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Lloyd Center memories linger for Portlanders

From ice skating to Easter rabbits, readers recall their favorite mall moments.

News

For more than 60 years, Lloyd Center, which is being <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="demolished later this year" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2026/02/27/lloyd-center-redevelopment-housing-parks-retail" data-vars-content-id="da12074f-e7b4-4488-a011-fff869397183" data-vars-headline="Lloyd Center memories linger for Portlanders" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2026/02/27/lloyd-center-redevelopment-housing-parks-retail" target="_self">demolished later this year</a>, has been a cultural touchstone for Northeast Portland and the broader region.Why it matters: A mall that endures for decades becomes more than retail space — it becomes part of people&#x27;s personal history.

What's going to replace Lloyd Center

Portland&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="oldest mall" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2023/10/13/lloyd-center-closing-shut-down-new-building" data-vars-content-id="284d7afc-3e5a-405a-939a-af3c055a7932" data-vars-headline="What&#x27;s going to replace Lloyd Center" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2023/10/13/lloyd-center-closing-shut-down-new-building" target="_self">oldest mall</a> will be no more come the end of the year, as developers plan to demolish the 29.3-acre site and build a sprawling, mixed-use property with shopping, recreation and housing.Why it matters: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Not everyone" data-vars-click-url="https://www.kgw.com/article/money/business/lloyd-center-businesses-patrons-frustrated-mall-planned-closure/283-6c57938f-0ba4-4bc1-ab3f-b932d4e37fc6" data-vars-content-id="284d7afc-3e5a-405a-939a-af3c055a7932" data-vars-headline="What&#x27;s going to replace Lloyd Center" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.kgw.com/article/money/business/lloyd-center-businesses-patrons-frustrated-mall-planned-closure/283-6c57938f-0ba4-4bc1-ab3f-b932d4e37fc6" target="_blank">Not everyone</a> is happy about the change. For more than 60 years, Lloyd Center served as a premier destination for retail and cultural life until the COVID-19 pandemic — coupled with a rise in e-commerce — hobbled anchor tenants and left it a shadow of its former self.

Portland's winters grow longer, bucking U.S. trend

A new Climate Central analysis finds Portland winters lasting four days longer.

Climate

Winters are getting shorter across most U.S. cities amid <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="climate change" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2025/08/04/extreme-heat-streaks-climate-change" data-vars-content-id="9473f9d8-e176-479e-a933-be973a8acf6b" data-vars-headline="Portland&#x27;s winters grow longer, bucking U.S. trend" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2025/08/04/extreme-heat-streaks-climate-change" target="_self">climate change</a>, but not in Portland.<ul><li>That&#x27;s per a new<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text=" analysis" data-vars-click-url="https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/shorter-winters-in-195-us-cities" data-vars-content-id="9473f9d8-e176-479e-a933-be973a8acf6b" data-vars-headline="Portland&#x27;s winters grow longer, bucking U.S. trend" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/shorter-winters-in-195-us-cities" target="_blank"> analysis</a> based on temperatures rather than calendar dates from Climate Central, a climate research group.</li></ul>Driving the news: Compared to the 1970-1997 period, winters are now shorter in 80% of the 245 U.S. cities analyzed in the report.

Advocates raise concerns over proposed Columbia River power line

Opponents warn the buried line could harm fish, water quality and cultural sites.

Environmental advocates and tribes are raising concerns over a proposal to bury an electric transmission line under the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Columbia River" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2026/01/23/gorge-energy-storage-project-tribal-opposition" data-vars-content-id="40ce938e-f44c-4ddb-b461-c435ea146e5a" data-vars-headline="Advocates raise concerns over proposed Columbia River power line" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2026/01/23/gorge-energy-storage-project-tribal-opposition" target="_self">Columbia River</a> from the east end of the Gorge to Portland.Why it matters: The project would be the first transmission line buried beneath the Columbia River and could expand the region&#x27;s ability to move renewable power west if approved.

Oregon's COVID levels are low amid national holiday surge

Almost every other state showed at least "high" levels this month compared to baseline trends.

COVID

Oregon is seeing relatively low levels of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="COVID-19" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/11/21/covid-omicron-variant-coronavirus-cases" data-vars-content-id="2642baba-14c0-4547-b96d-b7be529781a0" data-vars-headline="Oregon&#x27;s COVID levels are low amid national holiday surge" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/11/21/covid-omicron-variant-coronavirus-cases" target="_self">COVID-19</a> as the rest of the country experiences a surge ahead of the holiday travel season, according to the latest CDC data.Driving the news: Wastewater analysis was showing minimal COVID-19 levels in Oregon as of earlier this month, down considerably from December 2022.

New COVID vaccine boosters coming to Oregon

If you've recently been infected, the CDC recommends waiting three months.

Updated COVID-19 <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="vaccines" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/09/12/cdc-advisors-endorse-updated-covid-vaccines" data-vars-content-id="da738114-c7fb-465c-a048-cb9bf8b4127a" data-vars-headline="New COVID vaccine boosters coming to Oregon" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/09/12/cdc-advisors-endorse-updated-covid-vaccines" target="_self">vaccines</a> should be available in Oregon this week.Catch up quick: Last week, Oregon Health Authority officials <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="joined" data-vars-click-url="https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/ORHA/bulletins/37002f1" data-vars-content-id="da738114-c7fb-465c-a048-cb9bf8b4127a" data-vars-headline="New COVID vaccine boosters coming to Oregon" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/ORHA/bulletins/37002f1" target="_blank">joined</a> the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in recommending the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="newly FDA-approved" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/09/11/fda-approves-updated-covid-19-vaccines" data-vars-content-id="da738114-c7fb-465c-a048-cb9bf8b4127a" data-vars-headline="New COVID vaccine boosters coming to Oregon" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/09/11/fda-approves-updated-covid-19-vaccines" target="_self">newly FDA-approved</a> Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for everyone 6 months and older, or those who have not received a COVID vaccine within the last two months.

COVID hospitalizations rise in Oregon

But there's no sign we're headed for anything like the waves of the peak pandemic era.

While COVID-19 hospitalization rates in Multnomah County <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="saw a slight decrease in July" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2023/08/07/oregon-covid-hospitalizations-down" data-vars-content-id="c4ffa5d8-107e-4257-8fa8-3211f240152b" data-vars-headline="COVID hospitalizations rise in Oregon" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2023/08/07/oregon-covid-hospitalizations-down" target="_self">saw a slight decrease in July</a>, rates across the county and state have since ticked upward as a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="summer wave" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/08/17/covid-19-cases-2023-uptick-where-why" data-vars-content-id="c4ffa5d8-107e-4257-8fa8-3211f240152b" data-vars-headline="COVID hospitalizations rise in Oregon" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/08/17/covid-19-cases-2023-uptick-where-why" target="_self">summer wave</a> sweeps the country.Why it matters: With the rise in <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="at-home testing" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/01/08/home-rapid-covid-test-report-positive-america" data-vars-content-id="c4ffa5d8-107e-4257-8fa8-3211f240152b" data-vars-headline="COVID hospitalizations rise in Oregon" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/01/08/home-rapid-covid-test-report-positive-america" target="_self">at-home testing</a> making official COVID-19 case numbers less reliable, hospitalization rates are an important metric for gauging viral spread.

Oregon keeps COVID hospitalizations in check

"Whatever immunity people have seems to be keeping most of them out of the hospital."

As COVID-19 hospitalizations and rates of positive tests rise in many parts of the country, hospitalizations in Oregon have recently gone down.Why it matters: According to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="recent data" data-vars-click-url="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#maps_new-admissions-state" data-vars-content-id="dc1d33a0-4817-4c6f-a14d-42429a59384b" data-vars-headline="Oregon keeps COVID hospitalizations in check" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#maps_new-admissions-state" target="_blank">recent data</a> from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, rising <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="COVID" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/health/coronavirus" data-vars-content-id="dc1d33a0-4817-4c6f-a14d-42429a59384b" data-vars-headline="Oregon keeps COVID hospitalizations in check" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/health/coronavirus" target="_self">COVID</a> cases and hospitalizations hint at how the virus will continue to be a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="predictable seasonal threat" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/07/06/tripledemic-covid-vaccines" data-vars-content-id="dc1d33a0-4817-4c6f-a14d-42429a59384b" data-vars-headline="Oregon keeps COVID hospitalizations in check" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/07/06/tripledemic-covid-vaccines" target="_self">predictable seasonal threat</a>.

COVID 🦠

Oregon's COVID levels are low amid national holiday surge

New COVID vaccine boosters coming to Oregon

COVID hospitalizations rise in Oregon

Oregon keeps COVID hospitalizations in check