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Good morning, Northwest.
Another election has come and gone.
While Democrats celebrated big wins from California to New York City, voters in the Pacific Northwest made their picks on levies and local officials.
We start this morning’s newsletter with a rundown of key results from Oregon and Southwest Washington.
In other news, Oregon’s governor still hasn’t signed the transportation bill she urged lawmakers to pass. And the Portland Thorns have inked a deal with one of their young stars.
Here’s your First Look at Wednesday’s news.
—Bradley W. Parks
A voter drops off a ballot at Clark College in Vancouver, Wash., on Election Day Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025.
Saskia Hatvany / OPB
Northwest voters show up for parks, libraries, public safety and more
Though this off-year election didn’t quite feature the anticipation and drama of years past, there were notable tax levies on the ballot in Oregon and key mayoral races in Southwest Washington.
Portland voters appeared to be approve a ballot measure to renew and extend the city’s parks levy for another five years.
Measures in Washington County that would fund public safety services and county libraries also appeared on track to pass.
Farther north, Vancouver voters appeared to reelect Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle and showed strong support for a levy to increase Vancouver police staffing.
Learn more:
- Portlanders appear to pass parks levy
- Washington County favors library, public safety measures
- Vancouver reelects McEnerny-Ogle as mayor
A sign saying "worst government ever" is seen by the Capitol during a rally with fired federal workers about the looming government shut down, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025, on Capitol Hill in Washington.
Jacquelyn Martin / AP
3 things to know this morning
- A transportation funding bill that was a major priority for Gov. Tina Kotek in August has sat unsigned on the governor’s desk for nearly a month. (Dirk VanderHart)
- The federal government shutdown today becomes the longest in U.S. history at the 36 days. (Bryce Dole)
- Oregon has not yet received federal funding for November SNAP benefits, and there’s no clear timeline for when people will receive the funds. (Alejandro Figueroa)
Hush season 2 explores how a young woman's death shook a rural Oregon community and the ways true crime media has helped keep answers out of reach.
Van Cooley / OPB
‘Hush’ Episode 5: The good old boys club
The “Hush” team discovers how new media is working to take on — and reinforce — a culture of secrecy after a new scandal rocks Columbia County. (Ryan Haas, Leah Sottile)
The Port of Portland's Terminal 6 entrance on June 11, 2024, in Portland, Ore. Terminal 6 is home to the state's only international shipping container service, a vital resource for Oregon farmers, ranchers and other exporters.
Kyra Buckley / OPB
Headlines from around the Northwest
- Oregon argues against Trump tariffs in case before US Supreme Court (Conrad Wilson, Kyra Buckley)
- Oregon sues Department of Homeland Security over restrictions on grant funding (Tony Schick)
- Oregon to pause electric vehicle rebates aimed for lower-income households next month (Monica Samayoa)
- Portland police arrest man suspected of starting fire near city councilor’s home (Alex Zielinski)
- Olivia Moultrie signs extension with Portland Thorns through 2029 (Kyra Buckley, Associated Press)
- Endangered orcas return to Puget Sound without newborn J64, presumed dead (John Ryan)
- Grants Pass awards $1.2 million homelessness grant, for the second time (Jane Vaughan)
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):
- Portland begins enforcing public camping ban
- New PSU course explores history of Portland parks
- Northwest Museum of Cartoon Arts debuts first exhibit in new downtown Portland location
Farmer Brenda Frketich processing the second hazelnut harvest of the season on Kirsch Family Farms in Saint Paul, Ore., on Oct. 7, 2025.
Crystal Ligori / OPB
This year’s hazelnut harvest in Oregon could break records
Oregon is known for growing many tasty things, but if there’s one crop in which the state reigns supreme it’s hazelnuts — at least in this country.
The state produces roughly 99.7% of the hazelnuts in the U.S. and is now neck-and-neck with Chile to become the second-largest producer in the world after Turkey.
In recent years, acreage dedicated to the crop has tripled and prices are up, and it might pay off with a record-breaking year. That’s welcome news to farmers like Brenda Frketich.
“We have about three or four years of really bad prices to make up for,” she said. “So it’s been a long road, but I’m happy it’s our last harvest of the season and we’re ending on a positive note.” (Crystal Ligori)
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