Rape victims deserve better than stockpiling of DNA kits
On March 3, 1989, Virginia resident Debbie Smith was dragged into the woods and raped repeatedly by an armed stranger wearing a ski mask. Intent on helping authorities identify the perpetrator, she willingly ...
Wood guided museum through ups and downs
Larry Wood would likely be the first to say he never set out to be the director of a nationally-recognized museum. Then again, he also has never been one to back down from a challenge. Wood’s five-year ...
Toxics bill another example of legislative over-reach
The 2015 Oregon Legislature seemed to lurch from lowlight to lowlight this session before finally saying sine die Monday. So it comes as no great surprise to discover it managed one more on its way out ...
Not up to commissioners to establish state policy
Our three ideologically driven county commissioners seem more disposed to adopting resolutions than addressing pressing local issues. Could the fault lie in the lack of such issues? If so, perhaps we should ...
No shortage of 'Chicken Soup' to leaven flow of tragic news
The news can be depressing. In times when several stories of tragedy and controversy stack on top of one another, as they have this week, it’s healthy to take a moment to reflect on some “Chicken ...
Senate leader's legacy faces critical crossroads in Salem
An open letter to Oregon state Sen. Peter Courtney: Sen. Courtney, your long and venerated political legacy is at a crossroads. After decades of service in the Oregon Legislature, now in your fifth term ...
When we stand idly by we facilitate evil deeds
Modern American history is marked by a series of massacres perpetrated by angry, disturbed loners unable to form coherent thoughts or forge meaningful relationships. They typically turn out to be young, ...
The local opt-out on pot a workable compromise
The local control element inserted into House Bill 3400, as a compromise between primarily urban Democrats and largely rural Republicans, helped send a legalized marijuana implementation measure through ...
Starrett on right track with water task force
Last year, global water temperatures reached their highest level ever recorded, and land temperatures the fourth highest. The 21st century has already produced 13 of the world’s 15 hottest years. The ...
Party politics erased from editorial masthead
For nearly 90 years, the News-Register and its Telephone-Register predecessor declared themselves “An independent Republican newspaper” on their editorial page masthead. Effective today, for ...
Testing opt-out legislation little more than a cop-out
By the time you read this, the Oregon Senate may have sent HB 2655, a standardized testing opt-out enabler, to Gov. Kate Brown. And with an eye to a looming campaign dependent on Oregon Education Association ...
E-cigarette law leaves users out in the cold
Despite plenty of public outcry, there seems little hope for e-cigarette users to escape the web of regulations imposed on tobacco smokers. Most jurisdictions seem intent on applying the same restrictions ...
City needs to get serious about downtown parking
America’s long-standing love affair with the auto shows no signs of souring. Neither does McMinnville’s long-standing love affair with downtown tourism and commerce. That situation puts the ...
Let's take antibiotics out of livestock feed
Scottish biologist Alexander Fleming, toiling at St. Mary’s Hospital in London, discovered the infection-fighting properties of the penicillium mold in a hallelujah moment heralded on Sept. ...
Ongoing vaccination coverage proves need for more education
The debate over childhood vaccinations shows no sign of slowing. While a head-scratching majority and vocal minority continue the discourse, however, we’ll continue to support measures erring on ...
