BIZARRE: 2 - What They Never Told You

The Only State That Still Won’t Let You Pump Your Own Gas, For Some Reason

Here's why the unusual rule is still on the books in New Jersey, the last state where drivers can't pump their own gas.

Motor1 · Sep 20

18,626 acres of Oregon national forest could return to Grand Ronde Tribe; land to remain open to public

More than 18,000 acres of federal forest land in Oregon could be transferred into trust for the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde under new legislation introduced in the US Congress, in a move the tribe says would help rebuild part of its land base after decades of federal termination.

The Times of India · Sep 20

Historic 37-sq mile Oregon ranch sold for $27.55M for conservation, not homes

The historic Steiwer Ranch, located outside Fossil, Oregon, on Butte Creek, sold in April 2025 for $27.55 million to a Delaware-registered company that had set up operations in Oregon only weeks before the deal closed. Rather than pursuing conventional ranching or development, the buyer's stated business purpose is building mitigation…

The Times of India · Sep 20

Accused Oregon serial killer indicted in connection with death of sixth woman

Grand jury indicts Jesse Calhoun on a charge of first-degree manslaughter in the death of Elizabeth Gibson

The Guardian - US · Sep 17

Anna’s hummingbirds were absent from Portland before 1968, but later became common birds

Anna's hummingbirds have expanded their range across the Pacific Northwest region. These small birds established populations in Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. Numbers remained low for decades before rising rapidly from the late 1990s. Introduced plants and ornamental gardens aided this significant population growth. Climate change may have also supported…

The Times of India · Sep 17

Nike co-founder Phil Knight and wife Penny, worth $25 billion, have donated over $9 billion in two decades. Now they’re giving $1.1 billion for Oregon’s first women’s hospital

Phil Knight, the co-founder of Nike, alongside his wife Penny, has made an extraordinary donation of $1.1 billion to launch Oregon's inaugural hospital focused on women's health. This generous contribution will not only facilitate groundbreaking cardiovascular care but will also advance vital medical research initiatives. The Knights' ongoing dedication to…

The Economic Times · Sep 16

In the 1990s, a highway project in Oregon triggered a landslide. Engineers removed soil and buried 580,000 old tires to fix it

Oregon's engineering team has pioneered a remarkable solution by integrating nearly 580,000 shredded tires into highway repairs. This clever tactic not only alleviated a serious landslide predicament but also significantly lightened the embankment structure. The use of tire fill as a substitute for standard soil resulted in a budget-friendly, robust…

The Economic Times · Sep 16

$1.1 billion from Nike co-founder will build Oregon’s first women’s hospital

Phil and Penny Knight have committed $1.1 billion to build Oregon's first hospital dedicated to women's health at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center

The Independent UK · Sep 15

In 2015, Portland put four turbines inside a 42-inch drinking-water pipe; they generated about 900 MWh a year while the city kept delivering water normally

In Portland, Oregon, a groundbreaking initiative has been implemented where turbines are installed within drinking water pipes to harness electricity. By capturing energy typically lost through pressure-reducing valves, this innovative system, in operation since January 2015, successfully powers around one hundred homes each year. This project showcases how urban water…

The Economic Times · Sep 15

Portugal decriminalized drugs 25 years ago, but the real lesson is what it built around this policy

Nearly 70,000 Americans died of a drug overdose in 2025. While that is a decline from the nearly 108,000 deaths recorded in 2022, these grim figures distinguish the U.S. from other high-income countries. At the peak of the opioid crisis, the U.S. overdose death rate was 68% higher than Canada’s…

The Conversation · Sep 14