Coming off the most encouraging results ever, Oregon this month begins a new round of unannounced visits to the state's tobacco retailers to check compliance with laws forbidding sales to minors. In the 2006 inspections, clerks at 11 percent of the 489 retailers visited sold to minors, the state's lowest recorded rate in the 12 years of the program and less than a third of the rates recorded during the first two years of inspections, ... [full story]

Two girls, ages four and five, were seriously injured in a two-vehicle crash near Canby this morning, Oregon State Police reported.  The children were passengers in a van that lost control on the icy highway, slid broadside into oncoming traffic, and was struck by a pickup towing a horse trailer. Oregon State Police investigated the accident which injured two children on Hwy. 170 and Alder Creek Lane, about two miles south of Canby. All photos provided ... [full story]

Last week, a Portland fan accused NBA referee Rodney Mott of directing an "obscene gesture" and "inappropriate comment" toward him following Portland's 93-90 home victory over Miami on Sunday. The league conducted a cursory investigation, immediately suspended Mott for three games, and promptly issued a press release to publicize the reprimand. Mott claims that the fan's allegations are untrue, and is appealing the punishment to Commissioner David Stern. As an NBA referee, Mott is not ... [full story]

U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, introduced legislation yesterday that would give every American the same kind of coverage that Members of Congress receive for the same amount being spent on health care today. Under the legislation, all Americans -– including the 46 million uninsured -– would be covered by health care insurance for no more than is spent today. The legislation also contains tough cost containment and according to ... [full story]

Urges Adoption of Proposal to Shift Funds to Alternative Energy Development  Wednesday, in advance of yesterday’s floor debate, Governor Ted Kulongoski urged the leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives and Oregon’s Congressional delegation to adopt H.R. 6, which would reallocate $13 billion in federal oil and gas industry subsidies towards investments in renewable energy technologies. “Last year’s Energy Bill was a handout to the oil and gas industry at a time when our country should have ... [full story]

Joint committee hearing will consider legislation that will provide health care coverage for all uninsured Oregon children Senator Laurie Monnes Anderson (D-Gresham) and Representative Mitch Greenlick (D-Portland) will hold a joint hearing for the Senate Health Policy and Public Affairs Committee and the House Health Care Committee on Monday. The committee will hear testimony on House Bill 2201 and Senate Bill 31, The Healthy Kids Plan, which will provide health care coverage for Oregon’s uninsured ... [full story]

The U.S. Senate last night approved a critical ethics and reform bill, S.1 that includes a provision authored by U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) to prohibit a single Senator from blocking legislation or a nominee without revealing his or her identity. Wyden and Grassley have worked for more than a decade to end the practice of secret holds. Their amendment requiring a Senator who places a hold to make it public ... [full story]

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) yesterday announced a grant to the state of Louisiana for approximately $2.7 million to cover the costs of reimbursing the Oregon National Guard (ONG) for services provided in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. The state of Louisiana must now reimburse the ONG for this amount. The funds are expected to be transferred to the ONG this week. Oregon's entire congressional delegation sent a letter to FEMA Acting Director R. ... [full story]

Two men, one a registered sex offender, have been charged with raping a 14-year-old Aloha girl they pursued online at MySpace.com, a popular social networking web site favored by teens, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office reported Thursday. Jover Mabaet and Dennis Keomoungkhoune, both 21-year old Portland residents, were arrested January 12 after the victim’s father allegedly found the two men in bed with his daughter, said deputies. The suspects first met the girl in person, ... [full story]

The Powerball jackpot continues to move upward. Even though the grand prize was not hit Wednesday evening, 946,640 players across the nation won a total of more than $7.6 million in prizes in America's favorite Game. Because no one correctly matched all six numbers the jackpot will grow to an estimated $205 million for Saturday night's drawing. The cash option for the Saturday, January 20th drawing will be an estimated $98.3 million. The numbers drawn ... [full story]

Oregon Hunger Relief Task Force bites off an ambitious public policy agenda to reduce hunger in Oregon The Oregon Hunger Relief Task Force has taken a long-term approach to ending hunger in Oregon by ensuring eligible Oregonians get access to food stamps, supporting the Oregon Food Bank emergency network and working on public policies. This year they have developed an ambitious public policy agenda for the 2007 legislative session. “This is where we can impact ... [full story]

With all the icy road conditions, fender benders and frustrations associated with the recent frigid blast of cold weather, the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office offered the diversion of a “pleasant, heart-warming story”.  Officers saved a large deer with an impressive display of antlers which had become entangled in a rope swing -- by tazering him. The large buck’s antlers became badly tangled in a rope swing hanging from a tree in the yard of a ... [full story]

Urges Adoption of Proposal to Shift Funds to Alternative Energy Development Earlier this week, in advance of Thursday’s floor debate, Governor Ted Kulongoski urged the leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives and Oregon’s Congressional delegation to adopt H.R. 6, which would reallocate $13 billion in federal oil and gas industry subsidies towards investments in renewable energy technologies. “Last year’s Energy Bill was a handout to the oil and gas industry at a time when our country ... [full story]