Page 3 - James Schroeder News Today

Pat Dooris had a chance to sit down and talk with Jessica Vega Pederson on Tuesday to discuss the county's $3.5 billion budget and her plans to tackle homelessness.

Gov. Tina Kotek and Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson on Thursday announced a joint $2.5 million investment in Clean Start, a litter removal program run by homeless service nonprofit Central City Concern.

The Oregon governor and Multnomah County chair will direct the money toward a program that gives people experiencing homelessness jobs cleaning up trash in Portland.

A survey of 500 Oregon voters found that 63% of them support bringing back the criminal penalties for drug possession while continuing to use cannabis taxes to fund drug treatment programs. 

Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan announced Monday she has resigned from her $10,000-a-month consulting side job and apologized for her “poor judgment."

In other news, Ashlanders rebuild memorial for Black lives, Wyden promises action on contaminated groundwater, and wilderness permits go on sale.

Former Democratic Colorado Rep. Patricia Schroeder died at the age of 82 after suffering complications from a stroke.

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More than three years after COVID was detected in the U.S., and a year after general masking mandates were lifted, health care settings will no longer require masks by April 3

More than three years after COVID was detected in the U.S., and a year after general masking mandates were lifted, health care settings plan to remove mask mandates