News items for December 13, 2018

It’s a big deal for California, the largest agricultural producer in the nation, with a $47 billion agriculture economy in the state alone, producing half of the nation’s fruits, nuts, and vegetables.

As cities across the country contend with an affordable-housing crisis that has led to gentrification and homelessness, few have been willing to take on single-family zoning, a way of living that is fiercely protected by neighborhood groups.

Coal sales have been shortchanging taxpayers because of low royalty rates. Attorneys for California, New Mexico, New York and Washington want to revive a coal leasing moratorium to halt it all.

With the re-election of Gov. Kate Brown and Democrats increasing their majorities in both legislative chambers, Oregon appears poised next year to pass the Clean Energy Jobs bill which caps carbon emissions, but opponents could put it on the ballot.

Approved bill lifts some restrictions on killing sea lions, which threatened fragile runs of salmon in the Northwest. This would streamline the process for Washington, Idaho, Oregon and several Pacific Northwest tribes to capture and euthanize sea lions.

Farmers are experiencing climate change in our fields, our communities, and our lungs. We must be part of the effort to mitigate the effects of climate change. In many ways, we already are.

The Oregon Department of Transportation said Tuesday that it now expects the $15 flat tax on some new bike sales will bring in less than half of what they originally expected.

New analysis from Zillow Research identifies overlap in communities where residents pay more than a third of their income from rent and growing homelessness.

Earlier this fall, Hilcorp began exploring for natural gas and oil in an Anchor Point neighborhood where many own their mineral rights. That’s making it difficult for some residents and landowners

The National Geographic documentary premiered last night, and is now free to watch on their website.