A anti-foreclosure protest on Sunday, August 5, wound up with police arresting one protester on charges of burglary and trespass. Members of Occupy-spinoff group Portland Liberation Organizing Council (PLOC) spent Sunday attempting to “liberate” an empty duplex in Northeast Portland and turn it into a community center. The duplex was recently built on a lot formerly owned by Alicia Jackson, who lost the property and her home to the bank in August last year. On May Day this year, PLOC and Occupy helped Jackson move back into her foreclosed house, and on Sunday held a block party to celebrate her three-month occupation. During the party, 24-year-old Derek Zika and others entered the new duplex. Responding to reports of a “burglary” by the duplex’s owner, at 11:30 pm, Portland police entered the building and found a lone squatter, Zika, who they then hauled off. NATHAN GILLES

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How much do Portlanders love the library? Enough to pony up the price of two hardcovers for a new property tax district? The Multnomah County board voted unanimously last week to send the plan for a library district to the ballot this fall. The idea calls for a new tax that works out to an average $50 annual increase for homeowners and would allow the library to keep all of its branches open seven days a week. The Multnomah County Library system is the second-busiest library system in the country, serving 35,000 people a day—but due to slim budgets, it moved earlier this year to close all branches on Mondays. SARAH MIRK

4 replies on “In Other News”

  1. There are so many factual errors in this story it’s difficult to know where to start, but here goes. First, the event Sunday wasn’t a protest, but an act of land liberation. Second, it wasn’t sponsored by PLOC (nor was PLOC the only and principle organizer of the May Day action – that distinction would have to include reference to the Black Working Group to whom Alicia Jackson went to for help in reclaiming her home, but what’s new about Black people in leadership being discredited for and replaced by White people?), but by the Blazing Arrow Organization which has no ties to Occupy whatsoever (every action these days is immediately credited to Occupy without even two seconds of research being done). Finally, that building in question was purchased after Alicia’s land was stolen through a predatory lending scam no different than any other financial scam. The community members on Sunday, tired of the government doing nothing to stop the actions of these predatory banks, decided to take action into it’s own hands. The corporate media is labeling this developer as a victim when he has made mad money profiting off the misery of hardworking class people. He’s no victim and the people on Sunday are no burglars. All of that is obvious to anyone who takes five minutes to find out what’s really going on across the world today. Sadly, the Mercury is supposed to be an alternative news source. With friends like you we don’t need any enemies.

  2. “BLAZING ARROW ORGANIZATION”
    bah hah hah ha!!!!! Kills me every time I hear it.
    Do you guys get a secret decoder ring when you join?

  4. I’m a member of D.I.C.K.H.E.A.D. Dynamic Independent Caucasian Kleptomaniacs Hoarding Every Available Dollar. It’s too bad poor people are angry and don’t have a sense of humor because THAT was comedic gold. Sadly, that’s the only gold they will ever GET!!!!

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