Erik Neumann
@erikneumann.bsky.social
OPB Southwest Washington Bureau Chief. Signal: ENeumann.12
Tonight the Clark County council will discuss whether to extend protections on manufactured home parks from redevelopment
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.
www.opb.org
February 17, 2026 at 5:01 PM
Tonight the Clark County council will discuss whether to extend protections on manufactured home parks from redevelopment
Reposted by Erik Neumann
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.
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.
www.opb.org
February 17, 2026 at 3:30 PM
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.
Reposted by Erik Neumann
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...
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.
www.nationalparkstraveler.org
February 13, 2026 at 3:55 AM
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...
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.”
“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.”
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.
www.columbian.com
February 11, 2026 at 5:01 PM
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.”
“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.”
Reposted by Erik Neumann
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
After 19 months of bargaining, we have not reached an agreement with OPB that includes livable wages and sufficient yearly guaranteed increases for the people who create the content you love.
Make your voice heard during OPB's membership Drive today, February 5 - February 14.
Here's how ⬇️
Make your voice heard during OPB's membership Drive today, February 5 - February 14.
Here's how ⬇️
February 10, 2026 at 4:14 PM
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
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...
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...
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.
www.opb.org
February 8, 2026 at 8:27 PM
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...
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
We are 100% subscriber supported, so please consider joining us.
Journalism should be sustainable for the people doing the reporting and editing. That's why we want a direct relationship with you, our readers. Please consider signing up so we can keep reporting on what matters to our region.
Journalism should be sustainable for the people doing the reporting and editing. That's why we want a direct relationship with you, our readers. Please consider signing up so we can keep reporting on what matters to our region.
The Western Edge | Substack
Journalism that cuts through. Click to read The Western Edge, a Substack publication. Launched 6 days ago.
westernedgemedia.substack.com
February 7, 2026 at 6:12 PM
Here's a project to watch from Leah Sottile and Ryan Haas
A story that's about more than the Clark County dog handler whose pup won the Westminster Dog Show this week
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.
www.opb.org
February 5, 2026 at 11:32 PM
A story that's about more than the Clark County dog handler whose pup won the Westminster Dog Show this week
Reposted by Erik Neumann
Two big questions at Abiqua Falls:
1. Who’s actually going to buy it?
2. Will they continue to grant public access?
1. Who’s actually going to buy it?
2. Will they continue to grant public access?
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.
www.oregonlive.com
February 5, 2026 at 4:29 PM
Two big questions at Abiqua Falls:
1. Who’s actually going to buy it?
2. Will they continue to grant public access?
1. Who’s actually going to buy it?
2. Will they continue to grant public access?
a rare bright spot in local washington state journalism
‘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...
www.reportforamerica.org
February 5, 2026 at 1:13 AM
a rare bright spot in local washington state journalism
Reposted by Erik Neumann
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 🤡
INBOX: Washington Post Ukraine Correspondent Lizzie Johnson announces that she has been laid off in the middle of a below-freezing war zone without power, heat, or running water.
February 5, 2026 at 12:15 AM
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 🤡
Light rail for the Interstate Bridge got a $100 million boost in the spending package Congress passed today
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.
www.opb.org
February 3, 2026 at 10:14 PM
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.”
“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.”
The Fort Vancouver Regional Libraries board removed references to equity from the district’s strategic plan at a contentious meeting Monday night.
Vancouver library board removes ‘equitable access’ from strategic plan
One library board trustee resigned in protest at the end of Monday night’s meeting.
www.opb.org
January 27, 2026 at 11:48 PM
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.”
“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.”
Reposted by Erik Neumann
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...
January 25, 2026 at 4:03 PM
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...
Reposted by Erik Neumann
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...
www.opb.org/article/2026...
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.
www.opb.org
January 23, 2026 at 7:57 PM
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...
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!
Go vote people!
Several school districts across Southwest Washington are asking voters to approve funding measures in an upcoming Feb. 10 special election.
School districts across Southwest Washington will seek education funding during February special election
In Longview, a proposed levy would raise money for school safety and security. A levy in Washougal would fund teachers, nurses and counselors. Another, in White Salmon, is looking for money for middle and high school athletics and alternative education programs.
www.opb.org
January 23, 2026 at 3:56 PM
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!
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!
Newsrooms – Report for America
Morgantown, West Virginia
www.reportforamerica.org
January 21, 2026 at 4:23 PM
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!
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”
“It’s rare enough that I personally have never observed that, and I’ve spent a lot of time in courthouses”
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.
www.opb.org
January 16, 2026 at 1:28 AM
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”
“It’s rare enough that I personally have never observed that, and I’ve spent a lot of time in courthouses”
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 -->
The $140 million in mitigation payments is the money-saving option. New details -->
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...
www.opb.org
January 15, 2026 at 11:11 PM
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 -->
The $140 million in mitigation payments is the money-saving option. New details -->
It's day one of Washington state's legislative session. I talked to three SW WA lawmakers about their bills, which include new rules about federal immigration agents, nuclear energy studies, and tax cuts
3 topics Southwest Washington lawmakers are following in Olympia this year
The 60-day session begins Jan. 12.
www.opb.org
January 12, 2026 at 4:34 PM
It's day one of Washington state's legislative session. I talked to three SW WA lawmakers about their bills, which include new rules about federal immigration agents, nuclear energy studies, and tax cuts
"Beyond the immediate medical crisis, the family fears deportation could be a death sentence for Nikita Svinchukov
... Svinchukov has strong ties to the Anti-Corruption Foundation, a Russian organization established by late opposition leader Alexei Navalny."
... Svinchukov has strong ties to the Anti-Corruption Foundation, a Russian organization established by late opposition leader Alexei Navalny."
Two Vancouver residents who came to the United States from Russia about two years ago seeking legal asylum were detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents last week.
‘What did they do to the Constitution?’ Vancouver residents from Russia detained by ICE
Two Vancouver residents who came to the United States from Russia about two years ago seeking legal asylum were detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents last week.
www.columbian.com
January 3, 2026 at 12:17 AM
"Beyond the immediate medical crisis, the family fears deportation could be a death sentence for Nikita Svinchukov
... Svinchukov has strong ties to the Anti-Corruption Foundation, a Russian organization established by late opposition leader Alexei Navalny."
... Svinchukov has strong ties to the Anti-Corruption Foundation, a Russian organization established by late opposition leader Alexei Navalny."
are you a reporter with a story about psychedelics? deadline for this one is coming up
The Ferriss – UC Berkeley Psychedelic Journalism Fellowship – UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism
fellowships.journalism.berkeley.edu
December 31, 2025 at 5:35 PM
are you a reporter with a story about psychedelics? deadline for this one is coming up
Reposted by Erik Neumann
At a time when can be hard to believe what we see online, OPB visual journalists look back at pictures that define the past year – and that are rooted in accuracy and truth.
OPB’s most memorable images from 2025
In 2025, OPB’s visual journalists shared the moments that inspired, delighted and defined life in Oregon and Southwest Washington over the past year in thousands of photos and videos.
www.opb.org
December 30, 2025 at 11:30 PM
At a time when can be hard to believe what we see online, OPB visual journalists look back at pictures that define the past year – and that are rooted in accuracy and truth.
A Vancouver man arrested by ICE was transferred from Tacoma to El Paso, Texas and now Brazil, Indiana, each time making it harder for his family to find him a lawyer
Under Trump, Northwest immigration detainees are traveling further from families, legal help
The Trump administration has sent five times more people at least 1,000 miles compared to the last year of former president Joe Biden’s term.
www.opb.org
December 22, 2025 at 4:23 PM
A Vancouver man arrested by ICE was transferred from Tacoma to El Paso, Texas and now Brazil, Indiana, each time making it harder for his family to find him a lawyer
The price tag for the Interstate Bridge Replacement between Oregon and Washington is expected to jump on Monday. Here's why:
What to know about the Interstate Bridge Replacement’s rising price tag
Northwesterners will receive an update Monday on costs to replace the Interstate Bridge between Oregon and Washington. That new price tag could add billions.
www.opb.org
December 11, 2025 at 4:03 PM
The price tag for the Interstate Bridge Replacement between Oregon and Washington is expected to jump on Monday. Here's why: