THERE MAY be life yet in a $500 million propane export facility proposed for North Portland.

Mayor Charlie Hales ruffled feathers and garnered cheers in May when he publicly came out against Pembina Pipeline's proposal, saying he wouldn't even put a crucial zoning question before Portland City Council.

But Commissioner Nick Fish says he's not sure that's allowed. Fish has asked the Portland City Attorney's Office for an opinion as to whether city council must take up the zoning change, which was recommended by the Portland Planning and Sustainability Commission.

While he waits for an answer, Fish accompanied Commissioner Steve Novick on a tour of the proposed terminal site on May 29. Fish's office says the visit was scheduled weeks prior, and is unrelated to his inquiry to the city attorney. DIRK VANDERHART


POLICE REFORM in the city has a new face.

A group of researchers helping oversee Portland's settlement with the US Department of Justice over police abuses announced May 28 that it's selected Kathleen Saadat as its local representative. The compliance officer/community liaison (COCL) team picked Saadat, a longtime civil rights, women's rights, and LGBT rights advocate, at the recommendation of Mayor Charlie Hales' office.

The selection fills a crucial hole in Portland's reform effort. The COCL team—largely made up of Chicago academics—initially selected former Oregon Supreme Court Justice Paul De Muniz to be its local representative. But de Muniz resigned from the team in early April, citing health issues.

"We were looking for someone who can connect with all marginalized communities in Portland, who values a diversity of viewpoints and is widely respected in Portland and throughout the state of Oregon," said COCL team leader Dr. Dennis Rosenbaum. "We have found that person in Kathleen Saadat." DVH


MAYOR CHARLIE HALES has reined in NE Alberta's Last Thursday street fair for years because of complaints over mayhem—even refusing to close the street for May's event.

It didn't work.

At around 7 pm on May 28, police say a 16-year-old Vancouver, Washington, resident opened fire into a crowd of people gathered for the event. The suspect, Turon Lamont Walker Jr., injured three people in the shooting—two 15-year-old boys and a 25-year-old woman. None of them had life-threatening injuries.

Why did Walker do this? According to police, because someone in the crowd had been "eying" him.

The shooting prompted lengthy closures on NE Alberta, which in turn prompted complaints by dozens of people who couldn't buy Salt & Straw ice cream. DVH