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GOVERNOR’S RACE TIGHTENING IN OREGON

The race for Governor is too close to call, according to a new poll done for a Portland television station by the firm Survey USA.  It found Chris Dudley leading former Governor John Kitzhaber 46-to-44 percent.  About two months ago, the same poll had Dudley leading by seven points.  But pollsters say Dudley is doing better among older Oregonians, considered more likely to vote.  And Dudley is widening his lead in the money-raising race.

RATE-A-BOAT-RAMP MEETING SET

The Oregon State Marine Board wants mid-valley boaters to rate local boat ramps and facilities.  It’s part of a survey done every six years, to help the Marine Board decide where to put its money.  The board makes grants to public and private marinas and boating facilities around Oregon.  There will be a meeting in Albany at the old armory building on August 31st, where members of the Marine Board will listen to the public.  That meeting starts at 7PM.

MISSING SECOND-GRADER NOW A CRIMINAL CASE

The search for little Kyron Horman is a criminal investigation, now.  Multnomah County Sheriff’s deputies say more than 1300 searchers have completed a fruitless search within a two mile radius of the boy’s school, and those from out of the area will go home.  Searchers have also focused on Sauvie Island, six miles away.  A 25-thousand dollar reward has been posted for information in the case.  A spokesman refused to to say whether investigators think the seven year old was kidnapped.

ANARCHIST-FRIENDLY PDX CAFE: ‘NO COP ZONE”

The owner of a Portland cafe who kicked out a cop sipping coffee last week says he’ll do it again.  John Langley says anarchists are welcome at the Red and Black Cafe, but no cops.  Langley says his policy is designed to keep his anarchist-loving customers ‘safe’ from cops.  He says his intolerance is not discrimination, because cops choose to put on the uniform.  Langley says anarchy is self-accountability, and that his anarchist buddies don’t need or like police.  He says any officer who tries to come in to the cafe will be kicked out.

KITZHABER TO FLOOD THE BALLOT?

You could see John Kitzhaaber all over the ballot this November.  The 2009 lesiglature authorized “fusion candidates”–who actively seek the nomination of more than one party.  Kitzhaber says he will seek the Independent Party and the union-dominated Working Families Party nominations for Governor.  He already has the Democratic Party nod.  Republican Chris Dudley won’t say if he will try to double or triple-team voters.  The Independent Party is under fire for allegedly selling nominations.

Bad Call Cost Tigers Perfect Game!!

CORPS OF ENGINEERS: ‘HAVE A BOOZE-FREE WEEKEND”

The Army Corps of Engineers says lay off the booze if you’re boating this weekend.  It says drowning is the second-leading cause of accidental deaths.  The Corps suggests you never over-estimate your swimming skills, watch out for colder water this time of year, always wear a life jacket while boating, and be especially careful at the end of your boating day, because  hours of exposure to noise, vibration, sun, glare, and wind produces fatigue in humans that is similar to drunkenness.

ANOTHER STATE BUDGET DEFECIT PROMPTS AGENCY CUTS

Governor Kulongoski says the 560 million dollar budget shortfall for the rest of the biennium confirms his fears that it will be a long climb out of the recession for Oregon.  Kulongoski said he won’t call the Legislature into session to deal with it, because it would likely feature partisan gridlock in an election year.  So he’s directing state agency heads to come up with plans on how to cut nine percent from their budgets for the rest of the biennium–and he’s ordering them to meet with union officials to minimize layoffs of union workers.

Joke of the Day

A woman walks into the downtown welfare office, trailed by 15 kids.

‘WOW,’ the social worker exclaims, ‘are they all yours?”

‘Yep, they are all mine,’ the flustered momma sighs, having heard that question a thousand times before.

She says, ‘Sit down Leroy.’ All the children rush to find seats.

‘Well,’ says the social worker, ‘then you must be here to sign up. I’ll need all your children’s names.’

‘Well, to keep it simple, the boys are all named Leroy and the girls are all named Leighroy.’

In disbelief, the case worker says, ‘Are you serious? They’re ALL named Leroy?’

Their momma replied, ‘Well, yes-it makes it easier. When it’s time to get them out of bed and ready for school, I yell, ‘Leroy!’ An’ when it’s time for dinner, I just yell ‘Leroy!’ An they all comes a runnin. An’ if I need to stop the kid who’s running into the street, I just yell Leroy’ and all of them stop. It’s the smartest idea I ever had, namin’ them all Leroy.’

The social worker thinks this over for a bit, then wrinkles her forehead and says tentatively, ‘But what if you just want ONE kid to come, and not the whole bunch?’

‘Then I call them by their last names.’

SALMONELLA–IT’S IN THE BAG

Bagged lettuce from a California company has been recalled in Oregon and other states because salmonella bacteria was found in a bag.  The Fresh Express company is recalling all of its bagged salad products with a use-by date of May 13th to May 16th with an ‘s’ in the product code.  Fresh Express products are widely sold in Oregon supermarkets.

A DECADE OF DEFECITS???

A hand-picked panel of the Governor’s says Oregon faces a decade of defecits unless lawmakers do more to control state spending.  The task force says even an economic turnaround won’t help much.  The group analyzed state spending growth and economic activity to come up with its prediction.  Governor Kulongoski responded that the state’s budget problems must be better understood by the public and decision-makers, and that there isn’t just one solution—such as cutting state spending.

MEDICAL MARIJUANA SHOPS MAKE THE BALLOT

It looks like voters will get the chance to turn thumbs up or down on a system of easy-access medical marijuana dispensaries in Oregon.  Marijuana advocates turned in petitions with what they say are 110-thousand signatures to put the issue on the ballot.  The proposal would also create a system of state regulated marijuana growers.  Voters turned down a similar proposal in 2004.  There are about 33-thousand registered medical marijuana smokers in Oregon.

CLEAN UP DOWNTOWN–OPEN A STRIP JOINT???

Springfield city councillors have had enough of the crowd that hangs out at three downtown bars.  The council has voted to tell the OLCC not to renew the liquor licenses of the Club 420, Jim’s Landing, and Stables, due to repeated illegal activity that includes drug dealing and usage, prostitution, and assaults.  The owner of Jim’s Landing says his 75-year old landmark is being wrongly targeted.  And the manager of Stables says he’s tried to clean up the area, by renaming his bar the Silver Lace Club, and making it a stripper bar.

INDOOR-OUTDOOR CARPET–FREE!!!

If you’re a Duck fan, a free piece of history can be yours this coming Saturday.  Just show up at 5001 Franklin Blvd in Glenwood, between Eugene and Springfield, from noon to 4pm.  Small pieces (up to 2’x2′) of the old Autzen Stadium turf will be given away–free!!  The field was torn up, and the ‘crown’ at mid-field is being removed.  New turf with a new Pac-10 logo should be on the now-flat stadium floor by mid-July.

MERKLEY GOES AFTER MORTGAGE INDUSTRY

Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley has joined Chuck Schumer, Olympia Snowe, Barbara Boxer, Christopher Dodd, and new Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown in going after lenders and mortgage brokers who receive hidden payments for steering home buyers to certain loan originators.  Their ammendment to the Wall Street regulation bill would also require that lenders make sure that borrowers have the ability to pay back their loans.  Critics say it was Congress that urged lenders to loosen loan standards in the early 2000’s.

Think About This

Think about this:
1. Cows
2. The Constitution
3. The Ten Commandments

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COWS
Is it just me, or does anyone else find it amazing that during the mad cow epidemic our government could track a single cow, born in Canada almost three years ago, right to the stall where she slept in the state of Washington? And, they tracked her calves to their stalls. But they are unable to locate 11 million illegal aliens wandering around our country. Maybe we should give each of them a cow.

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THE CONSTITUTION
They keep talking about drafting a Constitution for Iraq … Why don’t we just give them ours? It was written by a lot of really smart guys, it has worked for over 200 years, and we’re not using it anymore.

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THE 10 COMMANDMENTS

The real reason that we can’t have the Ten Commandments posted in a government building is this –you cannot post ‘Thou Shalt Not Steal’ ‘Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery’ and ‘Thou Shall Not Lie’ in a building full of politicians …. it creates a hostile work environment.

SHOULD HUNTER ORANGE BE MANDATORY??

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is considering whether to make hunters wear orange.  A staff spokesman says there have been 20 hunter deaths in the last 20 years caused by poor visibility–odds that might be improved by making everyone wear orange.  But, he says many hunters don’t like being told what to wear.  More information is at the ODFW website….just Google ODFW.

IT’S STILL NOT SPRING–THROUGH THE PASSES

A lucky Salem man survived a 300-foot dive in his SUV from snowy, icy Highway 20 Near Santiam Pass yesterday.  Troopers say Peter Chamberlain’s GMC Yukon crashed through the guardrail and slid down a ravine the day before his 51st birthday.  Another motorist saw the accident, notified OSP, and got down to him to stabilize him while paramedics were enroute.  He received only non-life threatening injuries, which is a good thing–because Deschutes county rescuers took three hours to get him out of the rig and up to the roadway.

VIDEO RENTAL STORES CLOSE

Hollywood Video has hit the ‘erase’ button.  The chain of video and game rental stores is closing.  The parent company says video rental stores are no longer profitable.  Industry analysts say Blockbuster may be next.  Hollywood Video still hopes to emerge from Chapter 11 bankrupcy with a new business model.

BEAVERS IN THE NEWS

The city of Newberg may kill busy beavers that are damming up a creek on the edge of town.  Public works people say the dams have plugged up a culvert, which could erode, and eventually collapse a nearby road.  Some area teens have started a petition drive against the town’s plan to trap the beavers underwater, which would drown them.  The dilemma has been given to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.