Subscribe to OPB’s First Look to receive Northwest news in your inbox six days a week.
Good morning, Northwest.
Housing insecurity could mean struggling to pay rent or utilities, living in an overcrowded house or otherwise — and it’s very common for community college students.
It can be especially challenging for students in large metropolitan areas like Portland, where the cost of living is higher than the national average.
We start this morning’s newsletter with a look at a college housing solution in Gresham that has so far proved highly successful.
Also this morning, we’re rolling out a feature we teased awhile back on Fiesta Mexicana de Woodburn, a long-running celebration of Latinidad that has persisted even in the face of political turmoil.
Here’s your First Look at Wednesday’s news.
Ken Perez, a recent graduate of Mt. Hood Community College and a resident at the affordable student housing complex Abigail Court, enjoys spending time in the building’s courtyard with his emotional support dog, Tila, on July 29, 2025.
Olivia Sanchez, Hechinger Report / Hechinger Report
How an old Gresham hotel became a student housing solution
Student housing is often thought of as an issue at four-year colleges, but for community college students finding and keeping a place to live can be challenging.
A recent survey by the Hope Center at Temple University shows about half of the nation’s community college students experienced some form of housing insecurity in the past year.
A nonprofit in Portland has found one solution, transforming an old hotel into affordable housing. (Olivia Sanchez)
Elida Sifuentez (far right) poses with friends during the Fiesta Mexicana Parade in Woodburn, Oregon on Aug. 16, 2025.
Christie Goshe / OPB
3 things to know this morning
- In a year marked by political turmoil and increased fear within migrant and immigrant communities across the state, Fiesta Mexicana Woodburn set the stage for a peaceful demonstration of resistance through celebration in August. Haga clic aquí para leer la versión en español. (Alicia Avila)
- The Trump administration wants to revoke a 16-year-old scientific finding that helps reduce carbon emissions from the transportation sector. Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek and other state officials say the move could have “serious and far-reaching consequences” for Oregonians. (Monica Samayoa)
- This summer season will be the last time some lower-income Oregonians will receive boxes of locally grown produce or meat as part of a federally funded program that the Trump administration abruptly ended earlier this year. (Alejandro Figueroa)
Bonus episode: Jesse Johnson was wrongfully convicted. Now, he’s suing
Two years after his release from jail, Jesse Johnson is suing the state of Oregon and Salem police detectives after spending 25 years incarcerated for a crime he always insisted he didn’t commit. His case was the focus of the first season of OPB’s investigative podcast “Hush.”
Brandon Erickson tabling for Clark County charter review commission on Sept. 13, 2025.
Erik Neumann / OPB
Headlines from around the Northwest
- If federal government shuts down, Republicans will ‘own it,’ Oregon Democrat Janelle Bynum says (Bryce Dole)
- Leaking propane tank explodes, damaging 8 food carts and 2 buildings in Southeast Portland (Kristian Foden-Vencil)
- Energized candidates aim to change Clark County government (Erik Neumann)
- Eugene considers ban on drivers donating money in traffic (Nathan Wilk)
- Newborn orca spotted with Northwest’s endangered J Pod (Paige Browning and John Ryan)
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):
- Survivors of wildfires face fraudulent contractors and other scams
- Portland State University program trains specialists to help blind people navigate environments safely
A view of fall foliage in Vermont and New Hampshire in mid-October 2024. Leaves start changing in different locations across the U.S. in September and October based on factors like temperature, elevation and rainfall.
Lokman Vural Elibol
When will fall foliage peak near you? Here are some leaf-peeping predictions
It’s officially fall in the Northern Hemisphere, which means bright, beautiful foliage isn’t far behind.
Parts of the U.S. will soon start to see — if they haven’t already — leaves and shrubs trade their green hues for vibrant shades of orange, yellow and red as the days get shorter and temperatures get chillier.
Click the button below to see an animated map projecting when peak leaf season will happen where you live. (Rachel Treisman)
Subscribe to OPB’s First Look to receive Northwest news in your inbox six days a week.
