All articles tagged with #oregon
A bat found in Douglas County tested positive for rabies, the county’s first confirmed case of 2026. Health officials urge residents to avoid contact with wildlife, ensure pets are vaccinated, and seek medical care if bitten; the case adds to Oregon’s total of four positive rabies cases for the year.
With polls closed, Oregon's primary results largely clear: U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley is likely to face either David Brock Smith or Jo Rae Perkins in November; the Associated Press has called all six U.S. House primaries with no major competitive races; Republican Christine Drazan won the GOP governor nomination to face incumbent Tina Kotek; Labor Commissioner Christina Stephenson will serve a second term; Measure 120 to raise gas tax and fees was decisively defeated; incumbents and endorsed newcomers are generally winning in the Legislature, with a few close races still being counted.
Oregon voters rejected Measure 120, a transportation funding package that would have raised the gas tax, elevated vehicle fees and temporarily increased payroll taxes to boost funding for roads, bridges, and transit. With about 83% voting against and 17% in support, the defeat means no immediate changes to current taxes, but officials warn a long-term funding gap remains, likely keeping transportation funding on the agenda for the 2027 session.
Oregonians voted to block a measure that would have doubled many vehicle-registration and title fees, raised the gas tax from 40 to 46 cents, and doubled the payroll tax for public transit, a proposal that failed by about four-to-one and would have funded road and bridge maintenance across the state, with rural areas and counties losing potential funding; the outcome leaves lawmakers pursuing a sustainable transportation plan via a governor-led workgroup that will issue recommendations by year’s end ahead of the 2027 session.
An 18-year-old Oregon teen died from a necrotizing soft tissue infection after doctors at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center treated a puncture wound without removing pine needles and debris, leading to severe infection, amputation of his arm, and death. His family has filed a $100 million lawsuit against the hospital and two doctors, alleging negligence in initial treatment and wound management.
Oregon Democrats’ plan to raise the state gas tax to fund road improvements goes to voters, arriving amid climbing gasoline prices and ongoing debate over transportation funding.
The Chicago Bears used the 25th pick of the 2026 NFL Draft to select Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman, aiming to upgrade a defense that slipped to the bottom league-wide after losing Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker. Thieneman, who transferred from Purdue to Oregon, posted 96 tackles, seven passes defensed and two interceptions in his final season and will compete to start opposite Coby Bryant as the Bears continue to seek pass-rush help.
Chicago selected Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman with the 25th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Thieneman appeared in 39 games across Purdue and Oregon, recording 306 tackles, 8 interceptions and 14 pass breakups, with NFL analyst Lance Zierlein highlighting his size, speed and versatility for multiple safety roles.
A Nelson Research poll of 515 likely Republican primary voters in Oregon finds Christine Drazan leading the GOP governor race with 31.1%, followed by Ed Diehl at 15.6% and Chris Dudley at 14.8%, with about 30% undecided; when forced to choose, Drazan tilts higher by 5.8 points, while Dudley and Diehl gain 3.3% and 2% respectively. Conducted April 14–17 with a 4.3% MOE and timed around the Hillsboro debate, the poll shows Dudley still struggles with name ID (24% don’t know him) and Diehl remains relatively unknown (37% haven’t heard of him). Drazan, the 2022 GOP nominee, is favored to emerge from the primary, though the race remains fluid.
DNA testing identified the remains found in a car in the Columbia River as Kenneth, Barbara, and Barbie Martin, the Oregon family missing since 1958. Authorities said there was no evidence of foul play and closed the case, with the car having been recovered from the river years after their disappearance.
DNA analysis confirmed the remains in a car submerged in the Columbia River are Kenneth Martin, Barbara Martin, and their daughter Barbie, the Oregon family who vanished in December 1958; authorities found no evidence of foul play. The Ford wagon was located in 2024 and recovered in following years, with Othram handling the forensic work, and two of the family’s children had been found years earlier while the other members never turned up.
Two minors were injured and two teens detained after gunshots rang out during a wild party at a home built from a retired Boeing 727 in rural Hillsboro, Oregon. The event drew more than 200 teens; owner Bruce Campbell, who rents the plane-turned-home for events and bans alcohol and guns, said the gathering disrupted a longtime effort to share the quirky property, which neighbors have described as both a local draw and a nuisance. The victims are expected to survive and police are investigating.
Oregon institutions are weighing removal or renaming of Cesar Chavez commemorations after a New York Times investigation detailing sexual-abuse allegations against him, with discussions about honoring Dolores Huerta and ensuring community input through school boards and university processes.
A federal lawsuit in Oregon exposed ICE officers operating with daily arrest targets and using an app called Elite to map neighborhoods with immigration nexus, guiding operations like the Woodburn detentions; the judge halted warrantless arrests and raised questions about profiling and legality.
Oregon health officials say another measles exposure site has been identified in Clackamas County at the Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center ER waiting room in Oregon City on Feb. 25 from 10 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.; anyone who was there should contact a healthcare provider, as five measles cases have been identified in Oregon so far in 2026 and wastewater surveillance suggests wider spread.