A10
State
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
Republican spearheaded naturalization ceremony
By PARIS ACHEN
Capital Bureau
SALEM — While many
Oregon politicians hail for-
mer Republican Gov. Tom
McCall as their role model,
Republican Rep. Julie Par-
rish idolizes former Gov.
Victor Atiyeh, the nation’s
first Arab-American gover-
nor.
“Oregon had rich histo-
ry … of welcoming immi-
grants,” Parrish said.
The oft-rogue Republican
from West Linn wanted to
remind legislators and Or-
egonians of that important
history when she suggested
hosting a naturalization cer-
emony on the floor of the
House of Representatives.
The ceremony was held in
conjunction with Oregon’s
birthday and Valentine’s Day
Tuesday on the House floor.
Parrish was an infant
when her Lebanese father
was naturalized as a U.S.
citizen. In 2011, she became
the first known Arab-Ameri-
can woman to be elected to
the state Legislature.
“I had never been to a
naturalization ceremony be-
fore,” she said. (Parrish was
three months old when her
father took the oath of alle-
giance to the United States.)
In January, she attended
a naturalization ceremony
at a U.S. Citizenship & Im-
migration Services office in
Courtesy Speaker Tina Kotek
Michael Hickman, Portland field office director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service, conducts the oath of
allegiance during a naturalization ceremony Tuesday in the Oregon House of Representatives.
Portland, where Republican
Dennis Richardson spoke as
part of his first official event
as newly-elected secretary
of state. Parrish ran Rich-
ardson’s campaign against
Democrat Brad Avakian,
who was seen as the likely
victor.
“It’s pretty impressive,
pretty powerful,” Parrish
said of the naturalization
ceremony. “At a time when
the conversation around im-
migration is not very posi-
tive, this was an important
opportunity to remind folks
that we are a nation of im-
migrants.
“I thought legislators
should see that and experi-
ence that.”
Naturalization ceremo-
nies had been hosted at the
state Capitol in the past but
were booked in the basement,
far from the public eye. Par-
rish and one of Richardson’s
staff members approached
House Speaker Tina Kotek
to get permission to hold the
ceremony on the House floor.
Kotek, D-Portland, agreed to
host the ceremony to mark
Oregon’s 158th birthday,
which coincides with Valen-
tine’s Day.
“That’s the first time we
have done one on the House
floor,” Kotek said. “We think
it’s a really important symbol-
ic way of saying that everyone
is welcome here in the state of
Oregon.”
Fifteen people were natu-
ralized as U.S. citizens during
the ceremony. They come
from four countries: Mex-
ico, China, the Philippines
and Denmark, said Lindsey
O’Brien, Kotek’s spokes-
woman.
Michael Hickman, Port-
land field office director of
the U.S. Citizenship and Im-
migration Service, conducted
the oath of allegiance during
the ceremony.
“I feel like it was a neat
thing to have it on the state’s
birthday,” Parrish said. “They
were able to say not only am
I an American citizen, I’m an
Oregon citizen,” Parrish said.
Oregon wolf count, management plan update delayed
“
By Eric Mortenson
Capital Bureau
SALEM — Oregon’s
heavy snow in January caused
problems for wildlife staff
who track the state’s wolf
population.
The Oregon Department
of Fish and Wildlife said ex-
treme weather in northeast
Oregon, where most of the
state’s wolves live, interrupt-
ed airplane, helicopter and
ground surveys of wolfpacks.
As a result, the annual wolf
report has been delayed a
month and won’t be delivered
to the ODFW Commission
until its April 21 meeting in
Klamath Falls.
The report usually is re-
leased in March and typically
includes an updated wolf pop-
ulation count and information
on the number of breeding
pairs in the state. The count
provides an information base-
line as the commission con-
siders updates to the state’s
Wolf Management and Con-
servation plan. The plan is
reviewed every five years,
and the commission will most
likely adopt an updated ver-
sion later in 2017.
Although heavy snow and
an extended cold snap delayed
ODFW’s field work, depart-
ment spokeswoman Michelle
Dennehy said it probably
didn’t harm Oregon’s wolves.
“Wolves typically do quite
well during the winter,” she
said by email. “Winters that
are hard on deer and elk may
actually be easier on wolves.
There is winter (prey) loss to
scavenge and it is harder for
ungulates (deer and elk) to es-
cape in the deep snow.”
Oregon had a minimum
of 110 wolves at the end of
2015, according to figures re-
leased by ODFW in February
2016. At least seven wolves
died in 2016. Four members
of Wallowa County’s Imna-
ha pack, including venerable
alpha male OR-4, were shot
by ODFW in March 2016
after repeatedly attacking,
killing and eating livestock.
Wildlife biologists speculat-
ed at the time that the group
began attacking livestock due
Winters that
are hard on
deer and elk
may actually
be easier
on wolves.
There is winter
(prey) loss to
scavenge and
it is harder for
ungulates (deer
and elk) to
escape in the
deep snow.”
Michelle Dennehy
Oregon Department of Fish
and Wildlife spokeswoman
Courtesy of Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
Two adult wolves from the Walla Walla Pack were caught on remote trail camera Jan.
16, 2016 in Northern Umatilla County. Extreme weather in northeast Oregon interrupted
airplane, helicopter and ground surveys of wolfpacks. As a result, the state’s wolf plan
update will be delayed.
to OR-4’s advanced age and
the fact that his longtime mate
limped from an injured leg.
They had two yearlings with
them, and the four appeared to
have separated from or been
forced out of the main Imnaha
pack.
I found Dad’s remote in the fridge again.
…I’m beginning to get worried.
IT’S NOT LIKE HIM.
Monday - Thursday
7am- 6pm
Friday 8am - 5pm
Mendy Sharpe FNP
Apppointments
available
In addition, a female
wolf designated OR-28 was
found dead in October 2016
in south-central Oregon. Of-
ficials have not said how the
wolf died, and Oregon State
Police are investigating. A
$20,000 reward for informa-
tion is available.
State police also are inves-
tigating a wolf found dead in
Northeast Oregon in March
2016.
In May 2016, a sheep herd-
er shot a wolf from the Walla
Walla pack that was attacking
sheep. State police judged the
shooting was lawful under
the “caught in act” provision
that allows producers to kill
wolves that are wounding,
biting, killing or chasing live-
stock, according to ODFW.
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