Mayor Wilson on keeping the Blazers in Portland

Oregon's Fires Continue to Spread

Strong winds have spread flames further throughout Central Oregon, with 36 fires blazing across the state as of Monday afternoon. The situation is serious. The Fox Fire closed off almost 80 miles of Interstate 84 in both directions yesterday. The Rowe-Creek Complex Fire — the largest so far — has already burned more than 200,000 acres in Crook, Wheeler, Wasco, & Jefferson Counties.

Plus, the Akawa Butte Fire in Deschutes County was named the highest priority fire for resource allocation in the country last week; as of yesterday, the fire was being battled by over 1,600 personnel, including 19 helicopters and 90 engines. [Oregonian / OPB / Watch Duty]

• Kotek's Response: Gov. Tina Kotek visited the towns closest to the Akawa Butte Fire to assess the situation, telling reporters that the Trump administration had approved funding for federal resources. [KPTV]
• Zooming Out: Lightning started many of the fires, causing smoke that can even be seen from space. [Daniel Swain, Bluesky]
• Resources: Given the constantly evolving situation, now might be a good time to sign up for Oregon's Emergency Alert Services, which sends natural disaster and public safety alerts to phones via text or push notifications. You can also keep track on Watch Duty, which actively updates each fire's status.

Councilors Hold Town Hall on Future of Moda Center

Taxpayers wanting to weigh in on who will pay for the estimated $600 million renovation of the Moda Center joined Portland's District 2 City Councilors at a town hall meeting this past weekend. Councillor Sameer Kanal said that the pressure of the formal negotiations, which will begin next month, could feel "gun-to-head.” [Oregonian]

City To Pay $717K For Fallen Douglas Fir

A Portland family successfully sued the city after a diseased tree fell onto their home. The family had applied to remove the tree in 2022, but were denied a permit after an inspection ruled the Doug Fir safe. The 2024 ice storm was enough to knock it over onto their house. While the family originally sued for upwards of $4 million in "non-economic" and physical damages, the judge only granted them resources for home repairs. [Oregonian]

Portland's New Official Vietnamese Coffee Spot – Straight from Vietnam

Vietnam's most popular coffee chain has landed in the Portland area. Fittingly, their newest location is a former Starbucks. Trung Nguyên Legend opened their second local shop last month in Beaverton Town Square where they serve Vietnamese coffee (obviously), along with other traditional items like egg, salt, and coconut cream coffee drinks. [Oregonian]