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.
Gov. Kotek, Legislature want to pause action on wildfire hazard map to quell public frustration
Kotek directed the state forestry department to pause any further action based on the map until the Legislature decides to keep, update or repeal it.
Oregon spent millions to grow manufacturing, tech workforces. Educators say it’s their turn.
A new proposal being considered by the state Legislature would invest $20 million in early childhood educator workforce development.
NW Natural pushes back on bill that would require notifying customers about use of hydrogen
Representatives from the state’s largest gas utility claim that informing customers of its use of hydrogen in natural gas would be onerous and expensive.
Large crowd opposes bill that would require farmers to report fertilizer use to protect water
Senate Bill 747 would require irrigated farms larger than 200 acres to report fertilizer use to help the state agriculture department curb pollution.
National assessment shows Oregon students falling behind in key subjects
Oregon is in the bottom half of states in reading and math scores among fourth and eighth graders in ‘the nation’s report card.'
Oregon officials scrambling to respond to Trump order freezing many federal funds
State programs including the Oregon Health Plan rely on federal money to operate.
For Gov. Kotek, natural resources adviser, water tops list of 2025 environmental priorities
Kotek says the state needs better water management, secure wildfire funding and policies that address the high energy needs of data centers.
Bill would pause new PERS investments in private fossil fuel funds for five years
Two Democratic state senators and the advocacy group Divest Oregon are backing a bill to curb fossil fuel investments in the state’s public pension system.
Oregon Legislature gets to work on budget, transportation and other issues
Lawmakers convene in Salem Tuesday for the start of the 2025 session, where they'll work on a state budget and consider thousands of other bills.
New report scrutinizes lobbyists working for NW Natural gas and for public health, climate groups
Watchdog groups are calling for the state to require more transparency from lobbyists who work for fossil fuel companies as well as governments and environmental groups fighting against climate change.