Two candidates vie for open commission seat on Washington County board

The November midterm election is just days out, and voters in Washington County will be deciding on a new commissioner. Washington County's District 4 commission seat covers the areas of Hillsboro and Forest Grove, where the rise of data centers has become an issue of political urgency. For the District...

On Halloween night, Old Town night market seeks to revive Portland’s oldest neighborhood

This Halloween, a block of Northwest Davis Street in Old Town Chinatown is closing to traffic and transforming into a night market, with vendors selling handmade goods and art alongside Asian-inspired food and drink. The Halloween market is a test, running Saturday from 2 to 10 p.m. A holiday night...

This Small Oregon Town Has Hospitals So Good They Rank Among the Best in America

Most people plan a trip around a beach, a trail, or a favorite coffee stop, not a hospital. Yet in one corner of Oregon, the medical care is part of the local story, and it sits right beside rivers, bridges, and a mountain view. Families here talk about doctors the way other towns talk about their high school team.

Step Inside The Nostalgic Oregon Comic Book Store That Will Whisk You Back To Childhood

Somewhere on Southeast Division Street in Portland, Oregon, a neon sign is glowing in a window, and it’s basically daring you to walk past without stopping. Excalibur Comics is the kind of place that makes you realize you’ve been taking Portland for granted, and that’s something you should probably fix immediately.

New Lake Oswego Middle School building is unveiled

This fall, LOHS’s middle school neighbors had the privilege of being the first generation to walk the new halls of Lake Oswego Middle School (LOMS). The upgraded school was completed earlier this spring after a complete dismantling of the old building and two years of heavy reconstruction. Of the many developments, LOMS students now enjoy two turf fields, basketball courts, a track, a community garden and a panoramic view of Mount Hood from the second-floor glass window.

Portland Saying Goodbye to Fees for Pinball, Pool Tables

The Willamette Week recently reported that, for the first time in 100 years, business owners in Portland, Oregon, will no longer need a special permit to operate a pinball machine or pool table. The policy is slated to sunset next month following the Oct. 14 passage of code changes proposed...

Pacific Northwest projects totaling $13 million in top bidders | Oct. 30, 2026

A weekly compilation of the largest winning bids in the Pacific Northwest, according to the Daily Journal of Commerce Project Center. Winner (intent to award): Ordell Construction of Springfield. Amount: $4,887,126. Project: Bethel Transportation and Nutrition Services Building (Eugene) Owner: Bethel School District. Cost estimate: not available. Project team: Otten...

Students served pretzels covered in oven cleaner, lawsuit claims

More than 50 Oregon students allegedly ate pretzels contaminated with concentrated oven cleaner. One student experienced burning, chest pain and an upset stomach after eating the pretzel. The student’s family is seeking nearly $1 million in damages from the school district. A family in Oregon has filed a lawsuit...

Kotek’s Multnomah County Stronghold Has Oregon’s Lowest Early Ballot-Return Rate

MULTNOMAH COUNTY, Ore. — Multnomah County recorded the lowest ballot-return rate of Oregon’s 36 counties by late Wednesday afternoon, according to the Oregon Secretary of State’s ballot-return report. By Tuesday morning, October 27, Oregon had recorded 730,011 ballot returns, compared with 590,526 received eight days before the...

DEQ investigates chemical spill, dead fish in SE Portland creek

The Oregon DEQ is investigating a chemical spill in southeast Portland that likely killed fish and other aquatic life over a two-mile stretch in Johnson Creek.

Old Town Chinatown Bets on Halloween Night Market to Fill Its Empty Blocks

A block of Northwest Davis Street in Old Town Chinatown turned into a Halloween night market Saturday, with nearly 30 vendors selling handmade goods, art and Asian-inspired food and drink from 2 to 10 p.m. A costume contest with cash prizes, a DJ and live performers rounded out the evening in a neighborhood that has spent years fighting empty storefronts and declining foot traffic.

Halloween events across Portland this weekend

Portland Rose Festival Court Moving From Fifteen Princess To Six

PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Rose Festival Court will transition to a district-based selection process in 2027. That means instead of fifteen princesses, the court will now have six. Under the new model, the six participants will represent designated geographic districts rather than individual schools. The foundation will manage...

Anne McEnerny-Ogle’s Path to the Vancouver’s Mayor’s Office

Anne McEnerny-Ogle has spent more than four decades in public life in Vancouver, Washington, serving as a middle school teacher, neighborhood association chair, city councilor, and mayor. Her community involvement includes volunteering with the Vancouver Police Department’s Neighbors on Watch program, attending local events, and helping organize

Free Halloween events in the Portland-Metro area

PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — This year, Halloween falls on Saturday, offering the perfect opportunity to celebrate the spooky season without having to worry about work or school getting in the way. We’ve put together a list of some fun, family-friendly events to help keep you busy this year.

A Portlander once tried to name Tilikum Crossing after late actor Patrick Stewart’s ‘Star Trek’ character

In 2015, Owen Lingley launched a Kickstarter campaign to convince Portlanders to call the bridge the Jean-Luc Picard Wunder Crossing When TriMet asked Portlanders to suggest names for its new […]

'Your Voice Your Vote' Tobias Read on election security ahead of the 2026 midterms

PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — Mail-in voting has been a subject of conversation and scrutiny during this election cycle. It started back in March, with President Donald Trump signing an executive order seeking to change the federal government's approach to vote-by-mail. It instructed both the Department of Homeland Security and...

Oregon startup news for the week ending October 30, 2026

We take a final look at the Oregon governor race through the lens of our local startup community. This episode examines the intersection of policy and innovation, highlighting what the gubernatorial candidates mean for the future of Portland entrepreneurs. We provide context on how federal programs like SBIR impact regional growth and discuss the broader ...

Halloween celebrations, volunteer events kick off around Portland

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The Portland area was full of costumed revelers as the Rose City was blanketed with colorful fall leaves for Halloween. The dry and mild Saturday made it ideal conditions for trick-or-treaters, as ghosts, goblins, Spider-Man, Coraline and all manner of other creatures went door to door to collect candy. The fact […]