WE <3 ANN
RE: One Day at a Time [Aug 31], Ann Romanoās weekly roundup of gossip and news, which last week covered the looming mortality of our doddering presidential candidates, Britney Spearsā near-death experience, and the VMAs.
This is a love note to Ann Romano. To say āI only read the Mercury because of youā is a bit strong, but itās not too far off. Especially now that I donāt need to look for marijuana dispensaries in the back of the Mercury because they are on every block.
I just read this weekās One Day At a Time and I want to let you know it is terrific. Standing in line to watch a film festival finale, I read your article and laughed as stressed older patrons around me were anxious to burst down the door and get into their seats. They probably thought I was high, which I was. The laughter, though, was authentic and needed. Itās written so well and is so funny. Never stop doing this piece, please.
Longtime Reader
LICENSE TO CHILL
Re: āCannabuzz: Dude, Whereās My License?ā [Cannabis, Aug 31], Josh Jardineās story about how the Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) is dragging its feet issuing recreational cannabis licenses. āUnless you are part of the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program (OMMP), your ability to purchase cannabis is part of the early adult use sales program, which ends on December 31, 2016,ā Jardine wrote. āAll those chocolates, ice cream, vape pens, dabs, and buds of kind flower you love so much will no longer be available to you at your favorite dispensary unless it gets a recreational license from the OLCC by the end of the year. And no dispensary in Oregon has yet been issued one of those.ā
Iām starting to think that OLCC is getting paid by the liquor lobby to sit on its hands and not approve more licenses. Perhaps itās a conspiracy theory, but please set me straight.
Keynes Kush OG
Yo, is there a measure we can take as a consumer? Itād be nice if you could post something at the end of the article to help guide your audience to the proper place where they can act to help motivate or make a change.
jakebaez
JOSH JARDINE RESPONDS! Would if I could, and there was action individuals could take. My best advice is to check in with the Oregon Cannabis Association (orcannabisassociation.org), a non-profit industry group that works to help guide the Oregon Health Authority and OLCC when they make less than stellar choices.
CIARA <3 GUY
RE: āGuy Fieri, PLEASE Eat Food With Meā [Blogtown, Aug 30], part of Music Editor Ciara Dolanās obsessive campaign to get Guy Fieri, who visited Portland last week, to eat a mealāany mealāwith her. āI love Guy Fieri,ā Dolan wrote. āI love his style, I love how much he loves food, and most importantly, I love his shows, especially Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives and Guyās Grocery Games. I think Guy Fieri is cool, and youāre just going to have to deal with it.ā
Ciara, I think you have a problem. With therapy and the right strain, we can wean you away from his frosted hair and subpar food. Here, letās start with this nice kale salad with artisanal cheese crumbles and naturally raised bacon....
tommyspoon
GUY FIERI RESPONDS! JK, Guy Fieri didnāt respond. Respond to Ciara, Guy Fieri!
GIMME SHELTER
RE: āPortlandās Homeless Shelters Might Soon Be Larger Than Ever Beforeā [News, Aug 31], News Editor Dirk VanderHartās story about how proposed rules would increase the size and proximity of shelters. The proposals were introduced after hundreds of homeless Portlanders moved into the Hansen Buildingādespite, VanderHart reported, neighborsā claims the shelter would bring about āchild rapes and other heinous acts.ā āAt 200 beds, the shelter holds double the number of beds allowed under Portlandās restrictive code,ā VanderHart wrote. āSince declaring a housing āstate of emergencyā nearly 11 months ago, Portland officials have been free to bend zoning rules.ā
The problems with larger shelters are myriad. First, the homelessness crisis flows out of, and is aggravated by, the overall affordable housing crisis. Second, as Utah and other places have demonstrated, providing actual homes to homeless people is cheaper and more effective than warehousing people.
Third, is there any evidence that shelters present a threat of child rapes or other hysterical fears to nearby communities? What Iāve seen over decades is that the people most at risk are the homeless themselves IN such industrial-level shelters.
If the local governments want to make a positive change for everyone, they should enforce the affordable housing rules so that such housing is actually built, and then provide apartments and homes to people who need them.
michtom
This weekās letter of the week prize goes toāsurprise!ājakebaez, for proving that potheads, when threatened with the possibility of a catastrophic cannabis shortage, can draw on unsuspected reserves of initiative! jakebaez, weāre giving you two tickets to the Laurelhurst Theater. Guy Fieri loves the popcorn there.
Letters and comments may be edited for space. Email us at lovenotes@portlandmercury.com.
