☀️ Is winter broken?

Is Winter Broken?

Flowers are blooming, ski season is a bust, and the sun just came out for two weeks in the middle of January. Climate change is coming for us, but is the weird weather something to worry about right now — or just enjoy? [City Cast Portland 🎧]

Medal for a Local Writer

Portland writer Renée Watson has won this year’s John Newbery Medal — one of the biggest honors given to authors of children’s books. “All the Blues in the Sky” is about a teen’s grief after the death of her best friend. Watson, who grew up in Portland and divides her time between here and Harlem, said she was thankful for “every anchor that has supported me as I navigated my own grief these past few years.” [OPB]

• Related: I haven’t gotten to this book yet. But I recommend Watson’s book "Some Places More Than Others."

A Few More Oregonians

Oregon’s population grew but just slightly — by 8,200 people — and at one of the slowest rates in the country. That’s according to recently released U.S. Census data from July 2024 to July 2025. [OPB]

You probably love Portland pizza for the qualities that absolutely cannot be conveyed in a newsletter — the smells and tastes of warm melty cheese and the sweet or slightly acidic sauce of your favorite spot. But how well do you know Portland pizza, just by looking at it?

Test your knowledge of our pizza. (The first question links to a longer quiz, and answers appear after each question.)

1. Which pie was made by Lovely's Fifty Fifty?

Is Winter Broken?

It has not felt like a normal winter in Portland. Last month was the warmest December on record, January has been unusually dry, and people are already noticing plants blooming that usually don’t show up for months. Norther Emily of Wild Solitude Guiding is giving us a reality check on whether this is weird-but-normal weather — or a warning sign of bigger changes ahead.