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OPB’s First Look: Kotek, Drazan take debate stage
OPB’s First Look: Kotek, Drazan take debate stage
OPB’s First Look: Kotek, Drazan take debate stage

Published on: 10/02/2026

This news was posted by Oregon Today News

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Subscribe to OPB’s First Look to receive Northwest news in your inbox six days a week.

Good morning, Northwest.

Gov. Tina Kotek and Sen. Christine Drazan shared the debate stage for the first time of this year’s gubernatorial campaign last night.

OPB politics reporter Lauren Dake breaks down the candidates’ messages to start today’s newsletter.

In other news, Oregon is finally set to build an EV fast charger with federal money it was awarded years ago.

Here’s your First Look at Friday’s news.

— Bradley W. Parks

Top story

Oregon state Sen. Christine Drazan, left, and Gov. Tina Kotek shake hands at the end of the gubernatorial debate on the University of Oregon campus in Eugene, Ore., on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026.

Kotek, Drazan trade barbs at first debate of 2026 Oregon governor’s race

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek and state Sen. Christine Drazan spent much of their first debate last night in Eugene trying to discredit one another.

The two candidates, who also faced each other in the 2022 race for governor, fielded questions from a panel of journalists on a wide range of topics from affordability, data centers and education funding to the economy and wildfire mitigation.

Throughout it all, they stuck to largely familiar themes. The governor repeatedly tried to tie Drazan to the Trump administration and unpopular federal policies. And Drazan continued to paint Kotek as a candidate who is afraid to run on her own record and whose main solution to the state’s myriad crises is to raise taxes. (Lauren Dake)

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3 things to know

Left image: An undated image of a barred owl at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon. Right image: A northern spotted owl in the Deschutes National Forest in 2003.
  • Oregon is finally expected to break ground on its first federally funded EV fast charging station this month. It comes more than a year after the Trump administration’s reversal of Biden-era climate policies and a federal funding freeze. (Monica Samayoa)
  • University of Oregon officials sent out a community safety warning about five reported sexual assaults on or near its Eugene campus in the past week. (Natalie Pate)
  • Contractors yesterday began shooting invasive barred owls inside the Elliott State Research Forest, an 83,000-acre state-owned territory, in an effort to protect northern spotted owl populations. (Courtney Sherwood)

Live from Beaverton: Oregon governor’s race, suburban races and more

Ballots are going out in a couple weeks. Campaigns are ramping up. Tensions are rising. On the latest episode of “OPB Politics Now,” we hosted a live taping from the Patricia Reser Center for the Arts in Beaverton. (Lauren Dake, Dirk VanderHart, Elena Neale-Sacks, Holly Bartholomew and Bryce Dole)

Listen Now

Northwest headlines

FILE - Andrea Bell, director of Oregon Housing and Community Services, at a groundbreaking ceremony in 2025.

Listen in on OPB’s daily conversation

“Think Out Loud” airs at noon and 8 p.m. weekdays on OPB Radio, opb.org and the OPB News app. Today’s planned topics (subject to change):

One more look

Usher in the season of cozy autumn desserts with this rustic pear tarte Tatin with sea salt and thyme caramel

Superabundant recipe: Autumn dessert season inspires this pear tarte Tatin with sea salt caramel

This rustic pear tarte Tatin with sea salt and thyme caramel isn’t just an elegant dessert — it’s classified in the “Surprise! It is upside-down!” family of exciting stunt desserts.

Even without a thrilling open flame (looking at you, bananas foster), there are many opportunities to seriously burn yourself!

That won’t happen to you, though. Probably. (Heather Arndt Anderson)

Learn More

Subscribe to OPB’s First Look to receive Northwest news in your inbox six days a week.

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2026/10/02/opbs-first-look-kotek-drazan-take-debate-stage/

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MAYOR'S MESSAGE Sharing Knowledge, Strengthening Partnerships, and Advancing Wastewater Operations This past Monday evening, I had the pleasure of joining Councilors Kilmer and Niebergall, City Manager Nichole Rutherford, and members of our Public Works team for the dinner and vendor show held as part of the first Coos Bay Wastewater Operations & Management Conference at Ko-Kwel Casino Resort. This conference was spearheaded by our Water Quality Superintendent, Risha Latta, with the support of the City’s Public Works team. Risha recognized a need that many smaller and more rural communities know all too well: quality professional training is essential, but sending employees to conferences and training opportunities in larger metropolitan areas can be costly, particularly during challenging budgetary times. The idea was to bring that opportunity here—to the South Coast—where wastewater operators, maintenance workers, public works professionals, vendors, and others in the industry could come together to learn, exchange ideas, and build professional relationships without the added expense of traveling to a conference farther from home. This is especially important for wastewater operators, who are required to earn continuing education units (CEUs) to maintain their state certifications. By offering this training locally, operators from throughout the region had an opportunity to earn those CEUs much closer to home. Keeping the conference affordable for local communities was also a priority. With the support of vendor sponsorships, the City was able to offset facility and conference expenses and keep registration costs low for participating communities. More than 30 vendors from across the country also attended, giving local operators and municipalities an opportunity to connect directly with companies providing equipment, technology, and services relevant to their day-to-day operations. The conference program itself included two days of training on wastewater treatment processes, equipment maintenance, safety, regulatory compliance, and emerging technologies. What was especially impressive was the reach of this first conference. Attendees came from communities throughout our region and beyond, including cities along nearly the entire Oregon Coast as well as Roseburg and Medford. Seeing that kind of participation at an inaugural event speaks to the need for accessible, high-quality training opportunities here in southern Oregon. Events like this are also a good reminder of the expertise we have within our own organization. Our employees do important work every day that most of us rarely have reason to think about, and they are continually looking for ways to improve how we serve our community. In this case, that meant looking beyond Coos Bay and asking how we could help strengthen wastewater operations throughout the region. I want to congratulate Risha and the entire Public Works team for taking an idea and turning it into a successful first-year conference. I also want to thank the instructors, vendors, sponsors, and participating communities who helped make the event possible. The conference brochure summed up its purpose very well: sharing knowledge, strengthening partnerships, and advancing wastewater operations. I am proud that Coos Bay could play a role in bringing those opportunities a little closer to home. -Joe Benetti, Mayor of Coos BayPhotos from Coos Bay - City Government's post
MAYOR'S MESSAGE Sharing Knowledge, Strengthening Partnerships, and Advancing Wastewater Operations This past Monday evening, I had the pleasure of joining Councilors Kilmer and Niebergall, City Manager Nichole Rutherford, and members of our Public Works team for the dinner and vendor show held as part of the first Coos Bay Wastewater Operations & Management Conference at Ko-Kwel Casino Resort. This conference was spearheaded by our Water Quality Superintendent, Risha Latta, with the support of the City’s Public Works team. Risha recognized a need that many smaller and more rural communities know all too well: quality professional training is essential, but sending employees to conferences and training opportunities in larger metropolitan areas can be costly, particularly during challenging budgetary times. The idea was to bring that opportunity here—to the South Coast—where wastewater operators, maintenance workers, public works professionals, vendors, and others in the industry could come together to learn, exchange ideas, and build professional relationships without the added expense of traveling to a conference farther from home. This is especially important for wastewater operators, who are required to earn continuing education units (CEUs) to maintain their state certifications. By offering this training locally, operators from throughout the region had an opportunity to earn those CEUs much closer to home. Keeping the conference affordable for local communities was also a priority. With the support of vendor sponsorships, the City was able to offset facility and conference expenses and keep registration costs low for participating communities. More than 30 vendors from across the country also attended, giving local operators and municipalities an opportunity to connect directly with companies providing equipment, technology, and services relevant to their day-to-day operations. The conference program itself included two days of training on wastewater treatment processes, equipment maintenance, safety, regulatory compliance, and emerging technologies. What was especially impressive was the reach of this first conference. Attendees came from communities throughout our region and beyond, including cities along nearly the entire Oregon Coast as well as Roseburg and Medford. Seeing that kind of participation at an inaugural event speaks to the need for accessible, high-quality training opportunities here in southern Oregon. Events like this are also a good reminder of the expertise we have within our own organization. Our employees do important work every day that most of us rarely have reason to think about, and they are continually looking for ways to improve how we serve our community. In this case, that meant looking beyond Coos Bay and asking how we could help strengthen wastewater operations throughout the region. I want to congratulate Risha and the entire Public Works team for taking an idea and turning it into a successful first-year conference. I also want to thank the instructors, vendors, sponsors, and participating communities who helped make the event possible. The conference brochure summed up its purpose very well: sharing knowledge, strengthening partnerships, and advancing wastewater operations. I am proud that Coos Bay could play a role in bringing those opportunities a little closer to home. -Joe Benetti, Mayor of Coos BayPhotos from Coos Bay - City Government's post
MAYOR'S MESSAGE Sharing Knowledge, Strengthening Partnerships, and Advancing Wastewater Operations This past Monday evening, I had the pleasure of joining Councilors Kilmer and Niebergall, City Manager Nichole Rutherford, and members of our Public Works team for the dinner and vendor show held as part of the first Coos Bay Wastewater Operations & Management Conference at Ko-Kwel Casino Resort. This conference was spearheaded by our Water Quality Superintendent, Risha Latta, with the support of the City’s Public Works team. Risha recognized a need that many smaller and more rural communities know all too well: quality professional training is essential, but sending employees to conferences and training opportunities in larger metropolitan areas can be costly, particularly during challenging budgetary times. The idea was to bring that opportunity here—to the South Coast—where wastewater operators, maintenance workers, public works professionals, vendors, and others in the industry could come together to learn, exchange ideas, and build professional relationships without the added expense of traveling to a conference farther from home. This is especially important for wastewater operators, who are required to earn continuing education units (CEUs) to maintain their state certifications. By offering this training locally, operators from throughout the region had an opportunity to earn those CEUs much closer to home. Keeping the conference affordable for local communities was also a priority. With the support of vendor sponsorships, the City was able to offset facility and conference expenses and keep registration costs low for participating communities. More than 30 vendors from across the country also attended, giving local operators and municipalities an opportunity to connect directly with companies providing equipment, technology, and services relevant to their day-to-day operations. The conference program itself included two days of training on wastewater treatment processes, equipment maintenance, safety, regulatory compliance, and emerging technologies. What was especially impressive was the reach of this first conference. Attendees came from communities throughout our region and beyond, including cities along nearly the entire Oregon Coast as well as Roseburg and Medford. Seeing that kind of participation at an inaugural event speaks to the need for accessible, high-quality training opportunities here in southern Oregon. Events like this are also a good reminder of the expertise we have within our own organization. Our employees do important work every day that most of us rarely have reason to think about, and they are continually looking for ways to improve how we serve our community. In this case, that meant looking beyond Coos Bay and asking how we could help strengthen wastewater operations throughout the region. I want to congratulate Risha and the entire Public Works team for taking an idea and turning it into a successful first-year conference. I also want to thank the instructors, vendors, sponsors, and participating communities who helped make the event possible. The conference brochure summed up its purpose very well: sharing knowledge, strengthening partnerships, and advancing wastewater operations. I am proud that Coos Bay could play a role in bringing those opportunities a little closer to home. -Joe Benetti, Mayor of Coos BayPhotos from Coos Bay - City Government's post

10/02/2026

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THERE'S LOTS TO DO THIS WEEK AT THE COOS BAY PUBLIC LIBRARY FOR KIDS OF ALL AGES There’s lots to do this week at the Coos Bay Public Library for kids of all ages. On Saturday, October 3 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. school aged kids, tweens, and families are invited to Saturday Steam. Get ready to color, cut, fold, and flex! In this hands-on Saturday STEAM activity, you’ll make your own paper fidget called a flextangle (also known as a hexaflexagon or kaleidocycle). Choose from one of our fun templates or create your own design on a blank template. Then cut, fold, and assemble your creation into a fascinating fidget that twists and changes as you play with it! On Tuesday, October 6 from 3:30-4:30 p.m. Teens are invited to make a Spooky Zine. Join us to create dark and spooky zines in this workshop for teens. Participants will learn how to make basic zines using a variety of materials. All supplies are provided and no experience is necessary! For ages 13-18 October 7 from 3:30-4:30 p.m. we are Calling all Comics Lovers! We're starting a monthly club for aspiring artists and comic book lovers. Every month we'll read a comic together and then spend some time drawing together. No experience necessary. Each session will feature a different early reader/beginning reader comic. No pre-registration necessary. For Children in grades 1-3. On Friday, October 9 there are two fun programs for kids. First up is a make your own monster class for kids ages 8-12. Sew your own adorable felt monster! During the class, participants will use a glue gun and learn a basic whip stitch. Limited space is available; sign-up early to reserve space. Then from 5:30 – 7 p.m. Tweens and teens Ages 12-18 are invited to a Masquerade & Murder: The Ghost of Our Past When a man dies mysteriously at a costume party, guests must solve the mystery. One complicating factor? The party is haunted by ghosts. Feel free to come in costume and be prepared to help solve the mystery. Pizza, intrigue and fun. Want to nab a part ahead of time to dress the role? Register online or contact Jennifer at jknight@coosbaylibrary.org. Registration not required to participate.
THERE'S LOTS TO DO THIS WEEK AT THE COOS BAY PUBLIC LIBRARY FOR KIDS OF ALL AGES There’s lots to do this week at the Coos Bay Public Library for kids of all ages. On Saturday, October 3 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. school aged kids, tweens, and families are invited to Saturday Steam. Get ready to color, cut, fold, and flex! In this hands-on Saturday STEAM activity, you’ll make your own paper fidget called a flextangle (also known as a hexaflexagon or kaleidocycle). Choose from one of our fun templates or create your own design on a blank template. Then cut, fold, and assemble your creation into a fascinating fidget that twists and changes as you play with it! On Tuesday, October 6 from 3:30-4:30 p.m. Teens are invited to make a Spooky Zine. Join us to create dark and spooky zines in this workshop for teens. Participants will learn how to make basic zines using a variety of materials. All supplies are provided and no experience is necessary! For ages 13-18 October 7 from 3:30-4:30 p.m. we are Calling all Comics Lovers! We're starting a monthly club for aspiring artists and comic book lovers. Every month we'll read a comic together and then spend some time drawing together. No experience necessary. Each session will feature a different early reader/beginning reader comic. No pre-registration necessary. For Children in grades 1-3. On Friday, October 9 there are two fun programs for kids. First up is a make your own monster class for kids ages 8-12. Sew your own adorable felt monster! During the class, participants will use a glue gun and learn a basic whip stitch. Limited space is available; sign-up early to reserve space. Then from 5:30 – 7 p.m. Tweens and teens Ages 12-18 are invited to a Masquerade & Murder: The Ghost of Our Past When a man dies mysteriously at a costume party, guests must solve the mystery. One complicating factor? The party is haunted by ghosts. Feel free to come in costume and be prepared to help solve the mystery. Pizza, intrigue and fun. Want to nab a part ahead of time to dress the role? Register online or contact Jennifer at jknight@coosbaylibrary.org. Registration not required to participate.
THERE'S LOTS TO DO THIS WEEK AT THE COOS BAY PUBLIC LIBRARY FOR KIDS OF ALL AGES There’s lots to do this week at the Coos Bay Public Library for kids of all ages. On Saturday, October 3 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. school aged kids, tweens, and families are invited to Saturday Steam. Get ready to color, cut, fold, and flex! In this hands-on Saturday STEAM activity, you’ll make your own paper fidget called a flextangle (also known as a hexaflexagon or kaleidocycle). Choose from one of our fun templates or create your own design on a blank template. Then cut, fold, and assemble your creation into a fascinating fidget that twists and changes as you play with it! On Tuesday, October 6 from 3:30-4:30 p.m. Teens are invited to make a Spooky Zine. Join us to create dark and spooky zines in this workshop for teens. Participants will learn how to make basic zines using a variety of materials. All supplies are provided and no experience is necessary! For ages 13-18 October 7 from 3:30-4:30 p.m. we are Calling all Comics Lovers! We're starting a monthly club for aspiring artists and comic book lovers. Every month we'll read a comic together and then spend some time drawing together. No experience necessary. Each session will feature a different early reader/beginning reader comic. No pre-registration necessary. For Children in grades 1-3. On Friday, October 9 there are two fun programs for kids. First up is a make your own monster class for kids ages 8-12. Sew your own adorable felt monster! During the class, participants will use a glue gun and learn a basic whip stitch. Limited space is available; sign-up early to reserve space. Then from 5:30 – 7 p.m. Tweens and teens Ages 12-18 are invited to a Masquerade & Murder: The Ghost of Our Past When a man dies mysteriously at a costume party, guests must solve the mystery. One complicating factor? The party is haunted by ghosts. Feel free to come in costume and be prepared to help solve the mystery. Pizza, intrigue and fun. Want to nab a part ahead of time to dress the role? Register online or contact Jennifer at [email protected]. Registration not required to participate.

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