🌱Political Groups Clash Downtown + Portland's Wettest April On Record

It's a whole new week and a whole new month here in Portland. We got a ton of rain for April, so May owes us some flowers. Give it up, May, we know where you live. Here's what's going on today.

First, today's weather:

It's going to be a grey, overcast day with a high of 60. We may see a little sun peak out in the afternoon, but you didn't hear that from me.

Here are the top five stories today in Portland:

1. Portland police said a clash downtown Saturday among opposing groups left two people injured by fireworks. Police said one group threw smoke grenades, larger fireworks and paint at the other group near Southwest Third Avenue and Main Street. The sound of “significant explosions” could be heard in the area, police said. Firework mortars left one man with a hand injury and a woman complained of hearing loss, police said in a statement. Both people said they planned to seek medical treatment on their own and were not taken to a hospital, according to police. (The Oregonian)
2. Portland police said they were spread thin after a spate of major calls between Friday evening and Saturday morning, ranging from hit-and-run crashes to shootings, including many where suspects have yet to be apprehended. "As a result of the extremely heavy call load and a series of significant events, all three precincts were placed on high priority (life safety) calls only for various times most of the night," police said in a Saturday press release, adding that many lower priority calls did not get an immediate response Saturday. (KGW)
3. Activists marched through the city Sunday in recognition of May Day — an annual celebration of the working class where people around the world protest for human rights, better working conditions and job protections. Rally-goers gathered downtown around 11 a.m. at the Battleship Oregon Memorial and then marched to the South Park Blocks. Organizers called for better pay, more egalitarian labor policies and better treatment of migrant workers. (KOIN)
4. With Portland on pace to surpass last year's record of 92 homicides, the police bureau is shifting resources to deal with the increasing number of homicides. One of those being shifted is the head of the cold case squad. That means that the squad's work will be temporarily shut down. Police Chief Chuck Lovell made the announcement to staff in a recent email, calling it "a difficult decision," adding that the bureau hopes to get the squad up and running "as our resources increase," (Portland Patch)
5. Portland saw its wettest April on record in 2022. The National Weather Service – Portland said it recorded 5.73 inches of rain throughout the month at the Portland International Airport, putting 2022 in the record books as for all time April precipitation. The record follows a historically dry April for the Rose City last year. In 2021, not only did the city see the driest April on record since 1941, it was also the 5th warmest on record. Total rainfall came to 0.39 inches. (KATU)

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Today in Portland:

• Volcanos are the star of the show at OMSI's Science Pub as it presents The 2018 Kilauea Volcano Eruption: Expected or a Surprise and What Have We Learned? This OMSI Science Pub event will discuss the largest Lower East Rift Zone eruption and caldera collapse that Kilauea experienced in the past 200 years. The speaker will be Dr. Guoqing Lin from the University of Miami. Tickets available online. 7:00 - 9:00 PM.
• Soul'd Out Presents: Andy McKee and Jasmin Williams at the Star Theater! Andy McKee is among the world’s finest acoustic guitarists. His youthful energy and attention to song structure and melodic content elevates him above the rest. Yasmin Williams is an acoustic fingerstyle guitarist with an unorthodox, modern style of playing. Her music has been called some of the most imaginative guitar music out today. Get your tickets online. Doors open at 7:00 PM.
• It's B-Movie Bingo at the Hollywood Theater as it presents Maximum Force! Captain Fuller (John Saxon) has been haunted his entire career by the most powerful drug lord L.A. has ever seen (Richard Lynch). One day he unites three renegade cops (Sam Jones, Sherrie Rose and Jason Lively), each with their own deadly skills. Showtime is 7:30 PM.
• Classical Up Close is a collective effort by members of the Oregon Symphony and friends to bring great classical music to the Portland metro community. They want as many people as possible to have access to this beautiful music, so they travel to neighborhoods and workplaces in order to perform outside of the usual downtown concert hall — and every event is free! Tonight they'll be at the Mt. Scott Park Presbyterian Church. The music starts at 7:00 PM.
• What will the fracturing of the United States look like? "After the Revolution" (AK Press) is a powerful debut novel from Robert Evans — based on his investigative reporting from international conflict zones and on increasingly polarized domestic struggles — and an edge-of-your-seat answer to that question. Evans will be speaking about his book at Powell's City of Books in downtown Portland.7:00 PM.

From my notebook:

• Portland Trail Blazers: "Happy #AAPIHeritageMonth, Rip City! Join us throughout May as we support local AAPI-owned eateries, highlight places in our community rooted in AAPI culture & plenty more." (Instagram)
• Portland Art Museum: This week marks the beginning of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Celebrate by appreciating the merging of traditional and contemporary ceramics in this collection highlight by Steven Young Lee (@stevenylee). “Jar with Dra..." (Instagram)
• Portland Audubon: "Mother's Day is right around the corner! The Nature Store is sure to have something to please any mom with a variety of cards, candles, chimes, chocolates and, of course, many items to attract birds to the yard, too. Show your love and a..." (Instagram)
• The Numberz, Portland's Black-owned and operated radio station, will present The Black Podcast Festival from Pioneer Square's new Welcome Dome. Each week, live podcast sessions will feature a different show—The Bruce Poinsette Show, hosted by the local community organizer, will kick off the festival, followed by sessions of Chloe Said It, Klyph Notes, and more. (Instagram)
• May is Oregon Wine Month and it offers a full slate of programming celebrating Oregon-grown vino, including self-guided tours, educational seminars, talks, tastings, and more programming. Portland-area highlights include Emerging Wines by Extraordinary Women, PDX Urban Wine Experience, and Crush on Oregon. (Portland Mercury)
• While it's been almost 20 years since actor Kunal Nayyar of "Big Bang Theory" fame graduated from the University of Portland, he still feels a strong connection to the city and the school. Nayyar was back in town this weekend where he delivered the commencement address at the school. "It's often said, 'find your purpose so you can live a meaningful life,'" Nayyar told the graduates at the Child's Center. "I'd like to say, why not live a meaningful lie and then find your purpose?" (Portland Patch)

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That's your day, my friends. It sounds like we've got a great month ahead of us. Oregon Wine Month, Cinco de Mayo right around the corner and, one of my favorite holidays, Blame Someone Else Day. Have fun, Portland, and 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.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Portland Daily? Contact me at portland@patch.com