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ROUGH & READY LUMBER, JOSEPHINE COUNTY’S LAST SAWMILL, A CASUALTY OF SOUTHWEST OREGON’S ENDURING TIMBER WARS

(Portland Oregonian) The last sawmill in Josephine County closes next week, a grim milestone in the persistent stalemate over logging that’s peculiar to this unique corner of Oregon.
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POT PRESSURE MOUNTS IN SALEM — OPINION

(Portland Oregonian)Only six months after the failure of the famously bad Measure 80, marijuana legalization advocates are demonstrating some serious smarts.
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BETSY JOHNSON MAKES FIRST APPEARANCE IN OREGON SENATE SINCE CAR ACCIDENT

(Portland Oregonian) Sen. Betsy Johnson returned to the floor of the Oregon Legislature Monday for the first time since she was injured in an April car accident, but shes not yet back for good.
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PERS, REVENUE CHATTER CONTINUES; RALLY AGAINST ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION: OREGON LEGISLATURE TODAY

(Portland Oregonian)Legislative leaders continue to talk behind the scenes about a possible deal on new taxes and cuts to public pensions, despite last Thursday’s deadline imposed by Gov. John Kitzhaber.
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MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION ADVOCATES PURSUE REFERRAL, BALLOT INITIATIVE TO LET VOTERS DECIDE

(Portland Oregonian)Marijuana legalization activists are pushing state lawmakers to let voters consider the sale and taxation of marijuana.
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OREGON HOUSE: PUT MARK HATFIELD’S STATUE IN CONGRESS AND SEND JASON LEE STATUE HOME

(Portland Oregonian)The late Sen. Mark Hatfield, Oregon’s most powerful elected leader of the late 20th Century, was a consummate politician who would have appreciated Monday’s debate in the Oregon House.
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BILL AIMS TO RETURN HATFIELD TO D.C.

(Salem Statesman Journal)-Statue would replace that of Jason Lee-

A statue of the founder of Salem is closer to being removed from the U.S. Capitol to make room for a proposed statue of former Oregon governor and U.S. Sen. Mark Hatfield.
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OREGON CAPITOL WATCH: EVENT TO HONOR LAND-USE PLANNING LAW

(Salem Statesman Journal)A reception is planned at 6 p.m. Thursday in the Capitol first-floor galleria to observe the 40th anniversary of Oregons land use planning law.
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BUY ONE, GET ONE FREE WITH OREGON LOTTERY

(Salem Statesman Journal)Oregonians who purchase a Powerball ticket before Wednesday will get a free Mega Millions ticket, the Oregon Lottery announced Monday.
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BALLOT DROP-OFF DEADLINE TONIGHT

(Salem Statesman Journal)-Dropboxes set up for special election-

Today is the final day to submit ballots for the 2013 special elections
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ANIMAL-RIGHTS VOLUNTEER ARRESTED FOR VIDEOTAPING JORDAN VALLEY RODEO

(Argus Observer)An animal-rights activist was arrested over the weekend at the Jordan Valley Big Loop Rodeo for videotaping the rodeo.
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BILL TARGETS 1994 COUGAR-HUNT BAN

(Oregon Public Broadcasting)A bill that would allow counties to opt out of an 18-year-old ban on sport-hunting cougars with hounds will get a public hearing Wednesday in Salem after an Oregon Senate committee opted to take up the issue.
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U.S. SENATE CONFIRMS MICHAEL MCSHANE FOR DISTRICT OF OREGON JUDGESHIP

(Oregon Public Broadcasting)The U.S. Senate has confirmed Michael McShane to serve on the U.S. District Court for Oregon.
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MOST OREGON COUNTIES SEE SLIGHT DROP IN UNEMPLOYMENT

(Oregon Public Broadcasting)Monday Oregon’s Employment Department released unemployment figures for the state’s 36 counties.
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DID STATE EMPLOYEES HELP PRO-FLUORIDE ADVOCATES ON STATE TIME?

(KATU)The leading group opposed to fluoridating Portland’s water plans to call for an official investigation by the secretary of state into the state agency that strongly supports community fluoridation.
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OREGON LAWMAKERS OK BILL TO ASSIST LA PINE

(KTVZ Bend)-Land sale proceeds can go to Hwy. 97 work-

Legislation to help the city of La Pine and Deschutes County with economic development cleared the Oregon Senate Monday on a 29-0 vote.
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IS THE FUTURE OF AMERICAN HEALTH CARE IN OREGON?

(Washington Post)The governor has a notion that you can move away from medical billing and towards a more flexible approach to health-care spending that makes more sense for the community, John McConnell, a health economist at Oregon Health and Science University, is telling me
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OREGON’S FOOD PROCESSORS THINK EXPORT MARKETS IN ASIA HOLD UNTAPPED OPPORTUNITY (Portland Oregonian)

Oregon’s immense harvest moves through Norpac’s automated packaging plant with a metallic click and pneumatic hiss. Tray after chattering tray of diced carrots, corn, peas and green beans are carried along conveyor belts, through vats, into troughs and across scales.
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CLACKAMAS COUNTY, ODOT AGREE TO START DESIGN ON TOLBERT OVERPASS, BUT DON’T APPEASE SUING BUSINESS OWNERS (Portland Oregonian)

A Sunrise Corridor overpass the Oregon Department of Transportation is being sued to build might become a reality without a judge’s order.
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HOUSE ACTION ON CHRISTMAS TREE FEE MAY SPUR OBAMA ADMINISTRATION TO MOVE ON ISSUE (Portland Oregonian)

Christmas tree growers fighting to win approval of a 15-cent-per-tree assessment to fund a marketing program got some good news this week from the House Agriculture Committee.
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IS PAID FAMILY LEAVE THE NORM MOST EVERYWHERE ELSE BUT U.S.? POLITIFACT OREGON (Portland Oregonian)

Family Forward Oregon and other advocates of paid leave descended on the state Capitol last week with a Mother’s Day message for legislators:

Want to be really mom-friendly?
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WAYS AND MEANS CHAIRMEN SAY OREGON BUDGET WILL GO FORWARD (Portland Oregonian)

The Democrats in charge of writing a new state budget said Friday theyre casting aside proposed tax increases and public-employee pension cuts and will begin advancing early pieces of a spending plan for the next two years.
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WITH ARRIVAL OF SHAD, SAY FAREWELL TO FRUSTRATIONS OF SALMON, SEA LIONS (Portland Oregonian)

Stupid salmon. Who needs them anyway…

It’s spring.
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PROGRAMS FOR ADDRESSING HUNGER IN OREGON DO WORK — GUEST OPINION (Portland Oregonian)

Today, too many Oregon families struggle to pay the rent and keep food in their cupboards. During times of economic downturn and hardship, we all might have moments of needing assistance. Fortunately, here in Oregon, there are safety net systems that help people meet their basic needs — to help them put a roof over their head or put food on the table.
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PROMISING IDEAS WHET APPETITE FOR TAX REFORM: AGENDA 2013 — OPINION (Portland Oregonian)

Some good ideas about tax reform actually exist in Salem. That was the hidden nugget of good news among the political posturing that surrounded the latest state revenue forecast last week.
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PROTECT LIFE-OR-DEATH HEART OF OREGON FAMILY LEAVE — OPINION (Portland Oregonian)

Work comes first, most of the time. You show up even if sick, tired and heartbroken; you grab an extra coffee and get ‘er done, because this is America, and that’s what people do.
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LET’S COLLABORATE TO PROMOTE COLLEGE AFFORDABILITY — GUEST OPINION (Portland Oregonian)

College students recently testified before the Oregon Legislature, and the pain of increasing tuition was clear on their faces, stressed from overworking, overborrowing and the constant worry that the next bill may be the tipping point.
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TOUGH THURSDAY IN SALEM; THE NEWS WAS TOO GOOD — OPINION (Portland Oregonian)

In John Kitzhaber’s first tour as governor, in the economically booming ’90s, the Legislature would wrestle over the budget for three months. Then the May revenue forecast would drop half a billion dollars out of the sky and everything would be solved.
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BLOOD DRIVE SET FOR CAPITOL (Salem Statesman Journal)

The Red Cross will hold a blood drive at the Capitol, the last for the 2013 session.
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DRIVER’S CARD PROTEST PLANNED (Salem Statesman Journal)

A Capitol rally is planned by critics of the Oregon law granting drivers cards to those who cannot prove legal presence in the United States and pending federal immigration legislation.
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LAST FURLOUGH DAY IS FRIDAY (Salem Statesman Journal)

Friday is the final day in the current budget cycle for many state offices to close and state workers to take unpaid furloughs.
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FOREST SMOKE PANEL TO MEET (Salem Statesman Journal)

The Smoke Management Committee will meet from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, May 23, in the board room of Building B at the Oregon Department of Forestry, 2600 State St., Salem.
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WONG: A CLOSER LOOK AT THE ECONOMICS BEHIND THE STATE REVENUE FORECAST — OPINION (Salem Statesman Journal)

While the attention of Oregon lawmakers and the public focused last week on revenue projections for the next two-year state budget, its worth pausing to look more closely at the economic forecast behind those numbers.
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AUDIT RAPS STATE OVER WELFARE; OFFICIALS DEFEND PROGRAMS (Salem Statesman Journal)

A recent audit from the secretary of state criticized Oregons public assistance programs, saying they were allowing too many people to benefit from federal programs for housing, health care and especially food.
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BILL WOULD LEGALIZE MEDICAL POT RETAILERS (Salem Statesman Journal)

-Oregon legislators call it step toward reining in abuses-

Oregon legislators are considering a bill to legalize and license medical marijuana retailers, calling it a step toward reining in abuses of the states 15-year-old effort to allow people to use pot for therapy.
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TIMBER COUNTRY FACING FUTURE OF UNCERTAINTY (Eugene Register-Guard)

-Once prosperous Oregon logging communities continue to struggle-

Jennifer Phillippis grandparents started producing lumber in this corner of Oregon timber country in 1922, when a man could set up a mill, log the trees within range of a team of horses and move the mill to a new stand when those trees ran out.
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DAYS OF WINE & GROSSES (Eugene Register-Guard)

-A new generation of customers and wine on tap add up to big sales-

Thank the 20-somethings who dont mind spending $7 for a glass of wine at dinner.
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INITIAL TSUNAMI CLEANUP FUNDS ON WAY (Eugene Register-Guard)

-Oregon is among those states receiving $250,000 as part of a gift from Japan-

Oregon and four other West Coast states affected by debris from the 2011 tsunami in Japan are about to receive an initial $250,000 each from a $5 million gift from Japan for cleanup.
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DEMOCRATS SAY STATE BUDGET WILL GO FORWARD (Eugene Register-Guard)

-Both parties are accusing each other of refusing to negotiate-

The Democrats in charge of writing a new state budget said Friday theyre casting aside proposed tax increases and public-employee pension cuts and will begin advancing early pieces of a spending plan for the next two years.
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AT LAST, A ROSY FORECAST — OPINION (Eugene Register-Guard)

Nothing but blue skies? Not yet. But the clouds are clearing.

State economists presented the most optimistic revenue forecast in years Thursday, projecting $16.9 billion in taxes and lottery proceeds for the 2013-15 budget cycle.
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ARMED FORCES DAY CELEBRATION OBSERVED AT CAPITOL (Albany Democrat Herald)

May 17, 2013

Gov. John Kitzhaber recognizes Oregon National Guard airmen and soldiers who recently returned from overseas deployments during the Armed Forces Day celebration Thursday at the Capitol Mall in Salem. From are Tech. Sgt. Alan Baker, Senior Master Sgt. Cody Pemberton, Capt. Scot Berg, and Staff Sgt. Sarah Summers.
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GREENLICK AND MONNES ANDERSON DIFFER OVER HEALTH INSURANCE RATE REVIEW CHANGES (The Lund Report)

May 17, 2013

Rep. Mitch Greenlick, D-Portland, is moving to bolster Oregons rate review process, even as Sen. Laurie Monnes Anderson, D-Gresham, continues to support a Regence BlueCross BlueShield provision that removed requirements from Senate Bill 413 that insurers notify consumers when they request steep rate increases from the state’s Insurance Division.
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CORMORANT CONTROL, PUBLIC MEETINGS, JASON LEE VS. MARK HATFIELD: OREGON LEGISLATURE TODAY

(Portland Oregonian)Remember when Depoe Bay cancelled its annual Independence Day fireworks show because of concerns that the noise would bother protected cormorants?

The 2012 incident of bird versus seaside village landed us in international news.
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GETTING MORE DOCTORS, NURSES INTO RURAL OREGON SHOULD WIN LEGISLATURE’S SUPPORT — OPINION

(Portland Oregonian)Oregonians living in rural settings can have a hard time finding adequate and prompt medical care. It’s either far away, too expensive or both.
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SEAPLANE PILOTS, PASSENGERS DESERVE ACCESS TO WALDO LAKE: GUEST OPINION — GUEST OPINION

(Portland Oregonian)Regarding the article “Waldo Lake motor ban passes” May 14: I have worked for five years to find a way for seaplanes, pilots and their passengers to be able to experience Waldo Lake in cooperation with other users. Instead, we have been completely shut out.
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TWO OREGON ARMY NATIONAL GUARDSMEN HONORED IN GRUELING BEST WARRIOR COMPETITION

(Portland Oregonian)A pair of Oregon Army National Guardsmen received honors in a regional Best Warrior Competition, the Oregon Military Department announced Sunday.
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STATE WORKERS NOTEBOOK: PERS MAKES UP LESS OF STATE BUDGET THAN LAWMAKERS SUGGEST

(Salem Statesman Journal)Further public pension cuts are unlikely this year, given that Gov. John Kitzhaber announced Thursday that Republicans had rejected a deal that would cut $442 million from the Public Employees Retirement System costs.
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SALEM DETAILS CHANGES TO WILLAMETTE RIVER BRIDGE PLAN

(Salem Statesman Journal)-City offers alternative option to reduce impacts-

West Salem resident David Canfield told the Salem City Council that hes watched the citys population triple over the years.
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THE GREEN EFFECT

(Eugene Register-Guard)-Local energy use appears to be declining as residents conserve-

University of Oregon biology Professor Chris Doe showers in water warmed in part by a rooftop solar water heater.
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PARENTING EDUCATION THE FOUNDATION FOR HEALTHY FAMILIES

(Eugene Register-Guard)Parenting education is one of the building blocks of a strong community.

In observance of the positive impact of parenting education, Gov. John Kitzhaber signed a proclamation declaring the week of May 19-25 as Oregon Parenting Education Week.
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ARMED FORCES DAY CELEBRATION OBSERVED AT CAPITOL

(Albany Democrat Herald)May 17, 2013

Gov. John Kitzhaber recognizes Oregon National Guard airmen and soldiers who recently returned from overseas deployments during the Armed Forces Day celebration Thursday at the Capitol Mall in Salem. From are Tech. Sgt. Alan Baker, Senior Master Sgt. Cody Pemberton, Capt. Scot Berg, and Staff Sgt. Sarah Summers.
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OREGON SENATE IN ‘HOLDING PATTERN’ AS INJURED SENATOR MULLS COMEBACK

(Oregon Public Broadcasting)A key Oregon state lawmaker could return to the capitol as early as this week. Democratic Senator Betsy Johnson broke her pelvis in a car accident last month. Her absence has delayed some potentially close votes.
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AN IN-DEBT EDUCATION

(Oregon Public Broadcasting)-Medford Mail Tribune-

Picking out an intricate melody on his classical guitar, Brandon Crafts looks across the quad of Southern Oregon University, notes his $6,000 student loan accumulated halfway through his freshman year, and acknowledges he’s headed for major debt by the time he graduates.
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REVENUE FORECAST SHINES, BUT NO DEAL ON PERS, TAXES AT OREGON LEGISLATURE

 (Portland Oregonian)Oregon’s steadily improving economy delivered a pleasant surprise to state lawmakers Thursday in the form of a $271 million windfall that can be spent on schools and safety net programs.
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OREGON HEALTH PLAN TRACKING REPORT RELEASED; FEDS TO MONITOR MEASURES

 (Portland Oregonian)The state has released its first quarterly report to track reforms to the Oregon Health Plan.

Under the reforms, managed care organizations that previously cared for the bulk of the low-income Oregonians have been beefed up to include hospitals and other providers, gained more freedom to direct spending, and are supposed to focus more on integrated care and prevention to control costs. The new groups are called coordinated care organizations, or CCOs.
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A PERS BILL FOR A SLAIN CORRECTIONS OFFICER: OREGON LEGISLATURE TODAY

 (Portland Oregonian)In 2011, Oregon corrections officer Buddy Herron was stabbed to death near Pendleton when he stopped to help what he thought was a stranded motorist on the roadway.
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OREGON AIR GUARD, AIR FORCE, SEEK TO ADD, EXPAND FIGHTER JET TRAINING SPACE OVER OREGON

 (Portland Oregonian)Oregon Air National Guard F-15s would be able to fly over expanded controlled airspaces and, in one case, lower in an existing zone, under a proposal being launched today by the National Guard Bureau and the Air Force.
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LICENSED MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES EXPECTED TO GENERATE $900,000 UNDER OREGON BILL

 (Portland Oregonian)Oregon would be home to an estimated 225 state-licensed medical marijuana retailers in the next two years if lawmakers pass a bill that would legalize such establishments, according to a state analysis.
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OREGON’S ATTORNEY GENERAL ARGUES IT’S TOO LATE FOR KIPLAND P. KINKEL TO CHALLENGE SENTENCE BEFORE STATE JUDGE

 (Portland Oregonian)Oregon’s attorney general contends that Kip Kinkel already has exhausted his appeals and it’s too late for him to ask a state judge to throw out his nearly 112-year sentence based on a U.S. Supreme Court ruling from last summer.
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OREGON COLLEGE SAVINGS BOARD LIFTS BARRIER TO INVESTING IN BOTH PLANS

 (Portland Oregonian)The board overseeing Oregon’s two college savings plans decided Thursday to allow investors to set up accounts in both plans for the benefit of one person.
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A PERS DILEMMA FOR REPUBLICANS: AGENDA 2013 — OPINION

 (Portland Oregonian)Gov. John Kitzhaber made many of his fellow Democrats very uncomfortable last year when he released a budget proposal that includes hundreds of millions of dollars in savings from the state’s pension system. If you want more money for schools and other services, the governor may as well have said, you’ll have to confront your sacred cow, public employee unions.
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MAY REVENUE FORECAST DELIVERS NEW NUMBERS, CLEAR CHOICES — OPINION

 (Portland Oregonian)State economists delivered a better-than-expected revenue forecast Thursday that leaves legislators with two distinct choices as they navigate a path to the end of the session.
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PERS REFORM IS VITAL TO A SCHOOL-FUNDING FIX — GUEST OPINION

 (Portland Oregonian)A recent article on Public Employees Retirement System reform and school budget effects, “Schools’ woes aren’t all on PERS” May 12, doesn’t adequately reflect our position and that of school districts struggling to avoid further teacher layoffs and shorter school calendars.
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KITZHABER SAYS ADDITIONAL PUBLIC PENSION REFORM IS DEAD

 (Salem Statesman Journal)Additional pension reform apparently is off the table in the Oregon Legislature.

Gov. John Kitzhaber announced Thursday evening that Republican leadership wouldnt agree to a compromise that included cuts to the Public Employees Retirement System and some tax increases.
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CARBON REPORT SHOWS OREGON’S PROGRESS

 (Salem Statesman Journal)Oregon remains among the states with the lowest energy-related carbon emissions in the country, according to a recent report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
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SENATE OKS BILL REQUIRING PREVAILING WAGE

 (Salem Statesman Journal)The Senate passed a bill Tuesday that will require contractors who do business with the Oregon University System to follow prevailing wage laws. House Bill 2646 received a 27-2 vote and will head to the House for approval. Oregon is one of 32 states to have a state-level prevailing wage, which is required on all state and local building projects. House Bill 2646 adds universities projects to the list.
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OREGON SENATE PASSES RESOLUTION HONORING MCLARAN

 (Salem Statesman Journal)The Oregon Senate honored Mike McLaran Thursday for his leadership and community service, unanimously passing a resolution in memory of the former chief executive officer of the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce who died recently.
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HEARING SET FOR COUGAR-HUNTING BILL

 (Salem Statesman Journal)A hearing is scheduled Wednesday on House Bill 2624A, which would allow decisions about the use of dogs to hunt cougars to be made by the voters in each county in Oregon.
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PSYCH BOARD CHAIR REQUESTED INVESTIGATION OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR– BLOG

 (Salem Statesman Journal)Psychiatric Security Review Board Executive Director Mary Claire Buckley was placed on leave after the board chair requested a state investigation into the PRSB’s management, according to Dept. of Administrative Services spokesman Matt Shelby.
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GOV. KITZHABER SAYS TAX, PERS COMPROMISE IS OFF THE TABLE

 (Salem Statesman Journal)Gov. John Kitzhaber offered up a plan to raise more revenue for education and mental health services at a press conference yesterday, which relied on a compromise on pension cuts and tax increases.
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GOVERNOR RECOGNIZES ASIANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS

 (Salem Statesman Journal)Gov. John Kitzhaber signed a proclamation today to recognize Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and the ethnic group that grew fastest in Oregon between 2000 and 2010.
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REACTIONS TO KITZHABERS CALL TO COMPROMISE

 (Salem Statesman Journal)Gov. John Kitzhaber held a press conference this afternoon where he unveiled a proposal he said could help Democrats and Republicans reach a compromise on taxes and PERS. Responses are already rolling in.
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REVENUE PICTURE BRIGHTENS

 (Eugene Register-Guard)-Legislative Republicans reject the governors proposal for new taxes and more cuts in PERS-

Lawmakers got the significant bump in projected state government revenues they were anticipating from the economic forecast released Thursday, but they didnt heed Gov. John Kitzhabers call for a bipartisan budget deal by the end of the day.
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OREGON LEGISLATURE PASSES THAT GUARDS WORKERS’ SOCIAL MEDIA PASSWORDS

 (Oregon Public Broadcasting)The Oregon Legislature has passed a bill barring bosses from demanding employees or job applicants turn over their Facebook passwords and other social media login information.
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STATE ECONOMIST: OREGON’S GROWTH RATE IMPROVING

 (Oregon Public Broadcasting)Oregon’s economic outlook is looking brighter. That’s according to state economists, who issued their quarterly revenue forecast Thursday. The news comes as lawmakers get ready to put together the state’s next two-year spending plan.
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INCREASED CORPORATE TAX COLLECTIONS COULD TRIGGER OREGON’S KICKER REBATE

 (Oregon Public Broadcasting)Better-than-expected tax collections could trigger Oregon’s unique kicker law, at least for corporations. The rebate is issued if revenues exceed initial projections by more than two percent. A newly released revenue forecast noted Thursday that business taxes have been robust enough to cross that threshold.
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OREGON GETS AN ‘A’ FOR DISCLOSING POLITICAL FUNDS

 (Oregon Public Broadcasting)Oregon’s political finance database earned an A-grade on a new review of state disclosure laws from the National Institute on Money in State Politics.

The Institute’s Denise Roth Barber says Oregon and Washington were among 15 states that received an A-grade.
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KITZHABER CHALLENGES LAWMAKERS TO PASS ADDITIONAL PENSION CUTS, TAX HIKES

 (Oregon Public Broadcasting)On the eve of a new state revenue forecast, Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber is putting pressure on state lawmakers to reach a deal over taxes and public pensions. The Democrat proposed a compromise Wednesday aimed at pleasing Republicans and Democrats in the legislature.
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SURVEY: MORE THAN 2,000 HOMELESS IN JANUARY’S CENTRAL OREGON COUNT

 (Oregon Public Broadcasting)The Central Oregon Homeless Leadership Coalition says it found more than 2,000 people without shelter when it did its annual one-day homeless count for the region.
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JOHN KITZHABER: OREGON LEGISLATURE MUST MAKE A GRAND BARGAIN OR CUTS TO SCHOOLS

(Portland Oregonian)Gov. John Kitzhaber announced Wednesday that bipartisan talks in the Oregon Senate have yielded a path toward a grand bargain including new taxes and public pension cuts.
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GREG SILVER TO BECOME NEWEST MULTNOMAH COUNTY CIRCUIT JUDGE

(Portland Oregonian)Governor John Kitzhaber announced Wednesday that he is appointing a pro-tem judge to a full-fledged judge position in Multnomah County Circuit Court.
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JOHN KITZHABER’S PLAN FOR TAX, PERS BARGAIN GETS MIXED REACTION

(Portland Oregonian)Gov. John Kitzhaber turned up the heat on the Oregon Legislature Wednesday, telling lawmakers to seal a deal Thursday on taxes and public pension spending or settle for a budget that could lead to more cuts to schools and services.
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ON HIGHER EDUCATION, IT’S FINALS TIME FOR THE LEGISLATURE

(Portland Oregonian)It now seems clear that Oregon universities will finish their academic year before the Oregon Legislature completes its restructuring of the university system. But with just a few weeks of the session left, and with budget issues capable of filling all that time, the Legislature should still try to avoid taking an incomplete.
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REVENUE FORECAST; WILDFIRE DAMAGES: OREGON LEGISLATURE TODAY

(Portland Oregonian)All eyes will be trained on the 8:30 a.m. state revenue forecast, which will go a long way in determining how the 2013-15 state budget shakes out.
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PRIVATE OREGON POKER CLUBS ARE NOT ‘SCOFFLAW, OUTLAW ORGANIZATIONS,’ SAYS FAN

(Portland Oregonian)The debate over Portland’s private poker clubs heated up Wednesday, with a lawmaker charging they are operating illegally and players countering that they’re safe, fun places to socialize in.
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OREGON’S HOSPITAL TAX: THE LEGISLATIVE EQUIVALENT OF FIGHTING OVER DEBT LIMIT?

(Portland Oregonian)Just about everyone in the Oregon Capital knows that state legislators have to pass the hospital tax, but it’s been taken hostage as part of the infighting over the budget and how much to cut the Public Employees Retirement System.
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ON HIGHER EDUCATION, IT’S FINALS TIME FOR THE LEGISLATURE — OPINION

(Portland Oregonian)It now seems clear that Oregon universities will finish their academic year before the Oregon Legislature completes its restructuring of the university system. But with just a few weeks of the session left, and with budget issues capable of filling all that time, the Legislature should still try to avoid taking an incomplete.
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GOOD INTENTIONS AND REGULATORY BURDENS: AGENDA 2013 — OPINION

(Portland Oregonian)It’s easy to understand why businesses might object to big tax hikes and other policy changes that affect them in dramatic fashion. It’s not always obvious, on the other hand, why they might object to incremental policy changes such as a proposal to allow employees to take bereavement leave under the Oregon Family Leave Act.
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GOP PROVIDER TAX THREAT COULD LEAVE STATE UNPROVIDED: — OPINION

(Portland Oregonian)This week, the Oregon House of Representatives overwhelmingly renewed the state’s health provider tax, the one that gets the state about twice as much from the feds as the providers pay. Senate Republicans, reportedly, plan to refuse to pass it unless Senate Democrats agree to deeper cuts in PERS.
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PARTY LEADERS DIFFER ON GOVERNOR’S BUDGETARY PLAN

(Salem Statesman Journal)-Lawmakers closely eye today’s economic forecast-

As lawmakers await todays forecast that will shape the next state budget, their leaders offered differing opinions about a plan that Gov. John Kitzhaber laid out Wednesday to break a stalemate over the budget.
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GOV. KITZHABER SUPPORTS REDUCING MONEY MATCH BENEFITS FOR SOME FORMER PUBLIC EMPLOYEES

(Salem Statesman Journal)Gov. John Kitzhaber scolded lawmakers and issued an ultimatum Wednesday at a press conference where he presented a compromise on pension cuts and tax increases.
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KLAMATH COUNTY RAIDS TARGET RURAL DRUGS-AND-GUNS RING

(Salem Statesman Journal)More than 300 local, state and federal officers, some in camouflage gear and helmets, fanned out across rural Klamath County in the pre-dawn darkness Wednesday and arrested 38 people accused of operating a methamphetamine and gun distribution network connected to Mexican drug cartels.
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ARMED FORCES DAY WILL INCLUDE GUN SALUTES

(Salem Statesman Journal)Area residents can expect to hear loud cannon booms about noon today or shortly after, as the Oregon National Guard celebrates Armed Forces Day on the state Capitol Mall.
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GUARD STARTS DRONE FLIGHTS FROM PENDLETON AIRPORT

(Salem Statesman Journal)The Oregon Army National Guard has begun flying drones over civilian airspace from the airport in Pendleton, using a smaller, unarmed version of the Predator drone.
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REACTIONS TO KITZHABERS CALL TO COMPROMISE– BLOG

(Salem Statesman Journal)Gov. John Kitzhaber held a press conference this afternoon where he unveiled a proposal he said could help Democrats and Republicans reach a compromise on taxes and PERS. Responses are already rolling in.
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KITZHABER OFFERS BUDGET DEAL

(Eugene Register-Guard)-The governors proposal calls for tax increases and cuts to the Public Employees Retirement System-

Gov. John Kitzhaber has offered a budget proposal that he believes could end the apparent impasse between Republican and Democratic lawmakers on what have become the linked issues of tax increases and further cost-curbing changes to public employee pensions.
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COACH ACCOUNTABILITY BILL MAY CHANGE

(Eugene Register-Guard)-The backer of the plan to hold public university athletic coaches liable for NCAA violations considers amending it-

Chip Kelly, if he was nervous, can breathe a sigh of relief.
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DE MUNIZ APOLOGIZES TO LAWMAKERS– BLOG

(Willamette Week)Former Oregon Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul De Muniz issued a written mea culpa to lawmakers today in the wake of a story that appeared in the current print edition of WW.
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KITZHABER CHALLENGES LAWMAKERS TO PASS ADDITIONAL PENSION CUTS, TAX HIKES

(Oregon Public Broadcasting)On the eve of a new state revenue forecast, Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber is putting pressure on state lawmakers to reach a deal over taxes and public pensions. The Democrat proposed a compromise Wednesday aimed at pleasing Republicans and Democrats in the legislature.
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2 NEW OREGON TRAINS NAMED MT. JEFFERSON, MT. BACHELOR

(Oregon Public Broadcasting)Two names were favored in an online public survey to name two new Oregon Department of Transportation trains that will haul Amtrak passengers between Eugene and Vancouver, British Columbia.
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KITZHABER CHALLENGES LAWMAKERS TO PASS ADDITIONAL PENSION CUTS, TAX HIKES

(Oregon Public Broadcasting)On the eve of a new state revenue forecast, Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber is putting pressure on state lawmakers to reach a deal over taxes and public pensions. The Democrat proposed a compromise Wednesday aimed at pleasing Republicans and Democrats in the legislature.
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NISSAN ELECTRIC CAR SALES BOOMING IN PACIFIC NORTHWEST

(Oregon Public Broadcasting)The automaker Nissan says sales of its fully electric Leaf compact surpassed all other Nissan models at dealers in the Seattle and Portland areas this spring. The announcement Wednesday runs counter to the prevailing wisdom that adoption of plug-in cars has been sluggish.
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THREE YEARS IN, OREGON’S ECONOMIC RECOVERY MAKES SOME GAINS, FACES LONG PATH AHEAD

 (Portland Oregonian)Take a look at Pacific Pie Co., and see a sliver of Oregon’s economic recovery.

The Southeast Portland bakeshop will open a second location across the Willamette this summer and add 20 to the three dozen it already employs.
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FLOODED HOMES, RECKLESS COACHES, POKER ROOMS: OREGON LEGISLATURE TODAY

 (Portland Oregonian)On Thursday, lawmakers will find out how much in tax money they can spend over the next two years, when state economists reveal the latest state revenue forecast.
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OREGON HOUSE PASSES HOSPITAL TAX, BUT IT’S STILL PART OF SENATE PERS DEBATE

 (Portland Oregonian)The Oregon House approved a major piece of the Oregon Health Authoritys budget Tuesday, including provisions extending taxes on hospitals and long-term care facilities, but the bill appears destined to be held up by Senate Republicans.
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OREGON LIQUOR CONTROL BOARD CHAIRWOMAN RESIGNS

 (Salem Statesman Journal)Cassandra Skinner, chairwoman of the Oregon Liquor Control Commission, announced her resignation Tuesday.

Skinner joined the board in June 2009 and was appointed its chair by Gov. John Kitzhaber in July 2011. Her resignation takes effect at the end of June.
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PERS PROCESS QUICKER THIS TIME THAN 10 YEARS AGO

 (Salem Statesman Journal)It took one month from introduction to final vote for a bill that cut public retirees pension benefits to pass the Oregon Legislature this year.
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PRISON MENTAL HEALTH WORKERS SEEK 25 PERCENT RAISE

 (Salem Statesman Journal)A group of mental health workers in the Department of Corrections is asking the state for a 25 percent raise, an increase almost unheard of in todays political climate.
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HOUSE OKS EXTENSION OF HOSPITAL ASSESSMENTS

 (Salem Statesman Journal)Gov. John Kitzhaber urged swift action Tuesday after the House approved an extension of Oregons assessments on hospitals and long-term care facilities, money from which the state will recoup more than $1 billion in federal Medicaid funds.
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HOUSE PANEL GIVES GREEN LIGHT TO ROAD-USAGE CHARGE BILL

 (Salem Statesman Journal)State lawmakers set a rate Tuesday for a new road-usage charge for highly fuel-efficient vehicles, advancing the bill to the next committee.
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KITZHABER’S TEACHER TRAINING BILL DEBATED

 (Salem Statesman Journal)Lawmakers heard pros and cons Tuesday about Gov. John Kitzhabers plan for $55 million to expand teacher training, a component of his effort to overhaul public education.
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UNIVERSITIES NOW HAVE TO FOLLOW PREVAILING WAGE LAWS– BLOG

 (Salem Statesman Journal)The Senate passed a bill this morning that will require contractors who do business with the Oregon University System to follow prevailing wage laws.
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SENATE REPUBLICANS SAY PERS REFORM STILL NEEDED EVEN IF STATE HAS MORE REVENUE– BLOG

 (Salem Statesman Journal)Senate Republicans spoke on the floor this morning about what they said is the continued need for PERS reform, even if the state revenue forecast comes in as high as expected on Thursday.
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PROS, CONS AIRED ON GOV. KITZHABER’S PLAN FOR TEACHER TRAINING

 (Salem Statesman Journal)An official of Salem-Keizer schools said today that a plan by Gov. John Kitzhaber would strengthen current district efforts to improve teacher training.
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NONPROFITS, HEALTH CLINICS SEE BIGGER ROLES

 (Eugene Register-Guard)Its not just businesses that are struggling to make sense of health care reform and its possible impacts.

Local nonprofit and government health clinics that have served low-income and uninsured people for years are trying to figure out whether their roles will change with health care reform.
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HOUSE OKS RENEWAL OF SPECIAL TAX ON BIG HOSPITALS, NURSING HOMES

 (Eugene Register-Guard)-The key part of the Oregon Health Plan funding is likely to be held up by Republicans in the Senate-

The Oregon House easily approved on Tuesday the renewal of special taxes on large hospitals and long-term nursing homes, a key assumed component of the states upcoming two-year spending plan.
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WALDO LAKE GAS ENGINE BAN SENT TO GOVERNOR

 (Eugene Register-Guard)Waldo Lake is likely to be free of gas-powered engines, including seaplanes, this summer and perhaps long into the future.
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COUNTING CARDS

 (Willamette Week)-A state audit says the Department of Human Services isnt tracking food-stamp fraud.-

In the wrong hands, food stamps can buy a lot more than milk and bread.

State officials say they know theres a black market for Oregon Trail cards, the electronic debit-style cards used by poor people to buy groceries.
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THIS ROBE FOR HIRE

 (Willamette Week)-A retired chief justice of the state Supreme Court lobbies for the insurance industry.-

Last week, the Hon. Paul J. De Muniz, recently retired chief justice of the Oregon Supreme Court, strode into a state capitol hearing room to offer his legal opinion on a bill being debated by lawmakers.
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OREGON UNEMPLOYMENT DROPS TO 8 PERCENT

 (Oregon Public Broadcasting)Aprils unemployment rate dropped from 8.2 percent to 8 percent, the lowest mark in nearly four years, according to the Oregon Employment Department.
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DRONING ON

 (Oregon Public Broadcasting)The loud, lawnmower-like whirr that filled the runway for the first time Monday afternoon could become commonplace at the Eastern Oregon Regional Airport.
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OREGON HOSPITAL TAX BECOMES POLITICAL BARGAINING CHIP

 (Oregon Public Broadcasting)The Oregon House Tuesday approved a measure to renew a tax paid by hospitals and long-term care facilities. The concept isn’t controversial since the institutions that pay it are largely reimbursed by federal Medicaid dollars. But the vote became a skirmish in a larger political battle in Salem.
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KITZHABER TO SIGN BILL BANNING MOTORBOATS AND SEAPLANES ON WALDO LAKE

 (Oregon Public Broadcasting)Governor John Kitzhaber says he plans to sign a bill soon that bans motor boats and seaplanes on Waldo Lake in Central Oregon.

The bill has now cleared the house, more than a month after gaining approval in the Senate.
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OREGON EXCHANGE RELEASES PROPOSED PRICES, INSURANCE CO. CONSIDERS DROP

 (Oregon Public Broadcasting)At least one health insurance company may lower rates — following the release of proposed prices on Oregon’s new health insurance exchange. The state has given all insurers until Friday to make price adjustments.
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SCHOOLS’ SUPPORTERS FACE QUESTIONS IN LEGISLATURE

 (Oregon Public Broadcasting)Backers of a $55 million proposal to improve Oregon’s classroom instruction faced questions from legislators this Monday.

$10 million for teacher-mentors, $12 million to help schools collaborate, and millions for teacher training are all part of a proposal to improve instruction.
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HOSPITAL TAXES; ENERGY EFFICIENT APPLIANCES

 (Portland Oregonian)The Oregon House could have its hands full today with a couple of controversial bills, one dealing with hospital taxes, the other with energy efficient appliances.
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PSYCHIATRIC SECURITY REVIEW BOARD PLACED ON LEAVE AMID STATE INVESTIGATION

 (Portland Oregonian)The executive director of the Psychiatric Security Review Board is on paid administrative leave amid an investigation of board management, state officials said Monday.
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ALLEGED ABUSE AT LINCOLN CITY DAY CARE BY 4-YEAR-OLD BRINGS MORE LAWSUITS

 (Portland Oregonian)A second 4-year-old girl and her mother sued a Lincoln City day care Monday for $3.5 million claiming the center repeatedly failed to protect the child from another 4-year-old.
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ETHANOL PLANT IN CLATSKANIE, BUILT WITH $36 MILLION IN OREGON LOANS AND CREDITS, NOW SHIPPING CRUDE OIL

 (Portland Oregonian)Cascade Grain’s $200 million ethanol plant was supposed to be an environmental success story for Oregon, with the state plowing in $36 million of green loans and tax credits to help make it so.
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OREGON SCHOOLS’ FINANCIAL WOES AREN’T ALL BECAUSE OF PERS

 (Portland Oregonian)Whether in Hillsboro, The Dalles, Tigard or Seaside, the same scene has played out this spring: disheartening school budget presentations predicting teacher layoffs, shortened school years, school closures and other educational amputations for the coming school year.
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OREGON HOUSE GIVES FINAL LEGISLATIVE APPROVAL OF BAN ON MOTORS, SEAPLANES ON WALDO LAKE

 (Portland Oregonian)Kayakers, canoeists and other recreation enthusiasts will soon be able to enjoy Waldo Lake without disruptions from motorboats and seaplanes.
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LEGISLATURE NEARS VOTE ON EXTENDING TAX ON HOSPITALS, NURSING HOMES

 (Portland Oregonian) The Oregon Legislature is nearing a vote on extending a tax on hospitals and nursing homes, but Senate Republicans are vowing to block it in hopes of extracting tougher cuts to public-employee pensions.
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OREGON’S UPSTART HEALTH CO-OPS TO CHALLENGE MAINSTREAM INSURERS

 (Portland Oregonian)Armed with hefty federal loans, two startup health insurers are jumping into a crowded and confusing Oregon market just as the biggest changes to U.S. health care in generations roll out this fall.
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OREGON SOLDIERS MUST SHARE DAMAGE AWARD IN KBR SUIT WITH STATE, JUDGE RULES

 (Portland Oregonian)Twelve Oregon National Guard soldiers and veterans who won a multimillion-dollar negligence award against defense contractor KBR Inc. will not be able to keep it all for themselves, a federal judge in Portland has ruled.
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STATE BARS LANE COUNTY FROM APPLYING FOR FEDERAL BLOCK GRANTS

 (Portland Oregonian)The state of Oregon has suspended Lane County for three years from applying for federal community development block grants because of mistakes in overseeing a $1 million rural water treatment project.
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LAWMAKERS MUST FOCUS ON THE LONG HAUL — OPINION

 (Portland Oregonian)You can almost see the silent prayers rising from the heads of lawmakers in the state Capitol building in Salem as they wait for the next state economic forecast due this week.
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LOGGING PROTESTERS SHOULD FACE FINANCIAL, MORE THAN CRIMINAL, LIABILITY — OPINION

 (Portland Oregonian)The Elliott State Forest, east of Reedsport, is but a sliver of some 30 million acres of private and public timberland in Oregon. But whether its trees can be cut according to state plan runs beneath a debate in the Legislature over logging on all state lands and those who would protest the practice.
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‘BAD ACTOR’ BILL GETTING ATTENTION

 (Salem Statesman Journal)-Legislators looking into health care feud-

A legal dispute between Salem Health and the local coordinated care organization has turned into a statewide issue.

State legislators weighed in Monday by considering whether they should allow board members of the coordinated care organizations to be booted off the board if they refuse to cooperate in health care transformation efforts.
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PSYCHIATRIC SECURITY REVIEW BOARD DIRECTOR PLACED ON LEAVE

 (Salem Statesman Journal)-State investigating psychiatric panel-

Mary Claire Buckley, the executive director of the state Psychiatric Security Review Board, was placed on paid administrative leave May 2, according to the Department of Administrative Services.
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WALDO LAKE SEA PLANE, GAS MOTOR BAN PASSES HOUSE

 (Salem Statesman Journal)The Oregon House of Representatives voted 37-20 Monday to approve a prohibition on the use of gas-powered motor boats and sea planes on Waldo Lake, a popular recreation site east of Eugene.
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AGENCIES PREPARE FOR INTENSE OREGON WILDFIRE SEASON

 (Salem Statesman Journal)In terms of the oncoming Oregon fire season, multiple agencies have prepared for the worst.

The Oregon Department of Forestry is prepared for an intense fire season brought on by low levels of precipitation and warm temperatures as the federal government released information Monday on the national 2013 wildfire season.
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TEACHERS PUSH FOR IMPROVED MENTORING

 (Salem Statesman Journal)-Talks continue today on plan to increase training for educators-

Two Salem-Keizer teachers told lawmakers Monday why Oregon schools would benefit from Gov. John Kitzhabers plan for expanded teacher training, including a mentoring program of which they are a part.
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RISING HOUSING COSTS BURDEN WORKING FAMILIES IN OREGON

 (Salem Statesman Journal)The rate of employed families with a severe housing cost burden has been steadily increasing nationwide but its particularly bad in Oregon, where one in four employed families face a severe burden, according to a recent report.
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HOUSE TO VOTE ON HOSPITAL TAX

 (Salem Statesman Journal)The House is scheduled to vote this morning on a two-year extension of Oregons assessment on hospitals.

The tax is intended to recoup more than $1 billion in federal funds for health care, including the hospitals that pay the assessment.
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OREGON NATIONAL GUARD TO MAKE HISTORY WITH UNMANNED AERIAL FLIGHT

 (Salem Statesman Journal)The Oregon National Guard is scheduled to conduct the first ever Unmanned Aerial System UAS flight in the National Airspace System at 1 p.m. today at the Army Aviation Support Facility #2 in Pendleton.
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STATUE OF MARK HATFIELD MAY REPLACE STATE PIONEER

 (Eugene Register-Guard)-A bill to place a likeness of the longtime senator and governor in Washington, D.C., advances in the Legislature-

Oregon lawmakers are forging ahead with a plan to erect a statue of former Sen. Mark Hatfield in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., a move that will require them to yank a statue of pioneer and missionary Jason Lee thats been there since 1953.
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ADOPTION BILL AIMS FOR MORE ACCESS TO PAPERWORK

 (Oregon Public Broadcasting)Oregon lawmakers are considering a measure that would make it easier for people who were adopted as children to access court records about their biological family. A House committee could vote to advance the measure Tuesday.
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SCHOOLS’ SUPPORTERS FACE QUESTIONS IN LEGISLATURE

 (Oregon Public Broadcasting)Backers of a $55 million proposal to improve Oregon’s classroom instruction faced questions from legislators this Monday.
Rudy Crew

$10 million for teacher-mentors, $12 million to help schools collaborate, and millions for teacher training are all part of a proposal to improve instruction.
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OREGON CHANCELLOR WORRIES ABOUT AFFORDABILITY

 (Oregon Public Broadcasting)The interim chancellor of the Oregon University system says she’s worried that continuous tuition increases are going to stop enrollment growth at Oregon’s public universities.
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OREGON HEALTH OFFICIALS EXPECT VIBRANT ONLINE MARKETPLACE FOR INSURANCE

 (Oregon Public Broadcasting)It looks like Oregon will have a vibrant online marketplace when the new health insurance exchange starts this fall.
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AS I SEE IT: AS I SEE IT LAWMAKERS, SUPPORT OREGON CULTURAL TRUST

 (Corvallis Gazette-Times)Every so often the people of Oregon, the governor, and the Legislature do something thats not only right, but something that stands out in part because its innovative. We all can be proud of Oregons innovations: the Beach Bill, the Bottle Bill, vote-by-mail and the Oregon Cultural Trust.
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OREGON SCHOOLS’ FINANCIAL WOES AREN’T ALL BECAUSE OF PERS (Portland Oregonian)

Whether in Hillsboro, The Dalles, Tigard or Seaside, the same scene has played out this spring: disheartening school budget presentations predicting teacher layoffs, shortened school years, school closures and other educational amputations for the coming school year.
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OREGON LEGISLATURE JOBS AGENDA: BROWNFIELDS, TAXES AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT (Portland Oregonian)

If you’re wondering why Oregon politicians aren’t talking about jobs much, don’t go away.

Budget talks in the Oregon Legislature begin in earnest this week and the state’s top budget writers will be weighing initiatives to spur industrial development, refund the state’s brownfield program and boost workforce development against funding for other state services.
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FINANCIALLY TROUBLED OREGON COUNTIES FACE CRITICAL TURNING POINT LOCALLY, IN LEGISLATURE AND IN D.C. (Portland Oregonian)

In Grants Pass last month, officials locked down an elementary school while police searched for a burglar with a stolen rifle. Officers found the suspect with the loaded rifle hiding in a nearby shed, but cited and released him because the Josephine County jail didn’t have room.
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DR. KITZHABER DIAGNOSES AN OREGON MEDICAID STUDY — OPINION (Portland Oregonian)

In the New England Journal of Medicine, it seemed as though medicine didn’t get a very good review.

Or maybe Oregon didn’t.
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REPUBLICANS DRAW OREGON HOSPITAL TAX INTO DEBATE OVER PERS (Portland Oregonian)

A tax on big city hospitals became the latest hostage in the fight over public pensions Friday, raising the stakes of ongoing budget negotiations between Democrats and Republicans in the Oregon Legislature.
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LAWMAKERS CONSIDER EXPANDING STATE LEAVE LAWS THAT BUSINESS LEADERS SAY ARE ALREADY TOO GENEROUS, COMPLEX (Portland Oregonian)

Jenna Passalacqua said “there was no way” she could have gone to work the day after her mother, Cindy Yuille, was fatally shot at Clackamas Town Center in December.
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WYDEN SAYS HE WILL ‘LAY OUT STRATEGY’ THIS MONTH FOR A SUCCESSFUL O&C FORESTLANDS BILL (Portland Oregonian)

Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden says he’s preparing to assemble a bill on the state’s Oregon and California railroad lands that “can pass the Senate and the House and actually get signed by the president.”
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OREGON LEGISLATIVE LEADERS RETREAT TO NEGOTIATE DEAL ON PERS AND TAXES (Portland Oregonian)

Forget the grand floor speeches and the public hearings. The real action of the 2013 Oregon Legislature has moved behind closed doors.
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OREGON HOUSE BILL COULD STOP PROPOSED STAFFORD-AREA COMPOSTING FACILITY (Portland Oregonian)

A bill introduced this week in the Legislature, if passed, could prevent a controversial composting facility from being built in the Stafford area.

Rep. Julie Parrish, R-West Linn, and other area lawmakers have introduced House Bill 3527, which would prohibit putting a composting facility within 1,500 feet of a school.
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IT’S TIME FOR OREGON LEADERS TO TAKE ACTION ON GUN SAFETY — GUEST OPINION (Portland Oregonian)

This is the first Mother’s Day without Cindy in our lives, as Saturday marks five months since she was murdered at the Clackamas Town Center. Like thousands of other families across Oregon, we are now faced with the loss of a loved one to gun violence.
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IF DONE RIGHT, OREGON WOULD BENEFIT FROM A SALES TAX — GUEST OPINION (Portland Oregonian)

In his guest column of April 3, “A sales tax is the wrong place to start,” a rebuttal to an Oregonian editorial arguing for a sales tax, Chuck Sheketoff of the Oregon Center for Public Policy offers the standard liberal-left case against the tax: “A sales tax is inherently regressive.
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OREGON TO END ONE FORECLOSURE AVOIDANCE PROGRAM, EXPAND ANOTHER (Portland Oregonian)

Oregon homeowners who are behind on their mortgage, but who could afford their monthly payments if made current, have one last chance to apply for a federally funded program to help them avoid foreclosure.
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AGENCY RELEASES LIST OF RECOMMENDED ADULT VACCINES (Salem Statesman Journal)

Tdap, zoster, MMR any of those sound familiar?

If not, and youre an adult, you might want to check on your vaccination history with your doctor. The Oregon Health Authority recommends that adults of various ages have those and several other immunizations.
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FEDERAL JOBS IN OREGON SHRINKING (Salem Statesman Journal)

The concentration of federal employees in Oregon has always been small, but shrinking numbers mean its smaller than ever, according to data from the state Employment Department.
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STATE ECONOMIST DISCUSSES FORECASTING FOR OREGON’S BUDGET (Salem Statesman Journal)

Mark McMullen knew his path would take him back to Oregon, where he has been the state economist for about two years.
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TRAFFIC SAFETY PANEL WILL MEET, CONSIDER REPORTS (Salem Statesman Journal)

Approval of the 2014 transportation safety performance plan will be considered by the Transportation Safety Committee, which advises the Oregon Department of Transportation.
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DEADLINE EXTENDED FOR COURT POSITIONS (Salem Statesman Journal)

Gov. John Kitzhaber has extended to July 1 the deadline for applications for three new judgeships on the Oregon Court of Appeals.
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PARK MANAGER FOREVER LOOKING ON BRIGHT SIDE (Salem Statesman Journal)

If you searched every inch of the globe, scoured the continents and traveled to every country, it might be possible to find a person more upbeat than Ryan Sparks.

But it wouldnt be easy.
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FORMER ORE. LEGISLATOR RETURNS TO DISCUSS NEW ROLE WITH USDA — OPINION (Salem Statesman Journal)

During her decade in the Oregon Legislature, Vicki Walker knew how to draw attention to her causes.

Now, as Oregons director of rural development for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Walker is largely out of the headlines.
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THIRD BRIDGE REMAINS A SOUND PROJECT — OPINION (Salem Statesman Journal)

-Some decisions can be put off, but it’s time to move ahead-

Salem is years away from having a third traffic bridge across the Willamette River, but it is making progress.
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OREGON CHANCELLOR WORRIES ABOUT AFFORDABILITY (Salem Statesman Journal)

The interim chancellor of the Oregon University system says she’s worried that continuous tuition increases are going to stop enrollment growth at Oregon’s public universities.
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ESTHER JENSEN, OFFICE LEADER AT STAYTON DMV (Salem Statesman Journal)

Name: Esther Jensen

Agency: Oregon Department of Transportation

Title: Office leader at Stayton DMV
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AGENCY RELEASES LIST OF RECOMMENDED ADULT VACCINES (Salem Statesman Journal)

Tdap, zoster, MMR any of those sound familiar?

If not, and youre an adult, you might want to check on your vaccination history with your doctor.
_________________________________________

COALITION BACKS EXTENSION OF HOSPITAL TAX (Salem Statesman Journal)

A coalition of business and health-care groups backs a two-year extension of an assessment on Oregons hospitals intended to recoup more than $1 billion in federal funds for health care.
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TIME TO ADDRESS PERS IS RUNNING OUT — OPINION (Salem Statesman Journal)

The governor is back in town after an overseas trip to Bhutan to study that kingdoms concept of gross national happiness. The state Legislature is halfway through its general session in Salem having tackled pressing issues such as raccoon feeding, community poker rooms, Internet dating and the state microbe.
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DO WE HAVE THE POLITICAL WILL TO DO WHAT WORKS? — GUEST OPINION (Salem Statesman Journal)

Oregons record of leading the nation in health achievements is proven, and our latest undertaking in the form of health care transformation finds us once again at the front of the pack. Where we are not leading, however, is in how we protect our children from the dangers of tobacco.
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MAKING THE MOST OF THE MANDATE (Eugene Register-Guard)

-Oregon breaks new ground in response to federal reforms-

The Affordable Care Act is the biggest overhaul of the U.S. health care system since Medicare and Medicaid were created in 1965.
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OREGON RESIDENTS FACE CONFUSION, LACK OF INFORMATION ABOUT INSURANCE REQUIREMENT (Eugene Register-Guard)

Springfield couple Donna Delaney and Darryl Fink moved to Oregon from central New York three years ago, when Finks employer, a chemical manufacturer, agreed to transfer him to increase West Coast sales.
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COUNTY UNDER BLOCK GRANT BAN (Eugene Register-Guard)

-The state has barred applications for three years because of mistakes over a Row River water treatment plant-

In an unusually severe penalty, the state has barred Lane County from applying for federal community development block grants for three years because of numerous mistakes county government made in overseeing a $1 million federal grant to upgrade a water treatment plant for residents along the Row River in the rural southeastern part of the county.
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LEGISLATURE WADES INTO VACCINATION DEBATE (Eugene Register-Guard)

-A Senate proposal would require proof of parental study on the issue-

With the nations highest rate of parents refusing vaccinations for their kindergartners, Oregon has become ground zero for the contentious debate over whether children should be vaccinated.
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A TAX CREDIT THAT WORKS (Medford Mail Tribune)

-Film production fund has been well worth the investment for Oregon-

If you’ve watched “Portlandia” or “Grimm” in the past couple of years, you’ve seen the value of the Oregon Production Investment Fund, which reimburses filmmakers, television productions and others in those industries for some of the cost of doing business here. The fund is largely filled with money from donors who receive tax credits for their generosity.
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KEEP OREGON UNIQUE — OPINION (Medford Mail Tribune)

-Cultural Trust Tax Credit will sunset this year; lawmakers should renew it-

Oregon’s one-of-a-kind support system for arts and culture is in danger of disappearing if the Legislature does not act this year.

At risk is the Oregon Cultural Trust Tax Credit, which allows state residents to increase the money they already give to their nonprofit organizations supporting the arts, culture and humanities at no cost to themselves.
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OLCC SHELVES LIQUOR APPLICATION FOR DIAMONDS GENTLEMEN’S CLUB (Willamette Week)

The Oregon Liquor Control Commission has inactivated the liquor-license application for Diamonds Gentlemen’s Club because the Laurelhurst strip club’s operators won’t provide information about who owns it.
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REP. BENTZ NAMED TO SMALL BUSINESS TASK FORCE (Argus Observer)

Oregon Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Ontario, was appointed this week by House Speaker Tina Kotek, D-Portland, to the Oregon House Small Business Task Force.

The Task Force will be co-chaired by Rep. Brent Barton, D-Oregon City, and Rep. Tim Freeman, R-Roseburg. Other members on the committee are: Rep. Caddy McKeown, D-Coos Bay, Rep. Kim Thatcher, R-Keizer, and Rep. David Gomberg, D-Central Coast.

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ORE. LAWMAKERS HOPE TO LIMIT TAX LAWSUIT IMPACT (Argus Observer)

The Oregon Senate voted Thursday to back a maneuver aimed at limiting the potential loss from a high-stakes lawsuit that could cost the state as much as $100 million a year in corporate tax revenue.

A case in the state tax court is challenging Oregons method of taxing companies that do business in more than one state.

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STATE REP. GOMBERG JOINS SMALL BUSINESS TASK FORCE (Lincoln County News)

-Rep. David Gomberg, small business owner will bring expertise to Legislatures job creation efforts.-

In ongoing efforts to create jobs and support Oregon small businesses, Rep. David Gomberg D-Newport today was among six legislators appointed to the new bipartisan House Small Business Task Force in the Oregon House of Representatives
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GUN PERMIT NUMBERS SHOOT UP (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Sterrin Holcomb plugged in 12-hour work days this week to get a grip on Umatilla Countys concealed handgun license applications.

Holcomb, 38, is the sergeant who heads up the sheriffs office civil division, which processes the applications and handles other duties. The division processed 330 new applications from Jan. 1 through March 31, she said, compared to 147 new applications over the same period last year a 124-percent jump.
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SENATORS SEEK FEDERAL DROUGHT HELP (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

With drought conditions worsening in a number of Oregon counties, Sen. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley are seeking federal assistance for Oregon cattle ranchers.
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POLITICAL CHAT: OREGON GUN LAWS STALLED (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

The effort change to gun laws appears to be stalled.

In Salem, a package of proposed gun control bills is apparently in trouble, just like in the U.S. Senate a month ago.
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FAA GIVES OREGON GUARD PERMISSION TO TRAIN SOLDIERS TO FLY DRONES (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

The Federal Aviation Administration has granted special permission to the Oregon Army National Guard to begin training soldiers to fly UAVs — also known as drones — at the East Oregon Regional Airport.
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FLAGS LOWERED IN OREGON FOR BEND SOLDIER (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Flags at Oregon institutions are flying at half-staff Friday in honor of a Bend soldier who was killed in Afghanistan.
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UMPQUA RIVER BASIN FACES DRY SEASON (Capital Press)

More indications of potential trouble for Oregon farmers and ranchers are coming from the Umpqua River Basin, where snow and rain have been sparse.

Officials say irrigators along the South Umpqua River could face restrictions on water supplies as early as this month.

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OREGON LAWMAKERS WADE INTO VACCINATION DEBATE (KATU)

With the nation’s highest rate of parents refusing vaccinations for their kindergartners, Oregon has become ground zero for the contentious debate over whether children should be vaccinated.
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FRUIT FLY CONCERNS WILLAMETTE VALLEY GROWERS (KGW)

For berry and stone fruit farmers, nature has conspired to create perfect conditions for an explosion of a crop-damaging fruit fly known formally as drosophila suzukii and informally as the spotted wing drosophila.
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GET READY FOR TRAFFIC HEADACHES (Portland Tribune)

-Eastbound I-84 construction will affect night drivers, weekend motorists with detour routes-

To put the brakes on traffic backups on eastbound Interstate 84 from northbound Interstate 205, the Oregon Department of Transportation is adding another lane.
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NEW REPORT SHOWS THE CONTINUING POSITIVE IMPACT OF TOURISM ON OREGON’S ECONOMY (Wall Street Journal)

Just in time for National Travel and Tourism Week–a celebration of the wide-ranging impacts of tourism — an independent report by Dean Runyan Associates estimates that travel spending, employment and earnings within the Oregon travel and tourism industry were all up in 2012 over 2011.

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LIFEWISE JOINS REGENCE IN BACKING AWAY FROM SMALL EMPLOYER EXCHANGE (The Lund Report)

-Providence insists it over-calculated its proposed rates for individuals and is asking the states insurance commissioner for permission to adjust those rates-

Now that the health insurers have shown their hands and announced whether they intend to participate in Oregons insurance exchange, its clear that Regence BlueCross BlueShield isnt alone in backing away from the SHOP small employer exchange.
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$2,854,885 AVAILABLE TO OREGON HEALTH CENTERS TO HELP UNINSURED INDIVIDUALS GAIN AFFORDABLE HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE (The Lund Report)

-Health care law provides $150 million for enrollment assistance by health centers nationwide-

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced new funds to help more uninsured Americans enroll in affordable health insurance coverage made available by the Affordable Care Act
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OREGON FIRST LADY VISITS PCC CASCADE ON MISSION TO END POVERTY (The Skanner)

-Cylvia Hayes spreads the word about the Oregon Prosperity Initiative-

Oregons First Lady, Cylvia Hayes, spoke at Portland Community Colleges Cascade campus May 9, about the states newest anti-poverty efforts

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OREGON TRIBES GATHER IN SALEM FOR TRIBAL NATION’S DAY (Northwest Public Radio)

Leaders and representatives of Oregons nine federally recognized tribes gathered at Oregons State Capitol in Salem this week for tribal nations day.

A dozen years ago Oregon was the first state in the nation to pass a state tribal government to government relations law.
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COMPREHENSIVE STATE HEALTH CARE PLAN; HORSE TRIPPING: OREGON LEGISLATURE TODAY

(Portland Oregonian)After largely taking Friday off, lawmakers return to work Monday with several interesting bills set for votes on the House floor. A diverse assortment of bills are also scheduled for hearings and work sessions in committees.
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OSU PRESIDENT ED RAY, PSU’S WIM WIEWEL BOTH MADE MORE THAN HALF A MILLION DOLLARS, STUDY SAYS

(Portland Oregonian)A new study says Oregon State University President Ed Ray was the nation’s 20th highest-paid public university president in 2011-12, with total compensation topping $700,000.
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STATE WORKERS NOTEBOOK: HAIKU CONTEST WINNER AND THE STATE WORKERS WE MET LAST WEEK

(Salem Statesman Journal)Last week was Public Service Recognition Week, and the Statesman Journal celebrated by profiling a different state employee each day as well as running a contest for haikus about working in the public sector.
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BIG EMPLOYERS AWAIT HEALTH CARE CLARITY

(Eugene Register-Guard)-With regulators still writing the rules, reforms remain a puzzle-

Three Rivers Casino and Hotel in Florence has offered health insurance to full-time employees since 2004, when it opened in a tentlike structure off Highway 126.
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HIGHWAY 126 PROJECT INCLUDES PAVING

(Eugene Register-Guard) The state Department of Transportation next week will begin repaving a six-mile portion of Highway 126 in Springfield and add cable median barriers to nearly four miles of the stretch.
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STUDENT TRANSFERS REMAIN STEADY

(Eugene Register-Guard)-In the second year of a state law allowing open enrollment, the numbers are similar to 2012-

Area school districts that last year opened their doors to students from other regions are seeing similar changes for the second year under a state law that allows students more freedom to choose where to attend.
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DEVELOPMENT FOR WHOM? — OPINION

(Medford Mail Tribune)-An Indian casino in Medford wouldn’t necessarily help the local economy-

The Coquille Indian Tribe’s proposal to establish a gambling casino in Medford has drawn strong opposition from Gov. John Kitzhaber and from the Jackson County commissioners and concern but not yet formal opposition from the Medford City Council.
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COQUILLE DOUBLES DOWN ON MEDFORD CASINO

(Oregon Public Broadcasting)A one-casino-per-tribe policy in Oregon faces a tough test as the Coquille Indian Tribe pursues a Medford gaming operation.

Gov. John Kitzhaber and the tribe have been at odds over a so-called gentleman’s agreement limiting each of the nine tribes in the state to just one casino.
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STUDY: GRAZING HELPS INVASIVE CHEATGRASS TO FLOURISH

(Oregon Public Broadcasting)A new study out of Oregon State University suggests that overgrazing could be helping an invasive grass to flourish. That differs from previous studies that have found grazing can better manage that plant cheatgrass which threatens rangeland habitat.
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OREGON BUDGET TALKS GAIN MOMENTUM WITH ECON REPORT

(San Francisco Chronicle)Discussions about funding for schools, safety-net programs and all the other functions of state government will take a big step forward this week.
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OREGON UNIVERSITY CHANCELLOR WORRIES ABOUT TUITION INCREASES STOPPING ENROLLMENT GROWTH

(The Republic (Indiana))The interim chancellor of the Oregon University system says she’s worried that continuous tuition increases are going to stop enrollment growth at Oregon’s public universities.
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IMMERSION OR SEGREGATION? TROST ELEMENTARY BECOMES A LANGUAGE-IMMERSION-ONLY SCHOOL

(Portland Oregonian)Canby’s Trost Elementary will become a Spanish-English immersion magnet school next year, a change that will save the school district $400,000 but oust 100 English-only students.
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HOW TO GAUGE WHETHER HEALTH REFORM WILL MAKE INSURANCE MORE AFFORDABLE

(Portland Oregonian)We had a lively chat this week on health reform.
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TWO OREGON INSURERS RETHINK 2014 PREMIUMS AS STATE POSTS FIRST-EVER RATE COMPARISON

(Portland Oregonian)This is what competition looks like: One health insurer wants to charge $169 a month next year to cover a 40-year-old Portland-area non-smoker. Another wants $422 a month for the same standard plan.
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PROZANSKI BILL TO CORRECT COLLECTION PROCEDURES ON BAD CHECKS SHOULD GET THUMBS UP

(Portland Oregonian)As in so many things in the law, words can be split like hairs.
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LEGISLATURE MAKES LATE PUSH FOR JOBS — OPINION

(Portland Oregonian)Filing legislative bills is much like planting seeds.
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LEGISLATURE LIMITS TANNING BUT NOT FIRING — OPINION

(Portland Oregonian)In the Oregon Legislature this year, tanning has been a hot issue.
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OREGON LAWMAKERS CONSIDER NEW WORKPLACE PROTECTIONS FOR INTERNS: OREGON LEGISLATURE TODAY

(Portland Oregonian)Oregon legislators are moving toward doing something for the often-lowly intern, that increasingly common symbol of the difficult job market.
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TEEN TANNING BAN PASSES OREGON SENATE, HEADING TO JOHN KITZHABER

(Portland Oregonian)Oregon teens may soon have to tan in the sun.
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OREGON SENATE PUSHES TO LIMIT IMPACT OF HIGH-STAKES LAWSUIT

(Portland Oregonian)The Oregon Senate voted Thursday to back a maneuver aimed at limiting the potential loss from a high-stakes lawsuit that could cost the state as much as $100 million a year in corporate tax revenue.
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TWO STATE REPRESENTATIVES SPONSOR REFERENDUM ON NEW LAW GRANTING DRIVER CARDS TO UNDOCUMENTED RESIDENTS

(Portland Oregonian)Two state representatives have signed on as sponsors of a referendum challenging a new law that grants driver cards to Oregonians who cannot prove they’re here legally.
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ALLERGY SEASON OFF TO AN EARLY, NASTY START

(Salem Statesman Journal)As the rainy Oregon winter gives way to high temperatures and dry conditions, many Oregonians reluctantly enter allergy and sneeze season.
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UNDERAGE TANNING BILL CLEARS FINAL HURDLE

(Salem Statesman Journal)A bill that would restrict minors from commercial indoor tanning cleared its final legislative hurdle Thursday after the Senate narrowly approved the legislation for a second time.
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POLITICAL CONTRIBUTION TAX CREDIT DRAWS PRAISE, FIRE

(Salem Statesman Journal)Oregons tax credit for political contributions came under fire, but also drew praise, as lawmakers considered Thursday whether to renew it.
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COLLEGES MIGHT ASK ABOUT SEXUAL ORIENTATION

(Salem Statesman Journal)-Student behind bill to collect data-

Data about sexual orientation are scarce on college campuses, leading an Oregon graduate student to turn to lawmakers for help to collect research.
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DRIVER’S CARDS FOES START REFERENDUM BID

(Salem Statesman Journal)Opponents have started their effort to force a statewide election on four-year drivers cards for Oregonians who do not qualify for standard eight-year licenses.
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DEQ ANNOUNCES FINE IN BEND CHEMICAL CASE

(Oregon Public Broadcasting)Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality has fined a Central Oregon man more than $61,000 after he allegedly abandoned thousands of pounds of toxic chemicals at a Bend storage facility.
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‘LET’S SAY I’VE LEARNED SOME LESSONS”

(Oregon Public Broadcasting)An elderly Medford woman scammed by an out-of-state telemarketing company credits local and state organizations for getting her money returned — possibly with interest.
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OREGON INSURERS PROPOSE RATES FOR 2014 HEALTH PLANS

(The Lund Report)The Oregon Insurance Division today posted health insurers rate requests for small employer and individual health plans that start Jan. 1, 2014.
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