Briefs
Oregon joins coalition of Western states urging USDA to do more for region’s farmers and ranchers
The U.S. Department of Agriculture should be doing more to help Western farmers and ranchers, 14 U.S. senators said in a recent letter to the agency. On Dec. 7, U.S. Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden of Oregon joined 12 other U.S. Democratic senators from Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada and Washington and two […]
Oregon prepares for the launch of a new paid leave program for employees
Oregon workers will see paycheck deductions in January for a new state program that will provide paid leave to employees. The program, called Paid Leave Oregon, will give employees paid time off for a serious illness or injury, the birth or adoption of a child, caring for a seriously ill family member or dealing with […]
Oregon faces spike in monkeypox infections
Monkeypox infections in Oregon have suddenly spiked, prompting health officials to urge those most susceptible to the virus to get vaccinated. The Oregon Health Authority said on Tuesday that the epidemic had appeared to have peaked in August from about 10 to 15 cases a week previously to two to three. But 19 new infections […]
Construction cancels annual Oregon Capitol Christmas celebration
Most years, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving means a grand party at the Oregon Capitol, with Santa Claus, other dignitaries, visiting choirs, free cookies and a 30-foot tree. But this year, an ongoing construction project did what even COVID couldn’t do: Cancel Holidays at the Capitol. The tradition, which began in the early 1980s, is on […]
Congress passes proposal to make it easier to research benefits, effects of marijuana
Although marijuana is legalized in several dozen states and easily obtainable even in areas where it’s illegal, scientists have faced big bureaucratic barriers to conduct research on the drug. A new, bipartisan bill just passed by Congress aims to snip away some of that red tape. The Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act does […]
OSU professor awarded $3 million federal grant to produce a sustainable battery without scarce metals
The metals found in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles could become scarce in the decades ahead as demand increases. So Xiulei “David” Ji, an Oregon State University chemistry professor, and a team of OSU scientists set out to find alternatives. After a decade investigating and experimenting with battery chemistry and storage, including working […]
Lori Chavez-DeRemer wins Oregon’s 5th Congressional District seat
Lori Chavez-DeRemer has won Oregon’s 5th Congressional District, becoming the state’s second Republican in Congress and its first Latina. On Sunday, the Associated Press announced that the former mayor of Happy Valley had won the race against Democrat Jamie-McLeod-Skinner, an attorney and regional emergency manager from central Oregon. The call followed a Saturday night drop […]
Republican Christine Drazan concedes the governor’s race to Democrat Tina Kotek
Christine Drazan, who had hoped to become the first Republican governor in Oregon in more than three decades, conceded the governor’s race. In a statement posted on YouTube on Friday, she acknowledged her loss to Democrat Tina Kotek, who declared victory in Portland on Thursday. “I wish her and our state only the best. We […]
Oregon Gov. Brown traveling to Vietnam for trade mission
Gov. Kate Brown is traveling to Vietnam for another trade mission, just weeks before she leaves office. Brown left Friday and will return Nov. 18. During her time in Vietnam, she plans to promote Oregon products. “From semiconductors to the apparel industry to wheat and produce, Vietnam is a critical trading partner for Oregon,” Brown […]
Democrat Val Hoyle wins in Oregon’s 4th Congressional District
The 4th Congressional District in southwestern Oregon will remain in Democratic hands. The Associated Press on Thursday evening called the race for Val Hoyle, a Democrat and the state labor commissioner. An unknown number of ballots remain to be counted, as Oregon law requires the counting of postmarked ballots that arrive within a week of […]
Stephenson claims victory as Oregon’s labor commissioner
Employment attorney Christina Stephenson held a more than 20-point lead over her competitor in the race to lead the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries, leading her campaign to declare victory Tuesday night. Though final results could be days away, by Wednesday morning, polls continued to show Stephenson, who had a huge fundraising advantage, leading […]
Nearly 90% of West depends on national forests, grasslands for drinking water
Western states and cities are more reliant on drinking water from U.S. Forest Service lands than previously known. A first-of-its-kind study by the Forest Service reveals how some of the largest public water systems in the country rely on surface waters from the federal agency’s land. The agency plans to use the new data to […]