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Why Mount Hood's McNeil Point is worth the climb

Big views, wildflowers and a challenging climb make this Mount Hood favorite worth the effort.

Things to Do

The McNeil Point trail packs misty forests, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="wildflowers" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2026/04/27/gorge-wildflowers-peak-bloom-trails-spring" data-vars-content-id="1b75e7a6-ff52-451b-9380-e85fab552a82" data-vars-headline="Why Mount Hood&#x27;s McNeil Point is worth the climb" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2026/04/27/gorge-wildflowers-peak-bloom-trails-spring" target="_self">wildflowers</a> and one of the best close-up views of Mount Hood into one demanding, but rewarding, day hike.The big picture: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="McNeil Point" data-vars-click-url="https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/oregon/mcneil-point-trail" data-vars-content-id="1b75e7a6-ff52-451b-9380-e85fab552a82" data-vars-headline="Why Mount Hood&#x27;s McNeil Point is worth the climb" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/oregon/mcneil-point-trail" target="_blank">McNeil Point</a> is one of the most popular hikes on Mount Hood, and for good reason.

Oregon vows to fight Trump's mail-in voting order

State officials are preparing to defend Oregon's decades-old vote-by-mail system.

News

President <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Trump" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/politics-policy/donald-trump" data-vars-content-id="d425ee81-63fb-4d67-bab8-dbd813408a71" data-vars-headline="Oregon vows to fight Trump&#x27;s mail-in voting order" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/politics-policy/donald-trump" target="_self">Trump</a> can implement an <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="executive order" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/06/25/trump-mail-in-voting-order-blocked" data-vars-content-id="d425ee81-63fb-4d67-bab8-dbd813408a71" data-vars-headline="Oregon vows to fight Trump&#x27;s mail-in voting order" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/06/25/trump-mail-in-voting-order-blocked" target="_self">executive order</a> restricting <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="mail-in" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/08/23/mail-in-voting-trump-pew-poll" data-vars-content-id="d425ee81-63fb-4d67-bab8-dbd813408a71" data-vars-headline="Oregon vows to fight Trump&#x27;s mail-in voting order" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/08/23/mail-in-voting-trump-pew-poll" target="_self">mail-in</a> ballots just months before the midterm elections, the Supreme Court said Monday.Why it matters: The decision could upend the midterms, but the legal battle is far from over, and the exact impact on Oregon&#x27;s upcoming elections remains unclear.

Portland renters pay more for less space

New apartments are 47 square feet smaller than a decade ago.

The average <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="new apartment" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2026/05/18/portland-rent-relief-could-fade-as-building-slows" data-vars-content-id="4c637cbd-335b-41d4-9570-dd43d0e953fa" data-vars-headline="Portland renters pay more for less space" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2026/05/18/portland-rent-relief-could-fade-as-building-slows" target="_self">new apartment</a> shrunk in Portland during the past decade to some of the smallest dwellings in the country, according to a new survey from RentCafe.Why it matters: Even though square footage shrunk, renters of all apartments in Portland are paying more — even accounting for a 39% increase in inflation.

Pay what you can at Bar Carlo one-night only

Diners decide what to pay for their meals during a one-day event.

Food and Drink

Portland has not shortage of great food on the financial spectrum — from <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="cheap carts" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2026/07/28/food-cart-pod-peninsula-park-piedmont" data-vars-content-id="4322cfa6-902e-47b4-b058-57befb41ec5b" data-vars-headline="Pay what you can at Bar Carlo one-night only" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2026/07/28/food-cart-pod-peninsula-park-piedmont" target="_self">cheap carts</a> to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="spendy fine dining" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2026/06/11/kann-restaurant-portland-review" data-vars-content-id="4322cfa6-902e-47b4-b058-57befb41ec5b" data-vars-headline="Pay what you can at Bar Carlo one-night only" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2026/06/11/kann-restaurant-portland-review" target="_self">spendy fine dining</a> — but on Wednesday one restaurant is leaving the pricing up to you.Why it matters: What began as a community-minded experiment among Mexico City chefs is going global this year — and Mexican-American brunch spot Bar Carlo is joining in.

Meet the volunteers who keep Peninsula Park pristine

Their quiet work keeps a 113-year-old garden growing year after year.

Three days a week, year-round, dozens of volunteers fan out across Peninsula Park&#x27;s 32 rose beds with shears and a bucket to get to work on pruning plants and deadheading dried-up blooms.<ul><li>For some, it&#x27;s a solitary activity — headphones in, head down. For others, it&#x27;s social — they bring a friend, chat and share baked goods. Either way, everyone tends to walk away feeling full.</li></ul>

Portland faces a defining theater decision

City projections favor PSU, but Keller supporters say renovation would cost less.

Portland leaders are preparing to take up one of the city&#x27;s biggest cultural and development decisions <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="in years" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2024/10/21/portland-performing-arts-scene-in-for-big-boost" data-vars-content-id="5a638a75-dd41-413e-b69c-f200cbeec2b7" data-vars-headline="Portland faces a defining theater decision" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2024/10/21/portland-performing-arts-scene-in-for-big-boost" target="_self">in years</a>: whether to build a performing arts venue at Portland State University or reimagine the aging Keller Auditorium.The big picture: The debate comes as several prominent performing arts organizations <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="are fighting for survival" data-vars-click-url="https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/portland-looks-regain-control-performing-arts-venues-despite-budget-concerns/283-f89d3545-0cb3-4272-9ce9-c6bf2c761719" data-vars-content-id="5a638a75-dd41-413e-b69c-f200cbeec2b7" data-vars-headline="Portland faces a defining theater decision" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/portland-looks-regain-control-performing-arts-venues-despite-budget-concerns/283-f89d3545-0cb3-4272-9ce9-c6bf2c761719" target="_blank">are fighting for survival</a> because of smaller audiences after the pandemic and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="rising maintenance costs" data-vars-click-url="https://www.koin.com/news/portland/downtowns-performing-arts-venues-will-require-up-to-335m-in-upgrades-by-2055/" data-vars-content-id="5a638a75-dd41-413e-b69c-f200cbeec2b7" data-vars-headline="Portland faces a defining theater decision" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.koin.com/news/portland/downtowns-performing-arts-venues-will-require-up-to-335m-in-upgrades-by-2055/" target="_blank">rising maintenance costs</a>.

How Street Books meets readers' broader needs

The nonprofit is now working to expand its collection of LGBTQ+ books.

Street Books launched nearly 16 years ago as a mobile library for homeless Portlanders. But as the city&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="homelessness crisis grows" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2026/01/22/oregon-homelessness-shelter-growth-2025" data-vars-content-id="9f6f1f6f-4ad6-4d3c-b1bc-e23a1e29a5de" data-vars-headline="How Street Books meets readers&#x27; broader needs" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2026/01/22/oregon-homelessness-shelter-growth-2025" target="_self">homelessness crisis grows</a>, its librarians now distribute overdose-reversal medication, sanitary supplies and sleeping bags alongside novels.Why it matters: The nonprofit is increasingly filling gaps far beyond its original mission statement — something its leaders say was inevitable.

Portland council set to vote on foie gras ban

Councilors are poised to decide whether foie gras can still be served in Portland.

Culture

The days of finding foie gras on Portland menus may be numbered as city councilors get ready to vote on banning the fatty liver delicacy Thursday.The big picture: Proponents of the ban say force-feeding poultry to produce foie gras amounts to animal cruelty, while restaurateurs say it&#x27;s largely performative and would create yet another hurdle for local businesses.

Portland filmmaker spotlights First Thursday, skate culture

The characters encounter some strange people along the way, though.

Local filmmaker Thom Hilton&#x27;s latest 30-minute short is a love letter to two longtime Portland institutions — <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="First Thursday" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2024/04/04/first-thursday-art-walk-outdoor-market-portland" data-vars-content-id="cb164b8b-6c38-42d0-a7a9-9831289a19c5" data-vars-headline="Portland filmmaker spotlights First Thursday, skate culture" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2024/04/04/first-thursday-art-walk-outdoor-market-portland" target="_self">First Thursday</a> and the city&#x27;s skateboarding scene.The big picture: &quot;Waking Up From a Nap on a Long Day of Doing Nothing&quot; follows a painter and his friend as they skate around the city in an attempt to assuage his anxiety about his first gallery show.

Portland Pastry 10K is all about fostering connection

One Portlander is turning eating <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="pastries" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2024/03/26/women-pastry-chefs-bakers-awards-recognition" data-vars-content-id="c4d26983-b477-4df8-a690-6980c1cc5e5b" data-vars-headline="Portland Pastry 10K is all about fostering connection" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2024/03/26/women-pastry-chefs-bakers-awards-recognition" target="_self">pastries</a> into a collective endurance sport.The big picture: The sold-out Portland Pastry 10K Walk will send 100 people on a 6.8-mile route through Northeast next month, with stops for coffee, croissants, tiramisu and even lasagna along the way.

Inside the Bagdad Theater's Portland legacy

The Hawthorne landmark has survived nearly a century of change.

Over the last century, the Bagdad Theater has survived the end of vaudeville, the multiplex boom and the rise of streaming to remain one of Portland&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="most enduring local cinemas" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2024/12/10/independent-movie-theaters-regal-closing" data-vars-content-id="a56b9dc1-2200-4bdb-83e3-dc2153544e28" data-vars-headline="Inside the Bagdad Theater&#x27;s Portland legacy" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2024/12/10/independent-movie-theaters-regal-closing" target="_self">most enduring local cinemas</a>.Why it matters: Now, the Hawthorne landmark is celebrating another milestone: 35 years since McMenamins bought and restored it in 1991.

Can your dog help you date? This Portland comedian thinks so

"Fetching" lets dogs, not apps, make the matches.

Ever wondered if your <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="dog" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2025/07/30/portland-dog-poop-etiquette-trash-cans-poll" data-vars-content-id="b6e25709-0228-44df-b403-1a35277d1c34" data-vars-headline="Can your dog help you date? This Portland comedian thinks so" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2025/07/30/portland-dog-poop-etiquette-trash-cans-poll" target="_self">dog</a> could help you <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="score a date" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2024/04/29/polyamorous-ethical-non-monogamy-communities" data-vars-content-id="b6e25709-0228-44df-b403-1a35277d1c34" data-vars-headline="Can your dog help you date? This Portland comedian thinks so" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2024/04/29/polyamorous-ethical-non-monogamy-communities" target="_self">score a date</a>? Well, a new Portland dating show is betting your mutt is a better matchmaker than the dating apps.The big picture: Local comedian Andie Main is launching a DIY dating series called &quot;<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Fetching" data-vars-click-url="https://www.instagram.com/p/DXUoiZpCVWd/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==" data-vars-content-id="b6e25709-0228-44df-b403-1a35277d1c34" data-vars-headline="Can your dog help you date? This Portland comedian thinks so" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DXUoiZpCVWd/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==" target="_blank">Fetching</a>&quot; next month, where dogs — not algorithms — will be making the matches.

How Futel is bringing free public phones back to Portland

Futel turns old payphones into free public phones and interactive art.

<figure><img alt="Several pigeons burst into flight on a city sidewalk outside a storefront, wings spread midair near a red bicycle, trash bags, and a wall-mounted Futel phone, casting sharp shadows in bright daylight." height="450" id="c3803f36-9cdb-4f79-b356-a357c4a3cd12" src="https://images.axios.com/1tM-o_xcByA91cm63jfFWI605ts=/2026/02/09/1770677470623.gif" width="800"/><figcaption>The Futel phone in front of Street Roots in Old Town is one of the project&#x27;s most used. Image: Meira Gebel/Axios</figcaption></figure>Most people will pass these weathered Portland phone booths without a second thought. But for those who stop, it&#x27;s the difference between being cut off and connected.Why it matters: Payphones are basically extinct, but a volunteer-led project called <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Futel" data-vars-click-url="https://futel.net/" data-vars-content-id="c0a7e352-f46e-4b42-910f-6c464c047163" data-vars-headline="How Futel is bringing free public phones back to Portland" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://futel.net/" target="_blank">Futel</a> is putting them back to work, turning obsolete technology into public infrastructure, as well as a place to engage with interactive art.

The behind-the-scenes story of Interurban's "free wall"

Interurban's "free wall" is open to street artists to display their work.

Business

<figure><img alt="A moving image shows two people walking down the street looking to their right to see a building with colorful street art on the side brick wall." height="450" id="90d4efcf-82d2-4ebd-ba1b-8a15b93b8e52" src="https://images.axios.com/DFbVA9S4xwzQvFt9ZTk9Ej5PmIw=/2025/11/18/1763503576227.gif" width="800"/><figcaption>A wall that&#x27;s open to anyone. Image: Meira Gebel/Axios</figcaption></figure>Interurban&#x27;s &quot;free wall&quot; — where wheat-paste posters, stickers and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="graffiti" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2025/08/21/portland-graffiti-crackdown-arrests-cleanup" data-vars-content-id="fdc8d914-1f4d-4eb3-a4e9-bf59de8bc632" data-vars-headline="The behind-the-scenes story of Interurban&#x27;s &quot;free wall&quot;" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2025/08/21/portland-graffiti-crackdown-arrests-cleanup" target="_self">graffiti</a> create a large-scale, living installation — has become one of Portland&#x27;s most recognizable landmarks.The big picture: What began as an act of vandalism sparked a years-long collaboration between the neighborhood cocktail bar and some of the city&#x27;s prolific street artists.