Jeb Bladine: It’s tough to have an original thought
I don’t know why anyone tries to write creative commentary about Donald Trump — it’s all been written before. This week, The Donald couldn’t stop himself from wondering aloud if ...
Jeb Bladine: Revisiting choice to avoid tweeting
Communication technology passed me by as I avoided joining Twitter — a choice I reconsidered while watching the 2016 presidential campaigns. (Point of reference: That opening paragraph is exactly ...
Jeb Bladine: Pokemon game has political connections
It seemed necessary this week to read up on “Pokémon Go,” the game that suddenly exploded into international prominence. Locally, some urged businesses to use Pokémon to lure ...
A quest to improve public records laws
Legal issues involving access to Oregon public records are complex, often contentious and sometimes subject to costly appeals and litigation. Last year, Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum formed the ...
Jeb Bladine: An ironic local twist to Ron Stover story
Picking up, as promised, from last week: Former McMinnville wheeler-dealer Ron Stover faces federal indictments alleging wire and bankruptcy fraud, with pending charges of theft, racketeering and securities ...
Jeb Bladine: Stover case brings a rush of memories
Once, long ago, I secured a loan with a phone call followed by a quick bank visit to sign a few sheets of paper. Today, the same process can take weeks, if not months, with more stringent requirements ...
Jeb Bladine: Silent moments; back to business
Please join me in a moment of silence for 189 mass-shooting victims — killed and wounded — from incidents since June 2015 in Charleston, Chattanooga, Roseburg, Colorado Springs, San Bernadino ...
Numbers rising on curve speed signs
If you haven’t already seen them, you soon will – that is, the new safety “chevron” signs along arced paths of sharp curves in Oregon roads. More on that below. For now, suffice ...
Jeb Bladine: Debate continues on rural pot shops
It’s rebuttal time on the idea of populating Yamhill County with marijuana shops along rural highways. Although the deadline is past for submitting written testimony to the county planning commission, ...
MacHub nonprofit still alive, helping
Time for an update on MacHub, a unique local project creating new funding streams for nonprofit agencies through a professional online sales operation of donated items. We’ve been unabashedly supportive ...
Jeb Bladine: Be sure about plan for transfer station
Riverbend Landfill has generated so much angst and protest over so many years it’s surprising to see almost no public interest generated by plans for a new solid waste facility in McMinnville. Whatchamacolumn Jeb ...
Jeb Bladine: Maslow would like Precinct 18 voters
McMinnville voters must be feeling pretty good about their lives — that was especially true this week in McMinnville’s Precinct 18 on the northwest side of town. I’m reminded of the ...
Jeb Bladine: A great time to find 1,284 more planets
The timing couldn’t be more appropriate for this week’s announcement that the Kepler telescope mission has discovered 1,284 more exoplanets. As that news was sinking in, McMinnville was gearing ...
Jeb Bladine: Hobson's choice for presidential voters
Barring a come-from-behind victory by Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump will win their party nominations, and one will become the next president of the United States. Americans soon will ...
Jeb Bladine: Where was outcry against BOLI rules?
Why didn’t the Oregon business community show up this week to oppose one of the most ludicrous regulatory suggestions in memory? Does their balance mean people simply accept the nonsense proposed ...
