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HHS to investigate Oregon, 12 other states that require insurers to cover abortions
Published: March 20, 2026 23:26
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Thursday announced an investigation into 13 states that require health insurance plans to cover abortion care. In a news release, the agency said the investigation is based on allegations that the states…
Federal judge denies anti-gas tax group’s attempt to extend voters’ pamphlet deadline
Published: March 20, 2026 22:18
Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read doesn’t need to allow more arguments against a gas tax question on the Oregon Voters’ Pamphlet, a federal judge ruled on Friday. The decision comes three days after the Republican-led Right to Vote on the Gas Tax…
Oregon voters overwhelmingly approved limiting money in politics. Then politicians had their say
Published: March 20, 2026 17:00
This story was originally published by ProPublica. Back in 2019, it looked like Oregon lawmakers might finally commit to ending the state’s outlier status on campaign finance. I had just authored an investigative series for The Oregonian/OregonLive, my…
Oregon voters have rejected most laws in referendums, with many decided outside November
Published: March 20, 2026 13:00
May’s vote on a controversial 2025 transportation law will mark the 67th time in state history that Oregonians opposed a law strongly enough to petition for its placement on the ballot. A majority of voters approved just more than one-third of those laws,…
Why we’re intervening in Oregon’s lawsuit over Trump’s attempted Guard deployment
Published: March 20, 2026 12:45
We believe Oregonians should know why their local, state and federal governments make the decisions they do.
The pay gap between women and men widened last year, analysis finds
Published: March 19, 2026 21:29
The earnings gap between men and women slightly widened last year, according to a new analysis published Thursday. The left-leaning Economic Policy Institute calculated women last year earned 18.6% less than men per hour on average. That’s up slightly…
Trump’s tariffs were ruled illegal. Where’s the refund of $166 billion — plus interest?
Published: March 19, 2026 21:00
WASHINGTON — Arizona coffee roaster Gabe Hagen is wondering if he’ll ever recoup the tens of thousands of dollars he paid in tariffs to import beans from the world’s major coffee-growing regions in South America, Africa and the Indo-Pacific. Weeks after…
Markwayne Mullin’s nomination to lead Homeland Security advances to US Senate floor
Published: March 19, 2026 20:21
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Thursday voted to move forward Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin’s nomination to lead the Department of Homeland Security. After the 8-7 vote, Mullin’s nomination will head…
Deadly fungal disease that attacks bats detected for first time in Oregon
Published: March 19, 2026 16:00
A deadly fungal disease that has put at least one bat species on the federal Endangered Species List has been detected in Oregon for the first time. State Fish and Wildlife officials on Wednesday announced that scientists from the National Wildlife Health…
Journalists, Oregon publishers call on governor to veto bill changing public meetings law
Published: March 19, 2026 13:00
Professional journalist groups and Oregon news publishers are calling on Gov. Tina Kotek to veto a bill passed last month by the state Legislature that the groups, along with government ethics watchdogs, say erodes public meetings laws. In recent letters…
Republican field for Oregon governor is evolving — somewhat
Published: March 19, 2026 12:45
Last August, I wrote of the upcoming contest for the Republican nomination for governor that legislator Christine Drazan, the party’s 2022 nominee, started in the preeminent position and that “any discussion of major contenders for the 2026 Republican…
US Senate displays sharp divisions over SAVE voting bill demanded by Trump
Published: March 18, 2026 21:57
WASHINGTON — U.S. senators debated Wednesday whether the federal government should change how Americans register to vote and cast a ballot, with Republicans maintaining alterations are necessary to safeguard elections and Democrats arguing a new law would…
Oregon gas tax opponents file another lawsuit in federal court
Published: March 18, 2026 21:42
Opponents of gas tax hikes are once again suing the state of Oregon over a law that rescheduled the date of a gas tax referendum from November to May. The Right to Vote on the Gas Tax Political Action Committee — organized by Sen. Bruce Starr, R-Dundee;…
Mullin confronted about ‘anger issues’ by Rand Paul in tense DHS confirmation hearing
Published: March 18, 2026 20:01
WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma, the president’s pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security, on Wednesday in his confirmation hearing was challenged with questions about his “anger issues” by the fellow Republican who heads the…
Climate policies took a back seat to budget, other concerns in recent Oregon legislative session
Published: March 18, 2026 20:00
Oregon’s 35-day short legislative session left little for climate and environmental advocates to celebrate when it wrapped up earlier this month. Instead, they say, support for climate action, both state and federal, has dwindled. The Trump administration…
Why to transition OHSU’s National Primate Research Center to a sanctuary
Published: March 18, 2026 13:54
As a wildlife veterinarian specializing in monkeys, I applaud Oregon Health & Science University’s recent decision to negotiate with the National Institutes of Health to end experiments on monkeys and to consider transitioning the Oregon National Primate…
At last, there’s a Jan. 6 memorial plaque in the US Capitol. But just try finding it.
Published: March 18, 2026 13:00
WASHINGTON — More than two dozen U.S. House Democrats cast a spotlight Tuesday on a newly installed commemorative plaque for those who defended the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack. The members — led by New York U.S. Rep. Joe Morelle, the top…
WorkSource Oregon to hold Autistic Community Activity Program job fair
Published: March 17, 2026 22:03
A job fair in Oregon City is hoping to fill summer positions for a Portland-based agency supporting autistic individuals and their families. Wednesday’s job fair will be hosted by WorkSource Oregon and the Autistic Community Activity Program, who are…
US Senate Republicans launch debate on SAVE Act requiring photo ID to vote
Published: March 17, 2026 20:52
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Republicans pressed forward Tuesday with a bill that would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and a photo ID to cast a ballot, despite long odds the legislation will ever become law amid bipartisan opposition. The…
Cost of new I-5 bridge linking Oregon and WA doubles to $14.4B
Published: March 17, 2026 18:34
The price tag to construct a new interstate bridge linking Washington and Oregon has doubled to $14.4 billion, officials from the two states said Tuesday. That means elements of the massive undertaking will be delayed as all the focus will be on building…
Public invited to share input, ideas for getting Oregon back on track to meet climate targets
Published: March 17, 2026 13:00
Energy demand from data centers and rollbacks in federal clean energy policies knocked Oregon off track to meet its climate goals. Now, Oregon energy officials are sharing ideas to meet those targets. The Oregon Department of Energy on Monday shared 48…
Gene Derfler, ‘generational leader’ in Oregon Legislature, dies at 101
Published: March 16, 2026 22:40
Salem Reporter first published this article. Gene Derfler, a longtime state lawmaker who used his woodworking talents in retirement to spread joy in Salem, died Monday, March 16, at age 101. Oregon Senate Republicans lauded him in a statement Monday as a…
Oregon Health Authority offers tips for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day safely
Published: March 16, 2026 20:43
With alcohol as the third-leading cause of preventable death in Oregon, the Oregon Health Authority is urging people to avoid drunken driving or excessive drinking ahead of St. Patrick’s Day and spring break. State health officials this week issued…
Immigration enforcement threatens housing security, rippling through local economies
Published: March 16, 2026 18:51
As federal immigration officers made more “at-large” arrests in communities across the country in the first year of the current Trump administration — including at homes, places of worship and workplaces — more than 1,100 Nebraska families developed family…
Republican gov hopefuls among Oregon lawmakers who missed more than one-third of session votes
Published: March 16, 2026 13:00
During the most recent short legislative session, Oregon lawmakers in the House and Senate were asked to take more than 180 votes on their respective chamber floors, ultimately passing 143 new laws over 33 days dealing with taxes, spending on critical…
Demolition of last Northwest aluminum smelter signals end of an industrial era
Published: March 14, 2026 13:00
This article was first published by Salish Current. Aluminum maker Alcoa has started to demolish its sprawling Intalco smelter west of Ferndale. The multiyear demolition and cleanup project snuffs out any lingering hopes of reviving aluminum production in…
Homeland Security repair job awaits Trump’s next pick, Oklahoma’s Mullin
Published: March 13, 2026 23:40
WASHINGTON — If Oklahoma GOP Sen. Markwayne Mullin is confirmed by the Senate to lead the Department of Homeland Security, he will take over an agency that has faced a weeks-long funding lapse, public blowback to its immigration enforcement strategy and a…
Oregon’s senior U.S. senator, secretary of state warn of fed voter suppression under SAVE Act
Published: March 13, 2026 23:09
Oregon’s top election official and senior U.S. senator warn that congressional Republicans’ efforts to end mail-in voting and impose strict voter ID requirements are voter suppression tactics disguised as election integrity. At a news conference Friday in…
Under a new oversight tool for Oregon laws, legislators will help score their own work
Published: March 13, 2026 20:07
It’s not uncommon for Oregon lawmakers to consider public input when reviewing past legislation during each year’s legislative session in hopes of offering an update or technical fix. This year in Salem, legislators strengthened protections for providers…
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek’s order requiring union work on state projects is ruled illegal
Published: March 13, 2026 18:10
A controversial order by Gov. Tina Kotek requiring union labor on many state construction projects is unconstitutional, a Marion County judge found Thursday.
Six more US troops killed in Iran war, in crash of refueling aircraft
Published: March 13, 2026 16:29
WASHINGTON — The Department of Defense announced Friday that six more American troops have died as a result of the war in Iran, bringing the total to 13 since the conflict began in late February. U.S. Central Command wrote in an early-morning social media…
Bike and walking trails lose hundreds of millions under Trump
Published: March 13, 2026 13:30
Cities and states are filing lawsuits and scrambling for alternative sources of money as the Trump administration seeks to shut off the federal funding spigot for biking and walking trails. Since the early 1990s, there has been fairly consistent — and…
Making the red flag fly: Examining a nearly decade-old law
Published: March 12, 2026 22:47
Another legislative session is over and new laws are about to go into effect that will change things, some things, in Oregon. Right? What people around government know and everyone else should, is that passing a law is one thing and getting it to work as…
GOP cuts in federal food aid scramble passage of long-delayed farm bill
Published: March 12, 2026 22:19
The U.S. House Agriculture Committee advanced a sweeping farm bill early this month, attempting to revive Congress’ stalled effort to rewrite the nation’s agriculture law the same way it’s been done for decades. But the vote also exposed the fragile…
These Oregon state parks will have parking fees by the end of the month
Published: March 12, 2026 19:14
Visitors will have to pay parking fees at 22 more Oregon state parks by the end of the month. The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department requires day-use parking permits at 46 parks and waives fees at more than 150 parks across the state, and on March 30,…
States’ lawsuit argues Trump’s college data mandate threatens student privacy
Published: March 12, 2026 19:10
A coalition of mostly Democratic-led states is suing the Trump administration over a new federal requirement that would force colleges to report detailed admissions data, including race, gender, test scores and financial aid for individual students. The…
Wyden questions changes to postmark rule as tax, election deadlines loom
Published: March 12, 2026 13:06
Wide-scale changes to when the U.S. Postal Service collects mail and postmarks envelopes could jeopardize timely tax returns and the ability for voters in Oregon and other states to have their ballots counted, Oregon’s senior U.S. senator warned Thursday.…
Temporarily banning data centers draws more interest from state, local officials
Published: March 12, 2026 13:00
As communities’ concerns grow over rising electricity prices and the environmental effects of data centers, some local and state officials want to halt development of the facilities. Lawmakers in at least 11 states — Georgia, Maryland, Michigan, New…
Judge rules gas tax question can go on May ballot, lawmakers did not violate Oregon constitution
Published: March 11, 2026 22:14
This is a breaking news story and could be updated. A recently passed law that moves a citizen vote on new taxes and fees to pay for transportation to the May primary instead of the November general election does not violate the Oregon Constitution, a…
Seeing masked agents on Oregon streets? Legislature would let residents respond
Published: March 11, 2026 21:44
Federal immigration agents have smashed car windows, dragged people out of their cars, held individuals at gunpoint and conducted operations outside sensitive locations such as schools. In many instances, they’ve worn face coverings or masks that make it…
Three top aides leave Oregon governor’s office ahead of election
Published: March 11, 2026 20:32
Three top employees who have worked for Gov. Tina Kotek since her first day in office will leave during the next month as the governor ramps up her reelection campaign. The departing employees are Taylor Smiley Wolfe, Kotek’s deputy chief of staff for…
Federal judge rules state must let disabled senior submit anti-gas tax argument for voters’ pamphlet
Published: March 11, 2026 19:00
A federal judge on Wednesday ruled in favor of a Klamath Falls woman who argued the state violated a federal disability rights law by requiring she quickly submit 500 signatures or pay $1,200 to get an argument against a gas tax referendum into the Oregon…
From farm store rules to Moda Center renovations, these Oregon bills got bipartisan support
Published: March 11, 2026 13:00
Republicans during Oregon’s 2026 legislative session repeatedly criticized Democrats, who hold the majority in the Legislature, for not working across the aisle on measures such as moving the date of a gas tax referendum and policies they said conflict…
State-mandated paid leave programs now cover millions of American workers
Published: March 11, 2026 12:30
Nearly one-third of the nation’s private sector workers are covered by paid leave programs as more states require employers to provide medical and family leave, according to a new analysis released this week. Currently, the District of Columbia and 13…
Hundreds of Oregonians sign up to run for statewide races, Congress, Legislature
Published: March 11, 2026 02:00
More than 350 Oregonians, veteran elected officials and newcomers alike, filed to run for statewide, congressional and legislative offices by Tuesday’s 5 p.m. deadline. Oregonians will elect a governor, labor commissioner, U.S. senator, six members of…
Circuit Court judge will rule quickly on suit against state over timing of gas tax referendum
Published: March 10, 2026 23:37
A Marion County Circuit Court judge said he will rule quickly on a case brought against the Oregon secretary of state by GOP lawmakers and voters over the timing of a gas tax referendum. Senior Judge David Leith on Tuesday heard roughly 90 minutes of…
State, local policies on immigration enforcement targeted by US Senate Republicans
Published: March 10, 2026 18:27
WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans during a Tuesday hearing laid the groundwork for legislation that would prevent state and local governments from making decisions on whether to limit cooperation with the federal government on immigration enforcement. …
Republicans target public lands protections in a new way
Published: March 10, 2026 13:00
Over the past year, GOP leaders and the Trump administration have used a law known as the Congressional Review Act to push for coal mining in Montana, oil drilling in Alaska and copper mining in Minnesota, while also attempting to reverse protections for a…
Federal judge continues to restrict agents’ use of tear gas on protesters at Portland ICE facility
Published: March 10, 2026 00:40
A federal judge on Monday ordered federal officers at Portland’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility to continue to restrict their use of tear gas and less-lethal munitions against non-violent protesters, marking the second ruling in less than a…
Trump sends mixed signals on Iran war end, pushes election overhaul bill
Published: March 9, 2026 23:47
President Donald Trump on Monday told House Republicans, who were gathered in Florida for a policy retreat, that he expects the war in Iran will wrap up “quickly,” though he didn’t give a specific date or detail exactly what he wants to do before ending…
Oregon lawmakers proposed hundreds of bills in the short session. Many failed to pass
Published: March 9, 2026 22:50
Oregon lawmakers proposed hundreds of bills in the packed, five-week-long legislative session that wrapped on Friday, including dozens that failed to cross the finish line. Many of the dead bills broadly directed state agencies to study specific issues.…
Gas prices spike across US amid Iran war
https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/03/09/repub/gas-prices-spike-across-u-s-amid-iran-war/
Published: March 9, 2026 17:41
WASHINGTON — Americans are paying more for gas Monday as the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran chokes off a significant route for roughly one-fifth of the world’s petroleum products. Global prices for Brent crude oil, the international standard, climbed over $100…
Data center tax break close to getting zapped by WA Legislature
Published: March 9, 2026 16:29
Tax breaks for data center operators could soon be stripped from Washington state law. On Saturday, the House Finance Committee voted 8 to 6 to approve Senate Bill 6231. The bill next awaits a House floor vote. As it stands, data center operators in most…
Oregon pushes new homes to install heat pumps over ACs
Published: March 9, 2026 13:00
Canary Media originally published this article. Oregon has made heat pumps the default appliance for cooling new homes. Last month, the state Building Code Division’s Residential and Manufactured Structures Board voted 7–1 to adopt energy-efficiency…
After walkouts, budget woes and tensions over Trump, Oregon lawmakers wrap for 2026 session
Published: March 7, 2026 02:53
For the first time in years, Oregon lawmakers in Salem’s newly-reopened Capitol streamed out of the chamber floors into the rotunda to cap the end of a short legislative session that had both Republicans and Democrats claiming victories. Responding to the…
Live updates: 2026 legislative session draws to a close
Published: March 6, 2026 23:55
After just more than a month of long meetings, sharp disagreements and hard-fought compromises, the Oregon Legislature must adjourn by 11:59 p.m. Sunday. Capital Chronicle reporters have been at the Capitol tracking the action since it started Feb. 2, and…
Judge blocks Portland ICE facility agents from using tear gas leaking into nearby apartments
Published: March 6, 2026 23:43
A federal judge on Friday barred federal agents outside Portland’s waterfront Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility from using tear gas and chemical munitions in a manner that could seep into a nearby affordable housing complex unless there is an…
Oregon Legislature votes to round pennies after lack of federal guidance
Published: March 6, 2026 20:42
Oregonians who pay in cash could pay a couple cents more or less under a bill headed to Gov. Tina Kotek. House Bill 4178, which passed the Oregon Senate on a 26-2 vote Thursday evening, would allow transactions to be rounded to the nearest five cents for…
Oregon lawmakers increase lodging tax to boost wildlife funding
Published: March 6, 2026 19:08
Oregon lawmakers have voted to increase the state’s lodging tax in order to help fund wildlife conservation. The tax increase passed the state Senate on Wednesday in a 20-9 vote, a week after approval in the House. The measure is expected to bring in…
Oregon bill to limit how much THC goes into each edible fails
Published: March 6, 2026 14:00
An attempt to limit how much THC can be in an individual edible isn’t advancing this year in Oregon. Senate Bill 1548 was an unsuccessful attempt to prevent the production of individual edibles with more than 10 milligrams of THC, targeting edibles that…
Oregon Legislature votes to give cities, counties flexibility in tourism revenue
Published: March 6, 2026 00:55
The Oregon Legislature passed House Bill 4148 to reduce the share of transient lodging tax that must be used for tourism promotion or tourism-related facilities from 70% to 50% and let cities and counties use up to half the proceeds for services.
Live updates: 2026 legislative session draws to a close
Published: March 6, 2026 00:50
After just more than a month of long meetings, sharp disagreements and hard-fought compromises, the Oregon Legislature must adjourn by 11:59 p.m. Sunday. Capital Chronicle reporters have been at the Capitol tracking the action since it started Feb. 2, and…
Trump’s second tariff push faces immediate legal challenge from two dozen states
Published: March 5, 2026 21:41
Two dozen states asked a federal court to block the tariffs that President Donald Trump instituted last month after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down his previous tariffs. The lawsuit, filed in the federal Court of International Trade, aims to strike…
Raiders of the lost dedicated funds
https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/03/05/raiders-of-the-lost-dedicated-funds/
Published: March 5, 2026 20:14
Pull a dollar bill out of your wallet and you can trust that dollar will spend like any other. And if you think the story ends there, you’re obviously not a government accountant. Many critics of government point to a specific need — say, a ripped-up…
Oregon Senate waters down controversial gun control bill, winning Republican support
Published: March 5, 2026 19:48
Oregon state senators on Thursday gutted this year’s legislation to bolster the rollout of a 2022 voter-approved gun control law currently being litigated, despite Democrats expending significant political capital to push a wide-ranging firearm safety bill…
Kristi Noem out as DHS secretary; Trump to nominate Oklahoma Sen. Mullin
Published: March 5, 2026 19:06
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump Thursday said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem will be leaving the post for a job as a special envoy, following an appearance before a U.S. Senate panel this week that provoked bipartisan criticism of her handling…
Oregon lawmakers propose deal to acquire Abiqua Falls in Santiam State Forest
Published: March 5, 2026 14:00
A popular waterfall located an hour east of Salem could soon become public property under a bill up for a vote this week in the Oregon Legislature. Lawmakers are scheduled to vote on Senate Bill 5701, which would allocate $2.1 million to acquire 200 acres…
Good governance groups to take campaign finance to ballot if lawmakers adopt ‘loopholes’
Published: March 5, 2026 02:00
Good governance groups that two years ago negotiated a historic campaign finance law with the Oregon Legislature now say lawmakers have betrayed them by backing a “technical fix” bill to that law that instead creates “huge loopholes” to political spending…
Oregon bipartisan duo push for compensating committee aide wrongfully accused of misconduct
Published: March 5, 2026 00:46
The decades-long plight of a Black legislative employee wrongfully accused of financial impropriety during his time battling the influence of oil companies in Salem has lit a flame under an unusual bipartisan duo of Oregon lawmakers. Reps. Ed Diehl,…
Oregon legislators clear the way for more residential, farmworker housing in Woodburn
Published: March 5, 2026 00:16
Woodburn officials say the city needs more land to meet the housing needs of its growing population. On Wednesday, the Oregon Legislature cleared a path for the city to build more affordable housing. The bill will need Gov. Tina Kotek’s signature before it…
US Senate rejects limits on Trump war powers, as Hegseth vows ‘death and destruction’ for Iran
Published: March 4, 2026 23:59
WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans and a single Democrat blocked a War Powers Resolution Wednesday aimed at limiting President Donald Trump’s joint war with Israel in Iran that has taken the lives of six American troops and killed top Iranian leaders. The…
Oregon to nix cervical cancer diagnostic testing costs for patients, rest of US may follow suit
Published: March 4, 2026 19:08
Dr. Carrie Frederick can think of many instances over her 14 years in practice in Oregon when patients tried to negotiate their way out of diagnostic testing for cervical cancer because of the expense. The testing, which typically comes after someone…
Talarico wins Democratic primary for US Senate in Texas; Cornyn and Paxton go to GOP runoff
Published: March 4, 2026 14:17
In a critical 2026 battle for control of the U.S. Senate, The Associated Press early Wednesday declared James Talarico the winner of the Democratic primary in Texas, while incumbent Republican Sen. John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton will spend…
Republican petitioners sue Oregon over law rescheduling gas tax referendum
Published: March 4, 2026 00:46
Republican leaders of a successful petition to pause gas tax and transportation fee hikes until a citizen vote are suing the state over a new law rescheduling that vote. Gov. Tina Kotek signed Senate Bill 1599 into law shortly after it passed the House on…
Coastal Oregon conservative announces run for U.S. Senate
Published: March 3, 2026 21:15
A southern Oregon state senator announced Tuesday that he would seek the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate. The campaign of Sen. David Brock Smith, a Republican from Port Orford, pointed to his long roots in southwest Oregon, describing him as a…
Oregon’s largest teachers union will not endorse any current candidates for governor
Published: March 3, 2026 18:18
This is a developing story and may be updated. Members of Oregon’s largest teachers union will not endorse any of the current candidates for governor, including incumbent Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek. On Saturday, 75% of the members of the Oregon Education…
Iran war drives gas price uncertainty ahead of busy summer season
Published: March 3, 2026 18:07
The national average price of a gallon of regular gasoline topped $3 Tuesday for the first time this year, and is expected to keep going up. The average price Tuesday was $3.11, up about 11 cents from Monday, according to AAA. “The pump reaction is not…
Early prenatal care declines across US, reversing years of progress
Published: March 3, 2026 14:00
Nearly a quarter of pregnant women aren’t getting prenatal care in the early stages of pregnancy, according to a new analysis from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The share of pregnant women getting prenatal care had been improving: It…
Oregon would temporarily bar expanded tax benefits for data centers under changes to governor’s bill
Published: March 3, 2026 00:43
Newly built data centers could be temporarily exempt from Gov. Tina Kotek’s hotly-debated economic stimulus bill that would double the length of property tax exemptions for industries investing in Oregon infrastructure and jobs in urban and suburban…
Oregon bill to move gas tax referendum heads to governor’s desk
Published: March 3, 2026 00:12
The Oregon House of Representatives in a 31-20 vote Monday passed a bill that would move the date Oregonians can vote on a controversial 2025 transportation law from November to May. Democrats in the fall passed a law to raise $4.3 billion dollars for the…
Judge blocks Noem policy limiting congressional visits to immigrant detention facilities
Published: March 2, 2026 22:33
WASHINGTON — A federal judge Monday temporarily blocked a Department of Homeland Security policy that instituted a seven-day notice requirement for members of Congress to conduct oversight visits at facilities that hold immigrants, finding it likely…
Oregon Senate moves to penalize landlords divulging citizenship status, private information
Published: March 2, 2026 21:39
Oregon tenants whose landlords leak confidential information such as their immigration status or medical records could soon have a pathway to collect up to twice their monthly rent as a form of recourse. Under House Bill 4123, passed by the Oregon Senate…
Death toll for US service members in Iran war at 4 as Trump projects weeks of conflict
Published: March 2, 2026 18:21
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Monday he expects war with Iran will continue however long it takes to achieve his objectives, which include eliminating the country’s missile program, preventing its leaders from building a nuclear weapon and…
Honorary page program returns to Oregon Legislature during short session
Published: March 2, 2026 14:25
No one would describe the Oregon Senate, with an average age of 61, as having a particularly youthful energy. But now, middle and high schoolers are helping the Senate start its day. The colors ceremony, in which people carry and present the American and…
To square Oregon’s budget, lawmakers say many state agency jobs must go unfilled
Published: March 1, 2026 21:00
Legislative budget writers propose leaving more than 130 state jobs vacant, spending less on services and supplies and moving around not-yet-promised money within public agencies to rebalance Oregon’s budget and close a large funding gap at the…
How Oregon is building back smarter after wildfire
https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/02/28/how-oregon-is-building-back-smarter-after-wildfire/
Published: February 28, 2026 14:00
Canary Media first published this article. Carole and Alan Balzer have called the town of Talent home since 1998. They met in college in nearby Ashland and never left southwestern Oregon. They love the small-town life and the bucolic setting of orchards,…
US, Israel strike Iran; Iran threatens retaliation
Published: February 28, 2026 13:56
WASHINGTON — U.S. forces have launched “major combat operations” on targets in Iran, President Donald Trump said in a video posted to social media at 2:30 a.m. Eastern Saturday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attacks were conducted in…
Oregon House speaker reprimands Republican gubernatorial candidate for fundraising during session
Published: February 28, 2026 02:59
Oregon House Speaker Julie Fahey on Friday chided the chamber’s sole gubernatorial candidate, Republican Rep. Ed Diehl of Scio, for violating self-imposed House rules by collecting campaign donations during this year’s short legislative session. In a…
Salem-Keizer students lead walkout, rally over immigrant rights at Oregon Capitol
Published: February 28, 2026 02:40
Close to 2,000 middle and high school students across the Salem-Keizer School District walked out of their classrooms Friday to gather across from the Capitol, rallying for increased support for immigrant communities in Salem. The youth advocacy…
Don’t balance Oregon’s budget on the backs of Black and brown caregivers
Published: February 28, 2026 00:32
As we close out Black History Month, we must remember what this commemorative month asks of us as a community: Honor those who fought for racial and economic justice. But history isn’t just about the past — it’s about the systems that continue to…
Oregon is a step closer to pouring $365M into aging Moda Center
Published: February 27, 2026 23:54
Oregon lawmakers fretting over the Trail Blazers’ future in Portland have slapped a price tag on their effort to ensure the team stays put: $365 million. That’s the pile of cash the Legislature is signaling it could borrow in coming years to pay for major…
Former Democratic state senator runs for swing coastal Oregon Senate seat
Published: February 27, 2026 23:44
A former Oregon legislative staffer and Democratic state senator from the North Coast wants to return to the Capitol to take the place of an Oregon Republican barred from seeking reelection. Former state Sen. Rachel Armitage of St. Helens announced her…
Tuberculosis cases have been rising as public health agencies struggle to keep up
Published: February 27, 2026 23:41
In Johnson County, Iowa, the number of tuberculosis cases has increased in recent years — and so has the cost of containing it. The cost of contact tracing and surveillance, traveling each day to patients’ homes to ensure they take their meds or booking…
US Senate Democrats demand Trump administration refund tariff payments to businesses
Published: February 27, 2026 20:28
WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Friday demanding the administration refund businesses that paid tariffs to import goods into the United States under authority the Supreme Court has ruled the president…
Oregon Legislature passes bill expanding options to treat allergic reactions in schools
Published: February 27, 2026 14:00
While legislators are supposed to represent their constituents, it’s not often that a letter from an Oregon teen leads to a law. However, Kailee Desmond, a Lake Oswego teen, sought to change this. As someone with severe allergies, she saw that EpiPens and…
FEMA shutdown drags on amid stalemate over reforms to immigration enforcement
Published: February 26, 2026 23:54
WASHINGTON — The nation’s main agency for handling disaster response and recovery is shuttered for the third time in recent months and its workers are on the verge of missing paychecks, as members of Congress and the White House remain divided in a…
Oregon Secretary of State Read ‘deeply concerned’ about election conspiracies after FBI call
Published: February 26, 2026 23:07
A call with federal officials and state election officers ahead of the 2026 election was full of bluster and mostly free of facts, according to Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read. Read, a Democrat elected in 2024, had Deputy Secretary of State Michael…
Oregon House again delays vote to reschedule transportation tax election
Published: February 26, 2026 21:21
The Oregon Legislature yet again delayed a vote on one of the most politically contentious bills of the year’s short legislative session to reschedule a referendum on transportation tax and fee increases from November to May. Lawmakers in the Oregon House…
Judge orders protective measures for Columbia River salmon after Trump canceled historic deal
Published: February 26, 2026 20:04
A federal judge in Oregon has ordered dams that operate on the Columbia and Snake rivers to generate less hydropower and allow more water to pass in an effort to keep salmon populations from dying out. The order largely restores measures that were in place…
Will Oregon’s Lori Chavez-DeRemer be the first Cabinet official out?
Published: February 26, 2026 18:31
In the year-plus of the second Trump administration, no Cabinet member — despite a year-long gusher of toxic headlines relating to many of that group — has yet resigned or been fired. Speculation for months has centered on more than a dozen names, at…
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