🌱 Oregon Addiction Recovery+Mystery Crypto Candidate

It's Tuesday and we're back into another week. Things are moving fast, so let me just tell you about the day.

First, today's weather:

On and off rain throughout the day with a high of 54.

Here are the top stories today in Portland:

1. Oregonians are dying at a staggering rate from preventable addictions, according to nonprofit Oregon Recovers. Members of the group rallied in front of the Oregon Health Authority in Portland on Saturday to draw attention to alcohol- and addiction-related deaths. Oregon Recovers says the state ranks second nationally in addiction-related deaths and last in access to treatment. Oregon Recovers has developed a 12-step process to address addiction in the state. It includes an oversight office of addiction recovery, coordinating efforts between Oregon agencies to tackle addiction. (KOIN)
2. A political action committee supporting challenger Vadim Mozyrsky against Portland Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty and incumbent Dan Ryan has reported raising $185,000 to date. Portland United was formed with the help of the Portland Business Alliance and so far reports contributions from developers and businesses, including $100,000 from the Portland Metropolitan Association of Realtors PAC. No spending has yet been reported. The committee's website lists the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers as a member but no contributions from the union has been reported yet. Some other unions have contributed to Mozyrsky. (Portland Tribune)
3. About eight months after crews contracted by the city of Portland cleared a long-standing homeless camp around Laurelhurst Park, the encampment has all but returned to its former footprint. KGW met Scott on Friday morning as he was cleaning the area outside of his tent at the edge of the Southeast Portland park. "I've been here off and on probably over a year now," Scott said. In that year span, Scott said that he's had to move several times. August of 2021 was the last time that the city did a comprehensive sweep of the Laurelhurst camps, though officials say that crews are routinely in the area to remove trash and debris. (KGW)
4. As of April 21, Portland police say that 28 people have been killed by gunfire in the city this year. That’s a rate of killing on pace to eclipse the 69 shooting homicides the city witnessed last year. And the Portland Police Bureau says the 390 shooting incidents in the city from January through March are up 248% from the same period two years ago. Those trends aren’t the only reason why City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty faces a seething electorate. But Portland’s gunfire—and the question of whether a cut in police funding she led contributed to violence—underlie the bitter fight Hardesty faces with Vadim Mozyrsky and Rene Gonzalez in the May 17 primary election. (Willamette Week)
5. Carrick Flynn, it seems, has everybody flummoxed. Rival Democrats running against Flynn in Oregon’s brand new 6th Congressional District struggle to explain how the newcomer candidate went from an unknown to a spending juggernaut, blanketing the district in ads. Washington, D.C., politicos are bewildered that Flynn attracted unprecedented backing from a political action committee affiliated with powerful Democrats, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Some have gone as far as to say their party turned its back on minority voters with the move. And pretty much everyone is wondering why a cryptocurrency billionaire, Sam Bankman-Fried, is interested enough in Flynn to spend more than $7 million on his behalf through an affiliated super PAC. (OPB)

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Today in Portland:

• Annie Bloom's welcomes back local author Emmeline Duncan for the livestream launch of Double Shot Death, the second Ground Rules mystery. Emmeline will be in conversation with fellow Portland mystery author Angela M. Sanders. Please register in advance for this Zoom event. 7:00 - 8:00 PM.
• The Flow Show will be at Kelly's Olympian in downtown Portland. They're a collective of artists, creators, and visionaries utilizing their talents for the betterment of the community. Through their monthly hip hop showcase, they’re able to raise money for @portlandspantry, a local non-profit providing food and resources directly to those in need. They aim to change the narrative around hip hop and prove that it can be a transformative tool for good. Hosted by Chain Taylor. Get your tickets online. Door open at 6:30 PM.
• Tonight is the kick off for a series at Mississippi Pizza that will pay tribute to the singer, songwriters who lived in Laurel Canyon in Los Angeles in the late 60’s/early 70’s. The first night will feature local artists playing songs that Carole King and James Taylor wrote and recorded while living in Laurel Canyon. Local artists performing tonight are: Jim Brunberg & Ben Landsverk, Darka Dusty & Miri Stebivka, Mike Coykendall, Ed Desparteau, Lilyjane & Sophia, Chrissy Wood, Rachel Brashear, Philip Stanton, Jacob Westfall, Natalie K. Burgess & King, Boxcar Rebels, Mia Nicholson. Tickets available online. 7:00 - 10:30 PM.
• Join the Feminist Book Club on the last Tuesday of every month at EARTH Space PDX! The purpose of this gathering is to build a strong community of local feminists who support each other to feel empowered, authentic and confident. The goal is to provide a space that invites contemplation, comfort, and inspiration through intentional discussions, writing exercises, and meaningful connections. Together you will discuss, analyze, and critique feminist text from an intersectional point of view. Current Book: Patriarchy Stress Disorder: The Invisible Inner Barrier to Women’s Happiness & Fulfillment, by Valerie Rein.7:00 - 9:00 PM.
• Tomorrow's Verse is hosting an open bluegrass jam tonight. Come listen to some of the area's best bluegrass artists jam unplugged. This will be a traditional style Bluegrass circle, where people can join in as much as they’d like. 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. 7:00 - 10:00 PM.

From my notebook:

• Portland Art Museum: Demetrios Jameson (American, 1919–1996), “St. Louis Street Scene,” 1948. Oil on canvas; 40 5/16 × 29 15/16 in. Gift of the Artist, ST1996.1.1 © Estate of Demetrios Jameson. (Instagram)
• For Oregon Republicans still uncertain about who to back for governor — and that’s most of them — Thursday, April 28, will offer a chance for some comparison shopping, with two key forums on tap. At 7 p.m. KOIN 6 News and its media partner Pamplin Media Group will co-host an evening debate featuring four leading GOP gubernatorial hopefuls: Christine Drazan, Bud Pierce, Stan Pulliam and Bob Tiernan. (KOIN)
• Author J.C. Geiger’s newest book is set in the fictional Oregon coastal town of Clade City located on the edge of the very real Cascadia Subduction Zone fault line. It’s a place where experts warn a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami loom. For the teenage characters in “The Great Big One,” prepping for that natural disaster is part of their way of life. “And part of their job in preparing for this is they help run this radio station on the coast that plays music but also would serve as this alert central if something were to happen,” says Geiger. “These friends are really into music and when they’re not doing their disaster preparedness work, of course, they surf the radio waves.” (OPB)
• A new Safe Rest Village at the Sears Army Reserve Center in Southwest Portland could be the first of six to open in Portland. Portland’s Safe Rest Village team says a site plan has been submitted to the city for permitting at the armory near Multnomah Village. Materials and site improvements are still being confirmed, but staff in Commissioner Dan Ryan’s office say the goal is to get the 40-pod outdoor homeless shelter up and running in May. (KOIN)
• In this video, Youtuber Ilana Pinsky will be exploring the Albert Arts District in Portland. This is a very funky and vibrant neighborhood that has tons of small businesses, pubs, restaurants, and murals to explore. Let's explore this Portland neighborhood together! (YouTube)

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There's your Tuesday, my friends. I hope you're settling back into this new week just fine. I'll be back tomorrow to tell you more news of 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.