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The Bird Alliance of Oregon is transforming a former East Portland landfill into a nature sanctuary and community solar farm. Governor Tina Kotek paused environmental permits for new and expanding data centers, while Metro Council awarded $392,400 to advance West Linn's waterfront revitalization near Willamette Falls. The Oregon Health Authority approved a partnership allowing 11 rural hospitals to share resources while remaining independent.

On the other side of the ledger, Prosper Portland executive director Cornell Wesley awarded $456,000 in no-bid contracts to longtime college friends, raising concerns about favoritism and transparency.

Also this week: Oregon settled a lawsuit alleging decades of sexual abuse at a youth correctional facility, and Portland reported mixed results from its housing development fee waiver. Neither received a score.

The Trump administration rolled back federal rules protecting people with disabilities who want to receive care in their homes and communities instead of institutions.

Businessman Jeff Swickard has invested roughly $250 million in downtown Portland real estate and contributed more than $827,000 to Oregon political campaigns since 2025. His donations support both Democrats and Republicans, but what he hopes to accomplish with all this spending remains unclear.

Of the more than 30 articles reviewed this week, only one action received a score. We don't score every headline. We focus on actions with meaningful consequences for Oregon.

Travel Oregon awarded $4.5 million to help bring nonstop flights between Portland and Asia back to PDX. Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield helped secure the release of $14.6 million in federal disaster-prevention funding for an earthquake-resistant hospital in Astoria. The Oregon Public Utility Commission strengthened protections for PGE customers in a proposed corporate restructuring. And Governor Tina Kotek led a push to give states more time to implement new Medicaid rules.

On the other side of the ledger, the Trump administration tried to cancel $810 million in funding already approved by Congress. The U.S. Department of Education stopped key oversight of federal K–12 spending, while Nvidia paused an Oregon AI training program before training a single new ambassador.

Also this week: Oregon's seven Democratic members of Congress called for an end to mass immigration hearings they say undermine due process.

Phil and Penny Knight pledged $1 billion to create a new engineering college at the University of Oregon. Pacific Power agreed to make new data centers pay the costs they create. Sen. Fred Girod helped secure public ownership of Abiqua Falls. And lawmakers from both parties took the first step toward banning Flock license-plate cameras statewide.

On the other side of the ledger, Oregon’s Department of Education still can’t clearly show what nearly a decade of High School Success spending has accomplished, while a new federal wildlife policy weakens protections for endangered species accidentally killed by development.

Also this week: Ron Wyden is using his Senate Finance leverage to pressure NBA owners over the Trail Blazers’ unresolved Portland arena deal.