By Julia Shumway | Editor
“When people charged with crimes go without counsel, justice is delayed for defendants and for the communities harmed by crime. A 66% reduction in unrepresented defendants is a turning point. The work is not done, and we will keep striving for improvement until every person needing counsel has an attorney.” — Gov. Tina Kotek, responding to the sharp decrease in Oregonians lacking access to an attorney while facing criminal charges. While the state and U.S. constitutions promise the right to legal representation as part of a fair trial, Oregon for years has lacked enough public defenders to represent everyone, leaving cases to be delayed or dismissed while people accused of crimes linger in limbo. The number of unrepresented Oregonians fell from more than 3,200 last August to roughly 1,100 last month.
Also in today's edition:
New Amtrak trains roll into stations
Nearly 170 families lost food bought with SNAP because of summer wildfires
Columnist Randy Stapilus on how Oregon’s congressional districts became safe
News tips, feedback or questions? Email us at [email protected]
By Shaanth Nanguneri
Outside of the Oregon Supreme Court in Salem on Dec. 14, 2023. State leaders are pointing to a decrease in the number of unrepresented Oregonians as they seek to improve the state’s ability to provide defense counsel. (Ben Botkin/Oregon Capital Chronicle)
A major decrease in the number of Oregonians facing criminal charges without publicly-provided attorneys over the past year is earning praise from state leaders after years of Oregon failing to provide enough counsel to meet people’s constitutional rights.
By Tom Banse
A sleek new Amtrak Cascades train passed through the Willamette Valley in July on a test run. Regular service with this next-generation train model begins in Washington and Oregon on Sept. 30. (Photo courtesy of Oregon Department of Transportation)
A date that Pacific Northwest train riders and advocates have long awaited is finally nigh. Amtrak’s sleek, amenity-packed new trains will debut on the Cascades intercity route on Sept. 30.
By Mia Maldonado
Wildfire smoke rolls over the skies near Warm Springs along U.S. Highway 26 on July 25, 2026, two days after state officials detected the Bench fire. (Photo by Oregon Department of Transportation)
About 170 Oregon households requested replacements to their federal food benefits this summer after they had to evacuate their homes because of a wildfire this summer, according to data the Capital Chronicle obtained from the Oregon Department of Human Services.
By Randy Stapilus
Just four years ago, after Oregon’s new congressional district map was set, the state was home to a group of strongly contested races for the U.S. House.
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