🌱 Man Sentenced For Robbery Spree + Portland Ranked Second Best Pizza

Hello again, everybody! It's Saturday in Portland and I'm back in your inbox with everything that's fit to print about what's happening in town.

But first, today's weather:

Cloudy with showers around. High: 49 Low: 38.

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Here are the top three stories today in Portland:

1. A man has been sentenced to prison after a series of robberies in Vancouver and Portland. JJ Ben, 28, was found guilty for the string of robberies, which stemmed back to 2021. Ben was arrested after crossing the state line into Portland to commit another robbery. The victim had a location tracker on her stolen items, and police were able to track him down. (Fox 12 Oregon)
2. If you know pizza, you know Portland has some of the best — and now the world is in on the secret. Travel site Big 7 Travel put together a list of the 50 best pizza places in the world, and a beloved Portland locale came in at No. 2. Ken's Artisan Pizza in southeast Portland was praised for it exquisite pies. (OregonLive)
3. The Portland Spirit's New Year's Eve Party Cruise is ready to set sale. Tonight you can cruise down the river while dancing to live music and enjoying two full-service bars! Enjoy an assortment of small plates and finger foods, and of course a champagne toast at midnight — all while overlooking Portland's skyline along the Willamette River. (KOIN.com)

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Today in Portland:

• Brandi Carlile's New Year's Eve Party at Moda Center (9:00 PM)
• Vision NYE 2022 at The North Warehouse (9:00 PM)
• Bollywood New Year’s Ever Party With DJ Prashant & Guests at Hawthorne Theatre (9:00 PM)
• Digable Planets at McMenamins Crystal Ballroom (9:15 PM)

From my notebook:

• Have you seen the Cannon Beach elk out in the wild? Add that to your list of goals in 2023! (Travel Portland via Instagram)
• Portland Farmers Market is wrapping up a banner year! Next year looks to be even more wonderful, so stay tuned for updates. (Portland Farmers Market via Facebook)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed. Happy New Years!

— Helen Eckhard

About me: Helen Eckhard is a marketing associate at Lightning Media Partners. Outside of work, she enjoys constructing crossword puzzles, knitting, or devising increasingly crafty ways to kill off characters in her mystery novels.