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Good morning, Northwest.
The race for Oregon governor has been billed as a rematch between Democrat Tina Kotek and Republican Christine Drazan.
But at least one third-party candidate promises to make the race even more competitive. OPB’s Dirk VanderHart reports this morning on the campaign of Pacific Green Party candidate Brett Smith and the role of third-party challengers in Oregon politics.
In other news, lessons learned and relationships built two years ago in Wheeler County are helping combat fires there today.
Here’s your First Look at Thursday’s news.
— Bradley W. Parks
Top story
A screenshot from video showing Brett Smith, a third-party candidate on the ballot in the Oregon governor’s race. Smith is running under the Pacific Green Party of Oregon.
Courtesy of Beeri Gispert
Could a third-party candidate shake up the Oregon governor’s race?
With a little more than three months until the Nov. 3 election, Brett Smith is the only third-party candidate slated to appear on the ballot alongside Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek and Republican state Sen. Christine Drazan.
Running under the banner of the Pacific Green Party of Oregon — a pro-environment, anti-war party more closely aligned with progressives than conservatives — conventional wisdom suggests Smith could pluck voters from the incumbent governor.
The ballot isn’t set in stone for the governor’s race. While some of Oregon’s eight minor parties have already opted not to nominate their own candidate for governor, others are still weighing their options. Depending on that outcome, the field could include candidates from conservative parties more likely to lure votes away from Drazan. (Dirk VanderHart)
3 things to know
FILE - Wildland firefighters create a fire break on the side of Rowe Creek Road near Mitchell, Ore., on July 21, 2026.
Saskia Hatvany / OPB
- Locals’ knowledge of the challenging terrain has helped firefighters combat the Rowe Creek Complex in Wheeler County, and shaped how private landowners and public land managers work together. (Elena Neale-Sacks)
- A jury ruled yesterday that Nike spent years underpaying a former employee, Heather Hender, and promoting her at a snail’s pace due, in part, to her sex. (Kyra Buckley)
- More than a year after a Clark County sheriff’s deputy fatally stabbed a man, attorneys for the man’s family have raised concerns about “systemic misuse of body-worn camera footage” by deputies at the scene.(Troy Brynelson)
Northwest headlines
The C1 maximum security area in the Clark County jail.
Clark County Jail Services
- Level 3 ‘Go Now’ evacuation orders expand in Central Oregon as Akawa Butte Fire heads east (OPB staff)
- Clark County Council asks voters to approve $366M bond for jail remodel (Erik Neumann)
- Audit highlights Oregon’s crumbling prisons, staffing shortages and outdated technology (Lauren Dake)
- Limited cooperation in some measles cases is making the virus harder to contain in Oregon (Amelia Templeton)
- Portland City Council saves 30 jobs from August layoffs in contentious budget vote (Alex Zielinski)
- Following data center boom, Oregon for first time considers charging use fees for undersea cables (Alex Baumhardt, Oregon Capital Chronicle)
- Portland Timbers draw 2-2 against Dallas as Felipe Mora scores in stoppage time (AP)
- Shepard has a triple-double and the Wings hold off the Fire 101-97 (Anne M. Peterson, AP)
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):
- OSP Tribal Liaison Glendon Smith on bridging the gap between tribal and state law enforcement
One more look
Chet Udell looks at his flashing metronome as he carries a boom microphone recording his footfalls and other environmental sound while he jogs around Newport, Ore., on Jan. 19, 2026.
Courtesy of Chet Udell
OSU’s Chet Udell builds instruments that measure the environment and bring science to life
Today at Oregon State University’s Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport, a one-of-a-kind live performance will blend marine science, original music and custom-built instruments into an immersive experience.
For the past year, Chet Udell has served as the center’s artist-in-residence. Over the course of his residency, Udell has developed several projects that use music and sound to invite listeners to engage with environmental data and the natural world through curiosity and play.
One of those projects is called “Newport Sonic Tidepools.” To create the piece, Udell ran 8 miles through Newport carrying a boom microphone, wearing headphones and following a flashing metronome set to 156 beats per minute.
The steady rhythm of his footsteps helps listeners orient themselves as he moves through the town and shorelines. (Brianna Bowman, KLCC)
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