(JANUARY 2, 2019) Many people like Oregon. Sometimes they visit. Sometimes they move here to live.

United Van Lines is a moving company. It helps people to move to new homes. It looked at its work in 2018. It learned interesting things.

More people (55%) moved west. They went to places with mountains. This was Idaho, Nevada, and Arizona. 

The most popular state was Vermont. Oregon was the second most popular place to move. Many people came to Oregon. Few people left Oregon.

New Jersey, Illinois, Connecticut, New York, and Kansas had the highest number of people leaving.

https://sites.google.com/pcc.edu/esolnewsoregon/2019-01/2019-01-02-moving-to-oregon

Read by Eric Dodson. CC BY-NC-SA.

From ESOL News Oregon by Timothy Krause, licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. except where noted.

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Oregon is a popular place to move

Will Oregon have tolls on some highways? A toll is money to use a road. The state is asking the government to charge drivers. The tolls are for parts of Interstate 5 and Interstate 205. Downtown Portland is part of the plan.
The Oregon Department of Transportation does not say the price of the tolls. That depends on the traffic. It also depends on the time of day. Tolls are electronic.
Some people like the idea. They think tolls lower traffic. Some people stop driving. They use buses. They ride bikes. They take the train. Money from tolls can fix roads. For example, the state wants to make bridges safe during earthquakes.
Others do not like the idea. They do not think tolls help lower traffic. Tolls hurt people with low incomes. Also, some drivers use streets instead of the highway. There is more traffic around homes and businesses.
Traffic in Portland is bad. Some trips take a long time. It is getting worse.Read by Eric Dodson. CC BY-NC-SA.

From ESOL News Oregon by Timothy Krause, licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. except where noted.
https://sites.google.com/pcc.edu/esolnewsoregon/2018-12/2018-12-02-tolls
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Oregon wants tolls on some highways

More reports of measles in Vancouver and now Portland

(JANUARY 27, 2019)  Measles is a disease that is caused by a virus. It used to be very common, but nowadays most people in the U.S. receive a vaccination for measles when they are very young. A vaccination prevents a person from getting measles. However, some parents do not want their children to receive vaccinations, and this decision is a controversial one.

Normally, the United States has an average of only 60 cases of measles each year in the whole country. Recently, however, there have been 31 new cases of people with measles in Vancouver, Washington. Vancouver is a city along the border between the states of Washington and Oregon. Almost all of these people were unvaccinated children. 

Now, at least one person in Portland also has measles, too. That person got measles from coming in contact with one of the people from Vancouver who also had measles. People with measles visited several places in Portland. They may have exposed others to the disease.

Measles is infectious. That means people can catch the disease from other people, like a cold or flu. The symptoms, or signs, of measles appear 10-14 days after exposure. The symptoms are: sore throat, fever, cough, red eyes, and runny nose. People with measles also have an itchy rash that looks like bumpy red spots all over their body.

Officials from the Multnomah County Health Department say, "Most Oregonians have been vaccinated against measles and are protected. Anyone who has never been vaccinated is at higher risk of getting measles if they come into contact with someone who is contagious."

Here is a link to a list of places in the Portland area that were visited by people with measles: https://multco.us/health-officer/measles-outbreak-winter-2019-oregon-exposures

There is no cure for measles, and there is no specific treatment. A few people die from measles each year, but most people recover without a problem. People who have had measles once cannot get measles again. Still, people who think they have measles should visit a doctor as soon as possible.

More reports of measles in Vancouver and now Portland

https://sites.google.com/pcc.edu/esolnewsoregon/2019-01/2019-01-20-flying-car?

(JANUARY 20, 2019) Can your car fly? Do you want a flying car? Cars usually drive on roads. However, an Oregon company wants to make a flying car. 

The company is Samson Sky. It is in central Oregon. It is making a new flying car. The new flying car is called Switchblade. It has three wheels and a large tail. It holds two people. 

You can drive the car to an airport. Then you press a button. The wings and tail unfold in three minutes. Then the car can fly. It flies like an airplane.

The car flies 200 miles per hour. It flies 13,000 feet above the ground. You land the plane at an airport. You press a button. The wings and tail fold up. Then you can drive on the road again.

The car is ready later this year. It costs $140,000. You need a driver's license and a pilot's license.

Flying Car

(NOVEMBER 29, 2018) Many states use salt on roads in the winter. Salt helps melt snow and ice. That makes roads safer for driving.

Oregon does not usually use salt on roads. Many people think that the salt hurts the environment. It is expensive to store. The salt can also damage roads and cars.

Oregon usually uses a special chemical instead. Sometimes it is not enough to melt snow and ice.

Last year, the state tried salt on 11 miles of Interstate 5 from California. This helped to lower the number of accidents. The number of winter crashes fell from 115 to 54.

"It was amazing to see," says Dave Thompson. He works for the Oregon Department of Transportation. He says, "The salt was really effective."

This year, the state will use salt in several places:

    the first 100 miles of Interstate 5 north of California
    200 miles of Interstate 84
    121 miles of U.S. 95 in Southeastern Oregon

The city of Portland will also use more salt on streets. 

"Last year, we found that salt was working so well we expanded our use throughout the winter," Dylan Rivera says. He works for Portland Bureau of Transportation. 

Scientists say Oregon will have more ice and less snow this winter.

Read by Eric Dodson. CC BY-NC-SA.

From ESOL News Oregon by Timothy Krause. 

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.

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Oregon will use more salt on roads with snow and ice

ESOL News Oregon, by Timothy Krause

Text of article:

(SEPTEMBER 24, 2018) Many students come to Oregon to study. They find new and surprising things here. KVAL is a television station in Eugene. It made a list of seven things that new students need to know about life in their new state.

    People don't pump their own gas here. There are no regular "self-service" gas stations in the state. Oregon and New Jersey are the only states in the country with this law.
    There is no sales tax. Many states have a tax on things people buy. Oregon does not. Here, people pay for the government with property taxes (taxes on land and buildings) and income taxes (taxes on the money people earn).
    Marijuana is legal. Users must be at least 21 years old. However, they can't use it in public. Also, many colleges and universities do not permit it on campus.
    Oregon has a minimum wage (a wage is the money people receive for work). Now it is between $10.75 and $12.00 per hour. It depends where a person lives.
    People pay a deposit on beverage containers, such as soda cans. A deposit is money that you can get back. The deposit on beverage containers is 10 cents each.  
    People do not own the beaches. The state owns the beaches. Oregon passed a law in 1967 that says all beaches are public beaches.
    It is illegal to use a cell phone while driving a car. Illegal means it is not legal; it is against the law. The police can give a driver a ticket.  A person's first ticket can cost between $130 and $1,000.


Read by Eric Dodson. CC BY-NC-SA.

From ESOL News Oregon by Timothy Krause. 

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Seven things to know about Oregon

ESOL News Oregon, by Timothy Krause

Text of article:

(FEBRUARY 2, 2019) 7-Eleven stores are popular businesses around the state. Many people visit them for little things they want or need. However, a 7-Eleven store in downtown Portland is not popular with some people.

In the past, the downtown convenience store played classical music outside its doors. Recently, the store played a high-pitched noise that bothers people's ears. It sounded like a security alarm. The store used the sound to stop homeless people from gathering on the sidewalk in front of the store.

"The classical music just put them to sleep," said a store clerk.

However, some say the sound might not be legal. The Portland Mercury newspaper says it is illegal to make unreasonable noise in order to be inconvenient or annoying. The newspaper reports that the city has a similar law to control the level of noise.

Some people have complained to the city. The building's owner told KGW TV: "Our goal is to protect the safety of our employees, tenants and guests in a location that has been consistently plagued by public drug use and menacing behavior. The sound is a safe tool to help address the problems that have persisted at this location."

KGW TV says the sound is now off. But people are still mad. They want 7-Eleven to explain why it used the sound.

Paul Van Orden works for the city of Portland. He is the noise control officer. He says it doesn't matter why the store used the sound. "It’s just something that ... is not acceptable. I've been doing this 23 years, so in those years, I’ve had similar types of sounds. Usually it’s to scare away raccoons or cats or some kinds of critters.”

Representatives from organizations that help homeless people think it is important to talk about. They think it makes life more difficult for people who already have a hard life. 


Read by Eric Dodson. CC BY-NC-SA.

From ESOL News Oregon by Timothy Krause, licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. except where noted.

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7-Eleven store used sound to keep homeless people away

ESOL News Oregon, by Timothy Krause

Text of article:
(FEBRUARY 16, 2019) We change our clocks every spring. We move them one hour forward. We call this daylight saving time. It begins March 10. We move them one hour backward in the fall. This is called standard time. 

Many countries in the world change their clocks. Most of the United States does this. Only Arizona and Hawaii do not.

Some lawmakers in Oregon want our state to stop using daylight saving time. Kim Thatcher is a state senator. Bill Post is a state representative. They are both from Keizer. They work in the state government in Salem. 

Thatcher and Post are introducing a new law. They want Oregon to stop using daylight saving time. They want the state to stay on daylight saving time beginning November 7, 2021.

This is the process: First, the state senators and representatives have to agree. Then the voters of Oregon must approve the change. Finally, the U.S. Congress in Washington, DC must also approve.

Some people use an old phrase to remember what to do: Spring forward; fall back. "Spring" means both the season of the year and the verb to jump ahead suddenly. "Fall" means both the season and the verb to drop behind. 



Read by Eric Dodson. CC BY-NC-SA.

From ESOL News Oregon by Timothy Krause. 

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Will Oregon stop using daylight saving time in 2021?

ESOL News Oregon, by Timothy Krause

Text of article:

(APRIL 1, 2019) It's tax season. Both federal and state taxes for 2018 are due in April. It's a good reminder to be aware of scammers.

What is a scammer? A scammer is a dishonest person. They try to trick you to give them personal information or money. The trick is called a scam. 

Scams mainly come in the form of a phone call, email, or standard mail. The Oregon Department of Revenue wants to help you stay safe. It has some tips to help you identify scam attempts. 

Scammers make unsolicited calls. "Unsolicited" means not requested. Thieves call you claiming to be representatives of the Oregon Department of Revenue or other tax officials. They demand that you pay a fake tax bill. They usually say it must happen right away. However, the Oregon Department of Revenue never does this. You should hang up and call the Department of Revenue. Then you will speak with an actual government employee.

Scammers send letters. Letters often contain real logos, addresses, and phone numbers to fool you. Sometimes, you know they are fake because they look unusual. For example, they might have bad pictures or spelling errors. They have a fake tax bill; sometimes they say there is a problem with your account. However, letters from the Department of Revenue will have information that can be checked with its website. Also, every letter is printed with an identification number in the upper right corner. 

Scammers use fake websites. Some scams may try to send you to fake websites. These websites can look very real. However, remember that the Oregon Department of Revenue’s web address will always begin with an “https://” designation and be from the “.gov” extension. 

You can visit https://www.oregon.gov/dor/Pages/index.aspx  to get forms, check the status of your refund, or make payments. You can call (503) 378-4988 or (800) 356-4222 (toll-free) or email questions.dor@oregon.gov for additional assistance. 



Read by Eric Dodson. CC BY-NC-SA.

From ESOL News Oregon by Timothy Krause. 

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.

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State Tax Office Says Beware of Scams

ESOL News Oregon, by Timothy Krause

Text of article:
(APRIL 15, 2019) The Astoria Column is a tower. It is in the city of Astoria. It is near the Pacific Ocean and the Columbia River. 

Many people visit the tower. They climb to the top. They can see far. 

People built the column in 1926 with concrete and steel. The sides have pictures. The pictures show the arrival of white explorers and settlers. 

The column is 125 feet tall. It has 164 steps. There is no cost to visit.  It is open from dawn (sunrise) to dusk (sunset). 



Read by Eric Dodson. CC BY-NC-SA.

From ESOL News Oregon by Timothy Krause, licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. except where noted.

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Astoria Column Has a Beautiful View

ESOL News Oregon, by Timothy Krause
https://sites.google.com/pcc.edu/esolnewsoregon/2019-04/2019-04-07-hiking

Text of article:

(APRIL 7, 2019) Hiking is a popular activity in Oregon. The state has many parks and trails. Some hikes are long. Others are short. Regardless, all hikers need to plan head.

The first rule of safe hiking is to always bring a friend or let somebody know where you are going.

For a short hike, bring a small, lightweight backpack with:

    clean drinking water
    first aid, such as bandages and ointment
    warm clothes that you can add in layers
    food, especially food that does not need to be cooked
    paper map and compass (because a cell phone might not work away from cities)
    knife in a protective sleeve
    sturdy hiking shoes

For a longer hike, also bring these things:

    emergency blanket
    water filter
    headlamp

Other practical advice includes:

    Be careful around cliffs. It is sometimes easy to slip and fall. Also walk carefully near snow, loose rocks, or water (including rivers, lakes, and the ocean). 
    Keep an eye on the weather. It can change quickly. Also, it can change as you climb up mountains.
    Watch for poisonous plants. Poison oak, stinging nettle, and poison hemlock are common in Oregon. 
    Be aware of wild animals and know what to do if you meet one. In Oregon, this includes black bears, mountain lions, and rattlesnakes. Watch for ticks, too, because they can carry disease.
    Remember to drink lots of water. 

Finally, remember the basic rule of visiting nature: Take only pictures; leave only footprints.


Read by Eric Dodson. CC BY-NC-SA.

From ESOL News Oregon by Timothy Krause, licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. except where noted.

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Hiking in Oregon is great when you are prepared

Ramadan starts next week
(May 2, 2019)
Ramadan starts next week for Muslims, the people who follow the religion of Islam.  During Ramadan, most Muslims fast. That means they do not eat or drink anything during the daytime.
The date for the start of Ramadan is different each year, because Islam uses a lunar calendar. Once Ramadan starts, most Muslims do not eat or drink between sunrise and sunset. This usually continues for thirty days. 
Fasting teaches Muslims about patience and faith. It is a time for Muslims to think about how poor and homeless people feel without lots of food.  It is also a time for prayer and family.
Not everyone has to fast during Ramadan. Children do not have to fast. People who are travelling long distances do not have to fast. There are other people who do not have to fast, like seniors, sick people, and pregnant women. 
Sometimes athletes do not fast, but not everyone agrees. For example, the Olympic Games in 2012 were during Ramadan. This made it very difficult for the athletes who did not eat or drink during daytime.
When the sun goes down and it gets dark, Muslims will start eating again. This is called "breaking the fast,” or in Arabic, “Iftar.” There are often big meals enjoyed together by lots of Muslims and guests. There are many special Iftar foods around the world.
Because Ramadan starts next week, it is a good time to wish your Muslim friends a blessed holiday, or in Arabic, “Ramadan Mubarak.”
Source: Wikipedia (Creative Commons By Attribution Sharealike) Simple English Wikipedia. Ramadan. https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramadan. Accessed May 2019. 
Creative Commons By Attribution License.

Ramadan starts next week

ESOL News Oregon, by Timothy Krause

Text of article:
ESOL News Oregon, by Timothy Krause

Text of article:
(MAY 6, 2019) Gas prices are going up. 

Gas is $2.89 per gallon around the country. But prices are higher in Oregon. Gas here is $3.41.

Last month, gas was $3.05. Last year, it was $3.20. The highest price was $4.29 in 2008. 

Prices increase for different reasons. The government has new rules about oil from other countries. Also oil companies do not make gas in Oregon. Gas comes from other states. It is expensive to move.

Gas prices now are:

    California $4.08
    Hawaii $3.63
    Washington $3.51
    Nevada $3.44
    Oregon $3.41
    Alaska $3.37
    Arizona $3.13
    Pennsylvania $3.06
    Idaho $3.05
    Connecticut $3.00



Read by Eric Dodson. CC BY-NC-SA.

From ESOL News Oregon by Timothy Krause, licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. except where noted.

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Read by Eric Dodson. CC BY-NC-SA.

From ESOL News Oregon by Timothy Krause, licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. except where noted.

https://sites.google.com/pcc.edu/esolnewsoregon

Music by Chris Zabriskie - Cylinder Six - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Chris_Zabriskie/ - Creative Commons BY

Gas prices are going up

ESOL News Oregon, by Timothy Krause

Text of article:

(MAY 11, 2019) Vaccines are medicine. They prevent many diseases. The flu is one disease. Measles is another.

Doctors usually give vaccines to patients. But there is a new law in Oregon. Now dentists can give vaccines to patients, too. 

Dentists usually work only on teeth. Now they will learn to give vaccines. They will start next year.

Oregon is the only state that permits this. The government wants to help. The government wants more people to have vaccines. The government wants people to be healthy.
Vaccine
Patient
Disease
Healthy 
Dentist
Permits

Read by Eric Dodson. CC BY-NC-SA.

From ESOL News Oregon by Timothy Krause. 

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.

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Dentists will give vaccines

ESOL News Oregon, by Timothy Krause

Text of article:

(MAY 21, 2019) Summer in Oregon is special. The rain decreases, and the temperature increases. People like to go outside and do things. In fact, they like to do a lot of things, and some of them are a little unusual. Here are some interesting things to do in June:

    If you like sports, you might want to attend an old-fashioned ballgame. Hillsboro and Portland each have a baseball team. They are the Hillsboro Hops and the Portland Pickles
    Do you enjoy drama? Then you might want to visit Ashland, which is home to one of the largest theaters in the country called the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. It has several different live theaters offering classical and modern work. 
    For the family, there is nothing more traditional than Portland's annual Rose Festival. There's a parade, a carnival, and many other events. And it's 111 years old! .
    If the weather gets hot, there's no better place than the Oregon coast. While you're there, check out the sand castle contest in Cannon Beach.
    Portland Pride is an annual celebration of our LGBTQ community. LGBTQ means Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Queer. The big party is in June with a colorful parade and other attractions. 
    Maybe you want a bird's-eye view of all that surrounds you. You can see beautiful hot air balloons at Tigard's Balloon Festival June 21-23. 
    Also high up in the sky is the summer kite festival in Lincoln City. Bring your own kite to fly or watch others. 
    Did you know that some artists use a chainsaw? It sounds dangerous, but the results are impressive. You can see for yourself at the chainsaw carving contest in Reedsport. 
    And, of course, there's the famous World Naked Bike Ride in Portland June 29. The goal is to raise the visibility of bicycles and public awareness of our dependency on oil. 
    Perhaps best of all: free camping and parking in Oregon State Parks on June 1. 

Read by Eric Dodson. CC BY-NC-SA.

From ESOL News Oregon by Timothy Krause. 

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10 things to do in June

ESOL News Oregon, by Timothy Krause

Text of article:

(JUNE 10, 2019) Many parts of Oregon get much rain. However summers are dry. They are often warm.

The weather in Oregon is hot this week. It might be 100 degrees in Southwest Oregon. 

Portland, Eugene, and Salem must be careful. Temperatures will be higher than 90 degrees. This weather might be hotter than 2002.

Hot weather is dangerous. Sometimes there is fire. People must be careful outside. 

Cooler weather will return later this week.

https://sites.google.com/pcc.edu/esolnewsoregon/2019-06/2019-06-10-hot-weather

Read by Eric Dodson. CC BY-NC-SA.

From ESOL News Oregon by Timothy Krause. 

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.

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Hot Weather Returns to Oregon

ESOL News Oregon, by Timothy Krause

Text of article:

(APRIL 2, 2019) Every place has a famous legend. Oregon has one, too. It is the story of Bigfoot. 

Bigfoot looks like a large ape. They live in the forests of Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. People call them "Bigfoot" because they leave big footprints. "Sasquatch" is another name for these creatures.

It sounds like a joke. But some people believe the story. They also think the creatures migrate. That means they move from place to place. 

Scot Violette was in the Blue Mountains of Eastern Oregon last year. He says he saw Bigfoot there.  He tells a story about the smell. Then he heard a growl, like the sound of a wild animal. Then he saw Bigfoot's face. He also found large footprints.

He thinks the creatures are now in Mt. Hood National Forest. “I do believe they exist. I think the proof is right there," he says.

Most scientists disagree. Bigfoot is a famous legend. There is no proof, but it is a fun story.


Read by Eric Dodson. CC BY-NC-SA.

From ESOL News Oregon by Timothy Krause. 

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.

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Is Bigfoot Real?

ESOL News Oregon. 

Text of article:
(JULY 14, 2019) Matt Choi grew up in southeast Portland, and he always enjoyed his mother’s cooking. But, he had no idea that his mom had the secret to a successful business. 

Matt got his business degree from the University of Oregon and in 2011, he was working in a large company. His mother, though, had a bright idea and wanted his help. 

Matt’s mother, Chong Choi, grew up in South Korea, and loved making traditional Korean dishes. One food she loved to make was kimchi. Kimchi is a mix of vegetables, spices, and sauce. More and more, kimchi was becoming popular in Oregon and other places around the world. However, it was difficult to find good kimchi in Oregon. 

So, Chong asked Matt to help her sell kimchi at the downtown farmer’s market. Matt helped register a table at the farmer’s market. He thought Chong should make 15 jars of kimchi to sell, but on Saturday morning, Chong made 150 jars. 

Matt was even more surprised when they sold all 150 jars in a few hours. Chong's kimchi was very delicious, and very popular. He made business plans and invested his money. After a while, he quit his job and worked full-time making and selling kimchi.

Eight years later, you can find Choi’s Kimchi in many supermarkets in the Pacific Northwest. The business grew and grew. Now, they have a factory with many employees.  They sell about $1,000,000 of kimchi every year.

Chong still loves to cook. You can see her video recipe for Korean kimchi fried rice online. 

Written and read by Eric Dodson. CC BY-NC-SA.

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From the farmer's market to the supermarket

ESOL News Oregon
Text of article:

(JULY 19, 2019) In Southeast Portland, the Portland Nursery sells flowers, plants, trees, and many supplies for gardens and yards. The nursery started in 1907, when Portland was much smaller. Back then, there were more horses than cars on the road. 

These days, many people drive their cars to the nursery, especially during the summer. All of those people are welcomed by one man, Minh Pham. He smiles, says hello, and helps everyone who comes to the Portland nursery. He started working there about 25 years ago. Now, he is 80 years old, but he still loves his job. 

Minh’s first career was a doctor. He was a surgeon in Vietnam. He served with the South Vietnam army. But, because of the war, he was captured, and he had to stay in a prison camp for eight years. 

Some people in Portland wanted to help refugees like Minh. A refugee is someone who has to leave their country because of violence or war. In 1994, a church worked with the owner of the Portland nursery to bring Minh and his family to Oregon. 

Minh remembers the day he started work at the nursery. “My God, it was paradise,” he says. “All of the flowers on earth are here!”

His coworker says he is “the face of the Portland nursery.” He has also raised three children. They are now an engineer, a pilot, and a banker and a dancer. 

Minh still takes care of the nursery’s customers and flowers, and does everything with a smile.  

In Oregon, new refugees come and are welcomed every year. About 600 refugees came to Oregon this year. However, fewer refugees are coming because of President Trump and his decisions. 

Written and read by Eric Dodson. CC BY-NC-SA.

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Minh Pham takes care of flowers and customers with a smile

ESOL News Oregon, by Timothy Krause

Text of article:
(AUGUST 2, 2019) Capital punishment is also known as the death penalty. It is execution (death) as punishment by the government for a serious crime. Capital punishment is legal in Oregon. However, the last person to be executed in Oregon was in 1997. 

Governor Kate Brown signed a new law earlier this week. The new law makes it more difficult to use the death penalty in Oregon. Now fewer crimes lead to capital punishment. They include terrorist acts, and murders of children and police officers, and others.

"This is an important step, in Oregon and nationally, toward one day eliminating the death penalty nationwide," said the governor. She believes capital punishment is not effective. She thinks it is too expensive.

Currently 31 people are sentenced to death in Oregon, according to the Oregon Department of Corrections. But they will not happen soon. The governor has stopped them.

In the past 15 years, nine states have stopped the death penalty. Very few states still have legal capital punishment. In 2018, only about 56% of people support the death penalty.

The new Oregon law starts in September.

Read by Eric Dodson. CC BY-NC-SA.

From ESOL News Oregon by Timothy Krause. 

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Oregon changes death penalty

ESOL News Oregon, by Timothy Krause

Text of article:

(JULY 20, 2019) Oregon has many small towns. Mitchell one of the small towns in Wheeler County. It has only 125 residents.

People in small towns often do many jobs. For example, Patrick Farrell is the mayor. But he is also the school bus driver and a pastor. He is a barber  and the owner of a local hostel, too.  (A hostel is like a hotel.)

“Everybody has to wear a lot of hats,” Farrell told Oregon Public Broadcasting. “A town of this size has to provide the same amount of services that a big city does.”

Farrell and his wife began the hostel in 2016. The location is good because many bicyclists travel through Mitchell. They come to visit the nearby Painted Hills and John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. They often need a place to stay. Sometimes they need a haircut. That is how Farrell became a barber, too.

He thinks being a school bus driver is another way to connect with the community.

“There’s so many opportunities to share life together in a small town because everybody does 10 different things,” he said.

Read by Eric Dodson. CC BY-NC-SA.

From ESOL News Oregon by Timothy Krause. 

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.

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Small town mayor has 10 different jobs

ESOL News Oregon, by Timothy Krause
https://sites.google.com/pcc.edu/esolnewsoregon/2019-01/2019-01-26-antarctica

Text of article:
(JANUARY 26, 2019) Colin O'Brady is from Portland. He is a professional athlete. He has won many contests.

Last month, Colin walked across Antarctica. In fact, on December 26, 2018, Colin became the first person ever to walk across Antarctica without help. He finished before another man doing the same thing at the same time.

Colin's trip was 921 miles. The trip took 54 days. He walked, and he used skis. He pulled a plastic sled with his things, such as food and clothing. 

Colin was alone. He had no car, airplane, or snowmobile. Nobody brought him extra food, fresh water, or new clothing.

The weather was very cold. Sometimes there was a lot of snow and wind. That is called a whiteout. He could not see far in a whiteout.

Colin said, "When it’s blue sky and you’re on [high ground], you can feel so small. It’s just endless, and you’re like this tiny little speck. You can look [everywhere, and] there’s nothing. There’s no tree, no building. You are the only tiny little thing out there in this endless sea of light. So that makes you feel small. But then when it’s whiteout, it’s the opposite ... all I can see is my compass a couple inches away from my nose."

Colin has one suggestion for others: Bring extra skis.

Read by Eric Dodson. CC BY-NC-SA.

From ESOL News Oregon by Timothy Krause. 

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Portland man is the first person to walk across Antarctica alone

ESOL News Oregon, by Timothy Krause

Text of article:Most Oregonians love the state's election system

(OCTOBER 26, 2018) A new survey by DHM Research says Oregon voters like the state's election system. This includes both the "vote by mail" and the Voters' Pamphlet.

The "vote by mail" system sends election ballots in the mail to registered voters. A "ballot" is the piece of paper used to mark choices in elections. Voters then have several weeks to complete their ballots at home. They send the ballots back to the government by mail, or they drop the ballots off at a collection site, such as a library. This system began in Oregon in 1987. 71% of voters prefer to vote by mail. 18% say they prefer to vote in person on election day, which they can do at county elections offices. Other states have different systems. 

The Voters' Pamphlet is a paper booklet with information about both candidates and ballot measures. The state has been printing these pamphlets for over 100 years. They come in the mail, and they are available at public locations, like libraries and schools. The Voters' Pamphlet is also available online from the state at https://sos.oregon.gov/voting/Pages/current-election.aspx. Spanish and audio versions are available.

DHM Research asked Oregon voters about these things. The results are interesting:

    63% of Oregon voters read about all the candidates and measures on their ballot
    32% of Oregon voters read about candidates and measure only if they are confused or uncertain
    5% say they don't usually read the pamphlet at all.

"Comments from voters show the pamphlet appears to not only be helpful but to have a cultural role in voting in Oregon," says Adam Davis of the research firm.

Read by Eric Dodson. CC BY-NC-SA.

From ESOL News Oregon by Timothy Krause. 

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.

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Most Oregonians Love The State's Election System

ESOL News Oregon, by Timothy Krause

Text of article:
(OCTOBER 12, 2019) Jermaine Massey came to Portland for a concert. He stayed at the DoubleTree Hotel in the Lloyd District. Now he is suing the hotel because of something that happened. 

To sue someone means "to take legal action against someone and try to get money from them because they have harmed you," according to Cambridge Learner's Dictionary.

Massey says he was in the lobby. He was talking on his cell phone with his mother. A hotel manager called a security officer. The security officer asked Massey a lot of questions. They thought he was loitering ("to stand in a place or walk slowly around without any purpose," often illegally). 

The security officer and hotel manager called the Portland police. Two police officers took Massey to his room to get his things. Then they took him out of the hotel.

Massey is African American. He says the hotel's action was discrimination because of his race. He says it was harassment. He made a video of his experience on his cell phone.

The hotel apologized. It fired the manager and the security guard. It provided employees with training about discrimination.

Massey is suing for $3 million for emotional damages (such as mental stress and anxiety) and $7 million in punitive damages (punishment) against the hotel. The lawyer says this will help to prevent future discrimination at all of the company's hotels across the nation.

Since Massey posted his video on social media, many more African American people have reached out about similar experiences. 
Read by Eric Dodson. CC BY-NC-SA.

From ESOL News Oregon by Timothy Krause. 

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.

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Man Sues Portland Hotel for Discrimination

ESOL News Oregon, by Timothy Krause

Text of article:
(FEBRUARY 11, 2019) Not everyone wins the lottery. But when you do, you have to make a big decision. What do you do with the prize money? It might be hard to choose.

It was easy for Victor Salazar. He lives in Salem. He recently a lottery game. He will receive more than $45,000. He knew immediately what to do.

“My father needs a liver transplant and insurance won’t cover it,” Salazar says. “This money is going to help him pay for the transplant he needs.”

The liver is an organ in the middle of our bodies. It has many important jobs. For example, the liver makes bile. This is a liquid that helps digestion. The liver also makes and stores glucose. That is a sugar that our bodies use for energy. The liver removes wastes from our blood. 

A liver transplant can save lives. Doctors remove the old liver. The replace it with a new liver. The new liver comes from a living person or someone who recently died. 

There were about 7,200 liver transplants in the U.S. in 2014. About 330 livers came from living donors. Nearly 15,000 people were still waiting for a liver transplant at that time.

Oregon citizens voted to create the lottery in 1984. The Oregon Lottery earns a lot of money for the state -- over $11 billion ($11,000,000,000) since 1985. That means it is the second largest source of money for the state budget Only personal income tax bring in more money. The money is used for many things. These include state parks, the environment, schools, and services for veterans.


Read by Eric Dodson. CC BY-NC-SA.

From ESOL News Oregon by Timothy Krause. 

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.

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Lottery Winner Knows What to do with Prize Money

ESOL News Oregon, by Timothy Krause

Text of article: (MAY 13, 2019) A new store in Portland sells unusual ice cream. The store does not make the ice cream with milk from cows. Instead, it uses milk from beans. 

The store is called Little Bean. Its website says, "We ‘milk’ chickpeas to create our frozen treats. What’s leftover is refined into the gluten-free flour that makes our waffle cones and cookies that much healthier."

The ice cream is vegan because it uses no animal products. It is also gluten-free. Therefore, more people can eat the frozen treats.

Chickpeas are also called garbanzo beans. It has other names, too. People also call the bean gram or Egyptian pea. Many people use chickpeas to make Indian and Middle Eastern dishes. They include hummus, chana masala, and falafel. 

India produces the majority of chickpeas in the world. However, Little Bean gets its beans from farms in Washington state. 


Read by Eric Dodson. CC BY-NC-SA.

From ESOL News Oregon by Timothy Krause. 

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.

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Portland Store Makes Ice Cream from Chickpeas

ESOL News Oregon, by Timothy Krause

Text of article:(NOVEMBER 15, 2019) Citizens of Oregon often speak with pride about the state's recycling efforts. However, a new report has bad news. It says:

            Oregonians are producing more trash (more than 7 pounds of trash per day)
            The state recycling rate is doing down
            Fewer East Asian markets are willing to take our waste

The report's title is "The State of Recycling in Oregon." It was published by U.S. PIRG Education Fund and Environment Oregon Research and Policy Center.

“The reality is plastics are so hard to recycle and so low value that we could only consistently afford to collect and recycle it when China was willing to buy it," said Celeste Meiffren-Swango. She is the state director for Environment Oregon Research and Policy Center. “Now we are left to deal with it ourselves, and plastic is choking our recycling system."

The report also mentions some ways to reduce the amount of waste that goes into landfills or is burned. However, the strategies are not new to many Oregonians. They are the same three Rs: reduce, reuse, recycle.

“It’s entirely within our power to fix the system, but what is missing is the necessary sense of urgency,” said Alex Trulove. He works for U.S. PIRG Education Fund. He is one of the report's authors. He adds, “Recycling, composting and waste reduction efforts will need to play an important role in the fight against microplastic pollution, climate change and other environmental challenges.”


Read by Eric Dodson. CC BY-NC-SA.

From ESOL News Oregon by Timothy Krause. 

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.

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Oregon is recycling less and wasting more

ESOL News Oregon, by Timothy Krause

Text of article:(DECEMBER 1, 2019) Christmas is a holiday that is celebrated on December 25 every year. For many, it's a religious holiday. For others, though, it's about family, friends, and giving. For most, the holiday traditions include displaying a Christmas tree in their homes.

The traditional Christmas tree is an evergreen tree, such as a spruce, fir, or pine. People decorate the tree with ornaments and garland. Some people even add edible decorations such as candy canes. Most trees have lights.

Oregon is the state that grows the most trees in the country. Farmers in Oregon sell about 4.6 million trees every year. The average price was $78 last year, which was a few dollars more than in 2017.

However, prices are higher this year -- maybe as much as $20 more. Why? The hot and dry summers in Oregon destroyed many seedlings and young trees. When there are fewer trees to sell, the price goes up. 

Chal Landgren works for Oregon State University. Landgren says many Christmas tree farms are no longer in business. This is true outside of Oregon, too.

"Across the country we're in the same boat, North Carolina is the second biggest producer and they're having a bit of a shortage as well," says Landgren.

Read by Eric Dodson. CC BY-NC-SA.

From ESOL News Oregon by Timothy Krause. 

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.

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"Christmas shopping" recording by FreeSound.org user NoiseCollector, https://freesound.org/people/NoiseCollector/sounds/65333/

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Hot, Dry Summers Mean More Expensive Christmas Trees

ESOL News Oregon, by Timothy Krause

Text of article:(FEBRUARY 8, 2020) Most cafes have coffee. One cafe in Portland also has cats. It is called Purrington's Cat Lounge.

Purrington's Cat Lounge is in Northeast Portland. The cafe serves coffee, tea, beer, wine, and food.

Purrington's also has a lounge area with several cats. Customers can visit the cats. They can also adopt a cat.

30 minutes with the cats costs $6. One hour with the cats cost $12. The lounge also offers 90 minutes of yoga with cats ($20).

Read by Davida Jordan. CC BY-NC-SA.

From ESOL News Oregon by Timothy Krause. 

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.

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Portland has a cat cafe

ESOL News Oregon, by Timothy Krause

Text of article: (JANUARY 26, 2020) Renting an apartment in Oregon (especially Portland) is not cheap. Although apartment rents in Oregon are lower than other places in the country, the cost is still rising. It is just rising more slowly than before.

According to an apartment rental website, rents in Portland have increased 3.3% compared to last year. The largest increase was in Tualatin (6.8%), while the smallest increase was in Happy Valley (0.9%). The data show that Lake Oswego is the most expensive place to live in Oregon and Keizer is the cheapest.

Some reports say that rents in Portland are now increasing more slowly. They say that is because there are many new apartments. The average price of a one-bedroom apartment in Portland was $1,436 in 2019.

"It's simple economics. Increased supply is doing a better job of meeting demand," says ABODO, a rental market analysis company. "Last year, apartment construction reached a 30-year high, with much of the growth concentrated in major cities such as Dallas, Houston and New York, but also expanding into smaller, extremely popular cities like Denver, Portland and Austin. We anticipate that the rent growth might begin to slow in cities like Portland because of the huge boom in multifamily construction and luxury developments coming to market."

Read by Davida Jordan. CC BY-NC-SA.

From ESOL News Oregon by Timothy Krause. 

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.

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Apartment rent in Oregon is still growing, but now more slowly

ESOL News Oregon, by Timothy Krause

Text of article:JANUARY 26, 2020) Residents of Portland use the Multnomah County Library a lot. Books are popular, but so are digital materials such as e-books.

According to the Willamette Week newspaper, Portland residents checked out about 3 million audio books and e-books from Multnomah County Library in 2019. The library uses an app called Libby. According to the makers of the app, Portland's public library has the sixth largest digital circulation in the country. And it has the seventh largest digital circulation in the world.

What was the most popular e-book of 2019? It was Michelle Obama's book titled Becoming.

According to the library's website, the Multnomah County Library is the oldest public library west of the Mississippi River. It started in 1864. Today, it has a Central Library in downtown Portland and 18 other neighborhood libraries. It offers more than 2 million books and other library materials. It is Oregon's largest public library.

In 2018-2019, Multnomah County Library patrons checked out or renewed 18.3 million items. That's an average of 22.6 items per person.  Checkouts of books, e-books, media and other library materials have increased 5% over the past 10 years. The library was visited online and in person 7.3 million times — that's more than 21,000 visits each day.  Volunteers donated 67,000 hours of their time to the library, the equivalent of more than 8,400 eight-hour days.

Read by Davida Jordan. CC BY-NC-SA.

From ESOL News Oregon by Timothy Krause. 

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.

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Multnomah County Library is one of the busiest libraries in the world

ESOL News Oregon. Written by Eric Dodson. 

Text of article:People in Portland are protesting police violence against black people. Since Friday, May 29th, thousands of people in Portland and more than 200 other cities in the US and around the world, have come together on the streets. They want police and society to change. 
Police use violence on Black people and other people of color in the US more often than white people, according to national statistics from Washington Post. For example, since 2015, police shot and killed 1,262 black men and women, and 887 latino men and women in the US. This rate of violence is higher than for white people. 
On May 25, George Floyd, an African-American man, was killed when a police officer choked him during an arrest. Floyd said “I can’t breathe.” The officer choked Floyd for eight minutes, and three other police officers watched. This happened in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in the Midwest of the US. The video of the violence went on the internet, and many people saw it.  
In Portland, thousands of people have come together because they want police and the government to stop this kind of racist discrimination and violence. Many groups have joined the protests, including religious groups, black community groups, other community groups, political groups, and anti-fascists. 
In response, police in Portland have used force and violence to control the protests. Police have used military vehicles and armor to show their power. They have hit people with sticks and shields. They have used flash bang grenades on people. They have shot people. They have used tear gas and pepper spray on people. 
Some people in the streets have thrown objects at the police, and some have smashed windows and started fires. However, most of the protesters are not violent, and most people do not want the protests to fight the police or destroy property. Many people have stopped violence because it is not the right way. 
What do they want? Change. 
One business owner in Minneapolis said that he was sad that his business was burned, but human life and justice were more important. 
Often, police who kill or hurt people can continue working as police, and do not have criminal charges. In Minneapolis, the officer who choked George Floyd was charged with murder on May 29th . 
George Floyd’s brother, Philonise, gave these comments in an interview with CNN: 
“They're tired of seeing black men die constantly. I see why people are doing it. I don't want them to lash out, but they have pain, "Philonise Floyd said during the interview." I want everything to be peaceful, but I can't make everybody be peaceful.
    "To the police, I want them to get everything right. Start doing your job the right way ... I haven't been seeing it. Black lives matter, too."


Read by Eric Dodson. CC BY-NC-SA.


This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.

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People Around The US And World Protest Violence Against Black People

Short news stories carefully adapted for English learners in Oregon, and beyond.  Written by Timothy Krause, read by Eric Dodson. Find interactive exercises and more readings at https://sites.google.com/pcc.edu/esolnewsoregon/home

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ESOL News Oregon

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