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Good morning, Northwest.
Trail Blazers owner Tom Dundon is set to speak to business leaders in the Portland metro area this week.
His trip comes just after the departure of the team’s interim head coach, a round of layoffs and questions about the status of Moda Center. OPB’s Dirk VanderHart previews the event to start today’s newsletter.
In other news, the lone reporter for the Lake County Examiner is hoping to inject new life into the nearly 150-year-old paper.
Here’s your First Look at Monday’s news.
— Bradley W. Parks
Top story
FILE - Tom Dundon, one of the new owners of the Portland Trail Blazers, speaks during a press conference at the Moda Center, April 2, 2026.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
Blazers owner Tom Dundon will address business group this week
Trail Blazers owner Tom Dundon will make a rare Portland appearance this week, when he’s slated to speak with area business leaders.
Dundon is coming off his signature achievement as a professional sports team owner. His NHL team, the Carolina Hurricanes, just won the Stanley Cup.
But the status of the billionaire’s more recent acquisition is less assured.
Dundon is navigating a coaching change and organizational challenges after the Blazers’ interim head coach, Tiago Splitter, departed for the Chicago Bulls and Dundon laid off dozens of employees last month.
But perhaps the most pressing issue, as Dundon prepares to speak to members of the Portland Metro Chamber on Wednesday, is the future of the Moda Center. (Dirk VanderHart)
3 things to know
In this provided photo, a small memorial for St. Helens City Administrator John Walsh who fell into the Columbia River on June 13, 2026. His body was recovered on June 20, 2026.
Courtesy of the City of St. Helens
- For the first time in more than two years, Oregon is in compliance with a long-standing federal court order aimed at protecting the rights of people with mental illness who have been charged with crimes.(Conrad Wilson)
- The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory from 11 a.m. today through 11 p.m. tomorrow for much of northwest Oregon and Southwest Washington. (OPB staff)
- St. Helens City Administrator John Walsh’s body was recovered Saturday, a week after he fell into the Columbia River and went missing. (OPB staff)
Why Portland is at the heart of women’s sports in the US
Portland is the global epicenter of women’s sports. At least, that’s what some people have been saying lately. We talk a bit about the history behind the Rose City’s enthusiasm for women’s sports and hear from OPB business reporter Kyra Buckley about how the Portland Fire season is shaping up.(Julie Sabatier, Kyra Buckley and Emily Hamilton)
Northwest headlines
Reporter Danielle Jester in the office of the Lake County Examiner.
Courtesy of Danielle Jester
- Lake County Examiner’s lone reporter moves back to Lakeview (Geoff Norcross)
- Voters save Grant County’s only library (Antonio Sierra)
- Tri-Cities World Relief Cup fosters a ‘sense of belonging’ for refugee soccer players (Courtney Flatt, NWPB)
- As money anxiety grows, Portland author Carrie Joy Grimes says we need more than ‘latte celibacy’ to fix our finances (Lillian Karabaic)
- Center for Biological Diversity seeks Endangered Species Act protections for 2 Northwest plants (Rachel Sun, NWPB)
- Eugene, Springfield Asian American households still may be targeted by burglary ring (Rebecca Hansen-White, KLCC)
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 nonprofit Relay Resources on creating disability employment opportunities for more than 75 years
One more look
A pika pokes its head out of a boulder field at Little Beacon Rock, Wash., April 26, 2026.
Courtesy of Steider Studios
Do you like tiny, furry, squeaky animals? Cascades Pika Watch wants your help
Pikas are mammals with furry, little bodies — about the size of a russet potato — and a call like a squeaky toy.
And the state has listed them as a sensitive species because they’re vulnerable to climate change.
At least once a week, Linda Steider is outdoors counting pikas for a group called Cascades Pika Watch.
The group’s looking for citizen scientists this summer to search for the little animal, which requires particular temperatures to thrive.
Cascades Pika Watch already has over 400 trained volunteers. But it is still looking for more. Participants can train online for free. (Kristian Foden-Vencil)
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