POLICE SHOOTING-LAWSUIT
Family of veteran shot by Eugene police files $7.5M lawsuit
(Information from: The Register-Guard, http://www.registerguard.com)
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — The family of a former Army soldier who was shot to death at his home in 2015 by a Eugene police officer has filed a $7.5 million lawsuit against the city, officers and a person who took emergency calls in the incident.
The Register-Guard reports lawyers for Brian Babb’s family assert in the suit filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court that police provoked the deadly confrontation with Babb.
Babb was wounded in battle while in Afghanistan, suffering a traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder.
He was killed after police were called to his home by his therapist who believed he was experiencing a crisis.
Authorities say Babb was armed with a rifle when officer Will Stutesman shot him. Prosecutors ruled the shooting was legal and justified.
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TRUMP TRAVEL BAN-LAWSUITS-THE LATEST
The Latest: Judge doesn’t extend order on new travel ban
GREENBELT, Md. (AP) — A federal judge in Seattle has ruled that his order blocking President Donald Trump’s original travel ban does not apply to the revised executive order.
Judge James Robart entered his ruling Thursday, one day after a federal judge in Hawaii blocked Trump’s new executive order that would’ve suspended new visas for people from six predominantly Muslim countries and halted the U.S. refugee program.
Robart said his order last month blocking the original ban should not apply to the new one because there were enough differences between the two.
Robart noted that Washington and several other states have also asked him to block the revised ban. He said he would rule on that request later.
10:15 a.m
The federal judge in Maryland who on Thursday blocked President Donald Trump’s revised travel ban that targets six predominantly Muslim countries called Trump’s own statements about his intentions to impose the restrictions “highly relevant.”
U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang noted Trump’s second executive order does include changes from the first order, such as the removal of a preference for religious minorities in the refugee process. Chuang said the purpose of the second order “remains the realization of the long-envisioned Muslim ban.”
Chuang, who was appointed by then-President Barack Obama, granted a preliminary injunction prohibiting the enforcement of the travel ban nationwide pending further orders. He declined to issue an injunction blocking the entire executive order.
Government lawyers argued that the second ban was substantially revised from an earlier version signed in January that was later blocked by a federal judge in Washington state.
OREGON-HEALTH-CARE
Brown says half million could lose insurance under fed plan
SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Gov. Kate Brown says nearly half a million Oregonians may lose health insurance by 2026 under the federal health care overhaul proposal, beginning next year with 80,000 people losing coverage.
That could triple the rate of uninsured Oregonians to 15 percent as premiums for older individuals could increase fivefold and roughly 23,000 health workers may lose their jobs.
Brown and state health officials said Thursday most of the 465,000 total coverage losses will occur under the state’s Medicaid program, called the Oregon Health Plan, beginning in 2020.
Brown said the American Health Care Act would also fundamentally alter the state program and shift $2.6 billion in total Medicaid costs to Oregon between 2020 and 2023, which will force state health and benefit cutbacks at a time when Oregon’s upcoming budget already faces a $1.6 billion-funding crisis.
OREGON DOUBLE HOMICIDE
Oregon property owner charged in killings of 2 trespassers
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Authorities say two men found dead at a rural property southeast of Portland were shot by the owner after trespassing.
Sgt. Brian Jensen of the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office released the details Thursday, a day after Robert Hilands was arrested in the killings of Dustin Childress and Thomas Hegar.
Jensen says Childress and Hegar trespassed Tuesday morning after a vehicle dropped them off at the property in Beavercreek. Roughly 15 minutes later, Childress called one of the women in the vehicle to say someone opened fire and Hegar had been wounded while fleeing.
More than seven hours later, one of the women called 9-1-1 to report they couldn’t find the men.
Jensen says deputies discovered the bodies concealed near the front gate of Hilands’ property.
The 33-year-old Hilands was booked into jail on charges of aggravated murder and unlawful use of a weapon. His court-appointed attorney, Laurie Bender, did not immediately return a phone message.
UO LAW-NEW DEAN
UO selects University of Houston dean to lead law school
(Information from: The Register-Guard, http://www.registerguard.com)
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — The University of Oregon has selected a new dean for its law school after a nationwide search.
The Register-Guard reports that University of Houston law school associate dean Marcilynn Burke will begin work at UO on July 1. Burke succeeds Michael Moffitt, who is returning to teaching.
Burke has a background in property law, land use law and federal natural resources law. In a news release she said UO feels like a “natural fit.”
Burke will earn $370,000 a year plus base salary.
Burke joined the University of Houston law school in 2002. She was named its associate dean in 2014. Burke took a leave of absence from the university in 2009 to work for the U.S. Department of Interior under the administration of President Barack Obama.
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WOLF KILLED-CYANIDE
State removes cyanide traps after wolf accidentally killed
(Information from: Capital Press, http://www.capitalpress.com/washington)
SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Wildlife officials say they have removed cyanide traps from some areas after one unintentionally killed a gray wolf in rural northeast Oregon.
The Capital Press reported Wednesday that U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services State Director Dave Williams said his agency is in talks with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, which manages wolves, about how to prevent future wolf deaths.
Williams says Wildlife Services has removed the cyanide traps from areas identified as places where wolves are present.
The federal government’s Wildlife Services division was using a cyanide device known as an M-44 to kill coyotes and “prevent coyote-livestock conflict” on the private property in Wallowa County when a gray wolf was killed in February.
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HEALTH RECORDS EXAMINED
Oregon caregiver accessed 2,500 patient records without OK
(Information from: KTVZ-TV, http://www.ktvz.com/)
BEND, Ore. (AP) — A Central Oregon caregiver accessed the electronic medical records of nearly 2,500 patients without authorization.
St. Charles Health System said Thursday the caregiver admitted looking at the files out of curiosity, and has signed an affidavit stating she did not use or share the information to commit fraud or financial crimes.
Bend television station KTVZ reports the health system has mailed a letter to patients whose information was seen by the caregiver. The letter includes an explanation of the incident and an offer of credit monitoring and identity restoration services.
St. Charles owns and operates several hospitals and clinics in Central Oregon.
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BEND HUNGER STRIKE
Hunger strike gets Bend political activist out of jail
(Information from: The Bulletin, http://www.bendbulletin.com)
BEND, Ore. (AP) — A political activist in Bend who was in jail on a contempt of court charge stemming from outstanding child support payments has been released following a hunger strike.
The Bulletin reports that a judge has ordered that Ronald “Rondo” Boozell be temporarily released on Monday for the first of several two-week respite periods. He will return to jail April 3.
Boozell, who regularly runs for political office in Bend, holds political demonstrations such as smoking marijuana downtown and bringing a marijuana leaf to a City Council meeting, was sentenced to 90 days in jail on March 4 for refusing to pay a child support judgment. He immediately claimed he was on a hunger strike.
Assistant Legal Counsel John Laherty petitioned for Boozell’s temporary release after he stopped eating for more than a week.
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Copyright 2017 The Associated Press.
