Erik Neumann

How Portland’s ICE protests took the national stage In the fall of 2025, Portland’s protests had largely quieted, but still managed to capture national attention, leading Trump to order National Guard troops to protect the Immigration and Customs Enforcement building.

In this first episode of the documentary series “The Crackdown," OPB takes a look at the protests in Portland, where nightly demonstrations on a single city block escalated into a test of presidential power.

Vancouver City Council approves financial support for businesses in Fourth Plain corridor The City Council approved the program to support businesses that have experienced serious financial hardships.

Vancouver City Council has approved financial support for struggling businesses in the city's Fourth Plain corridor, known for its many immigrant- and BIPOC-owned businesses.

Evergreen Habitat for Humanity hopes to buy Vancouver mobile home park to build more affordable housing The Southwest Washington nonprofit is seeking $4 million from the state for a project that could yield 280 affordable housing units.

There aren't a ton of bright spots in the predatory world of mobile home parks, but Habitat for Humanity chapters buying them to build affordable housing is one

Clark County Council considers extending rule to prevent redevelopment of mobile and manufactured home parks The extension would restrict the redevelopment of parks in unincorporated Clark County for up to one year.

Tonight the Clark County council will discuss whether to extend protections on manufactured home parks from redevelopment

Bill would allow Oregonians to ‘corner cross’ on public lands Some squares of Oregon land are private and some are public. But the pattern means reaching adjacent public lands can be difficult without trespassing on private property — a gray area that has dogged hunters, hikers, anglers, birdwatchers and other outdoor enthusiasts for years.

Large swaths of Oregon’s public and private lands are chopped into a checkerboard pattern. Senate Bill 1545 would secure the right of people to “corner cross” the checkerboard, without fear of trespass.

Concessionaire Nominated To Run National Park Service A top official for national parks concessionaire Delaware North has been nominated by President Donald Trump to head the National Park Service.

President Trump has finally nominated someone to lead the National Park Service, and it's an executive at a parks concessionaire that was previously involved in a nasty legal dispute involving Yosemite: www.nationalparkstraveler.org/2026/02/conc...

Battle Ground’s third try at school levy falls short Battle Ground Public Schools’ replacement educational programs and operations levy was failing in early election returns Tuesday night.

rough day to be a teacher in battle ground, where they're 0 for 3 in school funding levies

“In the meantime, we will plan as though we need to cut $20 million from our budget and get some input on how to do that.”

If you plan to contribute during OPB’s membership drive, we appreciate your support (it helps keep our reporting free & accessible for all) & would love for you to let OPB know that as a member you support livable wages & a fair contract for the people who make OPB & KMHD possible

At this point, ballots should be dropped in official ballot boxes. See map below for locations. The deadline to vote is 8 p.m. Feb. 10. 🇺🇸 www.sos.wa.gov/elections/vo...

Klickitat County: Centerville School District, Trout Lake School Dist., Cemetery Dist.

www.klickitatcounty.gov/1136/Electio...

Skamania County: Skamania School District, Stevenson-Carson School Dist., Washougal School Dist., and White Salmon School Dist. www.skamaniacounty.org/departments-...

Pacific County: Port of Chinook, Ocosta School District, Pacific Co Fire Dist. co.pacific.wa.us/auditor/elec...

Cowlitz County: Longview School District and Kalama School Dist. www.co.cowlitz.wa.us/2357/Elections

Clark County: Battle Ground School District, Hockinson School Dist., Washougal School Dist. clark.wa.gov/elections

School districts across Southwest Washington will seek education funding during February special election Several school districts across Southwest Washington are asking voters to approve funding measures in an upcoming Feb. 10 special election.

Southwest Washington voter PSA:

There's a special election on Tuesday and it's a good time to participate in democracy!

Details in thread below for each community (at least in OPB's coverage area) with an election...

Here's a project to watch from Leah Sottile and Ryan Haas

Doberman pinscher led by Clark County dog handler takes best in show at Westminster Dog Show The title went to Penny, and her handler Andy Linton of Brush Prairie.

A story that's about more than the Clark County dog handler whose pup won the Westminster Dog Show this week

One of Oregon’s most iconic waterfalls is up for sale, putting public access at risk With public lands agencies uninterested, the future of public access is in question.

Two big questions at Abiqua Falls:
1. Who’s actually going to buy it?
2. Will they continue to grant public access?

Small addendum to this story because I've seen some chatter online: yesterday I reached out to the second Fort Vancouver Regional Library board member who resigned this week, Mary Ann Duncan-Cole. She did so for medical reasons, not because of drama on the board. www.fvrl.org/about/board-...

‘A reporter in every county’: WSU, Report for America launch groundbreaking program to confront Washington’s local news crisis - Report for America February 4, 2026 – Washington State University's Murrow College of Communication and Report for America have launched an ambitious partnership to cover every one of Washington’s counties by 2029, aimi...

a rare bright spot in local washington state journalism

Been in this industry long enough to remember when people said billionaires buying up media outlets would provide new jobs, long-term funding, and financial stability 🤡

Hi - yes if you're talking about the City Observatory/Willamette Week stories. Those were draft numbers, so I'm waiting for the finalized numbers expected next month (tho they'll probably be in that ballpark)

Federal spending package includes $100 million for light rail on Portland-to-Vancouver Interstate Bridge replacement Critics say the money should instead go to the overall ballooning price of the megaproject.

Light rail for the Interstate Bridge got a $100 million boost in the spending package Congress passed today

Despite a pretty strange library board meeting last night, the many many public comments were heartening

“Equity demands that we be proactive,” Clark said. “It is the difference between simply keeping the doors open and actively building a bridge to communities that cannot reach the library.”

One of many error-ridden paragraphs in an article about Richard Zimmer: "His son Carl Zimmer, a popular science writer, recalled his father as 'a talented golfer, a great cook, and a skilled craftsman who took pride in every project around the house.'”

Newsmax fabricated a quote from me about my father Richard Zimmer today. They never contacted me. It's not just outrageous but funny. He was talented in many ways, but most definitely not at golf or cooking or craftsmanship. www.newsmax.com/john-gizzi/z...

Gresham family seeking medical care for their 7-year-old detained by immigration officers The family’s detainment marks the first confirmed detainment of an entire family in Oregon, advocates say.

Second-grader Diana Crespo likes to paint and play with friends. She and her parents were detained last week as they tried to see a doctor. She's now being held at the same Texas detention center as 5-year-old Liam Ramos from Minnesota.
www.opb.org/article/2026...

School funding is the big item for the upcoming special election in SW WA. The last February special election in Clark County had a voter turnout of about 30%. clark.wa.gov/sites/defaul...

Go vote people!

Lots of Report for America journalism jobs just opened around the country, including one at my old shop @jpradio.bsky.social. It's a great place to work!

ICE arrest outside Clark County courthouse interrupts jury trial The arrest took place on Monday as a judge, jury and lawyers waited inside the courthouse for the defendant to return from recess.

I talked to several judges and legal experts about Monday's arrest of a defendant in Clark County court by ICE agents to see how unusual it is:

“It’s rare enough that I personally have never observed that, and I’ve spent a lot of time in courthouses”

Records show how $140M might be paid to 4 Columbia River companies to offset effects of Interstate Bridge design As Oregon and Washington transportation leaders await a Coast Guard decision that will determine the height of the planned Interstate Bridge Replacement project, OPB has obtained public records that p...

Oregon and Washington could pay four companies on the Columbia River millions to keep them whole when a new Interstate Bridge is built.

The $140 million in mitigation payments is the money-saving option. New details -->