Author
Oregon advocates see overreach in local camping restrictions for homeless after court ruling
Editor’s note: This article is the second in a three-part series looking at restrictions around the U.S. on people who are homeless camping in public spaces. You can find the first part here and you can find the third part here. Chain link fences ring the perimeters of the two designated homeless camping areas in […]
Fatal drug overdoses in Oregon reached record levels in 2023
More than 1,800 Oregonians died of drug overdoses in 2023, a rising trend that state leaders want to reverse with new programs to combat addiction. Oregon’s annual death toll from drug overdoses has increased every year since 2019, when 626 people died, according to data the Oregon Health Authority released Thursday. With overdoses on the […]
Strong earthquake strikes off California coast, triggering tsunami warning in southern Oregon
A strong earthquake struck off the northern California coast Thursday morning, triggering an unusual tsunami warning for northern California and southern Oregon and an evacuation of local residents and visitors. The National Tsunami Warning Center, which is based in Alaska, issued the warning shortly after the 7 magnitude quake hit off the northern California coast […]
Democratic attorneys general prep for role as last line of defense in Trump era
After Donald Trump entered the White House in 2017, Democratic attorneys general in the U.S. quickly started conference calls every Tuesday morning to strategize and map out legal steps. Within weeks, that quickly turned into legal action, when 51³Ô¹Ï¹ÙÍø state Attorney General Bob Ferguson launched a lawsuit challenging Trump’s travel ban that barred most people […]
Feds postpone auction of two wind energy sites off Oregon coast as Kotek pulls out of task force
Amid mounting opposition to offshore wind development off the coast of Oregon, the federal government announced Friday it is delaying a planned auction for the development of two wind energy sites as Gov. Tina Kotek urged the federal agency to halt all leasing plans and stop the auction. The developments call into question the potential […]
Oregon drug possession arrests up since new misdemeanor charge took effect
Oregon lawmakers are starting to wade into the work of monitoring whether the state’s new drug possession law will successfully help the state combat Oregon’s fentanyl addiction and overdose crisis. House Bill 4002, which took effect on Sept. 1, is just beginning to roll out. The bill recriminalized low-level drug possession and provided funding so […]
Study finds prevalence of firearms is driving soaring gun deaths in U.S. – not mental illness
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide or a mental health crisis, call or text 988 for free, immediate support 24/7. The prevalence of firearms in the U.S. – not mental illness – is driving the surge in gun deaths across the country, a new study concludes. The research led […]
Majority of state attorneys general seek warnings for youth on social media
Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum is leading a bipartisan campaign with 41 state attorneys general who are prodding Congress to require a U.S. surgeon general warning for young people on social media platforms. Rosenblum, president of the National Association of Attorneys General, sent a letter on Monday to Congress urging action amid heightened concern about […]
The next chapter in Oregon’s fight against fentanyl starts next week
Oregon is about to embark on a new experiment as it seeks to stem the tide of fentanyl overdoses across the state. Starting Sunday, 14 counties in Oregon will start deflection programs that are intended to help people enter recovery and avoid criminal charges and jail. The timing of the programs coincides with the start […]
Thousands of Providence nurses striking this week at six Oregon hospitals
Thousands of nurses at six Providence hospitals in Oregon walked off the job this week, embarking on a three-day strike that’s the largest of its type in the state’s history. By 6 a.m. Tuesday, hundreds of nurses lined the picket lines at hospitals stretching from Medford to Portland. The strike comes amid stalled contract negotiations […]
Oregon DOJ says no criminal charges warranted in bourbon scandal
The Oregon Department of Justice concluded that no criminal charges are warranted for the six former Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission employees who set aside bottles of in-demand bourbon for their personal use. Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum on Monday announced the conclusion of the investigation, which started in February 2023, in a letter to […]
Fentanyl awareness campaigns kick off in Oregon amid an overdose epidemic
A national nonprofit organization released a new program on Tuesday to help families navigate the hazards of fentanyl and prevent deaths of young people as Oregon continues to battle the lethal drug epidemic. Song for Charlie, a nonprofit focused on raising awareness about fake fentanyl pills, launched The New Drug Talk Oregon, an educational web-based […]