Oregon
updated
6:50 a.m.
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I first met Ben shortly after he changed his Party affiliation from GOP to Democratic Party. His stated reasons, and I have good reason to believe them, were that the OR GOP's intransigence, hobby horse riding, and general wankery did not reflect the needs of the State. This from a State Senator from a strongly GOP district. He started a run for Governor against Ted Kulongoski (D) and quickly with...
Chuck Butcher - Sat 2:27 p.m. - 10 clicks 
By Jesse Cornett of Portland, Oregon. Jesse is a candidate for Portland City Council. Today is Ben Westlund Day in my household. However, one day will never suffice to pay respects to this Oregon statesman. I grew to admire Ben Westlund, the Republican, during the 2001 Legislative Session when he appeared to be the only House Republican with compassion in a House full of slash-and-burn-I’m-only-go...
BlueOregon - Sat 11:02 a.m. - 5 clicks
The growing debate over wind farms and their impacts on the environment were laid out before a group of state regulators this afternoon in Hood River. The Energy Facility Siting Council (EFSC) is being asked to clear up confusion over how to define a “large” wind farm. It’s important because large projects are regulated by the [...]...
Natural Oregon - Fri 9:25 p.m. - 11 clicks
An invasive species of Asian fruit fly, first spotted in the Willamette Valley last fall, has survived the winter and remains a threat to Oregon’s fruit crop. Researchers with Oregon State University say it was only a couple of weeks ago that they found evidence of the spotted wing drosophila in some of their monitoring traps. In [...]...
Natural Oregon - Fri 3:26 p.m. - 7 clicks
By Tony Crawford of Canby, Oregon. Tony is a 30-year classroom teacher. He is currently at Ackerman Middle School in Canby. The purpose of the Oregon Education Association is to assure a quality public education for every student in Oregon by providing a strong, positive voice for school employees. This is the mission statement of OEA and one that reflects the first interest of members, such as me...
BlueOregon - Fri 1:41 p.m. - 5 clicks
Warning: This post is really long. Only read if you’re obsessed with K-12 policy and/or are especially concerned with OEA / Kitzhaber relations. In 2008, the Oregon Education Association and John Kitzhaber were among my more important supporters. (Heck, all of them were important! - but you know what I mean.) This last weekend, I went to Eugene to try to get my friends at OEA to endorse my friend ...
BlueOregon - Fri 11:17 a.m. - 3 clicks
By Jon Bartholomew of Portland, Oregon. Jon is a policy advocate for OSPIRG. It’s been about a year and a half since the crash of the global financial system that was brought on by deregulation and what have we done to prevent the next crash? No significant financial system reforms have yet been enacted that will help consumers trust they aren’t being victimized by their banks and lenders. No sign...
BlueOregon - Fri 11:17 a.m. - 2 clicks
More than a decade ago, the city of Eugene took a radical approach to common sense: faced with a homeless population it had neither the resources nor capacity to address, the city changed course and instituted a homeless camping program. That was in 1998, and the program today has a backlog of people without homes that [...] ...
For those who can't afford free speech - Fri 9:50 a.m. - 5 clicks
Groups opposed to the current plans for a new I-5 bridge between Portland and Vancouver are calling for a protest Friday morning. Stop The Columbia River Crossing and the Coalition For A Livable Future are asking people to show up at 9:30am outside ODOT’s offices at 123 NW Flanders in Portland. That’s where the Project’s Sponsor [...]...
Natural Oregon - Fri 12:03 a.m. - 5 clicks
Things are coming together for the debate later this month that will focus on environmental issues in the race for Governor. David Sarasohn of the Oregonian will be moderator. Four panelists will be asking the questions. According to a press release from the Oregon League of Conservation Voters, they are… Andrea Durbin, Executive Director, Oregon Environmental Council Steve Law, [...]...
Natural Oregon - Thu 11:22 p.m. - 9 clicks
I acknowledge this is an unusual use of BlueOregon but - I have a speaking engagement Saturday in Portland during Ben's Salem memorial service. I was going to drive down to Bend and back tomorrow (Friday) for the 2 pm Bend memorial but I am not good at all at driving in snow and both passes look troublesome as of now. Was anyone else going to do the same thing, someone with 4 wheel drive who knows...
BlueOregon - Thu 10:25 p.m. - 6 clicks
Test will come as all involved expect a tough summer ahead Sisters Of The Road and representatives of the Portland Police Bureau reached an agreement this afternoon on how to alleviate the chronic nuisance property status hanging over the 30-year-old café’s head. Sounds simple enough, but what’s at stake is Sisters’ survival as a service provider to [...] ...
For those who can't afford free speech - Thu 5:02 p.m. - 8 clicks
The faculty at Klamath Community College will soon be bargaining for a contract that will provide them desperately needed stability and benefits. BHMK attorney Christine Moore represented the Klamath Community College Faculty Association in its petition to the Employment Relations Board seeking certification as a bargaining unit at the College. The Association requested a bargaining unit compose...
Bennett Hartman - Thu 4:29 p.m. - 5 clicks
Minutes ago, former state treasurer Jim Hill filed the paperwork to withdraw from the State Treasurer's race. I got the tip from a friend who happened to be in the state capitol - and I've confirmed this with the elections division directly. More updates shortly....
BlueOregon - Thu 3:20 p.m. - 9 clicks
Starting Friday, Oregon Fish and Wildlife begins work on what’s expected to be a six-month review of the state’s Wolf Management Plan. There aren’t very many environmental issues in the state that are as controversial as this one. In some ways, the plan is succeeding. There are increasing credible reports of gray wolves in Central Oregon. ODFW [...]...
Natural Oregon - Thu 1:03 p.m. - 4 clicks
The Oregon League of Conservation Voters says it’s endorsing Jeff Cogen as the new chairman of Multnomah County, and Karol Collymore for a seat on the county commission. In a statement released this morning, OLCV praises Cogan for his efforts on sustainability, the environment, climate change, the local food economy and open spaces. “Jeff understands how [...]...
Natural Oregon - Thu 11:44 a.m. - 11 clicks
By Ashley Henry of Portland, Oregon. Ashley describes herself as a "desert protection activist turned fish habitat restoration organizer turned campaign manager turned renewable energy and sustainability consultant." While there are a lot of changes afoot -- including the recent announcement about Ted Wheeler's appointment -- I respectfully submit this reflection on the death of Ben Westlund. I ho...
BlueOregon - Thu 11:10 a.m. - 5 clicks
Many political candidates dream of going viral on the internet - with people all over the country taking note of what they're up to. Even more so for long-shot minor-party candidates. But this isn't the attention that Marc Delphine wanted. Delphine is the libertarian candidate running for U.S. Senate here in Oregon. The chatter on Twitter continues to percolate. He's been mentioned on ESPN and Yah...
BlueOregon - Thu 10:30 a.m. - 5 clicks
After Tuesday's flurry of office filings in Multnomah County (and the looming voter's pamphlet deadline), the Oregon League of Conservation Voters held early endorsement interviews for the May Primary. This morning, OLCV announced that they are endorsing Jeff Cogen for Multnomah County Chair and Karol Collymore for Multnomah County Commission Position #2. From the press release: As a county commis...
BlueOregon - Thu 10:00 a.m. - 5 clicks
For Wild Bill Sizemore, the hits just keep. On. Coming. From being indicted for tax evasion, to jail, to being the only person to vote for himself at Dorchester!, and now … this. Bill Sizemore says he's too broke to afford legal help. Well, I guess we're all socialists now. During 2006-2008, Says The O's Brent Walth, Wild Bill buckarooed his way through 700 large. Now, claims he, he's down to a pa...
Preemptive Karma - Thu 5:40 a.m. - 10 clicks
The idea of a tree of dominoes being flattened is a little hackeneyed, perhaps, but it applies to the amazing sequence of declarations, filings, withdrawls and such precipitated by Ben Westlund's puckish decision to shuffle off this mortal coil with, seemingly, mere hours before the filing deadline for the offices his ascension to the ranks of Oregon history vacated. Truly it was an amazing and da...
Preemptive Karma - Thu 5:40 a.m. - 6 clicks
The Oregon Sierra Club says it won’t support Senator Wyden’s logging bill for Eastern Oregon. The group had been withholding judgement ever since the deal was announced almost two months ago. But now, the group’s Conservation Director Ivan Maluski tells me that without some changes, the Sierra Club will oppose the measure. His critique of the logging [...]...
Natural Oregon - Thu 1:25 a.m. - 13 clicks
Calling it “one of the largest threats to the Mt. Hood National Forest”, the environmental group Bark holds a meeting Thursday night on the Palomar Pipeline. Palomar is a 220-mile natural gas pipeline that crosses Northwest Oregon from the Columbia River near Astoria, to Maupin. That route includes 47-miles through the Mt. Hood National Forest, and [...]...
Natural Oregon - Thu 1:25 a.m. - 5 clicks
A few years ago, the Oregon House set a rule for itself that members would not take campaign contributions during a legislative session. The rule is 19.20 and it states: Campaign Contributions During Session. No member of the House, during session, shall accept and/or solicit a contribution to the member or the member’s principal campaign committee or accept and/or solicit an expenditure in suppor...
BlueOregon - Wed 10:43 p.m. - 5 clicks
On Tuesday, while most of us were focused on the statewide filing day, there was a special election in the town of Damascus, Oregon in Clackamas County. There were four measures on the ballot, each of which were sponsored by a group calling themselves "Ask Damascus". And all four measures lost. As Metro Council candidate Duke Shepard noted on his Facebook page: I know the filing day stuff was exci...
BlueOregon - Wed 9:47 p.m. - 6 clicks
While the Middle East veers around the edges of disaster our "friend" in the region counts on its lobby to keep a direct blow to Palestinian desires and US ideas of peace process from having any outcome. Israel is putting 1,600 new Jewish homes in East Jerusalem, land taken and occupied after the 1976 war. There is no doubt that every nation has its own interests and will hew to them rather than ...
Chuck Butcher - Wed 6:28 p.m. - 11 clicks
Long time adversaries in Oregon’s timber wars told the Senate today they’re ready to make peace, at least in Eastern Oregon. The setting was a hearing on the Eastern Oregon Logging bill sponsored by Senator Wyden. Based on a historic compromise between timber and conservation groups, the bill hopes to revive the region’s logging industry while [...]...
Natural Oregon - Wed 6:08 p.m. - 9 clicks
Update: 10:30p.m: Carter's withdrawal confirmed by OPB. Update: 4:10p.m: Cascade Policy Insitute's OregonPolitico blog is reporting that Carter has announced she's out. I've been chasing down a rumor floating about that former Oregon State Senator Margaret Carter is withdrawing from the Multnomah County Chair race. Carter associate Lisa Naito just told me that Margaret will be making an announceme...
BlueOregon - Wed 12:25 p.m. - 12 clicks
See streaming video of hearing at this link. 1:29pm: Kerr admits the conservation community is split over the bill. Many groups still believe in preserving forests from development because that activity has been harmful in the past. More are recognizing that restoring forests are now what’s needed. 1:05pm Not a fan of the bill, Larry Blasing of [...]...
Natural Oregon - Wed 12:05 p.m. - 9 clicks
On Monday, the Congressional Quarterly had a story about the rise of Rep. Greg Walden through the ranks of the House GOP leadership. Apparently, Walden is now the chairman of the House Republican leadership. (That's not to be confused with being the House Republican leader. I don't get it either.) As CQ notes: Rep. Greg Walden of Oregon appears to have done all the right things to win him an appoi...
BlueOregon - Wed 11:23 a.m. - 9 clicks
From the current edition of Street Roots Sam Adams, we have a very large problem on our hands. It’s a practical problem for me, for every other medical professional in Portland, for leaders in the African-American community, the Hispanic community, and the disabilities community in general. For the mothers and fathers and sisters and brothers and neighbors [...] ...
For those who can't afford free speech - Wed 11:00 a.m. - 8 clicks
I doubt that our senior senator here in Oregon, Ron Wyden, is losing sleep over Jim Huffman's announcement that he's seeking the Republican nomination to challenge Wyden next November. At least, I assume Huffman is running as a Republican. You......
Hines Sight - Tue 9:44 p.m. - 16 clicks
Regardless of what you think of the job that Ron Wyden is doing as Oregon's US Senator, it seems clear that, at this point, he's the best alternative to anything Republican. In the wake of a Rasumussen poll that says that Republican challenger Jim Huffman has only a six percentage point lead of Oregon's senior senator, the Wyden camp has released a poll from Democratic pollster Lisa Grove that app...
Preemptive Karma - Tue 3:20 p.m. - 12 clicks
I have been the chairperson of the board of directors for the North American Street Newspaper Association (NASNA) for the past year and worked with the organization in both Seattle and Portland since 2006. Since you, our readers, support Street Roots, and ultimately my time in the street paper movement, it’s only fair we should [...] ...
For those who can't afford free speech - Tue 2:23 p.m. - 5 clicks
It's official: Governor Kulongoski has appointed Ted Wheeler as state treasurer, in place of Ben Westlund, who died this weekend. Mr. Wheeler is the chair of the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners. The political jockeying for position now has two......
Isaac Laquedem - Tue 9:06 a.m. - 12 clicks
A bill backed by the Democratic leadership, with both bipartisan support and opposition, was passed a few weeks ago which overturned a law passed in the 1920s that banned teachers in public schools from wearing anything of religious significance. Only two other states have such laws, with the one in Oregon having been pushed by the KKK as a means of forcing Catholic nuns out of public schoo...
DailyKos (Oregon) - Mon 9:41 p.m. - 15 clicks
I just called Wyden's number here in Portland to encourage him to join Merkley in signing the Bennet letter and the guy who answered the phone assured me that although Wyden hasn't signed, he will support the public option if it comes to a vote in reconciliation. I thanked him for that but suggested that his signature of support would be more reassuring to us here at home and may help persuade...
DailyKos (Oregon) - Mon 6:25 p.m. - 11 clicks
Highlights include work to create jobs and help middle class families Senate Democrats released summaries of their accomplishments for the 2010 February Session online today. The issue areas emphasize the caucus’ commitment to helping middle class families, supporting small businesses, and working to create jobs for out-of-work Oregonians. “The February session illustrated that we can accomplish ...
Oregon Senate Democrats - Mon 5:20 p.m. - 9 clicks
For security and safety reasons, the answers to this week's Oregon News Limericks have been tucked under the accelerator pedal of an unmarked Toyota sedan until 7:15 Monday morning, at which time they (or at least their charred remains) will removed and read by quizmaster TJ of Loaded Orygun, and answered by Carl, Christine, and Paul, on the KPOJ 620AM's Carl + Christine show. The answe...
Loaded Orygun - Mon 3:30 p.m. - 5 clicks
I write 'em and TJ reads them. It's like I'm Cyrano to TJ's Christian. Which means Christine would be Roxanne--and I'm not sure exactly where that leaves Carl or Paul. We'll have to sort all that out later. Anyway, play along as TJ matches wits with Thom Hartmann (sitting in for Carl Wolfson), Christine Alexander, and producer Paul Pimentel on the "Carl + Christine Show" ...
Loaded Orygun - Mon 3:30 p.m. - 6 clicks
Peace groups, parents, children and folk musicians Steve Einhorn, Kate Powers, and David Rovics will all be at the rally outside Portland Public Schools headquarters. Monday, March 8 5:45 pm BESC Building, 501 N. Dixon, Portland (2 blocks from the east end of the Broadway Bridge) At their regular March 8 meeting, the PPS Board of Education is [...] ...
For those who can't afford free speech - Mon 3:06 p.m. - 4 clicks
Pardon the un-reserved and non-poised mien, but hearing this was like getting hit upside the head with a plank. Didn't see this one coming. Stunned. One of the few McCall-esque Republicans Oregon had left. Maybe, perhaps, the last one. Check BlueO on this.......
Preemptive Karma - Mon 3:06 p.m. - 6 clicks
A beautiful early Spring Saturday afternoon: sunny, blue sky, light breeze, almost warm. Of course what people want on a day like that is to spend 90 minutes listening to policy wonks talk about the state of Oregon’s finances. What better way to enjoy the day? As it turned out, a few dozen of us chose to do exactly that yesterday afternoon. We do what we can to keep Portland weird. It was ...
T.A. Barnhart - Sun 1:23 p.m. - 17 clicks
Almost exactly one month ago I covered the on-campus spat between PSU professor John Hall and student (and IDF sniper veteran) Zachary Bucharest. Yesterday the Oregonian finally got around to covering it too. It's a worthwhile read on its own merits. But while I remain somewhat perplexed by how Prof. Hall chose to deal with the issue, a couple bits of new (to me) info in this Oregonian piece seem ...
Preemptive Karma - Sun 10:28 a.m. - 11 clicks
Via Kevin in the comments of the last missive, it's clear that Intel doesn't understand they're supposed to cry and leave Oregon either: The potential $25 billion Intel will spend upgrading its Hillsboro and Aloha facilities will be spread over the next 15 years. This is part of the agreement Intel struck during 2005 negotiations with Washington County and the City of Hillsboro under terms of Oreg...
Preemptive Karma - Sun 10:28 a.m. - 18 clicks
It's been a stomach-churning but compelling ride through the 09-10 Blazers season so far, not unlike eating a dodgy day-old birthday cake, but I've maintained a sense of optimism ever since Joel Przybilla went down. Homer say what? Optimism? Even the thought of serious title contention had to go out the window, and even making the playoffs seemed a hopelessly, almost laughingly lost cause...
Loaded Orygun - Mar 7 - 20 clicks
Apparently Boeing did not pay attention to the Cascade Policy Institute, FreedomWorks and the Oregon GOP. The passage of Measure 67 means that Oregon is a bad place for business, that our taxes will destroy jobs and that companies will flee Oregon for the greener pastures of Washington, Idaho and Illinois. Boeing did not get the memo : Boeing Co. plans to pour up to $120 million into its G...
T.A. Barnhart - Mar 6 - 15 clicks
The news is, that Boeing's Portland plant (located out at 181st and Sandy in Gresham actually) is going to be expanding: Boeing Co. plans to pour up to $120 million into its Gresham operation, replacing a 30-year old chemical processing plant and adding 152 jobs in the next three years. The company, based in Chicago, plans to build a 60,000-square foot facility to treat metals such as titanium and...
Preemptive Karma - Mar 6 - 12 clicks
