GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
Behind Portland’s blockbuster marijuana deal: a Russian billionaire, cannabis consolidation
Oregonlive
A billion dollars for a Portland marijuana company. It’s an astonishing figure. Last month’s deal for Cura Cannabis was the biggest acquisition in the history of legalized marijuana in the United States. It’s a sign of just how quickly the market is emerging. And that’s just the beginning of the story. Curaleaf, the Massachusetts company buying Cura’s recreational marijuana business, is backed by a Russian billionaire whose fortune helped fuel its rise. Investors value the startup at nearly $4 billion and project its value to rise by 20 percent when the all-stock deal for Cura closes. That would make Curaleaf more valuable than all but three public companies in Oregon, were it based here, despite reporting less than $80 million in revenue last year along with a $56 million loss.
Governor, environmental groups rip Oregon’s new wolf plan
Oregonlive
On Friday, the commissioners for Oregon’s Department of Fish and Wildlife voted to adopt the latest iteration of the state’s wolf plan. Within hours, numerous environmental groups issued statements rebuking the plan. And so did Gov. Kate Brown, who oversees the commission. “Governor Brown was clear in her expectations to the agency and the commission: ODFW has a conservation-focused mission,” Kate Kondayen, a spokeswoman for the governor, said in an email. “Efforts in the wolf plan to evaluate depredations and prevent them fail to meet the Governor’s expectations for ensuring the health of the wolf population while also meeting the needs of the ranching community.”
Health Authority Outlines Plan To Reduce Delays At Oregon Psychiatric Hospital
Oregon Public Broadcasting
The Oregon Health Authority released a proposal Friday for how it will deal with the backlog of jail inmates trying to get mental health treatment at the Oregon State Hospital. Right now, there are 44 people who judges around the state have deemed in need of mental health treatment before they can aid in their own criminal defense. They’re waiting inside jails until they can get admitted to the state’s psychiatric hospital. In a two-page memo to staff, OHA Director Patrick Allen said they’re taking steps to reduce the time people are waiting to be admitted and speed up the discharge process for those who no longer need hospital level care. He also stressed the need for funding from state lawmakers for community based mental health services.