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About The Bulletin. (Bend, OR) 1963-current | View Entire Issue (July 8, 2022)
A2 THE BULLETIN • FRIDAY, JULY 8, 2022 The Bulletin LOCAL, STATE & REGION How to reach us CIRCULATION Didn’t receive your paper? Start or stop subscription? 541-385-5800 PHONE HOURS 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday 7 a.m.-11 a.m. Saturday-Sunday and holidays GENERAL INFORMATION 541-382-1811 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri. ONLINE www.bendbulletin.com EMAIL news@bendbulletin.com AFTER HOURS Newsroom ................................541-383-0348 Circulation ................................541-385-5800 NEWSROOM EMAIL Business ........business@bendbulletin.com City Desk .............news@bendbulletin.com Features.................................................................. communitylife@bendbulletin.com Sports ................. sports@bendbulletin.com NEWSROOM FAX 541-385-5804 OUR ADDRESS Street .............. 320 SW Upper Terrace Drive Suite 200 Bend, OR 97702 Mailing ........... P.O. Box 6020 Bend, OR 97708 B ADMINISTRATION Publisher Heidi Wright ..............................541-383-0341 Editor Gerry O’Brien .............................541-633-2166 DEPARTMENT HEADS Advertising Brian Naplachowski .................541-383-0370 Circulation/Operations Maria Johnson ..........................541-617-7830 Finance Wendy Dougherty ...541-383-0324 Human Resources ................541-383-0340 RACE FOR OREGON GOVERNOR Candidate Betsy Johnson questioned over her handling of a 2013 car crash HILLARY BORRUD The Oregonian Oregon unaffiliated gubernatorial candidate Betsy Johnson is under scru- tiny this week for her handling of a 2013 car crash in which Johnson, then a Democratic state senator, rear-ended and injured another driver who was coming to a stop at a red light in Scap- poose. At the time, news reports focused on Johnson’s serious injuries, which caused her to miss more than a month of the Legislative session and use a wheelchair for six months. It escaped notice that Johnson, through her lawyers, subsequently cited her position as a state lawmaker to argue that the driver Johnson rear- ended, Melissa Gallentine, could not sue Johnson for personal injury be- cause she was driving as part of her of- ficial work duties. Willamette Week first reported Johnson’s efforts to avoid responsibil- ity in the case on Wednesday, primar- ily highlighting a different but related argument Johnson made, that she was shielded from being served with a law- suit during a legislative session. When Johnson pushed for a judge to drop her as a defendant and leave only her employer, the state of Oregon, to answer for the crash, the Oregon De- partment of Justice, then as now led by Democrat Ellen Rosenblum, did not object. But Gallentine’s lawyers argued a judge, not Rosenblum’s office, should determine whether Johnson’s inatten- tive driving in Scappoose was in fact part of her official duties as a legislator. Betsy Johnson, who seeks to run for gover- nor of Oregon as a non- affiliated candidate, poses in her campaign office in downtown Portland on May 27. If she gathers enough signatures and quali- fies for the ballot, the former lawmaker will be in a three-way race for the governor’s seat in November. Sara Cline/AP file “A simple ‘I’m sorry’ and ‘I’m respon- sible’ would have been greatly appre- ciated,’” Gallentine said by phone on Wednesday. “(Johnson) just kept forc- ing more the other aspect, which was, ‘I didn’t do anything wrong’ and trying to win a case, to show zero fault.” Johnson has pledged that if elected governor, she will emphasize personal responsibility — specifically for Ore- gon’s homeless residents — and push for more government accountability. On Wednesday, Johnson did not respond to a phone call seeking com- ment, and her campaign declined to comment and refused to answer ques- tions emailed by The Oregonian. Among the questions Johnson would not answer: Why did she be- lieve the state of Oregon and taxpayers should take sole responsibility for her car crash? Was Johnson aware of her lawyers’ invocation of legislative im- munity to defend against the $260,000 personal injury lawsuit? Did Johnson take any actions following the crash that demonstrated personal responsi- bility or accountability? Christine Drazan, the Republican nominee for governor, weighed in Wednesday on social media. “This is a clear abuse of legislative immunity. No one should be above accountabil- ity or above the law, especially those in power. Oregonians are tired of self-serving politicians. We deserve leaders who follow the law and tell the truth,” she tweeted. The Oregonian also asked Johnson’s campaign to comment on why the longtime state lawmaker has racked up so many traffic violations: a dozen since 1991, including failure to obey traffic devices and basic driving rules, speeding and failure to wear a seat belt, according to court records. Johnson was not wearing a seat belt at the time she crashed into Gallentine in 2013 in Columbia County, but she was not cited for that instance. All of Johnson’s traffic citations were in Multnomah County and only four occurred since she was elected to the state House in 2000. In lieu of answering questions or commenting on Johnson’s actions, campaign spokesperson Jennifer Sitton questioned why news organizations would report on the incident. “This is literal ambulance chasing media do- ing the bidding of the party opposition researchers who are afraid of our cam- paign,” Sitton said in an email. On Johnson’s campaign website, her “to-do list” includes “hold gov- ernment accountable to deliver for the rest of us.” She recently released a campaign ad focused on homelessness in Oregon, showing Johnson driving past people and tents in Portland. “We should expect personal responsibility,” Johnson says. Johnson is so far the most well- funded candidate for governor, with $8.9 million raised, thanks to $1.75 million from Nike co-founder Phil Knight and plentiful six-figure checks from other donors who typically sup- port Republicans. That fundraising and support has made Johnson a threat to Democratic candidate Tina Kotek, former speaker of the state House, and Republican candidate Dra- zan, the former House minority leader, although both Kotek and Drazan can expect support from national groups including party associations. Polling paid for and released by the Johnson campaign on Wednesday showed the candidate in second place just slightly behind Kotek, with Drazan in third. TALK TO AN EDITOR City Julie Johnson ...................541-383-0367 Business, Features, GO! Magazine Jody Lawrence-Turner ............541-383-0308 Editorials Richard Coe ...........541-383-0353 News Tim Doran .......................541-383-0360 Photos .........................................541-383-0366 Sports Mark Morical ...............541-383-0318 TALK TO A REPORTER Bend/Deschutes Government ........................................................541-633-2160 Business Suzanne Roig ............................541-633-2117 Calendar .....................................541-383-0304 Education Bryce Dole .....................................541-617-7854 Fine Arts/Features David Jasper .................................541-383-0349 Health Suzanne Roig ............................541-633-2117 La Pine ........................................541-383-0367 Public Lands/Environment Michael Kohn ............................541-617-7818 Public Safety Garrett Andrews ......................541-383-0325 Redmond Joe Siess..........................................541-617-7820 Salem/State Government .. 541-383-0367 Sisters .........................................541-383-0367 Sunriver .....................................541-383-0367 REDMOND BUREAU Mailing address ..................P.O. Box 6020 Bend, OR 97708 Phone ......................................... 541-617-7829 CORRECTIONS The Bulletin’s primary concern is that all stories are accurate. If you know of an error in a story, call us at 541-383-0367. LOCAL BRIEFING Deschutes Historical Museum seeks vendors for antique fair The Deschutes Historical Museum is seeking vendors to participate in its first outdoor antique fair in August. On Aug. 20, the museum will hold an antique fair on the shaded lawn at the De- schutes Historical Museum at 129 NW Idaho Ave. The event will be free to the pub- lic and will include an antique identification event with food trucks available, from noon to 3 p.m., the museum said in a news release Thursday. Vendors who offer a variety of quality antiques and collect- ibles, with no reproductions or replicas, can apply on the museum’s website. For more information, the museum can be reached by calling 541-389-1813 or by emailing info@deschuteshis- tory.org. Driver crashes into bank downtown, cited for DUII A 35-year-old Bend resident was arrested Thursday morn- ing on suspicion of DUII after crashing her pickup truck into a downtown bank, Bend Po- lice said. Jessica Anne Cufley was taken by ambulance to St. Charles Bend for treatment of minor injuries after she was cited on suspicion of DUII, said Bend Police spokesperson Sheila Miller. Around 8:39 a.m., Cufley allegedly left NW Wall Street and drove her silver Nissan truck into the Wells Fargo Bank, at 960 NW Wall St., po- lice said. The crash caused minor damage to the building. A fire marshal determined there was no structural damage, police said. Miller said she could not provide additional informa- tion about what Cufley was doing downtown. 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Call to ask about deadlines, Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Phone ..........................................541-385-5809 Email .......................obits@bendbulletin.com LEGAL NOTICES Email .....................legals@bendbulletin.com OTHER SERVICES Back issues ..................................541-385-5800 Photo reprints ............................541-383-0366 Apply for a job ..........................541-383-0340 All Bulletin payments are accepted at the drop box at City Hall or at The Bulletin, P.O. Box 6020, Bend, OR 97708. Check payments may be converted to an electronic funds transfer. The Bulletin, USPS #552-520, is published daily by Central Oregon Media Group, 320 SW Upper Terrace Drive, Bend, OR 97702. Periodicals postage paid at Bend, OR. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Bulletin circulation department, P.O. Box 6020, Bend, OR 97708. The Bulletin retains ownership and copyright protection of all staff-prepared news copy, advertising copy and news or ad illustrations. They may not be reproduced without explicit prior approval. OREGON CDC shows declines in COVID community levels Crook, Deschutes, Jefferson counties drop from high to medium levels Bulletin staff report The Centers for Disease Con- trol and Prevention reported re- duced COVID-19 community levels in Oregon on Thursday, with 14 counties at high and 15 at medium, including three Central Oregon counties. Seven counties dropped to low levels of community spread, according to data re- leased Thursday. A week ago, the agency showed no Oregon counties at low level, 12 at medium and 24 at high. The CDC monitors levels of COVID-19 to help com- munities decide what preven- tion steps to take based on the latest data. Levels can be low, medium or high and are de- termined by looking at hospi- tal beds being used, hospital admissions and the total num- ber of new COVID-19 cases in an area. The CDC listed the follow- ing levels for Central Oregon: Deschutes County: Me- dium Crook County: Medium Jefferson County: Medium Precautions the CDC rec- ommends for communities with medium levels: • If you are at high risk for severe illness, talk to your health care provider about whether you need to wear a mask and take other precau- tions. • Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines • Get tested if you have symptoms — Bulletin staff report “Unfortunately, we see DUIIs in all parts of town, at all hours of the day – morn- ing, noon and night,” Miller said. Bend man cited for DUII in Tuesday night fatal crash A Bend man is facing a drunken driving charge after he allegedly caused a crash Tuesday night that killed a Terrebonne motorcyclist. Evan Borden, 28, was unin- jured in the crash that claimed the life Rodney Miller, 51, ac- cording to a statement by Ore- gon State Police. The wreck occurred around 8:35 p.m. Wednesday on state Highway 126 about two miles west of Redmond. According to an OSP crash reconstruc- tionist, Borden was travel- ing east in a white Chevrolet Impala when he attempted to turn left into a pullout. He allegedly cut off a Kawasaki motorcycle driven by Miller, who struck the Impala’s driver side door as the car was turn- ing. Miller was pronounced dead at the scene. Borden was cited by OSP for driving under the influ- ence of intoxicants and reck- less driving. On Thursday, he was not listed as an inmate of the Deschutes County jail and no charges were on file against him in Deschutes County Cir- cuit Court. Borden did not immedi- ately return a call seeking comment. The highway was closed for around five hours as police in- vestigated. — Bulletin staff reports SKELETALSTRENGTH (541) 241-7067 OsteoStrong ® helps deliver profound results in skeletal strength conditioning. You don’t need hours of exercise to see measurable results. Just 10 minutes once a week is all you need. bend@osteostrong.me WWW.OSTEOSTRONG.ME /osteostrongcentraloregon Call us to schedule a FREE SESSION TODAY!! 541-241-7067 1543 N.E. 3rd Street, Bend SPECIAL REPORT COMING SUNDAY IN THE BULLETIN Voices of Resilience: Indigenous women across the country have endured disproportionately high rates of violence stemming from systemic and cultural obstacles: Mistrust, limited policing, a lack of resources for support services and a dizzying array of jurisdictional issues for crimes committed on tribal land are all factors. In a two-part investigative project in partnership with Underscore.news, a non-profit publication focused on Native American issues, the series will show how those obstacles prompted Indigenous survivors to use their stories of trauma to empower others, initiatives encouraging change and the policies shaping the legal landscape.
