FIRED UP
RE: "Bullseye Glass Took a Risky Bet on Toxic Lead" [News, May 25] and "Gov. Kate Brown Has Renewed a Cease-and-Desist Order on Bullseye Glass" [Blogtown, May 27], Daniel Forbes' continuing coverage of Bullseye Glass. Bullseye is believed responsible for high levels of airborne heavy metals discovered in January in Southeast Portland. On May 9 and 10, Bullseye made glass that "required the Southeast Portland glassmaker to shovel more than 100 pounds of lead into its furnace each day"—resulting in lead levels around Bullseye spiking to nearly 4.5 times the state's daily safe-air goal. Governor Kate Brown issued, and later extended, a cease-and-desist order. "The cease-and-desist order," read a memo from the Oregon Health Authority and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), "remains the best option for ensuring the continued protection of children attending a day care center located nearby and any other persons in the vicinity of the facility."
Bullseye is acting like a drunk with a fast car. They probably don't want to hurt anyone, but they're willing to put others at risk and do stupid things that are bound to get them in trouble. It's time we took away their keys.
CharlesBworth
[Recent developments have] caused a lot of people to believe that [Bullseye] is easy pickings for the DEQ to save face now that their inadequacies are visible to the public. It's also an election-year opportunity for Governor Brown and the DEQ to seem tough with polluters, despite handling bigger companies, who are far worse polluters than Bullseye, with kid gloves.
Babs Barbo
Bullseye should have anticipated this years ago and made a sincere effort to comply with regulations instead of skirting them. Sorry, but now it's just crocodile tears. The workers I feel sorry for, the owners, not so much.
randyzpdx
DOUGHNUT WARS
RE: "Los Angeles Tells Us to Keep Our 'Stupid Doughnuts'" [Blogtown, May 19], Wm. Steven Humphrey's retort to Los Angeles Magazine's refusal of Portland's "kitschy baked goods," and "Admit It: This Defense of Voodoo Doughnut Makes Some Solid Points" [Blogtown, May 26], in which Bri Brey pointed out that not everyone who lives in Portland smirks at Voodoo. "Does that mean that Voodoo is the blue-collar doughnut of the people?" Brey asked. "Not exactly, but maybe we should quit talking shit about them just because it's easy."
People on the internet are stupid. Heavenly Donuts are the best.
jonesrich
Yep, Heavenly Donuts are the best in the Portland metro area. Even if they spell "doughnuts" wrong.
pollo
Those of us who have been here long enough used to bring Voodoo Doughnuts to our relatives in other cities because it was one of those things that was unique about Portland. Now that there are other fine options, they don't look as good in comparison. But for a long while, they were the best thing going.
To me, this sounds like people who have lived here less than six years lamenting the loss of "Old Portland." You've not been here long enough to have context.
marauding midget
Yes, Voodoo is gross and stale, but when LA can talk shit about Ptown, it truly is the end times.
MillocentBystander
LET THEM EAT
RE: "Housing Activists Showed Up at a Landlords' Gala. Here's What Went Down." [Blogtown, May 26]. "Local landlord industry group MultiFamily NW held its glitzy annual ACE Awards last night.... But whoops! Housing crisis," wrote Dirk VanderHart. "As hopefuls arrived at the Portland Art Museum, they were bombarded by a few dozen demonstrators with the group Portland Tenants Unite, who shamed anyone who walked past with bullhorns and taunts."
It's a shame there was no leftover cake after the gala. They could have tossed it to the protestors.
FlavioSuave
For their heartfelt reminder of why Voodoo Doughnut became a Portland institution/tourist trap, we're giving the Mercury's letter of the week prize to marauding midget. Marauding, enjoy your two tickets to the Laurelhurst Theater—another Portland institution, and, thankfully, one you never have to make excuses for.
