Oregon
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3:51 a.m.
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I have no idea why Oregon voters, or those in any state, should be electing judges. There has to be a better way to fill vacancies on the Oregon Supreme Court than to have voters, most of whom are clueless......
Hines Sight - Sun 10:10 p.m. - 7 clicks 
In 2007, the University of Oregon’s Center for the Applied Second Language Studies published its “Language Roadmap for the 21st Century: Oregon” (here). It was the result of discussion with representatives of education, government, and business in Oregon. One of......
Global Strategies - Sat 12:47 p.m. - 12 clicks
"The waste that goes on at the Pentagon has to stop. We need a meaningful audit." - US Representative Peter DeFazio National Republicans in the House of Representatives, straying far from efforts to reduce our national budget deficit, are seeking......
Global Strategies - Sat 8:26 a.m. - 12 clicks
Though I'm irked at Hawaiian Airlines for dropping its non-stop Portland, Oregon to Maui flight, on our return from Honolulu a few days ago a Hawaiian employee made me feel really good. I'd forked out an extra $70 for two......
Hines Sight - Fri 10:10 p.m. - 15 clicks
Portland City Council Elections took place on Tuesday, May 15th, the ballots have been counted, and the results are in- with 75% of the popular vote, Steve Novick will be the new Commissioner of Public Safety come January 1st, 2013.......
Commissioner Randy Leonard - Fri 4:44 p.m. - 15 clicks
PORTLAND, OR– The Oregon Health Authority Public Health Division Drinking Water Program (OHA) today denied the Portland Water Bureau’s request for an adjustment to its regulatory schedule to replace the uncovered drinking water reservoirs at Mt.Tabor and Washington parks. The......
Commissioner Randy Leonard - Fri 11:04 a.m. - 15 clicks
Now that the Oregon Board of Education has demonstrated ethnic sensitivity by ordering the dropping of high school sports mascots variously representing stereotypes of Native Americans, isn't it time the Oregon Board of (allegedly) Higher Education showed the same sensitivity about "The Civil War," the pathetic name of the overheated and much hyped rivalry between Oregon State and the University...
The Red Electric - Fri 11:03 a.m. - 14 clicks
Among the groups registering pleasure or not after Tuesday’s voting was the Oregon League of Conservation Voters, who got heavily involved in a bunch of party primaries. And it was very happy with the results. Its release today seems worth a quote at length. Throughout Oregon, OLCV’s endorsed candidates in contested races won 14 races [...]...
Ridenbaugh Press (Oregon) - Thu 10:03 p.m. - 17 clicks
Community Action: Occupy the Post Office Rally and March Thurs, May 24 , 5 pm, Terry Shrunk Plaza SW 3 rd and Madison (Portland, Oregon) Our public postal service is under attack with the Postmaster General poised to close 500 rural post offices while reducing hours from 25% to 75% at 13,000 rural post offices. On the chopping block are ...
Willamette Reds - Thu 7:51 p.m. - 14 clicks
In this time of deep budget cuts across the state that are leading to larger class sizes and shorter school years (examples here and here and here ), it seems fair to take a look at what priorities the Oregon Legislature spent money on du Schools Tax Fairness ...
Sockeye - Thu 5:28 p.m. - 16 clicks
"Those in charge must know that as of yesterday I am a huge fan of the Portland Loo. Suddenly finding myself in serious, nay, desperate trouble on the way from my car to an important appointment (in the Pearl), I......
Commissioner Randy Leonard - Thu 2:13 p.m. - 15 clicks
Paul Swenson is Oregon’s man in China. He, and his company The China Hand Consulting (Shanghai) C0. Ltd, are Business Oregon’s (state government’s economic development agency) Greater China Representative Office. Swenson gave a luncheon talk to the Northwest China Council......
Global Strategies - Thu 12:49 p.m. - 12 clicks
The Hill reports that Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio), who lost a primary race to Rep. Marcy Kaptur after redistricting combined their previously separate districts, has decided against running for a seat in Washington state (or anywhere else). This was a matter of discussion on BlueOregon last year, when the speculation briefly involved Oregon's first district too, after David Wu resigned. ...
BlueOregon - Thu 11:51 a.m. - 12 clicks
Portland Fire investigators have determined that the cause of yesterday's 2-alarm fire at 7939 SW 40th Avenue was caused by improperly discarded smoking materials that were placed in a plastic container on a porch. The building, which was valued at......
Commissioner Randy Leonard - Thu 9:29 a.m. - 14 clicks
Most likely, yesterday we took our last flight on Hawaiian Airlines. For about twenty years we've flown direct from Portland, Oregon to Maui. In January 2012 Hawaiian dropped non-stop Portland-Maui flights. So my wife and I are going to drop......
Hines Sight - Thu 12:04 a.m. - 24 clicks
Here in the Great Pacific Northwest, Portland has been enjoying a rare run of warm, sunny and rainless days. This May has been the driest, most pleasant May in the 8 years I have lived here. I even had to water the garden today...practically unheard of this time of year. But this isn't a diary about the nice weather. It's about an observation I was struck by the past few days...
DailyKos (Oregon) - Wed 7:11 p.m. - 13 clicks
"By developing and providing access to multidisciplinary programs offering skill development in areas ranging from languages to international cultures and business practices, these initiatives will make Oregon known not just for salmon, track, natural wonders, and football, but for a......
Global Strategies - Wed 7:11 p.m. - 13 clicks
The cry for help in our schools continues to grow louder, and Oregon voters are listening: In Tuesday’s election, Oregonians approved multiple local bonds and levies in attempts to keep their local schools afloat. Voters faced five K-12 school bond measure and five K-12 school levy measures across the state. R esults tallied after Tuesday's elections showed that 8 of 10 educ...
Sockeye - Wed 6:30 p.m. - 17 clicks
They may not have hired an actual corporate shill , but the Oregonian today signaled that they’re moving even further to the right by hiring Erik Lukens to be the new Editorial Page Editor. Lukens comes from the Bend Bulletin , widely viewed as the home to the most conservative editorial board of any major paper in the state. While there, he built up a back catalog of right-wing op...
Sockeye - Wed 6:30 p.m. - 30 clicks
Come and help to STOP the cuts of city services and prevent layoffs!! We're in the home stretch of the budget process for the City of Portland. Join Laborers' Local 483 for the final opportunity for public testimony on the Mayor's budget recommendations for FY 12-13. Stand up for our rec centers! Speak up for our city's crumbling infrastructure! Join your coworkers to advocate for fundi...
Willamette Reds - Wed 1:24 p.m. - 16 clicks
By Adam Smith of Portland, Oregon. Adam's writing on drug policy has appeared in dozens of publications. He is currently one of the directors of Citizens for Sensible Law Enforcement . Dwight Holton’s campaign for Oregon Attorney General featured a powerful political team, outstanding family and national connections, and the support of the bulk of Oregon’s progressive political machine...
BlueOregon - Wed 1:03 p.m. - 17 clicks
Out of 80 canine and handler teams across the United States, 21 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Accelerant Canine Teams are here in Portland for several days participating in an annual recertification. The recertification is being hosted......
Commissioner Randy Leonard - Wed 1:02 p.m. - 12 clicks
Beth Heckert is the county's first female district attorney. She defeated Rob Patridge, a three term state representative who served as majority whip for the GOP in the Legislature and served on the Medford City Council. Patridge, currently serving as district director for U.S Rep Greg Walden came in far behind Heckert who had a commanding lead in the race with 55% at 10:15 pm last night. Patr...
BlueOregon - Wed 9:10 a.m. - 16 clicks
The votes are in. Portland will have a runoff for mayor in November between Charlie Hales and Jefferson Smith. Both seem generally good with few issues separating them. I have appreciated Smith’s opposition to the Columbia River Crossing project. Going......
Global Strategies - Wed 9:10 a.m. - 20 clicks
We had a wild primary contest for mayor in Portland this year that ended last night with state Rep. Jefferson Smith - far behind in money and opposed by powerful special interests - making a strong showing and the run-off in November....
Chuck Currie - Wed 8:45 a.m. - 16 clicks
Early results are showing results sure to make a lot of local government people – and a lot of business people, civic leaders and others too – cringe: The public safety levy in Josephine County is failing, decisively, with 57% of the vote. We wrote about this one in a post on May 11, and [...]...
Ridenbaugh Press (Oregon) - Tue 11:33 p.m. - 19 clicks
Well, now we have a little better idea which polls not to watch. Tonight’s Portland mayoral race, which technically features about two dozen candidates, really comes down to a matter of two out of three, the three being former Council member Charlie Hales, legislator Jefferson Smith and business executive Eileen Brady. Since none have been [...]...
Ridenbaugh Press (Oregon) - Tue 8:47 p.m. - 20 clicks
We begin sifting through this evening’s numbers with our first-check among the Oregon races: state House 48 (eastern Multnomah), in which Democratic Representative Mike Schaufler, who has cast some key votes with Republicans and otherwise has irritated a number of other Democrats, lost to challenger Jeff Reardon. To go by the early numbers, it isn’t [...]...
Ridenbaugh Press (Oregon) - Tue 8:29 p.m. - 21 clicks
Today PEBB (Public Employees' Benefit Board --- in Oregon) voted on plan design changes for the 2013 plan year and took action to change the Health Engagement Model (HEM). SEIU 503 President Linda Burgin and HEM Committee member Keary DeBeck testified at today’s PEBB meeting, calling on PEBB to adopt an incentive-based HEM model and to end the punitive surcharges. SEIU PEBB repr...
Willamette Reds - Tue 7:10 p.m. - 19 clicks
At 8 p.m., the polls will close. Use this space to discuss the election results. To keep things up to date, here's a few live Twitter feeds. Up top, the BlueOregon "election night" feed of media sources. Then, all posts from folks talking election results with the #ORelection and #ORpol hashtags. And finally, your BlueOregon contributors on Twitter. new TWTR.Widget({ version: 2, ...
BlueOregon - Tue 3:48 p.m. - 16 clicks
When National Public Radio host Michele Norris came to Portland last Wednesday to address the YWCA Inspire Luncheon, she focused on the pressing issues of racism and domestic violence. In her keynote speech before the multiracial crowd of YWCA supporters, Norris talked about an online initiative she started called The Race Card Project, in which… ...
Bruce Poinsette - Tue 12:53 p.m. - 18 clicks
At long last, it is finally Election Day. And, as promised, here's the conventional wisdom from 189 folks who participated in the 2012 Oregon Primary Punditology Challenge . Our participants include journalists, lobbyists, campaign hacks, political consultants, elected officials, and a whole lot of political junkies and activists. An important caveat: In years past, we've learned that the Pund...
BlueOregon - Tue 12:52 p.m. - 15 clicks
At 11:59 p.m. last night, Tuesday, May 15, 2012, Portland Fire & Rescue was dispatched on a tree that was on fire at 2917 NE 8th Avenue. Station 13 (Lloyd District) arrived at 12:01 a.m., just two minutes later and......
Commissioner Randy Leonard - Tue 11:04 a.m. - 17 clicks
The much-anticipated 5th studio release of dual Portlanders/Londoners The Gossip isn’t technically released until the 22nd but you can listen to it now on Soundcloud at the gossipyouth.com website. It’s everything and more you expect from the trio behind 2006’s breakthrough release Standing in the Way of Control. A blend of soul, gospel, rock, funk, disco, and punk, Joyful [...]...
Just Out Blog - Tue 11:04 a.m. - 18 clicks
Question: Should the public invest in more brick-and-mortar school facilities in this internet age? The question is particularly relevant as Portland Public School District officials lay the groundwork for another campaign to pass a bond measure for capital improvements, including new schools. The last measure, for more than a half billion dollars, was narrowly defeated on election day one year ...
The Red Electric - Tue 9:26 a.m. - 19 clicks
Ellen Rosenblum would be a much better Attorney General for Oregon than Dwight Holton, not least because of her respect for our state's voter-approved medical marijuana act, which Holton almost certainly would continue to undermine -- notwithstanding politically-inspired attempts to......
Hines Sight - Mon 6:31 p.m. - 25 clicks
Today the Salem City Council has a choice to make: preserve cutting-edge Green zoning requirements for the highly touted Sustainable Fairview mixed use development, or show once again why Oregon's capital deserves it's nickname, "So-lame." I'm not wildly optimistic, given......
Hines Sight - Mon 6:13 p.m. - 17 clicks
Today's Oregonian brought a front-page story on how Suzanne Bonamici is settling in as the First District's representative following her election in January to fill out the unexpired term of David Wu. It's a very favorable story for Rep. Bonamici......
Isaac Laquedem - Mon 1:46 p.m. - 30 clicks
At 5:50 am Sunday morning personnel from Portland's Rose City/Hollywood Fire Station 28 were called to assist a resident who's dog had fallen into a hole. On arrival, firefighters were met by an elderly, disabled gentleman who led them to......
Commissioner Randy Leonard - Mon 10:25 a.m. - 12 clicks
Early Saturday morning (at 12:21 am) Firefighters from Portland's Mt. Tabor Fire Station 19 were called to a house fire at 930 NE 70th. When they arrived (in under 4 minutes) firefighters found a detached garage engulfed in flames with......
Commissioner Randy Leonard - Mon 10:25 a.m. - 12 clicks
The Sixth Annual QDoc Film Festival featuring queer documentaries, the only one in the US and one of only a handful in the world, returns to Portland this Thursday the 17th and runs through Sunday the 20th. More than a screening series – it is a fun, inspiring, and community-building event. Filmmaker attendance is a big part of [...]...
Just Out Blog - Mon 9:12 a.m. - 13 clicks
Rupert Murdoch's scofulous New York Post has launched another dusty "Golden Oldies" smear campaign against the President. we can judge the terrific intellectual firepower and yet the sweet stink of desperation in Murdoch's media catamites: Continue reading → ...
His Vorpal Sword - May 13 - 6 clicks
...and this is a funny video outlining his craziness. For those that don't know, Art Robinson is running for Congress in Oregon's fourth district against 13-term incumbent Peter Defazio in the 2012 election. Robinson's entire campaign platform seems to be that he is a scientist, not a politician. In reality, he lives in a survivalist compound with a printing press where he circulates his p...
DailyKos (Oregon) - May 13 - 9 clicks
President Obama finally expressed his support for gay marriage, by handing it over to the states (like North Carolina and, alas, Oregon). Mitt Romney didn't apologize to the victims of his adolescent bullying, but he did apologize to anyone who felt his adolescent bullying seemed like, you know, bullying. Tea Party members grudgingly began to concede that Mitt might be one of their own after all...
Persuasion, Perseverance, and Patience - May 13 - 9 clicks
On Saturday May 12, Portland joined 35 other cities around the country to host the Promise Walk for Pre-eclampsia. Portlanders walked today, to raise awareness and to find a cause and a cure for pre-eclampsia, which is a life-threatening disorder of pregnancy. Pre-eclampsia claims the lives of 76,000 women and half a million babies each year. Affecting at least 5-8% of all pregnancies, it is a...
City Commissioner Amanda Fritz - May 13 - 11 clicks
Yesterday Michael Rose, a business reporter for the Statesman Journal, asked in a Twitter tweet, "What would be a good city slogan for Salem Ore.?" Oh, great question. My mind is cynically-inclined when it comes to describing Salem's positive qualities,......
Hines Sight - May 12 - 4 clicks
The most significant local races this year are not the three for the Portland city council, where the outcomes will make little difference in the city's general political tenor, but the three for the Clackamas County Commission, where the results......
Isaac Laquedem - May 12 - 4 clicks
Regular monthly meeting of the Benton County Democrats , May 17, 2012, 7:00 p.m., Grace Lutheran Church, 435 NW 21st Street (Kings Blvd and Harrison), Corvallis. Doors open at 6:30. ...
Benton County Democrats - May 11 - 4 clicks
At 4:45 am Portland Fire & Rescue responded to a house fire located at 3725 N. Vancouver Ave. When firefighters from Portland Fire Station 24 (Overlook/Swan Island) arrived, they found the homeowners standing out in the street waving and pointing......
Commissioner Randy Leonard - May 11 - 5 clicks
PEBB (Public Employee Benefits Board) is scheduled to consider plan design changes for the 2013 plan year at a board meeting in Salem Tuesday, May 15. At this meeting, PEBB will also discuss transforming the Health Engagement Model (HEM) to an incentive-based program rather than continuing punitive surcharges for those who do not participate. SEIU 503 is calling upon PEBB to: ...
Willamette Reds - May 10 - 2 clicks
Could be that the most significant event in Oregon on Tuesday passes clear outside the view of most Oregonians, partly because it will be happening in Josephine County, far from the big population centers, off in the southwest corner of the state, around Grants Pass. It will be not a hot race for high office, [...]...
Ridenbaugh Press (Oregon) - May 10 - 2 clicks
The Portland Charter Review Commission has identified nine provisions of the City Charter that it believes should be amended or repealed, and the Council has referred the proposals to the voters. These appear on Portland ballots as measures 26-126 to......
Isaac Laquedem - May 10
California Agency releases the first color photo of Journey, a wolf that has been traversing Oregon and northern California...
Oregon WildBlog - May 10
I approach this year's mayoral contest in Portland with my belief that a city that admits in public, as Portland has, that it can't afford to maintain its streets shouldn't start any new and expensive programs until it can manage......
Isaac Laquedem - May 10 - 3 clicks
By Kendall, Contributing Columnist Kendall is a photojournalist working with Occupy Portland, writing for the Portland Occupier. She is also a member of Gay and Gray and Old Lesbians Organizing for Change. She holds a PhD in theater and is … Continue reading → ...
For those who can't afford free speech - May 10 - 2 clicks
By Jake Thomas, Staff Writer Ivan Hooker built his own home in Jacksonville, a town outside Medford in Southern Oregon, 20 years ago with his own hands. He raised four kids there and built a business selling commercial trucks. When … Continue reading → ...
For those who can't afford free speech - May 9 - 2 clicks
No: the war on intelligence and intellectualism is fully underway. And intelligent progressives need to remember this one ... Continue reading → ...
His Vorpal Sword - May 8 - 2 clicks
The rule in Portland mayoral races is that to be elected mayor, you have to win an outright majority, in one election or another. It can happen, and has happened, in primary elections – it did four years ago, when San Adams won outright in May. But it is not likely to happen this year: [...]...
Ridenbaugh Press (Oregon) - May 8 - 2 clicks
