Oregon

Oregon legislators defer vote on hostile workplace complaint against Kotek – Oregon Capital Chronicle

Published

2 years ago

October 19, 2022

Oregon legislators defer vote on hostile workplace complaint against Kotek – Oregon Capital Chronicle

An Oregon legislative committee declined to rule Wednesday on whether or not Democratic nominee for governor Tina Kotek created a hostile work atmosphere when she was speaker of the Oregon Home.

An unbiased investigation into allegations that Kotek threatened and bullied former state Rep. Diego Hernandez discovered inadequate proof. Wednesday’s listening to of the Home Conduct Committee was supposed to listen to testimony from Hernandez and witnesses and resolve whether or not to simply accept the report’s findings. Legislators postponed the choice to an unscheduled future assembly, saying they didn’t have sufficient time.

Hernandez, additionally a Democrat, alleged that Kotek threatened his private livelihood, profession and payments as a result of he didn’t vote along with her on 2019 laws slicing worker advantages.

This type of dialog might be inappropriate in one other office, however that is the Legislature and it’s not a traditional office.

– Stoel Rives legal professional Melissa Healy

Melissa Healy, an legal professional with Portland-based Stoel Rives employed to conduct the investigation, discovered that Hernandez’s account was in all probability proper – however that it didn’t imply Kotek broke legislative guidelines.

“This type of dialog might be inappropriate in one other office, however that is the Legislature and it’s not a traditional office,” Healy stated.

Hernandez instructed the committee that Healy’s conclusion units a harmful precedent – that it’s OK for individuals to really feel unsafe, bullied, afraid and managed at work as a result of they work in politics.

“The investigator with this report is making an attempt to normalize as a part of the legislative office tradition that management is allowed to make use of bullying threats, intimidation, yelling, outbursts and rage so as to get you to adapt to her rule as a result of the principles that they wrote for themselves give them that energy,” he stated.

The assembly was held the day county clerks started mailing ballots to voters, who will resolve over the subsequent three weeks whether or not to elect Kotek to the state’s prime job. Her Republican opponent, Christine Drazan, has featured headlines in regards to the grievance in marketing campaign adverts.

Committee members heard from Hernandez and three witnesses on his behalf: two former state representatives and a present state senator. Kotek didn’t communicate to the committee, however she despatched an e mail to committee chairs in early October asking it to affirm the investigator’s findings.

“This report is lengthy overdue, however I’m happy by the clear conclusion that these had been baseless accusations,” Kotek wrote.

She urged lawmakers to think about reforms to forestall legislators from politicizing the grievance course of. Hernandez filed his grievance in January 2021, 20 months after that vote. When he filed the grievance, an investigator wanting into a number of allegations of sexual misconduct towards Hernandez had simply concluded that Hernandez created a hostile work atmosphere for girls.

“His grievance towards me was a blatant try to distract individuals from his personal dangerous conduct, and it undermines the true aim of the Conduct Committee, which is to make the Capitol a secure and welcoming place for everybody to work,” Kotek wrote.

‘Bodily signs of ache’

An emotional Hernandez instructed the committee that stress from working underneath Kotek took a toll on his physique. He stated he was rushed to the hospital with gallstones he attributes to his stress, and he has been recognized with advanced post-traumatic stress dysfunction, an anxiousness dysfunction that stems from repeated trauma.

“I had bodily signs of ache, sweating and nausea,” he stated. “I had panic assaults and anxiousness, I had issue concentrating on each day duties. I felt emotionally numb, like I used to be free falling. I wasn’t sleeping. I had bother sustaining private relationships, and it was arduous to have a look at the longer term and see hope for me.”

He tried suicide over the summer season, Willamette Week reported, and Healy didn’t end her report till every week after Hernandez instructed her of that try. Former state Rep. Brian Clem, who spoke to the committee on Hernandez’s behalf, confirmed the try.

Hernandez additionally submitted written testimony, together with screenshots of texts and emails. He requested that it’s shared with the general public, however legislative employees declined to put up it, saying redactions could also be wanted.

Clem, a Democrat who represented Salem till December 2021, instructed legislators he was nervous to speak to them. He video-called in from South Korea, the place he stated he’s engaged on a mission that would convey a whole bunch of jobs to Oregon – if the state’s subsequent governor approves permits.

Clem advocated for ending the investigation properly earlier than the upcoming election. He stated he didn’t like Hernandez after they began working collectively, however they labored intently and he witnessed Hernandez battling melancholy. Clem additionally urged one of many girls who alleged inappropriate conduct by Hernandez to report that conduct, and he stated buddies have to carry one another accountable.

The notion that the Legislature isn’t an everyday office for legislators just isn’t OK. You might be people too. You deserve the protections.

– Former state Rep. Brian Clem

He instructed legislators that they need to have the ability to vote as they really feel is correct for his or her constituents with out retaliation.

“The notion that the Legislature isn’t an everyday office for legislators just isn’t OK,” he stated. “You might be people too. You deserve the protections.”

Matt Wand, a former Republican legislator who served one time period from 2011-13, instructed the committee he has identified Hernandez since Hernandez was a youngster. The 2 had a falling-out over political variations years in the past, and Wand acquired again in contact after studying about Hernandez within the newspaper, he stated.

Wand stated Kotek crossed a line by threatening Hernandez’s profession. Legislators can horse-trade over payments, Wand stated, however they shouldn’t threaten one another’s private lives.

“The Home underneath Speaker Kotek’s management was damaged,” Wand stated. “It was poisonous. And all people knew it.”

Sen. Dallas Heard, R-Roseburg, stated he and Hernandez couldn’t be extra completely different on paper: Hernandez is Latino, from city Portland and has been known as far-left; Heard is a white man from rural Oregon and has been known as far-right. However they grew to become buddies, and Heard stated he was shocked when he walked in on Kotek berating Hernandez.

“I noticed my former colleague, Consultant Diego Hernandez, go from being a spirited, loving, great champion for the little individuals, the underrepresented, the political minority, to nonetheless being a loving, caring good particular person however somebody who may be very damaged, and I can share in a whole lot of the identical anxieties,” Heard stated.

And in a letter to the committee, state Rep. Janelle Bynum, D-Clackamas, expressed dismay that data from her interviews with investigators weren’t included within the remaining report.

“If for some purpose that data was misplaced or omitted, I really feel comfy asserting that our system has failed us,” Bynum wrote. “We’ve got failed in our aspirations to create a productive lawmaking atmosphere centered on democracy and inclusion.”

She stated she was most troubled by the lengthy delay: legislative guidelines say investigations needs to be accomplished inside 84 days, whereas Hernandez has been ready almost two years. Healy attributed these delays to witness availability, saying that at instances it felt like individuals weren’t considering talking along with her.

Rep. Raquel Moore-Inexperienced, R-Salem and the committee’s performing co-chair, questioned whether or not Healy or Stoel Rives had any conflicts of curiosity with Kotek. Stoel Rives made $2,500 to all three candidates within the governor’s race.

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Oregon

Takeaways: still positives for Penn State basketball despite the loss to Oregon

Published

3 hours ago

January 13, 2025

Press Room

Takeaways: still positives for Penn State basketball despite the loss to Oregon

Penn State basketball lost a game it should have won. That is where this conversation starts.

The Nittany Lions (12-5, 2-4 Big Ten) were up eight points on No. 15 Oregon with (15-2, 4-2) 5:41 left in the second half, but poor defensive execution allowed the Ducks to steal won on the road and win 82-81. Mike Rhoades didn’t mince words after the game either as he described the final stretch.

“We choked down the stretch,” Rhoades said after the game, “We talked about being solid on defense and we weren’t – we gave up two 3-pointers. We talked about taking care of the basketball; we had two turnovers that led to baskets.

“Credit to Oregon. They did not falter down the stretch, and they’re really, really good. But that was a game we could have won but we didn’t.”

The optics also aren’t good seeing as Penn State has lost three conference games in a row after a promising start to the season.

Frustration is warranted and doubts are understandable. But there are some clear positives Penn State can take from the game against the Ducks and it can hopefully be the start of something better going forward.

No Ace up their sleeve: Nittany Lions make it work without Ace Baldwin

If any team had to go against a top-25 opponent without its best player, the odds would not be favorable, especially when that player is a ball-dominant facilitator like Baldwin, who missed the game while recovering from a back injury.

But after struggling against Oregon’s defense in the first half, Penn State found its offensive rhythm in the second, outscoring the Ducks 47-41 over the final 20 minutes with more players being involved on a possession-by-possession basis. Don’t forget that Baldwin’s a near 14-point scorer in a game where his team lost by one. Even if he didn’t score like he usually does, the gravity would’ve helped immensely.

Also remember that Baldwin isn’t just an offensive hub, he’s also their best perimeter defender. Had he played Sunday afternoon, he likely draws the assignment on the red-hot Jackson Shelstad, who was Oregon’s leading scorer.

For his team to perform well without Baldwin, Rhoades has to feel confident about this group and how they’ll continue to grow with experience until they get Baldwin back.

Penn State’s 3-point shooting made a comeback

If Penn State had shot the ball how it did the previous two games, there was no way the Nittany Lions would’ve managed to come back. But they shot 36% (7-for-19) on 3-pointers Sunday afternoon, the most since they made 11 against Coppin St. and the best percentage since they shot 39% against Rutgers in early December.

The team is best when it gets to the rim, but to continue doing that, they need spacing to open lanes for Nick Kern and Puff Johnson to drive, and for Yanic Konan Niederhauser to operate in the post. And it wasn’t as if Penn State was taking ill-advised shots; the open ones simply weren’t falling. Hopefully this is the game that gets the shooting back on track, because they need it.

Freddie Dilione V’s breakout game

Entering Sunday, Dilione averaged 11 points per game in Big Ten competition, and after he had a quiet six points against Illinois, it stood to reason that he would bounce back.

“He’s getting more mature,” Rhoades said about Dilione. “Freddie’s biggest thing is to just keep growing and maturing, understanding the game and being a student of the game. When you play and have coaches that are investing in you, what happens? You start having success.”

It paid off in a big way as Dilione had a game-high 21 points on 4-for-6 shooting on 3-pointers. The sophomore guard downplayed his career-high because of the team result, but a performance like that has to give him confidence.

Moreover, he could possibly blossom into the secondary shooter Penn State needs opposite Zach Hicks. Does this mean Dilione will suddenly become a consistent 20-point scorer who shoots 66% from deep? Not at all, but another perimeter scoring threat who can realistically get into the mid-30s with his 3-point percentage would open up the offense for everyone.

The Nittany Lions need something positive to carry into their road game against Nationally-ranked Michigan State Wednesday night; they have that as they get deeper into conference play.

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Oregon

Arizona State Lands Transfer Portal Lineman My’Keil Gardner From Oregon Ducks

Published

14 hours ago

January 12, 2025

Press Room

Arizona State Lands Transfer Portal Lineman My’Keil Gardner From Oregon Ducks

Another Oregon Ducks transfer has found a new home in the portal as the 2024 college football season comes closer to an end.

Per reports from On3’s Pete Nakos, the Arizona State Sun Devils have landed a commitment and ensuing signature from Oregon defensive lineman transfer My’Keil Gardner. He entered the portal on Thursday and will have four years of eligibility left.

Gardner posted one total tackle in three games last year as a freshman but did not record a statistic with the Ducks in 2024 after sitting the entire campaign due to an undisclosed injury.

Nov 18, 2023; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Oregon Ducks defensive lineman My’Keil Gardner (93) against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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Originally a three-star recruit in the 2023 class out of Liberty High School in Peoria, AZ, Gardner received offers from programs like Texas, USC, Washington State, UCLA, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin, Colorado State, Arizona State, Colorado, Iowa State, Nebraska and many more.

He took official visits to Michigan, Texas, Wisconsin, Cal and Oregon before committing to the Ducks on Aug. 3, 2022.

Gardner is now the seventh Oregon transfer to commit out of the portal since it opened last month. He joins safety Tyler Turner (Baylor), quarterback Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele (Cal), cornerback Khamari Terrell (Texas State), offensive tackle JacQawn McRoy (Arkansas), edge rushers Jaxson Jones (Utah), Emar’rion Winston (Baylor) and Jaeden Moore (Pitt) and receiver Ryan Pellum (undecided) as Oregon players that have entered the portal this offseason.

Despite the departures, the Ducks have also made some portal additions in running back Makhi Hughes (Tulane), receiver Malik Benson (Florida State), offensive tackle Isaiah World (Nevada), defensive lineman Bear Alexander (USC), cornerback Theran Johnson (Northwestern), safety Dillon Thieneman (Purdue), offensive lineman Alex Harkey (Texas State) and tight end Jamari Johnson (Louisville).

Jan 1, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Oregon Ducks defensive lineman My’Keil Gardner (93) against the Liberty Flames during the 2024 Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Gardner will now head to Tempe, where the Sun Devils are coming off one of the best seasons in program history. Under head coach Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State finished the year with an 11-3 record that was highlighted by winning a Big 12 Championship and earning a berth in the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff. However, the Sun Devils’ season ended in heartbreak with a 39-31 double-overtime loss to the Texas Longhorns in the CFP quarterfinals at the Peach Bowl on New Year’s Day.

Oregon coach Dan Lanning talked about the talent out of the state of Arizona before the Ducks played in last year’s Fiesta Bowl, a game Gardner saw action in. Now, he’s headed back to his home state.

“There’s great football here in Arizona and I think it’s only getting better. There are certainly some great players who play here in Arizona. We want to be able to come to the state of Arizona and get the best players consistently. Having games like this gives us that opportunity,” Lanning said.

MORE: Why Oregon Ducks 5-Star Quarterback Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele Entering Transfer Portal

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MORE: Five-Star Recruit Elbert Hill Visiting Oregon Ducks, Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan

MORE: Oregon Ducks’ Tez Johnson Declares For NFL Draft: Thanks Biological, Adopted Family

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Oregon

Here are Oregon’s fastest-growing jobs and what they pay

Published

1 day ago

January 12, 2025

Press Room

Here are Oregon’s fastest-growing jobs and what they pay

State economists expect Oregon will add 170,000 jobs over the next several years, bolstered by strong growth in the construction and health care industries.

The pace of job growth is slowing, though, as the state’s population ages, the post-pandemic labor boom recedes and as migration into Oregon settles into a slower pace. The Oregon Employment Department’s latest forecast anticipates just 8% more jobs during the coming decade, down from prior 10-year forecasts that predicted employment would grow by as much as 13%.

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