BILLINGS, Montana — Climate change in the Western U.S. means more intense and frequent wildfires churning out waves of smoke that scientists say will sweep across the continent to affect tens of millions of people and cause a spike in premature deaths.
BOISE, Idaho — Federal officials have released a draft environmental analysis for a proposal intended to stop rangeland wildfires in a huge swath of the West that hosts cattle ranching and rec…
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will review the status of seven threatened or endangered species in Washington state, including four types of pocket gophers found in only two westside counties.
SPOKANE, Wash. — It’s been nearly 80 years since salmon and steelhead made it past Chief Joseph and Grand Coulee dams in Washington’s Upper Columbia Basin. It’s long been a goal for tribes to …
A drought covering all or parts of nine Western Washington counties worsened in the past week from "moderate" to "severe," the U.S. Drought Monitor reported Thursday.
BOISE, Idaho — A mining company facing a potential lawsuit by the Nez Perce Tribe over pollution at a historic mining area in central Idaho is not to blame for the pollution because it has nev…
RICHLAND, Washington — At the Hanford Nuclear Site in southeastern Washington, and across the West, winter’s deep snow and a cool spring have produced lots of brush and grass.
It’s a dream that has taken years to come true. But on Saturday, May 25, the long-planned Wallowa Band Nez Perce Visitor’s Interpretive Center became an impressive reality. Its contents were d…
The fight to save Columbia River salmon could hinge on a major battle taking place in the basin’s biggest reservoir. It pits biologists against a fish: the invasive northern pike.
PORTLAND — Oregon farmers and ranchers can expect mixed irrigation supplies heading into summer after months of fast-changing weather.
When President Donald Trump announced higher tariffs on Chinese imports earlier this week, it cost an Indiana farmer $50,000.
Critics of a proposed ban on chlorpyrifos insecticides in Oregon argue the bill would not only harm farmers but also set a dangerous legislative precedent.
As the weather heats up and forests begin to dry out, Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, has wildfires on his mind.
SALEM — Lacy Ramirez Gruss did vocal exercises, stretched, pulled her hair back, and slipped on some comfortable shoes.
Threemile Canyon Farms, Oregon's largest dairy producer, is planning to turn millions of gallons of cow manure into renewable natural gas, if state regulators approve a permit for the project.
State wildlife biologists documented at least 137 wolves in 2018, a 10% increase over the previous year, according to the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife's annual wolf report released…
The breeding male of the Walla Walla Pack captured on a remote camera on private property in northern Umatilla County in Feb., 2019.
SALEM — Gov. Kate Brown has tapped former legislator Bev Clarno to be Oregon’s 37th secretary of state.
SALEM — Two constitutional amendments next year could bring the most dramatic changes in a generation to how Oregon conducts its elections.
SALEM — Oregon’s legislators are halfway around their political track in Salem and major reforms in taxation, environment and education remain in the works. They now have about 90 days to fini…
Oklahoma on Tuesday settled a lawsuit against Purdue Pharma over the OxyContin manufacturer’s role in the over-prescribing of opioids leading to a national spike in overdoses. The lawsuit mirr…
SALEM — Nearly 150 years ago, the nation’s attention was fixed on a remote area near the Oregon-California border, where 50 Modoc Indian soldiers were fending off a thousand U.S. Army soldiers…
SALEM — Oregon may not go it alone on switching to daylight saving time year-round.
SALEM — Oregon employers and workers could get more help from the state’s labor bureau if Labor Commissioner Val Hoyle gets her druthers.
SALEM — Climate advocates are coming up roses after legislative revisions to a proposed carbon pricing policy for Oregon left unchanged the most significant mandates while softening the impact…
SALEM — A phishing scheme that successfully compromised 2 million emails from the Oregon Department of Human Services accounts targeted more than 400 accounts at two major state agencies.
SALEM — A bill introduced in the House would allow more gas stations to offer self-service pumps.
The Oregon Department of Human Services Thursday disclosed that millions of agency emails had been breached in January, potentially exposing the personal medical information of hundreds of thousands.
SALEM — The Legislature’s top personnel executive, embroiled in the sexual harassment controversy at the Capitol, has retired but will draw more than $12,000 a month until September to work fr…
New revenue generated from increasing Oregon’s tobacco tax would come with an additional decline in sales because Washington buyers would likely stop crossing the river to buy, economists said…
SALEM — Oregon is earthquake country, and students across the state practice duck-and-cover drills just the same as they practice fire evacuations, learning to protect themselves in the event …
SALEM — Many political observers around Oregon were surprised late last October when the most prominent third-party candidate for governor dropped out of the race and endorsed Gov. Kate Brown …
State lawmakers are considering more than two dozen bills that could affect Oregonians who consume recreational and medical marijuana.
A proposed ban on clear-cutting, pesticide-spraying, road-building and fertilizing in Oregon’s forested watersheds is raising fears of severe disruptions to timber production.
Whether they’re for standard time or daylight saving time, Oregonians are tired of changing their clocks twice every year. That’s the message state senators considering a time change in Oregon…
In 2017, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown signed reforms into law to promote government openness and transparency.
SALEM — In the next month, the Legislature will write a check for $1.1 million to finish its settlement of sexual harassment claims at the Capitol.
SALEM — The Oregon Legislature will pay $1 million to nine victims of harassment at the Capitol, settling a complaint by state labor officials that has put a cloud over the 2019 session.
SALEM — Senate President Peter Courtney is taking a 10-day medical leave at the recommendation of his doctors.
SALEM — As the 2019 Legislature steams ahead, an army of 1,000 lobbyists is at work to gain political favors from the state’s 90 legislators.
SALEM — Oregon on Thursday enacted the nation’s farthest-reaching law limiting rent increases and restricting no-fault evictions, providing immediate protection to roughly 1 million renters ac…
Routine Columbia-Snake lock closures set for March 2 for annual maintenance.
Dennis Richardson, Oregon secretary of state and former candidate for governor, died at his Central Point home Tuesday night, his office announced Wednesday. He has been fighting brain cancer …
SALEM — House Speaker Tina Kotek on Tuesday finally accomplished her longstanding goal to protect tenants from abusive landlords with passage of sweeping rent control legislation.
Introducing vaccine-related legislation is the political equivalent of swatting a hornet’s nest.
SALEM – Growing political tensions at the Legislature boiled over Thursday as House Speaker Tina Kotek stripped a powerful Portland Democrat of two committee chairmanships because of his behavior.
SALEM — Two women who interned at the state Capitol are suing a former state senator who they say sexually harassed them.
SALEM — About 75 people answered the legislative Joint Committee on Carbon Reduction’s call for comments Monday, weighing in on a proposed sweeping change that would put a price on carbon emissions.
Owners of 13 to 15 dairies near Sunnyside, Wash., deal with about $4 million in direct loss of dead cows from a blizzard, not counting lost milk production.
A recent wave of winter storms has increased Oregon's total snowpack across the state by 20 to 30 percent since the beginning of February.
He uses a sharp pen and blunt language to make his point. He is paid to write press releases at the Legislature. But Jonathan Lockwood’s style also disrupts Oregon’s political geniality.
Oregon’s proposed cap and trade system will change the state’s economy, providing lucrative opportunities to some industries and potentially putting others out of business.
SEASIDE — Twenty-three former Miss Oregons want more answers after a settlement between the state Department of Justice and former pageant directors Steve and Dana Phillips.
More than 1,600 dairy cows died in a blizzard in Eastern Washington, Feb. 9. The final tally is likely to top 1,700.
