[August 1st, 2007]

WINNERS

Willie Nelson loves his Oregon green—energy, that is! What'd you think, Cheech? Nelson's stake in Portland-based SeQuential Biofuels could pay dividends since SeQuential became the city's official biodiesel processor. Earlier this year, SeQuential shared $450,000 in city grants. Now Portland will spend up to $11 million more on biodiesel made from local homegrown—canola!

Get your guts! Thanks to Oregon's lily-white demographic (racial minorities suffer more often from diabetes) and larger-than-average organ donor population, ailing Californians can find new kidneys up north. The Oregonian found Oregon has lower demand for kidney transplants and therefore a higher relative supply of the bean-shaped organ, making Portland a transplant mecca! Who says we can't attract out-of-state business?

In a bid for the conspiracy theory vote, U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) demanded access to classified information about two terror drills scheduled to hit Portland in August. They're billed by Bushies as "emergency preparedness" drills, but DeFazio wants more details. And an army of paranoid tinfoil hat-wearers see everything from scare tactics to the next 9/11.

losers

Move over, Steve Novick. The past WW coverboy ("If I Ran," WW, Jan. 31, 2007) has a new opponent in the Democratic U.S. Senate primary. As first reported on wweek.com, Oregon House Speaker Jeff Merkley is poised to accept the anointing by D.C.'s Powers That Be. That growing rumble you hear: an avalanche of cash pouring into the race against U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Ore.).

The Round, Beaverton's long-troubled attempt at a city center, scudded into the headlines again last week with news that Dorn-Platz Properties, the commercial-residential project's latest developer, has defaulted on its loan. Maybe a new name would help—the Money Pit?

Say goodbye to the symbol of Oregon's environmentalist-logger rivalry. These days, the spotted owl has more to fear from its cousin, the barred owl, than the buzzsaw. Barred owls are moving into Oregon and squeezing out the elusive spotted bird. According to The Oregonian, the newcomers already outnumber spotted natives two to one. Pick a bird to back, greenies.