2015 in Oregon

none October 2026 October 2026 2015 2015 The year 2015 in Oregon involved several major events. According to Philip Mote, director of the Oregon Climate Change Institute at Oregon State University, 2015 set a record as the hottest year in the state.2016-01-07 2015 goes down as the warmest in Oregon history https://news.oregonstate.edu/news/2015-goes-down-warmest-oregon-history-0 2026-10-26 Oregon State University en 2 Politics and government 78th Oregon Legislative Assembly Incumbents Governor: Kate Brown (D)Former Governors – Oregon https://www.nga.org/former-governors/oregon/ 2026-10-13 National Governors Association Secretary of State: Jeanne Atkins (D) – After March 11Loew Tracy Oregon's Secretary of State Jeanne Atkins takes office https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/politics/2015/03/11/oregons-new-secretary-state-takes-office/70167462/ 2026-10-19 Statesman Journal en-US Events January thumb|Portland taxi drivers protest in Pioneer Courthouse Square on January 13 January 1 – Statewide minimum wage increases to $9.25 per hour, the second-highest of any state in the U.S.2016-05-16 Oregon Minimum Wage 2015 is $9.25 https://www.laborlawcenter.com/education-center/oregon-minimum-wage-2015-is-9-25/ 2026-10-25 Labor Law Center January 13 – Portland taxi drivers stage a protest advocating for more regulation of Uber in the city by parking their cabs in Pioneer Courthouse Square.2015-01-14 Portland cab drivers protest Uber, city task force with taxi caravan (video) https://www.oregonlive.com/commuting/2015/01/portland_cab_companies_protest.html 2026-10-22 oregonlive en January 20 – Portland-based indie rock band The Decemberists releases their seventh album: What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World.Chilton Louis 2026-01-20 ‘What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World’: The Decemberists’ Concept-Free Classic https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/the-decemberists-what-a-terrible-world-what-a-beautiful-world/ 2026-10-22 uDiscover Music en-US February February 17 – Kendra Sunderland is issued a citation for performing erotic acts on camera in the Oregon State University library.2015-02-27 Kendra Sunderland, aka 'Library Girl,' pleads not guilty to public indecency charge https://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/2015/02/kendra_sunderland_aka_library.html 2026-10-20 oregonlive en2015-04-15 Kendra Sunderland, Oregon State's naked 'Library Girl,' turned to 'camming' to avoid student debt https://www.oregonlive.com/living/2015/04/kendra_sunderland_oregon_state.html 2026-10-20 oregonlive en February 18 – Governor John Kitzhaber resigns after months of public discussion and investigation into his wife, Cylvia Hayes.2015-02-14 Governor John Kitzhaber announces his resignation https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2015/02/governor_john_kitzhaber_will_s.html 2026-10-28 oregonlive en Kate Brown, who up to this point was Secretary of State, is sworn in as Governor.2015-02-18 Kate Brown sworn in as Oregon governor https://www.politico.com/story/2015/02/kate-brown-oregon-sworn-in-115292 2026-10-28 POLITICO enKate Brown sworn in as Oregon's 38th governor https://www.statesmanjournal.com/picture-gallery/news/politics/2015/02/18/kate-brown-sworn-in-as-oregons-38th-governor/23620855/ 2026-10-28 Statesman Journal en-US March March 18 – Susan Ackerman of the Oregon Public Utility Commission unexpectedly resigns, effective in May.Oregon’s Top Utility Regulator Resigns https://www.opb.org/news/article/oregons-top-utility-regulator-resigns/ 2026-10-26 opb en March 25 – The Red and Black Cafe, an anarchist cafe in Portland, announces that it will close.2015-03-25 Red and Black Cafe announces closing after 15 years in Portland https://www.oregonlive.com/dining/2015/03/red_and_black_cafe_announces_c.html 2026-10-19 oregonlive en May May 1 – A group of protesters split off from a May Day march and clash with police. 2015-05-01 Police use pepper spray, flash bang grenades during Portland May Day protest https://nbc16.com/news/local/police-use-pepper-spray-flash-bang-grenades-during-portland-may-day-protest 2026-10-20 KMTR en May 15 – A magnitude 3.0 earthquake strikes northern Oregon. 2015-05-17 Light quakes felt in Oregon, Washington on Friday https://www.heraldnet.com/2015/05/16/light-quakes-felt-in-oregon-washington-on-friday/ 2026-10-20 HeraldNet.com en June June 10–13 – 2015 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships June 15 – The 2015 fire season begins.Richards Karen 2015-06-15 Wildfire Season Officially Begins Tuesday In Oregon https://www.klcc.org/environment/2015-06-15/wildfire-season-officially-begins-tuesday-in-oregon 2026-10-20 KLCC NPR for Oregonians en June 18 – Oregon Senate Bill 552 is signed into law, codifying workplace protections for domestic workers in Oregon.Southward Brandon Oregon becomes fifth state to pass domestic worker bill of rights https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/2015/06/19/oregon-becomes-fifth-state-pass-domestic-worker-bill-rights/28961597/ 2026-10-26 Statesman Journal en-US June 22 – Oregon Senate Bill 454, which mandates that employers provide paid sick leave benefits, is signed into law.Crabtree Mark A. Lewis Jackson 2015-06-23 Oregon Enacts Paid Sick Leave https://natlawreview.com/article/oregon-enacts-paid-sick-leave 2026-10-26 The National Law Review en June 23–28 – 2015 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships June 26 – Following the Supreme Court's ruling on Obergefell v. Hodges, hundreds of LGBTQ people and supporters gather at Terry Schrunk Plaza and outside Portland City Hall to celebrate the legalization of gay marriage.Mayer Stephen 2015-06-26 Local same-sex couples celebrate Supreme Court ruling https://katu.com/news/local/local-same-sex-couples-celebrate-supreme-court-ruling 2026-10-26 KATU enTheen Andrew 2015-06-27 Hundreds celebrate US Supreme Court marriage ruling: 'Love has won, and we are not done' https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2015/06/hundreds_celebrate_supreme_cou.html 2026-10-26 oregonlive en July July 1 – Burnside Burn July 2 – Intel president Renée James announces that she will quit, effective January 2016.2015-07-02 Intel surprise: President Renee James quits in shakeup, will seek CEO job elsewhere https://www.oregonlive.com/silicon-forest/2015/07/intel_surprise_president_renee.html 2026-10-20 oregonlive en July 3 – Weed the People July 4 – A 4.2 magnitude earthquake strikes near the Eugene-Springfield metropolitan area.2015-07-05 Parts of Oregon awoken by 4.2-magnitude earthquake https://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/2015/07/oregon_jolted_by_42-magnitude.html 2026-10-20 oregonlive en 2015-07-04 4.2 earthquake shakes Eugene/Springfield on Fourth of July https://kval.com/news/local/42-earthquake-shakes-eugenespringfield-on-fourth-of-july-11-12-2015 2026-10-20 KVAL en August August 22–24 – The August Fire burns east of Banks. September September 12 – Tilikum Crossing, a bridge across the Willamette River for pedestrians, cyclists, and the MAX Orange Line light rail, opens in Portland.Duffy Lizzy 2015-09-12 Portland's Tilikum Crossing Bridge Is Open For Business http://www.opb.org/news/article/portlands-1st-bridge-in-over-40-years-opens/ https://web.archive.org/web/20170625054033/http://www.opb.org/news/article/portlands-1st-bridge-in-over-40-years-opens/ 2017-06-25 2026-10-22 OPB September 13 – Starky's, a Portland gay bar and restaurant, closes.2015-09-22 28-Year Institution Starky's Closed to Become Apartments https://www.wweek.com/portland/blog-33792-28-year-institution-starkys-closed-to-become-apartments.html 2026-10-20 Willamette Week en October Unknown date – Detroit Lake reaches a seasonal record low water level, 143 ft m below the seasonal normal. Remnants of the town of Old Detroit, which was abandoned when the lake was created in 1953, are found in some dried-up parts of the lake.Lewis Danny West Coast Drought Uncovers Remnants of a Long-Sunken Oregon Town https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/west-coast-drought-uncovers-remnants-long-sunken-oregon-town-180957691/ 2026-10-26 Smithsonian Magazine enUrness Zach 2015-10-30 Detroit Reservoir breaks record for summertime low water https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/2015/10/30/rain-wont-change-plans-detroit-dam/74905010/ subscription 2026-10-26 Statesman Journal en-US October 1 – 2015 Umpqua Community College shooting October 7 – Portland city officials vote to rename Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples' Day.FiveCrows Jeremy 2015-10-12 Indigenous Peoples Day https://critfc.org/2015/10/12/indigenous-peoples-day/ 2026-10-26 CRITFC en-US October 9 – President Obama visits Roseburg to speak about the Umpqua Community College shooting. About 150 people protest the visit.About 150 Protest President Obama Arrival In Roseburg https://www.opb.org/news/article/roseburg-protest-obama-arrival-in-oregon/ 2026-10-26 opb en October 25 – The 2015 fire season ends.2015-10-25 Oregon's wildfire season is over for 2015, Forestry Department says https://www.oregonlive.com/wildfires/2015/10/oregons_wildfire_season_is_ove.html 2026-10-20 oregonlive en November November 3 – The skeleton of a blue whale washes up on the shore of Gold Beach. 2015-11-05 Blue whale washes up on Oregon Coast https://idahonews.com/news/local/blue-whale-washes-up-on-oregon-coast-11-15-2015 2026-10-22 KVAL en KBOI November 27 – Pizza Jerk opens.2015-11-27 First look: Pizza Jerk, Tommy Habetz' East Coast pie spot, in Northeast Portland https://www.oregonlive.com/dining/2015/11/first_look_pizza_jerk_tommy_ha.html 2026-10-20 oregonlive en Deaths August 10 – Fred Eckhardt (born 1926), brewer and writerhttps://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/eckhardt-fred/ Otto Frederick "Fred" Eckhardt Tiah Edmunson-Morton Retrieved October 25, 2026. September 27 – Fred Stickel (born 1921), writer and newspaper publisher 2015-09-30 Fred A. Stickel, Publisher of The Oregonian, Dies at 93 https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/30/business/media/fred-a-stickel-publisher-of-the-oregonian-dies-at-93.html 2026-10-26 The New York Times en-US 0362-4331 References External links 2015_Oregon_legislative_session 2015 Oregon legislative session Category:2010s in Oregon Oregon Category:Years of the 21st century in Oregon