OPB’s First Look: Longest shutdown ends, hunger crisis doesn’t

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Good morning, Northwest.

Oregonians are receiving federal food benefits again now that the longest government shutdown in U.S. history is over, but many still rely on local food banks. OPB’s Alejandro Figueroa focuses on a food pantry in Tigard.

Meanwhile, officials at McMinnville High School said that the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested one of their students during lunchtime yesterday, a new incident in the escalation of ICE activity in the Willamette Valley. OPB’s Holly Bartholomew has the story.

Plus, a Wilsonville math teacher has found joy in “speedrunning,” traveling to all 95 TriMet MAX stations as fast as possible. “Weekend Edition” host Lillian Karabaic — OPB’s unofficial transportation beat reporter — rides along with him.

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

— Winston Szeto

Even with SNAP benefits restored, this Oregon pantry says hunger persists

The longest government shutdown in U.S. history is over, and Oregonians are getting federal food benefits again.

But at a Portland-area food pantry, the temporary freeze in food assistance offered a window into the bigger issue of hunger. And even with SNAP restored, the need has not gone away.

Food pantries, like Packed with Pride in Tigard, are only getting busier.

“It’s tough sometimes,” said Margie Yemoto Greene, the executive director of the Foundation for Tigard Tualatin Schools, which operates Packed with Pride. “But humanity has shown up in a lot of ways these past couple weeks.” (Alejandro Figueroa)

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3 things to know this morning

• Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek updated the registration of her political action committee to reflect a 2026 run for governor, while former NBA player Chris Dudley mulls vying for the top job as a Republican again after his defeat in 2010. (Lauren Dake) 
• Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield announced yesterday that the state is filing a lawsuit to force the federal government to return a U.S. Coast Guard rescue helicopter to Newport. Lincoln County and the nonprofit Newport Fishermen’s Wives group filed a similar lawsuit. (OPB staff) 
• U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested a 17-year-old student at McMinnville High School during yesterday’s lunch period, according to school officials. The family of the arrested high schooler said he is a U.S. citizen. (Holly Bartholomew)

Headlines from around the Northwest

• Enrollment is up at Oregon’s public colleges and universities (Tiffany Camhi) 
• Oregon land use regulators ditch farm stand rule changes, for now (Alejandro Figueroa) 
• Senator demands answers on Northwest fuel pipeline shutdown that could affect Thanksgiving travel (Cedar Attansio) 
• Lane County losing dozens of beds, potentially a shelter, amidst homeless funding shortfall (Rebecca Hansen-White) 
• Breeze Airways cancels service from Burbank to Eugene and Redmond before it even starts (Zac Ziegler) 
• Washington state resident believed to be the first to die from a rare strain of bird flu (Associated Press) 
• Avdija, Clingan get double-doubles as Trail Blazers beat Warriors 127-123 (Michael Wagaman)

Wilsonville math teacher rides to all 95 MAX stations for world record

As TriMet prepares to implement service cuts on Nov. 30, one rider has already proved that longer wait times won’t stop a determined transit superfan.

Marty Valentine, a Wilsonville middle school math teacher, became the first person to “speedrun” Portland’s MAX light rail system — riding to every station as fast as possible.

Transit “speedrunning” started in 1960 with the “Tube Challenge”, a Guinness world record on London’s underground system. In the 65 years since, it’s spread around the world to transit systems of all sizes, now generically called a “speedrun.”

Valentine completed his MAX marathon earlier this summer — 95 stations, five lines, and just over six hours on trains and buses.

“At every stop I had to get out and take a picture of the sign at the station,” Valentine said. “People were like, ‘What is this guy doing? What is going on?’” (Lillian Karabaic)

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