3A
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2017
Bend Democrat
considering Greg
Walden challenge
By PARIS ACHEN
Capital Bureau
SALEM — A Bend Dem-
ocrat, who works as a physi-
cian in Salem and Portland,
is weighing a bid to oust U.S.
Rep. Greg Walden from the
2nd Congressional District
seat.
If she announces next
month, Jennifer “Jenni”
Neahring, 51, would be one
of several Democrats run-
ning campaigns to oust the
10-term Republican repre-
sentative but only one of two
women.
A newcomer to poli-
tics, Neahring said the high
cost of health care — and
Walden’s efforts to repeal
what she describes as the
only gains the nation has
made in improving access
to care — spurred her to
explore her potential to chal-
lenge him.
She felt the only way she
could change national health
care policy would be to seek
office, she said.
She has toured the 2nd
Congressional District and
met with voters in south-
ern, central and eastern
Oregon. She has received
advice from Celinda Lake,
a leading Democratic polit-
ical strategist, and has met
with former Gov. John
Kitzhaber and U.S. Reps.
Suzanne Bonamici and Earl
Blumenauer.
“I’m trying to see if I
understand the problems and
issues and can I serve this
district, and I feel that I can,”
Neahring said.
Neahring moved to Bend
from Salem about six years
ago after a divorce. While
living in Bend, she said,
she has continued a medical
practice as a kidney physi-
cian in both the capital city
and Portland, often work-
ing every other week. She
has had affiliations with both
Salem Health Hospitals &
Clinics and with Providence
Connections palliative care
consultation service.
“From the time that it was
passed, I was happy to see
we were making changes in
the right direction in terms of
the things that are really pop-
ular in the Affordable Care
Act, like mandatory cover-
age for preexisting condi-
tions and expanding cov-
erage for more people,”
Neahring said. “My con-
cern when it passed was
there wasn’t enough teeth in
things that needed to happen
to make health care afford-
able. Health care is already
too expensive, and we saw
those costs continuing to
rise.”
Even so, repealing the
law “didn’t make any sense
to me because the American
public would be losing the
few gains we had in starting
to look at bringing down the
cost of health care,” she said.
“The frustration to me
was that the whole discus-
sion was about politics and
Obama and trying to get rid
of it, as opposed to talking
about the problems with
health care and trying to fix
it.”
The only woman who has
filed for election to the seat
(and is still in the race) is
Jamie McLeod-Skinner, 50,
of Terrebonne, a retired city
manager and planner. She
announced her candidacy for
the Democratic nomination
July 5.
Rachel Scdoris-Salerno,
a legally blind dog sled
racer from Bend, dropped
out of the race in July, after
announcing in May. She has
endorsed McLeod-Skinner.
Candidates have until
March 6 to file for the pri-
mary election. Others who
have filed for the Democratic
nomination are Michael
Byrne of Parkdale (near
Hood River), James “Jim”
Crary, who lives near Ash-
land, and Tim S. White.
Walden has “led the
charge in dismantling health
care” and in supporting the
tax bill, and supported the
Federal
Communications
Commission’s decision to
repeal rules that prohibited
Merry Time owners plan to take
on Labor Temple Diner & Bar
Couple to
honor temple’s
place in history
By EDWARD STRATTON
The Daily Astorian
Christopher Oertell/Hillsboro Tribune
U.S. Rep. Greg Walden,
R-Oregon
Jamie
McLeod-
Skinner
Jennifer
Neahring
internet providers from dis-
criminating against certain
websites, McLeod-Skinner
said.
“He really seems to have
turned away and forgotten
where he comes from,” she
said. “He’s really focused on
campaign donors and not the
needs of his district.”
The Democratic Party of
Oregon has amped up fund-
raising to support candidates
who could defeat Walden.
Criticism of his votes for
bills to repeal the Affordable
Care Act and give permanent
tax breaks to have fueled
their fervor.
Walden still has the con-
stituent support and financial
wherewithal to win reelec-
tion, said spokesman Justin
Discigil.
Voters in his district “have
consistently and strongly
supported Greg Walden
as their voice in Congress
because they know he is a
powerful force standing up
for our veterans, working
across party lines to fix bro-
ken forest policy and helping
hardworking taxpayers keep
more of what they earn,”
Discigil said.
“Oregon has no stronger
voice for the ranching, farm-
ing and small business way
of life that dominates the east
side of the state.”
Terry and Todd Robinett,
owners of the Merry Time
Bar & Grill, are acquiring the
Labor Temple Diner & Bar
in Astoria from David and
Christina Warner. The deal is
expected to close early next
month.
The Robinetts plan to keep
the diner menu and vibe of
the Labor Temple largely the
same, while expanding the
events in the back bar. The
business is in space leased
from the Astoria Labor Tem-
ple Association, owners of the
1924 union hall.
“The Labor Temple has a
significant place in Astoria’s
history,” the Robinetts said in
a news release. “We’re going
to honor that. We are also put-
ting a lot of energy into mak-
ing it a happening night spot
again. Look for rock shows,
burlesque, all kinds of things.
We think the success of the
Merry Time Bar should count
for something, and hope that
folks trust us with this local
icon.”
The couple moved to Asto-
ria in 2014 and took over the
Merry Time Bar & Grill from
Fred and Chrissy Van Horn.
They don’t want the sports
bar to compete with the Labor
Temple, Terry Robinett said.
Before moving to Port-
land, she managed the Rialto
Poolroom Bar & Cafe, a
99-year-old pool and betting
venue in Portland. She helped
open the Jack London Bar in
the basement of the pool hall,
producing shows and booking
events.
The couple plans to install
new audio and lighting in the
Labor Temple bar’s stage area,
along with a new jukebox,
pinball and other minor cos-
metic changes. A wide variety
of events have been scheduled
starting next month, including
Friday dance parties, monthly
comedy nights and burlesque
shows, live-band karaoke and
concerts.
The Warners own the Port-
way Tavern on Marine Drive
and have had the Labor Tem-
ple since taking over from
Phyllis Ham and Bob Heil-
man in 2007. They also oper-
ate a rental property com-
pany and wanted to simplify,
Christina Warner said.
“It’s been a fun experi-
ence … trying at times,” she
said of operating the Labor
Temple. “We’re happy that
they’ve said they want to
keep the same concept, and
have the time and desire to
run with it.”
The Warner’s last day of
ownership will be New Year’s
Day. “We’ll stop serving at 1
a.m.” Monday, Christina War-
ner said.
The cafe and bar will tem-
porarily close, with the Robi-
netts intending to reopen Jan.
12.
Edward Stratton/The Daily Astorian
The Labor Temple Diner & Bar is located in the first floor
of a 1924 union hall owned by the Astoria Labor Temple
Association.
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