Many consumers want to do their part to slow down global warming and they’re flocking to companies that try to do less harm to the planet. Companies, in turn, love to claim they’re environmentally friendly, sustainable or carbon neutral. Because in a world battered by climate change, it’s not just morally right to fight climate change, it also pays…

Forecasts for this past weekend called for another lengthy heatwave, with temperatures exceeding 100 degrees for four days in a row — maybe longer. This won’t be the Portland area’s hottest stretch. That was a 2021 heat wave when temperatures hit 116 degrees. About 100 people died in Oregon. But this 2024 heat wave might end up among the longest, w…

Longtime reporter Tom Hallman Jr. retired last week after nearly 44 years at The Oregonian. His byline is a favorite for readers who know he will deliver a feature story well worth their time. Hallman joins Editor Therese Bottomly on “Beat Check with The Oregonian” to talk about his career and what goes into his style of writing and reporting. Hall…

Authorities in Oregon have known for over three decades that groundwater in the eastern part of the state, a rural region where many people rely on domestic wells for drinking water, is contaminated with high levels of nitrates and unsafe to drink – yet, until recently, have done little to address the problem. Until 2022, many people in the region …

Across Oregon, county and city leaders say they don’t have the money to maintain their streets and sidewalks. In the Portland area, a pair of mega transportation projects years in the making remain unfinished and drastically underfunded. All the while, the Oregon Department of Transportation says will require an annual $1.8 billion boost to meet a …

Way back in 2011, policymakers in Oregon set an ambitious goal. By 2025, 80 percent of the state’s 25- to 34-year-old residents would have some kind of college credentials. The deadline is next year, and the state won’t come close. Instead, college-going rates have been on the decline in Oregon for the last decade, particularly among certain groups…

Laura Hill was about 30 years old when she helped create one of Portland’s most-iconic designs. When the Port of Portland was redesigning Portland International Airport in 1986, architecture and design firm SRG Partnership led the project. Hill retired from the firm in 2008, but at the time she was a principal interior designer for SRG. In this bon…

True crime is popular in the podcast world, and romance novels are seeing a surge in popularity. The Oregonian/OregonLive’s new podcast, in partnership with Wondery, marries the two topics for a six-part exclusive look at the case of Nancy Crampton Brophy, who was convicted of murdering her husband, Dan. Reporters Zane Sparling, who covered the tri…

In recent years, people have killed increasingly larger numbers of wolves in Oregon as the animals have rebounded in the state. And poisoning has emerged as one of the most common tools used to target wolves. Roblyn Brown, wolf program coordinator with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, talked on Beat Check about the poisonings, what they …

Portland and Multnomah County voters are casting ballots this week in a number of local contested races. Candidates in each of them have offered competing visions for how to best address some of the most pressing issues facing Oregon’s most populous county — be it crime, livability concerns or the deadly fentanyl crisis. In particular, the outcome …

The Oregonian/OregonLive last week published the results of a series of polls that shed light on the sentiments of Portland-area residents heading into a May election. John Horvick, senior vice president of polling partner DHM Research, joined the podcast Beat Check with The Oregonian to review the results and discuss some of the most interesting f…

Any newspaper editor will tell you readers love animal stories. The Oregonian/OregonLive’s Samantha Swindler took that axiom to the next level this spring with a 12-part video series on the mysterious disappearance of Cosmo, the talking crow. She joins Editor Therese Bottomly on “Beat Check with The Oregonian” to discuss the narrative, which also w…

Semiconductor manufacturing is critical to Oregon’s economy: it’s the state’s largest manufacturing sector in terms of employment, exports and contributions to its gross domestic product. Intel, the state’s top chipmaker, employs 23,000 people and is Oregon’s largest corporate employer. But the chips – celebrated by state lawmakers, ubiquitous in t…

As many by now know, Oregon ranks miserably when it comes to addressing residents’ mental health needs compared to the rest of the U.S. Especially troubling: Our state is dead last — the absolute worst in the nation — in balancing the prevalence of youth mental illness with access to care. That’s left many families with a teen in crisis or struggli…

The Oregonian/OregonLive is in the midst of its annual update of the Oregon Public Employee Retirement System beneficiary database. Last week, we published an update that showed nearly 6,000 retirees tapped into the pension benefit system in 2023. In a week or so, we’ll have our database fully updated and available so readers can lookup all current…

Many homeowners in Oregon are feeling the impacts of higher electricity bills and facing the prospect of yet another rate increase next year. As electricity bills have skyrocketed, causing widespread anger and frustration, many people have begun to question how and why utilities recoup money from their customers. Last month, the Oregon Citizens’ Ut…

In February, elected leaders of a small town in Marion County took the extraordinary step of firing its top cop amid a series of troubling allegations. Gervais Police Chief Mark Chase’s removal has since touched off a feud between the chief’s defenders and officials in the quiet community about 15 miles NE of Salem. Chase, it turns out, is no stran…

Oregon’s largest corporate employer has been one of the biggest boosters calling for an infusion of taxpayer dollars into U.S. manufacturing of computer chips. Last week, Intel got its wish: an $8.5 billion check from the federal government. Mike Rogoway, who covers the chip industry for The Oregonian/OregonLive, spoke with business editor Elliot N…

Environmentalists notched what they consider a major win in the 2024 short legislative session. The COAL Act directs the state to drop about $1 billion in coal investments and to cease new investments in companies that mine and burn coal. Proponents say the legislation aligns the state’s public pension investments with Oregon’s existing climate goa…

A lack of funding and the passage of Measure 110 dealt a double whammy to Oregon drug courts. Even as fentanyl became a scourge, one of the best tools to help addicts largely faded away. Programs in Deschutes, Benton, Polk and Multnomah counties shut down in recent months or years and others have been hit with funding problems. But in this short le…

Utility customers in Oregon have seen steep rate increases in the past two years – and more are in the works. What gives? Portland General Electric customers saw their bills go up by 18% in January, in addition to a 14.8% rate increase in 2023. Pacific Power customers saw bills increase by 21% at the start of 2023 and by another 12% in January. Pac…

There is trouble at one of the most beloved natural attractions in Oregon and all of the Pacific Northwest.Busted buildings. Hazardous spills. Injuries and allegations of sexual assault. Years of mismanagement by Crater Lake Hospitality, a subsidiary of Aramark, the corporate behemoth hired by the National Park Service in 2018 to operate concession…

It’s hard to escape the fentanyl problem in Oregon. The use of fentanyl is evident on the streets of Portland and provides added fuel to Oregon’s homelessness crisis. The decriminalization of the drug and others is at the heart of a debate in the Oregon Legislature over Measure 110. The Oregonian/OregonLive recently published two in-depth articles …

The Oregon Legislature’s 2024 session is underway, and even though lawmakers’ work is constitutionally limited to just 35 days, they plan to take on some of the state’s biggest issues. On this week’s episode of Beat Check with The Oregonian, state government reporter Carlos Fuentes runs down lawmakers’ top priorities and how a state Supreme Court r…

In January, the Portland metro area was encased in a week-long ice, snow and wind storm that shut down the region. The storm toppled hundreds of massive trees, which in turn crushed cars, felled power poles and lines and split people’s homes in half. The devastation left many people traumatized and anxious – and reexamining their relationships with…

Oregon has long been awash in cash when it comes to state elections and political races. One big reason? It’s among just a small handful of states that do not limit how much money candidates can accept from individuals, political groups, corporations, unions or any other entity. But that could change this year, as Oregon voters will likely face a p…

This year, 2024, is a big political and election year, and Oregon faces many serious and complex issues. The Oregonian/OregonLive Editorial Board meets regularly to talk about significant issues where the newspaper as a local institution might weigh in. Editorials are written by Opinion Editor Helen Jung and appear on the Opinion pages. The opinion…

A terrifying mid-flight emergency forced an Alaska Airlines plane back to Portland Jan. 5 and launched an investigation that temporarily grounded fleets of Boeing 737 Max 9 passenger jets nationwide. Miraculously, nobody on Alaska Airlines flight 1282 was critically hurt when a “door plug” — a wall panel that’s used as an emergency exit on some pla…

In December, Portland leaders announced that the city’s clean energy fund is expected to raise an unanticipated $540 million over the next five years. This staggering surplus comes at a time when city agencies are facing major budget shortfalls. Commissioner Carmen Rubio, who oversees the fund, has proposed funneling half of the excess money to cas…

During the final weeks of 2023, Oregonian/OregonLive reporter Aimee Green crisscrossed Portland to ask strangers from all walks of life what they wished for themselves — and for their city — in the coming year. One hundred people shared their hopes, both big and small. On the latest Beat Check, Green and I discuss her project, the joys of striking …

Merry Christmas! This time of year, The Oregonian/OregonLive features nonprofits from Oregon and southwest Washington to highlight their good works for our longstanding Season of Sharing campaign. Longtime features editor Grant Butler talks with Editor Therese Bottomly about the annual campaign, which runs roughly from Thanksgiving to the end of th…

In late October, two dozen Oregon policymakers, advocates, police and prosecutors landed in Lisbon, Portugal, to learn about that nation’s two-decade-old drug decriminalization law. They arrived a few days after reporter Noelle Crombie, who traveled to the country independently to do much the same. The fact-finding missions come as the voting publi…

Heat pumps, electrical work and insulation projects are very expensive – and many families in Oregon can’t afford them, despite their potential for reducing carbon emissions, saving energy and slashing utility bills. The federal government has promised financial help: generous rebates and tax credits to defray the costs of home energy efficiency up…

In 2019, Portland’s lone drop-off center for people experiencing severe intoxication from drugs or alcohol abruptly shuttered. The closure left a massive gap in how Oregon’s largest city could respond to those in the throes of visible — and often dangerous — bouts of crisis, just as drug use and overdose deaths began to soar. Dozens of local leader…

Five years ago, The Oregonian/OregonLive published the award-winning five-part series, “Ghosts of Highway 20,” accompanied by a full video series along with the articles that chronicled the victims of an Oregon serial killer. Lead reporter Noelle Crombie, a senior criminal justice reporter for The Oregonian/OregonLive, joined Editor Therese Bottoml…

A bunch of well-known Northwest brands – like Bamboo Sushi, Sizzle Pie, Water Avenue Coffee and Rudy’s Barbershops – were bought up during the pandemic by Sortis Holdings, a company that positioned itself as a savior for businesses that were struggling. But now, Sortis Holdings has had to call off a big transaction, disputes over unpaid bills have …

"Life on the planet is imperiled," "we’re on the brink of collapse" and there’s "little progress on combating climate change." That’s according to a new climate study published at the end of October by a group of renowned U.S. and global scientists, including several researchers from Oregon. On this episode of Beat Check, The Oregonian's environmen…

While true crime tales have become mainstays of media and pop culture, the disturbing stories told in The Oregonian/OregonLive’s 2018 prize-winning project, “Ghosts of Highway 20″ had a particular impact on Octavia Spencer, the Oscar-winning actor, who help produce the new “Lost Women of Highway 20” documentary series for Investigation Discovery. Y…

The murder of George Floyd at the hands of police set off social justice protests across the nation and in Portland. For some members of the city’s small Black community, Floyd’s death was a reminder of Portland’s painful history. In this podcast episode, reporter Fedor Zarkhin joins Editor Therese Bottomly to talk about his recent four-part series…

We'll be back with another episode of Beat Check next week. In the meantime, don't miss the episode we published Thursday, answering your questions about the potential Portland Public Schools teachers' strike. Given the dynamic nature of that story, we wanted to bring it to you as soon as possible. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.…

On a special edition of The Oregonian’s Beat Check podcast, education reporter Julia Silverman and City Hall reporter Shane Dixon Kavanaugh answer your questions about the potential Portland Public Schools teacher strike. Read our previous strike coverage here: Portland Teachers Vote to Authorize a Strike Final Offers, Plenty of Acrimony and Little…

Jayati Ramakrishnan and Nicole Hayden, both staff reporters for The Oregonian/OregonLive, produced the first two parts of the newsroom’s in-depth examination of Oregon’s mental health system and its failures. Editor Therese Bottomly leads a discussion of what their findings have been so far. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adch…

At the end of September, students from 50 school districts across the country launched a new campaign to spur climate action in classrooms, school buildings and in the job market. In this episode of Beat Check, The Oregonian/OregonLive's environmental justice reporter Gosia Wozniacka interviews Adah Crandall, a 17-year-old youth climate organizer a…

Join The Oregonian's Lizzy Acker and Destiny Johnson as they discuss your conundrums for Lizzy's advice column "Why Tho?" This week they discuss the etiquette surrounding taking your shoes off in someone else's home, what they're into and not into this week and whether you can keep someone from smoking cigarettes near your house. For a more distill…

Four years after Portland officials passed what they hailed to be some of the strongest rules governing short-term rentals in the country, Portland’s regulation of Airbnb rentals remains fundamentally broken, a recent investigation by The Oregonian/OregonLive’s Ted Sickinger found. On the latest Beat Check, I speak with Sickinger about how the city…

Join The Oregonian's Lizzy Acker and Destiny Johnson as they discuss your conundrums for Lizzy's advice column "Why Tho?" This week they discuss what you can do when people are making unnecessary noise in your general area. For a more distilled version of this, check out Lizzy's column, which will publish at Oregonlive.com/whytho the Tuesday follow…

Ambitious plans for the Lloyd Center shopping mall were unveiled recently. What can we expect to see on the 26-acre site in the future? How will the development change the existing mall and the surrounding neighborhood? Editor Therese Bottomly talks with business reporter Kristine de Leon about the new proposal for the historic mall in inner Northe…

Join The Oregonian's Lizzy Acker and Destiny Johnson as they discuss your conundrums for Lizzy's advice column "Why Tho?" This week they discuss how you can still maintain friendships when you don't have a kid but your friends do! For a more distilled version of this, check out Lizzy's column, which will publish at Oregonlive.com/whytho the Tuesday…

Scores from the standardized tests Oregon students take each year are out, and the 2023 results are dispiriting, to say the least, for anyone who hoped to see a rebound from a pandemic drop. Education reporter Julia Silverman analyzed the results for The Oregonian/OregonLive and discussed them on this week’s episode of Beat Check with The Oregonian…

This week on Why Tho? the Podcast, advice columnist Lizzy Acker and social media producer Destiny Johnson talk about the magic word. How magic is it? Can an adult tell another adult that they need to say “please.” For a more distilled version of this, check out Lizzy's column, which will publish at Oregonlive.com/whytho the Tuesday following the ai…