🌱 Anti-Gun Tech Considered For PPB + CDC Says To Mask Up

Woo Hoo, it's a Friday, peoples! Here in Portland that means party time. But I can't party just yet, I've still got a job to do. And that job is telling you what's going on today.

First, today's weather:

A mix of clouds and sun with a high of 81. Hey, that rhymes!

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Here are the top five stories in Portland today:

1. With rising gun violence in Portland, a community police oversight group wants the Portland Police Bureau to start using a new technology to combat gun violence. PPB statistics confirm that the number of shooting incidents in the city is rising at an alarming rate. Which is why PPB's Focused Intervention Team's Community Oversight Group, or FIT/COG, wants the city to use what's called ShotSpotter. ShotSpotter uses audio sensors placed on buildings or light poles to detect gunshots, pinpoint the location of the gunfire, and alert police to where that location is. Its effectiveness, however, is dubious at best. (KATU)
2. Portland's crime and homeless crisis are affecting the city's real estate market. Office buildings in downtown Portland are going on the market at an alarming rate. “It felt like a punch in the gut,” said Todd Gooding, president of ScanlanKemperBard Companies (SKB), which invests in commercial real estate. Two years ago, SKB bought the 100,000-square-foot Mason Erhman Annex building on Northeast 5th and Everett — right in the middle of Old Town — for $25 million. Now, it’s back on the market after tenants felt the area was unsafe. (KGW.com)
3. Vapers rejoice! A number of Washington County businesses are celebrating after an injunction was filed to halt the county’s ban on flavored vaping products, allowing them to put the products back on shelves. The ban was put in place by the county last year and upheld by voters with more than 75% support this spring. Serenity Vapor, along with King’s Hookah Lounge and Torched Illusions, joined together to file a lawsuit earlier in 2022 against the ordinance, and this week, an injunction was signed, halting that ban. (KOIN)
4. Don't put those masks away quite yet. Two-thirds of Oregon counties – including Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas – are now in the “high” level of community transmission, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which means they’ve reached a point where the agency recommends universal masking. In addition to the three Portland metro counties, the high-level counties in Oregon are Clatsop, Tillamook, Lincoln, Lane, Douglas, Josephine, Jackson, Klamath, Lake, Deschutes, Crook, Jefferson, Hood River, Wasco, Sherman, Morrow, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa, Baker and Malheur. (KGW.com)
5. The city of Portland on Wednesday announced a grant of $3 million for an eviction legal defense program. The Portland Housing Bureau, Oregon Law Center and Portland Community College’s CLEAR Clinic have launched the Eviction Legal Defense Program to provide free legal defense services to qualifying tenants facing eviction. An attorney will advise eligible tenants of their rights and represent them through negotiation and/or in eviction court. (Fox 12 Oregon)

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Today in Portland:

• There's not much more Portland than comic book themed bike rides and tonight Pedalpalooza is bringing you two of them. If you're a creator, might I suggest the Bike-In Movie: No Straight Lines. "No Straight Lines tells the story of five scrappy and pioneering cartoonists who depicted everything from the AIDS crisis, coming out, and same-sex marriage, to themes of race, gender, and disability." This ride starts with a collaborative comics-making activity at 7:30 p.m. If you're looking for superhero fun, check out the Wonder Woman Ride. Navigate the world of humans, far from Paradise Island. You will fly your invisible planes through inner SE Portland, deterring crime and evil and fighting to keep your bustiers in place. Everyone welcome. Any comic universe; mortal, hero or villain. This ride starts at 6 p.m.
• If the Stranger Things finale got you pumped up for Metallica, then feed that itch at the High Water Mark and Blistered Earth, The Ultimate Tribute to Metallica! Formed in 2009, Blistered Earth set out to become the definitive tribute to Metallica and have spent the last decade doing exactly that. Showtime is 8 p.m.
• I guess it's a night for tribute bands. Harvest Gold, a Neil Young tribute band will be performing at Mississippi Pizza in North Portland. Hit songs from Neil’s incredible 50 year career, which includes Buffalo Springfield, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, his solo career, and with his incredible band Crazy Horse are all covered. Joining them will be Fortunate Son, which is, you guessed it, a Creedence Clearwater Revival tribute band. 8 - 11:30 p.m.
• Want to get down and funky? Then head to the Spareroom Lounge for DJ Cowboy Live. Two turntables and a microphone, baby! DJ Cowboys coming to get things funky! No cover, so no excuses. The music starts at 9 p.m.
• If you find yourself downtown, swing by Pioneer Courthouse Square for The Session PDX, A Variety Show. A live & local showcase of music, spoken word & comedy. Featuring talented artists from around the area! Guaranteed to entertain!!! It's Portland's living room, so take a seat and be entertained. 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

From my notebook:

• Portland Art Museum: "🧁 Happy birthday to Frida Kahlo, born #OnThisDay in 1907. “The Love Embrace of the Universe, the Earth (Mexico), Myself, Diego, and Mr. Xolotl” depicts the coexistence of multiple layers of history and culture. One of Kahlo’s most evo..." (Portland Art Museum via Instagram)
• Portland Audubon: "Not unlike many families these days, young Acorn Woodpeckers remain with their parents for multiple years. Only these young'uns' purpose is to help raise future young and guard their acorn supply. In fact, it's all their full-time jobs t..." (Portland Audubon via Instagram)
• If you see a giant shark prowling the skies above Portland, don't worry. It's just a blimp. The blimp is 179-feet long and will fly as high as 56 feet and will fly right over Portland with flyovers of Tacoma, Centralia, Longview, Vancouver, Eugene, Salem and Medford. It's a promotional ad for Shark Week on the Discovery network, but it'll still be fun to see a giant, flying shark above us. (KATU)
• It’s the perfect combination of sweet and savory and now, the Voodoo Doughnut Bacon Maple Bar has one more thing to brag about. It was just named the Greatest Yeast Donut in America by The Underground Donut Tour. The company released its list of “America’s Greatest Donuts” in late May and Voodoo Doughnut acknowledged the honor on July 5. (KOIN)
• The famous Oregon Country Fair is happening this weekend, though if you've got tickets, you're probably already there. The first OCF was in 1969 and it's been going strong ever since, though it did go virtual during the pandemic. Some of the stand-out acts that will be performing there are the Marchfourth Band, Solovox, Jet Black Pearl and Devotcha. Even if you're not going, you can experience the fair vicariously by tuning in to KOCF 92.7 FM. A much closer festival can be found in North Portland! The Mississippi Street Fair is going on Saturday. With three separate stages for music, a rib-Off competition and more vendors than I can count, it's a street's worth of fun. (Mississippi Ave)
• A new survey found most people in Oregon believe that gun regulations in both the state and the U.S. should be stricter. The online survey was conducted by the Oregon Values and Beliefs Center between June 2-11. It consisted of 1,446 Oregon residents ages 18 and over. It showed that 54% of Oregonians say making it harder for people to get firearms would result in fewer mass shootings. (KATU)

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My job's all done for today. Consider yourself informed on the happenin's around Portland. But I'll be back on duty tomorrow, to give you the skinny on our fine city.

— Dominic Anaya

About me: Doctor, educator and now a writer/artist, I'm just chillin' in Portland, OR with my wife, our ferrets, our chickens and our goats.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Portland Daily? Contact me at portland@patch.com