Category Archives: Willamette Week

Hood River District Attorney Indicts 15-Year-Old Who Allegedly Started Columbia River Gorge Wildfire

The Hood River County District Attorney has indicted the 15-year-old boy from Vancouver, Wash. who allegedly sparked the Eagle Creek Fire that blazed through the Columbia River Gorge in early September. Source: Hood River District Attorney Indicts 15-Year-Old Who Allegedly Started Columbia River Gorge Wildfire – Willamette Week

Oregon, Nine Other States Sue Feds Over Failure to Release Info On Immigrant Detention and Deportation

Oregon and nine other states sued federal agencies in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts today, alleging the feds have failed to produce information about immigration crackdowns in timely fashion. Source: Oregon, Nine Other States Sue Feds Over Failure to Release Info On Immigrant Detention and Deportation – Willamette Week

Salem Musical Chairs: Department of Energy Director Moving to Treasury, Replaced by Assistant

Revolving door at the Oregon Department of Energy continues to spin. The Oregon Department of Energy, the state agency lawmakers love to hate, once again has a new (acting) executive director. Gov. Kate Brown announced today that current ODOE director Michael Kaplan will go to work for State Treasurer Tobias Read as chief operating officer […]
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Oregon Secretary of State Dennis Richardson Greenlights January Special Election on Tax Repeal

It’s official: There will be a special election on Jan. 23, 2018 to consider a partial repeal of House Bill 2391, a healthcare and insurance tax increase passed in the 2017 session. Source: Oregon Secretary of State Dennis Richardson Greenlights January Special Election on Tax Repeal – Willamette Week

Portland Business Alliance Asks Governor Kate Brown to Spend More Money on Portland Homeless Camp Cleanups

Letter sent Wednesday asks that the governor make sure Oregon Department of Transportation spends more to cleanup camps by the highways. It’s not unusual for the Portland Business Alliance to complain that the city’s  response to Portland’s problems with homelessness is inadequate. But this time, the group is complaining to Oregon Gov. Kate Brown. Source: Portland […]
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Anti-Peter Courtney Group Attacks His Support for Nepotism Exemptions

The group “Enough Courtney” has launched a second broadside against Oregon Senate President Peter Courtney (D-Salem), this time over hiring his wife—and protecting her position on his staff. Source: Anti-Peter Courtney Group Attacks His Support for Nepotism Exemptions – Willamette Week

FrightTown Settles With Oregon Justice Department, Agrees to Stop Claiming Some Proceeds Go to Charity

Things are getting scary for FrightTown, the city’s largest Halloween haunted house, located underneath Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Source: FrightTown Settles With Oregon Justice Department, Agrees to Stop Claiming Some Proceeds Go to Charity – Willamette Week

Erious Johnson, Jr. and Nkenge Harmon Johnson Agree to Settle Lawsuits Against State of Oregon

The state of Oregon announced today it has settled two high-profile lawsuits. Source: Erious Johnson, Jr. and Nkenge Harmon Johnson Agree to Settle Lawsuits Against State of Oregon – Willamette Week

Portland Woman Adds Allegations of Retaliation and Discrimination to Her Lawsuit Against State Sen. Rod Monroe

Monroe was the landlord at Red Rose Apartments where Areli Lopez lived in 2015. Lopez says in her suit that Monroe and his rental company failed to address a leaky roof for months and retaliated against her after she filed a lawsuit. Source: Portland Woman Adds Allegations of Retaliation and Discrimination to Her Lawsuit Against […]
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State Officials Say I-5 in the Rose Quarter Poses a Deadly Danger. Police Reports Undercut That Claim.

Adding lanes to the highway would not have prevented the two deaths cited by ODOT. Source: State Officials Say I-5 in the Rose Quarter Poses a Deadly Danger. Police Reports Undercut That Claim. – Willamette Week