Lillian Mongeau Hughes

My actual response to reading this because its the only part of the whole email that is at all surprising: What is a Kelly bag?

Opinion | These Three Red States Are the Best Hope in Schooling

In case anyone out there is still following me for my education coverage cred, don't miss this @nickkristof.bsky.social column: "We liberals need to wake up to the reality that we are being outperformed on education, opportunity and racial equity..." www.nytimes.com/2026/02/09/o...

The SHS money is still coming in, but the amount they have to spend each year has shrunk because the initial money saved from underspending has all been committed and spent. It's a good question though and maybe I'll do a standalone story on it. Thanks for asking!

True story @cnn.com We have one of these phones and my 8-year-old has begun arranging her own play dates and my dad and sister say they've had far better conversations with both kids than on FaceTime when they are distracted by all the special effects. Retro phones for the win.

Some context: www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

Ombudsman probes tiny home evictions of major homeless services provider After reviewing appeals, the Portland Ombudsman’s Office recommended pausing evictions at city-run alternative shelters over lack of documentation.

Nice get from @cgiardinelli.bsky.social -- Portland's ombudsman temporarily paused evictions from the city's 14/7 shelters due to concerns about fairness. Evictions have since resumed. The ombudsman will continue to monitor. katu.com/news/local/o...

You can donate to them: www.bridgeproject.org/donate

Pregnant Portlanders: apply here!

This new-to-Portland program hands pregnant women cash every month — and research says it works The Bridge Project provides 36 monthly payments to new mothers. Data show the cash helps participants find stable housing and work

A direct cash program for people who are pregnant and earning less than $39,000 a year launched this month in Multnomah County and is still accepting applications. www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

Enrollment is dropping. At least some of that is due to lower birth rates. I don't know what you mean by proportionately.

Portland schools face 3rd straight year of budget cuts. What will that mean for students? At community forums, parents and teachers pressed for specifics about the impacts of making $50 million in cuts for the upcoming school year.

This is getting crazy. www.oregonlive.com/education/20...

In this school, 50% of students are too afraid of ICE to show up 'Our families feel hunted,' says the school district’s executive director.

"'We’re underage,' she tells him (in a video recording of ICE apprehending a 16-year-old and her friend). 'We’re scared.'" www.oregonlive.com/nation/2026/...

Invisible wins: How $1.4 billion has transformed Portland area homeless services One family’s story shows how the 2020 tax can work as promised, even as the overall homeless count continues climbing across the metro area.

ICYMI - Even as the homeless count has ticked steadily upward for five years running, the three counties have collectively met, or are on track to meet this year, the initial 10-year performance goals set for them in the measure. www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

Subscribed.

I Had a Dream Journalism Job. Here's Why I Quit. The rot that hollowed out trust in corporate media finally reached OPB. I had to go.

This is easily the hardest thing I've ever had to write.

Portland now says roughly $106M in housing funds went unspent The city continues to struggle to address homelessness and affordable housing, but officials say significant pots of money went untapped.

What we know for now:

I was just denied entry to the Dilley detention facility while my constituent, seven-year-old Diana, remains inside.

What kind of sick, horrific conditions are children being forced to endure in there?

I will be back tomorrow. Accountability can’t wait.

Multnomah County faces an $87 million drop in homeless services funding Jobs could be cut, shelters could lose funding, and rent assistance could shrink as the county faces major homeless services budget reductions.

TL;DR Cuts to the coutny's homesless services programs are coming. www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

Reporter mom life: I just showed up at a public meeting and gamely greeted officials I know only to realize upon sitting down that I have jam in my hair.

Just experienced the most intense tear gassing of my life by federal officers outside the ICE facility in Portland where marchers gathered. There was no fast exit as they indiscriminately threw loads of gas and flash bangs. Children were in the crowd screaming. @oregoncapitalchronicle.com

Worth adding also that Mark was one of the guys shouting at folks not to climb over the stopped train that year. I stood with him for at least 20 minutes while we waited for it to move and he couldn't stand how risky it was for people to be climbing through those train cars just for a race time.

As a professional reporter, I don't usually re-post video from "the internet," but I know Mark a little. He paced me in a Portland Half Marathon the year the train went through the course. He also wrote for @runnersworld.bsky.social for years. He's legit. And this video is crazy.

Portland @mayorkwilson.bsky.social: "To those who continue to work for ICE: Resign. To those who control this (Portland ICE) facility: Leave. ... To those who continue to make these sickening decisions, go home, look in a mirror, and ask yourselves why you have gassed children."

Homelessness is likely trending down nationally. Not in Oregon Typically, the federal government documents national trends in homelessness. This year, a national newspaper did it instead.

Oregon’s recorded 35% growth in homelessness since 2023 stands in stark contrast to the national trend reported by @nytimes.com, which compiled data from around the country rather than keep waiting for the feds to finish their annual report (usually out by now). www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

Arnie Duncan once stated: “I think we value our children less than other countries do” in an article written by @lmonghughes.bsky.social It’s clear that the US simply cares less about children than other countries. And I will never find this acceptable.

Oregon doctor settles $1 billion sex abuse lawsuit filed by nearly 200 former patients While David Farley settled his case, the suit against a Providence hospital is still set to proceed to trial.

I first worked on this story while at @opb.org. We were not the only publication to pay attention though. Under a steady local media spotlight, public officials did finally acknowledge internal problems with how the case was handled and bring new criminal charges. www.oregonlive.com/crime/2026/0...

And we will verify veracity the same way we always do - checking other sources, asking for back-up for documentation, backgrounding, etc.

Oh, this is by no means a scientific survey! It's more like a request for tips to the newsroom in a "survey" format. We will not be citing "results" or anything like that. We'll reach back out to people who want to say more or do our own reporting on the tips. It's a beginning, not an end.

Minnesota National Guard members have arrived at a federal building and were directed to distribute donuts, coffee, and hot chocolate to anti-ICE protesters. Guard members were issued reflective vests so they would not be mistaken for federal agents.

Also a great idea! This is just one tactic I’m trying to reach people, not the only one!