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WELCOME to HotLines. We send you HotLines, Benton County Democrats’ subscriber e-letter, on the 1st and 15th of the month to let you know how you can keep the Democratic Party strong here at the grassroots level.

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Send us your announcements, news of events of interest, and needs for volunteers. We’ll pass them along.

1. ACTION NEEDED
2. ANNOUNCEMENTS
3. EVENTS
4. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
5. SUCCESSES
6. THANKS

Also:
VISIT AND USE BCDEMS WEBSITE
ABOUT HOTLINES
CONTACT THE BENTON COUNTY DEMOCRATS
DONATE ONLINE

1. ACTION NEEDED

Cheers for BC DEMS. All of you are hard-working and generous with your efforts. NOW IT'S TIME TO BE GENEROUS WITH YOUR DONATIONS. As always, we're in a crunch for $$, and your contributions will make a difference. Just keep thinking about "W," and think about all the good that we could do if we had the votes. Then cast up a little cash for the cause. It will make all of us smile. Thanks.

DON'T FORGET TO MARK and MAIL YOUR BALLOTS for the special election and 02-54, the Telecommunications Service Tax measure. The BCDems have endorse a YES vote--for fairness and for support of important services. Ballots are due this week (September 19).

2. ANNOUNCEMENTS

BENTON COUNTY OPERATING LEVY: The county commissioners have unanimously approved a resolution to place a five-year local option operating levy on the November ballot. The levy will cost $.89 per $1,000 of assessed value--for a home with an assessed value of $150,000, that's about $11.13 per month in additional taxes. Check the county's website, www.co.benton.or.us, for the important services that this levy will support. Contact Jay Dixon, 541-766-6800, for more information.

BILL SIZEMORE'S MEASURE #41 and the Colorado-style spending formula MEASURE #48 will have very real consequences for Oregon communities. Get informed. Get the facts. Contact Andy Lehn, andylehn@unions-america.com.

MEET UP. HEAT UP. TURN UP THE HEAT. And host your own Potlucks for Oregon event supporting "NO on 43." Contact Carol Butler to join the cause, volunteer@noonip51.net.

3. EVENTS

DAILY VIGIL protesting the war in Iraq, 5-6 pm in front of the Courthouse on 4th Street. Democrats gather there on Wednesday each week. AND...

Join us on September 21, 5-6:30 (just before the BCDems meeting) for a SPECIAL VIGIL marking the INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE,
the conclusion of TROOPS HOME FAST and the beginning of a week of national activities to end the war. Contact LoErna Simpson, l.simpson@comcast.net or troopshome@comcast.net.

**September 16, tomorrow, 3-5:00 pm: OLD FASHIONED ICE CREAM SOCIAL at Westminster House, 101 N.W. 23rd St., Corvallis. Sponsored by the Corvallis-Albany NAACP and HP Corvallis People of Color Network to promote college and high school youth future growth. Contact Darlene Andrus, darlene_andrus@hp.com for more info.

**September 16, tomorrow, 7:00 pm: SONGS FOR OUR NEXT SHERIFF, featuring Neal Gladstone and Company, Absolute, Free Range Chix, and Charlie Parker Ensemble, raising funds for DIANA SIMPSON.

September 17, Sunday, 2-4:00 pm: JASON BROWN, HOUSE DISTRICT 23 CANDIDATE, at AIRLIE WINERY, 15305 Dunn Forest Road, south of Monmouth. Enjoy conversation with Jason, fresh air, free refreshments, and live music--and wine available for purchase by the glass. Proceeds to benefit Brown for House cammpaign. Contact Lisanne Pearcy, lisanne@brownforhouse.org for info and directions.

September 17, Sunday: CONSTITUTION DAY

September 18, Monday, 7:00 pm: CANDIDATES AND BALLOT MEASURE FORUM ON HEALTH CARE, Corvallis/Benton County Public Library. Meet 6 candidates for the Oregon legislature--including our Sam Sappington, House District 15, Sara Gelser, HD 16, and Mario E. Magana, Senate District 8. Get answers to your questions about health care issues. Learn about ballot measures. Sponsored by Interfaith Health Care network, representing 8 area churches, and Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon. Look at http://gazettetimes.com/articles/2006/09/12/news/community/51oc05healthforum.txt

September 19, Tuesday, 'til 8:00 pm: VOTE

September 19, Tuesday, 7-9:00 pm: Wine, Cheese, and Enlightened (and Progressive) Conversaton when you meet PAUL EVANS, STATE SENATE DISTRICT 10, at the home of Linda and Tom Miller, 2349 N.W. Broadway, North Albany. RSVP, 926-1847.

September 21, Thursday, 7:00 pm: BCDEMS' REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING. Grace Lutheran Church, Harrison and Kings, Corvallis. Doors open at 6:30; program at 7:00. Business meeting to follow program. All precinct committee people are encouraged to attend.

September 22, Friday, 7-9:00 pm: MARIO E. MAGANA'S CAMPAIGN PARTY at the Old World Deli in Corvallis. Come and party with Mario, and join fellow Democrats in support of his state senate campaign.

September 28, Thursday, 7:00 pm: Come to the Corvallis Public Library to review the conceptual draft of a proposed UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE PLAN for Oregon, based on the design by Gov. Kitzhaber's planning group. Join other health care advocates who have considered the draft plan, and bring your questions and thoughts so that our Benton County viewpoint becomes incorporated. For more info contact Roberta Hall, rolohall@yahoo.com.

October 6, Friday, 7:00 pm: Check our website www.bcdems.net for your invitation to the ANNUAL TROW DINNER, CH2M Hill Alumni Center, OSU. Keynote Speaker: Secretary of State BILL BRADBURY. More information or reservations: 541-752-4848.

October 7, Saturday: BUS PROJECT will make its third visit in Salem for Paul Evans' campaign.

October 19, Thursday, 7:00 pm: BCDEMS' REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING. Grace Lutheran Church, Harrison and Kings, Corvallis. Doors open at 6:30; program at 7:00. Business meeting to follow the program.

October 20, Friday, 5-6:00 pm: Mark your calendars for the BALLOTS ARE OUT RALLY. More info later.

4. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

-----CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES....

Set aside October 22, Sunday, to join the WORLD RECORD CANVASS in PAUL EVANS' campaign.

MARIO E. MAGANA will be canvassing TOMORROW, September 16, starting form his home at 1:00 pm and traveling to Albany from 3-6:00 pm. Contact Mario's campaign, Magana.for.senate@gmail.com for directions.

DIANA SIMPSON's campaign will be distributing lawn signs and needs some good people to help distribute, post, and/or identify strategic locations. Contact Clinton Downs, clintondowns@hotmail.com if you can help.

Can you offer highway frontage for JASON BROWN's campaign? Jason needs to place large signs in south, west, and northwest Benton County. The campaign also needs folks to help deliver signs in Benton County (Philomath area) and Linn County (Peoria, Shedd, Halsey, and Harrisburg) and to help with lit drops/canvassing in those areas. If you can help with any of these and/or know of a potential "meet & greet" location in Linn County, please contact Lisanne Pearcy, lisanne@brownforhouse.org.

SARA GELSER welcomes volunteers for the GIANT GELSER CANVASSES on October 8 and October 22--1-4:00 pm. Email Clinton Downs, clintondowns@hotmail.com to register.

-----FALL FESTIVAL....
We still need some volunteers for slots on Saturday and Sunday, and a couple of folks to help set up on Friday afternoon. If you have some time and energy to help, give William a call at 541-990-3731.
Saturday and Sunday, September 23/24. This important fundraising event, serving delicious food from NEARLY NORMALS, is an annual happening. Please sign up for shifts (10-1; 1-4; 4-7:00 each day). We need 5 volunteers for each shift.

-----NEWSLETTER....
We need a volunteer to help deliver extra newsletters to the library and 3 or 4 places in central Corvallis every month. Please call/email Davi Richards at davirichards@hotmail.com

-----BCDEMS' COMMITTEES....
COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE: After a summer off the communications committee will be starting back up with an early October meeting. Email Davi Richards, davirichards@hotmail.com, or call 745-3866 to join us or to receive more info.

CAMPAIGN SERVICES COMMITTEE: We need phone bank volunteers and evening coordinators one night a week, phoning for a couple of hours--to contact Dem voters who are newly registered and those who voted in 2004 but not in 2002--beginning September 18. Phoning will take place at HQ from 6-8:30 and will probably last for 2-3 weeks. Contact Betty Malone, sunrise@peak.org.

We'd also like to send welcome letters to newly registered Dems. Letter from 2004 is available for perusal. Contact Betty Malone, sunrise@peak.org if you can help with this project.

And...the CS Committee needs a minute taker. Wonderful people to work with. Inside view of campaigns. We meet on the second and fourth Thursdays in the evenings from now until election. Please contact Betty Malone, sunrise@peak.org.

5. SUCCESSES

Rep. SARA GELSER successfully sponsored a Public Schools Town Hall recently with Superintendents Susan Castillo, Dawn Tarzian, and Pete Tuana. Over 35 people gathered to talk about challenges and opportunities facing our educational system.

6. THANKS

...to the BCDEMs' Executive Committee members who labor in the trenches, making important decisions and guiding us through our campaigns. These folks work even when the rest of us take some breaks between elections: Mike Van Laere, Chair; Patrick Malone, 1st Vice Chair; Marion McNamara, 2nd Vice Chair; Tanya Shively, Secretary; and Biff Traber, Treasurer.

****URGENT HOTLINES MESSAGES are sometimes necessary when we need to connect BETWEEN the regular HotLines publications. If you cannot reach Linda Paschke, linda.paschke@comcast.net, please feel free to contact Davi Richards, davirichards@hotmail.com. Your news item must be (1) of interest to a sizable number of Benton County Dems and (2) something that will be happening in Benton County. And...of course, will be happening before the publication of the next HotLines. Our goal is to keep you informed.

VISIT AND USE BCDEMS WEBSITE

You'll find up-to-the-minute information about BCDems and useful links to other sites. Under the "News" headings, you'll find the current issue of BCDems HotLines. You can also get access to post your own information and opinion. For content questions, ask Rachel Ozretich, racheloz@peak.org. Todd Barnhart, barnhart@subboy.net, is the technical editor.

ABOUT HOTLINES

If you know someone who would like to receive HotLines, send the email address (with their permission) to hotlines@bcdems.net, and be sure to put "HotLines" in the subject line. Or let them know they can sign up for HotLines on our website. We want HotLines to be useful to our subscribers. Send news items and events to be included to Davi Richards at hotlines@bcdems.net. We also welcome comments, suggestions, criticisms, and general feedback on content, readability, length, frequency, and other thoughts.

CONTACT THE BENTON COUNTY DEMOCRATS

Mail: P.O. Box 232, Corvallis OR 97339
Email: bcdems@bcdems.net
Web: http://bcdems.net
Phone: 541.752.4848

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