OPB’s First Look: Newport chopper update, plus a pipeline problem

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Good morning, Northwest.

A federal judge ruled late last night that the U.S. Coast Guard must return a rescue helicopter to Newport.

The chopper was abruptly relocated as rumors swirled about federal immigration authorities setting up a detention center on the Oregon Coast.

OPB’s Dirk VanderHart starts this morning’s newsletter with what comes next in the case.

Also this morning, a major pipeline providing fuel to the Pacific Northwest is still shut down ahead of Thanksgiving travel.

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

—Bradley W. Parks

In this photo provided by the Oregon State Police from 2017, a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter searches a beach about two miles north of Cape Blanco, Ore., searching for a pair of men swept out to sea.
*Oregon State Police via AP / AP*

US Coast Guard must return rescue helicopter to Newport, judge rules

The U.S. Coast Guard must immediately return a rescue helicopter to the city of Newport as a court case challenging the aircraft’s removal gets underway, a federal judge has ruled.

In an opinion issued yesterday evening, U.S. District Judge Ann Aiken found that the sudden relocation of the helicopter last month could imperil lives as crabbing season gets underway.

She also found the Coast Guard had not provided the legally required notice before moving the aircraft nearly 100 miles south to North Bend.

The order remains in effect for 14 days, though Aiken will also consider a permanent injunction barring the removal of the helicopter. (Dirk VanderHart)

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Gladstone Food Pantry staff and volunteers organize food for distribution at the pantry's reopening at Kraxberger Middle School on Oct. 8, 2025, in Gladstone, Ore.
*Courtesy of the Gladstone School District*

3 things to know this morning

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek has declared a state of emergency to ensure sufficient fuel gets to the state while the region’s main pipeline remains shut down due to a leak. (Jesse Bedayn)
The Gladstone School District is working to provide free breakfast and lunch to all of its students. The small district near Oregon City is also feeding a growing number of local residents through the food pantry on school grounds. (Natalie Pate)
Oregonians have a little over a month to secure home energy tax credits, which expire after this year. They can be applied to home upgrades like heat pumps or solar panels. (Alex Baumhardt)

A file photo of White Bird Clinic on E 12th Ave. in downtown Eugene, November 2024.
*Nathan Wilk/KLCC*

Headlines from around the Northwest

Should Washington data centers generate their own clean energy to get tax breaks? (Monica Nickelsburg)
Eugene’s White Bird Clinic sues Willamette Valley Crisis Care over misuse of trade secrets, copyright infringement (Nathan Wilk)
Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups pleads not guilty in rigged poker games case (Philip Marcelo)
Trail Blazers ride big second-half lead to 115-103 win over slumping Bucks (Steve Megargee)

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):

Historian Jill Lepore talks about the difficulty of amending the US Constitution

The state ferries Klahowya (center right) and Hyak (left center) are taking up valuable space at the Eagle Harbor maintenance yard of Washington State Ferries. Both retired ferries have been for sale for more than four years.
*Tom Banse / Washington State Standard*

2 retired Washington state ferries are still for sale. Dreamers need not apply

If you have ever wanted to own an iconic Washington state ferry, now may be your last chance to buy one until the 2030s.

The decommissioned 144-car Hyak and the 87-car Klahowya ferries remain available with no minimum bid, but potential buyers could face intense scrutiny.

Washington terminated a prior sales contract with an Ecuadorian businessman, and the incident shows just how difficult it can be to sell an old ship. (Tom Banse)