✏️ Should Portland close more schools?

The Mercury’s (Still) Rising

Temperatures in the Portland area could once again hit triple digits today, according to an extreme heat warning from the National Weather Service that goes through 10 p.m. tonight. The agency is urging residents to stay hydrated and take extra precaution during extended time outdoors. Multnomah County opened three daytime cooling centers yesterday — as of this writing, it did not confirm if they’d remain open today. [OPB, Oregonian]

• Stay safe: The Best Ways to Keep Cool in Portland This Summer [Hey Portland 📰]

Fewer Kids is Costing Schools Millions

School districts around Oregon are considering closing some schools or redrawing boundaries to combat dwindling attendance, with plenty of pushback from parents and the public — the Beaverton School District says it’s expecting a $20 million deficit in 2026, a number that could grow if enrollment keeps declining. Here in Portland, Superintendent Kimberlee Armstrong plans to float school closures to the community. [Oregonian 🔒]

Ruffling Feathers

Text messages obtained by Willamette Week between six progressive City Council members who call themselves “Peacock” show coordinated communications during budget hearings to secure policy wins and candid quips about colleagues and police leadership. The communications seemingly did not violate Oregon’s public meetings law, but did show unity in challenging “traditional power structures.” [Willamette Week]