iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Ryan Haas

Erica C. Barnett @ericacbarnett.bsky.social · 8h

Bills to provide government support through tax breaks and funding should be DESIGNED TO HELP SMALL NEWS OUTLETS EXPAND, not just keep legacy media alive. None of us can coast on monopoly power and inertia the way the Times can. We all deserve a chance to grow and expand our success.

0277

Ryan Haas @ryanjhaas.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Me, a dumpster person, getting a public records request back that has a ton of department heads frantically emailing "FYI" to each other.

static.klipy.com

Opossum Rubbing Hands

ALT: Opossum Rubbing Hands

1550

Reposted by Ryan Haas

Alex Baumhardt @alexbaumhardt.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Met with 36 journalists in NYC this week to talk about climate change and economic trends and as depressing as that reality is, what takes the cake was learning that McClatchy, right after recent mass layoffs at the Miami Herald, posted positions for influencers at pay exceeding most reporters.

23316

Reposted by Ryan Haas

Maxine Bernstein @maxbernstein.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Testimony revealed ICE agents randomly ran license plates of cars in Walmart & McDonald's lots in Medford this summer, looking to detain people. Judge says he’s ‘deeply concerned’ about inaccuracies in ICE reports & post-arrest justifications for stops. www.oregonlive.com/crime/2026/0...

oregonlive.com

ICE ‘dragnet’ violates court order against warrantless arrests, immigration lawyers say

Federal judge cites "deep concerns" about inaccuracies in ICE documents, and post-arrest justifications for stops.

0187

Ryan Haas @ryanjhaas.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

The state of transparency in Oregon.

2184

Ryan Haas @ryanjhaas.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

We at @thewesternedge.bsky.social are all about transparency. Unfortunately, a lot of journalists are opaque about their process and methods. So, I'm experimenting with what it might look like to take the audience inside a story as it's being worked on. Let us know what you'd like to see more of!

thewesternedge.media

Journalism Live: Election Security and Mail-In Voting

A look inside an upcoming story from The Western Edge.

3160

Reposted by Ryan Haas

John Ryan @heyjohnryan.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

INBOX/Friday 4:56p.m.PT news dump: US DOE issues its 4th 'emergency' order that the TransAlta coal-burning power plant in Centralia, Wash., stay open another 90 days. Order comes same day a federal court found DOE's similar coal mandate in Michigan illegal, b/c there's no emergency.

12112

Ryan Haas @ryanjhaas.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

There isn't much to say about the McClatchy layoffs that hasn't already been said. But I will add that this is why I remain suspicious of all the news organizations pushing to vertical videos and "bite-sized" content and blah blah. Owners of legacy media aren't all that interested in journalism.

24613

Reposted by Ryan Haas

Leah Sottile @leahsottile.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

There are options when it comes to saving local journalism. For example, AB 2222 is waiting for Newsom's signature in California. I really hope Northwest states follow the lead of Rebuild Local News. Something like this would be a game changer: www.rebuildlocalnews.org/explainer-ca...

rebuildlocalnews.org

Explainer: California’s Community NEWS Act (AB 2222)

An overview of California’s proposed local journalist employment credit for newsrooms, explaining how the program works, who qualifies, and the safeguards designed to prevent misuse.

22913

Reposted by Ryan Haas

Nik Streng @nikstreng.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

No newspaper in history has ever run layoffs as an effort to focus on local community journalism. It’s 100% a lie. They always want to do LESS community journalism to focus on things that get views

02710

Reposted by Ryan Haas

demi 🪄 @deminlawrence.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

You’ve just gotta laugh: Portland Metro Chamber, weirdly under their former name Portland Business Alliance, got awarded one of Portland Business Journal’s “Best Places to Work.” A reminder that Portland taxpayers pay PMC executive salaries, and that PMC gave the PBJ’s publisher an award last year.

2287

Reposted by Ryan Haas

Jim Brunner @jimbrunner.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

A classic of newspaper life: the WSJ editorial board pooh poohs the recent expose (by its own reporters) on Sen. John Fetterman. www.wsj.com/opinion/demo...

wsj.com

Opinion | Democrats Want Fetterman ‘on a Pike’

His support for Israel is the reason he’s now under attack from anonymous staff and Senate leaks.

0162

Ryan Haas @ryanjhaas.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

It's Labor Day. I recently checked in with an active labor movement in North Carolina that was partially inspired to a hunger strike protest due to deaths inside Amazon facilities like the one that took place this year in Oregon.

thewesternedge.media

40 Days, No Food: The Amazon Worker Starving Himself to Protest the Company

As Labor Day approaches, The Western Edge spoke to one labor activist on an extended hunger strike to highlight deaths inside Amazon facilities.

0168

Reposted by Ryan Haas

Leah Sottile @leahsottile.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

After @ryanjhaas.bsky.social reported on the death of Amazon worker James Wetmore at PDX9, warehouse workers nationwide took notice, including Italo Medelius. He's been on a hunger strike for 39 days in protest of deaths at Amazon: www.thewesternedge.media/p/40-days-no...

thewesternedge.media

40 Days, No Food: The Amazon Worker Starving Himself to Protest the Company

As Labor Day approaches, The Western Edge spoke to one labor activist on an extended hunger strike to highlight deaths inside Amazon facilities.

02717

Ryan Haas @ryanjhaas.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

This week will mark the end of a 40-day hunger strike by an Amazon worker who says the company's policies have contributed to deaths. He was inspired to take up the protest in part after @thewesternedge.bsky.social reported on a death at a Troutdale facility.

open.substack.com

40 Days, No Food: The Amazon Worker Starving Himself to Protest the Company

As Labor Day approaches, The Western Edge spoke to one labor activist on an extended hunger strike to highlight deaths inside Amazon facilities.

1214

Reposted by Ryan Haas

Leah Sottile @leahsottile.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

In progressive Oregon, DEI efforts within the Parks system struggled years BEFORE Trump was re-elected. The first two DEI directors were fired, and a report about barriers to access was buried. A new @thewesternedge.bsky.social investigation, out now. www.thewesternedge.media/p/dei-at-ore...

thewesternedge.media

DEI at Oregon Parks is Lost in the Woods

In progressive Oregon, the Parks department has wrung its hands for years over inclusion

2269

Ryan Haas @ryanjhaas.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Parks leaders in Oregon talk a big game about wanting to make the state's beautiful parks more accessible to new people, but those goals often stop at words. A new story from The Western Edge today.

1247

Reposted by Ryan Haas

Shane Burley (Blue Sky Edition) @shaneburley.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

This reinstatement happened for one reason: a union contract. She was brought back against managements wishes because she won the highest level of the grievance procedure, arbitration. This is how you can take the power back from people like Jeff Bezos: form a union.

153288838

Ryan Haas @ryanjhaas.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Terrible day for spiders. (Actually cleaned my garage for once)

1180

Reposted by Ryan Haas

Jerad Walker @jeradwalker.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

American airports are my top source for life science education.

A random sign at my gate at RDU in Raleigh, NC:

The State Marsupial of North Carolina
North American Opossum
Didelphis virginiana

An exhibit of taxidermied animals at PWN in Portland, Maine featuring a moose and black bears

3454

Ryan Haas @ryanjhaas.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

@thewesternedge.bsky.social has some really good stories in the pipeline. In the meantime, we decided to offer a look at where we are as a company so far and a recap on a few stories you might have missed this summer.

thewesternedge.media

The State of the Edge

A status report: lessons learned after six months of business.

0103

Reposted by Ryan Haas

ProPublica @propublica.org · 21/08/2026

Alaska vowed to resolve the murders of Indigenous people. But when one nonprofit asked state law enforcement officials for a fundamental piece of data — a list of Indigenous murders they’d investigated — the state said no. (Published Aug. 2025 with @adn.com)

propublica.org

Alaska Vowed to Resolve Murders of Indigenous People. Now It Refuses to Provide Their Names.

When the nonprofit Data for Indigenous Justice filed public records requests with the Alaska Department of Public Safety concerning cases it had investigated, the state rejected them.

20797390

Reposted by Ryan Haas

Alex Zielinski @alexzee.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

In San Antonio, councilors just voted down a proposal to ask the public to vote on whether to spend nearly $500m on an new NBA arena. A lot of similarities (to Portland's Moda debate) in the discourse: "Completing this arena is widely viewed as a necessity to keep the Spurs in San Antonio."

nytimes.com

San Antonio City Council rejects mayor’s motion for re-vote on Spurs arena deal

The Spurs’ new arena deal cleared its latest hurdle Monday, when the city council denied a motion to reopen the funding to a public vote.

44914

Reposted by Ryan Haas

Seth Cotlar @sethcotlar.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

January 6 was only 5 and a half years ago, and we’ve already cycled through investigation, indictment, conviction, pardon, and now gleeful promises to do it again only with actual hanging rather than just chants about it. Nice job GOP.

Enrique Tarrio O
@NobleOne
X.com
They're still doing it because we didn't hang them
last time.
3:18 PM • 8/15/26 • 11K Views

26785262477

Ryan Haas @ryanjhaas.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Listening to The Daily today and I would love to hear how the NYT defines who is "activist left" vs. "progressive" vs. simply left.

5400

Ryan Haas @ryanjhaas.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

You know things are going bad for FLOCK when even Josephine County is canceling its contract due to community backlash.

A press release from the Josephine County Sheriff's Office in Oregon, announcing they have canceled their use of FLOCK cameras.

1515

Reposted by Ryan Haas

Oregon Humanities @oregonhumanities.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

Mohsin Jamal writes about how Afghan refugees in Salem are using tea parties and volleyball games to build community in their new home. This week, we're sharing stories from our 2026 Community Storytelling Fellows. Read Mohsin's full story: oregonhumanities.org/rll/beyond-t...

oregonhumanities.org

From Teacups to Volleyball Courts

Mohsin Jamal writes about how Afghan refugees in Salem are building community in their new home.

031

Reposted by Ryan Haas

Ben Waterhouse @beninoregon.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

Thanks to @ryanjhaas.bsky.social for helping Mohsin with this moving story about Salem's Afghan refugee community.

261

Reposted by Ryan Haas

OPB @opb.org · 11/08/2026

District Attorney Kevin Barton and Presiding Judge Rebecca Guptill traded thorny letters late last week, each blaming the other for the drug court’s current hiatus. It has evolved into a debate of judicial independence.

opb.org

Washington County DA, judge trade blame for drug court hiatus

Drug courts — Washington County’s is called Adult Recovery Court or ARC — are tailored to help people with drug-related criminal charges get treatment instead of a harsher sentence, like prison time.

032

Reposted by Ryan Haas

Erick Doxey @erickdoxey.com · 06/08/2026

More scenes from the Balboa Neighborhood in Spokane, Washington today of the destruction caused by the Old Trails Fire on August 1st. Members of the Moses Lake FD were on scene to help clean up any potential hot spots. Photos taken for @bloomberg.com

0162

Reposted by Ryan Haas

Alexandra (Alex) Duggan @alexdugganreports.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

The front page of this morning’s Spokesman-Review, Aug. 2, 2026, the day after one of the worst wildfires in Washington state history. More than 600 structures, mostly homes, have been lost in the #OldTrailsFire. Read local news.

10375194

Reposted by Ryan Haas

Scott A. Leadingham @scottleadingham.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

4 major fires affecting Spokane area today: - Old Trails Fire (largest, most evacs) - Fairview Fire - Autumn Lane Fire / Meadowview Fire For emergency updates: @watchduty.org Local News: - Spokesman Review - @kxly.com (kxly.com) - KREM (krem.com) - KHQ (khq.com) www.spokesman.com/stories/2026...

spokesman.com

'When the sun rises, we are going to be in shock': Thousands evacuated in north Spokane as wildfire crosses river into city

A wildfire driven by high winds jumped the Spokane River Saturday afternoon and burned into city neighborhoods on the bluffs above the river.

01311

Reposted by Ryan Haas

Alex Baumhardt @alexbaumhardt.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

Washington state lawmakers failed to pass House Bill 2515 earlier this year, which would have required data centers to pay additional utility charges, comply with clean energy requirements, and shut off power at times of peak demand. washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/07/29/w...

washingtonstatestandard.com

With 2030 deadline to cut emissions approaching, WA has a long way to go • Washington State Standard

Washington met its first emissions limit set in 2020, mostly due to the pandemic. The 2030 target will be a much heavier lift.

2159

Ryan Haas @ryanjhaas.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

As a union member, fuck off. "But it also contained items that team officials deemed 'nonstarters' — including a proposed $3 million annual fee to make up for property taxes the Blazers won’t pay, and requirements that the team sign a 'labor peace agreement' paving the way for unionized staff."

3438

Reposted by Ryan Haas

Leah Sottile @leahsottile.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

This issue has long been the bailiwick of Mayor Jennifer Massey, who talks about how she thinks Cannard (formerly Tina Curry) stole money at any opportunity. Here’s a podcast with her and her friends talking all about it: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6uC...

youtube.com

FAFODDS E2-Tourism behind the E2C Curtain- Brochures to Bullshit Part 1

YouTube video by FAFODDS Podcast: The Find Out Phase

294

Reposted by Ryan Haas

Leah Sottile @leahsottile.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

Cannard planned Halloweentown for years and in the course of doing so, she claims a city staffer instructed her to open a bank account to collect revenue to pay vendors. She also retained profits from events she planned. St Helens had no access to the account, but she provided accounting for it

264

Reposted by Ryan Haas

Leah Sottile @leahsottile.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

Last week, the longtime event planner of Halloweentown - Tina Cannard - filed a lawsuit against the City of St Helens, Wauna Credit Union, the current and former chiefs of police, and a city councillor for $2.5 million for breach of contract, and defamation.

194

Reposted by Ryan Haas

Leah Sottile @leahsottile.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

Remember back in March when @ryanjhaas.bsky.social and I did a story on St Helens and the drama that started with the police department over Halloweentown? Well, our @thewesternedge.bsky.social story just got more interesting. Gather round: www.thewesternedge.media/p/the-shady-...

thewesternedge.media

The Shady Cop Who Haunts Halloweentown

A porn-texting police chief, a mayor posting through it all and the Oregon town that can’t let go of the 2024 election.

1278

Reposted by Ryan Haas

Alex Baumhardt @alexbaumhardt.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

Portland State’s plan calls for $35 million in cuts to academic programs and instructional staff, despite the fact that the university during the last decade doubled its administrative spending per student while enrollment fell 23 percent. www.bizjournals.com/portland/new...

bizjournals.com

Portland State to cut 2 departments, 36 faculty amid shortfall - Portland Business Journal

Portland State University said it will eliminate two academic departments and 36 full-time positions to address at $35 million budget shortfall.

22111

Reposted by Ryan Haas

Jason Notte @notteham.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

After the Athletic story, that’s twice.

0244

Ryan Haas @ryanjhaas.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

I'm not sure granting anonymity to let the Blazers management have better bargaining positions is really in line with best journalism practices.

633064

Reposted by Ryan Haas

Leah Sottile @leahsottile.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

In this story I published a few months ago, I talk about the squishy definition of terrorism, how no federal agency defines it the same, and how, specifically, Mangione is not being tried as a terrorist. www.hcn.org/issues/58-4/...

hcn.org

What a bombing in Nevada reveals about the nation’s appetite for violence - High Country News

There is no definition of domestic terrorism. And the reason why is complicated.

12310