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Governor Proclaims Friday as VFW Day in Oregon

The proclamation honors the Veterans of Foreign Wars' 107 years of service to Americans who have served militarily on foreign soil.

(SALEM) - Governor Kulongoski has proclaimed Friday to be "VFW Day" in Oregon. The VFW of the United States has more than 1.8 million members and 600,000 auxiliary members serving at over 8,500 posts worldwide.

Words of Emmett Till`s Cousin Set the Stage for Civil Rights March this Saturday (VIDEO)

The shocking images that tell the story of Emmett Till's torture and murder were discussed by his cousin, who remembers the night 51 years ago like it was yesterday.

(SALEM) - The story of Emmett Till, a 14-year old black boy murdered in Mississippi in 1955 should send a shiver down the spine of every American.

His brutal murder sparked the Civil Rights movement, and this week his cousin Wheeler Parker who was there the night they took Emmett away, visited Willamette University to talk about the crime that caused a nation to awake.

Parker wasn't the target of the racist aggression that night in August of ’55. They were after his cousin Emmett visiting Mississippi from Chicago, who had committed a crime that would cost him his life; Emmett whistled at a white woman. In the middle of the night, the door to his grandfather's house was thrown open, and Emmett was taken by the mob of at least six white men, forced into a truck and driven away, never again to be seen alive. "It was terror," Parker said.

Misjudged Depth Dashes Driver`s Hopes of Crossing River

What looks like a hard lesson that trucks don't easily double as riverboats, was more of a misjudgement in an effort to drive the truck onto a sandbar.

(SALEM) - Just in case anyone was wondering what all the ruckus was about this afternoon at Wallace Marine Park, it turns out that two people who tried to maneuver their pick up along a stretch of the Willamette River were less divine than they had hoped.

A driver who passed by called 9-1-1, and apparently thought the occupants in the truck were in danger.

Burn Ban in Polk, Linn, Benton, And Lincoln Counties Extended

This fire season to date, 779 human-caused wildfires have occurred on the 16 million acres of forestland protected by the Department of Forestry, well above the 10-year average of 632 fires.

(SALEM) - Continued dry forest conditions and warm weather prompted the Oregon Department of Forestry and local fire districts to extend the current prohibition on open burning in Linn, Benton, Polk and Lincoln counties.

Big Changes Coming to Oregon Addiction Treatment

This guest opinion is by Karen Wheeler, addictions policy manager in the Oregon Department of Human Services.

(SALEM) - If you've never been addicted, this may surprise you: Getting into treatment for an alcohol, drug or gambling addiction is often a frightening experience.

You're afraid of change, scared to live without your habit, questioning whether you deserve success because people have beaten you down about your failings.

Not only that, but people also often get into treatment as a result of a crisis -- a brush with the law, loss of children to state custody or an ultimatum from a boss or spouse.

Chalkboard Project Releases It’s 2007 Legislative Proposals

The group is calling for targeted investments in proven reforms, efficiency savings, bigger stability fund, and no new taxes.

(PORTLAND) - Oregon schools must transform the way they support educators and their youngest students, while renewing their efforts to save money and show citizens how money is spent.

In return, the state must provide a guaranteed level of school spending that provides more financial and service stability from year to year.

Those are the key legislative action items the independent, non-partisan Chalkboard Project will focus on during the 2007 legislative session.

Arrest Made in Salem Burning Body Case

The suspect is in the Boston area, held on unrelated charges.

(SALEM) - Salem Police this morning have confirmed that a person has been arrested in connection with the murder of a woman whose body was found burning under a Salem bridge last month.

20-year old June "Candy" Kell's body was found by a Salem Police officer burning under the 13st Street bridge August 28th.

26-year old Philip Michael Florek. He faces charges of murder, abuse of a corpse and failure to register as a sex offender.

Be Aware! Both lanes of Highway 20 Now Open

However, be prepared for up to 20 minute delays through October while crews finish a highway widening and re-alignment project.

(EDDYVILLE) - Both lanes of Highway 20, about two miles east of Eddyville, reopened late Tuesday following the removal of boulders and other debris that landed on the road Monday afternoon during a rock-blasting project that went awry.

Yaquina River Constructors, the general contractor for the $130 million highway improvement project, expected the 3:30 p.m. blast to crack a rock face that would then be excavated.

Op Ed:
Turn Back 21st Century ,Saxton Says Now --
Defying RISING State Costs

He Promises “Deeper-Slashes” to “Correct” State Programs-- But Fails AGAIN to Name Them OR HOW He’ll DO IT.

(SALEM) - Defying both logic and recent history, “Saxton the Silent” is now decrying incumbent-Governor “Decent-Man Kulongski” for every honest, open, inevitable answer on Oregon’s rising-cost State-program operations.

Governor K. honors his Oath of Office, and tells it to us “like it really is”’ perhaps because he is not PLEDGED to other-interests-first allegiance seeking to weaken State government and then “strangle it in the bathtub”.

Senate Democrats Share Governor’s Commitment To Making Healthy Kids a Top Priority

Children’s Health Committee will vote on comprehensive kids health plan in October.

(SALEM) - Senator Laurie Monnes Anderson (D-Gresham) Chair of the Senate Committee on Children’s Health, released the following statement late Monday in conjunction with the Governor’s announcement of the Healthy Kids Plan