Sam Stites - Oregon Capital Bureau
Public records council focuses on plan to ensure independence
Ginger McCall (Courtesy/Oregon Secretary of State) Oregon’s Public Records Advisory Council meets Wednesday, Jan. 22, to discuss a legislative proposal to carve out its place as an independent agency and office under the governor. A lobbyist for the League of…
Judge reverses secretary of state, allows Oregon energy measures to move ahead
A Marion County judge has reversed a decision by Oregon Secretary of State Bev Clarno to reject two proposed ballot initiatives on carbon reduction. Circuit Judge David Leith ruled Thursday, Jan. 16, that initiatives backed by renewable energy coalition Renew…
DEQ issues $1.3 million air quality fine – its largest ever – to aluminum recycler
The Dalles (Edward Stojakovic/Flickr) An aluminum recycling plant in The Dalles has been hit with the largest fine ever imposed by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality for air pollution. The state announced Thursday that it is assessing a fine…
Cyber attack halts training for thousands of Oregon state employees
Oregon’s Department of Administrative Services building. (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) Thousands of state employees across dozens of Oregon agencies are awaiting the reinstatement of Oregon’s online training system after a Christmas Day cyber attack forced the state Department of Administrative Services…
Environmentalists sue Oregon secretary of state over ballot decisions
Secretary of State’s office. (Caleb Wolf/Special to Salem Reporter) Proponents of two clean-energy initiatives on Wednesday sued Secretary of State Bev Clarno to reverse her decision stopping the groups from advancing initiatives for the November election. Renew Oregon, the coalition…
Findley moves up to replace Cliff Bentz in Oregon Senate
Oregon’s newest state senator, Lynn Findley, R-Vale. (Courtesy) State Rep. Lynn Findley, R-Vale, was chosen Monday by county commissioners representing a wide swath of eastern Oregon to succeed Cliff Bentz, who resigned his post Jan. 1. Bentz, a Republican attorney…
Thanks to Oregon students, dogs used in research get chance at second life
Dogs like this one rescued from an Eastern Oregon residence have been used for lab testing in Oregon and then euthanized. A new law taking effect in January requires labs to offer animals for adoption. (PMG file photo) Here’s some…
PHOTOS: Truck inspectors at Woodburn base hunt for bad brakes, loose loads that can be trouble on Oregon highways
Tom Avila of the Oregon Motor Carrier Transportation Division inspects a tire shown by the tire anomaly detection system to have a problem. The pilot program implemented at the Woodburn port of entry prevents accidents by notifying drivers when there’s…
Guiding new agency directors puts state operations on better footing
Summer Warner (Courtesy photo) Summer Warner has one of those jobs crucial to state government, but rarely talked about. The Nebraska native is at the helm of one of the state’s most important projects: helping new directors get up to…
Oregon inspectors home in on unsafe trucks, drivers to reduce highway deaths
Don McCloskey of the Oregon Motor Carrier Transportation Division inspects the brake systems from underneath a trailer hauling fuel from during a routine inspection at the Woodburn port of entry. (PMG photo/Sam Stites) WOODBURN – Truck inspections are the primary…