Category Government
Fill ‘er up? Rural lawmakers want to see changes at the pump
(Pamplin Media Group file photo) SALEM — A bill introduced in the House would allow more gas stations to offer self-service pumps. Oregon and New Jersey are the only two states in the Union that don’t allow self-service gas stations statewide. Oregon lawmakers started chipping…
Successful phishing scheme was sent to more than 400 workers in two large state agencies
The Department of Human Services’ Salem headquarters. (Mark Miller/Pamplin Media Group) SALEM – A phishing scheme that successfully compromised 2 million emails from the Oregon Department of Human Services accounts targeted more than 400 accounts at two major state agencies. Nine employees in four units…
Downtown micro-apartments seek tax break from Salem City Council to tamp rent
The former site of McMahan’s Furniture & Appliances, where Koz Development is proposing a complex of micro-apartments. (Troy Brynelson/Salem Reporter) Salem’s elected leaders on Monday will face two decisions that could impact the city’s stock of affordable apartments. First, acting as the Urban Renewal Agency,…
Oregon Public Defense Services demands reform to “unconstitutional” model
(Caleb Wolf/Special to Salem Reporter) The message from Oregon’s Office of Public Defense Services is stark: Revamp the public defense system or watch services dwindle. Either way, the state agency refuses to let Oregon continue to be the only state in the nation that relies…
BREAKING: DHS data breach exposes health information could impact at least 350,000 people
The Department of Human Services headquarters in Salem (Mark Miller/Pamplin Media Group) The Oregon Department of Human Services Thursday disclosed that millions of agency emails had been breached in January, potentially exposing the personal medical information of hundreds of thousands. The agency said it discovered…
Plan to pack duplexes, town houses into neighborhoods faces opposition from Oregon cities
SALEM — Cities remain wary of a legislative proposal that would require many of them to open the way for townhouses and small apartment buildings in neighborhoods filled with single-family homes, even after changes meant to ease them into it. Gov. Kate Brown and House…
Salem lawyer threatens lawsuit claiming stormwater, streetlight fees unconstitutional
Salem City Hall, pictured last summer. (Salem Reporter files) A Salem-based law firm has threatened to sue the city of Salem for charging fees it alleges are unconstitutional to property owners. James Vick, a partner at Glantz Law Group in downtown Salem, claims the city’s…
Tobacco tax would limit significant sales from Washingtonians, state economist says
New revenue generated from increasing Oregon’s tobacco tax would come with an additional decline in sales because Washington buyers would likely stop crossing the river to buy, economists said Wednesday during a legislative informational hearing. The proposal is for a $2 per-pack hike to pay…
Oregon winemakers push bills to clamp down on out-of-state competition
Staff at Willamette Valley Vineyards, based in Turner, move barrels of wine in fall of last year. Winery owner Jim Bernau has been a vocal leader in proposing new legislation to clamp down on out-of-state wineries. (Troy Brynelson/Salem Reporter) Update: A correction has been appended…