Austin De Dios

First candidate emerges in Multnomah County chair race Singleton, who represents North and Northeast Portland on the Board of Commissioners, is so far the only candidate to make an official announcement.

Multnomah County Commissioner Shannon Singleton is the first the break the silence on the race for county chair: www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

As politics roil the nation, Oregon students compete to make sense of the U.S. Constitution and find solutions Nearly 200 high schoolers participated in the civic championship at Multnomah County Courthouse with federal judges among those evaluating their constitutional knowledge.

Perhaps a bright spot amid darker days: As politics roil the nation, Oregon students compete to make sense of the U.S. Constitution and find solutions www.oregonlive.com/education/20...

Multnomah County could get $800K for pretrial program poised to close The potential federal award comes as the Sheriff’s Office announced in the fall that it did not have the funding to continue its Close Street Supervision Program.

Federal funding could soon be coming to the Multnomah County Sheriff's pretrial release program to the tune of $800k. But, if approved, its unclear exactly where that money would go as budget woes have prompted the county to re-imagine those services. www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

Jessica Vega Pederson won’t seek reelection as Multnomah County’s chair She’s had some punishing years leading the county. Next year will be her last as the government’s top executive.

Next year will be Jessica Vega Pederson's last at the helm of Multnomah County's government. She will not seek reelection.

“It was a personal decision, not a political one,” she said.

www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

New bullying complaints deepen turmoil for board overseeing Oregon’s largest network of federal health clinics The new complaints come after investigators previously found Board Chair Tamia Deary bullied Multnomah County employees.

Bringing this back to the surface for a moment with an update: a new board chair was voted in Monday night, and the board now has enough members to be in compliance with its grant requirements. www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

These Multnomah County jobs are on the chopping block, and more could follow A sizable reduction in contracts from CareOregon, which manages Oregon Health Plan benefits, is trickling down to the county’s mental health network.

Multnomah County could end as many as 21 full-time positions in its behavioral health division, with roughly 17 more in jeopardy in the next fiscal year, documents show. www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

Portland-area governments mobilize to help families in need as federal SNAP benefits remain in limbo Two local governments pledged to spend contingency funds Tuesday to help fill the gap.

Local governments in the Portland area are pledging new funds and support for families in need as access to federal food assistance remains in limbo. www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

‘An epic cliff’: Multnomah County temporarily plugs hole in homeless services budget as officials brace for future cuts The county will keep its shelters open and housing programs running for now using a portion of state funds earmarked for the next fiscal year.

Multnomah County will redirect roughly $20 million to keep homeless shelters and housing programs running this year, but the Band-Aid fix came with a dour warning: an "epic cliff" is coming. www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

Washington County approves steep hike in cost of ambulance rides American Medical Response said it needs to increase its rate to deal with rising costs of medical care.

Washington County residents will soon be hit by a steep increase in the cost of ambulance rides. It's the 2nd Portland-area county to approve big price hikes from AMR. www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

Appeals court, in 2 to 1 split, puts hold on restraining order barring Trump from deploying Oregon National Guard Senior Circuit Judge Susan P. Graber wrote a 35-page dissent.

Via Maxine Bernstein: A federal appellate court, in a split 2 to 1 vote, on Monday allowed President Donald Trump to maintain federal control over the Oregon National Guard and deploy troops until the case is fully litigated in court. www.oregonlive.com/crime/2025/1...

Board chair overseeing Portland-area’s largest network of federally funded health clinics bullied employees, investigation finds Tamia Deary disputed the findings, citing a cognitive disability. The health board she oversees was also flagged for failing to meet requirements for federal funding, putting millions of dollars at ri...

Two outside investigations into the chair of the volunteer board overseeing Oregon’s largest network of federally funded health clinics found she bullied employees.

Tamia Deary, who has served on the board since 2019, disputed the findings. www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

The end of this pretrial release program could put Multnomah County in a bind County public safety officials warned that the end of the program would strain the county’s already challenged jail.

State budget cuts may force Multnomah County to end a key pretrial release program that keeps those accused of a crime out of jail until their trial and frees up jail beds.

It could strain an already burdened jail system. www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

Another Portland-area county poised to approve big price hike for ambulance rides Washington County officials seem ready to approve a rate hike for emergency services provided by American Medical Response.

Ambulance prices in Washington County could jump 27% starting in January. It's the second Portland-area county to weigh big rate hikes for emergency medical care in recent months. www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

Multnomah County to upgrade security at downtown Portland library while metal detector debate lingers The controversial move to add weapons detection would be costly, and library employees strongly oppose it.

Multnomah County officials plan to make additional safety upgrades at Portland’s troubled Central Library, but remain undecided about installing metal detectors. The move would not only be costly, but library staff are largely against it. www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

Portland couple transforms Multnomah County farm into food hub for east Portland, training ground for BIPOC farmers Shantae Johnson and Arthur Shavers, well established in Portland’s Black farming community, now operate Multnomah County’s reopened CROPS farm.

Shantae Johnson and Arthur Shavers, well established in Portland's Black farming community, are reaping a new harvest as the operators of Multnomah County's CROPS farm.

It wasn't an easy road, they said. Read more about their journey below:

www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

Multnomah County Preschool for All director failed to disclose business ties in annual conflict of interest forms County officials never questioned why Leslee Barnes wasn’t disclosing her ownership of a preschool on annual conflict of interest forms.

Multnomah County officials knew that former Preschool for All Director Leslee Barnes owned a local preschool, but Barnes did not list her ownership of Village Childcare as a potential conflict of interest in the years after she took the job, records show. www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

The cost of an ambulance ride in this Portland-area county is about to double The county board approved a new contract two weeks ago and it came with a major jump in costs to patients.

Folded into the 100-page contract with AMR was a huge price hike for Clackamas County residents in need of an ambulance. Officials say the cost, set to double in November, will be absorbed by insurance. But plans vary, with deductibles and co-pays to consider. www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

Cooling centers reopen in Portland area as high heat persists Multnomah County’s cooling centers will reopen and libraries will extend their hours as Tuesday threatens to hit 100 degrees.

Cumulative heat is a real danger, especially for those with no AC. Multnomah County has reopened 3 cooling centers to offer some respite from what forecasts show should be the last of a string of scorching days in Portland. www.oregonlive.com/weather/2025...

Multnomah County weighs Preschool for All tax changes amid program scrutiny The universal preschool effort has come under fire after pressure from the state and controversy surrounding its former director.

The universal preschool effort has come under fire after pressure from the state and controversy surrounding its former director.

Preschool for All director resigns after being tied to preschool accused of ‘wasteful’ spending Multnomah County commissioners are calling for an outside investigation of the county’s Early Learning Division Director following an audit from the state.

Multnomah County’s Preschool for All director has resigned after her ties to a preschool provider accused of “wasteful” spending of state dollars, first reported by Willamette Week, called her credibility into question with her employers.
www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

Washington County HR manager claims retaliation after reporting alleged illegal pay practices The employee accused the county of violating Oregon’s Pay Equity Act.

A Washington County human resources manager is suing the county, alleging that it retaliated against her after she raised concerns about potential violations of Oregon’s pay equity laws.

www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

‘A hotbed of illegal activity’: County commissioner clashes with Portland officials over security outside Central Library It comes weeks after a shooting left one man dead in downtown Portland near the library branch.

In the wake of a deadly downtown Portland shooting near the Multnomah County Central Library earlier this month, county Commissioner Meghan Moyer put pressure on Portland to address longstanding safety concerns in the area.

Portland's mayor pushed back.

www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

Washington County passes resolution to comply with Trump crackdown on DEI After months of debate, the county board adopted new guidelines to try to preserve $135 million in federal funds.

After weeks of intense debate, Oregon’s most diverse county has reached a compromise to comply with Trump-era executive orders that threaten to pull federal dollars over diversity, equity and inclusion. www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

Multnomah County audit reveals workplace disparities for Black, Asian, LGBTQ+ employees The auditor's report analyzed data on hiring, firing and promotions and scored each department on its equity efforts.

Multnomah County has long emphasized its commitment to equity in its programs and hiring practices, but an audit released Wednesday found that systemic problems could hinder “meaningful progress” in achieving those goals. www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

Oregon’s most populous county joins 2 big lawsuits against Trump administration Multnomah County joined dozens of other local governments in challenging federal grant restrictions tied to DEI and sanctuary policies.

Multnomah County has piled onto a wave of local governments opposing Trump administration threats to cut federal funding due to immigration and diversity, equity and inclusion policies. www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

Multnomah County poised to pay marketing firm $238K to collect feedback on Preschool for All, its tax on high earners A draft contract shows the company will conduct focus groups and surveys on the universal preschool program and its associated tax.

Multnomah County will pay an estimated $238,500 to a marketing and outreach agency to gauge opinions on the county’s effort to offer tuition-free preschool, with a focus on its finances. www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

Minor parole and probation violations in Portland are landing people longer stays in jail, audit finds The audit from Multnomah County also shows disproportionate sanctions for Black and Native American people and those with mental health conditions.

Multnomah County probation and parole officers are jailing fewer people for minor parole violations than they did in 2019, but those who do land behind bars are staying much longer, according to a new audit. www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

Deadly shooting outside Central Library renews calls to fix ‘downtown Portland’s neglect’ The man accused in the shooting had been in the library moments before, according to court records.

More details emerged in the downtown Portland shooting that left one man dead and rattled bystanders outside Multnomah County's Central Library Tuesday. www.oregonlive.com/crime/2025/0...

Multnomah County apologizes for historical desecration of Chinese people’s burial sites The story of the site has come to public attention as its history has been unraveled piecemeal by research and reports.

Decades after Multnomah County officials desecrated and exhumed the graves of thousands of Chinese Americans and immigrants in Portland’s Lone Fir Cemetery, officials have finally found the words to express their regret.
www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

Gov. Tina Kotek digs in heels on criticism of universal preschool program: ‘The program as it stands cannot keep its promise’ Her statement comes after days of attacks on Multnomah County’s controversial initiative to offer universal, tuition-free preschool.

Gov. Tina Kotek continued her assault on Multnomah County’s effort to offer tuition-free preschool Thursday, doubling down on her criticism of the program and the tax that funds it and suggesting it is doomed to fail. www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...