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Oregon News
Capital Chatter: Remembering Sen. Aaron Woods
Oregon Capital Insider | By Dick Hughes
On Thursday morning, Oregon senators scrapped their usual business. Instead, they remembered their colleague Aaron Woods, D-Wilsonville, who died Saturday while battling cancer.
Democrats and Republicans eulogized Woods, often tearing up, and often speaking directly to his family members who were in attendance.
POLITICS
Portland-based Mercy Corps forced to terminate more than ⅔ of federally-funded international programs
OPB | By Kyra Buckley
The U.S. government has traditionally been Mercy Corps’ largest financial backer, Stata told OPB. But she says due to the abrupt halt in federal funding, Mercy Corps has been forced to cut more than 40 of its 60 programs receiving that funding.
That means nearly all of Mercy Corps’ federally funded programs could take a hit. Stata said the organization is not able to access funds for all of the remaining programs.
Former OLCC employees settle ethics investigation in bourbon scandal
Statesman Journal | By Dianne Lugo
Two former Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission employees will each pay a $500 fine for their role in the 2023 rare bourbon scandal, according to final orders issued by the Oregon Government Ethics Commission on April 25.
The commission voted 5-0 on April 25 to penalize former budget director Bill Schuette and former information services director Jon-Kai Nakashima as part of a settlement of the commission's investigation into OLCC executives using their positions for exclusive access to rare bottles of bourbon.
Months after Oregon’s state forester resigned, officials outline a recruitment plan
OPB | By April Ehrlich
The state forester leads the Oregon Department of Forestry. The role is critical to overseeing environmental and logging regulations on state lands, as well as firefighting across 16 million acres of public and private forest lands.
It could take another two to four months to fill the role, state human resources staff told the Board of Forestry on Wednesday. The board might choose who will lead the state’s forestry department, but that depends on a bill making its way through the legislature.
In February, Gov. Tina Kotek introduced a bill that would give her the power to choose Mukumoto’s replacement. It’s currently sitting with the Senate finance committee.
Molalla mayor has had enough, calls for ODOT audit in wake of new tax ideas
Molalla Pioneer | By John Baker
Recent news that the Oregon Department of Transportation is looking for substantial increases in revenue through a potential series of new taxes – increases in gas tax, increases tied to inflation, a tax on tire sales, new car sales, second car sales, car registration fees, car title fees, and several more – has pushed the Molalla mayor over the edge.
“Last week, the county announced a stance on these new ODOT ‘bailouts,’ I call them, and I just felt like someone had to take a stand,” Keyser said. “And not all that money would go to paving roads and fixing bridges.”
Opinion: Senate Bill 110 is a home run for Oregon
Oregon Live
As Oregonians from different parties, different backgrounds and different regions, we are writing together today to urge support for the vision of professional baseball in Oregon: a dream that would deliver – pardon the pun – a home run for our state. Passing Senate Bill 110 is a critical first step in making this dream come true.
Contrary to the assertions made in a recent op-ed, the Portland Diamond Project, which is leading the effort to land a baseball team, has done its homework and, in fact, has shown that the math works, (“There’s no such thing as a free stadium,” April 20). The group hired ECONorthwest to complete a revenue analysis. ECONorthwest conservatively modeled different scenarios, considering possible variations for payroll, inflation and bond interest rates. The 24 scenarios modeled by ECONorthwest show the range of assumptions that support as much as a $900 million bond offering that could be paid off within 30 years – and in many cases, far sooner.
Here’s the key: Not one cent of that $800 million comes from imposing new taxes. Not one. The bonds are backed entirely by a variety of sources and are only triggered if Oregon actually secures a Major League Baseball team. No team? No bonds. In the unlikely event that the team pulls out midway through construction, the investors are left holding the bag, not taxpayers.
Oregon weighs expanding Indigenous student grants as colleges face federal funding threats
OPB | By Tiffany Camhi
As the Trump administration looks to ban diversity, equity and inclusion efforts at colleges and universities, an Oregon grant program for tribal communities grows in demand.
Marion County Commissioner Danielle Bethell announces run for governor
Salem Reporter | By Madeleine Moore
Marion County Commissioner Danielle Bethell wants to challenge Gov. Tina Kotek for her job.
Her campaign for governor, which has been a year in the making, is unfolding slowly as the primary election for the Republican nomination is just over a year away.
Union at crosshairs of Portland’s proposed budget cuts raises alarm over looming layoffs
OPB | By Alex Zielinski
One of Mayor Keith Wilson’s top priorities as the head of Portland’s newly configured government is to create a more efficient, streamlined bureaucratic machine — and maybe save money in the process.
To former businessman Wilson, along with interim City Administrator Michael Jordan, this can be achieved by grouping some city programs under one roof, instead of having them scattered across over 20 city bureaus. For example, each bureau has its own public information officer, equity team and staff that oversee contracts and technology.
This restructuring all but promises budget cuts and layoffs.
In a letter sent to city employees Wednesday, Jordan warned of 20% budget cuts coming to city programs that involve communication, technology, equity, procurement, community engagement, human resources and budget writing.
The City of Portland Professional Workers Union represents nearly 800 city staff in six of the seven service areas identified by Jordan for cuts (human resources staff are not represented by a union). From financial analysts to communications staff, CPPW members feel their jobs are being disproportionately targeted.
Exclusive interview with Gov. Tina Kotek pt. 1
KOIN
Elected governor in 2022, after 9 years as the state's longest-serving House Speaker, Tina Kotek is one of two openly lesbian governors in America. On this week's Eye on Northwest Politics special, Gov. Kotek discusses everything from how President Trump's tariffs and executive orders affect Oregon, to her agenda on homelessness and education in the legislature. The interview took place at her ceremonial office in Salem, near the Capitol building, which is still undergoing renovations.
Oregon governor picks 2 new judges for Portland area courts
Oregon Live | By Zane Sparling
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek will appoint a prominent fourth-generation Portlander to the Multnomah County Circuit Court bench and a dedicated criminal defense lawyer to an open seat in Clackamas County Circuit Court.
CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY
Gresham teen killed by stray gunfire through apartment wall
OPB
Gresham police said a 13-year-old boy was killed early Sunday morning when stray bullets went through the wall of the apartment he was in.
The boy had been sleeping when gunfire struck him just after 1:30 a.m., according to the Gresham Police Department.
Homeless population increases in Marion, Polk counties: Report
Statesman Journal | By Isabel Funk
Almost 500 more people were experiencing homelessness in Marion and Polk counties in 2025 than in 2023, according to data released April 25 by the Mid-Willamette Valley Homeless Alliance.
MWVHA said 2,166 individuals were experiencing homelessness in 2025, including 953 who were unsheltered. Almost half, 47%, were experiencing homelessness for the first time, MWVHA said. In 2023, 1,683 people were experiencing homelessness and 878 were unsheltered.
MWVHA said while national and statewide data has not been finalized, recent figures showed a 12% increase nationally and a 15.5% increase across Oregon.
National data on homelessness likely to be delayed, lack key detail under Trump
Oregon Live | By Lillian Mongeau Hughes
Locales across the country collect data on their homeless population every other January in what is known as a point-in-time count. Though the federally mandated count is usually an underestimate, it can be a useful tool for local policymakers.
Usually, that data must be submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on or around April 30. But this year, that agency has still not released a deadline for local networks to turn in their data, according to Zapata and Multnomah County spokesperson Julia Comnes.
This year’s national data will also be missing a commonly collected detail: gender.
Typically, the majority of homeless people are male, according to past counts. Homeless women are especially vulnerable though. Women, who make up about a third of people living outside, are disproportionately victimized. And they are often the survivors of domestic violence or attempting to care for children as they navigate homelessness.
EDUCATION
PPS Superintendent Says Rebuilt High Schools Could Have Several Uses
Willamette Week | By Aaron Mesh
In next month’s election, Portland Public Schools officials will ask voters to spend up to $1.15 billion to rebuild three high schools amid declining enrollment.
But in an interview with WW’s editorial board last week, PPS Superintendent Kimberlee Armstrong offered a surprising contingency plan if enrollment doesn’t rebound: Those high schools could also be used as elementary and middle schools.
That disclosure comes as the district’s operating costs outstrip its enrollment figures, a key factor in a $40 million budget crunch this year.
Editorial endorsement: Elect Splitt, Greene, La Forte and Engelsman to Portland Public Schools board
Oregonian Editorial Board
Portland Public Schools is decidedly not in the best of times. Roughly half of students are struggling to master reading and math, and enrollment is declining. Mistrust and anger are lingering after the 2023 teachers strike, and additional layoffs loom as expenses outpace funding increases.
Yet each of the four seats on the May ballot for the district’s board of directors has attracted multiple candidates. That interest is a testament to Portlanders’ loyalty to the city’s public schools, even when there’s much that needs fixing.
Critical weeks ahead could decide the future of Portland Public Schools
KATU | By Victor Park
A multi-billion-dollar budget for Portland Public Schools will be the subject of an upcoming public hearing this week.
The superintendent's proposed budget includes major staffing cuts. It comes as PPS continues to debate how to save money on rebuilding three new high schools, but a new memo shows that doing so is costing the district more.
HOUSING
Data projects Oregon will meet less than 1/3 of Kotek’s housing production goal this year
Fox 12 News
Oregon Republicans in the state house of representatives on Thursday shared new data which shows the state is on track to meet less than one-third of Governor Tina Kotek’s annual housing production goal for 2025. The data was originally reported by the DJC Oregon.
The U.S. Census Bureau data shows residential housing permits in Oregon have been declining every year since 2023. Gov. Kotek set an ambitious goal of 36,000 housing units for 2025.
Lawmakers Spar With BOLI Over Wages on Housing Jobs
Willamette Week | By Nigel Jaquiss
A spirited dialogue continues between two state lawmakers, Sen. Dick Anderson (R-Lincoln City) and Rep. Vikki Breese Iverson (R-Prineville), and the Oregon Bureau of Labor & Industries over the agency’s prevailing wage determinations for subsidized affordable housing developments.
After an Oregon Journalism Project report on whether such determinations are unnecessarily adding substantial costs to such projects, the lawmakers wrote to BOLI Commissioner Christina Stephenson asking her to use her statutory discretion to reduce such costs. Stephenson replied that her agency’s determinations correctly followed Oregon law.
NATURAL RESOURCES & WILDFIRE
Scientist Who Observed Santiam Canyon Fire Disputes Forestry Department’s Report on Cause
Willamette Week | By Jeff Manning
A fire behavior scientist who was at the front lines of the deadly 2020 Santiam Canyon Fire is challenging the conclusions of a recently released report by the Oregon Department of Forestry.
The report determined that downed power lines played no role in the deadly blaze.
Instead, the report concluded, it was burning embers from the Beachie Creek Fire that were blown for miles by a fierce 70 mph east wind that ignited the new fires. The fire killed five and caused significant damage in the small Santiam Canyon towns of Gates, Lyons, Mill City and Mehama.
Indeed, Warner tells the Oregon Journalism Project that the Forestry Department’s conclusion defies common understanding of fire behavior.
Specifically, PacifiCorp power lines. The utility had decided not to turn off power to its lines that night, despite warnings from senior state officials. So when the wind grew strong enough to topple trees, which in turn hit power lines, the lines were hot and sparking.
Nash secures Senate win for Walla Walla River water rights
East Oregonian
Enterprise’s Sen. Todd Nash on Wednesday, April 23, shepherded through a key water management bill in the Oregon Senate that is a continuation of the work of his predecessor.
SB 761 strengthens local water rights and supports vital infrastructure projects that will benefit farmers and anglers in the Umatilla Basin, boosting two of the region’s most important industries, according to a press release. “Irrigation districts have a unique opportunity to save water through management efficiencies,” Nash said.
Initiative to Build Wildlife Crossings Reaches Milestone
Source Weekly | By Julianna Lafollette
A local coalition working to construct wildlife crossings over Highway 20 is gaining momentum after a recent award of $688,800 from the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, bringing its total funding to just over $1 million. The newly awarded funding, which helped the coalition reach a critical fundraising milestone, will allow the initiative to apply for federal matching funds for phase two of the project. The second phase of the project will include the engineering and design of four crossing structures between Suttle Lake and Bend.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
Oregon emergency prep at risk after FEMA cancels grants
KOIN | By Michaela Bourgeois
Oregon’s ability to prepare for disasters is at risk after the Federal Emergency Management Agency canceled a grant program, officials warn.
On Thursday, the Oregon Department of Emergency Management announced several projects in Oregon could be stalled after FEMA revealed on April 4 that it is cancelling the fiscal year 2024 Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities grant program, which helps communities across the United States prepare for disasters from wildfires to flooding.
FEMA said the agency is ending the program in an effort to eliminate “waste, fraud and abuse.”
National News
TRUMP
Trump made big promises and moved at frenetic speed. 100 days in, here’s what he’s done and not done
OPB | By Chris Megerian, Calvin Woodward
The weeks since President Donald Trump returned to office have been a whirlwind of activity to show Americans that his administration is relentlessly pursuing his promises.
With a compliant Republican-controlled Congress, Trump has had a free hand to begin overhauling the federal government and upending foreign policy.
As Trump hits his 100th day in office Tuesday, his imprint is everywhere. But the long-term impact is often unclear.
How one author aims to keep hope alive as Trump upends climate, environmental work: Beat Check podcast
Oregon Live | By Gosia Wozniacka
In recent months, climate and environmental work have been under threat in the U.S., with the Trump administration dismantling climate legislation, freezing funds and intimidating universities, states and nonprofits.
Despite the chaos, there’s still a place for hope, says award-winning environmental journalist Alan Weisman, author of the new book Hope Dies Last. The book profiles scientists, engineers, activists and environmentalists in the U.S. and around the world who are doing extraordinary work to repair our planet’s most devastated ecosystems and prevent climate disaster.
Trump administration reverses visa termination for international college students, for now
Associated Press
The federal government is reversing the termination of legal status for international students around the U.S. after many filed court challenges against the Trump administration crackdown, a government lawyer said Friday.
The records in a federal student database maintained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement had been terminated in recent weeks, often without the students or their schools being notified. Judges around the country had already issued orders temporarily restoring the students’ records in dozens of lawsuits challenging the terminations.
Trump denies disaster aid, tells states to do more
Oregon Capital Chronicle | By Alex Brown
In the wake of recent natural disasters, state leaders across the country are finding that emergency support from the federal government is no longer a given.
Trump administration sued after school funds threat over DEI programs
Statesman Journal | By Anastasia Mason
Oregon, along with 18 other states, sued the Trump administration on April 25 to prevent education funding from being blocked for their refusal to follow a "legally incoherent interpretation" of the law that would stop diversity, equity and inclusion programs in schools.
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