WINNERS 1. Look out Liddy and Steve, George W. Bush is the big winner in Oregon's early GOP presidential sweepstakes. Forty-five of Oregon's 51 Republican state legislators signed a petition urging "Shrub" to run. Bush has also bagged endorsements from Mark Hatfield, Vic Atiyeh and a pack of other GOP bigwigs. If Shrub gets planted in the White House, look for Sen. Gordon Smith to land a big role in his administration. Smith's confidant, Dan Lavey, is spokesman for Oregonians for George W. Bush. 2. Reticent Gov. John Kitzhaber is preparing to take his "taxes for schools" show on the road. No bus has been reserved yet, but word is he'll be making several appearances before local business groups to drum up support for his plan, announced Monday, to temporarily raise the state's corporate income tax. Kitz should point out that while the state's personal income-tax rate is among the nation's highest, our corporate tax rate ranks 24th in the country. 3. Talk about an impressive marketing tool. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which built the New Carrissa in Kobe in 1989, can certainly brag after last week. Its product was burned, torn in half, dragged through 300 miles of monster waves, rocked by explosive charges and pounded by 70 cannon shells. Still, it didn't sink until torpedoed at close range by a Navy destroyer.

LOSERS 1. Federal INS official Sally E. Yates pleaded guilty last week to embezzling $39,040 from the Portland immigration office. Yates, 51, a longtime INS employee, was put on leave in December pending an investigation ("Feds Steal $$$ from Aliens!," WW, Dec. 9, 1998). Yates took applications for permanent residence from aliens and pocketed their fees, according to prosecutor Chuck Stuckey. Yates will be sentenced in May. 2. It looks as if Multnomah County Chairwoman Beverly Stein may have an even tougher time keeping NIMBYs at bay. The state Appeals Court gave the go-ahead to an initiative that, if passed, would essentially give residents veto power over correctional-facility siting decisions. The county plans to appeal the ruling, but the prospects look grim. 3. Bad news for Jehovah's Witnesses and other students whose beliefs preclude reciting the Pledge of Allegiance: After an hour of patriotic chest-thumping, the state Senate last week sent Gov. John Kitzhaber a bill that would require public schools to set aside time each week to allow kids to recite the pledge.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Willamette Week | originally published March 17, 1999