Several Oregon clinics and hospital systems are seeing a flood of patients seeking long-term birth control — such as IUD replacements, backup contraception and abortion pills — before a new Trump administration takes office.

Why it matters: Protections for abortion and gender-affirming care are enshrined in Oregon law, but officials warn the state is not immune from potential federal restrictions under a Republican-controlled Congress.

The big picture: Reproductive rights advocates told Axios they expect the next administration will regulate a medication used for abortion by applying a 19th-century anti-obscenity law known as the Comstock Act to prevent mailing or transporting certain items across state lines.

• Congress could also attempt to pass a national abortion ban, which would overrule protections in 21 states, including Oregon.
• Republicans' plans to overhaul Medicaid eligibility for patients could also erode access to contraceptives for millions of reproductive age.

State of play: Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette has seen "a sharp increase in appointments" for IUDs, shots and implants, which can remain in the body for three to 10 years, as well as vasectomies over the last month.

• That's similar to what the organization saw when Roe v. Wade was overturned two years ago, spokesperson Samantha West told Axios.
• The Oregon Health Authority recently secured a new supply of mifepristone, an FDA-approved medication used for abortion.
• Now, the state's 16,500-dose stockpile has an expiration date of September 2028, per spokesperson Erica Heartquist.

Meanwhile, health care providers in Oregon are still grappling with the surge in demand for OB-GYN services and training after the Dobbs decision and expect the need will only grow in the new year.

• For example, since June 2022, providers at Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette's eight clinics have seen a 50% increase in abortion services, largely driven by traveling patients who live in neighboring states with bans.
• Plus: Oregon Health & Science University recently launched an abortion training program to "bridge the gap" in education for medical residents who don't have access to clinical experience in their home state.

Reality check

The CEO of Intel is leaving the company as it struggles to reinvent itself.

Why it matters: Investors fear Intel is falling behind in the AI chip wars against booming AI titans like Nvidia.

Driving the news: Pat Gelsinger abruptly retired as of Sunday after 40 years with the company, and a nearly four-year stint at CEO, Intel said Monday.

• Gelsinger was told by board members last week to either retire or he would be fired, per reporting from Bloomberg.
• CFO David Zinsner and Michelle (MJ) Johnston Holthaus, who was appointed as CEO of Intel Products, were named as interim co-CEOs while the company searches for a permanent replacement.
• Intel's independent chair, Frank Yeary, will become interim executive chair during the transition.

Zoom in: Despite Gelsinger's resignation, plummeting stock prices and layoffs, the company remains committed to expanding its presence in Oregon, per OBP.

• Last month, the company secured $1.8 billion from the federal government to upgrade its facilities in Hillsboro.
• Intel has long ranked as one of the biggest employers in the Portland area, with more than 22,000 employees in 2023, second only to Providence Health & Services.

The big picture

👟 Nike is backing out of its bet on the metaverse. The retailer plans to shut down its RTFKT (pronounced "artifact") project, which makes virtual sneakers that could be turned into the real thing, by the end of January. (The Oregonian)

⭐ Retiring U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer said his proudest accomplishments over his three-decade career have been securing $26 billion to keep restaurants afloat during the pandemic and using Portland as the blueprint to create 22 other streetcar cities around the country. (Portland Business Journal)

😔 The wayward Arctic fox found in Portland and recently transferred to a Wisconsin zoo was diagnosed with salmon poisoning. The zoo is asking for donations to cover her emergency medical care. (KOIN)

Pizza is plentiful in Portland, that we know. But I recently sought out a style I wasn't too acquainted with, at a joint known for being a city favorite.

Zoom in: At Dimo's Apizza, which took over the former Mikkeller space on E Burnside Street in 2020, each pie hits the oven twice. First in an electric oven, then in a wood fired one to achieve the classic New Haven-style charred bottom.

• Owner-chef Doug Miriello grew up in Connecticut, so safe to say he knows.

What to try: There are 10 signature pizzas on the menu, not to mention what's on weekly rotation. Classics include the wood-roasted white clam pie — sharpened with lemon and chili flakes — and the tie dye, a blend of arugula pesto and tomato sauce with whipped burrata.

• We tried the spicy pepperoni pizza and the spicy chicken vodka parm sandwich.

Best bites

The number of people facing eviction in Multnomah County has nearly doubled over the last five years.

By the numbers: Between October 2023 and September 2024, there were 11,243 evictions in Multnomah County, per the Oregonian.

• That's a spike of more than 87% over 2019's numbers, when the county saw nearly 6,000 evictions, according to the Portland Housing Bureau.

State of play: Many people facing eviction are unaware of assistance programs designed to help them, researchers at Portland State University found.

• There are several dedicated programs aimed at providing renters legal representation in eviction cases.

Yes, but: Demand for such services is high.

• "We could double our staff and still not meet the need," Kamron Graham, executive director of Commons Law Center, which offers sliding scale eviction services, told the Oregonian.