FOUR - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, May 22,2013
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Oregon DA association Ranchers need lethal
options for dispatching
says no to HB 3194
Opposition to HB 3194
ODAA supports a substantial number of the proposed wolves
changes listed in HB 3194, but cannot support HB 3194
because of fundamental opposition to the following criti
cal areas of the bill:
-ODAA opposes all changes to BM 11. The measure
was passed by the voters and later maintained by a vote of
75 percent of the electorate. It has made Oregon the most
successful state in violent crime reduction in the nation.
-ODAA opposes all changes to BM 57. Oregon has
a significant property crime problem. Large cities in this
state have some of the highest property crime rates in the
nation. Portland's property crime rate is three times the
rate of NYC and is even the same as the rate in Detroit.
Property crime rates rose in Oregon after HB 3508 sus
pended BM 57, and ODAA does not support weakening
that measure once again.
-ODAA opposes changes that will prevent trial
court judges from controlling probation conditions for
convicted offenders and will prevent judges from revok
ing probation if an offender violates probation. HB 3194
transfers the power to determine conditions of probation
and sanctions from judges to probation officers, and
removes all input on probation supervision from victims
and district attorneys.
-ODAA opposes changes to earned time, transitional
leave and alternative incarceration programs. ODAA op
poses these changes for the following reasons:
These changes degrade truth-in-sentencing provisions
of Oregon law which were implemented as victims’ rights
measures. These proposals would allow the Department of
Corrections or local community corrections departments
to shorten offender’s sentences by up to half with no input
from victims or district attorneys.
Studies from the Washington State Institute for Public
Policy demonstrate that increased earned time in that state
resulted in greater property crime. Earned time reductions
of two months resulted in the average inmate committing
five additional thefts and burglaries during that period
of time, in addition to committing additional car thefts,
which were estimated separately.
ODAA Proposals
Oregon’s District Attorneys strongly disagree with
the claim that Oregon's Criminal Justice System is fac
ing a crisis. Rather, the ODAA recognizes that Oregon’s
overall state budget faces fiscal challenges and offers
reasonable measures to assist in facing those challenges
in the criminal justice syslpm.
The following proposals constitute a comprehensive
plan to reduce or eliminate prison growth without cfiang-
ing core criminal justice concepts in Oregon. These pro
posals address the Governor’s inmate population target
of 14,600 inmates by 2015. They would not only save
up to 650 beds by the end of the next biennium, almost
twice the Governor’s goal, but would independently save
over $40 million.
The following proposals constitute HB 3195, with
the complete support of ODAA:
-Establishes inmate re-entry programs. Oregon pilot
re-entry programs have been proven to reduce felony re
cidivism by 29 percent. In Michigan, a prisoner re-entry
program reduced inmate réadmissions by 38 percent. If
just 20 less of the approximately 400 inmates released
each month are returned to prison for new crimes or
violations, close to 400 beds would be saved.
-Reduces all marijuana felonies to presumptive proba
tion. Will save 201 beds.
-Reduces Felony Driving While Suspended/Revoked
to presumptive probation. Will save 52 beds.
-Requires DOC bed cost reductions of 5 percent.
Oregon prisons have been determined to have the most
expensive daily inmate costs in the nation. Reducing
daily costs by 5 percent would result in $45 million in
savings.
-Establishes a DOC cost reduction task force
-Requires the use of a risk and needs assessment for
all offenders on probation
-Require the adoption o f rules for procedures and
programs in Oregon specialty courts
-Requires LFO to administer evaluations of all gov
ernment funded criminal offender program, with ability
to cancel funding for programs that do not work
-Alters the definition of “recidivism” to conform with
the federal standard
-Requires prison forecasts to state a margin of error
and to specify what portion of prison growth will be
produced by policy reasons as opposed to state popula
tion growth
-Requires an LFO 10-year fiscal impact statement
for public safety laws
-Establishes task force to evaluate the implementation
o f criminal legislation
In addition to meeting the targets set by the Governor
for prison growth, these proposals represent significant,
positive changes for Oregon criminal justice policy.
Justin Nelson, Morrow County DA, on behalf o f the
Oregon District Attorneys Association
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Teppner Gazette-Times 541-676-9228
I
Those of us who live and work in Eastern Oregon
know natural resources are the economic engine of our
area. Much of what I have been doing legislatively is to
sponsor or support bills that assist us and work to defeat
bills that do not. To get our message across and build
consensus, we need to educate and work together with
our urban legislators as to the issues that affect our way
of life in District 29.
With that in mind 1 invited Oregon State Senator
Jackie Dingfelder. chair of the Senate Environment and
Natural Resources Committee, to travel to Wallowa
County with me to have a discussion on wolves. I serve
with Sen. Dingfelder on this committee, whose support
for modifying the existing plan will be critical. Sen. Ding
felder agreed to be my guest and she spent the weekend
with Margaret and 1 in Eastern Oregon.
By way of background, the Oregon Department of
Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) is responsible for managing
the wolves in Oregon. Previous to 2011. they had both
lethal and non-lethal options available to use if there has
been proof of predation from a problem wolf. However,
environmental groups sued ODFW in state circuit court in
Multnomah County, alleging that ODFW violated the state
Endangered Species Act. This lawsuit stopped them from
legally being able to manage wolves in a lethal manner,
exacerbating the current wolf-livestock conflict.
The legislation we are working on is an attempt to
give ODFW and ranchers the ability to manage these
wolves in a manner consistent with previous policy. As
a side note: federal law has de-listed wolves in numerous
states from the endangered species list; however. Oregon
law still lists them as “threatened.”
On the way to Wallowa with Sen. Dingfelder, we
visited the water projects on our Hansell family farm in
Hermiston, met with local Tribal leaders, and were hosted
for a wonderful dinner sponsored by the Eastern Oregon
Women’s Coalition led by Bobby Levy.
In Wallowa County, Representative Bob Jenson and
staff from both the governor's office and the Oregon
Department of Fish and Wildlife joined us.
It was a cold, crisp, sunny day with bone-chilling
wind keeping us on our toes as we interacted with live
stock producers and learned firsthand about wolves. We
traveled back roads, saw some awe-inspiring country and
had several sit-down meetings with local officials and
producers who deal day-in and day-out with the results
of our current inadequate wolf policy. We met with both
the Wallowa County wolf compensation committee and
we heard from a group of citizen wolf advocates to hear
their perspective on the issue.
The trip concluded Sunday morning with a look at
the Wallowa Lake Dam and the possibility of additional
water for the Umatilla Basin. I certainly came away with
a deeper understanding of what we need to accomplish—a
management program that includes both lethal and non-
lethal components. To that end I am working with Rep.
Jenson on House Bill 3452, which should help provide
these management tools.
Lastly, I appreciate Sen. Dingfelder for coming to
Eastern Oregon and meeting with us. She has expressed
how much she enjoyed the trip, and her willingness to
consider wolf management options that will make a posi
tive difference in District 29. Stay tuned.
Bill Hansell, Hermiston
Oregon Senator, District 29
Prepare for
community events
It is time to get Heppner ready for our next two com
munity events. Memorial Day Weekend. May 25-27, and
Celebrate Heppner, June 14.
Heppner is very fortunate to have a town which is very
clean and litter free. It is nice for the people who live here
and it is nice for our visitors. This good appearance is the
result of a lot citizens pitching in and helping.
Advance thanks is extended to everyone.
John Edmundson, Heppner
clinics in that system for
another two years.
While Grigg’s back
ground is in larger hospitals
and health care systems—
certainly larger than Mor
row County—he said he
had always been interested
in a different environment.
“I’d always, in the back
of my mind, had an inter
est in working in smaller
hospitals, but never had the
opportunity,” Grigg said.
Then, an opportunity
presented itself in the form
of cyber communication.
Grigg was a member of
Linkedln, an online profes
sional networking site. In
his network was a health
district CEO named Mi
chael Blauer. Though Grigg
and Blauer had never met,
Grigg paid attention when
Blauer posted that he was
leaving Morrow County
and that his position was
becoming available. After
inquiring more and talking
to his wife about a possible
move, Grigg decided to
pursue the position. He was
hired last month and he, An
drea and five of their seven
children (the other two are
out o f the house) moved
across the state to adjust to
small-town living.
“So far it's great; every
body here is so friendly,”
said Grigg. “It’s gonna be
a nice place to be.”
As an exam ple, he
shared an anecdote of when,
before he interviewed, he
and his wife drove to Hep
pner to scope out the area.
“ We were only here
two or three hours,” he
remembered. “In that time,
we already got invited to go
golfing and play poker.”
Grigg said he’s excited
to get involved in the com
munity here, adding that
having five kids in the Hep
pner school system should
help his family integrate
into community life. One
of their older daughters is
also home from college for
the summer.
Added to the excite
ment o f the move is the
fact that the Griggs are also
expecting their first grand
child later this year.
When he has down
time, Grigg said he wants
to spend as much time with
well as pursuing other hob
bies of watching baseball
(Giants fan) and college
football (BYU all the way)
and spending time in the
outdoors, camping, hik
ing, fishing and diving...
Grigg, along with two of
his children, is a certified
scuba diver.
As far as his new role
with the health district,
Grigg said his first priority
is to get to know every
body, including community
leaders and people in the
health district. He said he’s
impressed with those he has
already met, from board
members to EMTs.
“We had our first board
meeting,” he said. “We have
five elected board members.
Every single one is engaged
and cares greatly about the
health district. The com
munity can be proud of who
they elected.”
He said he was also
impressed with the doctors
and staff.
“It’s a blessing even to
have a hospital in a town the
size of Heppner,” he said.
“What I see is dedicated,
caring professionals; that
(residents) can get as good
a care here as they can any
where.”
Grigg said he wants to
use his background in care
quality to work with physi
cians and staff to quantify
and demonstrate the qual
ity of care available in the
district.
“Anyone in this role
is a representative of the
health district to the com
munity,” he said. “I want to
make sure we give the ser
vices needed to the people
who live here and help
demonstrate it’s a place
they can get great care close
to home.”
Grigg finished by say
ing he wants to encourage a
tendency he already sees.
“One of the things I’ve
seen here is a desire to help
develop our own,” Grigg
said, citing local schol
arships and grants made
available to area students.
“I would love to see that
continue and strengthen.
People get their health de
grees and gravitate toward
larger cities, but there’s a
need for them here, too.”
Greenup wins beef
raffle
The Morrow County
Livestock Growers has an
nounced that Greg Greenup
of Heppner was the winner
of the recent beef benefit
raffle for Beth Dickenson
and Rena Henry.
All funds raised helped
to assist and offset medical
costs incurred for two local
women fighting the battle
against cancer. Greenup
will receive half a beef cut
and wrapped, donated by
VanSchoiack Ranch.
Feed was donated by
the Lindsay Ranch Feedlot,
and the cut and wrap of the
beef will be donated by
Mike’s Mobile Slaughter.
Printing of tickets and fly
ers was made possible by a
donation from the Heppner
Gazette-Times.
Darcy Robinson, Mor
row County Green & Feed
Store, and Murray’s Drug
also did an outstanding
job of selling tickets to the
public.
SURE 2011 Disaster Program sign>up
ends June 7
Coverage available for some 2011 losses
Farm Service Agency
County Executive Director
Kyle Carnine announced
the sign-up period for the
2011 crop year Supple
mental Revenue Assistance
Payments (SURE) program
ends on June 7.
This disaster assistance
program opened on Oct.
22, 2012 and authorizes
assistance to farmers and
ranchers who suffered crop
losses caused by natural
disasters occurring through
Sept. 30, 2011.
“Producers who suf
fered losses during the 2011
crop year are encouraged
to visit the FSA office to
learn more about the SURE
program and how to apply,”
said Carnine.
Production losses due
to disasters occurring after
Sept. 30, 2011, are not eli
gible for disaster program
coverage.
Note the following re
quirements for SURE eligi
bility on a farm or ranch:
1) At least a 10-per
cent production loss on a
crop o f economic signifi
cance due to disaster;
2) A policy or plan o f
insurance under the Federal
Crop Insurance Act or the
Noninsured Crop Disaster
Assistance Program (NAP)
for all economically signifi
cant crops;
3) Be physically lo
cated in a county that was
declared a primary disas
ter county or contiguous
disaster county under a
USDA Secretarial Disaster
I
D esignation. For 2011,
Secretarial Disaster Desig
nations were issued for the
follow ing Oregon coun
ties: Clackamas, Clatsop,
Columbia, Gilliam, Grant,
Harney, Hood River, Jef
ferson, Malheur, Marion,
Morrow, Multnomah, Sher
man, Tillamook, Umatilla,
Union, Wallowa, Wasco,
Washington, Wheeler, and
Yamhill.
4) For counties with
out a 2011 Secretarial Di
saster Designation, indi
vidual producers may be
eligible if the farm expe
rienced a 50 percent or
greater production loss due
to disaster compared to
normal production.
5) A “farm” for SURE
purposes means the entirety
o f all crop acreage in all
counties that a producer
planted or intended to plant
for harvest for normal com
mercial sale or on-farm
livestock feeding, including
native and improved grass
land intended for haying.
Producers considered
socially disadvantaged, a
beginning fanner or ranch
er, or a limited resource
farmer may be eligible for
SURE without a policy or
plan o f insurance or NAP
coverage.
For more information
on the 2011 SURE pro
gram, visit any FSA county
office or the FSA SURE
webpage at http://www.fsa.
usda.gov/FSA/webapp?are
a=home&subject=diap&to
pic=sure.