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Portland’s Ranked Choice Voting Was a Success (Despite What the Oregonian Claims)

The newspaper asserts that Ranked Choice Voting "cratered" voter engagement. That's bullshit. by Wm. Steven Humphrey

Starting in January 2025, Portland will have the most diverse, and politically balanced City Council in the history of our city. Full stop.

The reason why we’re able to celebrate this indisputable fact is thanks to charter reform and ranked choice voting, which allowed citizens from every demographic and Portland neighborhood the opportunity to serve their city (and the rest of us to vote for them). 

But despite those two objectively correct statements, local media continues to platform the dishonest cynics who have been fighting charter reform and ranked choice voting from the beginning. The Oregonian, who loves writing intellectually dishonest headlines like this, really outdid themselves with this recent post-election article: Portland’s ranked-choice debut causes voter engagement to crater; 1 in 5 who cast ballots chose no one for City Council. 

Let’s break it down, shall we? Using the word “crater” to describe Portland’s voter engagement, and attempting to lay the blame on the doorstep of ranked choice voting, is not only an unethical choice, it’s factually incorrect. While overall voter turnout wasn’t what it was in 2020 (79%), Portland engagement still reached 74.5%—that’s still three-quarters of our total population. Does that sound like overall engagement “cratered” to you?

 And perhaps it’s true that one-out-of-five voters chose not to rank any candidates for City Council and mayor—though, as a reasonable person, I might wait until that number got a little bit higher before labeling it as “cratering.” And yes, it is absolutely correct that a historically large group of candidates ran for City Council this year, which probably stunned some voters who aren’t used to doing a lot of research. BUT! And let me say this loud and proud so everyone in the back can hear it: Having a lot of candidates who love their community and want to serve it is A VERY GOOD THING. (And it’s even better for democracy.) And while we can definitely do more as a city to make sure minority and low-income communities have the information they need in future races, according to the Oregonian’s own numbers, four out of five Portlanders successfully filled out their ballots without their brains exploding. So actually, I’d call that a big win. 

And that’s my problem with this poorly headlined article: The main thesis seems to be that just because one-in-five Portland voters chose not to cast votes in two races, this is somehow the fault of ranked choice voting. That’s bullshit. And here’s why: Let’s imagine ranked choice voting never existed, and Portlanders were still choosing just a single candidate for every office. Thanks to the general ineptitude of the current City Council—which inspired so many people to run against them—a huge number of candidates would’ve still been on that ballot. And if that had occurred, voters would have been confronted with the exact same conundrum.

Oh, and if you do happen to dip into the O’s article, here’s a little media studies trick: While most news outlets claim objectivity as their guiding star, if you want to spot potential bias, head to the final paragraph of just about any article, and see who gets the last word. In the case of this Oregonian story, the last word was given to a failed conservative Council candidate, Bob Weinstein, who freely admits he was never in favor of charter reform in the first place, and issued this damning indictment of ranked choice voting: “It’s very anti-democratic, to me, to have a result like this.”

I’m curious: Which of the following results is the most “anti-democratic”? Was it three-quarters of the population voting? Was it the large number of candidates who, after 100 years of being shut out of elections, were finally given a chance to fairly compete? Was it the actual result, which was getting (as mentioned before) the most diverse and politically balanced City Council we’ve had in the history of our city? Or was it “anti-democratic” simply because he lost?

Unfortunately, we’ll probably be reading a lot more thoughtless headlines and hearing a lot more anti-Charter Reform language from Portland’s conservative business class. Frankly, the old system worked GREAT for them, giving the wealthy an outsized voice and control over policy in City Hall. And even though the new council will have conservative voices who will fight valiantly to ensure the rich continue getting richer, that’s not good enough for those who want absolute power. In short, if you like what conservatives did to Measure 110, keep an eye out on what they’re planning to do to Charter Reform.

For the rest of us, there’s an old saying: “Progress, not perfection.” We’re sorry to break the hearts of the Oregonian headline writers and the bad actors who have dominated Portland politics for over a century, but new, vital forms of government—like any new plan or system that regular folks like you put into action every single day—will NEVER be perfect from the start, and need time and grace in order to operate at top proficiency. That said, if one-in-five voters refusing to choose a candidate in two races is the worst thing to happen in an election where we make sweeping changes for the very first time? I’d say democracy continues to be in pretty good shape. 

But that’s just my opinion—from deep in the “crater.”




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IDFA Offers Oregon EPR Compliance Guidance for Dairy Industry

Companies selling dairy products in Oregon must understand whether they have obligations under the EPR law.




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FBI offering $25K reward for info leading to suspect wanted for ballot box fires in Oregon, Washington state

The FBI announced its offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest of the suspect responsible for West Coast ballot box fires.



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oregon

Lawsuit Filed By Mayor Law On Behalf of an Oregon Man Hit By an Ambulance Then Charged For The Transport To The Hospital

William Hoesch Was Riding His Bicycle When He Was Struck By the Ambulance in 2022




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Tom Delay Indictment a Foregone Conclusion?

According to most of the comments that I've read (or at least those from the left) it seems that recent charges against Tom Delay are a foregone conclusion. So much for guilt until proven innocence. But that has never stopped the jury of public opinion before, nor will it now. It keeps the bloggers busy and sells newspapers. Here are just some of the comments:

"Now, that's what I call "Breaking News"! CNN.com - Texas grand jury indicts Tom DeLay - Sep... It may be only a small first step, but it's a start. Here's the follow-up: Delay will step aside as Majority Leader. Temporarily. Let's hope it is more than temporary."

"Aww what a shame, poor Tom DeLay has been indicted. Pardon me a moment whilst I shed a tear and play a sonata on the world's smallest violin."

"Tom DeLay, House Majority Leader and probably the most powerful Republican in the country, has just been indicted on conspiracy charges. The dominos are beginning to fall."

Or could it be really be just a frivolous witch hunt as Delay has pleaded? Knowing how dirty the game of politics is played it would not surprise me.

"Kevin Madden, DeLay's spokesman, dismissed the charge as politically motivated. This indictment is nothing more than prosecutorial retribution by a partisan Democrat", said Madden citing prosecutor Ronnie Earle, a Democrat. Madden later added: "They could not get Tom DeLay at the polls. They could not get Mr. DeLay on the House floor. Now they're trying to get him into the courtroom. This is not going to detract from the Republican agenda."

We don't have enough information yet and only time will only tell. But when it comes to politics I live by one golden rule. No matter which side of the fence you may find yourself, we should remember that ALL politicians are self-serving. And most (if not ALL) politicians are first and foremost humans and therefore corruptible.

And speaking of that, I am reminded of the maxim "Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely". So no matter how all this turns out nothing will surprise me.

But the law also provides that everyone is entitled to be presumed innocent until otherwise found guilty. We should all remember that as we follow this story.

One more thing, even if Delay is found guilty does that automatically indict all Republicans? Hardly, otherwise Teddy Kennedy and the dems would have been banned long ago.

It will be interesting to watch how this unfolds.




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News: Google donates $350,000 to open source projects at Oregon State

(Google blog post)




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‘Terrifying’: Oregon family of 6 is $90K in debt with $25 in the bank. Dave Ramsey says there’s only 1 way out




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Oregon a unanimous No. 1 ahead of first playoff rankings, followed by Georgia, Ohio State

Oregon was the unanimous choice for No. 1 in The Associated Press college football poll on Sunday, strengthening its bid for the top spot in the College Football Playoff selection committee's first rankings of the season.




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Oregon gets top billing in College Football Playoff's opening rankings

A season full of surprises didn't produce many when the first set of rankings on the road to college football's new 12-team playoff came out Tuesday.




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November gauntlet begins again for Maryland with trip to No. 1 Oregon

Last season marked the first time Maryland posted a .500 or better mark in the month of November under Mike Locksley. College football's final month has always been a gauntlet for Locksley's teams, a trend that continues Saturday at No. 1 Oregon.




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Going west: Maryland's Big Ten trip to No. 1 Oregon features unique wrinkles

The new Big Ten truly comes to full bore for Maryland this weekend with its first-ever West Coast conference trip to No. 1 Oregon, bringing with it a host of logistical tweaks and challenges.




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On the Oregon Trail

One company’s story from start-up to success.




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Oregon logging deaths prompt toolbox talks

Portland, OR – Three preventable logging fatalities in Oregon have prompted a new set of discussion points for supervisors to share with their crews.




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3 fatalities prompt toolbox talks from Oregon FACE

Portland, OR – The Oregon Occupational Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation Program has released new toolbox talks focusing on three fatal incidents.




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Oregon OSHA names winners of annual student competition

Salem, OR — Students from Silverton and Hermiston high schools took first-place prizes in this year’s Oregon OSHA media contest to promote young worker safety and health awareness.




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Disregarding manufacturer’s instructions can be deadly, Oregon FACE warns

Portland, OR – A hazard alert from the Oregon Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation Program emphasizes the importance of abiding by the manufacturer’s instructions for construction equipment and building materials.




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In effect: Oregon OSHA emphasis program on preventing heat-related illness

Salem, OR — Extreme heat in the Pacific Northwest this summer has spurred Oregon OSHA to launch a Local Emphasis Program aimed at preventing heat-related illness.




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Oregon OSHA adopts emergency rules on wildfire smoke, high heat

Salem, OR — In response to “the extraordinary hazards that have been exacerbated by climate change,” Oregon OSHA has adopted a pair of emergency temporary rules that increase worker protections against wildfire smoke and high heat in employer-provided housing.




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Bloodborne pathogens: Oregon OSHA launches Spanish-language training course

Salem, OR — Oregon OSHA has launched a Spanish-language online training course on bloodborne pathogens for health care, emergency response, hospitality and other industries.




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Oregon OSHA proposes permanent rules on extreme heat, wildfire smoke

Salem, OR — Oregon OSHA is seeking public comment on proposed rules that would increase worker protections against extreme heat and wildfire smoke, calling them “the strongest such protections in the nation.”




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Silica dust hazards: New Spanish-language training from Oregon OSHA

Salem, OR — Oregon OSHA has launched a free online training course on silica hazards for Spanish-speaking workers.




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Oregon OSHA adopts permanent rules on extreme heat, wildfire smoke

Salem, OR — Oregon OSHA has adopted permanent rules intended to safeguard workers from extreme heat and wildfire smoke, calling them “the most protective of their kind in the United States.”




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‘Safety Break’: Oregon OSHA’s annual stand-down set for May 10

Salem, OR — Oregon OSHA is encouraging all employers and workers in the state to “celebrate their safety and health achievements” and examine and renew their current safety efforts during the agency’s 20th annual Safety Break for Oregon.




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Oregon OSHA announces winners of annual student competition

Salem, OR — Students from Portland’s Parkrose High School and West Linn High took the top prizes in this year’s Oregon OSHA media contest to promote young worker safety and health awareness.




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Oregon OSHA schedules its annual ‘Safety Break’

Salem, OR — Oregon OSHA is encouraging all employers and workers in the state to recognize their “successes in cultivating safe and healthy workplaces” during the agency’s 21st annual Safety Break for Oregon.




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Fall protection in construction: Oregon OSHA launches free online training

Salem, OR — A new online video training course developed by Oregon OSHA is intended to help employers and workers in the construction industry meet the requirements of the agency’s fall protection standards.




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‘Fall Protection for Construction’: Oregon OSHA launches Spanish version of online training course

Salem, OR — Oregon OSHA has launched a Spanish-language version of its free online video training course on fall protection for the construction industry.




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Comment period open on Oregon OSHA’s pending oversight of temporary labor camps

Washington — Oregon OSHA is one step closer to having full oversight over temporary labor camps, after federal OSHA published a proposed final approval in the March 13 Federal Register.




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OSHA approves Oregon’s oversight of temporary labor camps

Washington — Oregon OSHA now has full oversight of temporary labor camps in the state, after receiving federal OSHA’s final approval.




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Oregon bill calls for stiffer penalties for safety scofflaws

Salem, OR — Legislation recently introduced in Oregon would significantly increase civil penalties for safety violations that contribute to worker injuries and deaths.




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On-the-job injuries rising among Oregon seafood-processing workers: study

Corvallis, OR – Injuries among seafood-processing workers in Oregon have eclipsed the statewide average, and the rate appears to be increasing, according to a recent study from Oregon State University.




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Oregon OSHA offers landscaping safety tips, best practices

The landscaping industry has a new resource to help workers stay safe on the job. A 28-page publication from Oregon OSHA covers best practices regarding lawn care equipment, ladders, noise exposure, pesticides, personal protective equipment, trenching and more.




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League of Oregon Cities Awards i-PRO Contract to Simplify Security Solution Procurement for Public Sector

This contract provides public sector customers across the U.S. with simplified access to i-PRO’s security products and services.




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‘A Crisis of Disrupted Learning’: Oregon teachers’ union report details hazards in the classroom

Portland, OR — Episodes of agitated student behavior – including verbal abuse of fellow students and teachers, as well as physical acts such as hitting, weaponizing school supplies, and destroying school or student property – may foster a “disrupted learning environment” that puts teachers’ safety and health at risk, according to a recent report from the Oregon Education Association.




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Cars can start wildfires, Oregon DOT warns

Did you know your car could cause a wildfire if you’re not careful? The Oregon Department of Transportation says more than 70% of the state’s wildfires in 2021 were caused by people.




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Oregon bill aimed at curbing workplace violence in hospitals

Salem, OR — Bipartisan legislation recently introduced in Oregon would strengthen the penalty for assaulting a hospital worker and require hospitals to work harder on preventing violence.




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Oregon OSHA releases free course on confined space safety

Salem, OR — Oregon OSHA is offering for free its latest training course on keeping workers safe in confined spaces.




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Now in Spanish: Oregon OSHA course on confined space safety

Salem, OR — Oregon OSHA has launched a Spanish version of its training course on keeping workers safe in confined spaces.




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‘Safety Break’: Oregon OSHA’s annual stand-down set for May 8

Salem, OR — Oregon OSHA is inviting all employers in the state to take part in its 16th annual “Safety Break for Oregon” to help raise awareness and promote “the value of keeping people safe and healthy” on the job.




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Lawsuits Allege Deceit and Greenwashing by Oregon’s Largest Gas Utility

NW Natural talks up its climate strategy, but new legal challenges say the company has spent years lying about the environmental impact of natural gas. by Taylor Griggs

For years, environmental advocates have said NW Natural attempts to obfuscate the negative climate and health impacts of natural gas utilities in order to remain dominant in the market. NW Natural, Oregon’s largest gas utility operation, has responded to such allegations with fierce resistance, promoting its service as more climate-friendly than electric alternatives and talking up plans to go greener in the future. 

But two lawsuits filed against NW Natural earlier this month put a spotlight on its alleged greenwashing practices, arguing the company has knowingly disenfranchised customers and contributed to the climate crisis. The first lawsuit, filed on October 7, adds NW Natural to Multnomah County’s existing legal challenge against several other oil companies for their role in perpetuating the deadly 2021 heat dome event. Just two days later on October 9, two NW Natural customers filed a class action suit against the company for falsely representing a program it says will offset the carbon emissions caused by customers’ natural gas use. 

Many Oregonians rely on gas heat appliances, whether to heat their homes or power their stoves, and nearly all of them have NW Natural as their service provider. NW Natural serves more than two million people across Oregon and southwest Washington, and is the only gas utility company serving Multnomah County. 

Proponents of natural gas say gas utilities are economical, efficient, and reliable in the case of power outages. But scientists and environmental experts say there are major downsides, too. Residential and commercial energy use accounts for about 20 percent of Oregon’s carbon emissions—the second largest category after transportation—and natural gas combustion accounts for a sizable portion of those emissions. Methane leaks from gas appliances also have a major climate impact, with gas stoves in particular emitting planet-warming greenhouse gasses even when they’re not in use. 

And if the environmental harm wasn’t enough, recent studies also show gas stoves are worse for human health than previously thought, with clear connections to carcinogenic pollutants. Long-term exposure to nitrogen dioxide from gas stoves has also been shown to lead to tens of thousands of cases of childhood asthma

As experts have sounded the alarm on all the impacts of gas utilities, environmental advocates and lawmakers have ramped up efforts to move Oregonians away from natural gas. The Portland Clean Energy Fund, for example, has invested tens of millions of dollars in deep energy retrofit projects, which will replace fossil fuel-reliant heating and cooling systems with electric systems. The program has invested millions more into building new, energy-efficient housing and commercial buildings. 

In resisting being pushed out of the market, the recent lawsuits say NW Natural has duped customers and pushed false propaganda about natural gas and the environment. 

Environmental advocates hope the legal challenges will have a practical impact on the company’s bottom line and enlighten the public.

Part of NW Natural’s public outreach strategy has been its sponsorship of community events, including those hosted by environmentally-minded organizations. In an effort to limit the gas utility’s greenwashing message, environmental advocates want local groups to cut ties with NW Natural, or think twice before accepting a future sponsorship deal. 

“NW Natural has a captive audience that trusts what their natural gas utility is telling them,” Carra Sahler, an attorney and director of Lewis and Clark Law School’s Green Energy Institute, tells the Mercury. “The more we can do to encourage skepticism, the better, and the easier it will be for people to make a switch [to electrify their homes] and to feel good about making that switch.” 

County lawsuit alleges a history of greenwashing 

Multnomah County’s amended lawsuit says NW Natural’s carbon and methane emissions have been “a cause of enormous harm” to the county and its residents. But, the lawsuit says, you wouldn’t know that by listening to the gas utility company’s public messaging. 

The county’s lawsuit states NW Natural has emitted at least 72.1 metric tons of CO2 equivalent in the last few decades, but has “deceived the public by claiming its product is safe, clean, and environmentally friendly.” 

The lawsuit provides several examples of the company’s alleged deceitful practices. Some particularly egregious instances include attempts to influence children and the Oregon education system. In 2021, NW Natural offered activity booklets to schools containing colorful drawings and activities for children promoting natural gas. The company also tried to use a front organization to host a training session for teachers about renewable gas, offering a $200 stipend to each teacher who attended. The training was canceled after public backlash. 

An image in NW Natural's school activity book, included in the county's lawsuit. multnomah county attorney

The misinformation from NW Natural got so bad, state agencies had to step in.

Earlier this year, NW Natural distributed a newsletter to its customers containing misinformation about Oregon’s Climate Protection Program policy. The newsletter said the climate policy would not reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but would result in a 14 percent rate hike for all NW Natural customers. In response, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality made a statement disavowing NW Natural’s campaign against the state policy

“In summary, NW Natural has routinely misrepresented to the public the climate impacts of extracting, transporting, storing and burning their product while over-estimating the costs of transitioning to renewables or reducing their pollution in an effort to frighten customers and discourage policy makers from using their authority to protect the public,” the Multnomah County lawsuit states. 

Sahler commends the county for including NW Natural in the big oil lawsuit.

“NW Natural is a trusted provider of warmth in homes, part of the local fabric... It’s exciting to see the county taking action—it’s brave to take on one more fossil fuel interest, especially a local one,” she told the Mercury. “Multnomah County's lawsuit appropriately lumps Northwest Natural in with the other big fossil fuel companies that we know are problematic, and it helps people understand what we're dealing with here.” 

David Roy, NW Natural’s director of communications, told the Mercury the company is “disappointed the County is spending resources on litigation instead of on developing effective emission reduction policies that work for County residents and businesses.” 

“We will continue to pursue pathways that allow Oregonians, including low- and moderate-income customers, to have access to two energy systems—electric and gas—for their homes and businesses,” Roy said. “NW Natural will vigorously contest these claims should they come to court. Regarding the Multnomah County action, we believe adding the company to the suit at this later date is an attempt to divert attention from legal and factual flaws in the case.” 

Class action suit says customers were deceived about carbon offsets

While Multnomah County’s lawsuit hones in on misleading claims and practices, the class action lawsuit specifically targets NW Natural’s Smart Energy program, an additional monthly fee available to customers, ostensibly to offset the carbon emissions associated with their natural gas use. Upon further investigation, however, NW Natural sends this carbon offset surcharge to industrial dairy farms for questionable “manure digesters,” which generate energy from methane-producing livestock waste. 

The complaint says the relationship between “carbon offset” funds, like NW Natural’s Smart Energy program, and the industrial dairies may incentivize the expansion of factory farming and enable further livestock waste production. 

“Independent research demonstrates that, at best, the climate benefits of manure digestion are not well studied and remain unclear,” the lawsuit says. “At worst, emissions reductions are significantly overstated.” 

Nicolas Blumm, one of the plaintiffs in the Smart Energy case, tells the Mercury he signed up for the program shortly after becoming a NW Natural customer. Since he didn’t have much of a choice about his gas utility system, he wanted to be as eco-friendly as possible while doing it. 

Blumm said the additional payment for the Smart Energy program was small—last January, he paid about $5 extra on his gas bill—so he didn’t think about it much. But once he realized where the money was going, he felt taken advantage of. 

The Smart Energy lawsuit points out that “corporate claims regarding sustainability and lower climate impact are particularly difficult for consumers to verify” and “climate-conscious consumers are particularly vulnerable to climate-related ‘greenwashing.’” 

“People deserve to have a chance to be honestly informed,” Blumm said. “I don’t think you should have to dig through and make sure every dollar you’re giving NW Natural is going exactly where they say it is. If they say the program is going to make your service carbon neutral, that’s how it should be.” 

NW Natural in the community 

In addition to the two lawsuits, NW Natural recently faced a blow from the Oregon Public Utilities Commission (OPUC). Last week, OPUC ordered the company to phase out gas subsidies by 2027. These subsidies are also known as line extension allowances, which gas utility companies including NW Natural charge existing customers in order to pay for expanding natural gas infrastructure to connect new customers to the service. 

Line extension allowances have been criticized by renewable energy advocates as environmentally damaging and economically burdensome for customers. But Roy, the NW Natural communications director, told the Mercury the company is “disappointed with the Commission’s decision,” and believes its subsidy proposal “supports the state’s goals for increased housing and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.” 

Advocates hope the recent news about NW Natural will lead to change in the community’s relationship with the company. While many consumers don’t have a choice about whether or not they can pay NW Natural for their monthly gas utility service, local organizations have more flexibility. NW Natural frequently sponsors or co-sponsors events across the region, ranging from county fairs to the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s (PBOT) annual Sunday Parkways open streets events. At these events, the utility company often sets up a booth to share information about natural gas, which environmental advocates say is often misleading. 

PBOT Communications Director Hannah Schafer told the Mercury the bureau is “aware of the concerns” and hasn’t made sponsorship decisions for the 2025 Sunday Parkways season. 

Sahler, the attorney, told the Mercury, considering the harm burning natural gas has caused to the planet and to human health, she wants to see local leaders draw a line in the sand. 

“Fossil fuel companies are like tobacco companies. You wouldn’t have a tobacco company at [events like Sunday Parkways],” Sahler said. “At some point it has to be unacceptable to support a business that is poisoning us.” 




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Good Morning, News: Most Beautiful Bat Found in Oregon, Young Thug Walks Free, and a Terrifying Shooting at Vancouver Mall

by Suzette Smith

The Mercury provides its readers with interesting and useful news & culture reporting every single day. If you appreciate that, consider making a small monthly contribution to support our editorial team. If you read something you like, something you don't like but are glad to know about, and/or something you can't find anywhere else consider a one-time tip. It all goes in the same pot and it all goes to the editorial team. Thanks for your support!

Good Morning, Portland! When they told me a bat could be beautiful I didn't believe, but now I believe.

IN LOCAL NEWS:
• As October comes to a close, so too does the Bureau of Land Management’s annual Bat Beauty Contest, which asks where the "most stunning bat photographed on BLM public lands" can be found? It's Oregon, motherfuckers! For the third year running WE HAVE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BAT. YES! Despite J. K. Rowling's tarnished-as-hell legacy, we can still celebrate this feisty male hoary bat, Hoary Potter. It's also worth noting that this is the second year a bat photographed by wildlife technician Emma Busk took top beauty honors. Busk wrote, "anyone who knows me knows that I’ve been wanting to photograph a hoary bat,"—a sentiment we can all echo.

BLM's most beautiful bat is from Oregon, and I love him. pic.twitter.com/T8qQgsz5kT

— Suzette Smith (@suzettesmith) November 1, 2024

• There's also terrible news, unfortunately. Yesterday evening, a shooting at Vancouver Mall, in Vancouver, WA, killed one person and injured two in the building's food court.  A witness who spoke to KOIN described "a harrowing scene, as the shopping center was full of kids trick-or-treating." So far, police have said they do not have a suspect in custody and the person may still be armed. They told KOIN they were reviewing surveillance footage, but have not yet released a description of the shooter.

• Oh my god, Clark County are you okay? KPTV reports that Clark County Elections Office is warning voters to beware of unofficial ballot boxes. Unofficial ballot boxes are not illegal in Washington! (This also appears to be true of Oregon!) Clark County Elections encouraged voters official ballot return locations.

• The Oregonian is returning to broadsheet size, they announced yesterday in a post that did not explain what that is for readers who didn't go to graphic design school / work in at newspaper with some old dude named Phil. Somewhat surprisingly, Willamette Week's Nigel Jaquiss stepped in to clarify. Tabloid is hotdog style fold; broadsheet is burger. Both WW and the Mercury are hotdogs. The New York Times is burger fold.

• NPR's Up First weirdly tried to do a report on Vice President Kamala Harris "highlighting Trump's own language and using it against him," as if that's somehow something of which to be critical? Gave me the vapors of the new Hasaan Hates Portland sketch from this week:

• In two week's the city's beloved queer documentary festival QDoc will host the Oregon debut of The World According to Allee Willis, which explores the complicated life of a queer "song doctor" who co-wrote not only Earth, Wind and Fire's "September," but the Friends TV show theme. Check out Melissa Locker's review of the film.; she says it's not to be missed!

• Did you take this week's local news quiz

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A post shared by Portland Mercury (@portlandmercury)


IN NATIONAL NEWS:
• Atlanta rap star Young Thug, born Jeffery Williams, finally walked free last night, after pleading guilty to "six counts, including possession of drugs and firearms... leading a criminal street gang and conspiracy to violate the RICO act, the state’s racketeering law," the New York Times reports. As part of the plea, the judge sentenced Williams to a total sentence of 40 years, but commuted the five years of prison time to the two and a half years that Williams has already served. Williams will remain on probation for 15 years, and will "be required to stay away from metro Atlanta for the first 10 years of his probation." He is also required to take random drug tests, make anti-gang presentations for children's organizations four times a year, perform 100 hours of community service a year, and "refrain from promoting gangs or being around known gang members." The ongoing Young Slime Life (YSL) court proceedings—which caused NYT's Joe Coscarelli to ask "is YSL was a record label, street gang, or both?"—have stretched into what is now the longest trial in Georgia history. Despite three other plea deals this week, it appears the trial will continue with the two remaining co-defendants.

• Mark Zuckerberg dressed as Fran Lebowitz for Halloween, and that's just what happened.

Mark Zuckerberg dressed as John Wick for Halloween but I thought it was Fran Lebowitz pic.twitter.com/zdXaomOMPR

— Meech (@MediumSizeMeech) November 1, 2024

• You're going to see some stuff today about "explosive new audio" recordings where Donald Trump speaks candidly to the reviled Jeffrey Epstein about his White House Staff and his disdain for the position itself. It's only really on the Daily Beast, the podcast of journalist Michael Wolff, and a few other sites. I'd rather wait til a super solid source gets it—seems like maybe they're holding off because they're checking it?—but the story is out there. Don't sound like anything particularly new, but people are saying "October surprise" because they want attention.

• Also in weird news about guys we already thought were corrupt, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito is apparently pledged to some secretive religious traditionalist organization. That tracks.

• Flashback to this masterpiece, which has been floating around the zeitgeist all week.




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Oregon Fruit Cherry Compote and Peach in Raspberry Sauce Compote, for foodservice

Oregon Fruit Products is announcing two new varieties of Fruit In Hand Compotes for the foodservice market: Cherry Compote and Peach in Raspberry Sauce Compote.




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Oregon Estate Planning Lawyers with Years of Experience

The legal team at White Oak Wills & Trusts LLC has years of experience helping clients with estate planning issues.




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Affordable Roofing and Gutter Company Unveils New Brand, Expands Services in Oregon

Affordable Roofing and Gutter Company, formerly known as Portland Oregon Gutter Company, is excited to announce the launch of its new brand identity.




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Pure Energy Group Doubles Down on Renewable Energy in Oregon

Pure Energy Group of Oregon will work with residential, business or agricultural customers to save money on their electrical bills by going solar!




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Andrew Kalloch Tapped As Oregon State Co-Chair For U.S. Term Limits

Will Help Spearhead Efforts In Oregon




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Untangling the Oregon Leave Quagmire – Answers to Common Compliance Questions in Light of Recent Legislative Changes

If you have employees working in Oregon, chances are you have heard about Oregon’s Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program also known as Paid Leave Oregon (“PLO”). In addition to PLO, eligible Oregon employees may be entitled to leave under the Oregon Family Medical Leave Act (“OFLA”), Oregon Sick Time law (“OSTL”), and the federal Family Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”).




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Untangling the Oregon Leave Quagmire

Lisa Shevlin and Cristin Casey review Oregon’s leave laws and offer some suggested strategies to help employers maintain compliance.

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oregon

Joint Employment and the Cat’s Paw: Oregon Court of Appeals Sets Precedent

  • The Oregon Court of Appeals, for the first time, applied the “cat’s paw” theory of imputed liability between joint employers in a whistleblower case regardless of whether the alleged biased individual was subordinate to the co-employer’s decisionmaker or employed by the same entity.
  • This case could impact Oregon employers using staffing arrangements, contingent workers, and work-sharing agreements.




oregon

New Oregon Law (Mostly) Aligns OFLA and Paid Leave Oregon to Prevent Employees from Stacking Leave Benefits

  • SB 1515, which the governor is expected to sign, provides some relief to employers under the state’s various leave laws by amending Paid Leave Oregon and the Oregon Family Leave Act (OFLA) to better align.
  • Bill amends Oregon leave laws to mitigate employee leave stacking by eliminating some state leave law concurrency.
  • Bill amends OFLA bereavement leave to a maximum of four weeks in a leave year.