ben-mcbee-headshot-2024.png

Ben McBee

Senior City Editor

Ben grew up in the Rogue Valley, attended the University of Oregon’s School of Journalism, and has written for publications like 1859 Magazine and Portland Monthly. He enjoys hiking the PNW, football and futbol, wildlife photography, any manner of libation exploration, and of course writing for PDXtoday.

Support Good Local News
Tattoo artist Jaime Farmer poses with his two dogs in the forest.
Culture
Artist spotlight: Black Marrow Tattoo
Raised in a children’s bookstore, Hawaii native Jaime Farmer inks his unique, storybook-style on clients from his studio in Southeast Portland.
May 21, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
A sheet with American traditional tattoo designs
Culture
Portland tattoo shops offering flash tats for Friday the 13th
Clients can choose from a set menu of designs at a lower price
May 21, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
People sit on the lawn in left field at a Portland Pickles game. The sun is diffused into rays through trees in the background.
Culture
Ways to meet new people in Portland
This could be the beginning of a great friendship.
May 17, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
Red confetti falls in front of a crowd of Formula E fans cheering on the race. Almost every single person is holding their phones up in the air to try to take a video.
Events
Formula E whirs into town for second lap at Portland E-Prix
The all-electric racing event brings on-track excitement and off-track entertainment to its charged-up fanbase June 29-30.
May 15, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
SOLVE volunteers in bright vests use trash grabbers to pick up litter along the picturesque Willamette River.
City
Waterway Cleanup Series highlights cleanliness of our rivers, streams, and creeks
SOLVE and Clackamas Water Environment Services team up to support litter cleanup projects across the region from May to September.
May 15, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
A woman wearing a grey alien mask pets a dog
Events
The 24th annual McMenamins UFO Festival
Extraterrestrials of all kinds will land their spacecraft in McMinnville in honor of the historic 1950 Trent UFO sighting with a parade, speakers, and more.
May 15, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
A portrait of Bill Naito in 1990 shows a kind looking, elderly man wearing large glasses and a watch. He poses leaning his chin, covered in a low beard, on top of his stacked fists.
City
Seeking out the legacy of Bill Naito
Understanding the civic leader and entrepreneur’s contributions to Portland is key to truly knowing the city of today.
May 9, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
A historic photo shows flipped cars and devastation caused by a flood
History
Vanport Mosaic Festival keeps important history alive in Portland
The 9th Vanport Mosaic Festival will take place Saturday, May 18-Saturday, June 1, 2024.
May 9, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
A Winterhawks hockey player in a white jersey and helmet holds the Western Conference Championship trophy with a man in a grey suit and blue tie on the ice.
Sports
Portland Winterhawks win Western Conference title, advance to WHL championship
The junior ice hockey team only lost twice on the way to the final series and will now set their sights on winning the Ed Chynoweth Cup for the first time since 2013.
May 7, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
Under a large white canopy tent, attendees of Wine + Dine make their way along a long line of booths. In the foreground, someone holds a bottle of red wine conversing with two guests.
City
Help kids going through cancer find fun again at Wine & Dine
Nonprofit UKANDU’s fundraiser features 24 local restaurants and wineries and supports the organization’s camps and other programs.
May 7, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
An old time photo of a hockey team
Sports
Why Portland is on the Stanley Cup
The Rosebuds were engraved on hockey’s biggest prize.
May 7, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
The Portland Trail Blazers macot, Blaze the Trail Cat, poses beside a large official Multnomah County ballot box outside of the Moda Center.
City
Official ballot drop sites around Portland
Make sure your vote is tallied.
May 3, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
Claude Monet's "Water Lilies," one of approximately 250 paintings created by the artist, now owned by Portland Art Museum. White blossoms occupy the upper half of the work, sprouting from round lily pads. On the bottom half, three pink flowers are framed by water grass.
City
Portland Art Museum receives grant to restore Claude Monet’s ‘Water Lilies’
The oil-on-canvas masterpiece is one of the French painter’s most universally recognized works.
May 1, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
Screen Shot 2019-07-22 at 2.33.19 PM
Culture
Give these Lakeland live music venues a listen
We’ve made a concerted effort to orchestrate this roadmap, so you can focus on finding the artists you adore.
April 30, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
A booth at a Portland Sunday Parkways event has bike helmets hanging with a sign that reads "$8 each".
City
Use your head and wear a helmet during Bicycle Safety Month
Biking has a number of benefits — improving health and reducing pollution and wear and tear on our streets, to name a few — but it’s vital that public safety is not neglected.
April 29, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
Spectators at the PDX Adult Soapbox Derby watch with big smiles on their faces as a racer zooms by on a trike with a mounted alligator head on the front.
Play
Summer events coming in hot to Portland
Make the most of the warm weather with this list of the best local events and activities happening this summer.
April 29, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
PDXtoday_DuskSunset_PeachFuzz.png
Culture
Reimagining ‘Fallout’ set in Portland
We think Amazon Studios missed a golden opportunity to really lean into our city’s post-apocalyptic reputation (which we all know is untrue).
April 25, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
The Lullaby Project
City
The Lullaby Project creates original songs for children who are experiencing homelessness
Local singer-songwriters work closely with the families to weave personal stories into the lyrics and unlock the healing power of music.
April 24, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
A demonstration table with small paper houses and flammable debris demonstrates how wildfires can threaten homes.
City
Learn how to protect your home during Wildfire Preparedness Weekend
The Oregon State Fire Marshal and Portland Fire and Rescue will host the educational event at the World Forestry Center on Saturday, April 27-Sunday, April 28.
April 23, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
Three miniature human figurines observe tiny pieces of art at the Portland Free Little Art Gallery.
Culture
Portland social media personalities we love to follow
Looking for funny, informative, and awe-inspiring content for your feed? Start with these folks in the City of Roses.
April 19, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
Trees frame a view of Mutare, Zimbabwe, which sits at the bottom of a verdant valley with high mountain peaks rising behind it on the horizon.
Travel and Outdoors
Portland’s sister city: Mutare, Zimbabwe
This historic trade hub serves as a gateway to the Eastern Highlands’ national parks, fascinating visitors with rugged mountains and museums.
April 10, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
Hillsboro, Oregon's Goodwill express donation center at Bronson Creek. The small yellow building has a blue roof and a drive-thru area where people can hand over donations.
City
Where to donate clothes in Portland
Whether your closet needs a spring cleaning or you’re simply running out of room, these organizations can use your unwanted garb for good.
April 9, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
A site rendering shows plans to imrpove Berrydale Park in Portland's Montavilla neighborhood. The baseball fields will remain in the bottom left corner, with a new skate park and playgrounds taking up the right side where trees are.
City
Improvements are inbound for Berrydale Park
With additional funding, the project can move forward with construction slated to start later in 2024.
April 9, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
Portland mixed media artist Hannah Rivera poses at a market with her pieces. Each incorporates ornate antique bubble glass frames with colorful dried flowers and pinned butterflies and moths.
Arts
Artist spotlight: Rivera’s Rarities
Local mixed-media artist Hannah Rivera uses sustainably-sourced insects, dried flowers, thrifted picture frames and fabric, plus her own sketches and paintings to create one-of-a-kind vintage pieces.
April 5, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
The Boom Bike is a bike with a built in platform, where two people can sit and perform music while another pedals.
Events
Portland Sunday Parkways brings the music with Boom Bike PDX
The mobile soundstage will bring live music performances to the summertime events.
April 5, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
INDYtoday: INDY_Mia drone city footage gif_APR24
Travel and Outdoors
A buzzworthy guide to piloting a drone in Indy
What’s that sound? It’s your drone capturing awesome pictures and videos of the Circle City — after you learn the rules and guidelines.
April 5, 2024
 · 
Shea Stapley
A small rodent with short round ears sits among rocky terrain holding a daisy in its mouth as the sun lights it from behind.
Travel and Outdoors
Oregon Zoo’s pika watch is back on
Volunteers interested in mapping American pika populations in the Columbia River Gorge are invited to free training sessions May 9-11.
April 4, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
Two white trillium and one pink blooms show against a brown leafy floor at Tryon Creek State Park.
Travel and Outdoors
Hike of the Month: Tryon Creek State Natural Area
The 658-acre park offers opportunities to see diverse flora and fauna and hosts the Trillium Festival every April.
April 3, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
Renderings show the future Portland Art Museum from the South Park Blocks entrance, with a bright glass pavilion spanning the two brick buildings.
Development
Portland Art Museum sets date for unveiling of its $111M campus renovation
The project that broke ground in early 2023 will make the museum more accessible for visitors and improve the gallery experience.
April 3, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
A partial solar eclipse happening behind cloud cover.
Travel and Outdoors
How much will Portland see of the 2024 solar eclipse?
The Rose City is certainly outside the path of totality, but there could still be some celestial excitement in the PNW.
April 1, 2024
 · 
Ben McBee
Load More