CIVIL RIGHTS LAWSUIT
Oregon’s top civil rights lawyer alleges racial profiling
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Oregon’s top civil rights lawyer has filed a federal lawsuit against state Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum and others in her department over allegations of racial profiling.
Erious Johnson’s lawsuit filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Eugene alleges an investigator at the Oregon Department of Justice created a secret profile of his social media activity after one of his tweets showed up in a surveillance dragnet of posts that included the Black Lives Matter hashtag.
Johnson, who is Rosenblum’s director of civil rights, is seeking damages and a jury trial.
He has already filed a civil rights complaint with the state over the 2015 incident.
Rosenblum’s office did not immediately answer a request for comment.
An outside investigator concluded in April that the surveillance violated state law.
ROBBERY-FREEWAY CHASE
Tigard officers on leave after chase ends in gunfire
(Information from: The Oregonian/OregonLive, http://www.oregonlive.com)
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Four Tigard police officers have been placed on administrative leave after shots were fired during an encounter with a couple who led police on a chase in a minivan with three children inside.
The Oregonian/OregonLive reports suspect Josh Luther was shot by an officer during the Tuesday incident. He’s being treated for injuries that are not life threatening.
Police say Luther robbed a Portland hotel and fled with his wife, Michelle, before officers spotted the couple’s vehicle and gave chase.
Police say Luther opened fire on the officers during the pursuit.
The couple eventually stopped in Tualatin, where police spokesman Jim Wolf says an officer shot Luther as he tried to run away.
Luther remains hospitalized, and his wife has been arrested for attempted aggravated murder.
Police haven’t said how the Luthers are connected to the children found inside the van.
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RANCHING STANDOFF-THE LATEST
The Latest: Judge axes Oregon ranching standoff juror
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A judge overseeing the trial of seven defendants who took over a federal wildlife refuge in Oregon has dismissed a juror after questions arose about his impartiality during deliberations.
U.S. District Judge Anna Brown in Portland dismissed the juror Wednesday and replaced him with an alternate.
The jury will not resume deliberations until Thursday because the alternate must travel to Portland from Central Oregon.
Another juror sent a note Tuesday stating the now-dismissed juror had declared he was “very biased” during deliberations.
Brown says the juror is a man who worked for the Bureau of Land Management 20 years ago.
The BLM is under the same federal umbrella as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which oversees the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.
Ammon Bundy and six others staged a 41-day armed takeover of the refuge in January.
CANYONVILLE-OCCULT ARTS
Canyonville repeals occult arts ordinance
(Information from: KEZI-TV, http://www.kezi.com/)
CANYONVILLE, Ore. (AP) — Officials in Canyonville have lifted a ban on the practice of occult arts.
KEZI-TV reports that business owner Elona Wong had called on the City Council to repeal the ordinance so she would be able to practice reading horoscopes. Tarot card reader Davina Andrew also pushed for the change, saying it would allow her to do her job legally.
The City Council voted Monday to repeal the ordinance prohibiting the practice of occult arts and the city attorney deemed it unconstitutional.
City officials say the ordinance was enacted in 1947 likely as an effort to protect citizens from being defrauded.
The repeal still needs to be approved by the mayor.
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LOGAN KITZHABER-CRASH
Son of ex-Oregon governor booked on warrant related to crash
(Information from: The Oregonian/OregonLive, http://www.oregonlive.com)
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The 18-year-old son of ex-Oregon governor John Kitzhaber has been booked on a warrant related to a July crash near the Oregon coast.
Jail records show Logan Kitzhaber was booked into the Multnomah County Jail Wednesday afternoon and released hours later.
The Oregonian/OregonLive reports the Lincoln County warrant was for assault, DUI, reckless driving, reckless endangerment and criminal mischief.
State Police say Kitzhaber of Portland was driving a Toyota Prius on U.S. Highway 101 north of Lincoln City when it sideswiped a motor home after crossing the centerline, causing it to roll onto its side.
The motorhome occupants— Stanley and Martha Lyckman of Port Angeles, Washington — were treated at a hospital for injuries that were not life-threatening. Kitzhaber suffered serious injuries.
Court records show Kitzhaber said he drank a beer before driving that day. A trooper has said he believes Kitzhaber was under the influence of intoxicants at the time.
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HIKER SEARCH-COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE
Body of missing hiker found in Columbia River Gorge
STEVENSON, Wash. (AP) — Authorities say the body of an Oregon man who hadn’t returned from a hike in the Columbia River Gorge has been found.
Skamania County Sheriff Dave Brown says search crews located the body of 31-year-old Melvin Burtch of Beaverton, Oregon, at about 5 p.m. Wednesday at the base of Table Mountain in Washington.
He had last been heard from Tuesday afternoon when he took two dogs hiking in the area.
Brown says on Wednesday morning employees of the Bonneville Hot Springs Resort saw both dogs near Burtch’s vehicle and a search commenced after that.
Brown says signal transmissions from Burtch’s cellphone helped searchers find him.
It’s believed Burtch fell from the summit of Table Mountain nearly 700 feet to the base.
Recovery efforts will begin Thursday morning.
OUTDOOR SCHOOL-OREGON
Oregon weighs whether all kids should get outdoor education
MOUNT HOOD NATIONAL FOREST, Ore. (AP) — Each year, thousands of Oregon parents hug their children goodbye and send them into the wilderness for up to a week to learn about their state’s natural wonders.
Outdoor School was groundbreaking when it started more than a half-century ago. More than 1 million children have gone through this rite of passage so far.
But now just half of Oregon’s 11- and 12-year-olds take part because of funding cuts in local school districts.
Now, backers of a statewide ballot measure want to use a slice of lottery proceeds to guarantee a week of Outdoor School for all children.
Experts says if it passes, Measure 99 would make Oregon the only state with dedicated funding for outdoor education, including students in charter, private and home schools.
Detractors say taking the lottery money would hurt other important initiatives, including economic development programs.
NO-LOGGING BUFFERS
Board member wants to expand Oregon’s no-logging buffers
(Information from: Mail Tribune, http://www.mailtribune.com/)
MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) — A member of the Oregon Board of Forestry is pushing for the extension of streamside no-logging buffers in the state’s Jackson and Josephine counties.
The Medford Mail Tribune reports that the buffers would be similar to those already proposed for the rest of Western Oregon. They are meant to keep salmon streams cool.
Board member Cindy Deacon Williams of Medford tried to get the Siskiyou Region added to the proposals last year but it was voted down because data from the region wasn’t included in the report used to support buffer expansion. Williams, who is a consulting fisheries biologist, says she will ask to have existing data mined and hopes the issue will be addressed in the coming year.
Man streams in the Rogue River Basin are already considered too warm for salmon.
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Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.