Winners

1. Word around the Multnomah County Courthouse is that Circuit Court Judge Frank Bearden is likely to be the county's next top judicial administrator. Fellow Circuit Court Judge Harl Haas is also reportedly vying for the top post. Whoever is tabbed has a tough act to follow: Former Presiding Judge Donald Londer, who died last week, earned the county a national reputation for efficiency.

2.Portland Power fans no longer have to rely on wire-service coverage at away games. Oregonian sports reporter Jason Quick has finally been sent on the road with the team for conference games. General Manager Linda Weston says she's been pleased with the amped-up coverage and credits fans who've called The Oregonian.

3.Portland rockers spent the first weeks of the new year getting all sorts of national attention. The Dandy Warhols' new video for its song "Boys Better" beat out red-hot rapper Puff Daddy and up-and-coming singer Loreena McKennitt on the popular MTV show 12 Angry Viewers. Meanwhile, Sleater-Kinney, Elliott Smith and Everclear got the nod in several New York Times critics' top-10 lists. Everclear also appeared on Jay Leno, and Smith sidled up to Janeane Garofalo on MTV.

Photo: STEVE
GIBBONS

Losers

1. Gresham Mayor Gussie McRobert blew the whistle on Waste Management lobbyist Ray Phelps, revealing that he gave free Blazer tickets to at least one Metro councilor, Ruth McFarland. Not good for McFarland, who faces a likely challenge from McRobert (the mayor says McFarland "falls asleep at meetings"). Not good for Phelps, who was considering running for retiring Metro Councilor Don Morissette's seat.

2. Colorado's Department of Labor and Employment ruled that Oregon Steel must pay retroactive unemployment benefits to 1,100 former strikers. The state ruled that the workers were entitled to unemployment benefits--normally not available to strikers--because Oregon Steel had terminated them by hiring replacement workers.

3. Beaverton teen Joshua John White messed up big time. When East Precinct Sgt. David Howe pulled him over for speeding, White was merely suspected of auto theft, which falls outside of Measure 11 minimum sentencing rules. Even if convicted, White probably wouldn't have done any time. But then White allegedly shot Howe; now he's facing attempted murder and could be going away for 10 years.