Last Wednesday, 55 activists, run-of-the-mill citizens, and middle-of-the-road political organizers outlined their concerns about an ongoing collaborative effort between the FBI and local police, known as the Terrorism Task Force. Many fear the Task Force is being used more to monitor local political organizations, rather than to chase down bad guys. Each year, City Council […]
Phil Busse
Posted inNews
Stuck With an Epidemic
the Growing Hep C Problem
“I hate to share needles,” says Jack, a well-spoken 21-year-old who has lived on and off Portland’s streets for the past several years. “But,” he continues, “sometimes it’s that or not get high.” He smiles slyly and spreads his hands in front of him, as if explaining an irrefutable point. “It’s not a tough decision,” […]
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No More Free Lunch
City Hall Charges Politicians and Homeless for Services
Like parents cutting off the allowance for teenage kids, last week City Hall cinched its purse strings tight and sent bills off to Senator Gordon Smith as well as Dignity Village, asking that they pay for the expenses they are inadvertently costing the city. Dogged by acute budget shortfalls and mounting public pressure for fiscal […]
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Singing the Vera Blues
Citizens Bemoan the Mayor’s Recent Actions
Perhaps the surest sign that the grip of 9/11 is loosening is the return of dissent. The weeks and months after last year’s terrorist attacks were a tentative time, when few voiced opposition to national and local leaders. But early last Wednesday afternoon, a mixed group of organizations and individuals stepped right up to Mayor […]
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City Council Needs a Swift Kick
And Candidate Christian Gunther has a Nice-Sized Shoe
Christian Gunther wants Portland to be a world-class city. He talks about Vancouver, B.C. and Austin, Texas, and how over the past fifteen years, these cities have blossomed as meccas for art and music. In the same way some politicians talk about using the biotech industry to pull Portland up by its bootstraps, Gunther talks […]
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The Scarlet “T”
The Criminalization of Political Speech
In August, four so-called eco-terrorists–three men and one woman–were arrested and accused of torching a logging truck in the Mt. Hood National Forest. It represented the first real arrests by the Joint Terrorism Task Force, whereby the FBI and local police combat terrorism in our area. But more than anything else, this case stands out […]
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“Police Pepper Sprayed My Baby!”
Protest Against President Turns Into Scrimmage With Police
In full riot gear, the police look like giant beetles. They wear heavy black boots with toes covered in a plastic, unbendable casing. A separate piece of hard plastic wraps around their ankles. Heavily padded chest guards–just like umpires wear to protect themselves against 100-mph fastballs–cover their entire torso. They look larger than life because […]
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Thanks for Your Contribution
Sen. Smith’s Publicly-Funded Riot
At his fundraiser last Thursday, Senator Gordon Smith probably lost more votes than he scored. Running for re-election, the staunchly conservative senator from Eastern Oregon has twice used Portland as a venue to pry open billfolds and raise cash for his campaign. In June, Vice-President Dick Cheney swooped through town to offer support and host […]
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A Crack in the Glass
TV Celeb Murdered in Arizona Hotel Room
Rick Chance was not from Portland, but he spent a lot of time in our living rooms. As the spokesperson (and former owner) of Empire Glass, the smiling salesman showed up ad nauseum during late night television. His ad began in a sunny parking lot. Thrown from off-screen, a rock chipped a car’s windshield. “Hi, […]
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Move Along!
Mayor Slips the Sit-Lie Ordinance Past Homeless Advocates
In a sudden and decidedly sneaky move, Mayor Vera Katz announced new provisions in the city’s ordinances on Friday. These changes, revealed at a hush-hush meeting, activated the much-maligned “sit-lie ordinance” throughout Portland. Under revisions to City Code Title 14, police will have discretion to ticket anyone sitting, loitering, or simply standing in place. For […]
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Activism or Arson?
Terrorism Task Force Arrests Three, Looks for Another
On June 1, 2001, the night before Ray Schoppert Logging planned to begin cutting trees from the controversial Eagle Creek logging site, one of the company’s trucks burst into flames. For five years, this patch of U.S. Forest Service property had been a main focus of environmentalists. They would sit in treetops, link arms to […]
Posted inMovies & TV
Mercury Video Picks
Surf’s Up!
Hollywood has long used surfing as shorthand for ultimate coolness and adolescent recklessness; but too often it’s been handled more as an accessory to the likes of Keanu Reeves than a demanding sport and lifestyle. True hard-boiled surfers would bitch-slap Gidget back to the Pasadena Valley if she ever so much as giggled in their […]