Censor This!

KBOO's struggle over censorship began in 1999, when the local independent radio station played a song by hiphop artist Sarah Jones. After an offended listener complained, the FCC slapped KBOO with a $7000 fine. But Jones and KBOO disagree; they say that the song, called "Your Revolution," was an attack on misogyny, rather than an endorsement. Jones recently told The New York Times, "My name was hanging in the air with 'indecent' attached to it in this really problematic way, especially since my work is concerned with social justice and feminist issues." Because of this concern, Jones filed a suit last month against the FCC. In addition, KBOO is waiting to hear whether the decision will be overturned. "We've already got a commitment from the ACLU to represent us," says Chris Merrick, acting station director for KBOO. "The message we've sent the FCC right now is, 'If you pursue this, we'll be in court with the ACLU, protesting on constitutional grounds." KATIA DUNN


Benicio's Noisemaker

Since Valentine's Day, North Portland has been rocking late at night with enough noise to raise even the half-mast eyelids of Benico del Toro. As part of the filming for The Hunted, Paramount's crews have been stationed along the bluffs with pyrotechnics and 50-caliber guns. But sleep-deprived neighbors were far from starstruck and complained to the city's Noise Task Force. But, to their surprise, they discovered that the newly enacted Noise Ordinance doesn't exactly apply to movie stars.

Pressured by neighbors looking for peace and quiet on everything from leaf blowers to house parties, last year City Council lowered the maximum allowable decibel level and made policing noise complaints easier.

But, under its first major test, the Noise Ordinance came up short, showing obsequious favoritism. Paul Van Orden with the Noise Task Force explained that they granted a variance but also tried to scale back Paramount's demands.

"This particular project was challenging because the original request was to operate through the night," he explained. In turn, the city only allowed filming until midnight. PHIL BUSSE