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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 1, 2017)
Wednesday, November 1, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Oregon senator is warned not to touch women By Andrew Selsky Associated Press SALEM (AP) — A long- time Oregon state senator has been warned bluntly by the Senate president not to touch any women following complaints of inappropriate contact. “Let me very clear,” says a letter from Oregon Senate President Peter Courtney to Sen. Jeff Kruse, a Republican. “Women in the Capitol do NOT want you to touch them.” Courtney’s letter to Kruse, written on Friday and released to the media on Tuesday, came as aftershocks from movie mogul Harvey Weinstein’s fall from grace due to numerous allegations of sexual harassment hit an unexpected place: the Oregon State Capitol. Gov. Kate Brown noted Tuesday that a national dia- logue has been stoked over sexual harassment and abuse. “It is all too clear that no workplace or community is immune to them — sadly even in our state capitol,” the Democratic governor said in a statement. “It is long past time for these issues to be openly discussed and directly addressed.” Courtney told Kruse in the letter that he had been previously instructed by offi- cials in the Legislature not to touch women, and that he was removing the senator from the committees he sits on because of two new alleged incidents. The committees are important because that’s where bills are shaped and either move ahead for a vote on the Senate floor or wither. Let me very clear, women in the Capitol do NOT want you to touch them. — Peter Courtney Courtney, a Democrat, also said he was having the door to Kruse’s office removed because he has continued to smoke there — despite warn- ings doing so is against the law and exposes the Senate to “public scorn and charges of hypocrisy.” Kruse has denied any inap- propriate contacts and says he is being denied due process, although he acknowledged the smoking. Courtney, Oregon’s lon- gest-serving current law- maker with 33 years in office and 14 as Senate president, called his actions “an unprec- edented step for me. “I have never taken this kind of action before but I am left with no other options at this time to protect our employees, members of the legislature and the public,” he wrote. Senate Republican leader Ted Ferrioli said in a state- ment that “we take seriously” an ongoing investigation into the allegations against Kruse, but added that he knows of no formal complaint filed against the senator. Courtney said he has reported the two new alleged incidents of Kruse’s behav- ior toward women to the Legislature’s lawyers and human resources. He wrote that Kruse was instructed in March by those departments “not to touch women at work. Period.” Legislative Counsel Dexter Johnson clarified to reporters Tuesday that the instruction to Kruse was in March 2016, not this year. Kruse said in an email Monday that he has been “denied access to any of the specifics of the allega- tions and actually I am being denied due process in this whole thing.” He said he’s learned more from newspapers than from the Senate about his situation. Kruse said that what he’s read suggests this is more about boundary issues than any- thing of a sexual nature, The News-Review, the newspaper in his hometown of Roseburg, reported. “I’m assuming at this point you cannot touch a woman on her shoulder, or you cannot whisper in her ear, or any- thing like that,” Kruse said. I’m assuming at this point you cannot touch a woman on her shoulder, or you cannot whisper in her ear, or anything like that. — Jeff Kruse Democratic Sen. Sara Gelser, who is from the uni- versity town of Corvallis, had complained that a senator was making unwanted physical contact with her. On Monday, she identified him as Kruse. She said she had filed com- plaints with the Legislature’s human resources and attor- neys. It was unclear if any complaints had been made by anyone else. The Legislature is cur- rently in recess and doesn’t reconvene until early next year. WRECK: Rider had non-life threatening injuries Continued from page 1 A 34-year-old man was operating a 2008 Kawasaki Concours and traveling behind the GMC Yukon. The rider was unable to stop for the GMC Yukon and put his motorcycle down on the roadway, striking the rear of the GMC Yukon. The rider came to rest on the south side of the road- way. He was attended to by emergency personnel and transported to St. Charles Hospital in Bend with non- life-threatening injuries. The motorcycle fire was extin- guished by responding fire personnel. No occupants of the GMC Yukon were injured. Highway 20 was closed for approximately 30 minutes in both directions to clear the roadway. The cause of the crash is still under investigation. The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by Cloverdale Fire and EMS, ODOT, and Davis Towing. Remind locals & visitors why shopping in Sisters matters Serving Sisters Since 1994 D ESIGNERS & B UILDERS of D ISTINCTION 541-549-1575 CCB#194489 OPEN HOUSE Sunday, November 5 Small Business Saturday happens across the United States on the Saturday after Thanksgiving (November 25, 2017). 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. 14835 Stagecoach, Tollgate YOUR TOLLGATE OPPORTUNITY Vaulted, open-beamed, paneled ceilings, a wall of windows and bamboo fl oors in the living room will welcome you home. Tiled countertops, a center island and all kitchen appliances are included. 1,748 sq. ft. with 3 bedrooms and 2 baths. Tandem-style garage with oodles of storage accessed by a staircase. Woodstove and electric forced-air heat to keep you warm. Fenced backyard, storage shed, asphalt driveway, landscaped and room to park your RV. On ½ Tollgate acre. Tennis, hoops, rec center and a summer pool for homeowners. Price reduced! $329,000 MLS#201702086 Ponderosa Properties 541-549-2002 | 221 S. Ash Street carolsellsrealestate@gmail.com LLC Carol Davis 541-410-1556 ABR, GRI, Broker 31 It’s also the day of the Old-fashioned Christmas Parade, bringing several thousand people to Sisters. “Shop Local” is something people want to support, because it returns an average of 3 times more money to a community. Advertise your business in The Nugget’s November 22 issue to encourage Thanksgiving, Christmas Tree Lighting, Parade visitors and residents to Shop Local at your Sisters business. Call Karen at 541-549-9941 and she’ll help you with your ad. It’s easy, and design is free!
