Here are some local issues that have been covered recently in the Gazette-Times and the status of those stories:

Students support ‘prescription’

WHAT: The Oregon Student Association is leading efforts at Oregon University System institutions across the state asking the governor to provide more state funding for higher education.

THE LATEST: On Halloween, the Oregon Student Association staged a Day of Action at Oregon State University and other public universities and community colleges.

Volunteers from the student advocacy group, along with Associated Students of OSU, congregated in the Memorial Union Quad, where they asked students to sign a prescription to heal the state’s ailing higher education system.

The prescription asks the newly elected governor to give higher education

$188 million more in the 2007-09 budget than in the current biennium, for a total of about $920 million.

Students also are asking for $101 million above the current budget for community colleges.

Prescriptions were signed by more than 10,000 students statewide at Eastern Oregon University, Lane Community College, Mount Hood Community College, Portland Community College, Portland State University, Rogue Community College, Southern Oregon University, University of Oregon and Western Oregon University, in addition to OSU.

WHAT’S NEXT: Students will ask Gov. Ted Kulongoski to be the “doctor” who signs their prescription.

Today students will present their prescriptions to James Sager, education and workforce policy advisor for Kulongoski. The event will take place from 11 to 11:30 a.m. in the ceremonial office (room 254) of the Capitol Building, 900 Court St, Salem.

— Gazette-Times