🌱 Food Carts Close To Avoid Heat + OR Gun Sales Decline

Hey, Portland! Hot enough for you? Sorry, I couldn't resist. Before the heat completely fogs my brain, let me tell you about today.

First, today's weather:

It's HOT! This day brings unrelenting sun and a triple digit high temp (101 degrees F). This is one of those days where we need to look out for each other. If you know someone without air conditioning, here's a list of cooling centers in Portland. Oh, yeah, and Tri-Met will not deny anyone a ride, to or from a cooling center, regardless of whether they can pay the fare or not. Stay frosty out there, people.

Here are the top five stories today in Portland:

1. If you're looking forward to sampling some of Portland's legendary food carts, you may be out of luck. The anticipated heat wave this coming week has some food cart owners worried for both their employees and customers. Some are already announcing plans to temporarily close up shop next week. "Anything over 95 [degrees], at least our particular cart can't really handle it," said Rico Loverde, chef and owner of the Monster Smash Burgers food cart. "One of the fridges can't keep up and the food becomes unsafe to serve." (KGW)
2. Believe it or not, gun sales are on the decline here in Oregon. And not just in our state, but nationwide. June gun sales last year totaled 3,054,726 nationwide. Last month, nationwide gun sales totaled 2,570,608. Compared to the first six months of 2021, there were 6.4 million fewer background checks for the purchase of a firearm, a 28.7% drop. In Oregon, gun sales are falling, but at a slower pace the national decline. Estimates show a 17.7% reduction in sales. (Portland Patch)
3. Get ready for the upcoming elections in November. Debate season for the Oregon governor’s race will kick off July 29, with Democrat Tina Kotek, Republican Christine Drazan and unaffiliated candidate Betsy Johnson all scheduled to participate in the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association debate. The debate will take place in Welches at 2 p.m. and be streamed live online by The Oregonian/OregonLive. (The Oregonian)
4. Did you feel the Earth move under your feet this weekend? An earthquake rattled the Portland metro area overnight Sunday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. A 2.9-magnitude earthquake was recorded between Hillsboro and Aloha at 1:43 a.m. Sunday. The USGS said this earthquake had a depth of about 10.8 miles. Another earthquake was reported off the Oregon coast at 2:22 a.m. That quake was recorded as having a 4.0-magnitude and was about 244 miles west of Coos Bay. (KOIN)
5. In case you need reminding during this week's heat wave, don't burn stuff. An outdoor burn ban went into effect in Multnomah County on Monday ahead of the scorching temperatures forecasted this coming week. The ban will prohibit recreational campfires, fire pits, yard debris and agricultural burning. Permits for open burning will also be paused. Outdoor barbecuing is still allowed though, because who the heck is going to want to cook indoors? (KOIN)

Today in Portland:

• It's Trivia Night at Brewery 26 in SE Portland. Hosted by Sean Cowan. Who wants to be a Beerionaire?! Gather your team and come compete for the title of biggest brain (plus a B26 gift card!). 7 - 8:30 p.m..
• It's Open Stage Night at the Blind Ox Taphouse in North Portland. Sign up starts in person at 5:30 and is open to all singer-songwriters, musicians, poets, comedians and talent of all varieties. Time slots are 15 minutes. Hosted by Cody Weathers. 6 - 9 p.m.
• As a tribute to James Caan (1940-2022) the Grindhouse Film Festival presents a rare 35mm print of Michael Mann's 1981 gritty crime thriller "Thief" at the Hollywood Theater. Co-starring Willie Nelson, with a phenomenal synth soundtrack by Tangerine Dream. Showtime is 7:30 p.m.
• Powell's City of Books presents a discussion between Olympic gold medalist Megan Rapinoe and authors W. Kamau Bell and Kate Schatz. They'll be talking about Bell and Schatz's book "Do the Work!" a hands-on workbook for anyone overwhelmed by racial injustice, who feels shocked by all the American histories they never learned, and who keeps asking the question “what can I DOOOOOO?!” The discussion starts at 5 p.m.
• It's time for the Open Bluegrass Jam at Tomorrow's Verse Taproom in NE Portland. Come listen to some of the area's best bluegrass artists jam unplugged. While everyone will be welcome to play breaks if they want, beginners are also invited, even if they want to just quietly strum along for practice, that goes for you ukulele players too. 7 - 10 p.m.

From my notebook:

• Portland Flea: "Someone snagged this sweet chair 🪑 from @the.foraged.finds but there’s still one more if this picture convinced you! Here until 4 p.m. ☀️" (Portland Flea via Instagram)
• It's always been said that Portland is a very walkable city. Not only are there a plethora of trails, sidewalks and car-free areas, but many of Portland's residents love to decorate their front yards with imaginative art projects. You're probably familiar with mini-libraries and the occasional tiny "faerie home", but these Portlanders took the concept above and beyond. (Star News)
• With all the reports of increased violence we're seeing almost everywhere, we're all concerned. One Portland artist is trying to do something about it. Experimental musician Arrington de Dionyso performed his Emergency Ritual to Avert Nuclear War with Sam Klickner at Turn! Turn! Turn! Here's a brief discussion with him. (YouTube)
• Do you want to improve your neighborhood? Metro would like to help. Metro’s Regional Refresh Fund supports community-led efforts to promote livability and improve service equity in the Metro region by providing flexible, low-barrier funding for immediate cleanup needs in underserved communities. Nonprofits, public agencies, schools and business district associations are invited to apply. Applicants can request up to $5,000 in funding per cleanup project or event. (Oregon Metro)
• Are you an educator? You may be able to get into some Portland cultural attractions for free this week. During the weeks of July 25–31 and August 8–14, educators are invited to visit the Japanese American Museum of Oregon, Lan Su Chinese Garden, Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education, the Oregon Historical Society, Portland Art Museum, Portland Chinatown Museum, and Pittock Mansion for free as well as take part in educator-focused events and tours. (Oregon Historical Society)
• Portland police officers stopped drivers 44% less often in 2021 than the year before. But Black and Hispanic or Latino people had their highest share of stops on record, while the share of stops of white people reached record lows. The bureau released its annual Stops Data Collection report July 1, highlighting the perceived race and ethnicity of people whom police stopped last year, along with the reasons for those stops and the outcomes, including whether people were cited, arrested or searched. (The Oregonian)

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Have a good Tuesday, my friends. I hope you're able to stay cool and comfortable. Don't forget to keep your pets cool, too. I'll be back tomorrow for another round of true facts about Portland.

— 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