Ben Botkin on Muck Rack

Ben Botkin

Verified
Oregon
As seen in: Lookout Local, USA Today, Yahoo News, U.S. News and World Report, Flipboard, The Mercury News, The Seattle Times, The Denver Post, The Oregonian, Yahoo, Washington Times and
Covers:  State government and agencies, corrections, health care, mental health, the insurance industry, the Legislature and any other stories that require digging.
Doesn't Cover: I don't cover anything without a connection to government and people.
Senior Correspondent at Lookout Eugene-Springfield. Public records/data geek. @SPJOregon board member. Tips: ben@lookoutlocal.com

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Ben Botkin’s Biography

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Ben Botkin is an accomplished watchdog and beat reporter. Botkin is currently the politics & policy correspondent for Lookout Eugene-Springfield.

He previously covered state politics for the Oregon Capital Chronicle, the Statesman Journal in Salem, Ore., The Denver Post and the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He also wrote about criminal justice and state prison issues for Oklahoma Watch, a non-profit investigative journalism outlet.

Botkin has covered national stories such as the Nevada caucuses, …

Ben Botkin’s Journalist Portfolio

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Critics blast Colorado GOP treasurer candidate's financial past, but he says it makes him right m...

Critics blast Colorado GOP treasurer candidate's financial past, but he says it makes him right m...

The Republican candidate for Colorado treasurer has come under fire for past business deals that critics cont…

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Las Vegas immigrants take center stage at Democratic convention

Las Vegas immigrants take center stage at Democratic convention

PHILADELPHIA - Immigration reform played a prominent role at the Democratic National Convention on Monday, an…

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Nevada State Democratic Party's headquarters in Las Vegas closed after weekend chaos

Nevada State Democratic Party's headquarters in Las Vegas closed after weekend chaos

The Nevada State Democratic Party's headquarters in Las Vegas were closed Monday amid security concerns follo…

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Trump focuses on veterans' needs during Reno speech to American Legion

Trump focuses on veterans' needs during Reno speech to American Legion

RENO - President Donald Trump sidestepped political controversy for the most part in brief remarks to the Ame…

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In Vegas, Dems identify common enemy: the GOP

In Vegas, Dems identify common enemy: the GOP

Gun control, immigration reform and taking on Wall Street to address income inequality were among the most pa…

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GOP activist Dane's financial transactions part of Metro extortion probe

GOP activist Dane's financial transactions part of Metro extortion probe

The financial transactions of longtime Nevada GOP activist Tony Dane's political action committee are part of…

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Articles

County plan to spend more lodging tax dollars on nontourism items draws opposition

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By Ben Botkin 
| Lookout Eugene-Springfield
QuickTake: A new state law gives counties more flexibility to use more of the transient lodging tax revenue for other needs beyond tourism. In Lane County, that could help pay for rural sheriff’s patrols. But it also attracts pointed opposition. Lane County’s proposed budget relies on a tool that state lawmakers handed Oregon counties this year that could keep sheriff deputies patrolling rural areas of the county and free more money to help pay for modernized, expanded courthouse services.
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Bomb threat prompts Hayward Field evacuation ahead of NCAA meet

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By Lauren Kessler, Ben Botkin , Grace Chinowsky
| Lookout Eugene-Springfield
2:30 p.m.: Updated to report the cancellation of an NCAA press conference and with additional information from the University of Oregon. The University of Oregon issued an alert to evacuate Hayward Field due to a bomb threat Tuesday, June 9. The emergency alert, sent at around 1:39 p.m., urges UO community members to evacuate the track and field stadium at 1530 Agate St. In a 2:06 p.m. update, UO said university police were expected “to take several hours” investigating.
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Developer proposes 212-lot Eugene subdivision of houses, townhomes

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By Ben Botkin 
| Lookout Eugene-Springfield
QuickTake: A Vancouver, Washington-based developer is asking city officials to approve the plan for the 38-acre site in west Eugene. A developer has submitted a land-use application to Eugene for a subdivision with 212 residential lots on slightly more than 38 acres. The site, near the far western edge of the city, is part of a recent annexation the city completed to increase its available land for housing, according to the developer’s 412-page application submitted June 4.
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Interview

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Have you ever used a typewriter?

No.

How is social media changing news?

#lvrj

Who's your favorite fictional journalist?

Fiction + journalist = not a good combination.

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