May 18: Oregon Supreme Court halts county judge’s ruling, stay-at-home order continues
AP News reported the Oregon Supreme Court has temporarily kept Oregon’s stay-at-home order in place, halting Baker County judge Matthew Shirtcliff’s decision that invalidated the order. Justice Thomas Balmer gave both sides until May 22 to submit legal briefs, with no firm timeline on a final decision. The lawsuit was filed by 10 Oregon churches, who argued the order was unconstitutional, according to The Mercury News. Regarding Shirtcliff’s decision, Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum said, “I believe the trial court’s grant of a preliminary injunction is legally incorrect,” according to Portland Tribune.
May 18: Mayor Wheeler fined for listing donors in small print
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler was fined $500 on Monday by the city auditor’s office, after listing his largest contributors in too small of a font on his campaign mailer. According to The Oregonian, the disclosures must be made in a font legible to the average reader, as well as being either the same size or larger than other words on the page. Two other local candidates received warnings: Ozzie Gonzalez, in the mayoral race, and Keith Wilson, seeking a commissioner seat, were both told to list their top contributors on their campaign websites and social media accounts by 5 p.m. Tuesday, or face fines, according to AP News. Wheeler will have until June 1 to pay his fine.
May 21: Temporary self service gas rules end on Sunday
The Oregon Fire Marshal’s temporary rules allowing gas stations to provide self-service will end at midnight on May 23, according to AP News. The rules were initially created to limit contact between customers and employees, as well as covering potential employee shortages. The Oregon Fuels Association, a gas station lobbying group, thanked the state for the temporary rules, and stated the rules “helped keep people safe and stations across the state open,” according to The Oregonian.
May 21: Oregon unemployment rises to 14.2% in April
AP News reported Oregon received almost 16,000 new jobless claims last month, representing the first spike in workers seeking unemployment benefits since March. According to The Oregonian, Oregon’s unemployment rate rose to 14.2% in April, with forecasters predicting a years-long recovery and an unemployment rate above 20% in the next few months. Oregon extended unemployment payments through the CARES act, including recipients’ normal benefit payment plus $600 extra per week for 13 weeks, according to KTVZ News.