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Oregon News
2026 ELECTION
KOIN 6 exclusive: Gov. Tina Kotek talks accomplishments, re-election bid
KOIN 6 | By Ken Boddie
Gov. Kotek sat down with KOIN 6 Political Director Ken Boddie for an exclusive interview to discuss her run for re-election, what she’s accomplished, as well as what she still wants to do for the state.
POLITICS
Opinion: Oregon’s budget crisis didn’t start in Washington. It started here at home
The Oregonian | Opinion by Bruce Starr, Lucetta Elmer
When Oregon families face a financial shortfall, they take a hard look at priorities, tighten what needs tightening and make sure the money they have is being spent wisely. Oregonians expect the same from their state government.
That is why the recent op-ed by the Co-Chairs of the Joint Committee on Ways and Means, blaming Oregon’s billion-dollar budget problem on federal action, misses the larger truth (“Opinion: Trump cuts leave Oregon with a billion-dollar problem and no easy solutions,” Nov. 23). Oregon’s affordability crisis and budget instability didn’t magically appear overnight due to federal policies passed in Washington, D.C. They started here at home. Oregon’s budget challenges were caused by years of unsustainable policymaking, questionable spending and an unwillingness to pump the brakes when the warning signs were clear.
Oregon’s economy isn’t working for most people. State leaders meet Monday to chart a new path
OPB | By Kyra Buckley
Oregon’s economy is in rough shape.
On Monday, economic and political leaders will attempt to craft a path forward to steer the state’s economy back to relative stability, when they gather for the annual Oregon Leadership Summit.
They have their work cut out for them.
Trade group argues Oregon's 2025 recycling law is too expensive
Eugene Register-Guard | By Alan Torres
A federal lawsuit filed against Oregon's Department of Environmental Quality aims to block a state bill intended to reform Oregon's recycling system, stating the fees levied against wholesalers operating in the state "threaten the viability" of those businesses.
In 2021, the Oregon legislature passed Senate Bill 582, the "Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act." The act aimed to reform Oregon's recycling system through changes such as a statewide collection list, upgrades to recycling facilities, and new responsibilities placed on the businesses that produce packaging.
A pricey new plan aims to keep Oregon’s foster kids out of hotels
OPB | By Lauren Dake
State officials aim to buy providers homes to house vulnerable children.
Portland Mayor Wilson talks successes, criticisms of city’s homeless crisis
KOIN 6 | By Ken Boddie
The mayor is closing in on one year in office. So how would he assess his accomplishments and his challenges?
Mayor Wilson returned to Eye on Northwest Politics to reflect on achieving his sheltering goal, as well as what’s still on the horizon when it comes to homelessness and housing.
Salem City Council considers not reappointing man over past conviction
Statesman Journal | By Whitney Woodworth
Salem City Council will consider not reappointing a Community Police Review Board member due to his past criminal conviction during its Dec. 8 meeting.
At a Dec. 3 Boards and Commissions Appointments Committee meeting, the group voted to recommend not reappointing Kyle Hedquist to the police board and leave the position open.
Hedquist's position on the board came under scrutiny due to his past murder conviction and commuted sentence by former Gov. Kate Brown in 2022.
Former Housing Director Slams Administration in Letter to City Council
Willamette Week | By Sophie Peel
Helmi Hisserich alleges the administration intentionally sought to “undermine the social housing study which was a unanimously approved legislative priority.”
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
More industries want Trump’s help hiring immigrant labor after farms get a break
Oregon Capital Chronicle | By Tim Henderson
As food prices remain high, the Trump administration has made it easier for farmers to hire foreign guest workers and to pay them less. Now, other industries with large immigrant workforces also are asking for relief as they combat labor shortages and raids.
Which Oregon universities, and what degrees, produce the biggest paychecks for graduates?
The Oregonian | By Mike Rogoway
Americans are growing increasingly skeptical about the value of a college degree, but federal data shows that Oregonians with a college diploma earn 70% more annually than those who only graduated high school.
That’s good news in a state where the number of people with college degrees is at an all-time high. Grads’ earnings depend on more than just their degree, though.
What they study matters a great deal.
Oregon Hospital Retreats Draw Concern—and Raise Questions
Willamette Week | By Andrew Schwartz
One CEO said a Southern Oregon hospital shuttering inpatient services lost “millions of dollars” in the past year. But audits and state data suggest finances weren’t so dire.
Portland-founded F.H. Steinbart Co., the oldest homebrew shop in the country, announces closure
OPB | By Chrissy Booker
F.H. Steinbart’s owner, James Ameeti, told KGW that years of shifting industry dynamics have made it increasingly difficult for brick-and-mortar shops to survive. He said rising rent and a shrinking base of homebrew customers have both added significant strain to the business.
EDUCATION
New East Portland Rep. Lamar Wise proposes data tweaks to combat chronic absenteeism
Oregon Capital Chronicle | By Alex Baumhardt
Wise hopes state leaders can intervene in schools and districts with poor attendance records sooner if attendance data is shared frequently and encompasses more students.
Some rural, low-income Oregon families struggle to access after-school amid funding uncertainty
Oregon Capital Chronicle | By Alan Cohen
Beth Unverzagt, executive director of Oregon ASK, said it’s crucial for the federal and state government to support after-school programs through public funding targeted towards low-income populations.
Editorial: A PPS board breakdown signals bad news for the public
The Oregonian Editorial Board
Was the low point of last Tuesday’s Portland Public Schools board meeting when Vice Chair Michelle DePass decried the district’s “13 years of failures” in managing its school bond construction program – glossing over the on-time modernizations of five high schools, a middle school and a PreK-8 that have delivered top-notch learning conditions for tens of thousands of students?
TRUMP ADMIN VS. OREGON
Portland’s DA balked at charging federal agents under Oregon law. Then AG Rayfield stepped in
Oregon Capital Chronicle | By Shaanth Nanguneri
Multnomah County District Attorney’s office says only Attorney General Dan Rayfield has the resources to investigate excessive force concerns, but the attorney general will seek District Attorney Nathan Vasquez’s stamp of approval.
Eugene and Springfield both announce end of Flock camera usage
KLCC | By Chris Lehman
The cities of Eugene and Springfield announced Friday evening that they would discontinue the use of AI-powered license plate cameras connected to the company called Flock Safety.
Most immigrants arrested in Oregon aren’t violent criminals, new federal data shows
The Oregonian | By Gosia Wozniacka, Mark Friesen
A large share of people arrested by immigration agents in Oregon this year have no criminal record and most of those with convictions faced prosecution for nonviolent crimes, new federal data shows.
Landlord, residents sue federal government over tear gas use near Portland ICE building
KATU | By Jennifer Singh
The owners and some residents of an apartment complex next to the Portland Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility filed a lawsuit against the federal government.
Rep. Dexter speaks at Portland ICE facility protest, says policies causing health harms
KOIN 6 | By Danny Peterson
U.S. Representative Maxine Dexter (D-Ore.) attended a peaceful protest outside the Portland Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility on Sunday afternoon, condemning what she says are the health harms that federal immigration policies cause to the community.
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