News We're just staggering back to life here at WW after a post-election soiree at nearby Joe's Cellar that lasted into the wee hours. But I'd hate to deprive anybody about the insightful analysis we shared over a few pitchers, so here are some highlights as we pored over the local and state numbers: 1) There was general surprise that Washington County Commissioner Andy Duyck won the county chairman's ...   More

News As the debate begins about whether to continue Portland's practice of publicly-financed city elections, it's worth looking at what happens in other Oregon races that are entirely financed by private donors and interest groups. The effect of public financing in Portland has been to limit individual donations in most cases to $500 or less (although privately financed candidates do sometimes accept ...   More

News GOP gubernatorial candidate Chris Dudley continues to pick up big checks from prominent locals. This week, Dudley reported a $20,000 contribution from investor Peter Brix and $5,000 from real estate maven Barbara Sue Seal. The most notable check collected by Dudley's Democratic opponent, former two-term Gov. John Kitzhaber, was a $10,000 contribution from International Brotherhood of Electrical ...   More

News State Rep. Nick Kahl (D-East Portland) reeled in a $10,000 check from winemaker Eric Lemelson last week. Kahl, a newly-minted lawyer, is seeking a second term representing House District 49 (parts of East Multnomah County, including Troutdale, Wood Village and Fairview). Registration in the district has shifted considerably in Democrats' favor since Kahl's predecessor, former House Speaker Karen ...   More

News The tech community in the Northwest and across the country has its underwear in a twist over a lawsuit filed last week by Paul Allen. The Trail Blazers owner and co-founder of Microsoft is already one of the more interesting billionaires on the planet. He has the biggest toys, has spent millions searching for extraterrestrial intelligence, has built museums dedicated to Jimi Hendrix and science ...   More

News More fallout over the issue of who supports the Columbia River Crossing project and who doesn't occurred over the weekend at the Labor Day picnic in Oaks Park. As we've previously reported, trade unions are raining endorsements and money on Tom Hughes and Loretta Smith—candidates for Metro president and Multnomah County commission, respectively, who strongly support building a new I-5 ...   More

News A former employee in the Bend office of the environmental group 1000 Friends of Oregon has filed a civil rights complaint [PDF] against the organization. The ex-employee, Carol Macbeth, alleges in her complaint with the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries that she was discriminated against based on her "sex, martial marital and whistle-blower status, and in retaliation for her having raised ...   More