Spanning the State: "Similar events planned around the country" by: nothstine Sun Jul 05, 2009 at 00:05:01 AM PDT

Update: Last month I noted that the assassination of Dr. George Tiller in Kansas had a thread connecting it to Oregon:  A former Grants Pass resident had tried to kill Tiller--shot him twice, in fact--outside his church in 1993 (It's for someone else to explain why these God-fearing people keep choosing churches as the place to commit their crimes.) Turns out I was being optimistic:  The Tiller story has a second, more ominous Oregon connection: A man charged with murdering Kansas abortion provider Dr. George Tiller has been advocating through mailings from his jail cell that such killings are justifiable. Scott Roeder sent Oregon anti-abortion activist Linda Wolfe a pamphlet that lauds Paul Hill, the convicted murderer of an abortion doctor, as an "American hero," and includes examples of Hill's writings about how it is justifiable to kill abortion doctors. The Rev. Donald Spitz, whose anti-abortion group Army of God celebrates Hill's teachings, says he provided Roeder with seven of the pamphlets upon Roeder's request. Wolfe is a piece of work in her own right; here's how AP describes her: [...] an Oregon activist who has been jailed about 50 times for anti-abortion activities and who is close friends with a woman convicted of shooting Tiller in 1993. Although they screen all prisoner mail for contraband, jail officials normally don't read prisoners' mail.   From the moment they locked him up after the Tiller shooting, Roeder has been promising more violence: The man charged with murdering a high-profile abortion doctor claimed from his jail cell Sunday that similar violence was planned around the nation for as long as the procedure remained legal, a threat that comes days after a federal investigation launched into his possible accomplices. A Justice Department spokesman said the threat was being taken seriously and additional protection had been ordered for abortion clinics last week. [...] "I know there are many other similar events planned around the country as long as abortion remains legal," Roeder said. When asked by the AP what he meant and if he was referring to another shooting, he refused to elaborate further. It wasn't clear whether Roeder knew of any impending violence or whether he was simply seeking publicity for his cause. Law enforcement authorities including the Justice Department said they didn't know whether the threat was credible. Jail officials read all of Roeder's incoming and outgoing mail. Seven pamphlets.  Linda Wolfe got one.  That leaves six. Let's Span the State. [More after the jump.]

nothstine :: Spanning the State: "Similar events planned around the country"

--------------- A year ago this week, Oregon drivers were paying $4.281/gal at the pump.  That makes it less surprising that, according to a report from the a report from the Sightline Institute, drivers in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho cut their gas consumption by 5% in 2008. This weekend will be one of the busiest of the year for Oregon's roads and highways.  Which, depending on how you feel about gasoline consumption, makes it good news (or bad) that Oregon's pump prices are down 1.5¢/galthis week, to $2.773/gal. Lowest reported pump price: $2.56/gal, at the Costco, 828 Chad Dr & Coburg Rd, in Eugene. Highest reported pump price: $2.99/gal at the Chevron station, 5325 Denver St SE & 2nd St, in Turner.   Once again, the HP Car Wash in Eugene, usually the pace-setter for ridiculously high pump prices, failed to finish (so to speak) in the money:  at $2.89/gal, their pump price was merely 13th highest in the state.  Eugene readers: Could somebody swing by and make sure the place is still standing? And don't forget--beginning this week, it's now illegal to top off your tank. --------------- Sixty-three years later, Bill Fulton's wallet was right where he lost it: wedged behind the bleachers at the Baker Middle School Gym in Baker City.  The leather was still supple, the zipper still worked, and his Social Security Card and bicycle license were still there--although, oddly, not his student ID card. But rather than focus on what was inside the wallet, Fulton said the recovery has led him to reflect on his life - one that took him to the Korean War and Berlin before a return to Baker City. He worked at Ellingson Lumber Company for 30 years, from March 1964 to April 1994. --------------- Update: What is it about approaching holidays, cell phones, and bad McDonald's service that keeps landing some Oregonian in jail?  This time it happened at SE 82nd Ave. and Sunnyside Road in Clackamas: A displeased McDonald's customer spent a night in jail after repeatedly calling 911 to report the restaurant had robbed him, Komonews.com reported. Jeremy Martin, 23, was charged with improper use of the 911 service, the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office in Oregon reported. Martin allegedly called the 911 dispatcher and explained that he had paid $10 but only received a single burger and an order of fries, according to the Web site. The police dispatcher told the man it was not a police matter and requested he try to resolve the matter with the manager of McDonald's. But the man identifying himself as Martin demanded that a police officer arrive at the restaurant, threatening to sue. "This is a 911 emergency," the man said, according to the Web site. "I got robbed for eight dollars." Alert StS readers may remember that a Washington County man wound up in jail over Memorial Weekend after calling 911 to complaln about the service he'd gotten at the Golden Arches.   Does Mayor McCheese know about this? --------------- Rampant bad service? Or better reporting? You decide. Hapless McDonald's customers apparently aren't alone in thinking they're not being treated well.  According to Oregon AG Kroger's office, consumer complaints are up 25% statewide so far this year. --------------- The situation so far: High-fructose syrup: Out.  Tasty and nutritious Oregon blueberries: In. Starbucks has been expanding its food menu in the last two years to entice customers to visit more and to spend more per visit. The company was also among the first restaurant chains in the country to ban trans fat from its food and beverages. If we're going to be eating Michigan cherries out here, and they're eating Oregon blueberries back there, this isn't traveling as far down the locavore path as, say, Burgerville USA (come for the hazlenut milk shakes, stay for the Walla Walla onion rings), but if Oregon can do its part to promote healthier diet--including Oregon blueberries, jam-packed with antioxidants and other healthy things--at the their 7000 company owned stores and 4000 licensed stores, so much the better.   The coffee giant says it has simplified recipes to include more high-quality ingredients like whole grains, blueberries from Oregon and cherries from Michigan. [...] New menu items include a blueberry oat bar, a farmer's market salad and banana walnut bread that Starbucks says "is nearly 30 percent real banana." Yeah, but what percentage of that salad is real farmer? --------------- Update:  In April, we were taking solace that Oregon's high school drop-out rate had hit an all-time low. But now it looks like somebody needs to brush up on the "three Rs"--especially the third one: A new way of tracking high school students in Oregon reveals a far lower rate of graduation in four years than earlier reported. The new system, quietly released by the Oregon Department of Education this week, shows 68% of all students who entered Oregon high schools in 2004 graduated in 2008. Earlier, a different tracking system had calculated the state wide graduation rate at 84%. Portland's revised four-year graduation rate using the updated measurement was 54%. --------------- One more reason not to drown government in the bathtub: More stimulus-funded jobs are coming to Oregon, including Jackson County: The U.S. Commerce secretary announced $7.3 million in stimulus money for Oregon to remove a dam in the Rogue River, restore salmon habitat in the Willamette River, and clean up old fishing gear in the ocean. [...] Jackson County estimates the money will put to work 54 people at various times over the course of the 18-month project. --------------- Update: Last month, Multnomah County Sheriff Bob Skipper was trying to avoid having to retake cadet training at age 70 before returning from retirement to take over Bernie Giusto's job as head of the Sheriff's Department Now, he's flunked the exam. He one more chance, and then it's boot camp for Sheriff Skipper. Remember: When in doubt, choose answer "c." --------------- StS True Animal Story Update: Last fall, the then-still-unnamed male calf born to Asian elephant Rose-Tu at the Oregon Zoo was off to a somewhat-shaky start in life. Slightly less than a year later, Samudra--his new name means "ocean," but you can call him "Sam"--weighs in at over 1100 lbs and is one of the main reasons that the Zoo had a record 1.6 million visitors in the 12 months ending June 30th. No word when Sam's Facebook page and Twitter account will be up and running. --------------- Tune in to the (Thom Hartmann Show on KPOJ AM620 tomorrow morning between 7.30and 8.00 to hear Carl, Christine, and Paul match wits with TJ on the weekly Spanning the State Challenge!   ---------------

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