Veterans
*Homeless veterans face scarce housing
*Focusing on access: VA transitioning to more local clinics to reduce travel burdens on vets
*Veteran homelessness an ongoing homefront battle – MA
*Baker highlights opioid addiction toll on veterans – MA
*The Specter of Addiction and Suicide Among Veterans – Blog
*Walla Walla VA provides care for all veterans – Guest Opinion
*VA secretary says health appointments not completed within 30 days continues to grow
*Whistleblower Says VA Is Manipulating Benefits System To Reduce Backlog
*JBLM breaks ground on $11M traumatic brain-injury center
*More Help On The Way For Service Members With TBI, Other Injuries
*JBLM troops leaving service get help with their next mission: jobs
*Unseen veterans
*Local project aims to prevent homelessness among veterans – Guest Opinion
*VA rule could leave some homeless veterans out in the cold
*Ending veteran homelessness will take sustained political will – Guest Opinion
*Veterans drop hundreds of empty pill bottles in front of the White House
*Mapping Where and How America’s Veterans Live
*Virginia Becomes 1st State to “End” Veteran Homelessness
*VA enters stretch on goals for homelessness, claims backlog
*Established Veterans Groups Fight To Attract The Next Generation
*Charles Ramsey: The Man Supposed to Fix America’s Relationship With Cops
*AP Investigation: Broken system lets problem law enforcement officers jump from job to job
*Police Chiefs, Looking to Diversify Forces, Face Structural Hurdles
*Officials Debate Whether ‘Ferguson Effect’ Is Real
*Americans think crime is on the rise, aren’t so worried about being the victims of crime
*Marijuana is literally the least of the nation’s drug worries, the police have announced – Blog
*Who are the people in federal prison for drug crimes?
*Use of the death penalty is way down in recent years. Support for it is not.
*Ohio traffic-camera law takes enforcement to busy freeways
*New report: In tough times, police start seizing a lot more stuff from people – Blog
*Language, culture gaps make interacting with police difficult for Hispanic community
*Sex offenders sue California, claim Megan’s Law website puts them in danger
*Prop. 47: Deep split over law reducing 6 felonies to misdemeanors
Corrections
*The Calming of Incarcerated Minds
*Released Inmates Will Need More Than a ‘Ban the Box’ Measure to Rejoin Society
*How to help former inmates – Opinion
*Should Washington bring back parole?
*Unintended consequences of Prop. 47 pose challenge for criminal justice system – CA
*California’s Prop. 47 revolution: What happens when the inmates come home? – Opinion
*A Criminal Record and a Fair Shot at a Job – Opinion
*Prisons and Jails Put Transgender Inmates at Risk – Opinion
Marijuana
*Medford council bans all pot grows
*SW Washington Marijuana Sales Suffer As Oregon Stores Open
*Dozens have their say on Deschutes County marijuana limits
*Zapped by indoor grows
*Marijuana products pulled in Denver in largest pesticide recalls
*Pet owners try cannabis to treat animals
*Lobbyist champions pot edibles industry
*Federal judge slaps Justice Department for limits on medical marijuana
*The Next Internet? Marijuana Delivered as Easy as Pizza
*Denver seeks to bar new players in medical and retail marijuana
*S.F. cabbies with medical pot cards to steer clear of discipline
*Pot farmers’ pesticides poisoning small forest animals
*Bend marijuana strikes a reasonable balance – Opinion
*It’s not all legal: Rogue Valley police still seizing marijuana
Insurance
*Small Businesses Snub Obamacare’s SHOP Exchange
*Marketplace Plans Covering Out-Of-Network Care Harder To Find
*Cost of Cheapest Obamacare Plans Is Soaring – Guest Opinion
*As opioid costs spike, insurers take action
*Colorado to vote on single-payer state health-care system
*If you don’t have to buy flood insurance, should you?
Housing
*Good news for Portland renters: New rules mean more notice for rent hikes, no-cause evictions
*Bend’s housing challenge hits the middle
*Restore affordable housing fee – Opinion
*Monthly home prices down in Bend, up in Redmond
*Bend should encourage, not require, affordable housing – Opinion
*Bay Area group’s housing solution: Punish cities that don’t build
*Founder of Banking Startup Simple Warns His Silicon Valley Pals: Don’t Ruin Portland
*Housing market is a year behind
*County, city must get in sync on ADU’s – Opinion
*Berlin Just Showed the World How to Keep Housing Affordable
*Affordable Housing Is a Moral Choice (and the Numbers Prove It)
*Amid the Bay Area’s Housing Crisis, Palo Alto is ‘Preserving’ One-Story Homes
*Why Governments Declare a Homeless State of Emergency
Labor
*After years out of a job, older employees find a way back in
*Washington Restaurant Association Declares Support For Higher Minimum Wage
*How robots will even affect the jobs of people we thought were immune – Blog
*The states where blacks are much less likely to have a job than whites – Blog
*State workforce can’t keep up with projected job openings – MA
*Apprenticeships play a vital role in meeting Idaho’s workforce needs – Guest Opinion
*Job training system in Mass. falls short, study says
*Why the success of the $15 minimum wage movement has surprised its leaders
*Apprenticeships offer debt-free job training – Guest Opinion
*The decline of America’s white working class – Guest Opinion
Juvenile Justice
*Schools tackle the ‘pipeline to prison’
*Cooperation will pay off for youth offenders – Opinion
*What Mass Incarceration Looks Like for Juveniles – Guest Opinion
Economy
*How Apprenticeship Will Save The American Economy
*The Mystery of the Vanishing Pay Raise
*The Economic Case for Undocumented Immigrants
*Baby boomers are what’s wrong with America’s economy
*This chart says America’s not miserable anymore. It’s pretty much wrong – Blog
*Vivek Wadhwa and Edward Alden: America isn’t fading. We’re still No. 1 — and rising – Guest Opinion
*Great news! We’re not doomed to soaring health care costs – Opinion
*How Fed interest rate hikes could affect homebuying and saving
*Interest rates will stay near zero, Fed announces
*Strong Growth in Jobs May Encourage Fed to Raise Rates
*US home values and rents steadily rising in a resilient housing market
*US economy likely crawled in the July-September quarter in a year of dizzying ups and downs
*Economy slowed to 1.5 percent growth in third quarter
*Private survey: US services firms grew solidly in October; new orders and hiring improved
*US trade deficit fell to 7-month low of $40.8 billion; oil imports smallest since 2004
*US factory orders fell 1 pct. in September, with weakness in aircraft and business investment
*US manufacturing grew at slowest pace in 2½ years in October as more factories cut jobs
*US productivity slows to 1.6 percent rate in Q3, while labor costs rebound
*US hiring surged in October with 271,000 jobs added; unemployment dips to 5 pct. from 5.1 pct.
*US wholesale stockpiles rise 0.5 percent in September; sales also climb
*The October Jobs Numbers Are a Big Relief
*US job openings rise 2.8 percent in September but hiring close to flat
*Consumer comfort steadies after a 3-week decrease
Economic Development
*A look at the ‘Big Bend Theory,’ and growing our regional tech hub – Blog
*Building a strong economy, a healthier workforce – Opinion
*Welcome to Jobs Inc., Where States Have Little Say in Economic Development
*Umatilla County gives $600,000 to EOTEC
*Getting the word out
*Colorado rurality an urban legend
Legal
*Most poor Washingtonians don’t get legal help they need
*Poor Criminal Defendants Face ‘Too Many Barriers’ To Get Lawyers, Says DOJ (US)
Federal Government
*Dreading those recreational drones – Guest Opinion
*Western senators launch effort to reform mining law to spur cleanup
*Placing a Cap on Americans’ Consumption of Added Sugar – Blog
*HUD proposes smoking ban in public housing, citing dangers of secondhand smoke
*Limit smoking ban in public housing – Opinion
U.S. Congress (Oregon Delegation)
*Senators write in support of Newport Coast Guard helicopter base
*A big win for Rep. ‘Death Panel’ – Opinion
*Walden gets front line input on mental health issues
*Wyden talks about pushing for VA health care changes
*Wyden bill aims to ease recreation access
*Lane County Commissioner Faye Stewart running for U.S. Senate seat
Local Government
*Metro votes against expanding growth boundary
*Is 2015 the Year of the Electric Municipal Fleet?
*Gas tax likely, but still up in the air
*Safety, location are keys – Opinion
*Gas tax is better than other choices – Opinion
*Portland’s mayor: Big fossil fuel projects? Just say no
*Coos County gun rights measure handily approved by voters
*Umatilla to remove non-native plants from Old Town site
*Convicted Jefferson County treasurer resigns
*Portland approves vision for Post Office property, closes in on $80 million deal
*Pendleton cautiously considers river walk extension
*Umatilla County OKs $150k for Pendleton radar
*Homeless in Coquille
Business
*Avago Technologies buys former Hynix chip plant in Eugene
*Some of Oregon’s biggest companies are in for a windfall if the Trans Pacific Partnership passes
*Adidas offers to help eliminate Native American mascots
*Available office, industrial space in Bend shrinks
*Small Investors To Fund Small Businesses On Internet Sites
*East Coast cities vie for Deschutes Brewery
*Eugene startup receives $75,000 investment to further develop software for food-buying clubs
Courts
*Johnson, Hoddle file for judge
*’Business Courts’ Take on Complex Corporate Conflicts
*Supreme Court tackles sinister trends – Guest Opinion
*An A in mental health: County’s treatment court graduates record number
*Mental decline in judges
*Appeals court rules against Obama immigration plan
*Supreme Court case pits privacy rights against Internet data brokers
*Supporters In Congress Make New Attempt To Revive The Export-Import Bank
*End the PIN war – Opinion
Homeless veterans face scarce housing (Daily Astorian)
-A presentation by the Lower Columbia Diversity Project reveals that not even vouchers guarantee housing because the supply is so short.-
Homeless veterans in Clatsop County live at the intersection of well-known social scourges: poverty, unemployment, drug and alcohol abuse, scant options for mental health treatment, the stigma of “weakness” surrounding the act of asking for help — and, of course, the dearth of affordable housing on the North Coast.
Focusing on access: VA transitioning to more local clinics to reduce travel burdens on vets (La Grande Observer)
The latest trend in veteran health care may leave the Veterans’ Administration cutting the check. “We purchase a lot of care,” said Brian Westfield, director of the Jonathan M. Wainwright Memorial VA Medical Center in Walla Walla, Washington.
Veteran homelessness an ongoing homefront battle – MA (Boston Globe)
After a three-year naval deployment in Southeast Asia on the USS Shasta , a divorce, and losing his job because of a boxing injury, Ed Nelson’s hunt for home security became more peripatetic than his tour of duty had been.
Baker highlights opioid addiction toll on veterans– MA (Boston Globe)
Governor Charlie Baker, calling opioid addiction among veterans a “hugely important” issue, pledged Thursday at a center for homeless and disabled Iraq and Afghanistan veterans to keep his administration focused on ways to curb the epidemic.
The Specter of Addiction and Suicide Among Veterans – Blog (New York Times)
As suicide attempts go, mine was of the halfhearted variety. In fact, some might even argue that it was no attempt at all. The police arrived at my Austin home following a fight I’d had in the driveway with my friend Bill, who’s also a veteran. Bill had been called
over to the house by my then girlfriend because she was worried about the way I was acting.
Walla Walla VA provides care for all veterans – Guest Opinion (East Oregonian)
On Veterans Day, the nation pauses to recognize and honor all men and women who took up arms in defense of America. Our nation owes veterans a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid.
VA secretary says health appointments not completed within 30 days continues to grow(Eugene Register Guard)
Veterans’ hospitals and clinics are beefing up staff and seeing more patients, but the number of appointments not completed within 30 days continues to grow, Department of Veterans Affairs Robert McDonald said Friday.
Speaking at the National Press Club in advance of Veterans Day, McDonald described a VA that is doing much to address problems that investigators say caused chronic delays for veterans seeking care.
Whistleblower Says VA Is Manipulating Benefits System To Reduce Backlog(Oregon Public Broadcasting)
Joshua Peargin was born and raised in Sweet Home, Oregon. He joined the military shortly after 9/11 and was deployed three times.
A couple of years ago, he got a job comparing VA forms with veterans’ benefit claims.
JBLM breaks ground on $11M traumatic brain-injury center(Seattle Times)
-A public-private partnership funds a new center to treat traumatic brain injury at JBLM. The facility broke ground on Thursday.-
By the time Staff Sgt. Spencer Milo arrived for treatment outside of Washington, D.C., he had suffered two traumatic brain injuries in two different wars and was taking more than a dozen different medications.
More Help On The Way For Service Members With TBI, Other Injuries(Oregon Public Broadcasting)
Joint Base Lewis-McChord near Tacoma, Washington, has broken ground on a new clinic to diagnose and treat service members for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), PTSD, and other psychological health conditions. The clinic is funded by a private foundation called the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund.
JBLM troops leaving service get help with their next mission: jobs(Seattle Times)
-On-duty training at Joint Base Lewis-McChord is part of a push to improve employment prospects for servicemen and women headed for civilian life. Microsoft as well as Starbucks chief executive Howard Schultz’s foundation are among those helping.-
Spc. Josue Garcia is a diesel mechanic but no longer spends his days in the shop fixing vehicles. Instead, as he nears the end of his service, he’s getting paid by the Army to study for a new career in computer programming that he plans to undertake after he leaves the
military.
Unseen Veterans (Albany Democrat Herald)
Steven Olson, a 23-year-old Linn-Benton Community College student, remembers a young woman in one of his classes asking him if he was really a veteran.
Local project aims to prevent homelessness among veterans – Guest Opinion (Eugene Register Guard)
In communities across the nation, a concerted and long-overdue effort is underway to house homeless veterans.
Locally, that effort has taken the form of federally funded programs administered by the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Lane County and the Housing and Community Services Agency of Lane County.
VA rule could leave some homeless veterans out in the cold(Spokane Spokesman-Review)
Some homeless veterans could soon be turned away from a program that provides them with temporary shelter.
The Department of Veterans Affairs expects to decide this month whether to start denying temporary housing to veterans who received a less than honorable discharge or served fewer than two continuous years in the military.
Ending veteran homelessness will take sustained political will – Guest Opinion (San Francisco Chronicle)
Veterans make up as many as 1 out of 4 of America’s homeless, and San Francisco is no exception. During his visit to welcome new residents to Veterans Academy, Swords and Plowshares’ permanent housing facility in the Presidio, Mayor Ed Lee acknowledged as much when he noted that, “These great people have served our country, and now they need homes.”
Veterans drop hundreds of empty pill bottles in front of the White House(Washington Post)
A couple dozen servicemen and women marched to the White House this Veterans Day and dumped a large box of empty pill containers, calling on the president and other federal officials to make medical marijuana accessible to veterans.
Mapping Where and How America’s Veterans Live(CityLab – Atlantic Magazine)
-New maps from the U.S. Census Bureau offer details about veterans’ lives. But there’s a darker story to be told.-
There are more than 21.3 million veterans in the U.S. today. And according to a new set of maps from the U.S. Census Bureau, they were enlisted in the military as far back as the pre-World War II era. The majority of them live in the eastern part of the country and along the West Coast, making up no more than 14 percent of each state.
Virginia Becomes 1st State to “End” Veteran Homelessness (Governing)
The state hasn’t declared victory in the war against veteran homelessness, but officials say they have won a key battle.
Virginia has, as of now, the resources to house any homeless veteran who seeks help. They’re calling it a “functional end” to homelessness among the state’s 800,000 veterans.
VA enters stretch on goals for homelessness, claims backlog(La Grande Observer)
Though it has made much progress, the Department of Veterans Affairs is likely to miss its target on two ambitious goals: ending veteran homelessness in 2015 and ending the backlog in disability claims.
Established Veterans Groups Fight To Attract The Next Generation(Oregon Public Broadcasting)
At American Legion Post 87 in High Point, N.C., the bar is jumping, even though some of the patrons are almost 70 years old.
“The sad part is, some of the older vets, the World War II, the Korea vets, they’re passing on,” says Fred Iannone, the post’s commander. “The Vietnam veterans so far, we’re holding our own.
Charles Ramsey: The Man Supposed to Fix America’s Relationship With Cops(Governing)
-Obama called on Philadelphia Police Chief Charles Ramsey, among others, to change the future of law enforcement. Will his unorthodox ideas make a difference or just alienate his fellow officers?-
American policing has a problem. Fifteen months after the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., a majority of blacks and Latinos believe law enforcement operates unfairly. Subsequent cases of apparent police abuse — Eric Garner in Staten Island and Freddie Gray in Baltimore, among others — have reinforced this impression, deepening mistrust.
AP Investigation: Broken system lets problem law enforcement officers jump from job to job(Eugene Register Guard)
Law enforcement officers accused of sexual misconduct have jumped from job to job — and at times faced fresh allegations that include raping women — because of a tattered network of laws and lax screening that allowed them to stay on the beat.
A yearlong Associated Press investigation into sex abuse by cops, jail guards, deputies and other state law enforcement officials uncovered a broken system for policing bad officers, with significant flaws in how agencies deal with those suspected of sexual misconduct and glaring warning signs that go unreported or get overlooked.
Police Chiefs, Looking to Diversify Forces, Face Structural Hurdles(New York Times)
When William T. Riley III became the police chief of this small city west of Detroit this summer, he found a department that bore little resemblance to the city it served.
Nearly three-fourths of Inkster’s 25,000 residents are black. Its mayor and all six City Council members are, too. Yet in a newly released Justice Department survey, it was listed among the nation’s least representative police forces, with 21 white officers and five
black officers.
Officials Debate Whether ‘Ferguson Effect’ Is Real (New York Times)
A rift widened Wednesday within the Obama administration over the politically charged question of whether a surge in crime in some cities reflects the reluctance of the police to confront suspicious people because of increased public scrutiny of their behavior.
Americans think crime is on the rise, aren’t so worried about being the victims of crime(Washington Post)
Americans are a complex bunch.
Consider the American mind on the state of American crime circa 2015: Americans are worried. They think crime is going up in the United States, and most Americans think crime in this country is a pretty serious problem. But we should also consider this about the American mind on the state of American crime circa 2015: Americans are not so worried, at least not when it comes to what are called confrontational crimes — robberies, muggings, that sort of thing.
Marijuana is literally the least of the nation’s drug worries, the police have announced – Blog (Washington Post)
America’s cops overwhelmingly do not see marijuana as a major threat to their communities, according to results of a survey released this week as part of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s “2015 National Drug Threat Assessment Summary.”
The DEA asked a nationally representative sample of over 1,000 law enforcement agencies what they saw as their biggest drug threats.
Who are the people in federal prison for drug crimes?(Washington Post)
Thousands of federal prisoners have been released in recent days, their sentences reduced amid a growing, bipartisan sentiment that harsh punishments for drug offenders put into place in recent decades were too severe.
Use of the death penalty is way down in recent years. Support for it is not(Washington Post)
From the floor of the Senate last week, Bernie Sanders made an unusual proposal for a presidential candidate.
“I believe the time is now for the United States to end capital punishment,” Sanders said.
Ohio traffic-camera law takes enforcement to busy freeways(Seattle Times)
A state law meant to effectively ban the use of traffic enforcement cameras is proving to have unintended consequences: motorists speeding along busy Ohio freeways getting a lot more tickets.
The Legislature thought it could end unpopular traffic-camera enforcement with a provision requiring a full-time officer to be present when an automated enforcement camera catches a speeder.
New report: In tough times, police start seizing a lot more stuff from people – Blog (Washington Post)
Recent years have brought public scrutiny on a controversial law enforcement practice known as civil asset forfeiture, which lets police seize and keep cash and property from people who are never convicted — and in many cases, even charged — with wrongdoing.
Language, culture gaps make interacting with police difficult for Hispanic community(The Olympian)
Often, people call the police during the most stressful moments of their lives: when their cars are broken into, when their purses are stolen, when they’re being hurt by a family member.
Communicating what happened can be difficult, even if English is the victim’s first language.
Sex offenders sue California, claim Megan’s Law website puts them in danger(Sacramento Bee)
Two registered sex offenders are suing California for alleged lax management of an online sex offender database, saying a lack of timely information prompted vigilantes to attack them for past crimes.
Prop. 47: Deep split over law reducing 6 felonies to misdemeanors(San Francisco Chronicle)
One year after the passage of Proposition 47, the debate around the California initiative that reduced six nonviolent felonies including drug possession to misdemeanors is only intensifying.
The Calming of Incarcerated Minds(Governing)
-Meditation can improve inmates’ mental health better than traditional care, which is why it’s being reintroduced in some prisons.-
Back in the 1970s, thousands of inmates in such forbidding maximum security prisons as California’s San Quentin and Folsom were introduced to meditation. The positive psychological impact on those prisoners was documented in a number of studies. But enthusiasm for prison meditation programs eventually died down as private funding faltered and a more punitive approach to prison management took
hold.
Released Inmates Will Need More Than a ‘Ban the Box’ Measure to Rejoin Society(CityLab – Atlantic Magazine)
-There are three major areas where newly released federal inmates will encounter difficulties: obtaining jobs, obtaining housing, and voting.-
President Obama announced Monday that his administration will refrain from asking about a job seeker’s criminal background at the application stage for most positions. Riding the wave of similar “ban the box” policies passed in numerous cities across the country,
the president’s action* aims to help ease the process of securing jobs for those coming out of prison, in hopes that the gainfully employed will be less inclined to return.
How to help former inmates – Opinion (Portland Oregonian)
When I was released from jail, I needed help from the District with finding safe and affordable housing and getting a job. I went to the government office charged with helping formerly incarcerated residents, known as “returning citizens,” but I received no help.
Should Washington bring back parole? (Seattle Times)
In Washington state, a fledgling movement is looking at bringing back parole to reduce the number of people behind bars. Liberals and conservatives nationwide are questioning “tough-on-crime” policies that have contributed to the world’s highest incarceration rate.
Unintended consequences of Prop. 47 pose challenge for criminal justice system (Los Angeles Times)
Semisi Sina has kept sheriff’s deputies busy in the last year.
The 30-year-old has stolen bicycles from his Hacienda Heights neighborhood. He has skipped out on drug treatment and kept up his meth habit.
California’s Prop. 47 revolution: What happens when the inmates come home? – Opinion (Los Angeles Times)
As 6,000 drug offenders are released from federal prisons months or even years earlier than they had expected due to Obama administration criminal justice reforms, and as thousands more leave California prisons after having their felony sentences reclassified as misdemeanors under Proposition 47, the surge in inmate releases may focus the public’s attention on the wrong problem.
A Criminal Record and a Fair Shot at a Job – Opinion (New York Times)
Nineteen states and 100 cities and counties forbid public agencies — and in some cases, private businesses — to ask job applicants about criminal convictions until later in the application process, when they have had a fair chance to prove their qualifications.
Prisons and Jails Put Transgender Inmates at Risk – Opinion (New York Times)
During the many months she spent in immigration detention centers and a county jail, Estrella Sánchez, who is seeking asylum, became used to mockery from guards, taunts from fellow inmates and a deep sense of isolation.
Medford council bans all pot grows(Medford Mail Tribune)
-Councilors say the city has heard many informal complaints-
The Medford City Council banned outdoor and indoor pot grows Thursday, citing the threat of increased crime in the city and complaints from neighbors about odors and other issues.
SW Washington Marijuana Sales Suffer As Oregon Stores Open (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
Recreational marijuana sales in Washington have increased each month since legalization took effect last year.
According to Washington’s Liquor Control Board, sales topped $61 million in October, up from $59.6 million in September.
Dozens have their say on Deschutes County marijuana limits(Bend Bulletin)
-Neighbors, growers appear before planning commission-
Deschutes County residents weighed in for the first time Thursday on a package of proposed marijuana regulations for unincorporated areas.
About 60 people attended a Deschutes County Planning Commission meeting and dozens addressed the proposed restrictions during a public comment period.
Zapped by indoor grows (Medford Mail Tribune)
Pacific Power has warned customers planning on cultivating marijuana indoors to have their electrical systems checked before turning on the grow lights.
Since July 1, seven indoor grow operations have overloaded equipment and caused outages, mostly in the northern part of the state. Homeowners were billed on average $5,000 for overburdening and damaging power company equipment, Pacific Power said.
Marijuana products pulled in Denver in largest pesticide recalls(Denver Post)
-In the two largest recalls of infused pot products to date, EdiPure and Gaia’s Garden call back nearly 30,000 packages of edibles-
Nearly 30,000 packages of marijuana-infused edibles in Colorado were recalled voluntarily in the past few days because they contain potentially dangerous pesticides that are banned for use on cannabis
Pet owners try cannabis to treat animals(Bend Bulletin)
If you were in pain, you might consider turning to medical marijuana. But what about cannabis for your pets? In dog-centric Bend, a trend in cannabis may be picking up steam — cannabis treats, capsules and topicals for canines and cats, to help manage pain or
behavior.
Lobbyist champions pot edibles industry(Daily Astorian)
-A new Oregon Responsible Edibles Council plans to give voice to the marijuana edibles industry.-
Pot brownies? There’s a lobbyist for that.
As the legalized marijuana industry expands in Oregon, growers, processors, manufacturers and retailers are joining forces to lobby for the interests of their niche market.
Federal judge slaps Justice Department for limits on medical marijuana(Los Angeles Times)
A recent federal court ruling in San Francisco is a blow to Justice Department efforts to limit the sale of medical marijuana in California and 22 other states, according to legal experts and government officials.
Ed. Note:
Related Story: State Laws: A widening embrace of marijuana (Los Angeles Times)
Although polls show Americans have warmed to the idea of legalizing cannabis, law has lagged behind sentiment. Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia have enacted medical marijuana laws, and four states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational use of pot.
The Next Internet? Marijuana Delivered as Easy as Pizza(New York Times)
One morning in September, I logged on to the website of HelloMD, a medical start-up that promises to connect patients with doctors instantly over the Internet. I filled out my personal details, explained my ailment — I often get heartburn — and entered in my credit
card number to cover the $50 consultation fee.
Denver seeks to bar new players in medical and retail marijuana(Denver Post)
-Proposals to City Council would extend 2-year moratorium on new entrants for recreational pot licenses and add ban on new medical licenses-
Denver’s marijuana regulators are asking the City Council to expand rules that would bar any new players from entering the state’s largest market.
For two years, a city moratorium aimed at controlling industry growth has allowed only existing medical marijuana businesses to open recreational dispensaries, grow houses or edible manufacturers.
S.F. cabbies with medical pot cards to steer clear of discipline(San Francisco Chronicle)
How’s this for a twist? San Francisco’s Municipal Transportation Agency has voted to begin testing taxi drivers for marijuana — but drivers can get a pass if they have a medical marijuana card.
Pot farmers’ pesticides poisoning small forest animals(San Francisco Chronicle)
Fishers, those rare little forest animals barely larger than a big house cat, are dying from rat poisons left behind by illegal marijuana growers in California who abandon their plantations when the law closes in.
Bend marijuana strikes a reasonable balance – Opinion (Bend Bulletin)
Neither Bend-La Pine Schools nor the Bend Park & Recreation District is particularly happy with a proposed city ordinance governing retail recreational marijuana sales inside the city limits. Each believes the city should put more limits on where marijuana can be
sold, and each plans to ask the city to put stricter limits in place.
It’s not all legal: Rogue Valley police still seizing marijuana(Medford Mail Tribune)
-There’s still a black market demand for Oregon pot-
Legalizing recreational marijuana hasn’t rendered pot seizures a thing of the past, thanks to lure of the black market in other states.
Small Businesses Snub Obamacare’s SHOP Exchange(The Lund Report)
After nearly two years in operation and millions of dollars spent in development, the small business health insurance exchange created by the Affordable Care Act is struggling to catch on.
Nationally, about 85,000 people, from 11,000 small businesses, have coverage through the online marketplace known as the Small Business Health Options Program, or SHOP, according to the latest federal data released in May.
Marketplace Plans Covering Out-Of-Network Care Harder To Find(The Lund Report)
Health plans that offer coverage of doctors and hospitals outside the plan’s network are getting harder to find on the insurance marketplaces, according to two analyses published this week.
Two-thirds of the 131 carriers that offered silver-level preferred provider organization plans in 2015 will either drop them entirely or offer fewer of them in January, an analysis by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation found.
Analysis available at:
http://www.rwjf.org/content/dam/farm/reports/issue_briefs/2015/rwjf424457
Cost of Cheapest Obamacare Plans Is Soaring – Guest Opinion (Bend Bulletin)
Last week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released the 2016 premium data for the “benchmark” plans in the states using federal exchanges. Those are the second-lowest-cost Silver plans in each area.
This data, which showed premiums rising an average of 7.5 percent, is useful. But it is limited. We’d like to think that this tells us “how much premiums went up,” but it’s not that simple.
As opioid costs spike, insurers take action(Boston Globe)
Michael “Seme” Semertgakis just celebrated a birthday. He made it to 42.
He was not always certain he would get here, after spending much of the past 18 years in the grip of heroin addiction, coming close to death more than once.
Colorado to vote on single-payer state health-care system(Denver Post)
-Proposal would make Colorado first state to provide health care-
Colorado voters will decide next year whether this state should be the first to pay for comprehensive health care for residents.
Proponents of a single-payer state system gathered enough signatures to put ColoradoCare on the ballot, the secretary of state’s office announced Monday.
If you don’t have to buy flood insurance, should you?(San Francisco Chronicle)
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is encouraging Californians to buy flood insurance before El Niño hits, even if they live in low- to moderate-risk areas where it’s not required by lenders.
“If there was ever a time to buy flood insurance, this is the time,” Roy Wright, FEMA’s deputy associate administrator for insurance and mitigation, said at a press conference last month.
Good news for Portland renters: New rules mean more notice for rent hikes, no-cause evictions(Portland Oregonian)
New rules take effect Friday in Portland requiring landlords to give 90 days’ notice before no-cause evictions or rent increases of 5 percent or more.
Bend’s housing challenge hits the middle (Bend Bulletin)
-How rent controls work, and who’s left out-
Being down and out in Bend, at least in terms of finding a place to live, is increasingly a middle-class problem.
The City Council has made creating affordable housing a priority, but because of the rules that govern such housing, middle-income earners are often unable to qualify for rent-controlled homes. Such homes are one of the city’s main tools to address its housing woes.
Restore affordable housing fee – Opinion (Bend Bulletin)
Bend city councilors are poised to restore an affordable housing fee that was reduced slightly during the recent recession. It’s a good idea.
Currently, builders of all types of structures, from homes to hardware stores, pay one-fifth of 1 percent of the value of every new building into the affordable housing fund. When it was originally put in place in 2006, the fee was set at one-third of 1 percent.
Monthly home prices down in Bend, up in Redmond(Bend Bulletin)
-But median single-family-home prices up in both cities year over year-
The median price for a single-family home in Bend fell about 2 percent last month over September, according to a report released Friday, while the median price in Redmond increased by about the same percentage.
Bend should encourage, not require, affordable housing – Opinion (Bend Bulletin)
Bend isn’t out of carrots, but there’s been some consideration of using more sticks to encourage affordable housing.
Bend City Councilor Nathan Boddie favors requiring people who wish their property to join the city to set aside land for affordable housing.
“If you want to be part of the city, we expect you to play along and provide some workforce housing,” Boddie said recently.
Bay Area group’s housing solution: Punish cities that don’t build(San Francisco Chronicle)
To keep the Bay Area economy strong, all nine counties and 101 cities must work as a unified entity — adding housing and coordinating mass transit and road projects — according to a report from an influential business group.
But many of the group’s recommendations are sure to face resistance.
Founder of Banking Startup Simple Warns His Silicon Valley Pals: Don’t Ruin Portland(Willamette Week)
-“It’s not hard to spot affluent people who are scouting out Portland as a possible new home – lifestyle shopping.”-
Alex Payne is the founder of Simple, an online banking service headquartered in downtown Portland. He’s also a transplant who arrived here from San Francisco.
And today, he sent out a warning to his fellow tech entrepreneurs: If you move to Portland, you’d better come with housing solutions.
Housing market is a year behind(Portland Tribune)
State Treasurer Ted Wheeler and Portland State University Associate Professor Gerard Mildner questioned the City Council’s recent strategy for increasing affordable housing spending during a large gathering of homebuilders on Friday.
County, city must get in sync on ADU’s(Portland Tribuneg)
If you were disappointed to see a modest increase in your home’s property taxes when annual tax bills arrived in the mail recently, just think how Randal Groves felt to see his bill jump by an unbelievable 500 percent.
Berlin Just Showed the World How to Keep Housing Affordable(CityLab – Atlantic Magazine)
-Under a new plan, low-income tenants of public housing will pay less than a third of their income in rent.-
Beginning January 1, many Berlin housing project residents can expect a cut in their rent. The cost of public housing in the city is just too high, the Berlin Senate ruled today, and from now on the rent tenants pay will be directly linked to how much they earn.
Affordable Housing Is a Moral Choice (and the Numbers Prove It)(CityLab – Atlantic Magazine)
-A new tool shows that developers can profit by building affordable housing almost anywhere.-
It can feel like a mantra among private developers: Requirements by municipal governments to include affordable units in market-rate housing developments make those developments unprofitable, even unfeasible. It may be one of the most frequently repeated claims about housing in general. Can it possibly be right?
Amid the Bay Area’s Housing Crisis, Palo Alto is ‘Preserving’ One-Story Homes(CityLab – Atlantic Magazine)
-A zoning change in a “historic” neighborhood disguises politics as preservation.-
With housing in extraordinarily high demand and at a very low supply, Palo Alto has recently topped lists of U.S. cities with the highest median rent in the country. And yet on Monday, city council members unanimously approved a request permitting the Los Arboles neighborhood (where median household income is about three times the national average) to adopt a “single-story overlay” zone, banning new two-story homes or second-story additions.
Why Governments Declare a Homeless State of Emergency(Governing)
-Three cities, one county and a state have suspended laws that hamper their ability to address homelessness. But why now and what does it mean?-
“State of emergency” typically brings to mind a natural disaster — say, a hurricane in the Florida Keys or a tornado in the Great Plains. But in the past few months, public officials in Los Angeles; Portland, Ore.; Seattle and King County, Wash.; and Hawaii have used the phrase to describe a different kind of crisis: rising homelessness.
After years out of a job, older employees find a way back in (Bend Bulletin)
After five years of being unemployed or underemployed, Rosanna Horton, 55, is back where she wants to be: working full time.
Washington Restaurant Association Declares Support For Higher Minimum Wage(Oregon Public Broadcasting)
There’s a surprise newcomer to the campaign for a higher minimum wage in Washington. It’s the state’s restaurant association.
How robots will even affect the jobs of people we thought were immune – Blog (Washington Post)
We’re used to thinking that the jobs that are most likely to be taken over by automation are low-skilled ones: clerks, lowly paper pushers, assembly line workers. In contrast, those on the very high end of the wage scale — doctors, CEOs and hedge fund managers — seem like they will be comfortably insulated from the robot revolution.
The states where blacks are much less likely to have a job than whites – Blog (Washington Post)
Black unemployment in Ohio is 3.3 times higher than it is for whites. In Illinois, it’s also 3.3 times as high. And the disparity is similar across the country.
The black unemployment rate is more than double the white rate in 20 out of the 24 states with populations large enough for accurate estimates, according to new research on unemployment by state and race for the third quarter of the year.
State workforce can’t keep up with projected job openings – MA (Boston Globe)
Most of the projected job openings in Massachusetts over the next seven years will not require a four-year college degree, but an already strained vocational education system will be unable to train enough people to fill those vacancies, according to a report to be released Monday.
It warns that the state faces severe labor shortages in health care, manufacturing, and other key industries as an expanding economy and retiring baby boomers create some 1.2 million job openings by 2022.
Apprenticeships play a vital role in meeting Idaho’s workforce needs – Guest Opinion (Idaho Statesman)
In Idaho and across the nation, apprenticeships hold training opportunities in industries we don’t normally think of, such as health care, information technology, advanced manufacturing, transportation and energy.
Job training system in Mass. falls short, study says(Boston Globe)
-State facing lack of labor-
Most of the projected job openings in Massachusetts over the next seven years will not require a four-year college degree, but an already strained vocational education system will be unable to train enough people to fill those vacancies, according to a report to be released Monday.
Why the success of the $15 minimum wage movement has surprised its leaders(Los Angeles Times)
Nearly three years ago, a group of about 200 workers at McDonald’s, Taco Bell and other New York City fast-food restaurants walked off the job and rallied for higher wages.
It was widely described as the largest series of demonstrations ever in the fast-food industry.
Apprenticeships offer debt-free job training – Guest Opinion (Los Angeles Times)
Debt-free degrees are a pipe dream — but not the kind you’re thinking of.
Each year, 170,000 Americans enroll in apprenticeship programs to learn trades — such as pipe-fitting, bricklaying and plumbing — that will catapult them to the middle class. These tradesmen-in-training not only avoid crippling student debt, they “earn while they learn.”
And because apprenticeships are privately funded, they do so without costing taxpayers a dime.
The decline of America’s white working class – Guest Opinion (Chicago Tribune)
The news this week that the death rate of middle-aged American whites — more particularly, working-class middle-aged American whites — is rising, while that of all other Americans continues to fall, is appalling. But it should come as no surprise.
Schools tackle the ‘pipeline to prison’(North Jersey News)
A student who did bike tricks in a crosswalk during dismissal was charged with disorderly conduct. Another who entered school grounds while on suspension was accused of criminal trespassing. A third, who tampered with an elevator, causing “public annoyance and alarm,” was hit with a criminal mischief charge.
Cooperation will pay off for youth offenders– Opinion (Bend Bulletin)
Deschutes County and J Bar J Youth Services have come up with an arrangement that will be a boon to both sides. Given the sometimes tense relationship between the County Commission and the youth facility in the past, that’s good news.
J Bar J operates the J Bar J Youth Ranch east of Bend. It contracts with the state to provide behavior rehabilitation for young male offenders through a program that provides, among other things, counseling, skills training and service-learning projects.
What Mass Incarceration Looks Like for Juveniles – Guest Opinion (New York Times)
After two decades of researching mass incarceration — and advocating for its demise — I decided in 2005 to take more direct action and accepted a job running corrections departments, first in Washington, D.C., then in New York City. It was a rude awakening.
How Apprenticeship Will Save The American Economy (Forbes)
President Barack Obama has proclaimed this week – November 1 though November 7 – as National Apprenticeship Week. States the President, “during National Apprenticeship Week, we recognize the ways apprenticeships foster innovation and prosperity, and we
recommit to encouraging and supporting those who offer and partake in them.”
Apprenticeship is the western world’s oldest form of occupational training, and for good reason.
The Mystery of the Vanishing Pay Raise(New York Times)
Amid the global economic turmoil and seesawing markets, millions of Americans have one overriding question: When will my pay increase arrive? The nation’s unemployment rate has fallen substantially since the end of the Great Recession, sliding to 5.1 percent from 10
percent in 2009, but wages haven’t accelerated upward, as many had expected.
The Economic Case for Undocumented Immigrants(CityLab – Atlantic Magazine)
-A comprehensive reform bill could generate $2.2 billion in local tax revenue.-
After being elected Speaker of the House, Paul Ryan made it pretty clear that he was unwilling to work with the White House on immigration reform. According to the Wisconsin Republican, President Obama was “circumventing the legislative process” through his
2014 executive order that aimed to put millions of unauthorized immigrants on the path to legal citizenship. (The order is currently languishing in court.)
Baby boomers are what’s wrong with America’s economy(Washington Post)
-They chewed up resources, ran up the debt and escaped responsibility.-
One moment in the third Republican presidential debate encapsulates everything terrible about baby boomers and the way they’ve pillaged the U.S. economy. It came from Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, a Generation Xer, who offered the standard line — you can hear it from the mouth of almost any American politician today — on how to keep Medicare and Social Security solvent.
This chart says America’s not miserable anymore. It’s pretty much wrong – Blog (Washington Post)
The economy is supposedly the least miserable it’s been in almost 60 years, but don’t try actually telling anyone that.
That’s because the so-called misery index, which adds up the inflation and unemployment rates, doesn’t really tell us that much about the state of the economy right now.
Vivek Wadhwa and Edward Alden: America isn’t fading. We’re still No. 1 — and rising – Guest Opinion (Dallas Morning News)
Pessimists believe that the United States has peaked as a superpower and is falling behind in education, research and development, and economic growth. They say the country’s best days are behind it.
Fortunately, they are wrong.
Ed. Note:
Report mentioned in story available:
Keeping the Edge: US Innovation (Council of Foreign Relations)
Great News! We’re Not Doomed to Soaring Health Care Costs– Opinion (New York Times)
It really matters who the next president is. But there are other things that matter just as much to the nation’s future prosperity. One of them is: What is happening to health care costs?
If health care costs start to rise again the way they did before, then health care spending will swallow the economy and bankrupt the federal government. If they are contained, then suddenly there’s a lot more money for everything else, like schools, antipoverty efforts and wages.
How Fed interest rate hikes could affect homebuying and saving(Boston Globe)
The Federal Open Market Committee, the Federal Reserve’s rate-setting body, opted not to raise interest rates at its meeting last week but suggested that it could still approve an increase when policy makers meet again in December. So what would that mean for consumers?
Interest rates will stay near zero, Fed announces(Bend Bulletin)
The Federal Reserve said Wednesday it is not ready to raise interest rates, completing a seventh year in which it has held short-term rates near zero.
The Fed’s statement, issued after a two-day meeting of its policymaking committee, left open the possibility that the Fed will raise rates at its final meeting of the year, in December. While noting that job growth has slowed, it said other economic indicators
remained relatively strong.
Strong Growth in Jobs May Encourage Fed to Raise Rates(New York Times)
Hiring at American companies shifted into higher gear in October, helping to lift wages and clearing the path for the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates next month.
US home values and rents steadily rising in a resilient housing market(Eugene Register Guard)
U.S. housing appears to be insulated so far from the cooling global economy.
Home values and rental prices are steadily rising, fueled by strong demand and a tight supply of available properties, a pair of reports Tuesday showed. The solid demand drove sales growth early this year and spurred additional construction.
US economy likely crawled in the July-September quarter in a year of dizzying ups and downs(Eugene Register Guard)
The U.S. economy has resembled an especially dizzying roller-coaster ride this year, with a hurtling dive followed by a steep climb leading to yet another slide.
On Thursday, when the government issues its first of three estimates of growth in the July-September quarter, it’s expected to show an economy slumping from global weakness and reduced corporate stockpiling — but poised to rise again.
Economy slowed to 1.5 percent growth in third quarter(Capital Press)
-The Commerce Department said Thursday that the economy, as measured by the gross domestic product, grew at a tepid annual rate of 1.5 percent in the July-September quarter.-
The U.S. economy slowed sharply in the summer, reflecting a cutback in businesses’ stockpiling of goods, which offset solid consumer spending. But most economists think growth has been strengthening since the July-September quarter ended.
Private survey: US services firms grew solidly in October; new orders and hiring improved (Eugene Register Guard)
U.S. services companies grew at an accelerated pace in October as business activity, new orders and employment all strengthened, suggesting that the economy is building momentum from consumer demand in the final months of 2015.
US trade deficit fell to 7-month low of $40.8 billion; oil imports smallest since 2004 (Eugene Register Guard)
The U.S. trade deficit declined in September to the lowest level in seven months as exports rebounded while imports shrank, reflecting the smallest monthly foreign oil bill in more than a decade.
US factory orders fell 1 pct. in September, with weakness in aircraft and business investment (Eugene Register Guard)
Orders to U.S. factories fell in September for a second straight month, with a key category that tracks business spending plans also losing ground.
Factory orders dropped 1 percent in September following a 2.1 percent decline in August, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday. A category that serves as a proxy for business investment spending slipped 0.1 percent.
US manufacturing grew at slowest pace in 2½ years in October as more factories cut jobs (Eugene Register Guard)
U.S. factory activity grew last month at its slowest pace since May 2013 as manufacturers pared their stockpiles and cut jobs.
The Institute for Supply Management said Monday that its index of factory activity slipped to 50.1 in October from 50.2 in September. The figures barely signal growth, which is any reading above 50.
US productivity slows to 1.6 percent rate in Q3, while labor costs rebound (Eugene Register Guard)
U.S. productivity slowed in the summer, while labor costs rebounded yet stayed at a level suggesting only modest inflation pressures.
Productivity rose at an annual rate of 1.6 percent in the July-September quarter, a slowdown from a 3.5 percent increase in the second quarter, the Labor Department said Thursday.
US hiring surged in October with 271,000 jobs added; unemployment dips to 5 pct. from 5.1 pct. (Eugene Register Guard)
U.S. hiring roared back in October after two weak months, with employers adding a robust 271,000 jobs and likely setting the stage for the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates next month.
The unemployment rate dipped to a fresh seven-year low of 5 percent from 5.1 percent.
US wholesale stockpiles rise 0.5 percent in September; sales also climb (Eugene Register Guard)
U.S. wholesalers boosted their stockpiles in September by the largest amount in three months, responding to a robust rebound in sales.
Stockpiles at the wholesale level increased 0.5 percent, the biggest increase since a 0.7 percent rise in June, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday. Inventories had risen 0.3 percent in August.
The October Jobs Numbers Are a Big Relief (New York Times)
Well, that’s a relief.
The job market numbers for September were pretty terrible across the board. Now the results are in for October and they’re pretty terrific across the board.
US job openings rise 2.8 percent in September but hiring close to flat (Eugene Register Guard)
Employers advertised more job openings in September but hiring was essentially unchanged.
Job openings rose 2.8 percent to 5.53 million in September, up from 5.38 million in August, the Labor Department said Thursday. Hiring slipped to 5.05 million from 5.08 million the prior month.
Consumer comfort steadies after a 3-week decrease(Bend Bulletin)
Consumer confidence steadied after declining for the previous three weeks as Americans’ views toward spending improved by the most in five months.
The Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index improved to 41.6 in the period ended Nov. 8 from 41.1 the week prior. The gauge had slid 4.1 points since mid-October, taking it to an almost two-month low.
A look at the ‘Big Bend Theory,’ and growing our regional tech hub – Blog (Portland Business Journal)
You may have noticed our increased Bend coverage over the last couple of weeks.
Interactive Editor Mason Walker and I traveled to the Central Oregon city earlier this month to check out the growing tech scene so many people have been telling us about.
Building a strong economy, a healthier workforce – Opinion (Klamath Falls Herald and News)
Last week the Herald and News ran its monthly Basin Business magazine with the focus on innovation.
The idea of IDEA (Inspire Development and Energize Acceleration) is to help launch entrepreneurs by linking the innovator with the experienced business person. This link will help new start-ups avoid the pitfalls that can kill a dream before it gets off the ground.
One missing link is just how many big ideas are out there in the Klamath Basin.
Welcome to Jobs Inc., Where States Have Little Say in Economic Development(Governing)
-Several states have decided the way to juice up economic development is to turn it over to a corporation outside the government bureaucracy. Is it working?-
Parma, Ohio, could use some help. The Cleveland suburb is still recovering from a plague of foreclosures, and deep cuts in state aid have made it difficult to keep the local budget in order. General Motors remains the city’s largest employer, but it long ago shuttered
a 750,000-square-foot powertrain and transmission plant in the heart of the city’s industrial section.
Umatilla County gives $600,000 to EOTEC (East Oregonian)
Umatilla County Board of Commissioners voted 2-0 Wednesday to give $600,000 to the Eastern Oregon Trade and Event Center.
The county’s contribution to the event center matches what the city of Hermiston gave last week to fill in the project’s $2.2 million budget hole. The remaining $1 million is to come from a hotel tax increase.
Getting the word out (Albany Democrat Herald)
Gary Price stood in front of a video camera and recounted how the city of Lebanon committed $1.4 million of urban renewal funding to jumpstart Linn-Benton Community College’s Advanced Transportation Technology Center, which opened on Oak Street in 2013.
Colorado rurality an urban legend(Denver Post)
-Eight in 10 Colorado jobs are located in a band of just nine counties stretching from El Paso to Larimer-
Colorado, Wyoming and Montana all connote images of rural splendor punctuated by the occasional community.
What most people don’t appreciate is how urbanized those and other Western states actually are, according to an analysis from Headwaters Economics.
Most poor Washingtonians don’t get legal help they need(Spokane Spokesman-Review)
Linda White was struggling before she was sent to juvenile detention. Her six-person family was squeezed into a two-bedroom apartment in Spokane Valley where arguments and fights were common. Then, her mom kicked her out.
When she was 16, she started a fight with another student who was bullying her at school, landing her in detention for two and a half months.
Poor Criminal Defendants Face ‘Too Many Barriers’ To Get Lawyers, Says DOJ – US (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
The chief of the Justice Department’s civil-rights division says “too many barriers still exist in courts across America” when it comes to providing lawyers to poor criminal defendants.
Dreading those recreational drones(Daily Astorian)
-Right now, the FAA and the Transportation Department are working on a drone registration program — like a warranty, when you buy a blender.-
There’s something very wrong with recreational drones.
You can see the attraction. They can be extremely easy to fly, and they take cool pictures.
Western senators launch effort to reform mining law to spur cleanup(Denver Post)
-Legislation introduced by Sen. Michael Bennet and colleagues from New Mexico would charge companies fees and royalties-
Western senators Thursday weighed in on the toxic mines problem, launching legislation to reform the nation’s 1872 Mining Law and require companies to pay fees to create a cleanup fund for abandoned inactive mines.
Placing a Cap on Americans’ Consumption of Added Sugar – Blog (New York Times)
Health experts have been nudging Americans to kick the sugar habit for years, and now it’s official: The Food and Drug Administration is recommending a daily cap on sugar for the first time.
The goal is for Americans to limit added sugar to no more than 10 percent of daily calories, according to the proposed guidelines.
HUD proposes smoking ban in public housing, citing dangers of secondhand smoke(Washington Post)
The government is seeking to ban smoking in all of the nation’s 1.2 million public housing units, the latest step in a decades-long crackdown on tobacco products that help kill hundreds of thousands of Americans each year.
Limit smoking ban in public housing– Opinion (Bend Bulletin)
Smoking is bad for you, so bad it can kill you. You absolutely should quit, and the sooner the better.
That said, it should not be up to the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development to ban smoking inside public housing units.
Smoking is legal.
US Congress (Oregon Delegation)
Senators write in support of Newport Coast Guard helicopter base(Daily Astorian)
-Wyden, Merkley want the Obama administration to provide funding in Coast Guard budget-
U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley have urged the Office of Management and Budget to include funding for U.S. Coast Guard helicopter bases in Newport and in Charleston, South Carolina, in the Coast Guard’s budget.
A big win for Rep. ‘Death Panel’ – Opinion (Albany Democrat Herald)
How about this as a slogan for U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer’s next campaign: “Re-elect the ‘Death Panel Guy.”’
OK, maybe not. But it still was a little startling to see Blumenauer, the Portland Democrat, refer to himself that way in a recent press release from his office.
Walden gets front line input on mental health issues(Medford Mail Tribune)
-Lack of housing, mental health workers cited as hurdles-
Rep. Greg Walden held a round table event to gather local input about proposed federal legislation to increase access to mental health care.
Mental health care workers, law enforcement representatives and parents told a congressman Tuesday that mentally ill people face many challenges, including a lack of adequate care and housing.
Wyden talks about pushing for VA health care changes(Albany Democrat Herald)
Prior to presenting Sgt. Dean Powell of Mytle Creek with a U.S. Senate challenge coin Wednesday morning, Sen. Ron Wyden said it’s important that Americans continue to push for greater support of all veterans, especially when it comes to their health care needs.
“Too many veterans are experiencing extremely long waits to get services,” Wyden said. “But they say the services are good when they get it.”
Wyden bill aims to ease recreation access(Medford Mail Tribune)
-Old rules don’t cater to present-day uses-
In a room packed Thursday with outdoor-recreation gurus, agency managers and tourism officials, U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, sought feedback on a bill that would streamline permitting and access on federal lands and waterways.
Lane County Commissioner Faye Stewart running for U.S. Senate seat(Eugene Register Guard)
Lane County Commissioner Faye Stewart acknowledges that he would be a long shot to defeat veteran Democratic U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden.
But Stewart said he’s not going to let his lack of statewide name recognition stop him from trying next year.
Metro votes against expanding growth boundary (Portland Tribune)
The Metro Council voted to not expand the Urban Growth Boundary where new development can occur in the region on Thursday, Nov. 12
The council voted against expanding the UGB for the first time, despite the fact that 400,000 more people are expected to live and work within over the next 20 years.
Is 2015 the Year of the Electric Municipal Fleet? (Governing)
-There are reasons to believe America is at a turning point for changing the cars that cops and other public employees drive.-
The Los Angeles Police Department has a Tesla now. It also has a new BMW i3. While those two electric cars are enough to make most people green with envy, it’s just the beginning for the City of Angels. This September, Mayor Eric Garcetti announced that 160 electric vehicles (EVs) and 128 plug-in hybrids would be leased to the city’s fleet as part of a larger effort to become “the most sustainable city in America.”
Gas tax likely, but still up in the air(Bend Bulletin)
-Bend City Council backs more money for roads-
At a special meeting Monday night, the Bend City Council supported the work of a citizen advisory committee that recommended directing more money to street preservation, something that will likely require a new revenue source, such as a gas tax.
Safety, location are keys(Eugene Register Guard)
Activists who support the rights of Eugene’s homeless people have long demanded that the city lift its ban on camping in public places. At Mayor Kitty Piercy’s request, the Eugene City Council will discuss meeting that demand half way by designating places
where people could find shelter from dusk to dawn. The idea is only as good as the sites the city chooses for the shelters and its plans for keeping them safe.
Gas tax is better than other choices – Opinion (Bend Bulletin)
The roads in Bend need some fixing and the city hasn’t been keeping up with the need. A gas tax should, at least, be part of that solution.
We can all moan about the lack of attention the roads got in the past, but they do need our attention now.
Portland’s mayor: Big fossil fuel projects? Just say no(Portland Oregonian)
Portland is poised to reject new fossil fuel infrastructure in the city, a step that could force developers to look elsewhere to build major coal, oil and natural gas projects.
Coos County gun rights measure handily approved by voters (Portland Oregonian)
Coos County voters approved a “Second Amendment Preservation Measure” Tuesday that would bar the enforcement of certain types of gun restrictions and allow the sheriff to determine which state and federal gun laws are unconstitutional.
Umatilla to remove non-native plants from Old Town site(East Oregonian)
-The Umatilla city council approved an agreement with the Army Corp of Engineers and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation to eradicate nonnative plants from the Old Town Site.-
The city of Umatilla took another step toward its goal of opening the Old Town Site to the public, authorizing the mayor to sign an agreement for non-native plant removal there.
Convicted Jefferson County treasurer resigns (Bend Bulletin)
Nearly a week after a jury found her guilty of stealing county funds, Deena Goss resigned from her position as Jefferson County Treasurer on Wednesday.
Goss, who served as treasurer since 2003 and is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 1, maintains her innocence.
Portland approves vision for Post Office property, closes in on $80 million deal(Portland Oregonian)
Portland is ready to buy the U.S Postal Service’s 14-acre headquarters in the Pearl District and move the government agency out of downtown for an estimated $80 million.
Pendleton cautiously considers river walk extension(East Oregonian)
City looking at Pendleton River Parkway expansions in all directions
Umatilla County OKs $150k for Pendleton radar(East Oregonian)
-Umatilla County aims to help Pendleton acquire radar for the city’s airport, and county commissioners push for more say in the finances of the Eastern Oregon Trade and Event Center.-
Umatilla County Board of Commissioners voted 3-0 to provide $150,000 to help the city of Pendleton get a radar system at the Eastern Oregon Regional Airport. And the board is moving to have more input and control over the finances of the Eastern Oregon Trade
and Event Center.
Homeless In Coquille (Coos Bay World)
-Coquille city leaders, residents struggle to deal with homeless issue-
On a late October afternoon, City Councilor Dennis Graham showed a visitor another side of the Coquille Riverwalk area — homeless camps.
Graham, who has lived in Coquille 43 years, provided his own perspective on what’s now a larger challenge for the city police — getting the homeless out of the camps and moving on.
Avago Technologies buys former Hynix chip plant in Eugene(Eugene Register Guard)
-Company next year will begin to design retrofit of factory; construction work expected in 2017-
Avago Technologies, a global semiconductor supplier, said Thursday it is the mystery buyer who snapped up the Hynix site in last month’s auction and that it plans to remodel it and start churning out components for mobile phones there in several years.
Avago, a publicly traded company with headquarters in Singapore and San Jose, Calif., submitted the winning bid of $21 million in last month’s online auction of the 1.2 million-square-foot Hynix site in west Eugene. Avago officials said they expect the sale to close later this month.
Some of Oregon’s biggest companies are in for a windfall if the Trans Pacific Partnership passes(Portland Business Journal)
Oregon’s footwear industry is in for a windfall if the proposed Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal passes. The full text of the deal was released Thursday.
On Friday, the Footwear Distributors & Retailers of America said the tariffs paid by U.S. footwear companies would decrease by more than $400 million in the first year alone if it passes.
Adidas offers to help eliminate Native American mascots(Bend Bulletin)
-The sports giant says it will help high schools design new mascots and logos-
Adidas is offering to help high schools nationwide drop Native American mascots.
The athletic shoe and apparel maker said Thursday it will provide free design resources to schools looking to shelve Native American mascots, nicknames, imagery or symbolism. The German company also pledged to provide financial support to ensure the cost of changing
is not prohibitive.
Available office, industrial space in Bend shrinks(Bend Bulletin)
Office and industrial space for lease in Bend shrank again in the third quarter, according to a survey by Compass Commercial Real Estate Services.
The firm found 7.4 percent of 2.5 million square feet of office space it surveyed was available to lease, according to Compass Points, its quarterly market summary. The vacancy rate fell 1.8 percentage points between the second and third quarters, according to Thursday’s report.
Small Investors To Fund Small Businesses On Internet Sites(Oregon Public Broadcasting)
The idea of crowdfunding, raising money from lots of people on the Internet, got a boost from Washington today. The Securities and Exchange Commission approved a system that allows small businesses and start-ups to solicit funding from small investors.
East Coast cities vie for Deschutes Brewery(Bend Bulletin)
-Supporters start Facebook, Twitter campaigns — even write songs-
News that Deschutes Brewery executives came courting in Roanoke, Virginia, this fall sparked a Facebook campaign aimed at sending much love to the Bend-based brewer, the nation’s seventh-largest craft brewer and the 12th largest overall.
Eugene startup receives $75,000 investment to further develop software for food-buying clubs(Eugene Register Guard)
A Eugene company that developed software to help farmers sell directly to food-buying clubs, reducing food waste and shipping costs in the process, has received a $75,000 investment from Oregon BEST.
Johnson, Hoddle file for judge (Douglas County News Review)
Two deputy district attorneys will square off in 2016 for Douglas County Circuit Judge Randy Garrison’s position. Garrison said this morning he plans to retire at the end of his term, at which time he will be 65.
‘Business Courts’ Take on Complex Corporate Conflicts – Blog (Stateline -Pew)
From his courtroom perch, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge John Thornton has seen all kinds of business disputes. There was the condo developer who sued his general contractor alleging serious construction defects, and the fight between two former partners over the creation of a health insurance app.
Supreme Court tackles sinister trends – Guest Opinion(Bend Bulletin)
The IRS scandal — the denial of essential tax-exempt status to conservative advocacy groups, thereby effectively suppressing the groups’ activities — demonstrates this: When government is empowered to regulate advocacy, it will be tempted to suppress some of it.
And sometimes government will think like Oscar Wilde: “The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it.”
An A in mental health: County’s treatment court graduates record number (Daily Astorian)
-A total of 108 people have participated in treatment court with 42 graduating.-
Clatsop County’s treatment court honored a record graduating class of eight people during a gathering Monday morning in Circuit Court.
Mental decline in judges (Bend Bulletin)
Now 84, federal appellate court Judge William Canby made the difficult decision a few years ago to mostly stop hearing cases after a 30-year career. He was sharp and healthy, but didn’t want to risk mental decline that would lead him to make mistakes, he said.
“It seemed to me if the goal is to work until you are no longer able, you will work a couple of years too long,” he said.
Canby’s decision reflects one of the unique job hazards federal judges face: age-related mental decline.
Appeals court rules against Obama immigration plan (Capital Press)
-An appeals court votes 2-1 to uphold a lower court’s order blocking the president’s plan to defer deportation of as many as 5 million people in the country illegally.-
President Barack Obama’s plan to defer deportation of an estimated 5 million people living in the United States illegally suffered another setback Monday in a ruling from a New Orleans-based federal appeals court.
Supreme Court case pits privacy rights against Internet data brokers (Los Angeles Times)
The Supreme Court is set to hear a clash between privacy laws that protect American consumers and the desire of online data providers to avoid potentially crippling lawsuits if they post inaccurate information on the Web.
On Monday the justices will take up the case of Thomas Robins, a Virginia man who sued Spokeo, a Pasadena-based tech company that calls itself a “people search engine.”
Banks & Financial Institutions
Supporters In Congress Make New Attempt To Revive The Export-Import Bank (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
On Monday a bipartisan group of House members will try to revive the Export-Import Bank, a federal government agency that finances exports — which its critics deride as little more than a slush fund for big corporations.
End the PIN war – Opinion (Eugene Register Guard)
As if it wasn’t already complicated enough for U.S. consumers learning how to use their new credit and debit cards with computer microchips embedded in them, now they’re caught in a dispute between card issuers and retail merchants over whether to
use personal identification numbers, or PINs, instead of signatures.
—————————————————————————————–
State Library eClips Blog & Disclaimer
http://library.state.or.us/blogs/eClips/wordpress
For State Library Patron access to Statesman Journal Articles & other Oregon newspapers: http://bit.ly/1IjlkDj
To subscribe/unsubscribe visit: http://library.state.or.us/services/awareness/eclips
Hosted by the Oregon State Library – (503)378-8800
