Portland Mercury: News

Hall Monitor

news@portlandmercury.com (Matt Davis) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:00:00 -0800

Willamette Week should apologize for its desperate 'Randyland' feature. by Matt Davis Last Wednesday, November 11, the Willamette Week ran investigative reporter Nigel Jaquiss' first part of a two-part feature on City Commissioner Randy Leonard, which inspired some soul searching here in the Mercury newsroom. Jaquiss' bosses, Editor Mark Zusman and Publisher Richard Meeker, have been struggling to keep Willamette Week relevant and profitable, with a 16 percent drop in revenues over the last year. Still, I'm not sure that's justification for running a hit piece on Leonard. To me, "Randyland" read…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Punched in the Head

news@portlandmercury.com (Matt Davis) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:00:00 -0800

A new report makes troubling allegations about a rough pattern in jail discipline. by Matt Davis A NEW REPORT written by an Oregon use-of-force instructor makes troubling allegations about Multnomah County Detention Center (MCDC) deputies routinely punching inmates in the head as a control technique. The report, a copy of which was obtained by the Mercury last week, is written by Howard Webb, an independent use-of-force consultant and expert witness who worked for the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training between 1988 to 1999. As part of a federal lawsuit going to trial on…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

In Other News

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:00:00 -0800

News briefs, not boxers. by Mercury staff A local Mormon man filed a suit on Monday, November 16, seeking $5 million in emotional and psychological damages from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The case claims the man was sexually abused by a Woodburn Mormon temple organist during his teen years in the late 1970s, and that his bishop did not inform law enforcement about the abuse when it was discovered. "If law enforcement is involved, the kid gets counseling," says case lawyer Kelly Clark.…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Bicycle Race

news@portlandmercury.com (Sarah Mirk) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:00:00 -0800

The Community Cycling Center investigates why people of color don't seem to jump on Portland's biking bandwagon. by Sarah Mirk FRIDAY AT 5 PM is bicycle rush hour on N Vancouver. Despite some evening drizzle on Friday, November 13, a line of five bikes stopped at a signal on Vancouver. The cyclists had some things in common: They all wore helmets, they all had flashing front lights, and they were all white. As the city prepares to add 600 new miles of bikeways over the next 20 years, bike advocates are starting to point out some problems with the current…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Put Good Money into Politics

news@portlandmercury.com (Sarah Mirk) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:00:00 -0800

Work the system—an obscure tax law lets you donate to political campaigns instead of paying to the state. by Sarah Mirk LET'S FACE IT—politics costs money. What can we do besides wring our hands in concern? We need to get more regular people to donate just a little bit of cash to political groups and campaigns, so the politickers can rely less on self-interested corporations and richy-pants individuals. Just in time for the season of holiday giving, a special tax write-off comes to our attention that allows just this kind of regular-person political donating. An obscure section of Oregon political contribution…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Smugpocalypse Now

news@portlandmercury.com (Matt Davis) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:00:00 -0800

Portlanders are happier than ever with the city, despite living through a summer of record unemployment. by Matt Davis PORTLAND MAY HAVE lived through record unemployment this summer, but a new survey suggests a bleak job market did little to dampen the enthusiasm of our citizenry for living here. In fact, a new survey by the city auditor's office shows Portlanders are happier than ever with their city—with 83 percent of people surveyed awarding high ratings to Portland's livability, an increase from 76 percent five years ago. Statewide unemployment figures may be down from 12.2 percent in May to…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Throw it Out

news@portlandmercury.com (Sarah Mirk) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:00:00 -0800

Should the controversial Columbia River Crossing just start over? by Sarah Mirk A HANDFUL OF progressive Oregon and Washington groups announced a bold new idea for the controversial Columbia River Crossing (CRC) bridge last week: Throw it out. The five groups calling for an "immediate restart" of the massive bridge plan want the transportation project to allocate $4 million to an independent analysis of what to do about the clogged traffic corridor. Washington and Oregon have so far allocated $131.07 million to the bridge project, and their state departments of transportation drew…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Hall Monitor

news@portlandmercury.com (Matt Davis) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:00:00 -0800

Everybody's ragging on Dan Saltzman. by Matt Davis City Commissioners Randy Leonard and Dan Saltzman aren't talking to each other. It all started when Saltzman accused Leonard of an "emotional" reaction to the death of a child thrown off the Sellwood Bridge into the Willamette River, back on October 7, when Leonard wanted $367,000 of city money for a new rescue boat. "I told him I did have an emotional reaction to the child dying at the hands of its mother," says Leonard. "But there were other reasons…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Hiphop High

news@portlandmercury.com (Sean Breslin) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:00:00 -0800

Portland pursues a hiphop school. by Sean Breslin THERE'S AN EFFORT underway to bring a charter high school to Portland that caters not to the affluent, but to those often left behind in the education system—minorities, those in poverty, and dropouts. To draw them in, organizers have found a hook: hiphop. If it sounds like a narrow scope, that doesn't bother the future school's proponents. "We're not shying away from it," says Erica Jayasuriya, the educator who is pushing for the High School for Recording Arts (HSRA) Portland.…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

In Other News

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:00:00 -0800

Sisqós of news in the wil' wil' west. by Mercury staff Family therapist Ed Garren has decided to run for City Commissioner Dan Saltzman's seat early next year. Garren, originally from Florida, moved to Portland in October 2005. He unsuccessfully ran in the primary for Nick Fish's current seat in January 2008 after Erik Sten's resignation. "I've just decided I need to throw my name in the ring," he said, announcing his candidacy on the Mercury's Blogtown last week. "There are issues that need to be addressed, and they're either being…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Getting Away with It

news@portlandmercury.com (Sarah Mirk) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:00:00 -0800

If you want to kill someone in Oregon, do it in your car. by Sarah Mirk AT ABOUT 2:30 AM last Wednesday, November 4, two drunken drivers in two separate cars struck and killed 31-year-old Kipp Crawford on N Willamette. Three days earlier, a car struck and killed 23-year old Lindsay Leonard as she was crossing SE Foster on a marked crosswalk. Ironically on Monday, November 9, five days after Crawford died, a national study named Portland one of the 10 safest cities for pedestrians in America. But the two tragic deaths last week highlight the…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Enter Puppeteers

news@portlandmercury.com (Matt Davis) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:00:00 -0800

State-level conservatives are closing in on the second effort to recall Portland Mayor Sam Adams. by Matt Davis A GROUP OF RENOWNED Oregon conservatives appears to be closing in on the second effort to recall Mayor Sam Adams, after a grassroots effort led by political science student Jasun Wurster failed to gather the necessary signatures by October 5. The new effort has asked for an estimate from the same right-wing signature gathering firm that used convicted sex offenders to gather signatures for 14 conservative initiatives this summer ["Think Twice," News, Aug 13]. "We were contacted by somebody representing…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Standing Tall

news@portlandmercury.com (Sean Breslin) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:00:00 -0800

Members stand tall after a union hall fire in Southeast Portland. by Sean Breslin MEMBERS OF THE Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 49 were seriously shaken when their hall in Southeast Portland was badly burned by an arsonist at 5 am on October 30. And though the motivations behind the attack remain unclear, the fire seems to have galvanized the union's base. "To the inept arsonist: You missed your target," said Art Lee, vice president of Local 49, to a crowd of about 150 last Friday, November 6, one week after the fire.…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

In Other News

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 04:00:00 -0800

News's feisty little brother. by Mercury staff Same-sex marriage advocacy group Basic Rights Oregon kicked off yet another iteration of its 2012 public education campaign Monday night, November 2, with a speech by Evan Wolfson, the executive director of the New York-based nonprofit Freedom to Marry. "Being denied the freedom to marry reaps a real hardship for us all," Wolfson told a standing-room-only crowd at Portland State University, in a speech that focused on how to convince skeptical friends, family, and coworkers about why marriage matters for…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Black and Blue

news@portlandmercury.com (Matt Davis) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 04:00:00 -0800

Gresham's only black cop resigns post, alleging discrimination. by Matt Davis THE ONLY AFRICAN AMERICAN police officer in the history of Gresham's police department has resigned her post in the training division, making serious allegations about racial and sexual discrimination by her colleagues. "When I took this job I was prepared and expected to have to deal with people calling me a 'nigger' and saying that they hated black people," wrote Officer Sonata Kerbs in a memorandum on July 15, explaining her resignation as a defensive tactics instructor to Sergeant Chris…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Portland's Newest Joint

news@portlandmercury.com (Sarah Mirk) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 04:00:00 -0800

A pot-friendly café plans to open for medical marijuana users in Northeast Portland. by Sarah Mirk EVEN FOR A CITY with a coffee shop on every corner, a new café in Northeast Portland will be a first: patrons of the planned Cannabis Café will be able to light up a joint while they sip their drinks. "Hi guys! My name is Anna and I smoke weed!" said Anna Diaz, of the Oregon chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), welcoming 50 medical marijuana cardholders to a volunteer training session for the…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Testing Craigslist

news@portlandmercury.com (Sean Breslin) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 04:00:00 -0800

Undercover with Portland's housing discrimination police. by Sean Breslin MOST NEWCOMERS to the City of Roses spend similar days poring through Craigslist, looking for a cheap room in a decent neighborhood—but they may also come across discrimination. Among the listings for vegan-friendly housemates and pleas for drama-free tenants, a recent scan of Craigslist brought up some trickier postings. People were specifying family status, gender, and even religious preferences in their would-be roomies. Isn't there a law against specifying stuff like that? Sure enough, there is: the Fair Housing Act.…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Show Me the Money!

news@portlandmercury.com (Sarah Mirk) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 04:00:00 -0800

Portland says it wants 600 new miles of bike lanes by 2030. Now will it put its money where its mouth is? by Sarah Mirk PORTLAND'S AMBITIOUS new Bicycle Master Plan envisions that in 20 years, the city could have 600 new miles of bikeways—but one question lingers: Will Portland put its money where its mouth is and actually fund the much-lauded plan? The first paragraph of the 200-page plan says bikes must become a "fundamental pillar" of Portland's transportation system by 2030, but currently bikes in Portland receive only a toothpick's worth of funding. "We could maybe squint our eyes and if some earmarks…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Hall Monitor

news@portlandmercury.com (Matt Davis) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 04:00:00 -0800

Mayor Sam Adams hops on yet another plane to woo investors to the city—and good for him. by Matt Davis Mayor Sam Adams drew scrutiny this past weekend for taking off on another business trip—this time to Japan to woo Nissan and Mitsubishi by talking up Portland as a place to invest heavily in electric cars. While there he's also been tweeting up a storm, pitching frozen food companies to expand their headquarters to Portland, and meeting with anyone else who might be interested in bringing their commercial dollars to the Rose City. Last week's council session provided an update…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Apathy or Discrimination?

news@portlandmercury.com (Sean Breslin) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 04:00:00 -0700

A homeless man is beaten in the street, but police don't pursue the perpetrators. by Sean Breslin ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, I saw a homeless man brutally attacked by a half-dozen young men. Thomas Lundahl was thrown against the entrance to the Portland Outdoor Store and punched several times before the men ran off. Several people, myself included, placed 911 calls during the incident, and within minutes three squad cars were on scene at SW 3rd and Oak. I listened as Lundahl, the victim of the attack, told officers that he was on the corner distributing free…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Oregon's Filthy Secret

news@portlandmercury.com (Sarah Mirk) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 04:00:00 -0700

Behind its green rep, Oregon gets 40 percent of its energy from dirty, dirty coal. by Sarah Mirk WHILE PORTLAND'S high-profile green innovations are helping the city's image become synonymous with sustainability (see: condo developers topping their downtown towers with wind turbines) the city runs on a dirty secret. Forty percent of Portland's energy comes from a very un-green source: coal. Environmental groups are pressuring Portland General Electric (PGE) to shut down its Oregon coal-burning power plant and stop fueling the state with coal altogether by 2020. The groups have some political support, but whether the grassroots effort…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Fight for Your Rites

news@portlandmercury.com (Sarah Mirk) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 04:00:00 -0700

Gay marriage rights now... or in 2012? by Sarah Mirk "OBAMA! OBAMA! Let mama marry mama!" chanted over 200 protesters as they marched down SW Broadway on Saturday afternoon, October 24. The march and its organizers, fledgling LGBT group Portland Equal Rights Coalition, reveal a split between activists who want same-sex marriage equality now and bigger queer-advocacy groups who are telling their supporters to hold tight until at least 2012. Basic Rights Oregon (BRO) knocked on 17,000 doors over the summer, starting conversations the state's largest LGBT group hopes will…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Dragging it Out of Him

news@portlandmercury.com (Matt Davis) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 04:00:00 -0700

City council finally forces Police Commissioner Dan Saltzman to publish a secret list of arrestees. by Matt Davis A MAJORITY OF CITY COUNCIL finally forced Police Commissioner Dan Saltzman to publish a secret list of frequent arrestees last week. The list names those arrested most frequently in Old Town, inner Southeast Portland, and parts of North/Northeast Portland, and is a replacement for the city's controversial "drug-free zones" program, which was disbanded in late 2007 following race disparity concerns. A month ago, Saltzman said he had decided to keep the list secret, to protect the identity of people on…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Hall Monitor

news@portlandmercury.com (Matt Davis) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 04:00:00 -0700

A much-needed one-stop domestic violence center is planned for East Portland. by Matt Davis Both Portland City Council and the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners approved funds last week to open a new one-stop domestic violence center in East Portland, hopefully by next February. A shocking 28,000 people experience domestic violence in Multnomah County each year, said City Commissioner Dan Saltzman, announcing the city's acceptance of a $300,000 federal grant on Wednesday, October 21. "Currently in the Portland area, resources are scattered," he said. "Victims of domestic violence, often with kids in tow, must…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

It's Frederick!

news@portlandmercury.com (Matt Davis) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 04:00:00 -0700

County chooses Lew Frederick for the state legislature. by Matt Davis The board of Multnomah County Commissioners finally picked Lew Frederick as a state legislator, after a nail-biting vote last week. Frederick was competing against Karol Collymore (an aide to County Commissioner Jeff Cogen) and Eddie Lincoln (a union organizer at Portland Community College) for the seat. The three candidates were vying to replace former State Representative Chip Shields, who took retiring State Senator Margaret Carter's seat four weeks ago ["A Matter of Opinion?" News, Oct 1]. Frederick stressed his experience…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]