CGS36

AG joins fight to block grocery merger

JEREMY C. RUARK Cottage Grove Sentinel

The look and feel of local grocery stores, and what you pay for food, is greatly influenced by societal trends and business mergers.

Oregon Attorney General

Ellen Rosenblum has joined the Federal Trade Commission and a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general from across the nation in acting to block the proposed $24.6 billion Kroger-Albertsons grocery chain merger.

Oregon, the FTC, and the

“There’s no good for consumers or workers in this proposed merger — and lots of bad.”

Ellen Rosenblum, Oregon Attorney General

other AGs filed to enjoin the merger in U.S. District Court in Portland following a vote by FTC commissioners Feb. 26.

It is the result of thorough investigations by the FTC and the states into the

proposed merger’s anticipated effects, Rosenbaum said in a statement.

“We are doing this to protect Oregon consumers and workers,” Rosenblum said.

“We believe this proposed

merger would hurt both, and we’re doing our part to prevent it from going forward.”

BACKGROUND

Kroger and Albertsons are the nation’s two largest grocery chains. In Oregon, the two corporations operate 176 stores, serving nearly every community in the state. Kroger operates 51 Fred Meyer and 4 QFC stores, while Albertsons operates 96 Safeway and 25 Albertsons

See MERGER page 10

Pastor Jim Markus retires

Trinity Lutheran Chruch pastor steps down after two decades

here on Nov. 24, 2004.

from the position in January.

Rev. Markus is the longest-

serving pastor in the church’s 77-year history in Cottage Grove. His strong connection with his parishioners and the community is evidenced by the length of his tenure at two Pacific Northwest churches. His pastoral career began on the East Coast nearly 40 years ago. In 1986, he was ordained at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Waterbury, Conn. and served there for four years, one of those as vicar (student pastor). In 1989, he accepted the call to pastor at Mt. Olive Lutheran Church in Shelton, Wash. were he served for 15 years before his installation

Markus was born into a Lutheran family and grew up in West Seattle. He was born into the family of God at a young age.

“Just as I’ve always known the love of my parents, I have always known the love of God through the death and resurrection of His Son,” he said. “I had wonderful pastors and youth workers who modeled Christian ministry for me and helped me grow in faith and love with God’s Word.” As a 1977 graduate of Chief Sealth High School in Seattle,

it was not his intent to become a pastor. “After two years at Western Washington University, I didn’t know what I wanted to do in life. I decided to take a year off to study the Bible at the Lutheran Bible Institute in Issaquah,” he recalled. “I was sold on the LBI’s slogan, ‘Before you learn how to make a living, learn how to live.’”

He said as he grew in his understanding of God’s big plan from the Bible, one year led to two and moved him to

See PASTOR page 6

Juvenile sex abuse case concludes, Idaho man sentenced

JEREMY C. RUARK Cottage Grove Sentinel

A criminal case that began in 2017 near Cottage Grove involving juvenile sex abuse has concluded with the Feb. 26 sentencing of an Idaho man.

According to a release from the Lane County Sheriff’s Office, in late 2017, a ranger with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) contacted a teenage juvenile at an illegal camp near Sharps Creek, Cottage Grove. The juvenile told the ranger she had been living there with an adult male for months.

The camp was in disarray, according to investigators. Concerned for the juvenile’s well-being, the ranger contacted the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS). DHS had an open case involving the juvenile. She was taken into DHS custody and placed with her mother.

Due to the condition of the campsite, the adult male, Lucas Anthony Lloyd, was arrested and lodged at the Lane County Jail for Littering within 100 yards of a waterway. Lane County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) detectives began investigating.

The juvenile was interviewed by the Kids FIRST Children’s Advocacy Center. Although she appeared uncomfortable and tested positive for methamphetamine, she did not disclose any abuse.

Two years later, in 2019, the juvenile disclosed to a counselor that Lloyd had sexually abused her repetitively, according to LCSO Sgt. Tim Wallace. Lloyd was then in custody with the Idaho Department of Corrections for taking the juvenile from another state to Oregon, violating his custody agreement.

LCSO detectives interviewed Lloyd with assistance from the Idaho Department of Corrections. During the interview, Lloyd admitted to having sex with the juvenile. Investigators said the case could not be prosecuted because the juvenile had not provided a statement to law enforcement. Detectives continued following up on the case while Lloyd was still in prison.

“In 2022, the juvenile gave detectives a detailed account of how Lloyd sexually abused her and regularly provided her with methamphetamine in the Cottage Grove area,” Wallace said.

The case was presented to a Lane County Grand Jury and Lloyd was indicted.

Lloyd finished his 60-month Idaho prison sentence and was immediately transported to the Lane County Jail.

On Feb. 26, 2024, Lloyd pled guilty to one count of Rape in the First Degree,

See SENTENCE page 10

Courtesy photo from Cindy Weeldryer

Pastor Jim Markus

Longest-serving

Courtesy photo from Cindy Weeldreyer

Smoke damage can be seen on the upper portioned the upper of the business following the fire.

Fire damages local restaurant

CINDY WEELDREYER

Cottage Grove Sentinel

At 5:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 19, South Lane County Fire and Rescue (SLCFR) received a call that smoke was coming from a structure at 945 N. Gateway Boulevard in Cottage Grove. Four engines, one medic unit and two command vehicles responded. When

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Community Center, 700 E. Gibbs Ave.

Thursday 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.

■ Weekly Events

Cottage Grove/Creswell Alcoholic Anonymous

Monday 7 a.m.-8 a.m.

Upon Awakening

The Cottage Events Venue 2915 Row River Rd

Monday 6 p.m.- 7 p.m.

Cottage Group

The Cottage Events Venue 2915 Row River Rd

Monday 7 p.m.-8 p.m.

Step and Tradition Study

Creswell 380 kings Row

Tuesday 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.

Men’s Stag Meeting

Cottage Grove Community Center 700 Gibbs St

Wednesday 7p.m.-8 p.m.

Wednesday Beginner’s Group

The Cottage Events Venue 2915 Row River Rd

Rush Hour

Cottage Grove Community Center 700 Gibbs St

Thursday 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.

Women of the Grove

The Cottage Events Venue 2915 Row River Rd

Friday 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m.

Cottage Grove Gratitude Group

Calvary Baptist Church 77873 S. 6th Street

Saturday 7 p.m.-8 p.m.

Candlelight Group

Cottage Grove Community Center 700 Gibbs St

Sunday 6 p.m.-7 p.m.

New Beginnings Group

Cottage Grove Community Center 700 Gibbs St

MONDAY

Reoccurring events CG Senior Center Bingo, 12:30 pm,

The police blotter relates to the public record of incidents as reported by law enforcement agencies.

All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Information printed is preliminary and subject to change. For specific details about cases listed, contact the appropriate law enforcement agency.

After-School Kids Art Club, 3-4pm, The Crafty Mercantile, 517 E. Main St.

Bilingual Family Story Time, 6:30 pm, Library, 700 E. Gibbs Ave.

Boy Scout Troup 140, 7 pm, American Legion Hall, 826 W. Main St. (Call Karen for info: 541.942.4413)

TUESDAY

Oregon Aviation History Center, 10 am-4 pm, 2475 Jim Wright Way (near Cottage Theatre)

CG High School Taco Tuesday, 11:45am12:20pm, Riverside Church Gym, 1255 S. River Rd.

Café 60/Meals on Wheels, Noon, 700 E. Gibbs Ave.

Cottage Bowl Open Bowling, 1-9 pm, 740 Row River Road

Lutheran Church Community Dinner, 5:15-6:15 pm, 6th & Quincy Avenue

Royal Rangers, (for kids) 6:30-8 pm, Living Faith Assembly, 467 S. 10th St.

WEDNESDAY

Chair Assisted Yoga for Seniors, Wednesdays, 9-10:15am, CG Community

POLICE BLOTTER

Feb. 22 02:04: Suspicious

02:59:

07:19:

08:49:

19:50:

12:16:

13:36:

14:10:

15:35:

18:25:

11:29:

Feb.

02:05:

Feb.

13:01:

13:28:

14:39:

14:04:

16:50:

17:43:

18:01:

22:49:

firefighters arrived, they found the rear upper story of the Spice of India Restaurant was ablaze.

The building, owned by Sidhu Kajal, has a restaurant on the ground floor and a residence above. The restaurant was closed and no one was on the premises at the time of the fire.

Cause of the fire and the estimated damages were not immediately available.

Center, 700 E. Gibbs Ave.

Oregon Aviation History Center, 10 am-4 pm, 2475 Jim Wright Way (near Cottage Theatre)

Church of Christ Clothes Closet, 11 am-2 pm, 225 E. Whiteaker Ave.

Pinochle Group, 11:30 am-4 pm, Senior Center, 700 E. Gibbs Ave.

Café 60/Meals on Wheels, Noon, Community Center, 700 E. Gibbs Ave.

Elks Club Bingo & Burgers, 5:30-7 pm, 755 N. River Rd.

Wine-O-Bingo, Saginaw Vineyard, 80247 Delight Valley School Rd. A AWANA Program (for kids), 6:30-8 pm, CG Bible Church, 1200 E. Quincy Ave.

THURSDAY

Ukulele Morning Jam, 9 am, Library, 700 E. Gibbs Ave.

Oregon Aviation History Center, 10 am-4 pm, 2475 Jim Wright Way (near Cottage Theatre) T.O.P.S. Club, 9:30-11am, Delight Valley Church of Christ, 33087 E Saginaw Rd Shed Rotary Club, Noon, Stacy’s Restaurant, 401 E. Main St.

12:27:

Cottage Grove

Local WEATHER

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6

Mostly cloudy - High 47°/Low31°

THURSDAY, MARCH 7

Partly cloudy - High 48°/Low 31°

FRIDAY, MARCH 8

Partly cloudy - High 53°/Low 35°

SATURDAY, MARCH 9

Mostly cloudy - High 54°/Low 39°

SUNDAY, MARCH 10

Showers - High 51°/Low 40°

MONDAY, MARCH 11

Showers - High 49°/Low 40°

TUESDAY, MARCH 12

Showers - High 48°/Low 39°

Lane Transit changes its onboard carry-on policy

Cottage Grove Sentinel

Lane Transit District

(LTD) has adjusted its carry-on policy.

Only certain carts and items that can rest safely on a passenger’s lap are allowed on LTD buses.

Additionally, any item brought onboard must be clean, according to the new policy.

“There’s been a sharp increase in the number of wagons, oversized-carts, strollers, garbage bags and trash cans on buses.,” LTD states in a release. “These carry-ons are usually filled with an individual’s belongings, or with empty bottles and cans.”

The LTD release states that the carry-on increase has created a number of safety concerns, from

leakage to unsecured items when a bus’s brakes are applied. The additional carry-on can also take over mobility spaces, which must be kept available for other passengers.

As part of an innovative approach to this policy change, LTD officials said they are in discussions with a local non-profit to provide a mobile bottle and can recycling program.

Details about this project were pending at press time. LTD has released the following specifications for its new carry-on policy that took effect March 1.

• Wagons No wagons allowed. The aisles and doorways must remain clear so passengers can get on and off.

• Wheeled carts and totes

Two- or four-wheeled carts are allowed with the

following dimensions: not exceeding 18 inches wide or 30 inches tall, excluding wheels and handles.

• Strollers

Strollers are allowed. When a child is in the stroller, no need to collapse. Please make sure your stroller doesn’t block the aisle or doorway.

Empty strollers must be collapsed, and stored under the seats. LTD strongly

LIFE IN COTTAGE GROVE

recommends using an “umbrella” stroller, as large and double-wide strollers are difficult to maneuver on buses.

• Luggage, bags, backpacks and packages

You can bring luggage, bags, backpacks and packages on the bus, but they must be able to fit comfortably on your lap.

• Mobility devices

The device must be occupied by a passenger. Bus ramps can support a mobility device at least 30 inches wide and 48 inches long, weighing at least 600 pounds when occupied.

• Segways Segways are only allowed when being used as a mobility device due to a disability. It must, however, be turned off

when on the bus.

• Bikes On a fixed-route bus, bikes must be stored on the rack affixed to the front the bus. On an EmX bus, bikes are brought onboard and secured to the interior bike rack.

• Food and drinks

Eating is not allowed on LTD buses, but food and drinks can be on board in closed containers.

• Pets Unless it’s a service animal, pets must be kept in a secure, enclosed carrier (not a stroller or mobility device).

NEW TEXT

MESSAGING FEATURE

LTD also is offering passengers what the agency administrators describe as a new and convenient way to stay connected.

The public can now subscribe to text messages about projects, service alerts, and other news. This new feature is intended to improve the customer experience, as well as increase equity in terms of access to information.

The program is free and

subscribers can choose to receive text message alerts, email updates, or both. People can subscribe online or text 888-3118601 with the keyword of a topic for which they’d like to receive texts*: “Alerts” to receive text messages about your route, bus detours and systemwide alerts.

“News” to receive text messages about general news and updates, such as Bus Talk and Service Changes.

“Projects” to receive text messages about current LTD projects, from construction to public outreach.

Passengers can also use the online subscriber form to subscribe to alerts for a specific bus route or LTD project.

*Message and data rates may apply. SMS messages received may count towards pay-as-you-go cellular plans. Check your carrier for details.

LTD serves Lane County, including Cottage Grove, with public bus transportation. For more information, visit the agency’s website, or call 541-687-5555.

Oregon voters cynical about state government

Most support campaign finance reform

Oregon Capital Chronicle Sentinel Guest Article

Oregonians are cynical about state politics and open to government reforms including campaign finance limits and open primaries, a new report from the Oregon Values and Beliefs Center found.

The report, compiled by the nonprofit and nonpartisan center from two surveys it conducted

in late 2023, includes responses from more than 5,400 Oregonians. It comes as lawmakers and voters consider adopting proposals for new limits on campaign finance and changes to state elections and as voters in Portland prepare for their first election with a new form of city government.

It found that 49% of respondents feel their community is on the wrong track, compared to 44% who said it was headed in the right direction. Democrats and respondents with college degrees were most likely to approve of the state’s direction, while Republicans and voters with only some college

experience were more negative.

A majority of respondents – 59% – said they would prefer a bigger government that provides more services. But almost as many – 58% – said the government is almost always wasteful and inefficient. That distrust carried over into questions about elections, with 75% of respondents saying the most politically popular candidate, not the most qualified candidate wins, and 58% saying that the current electoral system produces outcomes that reflect the values and beliefs of a small group of political Oregonians, not the values and beliefs of typical Oregonians from around the state.

Pollsters also asked about support for various government reforms, finding that respondents largely supported campaign finance limits and open party primaries. Respondents remained skeptical of other ideas, including different ways of calculating an election’s winner and electing multiple candidates to represent a single district.

CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM

After years of legislative stalemates on campaign finance reform, Oregon

See VOTERS page 4

Courtesy photo from LTD

The new carry-on policy bans wagons from inside the buses.

JULIA SHUMWAY

Jeremy C. Ruark /Cottage Grove Sentinel

Daffodils sprouting up in local neighborhoods signal spring is close. The equinox happens March 19 and is the astronomical beginning of the spring season in the Northern Hemisphere and the autumn season in the Southern Hemisphere, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.

voters are facing the possibility of seeing two competing measures on the ballot in November: one backed by labor unions who typically support Democratic candidates and one supported by nonpartisan groups including the League of Women Voters. Oregon lawmakers are also considering a proposal crafted by labor groups and business organizations, House Bill 4024, with a hearing scheduled Friday afternoon.

Oregon is one of only a handful of states that don’t limit campaign contributions, leading to massive spending from a few individuals and groups.

Nike co-founder Phil Knight, for instance, spent nearly $7 million in the 2022 election cycle, while the Service Employees International Union, or SEIU, spent more than $3 million just on the governor’s race.

The Oregon Values and Beliefs Center, which is based in Portland, found that 75% of respondents agreed that the state should regulate money in political campaigns, with support growing with age. People who had lived in Oregon for longer than five years were more supportive of campaign finance limits than newcomers.

“Our top priority is to get money out of politics. It’s the only way to make things truly fair. Currently, politicians can be bought, which puts all the power in the hands of just the rich,” a nonaffiliated Wheeler County woman in her 40s or 50s told surveyors.

OPEN PRIMARIES

The majority of Oregon legislative races are decided in primaries that only registered Republicans and Democrats can vote in, even though nonaffiliated voters are the largest voting bloc in the state, five of its six congressional districts and

many legislative districts.

Supporters of opening up Oregon’s primaries started in spring 2023 to get a measure onto the ballot in 2024 after they disagreed with a ballot title written by the attorney general’s office. But they say they’ve since paused their efforts, instead looking for “more promising strategies to enfranchise voters in Oregon.”

The survey found that 63% of respondents, including a majority of both Democrats and Republicans, believe the two major parties should open their primaries. Older respondents were more likely to favor keeping the current system than young voters, who are more likely to register without a party.

The least popular alternative to the current system was a form of “top two” primary like those held in California and Washington, in which all candidates appear on a primary ballot and the two highest vote-getters move

OBITUARIES

Brett David Benhoff

August 16, 1951 - February 15, 2024

Brett David Benhoff passed away February 15, 2024 of heart failure at the age of 72.

Brett was born August 16, 1951 in Rockford, IL. His mother Eleanor (Semiche) and Father Charles Benhoff are both deceased. He served in the United States Navy during the Vietnam era on the USS Bagley as a boiler room specialist. Brett worked in fumigation/pest control in California and Oregon before his retirement. He had a love for art and music and had a large collection of vinyl albums he loved to play loud and often. When Brett lived in California, he was at the beach every weekend surfing.

The coast in Oregon is quite different from the California coast, so he took up camping, fishing, hunting, but mostly bow hunting. His truest passion later in life was riding

bikes, building and collecting them. He would polish and ride them often.

He was married to April Benhoff for 42 years and they had two sons Marc and Cody. Marc and his wife Laina blessed him with five grandchildren Marcus, Morgan, Blake, Cade and Mason. Cody and Sammi blessed him with two grandchildren, Hestia and Ryder. Brett had two brothers Bruce and Donnie, and two stepsisters Jan and Nan. Brett had a strong and bold personality and was loved by family and friends. He is and will be missed every day. So, we say goodbye one last time to Brett-Dad-Binga as you take your last ride to Heaven where we will all meet again one day.

Arrangements are in the care of Smith-Lund-Mills Funeral Chapel and Crematorium.

Dennis Fay Chapman

June 20, 1938 - February 21, 2024

Dennis Fay Chapman passed away on February 21 at home in Cottage Grove of age-related problems. He was 85. Dennis was born in Cottage Grove June 20, 1938, to parents Clare and Marion Nee Hansen Chapman. He grew up with the family on Martin Creek near Divide Oregon.

He graduated from Latham Grade School and Cottage Grove High school. He attended Oregon State University and received a bachelor’s degree in Math in 1970.

August 7, 1972 in Vancouver.

on to the general election. That can result in having both general election candidates come from the same party.

OTHER REFORMS

The majority of Oregonians surveyed said the current election system, in which the person with the most votes wins even if they don’t win over a majority of voters, should be changed. But they weren’t sure about how best to do that. Voters will see one option for changing the electoral system on their ballots in November, following a legislative referral for ranked-choice voting. Under rankedchoice voting, voters rank candidates in order of preference. If a candidate doesn’t initially receive more than 50% of the first-place rankings, the lowest-scoring candidate is removed and the voters who ranked that candidate highest will have their votes reallocated to their

Michael

Wayne Barnes

Michael Wayne Barnes, 68, of Drain, OR, passed away on February 21, 2024.

A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, March 16th at 11am at SmithLund-Mills Funeral Chapel.

second choice candidate. That continues until one candidate gets a majority.

More than a third of respondents said they supported switching to ranked-choice voting, while slightly less than a third said they would prefer a traditional runoff election, in which the top two finishers move to a second election if no one receives more than 50% of the vote.

“We need rank choice voting,” said a Democratic woman from Washington County between 65 and 74 years old. “I’m a bleeding-

heart liberal but I don’t want anyone as liberal as me in charge. I want moderate centrists to be the decisionmakers, compromising for the good of all. Rank choice voting pushes candidates to the middle – it eliminates the need to pander to the fringes (on either side).”

Oregon Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom and maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Lynne Terry for questions: info@ oregoncapitalchronicle. com.

He had worked in the family lumber business before joining the Air Force right out of high school. His hitch in the Air Force involved F 104 radar and included a tour in Taiwan. Dennis quit his job with Fairchild Semi-conductor in 1962 to join his parents and baby brother to log for Two Brother’s Lumber in Whittier, Alaska until 1966. He worked for an appliance repair firm and a concrete contractor while completing his degree work at Oregon state.

He met Elaine Agnes Thulin while she was babysitting his twin sister’s children in Vancouver, Washington They married on

He then worked in computer technology for Georgia Pacific until April 2000 and Willamette Industries before retiring to Cottage Grove in 2005. He was very active in the community after retiring. He worked tirelessly to save the Boots and Sandals building, he was a driving force in organizing Old Schoolmates dinners for many years and participated in VFW activities. He was also very active in Hebron Grange until they disbanded and then he moved to London Grange where his support will be missed. He also helped Woe in every way he could, and on Wednesday mornings the good old boys got together at the Koffee Kup. He was preceded in death by his parents and four of his siblings. He is survived by his wife Elaine, daughter Tina and son-inlaw George Branderhorst, brother Leslie (Susan), sisters-in-law Carole and Laurie and many nieces, nephews and greats.

A memorial service for the family will be held at the farm on March ninth followed by a public memorial at Smith-Lund-Mills Funeral Chapel.

Danny Ray Smith

August 3, 1950 - February 8, 2024

Danny Ray Smith; age 73, died February 8th, 2024. Born to Roy & Syble Smith of Cottage Grove, OR on August 3, 1950.

Raised in Cottage Grove, he loved traveling the US and lived in many States. Returned to Oregon in later years to care for aging father. Loved Oregon’s Mountains and Cost. His occupations involved Logging, millwork, construction, truck driving

and owned a landscaping business.

Proceeded in death by mother, father & brother Roy Smith. Survived by brother Michael Smith, three children: Tina Smith & David of Sharon Springs, NY, Tommie Thomas & Jeffery of Bainbridge, NY and Dirk Smith of NY and Eight Grandchildren: Kyra, Dustin, Dylan, BreAnna, Tristan, Tommy, Mason & Julianna, and friends.

| cgsetinel.com

541-942-3325

NEWS & VIEWS

Candidates must close Gen Z’s enthusiasm gap

SARA GUILLERMO

Sara Guillermo

season of “Love Is Blind” than voting for either Biden or Donald Trump.

There’s an enthusiasm gap about the election where Gen Z is concerned, and it has its roots in the candidates’ authenticity with this audience. The candidates can take concrete steps to overcome it, but they must do it now.

Taylor Swift may have persuaded 35,000 people to register to vote with a single Instagram post. But that happened in September.

Meanwhile, there has been a lot of water under the bridge since. About 50 percent of young voters cast a ballot in 2020, an 11 percent increase from 2016. Gen Z is about to comprise America’s biggest voting bloc, along with millennials. But right now, 75 percent of voters under 29 disapprove of the way Biden has handled the conflict in Gaza. It’s making them unenthusiastic to get out and vote.

People from different generations tell me that Gen Z needs to “get over it.” The choice between the candidates in November involves more than a single issue. But it’s dismissive of young people’s energy to think they aren’t serious about their concerns.

Young people are engaging in politics through issues. This includes the Middle East, abortion rights, climate change, mass shootings and mental health. Their concerns need to be heard, and candidates need to engage them. Gen Z cannot stand it when people take their support for granted.

Meanwhile, a new study by the dating app Hinge has introduced the idea of “digital body language” (DBL). Young people pay attention to their suitors’ message tone and message timing, it says. They’re also more likely to show interest if a suitor makes the first move.

That’s true in the dating sphere, but Gen Z is also sensitive to how they’re courted in politics. Gen Z likes their candidates to be authentic, and Gen Z has a good radar for when they are being pandered. Especially given the strength of their concerns in some areas. They must see the presidential candidates exhibit more care over their “DBL” and their policies in many areas. Democratic strategists have said Biden’s TikTok debut aimed to woo young voters. But his DBL was way off. As comedian Jon Stewart said on the “Daily Show” return the day after, Biden’s first TikTok post was cringey. He expressed a strange preference for eating Travis Kelce’s mom’s chocolate chip cookies. As Stewart said: “How do you go on TikTok and end up looking older?”

I’m not saying the battle for Gen Z’s votes on digital platforms is over, far from it. Trump’s youth enthusiasm gap could also cost him the election. Both candidates need to invest more heavily in courting Gen Z to avoid being ghosted at the ballot box.

The most important thing to note about the enthusiasm gap is not Gen Z’s fault. It’s on the candidates to engage them. There’s a myth that Gen Z is apathetic about voting. Gen Z is anything but apathetic about politics. They have strong opinions and they’re getting involved and leading on issues.

In the 2022 midterm elections, 96 percent of IGNITE participants voted. They’re fired up about America, and they want leadership that is as fired up as they are.

At the same time, their vote matters, and they don’t see it as cheap. What they want is candidates who seek to engage them with earnestness. They want candidates who make the first move with care and consideration.

If we continue to judge Gen Z and hold them at arm’s length, we can’t blame them for lacking enthusiasm about us.

Sara Guillermo is the leader of IgniteNational. org, a young women’s political empowerment organization.

Finding right solution to regulating AI in campaigns will require ongoing effort

RANDY STAPILUS

Oregon Capital Chronicle

Sentinel Guest Column

Randy Stapilus

There’s a growing and widespread consensus that artificial intelligence technology needs legal guardrails, and political ads and communications are one of the prime places lawmakers are looking to place them.

As Kathy Wai of the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office put it in recent legislative testimony: “Campaigns can easily create high-quality, convincing AI generated content in the form of images, voices, deepfakes and other forms of (AI). AI is an evolving threat in our highly charged mis, dis and mal-information environment.”

Effective solutions, though, will not come easily. Getting the details right, and finding aggressive solutions, can be tricky, and it will take a persistent, ongoing effort.

OREGON LEGISLATION

In Oregon, Senate Bill 1571 would require disclosure of the use of AI to create a false impression In campaigns in ads or other materials.

It came from Sen. Aaron Woods, D-Wilsonville, but also has backing from 27 other legislators in both parties and across the

philosophical spectrum.

It passed the Senate on Monday, and goes to the House for consideration.

The bill would carry teeth: Campaigns caught using AI and not disclosing it could face a fine up to $10,000 for each violation.

It would exempt news media and some satirical publications from the requirements, and would allow the secretary of state to draft rules to put enforcement into effect.

But even if campaigns disclose the use of AI in any campaign material, any ad, flyer or other message still could easily lead to false impressions – usually about the subject of an attack. And with AI technology becoming so commonplace nationally, it’s likely to start showing up in small and local political activities before long.

Oregon isn’t the first state to consider regulating the use of AI in campaigns. Quite a few states already have entered the fray: Half of all the states considered AI-related legislation in last year’s session, and they’ve adopted varying approaches.

A law passed in Texas in 2019 bans deepfakes within 30 days of an election if the purpose is “to injure a candidate or influence the result of an election.” California that year – and again in 2022 – passed a roughly similar measure with a 60day period. Washington state last year added a law banning AI messages with an “appearance, speech

or conduct that has been intentionally manipulated with the use of generative adversarial network techniques or other digital technology” that give a false impression of a candidate or issue.

The Oregon bill defines a false impression as, “A fundamentally different understanding or impression than a reasonable person would have from the unaltered, original version of the image, audio recording or video recording.” That still might afford significant wiggle room in specific cases if one got to court.

QUESTION OF EFFECTIVENESS

There’s also a reasonable question in most of these efforts about how effective those rules would be. The required disclosure in the Oregon bill, for example, might translate into a small-print notice that would be ignored by viewers or readers emotionally swept away by powerful images.

In the Senate Rules Committee hearing, almost all the testimony on SB 1571 was favorable. However, a major exception was Emily Hawley from the American Civil Liberties Union who said, “We appreciate the scale of these potential electoral risks but believe this bill as written would likely be challenged and overturned.”

Oregon law already has long-standing limits on speech in areas such

as libel, fraud in some cases, soliciting, perjury and conspiracy, and but Hawley said that while the new bill covers some of that territory, it doesn’t “proscribe the speech only when it actually or necessarily produces the harm.”

AI is evolving so fast – as are its uses – that it has become hard to define. That doesn’t mean Oregon legislators should wait to address it, but it means they ought to set up an ongoing review – probably a persistent interim committee – to monitor its evolution and track the ways laws might usefully address it. They should anticipate this will be an ongoing work area for years to come.

In arguing for the current Oregon bill, Woods, the sponsor, said “The bill will build awareness.” That it may do, whether it passes or even if it doesn’t, since more voters may be locally alerted to some of the new ways some candidates or causes may try to deceive them. And that would be a significant plus all by itself, whatever the legal challenge emerging down the road.

Oregon Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity and maintains editorial independence.

Contact Editor Lynne Terry at info@ oregoncapitalchronicle. com.

Secretary of State, county clerks prepare for 2024 elections

STAFF REPORT

Cottage Grove Sentinel

The Elections Division of the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office, the Oregon Association of County Clerks (OACC) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) held a tabletop training exercise

earlier this month to coordinate efforts across multiple local, state and federal agencies to prepare for the 2024 elections.

The exercise was attended by elections officials from all 36 of Oregon’s counties, representatives from the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office, representatives from

CISA, and representatives from other state and federal partners, including the FBI and the Oregon Office of Emergency Management.

The goal of the exercise was to expose elections officials to realistic scenarios that may occur during an election. In doing so, elections officials could explore strategies on how

best to prepare for and respond to such scenarios and protect Oregon’s election infrastructure.

The topics covered included physical security of elections offices, threats to elections administration, the proliferation of misinformation and cybersecurity risks. The exercise provided

a critical opportunity for agencies to collaborate and coordinate their efforts in advance of the 2024 election cycle, according to election officials. With an increased focus on election security from local, state and federal officials, election administrators are increasingly confident in their preparedness.

“2024 will be the most secure election in Oregon’s history,” Oregon Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade said. “I am grateful for the support and partnerships we’ve built at all levels of government. With their help, we continue to improve our systems and we are better prepared than ever before.”

Cooler, wetter parts of Pacific Northwest may see more fires

STEVE LUNDEBERG

Sentinel Guest Article

Forests in the coolest, wettest parts of the western Pacific Northwest are likely to see the biggest increases in burn probability, fire size and number of blazes as the climate continues to get warmer and drier, according to new modeling led by an Oregon State University scientist.

Understanding how fire regimes may change under future climate scenarios is critical for developing adaptation strategies, said the study’s lead author, Alex Dye.

Dye, a faculty research associate in the OSU College of Forestry, and collaborators with the U.S. Forest Service conducted novel, comprehensive wildfire simulations for more than 23 million acres of forest land west of the Cascade Range crest in Oregon and Washington.

FIRE ACTIVITY

The simulations showed that by the 30year period beginning in 2035, Washington’s North Cascades region, the Olympic Mountains, the Puget Lowlands and the western Oregon Cascades could see at least twice as

much fire activity as was observed during the prior 30 years, Dye said.

To a lesser degree, that trend holds for the western Washington Cascades and the Oregon Coast Range, he added. Forests in all of the affected areas are linchpins of multiple socio-ecological systems in the Northwest, Dye said, meaning more fire will likely put pressure on everything from drinking

water sources and timber resources to biodiversity and carbon stocks.

“The moist, highly productive forests of the Northwest don’t get fire as often as other parts of the West, like California or eastern Oregon,” Dye said. “But fire does naturally occur in the PNW ‘Westside’ as we call it – the fire regimes are actually quite complex in this region. It can be challenging to assess

fire probability in an environment where there isn’t a lot of empirical information about the fire history to build models.”

IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDIES

The comparative infrequency of fire also means it’s easy for the general public to think of the Westside as not a highrisk area, and it also means the region is generally not

a focal point of studies such as the one he just completed, Dye said. But recent big blazes such as those that occurred in the Northwest around Labor Day 2020 showed what can happen when severe fire strikes Westside areas.

“And what if fires like that were to start happening more frequently in the near future?” Dye said. “What if that once every 200 years became once every 50 years, or once every 25 years as climate change brings hotter and drier conditions to the region?”

CRITICAL PLANNING TOOL

Climate is just one factor influencing wildfire, he noted, but it is an important one. He sees the findings as a crucial planning tool to help the Northwest prepare for a rapid acceleration of fire over the next few decades.

“Describing the possibilities of how, when and where climate change could affect fire regimes helps bracket everyone’s expectations,” he said. “Particularly important among our findings are new insights into the possibility of shifts towards more frequent

and large fires, especially those greater than 40,000 hectares as well as shifts toward more fires burning at the beginning of fall when extreme weather has the potential to increase fire spread.”

Forty thousand hectares is just under 99,000 acres.

Collaborating with Dye on this study were Andy McEvoy and Rebecca Lemons of the OSU College of Forestry and Matt Reilly, Karin Riley, John Kim and Becky Kerns of the Forest Service. Reilly and Kim work at the Western Wildland Environmental Threat Assessment Center in Corvallis, Kerns is at the Pacific Northwest Research Station in Corvallis, and Riley is based at the Rocky Mountain Research Center in Missoula, Montana. The Western Wildland Environmental Threat Assessment Center and the Pacific Northwest Research Station Westside Fire Initiative supported the research. The findings, published Feb. 22 , appear in JGR Biogeosciences.

Steve Lundeberg is a news and research writer at Oregon State University. He may be Steve. Lundeberg@oregonstate. edu

Financial relief for wildfire victims passes Oregon Senate

STAFF REPORT

Cottage Grove Sentinel

The Oregon Senate has unanimously passed SB 1520, a bill which allows Oregon wildfire victims to recover and rebuild their lives without the additional strain of taxation or settlements related to their wildfire losses.

The measure proposes to exempt legal settlements from state income taxes for wildfire occurring after Jan. 1, 2020, that were declared state and federal emergencies.

“SB 1520 is the result of a year-long bipartisan effort to give wildfire victims financial relief needed rebuild their homes and get their lives back on track,” Sen. Brian Boquist (R-Dallas), who introduced the measure said. “Now that many victims of recent

PASTOR from page 1

consider seminary training.

Along his journey, he was grateful for his parents’ encouragement and support for all his decisions.

In 1979, Markus met his future bride, Elizabeth, at LBI and they have enjoyed 44½ years of marriage.

He has been a lifelong runner and his church members proudly proclaim him as “the fastest (Lutheran) pastor in Cottage Grove.”

Running became his exercise of choice because he loves the outdoors, the challenge, and the camaraderie that participating in races provides. It has also enhanced his connections with people in a nonchurch setting.

In his lengthy tenure with his congregation, he has enjoyed small and large celebrations. He has presided over hundreds of spiritual conversions, baptisms, weddings, anniversaries, and celebrations of life.

In 2022, the church celebrated its 75th anniversary in Cottage Grove. On Valentine’s Day, in 2022, the church’s Community Kitchen

wildfires have received their settlements from Pacific Power, they want to begin the process of rebuilding. However, they often can’t because they owe roughly 45% of their net settlement to the State and Federal Government in taxes. The tax relief provided in this bill means many of these wildfire victims will have the ability to begin rebuilding their homes, businesses, and communities.”

“It is critical that we ease the burden of Oregonians who have already suffered immense loss to catastrophic wildfire in recent years.,” Sen. Lynn Findley (R-Vale), a chief sponsor of the bill said. “This bill is a great opportunity to provide them with needed financial relief.” Sen. David Brock Smith

ministry, led by Peggy Brown, reached its 25th anniversary of serving free community meals on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.

Markus said, “Such observances were a great encouragement as we reflected on the blessings and faithfulness of God over all the years. They reminded us of the importance of having a unique Lutheran presence and ministry in Cottage Grove.”

(R-Port Orford), also a a chief sponsor of the bill, said he appreciates the work of Senator Boquist and is grateful for his colleagues in passing SB 1520.

“Too many of my constituents from Curry to Douglas Counties have lost their homes to wildfire due to a lack of management of our federal forest lands,” he said. “SB 1520 exempts taxes on settlements associated with the loss of due to wildfire. This is the right thing to do.”

The Senate Republican Caucus members SB 1520 is a key part of their priority this session, growing the economy and lowering costs for

Oregonians.

At press time, SB 1520 was next be considered by the Oregon House.

ARE YOU AND YOUR PETS PREPARED?

*Prepare

*Practice

or considered.

*Label hooves and horns with your goats name, owner name, and contact info with a permanent in marker.

Courtesy photo from OSU

The study’s lead author said understanding how fire regimes may change under future climate scenarios is critical for developing adaptation strategies.

Courtesy photo

The measure proposes to exempt legal settlements from state income taxes for wildfire occurring after Jan. 1, 2020.

1. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: Which large U.S. city is nicknamed Rip City?

2. MOVIES: Which movie features the quote, "She doesn't even go here!"

3. GEOGRAPHY: Which national capital city is the northernmost in the world?

Posting Date March 4, 2024 OLIVE

4. TELEVISION: Which long-running sitcom features a dad named Phil Dunphy?

5. GAMES: In chess, how many knights does each player have at the beginning?

6. GEOLOGY: What natural phenomenon is associated with igneous rock?

7. LANGUAGE: How many official languages are in the United Nations?

8. MUSIC: David Grohl was a drummer in which band before he became the frontman for the Foo Fighters?

9. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is a group of alligators called?

10. FOOD & DRINK: What kind of meat is used in Hasenpfeffer, a traditional German stew?

10. Rabbit.

9. A congregation.

7. Six. 8. Nirvana.

6. Volcanic eruption.

5. Two.

4. “Modern Family.”

3. Reykjavik, Iceland.

© 2024 King Features Synd., Inc. Answers 1. Portland, Oregon. 2. “Mean Girls.”

Committee meets to discuss habitat conservation plans

WILL CHAPPELL

Country Media, Inc.

The Forest Trust Lands Advisory Committee met Feb. 23, to discuss their testimony at an upcoming board of forestry meeting and hear a presentation about the development of the habitat conservation plan for western Oregon state forests.

THE MEETING

Oregon Department of Forestry staff detailed the reasons for pursuing the new conservation plan, which they say will give more certainty to the department’s harvest sales and reduce the risk of lawsuits.

The meeting began with State Forester Cal Mukumoto briefly addressing the assembled committee members.

Mukumoto told them that he was in the final stages of developing his recommendation on approval of the habitat conservation plan (HCP), which he plans to share ahead of the board of forestry’s meeting on March 6 and 7.

Mukumoto said that during three recent listening sessions he had held with the public to gather feedback on the HCP, responses divided generally into two groups: conservationists in support of the HCP and those who depended on timber revenues and opposed it.

Coos County Commissioner John Sweet said that he felt conservationists’ pleasure with the proposed plan signaled that it was not a good compromise and that

it should be revised with more consideration given to economic impacts.

Mukumoto did not give any indication as to what he was planning to recommend but said that he would share a copy of his recommendation with county commissioners when it is complete.

Following the opening remarks, State Forest Division Chief Mike Wilson and Resource Support Unit Manager Nick Palazotto began their presentation about the history of the HCP.

Wilson shared a brief timeline of conservational lawsuits and developments that have affected the state forests since the 1980s. HCPs have been a contentious subject throughout that period and there have been three distinct processes involving them, including the current one.

BACKGROUND

An HCP was adopted and in force in the Elliott State Forest in southern Oregon from 1995-2001, before updates to the list of protected species rendered it moot. A proposed HCP was developed for all western Oregon state forests between 1998 and 2009 before its passage eventually failed. That failure left the department operating under employing take-avoidance management style on the forests, which Wilson said leads to significant costs.

Take-avoidance entails performing regular surveys of forestlands to determine the location of endangered species and create plans to avoid incidentally taking,

or harming, them.

Increasing protections for the two terrestrial species of concern in western Oregon state forests, the northern spotted owl and marbled murrelet, have caused increased surveying costs for those species. Wilson said that updates to the marbled murrelet survey protocol in 2003 and spotted owl survey protocol in 2013 had doubled costs, and that a new protocol coming for murrelets in 2026 was expected to double those costs again.

Wilson said that the current approach left department staff “constantly chasing things over the landscape” and that it led to uncertainty in future harvest levels should more species be listed or protections change. “Without an HCP it (harvest) is unknown,” Wilson said.

Wilson also gave a brief overview of lawsuits that had been brought to pressure enforcement, including a 2001 Portland Audubon suit that had led to a conservation agreement for Strum Creek in the Astoria district and the 2018 Centers for Biological Diversity suit that was settled last year when the department agreed to follow riparian and aquatic protections put forth in the draft HCP. Wilson also mentioned a case involving land that used to be in the Elliott State Forest, which was recently enjoined from harvest due to a lawsuit regarding marbled murrelets.

Wilson stressed that these legal actions carried injunctive relief, meaning

that harvest would be forced to cease should similar suits succeed in state forests.

Palozatto then described the process that had been used to develop the HCP, beginning with the setting of biological goals and objectives which were then used to develop conservation strategies. The goals and objectives included increasing the habitat available to both terrestrial and aquatic species in the forest, and to increase passage for fish.

Strategies to reach these goals for aquatic species included the institution of riparian conservation areas around the streams, better management of the road system, enhancement of streams and removal of barriers to fish passage. For terrestrial species, the goals will be accomplished by creating habitat

conservation areas, where forestry activities are proscribed or limited.

BY THE NUMBERS

Of the almost 300,000 acres in western Oregon state forests, approximately 43% of the total permit area would fall into conservation areas, with 37% for upland species and 6% for riparian protection areas. A further 10% of the forest is inoperable for geographic or other reasons, which would leave around 47% of the land available and operable, according to Palozatto, while 12% of the forest falling inside the habitat conservation areas would be open to limited management.

Following the presentation, committee members asked questions of Wilson and Palozatto

and began to discuss the testimony they will offer at the March board meeting.

Several commissioners asked about the process of changing the proposed HCP and how much change would require review by the federal agencies involved in the process. Wilson said that he was not certain what would trigger a new review but said that should that happen, the delay would be “significant.”

Clatsop County Commissioner Courtney Bangs said that she was still skeptical of the science being used to craft the HCP and that she wanted the committee to renew its opposition to the plan’s passage.

Follow developments at the Sentinel’s website and in the weekly print editions of the Sentinel.

Courtesy photo

A portion of the Tillamook State Forest located just outside the unincorporated community of Idaville.

stores.

The lawsuit seeks to block the proposed Albertsons-Kroger merger.

The FTC, Oregon, and the other states participating in the legal action allege the proposed merger would violate the federal Clayton Act. That act prohibits acquisitions which may substantially lessen competition.

“If big grocery stores are allowed to reduce competition this way.”

Rosenblum said, “They can charge higher prices for food for no good reason and reduce services, including in their pharmacies. They can also slow the growth of employees’ wages, or even reduce some of those wages. Working conditions and employee benefits can suffer, as well. In short, there’s no good for consumers or workers in this proposed merger — and lots of bad.”

Oregon Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission investigators found compelling evidence

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one count of Sodomy in the First Degree, one count of Unlawful Delivery of Methamphetamine, and one count of Criminal Mistreatment in the First Degree. Lloyd was sentenced to 20 years in the Oregon Department of

that direct, head-to-head competition between Kroger and Albertsons has forced the two chains to compete vigorously against one another — both on price and on the quality of goods and services offered at their stores, according to Rosenblum.

“This competition has also benefitted workers, by producing higher wages, better benefits, and improved working conditions,” she said.“This supermarket mega-merger comes as American consumers have seen the cost of groceries rise steadily over the past few years,” the FTC’s Bureau of Competition Director Henry Liu said. “Kroger’s acquisition of Albertsons would lead to additional grocery price hikes for everyday goods, further exacerbating the financial strain consumers across the country face today.”

CONGRESSMAN’S CONCERN

Oregon U.S. Senator

Corrections.

Wallace said the juvenile’s name and where she is from has been withheld due to the sensitivity of the case.

“This has been a severalyear struggle for this juvenile to find resolution,” Wallace said.

Ron Wyden is urging the FTC to block the proposed Kroger and Albertsons merger due to potential negative effects on consumers in Oregon and nationwide.

“Specifically, I am concerned that the proposed merger, if approved, will result in fewer pharmacy options for Oregonians, fewer economic opportunities for Oregon’s small farmers, and harm to Oregon’s workers and consumers,” Wyden wrote in the letter to FTC Chair Lina Khan.

“The Oregon Health Authority undertook a preliminary review of the impact of the proposed merger on health care and found that the proposed merger would result in a harmful concentration of retail pharmacies in the state.”

In the letter, Wyden also emphasized this merger would put Oregonians’ privacy at risk due to Kroger’s policies for sharing patient information with law enforcement without warrants.

“As part of a recent inquiry I conducted into major pharmacy chains’ privacy practices, I learned that Kroger provides pharmacy records to law enforcement officials without a warrant or any internal review by a legal professional. This finding places Kroger behind the majority of its peer chain pharmacies in terms of its commitment to safeguarding patient privacy.”

“Less than a decade ago, Albertsons-Safeway proposed a similar divestiture only to buy back many of the divested stores two years later and watch the rest go out of business. I urge the FTC to use the AlbertsonsSafeway outcome as a guide to the Commission as it considers possible outcomes of this proposed merger,” Wyden said.

The Kroger-Albertsons merger threatens to make the consolidation crisis in the retail food market worse, following on large deals like the AlbertsonsSafeway merger in 2015,

as well as the expansion of mega-retailers across the country that have driven independent grocers out of business, according to Wyden.

GROCERY FUTURE

Grocery stores in the United States are on the decline, according to a report from Food & Water Watch, a consumer advocacy group.

“The rise in supercenters and supermarket chains coincides with a steep decline in the actual number of grocery stores — a roughly 30 percent loss from 1994 to 2019,” the report states. “The trend is toward fewer but much larger stores, including a surge in those employing 100 or more employees.”

A new supercenter or grocery chain store might bring seemingly greater selection and competitive prices. But these supposed perks conceal the bigger impacts that large grocery retailers have on regional economies, the report

states, adding that the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) analyzed grocery mergers and found that growing market concentration usually leads to a rise in food prices.

“Simply put, market power enables intermediaries like retailers and processors to capture an ever-growing share of food dollars, at the expense of farmers, food chain workers and eaters,” the report states.

Joining Oregon and the FTC in the lawsuit are Arizona, California, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, New Mexico, and Wyoming. Colorado and Washington have already filed lawsuits to stop the merger in their respective state courts.

Read the full report at: https://www. foodandwaterwatch. org/wp-content/ uploads/2021/11/ IB_2111_ FoodMonoSeries1SUPERMARKETSV2FINAL.pdf

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