Signing Off for the Fall!
We are more than halfway into the interim, and wanted to give one final update before our office is prohibited from sending official newsletters in the lead up to the general election--or what is known as our "blackout period". This period will begin tomorrow and last through November 5th, two months from now. During this period, we will once again have "Legislative Days" at the Capitol as well as the pre-session bill filing deadline.
The Blackout Period is obviously not ideal to keep you as informed on happenings throughout House District 11 as we'd like, but we also appreciate the importance of not influencing the outcomes of our elections. We have done our best to cover major events this fall in the section below, and we look forward to resuming our monthly interim newsletters after November 5th.
Hopefully this blackout period also serves as a reminder to register to vote! The deadline this election cycle is October 15th, and you can register online at the Secretary of State's website with this link.
As always, please reach out to our office if you have any questions, comments, or concerns! This office is still a resource for you by email and phone during the blackout period.
Sheriff Michelle Duncan, Undersheriff Micah Smith, and Corrections Captain Ted Langley were proud to accept the Seven Seals Award from the U.S. Department of Defense on behalf of the Linn County Sheriff's Office last month!
The award is given to organizations that have shown support and leadership to their employees that our serving our country in the National Guard and other military branches as a reserve. LCSO proudly employs reservists and veterans, and we were so delighted to see them honored in such big way!
Do you know of anyone in House District 11 who deserves to be acknowledged? Send us your nominations at Rep.JamiCate@oregonlegislature.gov
Back to School Bash Tomorrow in Lebanon
Get ready to kick off the school year in style at Lebanon's Downtown Back to School Bash! Whether you're a student, parent, or teacher, there’s something for everyone, so don't miss out tomorrow (Friday) from 4:00-8:00pm
What to Expect:
Parent Survival Gift Basket Giveaway: Enter for a chance to win a basket packed with essentials to help you survive the school year—think coffee, snacks, and more! Pick up your passport from The Lebanon Downtown Association office then drop it off to enter to win the gift basket!
School Spirit Discounts & Freebies: Wear your school spirit clothing and score exclusive discounts and freebies from participating businesses throughout downtown. Whether it be your college sweatshirt, or your kids dressed in their school spirit tee, there's goodies for everyone!
Linn-Benton Veterans' Stand Down September 12th
Are you a veteran yourself or have someone close to you who is one? Next Thursday is an amazing opportunity for veterans and their families in our region to explore resources available to them. The Linn-Benton Veterans' Stand Down aims to provide a one-stop connection to the VA as well as broader resources, and runs from 10:00am-2:00pm at the Linn County Fairgrounds.
Brownsville Sharing Hands Sip & Shop
Saturday, September 14th will provide an amazing opportunity to support Sharing Hands, a local non-profit organization that does so much good for the Central Linn School District area. This Sip & Shop event runs from 4:00-7:00pm at the Bramble House in Brownsville, and features a raffle and silent auction with all proceeds benefitting Sharing Hands. Tickets are $50 per person. For more information about them, visit sharinghands.org
Lebanon Chamber Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
Lebanon's Chamber of Commerce is finally back in their (newly redone) office! Come see the ribbon cutting ceremony and enjoy food and drinks from 3:00-6:00pm on Friday, September 27th at 1040 Park St. This is a great way to celebrate an exciting new chapter for Lebanon’s Chamber while also getting to know members of our community.
Sweet Home Harvest Festival October 5th
Sweet Home's 18th Annual Harvest Festival at Sankey Park is just around the corner! On Saturday October 5th, expect fun festivities for the whole family from 11:00am-4:00pm. Fun activities include but are not limited to:
- Pumpkin Painting
- Tree Climbing
- Kid Zone Games
- Face Painting
- Photo Booth
- Bouncy House and Slide
- The popular Pie Bake-Off Contest is back and sponsored by the Park & Tree Committee! You can taste the entries for a $3 donation. Donations go toward park projects.
- The Chili Cook-Off is back sponsored by Radiator Supply House and the charitable organization the Road Maggot Motorcycle Group. Admission will be $5 per person or $10 per family (limit 6 people per family). A ticket will be provided as proof of purchase for general admission to taste all of the chili. Purchasers will use their entry ticket as a ‘voting ticket’ for the People’s Choice Award. The ticket sale profits will go toward the Sweet Home Kids Food Pak.
Sweet Home hopes to see everyone there!
New Technology at Halsey City Library
Halsey City Library is thrilled to announce that they have new technology available at the library!
Thanks to the State Library of Oregon's Connectivity Grant, they were able to purchase ten Playaway Launchpad tablets with accessories, two business laptops, and one gaming laptop with accessories. All of these are available to use in the library! Everyone is welcome to use this technology, no library card required.
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at Seven Oak Middle School
Last week Lebanon Community School District held a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony for the new building at Seven Oak Middle School! Built with COVID relief funds, the district prioritized using these one-time funds on a one-time project that will benefit students well into the future. The building features three classrooms and a multipurpose space for PE.
Seven Oak would like to extend a big thank you to the Lebanon Oregon Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors who helped with the ribbon cutting ceremony, and a shoutout to LCSD Facilities Director Bryan Eilers for his work on the project. He was honored with some big red scissors (which you can see a student below putting to good use) to cut the matching red ribbon--opening up the new building!
Drug Recriminalization Goes into Effect
One of the major focuses of the 2024 Legislative Session was getting some reform passed for the failed Ballot Measure 110, which decriminalized hard drugs. That initial policy not only made our streets less safe, it also made it more difficult for law enforcement to get addicts into treatment.
House Bill 4002 went into effect last Sunday and on the first day in Portland, four people, who had outstanding charges or were out on probation, were arrested and taken to jail. Two qualified for accepting treatment rather than jail, and accepted the services offered. Here is an article from KATU if you'd like to read more.
Hacienda CDC Controversy
You may have heard the story of Hacienda CDC, a non-profit advertising a flyer that suggested a state-funded downpayment assistance program was open only to noncitizens. Recently, the Chief Executive of the organization walked it back after public outcry.
In a statement on Sunday, Ernesto Fonseca said a consultant created the marketing materials, which he said mistakenly stated the downpayment assistance program excludes U.S. citizens. In fact, U.S. citizens can participate but must qualify under other “economic equity risk factors” outlined in state law.
We're not sure what these "economic equity risk factors" are, and if the flyer was truly a mistake or not, but we look forward to finding out more in a face-to-face meeting with Hacienda during Legislative Days later this month. If you'd like to read more about this troubling story, click here.
Help Keep Students Safe!
As Oregonians begin a new school year, the team at the Marion County Sheriff's Office wants to remind you that we all share a responsibility to look out for our little ones on their way to school.
Let's all take a moment to slow down in school zones, keep an eye out for buses, and be extra cautious of children darting between cars. After all, there's nothing more important than ensuring they have a safe and happy return to school. Get ready for the back-to-school hustle and let's work together to keep our kids safe!
Revenue Forecast Released
The most recent quarterly revenue forecast was released last week, which you can review here. The forecast reveals that Oregon's economic situation remains delicate, with little growth, and rates of inflation that have eased from earlier highs but are still above target levels.
Despite modest revenue increases, the forecast underscores the need for cautious budgeting and prudent spending for the 2025 Legislative Session. Government throughout Oregon continues to expand while private industries struggle to keep up.
A silver lining is that the anticipated personal kicker is now nearly $1 billion, and Rep. Cate along with many of her colleagues will continue to fight to keep that money in the hands of taxpayers.
Interim Newsletter: August
Interim Newsletter: July
Interim Newsletter: June
Blackout Ends, Monthly Newsletters Are Back!
Signing Off for the Spring!
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