Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 32
Democrats struggled in reliably blue states in the November election – and nationally, Republicans made solid gains. From the Presidential election, US Congressional races, and statewide elections, Republican candidates outperformed their Democratic opponents across the country. In states like California and New York, longtime bastions for liberals, Republicans gained seats in state houses. But in Oregon, Democrats not only held the line, but regained supermajorities in the H...
SALEM, OR – Representative Greg Smith (R-Heppner) is pleased to welcome Calvin Bennett to his legislative team. Bennett succeeds Dawson Quinton, who served in Representative Smith's office for three and a half years. Bennett will continue in Mr. Quinton's footsteps by playing a crucial role in shaping legislative priorities and working on key initiatives for District 57. Calvin Bennett graduated from Mitchell High School and Eastern Oregon University (EOU). While at EOU, B...
Jeremiah Holmes wins election for Wheeler Co. Sheriff Wheeler County Deputy Sheriff, Sgt. Jeremiah Holmes, has been elected Sheriff of Wheeler County. Sgt. Holmes received 76.9% of the vote over Undersheriff Mitch Elliott, who received 16.8% respectfully. With nearly 77% of the vote, Holmes outperformed other local, state, and federal candidates in the 2024 election – with the exception of those who ran unopposed. Sgt. Holmes joined the Wheeler County Sheriff's Office in 2...
State Rep. Jeff Helfrich will not seek reelection as minority leader in the Oregon House. The Hood River Republican, who represents the 52nd House District in the Columbia River Gorge and Mount Hood, made the announcement late Monday in a news release, indicating he wants to spend more time with his family. "This week, as I laid my father to rest, I found myself contemplating what truly matters in life. For me, it's the unwavering love of family," Helfrich said. Helfrich, a...
WASHINGTON, D.C. - On October 9, Subcommittee on Natural Resources Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries Chairman Cliff Bentz joined Congresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05) in her district to open a Subcommittee hearing titled, 'It All Depends on Water: Examining Efforts to Improve and Protect Central Oregon's Water Supply.' The hearing emphasized the need to protect water resources, address water shortages for farmers and ranchers in Central Oregon and across the country and...
SALEM, OR - House Republican Leader Jeff Helfrich (R-Hood River) and state Representatives Ed Diehl (R-Stayton) and E. Werner Reschke (R-Klamath Falls) are calling for legislative action to improve wildfire prevention and suppression efforts next session. Oregon has recently experienced severe wildfires, covering over 1.5 million acres - the largest area in the United States. "Lives, property, and livestock are lost when fires ravage our state. This is the direct consequence...
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden will be in Condon this Sunday, August 25 to meet with constituents. Senator Wyden is coming from the Democratic National Convention and will also make a stop in Enterprise on August 24th. Recently, Senator Wyden has been working on several issues that could impact the region – particularly on support for those impacted by wildfires. In addition, Sen. Wyden has been working across the aisle with Senator Mike Crapo to take on pharmacy benefit managers, m...
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley announced today he will be holding six in-person town halls for Oregon communities in June: Coos and Curry counties on Friday, June 7; Klamath and Lake counties on Saturday, June 8; and Crook and Wheeler counties on Sunday, June 9. The events continue Merkley's 2024 town hall tour of Oregon, where he is holding a community conversation for each of the state's 36 counties. "I hold a town hall for every Oregon county every...
Cris Patnode has emerged victorious in the Primary Election for Gilliam County Judge and will be the county's next executive officer, capturing more than 61% of the vote. Patnode defeated Commissioner Leah Watkins and Condon Mayor Jim Hassing to win outright, with no need to hold a general election in the fall. Patnode, who was raised outside of Condon and now lives in Arlington, has served as the Gilliam Co. Justice of the Peace for 24 years. The Gilliam County Court is curre...
Cris Patnode has emerged victorious in the Primary Election for Gilliam County Judge and will be the county's next executive officer, capturing more than 61% of the vote. The Primary Election was held on May 21 and garnered 57% participation from registered voters. Patnode defeated Commissioner Leah Watkins and Condon Mayor Jim Hassing. By eclipsing 51% of the vote, Patnode won the election outright, with no need to hold a general election in the fall. In all three precincts,...
Matt Davis will be the next Wheeler County Commissioner. Davis won the primary election in Wheeler County, with 61.6% of the vote. By eclipsing 51%, Davis wins the election outright and will be sworn into office in January. Matt Davis is a graduate of Spray High School and later attended the University of Oregon. Davis returned to Wheeler County with his wife, Coco, and their two daughters in 2018. Davis began working as the county's Planning Director that year, but later...
Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley swept through Eastern Oregon on a three-day tour, holding townhalls in nine counties. Starting on Friday, May 17, Oregon's junior Senator started his townhall tour in Malheur County, and then went to Harney, and Grant County. On Saturday, Merkley held townhalls in Baker County, Union County, and Wallowa County. On Sunday, he met with constituents in Umatilla County, Morrow County, and in Gilliam County. At the Gronquist Building in Arlington,...
It's election season and people in the tri-county area must finalize their primary ballots and have them mailed or submitted by May 21. County Clerks in Wheeler, Gilliam, and Sherman are preparing for the primary elections and several pivotal races will determine the future of each county. In Gilliam County, voters will cast ballots for County Judge and Commissioner #2. This comes on the heels of the recall election that was held on April 30, which ousted Judge Elizbeth...
Washington, D.C. – Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley announced today he will be holding nine in-person town halls for Eastern Oregon counties in May: Malheur, Harney, and Grant counties on Friday, May 17; Baker, Union, and Wallowa counties on Saturday, May 18; and Umatilla, Morrow, and Gilliam counties on Sunday, May 19. The events continue Merkley's 2024 town hall tour of Oregon, where he is holding a community conversation for each of the state's 36 counties....
Wheeler County will hold primary elections on May 21 and ballots will be mailed out next week. The race for Wheeler County Commissioner is one of the best in the region. Three candidates with diverse experiences and who are deeply invested in Wheeler County are vying to become the next county commissioner. The three candidates are Matt Davis, Candy Humphreys, and Zach Bruce. We asked each of them five questions – here are their responses. MATT DAVIS TJ: Please tell us about y...
WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman Cliff Bentz (OR-02) has announced that on May 3rd in Minnesota, the Congressional Subcommittee of Natural Resources on Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries will convene a field hearing addressing the growing harm being done by the gray wolf to elk, deer, moose, farmers, ranchers, and outdoorsmen. This hearing will provide a platform for expert testimony on the multifaceted implications of the gray wolf surge, including its economic, ecological, and...
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Cliff Bentz, (OR-2) released the following statement regarding his vote in favor of the "The Further Consolidated Appropriations Act" (FCAA): "This was a difficult vote. There is much I dislike in this bill, but when we Republicans barely control only one of the three branches of government (House, Senate, White House), the results our team obtained after months of work and thousands of amendments are deserving of serious respect. Additionally,...
The deadline to file for Gilliam County elections is approaching. Anyone wishing to be a candidate must file with the Gilliam County Clerk by 5 PM on March 12. Residents will cast their votes for key positions that will shape the county's future. Among the contested positions is that of County Judge – a nonpartisan role with a significant six-year term. The candidates so far are: Cris Patnode, Jim Hassing, and Leah Watkins. In the nonpartisan race for County Commissioner P...
Judge Elizabeth Farrar Campbell will face her second recall and Commissioner Pat Shannon his first, after petitions were filed with the Gilliam County Clerk, Ellen Wagenaar on February 22. A committee called We the People of Gilliam County – Farrar, and We the People Gilliam County – Shannon, have filed the petitions. The chief sponsor for the recall petition against Judge Farrar Campbell is Denny Newell of Arlington (Blalock). The chief petitioner to recall Commissioner Pat S...
SALEM, OR - House Bill 4102 passed the floor of the Oregon House of Representatives this past Thurdsay. Representative Greg Smith (R-Heppner) is the legislation's Chief Sponsor and he carried the bill on the floor. Last session, HB 3409 established the Natural and Working Lands Fund. The fund will promote public private partnerships that protect the environment and rural Oregon's way of life. HB 4102 will ensure that Oregon is positioned to receive, directly into the Natural...
Three years ago, Oregon voters approved a ballot measure that would have dire consequences for the health and safety of our communities. Measure 110 may have been passed with the best intentions, but it has proven to be an abject failure. It has exacerbated the drug crisis while offering little incentive for users to seek treatment. The law does nothing to prevent public drug use on our streets. It has left us with a system that lacks the authority to hold individuals accountable for their actions, resulting in more crime...
A special election will be held for the next mayor and city council for the City of Mitchell on May 21, 2024. The deadline for filing is fast approaching, and submissions will need to be made no later than March 12, 2024. Last year, a mass resignation of city council members and the town's mayor and clerk brought the town government to a stand-still. Just one councilor remained in office and the city was unable to issue water bills or do business. Several community members...
Of the controversial ballot measures that Oregon voters have passed in recent years, perhaps few will be as influential as Measure 113. Unlike Measure 110 that decriminalized drugs and Measure 114 that put restrictions on firearms, Measure 113 was not extremely controversial. But while Measure 110 and 114 look to be struck down or replaced, Measure 113 is likely here to stay. It's impact on Oregon politics are significant. Approved in 2022, Ballot Measure 113 aimed to prevent...
Concerns over a possible restructuring of Gilliam County's government brought several people to the Gilliam County Court session in Arlington on December 20, 2023. To start the court meeting, local residents stepped forward to provide public testimony, with many under the impression that the court would vote immediately to suspend the Gilliam County Court and to restructure it into a board of commissioners. However, the court did not take up the matter of restructuring and...
CONDON, OR - Gilliam County Judge Elizabeth Farrar Campbell has announced that she will not seek re-election to a second term in 2024. "When I ran for office in 2018, I shared a clear vision for Gilliam County: promoting smart economic growth through investments in education, housing, and broadband; modernizing County government by removing judicial functions from the County Judge and building trust and co-equal partnerships with the County Commissioners; and encouraging...
