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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 28, 2016)
A4 Opinion Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, September 28, 2016 Report on women should serve as a call to action I n a state that makes efforts that go a long way to helping others in need, it has a long way to go in helping raise the status and equality for women who live within its borders. That’s the urgent wakeup call that the “Count Her In” report delivers in what is the fi rst comprehensive look at the status of Oregon women and girls in nearly two decades. The 120-page report comes from the new Women’s Foundation of Oregon and was released to state offi cials this past Wednesday in Salem, ironically a day before American Business Women’s Day. The fi ndings in the study are both stark and grim. The last comprehensive report on the status of Oregon women and girls came out in 1998 and relied on census data from 1990. Much was different then, and much has changed. The material for the “Count Her In” report, which one legislator described as “really top-notch work,” was gathered from surveys, interviews and federal and state reports. It refl ects the harsh daily circumstances facing Oregon women in nearly every walk of life: • Women in Oregon have the nation’s highest rates of reported depression and heavy alcohol use. • Federal surveys found that nearly half the women and girls in Oregon have suffered domestic or sexual violence. • Census numbers show women across the state earn less than men, and the wage gap is even wider for women of color. In Umatilla County, women make $0.77 for every dollar a male counterpart makes, while in Morrow County that fi gure is $0.72. • Oregon is one of the least affordable states in the nation for working mothers to care for children. In Umatilla and Morrow counties, there are fewer than 14 child care slots per 100 children, the lowest rate in the state. • Elected and appointed leaders also skew heavily toward men, with 30 percent of those positions statewide fi lled by women and only 20 percent in Umatilla County. Clearly, the report illustrates serious problems Oregon women face every day. Emily Evans, director of the Women’s Foundation in Oregon, put out a call to action that policymakers and all Oregonians should heed, saying “ … there is something hopeful about fi nally knowing the full measure of the problem. Then we can move past the speculation of whether it is a problem and move toward creating solutions together.” State Rep. Knute Buehler, R-Bend, is already on board. “Good policy will be produced from such great foundational efforts,” he said. Other lawmakers and leaders throughout the private sector need to get on board as well. If Oregon wants to live up to its reputation for progressive values, the “Count Her In” report presents the challenge to uphold those ideals. L ETTERS TO THE E DITOR Concerns about Trump have already happened To the Editor: In regards to Mr. Moskowitz’s letter on Sept. 14: All the things he is afraid Donald Trump will do if elected, President Barack Obama has already done and more. The Constitution means nothing to Obama unless it will help with his agenda. Obama wants to bring in hundreds of thousands of Syrian so-called refugees but no Chris- tians. He has said virtually nothing about the slaughter of thousands of Christians in the most horrible ways — even did not object to the beheading of an American. Within a few minutes of the act, he was back on the golf course. Some say he is not a Muslim, but it is hard to believe he is not when he is silent to the murder of Chris- tians. You be the judge. As to some of the claims Moskowitz claimed about Trump wants to do, he had better pay better attention to how our government is supposed to work. There are supposed to be three branches to check on each other. Sometimes in the last eight years they haven’t done it. What is wrong with asking Japan and South Korea to help pay for their protection? They can afford it. Joe Clarke Long Creek Let’s make a deal To the Editor: Let’s make a deal. President Barack Obama wants to bring 110,000 Syrians to the U.S.A. OK, we send Obama to Syria. W. Toop Canyon City W HERE TO W RITE GRANT COUNTY • Grant County Courthouse — 201 S. Humbolt St., Suite 280, Canyon City 97820. Phone: 541-575-0059. Fax: 541- 575-2248. • Canyon City — P.O. Box 276, Canyon City 97820. Phone: 541-575-0509. Fax: 541-575-0515. Email: tocc1862@centu- rylink.net. • Dayville — P.O. Box 321, Dayville 97825. Phone: 541-987-2188. Fax: 541- 987-2187. Email:dville@ortelco.net • John Day — 450 E. Main St, John Day, 97845. Phone: 541-575-0028. Fax: 541- 575-1721. Email: cityjd@centurytel.net. • Long Creek — P.O. Box 489, Long Creek 97856. Phone: 541-421-3601. Fax: 541-421-3075. Email: info@cityofl ong- creek.com. • Monument — P.O. Box 426, Monument 97864. Phone and fax: 541-934-2025. Email: cityofmonument@centurytel.net. • Mt. Vernon — P.O. Box 647, Mt. Vernon 97865. Phone: 541-932-4688. Fax: 541-932-4222. Email: cmtv@ortelco.net. • Prairie City — P.O. Box 370, Prairie City 97869. Phone: 541-820-3605. Fax: 820-3566. Email: pchall@ortelco.net. • Seneca — P.O. Box 208, Seneca 97873. Phone and fax: 541-542-2161. Email: senecaoregon@gmail.com. SALEM • Gov. Kate Brown, D — 254 State Blue Mountain EAGLE P UBLISHED EVERY W EDNESDAY BY Capitol, Salem 97310. Phone: 503-378- 3111. Fax: 503-378-6827. Website: www. governor.state.or.us/governor.html. • Oregon Legislature — State Capitol, Salem, 97310. Phone: (503) 986-1180. Website: www. leg.state.or.us (includes Oregon Constitution and Oregon Revised Statutes). • State Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Ontario (Dis- trict: 60), Room H-475, State Capitol, 900 Court St. N.E., Salem OR 97301. Phone: 503-986-1460. Email: rep.cliffbentz@state. or.us. Website: www.leg.state.or.us/bentz/ home.htm. • State Sen. Ted Ferrioli, R — (District 30) Room S-223, State Capitol, Salem 97310. Phone: 503-986-1950. Email: sen. tedferrioli@state.or.us. Email: TFER2@aol. com. Phone: 541-490-6528. Website: www. leg.state.or.us/ferrioli. • Oregon Legislative Information — (For updates on bills, services, capitol or messages for legislators) — 800-332-2313. WASHINGTON, D.C. • The White House, 1600 Pennsylva- nia Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20500; Phone-comments: 202-456-1111; Switch- board: 202-456-1414. • U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D — 516 Hart Senate Offi ce Building, Washington D.C. 20510. Phone: 202-224-5244. Email: wayne_kinney@wyden.senate.gov Website: http://wyden.senate.gov Fax: 202-228-2717. Harney County sheriff not selective with assistance To the Editor: I am a homeowner, taxpayer and a registered voter in Grant County. Currently, I work for an agency in Harney County, doing much the same work I did in Grant County. My work in both counties involved working closely with all law en- forcement agencies, but due to the scope of the geography, mostly we work with the sheriff’s department. I cannot tell you how refreshing it is to work in Harney County with a responsive, professional force. With this particular line of work, you never know what type of a sit- uation you may be facing, and the Harney County Sheriff’s Offi ce never picks and chooses what they will assist us with. They assure my safety and also the safety of the vulnerable popula- tion with whom I work. I wish I could have said the same about my experience in Grant County. I am looking forward to a change in November. Jan Keil Mt. Vernon Grant County’s Weekly Newspaper P UBLISHER ............................... M ARISSA W ILLIAMS , MARISSA @ BMEAGLE . COM E DITOR .................................... S EAN H ART , EDITOR @ BMEAGLE . COM A DMINISTRATIVE A SSISTANT ........ K RISTINA K REGER , KRISTINA @ BMEAGLE . COM R EPORTER ............................... R YLAN B OGGS , RYLAN @ BMEAGLE . COM C OMMUNITY N EWS .................... A NGEL C ARPENTER , ANGEL @ BMEAGLE . COM S PORTS ................................... A NGEL C ARPENTER , ANGEL @ BMEAGLE . COM M ARKETING R EP ....................... K IM K ELL , ADS @ BMEAGLE . COM O FFICE M ANAGER ..................... L INDSAY B ULLOCK , OFFICE @ BMEAGLE . COM Park would have been special for athletes To the Editor: If I want to train to be a Navy SEAL or to join the IDF at age 50 in the middle of the night when it’s cool and the sun is down, I’m going to do it. Most would agree that, for seri- ous folks such as myself, a tread- mill just doesn’t provide the best long-distance training for military readiness. It can be good, but needs to be in concert with cross-country run- ning, free weight training, swim- ming and other extreme-endurance training. The upshot of this letter is to get my point across that, if you don’t like me performing long-distance training between John Day and Prairie City, then you should have allowed “low-elevation” Grouse Mountain State Park to go in and right-of-way access could have been provided for law-abiding, con- scientious athletes like myself to run or bike straight to the park from John Day. I don’t like to dredge up the past either, but this one has been slow cooking and needed to come out on paper. I know Agent 21 when I see it. Owyhee Canyonlands and other at- tempts to lock up precious metals and other resources in order to act as a down on our national debt, un- der the guise of beautiful, sparsely populated country, which it certain- ly is. Other examples are NEPA anal- ysis of climate change, or was it freeze-thaw waste of time and mon- ey analysis? “Journey” can also in my opinion be considered a form of locking up lands for more reason than simply an important wildlife migration corridor to the Kalmiop- sis or Marble Mountain Wilderness areas so that wolves can eat salmon carcasses on Wooley Creek or Tag- garts Bar. But Grouse Mountain would have been a very special place for many local athletes, hikers, pic- nickers, campers and bikers. The low-elevation trail system would have been much longer than the Fossil Beds and much closer to John Day. So please get used to my long-distance training at night while it is cool and before the sun comes up and creates any more skin cancer in me. Scott Cotter John Day Forest Commission threatened Webb’s paycheck To the Editor: Former County Judge Mark Webb is executive director of the Blue Mountains Forest Partners, the local collaborative group. His salary is somewhere in the $50,000 range. When Webb served as County Judge, there was not a problem with the Grant County Public Forest Commission (GCPFC) in providing the county court with advice, opin- ions and written comments on the Forest Plan. The GCPFC was passed with a 70-percent vote and its mem- bers elected by the citizens of the county. During the past dozen years of working with the court and Forest Service, the “legality” of the commission was never questioned. The past year, the GCPFC has pushed for “coordination” in deal- ing with the Forest Service. Coor- dination is a law that requires equal footing in dealing with issues from agency to agency. Collaborative groups would be compromised if the county court were to utilize coordination and ex- ercise their authority. Mark Webb’s paycheck was not compromised as county judge, thus the GCPFC posed no threat. One circuit court judge’s opinion does not necessarily mean it is set in stone. Nor does one man’s effort to un- dermine what is good mean that he succeeded. Bob Stewart John Day Sheriff should put safety of community fi rst To the Editor: Over the years it has been frus- trating to see over and over again our current sheriff’s lack of leader- ship, transparency and communica- tion. He has refused to communi- cate and work with other agencies on multiple occasions, especially government agencies. Most con- cerning has been his support of those involved in the take over of the Malheur wildlife refuge and his willingness to use his position as sheriff as a platform to further his own political agendas, which in turn created a large divide in our community and endangered his fel- low law enforcement offi cers. He is a constitutional sheriff who upholds and protects the constitution as he and other constitutional sheriffs in- terpret it. In November, we all have the great opportunity and responsibility to choose those who will represent us and be leaders in our communi- ty. This community needs someone who will lead the sheriff’s offi ce honestly, openly and with a great deal of cooperation with other agen- cies. We need someone who is will- ing to communicate with the pub- lic, the media and other agencies whenever necessary, not just when it’s convenient. We need someone who has common sense and puts the safety of our community fi rst. In November, I will be voting for someone who has all those qualities and so many more. I will vote for someone who throughout the years has consistently shown an immea- surable amount of leadership and service in our community. I will support a sheriff candidate who will support not just those who support his political views but all of Grant County. I will be voting Todd McKinley for Grant County sheriff. Cammie Haney John Day 1 YEAR SUBSCRIPTION RATES (including online access) Periodicals Postage Paid at John Day and additional mailing offi ces. Grant County .....................................$40 Everywhere else in U.S. .....................$51 POSTMASTER send address changes to: Blue Mountain Eagle 195 N. 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