Jomberg: A “special” session is an opportunity to comment on masks and the swarm of small earthquakes | social communication

Hello neighbors and friends!

As I reported in a recent newsletter, lawmakers will return to Salem today Monday, December 13th to deal with emergency work related to housing and evictions. I said the details are likely to change as the negotiations develop. There was still some question last week as to whether or not we had the necessary number of Republicans to achieve a quorum. Now it looks like we’re doing that, so the “2nd Special Session of 2021” will start first thing this morning and hopefully finish by the end of the day.

Below is the current list of items to be covered. The primary focus will be on keeping people in housing. But we have now added:

Drought relief to support our farmers and farming communities affected by this summer’s heat dome

Resources that will help Southern Oregonians address the dire consequences of illegal cannabis operations

Additional funding that will help Afghan refugees resettle here in Oregon

Supporting Firearms Violence Prevention in East Multnomah County

Increasing Affordable Housing Efforts

Demonstration Projects for Cross Wood Modular Housing

It is clear that the number of issues and the price has increased from last week. In some cases, this is due to a better understanding of the scope of the problems. For others, this is the price of having a quorum. Additional provisions that were a high priority for Republicans should be included. I will say they are all worthwhile items and likely to be funded during the February session anyway. The same can be said for other priorities that exist – including many in our own. As I often note, there is nothing “special” about private sessions….

As I said last week, people who qualify for a special COVID rent exemption should not face eviction because the state is behind schedule in sending postal checks. The legislator needs to fix this! But the need to address rent forgiveness and evictions is still essential for both tenants and landlords.

I wrote in an opinion piece last week that in our area, most landlords are not large corporations, but retired nurses, teachers, and small business owners who saw a need in their community and invested in housing. Our landlords faced enormous financial burdens and struggled to make ends meet throughout the pandemic. This is especially true for owners of small and medium-sized real estate, whose financial well-being and security depends on the timely payment of rent. I’ve heard from many housing providers where, through no fault of their own, renters are months behind in rent.

Currently, thousands of landlords in Oregon are waiting for their tenants to receive the promised rental assistance. They can continue to wait or choose to evacuate. And if that happens, 10,000 Oregonians lose their homes and these landlords lose most hope of getting any past due rent.

As legislators, our commitment to Oregonians is to make sure people are housed while keeping housing providers complete. A private session will ensure that both tenants and landlords receive the help they need.

You can follow the work of the second special session on its website (at https://bit.ly/3s3B9Ac) and I will of course report back to you next week.

My inbox has recently been filled with emails about changing mask authorizations and a suggestion to make the rules “permanent”.

Our rule-making laws are a bit confusing. An “interim” rule can be implemented on an emergency basis for a period of 180 days. Next, the agency must go through the general process of creating permanent bases. Permanent in this case does not mean forever and no end. But this means that it can last more than 180 days.

What is important here is that the permanent rule requires public input, public hearings, and public review. This means that you have a chance to tell the agency what you think! Should masks become completely voluntary? Should it only be required in places where people may be most vulnerable – eg hospice care? Should mask mandates increase as new strains of COVID emerge? Do masks create more conflict than they do? I hear from thoughtful voters who express all these views and more.

These decisions are not made by the legislature. The legislature is not currently in a regular session and will not meet again until the end of January.

Every now and then, the Oregon Health Authority reviews an update to its mask rules. I urge you to monitor the situation and comment on it. Subscribe to OHA’s newsletters here. After registering, scroll down to Public Health, and select Public Health Newsletters. You will be notified of when and how to testify.

Given the uncertainty about the latest Omicron variant, it may take some time for health authorities to determine the right move.

What I don’t want is school closures, not being able to visit loved ones in hospitals or hospice care, a ban on social gatherings, or our businesses closing again. While I am certainly sick of wearing my mask, I feel there is still a relatively minimal inconvenience to bear if this is the cost of keeping Oregon open and beginning to define what public health policy should eventually look like in 2022. .

I will comment on the suggested mask rules. You must do the same.

While we’re on the topic of the mask, last week I came under fire for attending an event where a lot of people appeared to be without masks. This was a holiday party but also a fundraiser for a worthy community organization that raises money for families in need. Many survivors of the Mount Echo fires were present.

There were certainly exceptions – especially on the dance floor. But mostly I’ve seen people who follow the current rules and remove masks only when eating or drinking. Everyone checks their vaccination status.

One critic said that elected leaders should set an example. Ironically, the photo published in our local newspaper showed me in the back of the room wearing my own mask.

Just after 5:20 a.m., a 4.2-magnitude earthquake struck about 250 miles off the coast of central Oregon. It was nothing groundbreaking as earthquakes happen outside all the time.

An hour and a half later, another jerk shook the sea floor. Then another earthquake struck. And another. And another. By Thursday night, they were at 96 with a strength of 2.5 or stronger. There were no tsunami warnings associated with any of these earthquakes and they were too far from shore to result in any shaking on the ground.

Experts say there’s nothing to worry about because these earthquakes have nothing to do with the larger Cascadia subduction zone also located off the coast of Oregon. In fact, the swarms are normal and were further from shore than usual.

The earthquake swarm is located in the Blanco fault zone, across from the Juan de Fuca plate from the Cascadia subduction zone. Seismologist Paul Earle of the USGS said the swarm of earthquakes is notable, but it is not unlikely or a cause for concern.

A Cascadia earthquake of magnitude 8 or more can cause significant damage to the ground, but the real danger from a major seismic event on the eastern edge of Juan de Fuca will be the subsequent tsunami. An earthquake on the Cascadia fault is more likely to trigger a tsunami than an earthquake at the swarm’s current location.

I continue to urge people to be earthquake aware, have a personal evacuation plan if you live or work in a tsunami area, and be prepared for two weeks with supplies of food, water and other necessities. This plan proved time-saving and potentially life-saving when Susie and I had to evacuate from the September fires without prior notice.

The Newport chapter of the Surfrider Foundation has teamed up with the North Lincoln Sanitary Service, the Thompson Sanitary Service, and Lincoln County surf shops to help clean up local beaches this winter.

To participate, volunteers can use their own supplies or pick up bags and gloves from surf shops in the following area:

ZuhG Life Surf Store, 3219 SW Hwy 101, Lincoln City

Pura Vida Surf Store, 845 1st Street, Otter Rock

South Beach Surf Store, located at Aquarium Village 3031 Ferryslip Rd #619, South Beach

As an added incentive to keep local beaches clean, volunteers will also be entered to win monthly prizes donated by surf shop partners and the Surfrider Foundation, as well as a grand prize donated by 10 Barrel Brewing.

Monthly beach cleanups are scheduled for the second Saturday of every month, from December through February.

Volunteers are welcome to pick up litter from any Lincoln County beach each month, and they can then drop off their wreck at any of our partner surf shops before 2 p.m. on January 8 or February 12 and receive a prize ticket. Surfrider will conduct a drawing after each cleanup for a monthly prize, which will be announced through their newsletter. All volunteers will be entered to win the grand prize after the last cleaning in February.

It was a humid and tumultuous weekend with winds gusting up to 80mph. The electricity and the internet were cut off all day Saturday at Jomberg’s house. On Sunday, I cleaned up with a leaf blower, chainsaw, and slicer. It was a good preparation for today’s session!

Cooler, wetter weather looms on the horizon. Stay warm, drive safely, and be gentle. happy vacation!

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