Hasso Hering

Albany to draft pot dispensary ban

Written December 11th, 2013 by Hasso Hering

Comments: no responses.

The Albany City Council jumped back into the medical marijuana issue Wednesday, asking its staff to draft changes in the city land use law that would ban dispensaries within the city limits. Councilor Bessie Johnson, who said several weeks ago she did not want medical marijuana dispensaries in Albany, prompted the council action, which was not on […]

Posted in: News
Tags: Albany City Council, dispensaries, land use law, medica marijuana, Oregon legislature

Pacific to Millersburg: It won’t work

Written December 11th, 2013 by Hasso Hering

Comments: no responses.

Millersburg is contemplating taking over the electric power system within its boundaries in order to allow Wah Chang, the metals plant, to benefit from low-cost preference power sold by the Bonneville Power Administration. Pacific Power has now warned the city council that in the company’s opinion this won’t work.

Posted in: Commentary, News
Tags: Bonneville Power Administration, Millersburg, Northwest Power Act, Pacific Power, Wah Chang

About the next snow storm …

Written December 10th, 2013 by Hasso Hering

Comments: one response.

So what — besides letting the water run to prevent the pipes from freezing up — could we do better the next time we get hit by one of these snowstorms followed by a blast of near-arctic freeze? What could mid-valley residents and our communities do in order to have any easier time?

Posted in: Commentary
Tags: Albany streets, ice and snow, snowy weather, the big freeze

A promising oak gets whacked

Written December 9th, 2013 by Hasso Hering

Comments: 2 responses.

It’s hard to know what to think about this. But these are the facts. Sometime between Sunday afternoon and mid-day Monday, somebody drove his vehicle on to the curb in the 1400 block of Albany’s Southwest Seventh Avenue, ran over a young oak growing there, steered off the curb in one smooth turn and drove […]

Posted in: Commentary
Tags: accident, Albany street trees, vandalism

Has Kitz earned fourth term?

Written December 9th, 2013 by Hasso Hering

Comments: 2 responses.

Gov. John Kitzhaber will seek another term in 2014, his second consecutive term and fourth overall. The way Oregon votes lately, he’ll probably get what he wants — but maybe not if enough voters look at what he’s actually done.

Posted in: Commentary
Tags: elections 2014, John Kitzhaber, Oregon governor

Wind farms versus eagles

Written December 8th, 2013 by Hasso Hering

Comments: one response.

The Obama administration has let it be known that expanding power-generating wind farms is more important than protecting golden and bald eagles. Federal officials announced on Friday (Dec. 6) that wind power companies will be allowed to kill or injure a certain number of eagles for up to 30 years without penalty.

Posted in: Commentary
Tags: eagles, take permits, wind power

How about a tax on heating?

Written December 7th, 2013 by Hasso Hering

Comments: one response.

Let’s remember the scenes from this winter when state and federal officials start talking again about imposing a “carbon tax” or increasing the energy taxes we already have.

Posted in: Commentary
Tags: carbon tax, climate change, cold weather, global warming