CLAIRE RUSH

Statehouse reporter based in Portland, Oregon.

Cheyenne Welbourne stands in his micro-apartment at The Starlight affordable housing building that is run by Central City Concern, a Portland-based homeless services nonprofit, on Friday, March 15, 2024, in Portland, Ore. Welbourne moved into one of the nonprofit's single room occupancy units in downtown Portland last March after years of living on the streets. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)

Micro-apartments are back after nearly a century, as need for affordable housing soars

Boarding houses were a staple for low-income, single blue-collar or temporary workers across the U.S. in the early 1900s.

A Medford Jet Center worker walks under a United Boeing 737-824 that landed at Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport from San Francisco with a missing panel Friday, March 15, 2024, in Medford, Ore. (Andy Atkinson/Rogue Valley Times via AP)

Older Boeing plane found to have missing panel after flight from California to southern Oregon

Officials say a post-flight inspection revealed a missing panel on a 25-year-old Boeing 737-800 after it arrived at its destination in southern Oregon.

FILE - The capitol is seen on the first day of the legislative session at the Oregon state Capitol, Monday, Feb. 5, 2024, in Salem, Ore. Oregon's whirlwind 35-day legislative session ended Thursday night, a couple days ahead of schedule. This year lawmakers focused on housing and drugs as the two main priorities. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File)

Drugs, housing and education among the major bills of Oregon’s whirlwind 35-day legislative session

Oregon’s whirlwind 35-day legislative session ended Thursday night, a couple days ahead of schedule.

FILE - Members of the Oregon legislature are seen on the Senate floor during the first day of the legislative session at the Oregon State Capitol, Monday, Feb. 5, 2024, in Salem, Ore. Oregon lawmakers have passed a campaign finance reform bill that limits the amount of money people can donate to political candidates. Oregon is currently one of a dozen states that has no limits on campaign contributions. Under the bill, individuals and corporations could contribute just over $3,000 to a statewide candidate per election cycle. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File)

Oregon passes campaign finance reform that limits contributions to political candidates

Oregon lawmakers have passed a campaign finance reform bill that limits the amount of money people can donate to political candidates.

FILE - Frank, a homeless man, sits in his tent with a river view, June 5, 2021, in Portland, Ore. Momentum is building in a case regarding homeless encampments before the U.S. Supreme Court that could have major implications for cities as homelessness nationwide has reached record highs. (AP Photo/Paula Bronstein, File)

Momentum builds in major homelessness case before U.S. Supreme Court

Momentum is building in a major case regarding homeless encampments that is before the U.S. Supreme Court.

FILE - Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek listens during a walking tour, Feb. 13, 2024, in Vancouver, Wash. The future of an Oregon bill that would roll back the state’s first-in-the-nation drug decriminalization law is now in the hands of Kotek. The bill has not yet reached Kotek’s desk, but she will review it when it does, her office said Monday, March 4. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File)

Oregon lawmakers voted to recriminalize drugs. The bill’s future is now in the governor’s hands

The future of an Oregon bill that would overhaul the state’s first-in-the-nation drug decriminalization law is now in the hands of Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek.

Homes are seen on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, in the southwest Portland, Ore., suburb of Beaverton. The so-called urban growth boundary, established by a 1973 law that placed boundaries around cities to prevent urban sprawl and preserve nature and farmland, is seen in the background along SW Tile Flat Road. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)

A housing shortage is testing Oregon’s pioneering land use law. Lawmakers are set to tweak it

Facing a housing shortage, Oregon lawmakers are considering a bill that would tweak the state’s pioneering land use law.

In this undated image provided by Haylee Wendling, family members of Colin Conner pose for a photo as they hold an image of Colin. Conner, who struggled with opioid addiction for years, lost his life to a fentanyl overdose in June 2023, just days after being released from a Salt Lake City jail. Conner's father said the jail had discontinued his methadone prescription, causing him to go through agonizing withdrawal and prompting cravings to return while he was behind bars. (Haylee Wendling via AP)

Lawmakers in Oregon propose opioid addiction medication in jails as fentanyl crisis accelerates

A bipartisan group of Oregon lawmakers are working to boost funding for jails to provide medication used to treat opioid addiction.

FILE - A Block Island Wind Farm turbine operates, Dec. 7, 2023, off the coast of Block Island, R.I., during a tour of the South Fork Wind farm organized by Orsted. The federal government has finalized two areas for floating offshore wind farms along the Oregon coast. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management says the two areas cover nearly 200,000 acres. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson, File)

Feds finalize areas for floating offshore wind farms along Oregon coast

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The federal government has finalized two areas for floating offshore wind farms along the Oregon coast, authorities announced Tuesday, bringing the state closer to commercially developing and producing a renewable energy source that’s part of the fight against climate change.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg tours the century-old Interstate 5 bridge that spans the Columbia River and connects Portland, Ore., with southwest Washington state on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024. The bridge is set to be replaced as part of a multibillion-dollar project supported by federal funding. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)

Buttigieg visits interstate highway bridge in Pacific Northwest slated for seismic replacement

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is in the Pacific Northwest visiting a major bridge that’s slated for a multibillion-dollar replacement.

FILE - This photo released by the National Transportation Safety Board shows a gaping hole where the paneled-over door had been at the fuselage plug area of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, Jan. 7, 2024, in Portland, Ore. A “whistling sound” was heard on a previous flight of the Boeing 737 Max 9 whose door plug blew out during an Alaska Airlines flight on Jan. 5, an attorney representing passengers in a lawsuit against the companies said in new court documents filed Wednesday, Feb. 7. (National Transportation Safety Board via AP, File)

‘Whistling sound’ heard on previous Boeing Max 9 flight before door plug blowout, lawsuit alleges

An attorney representing passengers of an Alaska Airlines flight that lost a door plug in midair says a “whistling sound” was heard on a previous flight of the same Boeing 737 Max 9.

Oregon Senate President Rob Wagner presides over the first day of the legislative session at the Oregon state Capitol, Monday, Feb. 5, 2024, in Salem, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)

After GOP walkout, Oregon lawmakers reconvene to focus on housing and drugs

Oregon lawmakers are convening for the start of a short legislative session expected to be dominated by homelessness, a housing shortage, and plans to overhaul the state’s pioneering drug decriminalization law.

FILE - The state senate convenes at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem, Ore., Thursday, May 11, 2023. The Oregon Supreme Court said Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024, that 10 Republican state senators who staged a record-long walkout last year to stall bills on abortion, transgender health care and gun rights cannot run for reelection. (AP Photo/Amanda Loman, File)

Oregon high court says 10 GOP state senators who staged long walkout can’t run for reelection

The Oregon Supreme Court said Thursday that 10 Republican state senators who staged a record-long walkout last year to stall bills on abortion, transgender health care and gun rights cannot run for reelection.

FILE - The red office building of the Eugene Weekly sits in Eugene, Ore., on Friday, Dec. 29, 2023. The Oregon weekly newspaper that had to lay off its entire staff after its funds were embezzled by a former employee will relaunch its print edition in February 2024, its editor said, a move made possible in large part by fundraising campaigns and community contributions. (Todd Cooper via AP, File)

Oregon weekly newspaper to relaunch print edition after theft forced it to lay off its entire staff

An Oregon weekly newspaper that had to lay off its entire staff after its funds were embezzled will relaunch its print edition next month.

FILE - A person holds drug paraphernalia near the Washington Center building on SW Washington Street, April 4, 2023, in downtown Portland, Ore. On Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, Democratic lawmakers in Oregon unveiled a sweeping new bill that would undo a key part of the state's first-in-the-nation drug decriminalization law. The bill would recriminalize the possession of small amounts of drugs as a low-level misdemeanor. (Dave Killen/The Oregonian via AP, File)

With Oregon facing rampant public drug use, lawmakers backpedal on pioneering decriminalization law

Democratic lawmakers in Oregon have unveiled a sweeping new bill that would undo a key part of the state’s first-in-the-nation drug decriminalization law.

Liam McGreevy, left, Lucas Acerenza and Porter Jones play football in the snow at Baker Park Friday, Jan. 19, 2024 in Frederick, Md. The three Frederick High School students had the day off as Frederick County schools were closed. (Ric Dugan/The Frederick News-Post via AP)

2 weeks of winter storms kill dozens and cause cold chaos in parts of the US, but a thaw is coming

Two weeks of storms in the U.S. have turned roads into icy death traps, frozen people to death from Oregon to Tennessee and caused power outages that could take weeks to fix.

Majiah Washington listens to a question during a news conference at the Portland Fire & Rescue headquarters on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, in Portland, Ore. A power line fell on a parked car in northeast Portland on Wednesday, killing three people and injuring a baby during an ice storm. Washington, who saw the incident unfold through her window, rushed outside to grab the baby from one of the people lying in the street to save its life. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)

A baby lived because an Oregon teen couldn’t stand by after she saw 3 people get electrocuted

An Oregon teen who saved a baby during an ice storm in Portland is being praised for her heroism. Majiah Washington shared her story at a news conference Thursday.

A skid steer with the City of Florence works to clear portions of roadway at Pine and West College Streets Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024 in downtown Florence, Ala. (Dan Busey/The TimesDaily via AP)

Power line falls on car during Oregon ice storm, killing 3 and injuring a baby, authorities say

Authorities says a power line fell on a car in Portland, Oregon, killing three people and injuring a baby during an ice storm that turned roads and mountain highways treacherous in the Pacific Northwest.

Justin Brooks works on clearing trees that fell around his home on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024, in Lake Oswego, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)

The Pacific Northwest braces for a new round of ice and freezing rain after deadly weekend storm

The Pacific Northwest is bracing for more hazardous winter weather after a weekend storm that resulted in at least seven deaths.

Graphic designer Emily Brewer shovels out her driveway in order to drive to work in Sioux City, Iowa, early on Friday, Jan. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Snow, ice, wind and bitter cold pummels the northern US in dangerous winter storm

A dangerous winter storm swept the northern U.S. on Friday, with blinding snow in some places, freezing rain in others, and bitter cold temperatures and whipping winds across several states.

This photo released by the National Transportation Safety Board shows the door plug from Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, in Portland, Ore. A panel used to plug an area reserved for an exit door on the Boeing 737 Max 9 jetliner blew out Jan. 5, shortly after the flight took off from Portland, forcing the plane to return to Portland International Airport. (National Transportation Safety Board via AP)

Airlines say they found loose parts in door panels during inspections of Boeing Max 9 jets

Federal investigators are learning more about how a door panel flew off an Alaska Airlines jetliner last week.

This image provided by Kelly Bartlett shows passengers near a hole in the fuselage of an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9, Flight 1282, which was forced to return to Portland International Airport on Friday, Jan. 5, 2024. (Kelly Bartlett via AP)

Twisted metal, rushing wind: A narrowly avoided disaster as jet’s wall rips away at 3 miles high

The loud boom startled passenger Kelly Bartlett, and the roaring wind that followed left her unnerved.

In this photo released by the National Transportation Safety Board, NTSB Investigator-in-Charge John Lovell examines the fuselage plug area of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 on Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, in Portland, Ore. A panel used to plug an area reserved for an exit door on the Boeing 737 Max 9 jetliner blew out Friday night shortly after the flight took off from Portland, forcing the plane to return to Portland International Airport. (National Transportation Safety Board via AP)

Alaska Airlines’ decision not to ground Boeing jet despite warning signs comes under scrutiny

The Federal Aviation Administration grounded all Max 9s operated by Alaska and United and some flown by foreign airlines after the terrifying flight on Friday night that left a gaping hole in the fuselage.

In this photo released by the National Transportation Safety Board, NTSB Investigator-in-Charge John Lovell examines the fuselage plug area of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 on Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, in Portland, Ore. A panel used to plug an area reserved for an exit door on the Boeing 737 Max 9 jetliner blew out Friday night shortly after the flight took off from Portland, forcing the plane to return to Portland International Airport. (National Transportation Safety Board via AP)

The Boeing jetliner that suffered an inflight blowout was restricted because of concern over a warning light

A federal official says the Boeing jetliner that suffered an inflight blowout over Portland, Oregon, was not being used for flights to Hawaii after a warning light that could have indicated a pressurization problem lit up on three different flights.

This image from video provided by Elizabeth Le shows passengers near the damage on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9, Flight 1282, which was forced to return to Portland International Airport on Friday, Jan. 5, 2024. (Elizabeth Le via AP)

Federal officials order grounding of some Boeing 737 Max 9 jetliners after plane suffers a blowout

An Alaska Airlines jetliner blew out a window shortly after takeoff three miles above Oregon, creating a gaping hole that sucked clothing off a child and forced the pilots to make an emergency landing.

Oregon police confirm investigation into medication theft amid report hospital patients died

Oregon police and medical officials have confirmed that they are investigating the theft of medications prescribed to patients at a hospital in the southern part of the state.

A red Eugene Weekly newspaper distributor box stands outside its office in Eugene, Ore. on Friday, Dec. 29, 2023. The weekly newspaper had to lay off its entire staff three days before Christmas and halt print because its funds were embezzled by a former employee, its editor said. The Eugene police are investigating and the paper's owners have hired forensic accountants to piece together what happened. (Todd Cooper via AP)

Embezzlement of Oregon weekly newspaper’s funds forces it to lay off entire staff and halt print

An Oregon weekly newspaper has had to lay off its entire staff and halt print because its funds were embezzled.

Sunlight breaks through trees as heavy equipment works to demolish the final pieces of the foundation of the house where four University of Idaho students were killed in 2022 on Thursday, Dec. 28, 2023, in Moscow, Idaho. Students Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves were fatally stabbed there in November 2022. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

House where 4 University of Idaho students were killed is demolished

The house where four University of Idaho students were killed last year has been demolished. Jodi Walker is the university’s executive director of communications.

A protester holds a sign during a rally after the verdict was read during the trial of three Tacoma Police officers in the death of Manny Ellis, at Pierce County Superior Court, Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023, in Tacoma, Wash. A jury cleared the three police officers of all criminal charges. (AP Photo/Maddy Grassy)

Acquittals in Manuel Ellis’ death put Washington state’s police accountability law in the spotlight

A police accountability law in Washington state is in the spotlight after three police officers were acquitted in the 2020 death of Manuel Ellis.

Aaron Posey, a Bloodworks Northwest executive, puts pressure where the needle entered his arm after donating blood at the blood center's Seattle headquarters on Dec. 14, 2023. New federal guidelines that dropped an abstinence requirement before gay men in monogamous relationships can give blood are opening a new pool of potential donors. Posey, whose own life was saved by a transfusion when he fell down a set of stairs and broken glass sliced an artery, welcomed the new guidance, saying hospitals and patients need access to a new pool of donors. (AP Photo/Manuel Valdes)

For years, he couldn’t donate at the blood center where he worked. Under new FDA rules, now he can

New federal guidelines that dropped an abstinence requirement before gay men in monogamous relationships can give blood are opening a new pool of potential donors.