Tina Kotek

Oregon judges have released four people from prison, finding Gov. Tina Kotek’s orders that revoked their early release unlawfully violated their rights.

The document doesn’t clarify key questions raised earlier this year, when three aides left the governor’s office after raising concerns about first lady Aimee Kotek Wilson’s expanding authority.

Lindsey O’Brien was one of three women to abruptly leave the office in March, after raising concerns about the expanding role of first lady Aimee Kotek Wilson.

Oregon has ended its experiment with drug decriminalization. Starting Sept. 1, possession of small amounts of illicit substances are once again considered a misdemeanor crime.

During the COVID pandemic, hundreds of prisoners in Oregon were released early. That led to backlash and Governor Tina Kotek later revoking some of those commutations. One woman in Southern Oregon is still struggling after being sent back.

Juliana Wallace, who was hired last August to oversee the governor’s behavioral health initiatives, is the latest staffer to resign from the administration this year.

Oregon is set to receive nearly $200 million to boost efforts to lower greenhouse gas emissions from the state’s biggest sectors.

A spate of lightning storms coupled with hot dry weather has created high-risk wildfire conditions earlier than expected, officials said.

The proposal aims to narrow district funding gaps caused by rising costs and an end of extra federal funding in September.

While not surprising, the findings could pave the way for an expanded role for Kotek Wilson in the executive office on a volunteer basis

Panel evenly split over whether to investigate case further, ethics chair pushes for a deeper investigation.

Kotek had scrapped plans earlier this month to nominate two men to the Oregon Forestry Board.