Oregon
updated
8:26 p.m.
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So Saith DKos Oregon diarist bewert: You may also be interested to know that my bill, the Healthy Americans Act, S.391, not only allows a public option in states that want one, but also requires a public option if a state doesn't have at least two health plans offering everyone benefits just like members of Congress have today. This will ensure that all Americans have high quality and affordable c...
Preemptive Karma - 8:25 p.m.
Peter Courtney Why Alaska Governor Sarah Palin is resigning from that office is a curious question that plenty of people doubtless will chew over for a while. But why Peter Courtney, the Oregon Senate president (in a four-way tie as of this term for longest-serving), will not be running for governor next year, the answer is [...]...
Ridenbaugh Press (Oregon) - 6:29 p.m. - 4 clicks 
If he pushes his signature approach to health care reform at the Oregon state level in the way he proposed for the 2007 legislative session, Dr. John Kitzhaber probably can't gain the 2010 Democratic gubernatorial nomination. However, after the failure of legislation he backed in 2007, the former governor appears to have switched political strategies for advancing his health agenda. Still, key con...
BlueOregon - 6:19 p.m.
It's interesting to see who gets bitten by the blogging bug. Erstwhile Portlander Janna Orkney, daughter of the founder of G.I. Joe's, blogged about that experience for a while. Now she's tackling public affairs on her home turf of East Ventura County, California with a newish blog called Conejo Post . As a member of the water and sanitation board down that way, she's also having an imp...
Jack Bog's Blog - 3:38 p.m. - 5 clicks
Portland should become a more international city. That’s our best path for a prosperous future. With eighty percent of global economic growth forecast to come from emerging markets, we should reflect upon what we can do to increase our sales......
Global Strategies - 1:09 p.m. - 7 clicks
Part 2 features excerpts of speeches by TriMet General Manager Fred Hansen, Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR-3), as well as a rare cab-view while the train is in motion. ...
Portland Transport - 1:09 p.m. - 4 clicks
Here 's an interesting history project -- ferreting out American places in which important things took place, but which bear no memorial of those events. There are probably more than a handful of these in Portland and vicinity. As just one example, what's now in the spot where "Louie Louie" was recorded by the Kingsmen?...
Jack Bog's Blog - 1:08 p.m. - 5 clicks
When we wrote about the new Oregon law forbidding handheld cell phone use while driving, we got an e-mail from this company touting its product. It isn't even in beta release yet, but already they're marketing. If this is eventually a successful venture, we can imagine many potential offshoots. "He's on the john right now -- don't bother him." "Would you like me to auto-Tweet for you during ...
Jack Bog's Blog - 10:21 a.m. - 9 clicks
Update: Last month I noted that the assassination of Dr. George Tiller in Kansas had a thread connecting it to Oregon : A former Grants Pass resident had tried to kill Tiller--shot him twice, in fact--outside his church in 1993 (It's for someone else to explain why these God-fearing people keep choosing churches as the place to commit their crimes.) Turns out I was being optimistic: &...
Loaded Orygun - 7:44 a.m. - 6 clicks
On Independence Day 2009, it seemed oh so appropriate to head over to nearby Independence to see how a namesake Oregon small town celebrates the Fourth of July. I hadn't been to this annual event for a long time. But......
Hines Sight - 7:44 a.m. - 6 clicks
Monday afternoon, on a resounding 46-11 vote, the Oregon House passed a bill clearing the way for licensing industrial hemp farming in the state. Barring a highly unusual veto of a bi-partisan bill by Governor Kulongoski (D), Oregon will become the 17th state overall to pass pro-hemp legislation - the sixth this year. Now all that's needed is federal action. More on the flip. ...
DailyKos (Oregon) - Sat 3:15 a.m. - 6 clicks
Just received an email from Ron, stating his support of a public option in "...states that want one..." More over the fold. This is a key Dem, feeling pressure. Let's keep it up. ...
DailyKos (Oregon) - Sat 3:15 a.m. - 11 clicks
Oregon at least has one Dem Senator who's willing to come out and stake his claim for a full and robust public option (FRPO)--junior Senator Jeff Merkley. In this video, Merkley affirms his support for a public option, one that competes directly with private insurance and cuts costs using Medicare-style bargaining rules with providers. He also takes time to parry some of the built-in skepti...
DailyKos (Oregon) - Sat 3:15 a.m. - 2 clicks
Hedo Turkoglu won't be playing in Portland. The reason? The city's not European enough for his wife . So they're going to Toronto. Repeat: Portland is not European enough. Even with the streetcars. Even with the aerial tram. Even with the soccer people and their little songs and colorful scarves. Even with all the bicycles. Even with the spectacular views from the empty SoWhat condo to...
Jack Bog's Blog - Fri 8:48 p.m. - 13 clicks
Senator Jeff Merkley was in town this week doing the get around Oregon town hall thing. I caught up with him after the Intertwine event in downtown Portland and had just a few minutes to talk with the very busy Merkley about the "public option" for health care reform. Even though Merkley is a very junior Senator, he seems eager to tackle the very complex and often controversial landmines of health...
BlueOregon - Fri 6:00 p.m. - 11 clicks
The Green Line expansion of the MAX Light Rail system from Downtown Portland to Clackamas Town Center will open later this summer. On June 30th, a "First Ride" preview event occurred where a couple of hundred individuals including a number of public officials rode the route. Part 1 features interviews with TriMet General Manager Fred Hansen, Councilor Greg Chaimov (City of Milwau...
Portland Transport - Fri 2:01 p.m. - 7 clicks
This is it, folks — your last few days to get one of Portland’s premier drag queens on national television and beyond. Now’s the time to make your voice heard for the open spot on the season 2 cast of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Though Sabel Scities (profiled in the issue of Just Out fresh awaiting [...]...
Just Out Blog - Fri 11:38 a.m. - 2 clicks
An alert reader comes across evidence that the Portland city government was making stadium renovation promises to the "major league" (by U.S. standards) soccer league more than 18 months ago. At that time, the commissioner of the league told some folks up in Vancouver (the real Vancouver) so: "Two of the many cities that Vancouver is competing with for an expansion franchise are Portland a...
Jack Bog's Blog - Fri 9:22 a.m. - 18 clicks
In 2001, Portland reversed the trend , opening a downtown streetcar line with brand new rolling stock, intent on using this mode of transportation to encourage transit-oriented development. The results have been impressive: $3.5 billion in new construction, 10,000 residential units, more than 5,000,000 square feet of office and hotel space. Politicians and transportation experts have flocked to...
Jack Bog's Blog - Fri 7:52 a.m. - 13 clicks
Bonnie Tinker, the head of Love Makes a Family and a member of Seriously P’Oed Grannies, was killed today in a bike accident in Virginia, where she had been attending a conference. This is horrible news. More of the story is here. I met Bonnie Tinker when I was a staff person with a GLBT organization in Portland. She didn’t make much money. She’d been doing the work a lot longer than me. Her offic...
BlueOregon - Fri 1:04 a.m. - 10 clicks
I think this is the worst news ever posted on this blog. Long-time Portland activist, marriage equality leader and civil rights crusader, Bonnie Tinker was killed today in a bike accident in Virginia. Tinker was the founder and director of Portland’s Love Makes A Family. A few details can be found here, at OregonLive.com. Memories and tributes to [...]...
Just Out Blog - Thu 10:35 p.m. - 18 clicks
And in his place comes a gal recently departed from the Portland Development Commission after more than 20 years. She was the "senior development manager" of the SoWhat District -- Linchpin City! It appears that Goldschmidt Party control of the Convention Center has been restored....
Jack Bog's Blog - Thu 10:35 p.m. - 8 clicks
And that broke his ribs on the night the Portland cops let him die. Even the medical examiner who helped whitewash the murder now admits it under oath. There's a special place in hell for news editors who deliberately bury important stories on the eve of a holiday weekend. This is an example of why Sandy Rowe and Peter Bhatia of the O should be worried about that. UPDATE, 7/3, 3:10 p.m.: ...
Jack Bog's Blog - Thu 10:35 p.m. - 5 clicks
Three weeks after my first three days on my Suzuki Burgman 650 maxi-scooter, I've still got plenty of smiles on my two-wheeled motoring face. With plenty of warm and dry weather here in western Oregon (pretty typical for June-September), I've......
Hines Sight - Thu 10:35 p.m. - 5 clicks
Two interesting and potentially game-changing happenings went down yesterday, both of which would seem to be positives for the drive to see a full and robust public option (FRPO) included in any health care reform bill that passes Congress. Plus I've got news of a demonstration in Portland that goes even beyond that, and continues to press for action on a single-payer plan. First, the...
Loaded Orygun - Thu 2:58 p.m. - 12 clicks
Portland Mercury article about $15 million of yet-to-be-identified funding for renovating PGE Park for Major League Soccer. Portland Mercury article about the Sit-Lie law being ruled unconstitutional. Portland Mercury article about Commissioner Fritz's attempt to freeze merit pay increases for......
Commissioner Randy Leonard - Thu 2:04 p.m. - 13 clicks
Video of yesterday's streetcar unveiling, with short interviews with Rep. DeFazio and Rep. Blumenauer. In particular, I asked both representatives about funding opportunities for improving transit access in existing corridors which are not slated for streetcar or light rail projects. ...
Portland Transport - Thu 2:03 p.m. - 14 clicks
From Jim Ross, Oregon's latest voter registration numbers: The Oregon voter file has just been released. Of the 46,710 new registrants since the election, 17,449 have registered Democrat, 10,647 have registered Republican and the remaining 18,614 have registered non-affiliated. Okay..it's really "Rock the Boat"....but you get the idea. Oh 70's, how I love you....
BlueOregon - Thu 2:01 p.m. - 8 clicks
Several Multnomah County roads and one bridge will see traffic changes during firework displays and community events on the Fourth of July. On the Hawthorne Bridge, sidewalks will close at 8:00 pm and the outside traffic lanes will close at 9:00 pm. All lanes and sidewalks will reopen after the fireworks show ends at approximately 10:30 pm. Depending on the wind direction, the entire bridge ...
Commissioner Jeff Cogen - Thu 12:06 p.m. - 9 clicks
Lastly here is some linkage to a great article explaining the newly unveiled Metro rebranding of trails and parks, rivers and streams as The Inter Twine. I attended the kick-off event at Keen Footware's HQ in The Pearl but I was there to see Senator Merkley. And that's why I didn't bother with a summation of my own. I don't know enough about The Inter Twine and feel it's better left to those who d...
Preemptive Karma - Thu 11:26 a.m. - 2 clicks
Oh alright, one more... Wexler: Settlement freeze would call Arab world’s ‘bluff’ Visiting Israel, Rep. Robert Wexler (D-Fla.) tells Herb Keinon of the Jerusalem Post that Israel should agree to a short-term settlement freeze -- and that it's a smart move to call the Arab states' bluff: "A request for a moratorium or freeze in settlement activity that can be mutually agreed upon by the US and Isra...
Preemptive Karma - Thu 11:26 a.m. - 2 clicks
The Autism Association of Oregon (ASO) is presenting Peter Wright of Wrightslaw in a one day special education law and advocacy training conference October 29 in Portland. Details of the program and online registration are available at the ASO Web site ....
PPS Equity - Thu 11:26 a.m. - 13 clicks
That’s right, kids. Adam Lambert, the crazily charismatic American Idol runner-up — and groundbreaking Rolling Stone cover boy — is in P-town. Lambert is set to perform, along with his fellow AI finalists, July 5 at the Rose Garden. The show marks the first date of this summer’s AI Live touring juggernaut. Just Out knows that [...]...
Just Out Blog - Thu 11:25 a.m. - 4 clicks
Many thought the Adams/Breedlove saga ended with the release of the Oregon State Attorney General’s report. An angry Beau Breedlove took to the KGW Channel 8 airwaves last night, and left behind new accusations. You can listen to the interview here. ...
Just Out Blog - Thu 11:25 a.m. - 3 clicks
As Multnomah County experiences its first real heat wave this summer with temperatures expected to hover in the low 90’s over the next few days, the Aging and Disability Services Division would like to remind older adults and people with heat sensitive disabilities to take the following precautions in the hot weather: Keep air circulating with fans; take cool sponge baths. Go to an air-condi...
Commissioner Jeff Cogen - Thu 11:25 a.m. - 3 clicks
By Jesse Springer of Eugene, Oregon. Jesse is a long-time political cartoonist and illustrator. Previously, he contributed "Trick or Treat!". See more at Springer Creative....
BlueOregon - Thu 11:25 a.m. - 4 clicks
A forty-five day public comment period began yesterday on the Streetcar System Plan , leading to a Planning Commission hearing on August 14th and City Council consideration in September. The plan, a 20-50 year vision of where Streetcars might run in Portland, has been 20 months in the making, with work by staff, a System Advisory Committee, neighborhood-based district working groups and sever...
Portland Transport - Thu 4:59 a.m. - 10 clicks
Ron Wyden Oregon Senator Ron Wyden doesn’t often find the word “radical” in close proximity. His manner doesn’t suggest it, and neither does his trademark bipartisan work; such gripes as you hear about him back in Oregon tend to come from the left, form people arguing that he’s too compromising. So even in the context - [...]...
Ridenbaugh Press (Oregon) - Wed 11:02 p.m. - 13 clicks
Portland has nearly as many graphic artists as it has bicyclists . It might even be the exact same number. Could it be. . . ? Anyway, here’s the deal. I could use some help. I am, by default, the acting chair of the new Hillsdale Community Foundation. The name pretty much says it all, but if you need to know more, suffice to say we are out to raise money and to make sure it improves our li...
The Red Electric - Wed 5:37 p.m. - 2 clicks
The Oregonian, Greater Portland and Oregon's Newspaper of record, after slashing costs, eliminating the evening "bulldog" edition, furloughing staff, and merging the Metro section into the rest of section A on Mondays to save printing costs, has hit on a possible solution to its problems: They're going to charge you a buck at the newsstand/paper box, up twenty-five cents. Which, of course, means t...
Preemptive Karma - Wed 4:22 p.m. - 9 clicks
By Sean Cruz There was little sign of Cesar Chavez in the Council chambers, even when the “Yes” panels were speaking. None had thought to bring a photograph to the hearing…. No one among those in the first panel up in support of renaming 39th Avenue identified himself/herself as a member of the mostly-secret Chavez Boulevard Committee, although until recently, Portland School Board member Marti...
Blogolitical Sean - Wed 4:22 p.m. - 5 clicks
I attended my second 'first ride' in two days as Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood visited Portland for the first passenger trip on the first made-in-USA Streetcar in 60 years. Our congressional delegation effused over job creation, sustainability and mom and apple pie in front of the vehicle built by Oregon Iron Works. A full photo roll after the jump. The vehicle i...
Portland Transport - Wed 1:57 p.m. - 12 clicks
Oregon does have one Senator who's willing to come out and stake his claim for a full and robust public option (FRPO)--junior Senator Jeff Merkley. In this video recorded today at Pioneer Square outside KGW's new studios there, Merkley affirms his support for a public option, one that competes directly with private insurance and cuts costs using Medicare-style bargaining rules with provid...
Loaded Orygun - Wed 1:57 p.m. - 10 clicks
Now that Al Franken is (finally!) poised to become a U.S. Senator, it's time for him to also take his position on Senate committees and on the U.S. Senate seniority ladder. The first item is easy. Franken will be assigned to the Judiciary Committee, taking a seat that Senator Ron Wyden has been holding for him since January. (Of course, rather than simply keeping it warm, Wyden's been using the Ju...
BlueOregon - Wed 1:56 p.m. - 5 clicks
Two weeks ago today, we joined with Dr. Howard Dean in asking Oregonians to stand with him and petition their Senators for a full and robust public option (which I call FRPO for short). Oregon is one of the key states in building support for a FRPO, given Senator Ron Wyden's reticence to fully back a FRPO that would directly compete against his own health care bill, which does not include o...
Loaded Orygun - Wed 12:08 p.m. - 8 clicks
Looking for something to satiate your wily outdoor whims this 4th of July weekend? Great Frith, who isn’t? This Saturday, Portland’s LGBTQ soccer club, NetRippers F.C., will be hosting their second annual co-ed soccer tournament at Fernhill Park in northeast Portland (NE 37th and Ainsworth). For extended details on schedule, participation, registration, contact and costs, check out [....
Just Out Blog - Wed 12:08 p.m. - 5 clicks
Perry Hart, Roxie Hart and Miss Avon Laydee Hart invite you to the third annual Pink Ribbon Show. This annual event is a benefit for the local chapter of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. The list of performers includes, but is not limited to, Topaz Crawford, Roxie Hart, and the new Miss Gay Oregon, [...]...
Just Out Blog - Wed 12:08 p.m. - 8 clicks
The editorial board at The Oregonian gives Carole Smith's plan its tentative stamp of approval . Also in The Oregonian , Jake Cohen reports on PPS school board members' words of caution on the plan. Jennifer Anderson summarizes the plan in the Portland Tribune . ...
PPS Equity - Wed 11:03 a.m. - 10 clicks
I'm not a dedicated Oregon Legislature follower, so reading "The Good, The Bad and The Awful" is like reading US Weekly: Nerd Edition. There are some pretty scathing reviews and I'm not so comfortable with the "brains" rating, but it's worth a read. Cringe-worthy piece about the "bad" Rod Monroe (truthiness of it is debatable): D-Portland Overall rating: 6.18 Integrity: 7.12 Brains: 6.23 Effective...
BlueOregon - Wed 10:06 a.m. - 8 clicks
Here’s a tantalizing headline from the Interior Department. Secretary Ken Salazar says a final agreement to manage water in the Klamath River Basin, and to remove hydropower dams from the river, is “within reach”. All we need, according to Salazar, is “one more push” and the agreement could be finalized by the end of [...]...
Natural Oregon - Wed 12:27 a.m. - 7 clicks
Naming Rites If you were asked to prioritize all of the issues that can be appropriately addressed by the Portland City Council, where would you place renaming a street after Cesar Chavez? Yeah, me too. It definitely wouldn’t crack the top ten. I suspect a significant number of Latinos actually feel the same way, considering the unemployment rate, high cost of housing, decreased fun...
Unconventional Folly - Tue 11:22 p.m. - 16 clicks
The debate over how to fix our country's broken health care system can get pretty darn abstract and complex. But last night my wife and I had a hands-on experience of what's wrong with private medical insurance. And it made......
Hines Sight - Tue 10:28 p.m. - 4 clicks
Today was the first VIP ride on the Green Line and I had the chance to join anybody and everybody involved in transportation in the region to ride out to Clackamas Town Center. My biggest overall impression was probably looking at the system map and reflecting on how much of the region is now connected by rail... Photos after the jump. P.S. Look for video from Bob la...
Portland Transport - Tue 8:39 p.m. - 5 clicks
How would fusion voting change Oregon politics? by Jeff Mapes June 30, 2009 16:29PM On the last day of the session, you might say the Oregon Legislature struck a blow for political activists who operate outside the two-party system. After a long fight - which mostly seemed to play out behind closed doors - lawmakers passed Senate Bill 326, which did two things. It r...
Independent Party of Oregon - Tue 7:43 p.m. - 5 clicks
There have been lots of rumors that Senate President Peter Courtney has been considering a run for Governor in 2010. He was the #2 Democrat, behind Congressman Peter DeFazio, in my recent roundup of prospective candidates' warchests. But Jeff Mapes reports that the rumors may be just that: "I'm not really looking seriously at running for governor," he said, adding that he hasn't exactly been polit...
BlueOregon - Tue 4:03 p.m. - 4 clicks
From Representative Chip Shields: Directly Impacting North/Northeast Portland: $3.2 million restored to Oregon Project Independence funding to help seniors, including those served by the Urban League. (HB 5054-A) $150,000 to The Skanner Foundation for continuation funding for the neighborhood multi-media training center in North Portland. (HB 5054-A) Over $1 million for funding ci...
Commissioner Jeff Cogen - Tue 12:00 p.m. - 7 clicks
Please join us for our LAST meeting before our Inaugural Farmers Market Opening! This Thursday, July 2nd, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm at the North Portland Police Precinct (7214 N Philadelphia Ave). If you are unable to make the meeting, but are still interested in volunteering, please email Ginger Gross, our volunteer coordinator, at gross.ginger@gmail.com . ...
Commissioner Jeff Cogen - Tue 12:00 p.m. - 4 clicks
The April Case-Shiller numbers are out and Portland's home values dropped 0.6% since March and 16% since last year at this time. The Wall Street Journal has a nice summary. I think the employment situation is really starting to hit the housing market which counters the low mortgage prices and the incentive programs. However, anecdotally, I haven't seen a huge difference in close-in neighborho...
Oregon Economics Blog - Tue 9:25 a.m. - 8 clicks
Here are updates on two stories that likely deserve their own post, but as we've covered both here before, and both are updates connected to the ongoing homeless struggle in Portland, we'll combine them. (Also in common is the strong coverage of the issue by the Street Roots newspaper and blog.) Freshest news first: we've received our answer to the campaign seeking emergency fundin...
Loaded Orygun - Tue 12:21 a.m. - 8 clicks
Three more pieces of the environmental agenda received final passage today and are on their way to Governor Kulongoski. Not a bad day considering the four victories racked up over the weekend. Meanwhile, enviros took a big loss on a renewable energy bill. So as we used to say in televsion, let’s go right to the [...]...
Natural Oregon - Mon 10:09 p.m. - 17 clicks
Representative Arnie Roblan at one of the last debates/Oregon Channel Oregon House Speaker Dave Hunt had remarked that he hoped to adjourn for the year by sundown today. He missed that mark, but by less than an hour - a close bit of timing, indicative of the kind of tight operation the Oregon Legislature (moreso in [...]...
Ridenbaugh Press (Oregon) - Mon 10:08 p.m. - 14 clicks
June 29 - SALEM The Oregon Senate today passed SB 326, which will expand ballot access for non-affiliated candidates and minor political parties. The vote was 25-5. The same bill passed in the Oregon House last week on a vote of 42-17. It now heads to the Governor's desk for signature. SB 326 consists of two parts: It repeals HB 2614 (2005), a law that made it more than twice as diffic...
Independent Party of Oregon - Mon 8:42 p.m. - 11 clicks
A fun thread about Oregon gubernatorial prospects for 2010 at Blue Oregon; a longish list of prospects followed by some (sometimes cutting) reviews. Don’t miss the comments by Jack Roberts, a Republican who gives his nickel’s worth along with the Democratic regulars. Bottom line after review: The odds seem to favor a wide-open situation, though [...]...
Ridenbaugh Press (Oregon) - Mon 8:41 p.m. - 18 clicks
Senators gave Rep. Jefferson Smith a birthday present today (he turned 36, I believe). The Oregon Senate passed HB 3369 on a 20-9 vote, with Republican Senators Morse and Nelson joining the 18-member Democratic caucus in support. Sen. Boquist was......
OLCV Talk - Mon 4:06 p.m. - 6 clicks
Oregon House members passed SB 101 on a 37-21 vote today. The bill, which now heads to the Governor, sets standards for long-term investments in new energy sources, setting significant barriers to new coal plants. (More about the bill) Representative......
OLCV Talk - Mon 4:06 p.m. - 10 clicks
Two bills passed this afternoon will help Oregonians get back on their feet Two bills passed this afternoon demonstrate the Senate’s ongoing focus on helping out-of-work Oregonians get through tough times and train them for the jobs of the future. House Bill 2398 creates the Career Readiness Certificate Program to assess workplace and college readiness skills [...]...
Oregon Senate Democrats - Mon 4:05 p.m. - 6 clicks
Tim Duy thinks so (as do I) but we both agree that the recovery could be a very slow one, especially as seen through the employment metric. I am still sticking to my Q4 of 2009 prediction of the end of the recession, but it won't be pretty for a quite a while after that. ...
Oregon Economics Blog - Mon 4:03 p.m. - 7 clicks
On an 18-11 vote, the Oregon Senate just passed HB 2020, a bill to create an emergency response fund to detect and quickly respond to invasive species outbreaks. (More about the bill). It was the third OCN Priority bill on......
OLCV Talk - Mon 2:56 p.m. - 3 clicks
Richard Devlin It was supposed to be dead. Although a lot of the individual members of the Oregon Legislature were on board, a measure enabling easier and more widespread activities by minor political parties, including explicitly approved cross-nomination, seemed dead in the water. (The Oregon Education Association was apparently one of the key reasons for that.) Just [...]...
Ridenbaugh Press (Oregon) - Mon 1:45 p.m. - 6 clicks
On a 31-29 vote, the Oregon House passed SB 528, a bill to limit the amount of field burning in Oregon. The bill now heads to the Governor. Senate Bill 528 would limits on field burning throughout the Willamette Valley,......
OLCV Talk - Mon 12:28 p.m. - 6 clicks
Street Roots has been following nearly 300 families that are being terminated from Section 8 because of to a numbers game between the Northwest Oregon Housing Authority (NOHA) and the Housing and Urban Development (HUD). On June 12 Street Roots wrote an indepth piece about the complexities of the situation and has been following a family [...] ...
For those who can't afford free speech - Mon 12:04 p.m. - 2 clicks
By a 54-6 vote, the Oregon House repassed House Bill 2940 an hour ago. The bill weakens Oregon's commitment to clean energy by redefining what is "renewable" under Oregon's renewable energy standard passed in 2007. The Standard requires Oregon have......
OLCV Talk - Mon 11:19 a.m. - 6 clicks
From Sunday’s Oregonian: If a woman drinks too much at a party and is raped, under current Oregon law her attacker could be charged with second-degree sex abuse. But if a drug is slipped into the woman’s nonalcoholic drink, the attacker could face first-degree rape or another serious charge carrying a mandatory prison sentence. Oregon is one of [...]...
Oregon Senate Democrats - Mon 10:27 a.m. - 6 clicks
Street Roots Director Israel Bayer will be writing a weekly column/blog for the End Homelessness blog at Change.org about Street Roots and the street newspaper movement. The column will highlight news and vendor voices that are having a social and political impact in communities around the world, including Portland. About Change.org: Today as citizens of the [...] ...
For those who can't afford free speech - Mon 10:27 a.m. - 3 clicks
This morning's Oregon news limericks, as written by me, read by quizmaster TJ of Loaded Orygun, and answered (usually) by Carl, Christine,and Paul on the KPOJ 620AM Morning Show, are posted at LO . I'm still trying to convince TJ to actually refer to me as "The Poet Laureate of Oregon News" on the air, but he hasn't caved yet. Give it time. And once again we ended up with an extra limerick tha...
Persuasion, Perseverance, and Patience - Mon 10:26 a.m. - 5 clicks
All right, technically there's still a non-streetcar option in the mix: Dear community member, Thank you for your interest in the Lake Oswego to Portland Transit Project. As many of you know, we are beginning the next phase of analysis on this project, an environmental review referred to as the Draft Environmental Impact Statement or DEIS. During this phase of work, the public invol...
Portland Transport - Mon 8:04 a.m. - 7 clicks
There has been much publicity over the past few days about "HB 2414" and how it would reverse the meaning of votes on certain expected referenda on tax bills enacted by the 2009 Oregon Legislature. This new "HB 2414" is not the HB 2414 that is part of the IPO's 2009 legislative agenda. Instead, our HB 2414 was "gutted and stuffed" with the new content. Read More ... In Oregon, a bill pa...
Independent Party of Oregon - Mon 7:27 a.m. - 15 clicks
Parading in Carlton/Stapilus As residents of a bona fide small town (Carlton, Oregon, population still well shy of 2,000), we’ve never quite figured out those qualities that are supposed to distinguish the authentics of the small town from the phonies of the larger. People are people. Most of the people here, as in most small towns, [...]...
Ridenbaugh Press (Oregon) - Mon 5:52 a.m. - 9 clicks
In Salem, we have a new Greenhouse Gas Emissions Task Force. Here's a note from the Oregon Environmental Council on the bill: House Bill 2186 passed the Senate Wednesday evening, the House concurred with Senate amendments Thursday, and the bill now goes to the Governor for his signature. Thanks for your help! As mentioned in my earlier email, besides the centerpiece of the bill, a low-...
Portland Transport - Mon 5:51 a.m. - 7 clicks
On a 26-4 vote, the Oregon Senate passed HB 2220B, a bill to create mobile boat check stations and fight invasive species such as quagga and zebra mussels and aquatic plants. The bill -- an OCN Priority bill -- now......
OLCV Talk - Mon 5:51 a.m. - 3 clicks
The Oregon Senate just voted 25-5 to pass HB 3037 and send the bill to the Governor. The bill creates a paint stewardship program, helping protect Oregon's rivers and landfills from toxic paint waste. More about the bill. Post-consumer paint......
OLCV Talk - Mon 5:51 a.m. - 4 clicks
As part of the Obama Administration's push on health care reform, they've launched a website called healthreform.gov , with video clips, newsy stories, and the like. It also features a state-by-state breakdown from a report called "The Hidden Costs of Health Care: Why Americans Are Paying MORE and Getting LESS." The Oregon numbers include: Roughly 2.2 million people in Oregon get...
Loaded Orygun - Mon 5:51 a.m. - 6 clicks
Oregonians hit hard by the economic meltdown and foreclosure crisis may have been expecting help from the State. This past week, a very small number got that help. On June 25, the Oregon Legislature passed the revised bill HB3004. This bill helps a limited number of foreclosed former homeowners erase additional debt - the problem is that the scope of the bill is so small only a v...
Loaded Orygun - Mon 5:51 a.m. - 6 clicks
A great weekend: I've fallen in love with my first high-end point and shoot digital camera, a Sony DSC-HX1 that I got last Friday (a three-month early birthday present from me to me, figuring that if I waited to give......
Hines Sight - Mon 5:51 a.m. - 4 clicks
Four bills illustrate diversity of environmental legislation this session During Saturday afternoon session, the Senate passed a number of green friendly bills that speak to different areas of concern and improvement in Oregon’s environment. Legislation approved included: HB 2626 – Establishes the Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Technology loan [...]...
Oregon Senate Democrats - Mon 3:50 a.m. - 3 clicks
SB 701 creates loan repayment program to help address Oregon’s number one workforce need With the state’s demand for nurses showing no signs of slowing down, the Senate took action this afternoon to create a program that will help attract and keep qualified nurse faculty in Oregon schools. Since 2001, [...]...
Oregon Senate Democrats - Mon 3:50 a.m. - 3 clicks
With adjournment just a few days away, the Oregon Senate made a rare weekend appearance to take care of unfinished business. This includes some of the bills that are important to the state’s environmental community. Invasive Species The Senate approved a bill that creates a system of mobile checkpoints, where vehicles hauling boats and trailers will [...]...
Natural Oregon - Mon 2:47 a.m. - 7 clicks
By Sean Cruz Prior to hearing the invited and public testimony on the proposed ordnance renaming 39th Avenue, the Council heard comments from City staff members and various parties with their fingerprints on the “process”, and voted on accepting the report of the Planning Commission (which did no actual planning and no research on its own). There was a consistent thread through these “process” c...
Blogolitical Sean - Mon 2:46 a.m. - 7 clicks
Not all the decisions in the effort to do something useful about health care are necessarily easy. But some of them - a considerable number - simply seem to be no-brainers, proposals whose downside is awfully hard to find. Consider Oregon House Bill 2376, passed today by the House, which “requires manufacturers of pharmaceuticals and [...]...
Ridenbaugh Press (Oregon) - Jun 26 - 11 clicks
SB 628 outlines process to help prevent foreclosures With Oregon foreclosure rates soaring, the Senate voted today to pass an assistance package that aims at helping Oregonians who are at risk of losing their homes. SB 628 establishes a process to bring lenders and borrowers together to review the viability of [...]...
Oregon Senate Democrats - Jun 26 - 3 clicks
The creation of thousands of jobs through targeted investments in healthcare, transportation and capital construction is one of the crowning achievements of the 2009 session and the biggest jobs package in Oregon history,said Friday. Combined with the ...
Oregon Senate Democrats - Jun 26
SB 443 creates resources for high quality professional development for teachers A program that will give teachers improved tools for professional development found support in the Senate this afternoon. Senate Bill 443 establishes the Oregon Educator Professional Development Commission, a key piece of thefor the 2009 session. “Giving teachers the tools [...]...
Oregon Senate Democrats - Jun 26 - 6 clicks
The Oregon Senate, on a 25-3 vote, passed House Bill 2940 an hour ago. The bill weakens Oregon's commitment to clean energy by redefining what is "renewable" under Oregon's renewable energy standard passed in 2007. The Standard requires Oregon have......
OLCV Talk - Jun 26 - 7 clicks
Gov. Ted Kulongoski and environmental advocates began this legislative session with a long to-do list of green-friendly legislation that included making Oregon a world leader in combating global warming. Instead, despite a Democratic Legislature, they've seen their plans crumble in the face of a poor economy and determined business opposition. The lesson: Even though Democrats gained a three-...
RePower Oregon 2009 News - Jun 26 - 4 clicks
Oregon's Legislature passed one of its most-contested environmental bills Thursday, allowing regulators to adopt a requirement to cut the carbon content of fuel in cars and trucks by 10 percent come 2020, handing Gov. Ted Kulongoski what could be his biggest green victory this session. The "low carbon fuel standard" is designed to reduce the state's dependence on foreign oil, cut greenhouse gas...
RePower Oregon 2009 News - Jun 26 - 6 clicks
n the waning, let's-make-a-deal days of the 2009 Oregon Legislature, clean-energy advocates, utilities and industry trade groups have been wrangling over three bills that could significantly modify renewable energy legislation implemented just two years ago. Depending on whose lobbyist is talking, the bills are either poised to create jobs and fast track development of emerging renewable-energy...
RePower Oregon 2009 News - Jun 26 - 3 clicks
