I t was February of 1979 and my husband and I had moved to Bend just a few months before. I was studying for the bar exam in Portland, leaving Bend on Monday mornings and returning home on Fridays. Monday, Feb. 26, 1979, was a little different than most of my trips over the mountain […]
Judy Stiegler
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Where Your Money Goes
With the wrap-up of the Oregon Legislature, a look at how some parts of the budget shook out for Central Oregonians
With the adjournment of the Legislature on July 7, many people have questions about the budget. In simple terms, what got funded and what got left on the table? Per the Budget Information Brief provided by the Legislative Fiscal Office, the Oregon Legislature adopted a 2017-2019 budget from all sources of $74.432 billion. This is […]
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That’s a Wrap
The Oregon Legislature ends its regular session—without passing a revenue-creating bill that would have changed the rules for taxation on some Oregon businesses
The 2017 Oregon Legislative Session came to an end on July 7. With adjournment, literally hundreds of pieces of legislation were left on the floor, so to speak. Some bills never found their way out of committee, others made it out and were voted on by one chamber of the legislature, passed to the other […]
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Real I.D. Moving Forward
TSA may soon prohibit Oregon ID
With the adjournment of the state legislature scheduled for July 10, lawmakers are in a flurry to finish up the work of the session. Oregon is closing in on approving legislation which would effectively authorize the Department of Transportation to fully comply with the requirements of the federal Real ID Act of 2005 when issuing […]
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Bulking up the Ballot Box
A new rule is aimed at further maximizing voter access in Oregon
Oregon Secretary of State Dennis Richardson has set in motion yet another effort to “maximize” voter access in a state that already excels in expanding and ensuring voter access for residents. The new rule will extend the period of time before a voter is moved to inactive status, from five years to 10 years. Under […]
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Forest Sale, Off the Table
The Elliott State Forest Lives Another Day
The State Land Board decides against selling the Elliott. The next step could mean more protection—and pedagogy—in the forest. Last week the State Land Board took up the issue of the sale of the Elliott State Forest once again. This has been a “hot topic” of public conversation since the State Land Board decided in […]
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Beyond the Blue Ribbon
As Child Abuse Prevention Month wraps up, the need for consistent funding for vulnerable populations continues
The death of a five-year-old Redmond girl, allegedly due to starvation and withholding of medical care by her parents. The sexual abuse of a 14-year-old girl over the course of several months, allegedly by a family acquaintance. The alleged neglect and drugging of several children, ages six months to four years, by their day care […]
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Cover All Kids
Bills that would offer insurance for all Oregon children have passed through committees in the state House and Senate. But if passed, where will the money come from?
Health care coverage is a “hot topic” these days, and Oregon is no exception. The uncertainty created by discussions in Washington, D.C., only adds to the chaos in the health care arena—but a pair of bills currently making their way through the Oregon Legislature meets this head-on. Senate Bill 558 and House Bill 2726, commonly […]
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The Debate Over the Elliott
The often-complicated debate over public lands plays out in an Oregon forest, which may be up for sale Stewardship and management of public lands in the United States is an often-tricky and challenging endeavor. In Oregon this is particularly complicated when it comes to a portion of state lands managed by the State Land Board […]