Minimizing “light trespass” can help migratory birds rely on delicately balanced circadian rhythms that regulate many natural instincts. | Photo by Fatih Doğrul
It’s that time of the year. Pumpkin spice lattes are in full swing, a few trees have already started their colorful transformation, and bird migration is underway.
Millions of birds fly over Oregon at night every spring and fall. The bright artificial lights of cities — which create a phenomenon called sky glow — can cause traveling birds to become disoriented and crash into buildings or windows.
Portland-based avian conservation organization Bird Alliance of Oregon supports the nationwide effort spearheaded by the National Audubon Society. Lights Out is meant to help reduce migratory bird deaths by increasing awareness and encouraging building owners to turn off non-essential lights during peak migration months.
You can take the pledge to go Lights Out or contact BirdSafe campaign coordinator Mary Coolidge to learn more. The Energy Trust of Oregon also offers cash incentives to increase the energy efficiency of business lighting.
When is fall migration?
Peak fall migration started Thursday, Sept. 19, and runs through Saturday, Oct. 19. How many birds are we talkin’? Well, 6.2 million birds were expected to fly over Oregon on the night of Friday, Sept. 20, including 14,000+ over the Portland area.
Wheelchair Maintenance Workshop | Tuesday, Sept. 12 | 6-8 p.m. | Bike Farm, 1810 NE First Ave., Portland | Free | Get hands-on entry-level experience in tinkering with and maintaining your own wheelchair; bicycle technicians are also invited to share their expertise.
Wednesday, Sept. 13
Friends of Laurelhurst Park Work Party | Wednesday, Sept. 13 | 9 a.m.-12 p.m. | Laurelhurst Park, Southeast Cesar E. Chavez Boulevard and Stark Street, Portland | Free | Pitch in to help prune shrubs, pull invasive weeds, plant new greenery, and spread mulch to keep this beloved park looking its best.
Thursday, Sept. 14
Mt. Angel Oktoberfest | Thursday, Sept. 14-Sunday, Sept. 17 | Times vary | Various locations, Mount Angel | $0-$50 | Put on your lederhosen and drive south (about 50 minutes) to the largest festival of its kind in the PNW.
SnackFest | Thursday, Sept. 14-Sunday, Sept. 17 | Times vary | 100 SE Alder St., Portland | $0-$175 | Sample delectable morsels from local vendors, stumble upon secret pop-ups, and meet the makers behind your favorite foods and drinks.
Friday, Sept. 15
“Tesla City Stories” - Season 8 Premiere | Friday, Sept. 15 | 7:30 p.m. | The Old Church Concert Hall, 1422 SW 11th Ave., Portland | $22-$50 | Cast members will perform live radio theater — “pop archaeology,” if you will — with original 1940s tales ranging from sitcom to mystery.
“Ancient Aliens LIVE: Project Earth” | Friday, Sept. 15 | 7:30 p.m. | Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway, Portland | $45-$79 | Familiar faces from the long-running HISTORY Channel series will probe fan-favorite theories on whether Earth has been hosting extraterrestrials for millennia.
Saturday, Sept. 16
11th Annual Neerchokikoo Powwow | Saturday, Sept. 16 | 1 p.m. | Native American Youth and Family Center, 5135 NE Columbia Blvd., Portland | Free | Gather together to enjoy dancing, music, art, and food celebrating the history, culture, and arts of 380 different Native American tribes.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Dancer: Khalia Campbell. | Photo by Dario Calmese
Nine companies. 23 performances. A show for everyone.
White Bird is Portland’s premiere dance presenter, bringing professional dance from around the world to Portland’s stages. Read: These performances will change the way you think of movement.
Their 2023-2024 season starts on Wednesday, Oct. 4, and highlights nine distinct companies of diverse cultural make-up, as well as two international companies.
Live music and matinee performance packages are now available. Discover a world of dance with White Bird.
Nike has officially closed its factory store on Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard — permanently. The shop first opened in 1984 and was quietly put on an indefinite hiatus last year amid a surge in shoplifting. The company said it’s “reimagining Nike’s retail space” and considering future locations within the community. (KGW)
Traffic
Rolling a right turn through a red light could literally cost you in various parts of Portland. Nineteen cameras designed to either catch drivers running red lights or speeding are already in place and more are on the way. Over a dozen officers will resume traffic patrols after a two-year absence. (Portland Monthly)
Health
Within the next two weeks, Recovery Works NW will open the region’s first medically managed detox center partly funded by Oregon’s Measure 110. The new Foster Road Detox Center will offer 16 beds by appointment for people who need help to withdraw and aims to serve about 1,200 people a year. (Portland Mercury)
Eat
If you love brunch a bunch, then get ready to visit Dolly Olive. The coastal Italian-inspired restaurant in Southwest Portland will start serving brunch on Thursday, Sept. 21, every day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. You’ll find items like housemade yogurt with pistachios, eggs with polenta, and breakfast ravioli.
Watch
Watch elite athletes tackle the snowy peaks of Patagonia, the Sierra Nevada, and Jackson Hole from the comfort of a chair at the Aladdin Theatre. That’s where Teton Gravity Research will screen its 28th-annual ski and snowboard film, “Legend Has It,” on Friday, Sept. 22. Tickets are available for two showings.
History
Drive to the southern end of Tillamook Bay to visit the site of Bayocean, a community built in the early 1900s. The resort dubbed “the Atlantic City of the West” demonstrated why sand isn’t a good foundation — and became Oregon’s own Atlantis when the sea swallowed homes within a matter of decades. (KGW)
Number
$580,000. That was the median sale price of a single-family home in the Portland area in the second quarter of 2023, down by about $19,000 from the same time last year. Take a look at these local homes that are listed at approx. half-a-million bucks. (Portland Business Journal)
Wellness
According to licensed psychologists John and Julie Gottman, the “four horsemen of the apocalypse” in a relationship are criticism, contempt, defensiveness + stonewalling — all of which seriously threaten a marriage. A Gottman Method trained therapist at the Couples Clinic of Portland can help couples break these patterns for a better relationship. See open appointments.*
Fruit with cracks, scarring, indentations, dimples, scabs, holes, or brown spots will be accepted, but don’t bring anything that’s moldy or rotten. | Photo by Portland Cider Company
If you have fruit trees growing on your property, then you likely know the struggle of keeping up with the bounty as it ripens and falls to the ground.
Portland Cider Company wants to put your surplus or unwanted fruit to good use. Community members are invited to donate bushels of edible-quality apples and pears to be pressed into cider for the company’s annual Fruit Forward Drive.
The cider will be served in Portland Cider Company’s taprooms starting in late fall. 503 Distilling will also turn some of it into a special-edition brandy. A portion of proceeds from the cider and brandy will benefit Fighting Pretty, a local nonprofit working to help women fighting cancer feel strong and beautiful.
Bushels (a minimum of 40 pounds) can be dropped off at the cidery in Clackamas every Saturday in September, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Donors will receive vouchers for their donated fruit to redeem for cider when it’s ready.
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