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Good morning, Portland! Friday marks the spring equinox. If the forecast holds, we might actually get some sunny spring weather this weekend (c’mon cherry blossoms!), but today we can expect cloudy skies with a high of 65 degrees. 🌸
While you contemplate how to ring in the spring season, we’ve got some news for you (that’s kind of what we do around here.)
IN LOCAL NEWS:
• What could Oregon do with an additional $2.7 billion in revenue each year? That’s about how much a 2 percent wealth tax— imposed on Oregon taxpayers with assets at or above $30 million—is expected to generate. As the state faces a fiscal crisis affecting everything from public schools to transportation safety programs, there’s a petition to get that wealth tax on the Oregon ballot. –TAYLOR GRIGGS
• Restaurants are a crucial part of the fabric of our city, but in case you haven’t noticed, it’s a struggle out there for dining establishments in a world of sky-high inflation that’s made dining out unaffordable for many Portlanders. While there are plenty of exciting openings to look forward to, lots of restaurants are also closing their doors, from neighborhood gathering places to fine dining restaurants. This month, we welcomed a tapas bar and a Damian Lillard-backed sports bar, while Republica has (sort of) closed and Elephants Deli is shuttered due to fire. -KATHERINE CHEW HAMILTON & COURTNEY VAUGHN
• Portland parks history time! In case you hadn’t heard, Portland Parks & Recreation FINALLY announced a new name for a park in Southwest Portland that had been waiting for a rebrand for years. “A Park” on SW Capitol Hill Road has officially been re-christened as ‘Scht Wiwnu Park— a name most might struggle to pronounce on first try (it’s pronounced Ish-chit Way-el-noo). By all accounts, it seemed like the city had forgotten about this park. It was given a temporary moniker back in December 2020 by outgoing City Commissioner Amanda Fritz, who asked the parks bureau to shed the Custer Park name and work with the community to come up with a new one. Time passed. A LOT OF TIME. New city councilors were seated and served out their entire four-year terms without the park being renamed. Another new City Council was voted in and it still wasn’t renamed during the first year of the new Council’s leadership. Now, Portlanders can join in a naming ceremony for the SW Portland park on March 28, and maybe learn more about the tribal heritage behind the name.
• The Portland Auditor’s Office recently released its review of the city’s Arts Tax, and while auditors concluded the tax has generated revenue that’s funded valuable programs, they also say the city could do a much better job of managing the funds and ensuring they’re being used as intended. According to the report, “the city has not measured quality arts education nor ensured that grants improve access for students and underserved communities, as it promised Arts Tax funds would do.” Here’s OPB’s breakdown of the auditor’s report.
@fenimore_art_museum you know it love any excuse to bust out this painting. Which one are you? #folkart #paintings #painting ♬ original sound – Elora Dodd
IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS:
• In a very predictable move, Iran is weaponizing the Strait of Hormuz–a major shipping channel for transporting oil by sea. Trump and the US are getting a dose of FAFO after traffic in the strait is now severely hampered by Iran, while vessels are now subject to drone and missile strikes. CNN reports Iran is still sending its own ships through at nearly the same rate as before the war, indicating Iran is capable of cutting off the free flow of international ship traffic in the Strait, while still maintaining its own exports to sustain its economy. BUT, in another predictable move, Trump is whining that none of our allies in NATO want to help the US secure the Strait, for reasons that should be obvious to anyone with a fully functioning brain.
• Cesar Chavez has become a celebrated figure in the labor movement, but now, his legacy could be tarnished after allegations have surfaced that he abused young women and minors during his years of organizing farm workers. Chavez is best known for his work to help farm workers fight for better wages and working conditions. The New York Times published an extensive investigative piece detailing abuse experienced by two pre-teen girls in his orbit, as well as Dolores Huerta, another prominent labor leader who co-founded the National Farm Workers Association alongside Chavez. “Unfortunately, he used some of his great leadership to abuse women and children — it’s really awful,” Huerta told the Times. The claims of abuse are enough to cause the United Farm Workers to cancel upcoming events celebrating Chavez. Portlanders: Maybe we go back to calling it 39th Avenue?
An investigation by The New York Times found extensive evidence that Cesar Chavez, the United Farm Workers co-founder, groomed and sexually abused young girls who worked in the movement.
— The New York Times (@nytimes.com) March 18, 2026 at 7:25 AM
• A TSA official is warning of potential airport closures if the partial government shutdown continues. According to Acting Deputy TSA Administrator Adam Stahl, TSA employees are calling out of work in high numbers because they’re currently working without pay due to the partial shutdown that’s affected agencies under the Department of Homeland Security umbrella. The shutdown has continued since mid-February because Democrats and Republicans in Congress remain at an impasse over funding for DHS in the wake of brazen arrests of immigrants with no criminal records–including many with young children to care for–and recent killings of observers Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti. Democrats want agents to stop wearing masks and use body cameras, among other measures to increase transparency and accountability.
For those that are still getting paid to come to work, here’s your office life, portrayed by ducks (sound on)!
@docsyard ANY TAKERS? 🦆 ☕️ #ducks #funnyanimals #coffee #funny #cuteanimals ♬ Cup Of Coffee – Jungleboy
