News As Slick As A Side Street.

[December 17th, 2008]

Last week The Oregonian reported Oregon Health & Science University CEO Dr. Joe Robertson and other top execs got bonus payments in mid-November totaling $1.36 million. Two weeks after the payouts, OHSU announced layoffs and hiring and salary freezes for the most of its 12,400 rank-and-file employees, but here’s the best part : on Dec. 3, Robertson emailed (PDF) employees to cancel OHSU’s annual “Employee Appreciation Event.” “It would be fiscally imprudent to continue with our plans” for the event, wrote Robertson—whose $1.1 million in pay this year includes a $329,000 bonus.

In the never-ending wrangle (see “Who’s Who in the Battle of the Gorge Casino,” WW, Sept. 21, 2005) over whether the Warm Springs Tribe can build a casino in the Columbia River Gorge, the Oregon Department of Transportation has weighed in—in an unhelpful way to the Warm Springs. On Nov. 21, ODOT told the tribe (PDF) the proposed four-lane interchange that would serve the Cascade Locks casino would permanently close the nearest existing I-84 access. Casino opponents say ODOT’s ruling is a “major blow.” Tribal lobbyist Len Bergstein says talks with ODOT continue and that the November ruling “is not the final word.”

An Illinois pol facing corruption charges? About as shocking as the new Guns N’ Roses album sucking. But Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s arrest got The New York Times to do an analysis in its Dec. 13 edition that aimed to measure which of the 50 states and four U.S. territories is the most politically corrupt. Turns out Oregon, according to a Department of Justice survey cataloging guilty convictions from 1998-2007, ranks 46th (Florida took first, Illinois seventh). Adjusted for population, Oregon ranked 53rd out of 54. Meanwhile, politician-loaded D.C. placed first per capita and those not-so-innocent Virgin Islands ranked second. All yours, Attorney General-elect John Kroger.

One of President-elect Barack Obama’s key new hires in dealing with Congress has an Oregon connection. Phil Schiliro—who as assistant to the president for legislative affairs will be a link between Congress and the White House­—spent time in Oregon nearly three decades back earning his law degree from Lewis & Clark in 1981. A native of Brooklyn, Schiliro has a D.C. resume that includes a 25-year stint as chief of staff to Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.) and one year as policy director for former Sen. Tom Daschle (D-S.D.), now Obama’s selection as secretary of health and human services.

’Twas two weeks before New Year’s when all through the town, generous people were giving with nary a frown. That’s right: As of press time, WW’s generous readers have donated $370,000 to the 55 worthy nonprofits featured in our Give!Guide. To give, please go to wweek.com/giveguide through Dec. 31.