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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories A weapon against overdose Ashland robotics team aims to build a winner Woman reportedly beat girlfriend with police baton Central Point police say drunken driver hit house Build with Legos at Phoenix library Crime, Courts and Emergency Services A weapon against overdose Woman reportedly beat girlfriend with police baton Central Point police say drunken driver hit house Emergency Services Emergency services Politics and Elections Oregon Legislature convenes, session starts Feb. 12 Councilman stirs online dust-up with anti-marijuana post State certifies recount showing failure of GMO-labeling measure Education Ashland robotics team aims to build a winner Design and innovation program proposed at Talent Middle School College on the K-12 dime Students forge links between forest health and people Medford School Board meeting deferred because of Ducks game Environment OR-7 now officially the leader of his pack Ashland trails up for changes Monument expansion expected to increase tourism, protect resources Biologist resigns over LNG reporting failure Bird flu discovered in Winston backyard flock State News Kitzhaber focuses on inequality in inauguration speech Oregon Legislature convenes, session starts Feb. 12 Oregon State University plans $60 million forestry complex Washington man arrested in Portland hotel slaying Timber group updates green label forestry standards Nation - World Obama makes Maduro’s ‘insolent Yankees’ line harder to sell Obituaries Ricardo Ruiz-Santillan Richard Thompson LuErna Mae Jacobson Robert Charles Pollock Bob Lozano Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Shareable In memoriam: 2014’s notable deaths Looking back: Do you remember 2014’s biggest stories? Sports Latest Stories Dual between top two 6A teams set Wednesday Harden boosts Rockets over Nets Fox, Broncos part ways after playoff failure Reed rallies to win Kapalua in a playoff LOCAL EVENTS Varsity 541 College Sports Orange Alert No. 11 Oregon State drubs Oregon again N.C. State hands No. 2 Duke first loss Will players show wear and tear? UO’s resilient receivers stay ready Pro Sports Harden boosts Rockets over Nets Fox, Broncos part ways after playoff failure Reed rallies to win Kapalua in a playoff Lillard heats up in Blazer victory Randolph, Grizz win 2OT battle Community Sports Business Latest Stories Economic future looking brighter Silvio Calabi: The cars of the year Business briefs People in Business Blog: Former Meier & Frank stores avoid Macy's hit list Real Estate News Jackson County real estate market headed back to normal Dear Monty: Best start for 1st-time homebuyers People In Business Transportation Medford airport traffic flies to new heights Falling gas prices help spur travel at Medford airport Agriculture Rising prices bear fruit for local pear growers Opinion Latest Jan. 12 Letters to the Editor Our View: A pipeline should not run through it Jan. 11 Letters to the Editor Another View: A few questions to make the AG nominee squirm Another view: Politicians retreat from racism Editorials Our View: A pipeline should not run through it Other Views: ACLU leader helped change Oregon Our View: It's best to prepare for the worst Our View: Falls has work to do to restore trust Our View: WISE project offers many benefits Letters to the Editor Jan. 12 Letters to the Editor Jan. 11 Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, Jan. 9 Letters to the Editor, Jan. 8 Letters to the Editor, Jan. 7 Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: FERC fails our planet Guest Opinion: East is east and west is west Guest Opinion: Get the best deal on pipeline Guest Opinion: Say yes to clean energy jobs, no to the LNG project Guest Opinion: Loved one chose death with dignity in Oregon Lifestyle Latest stories Kitchen Call: Roasted pork, Tuscan style Book Notes: Essays on aging, from an aging poet Community blog: Braised greens and potatoes epitomize season Get A Life: The helping hand of humor It Is What It Is: There’s more to rejection than meets the eye Food Kitchen Call: Roasted pork, Tuscan style Community blog: Braised greens and potatoes epitomize season Community blog: Happy New Beer Year! Community blog: Scanty spuds stretch winter greens into salad Entertaining with a gift of treasure Home and Garden Home Help: Heighten your home’s style this year 11 reasons why we love wrought iron fencing Dear Monty: Eight great tips to ponder before investing in real estate Home Help: Timeless or trendy? Achieve both in your home decor this year Dear Monty: Best start for 1st-time homebuyers Health Community blog: Dont Let Fear Run Your Life Dr. Murray Feingold: Separation anxiety common in adults Health Watch: Staying fit as a frequent flyer Community blog: Tale of the Tape Community blog: We Don't Have To Conspire Against Good Health Hiking Biking Faith Old stained-glass windows face threats Churches start new year with messages of hope (No heading) Churches, synagogs host seasonal events Bethel Church helps families at McLoughlin Middle School Milestones and Achievements 50 years and counting: Bulebar Wedding: Lindsey-Maria Rios New arrivals Since You Asked: Sheriff's Office sells off foreclosed homes Mt. Ashland Ski Area shut down again by lack of snow Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories Thanks for the Memories Theatre presents 'Rent' Live Music in Local Clubs Patty Groth's Morning Glory is still a delight 100 Watt Mind unveils 'Creatures' American Guitar Masters play the Imperial Theater Thanks for the Memories Theatre presents 'Rent' Tangled up in Dylan OSF's 'Great Society' up for Kennedy Prize Next Stage presents a tribute to an iconic folk artist Camelot's 'Fiddler' is a charmer Music Live Music in Local Clubs 100 Watt Mind unveils 'Creatures' American Guitar Masters play the Imperial Chamber Music Concerts presents Tesla Quartet Blues jam tonight at Little Brown Jug Community Events Art Presence showcases 'Naked Art' New Schneider Museum exhibits highlight First Friday Celebrate winter solstice with the Bad Film Society Tomaseen Foley's "A Celtic Christmas" returns to the Craterian Theater Stefan Baumann and Eugene Bennett highlight Third Fridays Dining Patty Groth's Morning Glory is still a delight Entertaining with a gift of treasure Jackson Creek Pizza Co. is a good downtown haunt Dobra Tea menu offers hundreds of brews Food for Thought: Wintertime wining and dining Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Magazines & Special Sections NEWS NOW Our View: Approaching college with a running start ... Guest Opinion: Reforms needed to build upon John Day’s success ... Ducks fall to Ohio State in first playoff-era title game, 42-20 ... Our View: Approaching college with a running start ... Guest Opinion: Reforms needed to build upon John Day’s success ... Ducks fall to Ohio State in first playoff-era title game, 42-20 ... OUR VIEW Cover Oregon won't be mourned by many Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Sep. 14, 2014 @ 12:01 am Posted Sep. 14, 2014 @ 12:01 am » Social News Nearly everyone seems to agree at this point that Cover Oregon, the problem-plagued entity that couldn't produce a functioning website to enroll people under the Affordable Care Act, needs to go. Everyone, that is, except some of Cover Oregon's own board members. But in the end, the Legislature has the final say. The only question seems to be when to pull the plug. The Legislature created Cover Oregon in 2011 as a public corporation, meaning it functions more like a business than like a state agency, and does not answer directly to the governor. It was supposed to develop a website that Oregonians could use to sign up for health coverage under the federal health care reform law. That effort was a dismal failure. The website never worked properly despite millions of dollars paid to the contractor, Oracle, and state officials had to fall back on a cumbersome paper application process. Still, thousands of Oregonians did sign up for coverage. The state and Oracle have pointed fingers at each other. Oracle sued the state for $23 million, and the state in turn is suing Oracle. The courts will sort that out. Meanwhile, lawmakers must decide what to do about Cover Oregon the public corporation. The Cover Oregon board has not yet made a recommendation, as Gov. John Kitzhaber asked it to do, but in a recent meeting several members indicated they are leaning toward keeping the organization intact, at least for a while, unless it fails to meet as yet unspecified performance benchmarks. Senate President Peter Courtney has publicly called for dismantling Cover Oregon and shifting responsibility for the health exchange to state agencies. Kitzhaber says he agrees with that course, and will request legislation when lawmakers convene early next year. Republicans are insisting that Kitzhaber call a special session of the Legislature to end Cover Oregon now, rather than waiting for the regular session in January. That's not necessary. Cover Oregon should be dismantled. Exactly which state agencies should take over the work is a matter of debate: One of the candidates, the Oregon Health Authority, is tainted by its own role in the website debacle. But that debate can wait until lawmakers convene in 2015. 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