🌱Plan To Clean Up Old Town Corridor + Charter Commission News

What's happening, my friends? The sun is shining and spring is almost here. What a time to be in Portland! Speaking of Portland, let me tell you what's going on.

First, today's weather:

Partly cloudy for today with a high of 49.

Here are the top five stories today in Portland:

1. Business owners, community organizations and residents unveiled a 90-day plan to "repair, rebuild and reopen the Old Town corridor" during a press conference at Lan Su Chinese Garden. The groups outlined goals for the community, the city of Portland and Multnomah County to reach to help with recovery efforts in the neighborhood. The news conference was hosted by the Old Town Community Association (OTCA) and featured speakers from the OTCA, Lan Su Chinese Garden, Downtown Portland Clean & Safe and the Old Town community. (KGW)
2. Last month, an eight-page memo written by mayoral aide Sam Adams caused a commotion. It proposed building up to three mass shelters with a capacity of 1,000 each, and staffing them with unarmed National Guard troops and social work students. Other elected officials and housing nonprofit leaders quickly condemned the idea. Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler did not. In fact, his actions over the past five weeks indicate he supports it — or at least parts of it. (Willamette Week)
3. As gas prices soar, businesses that rely on gas to operate, like food trucks and landscaping companies, are racing to adjust budgets. As of Tuesday, an average gallon of gas in Oregon is $4.58 and in Washington it’s $4.54. Washington saw the biggest increase over night in the Pacific Northwest, rising 10 cents from Monday. Tilman Richardson and Mandy Wegman own Up ‘n Smoke BBQ pit, a food truck that drives around to different parts of the region. Before the recent price hike, Richardson said he was spending about $60 to fill up his truck, now it’s well over $100. (KPTV)
4. Rose Haven day shelter celebrated International Women's Day on Tuesday with a grand opening. After two years of giving services on the sidewalk, it is finally able to open its doors. The community center on Glisan and 18th Avenue was funded by a $3 million campaign. Development Director Liz Starke says the shelter provides first aid, mail services and access to basic needs. (KATU)
5. For those wondering what Portland’s charter commission has been up to, there’s now a new report detailing the group’s latest progress. The commission released its second progress report which provides an overview and analysis of the community engagement to date, an outline of shared agreements around certain topics and problems it has addressed so far. KOIN 6 News put together six takeaways from the 25-page report. To read the full report, click here. (KOIN)

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Today in Portland:

• The 1971 film "Walkabout" will be showing at the Hollywood Theater in NE Portland. Two city-dwelling siblings are stranded in the harsh Australian Outback, where they learn to survive with the aid of an aboriginal boy (David Gulpilil) on his walkabout: a ritual separation from his tribe. Directed by Nicolas Roeg. Tickets available online. Showtime is 7:30 PM.
• Bhodi Mojo and Moose Almighty will be performing at the Goodfoot in SE Portland. Moose Almighty is an indie rock jam band from Seattle. and Bodhi Mojo is a psychedelic, four-piece jamband rooted in the good feels. Doors open at 8:00 PM.
• Join Oregon Humanities for "Consider This," an online conversation with Robin Wall Kimmerer, author of "Braiding Sweetgrass" and "Gathering Moss." Kimmerer is a mother, scientist, decorated professor, and enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. As a writer and a scientist, her interests in restoration include not only restoration of ecological communities, but restoration of our relationships to land. Register for this free live stream event. Starts at 5:00 PM.
• Come to Holocene in SE Portland for ICEBREAKER: AN ANNUAL YOUTH MUSIC FESTIVAL BENEFITING FRIENDS OF NOISE. Featuring Muggshotbabby, Sotae, Refugio and the Rose City Rising Crew. Movement by Flower Style Zero. This is an all ages show. Doors open at 7:00 PM.
• For a night jam packed with music, check out the 3 band show happening at the White Eagle in North Portland. City of Echo is a Portland-based rock band that works to make connections out of disparate and contrasting pieces. The Frequence is a four-piece all-original rock band hailing from Portland. Jake William Capistran is a singer-songwriter, performer and composer based in Portland. Tickets are available online. Showtime is 8:00 PM. Showtime is 8:00 PM.

From my notebook:

• Portland Trail Blazers: "Since January 1, @antsimons leads the @nba in threes 🧪🐜" (Instagram)
• Portland Art Museum: "A group of young Italian artists in the 1960s rejected the oil paintings and marble sculptures of their predecessors and started the movement known as Arte Povera, choosing everyday materials such as cardboard, scrap metal, and coal for ..." (Instagram)
• Portland Audubon: "We are looking for a few good humans! We have five openings currently. Visit the employment page under “about us” on our website and check them out or help us spread the word! Here’s a brief rundown of the openings: Conservation Coor..." (Instagram)
• Portland Audubon: "Considered by many the “Father of Landscape Architecture,” Frederick Law Olmsted, Sr. was born in 1822, April 26. Park, trail and natural resource advocates, planners, park professionals and millions of people who have enjoyed the Olmste..." (Facebook)
• For those of you who read competitively, you may commence licking your page-turners. Literary Arts has announced the 2022 Portland Book Awards finalists, and the crop is looking mighty. The poetry selection is particularly poppin' with Portland favorites Emily Kendal Frey, Zachary Schomburg, and Dao Strom as three of the five finalists. Also of note: This is one of the years where the awards ceremony recognizes graphic novel authors—Portland has more than a few. (Portland Mercury)
• If you had hoped to run for office here in Oregon, your time has run out. The deadline to file notice of your intent to run with the Secretary of State’s office was Tuesday at 5 pm. But count your lucky stars, because it's a crowded field this year. Here's Portland Monthly with the run down of who's running for office this year. (Portland Monthly)

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Well, as they say, another day, another dollar. Though with the economy these days, that might only be 75 cents. Still, it's great to be in Portland. Be happy, peoples, and meet me back here tomorrow for 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.