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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (April 18, 2020)
2A — THE OBSERVER SaTuRday, apRil 18, 2020 STATE Daily Planner TODAY Today is Saturday, April 18, the 109th day of 2020. There are 257 days left in the year. TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT On April 18, 1978, the Senate approved the Pana- ma Canal Treaty, providing for the complete turnover of control of the waterway to Panama on the last day of 1999. ON THIS DATE In 1775, Paul Revere began his famous ride from Charlestown to Lexington, Massachusetts, warning colonists that British Regular troops were approaching. In 1906, a devastating earthquake struck San Fran- cisco, followed by raging fires; estimates of the final death toll range between 3,000 and 6,000. In 1910, suffragists showed up at the U.S. Capitol with half a million signatures demanding that women be given the right to vote. In 1995, quarterback Joe Montana retired from pro- fessional football. LOTTERY Megabucks: $3.0 million 2-5-7-26-41-45 Mega Millions: $159 million 29-47-65-69-70-7 x4 Powerball: $24 million 10-12-33-36-41—PB-2 x3 Win for Life: April 15 31-32-44-50 Pick 4: April 16 • 1 p.m.: 9-9-7-6; 4 p.m.: 2-7-4-4 • 7 p.m.: 9-7-4-0; 10 p.m.: 6-1-7-1 Pick 4: April 15 • 1 p.m.: 2-2-6-1 • 4 p.m.: 8-5-1-9 • 7 p.m.: 3-3-1-8 • 10 p.m.: 5-0-5-3 DELIVERY ISSUES? If you have any problems receiving your Observer, call the office at 541-963-3161. TODAY’S QUOTE “There is no shame in not knowing; the shame lies in not finding out.” — Russian proverb Oregon unemployed hits record numbers By Dick Hughes For The Oregon Capital Bureau SALEM — Record num- bers of Oregonians have lost their jobs during the coronavirus pandemic but the pace is slowing, the state Employment Depart- ment reported Thursday. About 53,800 people ini- tially filed for unemploy- ment last week, compared with a total of 243,000 during the previous three weeks. The biggest pro- portion of claims is from people who were employed in the leisure and hospitality sector, including hotels and restaurants. “But all sectors are seeing record numbers right now,” Anna Johnson, senior economic analyst, said in a video posted Thursday. Large-scale public health measures aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19 began during the week of March 15. From then through April 4, 58% of unemployment claims were filed by workers with a high school education or less. “This is likely a reflec- tion of the industries that have been hardest hit, such as leisure and hospitality, construction, retail and manufacturing,” regional economist Damon Runberg wrote on Thursday. He added that workers ages 25 to 34 were partic- ularly hard hit, accounting for 30% of the job- less claims during that period despite making up only 23% of the work- force. About 23% of 35- to 44-year-olds filed claims. Lincoln and Clatsop counties both lost more than 10% of the local workforce to layoffs during those three weeks. Other significant workforce losses included roughly 8% in Deschutes County; about 7% in Union, Coos, Crook and Tillamook counties; and around 6% in Multnomah, Lane, Jackson and Douglas counties. The state paid out $97 million in unemploy- ment benefits last week. However, many people have not been able to receive payments due to the agen- cy’s lack of staff and out- dated technology. Despite quadrupling the claims-handling staff, the department answered only 801 of the 2,206 calls received on Wednesday, and the average wait time was about two hours. Communications Man- ager Gail Krumenauer said additional staff are still being hired. With record unemployment up through early March, the agency had a small staff handling claims. It has gone from 106 personnel then to 450 now, with a goal of 800. “It’s hard to overstate what an incredible change this has been in almost no time for Oregonians and for the department,” she said. Computer systems are being reprogrammed to handle the federal Pandemic Unemployment Assis- tance program, which will allow many self-employed, contract or gig workers to receive unemployment ben- efits for the first time. But she said it will take 4,000 of hours to reprogram computers to eliminate the one-week wait before people are eligible for bene- fits. Because the reprogram- ming will take staff away from existing work, the department is focusing first on getting the most money to the most people. “The agency has priori- tized doing what we can to get the most benefits to the most affected workers, the fastest,” she said. “We’ve already seen the total bene- fits paid went from $25 mil- lion in one week to about $100 million in the next. That’s real money right now in people’s pockets, so that’s been our first priority.” OLCC suspends Oregon bar’s license for coronavirus violations Liquor stores generate record level of sales J By Jim Ryan The Oregonian/OreognLive CAVE JUNCTION — The Oregon Liquor Con- trol Commission suspended the license of a southern Oregon bar that violated restrictions for stemming the spread of coronavirus. Cave Junction’s Sportsman Tavern is the first Oregon establish- ment to have its license suspended for allegedly defying an executive order that, among other mandates, bans on-premise consump- tion of food or drink. The OLCC handed down the suspension April 10, the day after a com- mission inspector checked out an email tip from a “concerned citizen” who noticed activity at the bar, according to agency spokesman Mark Pettinger. The inspector saw people going in and out of the building, Pettinger said. The inspector went inside, Pettinger said, and there were drinks at the bar. Owner Kim Sanders told The Associated Press the bar hasn’t been open, he wasn’t trying to violate Gov. Kate Brown’s exec- utive order and he plans to challenge the license suspension. “We are law-abiding cit- izens,” he told the Asso- ciated Press, noting when the inspector arrived, his employees were done for the day, sitting apart and having pizza and a drink. “I’m trying to go by this (order) and I dearly, dearly care about people. I would never try to do anything that would hurt anybody.” The Oregon Liquor Con- trol Commission has inves- tigated 59 complaints of establishments allegedly violating Gov. Kate Brown’s executive order since March 15, Pettinger said. In nearly all cases, the establishments were closed or serving food-to-go when inspectors arrived, Pet- tinger said. The Oregon Liquor Control Commission also reported liquor stores sold close to $66 million in dis- tilled spirits in March, an almost 20% increase in sales compared to March 2019, and a new March sales record. December 2019 is the all-time monthly sales record for liquor at $75.85 million. “The upsurge in sales from agent-op- erated liquor stores is attributed to changes in consumer behavior due to the Covid-19 pandemic,” according to the press release from the commis- sion. “Specifically, liquor consumption has shifted from sit-down bars and restaurants to consumers purchasing distilled spirts by-the-bottle for at home consumption.” March liquor sales fig- ures show the shift from bar and restaurant licensees to consumers. Licensee sales were $6.4 million in 2020 compared to more than $13.7 million in March 2019, a drop of 53%. In comparison, consumer liquor sales increased from $41.2 million in March 2019 to $59.5 million last month, a 44 percent increase. OLCC liquor stores also have issued more than $500,000 in refunds to 94 bars and restaurants for returned liquor. The value of unsold product at liquor stores increased from $67.5 million to $78.6 million. “These numbers may be alarming to those con- cerned about alcohol depen- dency, but it reflects the shift in consumption, not an increase in consumption,” according to Steve Marks, OLCC executive director. ——— Observer staff contrib- uted to this article. 2014 through February 2018, The Oregonian/Ore- gonLive reported. The con- struction companies were involved in real estate proj- ects in the Portland area, the complaint says. Lopez-Diaz is charged with one count of con- spiring to commit tax eva- sion and two counts of filing false tax returns. He’s scheduled to make his first court appearance on April 21. manufacturing facility were hazardous on two occasions. The state environmental regulators also cited Selmet without fines for 12 viola- tions of hazardous waste, used oil and universal waste management regulations. Other violations included transporting totes of waste fixer solution, weighing more than 25,000 pounds in one instance, to a dis- posal site in Washington as a non-hazardous material, state officials said. Selmet also failed to designate the waste as hazardous on its manifest, according to officials. State officials noted Selmet has expanded pro- duction and the facility foot- print since the agency’s last inspection in 2016 but also decreased resources to the environmental health and safety department. The state agency has labeled the company a “significant noncom- plier,” because it report- edly has “not completed all the requested corrective actions” based on a pre-en- forcement notice filed with the company in September.. — Associated Press and Observer staff News Briefs State extends studded tire deadline to May 15 SALEM — Oregon drivers will not be required to remove studded tires until 11:59 p.m. Friday, May 15. The Oregon Department of Transportation on Friday announced the extension Friday. Oregon law allows studded tires from November 1 through March 31. But the Oregon Depart- ment of Transportation initially extended that to May 1. The department in a press release explained it moved the deadline again in response to the continuing public health emergency of COVID-19. ODOT also encour- aged drivers to remove their studded tires removed before May 15 if that is pos- sible while maintaining social distancing. Expired Oregon ID gets OK PORTLAND — The Oregon Liquor Control Commission will allow alcohol and marijuana licensees to accept Oregon driver licenses or identifi- cation cards that expired on or after March 8, 2020, as an acceptable form of identification. This liquor commis- sion in a news release stated the decision aligns with the Oregon Depart- ment of Motor Vehicles and law enforcement position, as the DMV closed offices because of the COVID-19 public health crisis pre- venting individuals from renewing their driver’s license or ID cards. This temporary excep- tion only applies to Oregon driver licenses and identi- fication cards, according to the statement, and the exception will remain in place while the Gov. Kate Brown’s executive order remains in effect for resi- dents to avoid unnecessary travel. The Oregon DMV in March asked law enforce- ment to exercise discretion in enforcing violations due to expired credentials. The Oregon State Police, Oregon State Sheriff’s Association and the Oregon Association of Chiefs of Police agreed to support this “grace period” for sus- pending enforcement of expired credential viola- tions, including expired driver’s licenses and identi- fication cards. Program, which has now run dry. We have a respon- sibility to help Americans get back to work and our new way of life.” Walden is completing 22 years as the representative of Oregon’s 2nd Congres- sional District, opting not to seek reelection. He touted the task force as a positive way to bring Democrats and Republicans together to find common ground and meaningful solutions. County Major Crimes Team in conducting an investiga- tion, with the Oregon State Police assigned as the lead investigating agency. Stare police are asking anyone with information regarding the fire to call 1-800-442- 2068 or *OSP and reference case No. SP20099760 — detective Brian Jewell. Greg Walden takes seat on White House Economic Task Force Police investigating fatal fire in Douglas County WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump appointed Oregon U.S. Rep. Greg Walden to serve on the White House Economic Task Force. The bipar- tisan, bicameral group will advise the White House on reopening the economy. “We had a very good conversation with the pres- ident, vice president and his team,” according to a statement from Walden, a Republican from Hood River. “From my stand- point, our next step in shoring up the economy is simple: replenish funds in the Paycheck Protection REEDSPORT — The Oregon State Police is leading an investigation into a Reedsport fire that had one fatality. The fire occured Sunday, April 12, at a Reedsport home. The town’s fire and police departments responded. When officers arrived, they were notified an individual was inside the home. Officers entered the resi- dence and found Joseph Lee Shoemaker, 68, who was dead. The other residents were able to escape. The Reedsport Police Department requested the assistance of the Douglas PORTLAND — A 38-year-old Beaverton man is accused of evading more than $65 million in employ- ment and income taxes by paying Portland-area con- struction workers and sub- contractors in cash. Victor Hugo Lopez-Diaz and conspirators cashed about $185 million in pay- roll checks at check-cashing businesses and paid workers in cash, while filing false corporation, payroll and individual tax returns, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth Uram and Gavin Bruce said in a Tuesday complaint filed in U.S. Dis- trict Court in Portland. The alleged tax evasion scheme continued from Man charged with participating in $65M tax evasion scheme ALBANY — The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has fined a manufacturer of parts for the aerospace industry near Albany more than $70,000 for citations related to its mishandling of hazardous waste materials. A Selmet company spokesman did not return an email seeking com- ment, The Albany Demo- crat-Herald reported. The DEQ in a letter stated it penalized Selmet penalized for failing to determine if waste gener- ated at the titanium parts Benefit More From Your Giving Rates for Charitable Gift Annuiti es — gift s that pay you income for life — are high. You’ll receive dependable income when you give this type of gift to the OHSU Foundati on. Plus, you’ll feel good knowing you’re making a signifi cant impact on the future of OHSU How It Works With a charitable gift annuity, you make a donati on using cash, marketable securiti es or other assets, and we, in turn, pay you a fi xed amount for life. It’s a great way to supplement your income and feel secure during reti rement. We Can Help We would be happy to send you a free, no-obligati on illustrati on showing the benefi ts you can receive from a charitable gift annuity. 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