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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (March 2, 2016)
A8 News Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, March 2, 2016 Minimum wage tax credit proposal on hold Community HEALTH BEAT A group of associations representing agriculture has indicated it wants lawmakers SALEM — A legislative WRWDNHPRUHWLPHWR¿JXUHRXW proposal to offset the cost of those details, rather than push minimum wage increases to through legislation this session, small businesses, farmers and which is scheduled to end by other natural resources employ- Sunday. ers appears to be on hold until at “The reality is that more time least 2017. is needed to fully run cost and Reps. Brian Clem, D-Salem, EHQH¿W VFHQDULRV WR HQVXUH DQ\ and John Davis, R-Wilsonville, ZDJHUHOLHIDFWXDOO\EHQH¿WVWKH had proposed giving tax credits agriculture industry as a whole,” to certain employers who are representatives from the agricul- PRVWOLNHO\WRVWUXJJOH¿QDQFLDO- ture industry wrote in a letter to ly to meet the requirements of a Clem. “We believe there may new three-tier minimum wage only be one shot at alleviating plan. The plan was laid out in the burden S.B. 1532 impos- Senate Bill 1532, which passed es on agriculture. The solution both legislative chambers earlier must meet the needs of our this month. member families without pick- During negotiations with ing winners and losers among legislative leadership, the plan the industry.” was whittled down to tax cred- The letter was signed by the its of no more than $15 million Oregon Farm Bureau, Oregon a year only for employers in- Dairy Farmers Association, Or- volved in animal production, egon Association of Nurseries, aquaculture, crop production, Northwest Food Processors As- ¿VKLQJ KXQWLQJ WUDSSLQJ DQG sociation, Oregon Cattlemen’s food manufacturing. Association, Oregon Blueber- 7KDWDPRXQWZDVLQVXI¿FLHQW ry Commission, Oregon Seed to cover the additional costs of Council, Columbia Gorge all of those employers, so law- Fruit Growers Association, Far PDNHUVZRXOGKDYHKDGWR¿QG West Agribusiness Association a way to prioritize how to divvy and Oregon Wheat Growers out the tax credits, Clem said. League. By Paris Achen Capital Bureau Quality Healthcare Close To Home 170 Ford Road, John Day • 541-575-1311 • www.bluemountainhospital.org attached to a video camera to evaluate the lining of the colon (large intestine) and rectum. It is done under As a General Surgeon, a large sedation, and if any part of my practice deals abnormalities are found, with Colorectal Cancer (CRC) surgical instruments can be screening and treatment. passed through the Did you know that among “scope”to painlessly sample cancers that affect both men and usually remove the and women, CRC is the 2nd growths, or polyps. These leading cause of cancer polyps start as non- death in the United States? cancerous, benign tumors, More than 140,000 but over time have the Americans are diagnosed potential to develop into with the disease every year cancer. Colonoscopy is and more than 50,000 of therefore unlike any them are expected to die this screening tool we have in year. This translates into a medicine because it allows us lifetime risk of about 1 in 20 to not only detect cancers, for the average person, and but also prevent future can be 2 to 3 times higher if cancers. It also increases the you have a family history of likelihood that if cancer is colon cancer or polyps. found, it will be at an earlier stage when it is more likely Fortunately, over 90% of to be cured. these cancers and deaths could be prevented. Despite The American Cancer Society, its high incidence, CRC is one the American College of of the most easily detected Surgeons and the American and successfully treated Society of Colorectal forms of cancer, especially Surgeons all recommend when found early. In the starting colonoscopies at age past decade, CRC rates have 50 (younger for those at decreased by 3% every year. increased risk). This can be directly Unfortunately, only about attributed to the increased 50% of patients over 50 use of colonoscopy, the years old are being screened. “Gold Standard” tool used Since colon polyps occur in at for CRC screening. least 20% of the adult Colonoscopy uses a long, population, and 90% of thin, flexible fiber optic tube Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month When asked “what are the symptoms of CRC,”I recite a long laundry list, including: change in bowel habits with constipation or diarrhea, narrowed stools, blood in the stool, abdominal pain or cramps, bloating, weight loss, weakness, nausea, vomiting and fatigue. But the first symptom is “No Symptoms at All”. By the time symptoms occur, the cancer is less likely to be at an early state where a definitive cure is possible. The bottom line is . So if you are 50 years old or older, get screened now. If you think you may be at higher than average risk (example: personal and family history of CRCs and polyps, or a history of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis)) ask your doctor about getting screened early and schedule your colonoscopy. It might just save your life. Keith J. Thomas, MD, FACS Board-Certified General Surgeon Blue Mountain Surgery range. He also helped with branding. BLUE MOUNTAIN CARE CENTER Resident of the Month RALPH WILSON William “Ralph” Wilson was born on August 25, 1933 to Jonathan “Pete” and Gladys Wilson in Baker City, Oregon. He was raised in Baker with four sisters and three brothers. When he was 12 years old, Ralph worked for a gardener who grew vegetables to sell to the stores in Baker, LaGrande and other places. One of Ralph’s jobs was to mend lettuce crates among other tasks. Ralph was also a Boy Scout and was patrol leader several different times. He had all the badges up to Life and had almost acquired that badge as well. Ralph used to go out and help some of the ranchers at haying time, or to help them drive the cattle out to summer The Strawberry Mountain Community Clinic SWCC is now open at 7:00 AM Mon.- Fri. as is Blue Mountain Hospital Registration, Lab, Radiology Department, and Physical Therapy Department. those people are 50 years or older, this leaves a huge potential pool for cancers to occur. The summer of his Junior year in high school, he went to work at the Bates mill. He had to lie about his age, as he was only 17. In the fall of that year, he quit his job at the mill and went back to school half days and started working for Montgomery Wards in Baker, helping with freight and window displays, later selling appliances. After graduation, he went to work at the mill at Pondosa. Ralph was also a National Guardsman. Being one of very few men who could repair the M-1 Assault Rifle, he was in high demand. In 1954, he married Joann Cox and they moved to Seattle, where Ralph worked for Boeing, making model airplanes that were used to test for larger aircraft. Ralph and Joann had two children, a son and a daughter. Ralph moved his family back to Grant County and worked for saw mills in the area, before eventually settling in Bates. He was a saw filer for over 35 years. He and Joann have been married for over 60 years. Ralph has three grandchildren and six great- grandchildren. He enjoys playing cards, hunting, hiking, getting firewood and just being out in the woods in general. He also has a fantastic imagination and tells wonderful stories. Ralph came to the Blue Mountain Care Center on October 6, 2014. Presents... March Visiting Specialists 2nd - Dr. O’Hollaren - Bend Urology 3rd - Dr. Riddock, Bend Cardio 4th - Dr. Sandefur - Baker Ortho 9th - Dr. McLellan - Bend Cardio 9th - Korena Farris - Bend Neuro 10th - Dennis Sell - Bend Hearing 21st - Dr. Rushton - Baker Podiatrist 28th - Dr. Rushton - Baker Podiatrist 30th - Dr. McLellan - Bend Cardio 03548 Competing energy bills up for Senate vote protect consumers and ensure utilities use competitive bidding WR DFTXLUH FRVWHI¿FLHQW QHZ SALEM — Lawmakers in sources of renewable energy. the Oregon Senate could on Next, Republicans in the Wednesday vote on two com- Senate, who oppose the bill, peting bills to double the state’s brought it to a standstill by re- renewable energy mandate, questing that lawyers draft a mi- thanks to maneuvers by Demo- nority report. There is no dead- crats and Republicans to either line to produce the report, so the fast track or delay the legisla- move threatened to prevent the tion. measure from coming to a vote The controversial legislation, before the end of the session. which is a top priority for utili- Supporters of the bill, in- ties, environmental groups and cluding Democrats in both Democrats in both chambers, chambers and Rep. Mark John- could be among the last major son, R-Hood River, respond- policy proposals lawmakers ed with a plan on Thursday to vote on before the end of the insert a new version of the re- short legislative session. newable energy mandate legis- Both bills would require lation into a different bill, Sen- 3DFL¿&RUS DQG 3RUWODQG *HQ- ate Bill 1547, that had already eral Electric to use sources passed in the Senate. Lawmak- such as solar and wind to serve ers negotiated that legislation 50 percent of their customers’ in closed-door meetings with energy demand by 2040. The representatives of the utilities, bills would also require the two environmental and renewable investor-owned utilities to stop energy groups. using coal power to serve their Although two representa- Oregon customers. tives of the Public Utility Com- However, there are also sig- mission attended the negotia- QL¿FDQW GLIIHUHQFHV EHWZHHQ tions, none of the public utility the bills including caps on how commissioners were involved much the utilities can raise rates nor did they testify last week each year to cover their costs, in- when a House committee voted FOXGLQJDSUR¿WRQQHZUHQHZ- to insert the negotiated language DEOH HQHUJ\ IDFLOLWLHV 7KH ¿UVW into Senate Bill 1547. Members bill, House Bill 4036, calls for of the Public Utility Commis- the Oregon Public Utility Com- sion have said an earlier version mission to adopt regulations that of the legislation would be cost- encourage competitive bidding ly for consumers but do little to and diverse ownership of renew- reduce greenhouse gas emis- able energy facilities, something sions from coal plants. not required under the second Many House Republicans bill, Senate Bill 1547. That sec- also oppose the bill and they ond bill also includes incentives decided to try the same delay to boost wood-burning power tactic as their Senate colleagues plants. by requesting a minority report. Senate Bill 1547 has more However, it did not buy much momentum, thanks to support time because of different rules in from environmental groups and the House. The minority report the two investor-owned utilities. would make several changes Brad Reed, a spokesman for the to Senate Bill 1547, including SROLWLFDOO\ DFWLYH QRQSUR¿W 5H- making it easier for cities to new Oregon which represents start new municipal utilities by environmental and renewable giving them three years to meet energy groups, said Senate Bill the renewable energy mandate, 1547 appears to have the clear- according to House Republican est path forward. “And this bill 2I¿FHFRPPXQLFDWLRQVGLUHFWRU enjoys support from clear ma- Preston Mann. jorities in both the House and By Monday, Senate Repub- Senate,” Reed wrote in an email licans had decided to withdraw Monday afternoon. their minority report, allowing Utility representatives have House Bill 4036 to be scheduled also said they dislike the 3 per- for a vote Wednesday. cent annual cap on renewable Caitie Butler, communica- energy rate increases in the tions director for the Oregon ¿UVWELOODQGWKH\ZRXOGSUHIHU Senate Republicans, wrote in an the 4 percent cap on renewable email Monday that Republicans rate increases in the second bill. withdrew the request “because The utilities can request the re- (House lawmakers) stripped newable energy rate increases most of the ratepayer protections on top of broader periodic rate out of the stuffed Senate bill ...” increases. Butler wrote that Senate Repub- House lawmakers already licans still do not support either voted 39-20 to pass House Bill bill. Senate Bill 1547 is sched- 4036, in mid-February. After XOHG IRU D +RXVH ÀRRU YRWH RQ news reports that Gov. Kate Tuesday, which means it could Brown’s administration had told DOVRJRWRWKH6HQDWHIRUD¿QDO public utility commissioners not up or down vote Wednesday. to go public with their concerns House Bill 4036 would have to about the bill, a Senate commit- JREDFNWRWKH+RXVHIRUD¿QDO tee added language to the bill to up or down vote. By Hillary Borrud Capital Bureau
