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LATEST NEWS
An Earlier Addition of Groundwater
On Thursday, August 1st, Portland Water Bureau added groundwater from the Columbia South Shore Well Field to the city’s Bull Run sourced drinking water. Officials are making this change to test well equipment ahead of the seasonal shortfall in the watershed supply. This blending comes nearly a month earlier than last year’s required switch, and the Bureau says it will update the public through the media and email when the system returns to 100 percent Bull Run water.
OFM corrects overstated revenue loss if capital gains tax repeal passes
(The Center Square) – Opponents of Initiative 2109 to repeal Washington state's capital gains tax are adjusting their marketing materials after a recent correction from the Office of Financial Management. Reports earlier this year from OFM and a required Fiscal Impact Statement on revenue impacts from I-2109 said revenue collections would plummet by $5 billion over a six-year period if voters approved it, according to the Washington State Budget & Policy Center. ...
Naomi Pomeroy’s death calls attention to hidden dangers that can lurk in Oregon’s rivers
The spot where sheriff’s deputies think beloved Portland chef Naomi Pomeroy died last month while floating down the Willamette River near Corvallis looks innocuous. Two scrawny branches protrude from a submerged tree in the water. They look like they might scratch the skin of anyone who floats by but not kill them.
Final Title IX rule goes into effect in WA while still blocked in other states
(The Center Square) – The Biden administration’s final rule for Title IX extending federal protections for LGBTQ+ students went into effect nationwide Thursday, including in Washington state. Meanwhile, a slew of legal challenges has temporarily blocked more than half of all states from enforcing the updated regulations. Title IX is a landmark federal civil rights law enacted as part of the Education Amendments of 1972. It prohibits sex-based discrimination in any school or other education program that receives funding from the federal government. ...
The Danger of Lightning During Current Hot, Dry Spell in WA
There's currently a heat warning in place for Wenatchee and much of North Central Washington, but there's no chance of rain in the days ahead. Rain and thunderstorms present hazards this time of year in the region because they bring the risk of wildfires. National Weather Service meteorologist Charlotte Dewey...
Russian hacker who targeted Washington pizza restaurants released in prisoner swap
SEATTLE — A Russian hacker who was convicted in federal court in Seattle was released as part of a prisoner swap this week. Roman Seleznev was one of the prisoners released in the swap, which was the biggest in post-Soviet history. Seleznev was convicted in August 2016 of hacking...
Photos: Lake Oswego residents enjoy performance by Hit Machine
Hit Machine played hits from all eras during a performance Wednesday, July 31 at Foothills Park. The performance was part of the city of Lake Oswego’s Summer Concert Series. For more information on the series, which will continue at Westlake Park and Millennium Plaza Park this month, visit https://www.ci.oswego.or.us/concerts.
Lake Oswego says goodbye to one municipal judge and welcomes another
The Oswego Municipal Court administered something of a passing of the gavel this week. Lake Oswego judge of 19 years Bruce Shepley formally ended his tenure from the post, while new Judge Cierra Brown took over Wednesday, July 31. Brown is a criminal defense attorney who has focused on helping the mentally ill navigate the criminal justice system. “Listen carefully and try to do the right thing,” Shepley advised Brown....
Former Oregon high school basketball star Winters Grady announces college finalists, including Oregon Ducks
Former Lake Oswego boys basketball standout Winters Grady has listed his top nine college teams. The Oregon Ducks are listed among the final teams for the 6-foot-5 small forward, as well as New Mexico, Colorado, USC, Creighton, Iowa, Arizona State, Michigan and Oklahoma. If you purchase a product or register...
Rep. Kim Schrier Reiterates Objections to Kroger-Albertsons Merger
Rep. Kim Schrier (D-WA) has serious misgivings about Kroger's multi-billion-dollar, temporarily stalled merger with a rival supermarket chain. Schrier on Thursday convened a press conference in Issaquah to highlight her anti-merger activities. The presser was cohosted by Dalton Adams, a UFCW union steward. Kroger announced in 2022 that it had...
Counties sue Washington over decision to keep sentenced juveniles in local jails
The Washington State Association of Counties is suing the state over its decision to suspend intakes at two juvenile detention centers and house newly convicted youth in county jails due to overcrowding. The association, which represents all 39 of Washington’s counties, is asking King County Superior Court to reverse the intake suspension. The lawsuit was […]
ACLU sues Washington state city over its anti-homeless laws after a landmark Supreme Court ruling
The American Civil Liberties Union sued the city of Spokane, Washington, on Thursday, alleging that its anti-camping laws violate the state constitution. It is believed to be the country’s first such legal challenge since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June that cities can enforce outdoor sleeping bans. The court’s landmark decision — which found in June that such bans do not violate the U.S. Constitution’s Eighth Amendment prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment, even when shelter space is lacking — has prompted homeless advocates to seek new ways to challenge laws prohibiting outdoor sleeping. The complaint filed in Spokane County Superior Court challenges city ordinances that make camping, sitting or lying on public property misdemeanor crimes in certain circumstances. Under state law, a misdemeanor is punishable by a fine up to $1,000 or jail for up to 90 days. “This Spokane case serves as another opportunity for us to build out those protections under our state constitution, which is more protective than its federal counterpart,” Jazmyn Clark, director of the ACLU of Washington’s Smart Justice Policy Program, told The Associated Press.
Reflection Plaza tower to get makeover
The campanile tower in downtown Washougal’s Reflection Plaza will receive a local history-themed makeover. The Washougal Arts and Culture Alliance (WACA) and the city of Washougal arts commission has selected Vancouver-based artist Sharon Agnor’s Two Rivers Heritage Sculpture artwork, which will be installed onto the campanile in September 2025.