Oregon is a major beneficiary of federal dollars to pick up the pace of forest restoration work on national forestland.Twenty-three projects nationwide, thirteen new and ten already under way, have been approved for funding.The three local projects total more than six million dollars.The announcement was made on Thursday by  Tom Vilsack, the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture.

 In collaboration with Oregon news service, KBOO’s Dan Johnson reports: <click below>

Newly-released documents show that the Food and Drug Administration targeted whistleblowers for special surveillance and monitoring.

KBOO reporter Sue Supriano spoke with Stephen Kohn, the executive director of The National Whistleblowers Center and the attorney for six FDA whistleblowers who filed a lawsuit after being targeted.

In a recent statement, Mr. Kohn called the monitoring by FDA unconstitutional, saying it contrasted the company’s otherwise neutral surveillance policy.

Senator Charles Grassley from Iowa, known as an advocate for government oversight, has launched a formal Congressional investigation in response to the lawsuit.

Click on the audio to hear Stephen Kohn on the details of the case and his center’s call for action.

In the Oregon state budget, severe budget cuts to transportation are also under consideration during the month-long legislative session that began yesterday.

One possible cut that is not being considered is an alternative to the planned Columbia River Crossing bridge to replace the I-5 bridge between Portland and Vancouver.

But many local residents have come together in a coalition to propose less expensive and less invasive alternatives.

Sharon Nasset is with Third Bridge Now, one of the groups proposing an alternative to the Columbia River Crossing. Her group proposes an alternative to the planned Columbia River Crossing bridge between Portland and Vancouver.

The currently-approved bridge project is estimated to cost over three billion dollars.

Right 2 Dream Too, the homeless rest shelter assembled near Chinatown during the early days of Occupy Portland, is beginning to face legal troubles.

          The shelter refused to pay a fine due today and organized a rally outside city hall.

KBOO’s Zeke Harrington has more.