Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 21, 2016)
Wednesday, September 21, 2016 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon HEMp: Crop is sensitive to moisture and frost impacts Continued from page 1 That raised concern among some local people that heli- copters will be a regular fea- ture of ongoing operations. According to Cyrus, that is not the case. The prospect of a longer-term need prior to harvest in mid-October led to a change in the operation. “Given the long-term fore- cast for more frost, we’ve ordered some wind-generat- ing machines,” Cyrus said. Those machines were to be in place by last Tuesday, which Cyrus said will remove the need for a disruptive, costly aerial operation. Cyrus told The Nugget that his family is raising industrial hemp on about 30 acres. “We’re one of a few farm- ers in Central Oregon and one of I think 77 farmers state- wide,” he said. Industrial hemp is distinct from its relative, marijuana; by regulation it can only con- tain a tiny percentage of THC, the chemical compound that creates the high associated with marijuana use. Cyrus said his crop contains .3 per- cent THC, below the man- dated limit. “It’s regulated by the Oregon Department of Agriculture, and they evalu- ate the THC levels before harvest,” he said. Hemp has myriad uses — from paper products and clothing made out of the fiber to food (hemp hearts are featured at Costco) to use of hemp oil for industrial lubri- cation and skin-care products. Industrial hemp-derived CBD oils are believed to have a range of medicinal benefits in treating chronic conditions. In addition to having broad market potential, the crop is farmer-friendly, Cyrus notes. It uses little water. Cyrus said he is using only 10 to 20 per- cent as much water on his hemp acreage as he would if it was in pasture or hay. And the crop does not severely deplete the soil, allowing multiple replantings on the same fields. It has the potential to reinvigorate production agriculture in Central oregon. IF, in fact, we can produce it... — Matt Cyrus Given the extensive poten- tial of the crop, Cyrus said, “I know dozens more farmers who are expecting to raise it next year.” However, frost and mois- ture sensitivity raise ques- tion marks for the viability of the crop in Central Oregon. The Cyrus crop will be an indicator. “It has the potential to reinvigorate production agri- culture in Central Oregon,” Cyrus said. “IF, in fact, we can produce it — but at this point that’s an unknown.” A Parteership Beyoed Your Expectatioes Stop by aed visit with Tiaea Vae Laeduyt & Shelley Marsh. 220 S. Pine St., Ste. 102 | 541-548-9180 Home is where the dog is... 31 oregon settles lawsuit for botched rollout By gillian Flaccus Associated Press P O RT L A N D (AP) — Oregon settled with a California software giant in a lawsuit that accused Oracle America Inc. of collecting tens of millions of dollars to create a state health care exchange website that didn’t work. The state initially asked for more than $6 billion in puni- tive damages when it filed the lawsuit in 2014 against the Redwood Shores, California company, but Oregon ulti- mately accepted a package that included $35 million in cash payments and software licensing agreements and technical support with an esti- mated upfront worth of $60 million. The state paid Oracle $240 million to create its Cover Oregon website but ultimately abandoned the site and joined the federal exchange to com- ply with the Affordable Care Act. Most of the money used to pay Oracle was from federal funds designated to help states comply with the new health care law and that is likely why the settlement relies mostly on non-cash value, said David Friedman, an associate pro- fessor of law at Willamette University who has closely followed the litigation. “The government would say, ‘Thank you for being our collection agency. We’re going to take that back,’” he said. “That’s why this is com- ing out as credits and things Jeff Jones Principal Broker 541-480-7201 jeffjoneslcl@ gmail.com that are a little bit to the side of the direct verdict. Oracle has probably convinced them that this is their best shot at collecting the best value.” Six years of unlimited Oracle software and techni- cal support included in the deal will save the state hun- dreds of millions of dollars in years to come and ends a bit- ter legal battle that has dam- aged Oregon’s “collective psyche,” Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum said in a statement. “The beauty of the deal is that if we choose to take full advantage of the free (soft- ware), we are uniquely situ- ated to modernize our state- wide IT systems over the next six years — something we could not otherwise afford to do,” she said. The cash payments include $25 million to reimburse the state’s legal fees and a $10 million grant to fund math, science and technology edu- cation in Oregon schools. Oracle has insisted the website worked but former Gov. John Kitzhaber chose not to use it for political reasons. “We are pleased to have this contentious litigation behind us and to provide Oregon with the flexibility to obtain the software and technical support it desires to address the State’s needs over the next several years,” said Dorian Daley, the company’s executive vice president and general counsel. “This is an innovative resolution to a complex matter.” Oregon produced the country’s worst rollout of the new national health insurance program. While the crippled website eventually worked, Oregon’s failed to enroll a single person online. The state had to resort to hiring 400 people to process paper applications. the beauty of the deal is that if we choose to take full advantage of the free (software), we are uniquely situated to modernize our statewide It systems... — ellen rosenblum In March 2015, Gov. Kate Brown signed legislation dis- solving Cover Oregon. “This was going to go on and on forever and ever,” Friedman said. “A lot of peo- ple can claim victory over this.” She can now put the messy litigation behind her as she runs for election in her own right, Friedman said. Brown inherited the governorship after her predecessor quit amid a federal investigation in February 2015. The win- ner of the November election will serve out the two remain- ing years of former Gov. John Kitzhaber’s term. THIS WEEK’S FEATURED PROPERTY ! e New Pric Doug Roberts Principal Broker 541-280-6199 dougrobertsMPS @gtail.cot Lana Labuda Principal Broker 541-408-4144 lana@sisters properties.cot Ross Kennedy Broker 541-408-1343 ross@tyrk solutions.cot 18357 F Fadjur dj Lane, L Sisters Si ~ $1 $1,745,000 745 000 Spectacular 40-acre horse property near Sisters. One-level main house has massive windows framing majestic Cascade mountain views and views of the high desert landscape; sold furnished. Equine facilities include a 4-stall barn with tack room, horse run-in shelters, hay barn, exterior riding arena, pens and grazing paddocks. A studio/shop building & an additional storage building round out the amenities. Gated & fully fenced. It just doesn’t get any better! Stop by or call to learn more about this property and all our other listings. Suzanne Carvlin Broker We have what you’re looking for! Scan to visit our website! 541-595-8707 Suzanne@Home Metolius Property Sales InSisters.com Linda Brooksby Broker 541-977-4488 lindabrooksbylcl @gtail.cot Sisters Hometown Realty Norma Tewalt & Ali Mayea 541-588-6007 | 401 E. Main Ave. Kimberly Gorayeb Principal Broker 541-639-5551 kitinsisters @gtail.cot 290 E. Cascade Ave. 541-588-6614 metoliuspropertysales.com Ellen Wood Broker 541-588-0033 woode51@ tsn.cot Katie Cam Broker 971-409-0177 katiercam@ gmail.com Dechen Dawkins Broker 541-241-6619 soldonsisters @gmail.com
