Willamette Week

Oregon’s Rural Counties Haven’t Recovered From the Great Recession, Report Finds

A new report finds that rural Oregonians aren’t sharing in the booming economy in the state’s urban centers.

Environmental Group Plays Hardball With Oregon Senator Who Defected From Carbon Cap

Sen. Laurie Monnes Anderson, a retired nurse from Gresham, Oregon, was the quiet vote that caused Senate Democrats to concede the cap-and-trade bill.

Gov. Kate Brown Says She Is Prepared to Use Executive Powers to Push Carbon Cap Legislation

The contentious cap and trade bill that caused Republicans to flee the Senate for nine days was effectively pronounced dead on Saturday. But it may have a chance at resuscitation.

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown Says She’ll Call the Cops and Schedule a Special Session if Republican Senators Walk Out to Stop Cap-and-Trade Bill

One Republican replies: “If you send the state police to get me, Hell’s coming to visit you personally.”

Layoffs at Stimson Lumber Are Part of a Wrenching Shift in How Oregonians Work in the Forest

The takeaway from layoffs at Stimson Lumber: Forest products jobs are being replace by tourism jobs that pay a lot less.

Stimson Lumber Announces It’s Pulling Timber Jobs Out of Oregon, in Rebuke to New Taxes and Carbon Caps

The company’s CEO, Andrew Miller, has long bridled at Democratic tax and environmental policies.

Oregon Environmentalists’ Top Legislative Priority Sparks Opposition—From the Left

The Portland chapter of Democratic Socialists of America opposes the bill.

New Data Show Rural Oregonians and Communities of Color Making Significant Economic Advances

Oregon state economist finds good news for rural and minority Oregonians as 2018 nears a close.

Alcohol and Cannabis Have Created More Oregon Jobs Than Tech in the Past Decade

Oregon’s weed and booze industries are creating jobs faster than the high tech sector—but tech jobs pay a lot more.

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