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]

News

Oregon–Washington I-5 Bridge Replacement Gets Coast Guard Approval but Cost Balloons to $13.6…

Lucille McNamara Jan 17, 2026

The I-5 replacement bridge across the Columbia River, which will link commuters between Oregon and Washington, will be a fixed-span construction, according to the Commander of the U.S. Coast Guard, Admiral Kevin E. Lunday, who yesterday…

News

Oregon Transportation Crisis Grows as Lawmakers Delay Action and Funding Runs Out

Lucille McNamara Jan 16, 2026

As the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) continues to grapple with a deteriorating network of roads, bridges, and pavements, lawmakers continue to dilly-dally about making a decision to alleviate the $242 million funding gap.…

Crime & Courts

Crew Sentenced After Using Stolen Trucks and Chains to Rip Open ATMs in Oregon, Florida, and…

Lucille McNamara Jan 16, 2026

Three men sentenced to prison yesterday for bank conspiracy, robbery, and theft used stolen trucks and tow chains to forcibly open ATMs in Oregon, Florida, and Missouri. Their haul totaled more than $350,000. Tidings Insight Tow chain…

Crime & Courts

Oregon Aviation Parts Smuggling Plot Exposed as Man Is Sentenced for Trying to Send Tech to Russia

Lucille McNamara Jan 16, 2026

Sanjay Kaushik from Delhi, India, was yesterday sentenced to federal prison for violating the Export Control Reform Act when he conspired to export aviation components and a navigation and flight control system from an Oregon-based supplier…

Education

Oregon Students Spend Weeks Less in School Than the U.S. Average and It’s Crippling Test Scores

Lucille McNamara Jan 15, 2026

Oregon is the worst offender nationwide of chronic school absenteeism, which amplifies the negative effects reflected in its end-of-year exam outcomes. The Average American High School Student Spends Between 35 and 47 More Days…

Oregon Could Lose $43.5 Billion After Trump Vows to Strip Funding From Sanctuary States

Lucille McNamara Jan 15, 2026

President Donald Trump says he will withdraw funding to sanctuary states and cities at the beginning of next month, placing Oregon and Portland squarely in the firing line. Records show that of the $139 billion which Oregon budgeted for…

News

Skeletal Remains on Washington Beach Identified as Missing Oregon Mayor Using Advanced DNA Testing

Lucille McNamara Jan 14, 2026

The remains of a John Doe whose skeletal remains were found on a beach in Taholah, Washington, in 2006, have been identified as those of Clarence Edward “Ed” Asher, a former Mayor of Fossil in Oregon. Born in 1934, his positive…

Politics & Elections

Oregon Could Remain One of the Only States With Unlimited Political Donations as Lawmakers Seek a…

Lucille McNamara Jan 14, 2026

Oregon will most likely continue to be one of five states where political donations remain uncapped, as multiple lawmakers from both parties support postponing the law that will change the complexion of campaigns. House Bill 4024 was…

Crime & Courts

Alleged Tren de Aragua Member Shot by Border Patrol in Portland Now Facing Federal Charges

Lucille McNamara Jan 13, 2026

Luis Nino-Moncada, the alleged member of a notorious Venezuela gang who, together with a female passenger, was shot by a Border Patrol agent in Portland last week, will appear in court today (Tuesday) charged with aggravated assault of…

News

Oregon–Washington I-5 Bridge Cost Soars to $13.6 Billion After Panel Says It Was Misled About Price…

Lucille McNamara Jan 11, 2026

The cost of the Interstate 5 bridge over the Columbia River, linking Oregon to Washington, has rocketed from $6 billion to $13.6 billion, according to an exposé by Oregon Journalism Project. The fixed-span bridge is part of the…

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