Northwest News Network

EUGENE, Ore. - At a special meeting of the University of Oregon faculty Wednesday, the State Board of Higher Education and Chancellor George Pernstiener were blasted for firing U of O president Richard Lariviere. Lariviere got a standing ovation from about one thousand faculty and students when he walked into Mac Court.

Sounding choked up, Lariviere spoke very briefly before the statutory faculty assembly, transferring his authority to Professor Robert Kyr, head of the U of O Senate.

Lariviere: "And to say thank you, I love you, thank you."

SPOKANE, WA - Spokane County could have another casino if all goes as planned for the Spokane Tribe of Indians. The Spokane Tribe wants to build on 145 acres of ancestral land in Airway Heights, but they must pass several levels of approval first, including that of wary public citizens.

The Spokane tribe created The Spokane Tribe Economic Project, STEP for short, in order to bring an economic boost to their tribe and community.

Hundreds of students and faculty crowded together on the University of Oregon campus Tuesday to express their anger and frustration over the firing of President Richard Lariviere.

"The people, united, will never be divided."

Last night, the Oregon board of higher education, led by Chancellor George Pernsteiner, gave president Lariviere his "30-day notice" sparking outrage among the university community.

We've all experienced it.

You're going somewhere busy so there's a long tail-back at the exit. You dutifully take your place at the back of the line, only to watch other drivers zip-up to the front, and squeeze in at the last moment.
State Police Lieutenant Greg Hastings, says it's dangerous and that troopers issued dozens of $142 dollar citations hours after Thanksgiving dinner was finished.

High winds and sheets of rain are causing problems along the coast and some of Oregon's highways Tuesday.
Trees have been blown down along Highway 18 in Polk County -- at the east end of the Van Duzer Corridor.
Lou Torres of the Oregon Department of Transportation says the road is closed.

Residents who live on Highway 36 west of Eugene are waiting for the results of a Pesticide Exposure Investigation by the state of Oregon. They believe herbicide spraying by the timber industry is causing health issues in their communities.

For years, residents near Blachly and Triangle Lake have complained of pesticide drift from clear-cut sprays. But it wasn’t until last spring that they caught the attention of the state. In independent biological testing, more than 30 people from the area tested positive for the common timber industry herbicides Atrazine and 2,4,D.

Sugar beet seed is a rare bright spot for struggling grass-seed farmers. Farmer John Reerslev of Junction City says the GMO product provides a safe way to control weeds.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture held a hearing to consider the possible deregulation of biotech sugar beets, developed by agribusiness giant Monsanto.

"Hybrid sugar beet seed has always been the highest per acre net return on our farm. I had 120 acres two years ago on 6 percent of our land, but it was valued at 25 percent of our income. It’s a very important rotational crop," Reerslev said.

Convicted murderer Paul Ezra Rhoades died by lethal injection Friday morning. His death marks the first time in 17 years Idaho has held an execution. In his last remarks, Rhoades did not take full responsibility for the three murders he was charged with.

In his final statement, Paul Rhoades took partial responsibility for the murder of Susan Michelbacher. He said he was sorry for the part he played in her death.

Rhoades told the families of Nolan Haddon and Stacy Baldwin that they have to keep looking for their killer.

Seventeen people, including one juvenile, were arrested Thursday in downtown Eugene as part of what police say was non-violent civil disobedience.

Nearly 70,000 people in Idaho don’t have jobs. That’s according to estimates from the Idaho Department of Labor. That figure doesn’t take into account the thousands of people who are underemployed or who’ve given up the search.

Justy Thomas was 34 years old then, and like so many in her situation, was at a crossroads. When Thomas lost her job four years ago she decided to college.

Thomas: "I wanted to do a reset. I wanted to change my career"

She says going to college also seemed like a necessity.

This month, some Alaska Airlines flights will be flying on used cooking oil as they travel from Seattle to Portland and Washington D.C.

Boise, ID - Idaho’s Board of Education voted Thursday that students will have to take two online courses to graduate high school. The requirement is unique in the nation. Education Board spokesman Mark Browning says there is one more step.

Mark Browning- “The legislature will get the opportunity to review the rule in January. If and when the legislature approves of it, then it becomes a permanent rule. And should they choose to reject it then we would have to start over but for right now it is in place, it’s done.”

SALEM, Ore. - Earlier this week Bank of America backed down on a five dollar monthly fee for debit card users. That gives consumer groups hope that similar fee relief could come to people who receive benefits by a reloadable cash card.

So far, just one apple orchard in Washington has taken up the state's offer for inmates to help with the harvest. That’s despite a severe worker shortage that has many growers facing big losses.

This week, McDougall and Sons orchard near Wenatchee put more than a hundred inmates to work. They're from a minimum security work camp near Forks.

The orchard pays the state $22 an hour per worker. That covers costs for housing, transportation and other expenses. The inmates are paid minimum wage.

If you’ve ever wondered why your health insurance rate has gone up, that information is now public. Washington State’s Office of Insurance Commissioner has a new website that can help explain that.

Whenever an insurance company wants to raise rates for individual or small group plans, the Insurance Commissioner's Office reviews those requests. In the past, the agency could approve or reject the new rates, but it couldn't release any information behind the decision.