A news release from Portland’s Office of Emergency Management about the inaugural Great Oregon ShakeOut—modeled after California’s example—follows.

At 10:15 a.m. on January 26, 2011, the Portland Office of Emergency Management and Multnomah County Emergency Management, urge everyone to take part in the state’s largest earthquake drill called the Great Oregon ShakeOut.  All residents, businesses and schools are asked to practice their earthquake preparedness and drop, cover and hold on.  “It’s a simple exercise people of all ages should know and practice. It will help you survive an earthquake,” says Carmen Merlo, director of Portland’s Office of Emergency Management.

We receive hundreds of e-mails from lots of different people and organizations asking for press, publicity and promulgation. We think this one, from Oregon Partnership, deserves wider attention, especially over this weekend. It follows. Oregon Partnership is a 501-3c non-profit organization whose laudable mission is to end substance abuse and suicide in Oregon.

“OP is the state’s leading non-profit organization that promotes healthy communities through drug and alcohol awareness, prevention programs, and 24-hour crisis lines for treatment referral, crisis counseling, and suicide intervention.

“Oregon’s citizen soldiers and their families who face a daunting array of challenges now have a compassionate resource they can turn to in OP’s Military Helpline. The number is 888-HLP-4-VETS (888-457-4838).

A news release from the Oregon State Police follows with statistics comparing this year’s number of traffic fatalities and driving under the influence of intoxicants arrests during the the Memorial Day holiday weekend to last year’s follows:

“Preliminary statistics for the 2010 Memorial Day holiday weekend period indicates statewide traffic fatalities and Oregon State Police DUII arrests were slightly down from 2009 holiday period. This is based upon preliminary information for the reporting period from May 28 through May 31, 2010. Please note the fatality count number may change until confirmed that no other fatal crashes were reported by other Oregon law enforcement agencies.

We receive press releases from a wide variety of sources, from the White House in Washington, D.C., to our neighbor’s house down the street, and everything in-between. Of course, not all of it pertains to our readers. Occasionally, something that has nothing to do with the Memo’s mission in Mid-County comes along that now, through our blog site and Twitter,  we can share with you. Here it is, the press release from the Oregon State Police with a  link to the video:

“An Oregon State Police in-car video of an incident that happened June 18th is being released after a motorcycle operator pled guilty to Careless Driving when he lost control and separated from his motorcycle.

A news release from the Oregon State Police with their post-fourth of July holiday weekend statistics follows. Except for the one tragic fatality, good news on the highways and byways of Oregon the past weekend.

“Preliminary statistics reported this morning by ODOT’s Fatality Analysis Reporting Unit (FARS) following the 54-hour Fourth of July holiday reporting period reflects the second fewest number of traffic fatalities in Oregon during this holiday period since 1970.  FARS statistics reflects the Fourth of July holiday period as the deadliest major holiday weekend of the year in Oregon.