Farmworker overtime is coming to Oregon
A hotly debated bill that requires agricultural employers to pay their workers overtime takes effect Jan. 1, and some are already looking for ways to get around it. Some farmers have said they plan to cut hours or to mechanize some of their processes.
Anne Krahmer-Steinkamp, a blueberry farmer in Albany, said it’s not that she doesn’t think her workers don’t deserve the extra pay. It’s that she and other farmers say they can’t afford to pay the overtime.
The additional pay will be phased in over five years, starting in January. Farm operators will be required to pay workers time-and-a-half for any hours worked past 55 in a week. That threshold drops to 48 hours in 2025 and 40 in 2027.
While advocates for workers are excited about the new policy, farmers and others say it spells trouble. “It’s not raining money in agriculture,” said Jenny Dresler, a lobbyist for the Oregon Farm Bureau Federation. “It rarely ever is.” (Shannon Sollitt/Salem Statesman Journal)
Washougal waterfront development set to get underway by fall 2023
A Portland-based developer recently unveiled designs for the Hyas Point waterfront development project in Washougal, Washington, and construction is expected to begin by summer or early fall next year. The first phase of the project will feature several streets, including a main thoroughfare stretching east to west along the Columbia River, and four buildings that will house 276 apartment units and 56,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space. RKm Development owner Roy Kim said that the company is trying to incorporate office space into the buildings to provide as much variety as possible, and is looking at adding space for restaurants after receiving “some interest.” (Doug Flanagan/Camas-Washougal Post Record)
Deschutes County Jail seeks to treat addiction with medication
A medication-based treatment program will soon be available for Deschutes County Jail inmates with addictions. Once in jail, inmates will be assessed by nurses to determine if they could benefit from the program, which combines medication-assisted treatment with counseling.
The aim is to help inmates break their addiction, to hopefully prevent them from committing future crimes, such as shoplifting or petty theft, often committed to support one’s addiction.
Without intervention, the “vicious cycle” will continue, said Josh Lair, a community outreach coordinator for Ideal Option, which partnered with the jail to implement and fund the program. “I think it’s important for us as a community,” Lair said, “to really start changing the tone and the dialogue when it comes to addiction and law enforcement.” (Anna Kaminski/Bend Bulletin)
Clackamas County deputy shoots man during a disturbance call
A Clackamas County deputy shot a man outside of a home near Estacada last week, according to a county sheriff’s office press release Wednesday. Deputies were dispatched on Dec. 22 to the report of a domestic disturbance involving a gun at a home near Milo McIver State Park. They were able to remove family members from the home as crisis negotiators spoke with an armed man inside. But the sheriff’s office says the man was still holding a gun when he exited the home. Deputy Isaac Bailey then shot 53-year-old Jason Lee Savage after telling him to drop the gun. Savage is expected to survive. Bailey has worked with the sheriff’s office for four years. A major crimes team is investigating. (OPB Staff)
Amtrak will get new trains with a new look for the Northwest
Amtrak passengers in the Pacific Northwest can expect new trains to come online over the next few years. The company announced the new trains will be completed by 2026, with exterior designs based on the Northwest. Some train cars will feature Mount Hood and Mount Rainier displayed on the side. The train cars will also include redesigned cafes and panoramic windows for viewing Northwestern landscapes. The new trains will travel the 18-stop route between Eugene and Vancouver, Canada. (OPB Staff)
