Congestion on Interstate 5 over the Columbia River is motivating a company to fashion a passenger ferry service. (Oregon Department of Transportation photo) A months-long effort to fashion a new ferry service across the Columbia River in Portland comes into public view Friday before the Oregon Transportation Commission. The ambitious[Read More…]
Tag: STATE GOVERNMENT
State participation in Census leads to the discovery of new addresses, new funding and perhaps a new congressional representative
Oregon officials say their participation in a new Census program could win the state $400 million a year and perhaps even a sixth U.S. House seat. For the first time, the U.S. Census Bureau has asked states to help wrangle addresses from local governments in an effort provide even more[Read More…]
After a statewide school tour, student success committee begins work on large education package
The Joint Committee on Student Success met Thursday morning to discuss its statewide tour of schools and propose education policy. (Aubrey Wieber/Salem Reporter) After traveling thousands of miles and visiting dozens of schools, one thing was clear to all members of the Joint Interim Committee on Student Success. Today’s schools,[Read More…]
State-funded program boosts training for professional and volunteer caregivers
More of those who care for elderly Oregonians are completing free training from the state that helps them perform better. The state reported that from August 2014 to August 2018, 69,647 classes have been taken and 19,218 caregivers have been trained. In-person classes account for 29 percent, while the other[Read More…]
Nonaffiliated voters key to victory in governor’s race
With polls showing the two main gubernatorial candidates only a few percentage points away from victory, their campaigns are focused on winning votes from nonaffiliated and independent voters in the final days before Tuesday’s election. The last-minute choices of those voters could determine the outcome of the race, political analysts said Thursday. Nonaffiliated voters make up 32 percent of[Read More…]
Early voting hits new high for mid-term elections
Perhaps there is something to all the fundraising, television ads and “get out the vote” efforts. According to the Secretary of State’s Office, 2018 is seeing more voter activity so far than any other mid-term election in Oregon history. By the end of the day Tuesday, 657,480 ballots had been[Read More…]
After 28,000 registered Independents voted, the party’s candidate dropped out. Voters will not get a second chance.
SALEM — If you cast a ballot for the Independent Party of Oregon candidate in the governor’s race and now want to vote for someone else, you’re out of luck. Patrick Starnes announced Tuesday he was dropping out of the race and throwing his support to Gov. Kate Brown. “There[Read More…]
Independent candidate backs Brown in surprise move
Gubernatorial candidate Patrick Starnes, of the Independent Party, has endorsed Gov. Kate Brown. (Paris Achen/Portland Tribune) Patrick Starnes, a Brownsville cabinetmaker who took the political stage to spotlight campaign finance reform and third-party inclusion, announced Tuesday that he was dropping out of the race and endorsing Democratic incumbent Gov. Kate[Read More…]
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 the state’s highest cause of preventable death. And in a[Read More…]
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 disclosure said Gov. Kate Brown was trying to keep the[Read More…]