Thank God and ODOT for highway rest areas! And lately, let’s also thank Oregon Travel Experience, the quasi-public organization the legislature gave the authority and a modest budget from ODOT to manage 20 rest areas so far, including some of those on Interstates 5 and 84. On I-5, Oregon Travel Experience manages three rest stops: Baldock near Wilsonville, […]
While fecklessly stumbling around in foreign policy by preparing to fire cruise missiles and kill some Syrians in that country’s civil war, the Obama administration is also again demonstrating its general cluelessness on the subject of gun control. Vice President Joe Biden announced two new executive actions as he swore in the new director of […]
In a Facebook exchange about people with cardboard signs begging at street corners, somebody had a complaint. “Have you seen the man in North Albany Village playing saxophone (illegally),” the person wanted to know. Yes, I have, and I’ve slipped a couple of bucks into his sax case lying on the sidewalk. I don’t think […]
In Albany, the city council got a progress report Wednesday night on negotiations for real estate the city hopes to acquire for an expansion of Station 11, the main fire station on Lyon Street downtown. As usual, and as allowed by the Oregon Public Meetings Law, the discussion was held in “executive session,” from which the […]
The Portland & Western Railroad has made good progress on the track rehabilitation project that started this week on Albany’s Water Avenue east of Main Street. As you can see, by Wednesday afternoon the former roller-coaster track had been replaced or straightened. When the track work is done, a contractor for the city, Knife River Corp., will repave the […]
Our jury system may be brilliant from the standpoint of not leaving the administration of justice solely in the hands of lawyers. But to citizens called now and then to perform this role, it seems improvements could be made. Many years ago, the jury I was on was sent into a small room right after […]
Albany briefing: Voting on Measure 22-119
Somebody asked me what happens if Albany voters turn down the city charter amendment now on the ballot. As near as I can see, the answer is nothing. Nothing happens. The amendment is Measure 22-119. City voters have been mailed ballots. The ballots are due back no later than Sept. 17. The measure would require […]
Tags: Albany city debt, Albany council, Measure 22-119, Sept. 17 election