Portland Sued + I-5 Widening + Police Body Cams

What's up, Portland? What a great day to be alive! But if you're not alive and you're reading this newsletter, then color me impressed! For now, let's talk about the living.

First, today's weather: The clouds move in today cooling us down a little for a high of 84.

Here are the top stories in Portland today:

1. Portland police officers came to City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty's home, banging on her door at 2:30 AM on March 4. She had been falsely accused of a hit-and-run. Within 12 hours of the incident, this false accusation had made it to the media. Now she is suing the city of Portland, making her the first sitting city commissioner ever to sue Portland. (Willamette Week)
2. Oregon Gov. Kate Brown has announced her support for the "hybrid 3" plan to expand and cap the I-5 freeway through Portland's Rose Quarter. Climate and transportation activists, however, say that the over $1 billion plan is the last thing we need as we see the effects of climate change become more severe. (OPB)
3. Portland's Slow Street Initiative started last year, at the height of the COVID lockdown. It was created as a way to facilitate safe outdoor travel for cyclists and pedestrians, and was so successful that the city has decided to make the changes permanent. One of the recent changes is the installation of 80 concrete barrels on neighborhood greenways. (Bike Portland)
4. The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) reported 1,032 new COVID-19 cases and five more deaths on Tuesday. This is the highest daily case count since April 23 when OHA reported 1,020 new cases of the virus. This may be part of what has led to PeaceHealth being the latest healthcare system to require all its caregivers to be vaccinated against COVID-19. (KPTV)
5. Body cameras may be the latest piece of equipment for the Portland Police Bureau. It's one of the changes that the U.S. Department of Justice is asking for as part of a 2014 agreement. The Portland Police Bureau is the only department among the 75 largest municipal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. where officers don’t use body-worn cameras. (KGW.com)

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Today in Portland

• 2 Portland, OR natives will be playing at Al's Den in downtown tonight. Danny Delegato is the lead singer of the psych-pop band THE HUGS and Nick Caceres is a singer-song writer who was signed by Portland record label Tender Loving Empire a few years ago. Sounds like a good time. 6:00 - 9:00 PM.
• Can a city have too many drag shows? Not if it's Portland, it can't! Join Poison Waters and Friends downtown in Pride Plaza on Harvey Milk Street. After they get done entertaining, they'll be followed by the Sonny Hess Band. Now that's a party! 6:00 - 10:00 PM.
• I must be out of the loop. I just discovered that it's Sneakerweek 2021 here in P-town and it's kicking off with Leaves x Laces at the Jupiter Hotel on East Burnside. There will be house plants, sneakers, a DJ and a dance floor. Sounds like they've got it all covered. 6:00 - 9:00 PM.
• The Original Practice Shakespeare Fest sure has been busy this summer and they're not slowing down. Tonight they're performing Twelfe Night in Laurelhurst Park in SE Portland. The company uses the original practice techniques of Elizabethan England: limited rehearsal, scrolls in hand, audience interaction, and an onstage prompter. Because Shakespeare should be a little dangerous! 7:00 PM.
• It's Thursday night and in Portland that means it's time for the Thursday Night Ride with Portland Urban Bike. Special guests will be ride leader Katie and super awesome DJ The Serious. Riders meet at 7:00 PM at the Salmon Street Fountain in downtown Portland.

Portland Patch Notebook

• Travel Portland: "Visit @mypeoplesmarket this weekend to catch some cool music and awesome performances from incredible BIPOC artists a..." (Instagram)
• Portland Audubon: "Check out those stylin’ feather pants! Ferruginous Hawks have feathers all the way down to their toes, something..." (Instagram)
• The Zero Waste movement has been around for a while here in Portland and a few new stores have been popping up that feed into it. If you haven't checked it out, Mama & Hapa's in SE Portland is a pretty awesome shop and now there is Kiriko Made in downtown Portland. Cool beans! (KGW)
• The Venice VR Expanded is a part of the 78th Venice International Film Festival and is a fantastical virtual version of Venice and of the usual in-real-life VR Island Lazzaretto Vecchio. There will also be 30 virtual reality films from 21 countries. And the only place you can see it in the U.S. is right here in Portland. How cool is that? It will be at the Portland Art Museum and tickets go on sale later this month. (Willamette Week)

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Events:

• Legacy Emanuel Pop-Up Donor Center (August 14)

That's your Thursday, my friends, but before I go I want to tell my readers out there a big ol' thank you. I see your feedback and while I don't have a chance to respond to much of it, I read it all and it's really nice to hear and inspires me to build a better newsletter every day. I told myself I wouldn't cry, so I'm going to get out of here, but you know I'll be back tomorrow to give you the skinny on our hometown, Portland. If you're loving these newsletters, consider bringing some of your friends and neighbors into the fold. 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? Reach out anytime to portland@patch.com.