Wyden Calls for $3.6B to Expand Vote-By-Mail, Early Voting in Next COVID-19 Relief Package4/24/2020 For Immediate Release: April 23, 2020
Contact: Hank Stern, 503-326-7539 Wyden Calls for $3.6B to Expand Vote-By-Mail, Early Voting in Next COVID-19 Relief Package “The right to vote is the foundation of our democracy – a right that generations of Americans before us have fought to secure, and a right that we must protect now.” Washington, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Chris Coons, D-Del., and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., today urged Congressional leadership to include $3.6 billion to help states expand vote-by-mail and early voting in the next COVID-19 relief package. “Officials in sixteen states have already postponed presidential primary elections or transitioned their elections to all mail-in voting. We must take action now to plan for upcoming elections. Voters across Wisconsin can attest to the fact that failure to enact reforms and provide additional resources to states will result in widespread chaos and disenfranchisement of voters,” the senators wrote in a letter to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. “This is not a partisan issue – this is an American issue. The right to vote is the foundation of our democracy – a right that generations of Americans before us have fought to secure, and a right that we must protect now,” the senators continued. In March, Senators Wyden, Klobuchar, Coons and more than twenty other senators introduced the Natural Disaster and Emergency Ballot Act of 2020 to expand no-excuse absentee vote-by-mail to all states, extend early in-person voting in every state to at least 20 days, and reimburse states for additional costs in administering elections during the pandemic. Last week, all three senators published an op-ed in USA TODAY, highlighting the need for the fourth relief package to include money and direction for states to expand vote-by-mail and early voting. The letter is available here and as follows: Dear Speaker Pelosi, Leaders Schumer, McConnell, and McCarthy: As Congress prepares a fourth stimulus package to help our nation recover from the economic impacts of COVID-19, we also need to do more to ensure our democracy is prepared to overcome the challenges brought on by this pandemic. The $400 million in election funding that was included in the third stimulus package is a critical first step, but states need far more resources to protect the remaining primaries and the November elections. Republican and Democratic election officials across the country have expressed concern that this pandemic will affect their ability to administer safe elections. Officials in sixteen states have already postponed presidential primary elections or transitioned their elections to all mail-in voting. We must take action now to plan for upcoming elections. Voters across Wisconsin can attest to the fact that failure to enact reforms and provide additional resources to states will result in widespread chaos and disenfranchisement of voters. As medical experts recommend that Americans remain at home, in-person voting on Election Day, where masses of people gather at specified precinct locations, could pose a substantial risk of increasing the spread of the virus. Experts have also warned that the U.S. could face a resurgence of COVID-19 cases in the fall, so we must prepare accordingly. States need resources to scale vote-by-mail, expand early in-person voting, hire and train poll workers, and ensure everyone has access to online mail-in ballot requests and voter registration. By implementing these measures, we can help ensure Americans are able to safely participate in our democracy. Nobody should have to choose between their health and their right to vote. That’s why the next relief bill Congress passes must include significant funding – $ 3.6 billion – to help states ensure our elections are safe and accessible. The National Association of Secretaries of State has also raised serious concerns regarding some of the provisions associated with the $400 million in the third COVID-19 supplemental. Secretaries have noted that the twenty percent match requirement is particularly problematic. Congress must ensure that election officials can readily access the emergency resources they need to meet this threat head-on. Accordingly, we respectfully request that you prioritize the following in any subsequent COVID-19 related funding: • Removing the match requirement and other burdensome provisions that prevent election officials from immediate and easy access to funding. • Providing $3.6 billion in additional resources for states, and critical funding for the Election Assistance Commission to distribute the funds. • Enacting election reforms, like those found in the Natural Disaster and Emergency Ballot Act of 2020, to make voting during a pandemic safe and easy. • This is not a partisan issue – this is an American issue. The right to vote is the foundation of our democracy – a right that generations of Americans before us have fought to secure, and a right that we must protect now.
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May 19, 2020 Primary Don't forget to sign and return your ballot by May 19, 2020, 8 PM! ~Election 2020~Oregon State-Wide races Let's start with Senate District 30. The Democratic Party of Oregon and Harney County Democratic Central Committee is proud to have Carina Miller from Warm Springs running against Lynn Findley, who was appointed when this position was vacated by Cliff Bentz. Since there are no other Democrats running against Carina in the Primary, this race will go until the November General Election. Please check out Carina's information at carinamiller.com or email her at carinafororegon@gmail.com. Harney County Democratic Central Committee endorsed Carina at our April meeting. Oregon House District 60. Two strong local women are challenging Mark Owens for House District 60. They are Beth Spell from Grant County and Isabelle Fleuraud from Harney County. Contact Beth at bespellcandidateor60@gmail.com. Harney County Dems endorsed Isabelle Fleuraud at our March meeting. Look at Isabelle's information on FaceBook, Isabelle For Oregon. United States Second Congressional District of Oregon is open since Greg Walden decided to retire. There are five candidates interested in this position. We had three at our February meeting. Please check out their website to help make your choice. HCDCC did not make any endorsements for this Primary race.
Non Partisan Positions Harney CountyThis list was obtained from Harney County government webpage at www.co.harney.or.us, search county clerk and find current-election-information. Candidates for County Commissioner Kristen Shelman 69747 Hwy 205 Burns OR 97720 541-589-4384 kristenshelman@hotmail.com Forrest Keady 80 W Washington St Burns OR 97720 541-678-3269 thekeadytribe@yahoo.com Chris Pratt 67372 Oil Well Rd Burns OR 97720 541-589-1835 kyllyk2013@gmail.com Candidates for County Sheriff Kerry J Boggs PO Box 26 Hines OR 97738 541-999-1323 klmnboggs@msn.com Mark Chreighton 67950 Hwy 78 Burns OR 97720 541-413-1428 mark.creighton2@gmail.com Dan Jenkins PO Box 1344 Hines OR 97738 541-589-0415 dan.jenkins@co.harney.or.us Lucas McLain PO Box 1002 Hines OR 97738 541-589-1546 ldm43so@gmail.com Chris Nisbet PO Box 723 Burns OR 97720 541-589-0494 chrisnisbet81@gmail.com Patrick Webber 32003 L5 Lane Burns, OR 97720 208-741-0441 patrick_56073@yahoo.com Candidates for Circuit Court Judge Jim Carpenter PO Box 335 John Day OR 97845 541-792-0142 jimcarpenterpc@gmail.com John Lamborn 191 W A St Burns OR 97720 541-573-2068 jblamborn@gmail.com Rob Raschio PO Box 183 Canyon City OR 97845 541-240-2880 info@robforjudge.com Candidates for District Attorney Tim Beaubien 803 E Jefferson St Burns OR 97720 541-819-0573 timbeabien1@gmail.com Ryan P. Hughes 410 S Fairview Ave Burns OR 97720 541-573-8300 ryanPHughes@hotmail.com The March Meeting featured local sheriff candidates at Hines City Hall.
The April Meeting featured the non-partisan candidates for County Commissioners on Zoom. from Lynn Mcclintock, Chair
February meeting Monday, February 10, 2020 6:00 PM Hines City Hall Conference room Urgent Items on the agenda: We will have speakers first and then take action on the following:
This is what Our Environmental Actions looks like in Harney County. We need more letters to the editor to help this discussion along. Just in case you missed them, the following two 'letters to the editor' are featured in the BTH and surrounding rural newspapers. They were submitted by Marjorie Thelen.
Another cap and trade bill comes before the Oregon legislature in February. Groups like Citizens Climate Lobby and Oregon League of Conversation Voters, both non partisan organizations, want stronger provisions in what is now Senate Bill 1530. Those in opposition like some ranchers, farmers, and Timber Unity want fewer restrictions or no cap on carbon emissions. I personally favor a stronger bill more like HB2020. We must put a price on carbon starting now, not sometime in the vague future. Some say that Oregon by itself can't put a dent in reducing carbon emissions. But consider that a lot of Oregons putting a price on carbon will. I talked to a Harney County rancher a few weeks ago, who denies we have a carbon emissions problem and says there is no such thing as climate change. He said he has forty scientist friends who say climate change isn't happening. I said what about the 11,000 scientists who want a climate emergency declared now? The rancher scoffed and waved his hand dismissively. 11,000 vs. 40 seems pretty overwhelming to me. I guess we had different math teachers. I believe in science, scientists, and data. The 11,000 scientists were actually 11,258 scientists in 153 countries from a broad range of disciplines. They warn that the planet clearly and unequivocally faces a climate emergency (Journal of Bioscience). Ecologists Bill Ripple and Christopher Wolf of Oregon State University spearheaded the study. It's important to operate on facts. Consider writing your state legislator and senator in support of stronger provisions for SB1530. Your children and grandchildren may thank you.
But let's look, for example, at the real price of a gallon of gasoline. Direct costs of gasoline include exploration, production, refining, and distribution. The market sets the price. But the market doesn't factor indirect costs. If indirect costs are factored into a $3.00 gallon of gas, the real price is about $12.00 a gallon. Indirect costs include U.S. taxpayers footing the bill for U.S. military presence in the Middle East to ensure access to their precious oil. Taxpayers pay the cost for U.S. intervention in Middle East wars to protect oil fields. Taxpayers pay the costs of disasters related to climate warming, treatment of respiratory illnesses due to air pollution, and pipeline and oil spills. (See World on the Edge by Lester Brown, p. 16) Another indirect cost is fossil fuel subsidies that amounted to $400 billion in 2018. Who foots that bill? U.S. taxpayers. Using fossil fuels is not as cheap as we think. We need to put a price on the carbon emissions and use the money to transition to more sustainable sources of clean energy, which is what SB1530 proposes, as I understand it. We need to transition away from our dependence on fossil fuels. We need to more rapidly move to renewable, clean energy like wind and solar. We need to more rapidly develop better electric vehicles and the infrastructure to support them. Put a price on carbon emissions. Support SB1530. ******************************************A DPO Environmental Action item:From RENEW OREGON! Salem Climate Action in 2020. Check out reneworegon.org to find out more regarding this eventThis will be the biggest Salem Climate Action in 2020Show our strength by standing together. Send a message to state legislators and Governor Brown to stand up to the powerful oil industry and pass real climate action. If you show up for one action on climate legislation in 2020, make it this one. WHEN February 11, 2020 at 12pm - 1:30pm WHERE Oregon State Capitol 900 court St NE Salem, OR 97301 United States Google map and directions ****************************************** The following is from the DPO Rural Caucus: RURAL OREGONIANS STAND FOR FORESTING JOBSDear Rural Oregonians, Today marks the first day of the 2020 Short Legislative Session and the clock is ticking for the environment and for rural jobs. Lawmakers have a dire desicion ahead of them and we have little time to advocate for our communities. Real rural Oregonians know that logging has existed and will continue to exist as part of the Oregonian labor and economic picture. And the majority of us support that. We are the ones who live with the economic downturns related to the loss of logging jobs. But we are being falsely represented by the Koch Brothers’ clone, Timber Unity, as having the opposite position. Let’s be clear. Real rural Oregonians are against vast clearcutting, NOT logging. Rural Oregonians stand FOR sustainable logging practices. Practices that INCREASE jobs… while building sustainable, fire resistant forests. STAND WITH RURAL OREGONIANS FOR SUSTAINABLE FOREST PRACTICES. RURAL OREGONIANS ARE FOR SELECTIVE FORESTING BECAUSE:
Join me in signing the SUSTAINABLE FOREST PRACTICES PETITION. In solidarity, LauRose Felicity JD MSW CLAD DPO Rural Caucus, Chair ************************************* Remember to volunteer HELP US GET DEMOCRATS OUT TO VOTE May 19, 2020 From the Election Committee All data shows, across the nation, that to get our Democrat candidates elected, we need to knock on doors. That is how we Oregon Democrats have, over the past decades, forged Oregon Blue. In that spirit, HCDCC will be organizing three rounds of canvassing this important election year: 1) Reaching out to Non-Affiliated Voters (NAVs) in Burns and Hines, mid-March through mid-April, to educate and encourage them to change their NAV registration to Dem. We believe that being able to vote in this year's presidential Democratic primary will be a good incentive. The deadline to do so is April 18, 2020. All NAVs in Burns and Hines were canvassed by "Jamie volunteers" in 2018 with mostly good responses. The DPO has created an excellent user-friendly MiniVAN app, which allows any volunteer with a smart phone, to canvas from any geolocation without needing to have a specific turf cut-out for them in advance. Please contact Isabelle at hcdcc2019@gmail.com, if you are interested in volunteering using this format. 2) Reaching out to registered Democrat voters, through the Neighborhood Leader Program (NLP); is another format that has been successful in past elections. This program encourages them to vote in the May Primary. This canvas will occur between the first day to mail ballots, April 29, and election day, May 19, 2020. Please contact Isabelle at hcdcc2019@gmail.com if you are interested in becoming a Neighborhood Leader or doing this with the title of Neighborhood Leader. The easiest way to participate is with a smart phone using the MiniVAN app, but it can also be done using paper maps and lists which we would provide. 3) Reaching out through the NLP to our Democratic neighbors from mid-October to Election Day, to get out the Democratic vote in the 2020 general election. This will be done through specific campaigns. We may also organize or participate in other canvasses between May and October. REMINDER: If you are filing for one of Harney County Democratic Precinct Committee Person positions, please visit the website for Harney County Government at https://www.co.harney.or.us, click on County Clerk and locate tab with election information. You can also call the county clerk's office at 541-573-664 to get information. Filing forms will also be at the February meeting. File by March 10, 2020 at the Harney County Clerk's Office. Harney County Democrats Mission Statement: We are a group of progressive-minded Harney County citizens who work together to share factual information on the issues and candidates, as well as provide an opportunity to discuss important issues in the community. We meet monthly. We are open to new ideas to be active and visible in the community as friends and neighbors. Some topics we discuss and support include social and economic justice, the importance of a multi-party system in a democracy, and friendly civil discourse between those parties. UPCOMING EVENTS: 2020 Election Cycle Begins All year long! Monthly Meeting Monday February 10, 2020 Hines City Hall 6:00-7:30 PM Leadership for Chairs and Vice Chair February 21, 2020 Gresham, Oregon Monthly Meeting March 9, 2020 Hines City Hall 6:00-7:30 PM Election Candidate Filing deadline March 10, 2020 Harney County Court House 5:00 PM First Quarter SCC meeting March 14-15 Albany, Oregon from chair, Lynn McClintok
Sign up to volunteer today with the Harney County Democratic Central Committee!There are so many ways to help. We’ve got room for you in our family of volunteers, and we can’t wait to hear from you. Your support is critical as we work to elect Democratic candidates up and down the ticket, and build the Democratic Party of Oregon all across the state. Look at the short list below and email us at Hcdcc2019@gmail.com to let HCDCC know your interest in getting involved. We’ll put you in touch with Harney County Democrats in our community with details on how you can help. Ways to help your local Democratic party:
1) Jack Howard from La Grande https://www.lagrandeobserver.com/news/local/jack-howard-runs-for-congress/article_445e88c4-2144-11ea-bce5-334208dec642.html 2) John P Holm from Grants Pass https://johnholmforcongress.com/?fbclid=IwAR3_0FfRtVFDtmIQjMlfSnUj1ZCLYq9yeLZzgqQM4z1Jj_W-vsJ0XF_4cA8 3) Nick (NIK) L Huertz https://nikforcongress.com/ 4) Alex Spenser from K Falls http://spenser2020.com/ **************************************** A report for the Election Committee The most important, proven tool of all to elected Democrats is knocking on doors. This is how we Oregon Democrats have, over the past decades, forged Oregon Blue. In that spirit, HCDCC will be organizing three rounds of canvassing this important election year: 1) Reaching out to Non Affiliated Voters (NAVs) in Burns and Hines, mid-March through mid-April, to educate and encourage them to change their NAV registration to Dem. We believe that being able to vote in this year's presidential Democratic primary will be a good incentive. The deadline to do so is April 18, 2020. All NAVs in Burns and Hines were canvassed by "Jamie volunteers" in 2018 with mostly good responses. The DPO has created an excellent user-friendly MiniVAN app, which allows any volunteer with a smart phone, to canvas from any geolocation without needing to have a specific turf cut-out for them in advance. Please contact Isabelle at isyfleuryoga@gmail.com if you are interested in volunteering using this format. 2) Reaching out to registered Democrat voters, through the Neighborhood Leader Program (NLP); is another format that has been successful in past elections. This program encourages them to vote in the May Primary. This canvas will occur between the first day to mail ballots, April 29, and election day, May 19, 2020. Please contact Isabelle at isyfleuryoga@gmail.com if you are interested in becoming a Neighborhood Leader or doing this with the title of Neighborhood Leader. The easiest way to participate is with a smart phone using the MiniVAN app, but it can also be done using paper maps and lists which we would provide. 3) Reaching out through the NLP to our Democratic neighbors from mid-October to Election Day, to get out the Democratic vote in the 2020 general election. (Through specific campaigns, we may also organize or participate in other canvasses between May and October.)************************************************** The February meeting Monday, February 10, 2020 6:00 PM Hines City Hall Conference room Remember, if you are filing for one of Harney County Democratic Precinct Committee Person positions, please visit the website for Harney County Government at https://www.co.harney.or.us, click on County Clerk and locate tab with election information. You can also call the county clerk's office at 541-573-664 to get information. Filing forms will also be at the February meeting. File by March 10, 2020 at the Harney County Clerk's Office. FROM THE CHAIR, LYNN MCCLINTOK
Harney County Democratic Central Committee Monthly Meeting January 13, 2020 Hines City Hall 6:00 PM
October 14, 2019
Harney County Democratic Central Committee Fund Raiser Dinner Gather together to meet the Democratic Party of Oregon State Central Committee elected leaders. DPO Chair KC Hanson and DPO Secretary Eileen Kiely will be our guests. WHERE: Harney County Senior Center 17 S. Alder, Burns Oregon TIME: 5:30 pm until 8:30 pm Menu: Smoked Tri Tip Potatoes Gratin Vegan Lentil Lasagna The entree dishes are provided by HCDCC. You are invited to bring salads, desserts, and other side dishes. Suggested donation is $25.00 but not required to attend this event. We look forward to seeing you. If you are unable to attend, please feel free to make a donation. Our address is posted at the bottom of this notice. Although RSVP is not a requirement to attend this event, it would be appreciated to ensure we have plenty of food. Contact Lynn McClintock, HCDCC Chair at lynnmariemcclintock@gmail.com. You may also call 541-413-1096. Harney County Democratic Central Committee
Monthly Meeting September 9, 2019 6:00 PM~7:30 PM Hines City Council Room September brings a special guest speaker. Our State of Oregon District 60 Representative Lynn Findley will be spending time with us. He will talk briefly and take questions. Please join us and show our representative how crucial it is to listen to the people of rural Oregon who are not affiliated with the Republican Party. Our voice is strong on the social needs of our community that include affordable health care, well-funded schools/education, veterans issues, climate change issues that are directly changing our region, public land use and smart and reasonable gun safety laws. There will be refreshments and social time to sit/stand and chat with fellow members of HCDCC. On Thursday, August 29, CD2 Representative Greg Walden will be holding a Town Hall Meeting in Burns. It will be at the Chamber of Commerce Conference room at 11:00 AM. This meeting is open to the public, giving citizens an opportunity to ask questions of our US congressman that directly effect us in Eastern Oregon, i.e. deregulation and public land use, USDA forestry issues, immigration policies, rising national debt, instability of the US economy, sanctions and tariffs, and reasonable gun legislation. HCDCC encourages you to attend this event. The photo poised on this month's notice is of Christian Boyd, HCDCC recipient of our college scholarship and Lynn McClintock, HCDCC Chair. Christian will be going to University of Oregon in Eugene in the fall. He was awarded a certificate at our August meeting and a notice was placed in the Burns Times Herald August 21, 2019, as suggested by our committee. In August, HCDCC was awarded our request for a grant from the DPO Check for Democracy. With this award, the executive committee took action, purchasing a new printer and notebook for HCDCC. These purchases will help expand our ability to communicate, print, and circulate our goals and programs, promoting democratic values and encourage voters to vote the democratic line. It is Harney County Fair time starting September 4, through September 8. Don Greenfield and Isabelle Fleuraud will be managing the booth along, with many other loyal members who have volunteered their time to sit/stand and engage with our fellow citizens of Harney County. We hope you will stop by the booth if you are in the vicinity and say, howdy, then take our survey. There will be several questions to peek your interest. If you still want the volunteer, call Don Greenfield at 541-589-4214. A big thank you to our volunteers and to all who support Democrats in rural Oregon. It only takes a small group of people to shift opinions and start a movement. You should receive a call from Don to reconfirm your day and time. Please call Don if you don hear from him. September 28 brings our annual picnic with Grant County. We will traveling a bit farther, approximately 80 miles (one and half hours) up US 395 to Clyde Holliday Recreation Park on US 26 Mt. Vernon, Oregon 97865. The fee is free and there is electricity. Grant and Harney Central Committees extended an invitation to fellow democrats from Crook, Baker and Malheur counties. This will be a good time to meet like minded people and discuss issues that truly effect rural Oregon Democrats in the DPO and at SCC meetings. An informal discussion will be facilitated by Mark Cerny of Grant County. As for food, we will be cooking hamburgers and hotdogs. Your chair, Lynn McClintock, committed Harney to cold salads and condiments while Grant will provide the meat and beans. Others attending can bring chips, a favorite beverage and maybe a dessert/fruit. There will be water available. Since we are cooking we will need to know how many are coming. RSVP so we can have a head count to purchase meat products. Let us know if you are a vegan or vegetarian, so accommodations can be made. PLEASE RSVPby September 25 by 5 PM. Also plan to carpool if you want. Although there will be paper products, you might think to bring your own eating setup.Think reuse and recycle. Please contact Lynn McClintock at 541-413-1096 or lynnmariemcclintock@gmail.com. On October 12, 2019, HCDCC will convene along Highway 78 to clean up the highway from 205 to the Fish Pond. The more hands the lighter the work. Set your calendar now for 10/12 @ 8:30 AM. Changes, if needed, will be made as the weather takes shape. Maybe we can go out to eat afterwords or have coffee. Commitments for the crew so far include Lynn McClintock, Julie Weikel and Don Greenfield. Call Lynn McClintock at 541-413-1096 or lynnmariemcclintock@gmail.com October 14th is our regular meeting. We will be having a fundraiser dinner at the Senior Center. KC Hanson, DPO Chair and Eileen Kiely, DPO Secretary will be our special guests. Menu and details are being worked out. If any one is interested in donating something for a raffle item, it would be greatly appreciated. Monetary support is always welcome. This fund raiser is focused on the 2020 state, county and national elections. It is important to educate people on the issues that directly impact us. The 2020 election cycle is crucial to our cause in moving forward the democrat platform at all levels of government. We need to get people to vote the democrat line. Continued thanks for your support. Harney County Democrats Mission Statement: We are a group of progressive-minded Harney County citizens who work together to share factual information on the issues and candidates, as well as provide an opportunity to discuss important issues in the community. We meet monthly. We are open to new ideas to be active and visible in the community as friends and neighbors. Some topics we discuss and support include social and economic justice, the importance of a multi-party system in a democracy, and friendly civil discourse between those parties. UPCOMING EVENTS: Monthly meeting September 9, 2019 6:00-7:30 PM Hines City Council Room Saturday, September 28, 2019 Picnic @ Noon Clyde Holliday Recreation Park in Grant County Adopt a Highway Program Saturday October 12, 2019 8:30 Highway 78 Monthly meeting October 14, 2019 6:00~7:30 PM Hines City Council Room The 10th Biennial Oregon Summit Democratic Party Oregon Conference Sunriver, Oregon October 18-20, 2019 If you wish to make a donation to the Harney County Democrats, please make check payable to: HCDCC and mail it to: HCDCC Treasurer, PO Box 292, Burns, OR 97720. Please provide your full name, address, and occupation for federal reporting purposes. Harney County Democratic Central Committee
Monthly Meeting August 12, 2019 6:00 PM~7:30 PM Hines City Council Room The watercolor painting of the donkey was offered to the HCDCC by David Keim, Terry Keim's brother. When asked if HCDCC could use his painting, his response was, 'the donkey wants to work, go forth and serve!' Those words resonate well, since we as rural democrats, want to serve the greater good of humanity and our community. According to the Democratic Party of Oregon mission statement, Oregon Democrats believe that rights and responsibilities go hand in hand. It is up to all of us to work for a present and future society that treats every individual with dignity and respect, provide for the health and education of future generations, grow Oregon businesses and local economies, safe guard our civil liberties and democratic rights, and protect the natural environment in which we all live. So with that said, Rural Democrats UNITE and go forth to do the hard work that it will take to build a community of peace and harmony. As our local democratic committee moves into the latter months of summer, there is plenty of work to do. The above pictures were taken to show our Adopt-A-Highway signage on Highway 78. A great tribute to our presence in Rural Eastern Oregon. The picture on the left depicts the sign view looking west. This sign is located just east of the the fishing pond. The sign on the right, is looking east, near the veterinarian clinic on Highway 78. Although there was still water in the drainage easements, on July 13th a few members of HCDCC cleaned up the trash along our designated section from the clinic toward the Grange Hall and 205. It was good to see that the job done last year really made a difference as we collected fewer bags of trash. However, it was a revelation that we appeared to have missed a section of our highway commitment. From 205 near the old Grange building, to the fishing pond, where our second sign is posted, has never been cleared of trash; therefore, the committee needs to schedule another highway clean up later this year before the big freeze to focus on this section of highway. A date will be discussed and set at the August meeting. We are obligated to the State of Oregon to do this job. In regards to our August meeting, HCDCC will present a certificate to Burns High School graduate, Christian Boyd, the recipient of the HCDCC 2019 Scholarship. Steve Quick, Harney County School District 3 Superintendent will be our guest speaker. Please join us to hear about the expectations for the future of our education system in Harney County. Bring your questions, concerns and accolades for this discussion. September is the annual Harney County Fair Rodeo and Racemeet. For the past three years, HCDCC has had a booth to promote the presence of rural democrats with a friendly, smiling face. This is a huge "time commitment" for you, our members, over the course of three days. Set up of our display must occur Wednesday, September 4, 2019 by 8:00 pm and remain intact until Sunday, September 8, 2019 at 4:00pm. Our display must be open from 10:00 am until 7:00 pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on Sunday. This endeavor will cost our committee insurance fees and a fee for the booth. The Fair Committee set the following schedule. Don Greenfield is the contact for this schedule. Two people are needed for each slot and each slot is a three hour time block. Don Greenfield and John Thelen will set up the booth on Wednesday, 9/4 and take down the booth on Sunday 9/8. Here are the open slots. Please consider sitting with a fellow democrat at this event. Consider this as a friendly political action voice that speaks volumes in our rural community. If three people feel better working together, please do so. Don will put you on the schedule. PLEASE contact Don at 541-589-4214 or you can email him via his wife's email address at the following; greenfielddebbie21@gmail.com. Thank you for your commitment. Thursday September 4
Our September HCDCC meeting will be Monday September 9. Unfortunately, our meeting is the Monday after a long weekend of fair activities. Please plan to attend this meeting. It is important that we listen and question the plans set forth by our representatives to tackle climate policies in the state of Oregon. We have a voice and need to be heard. Some points that were expressed on Mr. Bentz's recent newsletter about his Town Hall meetings include:
To read more of this article, please go to the following link; http://registerguard.com/opinion/20190725/rural-voters-must-care-about-climate. Stay active and stay informed. We need your help on furthering the agenda of Oregon Democrats. 2020 Presidential elections are just around the corner. It will a be along haul but we are up to the challenge. Stay calm and carry on as the Brits say. We can do this if we work together. The HCDCC Environment Committee encourages all HC Dems to write and call their state representative to support the bill. It is easy to call or write. Act today! Call or write this week to support of HB2020a - the clean energy jobs bill. The bill is in the ways and means committee and needs to get to the floor of both houses to be voted upon. Encourage our representatives to support the bill and get it out of committee and onto the floor for a vote. Local Dems can do this by calling Lynn Findley and Cliff Benz or by writing them:
Senator Bentz (Sen.CliffBentz@oregonlegislature.gov) Representative Lindley (Rep.LynnFindley@oregonlegislature.gov) Easy patch through number: 503-773-6620 www.RenewOregon.org -- Renew Oregon web site has more information and you can join their team to get the word out Clean Energy Jobs is a policy to put a limit and price on climate pollution from the largest polluters in the state. It will secure greenhouse gas reductions and reinvestment into communities across Oregon to create clean energy jobs and a thriving economy, especially in communities that need it most. |
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