Alex Baumhardt - Oregon Capital Chronicle
Alex Baumhardt has been a national radio producer focusing on education for American Public Media since 2017. She has reported from the Arctic to the Antarctic for national and international media, and from Minnesota and Oregon for The Washington Post. She previously worked in Iceland and Qatar and was a Fulbright scholar in Spain where she earned a master's degree in digital media. She's been a kayaking guide in Alaska, farmed on four continents and worked the night shift at several bakeries to support her reporting along the way.
State updates hazardous substances list to include harmful forever chemicals, begins rulemaking
Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality will soon regulate the pollution and any cleanup of six PFAS compounds known to be harmful to human health.
Reading advocates want state literacy funds directed to teacher training, ‘most neglected’ schools
Gov. Tina Kotek proposed an additional $100 million to continue the Early Literacy Success Initiative grants across Oregon schools but some want more targeted spending.
Trump officials tell Oregon undocumented college students can no longer access TRIO programs
Colleges and universities in Oregon and California can no longer allow students without permanent legal status access to some federally funded programs meant to help disadvantaged students earn degrees, according to a recent decision from the U.S. Department of Education.…
U.S. Department of Education reinstates income-driven student loan repayment plans
After abruptly refusing to accept and process new online applications for loan repayment plans, federal education officials changed course.
Kotek seeks answers from state utility commission amid public outcry over rising utility rates
In a letter to the Public Utility Commission, Kotek asked for more information about how the commission would keep rates low following 50% rate hikes in last five years.
U.S. Supreme Court declines to revive landmark climate suit brought by young Oregonians
The decision ends a decade-long fight led by 11 young Oregonians and 10 of their peers across the nation against the U.S. government over climate inaction.
Proposal to send schools $35 million for summer programs comes with literacy strings attached
Under House Bill 2007, schools would be limited to using summer learning grants on programs that boost student reading and writing proficiency.
Hundreds support pausing Oregon’s investment in private fossil fuel holdings but Treasury opposed
Nearly 300 people submitted testimony in support of the Pause Act to stop new Treasury investments in private fossil fuel funds.
Bill that could have offered utilities protection from fire lawsuits gets fix
A single sentence change in House Bill 3666 ensures certificates awarded to utilities for wildfire prevention plans are not used to determine their legal liability in a wildfire.
Oregon, nine other states hit 2013 goal of getting 3.3 million electric vehicles on roads by 2025
Oregon and nine other states recently fulfilled a 2013 agreement to collectively register 3.3 million new electric vehicles in an effort to reduce pollution and combat climate change.