Oregon on Wednesday May 07, 2008

Archive of Oregon on Wednesday May 07, 2008

For once in an election, all roads lead to Oregon
By Jeff Mapes, The Oregonian (Portland)
The Oregon presidential primary, an irrelevancy for so many years, may now be the last contest that means anything in the long and increasingly bitter race between Democratic Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.
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Campaign trail turns to Oregon
By Peter Wong, Statesman Journal (Salem)
Even before polling places closed Tuesday in Indiana and North Carolina, Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama began their final push in Oregon, where voters already are receiving primary ballots by mail and votes will be counted in two weeks.
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Presidential candidates court rural NW voters
By Chris Lehman, Northwest Public Radio
After Tuesday?s primaries in Indiana and North Carolina, the Democratic presidential nomination is still up for grabs.
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Uncertain timber payments mean uncertain Oregon county budgets
By The Associated Press, Statesman Journal (Salem)
EUGENE, Ore. -- Lane County started notifying more than 120 workers that they could be laid off or forced into lower-paying jobs by the end of May because of the potential loss of a federal payment program.
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Oregon task force looks to stabilize county budgets
By Matthew Preusch, The Oregonian (Portland)
This spring, like last, Oregon counties are drafting budgets with steep service cuts and layoffs because of the loss of a federal payment program. And this spring, as in last, the state's congressional delegation is fighting for reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools and Self-Determination Act.
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Kids' fatal injuries in state drop sharply
By Don Colburn, The Oregonian (Portland)
Fatal injuries to children have declined sharply since 1995, state officials report.
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Bomb threat tests PSU's alert system
By Bill Graves, The Oregonian (Portland)
A bomb threat Tuesday triggered the first trial of a new Portland State University emergency alert system and sent warnings to cell phones and computers of thousands of students and staff.
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Cascadia gets loans from state, county
By Arthur Gregg Sulzberger, The Oregonian (Portland)
State and Multnomah County officials agreed Tuesday to provide up to $2.5 million in loans to keep Oregon's largest mental health care provider operating for the next two months.
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Silver Alert helps rescue lost seniors
By Christine Vestal, Stateline.org Staff Writer
When an elderly person with dementia is lost, seven states can trigger a Silver Alert to let the community know. Proposals in Congress would expand the successful missing persons program to all 50 states.
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Will states fix 2012 primary process?
By Pamela M. Prah, Stateline.org Staff Writer

While voters in Indiana and North Carolina go to the polls today (May 6) to help Democrats pick Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama as their nominee and Republicans rally behind John McCain, party insiders and state election officials are in informal talks to improve the presidential nominating contests for 2012 and beyond.
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Oh say, is that banner made in the U.S.A.?
By Kim Mendelsohn, Special to Stateline.org
Lawmakers in 10 states have taken steps to require that American flags bought with state funds be manufactured in this country. While not all the legislation has passed, one state’s new law even bans the sale of foreign-made American flags in that state.
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Fairness of death-penalty panels questioned
By John Gramlich, Stateline.org Staff Writer
Death-penalty supporters are raising questions about the fairness of state commissions charged with studying how capital punishment is carried out in Maryland and Tennessee, claiming the panels will issue reports that ignore their views.
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WORTH NOTING: Voters' guide promotes phone sex
By Pauline Vu, Stateline.org Staff Writer
An Oregon voters’ guide lists a very wrong number. California’s governor insults rural legislators. And Pennsylvania considers selling wine in vending machines. In case you missed those stories this week, “Worth Noting” fills you in.
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Seeds of social issues dot 2008 elections
By Louis Jacobson, Stateline.org Columnist

With a sagging economy and a divisive war occupying Americans’ minds, will social issues be overshadowed in state elections in 2008?
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Parents turn to states for autism help
By Daniel C. Vock, Stateline.org Staff Writer
(UPDATED 4 p.m. EDT, Thursday May 1) One of the toughest problems facing autism patients, their families and policymakers is paying for treatment. Families are increasingly relying on states to help them cope with the financial, medical and educational needs.

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With justices' OK, voter ID moves ahead
By Daniel C. Vock and John Gramlich, Stateline.org Staff Writers
A decision Monday (April 28) by the U.S. Supreme Court to let Indiana demand photo identification from voters paves the way for other states to do the same during November’s presidential election, experts say.
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Legislators prod Congress on Medicaid, Real ID
By Pamela M. Prah, Stateline.org Staff Writer
As some states tumble into what they fear is a recession, state lawmakers from across the country are pushing Congress for relief from impending federal rules that would force states to pick up more Medicaid costs and spend billions to make drivers’ licenses more secure.
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More states offer choice in long-term care
By Christine Vestal, Stateline.org Staff Writer
More states are poised to offer a successful alternative to traditional Medicaid plans that allows elders and the disabled to avoid moving to a nursing facility by hiring friends, neighbors or family members to look after them in their own homes.
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Credit crunch hits states' college loans
By Pauline Vu, Stateline.org Staff Writer

(Updated 11:55 a.m. EDT, April 23, 2008)

The credit crisis has led some state lending agencies to suspend their federal and private student loan programs, forcing thousands of students to search elsewhere for money to pay for college.

Partisan mix in R.I., Conn. poses challenges
By Louis Jacobson, Stateline.org Columnist

The blue states of Connecticut and Rhode Island have had a long tradition of electing Republican governors. But in both states, the combination has led at times to difficult — even chaotic — policymaking.
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'Purple' states turn a little more 'blue'
By Louis Jacobson, Stateline.org Columnist

The national polls point to a tight presidential race in November. But Democrats have a bit more to cheer about than Republicans do, regardless of who wins the Democratic primary, according to the latest state-by-state electoral-vote projections by “Out There.”
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Will Democrats grow legislative edge in '08?
By Louis Jacobson, Stateline.org Columnist

For the past several election cycles, the Democrats have been on a roll in legislative elections. This year, the party is well-positioned to hold its majority of chambers — but greatly expanding Democratic control may not be in the cards.

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