Quinton Smith

 Local government officials participate in the League of Oregon Cities’ City Day at the Capitol event at the Salem Convention Center.  By JULIA SHUMWAY/Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM — Hundreds of mayors, city councilors and city employees from around Oregon descended on Salem on Wednesday to lobby lawmakers for hundreds of millions of dollars for homelessness and housing shortages. Local leaders

Senate Republicans Lynn Findley of Vale, from left, Dennis Linthicum of Klamath Falls, Dick Anderson of Lincoln City, Tim Knopp of Bend, Kim Thatcher of Keizer and Daniel Bonham of The Dalles spoke Tuesday about their legislative priorities.  By JULIA SHUMWAY/Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM — Oregon Senate Republicans described hopes of a bipartisan legislative session Tuesday – but they also

By Oregon Public Broadcasting Portland-based Vacasa laid off about 1,300 workers on Tuesday or roughly 17% of its workforce. The cuts include the elimination of 240 jobs in Portland. The vacation rental management company went public in 2021, but its stock has slumped. Vacasa is trying to shrink its expenses as it seeks to become profitable. “It is clear to me

By CAYLA MIHALOVICH/Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM — Officials have approved a plan for spending $10 million of emergency funding to address Oregon’s public defender crisis, which has left hundreds of people languishing in jails or in the community awaiting legal representation. Last month, the Joint Legislative Emergency Board allocated $10 million to help the state hire more public defenders. It asked the

By The Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM — The Oregon Department of Justice has launched a hotline to provide free legal advice to people with legal questions about abortions. Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum’s Monday announcement came the day after the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1973 decision in Roe v Wade, which guaranteed abortion rights nationwide until the court