🌱 Police Shootings On The Rise + Bad Times At Multnomah Falls

Wow, it's cold out there! Luckily, I have a great pair of slippers and all the hot cocoa I could want. I hope you're staying warm here in Portland and getting excited for the new year. Here's what our Wednesday is like.

First, today's weather:

Morning clouds will give way to afternoon sun, but it's not going to get any warmer. The high temp will be 31 with winds that are going to make it feel colder.

Here are the top five stories today in Portland:

1. Gov. Kate Brown declared a state of emergency for Oregon. Now, the Office of Emergency Management said it's working to connect state and local agencies, creating opportunities to share resources as needed. “I think what we saw in the heat wave and quite frankly what we saw last year during the winter storm and the ice storm in February was how important it is for neighbors to check in on neighbors." OEM Director Andrew Phelps said. Phelps also encourages people to use 211. That line is now available 24/7 to share information about resources like places to get supplies or stay warm.
2. It's not a good time for travelers, as the combination of the COVID surge and wintery weather are making all forms of transportation difficult. Hundreds of flights were cancelled to and from the Pacific Northwest as the snow came down. Besides the cancellations, there are plenty of delays. Therefore, there are plenty of tired people sitting around the airport. The roads in Portland are pretty bad, too. The National Weather Service in Portland has issued a Winter Weather Advisory until today at 10 a.m. In a Facebook post on Monday, Oregon State Police warned drivers about winter weather after multiple crashes in the region. “Drive cautiously, slow down, leave extra room between you and other cars, and have chains or traction tires.” (KOIN)
3. According to tracking data from the police watchdog group, Portland Copwatch, the number of police shootings in Portland has increased from last year. Portland police officers shot at 35 people in 2021, as opposed to 33 people in 2020. In at least four of the 2020 incidents, officers fired their weapons but didn’t hit anyone. Not so in 2021, when there were no police shootings without injuries. Currently Oregon law enforcement agencies aren’t required to report use of force incidents to any state or federal agencies. That will change in the new year when a state law passed this summer takes effect mandating participation in the FBI’s National Use-of-Force Data Collection. (OPB News)
4. It's too early to know if this new COVID surge is driven by omicron but there was definitely an increase in Oregon COVID-19 cases over the weekend. The state reported that Thursday through Sunday, there were 3,585 new cases and 25 new deaths. The increase in cases is not helping ease the strain on hospitals. More than 90 percent of adult ICU and non-ICU beds are currently filled across the state. (Portland Patch)
5. Things got a little dicey at Multnomah Falls earlier this week. A woman was rescued after sliding off of a cliff at Multnomah Falls while hiking Monday, according to Corbett Fire Department. After falling about 20 to 30 feet from the icy path, the woman caught herself on a tree root. If that weren't enough, I-84 eastbound was temporarily shut down after a semi-truck jackknifed near Multnomah Falls on Monday morning, according to the Multnomah County Sherriff’s Office. Be careful out there, my friends, this ice is no joke. (KPTV)

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Today in Portland:

• Catch a Holiday Cabaret with Jimmy and Dru at the Alberta Rose Theater in NE Portland. Queer Eye for the Magi has something for everyone under the rainbow, especially if you think the holidays are a drag. From sublime standards and delicious duets to very uncensored surprises – you’ve never heard the holidays like this before. Our naughty carols put the X in Xmas! Tickets available online. Doors open at 6:30 PM.
• Looking for laughs? That's what you'll find at the Helium Comedy Club as it presents Chad Daniels. With over 750 million streams of his 5 albums to date, Chad Daniels is the most listened to comedian you might not recognize in a photo. His audio plays are in the 99th percentile in comedy and music on Pandora alone, averaging over 1 million per week. Get your tickets online. The show starts at 7:15 PM.
• Limber up those fingers but leave the quarters at home for Ground Kontrol's Last Wednesday Free Play. Ready to go for a high score or find your new favorite classic game? Every 2nd Thursday and last Wednesday of the month, over 100 classic arcade games and pinball machines are playable with unlimited credits for just a $10 cover! They're open from noon to midnight.
• No one throws a party quite like downtown club C.C. Slaughters and tonight is no exception. Join them for their Kwanzaa Celebration and Community Drag Show! Come learn about Kwanzaa and celebrate! All members of the community are welcome to attend this experience and see some of the best gender entertainers this city has to offer. Tickets available online. 8:00 - 11:00 PM.
• If you're a fan of funky soul music, then check out Transformation: The Evolution of Etta **Live Recording** at the Alberta Street Pub in NE Portland. Transformation is an intimate interactive experience where Arietta Ward/Mz. Etta (AKA the "1st Daughter of Funk and R&B" & "Rip City Soul Funk Diva") shares tales about her life’s journey & of my unique placement in the Portland Music Community. This presentation is made possible through funding in part by the Regional Arts &Cultural Council. 7:00 - 9:00 PM.

From my notebook:

• Portland Trail Blazers: "If there’s one thing that’s certain in the world, it’s that @damianlillard is gonna make tough shots 🔥" (Instagram)
• Portland Audubon: "Every winter we get reports of Pine Siskins affected by salmonella. For reasons that are not fully understood, Pine Siskins are particularly susceptible to salmonella. When large numbers of Pine Siskins congregate at feeders day after da..." (Instagram)
• I hope you got a lot of gifts this holiday season, but often with those gifts comes a ton of packaging. Wrapping paper, packing peanuts, cardboard boxes and more may be filling your trash cans and recycling bins to overflowing. If you need some advice getting a handle on it all, Oregon Metro has released a handy guide for disposing seasonal waste. (Metro News)
• If you're thinking of heading out to the coast for your New Year's Eve, you should be aware that the King Tides are back and can be dangerous. King tides are exceptionally high tides that occur each winter. While celebrating the New Year’s holiday on the North Coast, please pay close attention to tide schedules, stay off the beach at high tide, and avoid driving through high water. For your safety, consider a First Day Hike or other alternatives to a polar plunge. While enjoying coastal views, stay out of the surf, stay off drift logs, and stay away from jetties. (North Coast Citizen)
• Between the winter weather and COVID, I've been working out at home more, sometimes even just walking on my treadmill. Which can get awfully boring, so I've taken to watching city walk videos on YouTube to make things a little more interesting. While searching for my next one to watch, I came across this Portland walk through Laurelhurst Park, as well as Burnside and Belmont Streets. It's about an hour long, but it was fun to see this lovely neighborhood that I haven't been to in years. (YouTube)

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Bundle up, my friends, the cold weather continues. I wish you all the joy that the holiday season should bring. And, if you're interested, I'll be back tomorrow to tell you more things about 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.