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Frog Ferry pitches public funding model

Residents can donate to help launch ferry service, with perks like naming rights.

News

Backers of Portland&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Frog Ferry project" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2025/05/14/portland-frog-ferry-service-willamette" data-vars-content-id="8c92047f-9939-4d8a-ae77-cea0a4f6bfd3" data-vars-headline="Frog Ferry pitches public funding model" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2025/05/14/portland-frog-ferry-service-willamette" target="_self">Frog Ferry project</a> unveiled a new funding model Tuesday, allowing residents to donate toward launching ferry service.Why it matters: Project leaders are betting Rose City residents will help pay for ferry service to get a boat in the water.

Get to know Portland's bridges: Sellwood

It's the sole Willamette crossing designed to survive a major earthquake.

Portland&#x27;s Sellwood Bridge is the city&#x27;s southernmost Willamette crossing — and the only one <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="for several miles" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2026/03/17/ross-island-bridge-100-rare-cantilever-design" data-vars-content-id="9ad23dab-ec6b-46a6-9c14-cbbbb6a17200" data-vars-headline="Get to know Portland&#x27;s bridges: Sellwood" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2026/03/17/ross-island-bridge-100-rare-cantilever-design" target="_self">for several miles</a> — making it a critical route for Southwest and Southeast residents and commuters alike. The big picture: Opened in 2016, the Sellwood is the newest of the bunch, replacing <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="an impressively high" data-vars-click-url="https://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=oregon/sellwoodbridge/" data-vars-content-id="9ad23dab-ec6b-46a6-9c14-cbbbb6a17200" data-vars-headline="Get to know Portland&#x27;s bridges: Sellwood" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=oregon/sellwoodbridge/" target="_blank">an impressively high</a> continuous deck truss structure built in 1925.

Oregon diners leave higher tips than West Coast neighbors

Diners are still spilt on whether they prefer tipping or paying a service fee.

Food and Drink

When dining out, Oregonians tend to leave a 19% tip or higher on average, per Toast&#x27;s latest <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="restaurant trends report" data-vars-click-url="https://pos.toasttab.com/blog/data/toast-restaurant-trends-report-coffee-prices-2026" data-vars-content-id="6a955075-8a97-426f-aae5-163cda107995" data-vars-headline="Oregon diners leave higher tips than West Coast neighbors" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://pos.toasttab.com/blog/data/toast-restaurant-trends-report-coffee-prices-2026" target="_blank">restaurant trends report</a>.The big picture: That&#x27;s about the same as the nationwide average for <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="tips" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/09/01/no-tax-on-tips-jobs-trump-bill" data-vars-content-id="6a955075-8a97-426f-aae5-163cda107995" data-vars-headline="Oregon diners leave higher tips than West Coast neighbors" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/09/01/no-tax-on-tips-jobs-trump-bill" target="_self">tips</a> left at full-service restaurants in Q4 2025, but higher than both our West Coast neighbors.

Why these spring bugs annoy Portlanders most

Even in the nature-loving Pacific Northwest, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="some bugs" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2025/05/28/oregon-spotted-lanternfly-invasive-species" data-vars-content-id="9b308f10-53df-491b-b8a1-3d1acbef07fb" data-vars-headline="Why these spring bugs annoy Portlanders most" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2025/05/28/oregon-spotted-lanternfly-invasive-species" target="_self">some bugs</a> are public enemy No. 1.Why it matters: As spring temperatures climb past about 55 degrees, cold-blooded insects emerge from winter hiding spots seemingly all at once, which is why it can suddenly feel like they&#x27;re everywhere.

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.

7 chilling horror films shot in Oregon

The state isn't just known for "The Shining."

Things to Do

Dark, rain-soaked forests, foggy coastlines and creepy rural backroads have made Oregon a magnet for Hollywood horror filmmakers.Zoom in: While &quot;The Shining&quot; is perhaps the state&#x27;s most well-known horror classic (the exteriors were shot at Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood), Oregon&#x27;s film history stretches beyond big-budget thrillers to indie slashers and more.

The "it" girl behind Portland's "it" bag

Ilóna Gerasimov started Kozha Numbers as a shoe brand initially.

Ilóna Gerasimov grew up watching &quot;Sex and the City&quot; and &quot;Legally Blonde,&quot; but when it comes to inspiration for her own handbag brand, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Kozha Numbers" data-vars-click-url="https://kozhanumbers.com/?ls=en" data-vars-content-id="48c8d0fa-0541-4ae3-bd32-ef605f3c4708" data-vars-headline="The &quot;it&quot; girl behind Portland&#x27;s &quot;it&quot; bag" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://kozhanumbers.com/?ls=en" target="_blank">Kozha Numbers</a>, she focuses on stylish functionality.The big picture: In the 10 years since launching Kozha Numbers, Gerasimov has created a symbol, not of status — her bags have a much more attainable price point compared to Carrie Bradshaw&#x27;s favored Fendi — but of Portland cool.

Japan's vibrant culture on display at Nucleus Portland art show

Paintings, neon and carved woodworks channel Japanese summer scenes.

Culture

The textures, color palette and culture of Japan have inspired artists for centuries. A recent trip to the country is the thesis of painter Josh Stover&#x27;s new solo and curated group show, now on display at Nucleus Portland.The big picture: Stover&#x27;s signature still lifes — like an outdoor flea market in a Tokyo park, a vintage cassette player playing Miki Matsubara, and an egg salad sando split open on a plate — are recreations of photographs he took in Japan this past winter. <ul><li>They&#x27;re shown alongside more than a dozen other local and Japanese artists. </li><li>For instance, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Jackie Brown" data-vars-click-url="https://www.instagram.com/jackfacekillah/?hl=en" data-vars-content-id="ba5cf185-7159-4f68-9eb0-495e12ac34be" data-vars-headline="Japan&#x27;s vibrant culture on display at Nucleus Portland art show" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.instagram.com/jackfacekillah/?hl=en" target="_blank">Jackie Brown</a>&#x27;s miniature blue ceramic kei truck carries &quot;shikaku suika&quot; (or square watermelons), while <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Erika Strohecker" data-vars-click-url="https://www.instagram.com/erika.strohecker/?hl=en" data-vars-content-id="ba5cf185-7159-4f68-9eb0-495e12ac34be" data-vars-headline="Japan&#x27;s vibrant culture on display at Nucleus Portland art show" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.instagram.com/erika.strohecker/?hl=en" target="_blank">Erika Strohecker</a>&#x27;s intricate wooden and paper Japanese lantern hangs nearby.</li></ul>&quot;Japanese Summer 2&quot; also features works from Portland neon artist <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Perry Pfister," data-vars-click-url="https://www.instagram.com/the_tiny_spoon/?hl=en" data-vars-content-id="ba5cf185-7159-4f68-9eb0-495e12ac34be" data-vars-headline="Japan&#x27;s vibrant culture on display at Nucleus Portland art show" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.instagram.com/the_tiny_spoon/?hl=en" target="_blank">Perry Pfister,</a> painter <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Ippei Matsui" data-vars-click-url="https://www.instagram.com/_pei_sun_/?hl=en" data-vars-content-id="ba5cf185-7159-4f68-9eb0-495e12ac34be" data-vars-headline="Japan&#x27;s vibrant culture on display at Nucleus Portland art show" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.instagram.com/_pei_sun_/?hl=en" target="_blank">Ippei Matsui</a>, illustrator <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Raf Spielman" data-vars-click-url="https://www.instagram.com/raf_spielman/?hl=en" data-vars-content-id="ba5cf185-7159-4f68-9eb0-495e12ac34be" data-vars-headline="Japan&#x27;s vibrant culture on display at Nucleus Portland art show" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.instagram.com/raf_spielman/?hl=en" target="_blank">Raf Spielman</a>, wood carver <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Jordan Metcalf" data-vars-click-url="https://www.instagram.com/jordan_metcalf/?hl=en" data-vars-content-id="ba5cf185-7159-4f68-9eb0-495e12ac34be" data-vars-headline="Japan&#x27;s vibrant culture on display at Nucleus Portland art show" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.instagram.com/jordan_metcalf/?hl=en" target="_blank">Jordan Metcalf</a> and more.What he&#x27;s saying: Stover said he wanted the show to reflect the density and vibrancy of Japan. &quot;There&#x27;s just so much eye candy,&quot; he told Axios. &quot;It&#x27;s very busy; there&#x27;s a lot you can see in just one scene.&quot;<ul><li>He distilled that motion into colorful, retro pop vignettes where viewers can study what they&#x27;re drawn to, too.</li></ul>If you go: &quot;Japanese Summer 2&quot; is on display at <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Nucleus Portland" data-vars-click-url="https://www.nucleusportland.com/" data-vars-content-id="ba5cf185-7159-4f68-9eb0-495e12ac34be" data-vars-headline="Japan&#x27;s vibrant culture on display at Nucleus Portland art show" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.nucleusportland.com/" target="_blank">Nucleus Portland</a> (2916 NE Alberta St., Suite B) through the end of the month.

Portland's neon sign past is fighting for a future

Artists and preservationists warn the craft's future is at risk.

<figure><img alt="Colorful neon signage at dusk for &quot;The Alibi&quot; with lit flames, advertising lottery, lunch, dinner, and karaoke, against a blue sky and surrounded by trees." height="450" id="ca9b4c2d-998d-4df3-92ef-5ca404545857" src="https://images.axios.com/_R1lO4Po3M068aJKHiKAQVEiq5o=/2025/08/06/1754456171113.gif" width="800"/><figcaption>Large scale, exterior neon signs like this have become a thing of the past in Portland. Image: Meira Gebel/Axios</figcaption></figure>The Montgomery Park sign sits atop its namesake nine-story westside building — 30-foot-tall letters glow bright red and can be seen from across the Willamette thanks to one thing: neon.Why it matters: Neon signs are more than just business markers, they&#x27;re cultural landmarks. But local artists and preservationists warn development, regulation and cheap LED knockoffs could threaten the craft&#x27;s future.

Vinyl DJing finds its groove in Portland's analog-loving scene

It's a shift away from digital over-saturation.

<figure><img alt="Two people vibe in a dimly lit DJ booth; one mixes tracks on turntables while the other dances with a drink, enjoying the music. Flickering lights and a cozy ambiance set a laid-back party mood." height="450" id="8faae996-7008-4b99-9814-d7ddd7e4480c" src="https://images.axios.com/wl8tn2nOuQi8JcXVmaaCACjVMUQ=/filters:no_upscale()/2025/04/03/1743713674790.gif" width="800"/><figcaption>DJs <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="saundieee" data-vars-click-url="https://www.instagram.com/saundieee/" data-vars-content-id="0c347cec-dade-43e8-9621-2aabbbe7f577" data-vars-headline="Vinyl DJing finds its groove in Portland&#x27;s analog-loving scene" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.instagram.com/saundieee/" target="_blank">saundieee</a> and Bryson Wallace spin tracks to craft the vibe at Company wine bar. Image: Meira Gebel/Axios</figcaption></figure>On a recent Friday evening, tucked behind the counter of Company wine bar sat two turntables, a mixer and a DJ shuffling through a crate and then carefully placing the needle on a record&#x27;s groove.<ul><li>The crowd, in a dimly lit, packed room, responded to the symphonic soul sounds by softly bopping their heads and continuing their conversations as rain fell outside.</li></ul>

A new, permanent statue of York is in the works

The original, guerilla-style installation was toppled in 2021.

A new, permanent monument of York — an enslaved Black man who accompanied Meriwether Lewis and William Clark <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="on their journey West" data-vars-click-url="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/york-explored-west-lewis-and-clark-his-freedom-wouldnt-come-until-decades-later-180968427/" data-vars-content-id="3019369b-1842-4934-83cf-88500074fbe1" data-vars-headline="A new, permanent statue of York is in the works" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/york-explored-west-lewis-and-clark-his-freedom-wouldnt-come-until-decades-later-180968427/" target="_blank">on their journey West</a> — is currently being commissioned by the city.The latest: The exact location of where the statue will be displayed, and when, is still being determined, according to Darion Jones, assistant director for the Office of Arts &amp; Culture.

Portland vs. Seattle: A brief history of a centuries-old feud

Ah, yes. The classic Seattle vs. Portland rivalry — it&#x27;s one that goes back further than any one of us has been alive (not including <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="the Cullens" data-vars-click-url="https://youtu.be/rAP1-MnYO7Q?feature=shared&amp;t=28" data-vars-content-id="6896db79-743c-4ddb-a3b3-21affd5ebbac" data-vars-headline="Portland vs. Seattle: A brief history of a centuries-old feud" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://youtu.be/rAP1-MnYO7Q?feature=shared&amp;t=28" target="_blank">the Cullens</a>, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="though" data-vars-click-url="https://seattlerefined.com/travel/13-twilight-film-locations-you-can-visit-in-real-life" data-vars-content-id="6896db79-743c-4ddb-a3b3-21affd5ebbac" data-vars-headline="Portland vs. Seattle: A brief history of a centuries-old feud" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://seattlerefined.com/travel/13-twilight-film-locations-you-can-visit-in-real-life" target="_blank">though</a>).The big picture: Tracing it through history can explain why our underlying tensions still boil.

Where to find Black historical landmarks in Portland

Portland&#x27;s earliest Black history dates to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="1850" data-vars-click-url="https://www.opb.org/television/programs/oregonexperience/article/oregon-black-pioneers-documentary/" data-vars-content-id="d6fcb7e1-74c2-408a-bb6c-a46ade50b0a1" data-vars-headline="Where to find Black historical landmarks in Portland" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.opb.org/television/programs/oregonexperience/article/oregon-black-pioneers-documentary/" target="_blank">1850</a>, and though some of the community&#x27;s early <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="homes" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2025/02/25/north-portland-historic-black-community-revitalization" data-vars-content-id="d6fcb7e1-74c2-408a-bb6c-a46ade50b0a1" data-vars-headline="Where to find Black historical landmarks in Portland" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2025/02/25/north-portland-historic-black-community-revitalization" target="_self">homes</a>, businesses and gathering places have been erased due to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="20th-century urban renewal projects" data-vars-click-url="https://projects.oregonlive.com/publishing-prejudice/whitewashing-destruction" data-vars-content-id="d6fcb7e1-74c2-408a-bb6c-a46ade50b0a1" data-vars-headline="Where to find Black historical landmarks in Portland" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://projects.oregonlive.com/publishing-prejudice/whitewashing-destruction" target="_blank">20th-century urban renewal projects</a>, many remain.Why it matters: These sites tell stories about grassroots civil rights movements, entertainment and culture, as well as how Black Portlanders lived.

Culture

Portland vets save beloved Alberta Arts venue

Portland’s St. Johns Twin Cinema turns 100

How Futel is bringing free public phones back to Portland

Good luck checking out "Heated Rivalry" from Multnomah County Library

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