Oregon
As Grants Pass case looms, Oregon advocates urge U.S. Supreme Court to protect homeless • Oregon Capital Chronicle
Oregon advocates for marginalized communities are speaking out on behalf of the state’s homeless and downtrodden as the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to hear a case that started in Grants Pass and could set parameters for how cities nationwide can deal with homeless camps.
The case, Grants Pass v. Johnson, began as a lawsuit by a group of homeless people against restrictions in the southern Oregon city on outdoor sleeping. Although the case’s outcome will have a national impact on homeless camping laws, there will be less of one in Oregon. That’s because Oregon lawmakers passed a state law in 2021 that prevents cities from punishing people sleeping outside on public property. Under the state law, cities can put “objectively reasonable” restrictions that regulate the time, place and manner of camps without outright bans.
As the Supreme Court prepares to hear oral arguments on April 22 on the case, Oregon advocates are asking the court to remember the broader principles that frame the homeless issue, both in Oregon and across the nation.
Disability Rights Oregon, the Oregon Food Bank and 15 other Oregon groups, including the Cascade AIDS Project, Habitat for Humanity of Oregon and Partners for a Hunger Free Oregon, have signed onto amicus briefs in support of the plaintiffs. At the core of their arguments, advocates say, is that homeless people should not be punished as jail time and fines will only deepen their challenges.
“Criminalization just doesn’t work as a tool to help people exit their experience from housing insecurity, their experience from homelessness,” Loren Naldoza, Oregon Food Bank public policy advocate, said in an interview. “It only makes it worse.”
The Grants Pass case initially sought to overturn a local ordinance that barred homeless people from using blankets, pillows or cardboard boxes while sleeping outside in public to guard against the rain, snow and wind.
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the ordinance was the equivalent of cruel and unusual punishment because it penalized people because they are homeless, violating the Eighth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Disability Rights Oregon signed onto a separate brief filed by disability advocates from across the nation. The brief notes that homeless people are more likely to suffer mental health conditions and other disabilities that contribute to their homelessness and encourages solutions like affordable and stable housing – not criminal penalties.
“No mother chooses to raise her children without stable housing, but when she finds herself in that situation, that family needs a safe place to rest,” Jake Cornett, executive director and CEO of Disability Rights Oregon, said in a statement. “Criminalizing homelessness is not going to solve any problem in our communities. It’s past time for Oregon to focus on affordability, accessible shelters, low-barrier housing, and building a functioning behavioral health system.”
Separately, nearly 50 groups nationwide, including the Equality Federation in Portland, filed a brief urging the Supreme Court to declare that ordinances that criminalize homelessness are unconstitutional, including for members of the LGBTQ+ community who are disproportionately harmed by such ordinances.
The filing draws upon statistics to show the disproportionate impact of homelessness on the LGBTQ+ community. For example, LGBTQ+ youth make up 40% of unhoused youth and 65% of youth with frequent homelessness, even though they make up less than 10% of the population, the brief said.
“Since a disproportionately high number of unhoused people are from the LGBTQIA+ community, this is an issue of particular importance for the organizations who joined our amicus brief,” said Chinyere Ezie, a senior attorney with the Center for Constitutional Rights, a New York-based nonprofit social justice center. “We hope the Supreme Court will recognize the dangers posed to all unhoused people by the discriminatory ordinances at stake.”
GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Oregon
South Central Oregon Cascades and Siskiyou Mountains and Southern Oregon Cascades under a winter weather advisory Saturday – up to 7 inches of snow
The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory at 7:59 p.m. on Friday valid for Saturday between 2 a.m. and 11 p.m. for South Central Oregon Cascades and Siskiyou Mountains and Southern Oregon Cascades.
The weather service describes, “Snow expected above 4000 feet. Total snow accumulations of 3 to 7 inches. Winds gusting as high as 40 mph.”
“Plan on slippery road conditions,” adds the weather service.
Winter weather driving safety: Navigating the chill with expert tips from the weather service
Winter weather can make driving treacherous, leading to over 6,000 weather-related vehicle fatalities and over 480,000 injuries each year. When traveling during snow or freezing rain, prioritize safety by slowing down. In near-freezing temperatures, it’s safest to assume that icy conditions exist on roadways and adjust your driving accordingly. Be cautious of ice accumulating on power lines or tree branches, which can lead to snapping and falling hazards. If possible, avoid driving in such conditions. If you must venture out, opt for routes with fewer trees and power lines. Never touch a downed power line, and immediately dial 911 if you come across one. Here are additional winter driving tips from the weather service:
1. Share your travel plans:
When traveling out of town in hazardous winter weather, inform your family or friends of your destination, planned route, and estimated time of arrival.
2. Prepare your vehicle:
Ensure your gas tank is full and equip your vehicle with essential winter supplies such as a windshield scraper, jumper cables, a small shovel, flashlight, cell phone, blanket, extra warm clothing, drinking water, and high-calorie non-perishable food.
3. Stay calm when stranded:
If you become stranded, remain composed. Inform someone about your situation and location. Avoid attempting to walk to safety. Indicate that you need assistance by attaching a cloth to your car’s antenna or mirror, and make your vehicle more visible by using the dome light and flashers
4. Be aware of snow plows:
Keep an eye out for snow plows and provide them with ample room to pass. Only overtake a plow when you have a clear view of the road ahead.
5. Check road conditions:
Before embarking on your journey, verify the current road conditions to make informed travel decisions.
These winter driving tips from the weather service are your key to a safer journey on snow-covered roads. By following these guidelines, you can significantly reduce the risk of accidents and ensure your well-being during challenging winter weather.
Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.
EUGENE — Friday’s series opener between Oregon and No. 25 Utah is postponed due to rain and a doubleheader is set for Saturday.
The Ducks (30-14, 12-9 Pac-12) will take on the Utes (29-13, 14-7) beginning at 11:05 a.m. Saturday at PK Park. The second game will begin 45 minutes after the first game ends.
Sunday’s series finale is still scheduled for 12:05 p.m.
Oregon’s defense received a significant boost Friday as outside linebacker Nasir Wyatt, ESPN’s No. 38 recruit in the 2025 class and No. 2 player from California, announced his commitment to play for the Ducks.
Wyatt, who plays for Southern California power Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California, chose Oregon over Tennessee and Texas, where he also took visits. He told ESPN that the experience Oregon defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi and coach Dan Lanning had in developing top outside linebackers steered him toward the program.
“Tosh, he already has a plan put in store for me that allows me to do everything I do best,” Wyatt told ESPN. “When I go up there, he’s going to be able to teach me so much about the game, just because him and Lanning have so much edge background. [Lanning] being the defensive coordinator at Georgia, he had Travon Walker and all those guys from that defense that went in the first round. Having him at Oregon as the head coach, it’s having two defensive-minded coaches to better my edge skills.
“I couldn’t pass up on the opportunity.”
The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Wyatt had 14 sacks and 21 tackles for loss last season for Mater Dei. He said both Lupoi and Lanning made comparisons between his game and those of players from their past stops, such as Alabama’s Rashaan Evans, whom Lupoi coached as a Tide assistant, and Georgia’s Nolan Smith.
“Coach Lanning said a lot of my measurements resemble [Smith] and not your typical 6-5 guys, but they can still make it up at 6-2, 6-3, 220, 230, but be able to make it fly, that’s what Tosh and Lanning are looking for,” Wyatt said. “Looking at every college and how they wanted me to play in their defense, Oregon just had a different energy and a different feel.”
Long Beach taco truck worker beaten, robbed in violent confrontation
Lions fans very confident Detroit among ‘winners’ of the 2024 draft
San Francisco garbage detectives investigate illegal dumping
How The Dallas Mavericks Built A Dynamic Defense At A Bargain
Preview, How to Watch on TV and Prediction
See it: Tesla crashes into Columbus convention center at 70 mph
Colorado Rockies game no. 116 thread: Zac Gallen vs José Ureña
Fox News Politics: Georgia the whole day through
Death of missing Oregon girl found in stream ruled homicide
At least 2 dead as tornadoes hit Alabama, damage homes across Southeast
Australian lawmakers send letter urging Biden to drop case against Julian Assange on World Press Freedom Day
Brussels, my love? Champage cracked open to celebrate the Big Bang
Have you seen this emotional support gator? Wally's owner says he's lost in Georgia
Video: University of Chicago President Says Pro-Palestinian Encampment ‘Cannot Continue’
Border Patrol sector stops hundreds of Chinese illegal immigrants in just two days as numbers soar
-
News1 week agoLarry Webb’s deathbed confession solves 2000 cold case murder of Susan and Natasha Carter, 10, whose remains were found hours after he died
-
News1 week agoFirst cargo ship passes through new channel since Baltimore bridge collapse
-
World1 week agoHaiti Prime Minister Ariel Henry resigns, transitional council takes power
-
World1 week agoSpanish PM Pedro Sanchez suspends public duties to 'reflect'
-
World1 week agoUS secretly sent long-range ATACMS weapons to Ukraine
-
News1 week agoAmerican Airlines passenger alleges discrimination over use of first-class restroom
-
Movie Reviews1 week agoHumane (2024) – Movie Review
-
Education1 week agoVideo: Johnson Condemns Pro-Palestinian Protests at Columbia University