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September 11, 2026

Why the County Chair Race Needs Your Attention. Plus, I-5 Carmageddon Starts Tonight, and Electricians Are Leaving Oregon

City Cast Portland

Why the County Chair Race Needs Your Attention. Plus, I-5 Carmageddon Starts Tonight, and Electricians Are Leaving Oregon

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With a two-mile stretch of southbound I-5 shutting down tonight, a county chair race that could reshape Portland's entire social safety net, and union electricians quietly packing up for Idaho, a lot is happening in the city right now that deserves your attention. Host Claudia Meza digs into all of it with Oregonian City Hall reporter Shane Dixon Kavanaugh and Willamette Week reporter Garrett Andrews.

Discussed in today's episode:

Authorities try to avoid ‘carmageddon’ during 5-week closure of I-5 southbound [OPB]

Endorsement battle takes shape in race for Multnomah County chair [Oregonian]

Portland’s Union Electricians Are Moving to Idaho at an Alarming Rate [Willamette Week]

Get There Oregon [ODOT]

I-5 Rose Quarter Improvement Project Website [ODOT]

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Learn more about the sponsors of this September 11th episode:

Portland Bureau of Transportation

Grand Central Bakery

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