A newsman looks back on the Vortex I festival: Book excerpt

When Tom McCall was elected Oregon's governor in 1966, Floyd McKay had a front-row seat.

As a journalist, McKay was there when Oregon approved its Beach Bill, preserving public recreational access to the state's beaches. McKay was there when Oregon approved its Bottle Bill, reducing litter by requiring refundable deposits. And McKay was there when Oregon decided to head off anticipated anti-war protests during a 1970 American Legion convention in Portland by sponsoring a rock festival, Vortex I.