A surprising coalition of immigration rights advocates, students, and legislators from both sides of the aisle rallied this week to support a new bill that would be a sort of mini-DREAM Act for Oregon. The "tuition equity" bill would allow young undocumented immigrants to pay in-state tuition at Oregon universities if they attend Oregon high schools for at least three years and graduate. SARAH MIRK

The race for an open Metro Council seat got a lot more interesting last week when eight candidates threw their hats into the ring for the job Councilor Robert Liberty is quitting. The shoe-in seems to be former Governor Barbara Roberts, who Metro councilors reportedly asked to run because they were worried they wouldn't be able to agree on appointing any of the other candidates. One of the frontrunners is already out—Bob Stacey withdrew this week, stepping aside for the governor. SM

The Portland Police Bureau has submitted its $163.2 million budget proposal for 2011-2012, offering the first look at a pair of new less-lethal weapons the bureau is considering in response to a surge of police shootings over the past few months. One is a special flashlight/pepper-spray dispenser meant to blind assailants from afar. The other is a shoulder-mounted Taser that cops could fire from longer distances than their current handheld Tasers—buying more time before their guns come out. It'd be a good start on Chief Mike Reese's promise to give his officers better tools, except for this: No cost estimates were included, meaning no money might actually be budgeted for the new weapons. DENIS C. THERIAULT