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Smoke had drifted into Lane County again, turning the sky a sickly-yellow and the surrounding hills into indistinct hazy blue, when I found myself remembering an old newspaper clipping I’d saved during some research into western Oregon history. The clipping came from...
Oregon’s already devastating 2026 wildfire season is now within striking distance of becoming the largest on record for total acreage burned. As of Monday morning, August 3, 60 large fires had burned an estimated 2,014,481 acres across the state, according to figures...
The U.S. Navy Blue Angels are returning to Oregon this August, bringing their unmistakable blue-and-gold fighter jets, tightly packed formations and thunderous aerial maneuvers to the Oregon International Air Show in McMinnville. This year’s show is shaping up to be...
Part two of two. Read Part One here. At the bottom of Crabtree Valley, the argument seems impossibly far away. Crabtree Lake lies dark beneath the trees. Water gathers along fallen logs. Moss hangs from branches and spreads across the forest floor, softening the...
Some restaurants give you a waterfront view. Big Fish Cafe gives you that, plus the entire boat. Tucked beside the Umpqua River in Reedsport, this wonderfully unexpected restaurant occupies a former Coast Guard cutter that’s been transformed into a warm, quirky place...
Walk through the doors at Hamley Steakhouse & Saloon and it doesn't take long to realize this isn't just another place to grab a bite to eat. Rich woodwork, handcrafted details, glowing antique style lighting, historic artifacts, and the unmistakable spirit of...
Summer evenings in Southern Oregon have a way of slowing everything down. The sun hangs a little longer over the surrounding hills, the air finally cools after a hot afternoon, and people start looking for somewhere they can relax without feeling rushed. At Pheasant...
Rainy afternoons, neighborhood strolls, and a stop for something sweet feel like a natural part of life in Portland. In a city where people care deeply about good food and local businesses, there's one bakery on Southeast Division Street that's become a destination...
There are many perfectly good reasons to visit an Oregon farm. Fresh fruit is one. Wandering through an old orchard is another. Browsing antiques, garden art, cowboy boots, and curious little treasures can easily occupy an afternoon. But let’s be honest. At Tollen...
There are forests in Oregon that feel old, and then there are forests that seem to exist outside ordinary time. Crabtree Valley belongs to the second kind. Deep back in the western foothills of the Cascades northeast of Sweet Home, the valley doesn't announce itself...
There are plenty of places along the Oregon Coast where you can grab a burger or a basket of fish and chips. But every now and then, you stumble into a place that feels like it's been waiting for you all along. The Sportsman's Pub-n-Grub isn't trying to be trendy. You...
There are few sights on the Oregon Coast as moving as a gray whale breaking the surface of the Pacific. For many of us, they are part of the rhythm of this place. They pass by our headlands in winter and spring, draw people to overlooks at Depoe Bay and Cape Perpetua,...