🍕Happy Tuesday, friends. Rain returns today — high of 55, 65% chance of showers. Portland Mercury’s Pizza Week started yesterday. The Blazers dropped Game 1 in San Antonio. TriMet's original MAX trains rode off into the sunset. And Oregon's gas tax fight is about to hit your ballot.
🚨 THE NEWS
photo by Steve Morgan
Forty Years on the Rails — MAX's Original Trains Take Their Final Bow
Portland said goodbye this weekend to the Type 1 MAX trains, the boxy, stair-stepped cars that launched the city's light rail system back in September 1986. About 3,000 people turned out Saturday at Holladay Park to sign the side of the last car, which TriMet has since retired and is sending to the recycler. One has been donated to the Oregon Electric Railway Museum in Brooks. The Type 1s ran 10 years past their expected lifespan — 40 years total — before parts became too hard to source. Their replacement, the low-floor, ADA-compliant Type 6, has been rolling out since January 2025. Bittersweet, but overdue. TriMet
Wembanyama 35, Blazers 98 — Welcome to the Playoffs
Portland's first postseason appearance in five years got off to a rough start Sunday night. Victor Wembanyama scored 35 points in his playoff debut — a Spurs franchise record — and San Antonio won Game 1, 111–98 at Frost Bank Center. The Blazers shot just 42.9% from the field and couldn't find an answer for the 7-foot-4 Frenchman. Deni Avdija led Portland with a solid outing, but the rest of the roster struggled. Game 2 is tonight in San Antonio at 5pm PT on NBC/Peacock. The Blazers are 11.5-point underdogs. So: manage expectations. ESPN
Gov. Kotek Says Gas Tax Vote Is a "Tough Sell" — One Month Out
Oregon voters decide May 19 whether to approve a six-cent gas tax hike, higher vehicle registration fees, and a temporary payroll tax increase to fund transportation infrastructure. Gov. Tina Kotek said Thursday she gets it: with gas near $5 a gallon, it's a hard ask. Republicans have pushed back hard since lawmakers moved the vote from November to May — a move critics called a political maneuver to protect Dem incumbents. ODOT says either way, no immediate impact — the agency already closed a $242 million gap through the session. But the long-term math depends on voters. KATU
🍕 PORTLAND MERCURY’S PIZZA WEEK SPOTLIGHT
Banh to Be Wild, from Boxcar Pizza @ 2701 NE Sandy Blvd
Portland Mercury’s Pizza Week has returned! April 20-26 you can get $4 slices and $25 pies of specialty flavors at 70 participating locations. You can sign up for their Pizza Week Pass to get prizes too! WEBSITE
📚 ON THIS DAY
In 1926 — exactly 100 years ago — a 14-year-old Ginger Rogers danced at Hunt's Craterian Theatre in Medford, Oregon. Portland would've been a better venue, but we'll take it.
🥳 UPCOMING EVENTS
🌧️ Well…
The Blazers are down 0–1. But so were the 1977 Trail Blazers. Then they won the Championship.
by Michael Simpson Contact: [email protected]