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Oregon Sen. Aaron Woods remembered as ‘courageous’ lawmaker who bridged divides

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Oregon Sen. Aaron Woods remembered as ‘courageous’ lawmaker who bridged divides


State Sen. Aaron Woods, D-District 13, right, talks with a colleague at the Oregon Capitol in Salem, March 20, 2023.

Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB

The Oregon Senate on Thursday commemorated the late Sen. Aaron Woods, who recently died of complications from cancer.

Members of Woods’ family, who traveled from Illinois and Colorado, sat at his desk on the Senate floor as lawmakers remembered him as a dedicated statesman known for his humor, his love of food and his passion for Oregonians.

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“We’re all going to pass,” said Sen. Kate Lieber, her voice breaking as she recalled speaking with Woods about their shared experiences facing cancer and enduring chemotherapy. “But he showed us how to do it in a way that was courageous.”

Lawmakers spent roughly an hour Thursday speaking about Woods’s life and service. Some dotted their eyes with tissue. Others embraced and patted each other’s shoulders.

Sen. Daniel Bonham, R-The Dalles, read a passage from a Bible he keeps on his desk. Sen. Mark Meek, D-Gladstone, sang “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” a hymn that has long served as a national anthem among Black Americans.

Democratic Senator ​Lew Frederick approaches the podium during a press conference on the first day of the legislative session at the Oregon state Capitol, Monday, Feb. 5, 2024, in Salem, Ore.

Democratic Senator ​Lew Frederick approaches the podium during a press conference on the first day of the legislative session at the Oregon state Capitol, Monday, Feb. 5, 2024, in Salem, Ore.

Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB

“I considered him my older brother,” said Sen. Lew Frederick, a Portland Democrat.

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A U.S. Army veteran from Chicago, Woods worked as a tech executive and is survived by five adult children. Self-described as a political centrist, Woods brought levity and wisdom to the arduous work of lawmaking. Sen. James Manning, D-Eugene, spoke of Woods’s “strut” as he crossed the senate floor, prompting Manning, a fellow veteran, to greet him: “Wassup player?”

“He looked at me and said, ‘Oh man, oh you crazy,’” Manning said, chuckling. “He had a sense of humor, which we all do. Sometimes there’s nothing wrong with having a sense of humor. There’s too much hurt in the world today.”

Though he died during his first term in office, lawmakers said the 75-year-old Wilsonville Democrat made a significant impact on the chamber, sometimes providing the deciding vote for whether a bill advances. As political polarization grows nationwide, senators said Woods often worked across the aisle, building relationships with his Republican colleagues.

Oregon state Sen. David Brock Smith, R-Port Orford, pictured in 2024.

Oregon state Sen. David Brock Smith, R-Port Orford, pictured in 2024.

Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB

“Aaron was one of the strongest men I knew,” said Sen. David Brock Smith, R-Port Orford. He spoke of Woods’s knowledge of the importance of port jobs in Brock Smith’s district along the southwest Oregon coast, and the ongoing struggles of generational poverty among residents there. “He wanted to know everything there is about you and why you care about what you care about.”

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During his speech, Sen. Mike McLane, R-Powell Butte, told Woods’s family: “I didn’t have a lot in common with your dad.” The two lawmakers sat on opposite sides of the room and were from opposing parties. McLane grew up in a small rural town, while Woods was from a big city.

But one day, over a meal at Brock Smith’s home, McLane said Woods approached him, smiling. The two found common ground, exchanging stories about their children and their “awful” Army instructors during boot camp.

“In that little act, he bridged divides: urban, rural, race, political parties, political views,” said McLane, a colonel in the Oregon Air National Guard. “When we got up from the table, your dad had shown me that I had a friend. I’ve lost both my parents. And it’s hard. But remember that his legacy, even in that meal with me, is what you carry forward.”

(Left to right) Senators Bill Hansel, Aaron Woods, center, Feb. 5, 2024, on the opening of the legislative short session at the Oregon state Capitol in Salem, Ore.

(Left to right) Senators Bill Hansel, Aaron Woods, center, Feb. 5, 2024, on the opening of the legislative short session at the Oregon state Capitol in Salem, Ore.

Jordan Gale / Pool

The vacancy left by Woods’s death will be filled in the coming weeks. Democratic party officials are set to meet in Wilsonville on May 4 to nominate between three and five people to finish out his term. The ultimate decision will be up to commissioners in Clackamas, Washington and Yamhill counties, which all contain pieces of Senate District 13.

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At least one top-tier candidate for that position says he’s not interested. House Majority Leader Ben Bowman, D-Tigard, whose district coincides with a portion of Woods’s, told OPB this week he will remain in the House.

“I trust the [precinct committee people] and county commissioners to pick someone who will represent our community effectively — and I look forward to supporting that person in their new role,” Bowman said.

State Rep. Courtney Neron, a Wilsonville Democrat whose district also aligns with Woods’s, was less definitive.

“The news is very fresh in the building, and we are still grieving,” Neron said in a text message. “That said, I know the process will need to move quickly. You can anticipate an announcement from me in the near future.”

As of Thursday morning, the Democratic Party of Oregon listed one candidate vying for the vacant seat, a Wilsonville energy consultant named Dave Backen.

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All week, lawmakers have been debating bills that are receiving their third readings in the chamber, having recently passed the halfway mark of this year’s legislative session. With many bills to go, the Senate adjourned on Thursday, without voting on any legislation, to spend time with Woods’s family.

But before that, Senate President Rob Wagner said that Woods’s legacy would remain part of the Legislature, his name engraved into brass name plates on the sides of the chamber desks, alongside the names of other lawmakers who have died.

“You will forever see the name of state senator Aaron Woods,” said Wagner.

Then, members of the Senate stood for a moment of silence. They remained standing as Woods’s family left the room, some of them in tears.

OPB Reporter Dirk VanderHart contributed reporting.

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Oregon’s relives playoff nightmare as Indiana delivers brutal 56-22 beatdown

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Oregon’s relives playoff nightmare  as Indiana delivers brutal 56-22 beatdown


ATLANTA — For the second time in as many seasons, Oregon entered the College Football Playoff with high expectations and exited with a pillar to post thrashing from a conference foe.

In similar fashion to last year’s Rose Bowl rout by Ohio State, No. 1 Indiana had its way with No. 5 Oregon in a CFP semifinal at the Peach Bowl Friday night. By the end of the 56-22 mauling, led by Fernando Mendoza’s five touchdowns, neither the scoreboard nor the box score reflected how lopsided things truly were.

Three Ducks turnovers, including a pick-six by Dante Moore on the opening play of the game, led to 21 first-half points for the Hoosiers (15-0), who led 35-7 at halftime.

“This is going to be a life lesson that a lot of people never get,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said. “We just got our butt kicked. That’s going to happen in life and not just Dante. Every single person in the locker room, every coach, every person can learn, hey, how do you respond to that.

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“Some people crawl into a hole, don’t face the music. Some people say, okay, let’s figure it out. Let me challenge myself so I can be better. Let me be an example of how you handle moments like this. I think there is a way to handle that.”

One could say the Ducks (13-2) should have learned a similar lesson from the Rose Bowl, but with so many new starters from a year ago that’s not entirely accurate.

This UO team ranked in the top 10 in many statistics all season and was at times even more dominant than last year’s team. But against the best competition its weaknesses showed more than its strength. The Hoosiers (15-0) capitalized on many of those to advance to face Miami in the CFP Championship on Jan. 19.

“They have a great defense, great disguise and different looks, but you can’t win football games if you’re causing turnovers,” said Moore, who was 24 of 39 for 285 yards with two touchdowns but lost 28 yards rushing due to three fumbles. “Something of course I need to work at.”

Moore lost two fumbles, one on a strip sack and another when running back Dierre Hill Jr. ran into the tip of the ball on Moore’s wind up.

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“First play, I still like the play, but it sucked the result,” offensive coordinator Will Stein said. “We had the fumble off the elbow, like, crazy. … We were stopping ourselves, but they’re a really good defense. They are really good and they create takeaways and they don’t mess up.”

Mendoza was 17 of 20 for 177 yards and the five scores, which went to four different IU players.

Named offensive MVP, Mendoza set a Peach Bowl completion percentage record and threw the most touchdowns against Oregon since Cal’s Davis Webb had five in 2016.

“He understands what he’s doing,” Lanning said. “He has great weapons to be able to take advantage of.”

Indiana was 11 of 14 on third down, including nine of its first 10, underscoring one of Oregon’s defensive weaknesses against better teams.

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Defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi called it a “really poor finish” to an “awesome season.”

It’s difficult to take a long view after another promising campaign ends in such brutally demoralizing fashion, though several players tried.

“This is a great program,” said running back Noah Whittington, who was limited due to turf toe. “It’s going to continue to grow. Eventually we’re going to get the job done. Unfortunately it wasn’t today, but down the road we’re going to get ‘em.”

Yet for a second year in a row, albeit once again with several top skill players out due to injury, Oregon was embarrassed on a national stage.

“In this moment,” Lanning said, “you feel like a failure and they’re not. They’re not failures. These guys won a lot of damn ball games. … I also think you can’t discredit that we played well. We’ve played well at times even here in the postseason.”

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Lanning proclaimed Oregon’s season motto “double down,” an expected value proposition in blackjack, which adopted because the program’s process is sound, even if last year’s Rose Bowl ending was not.

In many cases, it worked. But not always, like Friday night. It doesn’t mean that Lanning’s methods won’t pay off in the long run. It does mean the 2025 season ends without the ultimate reward, and in this case, far worse: another playoff blowout loss, which even if it proves again to be against the eventual national champion is still an offseason’s worth of misery to endure.

Adding insult to injury is Mario Cristobal, in his fourth year at Miami, bringing the Hurricanes back to the national championship game for the first time in 23 years.

But Oregon still earned a seat back at the CFP table. Whether Lanning is willing to double down in the same spot, or consider greater changes with two outgoing coordinators, could determine if the Ducks play differently next year.



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Where to watch the Peach Bowl: Live stream Oregon vs. Indiana anywhere

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Where to watch the Peach Bowl: Live stream Oregon vs. Indiana anywhere


The second College Football Playoff semifinal game is a can’t-miss Big Ten showdown. We’ve compiled everything you need to know about where to watch the Peach Bowl, including live streaming options for cord-cutters.

The No. 5 Oregon Ducks will take on the No. 1 Indiana Hoosiers in the Peach Bowl. With the Ohio State Buckeyes, a Big Ten powerhouse and the reigning National Champions, out of the picture after a shock quarterfinal elimination, the Ducks and Hoosiers both have a shot at making it to the championship. Oregon has had a tremendous season, going 13-1 and shutting out Texas Tech in the quarterfinals. Their only fumble this season was Indiana (a 30-20 Hoosiers victory in October), which went undefeated (14-0) and walloped Alabama 38-3 in the quarterfinals. It’s safe to say that it’s anyone’s game, and only time will tell which of the two teams will earn a spot at the National Championship.

If you’re hoping to tune in, we’ve got you covered. Keep reading to learn some of the best live streaming options below. The services we’ve highlighted will also allow you to live stream the National Championship on January 19.

What channel is the Peach Bowl on?

Like the rest of the CFP, the Peach Bowl will air on ESPN in the US. The Oregon vs. Indiana game is scheduled to kick off on Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET, but the network’s college football coverage will begin at 6 p.m.

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Where to watch the Peach Bowl in the US

If you don’t have cable, you don’t need to worry about missing out on any of the action. There are several ways to live stream ESPN, including ESPN Unlimited, the network’s direct streaming counterpart. At $30 a month, ESPN Unlimited unlocks total access to all things ESPN, including live streams from the flagship network and other properties, like ESPN2, the ACC Network, and SEC Network.

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ESPN Unlimited

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ESPN Unlimited has everything from ESPN Plus, in addition to all that the ESPN linear networks have to offer.

If you’d prefer a service with a free trial and other channels beyond those in the ESPN family, DirecTV and Fubo are two of our top live TV recommendations. DirecTV offers ESPN in all of its Signature packages, but you can save some money if you’re only interested in sports by subscribing to the DirecTV MySports genre pack. Subscriptions cost $70 a month, but there’s a five-day free trial for new customers. MySports also unlocks ESPN Unlimited access.

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DirecTV MySports

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DirecTV’s MySports pack carries popular sports channels, from mainstays like ESPN to niche offerings like the ACC Network.

Fubo is another top sports-centric streaming service. You can get ESPN and around 28 other channels through Fubo’s Sports + News pack, in addition to ESPN Unlimited access. Subscriptions start at $56 a month, but new users can get a five-day free trial and a $10 off first-month discount.

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Fubo Sports + News

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The new Fubo Sports + News pack is only available in select areas. It combines 20+ major sports channels (including the new ESPN Unlimited) and select local networks (ABC, CBS, and FOX).

Where to watch the Peach Bowl in the UK

In the UK, College Football Playoff games (including the Peach Bowl) are available through DAZN. Subscription prices vary by plan, but most college football games this season were available for free in the UK (as long as you create an account). DAZN will also live stream the National Championship later this month.

How to watch the Peach Bowl from anywhere

If you’re traveling away from home, you can still keep up with your usual streaming options with the aid of a VPN. Short for virtual private networks, VPNs are cybersecurity tools that enable people to change their devices’ virtual location. This way, their go-to websites and apps work from anywhere, just like they would back home. VPNs are also popular methods for enhancing online privacy and security.

NordVPN is our No. 1 recommendation right now. It’s a top-rated option with tons of features, servers, and a hassle-free 30-day money-back guarantee, so it’s no sweat if you find that it’s not what you’re looking for. Our official NordVPN review breaks down everything else you might need to know about the app.

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NordVPN Plan

NordVPN is one of the top VPN services in the business. It offers excellent value with a strong selection of features and a low monthly price. A wide selection of international servers, high-end security, fast connections, and audited privacy protection have made the brand a household name in the world of VPNs.


Note: The use of VPNs is illegal in certain countries, and using VPNs to access region-locked streaming content might constitute a breach of the terms of use for certain services. Business Insider does not endorse or condone the illegal use of VPNs.

You can purchase logo and accolade licensing to this story here.

Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at reviews@businessinsider.com.

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Oregon to investigate Border Patrol shooting of couple in Portland | CNN

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Oregon to investigate Border Patrol shooting of couple in Portland | CNN


Oregon officials are opening an investigation into a shooting by federal agents in Portland that left a married couple wounded and sparked renewed outrage in the city over the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown there and across the US.

The shooting inflamed tensions a day after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent fatally shot a woman in Minneapolis, prompting protests and condemnation from state and city officials there.

Following Wednesday’s killing, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey told agents to “get the fuck out” of the city. Oregon state Sen. Kayse Jama took a similar tone during a news conference after the Portland shooting, telling ICE agents to “get the hell out of our community.”

The Portland shooting unfolded Thursday afternoon as US Border Patrol agents were conducting a “targeted vehicle stop” and one of the agents “fired defensive shots” after the driver tried to run the agents over, Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. “The driver drove off with the passenger, fleeing the scene,” she added.

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No agents were injured in the shooting, a federal law enforcement source told CNN.

McLaughlin said the driver and passenger are believed to be linked to Tren de Aragua, the notorious Venezuelan gang President Donald Trump has long targeted amid accusations of drug trafficking, murder and other violence, though she did not provide evidence.

Portland Police Chief Bob Day said local officers weren’t involved in the incident, but responded to reports of a shooting involving federal agents just after 2:15 p.m. Thursday.

Minutes later, police received a call from a different location from a man who said he’d been shot by federal officers and was requesting help, according to Day and dispatch audio.

When officers arrived, they found a man and a woman with gunshot wounds and emergency responders transported them to a hospital, Day said. The conditions of the patients weren’t known Thursday night, he added.

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The chief said his department didn’t know if the vehicle involved in the shooting had been weaponized against the agents.

The two people who were shot are married, a senior law enforcement told CNN.

Portland Mayor Keith Wilson linked Thursday’s shooting to the killing of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis, the circumstances of which has been disputed by federal and local officials. Wilson said he had spoken to the Minneapolis mayor earlier in the day to offer condolences and called Good’s death “entirely preventable” in a statement Thursday morning.

Hours after the mayors spoke, Wilson was similarly casting doubt on the Trump administration’s characterization of what took place in Portland.

“We know what the federal government says happened here. There was a time when we could take them at their word. That time has long passed,” he said.

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Wilson called for ICE to halt all operations in Portland until an investigation can take place.

“Portland is not a training ground for militarized agents,” Wilson said. “When the administration talks about using full force, we are seeing what it means on our streets.”

Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield announced late Thursday the state will open an investigation into the shooting, saying officials “have been clear about our concerns with excessive use of force by federal agents in Portland and nationally.”

“The investigation will look into whether any federal officer acted outside the scope of their lawful authority and will include witness interviews, video evidence, and other relevant materials,” Rayfield said.

On the federal government side, the FBI said it is investigating an “assault” on two CBP agents. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is assisting the FBI, it said.

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Trump has frequently taken aim at Portland, depicting the liberal city as a crime-riddled war zone and falsely claiming on several occasions that it is “burning to the ground.”

The White House was locked in a months-long battle with city and state officials over the administration’s controversial deployment of National Guard troops to the city, which was blocked by a federal judge. City officials have argued Trump’s incendiary remarks and troop deployments have inflamed violence in the city, which has been rocked by frequent protests over immigration enforcement.

Multnomah County, which includes part of Portland, voted Thursday to extend an emergency declaration in response to ICE’s continued presence in the area, County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson said.

The declaration was originally issued in December “in response to ongoing impacts from federal immigration enforcement,” Vega Pederson said at the time.

“Multnomah County will not stand by as federal governments attack our neighbors,” she said Thursday.

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