MediterraneanGrocery Wholesalers in Portland, OR

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Teachers in Portland, Oregon, have voted to go on strike, their union announced Friday, in another sign of a growing national organized labor movement that’s seen thousands of workers in various sectors walk off the job this year.

The Portland Association of Teachers’ strike would start Nov. 1 unless an agreement with the school district is reached before then.

The union said nearly 99% of teachers voted in favor of the strike, with 93% of its members participating in the ballot.

Teachers have cited large class sizes, salaries that have not kept up with inflation and a lack of resources as key concerns. The union has been bargaining for months with the district for a new contract, which expired in June.

“Students need stability and experienced educators in our schools, but the high cost of living is pushing teachers to leave the district. I don’t know how I’m going to survive on a teacher salary in Portland and I’m at the top of the pay scale,” said Shannon Kittrick, a high school educator, in an emailed statement from the union.

Schools will close and there will be no classroom or online instruction if the strike takes place, according to the district, which said it wants to avoid such a scenario.

“We want to reach a fair, sustainable settlement, and we will stay at the bargaining table as long as it takes to get there. We ask our educators to stay at the table with us, not close schools,” Portland Public Schools said in an emailed statement.

The district is the largest in Oregon with roughly 45,000 students.

Public education has been gripped by a series of high-profile strikes this year.

In the Los Angeles Unified School District, the nation’s second-largest, workers including teachers’ aides, cafeteria workers and custodians walked out for three days in March to demand better wages and increased staffing, shutting down education for half a million students.

In Oakland, California, the union representing teachers, counselors, librarians and other workers went on strike for more than a week in May. In addition to typical demands such as higher salaries, it also pushed for “common good” changes, such as reparations for Black students and resources for students who are homeless.

Portland loves its baked goods. And pie — that magical amalgamation of pastry stuffed with fruit or meat, baked to warm, flaky perfection — is no exception. Portland, a city known for its seasonal fruits and vegetables, is home to a number of pie cafes that feature Oregon produce between their crusts, from summer marionberry to fall apple. Dedicated to the best pies and pie shops, the map below serves some of Portland’s most exceptional slices and whole pies; these include sweet pies filled with fruit, cream, and/or nuts, as well as savory pies that cram as much meat as possible between two golden crusts. Note that crumbles, tarts, and cakes (including cheesecake) may receive some sort of recognition, but only if the shop already nails its pie. For more pastries, feel free to peruse our bakery map.

Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process.

Originally a St. Johns pie cart, Paiku now serves its sweet, savory, and occasionally game-filled pies in a roomy cafe space in the North Portland neighborhood. Its rustic fruit pies, with flavors like apple and blueberry, consistently delight, but it’s really all about this cafe’s hard-to-find varieties, like the old school Italian Easter pie with Olympia Provisions ham and salami. The shop’s nut pies, like honey almond and chocolate walnut, are no slouch, either.

This quaint neighborhood coffee shop always offers a wide selection of pies, both by the slice and whole, all visible in a glass case by the cashier. Varieties include Oregon berry, butterscotch, and lemon cream, but the true standout is the key lime pie, with beautifully piped stars of whipped cream and slices of lime. All pies can also be ordered in advance.

Lined with chic subway tile, Kim Boyce’s iconic bakery is known for its whole grain pastry, and the fruit hand pies regularly available in the bakery often feature seasonal ingredients and whole grain flour, whether spelt or wheat. Slices are less common, but you can order individual hand pies and whole pies, like the fall-vibed brown butter apple hand pie, at the shop on the weekends.

Specializing in individual-sized pies, The Pie Spot’s tiny, cutesy cafe offers a fun alternative to the slice, in flavors like s’mores, brown butter pecan, and blueberry ginger. Plus, the restaurant offers killer pot pies, bacon jam hand pies, and quiches for lunchers. Gluten-free options are available, though the kitchen is not 100 percent gluten-free.

Making standout pies within Portland’s crowded gluten-free and vegan scene, owner Lisa Clark churns out flavors like marionberry hazelnut and apple crumb amid her charming cafe’s gleaming white countertops, wood beams, and exposed brick walls. Any given day, diners can pop in for slices of sour-cherry-peach or bumble berry peach pie, loaded with marionberries, raspberries, blueberries, and peaches with a layer of hazelnut and coconut, as well as seasonal slices. Those interested can also pre-order whole pies online.

Other than Lauretta Jean’s, Bipartisan Cafe is one of the most reliable spots for a mid-week slice with a range of options. Operating in Montavilla since 2005, Bipartisan serves a selection of handmade standbys like marionberry and chocolate silk in a space with classic Portland coffeeshop vibes. With slices and whole pies in vegan and gluten-free varieties, the bakery accommodates all, and will make custom pies based on customer preference. Orders are accepted by phone and in-person.

This casual, cheery Aussie-inspired café is a one-stop shop featuring both savory and sweet pies. After a hearty beef-and-mushroom pie or a curried vegetable pasty, pros know to finish with a slice of tangy whiskey-apple or a silky chocolate-peanut butter cream pie. Pacific Pie Company also offers frozen pies that you bake at home in a self-serve refrigerated case.

For those who rank, this homey spot is easily one of the city’s top three pie shops, if not Portland’s best: The crusts are always crisp and the fillings fresh. Lauretta Jean’s is a leader in both summery and holiday-vibed pies — the sweet potato marshmallow meringue screams Thanksgiving, while the coconut Key lime tastes like Fourth of July in Florida. Kate McMillen particularly shines with her cream pies, as well as the standout salted honey pie. Order pies by-the-slice or whole pies from the pie window on Division, or pre-order pies online.

Baker Julie Richardson built her reputation on fresh fruit hand pies sold at farmers markets back in 1998. Today, she makes seasonal pre-ordered whole pies (frozen or fully baked), tartlets, and hand pies at this Hillsdale bakery. Go-tos include the jammy tayberry hand-pies and the intricate pecan tart, though flavors rotate; for pre-ordered pies, customers can call in orders with 24 hours notice or order online.

This old school spot is known for its pies and desserts, with Oregon-centric flavors like marionberry and blueberry-gooseberry. For the holidays, the apple mincemeat pie and sweet potato pie are a long-standing tradition in many Portland homes, which folks can order via email or by calling.

This Tigard-area diner has been a neighborhood standby for a cup of coffee and a slice of fruit pie since the ’70s. Here, the strawberry pies are glistening domes of red, the cream pies — from peanut butter to banana — are luscious and nostalgic, and the mixed berry pie is encased in a golden, toasty crust. The real move is to start with the restaurant’s chicken pot pie, the platonic idea of comfort food.

Originally a St. Johns pie cart, Paiku now serves its sweet, savory, and occasionally game-filled pies in a roomy cafe space in the North Portland neighborhood. Its rustic fruit pies, with flavors like apple and blueberry, consistently delight, but it’s really all about this cafe’s hard-to-find varieties, like the old school Italian Easter pie with Olympia Provisions ham and salami. The shop’s nut pies, like honey almond and chocolate walnut, are no slouch, either.

This quaint neighborhood coffee shop always offers a wide selection of pies, both by the slice and whole, all visible in a glass case by the cashier. Varieties include Oregon berry, butterscotch, and lemon cream, but the true standout is the key lime pie, with beautifully piped stars of whipped cream and slices of lime. All pies can also be ordered in advance.

Lined with chic subway tile, Kim Boyce’s iconic bakery is known for its whole grain pastry, and the fruit hand pies regularly available in the bakery often feature seasonal ingredients and whole grain flour, whether spelt or wheat. Slices are less common, but you can order individual hand pies and whole pies, like the fall-vibed brown butter apple hand pie, at the shop on the weekends.

Specializing in individual-sized pies, The Pie Spot’s tiny, cutesy cafe offers a fun alternative to the slice, in flavors like s’mores, brown butter pecan, and blueberry ginger. Plus, the restaurant offers killer pot pies, bacon jam hand pies, and quiches for lunchers. Gluten-free options are available, though the kitchen is not 100 percent gluten-free.

Making standout pies within Portland’s crowded gluten-free and vegan scene, owner Lisa Clark churns out flavors like marionberry hazelnut and apple crumb amid her charming cafe’s gleaming white countertops, wood beams, and exposed brick walls. Any given day, diners can pop in for slices of sour-cherry-peach or bumble berry peach pie, loaded with marionberries, raspberries, blueberries, and peaches with a layer of hazelnut and coconut, as well as seasonal slices. Those interested can also pre-order whole pies online.

Other than Lauretta Jean’s, Bipartisan Cafe is one of the most reliable spots for a mid-week slice with a range of options. Operating in Montavilla since 2005, Bipartisan serves a selection of handmade standbys like marionberry and chocolate silk in a space with classic Portland coffeeshop vibes. With slices and whole pies in vegan and gluten-free varieties, the bakery accommodates all, and will make custom pies based on customer preference. Orders are accepted by phone and in-person.

This casual, cheery Aussie-inspired café is a one-stop shop featuring both savory and sweet pies. After a hearty beef-and-mushroom pie or a curried vegetable pasty, pros know to finish with a slice of tangy whiskey-apple or a silky chocolate-peanut butter cream pie. Pacific Pie Company also offers frozen pies that you bake at home in a self-serve refrigerated case.

For those who rank, this homey spot is easily one of the city’s top three pie shops, if not Portland’s best: The crusts are always crisp and the fillings fresh. Lauretta Jean’s is a leader in both summery and holiday-vibed pies — the sweet potato marshmallow meringue screams Thanksgiving, while the coconut Key lime tastes like Fourth of July in Florida. Kate McMillen particularly shines with her cream pies, as well as the standout salted honey pie. Order pies by-the-slice or whole pies from the pie window on Division, or pre-order pies online.

Baker Julie Richardson built her reputation on fresh fruit hand pies sold at farmers markets back in 1998. Today, she makes seasonal pre-ordered whole pies (frozen or fully baked), tartlets, and hand pies at this Hillsdale bakery. Go-tos include the jammy tayberry hand-pies and the intricate pecan tart, though flavors rotate; for pre-ordered pies, customers can call in orders with 24 hours notice or order online.

This old school spot is known for its pies and desserts, with Oregon-centric flavors like marionberry and blueberry-gooseberry. For the holidays, the apple mincemeat pie and sweet potato pie are a long-standing tradition in many Portland homes, which folks can order via email or by calling.

This Tigard-area diner has been a neighborhood standby for a cup of coffee and a slice of fruit pie since the ’70s. Here, the strawberry pies are glistening domes of red, the cream pies — from peanut butter to banana — are luscious and nostalgic, and the mixed berry pie is encased in a golden, toasty crust. The real move is to start with the restaurant’s chicken pot pie, the platonic idea of comfort food.

This summer, a six-sculpture exhibition — ”Northwest Trolls: Way of the Bird King” — will place giant Nordic troll characters in natural landscapes across the Pacific Northwest. Five of the sculptures will be constructed in locations across the Puget Sound area, but one will land near Portland.

The trolls, ranging in height from about 12 to 20 feet, are the creation of Danish artist and environmentalist Thomas Dambo. He constructs them with volunteer help using recycled materials — namely, old wood pallets. His whimsical trolls appear in forests, along streams and rivers, and in other natural areas.

Dambo has already created about 100 troll sculptures around the world. These will be the first installed in the Pacific Northwest.

Construction of the Portland area troll, the first of the series, will begin this summer in the natural wetlands surrounding the campus of the nonprofit Nordic Northwest at 8800 S.W. Oleson Road, not far from Washington Square. The Portland troll won’t be visible from the street, and visitors will need to travel down a gravel path to find it.

The other trolls will be placed in Issaquah, Ballard, West Seattle and on Bainbridge and Vashon islands, though their exact locations won’t be revealed. Instead, “troll hunters” will be encouraged to use a geotagging app to discover them in the wild, like a scavenger hunt, and explore the natural spaces they inhabit.

The troll sculptures are scheduled to be completed in September and will remain for at least three years.

In Washington, the trolls will be located on traditional Coast Salish land, and the project includes an artist exchange program with the Muckleshoot and Snoqualmie tribes. Earlier this year, artist John Halliday, a member of the Muckleshoot tribe, traveled to Denmark to consult with Dambo’s team and create a mural.

“The project celebrates the human experience of art by amplifying the network of cultural heritage between Coast Salish tribal communities and Danish and Scandinavian traditions,” Halliday said in a statement. “It reinforces the shared values of environmental stewardship for watershed protection, restoration, and preservation of riparian habitats.”

The trolls are funded by two Seattle-based nonprofits: the Scan Design Foundation, which promotes cultural exchanges between Denmark and the United States, and the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, created by the late Microsoft co-founder (and late owner of the Portland Trail Blazers.)

“For us, there’s a strong message in cultural exchange, a strong message in environmentalism, and there’s a strong connection to these local tribal communities,” said Line Larsen, program officer with the Scan Design Foundation. “Trolls have a huge place in Nordic folklore.”

The six trolls in the Pacific Northwest are part of a 10-troll storytelling series Dambo is creating across the United States, starting in New Jersey and traveling to Vermont, Michigan, Colorado and then Oregon. In Dambo’s story, “The Way of the Bird King,” trolls are protectors of natural life here to help humans reconnect with nature.

Some 200 volunteers across Oregon and Washington will help build the trolls, with Dambo’s guidance, cutting wood pieces, clearing brush and making meals for the crew. Portland volunteers are still needed to help provide lunches and building assistance for Nordic Northwest’s troll next month.

To sign up, or for more information on how you can donate to the project, email [email protected].

As of 5 a.m. Monday, more than 1,300 nurses from Providence Portland Medical Center have gone on strike. Another several hundred nurses from Providence Seaside on the Oregon Coast, and a home health and hospice unit run by the Providence Health System joined them at 7 a.m.

Some nurses were asked to leave the Portland hospital at 4:30 a.m., according to the nurses union’s Twitter account. Just after 7 a.m., about 100 nurses stood in front of the hospital holding signs and cheering in response to supportive honks from morning commuters.

Maternity nurse Erin Anderson held a Taylor Swift-inspired sign that said “Providence, now we’ve got bad blood.”

“I’m on the picket line because I think we’re very undervalued and the hospital just does not respect us enough to give us a good and fair contract for how much we’ve sacrificed in the past couple years,” Anderson said.

Another sign read, “I’d rather be nursing, but this is important.” And a third: “Do better, Providence.”

Nurses on the picket line Monday morning complained that the hospital has put profits ahead of both its patients and its staff. They told OPB they have to work with subpar equipment and that they don’t have enough sick leave and aren’t fairly paid.

Some also said they worried Providence intended to punish nurses for going on strike.

An email sent to nurses on June 8 and signed by Providence Portland’s chief nursing officer, Lori Green, states that the last offer made to nurses during bargaining was contingent on there being no work stoppage and on the contract being ratified by June 30.

“We were very clear in our communications to ONA that our economic proposals following a work stoppage will be very different and not nearly as lucrative as the package they walked away from,” reads the email, which was shared with OPB by two sources. ONA is the Oregon Nurses Association, the union representing Providence’s striking staff.

Nurses on the picket line told OPB they were worried Providence was willing to “crush” nurses to prove that strikes aren’t effective at improving working conditions and wages.

Late Monday, Providence spokesman Gary Walker confirmed that Green’s email was accurate.

Walker said three elements of Providence’s final offer were contingent on nurses not striking: retroactive pay, a ratification bonus of $2,500, and 30 additional hours of paid time off.

“The union was informed on repeated occasions that these contingent offers would no longer be available if the union chose to strike,” Walker said. “Providence Seaside Hospital and Providence Home Health and Providence Hospice also made similar offers contingent on ONA not striking.”

Jennifer Gentry, Providence’s chief nursing officer for the division that includes Oregon,said during a press conference on Monday that Providence supports its nurses’ right to strike. She said she did not know how much the five day strike is costing Providence.

Negotiations between the nurses, who are represented by the Oregon Nurses Association, and Providence, one of the state’s largest health systems, broke down in early June. When nurses declared their intention to strike earlier this month, Providence leaders canceled additional negotiating sessions and pivoted to preparing to run their services during the strike.

“We have focused, as I think is appropriate, on ensuring that we can continue to provide safe patient care while our nurses take care of that business,” Gentry said.

Providence Portland Medical Center had been able to reach its target census of about 300 patients on Monday, a 25% reduction from normal, according to Gentry. She said that after a brief transition period Monday morning when ambulances were diverted elsewhere the hospital was able to start accepting new patients in the emergency department again. Providence has hired temporary nurses to fill in while staff nurses are on strike this week.

“I hope they find what they need. I wish I could help them,” said Levi Cole, an ICU nurse picketing Monday morning. Cole, a 20-year veteran of Providence, said he feels no ill will toward the temporary nurses who have come from across the country to keep the hospital operating during the strike.

Cole joined the picket line at 5:30 a.m. dressed in a nun’s habit. He said he cast his vote to authorize a strike but never imagined it would happen.

“I didn’t think the hospital would hold its ground the way it did.” Cole said “I thought negotiations would lead us away from this. I really did.”

Cole, who worked last week, said the ICU had been emptied out in preparation for the strike. He said he felt sorry for the patients and his immediate supervisors, who were working inside the hospital on the other side of the picket line.

“This has a real effect on a lot of people in the community, and it’s not making us happy to have to do this,” he said.

Nurses at Providence Portland, Cole said, are asking to be brought up to the same level of pay, paid time off and benefits that their colleagues receive at other major medical centers in town.

In the days leading up to the strike, staff nurses – more than 90% of whom voted to strike – said they wanted respect, improved compensation and better working conditions.

More than 1,300 nurses from Providence Portland, 120 from Providence Seaside and about 400 home health and hospice nurses and other workers are on strike together. Each group has a separate work contract and distinct issues they are most focused on.

Providence reported that its latest offer to the nurses at Providence Portland Medical Center included an average wage increase of 12% in the first year of the contract, followed by 3% raises in the two following years, and an additional 10 hours of paid time off per year of the three-year contract.

The Oregon Nurses Association disputes some of these points. Members of the bargaining team say they are seeking a two-year contract instead of a three-year contract, a shift that would allow nurses at Providence Portland and Providence St. Vincent, the health systems’ two largest hospitals in the area, to bargain at the same time. They are also pushing for double pay for nurses who pick up shifts to help with short staffing, which they say would cost the hospital less than paying for travel nurses.

The union is also pushing for more paid time off than Providence has offered. That’s a personal priority for many nurses who are unhappy with a short-term disability insurance program that they now must use to access extended sick leave.

Providence says its last offer included up to eight weeks of fully paid disability leave.

New full-time nurses receive five weeks of paid time off each year, according to Walker, while full-time nurses with more experience receive more than seven weeks of paid time off per year. That PTO is though a single bank of hours for holidays, vacation and sick days.

But several parts of the last contract offer are off the table now that the nurses have chosen to strike, a Providence spokesperson said.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley was out supporting the Portland nurses on Monday morning. His wife is a hospice nurse who has joined the strike.

Merkley said that he has seen, through his wife’s experience, how nurses’ frustration has reached a boiling point, first, as a wave of retiring baby boomers led to short staffing, and then as nurses cared for the sick and dying during the pandemic, often at personal risk, and with inadequate support from Providence.

“It takes an awful lot for nurses to strike. It really shows how strongly they feel that Providence has gone off track,” Merkley said. “Rather than complaining about paying travel nurses so much, why don’t we treat the people that we have better so that they want to stay with us?”

A disagreement over productivity targets is the most significant obstacle in the contract negotiations for the Providence Home Health and Hospice nurses, according to the union. Pay inequity between nurses working at the coast compared to their metro-area counterparts and disparities between earnings for hospital nurses and clinic nurses are critical sticking points for the Seaside nurses.

The nurses association urged patients to continue to seek medical care at Providence in a statement released Sunday night.

“Going into the hospital to get the care you need is NOT crossing our strike line,” the statement reads.

The two affected hospitals will continue to accept emergency patients. The strike is expected to last five days.

If you were hoping to dazzle the neighbors with your own fireworks show this Fourth of July, you can't—at least not legally within Portland city limits. Last year, the Portland City Council formalized its ban on the sale and use of fireworks—including roman candles and sparklers—citing climate change and the wildfire risk, though parents of nervous dogs and small children may be feeling heard too. After watching one firework destroy large swaths of the Gorge, we can't say we disagree with leaving the explosives to the pros, who have plenty of permitted shows. Here are a few spots to get the glow—plus one laser light show.

The party starts days before at the Blues Festival, but fireworks at Gov. Tom McCall Waterfront Park on Independence Day launch around 10 p.m. Purchasing tickets for the Waterfront Blues Festival on the big day isn't wholly necessary, as you can still view the fireworks for free from a number of locations, including outside the festival at Waterfront Park, Eastbank Esplanade, Mount Tabor, or near the International Rose Test Garden.

The fireworks show at Portland's beloved amusement park pops off over the Willamette River, just north of the Sellwood Bridge. The park has an all-day Fourth of July Spectacular ticket package (the roller rink is unfortunately closed on Independence Day), but fireworks don't begin until approximately 10 p.m. The show is easily viewed for free outside the park gate from Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge or other spots along the river such as Sellwood Riverfront Park and Willamette Park across the river.

Catch the fireworks display after the Diamondback-affiliated minor league team faces the Vancouver Canadians at Ron Tonkin Field. Tickets begin at $8 for the 7:05 p.m. game, with fireworks to follow. If you have other plans on the Fourth, the Hops are also shooting off fireworks after their meeting with the Canadians on Friday, July 7, in honor of the birthday of the team's mascot, Barley T. Hop. Happy birthday, Barley, and may we note that it's somehow fitting that you share a birthday with Beck, Raffi, Kevin Bacon, and multiple Rockefellers.

Head to Foothills Park on the Willamette River in Lake Oswego for a free event with live music from funk ensemble Satin Love Orchestra followed by a laser light display (the city moved away from using real fireworks in 2019, though the Lake Oswego Corporation still does a firework show from a floating barge in the middle of the semi-private Oswego Lake), plus food vendors and activities for all ages of kids. The event runs from 8 to 10:30 p.m. Check the website for parking information.

Tuesday night's fireworks display over the Columbia River—which the Astoria-Warrenton Chamber of Commerce promises will be "positioned to provide the widest viewing angle possible so that people can watch from their homes on the hillside and spread out across the waterfront"—is scheduled to start around 10 p.m. and will cap a weekend of festivities split between the two towns, including a parade, 5k run, car show, and more. There will also be fireworks Saturday, July 1, in Ilwaco, Washington. Revelers are encouraged to come back to the waterfront on Wednesday, July 5, to help with cleanup.

Seaside's huge annual fireworks display over the ocean is slated to begin around 10 p.m., with a parade earlier in the day at 10 a.m. Organizers note there are no tents allowed on the beach at Seaside, and that if you're lucky/unlucky enough to find parking on the oceanside of the Necanicum River, it might take you over an hour to get back to 101 in the post-show traffic.

Catch a parade in the morning, watch dachshund races in the afternoon, eat a Pronto Pup or three, buy sparklers for the city fundraiser, and watch Rockaway Beach's gigantic sky show around 10 p.m.

Home to many a kite festival, Lincoln City is used to having its skies awash in color. The 10 p.m.-ish show over Siletz Bay follows a boat parade around Devils Lake at 4 p.m. A shuttle from the Taft High School parking lot operating 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. allows for easier mobility as the roadways (especially US 101) around Siletz Bay typically clog up with traffic before and after the show. Pelican Brewing is hosting a watch party on the deck of its newest location right on Siletz Bay, with admission beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Claim your spot at Hood River Waterfront Park, or find one in town with a view of this 10 p.m. show in the Columbia River Gorge. The hour-long parade beginning at 10 a.m. will shut down 12th Street between its starting point at Pacific Avenue and where it ends at Jackson Park on May Avenue.