Oregon
100% of Oregon school districts adopt cell phone ban policy, Gov. Kotek says
ESTACADA Ore. (KPTV) – According to Governor Tina Kotek, 100% of Oregon school districts have adopted a cell phone ban. On Wednesday, Kotek visited Estacada High School (EHS) to see her policy in action.
“Research tells us that constant cell phone use distracts from learning and can create mental health issues,” Kotek said. “For our students to thrive, we have to make every hour of class time as high-value as possible. Getting rid of distractions like cell phones is one way we can prioritize student success and transform our education system to get better results.”
Last summer, Kotek issued Executive Order 2509, which bans Oregon public school students from using their cell phones at school. The policy officially went into effect on Jan. 1.
According to Superintendent Ryan Carpenter, the Estacada School District has approximately 2,100 students, with 51% under the poverty line and 18% qualify for special education services. Carpenter said the majority of school districts in Oregon have these same statistics, making EHS a great spot for Kotek to see her policy in action.
Kotek visited two classrooms at EHS and received feedback from students about the cell phone ban. While some students said the ban has made it harder to research certain assignments in class or to coordinate after-school plans, overall, students said they’ve noticed positive impacts.
“At first, I wasn’t the biggest fan, but as the semester has gone on, I’ve found a lot more positivity in it,” said Sophia Morales-Meraz, a sophomore at EHS. “I find myself reaching less for my phone, having stronger connections and talking more to my classmates, and spending more time just really enjoying the moment.”
“I’m definitely more engaged in lessons with my teachers because I’m able to focus on what they’re saying…” said Cooper Skroch, a junior at EHS. “My attention span has gotten a lot better now that I don’t have to use my phone during the day.”
EHS teachers said they have noticed improvements, too. In addition to seeing more engagement from their students, language arts teacher Jeff Mellema said the policy has brought joy back to his career.
“I got into this profession because I like the one-on-one with kids, I like interacting with students,” Mellema said. “I like helping them along the process of their learning and this policy’s made that part easier.”
Without cell phones in schools, Carpenter said parents raised concerns about contacting their child in case of an emergency. But Kotek said school staff are prepared to bridge that communication gap and connect students with their parents, if needed.
Carpenter said the cell phone ban has not only resulted in higher attendance and graduation rates, but it’s also established a stronger sense of community at EHS.
“A lot of great things are happening,” Carpenter said. “We’re experiencing barriers in every child’s life and to remove cell phones is just one barrier to help us continue to get kids to be successful.”
After receiving feedback from students, Kotek told FOX 12 that she does not plan to make any changes to the policy moving forward.
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Oregon
Federal lawsuit seeks emergency order over Oregon gas tax referendum voter guide timeline
PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — Opponents of Oregon’s proposed gas tax hike are not giving up in their efforts to force the courts to intervene before voters’ pamphlets are sent out for the May primary.
Former state lawmaker and attorney Julie Parrish, along with Thomas Rask, filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Portland.
The suit was filed on behalf of the Right to Vote on the Gas Tax political action committee and several individuals and names Secretary of State Tobias Read as the defendant.
The suit requests an emergency hearing to consider a temporary restraining order.
The plaintiffs allege that shortening the timeline Oregonians had to submit arguments for or against the measure violated the rights of disabled voters.
Under Oregon law, residents must either collect 500 signatures or pay a $1,200 fee to submit an argument.
They also point out that Secretary of State Read warned lawmakers in a letter earlier this year that they were jeopardizing timelines by blowing past deadlines to pass the legislation.
A Marion County judge already ruled against the plaintiffs earlier this year, although a federal judge did issue a temporary restraining order.
PAST COVERAGE | Rulings on Oregon’s Gas Tax Referendum
Oregon lawmakers passed SB 1599 along party lines, moving the referendum from the November general election ballot to the May primary.
Democratic lawmakers contend that moving the referendum to an earlier date gives the state more time to consider budget cuts.
The gas tax hikes are widely expected to be rejected by voters regardless of when they are held.
No court date has been set for the latest lawsuit. KATU will continue to track developments.
Oregon
Oregon Highway 230 closed near Diamond Lake Junction after truck overturns
A crash involving an overturned truck has shut down Oregon Highway 230 about 9 miles east of Diamond Lake Junction.
OR 230 is closed at milepost 9 because the overturned truck is blocking the highway.
Drivers should expect delays and use an alternate route.
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Updates are available at TripCheck.com.
Oregon
With gas prices rising, Oregon drivers are paying some of the highest prices in the country
It’s a familiar situation for Oregonians: A global event causes the price of oil — the main component of gasoline — to surge.
Then, the price at the pump goes up across the nation. But in Oregon? The price is already higher for a gallon of regular gasoline.
The U.S. and Israel’s war against Iran is the latest international event to spark the cycle.
Over the last month, gas prices have spiked. A month ago, the U.S. average was just under $3.00 per gallon, while the average in Oregon hovered around $3.65, according to AAA.
The national average for gasoline Monday is $3.71 per gallon, but Oregonians are paying an average of $4.48 for a gallon of regular gas, according to the nonprofit member club American Automobile Association (AAA). That’s the fifth highest in the nation after California, Hawaii, Washington and Nevada.
At least in the short term, the high price of crude oil is increasing gasoline prices. That’s happening at the same time that many gas stations in the U.S. are switching over to the more expensive summer blend gasoline. Over the long term, Oregon frequently has higher gas prices than other states due to high taxes, lack of refineries that turn oil into gasoline and environmental policies that deter increased gasoline production in the region.
It’s impossible to divorce the price of gasoline from the price of crude oil, gasoline’s main component. Even though the U.S. is the world’s top oil producer, much of that oil is exported and becomes a part of the global energy market. Oil is a highly sought-after international commodity, with the price and distribution largely dictated by the global market.
When Iran retaliated against U.S. and Israeli bombings by closing a major oil trade route, the Strait of Hormuz, it shrunk the available global supply of oil. Buyers that normally purchase oil that travels through the strait are looking for other sources. Those shifts in supply and demand are helping drive up the price of crude oil around the globe.
“We’re not seeing a [crude oil] shortage, but we are seeing our friends in Asia and Europe knock on the door for additional supplies from us,” Robert McCullough, Portland energy expert and consultant, said. “And as they do that, of course, the big players on the West Coast are raising their prices domestically to match their opportunities internationally.”
Something similar happened after Russia invaded Ukraine four years ago, McCullough said, pushing prices up to multi-year highs for everything from food to fuel to construction equipment.
“Oil is used throughout the economy,” McCullough said. “We make everything out of it. The things that will be most immediately apparent are fertilizer, heavy transport, jet fuel, retail gasoline — but each one of those then reverberates. It’s like you rang a bell and it goes ‘bing bing bing bing bing’ afterwards.”
This story comes to you from the Northwest News Network, a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington.
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