Plus: Free STEM camp for kids.
 
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👋 Allow us to reintroduce ourselves

Get to know the people of PDXtoday
PDXtoday City Editors Ben and Cambrie stand side by side.
That’s right, we’re the real people who write the newsletter for you Monday through Friday (and soon on Saturdays as well). | Photo by PDXtoday
We know, you’re used to seeing us at the bottom of the newsletter, but since it’s been two-and-a-half years since we officially presented ourselves as the faces of PDXtoday, we thought it might be time to say hi to our 51,000 subscribers.

Whether you’ve been with us since the beginning or just signed up — we’re City Editors Ben and Cambrie, it’s nice to meet you.

Where are you from?

Ben: I grew up in a small town called Rogue River, about 4 or 5 hours south of Portland (depending on that Wilsonville traffic), surrounded by mountains and trees, which now makes it impossible to live anywhere that isn’t green.

Cambrie: I spent my elementary school years in Florence, before my family moved to La Pine in Deschutes County. Transitioning from the mild winters of the coast to months of snow and ice was a steep learning curve, but my understanding of Oregon’s dual personalities is better for it.

What’s your favorite event around the city?

B: There’s nothing that brings the community together in joy quite like the Vaux’s swift watch every September, plus it’s fun to photograph.

C: We often hear things like “if you don’t like months of gray skies and rain, you shouldn’t live here” but long stretches of dreary weather can weigh heavy on the best of us. The Portland Winter Light Festival literally brightens my outlook and helps me power through the final push to spring.

You can buy a house in any neighborhood, where do you look?

B: Definitely Goose Hollow — I’d have easy access to Washington Park and Hoyt Arboretum, I could walk to every Timbers and Thorns game, and I’d probably eat even more Reuben sandwiches than I already do.

C: Sellwood-Moreland. Quieter, slower days and a small-town vibe are my bread and butter.

What’s one thing you wish people knew about Portland?

B: People can be more friendly and optimistic about our city than you expect, and that includes us — don’t hesitate to reach out.

C: Folks who don’t live here have told me they would never walk around the city because it’s “too dangerous.” As with any larger city, you need to be alert and smart, but I’ve never felt unsafe while out and about.

We’d be remiss to not give Alaina McIntyre, the third member of the PDXtoday team, a shoutout too.
How we've changed since 2022
 
Events
Monday, Aug. 12
Tuesday, Aug. 13
  • Ben Howard | Tuesday, Aug. 13 | 9 p.m. | Roseland Theater | $45 | Is your “Only Love” for this “Old Pine” singer? See him while he’s in town.
Wednesday, Aug. 14
  • Modern Mocktology | Wednesday, Aug. 14 | 6-8 p.m. | Kitchen Culture | $80 | Learn when to shake and when to stir during this interactive non-alcoholic class with second-generation bartender Cliffton Seminerio.
Thursday, Aug. 15
  • iEngineer STEM Camp | Thursday, Aug. 15-Saturday, Aug. 17 | Times vary | University of Portland - Shiley School of Engineering | Free | Ages 12-18 are invited to this three-day immersive education experience featuring hands-on workshops with local professionals.
  • Golden Girls LIVE! | Thursday, Aug. 15-Saturday, Aug. 24 | 6:45-9:15 p.m. | Funhouse Lounge | $30-$190 | Thank you for being a friend — and for checking out this reenactment of two episodes from the classic TV show featuring an all drag cast.
Friday, Aug. 16
  • PSU Blood Drive | Friday, Aug. 16 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Portland State University, Hoffman Hall, Main Floor | Free | All students, faculty, staff, and alumni are welcome to donate toward a good cause.
Saturday, Aug. 17
  • Annual Quilter’s Outdoor Market | Saturday, Aug. 17 | 9 a.m.-4 p.m. | Pioneer Quilts | Free | Don’t miss the chance to brows fabrics and other materials from 36 vendors; there will be scissor sharpening on site as well.
  • SKN Dance Fest ’24 | Saturday, Aug. 17 | 2 + 6 p.m. | New Expressive Works | $5-$20 | Celebrate Indian classical dance and music with Sarada Kala Nilayam, a Beaverton-based performing arts group.
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
 
News Notes
Number
  • 1.4 million acres and counting. That’s the area — larger than the state of Delaware — that’s burned so far this year in Oregon, all before the peak of the wildfire season, surpassing the previous record set in 2020 (1.1 million acres). For context, fewer than 120,000 acres burned in all of 2023. (The Oregonian/Oregon Live)
History
  • Interested in how you can help protect landmarks in Portland’s historically Black neighborhoods? The Albina Preservation Initiative will host a free symposium on Saturday, Sept. 14 to discuss the power of storytelling for conservation and other methods to preserve the “social, political and entrepreneurial impact” of Black Portlanders in the 20th century. (The Oregonian/Oregon Live)
Development
  • The Portland Housing Bureau has committed $42 million to a new affordable housing project in the Broadway Corridor. The 14-story, mixed-use tower will rise on the former U.S. Postal Service site, offering 230 units and wrap-around services like early learning and workforce development. Groundbreaking is set for summer 2026. (Portland Business Journal)
Try This
  • Drippy Bears, Portland’s newest art experience, is hosting several craft events in late August/early September. Guests will start with a blank bear statuette, adding color and designs by drizzling paint on its surface. Join on Saturday, Aug. 31 at L’Atelier Yaffe for a night of creativity, food, and drink.
Sports
  • On Locked On Ducks, host Spencer McLaughlin made his case for why Dan Lanning can take his football team to an undefeated season on their debut in the Big Ten. Ohio State at home and a potentially snowy November trip to Wisconsin are just a few of the hurdles in their way.
     
    Olympics

    How many medals did local athletes win?

    How many medals did local athletes win at the 2024 Paris Olympics?
    The silver, gold, and bronze medals from the Paris 2024 Olympics.
    Approximately 5,084 medals were created for the Paris Games; see previous years’ designs. | Photo courtesy of @Paris2024
    It’s hard to believe the Paris 2024 Olympics are already over.

    Let’s take a look at which local Olympians brought home gold, silver, and bronze medals. For more post-Olympics coverage, tune into KGW.

    Etched in the history books

    Ryan Crouser, Track and Field, USA | Born in Portland, grew up in Boring, graduated from Barlow High School in Gresham
    Cole Hocker, Track and Field, USA | Former University of Oregon runner
    Pieter Quinton, Rowing, USA | From Portland and graduated from Grant High School
    Jade Carey, Gymnastics, USA | Competes for Oregon State University
    • Gold: Women’s team all-around artistic gymnastics
    • Bronze: Vault
    Jordan Chiles, Gymnastics, USA | From Vancouver
    • Gold: Women’s team all-around artistic gymnastics
    Sam Coffey + Sophia Smith, Women’s Soccer, USA | Both are members of the Portland Thorns
    • Gold: The USWNT defeated Brazil in the final, 1-0.
    Jessica Hull, Track and Field, Australia | Former University of Oregon runner
    • Silver: Women’s 1,500 meters
    Sabrina Ionescu, Women’s Basketball, USA | Former University of Oregon basketball player
    • Gold: Team USA beat France in a nail-biter, 67-66, for an eighth consecutive gold medal.
    The Buy

    The Buy 8.12.24 (Affiliate)
    Amazon’s No. 1 new release — a rechargeable vacuum sealer. Preserve food in your kitchen with this portable, leak-proof sealer that offers up to 30 BPA-free, microwave safe bags to ensure high quality storage.
    More worth The Buy
    Answered

    The American Museum of Natural History displays the Willamette Meteorite. Where was it unearthed?
    Alternating photos show the Willamette Meteorite, first on a log slab at the Lewis and Clark Exposition of 1905 in Portland and later in 1911 at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. The second photo shows two young boys sitting in the pockmarks of the space rock.

    The Willamette Meteorite was displayed at the Lewis and Clark Exposition of 1905; the following year it was moved to the American Museum of Natural History in New York.

    |

    Photos via public domain

    Not to be a smart asteroid, but we got you on this one.

    McMinnville was our readers’ top answer (50% of responses) — maybe its UFO lore was deceiving — but the correct answer was West Linn (37% of responses).
    See a replica in Oregon
     
    The Wrap
     
    ben-mcbee-headshot-2024.png

    Today’s edition by:
    Ben
    From the editor
    If you’ve ever crossed paths with Kimiko Matsuda, you know it doesn’t take long for her passion and positivity about Portland to rub off on you. Take a few minutes to read her Q+A with Portland Monthly — it’s a great way to start the week.
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