Make the McKenzie Connection!
Make the McKenzie Connection!
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Who are you voting for? The biennial question and challenging decision(s) each of us currently faces. Complicating our down-ballot decisions this election cycle is the overarching potentially historic presidential race.Sorting and filtering through all the incomplete, biased, and self-serving campaign information takes time. Weighting personal histories, character, policies, and parties to decide who you believe will best represent and advocate for you. Each of us uses different lenses based on experiences and expectations. My experiences...
U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy warns that today’s youth mental health crisis is the “defining public health issue of our time.” He’s right. American adolescents are experiencing unprecedented levels of mental health challenges. Fortunately, there’s a way to reverse these trends. I’ve spent my career studying the intersection of sports and mental health, including roles as the chief medical officer at the NCAA, co-chair of the International Olympic Committee Consensus Meeting on Mental Health in Elite Athletes, and a fellow of the America...
Oregon Ballot Measure 118 is poorly designed. Its enactment would likely trigger several unintended, damaging consequences. Accordingly, the Oregon Center for Public Policy recommends a “no” vote on the measure. Measure 118, also known as the Oregon People’s Rebate, would increase the state corporate minimum tax to 3% on business sales of more than $25 million in Oregon. The revenue raised from the measure would be distributed equally to all Oregon residents. Although taxing large corporations to fund cash payments to families facing econo...
The ability to afford medicines is about dignity, hope, and fairness. These words from the President have been at the center of our work to implement the Lower Cost Prescription Drug Law, also known as the Inflation Reduction Act. This week marks a historic milestone in improving health benefits for Oregon seniors and families, as the Biden-Harris Administration announced new, lower prices for 10 drugs selected for the first cycle of Medicare drug price negotiations. As Acting Regional Director at the U.S. Department of Health and Human...
“Volume 47” appears on the top of the front page of this edition. Right beside it is “Issue 1.” Those numbers mark the start of the forty-seventh year that River Reflections will be reporting on life along the McKenzie River. In the weeks and months to come, some of the stories are likely to continue to inform on things people may not have thought about, others could be sad, and some at times silly. That last item got me thinking about what might have been lightening the mood of other publications. Here are a few samples. In the early days of...
In the hit Broadway musical Hamilton, President George Washington summons Alexander Hamilton into his study to discuss writing what would come to be known as Washington’s “Farewell Address.” Hamilton protests the very idea of Washington leaving the Presidency: “As far as the People are concerned, you have to serve, you could continue to serve!” Washington, insistent and resolute, replies, “We’re gonna teach them how to say goodbye.” Washington set an example – two terms, no more – that every President voluntarily followed until 1940, when Fr...
A little-known federal agency might be our most powerful asset in the race for global tech leadership. The International Trade Commission has the power to deter patent infringement abroad and at home by blocking infringers’ access to the huge American market. It’s up to policymakers to make sure this asset gets deployed to the full extent of the law. Here’s the problem: In today’s knowledge economy, ideas are the coin of the realm. But America’s intellectual property is under constant attack. That’s because a 2006 Supreme Court decision, e...
EVs are not necessarily heavier than gasoline cars. The best-selling EV in the world is the Tesla Model Y, which weighs about 4,300 pounds. My Honda Pilot weighs 4,500 pounds, a Ford F-350 7,400 pounds. An 18-wheeler comes in at 66,000 pounds... If you have trouble believing that, realize that while batteries are heavy, EVs don’t need a transmission, need far less steel, and can use more aluminum. Tesla is working on a structural battery pack, which would require even less excess material. Yes, EV batteries can catch fire, but it is much m...
The federal government may soon finalize guidance that could weaken ownership of intellectual property throughout the U.S. economy. This would affect a huge swathe of industries, among them biotechnology, clean energy, agriculture, and defense. More specifically, the new guidance would cause companies large and small, as well as their investors, to balk at licensing and developing promising new technologies -- with severe consequences for American innovation. Shepherding a promising idea from lab to marketplace is already a daunting task, as I...
Saturday night’s guitar duo concert at Vida McKenzie Community Center turned out to be one of those summer evenings when everything felt right. The audience was warm, neighborly, and engaged. The musicians were very accomplished but in an “unfussy” way. Their openheartedness was palpable while they played and interacted with the audience. VMCC thanks Jerry Zybach and Stan Welsh for transforming this gathering space into a true “listening room.” Here are an upcoming few VMCC events to put on your calendar: Bingo at the Center occurs the secon...
Oregon politicians banned the use of coal for electricity generation by 2030 and natural gas by 2040, pushing utilities to rely more on wind and solar energy. These sources often produce less than 10% of Oregon’s electricity needs, forcing utilities to engage in a costly overbuild of wind and solar infrastructure. Given that weather is unpredictable, how much overbuilding will be required to meet demand is unknown. The grid must always balance supply and demand, and dispatchable energy must quickly adjust. Currently, energy storage at the g...
President Biden wants to lower drug prices. While that is a laudable goal, we can’t afford to undermine the intellectual property rights that helped produce these innovative drugs in the first place. A recent proposal would do just that, and it’s not limited to drugs. The proposed policy change would reinterpret a 1980 law that ushered in a new era of American innovation and collaboration between the public and private sectors. But if this proposed policy change is finalized, it will cause a wide swathe of our high-tech sector to stall out...
As parts of Oregon have gone more than two months without rain, conditions are optimal for wildfires. Even for areas not yet affected, things could change in an instant. Preparing ahead of time can help ensure you have everything you need in the event of an evacuation. Pack a bag for yourself and one for your animal companions containing enough supplies to last for at least one week. Keep everything where it’s easy to grab in a hurry. For animals, include their medical records, food and water, bowls, medications, and a special toy or b...
When an Electric Vehicle is marketed as “zero-emission,” consumers expect their car does not cause pollution, right? Well, in the case of zero-emission vehicles, the phrase only refers to “tailpipe exhaust emissions of certain pollutants or greenhouse gases,” according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office. Many miss this fine print and buy EVs, believing they are helping the environment. In reality, while removing the element of exhaust, EVs emit 20-26% more tire dust annually than gas cars due to their added battery weight. That ba...
As a student at Lake Oswego Junior High, I first learned about tobacco, smoking, and e-cigarettes. It was viewed as a fun but costly activity to do with friends. Then in the seventh grade, my health teacher warned us of the dangers of smoking. I remember looking at my friend and laughing. Who would knowingly poison themselves? Now, as I prepare to become a high school senior, I understand why many young people become addicted to tobacco: It is sold in a wide variety of flavors that appeal to kids. It is promoted as a stress reliever, and a...
Big Tech is building its latest technology on intellectual property and uncompensated use of expression, content, and data collected online and in databases. Journalistic content, which is far more than just a collection of facts and is often gathered at great costs to the journalists who report the news, is indispensable to these new AI technologies. The legal regulatory system has lagged behind recent rapid-fire developments in AI. By failing to enforce intellectual property rights, regulators have allowed a handful of companies to further en...
I didn’t recognize the name or return address on an envelope before opening it recently. The note I read was a total surprise. “About forty years ago I pulled my uninsured vehicle out onto Hilyard St. in Eugne right in front of your oncoming small Honda. Your car had been ready to sell but was significantly damaged. My recollection is that you mentioned a big deductible on your insurance coverage and requested I send money if my fortunes ever improved. I felt bad about the situation. I have been steadily employed at a good job for over a doz...
For two years now, Oregon’s wage floor has been stuck in place. It’s run aground at a place well short of what families need to make ends meet. That may seem strange to say given that Oregon’s minimum hourly wage went up 50 cents on July 1, but that increase only keeps pace with inflation. It’s just enough to not fall behind the rising cost of living, but not enough to make progress. Progress on wages is essential to remedy the widespread economic insecurity afflicting Oregonians, and there are...
You can’t understand the scope of 122,000 names until you see them on a wall. Stand at the foot of the National Monument to Freedom, recently dedicated by the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, and you’ll see all of them, soaring three or four stories above your head. Each name, taken from the 1870 Census, belonged to a former enslaved person. These are surnames. Family names. Combined, they represent about 4 million people who emerged from bondage. Each one stands for an American once tre...
It seems as if every community, big or small, has been impacted by the problems associated with substance use and drug overdose. Within these communities, these problems extend into the family unit, with people becoming addicted and dying because of drugs. However, community drug education and prevention programs can be a first line of defense. There is hope for the younger generations as they have more access to online prevention and education resources to help them make informed decisions. In...
Two big slices of news about Oregon newspapers fell shortly after Memorial Day, sending shock waves across the state. One was the sale of one of the largest Oregon newspaper groups, Portland-based Pamplin Media, and the other was the announcement of major cutbacks in another, EOMedia, which owns the Bend Bulletin and other newspapers. Both show the immediate urgency for finding a way to rescue community news in Oregon – sooner, not later. Among other things, the Oregon Legislature urgently n...
It is a truly sad state of affairs here in the Beaver State: Our salmon stocks are struggling mightily, biodiversity is crashing under the weight of human activities, climate change is accelerating, drought is greatly affecting regional agriculture and wildfires threaten our communities every summer. But there is a nature-based solution that could help. Protecting our state animals could greatly assist human and wildlife communities adapt to the many challenges we face. The wetlands and...
7 is being called the “Year of Universal Education Choice,” and for good reason. According to the nonprofit organization EdChoice, policymakers in 40 states debated 111 bills to expand education options for K-12 students. Lawmakers in seven states enacted new choice programs, and ten states expanded already-existing ones. As of March 2024, eleven states now have universal or near-universal school choice laws. Approximately 20 million American children are eligible to participate in a private choice program. Oregon parents should be able to...
Every year, USACE publishes updated statistics for water safety (or lack thereof) at its project locations throughout the country. In the eight years I’ve been working for USACE, the statistics on drownings have not significantly changed (that I can recall), regardless of the amount of focus and messaging the enterprise has published. Again, it’s no surprise that USACE data from 2023 shows that drowning victims at our locations are 88 percent male and 89 percent who weren’t wearing life jackets. This is an important topic for many of our staff...
Why did PETA supporters steal the show at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show with a sign urging everyone to “Boycott Breeders”? Because “Best in Show” is the worst for dogs. As a licensed veterinary technician, I have seen firsthand the harms of selective breeding, which causes most, if not all, purebreds to suffer from debilitating health issues—and even shortened lifespans. Breathing-impaired breeds including shih tzus and bulldogs have intentionally flattened faces and distorted airways that leave them struggling for every breath; d...
