✊ The latest on Portland’s striking workers

The First New Seasons Labor Contract

For years, New Seasons hasn’t come to an agreement with its grocery workers who'd organized a labor union, but this month, workers at the Concordia store won the chain’s first union contract. At Legacy Health, 80 health care workers are staging two-day strikes to support the 140 workers who have already walked off the job. And workers at 10 Portland-area Starbucks have been on strike for a month now. [City Cast Portland 🎧]

Portland Strippers Raise Money for Hospitalized Kids

An annual performance from Portland’s strippers raised more than $60,000 this year to buy toys for kids spending the holidays at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. Since 2011, Tatas for Toys has donated more than $243,000 to the cause. [Oregonian]

The Pill is Free, No Prescription Needed

Oregonians enrolled in Medicaid will now be able to get birth control pills without a prescription — and for free — at approved pharmacies. That’s a benefit that’s previously been available through many private insurance plans. [Oregonian]

The sculpture featured here decorates the building located on Northeast 9th Avenue and Glisan Street. There's a stag head on each corner of the building.

“I've biked past it multiple times, and always think I should snap a photo for the City Cast scavenger hunt. Someone beat me to it,” wrote Eric C., the one reader to correctly identify the location last week.

This week’s scavenger hunt may be one you’ve already heard of — the Santa Clones.

For the uninitiated, those are the plastic figurines that artist Chris Willis puts up each year, offering clues on Instagram about their whereabouts. They’re on display until Jan. 1.

Please click here to send me the location — and, for unofficial bonus points, anything you know about it. This will be the newsletter’s last scavenger hunt of 2025 — and we won’t have our next one for three weeks. If you want to find out the location beforehand, Willes usually reveals it on Instagram in late December.

If you’re new to the newsletter, there’s a scavenger hunt on Fridays. 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!

Each week, we include favorite local spots and organizations picked by City Cast Portland Neighbors. It’s a member benefit, but it’s also a great way to get to know our city:

• Sunnyside Shower Project | Sunnyside | "Providing showers and supplies to houseless neighbors at Southeast 35th and Yamhill. We run on donations, check out the website!" — Ryan M.
• chill chill chill | Portsmouth | “Chill chill chill in North Portland is serving up tasty pastries & coffee in the mornings and creative cocktails in the evenings. Super exciting addition to Lombard!!” — Mckenzie H.
• Peggy Sundays | Multnomah Village | "This woman-owned small business is one of the very best places in Portland to find thoughtful, beautifully curated gifts — whether you’re shopping for friends, family, or treating yourself. Peggy and her team are warm, welcoming, and genuinely wonderful at helping you find just the right thing. They also do an amazing job supporting local artists and authors, and they’re a special find in Multnomah Village.” — Carrie F.

Become a City Cast Portland Neighbor today to share your own shoutout in this newsletter and on the podcast!