A
s Oregon’s sine die conversations celebrate taking baby steps towards recriminalizing illicit drugs, taxing still-housed Oregonians more to improve shelters for Oregon’s homeless, as well as passing a measure to ‘end unlimited campaign contributions' for the relatively small donors (opening wide the door for large PAC donations to eclipse voters’ financial support), a partisan battle blew right by mainstream media’s watchful eye: Offshore Wind Energy.

HB 4080 was introduced by Representatives David Gomberg and Dacia Grayber.

After four failed attempts by House Republicans to refer HB 4080, including its -1 Amendment back to a committee -- any committee- removing it from the floor, the measure was passed by all House Democrats on March 5th assisted by two Republican Reps, Greg Smith (R-Heppner) and Mark Owens (R-Crane), both from Eastern Oregon who also voted YES, leaving a minority vote of only 21 Republican Reps to oppose the controversial “green energy” bill.

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Despite offshore wind power’s misinformation and challenges to produce a positive ROI, rendering it as what some say more of a money pit than an intelligent investment, was summarily ignored by all Senate Democrats, as they passed the measure 17 vs. 11 two days later.

With HB 4080 now on Gov. Kotek’s desk, Oregonians can still comment on the Federal Register’s Ocean Energy Management Bureau (BOEM) notice page:

Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for Commercial Wind Leasing and Site Assessment Activities on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf Offshore Oregon

All comments must be received by BOEM no later than 8:59 pm PDT on Friday, March 15, 2024.

CONTACT: Lisa Gilbane, BOEM Pacific Region Office of Environment, 760 Paseo Camarillo, Suite 102, Camarillo, California 93010, (805) 384–6387 or lisa.gilbane@boem.gov.


--Kyle Sharpe

Post Date: 2024-03-11 19:59:22

Last Update: 2024-03-18 22:43:13

regon Fourth Congressional District Candidate Monique DeSpain criticized Congresswoman Val Hoyle’s (D-Eugene) disturbing no vote recently on H.R. 7511, the Laken Riley Act, a bipartisan bill supported by 37 Democrats that would have required Immigrations and Customs Enforcement to arrest illegal migrants who commit crimes in the United States.

“Val Hoyle’s vote against the Laken Riley Act is another example of how out of touch career politicians are with our communities and our core American values. While voters across Oregon’s 4th Congressional District are reeling from concerns about rising crime and law enforcement that is continuing to be handcuffed by failed Democrat policies, Val Hoyle, once again, chooses to prioritize criminals over innocent victims like Laken Riley and so many others like her,” said Monique DeSpain.

“Laken was a young college coed who went for a jog in her community only to be murdered by an illegal immigrant who had multiple encounters with ICE, and domestic law enforcement, in Laken’s community, with no consequences," DeSpain continued. "Laken’s murderer should have never been in the country to commit this heinous act, and he certainly should not have remained for one minute longer after he committed a previous crime in the U.S. Instead, Laken’s parents are devastated, a community mourns and is gripped in fear, and Val Hoyle can’t bring herself to support preventing the certain next tragedy.”

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“This is another example of how the dysfunction of Washington DC is perpetuated by career politicians like Val Hoyle. Let’s remember that this is the same Val Hoyle who thinks it’s a good idea to house illegal migrants in our national parks and public lands and who refuses to condemn the national security emergency created by President Biden at our southern border,” said DeSpain. “Unfortunately, Val Hoyle’s refusal to do the right thing and pass the right laws to ensure the safety of everyday citizens in our communities exposes her true priority -- serving her radical special interest masters in Washington D.C. instead.”

“It is time for new leadership that puts the welfare and safety of our citizens first. This is why I am asking voters to deploy me to Congress. The difference between Val Hoyle and I is crystal clear; I will put crime victims first and always have the backs of first responders and law enforcement so they can do the job they need to do to keep us safe. Having served our country for 30 years in the Air Force, nothing is more important to me than the safety of our nation, communities, and families,” DeSpain added.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2024-03-11 13:47:00

Last Update: 2024-03-11 14:45:00

The Oregon Senate has passed SB 1564, a bill allowing cities who do not have the bandwidth to create and administer their own model ordinance codes to adopt a code created by DLCD that is aligned with that city’s population. It was carried by Senator Dick Anderson (R-Lincoln City), who introduced the measure.

“We need to build more homes of all types -- and quickly -- to alleviate the severe housing shortage that exists in nearly every corner of Oregon. The Legislature can help these efforts by embracing bold solutions rather than the failed policies that have handcuffed cities, overregulated builders, and stifled development for decades,” said Senator Anderson, vice-chair of the Senate Committee on Housing and Development. “My hope is SB 1564 will give rural communities a necessary tool in their toolbox to free them from their housing gridlock and build more homes for Oregonians.”

SB 1564 directs the Department of Land Conservation and Development to create 3 model ordinances that provide clear and objective standards for the development of various housing types. The model ordinances are to be targeted towards cities with different population sizes, ranging from populations of less than 2,500, to populations of more than 25,000. DLCD is to develop these model ordinances by January 1, 2026.

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The measure appropriates $550,000 General Fund to DLCD for adoption of the model ordinances. Projected costs under this measure include contracting for work on model codes, community engagement, and legal expenses.

One citizen, David Brown of Salem offered testimony to the Senate Committee On Housing and Development. "The severe housing shortage that exists in Oregon today was created over time by status-quo policies that have handcuffed cities, overregulated builders, and stifled development. The reforms in this bill will free up land to invest in housing of all types in all communities, not just Portland, and not just for low-income."

The bill now heads to Governor Kotek for her signature.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2024-03-07 13:39:17

Last Update: 2024-03-07 15:20:35

The Senate and House Republican Caucuses have sent a letter to Governor Tina Kotek urging for the immediate reconsideration of ODF’s proposed Habitat Conservation Plan. According to a press release from the House and Senate Caucuses, this controversial 70-year logging scale back has already had negative consequences on businesses and concern has only been heightened after the closure of multiple sawmills in the last two months. As written, the HCP desperately lacks a balance between sound forest management policy and conservation goals of the State. The letter reads as follows:

The letter is critical of the current state of the HCP. "While ODF has previously signaled its intent to balance conservation goals while maintaining current harvest levels, the newest projections released on December 13, 2023, visibly show a dramatic increase in conservation acres and a major decrease in timber harvest levels below what was promised. ODF advertised this HCP as a conservation plan with harvest certainty of about 250 mmbf (board feet) annually. The new projections show that timber harvest will be down between 168-185 mmbf annually. Obviously, this 70-year plan is heavy on conservation and light on economic viability which is not in alignment with Greatest Permanent Value."

The letter tied timber production to several issues which have been looming as themes during recent legislative sessions.

The caucuses were quick to point out how timber production is related to housing -- one of Governor Kotek's pet issues. "On average, about 240-250 million board feet of timber have been harvested from Oregon’s western state forests over the last 5-10 years. 64% of the revenue from state harvests goes back to the counties and smaller “taxing districts” within them – an average of nearly $68 million each year during the last decade. For reference, 250 million board feet of timber is equivalent to 32,500 average-size homes -- almost the number of homes Governor Kotek wants produced annually. 250mmbf also creates or retains 2,750 jobs per the Oregon Forests Resources Institute."

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"Not only will counties lose critical funding but mill closures and mass job losses will continue to cause a ripple effect through Oregon’s rural communities contributing to more homelessness, drug addiction, and the need for public services. Communities surrounded by forests -- especially unmanaged forests – need fire departments to protect them from forest fires. Fire Departments relying on timber harvest revenue to operate will suffer or be forced to close. This leaves our vulnerable communities defenseless."

The letter continued, "Additionally, we are very concerned with our water and air quality, especially during fire season. This HCP will leave much of our state forests without management; 70 years of fuel accumulation increases the risk of fire and fire severity. Forest fire smoke already fills our air every year and the debris, ash, and mud destroy waterways. The cleanest groundwater comes from our forests before, during, and after forest operations. Children are choking on smoke during sporting events while the elderly hide inside their homes to survive our fire seasons. The unintended consequences of this HCP will increase the potential for more catastrophic forest fires, smoke, and poor water quality."

Oregon’s Department of Forestry has added approximately 100,000 acres of conservation above what is required for the HCP. (Northern Spotted Owl habitat is shown in ODF’s graph but does not include the Marbled Murrelet, Red Tree Vole, or Coho Salmon habitat that are also being set aside)

The letter concluded, "We understand your priorities as Governor include homelessness, affordable housing, drug addiction, and forest fires. The HCP will exacerbate these issues. Alternatively, opening our forests to proper and sustainable management would help mitigate these issues and provide the necessary renewable wood products and building materials to address our housing crisis."

"ODF will be in the same situation as the Trust Land Counties regarding the loss of timber harvest revenue. Taxpayers will be asked to foot the bill while mills close, logging companies auction off their equipment, our constituents lose their jobs, county services are strained, schools close, 4-H programs are canceled, libraries are closed, and emergency services are compromised."

The Oregon Board of Forestry will make a final decision on whether to adopt the HCP at a meeting this Thursday.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2024-03-07 12:46:28

Last Update: 2024-03-07 13:39:17

Housing supply was bound to be a major issue of the current legislative session and it has found its final form in two Senate Bills. John Tapogna of the Oregon Business Council summed up the problem, "the high cost of housing is contributing to workforce shortages in underbuilt communities across the state and is a key driver of the state’s slowing population growth."

SB 1537 requires the Department of Land Conservation and Development and the Department of Consumer and Business Services to jointly establish and administer the Housing Accountability and Production Office. SB 1530 appropriates money to various agencies for various programs.

Governor Kotek has been driving housing policy for over a decade, previously as House Speaker. In response to the passage of SB 1537 and SB 1530, Governor Tina Kotek issued the following statement:

“Oregonians are struggling under the pressure of an increasingly unaffordable housing market. After hearing this concern directly from Oregonians from across our state last year, I knew we had to make major progress on our housing crisis during this year’s legislative session. I want to thank legislators for meeting the urgency of this moment and providing much-needed funding that will boost housing production throughout the state.

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Brad Bennington of the Builders Association Southern Oregon identified some of the causes. "It's been a long time coming but Oregon's housing crises is here and it's real, said Bennington. "Not in my back yard and overzealous no growth policies have crippled our housing industry to bring us to the point where we are 500,000 homes short of meeting current demand. We need reform and we need it now." Governor Kotek continued, “These bills offer a menu of tools that will provide the support needed to ease our housing crisis and help all our communities thrive. I believe this package will make meaningful progress in fixing our housing shortage while also preserving our land use system and ensuring strong environmental protections. But this is not the finish line. We have more work ahead to solve our housing and homelessness crises – and I will keep pushing for more because the need is so great. Oregonians are counting on us to deliver.”

"The House of Representatives passed SB 1537 by a 48-8 vote and passed SB 1537 by a 51-6 vote. Both bills passed the Senate last week. Additional projects from the Emergency Housing Stabilization and Production Package are funded through HB 4134, which the House will vote on Tuesday. That bill would then need to be approved by the Senate."

In total, the Emergency Housing Stabilization and Production Package provides a $376 million state investment in addressing the housing crisis.

"SB 1537 isn't perfect but it's a start that needs to be made if Oregon's chronic housing shortage is ever going to be addressed," said Bennington. In testimony to the Senate Committee On Housing and Development he said, "Oregonians deserve the opportunity to be able to purchase a home that is safe, sustainable and affordable but they need your help to make that possible."


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2024-03-06 21:49:15

Last Update: 2024-03-06 22:30:19

Tigard-Tualatin School District (TTSD) was once regarded as one of the best districts in the state. Now test scores are not improving from the disaster created by the Covid pandemic, violence is rampant and making national headlines, and the board is being forced to engage the community on a proposed Student Acts of Aggression or Violence Policy.

Meanwhile, Tigard-Tualatin School District Superintendent Dr. Sue Rieke-Smith published a letter on the district’s website on February 23, advising that she will retire at the end of the 2023-2024 school year. The letter expressed her honor of having served TTSD, but also hinted at facing fierce opposition, particularly over the last year.

Rieke-Smith joined the district in July 2018 and most teachers this author spoke with expressed they noticed an immediate decline in support, a decline in communication and disastrous policies from the Superintendent compared to her predecessor.

A council of The Tigard-Tualatin Teachers union issued a unanimous vote of no confidence in the superintendent in June 2023. The council has about 40 members and includes teachers from every school in the district.

The TTSD board, who hired her, seems to fail to grasp the reality of the situation. Board Chair Tristan Irvin said “It’s difficult for me to understand the motives behind such a personal attack by our association leaders on a superintendent that is held in high esteem.”

“High esteem” is not what the district’s teachers were saying. Excerpts from the 2023 teachers’ survey question about district leadership include:

• “Over the last 5-7 years, our district has changed and not for the better. Dr. Sue changed our district. What once was a district that prided itself on student behaviors, leadership, and scores, now is diving deep into the dumps with behavior and reading/math scores.”
• “It strongly feels like our district has some sort of vendetta against teachers, and that they regularly make decisions that hurt teachers, take away their personal accountability, and that dehumanize them.”
• “Important meetings that impact decisions at the building level seem often to be conducted without teachers present.”
• “I’m very frustrated with the district admin. I don’t think they’re doing a good job of making sure their priorities reflect what the teachers are asking for. They seem out of touch with what occurs in schools and classrooms.”

Both academics and the safety of schools for students and teachers declined through Rieke-Smith’s tenure. Many students were reported for not eating or drinking during the day out of fear of having to use the restroom because “bad things happen in there.” Meanwhile, students with attendance and behavior issues are treated to Grub Hub lunches and other treats, apparently out of a belief that their “dysregulation is due to being hungry.” It promotes the idea that if they act out, they will be rewarded with food.

A video of a vicious assault by one student at Hazelbrook Middle School made national headlines followed by a bomb threat. It was learned that the perpetrator had a history of assaulting other students and no effective action had been taken. Rather than taking action against the perpetrator, Dr Rieke-Smith blamed the student who had filmed the assault for contributing. Rieke-Smith never phoned the parents of the victim, and only after the massive media focus, were law enforcement called and the perpetrator is now a member of the juvenile justice community.

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Things became so bad at Durham Elementary that the Durham Teachers published this letter to Rieke-Smith on November 7, 2023:

“Durham Elementary School can no longer provide a safe teaching and learning space under the current conditions. We are not talking about normal misbehavior as one might imagine, but rather about physical assaults and destructive behaviors that would not be allowed in any other public school district in our area. Zero-consequence policies and a belief in full inclusion cannot come with a disregard for all the other students and stakeholders in the building. It is not safe and the staff can no longer do their jobs under these conditions.”

Several Durham teachers testified to the same effect at the December 11, 2023 board meeting, at which time they left without listening to the rest of the meeting. Two students also testified about the chaos and violence in Tigard Tualatin schools.

Board member David Jaimes said “We should have students in our classrooms that may be a little bit harder to handle than others.” Board member Jill Zurschmeide repeated what she had said after the teachers’ vote of no confidence earlier in the year: “I hired Dr. Rieke-Smith to do the work she is doing now, she’s doing it very well, and I have full faith in my superintendent.”

KGW reported in response to Rieke-Smith’s resignation that the Tigard-Tualatin School District has been trouble with threats of school shootings and violence over the past year that led parents and teachers to call for her resignation. Now they have an opportunity to pressure the board to select a person that can make the needed changes.


--Bill Dewey

Post Date: 2024-03-06 17:50:13

Last Update: 2024-03-09 18:51:41

The full Senate and House Republican Caucuses in Oregon have now sent a letter to Governor Tina Kotek urging for the immediate reconsideration of ODF’s proposed Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP). This controversial 70-year logging scale back has already had negative consequences on businesses and concern has only been heightened after the closure of multiple sawmills in the last two months. As written, the HCP desperately lacks a balance between sound forest management policy and conservation goals of the State. The letter reads as follows:

Dear Governor Kotek,

The Oregon House and Senate Republican Caucuses urge for the immediate reconsideration of the Oregon Department of Forestry’s (ODF) proposed Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP). This 70-year forest policy does not support a balance between economic, environmental, and social benefits to all Oregonians.

While we generally support the intent of an HCP and reasonable conservation measures, we want to ensure our forests continue to be valuable economic and societal resources for our communities. In short, we are opposed to burdensome HCP measures that will knowingly have negative impacts on our communities for the next several decades.

While ODF has previously signaled its intent to balance conservation goals while maintaining current harvest levels, the newest projections released on December 13, 2023[1], visibly show a dramatic increase in conservation acres and a major decrease in timber harvest levels below what was promised. ODF advertised this HCP as a conservation plan with harvest certainty of about 250 mmbf (board feet) annually[2]. The new projections show that timber harvest will be down between 168-185 mmbf annually. Obviously, this 70-year plan is heavy on conservation and light on economic viability which is not in alignment with Greatest Permanent Value.

On average, about 240-250 million board feet of timber have been harvested from Oregon’s western state forests over the last 5-10 years[3]. 64% of the revenue from state harvests goes back to the counties and smaller “taxing districts” within them – an average of nearly $68 million each year during the last decade. For reference, 250 million board feet of timber is equivalent to 32,500 average-size homes – almost the number of homes Governor Kotek wants produced annually. 250mmbf also creates or retains 2,750 jobs per the Oregon Forests Resources Institute[4].

This HCP coupled with ODF’s Forest Management Plan will reduce that revenue by $28-53 million annually, depending on which harvest scenario they implement[5].

Not only will counties lose critical funding but mill closures and mass job losses will continue to cause a ripple effect through Oregon’s rural communities contributing to more homelessness, drug addiction, and the need for public services. Communities surrounded by forests – especially unmanaged forests – need fire departments to protect them from forest fires. Fire Departments relying on timber harvest revenue to operate will suffer or be forced to close. This leaves our vulnerable communities defenseless.

Additionally, we are very concerned with our water and air quality, especially during fire season. This HCP will leave much of our state forests without management; 70 years of fuel accumulation increases the risk of fire and fire severity. Forest fire smoke already fills our air every year and the debris, ash, and mud destroy waterways. The cleanest groundwater comes from our forests before, during, and after forest operations. Children are choking on smoke during sporting events while the elderly hide inside their homes to survive our fire seasons. The unintended consequences of this HCP will increase the potential for more catastrophic forest fires, smoke, and poor water quality.

Oregon’s Department of Forestry has added approximately 100,000 acres of conservation above what is required for the HCP. (Northern Spotted Owl habitat is shown in ODF’s graph but does not include the Marbled Murrelet, Red Tree Vole, or Coho Salmon habitat that are also being set aside)

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Scientists at local and international levels, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), recognize the climate benefits of managed forests, timber harvest, and wood products. Managed forests with sustained harvests provide the largest sustained climate mitigation benefit. According to IPCC’s 4th Assessment (2018)6:

“In the long term, a sustainable forest management strategy aimed at maintaining or increasing forest carbon stocks, while producing an annual sustained yield of timber, fiber or energy from the forest, will generate the largest sustained mitigation benefit.”

ODF’s report from December 13, 2023, even shows that more carbon is stored in the forest and in wood products in the scenarios that harvest the most volume.

We understand your priorities as Governor include homelessness, affordable housing, drug addiction, and forest fires. The HCP will exacerbate these issues. Alternatively, opening our forests to proper and sustainable management would help mitigate these issues and provide the necessary renewable wood products and building materials to address our housing crisis.

ODF will be in the same situation as the Trust Land Counties regarding the loss of timber harvest revenue. Taxpayers will be asked to foot the bill while mills close, logging companies auction off their equipment, our constituents lose their jobs, county services are strained, schools close, 4-H programs are canceled, libraries are closed, and emergency services are compromised.

For these reasons, we oppose the Western Habitat Conservation Plan. The Board of Forestry should reject the recommendation from the State Forester and instead, direct ODF to significantly amend the HCP to improve harvest and economic outcomes by any means necessary.

The Oregon Board of Forestry will make a final decision on whether to adopt the HCP at a meeting on Thursday, March 7th.

--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2024-03-05 18:35:21

Last Update: 2024-03-05 18:57:23

Oregon Department of Education Director Dr. Charlene Williams and Labor Commissioner Christina Stephenson announced 74 Oregon high schools, serving more than 36,000 students, have secured career readiness grants totaling $7.629 million.

The Career and Technical Education (CTE) Revitalization Grant funds from the State of Oregon will serve diverse communities around the state, with programs focused on advanced manufacturing, agricultural science, business, computer science, construction, cosmetology, engineering, firefighting, health sciences, hospitality, media and natural resources.

In total, the 31 grants help to create or expand CTE programs focused on high-wage, high-skill and in-demand fields such as Health Care, Manufacturing and Construction. These programs provide valuable access to experience, expertise and additional forms of support to the communities they serve and give students relevant education and preparation for career and postsecondary learning experiences.

“As the class of 2023 graduation rates indicate, CTE moves the needle on student success,” said Oregon Department of Education Director Dr. Charlene Williams. “CTE keeps students excited about both their school day and their future. These classes build a life changing bridge between the school experience and high-quality, well-paid careers in fields ranging from accounting and astrophysics to welding and zoology.”

Students who pass CTE courses graduate at higher rates when compared to the general student population. According to the most recent data for the Class of 2023, CTE concentrators (across all student populations) graduated at a 95.0% rate, 13.7 percentage points higher than the state as a whole.

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In 2011, the Oregon Legislature established a competitive grant program entitled the CTE Revitalization Grant which strengthens the alignment of Career and Technical Education, workforce development and economic development. In July 2015, Governor Kate Brown signed House Bill (HB) 3072 and HB 5016, authorizing $9.0 million for the Oregon Department of Education to continue the CTE Revitalization Grant program. During the 2023 legislative session, $7.629 million was allocated for CTE Revitalization.

The CTE Revitalization Grant Advisory Committee reviewed 66 applications totaling $16 million in requests. The committee prioritized applications based on geographic diversity, community partnerships and programs that lead to high-wage, in-demand occupations, especially for historically and currently marginalized students. Additional information on grant criteria and list of receptitants selected for this round of funding can be found on the CTE Revitalization Grant web page.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2024-03-05 09:49:02

Last Update: 2024-03-05 01:08:03

Editor's note: State Senator Daniel Bonham (R-Clackamas/Multnomah/Hood River) represents Oregon Senate District 26.

This week, the Oregon House passed HB 4130, a bill the majority party wants you to think will simply “remove corporations out of the healthcare system.” What they won’t tell you is the bill will ultimately limit access to healthcare by decreasing the amount of healthcare options in the state.

Specifically, HB 4130 requires all officers of a professional corporation, except the secretary and treasurer, to be licensees of the Oregon Medical Board or Oregon State Board of Nursing. In theory this doesn’t sound that bad. In practice this has severe unintended consequences as Oregon's business climate has gradually made it harder for doctors to run their own practices.

Please do not get me wrong, we unequivocally need a model that supports health over profits. We don't need Black Rock deciding whether you get a hip or heart transplant. But this bill is not that. The singularly it creates will remove small physicians' options to stay in business, wiping out patient choice and paving the way for big business.

Ironic, right? This is pacman politics, similar to other sectors. Where the big medical corporations gobble up smaller businesses and pave the way for a single-payer healthcare monopoly.

Simply put, I am not willing to gamble on the government being in charge of mine or my residents' healthcare options.

Independent healthcare providers are often in need of private investment or a model that utilizes a Management Service Organization (MSO). MSO’s allow doctors to do what they do best, provide health services to their patients, while taking care of administrative tasks, infrastructure investments and financial risks. These MSOs can be a life saver for some smaller practices. This bill is seeking to end the MSO option, which will be the end of many local community healthcare options.

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According to experts, Oregon ranks 34 out of 50 among U.S. states for access to primary care. Our rural communities are in dire need of innovative and accessible healthcare options such as independent healthcare providers and telehealth.

Oregon’s obsession with intervening in our healthcare system and reducing healthcare options for residents is not making our lives better. Ask yourself, would you rather go to a DMV or an Apple store? Would you rather take an Uber or a taxi? Government forced monopolies or overregulated programs do not help improve customer service. Ever. To learn more about this problem, Best Med wrote a very informative opposition letter here.


--Senator Daniel Bonham

Post Date: 2024-03-04 10:35:21

Last Update: 2024-03-04 14:43:31

The House Committee on Business and Labor held an early morning hearing recently, where they received opposition to the proposed offshore, wind-energy legislation in House Bill 4080. Here's why.

Oregon’s 2022 Biennial Energy Report states on page 11 that Oregonians consumed 53.7 million megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity in 2020, from both in-state and out-of-state sources, which equates to 73,511.3 MW of production over a one year period (53,700,000 MWh / 730.5 hours per year). During 2020, the energy resource mix was comprised of hydro (38.9%), coal (26.5%), natural gas (21.5%), land-based wind (7.0%), nuclear (3.5%), and other forms incl. solar, biomass, and geothermal, etc. (2.6%).

It is understood that the projected output of Oregon’s offshore wind farms in both “call areas” will be 14 gigawatts, requiring dozens of specialized vessels manned with expert technicians.

Adding 19 percent of Oregon’s average annual needs to the grid begs the question of whether this gargantuan project’s benefits will outweigh its gargantuan costs - costs that Oregonians will be required to shoulder via state and federal taxation, as capital outlays and ongoing cost of operations and maintenance for this ‘seasonal’ energy source are fully accounted for.

The break-even point when delivered energy values exceed the project’s costs are at issue, assuming the equipment can last long enough for the ROI to ramp out of the red. Upon end of life, decommissioning and recycling wind-turbine components require specialized planning; in particular, blade disposal poses a formidable challenge due to their size and composition.

It is understood that 18 wind turbines and foundations will be located beyond 13.8 miles (12 nautical miles), utilizing 6,800 miles of additional subsea cable; however, obvious impacts to bird habitats (survival rates) will be felt. Several marine mammals will be harmed, as “gray whale migratory routes are most dense within 6.9 miles from shore, Southern Resident killer whale habitat occurs 11.5 miles from shore along the Oregon coastline to 656 feet (200 meters) water depths, and humpback whales are generally concentrated in water depths up to 328 feet.”

Land-based wind turbines have a typical lifespan of up to 20 years while routinely maintained semiannually , yet the Pacific Ocean is historically one of the most powerfully destructive environments on the planet.

When inevitable breakdowns, failures, and fluid leaks during its lifespan are considered, maintenance more frequently than twice per year will be required; furthermore, the inevitable leaks and failures will be significant when comparing ‘viable’ turbines in extreme, salty environments to well-documented reliability issues of more common, terrestrial wind plants. Wind Systems Magazine, 2/15/2024

Produced outputs are seasonal due to unpredictable wind speeds and thermal effects on energy lost during transfers over long distances; wind plant performance tends to be highest during Spring months and lowest during mid- to late-Summer months, when grid loads peak due to high air conditioning demands and other electrical-cooling system burdens

NOTE: There is a time-sensitive opportunity to voice opinions to the federal government about the proposed offshore wind energy project near Coos and Curry Counties where comments are due by Friday, March 15, 2024: Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for Commercial Wind Leasing and Site Assessment Activities on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf Offshore Oregon


--Kyle Sharpe

Post Date: 2024-03-03 09:32:19

Last Update: 2024-03-03 09:34:58

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has determined that losses during the 2023 crop year due to multiple weather events in nine counties across the state warrant a Secretarial natural disaster designation.

This determination was made in response to a September 2023 request from Governor Kotek that outlined the impacts of the weather events, such as the Oregon cherry harvest. The available harvest data showed a 35% loss due to poor fruit set.

“Oregon farmers faced serious economic losses during last year’s crop season,” Governor Kotek said. “Our agriculture community is invaluable to Oregon, feeding families across the state. This designation is critical to ensure that farmers are able to receive support from the federal government in recuperating those losses.”

Under the first designation, defined as excessive rain that occurred starting on July 7, 2023, Hood River County is listed as a primary county. Clackamas, Multnomah and Wasco counties have been designated as contingent counties.

Under the second designation, defined as drought, excessive heat, and high winds that occurred from July 5-15, 2023, Wasco County is listed as a primary county. Clackamas, Gilliam, Hood River, Jefferson, Marion, Sherman and Wheeler counties have been designated as continent counties. Farmers may be able to apply for loans if they produce crops in any of the primary or contingent counties included in the designation.

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A Secretarial disaster designation makes farm operators in primary counties and those counties contiguous to such primary counties eligible to be considered for certain assistance from the Farm Service Agency (FSA), provided eligibility requirements are met. This assistance includes FSA emergency loans.

The USDA issued this Secretarial disaster declaration on February 23, 2024. Farmers in eligible counties have eight months from the date of a Secretarial disaster declaration to apply for emergency loans. FSA considers each emergency loan application on its own merits, taking into account the extent of production losses on the farm and the security and repayment ability of the operator. Local FSA offices can provide affected farmers with further information.


--Dollie Banner

Post Date: 2024-03-02 01:30:48

Last Update: 2024-03-01 21:40:53

A recent traffic stop in Linn County resulted in the seizure of a large quantity of fentanyl powder and pills headed for the street.

On Feb. 16, 2024, at approximately 4:30 p.m., an OSP trooper stopped a silver Honda Accord at milepost 219 on I-5 for a traffic violation. The trooper observed suspicious behavior by the vehicle occupants that pointed to possible drug activity. A K-9 unit was called to assist.

The K-9 alerted on possible illegal drugs. A subsequent search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of 10,000 fentanyl pills and four pounds of fentanyl powder from a grocery bag behind the driver’s seat. A small amount of other illegal narcotics was also found in the vehicle.

The vehicle operator, Danny Yohan Cruz Benitz (18) of Oakland (CA), was arrested for possession of a controlled substance and attempted delivery of a controlled substance. Passenger, Walter Omar Mayorga Aguilar (20) of Sacramento (CA), was arrested for possession of a controlled substance, attempted delivery of a controlled substance, and a parole/probation violation.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2024-03-01 20:51:41

Last Update: 2024-02-29 21:21:17