Quinton Smith

 Gov.-elect Tina Kotek outlines her goals at the Oregon Business Plan Summit in Portland on Dec. 12, 2022. (Rian Dundon/Oregon Capital Chronicle) By JULIA SHUMWAY/Oregon Capital Chronicle PORTLAND — Gov.-elect Tina Kotek plans to visit all 36 Oregon counties over the next year in an effort to build trust in the state government, she announced during an annual business gathering

By CHRIS LEHMAN/Oregon Public Broadcasting Performing arts organizations in Oregon say they’re still struggling to recover from the economic blow of COVID-19. They’re asking the Legislature for another round of funding to help them get back on their feet. Venues that rely on live audiences were among the hardest hit by the pandemic. In 2020, Oregon lawmakers crafted a $50 million

By BEN BOTKIN/Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM — Oregon’s public defense agency will get $10 million to help deal with a statewide shortage of public defenders, but the Oregon Public Defense Services Commission doesn’t yet have a plan for using the money. Friday’s infusion of cash by the Legislature’s Joint Emergency Board comes amid growing concerns about the lack of public defenders

 Secretary of State Shemia Fagan shows her “Vote” tattoo before ending candidate filing for Oregon’s primary election last March.  By JULIA SHUMWAY/Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM — Citing an increase in misinformation, complaints and time-consuming public records requests from election deniers, Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan is seeking roughly $2 million over the next two years to hire more staff