By Salem Reporter
Oregon Health Authority seeks tax increase on alcohol, cigarettes
SALEM — State health officials say they want a substantial tax to drive down smoking and binge drinking. About 20 percent of Oregonians smoke, exceeding the national average and increasing their risk for strokes, lung cancer and heart disease. It’s…
Brown’s administration wins bid to keep state records secret – for now
The Oregon Court of Appeals late Friday granted a request by state officials to keep secret for now the details about proposed legislation, acting just minutes before the state was due to publicly disclose the records. An attorney pressing for…
Elections officials report dip in early voting
Marion County Clerk Bill Burgess shows the different ballot styles in Marion County. (Claire Withycombe/East Oregonian) Voters are turning ballots in more slowly than the last time Oregon elected a governor, according to the state Elections Division, as big money…
Salem school officials invoke power to force church land sale
Salem-Keizer School District may use eminent domain to acquire six acres of this field east of McNary High School from St. Edward Catholic Church. (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) A vacant field spotted with dandelions has become a sticking point between two…
Peer mentoring program helps prepare Oregon’s incarcerated youth for life on the outside
Josefina, 22, is one of seven graduates in Oregon Youth Authority’s peer mentoring pilot program. The program gives her state certification and gives her the opportunity to mentor other youth while incarcerated. (Aubrey Wieber/Salem Reporter) Editor’s note: Youth in this…
Judge tells Brown’s administration to cough up proposed laws
A Marion County judge on Wednesday ordered state officials by Friday to disclose legislative proposals they have been trying to keep secret. The records to be released show law changes that state agencies want drafted ahead of the 2019 Legislature.…
After public backlash, Gov. Brown orders the state to release school performance ratings
Gov. Kate Brown, embroiled in a sudden political firestorm, on Wednesday directed her state education administrators to immediately release school performance data they intended to withhold until after the election. The state Department of Education had provided what are generally…
Students keep busy during CTEC salon opening day
Cosmetology student Maria Gomez folds towels at the Career and Technical Education Center’s student-run salon. (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) In their second year of cosmetology training, high school seniors at Salem-Keizer’s Career Technical Education Center get a chance to practice on…
Salem high schoolers practice hair styling on parents, public
Senior Ana Diaz blow dries her mother’s hair before applying dye during the salon’s grand opening on Tuesday, Oct. 23. (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) Ana Diaz normally gets her hair cut at Belleza Latina. But on Tuesday morning, she decided to…
State agency chases nearly $800 million in new taxes on alcohol, tobacco
SALEM —Oregonians could see significant increases in alcohol and tobacco prices if a state agency succeeds in raising millions from consumers in the next two years. The Oregon Health Authority is considering seeking $784 million in new tax money for…