🌱 Tigard Company To Build Nuclear Plant in Idaho + OHSU Lawsuit

Wow, is it Thursday already? The holidays have got me all turned around. But that's Portland for you. Or, as I like to call it, life in the fast lane. Speaking of the fast lane, wait until I tell you about today.

First, today's weather:

It's mostly cloudy today, but not much rain and a high of 44. That'll work.

Here are the top stories in Portland today:

1. In her next step on the path to becoming Oregon's next governor, Sen. Betsy Johnson has resigned from the Oregon state Senate. Johnson, a moderate Democrat, is running as an unaffiliated candidate for the seat currently held by term-limited Gov. Kate Brown, a Democrat. With her departure from the Senate, Democratic Party officials within Johnson’s district will choose a slate of nominees to fill out the remainder of her term, which runs through 2022. (KGW)
2. The weather is getting colder, but, evidently, not cold enough for the county to open its warming shelters. The Multnomah County Joint Office of Homeless Services says the weather does not yet meet its requirements to activate severe weather shelter — but the county is ready regardless. Multnomah County Communications Coordinator Denis Theriault told KOIN 6 News despite the severe weather shelters being closed, the county has already taken steps to keep homeless residents safe. (KOIN.com)
3. A Portland-area company that wants its small-scale nuclear reactors to be part of the global clean energy transition plans to go public. NuScale Power of Tigard makes modular nuclear reactors that the company says can be combined to form carbon-free power plants. NuScale is working with a Utah-based regional utility to build the first such nuclear power plant in Idaho. The first module at that plant could be online by 2029. (OPB)
4. A class action lawsuit was filed by two employees of the Oregon Health & Science University on Tuesday alleging unfair treatment against employees of color. The lawsuit arrives days after the release of an eight-month investigation into the work culture at OHSU. The 51-page report concluded OHSU had failed to adequately create an environment of racial equality and inclusion. (KPTV)
5. We hear a lot about plastic polluting the ocean and how microplastics impact saltwater organisms, but new studies show it's also abundant in freshwater like the Columbia River. Professor Kirsten Kapp, at Central Wyoming College, studied the Snake and Columbia rivers, taking numerous samples from along both waterways. Researchers found microplastics in every sample -- from Yellowstone to the ocean. (KATU)

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Today in Portland:

• Tequila distiller Cazadores will be having a tequila tasting night at Carlitas in NW Portland. Featuring a deal on the Cazadores Chico drink! Crafted with Cazadores blanco tequila, lemon juice, lavender bitters, blackberry puree, splash soda. What could be better than tacos and tequila? 6:00 - 8:00 PM.
• It's a night of post-punk, psychedelic rock at Kelly's Olympian in downtown Portland as it hosts Ore, Deaf Telepathy and Mobilities. Mobilities is a band that aims for their namesake: an ever-changing flow of ideas, creating sound waves that move the body and mind. The goal is, and always has been, to showcase a variety of original music. Tickets available online. Doors open at 8:30 PM.
• If you're a fan of iconic movies, cocktail culture or both, don't miss the showing of the 1934 classic The Thin Man at the Hollywood Theater in NE Portland. Nick Charles (William Powell), a former private detective who spends most of his time consuming copious amounts of alcohol and trading witty banter with his beautiful socialite wife Nora Charles (Myrna Loy), is reluctantly brought out of retirement to help find a missing inventor suspected of murdering his mistress. Show time is 7:30 PM.
• If you're in the mood for some folk-bluegrass tonight, then you should go to the White Eagle in North Portland for the album release party of True North. Fronted by singer-songwriter Kristen Grainger, the folk-bluegrass powerhouse includes Dan Wetzel, guitar; octave mandolin; Martin Stevens, mandolin, octave mandolin, and fiddle; Josh Adkins, bass – and everybody sings. Get your tickets online. The show starts at 8:00 PM.
• There will be a pre-show performance with DJ Deaf Wish and CymaSpace at Portland Center Stage in downtown Portland. Discover the innovative work of CymaSpace and DJ Deaf Wish as they partner to create spaces and standards that are inclusive of the deaf community, and that expand the sensory experiences of all audiences. The Cymaspace team will deploy a new pop-up art installation that aims to provide an immersive experience of sound made visible. This event is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. Attend in person at Portland Center Stage or catch the livestream on YouTube, Facebook, or Twitch. 6:30 - 7:15 PM.

From my notebook:

• Portland Trail Blazers: "🚨 BIRTHDAY BUZZER BEATER 🚨" (Instagram)
• Portland Audubon: "Last week, a Snowy Owl was spotted in Troutdale and then again a few days later in Eugene! Want to stay up to date on all the rare bird sightings for the state? Tune in every Thursday for our Rare Bird Alert, compiled by Portland Audubon..." (Facebook)
• Oregon Historical Society: "As part of the Oregon Historical Society’s ongoing quest to taste-test historical recipes from cookbooks held in its research library collections, Technical Services Librarian Katie Mayer shares another cooking adventure: Ginger Drop Coo..." (Facebook)
• Portland Audubon: "If you’re wondering how your local Anna's Hummingbirds are doing as the weather gets increasingly colder, the answer is just dandy! They have special energy-saving behaviors to survive the cold. When outside temperatures fall, hummingbird ..." (Instagram)
• If you're a fan of old-time music, this news should make you happy. The 23rd Annual Portland Old Time Music Gathering is happening live and in person! From Jan. 12th to Jan. 16th of 2022, musical events will take place at various venues in East Portland. They are putting together a smaller, “back to basics” Gathering because of the uncertainty of the pandemic. Check out their schedule to see when and where these events are taking place. (Bubba Guitar)
• Iconic Portland strip club Mary's Club is back! It moved out of its old digs on West Broadway, where it had been for close to a century, and reopened just blocks away on West Burnside. Mary’s Club now inhabits a long, skinny bar with two stages, the whole place lit mostly in red. Katrina Brown of the Willamette Week went to check it out and lets you know what she found. (Willamette Week)

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You're all caught up now, you awesome, beautiful people. Enjoy the day and spread the love. Mat you all live your best lives, but join me tomorrow and we'll talk more about this wonderful city that we call home.

— 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.