The US Coast Guard told Oregon's US Senators that it will return a rescue helicopter to Newport permanently. A lawsuit over the helicopter's sudden removal in Oct is ongoing. www.opb.org/article/2025...

With Gov. Tina Kotek's (long-expected) announcement that she's running for reelection this morning, it's the perfect time to revisit our comprehensive look at how her first term has gone. #orpol www.opb.org/article/2025...

The campaign hoping to refer Oregon's newly passed gas tax increase to next year's ballot now says it has more than 150,000 signatures -- roughly double of what it needs. #orpol

There are new signs of life for a rumored immigrant detention center in Newport. #orpol www.opb.org/article/2025...

Four of Oregon’s top lawyers are “highly concerned” about immigration officers stopping a group of teenagers at gunpoint in October and, last week, arresting a high school student on his lunch break.

That was quick. A federal judge has ordered the Coast Guard to immediately return a rescue helicopter it quietly moved away from Newport last month. www.opb.org/article/2025...

There is growing evidence ICE is planning a new detention center on the Oregon coast. The latest: an ICE contractor is hiring "detention officers" in Newport. #orpol www.opb.org/article/2025...

New: Speculation that ICE might be planning a new facility on the Oregon coast kicked off last week, when a federal contractor told Newport officials it would assist in a federal mission at the city's airport scheduled Dec 1. #orpol www.opb.org/article/2025...

I've been hearing all day about rumors that ICE wants to set up a new outpost on the Oregon coast. Newport officials say their airport is in the agency's sites. #orpol www.opb.org/article/2025...

Gov. Tina Kotek has signed the transportation funding bill lawmakers passed over a month ago. Opponents now have until Dec 30 to collect enough signatures to send taxes in the bill to the ballot for voter approval. #orleg #orpol

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has vacated a ruling that President Trump lawfully called the National Guard into Portland. The court will hear the matter "en banc" after its judges voted to take up the case.

Gov. Tina Kotek has not announced her reelection bid yet. But her campaign is tweeting this out on the morning Christine Drazan will announce her own gubernatorial run. Betsy Johnson ran against both women in 2022. And her tune on Kotek was very different then. #orpol

State Rep. Christine Drazan just pursued -- and won -- an open Senate seat, even though she plans to run for governor. That may seem confusing until you realize Senators can raise political cash during legislative session. Reps cannot. #orleg #orpol www.opb.org/article/2025...

President Donald Trump is sending 300 California National Guard members to Oregon after a judge blocked the administration from deploying that state’s guard to Portland, according to California Gov. Gavin Newsom. apnews.com/article/nati...

Way before Tom Dundon was the potential savior of one of Oregon's most beloved institutions, the state accused him of being a car loan shark. (My words not theirs.) www.opb.org/article/2025...

New: According to staff, the Senate floor session scheduled for tomorrow is likely to be delayed again -- by perhaps weeks -- because Sen Chris Gorsek can't make it to the Capitol. Gorsek has been battling health problems, but is needed to pass a tax package. #orleg #orpol

Notable #orleg news. State Rep. Annessa Hartman, D-Gladstone, says she won't run for re-election. Instead she's seeking a seat on the Clackamas County Commission. Hartman does not have many positive things to say about legislative politics in her announcement.

NEW: State Rep. Cyrus Javadi is now a Democrat. After a decisive vote in favor of Gov. Tina Kotek's transportation tax package on Monday, Javadi will seek reelection next year as a member of the majority party. #orpol #orleg www.opb.org/article/2025...

New: A vote on the Gov Tina Kotek's transportation package is expected to be delayed by two weeks, with Sen. Chris Gorsek out for health reasons. #orleg www.opb.org/article/2025...

There are a LOT of rumors in Salem right now, but this much feels clear: The Senate is not likely to vote on the transportation bill tomorrow -- and maybe not until well after. Sen Chris Gorsek, whose vote Dems may need, is unable to attend for health reasons. #orleg

The Oregon Senate just met briefly. Democrats did not attempt to force a vote on HB 3991, the governor's transportation funding bill. Under normal procedural rules (which Republicans are insisting on) tomorrow is the first day it can get a vote. #orleg #orpol

As Hartman said she would vote against the measure, Rep. Hoa Nguyen, who is undergoing cancer treatment and wasn't here earlier, came to the floor. It takes 36 votes to pass any tax measure, and there are 36 Democrats. Javadi, the only R to support the measure, could cancel out Hartman. #orleg

The Oregon House is back in session to vote on @GovTinaKotek's transportation funding bill. And Republicans, who hate the bill, agree to suspend the rule requiring it to be read in full. So this will be somewhat efficient? #orleg #orpol

Oregon Dems are signaling they will back off on some of their funding ambitions as they negotiate with Republicans. Gov. Tina Kotek proposed doubling a 0.1% payroll tax for transit. Now Speaker Julie Fahey has an amendment that would sunset the increase after 2 yrs. #orleg

The GOP's "Big Beautiful Bill" doesn't just include federal tax cuts. Because Oregon automatically adopts the federal code, it could blow a $373M hole in Oregon's budget. #orpol #orleg www.opb.org/article/2025...

More than 1750 pieces of testimony have already been filed ahead of a public hearing today on @GovTinaKotek's bill to raise taxes to fund ODOT/transit. No idea the overall makeup, but each one of the dozens I've checked have been opposed. #orleg #orpol

We finally have firm details for what the transportation funding bill being pushed by @tinakotek.bsky.social would raise in tax revenue. It's about $5.8B over a decade (and more after, as these taxes would continue). That's half a major bill that failed in June. #orpol #orleg

On June 18, a major GOP fundraising platform began listing Christine Drazan as a gubernatorial candidate for next year. Drazan's camp says it doesn't know why that happened. The listing was removed today. #orpol www.opb.org/article/2025...

Tom Homan’s visit came more than a month after he name-checked Portland during a televised interview with Fox Business

New: Gov. Tina Kotek is delaying mass layoffs at the Oregon Department of Transportation by 45 days. She'll call lawmakers into special session on Aug. 29 to fill a funding hole at the agency. #orpol #orleg www.opb.org/article/2025...

In news that will disappoint folks who were salivating over their own run, Jeff Merkley is seeking reelection next year. #orpol www.opb.org/article/2025...

Every part of Oregon and the PNW is forecast to face high wildfire danger every month of summer — July, August and September, according to monthly forecast from the National Interagency Fire Center. It may be the first time that’s ever been the case: tinyurl.com/5zehdfjr

Gov. Tina Kotek had a lot of blame to spread around, after lawmakers failed to pass new $$ for roads this session. None for herself, so much. #orpol #orleg www.opb.org/article/2025...

NO

NEW: Democrats' major road-funding bill is dead. The party is scrambling to instead pass a 3-cent gas tax increase. #orleg #orpol www.opb.org/article/2025...

Democrats have unveiled their rejiggered road-funding proposal. Features: --Smaller tax increase on car sales --Smaller gas tax increases --No gas tax indexing A partial rundown: www.opb.org/article/2025... #orpol #orleg

“Get your popcorn,” said state Rep. Jeff Helfrich, R-Hood River, who was one of a handful of Republicans who helped negotiate the package with Democrats before concluding he could not support it.

With the Dem transportation bill's fate looking dire last week, House Speaker Julie Fahey spent the weekend trying to bring skeptical members of her party on board. House Dems were scrambling to sell a revised plan to the Senate on Monday. #orpol #orleg www.opb.org/article/2025...

Sen. Chris Gorsek, D-Gresham and Senate's top transportation guy, texted to say he's offered his resignation from the Joint Transportation Reinvestment Cmte to keep focus on the transportation bill. Rs are decrying his heated exchange last Friday with Sen. Shelly Boshart Davis, R-Albany. #orleg

House Democrats are signaling they will call HB 2025 today to send it back to committee. Unclear what amendment will be. "We work right til the bell," says state Rep Susan McLain, a key author. #orleg #orpol

A legislative committee is about to take up HB 2025, the Democrats' massive road-funding bill. Not coincidentally, Democratic Sen. Mark Meek, D-Gladstone, has been removed from that committee. Meek said earlier this week he couldn't support the bill, which could have doomed it.. #orleg #orpol

The Oregon House just passed a bill that might be important next year. HB 3390 says that if any of the laws they pass this year -- like a major tax hike for roads -- is referred to voters, then legislators (aka majority Democrats) get to write the language on the ballot. #orleg #orpol

Rep Hoa Nguyen, D-Portland, who has been absent this session receiving cancer treatment, is in the House this morning. Many are wearing masks to limit her exposure to germs. Her presence is notable, given that Dems may need her to pass a massive transpo bill. #orleg

The big #orleg transpo bill will not get a committee vote today, after all. Meeting got pushed to tomorrow. That could be for any number of reasons, but as OPB noted yesterday, support from key Dems isn't assured. #orpol www.opb.org/article/2025...

We finally have an estimate for what HB 2025, Democrats' major transportation funding bill, might raise. It's a lot! #orpol #orleg www.opb.org/article/2025...

As Democrats look to sell a massive transportation funding bill, opponents are already raising money to send it to voters. "If it's referred, it won't pass," says one Dem. #orleg #orpol www.opb.org/article/2025...

A bill to grant striking workers unemployment pay has now passed the Senate, two days after failing in a surprise. The bill was weakened to max benefits at 10 weeks, rather than 26. That won over two skeptical Ds. #orleg #orpol Background: www.opb.org/article/2025...

Legislative Democrats unveiled, at long last, their 175-page proposal for funding Oregon's transportation system this morning. Republicans who spent weeks negotiating the bill behind closed doors now say they can't support it. #orpol #orleg www.opb.org/article/2025...

Oregon Democrats are getting ready to -- finally -- unveil a transportation funding bill. Here's what it will look like. #Orleg #orpol www.opb.org/article/2025...

40 years ago, Oregon voters decided the governor shouldn't fill vacant U.S. Senate seats. Oregon lawmakers have just given that power back -- putting Oregon in league with most states. #orpol #orleg www.opb.org/article/2025...