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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2020 BAKER CITY HERALD — 3A LOCAL & STATE Merkley wins Oregon voters agree to another term decriminalize hard drugs By Sara Cline Associated Press/Report for America By Nick Budnick Oregon Capital Bureau Oregon voters approved all four statewide ballot measures Tuesday, including fi rst-in-the-nation measures decriminalizing hard drugs and allowing therapeutic use of psilocybin mushrooms. Voters also supported campaign fi nance reform and increased tobacco taxes. Decriminalizing hard drugs Measure 110 garnered 58% of the vote. It decriminalizes hard drugs and directs funds for addiction treatment. The measure makes Oregon the fi rst state to decriminal- ize personal-use amounts of methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, oxycodone and other hard drugs, levying fi nes in- stead. It would downgrade possession of larger amounts from a felony, carrying a state prison sentence, to a misde- meanor punishable by less than a year in a local jail. The measure would shift mari- juana tax revenues away from schools and into drug treat- ment. Supporters of the measure raised about $3.5 million, most of it from the New York— based Drug Policy Alliance. Opponents raised nearly $150,000 and spent about $75,000. In addition to former Gov. John Kitzhaber and 25 of Oregon’s 36 district attor- neys, plus the associations of sheriffs and police chiefs, some treatment providers opposed the measure. Psilocybin mushrooms Measure 109 passed with almost 56% of the vote. It makes Oregon the fi rst state to allow limited therapeutic use of psilocybin, a psycho- active ingredient found in “magic” mushrooms. Under Measure 109, people will pay for the mushrooms, which are subject to a state tax set at 15% of the retail price. They will be barred from taking them home, instead us- ing them at licensed locations. Unlike legal marijuana, the measure permits no market- ing. Supporters argued that psilocybin may help with mental health issues, such as addiction or depression stem- ming from advanced cancer. And studies are underway. But opponents, such as the Oregon Psychiatric Physicians Association contend that psilo- cybin has not been established as a safe treatment. Supporters raised nearly CLASSES Continued from Page 1A Baker High School origi- nally had planned to offer all-day in-person instruction beginning Nov. 9 to about 100 students who were failing classes under the comprehen- sive distance learning plan in place since Sept. 8. Superintendent Mark Witty credited Greg Mitchell, BHS principal, with devis- ing a plan that would allow students to rotate through in-person classes in four separate groups. Mitchell said he worked with his staff to develop a system that would allow all students to socialize and work together with their classmates as well as interact with their teachers one day a week. The four groups attending one day per week each will meet the state guidelines that require students to have contact with fewer than 50 people per week at school. Mitchell was working Wednesday on two separate lunch schedules aimed at meeting those guidelines as well. Students are divided into one group of 102, two groups of 98 and one group MEASURE 110 MEASURE 109 MEASURE 108 Decriminalizes certain drugs Legalizes psilocybin mushrooms use Increases cigarette tax, adds vaping tax OREGON OREGON OREGON • YES: 1,215,670 (58.6%) • NO: 858,858 (41.4%) • YES: 1,166,963 (55.9%) • NO: 921,437 (44.1%) • YES: 1,379,344 (66.3%) • NO: 702,407 (33.7%) BAKER COUNTY BAKER COUNTY BAKER COUNTY • YES: 3,565 (37.6%) • NO: 5,930 (62.5%) • YES: 3,451 (36.3%) • NO: 6,049 (63.7%) • YES: 4,718 (49.4%) • NO: 4,843 (50.7%) MEASURE 107 Baker County voters buck statewide results on measures Campaign fi nance limits OREGON • YES: 1,560,089 (78.1%) • NO: 437,073 (21.9%) BAKER COUNTY • YES: 6,259 (66.7%) • NO: 3,129 (33.3%) $3.5 million to support the measure, most of it from New Approach PAC, a Washington, D.C.-based political action committee that favors drug policy reform. There is no single campaign committee in opposition to the measure. The Advance Liberty committee opposes all four statewide ballot measures, but spent little. As he celebrated with spon- sors Portland-based therapists Tom and Sheri Eckert, the campaign manager for Yes on 109 told the Portland Tribune he hailed the victory. “All eyes are on Oregon over the next two years as we develop this program,” Sam Chapman said. “I’m sure we’ll be hearing from California and Washington and New York and Colorado (and) Florida after this.” Baker County voters went against the statewide result in three of the four measures on Tuesday’s ballot. The lone exception was Measure 107, which amends the state Constitution to make it clear that limits are allowed on campaign contributions. Baker County voters were slightly less enthusiastic about the measure, giving it 66.7% of the vote compared with 78.1% statewide. Oregon easily passed Measure 108, which increases the state tax on cigarettes and imposes a new tax on vaping products. Baker County voters were opposed to the mea- sure, but only barely, with 50.7% objecting to the measure. Baker County voters differed dramatically, however, on the two measures related to drugs — Measure 109, which allows therapeutic use of psilocybin “magic” mushrooms, and Measure 110, which decriminalizes hard drugs, includ- ing heroin and methamphetamine, and dedicates some marijuana tax revenue to drug treatment programs. Both measures passed, with Measure 109 garnering almost 56% of the statewide vote, and Measure 110 almost 59%. Baker County voters soundly opposed both measures, with almost 64% rejecting the psilocybin measure, and 62.5% opposed to decriminalizing hard drugs. — Jayson Jacoby whelming support for cam- paign contribution limits, so the outcome is not a surprise. Supporters raised barely more than $170,000 to support the measure. The campaign faced little opposition outside of ballot arguments against fi led by the Taxpayers’ Association Campaign contribution of Oregon and Kyle Markley, limits the Libertarian candidate for Measure 107 won with 78% Secretary of State. of the vote. It amends the state Constitution to make it clear Cigarette tax hike, adding vaping tax that campaign contributions Measure 108 passed with can be capped. A 1997 Oregon Supreme Court ruling threw 66% of the vote. The measure raises Oregon’s cigarette tax out limits on free-speech grounds, but in 2016 and 2018 $2 per pack, from $1.33 to voters in Multnomah County $3.33 per pack, and raises the per-cigar tax from 50 cents to and Portland, respectively, approved local contribution $1. It also extends the tax to limits to raise the issue again. vaping products such as elec- After lawmakers referred the tronic cigarettes. The Oregon measure to the ballot, in April Health Authority would use the money to fund health care the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the county’s limits — for low-income people as well but the ballot measure aims to as programs aimed at tobacco- set out the legal lay of the land related diseases. clearly. Products for tobacco-use Polls have shown over- cessation and for marijuana vaping are exempted from the measure. The increased tax puts Oregon on par with rates in California and Washington, and would take effect Jan. 1. Supporters have raised more than $13.5 million —far outstripping opponents, who raised a mere $7,000. It’s a huge contrast from 2007, when major tobacco companies spent what was then a record of $12 million to defeat an 85-cent tax increase. Opposition arguments were fi led by the Taxpayers Associa- tion of Oregon and Eric Fruits, a vice president of the Cascade Policy Institute, a free market think tank in Portland. “We are proud to be part of this extraordinary effort to protect health care for the 1 in 4 Oregonians who rely on the Oregon Health Plan for cover- age and save lives through vaping and tobacco reduction and prevention,” said Lisa Vance, chief executive for Providence Health & Services- Oregon, of the results. of 96. Students not in class, at both BMS and BHS, will continue to study at home the other three days a week. Mitchell said that once it became apparent that the once-a-week schedule would work, plans to shift gears were put into place. “We thought if we can get everybody in one day a week we should,” he said. “And we should do it as soon as we can.” The change in the high school’s plans also required adjustments to the middle school schedule announced by Skye Flanagan, BMS princi- pal, last week. The changes were needed to accommodate schedules of staff members who teach both middle school and high school classes, Fla- nagan stated in a Facebook message to families posted Tuesday. Witty said he was happy that all high school students also will return to in-person classes, if only for one day a week. “I think this is a better sys- tem,” he said. “It helps every student have an opportunity to start building a more per- sonal relationship with their trict refi ne the process and prepare for bringing larger groups back to in-person classes when the new year begins. “We do want to get kids in school and we know they’ll do better if they are,” he said. class and touch points with the teachers,” he said. Plans will remain in place to help those students who are not succeeding under the comprehensive distance edu- cation system, Witty said. The District hopes that by January the number of CO- VID-19 cases in the county will have dropped to a level that would allow students in Grades 7-12 to attend in-person classes at least two days a week in larger cohort groups. “The numbers in the coun- ty continue to be somewhat alarming,” Witty said. While there is “a pathway” to getting students back to the classroom for more than one day a week, the numbers must fi rst come down, he said. “I would love to target Jan- uary to move into 50%,” he said. “But the county health department has to have the capacity to do contact tracing and we have to have the abil- ity to tell where every student was at every point in time.” As the usual November holidays lead into a 2-week- long Christmas break, Witty says he hopes the quick start next week will help the Dis- SALEM — Democrat U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley has won the Oregon seat that he was fi rst elected to in 2008. Merkley defeated Republican Jo Rae Perkins, who made national headlines this year for her support of the wide ranging and baseless QAnon internet conspiracy Merkley theory and “science denialism” during the pandemic. “Tonight Orego- nians have made their voices heard OREGON — loud and clear. • Merkley (D): 1,225,604 (58%) Our Oregonians • Perkins (R): 823,339 (39%) have rejected the politics of hate BAKER COUNTY and division and • Merkley (D): 2,618 (27%) they have chosen • Perkins (R): 6,831 (70%) a path of hope and healing,” Merkley said during the Democratic Party of Oregon’s election night celebration. “I feel really honored that Oregonians have elected me to serve a third term for Senate.” U.S. Senator CARCASS FOUND NORTHEAST OF HALFWAY Second wolf shot and killed By Jayson Jacoby jjacoby@bakercityherald.com Oregon State Police wildlife offi cers are ask- ing for the public’s help in fi nding the person or people who shot and killed a wolf in eastern Baker County on or about Oct. 29. It’s the second wolf to be shot and killed in the county this fall. In the most recent inci- dent, a sub-adult female wolf, about 1 1/2 years old, was killed northeast of Halfway. An elk hunter found the dead wolf off For- est Service Road 3990 in the Grouse Flat area about 8 miles northeast of Halfway, according to OSP. Road 3990 branches off the Wallowa Mountain Loop Road, Forest Road 39, about 4 miles north of Highway 86. Road 3990 follows Little Elk Creek. The wolf was in the ter- ritory frequented by the Pine Creek pack, accord- ing to OSP. In 2019, the Pine Creek pack produced at least two pups that survived to the end of the year, according to the Oregon Depart- ment of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW). The Pine Creek pack hasn’t been implicated in any attacks on cattle or other livestock during 2020, according to ODFW reports. In the earlier wolf shoot- ing, which happened on or around Sept. 24, a reward of $6,150 is being offered for information leading to an arrest. The wolf, the breeding male from the Cornucopia pack, was found dead off the 125 spur road about 1 mile east of Eagle Forks campground. That’s about 15 miles west of where the female wolf was found. In an email to the Baker City Herald, Capt. Timothy Fox of the Oregon State Police wrote that “there’s no reason, at this point,” to believe the two wolf shootings are related. Oregon Wild and the Center for Biological Diversity each contributed $2,500 to the reward fund. NE Oregon Ecosystems added $850, and the Turn in Poachers program, which involves the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Oregon State Police and the Oregon Hunters Association, is of- fering $300 or fi ve hunter preference points. The breeding male and female from the Cornu- copia pack raised three pups in the spring of 2019 and denned again in 2020, although offi cials from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) don’t yet know how many pups were born this year, said Brian Ratliff, district biologist at the agency’s Baker City offi ce. The killing of the male could jeopardize the future of the Cornucopia pack, Ratliff said. ODFW confi rmed in March 2020 that wolves had attacked a calf in the Immigrant Gulch area near Richland. That area is within the known ter- ritory of the Cornucopia pack, according to the agency. 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