Oregon Democrats are returning election ballots at a much higher rate than Republicans and other voters, according to report Tuesday by the state Elections Division. Out of over 66,000 ballots returned as of Tuesday, more than half came from Democrats, even though they are one-third of Oregon’s 2.7 million registered[Read More…]
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Oregon gubernatorial candidates continue to get — and spend — millions. Will their dollars sway voters?
Rep. Knute Buehler and Gov. Kate Brown face off in the first of three gubernatorial debates in Portland on Oct. 2 (Jaime Valdez/Portland Tribune) Two weeks from election day, a spending frenzy continues in the race to be Oregon’s governor. Gov. Kate Brown and state Rep. Knute Buehler have combined to spend millions of dollars[Read More…]
Salem approves Kuebler Gateway Shopping Center with conditions
A view over the intersection of Battle Creek Road Southeast and Kuebler Boulevard, near where the Kuebler Gateway Shopping Center is proposed. (Troy Brynelson/Salem Reporter) Salem city planners on Tuesday approved a plan to build a nearly 200,000-square-foot shopping center along Kuebler Boulevard, but with a bevy of conditions. The[Read More…]
Salem elementary student had gun on bus two days in a row
A 10-year-old student brought a gun on the school bus two days in a row before other students reported the weapon to teachers, according to records obtained by Salem Reporter. School and police officials didn’t disclose that information in their public announcement of the Oct. 3 event, which rattled the[Read More…]
Governor candidates take liberty with the truth in late ad pushes
The two prime candidates for Oregon governor are releasing multiple television and social media ads in the final days of the campaign. Some make misleading and sometimes inaccurate claims. Gov. Kate Brown, the Democratic incumbent, and state Rep. Knute Buehler, her Republican challenger, are funneling millions into advertising in the[Read More…]
Labor commissioner files motion asking to hold legislative leadership in contempt of court
SALEM — Outgoing Oregon Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian is again taking the Legislature to task over sexual harassment, this time in Multnomah County Circuit Court. Avakian wants a state judge to find legislators and staff in contempt for failing to comply with subpoenas in the administrative case he’s brought against[Read More…]
Spurning big cities, tech workers opting for Salem
Scott Wolf, a process technician, repairs a station at Garmin’s offices near McNary Field. Garmin has added more than 100 workers since 2013, General Manager Steve VanArsdale said. (Troy Brynelson/Salem Reporter) The math was easy for Brian Sheridan. In spring 2014 in Alaska, the database engineer knew what was coming:[Read More…]
Measure 104: Will it force bipartisanship or create gridlock?
SALEM — If you drive, hunt, or run a business in Oregon, you pay a fee to the state for that privilege. A measure on the statewide ballot next month could make it harder for the Legislature to increase those fees. Oregon imposes thousands of fees on everything from wastewater[Read More…]
Buehler lands $2 million from Knight, Republican governors group in surge of fund raising.
Nike co-founder Phil Knight and the Republican Governors Association poured another $2 million into the campaign of state Rep. Knute Buehler in the past week for his challenge of Democratic incumbent Gov. Kate Brown. The $1 million check from Knight brings his overall contributions to Buehler $2.5 million, about 26[Read More…]
Bonds and increasing property values raise local property taxes
Average property taxes in Salem and Keizer rose 11 percent this year due to new school and library bonds, and increasing property values across the region. Salem residents who live in Marion County will pay $19.87 per $1,000 of assessed property value this year, up from $18.47 last year. On[Read More…]