Oregon
Hayden files religious discrimination complaints on 6th day of Oregon Senate walkout – Oregon Capital Chronicle
One Republican senator filed a pair of office complaints Monday over denied requests to be excused from the Senate as a GOP walkout entered its sixth day.
Sen. Cedric Hayden, R-Fall Creek, alleged in complaints to the Bureau of Labor and Industries and to the Legislative Fairness Workplace that President Rob Wagner violated his non secular freedom by denying his requests to be excused to attend a church service on Saturday.
His grievance got here as Hayden, eight fellow Republicans and one Unbiased senator once more stayed away from the Capitol on Monday, denying Democrats within the legislative majority the chance to go payments.
The most recent unproductive ground session featured a brief pointed prayer from Salem pastor Marilyn Williams asking for assist for all lawmakers to do the proper factor, the factor that their constituents voted for them to do. And not using a quorum, the Senate quickly adjourned with plans to attempt once more Tuesday.
Senate President Rob Wagner, D-Lake Oswego, once more left the room with out chatting with reporters, simply as he has declined to remark because the first day of the walkout practically every week in the past. Wagner’s spokesman, Connor Radnovich, stated Wagner has realized about Minority Chief Knopp’s complaints by way of media stories and never from Knopp himself.
Radnovich added that Republicans appeared to be working the way in which they might with former Senate President Peter Courtney, a Salem Democrat who tried to compromise with Republicans. He stated Measure 113, a 2022 voter-approved regulation barring any lawmaker with 10 or extra unexcused absences from serving within the subsequent Legislature, modified issues.
4 senators – Hayden, Republicans Daniel Bonham of The Dalles and Dennis Linthicum of Klamath Falls and Unbiased Brian Boquist of Dallas – now have six unexcused absences and are on observe to succeed in their tenth by Friday.
Sen. Dick Anderson, R-Lincoln Metropolis, has attended every single day because the Republican walkout started. He was joined Monday by Sen. Invoice Hansell, R-Athena.
Republicans initially insisted that their walkout was over invoice summaries being too obscure, with a state regulation requiring that they be written at round an eighth grade studying degree. Knopp, R-Bend, instructed the Capital Chronicle on Sunday that Republicans are additionally protesting about 20 payments they contemplate too partisan.
“There’s about 20 payments which can be hyper-partisan, and should be put aside for the great of Oregonians,” he stated. “In the event that they select to do this, I believe we’ll have the ability to end the session and have the ability to end the budgets.”
Knopp stated his workplace would offer a listing of the 20 payments on Monday, however he hasn’t but shared them and a spokeswoman didn’t reply to a request Monday morning. Senate Majority Chief Kate Lieber, R-Beaverton, instructed reporters that she requested for the checklist after studying about it within the Capital Chronicle, however she hasn’t seen it.
“The final time I checked, e-mail’s tremendous simple,” she stated. “They don’t even should be within the constructing to e-mail me the checklist in the event that they need to.”
Nevertheless, Lieber stated, Democrats aren’t going to compromise on their legislative priorities, together with gun management and making certain entry to abortion.
“It appears like this has been a setup because the starting,” Lieber stated. “I might be blissful to speak with any of the Republicans who need to discuss tips on how to recover from the deadlock, however not solely me, however my caucus is adamant about not watering down Democratic priorities. In need of that, we’re blissful to have discussions.”
Complaints filed
In his complaints to the Bureau of Labor and Industries and the Senate, Hayden alleged that Wagner, D-Lake Oswego, violated legal guidelines that require non secular lodging for workers.
Hayden, a Seventh Day Adventist, belongs to a church that worships on Saturdays, the place he additionally often preaches. Wagner had denied his request to be absent for church final Saturday, in addition to requests to be off the subsequent seven Saturdays of the legislative session.
“Different Senate absences have been excused, absences unrelated to spiritual causes,” Hayden wrote in his grievance to the bureau.
Hayden additionally complained he was denied Sunday off to handle his disabled daughter, a request that was “flatly denied.”
“In the meantime, different legislators have been handled like workers and ‘excused’ from ground classes by Wagner for obvious medical causes,” Hayden wrote within the grievance.
Hayden famous he’s not entitled to medical depart like an worker, however “requested an inexpensive non secular lodging from a spot of public lodging that gives a public service, and he was denied, with out an interactive course of or dialogue concerning the denial.”
The grievance says his spouse is the only real caregiver for his or her daughter all through the week across the clock and Hayden is required to assist in giving her a break, making Saturday excuses all of the extra essential.
Wagner’s denial additionally impacts Hayden’s potential future as a legislator if he racks up 10 absences and is disqualified from re-election.
“The general impact is to render Wagner’s non secular discrimination in opposition to complainant all of the extra impactful, jeopardizing his service to the state,” the grievance stated.
The Senate grievance lays out the identical circumstances and seeks an order stopping Wagner from future denials. That grievance will probably be reviewed by the attorneys from Stoel Rives who’ve been dealing with office complaints because the legislative fairness workplace sits vacant.
Wagner hadn’t but learn the complaints and had no remark Monday morning, his spokesman stated.
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Oregon
Powerball ticket worth $328.5 million sold in Oregon
Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win
Here’s what to know in case you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.
Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
The first Powerball jackpot of 2025 was sold in Oregon and is worth $328.5 million, according to lottery officials.
The winner purchased the winning ticket in Beaverton on Thursday, Jan. 17, the Oregon Lottery said. The retail location will not be revealed until a winner has come forward.
The winning numbers for the Saturday drawing were: 14, 31, 35, 64 and 69 and Powerball 23.
The winner has a year to claim their prize, Oregon Lottery spokesperson Melanie Mesaros said. After the winning ticket is presented, “it will take time before a winner can be identified due to security and payment processes.”
Oregon lottery winners, with few exceptions, cannot remain anonymous, Mesaros said.
The winner will have a choice between an annuitized prize of $328.5 million or a lump-sum payment of $146.4 million, according to lottery officials, which are both options before taxes.
Last year, the largest Powerball prize won in Oregon — a $1.3 billion jackpot — was split between a Portland man, his wife, and friend.
Before Saturday, the most recent Powerball jackpot was sold in December in New York and was worth $256 million.
Powerball is a multi-state jackpot operated by 44 states, plus the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.
Fernando Cervantes Jr., a news reporter for USA TODAY, contributed to this story.
Cherrill Crosby is the executive editor of the Statesman Journal and The Register-Guard. Reach her at crosbyc@gannett.com
Oregon
Oregon’s Dan Lanning visits 5-star recruit Cantwell, top TE Premer during Midwest run
Oregon head football coach Dan Lanning has been a busy man.
But when you’re the man tasked with running one of the top college football programs in the country, burning jet fuel to shake hands and take photos is a big part of the gig. And Lanning was doing plenty of that last week.
A native of Kansas City, Mo., Lanning returned home last week on a two-day tear recruiting some of the top 2026 prospects in the country.
Lanning’s known stops included Lee’s Summit on Jan. 16, where the Tigers have 2027 interior line prospect Zach Harsha (6-5, 260) and 2028 tight end Max Trillo (6-4, 225).
He was even busier the following day. He had stops at Raymore-Peculiar, where he visited with and offered four-star uncommitted running back DeZephen Walker (6-0, 205) who is believed to be heavily considering Kansas and Nebraska.
He also headed to Illinois, where he swung by Lincoln-Way East to visit with quarterback Jonas Williams, who agreed with the Ducks on Aug. 3, 2024,
A trip to the Springfield, Mo. area was also on the docket, as Lanning traveled to Nixa High School to again meet with the country’s No. 1 2026 offensive lineman, Jackson Cantwell, on Jan. 16. The 6-8, 315 offensive tackle has offers from just about everyone in the country, though he has spoken highly of Lanning and his relationship with the Ducks coach – making Oregon one of the favorites for his services.
Cantwell was honored by the Kansas City Chiefs on Jan. 18 during their AFC Divisional playoff game against the Houston Texans after he was selected to represent the Chiefs at the ‘Nike Ones’ showcase during Super Bowl weekend in New Orleans.
Lanning concluded his trip with a little basketball in Hutchinson, Kan., where he watched Great Bend tight end Ian Premer (6-6, 215) – the top tight end in the 2026 class – take on Hutchinson. Premer, a three-sport star in football, basketball and baseball, impressed with 22 points in the game.
The Midwest swing adds to a busy month for Lanning, who also has been spotted with Utah No. 1 athlete Salasi Moa and recently secured a visit with top 2026 quarterback and Nashville native Jared Curtis.
Oregon
People with disabilities are extra vulnerable in major disasters like wildfires, says Oregon advocate
Jake Cornett, Executive Director and CEO of the advocacy group Disability Rights Oregon, says he will forever be haunted by Ashlyn Maddox’s death during the 2021 Oregon heat wave.
The Portland woman, 36, was disabled and living in a group foster home. She was dropped off by a medical transport company, but the company didn’t make sure she made it safely into her air-conditioned home. She ended up wandering around for hours in the heat, and died only 50 feet from safety.
Cornett says, “These deaths are preventable with the right planning, the right strategy for mitigation, the right preparedness and a response plan that complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and respects the needs of people with disabilities.”
Cornett spoke with “All Things Considered” host Geoff Norcross about Oregon’s ability to help people with disabilities during a natural disaster, such as the deadly wildfires burning in the Los Angeles area.
This conversation has been edited for clarity and length.
Geoff Norcross: If we were to transport those fires in Southern California here, would we see a similar catastrophe for people with disabilities?
Jake Cornett: Surely, we fear that the same disasters we’ve seen play out in the catastrophes in the lives of people with disabilities in LA would play out right here in Oregon as well. And I don’t think this is just a theoretical question. It’s only a matter of time before we have major wildfires along Highway 20, very close by in Portland and in other major cities throughout our state.
Norcross: What is the obligation of local governments to provide for people with disabilities when disaster strikes? I guess I’m asking if the Americans with Disabilities Act applies here.
Cornett: Absolutely. The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that cities, counties, the state and the federal government are taking into account what the needs are of people with disabilities, and providing accommodations for those needs when engaging in disaster planning.
Norcross: Getting information out to people quickly in a disaster is so critical, especially for something that’s as fast-moving as the LA wildfires. For people who are deaf or blind, can you talk about how that’s extra complicated?
Cornett: Absolutely. You know, emergency response notification systems that happen on your phone are a great tool if you have a phone, or if you have the technology to make your phone provide you the information you need. And that’s particularly important for folks who are blind.
I think about a blind person who may not have the same visual access to information as others. If police run around your neighborhood and put a notice on your door that says “get out of town, there’s an evacuation order, you’re under wildfire threat,” that notice on your door might not be enough because you can’t access that information.
And this is where cities, counties and the state really have an obligation to adjust to how they communicate so that it’s effective for all people with disabilities.
Norcross: And again, when you say obligation, you mean a legal obligation, not just because it’s the right thing to do.
Cornett: Absolutely. There’s a legal obligation to do that under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Norcross: Even if an evacuation order gets to affected people quickly, there’s this expectation that most people will get in their car and they will leave. How does that expectation leave people with disabilities in even greater danger?
Cornett: Yeah, that’s another huge issue for people with disabilities, especially when it happens quickly like the LA fires. People think evacuating is getting in the car, driving quickly away to safety.
But many people with disabilities don’t have access to a car, or they can’t physically drive a vehicle. They’re totally reliant on others to transport them to safety. So just providing that notice is not an adequate way to ensure that we are saving the lives of people with disabilities in the way it needs to be done.
Norcross: Is there an event here in Oregon that you can point to that shows us how situated we are to help people with disabilities when disaster strikes, good or bad?
Cornett: Here in Oregon, we’ve seen hundreds die or have serious injuries because of heat in the past few years. Climate change is real. We live in a warming environment, and it’s having a really disproportionate impact on seniors, on people with disabilities and people with underlying medical conditions.
And I’ll forever be haunted by a story of a 30-something year old woman who was dropped off by a medical transport company, but didn’t wait in their air-conditioned van to make sure that she got inside her home where there was air conditioning. Instead, they took off. She wandered around for hours before dying of heat, just 50 feet from her adult foster home.
These deaths are preventable with the right planning, the right strategy for mitigation, the right preparedness, and a response plan that complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and respects the needs of people with disabilities.
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