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Good morning, Northwest.
A nationwide general strike to protest the increasingly violent tactics of immigration agents in Minnesota and across the country is set to take place today.
Thousands of people are expected to participate in Oregon, with students walking out of schools and businesses closing up shop. OPB spoke with students and business owners about why and how they’re participating.
In other news, federal regulators have approved a gold mine in Malheur County, and Portland State University’s board will hear updates on the school’s plans to restructure today.
Here’s your First Look at Friday’s news.
—Bradley W. Parks
A screenshot of the Nationalshutdown.org website, which shows actions across the U.S. in response to ICE activity in Minnesota.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
Oregon businesses and students join general strike Friday to protest immigration enforcement
Small businesses in the Pacific Northwest weighed whether to close as many students prepared to walk out of class Friday in solidarity with a nationwide protest against a federal immigration crackdown and the deaths of two U.S. citizens shot by federal authorities in Minneapolis.
The loosely organized nationwide general strike, promoted on websites and social media, is likely to draw thousands of participants in Oregon.
Opposition to deportation efforts involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection has grown dramatically since the shooting deaths of Renee Good on Jan. 7 and Alex Pretti on Jan. 24 in Minneapolis.
Others have been killed or hurt by federal immigration agents across the country, including two people who were shot in East Portland on Jan. 8. (Kyra Buckley, Elizabeth Miller and Rob Manning)
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FILE – Students walk on the South Park Blocks at Portland State University on Nov. 4, 2025.
Tiffany Camhi / OPB
3 things to know this morning
- Yesterday, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management approved a Nevada company’s proposed mine on nearly 470 acres in Malheur County, bringing Oregon one step closer to its first modern-day gold mine. (April Ehrlich)
- This morning, Portland State University’s full board of trustees is set to hear updates on the school’s finances and sustainability plan as its financial picture gets bleaker. (Tiffany Camhi)
- Corbett School District schools were canceled yesterday due to widespread illness. Sicknesses also delayed the start of Colton Elementary School the same day. (OPB staff)
ICE, transportation and a looming state budget hole
Oregon lawmakers are heading back to Salem next week for the short legislative session. We’ll discuss all that and more on the latest episode of “OPB Politics Now.” (Bryce Dole, Lauren Dake, Dirk VanderHart and Andrew Theen)
FILE – The huge melter gallery, where glass is made to bind up radioactive waste, at the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant at Hanford on Sept. 9, 2024.
Annie Warren / NWPB
Headlines from around the Northwest
- Oregon’s new forest plan will guide logging, conservation for decades (April Ehrlich)
- Oregon lawmakers can move transportation referendum date under conditions, SOS says (Mia Maldonado)
- Washington state Senate passes ban on police face coverings (Jake Goldstein-Street)
- US Department of Energy looks into ammonia leaks at Hanford’s Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (Anna King)
Listen in on OPB’s daily conversation
“Think Out Loud” airs at noon and 8 p.m. weekdays on OPB Radio, opb.org and the OPB News app. Today’s planned topics (subject to change):
- Portland-based child advocacy group says state must address chronic absenteeism
- University of Oregon center studies the business, branding and evolution of the Olympics
Winter is the perfect time for a puffy pancake with sweet/tart saffron lemon curd.
Heather Arndt Anderson / OPB
Superabundant recipe: A puffy Dutch baby pancake with saffron lemon curd
If you’ve ever ordered a Dutch baby at the Original Pancake House in Portland, it’s a bit like ordering a sizzling platter of fajitas. The Dutch baby comes all puffed up on a plate, laden with powdered sugar and accompanied by a carousel of toppings. It’s a big production, but you know it’ll be worth the embarrassment.
While they can be a spectacle, they deflate quickly once you pull them from the oven, settling into a soft bowl shape that makes them ideal for holding all manner of curds or preserves.
They’re also simple to make, and with this recipe you can add a richer golden hue to the lemon curd with a pinch of saffron. (Heather Arndt Anderson)
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