🌱 Out Of Towners Driving House Prices + Monkeypox In Multnomah County

It's Friday, my friends, one of my favorite days. It's like Garfield and Mondays, but, you know, just the opposite. Here's what's happening today.

📣 Our readers love to celebrate good news! You can now shout out your big announcement at the top of the Portland Daily newsletter. Whether it's a grand opening, new product for sale, birthday, anniversary, engagement, wedding or new baby, let everyone celebrate alongside you! Submit your announcement here.

Now, today's weather:

Today will be sunny and warm with a high of 85.

Here are the top five stories today in Portland:

1. No wonder I can't buy a new house in Portland. Redfin, a national real estate brokerage firm, released a report Thursday that said in the first half of 2022, people who moved to Portland from outside the city had budgets that were 18% higher to spend on a home than people who already lived in the city. The analysis looked at 23 cities and found in 19 of them, out-of-towners had higher budgets. (KOIN.com)
2. An African-American landmark in the city of Portland's Albina neighborhood just got some financial help from a prestigious grant. Billy Webb Elks Lodge received $140,000 from the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund. A fire destroyed the building in 2021, and leaders are still trying to get everything together. The building has been in the Albina neighborhood since the 1920s. In the '40s it was used as a shelter to house African Americans during the Vanport flood. It also used to be home to the NAACP. (KGW.com)
3. Another challenge to the Portland charter reform measure has been shot down. A Multnomah County judge on Tuesday dismissed a lawsuit filed last month by a Black business leader that challenged the ballot language for a proposed measure to change Portland’s form of government and the way voters elect members of the City Council. The leader who brought the suit, James Posey, failed to notify the city’s elections officer in writing that he’d filed a court petition seeking the rewording, as required by law. (The Oregonian)
4. Multnomah County has 43 known cases of the monkeypox virus or hMPXV, the most out of any county in Oregon. The Oregon Health Authority reports 72 known monkeypox cases statewide as of Aug. 2. Officials with Multnomah County Public Health are racing to vaccinate those most at risk and reduce the stigma on communities being hit hard by the virus. About 1,000 people have gotten their first dose of the monkeypox vaccine in Multnomah County since early July, according to a county spokesperson. (KPTV)
5. Old Town/Chinatown is becoming something out of the wild west with all the shootouts occurring there! A public parking lot, bordered by Northwest 4th Avenue, Northwest 5th Avenue, Northwest Davis Street, and Northwest Couch Street, has had three injuries from gunfire and two homicides — all between July 29 and Aug. 2. Terry Breneman is a frequent visitor to Old Town. He said the violence sounds like a lot in a short period of time, but it’s normal from what he sees. (KPTV)

Today in Portland:

• If First Thursday wasn't enough for you, then join the East Creative Collective for its First Friday Summer Art Festival! Featuring a photo exhibition by Kat Schon, live performances by Tridacan Maxima and MirCat, music by Space Bats and DJ Drink Tickets, the sea life dance party, installations by N.A. Stein, karaoke with Community Jams, live painting by Ideal PDX and more! 6 - 9 p.m.
• Come to My Father's Place in SE Portland for their Father's Favorites Comedy Showcase! A comedy showcase featuring comedians from Portland and beyond. Held in the diner of classic Portland institution My Father's Place. Hosted by Michael Phelps. Doors open at 8:30 p.m.
• Soul'd Out presents Special Purpose at the Jack London Revue in downtown Portland. Influenced by 1970s jazz-funk-fusion and psychedelic rock, Special Purpose performs instrumental compositions that evoke different moods, from mysterious and atmospheric to aggressive and energetic. Doors open at 8:00 p.m.
• You know it's Friday in Portland by all the comedy going on. Take for instance the Dead Comics Society happening at Rogue Ales & Spirits in SE Portland. Join your host Chase Brockett alongside Portland's best comedic talent, including some special guests and national drop-ins! Doors open at 6:45 p.m.
• Don't you think it's time for some therapy? Dance Therapy, that is, at No Requests in downtown Portland! Dance therapy is a type of therapy that uses movement to help individuals achieve emotional, cognitive, physical, and social integration. Beneficial for both physical and mental health, dance therapy can be used for stress reduction, disease prevention, and mood management. It all starts at 10 p.m.

From my notebook:

• Portland Art Museum: "COMING OCTOBER 29: “Dakota Modern: The Art of Oscar Howe” is the first major retrospective on the Yanktonai Dakota artist (1915–1983). Known for his bold, modernist approach, Oscar Howe is one of the 20th century’s most innovative Native..." (Portland Art Museum via Instagram)
• Portland Parks & Recreation: "Portland Parks & Recreation's Fitness in the Park is adding new classes! Meet our new instructor Cayce! Cayce is a 200-hr Registered Yoga Teacher who’s been practicing yoga since the age of 12. Certified in 2020, she credits yoga and med..." (Portland Parks & Recreation via Facebook)
• If you're a fan of Halloween, you may wish to swing by the Oregon Convention Center for the Ghosts of Summer, a convention for Halloween lovers. The Ghosts of Summer Halloween Convention is led by a small group of friends with combined histories of work in theatre, music, visual arts, event producing, and teaching. They began this project out of love for the Halloween season’s celebrations and a desire to bring all creators, patrons, and enthusiasts in the Portland area under one roof. (Ghosts of Summer)
• Die-hard Portland music fans might say the pandemic wasn’t really over until Pickathon came back. OK, the pandemic isn’t over. But in summer 2022, as with almost every festival and tour and venue, the show must go on. After being canceled in 2020 and not being booked at all in 2021 (unlike many bigger festivals), Pickathon returns to Pendarvis Farm in Happy Valley on Aug. 4-7 (and will be livestreamed in full for the first time). (Willamette Week)
• Not sure how many kayakers read my newsletter, but I thought you might enjoy this video from Sean Estrella, documenting a lovely trip down the Tualatin River. It looks like a quiet peaceful trip on a beautiful, sunny day. (YouTube)
• The Adventures of A & K involves Adam and Kathryn traveling around Canada and the U.S. living on the road in their self-converted sprinter van. This video from 2019 shows them wandering around Portland eating and drinking their way through the city. Enjoy! (YouTube)

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May your Friday be full of laughter and joy. Or, at the very least, a favorable coffee-to-work ratio. Meet me back here tomorrow, peeps, and we'll kick off our weekend in style.

— 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