Posted inFamily

From fifty-eight years to one month old–in two hours

I flew from Portland to Hollywood yesterday to see my (one and only) granddaughter for the first time. The plane trip took two hours. Along the way I lost a lot of years. All the way down to Evelyn's age--one month. Maybe not in rock solid reality, since I'm still able to put up a blog post on an unfamiliar computer, and Evelyn doesn't do much but sleep, cry, poop, pee, eat, and look around in an unfocused fashion. Still, we've got a lot in common. Don't you see the resemblance? This grandfather can. In his "the circle of life…
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Posted inSalem

Salem’s Sustainable Fairview looks less Green now

My wife and I were early investors in Sustainable Fairview Associates (SFA), the group that took over the 275 acre former Fairview Training Center property. We had high hopes that a model sustainable community would sprout in Salem—which sorely needs some Green pizzazz to offset this not-so-fair city's deservedly bland image. As I said in my "We check out of Sustainable Fairview" post, about a year ago we sold our shares after a bittersweet and often frustrating relationship with the management of SFA. Nonetheless, we still had high hopes for the 246 remaining acres (one chunk was sold to Pringle…
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Posted inMeasure 37

Wise analysis of HB 3540, the Measure 37 fix

I hate Measure 37. Other people love it. In between love and hate is where most Oregonians are, according to Richard van Pelt. He's a Friends of Marion County activist who likely has forgotten more about Oregon's land use policies than I know now. Yesterday he sent me a thoughtful email about the Measure 37 reform effort embodied in HB 3540, which has passed the House and is to be considered soon by the Senate. Richard had read a comment I'd left on Russell Sadler's Blue Oregon post: "The M37 clock is ticking. Extend it while we debate it." [second…
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Posted inHome life

Her owners went to Maui, and all Serena got was a pampered dog boarding

Jet lag has been melatonin'd away. Scarily tall grass has been cut. Piled up mail has been sorted to manageable proportions. It's time for a Maui vacation post-mortem. First, and most importantly, I know that somewhere in the blogosphere there's a number of people—maybe as many as two or three, if I count relatives—who are deeply concerned about how Serena the Wonder Dog made it through eleven days at the Shaggy Dog Kennel in Dallas. Oregon, not Texas. However, it still is about a half hour drive each way, since we live in Salem. We take Serena all the way…
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Posted inMeasure 37

Time-out needed on Measure 37 subdivisions

The Oregon House of Representatives took a first step toward fixing Measure 37 today. Reform legislation will be sent on to the voters via a ballot referral, with voting to take place in September or November. But it's not enough. A hold, or "time-out," needs to be placed on Measure 37 subdivisions to prevent a lot of damage from occurring between now and the vote. My wife and I know whereof we speak. Along with several dozen neighbors, we've been fighting Leroy Laack's plan to put 43 homes and 43 wells on nearby groundwater limited farmland. Today we got some…
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Posted inMeasure 37

Measure 37 smackdown–I call legislators “chicken!”

Oh, yeah. It's Land Use Reform Raw. I've made the call out in an AP story about Measure 37, "Democrats want voters to take another stab at Oregon land use law." The final two paragraphs: But the prospect of an endless barrage of TV, radio and newspaper adds, pitting entrenched interest groups against each other, is frustrating for some. Brian Hines, a retired property owner in Salem said he was disappointed lawmakers couldn't come up with a solution. "I think that's pretty chicken," Hines said of Oregon lawmakers decision to send the property rights reforms back to voters. "It will…
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Posted inSustainability

Maui overdevelopment makes for sad sights

We love to visit Maui. Just as we love Oregon, our home. So it's sad to see overdevelopment trashing the livability of both beautiful places. Measure 37, which seriously watered down Oregon's land use laws, is causing subdivisions to sprout on irreplaceable farm and forest land. I don't know what Maui's problem is--basic greed and complacency, I suppose. Maybe when you live here, it's like the old "boiling a frog alive" metaphor. Development occurs so slowly and steadily, you get used to it, not noticing how hot the overdevelopment water is becoming. My wife and I notice, since we only…
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Posted inMeasure 37

Democrats fail Oregon with Measure 37 meltdown

So close. Yet so far. Word is that a single Democratic House member, who will remain nameless because so many would like to strangle him right now, refused to vote for a genuine Measure 37 fix. [Update: He's no longer nameless, thanks to Peter Bray's post. It was an open secret, anyway.] Thus yesterday, as I predicted, Republicans and Oregonians in Action were handed a major victory without having to fire a shot. At the very least, the Joint Land Use Fairness Committee should have passed the proposed Measure 37 reform bill so every legislator would have to vote up…
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Posted inMeasure 37

Dems poised to fail on Measure 37 fix. I’m bummed.

This is serious. We're on a Hawaii vacation and Measure 37 is meddling with my Maui mellow. It looks like back home in Oregon the Land Use Fairness Committee (six Democrats, four Republicans) is about to bail out on fixing this environmental, social, and economic land use disaster. In fact, given the three hour time difference between Napili Bay and Salem, they may already have done the gutless deed. If not, I'm pleased to offer in advance an outrage retraction—but given all the signs to the contrary, I'm going to vent my current frustration so I can move my psyche…
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Posted inUncategorized

Struggling through our Maui vacation

Just because we're on Maui doesn't mean we're not having troubles. So those of you still back in moist, cool Oregon (or anywhere else other than Napili Bay), don't be envious of us. Consider what we're putting up with. --Sweating through the Hawaiian Airlines luggage weigh in. Well, this applied to Laurel, not me. She always pushes the 50 pound limit, both coming and going. I have to travel lighter, because I know that when it comes time to pack for our trip home I'm going to be handed a bunch of women's t-shirts, sweatshirts, and other assorted clothing items…
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Posted inMeasure 37

Are Dems going to bail on Measure 37 fix?

Come on, Democrats in the Oregon legislature, this is the time to show you've got some big cojones. (Yes, you too, female legislators.) There are disturbing signs that the ten-member joint Committee on Land Use Fairness, which has six Democrats, may wuss out on the sort of Measure 37 fix that Oregonians are calling for. A recent poll found that more than two-thirds of voters either want to fix what they see as significant flaws in Measure 37 or believe that it should be repealed entirely. Today the state's largest newspaper, the Oregonian, ran a lead editorial titled "Find the…
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Posted inMeasure 37

Measure 37 claimants, read this

I hope some of those who've applied for waivers of Oregon's land use laws under Measure 37 will read this post. I've listened to many of you testify at the legislature's Land Use Fairness Committee hearings. We've passed each other in the hall, you with your white and red "I (heart) Measure 37" sticker, me with my green "Fix Measure 37." You probably feel misunderstood and put upon. Well, so do I. You can't understand why people like me don't want you to be able to develop your property in the way that was allowed when you acquired it. I…
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Posted inMeasure 37

Measure 37 die-hards lack sense of irony

Yesterday Laurel and I sat through the entire three hour Land Use Fairness Committee hearing at the capitol. Though we got there 70 minutes early, and dutifully wound our way through the airport-screening-like line to sign up to testify, about seventy people got there before us. Only the first 50 or so were granted entry to Hearing Room B, where the committee held forth. We found our way to one of the auxiliary rooms, where a large screen projected the proceedings in sort of a Big Brotherish fashion. No doubt most of the Measure 37 faithful, distinguished by "I (heart)…
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Posted inCurrent affairs

Virginia Tech shootings highlight nation’s self-absorption

Yes, it's a tragedy. Thirty-three people dead, including the gunman. But in Iraq, this number of killings would be a good day. And in Darfur, a miracle to have only that many lives lost on a Monday in April. Listening to the radio in my car this afternoon, I heard a reporter say that decades from now, the Virginia Tech tragedy would still be on the minds of Americans. I doubt it. And also, I hope not. There are many more important things to be focusing on than a massacre by one crazed man. Like the thousands of people being…
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Posted inFamily

I become a grandfather. And dig up a septic tank.

Grandpa Brian. A new aspect of my persona, thanks to Evelyn Elizabeth Vos. She was born Thursday to my daughter Celeste and her hubby, Patrick. And their first "child," who looks like a feline plot is in the making. I'd keep the cat away from the baby for a while, Celeste and Patrick, until you know what's going on in that furry head (as if you ever will). Speaking of furry heads, Evelyn looks a lot like Celeste did when she was born: hirsute. People said Celeste looked like an Eskimo, though I'm pretty sure nobody who said that had…
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Posted inMeasure 37

Oregonians in Action wants to hijack “Fix Measure 37” rally

Geez, Oregonians in Action, can't you organize your own pro Measure 37 "Pave over Oregon!" rally? Not only do you want to trample on the rights of citizens to enjoy a sprawl-free, water-plentiful, farm-friendly state, you also want to disrupt the Rally for Oregon that's been organized by Jim Gilbert and his Fix Measure 37 crew. It'll be held on the steps of the capitol in Salem next Saturday, April 14, from 10-2. Here's a rally flyer: Download measure_37_rally_poster.pdf Oregonians in Action, which brought us the disaster of Measure 37, is calling on their supporters to hijack the rally. We…
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Posted inSalem

Salem developer trashes large trees. Again.

George Suniga, a Salem (Oregon) developer, has this thing about beautiful large trees. He loves to cut them down. With or without a permit. Here's his latest piece of work. Until a few days ago these marvelous oaks were some of the few trees left on Suniga's Waln Creek Estates subdivision. My wife and I drive past the property just about every day. And for many years we had the Oregonian delivered to a paper box on the corner of Holder Lane and Liberty Road (we live too far out in the country for home delivery). So I got to…
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Posted inCurrent affairs

Why have a public hearing if you don’t want to hear the public?

Memo to Oregon legislators: if you invite the public to testify at a hearing, be willing to hear them. Especially if they've driven several hours to attend an 8:00 am session on SB 30, a bill that would protect the fragile Metolius River basin from two large destination resorts. That's what happened last Thursday. The public got stiffed, while government officials and real estate developers got to talk…and talk…and talk some more. I was there, one of the non-testifiers. Like several dozen other people who wanted a couple of minutes in front of the Education and General Government Committee, chaired…
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Posted inHome life

Easter infringes on my religious freedom

Class-action attorneys, I'm waiting for your emails. I'm a representative of a significant Easter-oppressed group: non-Christians who worship Sunday gadget shopping and latte sipping. My "religion," though which I derive deep meaning and satisfaction, may be non-traditional. But I should be free to practice it without interference. And today, I can't. Thumbing through the Sunday paper ads, I just realized that Best Buy is closed today. Outrageous! I woke up this morning filled with a gloriously uplifting thought: "In a few hours I'll rejoice in the buying of a new high-tech wall phone that we need for our soon-to-be-remodeled kitchen."…
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Posted inCurrent affairs

Air America needs to dump Randi Rhodes

I've already argued persuasively that Randi Rhodes is an embarrassment to progressives. Now I'm running out of adjectives. What's worse than "embarrassment"? Words fail me. Yesterday I opted to test my teeth-gritting ability and tuned to Portland's Air America station, KPOJ, while she was on. I heard some amazing news: Dick Cheney said they have lawyers looking into whether the 22nd Amendment is inoperative, and George Bush could run for a third term. Wow! What a scoop. That was the first I'd heard about this astounding revelation. Rhodes went on to express her outrage about how the administration was set…
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