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Rise and grind

Specialty Coffee Expo brings top US coffee pros to Portland

US Coffee Championship Portland PDX Andrew Coe Elevator Coffee

Andrew Coe will “green grade a compulsory coffee, make a roast plan, and roast their compulsory coffee onsite” in the US Roaster Championship. | Photo by @elevatorcc

The best part of waking up is coffee in your cup — and PDXtoday in your inbox, of course. Today, we’re pouring a fresh, hot cup of news serious caffeine aficionados can use: we’re talking all about the Specialty Coffee Expo.

The event runs Friday, April 21-Sunday, April 23 at the Oregon Convention Center. It’s technically a trade show, but it’s open to retailers, roasters, food and beverage professionals, and coffee enthusiasts. Attendees can browse cutting-edge coffee products from 500+ vendors, network with industry professionals, attend lectures, and learn more about the art of cupping, brewing, or roasting at a hands-on workshop. Check out the full schedule of events.

Coffee pros will also put their skills to the test at the US Coffee Championships taking place across all three days of the expo. The country’s top brewers, baristas, roasters, and tasters will take their shot at representing the United States at the World Coffee Championships in Athens and Taipei later this year.

Wenbo Yang competed in the Brewers Cup category at the preliminary competition in Denver.
|
Photo by @lessandmorecoffee

Five local competitors will represent the Portland area in five separate categories. Seidy Selivanow and Matthew Selivanow, both of Kafiex Roasters, will compete for US Barista and US Roaster, respectively. Wenbo Yang of Artly Coffee will compete in the US Brewers Cup and US Latte Art competitions. Andrew Coe of Elevator Coffee will also vie for the US Roaster title, while Ryan Jie Jiang of Less and More Coffee will compete in the US Cup Tasters category.

Portland’s own Morgan Eckroth is the reigning 2022 US Barista champion — and finished second internationally. Though she won’t defend the title this year, Morgan will likely be “hanging around the competition area.”

Events

Friday, April 21

Free Compost Days | Friday, April 21-Monday, April 24 | 7 a.m.-5 p.m. | Sunderland Yard, 9325 NE Sunderland Rd., Portland | Free | Make your spring gardening to-list a little bit easier (and cheaper) by picking up free, nutrient-rich compost that your plants will thank you for.
Impulse: Sweet 16 | Friday, April 21-Sunday, May 7 | Times vary | Portland 5 Centers for the Arts, 1111 SW Broadway, Portland | $12-$18 | Laugh along as these quick-witted teen improv comics create scenes and games based on audience suggestions.

Saturday, April 22

Spring Wellness Fair | Saturday, Apr. 22 | 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. | PSU Farmers Market, South Park Blocks, Portland | Free | Ten community organizations will share resources and information on health, nutrition, wellness, movement, housing, gardening, sustainability, and more.
Mushrooms and Fungal Ecology | Saturday, Apr. 22 | 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | Hoyt Arboretum, 4000 SW Fairview Blvd., Portland | $25 | People with all levels of fungi experience are invited to learn about mushroom ecology and identification and where to find them in a natural landscape.

Sunday, April 23

Friends of Vancouver Community Library Mini Book Sale | Sunday, April 23-Saturday, April 29 | 11 a.m.-5 p.m. | Vancouver Community Library, 901 C St., Vancouver | Price of purchase | Get a great deal on your next favorite book while supporting local library programs.

Saturday, April 29

Grand Opening: The Judy | Saturday, Apr. 29 | 12-1:30 p.m. | The Judy Kafoury Center for Youth Arts, 1000 SW Broadway, T-100, Portland | Free | Northwest Children’s Theater is moving to a new home, and you’re invited to its free grand opening, which includes a showcase of local artists and tour of the new space.*

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

Travel

Don’t board an airplane without this item

A small white AirFly device next to a passport, headphones, ear buds, and a plane ticket.

Goodbye, cheap airline headphones; hello, incredible sound quality | Photo by 6AM City

Picture the place in your house where you store you suitcases. Is there room for a two-by-two inch item weighing 15 grams? If yes, we recommend you buy this item immediately — vacation you of the future will thank you.

Meet the AirFly wireless audio transmitter, AKA your ticket to watching — and actually enjoying — the in-flight movie entertainment on your next trip.

AirFly eliminates the need for wired headphones by plugging into a headphone jack then connecting via Bluetooth to your earbuds or wireless headphones. We repeat: You will never need wired headphones again if you have an AirFly.

Reviewers have mentioned the notable improvement in sound quality that the AirFly helps produce — not to mention, you won’t have to humble yourself before your travel companions and ask for a spare pair of wired headphones (or use the cheap ones the airline passes out).

Bonus: Upgrade to the AirFly Duo to share audio between two pairs of headphones, or get the AirFly Pro for all that plus even more battery life and audio options.

Fly with the AirFly

News Notes

Today Is

The beginning of Eid al-Fitr, the multi-day Islamic festival which starts with the rising of the crescent moon and marks the end of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting. Learn about the experience from Muslims in Portland and discover local celebrations. (The Oregonian/Oregon Live)

Biz

The first licenses to facilitate and manufacture magic mushrooms have been issued in Oregon. Tori Armbrust of Portland received the first manufacturing license — it cost her $10,000 — and is renting a space in the city to grow the mushrooms. But so far, no service centers have been licensed. (KGW)

Concert

Greta Van Fleet isn’t a billion lightyears from here anymore. The interstellar American rock band will land its Starcatcher World Tour at Portland’s Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Saturday, Aug. 5. Tickets for the show will be available today at 10 a.m.

Pets

One adult dog and 66 puppies found refuge at the Oregon Humane Society’s campuses in Portland and Salem this week. The canines had to be relocated from a shelter in Visalia, California, after flooding in the area led to a surge in animals and overwhelmed the shelter’s capacity. (KOIN)

Award

Local heritage trees have a champion in Gregg Everhart. The Portland resident is the 2023 Oregon Heritage Tree Hero of the Year — an award recognizing community advocates who “view history from the perspective of the trees that are witnessing it.” She’s helped add nearly 70 new trees to Portland’s registry.

We hope the world is ready for more sparkly vampires and angsty werewolves because “Twilight” could soon step back into the sunlight… as a TV series. Lionsgate Television is in early development on a series, but it’s unclear if it’s a spin-off or reboot of the fantasy saga originally filmed, partly, in Portland. (The Hollywood Reporter)

Finance

Refinance rates are skyrocketing. But home equity rates remain relatively low — which means that now is a great time to borrow against your home. Calculate your payment.*

Holiday

Demain, c’est le Jour de la Terre. Cet événement mondial a été fondé en 1970 par un sénateur des États-Unis qui avait été témoin d’une terrible marée noire. Le Jour de la Terre est désormais célébré par plus d’un milliard de personnes dans 193 pays autour du globe. Translate this news with Babbel (currently offering 55% off lessons) in The Wrap at the bottom of our newsletter. *

Shop

We’re firm believers in spoiling the ones we love — especially our pets. That’s why we’re adding these two things to our shopping carts: this customizable velvet collar and this durable bed that features a removable slipcover. Don’t forget the treats. We love these soft chews for doggos and these freeze dried snacks for cats.
Celebrate Earth Day by supporting some of our Six & Main brands. Rainier Watch, a business inspired by mountains, gives a portion of its sales to organizations that protect National Parks, and Plant Based Candles allows customers to reuse the vessel as a planter with wildflower seeds included in each order.

Arts

✍️ Shall we compare thee to a poet?

Read the winning poem from our 2023 poetry contest

A graphic with the words "2023 poetry contest finalists"

Drumroll, please. | Graphic by 6AM City

This April, we ran a poetry contest to celebrate National Poetry Month. We challenged you, our readers, to craft a poem using only the words that appeared in one of our newsletters (here are the original contest guidelines if you want to give it a try).

Turns out, you’re all poets and we didn’t even know it. We were beyond thrilled to read the original, creative, and awe-inspiring poems Portlanders created from our newsletter copy. Check out the poems with the button below, and don’t forget to vote for your favorite.

“Kubla Khan Again” by Kerstin S.
“Street Folklore: Sugar + Sidewalk” by Pepper V.
“I know my ABCs” by Jamie S.

Read their poems

Asked

Which poem should we crown the winner?

A. “Kubla Khan Again” by Kerstin S.
B. “Street Folklore: Sugar + Sidewalk” by Pepper V.
C. “I know my ABCs” by Jamie S.

Cast your vote

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Cambrie

Holiday, translated: Tomorrow is Earth Day. The global holiday dates back to 1970, when it was spearheaded by a US senator who witnessed an oil spill first hand. Now, it’s observed by 1+ billion people across 193 countries. Brush up on your French skills with a subscription to Babbel (currently 55% off exclusively for PDXtoday readers).*

From the editor

I can’t wait to see Greta Van Fleet live for the first time this summer. Until then, I’ll just keep watching clips from their show at Red Rocks on repeat.

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