Homeless nonprofit Sisters of the Road is planning to hold a “truth commission” on the controversial sit-lie ordinance on Thursday, August 7. The aim of the truth commission, which will be held at 5:30 pm at the Sisters’ café (133 NW 6th), is to “provide a space where concerns and experiences related to the sit-lie law will be genuinely listened to and respected,” according to a statement from Sisters.
The truth commission is meeting four days before the City of Portland’s planned August 11 “community forum” to discuss the law, organized by the mayor’s Street Access for Everyone (SAFE) committee.
“We lack confidence that the voices of people most affected by this law will be taken seriously during the SAFE public hearing,” says Michael Buonocore, Sisters’ associate director. “Therefore, we will have our own forum where people will be heard.” MD
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On July 17, Portland’s regional government, the Metro Council, endorsed a locally preferred option for the Columbia River Crossing by a 5-2 vote.
Metro laid out their conditions for the massive $4.2 billion I-5 bridge project in a three-page list of “concerns and considerations.” For starters, Metro wants assurance that the project “is consistent with Oregon and Washington’s statutory reduction goals for greenhouse gas emissions.” In Oregon, that means reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 75 percent below 1990 levels by the year 2050.
But while Metro came out swinging for light rail to be included in any new bridge project—”the Metro Council’s endorsement… categorically stipulates that light rail must be included”—their demands were essentially nonexistent when it came to how big the bridge will be (or, rather, won’t be). The council endorsed three “through lanes” in each direction, but left to future study a decision about how many “auxiliary lanes” the bridge should have. AJR
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Downtown convenience store owner Doug Peterson has gained the support of the Downtown Neighborhood Association (DNA) in his quest to remain at his SW 10th and Morrison location—he currently faces eviction from the city-owned parking garage structure on August 15.
DNA Chair Steve Trujillo—who also co-chairs the downtown Public Safety Action Committee—has agreed to support Peterson as long as he signs a good neighbor agreement with the city and neighboring businesses.
“We’re still a long way from nowhere,” says Peterson. “But it’s a step in the right direction.” MD
Not in the slightest bit funny.
Next!
Sirs:
The ghost of Robert Moses, the designer who preferred cars to people, hated neighborhoods especially ethnic neighborhoods, and detested public transit would be thrilled with this project.
His preference for freeways destroyed metropolitan New York — his routing freeways right through neighborhoods without regard for the residents is blamed for the much of the urban blight most other cities suffer today. He is even blamed for the Brooklyn Dodgers moving to LA by siting a freeway on top of the ball park — without an exit.
In Portland, we’re lucky that the citizenry stood up and told the public officials who fed at the trough of construction companies and worshipped Mr. Moses , to use the vernacular, to fuck off. Otherwise Portland would be the same sprawling mess as Los Angeles, Houston, metropolitan New York, Chicago and on and on.
From a long life I’m a cynic. Whenever someone proposes something like this, I immediately wonder who will benefit the most. Portland has a long, well established tradition of public corruption, so who benefits? You and I who pay for these boondoggles? Hardly.
Agreed. We do need a new bridge as the old one is a bottleneck. Access across the South Channel of the Columbia to Hayden Island is dreadful, effecting both the businesses on the island and the people who live on the island.
Do we need this specific bridge?
I’m not convinced this proposal isn’t based on what will generate the most income for engineers, construction companies and the public officials they employ.
I remain your humble servant,
Jacomus