🌱 Set Back For The PBA + Homeless Measure Unconstitutional

The days have passed and we find ourselves at another Wednesday, the midpoint between weekends, the event horizon at which all things are possible. Or, as I say, another awesome day in Portland. Here's what's going on.

First, today's weather:

A chilly day with rain, drizzle and a high of 46. Some forecasters have talked about the possibility of more snow, but that would be crazy. Wouldn't it?

Here are the top five stories today in Portland:

1. The Portland Business Alliance is on shaky ground as it seeks to challenge the ballot title and explanatory statement for a proposed capital gains tax that would fund lawyers for tenants facing eviction. A group called Eviction Representation for All filed a Multnomah County-only ballot initiative in March that would charge a new 0.75% tax on capital gains to fund a new program. On March 28, the deadline for suggesting changes to the ballot title that the Multnomah County attorney wrote for the measure, the PBA filed a challenge in Multnomah County Circuit Court. But it turns out that when filing that challenge, PBA’s attorney, Steve Elzinga, did not include certain information. (Willamette Week)
2. Two Portland city commissioners are calling on Multnomah County to change its severe weather thresholds. Despite low temperatures and snow coming down overnight and into the morning, emergency shelters did not open in Multnomah County. Commissioner Dan Ryan tweeted he was shocked by the snow Monday morning, adding he can only imagine what people who are living outside have to withstand. Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty also tweeted about reevaluating the threshold. (KATU)
3. On Monday, a group of dedicated Portland Audubon employees hiked into work to care for animals despite a historic April snowstorm that downed trees, closing an access road. “We were there for the pandemic. We’re there during snow days. We’re there regardless of what's going on and today there were a lot of downed tree branches and things like that that were blocking the road, along with the slushy conditions,” said Stephanie Herman, manager of the Wildlife Care Center, as she described a photo that was posted on the Portland Audubon Twitter account. (KGW.com)
4. A Portland man who helped smuggle more than $2.5 million worth of Oregon-grown marijuana out of the state in hand-built freight crates was sentenced Monday to two years and nine months in federal prison. Robert Benjamin Kawika Dawe, 39, worked with two accomplices and others to ship more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana to New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Georgia, Texas, Arkansas, Illinois and Minnesota and create false cargo bills, according to prosecutors. (OregonLive)
5. A ballot measure submitted by a Portland group to address homelessness does not meet the requirement of Oregon’s constitution, said Metro. According to a letter by Metro attorney Carrie McLaren to Multnomah County Elections Division Director Tim Scott, People for Portland’s measure to require 75% of $2.5 billion approved by voters to go directly to shelters is unconstitutional. The money was approved about two years ago for Portland metro governments to address homelessness. (KOIN.com)

From our sponsor:

Today’s newsletter is brought to you in part by Ring, a Patch Brand Partner. We all know that Ring is the leader in video doorbells for home security. But did you know that Ring now makes a home security system that is getting raves from consumer electronic experts?

To learn more about Ring Alarm Pro, the system CNET called "the future of home security,” or to build your own custom system, visit Ring here.

Today in Portland:

• Join Global PDX as it presents The Rise and Fall of the Neoliberal Order: America and the World in the Free Market Era, a virtual event with Gary Gerstle. The shift toward neoliberalism that began in the United States and Great Britain in the late 1970s fundamentally changed the world. Today, the word “neoliberal” is often used to condemn a broad swath of policies, from prizing free market principles over people to advancing privatization programs in developing nations around the world, to contributing to massive growth in income inequality. Whether you come in on the side of the for or against on these criticisms, too often discussion fails to clarify just what neoliberalism is and why its worldview has had such a persuasive hold on both the right and the left for three decades. 12:00 - 1:00 PM.
• Three poet friends—AE Hines, author of Any Dumb Animal; Chrys Tobey, author of A Woman Is A Woman Is A Woman Is A Woman; and Justin Rigamonti, Program Coordinator for the Carolyn Moore Writing Residency—will be reading together at the Rose City Book Pub in NE Portland. Come celebrate friendship, poetry, and individual moments of contemplative reflection with us. And drinks. Doors at 6:30 PM.
• “How Do We Get Home? Abundant Housing for a Sustainable, Equitable Future” will be taking place at Revolution Hall in SE Portland. This event features a panel of community leaders focused on the intersections of housing affordability, community design, homelessness and racial justice to discuss how Portland can grow and change in line with our values. Moderating will be Dave Miller, Host, OPB’s Think Out Loud. Tickets available online. Doors open at 7:30 PM.
• Come to the Helium Comedy Club in SE Portland for Weeding Out The Stoned, a game show of sobriety tests. A pack of comics. All but one of them are stoned. It’s up to all of us to find the sober individual so the entire audience can win dope prizes. “Officer” Alex Grubard administers field sobriety tests, takes testimony, and plays mind games with Philly’s premier drug-induced comedians, personalities, and other criminals. Take part in your civic duty while you get the giggles by weeding out the stoned! Get your tickets online. Doors open at 8:00 PM.
• Come to the Alberta Rose Theater for Jesus Tommy Superstar: A Rock Opera Singalong Mashup presented by Low Bar Chorale. One night only: Jesus Christ Superstar vs Tommy, starring you. Join us for an evening of skronky rock, money notes, and pop-up harmony in this battle royale of the early Rock Operas. Will you be Team Jesus, Team Judas, Team Mary, or Team Tommy? Or will you just sing all the parts? Special guests include Andrew Paul Woodworth, Rich Ray, Ashleigh Flynn, Ruby Friedman and more, plus LBC's all-star band. Tickets available online. Doors open at 6:30 PM.

From my notebook:

• Portland Trail Blazers: "A beautiful night honoring a legend. Happy retirement, Schonz ❤️🖤🐐" (Instagram)
• Travel Portland: "@The1Moto Show is back April 29 - May 1! This one of a kind event is "an inclusive showcase crafted to celebrate weird, rare, custom, classic and unconventional bikes in a way that everyone can enjoy, whether they ride or not." L..." (Instagram)
• ReFIT Portland: "Our 2022 Whiskey Roundup is a few days away but there's still time to register! Don't miss out out on the fun and join us Thursday, April 14. Whiskey tastings by Hood River Distillers 🥃 ReFIT and our partners for this event CFM Floors (C..." (Facebook)
• Portland Farmers Market: "Get your veggie starts Saturday at the PSU Farmers Market! Our friends over at Eloísa Organic Farm LLC have a wide variety of tomatoes, peppers, greens, and herbs starts planted in coconut coir pots. Did you know that the pots they ..." (Facebook)
• What’s one sure sign that we’re ready to return to normal? Brunch has become a priority once again. Restaurants that suspended service of the leisurely, midday meal during the pandemic have started to reinstate those menus. And themed meals — drag brunches, bingo brunches and trivia brunches — are back on many calendars. But perhaps the biggest brunch event to swing through town pre-pandemic is prepared to make a comeback, free of COVID restrictions at this point, and it’s pretty much perfect for anyone in need of an excuse to day drink without shame: the Bloody Mary Festival. (Willamette Week)
• It’s been three years since there’s been a Rose Festival parade in Portland. But the 2022 parade will be the first in 74 years to be entirely on the east side of the city. The return of the parades mark the highlight of a Rose Festival tradition that began in 1905, when Portland hosted a World’s Fair in what is now the Northwest Industrial District. The Lewis and Clark Exposition attracted nearly 2 million visitors from all over the world. The first Rose Festival was in 1907 and it’s been Portland’s premier civic event ever since. Back then local business leaders encouraged Portlanders to grow roses all over town to create a national identity. And it worked. That is why Portland is The Rose City. (KOIN)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

• JAK CBD — (Visit website)
• Add your business here

Other classifieds:

• Attn: Local News Watchers (Details)
• Add your classified

Loving the Portland Daily? Here are all the ways you can get more involved:

• Send a friend or neighbor this link so they can subscribe
• Get your local business listed in front of readers
• Send me a news tip or suggestion at portland@patch.com

Try to stay warm and dry out there, people. Enjoy your Springtime in Portland. I'll be back tomorrow to talk more about our lovely City of Roses.

— 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.