Earthquake Preparedness: Oregon earthquake experts say the Cascadia “Big One” would overwhelm today’s readiness, with only a handful of state-owned buildings likely usable right after, pushing calls for more coordination and investment. Wildfire Response: Federal fire officials raised national wildfire preparedness to Level 5 as Oregon incidents like the East Evans Creek Fire threatened structures and strained resources. Factory Farms & Water: Oregon environmental groups sued over a new factory farm permit, arguing monitoring gaps could leave rural drinking water at risk from manure pollution. Recycling Policy: A federal judge is set to decide Oregon’s new package recycling law by end of August, keeping pressure on how packaging waste is handled statewide. Antitrust/Media: Oregon and 11 states filed a federal lawsuit to block the Paramount Skydance–Warner Bros. merger, warning it would reduce competition and raise costs. Consumer Fraud: Oregon AG Jay Jones announced a $45M multistate settlement with Block/Cash App over fraud safeguards and customer support failures. Energy & Industry: A U.S. Forest Service restructuring would close Portland research operations and shift more agency work toward Salem and other western hubs. Tech & Infrastructure: Oregon’s charter amendment push and national protests target the rapid AI/data center build-out.