The suspect of a kidnapping and torture in Oregon <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/01/us/oregon-kidnapping-suspect-benjamin-foster-dead-wednesday/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">died</a> on Tuesday from a self-inflicted gunshot injury, <a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/02/01/1153149820/oregon-kidnapping-suspect-dies-of-self-inflicted-gunshot-police-say" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to a police spokesman. 
Grants Pass Police Department Lt. Jeff Hattersley <a href="https://ktvl.com/news/local/police-believe-attempted-murder-suspect-benjamin-foster-is-inside-grants-pass-home" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that the suspect, Benjamin Obadiah Foster, died at the hospital on Tuesday night. For multiple hours, police carried out a standoff with the man who is suspected of attempted murder.
Foster closed himself in beneath a house as law enforcement swarmed the area, established a command post, and brought a SWAT team together while trying to get him to turn himself in. 
Before 8 p.m. on Tuesday night, Hattersley said the incident was &#8220;resolved&#8221; and law enforcement later said he had been arrested. They said he had died from his wounds thereafter.
On January 24, a woman was discovered tied up, unconscious, and almost dead in a house in Oregon. She was still in the hospital in serious condition as of Wednesday, according to the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/oregon-grants-pass-crime-law-enforcement-9858ce1798696d7eb06a03a334c7066c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Associated Press</a>. 
Hattersley noted that officials had gotten “credible information” that the suspect had gone into the home where the woman was discovered, according to The Daily Courier.
Law enforcement <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/oregon-kidnapping-suspect-benjamin-foster-dead-after-hours-long-standoff-police" target="_blank" rel="noopener">enlisted</a> the help of the public in searching for Foster and put out a picture of him, clarifying that he might have changed what he looked like since the photo was captured. Grants Pass law enforcement also put out a warning in the community and said he might still be loose on Tuesday afternoon prior to his capture. 
Foster had also evaded law enforcement when they raided a location last week. Investigators don’t think that he operated on his own, but rather believe that someone helped him get away.
The suspect had a history of criminal conduct related to the way he had allegedly treated a former girlfriend. 
He <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/manhunt-underway-oregon-man-accused-torturing-woman-police/story?id=96792681" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pleaded</a> guilty to battery counts in 2021. In 2019, he kept his girlfriend at the time as a prisoner in her apartment for several weeks. He was sentenced to one to two-and-a-half years in prison and could have been forced to serve out nearly 200 more days in state custody after taking into account the days he had waited in jail to go to trial. However, he was let go the day he was taken to prison, according to Nevada corrections department authorities on Monday.
Last week, Grants Pass Police Chief Warren Hensman said that it is “extremely troubling” that Foster ended up being hunted in Oregon instead of staying in prison in Nevada.

“Police patrol lights on car roof”

Oregon Torture, Kidnapping Suspect Dead From Self-Inflicted Wound After Standoff With Police

Crime

kidnapping

Oregon

U.S.

A Kansas businessman promised to preserve the famous house for fans of the 1980s cult classic film &#8220;The Goonies&#8221; after closing on the $1.6 million abode last week.
Behman Zakeri, a 46-year-old entrepreneur from the Sunflower State and lifelong fan of the film, told <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/01/17/goonies-house-movie-sold/">The Washington Post</a> he bought the house in Astoria, Oregon, for $1.65 million and pledged to use it as a fan haven in honor of the film&#8217;s legacy.
&#8220;Somebody that was a true &#8216;Goonie&#8217; needed to have it to kind of make sure that it didn&#8217;t go away,&#8221; Zakeri told The Post. &#8220;If the wrong person buys &#8216;The Goonies&#8217; house, what if they do what Troy&#8217;s father wanted to do in the movie and bulldoze it and turn it into a golf course or something?&#8221;
In the 1985 film, the story follows a group of young misfits living in the &#8220;Goon Docks&#8221; neighborhood of Astoria, Oregon, who band together and set out on an adventure to find a legendary pirate&#8217;s long-lost treasure after discovering an ancient map in the attic. The group embarks on the journey to find the treasure to buy out a developing company that plans on destroying the house and building a country club.
&#8220;Too many people&#8217;s hearts would break,&#8221; Zakeri added.
Zakeri said he plans to re-create the contraption that opened the property&#8217;s gate, which included a bowling ball, a balloon, a chicken, and a football. Other features he plans on restoring to pay homage to the &#8220;Goonies&#8221; crew include installing a zip line like the one Richard &#8220;Data&#8221; Wang rode in the movie and painting dark-red trim on the home&#8217;s exterior, The Post reported.
&#8220;I&#8217;m just super excited to try to be the best I can be for the &#8216;Goonies&#8217; community,&#8221; he said.
Zakeri first had the idea to purchase the home after touring the two-story house in June 2015 for the film&#8217;s 30th anniversary.
The new owner approached its previous landlord Sandi Preston, who bought the property in 2001, saying he would &#8220;love to buy it&#8221; if she ever put it up for sale.
When the house hit the market last November, Zakeri contacted Preston within minutes after his friends notified him it had gone up for sale.
Zakeri contacted Jordan Miller, the property&#8217;s real estate agent, every day for a week until Miller confirmed he was &#8220;officially under contract for the &#8216;Goonies&#8217; house.&#8221;
&#8220;I couldn&#8217;t really imagine much better of a buyer,&#8221; Miller told The Post. &#8220;There&#8217;s been concerns about, &#8216;Oh, is some big company going to come in and buy it, change a bunch of stuff or try to make money off the house?&#8217; That&#8217;s not his vision whatsoever.&#8221;
Zakeri tagged several of the film&#8217;s original cast in a Twitter post last week, inviting them back to the home they once saved.
&#8220;HEY YOU GUYS! When are you guys coming to hang out @GooniesHouse 🏴‍☠️🏠,&#8221; Zakeri <a href="https://twitter.com/behmanzakeri/status/1613409054327558144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1613424076185378816%7Ctwgr%5E5f2f97bcb1db0e2c851d00738e75defddef97af9%7Ctwcon%5Es2_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.latimes.com%2Fentertainment-arts%2Fmovies%2Fstory%2F2023-01-17%2Fthe-goonies-house-beham-zakeri-astoria-oregon">said</a>.
Corey Feldman, who played Clark &#8220;Mouth&#8221; Devereaux, replied and congratulated Zekari. He also pleaded for the new owner to &#8220;Keep The Magic Alive.&#8221;
&#8220;Welcome 2 #THEGOONDOCKS,&#8221; Feldman <a href="https://twitter.com/Corey_Feldman/status/1613424076185378816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1613424076185378816%7Ctwgr%5E5f2f97bcb1db0e2c851d00738e75defddef97af9%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.latimes.com%2Fentertainment-arts%2Fmovies%2Fstory%2F2023-01-17%2Fthe-goonies-house-beham-zakeri-astoria-oregon">said</a>, adding, &#8220;always allow the fans of all ages access 2 take pics in front of your home,&#8221; Feldman said. &#8220;They will B eternally GR8FUL I Assure U! Good Luck Dude!&#8221;
Robert Davi, who portrayed Jake Fratelli, <a href="https://twitter.com/RobertJohnDavi/status/1613429214065074176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1613436040760508417%7Ctwgr%5E5f2f97bcb1db0e2c851d00738e75defddef97af9%7Ctwcon%5Es3_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.latimes.com%2Fentertainment-arts%2Fmovies%2Fstory%2F2023-01-17%2Fthe-goonies-house-beham-zakeri-astoria-oregon">retweeted</a> Zakeri&#8217;s post, saying, &#8220;There should be a 40 [anniversary] there.&#8221;
&#8220;DEAL,&#8221; Zakeri replied.

The Goonies

Kansas Businessman Buys $1.6 Million ‘Goonies’ House, Vows To Preserve Original Design For Fans

Kansas Businessman Buys $1.6 Million ‘Goonies’ House

Film

Hollywood

Movies

A middle school near Portland allowed students to skip class to watch a TV show about a transgender child.
Students at Twality Middle School in the Tigard-Tualatin School District skipped class to watch &#8220;First Day,&#8221; a TV series about a 12-year-old boy who identifies as a girl.
The TV-watching session happened during the middle school&#8217;s &#8220;Transgender Awareness Week&#8221; held from November 13 to 19. Students skipped their last two class periods that Friday to watch the show&#8217;s first two episodes.
The school will eventually play the entire series, Twality said in one of several PowerPoint presentations shown to students, according to a public records request viewed by The Daily Wire.
<div id="attachment_489456" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-489456" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-489456 size-large" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/image-copy-3-1024x562.png" alt="" width="1024" height="562" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/01/image-copy-3-1024x562.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/01/image-copy-3-300x165.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/01/image-copy-3-768x422.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/01/image-copy-3-1536x843.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/01/image-copy-3-2048x1124.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Presentation shown to students (public records request)</div>
&#8220;Transgender Awareness Week&#8221; involves &#8220;educating the public&#8221; and &#8220;standing up for and with Trans people at Twality,&#8221; the presentation said.
The week of gender-focused events and activities had a significant activism component, encouraging students to organize events, recruit volunteers, and create visual displays.
In the mornings, the middle schoolers learned about transgender history, pronouns, and what it means to be an &#8220;ally.&#8221; During lunch, they could opt in to other activities including a pizza party for making posters to be displayed in the school hallways to &#8220;show our support for trans people everywhere.&#8221;
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-489458 size-large" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/image-copy-4-1024x574.png" alt="" width="1024" height="574" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/01/image-copy-4-1024x574.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/01/image-copy-4-300x168.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/01/image-copy-4-768x430.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/01/image-copy-4-1536x860.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/01/image-copy-4-2048x1147.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></div>
<div id="attachment_489459" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-489459" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-489459 size-large" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/image-copy-2-1024x561.png" alt="" width="1024" height="561" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/01/image-copy-2-1024x561.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/01/image-copy-2-300x164.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/01/image-copy-2-768x421.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/01/image-copy-2-1536x842.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/01/image-copy-2-2048x1123.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Presentation shown to students (public records request)</div>
Parents were alerted about &#8220;Transgender Awareness Week&#8221; beforehand and given instructions on how to opt out their children, which some parents did, Traci Rose, director of community relations for Tigard-Tualatin School District, told The Daily Wire.
Asked why the presentation to students only mentions a permission slip signed by a teacher, Rose said that in order to watch &#8220;First Day,&#8221; students were required to show both a permission slip signed by their parents and a slip signed by their teacher saying they had finished their class work.
Twality Middle School Principal Susan Kosmala wrote in a message to parents that &#8220;The purpose of this week is to celebrate transgender students in our communities and schools, as well as educate our community about how to be an ally to transgender communities.&#8221;
&#8220;Medieval Europe had a LOT more pronouns than we typically use now!&#8221; reads another message to families.
The middle schoolers were taught to &#8220;educate don&#8217;t hate&#8221; and to use people&#8217;s preferred pronouns and apologize when they &#8220;misgender&#8221; someone, according to one of the presentations to students.
&#8220;Don’t ever joke about your pronouns if you aren’t sincere about it,&#8221; reads one presentation.
Students were also taught that children as young as 5 &#8220;have feelings about their gender identity&#8221; and that &#8220;respecting someone else’s gender identity does nothing to take away from who you are.&#8221;
&#8220;There are actually over 78 gender identities that have been around forever!&#8221; reads one presentation.
Suicide was a recurring theme in the school&#8217;s presentations to students. The middle schoolers were taught that accepting and supporting a trans-identifying person&#8217;s identity makes them less likely to die by suicide.
Students were warned that they would be sent away if they do or say things that are &#8220;harmful to the community.&#8221;
&#8220;You will be asked to leave the room and head to the office to do the Morning Meeting work with an adult,&#8221; one of the presentations reads.
A district source who requested anonymity told The Daily Wire that several Twality staff members were frustrated that the &#8220;First Day&#8221; viewing cut into class time.
&#8220;The teachers are working hard to try to get their students back on track from COVID &#8230; and then they&#8217;re losing class time for not research-based material, stuff that&#8217;s contradictory. It&#8217;s from a biased viewpoint,&#8221; the source said.
The source added that like many school districts, Tigard-Tualatin has seen an increase in trans-identifying students over the last few years. Teachers at Twality are sometimes &#8220;coached&#8221; not to inform parents about their 11 or 12-year-old&#8217;s new gender identity, the district source said.
The Oregon Department of Education&#8217;s <a href="https://www.oregon.gov/ode/students-and-family/equity/civilrights/Documents/ODE-Supporting-Gender-Expansive-Students.pdf">guidelines</a> state that school staff should &#8220;to the extent possible&#8221; refrain from disclosing a student&#8217;s gender identity to their parents without the student&#8217;s permission.
Tigard-Tualatin has also <a href="https://www.oregonlive.com/tigard/2013/07/tigard-tualatin_school_distric_31.html">allowed</a> trans-identifying students to use whichever bathroom they prefer since at least 2013.

Progress And Transgender Pride Flag In London

Oregon Middle Schoolers Allowed To Skip Class To Watch Transgender Show

Education

Gender

Portland

Public Schools

Social Issues

Transgender

A historic, 117-year-old church in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/portland" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Portland</a>, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/oregon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Oregon</a>, is being demolished after being irreparably damaged by a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/arson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fire</a> this week. 
Police have arrested 27-year-old Cameron David Storer, a man who also claims to go by Nicolette Fait, for allegedly setting fire to the church. The office of Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt <a href="https://www.mcda.us/index.php/news/da-mike-schmidt-announces-cameron-storer-25-arraigned-for-arson-other-charges" target="_blank" rel="noopener">referred</a> to Storer using “they” pronouns in a press release detailing the charges. 
Storer was charged with two counts of first-degree arson, one count of second-degree arson, and two counts of second-degree burglary. 
Demolition of the 3,000-square-foot Old Portland Korean Church, which <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/portland-arson-suspect-charged-historic-church-fire-leaving-1905-house-worship-marked-demolition" target="_blank" rel="noopener">opened</a> in 1905, began Friday after the three-alarm fire on Tuesday. The decision to demo the church came after Portland Fire and Rescue determined from drone footage that the building had sustained too much structural damage to be saved. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Out of control! <a href="https://t.co/jz2UeIEQfw">pic.twitter.com/jz2UeIEQfw</a>
&mdash; R Renk (@RRenk3) <a href="https://twitter.com/RRenk3/status/1610479991032250369?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Workers toppled the 100-year-old steeple of the church as local preservationists stood by hoping to spare portions of the church. “They’re not very confident that those will be salvageable once the building gets knocked over,” Val Ballestrem, of the local Architectural Heritage Center, <a href="https://www.kptv.com/2023/01/07/demolition-begins-fire-ravaged-portland-church/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> KPTV. “Having a piece from the building really enforces our ability to tell that story.”
The preservationists hope to save stained glass windows, and the church’s cornerstone, and the weathervane. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The steeple of a historic Portland church came crashing down Friday afternoon. The building was more than a century old when an arsonist set a three-alarm fire that tore through the building Tuesday evening. <a href="https://t.co/2YE5NtaOQK">pic.twitter.com/2YE5NtaOQK</a>
&mdash; FOX 12 Oregon (@fox12oregon) <a href="https://twitter.com/fox12oregon/status/1611509155042414596?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“What was really interesting was how the main tower flexed. They pushed it pretty hard and it’s a pretty big machine and so it flexed before it fell, they really had to work hard. Whoever is operating that crane really has an unbelievable skill set to see how he will maneuver get stuff to where he needed and then push in the right direction. It’s a horrible thing to have happen but to see them take it down is pretty impressive,” local Hank Schottland said. 
Before the fire, the church had not been actively used in 10 years, according to local authorities. Authorities also said that Storer wanted to “take credit” and claimed to use a Bic lighter to start the fire. 
Storer, who reportedly has a history of schizophrenia, told police that voices in his head promised to “mutilate” him if he did not burn the church, according to the district attorney’s office. 
Police said Storer also claimed to take 10 oxycodone per day from another injury.

3D fire and Burning embers glowing. Fire Glowing Particles on Black Background

Historic 117-Year-Old Portland Church To Be Demolished After Arson Attack

Arson

Church

Oregon Democratic Governor Kate Brown has commuted all of the state&#8217;s death sentences, instead giving life without the possibility of parole to 17 inmates.
Brown announced the commutations in a statement on Tuesday.
“I have long believed that justice is not advanced by taking a life, and the state should not be in the business of executing people—even if a terrible crime placed them in prison,&#8221; she <a href="https://www.oregon.gov/newsroom/Pages/NewsDetail.aspx?newsid=76509" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a>.
&#8220;Since taking office in 2015, I have continued Oregon’s moratorium on executions because the death penalty is both dysfunctional and immoral,&#8221; the governor added. &#8220;Today I am commuting Oregon’s death row so that we will no longer have anyone serving a sentence of death and facing execution in this state. This is a value that many Oregonians share.&#8221;
The death penalty remains legal in Oregon. However, the state passed <a href="https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2019R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/SB1013/Enrolled" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a bill</a> in 2019 that nearly ends the practice.
Former Democratic Gov. John Kitzhaber previously announced a death penalty moratorium in 2011 to stop the execution of Gary Haugen that year.
In her 2016 campaign, Brown <a href="https://www.koin.com/news/gov-brown-to-keep-death-penalty-moratorium-if-elected/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> she planned to continue the moratorium, saying “serious concerns remain about the constitutionality and workability of the law.”
Oregon has not executed a prisoner since 1997.
The death penalty has been the focus of much debate in the state, with voters opposing it on two occasions and the Oregon Supreme Court <a href="https://www.oregon.gov/doc/about/Pages/oregon-death-penalty.aspx#:~:text=In%201981%2C%20the%20Oregon%20Supreme,16%20of%20the%20Oregon%20Constitution." target="_blank" rel="noopener">striking it down</a> in the past.
Brown&#8217;s action is one of her final moves ahead of her exit in 2023. Democratic Governor-elect Tina Kotek will be sworn in next month and has previously stated that she would continue Oregon&#8217;s death penalty moratorium.
“Oregon has not followed through on the death penalty in over 25 years, and as Governor, I would continue the current moratorium. I am personally opposed to the death penalty because of my religious beliefs,&#8221; Kotek <a href="https://cfmadvocates.com/gubernatorial-candidates-differ-on-death-penalty/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> during her campaign.
Oregon Senate Republican Leader Tim Knopp released a statement on Tuesday blasting Gov. Brown&#8217;s decision.
“This is another example of the Governor and the Democrats not abiding by the wishes of Oregonians,&#8221; he <a href="https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2022/12/gov-kate-brown-commutes-sentences-of-all-17-people-on-oregons-death-row.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &#8220;Even in the final days of her term, Brown continues to disrespect victims of the most violent crimes.”
<div>
House Republican Leader Vikki Breese-Iverson also criticized Brown, saying she should have solicited input from other lawmakers and community members.
“Governor Brown has once again taken executive action with zero input from Oregonians and the legislature,” Breese-Iverson said in a <a href="https://centraloregondaily.com/oregon-death-row-kate-brown-commutes-sentences/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CDid%20the%20people%20of%20Oregon,of%20the%20most%20violent%20crimes.%E2%80%9D">statement</a>. “Oregon has not executed an individual since 1997 and has only executed two criminals since voters adopted the death penalty in 1984. Her decisions do not consider the impact the victims and families will suffer in the months and years to come. Democrats have consistently chosen criminals over victims.”
A total of 27 states have laws that include the death penalty, <a href="https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/state-and-federal-info/state-by-state">according to</a> the Death Penalty Information Center. In addition to Oregon, both California and Pennsylvania have declared a moratorium on executions.
</div>

Kate Brown

Oregon Democratic Governor Commutes All Of State’s Death Sentences

Death Penalty

Politics

This article is a companion piece to today’s Morning Wire Afternoon Update. To listen to the podcast version, click <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/podcasts/morning-wire" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
Griner Released In Exchange For Merchant Of Death
WNBA star Brittney Griner was freed from Russian captivity <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kjp-gushes-over-griners-release-an-important-role-model-for-lgbtqi-americans-and-women-of-color" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Thursday</a> in a prisoner exchange for notorious Russian arms dealer and international criminal Viktor Bout, known as the “Merchant of Death.” Griner was arrested in February at a Moscow airport after being caught with marijuana vaping materials. She was sentenced in August to nine years in prison. U.S. diplomats had been working for her release since she was taken into custody. President Joe Biden addressed why other Americans, such as U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, were not a part of the swap.
&#8220;Sadly, for totally illegitimate reasons, Russia is treating Paul [Whelan]&#8217;s case differently than Brittney&#8217;s,&#8221; Biden said.
&#8220;We are not giving up. We will never give up,&#8221; he added.
New York Times Writers Striking
More than 1,000 union members at The New York Times <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/great-day-for-america-the-new-york-times-is-barely-reporting-any-news-because-of-a-writers-strike" target="_blank" rel="noopener">walked</a> off the job today in what is set to be a 24-hour strike — the first such union action in more than 40 years.
Union members are demanding improved wages, more favorable remote work policies, as well as an improved employee evaluation system, which they say currently allows for racial bias.
Nantucket Goes Topless
Topless sunbathing is now legal in Nantucket, Massachusetts; Attorney General Maura approved <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/in-the-name-of-equality-nantucket-beaches-go-topless" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an amendment passed in May</a> by the residents of Nantucket legalizing topless beaches for both men and women.
Oregon Judge Blocks Gun Control Bill
A state judge has stopped a new Oregon law from taking effect that would create new barriers to purchasing firearms and ban the sale of any magazine larger than a 10-bullet clip, arguing that it violates Oregon’s constitution.
Russian-backed Ukrainian Faces 30 Years In U.S. Prison
Andrii Derkach, a Russian-backed Ukrainian politician, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/doj-russian-backed-ukrainian-oligarch-bought-two-california-condos-used-convoluted-scheme-to-get-around-u-s-sanctions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">faces up to 30 years in prison for fraudulently buying</a> two properties in California in violation of U.S. sanctions. Derkach was charged with seven criminal counts in an indictment unsealed this week. Derkach was previously sanctioned for trying to influence the 2020 elections, law enforcement officials said in a press release.
Peru&#8217;s President Arrested
Peru’s socialist President Pedro Castillo was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/perus-socialist-president-kicked-out-of-office-and-arrested-for-staging-attempted-coup-report-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arrested Wednesday</a> after being impeached and removed from office for staging a coup to stay in power. During his first 16 months in office, Castillo has faced six criminal investigations and three impeachment attempts, including the one that removed him from power this week.
Prosecutors Launch Investigation Into Crypto Creep CEO: Report
U.S. prosecutors have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/federal-prosecutors-open-criminal-investigation-into-disgraced-ftx-founder-sam-bankman-fried-report-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly opened a criminal investigation</a> into whether disgraced FTX founder and major Democrat donor Sam Bankman-Fried committed financial crimes that led to the collapse of the company last month.
Celine Dion Announces She Has Stiff-Person Syndrome
And, iconic singer Celine Dion <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/celine-dion-reveals-heartbreaking-news-about-her-health" target="_blank" rel="noopener">revealed</a> Thursday that she is suffering from a rare disease that prevents her from currently performing. The singer stated she has been diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome (SPS), a progressive disease that leaves its victims as “human statues” who struggle to walk or talk.
“Unfortunately, these spasms affect every aspect of my daily life, sometimes causing difficulties when I walk and not allowing me to use my vocal cords to sing the way I’m used to,&#8221; the singer said in a video posted to social media.
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Celine Dion has been diagnosed with a neurological disorder that ultimately leaves sufferers as human statues as it progressively locks the body into rigid positions, leaving people unable to walk or talk. This is so sad 💔 <a href="https://t.co/6oYqaQVS3k">pic.twitter.com/6oYqaQVS3k</a>
&mdash; virgo’s grooviest. (@virgosgrooviest) <a href="https://twitter.com/virgosgrooviest/status/1600835370765422593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Thursday Afternoon Update: Biden Releases ‘Merchant Of Death,’ Nantucket Goes Topless, New York Times Goes On Strike

Thursday Afternoon Update: Biden Releases 'Merchant Of Death,' Nantucket Goes Topless, New York Times Goes On Strike

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Five electricity substations in Oregon and Washington were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/intentional-attack-takes-down-power-for-40k-people-in-north-carolina" target="_blank" rel="noopener">targeted</a> in November, according to three energy companies who reported the attacks to the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/fbi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FBI</a>. 
Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), Puget Sound Energy, and the Cowlitz County Public Utility District confirmed their substations were attacked in November, the Seattle Times <a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/law-justice/pse-substations-among-five-attacked-in-pacific-northwest-in-november/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Reports of the November attacks come just days after two electricity substations in North Carolina were targeted by gunfire, leaving around 45,000 customers without power. 
BPA spokesman Douglas Johnson said there was a “deliberate physical attack” at a substation in Clackamas, Oregon, over the Thanksgiving holiday. Johnson explained that someone had cut a fence and damaged equipment in the attack. 
“BPA is actively cooperating with the FBI on this incident and has encouraged other utilities throughout the region to increase their vigilance and report any suspicious or similar activity to law enforcement,” Johnson added. 
A Puget Sound Energy spokesman also confirmed that two of the company’s substations were attacked in late November but did not provide details on how much damage was caused in the attacks. 
The Cowlitz County Public Utility District in Washington reported two of its substations were subject to “vandalism.” A spokesperson said the facilities “have since been repaired.” 
The FBI declined to confirm it had launched an investigation into the attacks, the Times reported. 
State and federal authorities continue investigating the gun barrages in North Carolina that knocked out power for thousands of people over the weekend. The investigators are coming close to explaining possible motives for the attacks in North Carolina, sources familiar with the situation <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/07/us/power-outage-moore-county-investigation-wednesday/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> CNN. 
The attacker is believed to have used a rifle to damage equipment at the Moore County, North Carolina, substations, and officials are hoping the shell casings from the suspected firearm will give them vital information about the shooter. Power for all 45,000 North Carolinians who were left in the dark was finally restored Wednesday night, four days after the attack. 
Vandalism and physical attacks on the electric grid jumped in 2022. Over 100 incidents of suspected and confirmed attacks on electricity substations occurred over the year, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/north-carolina-substation-attack-raises-security-concerns-us-electric-rcna60428" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the Department of Energy. But Neil Chatterjee, chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission during the Trump administration, warned that the attacks in North Carolina pose a significant risk. 
“The significance of this outage in North Carolina in the middle of a really cold winter should not be underappreciated — it’s a huge deal,” he said. “We have to be cognizant of this and take physical security and cybersecurity seriously and there are things we can do in terms of standards and other approaches to harden and protect our critical energy infrastructure.”
Law enforcement officials noted that, over the past two years, anti-government groups have used online forums to encourage people to attack infrastructure, such as electricity substations usually located in rural areas. The groups reportedly post detailed instructions on substations’ vulnerabilities.

Electricity generating substation

Authorities Report Five Electricity Substations Targeted In Pacific Northwest Days After North Carolina Attacks

Energy

Washington

A state judge has stopped a new <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/oregon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Oregon</a> law from taking effect that would create new barriers to purchasing firearms and ban the sale of any magazine larger than a 10-bullet clip.
Harney County Judge Robert Raschio issued a temporary restraining order over Measure 114, a ballot measure passed last month that places new restrictions on purchasing firearms and magazines. Raschio blocked the new law for violating the Oregon state constitution.
“Absent entry of this Temporary Restraining Order, Plaintiffs will be deprived of their right to bear arms pursuant to Or. Const. Art. l, Sec. 27 by being made unable to lawfully purchase a firearm or bear a magazine capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition in the State of Oregon. Deprivation of fundamental constitutional rights for any period constitutes irreparable harm,” the judge wrote in his Tuesday <a href="https://www.gunowners.org/wp-content/uploads/Oregon-State-Court-TRO-Order.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">order</a>.
Raschio’s ruling came as part of a legal challenge against the new law filed by Gun Owners of America (GOA). GOA Senior Vice President Erich Pratt celebrated the ruling.
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“This is an exciting victory for our members in Oregon as the clock was winding down on securing relief from the onerous and unconstitutional requirements this law would have placed on current and future gun owners. We look forward to continuing the fight,” Pratt said in a <a href="https://www.gunowners.org/goa-and-gof-secure-comprehensive-tro-against-oregon-gun-law/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>.
Measure 114 passed last month in a slim majority vote with 50.6% in favor and 49.4% against. The difference amounted to roughly 25,000 votes.
The new law <a href="https://www.opb.org/article/2022/10/18/oregon-measure-114-gun-laws-permits-safety-class-magazine-limits/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">places</a> a number of new restrictions on buying, selling, and owning firearms. The law bans the sale of magazines with a capacity of more than 10 bullets. It includes a permit-to-purchase requirement that requires all firearms customers to get a background check and attend gun safety training before purchase.
The state attorney general’s office said it would appeal the ruling, according to <a href="https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2022/12/oregon-measure-114-temporarily-blocked-by-harney-county-judge-in-separate-challenge.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Oregonian</a>.
“We are still sorting through everything, but I can tell you we will be shortly filing a mandamus petition asking the Oregon Supreme Court to review it immediately,” said Kristina Edmunson, spokeswoman for Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum.
Raschio’s ruling came several hours after a federal judge rejected a request to instate a temporary restraining order and approved the ballot measure to go into effect on December 8 as scheduled, with one exception. The federal judge, U.S. District Judge Karin J. Immergut, postponed the permit-to-purchase requirement at the state’s request for 30 days.
Despite the federal court’s ruling, Raschio’s decision is still in effect because he ruled on a challenge based on the state constitution. Immergut’s decision is based on a challenge brought on federal constitutional grounds, according to The Oregonian.
Immergut said that no parts of the new law would improperly infringe upon Oregonians’ Second Amendment rights.
“The burden imposed by Measure 114 on the core Second Amendment right of self-defense is minimal,” Immergut <a href="https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2022/12/judge-puts-permit-to-purchase-gun-regulation-on-hold-for-30-days-allows-rest-of-measure-114-to-take-effecct.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a>.
“In light of the evidence of the rise in mass-shooting incidents and the connection between mass-shooting incidents and large-capacity magazines — and absent evidence to the contrary regarding the role of large-capacity magazines for self-defense — Defendants are comparably justified in regulating large-capacity magazines to protect the public,” the judge said.

Handguns

Oregon Judge Freezes Gun Control Law Over Questions About ‘Fundamental Constitutional Rights’

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Oregon parents are outraged after a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/education">school</a> board took their meetings virtual during ongoing discussions about <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/gender">gender</a> ideology and below-par academic performance.
The North Clackamas School District in the Portland area decided to move its school board meetings online indefinitely after parents erupted at a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0Xk9RDE79I">meeting</a> last month.
During the October 27 meeting, parents ripped into school board members over &#8220;gender-affirming care&#8221; content and alleged &#8220;pornographic&#8221; books in school libraries.
&#8220;This district and the way it runs is a complete dumpster fire,&#8221; one father who attended the meeting <a href="https://katv.com/news/nation-world/oregon-school-board-goes-virtual-after-outraged-parents-flood-board-meeting-complete-dumpster-fire-north-clackamas-school-district-october">said</a>. &#8220;Stop gaslighting us in your little newsletters saying everything is okay.&#8221;
&#8220;You guys are too blind to see it, but school choice and privatization of education is coming,&#8221; another father said.
The tipping point came when a mom held up a placard with explicit pictures from the LGBT graphic novel &#8220;Gender Queer.&#8221;
The board&#8217;s vice chairperson, Jena Benologa, abruptly shut down the meeting.
&#8220;Okay, I think we&#8217;re gonna have to shut this down and go back online,&#8221; Benologa said as she and other board members stood up and walked out as parents in the room erupted.
The frustrated parents shouted after them, &#8220;You&#8217;re just afraid! You&#8217;re afraid to face what you do!&#8221; and &#8220;You have disrespected us!&#8221; along with shouts of &#8220;Cowards!&#8221;
Parents continued to read their statements even after the school board members had left the room.
&#8220;We value public input during our board meetings, which is why we invite community members to sign up and address the board with their comments and concerns,&#8221; the North Clackamas district <a href="https://thenationaldesk.com/news/americas-news-now/oregon-school-board-goes-virtual-after-outraged-parents-flood-board-meeting-complete-dumpster-fire-north-clackamas-school-district-october">said</a> in a statement. &#8220;The main responsibility of board members during that designated time on the agenda is to listen. It is not a venue for discussion, so they do not provide immediate feedback. This can be frustrating to speakers and may contribute to the perception that they are not being heard.&#8221;
On the controversial library books, the district <a href="https://thenationaldesk.com/news/americas-news-now/oregon-school-board-goes-virtual-after-outraged-parents-flood-board-meeting-complete-dumpster-fire-north-clackamas-school-district-october">said</a> that &#8220;representation in instructional and library materials is a very important part of engaging and supporting all students, including those in the LGBTQ+ community, who are especially vulnerable.&#8221;
Meanwhile, a district-by-district <a href="https://www.ode.state.or.us/data/reportcard/reports.aspx">report</a> released last month by Oregon&#8217;s education department shows students are suffering academically.
In the North Clackamas district, which serves nearly 16,300 students, a dismal 24% meet state grade-level math expectations, lower than Oregon&#8217;s 27% average. Only 43% meet grade-level expectations in English language arts, slightly higher than Oregon&#8217;s 40% average.
As students returned to in-person learning last school year following the pandemic, Oregon&#8217;s regular attendee rate sank nearly 15.7% compared to the 2018-19 school year.
North Clackamas is not the first Oregon school district to shut down in-person school board meetings over parent backlash.
In September, the Salem-Keizer School District, the second largest in Oregon, said it would no longer hold in-person school board meetings <a href="https://salkeiz.k12.or.us/news/letter-school-board-meetings/">due to</a> “threats and potential safety issues&#8221; from &#8220;adults all along the political and ideological spectrum.”
Over the last few years and especially since the pandemic, school board meetings have become a battleground for a litany of issues, including sexual curriculum content, gender ideology, school safety, and learning loss.

A girl waving a LGBT flag when thousands of activists from

Parents Apoplectic After Oregon School Board Goes Virtual Amid Gender Ideology Concerns

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The house from the classic 1980s movie &#8220;The Goonies&#8221; has gone up for sale &#8211; and now fans have a chance to own the old victorian home that is the focus of the film in which a rag-tag group of teens go on a treasure hunt.
The home is located in Astoria, Oregon — and those who have expressed an interest in buying it have said they would like to make it a place more where the public and fans can have more access, the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-oddities-oregon-movies-pacific-ocean-d448414d631faf8dfcf35a91ebc4c675">Associated Press</a> reported in a piece published Wednesday.
&#8220;We have a few interested parties right now,&#8221; realtor Jordan Miller, the listing agent for the property, shared with the outlet. &#8220;It seems to be everybody&#8217;s intention to be able to open up the house a little bit more and have more access.&#8221;
&#8220;It&#8217;s kind of a fun buy,&#8221; Miller added. &#8220;Whoever buys the house is going to have a relatively steady stream of extremely happy people walking up outside to fulfill their childhood dreams.&#8221;
The home was built in 1896 and sits at the top of a hill that gives a view of the Columbia River as it flows into the Pacific Ocean.
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The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Goonies?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Goonies</a> home for sale went into contract 😏 <a href="https://t.co/XySvETxTxu">pic.twitter.com/XySvETxTxu</a>
&mdash; Logan Mohtashami (@LoganMohtashami) <a href="https://twitter.com/LoganMohtashami/status/1595513145539276800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 23, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The home&#8217;s listed for $1.7 million on Zillow where it&#8217;s described as &#8220;fully loaded with history, nostalgia and iconic level of fame,&#8221; according to the listing, the outlet noted.
A video posted on Twitter from CNN showed inside the famous home, including footage from the 1985 Steven Spielberg hit movie.
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Why just watch &quot;The Goonies&quot; when you can live in the Goonies&#39; house? But as CNN&#39;s Jeanne Moos reports, it will cost a lot of treasure <a href="https://t.co/I9P1w9Aige">https://t.co/I9P1w9Aige</a> <a href="https://t.co/h7agBj4Wfs">pic.twitter.com/h7agBj4Wfs</a>
&mdash; CNN (@CNN) <a href="https://twitter.com/CNN/status/1593963593271156736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The home is a favorite spot for fans of the mystery-treasure hunting movie to stop by and take photos. The town of Astoria even holds a &#8220;Goonies Day&#8221; on June 7 to mark the movie&#8217;s release date — and the city welcomes thousands of fans to the event, the outlet noted.
The owner of the home, Sandi Preston, has been known to be welcoming to visitors, but since she lives in the home full time, there have been times when the attention has gotten to be too much, and she&#8217;s closed it off to foot traffic. Miller noted that buyers who have expressed an interest said they aren&#8217;t interested in having the home as their primary residence.
City officials said they have long tried to find a compromise that would keep fans visiting and residents in the neighborhood happy as they have previously restricted parking in the area.
&#8220;While the owner of this location from The Goonies is a fan of the movie and enjoys chatting with visitors making the trek to Astoria to see the film locations, as you can imagine, it gets hard having hundreds of people crowding into your personal space every single day,&#8221; the Astoria-Warrenton Chamber of Commerce wrote in August on a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AstoriaWarrentonChamber/">Facebook,</a> the outlet noted.

The Goonies-2

House From 80s Classic ‘The Goonies’ Is Up For Sale

House From 80s Classic 'The Goonies' Is Up For Sale

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During the pandemic, Oregon was one of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/california-washington-oregon-to-lift-school-mask-mandates" target="_blank" rel="noopener">last states to open schools in the entire country</a> and kept kids in masks longer than most other states. The government teachers’ unions fought to get teachers to the front of the line for vaccines in front of vulnerable seniors, and then continued to fight to keep kids at home in isolation. The Oregon Department of Education has been pushing politicized agendas on our kids, and with newly adopted social standards that include teaching sex-ed to kindergartners, curriculum will only get worse.
As anyone who is paying attention could have guessed, post-pandemic Oregon test scores plummeted far worse than most places in the nation. Yet very few school districts have a plan to catch kids up on reading, writing and math. In fact, politicians simply removed graduation standards in 2021 to deal with that problem.
Politicians, bureaucrats, and the teachers’ unions in Oregon have thus failed our students. They took an education system that was intended to teach our children the skills needed to successfully enter the workforce or pursue higher education, and turned it into a machine to create activists and isolate children at home.
The silver lining of the pandemic was that parents were given a front row seat to what was, and often wasn’t, being taught in their children’s schools. They learned who had the power, and who was making the rules. And they learned that no one was listening to them.
Well, what happened on election night shows that parents were fed up and ready to take action to protect their children and their right to an education.
 Oregon parents are tired of being ignored by elected officials and voted in a number of fresh faced candidates who support parental rights, a student-first education system and more school choice options, while voting out those who isolate their children and contribute to a failing education system.
Some say that 2022 was the year of the parent — the year that parents took power into their own hands and decided to create change in a system that in Oregon had been ruled by a single party for far too long.
Oregon Moms Union empowered parents to vote by compiling a non-partisan <a href="https://www.oregonmomsunionpac.com/parents-voters-guide" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Parents Matter Voters Guide</a> to help parents choose candidates who listen to their opinions and the needs of their children. Of those candidates we gave an A rating to in our voters guide, 16 of them were newly elected to the Oregon Legislature or Congress.
Parents want their power back and voted accordingly. We’re thrilled to see the level of engagement and the candidates, many of them parents themselves, that were successful as a direct result of the parents’ movement in 2022.
These are elected officials who will help us push for expanded school choice options, more transparency in curriculum, and pass a parents’ bill of rights. Now that the work has been done in the election, it’s time for parents to get to work. It’s time for us to stand with these elected officials and others to fight for our kids. It’s time to work with them to pass legislation that will improve the quality of education for our children.
We must reinstate graduation requirements, rather than dumbing down our education system and failing our children. We must push for more transparency by asking that school districts make curriculum available online for all to see. We must pass a parent’s bill of rights so that elected officials and school districts can’t refuse to listen to the wants of parents and needs of students. We must expand school choice options to include open enrollment, removing the cap for charter schools, and allowing parents to use funds to make choices in their children’s education to suit their individual needs. We must also ensure that the Oregon Health Authority does not force the COVID vaccine on students as a requirement to attend public schools.
As parents, we have the chance to be heard by elected officials, and it is time that we tell them how they can help improve the education system for our children. We can make 2023 the year we do better by our kids. We can make 2023 the year of the student.
MacKensey Pulliam is a wife, mom of two daughters and the President of <a href="https://www.oregonmomsunionpac.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Oregon Moms Union</a>, Oregon’s premier grassroots parents organization formed in early 2021 in the wake of COVID school shutdowns and distance learning.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Daily Wire.

Oregon State Welcome Sign Interstate 5 Northbound Transportation

They Fought For Parents’ Rights In The Midterms, Now Oregon Moms Say 2023 Will Be ‘The Year Of The Student’

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A detransitioner is suing a social worker, therapist, and their respective clinics in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/oregon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Oregon</a> for overlooking her mental health challenges and fast-tracking her &#8220;non-binary&#8221; double mastectomy surgery.
Camille Kiefel, 32, represented by <a href="https://jacksonbonelaw.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jackson Bone LLP</a>, announced a lawsuit last week against the health professionals who approved the surgery to have her breasts removed after only two brief Zoom meetings. Kiefel came to regret the double mastectomy she had in August 2020 in the years that followed, calling the procedure a result of an &#8220;abhorrent misdiagnosis.&#8221;
&#8220;I was 30 and at the end of my rope when I transitioned,&#8221; Kiefel testified at a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-florida-board-of-medicine-votes-to-ban-pediatric-gender-affirming-care" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hearing</a> on the efficacy of pediatric medical transition held by the Florida Boards of Medicine. &#8220;At the time I believed I was nonbinary, I struggled with severe mental illness and suicidal ideation.&#8221;
Kiefel is suing social worker Amy Ruff and mental health therapist Mara Burmeister, as well as their respective Portland-based gender clinics — Brave Space Oregon and the Quest Center for Integrative Health.
After a 40-minute video call with Burmeister in July 2020, following a one-hour Zoom session with Ruff in May, both &#8220;experts&#8221; wrote a letter of recommendation for Kiefel to undergo chest reconstruction surgery, the complaint reads.
The 13 page complaint alleges that the defendants &#8220;transgressed the bounds of socially tolerable conduct by abusing their positions of trust and authority&#8221; by facilitating &#8220;unnecessary, irreversible treatment&#8221; without consideration of Kiefel&#8217;s mental health issues.
Kiefel told The Daily Wire that after a traumatic childhood event, she felt discomfort with her breasts and hips, and began to dress androgynously as &#8220;a form of escapism,&#8221; she said.
&#8220;I had a trauma history: when I was in sixth grade my best friend had been raped by her brother,&#8221; Kiefel <a href="https://youtu.be/RWVxsZf7ntw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> at the Florida Board of Medicine meeting. &#8220;Being a girl meant I was more vulnerable, so I started to present as more masculine. This should have been a red flag, yet within months of requesting top surgery, it was performed on me.&#8221;
Kiefel was introduced to gender identity ideology in 2010, while she pursued a women&#8217;s studies minor in college, and in 2016, began to identify as &#8220;nonbinary&#8221; after seeing a &#8220;gender-affirming&#8221; therapist. She spent much of her childhood suffering from anxiety and depression, which persisted into adulthood and led to suicidal ideation.
In 2020, she began to feel that having her breasts removed would eliminate her mental and emotional distress. The request was granted in just a few months time after making the initial inquiry, despite the fact that she never took testosterone or believed herself to be transgender.
The complaint states that even though Kiefel&#8217;s desire for chest reconstruction was &#8220;based on &#8216;individual identity&#8217; described as &#8216;Absence of femininity&#8217; and desire for a &#8216;more androgynous&#8217; look,&#8221; her care team proceeded with the &#8220;life-altering, physically damaging, irreversible&#8221; operation.
The complaint alleges that Burmeister &#8220;failed to conduct an individualized, comprehensive mental health assessment&#8221; and ought to have known Kiefel was a &#8220;high-risk candidate for regretting or not benefitting from undergoing a double mastectomy for the purpose of &#8216;gender affirmation.’” Additionally, Burmeister&#8217;s referral letter was &#8220;based on cut-and-pasted boilerplate diagnostic criteria&#8221; that failed to account for Kiefel&#8217;s individual needs.
Defendant Ruff &#8220;breached her duty of care&#8221; by violating the standards of care applicable to Licensed Clinical Social Workers in the State of Oregon, failing to provide Kiefel with &#8220;accurate, complete information about the risks of having a double mastectomy ostensibly to relieve or alleviate mental health or emotional distress.&#8221;
Kiefel found the inspiration for a &#8220;nonbinary top surgery&#8221; when she came across the Gender Confirmation Center (GCC) website, which she claimed to believe was a &#8220;legitimate&#8221; source of information at the time. The founder of GCC, Dr. Scott Mosser, has performed &#8220;over two thousand top surgeries&#8221; on girls and women, including several 13 year olds, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/there-is-no-youngest-age-at-all-california-doctor-admits-to-performing-affirming-surgeries-on-transgender-children-as-young-as-13" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to a leaked video in August.
Kiefel says that since she started putting more emphasis on taking care of her physical health, the anxiety and depression that led to her rejection of womanhood resolved. Now she is left with feeling distress over her body after her double mastectomy.
In the complaint, filed with Oregon State Courts, Kiefel details her anguish &#8220;living with a permanently scarred, disfigured, and physically painful or discomfiting chest, and deep feelings of regret over unnecessarily and permanently losing her choice ever to breastfeed a child.&#8221; She now has fears and anxiety over finding a life partner that will be &#8220;sexually and romantically attracted to a woman without breasts.&#8221;
As a result of her mistreatment, she feels deeply distrustful of western medicine. “I don&#8217;t really want anything to do with conventional doctors anymore after my experiences,&#8221; said Kiefel, who as of late has gravitated towards alternative medicine.
Looking back, Kiefel recalled how, even with a diagnosis of ADHD, she had to &#8220;jump through hoops&#8221; to get her stimulant medication because it&#8217;s a controlled substance with safeguarding in place &#8220;to prevent the wrong people from getting access to it.&#8221; She questions why gender medicine is not subjected to the same safeguarding measures.
Kiefel now believes she was misled in her Women&#8217;s Studies courses, especially pertaining to gender identity ideology. &#8220;It&#8217;s treated as truth, but it&#8217;s just a theory,&#8221; she said. She recalls when her women&#8217;s studies professors attributed all of the world&#8217;s ills to sexism. &#8220;One of my professors implied that [women] were depressed because of sexism,&#8221; Kiefel recalls.
“People who are struggling mentally and physically can get wrapped up in these ideologies because our current solutions aren&#8217;t working for people,&#8221; she added.
Now, Kiefel is interested in advocacy work for detransitioners, including helping them overcome their emotional distress through physical health. &#8220;I just don&#8217;t want what happened to me to happen to someone else,&#8221; she said.
The complaint calls for a jury trial and seeks up to $850,000 in damages, alleging the defendants &#8220;abused their positions of professional trust and authority with intent to cause, or with reckless disregard,&#8221; caused Kiefel to &#8220;suffer extreme, excruciating, severe emotional distress.&#8221;
The Women&#8217;s Liberation Front (WoLF), a feminist advocacy legal network, is helping to finance Kiefel&#8217;s lawsuit, and created a <a href="https://womensliberationfront.org/supporting-detrans-women" target="_blank" rel="noopener">webpage</a> for those interested in donating to support her litigation.

Detransitioner Announces Lawsuit Against Oregon Gender Clinics For Expediting Surgery

transgender surgery

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