Right to Repair Law Takes Effect
Oregon’s Right to Repair law, which increases consumers’ ability to repair their own electronics, takes effect this week. The law requires manufacturers to provide access to replacement parts, tools, manuals, as well as digital keys needed so people can fix their own devices. Charlie Fisher, with the Oregon State Public Interest Research Group, helped author the law, and says it needs to go further. That’s why – along with disability justice advocates – he’s pushing for wheelchairs to be included. Fisher says the current process for getting wheelchairs fixed is overly complicated and takes months.
“Just simple barriers that shouldn’t exist are really what we’re trying to address in this wheelchair right-to-repair law. And it just seems like common sense.”
Fisher says Democratic Senator Janeen Sollman of Hillsboro will introduce two bills this year to expand the right-to-repair law. One bill would add these protections for wheelchairs; the other would simplify the repair process when going through Medicaid.
City of Florence Newsletter
The City of Florence has released its monthly newsletter, highlighting New Year’s resolutions with the environment in mind. Suggestions include eating more plant-based meals like “Meatless Mondays,” shopping locally, and reducing waste by avoiding single-use plastics and composting food scraps. The newsletter also encourages reducing transportation impacts by walking, biking, or carpooling, and making homes energy-efficient with LED bulbs and smart thermostats. It highlights opportunities for community clean-ups, tree plantings, and recycling improvements under Oregon’s Recycling Modernization Act. For more details, check out the City of Florence newsletter.
Yachats Crab Crack
For more than 30-years the folks in Yachats have been cooking, cracking, and eating crab to help raise money for their community. The 30th annual Yachats Crab Feed is coming up later this month and tickets are on sale right now. Kevin York, a member of the Yachats Lions Club and coordinator of this year’s feed says the Yachats Crab Feed has been an annual tradition for families and groups from across Oregon and Washington. This year the feed is going back to all-you-can-eat. It includes the crab, of course, along with baked beans, coleslaw, bread, and soda. York says the price has also gone down to $45. There will be three seatings on Saturday, January 25th. Two in the Yachats Lions Club building at 12:30 and 4:00. The third seating, limited to groups of six or more, will be 4:00 at the Yachats Commons. Tickets are limited and can be purchased online at Yachatslionsclub.org. Money raised at the crab feed supports things like eye and hearing exams along with eyeglasses and hearing aids for members of the South Lincoln County Community.
