Top o' the morning to ya, Blogtown. Let's have some news!
First, the really bad news: A Baltimore judge declared a mistrial against Officer William Porter, the first cop on trial in the case of Freddie Gray, who died from injuries he sustained after getting a "rough ride" following an arrest. Porter was accused of manslaughter, assault, misconduct, and reckless endangerment.
In other bad news: Children in Flint, Michigan, are getting lead poisoning thanks to dangerously high levels of it in the pipes of their aging municipal water infrastructure. The good thing is that authorities have declared a state of emergency and are getting kids water that isn't poisonous.
Now that you read that, you might want a drink: Here's a run down of how Portland and the rest of the state like their booze. Y'all did good.
Portland drinks a lot, and we also make a whole lot of garbage.
The attorneys fighting against the city's recently enacted renters' protections are tapping a now-Mayor Charlie Hales quote circa 1985 during his stint as an employee at the Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Portland and spoke at the Oregon legislature in favor of enacting a preemption against rent control. People can change, right?
I don't know if people can change, but I know the weather can. And I hope it does. But for now, more rain. Deluge style:
With that rain comes another increased chance of dangerous landslides in the area. Be careful out there!
Foreign investors are making it rain, as it were, for Portland developers. A Singapore-based investor just paid a record $45 million for The Janey, a NW Portland apartment complex.
Think your marriage will last forever? How about for at least a quarter of a century? If so, this start-up company is willing to foot the bill for your wedding to the tune of $10,000. But, if you're wrong, and you get divorced, you'll have to repay the loan, with interest. I think these entrepreneurs are going to be making some good money off this idea.
Nerdy guy doing nerdy things for your viewing pleasure. It's art! The outtakes at the end are the best. Enjoy:
