💸 Why Oregon health insurance costs are rising

Employer-Based Health Insurance Costs Are Rising

About half of Oregonians get their health insurance through employer-provided plans, but the cost of those plans hit a record high last year — the average annual premium was $24,688 for employees paying for family insurance and $8,400 for individual employees. Oregon’s rates rose faster than the national average — driven by increases in the cost of hospital care and prescription drugs as well as increasing demand for medical services. [Oregonian]

Prices Rise, but Rent Comes Down

The average rent in Portland declined this year by 2%. That’s good news for tenants. And the decline comes as most things have gotten more expensive. According to the latest figures, the consumer price index rose 3.3% for the Western U.S. in the last year — we’re paying more on average for groceries, gas, and coffee. [Oregonian]

Preservationists Want To Keep Cleveland HS

Portland Public Schools filed the permit to demolish Cleveland High School — to make way for a new building — and now preservationists are circulating a last-minute petition to save the building. PPS officials note the public has been involved in the planning process for the last two years. [KOIN]

For our occasional feature on the best (and worst) things about Portland, today’s installment comes from Karrie Carnes, who's also the guest on today’s podcast. “I've been here, gosh, coming up on 10 years, which is the longest I've ever lived any place, and I love Portland for its whimsy,” says Carnes. “I still think there is whimsy to be found here.”

Portland Horse Project

“When I first moved here, I lived in Irvington. In front of their historic houses in Irvington [people] would put My Little Ponies. And they would attach them because there are these metal chains. That's what they used to do back in the day to actually tie horses to — real horses. So people would just have these different My Little Ponies or other horses or dragons or unicorns. I'd be walking my dog, and it's just these flashes of whimsy. Life is too short to take ourselves seriously.”

Mike Bennett’s Scavenger Hunts

“This was pre-pandemic. There's an artist who's still in Portland. His name is Mike Bennett. He would hide artwork and would give a little clue, and I just remember frantically one day I was like, I'm gonna find an artwork, and I did. I found this little nacho cheese with melting cheese over its face, and it had eyeballs. There's just whimsy to be had, and I do think that people take care of each other.”

Nose Day

“I know this is like the smallest, silliest thing, but I am a sucker for the fact that on the [Portland, Oregon] sign during the holidays they make it Rudolph. I don't care. I'll admit it, I'm 46 years old, and I still freaking love seeing that every year.”

Plus, Women’s Sports Fans

“Full disclosure, I'm not a big sports person, but I love the fact that I live in a place where that is important to this community. The Sports Bra — that's a women-run women's sports bar — I've heard that they're gonna be replicating The Sports Bra in other cities. Cool shit starts in Portland, and I like that.”

An Expert Guide to Snow Camping in Portland and Not Getting Frostbite

Here’s one unexpected activity that might stir your spirit for the outdoors this winter: snow camping. How do you even do it, and is it really worth it? Outdoor expert and Portland ambassador for Women Who Explore, Karrie Carnes, has tips for how to pull off a safe winter camping trip this season that doesn’t involve getting frostbite.