Murmurs: Kitz Doubles-Down on Dozono

1. Gov. John Kitzhaber keeps rolling the dice on Elisa Dozono. In May, WW reported that Kitzhaber submitted Portland lawyer Dozono’s name for a vacancy on the Oregon Lottery Commission, then withdrew it when lawmakers raised concerns about Dozono’s law firm representing the biggest Lottery licensee, Dotty’s Delis (Murmurs, May 2, 2012). Now Kitzhaber has resubmitted Dozono’s name. Dozono secured an opinion from the state Government Ethics Commission that says because she does not perform work for any Lottery retailers or receive a share of the firm’s profits from Lottery retailer work, she has no conflict of interest. “I’m honored that the governor has asked me to serve on this commission,” Dozono says.

1. Convicted sex offender Aaron L. Munter is not going back to law school. Although Lewis & Clark Law School Dean Robert Klonoff would not comment for last week’s cover story (“Barred,” WW, Aug. 22, 2012), subsequent inquiries from community members prompted Klonoff to send an email revealing his decision about Munter’s request to be re-admitted. “While federal privacy law prevents me from telling you what that decision was,” Klonoff wrote, “I can inform you that the applicant [Munter] is not enrolled as classes begin for the new academic year.”

1. The City of Tucson, Ariz., just can’t seem to get transportation products from Oregon. The Arizona Daily Star reported Aug. 26 that Clackamas-based company United Streetcar is three months behind schedule on delivering the first of seven new streetcars to Tucson—because it’s so far behind schedule building five streetcars for Portland. Tucson now hopes to gets its cars by January; Portland is expected to receive its first this November, two months after the eastside line opens (“Slow Ride,” WW, Aug. 22, 2012). Earlier this month, The Oregonian reported that Portland Bureau of Transportation Director Tom Miller was offered the job of transportation director in Tucson, but the offer was rescinded when he failed a background check.

1. We have a new sibling! City of Roses Newspaper Company, which owns Willamette Week and its sister paper, the Santa Fe Reporter, is buying another media company, the Independent Weekly of Raleigh, N.C., and its website, Indyweek.com. Steve Schewel, the current owner of the 29-year-old North Carolina paper, announced the sale Aug. 22 and cited his lengthy relationship with WW Publisher Richard Meeker and Editor Mark Zusman, who own City of Roses. “Mark and I are incredibly honored Steve has provided us this great opportunity,” Meeker says. “We’re evangelistic about journalism.”

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