Oregon Capital Bureau of the "Daily Astorian". The "Salem Reporter", launched in 2018 by former "Oregonian" investigative reporter Les Zaitz, joined the bureau in September 2018. Zaitz became the director of the bureau, which consists of one reporter from each of the constituent news organizations. Oregon Capital Bureau The Oregon Capital Bureau is a joint effort of several family-owned news publishers to improve news coverage of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon. The bureau was launched in 2014 by the Pamplin Media Group, which owns 25 newspapers in the Portland Metropolitan Area and Central Oregon, and the EO Media Group, which
Capital punishment in Oregon Governor Oswald West. However, the death penalty was restored in 1920 with 56% of voters favoring its use. From 1864 to 1931, executions were carried out by hanging. However, beginning with the execution of LeRoy Hershel McCarthy, on January 30, 1939, Oregon began using lethal gas in gas-chamber executions. The state executed seventeen men in this manner. The last of these gas-inhalation executions took place on 20 August 1962, with the execution of Leeroy Sanford McGahuey. In 1964 voters passed Measure 1, a constitutional amendment prohibiting capital punishment, with 60% of voters approving. Governor Mark Hatfield commuted the sentences of