Our Northwest Economy

Oregon concerts raise big money for Haiti relief

Fundraisers in Portland and Ashland last night (Thursday) raised more than $160-thousand dollars for relief efforts in Haiti. Ryan Knutson reports.


A benefit concert in Ashland put on by the Rogue Suspects band raised $14,000. Nearly 15-hundred people showed up and made donations to the Red Cross.

In Portland, a benefit concert at the Aladdin Theater got off to a good start ­ halfway through; ticket sales and concessions alone had raised $27-thousand dollars. Then, the Ray Hickey Foundation offered to match every dollar raised, and something amazing happened. Somebody stood up and wrote a check for $23,000.

Theater manager Tom Sessa says it took everyone's breath away.

“It was just a powerful moment. The energy was palpable within everyone.”

The gift sparked even more donations from the 650 people at the event. In the end, the benefit raised more than $150,000. Proceeds went to Mercy Corps.

This is Ryan Knutson reporting

New Federal Report Shows More People Went Hungry in 2008

COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho - The federal Agriculture Department reports more Americans are going hungry because of the recession. Today (Monday), the agency released its annual “food security” survey. Correspondent Doug Nadvornick reports the state of Washington is following the national trend.

listen here

President Approves Money for Walla Walla Vets’ Hospital

The Veterans' Administration has the green light to move ahead with plans to build a new clinic at the V-A Hospital in Walla Walla, Washington. President Obama signed a bill into law today (Wednesday) to do just that. The facility serves about 70-thousand veterans in eastern Washington, Oregon and north Idaho. Inland Northwest Correspondent Doug Nadvornick reports.

listen here

Additional Cuts Expected to Idaho's Medicaid Program

(banner from Idaho's Dept. of Health and Welfare Medicaid site)

BOISE, ID - State agencies in Idaho that have already cut staff are having to cut again and do additional furloughs. That’s because the state of Idaho is $151 million short. Governor Butch Otter is expected to call for additional holdbacks in the coming months. But what if personnel costs make up only one percent of your department’s budget and you’ve cut most of the staff you can? Well, for Idaho’s Medicaid Program, that means cutting programs, programs that provide essential health care to thousands of Idahoans.

Read more. Listen here.

Medicaid Massacre

State agencies in Idaho that have already cut staff are having to cut again and do additional furloughs. That's because the state of Idaho is 151 million dollars short. And Governor Butch Otter is expected to call for additional holdbacks in the coming months. But what if personnel costs make up only one percent of your department's budget and you've cut most of the staff you can? Well, for Idaho's Medicaid Program, that means cutting programs, programs that provide essential health care to thousands of Idahoans. Boise State Radio's Samantha Wright reports.

listen here

Part Time State Employees Protest Health Insurance Changes

Since late Friday the President of the Boise State Professional Staff Association, Melissa Wintrow, has been collecting personal stories. They are stories of part time state employees who face dramatic increases in their health insurance premiums. For many it’s as much as 40 percent. Some face dropping insurance coverage in order to pay the rent. Wintrow says the increases weren’t announced until this summer….even though the decision had been made much earlier in the year.

listen here