Portland Drizzle

Good morning, Portland. Today's high: 44°F, with a 35% chance of snow still flirting with the hills — though the valley floor will likely stay wet, not white. The weekend gets rainier, so today may be your best shot at getting outside without regret.

Today we've got the feds and the protesters still at each other in court, Oregon's budget getting a surprise infusion, and a farewell to a woman who changed this state for the better. Plus 123-year-old neighborhood pride, Cardi B tonight, and your weekend lineup.

The legal standoff outside Portland's ICE facility on South Macadam isn't cooling down — it's just moving into more courtrooms. Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield has filed arguments backing a lawsuit claiming federal agents used excessive force and violated the free speech rights of protesters. Residents of affordable housing near the facility asked a judge to limit the feds' use of tear gas, which — and we cannot stress this enough — is a sentence that exists in 2026. The Trump administration's federal appeal over the National Guard deployment to Portland was dismissed. The streets are busy, the courts are busier, and Portland is, as ever, at the center of something the rest of the country can't look away from.

The Oregon Senate passed a measure this week expected to generate over $300 million in new state revenue by eliminating certain federal tax exemptions. In a state staring down a budget gap that would make your accountant sweat, that's not nothing. Portland Public Schools students and their superintendent made the trip to Salem to remind lawmakers — in person, with actual children — that education funding is not an abstraction. It's kids in classrooms. The bill isn't a cure-all, but Salem doing something useful is worth noting. Mark it on your calendar.

Portland lost one of the real ones this week. Avel Gordly, the first Black woman elected to the Oregon State Senate, died Monday at 79. Lawmakers across the state paused to honor her life and work. She broke a barrier that had no business existing and spent the decades that followed making sure others didn't hit the same walls. In a city that talks a lot about equity and sometimes falls short, Gordly was someone who actually did the work. She deserved more flowers while she was here. The least we can do is say her name.

On this date 123 years ago, St. Johns was officially incorporated as an independent city — having convinced the Oregon Legislature to let it secede from Portland back in 1898 over complaints about high taxes and lousy city services. It didn't last. By 1915, St. Johns voted to rejoin Portland, though residents would tell you the city still never quite delivered on its promises. Some things don't change.

That's your Thursday, Portland. Forty-four degrees and noncommittal outside. The courts are busy, the legislature found some money, and somewhere across town, Cardi B is about to perform for a sold-out Moda Center.

Wear your waterproof layer. Bring an extra one for the weekend.

Until next time