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Good Morning, Portland! Did you like that sunny weather? Because we're looking at ten days of rain—WATCH YOUR DRAINS. It's time for news.

IN LOCAL NEWS:
• Almost everyone can agree that Portland needs more housing, and it's a common belief that it all needs to be horrendously ugly—with awkward zig zag shapes so that the people who live in it feel ashamed every day of their lives for living in it. But what if restoring some of the cool, historic buildings could be fun, profitable, and like... cause reasonably the same environmental concerns? Portland’s Historic Landmarks Commission recently took such an argument before Portland City Council. Taylor Griggs explains more of the whys and wherefores.

• Ox, an Argentine-cuisine-inspired steakhouse run by James Beard award-winning chefs Greg Denton and Gabrielle Quiñónez Denton has closed until further notice, following a fire. Greg Denton told KGW the fire began in the restaurant's ducts. A post to the restaurant's social media page explained "everyone is safe and the building will be fine, and we will reopen as soon as possible."

• For the first time in nearly a decade, there wasn't a Thesis at Kelly's Olympian last month—the hip-hop showcase cancelled its February show, citing an increasing misalignment of values with the venue. Mercury music columnist Jenni Moore reports that a new home has been found for the First Thursday event, and there's a 'Homecoming' party to celebrate this weekend!

• The People's Joker, Smallpresspalooza, Kathleen Hana's memoir release—there's a lot of cool events in Portland this spring! Our EverOut calendar team pulled together this list of notables, and if you're not the sort of Portlander who keeps a multi-layered calendar all on your own.... I recognize you, and I respect you... don't forget you can ❤️ events you want to check out on EverOut, and they'll remind you when its coming up!

• But there are certainly shows that you need to buy tickets for RIGHT MEOW. Take a look at this shortlist of shows going on sale this morning, thoughtfully compiled the EverOut calendar team!

• Earlier in the week, I wrote about comedian Ian Karmel's new book and his upcoming stand-up shows at Revolution Hall—where he's recording his second-ever comedy album. Though he's lived in LA for years, he was actually in Portland when we conducted the interview. We made a little video of it:

 
 
 
 
 
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IN NATIONAL / INTERNATIONAL NEWS:
• Have you been following this National Association of Realtors settlement story? The New York Times reports that "American homeowners could see a significant drop in the cost of selling their homes" now that NAR can no longer keep 5 or 6 percent realtor fees as the standard rate paid to real estate agents. There was a good episode of the Daily about it on Wednesday.

• Here we are two years into Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and when you read a headline that say Russia attacked Ukraine's hydroelectric power plants you probably recognize that as a tactic meant to cause the effected populations to freeze. It's also a danger to Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which receives electricity from Dnipro Hydroelectric Station.

• This morning, Russia and China vetoed a UN resolution that would have called for “an immediate and sustained cease-fire” in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, which has killed a recent estimate of over 30,000 Palestinians. The Russian ambassador said that language was weak sauce, to paraphrase. The US ambassador called China and Russia's vote "cynical." Worth noting that the US has blocked several resolutions, along the same lines. 

• Flannery O'Conner movie directed by Ethan Hawke, staring Maya Hawke—YAY or NAY?

• Lawmakers in our national's capitol managed to pass a spending bill today, "just a few hours before funding for some key federal agencies" was set to expire, the Associated Press reports. Whew, glad that's settled... until fall. Cool cool.

• I'm not super sure when spring actually ARRIVES in Oregon, but I believe it's two weeks in February and three weeks in June.

 
 
 
 
 
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