🎻 A big ask from Pickathon

Top for Smokiest Cities

Oregon had four of the five smokiest cities in the country from 2019 to 2023 — a period marked by significant wildfires in the state. Medford, Grants Pass, and Bend were the top three in the U.S., based on the number of days with above-normal levels of smoke. [OPB]

• Key data point: Researchers linked wildfire smoke to about 15% of the ER visits for asthma in Seattle and Portland.

U.S. Department of Justice Hired Controversial Former Judge

Back in 2018, former Oregon Circuit Court Judge Vance Day was suspended for three years without pay for his efforts to avoid marrying same-sex couples. But now he’ll serve in the Trump administration as senior counsel to the U.S. deputy attorney general. [OPB]

A Big Ask From Local Music Fest

The beloved independent music festival Pickathon is now trying to raise $1 million from fans by the beginning of March. Organizers polled loyal attendees and found they don’t want a corporate sponsor or other changes. [Portland Mercury]

Backing Off a Map of Wildfire Hazards

On the Friday news roundup, Republican state lawmakers are looking to repeal the state’s wildfire hazard map, citing the economic impact on homeowners in areas more likely to see fires. Democrats have also signaled their willingness to change it. [City Cast Portland 🎧]

Murals by local artist Alex Chiu line the walls at Flock, the newly opened food hall on the first floor of the Ritz-Carlton Portland. The block was once home to a massive food cart pod, and the development of a fancy hotel and condo tour promised to bring back a space for food cart vendors. Flock opened earlier this month.

Several readers have already been — or at least they recognized the location: A shoutout to Cyn, Paula Pumphrey, Lee, Kim R, and Katie B, who identified the spot.

This week’s scavenger hunt is from City Cast Portland senior producer Giulia Fiaoni.

Hint: This is another food-related destination.

If you’re new to the newsletter, there’s a scavenger hunt every Friday. Please send me the location if you know it — and for unofficial bonus points, anything you know about it. In next week’s newsletter, I’ll shout out the first 10 readers who respond correctly (and reveal the answer).

For regular readers, I’m asking you to submit responses in a relatively new way: Please click here to send me the location — and anything you know about it.

📸 Want to submit a photo? Please email me a snapshot of somewhere in the Portland metro area, and we’ll consider it for an upcoming “Where Is It?” segment!