🌱Porch Pirates Beware + New Gun Task Force + Sea Lion On The Run

Aaannnnndddd, we're back! Hello, my lovelies, it's another beautiful day in Portland. Did you shop online for Cyber Monday? All I know is that I'm excited for Taco Tuesday. Let me tell you about today.

First, today's weather:

Cloudy all day, but no rain and a high of 56. Not too bad a day if you ask me.

Here are the top stories in Portland today:

1. The city of Portland is poised to pay $125,000 to settle a federal excessive force lawsuit filed by a man who was struck in the head by a flash-bang grenade fired by Portland police during an August 2018 rally. The negotiated settlement follows a ruling in June by U.S. Magistrate Judge Stacie F. Beckerman denying the city’s motion to dismiss the suit. (oregonlive.com)
2. Yesterday was Cyber Monday, expected to be the biggest online shopping day of the year, but you're not the only one excited to receive those packages in the mail. Porch pirates, the bane of all who shop online, go into high gear during the gift giving season. The Washington County Sheriff's Office is hoping to be proactive in addressing thefts of packages from residents' doorsteps by setting bait packages in place of real ones. Detectives and past victims volunteer to host a bait package and just wait for a thief to take it. (KATU)
3. The Portland Police Bureau hopes officers on a new team to address gun violence will be hired by the end of the week and operational by January. The Focused Intervention Team, a dedicated unit of one lieutenant, two sergeants and 12 officers will be tasked with interrupting cycles of retaliatory violence that can cause one shooting to lead to more. Homicides and shooting incidents have so far defied the all-hands effort and continued to mount with 113 shootings in September and 129 in October. As of Nov. 24, there have been 79 homicides this year, a record well past the previous high set in 1987. (OPB News)
4. Oregon's Emergency Rental Assistance Program was established to help renters afford to stay in their homes in the wake of the pandemic, but fewer than half have received their money due to a backlog of applications. Officials said they don't know when they'll get through the backlog. The state is pausing the program for at least six weeks starting Dec. 1. Officials hope the pause will give them the chance to work through the backlog and get renters the money they've been promised. (KGW.com)
5. Good news for fans of Portland second-hand store Really Good Stuff! As of Dec. 1st, it's back in business. It was one of four businesses destroyed in a fire early October and the cause of that fire is still under investigation. Owner Evan Shales says the new place is at SE 37th Ave and Division St. The reopening is coming just in time for the holiday season, which he hopes will help the store get back on its feet. (KPTV)

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Today in Portland:

• Southeast Portland's St. Philip Neri Parish invites you to its annual Michael Allen Harrison piano concert. Kick off the holiday season with Michael's signature compositions and Christmas music; Julianne Johnson adds her powerful, joyful singing to this great acoustical space. Tickets are available online and at the door. Concert starts at 7:00 PM.
• Join Ooligan Press for its FROM KNOWLEDGE TO POWER book launch! It will be held at the Lucky Lab in Quimby Hall. “A one-stop shop for anyone who wants to understand the fine details of climate science, past and future energy sources, and U.S. policies and political action to address the climate crisis.” — Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, Horn Distinguished Professor and Endowed Chair, Texas Tech University. Don't feel like meeting up in person? This event will also be streamed virtually. The fun starts at 6:00 PM.
• Catch some cosmic folk pop this evening at Kelly's Olympian. It will feature the heady sounds of Caicedo, Crystal Cortez and Gabriel Seaver. Tickets are available online and at the door. Doors open at 7:30 PM.
• Songwriter Sessions will be at The Atlantis Lounge in North Portland this evening. Christopher Worth curates and hosts this weekly event for singer-songwriters. The first part of the night showcases artists playing a couple of songs each, then a featured artist closes out the night with a longer set. Co-hosted by Jacob Westfall. 8:00 - 11:00 PM.
• Tomorrow's Verse Taproom in NE Portland is hosting an open mic Bluegrass Jam. Standard bluegrass instruments like, guitar, mandolin, dobro, fiddle, and banjo are welcome, but if you’d like to join in on other stringed or folk instruments please contact Rich, either prior to the jam or on jam night at Tomorrow’s Verse. Hosted by Rich Landar and Ray Man. Facemasks and proof of vaccination are required inside the bar. 7:00 - 10:00 PM.

Portland Patch Notebook

• Portland Trail Blazers: "Get to know our country music loving center, @codyzeller!" (Instagram)
• Portland Art Museum: "As the current “Private Lives” exhibition makes clear, the Nabis artists loved depicting children. Not only were they part of the artists’ intimate family circles, but children also offered an example of how to view the world with a fres..." (Instagram)
• Portland Audubon: "Winter birding in Oregon is filled with easy-to-spot raptors and waterfowl by the thousands, with gulls and sparrows to spare. If you're not in love yet with winter birding, let this upcoming season change your mind." (Facebook)
• Local favorite Salt & Straw wants to help you get into the holiday spirit with its latest collection of seasonal flavors surely to leave you with Christmas cheer. To walk the gang through a taste test of its Season’s Sweetings series is Salt and Straw founder Tyler Malek. (KOIN)
• Wait, was that a sea lion that just walked by? This is something you may have heard if you were in Lincoln City on Friday afternoon, when a sea lion was seen wandering the streets of this coastal city. Lacking in experience with herding lost sea lions, police recruited the help of the Oregon State Police Fish & Wildlife Division and North Lincoln Fire and Rescue. Luckily, Tiffany (as the officers named her) had a taste for fish and first responders were able to lure her back to the water. (KGW)
• If you're thinking about going out tonight, consider visiting the Mississippi Street area for its night of giving. Ecliptic Brewing will be joining other Mississippi Ave. businesses in donating 10% of all restaurant sales to Boise-Eliot-Humboldt School. What better excuse is there to have a beer? (Ecliptic Brewing)
• One of the best parts of the holiday season are the elaborate light displays that have been set up around the city. If you're thinking about checking some of them out, KGW has made it easy and compiled a list of some of the most impressive ones in Portland. Happy Holidays! (KGW)

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I'd say that's enough news of Portland. I'm sure you don't want to hear me babble on all day. Let's get out there and make the most of today. But meet me back here tomorrow for more Portland happenings. If you're feeling these newsletters, consider inviting some of your friends and neighbors to read along. 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? Email me at portland@patch.com.