Date: 09/24/2015 03:59 AM
AP-OR–1st NewsMinute/278
Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – Portland mayor Charlie Hales is seeking emergency actions to address homelessness. Hales says Portland needs to quickly address a lack of housing and create more shelters. An emergency declaration will allow the city to waive zoning codes and convert city-owned buildings into shelters through an expedited process. The city’s goal is to get all homeless veterans and homeless women indoors by year’s end. The city council still has to approve the emergency measure.
SALEM, Ore. (AP) – An Oregon man will spend life in prison for killing his mother and attempting to kill his father. The Statesman Journal reports Brett Pearson pleaded guilty in March to the crimes. Court documents show Pearson plotted his mother’s killing for weeks in 2014 and agreed to pay a friend to help him. The two were 17 at the time. Pearson’s defense lawyer said using methamphetamine robbed his client of compassion.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – The sponsor of a ballot measure that seeks to make union dues optional for public employees says she’ll rewrite the proposal. Portland attorney Jill Gibson has said that the ballot title, the formal description of the initiative, doesn’t make the initiative appealing to voters. The ballot title approved by the Supreme Court says that some workers “may benefit from union bargaining without sharing representation costs.”
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – The Portland City Council has approved a plan to launch a bike rental program. Council members voted to endorse a proposal to bring 600 bikes outfitted with computers to the city starting next summer. The Oregonian reports the city will buy $1.5 million in equipment using mostly federal grant money.
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press.
