Returning to Oregon

We will be getting back on the road after a two month hiatus here in Mesa. Heading north to Oregon for a variety of reasons. Primarily is to be closer to my sister as the end nears for Jimmy. His condition has been gradually worsening and we want to be there for her.

Secondarily is to get involved with all the goings on at SEIU 503. One of my favorite people, Lisa Dixon, is running for the newly restructured Board of Directors and we will be helping her out with her campaign. Last night we were on a conference call with her. Von had a lot of fun getting back into the groove of doing that sort of thing and so did I.

As part of that the SEIU 503 is holding its General Council in August and then are the elections for the statewide offices of President, Executive Director, VP, and Treasurer. We want to help get good people elected to those slots as well.

Then there is the recall campaign against Joe DiNicola. His actions this past year in an effort to be paid overtime for his duties as the president are beyond the pale. I have been reluctant to do the education and agitation around the issue because I saw it as being too divisive but as Joe continues to file legal motions and grievances he has clearly taken an adversarial relationship with the local and its members. We want to get involved with that as well.

Add in being closer to all our children and a wedding in the family over the Fourth of July we have decided we are willing to brave the usual long rainy spring in the Valley but plan to get back to the road trip in late summer. We may decide to land in Medford but will decide that later.

I haven’t decided the route home yet but do know I would like to avoid the Interstate 5 trip having done it three times in the last six months. We’ll see what the weather looks like as far as snow goes but I am inclined to take several days and go through Las Vegas/Reno/Susanville to get there.

At any rate it looks like we will be home sooner than later, at least for a while.

Greg