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Good morning, Northwest.

Today is International Workers’ Day, perhaps better known by the name May Day. It has a long history in Oregon and Washington.

As demonstrations take place across the region, OPB’s Joni Auden Land reports on the origins of May Day and why its popularity persists in the Pacific Northwest.

In other news, Portland, Eugene and other cities are preparing for a heat wave this weekend.

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

— Bradley W. Parks

May Day protests have long history in the Pacific Northwest

May Day memorializes the events of the Haymarket Affair of 1886, when a bombing and riot during a labor protest in Chicago killed seven police officers. Seven labor organizers were sentenced to death for conspiracy in connection with the deaths.

Many in the labor movement came to believe that these men were convicted because they were immigrants, not because they committed a crime.

As a result, workers began to celebrate International Workers’ Day every May 1 in their honor.

This year, organizers have planned demonstrations in Portland, Seattle, Salem, Vancouver and other cities across the Paciifc Northwest. (Joni Auden Land)

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3 things to know

• Oregon is preparing for much hotter temperatures than usual this weekend, at a time when at least three cities in the state are among some of the fastest-warming in the U.S., according to a recent analysis. (Monica Samayoa)
• Former Trail Blazer Chris Dudley wants another shot at being Oregon governor. It’s not looking like a slam dunk. (Lauren Dake)
• Portland Mayor Keith Wilson last week proposed a slew of cuts to address a $172 million budget shortfall. Here’s what those cuts would mean for the city, in Wilson’s own words. (Riley Martinez)

A deep dive on Oregon’s GOP gubernatorial race

In a matter of weeks, we’ll know who will face Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek in the November election after one of the more competitive Republican primaries in recent years. The latest episode of “OPB Politics Now” dives into each of the top candidates. (Dirk VanderHart, Lauren Dake and Andrew Theen)

Listen Now

Northwest headlines

• 1 killed, 1 injured in chairlift malfunction at Mt. Hood Skibowl (OPB staff)
• What to know about the Metro Council races (Alex Zielinski)
• Prineville data center with connection to Meta will lay off 66 (Zac Ziegler, KLCC)
• Drought declarations expand as Oregon deals with the aftermath of historically warm winter (Zac Ziegler, KLCC)
• Portland Chamber of Commerce behind survey targeting challengers to Democratic incumbents (Alex Baumhardt, Oregon Capital Chronicle)
• Judge blocks Washington’s new sheriff standards law (Jake Goldstein-Street, Washington State Standard)

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):

• Oregon Contemporary Artists’ Biennial explores ‘The Price of the Ticket’ in 2026 art survey
• Portland parent group advocates for phone-free childhoods

Superabundant recipe: Rhubarb crumble coffee cake

This week, a tender and fragrant sour cream-cardamom coffee cake gets a springtime revamp with rhubarb and sliced almonds (you can leave the nuts out if you need to).

Bake this coffee cake, brew a pot of your favorite black, tannic beverage, and have a friend or neighbor over for the latest gossip. (Heather Arndt Anderson)

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News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2026/05/01/may-day-history-first-look/