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Oregon-Northwest

Pencil for governor

A pencil running for Oregon governor hopes to make its mark on education issues

By Alex Baumhardt, Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM, Ore. — Oregon’s low youth literacy rates spurred a new candidate to announce a write-in campaign for governor on Monday. Most Oregonians have at least some experience with the candidate, but it’s never held elected office before. It’s not even human. Schuberth, a former teacher for Portland State

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Studded tires ODOT

Washington charges drivers for buying studded tires. Why doesn’t Oregon?

By Mia Maldonado, Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM, Ore. — As weather warms and more Oregonians spend their time outside, spring brings the telltale clicking sounds of studded tires carving ruts into snow-free roads. Studies have shown that studded tires reduce road life and cost the state millions in repairs. Several states, including Alaska, Florida and Minnesota, have

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Power transmission lines towers

Pacific Power, PGE get state OK to raise residential rates again now for 1.5 million Oregon customers

By Alex Baumhardt, Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM, Ore. — The 1.5 million Oregon households who receive electric service through Pacific Power or Portland General Electric will pay more this year. The state’s Public Utility Commission — a three-person governor-appointed group charged with regulating the rates of privately owned electric and gas utilities in Oregon —

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Oregon Drought Monitor March 26th, 2026

Governor Kotek declares drought emergency in three Oregon counties, including Deschutes

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — Governor Tina Kotek declared a drought emergency in Deschutes, Baker, and Umatilla counties through Executive Order 26-05. The declaration comes as forecasts suggest below-normal precipitation and streamflow conditions will likely continue through the summer. This is the first drought declaration issued by Governor Kotek during the 2026 calendar year. The order

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Oregon Parks and Rec seeks feedback on proposed grant program updates

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — A new Rule Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet Monday, April 13th, to review proposed updates to the County Opportunity Grant Program. The County Opportunity Grant Program provides financial assistance to counties for the acquisition, development, rehabilitation, and planning of park areas that include camping facilities. The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department

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Census U.S. counties population growth

Deschutes County’s population has grown the most in Oregon this decade; Crook County’s growth rate tops state

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Halfway through the 2020s – a decade in which Americans’ lives were greatly impacted by the COVID pandemic – Deschutes County has added more residents than any other Oregon county, while Crook County’s growth rate tops the state.  Those are two Central Oregon highlights from the U.S. Census Bureau’s county population estimates for July 1, 2025, released Thursday, which shows a

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Oregon business leaders urge Gov. Kotek to think bigger with prosperity council effort

By Shaanth Nanguneri, Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM, Ore. — A leading Oregon business group is urging Gov. Tina Kotek’s economic advisers to act with greater ambition if they want to attract businesses into the state and reignite the state’s economy. In a letter last week to the governor’s economic prosperity council, the Oregon Business Council  called upon

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Oregon sends 21 firefighters to North Carolina for wildfire assistance

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) The Oregon Department of Forestry deployed 21 firefighters and one agency representative to North Carolina over the weekend. The deployment was made under state-to-state mutual aid agreements to assist with regional fire management efforts. These agreements, along with the Northwest Compact, allow fire management organizations to share resources and create a more

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Oregon’s affordability crisis deepens as costs outpace income growth; 5th least affordable state

PORTLAND, Ore. (CSI) — Oregon ranks as the fifth least affordable state in the nation as rising costs for essential household expenses continue to outpace income growth. A new report from the Common Sense Institute finds that Oregon households must now spend approximately $18,300 more annually to cover basic needs compared to 2019. The analysis,

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McCoin Orchard

Heritage Apple Corps launches Heritage Fruit Tree Registry providing detailed historical records, orchard maps, and more

OREGON (KTVZ) — The Heritage Apple Corps has launched the Heritage Fruit Tree Registry to document historic fruit trees across Central Oregon. Created by Peter Loverso, the registry serves as a publicly accessible resource to help the local community learn about the region’s agricultural history. The project incorporates years of research and fieldwork, much of

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Kaiser Permanente and Oregon nurses union reach tentative deal after year-long talks

Kaiser Permanente and Oregon nurses union reach tentative deal after year-long talks

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals (OFNHP) reached a tentative agreement with Kaiser Permanente on Monday following a year-long bargaining campaign. The deal covers nearly 5,000 healthcare workers in Oregon and Southwest Washington and includes a 21.5% wage increase over the life of the contract. The agreement secures benefit

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Nexstar Tegna acquisition MGN

Oregon among eight states suing to block Nexstar-Tegna broadcast merger

By Brian Stelter, CNN (CNN) — Eight state attorneys general, including Oregon’s Dan Rayfield, have filed an antitrust lawsuit to block Nexstar’s pending acquisition of Tegna, which they claim would strengthen the right-leaning Nexstar and shrink the number of station owners in the US. The states, led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, say the TV

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