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Oregon News
POLITICS
Federal court rules Oregon law requiring insurance to cover abortion, contraception unconstitutional
OPB | By Conrad Wilson
The scope of U.S. District Court Judge Mustafa Kasubhai’s ruling won’t be known for at least several weeks, but his temporary ruling sides with Oregon Right to Life, the Keizer-based nonprofit that filed a lawsuit in 2023.
Oregon governor signs bill codifying protections for homeless students
KPTV
Tina Kotek has signed House Bill 4149 into law, establishing state-level protections for students experiencing homelessness and incorporating existing federal safeguards into Oregon statute.
Portland poised to approve higher fees on road construction to fund street maintenance
OPB | By Alex Zielinski
Portland City Council will vote Wednesday whether to dramatically increase a fee paid by contractors to help repair roads.
The increase could bring in about $22 million more to the struggling transportation bureau annually.
Portland City Council considers zoning changes to pack more housing into inner eastside neighborhoods
KGW | By Blair Best
Portland City Council is considering changes to zoning in the city's inner eastside which would allow for more apartments. While the move is years in the making, it's now generating a mixed response.
"We need to accelerate the rate of housing production," said Councilor Mitch Green of District 4. "So, if we want to be a place where people move to and stay over the next few decades, we have to take our zoning approach to this very seriously."
While Home Forward Struggled, Its CEO Spent More Than $100,000 on Taxpayer-Funded Travel Over Three Years
Willamette Week | By Sophie Peel
Ivory Mathews spent an average of 45 days a year over the past three years crisscrossing the country to attend housing conferences and networking events.
Oregon woman helped break allegations against U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell
Statesman Journal | By Anastasia Mason
A woman with Oregon ties is one of several who have accused former U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-California, of sexual misconduct, leading to his resignation from Congress.
Swalwell was widely considered a frontrunner for the Democratic nomination for California governor.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
Key Takeaways From Oregon’s 2026 Legislative Session
National Law Review
The Oregon legislature’s 2026 session adjourned on March 6, 2026. Several labor and employment law–related bills were proposed, and a handful of measures were enacted. Below is a summary of the key laws that Oregon employers should be aware of.
SNAP work requirements don’t boost jobs, but drop participation, research finds
Oregon Capital Chronicle | By Kevin Hardy
As states enact stricter work requirements for the federal food stamp program, a new analysis suggests those requirements won’t enhance employment and will push more people off of food assistance.
The researchers conducted a review of studies on work requirements and concluded that “the best evidence shows they do not increase employment. Moreover, this research finds work requirements cause a large decrease in participation in SNAP.”
How Oregon drivers are outsmarting high gas costs
KATU | By Vasili Varlamos
Gas prices remain high across Oregon, with the statewide average sitting just under $5 a gallon, according to AAA Oregon/Idaho.
National Geographic names Oregon wine region ‘the next Champagne’
KOIN 6 | By Michaela Bourgeois
Oregon already has a reputation for its Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. But according to National Geographic, one Oregon wine region is stepping up as “the next Champagne.”
Rising fuel costs drive up airfares, prompting Portland-area travelers to book early
KGW | By Libby Dowsett
Experts say higher prices could last more than a year as airlines add surcharges — so going abroad is going to cost you.
CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY
Woodburn mother, detained during blueberry harvest season, released after 8 months in federal custody
KGW | By Amy Xiaoshi DePaola
Marta Escalante Perez was among several blueberry pickers detained by Department of Homeland Security agents last year in Woodburn.
Amazon employees in Oregon say they were forced to work around corpse
KOIN 6 | By Rob Taub
Amazon workers in Oregon allege the company told them to continue to work while a worker lay dead in the facility, reports said.
HEALTH CARE
Before OHSU CEO’s Abrupt Ouster, He Made Some Colleagues Uneasy
Willamette Week | By Andrew Schwartz
Tarek Salaway said his firing was retaliation after he raised serious concerns about the medical center. Internal documents suggest there is more to the story.
2026 ELECTION
Want to vote in the May primary? Deadline to update voter registration approaches
The Oregonian | By Mia Maldonado
Oregonians have until April 28 to register to vote or change their party affiliation for the upcoming primary election.
Is it legal to put political signs along Oregon highways? What law says
Statesman Journal | By Anastasia Mason
Oregonians trying to promote a political candidate might be disappointed to find their signs have been taken down by the Oregon Department of Transportation.
That's because political signs cannot be posted on state highway right-of-ways.
Here's what Oregon law says about placing political signs near state highways.
Top Oregon GOP gubernatorial candidates set to debate in Hillsboro this week
Oregon Capital Chronicle | By Shaanth Nanguneri
The event comes as some candidates for the governorship have sparred over whether and how often to make public appearances taking questions for the Republican primary.
Voters ousted 3 politicians in Portland’s most purple county. Now they want comebacks
The Oregonian | By Noelle Crombie
Sonya Fischer and Ben West are competing for a seat on the Clackamas County Board of Commissioners. West, a nurse who lives in Wilsonville, is an incumbent. Fischer is a Lake Oswego lawyer who West defeated in the last election.
Who's running for Oregon Senate District 6? Meet the candidates
Statesman Journal | By Bill Poehler
The primary contest for the Republican nomination to represent Senate District 6 in the Oregon Legislature features a crowded field.
State Rep. Jami Cate is the only Republican candidate who currently holds office in Salem.
Jack Tibbetts was a city councilor in Santa Rosa, California. Then a Democrat, he now lives Saginaw and owns a vineyard.
Nicole De Graff is a member of the Springfield school board.
Sierrah Williams of Sweet Home is the lone Democrat running for State Senate District 6.
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