• Donate to Save Yamhill County here!
• Sign-up to write a letter to the editor of the Newberg Graphic or News-Register about why Commissioner Berschauer must be recalled!
• Stop by the Yamhill County Democrats office in McMinnville to pick-up a Recall Lindsay Berschauer yard sign!

What we've been talking about

• A public hearing will be held on Thursday at 8am on two proposed bills dealing with accountability for elected officials. HB 4114 requires members of district school boards for common school districts or union high school districts to file a verified statement of economic interest with Oregon Government Ethics Commission. HB 4140 expands duties of the Oregon Government Ethics Commission to conduct investigations, make findings, and impose penalties for violations of public meetings law. If you'd like to provide public testimony, the deadline is TODAY (February 9). You can submit written comments here or sign-up to testify here.
• A new bill in the Oregon Senate (Senate Bill 1521), seeks to limit the circumstances under which a school board can fire a superintendent for no cause. Read OPB's reporting. Newberg superintendent Joe Morelock was fired by the Newberg School Board without cause last year.
• A bill in the Oregon House (HB 4002) aims to require agricultural employers to pay their employees for overtime work. The bill prohibits "employers from permitting or requiring agricultural workers to work in excess of maximum allowable hours unless workers are compensated for overtime hours worked." Currently in Oregon, agricultural workers do not get paid for overtime work. A public hearing on the bill was held yesterday (Tuesday, February 8). Read reporting from the Oregon Capital Chronicle here.
• Newly appointed Representative Jessica George (HD 25 - Newberg) released a news brief on bills in the short legislative session. Read it here.

• The News-Register reported on Doris Towery's run for Yamhill County Commissioner against incumbent Mary Starrett.
• Another Democrat, Carrick Flynn, has joined the race for CD6. Learn about him here.

• At Thursday's Yamhill County Board of Commissioners meeting, Commissioner Lindsay Berschauer introduced a letter opposing a new state rule for masking indoors. The rule is intended to replace the existing series of temporary mask guidelines. In her letter, Berschauer claimed the new rule was "contrary to new, scientific findings regarding the efficacy of mask policies", as well as "cruel and unwarranted", especially in regards to children. The American Academy on Pediatrics disagrees; recommending "that anyone over the age of 2, regardless of vaccination status, wear a well-fitting face mask when in public" and stating on its website that "[i]n-school transmission has been observed more often in school districts that did not enact mask requirements." Commissioner Starrett voted with Berschauer to send the letter to the Oregon Health Authority, despite that the time for public comment on the rule had previously expired. The News-Register reported. Berschauer's letter can be found at page 52 of the packet.
• The Oregon Capital Chronicle published a commentary piece on Yamhill County Commissioner Mary Starrett's quiet backing down from her previous adversarial stance against the County Health Department. Read the story here. 

• In some good news this week, the Oregonian recognized McMinnville's schools and teachers for their dedication and success towards improving math outcomes for Latino students. Read the story here.
• In much sadder news, last night, Ines Peña resigned from the Newberg School Board. Read her statement here.
• Tim Graham, the principal at Newberg Catalyst High School, Chehalem Online Academy, and the Middle Schools Options Program, announced he is resigning at the end of the school year. He has not given a reason for his resignation, but he has been outspoken in the past about his frustrations with the Newberg School Board. Read stories by KOIN and KATU.
• To protest a new gaming facility operated by Dutch Bros. co-founder Travis Boersma, which Oregon Tribal leaders say will take millions of dollars in revenue from Oregon Tribes, a boycott of Dutch Bros. Coffee is scheduled for Friday, February 11. Tribal leaders from several tribes located in Oregon have spoken out against the planned "gaming destination" as a violation of Oregon's constitutional prohibition on private casinos. Read Willamette Week's reporting and a letter from tribal leaders.
• Last week, McMinnville City Councilor Chris Chenoweth claimed on his official Facebook page that "vaccines are being widely panned for lack of efficacy" and falsely implied that unvaccinated individuals are more protected against newer variants of Covid-19 than people that are vaccinated. In doing so, Chenoweth joined other local conservative politicians, namely Commissioners Berschauer and Starrett, in spreading misinformation about Covid-19 vaccines. Below is an excerpt from his post last Tuesday:

• If you are part of the McMinnville School District, please fill out the ThoughtExchange survey posted by Superintendent Debbie Brockett regarding changes to the District's mask policy. Find it here.
• Sign the petition to rename Columbus Elementary School in McMinnville. Click here.
• The Chehalem Cultural Center wants your input on how to make the Center more inclusive for all. Complete the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) survey here.
• Are you a classified worker in the Newberg School District? Do you want to organize with other workers to fight back against the NSB's actions? The former President of OSEA Chapter 17 is helping classified workers in the district organize. Share your contact information here.
• Want to help people in Yamhill County experiencing homelessness this winter? Volunteer at the Newberg Emergency Shelter. Information here. You can also donate by purchasing items from the shelter's Amazon wishlist here. The most needed items include: AAA batteries, scent beads for laundry, eggs, milk, creamer, kool-aid, and juice. Message Stephanie Bell Findley here if you'd like to drop any of these items off.

• Reminder: the Food Bank at the First Baptist Church in Dayton (300 Flower Ln.) is open every other Tuesday from 4-6pm and is accepting donations. It will be open next on Tuesday, February 22.
• Donate to Turtle Dove Shelters, Inc. here. Turtle Dove Shelters provides shelter for homeless individuals through the design, construction, and donation of portable, semi-permanent shelters.
• Donate to Patton Middle School's Backpack Drive here. The Patton Boutique, a resource room designed to help students with unmet needs, is collecting backpacks for students in need.
• Donate to the McMinnville High School Resource Room here. They are looking for: tampons, brushes, bandaids, women’s deodorant, umbrellas, hooded rain jackets (new or gently used), and sweatshirts (new or gently used). The Resource Room is for any MHS student who is having trouble getting their basic needs met. The MHS Resource Room has clothing, school supplies, hygiene products, and non-perishable family meals.

• Planning Commission member
• Historic Landmark Committee member

With Yamhill County’s second State Representative being replaced by appointment, it’s a good time to remember that the May 2022 election is your next opportunity to Become an Elected PCP! 

Learn more here. Download and submit your application form here. Registered Democrats can run for this office.

A Discussion about the History of Asian Americans in Yamhill County by the Ensuring Racial Justice Committee
Tuesday, February 22, 12pm
Meeting link

Winning Rural Hearts & Minds: Indivisible 2022 Rural Summit
Saturday, February 26, 9am
Register here

Amity School Board Meeting
Wednesday, February 9, 6pm
807 Trade St, Amity 

Newberg Rate Review Committee Meeting
Wednesday, February 9, 6:30pm
Zoom link

Yamhill City Council Meeting
Wednesday, February 9, 7pm

Yamhill County Board of Commissioners Meeting
Thursday, February 10, 10am
Zoom link; agenda; packet

Yamhill-Carlton School Board Meeting
Thursday, February 10, 6pm
YCSD Boardroom 120 N Larch PL., Yamhill

Dayton Planning Commission Meeting (if needed)
Thursday, February 10, 6:30pm
Zoom link

Lafayette City Council Meeting
Thursday, February 10, 6:30pm

Newberg Planning Commission Meeting
Thursday, February 10, 7pm
Zoom link

McMinnville Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Advisory Committee Meeting
Thursday, February 10, 4:30pm
Zoom link

West Valley Fire District Fire Board Meeting
Thursday, February 10, 6pm
West Valley Fire District Fire Hall - 825 NE Main Street, Willamina

Willamina School Board Meeting
Monday, February 14, 7pm
livestream

McMinnville School Board Business Meeting
Monday, February 14, 7:30pm
Zoom link

McMinnville 2022 State of the City Address - At Mayor Hill's Awards Reception
Tuesday, February 15, 5pm
Zoom link

Newberg Historic Preservation Committee Meeting
Tuesday, February 15, 7pm

Dundee City Council Meeting
Tuesday, February 15, 7pm

Carlton Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee meeting
Wednesday, February 16, 6pm
Zoom link; packet

Dundee Planning Commission Meeting
Wednesday, February 16, 7pm

Amity City Council Work Session
Wednesday, February 16, 6pm
Zoom link

Sheridan School Board Meeting
Wednesday, February 16, 6pm

Dayton Historic Preservation Committee Meeting (if needed)
Wednesday, February 16, 6:30pm
Zoom link

Lafayette Planning Commission Meeting
Thursday, February 17, 7:30pm

Sheridan School Board Bond Committee Meeting
Thursday, February 17, 6pm