Safe Rest Village Sites+Meal Pass App+OR Gubernatorial Candidate

Happy Hump Day, my friends! The game is afoot and we're going to be the best Sherlock we can be. Let's see what's happening.

First, today's weather: It's a pretty standard Portland cloudy day with a wonderful high of only 77. Glorious!

Here are the top stories in Portland today:

1. One of the steps that Portland is planning take to address homelessness has been to create "Safe Rest" villages where people can camp. Portland City Commissioner Dan Ryan has just released a list of 70 possible locations for such villages. He wants to narrow this down to 6 sites, but wants neighborhood acceptance of these villages as well. (KOIN.com)
2. In the wake of the gun violence that has plagued Portland, the police have been struggling to put together a new unit, the Focused Intervention Team, to target the problem. Officers have been reluctant to sign up for the team, however, due to a number of unknowns, such as who would have civilian oversight. (KPTV)
3. Jason Graham-Nye has created a new app designed to fight hunger and address food waste. The MealPass app allows restaurants, grocery stores and other businesses to donate food they might otherwise throw away. The app debuted in Australia, where, during its 3 month trial period, it partnered with 400 restaurants, served 55,000 meals and saved 100,000 pounds of food from becoming garbage. (KGW)
4. This is Oregon Governor Kate Brown's last term and the next gubernatorial election is just a little over a year away, which has many wondering who will be campaigning. One prospective candidate is New York Times columnist and Yamhill County native Nicholas Kristof. (Willamette Week)
5. The I-5 bridge isn't getting any younger and a replacement has been in the works for years, but just what the specifics of that are has been the discussion of many city council meetings, both in Portland and Vancouver. After the latest Vancouver City Council meeting, it seems like tolls are in the works. How much will it cost to cross the I-5 bridge? (Clark County Today)

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Today in Portland

The Smut City Jellyroll Society is a name I couldn't resist listing here, so it's pretty awesome that they're also a great band that plays 20s and 30s blues and jazz. They'll be playing tonight at SE Portland wine bar Corkscrew. 8:00 - 10:00 PM.

Who doesn't love Iranian animation? Wait, you mean you don't know about Iranian animation? Then get yourself to the Clinton Street Theater for Flower Storms, a collection of Iranian animation both before and after the revolution. 8:00 PM.

NE Portland watering hole Tomorrow's Verse will feature local favorite Lewi Longmire and his Americana style music. Go see music at Portland's Phinest taproom. 8:00 - 10:30 PM.

The El Kays will be playing at Produce Row in SE Portland. Check out this transatlantic folk-pop duo while knocking back a few pints. 6:00 - 8:00 PM.

Portland Patch Notebook

• Portland Audubon: "Sometimes folks can confuse the soft lamenting call of a Mourning Dove with that of a classic “hooo” sound some owl s..." (Instagram)
• Portland Flea: "Did you hear?!? (yes, two) events are happening at the Electric Blocks lot this weekend! Friday launches the first..." (Instagram)
• Willamette Week gives you the top 5 places to eat this week. They're not wrong about these. Bon Appetit! (Willamette Week)

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Events:

• Free Family Mini Photo Sessions (July 31)

That's your Wednesday here in Portland. If you can find a better one, go find it, but I doubt it. This is Portland after all, the bestest city on the West coast. If you're liking these newsletters, consider inviting some of your friends and neighbors to follow 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? You can contact me at portland@patch.com.