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`First baby' helps mom make point about kids' health Reporter's notebook By PETER WONG SALEM -- Though less than 2 years old, Logan Kitzhaber was thrust into the spotlight once again last week. His mother, Oregon first lady Sharon Kitzhaber, held him in the Capitol galleria as she accepted a children's health mural from the Camp Fire Boys and Girls Hispanic Program. The presentation, sponsored by the advocacy group Children First for Oregon, was intended to call attention to children's health care and the 79,000 children who remain without coverage. "With Logan, I know how often he gets sick and how important it is to get children into treatment at the right time," said Sharon Kitzhaber, formerly a physical therapist, referring to the group's advocacy of care for all children. Logan's father, Gov. John Kitzhaber, held him Jan. 11 in the House chamber while Dad took the oath of office for a second term. As Oregon's term limits begin to affect more senators -- five more will be forced out next year -- look for the valedictions to start flying this session. But for Sen. Lenn Hannon, R-Ashland, it was a bit too early for them -- even if it was by his good friend Sen. Gene Timms, R-Burns. Timms is Senate co-chairman and Hannon a subcommittee chairman on the Legislature's joint budget panel; Hannon ranks first (24 years) and Timms second (16 years) in seniority among Republican senators. Timms spoke last week of his impending departure from the Senate next year, when he is ineligible to run again. Hannon couldn't resist a jab at Timms, who grew up with former public officials Bob Smith (one class ahead of him in Burns) and Norma Paulus (one class behind). "He just said we're going to televise the first public execution -- and it'll be his," said Hannon, who is eligible to return for the 2001 session. Even before the Senate's first big vote on "charter schools," which he opposes, the Senate's senior Republican didn't hesitate to vote against two other bills pushed by the leadership. Senate Bill 431, which passed 18-12 and went to the House, would extend from three to five years the automatic review of administrative rules by state agencies. Hannon joined a coalition of conservative Republicans and liberal Democrats opposing the bill. "I would require those reviews every year if I could," Hannon said. Senate Bill 108, which passed 25-3 and went to the House, would create a Department of Aviation from the 16-member aeronautics section of the Department of Transportation. The bill's critics say it's a first attempt to break up ODOT, and Gov. John Kitzhaber has objected to it. Hannon said if there are problems at ODOT, the Legislature should take responsibility for fixing them, not break up the agency."Once we start changing segments of ODOT, we change from intermodal transportation to single modes," he said. "What you are going to see is a cannibalizing of the agency and each remaining part is going to want its piece of the budget -- and the rest shouldn't be funded." The session's first "hotline" of the Chamber of Medford/Jackson County will start with a telephone conference call after all at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday at the chamber, 101 E. Eighth St., Medford. The 38th year of the "hotline" was to have begun with video conferencing from the Avista Utilities building in Medford. Steve Vincent, lobbyist for the company formerly known as WP Natural Gas, said it has been used routinely for a while. But the linkup at the Capitol end wasn't quite ready yet; it is expected to be in time for the next session Feb. 9. In the meantime, it's back to the telephone. While closing his explanation of the state's emerging backbone telecommunications network, Don Mazziotti, the state's chief information officer, said, "I want to apologize for all the jargon and acronyms." "That's all right," said Sen. David Nelson, R-Pendleton, chairman of the Senate Business and Consumer Affairs Committee. "With a billion-dollar business, you are entitled to do that." The network's first leg, from Salem to Portland to Bend to Burns, is scheduled to be up and running soon. The next leg will connect Salem with Eugene, Roseburg, Medford and Ashland. Target for completion of the network is July 1, 2001. (Reach reporter Peter Wong in the Mail Tribune capitol bureau, (503) 588-8826.) Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA