🌱 Mysterious Homeless Pods Appear + Proposed Ban On Diesel Fuel

It's Friday, people, and that makes me feel like dancing! It doesn't hurt that this is the coolest day we're going feel for a while. Here's what's happening today.

First, today's weather:

Clouds in the morning, then sun in the afternoon and a high of 78.

Here are the top five stories in Portland today:

1. Everyone wants to work from home, even city of Portland employees. A survey conducted in June of nearly 3,500 municipal government employees — about half of the city’s total workforce —found most had no interest in returning to the office full time. Three-fifths of those working from home part-time said they’d quit if the city made them come in more than twice per week, according to a report distributed to city employees Monday. That's at odds with elected leaders and business groups, who claim that the return of these workers is critical to the health of the city’s core. (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
2. Have you seen the homeless pods that are popping up around Portland? Witnesses say that people show up on their streets, build them quickly and then take off, not saying who they are. These pods are roughly 6-foot by 8-foot pods that have wheels — but are reportedly heavy and hard to move. When asked, occupants of one of the pods said a man is building these tiny structures on his own and that he has a website and phone number. But they don’t give out his information. (KOIN.com)
3. Renter advocates are warning of the potential of big rent increases in the near future. They fear, when the state sets the inflation rate in September, landlords will legally be allowed to raise rent by 7% plus inflation, pushing the increase to nearly 16%. "I think there’s no way around the fact that it’s going to increase homelessness and increase the numbers of people who are living outside without housing stability," said Sybil Hebb, director of policy advocacy for the Oregon Law Center. (KATU)
4. Job offer rescinded! City officials have walked back an employment offer for the Portland Police Bureau’s new director of training — after an unspecified problem arose during a background check of the veteran Los Angeles police officer who was primed to take the job. What was the past offense? “All I can tell you is that as a result of the background check, the city withdrew the conditional offer of employment,” said Cody Bowman, a spokesperson for Mayor Ted Wheeler, who oversees the police bureau. (The Oregonian)
5. If you own a diesel powered vehicle, you may not be able to gas up in Portland for much longer. The city of Portland will seek public comment on banning the sale of petroleum-based diesel fuel within the city limits as part of its Climate Emergency Work Plan. The work plan aims to curb diesel usage by electrifying trucks and using more biodiesel, which is derived from agricultural sources like cooking oil. The diesel ban will go out to public comment at the end of August. (Willamette Week)

Today in Portland:

• Who doesn't like a sing-along? If you're in the mood to belt out a tune, head to Favel Brazilian Grill for its Musical Theater Sing a Long Night. There will be a live piano player so bring your sheet music and come sing your heart out at this magical night. 6 - 8 p.m..
• Prestige Wrestling presents: Nonstop Feeling at the Hawthorne Theater. To make things even more exciting than usual the first two rows will be considered "THE SPLASH ZONE". If wrestlers come near you or are diving out of the ring PLEASE get out of the way. If you cannot move out of the way quickly you should probably consider purchasing tickets further back/away from ringside. Good luck. Doors open at 6 p.m.
• Black Water Bar presents Pillbox, a drag show for the chronically ill and the differently abled. Hosted by spooky alt star Princessantera and featuring ASL interpretation by Fingers Crossed Interpreting. Feast your eyes on local glamazons like Latinx queen Sin Nombre, "man of many faces" Dick Fever, and more. Doors open at 8 p.m.
• Sometimes we all just need a hug. A Mystical Hug, that is! Join Lighthouse Yoga PDX for an uplifting live music and yoga experience with Kal and Matt from Mystical Hug. Enjoy a welcoming and gentle yoga class that blends hatha, vinyasa and restorative poses with sweeping ambient guitar sounds. This feel-good event will be an opportunity to connect with neighbors and treat your body to something special. 6 - 7:15 p.m.
• Rose City Book Pub is bringing you the literary goodness once more with Four Poets. Join four acclaimed local poets (Joann Boswell, Bethany Lee, Paul J. Pastor, and Annie Lighthart) from Oregon's own Fernwood Press for an evening of great company and great words. 7 - 9 p.m.

From my notebook:

• Portland Audubon: "Have you ever heard of a songbird without a song? While Evening Grosbeaks have some short and sweet (and sometimes sharp) calls and chirps, they don’t seem to have any use for more complex sounds or songs to attract a mate or defend territory." (Portland Audubon via Instagram)
• TV and streaming services just can't get enough of Portland's food scene. I can't say I blame them; neither can I. The latest example? The third season of the Netflix “Street Food” series, which begins streaming July 26, includes an episode devoted to Portland, and some of its notable chefs and food carts. Why do I always watch things that make me hungry? (The Oregonian)
• Stardate 100097.01, a group of fun cosplayers and others braved Portland's NE Quadrant on their bikes led by Joe Gavrilović. At the end of the journey they were met by the crew of the USS Improvise and great fun commenced. (YouTube)
• If you're a fan of car-free plazas in your city, you're going to love this. A project designed by four Portland State University students – Emily D’Antonio, Ryan Martyn, Michel Rojas and Aidan Simpson – aims to turn the streets surrounding the Keller Auditorium into one of these car-free plazas. Students worked with urban design expert Cathy Tuttle, a downtown resident who has detailed her aspirations for a city center with fewer cars, to create a proposal that would put into motion some of the traffic-free goals outlined in 1972 Portland Downtown Plan. (Bike Portland)
• It's almost time for the Portland Sketch Comedy Festival 2022! This is year four. The fest began in 2017, as a collaborative vision shared by Siren Theater owner and one half of The Aces Shelley McLendon and Nacho Gold founding member Ted Douglass. According to legend—and the press release—they were both inspired by sketch festivals in other cities. (Portland Mercury)
• A new Portland Art Museum exhibition features photographs from six artists that challenge the notion of a fixed takeaway from the city’s uneasy moment in the spotlight. "Perspectives," on display at PAM through November 13, plucks viral photographs of Portland’s 2020 protests from social media feeds, showcasing the experiences of six local BIPOC photographers. (PDX Monthly)

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Thanks for reading and meet me back here tomorrow for more news of Portland. Now get out there and let your freak flag fly. The weekend is the time that Portland gets even weirder. But how weird can we get? It's not like we're Gravity Fall, OR. — 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