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Former Oregon State University president accused of violating Oregon law
Former Oregon State University president F. King Alexander, who resigned just nine months into his tenure over revelations that Louisiana State University’s athletics department systematically covered up sexual misconduct allegations under his watch, also appears to have violated Oregon law. Alexander used OSU lawyers to respond to investigators in Louisiana, according to an Oregon Government […]
Auditors find that Oregon state agency handled wildfire cleanup well despite complaints
A report released Wednesday by state auditors largely praises how the Oregon Department of Transportation handled debris removal after the largest natural disaster in state history. The transportation department and the contractors it hired to remove tens of thousands of damaged trees from along 120 miles of state highways in the Santiam Canyon and McKenzie […]
Tillamook Rep. Suzanne Weber seeks to move up to Senate
State Rep. Suzanne Weber is running for Senate in the rural northwest Oregon district long represented by state Sen. Betsy Johnson, who announced her independent campaign for governor last week. Weber, R-Tillamook, announced her plans shortly after Johnson informed supporters she would run for governor. While Johnson was a Democrat until late last week and […]
Federal judge rejects last-ditch effort to block Oregon Covid vaccine mandate
A federal judge on Monday struck down a last-minute attempt to block Oregon’s vaccination mandate for teachers, health care workers and state employees, while another heard arguments in a similar case. Most people working in health care or education and executive branch employees had until the end of the day Monday to prove they’ve been […]
Dire warnings about the vaccine mandate unlikely to play out in Oregon
Rural officials have warned for more than a month that the vaccine mandate would put some Oregonians at risk as employees resigned or were fired. That mandate took hold Monday, covering tens of thousands of state employees, health care workers and school staff. Not long after Gov. Kate Brown imposed that mandate in August, Baker […]
Clackamas County Rep. Mark Meek announces run for Oregon Senate
State Rep. Mark Meek plans to run for the state Senate in a newly-created district, he announced this week. Meek’s Gladstone home has been in a Republican Senate district represented by former state Sen. Alan Olsen or his appointed successor, state Sen. Bill Kennemer, for the past decade. New legislative boundaries give Democrats an advantage […]
Oregon state Sen. Betsy Johnson to launch independent campaign for governor
Moderate Democratic state Sen. Betsy Johnson will leave her party and run for governor as an independent, she told supporters Thursday afternoon. In an email obtained by the Oregon Capital Chronicle, Johnson described herself as offering a sensible alternative instead of forcing Oregon voters to choose between “another left-wing liberal promising more of the same […]
Kristof quits New York Times, moves closer to declaring campaign for Oregon governor
Longtime columnist Nicholas Kristof resigned from the New York Times Thursday morning, moving closer to announcing his campaign to be Oregon’s next governor. Kristof, who lives on a farm outside Yamhill, has been on leave since June as he explored a potential race. Earlier this week, he set up a fundraising committee with the Oregon […]
Oregon Rep. Bill Post will resign two months after moving to Nevada
State Rep. Bill Post, who thought he could continue in the Oregon Legislature despite moving to Nevada, found out otherwise and said in a statement Tuesday that he will resign his seat by Nov. 30. The Keizer Republican and former broadcaster revised his plans and will resign more than two months after he announced in […]
Oregon Republicans sue over new congressional districts
Four former Republican officials in Oregon sued over newly drawn congressional boundaries, alleging that legislative Democrats created a “clear, egregious partisan gerrymander.” The suit, filed in Marion County Circuit Court late Monday, claims that Democrats ignored required criteria for redistricting to ensure Democratic dominance in congressional elections as Oregon gets a sixth seat in the […]
Oregon tenants risk expiration of eviction safe harbor before they can get rent help
Three months ago, most legislators agreed to let the state’s eviction moratorium expire but provide a 60-day grace period as landlords and tenants waited on bureaucrats to process rental assistance claims. There were hundreds of millions of dollars in federal rent assistance available, Covid cases were decreasing and more than 2 million Oregonians had already […]
Judge rejects Oregon state troopers’ Covid vaccine mandate lawsuit
Oregon state troopers who refuse to get vaccinated for Covid failed in their initial attempt to block an Oct. 18 vaccination deadline after a state judge ruled against them late Thursday. Nearly three dozen troopers, along with the Oregon Fraternal Order of Police and a union representing Klamath County firefighters, sued Gov. Kate Brown over […]