Oregon Genome Project

THE STORY SO FAR: Two Corvallis companies - Korvis Automation and Samaritan Health Services - are part of a partnership seeking $100 million in federal stimulus money to launch a new biotech venture in the mid-valley. Dubbed the Oregon Genome Project, the venture would produce a new generation of gene-sequencing machines to provide "personalized medicine" to patients, generate data for medical research and create at least 175 jobs in the area.

THE LATEST: The proposal still is under consideration by the Oregon Way Advisory Group, which aims to maximize the state's share of $37 billion in competitive grant funding available under the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act by promoting the most promising ventures to federal decision-makers. "What I heard is they have about 50 proposals from various entities, and we are one of the 50," said Korvis CEO Rich Carone.

Sex abuse trial to start

THE ISSUE: Corvallis resident Richard Montgomery, a former economics professor at Chemeketa Community College, was charged last January with sexually abusing four children.

THE LATEST: Montgomery, who faces 13 counts of first-degree sexual abuse and one count of first-degree sexual penetration, is scheduled to begin a court trial - not a jury trial - on Monday morning in Benton County Circuit Court.

Stem cell infusion

THE ISSUE: Four-year-old Corvallis resident Dylan Cain was oxygen-deprived at birth and was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. His parents, Mark and Jinger Cain, banked Dylan's umbilical cord blood at birth.

THE LATEST: Last week, the Cains traveled to the Duke Children's Hospital and Clinic in North Carolina, where Dylan received an infusion of stem cells harvested from his banked umbilical cord blood.

Monday evening, a fundraiser will be held at Aqua Seafood Restaurant & Bar at First Street and Monroe Avenue in Corvallis to help the Cains defray their $19,000 treatment and travel expenses. The Oregon State women's volleyball team is hosting the event. About a dozen tax deductible $100 tickets remain and will include hors d'oeuvres and a complete meal, fine wine and membership to The Spikers, the OSU volleyball team's booster club. Call Laura Benzing at 737-7707 or e-mail laura.

benzing@oregonstate.edu.

Rental reforms

THE STORY SO FAR: Legislation drafted by a coalition of landlord and renter representatives would make several changes to the Oregon Landlord-Tenant Law. Senate Bill 771 would eliminate some fees that currently are allowed, including charging tenants for changing locks at move-in and assessing fees for delivering eviction warnings or for appearing in court in eviction proceedings. Those practices have drawn numerous complaints against "red-door landlord" Kip Schoning of Corvallis. In most cases, the bill would also require 60 days' notice (instead of 30) to evict renters who have been in a residence for a year or more. For landlords, the measure would clarify some issues regarding temporary occupancy agreements and the disposition of property belonging to deceased renters.

THE LATEST: SB 771 was passed by the state Senate in April and referred to the House Consumer Protection Committee, which signed off on the measure May 18 and sent it to the full House for a floor vote. The bill was on the chamber's docket every day last week, but it was carried over each time as legislators work their way through a full slate of measures awaiting consideration. SB 771 now has been placed on the calendar for Monday's House session.

Staff reports