"Viva Las Portland!" claims a satirical political action committee (PAC) supposedly composed of gamblers who support November ballot measures 82 and 83, which would allow the construction of a non-Indian casino between Portland and Troutdale. The casino sponsors have downplayed the casino aspect of their planned development, opting to focus ads on the hotel, water slide, and movie theater that will accompany the project. "These measures will create desperately needed opportunities for Portland's struggling pawn shops, bankruptcy attorneys, and repo men," jokes Viva Las Portland spokesman Noah Heller, in its first (and potentially only) press release. SARAH MIRK

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Happy birthday, Occupy! Portlanders traveled to New York and also staged an anniversary rally on Portland's Eastside to celebrate one year since the first Occupy Wall Street protest in New York. Occupy has quieted down in Portland over the past few months, holding meetings and planning events from its headquarters in Southeast Portland's Saint Francis Church that are more low-key than last winter's frequent marches and rallies. SM

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Commissioner Randy Leonard is about as far from the image of "marijuana advocate" as one could imagine, but last week the about-to-retire politician came out in favor of Measure 80, the pot legalization measure headed to the November ballot. Leonard argues that prosecuting marijuana crimes eats up money that could be used for more important services, like having police focus on more dangerous drugs. "I don't smoke marijuana," said Leonard. "But in all seriousness, it's always struck me, why is it that alcohol is okay and marijuana is not?" DENIS C. THERIAULT