Oregon GOP chair re-elected despite challenge from Bend man
Sam Carpenter of Bend loses bid for top party job
Bill Currier was elected Saturday to a third term as chairman of the Oregon Republican Party, fending off a challenge … Read more
Bills would block workers from being fired for using pot on off hours
Business groups oppose laws they say will clash with federal prohibitions
SALEM — You can buy it, sell it, grow it, smoke it, eat it, rub … Read more
Oregon Senate approves statewide rent control
First-in-nation bill expected to win approval in the House
SALEM — Statewide rent control took its first big jump toward becoming law Tuesday, winning … Read more
Carbon cap hearing coming to Bend
Legislative panel coming on March 2
The Joint Committee on Carbon Reduction will hold a hearing March 2 in Bend to … Read more
Capitol roundup: Housing votes an early test for Helt, Zika
Helt already reporting significant fundraising for 2020 race
It may feel like the 2019 legislative session just started, but big pieces of Democrats’ … Read more
Bigger building fund could boost OSU-Cascades plans
Gov. Brown talks about higher ed funding in Salem; OSU’s Ray speaks in Portland
SALEM — Gov. Kate Brown said Thursday there might be up to $100 million in … Read more
Search-and-Rescue operations under Salem spotlight
Bend man’s death helps spur look at improving response
SALEM — Financing and fixing search and rescue operations in Oregon is the target of … Read more
Capitol roundup: Oregon could make permanent — or ban — daylight savings time
Legislature looking at bills to change constitution, and clocks
SALEM — An update on an ailing state official and a bundle of bills that … Read more
OSU-Cascades faces new fights in Legislature
Bend university pushes for more support from state
SALEM — Oregon State University-Cascades’ construction funding adventures over the past two sessions of the … Read more
Starnes stumps for campaign finance reform
Former candidate for governor hopes for ballot measure in 2020
EUGENE — Patrick Starnes has gone straight from the 2018 election into the 2020 campaign … Read more
McLeod-Skinner among those nominated to state boards
Four Deschutes County residents on list from Gov. Kate Brown
SALEM — Gov. Kate Brown on Tuesday nominated four Deschutes County residents to state boards, … Read more
Sen. Wyden weighs in on shutdown, health care, clean energy
Oregon senator says too much political debate is ‘fact-free’
EUGENE — All things being equal, Ron Wyden would rather be in Bend on Saturday. … Read more
Capitol Roundup: Legislative marathon begins
Monday was the first day of the 160-day ‘long session’
SALEM — Monday was the first of up to 160 days of the 2019 legislative … Read more
Walden returns to Bend for town hall
Republican Congressman takes no position on president’s offer to end shutdown
U.S. Rep. Greg Walden, R-Hood River, held his first town hall in Bend in nearly … Read more
Helt to resign from Bend-La Pine School Board
New legislator says Salem time demands will be too heavy
Rep. Cheri Helt, R-Bend, said late Friday that she will resign from the Bend-La Pine … Read more
A Q&A with Rep. Greg Walden before Bend town hall
Congressman’s town hall on Saturday could echo turbulent 2017 event
Greg Walden returns to Bend this Saturday for a town hall in one of the … Read more
As Bend’s new House member, Helt hopes to find middle way
Helt says she wants to work with Democrats and GOP on key issues
SALEM — Cheri Helt finds herself in the middle a lot these days. She ran … Read more
Gov. Kate Brown’s inaugural address
Transcript of the governor’s speech delivered Jan. 14, 2019
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown delivered her inauguration address Monday Jan. 14, 2019, to the state … Read more
2020 ballot battles have already begun
Activists get early start on placing initiatives before voters
Legalizing “magic” mushrooms, kicking big money out of politics and dueling measures on guns are … Read more
Pro-Trump Bend businessman making run for state GOP chair
Sam Carpenter says state leaders should back the president firmly
SALEM — Bend businessman Sam Carpenter is mounting an insurgent bid to become chairman of … Read more
Capitol roundup: Tumultuous start of new year in Salem and D.C.
Sexual harassment report and border wall funding roil lawmakers
SALEM — The first weeks of a new session of the Legislature or Congress are … Read more
Bend voters urge Merkley to stick with the U.S. Senate
Oregon Democrat talks to town hall crowd about election reform
U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley is still deciding whether he will run for President, but voters … Read more
Brown endorses stricter drunken-driving limit
Federal shutdown also tops agenda in governor’s first press conference of 2019
SALEM — Gov. Kate Brown endorsed lowering the maximum blood alcohol level for drunken driving … Read more
Taxes, education and ‘Kaylee’s Law’ top Legislature’s agenda
Lawmakers start a new session in Salem on Jan. 22
SALEM — A bipartisan bill to fix flaws in campus security that were highlighted by … Read more
After losing race for governor, Buehler plans his future
He rules out any 2020 run and says he won’t back Trump re-election
Knute Buehler said he plans to stay on the Oregon political stage, although he will … Read more
Central Oregon political newsmakers of 2018
10 people who headlined state political events over the past year
SALEM — Central Oregon was center stage in state political news for much of 2018, … Read more
Bend is ‘worse-case scenario’ command center in major earthquake
State’s fallback Emergency Coordinating Center would be here if Salem is knocked-out
Bend would be the center of the state’s emergency response in the worst-case scenario of … Read more
Capitol roundup: Legislature gets its House — and Senate — in order
New Supreme Court judge, lawmaker assignments as new year looms
The season has turned to winter, and soon, the calendar will flip to 2019, meaning … Read more
New Bend-area lawmakers get key posts
Helt, Zika will be on committees dealing with hot-button issues
SALEM — Bend’s two freshman Republican state lawmakers have been assigned to committees that will … Read more
OSU-Cascades teams lobby lawmakers in Salem
Effort highlighted tuition costs, new student building
Facing fights over tuition and building priorities, a coalition of students, staff and supporters of … Read more
Federal Farm Bill contains provisions for Oregon’s forests, hemp farmers
Senate passes $867 billion bill, which now goes to the House later this month
A massive federal farming and agriculture bill that’s nearing final approval could provide additional funding … Read more
Capitol roundup: Taxes and voting trends top the news
Salem to hold meetings this week, while wildfire aid sought in D.C.
SALEM — Taxes, voting trends, legislative “concepts” and proposed wildfire protections are among the topics … Read more
Oregon Republicans debate their future
GOP debate: Hew to center or swing right
Election night 2018 was pretty much a disaster for the Oregon Republican Party. Now, the … Read more
Capitol Roundup: Dems, GOP set leadership line-ups for 2019
Also, Walden remains on key panel and Deschutes County is, no surprise, growing rapidly
SALEM — Democrats and Republicans in the House and Senate are preparing their teams for … Read more
Higher education budget plan has no guaranteed building funds for OSU-Cascades
Gov. Brown’s proposal does allocate $8 million for COCC project
SALEM — Amid a spartan proposed budget for higher education, Gov. Kate Brown has allocated … Read more
