CONTENTS
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Oregon Capital Insider Index: This Week in Salem, by the Numbers
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Health and Wellness
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Support Gorge Grown Food Network
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2017 Red Cross: Double Digit Increase in Responses, Families Helped & Deployments
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Interstate 84 – Columbia River Highway – Mileposts
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Links: Things to Think About & Things to Do
New Year’s Prayer
by Charlotte Anselmo
Thank you Lord for giving me
The brand new year ahead
Help me live the way I should
As each new day I tread.
Give me gentle wisdom
That I might help a friend
Give me strength and courage
So a shoulder I might lend.
The year ahead is empty
Help me fill it with good things
Each new day filled with joy
And the happiness it brings.
Please give the leaders of our world
A courage born of peace
That they might lead us gently
And all the fighting cease.
Please give to all upon this earth
A heart that’s filled with love
A gentle happy way to live
With Your blessings from above.
1. Oregon Capital Insider Index: This Week in Salem, by the Numbers
Here are 10 numbers that illustrate some of this week’s big, and small, Oregon political stories:
- 0102: The second of January is the deadline to register to vote in the Jan. 23 special election to decide whether to affirm a health care-funding scheme approved by the Legislature earlier this year.
- 3.2: The percentage of unemployed people in Benton County in November. New statistics released by the Oregon Employment Department Tuesday showed that county has the lowest unemployment rate in the state.
- 21: On Jan. 1, Oregon will become the fifth state to increase the legal age to buy tobacco products to 21, after California, Hawaii, Maine and New Jersey.
- 6: The number of languages offered on voter registration forms. The Secretary of State recently added Chinese, Vietnamese, Somali and Russian to the existing forms in English and Spanish.
- 15: The number of days that agencies have to release public records in most cases, starting Jan. 1.
- 36.2: The percentage of Oregon’s voters who were registered as Democrats in November, according to statistics released Tuesday by the Oregon Secretary of State’s Elections Division.
- 37.4: The percentage of Oregon’s nearly 2.7 million registered voters who are non-affiliated or a member of a third party, according to the same statistics.
- 2022: The year former U.S. Sen. Mark Odom Hatfield’s papers will be released to the public, coinciding with his 100th birthday July 12 of that year.
- 135,000: The number of dollars the former owners of Gresham bakery Sweet Cakes has to pay a lesbian couple for refusing to bake the couple a wedding cake based on the couple’s sexual orientation, according to an Oregon Court of Appeals decision Thursday.
- 27 million: An estimate of the reduction in the number of itemizers nationwide in 2018 because of the increase in the standard deduction to $10,000 under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, according to the Tax Policy Center.
~http://oregoncapitalinsider.com/
2. Health and Wellness
Are you interested in health, nutrition and being active….for yourself, your family, your friends, your community? Could you use some extra motivation to achieve your own health goals? Are you interested in research-based, scientific information on health and lifestyle? What topics are of interest to you? Would you like to attend monthly gatherings about health and wellness, with a healthy meal served? Could you be on the wellness committee at work or get one started?
Are you looking for some fun health- and nutrition-related volunteer activities to do in the county with kids, adults, families, or seniors? Interested in personal growth and leadership opportunities? Would you like to partner with Extension on the fun health and nutrition outreach in Sherman County, such as school cafeteria taste tests to classroom nutrition lessons to afterschool cooking to “Healthalicious Cooking” day camps to food demos/recipe handouts at Sherman Veggie Rx events? Are you interested in new health activities such as recipe samples at the food bank or staffing a display at the school or library activity nights or exercise sessions at the senior center or having a county walking, hiking or kayaking group?
You’ve heard of Master Gardeners or Master Food Preservers or Master Recyclers, right? These are regular folks with an interest in a topic that they want to learn more about, and volunteer in their community to help others learn, too. OSU Sherman County Extension is researching the idea of a Master Wellness Program to bring health and wellness information to Sherman residents for your own benefit and motivation, as well as give you an opportunity to “pay back” by volunteering at Extension or other food- and health-related events in the community.
What you learn can help yourself…and others…live more healthful lives. In fact, research on these programs in other states shows that participation in a health-focused master volunteer program can positively influence participants’ lifestyle behaviors as they work to improve health and quality of life in their communities. You benefit in your personal health as you help others with their health!
Whaddya think? We’d like to hear from you. Call or email Cindy Brown at 541-565-3230 work, 541-993-5291 cell, or cindy.brown@oregonstate.edu, or write to 66365 Lonerock Road, Moro OR 97039.
3. Support Gorge Grown Food Network
Thank you for supporting Gorge Grown Food Network. Together, we’re working to build a resilient and inclusive regional food system that improves the health and well-being of our community. We had a remarkable year in 2017.
- Thousands of families throughout the Gorge received Veggie Prescriptions to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables from local farmers
- Gorge Grown Farmers Markets put more than $370,000 back into the local economy and supported more than 60 family farmers, food producers and small business owners
- The Food Security Coalition gathered a diverse group 30+ stakeholders from across the Gorge to build a stronger food system and make healthy, local food more accessible to everyone
- Nearly 3,000 lbs of fresh produce was purchased from local farmers for the Healthy Corner Store Project serving communities in Sherman and Wasco Counties
- Columbia Gorge Gleaning rescued more than 4,000 lbs of fresh produce this fall and distributed the surplus to community sites that serve food insecure residents
- Hood River Farmers Market extended the season into the winter and early spring, providing the Gorge’s first year-round market space for farmers, producers and customers
In 2018, we will continue our groundbreaking work. To do this, we need your help. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation today: https://www.givegab.com/donations/new?group_id=gorge-grown
4. 2017 Red Cross: Double Digit Increase in Responses, Families Helped & Deployments
PORTLAND, Ore., December 29, 2017 — In 2017, the American Red Cross in Oregon and Southwest Washington saw double digit increases in disaster relief responses, families helped following a disaster and deployments of responders to disaster relief operations, when compared to 2016.
From January 1, 2017, to date, the local Red Cross has responded to 764 disasters (a 13 percent increase over last year), helped 1,218 families (a 26 percent increase over last year) and deployed 366 disaster relief responders (a 74 percent increase over last year).
“Wildfires here at home, multiple hurricanes in the Southeast and wildfires in California have resulted in more people in need of help,” said Candace Horter, CEO of the Red Cross Cascades Region. “The Red Cross was and will continue to be there to deliver aid in the weeks and months to come.”
RED CROSS RESPONSES ACROSS THE NATION
In just 45 days, the American Red Cross responded to six of the year’s largest and most complex disasters. This included back-to-back hurricanes — Harvey, Irma, Maria and Nate — the deadliest week of wildfires in California history and the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history in Las Vegas.
In total, the Red Cross provided more food, relief items and overnight shelter stays than in the past four years combined. The Red Cross mobilized 56,000 disaster workers from across the nation — 92 percent volunteers — to provide help after 242 significant disasters such as wildfires, floods, tornadoes and other emergencies in 45 states and three territories. This aid included:
* Opening 1,100 emergency shelters to provide 658,000 overnight stays
* Serving 13.6 million meals and snacks
* Distributing 7 million relief items
* Providing 267,000 health and mental health contacts
* Supporting 624,000 households with recovery assistance
HOW TO HELP
The American Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that relies on the generosity of donors in order to fulfil or mission. Despite this close relationship with the federal government, the
American Red Cross is not a federal agency and does not receive regular federal funding to carry out services and programs.
“As 2017 comes to a close, please consider making a year-end contribution to the Red Cross,” Horter said. “Your gift helps your friends, your neighbors or perhaps even you to recover after a disaster.”
Donations enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small. Donations can be made at redcross.org or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS. Donations are tax deductible.
DONATIONS IN ACTION
* $10 provides one hot meal and additional snacks to a person – These nourishing meals, which include a main course, snacks and a drink, are provided by Red Cross workers and distributed at shelters or in communities via mobile kitchens in emergency response vehicles.
* $20 provides comfort supplies for two families of four – These supplies are stored and ready for distribution nationwide. Comfort kits contain deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, facial tissues, wash cloth, shampoo, liquid soap, lotion, comb, razor and shaving cream.
* $50 provides a full day of food and shelter for one person – This service includes providing breakfast, lunch and dinner, the costs to mobilize and distribute a cot, two blankets and a comfort kit as well as the costs to support the Red Cross workers providing this service.
* $200 provides a full day of food and shelter to a family of four – This service includes providing breakfast, lunch and dinner, the costs to mobilize and distribute a cot, two blankets and a comfort kit as well as the costs of Red Cross workers to provide this service.
5. Interstate 84 – Columbia River Highway – Mileposts
1 – 12th Avenue
2 – 33rd Avenue
3 – 47th Avenue
4 – 68th Avenue
5 – 82nd Avenue
6 – I-205 Junction
7 – 102nd Avenue
10 – 122nd Avenue
11 – Parkrose Water Tower
12 – 162nd Avenue
13 – 181st Avenue
14 – 201st Avenue
15 – Sandy Boulevard Exit (Westbound)
16 – Wood Village Exit
17 – Troutdale Junction
18 – Lewis and Clark Park
22 – Corbett
23 – Corbett Viewpoint
24 – Rooster Rock
25 – Rooster Rock State Park
28 – Bridal Veil
29 – West Dalton
31 – West of Multnomah Falls
34 – Horsetail Falls
35 – West of Dodson Overpass
37 – East of Dodson Overpass
39 – Moffett Creek
40 – Bonneville Dam
41 – Tunnel
42 – Multnomah/Hood River County Line
43 – West of Cascade Locks Exit
44 – Moody Street Overpass
45 – East of Cascade Locks Exit
46 – Herman Creek
47 – Herman Creek Log Pond
49 – Eastbound Scale House
51 – Wyeth
52 – Shellrock Mountain
53 – Lindsey Creek
54 – Westbound Scale House
55 – Starvation Creek Rest Area
56 – Viento State Park Exit
58 – Mitchell Creek
59 – Mitchell Point
61 – Ruthton Hill Point
62 – West of Hood River Exit
63 – Jaymar Underpass
64 – Multnomah/Hood River County Line
65 – Oregon 35 Exit
66 – Koberg Rest Area
68 – Wasco/Hood River County Line
69 – Chicken Charley Island
70 – Mosier
71 – Schogren RR Overpass
73 – Memaloose Rest Area
75 – Rowena Bluff
76 – Mayer Park Overpass
77 – Rowena
79 – Tooley Lake
80 – Tooley Terrace
81 – Pinewood Trailer Court
82 – Chenowith Creek Bridge
83 – Kopper Kitchen
84 – West/The Dalles City Ctr Exit
85 – Grain Elevator
86 – Boat Basin Exit
87 – The Dalles Br/Bend Hwy 197 Exit
88 – Fifteen Mile Creek
89 – Dalles Dam Exit
90 – Five Mile RR Overpass
92 – Sand Dunes
94 – No Name Lake
96 – Celilo Bridge RR Overpass
97 – Celilo Interchange
99 – Tunnel Point RR
100 – Wasco/Sherman County Line
101 – Miller RR Overpass
102 – Fulton Canyon
104 – Biggs Grain Elevator
105 – Biggs Junction
107 – Old Maryhill Ferry
109 – Rufus RR Overpass
110 – Rufus
112 – John Day Dam/Viewpoint
114 – John Day River/Sherman-Gillian
122 – Quinton RR Station
123 – Philippi Interchange
129 – Blaylock Interchange
131 – Woelpern Rat Hole
136 – Arlington Viewpoint
137 – Eastbound Arlington Exit
138 – Westbound Arlington Exit
147 – Heppner Junction
149 – Gilliam/Morrow County Line
151 – Three Mile
157 – RR Overpass
159 – Tower Road
161 – Boardman Rest Area
164 – Boardman
168 – Oregon 730 Junction
177 – Morrow/Umatilla County Line
178 – Ordnance Interchange
180 – Westland Road
183 – Hermiston
186 – Stanfield Rest Area
189 – Stanfield Interchange
193 – Lexington/Echo Junction
198 – Rew Elevator
199 – Yoakum Interchange
203 – Barnhart Interchange
207 – West of Pendleton
209 – Pendleton City Center
211 – East of Pendleton Interchange
6. Links: Things to Think About & Things to Do
My Christmas Eve by Retired Trooper Bob Welsh
Oregon Recipes | 1859 Oregon Magazine
17 striking findings from 2017
A Response For People Using Record Cold U.S. Weather To Refute Climate Change
Prager U.: Is Fascism Right or Left?
Central Oregon, West Coast Brace for Recycling Changes
5 ways getting around in Oregon will be more expensive starting Jan. 1
The Future the US Military is Constructing: a Giant, Armed Nervous System
Destination Oregon: Severe Brothers Saddlery in Pendleton
Why Attitude Is More Important Than IQ
