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Category: Portland, Oregon Local News

Portland, Oregon Local News | ReportWire publishes the latest breaking U.S. and world news, trending topics and developing stories from around globe.

  • Former Oregon Youth Authority Employee Indicted On Contraband And Misconduct Charges – KXL

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    SALEM, Ore. — A former employee of the Oregon Youth Authority (OYA), Cherie MacDougall, was arraigned this week in Marion County Circuit Court on a series of felony charges stemming from alleged misconduct at the MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility in 2022.

    MacDougall, 42, faces a total of 10 charges, including:

    • Three counts of supplying contraband

    • Three counts of conspiracy to supply contraband

    • Two counts of custodial sexual misconduct in the first degree

    • Two counts of felon in possession of a firearm

    The charges follow a joint investigation by the Oregon State Police and the Oregon Department of Justice, focusing on activities that allegedly occurred while MacDougall was employed at the OYA facility.

    Allegations Include Weapons and Sexual Misconduct

    Court documents indicate MacDougall accepted payment from incarcerated individuals in exchange for contraband, including vaping devices. After one of those individuals was released into the community on conditional release, she allegedly provided them with two firearms. She is also accused of engaging in a sexual relationship with the same individual while they were in custody.

    MacDougall’s employment with the Oregon Youth Authority officially ended on May 10, 2023.

    Legal Proceedings Underway

    Prosecutors requested $500,000 bail, citing the seriousness of the charges. However, Judge Pro Tem Matthew Tracey set bail at $100,000. MacDougall is scheduled to appear in court again on September 11, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. at the Marion County Annex, located at 4000 Aumsville Highway SE in Salem.

    The case is being prosecuted under Marion County Circuit Court case number 25CR47112.

    Part of Broader Criminal Inquiry

    This indictment is one of several handed down by a Marion County Grand Jury amid a broader investigation into conditions and management practices at the MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility, a closed-custody center operated by the Oregon Youth Authority.

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    Jordan Vawter

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  • Thursday classes canceled at Evergreen Public Schools amid ongoing strike

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    PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Classes are canceled on Thursday for Evergreen Public Schools as the support staff union and the school district continue ongoing negotiations.

    The support staff, which includes para-educators, bus drivers and maintenance staff, will continue to be on strike. The start of the school year has been delayed by more than a week amid the negotiations.

    In a statement, Evergreen Public Schools said that the school buildings will be closed. However, there will be breakfast and lunch made available for students at no cost each school day during the strike, available for pickup at Heritage High School, Mountain View High School and Marrion Elementary School, in the morning.

    In addition, middle and high school athletic practices and football games at McKenzie Stadium will continue, though transportation won’t be provided.

    The school district said it will make an announcement at 4 p.m. on Thursday as to whether or not classes will be canceled on Friday, too.

    This comes after the Evergreen Chapter of Public School Employees of Washington SEIU Local 1948 (PSE) voted in favor of a strike last month. Despite a bargaining session with a mediator, no contract deal was reached between the school district and the unionized workers.

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    Danny Peterson

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  • Wrong-way driving accidents surge 300% in Washington. Here's what they're doing about it

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    PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The number of people killed in wrong-way driving accidents increased 300% between 2014 and 2023 in Washington, and the number keeps going up.

    Eight percent of fatal accidents in the state are caused by wrong-way drivers, which is double the national average, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Washington tied Maine for the highest rate of fatal wrong-way driving accidents across the country.

    In an effort to reduce the risk of wrong-way driving, the Washington Department of Transportation is installing detection systems across the state, according to an update shared from WSDOT.

    The new detection technology uses sensors and cameras to catch when vehicles enter a ramp or lane in the wrong direction, according to a WSDOT statement. The sensor triggers flashing lights to notify drivers in real time, and sends a notification to WSDOT’s traffic management center so they can alert law enforcement.

    Washington legislators approved $2 million for the effort across the state, which includes locations at 10 highway on-ramps. In Clark County, systems have been installed on State Route 14 at C Street, Interstate 5 at 179th Street, Interstate 5 at Gee Creek Rest Area, and State Route 502 at Interstate 5.

    The locations were selected based on the number of frequent wrong-way driver reports and collisions, according to Sarah Hannon-Nein, a WSDOT spokesperson.

    Nearly 70% of wrong-way crashes happened in King, Snohomish, Pierce, Clark, Yakima and Spokane counties, according to a WSDOT report to lawmakers. The same counties also account for the highest rates of traffic fatalities within the state.

    Though wrong-way driving is linked with impaired driving, 47 percent of drivers in fatal accidents were not tested for drugs and alcohol, according to the report.

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    Amanda Rhoades

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  • Portland Rose Festival Foundation Launches National Search For Next Executive Director – KXL

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    PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Rose Festival Foundation has opened a national search for its next executive director.

    Longtime CEO Marilyn Clint is retiring after nearly 50 years with the organization.

    The foundation says it’s looking for a dynamic leader to guide one of the Pacific Northwest’s most celebrated cultural institutions into a new era, with a focus on innovation, community engagement and financial sustainability

    The Rose Festival is best known for marquee events like the Grand Floral Parade, CareOregon Starlight Parade, Fred Meyer Junior Parade, CityFair waterfront festival and Fleet Week. The organization also supports youth through programs such as the Rose Festival Court, in partnership with schools and community organizations.

    The incoming executive director will oversee a small staff, work closely with a volunteer board and committees, and serve as the organization’s public face. Key responsibilities include strategic planning, fundraising, sponsorship development, media and civic relations, and event oversight.

    A full job description and application information is available at www.rosefestival.org/executive-director. Applications are currently being accepted, with interviews set to begin this fall.

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    Grant McHill

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  • 'Flood the zone': Trump's border czar warns of 'collateral arrests' amid threat of feds heading to Portland, Seattle

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    PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – President Donald Trump’s so-called border czar is putting Portland front and center once again, warning of “collateral arrests” and of federal law enforcement agents being ordered to “flood the zone” in the event of a crack down on sanctuary cities in the Pacific Northwest.

    Tom Homan, the White House’s Executive Associate Director of Enforcement and Removal Operations, talked outside the White House on Wednesday.

    He said he plans to “flood the zone” in sanctuary cities like Portland and Seattle.

    “So we’re going to send the boots on the ground to the places that we know there’s a problem. Address the biggest problems first — and that’s your biggest cities or sanctuary cities whether it’s New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle,” he said. “I mean, they’re sanctuary cities, and we’re gonna flood the zone.”

    Homan went on to say that he doesn’t want to get into specifics about plans, because he doesn’t want to give sanctuary jurisdictions a heads up about what’s on the way.

    “I wanna make this clear. The sanction treaties, again, we’ll get something they don’t want when we find a bad person, and we will, if they’re with others that aren’t a criminal threat but in the country legally, they’re coming too. So more collateral arrests are gonna occur in sanctuary cities, because you forced us into the community,” Homan said. “It’s coming. I mean, I don’t get too specific, because we’re going to give them too much heads up, but it’s coming.”

    Just last month, Homan paid a visit to the ICE facility in Southwest Portland. In response, Mayor Keith Wilson said, “Portland stands firm in protecting [its] sanctuary city status.”

    “Our City employees, including the Portland Police Bureau, will not use their time or resources to assist in Federal immigration enforcement action unless required by federal courts,” Wilson said in his statement. “As such, our sanctuary city status does not violate federal law.”

    Stay with KOIN 6 News as we continue to follow this story.

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    Aimee Plante

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  • Former CFO In Oregon Sentenced To Federal Prison For Health Care Theft – KXL

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    PORTLAND, Ore. – A former chief financial officer for a regional fisheries agency has been sentenced to federal prison for stealing more than $200,000 from a health benefits account funded in part by federal grants.

    Pamela J. Kahut, 68, of Wilsonville, was sentenced Wednesday to eight months in federal prison and three years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay $211,083.27 in restitution and a $10,000 fine.

    Kahut served as CFO of the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC), an interstate agency that manages and conserves Pacific Ocean fishery resources. Prosecutors said she misused her access to the commission’s self-funded health benefit trust account to cover personal expenses.

    According to court documents, between October 2014 and September 2020, Kahut used the account to pay for her spouse’s long-term care premiums, pay off pension loans, and cover personal credit card bills.

    The health benefit account, which Kahut controlled, was partially funded by federal grants. She was charged in April and pleaded guilty in June to theft in connection with health care.

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    Grant McHill

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  • Portland Police Continues To Crack Down On Sex Trafficking – KXL

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    PORTLAND, Ore. – More than 20 people have arrested or cited since late July for alleged sex trafficking.

    Portland Police has joined multiple agencies for focused enforcement efforts along Northeast 82nd Avenue and Northeast Sandy Boulevard in response to growing community concerns and persistent livability issues tied to sex trafficking.

    Twenty people were arrested or cited for charges including commercial sexual solicitation and unlawful prostitution procurement activities.

    The individuals arrested include:

    • Dires Akalu, 45, Portland

    • Josue Bernabe-Gonzales, 25, Kelso, Wash.

    • Tomas Bulux-Velasquez, 32, Vancouver, Wash.

    • Todd Campbell, 26, Spanaway, Wash.

    • Jordin Chacaj-Lopez, 23, Hillsboro

    • Pedro Francisco-Mateo, 48, Portland

    • Samuel Gavrilita, 21, Vancouver, Wash.

    • Elias Garcia-Perez, 26, Vancouver, Wash.

    • Melito Guillermo, 20, Portland

    • Jason Kobbe, 24, Beaverton

    • Julien Krein, 24, Gresham

    • Jose Luengo-Bastarrica, 29, Portland

    • Oscar Martinez-Amaro, 25, Portland

    • Paul Newton, 52, Mt. Angel

    • Brandon Pedroza, 32, Sherwood

    • Jermick Phaynid, 24, Portland

    • Kevin Shults, 66, Portland

    • Matthew Stoner, 32, Portland

    • Alejandro Vargas-Manzano, 46, Gresham

    • Kevin Zurita-Varela, 19, Portland

    Officers also towed five vehicles, recovered at least one firearm, and collected intelligence related to suspected traffickers and buyers.

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    Grant McHill

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  • Cool Job Alert: The Mercury Is Hiring a News Reporter!

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    Great news: The Portland Mercury is continuing its growth and hiring an additional NEWS REPORTER to join our smart, scrappy team of kick-ass journalists. Are YOU that special person (or perhaps its someone you know)? Then check out the following job posting—applications due by Friday, September 5!

    HELP WANTED: News Reporter

    Salary: $70,000 

    The Portland Mercury is looking to add a full-time news reporter to our small, dynamic team—known locally for smart, deep, and accessible journalism and culture writing. This position will be primarily focused on short-form reporting and breaking news, but would also provide opportunities for longer, in-depth reporting as well as culture writing. Apply at this link.

    The Mercury is seeking applicants who can keep up with the quick pace of digital reporting. We want to hire someone with a natural curiosity that drives their reporting on virtually any subject—including but not limited to housing and homelessness, protests, racial inequity, labor, and local angles on national news stories. Ideally, applicants will be well-acquainted with the city of Portland. 

    We also want someone who strives to cover how different issues affect all Portlanders, and who can bring their own lived experiences to their reporting. 

    Key responsibilities: 

    Reporting and writing news stories for online and print. Help produce weekly news roundups, and participate in the Mercury’s election editorial board—our endorsement board for local, state, and national elections—both as a voting member of the board, and as a writer in our endorsement packages. 

    Requirements:

    • At least 3-5 years of experience working on a news team—this can include internships and college newspapers. 

    • A body of work published within the past three years.

    • The ability to write clean, concise news copy on a deadline. 

    • Experience producing enterprise and investigative reporting. 

    • A tenacious, enthusiastic, can-do attitude and a comfort level with interviewing anyone, from a grocery store worker on strike to the mayor of Portland. 

    • Flexibility to move from one story to the next, and time management to juggle multiple stories at once. 

    • Familiarity with records requests and major social media platforms. 

    • The ability to pitch stories that are unique and relevant to our readers. 

    • Exceptional grammar and style skills, and the ability to proofread your colleagues’ work. 

    • An interest in different forms of writing, from film and music reviews to sports and features—though experience in these genres isn’t necessary. 

    • Basic photography or video skills, social media management experience, and familiarity with data journalism are all bonuses, but not required.

    Additional Information: 

    This is a full-time, non-exempt, union position. The typical schedule is Monday-Friday (though you may be asked to work nights and weekends on occasion). Some telecommuting is allowed, as approved by your editor. Some familiarity with the Portland news ecosystem is appreciated. Starting salary is $70,000 per year, and just so you know, the Mercury is a very fun place to work, with nice people.

    Health Insurance: Employer contributes toward medical, dental, and vision premiums

    Retirement Plan: SIMPLE IRA with employer-matching contributions

    Paid Time Off: Seven paid holidays, two any-day paid holidays, and vacation starting at two weeks in the first year, increasing up to 4 weeks after 5 years

    Employee Assistance Program: Access to wellness and financial support services 

    Flexible Spending Account (FSA): Options to set aside pre-tax funds for medical and dependent care expenses 

    Why Noisy Creek? 

    Aside from being an equal opportunity employer, we’re also a vibrant, creative team that believes the more diverse voices that are at the table, the better the conversation—and the work! We realize that not everyone receives the same professional or educational opportunities, so if you don’t meet all the above qualifications but still think you’d be a good fit, please consider applying. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and particularly encourage applications from women, LGBTQ+, BIPOC, and other underrepresented communities. If you want to be part of a team where your skills and ideas are valued, we want to hear from you! 

    APPLY HERE. DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5.

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    Wm. Steven Humphrey

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  • Judge Reverses Trump Administration’s Cuts Of Billions Of Dollars To Harvard University – KXL

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    This Nov. 13, 2008 file photo shows the campus of Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. (AP Photo/Lisa Poole, File)

    BOSTON (AP) — A federal judge in Boston on Wednesday ordered the reversal of the Trump administration’s cuts to more than $2.6 billion in funding for research grants for Harvard University.

    U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs sided with the Ivy League school, ruling the cuts amounted to illegal retaliation for Harvard’s rejection of White House demands for changes to its governance and policies.

    The ruling delivers a significant victory to Harvard in its battle with the Trump administration, which also has sought to prevent the school from hosting foreign students and threatened to revoke its tax-exempt status.

    The government had tied the freezes at Harvard to delays in dealing with antisemitism on its campus, but the judge said the federally funded research had little connection to antisemitism. “A review of the administrative record makes it difficult to conclude anything other than that Defendants used antisemitism as a smokescreen for a targeted, ideologically-motivated assault on this country’s premier universities,” Burroughs wrote.

    The ruling reverses a series of funding freezes that later became outright cuts as the Trump administration escalated its fight with the nation’s wealthiest university. If it stands, it promises to revive Harvard’s sprawling research operation and hundreds of projects that lost federal money.

    Beyond the courthouse, the Trump administration and Harvard officials have been discussing a potential agreement that would end investigations and allow the university to regain access to federal funding. President Donald Trump has said he wants Harvard to pay no less than $500 million, but no deal has materialized even as the administration has struck agreements with Columbia and Brown.

    Harvard’s lawsuit accuses the Trump administration of waging a retaliation campaign against the university after it rejected a series of demands in an April 11 letter from a federal antisemitism task force.

    The letter demanded sweeping changes related to campus protests, academics and admissions. It was meant to address government accusations that the university had become a hotbed of liberalism and tolerated anti-Jewish harassment on campus.

    Trump officials moved to freeze $2.2 billion in research grants the same day Harvard rejected the administration’s demands. Education Secretary Linda McMahon declared in May that Harvard would no longer be eligible for new grants, and weeks later the administration began canceling contracts with Harvard.

    As Harvard fought the funding freeze in court, individual agencies began sending letters announcing that the frozen research grants were being terminated under a clause allowing grants to be scrapped if they no longer align with government policies. Harvard has moved to self-fund some of its research but warned it can’t absorb the full cost of the federal cuts.

    Harvard’s motion for summary judgment asked Burroughs to overturn the cuts and prevent future ones. It said the cuts did nothing to address antisemitism.

    Harvard President Alan Garber pledged to fight antisemitism but said no government “should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.”

    The Trump administration denies the cuts were done in retaliation, saying the grants were under review even before the April demand letter was sent. It argues the government has wide discretion to cancel contracts for policy reasons.

    “It is the policy of the United States under the Trump Administration not to fund institutions that fail to adequately address antisemitism in their programs,” it said in court documents.

    In a separate lawsuit filed by Harvard, Burroughs previously blocked the Trump administration’s efforts to prevent the school from hosting international students. Trump has said the administration would appeal if she rules for Harvard in the fight over its federal funding.

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    Jordan Vawter

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  • ICE agents spotted in Corvallis making arrest Wednesday morning, police say

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    PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – After a person was taken into custody by federal agents in Corvallis early Wednesday morning, Corvallis police are saying they had nothing to do with it.

    The police department said they were made aware of the incident near the 1500th block of NW Division St around 7:30 a.m. Officers later confirmed the involvement of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

    “The Corvallis Police Department had no prior knowledge of this operation and was not involved in any way. We did not participate in, assist with, or provide support for this action,” Corvallis police said.

    Details of the arrest are unclear, though Corvallis police said no one detained by ICE is housed at the Corvallis Law Enforcement Center.

    “Under Oregon law, local law enforcement agencies — including the Corvallis Police Department — are prohibited from using public resources to support or assist federal immigration enforcement. This includes the use of facilities, property, personnel, funds, equipment, or technology,” they said.

    KOIN 6 News has reached out to ICE for a statement and will update this story if we hear back.

    Stay with KOIN 6 News as this story develops.

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    Aimee Plante

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  • Landmark Streetcar In Lisbon Derails, Killing 15 – KXL

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    Firefighters carrying the body of a person on a stretcher at the site of a derailed electric streetcar in Lisbon, Portugal, Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

    LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Portuguese emergency services say an electric streetcar that is one of Lisbon’s landmarks and a big draw for tourists has derailed, killing 15 people and injuring 18 others.

    The National Institute for Medical Emergencies said in a statement that five of the injured are in serious condition, and a child is among the injured.

    It said an unknown number of the injured are foreigners.

    Authorities called it an accident, the worst in the city’s recent history.

    The yellow-and-white streetcar, which goes up and down a steep downtown hill in tandem with one going the opposite way, was lying on its side on the narrow road that it travels along.

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    Grant McHill

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  • Some Portland Pep Bands Won’t Perform at High School Games This Season – KXL

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    Photo: Clark County Fire District 6

    The majority of the Portland Interscholastic League’s schools’ band teachers say they won’t direct their marching bands due to lack of pay. This applies for football games in the fall and basketball games in the winter.

    KXL received a statement from Jefferson High School Instrumental Music Teacher Dave Hester, whose institution is part of the PIL:

    “Jefferson just restarted their music program after several years of being cut due to low enrollment, but we are building up to be able to play at sporting events in the coming years. Jefferson is rebuilding all of its academic and co-curricular programs in anticipation of our rebuild and increased enrollment.

    I would like to express my support for this initiative with my PPS band colleagues.  The expectation of a band program is to participate in fall and winter sporting events, perform at before/during/after school events, weekend events, district and state festivals, parades, travel, create and manage fundraisers, facilitate parent groups, host summer camps, etc.  I left my last high school band job because I was working 70+ hours a week with no additional compensation or personnel and I will not put myself in that position again.”

    The Portland Public Schools’ union is bargaining with the Portland Association of Teachers after they agreed to a three-year contract in November of 2023. A spokesperson with PAT told OregonLive that this action from band directors is a violation of the current collective bargaining agreement.

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    Noah Friedman

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  • 'Costs keep climbing': Southeast Portland cocktail bar announces closure

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    PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A cocktail-centric bar in Southeast Portland has announced plans to shutter in 2025.

    In a Tuesday Instagram post, Deadshot Founder Adam Robinson announced the bar’s closure.

    “We had a good run,” Robinson wrote. “There’s no easy way to say this: after more than seven years on our little corner of SE Portland, Deadshot will be closing its doors at the end of 2025.”

    “This decision wasn’t made lightly. The truth is simple—sales just aren’t there anymore, while costs keep climbing. Between inflation, the state of the economy, and our ‘fearless leadership’ in DC, the restaurant business hasn’t exactly been set up to thrive. One big repair bill could sink us, and we’d rather bow out on our own terms than wait for the floor to drop out,” Robinson explained.

    Adam Robinson, the owner of Deadshot – a cocktail bar on Portland’s SE 11th Ave. – is closing at the end of 2025 after seven years, due to rising costs (Courtesy Google Maps.)

    The post went on to announce Deadshot’s last “regular” service will be Saturday, November 8.

    During the closure, Robinson said his team will prep for their pop-up bar Miracle and will carry it forward at a new location in 2026.

    “Is this a bummer? Absolutely,” Robinson continued. “But Deadshot was never just a bar—it’s been an idea, a place where creativity ran wild, where strangers became regulars, and where I got to live out my dream of opening a bar in Portland.”

    “To every guest who sat at the bar, to every staff member who poured their time and energy into this place, and to every industry friend we’ve collaborated with over the years—thank you. You made Deadshot what it is, and I’ll always be grateful,” Robinson wrote. “Deadshot may be closing, but the spirit of it isn’t going anywhere.”

    While maintaining the spirit of Deadshot, the bar founder is asking the community to help the SE 11th Ave. business end on a high note.

    “Let’s blow the roof off these last two months,” Robinson wrote. “Pack the bar, drain the bottles, eat the kitchen out of food, and help us go out in style.”

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    Michaela Bourgeois

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  • US Job Openings Slip In July, Adding To Evidence That The American Labor Market Is Cooling – KXL

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    WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. employers posted 7.2 million job vacancies in July as the American labor market continued to cool.

    The Labor Department reported Wednesday that job openings were down from 7.4 million in June and came in modestly below what economists had forecast.

    The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) showed that layoffs rose.

    The number of Americans quitting their jobs — a sign of confidence in their ability to find better pay, opportunities or working conditions elsewhere — was almost unchanged at 3.2 million from June.

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    Grant McHill

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  • Good Morning, News: A (Small and Necessary) Fee Increase at Oregon State Parks, Transportation Package on Hold, and Donald Trump is Still Alive

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    If you’re reading this, you probably know the value of the Mercury’s news reporting, arts and culture coverage, event calendar, and the bevy of events we host throughout the year. The work we do helps our city shine, but we can’t do it without your support. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us. Thanks for your support! 

    Good morning, Portland! Today is going to be hot and kinda muggy. It looks like rain and cooler temperatures are on the way next week, which I am quite enthused about. In the meantime…enjoy the waning days of summer. 

    IN LOCAL NEWS:

    • Yesterday morning, it seemed like the Oregon Senate would take up the long-awaited transportation funding bill today, potentially allowing for a relatively hasty end to the special legislative session. But the Oregon Legislature doesn’t make things so easy. The lawmakers’ work is now on pause pending the return of Democrat Senator Chris Gorsek, who is apparently experiencing unanticipated health issues and is unable to make it to Salem to help pass the bill. Democratic senators need all the votes they can get to pass the controversial bill, so the work will have to wait. The Senate is now expected to take up the vote on September 17. (You can find out more about the transportation funding bill in this story, which has now been updated twice.) 

    • Visiting an Oregon state park? You might have to pay a little more than you’re used to. The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department will begin charging day-use parking fees and increasing camping/RV hook-up fees at some of the busiest state parks. The charges are meant to help fill a department budget deficit and help maintain Oregon’s beautiful outdoor spaces. The new, $10 parking fees will apply at 21 state parks, including a few beaches (like Beverly Beach and Bullards Beach), as well as Lewis and Clark State Recreation Site, Tryon Creek State Natural Area, and others. Camping fee increases will apply at 29 of the busiest state parks, resulting in charges of $29 a night for tent camping and $52 for RV hook-ups. Although it sucks that the world seems to constantly get more expensive, it’s worth coughing up a few extra bucks to keep our state parks in good shape. Plus, these fees are only being implemented at a fraction of Oregon’s hundreds of state parks. And, if you walk, bike, or take public transportation to the great outdoors (which I highly recommend), you’ll save on parking. (Those with valid Oregon State Parks parking permits also won’t have to pay the day-use parking fees.) 

    • The Lake Oswego City Council voted yesterday to reduce speed limits on all residential streets to 20 miles per hour, so slow down on your way to the (now) public lake! Oregon cities are permitted to slightly reduce speed limits on roadways within their jurisdiction thanks to a somewhat recent law passed by the Oregon Legislature. But so far, only a few cities (including Portland—as we all know, 20 is plenty) have taken up the program. When the City Council voted to approve the plan yesterday evening, many pointed out the real impact a 5 mph speed limit reduction can have on improving safety for all road users, and particularly those walking or biking. It’s a nice sign of progress in a Portland suburb not always known for its progressive actions. 

    • Cider fans, assemble. There’s a new cider house, Alchemy Cider, in Portland, and you should check it out. On tap? Strawberry hibiscus yuzu, blackberry lemon verbena, and tropical pineapple-passionfruit-key lime ciders, as well as more standard varieties. Autumn is for cider, hard or not, but let’s be honest, we kinda need the hard stuff these days. I look forward to sippin’ some Alchemy brews. 

    Alert! 🚨 There’s a new player in the local cider scene. Alchemy Cider has opened in the Buckman neighborhood, bringing a dark magic, metal-inspired aesthetic to the former Brewery 26 space. 🍻
    www.portlandmercury.com/food-and-dri…

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    — Portland Mercury (@portlandmercury.com) September 2, 2025 at 2:05 PM

    IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS: 

    • The rumors of Donald Trump’s death have, apparently, been greatly exaggerated. The president made his first public appearance in a week yesterday, following several days containing fewer Trump sightings than usual, which prompted, ahem, speculation about his health. But it seems like he’s okay (relatively speaking). At a news conference yesterday afternoon, Trump characterized the online speculation as people asking if he was okay and how he’s feeling. That’s not how I would describe it, but either way, he said it was “fake news” and didn’t seem too amused by the chatter. 

    • The press conference wasn’t all about Trump’s health, though. He used the opportunity to announce that the US Space Command will have a long-term home in Alabama, moving away from its temporary HQ in Colorado. Alabama and Colorado both want the Space Command center, as it would apparently be helpful to their economies. As he is wont to do, Trump made his decision based solely on politics and getting one over on his perceived enemies, in this case being the blue state of Colorado. He also did it to spite Colorado specifically for its mail-in voting system, which Trump called “very corrupt.” (It’s not.) 

    • Most importantly was Trump’s announcement confirming his plans to move federal troops into Chicago and Baltimore, which he believes require the assistance of masses of intimidating, armed federal authorities to solve the city’s alleged crime problems. Trump didn’t say when he would send the National Guard into the cities. But he did acknowledge the fact that local leaders in these cities and states do not want them there. Their strong objections only seem to egg him on, because he has the emotional intelligence of a two-year-old. (Sorry to two-year-olds, who can actually be sweet and considerate.) 

    • In other news about our completely unhinged and destructive federal regime, the US military carried out a strike on a ship coming from Venezuela yesterday, killing 11 people. Trump said the boat was carrying illegal drugs (specifically cocaine), but it’s unclear how his administration knew that. Even if the boat was carrying drugs, the decision to blow up the vessel, killing those on board, was unusual and highly escalatory. Normally, law enforcement agents would apprehend the ship and its crew before its contents could enter the country. As The Stranger‘s Vivian McCall pointed out in her helpful Slog AM post yesterday, the US has “not presented any conclusive evidence that [Venezuelan President] Maduro is trafficking cocaine,” and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime doesn’t even list Venezuela as a notable supplier of cocaine. So, as usual, Trump’s impulses are wrong and carry serious consequences. Bro…we literally don’t need to be at war with Venezuela right now. There are, like, so many other things we could be doing. 

    • Irish TV writer Graham Linehan (who you may know better as one of the worst people on the internet) was arrested Monday by London police officers, allegedly because of tweets he’s posted threatening and encouraging violence against trans women. Linehan says five police officers intercepted him at Heathrow Airport and took him in for questioning over his violent posts, at which point his blood pressure became so high that he needed to go “to hospital,” as the Brits say. (The police confirmed Linehan’s basic story, but said his medical condition “is neither life-threatening nor life-changing,” which is one of the funniest takedowns I’ve ever heard.) Linehan, who has essentially dedicated his life to being a vile transphobe over the last few years, received an outpouring of support from conservative British politicians and fellow obsessive transphobe JK Rowling, who said the arrest was a sign of totalitarianism. (Elon Musk agreed with her.) The reason I think this is important is because people like Linehan and Rowling and Musk love to be in positions where they can play the victim, even as they are inciting violence against people who have less power than they do and are doing nothing to hurt them or anyone else. Don’t buy into it! They don’t deserve an inch. 

    • Timeline refresh: Watch people booing their Republican representatives. 

    The last week of the August recess brought jeers, laughs, and unanswered questions.

    At town halls across the country, attendees booed and demanded answers as their GOP representatives tried to defend President Donald Trump’s agenda.

    Read more about the rowdy town halls here: https://bit.ly/4n4kHbS

    [image or embed]

    — Mother Jones (@motherjones.com) September 2, 2025 at 3:18 PM

    • Here’s something that’s pissing me off: When I go onto Instagram to look for cute animal videos nowadays, most of them are FAKE!!! They look bad and emit rancid vibes (like all AI “art” and everything else created by those horrible robots). Luckily, the Oregon Zoo still posts videos of real animals, like this cute beaver munchin’ on some leaves. Thank you, Oregon Zoo. 

     

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    Taylor Griggs

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  • Thunderstorms, heat and humidity possible in Portland Wednesday

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    PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Heat, haze, humidity and the chance of thunderstorms will make it feel like the middle of summer in Portland on Wednesday.

    A sun and cloud mix will help warm temperatures into the mid-80s on Wednesday as higher humidity values make it feel more like the 90s. Dew point temperatures are expected to be near 70 degrees on Wednesday, adding atmospheric instability and more available energy for thunderstorms to develop.

    Southern Oregon thunderstorms have the potential to move northwest on Wednesday afternoon and evening. The storm potential remains open from midday to 10 p.m. Wednesday for the Portland, Vancouver metro area. Not everyone will see thunderstorm activity. Those who do see lightning and hear thunder shouldn’t expect much in the way of precipitation.

    The thunderstorm threat will keep Oregon’s wildfire potential elevated through Wednesday evening. The lightning potential is expected to fade by sunset across western Oregon.

    A Red Flag Warning is set to expire at 9 p.m. on Wednesday. The threat of thunderstorms and higher heat slowly slips away late into the weekend. That’s when cooler air starts to work its way back into the Pacific Northwest.

    KOIN 6 Senior Meteorologist Kelley Bayern shares Portland’s cooler weather trend for the first full week of September 2025

    A more seasonal September outlook will start taking shape by the weekend. Highs will return to near-average conditions in the upper 70s with a few stray showers possible. Portland’s rain chance continues into the middle of next week.

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    Josh Cozart

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  • New Technology Helps Truck Drivers Find Safe Parking Along I-5 Corridor – KXL

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    VANCOUVER, Wash. – Truck drivers traveling along Interstate 5 in Washington state will soon have an easier time finding a place to rest, thanks to a new technology-based system launched by the Washington State Department of Transportation.

    The Truck Parking Information Management System, or TPIMS, is designed to provide real-time and predictive data about parking availability at rest areas and weigh stations along I-5. The tool helps drivers plan up to four hours in advance and aims to reduce the time spent searching for safe, legal parking spots.

    Nationwide, there is only one parking space for every 11 trucks on the road, and 75% of truck drivers in Washington report having trouble finding parking at least once a week. Drivers are also federally required to follow strict hours-of-service regulations, which means they often need to plan parking well before reaching their legal driving limits.

    WSDOT partnered with the University of Washington’s STAR Lab to develop TPIMS. The system uses innovative algorithms to predict parking availability, making it one of the first of its kind in the country.

    The program is funded by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant program.

    As of early September, TPIMS is active at the following nine locations, with two more sites expected to be online by the end of the month:

    • Gee Creek Rest Area northbound (milepost 11)

    • Gee Creek Rest Area southbound (milepost 12)

    • Maytown Rest Area (milepost 93)

    • Fort Lewis Weigh Station (milepost 117)

    • SeaTac Weigh Station (milepost 140)

    • Smokey Point Rest Area southbound (milepost 207)

    • Smokey Point Rest Area northbound (milepost 207)

    • Custer Rest Area northbound (milepost 267)

    • Custer Rest Area southbound (milepost 269)

    • Toutle River Rest Area northbound (milepost 54)

    • Ridgefield Weigh Station (milepost 15)

    More locations will be added through 2026.

    More about:

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    Grant McHill

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  • Olivia's blood drives give kids same chance she got

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    WEST LINN, Ore. (KOIN) — There were balloons, cupcakes and smiles all around for Olivia Ender’s 8th birthday party. But this celebration was so much more than just for a birthday.

    When Olivia was 4, she was diagnosed with leukemia. Since then, she and her family have turned her birthday into a blood drive to give other kids the same chance blood donors gave her.

    At Olivia’s blood drive Tuesday, she was excited to help.

    “I like working this and watching people help with the blood,” she told KOIN 6 News

    Over these past 4 years, Olivia faced chemotherapy, surgeries and more than 20 life-saving blood transfusions from the Red Cross. Now in remission, Olivia can look back and live life like a regular kid, full of energy, hope and birthday wishes.

    • Oliva Enders and her mom Sarah in an undated photo (Enders family)
    • Oliva Enders, 8, has sponsored 13 blood drives since she was diagnosed with leukemia when she was 4, September 2, 2025 (KOIN)
    • A person donates blood at a Red Cross drive in West Linn, September 2, 2025 (KOIN)

    But her mom, Sarah Enders, hopes Olivia sees just how many lives she’s touched and the difference she’s made.

    “I hope it’s something we can save someday so she can look back and see what kind of impact we’ve made just in her name,” Sarah said.

    Sarah said this isn’t just her little girl’s birthday. It’s a milestone celebrating Olivia’s strength — and the lives that saved hers.

    “There’s not enough thank yous in the world for the people who are actually doing the donations,” Sarah said.

    According to the Red Cross, cancer patients — especially those with leukemia — use nearly 25% of the nation’s blood supply. But only 3% of Americans donate each year.

    Olivia Enders already helped inspire 13 blood drives, including her annual birthday drive, plus 3 others throughout the year.

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    Anthony Kustura

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  • Drivers divided over ODOT funding tax hikes

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    SALEM, Ore. (KOIN) — As the Oregon Senate debates the funding package for the Oregon Department of Transportation, drivers who spoke with KOIN 6 News seem as divided as the legislature.

    The transportation bill, passed by the House on Monday in a special session, aims to avoid layoffs and service cuts by raising a number of taxes — including hiking the gas tax by 6-cents per gallon.

    Salem resident Eric Mason supports the bills to fund ODOT.

    “Any chance that you could save jobs and also improve our roads — an extra 6 cents, an extra 10, an extra 25 cents is not going to hit me,” Mason said.

    But another Salem resident, David Lopez, is against the plan and thinks Oregonians already pay too much in tax.

    Salem resident Eric Mason, September 2, 2025 (KOIN)
    Salem resident David Lopez, September 2, 2025 (KOIN)
    Salem resident David Lopez, September 2, 2025 (KOIN)

    “They’re not fixing the roads (now),” Lopez said. “To fix the roads, that would be different.”

    Republican legislators against the bill argue the ODOT funding gap can be filled by reallocating existing funds. Hikes, they say, are not in the best interest for the taxpayers.

    State Sen. Daniel Bonham (R-The Dalles) said he has a stack of public testimony opposing the plan.

    “We’re up to thousands of pieces of testimony, individual pieces of testimony,” Bonham said. “Some simply say I oppose this bill, and others articulate very clear reasons why their opposition.”

    Some Democrats, like State Sen. Lew Frederick of Portland, said they would rather not raise taxes and fees but that this is the only way to keep jobs and people safe on the roads.

    “Those are higher registration fees. They trouble me,” Frederick said. “But frankly, we need to have some situation where we’re going to be able to provide the resources that we need in order to make sure that we have the roads that are safe.”

    If the bill doesn’t pass, pink slips will be going out to ODOT employees in less than two weeks.

    Eric Mason said he thinks the legislature needs to pass this.

    “Let’s improve the roads. Let’s make sure that folks at ODOT all keep their jobs,” he said. “It’s time. With everything going on, we need security. Absolutely.”

    David Lopez had a much different message for lawmakers.

    “I would tell them don’t do it. Please don’t do it,” Lopez said.

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    Ariel Salk

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  • Cardi B Wins Case Filed By Security Guard Who Claimed Rapper Assaulted Her – KXL

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    LOS ANGELES (AP) — A jury gave Cardi B a quick and absolute victory Tuesday at a trial in the lawsuit of a security guard who alleged the rap star assaulted her at a doctor’s office during her then-secret first pregnancy.

    The jury of six men and six women at a small courthouse in Alhambra, California deliberated for only about an hour before finding Cardi not liable in the lawsuit brought by Emani Ellis, who alleged Cardi cut her face with a fingernail and spat on her in the hallway of a Beverly Hills obstetrician in February of 2018.

    Only nine of the 12 jurors were required for a verdict in the civil case, but their decision in Cardi’s favor was unanimous.

    “The next person who tries to do a frivolous lawsuit against me, I’m going to counter-sue, and I’m gonna make you pay, because this is not OK,” she said outside the courthouse, where she posed for pictures with fans. “I am not that celeb that you sue, and you think is going to settle. I’m not gonna settle. Especially when I’m super completely innocent.”

    She said she had to miss her kids’ first day of school because of the trial, and said her forehead was “raw, raw, raw” after all the elaborate wig changes during the trial that at one point even left her lawyer confused over which was her real hair. (None of them were, she said with a laugh.)

    In two days of testimony last week that were livestreamed, widely viewed and full of viral moments, the hip-hop star testified she feared that Ellis was going to make her pregnancy public. She acknowledged that the two argued, but said it never got physical.

    “I will say it on my deathbed. I did not touch that woman,” she said after her win. “I did not touch that girl. I didn’t lay my hands on that girl.”

    Ron Rosen Janfaza, the lawyer for the plaintiff Ellis, did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. He said outside court that they plan to appeal the decision.

    After several days off, the trial resumed with closing arguments Tuesday, and the jury got the case in mid-afternoon.

    Cardi said she had been visiting Los Angeles doing promotional work in February 2018 around that year’s NBA All-Star Game. She was four months into her pregnancy with the first of her three children with rapper Offset. She had told her inner circle she was having a baby, but not the public or her parents.

    The obstetrician’s office had been closed to other patients on a Saturday for her privacy.

    She said Ellis, a security guard for the building, followed her to her fifth-floor appointment. Cardi told jurors last week that she heard Ellis say her name into a phone and appeared to be filming her.

    “I told her, ‘Why are you recording?’” Cardi testified, “and she said, ’Oh my bad.’ She practically apologized.’”

    But the argument grew increasingly heated, she said.

    “As we were arguing she’s backing me, she’s walking into me,” Cardi said.

    Ellis testified that the incident left her humiliated and traumatized, and the scar on her face required cosmetic surgery. Ellis, who lost her job over the incident, sought damages that include medical expenses, compensation for emotional and physical suffering, and lost wages, along with punitive damages. She does not specify a total amount in the lawsuit but Cardi said from the stand that she is “suing me for $24 million.”

    A receptionist who broke up the argument between Cardi and Ellis largely backed the rapper’s account in testimony.

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    Jordan Vawter

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