State's open records law a lot less open these days
In the wake of Watergate, which culminated in Richard Nixon’s ignominious resignation, Oregon was among an array of states rushing to enact open records legislation. Transparency in government reached ...
Is the writing on the wall for the Riverbend Landfill?
The promise of low-cost and long-term disposal rates is the most meaningful feature McMinnville’s Riverbend Landfill has to offer this community. Take that off the table, and what do you have? ...
Sensitivity of homeless stories challenging for all involved
Writers and editors are trained to present the news in a just-the-facts fashion, without becoming personal. And few if any issues challenge that ability more than homelessness. We often receive ...
Philanthropy remains vital aspect of the holiday season
If scenes of Black Friday’s riotous crowds dampened your spirit just a bit, hopefully the following Giving Tuesday lifted it back up. A global movement started in 2012, the unofficial holiday, usually ...
PERS still on collision course with little hope on the horizon
On Feb. 27, 2001, The Associated Press warned, “A new analysis shows taxpayers may have to pay billions of dollars over the next 40 years to cover shortfalls in Oregon’s retirement plan for ...
Put priority on securing funding to purchase Newberg corridor
The Newberg-Dundee Bypass is poised to become a high priority corridor in the eyes of the federal government. That fact could prove significant in garnering funding for phases two and three of the bypass, ...
Corporate tax hike measure poorly crafted, badly flawed
From our perspective, there’s not much to like and a lot to dislike about Initiative Petition 28, a corporate tax hike headed for the November 2016 ballot. But taxes on the other guy always prove ...
Exchange with Latino community needs to proceed on multiple fronts
Yamhill County’s Latino population is disenfranchised in many ways, a situation not uncommon for a population consisting mostly of first- and second-generation immigrants. Better understanding between ...
Letting fear drive our policy cedes the field to our foes
In a shameful display, 31 governors have declared states off-limits to fleeing Syrians, even though Daesh, also known as ISIS, is imposing a reign of terror on its homeland. Meanwhile, Sen. Ted Cruz has ...
Tangible investments also increase tourism
Tourism is big business, so it seems every region in Oregon is trying to determine how to induce out-of-towners to spend at its hotels, restaurants, shops and attractions. In reality, most of the promotion ...
City should proceed cautiously in piling on the pot restrictions
[Correction: The original version of this editorial incorrectly implied that Wayne Stocks' proposed marijuana business, at 1208 SW Baker St., would fall inside a 1,000-foot buffer of the ...
This suicide story features an ending worth sharing
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is the second leading cause of death in the 10 to 24 age range. When a highly publicized suicide or string of suicides occur locally, ...
Why the unseemly haste to lift wolf protections in Oregon?
Canada and the western U.S. once supported up to half a million gray wolves. A smaller cousin, now subject of a captive breeding program based on the last four males and last female known to exist, ranged ...
We're not convinced county justified in Paolo dismissal
In August 2009, Leslie Lewis wanted to fire Yamhill County information technology chief Murray Paolo, but couldn’t muster a second vote on the county board of commissioners. She settled for demoting ...
Oregon's public records law long overdue for overhaul
In July, the News-Register asked the city of Newberg for emails exchanged between then-City Manager Jacque Betz and Police Chief Brian Casey, then embroiled in an ugly battle ultimately costing Betz her ...
