Nothing quite like travel on the mind as the sun starts setting earlier and the air gets a little more brisk. I wrote five pieces for The Oregonian’s Fall/Winter Travel Guide, which had me dreaming of my next getaway. I hope it gets you thinking about options for yours, including embracing Leave No Trace, which was the focus of my favorite piece in this series.

Since its inception, the event has raised more than $8.2 million, with the ambitious goal of raising another $15 million over the coming years. Funds raised will go toward creating the new Olsrud Family Women’ and Children’s Hospital to help babies, kids, and families across the region.

“Amazing food, amazing wine, amazing people,” says Valot, “Everyone gets to try our wines and the whole time we are raising money for kids. It’s a win-win.”

In this second pandemic holiday season, many Portlanders remain steadfast in their commitment to shop locally. This year, to celebrate the resilience of Portland’s small business community and to showcase many of the city’s independently owned retailers, Shopify’s Power PDX Giveaway provided locals one more reason to avoid the big box stores.

On the Roots and Crowns Instagram page, Turk posts large florals, big colors, and wild, witchy ideas to over 38,000 followers. What began as a “little herbalism course” when Turk first came to Portland has turned into a cross-country celebration of the bounties of the Pacific Northwest, wrapped up in Roots and Crown’s artful packaging and compelling products: skin care, natural perfumes, and other self-care goods. Even the company’s name, which Turk described as “an ode to the trees,” as well as an homage to her Jewish heritage, hints at something small in size becoming majestic.”

In an industry hard-hit by the coronavirus pandemic, GSM has remained nimble, often managing modified timelines or disrupted supply chains. Part of that flexibility also included finding new ways to support employees and partners.

The design for The Annex uses trauma-informed principals that inspire safe and healing social areas while maintaining privacy and security. Every unit opens to outdoor stairs and corridors; there are no dark or enclosed spaces. Selected materials such as natural wood promote positive health, intentionally avoiding a cold or sterile ambiance.

Ashland-based Southern Oregon University ramped up its academic and career development offerings with the addition of an array of “micro-credentials,” as well as a new certificate program in cybersecurity. Both opportunities are available to existing SOU students and to mid-career learners who aim to expand their knowledge and skills within a specific field.

At the heart of the 319-unit campus is the wellness center, complete with a year-round, indoor-outdoor pool. For residents with motility concerns, a chair lift ensures safe entering and exiting of the pool and jacuzzi spa. Aquatic therapy, as well as physical, occupational, and speech therapies, are available on-site. The wellness center is also home to the Forum’s gym and community event space.

Providence Bridge Pedal and Stride will open Portland’s bridges exclusively to cyclists and pedestrians for a morning of car-free roads and freeways on August 8, marking the 25th year of the popular event. Cyclists and walkers of all stripes aiming to take part in the famous Portland tradition have their choice of routes, each varying in length and crossing a different selection of city bridges.

Those on a quest for a fat-zapping, muscle-building machine may have found their answer in Emsculpt NEO, the latest device to hit the body-sculpting market.

He could communicate only with his eyes and he used them, fiercely, to tell nurse Nikky Oldham to back off. She got the message. Even behind gloves, gown, mask, and face shield, she could tell he was afraid.

“He couldn’t move, breathe, talk,” said Oldham, “He was trapped inside his body and couldn’t communicate with his hands, but any time you came toward his face meant pain. It was hard to reassure him; I don’t think he trusted anybody.”

“In the Pacific Northwest, we are basically at ground zero for asbestos disease in general, and mesothelioma in particular,” said Matthew Bergman, founding partner at Bergman Draper Oslund Udo, “Because we had so many of our citizens work in ship buildings, ship repair, and other trades that have huge amounts of asbestos, we have a veritable epidemic in the region.”

Residents of the West Linn-Wilsonville School District, supported by leaders of many faiths, have asked the school board to reconsider its decision to hold the first day of school next fall on Rosh Hashanah, one of the holiest days of the year for Jews.

“Storm watching is also a coastal year-round activity that peaks in wintertime, and the southern Oregon coast does not disappoint. At Shore Acres State Park, storm watchers can safely observe the powerful ocean waves crashing ashore from a covered hut sitting atop an 80-foot cliff.”

“In anticipation of what is often a critical revenue window for many businesses, Visit Vancouver USA has launched their ‘Shop the Couve’ effort for the season, urging residents and visitors to enjoy the best of Southwest Washington by supporting the unique stores and services the region has to offer.

“In a year of upheaval, administrators and educators have adapted in unexpected ways to the global pandemic. Somewhere in the mayhem lies the critical question of substitutes: what happens when a teacher, administrator, or other school employee calls in sick or needs to take a leave of absence?“

“The aches and pains of 2020 have come in both physical and emotional forms, and the team at The Herb Shoppe has seen an uptick in customers seeking relief from both. Through herbal offerings of teas, tinctures, salves, and more, The Herb Shoppe serves up ‘traditional medicine for a modern time’ from its location on N. Mississippi Avenue, seven days per week.”

“For the 2020 edition of Dine the Couve, an event hosted every October by Visit Vancouver USA, 36 restaurants across Clark County will be offering up three-item menu specials for $25… The promotion has also moved to a full- day event, so diners can find breakfast and lunch options in addition to dinner deals…”

“Headquartered in Vancouver, Washington, Adair Homes began in 1969 and now employs 150 people across Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Arizona. The company works diligently to keep staff unified across the distance, with regular events, an online leadership book club, and even a competitive potluck between branches.”

The bustling Surgery Center of Southern Oregon offers an alternative to in-hospital medical procedures, and numbers suggest that many patients find the convenience of an outpatient option appealing. With an estimated 15,000 patient visits per year, and approximately 300 procedures per week, the team at the Surgery Center run an efficient operation with no signs of slowing down.

The [Mental Health and Addiction Association of Oregon] uses a peer-based model that serves people experiencing mental health and/or addiction challenges. The association’s 32 trained and certified peer support specialists, who identify as having lived the experience of mental health or addiction, walk alongside those seeking assistance on their path to recovery.

“As COVID-19 swept across the country, killing patients and medical staff alike, it posed a painful question for senior nurses no longer serving in emergency rooms or intensive care units: Did they want to go back? How much should they risk their own health, or the health of their loved ones, to save perfect strangers?…”

One of the places Oregon caregivers turn to is Thelma’s Place, an intergenerational day center with locations in Canby and Redmond. The center provides daytime respite for those caring for a loved one at home, incorporating a creative, therapeutic approach to care…

Children are dancing their hearts out to the tune of “Baby Shark” in school gymnasiums throughout Oregon and southwest Washington. If you haven’t yet experienced the “Baby Shark” phenomenon…