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Good morning, Northwest.

Four survivors, two from the Almeda fire and two from the Beachie Creek fire, share their stories five years after the 2020 Labor Day wildfires.

In other news, St. Agatha Catholic School rescinded the enrollment of a student with same-sex parents. Several parents have withdrawn their children from school due to the decision, and at least one teacher has also resigned.

Also, Oregon state Rep. Cyrus Javadi announced he’s switching political parties.

Here’s your First Look at Saturday’s news.

— Francisca Benitez

Checking in with survivors of the 2020 Labor Day fires

Five years after the Labor Day fires, some survivors have rebuilt, others have moved on.

They all live with the trauma of seeing their neighborhoods burned to ashes.

Those who stayed fear it could happen again.

OPB spoke with four people from across Oregon about their experiences that weekend and in the five years since. (Francisca Benitez and Sheraz Sadiq)

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Things to know this morning

• Since St. Agatha Catholic School in Southeast Portland rescinded the enrollment of a student with same-sex parents last month, several parents have pulled their children out of the school, and at least one teacher has also resigned as a result. (Joni Auden Land) 

• Oregon State Rep. Cyrus Javadi’s voting record in recent months had raised some eyebrows as the Tillamook Republican sided with Democrats on the controversial transportation bill and other legislation. Yesterday, he announced he’s switching parties. Javadi said he realized he hadn’t changed, but his party had. (Dirk VanderHart) 

• Oregon Reps. Tom Andersen and Cyrus Javadi announced this week they aim to amend the state’s constitution to forbid law enforcement from wearing masks in most cases. (Troy Brynelson) 

• Oregon senators have returned home following a surprise delay in the ongoing special session. But for taxpayers, the meter is still running. State law dictates that members of the House and Senate must be paid a $178 per diem when in session — a daily rate they receive even if legislators are not doing any legislating. (Dirk VanderHart) 

• A memorial to commemorate the life of Barry Washington Jr. will soon be installed in downtown Bend. It’s going to be placed on the sidewalk where he was shot and killed on Sept. 19, 2021. (Kathryn Styer Martínez)

Headlines from around the Northwest

• ‘Like living in hell’: Trump hints Portland could be next city to see National Guard on streets (Courtney Sherwood) 

• Former Oregon Youth Authority employee faces criminal charges for grooming, assaulting child in custody (Lauren Dake) 

• Another hydrogen developer exits regional clean energy project near Boardman (Tom Banse) 

• Grants Pass restarts homeless grant process after first round ‘a fiasco’ (Jane Vaughan) 

• Trump administration investigates Medicaid spending on immigrants in states including Oregon and Washington (Angela Hart and Devi Shastri)

OPB got a glimpse of the new Rothko Pavilion

The Rothko Pavilion is part of the Portland Art Museum’s $111 million renovation that debuts in November.

The renovation adds 100,000 square feet of new museum space, including new terraces and galleries, and floor-to-ceiling windows looking out to the city.

Museum director Brian Ferriso talked about what this expansion brings to the Museum.

The new pavilion will feature major works by Mark Rothko, a first for the museum. (Eric Slade)

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News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2025/09/06/opb-first-look-labor-day-fires/