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.
Current head of Oregon labor bureau faces primary challenge from agency insider
Labor Commissioner Christina Stephenson is challenged by Chris Lynch, a 15-year veteran of the agency and a former civil rights investigator.
Kotek vetoes bill changing Oregon public meetings law criticized by journalists, ethics officials
A bill meant to create clarity about what public officials can call and text about outside of public meetings, will be Gov. Kotek’s only veto following 2026 session.
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Gov. Kotek issues order prohibiting Oregon districts from reducing school days to cut costs
Districts that reduced school days to cover budget holes will need to add them onto the next school year under a new order from Gov. Tina Kotek.
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Trump approves Oregon disaster declaration over severe winter storms
Polk and Yamhill are among nine Oregon counties that will be eligible for federal disaster assistance from December winter storms.
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Gov. Kotek signals she’ll veto bill changing Oregon public meetings law criticized by journalists
Salem city councilors had endorsed a bill changing the state's public meetings law after a majority of the current council was ensnared in an ethics investigation over a chain conversation about the former city manager.
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Report on alleged ethics violations by Rep. Greg Smith could be delayed until after primary
The Oregon Government Ethics Commission won't consider the findings of an investigation into a long-serving state representative until at least May 8 after his attorney received a time waiver to explore a possible settlement.
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U.S. Forest Service to close Portland headquarters, research station, open Salem office
The restructuring at the Forest Service involves closing the 100-year-old Pacific Northwest Research Station and installing a new state director in Salem.
A pencil running for Oregon governor hopes to make its mark on education issues
A literacy advocate is running as a Pencil in the race for Oregon governor to get candidates talking about education issues in the state.
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Pacific Power, PGE raise residential electricity rates again for Oregon customers
State regulators on Tuesday, March 31, approved a 5% power rate increase for Portland General Electric, which takes effect Wednesday.
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Oregon Dems request feds get more public input on massive new logging plans for western forests
The federal Bureau of Land Management in late February announced it would change plans that have governed logging and conservation on 2.5 million acres of forests in 17 Oregon counties for decades, with a goal of maximizing timber production.
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