Good morning.
Eight down, two to go.
State Sen. Lynn Findley, the Vale Republican, has by his count clocked eight unexcused absences from Senate sessions and expects to add another on Wednesday, May 17.
Under a law passed by voters, including the majority in Malheur County, Findley will not be eligible to run for his seat again if he wracks up 10 unexcused absences.
So, far four senators have hit that mark.
The beef, at least for the record, is that legislation being considered in Salem isn’t readable. The law says that summaries of legislation have to be sensible to an eighth grader.
Findley put out an update about it all on Monday.
Key excerpts:
• “I have not confirmed if all my bills comply with the readability law. However, it is safe to assume that most of them do not.”
• ”Republicans used every procedural tool to make the Senate comply with the law. On May 3, the only option left was to deny quorum (20 members must be present for the Senate to conduct business). This was a necessary step to stop Democrats from passing bills unlawfully.”
• ”This is morally and ethically wrong. Oregonians do not get to pick and choose what laws are enforced on themselves. If an agency realizes they have not been enforcing an old regulation on businesses, the regulation is not considered invalid.”
• ”The ballot measure was passed last year and bars legislators from seeking reelection if they have more than 10 excused absences during a session. My oath to uphold the constitution is more important to me than being reelected.”
• “I’m still attending my committees, making phone calls, answering emails, taking meetings, and working on policy.”
There is talk among some Republicans that they will overcome the law by going to court to reverse the decision of voters last year.
This may seem a distant tempest, but legislation important to Malheur County is caught in the political logjam. The Enterprise will track it all and report on developments.
Meantime, the election is over and it was a quiet season in Malheur County. Our account of the results is below. Malheur County posted the fourth-lowest voter turnout among Oregon’s 36 counties, by the way. Umatilla, Jefferson and Linn County did worse than Malheur County’s 17.2% turnout. The state average: 23%. The best county: Wallowa at 55%.
Here’s the latest news on other fronts from your team at the Enterprise:
HELP OUR REPORTING ON CHILDREN
One of the most persistent aspects of life in Malheur County is the economic struggle facing so many families. The result is that children sometimes don’t get all the food they need, live in conditions that aren’t ideal, and miss school.
We need your help to answer these questions:
*What are your challenges with raising your kids? What do you think would help?
*Why is Malheur County so much worse off than the rest of the state?
*What solutions have worked elsewhere that could spare our children?
We want to talk to those families that struggle. We aren’t here to judge. We’re here to learn and inform. We are after understanding.
And we want to talk to those who work with struggling families and children. You can be a teacher or a counselor. You can be a police officer or a state caseworker. You can be a child care provider or a nurse.
The Enterprise has teamed up with a squad of advanced journalism students from one of the country’s premier schools – the Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism at USC at USC. Five students and their two professors will be in Malheur County for two weeks. They are ready and eager to do interviews – and to listen carefully.
How to help?
Reach out to Editor Les Zaitz by email ([email protected]). You can talk privately and confidentially if you want. If you prefer phone, send an email and he’ll provide you a private number to call.
Your help can make a big difference – especially for one out of four children who live in homes impoverished by circumstance.
With kitten season here, foster homes are needed to care for the influx hitting the Ontario shelter.
CATS: Help on a temporary basis
Do you love cats and have a spare bedroom or bathroom?
The Ontario Feral Cat Project is in need of foster families for mama cats and baby kittens. The Cat Project provides everything you need to foster. You will provide the care, lots of love and playtime. Fostering is rewarding and fun an saves lives.
Please contact us via Facebook, call our message phone at 541-823-2427 or contact us online if you are interested in fostering: https://www.ontarioferalcats.org/volunteer.
SATURDAY ADOPTION EVENT: Every Saturday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Constance McCullough House, 84 N.W. 2nd St. in Ontario.
–Information provided by the Ontario Feral Cat Project.
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Have a tip? Let us know….
We get some of our best stories and photos after tips from readers. If you have an idea on something we can report on or just have questions about something happening in the community, send an email to Editor Les Zaitz at [email protected].