National political stars like Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and Congressman Peter Defazio praised Portland as a model of green transportation last week as they met under the shadow of the tram to unveil the first streetcar built in America in 60 years. The first of six streetcars to be constructed at Oregon Iron Works for the new Eastside Streetcar Loop, the modern retro vehicle created 90 jobs regionally. But the new streetcars will each cost $450,000 more than Portlanders were told. Posters at the well-attended Streetcar Open Houses in May indicated the cost per vehicle as $2.9 million. Meanwhile, Portland Streetcar Inc. Executive Director Rick Gustafson says planners learned in April that the cars will actually cost $3.35 million each. SARAH MIRK

Recall Sam Adams spokesman Jasun Wurster officially filed to recall the mayor at the city auditor's office on Tuesday morning, July 7, as 13 media outlets (including the Mercury) looked on. "There's a lot of you," said Wurster, talking with the press in the eerie silence after filing his documents. Wurster stressed that the recall campaign intends to be "positive" and "inclusive," and that homophobes will not be welcome. Wurster said he feels the community is supportive of the effort. He must gather 32,000 signatures in 90 days to force a recall election. "I think Portlanders are a fair minded people," says Mayor Sam Adams, in response. "I'm focused on getting Portlanders back to work, on the high school dropout rate, and on positioning Portland at the heart of the green economy." MATT DAVIS