Sabbath up, Sho d—[pun censored by Ed.]

[February 20th, 2008]

Winners

1Enviros and landowners opposed to three proposed liquefied natural gas projects in Oregon got a lift last week when Gov. Ted Kulongoski, previously an LNG booster, demanded federal regulators scrutinize the proposals more thoroughly. Better late than never, governor.

2 The Oregon Liquor Control Commission will give teenybopper music fans a chance at a hearing Feb. 22 to appeal a December decision barring minors from 21-and-over shows (see this wwire post for more). Do kids these days know the words to “We Shall Overcome”?

3Portland Adventist Academy ’s prayers for its basketball teams (Murmurs, Feb. 6, 2008) have been answered. The state Supreme Court ruled last week that the Oregon School Activities Association can’t schedule tournament games between sundown Friday and sundown Saturday, when the Adventist team observes the Sabbath. Praise be to LeBron.

Losers

1 The Oregonian bungled a front-page story last week that claimed Oregon will have the fourth-oldest population of all 50 states in 2025. As it turns out, according to the paper’s “correction,” the U.S. Census Bureau predicts Oregon will actually be the 35th oldest state in the country in 2025. Can’t blame Alzheimer’s for that one.

2Mayoral candidate Sho Dozono sought public campaign financing to remove any questions about his being influenced by special interests. So much for that plan. Dozono fumbled in explaining who originally paid for a poll conducted for his benefit, an expense that went unreported (see WWire for more). The poll cost $27,000—well in excess of the contribution limits in the public financing program. Must…resist…Jerry Maguire pun....

3Local accounting firm Geffen Mesher & Co. took a courtroom drubbing when a Multnomah County judge refused to dismiss a lawsuit brought by former clients of Craig Berkman (“The Talented Mr. Berkman,” WW, Jan. 25, 2006). The former Oregon Republican Party head is accused of stealing $33 million from investors while Geffen and Mesher minded the till.

4Police detained Clackamas Community College student Benjamin Caldwell—but didn’t charge him with a crime—after campus officials read his MySpace posting about an imagined killing spree. The detention followed the Illinois campus massacre by one day, but officials said the two were unrelated. Apparently, so are Internet postings and Constitutional rights.