1st Oregon News Minute from the AP

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — A two-year budget for Oregon schools is on its way to Gov. Kate Brown. Democrats in the state Senate approved the $7.3 billion budget in a party-line vote yesterday. The Democratic budget is a 9 percent increase over the current two-year budget. Democrats say it’s not an ideal budget but it’s the best they can do right now.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Uber is close to returning to Portland. The city’s Private For-Hire Innovation Task Force released details of a 120-day pilot program that would allow ride-sharing companies such as Uber and Lyft to operate legally. The proposed rules require Uber drivers to have liability insurance and background checks. Existing cab companies, however, say the playing field remains uneven.

TIGARD, Ore. (AP) — A fire department spokeswoman says a forklift hit a structural support post yesterday afternoon at a commercial building in the Portland suburb of Tigard (TYE-gard), causing a partial collapse of the 15,000-square-foot building and prompting the evacuation of 120 people. The forklift driver suffered minor injuries. A Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue spokeswoman says fire crews and a city engineer were evaluating the structure and preparing the roof for rain.

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Visitors to Salem can now sign up for a free, informal walk with local volunteers to see the sights as part of the new Salem Greeters Program. In Salem, volunteers will be taking individual tourists and small groups of six or fewer to see the city’s downtown core, home to interesting shops, cafes, galleries and other cultural and historic sites.