1st Oregon News from the AP

AP-OR–1st NewsMinute,266
Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – City officials are defending police
officers’ use of batons against Occupy Portland protesters while
clearing out their camp. Mayor Sam Adams and police officials spoke
yesterday, a day after police used their batons to push a cluster
of demonstrators from a park they had held since Oct. 6. Portland
Assistant Police Chief Larry O’Day says the use of batons was
necessary to make a deliberate push through the park.

WOODBURN, Ore. (AP) – A helicopter crash north of Woodburn has
injured one person. The Salem Statesman Journal reports the victim
was flown to the hospital. Paul Iverson with the Woodburn Fire
District tells The Associated Press the helicopter was carrying
Christmas trees when it crashed for an unknown reason. The victim
is an adult male whose name has not been released.

GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) – The manager of a medical marijuana
clinic in Southern Oregon has been sentenced to 16 months in prison
for growing and selling pot. Josephine County Circuit Judge Pat
Wolke (WOL’-kee) told Brenda Thomas yesterday that he was imposing
the sentence to show people that using the Oregon medical marijuana
law to cover up illegal drug dealing will be punished.

SALEM, Ore. (AP) – Oregon lawmakers are bracing for bad news
Thursday when the next quarterly economic forecast is released. The
state Senate budget co-chairman, Sen. Richard Devlin of Tualatin,
told the Statesman Journal he expects the forecast will be down.
With smaller tax collections, state spending could wipe out what’s
left of a $310 million reserve that was created by lawmakers before
they adjourned in June.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

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