Oregon’s People

Justice

Biden names Oregon magistrate to federal judge vacancy

BY: - September 7, 2023

A U.S. magistrate judge from Eugene is President Joe Biden’s pick for the state’s next district court judge. Biden included Mustafa Kasubhai, who in 2018 became the first Muslim American judge to serve on the federal bench, in his latest round of four nominees to district courts throughout the nation. Kasubhai, 53, still must be […]

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Republican senators sue Oregon secretary of state over reelection bids

BY: - August 25, 2023

Republican state senators who walked away from this year’s Oregon legislative session to block votes on abortion rights and gun safety say they should be allowed to run for reelection next year, regardless of a voter-approved law aimed at ending their legislative careers. Now they’re suing for that right. In a case with weighty implications […]

Report: Oregon political system needs changes to keep people of color in office

BY: - August 25, 2023

Oregon’s political system isn’t built for people of color to succeed and has driven elected officials from office, according to a new report based on interviews with former elected officials.  The Oregon Futures Lab, a Portland-based nonprofit organization that aims to recruit leaders from underrepresented communities, released the report this week based on focus group […]

COMMENTARY

Ohio voters affirm the “Defense of Democracy” enacted by Oregonians 25 years ago

BY: - August 9, 2023

Voters in Ohio turned back a blatant attempt to change the rules of their democracy this week, when they trounced a ballot referral designed by the state’s Republican Legislature to stymie a citizen initiative headed to the ballot in November.  The issue in this case was abortion rights, which elevated Ohio’s Measure 1 to national […]

McLeod-Skinner ‘seriously considering’ another run for Congress in Oregon’s 5th District

BY: - June 27, 2023

After a narrow loss to Republican Lori Chavez-DeRemer last year, Jamie McLeod-Skinner is “seriously considering” another run for Congress in Oregon’s 5th District.  McLeod-Skinner told the Capital Chronicle on Tuesday that she expects to make a decision about whether she’ll run again in early July. She lost to Chavez-Derember by just more than 7,000 votes […]

Field in Wallowa County

Oregonians worry about housing, homelessness, survey focused on rural voices shows

BY: - June 20, 2023

Oregonians in every county worry about a lack of affordable housing and rising levels of homelessness, and while many said they appreciate the state, some people of color and LGBTQ residents said they felt uncomfortable in their communities, survey data released Tuesday showed.  The Oregon Voices survey, a joint project from the Ford Family Foundation, […]

54 years after officer’s death, Oregon Senate standoff leaves family waiting longer for state honor

BY: - June 12, 2023

Every day since May 4, the first bill on the agenda for the Oregon state Senate has been a resolution to honor a small-town reserve police officer shot and killed by a teenager during a car chase in 1969.  Every day since May 4, the Senate has adjourned without a quorum, leaving Gary LaVaughn Sumpter’s […]

Students at Central Oregon Community College

LBGTQ students oppose selection of Republican Rep. Chavez-DeRemer as commencement speaker

BY: - June 8, 2023

A group of LGBTQ students has called on Central Oregon Community College to rescind its commencement address invitation to U.S. Republican Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, saying she has “a record of transphobia and supports anti-transgender policies.” In a letter to the college leaders on Wednesday, they pointed to her support for House Resolution 734, the “Protection […]

Mom drives around Portland looking for her son who's living on the streets.

All Oregon Capital Chronicle staff win journalism awards

BY: - June 8, 2023

Less than two years old, the Oregon Capital Chronicle just won its second set of regional journalism awards. Three staff members took home second-place awards for their 2022 coverage in the regional Society for Professional Journalists contest for Oregon, Alaska, Idaho, Montana and Washington. The results of the large regional contest demonstrate that the Capital […]

contaminated water

Oregon Capital Chronicle wins first place in national journalism awards

BY: - May 10, 2023

Oregon Capital Chronicle reporter Alex Baumhardt, with an assist from past interns Cole Sinanian and Jael Calloway, won a coveted first place prize in a nationwide journalism contest. The National Headliner Awards, which is one of the oldest and largest journalism awards in the country, announced Wednesday they had received first place in the online […]

A ballot box in Oregon.

Deputy takes over Secretary of State’s office

BY: - May 8, 2023

Shemia Fagan ended her nearly three-year tenure as Oregon’s 28th secretary of state at midday Monday, less than two hours after her staff released a statement endorsing her resignation and calling the agency “resilient.” Fagan’s deputy, Cheryl Myers, who earns more than double what Fagan was paid, took over as acting secretary of state.  “Secretary […]

Oregon's behavioral health director speaks at a Seaside conference.

New Oregon behavioral health director wants collaboration among state, advocates, patients

BY: - May 8, 2023

Ebony Clarke, Oregon’s new behavioral health director, urged a packed conference in Seaside to look beyond state government for solutions and change. Clarke, appointed by Gov. Tina Kotek in February, spoke Monday at Peerpocalypse, a gathering of people who work in peer support roles. Peer workers use their life experiences to help people who need […]