Rogue Valley News, Monday 6/19 – Two Large Illegal Grow Busts in Josephine County, Rogue Music Fest a Big Hit

Oregon Lawmakers Start Churning Through Bills To Make Up For Time Lost To Republican Walkout

Work at the state Capitol took on a furious pace Friday after top Democrats and Republicans forged a compromise to end the longest walkout in state history Thursday.

Legislators are racing to pass a backlog of bills governing state agency budgets and policies on suicide and overdose prevention, public defense, tax credits, climate change and more before the June 25 deadline for the session to end.

With enough Senate Republicans present for a quorum the second day in a row, state senators passed dozens of bills Friday morning to fund state agencies including the Oregon Health Authority, Department of Corrections and Department of Justice. The budgets were available for quick votes on the Senate floor because members of budget-crafting committees continued their work during the boycott. Those budget bills now head to the House for final approval next week.

Senators also confirmed dozens of appointments by Gov. Tina Kotek to boards and commissions including the Port of Portland Board of Commissioners and Oregon State University Board of Trustees. They also confirmed David Gerstenfeld as the director of the Employment Department. Gerstenfeld had served as acting director since early in the pandemic.

Lawmakers will have to maintain a fast pace with long days when both chambers reconvene Tuesday. Senate President Rob Wagner, D-Lake Oswego, said he won’t require senators to work through the weekend or on the Juneteenth holiday Monday.

Top Republicans agreed to waive rules requiring that bills be read in full to speed up floor sessions as part of their
compromise with Senate Democratic leaders. That agreement has to be reconfirmed each day.

 

Oregon Elected Officials Could See Raises Under Senate Proposal For Independent Salary Commission

Oregon lawmakers on Friday took an initial step toward eventually raising salaries for the governor, secretary of state, treasurer, lawmakers and other state elected officials, some of whom are among the lowest-paid in the country.

The Senate Rules Committee voted 3-0 to advance Senate Joint Resolution 34, which would ask voters to amend the state constitution and create a new commission to set salaries for elected officials. The measure still needs a vote from the full Senate and the House before voters would have a chance to weigh in during the November 2024 election.

“This is really about professionalizing, in some ways, how we do this and taking our own salaries out of the hands of politicians to set,” said Senate Majority Leader Kate Lieber, D-Beaverton, as she introduced the bill. “I want to make sure that wage analyses are able to be done by human resource professionals who have an expertise in compensation.”

Oregon’s comparatively low salaries for elected officials came into sharp relief this spring, when Secretary of State Shemia Fagan resigned in disgrace over a $10,000-per-month consulting contract with a troubled cannabis company involved in an audit her office was conducting of the state agency that regulates marijuana. At the time, Fagan said her $77,000 annual salary as secretary of state wasn’t enough to make ends meet.

Fagan earned far less than her deputy – now acting secretary – Cheryl Myers, who made close to $240,000 last year. And Fagan made less than almost every other elected official doing that job across the country: Only the secretaries of state in Wisconsin and Arizona earned less.

Other elected officials are also near the bottom of the list. Gov. Tina Kotek earns $98,600 – less than governors in every state but Maine ($70,000), Colorado ($90,000) and Arizona ($95,000). Treasurer Tobias Read makes $77,000, less than his counterparts everywhere but Wisconsin and Arizona. And Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum’s $82,200 salary is the lowest in the nation.

Lawmakers earn an annual salary of $35,052, as well as a daily subsistence allowance of $157 during the legislative session. Their wages fall in the middle of the pack, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Efforts by lawmakers in recent years to raise their pay, which they said were to help attract more diverse candidates, repeatedly fizzled.

Senate Minority Leader Tim Knopp, R-Bend, said it was important that people other than politicians set salaries. Earlier on Friday, he voted against a proposed budget for the legislative branch, as he has every other time he got the chance, because he felt like it was voting on his own salary.

“This request really is to take the decision-making authority on salaries out of the hands of people who potentially benefit from them,” Knopp said. “We just see too much conflict here.”

The proposed commission would set salaries for the governor, secretary of state, treasurer, attorney general, commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industries, state senators, state representatives, state Supreme Court justices and other state judges. The proposal also would allow lawmakers to identify other elected officials whose salaries should be set by a commission, and Knopp said he hopes to add district attorneys.

State employees, elected officials and lobbyists wouldn’t be allowed to serve on the commission, nor would their immediate family members.

Meagan Flynn, chief justice of the Oregon Supreme Court, told lawmakers she supported the concept of an independent commission, but that the Legislature should also give judges a raise this year. Her 2023-25 budget request included 10% raises on July 1 and Jan. 1, 2024, costing more than $17 million. Those raises were not included in a budget bill approved by the Senate on Friday.

“We don’t need a commission to tell us that the salaries we pay to our judges have fallen far behind the salaries that are paid to other public officials (and) senior lawyers,” Flynn said. “And the Legislature doesn’t need to wait for a commission to make a down payment on closing that gap.” (SOURCE)

 

Tornado Confirmed Near Harrisburg on Sunday

The National Weather Service – Portland (NWS) confirmed an EF-0 tornado off Interstate 5 near Harrisburg in Linn County

The NWS said pilots at Daniels Field Airport outside Harrisburg, Oregon reported that a tornado touched down at about 12:30 p.m. about a mile north of the airfield, by I-5.

Employees at a nearby winery also confirmed the tornado. One of the employees, named Cassidy, sent in a video of the tornado which you can see online as most news stations covered the story. https://www.facebook.com/katunews/videos/229123739908243

“No damage reported, winds estimated between 65-86 mph making this an EF-0 tornado,” the NWS said, adding that its path was about 500 yards in length.

Tornadoes aren’t unheard of in Oregon, however, they’re certainly rare. Typically we annually see 3 or 4 in the Pacific Northwest. The EF-0 in the Willamette Valley is typical of what we see in the region.

 

FINAL UPDATE: Hat Rock and Mount Hebron fires in Umatilla County 100 percent contained

Fire Update: Saturday, June 17, 2023

Today brings the final day of the OSFM task force’s work on the line of the Hat Rock Fire. As of 7 a.m. today, the OSFM has turned back management of the fire to local authorities.

“Our crews have worked hard to build and maintain a perimeter around the fire area,” Incident Commander Lance Lighty said.

No flare-ups have occurred since Thursday morning. The final acreage for Hat Rock Fire is 16,816 acres with 100% containment.

At the height of this incident a total of 243 structures were threatened with 65 of those being residences but no structures were damaged or lost. The Mt. Hebron Fire was transitioned back to local authorities yesterday (Friday) with 100% containment and a final acreage of 370 acres.

Investments made through Senate Bill 762 in 2021 made a significant difference in keeping the fire to the smallest footprint and protecting communities. The collaboration with the Oregon Department of Forestry is highly appreciated and made a difference in fighting this fire. All task forces are heading home this morning along with the incident management team.

“I want to thank the Umatilla County Fire District and all the firefighters for their hard work, the landowners and community members that rose to the occasion to protect their neighbors, the Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office for their collaborative work, and the community for their support of the firefighters working long hours,” OSFM Agency Administrator Travis Medema said.

Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office has lowered all evacuation orders except Juniper Canyon Road, which remains at Level 1 (READY) this morning. Please refer to the Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page for further updates as the remaining evacuation order is anticipated to be removed later today.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/firedistrictone

Webinar series celebrates 33 years of civil rights for people with disabilities

(Salem, OR) — The Oregon Disabilities Commission (ODC), Northwest ADA Center and Disability Rights Oregon are hosting a free Lunch and Learn webinar series in July in recognition and celebration of the 33rd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The series will launch on Tuesday, July 11.

“The anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act is an important commemoration both nationally and in Oregon. We hope that members of our community join us in celebrating, recognizing and honoring the work being done and the work ahead for ensuring accessible and equitable services for people with disabilities in Oregon,” said Nakeshia Knight-Coyle, Director for the Office of Aging and People with Disabilities, which is within the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS). ODHS provides staff and resources to support the ODC.

The series will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Pacific Time on Tuesdays throughout July. Members of the public are welcome to participate.

Topics by date are:

• July 11: Neurodiversity in the Workplace: Building an Inclusive Culture
• July 18: Systemic Barriers and the Intersectionality of Identities with Disabilities
• July 25: Celebrating Success for Employees with Disabilities

Please register in advance through the event web page on Zoom.

More information about the series will be shared on the Oregon Department of Human Services ADA event web page.

The series will be accessible to people with disabilities and will be translated into Spanish. Captioning and American Sign Language interpretation will also be provided. For questions about accessibility for the webinar series, or to request an accommodation, contact egonDisabilities.Commission@odhsoha.oregon.gov“>OregonDisabilities.Commission@odhsoha.oregon.gov.

About the Oregon Disabilities Commission:

The Oregon Disabilities Commission is charged by state statute to advise the Oregon Department of Human Services, the Governor, the Legislative Assembly and appropriate state agency administrators on issues related to achieving the full economic, social, legal and political equity of individuals with disabilities. ODC also acts as a coordinating link between and among public and private organizations serving individuals with disabilities.

Oregon State Police- Illegal Marijuana Seizure- Multnomah County

OREGON STATE POLICE NORTHWEST REGION MARIJUANA TEAM EXECUTES SEARCH WARRANTS IN LARGE-SCALE MARIJUANA, PSILOCYBIN, AND OTHER DRUG DELIVERY INVESTIGATION – MULTNOMAH COUNTY (PHOTOS)

On Thursday, June 8, 2023, the Oregon State Police (OSP) Northwest Region Marijuana (NWRMJ) team served search warrants at three (3) locations in Multnomah and Marion counties: a residence in the 2000 block of NE Edgewater Drive, Portland, a high-rise apartment near NW Hoyt St and NW 14^th Ave. Portland, and a residence on Wyoming Circle, Salem.

Located and seized from the Edgewater residence included the following:

• 21 firearms, one with an obliterated serial number
• Body Armor
• Approximately $198,000 U.S. Currency
• 428 packages of illegal marijuana extracts (24 pounds)
• 282 pounds of illegal marijuana flower
• 320 marijuana pre-roll cigarettes
• 7,847 marijuana vape cartridges
• 1,161 packages of marijuana candies
• 781 psilocybin mushroom bars, containing 3,124 grams of psilocybin
• 0.6 pounds of dried psilocybin mushrooms
• 2.7 pounds of counterfeit pills which tested positive for methamphetamine
• 0.4 pounds of Xanax pills
• 8.8 grams of cocaine
• Several fraudulent Oregon driver’s licenses

Also discovered were two (2) bays within an attached garage which had been converted for cultivating psilocybin mushrooms; a total of 2,100 bags of suspected psilocybin mushrooms were seized. Detectives located evidence throughout the residence of the myriad of narcotics were being exported from Oregon, throughout the country, where they were ultimately sold on the black market for profit.

The following individuals were arrested and lodged in the Multnomah County Jail on charges of Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine (Felony), Unlawful Importing/Exporting of Marijuana (Felony) x2, and Animal Neglect in the Second Degree.

• Pedro Antonio Valencia-Gonzalez (27)
• Martin Anthony Martinez (25)
• Albert Watak Vakacapelle (27)
• Eric Joon Yi (36)

Additional Charges will be referred to the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office. Additional non-drug evidence was located at the two (2) other locations.

The OSP NWRMJ team was assisted by the OSP Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team, OSP Southwest Region Marijuana (SWRMJ) team, United States Postal Service (USPS), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Portland Office, Westside Interagency Narcotics Task Force (WIN), Clackamas County Interagency Task Force (CCITF), Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.

The investigation is ongoing and no further information is available for release at this time.

BLM waives day use fees in observance of Juneteenth

— To honor Juneteenth National Independence Day and increase recreational access to public land, the Bureau of Land Management is waiving recreation standard amenity and day-use fees for visitors on June 19, 2023. The BLM invites the public to explore the unique and diverse natural landscapes and visitor facilities on BLM-managed lands for a day of reflection and celebration.

The holiday is the third fee-free day of 2023 and the first fee-free Juneteenth for the BLM. Fee-free days refer to the waiver of standard amenity fees and day-use fees, such as visitor centers, picnic/day use areas, and National Conservation Lands units where fees are charged. Expanded amenity fees and other fees, like group day use, overnight camping, cabin rentals, and individual special recreation permits, will remain in effect unless the authorized officer determines it is appropriate to waive them.

BLM’s public lands offer spectacular beauty in the summer months throughout Oregon and Washington.

Hidden gem recreation recommendations:

• Loon Lake Recreation Site provides excellent boating, fishing, and water play opportunities. Or spend the day relaxing on the sandy beach.
• Smith River Falls Campground offers an ideal place to picnic, wade, fish, and watch bald eagles.
• Take a scenic day hike on the Threemile Creek Trail. Plan for a moderate, out and back, canyon creek walk with the option of ending in a small meadow or winding your way up the mountain side to the rimrocks above Catlow Valley. Look for wildlife and sweeping views!
• Chukar Park Recreation Siteprovides a quiet spot to camp and picnic with nearby hikes, boating, and birdwatching.
• Chase wildflowers in bloom throughout Oregon and Washington.
• Find a full list of public land locations to explore here.

Know before you go:

• Check with local offices and Oregon Department of Transportation’s TripCheck for current conditions, including closures and travel restrictions.
• Practice Leave No Trace principles and leave your public lands cleaner than you found them.
• Be fire aware. Check for localfire restrictions and active fire closures. Carry extra water to put out accidental sparks.

In 2023, BLM will waive recreation standard amenity and day use fees for visitors on:

• August 4 (Great American Outdoors Day)
• September 30 (National Public Lands Day)
• November 11 (Veterans Day)

For more information about the BLM’s recreation fee program, please visit https://www.blm.gov/programs/recreation/permits-and-fees.

-BLM- The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.