MOM PR
RE: “Portland’s Pretty: Do You Even Treefort, Bro?” [Fashion, April 11], Marissa Sullivan’s fashion-focused dispatch from Boise’s Treetfort festival. Sullivan noted one of her favorite performances was from “Boise’s own one-trans-woman show Clark and the Himselfs.”
I’m a senior who’s been reading the Mercury for five years since moving here from Boise. Mostly in hope of seeing my musician son’s bands getting some recognition outside of the Goodfoot ads. It hasn’t happened yet, but I’m getting closer. Thanks to Marissa Sullivan for the mention of Clarke and the Himselfs’ performance at Treefort. Clarke and my son’s group made it to a local Battle of the Bands final when they were sixth graders. It was fun to see a shout-out for someone I’ve known since they were seven. Now, how about a nice mention for Brett’s House Party, Fresh Track, or the Asher Fulero Band?
Linda
DISPATCH FROM BEAVERTON
RE: “BG’s Food Cartel Brings the Pod to Beaverton” [Food, April 11], Thomas Ross’ piece on a new food cart pod in Beaverton—a suburb where, until 2015, such things were ILLEGAL. “The first pod to hit Beaverton since the ban was lifted, BG’s Food Cartel at The Round, is unfortunately an example of aggressively manufactured suburban sprawl,” wrote Ross, “but there’s no denying that it truly offers some great eating.” He added that the pod would be “entirely tolerable, if it weren’t for the steady stream of early-2000s jams on the speakers.”
Thank you for descending from the eldritch plane of Portland to grace us filthy troglodytes of Beaverton with a divine visit to our humble food fair. We apologize profusely for the music. Had we known you were to be visiting us, we would have found our “White Girl from Portland But Actually Probably from Sacramento Playlist,” which includes the musical stylings of Arcade Fire, the Head and the Heart, some token underground folk singles, and quasi-ironic hits from Post Malone and the Chainsmokers. Please continue to patronize us with your business and “culture,” while we continue to fund your experiments in gross hipsterdom, gentrification, and ongoing city and law enforcement problems by providing the stable and well-paying employment the region needs. (jk great piece thanks)
opentheudder
FANCY ACCOMODATIONS
RE: The Mercury’s ongoing coverage of contentious plans to turn the unused Wapato Jail into a homeless shelter, including “County Commissioner Loretta Smith Wants to Turn Isolated Jail into Homeless Shelter” [Blogtown, April 2], “Wapato Shelter Plans Don’t Sit Well with Portland’s Houseless Community” [News, April 11], and “County Commission Votes to Sell Wapato Jail for $5 Million” [Blogtown, April 12].
Having been both homeless and the guest of a couple county sheriffs (South Texas and Detroit), I found jail to be much the nicer experience: Three hots and a cot, with plenty of time to sleep, read, work on my card game, detox from alcohol, and swap tales with my fellows. And Wapato would not even be a real jail. We could bring the social services to Wapato, whose 550 clients could support an onsite doctor, nurse, nurse’s aide, mental health professional, social worker, and pharmacy. We can disparage the downtown businesses and residents for not wanting the homeless in their backyard, but do you want them in yours?
Brian A. Cobb
DISPATCH FROM NORTH KOREA
RE: We’re not sure.
You publish articles about “Republican brainwashing” and have a section titled “Resistance and Solidarity,” yet you regularly publish disrespectful articles about the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea that are based on right-wing propaganda. Can you stop? It’s offensive and irresponsible.
Anonymous
NICE TRY, Kim Jong-un! We’re NOT falling for it! Instead, we’re giving Brian A. Cobb the Mercury’s letter of the week—an honor that comes with two passes to Portland’s beloved Laurelhurst Theater, which is now showing first-run movies. It’s pretty nice in general, and it’s definitely nicer than jail.
