Food Handler Class Offered By Clatsop County Environmental Health

Friday, Sept. 9, 2011

FOOD HANDLER CLASS OFFERED MONDAY, SEPT. 12

Whether you are an employee in a restaurant or someone who cooks for the community spaghetti feeds, oyster feeds, or pancake breakfasts, knowledge of basic food safety is critical to providing safe food and a food handler card is required for the protect and health of the people in our community.
Clatsop County Environmental Health is offering a Food Handler Class on Monday, Sept. 12 from 7 to 8 p.m. to anyone 13 or older. The class will be held at Clatsop Community College South Campus, 1475 Roosevelt in Seaside.
The local class not only provides the certified food handler card required for food service workers, but is also an opportunity to interact informally with a county Environmental Health inspector to better understand the reasons behind food safety rules. The class will cover safe food handling practices, proper cooking and temperature control that prevents the growth of bacteria, how individually we can better prevent the spread of foodborne diseases, plus ways to maintain a clean, safe food service work environment.
A fee of $10 is to be paid the night of the class. No pre- registration is required. A form of ID is required for review. For additional information call Clatsop County Public Health (503) 325-8500, or log on to the Public Health page on the Clatsop County website, http://www.co.clatsop.or.us/

Released by:
Tom Bennett
Community Relations Coordinator
(503) 338-3622

Clatsop County Hires Hiller West As New Principal Planner At Transportation And Development Services Planning Division!

Friday, Sept. 9 2011

COUNTY NAMES HILLER WEST NEW PRINCIPAL PLANNER

Clatsop County has hired Hiller West as the new principal planner for the Transportation and Development Services Department-Planning Division. He will start his new job Sept. 12.
Hiller, of Shoreline, Wash., most recently worked as community development director for the city of Monroe, Wash., a position he held for nine years. He also served as planning director in Buckley and Mukilteo, Wash. and as a planner with Pierce County and Grays Harbor County, Wash. One of his earliest positions was as a coastal planner for the Columbia River Estuary Study Task Force (CREST) in 1986-87.
As principal planner West will coordinate long-range and multi-partner projects for the Planning Division, as well as review specific project applications.

Released by:
Tom Bennett
Community Relations Coordinator
(503) 338-3622

Urgent! 5:00 PM Today, September 8, 2011, Deadline If You wish To Serve On County Board Of Tax Appeals!!!

VOLUNTEERS SOUGHT FOR TAX APPEAL PANEL
The Clatsop County Board of Commissions is seeking applications from individuals interested in serving on the County Board of Property Tax Appeals for the 2011–12 term.
The Board of Property Tax Appeals hears petitions from taxpayers seeking to decrease their real market or assessed property values. The board also considers requests to excuse penalties or late filings of real or personal property returns.
Applicants must be residents of Clatsop County, but cannot be employees of the county or of any tax district within the County. The Board of Commissioners makes appointments to a pool, from which the County Clerk selects three people to serve on the Board of Property Tax Appeals. Training is provided. The committee holds several daytime meetings beginning the first Monday in February to hear petitions. The committee adjourns no later than April 15, 2012, with the term ending June 20, 2012.
Application forms for the appointments are available online here or contact the Clatsop County Manager’s Office, 800 Exchange St., Suite 410, Astoria, OR, (503) 325-1000.
Applications must be completed and turned in by 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 8, 2011 to be considered.

It's Official:Ruby Pipeline Cuts Ribbon For 680 Mile Link From Wyoming To Malin, Oregon!

McClatchy - Seeking Alpha.com

September 2, 2011

Sept. 02--El Paso Corp. will cut the ribbon today on its newest pipeline, a 680-mile, 42-inch diameter behemoth built to carry vast quantities of Rockies natural gas from the Opal hub in Wyoming to Malin, on Oregon's border with California.
The $3.5 billion project, which started shipments in late July, opens at a time when demand growth and prices have collapsed from the heady levels when it was conceived. In the short term at least, that's likely to keep gas shipments well below the pipe's capacity of 1.5 billion cubic feet of gas per day, and crimp profits accordingly.

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On The Matter Of Brent Foster Versus Oregon State Bar

Oregon State Bar declares no criminal wrongdoing on the part of Foster in their findings and issuance of a 30 Day Suspension in its "Stipulation For Discipline" for violating OSB-RPC 8.4(a)(3) Rules of Professional Conduct

"This matter having been heard upon The Stipulation for Discipline entered into by "The Accused" and "Oregon State Bar" and good cause appearing, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the stipulation between the parties is approved and the accused is suspended for 30 days for violation of RPC 8.4(a)(3), the sanction to be effective the day after "The Stipulation for Disciplne is approved.

Dated: September 2, 2011

Signed By:

William Crow

State Disciplinary Board Chairman

Carl W. Hopp

Region 1

Disciplinary Board Chairman"

Read Full Findings And Disciplinary Action

Medicare Fraud Strike Force Takes Down 91In $295 Million False Billings!!!

HHS.com
September 7, 2011
Contact: HHS Press Office (202) 690-6343
Medicare fraud strike force charges 91 individuals for approximately $295 million in false billing
WASHINGTON – Attorney General Eric Holder and Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today that a nationwide takedown by Medicare Fraud Strike Force operations in eight cities has resulted in charges against 91 defendants, including doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals, for their alleged participation in Medicare fraud schemes involving approximately $295 million in false billing.
Attorney General Holder and Secretary Sebelius were joined in the announcement by FBI Executive Assistant Director Shawn Henry, Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and HHS Inspector General Daniel R. Levinson.

Read Full Report

Clatsop County Board Of Commissioners September 14, 2011 Regular Meeting Agenda Preceeded at 9:30 AM By Executive Session

Read Full Agenda Packet

Clatsop County:Proposed Property Re-Appraisal - Frequently Asked Questions

Property Re-Appraisal

The Clatsop County Assessment and Taxation Department is conducting a full re-appraisal of the whole county over the next few years. The reappraisal is starting in the northeast corner of the county to include Westport towards East Astoria.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What is a re-appraisal? – This is when the appraisers physically inspect every property within a designated area to determine the physical condition and accuracy or county records of the land and all improvements on each parcel of property. This includes measuring buildings, notating type, class and condition of all improvements, and verifying quality and age (depreciation) of each improvement – both exterior and interior.

Why are you doing a re-appraisal? – Based on Oregon Revised Statutes and Department of Revenue Rules and guidelines, the Assessment and Taxation Department is required to properly assess the value of all land and improvements. Since the passage of Ballot Measure 50, this has been and continues to be primarily completed by sales ratio analysis or mass appraisal procedures. To ensure that the appraisal process is done correctly, the appraisal department needs to verify the addition and destruction/deletion of improvements as well as the condition of improvements, which can only be done by physical inspection. We want to make sure that every property has been properly valued by obtaining the Real Market Value (RMV). If your garage has not been maintained and is falling apart, but we show on record that it is in great condition, then we need to correct the value and condition.

Will my taxes change due to re-appraisal? – Your taxes are limited to change by an approved vote in 1997 on Measure 50, which was a constitutional amendment limiting tax increases to 3 percent, with certain exceptions pertaining to omitted property or remodeling (not general maintenance). The re-appraisal will generally not have any impact on your taxes unless your property has an exception. Please note that we are only appraisers and looking for the value of the property, we are not qualified to determine if there are building or code violations nor do we work in that capacity.

Do I have to let the appraiser in my home? – Actually, you do not have to let the appraiser in your home. In the event that the appraiser cannot obtain interior access or if not allowed interior access, the appraiser will ask for permission to complete an exterior appraisal. If denied then the appraisal will be completed from the closest public right of way. In the event there are children with no adult present, the appraiser will leave a door hanger or card and immediately leave the property. At this point the appraiser will complete the appraisal from the public right of way. Without the ability to measure or view the improvement, then the appraisal will be completed based on the appraiser’s best judgment. Without the ability to view the improvements, we do not give you the benefit of the doubt for condition or quality that cannot be verified.

What if I work during the day or no one is ever home? – Then the appraiser can either make an appointment during the county work hours to view the property or the appraiser will have to complete the appraisal based on the appraiser’s best judgment.

How do I know if the appraiser has already seen my home? – All appraisers use bright yellow door hangers that will be placed on what the appraiser deems as the front door. If the gate is locked and the appraiser can’t get to the front door, it will be placed on the gate. The door hangers specifically state if the appraiser does or does NOT need additional information.

How do I know it is a county appraiser and not someone claiming to be the county appraiser? – All county appraisers are driving county cars with the county logo on the doors. Each appraiser is required to carry visibly their county-issued identification badge. Additionally, the appraisers should have a business card and/or prepared yellow door hangers. Please ask to view these items if ever in doubt.

What if I disagree with the values? – In most cases the values will not change your taxes. If you still want to review the values, you are welcome to contact an appraiser during county hours in person or via phone to address your concerns of value. If you are still not satisfied, you always have the right to file an appeal with the Board of Property Tax Appeals.

Audio Transcript Of CCBofC Special Work Session August 25. 2011

Listen To Audio Transcript

Clatsop County Genealogical Society Presents Free Genealogy Fair, Saturday, September 10, 2011 At Seaside's Bob Chisholm Community Center

Free Genealogy Fair

Do you know your own history?You have a chance to attend a FREE Genealogy Fair scheduled for next Saturday, September 10th beginning at 10:30 AM in the Bob Chisholm Community Center in Seaside.Lots of wonderful opportunities!The featured speaker, Barbara Clark, speaking at 10:30, will discuss dating old family photographs: there will be a silver Tea following, information tables relating to Ancestry.com, the Family Tree Maker Program and the Legacy program, all designed to help you trace your family tree, plus a table with family heirlooms. The tables and information will be available all afternoon until 4 PM, so drop by or spend the day. If you like history, you'll learn how you can discover your own family history at this event sponsored by the Clatsop County Genealogical Society... Plus everyone attending will be get a ticket and a chance to win a subscription to Ancestry.com! Open and free to the public, bring friends who like history

From IBT: The Ten Reasons Rick Perry Is Too Extreme To Win

Ross Perot, A Rick Perry Friend/mentor/supporter

Rick Perry; The favorite candidate of, get this, "Republican Leaning Independents"? A new term for "Tea Partyers" perhaps?

So says Maggie Astor - International Business Times
September 5, 2011 - 9:18 AM

Here's The List:
10. He calls Social Security Un-American
9. He opposed raising the Debt Ceiling
8. He does not believe in Evolution or Climate Change
7. He has suggested repealing the 16th and 17th Amendments
6. He wants to set Judicial Term Limits and let Congress overide Supreme Decisions
5. He is the most Anti-Abortion Governor in Texas History
4. He supports Nullification and once suggested that Texas seced from the Union
3. He questions the Patriotism of top government officials
2. He mixes Religion and Politics openly and unapologetically
1. He contradicts himself
Read Full Article

Washington Post Opinion Writer, Harold Meyerson, 08/16/2011:"Rick Perry's Texas is Ross Perot's Mexico come north"