Retiring lottery director may stick around — Larry Niswender is set to retire at the end of the month as director of the Oregon Lottery, but he could stick around for six months as an adviser to his replacement. A memo from Niswender to the governor’s office outlines a plan for an appointment that could continue his salary for a total of more than $85,000. The governor’s office is considering the option to ensure a smooth transition. Lottery spokesman Chuck Baumann said Wednesday that Gov. John Kitzhaber’s office encouraged Niswender to submit the memo. Niswender says the work wouldn’t necessarily be full time or last six months. Kitzhaber has picked Jack Roberts to replace Niswender. If the Oregon Senate approves, Roberts will start Dec. 1.

Postal workers doused by carrier’s spray — A letter carrier’s spray intended to fend off aggressive dogs accidentally went off inside a Portland post office Wednesday, sending employees out the door. Somebody called 911 to report chemical contamination. Firefighters swarmed in, wearing masks with oxygen supplies and deploying sensors for biological, radiological and chemical hazards. Once they learned what had happened, firefighters had three employees whisked off to the hospital to have their eyes flushed. The Fire Bureau spokesman, Lt. Rich Chatman, says he doesn’t know how the spray was discharged, although he said it’s easy to “hit the button accidentally.” He says the spray was a heavy-duty version of pepper spray known as bear spray.

After bomb attempt, Coos Bay chapel reopens — A chapel designed as a public, nondenominational prayer space has reopened in Coos Bay, with damage from an attempted bombing repaired and new surveillance cameras in place. About 30 people crowded into the Coos Bay Prayer Chapel for a rededication service Monday. A pastor and a local broadcaster spoke, stressing the value of forgiveness. During the ceremony, two Coos Bay police officers kept watch outside. The chapel opened a decade ago. In September, firefighters working on a small blaze found a bomb. In August, another bomb went off at a city park where a veterans memorial features a cross atop. A letter purporting to be from a veterans group opposed to religious memorials claimed responsibility for the attacks. The FBI has offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to a conviction.

BPA appoints HR director after hiring scandal — The Bonneville Power Administration has appointed two senior officials to fix the damage caused by a scandal over hiring practices. The federal agency said on Wednesday that Department of the Air Force human resources officer Brian Carter will become human resources director, and BPA’s senior vice president of power services, Greg Delwiche, will serve as acting deputy administrator. Carter will report directly to the U.S. Department of Energy’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., after federal officials last month asserted control over Bonneville’s hiring practices. A report from the department’s inspector general found BPA discriminated against veterans who applied for jobs and retaliated against whistle-blowers. The BPA markets power from 31 federal dams in the Columbia Basin to 140 utilities in four states and manages much of the Pacific Northwest’s power grid.

Portland Hooters party still on — A Portland-area middle school football coach who was fired for planning an awards party at a Hooters restaurant says he going ahead with the event without school backing. And Hooters says it will pick up the bill Saturday and make a donation to the Corbett Middle School boosters club. The district’s athletic director fired Randall Burbach this week and withdrew its support for an event at Hooters, where waitresses wear shorts and tight shirts. The first-year volunteer coach refused to move the after-season party to another location because Hooters is where the boys wanted to go and he believes it’s a family restaurant. KGW reports the Jantzen Beach Hooters is picking up the tab and donating $1,000 plus 20 percent of Saturday sales to the school’s boosters club.

— From wire reports