Wheeler Admits Mistake + Fake Bombs + Take That, Texas!

Hey, you lovely people out there, it's Friday and you know how much I love Friday. Am I going to get any work done today? No, no I will not. I'm just going to sit around and chat about Portland.

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First, today's weather:

Oh, clouds! Glorious clouds all day long and a high temp of 70. This is the Portland I know and love!

Here are the top stories in Portland today:

1. In response to the upcoming Portland City Council vote to to ban travel and trade with Texas, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick took to Twitter to disparage our fine city, calling the boycott "a complete joke." I might have thought the same thing. How much could it possibly cost the state of Texas to lose Portland's business? Well, a recent financial impact statement stated that a Portland boycott could cost Texas around $7 million per year. That might jingle their spurs a little. (KXL)
2. After the news that a proposed vaccine mandate for Portland police may not be enforceable, the city of Portland has reversed its decision and said that police will not be made to receive the vaccine. In a statement, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said he was “disappointed” state law prevented the city from requiring a vaccine mandate for Portland Police Bureau officers unless there was a federal or state law, regulation or rule for a vaccine mandate. (KOIN)
3. Many have criticized the lack of police involvement or intervention during the clash between far-right and far-left protesters that occurred in Portland on Aug. 22nd. In a recent statement by Mayor Ted Wheeler, he agrees that it was a mistake. “It is clear based on the public outcry, on the media outcry, on the national front, that that strategy was not the right strategy. I think we can all acknowledge that,” he said. “I take full responsibility for it.”(KATU)
4. Downtown Portland has been having a rough time. The pandemic, the social justice protests, an ice storm and a heatwave have all taken their toll. Now the city’s economic development agency called Prosper Portland announced Wednesday that its deal with Continuum Partners to develop the first phase of what the city calls the Broadway Corridor is no more. The city's vision of its future self will have to be put on hold for now. (Willamette Week)
5. First a potential sniper and now someone planting fake bombs? No wonder the city is on edge. Witnesses reported seeing a man place a box just off the bike path along Naito Parkway and NW 15th Avenue. The bomb squad was called in to handle it. Later, police officers found Nicholas Aren Hunter tampering with a similar device. He was arrested on charges of possession of a hoax destructive device, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. (KATU)

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Today in Portland:

• Tonight is Singer-Songwriter Night with Tara Velarde presented by North Portland bookstore Two Rivers and Weird Sisters yarn shop. It will be hosted by Collin Stackhouse and held in the Back Yard. Tickets available online or at the door. 7:00 - 8:30 PM.
• Do you like roses? Would you maybe even say you were a friend to roses? Then you belong at the Friends of the Roses silent disco going on tonight at Peninsula Park in North Portland. This is a free event but you will need to follow the link to reserve a pair of headphones. This is an all ages event and everyone is welcome. 6:00 - 8:00 PM.
• For an evening of weird art, swing on by The Zymoglyphic Museum in SE Portland for an art opening. It will feature art from the Zymoglyphic Museum's Residency Program, as well as a pop-up book store with the second volume of the Zymoglyphic Anthology. 6:00 - 9:00 PM.
• Chasing Ebenezer and Hopewell West will be playing at The White Eagle in North Portland. Chasing Ebenezer is a world folk-rock band based in Portland, Oregon, with influences from Celtic, African, and Middle Eastern music, and a sound that makes it hard for audiences to sit still. Proof of vaccination required for entry. Tickets available online. Show is at 8:00 PM.
• The Open-Air Cinema at OMSI is still happening and tonight it'll be showing the Patrick Swayze/Jennifer Grey classic "Dirty Dancing." Doors open one hour prior to sunset, with specific opening times emailed directly to guests prior to screenings. Food truck offerings, movie snacks and both non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages are available for purchase. Tickets available online. 8:00 PM

Portland Patch Notebook

• Portland, Oregon: "A beautiful day all over the city! Love this shot by @bfisch1, looking south towards the city from North Portland. @uportland on the right side of the photo surely has some amazing views. - Photo by: @bfisch1" (Instagram)
• Portland Audubon: "This month one of the most fascinating visible migration spectacles in the country occurs: southbound raptor flights. Trained hawkwatchers around the country carefully tally this two-month parade of various raptors, able to ID distant sp..." (Instagram)
• Portland Art Museum: "It's back-to-school time! In this lithograph of 1932, Mexican muralist Diego Rivera celebrates the importance of "education for all" as one of the guiding tenets of the Mexican Revolution. Here, an Indigenous woman instructs a range of s..." (Instagram)
• Rose City Comic Con is going on this weekend at the Oregon Convention Center. Adam Savage will be there, as will Carl Weathers and Christina Ricci. And so, so many nerds. It's my time to gush like the shameless fan boy I am! If you're a fan, get yourself to the show. If not, beware of roving bands of cosplayers. (Rose City Comic Con)
• Of all the things people love about the Pacific Northwest, the great outdoors is high on the list. If you're a hiker, you may want to know about the newest long-distance hiking trail that is now open to the public. The Corvallis-to-the-Sea Trail runs about 60 miles from downtown Corvallis to Ona Beach south of Newport, offering dedicated adventurers a chance to seek the thrill of trekking from the valley to the ocean. (Corvallis-to-the-Sea)
• You may know Alex Falcone as the Portland comedian who made it big and moved down to Los Angeles, but he's also very much into food. He sat down with Brooke Jackson-Glidden of Eater PDX to talk about his favorite spots in the Portland food scene. (Eater PDX)

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So, that's your Friday and I hope you make the most out of it. If you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go get my nerd on, but I'll still be back tomorrow to talk about another awesome day in Portland. If you're feeling 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 reach me at portland@patch.com.