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WALDEN'S RETIREMENT CREATES POSSIBILITIES: The surprise announcement Oct. 28 by U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) that he won't seek re-election next year created an immediate effect. Democrat Jamie McLeod-Skinner, one of three high-profile candidates locked into a competitive Democratic primary for secretary of state, ran against Walden last year and says people are encouraging her to again seek his seat in the 2nd Congressional District, where Republicans hold an 8 percentage point voter registration advantage over Democrats. "I've been receiving a lot of calls, and I'm talking to folks," she tells WW. "At this point, I'm continuing on the path I've been on." Meanwhile, former state Rep. Knute Buehler (R-Bend) tweeted Oct. 29 he may run. "I'm considering seeking the GOP nomination," Buehler wrote.
STRIKE LOOMS AGAIN AT BURGERVILLE: A four-day strike by Burgerville employees came to an end Oct. 27, when the Burgerville Workers Union said management agreed to renegotiate wage contracts. But another strike could be imminent. In a statement, Burgerville said it would not renegotiate wages with the union but would discuss "the criteria by which employees move up the pay scale." On Oct. 25, WW observed during a union picket at the chain's Montavilla location that the company closed the store's dining room to serve customers only at the drive-thru. The strike's successful disruption of business suggests the economic impact of the protests could be larger than the company lets on. The next bargaining session is scheduled for Nov. 5.
GOVERNOR'S STAFF MOVING OUT: Gov. Kate Brown's staff has seen some notable departures. Jenn Baker, a former nurses union lobbyist who worked as a labor adviser to the governor, left Oct. 28 to run the secretary of state campaign for state Rep. Jennifer Williamson (D-Portland). And last month, Greg Alderson, Brown's deputy in the Carbon Policy Office who worked extensively on the controversial cap-and-trade measure that failed in the Senate earlier this year, left to work for Portland General Electric, one of the utilities that had an interest in the bill.
VOTE BY NOV. 5: You may not know it, but there's an election Nov. 5. For Portland voters, four measures appear on the ballot: a $475 million Metro bond to purchase and preserve open spaces; a $100 million a year Portland Public Schools levy to keep nearly 900 teachers on the job, and city measures that would strengthen protections for the Bull Run watershed and allow the Water Bureau to enter into joint emergency aid agreements with other cities. WW endorses a yes vote on all four measures. For more detail, go to wweek.com. Ballots may be mailed through Oct. 31 and after that should be dropped off at official ballot sites by 8 pm on Nov. 5.
GIVE!GUIDE LAUNCHES THIS WEEK: Give!Guide is live and accepting donations starting Nov. 1. WW's annual campaign benefits more than 150 nonprofits working on issues ranging from civil rights to environmental justice in the Portland area. Want to make a difference but don't know how? Visit giveguide.org on Nov. 1 for more details and your chance to win a $500 gift card to Powell's Books.