Oregon

In Oregon, mass timber is increasingly being viewed as a construction material that could help the state build more affordable homes and revive rural logging towns. Mass timber is made from wood products that are fastened together to make large panels or beams. A new prototype of a affordable mass timber housing unit was unveiled at the Port of Portland on Friday. The Oregon Mass Timber Coalition aims to open a factory at the port that could mass produce homes. The coalition says the increase in production would help alleviate the state’s housing shortage. Some environmental groups say the material could lead to deforestation.

Amazon is axing free grocery delivery for Prime members on orders less than $150. In an email to Prime members Friday, Amazon said customers who get their groceries delivered from Amazon Fresh — and pay less than $150 — will be charged between $3.95 and $9.95 depending on the order size. The new policy starts February 28. Currently, the company offers Prime members free grocery delivery on orders above $35, with the exception of New York, where it’s $50. The decision to impose new fees comes as Amazon attempts to trim costs amid a hazy economic environment.

It’s the first time the four leaders of the two congressional spending committees are women. Sitting down with The Associated Press for their first joint interview, along with Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young, the women acted Thursday like old friends, nodding and laughing in agreement when listening to each others’ stories about the way things used to be for women and sometimes still are. Congresswomen Kay Granger and Rosa DeLauro, Sens. Susan Collins and Patty Murray and Young say their camaraderie, friendship and willingness to collaborate will be crucial this year as they navigate the difficult responsibility of keeping the government running and open.

Colorado lawmakers unanimously voted to push forward a bill that would create a $2 million pilot program to use cameras and artificial intelligence technology to help identify fires before they burn out of control. The bill was approved by a Senate committee Thursday, and comes a year after the most destructive wildfire in the state’s history scorched nearly 1,100 homes. The goal is for cameras and an AI algorithm to detect the plume of smoke and alert first responders who can stomp out the blaze before it grows. The proposed pilot program to help quench increasingly drastic wildfires in Colorado will move to the state Senate Appropriations Committee next.

Boeing has pleaded not guilty to a criminal charge in a case revolving around two crashes of Boeing 737 Max planes. A federal judge in Texas took Boeing's plea Thursday. The judge is considering whether to appoint a special monitor to examine safety issues at the company. It's an unusual case because Boeing thought it had settled the issue when it reached a deal with federal prosecutors two years ago. But relatives of some of the passengers who died are challenging the settlement because they weren't informed about secret negotiations between Boeing and the Justice Department.