Hello Friends,

I hope you had a wonderful and Blessed Christmas with your family, friends and neighbors. It has been a busy month in the District and around the state! 

30th Annual Festival of Trees

50th Year Supporting Youth of Douglas County

Over the last 30 years, Mercy Foundation’s Festival of Trees has raised more than $5 million to benefit youth and families through programs that promote health and wellness. 

It was a pleasure to join Representatives Osborne, Goodwin & Boice, my dear friends Joe & Sherri Hajos and nearly 850 attendees at the Festival of Trees to raise awareness and resources for youth needs in Roseburg and Douglas County. 

Oregon Natural Resources & Industries Annual Meeting

I want to thank Oregon Natural Resources & Industries Board (ONRI) and members for all of their incredible advocacy. It was a privilege to join them at their annual meeting and hear from their board and members. I appreciated Oregon Angler's Alliance presentation by my friend Leonard Krug, as we work together on a lot of salmonid issues in our district and around the state. I want to also thank Representatives Goodwin, Boice and Stout for joining us.

A special thank you to ONRI Board President Jen Hamaker for her great leadership. As I have been deeply involved in all state natural resource issues in the Oregon Legislature, ONRI and their members have been instrumental in assisting me and my colleagues during the legislative process. Their voices have made a difference in a number of areas to help us stop bad legislation that would negatively impact our rural communities and the industries that support them. They have also been effective in supporting legislation filed by me and my colleagues that benefit our residents and their industries. 

Oregon Wine Association 

Our winegrowers and vineyards are a critical part of our region and district's economy. I have the honor of serving as the Co-Chair of the Oregon Legislative Wine Caucus. 

I was joined by Senator Golden and Representatives Boice, Marsh, Wallen & McIntire with members from the Rogue Valley Vintners and Rogue Valley Winegrowers Association at Irvine & Roberts Vineyards in Ashland.

I appreciated the opportunity to speak with OWA board of directors, staff, regional winery and vineyard leaders about the industry, issues they are facing and ways we can assist moving forward. Thank you for all that attended and the great industry conversation. 

Speaking with Roseburg High School's AP Government Class on Measure 110

I had the pleasure to join the AP Government Classes at Roseburg High School to have a discussion regarding Measure 110 and listen to their perspective on the impacts to their families, Roseburg and their surrounding communities.

I have been leading the effort in the State Senate to repeal Measure 110. As I have stated, “Measure 110 has failed Oregonians and the overwhelming majority want change. The decriminalization of drug possession, the lack of incarceration and required treatment has caused a dramatic increase in drug use and addiction, increased homelessness, open drug use in our communities and increases in overall property and other crimes. Measure 110 has ultimately compromised the safety of our residents by reducing the deterrent effect of law enforcement, taking away their ability for arrest.”

I want to thank their teacher Tasha Stevens Garcia for the invitation and Douglas County Commissioner Freeman for joining me to offer the county perspective on Measure 110. 

Commissioner Freeman and I appreciated how these students were so engaged on this issue, offering incredible insight and a perspective from their own lives and experiences. I was incredibly proud of these students and their understanding of this serious issue and how we must bring necessary changes to save and protect lives in our communities. 

Umpqua Homes Inc Site Visit and Tour

I want to thank UHI Executive Director Natasha Atkinson and two of her Board Members for their work for one of our vulnerable populations in Roseburg and Douglas County. Representative Boice and I had the opportunity to join them at their office before visiting a number of their properties, while learning more about their efforts and meeting some of their staff and residents. 

UHI provides residential services focused on peoples’ quality of life, and it endeavors to expand the community’s positive awareness of individuals with different abilities. Umpqua Homes values effective communication through listening, understanding, awareness and compassion. UHI is one of the largest agencies within Douglas County, with nearly 200 staff.  They believe teamwork embodies mutual dignity and respect creating  an environment that supports common goals. They foster an environment where success is contingent on honesty, integrity, tolerance, dignity and acceptance.  

Thank you again Natasha and your staff for your work.

CASA of Douglas County Annual Pajama Drive

Representative Boice and I had the opportunity to join Commissioner Freeman, CASA of Douglas County's Executive Director Angela Gross, her staff and volunteers for their Annual Pajama Drive. Court Appointed Special Advocates play a critical roll for our youth in distress. I have been working with CASA for well over a decade, as a former County Commissioner and liaison to the Juvenile Department, District Attorney, Child Advocacy and Sheriff's Office, and now as a member of the Legislative Ways & Means Subcommittee on Public Safety. 

In 1993, agency founders of CASA of Douglas County saw a local need to provide advocates for children that have experienced abuse and neglect who are in the child welfare system.

Their mission is to provide children who have been abused or neglected and are now in foster care, with qualified, compassionate advocates who will fight for and protect children's fundamental right to be safe, to be treated with dignity and respect, and to learn and grow in the safe embrace of a loving family.

A special thank you to my former friend and colleague, and longtime CASA of Douglas County Board Member, the late Representative Gary Leif, for all of his dedicated work for CASA's around the State of Oregon. His work and advocacy has created positive changes in the lives of our youth when they need it most. 

Douglas Timber Operators Annual Celebration

Representatives Osborne, Goodwin and Boice, Douglas County Commissioners Kress, Freeman, Boice and I had the pleasure to join DTO members for their annual holiday awards celebration at Melrose Vineyards. 

My grandfather, Lester T. Smith logged most of his life before retiring from the industry and building our families 45 year restaurant & lounge, the Port & Starboard. I have a great passion for our timber industry and its partners as they are critical to our communities and their residents. As your former State Representative and now your State Senator, I have been on the leading edge in Salem fighting bad policies and drafting and passing positive legislation in the areas of our timber and wood products industries for many years. One of our successful pieces of beneficial legislation that I drafted was passed earlier this year and I have explained its benefits to our industries, communities and their residents in a previous newsletter. 

I want to congratulate Pat Skrip, Paul Beck and Commissioner Freeman for receiving DTO's highest honor, the "Tough Tree Award" for their years of dedicated work for the industry. 

More to come on our push to fulfill the overwhelming majority of Oregonians' desire to repeal Measure 110 to save lives and give our law enforcement officers the tools they need to protect our residents and their communities, as well as Bay Area Chamber Economic Forum, International Port of Coos Bay, Dorothy's incredible work saving lives in WWII and her 100th Birthday celebration, Coquille River STEP Associations Annual Meeting, Douglas County School District's Superintendents Meeting and more...

As always, thank you for the privilege and honor to work for you in the Oregon State Senate.
I want to wish you a Blessed New Year. Be safe and God Bless you, your family and your neighbor. 

Yours Truly, 

Senator David Brock Smith

Together, We Will Build a Better Oregon

Senate District 1
Curry, Coos, and Douglas Counties
Southwest Oregon’s Fish, Farm, and Forestry District.
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1701
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, S-316, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Sen.DavidBrockSmith@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/smithd