Economy
THEIR WORDS: Those running for governor answer for rural matters
Rural Oregon would get a lot more attention from Salem based on positions staked out by those running for governor. Every candidate running was invited to address questions on key issues facing the state. Journalists across the state drafted the following 15 questions, which were distributed to candidates by the Agora Journalism Center at the […]
THEIR WORDS: Candidates for Oregon governor on the housing shortage
Cutting red tape, reducing government fees and changing Oregon’s land use laws are among steps those running for governor in Oregon would take to increasing the supply of housing. Every candidate running was invited to address questions on key issues facing the state. Journalists across the state drafted the following 15 questions, which were distributed […]
Health care spending accounts for one-quarter of household expenditures in Oregon, study says
Health care costs account for nearly one-quarter of household spending in Oregon, according to a new report from the Oregon Health Authority. The report, published this week, said that at 23% of expenses, health care is the single biggest household expenditure for Oregonians, followed by housing, utilities and fuel. Insurance premiums and deductibles, which consumers […]
Candidates for Oregon governor address key state issues in unique presentation
Nearly three dozen candidates for governor are vying for their parties’ nomination in the 2022 primaries on May 17. A collaborative of Oregon journalists wrote 15 questions to help you get to know these folks before you cast your ballot. Click on each candidate’s “card” to see how they responded to our questions on housing, […]
Meatpackers deny price fixing for beef
The record profits for meatpackers in the past two years were the result of market conditions during the coronavirus pandemic, along with increased consumer demand, according to leaders of the country’s four large meatpacking companies. The meatpacking executives defended their business practices during a lengthy congressional committee hearing on Wednesday. U.S. Rep. David Scott, D-Georgia, […]
Public asked to weigh in on plan for $422 million in aid for survivors of 2020 Labor Day Fires
Oregonians who lost their homes in the 2020 Labor Day Fires will get the chance to weigh in on the state’s plan for $422 million in federal recovery money. The rebuilding effort, called ReOregon, is led by the Oregon Housing and Community Services Department. The money comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban […]
Citizens’ Utility Board opposes higher rates from state’s largest natural gas company
The Oregon Citizens’ Utility Board is pushing back on proposed rate increases from the largest natural gas utility in the state, saying NW Natural is prioritizing shareholder profits over the best interests of Oregonians. Last November, rates went up 13% for residential customers, and the proposed increase would add 12% by November, raising natural gas […]
Opponents of proposed Foster Farms chicken plants ask state for ban
Environmentalists, small farm advocates and local residents are pursuing a new tactic in their opposition to two industrial chicken plants planned for an area southeast of Salem. They asked the state to ban large livestock operations on fertile farmland – everywhere in Oregon. The advocacy groups Willamette Riverkeeper and the Center for Food Safety, and […]
Biden touts $1.2 trillion infrastructure plan at Portland International Airport
PORTLAND— New federal infrastructure spending will create millions of high-paying jobs in Oregon and across the country and modernize infrastructure, President Joe Biden said at the Portland International Airport on Thursday. Biden landed at the Air National Guard base Thursday afternoon and toured the ongoing terminal expansion site before addressing a small crowd of local […]
President Joe Biden arrives in Portland on first visit to the state
For the first time in his presidency, Joe Biden arrived in Oregon on a short visit at midday Thursday. He is addressing the media in an airport hangar after 2 p.m. and then will hold a closed fundraiser at the nearby Portland Yacht Club, which has views of the Columbia River. With rising inflation, Biden […]
Dozens of companies that defied Covid mandates are fighting nearly $1 million in fines
Though most pandemic restrictions in Oregon are gone, several dozen businesses cited by state safety officials for violating Covid mandates still owe hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines to the state. More than 200 companies were fined between March 2020 and March 2022 for violating state mask, capacity, physical distancing and closure mandates. The […]
Overtime pay for Oregon’s farmworkers will start phasing in next year
Farmworkers in Oregon will get overtime pay next year with the adoption of the contentious farmworker bill. Gov. Kate Brown signed House Bill 4002 without any fanfare on Friday. Instead of holding a media event, as she has with other high-profile bills, she notified legislative leaders that she was signing it and called on them […]