Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press
SALEM, Ore. (AP) – A Salem family is working to return the body of a 51-year-old man who died after being arrested in the Philippines. The Statesman Journal reports that Mark Pikl was arrested while on vacation in Cebu City. Police there say that after being arrested, he complained that he could not breathe. The family is also seeking an autopsy.
SALEM, Ore. (AP) – A state commission is recommending scenic designations for the Molalla and Chetco rivers. The Capital Press reports that Gov. Kate Brown is expected to decide early next year whether to follow the recommendation of the Oregon Water Resources Commission. The Molalla is an undammed tributary of the Willamette River. The Chetco is in southwest Oregon.
LA PINE, Ore. (AP) – The La Pine City Council will review its recently-imposed tax on medical marijuana, after a legal opinion that it violates state law. Attorneys representing the Oregon Legislature said in a Nov. 13 letter that a law adopted by the Legislature earlier this year prohibits local government from taxing medical pot. The town has two medical marijuana dispensaries.
ASTORIA, Ore. (AP) – The Astoria Parks and Recreation Department is working to save a 150-year-old bigleaf maple tree that’s a neighborhood landmark. The Daily Astorian reports the tree has developed a crack in its trunk which has been weakened by fungus and rot. Parks and Recreation Department officials say the tree, which is in the Violet LaPlante Park in the Alderbrook neighborhood, has sentimental value.
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