🌱 Portland Trees Exploding + Another Heat Related Death In Multnomah

Welcome to Wednesday, peeps! Was I hallucinating yesterday? Did it really rain? Glorious! Anyway, no rain today (probably), but we've still got a fine day ahead. Let me tell you about it.

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Now, today's weather:

Cloudy skies early will become partly cloudy later in the day, giving us a high of 80. Will we get rain? Only if we get lucky.

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Here are the top five stories in Portland today:

1. During Portland's seven-day heatwave it was so hot a tree exploded. I kid you not, a tree that was estimated to be over 200 years old exploded, causing a 30,000 pound branch to fall off. Arborist Michael Jolliff told FOX 12 how intense heat can cause a tree to explode. "That [heat] tends to cause thermal changes inside the tree in the wood tissues and also the buildup of gases inside the tree," he said. "That can be explosive and sudden." Jolliff said these explosions happen in the big old trees, especially oaks, the kind we love for the shade they bring us in the summer's heat. (Fox 12 Oregon)
2. The Clackamas County Election's Office has messed up again. The county sent the wrong voters' pamphlets to about 3,800 voters in Oregon City. The pamphlets were sent to homes in the McLoughlin and Park Place neighborhoods. You may remember that a few months ago, ahead of Oregon's May primary, the county sent out thousands of ballots with blurry barcodes. Machines couldn't read them and they had to be hand-duplicated and re-counted, delaying election results for weeks. (KGW)
3. There's been another fatality due to the heat, according to the Multnomah County Medical Examiner. The medical examiner said Monday that the person is suspected to have died from hyperthermia. Officials said further tests will determine whether the death was officially heat-related. The state medical examiner's office in Oregon said previously it was investigating 14 deaths as possibly heat-related during a weeklong heat wave that ended Sunday, July 31. (KPTV)
4. Whoopsies! Staff at Multnomah County jails shared the personal and medical information of hundreds of people who were incarcerated. The information was shared between early September 2019 and June of this year, impacting more than 350 people, according to a statement from the county. The data transfer affected people who were participating in the county's program to evaluate if they were mentally well enough to participate in their own criminal defense. Names, dates of birth and photos — as well as medical information like diagnoses and treatments — may have been released. (OPB)
5. The wheels of science are turning in Portland! Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University are studying how to turn a person's skin cell into an egg that has the potential to produce viable embryos. OHSU said the technique could eventually provide a new avenue for childbearing among couples who cannot produce viable eggs of their own. Scientists have already demonstrated the method on mice and say it shows promise. Dr. Shoukhrat Mitalipov, director of the OHSU Center for Embryonic Cell and Gene Therapy said clinical trials are still probably a decade away. (OPB)

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Today in Portland:

• Come for the beer, stay for the stories with Storytelling Night at Steeplejack Beer! The students of Carpe Mundi were brave enough to venture out into the world after a global shutdown. Now, they are brave enough to share stories about their experiences in Senegal, Ecuador, Guatemala and Costa Rica in front of an audience. This Moth-style storytelling event will make you laugh, cry, and appreciate the beautiful moments that help us humans learn to grow. 6 - 8 p.m.
• Wednesday night means Summer Nights in the Historic Parkrose neighborhood. This event will provide free family-friendly activities and resources to the community as well as offer an evening night market where handcrafted items, food, and beverages will be sold! 5 - 9 p.m.
• If you want a healthy activity this evening, consider Free Park Yoga in NE Portland's Wilshire Park. Whether you are new to yoga, or a seasoned Yogi, you will find challenge and ease in this class. Flow Yoga is made up of traditional yoga movements along with a unique flair from each instructor, and includes continuous movements synched with breath. Bring your own mat or borrow one for $1. 6:15 - 7:15 p.m.
• For a night of laughs check out Jeff Dean & Friends Do Stand Up Comedy, Live at The Siren Loft! Jeff Dean is a comedian from San Francisco California. He's coming to The Siren Loft for one night only and is bringing with him his funniest friends as special guests, including Zahid Dewji, Caleb Lush, Tony Zavala, and Portland's own Rachel Myles. Doors open at 7:30 p.m.
• The Church of Film presents Shadowplay - Women in Experimental Animation at the Clinton Street Theater. A century of women in experimental animation, from the silent era to the present! It's a tour of radical animation experiments, including the paper cut-outs of Lotte Reniger's fairy tales, the jazz-inspired visual music of Mary Ellen Bute, the pinscreen inventions of co-creator Claire Parker, and beyond into the surreal work of more modern animators! Showtime is 8 p.m.

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From my notebook:

• Nothing says summer like gazpacho. It's what I obsess over as I stare at my tomato plants, mentally willing them to grow faster. If you're not willing to wait, or even garden for that matter, here's a list of 12 Portland spots where you can get cold, refreshing gazpacho. It's been a while since I've been to Higgins, but their version of gazpacho looks delicious! (Eater PDX)
• Since 2016, Sneaker Week PDX has gathered thousands in, aspiring to be in, or just a fan of the footwear industry. From panels to parties and even a repotting event with pot (of course), this year's lineup of events showed just how much the Rose City is making its mark in the sneaker space. Here's a look at the best pictures from Sneaker Week 2022! (Portland Monthly)
• Portland Parks & Recreation wants your help naming a SW Portland park and pool. The west side park, which was previously called Custer Park until former City Commissioner Amanda Fritz gave it a placeholder name before she left office, with hopes of finding a more suitable name for the city park. That's where you come in. PP&R has put out a call to the community for name submissions, with a deadline of Monday, August 22. I'm just begging you not to name it Parky McParkface. (Portland Tribune)
• If you need to get around town on Sunday morning, you should know that the Providence Bridge Pedal is happening this Sunday, Aug. 14. It's starting at 6 a.m. and goes until 12:30 p.m., and route includes the Fremont, Marquam, Sellwood, Hawthorne, Ross Island and Steel bridges. Some, if not all, of these bridges will be closed to motor vehicles, plus the Bridge Pedal involves hundreds of cyclists. If you intend to drive somewhere in Portland, plan accordingly. (Providence Bridge Pedal)
• I've mentioned Tryon Creek State Natural Area before. It's a great little piece of nature in the Portland area with several hiking trails. Every Saturday, for the rest of August, they are offering guided nature walks to help visitors explore Tryon Creek's forest and learn about the plants and animals that call the area home. Topics will vary from week to week, and will be geared for ages five through adult, but all ages are welcome. For this coming Saturday, Aug. 13th, the topic is Woodpeckers of Tryon. (Tryon Friends)
• Let's Dance Portland hosts a free dance lesson followed by a free social dance at the historic Oaks Park Dance Pavilion. If you're unsure if that's for you or not, here's a video of one of their instructors teaching the Night Club Two Step. Get those feet moving, Portland! (YouTube)

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That's quite the Wednesday if I do say so myself. Drink it all in, Portland, but don't forget to meet me back here tomorrow, so I can talk your ear off again.

— 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