DEHYDRATED BEAR CUB
Oregon man not cited for picking up dehydrated bear cub
(Information from: KGW-TV, http://www.kgw.com/)
SALEM, Ore. (AP) — State authorities say a man who found a 3-month-old black bear along an Oregon hiking trail and took it to a wildlife rehabilitation center has been warned but not cited.
KGW-TV reports Corey Hancock says he found the cub not moving and barely breathing Monday. He then took it to Turtle Ridge Wildlife Rehab, where the bear has been nursed back to health.
Wildlife officials say it’s illegal to take wildlife out of their habitat, but Oregon State Police said Wednesday that Hancock won’t be punished.
Sgt. James Halsey says the decision was made after authorities determined Hancock believed he was helping the bear cub without knowing the mother bear may have been nearby.
The cub is now in the custody of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
___
RACE-BASED THREATS-SENTENCE
Oregon man gets jail time for race-based threats
(Information from: Mail Tribune, http://www.mailtribune.com/)
MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) — A 37-year-old white man charged with making race-based threats to burn down a black man’s southwestern Oregon home has been sentenced to two months in jail.
The Mail Tribune reports Joseph James Murdock of Medford was given a 60-day jail sentence Wednesday after pleading no contest to intimidation. He also pleaded guilty to felony drug and forgery charges.
Prosecutors say Murdock and another man went to Murdock’s former residence in Talent to pick up a recreational vehicle last April when they went onto David VanHook’s property next door.
Murdock then used racial slurs against VanHook and threatened to burn his house down.
Murdock didn’t dispute the prosecution’s account Wednesday and said he was “going to let it be and move on.”
He has been ordered to avoid contact with VanHook and the victim’s residence.
___
PORTLAND PROTEST
Portland police arrest 3 people in downtown protest
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Police in Portland, Oregon arrested three people during a downtown rally protesting the fatal police shooting of a 17-year-old black boy.
Police spokesman Sgt. Pete Simpson said in a news release that those arrested Wednesday included 34-year-old Hollis McClure, 20-year-old Adebisi Okuneye and 22-year-old Damion Feller. All were arrested for disorderly conduct and Feller was also arrested for reckless burning.
A Multnomah County grand jury concluded last week that Officer Andrew Hearst was justified in shooting Quanice Hayes three times after police say Hayes reached for his waistband instead of following orders to surrender.
Police say reports of two assaults and property damage during the protest are under investigation.
The crowd was also upset because they were blocked from City Council chambers under a new policy aimed at controlling protests that have brought city business to a near-standstill in recent months.
PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRICES
Nevada coalition wants drugmakers to reimburse diabetics
CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — Nevadans dismayed by soaring drug prices are asking state lawmakers to take unprecedented action intended to curb costs.
Democrats, hotel owners and union leaders are attempting to mandate pharmaceutical companies reimburse Nevada patients and insurers who say they overpay for insulin.
Senate Bill 265 would also require drugmakers to disclose business expenses related to diabetes treatments and license all pharmaceutical sales representatives.
Proponents say reimbursements and more industry data could save lives.
The proposal is unique among crusades against America’s colossal, free market pharmaceutical industry.
But, similar to proposals in other states, it’s unclear how drug companies would react to Nevada’s bill or whether the government can viably force private businesses to take action on prices.
Drugmakers say prices reflect scientific breakthroughs and blame insurance companies for shifting costs.
PORTLAND PROTEST-THE LATEST
The Latest: 3 arrests at Portland protest
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Police in Portland, Oregon, arrested three people during a protest decrying the fatal police shooting of a 17-year-old black teenager last month.
The protest Wednesday briefly shut down a city building where the City Council was trying to meet and halted light rail service.
Sgt. Pete Simpson says officers took reports of two assaults and property damage inside the city building.
A Multnomah County grand jury concluded last week that Officer Andrew Hearst was justified in shooting Quanice Hayes three times after police say Hayes reached for his waistband instead of following orders to surrender.
Police confronted Hayes on Feb. 9 after he allegedly used a replica gun to rob a homeless man of his state food benefits card. Hayes was also suspect in a reported car prowl shortly after the robbery and tried to enter a nearby home.
XGR-MILITARY-HUMVEES
Oregon advances bill to make military Humvees street-legal
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A proposal to make Oregon among the few states where military surplus Humvees can share civilian roadways with minivans, hatchbacks and sedans cleared its first major hurdle in Salem this week.
Senate Bill 645 passed the Oregon Senate in a 27-2 vote Wednesday and now heads to the House.
Under the proposal, retired military Humvees could get legal status for the streets through a DMV registration that’s currently used for antique cars and street rods. For a one-time $81 fee, these vehicles would permanently legal for limited street use, such as organized club rides, exhibitions and parades.
The U.S. military began selling its old Humvee fleet to civilians in late 2014 as “off-road only” vehicles, which is why many states like Oregon declines to register them.
PEACEHEALTH LAYOFFS
PeaceHealth announces more Oregon layoffs
(Information from: The Register-Guard, http://www.registerguard.com)
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Regional health care provider PeaceHealth says its mass layoff will affect 85 more Oregon workers than previously reported.
PeaceHealth is eliminating the jobs because of its decision to sell laboratories to Quest Diagnostics, a for-profit company based in New Jersey.
Documents filed in February showed that PeaceHealth planned to lay off 186 workers in Oregon and 142 in Washington.
The Register-Guard reports PeaceHealth announced the additional layoffs in a statement Wednesday. That brings the total layoff in Oregon to 271 employees. Most of them work in Lane County, which includes the Eugene-Springfield area.
___
AIRPORT-MAN CAVE INVESTIGATION
Port of Astoria calls for probe into venue in airport hangar
(Information from: The Daily Astorian, http://www.dailyastorian.com)
ASTORIA, Ore. (AP) — The Clatsop County Sheriff’s Office is investigating allegations made against a private club in a private hangar at the Astoria Regional Airport.
The Daily Astorian reports that Port of Astoria Commissioner Stephen Fulton claims Phillip Bales operated an unlicensed venue out of his private hangar, which poses liability issues for the Port.
Bales, a retired dentist and aviator, stores aircraft, a boat and motorcycles under a lease with the Port. The hangar also houses his clubhouse, called the Man Cave, which contains a bar and home theater and hosts gatherings.
Bales denies any wrongdoing and says an independent investigation is the proper way to go about these complaints.
Sheriff Tom Bergin says he has attended events at the Man Cave and has never received complaints about the hangar.
___
Copyright 2017 The Associated Press.
