to navigate compliance with recently passed OR-OSHA laws. For family farms and nurseries, the proposed increase in penalties could be devastating or limit opportunities to invest in additional safety measures. Oregon has done a lot of work over the last several years to update workplace safety regulations, and we should find out whether that will have an impact on workplace safety before passing laws to levy stiffer and more significant penalties.”

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Oregon Business & Industries agreed, “For the many businesses that work hard to comply with Oregon’s workplace safety laws, SB 592 would require OHSA to conduct “comprehensive inspections” whenever a fatality occurred, even if the fatality were the result of an accident. Since they would be tied to negative outcomes, not negative behaviors, comprehensive inspections triggered by accidents would not foster safer workplaces. Instead, they would place a heavy burden on businesses by allowing OSHA to perform incredibly broad facility-wide inspections.”

Association of Oregon Loggers said, “The bill would perversely pit OR-OSHA against employers, rather than employing the Oregon Way of cooperation and coordination in the pursuit of safer and better outcomes... The one-size-fits-all approach to inspections and penalties has the potential to destroy small and family-owned businesses, small enterprises that may not have the means to employ exemplary legal counsel, or absorb the high penalty exposure as would a larger business.”

Senator Taylor says SB 592 will protect Oregon workers by enforcing stiffer penalties for workplace safety violations, especially for employers with willful or repeated violations.

SB 592 passed the Senate on nearly partisan lines, and will now move to the Oregon House of Representatives for consideration.

Senator Brian Boquist explains his descending vote. “SB 592 updates and addresses repeat offenders regarding work places. However, it raises the minimum fines over a thousand percent with no latitude to the regulator. The agencies actions during the political pandemic were less than stellar. Future legal actions will create serious liability for the agency and state. SB 592 should be amended in the House to have a reasonable and flexible minimum fine.”


--Dollie Banner

Post Date: 2023-03-10 13:24:07

Last Update: 2023-03-09 23:46:42

On Wednesday, Danielle Tudor and Tiffany Edens, who are victims of “Jogger Rapist” Richard Gillmore, joined Senate Republican Leader Tim Knopp (R-Bend), Deputy Leader Kim Thatcher (R-Keizer), and Senator Cedric Hayden (R-Fall Creek) for a press conference at the State Capitol. Together, they discussed a series of bills that collectively support victims of sex crimes and promote justice.

Richard Gillmore, a serial rapist of at least 9 victims, was released from prison on December 16th, 2022 as a Level 1 sex offender by the Oregon Board of Parole and Post-Prison Supervision. Level 1 means the registrant presents the lowest risk of reoffending.

“We have three bills that we think are critically important in keeping Oregonians safe and keeping violent perpetrators in prison,” said Senator Knopp.

• Senate Bill 986 raises the statute of limitations on rape from 12 years to 20 years.
  
  “We think this is necessary to make sure that every victim has the opportunity for justice and that we don’t create more victims by not prosecuting those who have committed violent six crimes against our citizens,” added Knopp.
  
  
• Senate Bill 1022 makes necessary fixes to Oregon’s sex-offender risk level assessment process and methodology.
  
  “In December, Richard Gillmore was evaluated to be a low level 1 sex offender. Obviously, we know that’s not correct – it’s not a fair assessment,” said Tiffany Edens. “Just using one tool, the Static 99-R, is inadequate and it’s not protecting our community. [SB 1022] could alleviate some of the pitfalls in the system.”
  
  “[SB 1022] is really in direct response to what just took place here in the State of Oregon and tackles all of the obstacles that we ran into,” said Danielle Tudor. “If Richard Gillmore is a Level 1 Sex Offender, we have a serious problem.”

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• Senate Bill 1023 clarifies the term ‘victim’ when State Police is required to release sex offender information.

“I’m hopeful that this legislation can move forward through the process and that we can bring some healing in the future,” added Senator Hayden.

“Hopefully we can get these to work through the process and I can be a part of it on the Judiciary Committee on the Senate side,” concluded Senator Thatcher.

These bills have been assigned to the Senate Committee on Judiciary. Letters are being sent to the Committee Chair requesting that they be scheduled for public hearings. The deadline to schedule a work session is March 17th.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2023-03-10 11:05:48

Last Update: 2023-03-10 16:55:13

The FBI Portland and the FBI Seattle Field Offices are seeking the public’s help to identify the individual(s) responsible for vandalism at electrical substations in Tumwater, Washington and Oregon City, Oregon.

The FBI is offering rewards of up to $25,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest, and conviction of the suspect(s) responsible for each of these crimes.

On November 22, 2022, in the early morning hours, Puget Sound Energy discovered an incident at the Barneslake Substation in Tumwater, Washington. Fluid was leaking on the ground after one of the radiators of transformers had been punctured multiple times and caused the substation to go offline for several hours. Three 9 mm shell casings were located. The outage resulted in loss of power to 5,200 individuals.

On November 24, 2022, shortly before 2:00 a.m., several reactors were shot at the Bonneville Power Administration Ostrander Substation in Oregon City, Oregon. Investigators found a hole cut in the perimeter fence of the energized yard and discovered bullet holes in several reactors.

“Attacks on power grid substations have gripped our nation's attention in recent months because of the devastating threat they pose to our infrastructure. Entire communities - hospitals, schools, and local businesses - might conceivably be incapacitated for many days," said Kieran L. Ramsey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Portland Field Office. "The FBI continues to work diligently not only to identify and arrest those responsible for these wanton acts but also to disrupt any future criminal plots which might wreak even greater havoc to our community. Presently, we remain unclear on the motive for their actions. However, we do understand fully their catastrophic potential. Consequently, apprehension of those responsible must be a top priority for law enforcement and this is why we are now urgently requesting our citizens' help in identifying those responsible."

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“Interfering or tampering with our power grid can have deadly consequences.” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “An attack like this is not just an inconvenience for home and business owners, think of medical facilities or vulnerable people who depend on electricity for their health. It’s our hope that by attaching a reward offer, someone who has that missing piece of information we need may be enticed to come forward.”

Anyone with information is asked to call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), contact their local FBI office, or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. You may remain anonymous.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2023-03-09 14:52:32

Last Update: 2023-03-09 15:07:58

Whenever the national news mentions cities demolished by the riots, Portland is always on the list. Committee to Unleash Prosperity ran the headline, “What Happens When the Last Business in Portland Leaves the City?”

Portland riots were one of the worst in the nation, but businesses might have recovered if government hadn’t spired them on and nourished the destruction. Riots led to permission, to defunding police to no convictions resulting in more shoplifting, harassment, destruction of property to canceled liability insurance followed by increased taxes and closures.

Walmart is the latest in a long line of closures, which comes three months after Walmart CEO Doug McMillon warned that retail shoplifting is surging. He predicted "prices will be higher and/or stores will close" if local prosecutors don’t change their priorities.

This follows a closure of other individual stores like Schumacher Furs USA, Rains PDX, BJ’s, Stanford’s, Starbucks, Fred Meyers, Cracker Barrel, and NIKE closed one of the main stores over crime. Most were closed due to crimes experiencing shoplifting nearly daily.

Nike sought to hire off-duty Portland police but none were available due to the police shortage.

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Schumacher Furs reported daily harassment by protestors violating public decency laws as well as screaming profanities and threatening employees. They released a store video (age restricted) showing police defending protestors. They were actually forced to close one of the oldest businesses in Portland.

Some closures, like Rains PDX, a clothing store in Portland, shut down last November after a string of break-ins made it impossible to stay open.

In 2019, in the crux of the destruction, government made their position known when James Manning Jr. (D-Eugene) was quoted by Cascade Policy Institute, “Let’em leave. Someone else’ll come in.” “Unfortunately,” they continue, “the senator is not alone with the let-them-leave attitude. That seems to be the attitude of the supermajority in the legislature as well as the city of Portland, who have both recently passed massive business taxes….new taxes will be a good test of Senator Manning’s let-them-leave theory, as owners look to other states for a better business environment.”

Now DEQ is accusing Intel staff of errors at the DIX facility in Hillsboro, which led to unhealthy air pollution when a device was left in standby mode. We have yet to hear Intel’s side, but DEQ may be putting a damper on the Governor’s plans to attract semiconductor manufacturing to Oregon. So far, Senator Manning has not been successful in his prediction that others will come.


--Dollie Banner

Post Date: 2023-03-09 13:19:24

Last Update: 2023-03-09 00:37:01

There is an unattended effect of appointing county commissioners to fill vacant Legislative seats. The staggering of election cycles for County Commissioners can be disrupted as has happened in Curry County. They are seeing all three seats up for election at the same time as a result of ORS.204.005, which provides that candidates for county commission be included on the ballot at a primary or general election, if the term of a county commissioner expires the following January or if there is a vacancy for any cause in the office of county commissioner.

To solve this problem, David Brock Smith (R-Port Orford) has sponsored House Bill 2244, which provides a statutory basis, through January 2, 2030, to extend the current term of the third county commissioner by two years, when all three county commissioners are not staggered and come up for election at the same time so that the terms of the three offices remain staggered.

At the close of the January 11th meeting that appointed David Brock Smith as an Oregon State Senator, Commissioner Tim Freeman explained: “This is the 4th legislative appointment in 8 years that I have been involved in, and we have also appointed a clerk, a surveyor, an assessor and a treasurer and an interim commissioner, that’s 9 elected officials appointed in a matter of 8 years. Nine elected officials that, but for one, one gentleman died and that was certainly not an intent of his own, but the others left early. They created the problem. We are here today to try to solve a problem that we did not create. I want to make sure that folks understand that.”

At the January 11th meeting, Commissioners of Douglas, Coos and Curry counties unanimous selection by eight Commissioners led to the next two vacancies. The commissioners chose David Brock Smith for Senate District 1 to replace Dallas Heard, who resigned. That left Brock Smith’s House seat vacant. A month later Curry County Commissioner Court Boice was chosen by the same commissioners to replace Brock Smith. Court Boice’s Commissioner seat was then left vacant and Jay Trost was appointed to replace Boice.

If HB 2244 passes, Commissioner Chris Boice (Court Boice’s 2nd cousin), who is currently in Position 3 would receive the proposed two year extension. Passage of HB 2244 would result in legislation substituting and thus circumventing the voters choice for the duration of those two years.

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Earlier, in 2018, another series of vacancies ensued in Douglas, Josephine, and Jackson Counties when Senator Jeff Kruse resigned on March 15, 2018. Representative Dallas Heard was appointed to replace Senator Jeff Kruse. Douglas County Commissioner Gary Leif was appointed to fill Representative Dallas Heard’s position. Christine Goodwin replace Leif as Douglas County Commissioner. When Gary Leif died in 2021, Commissioner Christine Goodwin was appointed to replace Gary Leif as Representative. Here again, the county commissioners “solved a problem” of 1 vacant senate seat by choosing 2 politicians that were already serving terms of office. Instead of 1 position being filled, the county commissioners chose to replaced 3 positions.

Appointments are frequent in the Douglas County elected positions as well. Of the 6 current elected officials in Douglas County, 4 were originally appointed and 2 were elected by the people. Sheriff John Hanlin and Treasurer Samuel Lee III are the two originally elected.

The Douglas County Clerk and Recorder position has had the last three clerks enter the position by appointment. (1) In 2019 Dan Loomis was appointed to replaced Patricia Hitt. (2) In 2013 Patricia Hitt replaced Barbara Nielsen. (3) In 2003 Barbara Nielsen was appointed to replace Doyle Shaver Jr. Each was later elected to the position as an incumbent. The Clerk’s office is the head of elections.

Special elections and appointments have taken a dramatic rise in replacing elections “by the people” in recent years. A resignation from any elected office breaks a commitment to voters, narrows the field of candidates, and causes disadvantages to unendorsed special election candidates. Whether or not the vacancy is created by the resignation of an elected official, or by commissioners filling a position with another politician serving a term of office, an election “by the people” is bypassed and the voters are disenfranchised.


--Terry Noonkester

Post Date: 2023-03-08 16:53:03

Last Update: 2023-03-07 18:09:31

Representative Cyrus Javadi (R-Tillamook) spearheads opposition to Department of Forestry's Habitat Conservation Plan initiating a letter signed by seven Representatives and Senators of rural and coastal communities. The letter, sent to Governor Kotek and the Department of Forestry (ODF), details opposition to the proposed Western Oregon Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP). Read the entire letter here.

"The HCP, as currently proposed, would devastate the North Coast," said Representative Javadi. "It would cost good-paying timber jobs and vital revenue that supports public safety services in Tillamook, Clatsop, and Columbia counties."

As proposed, the HCP would decrease harvest timber in North Coast forests by up to 35%. In a February 15 meeting, the Board of Forestry rejected a proposal that would have taken the plan back to the drawing board to balance the community's economic needs better.

The proposed reduction in timber harvest would gut local government budgets, with a total impact of nearly $8.5 million – the hardest hit being local school districts ($4.5 million) and Clatsop County ($3 million). That is equivalent to 12 full-time employees in local government public safety programs. According to the Oregon Forest Resources Institute, eleven (11) jobs are created for every million board feet of timber harvested. Thus, the HCP could instantly kill up to 275 family-wage jobs, putting local businesses that serve those forestry workers at risk.

"My first priority is to protect the North Coast from harmful policies from Salem and Portlandcentric policymakers," Javadi continued. "I have drafted priority legislation requiring ODF to do a full economic analysis and engage with various alternative plans before adopting one. This will ensure that the public knows how the ODF's actions impact their community."

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LC 4295, as drafted, would require the ODF to consider other HCP Alternative plans and issue a detailed analysis of how ODF regulations impact local jobs. It will be formally introduced in the coming days.

The letter states, “We urge the ODF to explain and address the shortcomings of the recently released State Forest IPs and suggest removing the HCP constraints from the IPs until an HCP is adopted by the Board of Forestry (BOF). As representatives of the impacted communities, our view is that an alternative plan that achieves the harvest levels ODF claimed their HCP would produce would more appropriately consider the economic impacts of the HCP while also addressing conservation issues that must be rectified.”

“In conclusion, we urge you to direct ODF to improve the HCP to increase timber harvest volumes before it is too late. We believe that by working together, we can develop a plan that better serves our communities while providing adequate protection for sensitive wildlife.”


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2023-03-07 13:22:46

Last Update: 2023-03-07 23:47:33

Oregonians are experiencing inflation at a rate over eight percent, gas at nearly $4 a gallon, and a dozen eggs costing more than gas, all while federal subsidies have ended.

Oregon Housing and Community Services will reopen the federal Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF) Program on March 8, 2023. The program offers federal temporary COVID-19 emergency mortgage relief intended to support homeowners who have experienced severe financial hardships due to the pandemic. It provides funding for past-due mortgages and other housing expenses, as well as ongoing payment assistance, to a limited number of homeowners with low to moderate incomes.

HAF was paused on November 30, 2022 to allow the Oregon Housing and Community Services to process current applications and project the amount of federal HAF funds remaining. They will reopen with a focus on homeowners in active foreclosure and those traditionally underserved by mortgage markets. The agency estimates an additional 528 eligible homeowners can be accepted to distribute $29.5 million available. This program will run through 2026, or until funds are expended.

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As part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, Oregon received $90 million to help eligible homeowners avoid mortgage foreclosures and displacement, and to cure delinquencies and defaults. The HAF program can help homeowners through a Past-Due Payment Relief program and an Ongoing Payment Relief program. Please note that funds are limited and cannot serve all in need.

Homeowners can learn more about eligibility requirements and, if eligible, apply online starting March 8, 2023, at Oregon Homeowner Assistance Fund. There is also county housing counseling available, but caution is advised against unauthorized companies or people offering help.


--Dollie Banner

Post Date: 2023-03-07 12:01:59

Last Update: 2023-03-07 19:43:32

Tillamook County recently made a contract with X4 Health. The deal amounts to $121,500 to make a “coordinated homeless response” for the county. This plan is in response to House Bill 4123, sponsored by Representative Jason Kropf (D-Bend) in 2022. The bill awarded Tillamook County (among several others) $1 million to develop a five-year strategic plan no later than November 2023 or one year after receiving the grant.

The Commissioners did not specify why they were unable to write this coordinated homeless response with the legally required county partners that they all regularly meet with in various advisory committees.

Specifically, Commissioner Skaar has repeatedly stated that this contract must create a “coordinated system of services” for the homeless and no/low barrier housing. No barrier housing is housing that does not have any stipulations to gain entrance, including drug addiction and untreated mental illness.

This intent to implement no barrier housing in Tillamook County was later confirmed by Tillamook CARE Chair Board of Directors, Dusti Linnell, in a recent article in the local newspaper. The Headlight Hearld announced the resignation of their director, Peter Starkey, who had directly reported prior to his resignation that there would be various types of no barrier housing in Tillamook County. This would include a central shelter or other types of housing, as well as “safe parks” in other areas of the county.

Presumably, the X4 Health contract will be funded by the monies from HB 4123. It means the county is giving up one-tenth of this state funding to “end” homelessness for personnel services to write a plan with advisory committee members, Tillamook CARE, and other previously contracted community partners. This is after Tillamook County already worked on a pilot with a sister non-profit to X4 Health, Community Rockit, in late 2021-early 2022.

The Community Rockit plan developed in meetings not accounted for in the Tillamook Board of Commissioners’ meeting logs or agendas until August 2022 can be found online.

Of special interest to the tax payers of the state of Oregon should be the small group sessions of “community leaders” that participated with Community Rockit through Zoom meetings. Their presumptions of how private property owners (including churches, church camps, RV camps, and “under-utilized properties”) could be used to meet their goal that “no one in Tillamook County need live unsheltered” is demonstrated by their “Assets” list in a graphic on the Community Rockit Tillamook County website.

Commissioner Skaar has stated this list was a “brainstorm” of “possible partners.”

So who is X4 Health and what do they do?

According to its founder/CEO, Christine Betchel, “ X4 itself does a combination of social impact design (solving problems that matter at a societal level) and project management.” This ambiguous description of the work of X4 Health is nearly all that is available online, through their Facebook page, and as defined by those who have worked with X4 Health, Community Rockit, or Christine Betchel. In fact, internet searches turn up very little information about X4 Health, if one can find their website at all. Community Rockit ,also managed/founded by Betchel, is more accessible to the public and it is mostly supported by Morris Singer Foundation and AOC (Association of Oregon Counties).

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X4 Health also has global funders such as the Global Development Network and the Health Initiative, and is especially interested in electronic patient records, COVID-19 issues (vaccines and government protocols), and implementation of public health policies, especially regarding equity.

Why is a globally funded contractor working with Tillamook County to resolve their homeless issue? According to Commissioner Skaar and a letter written by the Tillamook County Commissioners on August 16, 2022 to Christine Betchel, X4 Health was invited to bid on this contract based on their work as Community Rockit.

Community Rockit has also referenced the work of Marlene Putman, Tillamook County Health and Human Services Director.

Furthermore, Community Rockit has worked in two other counties assigned funding in HB 4123: Benton and Umatilla.

Umatilla utilized Communtiy Rockit to aid in plans to address mental health issues. Benton County seems to have started with planning their homeless response through the work of HOPE Community Engagement in spring of 2021. These meetings were made available to the public and can still be watched at their website.

Unfortunately, HOPE’s work with Community Rockit does not appear to be as easily accessible.

Community Rockit’s work in Morrow, Eastern, and Gilliam counties is unrelated to HB4123. While time will tell whether Tillamook County, or other Oregon counties, working with Community Rockit or X4 Health will be conducting their strategy sessions in view of the public or whether this globally funded “non-profit” is acting in good faith with the citizens of Oregon.

However, rural communities should be aware that organizations like X4 Health are looking for opportunities to collect lucrative government contracts to facilitate talks with county leaders and compile their input into simple graphics that may represent vast world view differences to the county residents. Whether X4 Health will wield this influence to enforce globalist policies on rural Oregon communities also remains to be seen.


--April Bailey

Post Date: 2023-03-07 06:57:54

Last Update: 2023-03-08 01:19:21