Every time an election comes around, our mailboxes fill to overflowing with colorful advertisements plastered with empty slogans. And the Voter’s Pamphlet isn’t any more informative than those mass-mailers, is it? Sure, each candidate promises to “fight” for all the right things, but don’t those all sound alike? Don’t you wish for the chance to ask the politicians your own questions? Don’t you want the opportunity to hear from the candidates directly instead of just reading advertising copy?
Well, we have now created a chance to do just that, with our Local Candidates’ Forum via Zoom, coming this Sunday October 25, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
The Disability Without Abuse Project is generously hosting this forum for us. The Project has been invited to challenge our local candidates on disabilities issues, but this forum is for you. So join us and ask about whatever issues are most on your mind. Even if you have already voted, this is your opportunity to bring your candidates into the conversation.
www.disabilitywithoutabuse.cominvited all of the candidates for the targeted positions. When two candidates accepted, there will be a debate. When only one candidate accepted, the forum for the open position will be in a town hall format. (And for candidates who have not accepted – it’s not too late to change your mind!)
The Debates:
for State Representative, 10th District: DAVID GOMBERG and MAX SHERMAN
The Town Halls:
State Senator, 5th District: MELISSA CRIBBENS
Judge of the Circuit Court, 17th District, Position 2: AMANDA BENJAMIN
Lincoln County Commissioner, Position 2: CLAIRE HALL
“I voted for Dick Anderson, a good guy — good for the state.
I have the utmost respect for Dick Anderson. He has been an active participant in the Lincoln City and Lincoln County communities. He doesn’t sit back waiting for someone else to solve a problem. Dick has a common sense approach to dealing with challenges. He tackled tough issues as mayor of Lincoln City—vacation rental dwelling and Roads End annexation. He volunteers when he sees the need and doesn’t wait for someone else to do it.
Salem needs more of this kind of thinking. Dick will stand up for the issues that affect the coast. He won’t abandon us and he will show up to tackle the tough issues.
I’ve voted for Dick Anderson to represent me in the Senate, I encourage you to do the same.
The views and opinions expressed in the above are strictly those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of NewsLincolnCounty.com. For those who would like to introduce a candidate for office in Salem just email your views and opinions to: Letter to the Editor at News@NewsLincolnCounty.com.
Wyden Introduces Legislation to Improve Soil Health, Crop Resilience and Address the Climate Crisis
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., has introduced legislation to help address the climate crisis by encouraging farming practices that improve soil health and crop resilience and lower the amount of carbon in the atmosphere.
“In 2020 alone, the climate crisis has delivered devastating wildfires, severe droughts and floods that decimated crops and with them the livelihoods of countless family farmersin Oregon and nationwide,” Wyden said. “Tackling the climate crisis head on through smart farming practices is a must and a significantvictory for both farmers and the environment.”
The Healthy Soils Healthy Climate Act builds on a 2018 Farm Bill provision authored by Wydenby creating a permanent soil health program through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The program would provide $100 million to producers who adopt practices designed to improve soil health through increasing carbon levels in soil. By promoting farming practices that capture carbon in soil, producers will improve soil health and crop resilience, while lowering the amount of carbon in the atmosphere.
The bill establishes protocols for measuring soil organic carbon levels before and after these practices begin in order to determine which farming practices store the most carbon. This is critical because there is a significant need for more science and data to determine which conservation methods are most effective at storing carbon in the soil to improve soil health.
The Healthy Soils Healthy Climate Act will also establish a Soil Health and Carbon Science Research Program at Agriculture Research Stations that would provide grants to land-grant colleges and universities to conduct research relating to soil health and carbon science and conduct research relating to soil health and carbon science at Agriculture Research Stations of the Department of Agriculture.
Governor Kate Brown Keeping a close eye on the Covid-19 virus
Governor Kate Brown Announces Updates to the County Watch List
(Salem, OR) — Governor Kate Brown today announced that Multnomah County has been added to the County Watch List. This addition comes after Multnomah County was removed from the Watch List on August 28. The county remains in Phase 1 of reopening, and it remains grouped with Clackamas and Washington Counties for future reopening decisions. Of these three counties, only Multnomah is on the Watch List at this time.
“Today marks the second time a county has been added back to the Watch List, as well as our state’s highest reported case count since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Governor Brown. “This is a sobering reminder that we cannot let down our guard. We must continue to be vigilant in protecting ourselves, our families, and our neighbors from the spread of this disease.
“With cold and flu season upon us—as well as the holidays—I am urging all Oregonians to continue following the advice and guidance of our medical experts. This means continually practicing physical distancing, wearing face coverings, washing your hands often, and staying home when sick. Unfortunately, this also means limiting travel and family and social get-togethers.”
Counties are placed on the Watch List when COVID-19 is spreading quickly and public health officials cannot trace that spread to specific sources—creating a potentially dangerous dynamic. Specific markers of this rapid community spread include when there is a sporadic case rate of 50 or more per 100,000 people in the last two weeks and the county has had more than five sporadic cases in the last two weeks (sporadic cases are those that cannot be traced to a source; they indicate community spread). Counties remain on the Watch List for a minimum of three weeks and until their sporadic case rates drop below these thresholds.
The County Watch List allows the state to prioritize resources and assistance to counties that are seeing the broadest spread of COVID-19. When a county is placed on the Watch List, the Oregon Health Authority increases monitoring and communication, and deploys additional technical assistance and resources, such as epidemiological support, case investigation, and contact tracing help.
The completeCounty Watch Listnow includes the following five counties: Benton, Clatsop, Malheur, Multnomah, and Umatilla.
6:40pm Report of a traffic crash on Highway 101 just north of Newport at 101 and NE 71st. Vehicle occupants are out of the wreckage and are denying medical evalulation.
6:41pm Single occupants in both cars. Both are out. Still denying medical evaluation.
