Plus: Make last-minute Mother's Day plans
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Today’s Forecast

49º | Showers | 84% chance of rain | Sunrise 7:50 a.m. | Sunset 4:40 p.m.
 

🔌 Plug in your car, unplug your mind

Plug in your electric vehicle, unplug your mind at state parks near Portland
Two photos in a collage. The left photo shows a vehicle charging at a Rivian Waypoints Level 2 charger; the right photo shows a closeup of a charger.
Four chargers were unveiled at an “Inaugural Charge” event held at Silver Falls State Park on Friday, May 5. | Photo via Oregon State Parks
Electric vehicle charging stations are easy to find when you’re traveling down the freeway and the mileage meter gets low. But driving an EV to areas where even cellphone reception is limited? That’s a bit riskier.

Newly installed EV charging stations at a handful of state parks around Oregon — including a few near Portland — take the anxiety out of accessing nature sans fossil fuels.

The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department praised the new stations this week, saying they present a “historic opportunity” for park visitors to access and enjoy the outdoors and reduce air pollution by traveling via zero-emissions vehicles.

Electric vehicle maker Rivian donated the installation design, construction costs, and EV chargers through nonprofit organization Adopt A Charger. Plastics manufacturer Entec Polymers is covering the cost of electricity used by visitors at the charging stations until 2025. After that, users will have to pay for their own charging.

Here’s where you’ll find Rivian Waypoints Level 2 chargers near Portland:
Four more stations will soon be installed at Rooster Rock State Park in the Columbia River Gorge. Every hour that an EV is plugged into a Rivian Waypoint can add up to 25 miles of driving range, and drivers can keep tabs on their charging sessions by downloading an app.

The chargers are compatible with all electric vehicles (read: not just Rivians) and are fully powered with renewable energy. Every kilowatt hour delivered through a Rivian Waypoint charger is matched (or exceeded) with renewable energy like solar and wind that the company has either developed on its own or purchased from other existing projects.
 
Events
Tuesday, May 9
  • AANHPI Heritage Month: Celebrate Our Stories | Tuesday, May 9-Sunday, May 28 | 10 a.m.-6 p.m. | Lan Su Chinese Garden, 239 NW Everett St., Portland | $11-$14 | Enjoy special programs featuring displays of traditional outfits, cultural performances, vendors, educational talks, and demonstrations highlighting various cultures and traditions.
Wednesday, May 10
  • Spare Room Reading Series | Wednesday, May 10 | 7:30 p.m. | Passages Bookshop, 1801 NW Upshur St., Ste. 660, Portland | Free | Listen to poetry readings by authors Susan Schultz, Norman Fischer, and Jeanne Heuving.
Thursday, May 11
  • Book & Bake Sale | Thursday, May 11-Friday, May 12 | 12-5 p.m. | Portland State University’s Cramer Hall, 1721 SW Broadway, Portland | Free | Take home a new (to you) book for $2-$3 with genres ranging from history to fiction and buy a baked good at this event hosted by PSU’s Department of History.
Friday, May 12
  • Violet Hex Presents: “A Nightmare On Elm Street” (1984) | Friday, May 12 | 8 p.m. | Clinton Street Theater, 2522 SE Clinton St., Portland | $15 | Enjoy a drag show with performances by local stars like Marla Darling and Mona Chrome, followed by a screening of Wes Craven’s cult horror film.
Saturday, May 13
  • Incredible Edibles Plant Sale | Saturday, May 13 | 10 a.m.-3 p.m. | Westminster Presbyterian Church Parking Lot, 1634 NE Hancock St., Portland | Free | Pick up pre-ordered organic veggie and flower starts that are ready to put down roots in your garden, shop over-stock plants, and talk with OSU Extension-trained master gardener volunteers.
  • Unique Markets | Saturday, May 13-Sunday, May 14 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Veterans Memorial Coliseum, 300 N. Ramsay Way, Portland | $10-$40 | Discover one-of-a-kind items from clothing to gourmet treats while supporting 150 local independent designers, artists, and emerging brands.
Events calendar here
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News Notes
Transit
  • This past weekend saw the return of regular service along TriMet’s MAX Blue, Green, and Red lines. Crews spent three weeks carrying out upgrades near the Gateway Transit Center and completing track maintenance between Gateway and Northeast Seventh Avenue as part of TriMet’s A Better Red project. (KOIN)
Environment
  • Metro and the city of Portland’s Bureau of Environmental Services recently bought a 0.7-acre property in Southeast Portland that includes a small section of Crystal Springs Creek — Portland’s first waterway to be dedicated as a salmon sanctuary. Officials will restore the stretch of stream to improve fish habitats. (Willamette Week)
Opening
  • Xin Ding Dumpling House opens this Friday, May 12, at 71 SW Second Avenue in Old Town-Chinatown. Owner Leon Liu and his mentor, chef Keli Jiang, will bring decades of Chinese cooking to bear on a menu showcasing noodles and dumplings, with specialties like handmade xiao long bao and dry pot. (Eater Portland)
Drink
  • Drinks are flowing once again at the former Beech Street Parlor space in Northeast Portland. Three regular customers of the bar, which closed in 2020, have opened Dream House in its place. Customers will find Rainier on tap, cocktails for under $10, and bar fare served with housemade condiments. (Eater Portland)
Outdoors
  • Duffy, a male white-cheeked gibbon at the Oregon Zoo, has a new playmate. The zoo recently welcomed 7-year-old Harper — a female white-cheeked gibbon born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. You can tell the pair of critically endangered primates apart by the color of their fur: Duffy is black while Harper is tan.
Eat
  • Piccone’s Corner on Northeast Sandy Boulevard has added Italian-style salumi products to its offerings. Customers can now try finocchiona and lardo cured in-house at the butcher shop and restaurant with more varieties coming soon. Fun fact: Piccone’s is the only Oregon salumi maker to raise its own pork. (Portland Monthly)
  • You can enjoy discounts while supporting local BIPOC and women-owned restaurants through the end of the year by picking up a Foodie Passport at a participating location. Collect stamps from all 20 eateries — like Akadi, Viking Soul Food, and Fat Cupcake — for a chance to win a gift card worth up to $500.
Kids
  • Two words: free bowling. Sign up for Kids Bowl Free to connect with local bowling alleys where kids can receive two free games of bowling everyday this summer. Plus, grab a Family Pass + up to four adults can join in on the fun.
Holiday

💐 Give the gift of your time

5 ways to celebrate Mother’s Day 2023 in Portland
Tiered trays hold tea sandwiches and small finger foods on a table with teacups and saucers.
Do you take cream or sugar? | Photo by EvinDC
So you want to celebrate the mom figure in your life, but Mother’s Day snuck up on you this year and now you’re starting to sweat. We get it — we’ve all been there — and we want to help. Here are some fun events you can enjoy together around Portland to show her how much you appreciate her.
  • Mother’s Day High Royal Tea | Saturday, May 13 | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | Gray Gables Estate, 3009 SE Chestnut St., Oak Grove | $60 | Choose between garden seating or a spot beneath the chandeliers for this special tea service with handmade tea sandwiches and scones in an elegant setting full of Victorian charm.
  • Reigning Roses Walk | Sunday, May 14 | 10 a.m. | Northwest Portland’s Alphabet District, Portland | Free | Walk with, or in honor of, a special lady in your life at this fundraiser supporting the women and children of Rose Haven — a trauma-informed day shelter — with sponsored stops along the way.
3 more events + brunch
The Wrap
 
Cambrie Juarez headshot

Today’s edition by:
Cambrie
From the editor
With summer temperatures expected to hit us like a fiery freight train later this week, now is a good time to nail down plans for any concerts you want to see in the coming months. Check out this list of outdoor music venues in Oregon and Washington, along with their corresponding live music lineups. From Dave Matthews Band to Chris Stapleton, there’s a little something for every ear to enjoy.
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