Toby Van Fleet's Blog Posts

Here in Oregon, it may be easy to take for granted that we have a governor who understands public health issues and wants to make sure that Oregon's children are protected from harmful toxics like Bisphenol A (BPA), a known toxin especially harmful to children and pregnant women and linked to learning disabilities, cancer, fertility problems, early puberty and other health problems.

Yesterday, the national League of Conservation Voters released a special edition Scorecard scoring your elected leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives on environmental, public health, and energy votes taken on amendments to the “Continuing Resolution” – the spending bill -- that just passed in the House.

Yesterday. Oregon’s Ocean Policy Advisory Council (OPAC) reached a historic milestone in the process of protecting Oregon's rich marine habitat and the local economies it supports.

With the momentum of the John Kitzhaber campaign gaining every day, and with just four days left until ballots are due, Chris Dudley spent the morning snuggling up to out-of-state supporters New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour. Both attended a breakfast for Dudley at Parkrose High School in Portland this morning.

No one seemed to mind the wait, or the hours of standing on unforgiving cement.

Outside the Oregon Convention Center, the mood was almost giddy as excited voters waited in the long lines--in the sun--to see President Obama.

And he delivered. After warm-ups that included Rep. Jefferson Smith leading the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance, U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley revving up voters with fellow Congressional delegates, and an ongoing soundtrack that varied from P-Funk to Vampire Weekend, Obama took the stage.

OK, to be clear, the drummer of And And And just had a broken arm--skateboarding accident. But even though he was playing drums with only his good arm, you couldn't tell. His poppy beats were a great compliment to the creative songs and multi-instrument arrangements of this great Portland band that has been enjoying well-deserved buzz in recent months.