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Legal Funding for Poor Announced by Oregon Senators

The Senate recently awarded $390 million in new funding for the Legal Services Corporation.

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - At the urging of Senators Gordon Smith and Ron Wyden, the Senate Appropriations Committee announced the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) will receive $390 million in funds for 2008, an increase of $42 million from the 2007 budget.

The funds will help LSC provide qualified low income individuals and families that have suffered from economic hardship, natural disasters or a national emergency access to the legal system.

Medal of Honor Awarded to Sailor for Service in Afghanistan

Lieutenant Michael Murphy was awarded the first Medal of Honor for combat in Afghanistan.

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - In June 2005, Lt. Michael Murphy, a Navy SEAL, led his Navy SEAL team up the peaks of Afghanistan's Hindu Kush, searching for a terrorist. Instead, they were spotted and started taking fire from hostile forces.

California Guard on Stand-By to Fight Wildfires

The UH-60 Blackhawk and the Firehawk are capable of fire suppression missions as well as personnel transport in and out of dangerous and hard to reach locations.

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) - Five California National Guard helicopters have been requested by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's Office of Emergency Services Sunday to support numerous Southern California wildfires that have already forced approximately 150,000 Californians to evacuate their homes.

Four of the five aircraft are currently on stand-by at Mather Air Field. They include one UH-60 Blackhawk and Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base has two UH-60 Blackhawks and 1 Firehawk available.

Bush Seeks $42 Billion More For Iraq War

So far, the war in Iraq has claimed the lives of more than 3,830 members of the U.S. military and over 73,000 Iraqi civilians.

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - On the heels of his recent veto of children's healthcare legislation that he said was not a good use of money, President Bush's Administration today requested $42.3 billion more dollars for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. CNN reports that this brings the 2008 request for total war funding to $189.3 billion dollars.

Bush says the majority of the supplemental funding is for day-to-day military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Fires Could be Among Southern California`s Worst (VIDEO)

Fires are burning throughout a large part of the state.

(LOS ANGELES, CALIF.) - Fire activity significantly increased in southern California over the weekend. Strong Santa Ana winds are challenging firefighters as they battle 11 large fires. So far more than 90,000 acres have already burned. Evacuations are in effect for several communities throughout southern California.

Weather experts say the Santa Ana winds are expected through Tuesday, then should diminished by Wednesday. By the end of the week, Southern California should have favorable weather conditions, with higher relative humidity and cooler temperatures.

UN Helps Nearly 1,600 Displaced Afghans Return Home

Returning families receive free transportation to their final destination as well as relief supplies.

(KABUL, Afghanistan) - Over 100 internally displaced Afghan families have recently returned to their homes in Balkh province thanks to the efforts of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) which, along with Government authorities, has aided the resettlement of nearly 1,600 internally displaced persons in the war-torn nation this year.

A total of 341 internally displaced families, consisting of 1,588 persons, have returned home in 2007 with the assistance of UNHCR and the Afghan Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation.

Voting Begins in UN-monitored Ballot for Tokelau

If Tokelauans achieve the two-thirds majority during this referendum, a date will then be set for a "day of self-government."

(UNITED NATIONS) - Voting has begun in the referendum to determine whether Tokelau, a group of three small and isolated atolls in the Pacific Ocean, should have self-government in free association with New Zealand, the team of United Nations observers monitoring the ballot has reported.

Some 63 people cast their ballots on Saturday in Apia, Samoa, where many Tokelauans live, and the voting process has now shifted to Tokelau’s three atolls – Fakaofo, Nukunonu and Atafu.

No Injuries in Keizer House Fire

Trett says fire crews initiated an aggressive attack and had it knocked down and overhaul underway at 6:26 PM.

(KEIZER, Ore.) - Keizer firefighters responded to a report of a house fire just after 6:00 PM Sunday. The Salem 9-1-1 Center relayed that smoke was coming from a cottage at 1498 Alder Dr. NE.

Keizer Fire Spokesman Jim Trett says the cottage, with no independent address, was located behind the house at that address. The fire was discovered by the occupant, Ryanna Lowsley when she returned home.

Group Says Most States Lose Out on Military Spending‏

These findings follow the release of a recent report by the Political Economy Research Institute.

(WASHINGTON, D.C. ) - In spite of the claims that military spending creates jobs, much of the money spent on the military never makes it back to the States, according to an analysis released today by the National Priorities Project.

NPP's analysis provides state-level rankings comparing the money that came back to states in military spending with how much was paid in taxes by state taxpayers for military spending.

Oregon Military Job and Benefit Fair‏ Set in Clackamas

Hundreds of Oregon service members are expected to turn out.

(CLACKAMAS, Ore.) - More than 800 veterans are expected to take part in the Military Job and Benefit Fair at Clackamas Community College on November 3rd from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Guard officials say that with the ongoing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, many veterans have recently returned from deployments and need help finding jobs, accessing their veteran benefits, and furthering their education

"The soldiers returning know they have benefits but don't know where to get them," said Sgt. 1st Class Phillip Maas, who leads the Oregon National Guard's Career Transition Assistance Program in Salem. "We're trying to be that one-stop shop for service members and their families."