Archives for December 2020

Oregon state lawmakers yesterday, were in chambers during their third special session of a year. Governor Kate Brown recalled the Legislature to consider an 800-million-dollar relief package to assist with ongoing issues related to the pandemic. The proposal includes 150-million dollars for the new Landlord Compensation Fund and 50-million dollars for existing rental relief efforts. The remaining amount will go to COVID-19 recovery efforts involving schools and businesses, as well as directives to help communities ravaged by wildfires earlier this year.
-0-
Oregon State Police declared an unlawful assembly at the State Capitol Monday morning after protesters tried to force their way into the building during the special session. A large group of demonstrators gathered to oppose COVID-19 restrictions on businesses. After protesters tried to force their way inside, troopers issued commands for the crowd to disperse and used pepper balls on the group when some of the protesters fired pepper spray. At least two people have been taken into custody.
-0-
The Oregon Health Authority is reporting its lowest number of new COVID-19 cases for the month of December. The latest numbers from OHA show 846 new cases. Health officials also reported just six more deaths. Numbers are falling in other states now too.

Health officials say another Oregonian has died from COVID-19. The Oregon Health Authority confirmed the coronavirus death of a 91-year-old woman yesterday. Health officials also reported one-thousand-153 new cases of COVID-19 yesterday. Oregon has now seen a total of 102-thousand-930 cases of COVID-19 along with over one-thousand deaths since the pandemic began.
-0-
TriMet [[ try-met ]] General Manager Doug Kelsey is retiring. Kelsey announced last week he plans to retire on March 5th when his contract expires. Kelsey was TriMet’s Chief Operating Officer from 2015 through 2018.
-0-
The University of Oregon is extending its contract with head football coach Mario Cristobal through 2025. The school hasn’t released numbers, but they say private athletic gifts are helping to pay Cristobal’s salary.

Russell Wilson went off for 206 yards and four touchdowns to four different receivers to help the Seahawks crush the Jets 40-3 at home. Wilson has a career-high 36 touchdowns in the season. Freddie Swain, DK Metcalf, Will Dissly and David Moore caught scoring passes. Chris Carson ran in to score for Seattle, which jumps to 9-and-4.

An Oregon man is getting two years behind bars for spitting on police while claiming he had COVID-19. Thirty-six-year-old Daniel Stubblefield was sentenced after pleading guilty to aggravated harassment and menacing. Bend Police say they responded to a reported assault involving an intoxicated Stubblefield back in March. Cops took him into custody, which is when he said he had tested positive for COVID-19 before coughing and spitting on them. Stubblefield, who has had 28 prior criminal convictions, said he was embarrassed for his repeated behavior driven by an alcohol addiction. The officers involved later tested negative for coronavirus.

The Oregon Medical Board has suspended the license of a doctor who said he refuses to wear a mask in his clinic….

Twenty-four more Oregonians are dead from COIVD-19. The latest report from the Oregon Health Authority sets a new record for the number of deaths in a single day and brings the state’s death toll up to 936. Currently, 577 people are in state hospitals being treated for the virus.
-0-
Governor Kate Brown is revealing her recommendations for the state budget over the next two years. The governor is proposing 30-million dollars in public health modernization projects to improve responses to future health crises. Brown is also pushing nearly 190-million dollars to rebuild communities ravaged by wildfires, and 170-million for resources that will be used for economic recovery in those areas.
-0-
The Portland State women’s basketball team is canceling the first four games of their season after one positive COVID-19 case within the program. All players and coaches will isolate for the next two weeks and practices and team activities have been suspended. The Vikings next game will be against Dixie State on December 16th.