HOUSE REPUBLICAN OFFICE
AUGUST 22, 2017 DAILY CLIPS
STATE GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
Health Authority’s acting director aims to heal troubled agency
Portland Tribune
Allen on Friday confirmed to the Tribune that, as rumored, he’s thrown his hat in the ring to permanently replace Saxton to head the 4,000-person agency. Ken Provencher, president and chief executive officer of the health insurer PacificSource, called Allen a great choice by Brown, describing him as “a very capable leader with a high level of integrity.” Rep. Mitch Greenlick, D-Portland, said, “I think he’s a fabulous guy. He’s straightforward, he’s smart, he takes responsibility. I think he’ll do great at OHA. I have great confidence in Pat Allen.”
Judge: EWEB, EPUD due refunds for overcollection by Oregon Department of Energy
Register-Guard
The Eugene Water & Electric Board and the Emerald People’s Utility District were among the 10 public utilities that successfully sued the state Department of Energy over collection of the so-called energy supplier assessment, or ESA. Spokeswoman Rachel Wray said the agency is reviewing the ruling and studying its options. She said state lawmakers approved increased funding in the agency’s two-year budget for litigation expenses “in anticipation of a lengthy process,” indicating an appeal is very likely.
Governor to sign transportation bill in Ontario
Capitol Press
Gov. Kate Brown will travel to Ontario Aug. 28 to hold a ceremonial signing of the state’s $5.3 billion transportation bill, which provides funding for a major rail transload facility in Malheur County.Bentz said the transload facility “is a great, big deal to this community and I think she understands that and wants to share in the hope this brings to this community.” Bentz said ag industry leaders will be notified once specific times and places for Brown’s visit are set.
Japanese plant wins $103K state grant
The Newberg Graphic
“This investment affirms St. Cousair’s promise to create and maintain jobs right here in Newberg, and I’m certainly hopeful that this is just the beginning of a lasting and mutually beneficial partnership between St. Cousair and the people of Oregon.” Brown told a crowd picnicking in a field near the factory Aug. 9. “We know, certainly, the economic growth we’ve seen (after the) recession has really been in our metropolitan areas, and I’m just very committed to making sure that the economy thrives in urban and in rural Oregon,” she said.
EDUCATION
OEA’s new president seeks conservative inclusion
Portland Tribune
As the freshly minted president of the Oregon Education Association, Larson hopes to bring his bipartisan background to make the state’s largest labor union more effective in building support for public education. “We tend to be viewed as a liberal organization, but the reality is more than one-third of our members are conservatives,” Larson said.
OREGON WILDFIRES
Chetco Bar fire explodes; residents told to evacuate along Highway 101
Mail Tribune
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved federal funding to aid firefighting and life-saving effort costs at the Chetco Bar fire in Curry County. Curry County residents living along Highway 101 north of Brookings were warned to evacuate their homes Sunday after the Chetco Bar Fire made a westward run toward the coast. The Level 3 immediate evacuation order was issued at 5 p.m. Sunday for residents living along Highway 101 and east to Carpenterville Road starting just north of Brookings to the Pistol River area. Crews were going door to door to order immediate evacuations along Carpenterville Road, which runs about mile east of Highway 101.
Red Cross shelters evacuees as coastal fire grows
The Associated Press
A wildfire burning for more than a month has grown dramatically in recent days, forcing evacuations in southwest Oregon. The Red Cross said Monday it provided shelter to about 50 people who evacuated their homes because of the lightning-caused blaze that’s scorching the Kalmiopsis Wilderness.
Evacuation warning issued for Black Butte Ranch
Bend Bulletin
Black Butte Ranch west of Sisters was warned Monday of a possible evacuation due to the growing Milli Fire. Several subdivisions west of Sisters remain evacuated.
Where The Wildfires Are In The Pacific Northwest
Oregon Public Broadcasting
The summer has brought little rainfall, prompting fire protection districts and associations to declare fire season as conditions become drier and the temperatures rise. On Aug. 2, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown declared a state of emergency as wildfire danger increased across the state. Below, find a list of this season’s active wildfires in Oregon and southern Washington. This summer is expected to be average for wildfire activity.
ECLIPSE
Eclipse makes for spotty sales
Bend Bulletin
But other shop owners were disappointed that the crowds didn’t materialize, at least not in downtown Bend. Concerns about heavy traffic prompted some tourists to cancel hotel reservations in Bend, and locals appeared to be staying home. “I just think the overall hype, talking about how busy it was going to be, influenced people to not come at all,” said Jason Lusk, special projects and information specialist at Visit Bend.
Eclipse Mania Fizzles on the Coast, Leaving Some Businesses Disappointed
Willamette Week
“Business was probably the slowest it has been all summer, until right after the eclipse,” says Roxanne Talbot of Mo’s Chowder in Lincoln City. With prices too high for regular beachcombers, when reports of rain and fog came at the end of last week many beach-side cities didn’t get the bump they’d hoped for.
Crowds gather at Capitol to view eclipse
Portland Tribune
“The sun is winning!” said Secretary of State Dennis Richardson as the moon continued its journey. People applauded and cheered after the darkness lifted. Afterward, Brown appeared in awe. “It is a euphoric feeling,” Brown said. “It was absolutely stunning. There is no way to describe it in words.”
Register-Guard
After a weekend during which crowds of visitors consistently came in under expectations all along the eclipse’s path of totality in Oregon, many Lane County residents on Monday seemed happy to watch the rare eclipse at home or at work outside the path of totality, rather than travel to a prime local viewing area or drive into the path of totality.
HEALTH CARE
PacificSource Health Plans reports rising profits and revenues in first half of its fiscal year
Register-Guard
In a statement, Peter Davidson, PacificSource executive vice president and chief financial officer, said the firm’s diversified approach across different insurance markets and geographies is helping the company in a challenging time for the insurance industry. “We continue to see steady growth in our commercial lines of business as well as improvements in the performance of the individual and small employer group markets,” he said. “Additionally, we’ve had great success this year in helping self-insured employers with their company health plans.”
ELECTIONS
Oregon Democrats hold the legislature, but crossover voting gives GOP a boost
Daily Kos
Daily Kos Elections’ project to calculate the 2016 presidential results for every state legislative seat in the nation comes to Oregon, a rare state where Democrats have control over both the governorship and both houses of the legislature.
OTHER NEWS
Oregon leadership split on level of Trump criticism
Bend Bulletin
In Oregon, state Rep. Knute Buehler, R-Bend, has maintained a consistent if low-key and measured response to Trump going back to the Republican primary. Buehler called on Trump last week to respond directly to radical right violence. “As Patty and I pray for those killed and injured in Charlottesville, we encourage the President to provide moral clarity required to condemn racism, fascism, and bigotry,” Buehler said. “Here in Oregon and across our great nation, we as a free people must be united in our rejection of such hatred with no qualifications whatsoever.”
OPINION
Editorial: Portland schools must strengthen teacher accountability in service of students
The Oregonian
It cannot be understated that the vast majority of teachers are honorable and committed to keeping their students safe — state laws and contract language should be working just as hard. The provisions that hold teachers accountable should be strengthened to reflect the important and vulnerable population these professionals serve. Our children.
Editorial: Don’t touch the animals? Not fair!
Portland Tribune
The decision to keep the fair a hands-on experience was a sensible one, and we encourage all local fair organizers — including those planning the 2018 event in Washington County — to do the same.
Guest column: Improving flows in the Deschutes River
Craig Horrell is the district manager for the Central Oregon Irrigation District
Upper Deschutes River winter flows are anticipated to dramatically increase from 100 cfs to new flow rates determined through a Habitat Conservation Plan Take Permit to be issued by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on July 31, 2019, significantly improving river health and habitat for listed and threatened ESA species, including the Oregon spotted frog. As stewards of our most precious resource, the goal of the districts is to deliver water efficiently to each of their patrons, while ensuring the needs of the community and the environment are met.
OREGONIANS IN CONGRESS
Willamette Week
House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) will venture into unfriendly territory this week as he travels to Portland to host a fundraiser for his colleague, U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) The event will be held in Portland on Wednesday Aug. 23 from 4 to 5:30 pm and will benefit the Walden Victory Fund, which he uses to support other candidates. The price tag: $2,700 per person for a “photo opportunity” or $1,000 per person simply to attend the reception.
NATIONAL NEWS
‘We Are Not Nation-Building Again,’ Trump Says While Unveiling Afghanistan Strategy
National Public Radio
President Trump declared that a hasty withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan “would create a vacuum” and that America is “not nation-building again; we are killing terrorists.” In a nationally broadcast address from Fort Myer in Virginia, Trump said he shares the American people’s “frustration” with the long-running war in Afghanistan and that his “original instinct was to pull out.” But he said the security threats the U.S. faces are “immense.”
US says some remains of sailors found on USS John McCain
The Associated Press
“The divers were able to locate some remains in those sealed compartments during their search today,” Swift said, adding that it was “premature to say how many and what the status of recovery of those bodies is.” “We will continue the search and rescue operations until the probability of discovering sailors is exhausted,” Swift said.
Speaker Paul Ryan at CNN town hall: Trump ‘messed up’ Charlottesville reaction
The Washington Post
House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said Monday that he was disappointed with President Donald Trump’s failure to denounce white supremacists in the wake of violence at a rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, but Ryan said he would not endorse an effort to formally censure Trump for his response. “I do believe he messed up in his comments on Tuesday,” Ryan said during a town hall on CNN. “I do think he could have done better.”