Oregon ready to administer vaccine booster shots if approved, health authority says
A federal advisory panel has recommended Pfizer booster shots, but only for people 65 or older, or those who run a high risk of severe illness from COVID-19.
In The News
Hundreds protest Oregon vaccine, mask mandates in Salem
Protesters identified themselves as health care workers, teachers, emergency services workers and state employees.
5 Oregonians hospitalized after attempting to treat COVID-19 with roundworm-killing drug
Ivermectin is really good at killing tiny animals called roundworms. A single dose makes your body so toxic that it kills the larval roundworms that cause African river blindness for an entire year. People are taking it daily to cure or prevent COVID-19. That's a very bad idea.
US Justice Department to prosecute Portland protester with controversial civil rights-era charge
The charge at heart of the ruling is called "civil disorder," and stems from a 1968 law which the U.S. Justice Department has used extensively to crack down on crimes it says were committed during last summer's protests.
lives changed
Camas family tries to move ahead after wrenching loss
After her husband’s death, Sophia Stone-Holmbeck wrestled with whether to move ahead with the new home the two had been planning.
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Health care workers, firefighters file lawsuits to overturn Oregon vaccine mandate
The lawsuits join a chorus of legal action brought by first responders and health care workers in response to Oregon’s vaccinate mandate.
Oregon Democrats unveil their redistricting proposal, setting up partisan clash in Salem
Following hours of testimony and accusations of gerrymandering, the state's majority party unveiled maps it says meet "the highest legal standards." An analysis tool suggests the plan biased.
Portland mayor wants to bring back retired police officers to help fill shortage, address gun violence
Ted Wheeler said Friday he hopes to reinstate a police bureau program to rehire recently retired police officers in an attempt to shore up the bureau’s staffing and help tackle a worsening gun violence crisis.
Nabisco strike ends as Mondelez and baker’s union reach agreement
The strike is over for Nabisco workers in Portland who walked out over contract disputes over a month ago.
Oregon COVID-19 cases
Source for all charts: Oregon Health Authority
Created by Jacob Fenton
Oregon hospital usage
Depending on staffing, Oregon has between 600 and 800 adult ICU beds and between 4,000 and 7,000 regular beds. Labeled percentages are for COVID cases.
Oregon vaccinations
Line does not distinguish between first and second doses. Researchers estimate Oregon will reach herd immunity when around 6 million doses have been distributed.
How ivermectin became the new focus of the anti-vaccine movement
Scientists are still studying whether the deworming medicine could have any effect on COVID-19. But the frenzy over the drug has far more to do with politics than science. Here's how that happened.
Body found in Wyoming believed to be Gabrielle Petito
Gabrielle “Gabby” Petito and her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie, left in July on a cross-country trek in a converted van to visit national parks in the U.S. West. Police said Laundrie was alone when he drove the van back to his parents’ home in North Port, Florida, on Sept. 1.
US launches mass expulsion of Haitian migrants from Texas
The U.S. is flying Haitians camped in a Texas border town back to their homeland and trying to block others from crossing the border from Mexico.
Arts
Emmys vow a ‘good time’ after bleak year; ‘Crown’ may rule
Emmy Awards host Cedric the Entertainer and the show’s producers promise it will be a celebration for all.
Truck driving has long been a man’s world. Meet the women changing that
A record number of women are becoming truck drivers, changing the face of an industry that has historically been dominated by men.
‘OPB Politics Now’: Portland’s Texas boycott fumble and what lies ahead for redistricting
The city of Portland made a national splash a few weeks ago when the city council announced it would be boycotting the entire state of Texas. But after the city made the headlines, the plan changed. This week, we run down the details of how the city’s confused response to Texas’s near-total ban on abortions. We also discuss the redistricting fight state lawmakers are gearing up for.
Newberg School board again fails to rescind flag ban
Last night, the Newberg school board held a chaotic meeting that ended without addressing its ban on political symbols in classrooms.
Think Out Loud
Officials hope crowds coming for Pendleton Round-up won’t increase case numbers
Umatilla County currently has the highest number of COVID-19 cases per capita in Oregon. And this week, the Pendleton Round-Up is bringing an influx of people.