News Gov. John Kitzhaber has the state speculating this morning about an 11 am press conference he'll hold in the Capitol to convene a Dec. 17 special session. In the past 15 years, Oregon governors, including Kitzhaber, have typically called special sessions in times of great budget distress. But three sources this morning told WW that this time Kitzhaber needs lawmakers to weigh in on an economic development ...   More

News At today's 10th Oregon Leadership Summit, Gov. John Kitzhaber did what he could to put the best face on the controversial $3.5 billion Columbia River Crossing project. "I met with legislative leadership last week and they agreed to prioritize this project in 2013," Kitzhaber told the assembled throng of business leaders and elected officials. In the budget he released Nov. 30, Kitzhaber anticipated ...   More

News Gov. John Kitzhaber’s distaste for the rough and tumble of electoral politics is legendary. During his first stint as governor, from 1995 to 2003, Kitzhaber barely got his hands dirty in helpi   More

Murmurs It’s rare for charitable groups to make political contributions—federal law discourages them from converting donations (deductible to the giver) into political cash. But a couple of local 50   More

News Between now and the Nov. 6 election, promoters of a vast new 3,500-slot-machine casino in Wood Village hope to keep voters’ attention...   More

News With all the cash flowing into campaign coffers now that political season is finally upon us, a $500 contribution hardly rates a second look—except when the donor is a Democratic governor and the recipient is a Republican member of the House, State Rep. Mark Johnson (R-Hood River).Johnson, a building contractor and member of the Hood River School Board, has worked closely with Gov. John Kitzhaber ...   More

Murmurs 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 i   More

News At least one prominent Democratic politician looks to be coming through for the Prez’s efforts to stir up excitement (and money) from the Portland faithful. Gov. John Kitzhaber’s office has confirmed that he will indeed be speaking on Obama's behalf at the President's $500-$1,000 fundraising luncheon at noon today, at the Oregon Convention Center. No word yet on whether the Governor will be doing ...   More

News As The Oregonian reported this morning, a New York investment firm calling itself Troutdale Energy Center LLC is proposing to build a $680 million gas-fired electricity generating plant at the site of a defunct aluminum plant in east Multnomah County.Whether the plant gets built or whether Portland General Electric—which would be the plant's primary customer—builds its own generation will be decided ...   More

News As long expected, the former interim director of the Oregon Department of Energy, Mark Long, has filed a lawsuit against outgoing Oregon Attorney General John Kroger, his former chief criminal attorney, Sean Riddell, and the Oregon Department of Justice, over their conduct during an investigation.The lawsuit was filed today in Marion County Circuit Court. It was expected because Long filed a tort claim ...   More