You can read our previous newsletters here.

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

This is such a busy and fun time of year!  I hope you were able to get out and enjoy all of the activities around the area, like the La Strada dei Pastelli Chalk Art Festival in Hillsboro on Saturday or the Concours d’Elegance at Pacific University in Forest Grove on Sunday.  I've got some highlights below of some of my favorite cars and chalk art drawings from these events.  Thinking ahead to next weekend, the Washington County Fair is back!  Check out more information in my "Around Western Washington County" section of this newsletter.

It's also a very busy time of year for farmers as the Summer Harvest is happening.  We are so lucky to live in this area, surrounded by beautiful and prosperous farmland.  I grew up on a small farm and harvest season always brings back great memories.  Oregon berries are my favorite crop!  There is also wheat, grass seed, red clover, hay, and hazelnuts out our way in Western Washington County!

DUYCK-JONES FAMILY FARM! 

Dave and Ellen Vanasche's farm!

Check out all the amazing produce and support our growers and farmworkers by visiting our great Farmers Markets:

FOREST GROVE FARMERS MARKET

Every Wednesday, May 4 - October 26 from 4 PM - 8 PM
(September 21 - October 26 from 4 PM - 7 PM)

Main Street between 21st and Pacific Avenue

La Strada dei Pastelli Chalk Art Festival

Last weekend, the La Strada dei Pastelli Chalk Art Festival took place in Hillsboro.  I love chalk art, as there is very high-level artistry involved in creating these temporary masterpieces.  if you missed visiting the festival last weekend, I recommend checking out Forest Grove's Sidewalk Chalk Art Festival, which will be celebrating its 31st year on September 18th!  The event is sponsored by the Valley Art Association and more information can be found here. 

Concours d’Elegance

Forest Grove's classic car show is the longest-running Concours d’Elegance in the Pacific Northwest and last weekend people enjoyed more than 300 classic and modified cars on the tree-shaded campus of Pacific University!  If you missed it, you can always check out the classic cars on view at the Tuesday Night Market in Hillsboro.  The market is on Main Street between 1st and 2nd Avenue and on 2nd Avenue between Main and Washington.  It's open from 5-8pm every Tuesday during the summer.

UPCOMING TOWN HALL - JULY 26

Join me for my next Town Hall on July 26th at 5:00 pm in the Rogers Room at the Forest Grove Library.  I'll give an update on my interim work and talk about Education, Infrastructure, and Gun Safety.  I look forward to a great dialogue - questions on any topic are always welcome! 

STAY IN TOUCH Get more information about my Legislative efforts, community events, and important news updates on my Facebook and Instagram pages.  I love hearing from you and besides posting on Social Media, the fastest way to reach my office during the Interim is via email:  rep.susanmclain@oregonlegislature.gov

Click on the icons to follow me on Facebook and Instagram!

I-5 BRIDGE REPLACEMENT UPDATES

On Thursday, July 21, I will be chairing an important Bi-State Bridge Legislative Committee hearing. Legislative members from Oregon and Washington will come together to discuss and acknowledge the Modified Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA). This step will allow the Modified LPA to move forward for further evaluation. Endorsement of the Modified LPA is a crucial milestone for the Interstate Bridge Replacement program but does not represent the final design of the replacement bridge. Over the next year, additional analysis, refinements, and opportunities for public input will help shape the program.

*Watch the July 21st Bi-State Legislative Committee meeting starting at 2pm here.

*Submit written public comment by emailing: JI5B.exhibits@oregonlegislature.gov (please specify agenda topic in subject line)

*Register to give public comment during meeting:
- Register online: https://survey.sjc1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_56kAK0xbQCjMcLA
- Register by phone: 833-588-4500 (U.S. toll free)
- Registration closes 1 hour ahead of meeting start time.

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITY ACT TURNS 32!

What is the Americans with Disabilities Act

The ADA is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public. The purpose of the law is to make sure that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else. The ADA gives civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities similar to those provided to individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, and religion. It guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in public accommodations, employment, transportation, state and local government services, and telecommunications. 

Despite the groundbreaking passage of the ADA in 1990, we are still working hard to improve the lives of people living with disabilities.  In 2021, I was the proud sponsor of HB 2985, which passed with strong bipartisan support.  This law requires that the Department of Transportation include at least one member with a disability on all advisory committees.  The objective is to ensure that our transportation system takes into account the diverse perspectives of Oregonians with differing abilities when making decisions related to transportation and public transit.  This was just one small step though, and my hope is that we will continue to make changes where needed to improve the lives of all Oregonians. 

Learn more about the Americans with Disabilities Act and its transformative changes here. 

Read about how the Forest Grove School District is leading the way in providing opportunities for students with disabilities here. 

How to Celebrate Locally

DIAL 988 FOR SUICIDE & CRISIS LIFELINE

As of July 16, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, now known as the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, can be reached by calling or texting 9-8-8 or by visiting https://988lifeline.org/.

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline FAQs

AROUND WESTERN WASHINGTON COUNTY

New Traffic Signal Might Be Coming To Forest Grove

As Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Transportation, traffic safety is very important to me, as I know it is to all of you.  That is why I am pleased to see that Washington County is at the  final design and construction phase for a new traffic light at OR 47 at SW Fern Hill Road-Maple Street.  This is a collaboration between Washington County, the City of Forest Grove, and the Oregon Department of Transportation to improve road and pedestrian safety in our community.  I look forward to having a new traffic light there, but the design process is not expected to wrap up until March 2024, so in the meantime, please continue to use extra caution at this intersection.

**The county is currently accepting public comment on the proposed project.

The WashCo Fair is Back! I am looking forward to getting back to the Washington County Fair this year!  I missed the last two years because of COVID, but I am excited to attend this year and hope to see you all there!  And remember, admission is always free! When:  July 22 - July 31   Where: Westside Commons - 801 NE 34th Ave in Hillsboro

El Sol Festival in Hillsboro  Spend the sunny Saturday this weekend enjoying performances and cultures from around the world at the El Sol Festival at M&M Marketplace! Where else can you see Peruvian folk dance, Chinese dragons, and Mexican fold dance all in one place?? Performances are 11:30 am to 2 pm at M&M Marketplace - 346 SW Walnut Street.

COVID-19 INFORMATION 

Where can I get a vaccine or booster in Washington County?

All of the major health systems are providing COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters.  You can use this CDC tool to figure out when to get your booster. 

Washington County Vaccine Team: The team is in the community five days a week providing vaccinations at schools, shelters, and other locations. These are walk-in clinics. No appointment, ID, or insurance is required. This schedule lists public clinics only. We are now giving additional boosters at these clinics. 

In-home vaccinations: Are you or a loved one unable to get to a vaccine clinic because of a disability or other physical or mental health barrier? See if you qualify for a free in-home vaccination by calling 503-846-8123, emailing us or filling out this form.

Tektronix: This is a walk-up clinic operated by Oregon Health Authority. It is located at 2540 SW Alan Blumlein Way (inside Building 58) in Beaverton. The clinic is open Thursday through Saturday from 12-7 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. 

Beaverton Resource Center: This clinic takes place every Friday inside the Beaverton Resource Center, 13565 SW Walker Road. Make an appointment at Project Access Now's website. 

La Mixteca Oaxaca: This clinic is open every Sunday from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. It is operated by Oregon Health Authority and Vive NW. It is located at 1050 SE Walnut Street in Hillsboro. No appointments, ID, or health insurance required. Testing is also available at this site. Questions? Call the Vive NW hotline at 844-291-4970. 

Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center: Vaccination and testing at the new Hillsboro 7th Avenue clinic (226 SE 7th Ave) is open to all community members. You don't have to be a Virginia Garcia patient. Testing is drive-thru and vaccination is walk-up. Hours are M-F, 9a.m. to 4 p.m. You will need an appointment. Find more information at VG's website.

Centro Cultural: This clinic is located at 1110 N Adair Street in Cornelius. It is open on the last Saturday of each month from 8:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m. No appointment, ID, or health insurance is required. Find more information at Centro's website. 

WILDFIRE UPDATES AND RESOURCES 

Preparing Your Home for Wildfire Smoke

Wildfire season is officially here, and it’s best to prepare for wildfire smoke before it arrives. The most effective way to protect yourself is to stay indoors when it’s smoky. It’s also important to keep your indoor air clean.

Here are three ways to keep your indoor air clean and healthy during wildfire season:

1. If your home has a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, check the rating of your system’s air filter. The rating, called a Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV), ranges from 1 to 16. Look for a high-efficiency MERV rating of 13-16. This can remove 90% or more of the particles from your indoor air, including the tiny harmful particulates in wildfire smoke. Check with a professional HVAC technician to be sure a high efficiency filter is compatible with your system. When it’s smoky outside, set your HVAC system to recirculate indoor air if possible rather than pulling air from outside.

2. Another method for keeping your indoor air clean is to purchase a portable HEPA air purifier. It’s important the purifier uses a HEPA filter or non-ozone producing electrostatic precipitator (ESP filter) and is the correct size for the room it will be used in.

3. For a low-cost alternative, create your own air purifying filter with a 20-inch box fan by following these instructions. Or watch this short DIY clean air fan video from our friends at Washington Ecology to see how to make one.

Regardless of how you plan to keep your indoor air cleaner this fire season, it’s important to plan ahead and get necessary equipment before you (and all of your neighbors) might need it.

OEM has put together this list of contacts to help speed up the process of replacing these documents:

• Green cards: Phone (800)-375-5283; Website: www.uscis.gov
• Medicare cards: Phone: (800)-772-1213; (TTY) (800)-325-0778 Website: www.medicare.gov
• Military records Phone: 866-272-6272 Website: www.archives.gov/contact/
• Passport Phone: 877-487-2778; (TTY) 888-874-7793 Website: travel.state.gov
• Social Security card Phone: 800-772-1213; (TTY) 800-325-0778 Website: www.ssa.gov
• U.S. Savings Bonds Phone: 844-284-2676 Website: www.treasurydirect.gov
• U.S. tax returns Phone: 800-829-1040 Website: www.irs.gov
• Birth, death, marriage, domestic partnership, divorce certificates Phone: 888-896-4988 Website: www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/Birthdeathcertificates
• Driver’s license, auto titles and registration, ID cards Phone: 503-945-5000 Website: www.oregon.gov/odot
• SNAP (Oregon Trail Card) Website: www.oregon.gov/DHS/Assistance/Food-Benefits
• State taxes (Oregon Dept. of Revenue) Phone: 503-378-4988 or 800-356-4222 TTY: All relay calls are accepted. Website: www.oregon.gov/dor
• Real estate and property - Contact your county government.
• Credit cards - Contact your credit card company directly.
• Credit reports from Equifax, Experian, TransUnion Phone: 877-322-8228 Website: www.annualcreditreport.com
• Insurance documents - Check with your insurance agent.
• Medical records - Call your doctor or your medical insurance company; medical and prescription records are tracked electronically.

The Governor’s office has put together a Wildfire Resources page that you can access from the Governor’s home page.  It has links to many of the most important updates about the status of fires and resources for evacuees.  This website will be updated regularly.  

Legal Resources: Oregon State Bar’s Lawyer Referral Program, Oregon lawyers, through the Oregon State Bar, are partnering with FEMA and the American Red Cross to provide legal assistance on FEMA claims, contract claims, insurance claims, landlord-tenant matters and more.

The Department of Forestry’s Wildfire Response and Recovery Overview has ongoing updates about firefighting efforts, damage reports, and more.  

FEMA Updates: FEMA has provided several different Fact Sheets and resources for accessing benefits, determining eligibility and avoiding scams.

• How to Appeal a FEMA Disaster Assistance Decision
• Oregonians Affected by Wildfires: Flood Risk and Insurance; Fraud Awareness
• FEMA Rental Assistance May Be A Valuable Housing Solution for Oregon Wildfire Survivors
• Citizenship and Immigration Status Requirements for FEMA Disaster Assistance
• What to Expect When Applying with FEMA
• Disaster Unemployment Assistance Available for Oregon Wildfire Survivors
• Look Out for Disaster Fraud, Scams
• Understanding a FEMA Determination Letter, How to Appeal
• FEMA Approves Direct Housing Mission
• Apply with FEMA Even if You Have Insurance

VETERANS RESOURCES

Washington County Veterans Resources:

American Legion Post 0002: (503) 357-3660

American Legion Post 104: (503) 642-4907

American Legion Post 006: (503) 648-7191

Washington County Disability, Aging, and Veteran Services: (503) 846- 3060

Hillsboro VA Clinic: (503) 906-5000

Paws Assisting Veterans: info@paveusa.org

Veterans of Foreign Wars: (503) 895- 1342

Hillsboro Elks Lodge: (503) 648- 1862

Rock Creek Veteran Resources | Veteran Resources at PCC : (971) 722-7743 or 7744

Veterans Support | Pacific University

Mental Health Services:

• Washington County Crisis Line | 503-291-9111
• Crisis Text Line | Text “Connect” to 741741
• Suicide Prevention Lifeline | 1-800-273-8255
• Trevor Lifeline | 1-866-488-7386

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Employers and Employees

The following list of resources is from Oregon’s Secretary of State’s Office. The fastest way to get in touch with the SOS team is by emailing business.sos@oregon.gov, using the “Need Help?” button found on most state agency websites or visiting www.oregon.gov/smallbusiness.

• Unemployment options (including the Workshare program)
• Phone lines are busy and it has been difficult to get through.  Work is being done to ease this bottle neck, but for now, keep calling (multiple times per day) until you can get through.  
• Information about employer obligations and responsibilities from Oregon Labor and Industries
• Business Oregon's list of financial resources (including non-bank lenders) 
• Information about US Small Business Administration disaster assistance loans 
• The latest COVID-19/Coronavirus information on resources for workers and business owners  

Education Links

• Hillsboro School District (en inglés y español)
• Forest Grove School District (en inglés y español) 
• Oregon Department of Education
• COVID-19 Resources for Oregon Higher Education Partners

Local Government

• City of Hillsboro (en inglés, español y más idiomas) 
• City of Cornelius (en inglés, español y más idiomas)
• City of Forest Grove
• Washington County

Utilities Assistance

• Portland General Electric (en inglés y español) 
• NW Natural
• City of Hillsboro Utility Billing 
• Comcast 
• CenturyLink
• AT&T 

Food and Housing Assistance

• Community Action.org
• Oregon Food Bank
• Meals on Wheels

Yours truly,

Representative Susan McLain
House District 29

email: Rep.SusanMcLain@oregonlegislature.gov I phone: 503-986-1429
address: 900 Court St NE, H-376, Salem, OR 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/mclain