Oregon lawmaker Alan Bates dies at 71

Associated Press

SALEM, Ore. - Oregon Sen. Alan Bates, a Democrat from Medford, has died at the age of 71.

According to a statement from the family, Bates died Friday after spending the day fly fishing on the Rogue River with his son.

Bates, a longtime family physician, had served in the Oregon Senate since 2005. Before that, he served four years in the Oregon House of Representatives.