Dirk VanderHart
Dirk VanderHart covers Oregon politics and government for OPB. Before barging onto the radio in 2018, he spent more than a decade as a newspaper reporter—much of that time reporting on city government for the Portland Mercury. He’s also had stints covering chicanery in Southwest Missouri, the wilds of Ohio in Ohio, and all things Texas on Capitol Hill.
Dirk’s byline has appeared in USA Today, The New York Times, The Houston Chronicle, The Columbus Dispatch, The Oregonian, and more. He’s got a journalism degree from Michigan State University.
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The list of Republicans vying to take on Gov. Tina Kotek in November continues to grow. -
Can Democrats repeal the tax before a vote? What happens then? No one knows for sure. -
Tim Knopp, a former state senator from Bend, will join Kotek’s administration. -
The Department of Homeland Security identified the individuals shot as Venezuelan gang members. The federal defender first told OPB that the allegations are “a well-worn playbook.” -
While the state has helped thousands of people out of homelessness, recent counts show the problem increasing in much of the state. -
The Department of Homeland Security said its agent shot at gang members in self-defense. Hundreds protested at Portland’s ICE facility, and hundreds more held a vigil at City Hall. -
The development comes after a Republican-led campaign delayed key tax increases in the bill. -
Many of the biggest political stories from 2025 are not going away. -
Hundreds of bills passed in the first half of 2025 take effect New Year’s Day. -
The state Department of Justice says the Trump administration hasn’t met key requirements.
