Dirk VanderHart
Dirk VanderHart covers Oregon politics and government for OPB. Before barging onto the radio in 2018, he spent more than a decade as a newspaper reporter—much of that time reporting on city government for the Portland Mercury. He’s also had stints covering chicanery in Southwest Missouri, the wilds of Ohio in Ohio, and all things Texas on Capitol Hill.
Dirk’s byline has appeared in USA Today, The New York Times, The Houston Chronicle, The Columbus Dispatch, The Oregonian, and more. He’s got a journalism degree from Michigan State University.
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The Oregon state legislature has voted to overhaul Measure 110, recriminalizing small amounts of drugs and signaling the end of the most progressive experiment in U.S. drug policy.
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Abortion access has declined dramatically nationwide, but many states have further protected abortion by enacting "shield laws," allocating funding, stockpiling medication and repealing old laws. -
In Oregon, an ongoing walkout by Republican lawmakers is blocking Democrats' attempts to pass a law that would protect and expand access to reproductive and gender-affirming health care.
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In the Oregon race for governor, the Democrat, Tina Kotek, and the Republican, Christine Drazan, are in a dead heat thanks to the independent, Betsy Johnson, who has outraised her competitors. -
Former speaker of the state House Tina Kotek has prevailed over Treasurer Tobias Read. If elected in Nov., Kotek would be the first openly lesbian governor elected in the nation. -
Oregon state Rep. Mike Nearman, a Republican who allowed far-right demonstrators to breach the state Capitol in December, now faces charges of official misconduct and criminal trespass. -
State capitals have been warned of potential armed protests and violence in the days leading up to President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration. We hear from reporters in Virginia, Michigan and Oregon.
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During the coronavirus pandemic, states have struggled with staggering revenue losses and budget shortfalls. Here's what is happening in Oregon.
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Protests continued in Oregon's largest city through Saturday night. -
On the fifth day the Republican state senators have skipped the session in protest over a cap-and-trade bill, the Senate's Democratic president said the bill would expire in the Senate chamber.
