Latest news with #Oregon
Fox News
3 hours ago
- Business
- Fox News
Portland's WNBA expansion team fires team president just two months into tenure: report
The WNBA's Portland franchise reportedly fired its president, Inky Son, just three weeks before the team is expected to launch its brand. Son's dismissal came as a result of significant "growing pains" and a "rocky" rollout, The Oregonian reported Friday. On June 20, the WNBA Portland X account posted the date of July 15, saying a countdown was on, potentially alluding to the announcement of the team's official name. The WNBA did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment about Son's reported dismissal. Son was hired April 1 as the first employee of the WNBA's Portland franchise. Prior to joining Portland, Son was the chief administrative officer for the National Basketball Players Association. "This is an amazing opportunity to help bring back a WNBA franchise to Portland, a city that loves basketball and has already shown itself to be supportive of women's sports," Son said in a statement when she was hired. "I am honored to be in a position like this to further the women's game, and I look forward to creating a winning environment for our future players, our staff and the fans of Portland." Mike Whitehead, managing director of RAJ Sports, the parent company of the Portland WNBA franchise, expressed confidence in Son after she was hired. "As the very first employee of the organization, Inky will lay the groundwork for our future growth, and we are confident her leadership will drive the franchise to new heights, creating a lasting impact both in Portland and across the WNBA," Whitehead said in a statement in April after Son was hired. Son's responsibilities were to oversee all aspects of the business, including marketing, ticket and sponsorship sales, community relations, finance, legal and human resources. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Oregon Legislature pivots to 3-cent gas tax increase instead of $11.7 billion transportation package
Oregon Department of Transportation workers fill a pothole on U.S. Highway 97 near Chemult in 2016 (Oregon Department of Transportation/Flickr) This is a developing story and will be updated Oregon Democrats appear to have pulled the plug on a transportation package more than a year in the making, unable to find the votes for a series of tax increases as the legislative session draws to an end. Instead, House Speaker Julie Fahey, D-Eugene, is pushing a 3-cent increase to the state's 40-cent gas tax and increases to vehicle and title fees. An estimate for how much it would raise hasn't yet been released, but it's sure to be a far cry from the $11.7 billion lawmakers aimed to raise over 10 years in their earlier bill. Gov Tina Kotek plans to testify in favor of the new plan, her staff confirmed. It's a blow to a legislative effort months in the making. Lawmakers traveled the state last summer, seeking public input on plans to overhaul the state's transportation funding system. Fahey's 20-page amendment, attached to House Bill 3402, was scheduled for a hearing in the House Rules Committee at 3:45 p.m. and is expected to be sent to the Joint Transportation Reinvestment Committee from there. It would change a previously innocuous bill requiring the Department of Transportation to study speed bumps into a last-ditch attempt to raise some money for Oregon's crumbling roads and bridges The new bill includes accountability measures, such as requiring regular audits of the transportation department and shifting responsibility to hire and fire the department's director from the Oregon Transportation Commission to the governor. It would raise the gas tax from 40 cents to 43 cents, hike vehicle registration fees from $43 to $64 and increase vehicle title fees from $77 to $168. Gone are increases to the transit payroll tax, which would have gradually tripled from 0.1% to 0.3% under prior versions of the measure. A proposal to mandate electric vehicle users pay a per-mile fee also didn't make the final bill. Without the payroll tax increase, officials at Portland's public transit agency TriMet said they'd have to cut 27% of their bus service, eliminating 45 of 79 bus lines. The tax increase would have cost an Oregonian making the state's median annual income about $10 per month, according to TriMet's analysis. The measure aims to fill an immediate funding gap of $1 billion per year that the Oregon Department of Transportation faces. All tax increases in that bill are intended for the state transportation department, worrying cities and counties. In a statement Friday, Portland Mayor Keith Wilson said the bill would put Portland's street system at risk. 'It jeopardizes dozens of essential city infrastructure jobs and our ability to perform basic safety functions like filling potholes and implementing traffic safety improvements,' Wilson said. 'We can't afford a patchwork solution. Legislators, please don't leave Salem without addressing crumbling city transportation systems.' The long-awaited transportation package faced headwinds in recent days, as Republicans and moderate Democrats lined up against it. Rep. Kevin Mannix, R-Salem, was the only Republican to publicly support the larger measure, saying it wasn't perfect but was better than nothing, while Sen. Mark Meek, D-Gladstone, doubled down on his objection to it. 'From the correspondence I've received from around the state of Oregon and my community both in letters, emails, phone calls, social media posts, I'm doing the right thing for Oregonians,' he said on the Senate floor Friday morning. Reporters Alex Baumhardt and Shaanth Nanguneri contributed to this article.
Washington Post
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
Trail Blazers see 7-1 Chinese center Yang Hansen as a unique and versatile talent
PORTLAND, Ore. — Yang Hansen is going to fit into American culture just fine. The Trail Blazers' 7-foot-1 Chinese center was introduced to Portland on Friday, and was asked about his interests. Turns out, he's already a gamer. 'Sometimes I sleep. All the time, sleep. I like to play PS5. And I like to eat,' Yang said, laughing.
Fox News
6 hours ago
- Fox News
Suspected ICE facility attackers arrested in blue city, charged with assaulting federal officers
Multiple suspects allegedly involved in a violent South Portland, Oregon, riot near a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office appeared in court Thursday for offenses that included assaulting federal officers and creating a hazard while on government property. Julie Winters, 46, of Portland, was charged with felony attempted assault of a federal officer. Aziel Chambers, 20, of Merlin, was charged with misdemeanor assault of a federal officer, creating a hazard on federal property and failing to obey a lawful order. Rachel Jean Pope, 28, of Portland, was charged with misdemeanor assault of a federal officer. According to court documents and information shared in court, several people gathered Tuesday near an ICE office in South Portland, where, for weeks, rioters have repeatedly targeted the building and federal law enforcement officers with threatening statements, discharging pepper spray and throwing rocks, trash and bricks. Officials said the incident started at about 11 p.m. Tuesday, when two people tried to set an American flag on fire in the driveway of the building. To clear the driveway, federal officers used "less-than-lethal" means, including gas canisters, to disperse the crowd, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. Court documents allege Pope picked up one of the metal canisters and threw it toward the officers, hitting one. At about 11:15 p.m., federal officers saw Winters attempting to light an incendiary device next to the guard shack of the building, according to the release. As Federal Protective Service (FPS) officers engaged with Winters, she allegedly pulled a large knife from her backpack and began waving the blade toward the officers. Officials said Winters then threw the knife at an officer, but it did not hit anyone. She was tased while attempting to flee and was taken to the ground. As officers attempted to take her into custody, she pulled a second large knife from her waistband, according to court documents. An officer disarmed Winters and arrested her. The same evening, Chambers allegedly pointed a laser pointer at a federal officer's eye, according to the release. Chambers was also charged with failing to comply with an officer's orders to leave the premises June 17 and for allegedly throwing an object at federal property June 20. Winters was detained pending future court proceedings, officials said. Pope and Chambers were released on conditions pending future court proceedings. Attempting to assault a federal officer and inflict bodily injury is punishable by a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, according to the U.S. Attorney's office. Misdemeanor assault of a federal officer is punishable by a maximum penalty of one year in prison. Failure to obey a lawful order and creating a hazard on federal property are Class C misdemeanors and carry a maximum penalty of 30 days in prison.
Reuters
7 hours ago
- Business
- Reuters
Portland's expansion WNBA franchise parts with president
June 27 - Portland's new WNBA team parted ways with its president less than three months after hiring her. After the Oregonian reported that the expansion franchise fired team president Inky Son, ownership group RAJ Sports released a joint statement with Son saying that she "has decided to leave the organization." Son came to Portland following a tenure as the National Basketball Players Association's chief administrative officer. The team announced her hiring on April 1. "During her brief but impactful tenure, Son helped lay the foundation for the franchise's presence in Portland, shaping its early business operations and community engagement efforts," the statement said. "Son will return to New York, where she was previously based, and the organization thanks her for her leadership during this important phase and wishes her success in her next chapter." The Oregonian reported there were significant "growing pains" behind the scenes that may have contributed to Son's departure. WNBA Portland has yet to reveal its team identity, hinting that it will do so July 15. The franchise has yet to hire a general manager. Portland will be joining the WNBA next season at the same time as another expansion franchise in Toronto. That team already announced its identity, the Toronto Tempo. --Field Level Media
