Film, Portland Mercury 
Despite Record-High Traffic Crash Deaths, PBOT Leaders Say Vision Zero Is Working
Advocates who have been tracking the city’s response to traffic fatalities aren’t so sure. by Taylor Griggs Nearly 10 years ago, the city of Portland first committed to a Vision Zero plan, setting a goal to eliminate all traffic crash fatalities and serious injuries on Portland’s streets by 2025. That year, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) reported 35 traffic crash deaths in Portland. City officials said at the time they didn’t take the rising traffic crash death toll lightly, and were strongly dedicated to the Vision Zero goals. It’s now 2024, and traffic crash deaths in Portland are at a 30-year high. According to PBOT’s report on deadly traffic crashes for 2023, 69 people died on Portland’s streets last year. Though fatal crashes have been rising in Portland over the past several years, 2023 was the deadliest year in recent history. This isn’t how the trend is supposed to go—especially not in a city committed to Vision Zero. Yesterday, Portland City Council accepted last year’s deadly crash report and adopted the first update to the Vision Zero Action Plan since 2019. Right off the bat, PBOT leaders got ahead of the elephant-in-the-room question on everyone’s minds: Considering how traffic crash deaths are rising so significantly, is Vision Zero working? PBOT’s message is that Vision Zero works if you work it. “Where we have invested, we have had success,” PBOT Commissioner Mingus Mapps said at the meeting. But transportation advocates–who have tried for years to get city officials to take this matter seriously–remain skeptical, at best, about the city’s commitment to Vision Zero and a “safe systems” approach to traffic safety. Many people, having seen or experienced the devastation resulting from preventable traffic crash deaths, no longer believe PBOT leaders are doing all they can to stop this scourge. “There is no question that Portland's Vision Zero Program has been an abject failure. Given its abysmal track record, it is reasonable to conclude that it will continue to be a failure,” Sarah Risser, a local transportation safety activist, wrote in public testimony to City Council ahead of the April 17 meeting. “I am under the very strong impression that Portland's Vision Zero program exists to signal a desire for zero road fatalities and, by doing so, allow leaders to evade the hard work that is needed to realize its goal.” Deadly crashes in 2023 The people who died in Portland traffic crashes last year. pbot Many of the details of the 2023 Vision Zero fatalities report will be familiar to those who have followed the increased deadly crashes in Portland over the past few years. But before examining trends, the report points out the 69 people who died on Portland’s streets last year are more than mere statistics. “Those killed by traffic violence this year were children, siblings, parents, aunts and uncles, grandparents, neighbors, and friends,” the report states. “Our city mourns those lost. We can and must do better.” The majority of people who died in traffic crashes in 2023 were in a motor vehicle (32 people), and 11 people were on motorcycles. Another 24 people were classified by PBOT as pedestrians, which includes walking as well as using a mobility device, skateboard, or e-scooter, and two were on bicycles. A graph depicting traffic deaths by mode of transportation. pbot While deaths occurred all over the city, the majority were concentrated in areas that have historically been the site of the most crashes. About 75 percent of traffic deaths occurred on Portland’s busiest streets, which make up the city’s “high crash network,” and many of those were in East Portland. Crashes are more likely to occur on wide streets with four or more travel lanes—it takes longer to cross these streets while walking or on a bike, and drivers are more likely to speed on wide roadways. Traffic violence also disproportionately impacts Portland’s Black community. The traffic crash report highlights “persistent trends” that have endured over several years related to traffic fatalities. These include speeding (the report states 87 percent of traffic deaths happen on streets with speed limits of 30 miles per hour or more, when those make up only 8 percent of Portland’s streets), increased pedestrian deaths, deaths occurring in low-light conditions (at night or early in the morning), and impaired driving. PBOT's map of high crash corridors and intersections. pbot Another trend is the disproportionate impact of traffic violence on homeless people. In 2021, the Portland Police Bureau started tracking the housing status of people who died in crashes. Last year, half of the pedestrians who were killed were identified as homeless. “These statistics speak to the extreme risks of persistent exposure to traffic, often on high-speed streets,” the report states. PBOT leaders told the council that, while they recognize the rising traffic violence crisis, it’s important to highlight some of the recent progress as well—further emphasizing the message that the Vision Zero program is successful when PBOT is able to fully invest in it. Dana Dickman, PBOT’s traffic safety section manager, said Vision Zero “is working when we have been able to make changes on our streets.” “If you see a street that hasn’t been changed at all in 10 years, we’re not going to expect to see different safety outcomes than we’ve had over the last few decades,” Dickman said. The 2023-2025 Vision Zero update acknowledges the “brutal fact” that traffic crash deaths have increased significantly since the first action plan was adopted in December 2016. But it also says PBOT has accomplished several major safety gains. Dickman cited a few specific examples of recent PBOT projects she said have made a positive impact on safety, including on Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard, Southwest Beaverton Hillsdale Highway, and outer Southeast Division Street. Not all the streets in Portland are within PBOT’s jurisdiction. Data show 25 percent of traffic crash deaths in 2023 took place on streets operated by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), like Southeast Powell Boulevard and North Lombard Street, where the city is limited in its ability to make infrastructure changes. But PBOT Director Millicent Williams said the state agency is also committed to Vision Zero on its streets. “There is significant work that ODOT is doing,” Williams said. “They are committed to ensuring we’re creating safety across the network that we both share and that they are responsible for managing independently.” Advocates push for more urgent action PBOT’s messaging was disappointing to transportation safety advocates who hoped the bureau would take more responsibility for its shortcomings. Considering the marked rise in traffic crash deaths, they believe the city needs to commit to taking much more radical action if leaders are serious about turning things around. “For years, advocates have been sounding the alarm on the worsening epidemic of traffic violence in our community and proposing solutions which have been ignored by the City Council,” Sarah Iannarone, executive director of nonprofit The Street Trust, said in a press release. “Of course the problem continues to worsen.” The Street Trust proposed several actionable steps the city could take to combat traffic crash deaths. The recommendations included: Limiting speed limits to 20 mph on the entire high crash network; “Aggressively accelerate installing infrastructure” including banning car parking within 20 feet of intersections (a concept known as “daylighting” intersections); Investing in more automated traffic enforcement, and supporting efforts to fund safety projects on state-owned roads in next year’s legislative session Overall, Portland transportation advocates want to see the city do better. But history shows they shouldn’t hold their breath. “Our organization wants to be excited and supportive. But I also want to be really honest, the reality of our streets is not a surprise. We've seen the numbers go up and up and up every year for many years,” Zachary Lauritzen, the interim executive at transportation safety nonprofit Oregon Walks, said. Lauritzen also asked the city to get on board with upcoming opportunities to improve safety on the streets, including forthcoming plans to reconstruct Northeast Sandy Boulevard and 82nd Avenue. “If today turns out to be an inflection point in change, we will be thrilled. But as an advocate, I want to note we’ve been here before,” Lauritzen continued. “We’ve been at somber events, we’ve been at memorials where we say the work is important…that loss of life is terrible. And yet, here we are again.”
By Anonymous I refuse to explain myself and the special needs of my seriously physically disabled son to anyone, because that feeling is humiliating and degrading. So, let’s just say that my son was playing fetch with a couple service dogs on an EMPTY field with easy access to and from a paved parking lot to see if maybe my son might be independent enough to care for a service dog himself. So, next time someone tells you to leave them and their disabled child alone, especially when they are neither hurting anyone nor even remotely bothering anyone, you should probably mind your own @$?&! business and #$@! off. Sure, laws are laws, but ethics are ethics. You failed the ethics test just like all the bigots in the world who currently and historically have harassed POC, women, LGTBQ, and most definitely the disabled - for simply existing in the public sphere. Go crawl under a rock and die, Princess Karen. I hope you get help for your menopause. Gosh, that must be really hard on you.
FREE TICKETS THURSDAY: Enter to Win Free Tix to See the Mission UK, CONVERSATION, and Steel Panther!
By Wm. Steven Humphrey Who's ready to have some fun? Well, the Mercury is here to help with FREE TICKETS to see some of Portland's best concerts and events—our way of saying thanks to our great readers and spread the word about some fantastic upcoming performances! (Psst... if you want to say thanks to the Mercury, please consider making a small monthly contribution to keep us alive and kickin'!) And oh boy, do we have some fun events coming at ya this week! CHECK IT OUT! • Enter to WIN FREE TICKETS to see The Mission UK on May 1 at the Mission Theater!In late 1985 Wayne Hussey and Craig Adams left The Sisters Of Mercy and, after enlisting the talents of Simon Hinkler and Mick Brown, formed The Mission. They have a reputation as one of the best and most exciting live bands in the world. Their 2016 album "Another Fall From Grace” has been described as a lost link between The Sisters of Mercy's "First and Last and Always” album and The Mission's own first album, "God's Own Medicine." The album has received unanimous critical acclaim and was the band's first UK Top 40 album in over 20 years! Get your tickets now, or enter to win free tix here! Mission Theater, 1624 NW Glisan, Wed May 1, 8 pm, $35-$40, 21+ • Enter to WIN FREE TICKETS to see CONVERSATION on April 23 at the Mission Theater!CONVERSATION are an emerging post hardcore band from Toronto, Ontario. Their sound contains the echoes of early Underoath and Deftones, while still carving out its own punk rock attitude with pop sensibility. CONVERSATION strikes a balance of thoughtful post-hardcore and melodically measured alternative rock, and their ravenously energetic live show is a force to be reckoned with, resulting in anyone seeing them for the first time leaving as new fans. Get your tickets now, or enter to win free tix here! Mission Theater, 1624 NW Glisan, Thurs April 23, 8 pm, $15-$20, all ages • Enter to WIN FREE TICKETS to see Steel Panther on April 25 at the Crystal Ballroom! Hailing from Los Angeles, the epicenter for rock 'n' roll in all its debauchery and glamour, Steel Panther has established themselves as the world's premier party band, melding hard rock virtuosity with parody and criminally good looks. Get those tickets now or enter to win here! Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside, Thurs April 25, $30-$45, 21+ GOOD LUCK! Winners will be notified on Monday. Check back next week for more FREE TIX from the Mercury!
POP QUIZ PDX: Sassy Ass Trivia About Nike Scandals, More Nike Scandals, and... WOW, So Many Nike Scandals!
See how well YOU score on this week's super fun local trivia quiz! by Wm. Steven Humphrey HOWDY-DO, SMARTY TROUSERS! It's time once again to put your brainy-brain to the test with this week's edition of POP QUIZ PDX—our weekly, local, sassy-ass trivia quiz. And this week, your brain will be tested on the latest Nike scandals, even more Nike scandals... and oh shit... how can Nike have SO MANY SCANDALS? (Lucky you, you love scandals. 😍) But first, how did you do on the previous quiz? Wow, you guys are SO smart! And I especially liked the majority response for last week's "Subjective Question." (Mayor Wheeler, the people have spoken!) OKAY, TIME FOR A NEW QUIZ! Take this week's quiz below, take our previous pop quizzes here, and come back next week for a brand spankin' new quiz! (Having a tough time answering this quiz? It's probably because you aren't getting Mercury newsletters! HINT! HINT!) Now crank up that cerebellum, because it's time to get BRAINY! Create your own user feedback survey
Good Morning, News: Gonzalez' Latest Cruel Power Grab, Cops Cost Portland Another Cool Million, and Trump Can't Stop Violating Gag Order
By Wm. Steven Humphrey The Mercury provides news and fun every single day—but your help is essential. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us. Thanks for your support! GOOD MORNING, PORTLAND! It's Thursday, April 18, and HOW MANY SLICES OF PIZZA HAVE YOU CRAMMED IN YOUR MOUTH THIS WEEK? Since there are more than 50 local pizza joints participating in the Mercury's PIZZA WEEK (happening right now, but only through Sunday), I hope you've eaten at least 32 of those deee-licious $3 slices! If not? Girrrrrl, you best get to work! And while you're at it, get to work on today's NEWS. IN LOCAL NEWS: • Power-famished Commissioner Rene Gonzalez is at it again! This time the wildly unqualified mayoral wannabe (and poster child for Portland's richest and meanest shitheads) wants to put the city's "time, place, and manner" ordinance (AKA the one the city used to unsuccessfully criminalize homelessness) under the complete power of the future mayor... which he thinks will be him! Oh, and he also added this little cruel nugget to his dastardly plan currently under consideration: If the US Supreme Court overturns the Martin v. Boise decision (which rightly restricts camping bans when cities refuse to supply ample shelter), then people who violate his revised ban "could face a $500 fine or up to six months in jail." Fellow business puppets, Commissioners Dan Ryan and Mingus Mapps, are reportedly "considering it." Here's your weekly reminder to VOTE THEM ALL OUT OF OFFICE WITH EXTREME PREJUDICE. • Very much related 👀... Follow up from this previous report: “Less than a week before Doyle was charged in the pornography case, Portland City Council candidate Rene Gonzalez’s campaign, “Rene For Portland,” had put out a social media notice, saying it was proud to announce that Doyle had endorsed” https://t.co/26W2SQpTKF — Portland for All (@PDXforAll) April 17, 2024 • Welp, the Portland Police are costing the city taxpayers another cool $1.6 million after Portland was forced to hire an independent monitoring firm to make sure the cops adhere to the DOJ's required "use of force" rules which were put into place after years of police abuse toward those with mental illness. There were a number of firms considered to take over the DOJ's watch—but is the one Portland picked up to snuff? Read our Courtney Vaughn's excellent article and find out for yourself! Lower SE Portland is home to quiet streets and relatively affordable homes—but at the cost of important infrastructure and commercial amenities. A new city plan aims to course-correct, but residents want to make sure their neighborhoods stay intact. https://t.co/ZfrMjumX6t — Portland Mercury 🗞 (@portlandmercury) April 17, 2024 • Governor Tina Kotek has apparently changed her mind about vetoing $14 million for several water infrastructure projects around the state, after originally being concerned that these municipalities weren't doing enough to provide new housing. However, after receiving assurances that they would make housing production a priority, Kotek said she would allow funding to go through—while keeping a suspicious eye on each to make sure they're holding up their ends of the bargain. • John Schroder, better known as Portland's legendary Elvis impersonator, is reportedly getting evicted from the room he's been renting in a house on North Gantenbein for 22 years, after his landlord announced it was "time for him to leave." His friends have started a GoFundMe account and are on the lookout for a new living situation for the beloved Portland legend. You may have heard about The People's Joker, the hilarious debut feature from Vera Drew that parodies comic book icons to tell a trans coming out story. Well, it's opening at @HollywoodTheatr this weekend, and it's worth the hype.https://t.co/jnFsdbbwuF — Portland Mercury 🗞 (@portlandmercury) April 17, 2024 IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS: • Jury selection for the Trump criminal hush money trial continues as one seated juror has already been dismissed for the crime of... *checks notes*... writing a 2017 online post with the words "Lock Him Up!" in reference to the former president, who objectively really should be locked up. Meanwhile another juror was rejected after posting a video of New Yorkers celebrating Joe Biden's 2020 presidential win. (Why will the next juror be rejected? For raising an eyebrow when Trump separated 5000 migrant children from their parents and kept them all in cages? THIS TRIAL IS GONNA TAKE FOREVERRRRRRR.) • Perp walk: pic.twitter.com/AAh02WCD4m — place where animal shouldn’t be (@catshouldnt) April 18, 2024 • Meanwhile, prosecutors in the Trump hush money case say that the former prez has violated his gag order a whopping seven additional times—and that's just since Monday! The judge says he will add that to the growing pile of three previous gag order violations, all of which he will consider next Tuesday. I'm guessing Trump will have racked up about 37 violations total by then. MAKE IT AN EVEN 40, COWARD! • The shot.... The judge in Donald Trump’s criminal trial ordered reporters to not disclose employment information about potential jurors after he excused a woman who said she was worried about her identity becoming known. https://t.co/UR18xK735t — The New York Times (@nytimes) April 18, 2024 • And the chaser. Fox News host Jesse Watters on Tuesday broadcast extensive biographical details about Juror No. 2 — her neighborhood, occupation, education, marital and family status, and what industry her fiance works in.He concluded by saying, "I'm not so sure about Juror No. 2."He… pic.twitter.com/PCMMOvnoGw — Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) April 18, 2024 • That NPR editor who wrote a critical essay about his employers and company for supposedly stifling conservative coverage, particularly after Trump became president, has resigned from his job, and is probably on the lookout for a new gig at FOX News or The Epoch Times. No word yet on if the door hit his ass on the way out. • In other employment news, Google has fired 28 employees who were part of a sit-in at their offices in Seattle, New York, and Sunnyvale, California. The workers were protesting the company's contract to provide Israel's government and military with cloud and artificial intelligence services which the country will undoubtedly use to continue their genocide against the Palestinian people. Nine employees were arrested after sitting down and refusing to leave the office of Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian. • And finally... Portlanders kicking away Commissioner Gonzalez' cruel proposals one-by-one. amazing talent pic.twitter.com/Xk13Y1aHbO — Enez Özen (@Enezator) April 17, 2024
Career Hype
By Anonymous I applied for a position posted on my LinkedIn page, a public service job with a major Multnomah County organization. I'm fine with the job I have but since I had most of the listed qualifications I applied out of curiosity. The online application process took me through a number of steps that didn't seem to relate to the job posted, including providing contact information to a recruiting company called Lensa. It was impossible to proceed with the application itself without filling out this info - no Skip button. I've solved the resulting email deluge problem by blocking any message with "Lensa" but it made me wonder: why would a reputable public organization's HR go through a company that uses such aggressive strategies? This is as bad as mail ordering one item, then getting 6 emails a day from the company thereverafter.
Portland Will Pay Nearly $1.6 Million for Independent Monitor to Oversee City's Compliance With DOJ Settlement
Mark P. Smith & Associates will take over monitoring of Portland Police Bureau’s adherence to federal directives. The team includes a former violence prevention leader for the city. by Courtney Vaughn Ten years ago, the US Department of Justice intervened to help reshape and monitor the Portland Police Bureau’s use of force policies. Now, a private firm will be the arbiter of whether police are following the federal government’s guidelines. The mayor’s office announced Monday that MPS & Associates was jointly chosen by the city and DOJ to serve as the independent monitor of a settlement agreement between the DOJ and the city of Portland. The arrangement is estimated to cost the city $1.59 million. The settlement agreement was approved by a court in 2014, following an alleged pattern of Portland Police Bureau (PPB) using excessive force on people with mental illness. The DOJ said PPB’s behavior violated the civil and constitutional rights of Portlanders. While the city denied the characterization, it agreed to adopt new training related to PPB’s use of force, its crisis intervention tactics and mental health services, as well as “officer accountability and community engagement.” The settlement agreement also yielded the creation of the Portland Committee on Community-Engaged Policing (PCCEP). PCCEP independently assesses the implementation of the DOJ settlement and facilitates public input on PPB directives. After years of ongoing monitoring and periodic intervention, the DOJ said last year that the settlement agreement could be overseen by an independent firm. A selection process narrowed down three top candidates, followed by a public town hall last month. One of the top three firms reviewed by the city–DLG Consulting–drew questions and concern from town hall attendees over a previous “Blue Lives Matter” social media post made by the firm’s leader, a former prosecutor. The slogan, which refers to police, became popular among law enforcement circles as the Black Lives Matter movement gained momentum and is often viewed as antithetical to the movement. During last month’s town hall, each firm took turns answering questions about neutrality, racial bias, and the level of commitment to police accountability. “Our team is highly cognizant of the progress made over the last decade implementing the reforms outlined by the agreement, and we have a first-hand understanding of how much work goes into such advances,” Mark Smith of Mark P. Smith and Associates (MPS) said of the city and PPB. Smith said “community voices” would inform the work his firm does. Smith has spent nearly 20 years doing police oversight work for departments across the country. He’s currently the inspector general for the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). The inspector general is an independent office tasked with providing oversight of police conduct and investigating complaints against police. In addition to Smith, the MPS team includes deputy monitor Brian Buchner, assistant inspector general of the LAPD who previously held key roles in the Los Angeles mayor’s office and teaches criminal justice courses at the University of Southern California (USC). Associate monitor Antoinette Edwards will serve on the team alongside Smith and Buchner. Edwards, who lives in Portland, previously served as director of the city’s Youth Violence Prevention office and led the city’s Public Safety and Peacekeeping initiative. Edwards stressed the importance of community engagement in ongoing monitoring. “From Copwatch, to [Portland Police Association], we need everyone at the table,” she said during last month’s town hall. In a proposal to the city earlier this year, Smith said if his firm is selected, he’d make it his primary job. “Mr. Smith intends to focus squarely on the implementation of the Agreement and to devote every bit of time and effort that is called for in order to reach the goal of the Agreement’s successful termination,” MPS’s proposal states. The firm estimates the first year of monitoring will cost $837,500 for labor, court appearances, compliance assessments and reports, and public town halls. Included in the cost estimate is $35,000 for “travel and lodging.” MPS estimates the second year will cost the city $753,750. Portland City Council is slated to vote on accepting the bid and contract with MPS on May 2.
The Hype About The People’s Joker Is Entirely Warranted
The hilarious debut film feature from Vera Drew, The People’s Joker, packs a lot into its 92-minute runtime—action, animation, DC comic parody deep cuts, some truly vicious and necessary jabs at some of SNL’s current stars, and a healthy scattering of blink-and-you’ll-miss-it asides. There's been a lot of hype surrounding the pop culture parody coming of age film, but it's entirely warranted. by Robert Ham The democratization of culture thanks to cheap technology and crowdfunding has long promised a wave of passion projects that might, against all odds, catch fire on a global scale. But to date, that’s only happened sparingly, as such self-produced works either die on the vine or only capture the attention of supporters, loved ones, and folks who find them through pure happenstance. It’s a fate that could easily have befallen The People’s Joker. Filmmaker Vera Drew’s poignant, surreal, and hilarious debut feature set in a warped version of the DC Comics Universe was set to make its public debut at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival but was only allowed one screening due to pressure from Warner Brothers Discovery. The intent may have been to stifle this creative vision, but the opposite occurred. The buzz surrounding People’s Joker grew, lead to a hot ticket screening at last year’s Outfest in LA and a deal with Altered Innocence, a LGBTQ+ film distributor bringing Drew’s work to theaters around the US—including our very own Hollywood Theater starting this Friday. The other good news is that the hype about the film is entirely warranted. What began as a commission to re-edit Todd Phillips’ 2019 Joker origin story morphed into a brilliant original work using all-too-familiar comic book characters to tell a trans coming-of-age story that sharply skewers the superhero mythos and the gatekeepers / tastemakers of American comedy. Drawing from her own experiences and that of co-writer Bri LeRose, Drew plays a young comedian who ventures to Gotham City in hopes of landing a spot in the cast of a Saturday Night Live-like show run by the United Clown Bureau and its overlord Lorne Michaels (who appears in animated form voiced by Maria Bamford). After getting the gig, Drew's character (who at this point still uses her deadname, which is bleeped out) sours on the experience of training under Ra’s Al Ghul (Tim & Eric Awesome Show alum David Liebe Hart). With the help of Penguin (Nathan Faustyn), she opens an indie theater and pursues "anti-comedy." It is in this new space—and through her first relationship with the ultimately toxic Mr. J, a Suicide Squad-styled Joker portrayed by Kane Distler—that she begins to fully come out as a woman, embracing a new persona of the Joker’s Harlequin, complete with fishnet stockings, luscious green locks, and a glorious eye makeup regime. She launches a reign of terror on the powers that be, even as she tries to process the trauma of growing up in a conservative Midwest town where she was prescribed Smylex, a quick fix drug meant to make its users instantly happy. Drew and her team pack a lot into The People’s Joker with live action segments (shot in only five days) nestled in among a mishmash of animation styles. The denseness allows the film to work in references to the various iterations of Batman and the Joker, make some truly vicious and necessary jabs at some of SNL’s current stars, and scatter a ton of blink-and-you’ll-miss-it jokes (a quick cutaway reveals that the Joker’s Harlequin’s cigarette of choice are "queen-sized Fags"). Jam-packed as it is, The People’s Joker never loses its focus nor its heart. The ache of a character searching for her true self and finding it through love and art is something that will resonate deeply with audiences, even cis ones. But that the film is telling an entirely trans-centric story is a detail that should be shouted about loudly. It centers the struggles of Drew’s character—and, by proxy, Drew herself—without resorting to the back-patting earnestness that sometimes befalls even well-intentioned films about human experience. The Joker’s Harlequin isn’t interested in making the cis world more comfortable with her and vice versa. She’s accepted who she is. So should you. The People’s Joker plays at the Hollywood Theatre, 4122 NE Sandy, Fri April 19 - Thurs April 25, $10-$12, tickets here. And at Tomorrow Theater, 3530 SE Division on Fri May 3, 7 pm, $15, tickets here.
Good Morning, News: A New Plan for Southeast Portland, Women's Sports Discourse, and Maybe We Can Control the Weather
By Taylor Griggs The Mercury provides news and fun every single day—but your help is essential. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us. Thanks for your support! GOOD MORNING, PORTLAND! The sun is (supposed to be) shining, tax season is over, and, oh yeah, PIZZA WEEK is here. If you need some ideas for where to go, here are a few pies that look delectable to me personally: The "Chicken Shawarma!" at Baby Doll, the "So What, No F*ckin' Ziti Now?!" (yes, I'm a fan of pasta on pizza. Sue me, Italy) at Scottie's, the "Butcher's Bolognese" at Assembly Brewing, and many more. But before you go grab some delicious slices, read these important headlines. (The restaurants probably aren't open yet, anyway.) IN LOCAL NEWS: • Real Mercuryheads will know that our Say Nice Things About Portland issue is out now, online and, yes, in PRINT at a coffee shop (or similar establishment) near you. There's an article in there written by a bike freak about why biking in Portland is dope and awesome. You might wanna check it out. (Can you tell I feel awkward about self-promo?) But for real, I'm so glad we could bring this issue to you again for the second year in a row. We love good vibes over here. • Brentwood-Darlington and surrounding neighborhoods in lower Southeast Portland are getting a new plan, and you can weigh in on it now before it goes to City Council at the end of the month. If adopted, the plan will shake up the current zoning code and transportation routes in the neighborhood, hopefully giving people more opportunities to bike/walk/ride the bus. HOWEVER...will the plan ruin the neighborhood? Probably not, but some people fear otherwise. Read the Mercury's story for more. Former lawmaker Brian Clem to spend $1 million in bid to elect moderate Democrats to Oregon Legislature https://t.co/mZwwrkU5aj — The Oregonian (@Oregonian) April 17, 2024 • Just four games into this year's season, the Portland Thorns are experiencing a staff shakeup, with head coach Mike Norris being moved to a new role (he'll serve as the club's technical director) and an interim head coach taking over the role while club leaders search for a long-term replacement. Our Abe Asher has all the context about this development. Her boyfriend wants permission to hire sex workers. Is this a case of irreconcilable differences? The honorable Dan Savage issues a ruling in this week's SAVAGE LOVE! https://t.co/7GO5xLddrO — Portland Mercury 🗞 (@portlandmercury) April 16, 2024 • The Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries announced yesterday that minimum wage in Portland will rise to $15.95 an hour starting July 1. This announcement had to be made because, unlike the tiered wage system Oregon used before, the minimum wage is now tied to the rate of inflation (apparently 3.5 percent over the past year). Still, according to MIT's living wage calculator, Oregonians without kids need to be making $24.30 to live comfortably. (With kids, the minimum living wage jumps up a lot higher.) A map of Oregon minimum wage come July 1. oregonian IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS: • After the phenomenon that was women's college basketball this past season, all eyes are now on the WNBA draft to see where the absolute ballers will end up (And, to be honest, most of the eyes are particularly focused on No. 1 pick Caitlin Clark). After Clark scored a contract with the Indiana Fever, people started to talk about WNBA salaries and how they compare to NBA pay. Clark's contract sets her up to earn $338,056 over four years, and if you're thinking that's nothing to scoff at, okay—but last year's No. 1 pick in the NBA draft secured a $55 MILLION four-year contract as a rookie with the same experience as Clark. So, yeah. Even President Biden took to social media to talk about this: Women in sports continue to push new boundaries and inspire us all.But right now we're seeing that even if you're the best, women are not paid their fair share.It’s time that we give our daughters the same opportunities as our sons and ensure women are paid what they deserve. — President Biden (@POTUS) April 16, 2024 The main counterargument here is that the WNBA has traditionally brought in much smaller viewership than the NBA, limiting the league's income from commercials and sponsorships. I guess we all have some personal responsibility here—TBH, I'd never heard of the Indiana Fever before. (To be fair, I also couldn't name the Indiana men's team off the top of my head.) But this kind of pay gap is seriously insane. Caitlin Clark and many of her contemporaries have an immense amount of talent and are incredibly entertaining to watch. Maybe if there wasn't such a self-fulfilling prophecy about the viability of women's sports, they'd be more successful. Okay, stepping off my soapbox now. • In today's "no shit, Sherlock" news, a new study says overworking yourself until you're burnt out is bad for you. Specifically, the study says intense work schedules as a young adult can catch up to you later in life, making it more likely you'll be depressed and sick by the time you're 50. Thanks for the info I guess, but what is the average person supposed to do about this? The only shocker here is that the study claims you can stave off depression until middle age—have you seen the state of our younger generations? We are notorious sad sacks. • 🤔 Trump goes on a weird rant about the battle of Gettysburg and then notes of Robert E Lee that "he's no longer in favor. Did you ever notice that?" pic.twitter.com/hs9GjmCh6K — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 14, 2024 • The United Arab Emirates is experiencing the heaviest rain ever recorded in the country, flooding out highways and grounding flights at the Dubai airport. This weather event wasn't entirely natural, though (I mean, if you can count any weather event as "natural" these days, considering how askew our climate is). The storm's severity can be partially attributed to the country's practice of "cloud seeding"—a technique that involves putting chemicals in the atmosphere to take advantage of rain clouds when they appear. (I know that was a terrible explanation. I didn't claim to be an expert in meteorology.) "Cloud seeding" has been helpful for addressing the desert nation's water security issues, which are worsening due to global warming, but the region doesn't have proper drainage to combat flooding. The long-term environmental impacts of this practice are also unclear. • In news that is good for human health but devastating for hot English musicians, Britain is taking steps to adopt one of the world's toughest anti-smoking policies. The smoking ban would make it illegal to sell cigarettes and other tobacco products to anyone born after 2009—even once they're old enough to buy cigarettes under previous policy. After that, the legal age to buy tobacco in England will raise by one year annually until nobody is legally allowed to purchase it. On a tangential note, I'm amused imagining what the French would do if President Macron tried to implement a similar policy across the English Channel. Guillotines might make a return, that's all I'll say. • Finally...apparently, a cat named Tempeh and a pig named Beatrice are best friends. ENOUGH SAID. Happy Wednesday! they're friends 🥺❤️ pic.twitter.com/yMgSyVZTSW — Why you should have a cat (@ShouldHaveCat) April 13, 2024
New Plan Seeks to Help Lower Southeast Portland “Rise”
The Lower Southeast Rising Plan would add transit access, infrastructure and more housing. Residents worry it could transform neighborhood affordability and character. by Taylor Griggs Juxtaposed with the nearby bustling commercial centers on SE Hawthorne Blvd and Division Street, Portland’s Brentwood-Darlington neighborhood feels quiet and residential, even suburban. Residents south of Foster Road between SE Cesar Chavez Boulevard and SE 92nd Avenue have enjoyed relatively low housing prices compared to parts of Portland closer to the city center. But the neighborhood quaintness and single-family housing affordability have come at the expense of other important amenities, like transportation infrastructure and convenient, accessible grocery stores. With the Lower Southeast Rising Area Plan, led by the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) and Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS), the city wants to course-correct. The plan, which primarily focuses on the Brentwood-Darlington neighborhood as well as parts of Woodstock, Mt. Scott-Arleta, and Lents, aims to reshape land use and transportation in areas of Portland. The goal is to provide opportunities for neighborhood businesses, create more multi-unit affordable housing complexes, and make it easier and safer for people to get around and access what they need. The Lower SE Rising Plan area. city of portland After three years of planning, the Portland Planning Commission released a recommended draft for the Lower Southeast Rising plan earlier this month. Throughout the planning period, area residents have provided mixed testimony about the project’s goals. While many people want to see improvements like sidewalk infill and other street safety measures, others are concerned about how the plan might push current residents out of the neighborhoods they’ve lived in for years. Project planners say they hope to address those concerns through efforts to maintain the current community, while ensuring the area is equipped to handle new residents and become more self-sustaining. A hearing for the plan is set to go before Portland City Council later in April. How yellow-lining dictated lower SE Portland’s fate Lower Southeast Portland has a long history of disinvestment from the city, evident from the area’s lack of sidewalks, accessible bus lines, and tree canopy coverage. This can be partially attributed to the area’s historical classification as a “yellow-lined” part of the city. One of many streets without sidewalks in Brentwood-Darlington. taylor griggs Back in the 1930s, the New Deal-created Home Owners’ Loan Corporation (HOLC) began appraising neighborhoods across the country for their lending risk, largely based on the racial and ethnic makeup of an area (in addition to economic demographics). The HOLC determined the majority of lower Southeast Portland was “definitely declining” and advised lenders to practice caution when providing home loans to people who wanted to buy houses in the area. Home values in formerly “yellow-lined” neighborhoods still have some of the lowest overall values in the city, keeping housing prices relatively affordable, but also limiting residents’ access to important infrastructure. Many neighborhoods in the Lower Southeast Rising project area are some of the oldest in the city, founded in the late 1800s and further populated during the early 20th century’s streetcar “golden age.” Some of these neighborhoods were then annexed into the city of Portland, but Errol Heights (now Brentwood-Darlington) remained unincorporated until 1986, when unchecked sewage problems in the community forced Portland’s government to step in. Brentwood-Darlington’s late annexation is another factor contributing to its relative disinvestment. Gravel roads (with subpar drainage!) are common in lower SE. taylor griggs “In large part because of its history and development before it was part of the City of Portland, the Lower Southeast Plan Area lacks much of the same infrastructure and access to businesses and services that Portlanders in other parts of the city enjoy,” the plan’s latest draft states. “This has led to a quieter, rural-feeling pocket of the city cherished by some community members even as some find the lack of infrastructure and proximity to services a real hindrance to living the lives they want to.” Proposed land use changes City planners say the area was never built to handle the growth and transportation needs of modern day Portland. Zoning code throughout the project area overwhelmingly prohibits commercial uses, leading to a lack of neighborhood grocery stores and restaurants within a short travel distance. According to project planners, “community members indicated their top land use priority for the area was the need for more local businesses and commercial opportunities.” Only 10 percent of the project area is zoned for multi-unit dwellings, meaning rental housing supply is lower than in other parts of the city. Low-income housing complexes can be found in eastern portions of the plan area, particularly near the Lents Town Center, but are otherwise mostly absent. Proposed commercial hubs in lower SE. city of portland The plan lays out proposed zoning code changes that will enable Brentwood-Darlington and the surrounding area to become “complete neighborhoods where residents can meet their needs locally.” One proposal is to create a new neighborhood center in the heart of Brentwood-Darlington around SE 72nd Avenue and Flavel Street, providing a new place for residents to fulfill their day-to-day needs within walking distance. The plan also proposes designating SE 52nd and SE 72nd Avenues as “neighborhood corridors,” allowing for expanded housing and commercial opportunities along the streets and at its key intersections. New transit routes and infrastructure With regard to transportation needs, many streets in the project area lack sidewalks entirely. In addition, the project area has a dearth of public transportation and bike routes, despite its compact street grid creating ideal conditions for traveling outside a car. The recommended draft plan proposes to fix that, adding corridor improvements and neighborhood greenways that would support safe biking, walking, and access to transit. The largest recommended corridor improvement project is a $9.7 million renovation of SE Woodstock Blvd from 52nd Avenue to Foster Road, adding enhanced pedestrian crossings, upgrading additional bike lanes to protected lanes, and more. The plan also proposes building new neighborhood greenways—which utilize speed humps and car traffic diverters to create low-stress transportation corridors for people biking, walking, or rolling—on SE 60th Ave from Mitchell to Nehalem, SE Tolman St from 52nd to 92nd, and SE Knapp St from 32nd to 52nd, among others. Recommended corridor improvement and greenway projects. portland bureau of transportation City planners also want to expand residents’ access to transit. Right now, none of the TriMet bus routes that cross the Lower Southeast core area run on a frequent basis, making it longer and more difficult for residents to rely on TriMet for daily transportation needs. To fix this, the lan proposes switching Line 19-Woodstock/Glisan and Line 71-60th Avenue to frequent service, meaning the buses would come every 15 minutes. The plan also suggests a few route changes to help construct a “bus grid” in the area. One other major infrastructure deficit in lower SE Portland is its lack of tree canopy, resulting in more intense heat events for people in the project area compared to other places in the city. One way PBOT wants to fix this is through a pilot project that will repurpose street parking to make room for trees. Construction on this project will begin this summer just east of Brentwood-Darlington on SE Duke Street between 82nd and 92nd Avenues. SE Duke Street in Lents is set to get new street trees. taylor griggs Most of the infrastructure plans outlined in the recommended draft are currently unfunded. The report lays out several potential near-term and future funding sources like gas tax revenue, system development charges and the Quick Build Program, which funds small transportation safety projects but is insufficient for significant sidewalk infill or repaving plans. Future, long-term sources of funding for the plan could include Metro Regional Flexible Funds, which distribute federal grants to local projects, the Metro Parks and Nature Bond, Local Improvement Districts, and public-private partnerships. Portland City Council’s approval of the plan will pave the way for BPS and PBOT to scout out project funding. Community response is mixed A community advisory committee tour of the project area. city of portland So far, the Lower SE Rising plan has been met with mixed reviews from the community. One particularly contentious topic is the proposal to increase housing density in the area, which is currently made up of predominantly single family housing. One endorsement for increased housing density came from Erin Cottle Hunt, a professor at Reed College who recently moved to Portland. “I would like to purchase a home here in Portland (eventually), but am largely priced out of the market,” Hunt wrote in public testimony last September. “Changing some of the zoning designations in the Southeast neighborhoods could allow more development which could help increase housing affordability.” Others had a more critical response. Jessica Murri, a first-time homeowner on SE 72nd in Brentwood-Darlington, said it was a “gut punch” to hear that her home’s property value may be affected by the plan. “I see opportunity for multi-family apartments 10 blocks to the east, where SE 82nd is brimming with empty car lots and abandoned buildings,” Murri wrote. “It is a main thoroughfare, closer to public transit, bus lines, the MAX and the Springwater Corridor. But I would ask you to leave our neighborhood intact.” Jeff Mital asked planners if the “only path to [traffic safety] improvement comes from building giant apartments,” saying he didn’t see the link between larger multi-unit dwellings and street safety improvements. The Lower SE Rising plan lays out the importance of considering land use and transportation projects in tandem with one another, pointing out that dense housing near commercial services facilitates sustainable, safe transportation because people will be able to walk, bike, or take transit to reach the services they need, rather than needing to rely on a car. But planners do want to keep existing residents in the neighborhood. A letter from the Planning Commission to City Council states that commissioners heard concerns that zone changes to allow more multi-dwelling housing “could destabilize the community and result in the loss of relatively affordable ownership housing.” “From a broad policy perspective, a failure to expand housing opportunities leads to a constrained supply of housing, higher housing prices, and additional displacement,” the letter states, adding the proposed zoning changes to allow multi-unit dwellings are concentrated along transit corridors and in the proposed neighborhood center. The plan also includes proposals to ensure current residents are able to stay and benefit from the area’s revitalization. Some residents say they’ll welcome any change to their neighborhoods, which they feel have been long abandoned. Mike Palmer, another resident who weighed in with public testimony last fall, said he and his neighbors have been “promised many things in the past and have been hugely disappointed by the city.” “We care about our neighbors and this neighborhood and need this development. We need this done for future generations that live here,” Palmer said. “We’re tired of being ignored or put off until later.” The current public comment period for the Lower SE Rising recommended draft is open until April 25, when the City Council hearing is set.
Mike Norris Out as Portland Thorns Coach in Staff Shakeup
Norris will become the club’s technical director; General Manager Karina LeBlanc promises “global search” for new head coach. by Abe Asher Mike Norris is out as Portland Thorns head coach just four games into the 2024 NWSL season, the club announced on Tuesday. Norris, who served just over a year as head coach, is being moved into a new role as the club’s technical director. Rob Gale, one of Norris’ assistants, will take over as interim head coach while the club searches for a permanent replacement. “After an in-depth review, we have decided to start to reorganize our soccer operations department to better serve our club and our athletes,” Karina LeBlanc, the club’s president of soccer operations, said in a club statement. “Thorns FC have set the standard for excellence in the league. These changes will help us maximize our strengths as we continuously pursue championship-level success.” The removal of Norris from the head coaching position comes in the midst of the Thorns’ worst-ever start to an NWSL season, with the club mired in last place having picked up just one point from their first four games. It represents a decisive move from the club’s new owners, the Blathals, who took the reins at the beginning of the year. Norris was appointed manager during one of the most trying periods of the club’s history, taking over in January of last year after the previous head coach, Rhian Wilkinson, abruptly resigned amid concerns over her relationship with a player. Wilkinson’s departure wasn’t the only cloud hanging over the club. At the time of Norris’ hiring, then-owner Merritt Paulson had put the club up for sale following revelations that he and then-general manager Gavin Wilkinson had enabled former Thorns manager Paul Riley’s alleged abuse of players and helped protect him in its aftermath. But while Norris stepped into a tumultuous situation off the field, he also inherited a championship-winning team with a considerable amount of talent and experience from which major success was expected in 2023. The Thorns got off to an impressive start to last season, but fell off precipitously as the summer wore on — winning just three of their final nine games and falling at home to Gotham F.C. in extra time in the first round of the playoffs. The trendline did not improve this spring. The Thorns conceded five goals in the season opener at Kansas City and have yet to notch their first win, with questions mounting about the team’s defensive organization and Norris’ team selection. But while LeBlanc and the club’s new ownership, the Blathal family, decided to pull the plug on Norris’ time as manager, they’re happy he’s staying at the club as technical director. “He’s a processor,” LeBlanc said of Norris to Meg Linehan of The Athletic. “He’ll be up in the stands. One of his strengths is to analyze and process, then come down to communicate what needs to happen.” The creation of the technical director role is an investment from the Blathal family in ensuring the Thorns have the front office resources to keep up in a growing and increasingly competitive league. Getting the head coaching hire right will be key in ensuring they’re in a position to win, and LeBlanc told The Athletic that the Thorns are preparing a global search. “We’ve got to go out and get one of the best coaches in the world,” she told Linehan. “Rob Gale may make that decision hard; he has an opportunity to do that. But we’re going to do that global search right.” In the meantime, the club is turning to Gale—one of the men Norris brought in ahead of last season. Gale, who grew up mainly in England, has previous head coaching experience from his time leading Valour FC in the Canadian Premier League and was an assistant on Nick Cushing’s staff at New York City FC prior to joining Norris in Portland. The Thorns did not announce any other changes to the coaching staff. Sarah Lowdon, an assistant coach who joined the club during the offseason, twice served as interim head coach of the Houston Dash before arriving in Portland. LeBlanc’s statement to The Athletic suggests that Gale will be given an opportunity to prove himself in the job, but, given the backing of the new ownership group, the job will likely attract a number of high-profile candidates. The Thorns have one of the league’s most talented rosters and remain one of its best-supported clubs. One potential candidate will have plenty of popular support: Mark Parsons, the manager who led the Thorns for five seasons before leaving in 2021 to manage the Netherlands women’s national team, is available after he was fired by the Washington Spirit at the end of last season. Parsons, who won a championship and two NWSL Shields during his time in Portland, was at Providence Park with his daughter to watch the Thorns earlier in the year. If Parsons does end up returning, it will be to a very different club. When he left to return to Europe less than three years ago, the Riley scandal was still unfolding—Paulson was still the owner, LeBlanc had only just replaced Wilkinson as general manager. Since then, the Thorns have moved decisively forward. Their first game under Gale’s leadership will be this Saturday, at Providence Park, against Houston.
Next Wednesday, It's the Hilarious TWO EVILS Comedy Game Show!
Guest starring super special guest comedian ZAK TOSCANI! by Wm. Steven Humphrey Are you looking for a hilarious, live comedy show where YOU can walk away with a fabulous PRIZE (or two)? Well, you're in luck, because Mercury Geniuses of Comedy, Arlo Weierhauser and Kate Murphy, are your hosts for the most diabolical, hilarious, and EVIL live game show in town: TWO EVILS! Join Arlo and Kate as they ask a series of truly evil questions, and it’s up to our special guest contestant and the audience (who will vote on their phones) to decide between TWO VERY EVIL ANSWERS. Are there prizes? You bet your butt! Is there comedy? Oh, absolutely! Plus, this time around we'll be welcoming special guest comedian ZAK TOSCANI! SO GET THOSE TIX QUICK NOW AND HERE! Don’t miss the most delightful and morally corrupt comedy game show of the century… TWO EVILS with Arlo & Kate! WHEN: Wednesday, April 24, doors 7 PM / 7:30 pm show WHERE: The Siren Theater, 3913 NE Mississippi TICKETS: $15 advance, $20 door Presented by your pals at the Portland Mercury!
SAVAGE LOVE: Priced Out
Her boyfriend wants permission to hire sex workers. Is this a case of irreconcilable differences? by Dan Savage My boyfriend wants my permission to see sex workers. He did this quite a bit before we were together. He goes to Canada, where it’s legal and supposedly safer. He says he’s just trying to be open and honest about his desire for variety and that I should be glad he doesn’t want to cheat. To me, that sounds like a thinly veiled threat to cheat with or without my permission. He says it’s not like that. Ideally, he — a 56-year-old man — would prefer a sexually open relationship, while I — a 48-year-old woman — would prefer more of a monogamish situation. We were friends for twenty years before we started dating, we have great sex (though not as much as I would like), get along wonderfully otherwise, and have a lovely time together. This is definitely our biggest issue. Am I being closed minded, and prude to… [ Read more ]
Good Morning, News: Police Get a New Babysitter, Trump's Lawyers Get Bench-Slapped, and You Can Get Delicious Pizza All Week
By Courtney Vaughn The Mercury provides news and fun every single day—but your help is essential. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us. Thanks for your support! GOOD MORNING, PORTLAND! The weather forecast can no longer be trusted. Spring is unpredictable, like an emotionally detached, fickle lover. It brings us flowers, but it does what it wants, doesn’t really care what you want or need, and it can’t always be relied on. Probably safe to expect a toss-up of sunshine and clouds today, as weather.com predicts, but don’t get too comfortable. Yesterday was tax day. Everybody good? View this post on Instagram A post shared by ℕ𝕆𝕆𝔻𝕃𝔼𝕊 (@noodlesthepooch) Let’s delve into the world of discomfort and wonder that is current events. In LOCAL NEWS: Portland-based indie band Sleater-Kinney has been around for 30 years. Archetypes of the riot grrrl scene of the 1990s, the band refined their songwriting over the years, leaning heavily into post-punk and rock’n’roll influences, while garnering praise from music critics along the way. In the Mercury’s new "Say Nice Things About Portland" issue, we caught up with Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker of Sleater-Kinney, to talk about their history, their future, and why they still call Portland home. Don't miss this interview with Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker of Sleater-Kinney in which they reflect on 30 years as a band, and why they're still proud to call Portland home. (It's part of our SAY NICE THINGS ABOUT PORTLAND issue, on the streets now!)https://t.co/iL6T7V9XbI — Portland Mercury 🗞 (@portlandmercury) April 15, 2024 The Portland Police Bureau has a new babysitter. The mayor’s office announced Monday that the city and the US Department of Justice jointly appointed MPS & Associates to be the new independent monitor of the police bureau’s settlement agreement with the DOJ that's been in effect since 2014. The DOJ gave the police bureau a slap on the wrist after the bureau demonstrated a pattern of using excessive force against people with mental illness. MPS & Associates will be tasked with making sure the police are adhering to the terms of the settlement agreement. Sneakerheads, rejoice. Portland’s own sneaker-themed boutique and coffee shop, Deadstock Coffee, teamed up with Boston Celtics powerhouse Jayson Tatum to design a mocha-inspired pair of Jordans, for the latest iteration of the Jordan Tatum 2. The crisp white sneaker features a brown crackle colorway. It’s not the first time the cafe’s purveyor has seen his company’s logo on a shoe. Last fall, the company released a limited quantity of “Drip Force 1s” and in 2021, Deadstock teamed with Adidas for a sneaker inspired by bulk bags of beans, complete with a “country of origin” inspired tongue and sold in a burlap sack. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Deadstock Coffee & Gallery (@deadstockcoffee) This week, it's the most wonderful tiiime of the year, AKA, Pizza Week! Your friends at the Mercury are always scheming to feed the masses for cheap. This week, we've partnered with a boatload of pizza parlors around the city to bring you specialty slices for just $3. Want a whole pie? You can nab one for $24. You're welcome! The most delicious week of the year is here... it's the Mercury's PIZZA WEEK, featuring creative, one-of-a-kind slices from more than 50 (!) of the city's best pizza makers... and for only $3 each?? YES!!! Let's start eating! 🍕😍https://t.co/b7UmuPtWVE — Portland Mercury 🗞 (@portlandmercury) April 15, 2024 In NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS: Predictably, Donald Trump’s hush money trial is off to a rocky start. Jury selection has yet to happen, but the judge presiding over the case apparently has no patience for Trump’s desperate, whiny lawyers. Business Insider brilliantly laid out the missteps and bench slaps (everyone's new favorite phrase) handed to Trump’s legal team, as they try to defend him against charges of falsifying business records to conceal money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels, to keep her quiet about an alleged affair she had with Trump. The trial is one of four the GOP frontrunner faces. Can they just televise the testimony of the Playboy model when she talks about the affair she had with Trump for a year during Melania’s entire pregnancy. Just that part and I’m good. — Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) April 16, 2024 Iran launched a series of missile strikes and drone bombs at Israel last weekend, in an apparent retaliation for what’s believed to be an attack by Israel on Iran’s embassy in Syria on April 1. If it feels perplexing to keep tabs on all the wars and conflicts taking place around the globe, don’t feel bad. The world is a messy place right now. In a nutshell, Iran and Israel have a long, sordid history of beef with each other, with both countries killing civilians or military assets (like nuclear scientists) from the other. Speaking of Israel, the AP reports House Speaker Mike Johnson is now trying to split up a foreign aid bill that includes military funding for Ukraine, Taiwan, and Israel, in an effort to get approval from the House of Representatives. Republicans are trying to tank efforts to aid Ukraine (WTAF?!) which means whatever gets approved could be a shell of the funding package the Senate passed earlier this year. In case anyone needs reminded that we live in the upside down now, the US Supreme Court is deciding a case about what level of bribery is appropriate for government officials and politicians to accept from private people who may stand to gain from their decisions. I think this is the wrong judicial body to be determining issues of morality, but hey, they're the best we got, right? As Rolling Stone points out, a justice compared a politician accepting a $13,000 gift from a private contractor to a "taking a teacher to the Cheesecake Factory." Supreme Court justices, under fire for accepting undisclosed luxury gifts, are not so sure about the difference between a contractor delivering a $13,000 gratuity to a politician and taking a teacher, doctor, or police officer out to the Cheesecake Factory https://t.co/cgO7ra0wIV — Andrew Perez (@andrewperezdc) April 16, 2024
The Top 39 Events in Portland This Week: Apr 15-21 2024
Chastity Belt, Record Store Day, and More Top Picks by EverOut Staff Clear your calendar: With events like Record Store Day 2024 and stoner-friendly festivities like 420 Toke-Tacular 2: Electric Bongaloo in 16mm, this week is sure to be packed. We've gathered those, plus more of the best things to do, from Chastity Belt to Fertile Ground Festival 2024. MONDAY COMEDY Bianca Del Rio: Dead Inside Comedy Tour"Well, well, well! I hope you bitches are ready!"RuPaul's Drag Race season six winner Bianca Del Rio is also a legend in her own right, dominating the New York scene and popping up with legends like Lady Bunny. That said, your girl is back on tour and feeling dead inside, so show up to give her a reason to reanimate. LC(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Southwest Portland, $41.75 - $52.47)