OPB’s First Look: Why are gas prices so high right now?

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Good morning, Northwest.

If you’ve filled up in Oregon or Washington lately, you’ve probably noticed you’re paying more at the pump. A lot more, in fact.

This latest spike was largely the result of an outage on the 400-mile Olympic Pipeline and some refineries being down. But there are a lot of other reasons why Northwest drivers generally pay higher gas prices.

OPB business reporter Kyra Buckley explains them to start off this morning’s newsletter.

New this morning, chipmaker Nvidia is investing $5 billion in Intel to collaborate on data center and computing projects.

We end today’s newsletter with the story of Indigenous folks who have raised a community garden on an old ballfield in Northeast Portland.

Here’s your First Look at Thursday’s news.

—Bradley W. Parks

Gas prices are high in the Pacific Northwest, but relief could be on the way

Pacific Northwest drivers are paying some of the highest gasoline prices in the country this week.

Washington state takes the No. 1 spot with an average of $4.66 per gallon of regular gas, according to AAA. Oregon’s average is at $4.28, making it the fourth highest in the nation after Washington, California and Hawaii.

Experts say states like Oregon and Washington are especially vulnerable to price shocks that, on top of long-term price pressures like taxes, keep the bill at the pump above what drivers in other states pay.

We’ll break down some of the factors that keep Oregon and Washington’s gas prices relatively high. (Kyra Buckley)

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3 things to know this morning

• The Democratic governors of Oregon, Washington, California and Hawaii released a set of immunization guidelines for their states yesterday. The guidelines recommend broad access to the COVID-19 vaccine for everyone over 6 months of age. (Amelia Templeton)

• The city of Longview, Washington, took steps to pause operations of its Hope Village homeless shelter this month while also tightening restrictions on public camping. The policy changes mark what the city describes as progress in its multi-year effort to reduce unsheltered homelessness. (Erik Neumann)

• Police in Washington state on Tuesday arrested Jeremy Williams, 49, the principal of Oregon’s Rainier Junior/Senior High School on charges of dealing and possessing depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. (Joni Auden Land)

Headlines from around the Northwest

• Portland’s top administrator orders hiring freeze due to budget gap (Alex Zielinski)

• Portland says ICE violated permit 25 times by holding detainees too long (Conrad Wilson)

• Nvidia to invest $5 billion in Intel; companies will work together on AI infrastructure and PCs (Associated Press)

• More sexual abuse cases emerge against former OYA staff (Riley Martinez)

• Oregon Rep. Val Hoyle missed deadlines to report recent stock transactions, violated trading act (Zac Ziegler)

• Oregon Democratic lawmakers form work group to brainstorm abortion access policy (Mia Maldonado)

• Portland artist Marie Watt receives prestigious $250,000 Heinz Award (Jarrette Werk)

• Interest in Buddhism deepens in Eastern Washington (Eliza Billingham)

Listen in on OPB’s daily conversation

“Think Out Loud” airs at noon and 8 p.m. weekdays on OPB Radio, opb.org and the OPB News app. Today’s planned topics (subject to change):

• New education center at Tryon Creek State Natural Area honors Northwest Indigenous cultures 

• West Coast states form alliance to protect vaccines and share their recommendations

Baseball field turned Indigenous-led community garden takes root in Portland

For Lucy Racehorse Suppah, a community garden in Northeast Portland is more than just a place to grow food. It’s a place of hope, where she and other Indigenous people can cultivate First Foods, whether it’s chokecherry bushes, camas, corn or even tobacco.

The garden sits on a baseball field at a former middle school.

Started with the help of a local grant in 2022, the garden is aimed at making space for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people to learn and reclaim traditional agricultural practices.

“There’s been a long history of disconnection or an attempt to disconnect us from our identity and our culture,” Suppah said. “And my role is to create that access so that that reconnection can happen.” (Alejandro Figueroa)

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