Portlanders passing through the Kenton neighborhood last week were surprised to see workers sawing down 21 trees within view of the neighborhood's iconic statue of the world's most famous lumberjack, Paul Bunyan. Portland Transportation staffer Kathryn Levine explains that widening the sidewalk along North Denver as part of the redevelopment of Kenton placed the current trees in the middle of the pedestrian path. The citizen redevelopment committee approved cutting down the area's 21 trees and replacing them with 49 new ones. The new trees–honey locust and redwood ash–"meet the needs of the district" by avoiding excessive leaf litter and having "business friendly airy leaf/branch patterns." SARAH MIRK

Oregon Congressman David Wu was most likely embarrassed last week by footage released by the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) of him driving a huge GMC Yukon SUV, despite promising to be a champion of the environment. Neither Wu's office nor the NRCC responded to the Mercury's requests for comment, but the congressman's spokeswoman told one news outlet that Wu is a regular recycler who bought the truck eight years ago to carry his dog, a couple of strollers, and his family. Wu's opponent in the 2010 primary, David Robinson, drives a 22-mile-per-gallon BMW. "It's better than driving a GMC Yukon," he says, adding that he plans to upgrade to a more environmentally friendly car as soon as the financial opportunity presents itself. MATT DAVIS