News Gov. John Kitzhaber is not on the ballot this November, but many lawmakers who helped him pass education and health-care reforms in 2011 are. Kitzhaber—not known for involving himself in legislative races when he previously served as governor from 1995 to 2003—will take a different approach this time. While other candidates are taking a breather after the May primary, the governor has reporting ...   More

News Three environmental groups filed a lawsuit yesterday against Gov. John Kitzhaber and numerous state and county forestry officials that demands an end to logging in the coastal forest habitat of the marbled murrelet, a seabird that nests in trees.The plaintiffs in the U.S. District Court lawsuit—Cascadia Wildlands, the Center for Biological Diversity and the Audubon Society of Portland—had given ...   More

News Gov. John Kitzhaber has snagged a big name to carry out his education reforms. WW has learned Kitzhaber plans to announce that Rudy Crew is his choice for the new position of "chief education officer." The reforms Kitzhaber pushed through the 2011 Legislature included creating the position while eliminating the elected office of State Superintendent of Public Instruction.The job, according to Kitzhaber's ...   More

News With a good share of the country's business reporters freaking out over today's first-ever public stock sale by Facebook, The New York Times' Bits blog hones in on the company's new Oregon tax break. "A few hours after the I.P.O. Friday, Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber was scheduled to sign into law a so-called “Facebook bill” that assesses big data centers in Oregon for taxes on their local value, ...   More

News Planned Parenthood of the Columbia Willamette has abruptly cancelled its annual fundraising dinner, which was scheduled for Saturday, May 12.The $250-per-plate event fell victim to a threatened picket line. Last August, Planned Parenthood's 179 clinical workers voted to become part of Service Employees Union Local 49. Since November, the organization and SEIU have been trying to agree upon a contract. ...   More

News Last week, WW reported Gov. John Kitzhaber had selected Portland lawyer Elisa Dozono to replace Steve Ungar on the powerful five-member Lottery Commission. That would be a plum assignment for Dozono, whose public service includes being former Mayor Vera Katz's spokeswoman, working on Kitzhaber's gubernatorial transition team and co-founding Emerge Oregon, a non-profit that recruits and trains Democratic ...   More

News Gov. John Kitzhaber is doing something he didn't do often in his earlier two terms as governor from 1995 to 2003—he's raising money for legislative candidates. State filings show Kitzhaber has raised $51,500 already this year; donors include Greenbrier Cos., with $7,500; NW Natural, $5,000; and shipyard boss Frank Foti, $5,000. Kitzhaber spokesman Tim Raphael says the governor plans to raise more ...   More

News The companion of Gov. John Kitzhaber, Cylvia Hayes, has endorsed Eileen Brady in the Portland mayor's race. That endorsement carries some weight, because although Kitzhaber and Hayes are not married, the governor's office calls Hayes "First Lady," and polling shows Kitzhaber remains enormously popular in Portland. At least two candidates in the mayor's race have reason to hope for Kitzhaber's endorsement. ...   More

News This comes from a report delivered to Gov. John Kitzhaber today by the Oregon Commission on Public Safety, a group charged with finding ways to cut criminal justice costs and chaired by Oregon Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul J. De Muniz.The report makes its point more concisely than the rest of the 19-page report, available for download here, if you don't have New Year's Eve plans yet. In case you ...   More

News Hours after recently ousted University of Oregon president Richard Lariviere received cheers at the 116th playing of the Civil War, Governor John Kitzhaber issued an unusually blunt statement, backing the decision by the State Board of Higher Ed to release Lariviere on the grounds of bad behavior.In an affirmation of the board's decision to terminate Lariviere's contract (The actual vote will take ...   More