September 2014
Basin Business
Thursday, Sept. 25, 2014, Herald and News
KLAMATH BASIN
Business
Family restaurant marks 20 years Sons take over reins, thank community for continued support
See page 2
SERGIO’S Mexican & seafood restaurant
H&N photo
Sergio Cisneros takes over management of the family Mexican food restaurant in Klamath Falls as it plans some expansions into other cities.
Town & Country — Center holds ribbon cutting Chamber of Commerce photo
Members of the Klamath Leadership class attend workshops, lectures, and visit a host of businesses while networking during this past session. See story, Page 3
A publication of the Herald and News
See Page 5
Crystal Terrace — New center for memory care See page 4
www.klamath.org
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Thursday, Sept. 25, 2014, Herald and News
Basin Business
A new generation
Sergio’s restaurant reaches 20-year milestone By the H&N staff There may appear to be a wealth of Mexican food restaurants in Klamath Falls, but one has stood the test of time, marking its 20th anniversary this year. That restaurant is Sergio’s. And now the next generation is taking over the business. Featuring the traditional Jalisco, Mexico, fare, Sergio’s started out as a small restaurant near the government buildings downtown. It first opened Jan. 3, 1994, under the management of Francisco Cisneros. “It was a traditional American dream story,” said manager Sergio Cisneros. “My father came to the U.S. from Guadalajara and worked his way up from a dishwasher in California. He decided to settle in Klamath Falls because there was an opportunity here and he wanted to raise his family in a smaller town.” The elder Cisneros built up a following enough to purchase a building Chef Rene Gar- at 4650 S. Sixth cia serves up tra- St. On the eve ditional Mexican of its opening in food. 1995, however, the building caught fire and burned to the ground. It was determined the cause was arson, but the perpetrators were never found. “Thanks to the support of the community, my father was able to rebuild it into what it is today,” said Sergio Cisneros. Francisco has now handed the reins over to Sergio, 23, and his other son, Omar, just 18. His daughter, Brazil, 13, is still in school but will likely be part of the business, too. The firm recently joined the Klamath Chamber of Commerce as one way to more fully participate in the community and to give back. “I wasn’t born here, but I was
H&N staff photos
Sergio’s Mexican Restaurant is at 4650 S. Sixth St. in Klamath Falls. It has become a destination spot for travelers to and from Crater Lake National Park, among other sites.
raised here,” Cisneros said. “I attended local schools and am tied to the community. A lot of the success I’ve had is because of this community. We decided to lead by example, be part of the community and help Klamath Falls grow.” “We’re succeeding now in our business, and believe it is time to give back. It is up to our generation of people who share the vision to make Klamath what we want it to be,” he said. When you have a healthy and prosperous environment, everyone succeeds.” The restaurant has three separate eating rooms, a fully stocked bar and an outdoor patio. It can seat 300 people and employs 20 people full time. It is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. In the works is a planned expansion of Sergio’s to either Medford or Bend.
Sergio’s boasts a full bar and restaurant seating for 300 people. There has been some remodeling and expansion over the years, including an outdoor patio for summertime dining. The restaurant serves traditional Jalisco region Mexican food.
Basin Business
Thursday, Sept. 25, 2014, Herald and News
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More than 390 grads
Leadership Klamath celebrates 25 years From the Chamber Staff In the last 25 years, more than 390 business and community leaders have graduated from the Klamath County Chamber of Commerce leadership program. The program, Leadership Klamath, began in 1989 with 15 students. Designed to identify and motivate current and future leaders, the participants met each month to attend seminars, tours, lectures and briefings on topics ranging from arts, culture, and tourism to economic development, labor and industry. Bob Kingzett, chairman of the Jeld-Wen Foundation, said, “I was in the inaugural class and found that a number of us proceeded to develop leadership positions in the community following our Leadership Klamath experience. “The knowledge, contacts, and confidence were invaluable for us all.” Kingzett notes that the inaugural class had graduates who went on to become city councilors, planning commission members, and United Way leaders to name a few. The first class kicked off a program that would grow and continue to develop for the next 25 years and proudly graduate 393 leaders from the program. This year’s class of 2014-15 boasts the largest participation yet with 29, students enrolled from a wide-range
Submitted photo
The Leadership Klamath group tours various businesses in the Basin as part of its networking and education.
of organizations. Kingsley Field alone enrolled eight students in the program. Leaders are enrolled from non-profits, banks, and the healthcare industry. There are individuals enrolled as well. Christy Riddle with the Klamath Crisis Center enrolled this year and says she hopes to learn about organizations and services in Klamath County and develop relationships
that will further her ability to assist in the community. Phillip Squibb with Dragonfly Transitions wants to gain a better understanding of the Klamath economy – the good, the bad, and the ugly. Over the next 10 months, Riddle, Squibb, and their classmates will tour government agencies and businesses, meet with elected officials, and build a network with each other.
The Leadership Klamath program aims to develop an awareness of the Klamath community including the economy, key local issues, and the needs of the residents. To start, this year’s participants attended the Chamber’s Academy for Business Excellence where they heard from speakers such as Willie Riggs, Director of teh Klamath Basin Research and Extension Center. Riggs spoke with the group about the importance of the agriculture industry in Klamath and discussed the economic effect it has in the Basin. The group also met with Ainoura Oussenbeck, an economist and analyst with the Oregon Employment Department who shared current trends and a forecast for our area. In October, the group will learn about natural resources and agriculture. It is likely October’s tour will provide information on the water issues affecting our community while giving participants a chance to visit ranches, farms, and other ag-related productions. Registrations begin for Leadership Klamath in May each year with the deadline in August. Anyone interested in next year’s program can email the Chamber at inquiry@klamath.org. For more information, visit www.klamath .org or call 541-884-5193.
Kiwanis pancake breakfast set for Oct. 4 On Saturday, Oct. 4, the Klamath Falls and Linkville Kiwanis Clubs will co-host a pancake breakfast at Applebee’s Restaurant, 2750 Campus Drive, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Tickets can be purchased from Kiwanis members or at the door. A $7 ticket gets you all the pancakes, sausage and scrambled eggs you can eat. All proceeds from this event will go to the Kiwanis Eliminate Project. Kiwanis Clubs throughout the world have joined forces with UNICEF in an effort to eliminate mater-
nal and neonatal tetanus through immunization. In 24 countries around the world, this deadly disease steals the lives of nearly 60,000 innocent babies and a significant number of women each year. The effects of the disease are excruciating — tiny newborns suffer repeated, painful convulsions and extreme sensitivity to light and touch. Just three doses of a 60-cent immunization will protect a mother, who then passes on her immunity to her future babies.
Mark Fay, M.D. Scott Stevens, M.D. Physician/ Surgeon of the Eye Physician/ Surgeon of the Eye
Edwin Tuhy, O.D. Optometrist
Jennifer Sparks, O.D. Optometrist
New Patients Welcome
2640 Biehn St. • 541.884.3148 • www.klamatheyecenter.com
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Basin Business
Thursday, Sept. 25, 2014, Herald and News
Quail Park at Crystal Terrace
New memory care to open by March Located in Klamath Falls, Quail Park at Crystal Terrace’s new Memory Care community, now under construction, will have more than 49 units and about 70 beds. The Memory Care community is anticipated to open in March, according to a news release. The memory care seniors housing community features living areas, family friendly kitchens, large dining and entertainment rooms, as
well as a Memory Park at the heart of the community. This secure area has a returning path system to allow residents the freedom to enjoy the outside independently and safely. The Memory Care community will meet the special needs of people with Alzheimer’s and related dementias. The staff will be committed to helping those with memory loss maintain their independence and dignity for as long as possible.
Now under construction, the Memory Care center at Quail Park at Crystal Terrace, will have 70 beds.
Business In Brief Living Care Lifestyles hires administrator for Quail Park at Crystal Terrace Living Care Lifestyles, a senior lifestyle community firm, has hired Keenam Carrillo as its new administrator of Quail Park at Crystal Terrace. Carrillo has more than 15 years in management, customer service and employee training among many other attributes. As administrator, Carrillo will be responsible for day-to-day operations at the community which includes the life enhancement program along with indeCarrillo pendent and assisted living services and amenities. “Keenam’s operations management experience including his high-energy professional approach to customer service will make a positive impact for all our residents and the community,” said Denis Bryant, president and founder of Living Care Lifestyles. “We are pleased to have a professional management individual like Keenam as part of our team in Klamath Falls.” Prior to becoming the Administrator of Quail Park at Crystal Terrace, Carrillo was the general manager at Double S. Foods and also served in the same capacity in Medford and Grants Pass. His experience also includes inventory management, quality assurance, safety management, guest relations, policies and procedures and control facilities.
He has won numerous awards for safety and sanitation, labor, and was named general manager of the year in 2012 and 2013.
New ad reps join Herald and News Two new advertising sales consultants have joined the Herald and News. They are Daymeon Gromley and Stan Brock. Gromley came to the newspaper from the Klamath Falls WalMart, where he has worked since 2010. He just recently moved to Klamath. Brock has been in Klamath since 2004 and joins the newsBrock paper after a stint with Cascade Auto Group. Also new is Ruby Johnson, who has joined circulation department as assistant sales manager. She started in July. At the Lakeview Examiner, a partner with the Herald and News, reporter James Hall was hired on in July as a general assignment reporter. He comes from a university newspaper in Utah. Gromley Rebecca “Becky” Kenton joined the Lakeview paper in early September as an office manager. She previously worked at Howard’s Pharmacy in Lakeview.
Fritz joins lighting, home décor store Woodland Lighting and Home Décor of the Klamath Basing has added Scot Fritz to its team of professionals. Serving as a design consultant, Fritz will work directly with customers to offer a fresh perspective on home or office decorating. With a diverse background in sales, management, design and product purchasing, Fritz boasts a discerning eye for the perfect pairing of product and consumer. Fritz A familiar face in Basin retail, Fritz and his wife, Kelley, have called Klamath Falls home for most of their adult lives. The couple has two children. Woodland Lighting and Home Décor is at 735 Commercial St. in Klamath Falls and is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visit them online at www. woodlandlightingdesign.com
Sharky’s Shack now open for business We welcome Sharky’s Shack to the Klamath Falls business community! Sharky’s Shack serves a variety of sandwiches, wraps, and salads at their 210 S. Spring St. location in downtown Klamath Falls. Stop by or give them a call at 541-887-2326.
Basin Business
Thursday, Sept. 25, 2014, Herald and News
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Town & County center holds ribbon-cutting There’s a changing shopping landscape, especially at Town and Country Center, 3842 S. Sixth St., which will welcome two new business announcements in October, according to Graham Chernoff, president of Cumberland Holdings. The shopping center recently held its grand opening celebration. The California real estate investment company purchased the shopping center for $2.4 million last September with plans for major renovations to the retail space. One year
and $1 million in renovations later, Chernoff said he plans to announce two “service-oriented” tenants in the shopping center in October, but that he couldn’t release the names. More tenants are expected to follow, according to Chernoff, with six to eight tenant spaces available for rent. “There is a really cool restaurant space, we have a lot of interest in that,” Chernoff said. “I feel very confident we’re going to be home to the next new restaurant in town.”
The Town & Country recently was remodeled.
The firm is also offering businesses the chance to move their business to the shopping center for competitive rates on a case-by-case basis. Chernoff also hopes to lease a 24,000-squarefoot space to a national retailer, or two 12,000-square-foot spaces, in the future.
On The Calendar Thursday, Sept. 25 n “Route Wars” a presentation on the politics behind the Klamath Basin’s transportation infrastructure presented by Ryan Bartholomew at the meeting of the Klamath County Historical Society at the Klamath County Museum. n Singer and performer Bucky Covington will open the 2014-15 Ross Ragland Theater season at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $45, $35 and $23 with Vegas-style seating available for $65.
Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Sept. 26-28 n “The Skin of Our Teeth” will be performed by the Linkville Players at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday in the Linkville Playhouse. Tickets are $11 to $14.
Friday, Sept. 26 n Free showing of a 1966 movie, “King of Hearts,” will be held at 6:30 p.m. in Friends Church, 1918 Oregon Ave. It stars Alan Bates as a Scottish soldier who, near the end of World War I, is sent to a small French town to defuse a bomb set by the departing Germans to destroy the town. He finds the lunatics from the insane asylum are out and running the town. The question is who is more insane, those in the asylum or those who create wars. A discussion will follow.
Saturday, Sept. 27 n Klamath Falls Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Ninth Street between Main Street and Klamath Avenue. Local growers, producers and artisans. n 11th annual CASA Ride for the Child. Ride features four courses: 13-mile, 30-mile, 62-mile and 100-mile through Klamath County. For more
information, call 541-885-6017. n “Walk With a Doc” exercise program, 9 a.m. at Oregon Tech track and field. Walk at your own pace and interact with local physicians. n The Stray Cats, featuring Lee Rocker, 7:30 p.m. at the Ross Ragland Theater. Tickets are $45, $35 and $23. Vegas-style seating is available.
Tuesday, Sept. 30 nRagland Cultural Center Series presents “Anne Frank: Through the Eyes of a Friend,” 7 p.m. in the Cultural Center Studio. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for children.
Thursday, Oct. 2 n Klamath County Museum’s 60th Anniversary banquet will be held in the 9th Street Venue with a social hour at 5:30 p.m. and dinner at 6:30 p.m. Kerry Tymchuck, executive director of the Oregon Historical Society, will be the guest speaker and pianist Susan Scrimsher will perform during the social hour. Tickets are $35 each or $60 per couple.
Friday and Saturday, Oct. 3-4 n Annual PEO Chapter U rummage sale, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., in the main event hall at the Klamath County Fairgrounds. Estate items, furniture, tools, clothing, toys, jewelry, baked goods. Sale supports scholarships to local women. n “The Skin of Our Teeth” will be performed by the Linkville Players at 7:30 p.m. both days in the Linkville Playhouse. Tickets are $11 to $14.
Thursday, Oct. 9 n Ragland Cultural Center Series presents Martinis and Mixers featuring the Rhythm Kings, 7 p.m. in the Cultural Center Studio. Tick-
ets are $15.
Friday, Saturday, Oct. 10-11 nNight at the Cemetery at the Linkville Cemetery. Tickets $10, with proceeds to benefit the Klamath County Museum and the Linkville Cemetery.
Saturday, Oct. 11 n The Klamath Lake Land Trust will offer an outing on “the History and Fall colors in the Wood River Valley.” For more information, and to register, go to klamathlakelandtrust.org/events. n “Walk With a Doc” exercise program, 9 a.m. at Oregon Tech track and field. Walk at your own pace and interact with local physicians. n Sacred Heart Parish Catholic Daughters Craft Fair from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Sacred Heart Catholic Church school gym (attached to the parish hall).
Tuesday, Oct. 14 n Ragland Classical Series presents Sphinx Virtuosi, 7:30 p.m. at the Ross Ragland Theater. Tickets are $24.
Friday, Saturday, Oct. 17, 18 n 77th Annual Klamath Basin Potato Festival in Merrill. Event includes a free barbecue, parade, exhibits, talent show, horseshoe tournament, dunk tank, live music and family activities.
Saturday, Oct. 18 n Ross Ragland Theater presents Rachel Mac and The Revival, 7:30 p.m. at the Ross Ragland Theater. Tickets are $29, $23 and $19.
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Thursday, Sept. 25, 2014, Herald and News
Basin Business Autumn in the air
As seasons change, so should your portfolio
H&N File Photo
Molly Jespersen now at Sky Lakes after a stint with public health.
Health program looks to connect with those needs that are unmet Editor’s note: This is a reprint, edited version from a Herald and News article. A new program through Sky Lakes Medical Center and Cascade Health Alliance hopes to help improve the health of the community. Molly Jespersen, the director of non-emergency medical transportation at Sky Lakes, said the Care Management Outreach Program will help remove barriers to health for clients, and she hopes the program will lead to a healthier future for both individuals and the community as a whole. “Transportation is a huge barrier to health, among others like health literacy, social support, access to nutritious food, access to safe places to recreate and affordable housing. We’re seeking to remove these barriers to health,” she said. Community health workers The program employs three community health workers, who work directly with patients to address those barriers, Jespersen explained. “The idea is to serve as the ‘vehicle’ to transport clients from where they are in health today to where they need to and want to be, and we’re here to help navigate along the way,” Jespersen said. “Part of that could be literally driving a client from one address to another. But this
program is much more than that.” She sees the community health worker as a bridge between the patient and the medical community. Many roles While a community health worker could drive a client to a doctor’s appointment, the pharmacy, or another health location, they also can make sure the client understands and follows their medical treatment plans, offer health education such as understanding medical terms, work with dietitians to ensure clients know what a healthy meal is and how to cook it, provide social support, and more, Jespersen said. For example, a community health worker could help a client achieve safe housing if they use a walker and are prone to falls around their home by making sure their paths are clear of cords that could be easily tripped over, Jespersen explained. “If we can remove that barrier we can help people live a healthier life,” she said. New in the position Jespersen, who previously worked for Klamath County Public Health, took on her new job at the hospital in April, while the community health workers started in July. The program took on its first patient in August.
The kids are back at school and summer vacations are now just fading memories, so it must be autumn. But the seasons don’t just move on the calendar — they also change in your life. And, speaking of changes, you’ll have to make many of them as you move through the years — and that includes changes to your investment portfolio. But how will you know when it’s time to take action? Just as Mother Nature sends out “signals” to indicate a change in seasons — blooming flowers, falling leaves, warmer or colder temperatures, longer or shorter days, etc. — your portfolio will frequently “tell” you when you need to make adjustments. Here are a couple of indicators you may want to heed: n Out-of-balance portfolio — Even the best stocks can lose value when the overall market is down, but if you only own stocks, you could take a big hit during a downturn — and if it happens repeatedly, you may find it hard to even stay invested. After all, stocks will always fluctuate in value, and protection of your principal is not guaranteed. Yet you can at least help defend yourself against market volatility by balancing your portfolio with a mix of stocks, bonds, government securities, certificates of deposit (CDs) and other investments, with the percentage of each type of asset based on your individual goals, time horizon and risk tolerance. n “Overweighting” of individual investments — Related to the point made above, you can also have too much money kept in a single investment, such as an individual stock or bond. Sometimes, this “overweighting” can happen almost on its own, as when a stock, or stock-based vehicle, has increased so much in value that it now takes on a larger percentage of your portfolio than you had intended — possibly bringing with it more risk than you had intended, too. As a general
rule, no single investment should take up more than a small percentage of your entire portfolio. Your own life may also send you some messages regarding changes you may need to make to your investment and financial strategies. Here are just a few of the milestones that may trigger necessary moves: n New child — You’ll need to review your life insurance to make sure it’s sufficient to help provide for a newborn or newly adopted child, should anything happen to you. You may also want to begin investing in a college savings vehicle, such as a 529 plan. n New job — Assuming your new job offers you a retirement plan, such as a 401(k) or similar vehicle, you’ll have some choices to make. How much can you afford to contribute? How should you allocate your dollars among the investment choices offered in the plan? How can you best integrate your 401(k) or other plan into your overall investment portfolio to avoid duplication? n Impending retirement — As you enter retirement, you may want to adjust your portfolio to help reduce its short-term fluctuations and to provide more current income opportunities. At the same time, you may still need to invest for growth — you could be retired for two or three decades, and you’ll need to stay ahead of inflation. Pay close attention to the messages coming from your portfolio — and from your life. These “signals” will give you a good idea of when it’s time to make the right investmentrelated moves. MEREDITH HOFFMAN Financial Advisor, Edward Jones 1307 S Alameda Avenue, Suite B Klamath Falls, OR 97603-3601 Phone: 541-273-2483 Fax: 877-452-1831
Thursday, Sept. 25, 2014, Herald and News 7 Renewing Chamber members:
Basin Business
Button up home to keep bills down Simple changes in how you use electricity will pay off now and when autumn leaves turn to winter chill. These tips and cash incentives from Pacific Power and Energy Trust of Oregon help you stay comfortable, plus save energy and money all season. Simple changes n Set your thermostat to 68°F and lower the temperature at night and while you’re away; n Clean or replace furnace filters every month; n Close drapes or install a plastic interior storm window kit; n Weatherstrip exterior doors and
caulk around window frames; Replace incandescent bulbs with qualified CFLs. You can use up to 75 percent less energy and save money over the lifetime of each bulb. Bigger changes When you upgrade your electric heat to an energy-efficient heat pump, you’ll stay warm in the winter and reduce heating costs up to 50 percent. Get an $800 cash incentive, plus up to $500 extra bonus cash from Energy Trust of Oregon when you install a qualifying heat pump through November 30, 2014. Insulating ductwork helps
increase the efficiency of your heating system. You also can earn a cash incentive from Energy Trust. Install Energy Star-qualified windows with a U-value of 0.25 or less through December 31, 2014, and receive an incentive of $3.50 per square foot from Energy Trust, plus an extra $100 cash-back bonus. Choose Energy Star-qualified light fixtures. Install LEDs, which use even less energy and last up to five times longer than CFLs. Learn more at bewattsmart.com.
Jobless rates unchanged in Lake, Klamath Employment numbers reversed course this summer in Klamath County with hiring down from last year. Unemployment levels saw no substantive improvement this summer. Lake County is a different story with small, but steady job growth and slow improvements to the unemployment rate. National unemployment levels remained essentially unchanged at 6.1 percent, while Oregon’s rate increased to 7.2 percent. Klamath County: Unemployment levels in Klamath County ticked up in August to 9.9 percent from 9.7 percent in July. Unemployment levels are down from the year-ago rate of 10.6 percent, not a statistically significant change. The county gained 10 jobs in August, fewer than the expected gain of 90 jobs this time of year. The private sector shed 30 jobs in August, despite strong hiring in construction (+40 jobs). Professional and business services shed 70 jobs from July, the largest decline last month. Employment is down 310 jobs (-1.4 percent) from this time last year. Losses were fairly widespread with the largest losses in professional and business services (-140); retail trade (-90); and manufacturing (-70).
Oregon and South Central Oregon Unemployment Rates Seasonally Adjusted, August 2009 - August 2014 16.0%
12.0%
8.0%
Oregon
Klamath
Lake
New members: • Sergio’s Mexican Restaurant • Hull Graphics • Downtown at Peterson’s Market • Beall’s Department Store
Contact us:
4.0%
Klamath County Chamber of Commerce
0.0% Aug-09 Feb-10 Aug-10 Feb-11 Aug-11 Feb-12 Aug-12 Feb-13 Aug-13 Feb-14 Aug-14
Two hard hit industries, construction and financial activities, each posted moderate hiring over the past year (+30). Lake County: The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained unchanged in August (9.5 percent). Over the past year, Lake County’s rate dropped from 11.1 percent in August 2013.
• Applebees • Banc Home Loans • Basin’s Best Trophies and Engraving • BestCare Treatment Services • Cascades East Family Practice • Children’s Museum of Klamath Falls • Crystal Terrace • D.A. Davidson and Co. • EDF Renewable Development Inc. • Edward Jones – Mike Nichols • Grocery Outlet • Indian Hurry Curry • Klamath and Western Railroad • Klamath Alarm • Klamath Community College • Klamath Falls Gems Baseball Club • Klamath Medical Transport • KlamathOnline.com Inc. • Klamath Walk-in Care Center, Inc. • Linkville House • Marquis Care Plum Ridge • Mia and Pia’s Pizzeria and Brewhouse • Oregon Department of Forestry • Purcell Productions LLC • Sportsmans River Retreat • Zion Lutheran Church
Lake County shed 10 jobs in August, a typical loss this time of year. There were no notable industry changes. Compared to this time last year employment levels are up 4.2 percent or 90 additional jobs. Hiring was primarily concentrated in construction (+20), as well as, federal and local government, each sector adding 20 jobs.
205 Riverside Drive, Suite A Klamath Falls, OR 97603 Office: 541-884-5193 Fax: 541-884-5195 Charles “Chip” Massie: Executive Director cmassie@klamath.org Heather Tramp: Marketing and Program Coordinator Email: heathert@klamath.org www.klamath.org
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Basin Business
Thursday, Sept. 25, 2014, Herald and News
Paid Advertisement
September 2014 Newsletter for Oregon State Senator Doug Whitsett, District 28 Senator Doug Whitsett
R-Klamath Falls - District 28 I represent the citizens of Senate District 28, which includes Klamath, Lake and Crook, as well as parts of Jackson and Deschutes Counties. As Senator of one of the largest Senate districts in the state, it is extremely important that my constituents remain in contact with me about the issues and concerns that affect their lives. You and I must work together to protect the common interests of rural Oregonians. I encourage you to contact my office by either email or telephone so that I can know how to best serve you. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Best Regards, Senator Doug Whitsett
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, S-311 Salem, OR 97301 Capitol Phone: 503-986-1728 Newsletters: www.leg.state.or.us/whitsett Email Senator Doug Whitsett: sen.dougwhitsett@state.or.us
ENERGY INDEPENDENCE IS POSSIBLE... IT ALL STARTS AT THE BALLOT BOX Politicians, their environmentalist handlers, political pundits, and most news media outlets have relentlessly worked to convince the American public that the vast majority of us are “all in” on renewable energy. Further, they would have the public believe that most of us abhor the use of carbon based fossil fuels. Notwithstanding their incessant litany, the vast majority of Americans are not buying their rhetoric. The public understands that our economy runs on oil, natural gas and clean burning coal. Further, they recognize that heavily subsidized renewable wind and solar energy generation is expensive, unreliable, and simply not available in anywhere near the quantity required to power our economy. They know that restrictions in the availability and use of fossil fuels will certainly result in rolling blackouts, unavailability of heating and transportation fuels at any price, and huge inflationary pressure on virtually all other commodities. A recent Harris Poll, commissioned by the American Petroleum Institute, makes clear that large majorities of Americans want our nation to be more energy independent. Moreover, the American public appreciates that the only way energy independence can be accomplished is through the development of our vast reserves of domestic oil and natural gas. This is not a partisan issue. According to the poll, those large majorities hold true among Democrats, Independents, and Republicans. Neither is their support of fossil fuels related to gender, race, or level of financial security. The poll demonstrates that the majority in all demographic segments of our culture are strongly in favor of developing our national energy security through the expansion of domestic oil and natural gas production. The poll asked thirteen unambiguous and straight forward questions that did not include clauses intended to modify opinion or instruct a particular answer. The Poll’s statistical confidence is 97 percent, meaning if the poll was reenacted 100 times it would be expected to have the same results 97 times. Of the 1012 Americans polled: • 951 (94 percent) believe that it is important for the federal government to focus on energy development. • 911 (90 percent) agree that increased production of domestic oil and natural gas could lead to more jobs. • 900 (89 percent) agree that increased production of domestic oil and natural gas could help to stimulate the economy • 880 (87 percent) agree that it is important to produce more oil and natural gas at home in the USA • 870 (86 percent) agree that increasing production of domestic oil and natural gas could help to strengthen America’s energy security • 830 (82 percent) agree that they would be strongly influenced by a politician’s stand on energy and America’s energy security. • 830 (82 percent) agree that increased production of domestic oil and natural gas could benefit federal and state budgets through lease payments, royalty fees and other sources of revenue. • 810 (80 percent) believe that producing more domestic oil and natural gas could help to strengthen America’s national security by lessoning the negative impacts of political instability in other parts of the word.
• 800 (79 percent) agreed that increased production of domestic oil and natural gas could help to lower energy costs for consumers. • 779 (77 percent) support increased exploration and drilling for domestic oil and natural gas located in the United States. • 688 (68 percent) support more off-shore drilling for domestic oil and natural gas. • 688 (68 percent) also said that they would be more likely to vote for a candidate who supports off-shore drilling to produce more domestic oil and natural gas. • 637 (63 percent) said that they believe the federal government is not doing enough to encourage the development of domestic oil and natural gas. Numbers of respondents in support were derived as the nearest whole number from the percentage of all people polled Our federal government has demonstrated its near complete disconnect from the people it represents by placing 87% of our potential oil and natural gas bearing waters off-limits to exploration and development. According to API, exploration and development of domestic oil and natural gas reserves located off the Atlantic Coast alone could create as many as 280,000 family wage jobs and $51 billion in new government revenue. Moreover, America’s recent boom in the production of domestic oil and natural gas has occurred almost exclusively on privately owned land. Many of the shale oil resources currently being developed extend to very large areas of land owned by the public. A plethora of other extensive, well documented oil and natural gas resources on public lands lie in wait of development. In fact, known domestic fossil fuel resources are adequate to power this nation for centuries. Myriad federal regulations, restrictions and exclusions have all but shut down the exploration and development of these vast publicly owned domestic resources. Governments seem to be using every imaginable strategy to force the increase in the costs of fossil fuels. Some of their most recent ploys include restricting access to domestic oil and natural gas resources, promulgating draconian restrictions on the use of coal to generate electricity, attempts to introduce broadly levied punitive taxes on carbon emissions, extreme new EPA rules restricting emission of so called greenhouse gases, and delaying the construction of the XL pipeline for so long that the Canadian government has recently decided to bypass the USA and build its own pipeline to the Canadian west coast. Their purpose appears to be focused on making unreliable and unaffordable wind and solar energy appear to be less expensive by artificially driving up the cost of fossil fuels. Their methods of choice are to artificially limit the supply of domestic oil and natural gas and to impose punitive costs on the use of fossil fuels to power our nation. They further hide the costs of wind and solar power with tax credits, energy production credits, feed-in tariffs, accelerated depreciation and loan guarantees that are not reflected on ratepayers’ utility bills. Governments then attempt to mask the negative economic effects by excluding the price of food and energy from their cost of living indexes.
Their collective efforts are crippling our state and national economies as well as driving down our standard of living. The increasing cost of energy is both a job buster and an issue of social justice. As our nation’s political obsession with renewable energy expands, the cost of energy becomes more unaffordable. Rapidly escalating energy costs cause businesses to spend an increasing portion of their financial resources on energy. Businesses can respond to this “out of their control” growth in costs by increasing the prices of their products, becoming more energy and labor efficient or accepting reduced profits. Too many businesses are losing profitability, laying off their employees, and ultimately going out of business. The certain result is an escalation in the loss of family wage jobs. So too, the increasing cost of energy is grossly unfair to the financially disadvantaged. Families at or near poverty levels must pay a much higher percentage of their income for fuel, utilities and food. They often have no source of family income other than their employment salaries. These families are disproportionately harmed by the concerted government efforts to drive up the cost of energy. Governments have successfully employed the threat that global winter in the 1970’s, global warming in the 1990’s and most recently global climate change will surely result from the continued use of fossil fuels to power our economies. For decades, their efforts to manipulate science to prove their specious assumptions have served to sufficiently frighten the public to encourage compliance with ever-greater restrictions, regulations and energy cost escalations. It now appears that the vast majority of Americans are fed up with the “chicken-little” rhetoric and manipulated science prognostications. Global winter and mass starvation did not occur as direly predicted in the 1970’s. Global warming ceased by the turn of the century in spite of both their grim predictions and the significant increase in the global use of fossil fuels. By all verifiable empirical accounts, the atmosphere, oceans and land masses have been cooling for the past 15 years. Any changes in global climates are well within the scope of normal historical variation. In fact, severe storms occurring in the US are currently at a low ebb. The quickest and surest way for the American public to ensure the return of sound state and national energy polices is through the election process. Determining a candidate’s stand on energy security should be among our highest priorities. Energy policy should be a primary subject of every political discussion, debate or town hall. It is the voice of the people that drives public policy. It is time for those who make up the public silent majority to stand up and speak out. Please remember, if we do not stand up for rural Oregon no one will. Best regards, Doug