Murmurs: Oregon On Board With Trump’s Wolf Plan

In other news: Last chance to vote!

The breeding male of the Walla Walla Pack captured on a remote camera on private property in northern Umatilla County in February, 2019. Photo by ODFW.
By WW Staff

Oregon On Board With Trump's Wolf Plan: Oregon's top wildlife official told the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service last week the state supports the feds' proposal to remove the gray wolf from the endangered species list. U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt announced plans to delist the animal in March. In a May 9 letter, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife director Curtis Melcher lauded Oregon's wolf plan and said it didn't expect state gray wolf populations to decrease after federal delisting. The letter has quickly drawn outrage from conservation groups, who say Gov. Kate Brown, who oversees the department, is betraying commitments she made to protect Oregon's environmental interests from the Trump administration. "Brown's record on wildlife is the worst I've seen in 20 years of working on conservation in Oregon," says Steve Pedery, conservation director of Oregon Wild. "Who needs Trump when you've got Kate Brown?" Brown's office did not respond to a request for comment.

Lawyer Indicted for Defrauding Clients: The U.S. Attorney's Office for Oregon issued a 24-count indictment against former Portland lawyer Lori Deveny on May 13. As WW reported earlier ("Game Over," Jan. 16, 2019), Deveny allegedly stole from clients, many of whom suffered from traumatic brain injuries or other disabilities, for nearly a decade. At last count, according to state bar officials, more than two dozen former clients say Deveny embezzled $2.4 million from them. Assistant U.S. Attorney Claire Fay requested that Deveny, a big-game hunter, not be allowed to sell the dozen guns in her home or the taxidermied heads of trophies, including a giraffe, zebra and lion. Federal Magistrate Judge John Acosta denied the request.

WW's May Election Endorsements: Only 6.7 percent of Multnomah County voters had returned their mail-in ballots as of May 14. Yet there is in fact an election this spring—and ballots are due May 21. See our endorsements here. Ballots can be mailed through May 16 and, after that, delivered to any collection point by May 21 at 8 pm.

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office. Support WW's journalism today.