A couple quick hits from the hot development news this week: Portland Spaces reports that the Department of Education awarded the lovely historic Custom House downtown to the International School, a private language immersion school currently immersing 400 pre-k through 5th graders. The International School was the only group that submitted a full application to […]
Sarah Shay Mirk
Sarah Shay Mirk reported on transportation, sex and gender issues, and politics at the Mercury from 2008-2013. They have gone on to make many things, including countless comics and several books.
Posted inNews
Good Morning News!
Pirate Saga Continues! <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/apr/10/pirates-captain-richard-phillips-escape-attempt”>Brave captain leaps from lifeboat to sea, recaptured, more pirates and American forces rush to the scene. Meanwhile, the US military clarifies pirates are not terrorists, so we can continue glorifying them with sexy Halloween costumes. Terrorists: Not Pirates. A suicide attack in Northern Iraq kills 5 GIS and 2 Iraqis, […]
Posted inTransportation
US Rep Criticizes 12-Lane CRC Plan
Big news in the world of the Portland-Vancouver $4.2 billion bridge: a U.S. Representative has joined the chorus of voices criticizing the financing plan for the 12 lane bridge. “I didn’t invent mathematics, but I try to listen to it. And if the numbers aren’t there, the numbers aren’t there,” said Representative Brian Baird (D-Vancouver) […]
Posted inNews
School Lunch Crunch
Local Foodies Push Salem for Lunch Money
Local foods are good for kids and the economy—will the
legislature bite?
Posted inNews
“We Need a Plan B”
Hundreds Protest Big Columbia Bridge
Protest of 12-Lane Columbia River Crossing draws hundreds.
Posted inBikes
City Moves to Regulate Pedicabs
Unlike taxis, limos and towncars, Portland’s pedicabs are completely unregulated by the city. But today the board of Portland’s Private For-Hire Transportation Board voted to approve regulations that will bring pedicab training and licensing under city control for the first time. The board was not originally planning to regulate pedicabs when it embarked on the […]
Posted inCity Hall
Rose Quarter Redevelopment Vision: Like Kansas City With “Portland Flavor”
For the last two days, city planners from the Mayor’s office and PDC have been locked in a conference room with Trailblazers and Beavers representatives, developers, stadium designers and Portland neighborhood leaders, hashing out a new vision for redeveloping the Rose Quarter. That vision emerged today at a packed late-afternoon press conference. Memorial Coliseum? Gone. […]
Posted inMedia
War & Media Talk Tonight
One of the world’s greatest journalists is speaking tonight in Portland for free. Philip Knightley was an investigative journalist in England during the 1950s and 60s before becoming one of the main western correspondents inside the Soviet Union. Knightley’s personal website describes him in somewhat lofty tones as a “distinguished journalist” but that’s okay because […]
Posted inHomo
Vermont!!!
Never has there been a better time to roadtrip to the country’s preeminent syrup museum or anywhere else in humble Vermont. The state’s legislature just overwhelming voted this morning in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage, overriding a governor’s veto to make Vermont the second state in one week to legalize gay marriage. More wonderful hubbies […]
Posted inNews
Hate Group Stickers Belmont
Saturday morning, the stretch of SE Belmont from Muddy Waters to Pine State Biscuits was littered with these neon green stickers: The stickers come from a West Virginia-based white supremacy organization that believes “our Founding Fathers had the vision that America would be — and stay — a White nation.” In the National Alliance’s online […]
Posted inNews
Rally Protests 12-Lane Bridge Budget & Impact
The weather was definitely working in favor of the people opposing the 12-lane Columbia River Crossing bridge. An estimated 400 people turned out to the noon waterfront “Opportunities and Alternatives” rally against the planned bridge. But hundreds more wandered past taking in the protest signs along with the sunshine and enjoying the greenery on what […]
Posted inBikes
BTA Fires Key Bicycle Lobbyist
People working on bicycle policy issues in Salem received a shock on Friday when they tried to call or email Karl Rohde, the well-known lobbyist for the Bicycle Transportation Alliance. That afternoon, Rohde’s email auto-reply informed all interested parties that Rohde no longer works for the BTA. Rohde’s firing from the BTA is surprising not […]