Free Republic

The "woke" government of Portland, Oregon now requires homeowners to obtain city permits to remove trees that have fallen on their houses. Recently, a large tree felled by an ice storm crashed into Joel and Sarah Bonds' home. Fear of this very outcome led the couple to request permission to remove the tree in 2021. They were turned down because the city's Urban Forestry Division (UFD) ruled that cutting down this tree "would have a negative impact on the neighborhood's character." Spokesman for the UFD Douglas Furr acknowledged that "the recent damage to the Bond's home is unfortunate, but we...

A former Atlanta arborist who filed a whistle-blower lawsuit against the city after being fired from his job has reached a settlement before trial, one his lawyers said Wednesday. Under terms of the settlement, the city, which does not admit liability in the case, will pay 67-year-old Thomas Coffin $165,000 in damages and fees, Atlanta attorney Gerry Weber said. As part of the settlement, Fulton County Superior Court Judge John Goger signed a consent order to allow the city to fully vest Coffin's pension rights. Coffin was hired by the city in 2000 and elevated to the position of senior...