Author Archives: Jerry Curry

Black families were pushed out of Portland. Can this program help more return?

In Portland, Oregon, a program called Right to Return aims to atone for the repeated displacement of thousands of African-American families from the city. Amna Nawaz and producer Mike Fritz explore how it’s all playing out, as part of our series Chasing the Dream. Source: Black families were pushed out of Portland. Can this program […]
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Capitol report: ODOT faults Bend’s ‘drinking culture’; Walden calls for immigration reform

Meanwhile, a change at local child welfare office. The state Transportation Commission will consider a report this week that says the Central Oregon’s “drinking culture” built around breweries makes the region more likely to have serious substance abuse-related traffic accidents. “Central Oregon is a major tourist destination, not just for its winter and summer recreational […]
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Editorial: Pay attention. You’re driving

On July 1, Oregon gets really, really tough about distracted driving. That’s the day new, higher fines kick in for those found using their cellphones or other electronic devices improperly while driving. The higher fines were part of a measure, House Bill 2597, approved by the 2017 Legislature. Source: Editorial: Pay attention. You’re driving;

McKenzie Pass Highway reopens after 10 months

Scenic pass opens after damaging wildfire. When the Old McKenzie Pass Highway opened Monday to motor vehicles, it was the first time in 10 months travelers drove on the scenic byway, which was closed as the result of damage suffered during the Milli Fire. Deschutes National Forest and Oregon Department of Transportation officials closed the […]
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Column: New Oregon OSHA rule on heat safety debuts

Farms and ranches with employees working in hot conditions will need a safety plan in place. As summer heats up, the Oregon Farm Bureau Health & Safety Committee wants to alert farmers and ranchers who are employers about a new requirement from the Oregon Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) that’s designed to protect workers […]
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New marker celebrates the USS Shark

An extraordinary ship lives on. The USS Shark was no ordinary ship. In the mid-19th century, it was a trusted military vessel that fought in combat and navigated the Strait of Magellan and beyond. But it met its match in Oregon with the mighty Columbia River. Source: New marker celebrates the USS Shark – Local […]
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Bumblebee Blues: Pacific Northwest Pollinator In Trouble

Hundreds of citizen scientists have begun buzzing through locations across the Pacific Northeast seeking a better understanding about nearly 30 bumblebee species. Bumblebees, experts say, are important pollinators for both wild and agricultural plants, but some species have disappeared from places where they were once common, possibly because of the same factors that have been killing honeybees […]
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Portland Housing Project – OPB’s Think Out Loud

More than 250,000 people are expected to move to Portland in the next 20 years. To accommodate all that growth, the city’s plan is to allow more duplexes and triplexes to be built in close-in neighborhoods. But some people say the new regulations will make building new housing financially impossible. And others say it will change the character […]
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Increasing student success in Oregon schools 

On Tuesday, the Oregon Legislative Student Success Committee convened in the Rogue Valley. They met with education and business leaders, student representatives and community members and toured pockets of excellence in Pre-K-12 education. The goal of the committee is to gather information statewide on strategies to close the achievement gap and improve graduation rates. There […]
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California cleavin’ idea appears doomed to fail

The latest in a long string of attempts to carve up California has actually qualified for the ballot, but it stands little chance of passing, and even if it did, it would probably not win the required congressional approval, let alone a green light from the state legislature. Nor is it likely to generate much […]
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