this might be stupid but i have no one else to ask / don’t know who to ask. in simple terms could someone explain the steps to file for fmla for specifically being pregnant and giving birth? i don’t know where to start and how to do it 🥲 thank you

Gov Kotek’s budget is out and she’s pushing for $1,700 million larger budget for ODOT than they asked for. That’s $500/year for each Oregon household (these are two year budgets).

Of course, this is mainly to plug the huge hole ODOT has built for itself trying to expand highways to help Vancouver commuters and other people drive more - leading to more climate pollution.

The misnamed IBR project would expand five miles of highway and build seven new highway interchanges, and at likely $10,000,000,000 (ten billion dollars) is the most expensive project in Oregon history.

ODOT has a very long history of underestimating costs of highways, and they often come in at two or three times the cost ODOT projects.

So the IBR - currently thought of at $7 or $8 billion - could run twice that. Similarly, ODOT is currently pushing to dramatically increase its debt and borrowing by hundreds of millions of dollars to cover other cost overruns.

Kotek just throws up her hands at where the $1,700,000,000 will come from - but divided among Oregon’s 1.7 million households, that’s $1,000 over two years.

The legislature is ready to consider transportation funding this upcoming session. It’s time for accountability from ODOT, not reckless empowering of a dishonest and dysfunctional agency. Contact your legislator.

Emailed both Wyden and Merkley about a week ago regarding a few things. I expected at least a form email back something along the lines of "we are active and working on these policies, for Oregon's future blah blah". But other than the "thanks for your email" from Wyden for submitting, nothing. Anyone else ever email our senators and get a response?

Edit: just want to thank you all for the responses. I'm a younger Oregonian (mid 30's) and this is my first time really reaching out with my complaints to my government officials. I wanted to hear what the "norm" might be. I'll consider writing them a letter as well as calling. Thanks again!

Our own Chef Gregory of Kann's restaurant in Portland OR in addition to 3 James Beard awards has been recognized in Paris France. So nice for Portland OR to be recognized for something other than tent cities and street riots. https://www.lipstickalley.com/threads/haitian-american-chef-gregory-gourdets-restaurant-kann-wins-prestigious-award-in-paris.5780726/

Saw this on my walk yesterday , and thought it made for an eerie photo !

Js there anyway to pay a summons online, ive tried looking it up but it says my summons doesnt appear online and I have no citation number to lookup. Anyone have an idea on how I can avoid driving 200 miles to pay this in court? Any help is appreciated

New to the area and want to go out for a weekend with a friend and some snow camping gear and snowshoes. We're college age and rented a FWD sedan, getting chains for it. We have a rough idea of the road to the south, and I know I need a backcountry camping permit and have read into the laws. Any survival tips or things I should know before going?

Edit: Thank you for the warnings, I will be sure to change the plan accordingly and I don't want to end up on the news (I appreciate your pragmatism). I think the car plan has to be changed, and further warmth and snow gear preparations taken in order to mitigate the risk I face up there during winter. Talking to some locals would be good, and I know some people that can help me get an idea for how stupid this idea may sound if things aren't meticulously planned in detail.

Hoping to take my girlfriend for her first snowboarding lesson, and booking a private lesson early in the season is fairly affordable.

Is the snow, on average, decent in mid-December for a first timer to start learning?

Ski season is upon us, The trip up to Mount Hood coming up from the west is my favorite, Ever since my first trip up I’ve known about the ominous curse of Silent Rock, I’ve been up to the mountain 40+ times since but the 1 time I come up from the east and bypassed Silent Rock I broke my wrist, What’s your best Silent Rock story?