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Tribal elders lose their appeal over land on Mount Hood they consider sacred
Two tribal elders lost their latest attempt to regain a patch of land on Mount Hood they consider sacred. In a five-page decision, the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals dismissed the case on Wednesday. It has been pending on appeal since May. The two sides argued their case before the court last week. The […]
Oregon health agency blocked full reporting of potentially fatal disease, whistleblower charges
A former employee in the public health division of the Oregon Health Authority who spearheaded a campaign against a relatively rare occupational lung disease is suing the agency, alleging discrimination and whistleblower retaliation. The lawsuit, filed Monday in Multnomah County Circuit Court, seeks $250,000. Lawyers for Crystal Weston, a former program coordinator with the Occupational […]
U.S. food safety experts offer tips for Thanksgiving
The pandemic has not gone away, but the focus on Thursday will be on food and loved ones, not on disease. But Thanksgiving can also be a source of illness if you don’t follow food safety rules. Turkeys, like chicken, can harbor campylobacter and salmonella, which are commonly found in the guts and feathers of […]
Survey: Older lesbian, gay, bisexual Oregonians suffer high rates of discrimination, abuse
A majority of older lesbian, gay and bisexual Oregonians have experienced discrimination and many have been subjected to elder abuse, according to a survey commissioned by the Oregon Human Services Department. The survey indicated that this population suffers from relatively high rates of poverty, suicidal thoughts and housing and economic instability. Many interviewed for the […]
Oregon State Hospital annex in Junction City adding 24 patients
Oregon State Hospital’s annex in Junction City has added a new 24-bed unit and plans to open a second 24-bed unit early next year to take pressure off of the Salem campus, which has long been under judicial orders to admit more patients. The annex, which opened six years ago as a secure facility for […]
$31 million earmarked for transportation upgrades in Lane, Washington counties
Lane and Washington counties have snagged $31 million for transportation upgrades from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The money, announced Thursday by four Democrats in Oregon’s congressional delegation, is part of $1 billion being distributed nationwide through a grant program dedicated to road, rail, transit and port improvements. The money is highly competitive: The government […]
Oregon’s child welfare director appointed to new job by the Biden Administration
Rebecca Jones Gaston, Oregon’s child welfare director, just received a big promotion: The Biden administration picked her to be its commissioner overseeing federal social services for children. The nomination comes two years after Jones Gaston took the reins at Oregon’s Child Welfare Division, a troubled agency with unstable management. She was the seventh division chief […]
Baker City feedlot hopes to expand operation to 15,000 cows
A Baker City feedlot that currently manages fewer than 3,000 head of cattle is seeking permission from the state to expand to 15,000. The expansion would require approval of a new Confined Animal Feeding Operation permit through the Oregon Department of Agriculture. CAFO permits specify the number of animals a company can have in one […]
Nurse shortage in Oregon impairing health care, advocates say
The workforce shortage among the state’s health care workers has become so dire that it is starting to affect the quality of care, advocates said Tuesday. Testifying during an informational meeting of the House Interim Committee on Health Care, Matt Calzia, a registered nurse and consultant with the Oregon Nurses Association, detailed what it’s like […]
Oregon aims to bolster mobile mental health crisis units
The Oregon Health Authority plans on bolstering mobile units of trained mental health professionals around the state to care for people when they’re in a mental health crisis. The plan is part of the country’s move next year to a new federal suicide prevention phone line to take the burden off 9-1-1 operators. “This could […]
Former Oregon Youth Authority employee accuses agency of fostering sexual harassment
A former Oregon Youth Authority employee has sued the agency, accusing it of fostering a toxic and misogynistic work environment and allowing sexual harassment against female employees. The lawsuit, filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Eugene, said that Amy Bailey was stalked outside her workplace at Rogue Valley Youth Correctional Facility by a male […]
Legislator again proposes early release of terminally ill prisoners in Oregon
Oregon lawmakers will get a new look at a proposal to release elderly or sick prisoners who have terminal illnesses. State Sen. Michael Dembrow, D-Portland, told a legislative committee on Monday that he plans to reintroduce a bill that failed in the 2021 Legislature. It wasn’t ready, he acknowledged, adding that a work group has […]