Author Archives: Jerry Curry

Editorial: State reins in Portland fossil-fuel overreach

The Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals has overturned a Portland ordinance, adopted in December 2016, that severely restricted expansion of the city’s fossil fuels shipping terminals. LUBA did so, it said, because the limits violate the Constitution’s commerce clause, which leaves regulation of international and interstate commerce to the federal government. While the decision […]
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Erik Lukens column: Behind the dogfight over wilderness access and a local footbridge

A prominent bridge opponent has another, and related, passion: off-leash dog recreation. Where you stand, according to a famous political maxim, depends on where you sit. This is a clever way of explaining that a person’s circumstances and interests tend to inform his policy preferences, and it’s particularly relevant in light of two local recreational […]
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Editorial: Forest Service needs ability to make emergency decisions

Chief Justice Thomas O. Rice of the federal Eastern Washington judicial district recently ruled that the U.S. Forest Service did not break the law by making an emergency decision to create a firebreak to stop a wildfire “without environmental analysis or public participation.” Source: Editorial: Forest Service needs ability to make emergency decisions;

Commentary: What happens if Uber or Lyft outcompetes public transit? — Guest Opinion

The brief history of tech-enabled ridesharing is not really a story about transportation, but a story of clashes with regulators: Uber and Lyft vs. cities and courts. Municipalities have tried to ban ride-sharing companies, but have mostly given up. Courts have disagreed on whether the companies’ drivers should count as contractors or employees. More fights […]
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Commentary: Spending a lot on health care is the American way — Guest Opinion

The United States has some of the most expensive medicine in the world, with health care spending almost 18 percent of gross domestic product. But why? And might we hope to get this spending down? U Source: Commentary: Spending a lot on health care is the American way;

Warm Deschutes good for playing, bad for fish

River temperatures rise as the summer progresses. Ask any Central Oregonian how to beat the heat during the summer, and odds are good the Deschutes River will be part of the solution. The 252-mile river that cuts a swath through the center of Oregon — and Bend — has a reputation for providing an escape […]
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Blue-green algae advisory for Odell Lake

Toxins from blue-green algae have appeared in Odell Lake, the Oregon Health Authority announced Monday. The agency issued a health advisory for the lake, located about 35 miles southwest of La Pine in northern Klamath County, saying visitors should avoid participating in activities that could result in swallowing water, such as swimming, water-skiing, or paddleboarding. […]
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Rental trucks scarce until September

Movers in high demand. As if moving wasn’t one of life’s most stressful events, it’s made tougher this summer by a continuing demand in Bend for movers and rental trucks. Source: Rental trucks scarce until September; Movers in high demand

Shortage of insect venom worries allergy sufferers

As summer continues, signaling peak time for insect stings, allergists across the U.S. are warning of a shortage of a little-known but crucial product — honeybee, hornet and wasp venom extracts used in shots that prevent life-threatening reactions. Supplies of the extracts — which are made from venom gathered by hand from millions of individual […]
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Plan will displace hundreds of homeless near Redmond

Management plan begins with road closures east of city. Hundreds of homeless people could be displaced as the result of a cleanup effort on 2,000 acres of agricultural land east of Redmond. Deschutes County officials are working with the Central Oregon Irrigation District, the Redmond School District and members of the Homeless Leadership Coalition and […]
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