With a population of roughly 37,000, it’s little but mighty, and like most of Portland’s suburbs, it’s growing. Blue-collar Oregon City, Oregon’s oldest—in fact, it’s the first incorporated city west of the Rocky Mountains—has shifted significantly in the past decade or so with a Canard here and a boutique there, but it still exudes a humble, welcoming feel. The city was founded by Dr. John McLoughlin (of boulevard fame) and became industrial, known for its lumber and paper mills and hydroelectric power—but long before that, and currently, the land and water have played a vital role in the lives of the several Native American tribes. The heart of the real O.C. feels highly walkable (extra thanks to the free, 70-year-old municipal elevator), so we thought we’d focus on that—here’s a quick jaunt, on foot, around the city.
Mosey Down Main Street
If you’re coming from Portland, you’ll likely swing over the Oregon City Arch Bridge and find yourself smack dab in the center of Main Street. Park your wheels and kick off your walkable adventure with a little shopping or window browsing. The Vintage Nest (507 Main St., instagram.com/thevintagenestantiques) contains nearly 20 vendors selling everything from speckled silicone baby bibs to rhinestone jewelry (this writer got a hand-thrown colander that’s on deck for holding garden tomatoes come August). Keep the vintage snooping up by stopping a few doors down at Maizee Mae’s Antiques (621 Main St., 503-657-3204, instagram.com/maizeemaesantiquesandtreasures) then over to Oregon City Records (603 Main St., 503-935-6662, instagram.com/oregoncityrecords). With vintage posters of Led Zeppelin and Aerosmith on the walls, carpets on the floor, and the faint scent of incense in the air, the shop has a certain late 20th century nostalgia. The walls are lined with boxes of used records ranging from classic hits in rock, pop and blues, and a chunk of CDs as well, while the middle of the store is lined with racks of vintage clothing. And don’t—I repeat, do not—skip the slim back room of books. Sitting in that beat-up leather chair by John Wayne’s cutout with an old paperback is a leisure afternoon adventure in itself.
Walk the Promenade
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As you’re on Main Street and cross 7th Street, take a look about a block away. Notice that 130-foot elevator looming on the basalt cliffside, both futuristic and retro at once? The Municipal Elevator (6 Railroad Ave.) is one of just a handful of municipal elevators around the world (not the state, the planet) in service. Placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014, this stately lift allows you to catch a ride between 7 am and 7 pm Monday through Saturday (it opens at 10 am on Sunday). On the top floor, the elevator opens to an observation deck with panoramic views of the area and, a few steps later, leads you to the McLoughlin Promenade, a fenced path along Singer Hill Bluff, with expansive views of the Willamette River, including Willamette Falls, the nation’s second-largest waterfall by volume, right behind the mighty Niagara. You might also eye the dilapidated, recently burned former Blue Heron Paper Mill—the property is part of nearly 24 acres purchased by the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and is currently under demolition and restoration to build the future Tumwata Village. Don’t forget to turn toward the bluff, too, to catch a few historical markers, like the Páaxloo Weyíiletpuum Háham, or “Five Cayuse Men,” acknowledging and honoring the five Cayuse men tried and executed for the death of missionary Marcus Whitman in 1847 as measles tore through the Cayuse population. Their unmarked graves remain unfound.
Grab a Book
Speaking of educating ourselves—stick around Singer Hill and wander a couple of blocks over to the Oregon City Carnegie Library (606 John Adams St., 503-657-8269, orcity.org). Brass door handles, maroon cozy chairs, a welcoming fireplace (for the right season), and board games to check out—the library’s both gorgeous and inviting. Spend a little time in the two front rooms originally from 1913, then venture into the rest of the library from the 2016 expansion. And keep an eye out for the library’s book bike, out on the prowl. The hashtag is #ocplbookbike and at the time of reporting has zero posts—that first one could be yours.
Grab a Bev
A little parched from all your exploring? Just cross the street and pop by The Hive Social (602 7th St., 503–908-87500, thehivecatering.com) for a pristine cocktail or a bite. You’ll have to hoof it a little farther, but you’ve got two directions for your final stop: First, you can head south and land at the Highland Stillhouse Pub (201 S 2nd St., 503-723-6789, highlandstillhouse.com), a Scottish-influenced whisky bar and local treasure. The bar has more than 750 types of whisky, with a rotating selection of rare offerings (you can schedule a private tasting, too). You can also head north and trek over to Oregon City Brewing (1401 Washington St., 503-705-4805, ocbeerco.com) for a fresh pint from the tap. The brewery’s got food carts too, as does Corner 14 (508 14th St., 503-908-8789, corner14oc.com) across the street, which includes a wealth of carts, a stage for live music, and covered tables with mini fire pits for the chilly days, though you might’ve worked up a sweat from your jaunt.
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Oregon hit back in the battle over transgender health care Tuesday, leading a coalition of states suing to block a proposed Trump administration policy that would cut off federal funding to institutions that provide gender affirming care to minors.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced that rule change Dec. 18, with a declaration that condemned “sex-rejecting procedures” for minors as “neither safe nor effective”—putting the force the the U.S. federal government on the side of a mounting global movement that sees medical interventions, ranging from puberty blockers to hormone therapy to surgery, as plainly inappropriate treatments for youth diagnosed with gender dysphoria.
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In the new suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Eugene, Oregon and 18 other plaintiffs states say the declaration is not only wrong—”research and clinical data support gender-affirming care as a safe and effective treatment for gender dysphoria in adolescents”—but in violation of multiple federal laws.
The declaration violates laws banning the federal government from intervening in certain ways in the practice of medicine, the plaintiffs say. They also argue it violates laws governing how new federal rules are established. And though the declaration says it is issued “pursuant to the authority vested in” HHS secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the plaintiffs say he does not in fact have the authority to declare the standard of medical care in the United States.
The suit also notes the way federal guidance conflict with the laws of certain plaintiff states. For example, Oregon law guarantees that the Oregon Health Plan cover gender-affirming care. If systems like Oregon Health & Science University and Legacy Health cease to provide this care, the plaintiffs say, patients under the Oregon health plan will lose access to gender-affirming care for which they are statutorily guaranteed coverage.
The legal battle comes as different countries, and U.S. states, issue divergent policies governing medical treatment for transgender youth.
Compounding the confusion is the fact that gender affirming care is a rather capacious term. It can refer to social affirmation of someone’s chosen gender identity, or legal affirmation, where government documents reflect that identity (the Trump administration has moved to restrict this too).
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The term can also refer to medical treatments, such as puberty blockers, which are generally reversible, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. It says other treatments like hormone therapy are partially reversible, while surgery is not reversible. The AAP endorses carefully-administered gender-affirming care in minors with gender dysphoria as a way to promote their physical and social well being.
The stakes in this debate are high for Oregon because OHSU has in recent years become a major provider of such care. The university’s press office hasn’t offered details on the scope of its patient base but, in a 2023 report, OHSU described its Transgender Health Program as one of the “largest and most comprehensive” in the United States.
The new Holgate Library opens in Southeast Portland on Saturday, July 13, 2024. The expanded space is now one of largest libraries in Multnomah County.Sean Meagher/The Oregonian
The Multnomah County Library on Tuesday released the names of its most popular books in 2025, and the lists include several gems, including classics by literary giants Jane Austen and (for the under 5 set) Mo Willems.
Multnomah County’s 19 branches together hosted visitors more than 2 million times and checked out or renewed books and other items almost 9 million times so far this year.
Are your favorite books on the lists? Here are the most popular titles as of Dec. 1:
Physical books:
Top adult titles:
James: A Novel by Percival Everett (1,089 checkouts)
Tilt: A Novel by Emma Pattee (1,059 checkouts)
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore (1,004 checkouts)
All Fours by Miranda July (973 checkouts)
Intermezzo: A Novel by Sally Rooney (758 checkouts)
Top teen titles:
Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins (507 checkouts)
The Blue Line Letters by Steven Christiansen (338 checkouts)
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas (217 checkouts)
Heartstopper. Volume 5. by Alice Oseman (192 checkouts)
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas (168 checkouts)
Top kids titles:
The Thank You Book by Mo Willems (636 checkouts)
Pigs Make Me Sneeze!: An Elephant & Piggie Book by Mo Willems (625 checkouts)
My New Friend Is So Fun! by Mo Willems (611 checkouts)
Watch Me Throw the Ball! by Mo Willems (569 checkouts)
I Will Surprise My Friend!by Mo Willems (560 checkouts)
E-books and audiobooks (checkouts combined):
Top adult titles:
Solito by Javier Zamora (10,006 checkouts)
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer (7,835 checkouts)
Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros (6,320 checkouts)
Pride and Prejudiceby Jane Austen (4,923 checkouts)
Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents by Lindsay C. Gibson (4,824 checkouts)
Top teen titles:
Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins (3,215 checkouts)
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas (2,958 checkouts)
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas (2,902 checkouts)
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins (2,822 checkouts)
Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross (1,923 checkouts)
Top kids titles:
Hot Mess by Jeff Kinney (2,814 checkouts)
The Wild Robot by Peter Brown (1,923 checkouts)
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle (1,808 checkouts)
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by JK Rowling (1,478 checkouts)
Beth Slovic is an editor on the public safety/breaking news team. She previously covered Portland City Hall at The Oregonian/OregonLive and has taught journalism at a number of Portland-area universities and…
Forecasters with the National Weather Service are closely monitoring the windstorm but say it’s still too early to predict how strong those winds will be on Wednesday.
A car is crushed by a fallen tree on Northeast 24th Avenue on Wednesday, Dec. 17., 2025 in Portland.
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Saskia Hatvany / OPB
A windstorm packing gusts of up to 65 mph could hit western Oregon and Southwest Washington on Christmas Eve, triggering power outages and downing trees, forecasters and electric utilities warned Monday.
Forecasters with the National Weather Service are closely monitoring the windstorm as it moves up the coast, but say it’s still too early to predict exactly how strong those winds will be on Wednesday.
Gusts of at least 45 miles per hour could pass through much of western Oregon and Southwest Washington between 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
While there is still a lot of uncertainty around the windstorm, now is the time for residents to get ready, said Hannah Chandler-Cooley, lead meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Portland.
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“People should take precautions such as securing any outdoor decorations, garbage bins, and be prepared for the potential for some localized power outages or tree damage,” she said.
Further south, two winter storms will bring snow and rain to Southern Oregon and northern California this week, just in time for holiday travel.
California’s Siskiyou County will get the brunt of the storms, particularly at higher elevations, starting Tuesday and lasting through Friday.
Heavy snow is expected on mountain passes over 4,500 feet, and some snow could fall on Interstate 5 in the area around California’s Mount Shasta on Friday as the snow level drops, according to the forecast.
Portland General Electric urged residents to prepare an outage plan and get emergency kits ready in case the power goes out. The utility company is also warning people of potential weather hazards like downed power lines.
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“You should always assume they are alive,” John Farmer, a spokesperson with PGE, said. “You should never go near them. Don’t touch them. Don’t use a stick or a branch to move. Just stay away.”
Following the heavy rains that plummeted the region last week, the NWS also warns that soils across the state are still really saturated. That, combined with gusty winds, could knock over weakened trees and branches.
Mindy McCartt, a spokesperson with the Oregon Department of Transportation, says their crews are still working to clear up debris left behind by last week’s storms.
“Crews will continue cleanup from the previous storms while also preparing and staffing up for the next potential event,” she said. “If the storm hits as forecast, maintenance crews will be ready to respond as soon as conditions allow.”
McCartt says people who are planning to hit the road this holiday week should take extra precautions. She also recommends checking road conditions before heading out for possible closures or delays.
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