Date: 02/11/2013 10:29 AM
OR–3rd NewsMinute/314
Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – A Bend man has been convicted of offering to buy unfilled, but signed, ballots for $20 each. Aaron Hirschman was convicted of a misdemeanor in a non-jury trial last month in Deschutes County Circuit Court. He was fined $200 and sentenced to 40 hours of community service. The Oregonian reports he is the first person in the state convicted of that form of voter fraud since Oregon adopted mail voting. The ad offering money was posted on Craigslist the Friday before the November election.
SALEM, Ore. (AP) – A state legislative committee is holding a hearing today on a bill declaring that it’s in Oregon’s interest to build a new Interstate 5 Columbia River bridge between Portland and Vancouver. Gov. John Kitzhaber and legislative leaders support the Columbia River Crossing for economic reasons. Critics question the cost of the $3.5 billion project and plans for light rail and tolls.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – Builders of a barometer at Portland State University’s Engineering Building hope it will qualify as the tallest instrument for measuring air pressure in the world. The barometer in the building’s atrium will have a fluid column of nearly 41 feet. A barometer recognized by Guinness World Records in the 1990s had a 33-foot fluid column. The project is expected to be finished this week.
ROSEBURG, Ore. (AP) – Giraffes usually spend less than 10 minutes a day lying down, so when the staff at the Wildlife Safari in Southern Oregon saw Hodari the Somali giraffe lying down overnight, they knew something was wrong. Staff at the Wildlife Safari in Winston were unable to help the 15-year-old giraffe to his feet last week, even with heavy equipment. Curator Dan Brands says the staff saw signs Hodari wasn’t trying to stand up and made the decision to euthanize him. A necropsy is planned.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.
