Oregon Newsfeed
Below you will find the latest news stories from around Oregon about Children First and the issues that we are working on.
Some parents struggling with back-to-school buys
The Statesman Journal
Fri, 22 Aug 2008
CHICAGO (AP) -- Charles Lane-Bey combed through racks of blue jeans at a Salvation Army thrift store and held up a pair with potential to his 8-year-old son, Edward, who swung them over his shoulder with a smile. Forty-seven cents for a sturdy pair with white and red stitching. Not bad if it'll last all school year. "A couple of years ago, I was able to buy everything practically new," said La…
States push laws to require paid sick days
Oregon Public Broadcasting
Wed, 20 Aug 2008
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) -- For school bus driver Jamille Aine, a cold is more than an inconvenience. His employer does not offer paid sick days, so if he can't shake the bug, he may not be able to pay his bills. Some 46 million U.S. workers lack paid sick days, but lawmakers in 12 states - including California, Connecticut, Minnesota and West Virginia - have proposed legislation in the past year …
Help kids eat healthy
The Ashland Daily Tidings
Wed, 20 Aug 2008
Your kids may not believe it, but there is life — and food — beyond chicken nuggets.
And if you need help persuading them of this, two new cookbooks offer a bit of guidance. First is Jennifer McCann's "Vegan Lunch Box," which is drawn from the author's popular blog that chronicled the lunches she packed for her son.
McCann's book is great for children willing to try new foods, but might be stu…
Study says Measure 59 would hurt education, health
Eugene Register Guard
Tue, 19 Aug 2008
SALEM, Ore. (AP) -- A new study suggests that a proposed tax measure on the November ballot would take a smaller bite out of state revenue than expected but could damage education, health or public safety programs. The Oregon Center for Public Policy study says that Measure 59 could reduce income tax revenues by $1.1 billion - less than half the $2.4 billion impact projected by state officials…
Children with disabilities best served by assets in trust
Eugene Register Guard
Mon, 18 Aug 2008
Question: My 10-year-old son has autism and will need care the rest of his life. This has put quite an emotional and financial strain on my husband and me. His parents and mine are willing to help, but we’ve heard it’s not a good idea to put our son in their will because it might affect his ability to qualify for financial aid. Can you shed light on this?
Answer: First, a word of encouragement: Yo…
Leap of faith lands Oregon foster kid in college
Oregonian
Mon, 18 Aug 2008
Like a lot of 18-year-olds headed to college, Matthew Shea
admits he's a bit nervous. But unlike most people his
age, Shea starts classes this week knowing he's tackled
tough challenges before.
Shea was born with a disability that affects his speech and
physical coordination, and has spent nearly half his life in
state foster care. When he told his caseworkers and foster
mom that he intended to…
A lack of stability often is the result of complex situations
The Statesman Journal
Sun, 17 Aug 2008
In Marion County, one in five children live in poverty. One in five changed schools at least once last year. And many do not get the child support to which they are entitled.
These children are more likely to become homeless or run away, experts say. And they're more susceptible to other problems, such as substance abuse, lack of medical care and lack of dental care.Financial stability…
When families, teens become homeless: Youth interrupted
The Statesman Journal
Sun, 17 Aug 2008
Chad exudes confidence. The 14-year-old calls himself "Chad, the awesome" or simply "The Chad." When he talks about his volunteer work teaching swim classes at the YMCA or his love of math, his words flow freely, his energy contagious.
You would never know that he'd been homeless three times in the past two years and could become homeless again."The hardest part is not knowing if I'm…
Kids often priced out of weight-loss camps
Bend Bulletin
Sat, 16 Aug 2008
Tiffany King, right, aims to lose 50 pounds at Camp Pocono Trails in Pennsylvania. The 12-year-old won a scholarship essay contest to attend the camp. Her family would not have been able to afford it otherwise.
Tiffany King has made progress. When the 5-foot-tall 12-year-old arrived at Camp Pocono Trails in Pennsylvania in June, she weighed 354 pounds. By Sunday’s weigh-in at the weight-loss camp…
Feds won’t sanction states over health plan
Eugene Register Guard
Fri, 15 Aug 2008
WASHINGTON — The Bush administration is backing down from a threat to penalize states enrolling middle-class children in a health program intended for the poor.
The administration unveiled several new requirements last year for states that use a state-federal health program to cover children in families with incomes above 250 percent of the federal poverty level.
States were directed to make the c…
CASA launches new Web site
The Klamath Falls - Herald and News
Thu, 14 Aug 2008
7:42 a.m., Thursday, Aug. 14, 2008Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children of Klamath County will host a ribbon cutting ceremony for its new Web site at 12:15 p.m. today at the Klamath County Courthouse by the flagpoles. The Web site, www.klamathfallscasa.org, funded by the Ford Family Foundation, will provide information about how to become a volunteer to advocate for 78 children in foster…
Film about foster children to air
The Statesman Journal
Thu, 14 Aug 2008
SALEM — A documentary about the lives of foster children in Marion County and the people who care for them will air on Oregon Public Broadcasting at 2 p.m. Sunday on Salem Comcast channel 10.
The one-hour film "Fostering Hope: Restoring Shattered Lives" by Portland film producer Ralph Cunningham shows how Marion County has brought together government, businesses and faith-based o…
Head Start is a worthwhile use of our tax dollars
Bend Bulletin
Wed, 13 Aug 2008
Head Start is a smart investment! The Bulletin’s July 9 editorial titled “Don’t oversell Head Start” brushed over the numerous benefits the Oregon Head Start prekindergarten program provides the community and the state.
The Oregon Head Start prekindergarten program currently serves 3- and 4-year-olds who are growing up in poverty. Current brain research indicates that the early years (0-5 years) …
Healing wings
Oregonian
Wed, 13 Aug 2008
Leslie King sounded confident, even cocky.
Forty-eight hours before the first mission of Flying
Physicians International, the Ivy League graduate and
emergency room doctor talked about the crowds she expected
at a one-day health clinic in Elkton.
The tiny town tucked between Interstate 5 and the coastal
town of Reedsport is, like so many rural Oregon communities,
badly in need of basic medic…
Oregon targets domestic violence mom by mom
Oregonian
Wed, 13 Aug 2008
Sonja Keck was 24 years old and a mother of two small boys
when her husband began to push and slap her around.
He didn't do it in front of the kids.
"Always after they fell asleep," she recalls.
After finding the courage to divorce, Keck moved in with
another man and had two more boys.
He was an alcoholic, she says. One day, in a drunken rage,
he took out his gun and shot their car. No…
Preschool and Children's Center debuts 'woddler' room
The Daily Astorian
Wed, 13 Aug 2008
CANNON BEACH - The Cannon Beach Preschool and Children's Center will soon stop taking children younger than 12 months in a move geared toward serving a larger part of the population.
"We've been thinking about this for quite some time," said center Director Carol Lynch. "The majority of my calls were for the 1-to-3 years range."
The current infant room, which has been used to care for children f…
Health care costs seen rising 10 percent in 2009
Oregonian
Tue, 12 Aug 2008
(AP) — Health care costs are expected to rise more than 10 percent
into next year, according to a survey of insurers by Aon
Consulting Worldwide.
But that increase is the smallest Aon has seen in six years.
Experts say it shows that efforts to tame costs, such as
employee wellness or disease management programs, may be
paying off.
"There's a variety of tactics that employers have
been emp…
Oregons job losses creep up in July
Oregonian
Tue, 12 Aug 2008
The creeping tide of job losses that began in February
showed no sign of slackening -- or accelerating -- in July.
Figures released Monday showed that Oregon lost another
3,600 jobs on a seasonally adjusted basis and saw its
unemployment rate jump a half percentage point to 6 percent.
Three major industries -- construction, manufacturing, and
educational and health services -- posted big season…
Jobs lost as unemployment hits 6 percent
Southwest Community Connection
Tue, 12 Aug 2008
Oregon’s unemployment rate increased slightly during the past month, from 5.5 percent in June to 6 percent in July, the state Employment Department reported Monday.
That means 114,032 Oregonians were unemployed in July, an increase of 13,401 people from a year ago.
According to the agency, Oregon’s seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment fell by 3,600, following a gain of 1,400 in June,…
Teeth top agenda for Crook County students
Bend Bulletin
Sun, 10 Aug 2008
When the new school year begins next month, some Crook County students will be in for a few new lessons on an important subject — dental health.
Starting this fall, the Community Health Improvement Partnership, a local group funded by Oregon Office of Rural Health, will offer free fluoride varnish treatments and dental hygiene information to students in kindergarten through fifth grade and in the…
Measures could squeeze Oregon budget, critics say
The McMinnville - News Register
Sun, 10 Aug 2008
SALEM- Ballot measures sponsored by activists Bill Sizemore and Kevin Mannix - including ones dealing with tax cuts, tougher prison sentencing and teacher merit pay - could cost the state billions of dollars and hurt education and other programs, opponents say.
Critics cited new estimates by the secretary of state's office showing that among the initiatives on the Nov. 4 ballot, the biggest hit …
New immunizations required this year
The Baker City Herald
Sat, 09 Aug 2008
By CHRIS COLLINS
Baker City Herald
Baker County Health Department staff will be on hand next week to help students meet this year's new immunization requirements as they register for the school year.
"The health department has the vaccine and we're ready," said Becky Sanders, health department nursing supervisor.
Sanders said her staff will be available to immunize students for all require…
Free wheels fight poverty
The Medford Mail Tribune
Wed, 06 Aug 2008
The battered maroon van may not be much to look at, but it is reliable transportation, and roomy enough for all six members of the Blackmon family of Rogue River. Best of all, it was free.The 1989 Plymouth Voyager is the tax-deductible donation of Medford City Councilwoman Jill Stout, and the first of five vehicles donated to Driving-Out Poverty — a new program spearheaded by LeArta Romero o…
Family Care Connection to present child care classes at extension office
The Newport News
Wed, 06 Aug 2008
Family Care Connection, the Child Care Resource and Referral, invites individuals interested in becoming licensed child care providers to attend an informational session from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 12.The session will cover rules and regulations for state registration, services of Family Care Connection and other agencies that work to support child care providers, business aspects of child…
Democrats' goals include raising $10 minimum tax, adding more health care
Business Journal of Portland
Tue, 05 Aug 2008
Democrats in the Oregon State House of Representatives on Monday said they hope to eradicate rules that allow some businesses to pay only $10 a year in corporate income tax.
The Democrats, in releasing their goals for the 2009 legislative session, also said they hope to bring more health care to the state's neediest residents. The party announced the goals nearly five months before the next se…
DISEASE PREVENTION - Coalition strives to boost immunization rate
The La Grande Observer
Sat, 02 Aug 2008
Rep. Greg Smith and Mark Kubin of the Center of Human Development, Inc., discuss vaccinations at the second gathering of CHD’s Union County Immunization Coalition. Dozens of representatives of area government, business, health care and education attended. - The Observer/ETHAN SCHOWALTER-HAYThere’s no question that vaccinations, especially for youngsters, can be controversial. Some parents ob…
Free vaccinations target whooping cough
The Statesman Journal
Fri, 01 Aug 2008
A rise in cases of whooping cough in Marion County is prompting health officials to give out the vaccination free in an effort to avoid a major outbreak.
Reaching out to children and adults, the promotional "Wipe Out the Whoop Wednesdays" clinics will start this month.With 17 reported whooping cough cases so far in 2008, Marion County Health is urging families to think ahead and get v…
