9/15/2023 Senate District 15 Newsletter

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Senator Janeen Sollman

Friends and Neighbors,

Upcoming Events

Community Conversation - October 7th

Join Team #SD15 on Saturday, October 7th @ 11:00am-12:00pm for a Community Conversation at the Hillsboro Shute Park Library. This is an opportunity to bring your questions and concerns and join the discussion. I look forward to seeing you!

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Listen.Learn.Act.

Decarbonizing the Gas Grid: Lessons from Denmark and Sweden

This week, I have the amazing opportunity to travel with a delegation from Oregon and Washington to learn about Decarbonizing the Gas Grid: Lessons from Denmark/Sweden. 

Denmark Day One - We learned that the Confederation of Danish Industry is Denmark's largest and most influential business and employer's organization. Denmark's policies have accelerated the growing biogas economy, and its shift to a green economy has impacted labor/training needs. We took a visit to Copenhill, a waste-to-energy plant, that utilizes carbon capture and waste incineration. They also have a dry ski run, hiking trail and climbing wall on the building's surface. Denmark hopes to not only remove domestic carbon, but be a leader in the transport of CO2 from surrounding nations for storage under the soil. Microsoft has signed an agreement with Ørsted for carbon removal, one of the world's largest carbon removal offtake agreements by volume, to date. 

Denmark Day Two - We met with labor union members. Labor unions represent many of the workers who are key to the growth of the green investments in Denmark. When kids are in high school they enter one of two tracks, labor or university. Denmark is course correcting, literally trying to diversify and increase their labor pathway due to their growing green economy. Then we visited EnergiNet and Green Hydrogen Hub. EnergiNet is an independent public enterprise owned by the Danish Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities. They own, operate and develop the transmission lines for both electricity and gas. They also oversee carbon credits for biofuels and set quality guidelines for RNG. Green Hydrogen Hub aims to be the world's 1st project to combine green hydrogen production with 2 large-scale energy solutions: storage of hydrogen and compressed air energy storage. Denmark is well-suited for storage due to their large salt deposits that they bore into and create caverns.

Look for more to come in next week's newsletter!

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NCSL Annual Conference - Right to Repair

Last month, Nickole and Maria attended the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) Annual Meeting in Indianapolis. The Right to Repair movement was in full swing at this year's event which featured a Repair booth helping attendees with free phone screen replacements on their cell phones. One of NCSL's live-streamed seminars, titled "Will You Let Me Fix This Thing?", also focused on Right to Repair and how states across the country are leaning into this policy. The panel included Representative Lew Jones from Montana who spoke about the challenges for his constituents in repairing agricultural equipment and also Representative Scott Nishimoto from Hawaii with information on his right to repair bill that he has been working on since 2018. Included on the panel were Gay Gordon-Byrne from the Repair Association and Walter Alcorn, representing Consumer Technology Association. You can watch the panel discussion here, or by clicking on the picture below. I am committed to continuing to work on a Right to Repair policy for Oregon and remain passionate about passing this important legislation.

R2R Video

Out and About in Senate District 15

9/11 Remembrance Ceremony 

On Monday, Maria attended the 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony in Forest Grove. The event was hosted by Forest Grove Fire and Rescue in remembrance of the lives lost and to honor the first responders who heroically rescued innocent people 22 years ago. Their bravery and sacrifice will never be forgotten. The steel plate, pictured below, is a piece from the twin towers that was taken from Ground Zero and acts as a symbol of those we lost but were never found. 

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Salmonberry Trail Dedication

This week, Nickole attended the Salmonberry Trail Dedication. The evening was spent meeting community members involved in this monumental project and learning more information about the trail. When complete, it will connect Banks to Tillamook along 82 miles traversing through the Coast Range following old railway routes. Learn more about "Oregon's Next Big Adventure" here.

Salmonberry Trail Pics

Senate District 15 Small Business Spotlight

Periscope Tutoring LLC - Forest Grove

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Back to school and need a little extra support? Periscope Tutoring LLC in Forest Grove is there to help! Read about their services below and visit their website for more information.

"Periscope provides tutoring to students of all ages in a variety of subject areas including math, reading, writing, and more. Tutoring sessions are meet-up style to better accommodate clients and their tutors. Appointments are available year-round, with long- and short-term options available." 

~Periscope Tutoring LLC


Community Outreach

National Hispanic Heritage Month

National Hispanic Heritage Month begins today! Celebrate this Saturday, September 16th  2:00pm-7:00pm by attending Centro Cultural’s annual community festival El Grito at Shute Park in Hillsboro.

This family-friendly event will feature mariachi, and ballet folklorico performances, Latin American gastronomy, artisanal vendors, a car show, community resources, and much more. Don’t miss this opportunity to embrace Hispanic Heritage Month and the Latino diaspora in this free and vibrant community event.

El Grito

National Suicide Prevention Week

This week is National Suicide Prevention Week, part of National Suicide Prevention Month. Please share the below resources with friends and loved ones.

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9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

This Suicide Prevention Month, the #988Lifeline is here to support you. No matter what you are going through, we can help. We are here for you. Talk, text, or chat with us. Connect with a trained crisis counselor who is ready to support you


Agristress Helpline

About the AgriStress Helpline for Oregon

The AgriStress Helpline is a free and confidential crisis and support line for members of the agricultural, forestry, and fishing communities and their families. People can call or text 24/7, and interpretation services are provided in 160 languages.

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 833-897-2474.

AgriStress Helpline crisis specialists are trained to know the culture, values, stressors, and lived experiences of agriculture, forestry, and fishing workers. In addition, crisis specialists have access to a state specific curated database of agricultural and health resources. AgriStress Helpline and 988 offer the same quality of suicide crisis services.


Additional Resources

Senate District 15 – Event Calendars

Federal Delegation Links

Education Links

Food and Housing Assistance

Be good to yourself and each other. ❤

Onward & Upward,

Janeen

Senate District 15 lies on Kalapuya land. The Atfalati were the northernmost band of the Kalapuya that lived along the Tualatin River in present day Washington County. Many of the Atfalati descendants are members of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon today. The Indigenous Peoples of this land experienced a painful history of colonial violence, sickness and removal from their land. The Atfalati are the foundation of Oregon’s past and we must honor them well into our future.    

Capitol Phone: 503-986-1715
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, S-207​, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Sen​​​.JaneenSollman@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/sollman