Friday, July 31, 2009

Ann Samuelson's Comment Raises Just More Questions

Ann Samuelson said...
"Patrick, I will weigh in on your port question as well, I too think my district should have representation there, we receive very little benefit from the port although I and others have been working with Jack Crider and the port commissioners to get some benefit in District 5, and they are working on it. They helped in some trail building in Cannon Beach recently. Further, take a look at my website, there's a letter from Atlin Investment on it that explains how much I with Senator Johnsons help made the Northcoast Business Park permits happen in a timely manner so that Costco could begin construction on a schedule that was critical for them. Hazen couldn't do that due to his conflict as an employee of Costco so I volunteered to take the lead on that, and it went well. There are many opportunities we are all working on in Clatsop Co., focusing on one issue is not productive. ONWARD!!!!"

GRP: I am of the understanding that Ken Leahy Construction got the grading contract or was/is involved with this particlular Warrenton Costco's construction phase and I am of the understanding as well that this is the same Ken Leahy that is the proposed Bradwood Landing LNG Terminal property owner.

Could this be true and has it been put on record and cleared of any potential as being a Conflict of Interest or Collusion relevant to the proposed Bradwood Landing on the part of Hazen, Samuelson and Senator Johnson and others in this still unsettled and unapproved project?

Ken Leahy has also been linked(In an article published in The Daily Astorian) to Ex-Port of Astoria Executive Director, Peter Gearin in a deal to purchase Rice Island on the Columbia, upriver towards the proposed Bradwood Landing project to excavate and sell sand for profit.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

The Recall

Recall elections in the United States
Along with the initiative, the referendum, and the direct primary, the recall election was one of the major electoral reforms advocated by leaders of the Progressive movement in the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, although it was initially proposed in William S. U'Ren's Oregon newspaper. Recall elections do not take place at the federal level. The majority of states allow recall elections in local jurisdictions, but only eighteen states permit recall elections to remove state officials.[3]
Only two governors have ever been successfully recalled. In 1921, Lynn Frazier, Governor of North Dakota, was recalled during a dispute about state-owned industries, and in 2003, Governor Gray Davis of California was recalled over the state budget.
In Alaska, Georgia, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Rhode Island, and Washington, specific grounds are required for a recall. Some form of malfeasance or misconduct while in office must be identified by the petitioners. The target may choose to dispute the validity of the grounds in court, and a court then judges whether the allegations in the petition rise to a level where a recall is necessary. In the other eleven states that permit state-wide recall, no grounds are required and recall petitions may be circulated for any reason. However, the target is permitted to submit responses to the stated reasons for recall.
The minimum number of signatures and the time limit to qualify a recall vary between states. In addition, the handling of recalls once they qualify differs. In some states, a recall triggers a simultaneous special election, where the vote on the recall, as well as the vote on the replacement if the recall succeeds, are on the same ballot. In the 2003 California recall election, over 100 candidates appeared on the replacement portion of the ballot. In other states, a separate special election is held after the target is recalled, or a replacement is appointed by the Governor or some other state authority.

[edit] Successful recalls
1916 recall of J. W. Robinson, Mayor of Boise, Idaho[4]
1921 North Dakota recall of Governor Lynn Frazier
1994 recall of officials in River Vale, New Jersey: Mayor Walter Jones, Councilwoman Patricia Geier, and Councilman Bernard Salmon[5]
1995 recall of California State Assemblyman Paul Horcher
1995 recall of California State Assembly Speaker Doris Allen
1996 recall of Wisconsin State Senator George Petak
2002 recall of Flint, Michigan mayor Woodrow Stanley.
2002 recall of Milwaukee County, WI Executive F. Thomas Ament (resigned before election).
2002 recall of Milwaukee County Board Chair Karen Ordinans.
2002 recall of Milwaukee, WI County Board Supervisors Penny Podell, LeAnn Launstein, David Jasenski, Kathy Arciszewski, James McGuigan, Linda Ryan.
All involved in the 2002 Milwaukee County elections were recalled due to a pension/retirement controversy.
2003 California recall of Governor Gray Davis
2005 recall of James E. West, Mayor of Spokane, Washington.

[edit] Unsuccessful recalls
1978 Cleveland Recall Election of Mayor Dennis Kucinich
2008 recall of California State Senator Jeff Denham and Paula Flint

[edit] Unsuccessful attempts to qualify recall elections
United States Senator Frank Church of Idaho was the subject of an unsuccessful recall effort in 1967.[6] Courts ruled that a federal official is not subject to state recall laws.
Evan Mecham, Governor of Arizona, was scheduled for a recall election on May 17, 1988 after a successful petition drive (301,000 signatures). However, the Supreme Court of Arizona canceled the election, since Mecham had already been impeached and removed from office by the Senate on April 4.[7]

Monday, July 27, 2009

Clean Coal Technology

July 27, 2009
Sarah Dowdey - How Stuff Works

Coal is the dirtiest of all fossil fuels. When burned, it produces emissions that contribute to global warming, create acid rain and pollute water. With all of the hoopla surrounding nuclear energy, hydropower and biofuels, you might be forgiven for thinking that grimy coal is finally on its way out.

Read Article

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Too Much Wind Generated Electricity To The Northwest Grid?

GRP: Enough electricity on tap at one time to power 680,000 homes? Has to be curtailed to keep some kinda balance? But, what about all this Natural Gas some speculators say we need? Damn those wind generators!

Ebb and flow of wind power stress NW power grid

By DAVID LESTERYAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC

YAKIMA, Wash. -- In the space of one hour last month, electricity generated at wind farms in the eastern end of the Columbia River Gorge shot up by 1,000 megawatts - enough to power some 680,000 homes.
Less than an hour later, it plummeted almost as much.


Read Article

Clatsop County Commissioner Jeff Hazen States His Position On Recall Effort Against Him

Saturday, July 25, 2009
Recall
Tuesday morning, recall petitions were filed against both Ann Samuelson and me.

I learned about it after receiving a call from a local reporter. I wasn't surprised that it happened since the chants of "Recall, Recall, Recall" were heard at our July 16th meeting......


Read Statement

Daily "A": Samuelson Hits The Streets To Fight Recall

7/24/2009 12:06:00PM

The Daily Astorian

Samuelson hits the streets to battle recall
Commissioner to visit Seaside and Cannon Beach in effort to thwart signature gatherers
Clatsop County Commissioner Ann Samuelson isn't going to take being recalled sitting down.

It's not her style.

She has already scheduled appearances over a two-day period in Cannon Beach and Seaside to thwart attempts of signature gatherers for the recall campaign against her. Her actions come as supporters of the recalls are beginning signature drives.


Read Article

Oregon LNG Sues Port Of Astoria

Last updated July 25, 2009 5:02 p.m. PT
Oregon LNG sues Port of Astoria over lease
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS - Seattle Post Intelligencer

ASTORIA, Ore. -- Liquefied natural gas terminal developer Oregon LNG has filed a lawsuit against the Port of Astoria to ensure a lease gets renewed as a deadline approaches with unanswered questions about who really owns the land.


Read Article

Clatsop County Commissioner Ann Samuelson Explains Her Jewell School Board Recall

GRP: To keep you informed on this issue of recall of Clatsop County Commissioners, Jeff Hazen and Ann Samuelson, we felt it important to share this, taken from "Dried Salmon Matters Message Board" with you and we thank them in advance for posting it.


GRP: Interesting Comment taken from Dried Salmon Matters
MemoryGuest
Re: Recall again?« Reply #157(July 26, 2009) Yesterday at 6:59pm »

You bet this recall has been in the works for a long time, and I bet if you strip away the layers you will find Josh(Marquis) and Cindy(Price) at the rotten center of it all.
Logged


Ann Samuelson Guest
Re: Recall again?« Reply #150 Yesterday(July 25, 2009) at 4:53pm »

Just time for a short explaination of the jewell recall, many folks that signed the orginal petition on Karl and I didn't really know what they were signing, I've talked with a number of them since. Once again lies of the followers of the superintendent, who is now on probabation for mistreating his daughter, and some anti lnger's such as Auerbach signed the petition. It only took 54 signatures, and Ole S. who is now up for felony gun charges and other things went door to door and lied to people...so there you have it, in Oregon you can just lie and recall someone, it needs to change....but the good news is I've kept in touch with the young woman who was the real victim here, and she's back in the community after more trauma yet, and doing well, she's absolutely beautiful, so that recall was successful in my mind, if that's the price I pay so a kid is safe....I'll do it again!! then false ethics charges were filed by these followers as well...ridiculous use of taxpayer dollars but there's a few in this group that are really good