DENVER, Colorado, March 28 -- The Colorado State Judicial Branch issued the following news release: The Colorado Supreme Court has approved the licensure of legal paraprofessionals in a new rule that is designed to make legal representation more widely available and more affordable to people in certain domestic-relations matters. With approval of the new Rule 207 of the Colorado Rules of Civil Procedure, the state becomes one of five that will issue some form of limited license for non-lawyers  more

NEWBERG, Oregon, March 30 (TNSper)(TNSpro) -- George Fox University issued the following news release: George Fox University is on track for launching a new doctoral program in occupational therapy in the fall of 2024. Dr. Stanley Paul joins the faculty as the new director. He brings more than 25 years of academic and clinical experience in the occupational therapy profession to George Fox. Prior to his arrival, Dr. Paul worked for four years as an associate professor of occupational therapy   more

NEW YORK, March 28 (TNSjou) -- Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory issued the following news: * * * Scientists quickly pronounced the summer 2021 heat wave that hit western North America to be unprecedented, but they had no long-term physical proof. Now they do. * * * In summer 2021, a stunning heat wave swept western North America, from British Columbia to Washington, Oregon and beyond into other inland areas where the climate is generally mild. Temperature records were s  more

WASHINGTON, March 29 -- The National Republican Congressional Committee issued the following news: As a car theft epidemic sweeps Oregon, Andrea Salinas has made it worse. * The Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro metropolitan area ranked fifth worst in the U.S. for car theft (FOX 12) * Salem ranked "among the worst cities in the country for auto theft" (24/7 Wall St) * Car theft in Salem in 2022 spiked 54 percent above the average level (Salem Police) Many of the stolen cars end up at "tent-city   more

SALEM, Oregon, March 31 -- Gov. Tina Kotek, D-Oregon, issued the following news: Governor Tina Kotek signed House Bills 5019 and 2001 into law during her first ceremonial bill signing as Governor after both bills passed with bipartisan support last week. The Governor was joined by lawmakers and advocates for the bill signing. The legislation will help address Oregon's housing and homelessness crisis, and includes the urgent funding Governor Kotek proposed in response to the homelessness state   more

SALEM, Oregon, March 30 -- The Oregon State Legislature issued the following news release on March 29, 2023: The Oregon House voted to keep schools safe by passing House Bill 3584, also known as the School Emergency Notifications Act. This would ensure parents and guardians are electronically notified during a school emergency and are kept informed throughout the incident. The legislation was drafted after a school lockdown in Portland that left parents and guardians seeking transparency and ot  more

SALEM, Oregon, March 30 -- The Oregon State Legislature issued the following news release on March 29, 2023: The Oregon Senate passed Senate Bill 4B, a bipartisan bill that serves as a first step toward reviving and growing Oregon's semiconductor and advanced manufacturing industry through the federal CHIPS Act. "Though we have much more work to do, this is a critical first step in boosting Oregon's chip industry which will be an economic driver providing family-wage jobs to Oregonians across   more

SALEM, Oregon, March 29 -- The Oregon State Legislature issued the following news release: The Oregon Secretary of State last week released a report showing gaps in pay equity, despite the implementation of Oregon's Pay Equity Law in 2017. In response, Representative Janelle Bynum (D-Clackamas County), is chief sponsoring House Bill 3205. This would allow employers to give hiring and retention bonuses in order to better serve their employees and the communities where they reside. Under Oregon's  more

SALEM, Oregon, March 30 -- The Oregon State Legislature issued the following news release on March 29, 2023: The Oregon Senate passed Oregon CHIPS (Senate Bill 4) with bipartisan support. This historic legislation will lay the foundation for Oregon innovators and businesses to access billions of dollars in federal incentives to grow domestic semiconductor manufacturing. "The federal government presented us with an opportunity, and with Senate Bill 4, the Legislature delivered," said Oregon Sen  more

SALEM, Oregon, March 30 -- The Oregon State Legislature issued the following news release on March 29, 2023: The Oregon Senate passed Senate Bill 644A, a Republican bill receiving overwhelming bipartisan support. The measure allows accessory dwelling units (ADUs) to be built in rural areas at risk for wildfire to resilient building standards. "ADUs are an effective tool in bringing housing to rural Oregon. The state's chaotic and ineffective release of wildfire risk maps (SB 762) in 2021 not o  more