RACIALLY CHARGED VIDEO
Students could face expulsion for racially charged video
OREGON CITY, Ore. (AP) — Two high school students could face expulsion after they allegedly made a video in which they use a racial epithet to refer to the school’s principal and black students at their school.
The Oregon City High School students also refer to transgender people in a derogatory way.
Multiple news outlets reported Monday that a former student who was upset about the video posted it to his Twitter account Friday after finding it on Snapchat.
Principal Tom Lovell tweeted Saturday that it’s “Exactly the type of negative behavior that we’ve been trying to stop,” adding “It won’t be tolerated. There will be severe consequences for this.”
A school district spokesperson told The Oregonian/OregonLive https://goo.gl/DdGd0T) an investigation is underway and that the students will face disciplinary action.
Oregon City is about 18 miles south of Portland.
TROOPER SLAPS SON-GUN
Former trooper who slapped son denied permission for gun
(Information from: The Oregonian/OregonLive, http://www.oregonlive.com)
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A judge has denied a request from a former Oregon State Police trooper seeking permission to carry a gun after he was convicted of slapping his 11-year-old son so hard it knocked the boy down.
The Oregonian/OregonLive reports that James Duncan’s petition was rejected Monday.
Duncan’s reckless endangerment conviction prevents him from receiving a gun for four years. He had initially been convicted of fourth-degree assault, which also prohibited him from having a firearm.
The state police agency fired Duncan in November after determining he would be unable to fulfill his duties as a trooper without a gun.
Duncan appealed to obtain a gun where he now lives in Tillamook County. But the judge called Duncan’s petition premature because the former trooper’s probation isn’t scheduled to end until July.
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SEX TRAFFICKING ARRESTS
11 arrests made in Portland sex trafficking sting
(Information from: KOIN-TV, http://www.koin.com/)
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Portland police have arrested 11 men from several different states as part of an undercover sex trafficking operation.
KOIN-TV reports that the suspects range in age from 30 to 53 and are from Oregon, Arizona and South Carolina.
During the weeklong operation, which took place earlier this month, officers posted advertisements on sex trafficking websites. Police say the suspects were arrested after they responded to the ads and offered to pay for sex.
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ANCIENT SKELETON
Ancient skeleton to return to Native Americans for reburial
SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — One of the oldest and most complete skeletons found in North America will be given back to American Indian tribes in Washington state for reburial.
President Barack Obama signed a bill Monday with a provision requiring the ancient bones known as Kennewick Man be returned to tribes within 90 days.
Experts estimate the remains found in 1996 on federal land near the Columbia River are at least 8,400 years old. The discovery triggered a lengthy legal fight between tribes and scientists over whether the bones should be buried immediately or studied.
In 2015, new genetic evidence determined the remains were related to modern Native Americans.
The bill transfers the skeleton from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to the state archaeology department, which will get it to the tribes.
ELECTORAL COLLEGE-OREGON
Oregon electoral college members all vote for Clinton
SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Oregon’s seven Democratic members of the U.S. Electoral College have voted for Hillary Clinton, the Democratic candidate who won in the state in the presidential election. The electors also objected for the record during the ceremony in the Oregon Senate chambers to alleged interference in the elections by Russia.
All 538 members of the Electoral College are meeting in their respective states Monday to formally elect Trump president. In Oregon, the electors chose Clinton and her running mate, Tim Kaine.
Elector Frank Dixon, the chairman of the Democratic Party in Oregon, read a statement denouncing Russia’s alleged leak of information that favored Republican Donald Trump, who lost the popular vote but won enough states to send him to the White House in January.
HOPS BOOM
Production of hops increases as craft beers boom
MOXEE, Wash. (AP) — As craft beers continue to soar in popularity, the production of hops continues to grow.
Most of the nation’s hops are grown in the Yakima Valley.
Hops Growers of America reported Monday that the 2016 harvest of 87.1 million pounds of hops was an increase of 8.3 million pounds from the year before.
Production rose in Washington, Oregon and Idaho, which are the three major hops producing states.
OIL PIPELINE-PROTEST-TRIAL
1st trial of North Dakota pipeline protesters postponed
(Information from: Bismarck Tribune, http://www.bismarcktribune.com)
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The first trial of people charged in protests of the Dakota Access pipeline has been postponed.
Ten people charged with disorderly conduct during the protests were scheduled for a joint misdemeanor trial Monday. But the Bismarck Tribune reports after prospective jurors were convened, it was announced shortly before 11 a.m. that the trial would be postponed.
The defendants were arrested Aug. 11 after they allegedly pushed through law enforcement lines or police tape to access a construction site.
Ross Munns, assistant court administrator for the region, says 65 potential jurors were called to fill the six-person jury.
The defendants are from nine states, including North Dakota, South Dakota, Oregon and Hawaii.
The Morton County Sheriff’s Department says more than 570 people have been arrested in connection with the protests.
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NUCLEAR PLANT
Northwest’s only nuclear plant shuts down unexpectedly
(Information from: Tri-City Herald, http://www.tri-cityherald.com)
RICHLAND, Wash. (AP) — The Northwest’s only nuclear power plant shut down unexpectedly shortly before noon on Sunday.
The shutdown was caused by an equipment malfunction at the Bonneville Power Administration’s substation near the Columbia Generating Station, which is operated by Energy Northwest.
The Tri-City Herald reports that cold weather caused the loss of the 500-kilovolt line connecting the nuclear plant’s main output transformers to the substation.
The power plant’s operating crew successfully stabilized the plant and officials for Energy Northwest say it remains safe.
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Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.
