2A — THE OBSERVER
THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2020
STATE
DAILY Oregon Democrats top 1 million registered voters
PLANNER
“At this point, for the Democrats,
By Dick Hughes
For the Oregon Capital Bureau
TODAY
Today is Thursday, May 7,
the 128th day of 2020. There
are 238 days left in the year.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT
On May 7, 1789, America’s
fi rst inaugural ball was held
in New York in honor of Pres-
ident George Washington,
who had taken the oath of
offi ce a week earlier.
ON THIS DATE
In 1889, the Johns Hop-
kins Hospital in Baltimore
opened its doors.
In 1915, a German U-boat
torpedoed and sank the
British liner RMS Lusitania
off the southern coast of
Ireland, killing 1,198 people,
including 128 Americans,
out of the nearly 2,000 on
board.
In 1928, the minimum
voting age for British
women was lowered from
30 to 21 — the same age
as men.
In 1939, Germany and Ita-
ly announced a military and
political alliance known as
the Rome-Berlin Axis.
In 1945, Germany signed
an unconditional surrender
at Allied headquarters in
Rheims, France, ending its
role in World War II.
In 1946, Sony Corp. had
its beginnings as the Tokyo
Telecommunications Engi-
neering Corp. was founded
in the Japanese capital by
Akio Morita and Masaru
Ibuka.
In 1954, the 55-day Battle
of Dien Bien Phu in Vietnam
ended with Vietnamese in-
surgents overrunning French
forces.
In 1963, the United States
launched the Telstar 2 com-
munications satellite.
In 1975, President Gerald
R. Ford formally declared an
end to the “Vietnam era.” In
Ho Chi Minh City — formerly
Saigon — the Viet Cong cele-
brated its takeover.
In 1992, the latest addition
to America’s space shuttle
fl eet, Endeavour, went on its
fi rst fl ight.
In 1998, the parent
company of Mercedes-Benz
agreed to buy Chrysler Corp.
for more than $37 billion.
Londoners voted over-
whelmingly to elect their
own mayor for the fi rst time
in history. (In May 2000, Ken
Livingstone was elected.)
In 2004, Army Pfc. Lynndie
England, shown in photo-
graphs smiling and pointing
at naked Iraqi prisoners, was
charged by the military with
assaulting the detainees and
conspiring to mistreat them.
LOTTERY
Megabucks: $1.0 million
1-9-13-30-33-41
Mega Millions: $231 million
7-13-17-21-45-14 x2
Powerball: $59 million
13-16-33-58-68—PB-24 x5
Win for Life: May 4
12-23-56-72
Pick 4: May 5
• 1 p.m.: 2-6-8-8
• 4 p.m.: 3-2-1-4
• 7 p.m.: 9-5-1-8
• 10 p.m.: 9-5-5-7
Pick 4: May 4
• 1 p.m.: 3-3-3-0
• 4 p.m.: 2-1-6-4
• 7 p.m.: 9-3-2-1
• 10 p.m.: 9-6-7-1
DELIVERY ISSUES?
If you have any problems
receiving your Observer, call
the offi ce at 541-963-3161.
TODAY’S QUOTE
“There are those who
believe something, and
therefore will tolerate noth-
ing; and on the other hand,
those who tolerate every-
thing, because they believe
nothing.”
— Robert Browning,
English poet (born this date
in 1812; died in 1889)
Greetings to our socially distant friends It
has been a long time since I wrote a column for
the Observer, but with restaurants being only
allowed to do take-out, we felt like we needed
to explain to the public what we are doing at
Ten Depot Street.
Although we have been closed for 6
weeks, this Mother’s Day week-end we will be
open Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings for
take-out from 5 to 8, and on Sunday morning
from 9 to 1:00, serving a limited menu.
For Dinner we are offering Prime Rib,
Prime Rib Sandwiches, Crab Stuffed Halibut,
Sautéed Jumbo Shrimp, Chicken Alfredo,
Mushroom Tenderloin, Taco or Caesar Salads
and two small plate selections.
For Brunch we are preparing a breakfast
selection and a lunch selection. The breakfast
selection is a choice of Salmon Quiche or
Baked Stuffed Eggs with potatoes, Hill’s sau-
sage, fresh fruit cup, pickled asparagus, rhu-
barb buckle or biscuit. Beer, wine, Bloody
Mary;s and Mimosas will also be available.
SALEM — Before
Bernie Sanders halted his
presidential campaign, he
might have caused a surge
in Oregon voters who
switched to being Demo-
crats for the state’s May pri-
mary election.
New statistics released
by the Secretary of State’s
Offi ce show the Democratic
Party is Oregon’s fi rst polit-
ical party to top 1 million
voters.
“These numbers are
for the record books, and
demonstrate the strength
of our party’s vision for all
Oregonians and the work of
Democratic activists from
all corners of the state,”
Carla “K.C.” Hanson, chair
of the Oregon Democratic
Party, said Tuesday in a
statement.
But Kevin Hoar, the
communications director
for the Oregon Republican
Party, said it’s not sur-
prising that the crowded
Democratic presidential
fi eld had initially increased
interest on the Democratic
this is their moment to celebrate
because we think it’s all downhill
from here.”
Kevin Hoar, communications director for the Oregon
Republican Party
side of the May 19 primary
election.
“At this point, for the
Democrats, this is their
moment to celebrate
because we think it’s all
downhill from here,” Hoar
said, adding that Republi-
cans are focusing their voter
registration efforts toward
the Nov. 3 general election.
Both the Oregon Demo-
cratic and Republican par-
ties restrict voting in their
primaries to members of
their party. Veteran polit-
ical scientist Jim Moore
said it appears that many
previously unaffi liated
voters changed their regis-
tration to Democrat, likely
to vote for Sanders, which
helped put the Democratic
party over the 1 million
mark.
“It shows that there is an
electorate out there that’s
paying attention to poli-
tics and will take actions
in order to vote as they
want to in the primary,”
said Moore, a professor at
Pacifi c University.
The lineups for the May
19 primary ballot were set
weeks ago. The Democratic
presidential candidates are
Sanders, Elizabeth Warren,
who had ended her cam-
paign before Sanders, and
Joe Biden, the presumptive
nominee. President Donald
Trump is the sole Repub-
lican candidate.
As of April, Oregon had
2,862,831 registered voters.
By party, they included:
• Democrats, 1,006,266
• Republicans, 711,344
• Independent, 123,189
• Libertarian, 19,215
• Working Families,
9,128
• Pacifi c Green, 7,679
• Constitution, 3,682
• other parties, 17,660
But the second-largest
group of voters, behind
Democrats, comprises the
962,453 voters who chose
no party.
Moore said the new data
do not represent signifi -
cant change in the Oregon
electorate. The number
of unaffi liated voters has
been rising for decades at
the expense of the major
parties.
That shift took off in
the 1990s but began in the
1970s in the aftermath of
the Watergate scandal and
President Richard Nixon’s
resignation, according to
Moore. Instead of seeing
political parties as a way to
accomplish common goals,
voters came to view both
major parties as corrupt.
Oregon’s system of auto-
matic “motor voter” regis-
tration through the DMV
has swelled voter rolls in
recent years, especially for
unaffi liated voters. Overall
registration in Oregon is
up 2.85 % from a year ago.
That could mean a large
turnout at the November
general election, which is
open to all voters regard-
less of party.
“It looks like we’re
going to have the possi-
bility once again, as we did
in 2018, of a record number
of people voting but the
percentage of registered
voters will be lower simply
because there are so many
more voters,” Moore said.
The state party also
announced it was forgoing
its customary in-person
nominating convention and
instead would use mail and
online voting to choose
its delegates to the Demo-
cratic National Convention,
which now is scheduled for
mid-August in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin. The results
of the May primary elec-
tion will determine how
61 of Oregon’s delegates
are apportioned among the
three candidates.
Thousands of Oregon families will get extra food stamps
By Rachel Alexander
Salem Reporter via AP StoryShare
SALEM — The 351,000
Oregon students who nor-
mally receive free or
reduced-price meals at
school will receive extra
food stamps to cover the
value of those meals while
schools are closed.
Oregon last week got a
green light from the U.S.
Department of Agriculture
to expand its food stamp
program, giving families an
extra $384 per month, per
child.
Families with school-age
children who already
receive food stamps will
automatically get addi-
tional money added to their
Oregon Trail cards ret-
roactive to March, when
schools closed their doors.
The funds will be added
in late May, the Depart-
ment of Human Services
and Oregon Department of
Education said in a news
release.
The expansion will cost
Oregon about $154 million,
with half the cost covered
by the federal government.
The need for help with
food has grown dramati-
cally in recent months as
many Oregon families have
lost jobs because of pan-
demic-related closures, said
Rick Gaupo, president and
CEO of Marion Polk Food
Share.
The local food banks
they supply to have seen
about a 50% increase
in demand over the past
month, Gaupo said.
Food stamp applications
in Oregon also have spiked,
said Jennifer Gretz, spokes-
woman for the Department
of Human Services. Before
the pandemic began, about
13,000 applications per
month was typical. Now,
she said the department
sees 8,500 to 13,000 per
week.
For Lunch on Sunday, a choice of Roast
Beef or Salmon with lots of extras. Sunday
Brunch or Lunch is $15. A complete menu can
be found on our website (tendepotstreet.com.)
Orders can be placed by phone (541 963-
8766), through email (tendepotstreet @gmail.
com), or on Facebook. If you leave a message
we will call you back. Orders can be picked up
at our bakery building behind the restaurant.
Simply drive down our alley from Depot Street
at your scheduled time for pick-up and pull up
to the window on the left. We will have your
order ready.
We would prefer cash or a check for the
exact amount. Credit cards can be taken over
the phone, but we pay a high price to the credit
card companies for that service.
For all of our good customers, we are
missing you and are looking forward to when
we can return to normal. If this week-end goes
well, we will consider doing take-out every
week-end.
Stay safe and healthy.
B LUE P LATE S PECIAL $10.95
Fresh Oregon Snapper with Parsley-Onion Sauce,
rice, creamy coleslaw, bread
(served Monday through Friday)
Though many school
districts, including Salem-
Keizer, are offering free
meals for students to
take home, families have
to show up at a school
between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
to get food.
Gaupo praised the dis-
trict’s effort to get food to
families, but said coming to
a school midday can still be
a challenge for those who
are working or can’t leave
the home. Extra food stamp
benefi ts can help close that
gap.
“It will capture people
who fall through the cracks
a lot better,” Gaupo said.
The extra money is $5.70
for each day students would
have been in school, which
works out to $384 per child
for meals from March 16,
RE-ELECT
the fi rst day of the statewide
school closure, to mid-June.
Students who receive
free or reduced-price break-
fast and lunch at school but
don’t have food stamps will
have a card mailed to them.
About 28,000 Salem-
Keizer students normally
receive free or reduced-
price meals at school.
District workers have
been handing out breakfast
and lunch to-go daily at 36
schools around the district
since the closure began,
averaging about 20,000
meals per day in recent
weeks.
“The demand we’re
seeing at the locations
speaks for what’s hap-
pening in the community,”
said district spokeswoman
Lillian Govus.
The district began
handing out grocery boxes
weekly at Four Corners Ele-
mentary School in early
April after nearby local
food banks closed their
doors, and is expanding that
effort to Washington Ele-
mentary School beginning
May 8.
FAMILY
OWNED
215 Elm Street La Grande (541) 963-5440
northwestfurnitureandmattress.com
BOYD
RASMUSSEN
for
SHERIFF
WE SUPPORT SHERIFF BOYD RASMUSSEN
Craig Nightingale
Wes and Marie Rampton
Mike and Nikki Robertson
Robb Rea
G and Val Royes
Brett Rudd
Todd and Gidget Sannar
Terry and Annie Secl
Ed Schmittle
Lance C. Shoemaker
Rick Simmonis
Mark Simmons
Troy Simmons
Wayne and Ernestine Simonis
Doyle and Connie Slater
I have had many interactions with
Betty Sprenger
the Sheriff's Office, professionally
Linda and Sheldon Strand
as Union Fire Chief, EMT, and as a
Andy and Julie Tarvin
Billy Taylor
private citizen. I have always been
Bill Teeter
impressed with the men and women
Terry
and
Kathy Thimmes
serving under Boyd. He has been
Sean White
a great help in getting Deputies to
Tom and Karen Waldrip
Union, Cove, North Powder and
Don and Lila Waldrop
Bob and Kathy Walker
other outlying areas. Hopefully we
Kris and Bud Walker
can get a Deputy in Union soon
Hank Warg
from a grant Boyd has applied for.
Guy and Peggy Weishaar
Tod Hull
Mary West (Imbler)
Mary West (Elgin)
Marc Lee
Bev White
Todd and Melanie Livingston
Mike
Wisdom
Lee and Edith Lowe
Bill
and
Linda
Whittemore
Rich McConnell
Rich
and
Rachel
Zinzer
Dan and Nancy McDonald
Mike McLean
Jim and Rita McMahan
Bill and Stacy Merrigan
Michelle McKinney
Theora Mickey
Verl Miller and Kathryn Lusk
Glenn and Anita McIntosh
Rick and Janice Muilenburg
Steve Neumann
"The Sheriff's Office operates
Maureen O’Connell
similar to a business;
Amy and Gunnar Rolf
David R. Orcutt
managing & scheduling
Chris and Linda Panike
deputies, preparing budgets
DRC’s Property Management Inc Boyd has experience, integrity,
Michael and Tracy Partney
and working with the public.
Aaron and Hilary Dahle
education and compassion. He
Ralph Patterson
I feel Sheriff Boyd Rasmussen
Larry and Edna Davidson
Tony Pedro
Loren and Michelle Davidson has built an outstanding team
has proven he has the qualities
Skip Pereira
that services Union County.
Joe and Erin Davidson
and leadership to continue to
Joseph and Cathy Petrusek
I cast my vote for
William A & Sharon DeLashmutt
carry out these duties as
Howard and Suzanne Perry
Cresta DeLint
Sheriff Boyd Rasmussen!"
Union County Sheriff.”
Tim
and
Jenny
Phelps
Ves and Lois Doty
Verl Miller
Sonny Johnson
Allan and Michelle Duffy
Bonnie Dunn
Kent Dutson
Brock Eckstein
John and Melissa Fullerton
Dr Gerrie Gardner
Randy and Pam Glenn
James and Tracey Gorham
Joaquin Grant
Gordon and Barbara Gribling
Gary and Ginny Hager
Risa Hallgarth
“Our county has been fortunate to
Andy and Cindy Hale
have such an experienced,
knowledgeable & trustworthy sheriff. Mr and Mrs Boyd Harmon
Mark and Linda Harris
Let's help that continue.
Phil and Trudy Hassinger
He has our vote!”
Jamie and Mike Hicks
Micheal & Tracy Partney and Family
Lanny Hildebrandt
Doug and Patty Hislop
Gregory Acres
Dixie Hofmann
Fred Alexis
Bart Hoffman
Walt and Linda Anderson
Curt and Annette Howell
Katherine Austin
Tod and Angel Hull
Martha J. Bailey
Brent and Donna Huntsman
Greg Barreto
Matt and Melanie Insko
Greg M. Baxter
Sonny and Mary Jane Johnson
Sharon Beck
Don’s Lawn Service (Don Junker)
Dan Bellmore
All Air HVAC Service (Scott Kaber)
Wes and Teri Berry
Bruce and Karen Kevan
Austin & Jeana Bingaman
Ken Knott
Ross and Carrie Bingaman
Jim Kopp
Russel and Patty Bingaman
Alicia Koller
Wade and Angie Bingaman
Dave and Zee Koza
Julie Bodfish
Ken and Beccy Kramer
Jack and Jennifer Boyd
Barney Kuensting
Kem Brainerd
John Lamoreau
Jim Brainerd
Denny and Colleen Langford
Keith and Helen Brindell
Eric Laurence
Betty Bronson
JD and Audrey Cant
Christine Carlson
Shari Carpenter
John Cavin
Cathie Clark
Wendy Clerget
Lynn and Jody Combe
John C Cuthbert
Paid for by the Committee to Re-Elect Boyd Rasmussen Sheriff, Rita McMahan, Treasurer, 62436 Mink, Summerville