Oregon News

How a ‘Hillbilly Brigade’ Saved an Oregon Town From Raging Wildfires

MOLALLA, Ore. — Nicole West steered her bulldozer through the smoldering forest, pushing logs into the underbrush and away from the wildfires ripping through Oregon’s Cascade Mountains. Her border collie, Oink, rode shotgun as West and a volunteer crew raced …

Heat, Winds Fuel Destructive Northwest Wildfires

SALEM, Ore. — Strong winds and high temperatures continued to fuel catastrophic fires in many parts of Oregon on Wednesday, forcing thousands of people to flee from their homes. Huge wildfires also continued to grow in neighboring Washington state. Oregon …

Portland Chief: Violent Protests Come ‘at Increased Cost’

PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland’s police chief has denounced protesters who broke windows and set a fire to a business in the upscale apartment building where Mayor Ted Wheeler lives, labeling the events an escalation in the street violence that Oregon’s …

Portland Protesters Set Fires, Use Mortar; 2 Officers Hurt

PORTLAND, Ore. — Protesters outside a Portland police union building set fires and used a mortar to launch commercial grade fireworks at police and officials said Monday that two officers were injured and 16 demonstrators were arrested. A day after …

Riot Declared as Fire Burns in Portland Police Union Offices

PORTLAND, Ore. — A fire inside a police union building led authorities in Portland, Oregon, to declare a riot and force protesters away from the offices as violent demonstrations continue in the city that had hoped for calm after federal …

Portland Protesters Gassed After Setting Fire at Courthouse

PORTLAND, Ore. — Protesters outside Portland’s U.S. courthouse set a fire in the building’s entryway early Monday in yet another night of conflict with federal agents who repeatedly tear gassed the demonstrators to drive them away, officials said. Authorities over …

Report: Protest Damage Cited by Portland Cops Skewed by Mall

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Portland police said earlier this week that ongoing protests had cost businesses in the downtown area $23 million in property damage and lost revenue, but those figures are skewed by just one business — a mall …

Oregon Latest State to Eye Abuses with Photo Estimates for Auto Claims

Oregon state regulators say insurance carriers are too often using photo estimates as a means of making low-ball settlement offers to policyholders without a thorough investigation. Insurance Commissioner Andrew Stolfi on Oct. 21 released a proposed draft of a bulletin …

Excessive Police Body Camera Data Disrupts Workflow in Oregon Courts

As body cameras become more prevalent in police forces and sheriff’s offices, the extra evidence is disrupting workflow an Oregon court system. The Albany Democrat-Herald reports that Sweet Home and Lebanon Police officers use body cameras and the added footage …

Wildfire Spending in Oregon Triggers Lloyd’s Insurance Policy

Oregon’s tough wildfire season has pushed spending to the point the state Department of Forest is tapping its special insurance policy for the second year in a row. The Bulletin reported that state wildfire costs exceeded the $20 million deductible …