🌱 Teacher Stress+Climate Change Danger+Nursing Strike

It's the weekend, my friends, with all the joy and happiness that brings with it. I should mention, before anything else, that this is the weekend to change your clocks. What's the saying? Spring forward, fall back. There's your public service announcement, now, onto what's going on today.

First, today's weather:

Cold and rainy is the state of the day, with a high of 50. But we're Portland; we're not going to let a little weather dampen our weekend.

Here are the top stories today in Portland:

1. With the pandemic still ongoing, teachers are having a tough time of it. A survey of more than 2,800 Portland Public Schools (PPS) educators found more than 80% of them report their workload is so high they cannot get it done during a regular work day. 70% of teachers reported their stress levels are either high or severe, and 28% said their stress is so high it is impacting their health. (KGW.com)
2. Mark Lee wore a camouflage shirt and tactical vest as he walked down SW Alder Street on Aug. 8. Slung across his shoulder was what appeared to be a semi-automatic rifle. A person who had crossed paths with Lee called 911. It was 10:09 p.m., and the first such call dispatchers would receive that night. It would take another 16 minutes for police to learn Lee was not carrying a real rifle, but instead an airsoft replica, according to call logs and dispatch recordings reviewed by OPB. (OPB)
3. A new report from Washington, Multnomah, and Clackamas counties, the Second Regional Climate and Health Monitoring Report, details how climate change drives extreme weather events, which in turn leads to the spread of disease, poor air quality, and situations like the heat dome. The report stresses the need for a way to measure the impact of climate change on the well-being of people. (Portland Patch)
4. A new vaccine mandate states that those who work for companies with 100 or more employees will need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Jan. 4, 2022. Now Portland-area companies are figuring out how to comply with this mandate. The Portland Trail Blazers and Rose Quarter put a policy in place ahead of the original mandate for all full and part-time employees to be fully vaccinated by Nov. 1, unless they had a religious or medical exemption. McMenamins management told FOX 12 it does not yet have a vaccine requirement for its employees and are now trying to read through and digest the new rules to formulate a plan. (KPTV)
5. As if we didn't have enough healthcare woes, nearly 3,400 workers from Kaiser Permanente in Oregon and southwest Washington are set to strike. The Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals said it will put in a 10-day notice with Kaiser, and workers will strike on November 15 "unless negotiations improve." (KATU)

Today in Portland:

• How does a cup of coffee and an adult coloring book sound for your Saturday afternoon? And it's for a good cause, too. Coloring for Change will take place at Awake Coffee & Art in SE Portland (yes, I know that the promotional poster says SW, but their website says SE). Come and color with local artists, meet friends, drink tasty drinks. All proceeds and donations plus a percentage of coffee sales will go directly to Feed the Mass. 1:00 - 3:00 PM.
• Please join WaterWatch of Oregon for its 19th Annual Celebration of Oregon Rivers, taking place at the Leftbank Annex in North Portland. The program includes captivating live speakers, videos, silent auction packages, and a paddle raise. Not in the mood for venturing out? Not to worry, because it will also be available livestreaming, so you don't have to miss the action. The fun starts at 6:00 PM.
• Get your dose of crusty psych metal at Hawthorne Hideaway in SE Portland, as it presents Ash Eater. They'll be joined by stoner rock band Green Seeker and doom metal band Viral Tyrant. This is a free show, so why not check it out? Doors open at 7:00 PM.
• The Cruzroom in NE Portland is featuring a performance of Comedy: The Musical, a stand-up comedy & musical improv show. A comedian tells jokes then musical improvisers sing a funny song inspired by their punchlines! The musicians make up every song on the spot after hearing the comic's jokes for the first time. This month the musical theme is pop! 8:00 - 10:00 PM.
• Halloween may be over, but Portland tries to keep the fun, and the fear, going. The Fear, Portland's premier haunted house presents Blackout, a special event where monsters and mayhem lurk in total darkness. Upon arriving, each group (not each person) is given one glow stick. Venturing into the depths of darkness, a horde of monsters roam freely. You may catch a glimpse of them but don’t let them see you first, as they may steal your glow stick leaving you in the dark. Tickets are available online. Timeslots available starting at 7:00 PM.

Portland Patch Notebook

• Travel Portland: "This is so Portland! @PortlandMiniFigs is our very own local Lego Minifig exchange. Leave one, take one. You can find it at SE 42nd & Cora in the Creston neighborhood. Check it out! #ThisIsPortland #KeepPortlandWeird #PDX #PDXNOW #Trave..." (Instagram)
• Nonprofit Association Oregon: "If your business has at least 100 employees, firm or company-wide, OSHA’s new Emergency Temporary Standard on Vaccination and Testing requires a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy, unless you adopt a policy requiring employees either ..." (Instagram)
• As I pointed out at the start of this newsletter, it's time to shift your clocks from Daylight Saving Time to Standard Time, but why are we still doing this? Especially when the Oregon Legislature passed a bill doing away with changing the clocks twice a year. While the law went into effect on January 1, 2020, it didn't really. There's a provision that says the change will only be made after California and Washington did the same. (Portland Patch)
• I've mentioned that Portland was something of a coffee lover's town, so you may be interested in checking out Curate Coffee Collective's new digs in North Portland. With their larger space, they've added 2 new coffee roasters, plus more machinery for sorting and packaging. Additional amenities include an SCA-certified cupping lab with a wall-size flavor wheel for reference, and a common lounge area with brewing equipment and a La Marzocco GS3 espresso machine. Shared office space and private meeting spaces will soon be available. Check them out and you may want to start roasting your own beans. (Daily Coffee News)
• Now I'll leave you with this beautifully shot video tour of Portland. In this video they also feature The Bonneville Dam in Cascade Locks, and the Multnomah Falls, as well as Bridge of the Gods. They tour Portland by Drone, by Car, and by Bike, especially focusing on the waterfront and the many bike trails in the city. (YouTube)

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Have an awesome Saturday, Portland! Which will be easy, since you've got a whole extra hour to play. I'll see you next week and tell you more of the happenings here in Portland. If you're loving these newsletters, consider inviting some of your friends and neighbors to read 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 reach me at portland@patch.com.