Healthcare Mandate Firings + Portland Unpopular + Eviction Crisis

Happy Thursday to everyone out there in Stumptown! We're going into my favorite time of the year, the Spooky Season! Let's find out what's exciting around this town.

First, today's weather:

A mix of clouds and rain with a high of 63 today. I guess, if we're going to get technical, the clouds will always be there. I mean, where else is the rain going to come from?

Here are the top stories today in Portland:

1. After more than a year of public protests calling for change, Black leaders are unhappy with the minimal changes that have been achieved. They are calling for state and local governments to be held accountable to Black Oregonians. A coalition of Black community leaders known as Reimagine Oregon held a press conference, listing more than 40 specific actions they hoped to see taken by the Oregon Legislature, Metro regional government, the three metro-area counties and the city of Portland. (OPB)
2. Several workers within the Legacy Health system say hundreds of employees were alerted Monday that their COVID-19 vaccination exemption requests were denied. Now they are faced with a hard choice, since the state has mandated that all health care workers be vaccinated by Oct. 18th. The Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) is calling out Legacy Health, saying the “blanket rejections” are “bad policy” that further impact the staffing shortages at hospitals and will “ultimately impact quality of patient care.” (KATU)
3. While Portland certainly has its issues, mainstream media outlets have taken many of these issues and spun them into a narrative that paints the city as a place of anarchy and lawlessness. In polling last month, Portland firm DHM Research found that just 45% of Oregonians statewide have a positive impression of Portland. That’s in contrast to megacorporation Amazon, which boasts 70% positive impressions. Outside the Willamette Valley and Portland metro area, just 35% of Oregonians view the City of Roses positively. Within the metro area, it’s better — 53% — but that means barely half of the people living in or near Portland actually like Portland. (Willamette Week)
4. The eviction crisis that was predicted as far back as last year has arrived packing Multnomah County courtrooms with confused and frightened tenants. Under state law, Oregonians are protected from eviction for 90 days if they apply for rental assistance, but many people going through the eviction process are unaware of that. According to the tenant advocacy group DontEvictPDX, which tracks eviction cases, there were 150 new court filings for eviction in the month of August alone. (KPTV)
5. One of Portland's most beloved gardens is under siege. The Lan Su Chinese Garden in the Old Town district has had to contend with vandalism, assaults and drug use. Businesses and non-profits alike in Portland's Old Town district are struggling, not just to stay open, but to keep their workers safe. Just in the last few months, several high-profile assaults and shootings have been reported in Old Town. Many of the people who work at Lan Su are volunteers, and most of them are older people and Chinese Americans, who have been racially targeted. (KGW)

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Today in Portland:

• Oysters and Beer? Who ever heard of such a crazy combination? But the Chill N' Fill in North Portland is thinking outside the box as it hosts an Oyster Bar Pop-Up from Hama Hama. Even if you're not into oysters, their tap list can't be beat, with over 30 different delicious beverages on offer. I may be biased though; personally, I think these guys rock! 5:00 - 9:00 PM.
• NE Portland gallery Blind Insect will be having an opening reception tonight, featuring "Things We Don't See", a solo exhibition of works by Pepe Moscoso. In this fifth installment of BARRIO! this month Blind Insect Gallery is featuring México. It will explore the sounds of México with the fearless singer Edna Vazquez, a songwriter and guitarist whose powerful voice and musical talent embrujan and transcend the boundaries of language. This BARRIO is bringing together the flavors of México by local restaurants and mezcal from Ilegal. 6:00 - 9:30 PM.
• Have you always wanted YOUR milkshake to bring all the boys to the yard? Find out what it's all about by joining Twerk Toni for an hour-long beginner Twerk class. This beginner class will be focused on breaking down the twerk basics and perfecting your twerk fundamentals, all while learning a fun dance routine! Tickets available online. 7:00 - 8:00 PM.
• Steeple Jack Brewing in NE Portland is proud to present the music of Dead Lee live. Dead Lee is a Portland-based folk duo comprised of Brian Koch (current and founding member of Blitzen Trapper) and singer-songwriter Kara Harris. The duo represents a mutual love of the darker folk and country traditions. Show starts at 7:00 PM.
• The Jack Maybe Project will be playing at the Landmark Saloon in SE Portland tonight. Jack Maybe was forged in the fires of the American sound. The sirens of Blues, Jazz, Folk, and Bluegrass grew nearby and he was able to learn their tunes. Enjoy a tasty beverage and some sweet, sweet music. Show starts at 8:00 PM.

Portland Patch Notebook

• Portland Trail Blazers: "A wholesome chat between friends" (Instagram)
• Portland, Oregon: "One hour it’s a downpour.. the next hour it’s sunny - but that sounds about right for Portland in the early fall. - Photo by: @you_go_come_here" (Instagram)
• Travel Portland: "The @PortlandNightMarket returns this weekend. @CaesarTheNoDramaLlama will be there, so you better not miss it! #ThisIsPortland #PDX #PDXNOW #TravelPortland #TravelOregon #PortlandOregon #HereForPortland #PortlandNightMarket" (Instagram)
• Portland Audubon: "(on) As September comes to a close, so does the spectacular annual visit of migrating Vaux's Swifts. Each evening at dusk the swifts gather by the thousand and form a bird tornado as they enter the Chapman Elementary School chimney to..." (Instagram)
• How does Portland measure up to other Left Coast cities? The new book Upper Left Cities, by two Portland State University professors, Hunter Shobe and David Banis, compares Portland, Seattle and San Francisco in a series of maps, showing everything from median home prices to the number of ramen shops. (Willamette Week)
• How long before the Fitbit becomes outdated? A new Portland digital health company has launched: Motusi Corp. which makes engineering athletic wear, with continuous data capture and a performance analysis platform. Welcome to the future! (The Business Journals)
• In case you were wondering, our favorite home team, the Portland Trailblazers, are 100% vaccinated. Portland Trail Blazers president of basketball operations Neil Olshey confirmed at the team’s annual media day Sept. 27 that the entire roster and basketball operations staff have been vaccinated against COVID-19. (Willamette Week)
• We're coming into the Halloween season and it always brings me back to the haunted house spectacle that was Fright Town. Those days are gone, but, back in the day, I had volunteered 5 years in a row to scare the pants off of the patrons that passed through. Let's remember those happier times with this video documenting a visit to Fright Town. (YouTube)

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Wow, now that's a Thursday! And we're just getting started. Tomorrow is a Friday, and, more than that, it's the first Friday in October, which means a month full of fun. And I can't wait to tell you all about it, so meet me back here tomorrow for more Tales of Portland. If you're feeling these newsletters, consider bringing some of your friends and neighbors into the fold. You can send them this link to subscribe.

— 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? You can email me at portland@patch.com.