🗳️ The results are in

WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2026 · ISSUE NO. 4

📜 THIS WEEK IN OREGON HISTORY

May 18, 1980 - Mt. St. Helens erupted, unleashing one of the largest landslides in recorded history and dropping ash across the state. While this isn’t strictly a piece of Oregon history, its certainly one that’s etched in everyone’s memories as it serves as a stark reminder of the power of the volcanoes that dominate our region.

Ballots for Oregon’s primary elections were due yesterday, and the results are trickling in. It’s looking like the gas tax has been defeated handily, and Oregon’s incumbents in the Senate and governors seat will be moving on to the November ballots. Many other races are still up in the air as of 8:30 PM, but by the time you’re reading this, maybe not so much! (More)

Karl Scholz, the president at the University of Oregon, shared that the school will need to make $65m in budget cuts. The school immediately instituted a freeze on hiring and pay increases and will be reviewing the budget over the coming six months to determine other necessary cuts. (More)

Memorial Day weekend is here, and this season’s low snowpack means that many higher elevation campgrounds within Mt. Hood National Forest are opening early. Some are first-come, first-served, while others are already reservable on Recreation.gov. So if you’re still looking for some long weekend plans, you can check the full list of available campgrounds on the Forest Service website (More)

Over a decade ago, a deceased 70-foot blue whale washed ashore near Gold Beach. In the time since, the Oregon State University’s Marine Mammal Institute has been prepping the whale’s skeleton to go on display outside of OSU’s Hatfield Marine Science Institute. There are live webcams running around the clock so you can watch as the project comes together (More)

Strong returns of Chinook salmon in the Columbia River mean a few extra opportunities for anglers to get out and hook one of these delicious fish. May 23rd through May 25th were added for areas downstream of the Bonneville Dam, and May 23rd and 24th were added for areas upstream of the dam. Check out the full release for open areas, retention, and daily bag limits (More)

Fans of Portland will get to see the city on the big screen as Laika, a Portland-based animation studio, released the trailer for their upcoming film, Wildwood. The animated movie features several iconic Portland landmarks, including the St. Johns Bridge, cherry blossoms along the waterfront, and, of course, Forest Park (in case you’re wondering where the name Wildwood came from). (More)

The very, very long-discussed James Beard Public Market in downtown Portland is moving forward as the designs by BCV Architecture + Interiors, Colab Architecture + Urban Design, and Humber Design Group, have been approved. Located at SW 6th Ave and SW Alder St, the market will feature a restaurant, cookbook store, teaching kitchen, common space for community events, food vendors, common seating areas, and a rooftop bar with covered seating. (More)

The Sports Bra, a Portland-based sports bar that only plays women’s sports on its TVs, is looking to raise $1.2m to expand. Rather than reaching out to banks or other large investors, the bar is offering a stake to its members with a get-in price as low as $250. (More)

🏀 PORTLAND / SPORTS

Tom Dundon’s ownership tenure with the Blazers hasn’t exactly been one that has left fans excited for the future, with reports of staffers having to check out of hotels early, 2-way players being left at home, and retailer Portland Gear having to step up to provide t-shirts for their home playoff game. The latest twist in that saga has dropped, as it was reported that dozens of staffers on the business side of operations at the Blazers have been laid off. (More)

How tall is Cannon Beach’s Haystack Rock?

Answer at the bottom of today’s newsletter

🌹 CityFair kicks off at the Portland Rose Festival

The Portland Rose Festival kicks off this weekend as the CityFair moves into Tom McCall Waterfront Park (think carnival rides, food, games, the works). There will also be a ribbon-cutting ceremony, live music, and Fireworks on Friday evening to get the festivities started off right.

🚤 Boatnik takes to the river

Never heard of Boatnik?? You’re missing out! This annual Memorial Day weekend festival in Grants Pass features a full lineup of holiday fun like carnival rides, a parade, brewfest, music, and, of course, boats - with drag boats, the hydroplane boat race, and sprint boat course.

🍻 Bend Brews & Beyond

Bend’s reinvented brew fest is back for its second year in Drake Park. The day will feature an impressive lineup of brews (and beyond), with participants choosing between admission tickets that grant them pours of alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks.

🎪 Multnomah County Fair

County fair season is here, and the corndog eatin’, cabbage weighin’, tilt-a-while ridin’ fun kicks off with the Multnomah County Fair at Oaks Park. Here’s a fun fact - did you know that Oaks Park is home to the largest roller rink west of the Mississippi? These are the fun things you learn when you have a roller skating-obsessed kid.

🍖 BBQ, Blues, Brews, & Bourbon on the Bay

What says Memorial Day weekend more than an event featuring BBQ, blues, brews, and bourbon (the bay is just an added bonus)? Entry is just $5, and you can purchase BBQ samples from the participating teams.

⚽ Timbers host San Jose

Things aren’t exactly going swimmingly for the Timbers so far this season, but you still can’t beat a May evening at Providence Park. Come cheer on the squad as they host the San Jose Earthquakes.

🚵 Sisters Stampede

You aren’t gonna find any cows at this stampede, just a herd of dusty bike riders as they hit the trails for this iconic Central Oregon race. The race itself is already sold out, but you can still come join the festivities and cheer on the riders as they tackle the 14 or 25-mile course.

This week was a great one to head out to the coast as the low tides yesterday and today were well into the negatives (and the low tides occurred at a perfectly respectable hour of ~9 - 10 AM….way better than a 4 AM visit to the beach).

These tides are the perfect time to get out and explore the tidepools of the coast and (hopefully) spot some of the creatures that call them home. Here you can find sea stars, anemones, urchins, hermit crabs, barnacles, mussels, tiny fish, and, if you’re lucky, maybe even a nudibranch.

One of our favorite spots to explore are the rocks and pools around Haystack Rock at Cannon Beach. There are beach interpreters on site for almost every low tide from March through October (during the day, at least), who help educate visitors on the local intertidal and seabird ecology.

Just remember to treat the sealife here kindly and keep an eye on the ocean!