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THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018
Study: A fifth of rural Oregon kids live in poverty
Oregon is 24th
among states
By CLAIRE
WITHYCOMBE
Capital Bureau
SALEM — More than 20
percent of children in rural
Oregon live in poverty, a new
study finds.
A report from Save the
Children places Oregon 24th
among states in terms of how
its rural children are faring
economically.
About 21.6 percent of chil-
dren in Oregon’s rural areas
live in poverty, while 16.1 per-
cent of children in Oregon’s
urban areas were considered
impoverished, according to the
study.
Nationally, 14.1 million,
or 19.5 percent, of American
kids live in poverty, a rate that
exceeds most other countries
in the Organization for Eco-
nomic Cooperation and Devel-
opment, a 37-member group
of nations with advanced
economies.
Researchers used data from
the 2016 American Commu-
nity Survey, published by the
U.S. Census Bureau, to deter-
mine rural and urban poverty
U.S. Department of Agriculture
A report from Save the Children places Oregon 24th among states in terms of how its
rural children are faring economically.
rates among kids.
The Census Bureau defines
the poverty threshold in
2016 as an annual income of
$24,339 for a family of four
with two children.
In most states, rural child
poverty is higher than poverty
among children in urban areas,
consistent with a decadeslong
trend in the U.S., the Save the
Children study found.
“Growing up in poverty is
one of the greatest threats to
healthy child development,”
the study states. “When young
children grow up in poverty,
they are at higher risk of expe-
riencing difficulties later in life
— having poor physical and
mental health, becoming teen
parents, dropping out of school
and facing limited unemploy-
ment opportunities.”
Overall, Oregon ranks 22nd
among states for the five indi-
cators of child poverty that the
study synthesizes.
Save the Children used
five main data points corre-
sponding to events that “end”
childhood: infant mortality,
malnutrition, dropping out
or delaying graduation from
high school, violence and teen
births.
Oregon has the nation’s
eighth-lowest infant mortal-
ity rate, and has relatively low
rates of teen births and vio-
lence against children. But
its low high school gradua-
tion rates and comparatively
high rates of child malnutrition
drive down the state’s overall
ranking.
With 25.2 percent of Ore-
gon kids failing to graduate
in four years, Oregon ranks
48th for high school gradua-
tion rates.
And the state ranked 39th
in 2015 for child food inse-
curity, with about 22.5 per-
cent of Oregon kids facing
malnutrition.
But that’s a slight improve-
ment, as the state’s overall rate
of food insecurity continues to
decline, according to an Octo-
ber study from Oregon State
University.
“The strength of the Oregon
economic recovery appears
to have finally had a positive
effect on reducing food insecu-
rity,” wrote Mark Edwards, a
professor of sociology at Ore-
gon State University’s School
of Public Policy, in an October
report. “These positive trends
being noted, Oregon continues
to have a food insecurity rate
that is statistically significantly
higher than the rate for the
U.S. as a whole, representing
about 560,000 Oregon adults
and children in food insecure
households.”
In commenting on the
study’s findings about the
state’s rural poverty rate, Gov.
Kate Brown’s office empha-
sized what they say are her
efforts to tackle the root causes
of poverty throughout the
state.
“All of Oregon’s children
deserve the opportunity to
grow and thrive in safe envi-
ronments,” a spokeswoman for
Brown wrote in an email. “In
addition to increasing access to
comprehensive health care and
hands-on learning opportuni-
ties, Gov. Brown is focused on
addressing the root causes that
devastate families and impact
children, including sub-
stance abuse, addiction, hous-
ing instability, and domestic
violence.”
The Capital Bureau is a
collaboration between EO
Media Group and Pamplin
Media Group.
Proposed US banking fix for marijuana may not open all doors
By MICHAEL R. BLOOD
Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — A pro-
posal in Congress to ease the
U.S. ban on marijuana could
encourage more banks to do
business with cannabis com-
panies, but it appears to fall
short of a cure-all for an indus-
try that must operate mainly as
a cash business in a credit card
world.
Marijuana is legal in some
form in about 30 states, but
companies that grow or sell it
often are locked out at banks.
Their money isn’t wanted
because the drug is illegal
under federal law and trans-
actions tied to pot proceeds
could expose financial insti-
tutions to money-laundering
charges.
The bipartisan measure —
which received tentative sup-
port from President Donald
Trump — would ensure states
have the right to determine
the best approach to mari-
juana, without federal interfer-
ence. It also includes language
intended to address the bank-
ing gap caused by the federal
ban.
The legislation has been
praised as a strong step, but
“standing alone, it’s likely not
a silver bullet for the banking
problem,” said California pot
industry attorney Nicole How-
ell Neubert, a member of a
state task force that studied the
banking stalemate.
“Most financial institutions
will be looking for even more
affirmative direction from
(Washington) to feel com-
fortable with banking canna-
bis companies,” she said in a
statement.
The shortage of bank-
ing services has been a major
obstacle to the industry, often
forcing businesses to conduct
sales and pay vendors and
taxes in cash, sometimes in
vast amounts that can become
targets for criminals.
The number of financial
institutions working with mar-
ijuana companies has been
growing, but it’s still a small
fraction overall.
The Mountain West Credit
Union Association and the
Maine Credit Union League
said in a joint statement that
the legislation would “provide
the certainty we need … to
service this growing industry.”
The measure, which faces
an uncertain future in Con-
gress, does not legalize mar-
ijuana nationally. But it takes
steps to allow banks to handle
marijuana funds without the
risk of federal prosecution.
For example, it says money
from marijuana businesses in
states where the drug is legal
would no longer be considered
illegal proceeds, and it would
allow banks to accept those
funds without breaking mon-
ey-laundering laws.
Even then, risk remains as
banks face a range of compli-
ance rules by accepting mari-
juana-linked money. The Bank
Secrecy Act requires that
banks know their customers
well enough to ensure they are
not engaging in money laun-
dering, said Julie A. Hill, a
professor at the University of
Alabama School of Law.
“This likely means that
a bank accepting marijuana
money would have to do
enough research to know that
their customers are complying
with state law regarding the
sale of marijuana,” Hill said.
“The bank would likely have
to confirm that the marijuana
is not sold to minors or sold
for transport to states where it
is illegal.”
Banks could face penal-
ties if they don’t meet such
requirements.
They also are urged to
watch for warning signs of
possible illegal activity, such
as financial statements pro-
vided by a business not squar-
ing with account activity.
Because the cost of doing
such research would be high,
some banks might choose to
stay away from marijuana
money, Hill said in an email.
If the legislation passes, it’s
likely marijuana will stay ille-
gal in some conservative-lean-
ing states, such as South
Dakota and Kansas. Some
banks in those states might
then be uneasy about handling
marijuana dollars coming from
places where the drug is legal.
“I don’t imagine the …
THANK YOU
The Family of Dale Larson would like to express
our gratitude to all who sent cards, flowers, prayers,
kind thoughts, shared memories and gave loving
support to us all since the car accident took this
wonderful man away from us so abruptly. We have
been uplifted knowing how many in the
community will remember him fondly.
financial institution would
take that risk to take in funds
from a business considered
illegal in that state,” said Beth
Mills of the Western Bankers
Association.
Another uncertainty that
could give banks pause: The
conflict between Trump, who
signaled his support for the
legislation, and his own Jus-
tice Department.
Attorney General Jeff Ses-
sions staunchly opposes mar-
ijuana and lifted an Obama
administration policy in order
to allow federal prosecutors
to more aggressively pursue
cases in states that have legal-
ized marijuana.
Colorado tried to set up a
credit union in 2015 to serve
the pot industry but the Federal
Reserve blocked it. In Oregon,
the state Department of Reve-
nue built a fortress-like office
for dropping off and counting
cash.
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B AYSHORE
A NIMAL H OSPITAL
Harlan Danforth
2/14/1956-4/3/2018
C LATSOP C OUNTY A NIMAL S HELTER
Just one last story!
www.dogsncats.org
Please come and celebrate
the life of a Beloved;
Storyteller, Husband,
Father, Grandfather,
Loyal Friend and Brother.
Share one more story,
pie and coffee with the laughter
and love that is Harlan’s legacy.
Saturday June 16 2018,
at 2:00 pm
1315 SE 19 th Street, Warrenton • 861 - PETS
Noon to 4pm, Tues-Sat
Thank you to all of the wonderful
people, sponsors, restaurants,
business and other community
members that went into making
Soup Bowl 2018 a success!
SPONSORS
Columbia Memorial Hospital • Providence Seaside • US Bank
Cannon Beach Vacation Rentals • Safeway • Roland Schorr & Tower
Anonymous Community Member • Bliss Sequoia Insurance
Moberg & Rust Attorneys at Law P.C. • Imogen Gallery
RESTAURANTS
Good To Go • Blue Scorcher Bakery • Downtown Coffee Shop
T.Paul’s Supper Club • T.Paul’s Urban Café • Street 14 Café
Bridgewater Bistro • Mo’s Chowder • Dooger’s Seaside
Three Cups Coffee • El Tapatio • Dough Dough Bakery
Bruce’s Candy Kitchen • Baked Alaska • Naked Lemon
Peter Pan Market • Astoria Co-Op • Fort George Brewery
Cellar on 10th • Buoy Beer Co. • The Wine and Beer Haus • Fred Meyer
A SPECIAL THANKS TO
The Astoria Dragon Kiln • Senator Betsy Johnson • Amy Lewis
Thank you all for standing with us in support of survivors!
We couldn’t do it without you.
-The Harbor
141 DO SE Sunnyside Rd.
Clackamas, OR 97015
We would like to thank the community for
the recent passage of Measure 4-192 five-year
operating levy for ongoing operations of
Clatsop Care Health District services.
Your continued support is very much appreciated!