WINNERS 1. There were many winners at last week's Oregon Book Awards ceremony, but only one author set a record. Graham Salisbury received honors for his novel Shark Bait in the Young Reader category, his third such prize and the most picked up by one author in the 12-year history of the awards. 2. Governors aren't the only ones drooling over the proposed global settlement with big tobacco announced last week: The lawyers involved are really poised for a windfall. Cigarette companies set aside $1.25 billion for legal fees; if Oregon accepts the deal, Ater Wynne, the Portland firm that took a lead role in Oregon's tobacco litigation, can go after its share. 3. Portland Community College's bond measure was slammed at the polls earlier this month, but nobody can say the college doesn't spend its pennies wisely. For the sixth year in a row, Wing-Kit Chung, PCC's director of financial services, was recognized by the Governmental Financial Officer Association for his department's excellence in financial reporting.

LOSERS 1. If Bigfoot wants federal protection in Oregon, he is apparently going to have to show himself. Arguing against an endangered-species listing for the elusive Canadian lynx, which hasn't been seen in Oregon in decades, Sen. Gordon Smith said, "If we're going to do that, we may as well list Sasquatch." 2. The Low Brow Lounge got a browbeating from the Camel Cigarette Cops earlier this month. KBA, Camel's promotions company, canceled the Low Brow's contract after Low Brow management talked with WW about the bar's deal to promote and sell Camel cigarettes exclusively. Camel turned out to be the real loser, however. Last week, the Low Brow signed a contract with arch rival Marlboro. 3. It looks as if state Rep. Margaret Carter will have to wait two more years to oust state Sen. Thomas Wilde from his District 8 seat. Wilde's declaration of independence from the Democratic Party had Democrats talking about a recall election, with Carter as the likely replacement. Last week, however, the Wilde Thing jumped back into the party's fold.

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Willamette Week | originally published November 18, 1998