Author

Lucille McNamara

Lucille McNamara is a Daily Tidings reporter with 27 years of journalism experience, covering Oregon public safety, crime and courts, plus statewide policy and community impact stories including housing, education, health, and immigration. She previously worked at The Star.
Contact: [email protected]

Environment

Oregon Lithium Drilling Plan Near Nevada Border Faces Lawsuit Over Water and Wildlife Risks

Lucille McNamara May 10, 2026

Environmentalists are fighting a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) decision to allow an Australian lithium mining company to build 168 drill sites, 21.5 miles of new roads, and pump 18,000 gallons of groundwater daily in the McDermitt Caldera…

Crime & Courts

Interstate Theft Crew Targets Oregon Gyms as Stolen Card Charges Reach Nearly $19,000

Lucille McNamara May 9, 2026

An organized gang of interstate thieves is robbing gym patrons while they are working out, often purchasing high-value items at nearby retail outlets before the thefts are detected. The Beaverton Police Department warns that the gang…

Crime & Courts

Jackson County Man With Revoked License Gets 8 Years After Pedestrian Was Left Injured on Roadside

Lucille McNamara May 9, 2026

JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. — Jason Allan Baker (41), who was driving with a revoked license when he struck a pedestrian in Jackson County and left her seriously injured on the roadside when he fled the scene, has been sentenced to eight years in…

News

Oregon Moves to Fix Behavioral Health Worker Shortage While Cracking Down on AI Risks for Kids

Lucille McNamara May 8, 2026

Legislation that removes barriers to the behavioral health workforce and protects young people from negative mental health outcomes related to artificial intelligence was signed into law yesterday by Oregon Governor Tina Kotek. The bills…

Oregon Orders Data Centers to Pay More for Power Under New PGE Rate Overhaul

Lucille McNamara May 8, 2026

Oregon-based data centers will pay more for power following an instruction to Portland General Electric (PGE) issued by the state’s Public Utility Commission (PUC). PGE Has Until June 10 to Implement the New Tariffs PUC has…

Crime & Courts

Portland Airport Carjacking Ends With Man in ICU and Suspect in Custody

Lucille McNamara May 7, 2026

PORTLAND, Ore. — A carjacking at the Portland International Airport on Monday, after which a man is in intensive care with serious injuries, has led to the arrest of a convicted felon. Vidal Pedraza (52) was arraigned on Tuesday on two…

Crime & Courts

No Arrests After Fatal Shooting Near Tom McCall Waterfront Park in Portland

Lucille McNamara May 7, 2026

PORTLAND, Ore. — No arrests have been made following the death by shooting on Tuesday night of 25-year-old Malachi Bussey of Portland. A second male victim is undergoing non-life-threatening treatment. No arrests have been made.…

Crime & Courts

Coos County Man Accused of Running Toxic Drug Lab Across From Two Schools

Lucille McNamara May 6, 2026

COOS COUNTY, Ore. — Coos Bay resident Richard Joyner has been arrested for operating an illegal, clandestine drug laboratory within a thousand feet of Bunker Hill Elementary School and The Lighthouse School. He was lodged at the Coos…

News

Oregon Gas Hits $5.30 a Gallon as State Ranks Fourth Highest in the Nation

Lucille McNamara May 6, 2026

Oregon is ranked as the 4th highest average gas price nationally, with the cost at pumps now $5.30. Drivers nationwide have been affected by fuel increases caused by surging crude oil prices as the U.S.-Israel war with Iran continues.…

Crime & Courts

Man Sentenced to 22 Years After Mother of Three Was Killed in Portland Shooting

Lucille McNamara May 5, 2026

PORTLAND, Ore. — A man who shot three people, killing a mother of three in Portland in 2023, was sentenced in the Multnomah County Circuit Court yesterday to 22 years in prison. According to court documents, William Watson (34) had…

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