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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 18, 2015)
3A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2015 Brown: Oregon will continue taking Syrian refugees States would accept 10,000 Syrian refugees in the next year Only one Syrian refugee to date has settled in Ore- gon, according to the state Department of Human Ser- vices. Republicans, includ- ing state Rep. Bill Post, R-Keizer, had pressed the Democratic governor for an answer. Brown sent a letter and a FAQ sheet to Post Tuesday outlining her position. “I am glad that she shares my concern for the welfare of those being persecuted for their religious beliefs and that the United States and Oregon can be a safe place for them,” Post said in a statement. “I also hope that she will regularly confer with federal authorities as well as other governors on the implementation of the screening process. “My biggest concern is for the safety of Oregonians and it appears that this will be handled by the Depart- ment of Human Services. I hope that DHS will report to the Legislature and the people of Oregon on their vetting process as we move forward in this situation.” The Capital Bureau is a collaboration between EO Media Group and Pamplin Media Group. By PARIS ACHEN Capital Bureau SALEM — Gov. Kate Brown announced on Twit- ter Tuesday that Oregon will continue to accept refugees after a suspect in the Paris attacks was found to possess a Syrian passport. The governor had de- clined to comment Monday on her position on accepting refugees from the war-torn Middle Eastern country, where ISIS has taken a foot- hold. “Clearly, Oregon will continue to accept refugees,” Brown tweeted. “They seek safe haven, and we will con- tinue to open the doors of opportunity to them. The words of the Statue of Lib- erty apply in Oregon just as they do in every other state.” Brown’s position con- trasts with that of at least 27 governors, mostly Republi- cans, who say they want to block more Syrian refugees from entering their states, according to several media reports. Governors have no au- thority to reject Syrian refugees but could seek to reduce state services provid- ed to the newcomers. The federal government decides immigration policy. Presi- dent Barack Obama recently announced that the United State audit reveals problems complying with record requests By PARIS ACHEN Capital Bureau SALEM — Oregon gov- ernment agencies may be jeopardizing public trust with slow responses to more complex public records re- quests and inconsistent use of exemptions, according to a state audit report released Tuesday. The audit is part of the fallout from an influ- ence-peddling scandal in- volving former Gov. John Kitzhaber and first lady Cyl- via Hayes. Auditors recommended that the state create an om- budsman position to “serve as an intermediary between the public and state agen- cies on complex records re- quests.” “The public and the press have a right to see how their government operates to serve Oregonians,” Secre- tary of State Jeanne Atkins said in a statement. “This audit demonstrates that state agencies need to improve consistency and develop strategies to better respond to public records requests of all sizes. We must improve the public’s trust in Oregon government.” Auditors scrutinized re- quests made to nine state agencies to determine how agencies responded and how records are organized and stored. Seaside man pleads not guilty to police chase By KYLE SPURR The Daily Astorian The Seaside man who led police on a wild chase through a Cullaby Lake neighborhood in October pleaded not guilty Tuesday to a slew of felony and misdemeanor charges. Donald Allen Sanders, 34, is accused of eluding police, crashing into a yard, breaking into a deputy sheriff’s home and assaulting the deputy’s wife before being arrested. He is being charged with 15 counts. The charges include ¿rst-degree burglary, ¿rst- and second-degree assault, fourth-degree felony assault, attempt to elude, attempted unauthorized use of a vehicle, reckless driving, unlawful entry into a motor vehicle, reckless- ly endangering another person, ¿rst-degree criminal mischief and driving under the inÀuence of intoxicants. Sanders appeared in Clat- sop County Circuit Court via video link from Clatsop County Jail Tuesday for the turned to his 1995 Nissan arraignment hearing. He Maxima. was originally arraigned last Warrenton Police Chief month, but the case went back Matt Workman responded to to the grand jury, where more the Cullaby Lake area and charges were added. found Sanders driving toward The incident him. in October start- Sanders lost con- ed when Clatsop trol, crashed near County Sheriff’s the deputy sheriff’s Of¿ce Chief Dep- house and ran on uty Paul Williams foot. He broke into witnessed Sanders the house on the speeding past him 33000 block of Cul- in Seaside, heading laby Lake Lane and northbound on U.S. assaulted the depu- Highway 101. ty’s wife by slam- Donald Sanders contin- ming her into the Sanders ued to the Cullaby corner of a wall, the Lake neighborhood. indictment states. He drove through barricades The deputy sheriff grabbed and went over lawns and down Sanders and Workman arrest- walking paths. He caused ed him. more than $1,000 in damage to Charges against Sanders county property, according to have aggravating factors since the indictment. the deputy’s wife was not pro- He then stopped and tried voking him, and he allegedly to steal a Clatsop County committed the assault in front Parks Department pickup of the woman’s child. truck, but the keys were not A trial is scheduled to be- inside the vehicle so he re- gin next week. GO ONLINE www.dailyastorian.com Complicated requests took time policies on how those tech- nologies may be used “in the context of public records and how to retain the data,” audi- tors wrote. lation she proposed during this year’s legislative ses- sion. The legislation was a response to delays in the re- lease of public records relat- ed to an influence-peddling scandal involving Kitzhaber and Hayes. Reporters waited months for the state to re- lease documents concerning the overlap between Hayes’ public-policy role and pri- vate consulting contracts. The legislation required the Secretary of State’s Of¿ce to audit agencies’ handling of public-records requests. During her State of the State address in April, Brown said the audit was necessary before lawmakers could consider “meaningful changes to improve our pub- lic records law.” Lawmakers are meeting in Salem this week to dis- cuss possible bills for the next legislative session, but Democrats may wait until 2017 to propose any signif- icant changes to Oregon’s public records law. The Capital Bureau is a collaboration between EO Media Group and Pamplin Media Group. Agencies furnished re- cords relatively quickly — in two weeks or less — for routine requests, defined as Exemptions are commonly requested infor- legally complex mation that is easy to find, Navigating the state’s va- according to the audit. More complicated re- riety of exemptions to dis- quests could take more than closure also slowed respons- 265 days, result in high and es to requests. Agency staff inconsistent fees and lead to may have to consult with “the perception that agen- legal counsel to determine cies are using these tactics whether exemptions apply, according to the to block the release audit. of public infor- Auditors said an mation,” auditors ombudsman could wrote. help mediate dis- Agencies charge putes between agen- different fees for cies and the public furnishing public over public-records records. Copies can requests. Wash- range from 5 cents ington state has an to 25 cents per open government page. Staff time can cost between $15 Secretary of State ombudsman, who is appointed by the and $40 per hour. Jeanne Atkins attorney general. The Department of Human Services, for in- The ombudsman assists the stance, charged a requester public in making requests $742 to provide an entire file and agencies in complying last year relating to the li- with the state public disclo- censing of a nursing facility sure law. Gov. Kate Brown re- and took nearly four months quested the audit in legis- to complete the request. Agencies struggle with fulfilling broad requests for “any and all records” and requests for social media posts, text and instant mes- Alder and Maple Saw Logs & Standing Timber sages or public records from N orth w es t H a rdw oods • Lon gview , W A a personal email account. Contact: Steve Axtell • 360-430-0885 or John Anderson • 360-269-2500 Few of the agencies have W A NTED /ĨzŽƵŽƵŐŚƚĂds͕DŽŶŝƚŽƌ͕ŽƌEŽƚĞŬŽŵƉƵƚĞƌdŚĂƚ ŽŶƚĂŝŶĞĚĂŶ>&ůĂƚWĂŶĞů^ĐƌĞĞŶ͕ƵƌŝŶŐƚŚĞzĞĂƌƐϮϬϬϮƚŽϮϬϬϲ͕ zŽƵDĂLJďĞŶƟƚůĞĚƚŽĞŶĞĮƚƐĨƌŽŵĂ^ĞƩůĞŵĞŶƚ͘ Please read this notice carefully as your legal rights are affected whether you act or do not act. PARA UNA NOTIFICACION EN ESPANOL, LLAMAR O VISITAR NUESTRO WEBSITE. The Oregon Attorney General filed a lawsuit CV 10-933 MO. The letter must include the case against certain manufacturers of liquid crystal name, your name, address, telephone number, and display (“LCD”) flat panels. The lawsuit alleges signature. A letter on behalf of a political subdivision that LCD manufacturers illegally agreed upon the must include the entity’s name, and the name, title, pricing of LCD-flat panels. The Attorney General and signature of the person authorized to sign on filed this action in her law enforcement capacity and behalf of the entity. The letter must be postmarked on behalf of the State of Oregon, Oregon natural on or before January 15, 2016, and mailed to: persons, and all political subdivisions in Oregon and Oregon LCD Settlement, c/o GCG, P.O. Box 10240, sought equitable relief, restitution, civil penalties and Dublin, Ohio 43017-5740. injunctive relief. File a claim: Only Oregon natural persons Oregon has settled with all defendants for a total need to file a claim to obtain benefits in this of $21,505,000 (“Settlement Fund”). The State of settlement. Claims can be completed online or by Oregon, political subdivisions and Oregon natural mailing the claim form, available for download at persons may be entitled to a portion of the Settlement www.OregonScreenSettlement.com, to the Fund. “Political subdivisions” includes all Oregon Settlement Administrator. A deadline for filing claims counties, cities, municipalities, public universities, has not yet been established. The State of Oregon school districts, special districts, and all other local and political subdivisions that are owed money government entities. “Oregon natural persons” under the distribution plan will be contacted and sent means a human, not a business. payment without any further action on their part. Do nothing: If you or the political subdivision tŚŽ/Ɛ/ŶĐůƵĚĞĚ͍ The State of Oregon and all Oregon political you represent do nothing, you will continue to be subdivisions or natural persons who indirectly represented by the Oregon Attorney General. You purchased at any time during the years 2002 to 2006, will be bound by the terms of this settlement, and for their own use and not for resale, LCD panels will release Defendants and related entities from any incorporated in flat panel TVs, monitors or notebook claims you may have relating to the allegations in computers. An indirect purchaser is someone that this lawsuit. Oregon natural persons that do not file a purchased products containing LCD flat panels from claim will not be entitled to any benefits in this matter someone other than the company that manufactured and will be bound by the terms of the settlement. the flat panel component, such as from an electronics tŚŽZĞƉƌĞƐĞŶƚƐDĞ͍ retailer or a device manufacturer other than one of The Attorney General of Oregon represents the the Defendants. State, Oregon political subdivisions, and Oregon natural persons. You do not have to pay the Attorney tŚĂƚƌĞDLJZŝŐŚƚƐŶĚKƉƟŽŶƐ͍ Exclude yourself: Oregon political subdivisions General. The Attorney General will request the Court and Oregon natural persons have the right to exclude approve attorney fees in an amount not to exceed 20% themselves from this action. The State of Oregon of the total Settlement Fund, plus costs and expenses. cannot be excluded. If you opt out, you will not be Additional costs to administer the Settlements will legally bound by this settlement, but you will not get also come out of the Settlement Fund. If you want any money or other benefits from this settlement. to be represented by your own lawyer, and have that You will retain any rights you currently have, if any. lawyer appear in Court for you, you must exclude Please note that under Oregon law, authority to bring yourself and hire an attorney at your own expense. antitrust actions for indirect purchaser claims, like ,ŽǁŽ/'ĞƚDŽƌĞ/ŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶ͍ this action, was limited to actions by the Attorney This Notice summarizes the lawsuits and the General until January 1, 2010. Settlements. You can get more information about the To opt-out, complete the opt-out registration lawsuits and Settlements, the claims process or obtain online at www.OregonScreenSettlement.com or a claim form at www.OregonScreenSettlement.com, send a written letter stating that you want to be by calling 1-877-940-7791, or writing to: Oregon excluded from the case: State of Oregon, ex rel Ellen LCD Settlement, c/o GCG, P.O. Box 10240, Dublin, F. Rosenblum v. AU Optronics Corp. et al., case no. Ohio 43017-5740. ϭͲϴϳϳͲϵϰϬͲϳϳϵϭͻǁǁǁ͘KƌĞŐŽŶ^ĐƌĞĞŶ^ĞƩůĞŵĞŶƚ͘ĐŽŵ How to identify a possible gas leak. If you smell ROTTEN EGGS it could be a gas leak. And the best thing to do is leave your home and call NW Natural. We’ll be out to make sure everything is safe. Unsure of what to do? Just take a look at our tips to the right. Smell. Go. Let Us Know. 800-882-3377 If you smell a rotten egg or sulfur odor, you hear a blowing or hissing sound, or you see blowing dirt, it could be a gas leak. What to do. Leave your home and the area immediately. Don’t use any electrical device such as a light switch, telephone, appliance or garage door opener. And don’t try to fi nd the leak yourself. Who to call. Go outside and use your cell phone, or a neighbor’s phone, and call NW Natural at 800-882-3377.
