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January 25th, 2021News, Events & Updates |
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Food Angels – Special Request FOOD ANGELS ARE IN NEED OF A REPLACEMENT REFRIGERATOR The Ashland Food Angels, who supply much of the food for the free meals sponsored by Peace House, are in need of a replacement refrigerator as one of theirs is slowly dying. This refrigerator can be medium sized but a very large one will likely not fit into the space. Any working fridge, new or second hand, would be considered and used with love and gratitude. Please phone Pamala Joy at 541-482-5330 if you have any “Fridge Leads”! Thanks so much. |
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News Events Deconstructing Whiteness Southern Oregon Climate Action NowOregon Peace WorksRural Organizing Project Civil Liberties Defense Center Updates |
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Jackson County COVID StatisticsCurrent as of 01/22/2021: View updated stats HERE Jackson County COVID-19 TESTING SITES |
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“When will I get the vaccine, if I want it?” |
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OPB (Oregon Public Broadcasting) offers plenty of reasons why the state has been lackluster in the vaccine rollout: “Distribution problems at the federal level and logistical challenges at the local level have slowed the state’s rollout and delayed further planning. Oregon was supposed to vaccinate 100,000 people by the end of Dec. 31. As of Friday, Jan. 8, Oregon was just two-thirds of the way to that goal. And with over 300,000 healthcare workers in the state, there’s a long way to go.”- 500,000 people have already been prioritized in group 1a, including health care workers and then seniors and staff in congregate care facilities. Teachers will make up part of group 1b. Lake Oswego teachers are resisting reopening because they ‘don’t want to die or kill families’.
- Kate Brown has determined it is up to counties to decide if they want to reopen schools.
- Seniors who live alone but are still at risk for COVID-19 complications are not prioritized.
Contents originally published in an email by Brian Boquist Oregon State Senator (01/13/21). Continue Reading |
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The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) upheld Oregon environmental officials in denying a key water permit for the Jordan Cove LNG project. WASHINGTON, D.C. — Despite receiving conditional approval from federal regulators early last year, the Jordan Cove LNG project hit another snag on Tuesday when FERC refused the request by Pembina, the Canadian energy company trying to build the pipeline, that FERC by-pass the state’s authority to enforce the Clean Water Act in this case. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality denied a water quality certification for the project in 2019. In early 2020, Jordan Cove withdrew its application for a state removal fill permit after it was denied an extension on the deadline. Read the FULL ARTICLE HERE (return to index) |
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| | State Senator Jeff Golden Speaks To NewsWatch 12 About Jordan Cove Pipeline |
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| Celebrating Driver Licenses for All Amidst all the upheaval and transitions of this historic moment nationally, it might be easy to forget that this month, January 2021, we also celebrate a major movement victory as ALL Oregon residents are now able to access driver‘s licenses! Immigrant leaders and allies have fought long and hard for this – many untiringly since 2008, when state legislators first denied licenses to undocumented Oregonians, on through overturning via a ballot measure in 2014 of the Oregon legislature’s authorization to subsequent attempts at re-passage that culminated in HB 2015 in 2019. This month, as the “Drivers License for All” law is finally taking effect, we honor and celebrate that work, and invite you to do so as well. We offer this brief, bilingual liturgy, with accompanying videos and testimonies, as a mix-and-match template for you to use in your own Circles, communities, and congregations. |
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Amanda Gorman reading her poem
“This Hill We Climb” at the inauguration of Joe Biden |
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| About the poem, Amanda says: “In my poem, I’m not going to in any way gloss over what we’ve seen over the past few weeks and, dare I say, the past few years. But what I really aspire to do in the poem is to be able to use my words to envision a way in which our country can still come together and can still heal,” she said. “It’s doing that in a way that is not erasing or neglecting the harsh truths I think America needs to reconcile with.” (return to index) |
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TRUTH TO POWER: SCREENING OF 13TH (2016) DATE: Monday, January 25, 2021 TIME: 5:00 – 8:30 PM RSVP: Please register at https://inyurl.com/y67dtolw Watch on Zoom at 5:00pm, or watch on your own Netflix account. THe join the discussion beginning at 7:00pm, led by members of Partnership for Safety and Justice, Siskiyou Abolition Project, and others so that we can all process what we will have watched. (return to index) |
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SOUTHERN OREGON ANTI-RACIST BUSINESS (SOARB) COLLECTIVE OUTREACH MEETING DATE: Saturday, January 30 TIME: 5:00-7:00 PM RSVP: To join the SOARB Collective as a member of the Outreach Team and/or as a business please email us at: soarbcollective@gmail.com. We are building an Outreach Team to fortify the community involvement that will make lasting change in our valley. Bringing a team of anti-racist community members together to catalyze the SOARB Collective into actualization is a key component of co-creating an anti-racist culture here in Southern Oregon. This team will be approaching business owners to invite them into the collective. We have no doubts that all who participate will be changed in this process. (return to index) |
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TRUTH TO POWER: DEAR WHITE FOLKS: LET’S TALK ABOUT RACISM DATE: Sunday, January 31, 2021 TIME: 11:00 AM RSVP: Please register at https://tinyurl.com/yyk4gky6 The workshop ‘Dear White Folks: Let’s Talk About Racism’ will be repeated via Zoom for those who were not able to attend the first time, or who would like to attend for a second time. The workshop will be facilitated by Danielle LoPresti and Akeel Williams. (return to index) |
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ROGUE READS:
TULSA RACE MASSACRE: HISTORICAL THROUGH-LINE DATE: Saturday, February 6, 2021 TIME: 1:00 – 2:30 PM RSVP: To receive the Zoom please register through JCLS, here. Join Rogue Reads as they observe the 100th anniversary of this critical event and walk through the history, representation in media, and the residual impacts that continue to manifest today. This online program will explore the parallel Black history in Oregon and how events of the past have impacted on the present. Hannibal B. Johnson, author of “Black Wall Street 100: An American City Grapples with its Historical Racial Trauma”, will examine what happened in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1921 when pre-existing hate and discrimination in the United States erupted and resulted in the destruction of a Black-owned downtown area and explore how it continues to impact our nation today. (return to index) |
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DEAR WHITE FOLKS 2: HOW TO BE ANTI-RACIST DATE: Sunday, February 7, 2021 TIME: 11:00 AM RSVP: Please register at https://tinyurl.com/yyk4gky6 ‘Dear White Folks 2: How To Be Anti-Racist’ will take place via Zoom. This workshop can be taken standalone if you have not been to the first ‘Dear White Folks’ workshop. It will also be facilitated by Danielle LoPresti and Akeel Williams. (return to index) |
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Climate Action 2021: Obstacles and Opportunities viewed through the lens of the 2020 electionThe first Southern Oregon Climate Action Now General Meeting for 2021 will offer a discussion of the prospects for meaningful climate action at the federal, state and local levels. We greet 2021 with optimism. Our optimism stems from: - We will have a federal administration that accepts science and acknowledges the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We will also have both a House and Senate controlled by those accepting climate science and understanding the urgency for action.
- In Oregon, state agencies will be developing plans to address Governor Brown’s Executive Order 20-04 establishing an Oregon Climate Action Plan, even as other relevant legislative proposals are emerging.
- At the local level, November elections resulted in an increasing number of regional city council members conscious of the climate crisis and ready to take local action to address it.
Registration Link [No charge, but you must register]
(After registering, you’ll receive a confirmation email with a Zoom link to join the meeting.) |
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Ashland Climate Action Project“Other Side of the Hill”: Bridging Oregon’s Rural-Urban Divide
Thursday, January 28, 7:00-8:30 pm via Zoom Come together with Eastern Oregonian community leaders on zoom for a beautiful film and facilitated discussion.
Living in a deeply divided country, we are all feeling the wounds and grief of bitter partisanship. These divisions have led us to fear and dehumanize each other and close off communications. How can we write a new chapter to this story–right here in Oregon? The film spotlights Eastern Oregon communities that have embraced renewable energy projects, defying stereotypes about climate change attitudes in conservative rural Oregon. Following the 30-minute film, community leaders featured in the film will join us for a discussion facilitated by Titus Tomlinson, Program Director of the Resource Assistance for Rural Environments (RARE) program at the University of Oregon’s Institute for Policy Research and Engagement. Contact Lorrie Kaplan for more information. |
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Transit Equity Day 2021: State of Transit Equity in Oregon and the Rogue Valley Thursday, February 4 from 7:00 to 8:30 pm via Zoom Register (After registering, you’ll receive an email confirmation with the zoom link for the meeting.) Show your strong support for clean and equitable public transit for all by joining us for Transit Equity Day. Held annually on Rosa Parks’ birthday, Transit Equity Day highlights the rights of all people to high-quality public transportation run on clean renewable energy. We’ll honor the courage of Ms. Parks and the 40,000+ Americans who participated in the 1955 Montgomery bus boycott by exploring the state of transit equity in Oregon and the Rogue Valley. Do our transit systems support equity in the rights of all to access employment, education, medical services, and groceries? Do they protect public health by minimizing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions? What progress can we take pride in, what should we look forward to, and what can we all do to create a more equitable and cleaner transit future for Oregon and the Rogue Valley? Contact Lorrie Kaplan for more information. |
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Defending Forest Waters for Coastal Communities: A Training in Resisting Clearcut Logging[Hosts: Oregon Wild, Cascadia Wildlands, Kalmiopsis Audubon Society, Rogue Riverkeeper, North Coast Communities for Watershed Protection, Cape Arago Audubon Society] Two Events:
This is the second event in a series focusing on Oregon’s interior** These trainings focus on building grassroots campaigns to challenge clearcut logging in public drinking watersheds.
Event: Jan 27 at 5 pm: Registration | More Information |
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Government GroupMonday, February 8 from 2:00 to 3:30 via Zoom
Link to SOCAN Calendar Event Thanks to Governor Brown, Oregon state agencies are developing plans to achieve meaningful greenhouse gas emission reductions and carbon sequestration in the state. Members of this group are engaging with the statewide Oregon Climate Action Plan coalition to promote agency efforts. We will also be promoting relevant legislative proposals. Contact Alan Journet if you are interested in federal and state action and are not on the current email list. We have established a County and City project that will start meeting in February. Contact Lorrie Kaplan if you are interested in this project. |
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How to Rebuild Trust in Science All – January 27 at 6 PM This is a virtual discussion about what stops people from “trusting the science” and what we can do to change that. Featured speakers will include: |
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Building Rural Communities Safe from State Violence Wednesday, February 10, 6:30-8 pm PST Human dignity groups that make up the ROP network have been hard at work dismantling collaboration between Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and local law enforcement for decades. The network has recently been making major strides holding rural police and sheriffs accountable for not breaking Oregon’s sanctuary law by using local resources to enforce federal immigration policy while upholding the demands coming from the Movement for Black Lives. Groups are working to create community-based alternatives to policing, successfully ousting corrupt sheriffs, and are building pressure to meet the demands for justice for those harassed and killed by police. What’s working and where do we go from here? Register here to join the conversation by phone or computer! (return to index) |
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For several decades now, community activists and movement lawyers have actively opposed police brutality. They organized “Cop Watch” and legal observer initiatives across the U.S. and have made a real difference to folks on the ground. Join the Civil Liberties Defense Center and experienced panelists to learn more about how these projects document and push back against law enforcement abuses.
Register Online |
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January 2021 Dear friends and neighbors, While the start of a new year didn’t solve all of our problems, I’m optimistic. As difficult as 2020 was, our response to multiple crises demonstrated that we can meet whatever challenges come our way with resilience, tenacity and compassion. As the 2021 legislative session begins, I’m hopeful that the legislature will act quickly and decisively to spur recovery. And, with the inauguration of a new administration in Washington, we have good reason to hope that our country and our state will begin moving toward a more sustainable and equitable future that truly celebrates diversity and fosters unity. Still, it is undeniable that the pandemic and wildfires have affected every aspect of our lives. The most vulnerable among us have suffered the most. Low-income workers and people of color have been disproportionately affected by the public health crisis and resulting economic fallout. Small businesses have struggled to pay their bills and keep their employees. Our legislature will need to take bold and even transformative action to ensure that every resident and community across the state shares in a robust recovery. Given the pandemic, much of the 81st legislative session will be conducted virtually—including all committee hearings. While I yearn for the day when we can safely open the Capitol, virtual operation will be a boon for those of us who live hundreds of miles from Salem. Until now, Southern Oregon residents who wanted to participate in a legislative hearing were forced to spend four hours (each way) on the freeway for the opportunity to speak for five minutes in front of a committee. Virtual hearings mean that anyone will be able to testify on a bill or policy from the comfort of the kitchen table or office via a computer or telephone. I’m confident that electronic and audio testimony will become a permanent part of the legislative process. As always, please stay in touch. Under the circumstances, this legislative session promises to be critical to the health and welfare of families and communities. Your feedback, questions, comments and criticism will help us to get it right. COVID Vaccine RolloutIf you are reading the headlines, the COVID vaccine news probably has you pulling out your hair. Early last week, Oregon Health Authority announced that the state would be working with local communities to set up mass vaccination clinics for educators/school staff and adults over the age of 65. That promising news changed quickly Friday morning, when the federal government announced that the state would not be receiving an increased supply of vaccines–because the federal government has no reserve. The disappointing update is that there is currently no surge of vaccine on the way to Oregon. However, there is some good news. Statewide, we are administering about 12,000/doses per day, which has been our goal. We continue to prioritize individuals in phase 1A, which includes front line health care workers, long term care residents, individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their caretakers, and emergency workers. The latest numbers indicate that we have administered 173,000 doses across the state, which puts Oregon 30th in the nation at 2.8% of population vaccinated. Forty percent of those in phase 1A have been vaccinated. By January 30th 300,000 people, or 75% of those eligible in the first phase, will be complete. While we are short on the vaccine itself, OHA is working with public health and health care providers to create the infrastructure needed for large-scale vaccine locations, once product is available. The National Guard will be employed at these sites when appropriate. OHA is also creating mobile clinics to ensure that individuals who cannot attend large site vaccination clinics (for example, fragile residents in long term care or group facilities) will not be left out. ASSUMING THAT THE VACCINE IS PROVIDED, the state is now planning on the following schedule: On January 25, educators and school staff will begin to receive the vaccine. This group, totaling approximately 100,000 individuals, could be largely completed within two weeks. On February 8 Oregon’s 800,000 seniors will become eligible for vaccination, prioritized in four waves: - 80 and older
- 75 and older
- 70 and older
- 65 and above
Please note that the CDC is still recommending two doses. That means that a 2nd dose will need to be set aside for individuals who received dose #1. That also means that it will take longer to roll out administration to everyone who is standing in line. Finally, there is a new chat tool on the state’s vaccine website to help with your questions. It should pop up on the right side of the screen at https://covidvaccine.oregon.gov/, or scroll to the “vaccine eligibility & FAQ Tool” about 2/3 of the way down the page. We hope that there will be a hotline available soon. No question that it is frustrating to see this news shift so frequently, when we are so anxious to move on from this pandemic life. Please stay tuned. The new Biden administration has already announced a significant investment in the national vaccine program, and the State of Oregon is getting better at understanding how to get product out and administered. I hope that will result in a predictable, stable and coherent schedule very soon. Continue Reading this Message Contact Rep. Pam MarshCapitol Phone: 503-986-1405
District Phone: 541-282-4516
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, H-375, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Rep.PamMarsh@oregonlegislature.gov
Website and e-Subscribe: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/marsh (return to index) |
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| Disappeared: How U.S. Border Enforcement Agencies are Dueling a Missing Person’s Crisis |
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Recent Address on the Insurrection by Dr. Larry Ward, Peace House Peacemaker Awardee |
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