Statesman Journal from Salem, Oregon • Page 3

al itesm otirn AND THE MID-VALLEY Page 3A Tuesday, January 11, 2011 SERVING SALEM, KEIZER StatcsmanJournal.com 76TH OREGON LEGISLATURE 5ra an Legislature begins annual meetings for the first time L'i 1 Jr i 110'' K-i Wit mxtmm" lf DANIELLE PETERSON I Statesman Journal Gov. John Kitzhaber is sworn in Monday during his inauguration on the opening day of the 76th Legislature at the Oregon State Capitol. Kitzhaber vows reform as he is sworn in for his third term By Dennis Thompson Jr. Statesman Journal Oregon state government needs to undergo "transformational change" to prepare itself for the future, Gov. John Kitzhaber declared Monday in his inaugural address.

For better or for worse, the great recession has leveled the house of Oregon to its foundations and has given us the opportunity to rebuild it for the 21st century," Kitzhaber said shortly after taking his oath of office. Clad in dark jacket and tie, faded jeans and tan cowboy boots, Kitzhaber was sworn in at 11:45 a.m. and became the first governor in the state's 152-year-history to return to the job after leaving office. Kitzhaber's speech provided a stirring call for change, with the governor delivering his remarks in a clear voice and a clipped, crisp tone. "This is the legislative session when we stop kicking the can down the road and start reshaping Oregon's government," Kitzhaber said.

"Instead of creating a budget that does less of the same in the hopes that we will be able to do more of the same, I will be proposing a budget and structural reforms that will do things differently." The speech did not contain many specifics, however, but Kitzhaber promised that details will begin rolling out during the coming days. "None of this is going to be easy," Kitzhaber told the assembled legislators. "But if we do it right and we do it together this session will be an historic one, one that future generations will look back on and see as the start of a bright and sustainable future for out state." That statement led into a call for bridging political divisions in the wake of Saturday's shooting in Tucson, that left six dead and 13 others wounded, including U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.

Gif-fords suffered a gunshot that passed through her brain. "Let each of us choose to fas By Peter Wong Statesman Journal Even for a ritual that is often compared to the first day of school, Monday's opening of the 76th Oregon Legislature at the Capitol was different than in the past. After all the hand-wringing since the Nov. 2 election, the first 30-30 Oregon House in state history chose Democratic Rep. Arnie Roblan a former high-school principal in Coos Bay and Republican Rep, Bruce Han-na'of Roseburg as the first-ever co-speakers.

They named 13 committees with equal numbers of Democrats and Republicans, and Democrats and Republicans as co-leader of each. The House also agreed, on a 57-3 vote, on rules on how to advance bills through committees over objections of co-leaders. Meanwhile, the Senate chose Democrat Peter Courtney for a record fifth two-year term as its president. Courtney, the longest-serving member of the current Legislature at 26 years, will preside over a chamber with 16 Democrats and 14 Republicans. The House has nine new members, all Republicans, and they reshaped a chamber where Democrats held a 36-24 majority during the past two years.

Three replaced departing Republicans, three unseated Democrats, and three won seats vacated by Democrats. The Senate has three new members: Democrat Lee Beyer of Springfield is returning after an absence of a decade, and Republicans gained two seats. In his remarks to the joint session preceding the oath of Democrat John Kitzhaber for a record third term as governor, Courtney, 67, said there were many "firsts" Monday. But he said perhaps none was more historic than Oregon joining the 45 other states where lawmakers meet annually, but under time limits of 160 days in odd-numbered years and 35 days in even-numbered years. "We begin today with a mandate from the people to complete our work within rigid timelines," he said.

"And, for the first time, we have a constitutional requirement to return to the Capitol next year. For the first time in our history, everything we do will be done with the knowledge that we will be back here in 2012." For Roblan and Hanna, both new as presiding officers and both from a part of the state that has not had a House speaker in 50 years, the perspectives were different. Ml DANIELLE PETERSON I Statesman Journal Gou John Kitzhaber visits with lawmakers after his inauguration. Roblan, 62, quoted President John F. Kennedy to describe Oregon's projected gap of $3.5 billion between estimated tax collections and current services in the next two years.

"Yet in this crisis is opportunity," said Roblan, who is in his fourth term. "We can change the way the state does business. We must set strong priorities. Now, as JFK said, in the midst of these challenges, we must seize new opportunities." Hanna, 50, is president of his family's soft-drink bottling company. He is in his fifth term, and had been the GOP leader since faU 2007.

"We must focus on creating an DANIELLE PETERSON I Statesman Journal Senate President Peter Courtney addresses the Senate after taking oath for a record fifth two-year term. See Legislature, 4A See Kitzhaber, 4A WHAT'S IIEXT The House will convene at 1 p.m. today in its chamber in the Capitol. House leaders on Monday named members of their 13 committees, each of which is headed by a Democrat and a Republican. See this story at Statesman Journal.com for a list of the appointees.

Senate committee appointments are posted on the Legislature's website, www.leg.state.or.us. Go to Statesman Journal.compolitics to read the text of Kitzhaber's speech and view video and photos. Oregon delegation pledges visibility Man who inspired 'Band of Brothers' dies Inside to my mother: 'here's a guy we can follow right into And we did really." Winters was a leader who told his Winters As for his own security, Schrader said his staff has already started looking at procedures. "I imagine we'll probably be doing something different," he said. When asked whether each member of Congress ought to have a Secret Service detail, the 5th Congressional District representative said, "I don't think Congress will take that." Members of Congress are "pretty strong" and will not be deterred from doing their jobs, he said.

"You don't run for office unless you've got a pretty thick skin." Schrader said that if he or other members were to retreat into a shell, it would be a victory for terrorists. "They are not going to intimidate me," he said. Still, threats against him are not at all unusual, and "whack jobs" sometimes show up at his public meetings and scare constituents before being shown the door, Schrader said. And after the health care debate heated up in the summer of 2009, Schrader, Merkley say they will continue to meet public By Paul C. Barton Gannett Washington Bureau WASHINGTON Rep.

Kurt Schrader, pointed a finger at two of the nation's most well-known political commentators in the wake of the shooting of an Arizona congresswoman, "The right-wing media has fueled a horrible outcome. They fed this vitriol," Schrader of Saturday's shooting in Tucson, where 20 people, including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, were shot. Giffords remained in critical condition Monday. Six were killed, including federal Judge John Roll.

Schrader specifically blamed conservative talk show hosts Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh. "I hold them personally responsible. I don't know how they can sleep at night after this," Schrader said. He added: "This is a horrible comment on where we are going as a nation. Hopefully, people will wake up." SHOOTING SUSPECT: Judge orders Jared Loughner held without bail as nation grieves, Page 5A.

he said, abusive phone calls to his office often shook up the young staff members who had to answer them. Meanwhile, Sen. Jeff Merkley, made clear that he would not be deterred from meeting with the public, either. "Senator Merkley will still continue to hold town halls and attend public events so he can hear directly from Oregonians," spokeswoman Julie Edwards said. "Those forums have always been opportunities for respectful dialogues, and we expect that will continue to be the case.

Our office will work with local law enforcement, where appropriate, to make sure these forums are safe. Every Ore-gonian should feel safe to express their views." The Associated Press PHILADELPHIA Richard "Dick" Winters, the Easy Company commander whose World War II exploits were made famous by the book and television miniseries "Band of Brothers," died last week in central Pennsylvania. He was 92. Winters died after a several-year battle with Parkinson's disease, longtime family friend William Jackson said Monday. The men Winters led expressed their admiration for their company commander after learning of his death.

Bill Wingett, 88, of Salem, served under Winters for about three years. Winters was "one hell of a guy," Wingett said. "Shortly after he took over Company, I distinctly remember writing a letter troops what to do, and they did it, Wingett said. "What makes a man stick out is your respect for him and your belief in his care about you," he said. "It was always obvious that Dick Winters gave a darn about troops under him, for the most part.

I think the troops know this and feel it and respect it." Winters became the leader of Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne Division on D-Day, after the death of the company commander during the invasion of pbartonUigannett.mm.