Oregon Tribal Elder Still Missing 10 Months After Mysterious Disappearance
More than 10 months have passed since Umatilla tribal elder Wesley Dixon Jones disappeared under circumstances that have never been fully explained. His family still doesn't know where he is, no major breakthrough has been publicly announced, and the strange details surrounding his last known movements remain unresolved. But the case has not gone cold. When That Oregon Life first wrote about Jones' disappearance on January 25, 2026, the investigation had reached what appeared to be a troubling...
TRAVEL
Oregon is a beautiful destination for travelers who enjoy exploring the great outdoors. With its diverse landscape of mountains, forests, waterfalls, and coastline, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
More of Highway 26 Reopens as Rowe Creek Complex Reaches 84% Containment
Travel conditions are slowly improving east of Prineville as portions of U.S. Highway 26 reopen following weeks of wildfire activity from the massive Rowe Creek Complex. The highway is not fully...
Bend’s Old Cracker Barrel Is Getting a New Life as a Carhartt Store
A familiar building on Bend’s north side is getting a new tenant, and this time the name going up outside will be one that plenty of Oregonians already have hanging in their closets. Carhartt is...
One of Oregon’s Most Haunted Lighthouses Is Hosting a Halloween Night of Ghost Stories
UPDATE, AUGUST 14, 2026: Unfortunately, the Heceta Head Halloween Haunt scheduled for October 31 has been cancelled. Heceta Head Bed & Breakfast announced that the event will not take place this...
FOOD & DRINK
Explore Oregon’s food and drink scene – from locally sourced ingredients to craft brews and award-winning wines. Plan your culinary adventure now!
The Seafood At This Unassuming Family Restaurant Might Ruin Every Other Oregon Coast Spot For You
Some restaurants feel connected to the place around them from the moment you walk through the door. The food makes sense for the landscape. The menu reflects what people have eaten in the region for...
Mo’s Flew 200 Pounds Of Their Famous Clam Chowder To Washington, D.C. For America’s 250th
An Oregon Coast restaurant known for steaming bowls of clam chowder recently carried a substantial taste of the Pacific Northwest all the way to the nation’s capital. Mo’s Seafood & Chowder was...
The Blueberry Pie At This Cute Little Bakery Might Be Portland’s Most Craved Slice
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...
Oregon Republicans Push Constitutional Right to Hunt, Fish and Farm After IP 28 Fails
In a state where fishing boats crowd coastal harbors, hunting camps are a longtime family tradition and farms stretch from the Willamette Valley to the high desert, a new political battle is taking shape over how Oregon protects those ways of life. Republican leaders...
Wildfire Smoke Pushes Portland to Fifth-Worst Air Quality in the World
Portland residents woke up Tuesday to a familiar and unwelcome sign of Oregon’s intense wildfire season: a hazy skyline, muted views of the surrounding hills, and the smell of smoke hanging in the air. By Tuesday afternoon, Portland’s air quality had deteriorated...
Mt. Hood Meadows Ordered to Evacuate as Grasshopper Fire Threatens the Area
Mt. Hood Meadows is under a Level 3 “Go Now” evacuation order as the Grasshopper Fire continues burning through the forests east of Mount Hood. The popular ski resort announced the evacuation Tuesday morning, asking employees, visitors, and members of the public to...
Oregon Wildfires Top 2 Million Acres, Closing In on State’s All-Time Record
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...
Firefighters Make Major Progress as I-5 Wildfire Near Grants Pass Reaches 96 Acres
Firefighters working through the night have completed fireline around the entire perimeter of the wildfire that erupted beside Interstate 5 north of Grants Pass, an important step forward after the fast-moving blaze destroyed a home and threatened surrounding...
Historic Fire Lookout Destroyed by Grasshopper Fire in Mt. Hood National Forest
A longtime piece of Oregon’s wildfire history has been lost to the Grasshopper Fire. Officials with the Mt. Hood National Forest confirmed Saturday that the Flag Point Fire Lookout was destroyed by the wildfire overnight, despite an extensive effort by firefighters to...
Grass Fire Along I-5 Near Grants Pass Grows to 50 Acres as Air Tankers Respond
GRANTS PASS, Ore. — Firefighters are mounting an aggressive ground and aerial attack on a grass fire burning along Interstate 5 near Grants Pass Saturday afternoon. The fire was initially estimated at approximately 10 acres as crews arrived and began working alongside...
Man Accused of Setting Series of Fires in Eastern Oregon as Wildfire Season Intensifies
An Eastern Oregon man is being held on $750,000 bail after authorities accused him of being connected to a series of fires reported along rural roads in Malheur County. Paul Clinton Emerson, 61, of Ontario, was arrested at his residence on the night of July 21,...
This Storybook Oregon Lodge Near Crescent Lake Is the Ultimate Summer Escape
Some places are so charming they almost do not feel real. The first time you pull into Red Cone Lodge, tucked beneath towering pines near Crescent Lake, you may find yourself slowing down just to take it all in. Massive handcrafted logs stretch toward the sky. Forest...
Oregon Enters August Under an Extremely Rare Fire Warning as Powerful Winds Arrive
A rare “Particularly Dangerous Situation” Red Flag Warning has been issued for parts of Central and Eastern Oregon on Saturday, August 1, as strong winds collide with extremely dry vegetation and several ongoing wildfires. Oregon is entering August under a fire...