Weekday Wrap: Oregon’s embattled unemployment system, Clackamas County’s new clerk and cracking down on ‘paper captains’

Practically 3 years into the pandemic, Oregonians proceed to battle unemployment system

Early within the pandemic, the Oregon Employment Division confronted pushback for not getting impacted Oregonians their cash quick sufficient. Now, the main focus has turned to an unknown variety of Oregonians who’ve needed to search authorized cures to entry the reduction they consider they deserve. They’re suing the state’s employment division or its performing director David Gerstenfeld, or making appeals for varied causes: to lastly get unemployment claims paid, to have the cash the state needs again after mistakenly paying them forgiven, to clear up unsubstantiated fraud accusations or to receives a commission the correct quantity. (Invoice Poehler and Claire Withycombe/Salem Statesman Journal)

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Disaster line focuses on serving to Native folks in Washington

Washington’s Native and Sturdy Lifeline is the primary of its sort within the nation. This system launched Thursday and is aimed toward serving American Indian and Alaska Native folks and is operated by Volunteers of America Western Washington, one of many three 988 disaster facilities within the state. Calls will probably be answered by Native disaster counselors who’re tribal members and their descendants, in accordance with a press launch. “American Indians endure from larger charges of suicide and psychological well being crises stemming from intergenerational trauma attributable to aggressive assimilation efforts of the federal authorities and spiritual establishments,” mentioned Leonard Forsman, chairman of the Suquamish Tribe. (Nika Bartoo-Smith/The Columbian)

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U.S. Coast Guard Sector Columbia River cracks down on ‘paper captains’

Below a federal legislation known as the Jones Act, U.S.-flagged vessels have to be below the command of U.S. residents. A “paper captain” is a time period given to an American citizen who’s listed because the captain of a U.S.-flagged vessel, when in actuality a overseas nationwide masters the boat. Over the previous few years, the Coast Guard has made an effort to crack down on these “paper captains” alongside the coasts of Oregon and Washington. About $60,000 has been collected by Coast Guard Sector Columbia River from Jones Act violators over the previous three years. The enforcement chief for the sector in Warrenton mentioned he has made it “my private mission to zealously implement these legal guidelines.” (Ethan Myers/The Astorian)

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‘It’s not a job; it’s a function.’ McMullen longing for Clackamas clerk position

Clackamas County can have a brand new administrator overseeing elections and public data for the primary time in 20 years after Catherine McMullen unseated Sherry Corridor within the basic election. Corridor’s tenure as clerk started in 2003, and made headlines earlier this 12 months when an error in poll printing for Could’s main induced a several-week delay in vote tallies. McMullen has massive plans for the clerk’s workplace, from enhancing communication with the general public to starting youth applications and stepping up high quality management. McMullen additionally mentioned she would carry out marriage ceremonies, together with same-sex marriages, as clerk. Corridor stopped marrying Clackamas County {couples} in 2014 after the state legalized homosexual marriage. (Holly Bartholomew/West Linn Tidings)

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Practically 800,000 Oregonians will journey for Thanksgiving subsequent week

Regardless of the best gasoline costs ever for the vacation, about 666,000 Oregonians will drive to their Thanksgiving locations subsequent week, in accordance with AAA of Oregon and Idaho. Gasoline costs have gone down a bit in latest weeks, however in Oregon, the typical value of a gallon remains to be $4.77. That’s a few greenback greater than the nationwide common. One other 111,000 folks in Oregon will fly for the vacation weekend.

Bend and Cannon Seashore are two of the preferred Oregon locations for the vacation. At this level, the Nationwide Climate Service says each spots can have an opportunity of rain for many of subsequent week, with excessive temps staying round 50 levels. AAA reviews one of the best instances to journey subsequent week are late Wednesday evening or early Thursday morning. The worst time to journey Wednesday is from midday to eight p.m. (OPB Workers)

Funding for a group pool in John Day fails for the second time

A bond to construct a brand new pool in John Day failed for its second election cycle in a row. Based on unofficial outcomes from the Grant County Clerk’s Workplace, 78 extra folks have voted in opposition to the bond than for it. The margin is extra definitive than within the Could election. In that contest, there was a precise tie between no votes and sure votes. With no one-vote margin of victory, the bond failed. If the poll measure had handed, the native parks and recreation district would have paired a $4 million bond with a $2 million state grant to construct Grant County’s solely group pool in John Day. Town demolished the group’s earlier pool over the summer time following greater than 60 years of operation. (Antonio Sierra/OPB)