Author: North Coast BBQ

No treatment – but now….a deflection center!!
The following article comes from the Portland Tribune:
In a Wednesday press conference, Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson and other county leaders addressed plans for a deflection center that continues to incur criticism from the public and fellow commissioners.
The chair’s deflection program will give those caught with hard drugs the choice between serving jail time or receiving treatment for a substance use disorder when House Bill 4002 goes into effect Sept. 1—once again “We must offer people suffering from addiction alternatives to incarceration, or we will be right back where we started,”. “Vega Pederson said. Treatment is the best route to recovery. People’s lives are depending on opening more treatment options, and we are moving swiftly to do so.”
(my comment – How swift is a few years?) However, Multnomah County’s new program could also allow drug users to avoid arrest and possibly walk away without mandated treatment. This outcome is possible for people who get dropped off at the deflection center and go through a screening and assessment with a peer counselor, but are not required to follow a plan for drug treatment.
(And they can go to a deflection center many times – there’s no limit – so they are back on the street! over and over again.
Remember the “hot line” for persons arrested caught with more than allowable amounts of hard drugs under measure 110? The state health authority hired Health Resources in Action, a Boston-based nonprofit focused on public health, for up to $2.7 million to operate the moribund helpline. This was set up for measure 110 in an effort to connect people to substance abuse screening and treatment referral. But there is still no treatment available!!!!!!
Oregon’s Measure 110 drug treatment hotline has served only 577, gets new operator. Updated: Dec. 14, 2023.This is still ongoing although there is no treatment available. (wow – look what happens when you put Democrats in charge of the purse- my comment – wasted wasted money)
My conclusion is Democratic legislators want to see criminals back in the street. What other conclusion can you come to?
In the coming November election – there will be two tax measures to vote on. One will be a tax on your property for public safety. So Oregon Democratic legislators create crime in the street and then tax you for it.
That is what it looks like to me.

Here’s on from: www.goodnewsnetwork.org/saddled-with-backpacks-of-seeds-local-pooches-enlisted-to-help-rewild-urban-nature-reserve/

Picture credit-Railway-Land-Wildlife-Trust-Lewes

Inspired by an innovative Chilean forest restoration effort, the English town of Lewes is enlisting the help of dog walkers to rewild a local nature reserve.

Heavily degraded by foot traffic, the project co-ops dogs’ tendency to run about in the woods to spread wildflower seed from saddlebags strapped to a harness around the dog’s abdomen.

The idea mimics the function that wolves once played in that part of England, roaming over vast distances getting grass and flower seeds stuck in their coat, only to fall off and germinate somewhere else.

This helter-skelter seed-spreading is actually how many plants evolved to reproduce, and it’s key to maintaining a biodiverse and native ecosystem.

“We’re really interested in rewilding processes, but they often involve reintroducing big herbivores like bison or wild horses,” said manager Dylan Walker from the Railway Land Wildlife Trust who organized the project back in 2019.

“In a smaller urban nature reserve it’s really hard to do those things. So, to replicate the effect that those animals have on the ecosystem we aimed to utilize the vast number of dog walkers that are visiting the nature reserve daily.”

The saddlebags are filled with a variety of perennial plant seeds mixed together with sand. This allows the seed to be spread for longer across larger distances, while also providing a helpful tracking sign to inform the Trust’s employees where dogs are walking.

“I signed up because it sounded like such a good fit. I was asked to place a harness on my chocolate cocker spaniel called Bertie and he ran around spreading seeds like wolves used to do many years ago,” Cressida Murray, a dog walker who regularly uses the nature reserve, told The Guardian.

Wolves were persecuted to extinction in England as early as the reign of Henry VII, who reigned during the latter third of the 15th century.

“A community-based project like this not only helps engage and teach people about the ecological impacts of wildlife but also allows us to make our wildlife and environments richer in the process,” said Walker.

Here’s on from: www.goodnewsnetwork.org/saddled-with-backpacks-of-seeds-local-pooches-enlisted-to-help-rewild-urban-nature-reserve/

Picture credit-Railway-Land-Wildlife-Trust-Lewes

Inspired by an innovative Chilean forest restoration effort, the English town of Lewes is enlisting the help of dog walkers to rewild a local nature reserve.

Heavily degraded by foot traffic, the project co-ops dogs’ tendency to run about in the woods to spread wildflower seed from saddlebags strapped to a harness around the dog’s abdomen.

The idea mimics the function that wolves once played in that part of England, roaming over vast distances getting grass and flower seeds stuck in their coat, only to fall off and germinate somewhere else.

This helter-skelter seed-spreading is actually how many plants evolved to reproduce, and it’s key to maintaining a biodiverse and native ecosystem.

“We’re really interested in rewilding processes, but they often involve reintroducing big herbivores like bison or wild horses,” said manager Dylan Walker from the Railway Land Wildlife Trust who organized the project back in 2019.

“In a smaller urban nature reserve it’s really hard to do those things. So, to replicate the effect that those animals have on the ecosystem we aimed to utilize the vast number of dog walkers that are visiting the nature reserve daily.”

The saddlebags are filled with a variety of perennial plant seeds mixed together with sand. This allows the seed to be spread for longer across larger distances, while also providing a helpful tracking sign to inform the Trust’s employees where dogs are walking.

“I signed up because it sounded like such a good fit. I was asked to place a harness on my chocolate cocker spaniel called Bertie and he ran around spreading seeds like wolves used to do many years ago,” Cressida Murray, a dog walker who regularly uses the nature reserve, told The Guardian.

Wolves were persecuted to extinction in England as early as the reign of Henry VII, who reigned during the latter third of the 15th century.

“A community-based project like this not only helps engage and teach people about the ecological impacts of wildlife but also allows us to make our wildlife and environments richer in the process,” said Walker.

Here’s a link to a free copy, just pay for shipping ($8): theborderlandfoundation.com/book-order-form/

The Course is a psychological & spiritual tool for mind training and inner peace. Through its curriculum of 31 chapters, 365 lessons and a teachers manual, it helps us experientially to shift from the ego’s thought system to Holy Spirit’s and from fear to Love.

– It teaches us about psychology, philosophy, metaphysics, forgiveness, miracles, inner guidance and the power of decision making.
– It teaches us how to pray, ask, listen and trust so that we can heal and be healed.
– It teaches us about relationships and emphasizes the importance of transforming our special relationships into holy ones.
– It helps us to train and change our mind, so we can do our special function together and offer miracles to change the world.

“You are entitled to miracles because of what you are. You will receive miracles because of what God is. And you will offer miracles because you are one with God. Again, how simple is salvation!” (ACIM, W-77.1:1-4)

Posting on behalf of loretta.kim.rosenberg@gmail.com

Years ago, a little girl I took care of after the death of her mom said something that changed how I think about hard times and bad trouble.

If the bad thing hadn’t happened, then all the good things that came after wouldn’t have either. Because it’s all connected. The bad stuff you live through and the good stuff, too.

Would you be the same person if the tragedies hadn’t happened?

If I look at my life through the rearview, I can see that I’m here now because of a series of not so wonderful events. There’s no teasing them apart.

If I hadn’t met Ben, I wouldn’t have the life I have now.

If my ex hadn’t hit me all the time, I wouldn’t have left him and met Ben.

If I hadn’t run away when I was 14, I wouldn’t have lived the life I did—the good and bad, the sweet and sour. It’s not one or the other—it’s always both.

The past we live through is all compost and poop, but without that there are no flowers.

Today I’m writing to say a big thank you to BBQ for being a forum that allows people to say their piece AND get rid of old couches, advertise local events, and sell those dishes you never really liked.

Posting on BBQ and hearing from so many people in the villages about what I’ve written has been a gift—whether you’ve liked what I’ve written or not. Some of you have been in both camps at different times. To everyone who has reached out to encourage, discourage, agree or disagree with me, I want to say thank you.

It’s been years since I published, but today a short essay I wrote is out in the world and I believe it’s because of BBQ. Posting taught me how to write again.

Yes, it gets a little hot and squirrely sometimes, but Chuck and Barbara have created a space to share our experiences, beliefs and opinions plus get rid of that old futon.

Here’s my essay!

oregonhumanities.org/rll/beyond-the-margins/sleepless-nights/

Kim Rosenberg
loretta.kim.rosenberg@gmail.com