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Coming up later this month is the third installment of the annual, federal court-ordered deep drawdown at Green Peter Dam - one of the most pressing issues in Rep. Cate's district. While the intention behind these drawdowns is to improve salmon passage under the Endangered Species Act, the consequences to the area have been severe and well documented: compromised drinking water, damage to critical infrastructure, mass fish die-offs in the reservoir, and significant hits to recreation and the local economy.
This winter’s drawdown will again take Green Peter Reservoir to near-empty levels, beginning later in the season, targeting December 1st to reach its low mark (with the greatest impacts expected in late November and early December), and lasting for a shorter duration (15 days versus 2024's goal of 30 days), in hopes of reducing the worst impacts of turbidity. However, despite these adjustments, Lebanon and Sweet Home remain on high alert after the previous drawdowns forced them to declare a public health emergency and file a $37 million lawsuit against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to recover the costs of damaged water systems and bolster water treatment plants to better handle future drawdowns. Corps officials are optimistic sediment levels will be lower than in past years, but even they acknowledge that elevated turbidity is still expected.
This year's drawdown will also serve as a test to see if the 50,000 Kokanee that were stocked into the reservoir this summer by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife will be able to survive the shortened drawdown, or if it will be a repeat of previous years. You may remember the graphic photos of thousands of Kokanee floating dead on the surface from the "bends" in 2023, or the later reports of more than a million Kokanee (the result of decades of hatchery efforts) being flushed down stream where there is no viable habitat for their survival.
What remains most concerning is that our communities are being asked to endure yet another year of risk and disruption before we have any proof that these drawdowns are actually helping salmon populations recover. We will continue to stay in close contact with local leaders as this year’s drawdown approaches, and will keep advocating for the surrounding residents who deserve to be heard—not treated as collateral damage.
From Sweet Home Mayor Susan Coleman:
"As Mayor of Sweet Home, I am deeply concerned about the ongoing impacts of the Green Peter Reservoir drawdown. What was intended to help fish populations has instead caused devastating harm, killing more than a million kokanee, damaging our city's water treatment system, and threatening the quality of our community's drinking water. In 2024, one of our large steel filters failed due to the conditions caused by the drawdown. Now, as another drawdown is occurring, we are once again working diligently to protect our residents. It is troubling to see this process repeated year after year despite clear evidence that it is causing harm to our community. Sweet Home deserves solutions that protect both our environment and our people, and I remain committed to pursuing accountability and lasting change."
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From Lebanon Mayor Kenneth Jackola:
"The City of Lebanon recently filed lawsuit against the Army Corps of Engineers with United States District Court for the District of Oregon, Eugene Division to recover damages attributed to the drawdowns. As we are all aware, this process can be both lengthy and involved. So, to ready Lebanon for the scheduled drawdown in 2025, we have implemented expanded processing capacity (additional membranes) and technological software updates to ease the effects cause by the Corps actions. These actions will provide Lebanon the tools needed to manage the change in water quality during the drawdown and the continuous supply of clean drinking water for our community.
As of today, the 2025 drawdown will be 2 weeks; however, exact dates have not been determined. We, the City of Lebanon, are actively talking with our state and federal delegations & partners to find lasting solutions to this issue confronting our great community."
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Governor Stalls Signing of Transportation Package
Despite calling a special session earlier this fall to prevent layoffs at the Oregon Department of Transportation, Governor Kotek has yet to sign the so-called “emergency” transportation funding bill she championed all year—legislation that includes a 6-cent-per-gallon gas tax increase. The bill was passed narrowly to bail out ODOT earlier this fall, but the Governor seems to be running out the clock until the November 12th deadline before she acts. In the meantime, even members of her own party are now publicly urging her to sign the bill.
Why is she doing this? Many observers note that the delay is likely strategic: polling shows Oregonians are overwhelmingly opposed to higher gas taxes, and by waiting to sign, the Governor shortens the timeline for petitioners to collect the over 100,000 signatures required to refer the measure to voters. Since the referendum process can’t begin until the bill is signed in law, this eleventh-hour timing effectively limits Oregonians’ opportunity to challenge the tax increase at the ballot box.
 
This week we're putting the spotlight on Central Linn FFA’s Elle Glaser! Elle has been selected as one of only four finalists nationwide for the honor of singing the National Anthem at the Opening General Session of CattleCon 2026 in Nashville. This is an incredible achievement and a proud moment for our community as Elle represents Oregon on a national stage!
Voting is open now through November 15th, so be sure to vote once per day to help send Elle to Music City with this link! Let’s rally behind her and show our support for her incredible talent and hard work.
Do you know of anyone in House District 11 who deserves to be acknowledged? Send us your nominations at Rep.JamiCate@oregonlegislature.gov
Bingo Night For Great Cause in Sweet Home Tomorrow
Get ready for a night of fun, prizes, and community spirit at Bingo Night for a Cause! Join the fun tomorrow, November 8th at the Sweet Home Senior Center, where doors open at 5:30 p.m.
Every game supports Giving Hearts of Linn County, a local nonprofit helping families in need. So grab your lucky charms, round up your Bingo crew, and come be part of a great night for an even greater cause!
 Build Lebanon Trails Workday at River Park Tomorrow
Build Lebanon Trails invites you to a trail workday tomorrow, Saturday, November 8th at River Park from 9:00-11:00 a.m.! This amazing program will be planting five trees to enhance the recently completed loop trail in the park and will be preparing the site for one of four new trail benches that will be installed along the trail. Depending on how many volunteers show up, they may also work on removing some of the remaining invasive ivy from existing native trees at the north end of the park.
Build Lebanon Trails asks that you please bring gloves, appropriate footwear and rain gear as needed. They will provide a variety of hand tools, but stress to bring your own if you have them. See you on the trail!
 Teen Game Night in Sweet Home November 21st
The Boys & Girls Club of the Greater Santiam invites your 7th or 8th grader to come to their building on 18th Avenue for a teen game night on November 21st from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.! Expect pizza, video games, pool games, board games, and a whole lot more. This is a great way for teens to meet others in a community environment outside of the classroom, so don't miss this opportunity!
 Adopt-A-Family Tree at Harrisburg Elementary
A wonderful way to spread the Christmas spirit is by sponsoring a family in need that's posted on the Adopt-A-Family Christmas tree in the Elementary School lobby!
Questions? Contact school counselor Courtney Besotes at courtney.besotes@harrisburg.k12.or.us or (541) 995-6544 ext. 164.
Jefferson Fire District’s Chimney Brush Loan Program
With winter right around the corner, it’s the perfect time to clean your chimney and help prevent flue fires. The Jefferson Fire District is offering chimney brushes available for free loan, with a variety of sizes and extension rods to fit your needs.
Stop by the station Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or call 541-327-2822 for more information. Stay safe and keep those chimneys clear this season!
 
Lebanon High Celebrates 2nd Place in National Contest
Lebanon High School is celebrating a huge win, even without taking the grand prize! T-Mobile recognized LHS for its outstanding school spirit and community support in the recent 5G Friday Night Lights contest with a $100,000 grant, matching last year’s top prize amount.
Adding it all up, Lebanon earned $1,000 just for applying, $25,000 for being named a Top 25 finalist (and the only school in Oregon to do so!), and now $100,000 for finishing second—a grand total of $126,000 in funding from T-Mobile! All proceeds will go toward improvements to the Heath Stadium grandstands.
A huge thank you to T-Mobile for recognizing the dedication of Lebanon’s students, staff, and community, and we'd be remiss to not give a special shoutout to Michelle Steinhebel for being such a rockstar in orchestrating the rally efforts.
Celebrate Heroes at Linn County Veterans Day Parade
The Linn County Veterans Day Parade has been one of our area's proudest traditions since 1951, and it's continuing for another successful year! Thousands of spectators will be in downtown Albany to honor the brave men and women who have served our nation, so don't miss it! Veterans' organizations, community groups, and families from across the region will once again line the streets to celebrate America’s heroes.
This is a wonderful opportunity for everyone to come together as a community and say thank you to our Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, Airmen, Guardians, and Coast Guardsmen for their service and sacrifice.
 Volunteer with Linn County Search & Rescue
The Linn County Sheriff’s Office is now accepting applications for volunteer Adult Search and Rescue (SAR) Technicians! If you’re passionate about serving your community and ready to make a difference in emergency response, this is a great way to get involved.
Open house opportunities are coming up! To learn more about the program and how to apply, click this link.
 Levy to Fund Linn County Sheriff's Office Passes
You may recall in our last newsletter that Sheriff Michelle Duncan took the time to explain the tax levy for local law enforcement that was on Linn County voters' ballots. The results were close, but on Tuesday voters passed the Linn County Sheriff’s Office Law Enforcement Levy on Nwith a 52.77% approval rate; 14,872 people voted in favor, 13,313 against.
When the current levy at $2.98 expires in June 2026, this renewal will secure another four years at $3.08.
Sheriff Michelle Duncan provides information about current Linn County Sheriff operations during a lunch forum in Lebanon on Oct. 31st. Photo by Sarah Brown
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek still hasn’t signed transportation funding bill, as pressure grows
OPB
A transportation funding bill that was a major priority for Gov. Tina Kotek in August has sat, unsigned, on the governor’s desk for nearly a month. That’s a problem for enemies of the measure, which will hike gas taxes and other transportation-related fees by more than $4 billion in its first decade. Each day that Kotek withholds her signature is a day that opponents cannot collect signatures to force a public vote on the tax hike a year from now. Kotek has until Nov. 12 to sign the bill. Republicans who have vowed to put the tax increases before voters have until Dec. 30 to amass roughly 78,000 signatures. “No updates to share,” a spokeswoman for Kotek said last week when asked about the governor’s plans. Kotek previously told OPB she would sign the bill “by the time I need to have it signed.”
Judge bars National Guard deployment to Portland until her final ruling
The Oregonian/OregonLive
A federal judge in Oregon Sunday night blocked President Donald Trump from sending National Guard troops from any state to Oregon for the next week until she issues a final decision. U.S. District Judge Karin J. Immergut granted a preliminary injunction about five hours before her temporary order barring the deployments of National Guard troops to Portland was set to expire at 11:59 p.m. Sunday. It followed an accelerated three-day trial that ended last week. Immergut intends to issue her final decision by the end of day Friday, but her preliminary injunction signaled that she’s anticipating granting a permanent injunction by the end of the week…
Oregon gun law case awaits Supreme Court hearing
Oregon Capital Chronicle
In less than two weeks, a voter-approved 2022 ballot measure requiring firearm permits and banning magazines with more than 10 rounds of ammunition will face Oregon’s highest court. But even after lawyers from both sides wrap up their arguments, the years-long battle to implement one of the nation’s strictest gun control laws may not be over. The Oregon Court of Appeals in March upheld the law after a circuit court struck it down in January 2024, offering a win to the many faith-based and anti-gun violence activists behind the measure who sought to highlight the success of such policies in saving lives across the nation. The Oregon Supreme Court agreed in June to take up an appeal of the case and set oral arguments Nov. 6, while Oregon lawmakers moved earlier this year to pause implementation of the measure until March 2026 amid the legal wrangling.
Forest Service restarts effort to change decades-old Pacific Northwest forest policy
Oregon Capitol Chronicle
The U.S. Forest Service is going back to the drawing board with an update to the Northwest Forest Plan, a set of policies that broadly dictates where logging can occur on 25 million acres of forests in Oregon, Washington and northwest California. It came out of the timber wars of the 1980s and ‘90s…
…Now the Forest Service under the Trump administration wants to issue a new draft. Timber industry groups largely welcome restarting this Biden-era initiative. They’ve been calling on President Donald Trump for a complete overhaul of the Northwest Forest Plan. “The Northwest Forest Plan is failing our communities and our environment,” said Matt Hill, executive director of the Douglas Timber Operators, in a March press release. “It’s time for a bold revision that prioritizes dynamic forest management and sustainable timber production.” Agency officials say they are working on a “revised draft environmental impact statement.” No such term exists in national environmental policy…
Two Oregon Senate Democrats urge Kotek to sign transportation bill 'without further delay'
KATU
Oregon Senators Janeen Sollman, D-Hillsboro, and Jeff Golden, D-Ashland, wrote separate letters to Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek last week, urging her to sign the transportation bill into law "without further delay."
"After months of work to bring House Bill 3991 to your desk, many Oregonians are seeking closure on this effort. I respectfully urge you to move forward with your signature without further delay," wrote Sollman on Oct. 22. The Oregon Senate passed the controversial transportation bill nearly one month ago, yet the bill remains unsigned on Kotek's desk. The governor has until Nov. 12 to sign or veto the bill that raises the state's gas tax and other vehicle fees...
No signatures submitted in Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek recall, chief petitioner files lawsuit
Statesman Journal
The Secretary of State's Office closed a petition to recall Gov. Tina Kotek on Oct. 28 after no signatures were submitted by the Oct. 27 deadline. Chief petitioner Bill Minnix sued Secretary of State Tobias Read on Oct. 24, alleging he was initially provided with instructions for a county recall instead of a state recall, causing confusion and preventing people from signing … Days after the petition was approved, Minnix asked for it to be corrected, saying he had been given instructions for a county recall. The office said he could "start over" with a new cover sheet, he wrote in legal filings. A spokesperson for the Secretary of State's Office told the Statesman Journal the cover sheet would have been updated to say the state was the circulation district for the petition, but would not have changed the rest of the form…
Oregon quietly halts noncitizen voters investigation
Oregon Capitol Chronicle
The Oregon Department of Justice and Secretary of State’s Office shelved an investigation into three individuals suspected of voting despite not being U.S. citizens after an attorney for the state warned the cases were “vulnerable” to claims of selective prosecution. The investigation stems from last fall’s discovery that more than 1,600 people had been wrongly registered to vote while obtaining or renewing driver’s licenses or state-issued identification cards. Oregon has automatically registered voters since 2016 when they provide documents proving citizenship, like a U.S. birth certificate or passport, during interactions at the Driver and Motor Vehicle Services division. But since 2019 the state has allowed people to obtain driver’s licenses without proving they’re citizens or legal residents. A series of errors led to the discovery that more than 1,600 people were registered to vote in error…
Youth Voices: Oregon’s new ban on cell phones in schools is underway, but students are finding loopholes
The Oregonian/OregonLive
Oregon leaders, from legislators to school board members, have hailed Gov. Tina Kotek’s executive order implementing a new bell-to-bell ban on mobile devices in schools statewide, saying it will improve everything from academic outcomes to mental health …The Oregonian/OregonLive asked a team of its Youth Voices reporters to document a regular day during the first weeks of the cellphone ban in high schools in Portland, Beaverton, Eugene and Bend. The high school journalists found that enforcement of the new ban is spotty and remains dependent on individual teachers and building administrators. Students, meanwhile, are finding ways around it, even as some concede that the new policy has improved their classroom experience…
Applicants Needed: Sweet Home Planning Commission
Looking for ways to get involved with your local government? The City of Sweet Home is seeking applicants to fill a vacancy on its Planning Commission, which meets at 6:30 p.m. on the first and third Thursday of each month. This seven-member board provides critical citizen input on land use, zoning, and development matters, helping shape Sweet Home’s long-term growth and community vision.
Applicants must reside within the Sweet Home School District boundaries and should be prepared to study city codes and plans outside of meeting times. For more information, visit Sweet Home Planning Commission or submit an application online here. Applications are also available at Sweet Home City Hall.
What Are Oregon's True Priorities?
Special Session Concludes with New Taxes
Vote and Rally! Help Lebanon High School Win $1 Million for a New Football Stadium!
Delays, Delays, and Special Session Doubts
Special Session Drags on to Third Week
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