ben-mcbee-headshot-2024.png

Ben McBee

Senior City Editor

Ben grew up in the Rogue Valley, attended the University of Oregon’s School of Journalism, and has written for publications like 1859 Magazine and Portland Monthly. He enjoys hiking the PNW, football and futbol, wildlife photography, any manner of libation exploration, and of course writing for PDXtoday.

Three miniature human figurines observe tiny pieces of art at the Portland Free Little Art Gallery.
Culture
Portland social media personalities we love to follow
Looking for funny, informative, and awe-inspiring content for your feed? Start with these folks in the City of Roses.
April 19, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
unnamed (11).png
Culture
Pick up a new hobby (and put down your phone)
Ditch the doomscrolling for a more creative or relaxing activity.
April 18, 2024
 · 
David Stringer
Add a heading - 2022-05-06T152413.137
New to Lakeland
Best places to work outside in Lakeland
Here’s a few of our recommendations for some of the best spots in Lakeland to bring your work laptop. Pretty sure they’ll beat that corner office view.
April 17, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
Trees frame a view of Mutare, Zimbabwe, which sits at the bottom of a verdant valley with high mountain peaks rising behind it on the horizon.
Travel and Outdoors
Portland’s sister city: Mutare, Zimbabwe
This historic trade hub serves as a gateway to the Eastern Highlands’ national parks, fascinating visitors with rugged mountains and museums.
April 10, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
Hillsboro, Oregon's Goodwill express donation center at Bronson Creek. The small yellow building has a blue roof and a drive-thru area where people can hand over donations.
City
Where to donate clothes in Portland
Whether your closet needs a spring cleaning or you’re simply running out of room, these organizations can use your unwanted garb for good.
April 9, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
A site rendering shows plans to imrpove Berrydale Park in Portland's Montavilla neighborhood. The baseball fields will remain in the bottom left corner, with a new skate park and playgrounds taking up the right side where trees are.
City
Improvements are inbound for Berrydale Park
With additional funding, the project can move forward with construction slated to start later in 2024.
April 9, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
Portland mixed media artist Hannah Rivera poses at a market with her pieces. Each incorporates ornate antique bubble glass frames with colorful dried flowers and pinned butterflies and moths.
Arts
Artist spotlight: Rivera’s Rarities
Local mixed-media artist Hannah Rivera uses sustainably-sourced insects, dried flowers, thrifted picture frames and fabric, plus her own sketches and paintings to create one-of-a-kind vintage pieces.
April 5, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
The Boom Bike is a bike with a built in platform, where two people can sit and perform music while another pedals.
Events
Portland Sunday Parkways brings the music with Boom Bike PDX
The mobile soundstage will bring live music performances to the summertime events.
April 5, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
INDYtoday: INDY_Mia drone city footage gif_APR24
Travel and Outdoors
A buzzworthy guide to piloting a drone in Indy
What’s that sound? It’s your drone capturing awesome pictures and videos of the Circle City — after you learn the rules and guidelines.
April 5, 2024
 · 
Shea Stapley
A small rodent with short round ears sits among rocky terrain holding a daisy in its mouth as the sun lights it from behind.
Travel and Outdoors
Oregon Zoo’s pika watch is back on
Volunteers interested in mapping American pika populations in the Columbia River Gorge are invited to free training sessions May 9-11.
April 4, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
Two white trillium and one pink blooms show against a brown leafy floor at Tryon Creek State Park.
Hike of the Month: Tryon Creek State Natural Area
The 658-acre park offers opportunities to see diverse flora and fauna and hosts the Trillium Festival every April.
April 3, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
Renderings show the future Portland Art Museum from the South Park Blocks entrance, with a bright glass pavilion spanning the two brick buildings.
Development
Portland Art Museum sets date for unveiling of its $111M campus renovation
The project that broke ground in early 2023 will make the museum more accessible for visitors and improve the gallery experience.
April 3, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
A partial solar eclipse happening behind cloud cover.
Travel and Outdoors
How much will Portland see of the 2024 solar eclipse?
The Rose City is certainly outside the path of totality, but there could still be some celestial excitement in the PNW.
April 1, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
Portlanders wearing bright rain gear riding their bikes down Southwest Naito Parkway.
Culture
Keep on rolling with these bike maintenance resources in Portland
Join a workshop to learn how to fix things yourself or drop your ride off at a local shop.
April 1, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
Variety of chickens in their pen
Real Estate
How to raise chickens in your backyard
Fresh eggs, every day.
March 29, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
Stuntman Evel Knievel at a press conference.
History
Remembering Evel Knievel’s Memorial Coliseum jump 50 years later
The daredevil stopped by the Rose City on tour ahead of his legendary attempt to jump the Snake River Canyon.
March 28, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
Various covers of In Bocca cookbooks, featuring colorful illustrations on brown cardboard.
Food
Nostrana debuts dinner series based on rare Italian cookbook collection
Each “In Bocca” meal takes guests on a journey to a different region through their respective cuisines.
March 27, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
Fans mill about the outside of Portland's Moda Center, which is illuminated in bright red against the dusky sky.
Sports
March Madness makes its way to the Moda Center
The NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament Portland Regional will feature a Fan Fest and exciting matchups between national powerhouses, March 29-April 1.
March 26, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
SATXtoday: Parking downtown SA
City
How to deal with pesky parking tickets in San Antonio
Resolving parking citations in the 210 will always be a bummer, but hopefully our guide makes it less confusing.
March 26, 2024
 · 
Adriana Christian
A small white bungalow with a shed sits beside a paved driveway in Portland's Woodlawn Park neighborhood. Its roof and two chimneys are shades of light brown and there are massive evergreen trees in the backyard.
Real Estate
Hot Homes: Portland homes for sale near the median selling price
Check out these six Portland homes that are on the market for near the median selling price of $480,000
March 24, 2024
 · 
Cambrie Juarez
People working on the outdoor patio at Dobra Tea West.
Work
Great spots to work outside in Asheville
When the sun’s out, the world is your workspace.
March 21, 2024
 · 
Grace Powers
Small children pose with their crafts
Culture
Spring break activities for kids
Whether you’re spending quality time with your little ones or dropping them off at camp, they’ll make memories to last a lifetime.
March 20, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
English Oaks Estate is a $15 million mansion in Portland's Northwest Hills. It sits on 40 forested acres and has a spacious outdoor entertaining area with a large pool and refined landscaping.
Culture
How to spend your Mega Millions winnings
If you’re lucky enough to hit the jackpot, here’s what you could spend it on around Portland.
March 18, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
A letter board reading taxes sits on top of American currency.
Finance
Prepare and file your taxes for free in Portland
You may not have to spend a dime on the way to getting your tax refund.
March 14, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
A ramp leads down to a river dock with skyscrapers on the other side of the water
Play
Places to paddle around Portland
Whether you prefer a kayak, canoe, or SUP, there are many rivers and lake around Portland where you can go for a float.
March 14, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
A map of Portland shows certain locations: Providence Park, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Veterans Memorial Coliseum, and Revolution Hall. Each point is emphasized by a circle with a photo inside.
City
How well do you know the map of Portland?
We’ve got a game for you — test your knowledge of how well you know Portland’s points-of-interest by the address alone.
March 12, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
A rendering shows the new Hillsboro Hops stadium with fireworks over it.
Sports
The Hillsboro Hops are saved by the Oregon State Legislature
Plans for a new stadium can proceed after securing the final $15 million during the 2024 short legislative session.
March 8, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
A color and black and white strip of photos show two people posing in a photo booth at Star Bar in Portland.
Business
Asked: What are the best photo booths in bars around Portland?
In the age of instant gratification and digital images, photo booths offer a satisfying return to that three-, four-, maybe five-minute wait for a keepsake you can hold.
March 8, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
Colorful fall foliage frames this photo taken from the bank of an artificial lake with buildings aligned on the opposite shore.
Work
Top industries and employers in the greater Portland area
Learn about the biggest industries and employers in Portland and its surrounding counties with this guide to local business.
March 5, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
A square pizza on a wire rack topped with vegan cheese, red sauce, and shredded basil.
Food
PDXtoday’s 2024 pizza bracket
We asked our readers and social media followers: Where is the best pizza in Portland? They chose a unique winner.
March 5, 2024
 · 
Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto
Load More