Dirk VanderHart
JPR Oregon State Capitol CorrespondentDirk VanderHart covers Oregon politics and government for Oregon Public Broadcasting, a JPR news partner. His reporting comes to JPR through the Northwest News Network, a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington. Before barging onto the radio in 2018, Dirk spent more than a decade as a newspaper reporter—much of that time reporting on city government for the Portland Mercury.
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The Trump administration is hoping to undo orders blocking the National Guard. -
Records released Wednesday offer more context to the national guard deployment being planned in Portland. -
Oregon lawmakers held a hearing on President Trump’s order for the first time Tuesday -
The proposal from Gov. Tina Kotek will hike gas taxes, registration fees and more. -
Oregon and Portland officials, including Gov. Tina Kotek and Mayor Keith Wilson, spoke against Trump’s plan for sending troops to “protect war-ravaged Portland.” -
The threats come as figures across the political spectrum fear political violence following the Charlie Kirk assassination. -
Lawmakers have varying plans for what to do with their per diem, their daily allowance, during the next two weeks. -
Sen. Chris Gorsek, D-Gresham, is unable to come to the Capitol because of unspecified health struggles. His vote may be needed to pass Gov. Tina Kotek’s transportation funding bill. -
Gov. Tina Kotek’s proposal to raise billions for road maintenance and public transit in the coming decade advanced by the barest of margins Monday. The tax bill needed help from a moderate Republican to make it over the finish line. -
Democrats agreed to slash some funding they’d sought for public transit, and Gov. Tina Kotek remained scarce. -
Democratic leaders have said finding a quorum would not be a problem as they look to raise transportation taxes. They were wrong Friday. -
The special session will dictate whether hundreds of state workers are laid off next month.
