Category Government
Department of Consumer and Business Services gets a new director
Andrew Stolfi. (Courtesy/Governor’s office) Oregon’s largest business regulatory and consumer protection department has a new head. Gov. Kate Brown has appointed Andrew Stolfi to serve as the director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services. “I believe strongly in our mission of consumer protection,”…
How the collapse of the 2020 legislative session could shape this fall’s election and state politics
Seats in the Oregon House of Representatives remain vacant during a Republican boycott of the legislative session. (Sam Stites/Oregon Capital Bureau). SALEM – A new dynamic in Oregon politics is emerging following the collapse of the 2020 legislative session. And the top leaders in the…
Salem adopts sit-lie ban a week after emergency declaration cleared downtown streets of homeless people
After its third attempt in as many years, the Salem City Council on Monday banned sitting or lying on city sidewalks during the day, effective once certain provisions are met. The ban comes on the heels of an emergency declaration on March 17 that prohibited…
Oregon prison system, facing escalating costs, cutting employees but no corrections officers
SALEM – Oregon’s prison system is laying off employees and cutting other costs as it faces a $60 million budget deficit. Colette Peters, director of the Oregon Department of Corrections, advised the agency’s employees of the circumstances in an email message Wednesday night. Agency officials…
Salem declares state of emergency, bans loitering on sidewalks and allows city camping
The Salem City Council declared a state of emergency on March 17, a move that will prohibit people from loitering on public property. (Saphara Harrell/Salem Reporter) NOTE: Salem Reporter is providing free access to its content related to the coronavirus as a community service. Subscriptions starting at…
As the coronavirus outbreak reaches pandemic levels, Oregon sees its number of cases rise to 19
An image of the coronavirus from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. UPDATE: This story has been updated to include new information about Oregon university restrictions and the treatment of a Marion County case. The number of people diagnosed with COVID-19 in Oregon…
Nkenge Harmon Johnson bows out of Salem area Senate race
Senate District 10 extends into Polk County and includes west and south Salem. Tuesday’s deadline for candidates to file to run for office brought a surprise in the race for a Salem area Senate seat. Nkenge Harmon Johnson, the CEO of the Urban League of…
The matches are set for secretary of state, Oregon legislative races
With the deadline for filing for the May primary passing Tuesday, the picture of how Oregon’s 2020 election season will play out in statewide and legislative races became clearer. In the Oregon House, several key races will settle whether Democrats maintain or extend their majority.…
Oregon promised millions from federal agency to help confront coronavirus
An image of the coronavirus from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Oregon will soon be receiving roughly $7.3 million in federal funds provided as part of an emergency package approved by Congress last week that will help the state in its response…