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Tina Kotek wants to scrap a plan to implement tolls on large sections of two Portland-area interstates, she said Monday. Kotek sent a letter to the Oregon Transportation Commission on Monday saying the Regional Mobility Pricing Project for Interstate 5 and Interstate 205 should be halted, KGW-TV reported. Kotek’s letter came a few weeks after a survey found a majority of Oregon voters opposed the Regional Mobility Pricing Project tolls, KOIN-TV reported. Photos You Should See View All 60 ImagesThe move also came after the Oregon Department of Transportation produced a report on the equity impacts of tolling and the agency’s plan to mitigate the impacts on low-income Portlanders. Beyer said “metro leadership views on tolling have changed” and “local and regional opposition to tolling makes clear that Oregon is not ready for regional tolling."

Persons: Tina Kotek, Kotek, ”, Julie Brown, Lee Beyer, Kris Strickler, Beyer, Strickler, ” Brown, ” Kotek, Washington that’s Organizations: —, Oregon Transportation, Oregon Department of Transportation, ” Oregon Transportation, Washington Locations: PORTLAND, — Oregon, Portland, Oregon, ” Oregon

☆ Remains of Oregon teen who went missing over 50 years ago are identified after someone uploaded their DNA into genealogy site
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-25 | by ( Dalia Faheid | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The remains of a Portland, Oregon, teenager who vanished in the late 1960s have been identified through advanced DNA testing more than 50 years after she went missing, authorities said. In 1970, a Boy Scout troop leader discovered the girl’s remains buried in a shallow grave on Sauvie Island in Oregon. Investigators at the time were unable to identify them, but noted that that trauma to the body indicated foul play, Oregon State Police announced in a news release on Thursday. Family members told authorities they believed Young went missing from Portland around the time the remains were discovered, according to the news release. “Sandra Young has now regained her identity after 54 years,” said Dr. Nici Vance of the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office.

Persons: Sandra Young, Young, “ Sandra Young, ”, Nici Vance, Sandy Young’s, ” Vance Organizations: CNN, Boy Scout, Investigators, Oregon State Police, Grant High School, Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office, Oregon, Medical Examiner, Portland Police Locations: Portland , Oregon, Oregon, Portland, Sauvie, ”

Tina Kotek urged lawmakers to concentrate on the most state's most pressing issues. “My number-one focus for the legislative session is to put as much as possible into the effort to improve housing production in the state,” Kotek said. Kotek's roughly $500 million housing package this session also would include $20 million in grants she described as “climate-friendly” incentives. Wagner said he spent the interim period between sessions traveling across the state to visit Republican senators in their home districts and described having “good and open conversations” with Knopp. “Let’s focus on housing, let’s focus on behavioral health, let’s focus on summer learning,” Kotek said.

Persons: Tina Kotek, ” Kotek, Kotek, decriminalizing, “, ”, Jeff Helfrich, Tim Knopp, Rob Wagner, Wagner Organizations: Republican, Democratic Gov, Republicans, GOP, Democratic, Oregon Supreme Locations: SALEM, Ore, Oregon, Knopp

☆ How Will States Pay for Roads When Gas Taxes Evaporate?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Peter Funt | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Back in 2001, seven years before Tesla introduced its electric-powered Roadster and a dozen years before the more affordable Chevrolet Spark EV went on sale, lawmakers in Oregon recognized that the adoption of EVs and hybrids would eventually mean less revenue from the state’s gas tax, which would mean less money to pay for roads and bridges. After considering a tire tax, a battery tax and numerous other options, the committee concluded that Oregonians should be charged based on how many miles they drive. Twenty-two years later, the Road User Fee Task Force continues to operate small pilot programs. But like most other states that have seen gas taxes start to evaporate, Oregon still doesn’t have a mandatory alternative revenue plan in place. Legislatures are in a bind: They can no longer afford to ignore the decline in gas-tax revenue, but all proposed solutions are problematic.

Persons: Tesla Locations: Oregon

Tina Kotek said Tuesday she has directed state police to launch new strategies aimed at disrupting the fentanyl supply chain and holding sellers of the frequently deadly drug accountable. Kotek said in a statement that she made the announcement at a Tuesday meeting of her task force created to revitalize downtown Portland. “I want all Oregonians to know that the state is moving forward with several new fentanyl strategic enforcement and disruption strategies,” Kotek's statement said. So far this year, the Oregon State Patrol has seized nearly 233,000 fentanyl pills and 62 pounds of powder, the statement said. Illegally made fentanyl is often added to other drugs, including heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine, to increase its potency.

Persons: Tina Kotek, Kotek, General Merrick Garland Organizations: —, Oregon Department of Justice, Oregon State Patrol, Washington , D.C, U.S . Justice Locations: SALEM, Ore, — Oregon, Portland, “, U.S, Washington ,

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — The Oregon Court of Appeals on Monday asked the state's highest court to decide whether Republican state senators who carried out a record-setting GOP walkout this year can run for reelection. Oregon voters last year overwhelmingly approved the ballot measure that created the amendment following GOP walkouts in the Legislature in 2019, 2020 and 2021. They and Oregon Department of Justice attorneys on the opposite side of the case jointly last month asked the appeals court to send the matter straight to the state Supreme Court. The appeals court on Monday formally asked the Oregon Supreme Court to take the case, said Todd Sprague, spokesman for the Oregon Judicial Department. The senators insist that the way the amendment to the state constitution is written means they can seek another term.

Persons: LaVonne Griffin, Valade, “, Oregonians, ” Griffin, Griffin, Todd Sprague, Sprague, Sen, Bill Hansell, Tim Knopp, they’ve, ” Knopp, Ben Morris Organizations: Oregon, Monday, Appeals, Oregon Department of Justice, Oregon Supreme, Oregon Judicial Department, Oregon Republicans, Democrat Locations: SALEM, Ore, Oregon, Statehouses, Montana , Tennessee, United States, U.S, Rhode Island, Rutland , Massachusetts

Epic Healing Eugene — Oregon’s first licensed psilocybin service center — opened in June, marking the state’s unprecedented step in offering the mind-bending drug to the public. The clients can't buy mushrooms to go, and they must stay at the service center until the drug wears off. Oregon Psilocybin Services spent two years establishing regulations and began accepting license applications in January. She expects Oregon’s psilocybin program, currently receiving millions in taxpayer dollars, to be fully supported by licensing fees by mid-2025. Little, brown psychedelic mushrooms can be found growing in fields or in the woods, but they can closely resemble poisonous varieties.

Persons: Eugene — Oregon’s, Angela Allbee, ”, ” Allbee, It’s, Eugene, Brian Lindley, Jeanette Small, Allbee, Cathy Jonas, Jonas, “, Gared Hansen, Hansen, " Hansen, that’s Organizations: Food and Drug Administration, FDA, Oregon Psychiatric Physicians Association, Services, Ashland, Service Locations: EUGENE, Eugene, Colorado, Oregon, United States, Bend, San Francisco, Springfield , Oregon, Pink Buffalo

☆ Millions of Americans’ personal data exposed in global hack
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Sean Lyngaas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Millions of people in Louisiana and Oregon have had their data compromised in the sprawling cyberattack that has also hit the US federal government, state agencies said late Thursday. The breach has affected 3.5 million Oregonians with driver’s licenses or state ID cards, and anyone with that documentation in Louisiana, authorities said. The hackers exploited a flaw in a popular file-transfer software known as MOVEit made by Massachusetts-based Progress Software. Hundreds of organizations across the globe have likely had their data exposed after the hackers used the flaw to break into networks in recent weeks. US officials described the cyberattack as an opportunistic, financially motivated hack that has not caused disruptions to agency services.

Persons: Casey Tingle, Aon, John Bel Edwards, ” Munish Walther, Puri, It’s, ”, Jeff Greene, “, Greene Organizations: CNN, Department of Energy, BBC, British Airways, University of Georgia, Social, Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles, Louisiana Gov, US, Progress Software, FBI, Infrastructure Security Agency, National Security Council, Aspen Locations: Louisiana, Oregon, Russian, Massachusetts, Clop, Ukraine

Separately, state agencies said late Thursday that millions of people in Louisiana and Oregon had their data compromised in a security breach. The cyberattack has targeted federal and state agencies. No other federal agencies have confirmed being impacted. And on Thursday, state agencies said 3.5 million Oregonians with driver’s licenses or state ID cards had been impacted by a breach as well as anyone with that documentation in Louisiana. But much of the responsibility now lies on businesses and federal agencies rather than individuals, according to Cattanach.

Persons: “, ” Robert Cattanach, Dorsey, you’re, ”, Clop, Brett Callow, Emsisoft, ” Callow, Aon, they’ve, ” CISA, Allan Liska Organizations: CNN, Infrastructure Security Agency, Whitney, Department of Justice, The Department of Energy, BBC, British Airways, Boston Globe, Sydney Phoenix, US Department of Homeland, Johns Hopkins University, University of Georgia, –, Progress Software Locations: Russian, Louisiana, Oregon, Minnesota, Illinois, Arlington , VA, Baltimore, Georgia’s

☆ This couple spent $48,000 to convert their Portland, Oregon, home to 'net zero': 'The future is efficient and renewable'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Zachary Green Celia Fernandez | Zachary Green | In Zachary-Green-News | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

When Ryan Shanahan, 41, decided to buy a house in Portland, Oregon, he knew from the start that he wanted his future home to be "net zero." To be net zero is to cut greenhouse gas emissions to as close to zero as possible, with any remaining emissions reabsorbed from the atmosphere, by oceans and forests, for instance, according to the United Nations. "My mantra is that the future is efficient, electric, and renewable," Shanahan tells CNBC Make It. To buy the house, Shanahan took advantage of a $15,000 forgivable loan from Oregon's Down Payment Assistance program. Shanahan purchased the house because it had design features needed to help reach his goal of making the house net zero.

☆ Portland store is reportedly selling psychedelic mushrooms – but they're not legal in Oregon yet: 'They're breaking all sorts of laws over there'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Portland herbal shop is selling magic mushrooms to locals in spite of state laws, KPTV reports. Shroom House offers 'Penis Envy,' 'Albino Golden Teacher,' 'Knobby Tops,' and more in the selection, Willamette Week says. Although the process sounds lengthy, a reporter from Willamette Week said they were able to order fungi about five minutes after submitting the documents. Shroom House reportedly has a variety of mushrooms to choose from – including "Knobby Tops," "Penis Envy," and "Albino Golden Teacher." Nothing in Measure 109 or any other law allows the sale of psilocybin mushrooms today or in the future," Chapman said.

☆ Live Results: Oregon votes in congressional and state elections
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Walt Hickey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Polls close in the state at 8 p.m. local time. Given the state has multiple timezones, the first polls close at 10 p.m. EST and the last polls close at 11 p.m. EST. It symobilizes the 2022 Election. Polls close in the state at 8 p.m. local time. Given the state has multiple time zones, the first polls close at 10 p.m. EST and the last polls close at 11 p.m. EST.

☆ Democratic incumbent Sen. Ron Wyden faces off against Republican Jo Rae Perkins in Oregon's US Senate election
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Hanna Kang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sen. Ron Wyden is running against Republican Jo Rae Perkins to represent Oregon in the US Senate. Wyden has been Congress for more than 40 years overall — and in the US Senate since 1996. Democratic incumbent Sen. Ron Wyden faces off against Republican Jo Rae Perkins in Oregon to represent the state in the US Senate. Prior to his time as senator, Wyden represented Oregon's 3rd Congressional District in the House from 1981 until his election to the US Senate in 1996. Oregon's voting historyThe state voted forJoe Biden over then-President Donald Trump by a margin of 16 percentage points in the 2020 election.

☆ Powerball used to have a jackpot limit. Then it exploded
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN Business —The Powerball lottery jackpot is expected to hit $1.9 billion for Monday’s drawing, making it the largest lotto prize ever. But in 1987 when Lotto America, the precursor to Powerball, was introduced, organizers prohibited jackpots of more than $80 million. ”This is a whole new ballgame” Lotto America spokesman Jack Ratigan said at the time. These changes have pushed Powerball jackpots way up. Lotteries are regressive, meaning lower-income groups spend more of their budgets on lottery games than higher-income groups.

☆ Oregon Measure 112: Voters will decide on removing the state constitution's language addressing slavery in prisons
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-06 | by ( Taiyler Simone Mitchell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Oregon Measure 112 would change language in the state constitution that addresses slavery and involuntary servitude in prisons. Supporters argue that the slavery language has heavily affected marginalized communities. A Secretary of State's analysis of the measure states: "The measure does not require additional state government revenues or expenditures; however the impact of the measure will depend on potential legal action or changes to inmate work programs." Support and oppositionOregonians Against Slavery & Involuntary Servitude is leading the campaign in support of the measure. Supporters argue that the slavery exception has heavily affected marginalized communities.

☆ Miss United States pageant can bar transgender women from competing, appeals court rules
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-06 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

In 2019 Anita Green, a transgender woman, sued Miss United States of America LLC for discrimination. "You know I'm transgender, right," Green wrote in a message to Smith, according to the 106-page opinion. Miss United States is not the same as the Miss USA Organization, which is the televised beauty-pageant arm of the Miss Universe Organization. Isabella Ilacqua founded the United States National Pageants organization in 1986. United States National Pageants didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment, and Green declined to comment at this time.

☆ GOP Has a Chance at Oregon Governorship for First Time in Four Decades
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Eliza Collins | Photographs Kristina Barker For The Wall Street Journal | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

PORTLAND—Oregonians might choose a Republican governor for the first time in 40 years, polls show, as voters look for new leadership to take on homelessness and crime and a well-funded independent candidate complicates the race. Former Democratic state House Speaker Tina Kotek and former state House GOP leader Christine Drazan are running evenly at just under 39%, according to the polling average on the website FiveThirtyEight.

☆ Oregon Might Elect a Republican Governor for First Time in Four Decades
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Eliza Collins | Photographs Kristina Barker For The Wall Street Journal | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

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