🌱 Peacock Lane Is Back + COVID Decline + White Stag Red Nose

Hey, I'm back. Did you have a good Thanksgiving? More importantly, did you survive Black Friday? Well, now it's Saturday and the world is your oyster. Or, at least, Portland is. Let me tell you about today.

First, today's weather:

There will be rain on and off all day, but with a high temp of 58, it'll be on the warm side anyway.

Here are the top stories today in Portland:

1. As Portland continues to get back to normal, the organizers of Peacock Lane announced that they are going to be open again this year. The annual tradition of people along one street in Southeast Portland decorating their houses and their lawns, using enough energy to power the rest of the city, took 2020 off because of the pandemic. There will be some changes to mitigate the risk of COVID, most notably there will be no cocoa booth as in years past. Also, there will not be any pedestrian-only nights this year. (Portland Patch)
2. Mayor Wheeler’s plan for buffing up the Portland Police Bureau includes the hiring of PS3 recruits. According to PPB, a PS3 is unarmed and doesn’t respond to emergency calls where there is a suspect on the loose or active danger. They are there to take reports and get information. The mayor says he wants to hire 100 PS3 recruits. (KOIN.com)
3. Oregon's hospitalizations due to COVID-19 continue to decline and Dr. Peter Graven, a doctor at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), said he doesn't expect a surge, even as the state enters into the holiday season. Though he said he's "not expecting a surge in hospitalizations," Graven said the state could see its decline in hospitalizations slow down "if we back off precautions too quickly." He said a lot people are planning to gather for Thanksgiving, which could generate a small uptick in hospitalizations. (KGW)
4. It's official, the holiday season is here. The red nose of the iconic ‘White Stag’ sign on the west end of the Burnside Bridge was lit the day before Thanksgiving. The Rose City tradition started back in 1959 as a gift when “Elizabeth Blair Hirsch suggested it and her husband Harold S. Hirsch made it happen - adorning the sign for his sportswear company White Stag,” the city said. (KATU)
5. After a rough holiday season last year, due to the pandemic, small businesses are hoping that customers will come back this year. They're not just leaving it to chance though; the Small Shops Big Hearts campaign is trying to convince shoppers of the benefits of small, local businesses. This Friday and Saturday, shoppers can get 10% discounts at dozens of local businesses through the Small Shops Big Hearts campaign — and win raffle prizes to boot. (OPB)

Today in Portland:

• Start your Christmas shopping for the nerds on your list at Geek the Halls 2021 at the DoubleTree Hotel Portland in NE Portland. Geek the Halls is the original Portland nerdy craft fair, created in 2010. See 60 amazing crafter/artists and find the perfect gift for the nerds in your life (or yourself). Come support local artists for Small Business Saturday & Sunday! FREE Admission! 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
• Banjolectric will be playing at the Alberta Street Pub in NE Portland. Pop Matters reviewed his music, saying “Banjolectric continues to pedal forward with boundary-breaking, banjo-centric musical innovations.” Get your tickets online. 4:00 - 6:00 PM.
• Get some music into your system at the Atlantis Lounge in North Portland with Noise from The Void. Noise From The Void is a duo that play rap, rock and alternative music in a unique fusion. Combining pop culture with harsh lyrics & complex instrumentals, the Portland-based duo have created a conceptual experience like no other. Tickets available online. 6:00 - 11:30 PM.
• There will be an event tonight, Blending Tribes, at the Hollywood Bizarre in NE Portland. This is a celebration for the recognition of spiritual meaning shared with our community, based on appreciation for the mother land, native culture & ceremonial tribe practices in the Americas. This is a collaboration with multitalented artists such as music producers/DJs, musicians, EDM, visual engineer, dancers, symbolic craftsmen, designers and fine artists. Tickets available online. 8:00 PM to 2:30 AM.
• TO THE DEATH PRESENTS: Resist Indigenous Erasure — A benefit for the preservation of indigenous languages in the Americas. This will be happening at the Star Theater in downtown Portland and will feature Contrapact, HOPE?, Nyx Division and DJ Smooth Hopperator. Get your tickets online. Doors open at 7:00 PM.

Portland Patch Notebook

• Portland Trail Blazers: "He had that look in his eye 👀 @damianlillard is our Player of the Week!" (Instagram)
• Portland Trail Blazers: "Our Thanksgiving content: enjoy 🤣🦃" (Instagram)
• Portland, Oregon: "Ride the Portland Streetcar for FREE this and next weekend to support local businesses thanks to @shopify! Grab yourself a copy of the free “Only in Portland” shopping guide from our bio link and start putting a dent in your Holiday shop..." (Instagram)
• Travel Portland: "🙏🏽 GRATEFUL 🙏🏽 #ThisIsPortland 📷: @streets.win #PDX #PDXNOW #TravelPortland #TravelOregon #PortlandOregon #HereForPortland #Thanksgiving" (Instagram)
• Just in time for the holiday season, we’ll get a glimmer of traditional couture creativity at Ethical Fashion Festival, running December 5–30. “Ethical fashion is really looking at the big picture of who made your clothes, how they made it, and how we can support their economic welfare,” says Britta Cabanos, founder of the Ethical Fashion Festival, which has been around since 2015. (Portland Monthly)
• One useful household appliance for living in the Pacific Northwest has been an air purifier. In addition to being a life saver during wildfire season, it's also great if you live in a household with pets of any kind. But how can you get one without breaking the bank? Turns out, the most popular design out there has Portland roots, via Richard Corsi, the former dean of Portland State University’s College of Engineering, who decamped in September for the University of California, Davis. Now Portland Monthly is here with step-by-step instruction on how you can make your own air purifier. (Portland Monthly)
• I talked about how Peacock Lane is back, but that may mean nothing to you if you haven't witnessed the spectacle that is Peacock Lane. This video shows a Christmas stroll on Peacock Lane from Jan., 2020. Enjoy! (YouTube)

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How's that for a Saturday? There's lots of fun to be had, just don't get caught up in the shopping madness. Relax and go with the flow. I'll be relaxing myself, but I'll be sure to be back on Tuesday to tell you what's going on around town. If you're liking these newsletters, consider bringing some more friends and neighbors along for the ride. 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? I'm all ears. You can email me at portland@patch.com.