🤔 Will 'boom loop' thinking save Portland?

🚊 Amtrak Swaps Buses in Place of Rusted Trains

The agency says it has taken some of its railcars offline after finding corrosion and other safety issues, adding to ongoing service interruptions for its Cascades line, which runs from Eugene to Vancouver, B.C. Amtrak is adding some bus routes and offering refunds for business class passengers downgrading to coach. [KATU]

• Related: How To Travel All Over Oregon Using Only Public Transportation [City Cast Portland 🎧]

🗳️ Oregon Pushes Back on Trump’s Voting Crackdown

Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read is sounding the alarm on President Trump’s executive order to tighten elections, calling it “a solution in search of a problem” and saying it will make state elections less safe. The order heightens citizenship proof requirements and cuts mail-in ballot deadlines a week shorter than Oregon’s. [KOIN]

🤝 PSU and Faculty Union Reach Tentative Deal

The tentative contract reportedly includes wage increases, enhanced job security, and an investment in faculty well-being. It still needs approval from PSU-AAUP union members, but it could avoid a looming strike slated for Monday. [Willamette Week]

🏗️ Will 'Boom Loop' Thinking Save Portland?

There’s a new push to redevelop downtown's Waterfront Park that could give Portlanders another way to splash into the Willamette River, but will it be the game-changer officials are promising? On this week's Friday news roundup, we dip our toes in with Oregonian City Hall reporter Shane Dixon Kavanaugh to see what Mayor Wilson's so-called “boom loop” thinking is all about. [City Cast Portland 🎧]

Last week’s scavenger hunt was a bit of a trick question.

There are not one but two wishing trees within 20-ish blocks of each other. The scavenger hunt from last week is on North Williams Avenue:

“The wish tree. I’ve never put up a wish, waiting for the perfect one,” wrote reader Vonna.

“This wishing tree has been a stopping point for years,” writes reader Jolie Jessie. “Anyone passing by is welcome to write their wish in a tag and hang it anywhere you want. There are literally thousands of them. A beautiful gesture!”

🤔 One reader had thoughts for the tree:

“While I appreciate the sentiment of a wishing tree, I always wonder about the weight of all those wishes on that poor tree. Plus, it's kinda an eye sore,” wrote reader Ivy.

Shoutout to readers DJ Andy, Alexandra WH, Meira G., Mark, Lori S., Marlee, and Tom Hastings for identifying the tree.

This week’s scavenger hunt is from reader Jasper Peabody:

Where is this cat? Please click here to send me the location — and anything you know about it.

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).

📸 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!