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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 11, 2018)
3A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2018 Governor releases priorities for upcoming short session Guns, PERS among issues By CLAIRE WITHYCOMBE Capital Bureau SALEM — Gov. Kate Brown’s pri- orities for the 2018 legislative session include efforts to pay down the state’s public pension liability and tighten restrictions on gun ownership. Brown, a Democrat who is running for re-election in November, released five proposals Wednesday ahead of the short session that begins Feb. 5 and will last up to 35 days. Here are the governor’s proposals: • Gun control: This proposal lays out a previously voiced desire of the governor to close the “Boyfriend Loop- hole” by modifying state law to bar peo- ple convicted of misdemeanor stalking or domestic violence from purchasing a firearm. The bill would also make sure that the authorities are notified when someone who is prohibited by law from buying a firearm tries to buy one, and have the state track information about those cases to learn where the reporting system can be improved. • Affordable housing: The proposal would allow the state to temporarily waive fees and education requirements EO Media Group Gov. Kate Brown has released five proposals ahead of next month’s short session of the Legislature. (in favor of training experience “on the job”) for construction professionals to obtain supervisory licenses from the state. It would also create low-cost loans, administered by Business Oregon, to encourage subcontractors to work on affordable housing projects in rural areas. Finally, it would also hand out grants for new equipment and tools for con- struction workers through Workforce Investment Boards to bring down busi- ness’ costs of hiring more people. • PERS paydown: The state is facing an unfunded pension liability of about $25 billion, and this proposal would cre- ate a fund to encourage public employ- ers to save money to put toward their employees’ retirement costs. The state would contribute 25 cents for every dollar saved by public agen- cies, but it’s not yet clear how much the proposal could shave from the unfunded liability, which is the amount of money that the state owes to retirees but can’t currently pay. • Opioid epidemic: The gover- nor wants to take the first steps toward requiring drug manufacturers to regis- ter for the Prescription Drug Monitor- ing Program, create a four-county pilot program to test the efficacy of peer men- tors for people having a drug overdose, and require the state’s insurance commis- sioner to study how to improve access to addiction treatment. • State procurement practices: This proposal would take several steps to bring down state government costs by changing how the state buys goods and services. The bill would have the state test a “reverse auction” concept that would have sellers of goods or services val- ued at more than $150,000 compete to win the state’s business, and test an idea that would have the state study whether requiring 30 percent of evaluation crite- ria to be price. The Capital Bureau is a collaboration between EO Media Group and Pamplin Media Group. Meth arrests net six in Seaside The Daily Astorian SEASIDE — Six people were arrested in a bust on two apartments in the same com- plex in Seaside on Dec. 26. Officers from the Clatsop County Sheriff’s Office and Seaside Police Department, aided by the Cannon Beach Police Department, executed a search warrant at an apartment complex where they found two people in possession of methamphetamine. Richard Paul Vogelsang, 42, was found in possession of 22 grams of methamphet- amine valued at about $1,000, along with digital scales, pack- John Pepperd Richard Paul Vogelsang aging material and a firearm. Vogelsang was detained on a probation violation and taken to the Clatsop County Jail. Kasandra Dehart, 36, was found in possession of a small amount of methamphetamine. Dehart was cited and released on the charge of frequenting a place where drugs are sold. The case was forwarded to the James Mitchell Scarborough Ashley Griffiths Clatsop County District Attor- ney’s Office for determination of additional charges. The same night, a search in a different apartment brought four additional drug-related arrests. James Mitchell Scarbor- ough, 57, was arrested after being found in possession of a small amount of heroin. Kasandra Dehart Ashley Clarke John Peppard, 53, was charged with delivery of a con- trolled substance after being found in possession of approx- imately 16 grams of metham- phetamine, digital scales, pack- aging material and about $450. Ashley Clarke, 29, and Ashley Griffiths, 29, were arrested for frequenting a place where drugs are sold. Vancouver officials deal blow to proposed oil terminal Associated Press VANCOUVER, Wash. — The Port of Vancouver’s Board of Commissioners has voted unanimously to terminate a rolling lease on property that would hold the nation’s larg- est rail-to-marine oil terminal if the project’s backers don’t pro- vide all the necessary permits by March. The 3-0 vote Tuesday is another blow to the Vancouver Energy terminal. A key state energy council recommended in November that Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee deny the project, meaning that it will be almost impossible for the backers to meet the deadline on the lease. Inslee has until the end of February to decide whether to accept the recommenda- tion of the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council. “It’s gratifying to have our commission be united in its vision for the future of the port and community,” Commission President Eric LaBrant said in an emailed statement. “We still await the governor’s decision on the project and we continue to be focused on support- ing businesses, growing jobs and providing benefit to our community.” The joint venture of Tesoro Corp. and Savage Companies would receive about 360,000 barrels of North American crude oil a day by trains at the port. The oil would then be loaded onto tankers and ships for trans- port to oil refineries up and down the West Coast. The lease had automat- ically renewed every three months until Tuesday’s action. Developers have said the terminal is needed to bring crude oil from North Dakota and other areas to a west- ern U.S. port to meet grow- ing fuel demands and future energy needs. They’ve argued that it could be built safely and would secure a reliable supply of energy for the state. Tribes, environmental Clatsop Post 12 Spaghetti Dinner groups and municipalities such as the city of Vancouver lined up against the project. Opponents argued that the terminal would mostly bene- fit the energy needs of Califor- nia — and potentially overseas markets in the future — while exposing Washington commu- nities to all the public safety and environmental risks. An environmental study Calling all boys and girls ages Do you like to released last year found the pro- posed project included risks to health and safety that could not be entirely mitigated. Those four risks were iden- tified as train accidents, emer- gency response delays, neg- ative impacts on low-income communities and the possibil- ity that an earthquake would damage the facility’s dock and cause an oil spill. 4-14 DANCE? Then come dance with Astoria High School’s Pizazz Dancers! We will be teaching a dance warm-up, dance skills stations, and a half-time routine to your favorite pop music with focused groups providing different levels for various ages. Then on Friday, Jan. 26th you will have the option to join us as we perform at half-time, during the AHS Varsity basketball game! This is a fund-raiser to help with costs for our competition season. If you love to dance and perform, this is the clinic for you! Hope to see you there! Friday Jan. 12 th 6PM “Karaoke Dave” Payment due the day of clinic. Contact Coach Kelly at kcraychee@ gmail.com to preregister. DANCE TEAM T he D aily a sTorian ’ s c utest B aBy c ontest If your baby was born January 1st & December 31st , 2017 , between FOUR FREE LESSONS MONDAYS 10 AM -12 NOON Starting Monday, January 22nd OR SUNDAYS 2-4 PM EASY FUN FRIENDS FOOD FREE! Starting Sunday, January 28th (To be followed by ongoing Mini-Lessons and Supervised Play sessions) Come play in the delightful Mary Blake Playhouse in the Seaside Library grounds; park at the Bob Chisholm Community Center, 1225 Ave A, Seaside Call - Sue Kroning: (503)738-7817 Cell: (503)739-0264 email:skroning@centurylink.net to register (or just come along) Contact: John Anderson • 360-269-2500 Where: AHS Gym Cost: $20. w/T-shirt $12. without Clatsop Post 12 LEARN BRIDGE Alder and Maple Saw Logs & Standing Timber Northwest Hardwoods • Longview, WA registration beginning at 9:45am with an optional half-time performance Friday the 26th at 7:20pm. ASTORIA AMERICAN LEGION 1132 Exchange Street 325-5771 WANTED DATE: Sat. Jan. 20th TIME: 10am-Noon 4 pm until gone 8. 00 standing of what a ballot measure does. The rule change was SALEM — Oregon Sec- meant to prevent “special retary of State Dennis Rich- interests from using frivolous ardson announced Wednes- lawsuits to delay signature day he will hold off on gathering by allowing grass- roots petitioners to cir- implementing culate petitions using changes to the state the attorney gener- initiative petition al’s certified ballot rules that allow peti- tions to be circulated title during the appeal before a legal ballot process,” Richardson said. description has been Another rule finalized. change would give He called on Dennis the Legislature — Richardson volunteers more ways to distribute sin- which convenes gle-signature petition Feb. 5 — to codify the rule changes to stream- sheets known as “e-sheets,” line Oregon voters’ ability to which are easier to use and have higher validity rates land proposals on the ballot. The announcement came than multiline petition sheets, after Our Oregon, a union- Richardson said. Our Oregon argued that backed political advocacy group, filed a lawsuit last the single-signature sheets week challenging the legality create an additional loophole for fraudulent signatures. of the rule changes. Ben Unger, executive “Rather than ask a judge to discern what the Legislature director of Our Oregon, said intended years ago, it makes the rule changes “threatened sense and will save court the integrity of our initiative time and taxpayer money to petition system.” “This is an important vic- simply ask the Legislature to provide definitive clarifi- tory for Oregon voters, thou- cation during their upcom- sands of whom submitted ing session,” Richardson comments to Richardson’s said. “Avoiding litigation by office calling on him to stop seeking statutory clarifica- his anti-democracy agenda,” tion not only saves taxpayer Unger added. “Not only does money, it enables the Legis- Richardson lack the legal lature to specifically protect authority to implement such Oregon voters from special changes — as confirmed by interest groups that histori- a recent legislative counsel cally have sought to under- opinion — but it is clear that mine the initiative process his proposed changes were through costly and time-con- narrowly targeted to help only suming litigation.” those hate groups that other- Contained in the State Ini- wise lack the popular support tiative and Referendum Man- to qualify for the ballot. ual, the rule changes were Richardson’s prospects intended to take effect Jan. 1 for legislative changes in his and would have applied to the favor appeared dim Wednes- 2018 election cycle. The man- day. State Senate Major- ual instructs petitioners on ity Leader Ginny Burdick, how signatures may be col- D-Portland, said the Senate lected during the ballot qual- Rules Committee, of which ification process. she is chairwoman, plans to One of the changes allows propose a bill to specifically petitioners to circulate a peti- outlaw circulating a petition tion before a ballot title has before a ballot title has been been finalized, even when it through all legal channels has been appealed to the Ore- and finalized. gon Supreme Court. The Capital Bureau is a The ballot title is a short, collaboration between EO unbiased description meant Media Group and Pamplin to give voters a clear under- Media Group. By PARIS ACHEN Capital Bureau AHS with Salad and Garlic Bread $ Initiative petition rules suspended in wake of lawsuit you can submit your newborn’s picture either via email at: classifieds @ dailyastorian . com or drop by one of our offices in Astoria or Seaside and we can scan in the photo for you. Deadline to enter is Thursday, January 25 th at 5 pm Entries will be printed in The Daily Astorian on January 31st. *Human babies only please!* Introducing Dung (Dee) Nguyen DO, Family Medicine Dee Nguyen earned her medical degree from Nova-Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She completed her residency at Christus Santa Rosa Family Medicine in San Antonio, Texas. She is board-certified in family medicine. She volunteered with AmeriCorps, and has worked with HIV/AIDS patients and in women’s health. In her free time, she enjoys backpacking, hiking, traveling, thrifting, remodeling, and snorkeling. Now accepting new patients. Coastal Family Health Center 2158 Exchange Street, Suite 304 Astoria, OR 97103 (503) 325-8315 www.yvfwc.org
