Union asks lawmakers to repeal ballot measure that same union passed at great expense
United Food & Commercial Workers Local 555 employed scorched-earth tactics and big money to pass Measure 119. Now…
Newly named ‘Prosperity Council’ hopes to fix chronic economic problems
Oregon’s economy has lagged for decades. Some blame a shrinking workforce and too much red tape. Gov. Kotek’s Prosperity…
Declining student numbers forcing districts to cut staff
By Khushboo Rathore Oregon Journalism Project – The New Era staff contributed to this story As Oregon public…
State bridges in good shape, but Linn’s among worst
By Khushboo Rathore Oregon Journalism Project As lawmakers search for a funding solution for the Oregon Department of…
Lawmakers consider raising retirement benefits for some public safety workers
The PERS system is underfunded and costs governments record sums, but some lawmakers want to sweeten the pot. …
Equal Rights for All Measure abandons effort to qualify for 2026 ballot
The concession comes after 18 months and $1.3 million spent. By Nigel Jaquiss Oregon Journalism Project A campaign…
Oregon’s education workforce climbed while student enrollment slid
The state added nearly 12,000 employees since 2020, but school districts face layoffs as budget cuts loom. …
Vice chair of Oregon Senate Housing Committee seeks prevailing wage reforms
Amid Oregon’s continuing housing crisis, Sen. Dick Anderson wants to maximize the purchasing power of public funding. By…
Experts say leaving it up to locals impedes Oregon students’ reading recovery
Unlike other states, Oregon funds its 197 school districts but does little to hold them to account for…
Oregon graduation rates are up for nearly all student groups
Not all school districts saw improvement, and Oregon continues to trail the national average. Sweet Home rate increases,…
Secretary of State Read says there’s time to put gas tax repeal measure on May ballot — barely
Gov. Tina Kotek wants to take the loss early and move on. Read says it will require quick…
Two groups have submitted signatures for 2026 ballot initiatives, aiming at very different issues
A radical ballot initiative on animal rights is faring better — and operating far more efficiently — than…
Multnomah County jury awards family $29 million against DHS
Tort cap limits payout to $4.2 million. Jury decides DHS’s failure led to a catastrophic brain injury to…
Oregon’s crashing pot prices put drug treatment at risk
The state’s Behavioral Health Resource Network faces a multimillion-dollar shortfall. By Khushboo Rathore Oregon Journalism Project Since 2022,…
BOLI orders contractor to pay prevailing wages to remove derelict boats
The ruling catches Oregon ports by surprise and could slow the removal of junk vessels from navigable waterways.…
Analysis shows Oregon bridges mostly in fair condition
Linn County leads state in bridge deterioration. ODOT’s financial troubles mean conditions may not improve anytime soon. By…
AG’s opinion raises questions about Transportation Tax repeal
Gov. Kotek wants lawmakers to invalidate House Bill 3991. The opinion says they cannot do that. By Nigel…
Spotlight: Bruce Starr
Senate minority leader speaks out on gathering 250,000 signatures almost overnight and what’s wrong with Oregon. By OJP…
Oregon election officials to begin purging rolls of inactive voters
The state paused such housekeeping in 2017 but will now cancel registrations of those who neither receive ballots…
Critics: Interstate bridge staff hid information about ballooning cost of giant highway project
The estimated price tag more than doubled from $6 billion to $13.6 billion, but staff told a…
Hazelnuts a bright spot for Oregon agriculture
Although the total amount of cultivated farmland in Oregon is shrinking, filbert acreage is booming. By Khushboo Rathore…
Mother forced to dig up son’s burial vault
The emptying of the grave site ends long-running litigation involving the nation’s largest funeral company and a prominent…
Confronted by a grassroots backlash, Democrats consider repealing unpopular gas tax hike
Repealing the controversial bill could deprive Republicans of a powerful campaign issue in an election year. By…
Oregon parents disproportionately exempt school-age children from vaccines
Oregon has the nation’s third-highest opt-out rate, leaving more than 50,000 children vulnerable to serious disease. By Khushboo…
If you build it, will they come?
Oregon’s leading politicians want to bet billions of dollars on a new shipping terminal. Critics say it’s a…