Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Appeal tribune. (Silverton, Or.) 1999-current | View Entire Issue (July 12, 2017)
Appeal Tribune Wednesday, July 12, 2017 3B Mirth, affection, silliness punctuate Oregon Legislature’s last days DIANE DIETZ STATESMAN JOURNAL The state pie is Marionberry. Oregon’s official state tartan is a green, yellow and purple plaid. The western meadowlark is the offi- cial state songbird. The osprey is the official state raptor. August is Oregon Albacore Tuna Month. Making all those things so in the wan- ing days of the 79th Legislature inspired rare displays of affection, mirth and ac- cord among lawmakers. Last April, for instance, when the Sen- ate adopted a bill that overthrew the western meadowlark in favor of the tal- oned osprey as the Oregon bird, a fight among Senate bird lovers was brewing. Sen. Fred Girod, a fisherman and Re- publican senator from Stayton, intro- duced the bill. He said meadowlarks are too small — scarcely bigger than a robin — and not much to see, if they’re even around, which is seldom. Defenders of the meadowlark cited its gentle nature and mellifluous song. “(We) drive a dagger through the soft downy breast of this feathered harbin- ger of spring,” Sen. Betsy Johnson, D- Scappoose, said back in April. But in July, after a bruising session, lawmakers were finding some common ground in their duty of naming the state’s official this and that. The day before the close of session, the Senate Rules Com- mittee cracked itself up figuring who would carry the bills from the commit- tee to the floor. “Sen. Ferrioli, would you rather carry this one or the tartan one?” Senate Ma- jority Leader Ginny Burdick asked. “Neither, Madam Chair,” Senate Re- publican Leader Ted Ferrioli said, chuckling. “Sen. Riley would love to carry the Tartan bill; we do know that,” Sen. Arnie Roblan, D-Coos Bay said. “You get Marrionberries,” a commit- tee member told Ferrioli. “This is really a Marion County thing. It really ought to be Sen. Courtney who carries it,” a committee member said. “How much do we value our lives?” Burdick said laughing and adding “Sen, Boquist is actually the closest member.” “Sen. Courtney should carry it, and the sweet co-carrier would be a Repub- lican from Marion County,” Roblan said. “You know, I think I’ll ask Sen. Win- ters to carry that,” Burdick said. The bipartisan committee put its heads together on a bill to designate Au- gust 2017 the Albacore Tuna Month. But there was a problem. Without an emergency clause, the bill would take ef- fect long after August. Roblan propose a solution: take the numerals 2-0-1-7 out of the bill. And the committee did. “Madam chair, who is going to carry the albatross bill?” Ferrioli said. “That would have to be the state sea- bird,” someone interjected. “Sen. Roblan will carry this bill and he will also deal with any fallout that occurs because of this bill.” “With that happy note, we are ad- journed,” Burdick said. BRENT DRINKUT/STATESMAN JOURNAL As their session came to a close, legislators were able to agree on making Marionberry the state pie — but debate raged about where you can get the tastiest one. In both chambers the bills, the nam- ing bills won wide support and a lot of good-natured ribbing. In the House, Rep. DB Smith, R-Port Orford, pointed out the majesty of the amended tuna bill. “Now,” he said, “ev- ery August in perpetuity will be albacore tuna month.” The House passed the bill 58-to-0. Sen. Jackie Winters, R-Salem, com- mended Marionberry pie to her col- leagues in the Senate on Friday. “The berry gets its name from Marion County, which is home to our state Capi- tol. Ninety percent of the world’s mar- ionberries are grown in Marion County,” she said. But Douglas County-based Sen. Jeff Kruse, a fellow Republican, said out of an abundance of caution he had to de- clare a potential conflict. “My bakery makes absolutely the best Marionberry pies on the planet,” he said. Lawmakers resolved the state bird question with an elegant piece of states- manship, naming the meadowlark the state songbird and the osprey the state raptor. According to the final bill House Ma- jority Leader Jennifer Williamson read from the floor: “Whereas many Oregonians feel that it is time to adopt the osprey as our state bird, valuing the raptor as a fitting sym- bol of Oregon’s rugged independence, strength and resilience; and “Whereas other Oregonians favor the western meadowlark, already our unof- ficial state bird, considering the song- bird’s peaceful, mellifluous song to be an emblem of gentle beauty and culture within this state; and “Whereas the question of whether the state bird should be a raptor or a song- bird presents a false dichotomy; and Whereas sometimes the best answer to an “either-or” question is “and” … “ Whereas embracing the excellent qualities of one bird does not derogate those of the other; and Whereas while most states are content to be limited to one state bird, Oregon recognizes the need for another, understanding that there is room in the hearts of Oregonians for two symbolic birds.” But the House couldn’t quite leave it at that. Eugene-area Rep. Julie Fahey sketched the outlines of a battle for an- other day by describing this “fundamen- tal injustice”: “The Oregon state animal is the bea- ver, and yet nowhere in our pantheon of state symbols does the duck appear. So vote your conscience on this one, col- leagues, but I wonder if we might see a resolution in a future session to name a state waterfowl.” TRUST THE HOMETOWN EXPERTS AT SILVERTON REALTY SERVING THE EAST VALLEY SINCE 1975 Marcia Branstetter Broker, GRI 873-3545 ext. 318 Mary Cam Broker 503-873-3545 ext. 320 Micha Christman Offi ce Manager 503-873-1425 Becky Craig Broker 873-3545 ext. 313 Michael Schmidt Broker, GRI 873-3545 ext. 314 Ryan Wertz Broker 873-3545 ext. 322 Meredith Wertz Broker, GRI 873-3545 ext. 324 Chuck White Broker 873-3545 ext. 325 Christina Williamson Broker 873-3545 ext. 315 Mason Branstetter Principal Broker, GRI 873-3545 ext. 303 NEW-SALEM SILVERTON SILVERTON NEW-SILVERTON SILVERTON SILVERTON #A2401 SOLID SINGLE LEVEL .80 ACRES 2 BR, 2.5 BA 2175 SQFT CALL MEREDITH AT EXT. 324, RYAN AT EXT. 322 $414,800 (WVMLS#720097) #A2383, A2384 CREEK FRONTAGE 2 LOTS 1.1 ACRES & 1.09 ACRES CALL MARCIA AT EXT. 318 $179,000 & $162,000 (WVMLS#715865 & 715869) #A2409 EXCELLENT CONDITION 4 BR, 2.5 BA 2112 SQFT CALL MICHAEL AT EXT. 314 $402,500 (WVMLS#719657) #A2404 WILL FIT EVERYONE 4 BR, 2.5 BA 2496 SQFT CALL MEREDITH AT EXT. 324, RYAN AT EXT. 322 $399,900 (WVMLS#720148) #A2341 2 HOMES ON 2 ACRES 3 BR, 2 BA 1367 SQFT. 2.630 ACRES CALL CHUCK AT EXT. 325 $549,900 (WVMLS#709561) #A2410 VINTAGE 1950’S HOME 3 BR, 2 BA, 1760 SQFT CALL MEREDITH AT EXT. 324, RYAN AT EXT. 322 $348,700 (WVMLS#718215) SALEM NEW-SILVERTON SILVERTON SILVERTON SILVERTON SILVERTON #A2311 HOWELL PRAIRIE FARM 3 BR 2 BA 26.77 ACRES. CALL CHUCK AT EXT. 325 $525,000 (WVMLS#706154) #A2412 QUALITY HOME 4 BR 3.5 BA 3226 SQFT CALL CHUCK AT EXT. 325 $569,000 (WVMLS#719940) #A2354 3 HOME INVESTMENT PROPERTY 4 BR, 3 BA 1776 SQFT CALL MARCIA AT EXT. 318 $425,000 (WVMLS#711358) #A2406 PRACTICALLY NEW 3 BR, 2.5 BA 1383 SQFT CALL MARCIA AT EXT. 318 $219,500 (WVMLS#719493) #A2405 OPPORTUNITY FOR INCOME 2 UNITS 6 BR, 5 BA 2848 SQFT CALL MICHAEL AT EXT. 314 $425,000 (WVMLS#719341) #A2377 OUTSTANDING COMMERCIAL LOCATION 4444 SQFT CALL MASON AT EXT. 303 $299,900 (WVMLS#715616) Brokers licensed in Oregon WWW.SILVERTONREALTY.COM | 303 OAK STREET | SILVERTON Call us today! 503.873.3545 | 1-800-863-3545 FOR RENT Call Micha at 503-873-1425 or see them on our website.