Public funding helps provide more child care slots across the state
Oregon has fewer child care “deserts” — an area where at least three children exist for every child care slot available — than it did back in March 2020, according to a new report from researchers at Oregon State University. Since March 2020, eight of Oregon’s 36 counties have moved out of desert status for preschool-aged kids and another eight became less severe deserts for infants and toddlers. In total, OSU researchers tallied 71,153 child care slots for ages 0-5 in 2022, up from 67,981 in 2020. Researchers say the increase in child care availability stems largely from an increase in public funding. “Without that public funding, all except three counties would be child care deserts,” Michaella Sektnan, co-author on the report and senior faculty research assistant in OSU’s College of Public Health and Human Sciences, said in a press release. (OPB Staff)
Federal jury finds 3 Aequitas executives guilty in $300 million fraud scheme
A federal jury found three executives from Lake-Oswego based Aequitas Capital Management guilty on conspiracy charges for a scheme that defrauded investors of almost $300 million. The Oregon U.S. Attorney’s Office says the company was founded in 2005 and most of its holdings came from the for-profit Corinthian Colleges. After Corinthian Colleges collapsed in 2014, Aequitas lost millions per month. But the company continued soliciting investors and misrepresenting its financial health until 2016. On Monday, the former CEO and two other executives were found guilty of mail fraud and “conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.” They could face up to 20 years in prison. Three other Aequitas executives pleaded guilty to fraud charges and will be sentenced later this year. (OPB Staff)
Portland police arrest 13-year-old boy after threatened shooting
Portland police say they arrested a 13-year-old boy Monday who was threatening a shooting at Creative Science School in Southeast Portland. School administrators said the former student, who was banned from the school, entered the building before being asked to leave. Once in the school parking lot, a staff member reported seeing the teen with a gun, which turned out to be a fake. The school was put into lock down and staff called 911. Police arrived around 4 p.m. and say they found the former student near the school wearing a tactical vest, a helmet, goggles, and carrying the replica handgun. He was taken into custody and charged with menacing with a firearm and disorderly conduct. Portland Public Schools officials say they are proud of the way students and staff responded. (Elizabeth Miller/OPB)
Point-in-time count shows homelessness rising at the North Coast
Like many parts of Oregon, the number of people experiencing homelessness in Clatsop County increased during the pandemic. According to the most recent point-in-time homeless count earlier this year, 927 people in the county were homeless. That’s up about 3.7% from 2019, when 894 people were unhoused. Of the 927 people counted, 117 were chronically homeless, which is defined as someone with a serious mental illness, physical disability or substance abuse disorder who has been homeless for a year or longer. (Nicole Bales/The Daily Astorian)
Deal keeps Portland barge factory alive, preserves 300 jobs
A factory that builds barges in Portland’s Northwest industrial area will continue operating, following a deal announced Tuesday. Lake Oswego-based Greenbrier says it is transferring Gunderson Marine to a new owner, Oregon Green Manufacturing. The move follows Greenbrier’s decision to shut down railcar building in Portland. Oregon Green Manufacturing is run by executives with experience leading manufacturing firms. In a statement, Oregon Green says it plans to grow the marine business and may add other business lines at the site. The deal should result in preserving about 300 manufacturing jobs, according to the companies. (OPB Staff)