So maybe I’m the only person in Portland who didn’t know about the Lightbulb Lady. But, man, I meet a lot of people and she is one of the most interesting I’ve ever met so I need to post about her. The Lightbulb Lady is Kay Newell and she sits all day behind the low […]
Neighborhoods
Posted inCrime
Neighbors Slam Potter’s Prostitution Plan
I just witnessed two outspoken Montavilla neighbors stage an impromptu takeover of the mayor’s morning press conference. “They invited us to come and stand behind them,” said Montavilla in Action member Liz Sullivan, after the conference dispersed, “and we don’t stand behind this plan.” What Potter unveiled this morning was the basics of his plan […]
Posted inNeighborhoods
Green Space Versus Greenbacks in Cully
The leaders of four neighborhood associations were seated in the dim fluorescent light of a church classroom. Photocopied pages headlined “General Explanation of the City Council Hearings Process” lay piled on lacy tablecloths. This was the meeting to strategize Keep Colwood Green‘s assault on City Hall. On September 17th, City Council will hear public testimony […]
Posted inArtsy
Graffiti Crew Stuck Up at Sticker Art
A street art show happening at Eclectica this Friday is raising some ire at the city as it toes the line for legal art. The show, called Slaptown, is organized by Portland street sticker artist New Colony, who’s been slapping up home-made stickers on newspaper boxes and street signs for three years now. He’s solicited […]
Posted inSports
Lents Neighbors Gnaw on Beaver’s Stadium Issues
The Mercury editorial team headed out to a Beavers game at PGE Park last night, working its way through a combined 23 beers and, at one point, watching a “musical beach towel” contest that made everyone feel a little sadder. Within the next year, Portland may take be viewing its Beavers and musical beach towel […]
Posted inCops
82nd Ave Neighbors Plan Prostitution Town Hall
Blatant prostitution along 82nd Avenue has both local residents and Council Commissioner Randy Leonard hot and bothered. After the expiration of the prostitution-free zone along the Ave last September, Leonard has been meeting with police officials to figure out other methods of ending the sex work–in Leonard’s view, the city should use a service coordination […]
Posted inNeighborhoods
NW Parking Garage Rolls Forward
The Northwest’s parking garage issue will never die. Developer Richard Singer has been battling neighbors for years as he tried a parking garage to capitalize on the trendy and traffic-clogged NW 23rd Street. Neighbors have a long list of concerns, mostly about the big garage infringing on a historic residential neighborhood. In February 2007, after […]
Posted inNeighborhoods
A Tool (well, tool library) Against Gentrification
What started as Eric Fair-Layman trying to maintain his home has turned into him trying to maintain his community. When Fair-Layman bought a home in Woodlawn, he wanted to start doing odd jobs around the house. “I always felt like that was missing,” he said, “Some deep manly urge or something.” Not wanting to shell […]
Posted inNeighborhoods
Clowns & Cars: Last Thursday Dispatch
With buses rerouted and volunteers on hand to hold “No Cars” posters, Last Thursday was set tonight to make a grassroots attempt at shutting down the street and making the event car free. So far, the night’s meeting with mixed results. “A lot of people have been saying, ‘I live here!’” laughed this guy, the […]
Posted inNeighborhoods
The Story of The Lot
While Last Thursday tonight on NE Alberta will see some hubbub in a bottom-up attempt to make the event car free, another intriguing negotiation among neighbors has been unfolding all year right in the center of Last Thursday’s territory. The vacant lot on the corner of 20th and Alberta, across from the popular Mexican restaurant […]
Posted inNeighborhoods
Will Clowns and Posters Make Last Thursday Carfree?
Remember the colorfully-painted junker cars that blocked NE Alberta during June’s Last Thursday, making the event carfree for the 67 minutes it took police to tow them? Well, tomorrow the plan is to keep things legal, while still trying to make the Last Thursday safe for wandering: volunteers from the Vernon Neighborhood Association are slated […]
Posted inArtsy
Dragon Out, Granite Lanterns In for Old Town
Right now in Old Town, some of the last pieces of a long public art saga are falling into place as artist Brian Goldbloom installs two steel and granite lanterns on the corner of NW 3rd and Flanders. The sculptures were meant to reflect the history of various ethnic groups that have lived in the […]