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Wednesday, January 11, 2023
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Serving Columbia County since 1881
Governor Tina Kotek sworn into office WILL LOHRE Country Media, Inc.
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overnor Tina Kotek took office Monday, Jan. 9, reciting the Oath of Office in a swearing-in ceremony before the Oregon Senate and House of Representatives at the state capitol building in Salem. In her speech to the joint assembly, she expressed a desire to address issues with housing, behavioral health and addiction, and education. Kotek began by acknowledging that this election cycle had the highest voter turnout in the state’s history. Though Kotek was elected as a Democrat, she emphasized the need to serve all Oregon’s people, regardless of political affiliation. “Governing is about serving Oregonians. All Oregonians. And I have heard from people loud and clear the status quo is not working, and for many Oregonians, it has never worked,” Kotek said. “I believe that for most of us, this is not a partisan issue or, frankly, a criticism of any one leader. This concern transcends party lines, and county lines, and cultural divides.” Homelessness state of emergency In her speech, Kotek declared a state of emergency regarding homelessness in Oregon and announced an executive order to establish a housing production tar-
get of more than 36,000 new homes per year. “I am declaring a homelessness state of emergency. Our state’s response must meet the urgency of the humanitarian crisis we are facing,” Kotek said. Kotek proposes a $130 million investment to help “at least another 1,200 Oregonians” move off the streets within a year. State legislators, who were also sworn in on Monday, still need to approve this spending. Kotek urged legislators to take up this package as soon as possible. This package would be just the first step in what Kotek labeled a “comprehensive housing and homeless package.” Strengthening community ties Kotek also invoked the message of Republican Governor Vic Atiyeh, who decided to visit each Oregon county to strengthen connections between Oregonians across the state and the government. Before the joint assembly, Kotek vowed to visit each Oregon county so she can listen to the issues the people have directly from the source. “We can only deliver results on our complex problems by listening, digging into the details, and forming solutions together, and by advocating for better results at every level of government. That’s why I pledge to visit every county in Oregon within my first year of office,” Kotek said.
Courtesy photo
Tina Kotek takes the Oath of Office as Oregon’s Governor during her inauguration.
State accountability In Kotek’s final major point, she promised to make state agencies more accountable in the coming years. This week, Kotek said she would deliver a “new set of expectations” to leaders of state agencies. She emphasized the need for better customer service. “That means being more efficient, more effective, and creating systems that will empower the
state’s 42,000 public servants to deliver for Oregonians. So many state employees are working incredibly hard to do their jobs but struggle because of unnecessary bureaucratic barriers or outdated systems that do not meet the challenges of the day,” Kotek said. Kotek takes over the governorship from Democratic Governor Kate Brown, who could not run for reelection due to term limits. Brown became governor in 2015 and dealt with various crises, including the
COVID-19 pandemic and rampant fires across Oregon. Kotek is the third female governor of Oregon and joins newly elected Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey as the first lesbian governor in United States history. In addition to Governor Kotek’s inauguration, the legislature also reelected Corvallis Democrat Dan Rayfield as House Speaker, and Rob Wagner, a Democrat from Lake Oswego, was elected Senate President.
County elected officials take Oath of Office STAFF REPORT Country Media, Inc.
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Courtesy photo
Pictured left to right, Columbia County Judge Michael Clarke, Commissioner Kellie Jo Smith, County Clerk Debbie Klug, Sheriff Brian Pixley, and County Assessor Andrea Jurkiewicz.
he four Columbia County officials who were elected in the November General Election are now officially in office. Columbia County Judge Michael Clarke swore in the four officials Tuesday, Jan. 3 during a ceremony in St. Helens. Columbia County Commissioner Kellie Jo Smith was elected for her first term to Position 1. A third-generation resident of Columbia County, she has more than a decade of public service experience. Smith is a business owner, school board member, and a previous reserve deputy sheriff. Smith said as a county commissioner, her focus will be connecting communities, economic growth, public safety, creating opportunities for youth, and protecting civil rights and liberties. “I am grateful to the citizens of Columbia County for giving me this opportunity,” Smith said. “I will maintain open lines of communication and continue to foster, support, and advocate for our community and
its residents.” Debbie Klug was elected for her first full term as Columbia County Clerk. Appointed as the County Clerk in July 2021, following the passing of longtime clerk Betty Huser, Klug has been a part of the Columbia County Clerk’s Office for more than 16 years. Andrea Jurkiewicz was elected for her first full term as Columbia County Assessor. She originally joined the County Assessor’s Office in 2005 and was appointed to the County Assessor’s role in July 2021. Brian Pixley retained his position as Columbia County Sheriff, now servig his second term. He began his career with the sheriff’s office in 2003 and has amassed nearly 20 years of local law enforcement experience. Pixley said he is committed to protecting, serving, and strengthening the community. “It is truly an honor to serve as Columbia County’s Sheriff,” Pixley said. “I will continue identifying ways to increase public trust, build goodwill, and ensure that your property and rights are protected.” For more information, contact Columbia County at 503-397-7210.
Utilities watchful for attacks on power grid systems WILL LOHRE Country Media, Inc.
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n the past two months, utility providers in Oregon and Washington have experienced deliberate attacks on substations within their power grids.
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There were incidents in the Puget Sound area, Clackamas, Oregon, Eastern Washington, and others. By the numbers
Doug Johnson is a media spokesperson for Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) and detailed that they and other utility providers have seen an uptick in incidents since November. “We’ve had multiple utilities in the Northwest experience attacks, and there have been about 20 such events since late November,” Johnson said. While Johnson said that the rise in attacks may not be a “trend” yet, the current volume of incidents is a departure from the norm. The most significant attack that BPA experienced was on Thanksgiving Day in Clackamas, OR. While the attack did not cause substantial damage to the power grid, Johnson warned of the potential dangers of these attacks. “When people are able to turn off the lights and stop the electricity from flowing when this happens, people in the general public are affected,” Johnson said. “Streetlights don’t work. Medical devices can’t work for people that need them at home. The lights are out, so the potential for serious injury, even
death, is incredibly escalated when something like this happens.” With these attacks seemingly on the rise, utility providers are closely guarding details about the specific nature of the episodes to prevent potential assailants from having a “roadmap” for future incidents.
We would hope that individuals who live near, work near, or are doing anything recreational near an electric substation, if they see something suspicious, report it. ~ Doug Johnson, BPA Metro Creative Connection
Law enforcement and local PUDs
Attacks on power grid systems in Oregon and across the Northwest have increased since November.
According to Columbia County Sheriff Brian Pixley, there have not yet been any attacks on substations within Columbia County. “We haven’t had attacks on any of our substations,” Kyle Boggs, Columbia River PUD Community and Public Relations spokesman who told The Chronicle. “The only
thing I might add is to request that if your readers see something suspicious, to let us know.” The Chronicle also checked with Sarah Johnson, the Customer Relations and Service Manager for Clatskanie PUD. “It is concerning to see what’s happening to some of the other
utilities; luckily, we have not had any attacks on our substations,” Sarah Johnson said. “But we have reevaluated and updated some security measures and things, I wouldn’t really want to go into
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