Date: 05/19/2014 04:00 AM
AP-OR–1st NewsMinute/266
Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – Same-sex marriages in Oregon could begin as soon as this afternoon, depending on a judge’s ruling. U.S. District Judge Michael McShane says he’ll issue his ruling at noon Pacific time on a constitutional challenge to the state’s gay-marriage ban. Officials in Oregon’s largest county, Multnomah, say they’ll begin issuing marriage licenses immediately if his ruling allows it. Democratic Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum has refused to defend the ban.
SALEM, Ore. (AP) – A review of Oregon’s database of state employee salaries shows that sometimes, the directors of tiny departments get paid more than the governor. The Statesman Journal reports that the state’s best paid agency head is Nancy Golden, who makes $225,000 leading the 12 employees at the Oregon Education Investment Board. The Department of Administrative Services says the salary includes a bump added to make the position more competitive.
GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) – Oregon State Police say they’re investigating after a couple out walking in the Wolf Creek area of Josephine County discovered a body. The couple was walking along Lower Grave Creek Saturday when they found the remains. The agency said yesterday detectives and forensic personnel responded to gather evidence and recover the remains for positive identification by the state medical examiner.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – The Oregon Supreme Court has ruled that a group of protesters who were cited for trespassing on the steps of the state capitol were not exercising protected speech. The protesters were cited twice in November 2008 after refusing to leave the capitol steps when they closed at 11 p.m. The protesters argued that their trespassing citation violated their First Amendment rights.
BEND, Ore. (AP) – State Police say one person died and another was injured when a pickup collided with a commercial truck north of Madras, Oregon. The crash happened about noon Saturday. Investigators say the pickup was traveling southbound on Highway 97 when it crossed into the northbound lane for an unknown reason and hit the truck that was pulling a semi-trailer.
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press.
