The Liftoff: A year in review
The Liftoff: A year in review
PLUS: What's next for OR360; candidates slow to file for Multnomah County races; our top op-eds of 2023; our most read post; some good news in Portland; Oregon population declines again; and more!
Welcome back to The Liftoff! And Happy New Year! Whether you’ve been with us all year, or you’re a new subscriber—thank you!
First, an update: Oregon360 Media will look a little different this year. Three of our five founding members have moved out of state to pursue professional or academic opportunities. The two remaining in-state have less free time than they did four years ago!
We want to offer a gigantic thank you to a few people who have made this project possible over the last few years: Mark Hester, Kristina Edmunson, Brad Phelps, Xavier Stickler, David Frank, Andy Saultz, and Gary Conkling, among many dozens of others who contributed, edited, and supported.
We also want to thank our sponsor over the last year: Harrang Long has been an incredibly supportive partner.
So, what does that mean for you? Starting in January, we are pausing all credit card payments, and we won’t be accepting new paid subscribers for the time being. For any questions about this, please contact Alex: alex@or360.org.
We will continue writing, podcasting, and publishing—but less regularly (at least for now). We’d love to hand this project over to a person, organization, or company with the time and vision to take it to the next level. If you’re interested in taking over or acquiring the newsletter, shoot Alex an email.
Thank you all again for your support—and Happy New Years!
1. Some good news to close out the year
Portland Police reported 25% fewer stolen vehicles and a significant drop in homicides and gun violence in Portland in 2023, according KOIN.
Here’s hoping the trend continues in 2024!
2. 2023 Top Op-Eds in The Way
It’s no surprise that some of our tops posts in The Way this year were focused on some of Oregon’s biggest issues. But, what surprised us, is also how much our readers loved the positive stories to.
So, without further ado, here are our top three most read op-eds of 2023:
There is a different story to tell on Measure 110
3. Sponsored Message from Harrang Long P.C.: Harrang Long’s Political Law Practice
This message is from our sponsor, Harrang Long P.C.
Now that the legislative session is over, Oregon’s activists, candidates, political committees, and ballot measure petitioners are turning their attention to the 2024 elections. Harrang Long P.C. has represented clients in the political arena for decades, handling matters that include the legal requirements of ballot measure petitions, campaign finance disclosures and regulation, political committee organization, ballot access, and election challenges.
Government regulation of political activities becomes more complicated nearly every year, and political actors increasingly initiate regulatory complaints and litigation to achieve political goals. More and more, having experienced legal counsel is critical to success in the political arena.
To learn more about how Harrang Long’s Political Law Practice, check out our website here.
4. Olivia Clark brings an impressive resume to the PDX Council race
Olivia Clark has worked in state, local, and regional politics and policy for decades, including stints working with cities, DEQ, the Kitzhaber Administration, and TriMet. In this episode, she reflects on how her previous work will inform her approach as a Portland City Councilor. We discuss her work for Gov. John Kitzhaber, the challenges she navigated in that period, and why she stayed for nearly two full terms.
Olivia also offers her explanation for what went wrong in Portland over the last decade or two—and what can be done to fix it. She gives her vision for making the layers of government work together more effectively, and how she would approach the job of councilor in this new form of government.
5. Our Most Read Piece in 2023? Shemia Fagan
It’s probably is no surprise that our most read piece in all of 2023 was: “Who leaked the Fagan story?” The short answer: we still don’t know who leaked Oregon’s top political story to Willamette Week, eventually leading to the downfall of Oregon’s rising star, Shemia Fagan. But whoever did—they helped dramatically change Oregon’s political landscape.
6. One Last News Roundup of 2023
Bad News for Journalism: The historic Eugene Weekly was forced to lay off its entire staff due to stolen funds by an employee. This continues a trend in declining local newsrooms and papers across the country.
From Willamette Week: “Despite All the Money and Responsibility Multnomah County Has, Candidates Are Slow to File for 2024 Elections”
Flavored tobacco lovers got a bail out from the Oregon Court of Appeals who temporarily put Multnomah County’s ban on hold, according to WW.
New Year, New Rules: Dirk VanderHart from OPB has a list of laws taking effect on January 1st that might impact you!
Oregon experienced a second year of population decline according to the U.S. Census.
Tips? Feedback? Ideas? Corrections? Email benjaminwbowman@gmail.com or kristinaedmunson@gmail.com.
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About the Authors
Ben Bowman is the state representative for Oregon House District 25 (Tigard, Metzger, and South Beaverton) and a member of the Tigard-Tualatin School Board. In his day job, he works as an administrator for a public school district. Previously, he worked as a legislative aide for former Reps. Margaret Doherty and Val Hoyle. He also co-hosts The Oregon Bridge podcast. In the newsletter and podcast, he speaks only for himself.
Alex Titus is a small business owner and consultant to businesses, nonprofits, and associations. Previously, he served as an Advisor in the Trump Administration and as a Policy Advisor to President Trump’s Super PAC. His writing has appeared in National Review, Fox News, The Hill, RealClearPolitics, and other publications.
Kristina Edmunson has been everything from press assistant for Gov. Kulongoski, media advance associate for VP Biden, and communications director for AG Rosenblum. Born and raised in Eugene, she has been involved in some of the biggest policy and legal decisions in Oregon over the last decade. Today, she runs her own communications practice, and sits on Multnomah County’s Community Involvement Community. She speaks only for herself in The Liftoff.