In short

Online Oregon history encyclopedia to debut

Portland State and the Oregon Historical Society are debuting an online historical encyclopedia of important people, places and events in Oregon’s history this Thursday in celebration of Oregon Statehood Day.

The Web site will be inaugurated at the Oregon Historical Society, and is debuting with several entries about “everything and anyone of significance” in Oregon, said PSU history professor and project overseer Bill Lang in a press release.

Computers will be available in the Historical Society’s Miller Pavilion for patrons of Thursday’s launch party to submit suggestions for new encyclopedia entries.

Research gathering will continue throughout the year, and starting spring 2009, a team of educational professionals and field experts will be holding additional forums and workshops around the state to collect more information for new entries to the encyclopedia, according to a press release.

The event will be held Thursday, Feb. 14, from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Oregon Historical Society, located at 1200 S.W. Park Ave. The event is free and open to the public.

-Steve Haske

Domestic partnership law discussion Thurs.

Portland State’s Student Legal and Mediation Services will be holding a workshop on Oregon’s equal rights law protecting same-sex domestic partnerships Thursday.

The workshop, called “Will You Be My Valentine? Oregon’s New Domestic Partnership Law,” will focus on state legislation that gives same-sex couples the ability to sign up for legal domestic partnerships that afford them most rights given to heterosexual married couples, such as child support or hospital visitation rights.

Beth A. Allen, a Portland attorney who advocates for gay and lesbian rights, will lead the workshop.

The workshop is being held in response to legislation for the law, which went into effect Feb. 4.

Originally, the legislation was scheduled to be go into effect Jan. 2, but it was postponed due to an opposition campaign to collect signatures to place the law on a referendum ballot.

“Will You Be My Valentine?” will be held Thursday, Feb. 14 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. in room 298 of Smith Memorial Student Union. The event is free and open to the public.

–Steve Haske