🌱 Fire Closes Highway 26 + Monkeypox Outreach To Focus On Latino Men

New week, who dis? It's just me, back with another Portland Patch newsletter. Oaks Amusement Park now requires chaperones, The Pearl is trying something new to prevent homeless camps from coming back and it's Hip Hop Week. Boy, do I have stuff to tell you!

First, today's weather:

It's sunny all day today, with a high of 85. Not bad.

Here are the top five stories today in Portland:

1. Phew, that was a close one! The westbound lanes of Highway 26 were shut down on Sunday afternoon after flames from a disabled vehicle spread to vegetation on the shoulder, prompting a response from Portland Fire & Rescue. When fire crews arrived, they found that flames from the car had set nearby dry grass ablaze. The fire was spreading up a hillside toward Washington Park. "The call was upgraded to a 'wildland box' which added additional fire units to include two water tenders and two brush units," said Tremaine Clayton, assistant public information officer for PF&R. (KGW.com)
2. If you are thinking about visiting Oaks Amusement Park, there's a new policy you should know about. Following a spike in violent behavior from younger guests, officials with the Oaks Amusement Park implemented a new policy that people 17-and-younger must be accompanied by someone at least 21 years old to take part in the open skate sessions. (KOIN)
3. Like any city, Portland has plenty of graffiti. Most perpetrators are never caught, but on Monday, one of Portland's most prolific offenders turned himself in. Portland Police asked for the public’s help on Saturday in finding 22-year-old Emile Laurent, saying he was responsible for tens of thousands of dollars in damage. Investigators say they served a search warrant at Laurent’s home in the late spring, finding evidence including a bag filled with markers. (KATU)
4. In an attempt to keep homeless camps cleared, the Pearl District Neighborhood Association and a trash-pickup nonprofit have cut an informal deal with the city of Portland to place bark dust, fences and "Do Not Enter" signs at homeless camps recently swept by the city along Interstate 405. The nonprofit We Heart Portland is an offshoot of We Heart Seattle, a nonprofit formed in late 2020 by Andrea Suarez. The Seattle City Council rebuffed the organization last year for its tactics, with several city councilors saying its work bordered on harassment of homeless people. . (Willamette Week)
5. As monkeypox continues to spread, one group in particular is affected the most, Latino men. Data from the Oregon Health Authority appears to show emerging racial and ethnic disparities in monkeypox cases. People who identify as Hispanic account for 32 out of the state’s current total of 116 cases. That’s about 28 percent of all cases, in a state that is 14 percent Hispanic. Public health officials in Multnomah County say given what the data is showing so far, they are targeting outreach and vaccines to Latino men. (OPB)

Today in Portland:

• If you're looking for good music and great beer, go to the Open Jam at The Big Legrowlski. No cover, just support with some drinks and vegan grub. They've got a beautiful instrument collection and killer backline. 7 p.m. to midnight.
• For a party of an evening, come to SYSTEMAGIC: The GOLDFRAPP Experience at Mississippi Pizza in North Portland. Join them for a celebration of all things Goldfrapp, the British songstress with drag, dance, performance art and more! Doors open at 7 p.m.
• The Urban League of Portland invites you to its 3rd Urban League for All of Us Community Conversation - Southern Oregon! The theme of the event will be the rise of white Nationalism in the state of Oregon and its impact on Southern Oregon. I know, I know, Southern Oregon is a long way to go on a Tuesday night, but you can also register to attend virtually. 6 - 7 p.m.
• Time for another Science Pub! Tonight, it'll be at Migration Brewing on Glisan and the topic is salmon! Learn about Advocate for the West's major win to protect endangered salmon and steelhead in the upper Willamette River basin along with their partners from Northwest Environmental Defense Center and Native Fish Society. Plus, hear about their other work to protect anadromous fish in the region. 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
• Powell's City of Books presents Casey Parks in conversation with Anna Griffin. Park's book, Diary of a Misfit, is the story of Parks's life-changing journey to unravel the mystery of Roy Hudgins, the small-town country singer from her grandmother’s youth, all the while confronting ghosts of her own. Parks will be joined in conversation by Anna Griffin, vice president of news at Oregon Public Broadcasting. The talk starts at 7 p.m.

From my notebook:

• Travel Portland: "@pdxhiphopweek is here so let’s turn it up! This celebration of hip hop culture in the Rose City includes great performances from local artists and performers, all of whom have greatly contributed to Portland's hip hop scene. The goal is..." (Travel Portland via Instagram)
• Even though Portland isn't that old, we already have ruins. Abandoned buildings with boarded up windows and mysterious pasts. Brinna Wheeler of the Willamette Week takes us on a deep dive on the vacant buildings of Portland. (Willamette Week)
• Hey, it's Hip Hop Week here in Portland. Starting out as Portland Hip Hop Day in 2015, the events became too big to fit into only one day. There are events going on all week long, including parties, workshops and even a Hip Hop Wine & Chill event taking place at Abbey Creek Winery. If you're a hip hop fan, you've got a lot to check out. (PDX Hip Hop Week)
• You know I'm a sucker for goat stories, which is why I'm excited to tell you about Cate, her husband, Chad, and their goat, Frankie. For the past 6 years, the three of them have been hitting the open road and travelling around the country. They've been to the Grand Canyon, they've been to Hollywood and they even found a "goat convention" in Idaho. Now they're on a Discovery Channel series called "The Bond." (OPB)
• All you readers must know that I think Portland is great, but it's always nice to know that I'm not alone in that assessment. Take, for example, The Washington Post, which earlier this month included Portland in a list of “9 places to go for travel’s offseason, from Texas to Tuscany.” According to The Post, Portland is “one of the West’s food capitals” and, as such, “a year-round destination for travelers who love to eat.” (The Oregonian)
• I don't know if you've heard about the train of Starlink satellites that have been sighted in Portland's night skies, but Sean Eugene got some footage of the spectacle on their phone. Take a look. (YouTube)

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That's your Tuesday in Portland. It's a beautiful day today, so make the most of. Let's face it, summer in Portland is fleeting so, like, carpe diem, ya know.

— 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