Latest news with #St.Helens
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Merkley introducing bill to lower prescription drug costs following Trump order
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley is teaming up with three congressional colleagues to introduce a bill aiming to slash prescription drug prices. Merkley is joined by Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-MI) to introduce the , the lawmakers announced Wednesday. According to the lawmakers, the bill would lower prescription drug costs for all Americans and end price gouging by requiring drug companies to offer medications in the United States at the lowest price per drug offered in 12 other similarly developed countries – including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. 'She was in tears': St. Helens coaches target Astoria player 'Americans pay the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs, even though we invest the most in cutting-edge research and development. That is unconscionable,' Merkley said in a press release. 'In my town halls across every corner of Oregon, I've heard time and again from Oregonians about how sky-high prescription drug prices are pushing their budgets to the limit. The End Price Gouging for Medications Act will crack down on Big Pharma's greed.' The bill comes after , directing Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to set targets for drug companies to lower prescription drug prices in 30 days, as reported by the Associated Press, noting Trump hopes this will lead to negotiations between HHS and drug companies. If nothing comes from those talks, Kennedy will impose a 'most favored nation' policy to cap U.S. prices at the lowest rates paid by similarly wealthy nations, AP reports. Oregon housing bill 'strips away the rights' of first time homebuyers 'Basically, what we are doing is equalizing,' Trump said during a press conference on Monday. 'We're all going to pay the same.' However, Merkley, Welch, Sanders and Dingell point out that the executive order only applies to Medicare and Medicaid prescription drug prices, whereas their bill would apply to all Americans regardless of their insurance coverage or health care status. 'In this case, (President Trump is) putting out an idea and saying, 'I'm going to do an executive order. So come negotiate with me.' But it's really just kind of a Potemkin village, a false front. It has no teeth in it. And if he wants teeth, he should advocate for legislation to make this happen. He should advocate for my bill, and I hope he will,' Sen. Merkley told KOIN 6 News in an interview Wednesday. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now In a press release, Merkley said if the president 'is serious' about lowering prescription drug prices, he should work with Congress, later telling KOIN 6, 'I know President Trump really likes to operate by executive order, but that's what you do in authoritarian kingdoms. It's not what you do in a republic. In a republic, you write a law, you get the legislators to vote for it, and I'll be ready to help President Trump have this most favored nation drug prices vision getting into law — do everything I can to help on that. That's the right thing to do.' Americans spend more than $1,400 every year on average for prescription drugs, the lawmakers said in a press release citing the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. That marks the highest per capita drug spending in the world, they added. The efforts to lower drug prices come as prescriptions such as Ozempic costs Americans almost $13,000 annually to treat type 2 diabetes, compared to roughly $850 in Japan, according to the lawmakers, adding Humira, used to treat Crohn's disease, costs Americans more than $100,000 per year, compared to an estimated $3,320 per year in Austria. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Oregon Sen. Wyden seeks answers from Trump admin on Fallon Smart policy
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) is urging the Trump administration for updates on plans to implement a policy in honor of a Portland teen, while seeking accountability for Saudi Arabia. In a May 5 letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Wyden asked for updates on the implementation of the Fallon Smart policy, named after a 15-year-old Portland girl who was struck and killed by a speeding driver in Portland in 2016. The driver — identified as , a 20-year-old Saudi citizen attending college in Oregon — was arrested but fled the country before his trial and went back to Saudi Arabia despite his passport being confiscated, 'with the likely assistance of the Saudi government,' Wyden said. The case led Wyden to spearhead the Fallon Smart policy in 2023, which requires the State Department to identify and revoke visas of any foreign official who helps foreign criminal suspects evade prosecution by leaving the United States. 'She was in tears': St. Helens coaches target Astoria player In his letter, Wyden also asked Rubio to declassify any information on foreign officials who have helped criminal suspects escape prosecution. In most cases, local law enforcement confiscates passports of accused criminals and sets bail that the individuals are unlikely to pay themselves, Wyden explained in the letter, noting 'many of these individuals somehow made bail and quickly received the resources and travel documents necessary to board a plane and leave our country, only to resurface in Saudi Arabia later.' Wyden wrote that these cases led him to author and pass a 2019 law to declassify a Federal Bureau of Investigation report called 'Saudi Officials Almost Certainly Assist Saudi Citizens Flee the United States to Avoid Legal Issues, Undermining the US Judicial Process.' The NBA's Portland Trail Blazers are going up for sale According to Wyden, the report concluded that Saudis would not stop the practice unless the U.S. government addressed the issue with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 'In seeking to uphold the Fallon Smart Policy, your department made a commitment to coordinate with all embassies and consulates overseas and with all relevant U.S. agencies with equities in the matter. Further, under 22 U.S.C. § 2723, the State Department is required to report on a timely basis to Congress every denial of a visa under this policy,' Wyden wrote to Secretary Rubio. 'In April of this year, I traveled to Saudi Arabia to raise the issue of the Saudi government helping criminal suspects flee. In meetings with Saudi government officials, I urged them to return to the United States all Saudi nationals accused of crimes, including violent crimes such as murder, rape and assault, so that they may stand trial. I ask that you pursue this issue with the highest levels of leadership within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and formally press for the return of all Saudi nationals who evaded justice,' Wyden continued. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now 'As I promised the family of Fallon Smart, I will birddog the implementation of this policy and make sure the Fallon Smart Policy is applied whenever there is evidence of foreign officials undermining the American justice system,' Wyden said. 'I will not be silent when Saudi Arabia tries to cleanse its blood-stained hands, nor will I cease to hold Saudi officials accountable for the death of Fallon Smart and others like hers. To that end, I ask you to provide me with details about the implementation of the policy.' Oregon's senior senator also sent a to President Trump on May 5, urging the president for a 'full reset' of the U.S.' relationship with Saudi Arabia. In his letter to the president, Wyden called for the reset, citing the Fallon Smart policy and the alleged roles Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud and the Saudi government played in the death of Washington Post journalist , along with surveillance and detention of dissidents, journalists, women's rights activists and foreign laborers. Driver accused of 'deliberately' ramming motorcyclist now faces attempted murder charge 'I understand that you are planning a visit to Saudi Arabia, and I urge you to seek accountability for Saudi abuses against our country, including its punitive economic actions that have undermined U.S. interests,' Wyden wrote Trump. 'You must push for Saudi recognition of these actions. You must also seek retribution for these actions and refrain from handing out favors to the Saudis until they follow through with meaningful reform.' A spokesperson for Senator Wyden told KOIN 6 News they have not received a response to the letter, noting the Trump administration has only confirmed they received Wyden's letter. A State Department spokesperson told KOIN 6 the agency does not comment on Congressional matters. The letter comes as President Trump received a 'lavish royal welcome' to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday as part of a three-nation visit in the Middle East, as reported by the , noting Trump was 'warmly greeted' by the crown prince and the two signed several economic and cooperation agreements. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Yahoo
Driver accused of ‘deliberately' ramming motorcyclist now faces attempted murder charge
PORTLAND, Ore. () — The driver accused of intentionally ramming a motorcyclist and causing him injuries from sliding across a highway is now facing attempted murder and other charges. The new charge comes after a Washington County grand jury indicted Samir Helio Pazzoto-Filho after the alleged off Highway 26 on the morning of May 5. St. Helens coaches target Astoria softball player Video of the incident shows a blue Kia driver sideswiping a motorcyclist, with the rider becoming dislodged from his vehicle and sliding across the concrete ground. The motorcyclist, a young man in his 20s, reportedly slid 250 feet on his stomach, shredding his clothes, cracking his helmet and disintegrating the steel toe of his shoe along the way. After a stay at a hospital for serious injuries, the motorcyclist was released and is currently recovering at home, the Beaverton Police Department said on Tuesday. 'The fact that somebody deliberately turned into my son and rammed him off the road is what makes me sick to my stomach,' said the victim's mother, Patsy, in an interview with KOIN 6 News last week. 'His actions could've killed my son.' Kotek: Budget cuts to Medicaid are 'morally indefensible' On May 6, Beaverton police came to Pazzoto-Filho's home near Highway 26 and Southwest 185th Avenue, based on a community tip. When officers arrived, they saw a blue Kia Carnival with signs of crash damage matching the description of the suspect vehicle. He was arrested without incident, officials said. Pazzoto-Filho appeared in court on Tuesday after a grand jury added the more severe attempted murder charge to his original list of charges. The jury also charged him with first- and second-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon, felony hit and run and reckless driving. NBA's Portland Trail Blazers are going up for sale The investigation into the incident is still ongoing. Authorities are asking anyone with information about the case or 'Pazzoto-Filho's driving behavior before or during the incident' to contact Beaverton police Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Kotek signs bill for anonymous Oregon lottery winners, bans discounting
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek recently signed a bipartisan bill allowing Oregon lottery winners to remain anonymous while aiming to deter scammers from buying winning tickets for less than full value. House Bill 3115, which was sponsored by Rep. John Lively (D-Springfield) and Rep. Kim Wallan (R-Medford), requires the names and addresses of lottery winners to be exempt from public disclosure unless the lottery winner provides written permission. The legislation also bans lottery winners from selling their winning tickets and bans others from purchasing or claiming a winning lottery ticket prize for another person. DON'T MISS: Oregon Lottery marks 40 years of impact on state's economy 'without raising taxes' While Oregon Lottery remained neutral and did not support or oppose the bill, the agency's senior manager of communications and policy, Matt Shelby, testified about the practice of 'discounting,' when a lottery winner sells their winning ticket for less than full value. According to Shelby, some people may sell their winning lottery tickets for less than full value because they want to avoid traveling to prize claim centers in Wilsonville or Salem. However, Oregon Lottery is aware of some 'nefarious' reasons to buy or sell winning tickets. 'A player may also sell their ticket for more nefarious reasons, such as if they know they owe outstanding child support, and that all or part of their prize may be garnished against that debt per ORS 461.715,' Shelby explained in written testimony. 'She was in tears': St. Helens coaches target Astoria player In other cases, Shelby said, 'Someone at the bar you're playing at gives you some false information, like the state's going to take 70% of that prize or they're going to check your immigration status when you (go to an Oregon lottery payment center). None of those things are true, but someone may give you that information in an attempt to scare you and then offer to pay less than face value for the ticket.' According to Shelby, Oregon Lottery is also aware of individuals making a business out of buying winning tickets at a discount. 'We're aware of a handful of pawn shops and a couple individuals here in the state who have made a business of buying winning tickets at deep discounts. These folks come into Lottery with stacks of tickets to claim at once. And while common sense tells us that they're not the winner on all those tickets – nobody is that lucky – we don't have a way to prove for each individual ticket who the original prize winner was,' Shelby explained, noting these professional ticket buyers will openly advertise these services online or hand out business cards at bars and restaurants. 'Bock bock, you next': Man harassing peacocks tried to murder man who confronted him According to Shelby, Oregon Lottery is against discounting and has taken steps to reduce its prevalence, including in 2023, when Oregon Lottery adopted a rule banning retailers from facilitating the practice. While HB 3115 aims to deter discounting, Shelby said enforcement will remain a challenge. 'Enforcement challenges will remain so long as lottery games are played anonymously. It's simply the case that when a person presents an unsigned winning ticket or play slip to us for payment, we don't know whether the claimant is the original winner or not, and so the practice of discounting may continue even with passage of the bill,' Shelby said. 'Lottery will continue to explore solutions to the issue, such as providing a way to claim prizes digitally or expanding 'known play' in which a player would need to log in or otherwise identity themselves and, thus, attach their name to any prizes won.' Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now After Governor Kotek signed the bill on May 8, the law will take effect 91 days after the Oregon legislative session ends in June. In a letter to Oregon House Speaker Julie Fahey (D-West Eugene & Veneta) and Senate President Rob Wagner (D-Lake Oswego), Gov. Kotek described her support for the legislation. The governor noted that after January's public hearing, an amendment was added to the bill exempting lottery winners from public disclosure, noting, 'Though this amendment did not receive any opposition, it raises important questions about the Oregon Lottery's responsibility to make sure participation is safe and accessible while also enduring transparency and integrity in the system.' 'As Governor, I believe that safety and transparency are not mutually exclusive and can be achieved concurrently. Given this, I will direct the agency to continue to make non-identifying winner information such as city and zip code readily available,' Kotek wrote.' I believe the Oregon Lottery will maintain strong oversight of the system, and thus I hereby sign HB 3115 into law.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Washington Post
17-02-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
Record defeat in Europe's top division in rugby league is under investigation
SALFORD, England — The most one-sided result in the history of Europe's top division in rugby league is subject to an investigation over whether the sport was brought 'into disrepute'. Salford was thrashed 82-0 by St. Helens on Saturday in the opening round of the Super League, which currently contains teams from England and France. Salford — from northwest England — decided to field a weakened lineup containing mostly young reserve players for the match because the club is under salary-cap restrictions by the Rugby Football League, the governing body for the English game. Those restrictions were kept in place despite Salford announcing the completion of a takeover by a new consortium after months of financial problems.
