Two former Portland-area prosecutors made headlines in The Oregonian this week with their advocacy of marijuana legalization. According to the newspaper Norm Frink and Mark McDonnell both believe that legalization is inevitable and, as a result, are trying to focus public attention on getting the details right. “This is just…
With Seattle in the Super Bowl this weekend excitement surrounding the Big Game is even higher than usual here in the Pacific Northwest. Unfortunately, increased excitement can often lead to overindulgence, and local and federal officials alike warn that Super Bowl weekend can be a dangerous time to be on…
An item posted late last night on The Oregonian’s website offers details of a serious Washington bicycle accident involving a teenage rider in which a motorist faces assault charges and, potentially, drunk driving charges as well. The paper, citing the Everett Herald, reports that a 52-year-old Everett man driving a…
An article in today’s Oregonian (it was published online last night) details the early discussions in Salem about legislation that would dramatically alter where and how liquor is sold here in Oregon. It is a potentially complex issue, one made no simpler by the potential Oregon dram shop law issues…
As we enter the New Year’s holiday period let me add my voice to the many out there reminding everyone to be safe and act responsibly tonight and tomorrow. Throughout the country – perhaps even the world – New Year’s Eve and the days surrounding it have a reputation for…
Police are investigating a suspected fatal Oregon drunk driving car crash in the east of the state, according to a report by an Idaho TV station that covers the region. According to KIVI a 41-year old man from Vale, in the easternmost part of Oregon, died last week in the…
It’s a cliché: safety is everyone’s responsibility. It is also, however, true, and that fact was reinforced last week by Washington State’s Supreme Court. According to an Associated Press dispatch, republished by The Oregonian, the court held that “cities, counties and utility companies can be liable when faulty road design…
A New York Times report this weekend about a terrible multi-vehicle crash in Nevada is a reminder of the importance of issues Portland’s own mayor has spent the last few weeks spotlighting. A Reuters news agency dispatch, republished by the Times, cites local law enforcement, reporting that “five members of…
A three-vehicle Polk County, Oregon car accident over the weekend left one man dead and five people hospitalized, according to a report in The Oregonian. The Oregon auto accident took place in the town of Dallas, about 60 miles southwest of Portland. The newspaper, quoting the Oregon State Police, reports…
A single car accident in the early hours of Friday morning is calling attention to the problem of Portland drunk driving and the damage it can cause. According to a report in The Oregonian, in the early hours of Friday “a gold four-door 1998 Toyota Corolla crashed into the overpass…