Oregon Public Broadcasting

BRUNO/PIXABAY

New Portland heat map shows where to plant trees and remove pavement for a cooler city

Health officials in Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties have mapped hot spots to guide measures intended to avoid deaths during the next excessive heat wave

Apr 4, 2024

DANIEL AGRELO/PIXABAY

Oregon health care providers still feeling cash crunch after national hack ends

Health care providers across Oregon are still sorting through reams of bills to see if they will be reimbursed for care given during the hack

Mar 31, 2024

Oregon State Capitol in Salem. | JAKE THOMAS/THE LUND REPORT

Oregon Democrats agree to stronger criminal penalties for drug possession

A negotiated bill that includes the potential of six months in jail is expected to have momentum in the Capitol

Feb 22, 2024

An AMR ambulance at Legacy Health Good Samaritan Medical Center in Northwest Portland, Ore., on July 30, 2023. | JAKE THOMAS/THE LUND REPORT

AMR pressures Multnomah County over ambulance staffing rules

American Medical Response sent a letter warning of a potential emergency system collapse

Feb 15, 2024

Oregon Capitol in Salem. | JAKE THOMAS/THE LUND REPORT

As drug criminalization debate rages, Oregon lawmakers consider creating a new misdemeanor

Democrats and Republicans are seeing whether they can find compromise over what kinds of consequences drug users might face

Feb 13, 2024

Gov. Tina Kotek speaks to reporters during a media availability on the rooftop of The Independence Hotel in Independence, Oregon on April 14, 2023. | JAKE THOMAS/THE LUND REPORT

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek indicates she would sign a bill recriminalizing drug possession

The subject is expected to be a flash point in this year’s legislative session

Feb 8, 2024

A large white building with a tall tower and staircase

The Washington State Capitol in Olympia. | SHUTTERSTOCK

Bill proposes cutting coroner, death investigation training for small Washington counties

Eastern Washington lawmakers hope to roll back parts of a 2021 bill that placed stricter training and credentialing requirements on death investigations

Jan 16, 2024

SASHA BOND/UNSPLASH

Families hit with high costs, waitlists for youth rehab in Oregon and nationwide

The research led by OHSU found that half of the treatment facilities surveyed nationally required an up-front payment averaging more than $28,000, and only a few facilities provide free service to people on Medicaid

Jan 9, 2024

PIXABAY

Oregon Recovers director Mike Marshall bounced from state alcohol task force over Facebook post

Gov. Tina Kotek took Marshall off a task force considering higher beer and wine taxes because of a post her office called insensitive and inappropriate

Jan 9, 2024