Latest Oregon Headlines

All the headlines from our Oregon Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Federal Reinsurance Backstop for Catastrophes: APCIA Says No Thanks

Jan 16 2024 // Federal lawmakers introduced a bill to create a federal natural catastrophe backstop recently, reacting to insurers’ issues with growing private reinsurance costs. But a trade group for carriers suggested that a...

Blizzard Knocked out Power and Closed Highways and Ski Resorts in Oregon and Washington

Jan 11 2024 // A blizzard pounded mountainous areas of Oregon and Washington on Tuesday, knocking out power and prompting the closure of highways and ski resorts.The Washington Department of Transportation closed two mountain passes:...

Alaska Airlines’ Decision Not to Ground Boeing Jet Despite Warning Signs Comes Under Scrutiny

Jan 10 2024 // The decision by Alaska Airlines to stop flying one of its planes over the Pacific Ocean to Hawaii due to warnings from a cabin-pressurization system — yet keep flying it over land — is raising questions about whether...

Oregon Judge Refuses to Dismiss 2015 Climate Lawsuit Filed by Youth

Jan 5 2024 // A judge in Oregon rejected a U.S. Department of Justice request to dismiss a 2015 lawsuit brought by young people that alleges the federal government knew the dangers posed by carbon pollution but that it has continued...

Johnson & Johnson Acquiring Mid Valley General Agency in Oregon

Jan 5 2024 // Johnson & Johnson Inc. will expand its footprint into Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Washington by acquiring the assets of Mid Valley General Agency LLC based in Salem, Oregon. Mid Valley is a family-owned managing general...

Alliant Acquires Aldrich Benefits in Oregon

Jan 4 2024 // Alliant Insurance Services acquired Oregon-based employee benefits firm Aldrich Benefits LP, of a member of the Aldrich group of companies. The Aldrich companies will continue to provide financial, wealth, tax, and...

Alliant Acquires PBC Employee Benefits Division in Oregon

Jan 3 2024 // Alliant Insurance Services acquired the employee benefits division of Eugene, Oregon-based PBC Insurance. The PBC employee benefits team will join Alliant and continue serving clients from its Eugene headquarters. PBC also...

2024 Oregon Consumer Laws Include Protections for Homeowners Dealing with Wildfire

Dec 29 2023 // Consumer protections for homeowners dealing with wildfire-related issues, property contents coverage, personal data protection and prescription drugs are set to go into effect in 2024.The Oregon Division of Financial...

Appeals Court Finds Rules for Oregon’s Climate Program Invalid

Dec 22 2023 // A state appeals court in Oregon decided the rules for a program designed to limit and drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel companies are invalid. The program, started in 2022, is one of the...

Oregon’s Compensable Worker Fatalities up in 3Q, Report Shows

Dec 13 2023 // A report from the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services for the third quarter shows a rise in work-related compensable fatalities.The department’s Quarterly Fatality report for the third quarter 2023...

Berkshire Utility Reaches $299 Million Oregon Fire Accord

Dec 8 2023 // Berkshire Hathaway Energy Co.’s PacifiCorp said it will pay $299 million to settle claims over wildfires that burned homes in southwest Oregon, averting another jury trial in litigation that has already exposed the...

Winter Weather in Pacific Northwest Cut Power to Thousands in Seattle

Dec 4 2023 // Winter weather brought high winds and snow to parts of the Pacific Northwest, knocking out power in some areas and dumping fresh snow across the Cascade Range.Thousands of households were without power Saturday morning in...

Oregon Regulator to Investigate Pacificorp’s Request to Limit Wildfire Liability

Nov 30 2023 // Oregon’s utility regulator this week said it would investigate a petition by PacifiCorp to limit its liability from future wildfire-related lawsuits, delaying a decision on the power provider’s request by as...

Oregon Jury Awards Man $3M After Officer Accused Him of Trying to Steal Car

Nov 17 2023 // A jury in Oregon has awarded a man more than $3.1 million after a police officer accused him of trying to steal a car he was fixing and allegedly used excessive force when arresting him.That jury award included more than...

Oregon OSHA Cites Contractor for Repeatedly Violating Fall Hazard Requirements

Oct 30 2023 // Oregon OSHA cited Forest Grove contractor J&K Roofing Co. $39,000 for repeatedly violating a requirement to provide protection to safeguard workers from fall hazards that could injure or kill them.The citation resulted...

Oregon Prosecutors Charge Off-Duty Pilot Accused of Trying to Cut Engines on Midflight Jet with Attempted Murder

Oct 25 2023 // Oregon prosecutors have charged an off-duty pilot accused of trying to cut the engines on a Horizon Air jet in mid-air with 83 counts of attempted murder.The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office in Portland...

Oregon Seeks $27M for Dam Repair from Contractors, District

Oct 13 2023 // Oregon officials are seeking more than $27 million in damages over dam repairs they say killed more than half a million Pacific lamprey fish in what they`ve described as one of the largest damages claims for illegal...

People Moves: Kunz Joins Alliant’s Employee Benefits Group in Oregon

Sep 27 2023 // Nicole Kunz joined Alliant Insurance Services as vice president within its employee benefits group. Based in Portland, Ore., Kunz previously served as board president at Total Rewards PDX, as principal at Mercer Health...

Tech Startups in US, France, Germany Help in Fight Against Wildfires

Sep 25 2023 // This year has been a challenging one for Phil Schneider, who hasn’t seen wildfire behavior like this in his 47-year firefighting career.Blazes raged through more than 2,000 acres of wildland in recent months in his...

Berkshire Hathaway Energy Shows Unusual Risk Appetite in Wildfire Court Fight

Sep 21 2023 // Berkshire Hathaway Energy Co.’s PacifiCorp has been battered in an unprecedented court fight over the utility’s failure to prevent massive wildfire destruction in Oregon.The largest grid operator in the western...