As always, steroid free.

[December 19th, 2007]

The Oregon Court of Appeals has sided with the company whose employees replaced the illegally fired Portland Public Schools custodians in 2002. The decision, filed Dec. 12 in the Court of Appeals, says there is no evidence to support the idea that Portland Habilitation Center is to blame for the school district’s decision to can the 280 custodians. (That mass firing prompted a long court battle between the district and custodians that ended with the custodians getting a $14.5 million settlement from the district.) The suit ruled on last week was a separate class-action case by the fired custodians against PHC for allegedly interfering in their negotiations with the district. Custodians attorney Charlie Williamson says his clients may appeal to the Oregon Supreme Court.

Portland Police served a search warrant last week on the Trautman Perrin&Hale insurance agency (“Premium Problem,” WW , Dec. 12, 2007). Based on what detectives found Dec. 13, they think Trautman owner Darlene Rethwill pocketed premium payments for “personal gain ” instead of forwarding the money to insurance companies. “The fraud has left dozens and potentially hundreds of victims unwittingly without personal or business insurance,” Police Sgt. Brian Schmautz said. Police are looking for Rethwill, whose home phone has been disconnected .

Intrigued by tales of self-emasculation ? You’re not alone. Sixty-four readers have commented on what may be the most-read WWire story ever. Where the hell were you? Go to wweek.com/wwire/?p=10223 and weigh in.

Oregon labor regulators have ordered Accurate Balancing Agency Inc. owner Alan Penson to pay $47,506 in back wages and penalties to two former employees (see “Balance of Power,” WW , Dec. 5, 2007). The state Bureau of Labor and Industries says Penson knowingly mischaracterized the work the two employees were doing as white-collar rather than manual labor. BOLI has not yet ruled on a separate but related claim against Penson. Penson says he intends to contest the first ruling.

Going to the Dark Side: As first reported on Oregon Media Insiders, veteran OPB reporter Colin Fogarty is leaving public broadcasting for progressive PR. On Jan. 7, he starts at Pyramid Communications, a public-affairs firm based in Portland and Seattle that shuns corporate clients. U.S. Democratic Senate candidate Steve Novick works as a senior project manager at Pyramid. “I was very careful. I never even talked to Steve about [the job] until it was almost a done deal,” says Fogarty, who covered state politics. Fogarty, now 35 and a father of three, started as an intern at OPB when he was just 22. Why leave now? “Thirteen years is a long time,” says Fogarty.

Rest easy, George Mitchell. WW readers are hitting fund-raising home runs for our annual Give!Guide without the benefit of steroids. As of Tuesday, you’ve donated nearly $250,000 to the guide’s 49 nonprofits—already breaking last year’s record of $228,000. But please don’t stop now; you can keep helping by going to wweek.com/giveguide through Dec. 31.