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.
Trump, Congressional Republicans propose big cuts for Western renewable energy labs, research
The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory would lose a third of its funding, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory would lose more than half.
USDA proposes closing regional Forest Service offices in Portland, moving work to Colorado, Utah
The Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest Region Headquarters would be closed and the Pacific Northwest Research Station would be moved to Fort Collins, Colorado.
State’s juvenile justice system gets new leader following scrutiny over agency abuse investigations
Gov. Tina Kotek nominated Michael Tessean, most recently director of the Colorado State Board of Parole, to lead the Oregon Youth Authority after firing its former leader.
Gov. Kotek signs laws to boost housing supply but more work to be done to solve ‘crisis’
The governor signed five new laws Monday meant to spur the construction of ‘middle housing’ and to make it easier for developers to build quickly.
Oregon wildfire survivors to pay federal taxes on settlements next year after state bill failed
A proposal to require utilities cover federal income taxes on settlements paid to powerline-ignited wildfire survivors died and a federal law providing relief is set to expire.
U.S. Rep. Bentz talks Republican power, criticizes media in speech at eastern Oregon summit
Oregon's sole Republican federal representative, U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz, acknowledged that it will be a “challenge” to protect rural hospitals from Medicaid cuts, but he said he has been talking to Mehmet Oz, who has promised to help.
Lack of grant oversight led to $1.4 million in wasteful Preschool Promise payments, report finds
An investigation by the Secretary of State’s Office found grants were misappropriated due to lack of oversight at Oregon’s education and early learning departments
Oregon’s governor made a deal with Nvidia to get AI education in Oregon schools. What does it mean?
Oregon is one of several states making deals with the trillion-dollar chip maker to get artificial intelligence lessons into K-12 and college classes.
State lawmakers bailed on a constitutional climate amendment. Advocates will take it to voters
Environmentalists recently filed a petition to get Oregon voters to guarantee a healthy climate in the state constitution.
Oregon governor declares state of emergency over wildfire threat
The state is in critical fire danger because of “extreme high temperatures” that forecasters say will last for an extended period across the Northwest.