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Ballot measures on cannabis unions, higher corporate taxes could be on November ballot
Just two of the more than 50 new laws proposed by Oregonians through the ballot initiative process stand a chance at appearing before voters in November. Friday was the deadline for groups to submit the more than 100,000 petition signatures needed to give voters a chance to approve or reject ballot measures. Only two measures […] The post Ballot measures on cannabis unions, higher corporate taxes could be on November ballot appeared first on Oregon Capital Chronicle.
Oregon governor’s office orders independent audit of DHS in woman’s death
The Oregon Department of Human Services is facing another examination of its policies and practices – this time following the death of an elderly woman with dementia who wandered away from a long-term care facility and died outside alone on a winter day. Ki Soon Hyun’s body was found in the woods on Christmas day. […] The post Oregon governor’s office orders independent audit of DHS in woman’s death appeared first on Oregon Capital Chronicle.
Oregon Republicans criticize efforts to bring back flagship climate change response
Oregon Senate Republicans are questioning whether the state’s environmental agency has authority to re-create and implement a program that would drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel companies, a task those lawmakers said should be taken up by the Legislature instead. In a letter addressed to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality on June 19, […] The post Oregon Republicans criticize efforts to bring back flagship climate change response appeared first on Oregon Capital Chronicle.
Keep Oregon Moving: Legislative funding helps ODOT clean up the graffiti on your roads
Graffiti and litter increased dramatically over the last few years. If you’ve traveled around the state lately, you’ll see that it’s widespread across Oregon. But it’s particularly bad in the Portland area. This challenge is especially acute along ODOT highways and property. ODOT properties, due to...
Two ways to reduce childhood hunger in Oregon this summer
The Summer Food Service Program offers free, nutritious meals at sites all over the state and the Summer EBT program provides $120 per eligible child for groceries. Nearly 30 million children participate in USDA’s school breakfast and lunch programs on an average school day. When school is out for the summer, kids lose access to these healthy meals, but they still need nutritious food to grow healthy and strong. This year, there are now two programs in Oregon that will improve access until school starts...
Despite mild fire season forecast, agencies tell Oregon leaders they need to invest in workforce
Oregon is likely to face fewer big wildfires this summer than in previous years, but a lack of rural housing, coupled with unstable and often low pay, continues to create firefighter workforce challenges across the state and region. That was a big part of the message from state and federal fire and emergency response officials, who discussed this year’s fire outlook and what they need at a meeting Monday at the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center. The Portland-based center is part of a larger wildfire prevention...
Democrats, homeless advocates disappointed in U.S. Supreme Court ruling on homelessness
Democratic lawmakers, homeless advocates and legal experts in Oregon expressed disappointment Friday with the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in the Grants Pass homeless case, while conservatives welcomed the decision. In a 6-3 decision split along partisan lines, the court sided with the southern Oregon city in its prohibitions against homeless people using blankets, pillows or cardboard to protect themselves in severe weather while sleeping in public places. The court said that the city’s ordinances against homeless camping did not violate the Constitution’s Eighth Amendment prohibition...
CFTLC briefed on HCP revenue replacement schemes
Following ten months of negotiations with the governor’s office, members of the Council of Forest Trust Land Counties were briefed on three proposed solutions for revenue reductions projected to be caused by the habitat conservation plan for western Oregon state forests on June 28. A group of five county representatives worked with three representatives from the governor’s office to hammer out the options, landing on reducing contributions to either the counties and special districts or Oregon Department of Forestry, or moving school districts in the...
Salt Creek Fire roars to 1,500 acres in Southern Oregon, evacuations issued near Hwy 140
Update at 9 a.m. on Monday, July 8 Fire crews made good progress on the fast-growing Salt Creek Fire overnight, getting fire line around 40% of the blaze burning roughly 10 miles east of Eagle Point. The fire remains at about 1,500 acres just north of Highway 140. ...
OSAA hires Brownrigg as assistant executive director
The Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) has hired Lauren Brownrigg as an assistant executive director. Brownrigg has served as associate athletic director and senior woman administrator at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Ore. since 2012. She was named senior associate athletic director in 2020. Brownrigg replaces Monica Maxwell, who recently accepted a position with the National Federation of State High School Association (NFHS) in Indianapolis, Ind. ...
Searing heat wave grips large parts of the US and causes deaths in the West
DEATH VALLEY, California (AP) — A searing heat wave gripped large parts of the United States on Monday, with record daily high temperatures in Oregon suspected to have caused four deaths in the Portland area following a motorcyclist’s death in dangerous heat over the weekend in Death Valley, California.
Dallas man dies after crash into river in Tillamook County
A Dallas man died Sunday afternoon when his car left the road, rolled down an embankment and ended up in a river east of Pacific City in Tillamook County. Tyler Jacob Bell, 32, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, according to Oregon State Police. Police said Bell...
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