Date: 02/03/2014 03:59 AM
AP-OR–1st NewsMinute/242
Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press
SALEM, Ore. (AP) – Oregon lawmakers return to Salem today, beginning five weeks of debate over gun control, marijuana legalization, the proposed Columbia River bridge and other matters. The pace will be fast, since the state constitution allows the session to last no more than 35 days without an unlikely bipartisan vote to extend it. Most non-budget bills not scheduled for a committee hearing by Friday will be dead.
SALEM, Ore. (AP) – Oregon state plans for dealing with genetically modified crops are developing slowly. The Statesman Journal reports Gov. John Kitzhaber called for a state action plan for dealing with conflicts between genetically engineered and conventional crops on Oct. 1. But agriculture spokesman Bruce Pokarney says they’re still waiting for guidance from the task force, which hasn’t been formed.
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) – Lane County tech companies are on a hiring binge. The Register-Guard reports at least 50 companies in a local tech networking group are hiring, according to the Silicon Shire website. Among those companies hiring is Symantec, which already has 1,400 employees in Springfield. The company currently has 90 openings. Tech companies say hiring qualified people is their biggest challenges.
RENO, Nev. (AP) – Religious leaders and farmers in Nevada and Utah held special events to ask for divine intervention in delivering the West from drought. The plea to above comes weeks after the federal government declared parts of 11 parched Western and Central states natural disaster areas.
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press.
