🌱 Portland Police Face Challenges + Oregon Meat Prices May Fall

I'm back for another week of fun here in the City of Roses, telling you all about your Tuesday. Here's what's happening in Portland today.

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Now, today's weather:

It's another warm day, but a few clouds move in, cooling us down a little. The high temp will be 87; still warm, but not the outrageous highs we had last week.

Here are the top five stories in Portland today:

1. Portland police officers are getting desperate as their ranks dwindle, while violent crime has seen a substantial rise. “For me, I wonder, what the profession is going to be 20 years from now if we’re having these challenges on a nationwide scale. Are we going to be able to recruit enough people to serve our cities?” asked Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell, whose force has lost 237 sworn officers through retirements or resignations since 2020. Meanwhile, Portland logged a record 89 homicides last year — roughly three times its historical average — and is on pace to top that this year after already tallying more than 50. (KATU)
2. The concept of Basic Income, a program by which a group of citizens are provided with regular disbursements of money or other financial support, has been supported by some economists and even championed by former presidential candidate Andrew Yang. Now, a non-profit in Portland is testing such a system out. Black Resilience Fund, a program of Brown Hope, a nonprofit started by social justice activist Cameron Whitten in the wake of George Floyd’s murder in 2020, began accepting applications Aug. 1 for an initiative to provide up to 50 Black families with a guaranteed basic income of up to $2,000 a month for three years. (Willamette Week)
3. Portland has always liked to think of itself as a green city, but we may need to reconsider that image. The city of Portland continues to spray the weedkiller Roundup across its 11,600-acre park system. While many other cities, like Miami and New York City have banned glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, Portland has continued its use. Nichole Linehan, who oversees herbicides applied to the city of Portland’s parks, said the city considers glyphosate “low risk.” (The Oregonian)
4. Meat eaters rejoice! An Oregon law took effect this week that is aimed at reducing the cost of beef by allowing the state to conduct United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspections. The law was passed last year, but the state just started accepting applications for inspecting processing centers this week. With the increased inspection capacity, authorities believe that we could see the price of locally sourced beef decrease as more local producers have access to the market. This should, in turn, theoretically bring down the price of meat across the board in Oregon. (KGW)
5. The recent heat that Portland has been experiencing has brought new challenges to local businesses already hurt by the pandemic. Oregon's assistant state climatologist said the trend shows heat waves becoming more common, and western Oregon may start to feel like the southern part of the state in the years to come. "Prepare for a greater frequency and intensity of heat waves in the future, and what seems like an unusually hot spell right now in 20 years will seem less unusual. There’s no question," Nicholas Siler said. (KATU)

Today in Portland:

• It's Trivia Night at North Portland spot Chill N Fill. Get a team together or come single and test your knowledge. Compete for $25 in bar cash! Free Team Trivia is a Rain Brain Trivia Event and hosted by Quizmaster Preston. 7 - 9 p.m.
• If you're a fan of Techno music, check out Composite at Kelly's Olympian in downtown Portland. Aleck Berserk and M5007 want you to come shake, dance & stomp with them as they share various styles of Techno music with the local community in one of Portland's oldest bars. Showtime is 8 p.m.
• Get your inner nerd on as Cult Of! presents the Star Trek vs Star Wars Drag Show at Mississippi Pizza in North Portland. Hosted by PhanTomX and with music from DJ Aurora. Showtime is 7 p.m.
• Powell's City of Books presents Chantel Prat in conversation with Andrea Stocco. From University of Washington professor Chantel Prat comes The Neuroscience of You, a rollicking adventure into the human brain that reveals the surprising truth about neuroscience. Prat will be joined in conversation by computational cognitive neuroscientist Andrea Stocco. The talk starts at 7 p.m..
• Tonight, The Portland Jug Band Jam meets on the Oakshire Beer Hall patio for some traditional, good-time jug band music. Bring a song to lead or pick one from our book. All abilities are welcome. Acoustic instruments only. Come to play or listen! 7 - 9 p.m.

From my notebook:

• Portland Art Museum: "Saturday at 6 p.m. "Ichi-go ichi-e" describes the cultural concept of treasuring the unrepeatable nature of a moment. Join Japanese ceramic artist Shozo Michikawa in conversation with Jeannie Kenmotsu, the Arlene and Harold Schnitzer curators." (Portland Art Museum via Instagram)
• There are many barriers to patients getting medical care in Oregon. Sometimes it's lack of insurance, sometimes it's lack of mobility. Whatever the reason, there are people out there who are trying to make it easier. Volunteer dentists and doctors are expanding their mobile services to underserved areas in the Willamette Valley. Two medical agencies — Kaiser Permanente Northwest and Medical Teams International — are partnering to provide mobile clinics in six Oregon counties and parts of Southwest Washington. (OPB)
• Surprised by last week's Kansas abortion vote? You shouldn't be, based on a new data uncovered by Oregon Values and Beliefs Center. In a survey conducted by the Oregon Values and Beliefs Center, 1,572 Oregon residents aged 18 and over were asked a variety of abortion-related questions following the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling to overturn the historic Roe v. Wade decision. Most significantly, 62% of Oregonians would vote to reinstate Roe v. Wade if given the opportunity, while 22% would vote to keep it overturned. (Portland Tribune)
• One of the great things about Portland is how many farmers markets there are. This is the week to celebrate that. Yep, it's National Farmers Market Week, so stop by one and pick up some delicious, locally grown veggies! (KOIN)
• Have you ever wondered which lobbyists are spreading money around to get the attention of City Hall? Companies who lobby with city officials must track expenditures and document communications with governments. They’re required to report their dealings in Portland City Hall every three months. Last week, the latest lobbying reports came out showing efforts between April 1 and June 31. The top spender? DoorDash, believe it or not. (Willamette Week)

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May your Tuesday be fun, my friends, in a Tuesday sort of way. I know it's still a workday, but there's always a way to have fun in Portland. I'll be back tomorrow to give you more news you can use.

— 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