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About Appeal tribune. (Silverton, Or.) 1999-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 22, 2020)
2B ❚ WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2020 ❚ APPEAL TRIBUNE How to become part of the snow survey David Hill Special to the Statesman Journal USA TODAY NETWORK If you don’t live in it, it can be easy to ignore snow. Tire chains, show shovels, down jackets…all someone else’s prob- lems. But in Oregon, even if you don’t live in it, snow is an essential and un- avoidable part of our water resources. Snowpack stores water, and slowly re- leases it to downstream locations in the springtime. Stream ecology, agriculture, and thirsty people all benefit. And, be- fore it melts, let’s not forget the incred- ible recreational resource that snow provides to Oregon. Understanding the distribution and evolution of our snow- pack is therefore important, but it can difficult for many reasons. It’s cold, the days are short, and it’s hard to get to it to measure it. Fortunately, Oregon has a large com- munity of backcountry skiers, split- boarders, snowshoers, and snowmobil- ers that don’t mind the cold and who can help! There is a project called Communi- ty Snow Observations (CSO), funded by NASA and National Geographic, that seeks to blend the activities of scientists and recreationists to improve our un- derstanding of snow and our ability to predict its behavior. This crowdsourcing approach to science, or ‘citizen science’ is the ultimate win-win scenario. For the scientists, it is a case of many hands making light work. A large and active backcountry community can collect much more data from many more loca- tions than a small scientific team. For the participants, they increase their un- derstanding of science, and they actu- ally get to help guide the science. With this particular project, you can help NASA without your feet ever leaving the ground! Bills Continued from Page 1A “fix” a portion of the state’s new corpo- rate activity tax with respect to pharma- cies. Moore-Green said that due to con- tracts with pharmacy benefit managers, pharmacies will not be able to pass along the tax on prescription drugs sold at retail. Pharmacy benefit managers are indi- viduals who contract with pharmacies on behalf of an insurer, a third party ad- ministrator or the Oregon Prescription Drug Program. They are responsible for administering drug benefits and ser- vices for the vast majority of customers in Oregon, Moore-Green said. Her second bill would honor the 100- year anniversary of Oregon ratifying the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitu- tion, which granted women the right to vote. Committee bills focus for Evans Rep. Paul Evans, D-Monmouth, said his priorities this session will be advo- cating on behalf of two committee bills from the House Committee on Veterans and Emergency Preparedness. Evans is the committee chair. The first bill would create a series of reforms to the structures and systems within the Oregon Office of Emergency Management. The second would create incentives for small business invest- ments focused on resiliency and de- ployment in the event of a disaster. Conversations around emergency preparedness in Oregon frequently cen- ter around the possibility of a powerful Getting involved with CSO is easy. You’ll want to start by visiting their website (communitysnowobs.org) where you can sign up, view tutorials, and find links to the smartphone app you will need. Next, you will need a measuring device. Many backcountry users already carry an avalanche probe, which is a key piece of safety gear. If you don’t have a probe, a measuring tape or a meter stick can work. Finally, you will need to get out into the snow and start submitting data. It’s important to mea- sure in undisturbed locations where the snow has not been trampled or com- pacted. With a bare minimum of train- ing and practice, you’ll be able to record and submit a measurement in just a minute or two. You don’t need to worry about the lack of cell service in the mountains. Your phone still knows where you are and will upload the data later. All of the project data are freely avail- able and can be viewed on the CSO web- site. The project team incorporates the data into their computer simulations and they have shown that citizen scien- tist involvement leads to dramatic im- provements. In the end, there is no crowdsourcing without the crowd, and CSO hopes to see more and more citizen scientists out in the snow this season. Follow the project at @communitysno- wobs on Instagram and Twitter to learn about data collection contests and prize giveaways. Snow is a winter playground for many but an important water re- source for all. Lend CSO a little bit of your time and turn your winter fun into data for science. David Hill is a professor at Oregon State University, an Explorer for the Na- tional Geographic Society, and the co- leader of the CSO project. He can be reached at david.hill@oregonstate.edu. earthquake from the Cascadia subduc- tion zone. Scientists believe that such an event could be catastrophic for the Pacific Northwest. “We are not ready for the disasters that we know will happen in the future — and we must take concrete steps to optimize existing capacities even as we work to expand capabilities throughout the state of Oregon,” Evans said. Class sizes in collective bargaining For the third consecutive session, Rep. Brian Clem, D-Salem, is pushing for class size in schools to be a manda- tory subject of collective bargaining. His proposal passed the House in 2018, but didn’t clear the Senate. It wasn’t included in the massive Student Success Act in 2019. The bill would essentially require school districts to consider class size alongside issues like salaries and bene- fits when making budget decisions. Opponents of the bill, including the Oregon School Boards Association, have said this proposal would end up costing districts more money that could be going to benefit students. Supporters contend that large class sizes can exac- erbate other top issues including absen- teeism, low teacher retention and poor graduation rates. Clem is also prioritizing a $3.7 million funding proposal that would help pro- vide a semi-permanent warming shelter for the homeless in Salem. Task force for underrepresented students In an attempt to lessen the disparity in access to post-secondary education along socioeconomic lines, Rep. Teresa A project called Community Snow Observations, funded by NASA and National Geographic, seeks to blend the activities of scientists and recreationists to improve our understanding of snow and our ability to predict its behavior. PHOTOS COURTESY OF DAVID HILL/OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY A project called Community Snow Observations, funded by NASA and National Geographic, seeks to blend the activities of scientists and recreationists to improve our understanding of snow and our ability to predict its behavior. Alonso Leon, D-Woodburn, has a bill proposing a task force to investigate the issue. The task force would have until De- cember 2020 to come up with a series of policy proposals focused on increasing the likelihood of post-secondary suc- cess in students who come from under- represented populations. Eight lawmakers would sit on the task force — four from each chamber — and it would travel the state holding lis- tening sessions. Similar statewide meetings occurred in the months lead- ing up to the creation of the Student Success Act and 2017’s multi-billion- dollar transportation package. Her second bill would expand Re- gional Health Equity Coalitions and fully fund all six existing programs. The coalitions aim to reduce local health dis- parities experienced by people in un- der-served communities. Removing short sessions Using the short session to try to kill the short session, Sen. Kim Thatcher, R- Keizer, is attempting to pass a bill that would allow Oregonians to vote on if they want to keep the 35-day, even-year session. Before 2012, Oregon only held ses- sions in the odd years, though they would be frequently called back to Sa- lem for special sessions. Voters decided in 2010 to amend the constitution and give Oregon annual sessions with short sessions in even years. The short session was to be used for budget adjustments and small policy fixes. Thatcher believes that the session has strayed far away from what voters approved, with lawmakers — particu- larly Democrats — trying to push through large pieces of legislation. “It’s turned into a version of the long session, just really compressed,” Thatcher said. She said voters should get an oppor- tunity to reaffirm that the current legis- lative structure is what they want. Kratom sale restrictions Simple Cremation $695 Simple Direct Burial $995 Traditional Funeral $2965 SALEM 275 Lancaster Drive SE (503) 581-6265 TUALATIN 8970 SW Tualatin Sherwood Rd (503) 885-7800 PORTLAND 832 NE Broadway (503) 783-3393 TIGARD 12995 SW Pacifi c Hwy (503) 783-6869 EASTSIDE 1433 SE 122nd Ave (503) 783-6865 MILWAUKIE 16475 SE McLoughlin Blvd (503) 653-7076 Privately owned cremation facility. A Family Owned Oregon Business. “Easy Online Arrangements” www.CrownCremationBurial.com OR-GCI0348841-02 In an attempt to regulate Kratom in Oregon, Rep. Bill Post, R-Keizer, is intro- ducing a bill that would limit sales of the product to individuals 22 years old and over. It also would require that all Kra- tom be inspected by the Oregon Depart- ment of Agriculture. Other states have already banned the substance, which some use for thera- peutic purposes. There are concerns about its safety and what is actually in the product, Post said. “I am not a ‘ban guy’ so this is how I want to deal with what is potentially a dangerous for some, substance,” Post said. He also is proposing a bill that would clarify the relationship between the courts and local government when re- solving property line disputes. It also would allow property owners to train dogs within barns or other agricultural buildings without fear of reprisals from county government. Assistance for NORPAC NORPAC Foods is in the midst of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding and informed the state that it may lay off more than 1,400 employees. Sen. Fred Girod, R-Stayton, is proposing a bill this session to provide those workers with unemployment benefits and training. Layoffs have already occurred at the Stayton facility. He said the bankruptcy has caused a tremendous impact in communities in his district where the loss of dozens of jobs can impact an entire town. The NORPAC plants in Brooks and Salem are set to close Jan. 12, according to filings with the state. According to court filings, the com- pany owes more than $165 million to more than 5,000 creditors. Increased penalty for crime of riot Rep. Sherrie Sprenger, R-Scio, has al- ready announced that she will not seek re-election to her seat this year. With her two bills in what might be her final session, Sprenger is taking on auto in- surers and people convicted of riot crimes. The latter bill would increase the penalties for committing the crime of riot while wearing a mask and directs the courts to consider face concealment to be an aggravating factor in a riot case. Her other bill would require auto in- surers to inform policyholders at least 30 days in advance before the cancella- tion of their policy. Sprenger said that a constituent in- formed her of a gap in consumer protec- tions that allows auto insurances com- panies to cancel new policies without advanced notice. Incentives for multi-family homes Rep. Rick Lewis, R-Silverton, is again proposing a pair of bills that died last session. The first would provide tools and in- centives for developers to build afford- able multi-family housing in rural areas. Participating communities would waive System Development Charges to devel- opers in exchange for an agreement that rents would stay at or below the state’s affordable housing threshold for at least a decade. Lewis said that it lacked Democratic support and died after a courtesy hear- ing in committee. The other bill would allow families of formerly Missing in Action service members to apply directly to the Oregon Department of Transportation for a roadside sign honoring that individual. There are currently seven former MIA service members who have been identified and returned home for burial, Lewis said. The Statesman Journal also reached out to Sen. Brian Boquist, R-Dallas, and Rep. Mike Nearman, R-Independence. They did not respond. Contact reporter Connor Radnovich at cradnovich@statesmanjournal.com or 503-399-6864, or follow him on Twit- ter at @CDRadnovich
